In St. Louis, Missouri, James Frampton confronts a sex worker walking alone down an alley. He handcuffs her to arrest her, but then kills her. He wakes violently from the nightmare. Upset, his dog comforts him. In the morning, James finds his bloody shirt from the dream in his kitchen trash can.
In the room, Dean decides to wait until the morning to call James Frampton β the cop friend who once saved their lives and is now asking for a favor. He goes out to get some beer, but not before once again expressing his concern over Sam completing the trials.
While Dean is gone, a stray dog comes to the motel room and finds Sam. Knowing Dean will be less than thrilled by their visitor, Sam tries to convince him to keep the dog for the night, but when they look back at the dog, it has turned into a woman, Portia , lying on the bed.
Portia tells the boys she is a familiar , a companion to a witch that splits their time between human and animal form. Portia says James has been suffering from excruciating headaches, nightmares, and has trouble sleeping and thinking. Meanwhile, James meets a friend in a high-end bar. He is suffering, drinking, and looking for help. Spencer Wallis , who is also a witch, urges James to see a psychiatrist, or take a break from the life.
Back in the motel, Portia gives the boys more detail. James thinks his nightmares may be real and he is actually killing people. Familiars and witches can communicate telepathically, but James has been shutting Portia out. James does not know Sam and Dean are in town, but they are his only hope. When James comes in, he tells them more about the dreams and that the victims are actually dead in real life.
