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blackwolfstabs · 10 months ago

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The Wolves of Woodsboro - Chapter II

HUMAN

characters: Sam Carpenter, Billy Loomis, & Danny Brackett

Nesting birds jumped from the trees and scurrying nocturnal creatures scattered into the shadows’ depths at the sound of a predator rushing through the forest.

Sam’s eyes burned as she sprinted blind, racing with long strides and no concern for her surroundings. She would have thought she’d grown used to this feeling by now, but it seemed enhanced tonight.

It was Tara.

It was her father.

It was everyone she had ever come into contact with, since she met Richie. Since the nightmare was set in motion. Since her life was bound by the truth. Since time was set to fire and purpose was defined as vengeance.

Voices screamed at her, all that she could hear around the blood roaring in her ears. Words she had never wanted to hear again. Mixed words and voices that were distinguishable but threatening at the same time.

‘ “Tara was attacked.” ’ Wes.

‘ “Sam… I was so scared.” ’ Tara.

‘ “Mmm. Antipsychotics aren’t working as well as they used to, are they?” ’ Billy.

Her tongue slid against her fangs with each reflex of her lungs.

‘ “I remember you too… and all the trouble you used to cause your family.” ’ Judy.

‘ “Sam… Get the fuck out!” ’ Tara.

‘ “You wanna know why, Sam? Maybe it’s because you’re a selfish bitch who can’t even make a decision to save the life of someone you love.” ’ Amber.

Her claws dug deeper into the earth with every stride.

‘ “You’re in Stu Macher’s house, where your dad and Stu killed everyone. Someone planned to get you there. You need to get the fuck out, Sam!” ’ Sidney.

‘ “Wasn’t that hard for me to find you in Modesto. It wasn’t that hard for me to fuck you either. But I guess being a sexually available woman is supposed to be empowering these days.” ’ Richie.

A deep snarl came from her throat as she cursed herself, shaking her head of the branches that slapped her muzzle as she blindly raced past them.

The voices got louder.

‘ “Sam. Are you fucking kidding me? You’re stalking me now?” ’ Tara.

‘ “You guys should stay away from her. She knows what she did!” ’ Stranger.

‘ “Unstable.” “Born-killer.” ’ Gale.

Cuts and stabs tormented her body and ripped the fur from her skin as she tore through shrubbery and disheveled paths.

‘ “Then don’t trust anyone. Not your friends. Not me. Not anyone.” ’ Danny.

‘ “Come on, Sam, you got to be excited to get our murder on again. Together. Billy and Sam. Team Loomis.” ’ Billy.

‘ “No, you’re gonna die, Samantha! Choking on your own blood, while I hack up your sister.” ’ Quinn.

Savage barking intertwined her snarls as she pushed harder, the smell of her own blood from her scarred flanks and blistered pads just fueling her more. The cool colors of the woods and night blended into red. All shades of red, the kinds that she had seen in liquid form come from another being’s body. Friends, family, enemies, allies. Mid-20s and already desensitized to the crimson flood that was a one-way ticket to life or death. It thrilled her. There was an inner lust that drove her mad when the hunt was on. And that was the biggest struggle she fought herself on.

Was she a human or a wolf?

‘ “This was your grandmother’s, Sam. Nancy Loomis. Really runs in your fucking family, doesn’t it?” ’ Ethan.

‘ “And you’re a killer. Just like your father.” ’ Wayne.

‘ “Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding! She’s finally starting to get it!” ’ Ethan.

The wolf was outrunning by far. Her throat ripped deep within from another infuriated snarl that echoed off the trees.

‘ “That I knew you had to fucking die! You had to be punished!” ’ Wayne.

‘ “There she is. There’s the fucking killer.” ’ Quinn.

‘ “Sam. Let me go.” ’ Tara.

‘ “Yeah, let her go, Sam, come on!” ’ Ethan.

‘ “Now you know the truth, huh? Murder’s in your blood!” ’ Wayne.

‘ “Legacy doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.” ’ Kirby.

Samantha broke out of the overcast of trees and out into the open air. Her paws hit the hard, still-warm concrete of a road, and the sudden change of pace had her freezing in the moment. The voices stopped, and she was whipped back into reality.

A bright light blasted her profile from the left, followed by the bellowing of a car horn. Her ears erected as she looked over to find a white glow blind her and the heat wave of an engine brace her bristling coat.

The screeching of tires pierced her eardrums.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Everything she had just experienced as voices came back physically to play behind her eyes. Past, present, and future. Her life was a blur.

She anticipated pain, more pain than she had ever experienced, but instead, something strong and sharp grabbed her scruff and her body was yanked out of the light and into the shadows once more.

Jaws. That was what had her.

On the other side of the road, there was more forest, and in that one leap it took to get out of the danger of being crushed by a car, the she-wolf was released and thrown to the earth. The cuts she sustained from her mindless sprint through the first half of the woods pulled as the strength of her ‘savior’ sent her skidding through the collection of twigs, dirt, and dead leaves. But adrenaline was still rushing, leaving her shaking her head of the commotion and lifting it towards the figure that stood a good distance from her.

Another wolf.

Golden eyes, identical to her own, was the only source of color around the gray-colored pelt the other possessed. Their lips were pulled back slightly into somewhat of a condescending smile, while the presentation of their erect ears and confident posture showed their entitled dominance.

Another wolf-shifter.

Sam’s heart skipped a beat at the shock of who it was. The scent. The rugged tone through the canine vocals. The smug expression. The way those eyes led to darker ones portrayed in human form, the ones that always gleamed with bloodlust, ambition, and temptation.

Billy Loomis.

“You should really watch where you’re going, baby girl.”

Was that supposed to be insulting? It sure sounded like it. The smile pulling at his muzzle made her push her shock of having him physically appear before her aside to pull her own lips back in a defensive growl. That little nickname, though typical of a parent to their daughter, was insulting and condescending to her and her reputation. Never said before by him, it definitely got under her skin.

However, her bristling fur didn’t faze him as he began to walk towards her. “Easy, now. I just saved your life,” he warned.

His daughter’s ears drew back with a soft growl, and she pushed herself to her paws with a grunt, “How are you even—”

“Real?” He finished her thought with a confident swish of his tail as he edged his snout towards her. “I’m not. To anyone but you and the dead , of course.”

She shook her pelt out, making sure to meet his eyes once she regained control of her train of thought. “Okay, well, what are you doing here?” As shocked as she was that he was able to physically appear to her and touch her like he was alive, she didn’t let it show. She played it cool.

Billy kept his stride sleek, beginning to circle her. “You’re impulsive, Sam,” he criticized, “You’re too emotional, and that’s what’s going to lead you to fail.” He studied her pelt, gently nipping at it to untangle dirt and debris from it. Of course, she flinched with sensitive winces, making him chuckle as she jerked her muzzle around when he rounded her hind end.

“Get to the point,” she snapped, irked by his judgmental antics.

He made it back to her front, dropping his tone to a much more serious tone. “You want to stop Ethan? You’ve gotta start making some decisions.” He faced her, golden eyes like plated pistols as his muzzle was only inches away from hers. “Talk to her. Tell her the truth.”

By ‘her’, he meant Tara and she knew it. History really did repeat itself. In the worst ways, of course. He was right. She was too distracted to deal with another killer, protect her family, and keep her secrets all at the same time. It was a recipe for self-sabotage. Self-destruction. “About what?” But she couldn’t jump to conclusions yet.

“That’s what you have to decide,” he answered, “About you. About me. About Ethan.” The ice in her gaze made him take a step back, showing her that he was not a threat. “I’m not your enemy here, Sam. I’m trying to help you.”

His actions spoke for his claim, which made her force her fur flat and lift her jaw in a subtle challenge. “Really?” If by helping, he meant barking orders in her head 24-damn-7, then that was a kind of help she had never heard of. “Because it feels like it’s just ‘ do this, do that. ’ Are you going to let me make my own decisions, or are you going to keep telling me how to make them?”

The gray wolf gave a low growl, “You wait for me to make them for you. Don’t you realize that?” She didn’t say anything, just shifted her weight after a moment of a failed attempt at coming up with a comeback. Now, he amped his harshness up. “This is your family we’re talking about. You hesitate too much, and without me, you’d already be far-up shit’s creek. You can’t wait for opportunities.” He then squared up to her, “Go out and take them.”

The late-night breeze ruffled their pelts and made the trees whisper in the tense silence of the pair of savage predators stalking the forest floor.

Samantha glanced at her paws, the torn skin from her figure stinging from the wind. She knew she couldn’t say much to defend herself at this point, because the truth was, she was still trying to get a handle on herself and this inner wolf she had been forced to coexist with. She heard Billy sigh, his growl gone and waiting for her to give him a response.

Once again… she was hesitating… wasting time and energy… just like he was on her back for.

“I…” Her voice had softened, low and quiet as she fought with what she should and shouldn’t say. “I just… I’m not sure how to handle all of this,” she eventually admitted, instantly cursing herself for expressing this kind of vulnerability in front of him. Yet, it was like her tongue had a mind of its own as she continued to spill, “The last time a killer was on the loose, Tara bit my head off. The time before that, she shut me out. How am I supposed to tell her that Ethan’s alive and looking for us, and that I’m part wild dog with barely any control over it?” She raised her eyes to her father. “And now I’m seeing you as more than a reflection and a voice in my head.”

He blinked at her. A neutral expression with a heavy sense of authority. A true alpha. “Prioritize.” It was simple really, but she made it so complicated. “Right now, all they need to know is that there’s another killer on the loose and hunting for you.” Oh, females were so emotional, having to make everything so much more than it needed to be. “The rest will come with time.”

As much as she hated to admit it, she was submissive to him. Very submissive. That frustrating truth had come on strong once she had gained the ability to transform, leading her to blame the wolf-pack hierarchy. She had sworn she didn’t want his help. Couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t live with it. But reality was, he had a very leveled head. Always sleek and composed: one of the heavy, notorious characteristics of a serial killer.

She was just the daughter of one. Many of the instincts ran in her blood, but that psychopathic ability did not. In most situations, anyway.

In order to do this right, she needed his help, and from the look in his eyes, she guessed he was waiting for her to ask him for it. “Will you help me?” She had to force it out, the words closing up her pharynx.

Her father gave a small smirk, the one he always gave when she made the right decision. He took a step back, the moonlight filtering through the trees to highlight his pelt like one would expect of a manifested deity. “Samantha, I can give you everything you’ll need to tear that motherfucker apart,” he answered, giving the same vibe as he had the last two times when a cold-blooded killer had stalked the streets in search of her and her sister. “I can train you into a mastermind of human and wolf. I can teach you how to control it. I can show you how to unlock your full potential and wield that power for the greater good.” His golden orbs darkened to an amber as he dipped his head temptingly. “But you have to trust me above all other things.” He had only looked at one other person this way before and that was Sidney, when he had tested her to tell him what he had to do to prove that he wasn’t a killer. But even as a canine, the same look, same mannerisms, and the same voice was there.

His pup stared at him, the temptation clearly setting in, begging for her to chase it down.

“You have to let me in.”

Her heart quickened, but why, she didn’t know. Maybe it was hope, maybe fear? Maybe it was anxiousness, or maybe it was the thrill of the hunt? Either way, she swallowed, wanting to take his word but also scared to.

This chase wouldn’t be easy, none of them ever were. Someone was going to get hurt, they always did. But as far as a lead went, he was her best shot.

“Fine.”

Like usual, the house was dark with the exception of a lamp giving a soft glow from the living room as Sam slipped through the front door. Her head was pounding, and exhaustion pulled at every muscle in her body. She secured both locks on the door, before moving the small bench from the piano to its nocturnal place in a diagonal against the door and the neighboring wall, her paranoia still making her secure the doors every night without fail.

It was close to 2 AM, so it wasn’t as late as she typically stayed out, but it felt just as long. Her conversation with Billy played in her head the whole way home. Over and over and over again. Her head felt like it was about to explode, the throbbing was endless. Talking to him, anticipating talking to Tara, anticipating to then talk to the rest of the household, meeting him nightly to ‘train’, wondering where Ethan was and what he was planning…

It was so much to process, and it felt like a thousand worlds on her shoulders. She just wanted to go to sleep and forget about everything, even if it was only for a few short hours. But with how fast her mind was racing right now, she knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

She gave a tired sigh, wiping her face before running her fingers through her hair as she turned around to proceed into the living room. Some of the tension that swirled in her head luckily eased once she saw Danny get up from the sofa to meet her.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted with a small smile.

But instead of stopping before him, the she-wolf closed the remaining space between them by returning his greeting with an embrace. She wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head on his shoulder. And when she felt him stroke her hair, she tightened her hold in the security his warmth granted her.

It had been one hell-of-a-night.

Her sudden display of affection was a bit abnormal, but Danny didn’t question it as he held her close, her natural scent of coconut and soft musk overlaid by coniferous trees when he placed a gentle kiss on her head. “Your home earlier than usual,” his voice was barely above a whisper.

She just nodded, blinking at the shadows on the carpet. She stayed put for a moment longer before stepping back to meet him eye-to-eye. “Thank you for being patient with me. I know it’s not easy.” She knew she was damaging her relationship with him, slowly but surely. “And I’m sorry.” She would never be able to express that appreciation enough.

He had never tried to fix her, quit her, or slow her down. No matter how indifferent, or reckless, or careless she became, he never stopped loving her. And that was a hard pill for her to swallow, because who could ever love someone they would have to spend a lifetime studying, learning, and revisiting?

It was him. It just took hell and high water for her to find him.

And she was still going through hell and high water, but now she was taking him with her.

He blinked at her with the same look he’d given her countlessly, ever since he’d met her—the one that showed his attentiveness and concern, even though he didn’t know the depths of what she was saying. He had never pushed her to tell him her secrets or open-up more than she was ready to. But then, he went back to his conversation with Tara from earlier. Her words stung. A lot. However, he wasn’t a part of the tight-knit group they had tied-down in Woodsboro. He wasn’t Woodsboro . And his partner had told him that. Exactly. “It’s okay,” he replied.

“No, it’s not,” Samantha shook her head. She was too tired for her brain to actually come up with an explanation, so she just put together one that would satisfy tonight. “There are things that I just can’t talk about right now, but there are also things that I can and should’ve talked about a while ago.” She shifted her weight as she looked off, put in the same uncomfortable position she had grown accustomed to in her lifetime, “It’s not fair to you. It’s not fair to anyone, and I know that. I… I’m working on it.” She locked eyes with him again, because she was serious. She had made her decision, like Billy had told her to. “I’m trying, so… please, bear with me just a little longer.”

Her boyfriend listened to her, recognizing the weakening cords in her voice that hinted at it breaking. Her eyes were glassy, but he couldn’t tell if they were teary underneath the glaze of utter exhaustion. He nodded, moving his hand to brush her hair back, then ran his knuckles gently down the side of her face, “It’s alright, Sam.” It was then that he saw the tears start to glisten on her lower eyelid.

It didn’t feel alright. She had to give him the win though, because she couldn’t go back and forth on this matter anymore than she already had. “I’ll explain what I can in the morning.”

But she did have one more thing to take care of before she could settle for the night, or… try to settle at least…

A low growling sound interrupted the quiet, leading the male’s blue eyes to drop where the noise came from: Sam’s stomach. The solemn mysteries of the night were slightly lifted by a light chuckle as he lightened the mood. “Well, for tonight, it sounds like you should eat. I can make you something, if you like” He knew it was late, but he also knew she hadn’t eaten dinner and he didn’t recall seeing her eat anything before then. “I know it’s late, but…”

However, his girlfriend just shook her head, unable to help the small upturn of her lips at his lighthearted attempt, “No, I’m fine. Thank you.” He gave a quiet “okay” in response, and she felt his hand come up to rub her side, as if easing her empty stomach that would continue to be ignored. She instinctively glanced down, the cuts and scratches from the shrubbery she raced through stinging from her clothing being pressed down by his hand. Which then reminded her, “Um… is Tara still awake?”

This may have been a stupid question, considering that it was about to be 2:00 in the morning, however Tara was notorious for going to bed at 9:00 or 10:00 but not going to sleep until late, sometimes even 3 AM. She would either be on her phone or just lay there listening to music. Sometimes she would read, but they were more like attempts to read, because she didn’t have enough self-discipline to stay engaged for longer than a couple of pages.

Danny knew this though and glanced off in the direction of the room Tara, Chad, and Mindy shared as if he could see through the walls, “I don’t know. I talked to her right after you left, and then she went to bed.” He looked back at her. “She was really upset.”

That hurt. A lot. All she could think of was the last thing she said to her before she jumped the gate and ran off. She couldn’t blame her younger sister for feeling the way she did or going to beat answers out of someone else. She wanted to blame it on the whole inner-wolf thing, but the reality was that it was just her seething at what she couldn’t control.

She was helpless, and that’s what drove her crazy. It was a vulnerability. It was pathetic. It was incompetence.

But Tara didn’t deserve that. Not after everything she had been through, including the grieving of her own relationship from when Sam left on her 18th birthday. The empty, lonely void of those five years she had faced on her own, growing up quicker than she was supposed to. That wasn’t fair to her.

And neither was Sam’s treatment of her…

“I need to talk to her,” the she-wolf thought out-loud, explaining herself because she knew she hadn’t done that very well, so far. “I said something to her I shouldn’t have, when I left… And I feel really bad about it.” Her jaw tightened with the reflex of catching emotion before it flooded into her voice.

Danny was quick to reassure her, “You’re her sister. She loves you no matter what.” He followed her as she looked up at him with an I-hope-so look, which led him to dismiss her, nodding towards the front of the house. “You can go check on her, if you want to. If she’s not awake, you can talk to her in the morning.” He curved the hand on her flank around the small of her back to pull her in and press another loving kiss to her head, before pulling back. “Okay?”

Sam nodded, managing to try and give him a reassured smile, but it didn’t come out like she had hoped. “Okay…”

He then returned the nod and removed his hand from her. “The bed’s already undone. You come to bed, when you’re ready.” As secretive as she could be, those dark eyes never lied. He could read them better than anything, even in the lowlights of the living room. “I know you’re tired.”

His partner gave him another nod, before breaking away from their conversational position. She heard the pull-string of the lamp click to eliminate all light in the room as she made it towards the front of the house and to the hallway that was straight to the left of the front door, where the remaining members of the household were.

There were only three rooms, Chad’s game room, which they called the Blue Room directly to the left when entering the hallway, then about halfway down was a bathroom, and then straight across from the Blue Room was the bedroom that the youngest three shared, which—while technically should be called their room—was commonly referred to as the Green Room because of the pale, grayish-green walls.

She kept her footsteps as quiet as she could while making her way down the hall, but the house was aged so the wood floors creaked at the worst times. She met the door and silently opened it, the inevitable click of the latch piercing the soft swishing of the overhead fan as she peered in.

All three inhabitants were fast asleep, the subtle glow of the nightlight on the far wall giving a peaceful ambience that showed their silhouettes: Mindy in the bed directly facing the door, Chad on the air mattress in front of the closet that was against the wall that the door shared, and Tara in the bed farthest away. The one parallel to Mindy’s.

Sam blinked through the halflight at her, but it was obvious she was turned away, facing the wall like she was still mad, even though she was asleep. And that sight alone made the decision clear that she would have to talk to her in the morning.

That is, if she even wanted to hear it…

Her older sister sighed and backed out of the room, silently shutting the door to turn around and make-way back across the house to where her shared room with Danny was.

Halfway down the hallway, the grandfather clock rang out, striking the 2:00 AM hour. It simultaneously blended with a chime from her phone in her back pocket.

A text tone.

Who in the hell would text her at 2 in the morning?

She paused in the pitch-black corridor and reached behind her to pull out her phone. It lit up to reveal a name and a message. A name she knew all too well but hadn’t heard from directly in 18 months. From a ghost in a small town, to an undeleted contact, to a cover-up caller, to 1-out-of-3 dead murderers…

Her blood ran cold.

Richie Kirsch .

But that couldn’t be possible. Could it? Ethan was alive, but surely, he was too smart to pull the same trick twice? Wasn’t he?

But this wasn’t a call. This was a text. And the message sent was one that only an ex-lover would send.

But how? Richie was dead.

Gone.

Forever.

Right?

Now, wide awake, Samantha’s eyes reflected the notification, reading it over and over again, with her heart picking up its pace every time she did so, that familiar sense of haunt rising through her.

She could hear it come from his lips like he was purring it in her ear behind her, in the darkness of the hallway, at the solitary hour of 2:00 AM, and she knew right then and there… This was where it all began.

‘What’s up girl, how you been?’

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- parker (BWS)

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nikimisery · 7 months ago

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Season 1 Episode 2 - Wendigo

“Well, I'm hot blooded

Check it and see

I got a fever of a hundred and three

Come on baby, do you do more than dance?

I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded”

I found myself humming along to the Foreigner song, while I was reading Twilight. It had come out about a month ago, and I had mentioned to Dean that it sounded like it might be a fun little book to read. Honestly, I’m not fully sure where it came from, but I found it in my bag a few days ago, and it smelled faintly like pine, so there was really only one explanation, but he hadn’t mentioned it, so I wasn’t going to bring it up.

"You know Bella, Jacob?" Lauren asked—in what I imagined was an insolent tone—from across the fire.

"We've sort of known each other since I was born," he laughed, smiling at me again.

"How nice." She didn't sound…”

“Is it everything you hoped it would be?” Dean’s voice sounded out in the silence of the car

“Huh?”

“The book. Is it as good as you thought?”

“Oh, um, its okay. I’m not that far into it. This budding love triangle is going to give me a headache, though.” I responded with a small laugh.

“Love triangle, huh?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re super interested in all of this.”

“Anyone ever tell you, you apologize too much?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at me through the rear view mirror. I didn’t get a chance to respond though, Sam jerked away from another obvious nightmare.

“You okay?” Dean asked, concern lacing his tone.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Another nightmare? Instead of answering him, Sam just clears his throat and turned away, looking out the window. “You wanna drive for a while?”

Laughing, Sam turned back to Dean “Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that.”

“Just thought you might want to. Never mind.”

Sitting up and leaning against the back of the front seat, I stuck my head up between the brothers.

“Ohhhhhhh can I drive?” I asked, trying so hard not to sound too excited about it. Dean just turns his head to stare at me, looking like I just asked him to kill a puppy.

“Not a chance in hell, doll.” Great. A new nickname. Scrunching up my nose to try and cover up the blush rising to my cheeks, I huffed and sat back in the seat again.

“Look, man, you’re worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I’m perfectly okay.”

“Mm-hm.”

“All right, where are we?” Sam asks as he grabbed the map, unfolding it in his lap.

“We are just outside of Grand Junction.”

I decided to pick up my book again, tuning them out.

"How nice." She didn't sound like she thought it was nice at all, and her pale, fishy eyes narrowed.

"Bella," she called again, watching my face carefully, "I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn't anyone think to invite them?" Her expression of concern was unconvincing.

"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?" the tall, older boy asked before I could respond, much to Lauren's irritation. He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep.

"Yes, do you know them?" she asked condescendingly, turning halfway toward him.

"The Cullens don't come here," he said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question.”

“It’s weird, man. These coordinates he left us. This Blackwater Ridge.” Sam says just as I tune back into the conversation.

“What about it?” Dean asks.

“There’s nothing there. It’s just woods. Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?”

As she contemplated the question, she looked out the window just in time to see a National Forest sign that said “Welcome to LOST CREEK COLORADO National Forest.” She loved the woods, the smell of the trees, all the sounds of nature. It felt like home to her, like it was where she belonged. They pulled up in front of the Ranger Station, deciding to get out and look around, trying to figure out why John had sent them here. As I stepped out of the car, I looked around, taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. I could feel the tension I didn’t even know I carried, leaving my shoulders, being surrounded by so much nature.

“You coming, doll?” Breaking out of my daze, I opened my eyes and turned to look at Dean.

“Yeah, right behind you.” I said with a smile. Entering the building, I could hear Sam up in front of me, start speaking.

“So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote.” He said, pointing to a 3D map of the forest. “It’s cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place.”

“Freya, come here. Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear.”

“Jesus Christ, that thing is huge!” I said as Sam walked up behind me to look at the picture of a man standing behind a MUCH larger bear.

“And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It’s no nature hike, that’s for sure.”

“Hey, sweetheart. You said you’re really fast, right?” Dean asked me. Nodding at him, I waited for him to continue. “Think you could outrun a bear like that?” He asked with a grin.

“I don’t need to outrun the bear, honey, I just need to outrun you.” I replied, patting his cheek as I turned to walk back over to the 3D map, Sam snickering to himself behind me.

“Dude, yes….” Sam said, still laughing at Dean.

“You kids aren’t planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?” Came a voice from behind us.

“Oh, no, sir, we’re environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper.” Sam replied, looking up at the ranger with a small laugh.

“Recycle, man.” Dean said, raising a fist in the air with a grin. This dude… One wonders how he’s so good at lying when he pulls stunts like that…

“Bull. You’re friends with that Haley girl, right?”

“Yes. Yes, we are, Ranger Wilkinson.” Dean responded after a second, leaning down to read the Ranger’s nametag.

“Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?” The Ranger asked Dean, who simply shook his head. “You tell that girl to quit worrying, I’m sure her brother’s just fine.”

“We will. Well that Haley girl’s quite a pistol, huh?”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“Actually you know what would help, is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother’s return date.” Dean said, raising his eyebrows at the Ranger. Okay, I take back everything I just thought, maybe he is decent at this…

“Thank you, Ranger Wilkinson.” I said as he handed the permit to Dean, tipped his hat at me and left. Sam was already ahead of us, heading out the door towards the Impala. Just as I went to open the door, Dean’s arm came up in front of me, blocking my exit, as he held the door closed. I could feel the warmth of his body seeping into my back as he leaned down to speak in my ear, his breath tickling my neck, sending shivers down my spine and causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin.

“That wasn’t a very nice thing to say, now was it, doll? Two can play that game.” He spoke lowly. As quick as he was there, he was gone, holding the door open for me to walk out. I could not be more grateful for November in Colorado, as the temperature helped cool down my heated cheeks. He didn’t say anything else as he followed me out towards the car, looking at the permit as he walked.

“What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?” Sam asked, stopping at the passenger door.

“What do you mean?” Dean responded, looking a little confused by Sam’s question. I watched silently, looking between the brothers. The thought of Dean ‘hooking up’ with this Haley chick didn’t settle in my chest right, but I wasn’t going to say anything about it.

“The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let’s just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?”

“I don’t know, maybe we should know what we’re walking into before we actually walk into it?” Dean responded, sounding a little irritated with his brother. Pausing, they just stared at each other for a minute.

“What?”

“Since when are you all shoot first, ask questions later, anyway?” Dean asked.

“Since now.” Turning away, Sam got in the car without another word. I looked up at Dean, a worried look in my eye, but he just shook his head and opened my door for me, closing it as soon as I was settled.

“Really?” He says to Sam, getting in the driver’s seat, starting the car and driving off.

We had just pulled up to the Collins house when Dean opened the glove box and grabbed out a couple of the fake badges.

“You’ll have to remind me to make you some of these, doll, but for now, just let us do the talking, yeah?” He said to me, getting out of the car and opening my door for me.

“Thank you.” I said, smiling shyly at him, head down. I heard him chuckle to himself as he shut the door behind me. Waiting for them to take the lead, I looked down the street. I lived in a place similar to this, a foster house. Memories of cigarettes being put out across my back playing behind my eyes.

“Freya.” Dean’s voice pulled me out of the memories, his hand on my shoulder blade. “You okay? We’ve been saying your name.” I hated the worry in his eye.

“Hm? Yeah. Good. I’m sorry.” I said, looking down again. Deciding I was done with this conversation, I started walking up to the house, letting Dean take point and knock on the door. A woman about my height, short brown hair opened the door.

“You must be Haley Collins. I’m Dean, this is Sam and Freya. We’re, ah, we’re rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy.” Dean says to her. I had to applaud him, he can be quick on his feet when he needs to be, but I could still see her hesitation.

“Lemme see some ID.” Dean pulls out the same fake I saw him taking out of the glove box in the car. I really hope she doesn’t notice it says Samuel Cole on it, instead of Dean…. Looking back in forth between the ID and Deans smile, she finally opened the door. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.” He said with another smile.

“That yours?” Haley asked him, nodding at the impala parked on the street.

“Yeah.”

“Nice car.” She said as she turned away and led us further into the house. Dean turned around and looked at Sam, mouthing something I didn’t catch, but I can only imagine. Rolling my eyes, I push past Dean to follow Haley into her kitchen.

“So, if Tommy’s not due back for a while, how do you know something’s wrong?” Sam asked her, as he stepped into the kitchen behind me. Walking back towards us with a bowl in her hand, she sets it down on the table before turning to face Sam.

“He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos – we haven’t heard anything in over three days now.”

“Well, maybe he can’t get cell reception? “ I suggested to her. Out in a forest like this, it would make sense.

“He’s got a satellite phone, too.” Well there goes that theory.

“Could it be he’s just having fun and forgot to check in?” Comes Dean.

“He wouldn’t do that.” Haley’s little brother snaps at him. They just stared at each other for a second, before the younger boy looks away. Haley breaking the tension, leaned over him, adding more food to the table.

“Our parents are gone. It’s just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other.” She said.

“Can I see the pictures he sent you?” Sam asked her.

“Yeah.” Opening up her laptop, she pulled up the pictures for us to see. Sam sat down and started going through them, checking for anything that might help us. “That’s Tommy.” She points to a picture, double clicking on one of the files, pulling up a video for us to watch.

“Hey Haley, day six, we’re still out near Blackwater Ridge. We’re fine, keeping safe, so don’t worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow.” As the video ends, something caught my eye in the top corner, but instead of saying something out loud, I tapped Sam’s arm twice. My only indication that he understood was the small nod he sent me.

“Well, we’ll find your brother. We’re heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing.” Dean said to Haley.

“Then maybe I’ll see you there. Look, I can’t sit around here anymore. So I hired a guy. I’m heading out in the morning, and I’m gonna find Tommy myself.”

“I think I know how you feel.” Dean spoke to her, but his eyes were on Sam and I.

“Hey, do you mind forwarding these to me?” Sam asked.

“Sure.”

“Thank you for your time.” I told her as we made our way back outside. As soon as the front door closed, Dean turned to Sam and I.

“You two want to clue me into that secret little conversation back there?”

“Let’s go find something to eat, and we will show you.” Sam replied.

The boys found a table in a quiet corner of the bar we had just entered, sitting down so we could discuss what we were walking into tomorrow morning. There was a game of pool going over by the windows that looked like it had just gotten started.

“So, Blackwater Ridge doesn’t get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found.” Sam started, opening Johns journal on the table in front of us.

“Any before that?” Dean asked as I pulled a couple of news articles out of my jacket pocket that I had found earlier.

“Yeah, in 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack.” I told him, turning the articles to face him, Sam pulling out his laptop.

“And again in 1959, and again before that in 1936. Every 23 years, just like clockwork.” Sam states as he loads up Tommy’s video. “Okay. Watch this. Here’s the clincher. I downloaded that guy Tommy’s video to the laptop. Check this out.” He said as he clicked the mouse, playing the video.

“This is what we noticed back at the Collins house.” I state to Dean.

“Play it again.” He requests. Sam pulled the video clip back, repeating the shadow.

“That’s three frames. That’s a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move.”

“Okay, I might not be able to out run that one…” I joke to the boys, Sam smiled at me and Dean just shook his head at me before hitting Sam on the shoulder.

“Told you something weird was going on.”

“Yeah. I got one more thing.” Sam said as he handed over another newspaper article. I hadn’t seen that one, so I leaned closer to see it. “In 59, one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive.”

“Is there a name?”

Smiling at him, Sam just stood up and packed up his laptop and the newspaper articles before walking out the door.

“Seems so?” I said to Dean before grabbing my jacket and following after his brother. I didn’t get very far though, before I was stopped by a hand on my elbow.

“Where you going, sugar? It’s still early!” Said the mouth attached to the hand on me.

“Umm, my friends and I are just leaving for the night.” I said. I wasn’t sure how to respond to this. People didn’t normally seek out my company.

“Aww come on. Stay a while, play some pool with us.” He said. His breath hitting my face, it smelled like stale beer and cigarettes.

“I think I’m good.” I responded, leaning away from him. I tried to take my elbow back, but he was determined he wanted to hold on to me and I didn’t want to hurt him. “Please let me go.”

“No, I don’t think I will.” I was starting to panic a little bit when the smell of pine trees settled over me. Dean was here.

“I think the lady asked you to let her go.” He said. His voice was low, threatening even, but it didn’t seem to phase the biker who had a hold of me.

“And just who do you think you are, pretty boy?” Well, I couldn’t argue with that. He was a pretty boy.

“A friend.” Was his only response, his hand coming to settle on my lower back. I was feeling a little more brave, now that Dean was there.

“Do you like your hand?” I asked the guy.

“Huh?”

“Do you like your hand?” I asked again, motioning to the offending object.

“What kind of question is that?” He was looking at me like I was stupid, but before I could respond to him, Dean stepped in again.

"If you want to keep it, I suggest getting it off my girl.” His girl? Fuck me…. Dean had moved around in front of me now, his other hand coming up to grip the guys wrist. With his jaw clenched and his dark emerald eyes focused on this guy, he almost looked like an avenging angel. I should not be feeling this type of way, but damn it if it wasn’t the hottest thing I had ever seen.

“Jesus, man.” The guy said as he finally let go of me. “She ain’t worth it.” He threw out as he turned his back and went back to his buddies. Dean stood still, watching him go for a few seconds before finally turning to me, his gaze softening, but the tension not leaving his body.

“You good?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to hurt him. I’m sorry…” I trailed off. His hand came up to my chin, lifting my head to look at him.

“Stop apologizing so much.” He said as gripped my shoulders and turned me around, steering me out of the bar and towards the car.

“What took you guys so long, It’s cold out here?” Sam asked as soon as we were in eye sight.

“She had to go to the bathroom. Didn’t want to leave her in there by herself.” Dean said to Sam as he, once again, opened my door for me. Stepping up to get into the car, I set my hand on his forearm.

“Thank you.”

Mr. Shaw was lighting a cigarette when he let the three of us into his house. I hated the smell, but I wasn’t about to tell this guy he couldn’t smoke in his own home.

“Look, ranger, I don’t know why you’re asking me about this. It’s public record. I was a kid. My parents got mauled by a –“

“Grizzly? That’s what attacked them?” Sam interrupted him. Puffing on his cigarette, Mr. Shaw just nods.

“The other people that went missing that year, those bear attacks too?” Dean asked, but Mr. Shaw didn’t answer. “We knew what we were dealing with, we might be able to stop it.”

“I seriously doubt that. Anyways, I don’t see what difference it would make.” Mr. Shaw paused in his words to sit down. “You wouldn’t believe me. Nobody ever did.” The way he said that, the utter defeat in his voice, pulled at my chest, so sitting down across from him, I reached out to him, grabbed his hand and spoke.

“Mr. Shaw. Can you look at me?” I asked him. The boys were behind me, so I knew they wouldn’t see what I was going to do. Mr. Shaw finally looked up at me, meeting my eyes. I decided to show a little bit of myself to him, maybe he would see that he wasn’t alone, so I let my eyes glow. I saw the way his eyes widened, heard the way his breath caught in his throat, but instead of pulling away, he tightened his grip on my hands, tears in his eyes. “What did you see?” I asked softly.

“Nothing… it moved too fast to see. It hid too well. I heard it, though. A roar. Like… no man or animal I ever heard.” He was looking directly into my eyes as he spoke.

“It came at night?” Sam asked. Mr. Shaw nodded at him, but still wouldn’t look away from me. “Got inside your tent?” At that, he looked away and focused his gaze on Sam.

“It got inside our cabin. I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn’t smash a window or break the door. It unlocked it. Do you know of a bear that could do something like that? I didn’t even wake up till I heard my parents screaming.” He was looking into my eyes again by the end.

“It killed them?” Sam asked.

“Dragged them off into the night.” He said, shaking his head before he spoke again. “Why it left me alive… been asking myself that ever since.” He paused his words and took a deep breath. One of his hands let go of mine to reach for the collar of his shirt. “Did leave me this, though.” He pulled his collar down at that, revealing three long scars. Claw marks. Reaching up one of my hands, I let my fingers trace the scars. When I touched them, it was like I could feel the pain the claws inflicted. “There’s something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon.” He looked at me again.

“Thank you, Mr. Shaw.” Sam said, the boys rising to leave. Standing up to leave behind them, Mr. Shaw caught my hand in his again.

“Thank you.” He said to me. “No one has ever listened to me before.” With a small smile and a nod of my head, I followed the boys out to the car.

Dean had found us a motel for the night and we had just left from checking out the room, walking back to the car to get our bags.

“Spirits and demons don’t have to unlock doors. If they want inside, they just go through the walls.” Dean stated.

“So it’s probably something else, something corporeal.”

“Corporeal? Excuse me, professor.” Dean retorted, making me giggle a little.

Hearing me, he shot a smirk over his shoulder at me.

“The claws, the speed that it moves… could be a skinwalker, maybe a black dog. Whatever we’re talking about, we’re talking about a creature, and it’s corporeal. Which means we can kill it.” Dean finished, opening the door so we could all walk outside. I went to the backseat, grabbing my backpack and slinging it over my shoulder, while Dean opened the trunk, propping open the weapons compartment with a shotgun, Sam and I joining him.

“We cannot let that Haley girl go out there.” Sam said as he grabbed a couple of things to put in the duffle Dean was packing.

“Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can’t go into the woods because of a big scary monster?” Man, the sarcasm is strong with this one, but even I couldn’t deny he had a point.

“Yeah.” Sam replied. Dean and I shared a look before we both looked over at Sam.

“Her brother’s missing, Sam. She’s not gonna just sit this out. Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend.” He said as he picked up the duffel bag.

“Finding Dad’s not enough?” Sam asked as he slammed the weapons box and the trunk shut. “Now we gotta babysit too?” When Dean didn’t answer him, I could tell it upset him. “What.”

“Nothing.” He threw the duffel bag at Sam as he turned away, placing his hand on my back and guiding us away from Sam. He trudged past us with the duffel bag and into the motel without a word. I almost felt bad for him, but I didn’t understand why he was being so harsh about all of this.

“Hey, Freya?” Dean called out to me, putting a hand on my elbow to pull me to a stop.

“What’s up?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did.” I said with a cheeky grin.

“Smartass.” He said with a smile before his face got serious again.

“What happened back at Shaw’s house? How did you get him to talk?” I debated his question for a second. I didn’t want to lie to him, but I was afraid he would be mad at me if he knew.

“Promise you won’t be mad?”

“I promise.” Instead of vocalizing what I did, I lowered my head again and closed my eyes. I had never shown him my eyes. I’m not going to lie, I was really anxious about how he was going to react, but I had also decided that I didn’t want to lie to him, it didn’t feel right to me. So I took a deep breath, raised my head and opened my eyes. I heard his breath catch in his throat, but he didn’t back away. If anything, it felt like he was closer to me than he was before.

“I just showed him he wasn’t alone.”

“Do you know what color your eyes glow?” His question caught me off guard, but I answered none the less.

“I’ve never seen them before.”

“Purple. Dark purple. It’s beautiful.” He responded. He grabbed my elbow again and dragged me over to the impala where he could show me in the mirror. “Look.”

I stared at my reflection for a moment, almost not recognizing the girl looking back. Long, dark red hair piled on top of my head in a messy bun, pale white skin. But the purple eyes glowing back at me were almost ethereal. I heard a gasp and it took a second to realize it was me who made that noise. Looking back up at Dean, I smiled at him. He just shrugged and walked away, opening the motel door and waiting for me to catch up.

As I laid down on the couch, trying to sleep, my mind strayed to the green eyed hunter laying in the bed not too far from me. How much things had changed between us in the few weeks I had been with them. I knew he didn’t fully trust me, and I still didn’t fully trust him, or Sam for that matter, but I couldn’t deny that I felt drawn to him in a way I have never felt before. I found myself thinking about how he would react to something before I did it. Found myself searching him out whenever I knew he was close, looking to him for his reactions. The way he stood up for me at the bar earlier tonight, no one has ever done something like that before. It was confusing to me, my need to be near him. Every time he touched me, his hand on my arm, or on my back, made my heart race so much I thought it would beat out of my chest. It was like I could breathe better when I knew he was near. And when Haley’s little brother snapped at him at their house, I had to hold back a growl. I needed to figure this out. I’ve seen the girls that Dean looked at, tall, pretty, thin…. I was nothing like them, and a mysterious monster on top of that. I wasn’t in his orbit, so I needed to get him out of my head. Sleep finally found me, slowly pulling me out of the torturous spiral my thoughts had put me in.

When we pulled up to the trailhead and parked the car, Sam got out to gather our bags and Dean turned around, his arm on the back of the seat for leverage as he spoke to me.

“While we are out there, stay close to me, yeah?” He said to me, ��Or Sam, you know, one of us.” The tips of his ears were a little red, when he finished his sentence, but I didn’t call him out on it.

“Yeah, okay.” I replied to him. He just nodded as he got out of the car, opening my door for me as well.

“You got room for three more?” Dean called out to Haley.

“Wait, you want to come with us?” Haley answered.

“Who are these guys?” The guide Haley hired asked her.

“Apparently, this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue.”

“You’re rangers?” The guide asked

“That’s right.” Dean answered as Sam walked past us all, handing me my backpack with a nod.

“And you’re hiking out in biker boots and jeans?” Haley asked Dean, looking him up and down. Not going to lie, I’m not really liking that too much, but I didn’t say anything.

“Well, sweetheart, I don’t do shorts.” He said to her. Sweetheart. He called her sweetheart. While sarcasm was littering his tone, he still called her sweetheart. My chest hurt when I heard it. Fuck I needed to get this under control and quick. Dean glanced at me as he walked past me towards where Sam went. Apparently I didn’t hide the look on my face well enough, because his eyes softened when he looked at me, his hand brushing across my back as he moved past me.

“What, you think this is funny? It’s dangerous back country. Her brother might be hurt.” the guide says.

“Believe me, I know how dangerous it can be. We just want to help them find their brother, that’s all.” Dean responds, walking past everyone and heading into the woods. I promised him I would stay close to him, so I follow after him, jogging a bit to catch up. The guide, who’s name I found out is Roy, took the lead, then Dean, myself, Haley and Ben came next, with Sam bringing up the rear.

“Roy, you said you did a little hunting?” Dean said, trying to make conversation.

“Yeah, more than a little.”

“Uh-huh. What kind of furry critters do you hunt?”

“Mostly buck, sometimes bear.” Roy replied as Dean passed him.

“Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?” He stopped abruptly by Roy grabbing him. I really did not like that move and I couldn’t help the growl that left my throat at that. Sam came up behind me placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Breathe,” he said.

“Whatcha doing, Roy?” Dean asked him. Watching him grab a stick, he pokes the bear trap Dean had almost just stepped in.

“It’s a bear trap.” Dean said, looking a little sheepish. Roy dropped the stick at that, walked around Dean and resumed the lead. Dean stopped me as I went to walk by him. “You good?” He asked me.

“Fine.”

“You can’t just go growling at everyone when they do something you don’t like. You gotta keep that in check, doll.”

“I didn’t mean to, it just slipped out when he grabbed you. I’m sorry…” I trailed off. He didn’t say anything, but his hand slipped up my arm and cupped the back of my head for a moment, before he dropped his hand and motioned for me to catch up with Sam. I had just reached him when I heard Haley talking to Dean.

“You didn’t pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffel bag. You’re not rangers.” She said to him as she grabbed his arm. Another small growl escaped me, but Dean just nodded to me, letting me know he was okay before he turned towards her. “So who the hell are you?” Ben walked by them just as Sam and I reached where they were standing, Dean nodding for us to go on ahead, a soft smile in my direction as he shook her hand off his arm. Stupid me and my stupid heart couldn’t help but let out a breath at that action.

“Sam and I are brothers, Freya’s with me… with us, and we’re looking for our father. He might be here, we don’t know. I just figured that you and me, we’re in the same boat.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me that from the start?”

“I’m telling you now. ‘Sides, it’s probably the most honest I’ve ever been with a woman. …ever.” He said before his eyes slid to me. “Well, almost ever.” He said before focusing back on Haley. “So we okay?” There was a pregnant pause that seemed to last forever.

“Yeah, okay.”

“And what do you mean I didn’t pack provisions?” He asked her as he pulled a bag of peanut M&M’s out of his pocket, sticking his hand in the bag and pulling out a handful as he walked past her. Peanut M&M’s. Wait a minute.

“Wait a minute. Dean, those are mine! Where did you get those?” I yell as I run after him. “Hey, dipshit, give them back!” He laughed at me, holding them up out of my reach when I tried to get them from him. “Dean, come on. You think it’s smart to keep me from my chocolate?” Sam is laughing at us now as well.

“Sorry, dollface!” He laughed again as I jumped, trying to reach the bag, but Sam, ever my hero, came up behind him and grabbed the bag, putting it in my hand before ruffling my hair and walking off to catch up with everyone. “Dammit, Sam!” Dean yelled at him, trying to get the bag back from me, but I just stuck my tongue out at him and stayed just out of his reach, laughing as I ran away hiding behind Sam. Dean just threw his hands up in surrender and walked off, following everyone.

“This is it. Blackwater Ridge.” Roy spoke up.

“What coordinates are we at?” Sam asked

“Thirty-Five and minus one-eleven.” Roy said. Looking at his GPS. Walking past him, I bumped Dean’s shoulder. When he looked at me, I motioned to my ears. He nodded, walking up to Sam.

“You hear that?” He asked Sam.

“Yeah. Not even crickets.”

“I can’t even hear the insects, guys. I stopped being able to hear nature maybe 8-10 minutes ago.” I told both of them, looking around. It will be dark soon.

“I’m gonna go take a look around.” Roy said.

“You shouldn’t go off by yourself.” Sam told him, still looking around at the trees around us.

“‘That’s sweet. Don’t worry about me.” Roy replied as he waved his gun, pushing me aside as he made his way between the boys.

“Can I hit him?” I asked the boys.

“Only if I can.” Dean responded, glaring after Roy. Sighing, he continued, “All right, everybody stays together. Let’s go.” Motioning everyone to follow after Roy, his hand coming to rest on my lower back, guiding me to follow his brother.

“Haley! Over here!” Roy shouted. Haley immediately took off towards his voice, the rest of us trailing behind.

“Oh my god.” Haley breathed out. The tents that surrounded the campsite were torn open and bloody. Supplies scattered all around. The smell of blood was almost overwhelming, but there was something else, underlying, that I could smell. It almost smelled like damp earth. Dark, hidden, damp earth. Walking up to Dean, I put my hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

“The smells. Blood is prominent, but there is something else I don’t understand.” “What is it?”

“Before I met your dad, sometimes I would hunker down in people’s basements or under bridges. They always smelt the same. Dark, damp dirt. Wet earth.” I told him, scrunching my eyebrows in confusion. Before he could respond, Haley’s shouting cut him off.

“Tommy?” She yelled out, taking her backpack off, throwing it on the ground. “Tommy!”

“Shhh.” Sam told her, catching up with her.

“Tommy!” She ignored him, shouting again.

“Shh-hh-hh!”

“Why?” She asked him.

“Something might still be out there.” He responded.

“I don’t like this, Dean.” I told him, walking away from him to the edge of the trees. I could feel him following closely behind me, he stopped me with a hand on my elbow, pointing down to the ground. Drag marks. Crouching down, we inspected them.

“Sam!” he yelled out to his brother. The smell of coffee was extremely comforting, compared to the overwhelming blood stuck in my nostrils as Sam drew near to us. Crouching down next to us, he looked at the ground. “The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That’s weird.” He said quietly. Standing up, he continued, “I’ll tell you what, that’s no skinwalker or black dog.” Walking back towards the camp, I noticed Haley had found a cell phone covered in blood. She turned the phone over, looking at the back of it when Dean crouched down next to her. “Hey, he could still be alive.” But instead of answering him, she just gave him a look.

“Help! Help!”

Roy took off running in the direction of the voice, everyone following behind him. I could have sworn I heard something moving in the trees off to my left, but when I looked, I didn’t see anything.

“Help! Somebody!”

“Dean, there isn’t anyone else here.” I told him, pointing to my nose.

“It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn’t it?” Haley asked us. Sam noticed the exchange between Dean and I so he turned to me.

“You’re sure?” He asked me. Nodding, I looked around, trying to see if I could notice anything. “Everybody back to camp.” Sam said, herding the rest of us back to the campsite. “Our packs!” Haley let out. I still had my backpack on, but everyone had dropped their bags. Which meant our weapons were gone too.

“So much for my GPS and my satellite phone.” Roy complained.

“What is going on?” Haley asked.

“Don’t suppose you have anything useful in that bag, would you, doll?” Dean asked, leaning in close, so he could speak in my ear.

“Define useful.” I whispered back.

“All I have is this.” He said as he lifted up his colt.

“I’ve got a hunting knife, but Dean. I’ve always kind of been the weapon. Never really needed to carry one?” Grumbling to himself, he looked down at me.

“Could have just said no…”

“It’s smart. It wants to cut us off so we can’t call for help.” Sam interrupted our quiet conversation.

“You mean someone, some nut job out there just stole all our gear.” Roy shot back. Can I just say, Sam has an epic bitch face. Like. It’s epic. Especially when it’s directed at Roy. Sam holds his look for a second before coming over to Dean and I.

“I need to speak with you. In private.” Dean’s hand finds a home on my lower back again as we walk away out of earshot of the rest of the group. “Good. Let me see Dad’s journal.” As soon as it’s in his hands, he’s searching for one particular page. When he found it, he turned it around, pointing it out to Dean and I. “All right, check that out.” He said, pointing to a First Nations - style drawing of a figure.

“Oh come on, wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, or northern Michigan. I’ve never even heard of one this far west.”

“Think about it, Dean, the claws, the way it can mimic a human voice.” Sam said.

“The smell makes sense.” I told him.

“Smell?” Sam asked

“Earlier, she told me she smelled damp dirt and couldn’t figure it out.” Dean answered for me. “Great. Well then this is useless.” He said lifting up his Colt again. I couldn’t help but let out a little giggle at that one. “Shut it, sunshine,” he glared at me, but there was no heat in his eyes. He almost looked amused. Especially when my cheeks heated up again. Damn him and his ability to make me blush. A small smile briefly graced Sam’s face before he handed John’s journal back to Dean.

“We gotta get these people to safety.” He said, turning back around and heading back to the camp. “All right, listen up, it’s time to go. Things have gotten… more complicated.” Sam addressed the rest of the group.

“What?” Haley asked.

“Kid, don’t worry. Whatever’s out there, I think I can handle it.” Roy snarked.

“It’s not me I’m worried about. If you shoot this thing, you’re just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. Now.” Came Sam’s response.

“One, you’re talking nonsense. Two, you’re in no position to give anybody orders.

“Relax.” Dean tried to de-escalate the two, but it didn’t work.

“We never should have let you come out here in the first place, all right? I’m trying to protect you.” Sam popped back. Roy stepped into Sam’s space, getting right up in his face. This time, I stepped between the two of them, my hand on Sam’s chest, trying to get him to calm down.

“You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night.” Roy said. Sam was pushing against my hand again, but he wasn’t moving me.

“Yeah? It’s a damn near perfect hunter. It’s smarter than you, and it’s gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here.”

“You know you’re crazy, right?” Roy laughs at him, but when he tried to push me out of the way, that’s when Dean decided to jump in.

“Yeah? You ever hunt a wen-” Dean jumped in between Roy and I, pushing Sam back.

“Roy!” Haley shouted.

“Chill out.” Dean said to Sam. Once he was satisfied he wasn’t going to do something stupid, he turned to me. My eyes hadn’t left Roy since he tried to put hands on me, but Dean’s gentle hand on my elbow brought me out of my murderous thoughts.

“Stop. Stop it. Everybody just stop. Look. Tommy might still be alive. And I’m not leaving here without him.” Haley spoke up. The three of us shared a look, nodding in acceptance.

“It’s getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We’ll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves.” Dean said

“How?” Haley asked.

“I may be able to help with that.” I said, pulling my backpack off, digging my mom’s journal out.

Haley and Ben were sitting around the campfire and Dean, Sam and I were drawing.

“One more time, that’s -”

“Anasazi symbols. It’s for protection. The wendigo can’t cross over them.” Dean answered her. Roy laughed at us, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. “Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy.” Nudging me to follow him, he headed over to sit next to Sam at the edge of the campsite. “You wanna tell us what’s going on in that freaky head of yours?”

“Dean -” Sam started.

“No, you’re not fine. You’re like a powder keg, man, it’s not like you. I’m supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?”

“Dad’s not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right?”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Tell you the truth, I don’t think Dad’s ever been to Lost Creek.” Dean said with a sigh.

“Then let’s get these people back to town and let’s hit the road. Go find dad. I mean, why are we still even here?”

“This is why.” Dean responded by pulling out John’s journal and holding it up. “This book. This is dad’s single most valuable possession - everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he’s passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business.” Shaking his head, Sam looks up at Dean.

“That makes no sense. Why doesn’t he just - call us? Why doesn’t he - tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?”

“I dunno. But the way I see it, Dad’s giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it.”

“Dean… no. I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica’s killer. It’s the only thing I can think about.”

“Okay, all right, Sam, we’ll find him, I promise. Listen to me. You’ve gotta prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can’t keep it burning over the long haul. It’s gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man.” Looking down at the ground, Sam gathered his thoughts before looking back up.

“How do you do it? How does Dad do it?” he asked Dean. Glancing over at the siblings over by the fire, he focuses his attention back on his own brother.

“Well for one, them.” He nods back at the campfire. “I mean, I figure our family’s so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Make things a little bit more bearable.” Grinning over at me before turning back to Sam, he continues. “I’ll tell you what else helps. Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can.” That pulls a smile to Sam’s face.

“Help me! Please!”

Standing up, Dean pulls out his Colt, his hand resting on my elbow.

“Help!”

Sam was shining his flashlight about, but we still couldn’t see the wendigo.

“He’s trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put.” Dean told everyone.

“Inside the magic circle?” Roy snarked

“Help! Help me!” It trailed off, growling

“Okay, that’s no grizzly.” Roy finally admitted, pointing his gun out to the dark. Haley had her arm around her brother, trying to comfort him. But as something rushes past, she shrieked.

“It’s here.” Sam said.

“Freya, you got anything?” Dean calls back to me, never taking his eyes off the trees. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on my hearing.

“Left.” A gunshot rang out as soon as the word left my mouth.

“I hit it!” Roy shouts, taking off running off towards the direction he shot.

“Roy, no! Roy!” Dean yelled after him. Turning to Haley and Ben, he shouts at them. “Don’t move.” I had already taken off after Roy, catching up to him just as the Wendigo grabbed him by the neck. Diving for him, I grabbed his legs, getting pulled up with him, but the Wendigo knocked me off of Roy, flinging me back into another tree across the clearing.

“Are you okay?” Dean asked me as he helped me stand up.

“Peachy. I think the bitch broke my leg.” I told him as I leaned against him. “I tried to stop it. I tried to hold onto him. I wasn’t fast enough.”

“You got a pretty nasty bruise, doll.” He said, thumbing at my cheek where the wendigo hit me.

“I’m okay. I’ll heal. Can you help me back to camp?” He nodded at me, putting his arm around my waist to hold my weight better. “Did you find anything, Sam?” I asked him as he came back over to us.

“He’s gone.”

“Let's get back.” I told them. When we got back to camp, Dean explained to Haley and Ben how we lost Roy and couldn’t find him, helping me sit down on a log by the fire.

“We’re safe for now. Try and get some sleep.” Dean says to me as he sits down next to me, keeping his arm around me.

“Yeah, okay.” I responded, laying my head on his shoulder.

“I don’t… I mean, these types of things, they aren’t supposed to be real.” I heard Haley say as I stirred. Waking up, I realized I was on the ground, my head in Dean’s lap, leaning up against the same log he helped me sit on last night.

“I wish I could tell you different.” Dean responded as he helped me sit up. “How are you feeling?” He turned to me. I just nodded to him, smiling to reassure him I was good.

“How do we know it’s not out there watching us?” She asked him

“We don’t. But we’re safe for now.”

“How do you know about this stuff?” I glanced up at Dean, seeing him trying to decide how to answer it.

“Kind of runs in the family.” He responded. Sam walked over to us at that point, everyone standing up to join him.

“You’re leg?” Haley asked me. “Wasn’t it broken last night?”

“Probably shattered.” I responded, walking over to Sam who was holding my backpack out to me.

“But you’re walking on it?” She sounded so confused.

“Told you she was special.” Dean joked with her, smirking over at me. Fucking blushing and this stupid fucking dumb pretty boy.

“Hey.” Sam interrupted. “So we’ve got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch.”

“Well, hell, you know I’m in.” Dean smirks. Sam pulls out John’s journal, showing the page about the wendigo to Haley and Ben.

“Wendigo is a Cree Indian word. It means ‘evil that devours’.” Sam explained.

“They’re hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter.” Dean continued.

“How’s a man turn into one of those things?” Haley asked. I was moving around the campsite, trying to find the lighter fluid I knew I had seen yesterday. Dean had found a couple of empty bottles, but was still looking around for the rest of what we needed.

“Well, it’s always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help. Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp.” Dean filled in.

“Like the Donner party.” Ben asked. I threw him a thumbs up, chuckling to myself at the comparison. Dean just smirked at me, shaking his head.

“Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. Speed, strength, immortality.” Sam said.

“If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You’re always hungry.” Dean took his turn.

“So if it’s true, how can Tommy still be alive?” Haley asked the brothers.

“You’re not gonna like it.” I answered for them. The brothers glanced at each other before turning back to Haley.

“Tell me.”

“More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It, uh, stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, it's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there.” Dean answered her.

“And then how do we stop it?”

“Well, guns are useless, so are knives. Basically -” pointing over to where I was raising the lighter fluid up, then holding up the beer bottles and white cloth he had picked up. “We gotta torch the sucker.”

Dean and I were leading the way through the woods, Molotov cocktails in hand. Haley was behind us, followed by Ben, then Sam. I noticed the smell of wet earth was getting stronger, but I couldn’t make out where it was coming from.

Sam had passed us at some point, taking the lead.

“Guys.” Sam started.

“What is it?” Dean asked him when we caught up with him. Pointing at the claw marks, Sam spoke.

“You know, I was thinking, those claw prints, so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow.” I heard the rustle over to the left and my head snapped in that direction, Dean following my line of sight. The growling came from behind us, trees rustling all around us. Haley noticed the blood dripping on her jacket and looked up just in time to leap out of the way as Roy’s corpse landed right where she was just standing. Dean made his way over to Roy, examining him as Sam went to help Haley up.

“You okay? You got it?” He asked her.

“His neck’s broken.” Dean said to me. The growling cut him off from saying anything else to me. “Okay, run, run, run, run, go, go, go!” He yelled, grabbing me and pulling me up behind him. Ben tripped, but Sam hurried back to help him up. I lost sight of him after that, but hearing Haley scream made me turn back around. The last thing I remember was the Wendigo hands on either side of my head before a searing pain shot through my whole body. I heard Dean yelling my name, but it all went black.

Pain. That’s all I felt. My entire body felt like it was on fire, burning from the inside out. I could hear Haley yelling to cut him down, but it’s like I was underwater. Groaning, I tried to open my eyes, but they just weren’t working.

“Freya? Holy shit, Freya!” I felt his hands on my face as the familiar scent of pine trees blanketed me. “Come on, doll, open your eyes for me. Fuck, come on. You can do it.”

“Dean?” I called out. My throat hurt, like I hadn’t had anything to drink in years.

“That’s right, sweet girl. Come on, open your eyes for me.” After what felt like forever, I was able to get them to open up a little. It was dark, underground somewhere, that much I could tell. “Let’s get you up. Come on, you can do it.” Dean encouraged me as he and Sam helped me stand up, one on each side of me.

“My whole body hurts.” I mumbled out as I leaned heavily on Dean.

“Let’s get you out of here, yeah? Then we can patch you up. We found Tommy, the Wendigo is out. I found a couple of flare guns, so that will have to do. You with me?” He asked me.

“Let’s do it.” I tried to smile at him, but it came out as more of a grimace. We were almost to the exit when I heard it. The wendigo was back, growling through the halls.

“Looks like someone’s home for supper.” I told Dean.

“We’ll never outrun it.” Haley countered. The brothers paused, looking at each other.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Dean pipped up.

“Yeah, I think so.” Sam answered him.

“All right, listen to me.” Dean started, turning to the Collins siblings. “Stay with Sam. He’s gonna get you out of here.”

“What are you gonna do?” Haley asked him, but he simply grabbed my hand and winked, walking away and pulling me with him.

“Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that’s right, bring it on, baby, I taste good.” Dean yelled out, trying to get the wendigo’s attention. Of course my brain decided that was the perfect time to jump in. Yeah, I bet you do, pretty boy… “Can you hear him?” He asked me.

“He’s close.” I told him. “I can hear him shuffling. Follow me.” I told him as we wound through a few different tunnels, finally coming up on the back side of the wendigo. He had cornered Sam and the Collins.

“Hey!” Dean yelled out at him, causing him to turn around. He shot at him, hitting him straight in the stomach, lighting him up in flames. “Not bad, huh?” He says with a smirk, looking between Sam and I. I just shook my head as Sam grinned at him.

I was leaning against the Impala, watching everything around me. I could hear Ben talking to the officer about the ‘huge 800-900 lb grizzly’ we faced, as Sam walked over to me, leaning next to me.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Tired, but yeah. I’m okay.” I said, turning to look up at him. “Are you?”

“I’ll get back to you on that.” He responded just as Dean and Haley made their way over to us. Sam had made his way over to the ambulance, it was his turn to get checked out.

“I don’t know how to thank you.” She tells Dean and I, but Dean just grins at me, causing Haley to smile, despite everything.

“Must you cheapen the moment?” She chuckles.

“Yeah.” Dean chuckles right back, just as a paramedic walked up, catching Haley’s attention.

“You riding with your brother?”

“Yeah.” Turning to Ben, she says, “Let’s go.” Turning back to us, she kissed Dean on the cheek before turning around, following the paramedic. “I hope you find your father.” she called back over her shoulder. “Thanks, Sam. Freya.” She said with a smile, climbing into the back of the ambulance with her brothers.

Both brothers came and sat on either side of me, watching the ambulance close up.

“Man, I hate camping.” Dean groaned.

“Me too.”

“I don’t know, I didn’t think it was so bad.” I jumped in.

As the ambulance drives away, Dean leans up, looking across me to Sam.

“Sam, you know we’re gonna find dad, right?”

“Yeah, I know. But in the meantime? I’m driving.” Dean tossed the keys to Sam before turning to me.

“Freya, do you remember what happened out there?”

“What do you mean?”

“When the wendigo caught us. Do you remember anything?” Dean pressed.

“I remember seeing him, he grabbed my face. But then I guess he must have knocked me out.” I turned my head to see Sam shaking his head.

“He didn’t knock you out, Freya.” Sam said.

“What do you mean? I blacked out.” I told him.

“Freya, you didn’t have a heartbeat. I checked. I heard the snap.” Dean started, turning away from me to take a deep breath. “Doll, he broke your neck.” It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I leaned back against the car again to get my bearings.

“There’s no way. I mean, it would have killed me, right?” I said quietly.

“That’s the thing, Freya. It did kill you. You were dead.” Sam said.

“That doesn’t make sense.” The world was starting to spin at this point. I died? I was trying to catch my breath, but it was coming out in short spurts.

“Hey, hey, hey. Look at me. Freya, sweetheart, look at me.” Dean said, taking hold of my face, making me look at him. “Breathe. In and out, come on. Breathe with me.” He started taking deep breaths, putting one of my hands on his chest so I could feel his breathing. I could feel myself starting to even out. “Good girl.” He said, still making me breathe with him.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m sorry.” I mumbled.

“What did I say about apologizing?” He asked me. I chuckled a bit, but I leaned down, my forehead against his chest for a second.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Get in the car. Let’s find somewhere to get some sleep, yeah?” He said to me, walking me around the car to the backseat. Once I was settled, he climbed into the passenger seat, Sam in the driver’s seat.

“One of these days, you’re gonna let me drive, Winchester.” I said, sleep already trying to claim me.

“Don’t bet on it, sweetheart. Don’t bet on it.”

“Why try, I know why

The feeling inside me says it’s time I was gone

Clear head, new life ahead

I want to be king now not just one more pawn

Fly by night away from here

Change my life again

Fly by night goodbye my dear

My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend”

The sound of the engine and the music was slowly pulling me under, but what really helped me rest was realizing that when Dean called me sweetheart, this time, the way he said it was so different than how he said it to Haley a few days ago. That petty side of my brain kept thinking ‘Ha, take that! That’s what you get!’ but the logical side of my brain kept telling me that he talks to everyone like that. He’s a natural flirt. It doesn’t mean anything. But that didn’t change the warmth settling in my chest as I drifted off to sleep. Shit….. I was fucked….

#dean winchester #dean winchester x oc #supernatural #sam winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #fanfic #supernatural fanfiction #eventual smut #spn fanfic #supernatural family #jensen fucking ackles

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kandisheek · 1 year ago

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FIC REC WEEK 10 – FOUND FAMILY

If it ain't baroque, don't fix it by idioticfangirl

Pairing: Steve/Tony, Pietro/Peter, Clint/Natasha, Wanda/Sam Rating: G Words: 1,740 Tags: Disneyland, Team Bonding, Crack

Summary: Much to her mother's chagrin, the Avengers take Cassie out for a 'family' day at Disneyland

Reasons why I love it: They're all such idiots, ugh, I love them. Scott the concerned parent is adorable as hell, and the team scattering in a million different directions feels like exactly what would happen if someone made the mistake of letting them into Disneyland. This fic is adorable, and we get way too little Scott in this fandom as is, so I highly encourage you to give this one a read!

Laser Tag, You're It! by Corsets_and_Cardigans

Pairing: Steve/Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 1,223 Tags: Team Bonding, Laser Tag, Established Relationship

Summary: Bucky found that the future held a lot of new things. Scary, wild, fun, things. Things they never thought of back in the day. Things they did think of that hadn’t come to pass, or were long since outdated. But one of the best things, he’d found, was laser tag.

Reasons why I love it: Steve, Bucky, horny jail for both of you! Though to be fair, who could resist Tony Stark wearing black tac gear? I love all the team hijinks, and the laser tag scene is super well written! This fic is fantastic, and I hope you check it out for yourself!

Cake Toppers And Fireball Piñata by Naivelittleprincess

Pairing: Steve/Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 1,709 Tags: Birthday, Ensemble Cast, Fluff and Crack

Summary: For a bunch of master assassins, spies, and superhumans, the Avengers are lousy at secret keeping. Forget world domination or holding lives hostage, their enemies should just get Earth's mightiest heroes to plan a birthday party and be done with it. Tony's surprise(?) birthday bash.

Reasons why I love it: Awww, look at the Avengers trying to keep secrets. I'm sure this won't end in absolute disaster. Steve and Bucky are ADORABLE in this, and I really love how nonchalant Tony is about this entire ordeal. Plus, the party at the end sounds like so much fun, I want to be there. This fic is great, and I hope you give it a shot!

Clint Barton is an Excellent Final Girl by Bella_Dahlia

Pairing: Steve/Tony, Bucky/Clint Rating: T Words: 3,711 Tags: Avengers Movie Night, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Pining Tony

Summary: It's movie night, and our favorite only slightly dysfunctional super hero fam watches Nightmare on Elm Street. That's it, that's the fic.

Reasons why I love it: I agree 100% with Peter that Nightmare on Elm's Street is required viewing. This fic is so much fun, I love all of the team shenanigans, and of course, Peter's take on Stony's hopeless flirting is hilarious. I love this one, and I bet you will too!

Christmas Steve by Just_Bill

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 1,514 Tags: Domestic Avengers, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree

Summary: When a friendly Christmas brawl gets out of hand Natasha knows the perfect stand-in tree.

Reasons why I love it: One does not simply challenge Steve, I suppose. This fic is so funny, what with the whole team being utterly resigned to what's going to happen and acting accordingly. I really love the Stony in this too, they're so cute together. This fic is lovely, and I hope you go and check it out for yourself!

#marvel #stony #fanfic #fic rec #fanfic rec #ficrec #a year in fanfic recs #avengers family

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saiacross · 2 years ago

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Bonds Unveiled

Supernatural FanFic: 5,580: Words: Series: Reader-Insert

Chapter 9: Hallucinations

This Work is part of an overarching story that can be read as a one-shot with little overlapping information from other chapters.

⬅ Chapter 8 Funny Days, Horrid Nights.💜 Chapter 10 Young Sam➡ Master List

Chapter 9: Hallucinations Multiple nights without sleep are really starting to catch up with Y/N. Her own mind has truly become her worst enemy. Dean takes pity on her and pulls over for an extra night's rest, though things don't really go as he planned and quickly takes a turn for the worst before they actually get better. Thankfully the guys are there with her and for her the whole time.

The Impala sped down the highway, the sun starting to cast a warm golden glow on the landscape. The day was slowly coming to an end, and they were making their way back to the Bunker. Sam and Dean exchanged concerned glances as they watched Y/N struggling to keep her eyes open in the backseat through the rearview mirror.

As Y/N finally loses the battle and her head falls to rest against the soft leather seat of the Impala, Sam twists in his seat to get a better look at her. "I think she finally fell asleep," he whispered to Dean.

Dean glanced back and confirmed it with a soft smile. "Good. She needs some rest."

Sam's concern for their friend was evident in his voice as he asked, "What are we going to do, Dean? The nightmares keep her up so she hasn’t been sleeping and now she is hallucinating? That’s what… at least 36 to 48 hours of no sleep?"

Dean sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "There isn't much we can do, Sammy. This is something she has to work through on her own."

Sam wasn't easily convinced, "But there has to be something we can do to help her."

Dean shook his head, "Look, we've dealt with monsters, demons, and all sorts of supernatural crap, but this isn't something we can just shoot or exorcise away. It's good old-fashioned trauma."

Sam leaned back in his seat, still feeling uneasy about the situation. "But what if she can't handle it on her own?"

Dean wasn’t able to answer Sam’s question with any certainty so he remained silent.

Y/N’s face began contorting with anguish as she was consumed by the haunting nightmares that tormented her.

In her dreams, the forest engulfed her small child's body once more, a chilling reminder of the night that changed her life forever. She could feel the dampness of the earth beneath her feet and the scent of the pine trees in the air. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched her mother fall victim to an unspeakable fate.

Suddenly, the nightmare shifted, pulling her child's body out of the forest by shackles and chains. Y/N found herself confronted by the malevolent presence of her father, the yellow-eyed demon. His evil grin sent shivers down her spine as he held her eyes open, forcing her to watch Dean's slow and agonizing death.

The nightmarish scenes intensified with every repetition, the sounds becoming deafening, the smells more potent, and the emotions overwhelming. Each time she relived those moments it pressed heavily on her mind and soul, making it difficult to breathe.

It was the haunting gaze in both her mother's and Dean's eyes as life slowly faded from them that pierced her heart. The pain and fear etched in their expressions haunted Y/N, and she yearned to reach out to them, to save them from the torment she was forced to witness.

As Y/N's nightmares escalated, her distress became evident even in her sleep. The tension in her body grew, and she whimpered and cried out, her subconscious mind trapped in the horrors of her past. The haunting sounds of her anguish pierced through the otherwise silent interior of the Impala.

Dean's grip on the steering wheel tightened further as he turned his head to glance back at Y/N as he heard her cries. Sam reacted quickly, his concern evident as he twisted his body in the front seat to face Y/N in the back. With a sense of urgency, he reached out and gently shook her, trying to pull her back from the depths of her terrifying dream.

"Y/N, wake up! It's just a dream," Sam urged, his voice filled with genuine care and concern.

Dean would repeatably glance back and forth from Sam and Y/N to the road, his own worry etched across his face. He knew how powerful nightmares could be, having faced his fair share of them over the years.

Y/N's body tensed even more under Sam's touch, and her cries persisted, trapped in the throes of her subconscious turmoil. It pained both Sam and Dean to witness her like this.

"Come on, Y/N, wake up," Sam repeated gently, his voice a soothing presence amidst the chaos of her dreams.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Y/N's eyes fluttered open, her body jolting upright, her breathing rapid and her heart still racing. She looked around, disoriented and shaken, before her gaze met Sam's concerned eyes. Slowly, the realization of her surroundings settled in, and she took a deep, shaky breath as she leaned forward to bury her head in her hands.

"Sam?" she whispered, her voice laced with a mix of fear and relief. “Dean?” His name was harder to say after having watched him die as she did.

"We're here, Y/N," Sam reassured her, his hand resting gently on her back. "You're safe."

Y/N's tense body began to relax, and the weight of the nightmares began to ease. Y/N took another deep breath, trying to steady her racing heartbeat.

The Impala's engine roared as it exited the highway, and the car cruised into the town of Gary, Indiana. Sam, lost deep in thought about Y/N's situation, was brought back to the present by the sudden change in direction. He shot Dean a puzzled look, trying to make sense of their unexpected detour. Sam realized that his brother must have something up his sleeve, but he wasn't quite sure what it was.

Y/N's confusion was evident as she sat up and looked around the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we?" she asked, her brow furrowing with uncertainty.

"Welcome to Gary, Indiana," he announced.

As they rolled through the streets of Gary, Dean finally parked the Impala in front of their typical motel. Sam furrowed his brow, still trying to figure out the purpose of their stop.

"Dean, what's going on? Why are we here?" he asked genuine curiosity in his voice.

Dean opened the car door, signaling for Y/N and Sam to follow suit. "Just thought we could use a little break, you know?"

Y/N and Sam exchanged glances, both curious about Dean's sudden decision. As they stepped out of the Impala and followed Dean towards the motel office, Sam tried to pry a more detailed explanation from his brother. "A break from what?" he questioned.

"From the usual back and forth. Look you’re tired, I’m tired, she’s passing out the second she stops moving. Let’s just take an extra break here for the night alright?" Dean explained. “And well you know that there is also a beach nearby too. Ya know if that’s your thing.” Dean would shrug innocently.

Sam glanced at Y/N, noting the slight relief in her expression. He understood that the nightmares and emotional toll had been weighing heavily on her, and perhaps this unexpected detour could offer some respite.

"Sounds like a plan," Sam finally agreed, giving Dean a nod of approval.

With that, the trio checked into the motel, their usual routine of preparing for the hunt temporarily put on hold. The prospect of exploring haunted locations in Gary, Indiana, brought a sense of excitement and camaraderie. They knew that their job as hunters might be relentless, but for now, they could enjoy this much-needed break together, ready to face whatever ghostly legends the town had to offer.

Dean nodded his head, a slight grin forming on his face.

"Great to hear it," he said, turning to face Sam and Y/N, ready to lead them to their room. The motel's familiar beige walls surrounded them as they approached their designated lodging for the night. Dean, always one to take charge, led the way with confidence.

As they reached the door, Dean paused for a moment, causing Y/N to look at him curiously. Normally, he would hand her a key card, but this time, something seemed different. Dean opened the door without giving Y/N a key card. The slight shift in his usual routine caught her attention, and a feeling of uncertainty washed over her.

Dean stepped inside, carrying his bags with Sam following closely behind. Y/N lingered by the door after closing it, glancing at the two queen beds in the room. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. Why were there only two beds when there were three of them?

Feeling the weight of the unspoken question, Y/N turned to face Dean, her voice tentative. "We're sharing a room?" she asked, her concern evident.

Dean turned to face Y/N and Sam, his hands clapping together as he spoke with genuine intent. "Yeah, so I thought if Y/N shared a room with us it might help her sleep," he explained. "You know, knowing that we’re right here might not let your mind feel alone. Hopefully, those nightmares would leave you alone long enough to get a decent night's sleep."

Sam nodded in agreement, understanding his brother's reasoning. He knew Y/N would feel a bit uncomfortable about the situation but if there was a chance that this simple act could bring her some comfort, he was all for it.

Y/N listened to Dean's explanation, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. While she appreciated the gesture and understood the logic behind it, the idea of sharing with one of the Winchester brothers made her blush with embarrassment. She had only ever shared a bed with Sam once for a few hours when he offered his assistance in her recovery, though they were some intense hours still..

As she hesitated for a moment, Y/N tried to gather her thoughts. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she needed to prioritize getting some rest and sleep. Her nightmares were becoming unbearable, and she knew she couldn't keep pushing herself without consequences.

Finally, she looked up, glancing between Dean and Sam. Unable to meet their eyes directly, she focused on the floor and softly asked, "So, I guess I’m sharing a bed with one of you?"

There was a moment of silence as both Dean and Sam exchanged a quick glance. Dean hadn’t thought this far ahead in the plan yet. Both the brothers could sense Y/N's unease, and they didn't want to make her uncomfortable. After a brief pause, Sam spoke up, trying to put Y/N at ease.

"Well," Sam said gently, "How about you shared with me, Y/N? You know, since we've shared a bed before, it might not feel as strange."

Y/N nodded, grateful for Sam's understanding. "Yeah, okay," she replied, her voice a bit shy but also relieved.

Dean felt a sense of relief that Y/N agreed to the arrangement, and he was glad that he could help her get some much-needed rest.

"Alright, well if you two want to get settled, I'm going to get us some food," Dean announced as he made his way towards the door. He was eager to grab some grub for the night and get some sleep himself.

Sam chuckled lightly at his brother's enthusiasm and shook his head playfully. "Alright, Dean, don't go overboard with the food," he teased before adding, "We can explore tomorrow."

With that, Dean left the room, and Sam turned his attention back to Y/N. He noticed her sitting on the edge of the bed, and he could tell she still seemed a bit reserved and uncertain about the situation. Concerned for her well-being, he asked gently, "You alright? You know I can sleep on the floor if you'd rather have the bed to yourself."

Sam wanted to make sure Y/N didn't feel pressured or uncomfortable sharing the bed with him. He respected her boundaries and wanted her to feel at ease, especially considering the difficult time she was going through with her nightmares. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her feel comfortable and safe.

Y/N looked up at Sam, her expression softening at his thoughtful offer. She appreciated his concern and kindness, and it warmed her heart to know that he cared so deeply for her well-being.

"Thanks, Sam," she replied with a grateful smile. "But it's okay, really. Sharing the bed with you is fine. I mean, we've shared a bed before, right?" she added, trying to lighten the mood. Y/N's cheeks flushed with a deeper shade of red, her mind involuntarily drifting back to the unexpected intimacy they had shared not too long ago. She quickly averted her gaze, feeling a mix of embarrassment and fondness. The memory of that night was still fresh in her mind and she couldn't help but feel a bit shy about it.

Sam, noticing her blush and trying to break the tension, scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Alright then, well, I'm going to shower," he said, his voice soft and slightly awkward. He wanted to give Y/N some space and privacy, understanding that their current situation might be making her feel a bit uncomfortable.

He placed a reassuring hand on her back, a gentle touch meant to convey his care and support.

"Yell if something happens, alright?" he added, his eyes filled with concern. He wanted to make sure she knew he was just a call away if she needed anything.

As Sam headed towards the small bathroom, Y/N tried to focus on anything but the fact that he was about to shower. She reminded herself that they were in a difficult situation, and she needed to keep her emotions in check.

"Don't watch him walk away," she silently scolded herself, forcing her eyes to stay fixed on something else in the room. She knew that dwelling on the memory of their previous night together would only make her feel more flustered and distracted.

As she heard the sound of the running water from the bathroom, Y/N took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She knew that she needed to get some rest and clear her mind of any distractions. Y/N laid back on the bed, closing her eyes and trying to focus on her breathing.

Despite her best efforts, though, Sam's presence lingered in her mind, bringing with it a sense of warmth and comfort. Y/N found herself smiling softly, grateful for the connection she had with him and the way he made her feel safe and cared for.

As the water continued to run in the background, Y/N felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep.

The room that had once felt like a sanctuary now became a haunting nightmare as Y/N's mind plunged into a realm of unspeakable horrors. Her eyes remained tightly shut, but behind her eyelids, the images played out in vivid detail - a macabre montage of blood, screams, and sinister yellow eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul.

The nightmares had become relentless as if they were determined to shatter her fragile peace. Y/N's body twitched and trembled on the bed, contorting with each terrifying vision that invaded her subconscious. The terror seemed unending.

Suddenly, Y/N's eyes snapped open, gasping for breath as if she had been pulled from the depths of a dark abyss. Sweat drenched her forehead, and her heart pounded in her chest like an unyielding drumbeat. Her mind struggled to distinguish between reality and the haunting illusions that had plagued her.

As she tried to gain her composure, Y/N's gaze darted around the room, searching for any sign of her tormentors. Fear and confusion gripped her as she found herself face to face with her father, the malevolent figure from her nightmares, standing before her with a menacing grin. Her breath caught in her throat, and her pulse quickened as the hallucination took on a chilling semblance of reality.

"Sam! Dean!" Y/N called out, her voice trembling, but the words seemed to get stuck in her throat. Panic filled her as she realized she was unable to summon her brothers to her aid. The terror deepened as her father slowly advanced towards her, a gleaming blade clutched in his hand.

With every step he took, Y/N's movements grew more frantic as she tried to back away, her back eventually pressed against the wall connecting the bathroom. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she felt as though her very life depended on escaping this ghastly apparition.

But there was no escape from the cruel embrace of her own mind. In one harrowing instant, the hallucination lunged forward, and Y/N felt an acute sensation of pain sear through her abdomen. Her hand instinctively clutched at the phantom wound, but the pain was all too real.

A cry of agony tore from her throat as she crumpled to the floor, her body trembling with shock and fear. The nightmare had transcended the realm of dreams, blurring the line between reality and illusion until she no longer knew what was true.

Sam's heart skipped a beat as he heard Y/N's desperate cry pierce the air. Dropping everything, he rushed out of the bathroom, a towel hastily wrapped around his waist, his wet hair dripping droplets of water. The sight that greeted him was nothing short of distressing.

There, on the floor before him, was Y/N, her form trembling in pain and fear. Her eyes wide with terror, she clutched her abdomen as if she had been dealt a real, physical blow. Sam's mind raced with concern and confusion, trying to grasp what had just transpired in the mere moments he was away.

"Y/N! What happened?" Sam's voice was laced with urgency as he closed the distance between them, dropping to his knees by her side. He brushed a damp strand of hair from her face as he creased her cheek, his eyes never leaving Y/N's stricken expression.

"I... I saw him again," Y/N gasped, trying to find her voice amidst the agony. "My father... he was here, in the room. He... he stabbed me." Her words trembled, mirroring the quiver in her voice.

Sam's brow furrowed with concern and disbelief. He tried to understand the gravity of what she was saying as he looked down at her stomach where her hands clutched, but it was apparent that Y/N's mind had become ensnared in a web of torment. The lines between reality and her nightmares were becoming increasingly blurred.

"Y/N, there's no one here," Sam assured gently, his voice a soothing balm in the midst of her torment. "You're safe now. It was just a hallucination."

But Y/N was caught in the grips of her own fears, unable to discern the illusions from the tangible world around her. The pain in her abdomen felt real, even though there was no wound to account for it.

Dean's voice echoed from the distance harsh and direct, calling out to them, and Sam turned to see his brother's concerned expression as he closed the door and tossed the food to the table.

"What's going on?" Dean's eyes darted between Sam and Y/N, trying to piece together the situation.

"It's the hallucinations," Sam explained hurriedly. "She saw her father again, and she thinks she got stabbed."

Dean's expression hardened as his jaw clenched, and he quickly joined Sam at Y/N's side. "Hey, hey, Y/N. It's alright," Dean reassured, his hand gently taking the place of Sam’s as he pulled her into his lap. "We've got you. It's just in your head."

Y/N's breathing remained rapid, but she tried to draw solace from their presence. Sam and Dean were her anchors, the ones who had always protected her. In this moment of turmoil, she found comfort in their unwavering support.

"We're here for you, Y/N," Sam added, his voice steady and reassuring.

It took some time for Y/N to settle enough that Dean left okay to move her. Scooping her into his arms Dean would take Y/N to the bed and sit her at the head. Dean's heart ached as her body still quivering with the aftermath of her nightmarish encounter.

"Hey, it's gonna be alright," Dean whispered softly, his voice a tender balm as he brushed a strand of hair away from her tear-streaked face. "Just hang on for a sec, okay? I'll get you some water." With great care, Dean moved away, as though handling fragile glass, and made his way to the bathroom to fetch the much-needed drink.

Sam followed him, concern etched on his face as he expressed his worry about Y/N's rapidly escalating hallucinations.

“Dean these hallucinations of hers are progressing quickly. There may not be a stab wound there but she really felt one.” Sam kept his voice to a whisper.

"Yeah, I know, Sammy," Dean responded with a heavy sigh, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. Before he could elaborate further, Dean stopped abruptly, realizing that Sam was still clad only in a towel. “Sam, could you put some clothes on man? I got this.”

Sam looked down at himself, realizing that he had actually been in the middle of showering when he heard Y/N cry out. He nodded his head as he returned to the bathroom.

"Here, take a sip," Dean urged gently, holding the water to her lips. Y/N complied, taking small sips, her trembling gradually subsiding.

Sam returned, now dressed in simply pajama pants and a white tank. He sat down on the other side of their bed, placing a comforting hand on her back.

As Y/N's trembling hands rested in her lap, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with guilt and vulnerability. Her eyes welled up with tears, reflecting the pain she carried inside. She knew she was burdening Dean and Sam with her troubles, and it tore at her heart.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible, afraid that her emotions would betray her further. "I don't want to be like this. I don't know what's happening to me," she admitted, her voice trembling.

Sam leaned in, wrapping his arms around Y/N and pulling her against him in a gentle embrace.

Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. Tears rolled down Y/N's cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand, trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath.

As Y/N sat on the edge of the bed, her body began to gradually relax, and the trembling subsided. Her mind was exhausted from the relentless assault of nightmares, but she fought to stay awake, fearing the horrors that awaited her in the realm of dreams. The weight of the night's terrors bore down on her like a heavy freight train, threatening to push her into the abyss of sleep.

Sam and Dean could see the toll it was taking on her. Concern etched on their faces, they knew that her fear of closing her eyes was not unwarranted, as the visions had become more vivid and tormenting with each passing night.

“Hey, why don’t we get you cleaned up so you can eat?” Sam would suggest as she rubbed Y/N’s arm.

Y/N nodded in agreement, she forced herself to sit up, feeling the weariness pulling her back down. Sam gently released his hold on her, giving her the space she needed. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, feeling the cool floor beneath her feet. Every movement felt like an immense effort, her body weighed down by the emotional and physical toll of her sleepless nights.

With determination in her eyes, Y/N took a deep breath to steady herself before attempting to stand. Her legs wobbled under the strain, causing her to grip the edge of the bed for support. Sam and Dean watched with concern, ready to assist if she needed it.

Summoning her willpower, Y/N pushed through the weakness and took another step, then another, until she was finally standing on her own. Her body still felt shaky, but she was determined to move forward. Y/N made her way towards the bathroom. The light flickered on as she entered, casting a soft glow around her. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes sunken and weary, but there was a flicker of resilience that hadn't completely faded. The sound of running water filled the room as she splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would awaken her senses and clear her mind. The cold water provided a momentary relief. Feeling slightly refreshed, Y/N reached for a towel to dry her face.

Looking down at herself Y/N greatly wanted to change, thankfully her bag was just outside the bathroom door. Reaching out to grab it she would close the door just enough so the guys couldn’t see in without effort. Slowly she would change into a light loose tank and shorts, and tie he hair up and back.

Drawing a deep breath, Y/N returned to the bedroom with the support of the bathroom's door frame. Sam had pulled back the covers of their bed, making it look inviting. "Here, sit down, and we’ll get you something to eat," he offered, his kindness shining through.

As Y/N sank onto the bed, she gave a small nod of gratitude.

"Eat up," Dean said softly, placing the food on the nightstand beside her. "You need to keep up your strength."

Y/N managed a weak smile as she took a bite of the sandwich, her appetite partially awakened by the sight of food. Sam remained by her side, keeping a watchful eye on her while giving her the space she needed.

As Y/N ate, she felt a sense of comfort in their presence. After finishing the food, Y/N leaned back against the pillows, her eyelids heavy. She watched as Sam settled into bed, making himself comfortable. The weariness in her eyes was evident as she hesitated for a moment, considering his gesture. Sam motioned for her to lay against him, Y/N felt a mix of vulnerability and comfort.

With a small nod, Y/N moved closer to Sam, allowing herself to lean against his warm and steady chest. She could feel the gentle rhythm of his breath, and his arm stretched protectively around her. Sam pulled the blanket over them, cocooning them in a shield of warmth.

"Try to get some rest," Sam whispered softly, his voice soothing and reassuring. "If you start having a nightmare, I'll wake you."

Y/N found solace in his words, her eyes already heavy and closing involuntarily. She nestled closer to Sam, finding comfort in his presence and the promise he made to protect her from her tormenting dreams.

As sleep enveloped her, she could still feel Sam's steady heartbeat, a gentle reminder that she was not alone. With Sam by her side, Y/N allowed herself to surrender to sleep, hoping that this time, her dreams would be peaceful and her mind could find respite from the relentless nightmares.

The motel room was immersed in darkness as the sounds of gentle breathing filled the air. Dean and Sam sat in silence, observing Y/N as she lay nestled against Sam's chest. They were relieved to see her finally finding some rest, even if it was just for the night.

As Y/N slept soundly, Dean nodded in approval, pleased that his impromptu plan had seemingly worked. He pulled a blanket over himself and settled into bed, ready to get some rest after a long and eventful day.

The room remained still, and the only sound that could be heard was the soft hum of the air conditioner. Gradually, both Sam and Dean drifted off to sleep, finding comfort in the fact that Y/N was finally able to rest.

Throughout the night, Y/N's body shifted occasionally, but every time she began to stir, Sam's arm around her waist would pull her gently closer, providing a comforting anchor to the reality she needed.

Y/N and Sam slept peacefully together and the night passed without incident, and for the first time in a long while.

As the first rays of morning sunlight crept into the motel room, the soft glow gently illuminated the space. Y/N stirred, slowly waking from her peaceful slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself nestled against Sam's broad chest, his head resting above hers. The warmth of his body and the steady rhythm of his breathing provided a comforting embrace.

Y/N attempted to shift slightly, intending to get up and give Sam some space, but as she moved, Sam instinctively pulled her closer. She could feel his arm tighten around her waist, pulling her snugly against him. Peeking up at his face, she saw that Sam was still asleep, and the movement must have triggered a protective reflex from him.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of Y/N's lips as she looked at Sam. In this tender moment, she felt a sense of tranquility she hadn't experienced in a long time. Being held in Sam's arms brought a feeling of safety and contentment, washing away the fears and nightmares that had plagued her.

Closing her eyes again, Y/N admitted to herself that she was enjoying the embrace. She decided to stay right where she was, waiting until Sam himself woke up. The worries and anxieties that had troubled her seemed distant, overshadowed by the sense of peace she found in Sam's presence.

Y/N's body shifted slightly as she drifted back into sleep, finding comfort in Sam's touch. Her eyes fluttered open only when Sam adjusted his position, and she found her forehead resting against his soft white tank top-covered chest.

"Mornin'," Sam's voice sounded, causing Y/N's fox ears to twitch in response, feeling the vibrations of his words resonating in his chest. She looked up sleepily, meeting Sam's smile that seemed to be on the verge of turning into a playful smirk. His voice alone brought a sense of ease to her.

"How did you sleep?" Sam inquired, genuinely concerned for her well-being. Y/N hummed softly as she lowered her head back down, still feeling the warmth of his chest against her skin, and replied, "The best I've slept in so long."

Y/N's tails beneath the covers, started to sway gently, a sign of her contentment and happiness. Sam couldn't help but notice the movement and it brought a chuckle to his lips. He was glad that she found comfort and rest in their shared embrace.

As Sam's gentle hand ran along her back, Y/N felt a soothing sensation coursing through her. His touch was comforting, and his voice brought her back to the waking world.

“We should be getting up, Dean will be back soon with breakfast.”

Y/N let out a soft huff, reluctant to leave the comfort of the moment and wanting to steal a few more minutes of sleep. Sam chuckled at her response, finding her sleepy demeanor adorable. He knew that she needed rest, but practicality called for them to start the day.

With a tender smile, Sam decided to take the initiative. He gently tossed the blanket off himself and gracefully rolled out of bed, his warm arm sliding out from under Y/N. As he stood up, the room felt a little colder without his comforting presence beside her.

As Y/N sat up in the bed, her body still enveloped in the hazy embrace of sleep, Dean walked into the room, his hands full of bags containing breakfast from a local diner. He called out cheerfully to the room, announcing their morning meal with his usual playful tone. With a practiced maneuver, Dean used his foot to kick the door shut behind him.

“Wakey wakey eggs and wow…..” As Dean turned to face the room, his playful words tapered off, and his eyes widened at the sight before him. There was Y/N, her unique fox ears perched atop her head and her tails curled to the side and hanging off the side of the bed. Dean was taken aback for a moment, clearly not expecting to encounter the ethereal sight of her features this early in the day.

Y/N, still in the process of waking up, gazed up at Dean with squinting, sleepy eyes and a puzzled expression.

“What?”.

Dean shook his head, trying to collect his thoughts as he stammered, "Uh, nothing, sorry, I'm just not used to seeing the ears and tails first thing in the morning... or during the day period, you outside the bunker."

Sam couldn't help but roll his eyes at his brother's antics. He smiled with amusement, knowing Dean's tendency to talk too much when he was flustered or surprised.

"Dean, stop talking," Sam interjected with a gentle teasing tone, trying to put an end to his brother's awkward comment about Y/N's unique features.

Dean playfully raised his hands in surrender, nodding in agreement. "Yep, got it. No more talking," he said, deciding it was for the best as well.

As Dean sorted through the food, his attention temporarily diverted, Y/N glanced down at her fox tail with a sheepish expression. "Sorry," she murmured apologetically, her cheeks slightly flushed. "I must have finally been able to relax, and I just... released them without realizing it."

Sam smiled reassuringly, understanding that Y/N's unique abilities as a Kitsune sometimes revealed themselves when she felt comfortable and at ease. "It's okay," he said kindly, "we're used to it by now, right Dean?"

Dean chuckled and nodded, reaching for a plate and piling it up with food. "Sure, you could say that," he replied.

With breakfast now before them, they all settled into a comfortable silence, focusing on savoring the meal and enjoying each other's company.

End Chapter

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dark-angel-532 · 7 months ago

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Heart of A Hunter

Sam Winchester X OC

Blair staggered through the dense underbrush, her breaths ragged and shallow. The wind howled in her ears, carrying with it the scent of burning wood and the metallic tang of blood. The cold night air clung to her skin, but it did little to numb the searing pain in her side. Her hand pressed against her wound, the warmth of her blood seeping though her fingers. Each step was a struggle, each breath a reminder of the carnage she'd just escaped.

Her family. Gone. She couldn't even process it yet.

The only thing keeping her moving was survival. Whatever had attacked her home, whatever had torn through her life like a nightmare come to life, it was still out there. And she wasn't about to let it finish the job.

She stumbled again, catching herself on a tree, her bright red hair falling into her eyes. The world blurred for a moment, the overwhelming grief and pain making it hard to think, hard to see straight. Her green eyes, flecked with gold, scanned the dark woods for any sign of safety, but all she saw were shadows.

Then, out of nowhere, the distant rumble of an engine cut trough the silence. The headlights of a car sliced through the darkness, growing closer, brighter. Blair's heart leapt in her chest- fear, hope, desperation all colliding at once. She wasn't sure who, or what, was in that car, but it was her only chance.

She stumbled forward, waving her free hand, hoping they could see her through the trees.

The Impala screeched to a halt a few feet away from her, its headlights momentarily blinding her. Two figures emerged from the car. They were tall, silhouettes against the night, moving quickly toward her.

"Woah, woah, hang on!" One of them called out, his voice deep and concerned.

"Are you okay?"

Blair collapsed to her knees, too exhausted to answer, her legs giving out beneath her. The pain was too much, the weight of her loss too heavy. She barely registered the two men rushing toward her.

The taller one, with broad shoulders and shaggy brown hair, knelt beside her, his hands hovering just above her wound, not wanting to touch it but clearly worried. His soft brown eyes met hers, filled with empathy.

"Hey, you're okay. We've got you" he said, his voice gentle despite his size. "I'm Sam. What's your name?"

Blair blinked up at him, barely able to focus.

"Blair" she managed, her voice weak and hoarse.

The other man- shorter, but just as solid- approached, glancing around the dark woods like he was expecting an attack at any moment. "We need to get her out of here. Whatever did this could still be close." He said, his voice sharp and authoritative. His green eyes flicked back to Sam. "Can she walk?"

Sam looked at Blair, his brow furrowed with concern. "We'll help her" He said firmly before slipping an arm under her shoulders. His touch was surprisingly gentle for someone his size. As he helped her to her feet, Blair caught a glimpse of his face- soft features hidden beneath that rough exterior, a kindness in his eyes that contrasted with the strength of his build.

"Dean" Sam called out to his brother. "Get the first aid kit, she's hurt"

Dean nodded, already moving, his movements quick and efficient.

Blair swayed as Sam helped her stand. He was so tall, his presence almost overwhelming, but comforting in a way she couldn't quite understand. She had never felt so small in her life- her 5'4 frame dwarfed by his towering 6'3 height.

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning into him slightly as he guided her toward the car.

"You don't have to thank us" Sam replied softly, his voice thick with emotion. He didn't look at her though. His eyes were focused on the ground ahead, his jaw clenched as if he was holding back something- anger, grief, maybe guilt. "We couldn't save them, could we?"

Blair's heart clenched, and she had to bite back the tears threatening to spill again. "No" She whispered. "They're gone"

Sam didn't say anything but his grip on her tightened ever so slightly. It was like he knew, like he understood exactly what she was feeling.

By the time they reached the Impala, Dean was already there, rummaging through the trunk. He pulled out a first aid kit and tossed it to Sam, then glanced at Blair. His green eyes were hard but not unkind. "You're lucky we found you when we did" he said, his tone gruff but not unfeeling. "Things like this... they don't usually leave survivors."

Blair shivered at his words, the reality of the situation settling in her chest like a lead weight.

Sam helped her into the backseat of the car, his broad frame barely fitting as he slid in beside her. She winced as she moved, the pain in her side flaring up again. Sam immediately opened the first aid kit, his hands moving deftly as he prepared to clean and bandage the wound

"I'm sorry" Blair whispered, her voice barely audible

Sam paused, looking at her with surprise "Sorry? For what?"

"For being a burden" She said, her voice trembling. "I...I didn't mean to drag you into this."

Sam's eyes softened, and he shook his head. "You're not a burden, Blair. You've been through hell. Let us help."

Blair bit her lip, fighting back the tears again. There was something about the way he looked at her, the way his voice wrapped around her name like it meant something. She wasn't sure why, but it made her feel safer than she had since the attack.

Sam gently bandaged her side, she found herself stealing glances at him. His shaggy brown hair fell into his eyes as he worked, his expression focused and serious. He was so different from anyone she'd ever met- strong, but kind in a way that was almost disarming. She had to admit, there was something undeniably comforting about his presence. Something that made her feel like, maybe, she wasn't as alone as she thought.

Once he was done, Sam leaned back slightly, giving her space. "That should hold for now. We'll get you patched up properly when we get to a safer place."

Blair nodded, her body exhausted but her mind racing.

"What happens now?"

Dean, who had been leaning against the side of the car, arms crossed, glanced over. "We find out what did this," he said, his voice low and deadly serious. "And then we make sure it never does it again."

Blair looked between the two brothers, realizing for the first time just how dangerous their world was. But in that moment, she also realized something else.

As long as they were with her, she had a fighting chance.

And maybe, she could survive this.

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dragonfly92 · 2 years ago

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Bobby Singer's daughter Chapter Eight

At the Motel whilst Sam was sound asleep both Sarah and Dean was sitting on the bed, Dean going through the Newspaper for anything out of the ordinary and whilst he was doing that Sarah was on her laptop doing some research and then they both started talking about Sam and Sarah asks, "Yeah I'm worried I mean he hasn't been sleeping and has been having nightmares, what if it's something serious Dean?" He looks over to her and says, "If I'm been honest I don't know what to do, but there is one thing for sure he's got the both of us for his support." They both smiled at each other and Dean thought it would a good time to confuse his feelings but again they got interrupted by Sam, who was waking up from a nightmare.

He looks over to the both of them and he's sweating like crazy and looks over and sees that their are both awake and he looks over at them with this concerned expression and then he got up and grabbed a notepad and started drawing a picture of a tree, Then Sarah says, "Alright me and Dean have been busy doing job hunting and we've found a few jobs that might be of interest or it could be our next gig, A fishing trawler found of the coast of Cali it's whole crew vanished, We also have got cattle mutilations in west texas."

They both look over and see that Sam is very focused on the picture he was drawing and that causes Dean to say, "Hey are we boring you here?" Dean simply says, "No you guys aren't sorry, keep going." So Dean takes over and says, "And here a Sacramento man shot himself, in the head three times." When neither of them get a response Dean waves his hands around trying to get his attention and he final speaks up and says, "Wait I've seen this before."

They look over at each other confused on what Sam had just said, but he gets up from the bed and gets John's Journal and gets a picture of him, Dean, and their parents and compares the photo and finally speaks up and says, "Guys I know where we need to go next." Dean looks over at Sam confused and asks him, "Where?" He looks over to the both of them and he says, "To our old home, in Kansas." Sarah could see the look of dread on his face and from what he told her, he never wanted to go back ever, it took some convincing but they final left the motel and got into the Impala.

They finally reached the Winchester's old house, the three of them looked in the direction of the house, Sarah put a her hand on Dean's shoulder for comfort which he very much appreciated and he put his hand over hers and then Sam asks him, "You g... They finally reached the Winchester's old house, the three of them looked in the direction of the house, Sarah put a her hand on Dean's shoulder for comfort which he very much appreciated and he put his hand over hers and then Sam asks him, "You gonna be alright man." Dean looks to Sam and says, "Let me get back to you on that." The three of them get out of the Impala, Sarah holds Dean's hand just for comfort which again he appreciates and the three of them start walking to the house, Sam was the one that rung the door bell and a woman answers looking at the three of them she asks, "Yes?" Dean is the first to answer and says, "Sorry to bother you ma'am but we are from the federal---." But before Dean could finish Sam interrupted and says, "I'm Sam Winchester and this is my brother Dean and our friend Sarah Singer, me and my brother we use to live here and we wanted to come and see our old house."

Sarah was still holding Dean's hand and that felt comfortable but not just to her but to Dean as well, but they would eventually separate and let go of each other hands which they didn't want too at first, but then they knew they had too and then Jenny looks over at the three of them and she says, "Winchester yeah that's so funny, You know I think I found some of your photos the other night." Dean just looks over at Jenny with a surprised but happy look and asks her, "You did?" Jenny looks over to Dean and says, "Yeah." She moved to the side so and says, "Come on in."

Once they was in the four of them headed to the kitchen where Jenny's two kids was waiting, her little boy who was in his play pen and her daughter who was sitting at the table drawing and the little boy was a juice junkie and his mom says, "That's richie he's a juice junkie, but hey at least he won't get scurvy." She gets his cup out of the fridge, closes it and hands it over to Richie and then goes back to her daughter and says to her daughter, "Sari this is Sam and Dean Winchester and their friend Sarah, these two used to live here." The three of them says hey and then they ask her a few questions which she happily answers but then Sari says something after her mom mentions the things wrong with the house, of course Dean is a little upset but he holds it back and then says, "Mom."

That causes Jenny to lean down beside her and she continues, "Ask them if it was here when they lived here?" The three of them looks over at Sari confused and then Sarah was the first to speak up and asks her, "Sari what do you mean?" She looks back to Sarah and says, "The thing in my closet." They are stunned at what she just said but that also causes Jenny to sigh, looking at her daughter and says "Oh no, Baby there was nothing in their closets." She looks over at the two boys seeing as it was their old house and says, "Right?"

Sam is the one that quickly answers and looks to both of Jenny and Sari and replies with, "Right, no, no of course not." Jenny looks over at the three of them and says, "She had a erm, nightmare the other night." But Sari looks over to her mom and then to the others and says, "No mom I wasn't sleeping and it wasn't a dream, It came in my bedroom -- and it was on fire." That causes the three of them to look at each other and then back at Jenny and Sari.

The three of them eventually left the old house, whilst walking back to the Impala, the three of them was quiet for a few seconds until, Sam finally speaks up and says, "You hear that? A figure on fire." They both looked over at Sam whilst they continued walking and then Sarah asks, "Wait she is the woman, Jenny that was the woman in your dreams?" Sam looks over at her and says, "Yeah and did you hear what she said, scratching, flickering lights, that is both signs of malevolent spirits."

Dean finally speaks up and says, "Yeah well I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are coming true." Sam looks from Sarah to Dean and he says, "Look let's just forget about that for a moment, the thing is inside that house but do you think it's the thing that killed mom and Jess?" The three of them had stopped walking and then Dean just sighs at what Sam had asked the both of them and he simply says, "I don't know." Sam looks over to the both of you with a confused expression but then he says, "Well I mean has it come back or has it been here the whole time?"

Sarah says, "Or could it be possibly that maybe, it's something completely different, we just don't know Sam." Of course that wasn't what Sam expected you to say and so he says, "Well either way those people are in danger, Sarah and Dean we have to get them out of the house." Sarah who moves from standing beside Dean to now standing beside Sam puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "And we will." Though Sam does appreciate what you said and trying your best to comfort him he says, "No I mean now." Dean has finally spoken up again and he says, "And how are the three of us going to get them out, do you have a story we could tell her?"

They arrived at the gas station, as the car needed feeling up and whilst that was happening, Dean is leaning against the car feeling her up, Sam was leaning against the front passenger seat door and Sarah was facing him whilst leaning on the driver's door and then Dean looks over and says, "We just gotta chill out, that's all. You know if this is our kinda of job?" That causes Sam to sigh and he says, "We would try to figure it out, what we are dealing with we'd dig into the history of the house." Dean who had finished filling up the car goes to lean against the boot of the car, both Sarah and Sam joins him sitting on either side.

He says, "Exactly except this time we already know what happened." Sam looks at him and says, "Yeah, but how much do you remember?" Dean looking dead again with a look on his face sighs and says, "About that night you mean?" Sam just nods his head and Dean continues, "I don't remember much, I remember the fire...the heat." He takes a deep breath and then he continues and says, "And then I carried you out the front door." That causes Sam to look over at him with a surprise look on his face and says, "You did?" Dean looks back to Sam and says, "Yeah what you never knew that?"

Sam shooks his head no, then Dean continues the story and says, "And well you know Dad's story, as well as I do Mom was.... on the ceiling and whatever put her up there was long gone by the time dad found her." Whilst Dean was telling them the story Sarah was leaning her head against his side and he had wrapped his arm around around her waist, Sam had a sad expression on his face and then asks, "And he never had a theory on what it might be?" Dean says, "Well if he did, he kept it to himself god knows we asked him enough times."

Then Sarah chimes in and says, "Alright so if we figure out what's going on now...we have to figure out what happened back then, and see if it's the same thing." Dean then says, "Yeah we will talk to his friends, neighbours, people who were there at the time." It goes quiet for a few moments then Sam looks over to the both of them and asks, "Does this feel like another job to you?" It then goes quiet again but no one says anything for another few minutes, then Dean finally speaks up and says, "I'll be right, gotta use the bathroom."

Sarah moved so he could go, but of course she wasn't stupid and then after a moment followed him, she heard him on the phone leaving a voicemail for John and he says, "Dad? I know I left you messages before, If i'm being honest i don't know if you are even getting these but anyways I'm with Sam and Sarah we are in Lawrence Kansas, there's something in our old house. I don't know if it's the thing that---."

He couldn't even finish the sentence he started getting emotional, unaware that Sarah was standing near him, but of course he's back was to her and then he continues, "I don't know what to do...erm so whatever you are doing, if you could get here please I need your help Dad." He hangs up and a few tears appear and when he does eventually turn around he notices Sarah, but neither says anything she just moves closer to him and put her arms around him, he doesn't hesitate he buries his head into her shoulder.

After a few minutes between the both of them, they spoke to each other and then their rejoined Sam and got into the Impala and drove off to Guenther's repair shop which didn't take long and when they arrived they spoke to the owner and Sarah asks, "So you and John Winchester, you two use to own the garage together?" The owner says whilst the four of them continue walking, "Yeah we did, a long time ago though as a matter of fact it's been twenty years since John disappeared, so why are the cops all of a sudden interested?"

Dean who was walking beside Sarah is the one to answer and he says, "Oh we are re-reopening some of the unsolved cases and the Winchester case is one of them." That convinced the guy and so he asks, "Oh well what would you guys like to know?" Sam says, "Well whatever you remember, you know whatever sticks out in your mind." The guy replies with, "Well...he was a stubborn bastard, I remember that about him." He laughs and then he continues, "And uh whatever the game, he hated to lose you know? It's the whole marine thing." They don't say anything just nodded their heads and the guy continues and says, "But oh, he sure loved Mary and those boys he doted on them so much." Then Sarah asks, "But that was before the fire?" The owner simply says, "Yeah that's right."

Sam then looks over to the owner and asks him, "Did he ever talk about that night?" The Owner looks over to him and he says, "No, not at first he didn't I just think he was in shock." Then Sarah asks him, "Right but eventually? What did he say about it?" The owner looks over to the three of them and says, "Oh he wasn't thinking straight and he said that something caused that fire and killed Mary." Dean speaks up and asks the owner, "Did he ever say what it was?" The owner looks over him confused and says, "Nothing did it, it was an unfortunate accident an electrical short in the wall or ceilings, I begged John to get some help but.."

He pauses for a moment but then Sarah asks him, "But what?" The Owner continues and says, "Oh, he just got worse and worse, started reading these weird books and then he started going to see this palm reader in town." Dean looks over at the owner and asks him, "Did you happen to get a name for this palm reader?" The Owner just scoffs at the question and he says, "No."

The three of them was outside of the Impala, Sarah and Dean was leaning against the front driver door and back passenger door whilst Sam was going through a phonebook and he says, "Alright so there are a few psychics and some palm readers in town, There is someone called El Divino and there's uh---."

He couldn't even finish his sentence he chuckled for a moment and continues, "There's the mysterious Mister Fortinsky, uh Missouri Moseley ----." Then Dean remembered something about that name and he interrupted and says, "Wait, Wait Missouri Moseley?" Sam looks up and over at Dean he says, "What?" Dean replies, "That's a psychic?" Sam still looking over at his brother simply says, "Yeah." Dean doesn't say anything else he goes to the backseat of the Impala and grabs John's Journal and opens it up and hands it to Sam and he reads, "I went to Missouri to learn the truth." They both look over at Dean and he says, "I thought he meant the state."

The three of them was in the waiting room of Missouri's house and she was escorting a poor guy who turns out his wife is having an affair with her gardener, but she made it seem like she wasn't and once the guy left, Dean asks her "Why didn't you tell him the truth?" She looks over to the three of them and says to Dean, "People don't come here for the truth, they come for good news." They don't say anything they just stare over at her until she says, "Well? Sam, Sarah and Dean come on in already, I haven't got all day."

She heads back into her room, leaving the three of them stunning but they forgot she's psychic and then they headed into the room, then Missouri looks over at the three of them and says, "Well, lemme look at you." she laughs and then she continues, "Oh, you boys grew up handsome and Sarah well you are beautiful and look so much like your mother." Sarah had a sad expression on her face, the boys noticed but best they didn't ask and then Missouri looks back to Dean and says, "You was a goofy looking kid." Whilst Dean glares at Missouri, both Sarah and Sam can't help but smirk at what she had said.

Then she looks over at Sam and takes his hands she says, "Oh, Honey... I am sorry for the loss of you girlfriend." She then looks to Sarah and takes her hands and says, "Sweetie I'm sorry for the loss of you mom." She then looks back at the boys and says, "Wait your dad's missing as well?" Sarah looks to Missouri and asks her, "Wait how did you know?" She looks over to the three of them and she says, "Well you both was just thinking about it now." But before they could even process what just happened Dean speaks up and says, "Wait do you know where he is and if he's okay?"

Missouri simply says "I don't know." That confuses Dean and he asks her, "Don't know aren't you supposed to be psychic, right?" Both Sarah and Sam remain quiet but not exactly impressed with Dean at the moment, but neither of say anything because Missouri beats them to it by looking at him and says, "Boy you see me sawing some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician? Look I might be able to read thoughts, and sense energies in the room, but i can't just pull facts out thin, sit please."

Sarah and Sam sits down, but just as Dean is about to sit down next to Sarah, Missouri looks over to him and says "Boy, you put your feet on the table i will smack you with a spoon." They both look over at Dean with smirks on their faces and him with a stunned look and says, "I didn't do anything." Missouri keeping an eye on Dean says, "But you was thinking about it." Whilst that was happening Sarah whispers to Sam, "Oh I like her."

That causes Sam to smirk, but then their attention was turned back to Missouri and Sam asks, "Okay so our dad, when did you first meet him?" Missouri says, "He came for a reading, a few days after the fire and I just told him what was really in the dark, I guess you could say... I drew back the curtains for him." Dean leans forward and asks her, "What about the fire? Do you know what killed our mom?" Missouri says, "A little your daddy took me to the house, He was hoping I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing." Sam asks her, "Could you find anything?" Missouri just looks over to them and she shakes her head.

Then Sam asks, "What was it?" Missouri looks over to the boys and says, "I don't know, but whatever was in that house was evil." Still looking at the boys as it was mostly about them she asks, "So... you think that something has come back?" Sam also leans forward and simply says, "Definitely." She looks over at him confused and she says, "I don't understand." Sarah who is still leaning against the sofa and asks, "What?" Missouri replies with, "I haven't been there inside for a while, but I have been keeping a eye on the house and it's been quiet. No sudden deaths, no sudden accidents. So why is it acting up now?"

Sam was the one that answers and says, "I don't know, but dad missing and Jessica's death and now this house all happening at once ---- it just feels like something is starting." That causes both Sarah and Dean to look over at him with concerned expression on their faces but Dean was the one to speak up and says, "That's a comforting thought."

The four of them had got back to the old house, unaware that something bad just happened somehow Richie ended up in the fridge but thankfully because of some spilled milk, Jenny managed to get him out and then the door bell rung, with Richie in her arms she went to answer it and see that there was four people at the door and she looks at them confused and asks them, "Sarah, Sam and Dean what are you guys doing here?" Sam in a soft calming voice says, "Hey Jenny, this is our friend Missouri." Dean then says, "If it's not too much trouble, we was hoping to show her the old house, You know for old time sake."

Jenny seemed a little distracted and she says, "You know this isn't a good time, I'm kind of busy." But Dean tries again and says, "Listen Jenny, it's important." Next thing that happens was Missouri smacking Dean up the side of his head which causes him to give her a stern look, but both Sarah and Sam couldn't help themselves but smirk a little which he notices and doesn't say anything but then Missouri looks back at Dean and says, "Give the poor girl, a break can't you see she's upset?" Then she looks back at Jenny and says, "Forgive this boy he means well, he's just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out."

What she said about him, leaves him stunned then Jenny who is still holding her little boy and was confused asks, "About what?" Acting like she had no clue what they was on about, but of course Missouri being a psychic knew that she knows what she means and says, "About the house and I think you know what I mean, you think that there's something in the house and it's something that wants to hurt your family am i mistaken?" Jenny looks at the four of them with a concerned look on her face and asks them, "Who are you?"

Missouri is the one that answers this time and she says, "We're people who can help and we can stop this thing, but you are gonna have to trust us a bit." At first Jenny wasn't convinced but then after a few seconds, she let them in and closes the front door, the four of them head up to Sari's bedroom and Missouri looks around and opens the closet door and walks inside, everyone is quiet for a moment until and then Missouri says, "If there's dark energy around here, this is the room that is at the centre of it."

Sam was the first to speak up and simply asks, "Why?" She walks back over to the three of them and looks over at Sam and says, "Well Sam this used to be your nursery and this is where it all happened." That left Sam stunned and Dean had pulled out his EMF reader and Missouri notices and asks him, "That's an EMF?" Dean looks over to her and says, "Yeah." Of course that doesn't impress Missouri and whilst looking around the room simply says, "Amateur." Dean gives her a look but continues using it and Sarah stood by his side and she notices that it's going crazy and nudges Dean who then nudges Sam, Missouri continues with what she was saying, "Well I don't know if you boys should be either relieved or disappointed, but this isn't the thing that took your mom."

They both look over at her and Sam was the first one to speak up and he asks her, "Wait are you sure, it isn't?" She looks over to Sam and simply nods her head and then he asks her, "Wait how do you know?" She looks over at the boys specifically and says, "It isn't the same energy I felt the last time, I was here it's something different." Dean who had put away his EMF reader asks Missouri, "What is it?" Missouri who was looking around the bedroom then looks back over at Dean and she says to him, "Not it." She looks away and walks back to the wardrobe and looks back and says, "Them, there's more than one spirit here."

Sam looks over at both Sarah and Dean with a confused look on his face and it was Dean who spoke up and asks her, "What are they doing here?" She has stopped walking around the room and was now standing in front of the three of them and she looks at Dean and answers, "They are here because of what happened to your family. You see all those years ago, real evil came to you and it walked this house, that kind of evil leaves wounds and sometimes wounds would get infected." Sarah finally spoke up and asks her, "I don't know what that means." Missouri looks over at Sarah and she says, "This place is like a magnet for paranormal energy and it's attracted a poltergeist it is a nasty one and it won't stop until Jenny and her babies are dead."

Of course that was worrying for the three of them and then Sam spoke up and says, "Wait you said there was more than one spirit." Missouri stands her back to the three of them whilst eyeing the room and she says, "There is but I can't quiet make out the second one." Dean then says, "Well, one thing for damn sure --- nobody's dying in this house ever again, so whatever is here we are going to stop it." That was something that everyone easily agreed on, so they headed back to Missouri's house.

Once they arrived whilst Sam, Sarah and Dean was sitting around the table and Missouri was putting more stuff on the table, which contains different herbs and roots, Dean asks Missouri, "So what is this stuff anyways?" Whilst she was telling him the things that was on the table and Dean got interested and licked a bit and then had a regret expression on his face, which causes Sarah to smile a little and he notices smiling back at her but then she looks over to Missouri and asks her, "What are we actually going to do with this stuff?"

Missouri who has now sat down beside and says, "We're going to put them into the south, north, east and west corners on each floor of the house." Dean then looks up and says, "We'll be punching holes in the drywall, Jenny is going to love that." Then Missouri looks over to Dean and she says, "Yeah but she and her kids will live." Sam looks over to her and asks her, "Will that destroy the spirits?" Missouri looks over to Sam and she says, "Yeah it should, purify the house completely we will each take a floor but we work fast because the spirits will realise what we're up to and god knows what they'll do."

Back at the house, Missouri was taking Jenny and her two kids out of the house trying her best to comfort her and she says, "Just take your kids to the movies or something, by the time you come back it will be over with." Jenny is unsure but she leaves and once she's gone, Missouri heads back inside, Sam was in living room, whilst he was about to hammer the wall unaware that behind him a lamp was slowly moving and it falls to the floor and the wire wraps around his neck choking him to death, Dean heard the smashing but before he could go and see what happened, a knife hit the wall but luckily he quickly moved the table in the way, luckily he already put his bag in the wall.

Unaware of what was happened Missouri was upstairs in one of the bedrooms but unfortunately she was in the wardrobe and got stuck, luckily she was where the bag needed to be, Sarah was downstairs in the basement and just as she was about to put the bag in the wall, a table slammed against her of course getting her stuck but she had enough strength to put it in the wall and she was able to move the table and then she quickly run upstairs and saw that Sam and Dean was together, Dean was trying to take to cord from around Sam's neck but had no luck, thankfully he saw Sarah and gave her the bag and put it in the wall, luckily Missouri was able to get her bag in the wall.

Unfortunately by the time Jenny and her kids came back the kitchen was a complete mess, she walked inside and says, "Hello we are home?" She looks around at the kitchen then asks, "What happened?" Sam was the first to speak up and says, "Sorry Jenny we will pay for everything." Saying that Dean had a concerned look on his face but before he says anything, Missouri looks over at him and says, "Don't worry Dean will clean up the mess." Again that causes Dean to make a face and before either Missouri or Dean says anything, Sarah chimes in and says, "Come on Dean I'll help you."

After an little while of cleaning the house after the mess, everyone was outside of the house and then Jenny waves at them and she closes the door and then they walk to the Impala, but whilst missouri left the three of them remain, but both Sarah and Dean was confused she looks over to Sam and asks him, "Alright tell us again why are we still here?" Sam looks over to them and says, "I honestly don't know, I just...I have a bad feeling that's all." Dean looks over at him concerned and he says, "Why? Missouri did her whole Zelda Rubinstein thing, the house should be clean, it should be over." Sam simply says, "Yeah it probably is but if i'm being honest I just want to check."

Neither Dean or Sarah was impressed with Sam's answer and then Dean was the first to answer and he replies with, "Yeah well right now we could be sleeping in bed right now." Sarah had to agree she was so freaking tired but she was also concerned and then Dean leans his head against the seat whilst both Sarah and Sam stay awake looking at the house, when suddenly something from Sam's vision came true, Jenny was screaming against the window that causes Sarah to wake Dean up and the three of them quickly run out of the car to the house and the three of them run inside, Dean went to get Jenny whilst Sam and Sarah went to get Sari and Richie, Sarah got richie whilst Sam ran over to get Sari which he thankfully did, but suddenly as the four of them was getting downstairs. Sam felt that something was off and looks over to Sarah and says, "Take Richie and Sari outside go now."

Once they got outside Dean and Jenny was outside, he took a deep breath when he noticed that Sarah was outside but then he noticed the look on her face it was a look of worry and once she gets to Dean, she looks over to him with a shock expression and she says concerned, "Dean something has got Sam come on." Jenny stayed with her children and Dean went to the trunk of the Impala and got an axe whilst, Sarah stayed at the front door and waited whilst Dean smashed the door and they both headed inside.

The both of them was shouting for Sam but when neither got a response they both headed upstairs thankfully Sarah was in Sari's bedroom but when they both got inside, Sam was pinned against the wall and there was a fire person, Dean also had a shotgun but before he could shot Sam stopped him which confuses the both of them and he says, "No Don't Dean I know who it is." Then the fire figure vanishes and appears a woman with blonde hair and wearing a white gown closer look it's Mary Winchester and leaves both of the boys stunned and confused.

She just looks at Dean first and says his name and then she turns her focus on to Sam looking at him with a smile and then a sad expression and says simply, "I'm sorry." That confuses Sam and he asks her, "For what?" But she doesn't say anything she then turns around and looks up at the ceiling and says, "You get out of my house and let my son go."

She disappeared in the fire figure and Sam was let go and a little while later the three of them was outside, thankfully it was finally over. The three of them was talking to Jenny who thanked for everything and then Missouri made an appearance and they was talking, Whilst Sam was talking to Missouri, Jenny was talking to Dean and Sarah, Dean was holding some pictures Sarah looks at them and says, "Well you was cute as a little boy." Dean smiles and doesn't say anything, Jenny had thanked them and joined Missouri who was finished with talking to Sam, the three of them head to the car, Dean put the pictures that was in the box in the boot of the car still smiling at what Sarah had said, he really wanted to tell her how he felt but it was always bad timing.

They both look over at Sam and Dean asks him, "You ready Sam." He looks over at them and nods his head and Missouri speaks up and says, "Don't be a stranger all three of you." Of course they promised that they wouldn't, but they was unaware that when Missouri got back to her house someone was there she says, "That boy…he has such powerful abilities but why he couldn't sense his own father, that I don't understand." She sits down on the couch and sitting beside her is John Winchester the boys father and she looks over to him and he asks her, "Mary's spirit --- do you think she saved the boys and Sarah?" Missouri looks over to him and says, "I actually think she did." That makes John smile and then Missouri continues to look at him and asks, "John Winchester I could slap you why don't you go and see you boys?" He looks up from his wedding ring to Missouri and says, "Oh I would love to so much, but not right now soon hopefully, but not till i find out the truth."

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supernatural-rp · 3 years ago

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Dean Winchester X Fem!reader

{Adopted Sister}

‼️TW:‼️Mentions of death, trauma, nightmares, flashbacks, {slight} panic attack

Earlier that night after Sam, Dean, and Y/N returned from a hunt, things went downhill with Y/N. The Winchesters had adopted her when she was younger. After having lost her mom and dad at a young age, Dean and Sam took her in under their wing.

Now, she was 18 years old. She still had nightmares and flashbacks from the night that she watched her parents die. The night she was saved by Sam and Dean. As Y/N laid there in her bed, tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered what it was like to have a family. To have her mom and dad with her. It wasn’t long before she finally cried herself to sleep.

The next case they took on, left a hole in Y/N’s heart. The shapeshifter had somehow managed to convince her that her mother was still alive. She chased after something that wasn’t there.

“Y/N?! Where the hell did she go?” Dean said, scouring back around the building. Sam met back up with Dean at the Impala.

“Let’s hope the shapeshifter didn’t get her.” Sam said worriedly. Dean rolled his eyes. “Nah, she’s gotten pretty good at being a hunter. Ain’t no monster messing with her.” Dean leaned against the Impala.

A few minutes later, Y/N came running up. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Let’s go!” She quickly hopped into the back seat, as she leaned against the window.

Dean glanced at Y/N as he and Sam got in. Dean started up the Impala and drove off. He kept looking back at her. “Y/N? What happened back there, kid?” Dean asked. Sam looked back at her. A worried and concerned expression came over his face.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” She replied, as she stared at the window, watching the trees and buildings fly by.

Later that evening, Dean went to check on his little sister. He knocked on her door. “Hey, kid, dinner is ready.” When he got no response, he listened closely as heard soft crying.

He picked her door’s lock, and went inside, closing the door behind him. He knelt down, lifting her chin up. He saw her eyes red from crying and her wet cheeks.

“Talk to me, Y/N. What happened back there?” Dean asked her. “And don’t say nothing. I know something happened.”

“The shapeshifter- he- he-looked like her. I thought he was-“ She began to have a panic attack. “I thought she was alive. I thought-” Her were shaking, her breathing was rapid.

Dean grabbed both of her hands in his. He knew she was having a panic attack. “Listen to me, I know that watching your parents die the way that you did was torture, but you are not alone. You have me and Sammy. And Cas. And not to mention, Jack too. So, whatever that shapeshifter made you think, it wasn’t real.” He told her softly, lifting her chin up with his hand.

Y/N sniffled. Dean wiped her tears away. “He looked like my mother, Dean. I really thought she was alive somehow.” Y/N told him. “And I see all these other girls with their moms and dads and it makes me think about the night mine died. If you and Sammy hadn’t been there when you did, I wouldn’t be here. It’s not fair, Dean.”

Dean listened to her. “I know you do, I know it’s not fair. And I’m sorry that Sammy and I didn’t get there in time to save your parents, but we did save you.” Dean kissed the top of her head. “Come on, I got you your favorites. Double bacon cheeseburgers with extra extra bacon, onion rings, and fried pickles.” He smiled a little. She smiled and took his hand. “You got the pie right?” She asked. “You’re damn right I got the pie.” He followed after her back to the kitchen.

Sam looked up as his brother and sister came back into the kitchen. “You alright, Y/N?” Sam asked her. He could tell she’d been crying.

She shook her head, sitting down on the couch. “The shapeshifter looked like my mom.” And that was Y/N said, before eating her food quietly.

Dean looked at her, then back at Sam. “I wish we’d gotten there sooner.” He whispered to his brother. Sam nodded in agreement. “I know. Me too.”

Castiel and Jack returned not long after the previous nights events. Y/N was passed out on the couch. Dean had covered her up with a blanket.

“Is she okay?” Castiel asked, walking in with Jack following behind him.

“Shapeshifter got to her. Made her think it was her mother.” Dean replied with a mouthful of pie. “You guys missed everything.”

Jack looked over at a sleeping Y/N. “Has she been up all night?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, Dean and I stayed up with her. Comforting her.” Sam replied.

“You guys should go get some sleep. Me and Jack will look over her.” Castiel said, looking at Sam then at Dean.

“If anything happens, Cas, you wake us up.” Dean told him. Then, he headed off to his room to get some sleep. Then, Sam went to his room.

#dean winchester #fem!reader #adopted little sister #supernatural imagine #supernatural #jensen ackles

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fanficbambiandy · 3 years ago

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𝟘𝟙.𝟘𝟚. 𝕎𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕘𝕠

Word count: 10.4k

Summary: After Jess's untimely death, the gang have to keep their heads on and protect the world. This time Sam, Dean and Ariana are facing off with a wendigo.

A/N: Episode two is here>:) I'm sorry it took so long, but I didn't really have that much time, with school and going to drawing. I'm afraid that Ariana turned out a bit of a nuisance in this episode, but oh well, can't blame a girl for not wanting her family to die from mister wendigo. WHILE THIS FANFIC IS WRITTEN WITH A SPECIFIC OC, YOU CAN ALWAYS REPLACE WORDS AND NAMES TO SUIT YOU!

Baby was driving down the road, her back window slightly ajar with two fingers and a cigarette hanging from it. Ariana was looking at the road they were passing, it looked more like a mirage, everything a blur of lavish green trees and welting yellow grass. It was November after all.

She looked down at the open journal on her lap. It was filled with many-a-things: sketches, diary entries, poems. It wasn’t her only one though, she had accumulated at least twenty during her lifetime, all filled with her thoughts, be it written or drawn.

The green-eyed huntress looked to the front, where she noticed her partner quickly averting his from the rear-view mirror. She smiled, slightly, he always made her smile somehow. Looking at the seat besides Dean, Ariana saw his brother finally closing his eyes and resting. After what happened with Jess, Sam couldn’t sleep, nightmares keeping him up. Every hunter knew what it meant, how it felt, but it didn’t seem to help anyone, not Dean, not Ariana and certainly not Sam.

Taking her final drag of smoke, Ariana took her cleaned out cigarette jar and threw the bud in, her silver ring clinking against the glass. It seemed the ring had always been with her, even when she couldn’t wear it on her finger, the ring would hang on her neck. Ariana herself was never big on jewellery. She liked it of course, but the woman couldn’t exactly think about such things with everything in her life. The silver ring with a hidden, refillable holy water flask and a bronze pendant with a black pearl set inside of it, that’s all she had left of her mother. A mother she didn’t quite remember.

But her sombre thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing in her pocket. Flipping it open she saw five messages:

╿✉ (5) 10:34 ╿

╿Messages received (5) ╿

╿Dad <3 (3) ╿

╿Jane (2) ╿

Clicking the first contact, the messages popped up:

╿✉ (2) 10:34 ╿

╿ Dad<3 ╿

╿ Nov. 9 20:16 ╿

╿You, okay? ╿

╿I’m guessing the big idjit ╿

╿came by? ╿

╿ Nov. 10 08:57 ╿

╿Stay safe, got it kiddos? ╿

Ariana typed out a quick response to Bobby, saying that she was okay, that her Dean and Sam were looking for John. She also added a small heart afterwards. Opening the other message was harder, not because of technical difficulties, purely emotional ones. Jane and Ariana had been friendssince middle-school, with many bumps in the road. And while Ariana would never admit it out loud, she was scared.

╿✉ 10:36 ╿

╿ Jane ╿

╿ Nov. 7 19:38 ╿

╿Heard u were out of town? ╿

╿Hope everything is OK, ╿

╿miss u <3 ╿

The huntress looked at the message for a couple of minutes, toying with her necklace, before abruptly shutting her phone and digging in her leather jackets pocket for another cigarette.

“Everything okay there?” Dean’s low voice rumbled almost imitating Baby.

“Yeah, just-,” Ariana stopped herself, mulling over her answer, “Dad messaged, that’s it,” She mumbled, putting the roll-up to her lips.

“Don’t bullshit me, Ari,” Dean said, his tone gentle, understanding.

Rolling down the window, his partner blew out a puff, “Girl problems,” a murmur.

However, before Dean could continue the conversation, Sam jerked awake, blinking away the image. Both of the older hunters looked over at him concerned.

“You, okay?” He asked his brother, eyes still on the road.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Sam answered, quickly glancing at Dean.

“Another nightmare?” The green-eyed hunter asked again.

Instead of an answer, he gets Sammy clearing his throat.

“You wanna drive for a while?” Dean inquire, his lip slightly twitching up.

“Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that.” Sam laughed.

“Just thought you might want to. Never mind,” Dean explained himself, slightly annoyed, that his attempts at helping weren’t actually helping.

“Look, man, you're worried about me,” Sam started, “that both of you are worried,” He thought back to how Ariana offered him her blanket, she kept in the back, “I get it, and thank you guys, but I'm perfectly okay.”

Both Ariana and Dean looked at each other through the rear-view mirror, both of their eyebrows raised, a dead-panned expression, “Suuuuuuure,” Ariana uttered, turning to look through the window again, she heard Sam rustling with the map.

After a couple of awkward beats of silence, Ariana hinted at something, “You know, I haven’t driven Baby in a-”

“No.” Dean cut her off sternly.

“Oh come! Why not,” Ariana whined back at him.

“Till your weird black-out’s stop, you don’t have any driving privileges,” He explained, obviously not budging on the topic.

“It’s not even that big of a deal,” Ariana mumbled, sliding back into her lovely back seat.

This time Sam looked at her through the rear-view mirror, “This happened before?” He asked, his eyebrows pinched together.

“Yeah, but it’s not a big deal,” She murmured.

“Suuuuuuuure,” Dean repeated her words back at her.

“Yeah, yeah, better tell us where we are, Dee,” Ariana said, trying to stir the conversation as far away from her weird blackouts.

“We are just outside of Grand Junction,” He responded.

“You know what? Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon,” Sam muttered, immediately followed by a heavy sigh from Dean, “Sam, we dug around there for a week. We came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica-”

“We gotta find dad first,” Sam finished.

“Dad disappearing, and this thing showing up again after twenty years, it's no coincidence. Dad will have answers. He'll know what to do,” the older brother reassured.

“We’re gonna find him, Sam,” Ariana added, a gentle smile gracing her lips, “if one thing is for sure, I am douchebag magnet,” She gave a teasing grin to the brothers. From a young age she had troubles with John and years really didn’t help tame her distaste of him. Dean just looked at her, not the slightest bit impressed.

“It's weird, guys. These coordinates he left us. This Blackwater Ridge,” Sam cut in, looking confused at the piece of paper in front of him.

“What about it?” Dean asked, peeking over at the map.

“There's nothing there. It's just woods,” Sam set down the map, “Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?”

“I don’t know, Sam, but we’re gonna find out soon enough,” Ariana said, the sign with Welcome to LOST CREEK COLORADO National Forestreflecting in her eyes.

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“So, Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote,” Sam commented as he and Ariana were looking over the 3D model of the park, “It's cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place.”

“Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear,” Dean called out to them. As Ariana and Sam made their way to the photo, the woman realized it was a hunting photo. And while the animal was truly magnificent, it was dead.

“Oh, wow, what more fun can big macho men have if not murdering natural wildlife in its own habitat,” She huffed, her eyes glaring at the man in the photo, “Besides the crimes their committing against animals, it might not be our case. Maybe John misunderstood something.”

“Maybe… I mean there’s gotta be at least a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It's no nature hike, that's for sure.” Sam thought aloud. “You kids aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?” A ranger spoke up behind them, forcing the group to abruptly turn around.

“Oh, no, sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper,” Sam spoke first, smoothly making up the lie, which even Ariana was impressed by.

“Recycle, man,” Dean raising his fist in the air, Ariana trying her best to control the upcoming laugh.

“Bull,” the ranger argued, his coffee cup in his hand. The three hunters tried not to the show the shock on their features, Sam turning at Dean and Ariana, whose former smile was wiped off, “You're friends with that Haley girl, right?”

“Yes.” After a few milliseconds of debating Ariana and Dean both spoke at the same time.

“Yes, we are, ranger…” Ariana had an inquisitive tone, lowering her lashes and shily biting her lip at the ranger.

“Wilkinson,” the man stuttered, his ear tips slightly reddening.

“Wilkinson,” Ariana repeated, giving him a flirtatious smirk.

Coughing slightly, the old man looked to Dean and Sam, “Well, I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the 24th, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?” Both Dean and Ariana were nodding along, though neither quite caring for the man’s explanation, “You tell that girl to quit worrying, I'm sure her brother's just fine.”

“We will. Well, that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?” Dean asked, throwing a smirk to the man.

“That is putting it mildly,” The man answered, and Ariana had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Yes, worrying about a loved one is absolutely insane. No matter, Ariana slowly made her way to the ranger, while speaking.

“Actually, ranger Wilkinson, I think Haley would calm down if we could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date,” Ariana asked, plastering a sweet smile and at the end of the sentence biting her lip.

The ranger eyed her, denying them the paper on the tip of his tongue.

“But I understand if that’s out of your jurisdiction, I just thought, a man who looks as powerful as you do, would surely be able to do so. Ranger Wilkinson,” Ariana looked at him through her lashes, trailing her fingers over his nametag.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The group walked out of the ranger station, Dean and Ariana chuckling at how easy it was to get the permit.

“Can’t believe he fell or that,” Dean laughed, looking at the paper, slinging his arm around Ari.

“What, are you guys doing? Cruising for hook-ups or something?” Sam asked, annoyed.

“What do you mean?” Dean asked, genuinely confused.

“Well, whatever that was between Ariana and ranger Wilkinson for one. The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?” Sam looked at his partners exasperated.

At this point they had reached the Impala, Ariana, and Dean on one side, while Sam was on the other one.

“Yeah, as if mister ranger could hit it. We needed info Sam, get used to my methods,” Ariana scoffed, not happy with the 180 turn of Sam’s usually thoughtful demeanor.

“And, I don’t know, maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?” Dean looked at Sam confused. Both him and Ariana were looking at Sam. “What?” The man in question asked, ridiculously annoyed with everything. “Since when are you all shoot first ask questions later, anyway?” Dean asked, slightly leaning on the Impala, a little smirk on his lips.

“Since now,” Sam said, expressionless.

“Well, I suggest you drop that shit, because that’s not how this goes,” Ariana had a stony expression on her face, as she climbed into the backseat. She was empathetic to Sam’s grieving, but no matter what a case is a case, no stone is left unturned.

Meanwhile, Dean had a stunned and even pleased look, muttering ‘Oh, really?’ before getting in.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The group was standing in front of a wooden door with three windows on top. Dean knocked and a pretty woman, with wavy brown hair and a small build, opened the door, a confused look on her face.

“You must be Haley Collins. I'm Dean, this is Sam, and that’s Ariana we're, ah, we're rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy,” Dean introduced themselves.

“Lemme see some ID,” Haley demanded, Ariana seeing just how much the woman didn’t trust their cover story. Dean still did comply, showing her a fake ID through the screen door, her eyes running over the card, before looking up at the oldest brother, who flashed her a boyish grin. At that she opened the door, “Come on in.”

“Thanks,” Dean said, Sam and Ariana continuing to stay silent. But before Haley moved away from the door, something caught her eye.

“That yours?” She asked, looking over at the Impala.

“Yeah,” A proud glint in his eyes, Ariana noted, a tiny smile forming on her own lips.

“Nice car,” Haley replied, before going inside, Dean following, or so it seemed, because he turned back to Ariana and Sam mouthing something. While Sam rolled his eyes at his brother’s antics, Ariana made an obnoxious kissy face at him and whispered, “Don’t let the dick stroking get to your balls.”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

“So, if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?” Sam questioned, the group now standing in the dining room.

“He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos—we haven't heard anything in over three days now,” Haley explained, carrying two bowls from the kitchen, putting them down in front of her brother, Ben.

“Maybe he can’t get reception?” Ariana tried, looking at the woman kindly.

“He's got a satellite phone, too,” Haley added, Ariana’s theory going straight out the window doing a summersault. “Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in?” Dean asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

“He wouldn't do that,” Haley’s brother finally spoke, his voice exhausted and annoyed. However, when Dean’s intense gaze fell on the brother, he quickly averted his gaze back to the plate. “Our parents are gone. It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other,” Haley explained, Ariana looking at Dean and Sam, the parallels almost a mockery.

“Can I see the pictures he sent you?” Sam asked, unintentionally forming finger guns that pointed towards her computer.

“Yeah,” Haley nods.

All of them had huddled up around her laptop, a photo of a young man in a tent came on screen.

“That's Tommy,” Haley clarified, clicking twice as other photos appeared, the last being a video.

“Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow.” Ariana and Sam both tensed up: in the video there was a quick shadow running through. The woman’s hand slightly squeezed the youngest’s shoulder, informing him, she saw it too.

“Well, we'll find your brother. We're heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing,” Dean spoke reassuringly.

“Then maybe I'll see you there,” Haley retorted, all of the hunters looking at each other concerned for a split second, “Look, I can't sit around here anymore. So, I hired a guy. I'm heading out in the morning, and I'm gonna find Tommy myself,” Haley explained her eyes carrying a passionate flame. And while Ariana admired the woman’s enthusiasm and hope, she slightly shook her head at the idea, going back to looking at the screen.

“I think I know how you feel,” Dean looked at her, nodding. “Hey, would it be okay if you forwarded it to, Sam?” Ariana interrupted, still intently looking at the screen.

“Sure.” ✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

Having finished up at Haley’s house the group headed towards a local bar for some research, before tomorrow’s hunt. Ariana was seated opposite of Sam, both of them on their laptops doing research, when suddenly the green-eyed huntresses ears picked up on a sound, a sound of a game of pool beginning. Turning her head towards the pool table, she sized up the players, would it even be worth trying to play them…

“Not tonight, sweet cheeks,” Dean interrupted, plopping besides her and throwing his arm around her shoulders.

“Fine,” She sighed, “but I could’ve gotten some easy cash,” Ariana added, going back to typing some words into the search bar.

“Don’t doubt it, sunshine,” Dean smiled at her.

“So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found,” Sam started.

“Any before that?” Dean asks, as Ariana scoots John’s open journal to the middle of the table. A top of the pages laid a torn-out newspaper article.

“Yup, in 1982, eight different people vanished in the same year. Authorities of course claim it was a grizzly attack,” Ariana described her tone slightly ironic. Dean took the article into his hands, looking over the contents. “And again in 1959, and again before that in 1936. Like clockwork every 23 years,” Ariana concluded.

“Okay but watch this. Here's a clincher. I downloaded that guy Tommy's video to the laptop. Check this out,” Sam redirected the attention to his laptops screen that was turned towards Ariana and Dean. He clicked through three frames of the video one at a time, a shadow running through.

“Do it again,” Dean asked, looking intently at the screen, Sam doing so.

“That’s three frames. That’s a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move,” Sam determined.

“And the one thing I remember from physics, bears don’t move that fast,” Ariana added, Sam looking at her confused, why the hell would that come up during physics?

Suddenly Dean playfully smacked Sam across the chest, “Told you something weird was going on.”

“Yeah,” Sam sighed.

“That’s not all though,” Ariana handed Dean another article, “In ’59 one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. A kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive.”

Dean looked at his partners, “You got a name?”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

Baby pulled out in front of a house, a man sitting on his porch unsuccessfully trying to light his cigarette. Ariana, followed by Dean and Sam walked up to the man, taking out her own lighter and offering it to the man, “Mr. Shaw?” She asked, the man taking her lighter, finally lighting the bud.

“In the flesh,” He looked at her, giving the small metal box back.

“We’re park rangers from Blackwater Ridge and we were wondering if we could talk about the attack you experienced in ’59,” Ariana asked, her eyebrows pinched together.

The old man stood up, nodding his head for the group to come inside.

“Look, rangers, I don't know why you're asking me about this. It's public record. I was a kid. My parents got mauled by a-” Mr. Shaw said, his voice hoarse.

“Grizzly? That's what attacked them?” Sam interrupted, which Ariana wasn’t pleased with his brash nature. But it seemed it nicked something for the man in front of them. He nodded, slowly turning around to look at the ‘rangers.’

“The other people that went missing that year, those bear attacks too?” Dean pushed, looking at the man, “What about all the people that went missing this year? Same thing?”

A beat of silence passed over them, before Ariana’s softer voice cut through the room, “Mr. Shaw, I know it must have been horrible to go through that as kid, but if we knew what we were dealing with, we might able to stop it for good.”

“I seriously doubt that. Anyways, I don't see what difference it would make,” The man said, tiredness leaking through his words as he sat down, “You wouldn't believe me. Nobody ever did.”

Ariana looked at the man, no pity, just sympathy gleaming in her eyes. She approached the man, sitting down in front of him, placing her hand atop of his wrinkled one, looking directly into his own tormented eyes, her voice soft, “I promise you; we’ll believe you. What did you see?”

The man paused, his eyebrows scrunched together, his eyes just slightly sparkling with unshed tears, “Nothing… It moved too fast to see. It hid too well. I heard it, though. A roar. Like...no man or animal I ever heard.” At the end of his recounting, Shaw had one tear slip down his face, but Ariana during that whole time didn’t look away, gently rubbing her thumb over his hand.

“It came at night?” Sam asked behind Ariana, trying to keep his voice low as well. Shaw nodded, not looking at any of them.

“Got inside your tent?” Sam inquired again.

“It got inside our cabin. I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door. It unlocked it. Do you know of a bear that could do something like that? I didn't even wake up till I heard my parents screaming,” One tear seemed to almost slip down again, but he blinked it away.

“It killed them?” Sam, almost surprised, asked.

“Dragged them off into the night,” He started shaking his head, “Why it left me alive...been asking myself that ever since.” The man slipped his hand out from under Ariana’s, tugging his collar down revealing claw mark scars on his neck, “Did leave me this, though. There's something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon.”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The three of them were walking down the corridor of the motel, rooms on either side. It was dark, a blue tint coming in through the window.

“Spirits and demons don't have to unlock doors. If they want inside, they just go through the walls,” Dean thought out loud.

“So, it's probably something else, something corporeal,” Sam suggested.

“Corporeal? Excuse me, professor.” At Dean’s remark Ariana huffed out a laugh.

“Shut up,” Sam directed that to both of them, “So, what do you guys think?”

“I mean considering the claws and speed, could be a black dog, skin walker… If we were closer to the north, I’d say adlet,” Ariana speculated.

“Well, whatever we're talking about, we're talking about a creature, and it's corporeal. Which means we can kill it,” Dean smirked at his companions.

Dean popped up Baby’s trunk open, propping the weapon’s compartment up with a shotgun before he and Ariana started putting some guns in a duffel bag.

“We cannot let that Haley girl go out there,” Sam said, leaning down to the two of them.

“Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?” Dean asked?

“Yeah,” Sam said, as if it were the most logical answer. “Sam, with peace and love, repeat that again. How do you think that would play out? Sunshine and friendship bracelets? My bets on ambulance and straitjackets,” Ariana said, looking at Sam. “Funny,” Dean looked at Ariana before turning his attention to Sam, “Her brother's missing, Sam. She's not gonna just sit this out. Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend.” Dean explained, grabbing the duffel bag, meanwhile Ariana shut the boot of the Impala.

“Finding dad's not enough?” Sam questioned, annoyance seeping into his words, “Now we gotta babysit too?”

Ariana and Dean were looking at Sam, disbelief etched into their eyebrows.

“What?” Sam challenged.

“Nothing,” Dean answered, trying to make his way away from the situation.

“No, you know what not nothing,” Ariana finally said, looking straight up at Sam’s eyes. Dean was about to call out to her to stop, but she beat him to it, “Look, I get that your grieving, that you’re going through shit, that you want to avenge Jess, and I’m here for you, both of us are, we can listen, we can console, but you better drop this stuck-up attitude. I get that you want answers, that you want to find your father, but we have job that requires us to take care of that girl and kill that monster. It’s not fucking babysitting. It’s what we do: make sure that people are safe, help them. So, you better get used to how we work,” Ariana concluded, her eyes burning, jaw clenched, turning back to their motel room, Dean following after.

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Dean slowed the car down to a stop in front of a group: Haley, Ben and some man, Ariana didn’t recognize, but assumed to be the one hired to help, stared at them. All of them getting out the car, Ariana yanking a heavy duffel on one of her shoulders, the other one with a flimsy backpack. Sam almost immediately took the heavier duffel bag, “Thanks,” She mumbled.

“You guys got room for three more?” Dean called out throwing his arms out.

“Wait, you want to come with us?” Haley asked, a slight smile coming on her lips as she looked at Dean.

“Who are these guys?” The man behind her asked, “Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue,” Haley explained, Sam walking past her.

“Ouch,” Ariana whispered to Dean, looking at Haley with a raised eyebrow. “You're rangers?” The man asked again, pointedly looking at Dean.

“That's right,” Dean nodded.

“And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans?” Haley challenged.

Dean looked down at himself, “Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts,” he said, both of the hunters, in their jeans and biker boots, making their way past Haley.

“What, you think this is funny? It's dangerous back country out there. Her brother might be hurt.” The man asked, annoyed at them. Sam turned back to look at him.

“Believe me, sugar, we know exactly how dangerous this can get. We just want to help them find their brother,” Ariana intervened.

“Why don’t you and your buddies get back in that car of yours and get lost, before you ruin your manicure. As if a pretty little doll like you know something about danger?”

“Well, I know that if you don’t shut your mouth now, your dick will be in severe danger, doll,” She replied, looking at the man, her eyes dangerously shining. She made her way past him, deliberately hitting the douche-bags shoulder. “Oh no! Dean I think I chipped my nails on this jerk’s fragile masculinity,” Ariana whined in a high-pitched noise, putting her hand on her forehead as a true primidone. Dean was smirking at her, which she returned, before making her way forwards, whispering ‘Dick’ under her nose. She made her way towards Sam, falling into step with him.

“Nice to know you didn’t lose your acting tricks,” Sam said, side-eyeing Ariana, a tiny smirk on his lips.

“Oh, I wasn’t acting, his dick is definitely in danger, if he keeps up the act,” Ariana then looked at Sam with a very telling look.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The group had been hiking through the woods, for a while now, Roy, the hired jerk, leading the way, Dean following him, Ariana behind Dean, Ben, Haley, and Sam bringing up the rear. While Ariana didn’t find the company, specifically Roy, enjoyable, she didn’t mind the hike itself, the park was really beautiful. Next time though, Dean is carrying the backpack.

“Roy, you said you did a little hunting,” Dean attempted at an ice breaker.

“Yeah, more than a little.” Roy answered dismissively.

“Uh-huh. What kind of furry critters do you hunt?” Dean continued.

“Mostly buck, sometimes bear.” At this Ariana rolls her eyes, ‘Of course.’ Dean made his way froward, Roy now behind him.

“Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?” At this Ariana giggled, not even trying to hide it. But it seemed Roy wasn’t humoured, grabbing Dean by his jacket. The group immediately stopped, Ariana already tensing up, and sizing Roy up.

“Whatcha doing, Roy?” Dean asked tentatively. Instead of responding, Roy bent down, picking up a stink and poking it at the ground, where it was captured by a bear trap. A bear trap, that Dean’s foot was about to end up in.

“You should watch where you're stepping. Ranger,” Roy said smugly.

“It's a bear trap,” Dean announced, slightly turning back to the rest of the group.

“Smooth, Casanova,” Ariana muttered, just enough for Dean to hear, to which he grumbled, making his way forwards, Haley quickly following after him, slightly bumping Ariana out of the way.

“You didn't pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffel bag. You're not rangers,” Haley stated, finally grabbing Dean by his sleeve, “So who the hell are you?”

Ariana and Sam stopped behind Haley, catching Dean’s eyes, silently asking if he’s got it. Dean nodded at them, motioning them to keep moving. Sam left without a question, meanwhile Ariana looked for a moment longer, before reluctantly following the younger brother.

“Sam and I are brothers, and we're looking for our father. He might be here, we don't know. I just figured that you and me, we're in the same boat,” Dean explained, his lips slightly pursed.

“And her? Is she you sister?” Haley prodded, nodding her head towards Ariana.

“Ariana? Nah, she- she isn’t our sister,” Dean said, looking at the woman in question, her unruly hair sticking out from her messy bun, her back straight, walking besides Sammy, even though they weren’t talking. What wasn’t she to him? She was his partner, his right hand, his shoulder to cry on, the one who would open her arms to him after a nightmare, the one who would keep his hands warm, and make sure he wore a scarf, when it was cold out… She was his best friend. His bestest friend. “She’s- she’s a- a really great friend,” He finally said, looking at how Ariana finally said something to Sam, her lips instantly forming into a teasing smile. Dean’s features were graced with a smile at the sight.

“A great friend, huh,” Haley looked at him, with a raised eyebrow, “Why didn't you just tell me that from the start?” She asked, pulling Dean out of his daydream.

“I'm telling you now. 'sides, it's probably the most honest I've ever been with a woman. ...ever. I mean, not counting Ariana. So, we okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“And what do you mean we didn't pack provisions? Hey, Singer!” At this Ariana stopped and turned back, looking at him expectantly, “Provisions!” Dean called out. His partner swiftly took out a big yellow bag with the M&M logo on it, tossing it directly into his outstretched hand, “If what, we also have Oreos,” Ariana called out to him.

At that Dean looked at Haley, with a smirk already plastered on his face, and he reached into the yellow bag. “That woman is ready for the apocalypse,” With a final wink, he made his way towards Ariana.

Haley looks at them for a moment longer, before walking forward.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

“This is it. Blackwater Ridge,” Roy announced, turning back to look at the group.

“What coordinates are we at?” Sam asks, moving past Roy to the front.

At that the man takes out a GPS and fidget with it before, “Thirty-five and minus one-eleven.”

Ariana and Dean made their way to Sam, a bit further away from the group.

“You guys hear that?” Dean asked, taking in his surroundings.

“There’s nothing to hear,” Ariana commented, feeling uneasy, something here is really really wrong.

“I'm gonna go take a look around,” Roy declared, pocketing his device.

“You shouldn't go off by yourself,” Sam warned.

“That's sweet,” Roy said, making his way to the front, before he could pass them completely, Ariana grabbed him by the arm, “Listen, dickwad, we need to stay together.”

“Don’t worry about me, sweetie,” he said, shrugging of her hand, which to be fair wasn’t that hard, and slightly waving his gun at them, before walking away, taking the lead again.

“All right, everybody stays together. Let's go,” Dean said, turning to look at the rest of the group, waiting for Haley and Ben to catch up.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

Dean, Ariana, Sam, Ben, and Haley were looking around the giant rocks, when they heard Roy call out, “Haley, over here!” Who took off, running towards Roy’s voice, the rest of the group hot on her tail, before everyone suddenly came to a halt, as Haley exclaimed. The campsite was ransacked: the tent was ripped and mangled, with blood stains, the supplies strewn around the area.

“Looks like a grizzly,” Roy commented on the scene. Dean, Ariana and Sam after taking in the scene started walking around the campsite, inspecting. Looking at what was presented to them, all of them realised, this isn’t what they first thought.

“Tommy?” Haley called out, getting the backpack off her. “Tommy!” She cried out, this time louder.

“Shh,” Sam ran up to her.

“Tommy!” One last time before, Sam shushed her again, “Why?”

“Something might still be out there,” He explained looking around the greenery.

“Sam.” Dean hollered, getting his brother’s attention.

Sam jumped over the tree root, finally reaching Ariana and Dean who were crouched down, looking at something.

“The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That's weird,” Dean said, the three of them standing up.

“Well, we can rule out the skin walker and black dog theory,” Ariana stated, a nagging hypothesis at the back of her mind. Dean nodded, agreeing with her. Before making their way back to the rest of the group.

When they came back to the camp site, Ariana spotted Haley picking something up from the ground, taking a closer look it was mangled and bloodied phone. The woman’s shoulders slightly shook, before Dean crouched down next to her, looking at the thing in her hand, “Hey, he could still be alive.” At least he tried, Ariana could give him that. Haley must have not been impressed with that either.

The tranquillity of the scene was interrupted by a scream, “Help! Help!” Roy immediately took the lead, while Dean took out a pistol from his back pocket and cocked it.

“Help! Somebody!” The person cried out more, but when they reached the clearing from where the sound was coming from, there was no one there.

“It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn't it?” Haley questioned.

Everyone stopped, making no sound and intently looking around their surroundings. Ariana’s gut telling her it was a trap, “Everybody back to camp,” She ordered.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

As the group finally came back running back to the campsite, it became clear, that the person in distress was nothing, but a distraction.

“Our packs!” Haley noted, looking around the almost empty ground.

“So much for my GPS and my satellite phone,” Roy muttered, annoyed at the entire situation.

“What the hell is going on?” Haley asked, no one in particular.

“It's smart. It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help,” Sam explains aloud.

“You mean someone, some nutjob out there just stole all our gear,” Roy inquires, clearly not understanding the situation.

“No, Roy, not someone,” Ariana noted, her lips pursed, turning to look at her partners, “Guys, I need to talk to you. Alone.”

The three of them made their way further away from the group, being cautious about the area they were walking around.

“Good. Let me see dad's journal,” Sam looked at Dean, who gave his younger brother the book. Sam started flittering between the pages, while Ariana spoke up, “Okay, listen, I know it might sound stupid, but I think we may have a wendigo on our hands.”

“Oh, come on, Ari! Wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west,” Dean protested.

“Think about it, Dean, the claws, the way it can mimic a human voice,” Sam interrupted, pointing to their father’s journal.

“Great,” Dean sassed, showing his pistol, “Well, then this is useless.”

Ariana nodded her head, eyebrows raising for a second, “Yup…”

Sam looked at his companions, before pushing John’s journal into Dean’s chest and making his way towards the camp, before promptly stopping, “We gotta get these people to safety.”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

“All right, listen up, it's time to go. Things have gotten...more complicated,” Sam called out to the group as he made his way back to the campsite, Dean and Ariana following after him.

“What?” Haley demanded.

“Kid, don't worry. Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it,” Roy tried to control the situation.

“It's not me I'm worried about. If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. Now,” Sam continued, Dean and Ariana already knowing how this will end.

“One, you're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders,” Roy raised his voice.

“Relax,” “Can it, Roy,” both Dean and Ariana told Roy.

“We never should have let you come out here in the first place, all right? I'm trying to protect you,” Sam explained.

“You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night,” Roy spat, getting into Sam’s space.

“Yeah? It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you, and it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here,” Sam continued, a slight condescending smile passing his lips.

Roy pushed on Sam’s shoulder, “You know you're crazy, right?”

“Yeah? You ever hunt a wen-” Sam was interrupted by Dean pushing him away from Roy, followed by an order, “Chill out.”

“Roy!” Haley on her side trying to defuse the situation called out.

“Listen up, fucking cum splat, I’ve had enough of your bullshit. You have no clue what’s going on, so, shut your trap and listen to us,” Ariana hissed at Roy, her eyes hard.

“And you need to learn a thing or two about manners, show some respect, girlie,” Roy jeered. Ariana’s palm was already scrunched up in a tight fist, ready to right-hook the man, but Dean grabbed her hand, “Chill the fuck out, Singer.”

“Stop. Stop it. Everybody just stop. Look. Tommy might still be alive. And I'm not leaving here without him,” Haley was looking directly at the group, determination in her eyes.

Dean looked back at his brother and friend. Ariana didn’t seem pleased with the decision he was about to make but nodded for Dean to go ahead.

“It's getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves.”

“How?” Haley asked, as Dean and Ariana went past her.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The group had managed to get a fire going, while Dean and Ariana were drawing symbols in the dirt around the campsite.

“One more time, that's-” Haley asked, pocking at the fire.

“Anasazi symbols. It's for protection. The wendigo can't cross over them,” Dean explained again, hoping, that it would soothe her. Roy, of course, humourlessly chuckled at this.

“Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy,” Dean said, going towards Sam and Ariana, who had finished drawing her symbols. She was holding Sam’s hands between her own, most likely because the woman believed the younger brother to be cold.

“You wanna tell me what's going on in that freaky head of yours?” Dean asked

“Dean-” Sam started after a pause, Ariana interrupting him, before he could even try and utter the words ‘fine’ and ‘okay.’

“No, Sammy, you're not fine. You’re acting like a firecracker, not thinking anything through. Dean’s supposed to be the belligerent one here,” at that Dean slightly glared at his partner, “even I’m closer to acting all riled up.”

“Dad's not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?” Sam started, his voice faint.

“Yeah, you're probably right. Tell you the truth, I don't think dad's ever been to Lost Creek,” Dean revealed, Ariana not exactly being surprised either.

“Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road. Go find dad. I mean, why are we still even here?” Sam asked annoyed, like a little kid.

“Sa-” Ariana began, before Dean stopped her, getting up sitting in front of Sam and taking out John’s journal “This is why. This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession—everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business.”

“That makes no sense. Why doesn't he just…call us? Why doesn't he…tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?” Sam looks at Dean confused.

“Has you father ever made any sense,” Ariana quips, letting go of Sam’s hands.

“I dunno. But the way I see it, dad's giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it,” Dean said. “Dean, Ari...no. I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica's killer. It's the only thing I can think about,” Sam explained, his eyes brimming with tears, Ariana placing her hand on his knee.

“Okay, all right, Sam, we'll find them, I promise. Listen to me. You've gotta prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul. It's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man,” Dean told his younger brother.

“How do you guys do it? How does dad do it?” Sam asked, completely drained.

Ariana gave Sam a sad smile, “Too fucked up to do anything else.”

Dean glanced over at the brother and sister sitting by the fire, “Well. for one, them.” Sam turned to look at the pair too. “I mean, I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable,” he paused, waiting for Sam to look back at him.

“I'll tell you what else helps,” Dean smiled at Sam and Ariana, who continued his sentence, with a smile, “getting to shoot shit.” In turn Sam gave them a tiny smile back.

“Help me!” A voice cut through the woods. Ariana, Sam and Dean jumped up, rushing towards the others, Dean taking out his gun, cocking it, Ariana standing in front of Ben and Haley, while Sam was shining a flashlight around. “Please! Help!”

“He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put,” Dean commanded.

“Inside the magic circle?” Roy challenged.

“Help! Help me!” Some twigs snapped. It was circling them.

“Okay, that's no grizzly,” Roy mumbled.

“It's okay. You'll be all right, I promise,” Haley was trying to calm her brother down. A sudden snarl from the side made her shriek, Roy and Dean not wasting a second pointing their weapons at the sound.

“It's here,” Sam spoke, before Roy fired off a shot at the rustling leaves. “I hit it!” He exclaimed, careless running towards his prize.

“Roy, no! Roy!” Dean yelled, “Don't move,” he ordered before running after Roy.

“Dean!” Ariana called out after him, going after him. Like, hell, she’s leaving him alone with a wendigo. Sam following right after her.

“It's over here! It's in the tree!” Roy called out to Dean.

“Roy!” Somewhere in the far distance Roy heard Dean calling out, the last human sound he heard before two clawed hands snapped his neck.

“Roy?!” Dean called out again, but no one answered.

“What were you doing, running after him like that?!” Ariana barked at Dean, angered by his recklessness.

“Well, why the hell did you follow me, I can’t fucking protect you outside the circle,” Dean growled back at her.

“Well, I can’t either,” Both of them were snarling at each other. Luckily, Sam grabbed them both by the collars, shoving them towards the campsite, “You can have your alpha stare off when it’s safe.”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

It was finally daytime; in the far distance some birds could be heard, and the slightest bit of hope was sung by them. Sam was sitting a bit farther away from everyone else, against a hollow tree stump holding John’s journal, playing around the lanyard attached to it. He was lost in thought, mulling over the words Ariana had said, Dean had said, hell his father’s words during his life…Jessica’s words.

“I don't...I mean, these types of things, they aren't supposed to be real,” Haley thought out loud, confused.

“I wish I could tell you different,” Dean spoke, inspecting the marks left on the tree bark, moving to crouch down next to Haley.

“How do we know it's not out there watching us?” She asked.

“We don't,” Ariana ominously replied, emerging from the woods, having no luck in getting more clues.

“But we're safe for now,” her partner added, hoping that it would comfort them.

“How do you know about this stuff?” Haley continued, looking at Dean intrigued.

“Kind of runs in the family. Hers too,” he said, before curtly getting up.

“Hey,” Sam spoke, Haley stood up as well, “So, we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch.” The last part made Ariana slightly smirk.

“Well, hell, you know I'm in,” Dean smiled.

“I’ve got some time to kill,” Ariana added, leaning on Dean’s side slightly.

Sam had opened John’s journal to Hailey and Ben, most of it all handwritten.

“'Wendigo' is a Cree Indian word. It means 'evil that devours',” Sam started.

“They're hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter,” Dean continued.

“How's a man turn into one of those things?” Haley asked, looking over the crude, ancient drawings.

“Well, the story tends to repeat itself: harsh winter, dude runs out of supplies, is starving, can’t get any help. Not having much of a choice he resorts to cannibalism, feeding either on his tribe or camp members,” Ariana explained.

“Like the Donner Party.” Ben commented, starring at her.

“Pretty much. But it’s not a new concept, cultures all over the world believe that human flesh or blood, has some inherent magical property once consumed. Abilities such as, superspeed, immortality, strength…” Ariana counted off.

“If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry,” Dean added.

“So, if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?” Haley inquired.

Dean glanced back at Ariana and Sam, both nodding at him to go ahead and tell them, “You're not gonna like it.”

“Tell me,” She demanded.

“More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It, uh, it stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, it's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there,” Dean explained, not sugar-coating the situation.

“And then how do we stop it?” The woman pressed.

“Well, guns are useless, so are knives,” Ariana stated, Dean walking past the siblings.

“We gotta torch the sucker,” He held up a can of lighter fluid, a beer bottle and a white cloth, Ariana taking out her lighter. ✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

Dean was leading the way through the woods, the Molotov and Ariana’s lighter in his hand. Some of the trees they passed were covered with claw marks and some congealing blood. Something wasn’t right, it was too placed.

“Dean, Sam” Ariana called out, finally stopping at one the tress.

“What is it?” Dean asked, as he and Sam jogged up to her. The tree also had tears in it as well as blood, some broken branches in the area.

“Don’t you think it almost seems like it’s luring us? I mean-” And Ariana’s was soon confirmed by menacing growl from the tree line, circling them. All of them whipped around, slowly making their way closer to each other. Hayley was standing under one of the trees, a tiny dripping sound on the side of her shoulder caught the woman’s attention. It was dark, thick blood. She looked up and leaped out of the way just in time, before Roy’s corpse dropped where she had stood.

“You, okay?” Ariana asked Haley, grabbing her by the arm, urging the black-haired woman to get up.

“His neck's broke,” Dean said, looking up at the thick woods, his eyes wide, the growling getting louder. “Okay, run, run, run, run, go, go, go!” He commanded, pushing everyone to the front, using himself as a shield. Dean took the front, trying to lead them out, after him went Haley, Sam, Ariana, and Ben. The hunters were keeping a fast pace, but that didn’t help Ben, who tripped over an uncovered tree root. The huntress noticing this, quickly turned back, running to Ben grabbing him by his arm, “Come on, I gotcha, I gotcha, let’s move it.” Sam was there too in seconds, helping Ben up and effectively splitting the group into two. Out in the far distance they heard a shriek, Haley’s shriek. Ben instantly picked up his speed, “Haley?” The group running in the direction of the scream.

“Dean!” Ariana called out, looking around the clearing, seeing his home-made Molotov lying on the ground, broken. “Dean!” This time it was a desperate call, but desperation rots with silence.

“If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?” Ben asked, walking near Sam.

“Because Roy was dumbass that shot a monster and pissed it off,” Ariana snapped, her hands clenching and unclenching. Her partner is missing, her right-hand man, her fucking frie- “Ariana!” Sam barked out her name, trying to get her to come back to reality. “Breathe, ok? He’s gonna be fine.”

“I’m supposed to watch his fucking back, Sam,” Ariana grunted, trying to level her breathing.

Before Sam could comfort her, Ben called out, “They went this way.” He was holding a blue M&M between his fingers. Both hunters raced to the boy, who passed the candy to Sam, neither of them containing their relieved laugh.

“It's better than breadcrumbs,” Sam exclaimed, tossing the candy over his shoulder.

“God, I’m gonna make him carry that shit everywhere,” She laughed, following Hansel’s trail.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

The breadcrumbs led them to an abandoned mine, a perfect place for a wendigo’s fridge. The entrance was marked with big, bold, red letters that read:

WARNING! DANGER!

DO NOT ENTER!

EXTREMELY TOXIC MATERIAL!

Sam looked back at Ben and Ariana, shrugging his shoulders, before opening the door and stepping in, the others following behind. In the mines Sam took, the lead, Ariana and Ben trailing him. The youngest brother was shining the light ahead of them, but a deep growl through the mind forced him to turn off the light. Ariana grabbed Ben and Sam’s hands, pressing them against the wall, making sure, if the wendigo did see them, she would be his main target. Sam noticed how the man next to him started hyperventilating. The brother pressed his hand against Ben’s mouth, before he could scream.

Thankfully, the wendigo took off to a different tunnel, and the group of three kept going. As they were walking on the floorboards, they gave out, making the three of them fall into a hole, lading on a pile of bones. Ben spotted a pile of skulls near his head and he jumped back, “Hey, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay,” Ariana said in a hushed town, looking over her surroundings.

“Dean!” Sam called out in a muted voice, Ariana instinctively getting up and running towards the man who

was strung up like a pig for slaughter by his wrist.

“Haley, wake up!” Ben went to his sister.

“Dean,” She whispered, not trusting her voice. Ariana gently rubbed her thumbs over his face, “Come on, Winchester, wake the fuck up, dick,” She whispered, slightly digging her fingers into his cheeks. That seemed to work, Dean groggily opening his eyes.

“Dean,” Sam looked at his brother.

“’bout time, you guys are late,” He gave them his signature Dean grin accompanied by a shitty joke. Sam smiled back at him, cutting his brother down. Dean stumbled, his legs feeling weak. Ariana without a second lost, linked her arm behind his back, helping him sit down, the hunter making panful grunts along the way.

“Hey, you okay?” Sam asked, looking at his brother, meanwhile Ariana was running her hands around his chest, sides arms and legs, making sure nothing was broken or out of place, “Yeah,” Dean grunted, once she hit a tender spot.

“Yeah, definitely fine,” Ariana snarked back at him, checking over the parts where she saw blood.

“Look sweet cheeks, I love your hands on me, and if you want to continue doing this later, I’m all for it,” Dean wiggled his eyebrows. Not even pain, would stop him from making crude jokes. And not even in worry, would Ariana back down, deliberately hitting a sore spot. “Thanks,” another grunt from Dean, “Where is the fucker?”

“He's gone for now,” Sam said, looking intently at his brother’s wounds.

The group was so preoccupied with taking care of each other, they forget the reason they were here.

“Tommy...” Haley faintly whispered. Suddenly, followed by Haley’s scream, her brother woke up. “Cut him down!” She ordered turning to the hunters.

Sam being taller, reached up towards Tom’s bounds, while Ariana helped Dean get up from the ground. “We're gonna get you home,” She heard Haley whisper.

“Check it out,” Dean said, noticing some flare guns between an array of stolen supplies in the corner, twirling one in hand.

“Flare guns. Those'll work,” Sam commented.

“They sure will,” Ariana smiled. They were getting out.

The group was making their way down a tunnel, Ariana, Sam, and Dean taking the lead, all with a flare gun, while Haley and Ben were in the back, supporting a limping Tommy. However, a growl, not that far away from them, stopped the group in their tracks.

“Looks like someone's home for supper,” Dean commented his eyes keen.

“We'll never outrun it,” Haley spoke.

“You guys thinking what I'm thinking?” Dean asked looking at his partners.

“Yeah, I think so,” Sam said, while Ariana nodded.

“All right, listen to me. Stay with Sam and Ariana. They’re gonna get you out of here,” Dean directed it to Haley.

“Like hell you’re going in there alone,” Ariana cut in, her eyes ablaze.

“Ariana,” Dean growled, “We don’t have time.”

Ariana bunched up his jacket in her fist, their eyes trained on each other, glaring.

Finally, Ariana sighed, “You better come back,” She said, her lips pressed together, she backed away, looking at Dean, “You better stay fucking safe.”

“When am I not, Ari?” Dean gave her a wink, before walking off in the opposite direction, “Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that's right, bring it on, baby, I taste good.” At this Ariana shakes her head, before taking the lead, flare gun raised in front of her, “All right, come on! We don’t have much time.”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

Ariana was walking in front of the group, Sam right after her, both having their flare guns ready. A snarling sound made them stop.

“Get him outta here,” Sam whispered.

“Sam, no,” Haley protested, remembering her talk with Dean.

“Go! Go! Go!” Ariana pushed them towards the tunnel, “We’ll be fine!” She added, hopping it would comfort the woman.

“Come on, Haley!” Ben convinced his sister. With one final look, Haley looked at the hunters in front of her and moved away.

“Come on. Come on,” Sam urged.

The pair pressed themselves to the wall, holding up their guns. But a growl from the other side made them turn their heads, both startled by the disfigured face. Sam unsuccessfully shot at the Wendigo, Ariana’s barely grazing the monster, but long enough to distract the beast and for them to scramble to their feet.

“Sam! Ariana!” They heard Haley call out, both of them sprinting to the siblings.

“Come on, hurry, hurry, hurry,” Sam pressed, Ariana lightly pushing them forwards.

They were running as fast as they could, Sam taking the front, while Ariana rounded the back. But they stumbled into a dead-end, and there was no way out. Sam without a second thought stood in front of the Collin’s family, almost completely hiding them.

“Get behind me,” Sam ordered, pushing Ariana behind him, when she didn’t listen, standing next to him, trying to shield the youngest brother as much as her frame allowed her.

The wendigo came stalking towards the huddled-up group, taking it’s sweet time, enjoying how it’s prey was quivering.

“Hey!” The familiar voice yelled out, the wendigo abruptly turning around to look at who interrupted it’s fun. Dean at once, firing a straight short right into it’s stomach, the flame climbing up it’s insides, horrid shrieks were let out by the monster, before the wendigo was finally freed from it’s pain.

“Not bad, huh?” Dean asks, giving a small smirk to the group.

“Not bad at all, Winchester,” Ariana smiled back, running up and hugging the man, whispering, “Don’t ever pull that shit again.”

Sam grinned.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

“And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?” The officer asked Ben. They were back at the ranger’s station, and ambulance loading up Tommy, red and blue light’s flickering over the faces of two officers.

“That's when it circled the campsite. I mean, this grizzly must have weighed eight hundred, nine hundred pounds,” Ben explained, all of them deciding it’s best to stick to the grizzly theory. Sam was nodding along to what Ben was saying.

“All right, we'll go after it first thing,” The officer reassured Ben and Sam.

“So, I don't know how to thank you,” Haley started, in turn Dean gave her a lascivious smirk, “Must you cheapen the moment?” She asked, smiling despite herself.

“Yeah,” He rolled his eyes at that, a boyish charm to it.

“That’s his specialty,” Ariana added coming up behind Haley from one of the ambulance cars.

“You riding with your brother?” One of the paramedics interrupted, looking at Haley.

“Yeah. Let's go,” she said to Ben. Looking at Dean for a second she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “I hope you find your father,” the black-haired women wished, before turning to the other’s, “Thanks, Sam, Ariana.”

“No problem,” Ariana gave her a tight-lip smile, as the group finally split. The Collin’s getting inside the ambulance, “Close her up.”

“Guys, I really fuckin’ hate camping,” Dean exclaimed, throwing his arm around Ariana’s shoulder.

“Me too,” Sam mumbled.

“Oh, but think of the s’moores, Dee,” Ariana teased.

“Microwave s’mores, best of the best,” He grinned back at her.

“Fair enough,” She mumbled back.

“Sam, you know we're gonna find Dad, right?” Dean spoke up again, after three beats of silence.

“Yeah, I know… But in the meantime? I'm driving,” Sam smiled.

Dean lowered his head, toying with the keys to Baby, before throwing them in the air only for Sam to catch them.

“Seriously, Dee?” Ariana looked at him, wanting her driving privileges back.

“Black-out’s,” Dean smiled at her, tapping his temple, before ducking into the passenger seat.

“Black-out’s,” Ariana mocked, getting into the back seat of Baby.

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

As the three of them finally check into their motel room, Sam and Dean had already reserved their turns to the shower, Ariana being the last one to enjoy the warm water, running down her aching back and taking away all the grime off of her. Even when the shower turned ice-cold, Ariana couldn’t force herself out from under the running stream, until her toes started feeling slightly numb. Getting out of the shower, the huntress pulled on a pair of dark blue sweatpants and one of Dean’s shirts she stole years ago, over her tattoo clad body; the ones that were still visible, were the ones not being covered up by the mid-length sleeves. Walking out the bathroom she saw Sam passed out on top of his covers, Dean, on the other hand, was lying on the sofa, beer in one hand, the remote control in the other one.

The woman walked towards her and Dean’s bed that they were sharing, taking off the duvet and throwing it over Sam, tucking him in and planting a kiss on his forehead, a force of habit to her.

“Get your feet up,” She patted Dean’s legs. The man didn’t even think about moving, giving her a puppy-dog look.

Ariana sighed taking his legs, lifting them slightly, sitting down and laying his legs atop of her thighs. Gently rubbing his calves.

“You know?” She started.

“Mmm?” Dean hummed back.

“You really were a hero today. A reckless one, but a hero nonetheless,” Ariana smiled at him, “So, I thought…” She dug her fingertips slightly harder into his leg, “A little reward is in place.” It became accustom for them to take care of each other after a difficult hunt like this, either by giving a massage, going out ordering food, having the control of the motel television… Nothing extravagant, but thoughtful, nonetheless.

“God, this is the life: a massage, beer and shit TV? What mo- How do you have such strong fingers?” Dean was interrupted by Ariana’s fingers running over a particularly tender spot, he in turn moaning.

“Oh, you know, girlie stuff,” She smiled, one that Dean could barely make out through her curtain bangs.

“Come on, that’s my line,” He whined jokingly.

A couple of minutes passed liked that, the TV buzzing in the background, soft snores from Sam and Dean’s light breathing that was getting heavier.

“Dee?” Ariana cut through the lulling silence.

“Mmmm?”

“Promise, I’ll never lose you, no matter what,” she said.

“’fraid, you’re stuck with me, darlin’,” Dean mumbled, on the verge of sleeping, eyes closed, his voice slurred, “Promise,”

“I promise too,”

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

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wkemeup · 4 years ago

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Losing Riley

summary: Before she met Bucky, Y/n’s world was shattered. Sam was the common thread that helped her pick up the pieces again. pairings: riley x reader, hinted future bucky x reader warnings: character death, grief 🧡 series masterlist / series playlist

You woke to cold sheets. A hand slid over to the left side of an empty bed and your heart clenched. The startling realization settled in each morning as the distant glow of the sunrise peered through the curtains – Riley was still an ocean away and you were still emphatically alone.

But you were determined to make the most of the day, even if Riley wasn’t there to spend it with you. It was his mother’s birthday whether he was stateside or not and you were insistent not to let the ocean waters sweep you under in his absence. So, you pressed on a smile and dragged your feet to the bathroom to tame your hair and dry your eyes. His family would be expecting you and one of your homemade cakes by the evening.

You dared a glance at yourself in the mirror, clad only in the US Air Force t-shirt Riley had left behind. It was rich in army green color and the logo stood bright against your chest. You wondered how much wear the shirt could handle before it started to fade. It had lost Riley’s scent after you’d worn it for a week straight, the lingering glimpses of his presence dimming night by night. You could only hope it wouldn’t shrink in the wash.

You spent the day perfecting the cake his parents had grown to crave; three-tiered and coated in layers of chocolate frosting. Billy Joel sang on the radio and you mumbled your way through the verses of We Didn’t Start the Fire to distract yourself from imagining Riley seated at the countertop, watching you with love struck smirk on his face and a dab of frosting at the corner of his lips. The book on the counter held a gentle layer of flour on the pages. It kept you company until the timer rang.

The dress you wore was one you’d purchased with the intent to wear for a date night when Riley came home after his first tour. Though it was red in color, it was not striking or bold – instead, it was soft, almost muted, and it carried a sort of gentle effervescence to it. Modest but charming. You’d hoped it would make him smile. You hadn’t counted on how the war stealing his ability to do so.

It was the first time you wore the dress since you bought it. Maybe you’d ask his mother to take a picture of you with the cake to send to him. He might like that. He seemed to be himself more when he was away than when he was home in your arms these days.

You had the cab drop you at the end of the driveway. It was long enough to catch the glow of Christmas lights still draped around the trees outside and hidden under layers of snow, despite the fact that it was well into January. The suburbs were so quiet compared to the city; you’d forgotten how much you enjoyed spending time at his parent’s house. They’d welcomed you to their table, even in the months Riley was overseas. It was a burden you shared together – to be left behind.

You’d only made it halfway up the driveway when you noticed the two men standing at the porch. They were dressed in formal uniforms, white hats held down by their hearts. You hadn’t realized you’d stopped moving until the snow started to soak into your shoes. It piled on the pointed toes of your heels.

Riley’s mother stood in the open-door way, a vacant look upon her face. Her husband was at her side, shaking his head as he struggled to grab onto his wife before she let out a wail that echoed so painfully, birds scattered from nearby trees.

Her knees gave way from under her as she fell to the ground in sobs. The two men in uniform did their best to comfort her, only to be shoved away. They stood back and watched a mother grieve her only son at a respectful distance.

“Y/n?”

Your hands were shaking. The cake tray had slipped from your fingers and fell into the snow. A mess of sweet chocolate amongst pavement and ice. The voice called your name again, concerned, frantic, and you could only vaguely make out a blurred figure racing towards you.

Everything around you tunneled, your knees weakening as you struggled to fight against the ice under your heels and the weight suddenly barreling down on your shoulders. All you could hear was the screams of Riley’s mother as she held onto her husband, unable to move from the comfort of the ground.

“Y/n, come with me,” the voice eased and you looked up to find Sam Wilson standing a few paces ahead of you dressed in his formal Air Force blues, gold wings on his shoulder and a series of colorful pins on his left breast. He held out a hand to you.

“Let’s go inside, okay?” he tried again but you shook your head, eyes darting back to Riley’s mother.

You tried to take in another breath but found it shallow, as if your lungs had collapsed beside your heart in mutual surrender.

“You’re having a panic attack,” Sam told you calmly. “I need you to listen to me, okay? Focus on my voice.”

You nodded quickly, tears burning in your eyes, though you couldn’t tell if it was from the shattered remains in your chest or the light headedness pulling your vision under. Sam bent down and grabbed a handful of snow.

“Here. Feel this,” he ordered evenly, placing the snow in your bare hand. He stepped back, shaking out his gloves. “It’s cold, right?”

Yes, you tried to say though the word didn’t quite leave your lips. It stung, but there was a comfort in it. You watched as it melted in your palm, your skin burning from where it had been.

“Smells like Christmas trees out here, doesn’t it?” Sam added, taking in a deep breath. He smiled. “Reminds me of the tree farms I used to go to with my dad every year growing up.”

You followed his lead, taking in as much of a breath as your body would allow. He was right, it did smell like pines. Riley’s family planted a few along their property line because his mother loved Christmas so much. It smelled like Fraser and Balsam Fir all year round.

You concentrated on the smell of the trees, the chocolate that had scattered into the snow in clumps of frosting and cake; the sound of Sam’s voice, of Riley’s mother’s cries; the feel of the chill on your skin and the snow in your hand. You focused until you could draw in a full breath enough to make sense of the destruction around you.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” you asked, voice trembling on the verge of tears.

Sam’s shoulders fell, a terrible longing pressed over his features. “I’m so sorry, Y/n.”

Despite your efforts, your knees buckled in mirror to Riley’s mother. Sam caught you before you could hit the ground, his arms encasing around you as your body fought the violent tremors shaking through you. You cried against his jacket, as the snow built upon your shoulders and wet your hair. You cried until there was little else your body could give.

***

You barely remembered the funeral.

A folded flag had been placed in the lap of Riley’s mother as she sobbed. A casket had been lowered into the ground. Guns fired in salute and you flinched at each one as they echoed against the stormy grey skies. Sam held your hand through the entire ceremony, squeezing it hard enough to leave a mark when it looked like you were teetering on the edge of an endless void. He stayed on your couch that night and pretended not to hear as you cried yourself to sleep.

There was an emptiness that took hold of you when Riley left for his first tour, but there was still a lingering hope. You’d managed to hold onto the image of a man at war and his woman waiting for him to return. He wrote often and you kept each letter in a shoe box under the bed. It was a script of a movie you’d learned to follow – the scraps of love you could grasp from the shores of the Atlantic.

When he came home, he was hollow. He wasn’t the man you’d kissed goodbye with a cheesy, hopeful grin on his face. He’d lost the spark behind his eye and the glow in his skin. He became withdrawn and angry; lashing out when you reached to him with an anchor in your hand as if he favored the unforgiving currents pulling him under.

The time you spent with him before he left again hurt worse than when he was gone. He longed for the sky like a bird with a broken wing. It was within reach, so close and so impossibly far from his grasp. He pushed you away, convinced you would never understand the resentment he carried towards civilian life and the utter inability to conform to it.

Perhaps he was right. You’d shouted it yourself one night until you were both hoarse and in tears. You would never understand, but it didn’t mean you couldn’t try, that you didn’t love him any less.

You’d seen the way the war had hurt him. It shoved nightmares to his dreams and panic in his veins. It made him hypervigilant and paranoid. It isolated him from his friends and family. It made him feel like a monster in the skin of a man, pretending to be someone he wasn’t; smiling through aching muscles as if he were a portrait hanging in a museum.

He pretended to be fine. He pretended to try. He never was.

It didn’t surprise you the day he told you he was going back.

Still – you begged. Despite the tears, the months of heartache and panic attacks and night terrors, you were desperate for him to stay. You were desperate to rebuild what the war had broken between you. You loved him and it wasn’t enough.

After he left, you tried to pretend as he did – that everything was fine, that you didn’t feel an ache in your chest at the thought of him, that you were a woman waiting on your soldier to return home.

He was more himself when he called. He became the Riley you remembered in the beginning; full of hope and eager to prove himself. He smiled often and laughed as his friends teased him for the blush in his cheeks when you appeared on the screen. It was those moments that encouraged you to hang on, that reminded you why he was worth the pain and heartache.

Those moments gave you hope that this time would be different. When Riley came home, the two of you would be just fine. The soldier and his girl.

Always optimistic. Always sunny. Always finding silver linings.

You should have known better than that.

***

Mrs. Jefferson was surprised the day you showed up at work dressed in shades of grey and black, returning the piles of books you had yet to read.

“You should go home, dear,” she eased, slipping the glasses from the bridge of her nose to rest on the beads against her chest. “It’s too soon for you to be at work.”

“I’m fine,” you mumbled. You didn’t put much effort into the lie but you couldn’t stand to be in your apartment another second longer. It was too quiet, too empty. You’d never lived with Riley but his things were scattered around your place. The Air Force shirt sat crumbled at the foot of your bed.

“Honey, you forget that I know what you are going through,” Mrs. Jefferson sighed, placing a trembling hand over yours. You paused. “Be patient with yourself. Have kindness for the man you lost. You’ll see the sun again, my dear. I promise.”

You didn’t know whether it was the tenderness in her words or the way her aged hand curled around yours that broke you. Tears blurred over your eyes and you sank into her embrace as she drew circles against your spine. If the visitors noticed your grief, they did not say anything. For that, you were grateful.

***

It took time before you could think of Riley without crying. Months, maybe, but it was progress. Sam stopped by daily in the beginning, showing up with coffee and donuts from Luciana’s and forcing you to get out of bed just to open the door for him before he woke the neighbors. You’d come to expect him and started to ready yourself before he arrived.

He swung by after work some days with takeout and some weekends he dragged you to his friend Steve’s house where they watched football and you filled your stomach with nachos and buffalo chicken dip.

He taught you to smile again despite yourself because Sam was infectious no matter how deep the void you’d caged yourself in. It was impossible not to return his smile, impossible not to try for a man who so genuinely wanted you to succeed. He was Riley’s partner and he knew Riley on a level not even you had seen. Sam grieved different than you did, but he grieved nonetheless. It was something you shared in. Something you overcame together, too.

The day he brought you to the VA, you’d dragged your feet the whole way.

“Trust me, kid,” Sam urged, yanking your hand along the sidewalk, but you planted your feet. Sam rolled his eyes. “Do it for Riley.”

Your jaw dropped, though Sam started to smirk. “Don’t evoke Riley’s name to guilt me into working for the people who took him from us, Sam!”

“I’m guilting you into volunteering. Let’s make that clear,” Sam retorted. “I’m not paying you shit.”

You laughed despite the frown on your face.

“Second, these guys aren’t the big shots who sit in their cozy offices while our boots on the ground see the real fight,” Sam said, squeezing your hand. He wasn’t teasing anymore. His smile was genuine as his features softened, a sad sort of memory on his mind. “They’re guys like Riley, Y/n. Guys who could use the help he should have had.”

Your lips parted, unable to come up with an excuse to say next. You thought of Riley curled up on the floor with his hands pressed over his ears as fireworks lit up the sky on New Year’s Eve. You thought of the dark circles under his eyes from sleepless dreams and the toll it took on your relationship. You thought of the shame he felt for pushing you away, for being unable to stop himself from hurting you, too.

You shook your head. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough for that, Sam.”

“Just come with me to the open house,” Sam tried, tugging on your hand and this time, you let him drag you a few steps. “If it’s too much, I won’t push it again...” he bit his lip, “until next year.”

“Fine!” you laughed, falling in stride with him as he fist pumped the air in victory. “I don’t know how Riley put up with you for so long.”

“With much reluctance,” Sam snickered.

It felt nice to be able to talk about Riley without it hurting. It still ached, but it was a pleasant ache – like maybe remembering him didn’t have to be a bad thing, like maybe it could bring you a little joy, too.

Sam brought you into his office first to draw you away from the crowds. It gave you a chance to take off your coat and ease yourself into the surroundings before Sam inevitably threw a handful of strangers on you with terrible stories and sad faces to convince you to stay.

“I just gotta find a file for Steve and we can head out to the main room, alright?”

You nodded, taking the time to look around Sam’s office. It wasn’t anything like you’d pictured it to be. You’d expected it to be in chaos – disorganized, with papers stacked high on the desk and a basketball hoop hanging over the trash bin – but it was rather professional. He had awards framed on the wall, metals encased in glass. File cabinets labeled and not a pen out of place.

But it was the photo sitting on his desk that drew your attention. You picked it up, recognizing Sam at the center in his Air Force uniform and a younger, more doe-eyed Steve Rogers who stood beside him dressed in army greens. But there was a third man hanging off Sam’s left shoulder you didn’t know.

He was handsome. Smile bright enough to rival even that of Sam’s. With short, brown hair and eyes as blue as you’d ever seen, you wondered whether his face might be one you’d see out in the crowd of veterans gathered in the lobby.

“That’s Bucky,” Sam grinned, pointing to the man in the photo. “He’s still out on tour.”

You handed Sam the picture, tucking your hair behind your ear nervously, and he seemed to enjoy how flustered you were.

“He’s scheduled to be home next year though,” Sam added, studying for your reaction. “I’ll see if I can get him to swing by if... you know... you’re volunteering here.”

You glared at Sam until he broke into laughter.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the regulars,” Sam grinned, grabbing your hand and dragging you out into the crowd in the lobby.

You knew before Steve’s presentation on the services at the VA even began that Sam had tied your heart with string to this building and the people in it. You saw Riley’s face in everyone who shook your hand – from the petite, red headed woman with a questionable background and kind eyes to the son of a billionaire who had joined the Air Force in rebellion and found he rather liked being just ‘one of the guys.’

It was as if you could feel a hand on your back, urging you forward, into the arms of these people and the compassion they could give to you. You wondered if Sam knew that it would be as much a kindness to you as you could be for them, to be able to give your time to this place. Ideas began to spring in your mind of how you could bring your love of books to your work here and how much you’d missed reading yourself.

Maybe this place could heal you, too.

It took a single glance from Sam across the room to know he’d convinced you. He smiled, raising a glass of cheap red wine, and nodded. It was the first time in months you’d felt a glimmer of hope, a reason to be excited, a possibility for good amongst the broken.

You clung onto it with everything you had.

#Idk how to tag this?#riley x reader #bucky barnes x reader

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supernaturalnovelsandmore · 3 years ago

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Supernatural Novel: Night Terror

Welcome to my review of the ninth Supernatural novel, Night Terror.

Author: John Passarella

Timeline: Set after S6 E18: Frontierland

Synopsis: Sam and Dean are off to Clayton Falls, Colorado where the local's nightmares seem to be coming to life. The question is, what's causing the manifestations, and will Sam and Dean survive not just other's nightmares, but their own?

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Warning: Spoilers abound!

Bonkers! This book is absolutely bonkers! A giant Gila monster, Nazi zombies, a disappearing car, a giant tarantula, a cannibal serial killer, a killer tree, a deadly virus, and velociraptors? This book has it all!

Fair warning, the author doesn't seem to mind explaining, in very graphic detail, each death that occurs. If you get squeamish at all (and I'm talking worse than S1 Supernatural squeamish) this book may not be for you. I had to skim certain sections myself just to get past the icky stuff!

Dealing with nightmares attacking inhabitants provides a great opportunity to peak in on Dean and Sam's own nightmares. This is post Sam regaining his soul so the chance to peek into his hell nightmares is so very tempting. Unfortunately, the author skirts this issue by instead having Sam's nightmare be about Soulless Sam taking over Sam's life and killing Dean in the process. There's a scene at the end of the book that gets a bit hairy, but I feel like, for as dark as the author got with all the other deaths, this scenario was played out rather lightly (and without all the accompanying angst), which is why this novel only has 4 stars instead of 5.

Either way, we get an early insight into the boys dreams, with a particularly funny one from Dean where he dreams that he's in a bar and every time he's poured a drink, the alcohol disappears. It turns out that alcohol is disappearing all over the world! Quite the nightmare for Dean, LOL! This also leads to a funny bit where, once he's awake, he purchases more beer and whiskey than he needs, just to stockpile it.

Sam's dreams are less humorous. Like I mentioned before, they revolve around his fear that Soulless Sam will take over his life, and in one of them, Sam is being dragged down into a pit just for Soulless Sam to replace him. Luckily, he wakes up in time, but it's a continuing theme. We do get this lovely exchange showing Dean's brotherly concern:

Dean: "Bad dream?" Sam: "That obvious?" "Case of the three a.m. shakes," Dean said. "Had a doozy myself. Terrifying." "Really?" Sam had the unsettling idea that Dean had witnessed Sam's dream. Or had the same dream.

Dean shares his dream then presses Sam to do the same, who is a bit more reluctant.

'...he (Sam) was relieved that Dean didn't know what plagued his unconsciousness. As it was, Dean thought is brother's psyche was too fragile. No need to add fuel to that fire.'

Luckily, Dean isn't fooled:

'Dean's demeanor changed. He climbed off the bed with a soft grunt of pain, and walked toward Sam, the slice of light momentarily painting a swath of illumination across his concerned expression.' "Sam, if this is something serious, maybe I ought to know about it."'

Sam plays it off that it was the Mime ghost they'd just killed playing into his clown fears, but Dean is still concerned and especially worried about Sam's hell wall. It's really refreshing to see an author understand that kind of worry Dean has for Sam.

Once we get into Dean's nightmares, we find out that his time with Lisa and Ben is still very much present in his mind. He's terrified of not being able to protect them. His dreams don't manifest in-person like the others do in town, but he does have a moment where a woman he had flirted with is bitten by a zombie after he promised to protect her. He knows at this point, she has to die, or she'll become a zombie. It's very reminiscent of the episode, Heart.

'"Sophie, I'm..." Dean looked away, unable to face that accusatory stare. Dean eased her body to the ground, stood up and backed away. "Dean..." Sam was beside him. "Sammy, I can't... I can't, man." Dean turned his back. Sam understood.... Dean waited for the sound, but the sudden crack still felt like a body blow. "It's done," Sam said. His hand fell on Dean's shoulder and he squeezed.'

Just as Dean was there for Sam, Sam is here for Dean.

I also loved this conversation that gives us additional insight into how the brothers felt being around Soulless Sam:

"Have I told you it's good to have you back," Dean said, smiling. "The real you?" "What?" "Sammy with the soul inside," Dean said. "You were good with her back there." "Lucy?" "May seem normal to you," Dean said. "And I know you don't remember how it was - how you were, before. But it's night and day, man." Sam nodded thoughtfully, "You're right. I don't remember being different. Hell, I don't remember being gone. Guess it's like waking from a coma. Everyone else lived through that time and I was... on pause. This part of me, I mean. But, in some ways, feels like I recovered from a serious illness. Feels good to be back."

Yes, I liked getting soulful Sam back as well!

There's also a bit of foreshadowing as Sam and Dean investigate a sleep center:

Laura, the receptionist: "Sleep is important. You know what they say, if you never slept, you'd go insane."

Poor Sam in season 7. It's the insanity that keeps him awake.

Funny bits:

We finally get an explanation for Sam's magic traveling wi-fi and why he's always checking his laptop in the car (where he wouldn't have internet access):

'In the passenger seat, Sam had his laptop computer open to review the pages he'd downloaded for offline viewing before they'd left the motel.'

Also, peppered throughout are numerous examples of Dean making sure that Baby is safe! (Why wouldn't he?) He frequently parks his car at least a hundred yards away from the action!

"That sinkhole's eating cars," Dean said. "Keeping my baby clear of that." Sam shook his head, rolling his eyes. "First things first, right?" "Damn straight."

It's funny that this review is so short, because I really liked the story, but I think that's because (minus the excessive gore), I could see this as an actual episode. There are a few brotherly moments, but the majority of it is spent on the case and reading about all the various deaths of the townspeople.

While I had hoped to explore some of the deeper issues Sam would be experiencing at this time, all in all, it was a really fun read!

#Supernatural #Supernatural Novels #Supernatural Books #SPN Novels #Sam Winchester #Dean Winchester #Night Terror #long post

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wicked-mind · 4 years ago

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Soulmates: Chapter Six

Summary: Soulmates are connected on a deeper level emotionally and physically. They can feel what the other needs and wants. As hints, the universe grants tattoos on your skin to help you find your soulmate when you’re about to meet them. When Bucky’s soulmate tattoo appears out of the blue, he knows that she is about to come into his life, but the way she does is not what he was expecting.

Word Count: 4.3k

Warnings: Swearing, as usual. Drinking. Nightmares mention violence.

Note: Figured we needed a slightly fluffy chapter before we meet Gemini (;

Bold for Natasha. Italic and Underline for Y/N.

All Writings Masterlist

*gifs not mine

Previously

After Y/N and Bucky finished their shower together and got dressed, they walked out into the kitchen where Sam and Natasha were sitting. Sam had a scowl on his face towards Bucky, “Man, my room is right next to yours. And the shower echoes.” He hissed out.

Y/N laughs a little and rolls her eyes before Bucky could speak, “Hey, I was ready to go in the med-bay. At least we made it to the shower so everybody didn’t get a show.” She snapped back with a smile as Natasha started dying in laughter.

Bucky couldn’t help but chuckle, sneaking his arm around Y/N’s waist and pulling her closer as he kissed her temple softly. Now, Y/N was his and he wasn’t going to let her go. Their bodies were like one, each other could feel everything the other felt physically and mentally. Bucky got what he always wanted, a deeper connection with someone and nobody was more perfect for him than Y/N. For once he found himself thanking the world and all the things it had done to him just to lead him to Y/N.

Chapter six -

It had been weeks since Y/N had finally given into her soulmate bond with Bucky. There had been no new information on Gemini so they had just been enjoying their time together. They were inseparable. Bucky seemed to constantly be orbiting Y/N like he was her sun, which in a way she was. They would train together, eat together, even moved into one of the apartment suites instead of just Bucky’s bedroom due to Sam complaining about how noisy they were. Anytime Bucky wasn’t around her and he found her, he would push her up against a wall or a counter and kiss her like he hadn’t seen her in years.

Y/N released a part of Bucky that nobody had seen before, not even Steve. Sure, he had known Bucky to be a ladies man in the forties as well as a confident, cocky flirt. But it was like a switch had flipped in Bucky due to having Y/N as a soulmate. He was more social to the other team members, came around more which Steve appreciated. Though, there were other things that had Steve concerned. Y/N had brought out a wild side in Bucky. She had him wrapped around her finger and that concerned Steve. Natasha had spent so much time telling him that Y/N was not to be trusted, but that was before the two had made up and it still made Steve feel uneasy. The last thing he wanted to happen was for Bucky to somehow end up hurt or change who he was to match Y/N. He felt the need to talk to Y/N, try to figure out what was her plans. He hadn’t talked to her very much as she was always either sleeping during the day or keeping Bucky all to herself.

Steve managed to find her one night alone by some miracle. Bucky was usually always following her around so Steve would take this opportunity to talk to Y/N and feel out her intentions. She was sitting outside in a chair at one of the patio tables, her legs resting on the tabletop. Steve took a seat in the chair next to her, folding his arms across his chest.

Y/N looked over towards him, raising an eyebrow at his posture, “Can I help you?” She asks him. There was no rudeness in her voice but there also wasn’t anything positive hidden in her tone.

Steve sighs a little, “We haven’t really met or talked yet. I’m Steve Rogers.” He said told her, watching her carefully. He could see all the things Natasha had told him- Y/N did seem like she lacked emotions at times but it also seemed like she was constantly challenging those around her with the way she talked and looked at others.

“Oh I know, I’ve heard all about you. Mr. Captain America. Mr. Stars and Stripes. And also Bucky’s best friend.” Y/N said, her lips twitching into a small smile towards him, “So, what can I do for you, Cap?”

“I wanted to know more about you, Y/N.” Steve said honestly, “Nat said some things before you two made up. Bucky is my best friend and I want to know your intentions with him.”

Y/N swung her legs off the table and sat up straight in her chair, tapping her fingers against the arms of the chair gently, “Hasn’t anybody ever told you that a bitter woman can be a real bitch?” She asks with a tilt of her head, “I don’t have any intentions. We are enjoying each other.”

Steve nodded slowly at her words, watching her closely to try and tell if there was any hint of lying in her voice but he couldn’t detect any. Either she was a really good liar or she was telling him the truth, “Bucky’s waited his whole life for his soulmate. He’s gone through more trauma than anybody I know. If you’re planning on hurting him in anyway or just using him for fun or a means to an end with your brother, you should reconsider what you’re doing. You can destroy him, Y/N.”

Y/N rolled her shoulders at his words, her nose twitching slightly in anger, “You want to know a secret, Mr. Stars and Stripes?” She asks, watching as he nodded before continuing, “I’ve met him before. In 2014. I got a gold care to take out Alexander Pierce. I was outside of his house one night all set up ready to snipe him through the window. I watched him shoot his maid. And Bucky was there, sitting at the table. He looked right at me down the scope of my gun and the way he stared was like there were no emotions in his body. He came after me immediately, got really close to getting me too, but I was able to slip away. I was disguised with a mask so nobody could figure out who I was afterwards. I laid low for years, running in fear that the Winter Soldier was going to come after me and also because my buyers were pissed I wasn’t able to deal with Pierce.”

Steve furrowed his brow at her words, confused, “If you were that close to him, why didn’t either of you get your soulmate tattoos until recently?” He asks.

“Because he wasn’t Bucky Barnes. He was the Winter Soldier.” Y/N replied, licking her lips before continuing, “You see, Steve, I could be set on revenge for having to be on the run for a few years because of him. And I am really good at revenge. I know I could ruin him, destroy him as you say. But that is not what I want to do. He is himself again, no longer the man that looked at me with cold, dead eyes. I like him this way and he is my soulmate. If I had any ill will or intentions, he would sense it in an instant.” She stood up, looking down at Steve as he stayed seated, “But if you ever question my intentions with my soulmate again, you and I are going to have a big problem and I have a feeling that’d piss Bucky off more than anything I could do to him.”

As if on queue, Bucky came out of the sliding door to look between Y/N and Steve who seemed to be staring each other down. His brow pulled together in confusion and concern, walking over and placing a hand on Y/N’s waist, “What’s going on? Everything okay?” He asks, looking to Y/N then to Steve. He could feel the anger Y/N felt at this moment directed at Steve and wanted to know why she would be feeling that anger.

Y/N kept her eyes on Steve, “Don’t worry about it, Bucky. We were just having a chat. Just remember what I said about a bitter woman, Steve.” She said before tearing her eyes away from Steve’s and heading back inside to go up to their apartment suite.

Bucky frowned watching her go before looking to Steve, “What happened? Why’s she so mad?” He asks as he sits in the chair Y/N did before.

Steve sighs, running his hand through his blonde hair, “I wanted to figure out more about her. What Natasha said about her concerned me. I’m worried of her intentions with you, Buck.” He said honestly. He never lied to Bucky or kept anything from him. They were best friends after all.

Bucky shook his head at Steve, “I trust her, Steve. I can feel everything she does and I know I can trust her.” He said before letting out a sigh, “You don’t have to trust Y/N. But I do and I know you trust me.”

“Did she tell you that she has met you before?” Steve asks curiously, wondering how much Y/N had told Bucky.

Bucky looked at Steve confused, “That’s impossible. I would’ve remembered her and my tattoo didn’t show up until a few days before I met her.”

Steve looked at Bucky, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his lap, “She says it’s because you weren’t you. It was in 2014, she wore a mask so nobody could identify her. She had a kill order for Pierce.”

Bucky sat back in his chair, processing the information silently. He had managed to piece things together things he had done as the Winter Soldier and he could remember the night he went to Pierce’s house. He had asked if he wanted any milk and it confused him at the time because he was made for orders, not questions. He remembered feeling someone watching him and then he saw the glimmer of a scope rested in the trees. He immediately went into action, chasing the unknown masked person down under Pierce’s orders to kill them but the mystery person had managed to slip away. Bucky gripped the arms of the chair tightly, flinching at the thought of what could’ve happened if she hadn’t been able to get away from him. He would’ve killed her without a second thought and he would’ve never found his soulmate. Silently, Bucky stood up and walked back into the facility. He made his way to the elevator and clicked the top floor where the apartment suites were. When Bucky made it back to their shared room, he found Y/N leaning against the counter of the kitchen, drinking a bottle of beer. He walks over to her immediately, taking the glass out of her hand and placing it on the counter behind her before trapping her, placing his hands on the edge of the counter on either side of her, “Why didn’t you tell me you knew me?” He asks, harsher than he intended for it to sound.

Y/N tilts her head at his question, staring into his eyes. She licks her top lip slowly, his breath hitting her face made her shiver, “Because you weren’t you, Bucky. You were the Winter Soldier. And even though my tattoo has all the markings of your past as the Winter Soldier, he isn’t my soulmate. You are.”

Bucky’s eyes flickered over her face at her words, feeling as though his heart slightly dropped at her words. She didn’t hold anything against him from when he was sent to kill her because it wasn’t him. It made him feel relief, as if the universe was telling him that he wasn’t the Winter Soldier anymore. Bucky leans his forehead onto her shoulder, moving his hands to her hips, “Thank you… for not holding it against me.”

Y/N brought one hand up to run through Bucky’s hair, a small smile coming onto her lips, “Like I said, he wasn’t you. Plus I managed to evade the Winter Soldier which I’m pretty proud of.” She says softly to him, “Now take me to bed, Bucky.”

Bucky didn’t need to be asked twice, he picked her up by her waist until her legs wrapped around his and carried her into their shared bedroom, laying her on the bed as he trailed kisses and his hands all over her body.

A scream awoke Y/N from her sleep. She looked around her room slowly, slipping out of her bed. She gripped onto her purple stuffed bunny, walking out of her room and tip-toeing to her parent’s room. She dropped her stuffed animal at the sight, running over and nudging her mother’s arm as if trying to wake her up but it was too late. Then she heard the screams that she knew was her little brother followed by her older sister. Y/N scrambled under the bed, pressing her hand to her mouth as to not make a sound. Tears rolled down her cheeks slowly as she heard whistling and footsteps approach her deceased parent’s room. Her eyes widened as she saw the door open, watching the black shoes cross the floor and around the bed behind her. Then she screamed as she felt hands wrapped around her ankles, pulling her out from under the bed.

“Hello, sister.” His smile was made of pure evil even for only being thirteen years old.

Y/N gazed up to him in complete fear before kicking his knee and scrambling to her feet, running for the stairs to get outside and away from her twin brother. He caught up to quickly though, tripping her down the stairs and watching her land below on her back with a groan. She opened her eyes to look up at him, “Please…”

Her brother smirked down at her, bending his kneels to squat next to her. He pulled out the hunting knife that had been stashed in a sheath connected to his belt, pointing it at her, “It’s nothing personal. It’s just when a family decides you’re nothing to them… Well there’s no point in a family.” He said with a shrug and a smirk before stabbing the knife into Y/N’s stomach making her scream, “Nothing personal though. You’ve always been my favorite but I’m just the twin nobody wanted.” He pulled out the knife, admiring the blood on it for a moment before walking out the front door, leaving it open.

Y/N watched her twin go and when he was out of sight, she pressed her hands to the stab wound on her hip with as much strength as she could manage. Her eyes focused on the window that showed the night sky.

“I’ll see you soon, sis.”

“Wake up, sweetheart, c’mon… Wake up!” Bucky said, laying next to Y/N. He had seen her nightmare in his own dreams and could feel an emotion he hadn’t felt from her before. It was the slightest ounce of fear. He sat up, placing his hands on both of her shoulders and pulling her up against his chest.

Y/N awoke at the movement of her body being pulled to sit against Bucky’s bare chest, looking at him for a moment, “I’m fine, I’m alright.” She said, pulling herself out of the bed and out of his arms. She ran a hand through her hair before pulling on one of Bucky’s t-shirts over her naked body, “I just need some water.” Y/N said looking over to him as he still sat in the bed with the blankets covering his lap. She turned and left the bedroom, walking to the kitchen and grabbing out a glass before filling it with some water and walking out onto the balcony to allow the fresh air and small breeze to calm her down.

Bucky watched her leave the room before letting out a deep breath. He had felt fear from her caused by the nightmare. He had never felt an ounce of fear in her before and it worried him that it seemed like she was closing off from him again because of it. He pulled the blankets off his body and stood up, pulling some new boxers onto his body. He walked out of the bedroom and to the balcony, placing a hand gently on her back, “Please don’t shut me out, Y/N.” He said gently.

Y/N looked over to Bucky, “I’m sorry. Force of habit.” She said and offered a small apologetic smile before leaning her elbows on the bars of the balcony and fixating on the view in front of her. The sun was threatening to peak into the sky, “Did you see it?”

“I did…” Bucky said softly, watching her face intently as he kept his hand on her back, stroking small circles with his finger tips, “I felt your fear. What scared you?”

Y/N let out a deep breath before bringing the glass of water to her lips and taking a small sip of it, “You saw what happened. It was exactly like that night. Except he never said that he’ll see me soon.” She looks over to stare into his eyes, “That was him. Now him. Telling me he’s coming for me.”

Bucky’s brow pulled together at her words. Must’ve been some sort of weird twin telepathy thing for Gemini to be able to get in her head like that, “You’re safe, doll. I won’t let anything happen to you. Your evil twin isn’t going to take you away from me, I just got you.” He said with a small smile, moving his hand on her back lower to her waist. He stepped up behind her, pressing his body against her’s and kissing down the side of her neck until he reached the hem of the shirt, “Now why don’t you go back to bed? I know you hate the sunrise and we didn’t get much sleep.” He said, grinning crookedly, “After I’m done training with Steve, I’ll come find you, alright?”

Y/N smiles at his touch, biting her lip softly and nodding, “Bed sounds nice.” She said, twisting herself in his grasp to face him and tilts her head, “One day maybe we will get on the same sleep schedules.” She chuckles out before placing her palm on his cheek and giving him a kiss then walking past him back to the bedroom. Y/N was still very much a night owl, sleeping late into the afternoon. Luckily, Bucky had figured out she hated the morning due to the fact that after her twin stabbed her, she had to watch the sunrise through the windows while she waited to be found and made sure to shut all the curtains so she didn’t get disturbed.

Y/N woke up sooner than she usually did but still in the afternoon. She showered and got dressed in some jean shorts with a black tank top and one of Bucky’s dark blue flannels. By the time she was done getting ready it was about four in the afternoon. She figured Bucky was off staying occupied while letting her sleep which she appreciated. A soft knock at the door interrupted her. She opened the door to the apartment suite to find Natasha standing there, “What’s up, Nat?”

Natasha smiled, “Bucky may have mentioned you had a rough time.” She said before holding up two bottles of alcohol, “Figured I’d come cheer you up.”

Y/N smiles and opens the door to let her in, “I feel like he knows me so well - sending my person up with alcohol. What do we have?” She asks, following Natasha to sit on the couch.

“We have vodka for me and tequila for you.” Natasha said, sitting next to Y/N and passing her the bottle of tequila, “I figured it was more of a tequila moment than a whiskey moment.”

“I may have a soulmate but you know me better than anyone.” Y/N said, looking at the bottle, “What did he say?”

Natasha sits back in the couch, looking at Y/N, “He said you had the nightmare about your brother. I didn’t know you still had those.”

Y/N looks over at Natasha while twisting the cap off of the tequila, “I don’t.” She told her, “This one was different. It’s like he was using evil twin telepathy or something. He told me he would see me soon.”

“Creepy.” Natasha replied, standing up and going to the kitchen to grab two glasses before returning to sit on the couch and filling up one glass with a shot of vodka, “You should be safe here. We deciphered the gold card you got from Blake, he was hired by Gemini which we already knew but it didn’t have any other information on where to find him.”

Y/N rolls her eyes in annoyance, “Of course it didn’t.” She muttered out, pouring some of the tequila into the glass, “He could be anywhere, waiting for his opportunity. I can’t just sit here locked in the tower like a damsel in distress.”

Natasha nods slowly, “I know. You’ve never been one to just hide, you’ve always faced your problems.” She said, then holds her glass up, “But right now, tonight, we are going to forget about all your problems with your evil twin and talk about other things.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, picking up her glass of tequila and clinking glasses with Natasha before taking a sip, “I see why you brought the tequila now.” She chuckles. Y/N may love whiskey, but tequila was her go to when she wanted to let go and feel happy.

After a few drinks, Y/N and Natasha were sitting on either side of the coffee table on the floor staring intently at each other, having some sort of competition about things that had happened in their lives.

“My soulmate went to space.”

Shot.

“My soulmate was sent to kill me.”

Shot.

“Your soulmate shot me and almost killed me.”

Shot.

“I have an evil twin that is set on kidnapping me after he attempted to murder me.”

Shot.

“I haven’t had sex in years.”

Shot.

“…. Yeah, okay, you win."

Just when Y/N opened her mouth to continue, they were interrupted by Bucky walking inside with eyes flickering between the two before landing on the bottle of tequila, “Oh no, not the tequila.” He groaned out. Y/N with whiskey was fine but Y/N with tequila was a whole different challenge all together.

Nat shrugs and stood up, “That’s my cue to leave.” She said, snatching the bottle of vodka and leaving the apartment suite promptly but not before saying over her shoulder, “Have fun with the tequila monster!”

Y/N looks up at Bucky and raises an eyebrow, “Tequila monster?” She questions, picking up the tequila and pouring herself another shot.

Bucky walks over and tries to grab the glass but Y/N held it away, “You get a little crazy with tequila.” He said, “And a third of the bottle is gone which means you’re going to be extra crazy.”

Y/N quickly drinks the shot of tequila and passed him the empty glass before standing up and grabbing the bottle of tequila by the neck of the bottle and running into the kitchen on the opposite side of the counter with a mischievous grin on her lips. She brings the open bottle of tequila up to her lips, watching Bucky who stood in the living room teasingly.

Bucky chuckles and shakes his head at her, “Don’t do it, doll.” He said, starting a slow pace towards her. Y/N loved to test Bucky when she drank tequila which is part of the reason the term ‘tequila monster’ came to light. When he saw her press the bottle to her lips and take a few swallows he quickened his pace over to her, “Oh, you’re in so much trouble now, sweetheart.”

Y/N watched him approach, moving around the opposite side of the kitchen island while teasingly taking a few small sips between laughs. Bucky was giving her that dark eyed look and she was thriving off of it.

Bucky caught her eventually, taking the bottle from her hands and placing it on the counter while his arm secured her to his body. He backed her up until her back hit the fridge, staring down at her with a cocky grin, “You are trouble.”

Y/N smiles up at him, jumping up into his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist, “I know. I’m the best kind of trouble though.” She purred out to him, her fingers stroking through his hair slowly.

Bucky kept that grin on his face, his hands immediately going to hold her up by her thighs when she jumped up onto him. Everything about her drove him wild. He never expected he would have to chase his drunk soulmate around their shared kitchen or that she would bring out a wild side in him, yet here he was with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his arms with her back against the fridge, “You’re the perfect kind of trouble, sweetheart.” He purred out to her before connecting his lips with her’s. He forced his tongue between her lips, groaning as it danced with hers. Bucky takes a step forward, pinning her body against the fridge more roughly so he could feel all of her body against his. He pulls away reluctantly when he heard her whimper, pressing his forehead to her’s, “I love you, Y/N.”

_____________________________________________________________

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watermelonlipstick · 4 years ago

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Dreams, Chapter 4

If you haven’t read this series before, you might want to start on Chapter 1, or check out the Dreams Masterlist! Here’s the series description:

When Dean dies for good leaving Sam and his girlfriend (the reader) behind, they must figure out how to carry on without him. Alone, reeling, and unsure what to do next, trying to honor Dean’s memory and follow their hearts gets even more complicated when their nightmares become dreams that feel a little too real.

If you have been reading this series....things are going to start happening....

Title: Dreams, Chapter 4

Pairing: (past) Dean Winchester x Reader, (eventual) Sam Winchester x Reader

Word Count: 3773

Summary: For Sam and the reader, a winter night working together leads to an uncomfortable confrontation and a confusing dream.

Warnings: angst, fluff?, alcohol, swearing, slow burn, I think that’s it!

The tree was still up a few days later when you were throwing together sandwiches. It was a gloomy afternoon, stealing from the already meager offering of sunlight you got each day, but at least you could see the Christmas lights as you worked in the little kitchen and listened to Me Talk Pretty One Day. Brushing crumbs off your hands, you ducked your head into the bedroom to tell Sam lunch was ready.

He was sitting on the bed with his legs crossed under him, looking surprisingly young with his long limbs folded. He glanced over at you briefly with a noncommittal nod before turning his gaze back to the wall. You walked into the room when you understood; following his eyes to the photos where you’d taped them up. Toeing off each of your boots, you climbed onto the mattress with him and gently put your arm around his broad shoulders. “He would’ve loved this,” Sam murmured, and it was almost too low for you to hear.

“Which part?” you asked, trying to match his tone.

“This cabin, the bar, Christmas.”

“I think you’re right.”

You looked over at the pictures, a tight row intentionally placed a little too low so you could see them as you fell asleep. Sam tilted his head to rest on yours.

“We had a lot of fun though, didn’t we?”

You considered the memories and the heat coming off of him under your cold fingers. “Yeah, we did.” After a beat you opened your mouth again. “Getting that tree was fun.”

Sam pulled back and you looked up at him. A sad smirk was tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That was fun, wasn’t it?”

You curved your head back into him. “Dean would’ve liked that too.” He was silent for a moment.

“There’s no way he would’ve worked at the bar and not made every night a party.”

He was right. Even just passing through, bars like the one you worked at were Dean’s favorite—no frills, honest people, décor not so nice it couldn’t tolerate some spills in the name of a good time. In the right mood Dean would’ve been everyone’s best friend in an hour, taking shots with the owners and playing pool with anyone who had a spare minute.

You sat upright and tucked your hair behind your ears. “Okay, then tonight’ll be a party.”

Sam looked at you in surprise. “Uh, what?”

“You heard me. Tonight, we’re doing tequila shots and dancing on tables and talking to people longer than to take their orders.”

“It’s a Monday.”

“Wouldn’t have stopped Dean. Now come eat this sandwich I slaved over, you’re a lightweight on an empty stomach.”

Sam’s smile was tired, but he obediently untangled his legs and got off the bed to head to the kitchen. You padded after him, letting a deep breath out through your nose. Dean would be so pissed if he saw you weren’t being strong for Sammy, just a little tougher, come on. By the time Sam sat down at the tiny breakfast bar to eat, you’d screwed your face back together.

In some ways, it was better that you’d had this sudden change of heart on a Monday, when there weren’t so many customers to watch you crumble if it came to that. You had a propensity for being a sad drunk even in the best circumstances, and this first time truly drinking around people since losing Dean was about the worst circumstance as you could imagine.

A few shots in Sam’s cheeks were flushed and you could feel the heat in yours as you sucked hard on a lime wedge. He was pretending to know about some football controversy with the over-shoulder towel that was ever present when he worked, his legs crossed and accentuating the long, relaxed line of his body. It was an especially cold night and condensation clouded the windows of the bar where hot air met the freezing glass. You watched as a woman about your age—you were pretty sure her name was Megan but had only served her a handful of times—traced lazy shapes in it before replacing the moisture with a hot breath and starting over. It was almost hypnotic and you didn’t know how long it was until you snapped back to reality when Sam’s warm hands wrapped over your shoulders.

“You okay?” he asked, low and private, straight into your ear.

“Uh, yeah, sorry. Just tired,” you lied.

Sam gently and half-consciously kneaded the muscles in your shoulders. Before you realized what you were doing, muscle memory bobbed your head to the side, kissed his rough knuckles, and pressed your cheek to his hand. You both froze.

“Aw, so cute,” Steve sang out from across the bar top.

You took your chance to step forward out of Sam’s grip. “Yeah, yeah. Refill?” Steve nodded, and you snatched another Miller High Life out of a mini fridge under the bar and popped the cap with a fluid practiced motion. About a week ago you’d realized that the twist-bottle callus you had just below the first joint of your index finger had come back, a recurrent souvenir that had lasted years after you’d quit bartending last time. You were thankful for it as much as the distraction from your bizarre reflexive step over the unspoken boundary between you and Sam. It wasn’t that the contact was unprecedented, obviously, you could only catch even chunks of sleep tightly wound around Sam and kept your fingers wrapped around his forearm as he drove, but Dean was the last person whose skin your lips had touched. Until now, you corrected yourself. It was a very specific kind of closeness in a relationship already stretching the limits of what appropriate intimacy could possibly be.

You jammed a cold metal scoop into the ice machine to break up chunks and buy some time. The same grief-hungry part of your brain that searched Sam for facial tics and habits that Dean had couldn’t stop repeating how much those hands felt the same, dry and warm and firm under your lips, under your cheek, and you wanted to clutch at them, a phantom of Dean’s that first stitched you up in Bobby’s kitchen all those years ago when life was easy and bloody, so nervous to touch you his hands shook and the scar still remained to this day. You crashed through those thoughts with a solid thump of This Is Sam Not Dean Sam Your Friend Sam The Only Thing You Have In This World, and how cruel it was to triple distill him down to only the parts that were reminiscent of someone else. Sam, who chopped wood to keep you warm, who restocked beer in the little life you’d created here. Sam, who in his own unfathomable sadness let you latch onto him as a steady point in a storm and kept you afloat just as you had him.

“Hello?” Joe repeated, a touch of concern peeking through his annoyance.

“Yeah, sorry! What’s up?” you asked, hearing the shrillness of your voice as you tried to overcompensate.

“I’m trying to buy you a drink, hon. 5 shots, dealer’s choice.”

“You, me, Jake, Steve and who?” you asked, racking up 5 sturdy shot glasses.

“Your Paul Bunyan over there, unless you’re trying to take his too. I’ve never seen you guys really drink before, gotta jump on my chance,” he winked.

“Oh, okay. Uh, Sam—” you called out across the bar. He was wiping up a spill you knew didn’t exist from the way he focused too hard on the bar top, trying to look busy. He looked up at his name and walked over with his hands jammed in his pockets. His unease was palpable, and your heart sank as you let go of any possibility that he wouldn’t have registered the fleeting kiss and the shift was only in your head. “—Joe’s trying to get you drunk.”

“Careful, Joe, you think you can carry me home?” Sam joked, and you thought you would be the only one who’d be able to detect the tightness in his throat underneath it. He rubbed a lime wedge on the web of his thumb and poured salt over it before handing you the shaker. You almost dropped it when your fingertips grazed his.

“To the only people dumb enough to move up here in the winter,” Steve proclaimed, touching his glass to the counter before shooting it. You all followed suit, politely chuckling at the teasing. When you took the lime wedge out of your mouth, Sam had his palm open in front of you. You dropped the rind in his hand and let him take the stack of glasses to the sink.

It didn’t get as crazy as Dean likely would’ve gotten which was probably good for the bar’s bottom line and your drive back to the cabin, but Sam did end up somewhat accidentally hustling Jake for $100 over a game of pool and singing along to Shania Twain when you put it on. You were careful not to touch him or stare too long the rest of the evening, and by the time you were flipping chairs up for the night you had almost convinced yourself that nothing was different save for a little softness around the edges of the ever-present bolus of sadness in your stomach.

Sam had two cases of Miller Lite from the basement in his grip, the veins on his forearms popping out as he set them on the ground in front of the beer cooler and crouched to replace the ones that had been drunk that night. You double checked that the cash drawer of the register was even and hopped up to sit on a spare spot of counter.

“That’s the last one?”

“Yeah, I already did the Coors and Bud.”

“Are you good to drive or do you want me to?” You wiggled your toes in your shoes, feeling the ache of standing for hours in the balls of your feet.

“No, I’m good to drive,” Sam said, shaking hair out of his face. He looked up at you, hazel eyes hard to read with fatigue or fear or pity or some murky combination thereof. You drew tight spirals over orders you’d taken that night, feeling the pen press impressions into the small notepad. The absence of words spread out to close the distance between you, feeling cloying and claustrophobic even as the Nate Bargatze standup you’d cued up piped out through the bar’s speakers.

“Hey, I—”

“Are you—” Sam started at the same time. You held out a palm to signal for him to continue, not truly wanting to speak yourself. “Uh, sorry. I just…I—I’m not Dean. I can’t be Dean.”

The words and deflation in his shoulders made you wish you’d been set ablaze. Stunned, you felt your mouth open and close around words that weren’t materializing, just collecting in your throat and hardening there, the backup starting to choke you.

“I, uh—I know,” you finally managed to squeak past the lump.

And part of you wondered if he was right in thinking you were using him as a stand-in. As atypical as the whole situation was, you couldn’t imagine that it was normal to sleep in the same bed and spend virtually every minute together. You began to feel sick at the thought that Sam would be out living up to his potential somewhere if it weren’t for you, back to law school or righting the wrongs of the world rather than in a Northwoods dive bar restocking domestic beers at 2:30 on a Tuesday morning. The selflessness of it seemed unfathomable and yet so entirely something Sam would do. Suddenly it felt like the walls were collapsing around you.

The moment stretched out and Sam stood up, leaning on the counter across the bar from you. His jaw was set hard and he tilted his head the way he did when he was trying to stop himself from teetering over the edge of tears. “Sam, I—I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

He cleared his throat but looked down at the nonstick mats on the floor. “No, ah, you don’t need to apologize. I just need you to know I can’t be him for you.”

You didn’t dare look up in case you met Sam’s eyes as you nodded, so eviscerated and humiliated you were having a hard time taking a deep breath. After a long minute you heard the clink of bottles as Sam finished restocking, grabbed your coat to mumble something about warming up the car, and went to the small parking lot. You managed to make it into the Impala before your vision started swimming and the potential enormity of the situation crashed against you; was this the end of your carved out hideaway, full of grief and memories and comfort and little moments of affection and joy you had just barely started to accept? All for some stupid thought that Dean would be happier if you were out getting wasted, an idea that reduced him to a drifter barfly instead of the complex man who’d been more loyal and loved more deeply than anyone you’d ever met. The tears dried up quickly as self-disgust rolled over you and started ringing in your ears. You didn’t hear Sam coming and jolted when he opened the door, recoiling against the passenger side to give him as much space as possible. He glanced over at you with eyes so pitying that you couldn’t bear to look at them, staring out the window at the abject darkness the rest of the drive home.

Sam didn’t turn on the stereo.

Back in the cabin, you quickly shucked off your coat and snatched what you needed out of the bedroom before barricading yourself in for a shower. You didn’t bother taking your makeup off first, allowing the sting of mascara to get washed away in the water. It was too hot and you didn’t care; you only came out when you realized you were going to leave Sam in a cold shower in the last week in December.

You brushed your teeth in the mirror and took a few deep breaths before sliding out, heading past the open bedroom door straight to the kitchen in order to gulp down a panicked glass of water. Mercifully, you heard the bathroom door lock when Sam entered it quietly. You took the opportunity to grab your pillow out of the bedroom, tossing it on the couch and pulling the throw off the sofa’s back to cover yourself. Your eyes were closed tight and ramming up against your racing mind when Sam came out.

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch,” he said softly from behind you.

You opened your eyes but didn’t move your head to seek him out. “It’s okay.”

Sam appeared in front of you, legs bending severely to perch on the short coffee table. His bare chest still glistened a little from the shower and you knew the green flannel pants he was wearing were soft and thick to the touch. Earnest hazel eyes meeting yours, Sam braced his elbows on his knees.

“Sam, I’m really sorry. It was a weird reflex and it was unfair for me to—”

“No, I, it—it wasn’t that. It’s just like, sometimes when you look at me, you look like you’re seeing a ghost. I’m just—I need to know you’re not staying here because I’m the closest you can get.”

If your heart hadn’t been shattered and re-shattered over the last almost- two-years and today, the fear and resignation in his eyes would’ve sent you to pieces. You pushed up to sitting in order to give Sam the respect he deserved.

“I can’t—I won’t lie and say you don’t remind me of him, but you’re my best friend—been my best friend since I first met you guys—and I am so, so, sorry I made you feel…I could never try to replace him, Sam.” You were barely making sense, having a hard time stringing together how you felt. “The only place I want to be is with you. You’re all I’ve got.”

It felt desperate and needy but it was true and Sam deserved the truth. You didn’t shy away from him, stayed there holding his gaze until he seemed content having searched your eyes for anything hiding from the light. After a moment he nodded tightly against lips pressed in a firm line. “Okay.”

Sam stood up, the broad planes of him catching the glitter of the Christmas tree lights. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet and tentative. “Can you, uh, can you come back?”

It took a moment to process before you nodded, standing up and snagging your pillow before following Sam into the bedroom. You climbed into your side of the mattress, close to the wall and your tiny precious gallery, and Sam folded around you, his warm skin seeping through your t-shirt onto your back. You felt tense and comfortable all at once, safe and uneasy. The two of you sat there for a long time, the relatively light weight of Sam’s arm over you betraying that he wasn’t asleep either. When drowsiness finally began to tug your eyelids closed, he pressed his lips to a spot on your shoulder exposed from the looseness of its sleeve. The last thing you remembered was his arm going heavy like an anchor across yours.

The sun is hot and delicious on your cheeks, baking the cotton of your jeans and t-shirt into you and turning the roof tiles under you into a frying pan. Wispy clouds move with no urgency across the sky above you and you can’t think of anything better than this, glancing down to worn laces on Dean’s boots undone to give his feet some air as his t-shirt clings half-humid to him. You know his freckles are going to be darker by dinner and it makes you smile to think about it but you’ll never tell him—it makes him shy to be reminded of the spray of pigment that makes him feel alternatively feminine or juvenile but never stunning the way you think it should. You press up to your elbows, barely registering the sting of heat and grit of the roof underneath you and kiss the spot on Dean’s arm where his shoulder slopes into his bicep. He smiles down at you, a lazy half-open smirk perfectly framed by the blue sky behind him like a painting.

“You’re so weird,” he chuckles. “Who kisses someone’s arm?”

“Then come down here,” you toss back, exaggerated pout ready for him. He ducks down to you, the warmth of his lips on yours like a cookie fresh out of the oven, like sliding down the hallway on new fuzzy socks, like the summer’s first plunge into water.

Sam’s head peeks out from under the gutter. “Bobby’s putting brats on the grill, do you want any?”

“Hell yeah, extra onions,” Dean yells down, grinning smugly when you make a face.

“Me too!” you call out, watching Sam squint up at the roof.

“No onions though, right?”

“You’re the best, Sam.”

Sam beams up at you, dimples almost high enough to reach the squint-crinkled skin around his eyes. He nods and ducks back out of sight.

“Come on, I’m thirsty,” Dean says, standing up. He reaches a hand down to you and takes a half step back to brace himself, stepping on the lace of his other boot. He stumbles and it’s a quick shuffle and you realize he’s too close to the edge his next step is into thin air like Wil E. Coyote and you’re grabbing at that same thin air and you can see his face change when he realizes and some part of your subconscious that’s even deeper than this can feel it’s happening again and the sound is so final, such a wet crack but you scrabble to the edge anyway because you have to see and Dean’s lying there.

He’s clutching his left leg bent against his chest like a stretch. “Son of a bitch, what the fuck!” he mutter-yells, and you hear the thump of Sam and Bobby running through the old house and skittering to a stop in front of him as you carefully shimmy down the porch post with your hands tearing on the gutter’s rusty edge, jumping down when you feel the railing beneath you.

“Dean! Are you okay?” Sam yells over Bobby who’s cursing out the goddamn idjit told you not to climb up there it’s like having a bunch of teenagers in this goddamned house and Dean winces and nods angrily.

You’re lifting up the hem of his jeans and gingerly taking off his boot and Dean hisses when you peel off his sock, but nothing is poking through the skin and that’s better than you expected. “Can you stand up?”

He nods again and you can practically taste him biting back the string of expletives when you and Sam each take an arm and lift him to standing. You snake a hand into his pocket and grab the keys to the Impala, leaning behind Dean to say to his brother, “I’ll take him to the ER.”

Dean doesn’t argue and it’s yet more evidence that it’s pretty bad, but you feel fine, elated almost, that he’s still warm under your palm and against your side, that he still smells like fresh laundry and domestic beer and a little bit of salt and engine grease. Sam’s long arm opens the door when you get there and slides Dean in and you promise to text when you know how bad it is as you round the car and get to the driver’s side. You turn the key in the ignition and throw your arm around Dean’s seat to reverse out of the driveway. Dean’s looking at you as you throw the car back into drive, staring almost, and his face is soft even around the broken ankle.

“I’m always going to love you,” he says, smooth and sure of himself. You tug your eyes away from the road with half a question on your face but Dean doesn’t explain why he’s saying this now. “I’ll be okay and I’m always going to love you, no matter what.”

It doesn’t make any sense and you open your mouth to tease this unexpected sappiness, remind him the ankle is just one more in a long string of injuries he’ll owe you for, and then Dean’s gone, the car’s gone, and the heat is coming from Sam’s chest in front of you.

Continue to Dreams, Chapter 5

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sunnymiles · 4 years ago

Note

HI SAM 🤍🤍 can i get a #28 with Ahsoka and Anakin :D

hey nessa!! thanks for the prompt <33

28: "feeling for each other in the dark”

from these prompts (i will still take requests!)

"Skyguy, I'm not even tired."

"Oh no Snips, I'm not falling for that one." She pouts at him, making sure to use her best pleading gaze, the one that always gets Rex.

"The healer said straight back to the room and then sleep."

"But"-

"No arguing."

"You're never this much of a pain with Master Kenobi when he's hurt."

Her arms cross, eyes rolling dramatically, a common occurrence in Anakin’s presence. Though, the twinge of pain that slices through her is a surprise. Sharp and jolting. She fights to keep it off her face, but Anakin’s quick, concerned frown speaks to her lack of success.

"Yes well, Obi-Wan can take care of himself." She blink doubtfully, unsure if she’s heard the words right. The oxymoron is almost laughable.

Anakin sighs, drawing out the silence between.

"And I may be slightly more scared of him, than I am of you alright?" The words rush out in a long string, and his cheeks flush bright red. Like they do around Senator Amidala.

Ahsoka snorts gleefully, jumping at the chance to taunt him. "It's just Obi."

"Yes well, you were not Obi's padawan for the entirety of your formative adolescence."

Her rebuttal- which was quite good- gets caught in her throat as a yawn overtakes her.

"Come on Snips, bed." Anakin nudges her shoulder gently, careful to avoid the bandages.

She can't find it in herself to argue.

“You need the rest after your ordeal.”

“Running for your life does tend to make one tired.” Just thinking about those creatures makes her skin feel too tight, her heartrate too fast.

She crawls into her bed, aching for comfort. Anakin absent-mindedly pulls the blanket up toward her. Tucking her in.

It’d be a much sweeter gesture if his eyes weren’t glazed, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

“Yeah.” There’s something odd laced into the tone, bitter and self-directed.

Ahsoka doesn’t have the energy to pick it apart, to overanalyze it like she usually would. Combing through his sentences for any inkling of the regret she knows he feels for choosing her as a padawan.

She doesn’t need that added to the weight of today.

"I'll be right outside if you need anything."

"Okay.” A condescending laugh puffs from her chest, her thoughts focused on his disinterested stare, “You know, you can stop mothering me."

His lips quirk downward almost too fast for her to notice, but her stomach plummets.

The familiar anxiety is festering, swirling inside her like a storm. It expresses itself, like always, with remarks bordering on too sharp, her tone too blunt to be joking.

This is why he hadn't picked her. She can't do anything right.

"Get some rest Ahsoka." His shoulders are uncharacteristically slumped on his way out, and she can’t let him leave after, well, that.

"I-I'm sorry. I do appreciate you. That was, uncalled, for."

He gives her a half-hearted grin, something only briefly resembling his normal smile. "You've had a long couple of days."

Understatement of the year.

"I get it."

He smirks at her one last time and leaves her to drooping eyes and a lonely room.

- Dark reptilian skin shines like night, darting in and out of her vision. The shrill hunting call echoing through the forest fuels her veins, screaming at her to run faster.

"Kalifa, you have to run!"

Claws drag menacingly against their metallic guns. She has to go, they all have to get out of here-

The speeder hums closer, the trees vibrating with anticipation.

No.

Kalifa, dead, on the jungle floor. Alone, a heap of limbs, lifeless and cold. Her own fault. She’s a failure.

"That one killed my son!" They’re going to find her, they’re going to kill her.

"Ahsoka we have to run!"

She wants to live.

"Ahsoka."

Run.

"Ahsoka!"

- He puts Ahsoka down, hoping she isn’t like him, hoping she actually sleeps.

After the ship had landed, he’d taken her immediately to the med-bay. One look at the dust blanketing her, suffocating her, the wheeze forced in every breath had made him anxious.

He had wanted to kill every one of those things. For touching his padawan. Tear them apart until the monstrosity of his rage, of his love, could be contained.

He can’t be reminded of the days that blur together, spent in limbo, hoping she was alive, needing her to be.

He can’t be reminded of the ever-present nausea that made him think he’d lost his brightest star, the girl so like a little sister to him.

A shriek cuts through his thoughts.

Ahsoka.

He sprints. Not again, never again-

She's writhing uncontrollably in the small bed, whimpering. Hands fly at him in the dark, warding off an unseen foe. He catches them gently, running his thumbs along the tops. "Ahsoka!"

She keeps thrashing, and a part of Anakin aches. Never before has she seemed so young.

The faint tear tracks etched on her face, mark their way into new grooves on his heart.

"Hey, hey." She relaxes, blinking warily.

"It's okay. I'm here." Her eyes flit between his, frantic in their effort to find anchorage. He smiles softly, attempting to soothe her worry.

He thinks about leaving her, letting her deal with this alone. Anakin remembers a master’s gaze becoming stifling, judgmental. He doesn’t want to overwhelm her so soon after the ordeal, mother her too much.

And then he remembers the boy from Tatooine who only craved affection. Who wished for any semblance of love from a master so dedicated to the order.

He stays.

The decision in his eyes calms her. He tries to radiate stability, assuredness, but well, its never been his strength.

She swallows heavily before leaning her head against his shoulder. Gentle and timid.

The weight of the space between them is heavy, cumbersome. She breaks it audaciously, his padawan to the bone, shattering the stillness with soft truth.

“I still think they’re after me.” If only he had arrived sooner, been a better master-

“It”- she flails a bit, “It feels so real still.”

There are no words to erase the demons, the guttural haunting. He knows how it can linger, the eternal shadow lingering. He offers the only comfort he’s ever known. Shares his own burden to ease her mind.

“I had nightmares about Maul for months after Naboo.”

“Really?” Wide eyes glint in the dark.

“Yeah.”

She snuggles closer into his side. Her warm presence soothes something in his chest. Returns a piece of himself, one he didn’t know was missing.

“It’s just so much sometimes.” He pauses letting her find the words herself.

“The war, the fighting, even the Jedi stuff.” At his glance, she backtracks.

“Sorry Master. Not you of course. I didn’t mean to overstep.” He cuts her off before she can retreat.

“No, Ahsoka. I understand. More than you know.”

He struggles to reconcile the peacemakers of the fabled stories to the soldiers of now. The gravity of their choices, the violent narrative they’ve prescribed to. Harsh honesty bites from his mouth, unfettered from the Council’s bias.

“They should not be sending children to war.”

Ahsoka huffs out a quick breath. She squeezes his arm, “You’re not that old yourself.”

“Better me than someone else.”

Her hum of disagreement fills the room, but they say no more. The silence is comfortable.

“I-I’m glad we ended up together Snips.” A soft snore interrupts him, and he looks down.

She's dead asleep. Head conked out against his shoulder, mouth open slightly, it's adorable and endearing and wholesome and he wants to bottle this moment for forever.

He lays her softly back in the bed. The faint growl emerging from her at the repositioning making him smirk.

He places a chaste kiss to the crown of her montrals. A reminder that they are both safe, both here.

"Sleep well Snips."

#snips and skyguy!!!#i love them #also i like the early insecurities hee hee #finally finished all my tests so i have TIME NOW #WOOHOO #hence the writing #nessa tag!#my fic #prompt fill

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pyraffin-drgo · 4 years ago

Text

All Heavy interactions in Poker Night at the Inventory.

For you to interpret however you wish.

Video Version

(They have [bootleg movies] in your country?) "I like movies, yes." (Yeah, like what? [Lists movies]?) "No. My favorite are The Dirty Dozen and the first twenty minutes of Rocky four."

(We can talk Tetris?) "Hmmph. Tetris is baby game." (Tetris Attack keeps it hood!) "Why does everybody think I love this Tetris? It is just stacking!"

"[To Strongbad] Tiny Heavy." (What is it?) "Do you get the nightmares?" (I get the jibblie nightmares. [Describes silly nightmare, shivers].) "I am talking about the visions of endless suffering. Dead doctors everywhere. Spy can not be found. (No, but that sounds like the Jibblies.) "I do not like these 'jibblies.'"

"Strong and bad. How is boxing career?" (These. Are. My. HANDS!) "I was boxer, once. In school. We have to either box or learn to herd goats." Silence, looking concerned. "I am not good with goats..." (Too much information, man.) "At first, I do not like punching other boys... But then I learn to love it." Punches his palm menacingly.

(Find any rare drops lately?) "I do not understand." (When you get a kill, you get a present?) "When I get kill, I get honor of team." Smile drops. "Sometimes... I also get nightmares. A man does not go home to his wife and children." (So, no loot?) "Oh! You mean hat! Yes, I love hats! Sometimes, I get these. They are the best."

(Hey, Heavy. You know any hot Russian spies?) "I hate spies." (But you gotta have the inside line on some deadly minxes.) "You want hot spy?" (Am I not wrestle man?) "I have friend who gets you a hot spy. (Get em on the two-way, man!) "His name is Pyro." (Tycho, to Strongbad: The spy is hot because it is on fire.) (Oh...)

"[To Tycho] What do you do with life?" (Me?) "Yes. What is possible with tiny, frail body?" (I occupy myself with simulations... of various kinds.) "What is these?" (Struggles to explain.) (Strongbad: He lives in his parent's basement.)

(So, is there a Mrs. Weapons Guy?) "No. Sasha is my only love." (Sasha kills people, I presume?) "No." (Oh?) "WE kill people."

"[To Strongbad] Maybe you and I box?" (I can't risk my beautiful face, it's the franchise.) "We spar. For fun." (I don't think so.)

"Strong and bad. You wrestle? With mask?" (No, I'm a wrestle man, not those hack wrestle-LERS.) "Not like Iron Sheik?" (No, Iron Stake is a LER.) Heavy nods. "Hmm. This is too bad."

(So how long you been with those Team Fortress fellas?) "I do not understand." (The game's been on Steam for like 3 years. I imagine there was some audition process?) "Ohhh! Yes, I understand! I kill many men VERY quickly." (Excuse me?) "I kill record number of soldiers, and I am commissioned to join RED team."

(Mr. Weapons. I am in the market for a new firearm. [Specifications].) "Hmm, for you I do not recommend minigun then. You know, there is this fast baby man that annoys me greatly with shotgun." (Oh! Oh! What are the available options? I'll spring for leather!) "Da, this is good for you. I suggest Force-A-Nature." (I'll tell them [shop owner] Heavy Weapons Guy sent me.) "It is no need. I know guy."

"I will make hat from you, little bunny." No reply from anyone. A reference for the player to the Max hat in TF2.

"You look familiar, bunny." (How closely do you follow the Manhattan Crime Blotter?) Also a reference to the hat, Tycho then takes over conversation.

(If I need someone snuffed out, what's your going rate?) "Five hundred thousand U.S. dollars." (Steep.) "Cash." (You can do it discreetly?) "Sasha... not so discreet." (That's fine.)

(How did you guys hear of the inventory?) "My engineering friend brought me one night."

(This reminds me of the time Artie Flopshark rigged an entire poker tournament to pay off his loan shark.) "I know of this. This is respectable profession in motherland." Conversation is stolen by Tycho.

(This reminds me of [story]!) "I am reminded of time Engineer kill my entire team." (Damn Heavy, that's... heavy. Sorry to hear that.) "I search entire base for him. He tries to kill me with turret and mini turret, but I crush his toys like they are made of paper." (Sounds like crappy toys.) "Then I find him. Hiding by teleporter. I take his gun away from him. He tries to hit me with wrench! Hahohoh! So I take wrench away from him. I take his wrench and shove it down his throat, all the way down to the handle." (Christ!) Heavy laughs. "Then I rip off all his fingers one by one!" He talks while laughing. "Lets see you build toys now!" He breaks out in laughter. "There's blood- everywhere! And- he's crying!" More laughter. "I think he cries out for mother, but- but-" Crumples over laughing. "The wrench is stuck in his throat! And it sounds like-" Makes choking motions and noises then laughs. "Is this not the funniest thing??" (Horrified looks) (Head shakes slowly.) (That's some bleeped up bleep, man!)

(How about you, Heavy weapons? I'm guessing you're a vodka guy?) "Peach Bellini. But bubbles can give me headache."

(Mr. Weapons, how do you like your line of work?) "It is good. There are many benefits." (Oh! Like a free pass to snuff out bad guys or a waffle bar?) "Both. And full dental."

(I wonder if this dump is haunted.) (I hope so! Roughing up who can't die is fun!) "...I do not like ghosts..." (It's okay, Mr. Weapons. I have [extensive experience]. I can handle a few ghosts.) "...You will take care of ghosts for me?" (You bet cha!) Heavy nods at him. "I like you, tiny rabbit."

[Story including a union] "I am union. RED local six fifteen." (You guys unionized?) "Eh. It was necessity for group medical."

"Tycho. This sweater, is special equipment?" (No, standard issue.) "You have no class specific head gear?" (Got a motorcycle helmet that protects from 100% of UV rays.) "This sounds beneficial."

(Why do you keep calling me 'Tiny Heavy'?) "You are Heavy. Tiny. No? You are RED team. You have killing gloves of boxing. You earn these for being great killer! You should try out for RED team." (Hmm. Guess I could join your team of ruthless killers and lame hat wearers and watch you get grenaded by 8 year olds.) "You will take many bullets before dying I think."

(Hey, Heavy. I just finished [Russian fantasy book]. Ever read it?) "No." (Oh. What's your favorite book?) "I prefer war." (Ah, War and Peace. Tasteful.) "No. Just war." (Art of War?) "Nyet." Silence. "I like 'Tsar Hunger' by Leonid Andreyev. You know this?" (...No.) "Is classic."

"You have hands like young girl." (I keep them shits moist.) "...So you are more of sneaky, stabbing type?" (In an extreme circumstance, I guess.) Heavy looks at him suspiciously. "I keep my eyes on you." (No, no no- I wasn't implying that-) Heavy looking at him angierly. (Shit.)

(Ever listen to music while you work?) "Yes! I just buy new walkman." (What gets you in the killing mood? Icelandic death metal?) "I just get Huey Lewis tape. Keeps spirits up on battle field."

"[To Tycho] You have woman?" (Not with me) "She is pretty?" (Yeah, cute, glasses, red hair.) "She has the red hair??" (No, Heavy! She is not on the other team! Don't have to kill her!) "No. But I love the red hair!" (Well, you can't have her, either.) Re-used image of Heavy looking at him angrily. (Well, maybe we can work something out.)

(Hey, Heavyman. You think you can 'take care' of the King of Town for me?) "I can assassinate king, yes. It is expensive, though." (By take care of I meant sneak in and shave off half his mustache.) "I am not best at sneaking." (Confront him in a dark alley then?) "This is better. That way blood wash away in rain."

(You have any interest in moonlighting?) "WHAT? I am not moonlighter!" (Just a little work on the side with Sam and me beating up goons!) "Oh. I can not do this." (C'mon it's fun and free!) "No, I am sure it is." (Then what's the problem?) "I have non compete." (Ah, yeah. Lawyers.)

(All these aces reminds me of [weird dream]. You have any weird dreams, Mr. Weapons?) "I sometimes dream that I am killed. There is blood everywhere. (Tycho gives him a weird look) But then I wake up and I realize this is ridiculous! Nobody can kill Heavy weapons guy! (Riiiight...)

"[To his chips] This is good Solider. This one is good Doktor. You are demolition man."

"Saaaandvich, sandvich, I love you sandvich!" (Would you like someone to order you some food?)

"Blue man." (Tycho.) "Tycho. What college do you go to? You are educated, no?" (Actually, no.) "No?" (I studied at Gygax Polyhedral if you catch my drift.) "I do not. This is good school?" (Uh. The best.) "I went to Soviet College of Mines, Farms, and Science. I have PhD in Russian literature." (Do you.. use that in your work?) "More than you think."

"Tiny Heavy, who is your favorite to kill in war?" (Those discount three-pack green helmets.) "To kill spy is glorious thing! How about you, Max? You are killing type." (My favorite enemy? Like asking me to choose between my children!) Heavy laughs. "You crack me up, little bunny!"

(Hey, Hefty Bag, you ever play video games?) "Just one." (Oh yeah?) "It is called-" (Tycho: WoW?) "Nyet. That is not popular. It is called 'Where's an Egg'." (Strongbad: I love Where's an Egg!) "Where's an Egg is as big as Tetris in homeland."

(Concerning your firearm, whay caliber we talking?) "Big." (What, we talking 300 Weatherby Mag here?) "Bigger." (50 cal, whereabouts?) "Bigger than 50 caliber. They are hand made custom tool cartridges with classified diameter." (Why's that?) "So enemy canmot use ammunition. But Sasha can chew through theirs." (Diabolical!) "I think so." Nods.

(Alright, big pretend killer man. Tell me the most awesome story you have with plenty of senseless violence!) Heavy thinks. "When I was boy, I was at camp, being trained in many ways of combat." (Assassination camp for kids! This is gonna be good!) "There was sparrow sitting on fence. Snow falls quietly around me. Without notice, another boy jumps from behind tree and kills sparrow with throwing knife. The boy runs away." (And then??) "I pick up sparrow, and hear his last breath before digging him tiny grave..." (Tycho crying) (Max silent) (That's not even a little bit funny, man.) Heavy shakes his head solemnly. "No..." Sits back. "It's not."

(So, what do you do for fun?) "Clean Sasha. Use Sasha... Clean Sasha again." (Proper maintience is crucial.) "I also collect old coins." (A fellow numismatist!) "Which I melt down to make custom bullets." (Of course.)

"I am hungry for sandvich." (Then order a sandvich, man.) "Oh, I can not have sandvich! I become unstoppable killing machine!" (Yeah, maybe order a water.) "Is best."

"You wear blue sweater." (All the time.) "What are you?" (Haven't we went over this?) "You are not Scout. Maybe very tricky blue Spy? Maybe... new class?" (I can use a keyboard to sabotage your entire team, steal your intelligence, and have your sister delivered to my doorstep in one afternoon. Yes, I'm a new class.) Heavy, shocked, "This is true??"

(Hey, Heavyman, what's your living situ-aysh?) "I live in RED barraks. Is nice. There is foos table." (How about taking a room in the house of Strong?) "There is vacancy?" (First you'll have to dump the current person in your room.) "This is enemy?" (He won't put up much of a fight.)

Hope you enjoyed, spent most of the day copying all these down. The non-Heavy lines are paraphrased for shortness. Heavy's are full, how they are in game.

#long post #tf2 #team fortress 2 #heavy #tf2 heavy #heavy weapons guy #poker night #poker night at the inventory #neat

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rowanwhitethornisbae · 4 years ago

Text

Faking It Ch 2

A/N: Thanks for all the love on chapter one! I’m defiantly going to make this at least ten chapters so buckle up haha. TW: Language

Aelin couldn't remember when she’d lost count of the number of shots she’d taken. All she knew was that the alcohol coursing through her veins offered temporary relief from the breathtaking pain. The pain that had her sobbing so hard that she vomited her guts up each and every night. These pointless high school parties were her only escape from reality. Her parents were dead. Who gave a fuck about anything. Stumbling a little, Aelin made her way over the kitchen sink, prepared to vomit if need be.

“Are you okay?” A low voice asked from behind her.

“Fine.” She muttered and leaned against the counter for some semblance of balance.

“You don't look it.” The stranger said kindly.

“Well isn't there some saying; Don’t judge a cover by its book or whatever.”

The mystery man laughed and Aelin finally lifted her head to look at him. He was handsome. So much so that if she hadn't already been leaning on something she might have swooned. His eyes were green, the colour of a pine tree in the dead of winter. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled and a tattoo crawled down the length of his arm and decorated the edge of his collarbone.

I like men with tattoos. She thought.

“Thanks.” He said, laughing awkwardly under his breath.

Oh shit. She avoided meeting his eye, instead landing her gaze upon his silver hair.

“Do you dye your hair.” She asked casually.

He seemed slightly taken aback, but smiled all the same. “No. Do you?”

She gasped as if it was the most preposterous thing he could've said and ran a hand through her long blond hair.

“I’d sooner eat snakes.” Aelin grinned.

“People all over the world do that voluntarily.” The green eyed man mused.

An image of someone eating snake popped into her head and Aelin suddenly felt bile rise in her throat. Before she could vomit on the perfect stranger, she bolted from the kitchen and into a vacant bathroom. Gagging, she fell onto her knees and was violently ill.

So gently that she barely even noticed, her hair was pulled back from her neck and shoulders as her stranger eased himself onto the cold tile beside her. When Aelin had finished vomiting, she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and slumped against the wall.

“Thanks.” She said, tying her hair into a messy bun with shaking hands.

“I’m Rowan.” He answered, extending a hand.

For the first time in weeks, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips.

“Aelin.”

“Miss Galathynius are you even listening.” Her math teacher’s voice snapped her out of that very unwelcome flashback.

“Do you want me to lie to you?” She asked, earning a few laughs from her classmates and an elbow to the ribs from Aedion.

“Take a walk.” He snarled, and Aelin breathed a sigh of relief. She needed fresh air anyway.

The hallway was practically empty, save a few students on their way to the bathroom, and Aelin started towards the side doors to the parking lot. She passed a locker that had been decorated for someone’s birthday. Streamers flowed down from the top, framing the collage of photos perfectly. The girl in question looked to be a freshman, with a bright smile on her face and eyes that screamed innocence. The things Aelin would do to go back to freshman year. To live with that lack of knowledge and trauma that she so desired. But she couldn't.

She was rounding the last corner when something made her stop dead on her feet. There, leaning against the wall in a way she’d seen so many times before, was Chaol Westfall. Still, it wasn't the sight of him that send her heart into a flurry. It was the girl fiddling with her hair opposite him. It took Aelin a minute to recognize her. Nesryn Faliq, they had advanced chemistry together. She laughed at something Chaol said and reached out a hand to brush his arm. Shivers ran down Aelin’s spine at that hint of a touch. Chaol smiled back at Nesryn and leaned in to whisper something in her ear.

Unable to watch anymore, Aelin turned on her heels and bolted to the women's bathroom. She was breathing too hard, her heart racing much too fast to be healthy. God this was an awful time to have a panic attack. Slowly, she managed to calm her breathing enough to splash water on her face.

This was bad. Really fucking bad. They’d broken up barely 24 hours ago and Chaol was already flirting with the entire female population of Terrasen High. Fine, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration.

Clearly Lysandra had been right. Aelin slumped down against the wall and curled her knees to her chest. She needed a rebound, and fast. Aelin pondered names as she ran her fingers through the grooves in the bathroom wall. Name after name came forward and she found herself subconsciously shooting them all down.

Nox, Fenrys, Sam, Lorcan, Sartaq. None sounded right.

In fact, the only one she could ever see herself with was Rowan Whitethorn. The silver haired senior who’s heart she’d held in her hands sophomore year. Held and crushed. She deserved every ounce of the hatred he had for her.

Still, he wasn't a bad option. She knew he found her beautiful, he’d told her as much. The only problem was that he would never go for her again. People tended to put up a guard after having their heart shattered.

Flirting with him would be futile and unfair. The only way she could ever get him to date her was if she gave him something in return.

“Holy shit.” Aelin swore, jumping up so fast that she nearly hit her heat on the sink.

If there was anything Aelin knew about Rowan, it was that he wanted to play on the football team. He’d gone on and on about it before. According to him, he had been deathly ill during tryouts and had ended up vomiting off the side after one hit. He’d begged and begged the coach to let him try out again but it was four years later and Rowan still wasn't on the team. Lorcan, Fenrys, Vaughn, and Gavriel all were and Rowan was half miserable because of it.

There it was. A plan. She’d get him a tryout, somehow, and in exchange he would help her beat Chaol in whatever sick game they were playing. With a newfound purpose, Aelin washed her hands and walked back to math class.

Lunch. She’d make her move then.

----------------------

The cafeteria was mostly empty, a normal occurrence for Tuesday afternoons. The lunch provided was some weird crossover of meatloaf and mashed potatoes that had most students eating out. Unfortunately for Rowan, Fenrys had convinced them to eat in the cafeteria today in his attempts to stalk a blonde girl on spare in the lounge.

Now, he was picking at his food as his friends discussed the football game tomorrow. Rowan was just beginning to think his day couldn't get any worse, when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.

“Can I talk to you?” Someone asked from over his shoulder. He knew that voice. Had heard it in both his dreams and his nightmares. Rowan’s grip on his fork tightened and his knuckles went white. His foot began drumming against the floor as he braced himself for impact. Everyone else at the table was rapidly flicking their gaze between Aelin and Rowan.

“No.” He said harshly, not daring to turn around. Rowan didn't think he’d have the will to deny her anything if he was forced to meet her eye.

“Please.” Aelin pleaded. “I have something to say to you.”

“Well that’s too fucking bad because I have nothing to say to you.” He responded, voice carefully exempt of any emotion.

“Then just listen.” She begged. “If you don't like what I have to say than we can go back to ignoring each other like you wanted.”

“I wasn't the one who wanted that.” He snapped before he could take it back.

Rowan felt more than saw Aelin stiffen behind him. Lorcan was drumming his fingers on the table, as if prepared to hold Rowan back if called for.

But it was Fenrys, the friend who was kind to everyone, who spoke. “I think you should go Aelin.”

She swallowed audibly behind him. “Alright.” She relented. “I’ll be at the Starbucks during fourth for spare. Come find me if you want.”

Rowan didn't bother to nod. Instead, he gripped his fork harder, letting up only when the sound of retreating footsteps subsided. He looked up slowly to find all eyes on him.

“So that just happened.” Lorcan mused.

“Yes thank you so much for that observation.” Rowan sniped sarcastically.

“Woah.” Lorcan replied, throwing up his arms in mock surrender. “You’re mad at Galathynius, not us remember.”

“Whatever.” He mumbled and went back to picking at his food. After a few seconds he threw his fork on the table and let out a groan of frustration.

“This food is the worst thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. It is terrible and horrible and fucked up and I have no idea what to do with it.” Rowan half-shouted. Heads swivelled in his direction and he ignored them. Judgement from people he didn't know was the least of his many concerns at the moment.

“Is that supposed to be some sort of metaphor for your life?” Vaughn asked, dead serious.

“Excuse me?”

“Seriously Rowan. All I've heard for the last year and a half is Aelin Galathynius this and Aelin Galathynius that and now she’s finally speaking to you and you’re not going to do anything about it.”

“I don't talk about her that much.” Rowan mumbled under his breath. Lorcan shot him a look as if to say “Yes. Yes you do.”

“I know I'm normally not one to get involved in deep shit, but Vaughn’s right. I’ve never seen you nearly as happy as you were for those few months in tenth. And honestly, what’s the worst that can happen. You hear what she has to say. You like it, great. You don't, fuck it and forget about her.” Rowan had never heard Fenrys speak for so long without sarcasm in his life.

“To be fair,” Gavriel said, always the buffer. “We’ve also never seen Rowan as broken as he was after Aelin. Maybe the risk outweighs the reward on this one Fen.”

Rowan didn't reply. He was too busy struggling to get the memory of those painful few weeks from his head.

“Just talk to her man. Who gives two fucks it’s high school.” Despite being mainly in an attempt to end this conversation, Lorcan’s words made sense. It was just high school. In one more year he’d be out of this shit hole and hopefully across the world in Rithfold. Talking to Aelin was just one step along the way.

“I’m going to.” He said, willing his tone to stay confident.

“Great man.” Fen said, patting him on the back. He barely felt it though. Barely felt anything as the rest of the day passed by in a blur, his thoughts occupied by a beautiful blond haired girl.

---------

It had been twenty minutes and Aelin was starting to think Rowan wasn't coming. In all honestly she should've expected that outcome from the beginning. Even though she understood, the way he had acted towards her at lunch had hurt more than she was willing to let on.

Instead of wallowing in her own self pity, Aelin took a long sip from her coffee. It seared her tongue and burned her throat, the pain helping to ground her in a way nothing else ever could. She was picking at her fingernails, head down, when he arrived.

A metal chair scraped against the cobblestone, a bird sung from a oak tree, a paper bag rustled in the wind, Aelin Galathynius blinked. That’s all she had time to do. One blink to compose herself before she was looking dead into the eyes of Rowan Whitethorn.

She allowed herself a brief second to take him in up close. His high and defined cheekbones, perfectly crafted nose, striking green eyes, and silver hair had always made for a truly stunning combination. He looked the same as ever. Except he didn't. His eyes no longer possessed that unbridled joy and love that she’d seen whenever he looked at her. Instead he just looked done. Done with life and done with her.

Aelin swallowed audibly and handed him a coffee. “Cream and sugar.” She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Rowan’s hands tightened slightly. “You remembered.” It wasn't a question. After a brief moment of hesitation he accepted the coffee and went back to staring at the table.

“What is this about Aelin?” He asked softly. Although his voice was gentle, his tone was hurt in a way anyone else would’ve missed. She hated that. Hated that now, even a year later she was still somehow hurting him.

“So you know I broke up with Chaol. Or, he broke up with me.” She tried to keep the tremor out of her voice. Rowan nodded once, nearly imperceptibly, and she took that as a sign to continue. “Anyway, Lysandra says that I need a rebound and I need one first because Chaol is the one who broke up with me.”

Rowan’s eye flared with surprise and something else she couldn't place. “I won't be your rebound. Please don't disrespect me by asking.”

Her heart nearly cracked open at the pain lingering in his words. “No no I would never.” Aelin paused for a brief moment to regain her bearings. “Here’s the thing. I don't want a rebound. I’ve been in a relationship for as long as I can remember and I'm in desperate need of a break. But, I’m also the most competitive person you'll ever meet. Like seriously it’s an issue, once -”

“I know.” Rowan interrupted. “Once you sprained your ankle 8 km into a 10 k run and still finished first because you couldn't stand the thought of losing. You told me already.”

Aelin just stared at him for a second, her chest unbearably tight. Rowan’s eyes looked her up and down and she could've sworn his eyes flashed in satisfaction at the pain written on her face.

Not wanting to look at him anymore, she went on. “I figured maybe instead of me actually doing the whole dating thing, we could fake date.”

She held out a hand as Rowan opened his mouth to protest. Begrudgingly, he restrained from commenting and gestured for her to go on.

“That way I'd beat Chaol in whatever this is, I wouldn't have to answer everyone’s condolences on my being dumped, and I’d be saved from the whole post breakup dating fiasco.”

Rowan’s voice was hoarser than before when he finally spoke. “What do I get out of this.”

She took a deep breath in. “I’ll get you a football tryout.”

His knee slammed into the table and Aelin couldn't help but flinch. His eyes were wide and lit up with hope. “Seriously? How the hell are you going to do that?”

“I have a plan.” She tried to sound confident despite her growing doubt.

Rowan let out a small laugh. “The last time you said that we ended up in the back of a police cruiser covered in raw eggs and paint.”

Aelin’s face broke into smile and she began to laugh. For a moment she could almost pretend they were back in sophomore year, lying on Rowan’s lawn and watching the stars. Neither of them had known anything about constellations so they’d made things up based on what they looked like. By the end of the night, Aelin’s stomach hurt from laughing. She wondered when the last time she’d been that blissfuly happy was.

Just as suddenly as they had arrived, their smiles and laughs died on their lips. An uncomfortable silence seized the air and Aelin began to play with the hair elastic on her wrist.

After a few more seconds, Rowan cleared his throat. “I’ll do it.” He announced, although it sounded like he was still trying to convince himself.

“Great.” Aelin smiled. “Why don't you come over tomorrow and we can work out logistics.”

“Don’t you live with Aedion?” Rowan asked cautiously.

“Yeah but he’ll be at Ren’s place tomorrow for a project. I checked.”

Rowan nodded slowly and rose from his chair. “Alright.”

They stared at each other for a moment, Rowan standing and Aelin sitting. “I’m going to uh... go.” He said at last, severing the quickly brewing tension.

Without waiting for answer, he turned and fled, leaving Aelin to do nothing but watch. So they were actually doing this now. What’s the worst that could go wrong?

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