WARNING: Chapters won't always be linear. It'll mostly depend on what I feel like/am inspired to write at the moment.
It's been two months, three weeks and five days since Dean last had anything even remotely resembling a nightmare. Having Sam next to him has drastically driven back both the frequency and intensity of his nightmares, but every once in a while something would slip through.
The first time he woke was around 1:38 AM. It hadn't been a true nightmare, more of a general feeling of growing unease over the course of his dream. He turned around, snuggled closer against Sam, nose tucked into the crook of his brother's neck, his scent familiar and safe, and drifted back to sleep.
The second time he woke it was 2:19. This time there had been the beginnings of a true nightmare. His breath was slightly laboured and sweat had started to bead on his brow. Dean immediately tried to regulate his breathing, tried to match it to Sam's, while he pulled the blanket up to his chin and clung to Sam's shirt.
He lied there, listening to his own breath, hoping he wouldn't end up waking Sam. It was 3:59 when he finally slipped back under.
The third time Dean awoke with a start. His eyes flew open and he could barely prevent a sob from escaping him. For a moment he lay paralyzed, unable to move except for his eyes darting all around the room, desperate to assure himself there was nothing there, that he wasn't in some unfamiliar place.
The sound of Sam's breathing finally filtered through as he escaped his dreamlike state, ability to move returning to his toes and fingers. Sam's breathing grounded him, anchoring him in the here and now. He clung to it like a lifeline. When he was finally able to move every part of his body again Dean quietly snuck out of bed.
Unsure of where he was going Dean just let his feet take him where they wanted, which was the back door. Once standing in front of it he turned the key in the lock and opened it, allowing the cool night air to wash over him and chase the last fragments of his dreams away.
He sunk down on the step and just sat there, staring at the forest and the changing sky above. He had no idea what time it was but it must be close to dawn. Slowly, the sky changed from a blue so dark it was almost black to the pastel pinks and oranges of those English landscape paintings he had once seen in that museum Sam had dragged him to between two cases.
A soft purring came from behind him and Dean couldn't repress the smile that forced the corners of his mouth upwards.
He turned around with the intention of picking up Aradia and putting her in his lap when he was confronted by the cat rubbing her head against a pair of long legs.
He met Sam's eyes for a brief moment before averting his gaze back to Aradia and picking her up. The cat curled up on his lap almost as soon as he put her there. Seconds after Sam sat himself down on the step beside Dean. It was a bit of a tight fit between the two of them, shoulders rubbing together, but neither of them minded. It was nice to just sit there and watch the sun rise.
By the time sky blue had washed away all of the pinks and oranges painted right above the dark silhouettes of the treetops Dean realised that dawn may have finally come after all for him.
He glanced over at Sam, unimaginatively grateful for his brother in that moment. If it wouldn't have been Dean may still have been stuck in an endless night. But not now, not with his brother and his lover by his side to chase away the darkness.
With a smile stretched out on his lips Dean put his head on Sam's shoulder and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.