Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala: Fic Three: Gno-Man's Land
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Title: Fic 3: Gno-Man’s Land
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Despite the fact that she was all too aware of Sam's presence next to her, Sarah used the handheld painting tracking device to find the missing paintings. "I think they're in that building over there," she said, pointing across the street.
Nodding a little, he led the way, placing a gentle hand on her arm as he paused outside the warehouse door. "Maybe I should go in alone."
"What, and risk getting yourself hurt?" she asked softly with a smile. She stepped back, however, and let him enter first.
A faint smile tugged at his lips and he stepped inside, flipping on a flashlight and peering into the darkness.
The beeping on the tracker got louder and more frequent as she pointed it towards the back of the warehouse. "The paintings must be back in the corner," she whispered, hearing her voice resound in the nearly empty building. She grabbed the back of his jacket to keep up with him.
Sam smiled as she held onto his coat and he slowed his pace a little, keeping his eye out for gnomes. Fortunately the place seemed to be deserted. And sure enough, in the back corner, there were the missing paintings.
"God, they're still intact," she whispered, pulling up beside him. Looking around, she didn't see any of those horrid creatures around, so she bent down and reached out to grab one of the paintings.
Sam grabbed the other one. I say we get back before they decide to make an appearance," he said grimly.
"I agree," she said, taking off after him and not looking back. Slamming the warehouse door behind her, she turned and smiled at Sam. "Where do you think the little guys were?"
He frowned a little. "That's a good question," he murmured, looking worried.
Tugging the large, heavy painting towards her, Sarah looked up at Sam. "Come on, let's get these paintings back to the auction house before someone on the street thinks we're stealing."
"Good idea." Sam chuckled a little, looking around before sliding the paintings into the Impala's trunk.
Getting into the passenger seat, she waited for Sam to get into the driver's side. Smoothing her hands over the seats, she felt a little disappointed that the auction house was so close to where they'd found the paintings. She really wanted to spend more alone time with Sam... though she sternly reminded herself that it was just because they hadn't any time to catch up. Not really.
"We still have to figure out a way to keep the gnomes out of your gallery," he murmured, looking lost in thought as he started the car.
Turning to look out the window as he pulled the car into the street, she said, "I don't know. Guess that's something we'll have to research or something." She turned to look at Sam sideways; he had a blank look on his face. "Hey, what's with the face?" she teased gently.
"Come with us," he said without thinking.
Sarah blinked in surprise. "What?" she said, a giggle escaping her lips because his statement had completely taken her by surprise. She smiled, though.
Sam glanced at her sideways. "When we leave...come with us." His voice was soft.
Her smile widened as her eyes met his. "Really?" She allowed herself to get carried away by the sheer thought for a moment. It was what she'd wanted to do the last time they were in town... Her smile fell. "This is... I don't know if... I can," she whispered sadly.
Sam swallowed hard, shocked he'd actually asked her that. He turned to stare out the windshield. "It's okay."
Sighing, Sarah sank into the seat. "I'd love to come with you, Sam, but... what would I tell Dad?"
"I don't know," he admitted, gripping onto the wheel.
Hesitating, she reached out and covered his white knuckles with her fingers. "Can... I ask why you want me to come?" Her voice was hopeful, though her breath caught in her throat, waiting for his answer.
Sam was silent for a moment. "I don't wanna leave you behind again," he whispered.
She gasped, releasing her pent-up breath while that same air caught in her throat again. "Good. I don't wanna be left behind again." She slid her hand to his arm and gripped it gently.
Swallowing hard, he gripped her hand back in return and guided the Impala into the parking lot of her father's auction house.
She watched Sam park the car and shut off the engine. Looking down at their joined hands, she said, "I'll talk to my father. I have a feeling he'll be in a good mood when he finds out we found these." She nodded to the paintings in the back.
He gazed at her for a moment, then hesitated before leaning closer and kissing her softly.
For a split second, Sarah didn't respond. She was too shocked to feel Sam's lips against hers again. She recovered quickly, however, kissing him back and curling her fingers into his shirtfront gently.
"I've really missed you," he admitted, leaning his head against hers when the kiss ended.
Touching Sam's cheek softly, she said, "I've missed you too. You just have no idea." She pulled back and beamed at him. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. That... he was telling her the things she'd only dreamed about.
Sam gazed at her silently for a few moments. "This is a dangerous lifestyle," he said quietly.
She smiled wryly. "So I've gathered, but anything's more dangerous than my miserable existence right now... but Sam, I'm willing to risk it if you are." Her eyes her lit with hope, something she hadn't had in a long time.
"I'm not taking back the offer," he promised.
"Good, because I'll do what I have to so I can come along." Smiling, she slid out of the car and grabbed one of the paintings. She felt light on her feet, as happy as she was.
A faint smile on his face, Sam followed, grabbing the other painting and following her toward the entrance.
Trying to push the door open, Sarah laughed. "Do you think Chloe and Dean are still here?" She'd forgotten in all the excitement that the thought of the two of them still holding that little gnome was kinda silly.
"Probably." He smirked as he recalled the look on his brother's face when Chloe grabbed the gnome.
Fortunately, her father was still nowhere to be seen, so it was pretty easy putting the paintings back where they belonged. Moving upstairs, they went to rescue Sam's brother and Chloe from who knows what from holding the gnome. She opened the door and sucked in her breath when she found her dad's office in complete disarray.
"What the hell?" Sam asked in alarm, his eyes wide.
"My thoughts exactly," Sarah replied, moving into the room and looking around helplessly. "Wait, where are Chloe and Dean?"
Feeling even more unsettled, Sam looked around before heading to the closet and pulling the door open, startled to see his brother holding Chloe on his lap as they kissed. "Guess they weren't in any danger," he said wryly.
The brightness of the open door startled Dean, who had been consumed with kissing Chloe to get her to believe him. Breaking their kiss, he looked up to find Sam and Sarah standing at the door, wearing startled and amused expressions. "What the hell?" he said in confusion.
"I could say the same thing," Sam retorted, giving him a look.
Chloe slowly pulled away from Dean, her face flushed. "There were... gnomes," she said vaguely.
A shadow crossed Sarah's features. "Wait... the gnomes were here?" She looked up at Sam in concern.
"Yeah, gnomes, Sammy," Dean replied, glaring at his brother. He stood up close behind Chloe, still aware of her body so close to his.
"Lots of them... everywhere."
Sam raised an eyebrow looking slightly unconvinced. "Okay, so where are they now?"
Peeking around Chloe, Dean looked around the totally trashed room. "Not here, apparently." He smirked at his brother and put his hands on Chloe's shoulders.
Ignoring the unspoken conversation between the brothers, Sarah put a hand on Sam's jacket sleeve. "Do you think they went... back to the warehouse?"
"It's possible. Which means it's only a matter of time before they realize we took the paintings back."
"That's probably not going to make them very happy," Chloe said, not looking at anyone.
Sarah pulled Sam back so Chloe could move out of the closet. "What happened out here, anyway?" she asked, looking at Chloe.
"About fifty of them showed up out of nowhere. I guess they were trying to rescue their lost buddy."
"Oh crap," Sarah replied, her gaze growing dark. "When we found the paintings... none of those little suckers were around."
Dean frowned. "What, you mean you two got the easy job?"
"Yeah, it seems like you suffered a lot," Sam retorted, smirking at his brother.
Dean shot Sam a look that told of the ass kicking he'd get when the girls weren't around. "Shut it, Sammy," he warned, seeing Chloe turn several shades of red.
He resisted the urge to chuckle. "We should probably figure out how to get rid of these things...or at least keep them away from here."
"Especially if they can do... this," Sarah said, crouching down to pick up the papers strewn all over the room.
Chloe looked around and began to help Sarah collect the scattered things. "Which begs the question... why are they after artwork in the first place?"
Sam fell silent at that, leaning against the door with a puzzled expression.
Dean looked at his brother, just as confused as the rest of them. "Guess it's time for you to have your way with your laptop," he whispered to Sam.
Sam made a face. "Right. I'm gonna head back to the hotel." He glanced at Sarah.
Standing up and looking around, she mustered a sad smile. "I'll meet up with you there, okay? I really gotta get... some things taken care of." She looked at him pointedly.
Raising his eyebrows, Dean saw the look his brother and Sarah gave each other. "I miss something?" he asked innocently.
Chloe looked between them as well.
Sam regarded his brother with a blank expression. "When do you not?" he replied with a smirk, heading out the door and leaving them to stare after him.
"Okay, awkward," Dean grumbled under his breath, turning to look at the girls. Sarah, in particular, who was watching Sam walk away with a strange look on her face.
When she became aware of Dean's gaze, Sarah turned and glared at him. "You gonna stare or help us clean up?"
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sam had no sooner started the Impala’s engine than he spotted his brother moving toward the car. Raising an eyebrow, he shrugged and watched as Dean climbed in the passenger side.
Slamming the door, he looked over at Sam and said, "What? You thought I was gonna help the girls clean up that mess?" He saw Sam didn't buy his excuse to leave so he shrugged. "Dude, just... drive, okay?"
Shrugging once more, he shifted the car into gear and drove them back toward the motel in relative silence.
Dean shifted uncomfortably in the seat. For one, he wasn't used to sitting in the passenger seat in his own car. Secondly, Sam was quiet. Too quiet. "You're being very... un-Samlike, Sammy," he commented as they pulled into the hotel parking lot.
"I asked Sarah to come with us," he said quietly, not looking at his brother.
Slanting his eyes towards his brother, he stifled a knowing smile. He knew, deep down, that Sam had always regretted leaving Sarah behind the first time. No, he had never mentioned her, not even when Dean himself brought her up, but there was something in Sam's eyes as they had left New York all those months ago that told him Sarah had always been on his mind. "Good," he replied with a small smirk and got out of the car.
Sam stared after Dean wide-eyed. That wasn't the response he'd been expecting. He'd been prepared for a heated argument. "What?"
"What, you were expecting me to gripe about that?" he asked, unlocking the door and going inside.
"Well... yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck, following Dean into the room.
With a wide smile, Dean crashed on his bed and stretched out, putting his hands behind his head. "Look, dude, I know you've been missing her since we left last time." When he saw Sam give him an uncertain look, he sat look. "Why did you ask her?"
"Because..." He shifted uncomfortably as he moved to sit at his computer. "...I didn't wanna leave her behind again."
"What, uh... was her response?" Based on the look that passed between Sarah and his brother, he guessed that things were probably a little bit up in the air.
"She's not sure," Sam said after a moment, booting up his laptop.
While he frowned a little, Dean understood why she might have doubts. It was dangerous, their lifestyle. He thought about Chloe and what she'd been through, just from that psychotic preacher he wished he'd killed when he had the chance. "She thinks it's too dangerous," he said in a low voice.
"Yeah, to tell her dad she's leaving with us," Sam answered wryly, knowing Sarah wasn't afraid of what was out there.
Dean cringed. "Yeah, I bet talking with Chuckles there is gonna be a real treat." He stared at the back of Sam's head, which was slightly bowed over the computer. "Seriously, dude, what's your deal? She's going to come with us. Yay for you... so what's with the face?"
He was silent for a moment, already starting his research. "Look at what's happened to Chloe since she's been with us."
"Yeah, but I doubt you'd have asked Sarah to come with us if you didn't think she couldn't handle it." Dean didn't need to be told how fragile Chloe had become, but he knew she had many of those issues when she'd met them. It was that preacher, he thought. That damn preacher. He stood up and started pacing around the room.
"You're right," he admitted, gazing at the computer screen. "I care about her. A lot."
"Well, I care about Chloe," he whispered. "Why not keep them with us if we care about them?"
"You think they're better off with us or without us?" Sam asked quietly, looking at his brother.
Dean froze in his tracks at Sam's hesitant question. Oh, what a loaded question, he thought. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about this before. Had wondered quite a lot if Chloe would be better without him. Looking down at his feet, he whispered, "Dunno, Sammy." All I know is I'm miserable without her, he thought.
He gazed at his brother, the question lying between them, unanswered. And wondered if they would ever know.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
With Chloe's help, Sarah had managed to get her father's office put back together before he had gotten there. They managed to sneak out of the auction house before anyone saw them. "Want a ride back to the hotel?" she asked the blonde, who hadn't said much since Dean took off.
"If you don't mind." She didn't want to interrupt the research. She rolled her eyes at herself. Like that was why she wasn't calling the guys for a ride.
Without a comment, Sarah led Chloe to her car and watched her get into the passenger side. It was awkward, being around someone who was very quiet but looked like she could talk about nearly everything. "So... I guess I should say something, but... I haven't a clue what to say except... thank you for your help."
She smiled faintly and looked sideways at Sarah. "No problem. I know this...is probably kinda weird, me being here and everything."
"It's only weird that you're so... quiet," she remarked, shooting her a thankful look. "It's nice to have another girl around. The testosterone level can get high between those two." She turned on the car engine and drove it out of the auction house.
"Tell me about it," she said wryly.
Sneaking a look at Chloe, she whispered, "They pretty much like this... all the time?"
"Oh, they're worse. I've had to break up fights more than once and I've only been riding with them for like...three weeks."
"Great." She sighed softly and smiled. "At least now you'll have some help with that."
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
The hotel parking lot appeared way too soon, she thought, pulling in and parking next to the Impala. Shutting off the engine, she sat back and looked at her passenger, who was wearing a shocked, wide-eyed expression. "Sam... wants me to go with you guys." She looked away, not able to look into the blonde's eyes.
The words didn't surprise her as much as they probably should have. "He likes you a lot."
She smiled. "I really think he does," she said, the memory of Sam's kiss still lingering in her mind. "Dean... seems pretty keen on you, Chloe."
She flinched a little and looked out the window. "Yeah," she murmured.
Yikes, she thought, pulling her eyes to stare at the Winchesters' hotel room. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling intensely awkward. "I just meant... I guess I'll shut up now."
"No, it's fine, Sarah," she said quietly. "Things are just... complicated."
"When aren't they?" she said out loud, thinking about her future with Sam after she told her father of her intention to take off with them and maybe... never come back. "I think... it might be good for both of us. You know, to have another girl around."
A faint smile tugged at Chloe's lips and she looked sideways at Sarah. "Yeah. I think so."
Sarah smiled at Chloe brightly. "Good. You... ready to get back in there with Ren and Stimpy?" Her eyes twinkled with excitement at the thought of seeing Sam again.
Chloe laughed out loud at the other woman's comparison. "Ren and Stimpy or Beevis and Butthead?" she joked, climbing out of the car.
"I guess it depends on the day," she replied with a cheesy grin, getting out of her car and following Chloe to the hotel door.
Drawing in a breath, she knocked on the door and waited for one of the brothers to answer it.
Dean heard the pounding and didn't want to answer the door, except that it sounded like it might be Chloe and Sarah. Seeing Sam deep in research mode, he mumbled, "Sure, Sam, I'll get the door." Standing up, he walked to the door and pulled it open. Sure enough, he found the girls on the other side of the door, wearing slightly amused grins.
"Find anything?" Chloe asked, not quite meeting his eyes.
"You'll have to ask Brainaic over there," he replied, thumbing towards Sam, who was still buried in his laptop.
Crossing her arms, Sarah cocked an eyebrow at Dean. "You two have a real issue with not letting us in, don't you?"
Chloe smirked and moved around him easily, moving to sit on the edge of the bed nearest Sam. "Anything?"
"I think I might be onto something," he murmured.
Sarah brushed past Dean and lurked in the shadows in the corner of the room, biting her nail anxiously. She wasn't looking forward to her chat with Dad, she realized. As much as she wanted to be with Sam, it wasn't going to be easy convincing her father that leaving would be a good thing.
"Sam, your girl's got a smart mouth," Dean remarked, taking his spot on his bed again, avoiding Chloe since he was pretty sure she didn't want him around.
"Someone's gotta keep you in line, Dean," he retorted, not looking up.
"What, that's not your job anymore?" he remarked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
Sarah bit back a smile as she looked down. "Need any help, Sam?" she asked softly.
"Mandrake Root," he said suddenly, looking over at her.
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed.
"Mandrake root?" Dean asked, sitting up suddenly. "You intend to poison them, then?"
Sarah just nodded, never taking her eyes, still slightly anxious, off Sam's. She didn't want to say anything until she had a chance to hear what he had to say.
"No... I mean, other than theft… they haven't hurt anyone. They seem to be more mischievous than anything. Mandrake root stops them from teleporting... and if they can't teleport... they can't get into a locked building... or make off with large paintings."
"So basically, if we planted this around the auction house... they'd leave the place alone?" Sarah asked, her face fearful yet hopeful.
"I think so," he said, nodding a little.
Chloe chewed on her lower lip. "That seems easy enough."
"So... we just have to buy these plants and put them into the ground?" Dean asked, clearly surprised that the solution was that easy.
"Might wanna add a couple around the inside too, just to be sure, but yeah." Sam shrugged.
Looking away from Sam and the others, Sarah whispered, "I, uh, know where we can get some plants."
Chloe grinned. "You are so coming with us," she replied. "Where do we find it?"
Sarah blinked in surprise at the blonde's outburst, though she smiled brightly. "I happen to know a greenhouse not too far from my house that deals in... rarer plants, so to speak." She looked shyly at Sam.
Sam smiled at her as well, his eyes twinkling. "Well, let's head."
Dean smiled at the look on his brother's face, knowing he hadn't been this happy since... He snuck a glance at Chloe, who had said very little and looked just as pale as he had when she'd been in his arms.
Her lips parting into a wide grin, Sarah nodded. "It's a bit of a drive from here. Think Dean could handle life with the Impala for awhile?"
"I don't think it'll take four of us to go get it." Sam rose to his feet. "We'll go get it and plant it around the auction house."
"You put a scratch on the Impala..." Dean started, shooting Sam that 'look' as he watched his brother follow Sarah out the door.
"Yeah, you and I can get this done by nightfall," she said, throwing a smile back at Chloe and Dean before disappearing out the door.
Chloe swallowed hard, realizing Sam had made that decision as much to make sure she and Dean had a chance to talk as he did to be alone with Sarah.
Dean watched the hotel door shut behind his brother and sighed inwardly. The last time he was alone with Chloe, he'd said and done things... He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Awkward," he muttered to himself, his back to her.
She bit her lower lip, feeling vulnerable and exposed. He knew things about her now that she'd never wanted anyone to know. She wound her arms around herself and remained silent.
He didn't know how long they sat there, the space between them growing with each shared breath. Dean could actually feel it, and it hurt more than he wanted to admit. He'd told her how he felt, and... he still didn't know how she felt. Probably nothing, he thought, shifting his foot a little on the floor. "You needed to tell me those things," he said finally.
Chloe cringed a little, looking down at the floor. "I don't know what came over me."
He bit back a sarcastic remark, because he thought it would force her away from him. "I hope it comes over you again soon, then." He looked down and smirked grimly. How was it she made him almost welcome chick flick moments?
"I thought you hated chick flick moments."
"Sam's rubbing off on you, Chloe," he replied with a smirk, turning around to look at her.
She met his gaze and held it. "How so?"
"I do hate chick flick moments, and yet... I can sorta handle it around the people I... you know..." He stared at her pointedly.
"Care about," she murmured.
Dean nodded, his eyes going soft looking at her. "That includes you, ya know." He stood up and walked over to her, sitting down next to her.
Chloe nodded slightly, reluctantly accepting that. She tucked some hair behind her ear. "Ditto," she whispered.
Clearing his throat, Dean asked, "So how about Sarah coming with us, huh? About time Sammy got some."
She winced a little at his words, immediately thinking of Clark. "Yeah. Isn't that what guys are all about?" she asked bitterly, rising to her feet.
Dean grunted in frustration. "Nice work, dummy," he muttered inaudibly, watching her start to pace the room. "Company, I was talking about... some company," he finished lamely. "Look, we're not all about that. God knows Sam isn't."
"You sure he isn't gay?" she responded, not looking at him.
"Hell no, he's not gay," Dean replied with an amused smile. "If you could have seen him with his ex-girlfriend, you'd know. He's just... sensitive." As much as he hated that word, Dean had to admit that, in Sam's case, it was true.
"Those are the ones you have to watch out for," she murmured, thinking of both Jimmy and Clark and feeling another headache coming on.
"Aren't you glad I'm not like that, then," he murmured, looking at her slumping shoulders and knowing she was tired. Of everything. Maybe of him. "Sam's a good guy, and he's not going to hurt you. Hell, I won't either, even though I probably already have."
"You haven't," Chloe said quietly, shutting her eyes.
Darkness clouded his eyes. "You can't tell me that I haven't totally confused you, made you crazy, and made you run away?"
She reluctantly turned to face him. "The first, maybe," she admitted softly, her voice honest.
"Sam should have never... You shouldn't have known," he muttered, berating himself for not telling his brother to keep his mouth shut about certain things. He stood up and began pacing around the room.
"Yeah, well I kinda suspected before he said anything."
Dean was speechless, though he didn't stop his pacing. "Look, I can't help what I feel, okay? It's not like you can turn this... stuff... off. I didn't want you to know that... because I just knew you... I mean..." He tried several times to explain what was going on in his mind but couldn't. Bad enough that Sam told his secret: worse that Chloe kinda knew to begin with.
"Dean, it's okay," she whispered, watching him pace and feeling weary. "Believe me, I understand." She looked down at the floor. "If it'd be easier... I can be gone by morning."
He stopped right in front of her and dropped to his knees, suddenly weary. "Don't leave," he said in a flat voice, putting his head into her lap. He suddenly knew the answer to Sam's question: she'd probably be better off without him, but he sure couldn't take living without her.
Chloe was startled by his actions and slid her arms around him without thinking about it. It was just instinct. She closed her eyes, resting her head on top of his, her fingers gently rubbing the back of his neck, another unconscious act. "Okay," she whispered.
Looping his arms around her waist, Dean sat there, his head pressing into her stomach, letting her hold and touch him. He was enclosed by her presence and for the first time felt like they had connected somehow. "Good," he murmured, closing his eyes and willing himself to stay there for as long as she let him.
"I do care about you," Chloe murmured, not pulling away.
He heard her words but didn't believe them. He didn't know if she really did: up until this moment, she had run away from him in some form or fashion. "Then why this talk of leaving?" he whispered, pulling her closer to him.
She was quiet for a moment. "Have you ever been hurt so bad you didn't think you could ever possibly recover?" she asked in an almost inaudible voice.
Sliding his head up from her lap, he looked her in the eye. "Yes." He thought of losing his mother when he was four... his father only mere weeks ago... Yeah, he knew what it was like to hurt. "I'm an orphan now, remember?" He tried to smile but couldn't. The shattered look on her face spoke volumes of hurt to him.
Tears prickled at her eyes. "But your parents loved you, right?"
He gently touched her cheek. "I guess so," he whispered with a frown.
"Imagine... spending every waking moment thinking about how much you loved someone... and knowing they would never love you back." She swallowed hard. "And then imagine, hearing them say it... and later apologize for lying."
A kind of numbed shock crossed Dean's features, furrowing his brow as he gazed at her devastated face. "If I ever come across this guy, he's dead," he swore underneath his breath. Because he had never loved someone enough until now to remotely understand what she'd been going through.
"He wasn't himself when he said it, but..." She swallowed hard, tears still stinging her eyes.
He blinked back the frustration he felt. "Doesn't make it any easier," he said in as evenly a tone as possible. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "When? When did he...?" He couldn't bring himself to even finish his question: he was that afraid of the answer.
"He was under the influence," she murmured, diverting her eyes. "And I should've known better."
Clenching his fists, Dean pulled himself upright again and lifted her chin to make him look at her. "Who was it, Chloe?" he asked softly.
"Clark," she admitted in a whisper, reluctantly meeting his gaze.
A shudder of anger went through his body, making him literally quake. "Bastard," he muttered, not breaking her eye contact. "He deserves to die for what he did." Dean literally thought he saw red from the anger and hatred he felt for this loser who had abused his girl.
She shook her head very slightly. "Most of the time he's a good guy, but... under certain circumstances..." Her jaw tightened a little. "Mostly involving a pretty brunette..."
Muttering a string of curses under his breath, Dean stood up and, taking Chloe's hands, pulled her into his arms tightly, tucking her into his warmth as if to take her burden off her shoulders. "Brunettes are highly overrated," he growled in her ear, absently kissing her cheek as he spoke.
She shut her eyes, letting him hold onto her tightly. Like he was her lifeline. And maybe he was. Maybe he was the only one standing between her and a downward spiral off a cliff.
Title: Fic 3: Gno-Man’s Land
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Despite the fact that she was all too aware of Sam's presence next to her, Sarah used the handheld painting tracking device to find the missing paintings. "I think they're in that building over there," she said, pointing across the street.
Nodding a little, he led the way, placing a gentle hand on her arm as he paused outside the warehouse door. "Maybe I should go in alone."
"What, and risk getting yourself hurt?" she asked softly with a smile. She stepped back, however, and let him enter first.
A faint smile tugged at his lips and he stepped inside, flipping on a flashlight and peering into the darkness.
The beeping on the tracker got louder and more frequent as she pointed it towards the back of the warehouse. "The paintings must be back in the corner," she whispered, hearing her voice resound in the nearly empty building. She grabbed the back of his jacket to keep up with him.
Sam smiled as she held onto his coat and he slowed his pace a little, keeping his eye out for gnomes. Fortunately the place seemed to be deserted. And sure enough, in the back corner, there were the missing paintings.
"God, they're still intact," she whispered, pulling up beside him. Looking around, she didn't see any of those horrid creatures around, so she bent down and reached out to grab one of the paintings.
Sam grabbed the other one. I say we get back before they decide to make an appearance," he said grimly.
"I agree," she said, taking off after him and not looking back. Slamming the warehouse door behind her, she turned and smiled at Sam. "Where do you think the little guys were?"
He frowned a little. "That's a good question," he murmured, looking worried.
Tugging the large, heavy painting towards her, Sarah looked up at Sam. "Come on, let's get these paintings back to the auction house before someone on the street thinks we're stealing."
"Good idea." Sam chuckled a little, looking around before sliding the paintings into the Impala's trunk.
Getting into the passenger seat, she waited for Sam to get into the driver's side. Smoothing her hands over the seats, she felt a little disappointed that the auction house was so close to where they'd found the paintings. She really wanted to spend more alone time with Sam... though she sternly reminded herself that it was just because they hadn't any time to catch up. Not really.
"We still have to figure out a way to keep the gnomes out of your gallery," he murmured, looking lost in thought as he started the car.
Turning to look out the window as he pulled the car into the street, she said, "I don't know. Guess that's something we'll have to research or something." She turned to look at Sam sideways; he had a blank look on his face. "Hey, what's with the face?" she teased gently.
"Come with us," he said without thinking.
Sarah blinked in surprise. "What?" she said, a giggle escaping her lips because his statement had completely taken her by surprise. She smiled, though.
Sam glanced at her sideways. "When we leave...come with us." His voice was soft.
Her smile widened as her eyes met his. "Really?" She allowed herself to get carried away by the sheer thought for a moment. It was what she'd wanted to do the last time they were in town... Her smile fell. "This is... I don't know if... I can," she whispered sadly.
Sam swallowed hard, shocked he'd actually asked her that. He turned to stare out the windshield. "It's okay."
Sighing, Sarah sank into the seat. "I'd love to come with you, Sam, but... what would I tell Dad?"
"I don't know," he admitted, gripping onto the wheel.
Hesitating, she reached out and covered his white knuckles with her fingers. "Can... I ask why you want me to come?" Her voice was hopeful, though her breath caught in her throat, waiting for his answer.
Sam was silent for a moment. "I don't wanna leave you behind again," he whispered.
She gasped, releasing her pent-up breath while that same air caught in her throat again. "Good. I don't wanna be left behind again." She slid her hand to his arm and gripped it gently.
Swallowing hard, he gripped her hand back in return and guided the Impala into the parking lot of her father's auction house.
She watched Sam park the car and shut off the engine. Looking down at their joined hands, she said, "I'll talk to my father. I have a feeling he'll be in a good mood when he finds out we found these." She nodded to the paintings in the back.
He gazed at her for a moment, then hesitated before leaning closer and kissing her softly.
For a split second, Sarah didn't respond. She was too shocked to feel Sam's lips against hers again. She recovered quickly, however, kissing him back and curling her fingers into his shirtfront gently.
"I've really missed you," he admitted, leaning his head against hers when the kiss ended.
Touching Sam's cheek softly, she said, "I've missed you too. You just have no idea." She pulled back and beamed at him. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. That... he was telling her the things she'd only dreamed about.
Sam gazed at her silently for a few moments. "This is a dangerous lifestyle," he said quietly.
She smiled wryly. "So I've gathered, but anything's more dangerous than my miserable existence right now... but Sam, I'm willing to risk it if you are." Her eyes her lit with hope, something she hadn't had in a long time.
"I'm not taking back the offer," he promised.
"Good, because I'll do what I have to so I can come along." Smiling, she slid out of the car and grabbed one of the paintings. She felt light on her feet, as happy as she was.
A faint smile on his face, Sam followed, grabbing the other painting and following her toward the entrance.
Trying to push the door open, Sarah laughed. "Do you think Chloe and Dean are still here?" She'd forgotten in all the excitement that the thought of the two of them still holding that little gnome was kinda silly.
"Probably." He smirked as he recalled the look on his brother's face when Chloe grabbed the gnome.
Fortunately, her father was still nowhere to be seen, so it was pretty easy putting the paintings back where they belonged. Moving upstairs, they went to rescue Sam's brother and Chloe from who knows what from holding the gnome. She opened the door and sucked in her breath when she found her dad's office in complete disarray.
"What the hell?" Sam asked in alarm, his eyes wide.
"My thoughts exactly," Sarah replied, moving into the room and looking around helplessly. "Wait, where are Chloe and Dean?"
Feeling even more unsettled, Sam looked around before heading to the closet and pulling the door open, startled to see his brother holding Chloe on his lap as they kissed. "Guess they weren't in any danger," he said wryly.
The brightness of the open door startled Dean, who had been consumed with kissing Chloe to get her to believe him. Breaking their kiss, he looked up to find Sam and Sarah standing at the door, wearing startled and amused expressions. "What the hell?" he said in confusion.
"I could say the same thing," Sam retorted, giving him a look.
Chloe slowly pulled away from Dean, her face flushed. "There were... gnomes," she said vaguely.
A shadow crossed Sarah's features. "Wait... the gnomes were here?" She looked up at Sam in concern.
"Yeah, gnomes, Sammy," Dean replied, glaring at his brother. He stood up close behind Chloe, still aware of her body so close to his.
"Lots of them... everywhere."
Sam raised an eyebrow looking slightly unconvinced. "Okay, so where are they now?"
Peeking around Chloe, Dean looked around the totally trashed room. "Not here, apparently." He smirked at his brother and put his hands on Chloe's shoulders.
Ignoring the unspoken conversation between the brothers, Sarah put a hand on Sam's jacket sleeve. "Do you think they went... back to the warehouse?"
"It's possible. Which means it's only a matter of time before they realize we took the paintings back."
"That's probably not going to make them very happy," Chloe said, not looking at anyone.
Sarah pulled Sam back so Chloe could move out of the closet. "What happened out here, anyway?" she asked, looking at Chloe.
"About fifty of them showed up out of nowhere. I guess they were trying to rescue their lost buddy."
"Oh crap," Sarah replied, her gaze growing dark. "When we found the paintings... none of those little suckers were around."
Dean frowned. "What, you mean you two got the easy job?"
"Yeah, it seems like you suffered a lot," Sam retorted, smirking at his brother.
Dean shot Sam a look that told of the ass kicking he'd get when the girls weren't around. "Shut it, Sammy," he warned, seeing Chloe turn several shades of red.
He resisted the urge to chuckle. "We should probably figure out how to get rid of these things...or at least keep them away from here."
"Especially if they can do... this," Sarah said, crouching down to pick up the papers strewn all over the room.
Chloe looked around and began to help Sarah collect the scattered things. "Which begs the question... why are they after artwork in the first place?"
Sam fell silent at that, leaning against the door with a puzzled expression.
Dean looked at his brother, just as confused as the rest of them. "Guess it's time for you to have your way with your laptop," he whispered to Sam.
Sam made a face. "Right. I'm gonna head back to the hotel." He glanced at Sarah.
Standing up and looking around, she mustered a sad smile. "I'll meet up with you there, okay? I really gotta get... some things taken care of." She looked at him pointedly.
Raising his eyebrows, Dean saw the look his brother and Sarah gave each other. "I miss something?" he asked innocently.
Chloe looked between them as well.
Sam regarded his brother with a blank expression. "When do you not?" he replied with a smirk, heading out the door and leaving them to stare after him.
"Okay, awkward," Dean grumbled under his breath, turning to look at the girls. Sarah, in particular, who was watching Sam walk away with a strange look on her face.
When she became aware of Dean's gaze, Sarah turned and glared at him. "You gonna stare or help us clean up?"
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sam had no sooner started the Impala’s engine than he spotted his brother moving toward the car. Raising an eyebrow, he shrugged and watched as Dean climbed in the passenger side.
Slamming the door, he looked over at Sam and said, "What? You thought I was gonna help the girls clean up that mess?" He saw Sam didn't buy his excuse to leave so he shrugged. "Dude, just... drive, okay?"
Shrugging once more, he shifted the car into gear and drove them back toward the motel in relative silence.
Dean shifted uncomfortably in the seat. For one, he wasn't used to sitting in the passenger seat in his own car. Secondly, Sam was quiet. Too quiet. "You're being very... un-Samlike, Sammy," he commented as they pulled into the hotel parking lot.
"I asked Sarah to come with us," he said quietly, not looking at his brother.
Slanting his eyes towards his brother, he stifled a knowing smile. He knew, deep down, that Sam had always regretted leaving Sarah behind the first time. No, he had never mentioned her, not even when Dean himself brought her up, but there was something in Sam's eyes as they had left New York all those months ago that told him Sarah had always been on his mind. "Good," he replied with a small smirk and got out of the car.
Sam stared after Dean wide-eyed. That wasn't the response he'd been expecting. He'd been prepared for a heated argument. "What?"
"What, you were expecting me to gripe about that?" he asked, unlocking the door and going inside.
"Well... yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck, following Dean into the room.
With a wide smile, Dean crashed on his bed and stretched out, putting his hands behind his head. "Look, dude, I know you've been missing her since we left last time." When he saw Sam give him an uncertain look, he sat look. "Why did you ask her?"
"Because..." He shifted uncomfortably as he moved to sit at his computer. "...I didn't wanna leave her behind again."
"What, uh... was her response?" Based on the look that passed between Sarah and his brother, he guessed that things were probably a little bit up in the air.
"She's not sure," Sam said after a moment, booting up his laptop.
While he frowned a little, Dean understood why she might have doubts. It was dangerous, their lifestyle. He thought about Chloe and what she'd been through, just from that psychotic preacher he wished he'd killed when he had the chance. "She thinks it's too dangerous," he said in a low voice.
"Yeah, to tell her dad she's leaving with us," Sam answered wryly, knowing Sarah wasn't afraid of what was out there.
Dean cringed. "Yeah, I bet talking with Chuckles there is gonna be a real treat." He stared at the back of Sam's head, which was slightly bowed over the computer. "Seriously, dude, what's your deal? She's going to come with us. Yay for you... so what's with the face?"
He was silent for a moment, already starting his research. "Look at what's happened to Chloe since she's been with us."
"Yeah, but I doubt you'd have asked Sarah to come with us if you didn't think she couldn't handle it." Dean didn't need to be told how fragile Chloe had become, but he knew she had many of those issues when she'd met them. It was that preacher, he thought. That damn preacher. He stood up and started pacing around the room.
"You're right," he admitted, gazing at the computer screen. "I care about her. A lot."
"Well, I care about Chloe," he whispered. "Why not keep them with us if we care about them?"
"You think they're better off with us or without us?" Sam asked quietly, looking at his brother.
Dean froze in his tracks at Sam's hesitant question. Oh, what a loaded question, he thought. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about this before. Had wondered quite a lot if Chloe would be better without him. Looking down at his feet, he whispered, "Dunno, Sammy." All I know is I'm miserable without her, he thought.
He gazed at his brother, the question lying between them, unanswered. And wondered if they would ever know.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
With Chloe's help, Sarah had managed to get her father's office put back together before he had gotten there. They managed to sneak out of the auction house before anyone saw them. "Want a ride back to the hotel?" she asked the blonde, who hadn't said much since Dean took off.
"If you don't mind." She didn't want to interrupt the research. She rolled her eyes at herself. Like that was why she wasn't calling the guys for a ride.
Without a comment, Sarah led Chloe to her car and watched her get into the passenger side. It was awkward, being around someone who was very quiet but looked like she could talk about nearly everything. "So... I guess I should say something, but... I haven't a clue what to say except... thank you for your help."
She smiled faintly and looked sideways at Sarah. "No problem. I know this...is probably kinda weird, me being here and everything."
"It's only weird that you're so... quiet," she remarked, shooting her a thankful look. "It's nice to have another girl around. The testosterone level can get high between those two." She turned on the car engine and drove it out of the auction house.
"Tell me about it," she said wryly.
Sneaking a look at Chloe, she whispered, "They pretty much like this... all the time?"
"Oh, they're worse. I've had to break up fights more than once and I've only been riding with them for like...three weeks."
"Great." She sighed softly and smiled. "At least now you'll have some help with that."
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
The hotel parking lot appeared way too soon, she thought, pulling in and parking next to the Impala. Shutting off the engine, she sat back and looked at her passenger, who was wearing a shocked, wide-eyed expression. "Sam... wants me to go with you guys." She looked away, not able to look into the blonde's eyes.
The words didn't surprise her as much as they probably should have. "He likes you a lot."
She smiled. "I really think he does," she said, the memory of Sam's kiss still lingering in her mind. "Dean... seems pretty keen on you, Chloe."
She flinched a little and looked out the window. "Yeah," she murmured.
Yikes, she thought, pulling her eyes to stare at the Winchesters' hotel room. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling intensely awkward. "I just meant... I guess I'll shut up now."
"No, it's fine, Sarah," she said quietly. "Things are just... complicated."
"When aren't they?" she said out loud, thinking about her future with Sam after she told her father of her intention to take off with them and maybe... never come back. "I think... it might be good for both of us. You know, to have another girl around."
A faint smile tugged at Chloe's lips and she looked sideways at Sarah. "Yeah. I think so."
Sarah smiled at Chloe brightly. "Good. You... ready to get back in there with Ren and Stimpy?" Her eyes twinkled with excitement at the thought of seeing Sam again.
Chloe laughed out loud at the other woman's comparison. "Ren and Stimpy or Beevis and Butthead?" she joked, climbing out of the car.
"I guess it depends on the day," she replied with a cheesy grin, getting out of her car and following Chloe to the hotel door.
Drawing in a breath, she knocked on the door and waited for one of the brothers to answer it.
Dean heard the pounding and didn't want to answer the door, except that it sounded like it might be Chloe and Sarah. Seeing Sam deep in research mode, he mumbled, "Sure, Sam, I'll get the door." Standing up, he walked to the door and pulled it open. Sure enough, he found the girls on the other side of the door, wearing slightly amused grins.
"Find anything?" Chloe asked, not quite meeting his eyes.
"You'll have to ask Brainaic over there," he replied, thumbing towards Sam, who was still buried in his laptop.
Crossing her arms, Sarah cocked an eyebrow at Dean. "You two have a real issue with not letting us in, don't you?"
Chloe smirked and moved around him easily, moving to sit on the edge of the bed nearest Sam. "Anything?"
"I think I might be onto something," he murmured.
Sarah brushed past Dean and lurked in the shadows in the corner of the room, biting her nail anxiously. She wasn't looking forward to her chat with Dad, she realized. As much as she wanted to be with Sam, it wasn't going to be easy convincing her father that leaving would be a good thing.
"Sam, your girl's got a smart mouth," Dean remarked, taking his spot on his bed again, avoiding Chloe since he was pretty sure she didn't want him around.
"Someone's gotta keep you in line, Dean," he retorted, not looking up.
"What, that's not your job anymore?" he remarked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
Sarah bit back a smile as she looked down. "Need any help, Sam?" she asked softly.
"Mandrake Root," he said suddenly, looking over at her.
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed.
"Mandrake root?" Dean asked, sitting up suddenly. "You intend to poison them, then?"
Sarah just nodded, never taking her eyes, still slightly anxious, off Sam's. She didn't want to say anything until she had a chance to hear what he had to say.
"No... I mean, other than theft… they haven't hurt anyone. They seem to be more mischievous than anything. Mandrake root stops them from teleporting... and if they can't teleport... they can't get into a locked building... or make off with large paintings."
"So basically, if we planted this around the auction house... they'd leave the place alone?" Sarah asked, her face fearful yet hopeful.
"I think so," he said, nodding a little.
Chloe chewed on her lower lip. "That seems easy enough."
"So... we just have to buy these plants and put them into the ground?" Dean asked, clearly surprised that the solution was that easy.
"Might wanna add a couple around the inside too, just to be sure, but yeah." Sam shrugged.
Looking away from Sam and the others, Sarah whispered, "I, uh, know where we can get some plants."
Chloe grinned. "You are so coming with us," she replied. "Where do we find it?"
Sarah blinked in surprise at the blonde's outburst, though she smiled brightly. "I happen to know a greenhouse not too far from my house that deals in... rarer plants, so to speak." She looked shyly at Sam.
Sam smiled at her as well, his eyes twinkling. "Well, let's head."
Dean smiled at the look on his brother's face, knowing he hadn't been this happy since... He snuck a glance at Chloe, who had said very little and looked just as pale as he had when she'd been in his arms.
Her lips parting into a wide grin, Sarah nodded. "It's a bit of a drive from here. Think Dean could handle life with the Impala for awhile?"
"I don't think it'll take four of us to go get it." Sam rose to his feet. "We'll go get it and plant it around the auction house."
"You put a scratch on the Impala..." Dean started, shooting Sam that 'look' as he watched his brother follow Sarah out the door.
"Yeah, you and I can get this done by nightfall," she said, throwing a smile back at Chloe and Dean before disappearing out the door.
Chloe swallowed hard, realizing Sam had made that decision as much to make sure she and Dean had a chance to talk as he did to be alone with Sarah.
Dean watched the hotel door shut behind his brother and sighed inwardly. The last time he was alone with Chloe, he'd said and done things... He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Awkward," he muttered to himself, his back to her.
She bit her lower lip, feeling vulnerable and exposed. He knew things about her now that she'd never wanted anyone to know. She wound her arms around herself and remained silent.
He didn't know how long they sat there, the space between them growing with each shared breath. Dean could actually feel it, and it hurt more than he wanted to admit. He'd told her how he felt, and... he still didn't know how she felt. Probably nothing, he thought, shifting his foot a little on the floor. "You needed to tell me those things," he said finally.
Chloe cringed a little, looking down at the floor. "I don't know what came over me."
He bit back a sarcastic remark, because he thought it would force her away from him. "I hope it comes over you again soon, then." He looked down and smirked grimly. How was it she made him almost welcome chick flick moments?
"I thought you hated chick flick moments."
"Sam's rubbing off on you, Chloe," he replied with a smirk, turning around to look at her.
She met his gaze and held it. "How so?"
"I do hate chick flick moments, and yet... I can sorta handle it around the people I... you know..." He stared at her pointedly.
"Care about," she murmured.
Dean nodded, his eyes going soft looking at her. "That includes you, ya know." He stood up and walked over to her, sitting down next to her.
Chloe nodded slightly, reluctantly accepting that. She tucked some hair behind her ear. "Ditto," she whispered.
Clearing his throat, Dean asked, "So how about Sarah coming with us, huh? About time Sammy got some."
She winced a little at his words, immediately thinking of Clark. "Yeah. Isn't that what guys are all about?" she asked bitterly, rising to her feet.
Dean grunted in frustration. "Nice work, dummy," he muttered inaudibly, watching her start to pace the room. "Company, I was talking about... some company," he finished lamely. "Look, we're not all about that. God knows Sam isn't."
"You sure he isn't gay?" she responded, not looking at him.
"Hell no, he's not gay," Dean replied with an amused smile. "If you could have seen him with his ex-girlfriend, you'd know. He's just... sensitive." As much as he hated that word, Dean had to admit that, in Sam's case, it was true.
"Those are the ones you have to watch out for," she murmured, thinking of both Jimmy and Clark and feeling another headache coming on.
"Aren't you glad I'm not like that, then," he murmured, looking at her slumping shoulders and knowing she was tired. Of everything. Maybe of him. "Sam's a good guy, and he's not going to hurt you. Hell, I won't either, even though I probably already have."
"You haven't," Chloe said quietly, shutting her eyes.
Darkness clouded his eyes. "You can't tell me that I haven't totally confused you, made you crazy, and made you run away?"
She reluctantly turned to face him. "The first, maybe," she admitted softly, her voice honest.
"Sam should have never... You shouldn't have known," he muttered, berating himself for not telling his brother to keep his mouth shut about certain things. He stood up and began pacing around the room.
"Yeah, well I kinda suspected before he said anything."
Dean was speechless, though he didn't stop his pacing. "Look, I can't help what I feel, okay? It's not like you can turn this... stuff... off. I didn't want you to know that... because I just knew you... I mean..." He tried several times to explain what was going on in his mind but couldn't. Bad enough that Sam told his secret: worse that Chloe kinda knew to begin with.
"Dean, it's okay," she whispered, watching him pace and feeling weary. "Believe me, I understand." She looked down at the floor. "If it'd be easier... I can be gone by morning."
He stopped right in front of her and dropped to his knees, suddenly weary. "Don't leave," he said in a flat voice, putting his head into her lap. He suddenly knew the answer to Sam's question: she'd probably be better off without him, but he sure couldn't take living without her.
Chloe was startled by his actions and slid her arms around him without thinking about it. It was just instinct. She closed her eyes, resting her head on top of his, her fingers gently rubbing the back of his neck, another unconscious act. "Okay," she whispered.
Looping his arms around her waist, Dean sat there, his head pressing into her stomach, letting her hold and touch him. He was enclosed by her presence and for the first time felt like they had connected somehow. "Good," he murmured, closing his eyes and willing himself to stay there for as long as she let him.
"I do care about you," Chloe murmured, not pulling away.
He heard her words but didn't believe them. He didn't know if she really did: up until this moment, she had run away from him in some form or fashion. "Then why this talk of leaving?" he whispered, pulling her closer to him.
She was quiet for a moment. "Have you ever been hurt so bad you didn't think you could ever possibly recover?" she asked in an almost inaudible voice.
Sliding his head up from her lap, he looked her in the eye. "Yes." He thought of losing his mother when he was four... his father only mere weeks ago... Yeah, he knew what it was like to hurt. "I'm an orphan now, remember?" He tried to smile but couldn't. The shattered look on her face spoke volumes of hurt to him.
Tears prickled at her eyes. "But your parents loved you, right?"
He gently touched her cheek. "I guess so," he whispered with a frown.
"Imagine... spending every waking moment thinking about how much you loved someone... and knowing they would never love you back." She swallowed hard. "And then imagine, hearing them say it... and later apologize for lying."
A kind of numbed shock crossed Dean's features, furrowing his brow as he gazed at her devastated face. "If I ever come across this guy, he's dead," he swore underneath his breath. Because he had never loved someone enough until now to remotely understand what she'd been going through.
"He wasn't himself when he said it, but..." She swallowed hard, tears still stinging her eyes.
He blinked back the frustration he felt. "Doesn't make it any easier," he said in as evenly a tone as possible. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "When? When did he...?" He couldn't bring himself to even finish his question: he was that afraid of the answer.
"He was under the influence," she murmured, diverting her eyes. "And I should've known better."
Clenching his fists, Dean pulled himself upright again and lifted her chin to make him look at her. "Who was it, Chloe?" he asked softly.
"Clark," she admitted in a whisper, reluctantly meeting his gaze.
A shudder of anger went through his body, making him literally quake. "Bastard," he muttered, not breaking her eye contact. "He deserves to die for what he did." Dean literally thought he saw red from the anger and hatred he felt for this loser who had abused his girl.
She shook her head very slightly. "Most of the time he's a good guy, but... under certain circumstances..." Her jaw tightened a little. "Mostly involving a pretty brunette..."
Muttering a string of curses under his breath, Dean stood up and, taking Chloe's hands, pulled her into his arms tightly, tucking her into his warmth as if to take her burden off her shoulders. "Brunettes are highly overrated," he growled in her ear, absently kissing her cheek as he spoke.
She shut her eyes, letting him hold onto her tightly. Like he was her lifeline. And maybe he was. Maybe he was the only one standing between her and a downward spiral off a cliff.