Dean took Sam to a deserted alleyway beside the bar. Anger was still throbbing through his veins. How could he have missed it? Now that he knew, it was so obvious - not just Zoey's motivation for sleeping with him, but her feelings for Sam. She'd kept them far too well-hidden.

"What?" Sam asked Dean shortly as they came to a halt within the shadows of the alley. People walking past wouldn't see they were there at a glance.

Dean turned to his brother. While searching for him, he'd wondered how to phrase what he was going to say. He'd taken the words he wanted to say, and their synonyms, and tossed them about this way and that, but there was no delicate way to say it. So, Dean had decided, he was going to say it in the bluntest form.

"Dean," Sam prompted. "What."

Dean took a breath. It took him a moment to force the words out of his throat, but when they did, they came fast, like it was all one word. "I'm in love with Zoey."

What the fuck? Dean thought to himself. That was not what he'd planned to say. Right up to when the words had been pushing to get out his throat, he'd been sure he was going to tell Sam that Zoey was in love with him. But something made the words change at the last minute. Perhaps it was Dean's subconscious desire - or need - to lie for his friend. Or maybe, even deeper into his subconscious, he really was in love with her. Adamently, he set his mind that it was most certainly the former. But he didn't tell Sam that.

Sam stared at Dean, shocked. For a few moments, he was speechless. "Seriously?" He spluttered at last.

Dean nodded. "Guilty as charged. But for God's sake, do not tell her that."

"She doesn't know?" For some reason, this surprised Sam even more. "Dean, you've gotta tell her. She's under the impression that you've been..." he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud "just because she's there."

"It started out like that," Dean said, beginning to spin the web of lies. "But after a while... I guess it became more than just sex. Sam, listen to me," he continued as his brother sighed and looked away for a moment. "This is our secret, okay? It's up to me to decide whether or not to tell her."

Sam nodded, reluctantly. "She's gonna find out sooner or later, Dean."

"I know. But that's my decision, not yours."

There was a pause. For Dean, it was too emotional (however fake those emotions were, he reminded himself) and tense. He was relieved when Sam finally suggested they should go back to the motel room. "Alright," Dean agreed. "Bitch."

"Jerk."

When they were back at the motel room, Zoey was nowhere to be seen. A moment of worry passed between the two brothers before they heard the toilet flush. Dean made a beeline for the bathroom - he had to explain his lies to Zoey before Sam could get a word in edgeways.

When Dean got into the bathroom, it pained him slightly to see how red her face was. Her eyes were swollen, and her nose blocked - evident by the fact she had her mouth open to breath. It was obvious she'd only just stopped crying. She looked up at him as he shut the door behind him, her eyes fearful of what had happened, yet anxious to know. Dean didn't see the point in making her suffer any longer.

The news shocked Zoey. Not because of what Dean had said to Sam - but because he had lied at all. She'd honestly expected him to spill the beans. She embraced him gratefully, being careful to be quiet in case Sam heard anything misleading.

"Thank you," she whispered gratefully. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"Well, don't tell Sam," he whispered back, "he'll get bad ideas."

Zoey stifled a laugh. She was so relieved that Dean had lied to Sam in such a way. All to protect her. She hoped it wasn't because he really was in love with her - now that would be complicated.