Kristin pulled another tuft of cotton candy from the stick Dean held as they walked through the carnival.
"It's been too long since I've had this stuff," she said. "So good."
"Feels good to take a break and do something fun," Dean said.
Kristin nodded. "It's a shame Sam didn't come with us."
Dean pointed over to a group of kids sitting around a clown's feet.
"That's why he didn't come. Too many clowns roaming around. And, to be honest, the last carnival we went to was for a case... and it was a killer clown. Well, sort of."
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
She and Dean both pulled more cotton candy from the stick.
"What should we do next?" she asked.
Dean shrugged. "Wanna hit the Gravitron again?"
"After that greasy stuff from the last food truck? No thanks."
"Wuss."
Kristin elbowed him in his side.
"What about the palm reader?"
Dean groaned. "Really?"
"Why not?"
"We deal with real witches and psychics and you wanna go blow our money on a fake one?"
"You assume she's a fake?"
"You don't?"
She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the tent.
"Come on. It won't hurt to sit for five minutes."
"Fine."
Dean looked around as he entered the space. Typical setup. Hanging beads, fringes, and a gypsy-looking woman in a headscarf with a talisman around her neck. He shook his head as he sat down next to Kristin.
"I don't like skeptics," the woman said in a mysterious accent.
"I'm sure you don't," Dean said.
She stared at him a moment before she turned her attention to Kristin.
"You," she said, "I sense you are hesitant to believe I am real, but you are open to the possibility."
"That's right."
Dean scoffed and the woman turned back to him.
"Give me your hand."
"I don't think so."
"Your hand."
Dean hesitated, but put his hand palm-up on hers. She covered it with her other hand and closed her eyes.
"How can someone who has seen so much doubt my ability? Or do you just doubt me?"
She opened her eyes, but Dean held his poker face. He wasn't giving an inch.
"I'll come back to you," she said.
She put her hand out to Kristin, and did the same as she had done with Dean.
"Both of you... have seen so much. You will see much more." She opened her eyes and looked into Kristin's. "You have a question you are afraid to ask. You are afraid of the answer. So, I won't give it to you."
Kristin's eyes widened, and she pulled her hand away.
"What's wrong?" Dean asked.
"Nothing." Kristin pulled both hands into her lap.
"What question?"
"Are you a believer now?" the woman asked.
Dean scoffed and stood. He grabbed Kristin's hand.
"Let's go."
"Wait. You stay," the woman said to Dean. "I have something to say to you."
"Dean-"
He handed her the cotton candy. "Wait outside. I'll be out in a sec."
When Kristin was gone, the woman stood.
"I don't like skeptics."
"Better watch that... your accent slipped."
"Yes. My accent, the clothes, the décor. It's all for show. I have to make a living, and this is what people expect from a psychic."
"So, you admit you're a fake."
"The presentation may be phony, but I'm not. I'd like a chance to prove it to you. I asked her to leave so you can be open."
She held out her hand, and Dean rolled his eyes, but gave her his. She placed her free hand on top.
"There is someone you care deeply for."
"I care for a few people. You'll have to be more specific."
"I won't verify who. This isn't a parlor trick. I saw the person in your mind before. You'll make the connection."
She placed her hand over Dean's chest and whispered. Dean felt a warm sensation flutter through him.
"What did you just do?"
"Did I mention I dabble in witchcraft?"
"What?"
"Sorry. I forgot. Oh, well. I put a little bit of a spell on you."
"You cursed me?"
"It's not a curse. Trust me when I tell you it will be the greatest gift I can give you."
Anxiety began to well up in his chest. "What the hell did you do?"
"It will help you get in touch with someone's emotions."
"I'm about as in touch with my emotions as a guy can get, lady."
"Not yours. That person you care deeply about. Whatever emotions that person feels, you will experience them. Depending on how deep the emotion is, it may even overpower your own emotion at the time."
"Oh, that's great. How do I stop it?"
"It will go away on its own. Discover who the person is, and confront the feelings you have."
Dean turned to leave the tent.
"By the way... Distance doesn't matter. You will still experience their emotions even when they're not around."
Dean left the tent, and the anxious feeling left his body as soon as his eyes connected with Kristin's.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Fine. Let's get out of here."
Dean grabbed her hand and started walking toward the parking lot.
"What did she want?"
"She wanted to show me her real accent."
"She was a fake?"
Dean hesitated. "Yeah."
"Then why are we leaving?"
Dean stopped and whispered. "She threatened to put security on us if I caused trouble for her. I'd rather just leave altogether."
"Dean, it's rent-a-cops. Nothing to worry about."
"Look, we've already done everything here at least once. We've pigged out. We got our cotton candy."
"We didn't do the house of mirrors."
Dean shifted from one leg to the other. He watched as a smile pulled at her lips, and he sighed. He never could tell her no when she wanted something. That was how he ended up at the carnival in the first place.
"Okay. We'll do the house of mirrors."
"Yay!"
She took the last piece of cotton candy from the stick and put it up to Dean's lips.
"For being awesome," she said.
His tongue snaked out and pulled the fluff into his mouth. Kristin searched for a trash can and threw the stick away, and Dean watched her. It wasn't a foreign feeling He'd gotten it before around her. A warmth in the pit of his gut. Ever since their first case together, there were moments when she could almost knock him off his feet with desire.
"You coming?" she asked as she walked away.
He shook his head and caught up with her.
"Don't be a grump when we get in here, Winchester. Have fun with it."
"Yeah, well, you weren't in the last fun house."
"Killer clown?"
"Killer clown."
"I'll protect you."
She smiled at Dean and he couldn't resist the urge to smile back. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.
"I'm sure you will."