Chapter 10

Quite unexpectedly, Dean came across a possible case in the newspaper. He wasn't looking for one, but that happened sometimes.

He was pretty sure it was a chupacabra terrorizing the local livestock. He knew that he and Sam could wrap it up quickly if they headed down to Georgia straight away. Of course, that meant that Frank wasn't going to be going back to Canada immediately, but lives where at stake. She would understand.

"You're not allowed to come hunting with us, of course, but you can hang out at the motel til we get back."he informed her.

Frank nodded. Truthfully, Dean had expected a fight. He had to remind himself that Frank wasn't Jo, jumping at the chance to put herself in harm's way.

"I'll make sure there's something to eat when you get home."Frank said amenably.

"You don't want to come?"Sam asked, also a little surprised.

Frank looked at him as if he were nuts."Uh, no. What you guys do is incredibly dangerous. A bit beyond my realm of expertise. If you get hurt, I can patch you up. But I'm not really skilled in the art of disemboweling boogey monsters. I'll leave that to the pros."

XXX

They arrived in Roswell, Georgia within a few short days. Frank had abandoned the Winchester Gospels in favour of helping them research the case, and had spent the entire drive in the back seat surrounded by papers and open books.

Dean pulled the Impala into the parking lot in front of a fairly clean looking motel that promised WiFi and Cable. Sam rented two rooms and they all hunkered down in the boys' room to do some extra research before he and Dean headed out for the night.

The twilight skies were overcast and definitely threatened rain. Dean scowled at the clouds.

"Don't go near the windows. Don't disturb the salt lines...don't-"Sam was interrupted.

"Sam, you're scaring her!"Dean said gruffly.

Frank made sandwiches for the boys to take on the hunt.

Dean looked at her silently for a moment, possibly deciding whether or not to just ask her to marry him right now. Then his face broke into a huge smile,"Sam, why didn't you ever think of making sandwiches for me to take on a hunt?"

Sam rolled his eyes.

Once the boys left, Frank turned back to the Winchester Gospels. She'd mistakenly read Heart instead of continuing on with the next book in the series, Route 666, which is what she'd picked up now.

She shifted uncomfortably as she read through Dean's intimate encounter with Cassie, and breathed a sigh of relief when she finished the last page of the book. She knew she was weirdly weird about Dean,"You can't develop a crush on a bibilical character...no matter how alive and attractive he is."Frank muttered to the empty room. She huffed out a breath and rose to her feet. She'd promised food for the Winchesters when they returned, so she'd better get on top of that, instead of pining over the least emotionally available superhero she'd ever met.

XXX

It was raining.

Ok, so that was the understatement of the century.

The rain was coming down in sheets, and it was icy cold. Dean was squinting into the onslaught, feeling the pinpricks of rain sting his face. His hair was soaked flat to his head and his eyelashes were spiked and dipping. He was miserable. He hated the rain.

XXX

The brothers stumbled in around 3 am, and Frank had hot chocolate, sandwiches and warm blankets ready for them.

Dean was especially soggy, and moaning. Thankfully, neither of the brothers had sustained any actual injuries during the hunt.

"He's very delicate."Sam explained to Frank, while Dean scowled fantastically at both of them.

Sam slipped into the bathroom for the first shower while Dean was occupied with the food.

"So, Sam is psychic?"Frank held up Nightmare."He had a premonition in Home too...does he still have them?"

"They were connected to Azazel."Dean said slowly.

"Who?"

"The Yellow-Eyed Demon."

"I probably should just wait til I finish reading before I start with the bible study questions,"Frank said wistfully.

Dean smirked at the thought of his involvement in a bible parable.

"I noticed for cases you guys sometimes dress up and impersonate members of law enforcement to question witnesses."Frank frowned disapprovingly.

"Well, sometimes it's easier than relying on our animal magnetism to get answers. Though sometimes we use both."

"I think it's a little wrong for you to be flirty in a priest's costume."

"I'm non-denominational."Dean replied with a wicked smirk.

Frank made a sound in her throat that sounded like, 'Nngh', and she went quite pink in the face.

They head the shower turn off and Frank shielded her eyes from the sight of Sam's towel clad frame as he exited the bathroom.

"Sam, you're so hideous, she can't even look at you. Put some clothes on, Quasimodo."

XXX

Frank read The Benders during Friday and finally Dean put his foot down and dragged her along with them to the bar.

"All work and no play makes Frank a dull girl."he insisted.

"If you say so."

"I say so."Dean replied,"Now change into those jeans you bought in Sioux Falls and get your ass in the car."

"Ass in the jeans, then ass in the car...yessir."she saluted with a cheeky smirk.

6 minutes later they were driving down the main drag.

As Frank and the Winchesters entered the bar, Dean kept an eye on their female companion. He didn't really know what to expect, but he figured Frank was going to be shooting horrified looks at the scummy interior of the place, with the peanut shells scattered on the floor and the smokey haze of cigarette smoke that hung low in the room.

The crowd was pretty eclectic. Roswell, Georgia was just outside Atlanta. The bar they were in was on the outskirts of town and attracted everyone from truckers passing through, to college kids, to lonely folks looking to hook up for the night.

And then, of course, there was Frank and the Winchesters.

Frank had chosen to wear her jeans with a shirt that was a little more revealing than anything Dean had seen on her. Ok, scratch that, it was a whole lot more revealing. The black tank top style shirt was scooped low, displaying Frank's truly impressive cleavage, and the bottom half of the shirt was sheer enough to showcase her trim waist. Dean was distracted more than once by the sight of her belly button. You'd think he'd never seen one before. It was a little slutty, not that Dean minded. At all.

"Nice shirt."

"Yeah..."Frank wrinkled her nose,"Product of the shopping spree Meg took me on. I figured, I paid for it, I'd better wear it."

That explained why it was so completely unlike Frank's usual style.

"It's kinda slutty."Frank admitted,"But it was the coolest thing I have in my suitcase...aside from, you know, actual lingerie. The weather here is ridiculously warm!"

The brothers order beers and Frank got herself a glass of the house wine. They settled into a booth.

The music in the bar was loud enough that you couldn't really hear what anyone else was saying, unless they were at your table, so the Winchesters relaxed enough for Frank to prattle on about Chuck's books.

"The Benders was the creepiest one so far. Those people were absolutely crazy."

"Amen, sister."Dean tipped his beer bottle towards her.

"But I guess, there's a fair amount of crazy and unusual around the world. It's a freaky, freaky world."

"Lady Gaga freaks Dean out."Sam shared, anecdotally.

Frank shot Dean an amused look,"What exactly about her freaks him out?"

Dean opened and closed his mouth a couple of times and then shrugged.

"He has yet to be able to articulate his reasoning."Sam translated.

"Understandable,"Frank patted Dean sympathetically on the shoulder.

"My own personal theory is that Dean is getting old and therefore new music unsettles him. He's resistant to change in his senility."Sam nodded.

Dean glared.

Frank smiled and finished her glass of wine."I think our waiter got lost. I'm going to order more drinks. Anyone else want anything?"

"I'll have another."Dean said.

"Me too."Sam agreed.

Frank hopped down from the booth and headed over to the bartender.

Dean kept his eyes trained on Frank as she scooted in next to a man in a suit, his jacket off and tie loosened, like he'd just come from the office. She chatted with him as she waited to fill her order. He talked animatedly, emphasizing his words with hand gestures.

He handed her his business card after she talked to the bartender, who apparently promised to have the drinks brought to her booth.

"That guy at the bar gave me his business card."Frank said in amused disbelief, rejoining the Winchesters at their table.

"Yeah, we saw."Dean said.

"Martin Lowry, Attorney at Law."

"Fancy."Sam smiled at her.

Frank wrinkled her nose."I really don't think so. He was the kind of person who made 'air quotes'."She demonstrated with a grimace of distaste.

Dean grinned.

"What if it was some sort of celestial set up? You know, like maybe it was meant to be?"Sam suggested. Dean glared at him from behind his half empty beer.

"I'm sure that if God wanted me to sleep with that guy, He'd find a classier way of making it happen."Frank tucked the business card into her empty glass.

Dean felt the weight lift off his chest.

The Winchesters hadn't come to hustle, which was just as well, since there didn't appear to be a pool table, although there were a handful of people playing a half-hearted game of darts over in one corner.

Frank drew the line at getting drunk,"I don't want a repeat of last time. I vaguely remember serenading you guys with an Edith Piaf song."she chuckled ruefully as the waiter dropped off their drinks.

"You're a great singer, even though we couldn't understand you."Sam assured.

"Ah, merci, monsieur." Frank smiled.

Dean blinked and took another swallow of beer.

"I'm surprised you don't know any French, Dean."Sam said,"You spent some time in New Orleans for hunts, didn't you?"

"Yeah, just never picked up the language...latin always seemed more important."Dean shrugged."I know the important one though:'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?' "

"Well, that's pretty direct. And most french girls won't go for that pick up line.'Tu aurais envie de faire l'amour ce soir?' might work better. I could teach you a few phrases for your conquests, next time you go down there."Frank offered." 'Fais-moi l'amour', means 'Make love to me.' That's probably a handy one to know. 'Je veux passer la reste de ma vie avec vous', means 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you'."

Sam grinned in Dean's direction when he observed that his brother was downing his beer rather determinedly. He looked back at Frank and noticed that Frank had picked up on this as well. The smile on her face was truly mischievous,"And last but not least, one to definitely remember:'Connais-tu les contrats de mariage?' That means 'Do you know what a pre-nuptial agreement is?' "

Dean choked on his beer.

"Hey, you be careful. Things get lost in translation, you could wind up married before you know what hit you. Though, truthfully, while we're a romantic bunch, the French are much more interested in making love than making marriages. Ah, l'amour." Frank smiled.

Dean looked at his traitorously empty beer bottle.

"But, I doubt you need much help picking up girls."Frank cocked an eyebrow."Either of you. You probably just need to look at a woman and say 'Now', and you're occupied for the evening."

Sam barked out a surprised laugh. Dean just stared at her in flat out disbelief.

Frank looked disappointed,"Oh dear, I think I'm tipsy again...I really didn't want that to happen."she sighed unhappily.

"I think we should take you back to the motel."Dean said firmly, sliding from the booth and helping Frank down from her seat.

"So, I was right to wear the slutty shirt?"Frank said perkily, leaning onto Dean's arm.

"That's not why we're taking you back to the motel."Dean wore a pained look on his face, and he looked back at Sam, who was laughing silently into his beer bottle.

"I shouldn't have thrown out that lawyers business card...he appreciated my slutty shirt."Frank scowled.

"I'm sure he did."Dean said grimly."Come on, Sam, or I'm leaving you here with the lawyer."

XXX

They started heading north again, back on track with taking Frank home...well, at least until Sam caught wind of another case, via his laptop. Dean wondered briefly if Sam was purposely extending their time with Frank, but seeing as she didn't really seem to mind, he didn't question it.

She continued to read Chuck's books in the car, providing commentary when she felt it was warranted."Hey, look! Bobby's in this book! He is awesome."she declared.

They stopped for the night in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

"Seriously, Meg is a psychopath!"Frank's lower lip trembled as they sat down at a booth in the local diner."She possessed that poor girl for a whole year?"

"Yeah."

"So let me get this straight...demons that you exorcise can still get back out of Hell?"

"If they're determined enough."

"And there's no way, aside from the Colt, to kill them for good?"

"We have a knife. But you'd pretty much have to kill the host human to kill the demon."Dean said.

"Merde, that's a pain in the pants."Frank frowned."So Meg could come back?"

Sam and Dean exchanged looks.

"It's possible."

"And what can I get you folks this evening?" Sherry the waitress asked.

"Cheeseburger and fries and a Coke for me."

"I'll have the Cobb salad and water, thanks."

"What's the special?"Frank asked.

"Pulled pork sandwich with fries and a Coke."

"I'll have that, but make my Coke a coffee, please."

"Be right back."

"I knew something was off with John when you got him to the cabin...before the demon revealed himself. He wasn't acting normal. It was weird. I think I have a sixth sense about these things."Frank said,"Not, you know, like Sam's sixth sense...just...anyways. And I'm so glad when you stood by Dean when he figured out it wasn't John...even though things went south at first."

Dean grunted in agreement. He remembered being relieved when Sammy trusted him when he made that call.

"Although, this special children thing...I bet that's going to screw things up."Frank grumbled,"Is that what causes the Apocalypse?"

"Uh, in a manner of speaking."Sam said.

"And frankly, I don't know why you boys didn't think of traveling with a doctor before now. Dean alone needs a personal physician. First, whatever the demon did to his chest...and then having a tractor trailer t-bone the Impala? Honestly, I don't know how you two are even still alive."Frank threw up her hands in disbelief."You must have more than one guardian angel apeice. They work shifts, or something."

Dean snorted at the image of Castiel punching in a time-clock.

"Of course, this time Dean survived because of John's deal."Frank conceded,"Blood loss, contusions to the liver and kidney, signs of cerebral edema, heart failure-those aren't things you just bounce back from unless there's some sort of supernatural intervention. Divine or otherwise."

"Most of our experience with recoveries like that tend to fall into the 'otherwise' category."Dean said grimly.

"I've seen miraculous recoveries."Frank said,"It happens more than you'd expect in the Emergency Room. I've seen tumours shrink without chemo or radiation. I've seen patients revive after plugs have been pulled. My attending used to say, 'there are no atheists in the ER'. I don't know about that...but I do know that, but I do know I've seen some pretty amazing things. I'd say that my success is 10% skill, 90% prayer...and that's saying something because I have awesome skills."

"And so modest."Dean grinned.

"Hey, why lie?"Frank leaned back with a smirk."You know what they say about honesty being the best policy."

"Which means, by process of elimination, that dishonesty is the second best policy."Sam tossed over his shoulder.

"Who cares about second place? Dishonesty is just an also-ran."Frank waved a hand airily.

"Dishonesty is part of the Winchester family code."Dean supplied.

"I'll make a note to take everything you say with a grain of salt."

"Better make it a full shotgun round."

"Duly noted."

When she read Bloodlust after church the last Sunday of September, she'd given her opinion on Gordon Walker,"I really don't like this character. He's scary", and Lenore,"I'm still not so sure how I feel about the idea of 'good vampires'."

With the beautiful scenery flying by, Frank eventually gave in and bought a camera when they stopped to stretch their legs in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday. She picked up some film and turned up her nose when Sam suggested she buy a digital camera.

"Digitals are for amateurs who don't know what they're doing."

She mostly took photos of the landscape and various aspects of architecture, but occasionally snapped sneaky candid shots of the Winchesters, which always left Dean scowling afterward.

She had nightmares after she'd read Croatoan that Monday night, and skimmed over Heart again, since it was the next book in the series,"Now it makes more sense."

Frank had a bad feeling when she read about Ruby."People don't tend to pop out of no where just to help you guys."she said grimly,"No good will come of this."

Dean grinned.

"Just like selling your soul..."she continued, looking at Dean with an unreadable expression.

His grin flagged.

Frank noted that they were out of shampoo on Tuesday, so they stopped at a small pharmacy that evening before leaving North Carolina.

"What's this?" Frank picked up a bottle of body wash from the basket Dean was carrying towards the till.

"It's for you. It has a moisturizer in it and proceeds from the purchase go to some sort of self-esteem campaign."Dean smiled,"And it's pink."

"Yes, and it's also made by a company that sells skin lightening cream in Asia and Africa."Frank's lips were pressed together."Because apparently only people in the Western Hemisphere are allowed to believe that beauty is not skin deep."

"Uh..."

"It's ok, I forgive you, you didn't know. I'll just put it back."

Sam joined Dean from the next aisle."What's going on?"

"I'm learning how to be a socially conscious consumer."Dean muttered.

"Sounds like fun."Sam raised his eyebrows skeptically.

They stopped at a diner around noon on Wednesday while in Blacksburg, Virginia.

"My heart was breaking when Dean was teaching you take care of the Impala at the end of Fresh Blood."she confided to Sam.

The food came and they ate quietly.

"Also, I know neither of you seem to like her very much...but I sort of like Bela. She's insane, of course, but I still like her."Frank confided.

"I think you're insane."Dean muttered.

Frank ignored him,"I just finished reading Mystery Spot. Is it just me, or is there something off about that trickster?"

"It's not just you."Sam confirmed.

"You guys just can't catch a break, can you?"

Unfortunately, her words proved to be prophetic. Between the cases and the traveling, money was running low when they stopped for the night the next day outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Thankfully, this motel looked pretty cheap, even though it looked pretty full. The vacancy sign was still lit.

"I could just fall asleep now,"Frank said, yawning as she followed Dean and Sam into the office to rent their rooms.

"I'd like to get two rooms."Dean said to the decrepit man behind the counter."The lady needs a single and my brother and I will take the other."

"Only got one double occupancy left tonight. Two kings."

"I don't care,"mumbled Frank, swaying sleepily into Sam,"I will sleep on the floor. I will sleep in the bathtub."

The old man looked disapproving at this idea."You'll not be wantin' to sleep in the tub."Then added as an afterthought,"Or on the floor."

"It's fine, we'll figure it out."Dean assured him and handed over his (Mortimer Elgin's) credit card.

They got back to the motel room and Frank dropped her bag onto the table by the window."So, how's this going to work?"

"Sam and I will share."Dean said, wincing at the crick in his neck that was sure to form from such an endeavour.

"You and Sam can't be expected to sleep in the same bed. That's ludicrous. You'll get an elbow in your eye!"Frank exclaimed,"One of you will have to share with me, or I insist on getting a cot."

"You can't get cots in places like this."

"That settles it then. Who's with me?"

"Just give us a few hours and we'll have enough money to rent another room somewhere else."Sam said,"I think I saw a bar when we can in. A couple of games of pool and we'll be flush again."

"I have money for an extra room. You never let me pay."Frank sighed in exasperation. She yawned,"I don't really care what you do. I'm too tired to leave, so I'm staying here."

"I can sleep on the floor."Dean said. He was pretty tired too. The thought of having to go out and hustle pool did not appeal to him right now. He just wanted to sleep.

"Why do you both have such an issue with sleeping with me?"Frank frowned,"I don't move around alot and I'm small. You won't even know I'm there."

Sam and Dean exchanged looks,"We don't want you to feel uncomfortable,"Sam said,"After...you know..."he made a gesture between them,"...with Meg."

Frank rolled her eyes,"You're both a bunch of girls! We're just sleeping!"She flopped onto the bed closer to the window."Whatever, you can both sleep on the floor for all I care. I'm going to bed."She lay there on top of the covers for a moment before getting up."...After I brush my teeth."She disappeared into the bathroom with her toiletry bag. Seconds later she poked her head out of the bathroom, her green toothbrush hanging from her mouth,"That guy was right, no one's going to want to sleep in the tub."She popped back into the bathroom and shut the door.

"So, who's sharing with her?"Sam asked.

"I am."

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I kept you from eating Play-dough as a kid."

Sam looked at him pointedly.

"Ok, ok, I kept you from eating that entire tub of Play-dough as a kid. You owe me."

"Whatever. It's probably better that you share with her anyways. I know she's acting more flippant about the Meg thing than she actually is."

Dean grunted in agreement and started undressing for bed.

"Uh..."

"Calm down, I'm keeping my t-shirt and shorts on."Dean rolled his eyes."'Sides, I don't have anything she hasn't seen before. She is a doctor, after all."

"Yeah, but I bet she's not a doctor who sleeps with her patients."Sam pointed out."Remember Dean-reality...porn...and how there's a difference?"

"Well, then it's fortunate for me that she's not my doctor."Dean grinned wolfishly and slipped under the covers. He flipped the other side down so Frank would know who she was sharing with.

Frank opened the bathroom door and padded barefoot into the room in a periwinkle racer back tank top and matching striped boxer shorts. Emphasis on the short.

"Aren't you going to brush your teeth?"she asked the boys.

"Right, teeth..."Dean got out of bed and hurried into the bathroom before Sam could.

"So, guess I'm bunking with Dean then."Frank observed."Did you play rock, paper, scissors to decide?"

Dammit, why hadn't he thought of that? Sam frowned,"No."

"Well, goodnight then."She crawled under the covers, flopped face down, and almost immediately fell asleep.

Dean finished in the bathroom shortly after. "She really was tired, wasn't she?"he cocked his head in Frank's direction.

"Out like a light as soon as she hit the pillow."Sam agreed, heading to brush his teeth.

"Night, Sam."

"Goodnight."

Dean pulled back the covers and tucked himself in beside Frank. Lying on his back he yawned widely and reached across Frank to turn out the bedside lamp. Hmm, it was further away than he'd estimated...he scooted into a sitting position and reached over her head again, almost losing his balance and landing on top of her as he tugged the chain, plunging the room into darkness. He wiggled back down under the covers. Frank didn't stir once during all of his bouncing around on the mattress.

He closed his eyes and was fast asleep by the time that Sam had finished up in the bathroom.

Sam switched off the bathroom light and stood in the doorway while he waited for his eyes to adjust to the moonlit room. Finally he made his way over to his own bed and crawled in. He looked over to the bed next to him, at the sleeping frames of his brother and Frank. He could see that Dean's body was curled around Frank's. Even in sleep he was a protector. Sam smiled softly and closed his eyes. Sleep swiftly claimed him.

XXX

The next morning, Sam was up first. He slipped out of the motel room to pick up coffee. When he returned, he found Frank sitting up in bed. She was reading Jus In Bello,"Trouble just follows you around, doesn't it?" she smiled at him, tenting the book on her lap and accepting the coffee,"Thank you, Sam."

The smell of the dark roast so close to his sleeping head brought Dean around to the land of the living."Morning."he mumbled, stretching his arms."How'd everyone sleep?"

"Really well, thank you."Frank said, blowing over the top of her cup.

Dean rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and Sam handed his coffee to him."Thanks."

Frank picked up her book again,"I like this Agent Henrickson. I'm glad he accepted what you told him about demons and that he's helping you, especially after his last few encounters with you...I was praying that you'd catch a break like that at some point."

The Winchesters said nothing and simply sipped on their coffee.

"Something bad is going to happen, isn't it?"Frank frowned at their lack of response. She sighed heavily,"Don't tell me, I'll find out soon enough..."

Shortly thereafter, Frank rose from bed and began to pick out clothes to dress in,"So far it doesn't look good."she said, taking her clothes into the bathroom to change.

Sam and Dean were dressed when she came back into the room."Let's go for breakfast and I'll finish it in the car."

After breakfast at the local diner,(during which Sam came across a possible case in Jackson, Tennessee), they checked out of their one motel room and packed into the Impala.

"Oh for crying out loud!"Frank said as she finished the book,"They're dead. Lilith killed them all."she picked up the next book, No Rest For the Wicked."It's going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it?"She held up the cover for Sam and Dean to see.

Dean glanced in the rear-view mirror and his expression darkened."Much worse."

"Of course."she said grimly, and settled back into her seat to read.

XXX

"So, where are we going?"Frank looked up.

Sam and Dean shared a look,"Would you be mad if I said we're going to Tennessee?"

"Where Davy Crockett is from?"

"Huh?"

"You know, 'Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, Greenest state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree, Killed him a bear when he was only three. Davy, Davy Crockett. King of the Wild Frontier.' "Frank sang,"That Tennessee?"

"Please don't sing that again."Dean had a mortified look on his face, while Sam was shaking in silent laughter."Yes, that Tennessee, only we're not visiting Davy Crockett...we're hunting a wendigo."

Frank shuddered,"Nasty things..."

"So, it's ok if we go back south again?"Sam asked, getting a hold of himself.

Frank shrugged,"I'm not on any sort of schedule, and if I was I would just tell you to drop me off at the nearest airport and I'd fly home."

"Oh."Dean frowned.

"But, you know, like I said, I'm not on any sort of schedule, so...drive on, good sir."Frank went back to reading.

XXX

"I don't understand."Frank said bluntly as they got out of the car when Dean's stomach decided they needed to stop for dinner."You died." She looked perfectly flummoxed.

"Read the next book."Dean advised tiredly.

Frank nodded, brow furrowed.

They ate in relative silence. Frank looked like she wanted to asked the Winchesters a question several times, but she stopped herself.

They got two motel rooms and Frank sat on one of the beds in the boys room and read Lazarus Rising while they cleaned their weapons.

"Castiel just...Pamela's eyes..."Frank looked up at the brother's in horror.

"Yeah, he made a really bad first impression."Dean agreed.

Frank finished the book as the Winchesters finished putting away their cleaned arsenal. She rose from the bed and headed silently for the door. With her hand on the handle, she stopped and turned, looking like she wanted to say something. She made her way back to the table where the brothers sat and stood in front of them for a beat.

They looked up at her curiously.

"I-"Frank stopped herself before saying anything else. She looked over at Sam and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on the top of his head. She pulled back and sighed, Sam looked up at her in startled surprise. She gave him a small smile and turned to Dean. Her breath caught in her throat as she reached out the hand not holding her book, to cup Dean's jaw. His eyes held hers until she leaned in and pressed her lips to his temple.

She stepped away and gave them both one last look. Then, without a word, she turned and left.

Sam and Dean sat at the table for quite a while after, lost in their own thoughts.

XXX