Reggie stood at the center of the room, arms wrapped tightly around herself, shaking. Part of the trembling was from the damp cold that had seeped into her very bones, it seemed. But the real cause stood a few feet away from her, scowling fiercely as his cold green eyes traveled over her body, making her feel almost violated.
"Clothes off. Now." The deep, rough timbre of his voice sent a chill up her spine again, and she fought to keep from letting the panic in her belly take over as she stared back at him, unbelieving. "I'm not kidding, princess." Her frightened eyes moved from his face to his hand, which rested on the gun strapped to his thigh. His eyebrow raised as a sarcastic smirk curved his full lips. "Unless you want me to come over there and do it for you."
Her hazel eyes flitted from one person to the next in the group of at least a dozen people standing a distance behind their obvious leader, watching and waiting. They all, without exception, dropped their gaze as she looked pleadingly at them. And then she jumped, her nerves at high alert, as the door opened hard enough to slam into the wall beside it.
"What the hell's going on?" The man demanded as he elbowed his way out of the grip of a couple of the men who tried to restrain him. Reggie felt her jaw drop as she looked at his angry face, then back to her captor - they were identical.
"Well, Dean," the man in charge said, his voice dripping with venom as he emphasized the name, "not that it's any of your business, but she was with the Croats. She's gotta be checked over for wounds before she's allowed to stay. That's the way it is. Life isn't as full of sunshine as it is where you're from." His eyes went back to Reggie, and he took another step towards her. "Strip, now. This is not negotiable."
"I'm not injured. I promise. Please..." Reggie rasped out, and the man who had entered the room came to her side, turning to face his twin.
"Okay, fine, I get it. But there's gotta be a woman who can do this, and without an audience."
The leader of the group almost growled as he answered. "I check everybody personally before they're allowed to join our happy little family. No one gets into this camp without going through me. You don't like it, go back to where you came from, McFly."
Reggie watched as the man beside her stepped forward, getting in the face of his double. "Look, if that's the way it has to be, then get everybody out of here. They don't need to watch this. And I'm staying to make sure she's okay."
The two men glared at each other for a few tense seconds, and then the group's leader raised a hand, gesturing towards the door. "Everybody out!" he shouted, and then, "Shut the hell up!" as the grumbling began and the others in the room began to leave. The mumbling all but stopped, and the rest of the group left in silence, leaving the three of them in the room as the door closed quietly. His unsympathetic gaze turned back to Reggie. "All right, cupcake. This is as private as it's going to get. So get naked."
"God, you're an asshole," Dean said, turning towards her, taking a deep breath before speaking softly to her. "It's okay, sweetheart. What's your name?"
"Reggie," she whispered, still shaking uncontrollably.
"Reggie, just go ahead and get undressed. Nobody's gonna touch you. We just need to make sure you don't have any injuries, that's how the Croats infect you. I'm sorry, we have to make sure you're not carrying the virus before you can stay here. Understand?"
She kept her eyes on the man speaking to her - his green eyes were kind, apologetic, and she nodded slowly. "You're staying, right?" she asked quietly, making him take a step closer to hear her.
"Yeah. I'm right here, sweetheart. Nobody's gonna hurt you."
She turned her back to the men, her fingers trembling as she unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the ground. She finished undressing, her eyes filled with humiliated tears, and then turned to face them, her arms awkwardly attempting to protect her from their eyes.
"Arms out and twirl, princess," the camp leader ordered harshly, and the other man shot an angry glare his way.
"You are one cold son of a bitch," he growled, then looked into her eyes, his expression softening. "It's okay, Reggie. Just hold your arms out and turn around slowly. It'll be all right."
Tears trickled down her face as she slowly opened herself up to their gaze and turned in a slow circle, and then her advocate was in front of her, draping his flannel overshirt around her shoulders. The other man, a smirk on his face, walked to the door, turning back to look over his shoulder. "By the way, princess, you're welcome in my cabin anytime." Then he left, the door slamming behind him, and she was alone with her defender.
He turned his back, folding his arms across his chest. "You can get dressed now. Let me know when you're done," he said softly, and Reggie dropped his shirt, pulling her clothes on as she fought to keep her composure.
"Okay," she whispered when she had finished, and he turned to take the shirt from her outstretched hand. Her badly shaking fingers then returned to her face, hovering over her lips, and one lone sob escaped. She stepped closer to him, breaking down completely, and he pulled her close, murmuring soothing words and rubbing her back gently as she sobbed against his chest.
Dean was shocked at the desperate way Reggie was clutching the front of his shirt, considering that he had been a part of what had just happened to her, and that he looked exactly like the man who'd been such a dick to her in the first place. Kind of hard to explain that it was him, just not HIM him... how the hell do you make any kind of sense out of that to someone else? It didn't even make sense to him. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't completely sure that any of this was actually real. Would actually be real. He shook his head slightly, wondering if he was losing it entirely.
The crying girl in his arms was beginning to calm down, and he pulled back from her a little, offering her his shirt to wipe her face. She smiled tremulously, taking it from him and drying her tears, then offering it back to him. He gave her a crooked little smile and said, "Keep it." She let out a nervous little laugh, then looked back to the floor. "You okay?" he asked, and she nodded after a moment of hesitation.
"Yeah. I guess." She looked up at him almost shyly, and Dean mentally shook himself for the little surge of arousal he felt looking into her dark-lashed amber eyes. "Thank you. For what you did. At least I didn't have to strip down in front of a whole roomful of people."
"I'm sorry," he said softly, letting his arms drop back to his sides as she backed away a step.
"At least you made it a little less humiliating." She was blushing, still looking at the floor, turning to pace a little, suddenly very nervous. She stopped to look over her shoulder at him. her long chestnut hair swaying with her movement. "So, are you guys twins, or what?"
She turned at Dean's little snort of laughter, and he shook his head. "Let's just say, we're related." She nodded, and the silence settled in, growing uncomfortable after a few moments. "Well, I should..."
"Wait! Please, don't leave me." Her hand was clutching at his, her eyes pleading with him. "Please, if you're going, take me with you."
Dean closed his eyes for a second to avoid staring at the way she was biting at her soft, full lower lip. "Okay, okay," he soothed her, giving her hand a little squeeze before releasing it. "Just stick close. Let's go get you something to eat."
Reggie stuck right by his side as they navigated the camp, heading to where the food was being doled out by the day's volunteers. "Hey, past Dean!" he heard behind him, and turned to see Cas, unshaven and smiling, his eyes unfocused and a little glazed.
"Dude, shut up!" he said in a low voice, and Cas smiled even bigger, trying to peer around Dean at Reggie, who was clutching at his arm and trying to hide behind him. "Don't be stupid, Cas. Do you want to try and explain that to someone?"
"Sorry, just trying to make conversation. Who's your friend?"
Dean looked sternly at the once-angel, his voice wiping the smile from Cas' face. "You stay away from her, you hear me? She's not one of your orgy babes."
Cas held his hands up, nodding. "Okay, okay. I get it. She's all yours, bro." He smiled again and staggered on his way, and Dean rolled his eyes as he left.
"Sorry, Reggie. He's harmless, but just stay away from him until you're a little more used to things, okay?"
She nodded, and Dean looked down at her hands, both clutching at his arm. She let go, blushing as she turned away. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be all... clingy and..."
Dean took a firm hold of her hand and smiled down at her. "Nothing to be sorry for." He led her to the food line, then sat down with her as she ate, focused as though she hadn't had a good meal for a while. "So, how'd you end up running into the Croats, Reggie?" he asked gently.
She stopped eating and her hands disappeared into her lap. "I... I don't know. I don't remember. And I'm afraid you'll think I'm crazy."
Dean laughed shortly. "Now - my story, you'd think was crazy. Yours, I doubt it."
Reggie looked up at him, her hazel eyes confused and filled with tears. "Night before last, I went to bed in my apartment in Kansas City - in 2009."
Dean's eyes widened. "Come with me," he said, taking her hand and pulling her along, heading for the cabin he was staying in, along with a couple of other men from the group. No one was there, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind them. "You? You're from 2009?"
She nodded slowly. "I told you you'd think I'm crazy."
Dean turned away, taking a few steps as he shoved his fingers through his hair roughly. "I don't think you're crazy, because the same thing happened to me," he said softly, moving back towards her. "But I know why it happened to me. Why did it happen to you? Are the angels screwing with you, too?"
Reggie's eyes widened. "Angels?" she whispered.
Dean's lips pressed together, his brow furrowed as he turned away from her again. "Zachariah!" he shouted, and Reggie jumped nervously. "Where are you, you feathered dick?" Nothing but dead silence answered him, and he turned to look at her once again, holding up his hands as he saw the frightened look on her face. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I'm just so sick of them screwing with people's lives. Come with me, okay? I need to talk to Cas." He reached out his hand, and she looked warily at it for a moment before placing hers in his grasp.
He hurried along, pulling her with him down the row of ramshackle little cabins until he came to the one inhabited by Cas. Reggie followed him up the wooden steps and through the door - Dean didn't bother knocking - and they walked through a beaded curtain into a room where Cas sat, surrounded by several women, all of them looking like they were feeling no pain. Cas looked up at the intrusion, smiling widely at Dean. "Excuse me for a moment, I believe Dean wants to speak to me. Why don't you get washed up for the orgy? I'll be right back." He stood and walked towards the door, pausing to put his hand on a woman's face as he passed by, then looking over his shoulder at the group. "You're all so beautiful." Then he smiled brightly at Reggie, who was staring at him, her mouth open and her eyes wide. "You're welcome to join us, if you like," he said, and Dean cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, Dean - I almost forgot you were there."
"Yeah. I noticed," Dean growled softly, glaring disapprovingly at Cas' scruffy, happy face. "Cas, do you know her?"
"In what sense?"
"Cas, not in the mood. Do you know her?"
Cas dropped his gaze, and the smile left his face. "Dean, may I talk to you? Alone?"
Dean looked at Reggie, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Just stay here. I'll be right outside." She nodded reluctantly, glancing back at Cas before stepping back to let him pass.
Cas led the way out, and Dean followed, pulling the door shut behind them. They walked to the middle of the path outside the cabin before he turned to face Dean again.
"Well?" Dean demanded, his brows drawn together in a thunderous frown. "Do you know her or not?"
Cas met his gaze for a moment before staring at the ground once again. "I know of her."
Dean clenched his jaw impatiently, waiting for the former angel to elaborate. "And?" He reached out to grab a handful of Cas' shirt. "What the hell is going on? Why is she here from 2009, Cas?"
Cas finally raised his head and looked Dean in the eye. "Because there's something in this time that she needs to see. That's all I know."
Reggie washed herself quickly, trying not to let her teeth chatter in the cold water. The luxury of being clean outweighed the discomfort of being cold, so she wouldn't complain. At least the showers still worked, which was something to be thankful for. Sadie, one of Cas' groupies, had offered to take her to the women's showers and lend her some clothes, as well as soap and shampoo, and Reggie was extremely grateful for her kindness.
She rinsed herself clean and gathered Sadie's threadbare towel around her as she stepped out. "Sadie, thank you so much. It feels so wonderful to be clean again."
"Probably used to a little nicer accommodations where you're from, huh?"
Reggie jumped, her startled little shriek echoing through the room as she backed away, the towel clutched tightly around her. Sadie was gone, and in her place stood the camp commander, one foot planted on the seat of the rickety chair where Sadie had been sitting. "What the hell are you doing in here? Where's Sadie?"
"I sent her away. We needed to talk."
"Why would I want to talk to you?" she spat, and a slow, amused smirk curved his lips.
"I thought maybe there was something you needed to tell me." He stared into her eyes, then let his gaze rake over her slowly before returning to face her angry glare.
"Such as?"
He stood, and she stepped back a little farther, though the defiance on her face never wavered. "Such as, 'Hey, sorry to inconvenience you, but I thought I'd pop in from the past and see what the apocalypse looks like.'"
Reggie's face paled, and she felt her back come up against the wall behind her as he approached her slowly. "How did you know?"
"This is my camp. Eventually I find out everything that goes on here. Now, why are you here?" he shouted, slamming the flat of his hand against the wall as he stopped a hair's breadth away from her.
"I don't know!" she shouted, glaring up at him contemptuously. "I went to bed one night in 2009, and woke up the next morning in hell!"
"Damn straight, you did. And I'm gonna find out what you're doing here. Whatever you and my past self are up to, I'm warning you - don't get in my way." He let his eyes drag over her once again before pushing away from the wall and stalking from the small building, leaving the door open.
Reggie took a steadying breath, then went quickly to the door and locked it. She dressed in the borrowed t-shirt and jeans - they were a little big for her, but they beat wearing the filthy things she had arrived in.
She peered cautiously out the door before stepping out, trying to remember which way it was to Sadie's cabin. She heard Dean's voice and turned, waiting for him as his long-legged stride carried him to her side. "Hey. I wondered where you went."
"Sadie offered some clean clothes and showed me the shower house. I wanted to get cleaned up." She looked up at Dean, her lips trembling a little as she continued. "I just had another run-in with the fearless leader."
Dean's brows furrowed. "Are you okay?"
For the first time, he saw anger rather than fear spark in her eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine. Apparently he thinks you and I might be up to something. Since we both came from 2009, maybe? I don't know."
Dean put his hand on her upper arm, urging her to walk at his side. "I'm taking you back to Sadie's for now. I need to talk to him... me... whatever." He cast a sidelong glance at her as she laughed quietly, and he shot a one-sided smile her direction.
They arrived at the cabin, and Sadie came out to meet them. "Oh, Reggie... I'm sorry I left you, Dean told me to get out..."
"Don't worry about it, Sadie. I'm fine. Thanks again for everything." A tentative smile pushed the guilty look from the older woman's face. "Can I hang out with you for a while?" Sadie's smile grew, and she nodded, gesturing towards the cabin.
"I've actually got some coffee left. Do you want some?" Reggie smiled and nodded, then turned towards Dean again as he spoke.
"Just stay here, okay? I'll come back for you. Don't go anywhere alone, I don't trust some of these people."
She nodded again in answer, then turned to follow Sadie into the cabin. Dean could hear her chattering to Reggie as they walked in, and he watched until the door closed behind them. Then he turned resolutely to head for the cabin his future self called home.
