Nine
Alaine woke up the next morning feeling as if she'd been trampled by a wild stampede. When she opened her eyes, she'd been met with darkness, and a throbbing headache that threatened to split her skull in half.
Damn hangovers, she grumbled in thought.
She rolled around in bed to lay on her stomach, a frown quickly settling between her brows when a subtle groan came from behind her. It was then that the arm she hadn't realized had been draped across her waist tightened its hold.
For a moment, she couldn't remember where she was, but then a familiar sent whipped into her nose and she realized the person lying next to her was Dean.
Admist the dark, Alaine could faintly make out his silhouette. She remembered spending time in his room last night after coming back from the bar. They'd watched a movie, then somewhere in the middle of it she ended up falling asleep.
Guess that explains why she woke up in his bed.
However, there were other details of the night she couldn't recall with clarity. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was missing; something important. She thought back to everything she'd done. She remembered beating Dean at pool, she also remembered being harassed by some creep before leaving the bar to come back home. Anything after that was a blur.
She decided to let whatever it was come to her naturally. Stealing a glance over Dean's shoulder, she looked at the digital clock. It was a quarter past ten, which meant it was time for her to get up. She tried to wriggle out of Dean's hold without waking him. She'd managed to pry his heavy arm off of her as delicately as she could, yet hadn't gotten far enough to escape. She felt him stir beside her, another soft groan spilling from his lips before subconsciously, he pulled her flush against him.
Her face now burrowed into the crook of his neck, Alaine sighed in defeat and settled into mattress.
Who would've thought Dean Winchester was a cuddler?
The thought was sort of amusing. They'd shared a bed quite a few times on hunts, yet she'd never woken up with him wrapped all around her like this. He'd always keep his distance, never failing to respect her boundaries.
Was it because this bed was smaller than the others?
The standard mattress size in all of the bunker's bedrooms was a Full. She hadn't noticed it until now, but that hardly gave two people enough room to freely move around. This was her first time falling asleep in Dean's bed, and although it wasn't uncomfortable, space was definitely limited.
Of course it felt comfortable. Who the hell would even think about complaining in a situation like this?
Alaine found herself contemplating foregoing her need to pee just so she could enjoy this moment a little longer. It felt right, the way Dean's body molded perfectly against the contours of hers. She breathed him in, the scent of his skin making her stomach flutter in content. For a few minutes, Alaine tried to will herself back to sleep. She'd closed her eyes and let the steady sound of his breathing fill her ears. Underneath the covers, the heat that softly emanated from him blanketed her. It was soothing, but the urgency to empty out her bladder hadn't let up in the slightest. She groaned in frustration.
"Someone sounds like they're havin' trouble sleeping."
Dean's voice had been sudden, the remnants of sleep heavy in his words. She tensed at the sound of it.
"Dean? How long have you been awake?"
"Not long," he'd replied, huskily.
His warm breath fanned across her ear, drawing up goosebumps to the surface of her skin. She managed to supress a shudder.
"You are aware that you're cuddling me, right?"
"Mmhm."
Alaine paused. "You plan on letting me go?"
"No."
"Well...I have to pee, like really bad."
"Don't care."
"I can't stay like this forever, Dean. Not if you don't want your mattress to end up soaked in urine."
"Then go."
Her exasperation could be heard in the sigh she released. "I can't with you keeping me hostage."
"Guess that means you have a problem."
"Dean. I'm being serious—"
Alaine felt the mattress dip with the weight of Dean's body shifting over hers. Arm still curled around her, he pulled her underneath him. He wedged a leg in between hers as he propped himself up onto his forearm, his fingers entangling themselves in her hair. He then lowered his head, and Alaine sucked in a sharp intake of breath when his lips grazed the corner of her mouth.
"What makes you think I'm not?"
All it took was the gentle brush of his mouth against hers for the repressed memories of last night to come flooding back. With high definition clarity, Alaine remembered the kiss they'd shared in the kitchen. Her heart suttered at the sudden recollection as a surge of heat gathered inside of her chest.
She'd been tipsy, her judgement impaired. Instead of stopping him, she allowed him to kiss her. Hell, she even kissed him back and enjoyed every last second of it. Now that she was no longer under the influence of alcohol, she expected herself to be against what was happening, to put up a fight. She couldn't understand why instead of throwing Dean off of her, she was parting her legs to give him room to settle between them. It was as if her body had a mind of its own; one adamant about betraying the panicked voice of her subconscious.
This is exactly what you've been trying to avoid! Stop before it's too late...
Their bodies were now dangerously close. She could feel every rigid muscle of his torso pressed up against her. She stifled a gasp when he used his hips to spread her thighs further apart.
Why are you not stopping? If you don't do something quick, things are going to escalate. Nip it in the bud. Now!
"Dean..."
Alaine flattened her palms over his chest. He hummed softly in response as he trailed kisses across her face. His lips dragged along her jaw, languidly making their way to her earlobe where he circled his tongue before descending onto her neck. She breathed in sharply, and his hips flexed against her.
His arousal was blatant, its massive size impossible to ignore. It dug into her pelvis, and Alaine shuddered underneath him as his mouth settled at the base of her throat. He gave one hard suck, his teeth grazing her skin, making her sex clench. She let out an involuntary moan, the sound stifled by her face pressing deep into his shoulder.
There was this humming inside of her. It intensified, filling her consciousness. Desire ran down her body like hot molten lava, searing her as it burned its way to her core. Every nerve was set ablaze by her repressed desires, and she panicked when the demanding need swelled in her belly.
"Dean—" Alaine nudged at his chest, her voice tremulous and urgent. Quick. Think of something quick! "Dean, stop. I...I'm gonna pee."
The hunter's mouth stopped moving. She felt his lips settle at her collar bone as his body stilled.
"What?"
"I said I'm gonna pee," she repeated. "I—I've been holding it. It's about to come out."
Slowly, his head pulled back. "Are you serious?"
Even in the dark, Alaine could tell there was a frown nestled into the space between his brows. "Yes! I wasn't joking when I told you a few minutes ago. I really have to go."
Dean muttered an oath. The moment his weight lifted, Alaine hurriedly scrambled out from underneath him and hopped off the bed. She didn't stop to look at him as she scurried across the room towards the door. When she slipped into the hallway, she heard a very disgruntled groan followed by the sound of Dean's body plopping back against the mattress.
With the bathroom as her first destination in mind, Alaine bolted through the long passageways until finding herself at the familiar wooden door. After relieving herself, she remained seated on the toilet. She found her legs along with every other part of her body trembled. She breathed in and closed her eyes as her hands found their way into her hair.
She'd almost done it. She'd been so close to giving in, to letting Dean have his way with her. She had even felt it inside of her, the uncontrollable yearning to feel him just as she had all those years ago. Had she not stopped, things would've surely heated up past the point of no return. She let out a frustrated groan as her head tilted back to rest against the tiled wall.
How could she be so reckless?
It was now becoming harder for her to be around him. This attraction she felt, it wasn't just fueled by her carnal desires; there was more to it. Her developing feelings for him were slowly starting to govern over her conscious. It didn't help that intimately and emotionally, Dean was all she knew. At thirty-five, she'd only ever been with one person in her entire life, and when she thought about it, she couldn't help but feel pathetic.
While she never dared to share herself with anyone else, Dean had spent his time blowing through women as if it were his favorite pass time.
How could a man like that ever take her seriously?
Regardless of the history between them, the Dean Winchester she knew now wasn't like the one she'd known long ago. He wasn't the shy, loving young boy she'd given her innocence to; he was hard-edged, changed by the many years of torment he'd been forced to endure. The more she contemplated things, the more she realized how dangerous it would be if she were to let go. Heavens knew all she wanted was to do just that, to give in to what she felt and let time decide their fate. However, it was just too risky of a gamble and Alaine wasn't one to bet on her own heart.
She decided to push those thoughts to the far recesses of her brain. What she needed was a cold shower and a hearty breakfast to set her back on track. She'd finished up in the bathroom, then headed over to her room to collect a fresh change of clothes.
After an hour so when Alaine felt her nerves had somewhat settled, she wandered through the bunker's halls until finding herself at the kitchen's threshold. She sauntered in, her grumbling stomach drawing her towards the fridge when her eyes suddenly fell on Dean.
He'd been sitting at the table, a plate of half-finished pancakes and scrambled eggs in front of him. She felt her stomach clench the moment he lifted his head and glanced over at her.
Awkwardly, a small smile nestled into the corners of her mouth. "H—hey."
Dean stared at her briefly then diverted his gaze onto the coffee mug sitting on the table. He reached for it and brought the porcelain rim up to his lips.
"Breakfast's in the oven."
"Oh, um..." Alaine's expression fell.
Finishing the remnants of his coffee in one gulp, the hunter scooped up his plate into his hands and rose from the table. He tossed the rest of his meal into the waste basket before placing the dirty dishes into the sink. When he walked past Alaine on his way out of the kitchen, his hand brushed up against hers and reflexively, his jaw tightened.
"Dean, wait."
Dammit. As if his limbs had a mind of their own, he felt himself come to a stop. He stood there with his back facing her, contemplating whether or not he should ignore her and leave when the sound of her soft footsteps drawing close reached his ears. He clenched and unclenched his jaw before turning around to face her.
"Yeah?"
She approached him slowly. Her eyes studied his impassive face, an uneasy expression settling over her feminine features. By the way her thin brows furrowed together, he could tell she was working up the courage to speak her mind. Although he already knew what she'd say, he gave her time to gather herself.
"Listen, about...about last night, I was wasted, and I wasn't really thinking straight. And then this morning, I...It was—"
For the sake of saving himself the humiliation of being rejected, Dean chose to cut her off right there. He gave her a tight-lipped smile, his gaze flickering away from her face.
"I get it. It was a mistake."
Dean hated how bitter he sounded saying those words. It wasn't his first time being shot down by a woman. He knew it shouldn't bother him, but hell, he couldn't help that it did. It bothered him more than anything. The moment she ran out of his room like a bat straight out of hell, Dean instantly regretted his attempt at making a move on her. He'd woken up with her in his bed, and the memory of their kiss still fresh in his mind. He couldn't stop himself from feeling aroused. The attraction had been there and for a moment he thought she'd felt it too, but with the way her eyes were now regarding him—as if with regret—he wanted nothing more than to forget about the whole damn thing.
"You don't have to say anything else, Alaine," he added, his tone dejected. "Let's leave it at that."
Her frown deepening, Alaine shook her head softly. "That's not what I was trying to—"
Dean didn't let her finish. "I really ain't in the mood to continue this conversation. We good or not?"
"Yes," she mumbled in defeat, her gaze falling from his face. "We're good."
"Good. I gotta go out on a supply run. You need anything?"
"No."
"I'll be back later. Text me if anything comes to mind."
And with that, Dean left the kitchen, leaving Alaine where she stood, unsure if she should feel relieved or disappointed in the way things turned out.
It's for the best, spoke the voice of her subconscious. Better to end it before it even starts.
Although a part of agreed, Alaine couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes and let out a long, burdened sigh. She decided to turn her attention onto her awaiting breakfast before the rest of her appetite was shot to hell.
In the late evening, Dean strolled back into the bunker with a thundering migraine, smelling of bourbon and cheap perfume. After restocking the fridge with the groceries he'd bought on his way back home from the bar, he walked through the halls towards his bedroom when the sound of muffled gunfire echoed around him. Frowning, he changed destinations and headed down a different corridor. As he approached the gun range, he saw that the door had been left ajar. He stole a peek inside the room, his eyes falling on Alaine.
She was standing, her posture squared, and with her hands wrapped firmly around her favored firearm. Her long hair was tied up into a neat ponytail that hung down the center of her back. From the side, her features looked hardened in concentration. He watched the way her delicate fingers handled the weapon. She quickly ejected the empty clip and reloaded her gun with a new magazine, pulling back the slide to chamber the first round.
Six shots were fired off at the paper target hanging at the opposite end of the room, four landing dead center in the chest while the last two had been headshots. He thought she'd empty out the rest of her clip, but when she stopped to click the safety back on, Dean cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
"Hey."
Alaine lowered the gun, her eyes flickering over to Dean. He casually made his way into the room, stopping to send her an awkward wave before stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Hi."
"You been here all day?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. It was pretty nice out. The weather was warm."
Alaine couldn't help the humorless scoff that slipped her lips. She set her gun down, fixing him an incredulous look.
"Really?"
The hunter looked back at her in confusion. "What?"
"Nothing, Dean. Forget I said anything. You seem to be pretty good at that anyway."
Alaine made a move to leave the room. She attempted to walk past him, but his hand shot out and latched around the bend of her arm. With a firm tug, Dean pulled her back.
"What's with the sudden attitude?"
"I don't have an attitude."
She tried to wrench herself out of his grasp. Dean stepped in front of her, his hold tightening. He met her gaze, the subtle anger burning in her beautiful amber eyes momentarily taking his breath away. Scowling, she pulled against his grip.
"I'm not in the mood for this. Let go."
"Not in the mood for what? I was just trying to talk to you."
"About the weather?"
"Seriously, what's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem," she snapped. "Dammit, just let me go."
He stepped forward. "No."
Dean's warm breath washed over her. She smelled the traces of alcohol, along with another odd fragrance she couldn't place until there was only a hare's breadth of distance separating them. When she picked up the sweet, almost candy-like scent, an angry glower shadowed over her face.
Scrunching up her nose in disgust, she shoved at Dean's chest, the amount of force she applied sending him stumbling backwards. His eyes widened in shock.
"You're unbelievable." Mouth curling up in disdain, she shot him a glare. "Go back to whatever woman you fucked and just leave me the hell alone."
"What the hell are you talking about? I didn't fuck anyone—"
"Not that I care, but that cheap perfume you got all over you says different."
Dean mentally cursed himself. The drunk redhead from the bar. Although he hadn't done anything but buy her a few drinks and call her pretty, the woman had been hellbent on taking him back to her place. She kept throwing herself at him, literally, which was why he'd come home with her scent all over his jacket.
"Alaine, all I did was go out for some drinks. That's it."
"I don't care." She sighed, her angry gaze flickering away from his face. "Just leave me alone, alright?"
Without another word, Alaine stormed out of the gun range. As she walked down the hall towards he bedroom, she half expected to hear Dean running after her, but the sound of his heavy footsteps never came. Quietly, she made it to her room and sealed herself inside.
Way to be a bitch, nagged her inner voice.
She groaned in frustration, shoving her face into her hands. She hadn't meant to be so rude to him. Hell, she'd had a few drinks herself before her whiskey-influenced emotions drew her over to the gun range to blow off some steam. She'd been upset at how easily Dean had brushed her off. It felt as if last night's kiss and what happened in the morning hadn't meant a thing. He'd been so quick to think she'd seen it all as a mistake, and hadn't let her correct his misguided assumption. Had he let her talk, she would've probably found herself telling him just how much she enjoyed it. Why? She didn't know.
Climbing into bed, Alaine switched off the bedside lamp and settled against her pillow. She stared up at the ceiling in the dark.
Why the hell did she have to be so attracted to him?
She could feel the tug-of-war battle between her subconscious and her dormant desires. She wanted Dean, more than he'd ever want her, intimately and emotionally.
With another groan, Alaine flopped onto her side and closed her eyes. She wrapped herself up in the sheets, hoping sleep would take her soon so she wouldn't have to stay up brooding over what she couldn't have.
