Sam was a good nurse, Calliope soon found out. Dean sat beside her while being tended to, his wound was more important.
"Good job back there." he said, wincing as his brother dug the bullet out of his arm
"Thank you. And thank you for saving me, Alexander would have killed me for sure." she said quietly, her fingers feeling her sore neck where hand shaped bruises began to surface.
Dean yelped and pulled his arm back, giving Sam a nasty look.
"Easy." he said before allowing him to touch his arm again
"Nathaniel must be so worried." she whispered, playing with the necklace around her neck
"Write to him." Dean said, nonchalantly
"But how is he to know to check for a letter?"
Jack stopped and thought about it for a moment.
"Have it delivered straight to him. I can arrange that."
"Really?"
He nodded as his upper arm was being bandaged.
"Oh, thank you, Dean!" she said
"Don't mention it." he mumbled
Sam announced that he was through with Jack, who nodded and went to sit in an old moth-eaten recliner in the corner of the motel room.
"Now, let's have a look at your leg." Sam said
Sam lifted her pant-leg and revealed the nasty looking bruise. He nodded and turned around, grabbing a few things
"How did this happen?" he asked
"I fell from high up; I must have hit it pretty hard."
He opened a jar and took a glob of cream from it. It was thick and white and smelled of pine needles.
"I'm going to put this topical cream over it and then bandage it, that's about all I can do." he said, beginning to apply it
Calliope took a sharp intake of breath as he touched the bruise. He tried to be gentle but some pain could not be avoided. She grit her teeth until he was done and she looked down to see the once purple surface covered in white. He began to wrap it up carefully and finished.
"Wait here." he said to her
She patiently waited as Sam left, looking around the room where she was seated on top of a table. It was fairly small, holes in the carpet, three beds in the corner. She was suddenly aware of how exhausted she was, her eyes became heavy and she struggled to keep them open. She was startled when she heard boots coming towards her.
"Hey." Bobby said.
"Hello." she replied sleepily
"Dean said you can have one of the beds and he'll take the couch. Says you might be wanting of some sleep."
Evangeline nodded her head, thankfully as she helped herself off the table and limped behind Bobby.
"Who are you exactly?" she asked him, as she thought about what she was going to wear to bed.
"Bobby Singer. Hunter." he mumbled
"I'm Calliope." she said as they passed hammocks where the crew slept.
Bobby watched as the girl thought, her hands on her hips surveying the room.
"You can sleep here for right now until Dean comes back and then we have to keep moving." Bobby said, "He and Sam are mighty busy at the moment."
Calliope nodded, as she stumbled into the area and fell onto the bed, deciding that pajamas didn't really matter. But she didn't mind at all because she was asleep before she even touched the bed.
She was dreaming that she was on fire, caught in her house as the walls burned down around her. She heard her name being called but could not focus on whose voice it was because of the searing pain that was flowing through her veins. She tried take off her clothes so that the flames would not get to her skin, but her shirt was all but ash and her pants were melted to her thighs and she could not take them off without tearing off the skin as well.
She could hear the voice getting louder and closer, calling her name. She opened her mouth to call back but smoke filled her lungs and a fire started in her soul as she began to burn alive. Then the owner of the voice appeared, no flames were on the being, for she shone brightly and repelled them. Her mother looked down at her on the ground with a smile on her face. She held out her hand and Evangeline took it, her mother's glowing aura transforming her.
She was being healed by whatever power she possessed, but then they heard a cracking sound and looked up as the roof of the house caved in on top of them and distinguished her mother's light, and in turn killing them both.
"Callie."
She sat upright, breathing heavily and possibly covered in sweat as Dean loomed over her, merely a shadow in the pale moonlight that seeped through the dingy window curtains.
"Bad dream?" he asked
She nodded, calming herself down, wiping the damp hair from her face. Dean took a seat in a chair that he had scooted close to her bed, crossing his legs in an anti-lady like fashion. Calliope heard the sound of snoring and saw that Sam and Bobby were both fast asleep.
"How's your leg?" he asked, his arms folded across his chest
She looked down at her bandaged leg.
"Well it doesn't hurt unless I walk on it or touch it, so I guess it's not any better than it was. What about your arm?" she asked, her voice a bit raspy from being choked earlier.
He fingered the bandages through his shirt and grimaced.
"It's going to be sore, but I'll be alright. Now, I came here to tell you that we are headed for Nebraska for supplies. It should be a few days drive. From there I'm not sure."
"Any sign of Boone?" she asked, lying back down
"Not yet, but we are sure he isn't far behind. I figure he will just follow us and make his move. But you can never be too sure, so we're keeping a lookout. That's why I'm up."
It was quiet for a moment, as Dean tipped back on the chair, lost in thought. Calliope let her fingers glide across the bruises on her neck, the moon casting shadows as the curtains blew back and forth. Dean opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of her neck.
"Hell, I can see his hand marks." he said, leaning the chair down and lowering himself to her.
"What a.." he said, muttering the last part as he stood up
"I'll be right back." he said
He returned with the little jar that Sam had earlier containing the salve. He sat down beside her, cross-legged, and pushes her messy braid out of the way, moving strands that had fallen loose.
"This will hurt a bit." he said as he opened the jar and spread some on his fingertips.
The stuff was cold at first but it warmed up with Dean's hands. He gently spread the pine based salve across the back of her neck, being careful not to press too hard. She would yelp every once in a while and Dean would mutter a distracted "sorry".
Once he had put a nice layer on the back of her neck, he turned her so that they were facing each other. He wiped his fingers off on his pants and then brought them to the collar of her shirt, unbuttoning the first few buttons. Calliope's breath caught in her throat as his fingertips skimmed across her collarbone as he pushed the fabric away from her neck, but he didn't seem to notice.
He then took her chin and carefully lifted it upward so that he could see her neck better. She looked at him as he rubbed it across her throat, the smell of pine wafting into her nostrils.
"Almost done." he whispered, as he softly blew on the cream to dry it, his warm breath sending chills all throughout her body.
His lips were so close to her throat she thought he might plant a gentle kiss there, but he brought his head up and she lowered her chin.
"There, that should help...something" he said, as he put the jar back on the lid.
"Thank you." she said, her voice almost gone
He gave that smirk and smiled back as he grabbed the jar and lantern and stood up.
"Get some more sleep, Callie. You need it." he said before settling back in his lookout from the window.
"Goodnight." he said.
"Goodnight."
Dean shut the curtains completely and left her in darkness as she lied back down, the cream on her neck causing a cool sensation. She closed her eyes and prayed she had a dreamless sleep.
When she awoke again, it was still pitch black in their little room. She sat up and wondered where she was for a moment. She distinctly remembered Dean, his lips hovering over her throat for...for what? She let her fingers slide across her throat and she felt the remnants of the cream. Her bruises, he was tending to her bruises.
She slowly stood up, remembering her injured thigh. She then felt for the crusty floor with her feet.
She hobbled out of her bed and crept past the beds where Sam and Bobby were sleeping, opened the door, and emerged out onto the parking lot. It was very early morning, but morning nonetheless. There was still a tint of black among the sky as the sun rose, it seemed, from out of the ocean. They were still on the coast.
She leaned against the handicapped railing to relieve her leg and she finally beheld the beauty where she lived.
The wind whipped her hair around, allowing several more strands of hair to fall in her face. She completely understood why Dean loved freedom and needed to be outside. It was a lovely feeling.
"Good mornin!" she heard behind her as she twirled around
She squinted to see Dean calling from inside the hotel room; his jacket on his shoulders, his hair being tossed like the waves below her, a satisfied smirk on his face. He looked absolutely handsome.
She waved to him and made her way towards the door, being careful with her leg as she climbed the three concrete steps.
"Good morning, Dean." she said, smiling sleepily
"How you feeling?"
"Sore."
"I'd suspect so. The bruising will be there for a while, but I wouldn't worry about it." he chirped, shutting the door behind him.
"Are you the only one awake?" Callope inquired, leaning forward on the rail.
"Nah, Sam and Bobby and in the room going over the map."
Just as he stopped speaking, Bobby and Sam sprung from the room, right on cue. Sam was being followed by Bobby who was shouting something unintelligent to the younger hunter. Sam turned around and rolled his eyes.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" he growled
"But it's true! Dean told me himself! Didn't you, Dean?" Sam asked, looking to Dean and Calliope near the railing.
Dean lifted an eyebrow at the men.
"Didn't I what?"
"Yesterday you told me about that woman from Spain who was a witch!"
"Yeah."
"And that she forced herself on you with her dark, magical ways and that she was the best whore you ever laid!"
Dean sheepishly turned to look at Calliope who looked appalled and slightly confused.
He turned his attention towards the two gentlemen.
"I said no such thing." he said, looking awfully bored with the conversation and dismissing the accusation away with his hand
"Ha!" Bobby laughed
Sam only looked at Dean and shook his head in disgrace as Bobby rubbed it in his face.
"I did not say she forced herself on me. I said I wooed her with my good looks and charm and that her black magically powers had no effect over me. If anything, MY powers overthrew hers. She couldn't help herself." Dean said, a cocky look on his face
Bobby sighed and rolled his eyes once again as Sam let out a deep, hearty laugh. Dean looked to Calliope with a smirk and winked at her. She smiled back and tried not to think about what that night with the Spanish Witch entailed, if it was even true.
"Gentlemen!" Dean shouted over the roar of the sea.
"What?" Bobby screeched as he and Sam turned to face the helm
"Come here!"
They obeyed without question, although Bobby looked highly annoyed.
The stood by Calliope as they looked to the hunter.
"Wake up! You don't get to sleep all morning," Jack ordered
Sam nodded and Bobby stayed put, his arms folded on defiance.
"Dean, you forget that I'm also a captain of this ship." he said
"Part time, co-captain, Bobby; a title you share with Sam. So really, you're Part time assistant to the co-captain/first mate." Dean replied, trying not to laugh
"So I've been told." Bobby said, dryly
"I'm only joking, Bobby! Oh! You haven't been properly introduced!" Dean said, letting go of the railing and sauntering over to Calliope
"Bobby Singer, this is Calliope McKenna. Calliope, Bobby." he said, patting her on the back
"Nice to meet you." she said quietly, intimidated by the look of the man
"Same."
"You two are gonna be wonderful friends" Dean said, Laughing and punching Bobby on the shoulder
"How about we see if this town has some food?" Dean asked