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(Y/N) tossed and turned. Restless as she tried to sleep.
She woke immediately as Dean opened the door during his perimeter check before going to bed himself. Jumping in the bed, she prompted a hushed apology from him which she only nodded to before lying back down to face away from him.
She had dozed in and out of sleep, but had yet to truly find rest.
Every time she closed her eyes all she could think about was a car coming up the driveway.
Guns.
Benny running towards them.
Dean standing between them and her.
None of it being enough… dying only minutes after they would.
Letting Sam down.
Letting down all of the families of those girls.
So instead she tossed and turned some more before finally looking over to the clock.
4 am.
She decided this was enough and threw the blankets off of her before exiting the bedroom, finding a woman standing in the kitchen, cooking.
“Hi.” She mumbled. A little surprised at the sight and delicious smell in front of her.
“Hi, you must be (Y/N).” The woman smiled as she wiped her hands on a towel and walked around the counter with one of them stretched out towards her. (Y/N) shook her hand politely and nodded.
“Yes ma’am. Does that make you the famous Jody?”
“It does.” She chuckled. “Although I reserve the right to deny any and everything you’ve heard from the mouths of these guys.”
“All good things.” (Y/N) promised as she stepped forward following Jody back towards the stove. “Anything I can help with?”
“Can’t sleep?”
“No.” She sighed. “Figured I might as well get up at this point. I’ll take a nap later or something.”
“I’m sorry I scared you earlier. With zero comms we can’t really call ahead that we’re coming.”
“It’s okay, I’m just glad it was you.”
“I’ve finished the gumbo. Got a pot of vegetable soup on now. There is a casserole in the fridge that just needs to be put in the oven for an hour anytime you guys need, it’s good for the next few days. Freeze whatever’s left and it’ll be good for a few weeks or so.”
“Wow, Jody. That’s so nice of you… here I thought Benny was above and beyond with his famous tea.”
“That boy...” Jody shook her head. “He’s a good one. They all are really. The brother’s though, they take up a special little corner in my heart.”
“Yeah. They are.” She agreed. “Sam seems like a really amazing person. He was the only one who gave me a chance. Who believed me. I don’t even wanna think about where I’d be without him.”
“Sam has the people skills. Dean has the instincts. I mean they both can read people, but Sam just KNOWS people. If he calls it, I’ll never go against him.” Jody nods.
“I haven’t heard from him since we got here, do you know if he’s made any progress with the case?”
“Dean hasn’t talked to you about it?”
“Asked me some questions yesterday. Said it wasn’t an interrogation, but that the answers could be helpful.”
“That’s true.” Jody sighed.
“He’s not telling me something, huh?”
Jody leaned back against the counter and tossed the towel over her shoulder as her eyes narrowed in slightly on the young woman. She chewed on her lip as she thought about how she wanted to answer the question she knew she probably shouldn’t.
“He’s worried that we don’t have enough to make the impact Sam want’s.” Jody admitted quietly.
“What? Why not?” (Y/N) asked confused. “I gave him everything from the dinners, all the photos.”
“Yes, but photos don’t prove much other than they had dinner.”
“Shit.” (Y/N) sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “I thought he had evidence to go to trial.”
“He does, but a good lawyer could wiggle outta this one. Dean doesn’t wanna let this go to trial until we’re sure it’s bulletproof.”
“So what can I do?”
“Just… do what he asks.” Jody shrugs. “He’ll tell you if he needs something. Sam too. They’re smart. They’ll figure it out.”
“You really love them huh?”
“I do.” Jody smiled as she turned back to the counter where she had been tinkering on and off, then she turned back and put a small bowl of soup in front of (Y/N). “It’ll help with the restless nerves. Promise.”
“You’re a mom, huh?” (Y/N) smiled softly as she picked up the spoon.
Jody smiled back sadly before looking down at her feet.
“I was.”
“Oh.. Jody. I’m so sor-“
“It was a long time ago. The boys got me through some tough times, let me mother them from time to time when I just really needed it… they lost their mom at a really young age. Sometimes I think we just needed each other.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah… lost their dad about 5 years ago. He was on the job. SWAT hostage situation went south, John went in for the hostage, and they both were lost.”
“Dean. That’s why he wanted to do SWAT, huh?”
“He always wanted to make John proud, John was hard on him… ya know? And I- I don’t know why I keep rambling. Must be the long night. It’s been a while since I’ve done night rotations.” Jody giggled. “I get all chatty when I get with a woman being surrounded by all these men all the damn time. Besides. They seem to like you.”
“Sam maybe.” (Y/N) raised her eyebrows as she sipped at her soup.
“Dean’s a different kind of creature. Trust me, if he didn’t like you. You’d know it.”
“I’m pretty sure we got off on the wrong foot, he seems like a first impressions kinda guy. Not much I can do to change that now. I guess as long as he doesn’t hate me I’ll be happy with that.”
Jody giggled to herself, a knowing glint in her eye that (Y/N) seemed to be oblivious to. It was obvious to her the way Dean rushed to check on the girl when she arrived, and the disappointment he had after seeing how afraid she had been… he cared.
The way he spoke about her safety, and the concerns he had. She knew then that this was more than just a typical assignment for Dean… sure. Maybe she could chalk that up to it being such a personal case and it being so important to Sam but she knew the look on his face was one she had seen only once before.
Lisa.
Rotten woman.
“Well, finish up, and make yourself comfortable on the couch. If you doze off then take a nap and if not then the TV is all yours. I’m gonna start on breakfast soon.”
“Jody…”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it, the soup… the talk… you being here to protect me, help me. All of it.”
“Anytime, that’s my job.” Jody winked as she patted the gun on her hip and turned back to the stove.
…..
Dean woke to the aroma of coffee and something sweet… cinnamon maybe? Maple? Either way he looked over at the clock and realized it was an hour and a half past time for his perimeter rounds.
“Shit.” He grumbled jumping up out of bed and rushing for the door.
He threw it open and the sight before him stopped him in his tracks.
(Y/N) was asleep on the couch, covered by a soft blanket. Jody was standing in the kitchen, wide eyed taking in the sight of him in a t-shirt and boxers with frazzled hair and sleep still plastered on his face as he tried to adjust to the bright lights coming in through the window. He looked between (Y/N) and the kitchen once more as he realized there was French toast, bacon, fresh coffee, and eggs laid out on the table waiting for them.
“Uhh… you gonna get dressed first or what? Cause that’s kinda awkward.” Jody gave him a raised eyebrow. Dean instantly looked down to his morning wood and moved to cover it before retreating to his room. He quickly ran to the bathroom and rushed his already brief morning routine before stepping back out now dressed with his weapon holstered in the back of his jeans.
“What the hell happened to my alarms?”
“I turned them off.” Jody smiled as she set a cup of coffee down in the chair he moved to sit in.
“Why?!”
“Because I had everything under control, she was awake and in the living room with me, and you needed the rest.”
“Dammit Jody… we needed to do a perimeter check.”
“I did. I walked it. She stayed here with you, the doors were locked. She knew to wake you if I wasn’t back in exactly 4 minutes.”
“So she just so happened to be up and cheery at 5:15 this morning?” Dean asked skeptically looking over to her.
“She got up a little before 4:30… well she got out of bed. She hadn’t really slept all night. She finally fell asleep about 20 minutes ago, so I’d rather not wake her if you don’t mind.”
Dean chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stared at the couch where she slept soundly. Her hair was pulled up in a sloppy knot on the top of her head, and her sweater hung off her shoulder. Her legs were drawn up and her entire body leaned against the side of the couch. He knew she couldn’t be that comfortable and would be stiff if she slept there for too long… how could she sleep with the noise of people in and out? She’d be better off in her quiet room where she could actually rest.
“We oughta carry her to bed, Jody. That can’t be comfortable.”
“I think she couldn’t sleep because she didn’t want to be alone, Dean.” Jody told him with a knowing glare. “Leave her there, she’s fine.”
“She needs to eat something.”
“She ate soup.”
“At 430?” Dean deadpanned.
“It’s never a bad time for my soup, you know this.” Jody teased him. He rolled his eyes but could push the playful smile off his face. “She’s a sweet girl, really. It’s a shame she’s in a mess like this. You’re right… she has no idea what’s after her, Dean.”
“I know.” Dean sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“She’s asking questions too. She wants to talk to Sam soon.”
“Yeah, I don’t blame her. She’s not gotten many answers… just more questions.”
“She’s not stupid.”
“How could she not have seen it then, Jody?” Dean shook his head. It was the single most perplexing thing about her in his mind. She obviously wasn’t a stupid woman. She was bright. She was charismatic. He was sensing she had ambition and a stubborn streak too. It just didn’t settle with him that she couldn’t have known… so could she still be lying to them?
No.
There’s not a hint of a lie on her face when he speaks to her.
“I have a couple of theories. Overtime maybe we’ll find out more and we’ll understand as we get to know her better.” Jody assured him.
“What time is Bobby coming?”
“I told him last night to come around lunch, I’d have a plate ready for him.”
“I’m sure he loved that.” Dean snorted as he admired the breakfast he lifted onto his fork and shoveled towards his mouth, a slight moan of satisfaction before another bite.
“Yes, well as I told her, there’s a few things in the fridge that are ready to heat and eat. Directions are on the fridge.”
“Thank you.” Dean grinned.
“So what do we need to dig up to get Sam his trial, and get this girl her life back?”
“A miracle.”
…..
(Y/N) began to stir as footsteps moved past her. She nuzzled herself farther into the side of the couch and fought not to give into her brain pulling her out of her slumber, wanting to sleep a little longer. A chill ran down her exposed legs to between her shorts and low cut socks. She pulled her blanket around her tighter and pushed her feet against something warm, sliding them underneath the source and humming contently.
A chuckle caught her attention.
Suddenly she was more awake, her eyes shooting open and landing on Dean who sat on the other end of the couch where she had been sleeping. He wore an amused grin, and she swore that if she had a thought on her mind, it would have left her at that exact moment due to the sheer beauty in that grin.
It was bright and playful as he licked his bottom lip slightly.
“You just like sleeping on my couches?” He teased her.
Before she responded she slightly curled her toes and realized they were buried under his heavy and warm thigh, causing her to swallow the words that were fixing to leave her mouth. He didn’t move to stand or push them away… so she left them as her eyes pulled back up to his. Something bold overtaking her in the midst of her hazy mind.
“I would have picked your bed, but you look like a cover hog.” She shot back with a sleepy grin.
“Says the girl who just buried her cold feet under my leg.” He challenged with the ghost of a smile still pulling at the corners of his mouth.
Instead of responding she chuckled as she wiggled her toes and pushed them a little further and turned her body inwards towards the couch more to snuggle against it for warmth.
“Are you cold?” He asked at a low volume, his eyes still on her as she looked over to him once more. She nodded; afraid words would stutter as she lost herself in his stare. She expected him to stand and throw a blanket her way, or maybe suggest she quit being lazy and get dressed… she almost couldn’t stop her lips from parting slightly as his hand reached out and slid up the bottom of the blanket where her legs were partially exposed.
He rubbed his hand up and down her calves, providing friction with the intention of giving her warmth.
It warmed her… but not from the friction.
Her body instantly warmed under his touch.
“Thanks.” She whispered looking up to him, but his gaze was back on the TV where he was now watching some movie or show she had never seen. Not responding to her verbally, but continuing to move his hand up and down, leaving her feet buried under his thick and heavy leg where heat radiated off of him.
(Y/N) noted he was dressed in a simple black t-shirt and some jeans. He left his hand on her leg, even after it stilled… but he never once turned his gaze back on her or pushed for more conversation.
He baffled her.
So cold, and then giving the warmest of sensations before returning to his rather chilled behaviors. While they weren’t exactly rude, they were certainly professional at most, and she would even go as far as to call him standoff-ish.
Yet, she found herself willing to lay on this couch all day if it meant he’d keep his hand against her.
“Lunch will be up in 30 minutes.”
Jody’s voice pulled both of their attention, and Dean’s hand, from where it was resting. (Y/N) finally pulled herself to sit up and stretched her arms forward, rolling her neck side to side before standing.
Dean tried to force himself not to watch as she stood and twisted her body from side to side to pull her stiff muscles loose again, but his efforts were clearly in vain. He couldn’t stop his eye from training themselves on the black shorts riding up her thighs, and hugging in all the right ways from where she stood in front of him… almost as if she knew what she was doing.
“I guess I should get up and get dressed.” She mumbled before stepping forward. Dean watched her walk away, but she paused as she hit the hallway and stopped to look at him. He was quick to make sure his eyes were drawn upwards to meet hers. “Thanks again, for the body heat.”
“Sure.” He nodded casually with a small grin.
Jody shook her head and chuckled to herself… turning and finding Dean glaring at her over the back of the couch. She held her hands up in defense before turning back to the stove and biting her lip to hold back the other half of her laughter.
As (Y/N) made her way back out to the living room and kitchen Jody was laying food out on the table, and Dean was watching an old truck pull up down the drive way.
“Well I’ll be damned… look he dragged up.” Dean mumbled. (Y/N) Looked up curiously as Dean walked over to the front door and leaned against the open doorway. She expected a man to enter and greet Dean, but what she didn’t expect was to see Sam right behind that man as he greeted Dean with a hug, then moved to do the same for Jody before moving in and smiling at her.
“Hey (Y/N), you doing okay?”
“Hey Sam!” She grinned genuinely happy to see him “I’m good, thank you. How are you?”
“Busy, but… wanted to come out and check on things. I figured if I had to make a visit I might as well do it while grumpy was here.” He grinned over to the older man (Y/N) was assuming must be Bobby, who she had heard them mention earlier.
“Oh shut up ya idjits.” The man grumbled before greeting Jody with a hug and kiss to the cheek, then he moved to pull a spare chair up to the table.
“Sit down boys, lunch is ready.” Jody called out. (Y/N) watched as Sam and Dean pushed each other around slightly before making their way to their seats, one on each side of her, Jody and Bobby across from them. She had to admit she felt slightly nervous at having both of them so close to her, Jody seemed to notice and sent her a sly wink while the boys were busy scooping food onto their plates.
“So how’s the property?” Bobby asked.
“Quiet so far.” Dean mumbled. “Benny did an indepth scout, mapped it out and pinned it above the desk over there. Hunters cabin nearby. Oh, and there seems to be a bear or two.”
“What!” (Y/N)’s eyes shot open and she turned to face him in shock. “You never said anything about bears!”
“Oh, don’t worry about them, they’re good actually. Keeps people from wandering too close to us and you probably won’t see them unless you’re out there at night or leave a bunch of food out. They’re not used to people.” Dean explained like it was so normal for him.
“Bears… you couldn’t have told me that before I went wandering around the trails?” She deadpanned at him once again.
“Just more of a reason for you to never go out of the house alone.” He challenged scooping some food into his mouth. She rolled her eyes slightly. Sam chuckled at them.
“Well I’m sure with the pond being a water source for the smaller critters and stock pile for the fish… they’ve been by once or twice and you just didn’t notice. Probably sneak in and out while you sleep. No reason to worry.” Bobby assured her.
“Thanks… I’m (Y/N) by the way.” She said extending her hand across the table, Bobby accepting it.
“Bobby Singer.” He nodded.
“Card shark. Moonshine drunk. Grade A asshole…” Dean mumbled as Bobby kicked him under the table. Sam laughed once more.
“(Y/N) I’m sorry.” Sam said suddenly catching everyone’s attention. She froze and looked up to him. “I forgot how much of a pain in the ass it is to live with Dean. I should have warned you.”
Everyone began to laugh.
“Yeah yeah yeah, shut up.” Dean grumbled through his mouth full of food.
“He has a comfy couch at least.” She teased as she smiled at him, he grinned but never looked up to meet her eyes.
“Well. I do have to apologize for real this time. I have an ulterior motive for coming… I have to ask something.” Sam then said setting down his fork and taking a drink.
(Y/N)’s stomach began to knot, feeling her hands start to shake slightly. She doesn’t know why… she likes Sam. She trusts him, but surely whatever he has to ask her must not be a good thing or he would have just asked over the phone, what would have caused him to come all the way out here and ask her in person?
“What’s wrong?” She finally voiced when he looked to her with heavy eyes.
“Brian got out on bail…”
“What?” She asked confused. “How?”
“His friends. High places. Money. Lawyers… you name it. But he came looking for you.”
She looked down at her hands.
“What about… what about the trial, and the photos. I mean how can they just let him out after all that?”
“This is why I need to ask you for your help again.”
“What can I do?” She asked after the silence became to heavy for her. She noticed no one else was speaking. Dean beside her was stiff, watching Sam carefully. Jody and Bobby both watching between them carefully.
“I need you to talk to him. I need to see what you can get out of him… see if he’ll cave on something.”
“What?!” Dean said before she could answer. “Zero comms. This is what we agreed on. That was the only way, we can’t go back… we altered her look. We can’t come back on the grid after pulling the disappearing act and give them a trail to follow, Sam.”
“I know what we agreed on, Dean. But this opportunity just kinda fell into my lap. Okay?! You told me we had to get something bulletproof! You said we needed more, and that we had to wait until it came along, and then it came along. He is looking for her. He wants to see her, desperately… I think it could work.”
Dean stood up and shoved his chair at the table.
“This could compromise the entire team.” He mumbled as he paced back and forth beside the table.
“Where does he think I am?”
“He thinks you went back home.”
“Dammit…” Her shoulders slumped. “Is… Is that where we have to go to meet with him?”
Sam watched her reaction carefully, as did Dean. They met eyes as her shoulder sank and her own eyes closed, her fingers pinched against them at the mention of going home.
She didn’t want to go home… why?
What had they missed.
What didn’t they know.
Dean suddenly spun his mind for more than one reason, what had he overlooked… what had he not dug deep enough on?
“Yes.” Sam said before coughing to clear his throat. “I promise you, (Y/N). You will be safe. We will not leave your side. We won’t bring your family into this, we won’t put them in danger.”
She laughed and shook her head back and forth as she continued to stare down at a spot on the table, as if the spot had personally offended her in some way.
“It’s fine. When…” She finally said after a minute of uncomfortable silence between them all.
“Tomorrow?”
She shook her head up and down.
“Okay, well… what do I need to do?”
“Blonde wig. Baseball cap. I’ll have it picked up and delivered tonight.” Dean mumbled angrily. “You cannot give him any reason to believe you’ve changed your appearance. He has to believe you went home. He has to believe you’re still blonde. That you left him on your own.”
“He’s gonna know I didn’t go home.”
“Why?”
“He just will.”
“Why?” Dean pushed again.
“He just will, Dean.” She pushed back, crossing her arms defensively. “The only person I would even speak to in that fucking town is an old boyfriend, so the only thing he MIGHT buy is that I went back to Hayes because I didn’t know where else to go… that’s it.”
“FINE.” Dean growled. “Then that’s the story we go with.”
“Promise me, we won’t pull him into this.” She then turned and said to Sam.
“I promise.” He nodded. “(Y/N) I’m so sorry. I know the plan was that you’d never have to see him again unless it was in that courtroom… I’m sorry I couldn’t hold up my end on that.”
“It’s okay, Sam. It’s not your fault.” She tried to give him a smile as she stood.
“Sweetheart, you should eat, you haven’t had anything since you had soup.” Jody said softly.
“Thanks, but I’m just not that hungry Jody. It tastes amazing though… thanks for cooking Jody. It was nice to meet you, Bobby.”
With that she turned and quickly disappeared down the hall, shutting her bedroom door behind her roughly. Dean slightly flinched at the noise, then he let out a long sigh with his eyes closed before turning them towards Sam.
“What the hell dude… you couldn’t have given me the heads up?”
“It wasn’t up to you, Dean. I had to ask her. It was her choice.” Sam said honestly.
“Well that went swell.”
The statement dripped sarcasm, and Dean continued his pacing.
“Sit down ya idjit or your gonna wear holes in the floor.” Bobby grumbled to him as they returned to their meal.
“Well, I don’t know what’s going on there… but let me know what the plan is and where we need to be for tomorrow.”
“I need you guys here. I need someone on the house tomorrow while we’re gone to make sure no one comes while we’re gone.” Dean said quickly.
“Who’s going with you?” Sam asked.
“I’ll have Cas and Benny on site, one ahead of us, one tail us, both on site for the meet.”
“Okay, well. Jody sounds like you and I got ourselves a night of poker… you better hit the ATM.” Bobby winked to her.
…..
(Y/N) Sat in the floor, her head leaned back against the bed… where she had sat since she entered her room. So much swimming in her head, that she wasn’t sure where to start trying to sort it out.
Brian.
Home.
It was so much at once…
She didn’t want to talk to him. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the truth from his mouth… from his lips. Wanted it confirmed right to her face that she was such an idiot for so fucking long.
On top of that she had to go back to that God-forsaken town… back to the shit hole that watched her suffer and did nothing to help her. The shit hole full of people who could give two shits about what’s right.
If it wasn’t for Hayes, she wouldn’t have ever made it out.
She owed him her life in more ways than one, and she would never allow him to be drawn into such a mess, especially not for her. He deserved more… deserved better.
Yet, so did she.
A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Come in.” She said without looking up, wondering if Jody was coming to say goodbye before leaving.
“Hey… mind if I sit with you?”
Sam’s voice cut through the room like honey. It was soft and smooth, and she found comfort in it. She looked up to him and simply nodded her head up and down. He moved to come and sit beside her, his legs were much longer, and they almost pushed against the doorway of the bathroom not far from where they were sitting.
“I’m sorry, (Y/N).” He mumbled once more.
“Its okay, Sam. We have to do whatever it takes to take these assholes out, right?” She tried to push on a smile. Sam noted her efforts and it melted his heart that she wanted so desperately to try.
“Yeah… but I know this isn’t easy on you. I’m not sure what happened, back home. I would have said something else if I had known. I’m sorry for that too.”
“THAT…” She paused. “That one, is definitely not your fault, Sam. That one’s not on you or Brian or anyone in this mess. That one’s just… part of who I am now I guess.”
“Whatever it is, you came out on the other end. You’ll come out on the other end of this thing too.”
“I hope so.” She smiled up to him.
“Hey… I think there might be someone who wants to talk to you.” He smiled as he pulled out his phone. (Y/N)’s eyebrow’s knitted together with confusion as she watched his smirk grow into a complete boyish grin as he began to face-time someone named Jess.
After only 2 rings a beautiful blonde woman answered.
“Hey baby.” She smiled up to him.
“Hey Jess… is he there?” Sam smiled, (Y/N) could see the love Sam had for her painted all over his face. His eyes lit up like lights as soon as they landed on her.
“Oh, you mean this handsome fella?” Jess asked as she leaned over and suddenly over her shoulder was a familiar furry face that nearly knocked (Y/N)’s breath right out of her chest as she gasped and sat up, leaning directly over Sam’s shoulder to get a closer look.
“Sam…” She whispered as tears filled her eyes and made it hard for her to focus on the small screen. There was a familiar bark and soft whines as her best friend recognized her too.
“Hey bud, there’s my boy!” She cried against Sam’s shoulder, not even ashamed at the way she was on the verge of sobbing and her voice continued to break. The barking continued and Jess giggled.
“He has been so good since we picked him up, he has snuggled in bed with me every day after Sam goes to work. He loves to go on walks and Sam lets him run the bases at the ball park at night after the local schools finish their games sometimes. He’s adjusted really well, but he definitely misses his momma.” Jess smiled through the phone at her as she loved on the dog and scratched behind his ear.
“Thank you… I-I…I can’t… Just. Thank y-you!” (Y/N) shamelessly sobbed on Sam’s shoulder at this point. Feeling her emotions completely overwhelm her.
“I’ll call you back, Jess.” Sam blew her a kiss before putting the phone down and moving to drape an arm over the woman beside him. He rubbed his hand up and down her back as she cried into him, the noise catching Dean’s attention and causing him to come and stand silently in the doorway.
“Thank you so much, Sam…” She finally was able to sniffle the sentence after several minutes. “You don’t know what that mean’s to me. What he means to me.”
“I could tell when you left the office the other day that he was important. I had him picked up, and even though he did have to do a 24 hour quarantine with animal control Jess and I agreed that we couldn’t leave him there or with anyone who might hurt him. So, we brought him home with us until you can get your life settled again, we’ll take care of him. I promise.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him as tightly as she could, and he chuckled as he reciprocated. Dean still stood very quietly, making sure to keep his presence unnoticed but he did allow the smile to creep across his face.
“I’ll do anything, Sam. Anything you need.” She sniffled once more as she pulled away.
“I know you would… because it’s the right thing to do. Not because of this. That’s why I asked first, even though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.”
“… Why do you believe in me? Everyone else seems to think I had to be a bad person to be with Brian.”
“I think that you wanted Brian to be a good person so much, that you missed the bad. I believe in you because I know it’s the right choice. I just… do.”
“I won’t let you down, Sam. I promise.” She whispered.
“We won’t let you down either, okay? We’ve got you. You’re going to be safe. We’re gonna nail these assholes and you’re gonna get your life back… even if it takes a while. We’re gonna get them. I know it.”
…..
…..
(Y/N) came out as the sun began to set, a sweater hanging off one shoulder and a simple pair of jeans with a hole in the knee.
“Hey, where’s Bobby?” She asked as she approached Dean who was flipping through some files at the table again. He closed them as she approached, giving her an uncomfortable feeling.
“Doing a perimeter check. Should be back in a few minutes.”
“Are you hungry or anything? I could heat up one of Jody’s meals for you guys?” She offered.
“I’m fine. You’re the one who missed two meals already today… you should eat.”
“Yeah.” She sighed as she tapped her foot against the ground nervously.
“(Y/N). What ever it is you want to ask me that you’re not asking me… just ask.”
“Could… Could you take me outside for a while? Its, uh. It’s golden hour, and I want to try and get a few shots before the sun settles.”
Dean looked her up and down.
“One condition.”
“… Okay.” She nodded nervously.
He immediately stood and walked into the kitchen, opening a cabinet and reaching in. he grabbed what looked to be a granola bar of some sort and walked back towards her.
“Eat something, and we’ll have dinner when we get back. Deal?”
Instead of taking the granola bar out of his hands she got a devious look in her eye, then she simply tore the edge of the wrapper, ripping it open and bending over, biting off a large chunk while he continued to hold the rest of the bar in his hand.
Her gaze pulled back up to him with amusement; he fought hard not to break out a 1000 watt smile, but his lips twitched slightly and (Y/N) didn’t miss it.
“All of it.” He challenged with eyebrows raised.
She should have just reached for the bar… she should take it from him and eat it like a normal fucking person. But she just couldn’t.
No, she chuckled and licked her bottom lip before leaning back down and pulling the rest of the bar out of the wrapper with her teeth and working the entire thing into her mouth. While it wasn’t large by any means, the notion of pulling it all the way past her lips without the use of her hands was still a bit of challenge.
Dean’s eyes might as well have held fire behind the green irises. They were slightly dilated and not once did he blink. (Y/N) chewed slowly and intently, making sure that never tore her gaze from his. Finally with a loud and throaty sound, she swallowed. Sticking out her tongue to show she had finished eating it as he requested.
“Good girl.”
It came out almost as a growl, deep and guttural.
He walked past her, rubbing his shoulder against hers as he went. She wondered if she should change her panties before they left, because they were definitely no longer dry. The words… the words did something to her, and she had to ask herself if he knew the impact they had on her.
Was he doing this on purpose?
Was he playing with matches, just like she was? Trying to see if there was a fire to be lit.
Either way, he was pulling on his jacket and she moved to grab her camera and then walked out past the door he held open for her. She led them off the porch and to the edge of the pond, hoping to catch something fluttering across the top of the water, or maybe the tree line in the reflection.
Just as they approached, she noted a crane in the water not far from them. She paused, slowly sinking down to squat on one knee as she lifted the camera to find the best position. She snapped a few pictures, and realized the light was in the wrong spot… but if she moved too fast, too soon. He’d fly away.
So instead she laid on her belly and army crawled across the grass slowly until the sunlight in the sky was directly behind him, then she lifted her camera once again and grinned as she snapped a few shots in the perfect light.
Once she was happy, she stood and of course as she predicted he moved to get away. This was fine however because she was now looking for her next subject to capture.
Dean watched close but still at a distance as she carefully and slowly pushed her way closer and closer to the bird, unafraid of dirt or lying on the ground close to bugs. He followed as she continued to hunt for things to photograph. He wondered what it is exactly she was looking for.
Whatever it was, she must have found it.
She had stopped suddenly, raising her camera in her hand and pointing it towards the tree line behind the house…
Deer.
A mother and a yearling. Still a few spots along its back. He watched as she knelt down once more, and then moved from side to side before standing and attempting to get shots at different angles. A sound nearby spooked the deer and they too disappeared.
She sighed as she made her way back towards him.
“I don’t suppose you’re up for a hike?” She asked.
“It’ll be dark in 20 minutes and Bobby is still finishing his checks, we need to say close to the house.”
“Okay, no problem.” She said as she spun and continued to hunt for something that catches her eye.
“Hey… (Y/N).”
“Yeah?”
“I need to ask you a question, and I need you to answer it.”
“Okay?” She answered puzzled.
“Why don’t you want to go home? What don’t I know?”
“Dean.” She sighed. “Can we just not. I just don’t wanna go back… I worked really had to get the hell out of a town that had nothing to offer me, okay?”
“You’re lying.”
“Ughhhh… Dean. I just. I don’t want to!”
“Why.” He crossed his arms.
“Because I don’t.”
“… (Y/N) Don’t play with me. I’ll find whatever it is your hiding.”
His tone and his words caught her off guard.
_”Wow… I’ve been on your bullshit cartel America’s Most Wanted List ONCE and now all of a sudden I’m a fucking criminal.” She laughed slightly throwing her hands up.
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Dean rolled his eyes. “I’m asking you a question.”
“The question your asking is fucking personal, Dean. Okay? I’m sure you have other ways of finding the answers… you think I know you aren’t already digging? You closed that folder mighty fast earlier. Just look into my family. See what you find. I’m sure you can piece together the puzzle from there.”
She turned to stalk off back towards the house.
“(Y/N) stop… wait!” Dean called after her seeing that she was obviously upset. He grumbled and pulled his hand down his face, weighing out his options. He was angry, why couldn’t she just fucking tell him? Why did she have to make it so difficult?
He did the one thing he didn’t want to do.
He pulled out his phone, switching it over to satellite and dialing the number he memorized years ago.
“Dean. I heard you were off grid, everything okay?”
Charlie’s worried voice caused him to grin slightly.
“Yeah, I’m good. I need a favor.”
“Ohhh… do tell. I always like it when a Winchester owes me a favor.” She chuckled, causing him to grin as he stared pensively at the house in front of him.
“I need to know everything. Dig deep… full work up. All the skeletons, even the small shit. Whole family.”
“Send me what you got, and I’ll start today.”
“When you get it, just text me about the tires. Okay?”
“You got it.”
Dean hung up the phone and tapped it against his forehead a couple of times. He knows its risky to pull in someone from outside the team, someone off the force, but he knows Charlie. He trusts Charlie. She would never betray him, and honestly she’s more efficient than any police force he’s ever worked with… If anyone can get him the answers he needs, it’s her. He just hopes that opening up a communications line doesn’t come back to bite him later.
“You know that phone works better if you put it to your ear instead of your face.” Bobby chided as he approached from the side.
“Thanks.” Dean scoffed as he slid it back in his pocket and turned to face the older man.
“What’s got you spinning your wheels, kid?”
“From day 1 I knew I was missing something… it didn’t add up. SHE didn’t add up, Bobby. I just can’t shake it. Sometimes I think maybe I overreacted b-“
“Who you? Never…” Bobby teased, earning a glare from Dean. J
“I’m serious, Bobby. I kept thinking I was missing something about this case. About her ties to the cartel. Maybe its got nothing to do with that… maybe it’s whatever she’s got tucked away in her closet from before. I need to know what it is.”
“So ask her.”
“I did… didn’t exactly go well.”
“Did you ask her, or did you accuse her?”
“I asked!”
“… Boy. Watch your tone with me. If you asked her anything like the way you just answered me then was it really asking? I mean we all saw her reaction to even the mention of having to go back there. Something happened. You’re right… We probably should know about it incase it’s important or relevant to something in the case.”
“Thank you!” Dean sighed exasperated as he threw up his hands and shuffled on his feet again.
“But that don’t mean you can force her to tell you. Whatever happened hurt her, Dean. Bad. Surely you can see that. She probably hasn’t gone back to that place, mentally or physically in a really long time. She can’t just re-open those wounds simply because you asked.”
“Well then what the hell do I do?”
“Explain it to her, stop being an ass and tell her why it’s important. Take what she gives you, and if you’d give her some time to build that trust with you then I have a feeling she’ll tell you anything you need to know. She wants to help. Hasn’t she proved that?”
Dean chewed on his lip as if he was chewing on Bobby’s words.
“Yeah. I guess so.”
…..
Dean stood outside of her door. Debating on knocking like he has for the last ten minutes going back and forth between her door and the kitchen. Finally, he bit the bullet. Grabbed her plate, and forced his knuckles to knock against the wooden door.
No response.
“(Y/N) come on. You have to eat. We had a deal.” He said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.
Soft footsteps made their way to the door, and then it opened slowly. She looked between him and the plate he was holding. It had a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of Jody’s soup, a water bottle wedged in the crook of his arm beside it.
“Thank you.” She said reaching out and accepting the plate, not meeting his gaze. He handed over the water and she quickly moved to shut the door, but dean’s foot in the doorway stopped the movement and caused her to finally look up to him.
“Can I come in, please?” He asked with a steady voice.
“Why?”
“Because I asked nicely.” He said with raised eyebrows. Her own eyebrows shot upwards in a similar fashion. She scoffed and shook her head as she shoved the door open again and moved to walk back inside. She set the plate down on the bedside table before sitting on the bed against the headboard, her knees pulled up slightly. Her eyes solely focused on the blanket at her feet.
“(Y/N)” Dean sighed as he stepped forward and crossed his arms from where he stood beside the bed. “I. I’’m- I’m sorry… okay? I shouldn’t have said it like that.”
“Geez. It physically pains you doesn’t it…”
“What?”
“To have to apologize to me.” She finally looked up to him again.
“Yeah well. I don’t say it often, so. Don’t get used to it.” He tried to give her a playful smile, she gave small laugh in return, but Dean couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not.
“What do you want, Dean? Really…”
He looked at her with confusion.
“If you just wanted to apologize you would have choked out the words and then disappeared, but you’re still standing here. Uncomfortably, might I add. So… what do you want?”
Dean nodded his head up and down before turning and taking a seat on the side of her bed. He stared at the wall, debating on what to say next. His hands twisted back and forth.
“Sammy was just a baby… when our Mom died. Dad raised us and did the best he could. But he grieved her his entire life. He never let it go… never stopped chasing what killed her, or who. Sam’s wellbeing has been my top priority most of my life… when he found Jess. He became a lawyer. He became a husband. He became his own person with his own life, but to me he will always be Sammy, and I will always take care of him.”
He looked up to her, and her face had softened significantly. She had leaned forward and was not resting her chin on her folded arms that laid on her knees. Watching him intently as he spoke, taking in the words he was speaking as if her life depended on it… which to be fair maybe in her mind they did.
“Jess had a sister. She was beautiful, always looking for the next big adventure in life… but sometimes that just got her in trouble. Somehow, she got mixed up with this crew, Brian’s crew.”
(Y/N)’s stomach sank and her eyes began to water.
“We didn’t know until it was too late, she had gone missing… was gone for weeks until we found her body. Sam has been hunting them ever since. As much as he resented our father for never being able to let go of the past, he’s just like him.” Dean chuckled. “He’s doing it for Jess, because he loves her… and there is nothing I won’t do to help him give her the closure and peace she deserves. The justice that they deserve.”
“I’m so sorry, Dean.” (Y/N) finally whispered. “I didn’t know… I didn’t know about any of them. If I had known. I would have never, I- I would have helped them.”
“Sam believes you can help us, and I just don’t want him to be blindsided if something hits the fan.”
“You think I’m going to blindside him.” She mumbled.
“I think I have to be prepared for anything when it comes to protecting Sam, and protecting you. (Y/N) even if I don’t make it obvious, I really am on your side here. But you have to help me be on your side… you’ve got to tell me things so that I can prepare us for anything that may come up. Especially going into a situation like the one we’re gonna be in tomorrow… one where there is obviously some history I don’t know about.”
“It’s not that simple, Dean.”
Her hands fidget back and forth as she pulls and twists at loose strings. As a heavy hand lands on hers, she freezes. Here eyes move back up to meet his.
“I know that, and I know it’s not easy either… but it could be important.”
“I don’t wanna go back there.” She whispers, her eyes never breaking free from his. He searched her gaze for anything angry or withdrawn, but all he found was something small and vulnerable.
“I’ll stay with you the whole time, you won’t be there alone.”
“They all knew about it, Dean… they knew about it and they did nothing.” She said as a tear slid down her cheek, she dipped her face against her knee to wipe it away.
“Knew about what?”
“They knew… they knew he was drinking. They knew he was hurting her.”
Her words were small and tight. They didn’t give details, but Dean pushed his mind to pull details out of her file for context… he knew her mother too had died when she was 16. He knew that she had a younger brother. He knew that her father was a judge in their hometown, but that he too had died about 4 years afterwards… drowning accident.
Her mother’s death had been a car accident, unfortunate yet something that happened every day. Nothing about it struck him as out of the ordinary.
He doesn’t know what possessed his hand to move, because it certainly wasn’t his brain… perhaps his hand formed its own damn brain and started making decisions without his permission. All he knew is that before he could decide his hand had moved off of hers and found its way to her face, sliding against the edge of her cheek before his fingers slid into her hair and his thumb grazed against her cheek bone, wiping away the tear she missed.
But he didn’t pull it away.
She didn’t pull away.
She stayed, leaned against his hand as his finger tips moved ever so slightly against her scalp.
“He killed her… he would have killed me. Hayes, got me out. He made me promise never to come back. But, I didn’t listen. I wanted to go back for James, my brother.”
“T-there was an incident… at the lake house.” She swallowed around the dry lump in her throat. She chewed on her cheek and pulled her eye away from his.
“Okay… that’s enough for now.” Dean sighed. “Is there anyone there that knows the truth, about what happened to your mom? Anyone who might want to keep you quiet or might not want you making waves in town while we’re there?”
“Everyone.” She whispered looking back up at him.
“Okay.” He sighed deeply as he nodded up and down. “Is your bother still there?”
“I-I don’t know…”
“Is there more that I need to know?”
“Maybe.” She shrugged.
Dean stared at her, looking more defeated and sunken in on herself than she had since the day he met her… something in him couldn’t push. Couldn’t ask for more. He could wait… Charlie would fill in the gaps and hopefully he knew enough to keep them safe tomorrow.
“Okay, well… that’s enough for tonight. Thank you. For telling me the truth.”
“I’m sorry… that I can’t tell you more right now.”
“Maybe later, huh?” He offered with half a grin.
“Maybe.” She nodded as she laid against his hand, slightly nuzzling herself against his warm palm.
“You really need to eat something, we’re gonna leave at 5, drive most of the day. Meet Brian tomorrow evening. Then immediately start making our way back. It’s gonna be a long one.”
“Dean?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
The nickname caught him off guard almost as much as it caught her off guard, but he hid it much better than she did; simply waiting for her to speak again with a relaxed posture and easy eyes.
“Brian… what- what do I say to him?”
“We’ll worry about that tomorrow. We have plenty of time to prep in the car, okay?”
She nodded, her movements still slightly constricted by his hand weaved into her hair.
“Benny and Cas will be close too, okay? Sam too. We will protect you. The moment things don’t feel right, we’ll pull you out. I promise.”
“I know you will.” She gave him a small smile.
“Eat.” He nodded to her plate once more before he withdrew his hand and stood from the side of her bed. She instantly missed his touch and the warmth it brought her.
“Yes sir.” She smirked before picking up half of the grilled cheese and lifting it to her lips for a bite, chewing with mischief in her eyes. Dean chuckled and shook his head as his hands found his hips and he turned towards the door.
“Hey Dean…” She called out before he could leave the room. He turned to face her, but didn’t speak.
“Thank you… for telling me the truth. About your family, and Jess’s sister. I’m so sorry I couldn’t help her.”
The sound of a pan hitting the stove rather harshly woke Sam up. He rolled out of the bed and dragged himself down the hall. When he passed Sara and Dean’s rooms the doors were both closed, so he was unsure of who he would find in the kitchen, but as he rounded the doorway rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he stopped, seeing a brunette in short shorts and a hoodie fanning smoke at the stove. On the back of her thigh was a tattoo, a rather large tattoo, of an owl. He pulled his eyes away from the tattoo and back up reluctantly.
“Sara? What are you doing?”
She jumped slightly before turning and giving Sam a nervous look.
“Trying to figure out how to cook on a gas stove top again… mine have been electric for so long. I got a little over zealous with my stirring and the grease flew right onto the flame, and so I’m trying not to burn down your bunker.” She rambled. Sam watched in amusement and shook his head before slowly walking over to her and helping her readjust the flame on the stove.
“There. That should be plenty high enough for bacon.” He said as he calmed the flames.
“Thanks.” Sara sighed. Sam looked down and noticed the tip of one of her fingers was dark, almost purple. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“What did you do to your finger?”
“Oh, the hammer got it.” She shrugged as she began cracking eggs into a bowl. “How do you like your eggs?”
“Uh, over easy is fine. Do you need me to look at that?”
“Sam.” She chuckled. “I think you and Dean are forgetting that I’m a nurse. If anyone in here is qualified to care for a smashed finger its me.”
“Fair enough. Just. Put some ice on it, it’s painful to look at.”
Sara rolled her eyes slightly, she wondered if these two would ever understand that she was more than capable of caring for herself. She always has. She’s never needed anyone to swoop in and save the day. She’s saved herself before and she’s more than prepared to do it again. After all, how many people can you really trust?
“Coffee?” Sam offered.
“Got some.” She said lifting a mug from beside her. Sam sat at the small table on the other end of the kitchen as he watched her finish cooking. Even though he offered his help multiple times, she turned him down. Telling him to enjoy his coffee. Just as Sara was putting the last of the bacon into the pan Dean entered the kitchen, robe on, hair smushed to one side, and eyes only half open.
He paused when he saw Sara at the stove, he looked to Sam and silently pointed, as if asking what she thought she was doing. Sam only shrugged and sipped on his coffee.
“Do you cook every meal?” Dean asked her.
“Uh, just on my days off. When I work I pretty much munch throughout the day on whatever’s lying around. Makes eating real food even better.”
“Hm.” Dean shrugged as he poured himself some coffee. Sara plated the boy’s breakfast and sat it down in front of them. They both seemed shocked, no one other than paid waiters had ever served them food before. And especially not in THEIR bunker.
She paused noting the looks on their faces.
“… What’s wrong?” She asked, afraid she had offended them in some way.
“Nothing!” Sam assured her quickly. “This looks great, thank you for breakfast.”
Sara watched them carefully for a moment before turning back and scraping some egg onto her plate and popping the toast out of the toaster. She sat down as Dean placed the first piece of bacon in his mouth. He closed his eyes and began to moan in all sorts of satisfying ways… enough that Sara had to stop herself from blushing.
“Good god what did you cook this bacon in?! Its amazing!” He asked with a mouthful of food.
“Secret.” She winked at him.
“How long have you been up?” Sam asked her.
“Since about 5.”
“Were you not able to sleep?” Sam asked concerned. Already debating on getting her a new mattress if the one she had wasn’t good enough. Dean pulled his attention away from his plate to hear her answer.
“Uh. Yeah I slept fine, I guess I’m just used to early mornings at the hospital.”
“Okay, good.” Sam nodded slightly. Dean continued to shovel his food in his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in days. Sam ate at a slightly slower pace, and Sara couldn’t help but smile as she watched. She finished off the last of her toast and stood, taking plates from the table.
“Okay no. I have to stop you…” Sam said pulling them away from her.
“Why?” She asked confused.
“Because you already cooked AND made our plates for us. Least we can do is clean up.” He said as he pulled her plate away from her and began to clean the kitchen. Sara watched, but felt guilty. She was always taught if you make a mess then you clean it.
“Are you sure you don’t need help?” She kept asking as she watched Sam.
“Dean. Please get Sara out of her before she tries to become the chef and the maid.” Sam said playfully.
“Yeah, yeah… Beat it Paula Deen.” Dean tipped his head towards the doorway. Sara caught on and decided she would go and get dressed for the day. Leave the two brothers to clean the kitchen. Or rather… Sam to clean and Dean to talk.
“So Cas dropped in last night.” Dean said once he was sure Sara was out of hearing range.
“Oh yeah? What’d he say?”
“You know, same ole same ole. Said we have to make her trust us and that she’ll be walking to her death if she tried to take off.”
“Great.” Sam sighed. He like Dean had already felt a sense of responsibility for keeping Sara safe, and knowing that she would be easy to scare off made him apprehensive about the situation. Knowing that she’d most likely die if she did leave made him even more so.
“Yeah. So why don’t you pull some of that chick flick slumber party crap so that she’ll be our BFF.”
“Its gonna take time Dean, she’s just going to have to learn she can trust us. It’s not gonna happen over night.”
“Try telling that to the feathered one.”
“Well… what do we need to get done today?”
“I don’t know. She still seems a little nervous for me to throw a bunch of guns and knives in her hands.”
“Well we could do a monster run down. A briefing on what’s out there and how to kill it.”
“Yeah. Lets just take it slow… don’t want to freak her out more.”
“I don’t know. She seems to be handling it fine.”
“On the outside maybe, but I still think she’s itching to run on the inside.”
“I don’t think you’re giving her enough credit Dean. She’s trying really hard to settle in with us, which is obviously not an easy thing to do. I mean what more do you want from her right now?”
“Nothing, geez. Get your panties out your ass.”
“Just. Go take a shower. You look like you haven’t had one in about a week.” Sam said motioning to Dean’s hair. Dean self consciously tried to flatten his hair and left the kitchen with his coffee cup in hand.
…..
…..
…..
“I’m sorry… a, a Raith?” Sara stuttered. Sam leaned forward and laid the book down in front of her, so she could get a better look at the name. “How often do you see these things?”
“Not often. Its bee a while since we’ve seen one.” Sam shrugged.
“What do you see the most?”
“Um, vengeful spirits probably.”
“And those are the ones who you have to dig up and burn?”
“Salt and burn.” Sam corrected.
“Right. Salt… not just used for cooking anymore.”
“Yeah.” Sam laughed.
“And vampires, are dead man’s blood?”
“Correct.”
“… Um. How exactly do you get the deadman’s blood?”
“We usually have to break into a morgue. Drain a little out of a body. We try to always keep stocked on some in the trunk.”
“Oh. Yummy.” She said with a cringe.
“Didn’t you do dead bodies at the hospital?” Sam asked surprised by her reaction.
“Not really.” She blushed. “I can do the blood and the guts and the gorey shit when I’m in the mindset of fixing the problem, but something about the body being… empty? I guess. About the person being gone. It just kinda freaks me out. I always got lucky and someone else would do the post mortem care. I always offered to do the charting which is what most people hated.”
“Oh. I see… well. I’ll be honest you’re definitely going to see your fair share of dead bodies. But If it gets to be too much for you then we can adjust.”
“No, no… its fine. Facing all my other fears, so I might as well face that one too right?”
“Yeah. That’s one way to look at it.”
Sam looked at her with admiration for her willingness to try.
“Sara, you’re doing great. With all of this.”
“Thanks Sam.”
They both perked up at the sound of a door opening and closing. Dean came in carrying lunch and dropped the bags on the table. Grabbing his burger out and leaning back with his feet crossed on the edge of the chair next to him.
“So. How’s it going?” Dean asked as he chewed.
“Uh. Well. I never knew such horrible creatures existed, and now that I do I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to sleep again.” Sara said with as wide fake smile.
“Don’t worry sweetheart. Ain’t nothing bumping in the night around us. They’ve learned better by now.”
“Right.” She nodded as she let out a long sigh. Trying to remember that for once she’s not a lone wolf. She won’t face this on her own.
“So I thought maybe after this you’d like to learn a little hand to hand combat, didn’t wanna throw a bunch of weapons at you just yet.” Dean winked.
“Sure. When do we start?”
“After Dean digests his lunch so we don’t all have to see it again.” Sam answered. Sara half laughed as she ate her burger.
“So you guys live here, but you don’t stay here very much do you?”
“Anytime we take a case we’re out on the road until we finish it. So we could be gone days, sometimes even weeks at a time.”
“So would I be going with you guys on cases?”
Sam and Dean shared a brief look before Sam nodded and continued.
“Yeah,even though this place is like a fortress we wouldn’t want to leave you vulnerable by leaving you alone.”
“And we may need you to save our ass.” Dean smiled.
“Yeah, that too.” Sam said flatly shooting Dean his famous bitchface.
“Does that mean that I’ll be like… hunting these things with you? I mean do I have to kill them?”
“You will probably be in a situation where you’ll have to kill something, but most likely it will be because its your life or theirs, and at that point your survival mode will kick in. It won’t be as bad as it sounds.” Dean encouraged.
“But I won’t have to do that right off the bat right?” She asked nervously. Sara only killed spiders. And she barely did that… they terrified her. Other than the occasional bug she kind of had a soft spot for living things. Its in her nature to preserve life, not destroy it.
“No, of course not. We’ll do all the dirty work, we’d just like it if you came along for the ride.” Sam said trying to put her more at ease.
“So do you guys eat out for every meal?” She asked raising an eyebrow at Dean.
“Pretty much. If it doesn’t come out of a microwave or a fryer I don’t eat it.”
Sara looked him up and down, wondering how in the hell he maintained a body like that eating food so soaked in fat and grease.
“There’s a lot of salads on the road too, you don’t have to eat like Dean.” Sam winked.
“Good to know!” She giggled.
“Hey- there’s nothing wrong with the way I eat.” Dean said with mild offense.
“Well if we’re home, I’ll cook. I really don’t mind. And I think it would be a nice break from road food if we’ve been gone a while.”
“That actually sounds fantastic! Just keep the bacon coming.”
“And ask if you need any help.” Sam included.
“Sounds good. Well, I’m gonna get changed, and let you two finish digesting before we start training.”
“Meet us outside. Grass is a lot softer than this floor.” Dean called as she walked away.
…..
…..
…..
Sam and Dean had been going over different things they wanted to teach her when the sound of footsteps coming up behind them caught they’re attention. They turned to find Sara with her hair to the side in a braid, and a set of tight fitting work out clothes.
“Uh… are we still training?” Sara asked taking in their boots and jeans, she thought that training required loose clothing, and those jeans definitely aren’t loose. Not that she minded.
“Yeah.” Sam smiled.
“Uh, usually hand to hand combat in our lives happens in every day clothes. I’m sorry, we should have explained.” Dean chuckled.
“Grrrreat. Well. I feel like an idiot.” Sara blushed nervously.
“No, not at all. Its good. You probably need to have the mobility to loosen up your muscles anyways.” Dean told her, as his eyes struggled to stay on her face.
“So can we get started now, cause this whole looking at each other thing is not helping me feel any less like an idiot.”
“Yeah, yeah. Uh… have you ever taken any kind of self defense classes before?”
“Nope. I just bought a gun.”
“Smart girl!” Dean praised. “But, you should know how to defend yourself if you ever lose your weapon.”
“Okay, so what’s first.” She asked walking up towards Dean so that they were only a foot or two apart. Sam stepped back and let Dean start the lesson.
“Okay, first point against you is you’re short.” Dean started.
“Uh, no… you two are just giants.” She corrected.
“Regardless, you’ll be an easy target. They’ll think they can take you no problem due to your size, so you have to make that your advantage. Aim low. Most of the things you will have to hand to hand with will have some sort of sensitive organ below the belt. Don’t be afraid to aim for it.”
“Right. Kick it in the balls.” She nodded.
“Knee caps are your friend. If you can kick one front behind it’ll knock them down and they’ll be on your level. Even better if you can kick them backwards from the front. You’ll break the knee and they’ll be unable to chase you or escape, depending on the situation.”
“Ouchhh.” Sara cringed as she imagined the sound of bone crunching.
“Okay. So. I want you to turn around and I’m going to attack you from behind. When I do. I want you to try and fight me off.”
“But what if I hurt you?” Sara asked.
“Sweetheart.” Dean let out a cocky but breathtaking smile. “You won’t hurt me. I promise…. You ready?”
“Yeah.” She said letting out a deep nervous breath and turning to face Sam. He gave her a confident nod as she waited for Dean to advance her.
Dean moved quickly and grabbed her, putting her in a choke hold from behind. Sara’s adrenaline kicked in and she began to try and pull at his arm, but when she realized that his strength was too much for her she started swinging her leg, aiming to get to his knee.
“Okay stop.” Sam called. Dean loosened his grip but didn’t release her. Sam walked forward towards her.
“Okay, use your foot to travel up his leg and find the location of his knee so you aren’t swinging around wildly.” Sam instructed as he grabbed her foot and trailed it up Dean’s leg. She felt breathless. Half because of Dean’s arm around her neck, and half because both of these gorgeous men had their hands on some part of her body. She tried to swallow back nerves and listen as Sam spoke. But the way his gentle hands moved up her leg was so distracting.
“Okay, try again.” Sam said as he released her and stepped back. Dean slightly tightened his grip and she quickly traced her foot up his leg in search of his knee. Once she located it she kicked, feeling the contact as his leg slightly dipped.
“Good, now do it again, but use your heel to kick it this time instead of your toes. It’ll double the power.”
Sara nodded and repeated her actions, finding his knee and then pulling her leg forward before jamming her heel backwards and straight into Dean’s knee cap. He let out a small groan and released her.
“Good job.” He said as he stood straight again. “Now let’s try again. When someone comes up behind you pull your body lower to the ground. Lean forward. This gives anyone taller than you a disadvantage because they’ll have to bend over to keep hold of you.
“Alright.” She nodded. Dean attacked her the same way, Sara leaned her upper half of her body forward and reached back to kick Dean, but this time instead of his knee she used the opportunity to send her heel straight into his balls.
He quickly let her go and they both stumbled to the ground. Sam erupted in laughter and Sara quickly began apologizing.
“Oh my gosh! Dean! I’m so sorry! I’m sorry… I just. I don’t know!” She rambled frantically as he tried to stand again.
“Nope… Nope.” He said in a strained voice. “You did great… Sam your up.” He said as he waddled to switch places with Sam. Sara watched him with guilt all over her face, a small part of her wanted to laugh, but she didn’t know him well enough to know if she had angered him or not. And she didn’t want to ruin what was going well so far.
“Is he okay?” She asked Sam as he approached her.
“Oh he’s fine. Trust me.” Sam said waving Dean off. “You did great. Okay, so now I’m gonna come at you from the front. I’m a little taller than Dean, so it would be really hard for you to get to my face. So what we’re gonna do is I’m going to advance you from the front. I need you to hook your foot behind me knee and pull me down.”
“Um, okay.” She nodded trying to figure out how she was gonna do so.
Sam took a few steps back and quickly came at her, she squealed out of surprise and tried to jump out of the way. This time it was Dean who laughed.
“Sara, you can’t just dodge them all.” He laughed as Sam and her went back to their original positions.
“Sorry!” She called out shyly. “He scared me.”
“Try again.” Sam smiled with amusement.
Sam ran at her for the second time, and this time she tried to prepare herself to trip him, but as he got within arms reach she just kinda crumbled hiding her head under her arms as Sam tackled her to the ground.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked as he quickly lifted his weight off of her.
“Yeah… I just chickened out.” She said meeting him with shy eyes. She tried to breathe as his body hovered over hers, but it kinda took all of the air out of her chest.
“Okay. Lets go again, this time I won’t tackle you okay?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. As Sam moved to stand she finally let out a breath and took his hand as he pulled her up. Sam readied himself again and Sara stood in her position. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a second before nodding to Sam.
This time as Sam advanced her she kept her eyes on his long legs, once he was close enough to grab her she reached up and hooked her foot behind his knee hard, jerking them both to the ground, but this time it was her who pinned him down.
“Good!” Dean called out as Sam smiled to her from the ground.
“I did it!” She squealed in excitement.
“Okay.” Dean said running over. “Now once you’ve got them on the ground hit them as hard as you can as quick as you can, because most people will be able to over power you, so you’ve gotta strike fast while they’re still surprised and knock em out.”
“How do I do that?”
Dean kneeled down to face level with her as she still sat straddled over Sam’s long waist. He reached for her hand and molded it into a fist. “When you hit, put all your power behind it, take your fist and nail it into the side of his jaw… right here.” He pulled her hand down and made it connect softly with Sam’s face.
“Okay. Why there?” She asked curiously.
“Here stand up. I’ll show you.” Dean said as he reached down to pull her up. She did and Sam quickly stood as well. Dean reached forward and his hands landed on her face. She flinched instinctively.
“You’re okay.” He assured her as he let go and then slowly put his hands back on her jaw line. Her eyes bored into his as his fingers massaged finding the nook in her jaw he wanted to point out. Once he found it his mouth did an adorable half smile.
“Okay feel that?” He asked as he applied a little pressure. She pulled back slightly at the odd pressure.
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“That’s the money spot sweetheart. You hit anyone hard enough at that spot and its an instant knock out.” He explained as he massaged the spot lightly. Sara got the urge to lean her face into his warm hand and let him keep going, but she reigned herself back in and shook off the thought.
“That’s the spot. Got it.” She repeated softly as her eyes stayed locked on his.
“Okay. Let’s try something a little different.” Dean said as he pulled out a pocket knife. He held it up and handed it to her. Then he took a step back and waved his fingers for her to come at him.
“What the hell do you want me to do?” She asked confused.
“Come at me.” He said as if it was plain as day.
“Uh, with a knife?! Are you crazy?”
“Sara. You’re not gonna actually stab him. I promise. He can disarm you before you even get close.” Sam assured her as he rested a hand on her shoulder.
“Hold up the knife like you’re going to attack me.” Dean commanded.
She raised her hand and spread her feet out slightly. The knife pointing upwards in the air.
“If you come at me like that you’re gonna lose control of that knife very quickly, and not only that but you won’t be able to do much damage.” Dean said as he stepped towards her. “Hold it like this.” He turned the knife in her hand so that the blade was pointing in the opposite direction. Her hand making a fist over the handle instead of holding it like a kitchen knife.
“Now raise your hand.” Sam instructed. She did as she was told. “Do you feel the difference now?”
“Yeah.” She nodded as she realized this gave her more power behind her stab.
“Stab and drag. When you make contact yank that blade downwards. You’ll do ten times the damage.” Dean smiled to her. “Now come at me.”
She took two steps forward and hesitantly plunged the knife towards Dean’s shoulder, but before she could blink the knife was out of her hand and suddenly against her neck, with Dean’s body pressed against the back of hers.
“Whoa.” She breathed. “How the hell did you do that?!”
“Another lesson for another day. Now… once someone’s got you here you’re gonna have to eliminate the immediate threat of the knife. You can’t just kick and run, the blade can still catch you. So you’re going to have to make me drop it.
“How?”
“Bite. Hard.” Sam told her as he approached. His hand reaching for hers. “Feel this muscle right here under your thumb?” He asked as he squeezed it in her hand. She nodded. “That muscle is controlling a lot of his grip. You’re gonna have to really bite down, but if you can get that muscle to release then the knife will drop to the ground. Giving you a chance to make your move.”
“Bite hard. Stab and grag. Kick it in the balls.” She repeated a few times to herself.
“I think we’re done for today.” Dean said as he released her. Her body missing his warmth almost immediately as the breeze blew, she shivered.
“Good job.” Dean winked as he turned to walk back inside, Sara and Sam following him.
…..
…..
…..
Sara sat on her bed and skimmed over the notebook she had written down all of the monster information in. One after another. Trying to drill the information into her head. She wanted to stay alive, she wanted to be useful and not just dead weight… but mostly she wanted to find a way to make Anna’s death for a reason. She’d be damned if she let the world lose someone like Anna just for her to ride along with the boys… she felt an all new level of motivation to help.
So she continued to study the information Sam provided her with. Writing and re-writing her notes. Forcing her brain to remember it all. Occasionally she would stop, and picture what the monster would have looked like… pictured it attacking her, and how the hell she would fight it off.
She reviewed the section over demon’s particularly in depth. But as she read her mind just kept trailing back to Sara, lying in the floor covered in blood. SO much blood. On the walls. The floors. The ceiling even… she wondered if Anna screamed. Begged for mercy.
One thing she knew is that if they were interrogating Anna for information, Anna never would have sold her out. She would have held strong. Never betraying her best friend, even if the cost was death. She tried to shake the thought, but the longer she stared at the paper the more it persisted.
She finally stood and pushed her notes to the side, stepping out of the room and making her way down to the kitchen where she grabbed a beer out of the fridge. Once she popped the top she padded her bare feet down the cold hall and into the library where light bled into the hall from the fire place. She expected it to be empty, but stopped as she turned the corner and found both boys sitting at the table.
“Oh, sorry… I didn’t mean to intrude.” She said moving to walk back to her room.
“Oh no, not at all… we’re just doing a little case hunting. Seeing if there’s anything nearby to check out.” Sam told her.
“This late?” She asked.
“Yeah. Habit.” Sam shrugged.
“You’re welcome to sit.” Dean nodded pushing a chair out with his foot. She smiled and walked down to sit with them, pulling her hood up over her head and her feet up into the chair, drinking her beer slowly.
“What about you? Can’t sleep?” Dean asked recognizing the look on her face. That look that screamed ‘I’m trying to prove I’m okay. But I’m not’. It’s one he had worn many times before.
“I was studying all the monsters, and… kept thinking about Anna. What they did to her.”
Sam’s face fell slightly as he listened to her voice become weaker as she went.
“You and Anna were really close huh?” Sam asked.
“Um…” Sara debated opening the can of worms she knew would require her to explain more than what they were expecting. But she took another sip and figured, why the hell not? They’ll find out eventually.
“Sara’s the only family I’ve ever had.” She said with a smile pulling at her lips.
“You… never had a family?”
“Nope. Dropped off at the orphanage when I was two. My mother was a crackhead. God knows who my father could have been. They used to tell me that I wasn’t the first child taken from her, and that I wouldn’t be the last…”
“OH.” Sam answered surprised. “How did you meet Anna?”
“My last foster home wasn’t all that great, but it came with the benefit of a private school. And with a private school came advanced classes, which got me a scholarship to college. I had no idea what the hell I wanted to do. But I knew I wanted to get the hell out of that house, and once I turned 18 they would have kicked me out anyways.” She shrugged, both boys listening intently as she spoke.
“Anna was there when I walked into my dorm. Pinning up pictures of whoever was on the cover of Men’s Health and Fitness for the month.” She paused to laugh at the memory. “She was so nice to me, I mean I showed up with a duffle bag full of clothes and a few trinkets. She came with color coordinated bedding and decorations and food, and a mini fridge. And then her parents walked in and I quickly realized where her generosity and kindess came from. They went straight out and bought me the exact same bedding as Anna when they realized I didn’t have any, so our dorm would match. And from then on… they just kinda took me in. Anna became more of sister than a friend. I told her about the foster homes, and she made me come home with her on holidays. They all showed me what a family really was. She shared everything with me till I landed my first job, which I only got because she flirted with the boss. So I followed her into nursing, and we just stuck it out together.”
“She sounds like a great person.” Sam said as Sara paused, her eyes glassy as she tipped the bottle to her mouth.
“She was the best.” Sara said softly, laughing slightly at a distant memory that was pulled to her mind. “She pulled me out of this shell I’d lived in my whole life ya know? When you grow up bouncing place to place you just learn to live in this box, and that way you always have a safe place to go, and she ripped that box wide open and pushed me to be a real person. She made me socialize, and date, and party… god the partying.”
“College parties were the best.” Sam nodded in agreement.
“You went to college?” Sara asked surprised.
“Stanford.”
“Wow!”
“It was fun while it lasted.” Sam smiled, a sad edge to his voice.
“So Anna was a party girl huh?” Dean asked getting Sara back on subject, He knew that her talking about Anna was her way of opening up, and he wanted to see how far she would go. The further she went, the more she was beginning to trust them. Something he wanted desperately.
“She WAS the party.” Sara smiled widely. Her teeth nearly glowing in the dim light, Dean’s breath hitched slightly as her eyes met his. “She could walk into any room and instantly it was brighter, happier. People loved to be around her, and she loved to be the center of attention… she was joy, and life, and love…. She was everything I wasn’t.” Sara finished sadly.
“I have a hard time believing that.”
“Anything good in my life I can attribute back Anna in some way or another… she saved me. In so many ways.” Sara paused looking down. “And I couldn’t save her.”
“Sara, you can’t put that on yourself.”
“… Why not?”
“Because it wasn’t your fault. You had no idea what was out there.”
Sara nodded lightly, slowly. Tipping her beer back again. She sucked in a long breath trying to push her emotions down.
“Her parents… they must be devastated.” Sara finally said, her voice cracking at the end. “I mean, can you imagine knowing your daughter was murdered like that? And I can’t even see them, tell them I’m sorry, hold their hand at the funeral… none of it. I’m just gone. They must hate me.”
“Sara.” Dean said leaning up and speaking lowly to her. “Cas, he can change things. The way things appear, and the way people remember things… He went back to Anna’s. He made her death look very peaceful, an aneurysm I think.”
Sara put her hand over her mouth as her lip trembled, she nodded. Feeling a gush of relief knowing that her parents wouldn’t have to see their daughter in that horrible bathroom, painted in her blood.
“He also, wiped any memory of you out of your coworkers, friends, Anna’s parents too… that way they couldn’t be used against you.”
“Good.” She finally nodded, sniffling. “I think it’s better that way.”
Sam reached out, putting his hand gently on her arm, rubbing his thumb against it.
“Well. I think I’m going to take my pity party back to bed.” She said as she stood and finished off her beer. “Night.” She said as she turned.
“Hey Sara.” Dean called out to her, she stopped and looked back to him. “It gets easier. I promise.”
“I hope so.” She said as her feet padded down the hall.
Sam and Dean watched until she was out of sight, then they shared a relieved look.
“Well… I think it’s safe to say she’s not looking to run anymore.” Sam announced. Dean nodded in agreement.
“She’s got nowhere to run to now.”
“Yeah.”
“She’ll bounce back quick, she’s tough.”
“Sounds like she’s had no choice but to be that way.”
“Ya know as bad as it sounds, if she was only anchored to a few people, then it will make this transition easier on her. Not as many ties to cut, and the only one she would have been unable to cut was taken from her.”
“That’s kind of a fucked up way to look at things Dean.”
“It’s an honest way of looking at things, Sam.”
“Well regardless, well just deal with what we’ve got.”
“I’ll check on her before I go to bed.” Dean said as he watched Sam shut down the laptop and stand, heading for bed himself. Dean knew he wouldn’t be far behind after finishing his last beer.
…..
…..
…..
Dean walked down the dark hall, and a trail of light caught his eye. He realized it was coming from the cracked door to Sara’s room. He gently knocked but didn’t get a response. So he slowly pushed open the door. He found Sara curled up on her bed, books and papers around her. He walked over and began to look through the notes. He shook his head and smirked as he realized she was quite literally studying the books Sam gave her about monster and ghosts. He stacked them all neatly and set them on the desk. Then he pulled back her blankets carefully and slid them over her.
She shuffled slightly as the blanket covered her. Her eyes never opening but her hand reaching out for Dean’s arm. He froze. Worried he had woken her, and that she might not like waking up to Dean in her room unexpectedly.
“Deannn.” She sleepily moaned. He didn’t reply waiting for her to go back to sleep, but she nuzzled into the pillow and began to mumble.“M-sorry I hurt you.”
“I’m fine sweetheart, get some sleep.” He chuckled.
She snuggled into her pillows and as Dean was walking out he could almost swore he heard her whisper ‘stay with me’. He hesitated, but then he proceeded to turn off her lights and leave, closing the door securely behind him.
As he stepped out he ran into Sam.
“She good?” He asked.
“Out like a light.”
“Hey, listen… uh. I think we should holler at Cas.”
Before Dean could open his mouth to respond Cas was suddenly behind him in a rustle of wings.
“Uh. Cas… could you step out of my personal space please?” Dean asked as he noticed the angel was standing close enough to breathe on him.
“Yes. My apologies.” Cas nodded as he stepped backwards. Dean turned to face him.
“Cas, did you find a way to hide her?”
“Temporairily perhaps, but it will be painful.”
“How painful?” Sam asked.
“Enochian Carvings on her rib cage. Same as the two of you.”
“Wait why would that just be temporary? Ours are still there.”
“Sara’s body will fade them. Her grace will slowly but surely heal and erase the markings”
“Great. How often will they last?” Dean asked rolling his eyes.
“That is not known, we would have to try and then see how long it lasts.”
“Well. I guess we don’t have a choice.” Sam shrugged.
“Well I’ll get right on it.” Cas said as he turned to walk in Sara’s room.
“Wait! NO! Cas, not right now!” Dean called him back with a whispered yell. “She’s sleeping!”
“Well then why did you call me in the middle of the night if you weren’t ready yet?”
“We didn’t. We were just discussing calling you.” Sam told him.
“Oh. My mistake. Call me again when you are ready. She should be hidden before she leaves this property. Or you may attract more trouble than you expect.”
With those words still hanging in the air Cas disappeared. Sam and Dean both shook their heads and split ways to go to sleep.
…..
…..
…..
“Wait, I’m sorry? I still don’t understand exactly how he’s going to carve them into my ribcage?”
“Very quickly, but very painfully.” Dean answered before tipping his coffee mug.
“Its part of the whole angel grace ability thing. All he has to do is touch you with the intent of placing the markings and they will be carved into place.”
“So we have to do this why?”
“Because now that the knowledge of your existence has spread you’ll be hunted. You’ll put off something kind of like an aura, that the supernatural can pick up and track. You don’t want that, trust me.”
“This just gets better every day.” Sara sighed. “Alright. Let’s get it over with.”
“I’m ready.” Cas called from behind her. Causing her to squeal and jump towards Sam for safety. She quickly latched her grip onto his arm and he was little surprised at the speed she possessed.
“What the hell!” She squealed. “Will you always enter the room scaring the shit out of me?!”
“I apologize. I sensed that you were ready for me now.”
“Ya know dude, you really gotta work on your people skills.”
“It’s a work in progress.” Dean leaned forward and told her.
“What do I have to do?” She asked finally releasing Sam and standing in front of the angel.
“Nothing, but please know this will be an unpleasant feeling.”
“Unpleasant as in the kick to the shins? Or unpleasant as in a piercing?”
“If you are referring to the small pieces of metal inserted into yo-“
“OKAY! STOP!” Sara quickly leaned forward and shoved her hand over the angels mouth. Dean and Sam both watched in shock, then shared and interested nod with one another. “Please for the love of god don’t finish that sentence.”
“Well I do love God, so I guess I will not finish it.” Cas shrugged confused at the connection between the two.
“Thank you.” Sara said, she turned back to the boys and her face immediately turned bright red as she noticed the curious looks they were shooting her. She quickly faced Cas again.
“Just. Do the damn thing already.” She said closing her eyes.
“Very well.” Cas said as he lifted two fingers and touched them to her sternum. The pain was very short lived, but very severe. Her eyes flew open and she quickly flinched away from the angel. Her face contorted as she bit on her lip to hold back a cry of pain.
“Mother fucker….” She growled as she squatted down and rested her elbows on her knees.
“Sara, you good down there?” Dean asked nonchalantly.
“I need whiskey… and a nap.” She groaned as she stood and walked out of the kitchen, holding her ribcage as she walked.
“That’s my girl.” Dean smiled as she left, she held up her middle finger as she turned the corner. Causing his to smile to grow widely.
“Well. That’s done.” Sam laughed as he stood.
“How is your trust building coming along?” Cas asked.
“Good, I think.” Sam nodded.
“She seems to be more comfortable with the two of you. I can sense it when she was in fear. She may not trust you completely but she now knows you mean her no harm.”
“I don’t think you can say the same for yourself.” Dean mumbled.
…..
…..
…..
Sam was doing some research on his laptop while Dean cleaned the impala, he looked up when he heard footsteps enter the room. A wet-haired Sara approached him with a small smile.
“Hey, how ya feeling?”
“Fine now. It just hurt like a bitch for a few hours.”
“Yeah… he did the same thing to us. So we literally feel your pain.”
“So now that I’m uh, hidden, or whatever you wanna call it. Can we go into town?”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“Um, well I noticed you and Dean have one, and I was reading about them, and I think it’d be a good idea if I had an anti-possession tattoo. I’d hate to think a demon could use me to get close to the two of you. I don’t want to be responsible for any more deaths.”
“Sara, you’re not responsible for any deaths in the first place… but I do think the tattoo is a good idea. There’s a shop a couple towns over. I’ll see if Dean wants to go.”
“Great.” She nodded. She followed Sam as they trudged up the steps and into the garage, where Dean had wax and a towel, carefully going over the hood of the impala.
“Uh, Dean. You wanna take a ride?” Sam asked.
“Where to?”
“Tattoo shop couple towns over.”
“Tattoo shop?” Dean asked raising an eyebrow.
“I need one of those.” Sara said as she pointed to the spot on Sam’s chest that his shirt was now revealing as he pulled it to the side.
“Ah. Yeah. That’s probably a smart idea.”
“Gimme 10 minutes.”
…..
…..
…..
Sam and Dean stood and watched as Sara got the tattoo placed on the back of her neck, right where her spine runs between her shoulder blades. Sara sat perfect still and chatted with the artist on and off as he started some small talk.
“Dude. She’s taking it better than you did.” Dean said as he lightly slapped Sam on the chest.
“Um. I think you’re forgetting which one of us nearly punched the guy when he first started.” Sam corrected him.
“Hey. That was because he was a dick.”
“Sure.” Sam nodded slowly.
“So, where do you think her piercing is?” Dean leaned over and asked softly.
“No where she wants us to see obviously.”
“Ten bucks says it’s a belly button ring.”
Sam stared at him for a moment, narrowing his eyes in thought.
“You’re on.”
They quickly shook on it and then brought their attention back to Sara as the man finished and led her over to the mirror to see her new ink.
“Well, what do you think? Cool enough to make me an official member of the club?” She asked playfully as she held her hair up and turned her back to the boys.
“Member for life now.” Dean smiled. “Now you just need your plaid shirt.”
The smell of bacon eventually pulled (Y/N) out of her spiraling thoughts surrounding the idea of a new identity. The thought of losing herself after losing every damn thing else already.
Now she would lose the one thing she had left?
She changed and readied herself for the day before walking back out and finding Cas in the same place at the table, Dean at the stove. She realized for the first time he wore jeans with a dark grey button up and an ACDC t-shirt underneath.
Cas however wore black shirt and black uniform pants, which was similar to what Benny wore, and what Dean was wearing when they’d met.
“Hungry?” Dean’s voice cut through the silence.
“A little.” She nodded.
“Your coffee is in the microwave incase you wanted to finish it.” He said without looking over to her.
“Oh, thank you.” She said walking over and turning it on momentarily before walking over and popping a couple pieces of bread into the toaster.
“Cas, toast?” (Y/N) asked looking over to him.
“No thanks. I ate to stay awake all night.”
“Yeah. Done that a time or two.” She chuckled back. “Dean do you want any?”
“Nah.” He shook his head.
(Y/N) stood against the counter with her warmed over coffee trying to find comfort in the silence between them when the toaster sprung the toast upwards and she jumped, her grip almost faltering.
“Jumpy?” Dean raised an eyebrow as he asked.
“Surely not with this wonderful and relaxing vacation she’s on.” Cas replied for her with a grin on his lips. Dean shot him a bitchface, but (Y/N) smiled to him and mouthed a soft ‘thank you’ as she plated her toast. He winked and went back to his coffee again.
(Y/N) reached into the pantry and stood up on her tip toes to reach the item that finally caught her eye, walking over and spreading peanut butter across both pieces of toast before replacing the jar. Dean pulled the last of the bacon from the pan and dropped some on her plate, looking up between her and the toast.
“What?” She asked noting his judgmental glances.
“Not sure I’ve seen anyone eat peanut butter toast since I was in the first grade.”
“Well, then I’m really fixing to blow your mind.”
(Y/N) reached down and took the bacon strips, breaking them in pieces and laying them across the toast, lifting a piece to her mouth and savoring the first bite of salty, slightly sweet, crunchy and yet slightly chewy deliciousness. She closed her eyes moaned very briefly before looking to Dean who watched wide-eyed with horror or disgust, she wasn’t sure which.
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” She shrugged.
“I’m mean...” Cas interrupted. “That’s not nearly as bad as the peanut butter oreo thing my daughter likes to eat.”
“Women.” Dean huffed sitting down with his bacon and coffee. Black and bitter. (Y/N) wondered if the food choices were a reflection of his personality, or if he just wanted people to believe he was as bitter and bold as his taste buds were.
“So, uh. I don’t really now what I’m supposed to do. Today, or. Any day. Is there anything I’m supposed to do?”
“Follow the rules.” Dean looked at her with a straight face and a slight shrug.
“Right.” She slightly nodded.
“What are you gonna do all day every day?”
“Paperwork. I run in the mornings. Perimeter checks. There’s an entire shelf of movies. I’m sure you can find something to do.”
“Thank you for the Camera.” She mumbled.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Dean blew her off shoving more bacon into his mouth. She watched him hesitantly and then looked over to Cas.
“Well Cas, what have you been doing all night.”
“I have been watching re-runs of Game of Thrones all night.”
“That ending piss you off as much as it did me?”
“So many unanswered questions and plot holes. I mean really?” Cas sighed exasperated.
“Yeah. I thought we were going to have to buy a new TV after Brian almost destroyed ours by throwing his drink at it when she died.” She laughed at the memory at first, but Dean watched as her face faltered and suddenly the memory had left her feeling uncomfortable.
“So much potential, and they just shit on it.” Cas shook his head.
Dean listened to them banter back and forth about some other movies and shows that they shared common interest in. He couldn’t lie to himself that there was a hint of jealousy watching her mesh so well with his two best men. Watching them care for her. Why couldn’t he rid himself of the whisper in his head that she was hiding something?
…..
…..
…..
“When you’re ready to get some lunch let me know, we can go back in.” (Y/N) smiled over to Benny, who had been kind enough to take her outside around the house to let her get a feel for the camera she would likely be using to occupy her time during the day.
“I’m fine darlin.” He smiled back to her.
(Y/N) Picked the camera up again and pointed it towards a low hanging branch with the sunlight falling behind the yellowing leaf. She altered the settings until she felt like she had the desired outcome. She stood and spun slowly, sighing slightly as she landed back in the same spot. Eyes on the pond in front of her.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Just figuring out what I’m going to work with out here… there’s only so many ways to photography the pond or the house. Do you think Dean would let us explore into the woods a little?”
“I’ll test the waters on how far along the perimeter he’d like for us to go, better that I do that.” Benny winked.
“Thanks, Benny. Wish you were here this morning. We had a riveting conversation about the rules.”
“Yeah I heard.”
“Cas?”
“He said you took it pretty well, didn’t back down to the big dog much.”
“He wasn’t mean, the rules make sense. It was just a lot to take in. You kinda buffer that a little, but Cas did some buffering too.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in. We’ll get ya through it.”
“Where do you guys go, when you’re not here?”
“Classified.” He grinned.
“Oh.”
“How long do you think we’ll be here?”
“Don’t know. That’ll depend on Sam and the big guys in suits. I would get comfy to be honest. I can tell you I’ve been to worse safe houses though, this one is a dream compared to the last one Dean holed us up in.”
“Well then I’ll be double thankful.” (Y/N) chuckled with wide eyes as they walked to the end of the dock. She stood and noted that there were some fishing poles leaned against the shed nearby.
“Do you fish?” Benny asked her.
“It’s been a long time… guess I got some time to figure it out though.”
…..
…..
…..
“Sam, you can’t go in with something unless its SOLID.” Dean sighed into the phone.
“I know that Dean!”
“Do you? He’ll make bail before they uncuff him unless you’ve quite literally got blood on his hands. So do you?”
“Dean she identified him! She identified 4 of them, all together more than once. She has photographic evidence!”
“Of what exactly? That the guy’s a dick? That he had dinner at a certain time and place with a certain group of people? Did she happen to record their conversation?”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this right now.” Sam scoffed.
“Sammy I just don’t want this to all be for nothing. We got one shot at this. We gotta do it right.”
“Fine! Fine… so what? You gonna hole up with her for months and months until I can find someone else to rat on them? It took me how long to find her? She is the only one they haven’t killed before I could get to her first, Dean!”
“I know that!” Dean grumbled. “You think I don’t remember?!”
“I’m sorry.” Sam sighed.
“I know, me too.”
“Just. Think on it. Okay? How is she?”
“She’s okay. She loves Benny and Cas, who are you sending up tonight?”
“Jody & Bobby.”
“Good. Good I love getting my ass handed to me in poker all night.” Dean rolled his eyes.
“You should know better by now than to play him.” Sam grinned through the phone.
“Old man never lets me off that easy.”
“Yeah well, he misses Dad. You’re as close as it gets.”
“Whatever… bitch.” Dean smirked.
“Jerk.” Sam chuckled before hanging up the phone. Dean tapped the phone on the counter as he chewed on his lip. Debating on how to make sure that all of the effort wasn’t for nothing. How to finally make sure that when Sammy takes his shot, it lands center of the target and sticks.
Just then the door opened and Benny followed (Y/N) through the kitchen. Dean looked up to her and thought even though he’d read the file a hundred times maybe it was time to ask a few questions of his own.
“Hey, (Y/N). Mind if we talk for a minute?”
“Sure.” She said, obviously caught off guard, looking between him and Benny. Benny just sat on the couch and gave her a wink, knowing whatever it was would be harmless and that Dean would only be doing what was best for her in some way or another.
Dean walked to stand in front of her as she backed herself against the counter slightly. He noted her tense posture. She was nervous.
Was it him?
Or was it whatever she was hiding?
“Would you rather sit down?” He asked watching her reaction carefully.
“W-whatever you want is fine.” She stuttered.
“Okay.” He nodded. His eyes flickered outside.
“Benny show you the trail?”
“No.”
“Put your walking shoes on.”
“Considering they’re all I got, they’re on.” She nodded down to her tennis shoes.
“After you.” He pointed to the door.
Dean turned to Benny.
“15 min checks. GPS. I have one for her coming tonight.”
“Got it.” Benny nodded.
(Y/N) was curious what Dean meant he had one coming for her? One what? A GPS? Like a phone? Or something like a map?... or a tracker?
That was more likely the case.
Some tacky ankle monitor. House arrest at its finest.
“This is not an interrogation.” Dean started as he looked down at her. “I need to ask you these questions because I’m trying to help Sam, and you in a lot of ways that I can’t really explain. So answer them the best you can, even if you don’t like what I ask.”
“Okay…” She nodded hesitantly.
“Why didn’t you confront Brian when you thought he was having an affair?”
(Y/N)’s eyes fell to the dirt where her feet moved to keep up with his as they wound down trail through the trees. Only someone who knew there was a trail would have been looking for it and found it, but the path was clearing the farther in they walked.
“I knew he wouldn’t tell me the truth.”
“Why?”
“He had already lied once before.” She whispered. “I caught him watching one of the maids through a security camera he had in his house, she was getting changed and he was enjoying a little time with Rosey Palms.”
“Wow.” Dean shook his head.
“… She was one of the girls probably, right?”
“Yes. Most likely.”
“These security cameras, did you know about them before hand?”
“No. First I had ever seen them. They were in the pool house, which we used as guest quarters for when people came over, but we had a huge party coming up and he had a maid coming in to do the entire property and said she would be staying for the week to help with prep and clean up afterwards.”
“What happened then?”
“I left.”
Dean looked up to her in surprise.
“Don’t seem so shocked.” (Y/N) replied with shamefully as she crossed her arms. “I didn’t know he was a monster, Dean. I did have a little self-respect ya know.”
“I never said you didn’t.”
“Sure.” She sighed.
He didn’t have to. She could see it in the way he had judged her from the start. In the way he asked the questions. In the way he looked at her, shocked that she left him as if he imagined her being the woman who rolled over to pretend it never happened.
“How did you end up engaged to him then?”
“Few weeks later he came back. Gravelling. Crying. Told me that he would give up everything and we’d live in my apartment if that’s what it took to get me back. I didn’t believe him and called him on his bluff… I got him all the way into the real estate agent’s office to put the house on the market after sleeping at my place for a week before I let it go.”
Dean nodded in slight surprise again, he had to admit he was a little shocked that she had pulled such a bold hand on him.
“What did Brian tell you he did for work?”
(Y/N) chuckled as her eyes watered… as if she was just realizing something. She slowed her walk until they stood still, Dean turning to face her.
“Well. Now that you mention it. When we first started dating he told me he was a representative for a pharmaceutical company, but a we got more serious that became more of a management position with a medical supply company. So, I guess I am that stupid.” She nodded putting together the pieces based on his first answer.
“Did you ever attend work functions? Parties? Dinners?”
“No parties. No functions. Dinners with coworkers yes.”
“Did he ever wear a company logo, or have merchandise with a company logo on it? Say the name of the company?”
“… No.” (Y/N) sighed softly.
The more questions he asked the stupider she felt. Dean began walking again and she followed his movement.
She had brought him lunch to a small office a handful of times. She had met some of his ‘co-workers’ at dinner or drinks once or twice. Not once did she ever realize that she didn’t notice any bold company logos.
“Just corporation names.”
“Well, those were fake.” Dean informed her. “No paper evidence left laying around so it would be your word only there unless you happen to have any documents laying around with the company name on it.”
“Brian said work stays at work, and home was for us.” (Y/N) said looking up to Dean with a mix of anger and sadness.
“Why did you think he was having an affair?”
“I already told yo-“
“You told me that he lied, but that doesn’t give you reasons to follow him. What did he do that made you follow him? Dean interrupted with a slight edge of accusation behind his question; it did not go unnoticed.
“He was becoming more and more withdrawn at home, okay?” She raised her hands slightly. “He kept coming home later and later. Cancelling our plans for dinners and weekends for ‘work trips’. When he would come home late, he turned down sex.”
(Y/N)’s face was red with embarrassment at the last part of her confession. She thought for weeks that she had done something wrong. That he no longer loved her… that she was no longer attractive to him. Had she gained weight? Was her skin too dull? Did her body bore him? Was she that bad in bed?
She asked herself the same questions over and over again.
Dean watched as her eyes stared forward but her mind obviously drifted elsewhere, confusion painted in the way she chewed on the inside of her cheek. He noted the tick of insecurity back in his office when they first met, every time she got lost in her own head she would do it without even realizing. Dean doubted she knew she was doing it even now.
Something in him begged him to tell her that it wasn’t her fault.
That it wasn’t her.
That there was nothing- IS nothing wrong with her.
Instead, he coughed and swallowed the words back down.
“How did you get in and out without being seen?”
“Ball cap, wig, glasses.”
“That’s it?”
“No offense but men are kinda stupid. I don’t think he ever expected me to be spying on him so he never felt like he had to look over his shoulder for it.”
“You would think a meeting in a place that public would prompt a little caution on their end.” Dean mumbled more to himself than her.
“I was pretty discreet. It’s not like I carried my big camera in the door and pulled it out at the table. I have purse with a hidden lens, kept it in my lap and pointed at the table, you can control it remotely from your phone, which I did from the table, so it just looked like I was texting.”
Dean looked up to her with a grin.
“Not bad.”
“Thank you.” She replied with a grin of her own.
“What made you back off?”
“Three dinners, two during the week and once on the weekend. No women. All business.”
“Did you follow them all the way back home?”
“No. I waited for them to leave and then left afterwards going straight home. Brian never drove his own car. He always ended up going back to the office to grab it.”
“How much of a delay between you getting home and him getting home?”
“Hour or so depending on the night?”
“That’s a lot of unaccounted for time, (Y/N).”
“You think I missed something don’t you?”
“Maybe you weren’t as far off as you think you were.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Under the office building is a basement… there’s nothing we could tie back to them, but there was a bedroom apartment in the basement. I’m just saying a lot can happen in an hour and a man doesn’t just stop wanting to have sex with his soon to be wife for no reason.”
(Y/N) swallowed around the lump in her throat.
Part of it forming due to the fact that her gut was probably right, no matter how hard she tried to prove it wrong… and mostly because she was in that building.
She was there, and those girls could have been just below her.
She could have been one of them in the blink of an eye.
“Don’t do that.” Dean suddenly said, catching her off guard.
“What?” She asked confused.
“Don’t play the what if game, it never leads you anywhere good. I promise.” Dean looked over to her with a kinder than usual grin. “Did you ever have any suspicion that Brian was using drugs?”
“None.”
“Heavy drinker?”
“No… I would have seen that one.” She said confidently. Dean made a mental note to tuck that comment away for further discussion or research.
“The co-workers you met, any of them the men you identified in the pictures?”
“No. Brian said they were reps in from out of town that were coming by for seminars or company gatherings. Just reps and some of the girl’s that worked the front desks… they’re probably dead too.”
“Probably. But that’s not on you.”
(Y/N) didn’t reply.
“I picked a name, by the way.” He cut into the silence after a few more minutes of walking.
“Let me guess- Tawny?”
“Ah, I’m impressed. It’s the red hair right?” He grinned at her Whitesnake reference. “But no. Anna.”
“Anna.” (Y/N) nodded as she said the name to herself out loud.
“Think you could live with it if you had to?”
“Don’t think I have much of a choice.” She gave a tight smile.
“Not really, no.”
“No more interrogation questions?”
“Not right now. I’ll have more later I’m sure as we piece some things together to beef up the case but for now I need to chew on a few things.”
“Sorry I couldn’t be more help.”
“You’re more help than anyone else so far.” Dean shrugged.
“Right.” She sighed. “Cas coming back tonight?”
“No. Sam’s team is coming into rotation tonight. Jody will be here most likely. If there is anything you don’t feel comfortable asking for with one of us you can ask Jody, but just know she’ll still have to clear it through me.”
“We’re all adults, Dean. I doubt tampons and bras scare any of your men as much as you do.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her as he fought to push the smile off his face.
“I appreciate the sentiment though.” She added a bit quieter, remembering that Benny had warned her that feelings were never his top priority so, she probably should show her appreciation anytime he considered them.
…..
…..
…..
Nightfall had come and (Y/N) sat comfortably on the couch while Benny relaxed on the other side, watching the end of a movie Benny swore she had to see to be considered an true American. Dean worked at the kitchen table with case files and a notebook. Grumbling every once in a while.
It was nearly 11pm when headlights coming up the drive caught his attention. He flipped his watch.
“Benny. 10 minutes early. Sound like Jody to you?”
“Gold explorer last time I checked, usually on the dot. Could be first shift adjustments, but…” He shook his head slightly.
Dean stood quickly and grabbed his gun out of the holster, Benny did the same as he reached up and turned the TV down but not off.
“(Y/N) I want you to stand up, stay behind me and walk backwards into your room.” Dean instructed walking towards her with his eyes never leaving the front door as Benny approached the window.
“What’s going on?” (Y/N)’s voice shook as she stood and moved to stand behind Dean, grabbing onto his shirt with an iron grasp as he backed them along the wall to her bedroom door.
“Shhh…” He shushed her.
“Black Sedan.” Benny called out.
“Fuck.” Dean mumbled.
“What?” (Y/N) half mumbled and half whimpered as her stomach sank.
“(Y/N)” Dean said slowly as he reached back into his pocket. “I want you to take my cell phone. Go to your room, lock the door and crawl underneath the bed. If I don’t come through the door in exactly 3 minutes you text Sam and Cas both 911 over and over and then you stay quiet as a fucking mouse until someone gets here to help you. Someone other than me comes through that door, fight and run like hell. Hide in the woods, hunter’s cabin is exactly 4 miles southwest of the house. Keep the phone on you so Sam can find you.”
“What?!” She gasped as he shoved the phone at her.
“Rules. I talk, you do. Now go!”
(Y/N) turned and into the doorway and locked it behind her as she crawled underneath the bed. She wasn’t sure when it started but at some point her face began to feel wet and hot. She hadn’t realized she was crying.
She reminded herself to be as quiet as possible as she stilled and opened the phone, noting the time. Then she opened the phone and the texts creating a thread to both Sam and Cas, 911 pre-typed into the box with her finger ready to press send.
Her entire body shook. She listened for noises. Any noises.
She prayed.
She begged silently.
She swore if she ever saw him again, she’d fucking hang Brian from a flagpole for putting her here.
Meanwhile, Benny slid to the back door and around the side of the house while Dean stayed with his eyes focused straight ahead. Waiting for someone to come along and push the door open… ready to drop the first person who dared to come into this house. Who dared come after the woman under his protection.
Who dared to hurt her.
The doorknob twisted and a tall figure stepped into the light.
“You trying to die tonight?” Benny asked from behind Jody as the light finally illuminated her face in the kitchen and he pulled the gun away from the back of her head. “Shit Jody.”
“Dammit Jody…” Dean sighed, his heart rate slowing as he tucked his gun and stepped forward
“Well, that’s one way to treat a lady. I hope you two have been a hell of a lot nicer to her.” Jody crossed her arms looking between the two of them.
“Gold explorer?” Dean threw his arms up to Benny.
“Well, it’s what she drove last time!” He rebutted.
“Yeah. Totaled in a pursuit a couple months ago. This ones a department loaner until I decide what I want to buy as a permanent replacement… so. You two gonna stand around and bitch all night or is someone gonna walk the perimeter with me?”
“I got it. Go get her, she’s scared to death.” Benny said lifting his chin towards (Y/N’s) room.
Underneath the bed in the darkness (Y/N)’s breath was jagged and shallow as she tried to keep it as quiet as possible, her entire hand shaking as it hovered over the button… one more minute.
Just then the door began to unlock. In a panic she locked the phone so as not to draw attention to the light. She listened as boots made their way across the floor.
“(Y/N)?” Dean called out softly.
But her fear had frozen her. She couldn’t hear him over the pounding of her own heart in her ears. All she could here was the blood rushing and the boots on the ground as they grew closer, her breathing stopped all together as the steps also stopped.
Feet facing the bed.
She closed her eyes and pushed her hands over her mouth.
Dean moved to lay on the ground and softly turned the flashlight towards her body, careful not to hit her face with the harsh light.
“(Y/N) it’s okay.” He said a little louder but still steady and calm, careful not to spook her further. This time she actually heard the voice as it spoke and she looked up to him.
“Are t-they gone?” She whispered.
“Just Jody, she was in a new car we didn’t recognize. It’s okay. Everything’s fine. Let’s go back out to the living room.” He tried to explain but she wasn’t moving.
“I-I don’t want to.” She shook her head as another tear fell.
“(Y/N) I want you to just look at me.” He said softly as he reached out his hand to her, leaving the flashlight on the ground pointed to the side. “Take my hand. It’s okay, I got you.”
She looked between him and his hand before her shaking arm slowly moved away from her body and towards him.
“There ya go, we’re okay.” He soothed trying to coax her out now that had had her making progress.
“I-I had it typed, but the light-t was on, and I-I didn’t want them t-to-“
“Hey, hey it’s okay… you did good.” He stopped her shaken ramble with a nod as she slid out from under the bed and they moved to stand.
“Okay.” She let out the breath she didn’t realize was still trapped in her chest. Then quickly moved to inhale again.
“You good?” Dean asked holding her by the shoulders as her eyes bored into his.
“I-I can’t breathe.” She mumbled in a panic.
“Yes, you can.” He told her calmly. “Deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Okay?”
Dean coached her through the first couple until she finally stopped trying to rake air into her lungs as if she had come up from the bottom of a lake.
“That’s it, good girl.” He nodded, his voice like velvet as it flowed through the dark room and through her ears. Those words.
Those words alone sent her body spiraling in another way she couldn’t quite contain, not that she would want to. She thought the first time he said them that it was just a fluke but hearing them now and feeling the way her body responds without her permission confirmed for her what she refused to admit to herself.
She would do anything he asked of her, as long as he called her his good girl.
“I’m so sorry.” She finally whispered as she hid her face in her hands, embarrassment now flooding her as her overwhelming adrenaline began to simmer and her body settle. “I’m so sorry, I’m fine. I promise. I haven’t had one of those in so long… I’m so sorry, Dean.”
“It’s fine. We’re all good.” He said squeezing her shoulders slightly before letting them go, her eyes finally looking up to him again. “You wanna come out and meet Jody, say bye to Benny?”
“Uhh. I’d rather spare myself any further embarrassment for the night and just clean up and go to bed.” She nodded pulling her eyes to the floor and crossing her arms over her chest.
“Okay, I’ll pop in and do a perimeter check before bed so if you hear the door open it’s just me.”
“Thanks.”
“Sure.” He said as he moved to leave.
“Oh, wait.” (Y/N) called out as she realized his phone was still in her pocket, she reached back to grab it and the held it out towards him.
“Thanks. Get some rest, tomorrow we’ll let you meet Jody.”
(Y/N) nodded in silence and waited until he left the room to hide herself in the bathroom as she cried the last bit of panic out of her body, knowing that this was as real as it gets. This was life or death, and Dean was the only thing that stood between the two of them.
She needed him.
She just didn’t realize how badly until just now when she was sure that they had come for her… they had found her, they had hurt Dean to get to her. That rattled her somewhere deep that she wasn’t expecting.
She stood and splashed her face with cool water, then brushed her teeth before changing and climbing under the sheets.
Dean had just closed the bedroom door when he stepped back out to an expectant Jody and Benny who seemed to search the space behind him for (Y/N)’s face to appear.
“She alright?” Benny asked.
“She just got a little spooked, probably my fault for erring on the side of caution. Said to tell you goodnight though.”
“Okay.” He nodded before bidding Jody a goodnight and exiting the kitchen. Jody stood at the counter and continued to chop the vegetables in front of her.
“What are you making over there?” Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.
“What kind of safe house is it without a little home cooking?”
“You ain’t gotta convince me. I’ve never turned down your cooking.” Dean smiled to her. She opened her arms for him as he approached her.
“Oh I’ve missed you two, always causing trouble. What did this poor girl get into?” Jody asked.
“Sam says that she’s the key to taking down he whole thing, seems to think she’ll go through with the trial and all.”
“You don’t seem so sure.”
“I don’t know yet.” Dean sighed. “I think she’s angry and bitter about her fiancé being such murderous drug dealer behind her back, but I don’t think she understands what she’s signed on for. Who she’s up against? Hell at first I thought maybe she was just covering her ass to get out of her own charges.”
“She had no idea? About any of it?”
“Sam says no… I was skeptical. Still am a little, but. I gotta admit some of the shit she said today, you can’t make that up.”
“Well, you know I’ve never been one to go against Sam.” Jody reminded him with a pointed glare.
“Yeah yeah yeah, you and everyone else around here.”
“You think it’s not enough, huh?” Jody said slicing a tomato.
“I think that she’s the only one we’ve gotten to in time. She’s the only who’s made it this far… we can’t take our shot unless we’re sure or it’s for nothing, and if we compromise her then we might be signing her death certificate.”
The ride back to the bunker has been a long and mostly quiet ride. Sara listened as Dean hummed along to the radio on and off, and she was thankful for his decent taste in music.
Sam had tried many times to get Sara to open up, to talk about the thoughts running amuck in her mind, but she was reluctant. She would continue small talk with both of the brothers, but shied away from anything deeper than that.
Sara had always been a private person. She loved having Anna, her opposite, to drag her personality out of the shadows. Anna had been bright and vibrant, everything Sara thought she was not. Anna pushed her to socialize, pushed her to go after her dreams when she thought they were unreachable. Anna opened doors of opportunity every time she walked into the same room as Sara.
And now she was gone.
Massacred in the most horrible of ways, and Sara felt like the blame fell into her lap. She wanted nothing more than to swap places. Let the world take back the sunshine that was Anna. Anna had friends, and family, and potential in life. Sara wanted to give that all back.
“Almost there.” Sam turned and smiled to her briefly, pulling her back from her thoughts. She stared out the window into the woods surrounding the road, the impala slowed and pulled up to a metal door large enough to fit two cars. Then the door rose and the car drove into the long dark tunnel. For a second Sara was afraid, what if this was all a lie? A trap?
But as the lights began to grow closer she came to see several old cars, a few motorcycles, and other motorized things she’d never seen before. The boys came to a stop in front of a wooden door, and got out. She followed them hesitantly out of the car, and around to the trunk. She reached for her bags.
“I’ll get those.” Dean offered.
“I’ll carry this one.” She half smiled grabbing her duffle, Dean took her suitcase and his own bags and stepped in front of her, leading her into the bunker. She looked on in awe as she walked down the steps and into the large open underground hideaway.
“Whoa.” She breathed to herself.
“No place like home.” Dean sighed setting the bags down on the table in the library. Sara looked around as books covered the walls, floor to ceiling. She was blown away.
“So this is the bunker?”
“Yep.”
“It looks so old…” She mumbled. Sam laughed beside her. “Sorry. That probably sounded a lot more insulting than I meant it to be. It’s nice, antique-ish.” She rambled quietly to make up for her rudeness.
“No, its fine. It is old, would you like us to show you around?”
“Sure.” She tried to smile.
They showed her the library, the control room, the kitchen, the basement and they were just getting down the hall with all of the bedrooms when Sara paused and looked around with a defeated sigh.
“Is something wrong?” Sam asked her. Dean turned to face her as well.
She looked at them hesitantly before asking.
“There’s no windows in here are there?”
“No, but. It’s the safest place in probably the entire world.” Dean said trying to off put the discouraged look on her face. She pushed a small smile.
“So I get a room?” She then asked, trying to focus on the positives.
“Of course, I actually need just a few minutes to clear it out. Its in here.” Sam said leading her down a ways and into a door on the left. She looked around in the dark simple room. There wasn’t much in here, but she could tell it was someone’s living space.
“Who’s room is this now?” She asked.
“Mine.” Sam smiled as he began to gather his things. Guilt struck Sara and she hurried over to him.
“Sam! No, I can’t take your room! This is your home, there’s like twenty rooms in this place, please I’ll just take a different one.”
“No, please Sara. I insist. Dean and I snagged the only rooms with private bathrooms. I want you to feel as comfortable as possible here, especially after you agreed to help us.”
“Sam we had a deal, I was coming anyways. You don’t have to give up your room.”
“Please, I really wouldn’t feel right about not giving it up.” He insisted. She sighed and slowly nodded.
“Thank you Sam.”
“Sure thing, I’ll have it cleared out and I’ll swap the beds.”
“Do you need help?” She asked, anxious to busy herself with something.
“No, I’ve got it. If you wanna pop next door I think Dean wanted to go over a few things with you.”
“Oh okay, I’ll do that.” She smiled before leaving the room and walking next door into Dean’s. He was on the bed, pulling out a variety of guns. She coughed slightly as she entered his room, getting his attention.
“Hey.” He said briefly.
“Hi uh, Sam said you wanted to talk to me about something.”
“Yeah. I just want you to know where the weapons are in case anything does ever get in here and Sam or I aren’t available.”
“Okay.” She nodded anxiously.
Dean sensed that she was feeling a bit overwhelmed at her new living space and the odd set of amenities that it offered. He looked down at the multiple weapons he laid out and decided even if he told her everything she needed to know, she wouldn’t remember it all right now. So maybe it’s best to save it for another time.
“Ya know… on a second thought. We can do this another time. Do you uh, do you need to go out and get anything? I could take you into town.”
“Uh maybe here in a little while once I unpack and see what’s there. I’m sure I’ll be needing something.”
“Right, okay. Well. Are you hungry? I could see what’s in the fridge.”
“No thanks.”
Dean didn’t quite know what to say to Sara. How to approach her. It was obvious they were all still feeling each other out. But he could tell already she was a very caring person. That she liked to be busy, and that she was very untrusting. Something that would definitely have to change before they could take her out on hunts. She’s going to have to learn to trust them, and them her, before putting each other’s lives in their hands.
“So. You’re a nurse huh?”
“Well, was. I guess… not like I can really keep up with my license and stuff anymore.” She shrugged.
“For how long?”
“About 3 years, Anna and I graduated together and then got jobs together.”
“I’m sorry about your friend… I really wish things had gone differently. All of this. I know it’s all still kind of a culture shock right now, but it gets easier.”
Sara let out a small humorless laugh.
“Which part? The ‘I got my best friend killed’ part or the ‘monsters and demons are real’ part?”
“What happened to Anna was not your fault.”
“You mean she didn’t die horrible death due to the fact that demons were looking for me but found her instead?”
“Right. Insert foot in mouth. Got it.” Dean said nodding his head.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be rude, I think I will just kinda wander around a bit if you don’t mind, make sure I don’t get lost in here.” She then said moving towards the door.
“Sure thing, yeah. Just. Ask if you need anything.” Dean said awkwardly as she left the room. Then he proceeded to roll his eyes at himself before he stomped next door into Sam’s- Sara’s, room.
“Dude. How long till this shit’s not weird anymore?” He asked as he started helping Sam move the mattresses to the other room.
“What do you mean weird?”
“I mean the whole, bringing in a stranger who probably secretly hates us and wants to run away thing!”
“I don’t think she’s itching to run Dean, she’s just grieving. She’s been through a lot over the last few days. She was uprooted from her life. Cut her some slack.”
“I am! I just… what the hell do we even say to her? Hi how are you? Hope you don’t mind that we force you to come with us as a magical form of life insurance!”
“Why don’t you start with getting to know her, and since when do you not know how to talk to a woman?”
“I don’t know man… It’s just. Weird!”
“You’re weird.” Sam sighed as he moved Sara’s bed into her room. “Now help me with this.”
…..
Sara wandered up and down the tile floor. Peeking into all the extra bedrooms, and bathrooms placed throughout the hall. It was actually very comforting knowing she would have a private bathroom attached to her bedroom. She still felt guilty for Sam giving up his room, but she could also tell that Sam wasn’t taking no for an answer on the matter, so she tried to just be thankful instead.
She searched high and low, trying to find a window to the outside world anywhere. Eventually she led herself back to the library. Where the books filled the walls.
She ran her hand along the spines as she walked, watching as her fingers left a trail in the dust. She was never a big reader, but enjoyed in on occasion. She wondered what kind of stories were hidden in here, untouched for years.
“Room is ready for you.” Dean said as he walked in and grabbed her bags off the table.
“Great.” She smiled as she followed him down the hall. The room was even sadder without Sam’s things adorning the shelves and the walls. There was a bed, a desk, and a dresser with a mirror attached, A semi-large closet and of course the bathroom with pale blue tile and paint. It was simple, and thankfully very clean. She appreciated that Sam kept his space clean.
“Do you need help unpacking?” Sam asked as he and Dean stood in the doorway.
“Uh, no I don’t think so.”
“So uh, Sara look. We kinda wanted to just acknowledge the elephant in the room, rip off the bandaid.”
“You mean the one about me being the magical life insurance?” She asked with a playful smile. Dean’s face dropped. “Your voice carries.” She winked to him.
“Sorry.” He mumbled uncomfortably.
“Don’t be. It was blunt and to the point. I like things that way so if you feel the need to say something then just do so. Cause I’m not the kind of person to hold back on my thoughts either.”
“Good. We always want to know what’s going on, it’s important to all be on the same page when we go on hunts, so it’s good to just kinda get used to living that way and being open to each other.” Sam agreed.
“So about your elephant then?”
“Yeah. Look… bottom line is, we know this sucks for you. None of its fair, and it’s a lot to ask of you, especially from strangers. You always have the right to say no, but you should also keep in mind that we can’t protect you if you leave. And it’s clear that you’re on the bad guys radar now too. But we want you here with us, not just because of the whole life saving ability, but because you seem to be a genuine person who likes to help people. And that’s what our job is really centered around. We just do it in a very different way than what you’re used to.”
“Yeah. I don’t usually go around stabbing people.” She said as her eyes trailed to Dean.
“Demons sweetheart. Not people.” He corrected her.
“Right… Demons.” She nodded, letting out a large sigh. “For real though, how long until the idea of all this shit being real stops making my stomach drop to my ass?”
Sam and Dean chuckled.
“It’ll take some getting used to. We’ll give you a day or so to settle in before we start training.”
“Training?” Sara asked with a confused look.
“Yeah, we think it’s best for you to have an understanding of how to kill different things we’ll be facing. And learn how to defend yourself. Just in case Sam and I can’t be with you at all times.” Dean explained.
“So I get to be a, a … hunter?”
“Sorta.” Dean smiled at her willingness to dive right in.
“Well we’ll let you unpack in peace. We’ll be in the library if you need anything. Maybe we can go out for dinner later?”
“Yeah. Sure. Sounds good.” She nodded before the boys walked out. She plopped down on the bed and looked around and the empty and dull room.
“This has gotta change.” She mumbled to herself as she began to unpack.
…..
…..
…..
Sara finished unpacking her things and the room still felt dull and depressing. She decided that it was desperately in need of some redecorating. So she showered and changed before walking to find the boys in the library.
“Hey.” She called out to them as she walked up.
Dean’s head turned to acknowledge her but he lingered there a little longer. It wasn’t lost on either brother that she was a beautiful woman. She had changed into a dark wash pair of jeans with a simple charcoal tank top, and pink converse to top it off. Her hair hung down in waves just below her shoulders, the blonde lowlights barely noticeable, but still there. And her most intense trait was the ice blue shade of her eyes setting off the dark features.
“Hi.” Sam coughed getting Dean’s attention refocused.
“So uh, I’m unpacked and I was thinking if maybe you had a target in town I could do a little redecorating? Would you guys mind?”
“No, of course not! It’s your room so you’re welcome to change whatever you’d like.” Sam explained, Dean nodded in agreeance.
“Great, so uh… did you guys still wanna go grab dinner? I was thinking maybe we could just swing into the store afterwards.”
“Sure, you ready to go?” Dean asked.
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“Let’s go.” He said standing and leading the way out to the garage. Sara followed behind and took in the sight of all the cars in the large open garage.
“So these are all your cars?”
“Uh, not really. The impala is ours but the others were just here when we found the place. We just borrow them as needed.” Dean explained.
“Oh.”
“Baby tops every car in this place. Promise.” Dean winked, Sara chuckled before getting in the car with the boys. The ride into town thankfully wasn’t far. It was a smaller town but still held a handful of decent chain restaurants and a few big stores. Sara was excited to see the lights of a red bullseye. She could spend HOURS shopping.
“So what are we in the mood to eat?” Dean asked.
“Whatever’s fine with me.” She called from the backseat.
“Steak? Mexican? Italian?”
“I could probably knock down some chips and dip.” She shrugged.
“Mexican it is.” Sam smiled.
They pulled into the local Mexican restaurant and were quickly seated at the table. The waiter brought chips and salsa around and took orders for drinks.
“I’ll have a beer, whatever’s on tap.” Dean replied.
“Same.” Sam nodded.
“Uh, I’ll just have a water.” Sara smiled before the waiter walked away.
“I was totally targeting you as the frozen margarita type.” Dean said catching her attention. She giggled and reached up, swirling her chip around in the cheese dip she’d ordered.
“Well. You would be correct on that.”
“We’d be more than happy to buy you a drink, it’s not like you have to worry about driving.”
“Yeah. I only drink with people I really know… trust me. I’m not the drunk you wanna be stuck babysitting.”
“Oh? Why’s that.” Dean asked with curiosity rolling around in his mind.
“One day Dean, for now just take my word for it.” She said as she took a bite of her chip.
“Fair enough.” He nodded.
“What about you two? Angry drunks? Funny drunks? Anything I should know.”
Dean laughed a little.
“We don’t really get drunk. This life kinda builds a tolerance to it.”
“Him more than me if we’re being honest.” Sam added.
“Okay, so you don’t get drunk. Got it.”
“So uh, Sara. That was a nice gun you had back at your apartment. You any good at shooting it?”
“Well I managed to hit your friend with all six bullets. But uh, truth is its been a while since I’ve been out to practice. I’ve been working a lot of overtime. ER stays pretty slammed.”
“Did you bring your gun with you?”
“No. I think I left it in the hurry to pack.”
“No problem, we’ve got plenty. We’ll get you one you like and get you used to shooting it.” Dean told her. She nodded.
This world of weapons and monsters was so new to her. She had no idea what to expect. She was a decent shot, but she wasn’t a marksman by any means. The thought of having to prove herself to the boys made her slightly nervous.
Dinner finished uneventfully as they discussed things like where the impala came from, and how the boys got started into hunting. Sara listened intently as the boys explained how their parents had died, but felt hesitant to share the fact that her parents had died as well. She decided maybe it was better saved for another time.
When they finished dinner the boys insisted on picking up the tab and the three of them drove back up the road to the target they had passed on the way to dinner. Sara beamed as they pulled in and parked. Sam noticed the extra skip in her step as the entered the doorway. He knew right away this Sara in a place that made her happy. A place that made her feel normal.
“So what’s first?” Dean asked.
“Uh. Bathroom. We need to put some color in there.”
“Lead the way.” Dean said as he waved his hand. He had never stepped foot inside of a target before now and was just along for the ride at this point. He followed Sara as she walked to the home décor section and bee lined for the isles filled with towels and shower curtains. Tiny trashcans and soap dishes. For him this was all unnecessary fluff. Sam as well, but he understood a little more that things like this would make Sara feel more at home in the bunker, and he was all about making her feel at home.
“So what colors are you wanting?” Sam asked.
“Uh, bathrooms light blue… so I think we should go with dark blue and lime green. Keep a pop of color in there.” Sara shrugged as she picked up a patterned shower curtain that contained the colors she had been in search of. She grabbed a handful of towels to match, and a towel rack to install. Then she grabbed one of the tiny trashcans that Dean felt was probably the most useless thing in the store. But he kept his mouth shut for now.
“What after this?” Dean asked getting ancy looking at tiny trashcans.
“Bedding.” Sara smiled as she put the last of the things in her cart and smiled widely before pushing her way down to the bedding isle. She grabbed a large plush light grey and white bed spread. And throw pillows to match.
“Okay… seriously. Why do you need tiny pillows? It’s not like you can use them to sleep?” Dean asked as he lifted the ruffled grey ombre pillows out of her cart.
“They’re cute. And they make the room look well put together.” Sara shrugged. Dean rolled his eyes and Sam chuckled.
“Forgive him. He’s never lived in the real world before. We’re pretty accustomed to dirty motel rooms.” Sam whispered to her, causing her to giggle.
“Well maybe we can redecorate his room next.” Sara said with a wiggle of her eye brows, Sam’s face lit up at her fun sense of humor.
“What are you two giggling about back there?” Dean called to them as he kept walking.
“Nothing.” They both said innocently. Dean looked back over his shoulder at them suspiciously until they came to the next stop. Small furniture and décor.
Sara picked out matching bedside tables, a colorful chair to sit at her desk, some string lights to go around her dresser mirror, and last but not least several canvas photos of beautiful city lights and open oceans. She stopped and gasped as she came across a very large picture of a mountain landscape at dusk. The snow caps brought a tear to her eye as they reminded her of the view out of her apartment. She ran her hands across the mountain tops and sighed.
Dean and Sam exchanged glances, knowing that as cool as she was trying to be with all this, she was still grieving. For her friend. For her being torn away from her life.
“I don’t think it’s gonna fit in the cart.” She mumbled. Dean walked over and lifted the very large but not heavy picture. She smiled to him briefly and he winked to her, letting her know he was more than happy to make sure it got back to the bunker for her.
“Okay, anything else we need to get?” Sam asked.
“Uh, just some hygiene things. A few clothes.”
“Okay, why don’t I go ahead and take what we have up front and check out, I’ll just meet you and Dean in the car.”
“Sure, here’s some cash…” Sara said as she dug into her pocket.
“Oh no, please… we got this.” Sam said waving his hand at her.
“Sam. This is like 600 dollars worth of stuff. No way am I letting you guys buy it.”
“Sweetheart, we don’t pay for this…” Dean smiled to her as he passed Sam the little platinum credit card.
“But… how?” Sara asked confused looking between them.
“Just save your money, lets go.” Dean told her. They split from Sam and grabbed a second cart to get the last of her things. Dean continued to carry the oversized picture so that it wouldn’t get damaged. Sara picked out soap, shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste, deodorant, and Dean pretended not to notice as she picked up ‘lady things’. Then she led him over to the clothing isles.
“Do you have boots?” He asked her.
“Uh, like boots with heels?” She asked playfully. Dean chuckled.
“No. I mean like boots-boots. Combat or hunting style boots.”
“Nope.”
“We should grab you some, you’ll need them for hunts.”
“Okay. We’ll go there next.” Sara smiled. She browsed a few clothing racks. Picking up a couple pairs of Jeans, and a few tops to go with them. They were finishing in the women’s section and just getting to the men’s when Dean stopped and called her over.
“Hey. Come here.” He motioned to her, she looked at him curiously before meeting him at a shelf full of plaid shirts.
“If you’re gonna be rolling with us you gotta have at least one of these.” Dean smiled as he set down the picture and picked up a blue and black plaid shirt.
“Oh, so I can blend in with the Winchester’s?” Sara laughed.
“That’s right.” Dean popped a crooked smiled. He held open the shirt and helped her slide her arms into the long sleeves. Since it was a men’s shirt it was very loose fitting on her, but he couldn’t deny she pulled it off effortlessly.
“The blue looks good with your eyes.” He told her as she spun in the closest nearby mirror.
“Thanks.” She said as she debated on the shirt. It was comfy, and it looked cute with her jeans. “Well, I think its settled. I have to get it.”
“Good. It looks good on you.”
Sara blushed as he helped her slide it back off and refolded it before setting it in her cart, he picked back up the painting and followed her as she wandered over to bras and panties. Dean blushed slightly and paused.
“I can uh, occupy myself for a minute if I need to.” He coughed.
“Dean.” Sara said with a flat face. “You’ve already seen me in my underwear. I don’t think you standing here while I pick some out will really be an issue.”
“Right.” Dean nodded with slight awkwardness, Sara tried to stifle her laughter at the look on his face as he tried not to watch her pick them out. She decided to have a little fun… she grabbed the nearest see through lace thong and held it in her hands. Rubbing the fabric, and playing with the small bow on the front. Dean tried not to look, but couldn’t pull his eyes away. He imagined Sara wearing the thong in her hands and his mind trailed to all kinds of dirty things.
“What do you think?” She turned and asked, he jumped as if he’d been caught looking at porn. He coughed and almost dropped the picture.
“Oh. Uh. They, they are nice. Yeah. Nice.”
Sara turned back around and bit her lip not to laugh. Dean caught her shoulders shaking slightly, and realized she had been messing with him.
“Oh you’re funny. So funny.” He told her unamused. She busted out laughing and bent over with her hands on her knees. She laughed harder than she had in days, and damn did it feel good. Dean watched her and couldn’t stop himself from laughing at just the sight. Before either of them knew what was happening they were both unable to even look at each other without bursting into laughter again. Sara walked over to pick out a couple of bras, in this area she felt like she honestly wanted Dean’s opinion.
“Okay, so let me ask you something that I need you to be totally honest about.” She turned and said to him with a serious look on her face.
“Okay?” Dean answered apprehensible.
“Am I gonna be running a lot? Cause I like push ups, but they don’t exactly provide a lot of support if I’m gonna be running from monsters all the time.”
Dean took a minute to consider her question, and that it was actually a pretty valid point. Part of him wanted to tell her to just get the push ups so he could watch them as she ran… but the other part of him would feel bad for misdirecting her.
“You should probably get a couple of both. We never really know when we’re gonna end up running for our lives.” He finally told her.
“Right. Both.” She nodded as she bought a couple of lacy push up bras that Dean had to stop himself from imagining her wearing, and then a few comfy and supportive sports bras that still gave a little shape to her breasts.
“Okay. I think we’re good.” She sighed as they finished and made their way to the front of the store to pay for all of her new stuff. They were almost done checking out when she gasped and turned to Dean.
“Oh my god, I’m so rude! Did you guys need anything while we were here? I didn’t mean to just take over and spend all the money!”
“No, Sara we’re good. Sam and I have everything we need. This was to make you feel more at home.”
Sara paused and watched at how genuinely Dean spoke to her, and she felt like just maybe this wasn’t gonna be the down spiral of her life. That maybe things wouldn’t be so bad living with the Winchesters. She definitely knew that she could have ended up with much worse company.
She reached up and squeezed Dean’s hand.
“Thank you Dean, really… this is a lot and I really appreciate it.”
“Its nothing, just glad you found some things you liked.”
They continued to check out and went to meet Sam in the parking lot. Sara quickly realized she filled up the trunk and the backseat. As they put in all her items. She hadn’t realized how much she actually bought until now.
“Are you sure this is okay guys? I don’t mind paying for it… I have some cash put away.”
“Sara, we uh. Don’t really pay for things. So we’re not sweating it. I promise.” Sam assured her.
Sara stared at him in confusion.
“Ya know… I just don’t wanna know.” She finally shrugged. Sam nodded.
“I guess you’re riding up front with us.” Dean said as he motioned for her to climb in the middle of the front seat. Sara didn’t know why but sitting between the two made her slightly nervous. They both smelt like heaven, but in their own way. Dean’s arm was stretched out behind her as he drove, and Sam’s knee bumped against hers frequently. She tried to be still and keep her hands in her lap, fiddling with her fingers and staring out the windshield.
“You good?” Dean asked her. She nodded and took a deep breath, slouching slightly, her head leaning back against Dean’s arm. She tried to tell herself she was being silly. Yes they’re two of the most beautiful human beings she’d ever laid eyes on. But… she was going to be in close quarters with them from now on. So she needed to get over her nerves. They’re just people. Just like her.
…..
…..
…..
Dean went for one last beer before bed, Sam had already gone to sleep, and Sara had bid the boys goodnight so she could redecorate and go to bed when she was finished. He pulled his drink from the fridge and popped the top. Taking a long drink before wandering back to his room. As he neared his door, he heard a slight banging on the wall. Then a loud grunt, followed by and ‘ow’. He knocked on Sara’s door.
“Come in!” she yelled to him from the bathroom. Dean entered the room and froze. Taking in the sight of all the colors and the lights around the dresser and the above the bed frame. But mostly his eyes were brought straight to the large picture of the mountains she hung directly in front of her bed, the other landscape photos hung over and around her bed. It was beautiful. The way she took the dark and dingy room and made it classy, and homey.
“Dean?” She called out, bringing his attention back to why he knocked in the first place.
“Yeah, heard some banging going on. Came to check on you.” He said as he stepped into the bathroom. He found Sara nurturing her smashed finger, and the towel rack half hung on the wall. Hammer laying on the floor. “Need some help?”
“Its it pathetic if I say yes?” she asked. He laughed.
“No, here. Hold this.” Dean said as he handed her his beer. He picked up the hammer and nails and properly hung the towel rack on the wall in minutes, putting all of Sara’s struggle to shame. Once it was hung he turned to her and smiled, she handed him his beer back.
“How bad is your hand?” He asked as he noticed she was still cradling it.
“Oh, it’ll be fine. Just smashed that damn hammer against my finger.” She said as she looked down at the new red and swollen finger, shaking her head.
“Let me see it.” Dean said as he set his beer on the sink and reached down for her hand. She hesitantly put it in his. He carefully examined the tender finger, he rubbed it gently and she flinched.
“Sorry.” He whispered. She just gave him a small smile as she tried to remove the cringe from her face. “I don’t think its broken, but some ice wouldn’t hurt. I’ll go grab you some.”
“Oh no, its fine. Really. I’ll just run it under some cold water. I’m fixing to hit the sack anyways.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Dean, I’m good.” She nodded. “Thank you for your help.”
“Yeah, no problem. The room looks great. I don’t even recognize it. Sam will be shocked.”
“Yeah, its nice! I really do appreciate all you guys have done for me today. It means a lot.”
“Anytime, you need anything at all you just ask.”
“Thanks Dean… I guess it won’t be so bad being stuck with the two of you.” She joked.
Dean debated on the next words to come out of his mouth, but they came out before he could really stop them.
“Look Sara. I didn’t mean what I said earlier. I was being a dumbass. We really are more than happy to have you with us. This whole thing only works if we’re honest with each other. And you should always feel like you can tell me or Sam whatever’s on your mind.”
“Of course… I’ll do whatever I can to help you guys.”
“Well, I guess I’ll let you get some sleep. We’ll work on weapons tomorrow if you want.”
“Yeah, sounds good… Good night Dean.”
“Night.”
Sara finished cleaning her mess and hanging her towels before pulling off her pants and climbing into the bed. It was a little stiff, but could have been worse. She stared ahead at the painting on her wall, the dim lights from above her bed illuminating it just enough for her to pretend the lights in the picture were actually twinkling. That the mountains were just a few miles away.
Dean wandered back to his room and finished his beer before laying in bed, his mind wandered to the girl next door. How she was still standing and cracking jokes after everything that had happened to her over the last 72 hours. He was almost asleep when the rustle of wings caught his attention.
“You know you could just knock.” He called out as he sat up from the bed again.
“Knocking seemed rather pointless, I assumed you would sense my presence.” Castiel responded.
“Yeah yeah, what can I do for ya Cas?”
“How is Sara settling in?”
“As well as could be expected. She was pretty devastated about her friend.”
“Yes. I took care of that.”
“Took care of it?”
“I rearranged her home to reflect a simple aneurysm and peaceful death. I also adjusted the memories of everyone in town so that no one would come looking for Sara. That will also hopefully decrease the likeliness of anyone else becoming targets.”
“Good. She’ll be relieved to hear that…. I think.”
“How is yours and Sam’s relationship developing with her? You need to learn to depend on her. And her on the two of you.”
“We’re working on that Cas. You can’t expect her to just buddy right up to us out of no where. It’ll take some time.”
“Time we may not have Dean. I’m afraid her existence has caused quite the stir in the world of the supernatural. Its not just angles and demons in search of her now.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means you must protect her at all costs. If you are near death, she can save you. If she is near death and I am not there to bring her back then she could very easily die. And if she dies, there is not coming back. We would lose what is quite possibly the most valuable asset in our arsenal.”
“Yeah okay, I got it. Don’t let her die.”
“I’m afraid you don’t fully grasp the weight of the situation Dean. She will put off an aura in the presence of the supernatural. They will be attracted to her.”
“Is there anyway we can dim that some? Give us some cover?”
“I’ll look into it. For now, just continue to establish a relationship with the girl. If she leaves the two of you, she will meet certain death.”
Cas disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Dean fell back on the bed, and let the idea of becoming responsible for Sara’s life settle upon him. He began to wonder if he and Sam had taken this on without realizing how difficult it could be.
But at the same time, he was relieved it was Sara who was dropped into their motel room. She was extremely likable and he could already tell that his brother and he both had taking a liking to her. They would protect her, and he just hoped that it would be enough to keep her around.
The ground falls out from beneath (Y/N) with no warning. Her life is now in danger, and it seems like no one believes her. She’s the only thing that can help Sam get the justice he’s been fighting so desperately for, but only if Dean can keep her safe. But how can he do that if even he has his suspicions? Could she truly be so blind to the ugly world around her? Could she have missed the signs? How? She’s asking herself the same thing over and over again as the guilt and anger battle themselves in her gut. When Dean discovers what she’s hiding will it implode everything they’ve fought to gain, or will it be the only thing to save her?
Sara didn't know what she was, not until an angel ripped her from her life and dropped her at the feet of the Winchesters. Now she must stay with them to survive. Will she find her place in this new world of magic and monsters? Will she find out who she was meant to be? Will Sam and Dean be able to protect her? But most importantly, will she be able to save them?
A masterlist is going to start off as a regular post. It's easier with two or more tabs open so you can copy links from one page and have the masterlist you are working on open on the other. On one of the tabs pull up your stories so you have their page in the address bar.
Here is the one for Crazy Girls winchestersworld4.tumblr.com/post/685913888414416896/crazy-girls-on-planes
Copy that then go back to the tab with the masterlist.
When you add the story title, or whatever you want to be clickable, highlight that text (left click and scroll over it). Then some symbols should appear over that Bold is first, then Italics, the H says it Headlines. I've never used that one. The slanted infinity looking symbol adds a link if you click on that then you will paste the address and click done.
Repeat that for each of the stories you have.
I hope that makes sense, it's after 1 am now and the brain isn't firing on all cylinders. 😂
There is a way to make your masterlist a link at the top of the page, but I don't currently remember it. It will take some googling. You can pin the post for now. After you are done and have posted it to your page, if you go there at the top of each post should be 3 dots. If you click on those the top option is to pin a post to the top of your page.
I hope these have helped. Good night.
Seriously, if these don't make any sense let me know.
AHHH!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! That was all incredibly helpful and I just built a list to help get things organized as well as I was able to put a 'keep reading' line in the next chapter of "My Only Sunshine"!
Seriously I am just giddy! I was also able to pin the masterlist. I still have to build a series masterlist for a couple of things and then edit to link them on the main one but it all makes so much more sense now! I can't thank you enough for that! Have a wonderful night and thank you again for stopping and reading and chatting with me. You have honestly made my night once more!
PS... did you watch the season finale for The Boys and see our man?!?!?!?!? AHHHH!
Dean worked quietly so as not to wake her while she slept in his office. He assumed she must have been exhausted to softly snore through every call he made, every button on the keyboard, and sigh of frustration. She certainly wasn’t going to make his job easy. She had clients, booked appointments, friends who would come looking… oddly enough she seemed estranged from her family though?
What he didn’t expect to find was no other link to the cartel. Deep in his heart he wanted to trust Sam’s instincts but it was his job to protect Sam above all else, and that meant he had to know. He had to know if she was just covering her own ass.
Yet, he kept coming up empty handed… which just didn’t make any sense to him.
How in the hell could someone miss all of this? She HAD to know…
Shuffling on the couch pulled him out of his thoughts. He watched as she stretched softly and looked around slightly confused, freezing as her eyes landed on his. The pieces of the last 48 hours fell together and he watched it like a movie in her eyes, her face was too readable, he would have to fix that somehow.
“Sleep well?” He asked.
“Yeah. Thank you.” She mumbled. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom, it’s down the hall, right?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Dean said as he copied her move to stand and turn towards the door. But he was stopped when she turned to look at him with confusion on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t go pee by myself?”
“No.” He answered plainly.
“We haven’t even left the police station.” She sighed exasperated.
“Sorry, you and I are stuck like glue until this trial is over. Get used to it.” He answered unapologetically.
(Y/N) had to wonder if he was just exhausted or always this pleasant to be around. She sighed and turned back towards the door with a soft eye roll once she faced away from him. He wasn’t kidding when he said glue, not allowing himself to be more than an arm’s length away through the halls.
She reached the door to the women’s bathroom and turned back to face him.
“Did you wanna come in the stall and watch me drop my pants too?”
“Don’t temp me.” He put on a crooked grin and raised an eyebrow.
Something inside of her felt like it did a small backflip, and she knew if she spoke, she’d just stumble over the words. So instead, she huffed and shoved the door open to disappear behind it. She had to admit that it was the most friendly and happy he had seemed since he met her, he was definitely a flirt. A charmer under any circumstances outside of work.
(Y/N) spent a few minutes splashing her face with cool water at the sink, trying to clear the dark circles that had found themselves a home under her eyes. She gave up shortly after and dried her hands before stepping back out to find Dean in the same spot she left him.
“Fall in?” He asked slightly annoyed. Waving for her to walk back towards his office, following closely behind.
“I just wanted to wash my face a little. I’ve been here for hours.”
“Right. Well, you’re in for a spa day sweetheart so let’s meet with Sammy and get on the road.”
“Spa day?” She questioned.
“Yep.”
“Why doesn’t that sound like a good thing…” She mumbled more to herself than anything.
When they entered the office again Sam was there waiting for them.
“Good Morning, (Y/N).” Sam smiled.
“Yeah, something like that.” She sighed with a soft smile.
“Well, let’s get down to the details.” He said as he handed each of them a coffee.
“Okay, we leave in an hour. New hair, I’ll send for clothes if you’ll write down your sizes. Safe house will be located here.” Dean said sliding a file over to Sam. (Y/N) sat in shock as she listened. “Rotating watch every 12 hours, limited men. I want a 4 man team tops. No one else in or out, someone’s sick, then the other 3 cover. That’s it.”
“Okay. Know who you want?”
“I want two of my men, and you can pick two of yours, better odds that way.”
(Y/N) pulled at her long dirty blonde hair and ran the ends through her fingertips. Wondering what exactly he was expecting her to do. How drastic was this change going to be? Would she have to chop it all off?
“Hello, (Y/N)? You listening over there?” Dean interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes, sorry.” She shook her head and looked up between him and Sam.
“What did I just say?”
“I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m listening, just. Say it again.”
Dean rolled his eyes and stood off the desk.
“I asked if you were on any medications or anything we needed to know about? Something you’ll need us to get you?”
“Oh, y-yes.” She answered hesitantly.
“Just write it down for me and I’ll take care of it, okay?” Sam asked softly handing her the notepad. (Y/N) took it and wrote quickly before handing it back. Sam glanced down and looked up to her for a moment before nodding. “Okay, anything else that you need?”
“No. Uhh… I guess not. It’s not like I can go back for the dog or anything, huh?” She asked with tears prodding the corner of her eyes.
“No.” Dean replied stiffly.
“That’s really the only thing in the house that matters to me… so if I can’t have him then I guess I’m good to go.” Her voice cracked on the last word. She bit down on her lip to force the quivering to stop, refusing to let him see the way her heart crumbled at the realization that she would be leaving her furry companion behind. The one who’d gotten her through some of her darkest nights. The one who brought a smile to her face every day. She worried about him already.
Has he been fed?
Had animal control taken him?
Would they put him down or lock him in a cage?
Would her asshole of an ex kill him too if they left him at home?
Would he ask himself why she never came home to him again?
She turned away from the two men and looked out the office window as she squeezed her eyes tightly and bit down on the inside of her cheek.
“Okay. Let’s get shit done. I’m gonna run home and pack, do you have someone to stay with her?” Dean asked.
“I’ll stay with her till you’re back.” Sam assured him.
“Okay. I’ll be quick.”
Dean was out the door quickly.
“(Y/N)?” Sam asked softly?
“Hm?” She replied not turning around, not giving her voice another chance to betray her.
“I’m sorry… I know this is hard.”
“It’s fine.” She croaked.
…..
…..
…..
“How short is short?” (Y/N) asked annoyed, but honestly almost numb at this point. Everything about this day has just fucking sucked. Her life as she knew it had officially ended. She has left her home. Her dog. Her career. She has a bag of clothes someone bought for her. A bag of medication with no one’s name on it. A man at her side who still seems to give zero shits that any and all of this sucks for her too, and now he wants her to chop off her long beautiful hair.
“I mean, shorter than it is now for sure.”
“What the fuck ever… Just tell me what you want and I’ll do it.” (Y/N) said as she crossed her arms.
“I mean, you can pick, I’m just saying cut it off.” He replied equally as annoyed.
“Dean, I’ve not gotten to pick one fucking thing for myself all day. I don’t care anymore. It doesn’t matter. Just. Here- pick one, tell the woman. Get us the hell out of here, and get some sleep.” (Y/N) said as she thrust the book into his hands as she stood and walked away. Pacing back and forth in front of the large glass window in the lobby.
Dean rolled his eyes and sighed as he flipped through it. How the hell was he supposed to pick for her?
I mean, he supposed he had a thing for red heads… She was pretty. She would look good as a red head. He shrugged to himself as he frequently glanced between her and the book in his hands. He too was itching to get this over with and get on the road to the safe house, looking for a bed to lay in and a bite to eat. He hadn’t slept in over a day now and even he knew he was probably being an ass.
He still didn’t understand why she was cooperating with Sam.
He still didn’t understand why he couldn’t find a link between her and the cartel.
He still didn’t understand why he didn’t trust her… but he didn’t.
Maybe sleep would clear the fog in his brain and show him resolution one way or the other.
“Okay, we’re ready for her.” The stylist called out. Dean watched (Y/N) walk over and sit with a soft smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes the way it probably should.
“What are we doing today, babe?” She asked kindly.
“Whatever he wants.” (Y/N) smiled in return, a little wider this time so as not to make the interaction awkward as she looked up to Dean. He played along and smiled back.
Dean held a picture up to the stylist.
“Ohhh, I like it. She’ll look great with that color.”
“Yeah. I thought so too.” Dean winked to (Y/N) before walking away.
“Okay, let’s get you started.”
For the last two hours the stylist had kept (Y/N) turned away from the mirror so as to keep her new look a surprise. Dean struggled not to doze in the chair and stood to keep himself awake, he watched as the stylist put the final touches on and couldn’t help but pull a small smile on his face as he realized that the look did truly suit her.
(Y/N) watched his face nervously.
She didn’t understand what she was seeing… it was almost like he was pleased?
He hadn’t really shown any liking of her from the moment they met. Just tolerance and annoyance. Although she really hoped someone of that would get better after he slept.
His eyes met hers and he tried to give her a reassuring nod, she gave a tight smile in return and he was suddenly the one who felt nervous, afraid she would hate it.
“Okay, here we go.” The stylist said as she swung the chair around and (Y/N)’s eyes landed on someone she barely recognized.
Her hair was now a dark auburn, almost maroon color. It sat just below her shoulders, a tad shorter in the back than the front and choppy at the ends. The stylist tossed in a waved curl in the middle all the way around to give her some volume and she had to admit… she kind of loved it.
It was something she never would have chosen for herself. Red was far from her wheelhouse, but the way it changed the color of her eyes and contrasted against her skin were all complimentary.
She couldn’t find a thing to be mad about.
A genuine smile fell on her lips for the first time since Dean met her, and he breathed a small sigh of relief. He could tell now that every smile he had seen before was forced. Pushed. Half-hearted.
This smile was enough to light a room.
“Wow… It… WOW.” She mumbled as she pulled her fingers through it. “It feels so light.”
“Do we love it? I love it!” The stylist smiled.
“Yes. Absolutely!”
Dean paid and walked (Y/N) out to the car casually, opening and closing her door before getting in and pulling them out onto the road.
“We should be there in about 4 hours.” He said softly.
“Okay.”
“So, are you gonna stab me in my sleep?”
“What?!” (Y/N) looked up to him in shock. Is that honestly what he thought of her? Did he think she was guilty too?
“Your hair?” He teased. “Do you really like it or were you just playing along?”
“Oh. No. I actually think it looks good. I never would have picked this, but… I like it.” She shrugged with a soft smile.
“Me too.” He nodded to (Y/N)’s surprise.
The rest of the drive was in comfortable silence. (Y/N) wouldn’t admit it out loud but the old impala made her feel like she was in some hot rod movie. She loved the way she felt sitting against the leather seats and she had to admit he looked damn good driving it. She wondered if this was his personal car, or a just something he used as a decoy.
Something no one would expect a cop to drive.
She made a mental note to ask him sometime.
…..
…..
…..
It was mid- afternoon when Dean pulled them into a small house, there wasn’t a neighbor for miles. A small pond with a dock, woods surrounding them. They had been on a 2 lane road for several miles that then led them to a dirt road.
As they pulled in there was a black SUV sitting in the yard waiting for them.
(Y/N) swallowed nervously.
“He’s one of mine. It’s fine.” Dean said without looking at her.
He parked the car and the two of them exited, standing stiffly as they hadn’t stopped once since leaving the salon. Dean walked over to the man and shook his hand with a hard smile.
“Benny. Perimeter?”
“5 miles. No Civs. No trails for interference. Closest outpost is 7 miles due east, and seems to be a black bear nearby.”
“Who’s relieving you?”
“It’ll be Cas.”
“Good… I don’t know who Sam is pulling in. Probably Jody. This is a black out. No comms. No satellite unless it goes through me, understand?”
“Yes sir. I got everything you requested. It’s inside.”
“(Y/N), move.” Dean said nodding towards the door, he and Benny followed closely behind you. When you walked in you were surprised it was clean. Light and airy on the inside even. The small white house in the woods was homey and even comforting on the inside. Cottage like, with fresh green plants and wood décor.
“We’re staying here?”
“For now.” Dean sighed. “There’s two bedrooms, I’m on the right, you’re on the left. You have a bathroom attached. Window is bolted shut and reinforced with bulletproof glass, don’t get any ideas.”
“Like what exactly?” She asked slightly offended.
He ignored her.
“I’m going to get some sleep, Benny brought you some food. Stocked the kitchen, there is fresh linen and toiletries in the bathroom if you wanna get cleaned up. No internet but there’s a TV and a stack of old movies in the corner. Get comfy.”
“Hey Dean?” She called out to him. He turned to face her. “Please be nicer when you wake up.”
She flashed him a sarcastic smile and walked away from him and back towards the kitchen. The door slammed shut as she turned the corner and caught sight of Benny, he gave her a polite smile from where he sat at stood at the counter.
“Hello ma’am, I’m Benny.” He nodded to her.
“(Y/N)” She smiled back softly.
“I brought pizza?”
“That sounds great, thank you Benny.”
He grabbed a plate out of the cabinet and laid a couple of pieces on it before sliding it to her across the counter.
“Do you prefer tea or coke?”
“Don’t tell me you made me sweet tea?” (Y/N) teased. It was obvious by his accent he was straight out of a southern love story.
“Yes ma’am, I thought you might need something fresh after being stuck in the car with such stale company for so long.”
(Y/N) giggled at that and nodded.
“Is he always like that?” She asked as he filled her glass.
“He’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s because he’s good at what he does. He doesn’t ever turn off his brain. Constantly stays in a mindset of survive and protect when he’s on an assignment like this, you’re important to him.”
“I’m important to Sam, maybe.”
“Which means, you’re important to him. There’s no one in the world Dean loves more than his little brother.”
“Hmm.” (Y/N) mused, just remembering that Sam did look a little younger. For some reason she hadn’t realized that Dean was the older of the two, the dynamic between them made more sense now.
“He’ll come around, but he’ll always put your safety before your feelings. Just how he is.”
“I suppose I should be thankful for that, huh?”
“You’ll never be safer than with him, I promise you that darlin.”
“Will you be with us a lot, Benny?”
“I’ll rotate in and out, yes.”
“Well then, I think I’ll survive. It’s nice to be treated like a person again… Sam was the only one who’s treated me like I wasn’t a criminal since they kicked in my door.”
“I’ll be here, and you’ll meet Cas. He’s a little weird but friendly in every sense of the world. Loves Dean to death. Loyal as they come.”
“Do you all work together?”
“Yes, we’re squad brothers.”
“How long?”
“Oh, I’d say going on 5 or 6 years now?”
“Wow. That seems like a long time for a team to stay together.”
“Good teams tend to stick like glue.” Benny shrugged. (Y/N) giggled again as she took a bite of her pizza.
“Thank you for lunch. I don’t even think I realized how hungry I was.”
“You’ve had a lot to process, it’s normal.”
“Yeah… have you… have you ever been on a case like mine?”
“Yeah, sorta.” He nodded.
“Did… did they make it to trial?”
Benny held her gaze in his. The lack of response made (Y/N)’s stomach drop to her ass. Benny noted her reaction and gave a sympathetic smile as he put a hand on her shoulder.
“Like I said darlin, you’ll never be safer than you are with Dean. If there was anyone in the world I’d trust with my life, my family. It’s him. Just, trust him. Grumpy or not. He’ll take care of you.”
“Thanks, Benny.” She whispered.
She finished her pizza and he topped off her glass of tea once more before placing the empty cup in the sink, she complimented Benny on the best tea she’d ever had in her life.
“I think I’ll probably grab a shower and then pass out for a while. He’s not the only one who hasn’t slept much in the last day or two.”
“Yes ma’am, when you wake there are movies available. A stack of books on the shelf, notebooks, pens, pencils, and over on the desk there is a laptop.”
“Laptop?” (Y/N) asked confused. “I thought Dean said there wasn’t any internet out here?”
“There’s not. He said to get the laptop and the camera. No internet required.”
“Camera?” She asked hesitantly as she walked slowly over to the desk in the corner.
“Yes ma’am. He asked for them both specifically, separate from the rest of the supply list.”
(Y/N) bit her lip, a smile pulling from within her that she couldn’t contain. Had he really done that?... for her? But why? It was obvious he couldn’t stand her. It was obvious he didn’t care about her feelings or her happiness. Even Benny had admitted her feelings would not be high on his priority list, yet here sat a brand new very nice camera, and a laptop to go with it.
“Thanks again, Benny.” (Y/N) smiled as she walked down the hall to her room.
Finally, alone.
Her emotions felt like a roller coaster jumping from one to the other.
She turned on the shower and climbed under the water that was almost unbearably hot, but just hot enough; and then she fell apart. She was careful to try and keep her hair from getting wet as she sank to the floor and let the water splash at her legs and feet.
She felt every inch of pain and confusion.
Betrayal.
Absolute fucking shock.
She wanted to hate him.
She wanted to understand.
She felt so fucking stupid for missing all of it. How could she not know? How could she not see?
All of those poor girls.
The girls who were kind, and young. The girls who had dreams and lives and families that loved them.
She knew it was likely that she would ever actually speak to Brian again.
She knew it was likely she’d ever get to see her beloved dog, Butcher, ever again.
She mourned them. She mourned her life. She mourned the career she had built for herself from the ground up, from absolute dirt to becoming an in-demand photographer with a fully booked schedule.
All of her clients… who would they go to now? What did they think happened to her? Did they think that she scammed them? Took their money and ran?
Who the hell would come after her?
How long would she be in danger?
She remembered the man from the photo. Watching him at dinner with Brian. Watching him treat the waitress as if she were nothing more than a dirty animal who stood in his way. She remembered the disgust she felt watching him interact with pretty much every person around him, and now she knew why.
He was a terrible, terrible man.
She looked down and pulled the diamond ring off of her finger. Chunking it out of the shower and across the bathroom where it bounced off the door with a small thud.
How could he do this to her?
How could he drag her into a mess she didn’t even know he was making?
How could he put her in such danger; did he ever love her?
Would he have killed her, too?
So many thoughts swam through her head.
So many tears blurred her vision.
As her mind stopped swimming and tears began to slow, she began to think about things moving forward. The things she had now. She had Sam. He believed her. He knew she was telling the truth, and he knew that she would do the right thing. He was good. She had Benny, who brought her pizza and made her sweet tea and told her that she would be safe.
She supposed she had, Dean.
Whatever the fuck that was supposed to mean. At least she knew he would keep her alive.
One minute (Y/N) could swear that he hated her. He must be convinced that she’s guilty of something. That she’s a bad guy in all of this. Then a minute later she’s watching him smile at her in the salon. He’s asking her if she likes what he picked out for her. He got her a camera.
The whiplash was almost as confusing as some of the cruel statements he made. As if he truly questioned her innocence.
Perhaps Benny was right; maybe Dean was the best person in the world to keep her safe. But how could he protect her if he thought she was the one who had done something so terrible? If somewhere deep down he honestly thought that she was a terrible person? He wouldn’t protect someone like that.
Which meant she was on her own…
…..
…..
…..
(Y/N) stayed like that until the hot water ran lukewarm and she then finished her shower quickly. Dressing in a simple olive green t-shirt and black sweat pants she curled onto the bed and fell asleep.
It was dark outside when Dean’s eyes opened again. He heard the sound of the front door open. When he stood and stepped out of his room he found Cas and Benny standing in the kitchen.
“Sleep beauty over there hasn’t done a damn thing since he got here.” Benny teased with a grin, speaking to Cas but looking to Dean as he approached them.
“Yeah yeah, keep it up Benny. She give you any lip?”
“Not a bit. She’s a sweet one.”
“Sure.” Dean huffed and lifted his eyebrows momentarily. “Cas, you already check the perimeter?”
“Fixing to go now before we hand-off. Going to do the inside sweep first.”
“I’ll do the internal sweep, you two take the outside.”
“Yes sir.” They both nodded and the three men split.
Dean moved room to room. Checking every door, window, and possible weak spot for entry. He opened the door to (Y/N)’s bedroom after his soft knock got no response, he found her sleeping on the bed and used his mag-light instead of hitting the switch on the wall. He walked slowly around the room and checked for anything that might be out of place.
“Dean?” She mumbled as she shifted on the bed.
“Go back to sleep, just doing a sweep of the house. We’ll do them twice a day.”
She didn’t reply but he could hear her body lay back against the mattress in the dark. He continued to wander and moved towards the bathroom to finish up, but as he moved to step in his foot landed on something. He shined his light and knelt down to pick it up in confusion.
Her ring.
“Trash it”
“What?” He asked turning towards her in confusion.
“Trash it. Sell it. Give it to your girlfriend… throw it in the pond for all I care. Just get it out of here.”
Dean could barely see her face in the dark, but he could hear the anger in her voice. The betrayal and pain. The clarity in his mind brought on by his slumber helped him piece together some of what he may have been missing before.
“Engagement ring?” He asked.
“Just another lie, Dean.” She sighed. “I’m going back to bed.”
He nodded to himself and slipped the ring in his pocket as he finished checking every corner of the bathroom and then exited her room without another word.
(Y/N) shook her head softly before falling back asleep with the hopes that she never saw the fucking thing again.
Dean was standing at the fridge pouring himself a glass of Benny’s famous sweet tea when he and Cas entered the house again.
“Clear?” Dean asked.
“Clear.” Cas nodded.
“Good. Clear inside as well. No weak spots. Benny, do me a favor… get this appraised.”
Dean reached out and handed him the ring.
“Someone in your life you forgot to mention?” Benny asked with an eyebrow raised.
Dean deadpanned over to him.
“It’s hers. She wants me to trash it, but she may need the cash if she has to start her life over. Do it quietly. I don’t want anyone to come looking. Ring like that will draw some attention, get it to a market dealer.”
“Yes sir, may take me a while to get it to the right person while the comms are off limits.”
“That’s fine. We’ve got time.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow, 11 sharp.”
Cas nodded him out as he sat across from Dean at the table.
“Benny says she’s a good one. Kind. Not too prissy.”
“We’ll see. Too early to tell.”
Cas grinned.
“What’s that look for?”
“You’re being judgey. You usually judge the ones you don’t want to like. You usually don’t want to like them, because you like them.”
“Shut up.” Dean rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, Cas. Something doesn’t add up here. How could she be so close and have no idea what was going on? Sam even said that she followed him to meetings with the boss. Had photos. Identified cartel members. There’s no way she didn’t put two and two together. She claims she thought he was cheating, but… I just don’t know. Sam swears she’s squeaky clean.”
“He’s usually right.”
“Yes. He’s usually right. But when Jess is involved, his judgement clouded.”
“Fair.” Cas nodded. “Did you dig?”
“Of course, I did.”
“And?”
“And I can’t find a damn thing…”
“Well, then maybe she’s clean. Did you try talking to her?”
“She’s defensive.”
“Well from what I heard they treated her like she was guilty from the moment they brought her in. Sam was the only one who even gave her the time of day.”
“Leave it to Sam.”
“How long did you sleep?”
“About 8 hours? We got in about 3 or so.”
“Go back to bed after you eat dinner… you’re cranky.” Cas smiled before walking towards the TV and digging through the movies. Dean shook his head and finished the pizza slices on his plate before heading Cas’s advice and walking back to his room to cash in a few more hours of sleep.
…..
…..
…..
The sound of birds crept through the window and woke (Y/N) from her sleep. She slept surprisingly well for someone who was uprooted from her life. She figured it was the exhaustion, but hoped that she continued to sleep well while here. She stretched and walked to bathroom to brush her teeth and clean up a little. When she exited her bedroom, she found Dean and another man both sitting at the kitchen table. The start of the sunrise peering through the kitchen window illuminated their faces with soft orange light.
“Morning.” She smiled as she walked towards them, slipping her hands into the jacket she had slid on.
“Good morning.” The man she didn’t recognize smiled to her widely. He had bright blue eyes and dark hair. He was almost boyish in his grin, but still held himself like a man would. The gun on his hip assured her that he must be Cas.
“Cas I’m guessing?”
“That would make you (Y/N)?”
“Yes sir.” She smiled as she reached the coffee pot, looking over towards him. “Refill?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Sure.” She said as she stepped over and topped him off.
“Dean?”
“No. Thanks.” He said without looking up from the stack of papers in front of him. (Y/N) tried not to take it personally and hoped he was just distracted, that it wasn’t a sign of how the rest of the day would proceed. She moved back to the counter and poured a cup for herself as she leaned against the counter.
“Okay. So now that you’re up we should go over the rules.” Dean said looking up to her finally.
“I thought we did that yesterday?”
“Yesterday was a quick briefing so that I could get some sleep, we need an in-depth discussion of how to keep everyone here alive and avoid any problems.”
(Y/N) looked between Cas and Dean nervously. Cas gave her an encouraging crooked grin.
“Okay.” She nodded walking towards them and taking a seat beside Cas at the table, Dean directly across from her. She cleared her throat nervously and tapped her thumbs against the warm cup.
“If you have questions, stop me.” Dean said looking her directly in the eye. Intimidation creeped up her spine, instead of risking the shake in her voice she simply nodded. “Okay. You are never to leave the house alone. You only go outside with me or one of the other officers. The only place you can be alone is in your room, which again. Windows are bolted shut and the glass is re-enforced. If you want privacy, that’s where you go. If you want space. That’s where you find it.”
He paused and looked up to her, she nodded again.
“There Is a list taped to the fridge. If you want something, anything at all you write it on there and one of the officers will get it if it is within reason. Medication shouldn’t be an issue; Sam will have that sent out to us.”
“Within reason?” (Y/N) Interrupted. “Who makes that determination?”
“I do.”
“Of course.”
“Problem with that?”
“No sir.”
Cas chuckled from beside her.
“What?” Dean asked him annoyed.
“Nothing.” He shrugged. “I like her.”
Dean glared at him and (Y/N) bit her lip. She liked him, too.
“If I say run, you run. If I say hide, you hide. If I say play along you play along with whatever the situation may be, think fast and be convincing. It is quite literally your life and mine on the line. We will have a safe word, that safe word will be “Thunderstruck”, got it?”
“Classic rock. Got it. I dig it.”
Dean nodded with appreciation and surprise.
“If any of the other officers ask you to do anything you are not comfortable with, seems unsafe, or goes against something I’ve said then you use the safe word in front of me and I’ll know to separate them from us as discreetly and quickly as possible.”
“Uhh…” (Y/N) looked between Cas and Dean nervously.
“I’m not worried about him. I can kill him I my sleep and he knows it.” Dean shrugged.
“I already owe him my life like six times over, so I kind of have to be loyal.” Cas agreed.
“Cas and Benny are safe?”
“Cas and Benny are safe, but even they may be leveraged against us. So again- if they do anything out of the ordinary then you use the safe word. Got it?”
“Thunderstruck.” (Y/N) nodded once again.
“Good girl.” Dean smirked and something within her stirred that she didn’t expect. Something she didn’t quite understand because she wasn’t sure she had ever felt it before… she tucked it away in the back of her mind for later.
“Anything else?” She asked.
“This is important, (Y/N). There is no phone. No internet. No communication whatsoever. If we go into town, you are not to use a payphone. You are not to contact friends or family under any circumstances. Stay away from cameras, stay away from public events or people taking selfies with their phones. You cannot be in the background. No matter what. If we ever separate, you are to call Sam or myself. No one else.”
Dean slid a card to you across the table.
“What if you don’t answer… what if. What if you’re hurt and Sam doesn’t answer?”
“We’ll answer.” Dean assured her without a single shred of doubt in his voice. “You hide and lay low until we find you. Protect yourself with anything you can get your hands on.”
“I-I can shoot. I mean it’s been a long time. But I have before.”
Dean looked up to her hesitantly, something in his eyes made her nervous.
“We’ll talk about it another time. Does everything make sense?”
“Yeah. Dean. It makes sense. Stay quiet. Follow directions. Write necessities on the list.”
(Y/N) sighed. Realizing this was going to be a long and difficult road, so she better find a way to make the best of it.
“Good” He nodded. “One last thing, you need a name. One that you can answer to, remember. Write… new identify incase we have to blend.”
“A new name?”
“Yes.”
For some reason this one hurt her. This one she couldn’t swallow. This one made her eyes sting and the room was silent as the two men watched her closely. Dean noted the change in her posture, the way she fixed her gaze on her lap and chewed on her lip.
“(Y/N)?” Cas prompted her softly.
“Yeah, uh.” She mumbled standing. “Can you just do me a favor and pick one?”
She didn’t look up to either of them, but kept her arms crossed tight and her head down.
“Sure.” Dean nodded, as she disappeared around the corner and the sound of her bedroom door closing brought his eyes up to meet Cas.
“You like her too.” Cas whispered.
“Shut up.”
Authors Note:
Please please please if you’re as interested as I am to see where this goes please let me know or drop a heart. Thanks loves!
Hello! I read your story Crazy Girls on Planes. It was so sweet! I actually came to you blog to see if there was a second part where they met up. I saw you were newer to Tumblr, Welcome to the crazy!! I look forward to reading your other stories. Just a tip, in your posts you might want to put a Read More line in, especially if it's over 500 words.
Hello!!!
Thank you for stopping in and reading! Yes, I am new and still trying to figure things out! I would love to figure out how to put a ‘read more’ line in. And figure out how to make a master list?! If someone can walk me through that I’d LOVE it! I would love to also figure out how to plug in good banners/gifs. I’m barely able to figure that part out. Basically I’m new and while I can write till my fingers fall off the rest of it is all new, ha.
I am planning on writing a second part. I am currently working on my master’s program so my writing has taken a back seat but when I’m done with it (hopefully in 9 months) then my writing will be picking up again, I hope. I also have a few other projects in the works that I try and put some time into. I hope you stick around and keep reading! Always always always feel free to write to me anytime for anything. I LOVE to chat with anyone who reads for anything. Criticism, compliments, tips, or just to chat. Thank you so much for making my night!
Okay- so I want throw a little mini series out there and see if it picks up any interest- only written the first chapter so far. I will keep writing it if there’s a market for it- or I’m always open to suggestions/requests if anyone want’s to see something specific. I’m trying to expand my writing a little and trying new story arcs. Thanks so much! Drop a heart or follow if you want to see more!
Summary: (Y/N)’s life is turned upside down and now she has to rely on SWAT/Bodyguard Dean Winchester to keep her alive to testify. She’s angry. She’s afraid. But she won’t go down without a fight.
Dean X Reader
Word count: 3158
Chapter Warnings: Mentions of violence, language, and mentions of drugs.
“I-I don’t know. I didn’t know about any of this!” She said frantically. She had only answered this same question ten times between the three different cops who had come in and out of the room.
Detective Sam Winchester stood on the other side of the glass, watching her cry in the interrogation room when no one else is present, but every time the door opens she automatically puts on a tough face and tries to withstand the drilling of one far too personal question after the other. He had observed for hours, now he wanted to have a conversation of his own…
He waited a few more seconds and then he let himself into the room, a water bottle in hand. He stepped forward and placed it in front of her before taking a seat and opening the folder in his hand.
“Ms. Parks, I’ve been watching your fiancé for quite some time now.” He sighed. “I’ve watched all of your conversations with the officers today. I was there as the warrant was served and your home was ripped apart. I can feel the anger rolling off of you… but you’re not angry at us are you?”
She sat and blinked. Shocked into silence at how casually he spoke to her when every other person who had entered this room over the last several hours looked at her like she was a criminal. Like she was the bad guy. Like they didn’t believe her.
But he was different.
“No.” She finally whispered. “I’m not mad at you or anyone here for doing their jobs. For s-saving them.”
Her words faltered as she bit her lip and forced herself to swallow the sob clawing its way from her chest up her throat. She had tried so hard not to fall apart in front of anyone, to be strong. To not LOOK guilty for something so terrible.
“(Y/N)” The young detective said a little softer. “I know, that you had no idea what Brian was doing.”
She looked up to him, and her intentions of not crying were suddenly lost upon her as she looked at the man who might honestly be her saving grace. Who might be the only person who gives a shit. She looked him up and down for the first time since he entered. He had shaggy brown hair and kind hazel eyes. He gave her a sad smile and reached his hand across the table and laid it on her arm.
“Thank you.” She whispered through her tears.
“I do still have questions… things that might help us finally nail him.”
“Anything.” She said confidently after coughing to clear her throat. It was clear to Sam that her anger was only directed at one person, the same Monster he had been hunting for over a year. The same monster who was using young women to traffic his drugs and then killing them once their purpose was served.
“How did he explain the business trips? The late meetings? Private dinners? I mean did you ever get suspicious?”
“Of course I did.” She scoffed. “I thought he was cheating on me. I followed him a few times. The dinners. They just seemed like business meetings with other men, their associates. No inappropriate behavior or strip clubs. Just. Dinner and conversation, not that I was close enough to hear them but I know the difference between business and pleasure and those dinners were all business.”
“Do you remember any of the men he met with?”
“Um. Maybe? I never got their names but faces usually stick out to me.”
“Okay. I tell you what. I’m gonna get you some dinner, and when I come back you and I are going to go over some phots together. Okay? If you can identify any of these men then it could be the connection we’ve been waiting for to take down the whole damn thing.”
“Make it a cheeseburger and I’ll tell you anything you want.”
“You got it kiddo.” He said with a smile.
…..
…..
“Okay, (Y/N). One more time… this is the last file I’ve got.”
“Okay.” She sighed and nodded as Sam slid them over to her. The two had finished their dinner over 3 hours ago, and it was well into the night and yet they were still looking. (Y/N) had been able to identify a few men, but most of them were low on the inner circle’s totem pole. He needed something more.
“Wait.” She mumbled as she flipped to the last page. “This one… this guy. I-I remember him, it was the last dinner I spied on. I finally gave up the cheating obsession and just figured work was his mistress.”
“Are you sure?” Sam asked slowly.
“I’m sure. I’ll never forget him… he uh. He threw his drink at the waitress because she served him the wrong one. I remember thinking how incredibly entitled he must think he is.” She said with raise eyebrows and a less than impressed tone.
“Sounds about right.”
“Who is he?”
Sam debated on telling her… scaring her.
“He’s part of the cartel. He’s the boss. If your fiancé was meeting with him, then it could only be about one thing. The drugs.”
(Y/N)’s stomach sank. She couldn’t believe she had been so blind. The money. The gifts… she thought he was incredibly good at his job and managed his money well. It’s not like they were sharing bank accounts yet. The wedding was barely even planned. So much still up in the air, and now she knew why he could never give her a date… he never knew when he would have to leave in the middle of the night or take a sudden trip for ‘work’.
“What happens now… I can’t go home can I?” She asked softly. Her eyes suddenly feeling heavy again, the food now settled and her adrenaline finally winding down.
“No. I’m sorry but you can’t.”
“Where do I go?”
“Here.” Sam answered sheepishly.
“I’m never gonna get out of this room am I.” She whimpered as she laid her head against the table.
“I need you to let me make a few calls. (Y/N), I know you’ve been through a lot today and I know the last thing you need is another bomb dropped into your lap but I’m going to be honest with you because you’ve been honest with me.”
“Okay.” She whispered, suddenly afraid.
“If thigs goes the way I hope it does- and I hope it does because it would finally mean cutting some really bad guys out of the food chain and throwing their ass in prison, then you can’t go home for a long time.”
“What?” She asked with wide eyes.
“You’ll be a target, when they find out that you are the one who can identify them. That you’re the one we talked to… they’ll kill you.”
“But- can’t I just be an anonymous witness or some shit?” She asked desperately.
“We could try that, but with the connections these men have it would only be a matter of time before they were able to find a name, and then track you down.”
“So… where, where do I go?” She stuttered, feeling as if the wind was knocked out of her chest.
“Protection. You’d be under our protection with the DEA’s office until the trial is complete and we’re sure you’re safe.”
“Right.” She said staring at the table in front of her. “Safe.”
“I’m sorry. No good deed goes unpunished in these situations.”
She nodded silently, unable to pull her eyes up to him.
“You’re the only one who didn’t treat me like I was guilty.” She finally whispered. “You’re the only one who talked to me like I was a person, thank you for that.”
“You are a person. A good person who’s going to stop some really bad people from hurting more young girls.”
“I-I had no idea they were in trouble.”
She swallowed roughly as the words constricted her throat. She thought back to the ever-changing maids, the ones he said were always fired for stealing or something else. The young secretaries who changed offices every few months. Suddenly her mind flashed and she ran through their faces, wondering if any of them were even still alive.
“You couldn’t know, its not your fault. I’ll see if I can swing you a couch around here to sleep on until I know what’s next.”
…..
…..
…..
Dean came through the doors of the SWAT locker room and placed his gear back in place. Sitting and running his hand through his hair. He picked up his cell phone out of the locker and noted 3 texts, one from the girl last night at the bar and two from his little brother Sammy.
Sam: I know it’s short notice and all but I got one I’m gonna need you for. She’s important.
Sam: Cleared it with your team lead, you’re officially on our payroll until further notice. I think she could be the key to finally shutting this shit down. For Jess… Please. I need you to do it. I can’t trust her with anyone else.
“Great.” He sighed to himself.
Dean: Okay, I’m gonna crash on the couch in my office. Wake me when you’re ready and we’ll go over everything.
He picked himself up off the bench and dragged his feet down the hall and to his office. Pushing the door open he didn’t even bother turning on the lights. He just wanted sleep. He’d been out on the same standoff for nearly 16 hours. The bad guy went down and the hostage went free but damn he was exhausted. He kicked off his boots and pulled off his jacket before flopping down onto the cheap couch he dragged in after a separate particularly long day.
It wasn’t much, but it was comfy and allowed him to shut his eyes for a few hours between calls.
However, this time when he flopped himself down he landed on something other than the cushions, and it squealed loudly at him before shoving him to the ground. He scrambled in the dark and pulled his weapon from the holster, his small mag light in the other hand to identify his intruder.
“WHAT THE FUCK!” He shouted as the woman on his couch jumped back and made herself small into the corner, hands raised as his light landed on her face. He quickly dropped his weapon, but didn’t holster it quite yet as he stood and flipped on the lights.
“What the hell is wrong with you!” She yelled at him as she realized he was wearing a badge, and was not working for the cartel.
“Me?! What the hell is wrong with you! Why are you on my couch?!”
“I just go where they tell me to dude.” She scoffed as she threw her hands up. “The detective brought me in here.”
He looked her up and down and noted her hands shook, her eyes were wide and her anger was most likely her fear trying to cover itself. Like cornered prey facing its hunter and trying to find a way to deter themselves from becoming a meal. He finally slid his weapon back to its holster and pressed his fingers against his eyes.
“What detective?” He groaned with a slightly less annoyed tone.
“The only nice one here apparently.” She snarked.
He looked up to her with a well perfected bitch face.
“Sam?”
“Yes.”
“Great.”
“I’m sorry. Just. Call Sam and tell him to shove me somewhere else.” She said as she stood and shoved the blanket she was covered in towards him as she walked past.
“Wait.” He called out to her. She paused as her hand grabbed the doorknob. “Sam’s gonna be here in a few minutes.”
She stood and looked him up and down before deciding on whether or not she believed him, and whether or not she wanted to wait in here with him.
“Fine.” She said crossing her arms and moving to the far wall behind her. She sank down against the wall and pulled her knees up to her chest. Dean rolled his eyes out of her sight as he flopped back down onto the couch for a second time. Like clockwork the moment he shut his eyes the door opened and in burst his brother.
“Dean. Hey, sorry… I just read your text. Was hoping I’d make it here before you to give you the heads up.”
Sam took notice of (Y/N)’s stiff posture where she sat against the wall and Dean’s annoyed glare.
“Yeah. No big deal. Sorry I interrupted your nap.” Dean said looking over to her. She pulled her eyes down to the ground.
“(Y/N)” Sam said getting her attention and sitting in a chair in front of her. “This is my brother, Dean. I have some good news.”
“Was it enough?” She asked finally looking up to him.
“It was.” He smiled. “We were able to pull some surveillance footage. Photos. Traffic cameras and routes. Pulled receipts from the restaurant. This was the break we needed to finally connect some dots and establish the pattern.”
“Good.” She breathed before nodding with a sad smile. “So. I uh. I’m not going home then.”
“No.” He said softly. “But I want you to know that what you’re doing, what you have given us paired with your testimony in court. It will bury them.”
“I have to testify too?”
Her eyes watered. She knew she was going to be hiding now that she was officially a snitch and the cartel had a certain long reach, but she had no idea she’d have to face them all in a courtroom. To throw herself out there like a sitting duck for target practice.
“Please. You don’t know what it would mean to me. To all those families who have been searching for their daughters. Their sisters. Their friends. You’re the only person who has ever been an eye witness to the meetings.”
“Of course I am.” She laughed humorlessly. “Okay. What do I have do?”
Dean watched the interaction between them carefully. He knew what this meant to Sam. For that reason alone he’d do anything to protect this woman and make sure that she follows through for him. He was surprised however to see her resolve and resistance to testifying break so easily… wasn’t she a cartel guy’s girl? They never cooperate like this. His suspicions ran almost as fast as his curiosities.
She’s scared.
She’s not walking away though.
“Dean is a SWAT officer, but he also does private protection. He’s the best in the business, and I mean that or I wouldn’t have convinced his boss to give him up for the DEA to hire him for you. He will keep you safe.” Sam looked up to Dean and turned his body to where he could look back and forth between them and they could see each other more clearly. “Dean, this is (Y/N). She’s going to need a full work up. Safe house. Back up routes. Vetted team. Whatever you need, it’s yours. Just say the word.”
“You got a file I can catch up on?”
“Yeah. Sure. I’ll go get it.” Sam said jumping up.
(Y/N) stayed seated in the floor, looking up to him curiously as the two brothers spoke and he watched Sam walk out the door. His eyes diverting back down to her.
“Sorry I took over your couch. You look tired…” She admitted sheepishly as she twisted her hands against each other.
“S’fine. Don’t get much sleep around here anyways.” He countered. “You might as well sit somewhere more comfortable. We’ve got a lot to go over.”
He pulled himself to sit more upright and opened the other half of the couch. (Y/N) hesitantly stood and walked towards him. Sitting down once more as Sam walked into the room, handing a folder over to Dean.
(Y/N) looked curiously over at the folder in his hands from where she sat. She saw a page with Brian’s picture, then several behind it before she saw a page with her own face attached.
Great… I was a suspect- she thought to herself.
“We ruled out any chance of involvement?” Dean asked looking up to Sam. (Y/N) could only assume he was referring to her.
“I had no idea what he was doing.” She growled.
Dean looked over to her with an amused smirk on his face before quietly going back to the folder in his hands. (Y/N) looked up to Sam who gave an apologetic smile. She returned a smile that didn’t quite reach her cheeks like it normally would. She then kicked off her shoes and pulled her feet up, crossing them underneath her and leaning against the arm rest. Her eyes getting heavy once again.
“You’re a photographer?” Dean asked after several minutes of silence.
“Yeah.” She nodded not opening her eyes.
“Hmm.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged, but she could tell he was keeping some sort of comment to himself.
She sighed in response and curled further into herself.
After about 10 more minutes of silent reading Dean looked over and noted the slow steady movement of her chest and the way her lips slightly parted.
“She’s out.” Sam said softly. “Dean, listen. I know it’s not the most reassuring file but she’s not involved in this. I’ve been watching him… and I heard her interrogation with 4 different people. She never faltered. Nothing changed.”
“She could just be good at it, Sammy.”
“Dean. I watched her wait until she was alone and her life fell apart in front of her eyes, she cried. She hurt. Guilty people don’t hurt like that. She’s devastated… and she’s angry at him. She’s the perfect witness. She got all of this information, spotted the deals and discussions going down because she was investigating him on her own. She’s smart.”
“Investigating him?” Dean questioned.
“She thought he was cheating, same old working late and business trips excuses.”
“Great. So, she’s obsessive and insecure.”
“Dean. Stop.” Sam deadpanned.
“I’m just saying. All the more reason to be suspicious here.”
“Dean. She’s not guilty here. I know it.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“I mean it. You get to call all the shots here. You pick the team. The locations. The schedules. Everything… I want this done right.”
“Give me 4 hours. I’ll have everything listed.”
“Thank you, Dean.”
“Only for you, Sammy.” Dean smiled back.
Sam stood after returning the loving smile and walked out the door. He was a few steps away from the office when he turned around, seeing him pull the blanket over her through the window.
There was no question in his mind, she would be safer with Dean than she would with anyone else in the world. He’d used up all his favors, but it was the right call.
This is my story that I have been posting on a different platform, but I seem to get much more response out of this platform. So, I hope you like this and I’m exploring a Patreon account for the near future as well!
Sara didn't know what she was, not until an angel ripped her from her life and dropped her at the feet of the Winchesters. Now she must stay with them to survive. Will she find her place in this new world of magic and monsters? Will she find out who she was meant to be? Will Sam and Dean be able to protect her? But most importantly, will she be able to save them?
“Got it!” Sara yelled as she ran across the ER to meet the lab assistant in the hallway, she ran back with the blood in hand and barely skidded to a stop before she spiked the bag and started the bolus.
“Second unit of O-neg going!” She yelled back to the doctor. He continued to work at trying to clamp the arteries that had been severed on the man lying on the stretcher.
“What’s our pressure doing?” Dr. Mathers asked.
“Dropping, 80/40.” Sara reported back.
“Dammit kid, don’t die on me now.” Dr. Mathers mumbled as he fought to find the last leaking artery.
“We’re losing him!” Another nurse yelled from the back of the room, watching as his heart rate began to decrease.
Sara gripped the poor kid by the arm and closed her eyes, praying, hoping, begging. She wanted to save him so bad she felt as if it drained her to want it so badly. He was just a kid, a dumb kid who made a dumb mistake and ended up full of bullet holes. He deserves another chance.
“Got it!” The doctor yelled. Sara opened her eyes and breathed in relief as his heart rate began to climb again and his pressure leveled out. They continued to stabilize him until he was safe enough to travel down to the OR. Sara left the trauma room and checked on her other two patients before sitting down at her computer.
She pressed her hands against her temples.
She always gets migraines after a big save like that, she couldn’t explain how or why, but it always happened. And she wasn’t the only one who noticed their pattern.
“Another migraine Sara?” Dr. Mathers asked coming to sit on the desk beside her.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She half smiled.
“Did you start those meds I gave you?”
“They’re at the house. I’ll take one when I get home, promise.”
“Why don’t you head out early tonight? You can’t do anyone much good when this thing picks up again.”
“There’s only a couple of hours left on the shift, I’ll make it home before it gets bad.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good doc.”
“Alright, well take tomorrow off. Get some rest. You did good today, that kid is lucky as hell.”
“Only because you were his doctor.” She winked at him as he walked away and went to tend to his other patient. She finished out her shift seeing another 4 patients before the day was over, all minor injuries and upset stomachs, but still enough to keep her busy.
A nurse’s job is never done, especially in the ER. There’s always another patient, always another emergency, always another person having what might be one of the worst days of their lives. But for Sara her shift for the day was over and someone else was coming in to take her place. So she gave her report and passed on her responsibilities.
“Bye Sara!”
“Bye Anna, I’ll see you Friday right?”
“Hell yeah girl! Ladies night out at Big Dee’s!”
“Don’t bring that guy, Anna.”
“Girl, let the matchmaker do her thing.” Anna, Sara’s best friend and fellow nurse, said as she winked and walked to her car. Sara rolled her eyes and laughed as she finally made it to the safety of her truck, she stopped for a minute and pressed her hands against her head. Her migraine was moving into phase two, the blurry vision and sharp pains phase. So she quickly started the old motor and drove to her small apartment about ten minutes down the road.
Once inside she only turned on the small lamp in the corner, bright lights would only amplify the growing migraine. She popped her frozen dinner into the microwave and turned on the soft hums of the radio. Lasagna from a plastic tray was not the most appetizing thing she could think of, but she knows if she doesn’t eat the migraine will be worse. So she finishes her two-star dinner and showers, preparing to sleep for as long as her body will allow.
Her dark damp hair hung around her face, she put on her black boy short panties and a slouchy knit gray sweater, crawling into her bed and taking some of the medication Dr. Mather’s gave her. Slowly drifting off to sleep.
…..
…..
…..
The sound of rustling and glass breaking woke Sara up with a wave of adrenaline. Her head was pounding, but she could just feel the presence of another person in her apartment. She quickly but quietly rolled off the side of the bed, away from the locked bedroom door. She pulled the loaded gun out of its hiding spot below the mattress and fought through her blurry vision to make sure the safety was off.
She then reached up onto her bed and began to search for her cell phone, but she realized she had left it in the living room so that no phone calls would wake her before her migraine got the chance to wear off. So instead she sat against the side of the bed, in the dark, taking deep breaths. She knew that her vision would put off her aim, and she hadn’t practiced at the range in over a year, but hopefully if she let the guy gets close enough then she could aim well enough to put him down. She listened as footsteps grew closer and closer to the bedroom. The door knob jiggled, but whoever was on the other side wasn’t able to open it. She let out the breath she’d been holding. Until the footsteps were suddenly in her bedroom, moving towards her.
Panic filled her body, how the hell did they get in here without opening the door?! What the hell is happening right now. She felt the tears on her face as she heard each and every footstep grow closer, then the lamp on the other side of the bed was turned on. She held her breath.
The man walked around the side of the bed and just as he almost turned past the foot she pointed the gun directly in front of her, the blurry form of a man in a trench coat stood before, silent.
“Leave now or I’ll shoot!” She yelled, the panic obvious in her tone.
The man ignored her and took one step forward, she fired six times, emptying the mag from her pistol. She began to tremble as the gun stopped firing, because the man in front of her still stood. Still walked forward.
She screamed, but everything went black.
…..
…..
…..
Sam and Dean, pulled into the parking lot of their motel. Burritos in a paper bag between them. Dean placed the impala in park and turned off the engine.
“All I’m saying is we could use a good few weeks off Dean.” Sam suggested as he climbed out of the car.
“And what would we do? We’d be bored as hell.”
“Somehow I doubt you would be bored, you’d find enough women to keep your time occupied.”
Dean chuckled to himself.
“Well that’s probably true, but I still think it’s a bad idea.”
“Why Dean?”
“Because something crazy always starts up when we try and take some time off. It’s like asking for trouble.”
“Whatever.” Sam sighed as he put the key into the door and opened it, he paused, seeing Cas standing in the room, and a woman lying on the floor at his feet. Dean not paying attention, walked straight into the back of Sam.
“Whoa, what’s with the traffic jam?” Dean asked stepping to Sam’s side, also pausing when he saw the predicament laid out before him.
“Uh Cas, what the hell is this?”
“This is Sara Atkins. She’s a healer, and she could be very valuable to us.”
Sam shook his head and quickly moved forward to check for the young woman’s pulse.
“Geez you’d think you could put on the bed instead of the ground?” Sam asked as he lifted her up off the floor and laid her on the bed. She began to shuffle, but didn’t wake.
“What the hell Cas you just go around kidnapping girls now?” Dean asked as he shut the door behind him and dropped the food on the table.
“I told you Dean. She’s useful to us. And had I not taken her then the demons would have found her first, they would have killed her just to keep her from getting to the two of you.”
“How is she useful again?”
“She’s a healer. She can bring you back from the brink of death with simply a touch of her hand. Since my powers are intermittently cut off from heaven and I cannot be there with you at all times we can use her, to keep the two of you alive.”
Sam and Dean both listened intently, trying to comprehend what this could mean for them. Taking this girl on the road, dragging her along on hunts, but always having a plan B? Would it be worth it?
“So uh, let me ask you a question.” Dean spoke. “Did she come here with you willingly?”
“No. She shot me a total of six times.”
“Oh my god.” Sam sighed, hiding his face behind his hand. “Cas you can’t just kidnap people like that!”
“There were demons in her home, I had no choice but to take her immediately. I killed two but there were more coming. They want her just as badly as we do.”
“Why?”
“Because they know she can be of value to us, they want to kill her and keep her from being used by the two of you.”
Sara heard voices, at first they sounded like they were in a tunnel, but then they grew clearer and clearer. She detected 3 distinct male voices, all strong and dominant. They argued, but it all made no sense to her, her heart began to race as she realized the bed she was laying in was not her own, she slowly opened her eyes, finding herself in some strange dingy motel room. She looked up and saw the three men, briefly recognizing the one in the trench coat, but he had no wounds in his body, no blood, no holes in his clothing.
She quietly moved to the side of the bed, opening the drawer and pulling out a small old letter opener, but it was the only weapon she could find. Once it was in her hands she moved to get off the bed, but it squeaked and all three men turned to look at her. She froze, then the fight or flight kicked in and she ran for the door. Dean and Sam both jumped, Sam making it to the door before her due to his long legs. She reared back prepared to stab him with the letter opener, but someone grabbed her arm from behind.
“Let me go!” She struggled against the man.
“Whoa whoa whoa, take it easy! We’re not here to hurt you!” Sam said trying to calm the girl.
“Who are you! Where the hell am I?!” She asked as Dean released her and she backed herself into the corner.
“I’m Sam. We’re in a motel, right outside of Denver. Okay?”
Sara looked between the three men frantically, trying to understand how she was suddenly 4 hours away from home. Who the hell these people were, or what the hell they were.
“You-you, I shot you…” She mumbled looking at Cas.
“Yes. Six times to be exact.” He said with a flat one and a straight face.
“Wh-where are your wounds?”
“Angels don’t exactly get bullet wounds.” Dean explained.
“I’m sorry, did you say Angel?” Sara asked.
“Yes, I am Castiel, an Angel of the Lord.” Cas stepped forward.
“Oh god… I’ve been kidnapped by crazy people.” She mumbled to herself, she ran her hand through her dark wavy hair, just enough to let the light catch her blonde lowlights. Dean and Sam both watched her spin in small circles, her arm raised in the air showed the black underwear she wore underneath the sweater. She was short, her body curved in ways only a woman’s could, and the way her dark hair framed her face flattered the ice blue shade of her eyes.
“Let us have a minute to explain. Please?” Sam bargained. Sara nodded shortly.
Sam pulled the sheet off the bed and handed it to her, pointing with his eyes to her exposed lower half of her body, she quickly realized she was flashing all three men her underwear and snatched the sheet, wrapping herself in it, but not leaving the safety of the corner.
“I’m Sam Winchester. This is my brother Dean, and as hard as this is for you to believe we’re not crazy, and neither are you. This is Castiel, or Cas. He’s a friend of ours, and he is an Angel.”
“Prove it.” She said cutting him off.
“Sure.” Dean shrugged. He sliced his arm with a knife and Sara instantly moved to help him, but he turned from her and moved towards the ‘angel’, with one touch of his two fingers to Dean’s forehead the cut healed, and no scar remained. She gasped slightly. Then looked back up to the man in front of her.
“S-so, this. This is all real?”
“Yes, It’s real. And we’re not here to hurt you. Please. Sit down, we can explain everything.”
Sara looked between them all and felt her feet begin to weaken.
“I-I think I’m. I’m gonna…”
Before she could finish her sentence her eyes rolled back and she went limp, Sam caught her mere inches before she fell to the floor. He picked her up bridal style and carried her over to the bed.
“Great. This is great.” Dean said sitting down at the table.
“Cas, could you wake her up please?” Sam asked as he laid the sheet over her, keeping her covered.
Cas nodded and walked over, touching her and she rose up quickly, almost smacking her face against Sam’s.
“You’re okay, you’re okay… You fainted, but you’re fine.” He assured her. “What’s your name?”
“Sara.”
“Okay, Sara. Do you remember what we just talked about?”
“You mean that the guy dressed like a business grad student is an angel? Yeah. Got it.”
“Okay, good.” Sam nodded.
“Why am I here? How did I get here.”
“Cas? Care to shine some light?” Dean said turning to him.
“Sara, you are a very special person. Hand picked by the heavens to be a healer.”
“Yeah. I’m a nurse. So what?”
“You are much more than a nurse. You have the ability to heal people in ways that science cannot explain. An ability that is a gift. I encourage you to sit with Sam, allow him to research the subject and explain it to you.”
“Okay, so even if I was a… whatever? Healer? WHY am I HERE? Why the hell did you come into my home and scare the living shit out of me?!”
“I’m sorry for that. It was urgent I find you and deliver you to the Winchester’s. They are in great need of your services, and I believe it is your responsibility to help them.”
“I’m sorry? I don’t even know you people. How is it my responsibility to help you?”
“We don’t know all the details on that ourselves yet.” Dean admitted.
“Look. I took an oath, okay? If your hurt, if you need my help, then wander into my ER and I will bend over backwards to help you, but this is bullshit. You kidnap me?! You tell me that it’s my responsibility to help you?!”
“I know. This isn’t exactly and ideal situation but Cas wasn’t the only one out there looking for you… There are other things in this world besides angels. Evil things.” Sam explained.
“Oh like what?! Demons?” The two brothers looked to each other then back to Sara. “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Demons. Monsters. Ghosts. You name it… its real.” Dean said standing and walking towards her. “I know this is a lot to take in, but we don’t have a lot of time to spend on all this. So whatever you want to know ask now, cause we have things to get done.”
“Dean!” Sam scolded him for being rude.
“Can I have some water please?” She mumbled. “And maybe a pair of pants?” “
“Yeah sure, Dean.” Sam looked over to his brother, who got her a water bottle and dug a pair of sweatpants out of his bag, smelling them briefly to make sure they were mostly clean. Then he handed them to her. She took a sip of water and stood, putting on the sweat pants. Then she turned to face the brothers.
“Okay, well. This has been fun. But uh, I’m gonna catch a cab. I. I have a life, and a job. And. And I can’t just leave my job, so I have to go. Thanks for the pants.”
“Wait, Sara. Please. It’s not safe for you to leave right now.” Sam pleaded.
“No. No you see I don’t. I don’t need this. I just wanna go home, and I-I wanna get up and go to work, and help people, and maybe get a dog! I’ve always wanted a dog. But you know when you work sixty hours a week a dog is sorta gonna get the punishment for that so I, don’t have a dog but I-“
“Okay! Stop… just stop.” Dean said standing in front of her and cutting off her ramble. “You can’t leave right now.”
“I just wanna go home! Please just let me go home!” She begged him quietly hiding her face in her hands and she bent down, her elbows resting on her knees. Dean squatted down beside her.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not safe right now. Just. Give us 24 hours okay? Let us do a little research, explain things a little more thoroughly, and get a game plan together. Please?”
Sara pulled her hands away from her face and her eyes truly met Dean’s for the first time. His were stark green, with a shimmer of yellow in the mix. They were hard, they held pain, but they also held honesty. And something in her gut told her she could trust him.
“Fine. 24 hours.”
…..
…..
…..
“Vampires?” Sara aksed.
“Yes.” Dean sighed.
Sara nodded briefly. They had gone on like this for the last few hours. Sara sitting at the table with the brothers. Sam researching, and Dean drinking. Sara occasionally asking what kind of monsters were out there in the world, then taking the time to silently process the information before asking about another one.
“So how do the two of you fit into this world of monsters and demons that the rest of us are so oblivious to?”
“We’re hunters. We kill the things that go bump in the night. We uh, protect the oblivious.” Dean answered.
“How long have you been doing that?”
“Our whole lives.”
“Why?”
“Something supernatural killed our mother. So our father raised us to be hunters, and we tracked down the demon that killed her.”
“… A demon killed your mom?” She asked, an empathetic tone to her voice.
“It was a long time ago.” Dean said before taking another drink.
Sara went silent again for a few minutes.
“… What about the boogey man?”
“Uh, there’s not really a specific boogey man. It’s kind of a summary of monsters.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Okay here we go…” Sam said catching their attention. “It says here that among the angels are certain types of lower level angelic like people. Um, some are humans with angelic abilities, some are halflings. Looks like a healer is classified as a human with extraordinary abilities.”
“Well.” Sara scoffed. “I didn’t know we were questioning what species I belonged to, but I guess it’s nice to know I’m human.”
“Sorry.” Sam said sincerely. “Umm, it also says here that healers are gifted with grace, sorta like what Cas has. Only yours is directly related to healing.”
“I. I don’t understand? How could I have had this ability my whole life and not ever noticed it?”
“Well, you said you’re a nurse in an ER right?” Dean asked.
“Yes.”
“Ever had a crazy save? A person that didn’t stand a chance in hell at surviving, but they did?”
“Yeah…”
“Did you ever consider that was because of you?”
“No.” She said staring at the full beer in front of her, suddenly piecing together what happened with the kid in the ER last night. How he was crashing, how she grabbed him, and then how a miracle happened. She had always attributed it to the amazing group of doctors and nurses she works with. But… what if it was her all along?
“Does it talk about what happens afterwards?” She asked.
“Uh, so get this. Looks like after a healer uses their grace to save someone they have to have a period of self-healing. Time for their grace to regenerate before they can use it again. It also says that healers are not able to heal themselves. Their grace is designed for others only, and that they can also die by using all of their grace. Or in other words, you have to give yourself time to regenerate because if you use all of your grace, it can kill you.”
Sara sat in silence. Trying to wrap her head around the idea that she was… different. She mostly felt like a freak. She mostly felt scared, what does this mean for her? For the rest of her life?
“Sara, you okay?” Sam asked reaching out to touch her arm.
“I don’t know…”
“Do you wanna get some rest, maybe re-tackle this in the morning?”
“Sure.” She mumbled.
“Okay, well uh. You can have one of the beds, and Dean will take the floor.”
“What?!” Dean said whipping around to face Sam.
“Its fine. I’ll take the floor.” Sara interrupted.
“No, no way you’re sleeping on the floor.” Sam told her shooting a look at Dean.
“I’ll take the floor.” Dean said standing and kicking off his boots. Sara and Sam followed, getting ready to go to bed, even though it was almost four in the morning. Sara pulled back the sheets on the bed and reached for the pillow on the other side, she turned and handed it to Dean, along with the comforter on the top of the bed.
“Here.” She half smiled to him.
“Oh I’m good.” He told her nonchalantly.
“Please, I’d really feel better if you took them, I only sleep with one pillow anyways, and I get hot at night. The sheet and your pants will keep me warm enough.”
“Thanks.” He mumbled back accepting them and making himself comfortable on the floor between the two beds. Sara returned to the bed and reached over, turning off the lamp, Sam did the same on the opposite side of the room.
Once it was pitch black, and she could hear the two boys snoring, she let a muffled sob escape her body. She wasn’t prepared for this. She didn’t want this. She only wanted to go home, and live the life she worked so hard to earn. She wanted to pretend none of this ever happened and just go back to her life.
20 more hours. That’s all she had to do was stick with these guys for one more day. Then she would be free to go. Besides the company could have been worse, Sara was thankful that both of the brothers, especially Sam, were kind. They were both patient with her, and she hoped that at the end of the next day they would stick to their word and let her go home.
…..
…..
…..
Sara dozed in and out of sleep for the next few hours. The boys pretended not to notice, but they did. All three of them slept restlessly. So by the time the sun started to come up Sam was awake and making coffee. Dean took over Sam’s bed and Sara continued to doze.
Sam was at the computer reading more about healers when Cas appeared in the room, tapping on Sam’s shoulder.
“Dammit Cas!” Sam jumped. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“Did you do your research on Sara?”
“Yes. We did.”
“Do you understand now how valuable she is to us and our cause? Winchesters are on the top of everyone’s to kill list. This is an excellent option to keep the two of you alive, and it would make me more available to handle other things.”
“Yeah Cas I know, but. I don’t think she’s on board with this.”
“Well then you must make her understand. We need her.”
“Cas you kidnapped her out of nowhere. Uprooted her from her life. You can’t expect her to just want to follow us around form now on.”
“She won’t be safe if she goes back. They found her just like I did. The more people she saves the more out in the world she puts herself. It was only a matter of time.”
“I know.” Sam sighed.
“So make her understand this, make her see that we need her.”
“I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. She doesn’t know us, she doesn’t feel that she owes us anything. And to be honest, she doesn’t.”
“Perhaps some convincing from Dean. Women seem to respond to him.”
Sam rolled his eyes, and Cas was gone as quickly as he arrived, leaving the youngest Winchester to continue his research. Dean was awake next, sipping on coffee and reading the paper. The last one awake was Sara. She sat up and brushed through her hair with her fingers. Trying to tame the mane without a hair brush. Her eyes wandered and landed on the two men at the table.
“More research?” She asked, her voice slightly hoarse from sleep.
“Yeah. Its kinda his thing.” Dean said not bothering to look up from his newspaper.
“So what else do we know?” Sara asked as she stood, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting down the with brothers.
“Healers were made to accompany warriors. To heal the men who fought in the holy armies. They were common back in the biblical age, but now they’re extremely rare. Pretty much unheard of. You’re a very special person Sara.”
“Lucky me.” She mumbled as she sipped at the hot liquid.
“Are you always this peachy in the mornings?” Dean asked.
“Only when I wake up in a dirty motel room with strangers.” She threw back.
“Touché.” Dean nodded.
“When can I go home?”
“We need to talk about that. Sara, when Cas came to get you there were demons in your home. They know where you live, they probably know where you work, who your friends are. It’s not safe to go home.”
“How long until they leave me alone?”
“They won’t.” Dean told her with a level of finality in his voice.
“So what, I’m just supposed to ditch my life? Disappear and end up on unsolved mysteries?” She asked with a tone of sarcasm, and slight panic.
“I know how scary this must all sound. I promise you I do. But the truth is, if you go back, you’re most likely going to die.” Sam told her sympathetically.
“So then where would I go?” Sara asked, not looking either of them in the eyes as she contemplated the thought of losing everything in her life. Everything she’d worked so hard for. Everyone she’d ever loved. Anna. Her best friend in the entire world.
“Cas seems to think that you should stay with us.” Dean cut in.
“Is that what you want?”
“Well, we’re not against it. But it does present its own set of hurdles.”
“Not against it. In other words you don’t want to be stuck with me.”
“That’s not what he meant.” Sam quickly corrected. “He just means that we don’t want to force you to stay, but we do think it’s your best shot at survival. You’ve had quite a few miracle saves lately haven’t you?” Sara looked up at Sam and nodded. “Cas said that the more you use your grace, the more detectable you are. To angels and demons. It’s how they found you.”
“So you’re telling me even if I don’t stay with you. I can’t save people anymore? You’re telling me the one and only thing in my life I’ve ever been good at…. I can’t do it anymore?”
“Not like you were, no. It’s like a beacon. It’ll draw them to you.”
“Wow, this day just gets better and better.” Sara scoffed slightly. Feeling her eyes sting, she fought to hold back her emotions, not to cry in front of these men. She’d learned early in life that crying got you nothing. So she trained herself to reign in her emotions long ago, and she would continue to do so.
Sam however quickly noticed the pained expression on her face and reached out to her, rubbing her arm gently.
“Sara, I know this isn’t fair. And I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But the bottom line is… it’s the truth. We can protect you, and we would be happy to have you stay with us.”
“You mean you would be happy to have me and ‘my grace’ at your disposal. I get it… you don’t have to lie.”
Sam quickly realized that it would take time to earn her trust, that she was smart. Smart people don’t trust strangers, no matter what truths they tell. So he closed his laptop and a plan sprouted in his mind.
“How about this, we take you back… stay the night at your place, let you think this over. And this way if you decide to stay, we can show you how to protect yourself, if you decide to go with us then you can pack some of your things.”
“How soon can we leave?”
“Ten minutes.” Dean answered still reading the paper.
“Okay. Lets do it.”
It didn’t take Sam or Dean ten minutes to pack their belongings and put them into the car, Sara walked out to meet them.
“This is your ride?” She asked with a surprised tone.
“This is Baby, she’s the only woman worth keeping.” Dean smiled as he looked down at her in pride. Sara rolled her eyes, and got in the backseat.
“What?” Dean asked in a harmless tone.
“She’s nice.” Sara added before closing the door.
“Damn right she’s nice.” Dean mumbled.
…..
…..
…..
Sara and the boys spent the next four hours driving in mostly silence, her contemplating the world she’d grown up in. All the questionable stories she’d heard. Things she convinced herself weren’t real… but now they are? The world was a much darker place. Not just because of the thick clouds hiding the sun from view, but because of the horrors she now knew were real.
Once they arrived in Sara’s town she gave them very brief directions to get to her apartment building. Once they were standing outside of it, Sara rushed to get inside, but Dean grabbed her by the arm and subtly positioned himself in front of her, Sam behind.
“Let me go first, just in case.” He whispered to her. Sara nodded and they climbed the stairs to the third floor. Next to last door on the left. Once they arrived at her door, she noticed the broken locks, where the door had been broken in.
“Is this from the night Cas got you?” Dean asked her.
“I don’t know.”
“Stay behind me.”
Sara did as she was told, and watched as Dean pulled out a very old and unique knife. Sam behind her, pulled his gun. Dean gently pushed open her apartment door, there were signs of a struggle, but no bodies left in the living room or kitchen. Sam shut the door behind them, and Sara quickly wandered over to a broken picture frame in the corner. Inside of it was a picture of a man and a woman, Sam didn’t ask, but assumed it must be her parents. She took the picture out of the now shattered frame and held it closely.
She then bypassed the two men and walked into her bedroom, where her gun laid on the floor, and six bullet casings surrounded it.
“So this is where you shot up Cas huh?” Dean asked with a chuckle. “Not a bad piece you got down there.”
“It was a gift from an ex-boyfriend… turned out I needed it to protect myself from him more than robbers.”
“Yikes.” Dean mumbled to Sam behind her back.
“I’ll clean up, one of you can have the guest bed, the other the couch. I know it doesn’t sound like much but it’s a really comfortable couch, I’ve spent plenty of nights crashing on it myself.”
“We can help you.” Sam offered.
“Thanks.” She half smiled.
Sam proceeded to pick up broken glass, Dean picked up the tossed furniture and Sara tried to place her belongings back to their rightful place. It took them only about an hour to have the place looking good as new. Sara showered, then offered to make the boys dinner, and had it in the oven when she finally came across the cell phone she had left lying in the kitchen the night she was taken. She lifted it and found six missed calls from Anna.
She wanted so desperately to talk to her, to tell her about the men who had taken her, and the horrors that had become real in her life. But really, she just had a terrible feeling and wanted to prove to herself that it was only paranoia. That Anna would answer the phone and be as giddy as she always is.
“Uh, I’m gonna run across the street, get a loaf of garlic bread to go with dinner. I’ll be back in about 10 minutes.”
“Okay, one of us should go with you.” Dean said standing.
“I’m not going to run off.” She told him slightly offended.
“It’s not that, it’s just that there could be people watching right now.” Sam explained.
“Really it’s just down stairs and across the street to the corner market. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Sam and Dean swapped looks with each other, communicating without words.
“Okay.” Dean shrugged as he sat back down. Sara nodded and left quickly. Dean waited a solid ten seconds before standing again and following her path down the stairs.
Sara dialed Anna’s number, but she didn’t answer the first time, or the second, and she begged that on her third try she’d hear Anna’s voice perk up through the phone. But no such luck. Sara sighed, worry heavy on her mind. She walked out into the chilly night air. Pressing the button for the crosswalk and waiting for the traffic to come to a stop. She skipped across the road and carefully picked out a small loaf of bread smothered in garlic butter. Once she had her pick she walked to the counter to pay, as she left she pulled out her phone to dial the number one last time. As it rang the light changed and she moved to cross the street, but suddenly she was yanked backwards. A hand thrown over her mouth, and then dragged into the alley.
As the man who grabbed her pushed her against the wall she realized she recognized his green eyes. Dean. He put his finger to his lips, motioning for her to stay quiet. She nodded, and he moved his hand away from her mouth. He grabbed her by the arm and held her close to him as he moved them to the edge of the alley. He peaked around the side and spotted the two demons he first noticed following Sara into the market. He waited for them to walk towards him, then pushed Sara against the wall again. Motioning for her to stay quiet.
As the demons walked past the alley, Dean grabbed one of them and thrust the knife into his chest, he struggled for a moment with the second one before also killing him.
Sara watched as their bodies filled with lightning before they went limp. Her heart raced, and she moved quickly to stop the bleeding on one of the men, but Dean yanked her upwards and pulled her away. He hurried them across the street and back inside of her building.
“What the hell was that!”
“I was trying to stop him from bleeding.”
“Why?! He’s a demon. And now he’s a dead demon!”
“I. I didn’t know… I just reacted. It’s kinda what I’m programmed to do.”
“C’mon. Let’s get upstairs.”
Sara quickly ran the stairs, Dean kept up with her. Once inside she set the bread on the counter and went to her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her.
Sam turned to Dean with a confused expression.
“Dude. What the hell did you do?”
“Don’t ask.” Dean sighed opening another beer.
Sara grabbed her phone and dialed Anna over and over again, feeling fear creep up her spine as her calls continued to go unanswered. She pulled herself together and went back into the kitchen. Pulling out the lasagna and toasting the bread.
She sat picking at her plate as the boys ate as if they hadn’t eaten in days. She waited till they finished to ask them what she knew would be a difficult question.
“I… I need to go somewhere tonight.”
“Where?”
“I can’t get ahold of Anna. She’s not answering.”
“Who is Anna?” Dean asked with a mouthful of food.
“The only real friend I have. Please… I just. I have this horrible feeling in my gut and I just have to know she’s okay.”
“How far is she?”
“Not far at all, just on the other side of the hospital.”
“And what happens if we get there and she wants an explanation?”
“Then I’ll lie.”
“And if she’s dead.”
Her stomach rolled and her face cringed.
“If she’s dead… then I’ll leave with you. I’ll go wherever you want me to.”
Sam and Dean exchanged glances. They both knew that chances were the girl was dead, and it would be torture to expose Sara to her friend’s unpleasant death. But they also knew that Sara was not going to take no for an answer.
When dinner was finished the boys and Sara climbed back into the impala and drove to the houses on the other side of the hospital. Once outside of Anna’s home Sara bolted from the car and ran to the door.
“Sara wait!” Dean called out to her but she didn’t. She pulled out her key that Anna had given her months ago and ripped open the door.
“Anna! Anna!”
Sara searched the familiar home frantically, her panic growing as she found no signs of Anna. Sam and Dean tried to clear the home and simultaneously protect Sara, but her quick movements didn’t make this task easy.
“Anna!” Sara cried out once more as she reached the bedroom. It was empty, but in the master bath she could hear the tub running, and under the door a stream of water soaking into the bedroom carpet.
“Oh god…” She shuddered as she approached the door.
“Sara, don’t do this.” Sam called out from behind her, but she ignored him and pushed open the door. Her screams echoed throughout the house as she found Anna laying in the floor. Blood splattered form the ceilings to the tiles, the tub still running from where she was preparing a bath. Her screams turned into hollow sobs as she sank down into the floor. Her worst fear spread out before her.
“Sara, come on we gotta go.” Sam called to her, but she couldn’t move. Wouldn’t move.
“Sara please.” Sam pleaded, but she was paralyzed with grief. Dean came into the room and picked her up without warning, she fought to be released and go to her friend, but Dean’s strength held her at bay as they fled the home. She clung to him and buried her face in his shoulder as he placed them both in the backseat.
“Sara. Look at me!” Dean called to her. “Hey, we gotta pull it together right now. We gotta get outta here.”
“I can’t leave her there!”
“It’s too late for her, I’m sorry but we have to get you out of here.”
Sam punched the gas against Sara’s cries and the house grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. Once back to Sara’s apartment the three didn’t exit the vehicle. Sara had pushed herself off of Dean and was now facing away from him, her knees drawn to her chest as she rocked back and forth, looking out the window.
Sam tried to wait patiently, give her the chance to speak first, but he was realizing that it was him that needed to make the first move.
“Sara. I’m sorry about your friend. But we need to get your things, and we need to go.”
This only caused more sobs to shake her body.
“If you can just tell me what you want I can go in and get it for you.” Sam offered. She shook her head, took a trembling deep breath, and got out of the car. The boys followed her back into the apartment and waited patiently as she packed what she could into a duffle and suitcase. Dean carried her things to the car and Sam stood with her as she took a moment to gather herself.
Dean had made it back up to the apartment and Sara still stood in the same place, looking out her living room window, out onto the city, with the mountains shadowing behind it.
“I picked this place because of this view… I always thought the mountains were beautiful.”
“Sara, we really need to go.” Sam encouraged her softly.
“Yeah. I know.” She said weakly.
She turned and picked up a stack of pictures she pulled out and set aside. Pictures of her friends, her coworkers. Pieces of her life that demons could use against her. She wanted to protect them all. She wished she had protected Anna. She dumped them in the metal waste basket, and lit a match. Dropping it into the basket and watching her life burn. Then she looked up to Sam and Dean. She knew that she would be stuck spending a lot of time with the two of them, that they would be in close quarters, and that would have to learn to be part of a pack instead of the lone wolf she had always loved being.
But what other choice did she have? So she sucked up her tears and rolled her shoulders, stepping away from the small fire.
Reader gets a shock when a stranger on a plane shows her a little kindness on a bad day.
Word Count: 6400
Would love for any other writers to jump on and help me navigate tumblr, I’ve only used fanfiction in the past, let me know if I’m totally screwing this up over here!
“I don’t understand… I-I have my ticket?” You repeated yet again to the flight attendant as you stood in the isle of the plane while everyone loaded.
“Yes ma’am, I’m aware. Apparently, there was a glitch in the system and the same seat was booked twice. Once for you, and once for the gentlemen who’s currently seated with his friends.”
You looked up to the group of frat boys, sighing as you realized winning this battle would be just as worse of a punishment as losing it would be, anywhere else on the plane would be better than being the girl who forced their friend away.
“Is there anywhere else I can sit?” You asked with a polite smile. The last thing you wanted to do was get off of this damn plane when you worked so hard to force yourself to get on it. You knew if you got back off, there was a chance you’d call him.
You’d cave.
You’d go back.
You couldn’t let that happen, because fuck him. He doesn’t get to choose for you anymore.
“We’re gonna finish boarding everyone back here, but I think we may be able to place you in first class. We had a cancellation at the last minute.”
“Okay, thank you.” You breathed. You waited about 10 more minutes standing awkwardly at the attendant’s area until she came back for you.
“This way please.” She smiled wide. “We found a great spot for you, it is however the window. If you don’t mind?”
“No that’s fine. Anything is fine.”
“Okay, follow me then!”
You followed her to the front of the plane, sitting in the 3rd row of seats to the window against the left side of the plane. You smiled when you realized the seat next to you was empty. First class was much nicer, only two seats but the same space as the 3 seat isles, so you could breathe your own air. You preferred the isle because you get claustrophobic, you’re already terrified of planes, and you were still on edge from the dramatic break up that took place only hours ago.
You were a mess.
Anxious. Sad. Angry.
Messy bun and scrub pants, and your favorite old hoodie on in between.
Your make up was left over, and thank you Jesus for lash extensions because without them you’d look like a chronically ill person. They were the only thing giving your face some dimension right now as they contrasted with your eye color.
You sat back and closed your eyes. Angry that you had forgotten your ear buds and had taken the last of your anxiety medication on the plane ride up here.
You tried to make your mind wander as you listened to the flight attendants move about and make final preparations, but just as you were sure it was time to close up and start the safety speech someone came jogging up the aisle.
A tall man in a black cap, black jacket, and blue jeans rushed to the seat beside you. You instantly turned to face the window, not wanting to make conversation. It was obvious as he slightly huffed to catch his breath that he had almost missed the flight and was probably running through the airport from God knows where.
He settled in quietly and you could barely see him glance at you from your peripheral vision as he placed his ear buds in and the flight attendants began their speech now that all the doors were closed.
The plane began to make its way down the runway and the engine got louder and louder.
THIS was why you HAD to have your earbuds, or ear plugs, or anything to help reduce the noise. For some reason every groan of the engines and clicking noise convinced you that the engine was going to fail and you’d fall out of the sky to your death.
It was loud and overwhelming and you tried to force yourself to take deep breaths as the plane increased in speed. The wheel bumped against something on the ground and shook the cabin, you instantly reached over and grabbed the arm rests, except one of them was occupied and you grabbed a hand by mistake.
“Whoa, you okay sweetheart?” The man asked taking his ear bud out as you pulled your hand back after shortly making contact with him.
“Sorry.” You barely breathed out as you forced yourself to push air in and out of your lungs. Biting down on your lip as the wheels lifted and the plane lifted into the air.
“It’s okay, almost over.” He said as he reached down and grabbed your hand, letting you squeeze his far too hard as he rubbed his thumb in circles.
Finally, the plane became slightly calmer and more level, and you were finding yourself able to take in one solid deep breath as you opened your eyes.
“You good now?” He asked gently.
“Yes. I’m so, so sorry!” You sighed as you turned to look at him, pulling your hand away slowly as he released you. You thought you were as embarrassed as you possibly could be forcing a stranger to hold your hand because you’re a chicken shit, but no.
Oh no.
It gets so much better.
“Oh… my.” You stuttered as you finally looked up to his face. “Yo-you’re Jensen Ackles.”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “That’s what my passport says.”
You looked at him, still slightly stunned as he looked back. Then you slightly leaned forward and pressed your fingers against your head as you began to laugh quietly, a sudden case of the giggles finding its way to you at the absolute worse time- now he definitely thinks you’re crazy.
“Uhhh… I don’t know if I should be insulted or not.” He mused.
“Oh. I-I am. I’m so sorry. It just…” You threw your hands up slightly. “God obviously has a sense of humor.”
Jensen stared at you with a funny look on his face before he lifted his hand to get the attention of the attendant not far from him, you watched in horror. Convinced he was going to ask for a new seat and you had hit an entirely new low in your life.
“Excuse me, can we get two jack and cokes? On my tab please.” He smiled, she nodded and he thanked her.
“What are you doing?” You asked curiously.
“Well. I’m buying you a drink, and then you’re going to tell me about God’s sense of humor.”
“That’s basically my life in one catchphrase.” You smirked.
“Well sweetheart we got about 4 hours left.” He challenged. “You obviously know my name, what’s yours?”
“(Y/N). (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”
“Well (Y/N), it’s nice to meet you formally. I’m Jensen.”
“Oh, I’ve met you before.” You teased, unsure of where this confident humor was coming from since you’d been sulking or crying for the last 12 hours.
“Oh, so we’re old friends?” Jensen smiled as your drinks arrived. He pulled down his tray and set them both there in front of him. He nodded to yours as he picked his up for a swig.
“Oh no, not at all.” You said taking a small sip. “You were meeting hundreds of people that day, I probably blended into the background of your memory.”
“I find that hard to believe.” He challenged and you blushed.
“To be fair, I wasn’t acting like a lunatic that day so I may not have made the impression I’ve made today.”
“I don’t think you’re a lunatic, (Y/N). I think you’re upset. I think you need a drink and a chance to get whatever is in your head out in the open.”
You looked down and twisted your hands back and forth in your lap. Debating on just ripping the wound wide open and definitely letting him think you were a lunatic or airing on the side of caution.
“It was a con, I bet.” He mumbled while he waited for you to weigh out his offer.
“It was.” You chuckled. “I got a photo-op and an autograph, nothing spectacular on my part, but man you were the highlight of my day.”
You shook your head back and forth and leaned back against your seat as you took another sip.
“Well, so far you’ve been the highlight of mine. Today sucked.”
“I’m sorry.” You said honestly as you gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m glad I could make it interesting.”
“I’m glad I could show you God’s sense of humor, how was that again?”
You sighed and smiled up to him.
“I am… a fucking mess right now.” You said plainly. Taking another drink before you started, letting the alcohol drop your guard a little. “I jumped on this plane to run away from my problems. I’m terrified of flying. I’m out of my meds that I usually taken when I have to fly. I left half of my shit in the hurry to pack, so I have no ear buds which is why we’re having this conversation now. I am wearing scrub pants because to be honest that’s all I ever wear, even when I’m not working- sue me. They’re easy to clean. I haven’t brushed my hair in a day, and I’m sure I’m only wearing make up on one half of either of my eyes. So yes… to sit beside Jensen Ackles on a plane, today of ALL days. Is God’s sense of humor.”
You threw back the last of your drink before setting the glass bottoms up on his tray table.
“Although, between you and the frat boys who would have hated me in coach, this is definitely the better option.”
“Yeah, how did you end up here anyways? I always book both seats and cancel one at the very last minute so I don’t have to sit with anyone. I was sure I had the wrong seat at first, but I double checked and here I was. Well technically, I was by the window. But I’m not picky.” He smiled.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” You said feeling bad now that you’ve invaded his space.
“No- no don’t. I’m glad you’re here. These 4 hours are going to fly by.”
“Haha, cheesy plane jokes.” You rolled your eyes as you tried to hide the stupid grin plastered on your face. “They double booked my seat, and the guy who’s in it is one of about six frat guys all sitting together. The flight attendant took pity on me and offered me the last minute cancellation.”
“Lucky you.” Jensen winked.
“Yes. Any other day, lucky me.”
Jensen called for 2 more drinks as he drank the last of his as well.
“So what are you running from?”
“Uhhhh… I just left my fiancé about oh… 7 hours ago. On the day of his sister’s wedding.”
“Wow.” Jensen nodded.
“Yeah. Uh. Kinda hard to stick it out when you find him fucking the maid of honor in the bathroom, but… It was a long time coming anyways. I think I tried to ignore all the flags, and God’s sense of humor gave me one I couldn’t ignore.”
“So you think he had been unfaithful before too?”
“Probably, but it wasn’t just that. It was the controlling everything in my life that started to suffocate me. I mean. When we first started dating it was so nice to have someone order for me and surprise me at dinner or push me to try something new. It was nice to have someone else drive everywhere. It was romantic to let him make plans for us.”
“But…” Jensen pushed, glad he was finally getting you to open up a little.
“When we got engaged, it was like a whole new level. As soon as I said yes he started pushing. First it was how we were going to tell everyone and who I was going to call first. I wanted to call my mom, but instead we made a surprise appearance at his parent’s dinner party so they could be the first ones to know. They put it on Facebook before I ever even got to call my mom.”
“Ouch. That one was a tough one I’m sure.”
“Not really. My mom was very understanding, which made me feel worse.” You shrugged as your second round of drinks arrived and you reached for yours with a small ‘thanks’.
“How long were you together?”
“Together almost 4 years, engaged about a year and half of that. We were trying to plan the wedding, but he shot down everything I’ve asked or picked out so it wasn’t getting us very far, although I guess I should be thankful for that now.”
“Yeah, but. It’s okay if you’re not.”
You looked up to him, kind of surprised that he wasn’t chanting some new single life mantra. Jensen had always come off as happy go lucky, and upbeat. You were betting on him to be the kind that cheered you on with a ‘fuck him’ and a ‘you deserve so much more’ blah blah blahh…
“It’s okay if you miss him.” Jensen said softly. “It’s okay if you second guess this. If you get scared and wonder if you made the right choice by leaving and not trying to work it out.”
You continued to stare at him, slightly dumfounded.
“It’s okay to feel like you’re going to mourn that part of your life. I mean… you’re what. 25? 4 years is a long time in your 20s. It’s a lot of changes and growth in that period of time, and it’s okay if you are sad about losing someone who was there for so much of it.”
“Why do you make it sound so normal?” You whispered.
“Because it is normal, (Y/N).” He assured you. “It’s normal to miss someone even if they were shitty. It’s normal to grieve the things you lost, even if they were things that hadn’t happened yet. You can still be happy to get away from such a terrible person, but miss everything you had.”
You looked away from him and out the window, trying to force the tears at the brim of your eyes to go back in. You did NOT want to cry in front of this man.
“Also- fuck him. You will be so better off without him.” Jensen then said with a cheery smile which made you turn back to him and giggle slightly.
“Yeah. I think you’re right about that.”
“So was the rock big?” He asked as he bounced his eyebrows.
“Yes. It’s huge actually.” You said as you fished it out of your pocket and held it up to him. He let out a low whistle.
“Well I just so happen to know that by law he cannot ask for this back, it was a gift. Any lawyer will side with you, and you should cash that baby in for a vacation you actually want to go on.”
“That, actually sounds amazing.” You smiled as you took another small sip.
“Where would you go?”
“Probably somewhere in the mountains. Don’t get me wrong, the beach is fun. The ocean and the sand, I love it. But it’s the only place we’ve vacationed in years, he had no interest in the mountains. I wanna wake up, look outside and see snowcaps and ridges for miles. Cold air and warm blankets. Fire place at night, stars brighter than I ever get to see back home.”
“Well then it sounds like you’ve got a vacation to book. I actually have a trip booked to Colorado in the next few months… maybe, uh. We can bump into each other and I’ll buy you another drink.”
“Oh that is sweet of you, but you are totally not obligated to take pity on the sloppy woman who stole your seat on the plane.” You assured him, looking down at your feet as you spoke.
“Did this asshole also tell you that you had to be put together to be beautiful? Because if he did he’s an even bigger shit bag. If I was taking pity on you, I’d offer you the extra pair of ear buds out of my bag and order another drink for myself.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about me, Ackles. Why would you wanna do something like that? I could be crazy… I mean. More crazy then I’ve already displayed myself to be.”
“Because.” He chuckled. “You’re real. You’re not trying to impress me or show off. You’re not terrified to hold conversation, and I’m pretty sure God shared his sense of humor with you- that is sexy as hell. On your worst day you’ve turned mine around. So, I’d love to see what you got for me on a good day.”
You sat back and blushed, chewing on your lip slightly, trying to figure out if you had passed out in the airport and are currently having some vivid dream. Before you could reply, Jensen reached over and pinched you.
“Ow, what was that for?!”
“You’re not dreaming, (Y/N). This is not in your head. This is God’s sense of humor playing out to your favor… at least I hope you see it that way.”
“Well I didn’t spend 300 bucks for a photo op not to be a little shell shocked when Jensen Ackles asks me for a drink in the mountains…” You countered with a coy grin.
“Good. Consider it a date. We’re going the last weekend of September.”
“Should I just search the whole state for you?”
“No.” He laughed. “We’re gonna be in Breckenridge.”
“Okay… Breckenridge. Last weekend of September.” You nodded. He smiled back. “So why did you have a bad day today?”
“No way. I’m not complaining about my day after hearing about yours.” He shook his head.
“C’mon… you let me vent. Bought me liquor. Let me steal your seat- which had I known, I would have definitely taken the aisle because I’m claustrophobic as hell.”
“You think you’d be more comfortable if we swapped?”
“Actually… I’m not feeling so claustrophobic at the moment. Just. Warm and fuzzy.” You winked. He smiled back and bit down on his bottom lip. You swore you could have died in that exact moment and been happy on your way to the pearly gates. “Tell me about your day, Ackles.”
“Well.” He sighed. “I had to fly up for a funeral… old friend from school.”
“Jensen I’m so sorry.” You said reaching out and placing your hand on his instinctively. Many years in the hospital had taught you that death and dying sometimes just required a supportive touch, and you were quite accustomed to hugging and hand holding for family members as they grieved.
“It’s okay, he had been sick a long time. He’s not suffering, he’s at peace. He was loved, and that’s all any of us really want to have at the end of the day, right?”
“Yeah. It is. He must have been a great person to be important to you. You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who makes friends with assholes.”
“No, just crazy girls on a planes.” He teased. You let go of his hand to slightly shove him, but he quickly reached for it again. Your whole body felt a warm flush. “He was a great guy, we played ball together growing up. I feel bad, we lost touch for quite a while… just. Life got busy ya know?”
“That’s not your fault. That’s part of growing up.”
“I kept saying I was gonna fly in and visit with him, but… I waited to long. So today was the closest I got to being able to do that. I’m thankful for phones and stuff though, at least we got time to catch up from a distance.”
“I’m sure that meant a lot to him too, he probably knew your life was chaos right now with filming the show and everything. To know that you still thought of him, and made the time to talk to him. Even if it wasn’t in person. I’m sure that left an impact on him and his family.”
“Thanks, I hope so.” He sighed and then turned, obviously ready to change topics. “So, tell me something you’ve never said out loud.”
You pursed your lips as your eyes narrowed on him slightly, trying to decide if you should really let yourself get this vulnerable with Jensen Ackles of all people.
“I would probably let Sam Elliot tap this ass even when he’s 95 and can’t get it up.”
At that Jensen burst out in laughter, and you swore that you could never get tired of hearing that sound. He caught his breath, and turned to you.
“You are not the typical woman, are you?”
“Not so much.” You shrugged. “Or you’ve gotten me slightly drunk and I’ve made a fool of myself so far, not much worse I can do.”
“I’d cop a feel on Betty White purely to say I got to touch em.” Jensen countered. You gave him a look of mock surprise.
“Sir, how distasteful and absolutely attractive of you… I second that.” You said tapping your glass against his as you both took another small drink. “Okay. Honest answer. I know people say all the time that they would do everything the same, that things happen for a reason or whatever. But… there are things I would change. If I could go back, I’d never waste all the time I could have used for better things. I would have travelled more. I would have worked harder in school to avoid loans.”
“Call me crazy, but I’m glad you can’t because then I would have had an extremely sad plane ride home.”
“You never know… you may have met someone else. Someone pretty and fun to distract you.”
“I did meet someone pretty and fun, even if she is a little sad herself.”
You locked your eyes on his and you both sat there for a few seconds longer than necessary. Like you were really seeing each other for the first time.
“What about you, Ackles. Tell me something no one knows about the man who plays the great Dean Winchester.”
“Okay…” He took in a deep breath. “Dean and I have a few things in common. One of those being that all that cocky flirting is more of a front for a guy who struggles to accept that he deserves good things, wonders if he’s doing enough with his life.”
You tipped your head to the side slightly. Shocked to hear such an honest and vulnerable confession from him. You expected it to be a dirty secret from his time in Hollywood or something.
“What?” He asked, suddenly a little nervous as he tapped his foot and readjusted himself.
“You.”
“Me?”
“You honestly don’t understand how much you mean to people do you?” You said with a soft smile. “At that Con, there were so many people who were meeting you for the first time. All I could hear all day long was how nice you were to them, how you treated them like a real person, how you made them feel like you WANTED to be there with them. For some of them it was the highlight of their entire year… You made a difference to them. Not Dean- you. And those are just the strangers you met, listening to Jared or Misha or anyone else talk about how you treat people on set. How you show the upmost respect for any woman in a compromising scene. The way you protect Jared, take care of him. He’s honest enough with the fans that we all know he struggles. We all know that you love him, and that you obviously take care of the people you love. YOU Jensen, deserve good because you give good.”
“You hardly know me.” He shrugged.
“I know enough.” You countered. “You have done nothing but treat me much better than I deserve today. You will be the only reason I’ve smiled in the last 24 hours.”
“Thank you. For all of that…” He paused. “Man, this ex of yours must be a real dumbass to push around someone like you. Can I be honest with you for a moment, and you not get offended?”
“Sure.”
“From what little interaction we’ve had, I am honestly shocked you put up with someone pushing you around for so long. Let someone else make your decisions for you. You just don’t seem like the kind of woman who let’s anyone tell her what she can or can’t do. How the hell did he get you? And how did he manage to keep you for so damn long?”
You looked down to your lap again, chewing on your lip.
“Hey, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have.” He said noting the way you shut down almost immediately.
“We’re being honest right?” You said looking up to him. “No judgements?”
“No judgement… just a guy and a girl on a plane having a conversation. Call it Vegas, what’s said here, stays here.”
“I’m terrified of being alone.” You admitted quietly, a tear threatening to make its way down your face. You coughed to push the strain out of your voice before you continued. “He was so invested in me. He came into my life at a time when I didn’t have a lot of people, and he made himself present in every aspect I needed someone to be. I needed someone to be there when I was going through school and having a hard time, or help with rent when school required more time and my job fired me. I needed someone to force me out of the house, to make me call and speak to my friends and family when I hid myself in this box because I was too far in my own head to get out. It sounds so pathetic, and I hate it.” Your voice cracked for a minute and Jensen reached out and laced his fingers in yours again. “But I have no idea how to be alone, I forced myself to get on this plane because I knew I’d talk myself out of leaving him purely because I’m scared. I’m scared to go home alone.”
You avoided looking up, terrified to see the look on his face. He probably got way more than he bargained for there and surely he’ll be rescheduling his vacation now so that he doesn’t have to deal with you after today. You can’t blame him. He probably thinks you’re going to attach yourself to him now, what a nightmare that would be… the awkward silence was suffocating all of a sudden.
“You are probably the bravest person I’ve met.” He said after a few seconds longer. You looked up to him like he was the crazy one. He reached up and wiped the stray tear that fell down your face. “Oh, I’m serious. I mean, the fact that you’re on this plane. Means that you just looked your fear in the face and told it to fuck off. It means you realized you deserved more, and you went for it. That takes guts, sweetheart. If no one else on the planet will ever know that, and tell you how proud they are- then I will. Because I’m damn proud of you.”
“Well at least someone is.” You sighed as you leaned against his shoulder, surprising even yourself at the move. You were even more surprised when he let go of you and reached down, pushing up the arm rest that separated the two of you, then he swung his arm over your shoulders and let his thumb trace against your arm.
It was the single most comforting thing you’d felt in months.
“You know, you’re not sad or pathetic. He probably did love you, at some point. How could he not?” You looked up to him and rolled your eyes but couldn’t hide the smile that graced your face without your permission. “I’m serious, (Y/N). It’s not sad and I doubt you were getting played from the start. He probably fell in love with you, and who you were as a person. But I also think he recognized that fear in you, and eventually started to use it to his advantage… and that’s not love. He probably ended up cheating because even though he no longer loved you, he knew he could always control you and that part of him wasn’t going to let you leave.”
“Jensen Ackles… actor, director, singer, and now certified therapist for crazy women on planes.” You joked with a smirk. He replied with a classic Dean Winchester smile and you lost the ability to breathe for a moment.
“I just can’t stand the thought of you getting off of this plane feeling defeated, because you should feel so proud of yourself. You shouldn’t go home dwelling on how you wasted all those years. I think he loved you for some of those years, and he obviously helped you through some hard times. It wasn’t a waste, but it just wasn’t what you needed any longer. You need to know you can stand on your own two feet and the world won’t end, because I promise sweetheart it won’t.”
Just as you went to reply the plane began to move unnaturally and you placed a death grip on Jensen’s knee, your other hand reaching up for his as he held you a little tighter.
“We’re okay. It’s just turbulence.” He said softly as your breathing increased and you closed your eyes once again.
“Ladies and Gentlemen.” The captain came over the speaker “We’re hitting a bit of rough patch, we’re going to be out of it shortly as we descend a few hundred feet to get below the storm, please remain seated and fasten your seat belts.”
You and Jensen separated slightly as you both refastened your seatbelts and the attendant came by to gather your empty drinks.
“You okay?” He asked as you both settled again and he placed his hand on your knee this time. He flipped over his palm to face up and you took the hint and wrapped both of your hands around his.
“Yeah.” You sighed. “No more jokes about the world ending while we’re this high up off the ground.”
Jensen chuckled and nodded.
“That’s fair. You don’t fly much do you?”
“No… the flight to the wedding was actually my first one in years. I had one back in highschool, but it was a nightmare.”
“What happened?”
“Turbulence.” You said with eyebrows raised as you looked at him accusingly. He smiled. “It was horrible, it went on for over an hour, they dropped the oxygen masks at one point and everything. I was sure that was it. I never got back on one after that, but my ex insisted that we fly instead of driving because he didn’t want to ‘look tired’ in the wedding photos.”
“You’re facing all kinds of fears today, aren’t you?”
“You must feel much better about yourself after all this. Knowing that you have so much going for you. That you don’t let things like this scare you.”
“There are plenty of things that scare me.”
“Name one.”
“Not being able to be myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean… there are so many people who have an image in their head of who I am. What I’m like… and I don’t want to disappoint them, be less than they see. Let them down. Fans. Friends, family. I’m scared I won’t measure up if people really knew me.”
“So you’re facing a fear today too then, huh?” You asked.
“Yeah. I guess I am… are you disappointed?”
“The exact opposite, actually. Even if you didn’t tell me I was pretty and ask me for a drink… you were kind. You treated me like a friend, you’re funny, and damn you look better in person than on TV and I didn’t think that was possible.”
He chuckled to himself and blushed.
“Sorry… alcohol kills my head to mouth filter.”
“I like it that way. Unfiltered. Real… that’s the way you should always be around the people you love. If they can’t love you for who you are without the filters then fuck ‘em.”
“Take your own advice there, Jens.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Easier to say it than to do it.”
“You’re doing pretty well so far.”
“You make it easy, ya know? I don’t feel like I have to fake it around you. I don’t have to be the person you thought I was before we got on this plane.”
“I’m a people person.” You shrugged. “Comes with the job.”
“What do you do? The scrubs… I’m guessing medical field?”
“I’m a nurse.” You smiled.
“In the words of Dean Winchester… Respectable.” He nodded, you laughed at the reference to the show.
“Haha, I always did love that they married you off to a nurse.”
“You work in a hospital?”
“Yep. Cardiac, I can mend a broken heart.” You joked.
“Good to know.” Jensen nodded. The plane shook again. “I’m guessing all this stress isn’t doing that heart of yours any good, huh?”
“Probably no worse than the amount of caffeine I’ve had in the last 24 hours.”
“I always heard nurses make the worst patients.”
“Facts, Ackles. That’s shamelessly true. It’s because we see everything that can go wrong, we don’t want to know what’s gonna kill us.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Yeah well.” You shrugged. “Sometimes I think we get calloused to minor things, unless someone is gushing blood or stops breathing then it can wait. Including ourselves.”
“I’m storing that knowledge for the future when I have to drag you kicking and screaming to a doctor’s office.”
“Future knowledge, huh?” You asked with a smile you couldn’t hide.
“You never know. The next few months will be big for you, lots of change. I don’t wanna disrupt your healing process here, but uh. I’m definitely looking forward to Colorado now.”
“Yeah, I’ll be booking that as soon as I get home.” You grinned. “I wouldn’t mind having a friend to check in with every once in a while, if he’s not too busy.”
“I think he could make time for that.”
You reached down into your bag, pulling a piece of paper out and using the pen from the back of the seat in front of you to jot down your number, you slid it over to him and he bit down on his lip as he slid it into his pocket.
“One more hour, Ackles. What do you wanna know?” You said as you glanced at the watch on his wrist.
“I wanna know whether or not your ex is going to come home and screw with you, did you guys share an apartment or anything?”
“Rent house. In his name, nothing is in my name actually. Control freak remember?”
“You have somewhere to go?”
“I’ll probably crash with my sister until I get an apartment. Gonna have to find one that takes dogs, because I’m not going without Sketti.”
“Sketti?” Jensen asked skeptically.
“Yes. Sketti. My niece couldn’t say spaghetti and when he was just a baby she ran around yelling sketti and he just seemed to think she was talking to him, so that’s what I named him.”
“What is he?” He smiled.
“Golden Retriever. Big ole derp, but he’s my best friend.”
“Sounds like the start to a great support system. I’m glad you got that part figured out. You got your own car?”
“Yes. That was one thing I didn’t cave on, I wanted to buy something for myself after graduation. It’s not much but it’s mine.”
“That’s all that matters, sweetheart. Just want to make sure there’s nothing he can hold over you.”
“Other than some drunken escapades in Cabo, not really.” You muttered shyly.
“That’s going to have to be our story for next time.” Jensen said with a coy grin.
The two of you continued to talk for the next several minutes, until it came time to land and you closed your eyes and let Jensen distract you with a funny story about Jared from set. Once the wheels hit ground and you finally rolled to a stop, you found yourself almost sad the plane had landed.
“Shall we?” He asked as he stood and reached out his hand to help you out of your seat, following you down the isle and through the ramp to the crowded airport in Dallas.
“Well, you got a ride picking you up?” He asked as the two of you walked slowly.
“I wish. 2 hour layover, and then one more short flight home.” You smiled.
“I guess this is where I leave you then.” He said as he stood in front of you. He pulled his backpack around and began digging through a pocket. First, he pulled something small out and held it in his hand as he zipped open the larger compartment. You were confused as he pulled out an old Cowboys hoodie and looked up to you with a smile.
“For your next flight.” He said as he held out some earbuds. You smiled widely as you accepted them with a chuckle. Then he pushed the hoodie towards you.
“Jensen, I can’t. This looks important to you.” You said as you ran your hand across it, it was clearly well worn and soft. A few frayed edges telling you he’s had it for quite some time.
“It is.” He nodded. “Got me through some hard days. You’ll need more than me for a while.”
“Jensen.” You said softly as you blushed.
“I’ll get it back in a few months.” He winked. You took it from him and wrapped your arms around it.
“Thank you, for this, for the plane… everything. I don’t feel so afraid to go home now.”
“Thanks for letting me just be myself for a while.”
“Anytime, Ackles.” You grinned. “Hey. Don’t go meeting any crazy girls on a plane between now and September.”
“Met my crazy girl quota for the year already.” He teased as he leaned forward and kissed your cheek. You lost your breath for a moment as he pulled back. He walked away but threw a glance over his shoulder at you before disappearing into the crowd.
“Dammit, Ackles.” You sighed as you walked in the opposite direction, a permanent smile on your face.
Your best friend Dean Winchester knows something isn’t right. He knows the signs, and he’s desperate for you to come clean with him. His desire to protect you and your desire to not need to be rescued seem to land you in a mess.
Thank you to @luci-in-trenchcoats for sharing her talent and pushing me to expand my writing. Your stories bring Dean Winchester back to life, and I’m so thankful to love him in new ways.
“Hey” Dean smiled to you. You looked over your shoulder and smiled back as he walked around the bar and came to stand in front of you. “You get started without me?”
You smirked as you watched him throw a towel over his shoulder and lean against the bar using his hands. You spent many a nights in the same seat. Staring at your best friend while he wooed the women, comforted the hurt, and tossed the assholes. Dean was one hell of a bartender, but he was an even better person. He had a no tolerance rule for guys getting handsy on women in his bar.
In the 4 years you’ve known him you couldn’t count the amount of times he called his brother, Sam, to come and make sure the women got home safe. Sam had moved up from street cop to detective pretty quickly, but he always came when Dean called and made sure everyone was safe, bad guy behind bars, the whole hero complex must have been engrained into them both from a very young age.
“I only had one so far.”
“Benny get you taken care of?”
“He always does, seems like he can spot a big tipper from a mile away.” You winked.
“Yeah, well when you drink for free its only common courtesy to tip the bar back.”
“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite friend?”
Dean chuckled and shook his head.
“You don’t have to do that Dean. You know I’m expecting it. Ever.”
“Yeah well, having a nurse for a friend comes in handy. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. Tough shift today?”
You looked up to him curiously.
“You just seem… off. That’s all.” He gave a small smile as he leaned down closer.
“Yeah. Long day. People live, people die.”
He reached out for your hand and you flinched unwillingly as he grabbed it softly. He pulled back and looked at you concerned.
“Sorry, I uh. I just wasn’t paying attention.” You lied quickly, forcing a small laugh, pulling your hands in your lap until you could stop them from shaking.
Dean stared at you for a minute longer, then went to speak.
“I uh, I should get home. David is gonna be home in an hour and I haven’t even started on dinner.”
“(Y/N)… you sure you should be driving?” Dean asked hesitantly.
“It was only one drink, De. I’ve eaten today. I’m fine.”
“Then why are you shaking?” He asked you pointedly. The panic creeped up your throat as you could tell he was reading your signals, like he always does.
It’s been harder and harder to keep it from him. You don’t answer the phone when he calls. You don’t go out with your friends for middle of the night breakfast after the bar closes down. You haven’t worn a dress or a tank top in weeks, despite it being middle of the summer.
Even in your scrubs you always make sure to wear something long sleeve underneath.
“Just cold, Dean.”
“In July?”
“Dean. Stop.” You sighed as you stood and fidgeted with your sleeves, putting your phone down in your scrub pocket and grabbing your keys.
“(Y/N) please. Whatever it is you can tell me, you know that sweetheart. You’ve been dodging me for weeks… I just want to help.”
“I’m fine, Dean. I’ve told you that a hundred times. I’ll see you this weekend, okay? Love you.” You said too quick as you leaned across the bar and pecked his cheek.
“Love you too.” Dean sighed as he watched you walk out the door. He sighed and threw down the towel in his hand.
“You need to call Sam.” Benny said as he slowly walked up beside him, drying glasses to busy his hands. “You and I both know what this looks like, just get a squad car to go by, fake noise complaint from the neighbors. He’ll do it for (Y/N) no questions asked.”
“I know he will… he already did. I called him a month ago when she refused to take off her Jacket even though we were all sweating balls that night.”
“And?”
“Nothing came of it. David answered the door, typical narcissistic bullshit. She didn’t come in for a week after that… no telling what he did or said. I can’t put her in that position again until I know how far this has gone already.”
“Too far.”
“You think I don’t know that, Benny? I can’t… I can’t sleep at night. I just can’t barge in there without proof or her coming clean. I just. I don’t know why she thinks she can’t tell me. I mean, she knows I would never let him touch her again.”
“I don’t know. But everyone else is starting to ask questions, Sam obviously knows. It’s only a matter of time before someone else breaks the ice on this.”
“Well maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. You think you could get Donna to take her out? See if she’ll talk about it?”
“Worth a shot.”
THREE DAYS LATER
“Oh I needed this.” You sighed as your feet slipped into the hot water and the massage chair pushed up and down your back.
“I know, we haven’t had a mani-pedi date in forever. I feel like I haven’t seen you much lately.”
“Yeah, I just uh. Been working a lot of overtime with all the staffing issues at the hospital, ya know?”
“Yeah. I heard it’s been rough. How are things with David? You guys seem serious.”
“Good.” You smiled as if it was an automatic conditioned response. Donna noticed and her eyes changed for a minute. “I mean we’re. Just… kinda in that phase where we want to be together all the time. Ya know?”
“Yeah. I remember that phase. I know I’ve never felt safer than with Benny. I know that sounds silly coming from a girl who carries a gun and a badge. But even cops need a safe space at home, ya know?”
“Yeah. I do.” You sighed slightly. Tugging at your sleeves nervously. “So what are we doing for lunch?”
You were hoping the change in subjects would pull Donna off the trail.
You were so tired of cutting people out of your life to keep your business hidden. They wouldn’t understand… how embarrassing. To have to admit to the strongest people you know that YOU are the weak link amongst them.
They’re probably just better off if I go, you thought to yourself.
“I had fun today, let’s not wait so long again.” Donna said as she moved to hug you. You were hesitant, but returned it. For some reason you just didn’t want to pull away. You felt safe in her arms, like you could take a deep breath for the first time in forever. Your eyes watered and you knew then you had to pull away or she’d start asking questions.
“Yeah. Definitely.” You said as you pulled away, crossing your arms.
“(Y/N) why don’t you and David come to family dinner Sunday night? The gang really misses you.”
“Yeah. I think that would be fine.”
“So what’s the verdict?” Benny asked as soon as Donna walked into the bar. Dean didn’t miss the look on her face as she sat down across from them both.
“He’s hurting her. No doubt in my mind. She dodged it so well, but I got her to let the wall down for just a second or two.”
Dean ran his hand over his face. Tapping his foot anxiously.
“Dean.” Donna said catching his attention. “You gotta get her to talk to you. It’s gotta be you, just. Get her alone, hold her. She’ll crack like an egg. She damn near did today in a parking lot.”
“Yeah well that’s the problem, I can’t. She doesn’t answer my calls unless she’s out of the house. She texts, but its not the same. I can tell. She only comes to the bar during open hours, doesn’t stay late anymore. I’m sure that’s his doing. I’m gonna rip his lungs out.”
“No you’re not. You’re going to get her to talk, and then you’re gonna let Sam do what he does best and ruin that bastard’s life.”
“Or I could just kill him.” Dean shrugged.
“Dean.” Benny groaned. “Please don’t make Donna testify, you gotta wait till she leaves. THEN we can plan a murder.”
Dean turned to face Benny who had an encouraging smile on his face.
“I asked them both to come to family dinner, maybe. Maybe we can separate them for a few minutes.” Donna suggested.
“I’m sorry. Did you not hear the part where I just said I will certainly cease his ability to breathe?” Dean asked. “You really want to put me in a room with him?”
“Yes. Because you can keep your shit together for (Y/N). Now I’m leaving before I hear anything else incriminating.”
“Thanks darling.” Benny said as he kissed her sweetly.
“Yeah. Thanks, Donna.”
“I’m sorry.” You barely whispered, shivering against the wall as he continued to smash things on the bathroom counter. Your hands held a death grip on your towel, wet hair dripping down your back.
“I mean I asked you three times this week to clean this fucking bathroom!” David yelled as he turned back towards you, throwing a wet rag at your face. “I’m so sick of living with your fucking filth.”
“I-I worked late every day this week, and I just… I wanted to just rest today. I’m so sorry. I’ll clean it. I promise.”
“THIS. This is why your friends don’t come over anymore. You disgust them.”
“Please stop.” You whispered.
“Why do you think they barely talk to you anymore? Don’t beg to see you… they don’t fucking care.”
“I know.”
“I care.” David said much softer. He walked up and held your face with his hands. “I’m the only one who really loves you (Y/N). But you can’t do one simple thing for me? Why can’t you see how much that hurts me?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll be better. I promise.” You said as he leaned in and kissed you, first it was soft but then it became demanding. You tried to pull away but he bit your lip when you pulled too far and a metallic taste tainted the kiss.
“Clean yourself up. You’re a fucking mess.”
An hour later you were dressed, scrubbing every inch of the bathroom while David was passed out drunk on the couch. Crying as you pushed the scrubber across every inch of the tile.
Your phone vibrated against the counter and made you jump. You took a deep breath and grabbed it, not even seeing the name on the caller ID.
“Hello?” You tried to say calmly.
“(Y/N)?” Dean’s voice hit your ears and the overwhelming urge to release all of the bullshit you’d been holding back slammed into you. You went to bite your lip, but it was too tender so instead you held your hand over your mouth to silence a sob. “(Y/N) sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
Dean knew you.
Dean knew you so well he knew no response was a response, and it wasn’t a good one.
“I’m fine.” You sniffled as quietly as possible.
“No you’re not. Where are you?”
“I’m home.” You whispered.
“I’m pulling up out front in five minutes.” He said sternly.
“Dean no. Please.” You whined, unable to hide the rasp in your voice.
“(Y/N) can you get outside? Meet me out front a few houses down?”
“Just for a minute, okay?”
“Okay. I’ll be there soon, sweetheart.”
You hung up the phone and stood, trying to use a cool rag to decrease the redness on your face. Grabbing one of Dean’s hoodies he had leant you and putting it on over your t-shirt. David had no idea it belonged to Dean. He had asked once, and you lied saying it was yours from college.
You didn’t even bother brushing your hair. Dean had seen your hungover, hangry, sick, and he had even seen you cry a handful of times over the years. He wasn’t someone you had to impress. You were just trying to do some damage control on the level of worry he would have if you walked out looking like this. You gave up knowing it wasn’t going to get any better and quietly walked out the front door. Your shorts left your legs exposed to the cold air and your slippers did their best to warm your feet. You crossed your arms as you walked down the block just a bit to the black impala with Dean leaned against the trunk.
You wanted nothing more than to get in this car with him, and never come back.
But you couldn’t do that to Dean… you couldn’t be just another damsel in distress. Another poor girl he had to save. Another name on the list of people Dean felt sorry for.
You just couldn’t let him think of you like that. You couldn’t lose him. So, you kept pushing away and pushing away, hoping that the distance would be less noticeable. What other choice did you have?
“Hey.” He said softly, pushing off the trunk and taking a step or two towards you.
“Hey.” You smiled. “Are you okay? What are you doing out here? You usually work the bar on Friday nights?”
“I’m fine… just. Worried about my best friend.”
“Dean. We’ve been through this.” You sighed as you looked down at your feet. “I’m fine.”
“Say that one more time, but look at me when you do.”
You stared up at his face, unable to open your mouth. He stared back, desperately searching your eyes for the truth. His brow furrowed slightly as he looked down to your mouth. He reached up slowly towards your face, you flinched, and he hesitated but then reached forward and let his thumb graze your lower lip.
Dammit. You forgot about the bite.
“What happened?”
“Bit my lip, nervous habit. You know that.”
“I’ve watched you chew on that lip for days when you were stressed about work, and never once did it look like that.”
“It’s fine.” You said as you took one step closer to him. Unable to pull yourself away tonight. He reached out and pushed your wet hair behind your ear on each side, pulling your face up slightly to look at him.
“Why can’t you tell me what’s wrong? You’ve always told me everything. Even the girly shit I didn’t want to know.” He teased, but his face held nothing but worry.
“I just don’t feel good. I have a headache, that’s all.” You lied poorly, leaning your head against his chest, once more moving closer to him. He rubbed his hands up and down your back, not pushing. Not asking. Just silently praying that you’d finally come clean with him and he could get you the hell out of here as fast as possible. He finally wrapped his arms around your body and pressed you against his chest.
You breathed in his scent.
The scent that always made you feel safe. The scent that could lull you to sleep in minutes. The scent that reminded you of home. Because Dean was your home.
Home that you haven’t felt in quite some time now.
You couldn’t stop yourself when your arms slid up around his neck and you squeezed, crying against him. He shushed you softly.
“(Y/N) it’s okay. You’re okay. Let me fix it… whatever it is.”
But you knew he couldn’t.
You couldn’t.
David was the only one who could fix it.
If you tried to leave… he would be so angry. He would hurt you even more. If you stayed though, maybe. Maybe you could make him happy again. Maybe he would stop.
“I should go, I have to work the weekend shift tomorrow.” You said barely able to get the words past your mouth.
“Don’t do this… don’t hide this from me. I know what this is, (Y/N).”
“I gotta go.” You said before turning.
“(Y/N) Stop! Please. Don’t go back in there… let’s just go. I’ll get you somewhere safe.”
“Dean I am safe. I’m fine.” You lied with more force.
He nodded up and down softly as he slid his hands into his pockets.
“You can’t keep lying to me.”
“Dean it-“
“Sunday. Family Dinner right?” He cut you off. Sparing you another lie.
“Yes. Sunday.” You smiled softly.
“I’ll see you Sunday, but please. Call me. For anything. Ever. Day or night, I’ll be here faster than you can dial that phone.”
“I know.” You said crossing your arms nervously.
“Love you.”
“Love you too.” You said before walking back to the house, listening to the impala start up and drive away in the opposite direction.
SUNDAY
“Hey, come on in.” Benny held a tight smile as he opened the door for you and David to walk in. David smiled. Laughed at the right jokes, tipped his beer and joined in on the conversation like you would expect anyone too.
It was impressive just how easily he could fit into a room. With anyone really.
A trait that once drew you to him. You loved that he could be friends with anyone. Loved that he could fit into any crowd and have a good time.
Now you see it for what it is… a trick.
“I’m stuffed. That was so good.” You chuckled as you slid your plate forward. “Thank you guys, it’s been forever.”
“Yes. Thank you, we were just talking about trying to knock down some of (Y/N)’s PTO bank and force her back out into the world again.” David smiled. You looked up to Dean who kept his smile tight and his eyes downward at David’s comment.
“I’m gonna get a quick refill.” You smiled as you stood and walked into the kitchen. You were so warm. You wanted nothing more than to ditch the cardigan over your pretty summer dress, but you couldn’t.
You just couldn’t. You were learning to live with it though. The summer was proving to be a challenge. As you refilled your glass of ice water and stood at the counter taking a sip or two you turned back to make sure you were out of sight.
Then you carefully slid your cardigan off your shoulders and stood right below the air conditioning vent beside the fridge. Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath as the cool air blew against your clammy skin.
“(Y/N)” A voice said softly, causing you to jump. You froze as your eyes met Dean’s. His gaze going up and down your shoulders and to the discoloration along your collar bone.
“Dean, wait. I- I can. It’s not what it looks like.” You began to frantically whisper. Tears pricked at your eyes and the panic bubbled up your throat.
Dean held up two hands as he approached you.
“(Y/N).” He said softly. “Its okay. Its gonna be okay.”
Laughter from the other room caught your attention and you grabbed Dean by the hand pulling him into the small guest bathroom and quietly shutting the door as you started to hyperventilate. You clamped your hands over your mouth to keep from making noise and attracting any attention.
“Whoa whoa whoa… take a breath.” Dean said quietly as he placed a hand on either side of your face and pulled your focus on him. “Easy… in. Out. Easy sweetheart. You’re okay. It’s gonna be okay. I promise.”
“I-I-I didn’t want it to be like this. I’m so sorry, De.” You cried.
“Shhhh. You’re okay. It’s not your fault. I got you, okay?”
“Dean. I can’t. I can’t leave… he’ll. He’ll hurt me. He’ll hurt you.” You said shaking your head back and forth quickly.
“He will never fucking touch you again.” Dean said sternly. “Do you understand? You are not leaving this house with him.”
“I have to.” You whimpered.
“No. No you don’t. You don’t have to ever go with him again. Do you understand?”
“I’m so sorry, I’m sorry Dean.”
Dean rubbed his thumbs across your cheeks, clearing the wet tears from your face. He shushed you to keep you from making too much noise.
“(Y/N) I’m gonna call Sam. Sam’s going to take care of this.”
“No… NO no please. Don’t. Not yet.”
“Why not?!”
“He. He planted drugs in our house. He said if I ever left h-he would turn me into the board. He would have them drug test me. He said I’d fail it. Dean, he drugged me.” You cried.
“There is no way he gets away with that.”
“Please! Don’t. I can’t take that chance! My nursing license is all I have that’s mine. I earned it, and I can’t just lose it.”
“You won’t, sweetheart. We will figure this out.”
“Just. Let me go home. Let me go home, and flush the drugs. Then call, Sam. Okay? Please? I. I just can’t risk it.” You begged.
“No. Sam will fix this. He can protect you, I can protect you sweetheart. You can’t go back with him. Look at you!”
“I know. I’m so sorry.” You said as you tore your eyes down to the floor and your hands shook.
“This is not your fault. You’re okay. I got you, remember? I always got you. I’ll fix it sweetheart.”
“I can’t do this.” You started to hyperventilate again.
“Yes. You can. We can.” Dean nodded reassuringly. “Let me call Sam. He will pick up David, and we’ll go home and flush the drugs. Okay? Please sweetheart. I can’t let you leave with him. You know I can’t do that.”
“Dean I’m so sorry.”
“(Y/N)?” Donna knocked on the door. You shook your head back and forth at Dean.
“I got this.” Dean said calmly as he kissed your forehead and cracked open the door. “Donna. I’m gonna call Sam. I need you to go out and tell David that (Y/N) needs a change of clothes from the house, ask him to run and get some.”
“You betcha.” Donna nodded and then walked back in the dining area.
“Hey Sam.” Dean said into the phone as you sank down to the floor, pulling your knees up to your chest as you sat against the door. “Its (Y/N). Yeah. No. I got her, she’s with me at Benny’s. Listen he’s fixing to leave here and head back to the house. I need you to get him, don’t let him talk to anyone yet… No. No I’ll explain as soon as I get there. We’re gonna head to the house after you pick him up… Yeah. Okay thanks.”
Dean hung up the phone and took a deep breath as he sank down into the floor across from you. Not much room left for his long legs in the small space.
“Sweetheart. You in there?” He said softly. You looked up to him with sad eyes.
“Yeah. I’m here.”
“Good. Cause I’ve missed my best friend.”
“I’m sorry.” You said twisting your hands back and forth.
“Stop saying that. You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
“I didn’t wanna be another one of… those. Women.”
“What women?”
“The ones at the bar you’re always having to take care of. The ones who couldn’t walk away. Couldn’t protect themselves. I didn’t want you to think of me like that.”
“(Y/N), I would never think of you like that. You were manipulated, and trapped. He did this. Not you.”
“… How long have you known.”
“Couple months or more.”
“Who else?”
“Most of them… but. We didn’t want him to have the chance to hurt you more before we could get you out. We were trying to find the safest way out. My vote was just to barge in and kill him.” Dean shrugged.
“De.” You chuckled.
“I mean. Who would miss him?”
“Not me.” You sighed. You used your sleeve to wipe your nose. You pulled at the cardigan and wrapped it around yourself tightly.
“You don’t have to hide anymore. You don’t have to do that. It’s just me.”
“It’s embarrassing…” You whispered as you looked away.
“Hey.” Dean called getting your attention. “Do you remember the time I threw up in your car? Or. The time that I split my pants at the baseball game? Now THOSE. Were embarrassing. This isn’t something you have to be embarrassed about. I’ve been begging you to let me help for weeks, I’m just glad you finally are.”
“I didn’t want to disappoint you.” You whimpered, hiding your face in your hands.
“Sweetheart.” He said as he scooted closer and carefully pulled you into his lap. “You didn’t. I’m so proud of you. You’re so strong. You’ve been so tough for so long.”
“I should have come to you… the first time. I. I did. I came to the bar, but… I couldn’t gets the words out. I just. Didn’t want you to think I had to be saved.”
“Best friends. That means we save each other. (Y/N) you pulled me out of the gutter 4 years ago. When Lisa left me… broke me. Cashed out everything I had. You were the person that saved me. It’s just my turn, that’s how this friendship works.”
Dean’s phone beeped and he smiled as he read the text.
“He’s in custody. Let’s get you home.”
“I don’t know how to walk back out there… with our friends.”
“Just like this.” He said as he reached down a hand from where he stood and pulled you up as well. He laced his fingers through yours. “We walk out, we say goodbye, and we get in the car. Just like any other day.”
“Don’t let go.” You whispered as you squeezed his hand gently.
“I won’t.”
“Ms. (Y/L/N) I’m sorry but I just have a few more questions.” Asked the officer that sat at your kitchen table with you for the last half hour taking your statement.
“It’s fine.” You mumbled. Dean standing behind your chair, his hand on hour shoulder as you recanted every encounter over the last four months.
“Hey.” Sam said walking back in. “Can you give us a minute. She can finish the rest later.”
“Sure.” He nodded before walking out.
Sam stood beside you. Then squatted down to be face to face with you.
“It’s gone. I searched the bedroom top to bottom. Found 3 bags. All flushed. How long ago did he drug you?”
“Couple of months ago.”
“Okay. Well. That’s only going to show on a hair follicle. I think you’re in the clear (Y/N). Even if you fail, I’m going to make sure it’s documented in your statements that he drugged you during your relationship.”
“Sam. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Don’t. Not you… you’re family. You never have to thank me for this. This family protects each other.” Sam looked up and Dean who smiled back.
“(Y/N) we need to photograph the bruises.” Sam said softly. “We have to have them for court. Do you have any photos on your phone?”
“No.” You shook your hand.
“Okay, one of the officers will take you to another room and get some photos in there. Okay?”
“Yeah.” You sighed, but your hands started to shake.
“(Y/N) it’s okay. We can have it be a female. You don’t have to be in there with another man.”
“No. It’s… It’s not that. I just. Can it be you and Dean? I just want it to be someone I trust.”
“Yeah. We can do that.” Sam nodded. Dean kissed the top of your head lightly.
“C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s get this part over with.” Dean said as he moved to stand beside you and reached for your hand. You took it and quietly made your way into the bedroom. Sam stepped out to get the camera from the other officers, and after he stepped in he shut the door behind him.
“Are you sure?” Dean asked as he saw tears fall off your face. “We can always ask Donna to come do this?”
“You’ve already seen it. Sam’s going to see the case file. The fewer people the better.”
“Okay.” Dean said as ne nodded and you pulled off your jacket, leaving you in just the dress. You held your arms self-conciously.
“Lift your arms.” Sam said quietly. The first flashing of the camera caused you to flinch. Dean noticing and taking a step closer. “Sorry.”
“I’m okay.” You nodded. Then you turned to face Dean. “Can you hand me those shorts on the dresser?”
He reached over and grabbed a pair of black gym shorts. You slid them up your legs before turning back and reaching for your zipper. Flinching when your shoulder twisted at an odd angle.
“I got it.” Dean whispered as he stepped up behind you. His fingers so gentle as they grazed down your shoulder to the edge of your dress and then pulled on the zipper.
You took a deep breath before reaching up and pulling each sleeve off your shoulders. You let the dress fall to the floor. Leaving you in your bra and your shorts. Dean inhaling and exhaling slowly as the multi colored bruising covered your torso.
“Okay.” Sam coughed to clear his throat. “I need you to hold your arms out to the side and we’ll get a photo from the front and one from the back.”
You nodded and did as he asked, spinning and pulling your hair up in a messy bun when he went to photograph the back.
“(Y/N) is there… is there any others?” Dean asked softly.
“Just on my leg.” You whispered.
“Can you show us?”
You sniffled as you pulled up your shorts and turned your leg to expose your inner thigh where there were obvious bruises from David’s finger tips.
“Anything else?” Sam asked as he lowered the camera. Your arms crossed on your chest, an attempt to cover yourself. Dean instantly noted the reaction and pulled off the navy button up. Leaving him in a gray t-shirt and jeans. He slid it over your shoulders and you pulled it across your body.
“No.” You shook your head back and forth.
“Okay. I’m gonna go finish up with them. You guys take your time.” Sam nodded.
You waited until the door was closed again before you turned into Dean’s chest and hid yourself against him. He carefully put his hands on your back and rubbed them up and down.
“You did good.” Dean whispered in your ear.
“I don’t know how I ended up here.”
“Doesn’t matter. You found your way back… (Y/N). I have to ask you. Did he hurt you in other ways? Did he ever. Force you t-“
“No.” You whispered. “Close… but no.”
Dean clenched his fists quietly, hoping you wouldn’t notice it.
“Why don’t you get something comfortable on. I’ll run home. Grab a bag, and then I’ll crash with you. Unless you wanna get out of here and crash at my place?”
“No. I’d like to start trashing his shit. He kept his apartment, was staying here most nights but most of his stuff is at his own place, I just have enough to make me wanna puke every time I look at it.”
“Sounds like a party. I’ll pick up some late night junk food and bottle of tequila on the way back.” Dean smiled to you.
“Hey.” You said grabbing his hand as he went to walk away. “Thank you… for saving me. For not giving up on me.”
You moved to pull off his shirt and give it back.
“You keep it. Looks good on you.” Dean said as he turned to face you once more. Your eyes locked on his. His hand still in yours. Neither of you moving away.
Every time you almost showed your hand.
Every time you almost got the nerve.
Every time you swore he was sending the same signal back.
… None of it gave you more confidence then the look on his face at this exact moment.
You leaned up and he met you halfway. His lips were full and warm, melting against yours and not a sound in the world to signify that you hadn’t just died and landed in Heaven. He moved quietly, slowly. Taking his hand and sliding it against your jaw and up to your hair. His fingertips against your scalp as you lost yourself in every inch of Dean Winchester.
“Wow.” You breathed as he pulled back.
“That ain’t nothing, sweetheart.” Dean’s eyebrows jumped and a grin creeped across his face as he pulled his arms around you.
“Go. Come back fast… I need a sleepover with my best friend.” You smiled as you propped up on your tip toes to kiss him once more.
“There is nothing I want more than that… except maybe to kiss you again.” He said leaning down to come to you this time.
“Go… I’ll be here.” You said as you pushed him out the door. You shut it behind him and spun around. Standing in the silence. Your home felt like home for the first time in months. You inhaled and moved to turn on some music as you began finding anything and everything that reminded you of David and throwing it into a trash bag.
Dean drove down the road and couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. He had wanted to kiss you from the day he met you, but the time was never right. He was with someone. You were with someone. He was afraid to be the rebound, he was afraid to lose his best friend, he was afraid to be rejected.
Today had given him the reassurance that he wasn’t the only one who felt like there was so much more between the two of you than just a friendship. He knew that this journey to get you back to your old self would be a tough way to start, but he was willing to put in whatever time and effort he needed.
He had grabbed an overnight bag with a few essentials and stopped to get your favorite take out, and a bag of chocolate candy to binge on all night long. He decided to skip out on the tequila for tonight, knowing you were better off taking a night to process things.
Just as he was back in the car his phone rang, he looked down and smiled.
“Sammy, man you aren’t gonna believe this b-“
“Dean, Wait. Listen.”
“What’s wrong?”
“He made bail. He was gone by the time I got here. Are you still with (Y/N)?”
“Dammit!! No I’m on my way back now. Get someone there now!”
“On it.” Sam said before hanging up. Dean punched the gas.
You had just started pulling his clothes out of the laundry room when you heard the door close.
“In here, De.” You called out. Hoping he could hear you over the music. After a minute you didn’t hear or see him, so you moved towards the living room.
You spun, realizing there was no one there.
Ice ran up your spine and you froze as you felt someone’s breath on the back of your neck.
“What’d you tell your little bartender buddy?” David growled from behind you. You knew you couldn’t fight. You knew you couldn’t talk him down. Your only chance was to run.
You thrust your elbow backwards into his ribs and ran for the front door, but he grabbed you and knocked you to the ground. You yelled and struggled to get away, but he dragged you into the kitchen.
“I told you to get him the fuck out of our lives… but no. You just don’t listen do you?!” He yelled as he grabbed you by the hair and pulled you to your feet.
“Let me go!! Please… just leave!” You begged.
“You think you can fuck with me and not have to answer for that? I loved you, (Y/N). I loved you when no one else did… and this is how you repay me?”
“That wasn’t love.” You growled back.
“Take off this fucking shirt.” He said as he ripped it off of you and threw it to the ground when he realized you were wearing Dean’s shirt from the early evening dinner you had at Donna and Benny’s.
“Don’t touch me!” You yelled as it was ripped off of you. Leaving you in a bra and shorts again.
“What did you tell them?!”
“Everything!! I told them about all of it! Every single time you hurt me.”
“Well… you are just going to have to go back and explain to them that your friend forced you to say that because he didn’t want anyone to found out it was him. Understand me?”
“And if I don’t?”
“Don’t test me.”
“I’m not lying for you anymore.” You forced the words out, even if they shook with fear.
“Okay. Fine.” He nodded up and down calmly. Then he lunged and grabbed you by the throat, lifting you off the ground against the counter as you struggled to get air. “A dead bitch is a well behaved bitch.”
Every part of your body screamed for air, your vision beginning to blur, but you just kept reaching, until finally something fit into your hand, you used every bit of strength left in your body to plunge the knife into his ribs.
He dropped you to the ground and you coughed, trying to drag the air back into your lungs as he collapsed in front of you. Blood splattering down the cabinets and onto you as your hands moved to shove him away.
He stared at you, gasping as the knife stuck out of him where he laid on the ground.
You felt numb. There was something ringing above you. You slowly pulled your phone off of the island in the center of the kitchen and sat back down on the floor across from David. Staring back at him as he stared at you.
It was odd… you had watched people die.
But you never felt like it was this slow. This real. This quiet.
“Dean.” You said calmly as you answered.
“(Y/N) go lock the doors right now! I’m 2 minutes away, but he’s out! I don’t know where he is.”
“Dean.” You said once again, no sense of urgency. “Send an ambulance.”
“Wha-“
You dropped the phone before you could hear what else he was going to say. Just staring as his chest moved in an irregular pattern. The pool of blood moving closer and closer to you.
“(Y/N)! (Y/N) where are you!?” Dean yelled as he charged through the door in a panic. You sat silently just staring at David as Dean rushed around into the kitchen and was suddenly in front of you.
“Oh God… oh God are you hurt?!” He said noting the blood on you.
“Not mine.” You said continuing to stare forward.
“Look at me sweetheart. Look at me, what happened?!”
“He tried to kill me.” You said not able to pull your eyes away from the blood in the floor. Dean continued to move around the room. Say things to you, or about you… you weren’t really sure.
Other people… cops. Paramedics. They came in one at a time. You watched as they rushed to David and began to work to stabilize him and load him onto a stretcher before wheeling him out of your house.
Still you sat on the ground.
“Sam she won’t move… she won’t talk.” Dean’s voice finally stuck out to you in the chaos now that David was out of the house.
“She’s in shock, the other ambulance is almost here.” Sam responded. Dean moved back towards you.
“(Y/N). Listen… we gotta move. We gotta get you up, okay?” Dean said as he pulled your hands. Your body responded and stood with him. He walked you out the front door and to the edge of the street where another ambulance pulled to a stop in front of you.
Several hours later the sun was up and you were walking back through your front door, Dean at your side every step.
“Yeah. No. We’re gonna get cleaned up and then go stay at my place.” Dean said into the phone. “She’s banged up. Went into shock, but she’s better… Yes. I promise, Donna. Okay. We’ll call you later.”
“Donna and Benny?” You asked as he followed you into your bedroom.
“Yeah, they were worried about you.”
“I’m sorry. For all of this.”
“Hey. Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah.” You said as your fingers traced the new bruises around your neck.
“C’mere.” Dean reached for you. You fell into him softly. “Let’s get you cleaned up, then I’ll take you to my place and I’ll take care of those, okay?”
“I just want to wake up and the last six months of my life be a bad dream.”
“I know, but it’s over. He can never touch you again.”
“I almost killed someone.” You said with a tremble in your voice.
“Damn right you did, you defended yourself. YOU saved you this time. Don’t you dare forget that.” Dean assured you firmly.
“He was going to kill me.” You whispered.
“He’s never coming back, (Y/N).” Dean said a little easier this time.
“I don’t really know how I can ask any more out of you today, but can you help me?” You asked pulling away and nodding to the bathroom. Dean nodded and kissed your cheek. He pulled you in and turned on the water, getting your towel out and a set of clothes on the bathroom counter to change into once you were finished. He helped slide your shirt off over your head and pulled the clip out of your hair, letting it fall.
“Do you want me to unhook this?” He said tracing along your bra as he stood behind you. You nodded. He undid the small clasps and you let it fall, your arms crossing to cover your chest. Dean stepped back slightly. “Go ahead and get in. I’m right here.”
He turned to face the other way and you slid off everything from the waist down before stepping under the hot water, letting yourself get adjusted.
“You okay?” Dean asked from the other side of the frosted shower wall facing away from the door, trying to maintain your privacy.
If it were anyone else.
You would have sent them away.
You would have wanted to be alone.
You would drop to the floor in a ball and cry until your body had nothing left to give… and while you were sure that part was still going to come at some point, you knew exactly what you wanted for now.
“Dean.” You called out to him, you slid the shower door to the side. Dean turning to face you, struggling to keep his eyes on your face but there was so much worry in them. So much care and concern in the way he looked at you that you knew he’d keep them glued above your neck unless you gave him a reason not to.
“What is it sweetheart?” He asked after a moment of silence. His heart beat a hundred miles an hour being so close to you, but he knew that you were both a ways off from wanting to push things too far or too fast.
“Come help me, please?” You mumbled as you reached forward to the hem of his shirt and pulled it upwards. Dean understood and pulled out of his shirt before sliding off his shoes. You reached down and undid his belt buckle, allowing him to slide everything off easily before stepping into the shower with you. You stepped back under the water and pulled him closer to you.
“You sure?” He asked. He might as well have been carved by an angel. He was perfect in every way, and yet he stood here in front of you. How did you ever get this lucky?
“Only if you’re sure.” You said back with a small smile, suddenly self conscious and rethinking the idea of being naked with your more than a friend-best friend.
“I’ve never been more sure in my life, beautiful.” He replied as he stepped closer to you and let his hands slide down to your hips.
“Me too.”
You leaned into him and let every last touch of David wash down the drain as Dean carefully helped you wash. He was slow and gentle when he touched your neck, helping to wash your back and your hair. When you felt thoroughly cleansed from the last 24 hours Dean reached out and wrapped you in a towel before grabbing his own. You grabbed him by the hand before he could step out.
“Hey.” You mumbled, pulling him back to you as you let your lips fall against his. Unsure where you stopped and he began, as if the two of you new the other’s movements before they even happened. You pulled back reluctantly. “Thank you. For everything… I promise. I won’t always need to be rescued.”
“I’d rescue you every day if I had to, let’s get out of here.”
THREE WEEKS LATER
“Sweetheart, can you grab me the milk?” Dean asked as he whisked some eggs in a bowl.
“Here ya go.” You reached around him to set it on the counter, sure to sway slightly as you walked past him.
“You know that drives me insane when you wear that shirt.” Dean said eyeing you up and down.
“Says the man in nothing but boxer briefs.” You countered. “You know I can tell your dick is big even in the jeans.”
Dean rolled his eyes playfully and shook his head at you.
“Are you working this weekend?”
“Just Saturday. I made sure not to sign up for any Sunday’s so we won’t miss family dinner. I figure I’ll just come to the bar when I get off tomorrow night.”
“Okay, do you have an appt with Dr. Novak today?”
“Yeah.” You sighed softly. “I think you’d really like him. He said eventually I can bring someone to my sessions. Just wants to hammer out the hard parts first.”
“I’m fine either way. Just proud of you for going.”
“Well it’s not like you gave me much choice.” You glared slightly.
“This isn’t something either of us were going to be able to save you from… the mind’s a powerful thing. We needed help for that one.”
“I feel like that’s your round about way of calling me crazy, Winchester.”
“Would it help if I told you I was crazy too?” He grinned.
“Shut up.” You smirked sipping on your coffee. “You sure you don’t mind me moving in? Its still kinda early and I don’t wanna mess up this good thing we got going.”
“If I had only known you the three weeks we’ve been dating- yes. Bad idea. But I’m positive that I want my best friend for years to sleep over every night.”
“Okay. Just warning you that I don’t clean on the days I work.”
“That’s fine.” Dean chuckled.
“What would I have been without you?” You smiled softly.
“Hey. Again… just loving my best friend the same way she loved me first. I always told you that I got you, forever. I meant that Sweetheart.”
“Love you.” You said as you leaned over and kissed him.
“Love you too.” He said as he stepped back and cracked an egg over your head, busting out in laughter at your shocked face.
“Oh. You’re gonna pay for that one.” You said climbing over the counter with a grin.
