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xtremeroswelliaSeries: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Title: Fic 7: Throw Me Somethin' Mista (1/?)
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
It had been a long three days since they had left that small Nebraska town, and by the time they'd gotten into New Orleans, the sun was setting over the bayou, casting an eerie light on the water. Everything looked like it had an aura, which wasn't far from the truth if you listened to the Voodoo practitioners in southern Louisiana, Dean thought, slowly traversing down the Elysian Fields towards the French Quarter.
Sarah had insisted on paying for rooms this time, mentioning that she and Chloe both agreed they could use a decent place to sleep. Grudgingly, Dean agreed to this. "You sure about this Days Inn on Bourbon?" he asked her, glancing in the rearview mirror at her.
She nodded, yawning and stretching. "Yeah, the front desk clerk told me it's right on Bourbon Street. Can't miss it, he said." She cast a shy glance in Sam's direction. The last few nights they had shared a room together, and they both knew why.
He smiled faintly back at her, wore out from the driving. It didn't used to get to him, but ever since his dad had died, everything took its toll more than normal. "How ya doin'?" he asked softly.
Oblivious to the soft conversation in the backseat, Chloe gazed out the window at the passing scenery, feeling uneasy as they drove over a very long bridge toward the Quarter.
"Better than you, looks like," Sarah replied, putting a gentle hand on his chest. "Looks like you probably need to sleep when we get there."
"Aw, come on," Dean protested, aware of the shudder than ran through Chloe's small frame. A similar chill seeped into his bones, as if the evil that ran rampant through this town was welcoming him. "Thought we'd eat some good Cajun food, look around."
"You guys go right ahead," Sam told his brother, looking over at Sarah. "I think I could sleep for about two days personally."
Sarah looked down and pulled away from him, feeling very much the third wheel if she was going to hang out with Chloe and Dean, who had definitely hooked up. They couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other, and as much as she was glad to see this, she found she didn't want to be without Sam. "Yeah, I'm kinda tired too."
Dean snorted knowingly and glanced at Chloe as he turned onto Bourbon Street. "How bout you, Chloe?"
Sam smiled at Sarah and wound his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so her head was resting on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head.
"Hmm?" Chloe blinked at the sound of her voice and slowly turned her head to look at him, a dazed expression on her face.
"You wanna go out tonight?" Dean repeated, casting another look her way. He didn't like the look on her face, that thousand-yard stare. He was all too used to seeing that, and he began to think maybe coming here wasn't a good idea.
"Yeah, sure," she murmured, nodding a little and then turning to look out the windshield. She shifted a little in her seat, still uneasy.
The concerned frown settled on his features again. The last few days had been nice, being with Chloe like he'd always wanted... but with Gordon out there, the whole 'my brother's half a demon' thing, and God knows what to hunt in this town, Dean was getting tired of it all. The weight was becoming too much for him. Even turning into the above-ground parking lot for the hotel, he wondered how much more of this life he could take.
Parking the car, they all got out and Dean popped the trunk, pulling out not only his stuff but a couple extra bottles of holy water.
Chloe watched him with questioning eyes. "Vampires?" she asked uncertainly.
"Among other things." He threw each of them a bottle. "Just in case."
Sarah caught the bottle, a shudder crossing her face.
Sam grimaced a little, recalling their last experience with vampires. He tucked the bottle into his coat pocket. "Maybe you guys should wait to head out and explore til daylight," he said uncertainly.
Chloe glanced at him, a small smile on her face.
Gazing back at her, Dean nodded. "Probably right. The last thing I need right now is fighting a vamp in public." Not that he couldn't use a good ass-kicking hunt, because it had been a few weeks.
Sensing some underlying trouble brewing, Sarah cleared her throat. "I'll just... go get the rooms," she said, pulling her bag over her shoulder as she walked off quickly.
Frowning a little, Chloe quickly followed. "Hey...you okay?" she asked worriedly as she caught up.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sarah replied, not looking at her friend. "This place is just... creepy, ya know?"
"I know. I feel it too," she admitted, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Hey." She reached out and rested a hand on the other woman's arm. "Um, I just wanna say...I'm sorry."
"For what, Chlo?" she asked, casting a questioning look at the other woman as they reached the front desk.
She waited until the man at the desk handed them their room keys. "Well, the whole...roommate situation." Her cheeks colored a little. "I should've asked if you were okay with it before..."
Casting her friend a knowing, amused look, Sarah shook her head. "Don't worry about it, really. I can't tell you how happy I am for you, ya know." She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's just... maybe I should have gotten an extra room... for me. By myself." She saw the guys coming towards them and looked down. She didn't want Sam to see the concern in her eyes.
"If you want, I can bunk with you tonight. Dean'll deal." She gazed at her intently.
She shook her head. "Might be a good idea. Better for Sam... so he'll get some sleep." She was about to say something else but shut her mouth again. Dean and Sam were in front of them.
"So, where are we?" Dean asked, looking at Chloe suggestively.
"I think we all need some sleep," she told him, not quite meeting his eyes.
"Amen to that," Sam murmured, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
Surprisingly, Dean didn't argue with any of them. In fact, he couldn't believe how worn out he was, too. Blame it on the recent string of sleepless nights, maybe, but since he couldn't turn his mind off... "Okay," he replied and held out a hand towards Sarah.
She handed him a key to an adjoining room, then put a light hand on Sam's arm. "Get some sleep, okay?" she said, gazing at him with troubled, uncertain eyes.
Sam glanced at her and then over at Chloe. "Are you two..."
Chloe smiled faintly. "I think that'll be the best way for everyone to get some rest."
Smiling slightly, Sarah whispered, "See you in the morning," and headed upstairs towards their room.
Kissing Chloe quickly on the cheek, he whispered in her ear, "We gotta talk... soon." He knew they needed to discuss the thing with Sam... and maybe Gordon.
"I know," she admitted just as softly. She watched Sam head away, as well, before turning her attention back to Dean. Gazing at him intently, she gripped onto her bag. "What do you say we meet here in the lobby in about..." She looked at her watch. "Ten hours? That'll give us plenty of time to rest, and hopefully Sam and Sarah will still be asleep."
Like I'm gonna sleep, he thought miserably, looking down into her eyes. "Works for me. Hopefully this place'll have free coffee, because that'll be early." He smirked slightly. "Get some sleep, okay?"
"You too," she said softly, shaking her head a little when he wiggled his eyebrows. "You're incorrigible."
Dean laughed. "It's why you love me," he replied with a knowing smirk, kissing her surprised mouth. Turning, he walked towards his room without waiting for a response.
She watched him go, her eyes filled with warmth and a wry smile on her lips. He was right about that.
Sam was already changed into his pajamas and under the covers in the far bed by the time Dean showed up. He yawned and closed his eyes. "Hey."
Dean took one look at Sam's slumped frame and knew something was wrong. Running a hand through his hair, he closed the door. "Alright dude. Spill it."
"Spill what?"
"Whatever's bothering you," he said, sitting down on the other bed. "You look like you need a hug." He blinked in surprise: had he really just said that?
A faint smirk touched his lips. "Chloe's definitely rubbing off on you."
"In more ways than one," he mused with a smirk, wishing suddenly he was buried deep inside her. Missing her so much it physically hurt. "Seriously, you've been different since we left Nebraska. Don't think I haven't noticed."
"I'm just...tired, man."
He sighed heavily and looked towards the TV. "Know the feeling." He got up and grabbed his bag, going into the bathroom to change. It was suddenly a struggle to strip down to his boxers and t-shirt, but somehow he managed.
Sam was still awake when he got out of the bathroom, though his face still looked like he'd just eaten really disgusting mud. "I have a feeling we'll be busy while we're here," Dean said, crawling into bed.
"No doubt about that. All the weird stuff down here?" He shook his head a little.
He chuckled. "Yeah, remember that huge nest of vamps we took out the last time we were here with...?" He closed his eyes, fighting back the wave of anger he felt towards his father for dying.
Sam fell silent, swallowing hard as he stared up at the ceiling. "I miss him," he whispered after a long moment.
"Me, too," he murmured, his hands clasped behind his head as he, too, stared at the ceiling.
He was quiet for another few minutes, then softly, "Dean?"
"Yeah, little brother?" he asked, worried at the depth of emotion in Sam's voice.
"You know it's not your fault, right?"
Dean closed his eyes. The hell it wasn't his fault. If he had just died, Dad would still be alive. "Don't know what you're talking about, Sammy," he joked, though there was nothing light in his voice.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said quietly, still staring at the ceiling.
Sighing, Dean frowned. Sam knew him too well; it was scary how he could almost read his mind. "I should have died that day, man."
"Don't say that." His voice was strained.
"Why not?" he said flatly. "It's true. Dad should be here with you, not me." Even as he spoke those words, he regretted them. Because it wasn't entirely true. They should all be alive and hunting together. Dad should be there to meet their women.
Sam flinched, his eyes welling with unshed tears. "No, we should all be here together, dammit."
"Stop reading my mind, will ya?" he retorted, attempting to be funny. "We should. Dad should... dammit, he just should." In his frustration, he pounded the bed with a fist.
He slowly sat up, looking at his brother. "I know."
No you don't, Sammy, Dean thought, glancing at his brother's face. Sitting up himself, he stared at his brother with a smirk. "So you and Sarah been getting it on the last few days?"
Sam didn't even crack a smile or roll his eyes. "We can't avoid it forever, Dean."
"The hell we can't," he grumbled, lying back down. "Dad's dead. Leave it alone." He sure as hell wasn't going to spill what he knew, that was for sure. Dad would probably come back from the dead to kick his ass. "This mean you're not gonna tell me about Sarah?" he asked, changing the subject again.
His jaw tensing a little, Sam stood up and headed across the room to the bathroom. Changing into regular clothes once more, he reappeared and headed for the door.
"Good, go angst somewhere else!" Dean shouted, watching his brother reach for the doorknob. He wanted many things, but talking about Dad wasn't one of them.
Without responding, Sam disappeared from the room, slamming the door shut behind him loudly.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Dean rolled onto his side, squeezing his eyes shut. He knew, though, that sleep wouldn't find him tonight. He only hoped they had espresso at this joint.
&&&&&&&&
Though Sarah appreciated Chloe's presence in the hotel room, she still remained silent as she changed into her nightclothes.
Chloe was unusually silent, as well. There was a growing sense of doom she felt weighing on her shoulders and she didn't know exactly what it was or how to get rid of it. All she knew was she didn't like it. She sat down on her bed without changing her clothes, a soft sigh escaping her.
Sarah slipped into bed, pulling the covers over her head, trying to hide from... she didn't know what. She stared at Chloe's slouching shoulders and sighed herself. "So I know what's wrong with me, but how about you, Chloe?"
"I don't know," she said softly. "Just...have a bad feeling. That's all."
Sarah smiled grimly. "This place *is* kinda creepy, isn't it?" She looked at the window, bright with the myriad of colors from the signs and neon billboards outside. "Glad we didn't go out after all."
"Yeah me too," Chloe admitted, unable to shake the uneasiness she felt.
Chloe was unsettling her even more than she already was, and it worried Sarah that something was seriously wrong. Something she knew or suspected. "What aren't you telling me?" she whispered, her nerves slowly bunching into knots.
Her own stomach tightened. "Nothing. Just...weirded out. Heard a lot about this town and most of it… not good."
"Tell me about it," she replied. "My research on the cult religions in this area... scare me. Vampires are the least of our problems." She glanced at the window again, wishing she was in Sam's arms. At least there, she felt safer.
She flinched a little at the mention of cult religions. Before she had a chance to respond, she heard the loud slam of a door from the room beside them. Now what? she wondered warily, glancing at Sarah before rising to her feet. "I'll be right back."
"Okay," she replied, sitting up a little in concern. Sam and Dean must have argued, she assumed, watching Chloe leave the room. She only wondered who left this time.
Chloe made it out of the room in time to see Sam disappear down the corridor. Sighing softly, she knocked lightly on the door to Dean's room and then walked in without waiting for a response.
"Sam, I'm really *not* in the mood for this, dammit," Dean retorted, still lying on his side and not seeing who had walked in the door. Turning around, he bolted out of bed. "Chloe?"
"What's going on?" She folded her arms across her chest.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded, staring back at her.
"Well, Sam just stormed outta here and slammed the door shut."
"Great," he muttered, sliding a hand through his hair. "Sam brought up Dad, okay?"
Chloe gazed at him. "Yeah, and....?"
"And what do you think, Chloe?" he said flatly. "I don't wanna talk about it." Like he could tell Sam what he didn't need to know.
"You might not want to. But you need to," she said quietly, holding his gaze.
"Yeah, I can see it now. 'Hey Sammy, did you know you're half-demon? Dad told me that just before he dropped dead to save my sorry ass'." He began to pace around the room. "Think that would go over well?"
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He strode across the room and yanked it open. Sarah stood on the other side, in her bathrobe, her eyes wide. "Sarah?"
"Is... Sam okay?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her waist. She'd heard Dean's shouting through the walls and knew something was wrong.
Chloe gazed at her with a faint, somewhat worried smile. "Sam headed down the stairs," she said softly. "If you hurry you can probably catch him. I imagine he could use someone to talk to."
Her face lit up a little. "Thanks, Chloe." Turning, she walked quickly down the hallway and the stairs, searching for the youngest Winchester.
Slamming the door, Dean turned back to Chloe. "So Sam's got someone to talk to now." She crossed his arms, not meeting her scrutiny.
"So do you," she informed him.
He cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. What was there to say? he mused, his eyes glued to the floor. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" Chloe echoed.
"Okay, fine. I do... happy now?" He looked up at her, fire in his eyes. "Is this the part where we bond, braid each others' hair and hug? Because there's nothing to say, dammit! My dad is dead, my brother is part demon, and I'm afraid that Gordon's followed us here!!"
She gazed at him without flinching. "So which do you prefer talking about first?"
He turned his back to her, afraid that if he kept looking at her, he'd make her shut up by kissing until neither of them could think straight. "I don't know."
"What makes you think Gordon followed us?" she asked quietly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed nearest the door, not realizing it was his anyway.
"Instinct." It was nothing he could put his finger on. He had just known. Gordon was after him and Sam. He'd followed them from Nebraska. He just... knew.
Chloe held his gaze, wondering if that was why she herself felt so unsettled since arriving in Louisiana. "What do we do?"
"Besides keep Sammy the hell away from him?" he asked, his eyes intense with determination.
"How long do you really think that's going to be possible?" she asked, rising to her feet once more, not looking away.
Wild horses couldn't make him look away from her; she was looking at him as if her very life depended on it. "I really don't know, Chlo. This guy's a master tracker, and after what we did to him..." He grimaced at the memory.
"Then we better have a backup plan," Chloe said very quietly.
Standing up, he moved across the room and closed his eyes. "I'm beginning to wonder if... we should split up." It killed him to say that, but maybe it would be best... though what if Gordon went after Sam, instead?
All the air left her lungs. "What do you..." She stared at him in shock.
He turned to face Chloe. "Think about it. Gordon's after me and Sammy. I think he wants Sam's blood more than mine, so what if we somehow got Sam out of here and I managed to get Gordon off his trail?" He saw her utterly blank look and sighed. "Yeah, I can't leave him, either."
"I think we're better off all sticking together," she said quietly. "Especially since Sam doesn't know...and it's not like you'd get him to agree to that either."
"I know. It was... a stupid idea. Knowing Sam, he'd wanna take this guy full on, and I for one am all for that." A glint of determination entered his eyes as he moved towards her.
"At this point I'm not sure there's going to be a way to avoid it."
Standing before her, Dean grasped her arms gently. "No, it's inevitable." Sighing gently, he pulled her into his arms. "I don't know if I can keep this from my brother," he said after several tense moments.
She was quiet for a minute, her hands gently smoothing the tense muscles in his back.
Dean laid his forehead gently against hers. "Chloe, I... I don't know how to... I mean... oh, shit." He just realized, if Sam didn't know, then Sarah wouldn't, either. How was he going to protect them both?
Frowning a little, she moved her hands up to rest on his shoulders. "Maybe you should tell them," she said gently.
He swallowed visibly. "How can I, Chloe? I told Sam that Dad didn't tell me anything before he died." Lying to him then had been hard enough: how would telling them the truth be any better?
"If you were Sam...wouldn't you wanna know?" Chloe asked softly.
Dean remained silent, knowing deep down inside that he'd want to know. That he'd kick Sam's ass if he ever kept something like this from him. "They'll have to know, but it's not like Sam's talking to me."
"Because you're not talking to him." She gave him a look and moved to sit down on the edge of his bed once more.
"I can't make him understand it's my damn fault Dad's dead!" His voice was hard, filled with that weariness that had colored the last few days.
"Because it's not." Her voice was sharp.
"The hell it isn't," he retorted painfully.
"Dean, your dad did what he did because he's your dad. Because he loved you."
"If Dad loved me so much, he'd have let me died." He turned away from her, not able to take her reaction from his words.
Hot tears stung her eyes at his words but she blinked them back. "That's not how love works," she said quietly, moving toward the door because she sensed he didn't want her there.
"How does it work?" he whispered, mostly to himself. When he heard her move, however, he whispered, "Please stay." He couldn't admit the depth of his hurt and anger, and he wished he could convey this to Chloe.
She paused at the door, but didn't turn to face him. "It means...sacrificing."
Sacrificing. He blinked, his eyes wide open as he realized something. He loved his brother and would die for him: hell, he'd give both arms if it meant Chloe's safety. If that was love, then... "Sacrificing," he repeated, not turning to look at her. Unwanted tears sprung to his eyes and he wiped them away hastily.
She slowly turned to face him. "Yes," she whispered.
It wasn't fair, he thought, a tear slipping down his cheek. Why did loving someone usually mean one of them died? "Not fair," he muttered to himself, unaware that Chloe had taken a couple steps closer to him.
"I know it's not," she said softly, resting her head on his back and sliding her arms around his waist.
His hands found hers and moved her around so she was facing him. Wordlessly, he leaned down and kissed her, no longer caring whether she saw his tears or not. "Does this mean I'll have to tell Sam I'm sorry?" he whispered a little brokenly, trying to be cute.
Chloe lifted a hand to his cheek, her heart breaking for him as she gently wiped his tears away. "I'm so sorry, Dean," she whispered.
Closing his eyes, Dean Winchester pulled Chloe to him and buried his head in her shoulder. And wept. Holding onto her tightly. His lifeline. Letting go of the hurt so he could make amends. Whatever the cost. Because... he loved them and knew he had to protect them.
Title: Fic 7: Throw Me Somethin' Mista (1/?)
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
It had been a long three days since they had left that small Nebraska town, and by the time they'd gotten into New Orleans, the sun was setting over the bayou, casting an eerie light on the water. Everything looked like it had an aura, which wasn't far from the truth if you listened to the Voodoo practitioners in southern Louisiana, Dean thought, slowly traversing down the Elysian Fields towards the French Quarter.
Sarah had insisted on paying for rooms this time, mentioning that she and Chloe both agreed they could use a decent place to sleep. Grudgingly, Dean agreed to this. "You sure about this Days Inn on Bourbon?" he asked her, glancing in the rearview mirror at her.
She nodded, yawning and stretching. "Yeah, the front desk clerk told me it's right on Bourbon Street. Can't miss it, he said." She cast a shy glance in Sam's direction. The last few nights they had shared a room together, and they both knew why.
He smiled faintly back at her, wore out from the driving. It didn't used to get to him, but ever since his dad had died, everything took its toll more than normal. "How ya doin'?" he asked softly.
Oblivious to the soft conversation in the backseat, Chloe gazed out the window at the passing scenery, feeling uneasy as they drove over a very long bridge toward the Quarter.
"Better than you, looks like," Sarah replied, putting a gentle hand on his chest. "Looks like you probably need to sleep when we get there."
"Aw, come on," Dean protested, aware of the shudder than ran through Chloe's small frame. A similar chill seeped into his bones, as if the evil that ran rampant through this town was welcoming him. "Thought we'd eat some good Cajun food, look around."
"You guys go right ahead," Sam told his brother, looking over at Sarah. "I think I could sleep for about two days personally."
Sarah looked down and pulled away from him, feeling very much the third wheel if she was going to hang out with Chloe and Dean, who had definitely hooked up. They couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other, and as much as she was glad to see this, she found she didn't want to be without Sam. "Yeah, I'm kinda tired too."
Dean snorted knowingly and glanced at Chloe as he turned onto Bourbon Street. "How bout you, Chloe?"
Sam smiled at Sarah and wound his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer so her head was resting on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head.
"Hmm?" Chloe blinked at the sound of her voice and slowly turned her head to look at him, a dazed expression on her face.
"You wanna go out tonight?" Dean repeated, casting another look her way. He didn't like the look on her face, that thousand-yard stare. He was all too used to seeing that, and he began to think maybe coming here wasn't a good idea.
"Yeah, sure," she murmured, nodding a little and then turning to look out the windshield. She shifted a little in her seat, still uneasy.
The concerned frown settled on his features again. The last few days had been nice, being with Chloe like he'd always wanted... but with Gordon out there, the whole 'my brother's half a demon' thing, and God knows what to hunt in this town, Dean was getting tired of it all. The weight was becoming too much for him. Even turning into the above-ground parking lot for the hotel, he wondered how much more of this life he could take.
Parking the car, they all got out and Dean popped the trunk, pulling out not only his stuff but a couple extra bottles of holy water.
Chloe watched him with questioning eyes. "Vampires?" she asked uncertainly.
"Among other things." He threw each of them a bottle. "Just in case."
Sarah caught the bottle, a shudder crossing her face.
Sam grimaced a little, recalling their last experience with vampires. He tucked the bottle into his coat pocket. "Maybe you guys should wait to head out and explore til daylight," he said uncertainly.
Chloe glanced at him, a small smile on her face.
Gazing back at her, Dean nodded. "Probably right. The last thing I need right now is fighting a vamp in public." Not that he couldn't use a good ass-kicking hunt, because it had been a few weeks.
Sensing some underlying trouble brewing, Sarah cleared her throat. "I'll just... go get the rooms," she said, pulling her bag over her shoulder as she walked off quickly.
Frowning a little, Chloe quickly followed. "Hey...you okay?" she asked worriedly as she caught up.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sarah replied, not looking at her friend. "This place is just... creepy, ya know?"
"I know. I feel it too," she admitted, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Hey." She reached out and rested a hand on the other woman's arm. "Um, I just wanna say...I'm sorry."
"For what, Chlo?" she asked, casting a questioning look at the other woman as they reached the front desk.
She waited until the man at the desk handed them their room keys. "Well, the whole...roommate situation." Her cheeks colored a little. "I should've asked if you were okay with it before..."
Casting her friend a knowing, amused look, Sarah shook her head. "Don't worry about it, really. I can't tell you how happy I am for you, ya know." She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's just... maybe I should have gotten an extra room... for me. By myself." She saw the guys coming towards them and looked down. She didn't want Sam to see the concern in her eyes.
"If you want, I can bunk with you tonight. Dean'll deal." She gazed at her intently.
She shook her head. "Might be a good idea. Better for Sam... so he'll get some sleep." She was about to say something else but shut her mouth again. Dean and Sam were in front of them.
"So, where are we?" Dean asked, looking at Chloe suggestively.
"I think we all need some sleep," she told him, not quite meeting his eyes.
"Amen to that," Sam murmured, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
Surprisingly, Dean didn't argue with any of them. In fact, he couldn't believe how worn out he was, too. Blame it on the recent string of sleepless nights, maybe, but since he couldn't turn his mind off... "Okay," he replied and held out a hand towards Sarah.
She handed him a key to an adjoining room, then put a light hand on Sam's arm. "Get some sleep, okay?" she said, gazing at him with troubled, uncertain eyes.
Sam glanced at her and then over at Chloe. "Are you two..."
Chloe smiled faintly. "I think that'll be the best way for everyone to get some rest."
Smiling slightly, Sarah whispered, "See you in the morning," and headed upstairs towards their room.
Kissing Chloe quickly on the cheek, he whispered in her ear, "We gotta talk... soon." He knew they needed to discuss the thing with Sam... and maybe Gordon.
"I know," she admitted just as softly. She watched Sam head away, as well, before turning her attention back to Dean. Gazing at him intently, she gripped onto her bag. "What do you say we meet here in the lobby in about..." She looked at her watch. "Ten hours? That'll give us plenty of time to rest, and hopefully Sam and Sarah will still be asleep."
Like I'm gonna sleep, he thought miserably, looking down into her eyes. "Works for me. Hopefully this place'll have free coffee, because that'll be early." He smirked slightly. "Get some sleep, okay?"
"You too," she said softly, shaking her head a little when he wiggled his eyebrows. "You're incorrigible."
Dean laughed. "It's why you love me," he replied with a knowing smirk, kissing her surprised mouth. Turning, he walked towards his room without waiting for a response.
She watched him go, her eyes filled with warmth and a wry smile on her lips. He was right about that.
Sam was already changed into his pajamas and under the covers in the far bed by the time Dean showed up. He yawned and closed his eyes. "Hey."
Dean took one look at Sam's slumped frame and knew something was wrong. Running a hand through his hair, he closed the door. "Alright dude. Spill it."
"Spill what?"
"Whatever's bothering you," he said, sitting down on the other bed. "You look like you need a hug." He blinked in surprise: had he really just said that?
A faint smirk touched his lips. "Chloe's definitely rubbing off on you."
"In more ways than one," he mused with a smirk, wishing suddenly he was buried deep inside her. Missing her so much it physically hurt. "Seriously, you've been different since we left Nebraska. Don't think I haven't noticed."
"I'm just...tired, man."
He sighed heavily and looked towards the TV. "Know the feeling." He got up and grabbed his bag, going into the bathroom to change. It was suddenly a struggle to strip down to his boxers and t-shirt, but somehow he managed.
Sam was still awake when he got out of the bathroom, though his face still looked like he'd just eaten really disgusting mud. "I have a feeling we'll be busy while we're here," Dean said, crawling into bed.
"No doubt about that. All the weird stuff down here?" He shook his head a little.
He chuckled. "Yeah, remember that huge nest of vamps we took out the last time we were here with...?" He closed his eyes, fighting back the wave of anger he felt towards his father for dying.
Sam fell silent, swallowing hard as he stared up at the ceiling. "I miss him," he whispered after a long moment.
"Me, too," he murmured, his hands clasped behind his head as he, too, stared at the ceiling.
He was quiet for another few minutes, then softly, "Dean?"
"Yeah, little brother?" he asked, worried at the depth of emotion in Sam's voice.
"You know it's not your fault, right?"
Dean closed his eyes. The hell it wasn't his fault. If he had just died, Dad would still be alive. "Don't know what you're talking about, Sammy," he joked, though there was nothing light in his voice.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said quietly, still staring at the ceiling.
Sighing, Dean frowned. Sam knew him too well; it was scary how he could almost read his mind. "I should have died that day, man."
"Don't say that." His voice was strained.
"Why not?" he said flatly. "It's true. Dad should be here with you, not me." Even as he spoke those words, he regretted them. Because it wasn't entirely true. They should all be alive and hunting together. Dad should be there to meet their women.
Sam flinched, his eyes welling with unshed tears. "No, we should all be here together, dammit."
"Stop reading my mind, will ya?" he retorted, attempting to be funny. "We should. Dad should... dammit, he just should." In his frustration, he pounded the bed with a fist.
He slowly sat up, looking at his brother. "I know."
No you don't, Sammy, Dean thought, glancing at his brother's face. Sitting up himself, he stared at his brother with a smirk. "So you and Sarah been getting it on the last few days?"
Sam didn't even crack a smile or roll his eyes. "We can't avoid it forever, Dean."
"The hell we can't," he grumbled, lying back down. "Dad's dead. Leave it alone." He sure as hell wasn't going to spill what he knew, that was for sure. Dad would probably come back from the dead to kick his ass. "This mean you're not gonna tell me about Sarah?" he asked, changing the subject again.
His jaw tensing a little, Sam stood up and headed across the room to the bathroom. Changing into regular clothes once more, he reappeared and headed for the door.
"Good, go angst somewhere else!" Dean shouted, watching his brother reach for the doorknob. He wanted many things, but talking about Dad wasn't one of them.
Without responding, Sam disappeared from the room, slamming the door shut behind him loudly.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Dean rolled onto his side, squeezing his eyes shut. He knew, though, that sleep wouldn't find him tonight. He only hoped they had espresso at this joint.
&&&&&&&&
Though Sarah appreciated Chloe's presence in the hotel room, she still remained silent as she changed into her nightclothes.
Chloe was unusually silent, as well. There was a growing sense of doom she felt weighing on her shoulders and she didn't know exactly what it was or how to get rid of it. All she knew was she didn't like it. She sat down on her bed without changing her clothes, a soft sigh escaping her.
Sarah slipped into bed, pulling the covers over her head, trying to hide from... she didn't know what. She stared at Chloe's slouching shoulders and sighed herself. "So I know what's wrong with me, but how about you, Chloe?"
"I don't know," she said softly. "Just...have a bad feeling. That's all."
Sarah smiled grimly. "This place *is* kinda creepy, isn't it?" She looked at the window, bright with the myriad of colors from the signs and neon billboards outside. "Glad we didn't go out after all."
"Yeah me too," Chloe admitted, unable to shake the uneasiness she felt.
Chloe was unsettling her even more than she already was, and it worried Sarah that something was seriously wrong. Something she knew or suspected. "What aren't you telling me?" she whispered, her nerves slowly bunching into knots.
Her own stomach tightened. "Nothing. Just...weirded out. Heard a lot about this town and most of it… not good."
"Tell me about it," she replied. "My research on the cult religions in this area... scare me. Vampires are the least of our problems." She glanced at the window again, wishing she was in Sam's arms. At least there, she felt safer.
She flinched a little at the mention of cult religions. Before she had a chance to respond, she heard the loud slam of a door from the room beside them. Now what? she wondered warily, glancing at Sarah before rising to her feet. "I'll be right back."
"Okay," she replied, sitting up a little in concern. Sam and Dean must have argued, she assumed, watching Chloe leave the room. She only wondered who left this time.
Chloe made it out of the room in time to see Sam disappear down the corridor. Sighing softly, she knocked lightly on the door to Dean's room and then walked in without waiting for a response.
"Sam, I'm really *not* in the mood for this, dammit," Dean retorted, still lying on his side and not seeing who had walked in the door. Turning around, he bolted out of bed. "Chloe?"
"What's going on?" She folded her arms across her chest.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded, staring back at her.
"Well, Sam just stormed outta here and slammed the door shut."
"Great," he muttered, sliding a hand through his hair. "Sam brought up Dad, okay?"
Chloe gazed at him. "Yeah, and....?"
"And what do you think, Chloe?" he said flatly. "I don't wanna talk about it." Like he could tell Sam what he didn't need to know.
"You might not want to. But you need to," she said quietly, holding his gaze.
"Yeah, I can see it now. 'Hey Sammy, did you know you're half-demon? Dad told me that just before he dropped dead to save my sorry ass'." He began to pace around the room. "Think that would go over well?"
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He strode across the room and yanked it open. Sarah stood on the other side, in her bathrobe, her eyes wide. "Sarah?"
"Is... Sam okay?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her waist. She'd heard Dean's shouting through the walls and knew something was wrong.
Chloe gazed at her with a faint, somewhat worried smile. "Sam headed down the stairs," she said softly. "If you hurry you can probably catch him. I imagine he could use someone to talk to."
Her face lit up a little. "Thanks, Chloe." Turning, she walked quickly down the hallway and the stairs, searching for the youngest Winchester.
Slamming the door, Dean turned back to Chloe. "So Sam's got someone to talk to now." She crossed his arms, not meeting her scrutiny.
"So do you," she informed him.
He cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. What was there to say? he mused, his eyes glued to the floor. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" Chloe echoed.
"Okay, fine. I do... happy now?" He looked up at her, fire in his eyes. "Is this the part where we bond, braid each others' hair and hug? Because there's nothing to say, dammit! My dad is dead, my brother is part demon, and I'm afraid that Gordon's followed us here!!"
She gazed at him without flinching. "So which do you prefer talking about first?"
He turned his back to her, afraid that if he kept looking at her, he'd make her shut up by kissing until neither of them could think straight. "I don't know."
"What makes you think Gordon followed us?" she asked quietly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed nearest the door, not realizing it was his anyway.
"Instinct." It was nothing he could put his finger on. He had just known. Gordon was after him and Sam. He'd followed them from Nebraska. He just... knew.
Chloe held his gaze, wondering if that was why she herself felt so unsettled since arriving in Louisiana. "What do we do?"
"Besides keep Sammy the hell away from him?" he asked, his eyes intense with determination.
"How long do you really think that's going to be possible?" she asked, rising to her feet once more, not looking away.
Wild horses couldn't make him look away from her; she was looking at him as if her very life depended on it. "I really don't know, Chlo. This guy's a master tracker, and after what we did to him..." He grimaced at the memory.
"Then we better have a backup plan," Chloe said very quietly.
Standing up, he moved across the room and closed his eyes. "I'm beginning to wonder if... we should split up." It killed him to say that, but maybe it would be best... though what if Gordon went after Sam, instead?
All the air left her lungs. "What do you..." She stared at him in shock.
He turned to face Chloe. "Think about it. Gordon's after me and Sammy. I think he wants Sam's blood more than mine, so what if we somehow got Sam out of here and I managed to get Gordon off his trail?" He saw her utterly blank look and sighed. "Yeah, I can't leave him, either."
"I think we're better off all sticking together," she said quietly. "Especially since Sam doesn't know...and it's not like you'd get him to agree to that either."
"I know. It was... a stupid idea. Knowing Sam, he'd wanna take this guy full on, and I for one am all for that." A glint of determination entered his eyes as he moved towards her.
"At this point I'm not sure there's going to be a way to avoid it."
Standing before her, Dean grasped her arms gently. "No, it's inevitable." Sighing gently, he pulled her into his arms. "I don't know if I can keep this from my brother," he said after several tense moments.
She was quiet for a minute, her hands gently smoothing the tense muscles in his back.
Dean laid his forehead gently against hers. "Chloe, I... I don't know how to... I mean... oh, shit." He just realized, if Sam didn't know, then Sarah wouldn't, either. How was he going to protect them both?
Frowning a little, she moved her hands up to rest on his shoulders. "Maybe you should tell them," she said gently.
He swallowed visibly. "How can I, Chloe? I told Sam that Dad didn't tell me anything before he died." Lying to him then had been hard enough: how would telling them the truth be any better?
"If you were Sam...wouldn't you wanna know?" Chloe asked softly.
Dean remained silent, knowing deep down inside that he'd want to know. That he'd kick Sam's ass if he ever kept something like this from him. "They'll have to know, but it's not like Sam's talking to me."
"Because you're not talking to him." She gave him a look and moved to sit down on the edge of his bed once more.
"I can't make him understand it's my damn fault Dad's dead!" His voice was hard, filled with that weariness that had colored the last few days.
"Because it's not." Her voice was sharp.
"The hell it isn't," he retorted painfully.
"Dean, your dad did what he did because he's your dad. Because he loved you."
"If Dad loved me so much, he'd have let me died." He turned away from her, not able to take her reaction from his words.
Hot tears stung her eyes at his words but she blinked them back. "That's not how love works," she said quietly, moving toward the door because she sensed he didn't want her there.
"How does it work?" he whispered, mostly to himself. When he heard her move, however, he whispered, "Please stay." He couldn't admit the depth of his hurt and anger, and he wished he could convey this to Chloe.
She paused at the door, but didn't turn to face him. "It means...sacrificing."
Sacrificing. He blinked, his eyes wide open as he realized something. He loved his brother and would die for him: hell, he'd give both arms if it meant Chloe's safety. If that was love, then... "Sacrificing," he repeated, not turning to look at her. Unwanted tears sprung to his eyes and he wiped them away hastily.
She slowly turned to face him. "Yes," she whispered.
It wasn't fair, he thought, a tear slipping down his cheek. Why did loving someone usually mean one of them died? "Not fair," he muttered to himself, unaware that Chloe had taken a couple steps closer to him.
"I know it's not," she said softly, resting her head on his back and sliding her arms around his waist.
His hands found hers and moved her around so she was facing him. Wordlessly, he leaned down and kissed her, no longer caring whether she saw his tears or not. "Does this mean I'll have to tell Sam I'm sorry?" he whispered a little brokenly, trying to be cute.
Chloe lifted a hand to his cheek, her heart breaking for him as she gently wiped his tears away. "I'm so sorry, Dean," she whispered.
Closing his eyes, Dean Winchester pulled Chloe to him and buried his head in her shoulder. And wept. Holding onto her tightly. His lifeline. Letting go of the hurt so he could make amends. Whatever the cost. Because... he loved them and knew he had to protect them.
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 07:35 pm (UTC)Oh the angst.. how i missed you!! (they were being too happy and lucky for some chapters lol)
I can't wait for Gordon to show up, and for the confrontation between Sam and Dean! Will he tell him, will he not tell him?
no subject
Date: 2007-01-25 09:51 pm (UTC)