SPN/SV Fic: Destati (7/10)
Destati (7/10) -- Sam/Chloe
Title: Destati
Authors: clarksmuse and xtremeroswellia
Pairing: Sam Winchester/Chloe Sullivan
Rating: R to NC-17
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Empty pockets tell the tale.
A/N: This is fairly AU, based on the concept of "the other half" that is supposed to complete human beings. We love feedback and hope you enjoy this!
Nightfall found the three of them within the Lawrence, Kansas city limits. Sam never thought he would step foot in this place again, not even after they'd killed the Demon and sought closure. He glanced at Chloe, their hands having been intertwined for most of the trip. He hadn't stayed in the front seat long, as the physical separation from her proved to be too much to handle. He had moved to sit with her in the backseat at their first stop, despite knowing yet worried glances from his brother.
"Guess we're here," Dean replied to no one in particular. He had been quiet the entire ride, choosing to listen to his music rather than think about how he felt: a chauffeur for the two in the back.
"I called Missouri, and she knows we're coming," Sam replied, looking at Chloe once more.
"She probably knew we were coming before we knew we were coming," Dean retorted.
Chloe's head was resting on Sam's shoulder, one of her arms looped around his waist. The car ride had made her feel vaguely nauseous and she was trying to ignore that feeling at the moment.
"That's kind of what a psychic does, Dean." Sam felt a sense of sickness between them and leaned down to her ear. "You okay?" he inquired softly.
Dean made a face at him in the rearview mirror and slowly climbed out of the car.
She nodded slightly. "A little nauseous, but I'm all right. I think."
Glancing at his brother's retreating figure, he said, "We're here and Dean's getting rooms, so hang in there. Can I do something for you?" He figured it was the baby and the morning sickness she had been experiencing.
Chloe smiled faintly. "I don't think so, but thanks for the offer."
Dean left the front office, two room keys in hand, and approached the Impala with a little hesitation. He was never one to feel like a third, useless wheel, but at that very moment, he wished he was anywhere but with Sam and Chloe. He didn't know how to help them in this strange, highly suspicious circumstances. Mostly, he wished he didn't think these things. He watched Sam help Chloe out of the car and threw his brother a key. "That's for you two," he commented evenly.
Sam's brow furrowed in concern. "Dude, please tell me you're using cash to pay for this." The last thing any of them needed was to alert the feds to their position.
A troubled look on her face, Chloe gazed at Dean wordlessly.
"Don't worry. Big brother's got it taken care of. As usual." Dean headed off without waiting for a response.
Sam stared after Dean, a confused look on his face. "I see another brother-to-brother talk in the near future," he replied, not looking forward to that.
She looked up at Sam for a moment. "Actually...let me talk to him. Okay?" She kissed his cheek and slowly headed down the sidewalk toward the door where Dean had disappeared.
Nodding sadly, Sam pulled out their bags and slammed the Impala's trunk shut. He headed towards their room, intent on contacting Missouri to see if they could see her tonight or in the morning. Anything to make sure they got out of this town as soon as possible. He felt his heart sink as he saw Chloe knocking on his brother's door.
Dean yanked the door open without bothering to see who was on the other side. "Dude, I told you, no more chick flick moments," he demanded, his back turned to the open door.
"First of all, I'm not a dude and secondly, I don't recall you ever saying that." She smiled faintly.
He closed his eyes and groaned. Turning he found Chloe standing in the doorway. His lips quirked into a smile. "Yeah, you're too pretty to be a dude."
Chloe grinned. "Can I come in?"
"Sure, just... leave the door open. I don't want Sam to get the wrong idea." The smile fell on his face and he turned his back to her once again, tossing his gear onto the floor.
She stared at him for a long moment. "Dean..." She stepped inside, shutting the door anyway. "Look. I'm not trying to intrude." Her voice was hushed.
"Who said you were?" he replied in an even tone, turning to look at her with a pointed stare when he noticed the closed door.
"You didn't have to. It's written all over your face. And I get it. I do."
Dean rubbed a hand over his face. "You seem to be paying a lot of attention to the brother of the man you're 'connected' to. Wanna explain that?"
Chloe scowled. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Hey, if I wanted to flatter myself, I'd go hit the local bar," he retorted with a lazy smile. "Anyway, you two need some help, and here we are. What else do you want?"
"You to stop avoiding the subject, for one." She gazed at him intently, folding her arms across her chest.
"What subject is that?" he asked with a smug smile, crossing his own arms as he returned her irritated gaze with an amused one.
"I'm not trying to come between the two of you."
"Who said you were, Chloe? What, did Sam say something to you, because I'm fine. Just... fine."
"No, he didn't have to." She gazed at him. "And I know when someone's lying to my face."
Anger coursed through Dean's veins. He could barely talk to Sam about this: what made her think he'd open up? "Fine, I'm lying to you. You won't come between Sam and me... is that all?"
She leaned against the door, not looking away from him. "You don't like me very much do you?"
Dean rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "That's not it, okay? I like you fine. Hell, you've got Sammy twisted around your finger, something I never thought I'd see happen."
Chloe was quiet for a moment, and then she slowly crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look...I don't understand what's going on anymore than you or Sam do. I care about your brother." She looked up at him. "I'd like us to be friends."
Dean looked surprised for a second. Friends? He didn't know if he knew how to be friends with a woman. It didn't matter that she wasn't attracted to him. He hardly knew what to think about her request. "Okay..." he started, unsure how to finish. He didn't move away from her, however. "Good thing you care about my brother, because he feels the same."
Chloe smiled faintly, picking up on his confusion and uncertainty. "Thanks, by the way."
"Uh, for what?" he asked, looking at her curiously.
"Saving my life earlier." She gazed at him.
"Oh, that." He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's part of the job. Besides, Sam'd have my hide if anything happened to you and the baby." He offered her a shy smile, one that hardly graced his face.
A soft smile spread across her face in return. "You're an awesome big brother."
His smile turned slightly flirtatious. "Among other things."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "The whole flirting thing is totally natural for you isn't it?"
He gazed at her intently and broadened his grin, laughter rumbling in his chest. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied.
"Uh huh." She grinned and rose to her feet.
Dean moved back to let her pass towards the front door. "Hey, tell Sam I'm going out for awhile. That way you can have him all to yourself." A twinge of jealousy was in his voice, though he'd never admit to it.
"You know, you guys should go hang out together. I'm kinda tired," she said with a small smile.
He snorted. "Sam? He's not a bar guy. Besides, I'm sure he'd rather take care of you... especially since you look like you could pass out." His eyes darkened slightly out of concern.
"Gee, thanks." Her voice was teasing. "And who says you have to go to a bar?"
"I do," he retorted, putting on his jacket. "It's where all the hot chicks are." He shot her a knowing smile.
She sighed inwardly. "Have fun," she said softly.
Nodding, Dean kept the smile plastered to his face as she left the hotel room. Alone once more, he sat down heavily on the bed and put his head into his hands. The family he had worked so hard to keep together seemed to be unraveling again, only this time, he wondered if he could put it back together again.
&&&&&
Chloe knocked softly on the door to her and Sam's room, waiting for him to answer as she leaned against the wall.
Sam opened the door immediately, pulling her into his arms and feeling peace for the first time since she had gone to see his brother. "Are you okay?" he whispered, concerned for her physical and mental well-being. She had been mad at Dean, so much so that he had felt the brunt of it from the next room.
She slid her arms around him, closing her eyes. "Yeah, I'm just kinda tired," she murmured.
He kissed the top of her head and kicked the door shut with his foot. "Dean's kind of... high maintenance, if you know what I mean. I don't know how I haven't managed to kill him yet." She fit so perfectly in his arms that Sam wondered how he had gotten this far without her.
"For a guy who hates chick flick moments he doesn't really hide his emotions that well." She gazed up at him.
He sighed, kissing her forehead. "You have no idea," he whispered. "Dean's... the strong one. Keeps what's left of our family... together." Looking at her concerned eyes made him ache. Literally.
"You guys need each other." She gazed back at him intently.
"God, when you look at me like that..." he started, tucking some stray blonde hair behind her ear. Hair that shone like Jessica's once did, he mused with a thoughtful smile. "Yeah, we're all we have left. Pretty much."
"I don't want Dean to feel like the two of us are competing for you. I want you to spend time with him, too."
Sam frowned. "What, he still feels like that?" He blew out a breath in frustration. "He's not here, is he?"
"He said he was going out for awhile. I got the impression he was intending to get drunk and pick up some hot babe at the nearest bar. And not necessarily in that order."
Nodding, he pulled away from her and looked for his jacket. "That's Dean," he said, not looking at her. "There's only one bar nearby, and that's where he'd go. Will you... will you be okay by yourself for a little while?"
Chloe smiled at him. "Yeah. Go on. Have some fun with your brother. I think I'm gonna shower and take a nap."
"Fun isn't the word I'd use, Chlo," he retorted with a frown, taking her hand and pulling her against him. He kissed her quickly but deeply, wanting a taste of her before their forced separation once again.
"You guys don't have fun together?" She frowned a little.
"Not when Dean's in one of his moods. He'll probably kick me out once he sees me there."
Chloe sighed softly, dropping her gaze to the floor and feeling guilty. Because as badly as she didn’t' want to come between them, she had and she didn't know how to fix it.
Sam frowned, feeling Chloe's sudden depression. "Hey, you aren't to blame for any of this." He gently grabbed her chin with his hand and dragged her eyes up to meet his. "It's not like we haven't been through this a hundred times before."
"So pregnant girls come between the two of you often?" She meant it as a joke, but it fell flat even to her ears.
He smiled gently and tucked her into his embrace. "No, that's a first, but Dean and I have had our fair share of crap coming between us." He wanted to talk about his father, his life growing up as a hunter, but the words fell short. He didn't know where to begin.
Images assaulted her mind, causing her to wince a little. "I'll take your word on that. You should go find him. I'll be here when you get back."
"You'd better be," he growled, kissing her once more. "There's what whole seduction promise I said I'd keep." He watched a blush creep across her cheeks and grinned.
"And I fully intend on holding you to that." She winked at him.
Sam reluctantly left her in the middle of the room and grabbed the door handle. "Get some rest," he whispered, a gleam of anticipation in his eyes, even as his tone of voice was serious.
"Cross my heart," she said with a small smile.
Sneaking a backwards glance at her, Sam shut the door softly and, seeing the Impala gone, immediately took off for Mikey's Saloon, a few blocks from the hotel. Dean was more messed up than he'd originally thought, and he was determined to try to make things right with his brother.
Dean ordered a shot of vodka and drank it down quickly, glancing to his left. At the end of the bar, a pretty red-head sat alone. Glancing around, he told the bartender to send her another glass of whatever she was having, on him. He looked down the bar at her and flashed her a charming smile.
The girl heaved a heavy sigh and smiled, but it was out of politeness. She refused the drink the guy a few seats over was buying for her. He was cute, but definitely not her type. "Tell him I said no thanks," she told the guy behind the bar.
Shrugging, the bartender looked at Dean. "She's not interested, man. Sorry."
His face fell a little, and he shrugged, looking around the bar once more, not noticing the man heading up to the pretty red-head's side.
"Hey, dude, you trying to make a play for my girl?" a disjointed voice came from the tall, beefed up, drunk man standing behind Dean. He poked him on the shoulder hard.
"Sorry?" Dean looked over his shoulder, rolling his eyes at the man.
Yanking up the smaller man by his leather coat, the guy growled, "I said, leave my girl alone, asshole."
"You really don't wanna do this," Dean warned him, his eyes growing dark as he shoved the man back.
Bowing up to Dean, the man growled, "Oh hell yeah, I really wanna." He socked him in the gut, sending Dean sprawling.
"Dale!" the red-head yelled from her seat, turning around at the commotion with annoyed eyes. "The guy didn't do anything, okay? Damn, you're so stupid."
Pissed off, Dean threw himself at the man with fists of fury, knocking him to the ground.
Sam walked into this scene: Dean standing over a man sprawled on the floor, his nose bleeding profusely. There was a woman running towards them, screaming her head off at Dean, who merely stood there and looked at her, almost as if nothing she said was registering. "Great," he grumbled and headed towards his brother. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?"
"Hey, he attacked me!" Dean said defensively, turning to glare at Sam, not seeing as the man pushed himself off the floor.
"And I'm gonna attack you again, you bastard," the man growled, taking another swing.
Sam groaned and immediately yanked Dean back from the man's large arm before it could connect with his jaw, pushing his brother out of the bar, leaving the man's girlfriend to clean up the mess. "What, you hitting on his girl or something?" he demanded, glaring at him.
"I didn't know she was with anyone! She was sitting alone!"
"Dean, when are you going to realize some women in bars actually have boyfriends?" Sighing, he looked at his brother. "What are you doing, huh?"
He gave his brother a sour look and didn't reply, pressing a hand to his stomach. "I think that jackass broke a rib."
He frowned. "I wouldn't be surprised. The dude was a Mammoth." He looked around for the Impala. "You need to get it wrapped if he did." He saw Dean's irritated look and cursed himself inwardly. Yeah, he was in a mood.
"I'm not going to a hospital."
"God, did I say a hospital?" He held out his hand. "Gimme the keys, dude. I'm driving."
"Hell no."
"Hell yeah," Sam said, glaring at his brother. "Don't think I won't add another broken rib to the one you have already." He saw Dean make a scowl and defiantly remain in his place. "Dammit, Dean!"
"What are you even doing here?"
"I'm looking for you, Dean."
"Why? Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend? She wasn't looking so hot before I left."
Sam crossed his arms. "No thanks to you. What did you say to her, anyway?" He knew what Dean was doing: his super-defensiveness was obvious. What bothered him the most was seeing his brother using a bar fight to expel his anger instead of beating the crap out of him.
"I didn't say anything to her," he said angrily. "I told you, I like her."
"But you're still pissed off. Why don't you take it out on me instead of getting your ass kicked by some monster guy with a girlfriend?"
"Take what out on you?" Dean demanded. "And I already told you, I thought she was alone!"
Grabbing Dean by the jacket, Sam took off, dragging his brother towards the Impala. "Doesn't matter. You're going back to the hotel."
"Get the hell off me, Sam!"
"No." He shoved his older brother against the car and watched him bow over in pain. "Now spill it. What's got your panties in a wad?" He crossed his arms.
Wincing, Dean shut his eyes, one hand pressed against his ribs. "I already told you. No chick flick moments."
"Tough. Tell me what the hell's got you so scared." At Dean's warning look, Sam persisted, "And don't give me crap about you not being scared, because I know it's bull. One look in your eyes tells me the tale. It's about Chloe, isn't it? You afraid I'm gonna head into the sunset with her?"
He shot Sam a withering look. "Maybe that's exactly what you should do."
He snorted. "What, and leave you alone to face the things we do? Are you totally nuts?"
"Who said anything about that, Sammy?" Dean looked at him, his eyes dark.
Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Apparently you just did, Dean." He didn't like the haunted look in his brother's eyes. It reminded him too much of what they had lost already.
"Who said I was gonna keep doing this?"
Sam blinked in surprise. Dean was serious. "No one, but I always thought that... this has been your life, Dean. Once we kill the Demon, you're going to... take off?" The thought of losing contact with his brother was the last thing he wanted.
"Screw the Demon," he said tiredly, sagging against the Impala with something akin to defeat.
At an utter loss for words, Sam leaned against the Impala beside Dean and looked out into the night. It seemed quiet here, he thought, making him wonder if that was the reason his parents had decided to settle down in Lawrence to begin with. "If you... wanna leave, I'll understand," he finally said in a quiet voice.
Dean was silent for a moment. "I never said I was leaving."
"Then what are you contemplating?" he asked, not looking at Dean. "Last time I checked, mind reading still wasn't one of my abilities."
"Maybe we should just...stop all this, Sam." His voice was quiet, serious. "You got a good woman, a kid on the way. You really wanna be on the road hunting all the time?"
No, he thought, not really. But with the FBI still out there looking for them, the Demon on the loose, and his destiny -- whatever that was -- he had a feeling peace wouldn't find either brother soon. "What about you, Dean?"
He shrugged a little. "What about me?"
"You just gonna sag into the horizon and hope someone'll come along to save you?"
Dean made a face. "Could you be anymore of a girl?"
Sam rolled his eyes and looked at Dean with disdain. "Could you be any more of a quitter? I can't believe you're seriously thinking about this."
"I can't believe you're not."
Sam closed his eyes. "I have been, but with everything on our plates right now...." He sighed heavily.
"We should get back."
"Fine. Give me the keys." He held out his hand again.
Looking annoyed, he dropped the car keys into Sam's hand and wordlessly climbed into the Impala, wincing as the movement made his ribs ache again.
Getting into the car, Sam started the Impala and let her roar into life. Pulling out of the parking lot, he sped the short distance to the hotel. He wished there was something to say to the eldest Winchester, but it seemed there was nothing to say. Dean didn't want to hunt anymore. He was tired; he wanted to let it all go.
He glanced over at him and saw his face trying to hide the pain. "I have painkillers," he commented.
He nodded slightly, slowly climbing out of the car once Sam had parked it in the parking lot. "Sounds good."
Sam watched Dean slowly crawl back to his hotel room, then sprinted to the room he shared with Chloe and slowly opened the door. It was dark in the room, so he tiptoed to his stuff to get the painkillers. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Chloe. He felt her presence in the room and smiled.
"Sam?" Her voice was soft in the darkness and she slowly sat up in bed.
He stood up, the pill bottle in hand. "Did I wake you?" He heard her body rustle under the sheets and felt very aware of her suddenly.
"No, I wasn't asleep. What's going on?"
He walked to the edge of the bed and sat on it, the mattress giving under his weight. He reached out and touched her face, surprised he knew exactly where she was. "Nothing. Dean just needs some patching up, that's all." His voice was quiet but sad.
She was silent for a moment. "He got into a bar fight?"
He was going to ask how she knew but stopped. She knew things, either through reading his mind or from sensing the changes in mood. "Yeah, he did. Might have a broken rib, so I have some stuff for him to take for the pain."
Chloe winced in the darkness. "Maybe you should stay with him tonight."
Sam's hand dropped to his side and he stared at the pill bottle. "No, he doesn't want me around." Besides, he didn't know if he could survive a night without sleeping next to Chloe. Physically or mentally.
"I'm sure that's not true, Sam," she whispered.
She had no idea how true that was, but nevertheless he got up and headed for the door. "Get some sleep, okay? I'll be back... later." Without expecting a response, Sam headed for the door and turned the knob.
Chloe sighed softly in the darkness and sat back against the pillows, watching him go. She shut her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She wondered if her life would ever be uncomplicated.
Title: Destati
Authors: clarksmuse and xtremeroswellia
Pairing: Sam Winchester/Chloe Sullivan
Rating: R to NC-17
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Empty pockets tell the tale.
A/N: This is fairly AU, based on the concept of "the other half" that is supposed to complete human beings. We love feedback and hope you enjoy this!
Nightfall found the three of them within the Lawrence, Kansas city limits. Sam never thought he would step foot in this place again, not even after they'd killed the Demon and sought closure. He glanced at Chloe, their hands having been intertwined for most of the trip. He hadn't stayed in the front seat long, as the physical separation from her proved to be too much to handle. He had moved to sit with her in the backseat at their first stop, despite knowing yet worried glances from his brother.
"Guess we're here," Dean replied to no one in particular. He had been quiet the entire ride, choosing to listen to his music rather than think about how he felt: a chauffeur for the two in the back.
"I called Missouri, and she knows we're coming," Sam replied, looking at Chloe once more.
"She probably knew we were coming before we knew we were coming," Dean retorted.
Chloe's head was resting on Sam's shoulder, one of her arms looped around his waist. The car ride had made her feel vaguely nauseous and she was trying to ignore that feeling at the moment.
"That's kind of what a psychic does, Dean." Sam felt a sense of sickness between them and leaned down to her ear. "You okay?" he inquired softly.
Dean made a face at him in the rearview mirror and slowly climbed out of the car.
She nodded slightly. "A little nauseous, but I'm all right. I think."
Glancing at his brother's retreating figure, he said, "We're here and Dean's getting rooms, so hang in there. Can I do something for you?" He figured it was the baby and the morning sickness she had been experiencing.
Chloe smiled faintly. "I don't think so, but thanks for the offer."
Dean left the front office, two room keys in hand, and approached the Impala with a little hesitation. He was never one to feel like a third, useless wheel, but at that very moment, he wished he was anywhere but with Sam and Chloe. He didn't know how to help them in this strange, highly suspicious circumstances. Mostly, he wished he didn't think these things. He watched Sam help Chloe out of the car and threw his brother a key. "That's for you two," he commented evenly.
Sam's brow furrowed in concern. "Dude, please tell me you're using cash to pay for this." The last thing any of them needed was to alert the feds to their position.
A troubled look on her face, Chloe gazed at Dean wordlessly.
"Don't worry. Big brother's got it taken care of. As usual." Dean headed off without waiting for a response.
Sam stared after Dean, a confused look on his face. "I see another brother-to-brother talk in the near future," he replied, not looking forward to that.
She looked up at Sam for a moment. "Actually...let me talk to him. Okay?" She kissed his cheek and slowly headed down the sidewalk toward the door where Dean had disappeared.
Nodding sadly, Sam pulled out their bags and slammed the Impala's trunk shut. He headed towards their room, intent on contacting Missouri to see if they could see her tonight or in the morning. Anything to make sure they got out of this town as soon as possible. He felt his heart sink as he saw Chloe knocking on his brother's door.
Dean yanked the door open without bothering to see who was on the other side. "Dude, I told you, no more chick flick moments," he demanded, his back turned to the open door.
"First of all, I'm not a dude and secondly, I don't recall you ever saying that." She smiled faintly.
He closed his eyes and groaned. Turning he found Chloe standing in the doorway. His lips quirked into a smile. "Yeah, you're too pretty to be a dude."
Chloe grinned. "Can I come in?"
"Sure, just... leave the door open. I don't want Sam to get the wrong idea." The smile fell on his face and he turned his back to her once again, tossing his gear onto the floor.
She stared at him for a long moment. "Dean..." She stepped inside, shutting the door anyway. "Look. I'm not trying to intrude." Her voice was hushed.
"Who said you were?" he replied in an even tone, turning to look at her with a pointed stare when he noticed the closed door.
"You didn't have to. It's written all over your face. And I get it. I do."
Dean rubbed a hand over his face. "You seem to be paying a lot of attention to the brother of the man you're 'connected' to. Wanna explain that?"
Chloe scowled. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Hey, if I wanted to flatter myself, I'd go hit the local bar," he retorted with a lazy smile. "Anyway, you two need some help, and here we are. What else do you want?"
"You to stop avoiding the subject, for one." She gazed at him intently, folding her arms across her chest.
"What subject is that?" he asked with a smug smile, crossing his own arms as he returned her irritated gaze with an amused one.
"I'm not trying to come between the two of you."
"Who said you were, Chloe? What, did Sam say something to you, because I'm fine. Just... fine."
"No, he didn't have to." She gazed at him. "And I know when someone's lying to my face."
Anger coursed through Dean's veins. He could barely talk to Sam about this: what made her think he'd open up? "Fine, I'm lying to you. You won't come between Sam and me... is that all?"
She leaned against the door, not looking away from him. "You don't like me very much do you?"
Dean rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "That's not it, okay? I like you fine. Hell, you've got Sammy twisted around your finger, something I never thought I'd see happen."
Chloe was quiet for a moment, and then she slowly crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look...I don't understand what's going on anymore than you or Sam do. I care about your brother." She looked up at him. "I'd like us to be friends."
Dean looked surprised for a second. Friends? He didn't know if he knew how to be friends with a woman. It didn't matter that she wasn't attracted to him. He hardly knew what to think about her request. "Okay..." he started, unsure how to finish. He didn't move away from her, however. "Good thing you care about my brother, because he feels the same."
Chloe smiled faintly, picking up on his confusion and uncertainty. "Thanks, by the way."
"Uh, for what?" he asked, looking at her curiously.
"Saving my life earlier." She gazed at him.
"Oh, that." He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's part of the job. Besides, Sam'd have my hide if anything happened to you and the baby." He offered her a shy smile, one that hardly graced his face.
A soft smile spread across her face in return. "You're an awesome big brother."
His smile turned slightly flirtatious. "Among other things."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "The whole flirting thing is totally natural for you isn't it?"
He gazed at her intently and broadened his grin, laughter rumbling in his chest. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied.
"Uh huh." She grinned and rose to her feet.
Dean moved back to let her pass towards the front door. "Hey, tell Sam I'm going out for awhile. That way you can have him all to yourself." A twinge of jealousy was in his voice, though he'd never admit to it.
"You know, you guys should go hang out together. I'm kinda tired," she said with a small smile.
He snorted. "Sam? He's not a bar guy. Besides, I'm sure he'd rather take care of you... especially since you look like you could pass out." His eyes darkened slightly out of concern.
"Gee, thanks." Her voice was teasing. "And who says you have to go to a bar?"
"I do," he retorted, putting on his jacket. "It's where all the hot chicks are." He shot her a knowing smile.
She sighed inwardly. "Have fun," she said softly.
Nodding, Dean kept the smile plastered to his face as she left the hotel room. Alone once more, he sat down heavily on the bed and put his head into his hands. The family he had worked so hard to keep together seemed to be unraveling again, only this time, he wondered if he could put it back together again.
&&&&&
Chloe knocked softly on the door to her and Sam's room, waiting for him to answer as she leaned against the wall.
Sam opened the door immediately, pulling her into his arms and feeling peace for the first time since she had gone to see his brother. "Are you okay?" he whispered, concerned for her physical and mental well-being. She had been mad at Dean, so much so that he had felt the brunt of it from the next room.
She slid her arms around him, closing her eyes. "Yeah, I'm just kinda tired," she murmured.
He kissed the top of her head and kicked the door shut with his foot. "Dean's kind of... high maintenance, if you know what I mean. I don't know how I haven't managed to kill him yet." She fit so perfectly in his arms that Sam wondered how he had gotten this far without her.
"For a guy who hates chick flick moments he doesn't really hide his emotions that well." She gazed up at him.
He sighed, kissing her forehead. "You have no idea," he whispered. "Dean's... the strong one. Keeps what's left of our family... together." Looking at her concerned eyes made him ache. Literally.
"You guys need each other." She gazed back at him intently.
"God, when you look at me like that..." he started, tucking some stray blonde hair behind her ear. Hair that shone like Jessica's once did, he mused with a thoughtful smile. "Yeah, we're all we have left. Pretty much."
"I don't want Dean to feel like the two of us are competing for you. I want you to spend time with him, too."
Sam frowned. "What, he still feels like that?" He blew out a breath in frustration. "He's not here, is he?"
"He said he was going out for awhile. I got the impression he was intending to get drunk and pick up some hot babe at the nearest bar. And not necessarily in that order."
Nodding, he pulled away from her and looked for his jacket. "That's Dean," he said, not looking at her. "There's only one bar nearby, and that's where he'd go. Will you... will you be okay by yourself for a little while?"
Chloe smiled at him. "Yeah. Go on. Have some fun with your brother. I think I'm gonna shower and take a nap."
"Fun isn't the word I'd use, Chlo," he retorted with a frown, taking her hand and pulling her against him. He kissed her quickly but deeply, wanting a taste of her before their forced separation once again.
"You guys don't have fun together?" She frowned a little.
"Not when Dean's in one of his moods. He'll probably kick me out once he sees me there."
Chloe sighed softly, dropping her gaze to the floor and feeling guilty. Because as badly as she didn’t' want to come between them, she had and she didn't know how to fix it.
Sam frowned, feeling Chloe's sudden depression. "Hey, you aren't to blame for any of this." He gently grabbed her chin with his hand and dragged her eyes up to meet his. "It's not like we haven't been through this a hundred times before."
"So pregnant girls come between the two of you often?" She meant it as a joke, but it fell flat even to her ears.
He smiled gently and tucked her into his embrace. "No, that's a first, but Dean and I have had our fair share of crap coming between us." He wanted to talk about his father, his life growing up as a hunter, but the words fell short. He didn't know where to begin.
Images assaulted her mind, causing her to wince a little. "I'll take your word on that. You should go find him. I'll be here when you get back."
"You'd better be," he growled, kissing her once more. "There's what whole seduction promise I said I'd keep." He watched a blush creep across her cheeks and grinned.
"And I fully intend on holding you to that." She winked at him.
Sam reluctantly left her in the middle of the room and grabbed the door handle. "Get some rest," he whispered, a gleam of anticipation in his eyes, even as his tone of voice was serious.
"Cross my heart," she said with a small smile.
Sneaking a backwards glance at her, Sam shut the door softly and, seeing the Impala gone, immediately took off for Mikey's Saloon, a few blocks from the hotel. Dean was more messed up than he'd originally thought, and he was determined to try to make things right with his brother.
Dean ordered a shot of vodka and drank it down quickly, glancing to his left. At the end of the bar, a pretty red-head sat alone. Glancing around, he told the bartender to send her another glass of whatever she was having, on him. He looked down the bar at her and flashed her a charming smile.
The girl heaved a heavy sigh and smiled, but it was out of politeness. She refused the drink the guy a few seats over was buying for her. He was cute, but definitely not her type. "Tell him I said no thanks," she told the guy behind the bar.
Shrugging, the bartender looked at Dean. "She's not interested, man. Sorry."
His face fell a little, and he shrugged, looking around the bar once more, not noticing the man heading up to the pretty red-head's side.
"Hey, dude, you trying to make a play for my girl?" a disjointed voice came from the tall, beefed up, drunk man standing behind Dean. He poked him on the shoulder hard.
"Sorry?" Dean looked over his shoulder, rolling his eyes at the man.
Yanking up the smaller man by his leather coat, the guy growled, "I said, leave my girl alone, asshole."
"You really don't wanna do this," Dean warned him, his eyes growing dark as he shoved the man back.
Bowing up to Dean, the man growled, "Oh hell yeah, I really wanna." He socked him in the gut, sending Dean sprawling.
"Dale!" the red-head yelled from her seat, turning around at the commotion with annoyed eyes. "The guy didn't do anything, okay? Damn, you're so stupid."
Pissed off, Dean threw himself at the man with fists of fury, knocking him to the ground.
Sam walked into this scene: Dean standing over a man sprawled on the floor, his nose bleeding profusely. There was a woman running towards them, screaming her head off at Dean, who merely stood there and looked at her, almost as if nothing she said was registering. "Great," he grumbled and headed towards his brother. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?"
"Hey, he attacked me!" Dean said defensively, turning to glare at Sam, not seeing as the man pushed himself off the floor.
"And I'm gonna attack you again, you bastard," the man growled, taking another swing.
Sam groaned and immediately yanked Dean back from the man's large arm before it could connect with his jaw, pushing his brother out of the bar, leaving the man's girlfriend to clean up the mess. "What, you hitting on his girl or something?" he demanded, glaring at him.
"I didn't know she was with anyone! She was sitting alone!"
"Dean, when are you going to realize some women in bars actually have boyfriends?" Sighing, he looked at his brother. "What are you doing, huh?"
He gave his brother a sour look and didn't reply, pressing a hand to his stomach. "I think that jackass broke a rib."
He frowned. "I wouldn't be surprised. The dude was a Mammoth." He looked around for the Impala. "You need to get it wrapped if he did." He saw Dean's irritated look and cursed himself inwardly. Yeah, he was in a mood.
"I'm not going to a hospital."
"God, did I say a hospital?" He held out his hand. "Gimme the keys, dude. I'm driving."
"Hell no."
"Hell yeah," Sam said, glaring at his brother. "Don't think I won't add another broken rib to the one you have already." He saw Dean make a scowl and defiantly remain in his place. "Dammit, Dean!"
"What are you even doing here?"
"I'm looking for you, Dean."
"Why? Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend? She wasn't looking so hot before I left."
Sam crossed his arms. "No thanks to you. What did you say to her, anyway?" He knew what Dean was doing: his super-defensiveness was obvious. What bothered him the most was seeing his brother using a bar fight to expel his anger instead of beating the crap out of him.
"I didn't say anything to her," he said angrily. "I told you, I like her."
"But you're still pissed off. Why don't you take it out on me instead of getting your ass kicked by some monster guy with a girlfriend?"
"Take what out on you?" Dean demanded. "And I already told you, I thought she was alone!"
Grabbing Dean by the jacket, Sam took off, dragging his brother towards the Impala. "Doesn't matter. You're going back to the hotel."
"Get the hell off me, Sam!"
"No." He shoved his older brother against the car and watched him bow over in pain. "Now spill it. What's got your panties in a wad?" He crossed his arms.
Wincing, Dean shut his eyes, one hand pressed against his ribs. "I already told you. No chick flick moments."
"Tough. Tell me what the hell's got you so scared." At Dean's warning look, Sam persisted, "And don't give me crap about you not being scared, because I know it's bull. One look in your eyes tells me the tale. It's about Chloe, isn't it? You afraid I'm gonna head into the sunset with her?"
He shot Sam a withering look. "Maybe that's exactly what you should do."
He snorted. "What, and leave you alone to face the things we do? Are you totally nuts?"
"Who said anything about that, Sammy?" Dean looked at him, his eyes dark.
Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Apparently you just did, Dean." He didn't like the haunted look in his brother's eyes. It reminded him too much of what they had lost already.
"Who said I was gonna keep doing this?"
Sam blinked in surprise. Dean was serious. "No one, but I always thought that... this has been your life, Dean. Once we kill the Demon, you're going to... take off?" The thought of losing contact with his brother was the last thing he wanted.
"Screw the Demon," he said tiredly, sagging against the Impala with something akin to defeat.
At an utter loss for words, Sam leaned against the Impala beside Dean and looked out into the night. It seemed quiet here, he thought, making him wonder if that was the reason his parents had decided to settle down in Lawrence to begin with. "If you... wanna leave, I'll understand," he finally said in a quiet voice.
Dean was silent for a moment. "I never said I was leaving."
"Then what are you contemplating?" he asked, not looking at Dean. "Last time I checked, mind reading still wasn't one of my abilities."
"Maybe we should just...stop all this, Sam." His voice was quiet, serious. "You got a good woman, a kid on the way. You really wanna be on the road hunting all the time?"
No, he thought, not really. But with the FBI still out there looking for them, the Demon on the loose, and his destiny -- whatever that was -- he had a feeling peace wouldn't find either brother soon. "What about you, Dean?"
He shrugged a little. "What about me?"
"You just gonna sag into the horizon and hope someone'll come along to save you?"
Dean made a face. "Could you be anymore of a girl?"
Sam rolled his eyes and looked at Dean with disdain. "Could you be any more of a quitter? I can't believe you're seriously thinking about this."
"I can't believe you're not."
Sam closed his eyes. "I have been, but with everything on our plates right now...." He sighed heavily.
"We should get back."
"Fine. Give me the keys." He held out his hand again.
Looking annoyed, he dropped the car keys into Sam's hand and wordlessly climbed into the Impala, wincing as the movement made his ribs ache again.
Getting into the car, Sam started the Impala and let her roar into life. Pulling out of the parking lot, he sped the short distance to the hotel. He wished there was something to say to the eldest Winchester, but it seemed there was nothing to say. Dean didn't want to hunt anymore. He was tired; he wanted to let it all go.
He glanced over at him and saw his face trying to hide the pain. "I have painkillers," he commented.
He nodded slightly, slowly climbing out of the car once Sam had parked it in the parking lot. "Sounds good."
Sam watched Dean slowly crawl back to his hotel room, then sprinted to the room he shared with Chloe and slowly opened the door. It was dark in the room, so he tiptoed to his stuff to get the painkillers. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Chloe. He felt her presence in the room and smiled.
"Sam?" Her voice was soft in the darkness and she slowly sat up in bed.
He stood up, the pill bottle in hand. "Did I wake you?" He heard her body rustle under the sheets and felt very aware of her suddenly.
"No, I wasn't asleep. What's going on?"
He walked to the edge of the bed and sat on it, the mattress giving under his weight. He reached out and touched her face, surprised he knew exactly where she was. "Nothing. Dean just needs some patching up, that's all." His voice was quiet but sad.
She was silent for a moment. "He got into a bar fight?"
He was going to ask how she knew but stopped. She knew things, either through reading his mind or from sensing the changes in mood. "Yeah, he did. Might have a broken rib, so I have some stuff for him to take for the pain."
Chloe winced in the darkness. "Maybe you should stay with him tonight."
Sam's hand dropped to his side and he stared at the pill bottle. "No, he doesn't want me around." Besides, he didn't know if he could survive a night without sleeping next to Chloe. Physically or mentally.
"I'm sure that's not true, Sam," she whispered.
She had no idea how true that was, but nevertheless he got up and headed for the door. "Get some sleep, okay? I'll be back... later." Without expecting a response, Sam headed for the door and turned the knob.
Chloe sighed softly in the darkness and sat back against the pillows, watching him go. She shut her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She wondered if her life would ever be uncomplicated.