AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'm so sorry that these chapters are short, but expect two more tonight.

WARNINGS: Language, Violence, Sex, Dirty Thoughts, Innuendo, Dark Themes

ENJOY!

xxxx

Dean ran his fingers through Brooke's hair and held her closing him, spooning her that night. He'd gotten her some Ibuprofen and some food, arming the system and then bringing her to bed with him. She had been through a lot and he wanted her to calm down because once they had gotten to the house she had been visibly more nervous. She'd been possessed—she'd had a demon inside of her.

"What was it like?" Dean asked her softly.

Brooke scrunched up her nose. "I hated it. I could see everything but I couldn't move. Someone else was in control of my movements and I couldn't fix it…it was frustrating."

"Sounds it," Dean said, pulling Brooke tighter against her when he heard her voice choke up. "Shh…it's okay—you don't have to talk about it."

"I tried to kill my mother." Brooke said sadly, tears filling her eyes. "I tried to kill my mother and then I hurt my father and I almost hurt you and Sam."

"You don't have to talk about it," Dean repeated, kissing her head.

Brooke nodded slowly. "It was scary…what if that's what it's like with an angel inside of me too?"

Dean was a little taken back by the question—did Brooke intend to give an angel control of her body? It sounded to him like Brooke had already made up her mind and he really wished that she would look at more facts before deciding something as monumental as this. What was she thinking?

"You're letting Ananiel in?" Dean asked her softly, hurt in his voice.

Brooke squeezed his hand and held it up to her mouth, kissing his knuckles. "I've been thinking about it. I'd rather an angel in my body than another demon."

"We can keep demons out of you." Dean said quickly. "There are other ways than that."

"What if letting the angel in helps people though?" Brooke asked him.

Dean didn't understand it, but Brooke wanted so badly to be in Dean's league. After having a demon inside of her calling the shots and hurting people, Brooke knew just how wonderful Dean really was. He spent part of his time and energy helping people selflessly, putting himself in danger for perfect strangers just to make the world a better place than it was.

Dean Winchester was a hero.

She was selfish keeping him all to herself.

She had to prove herself to him.

"Brooke, hey…don't make this kind of decision based on that." Dean told her, placing a kiss behind her ear. "You can't make yourself uncomfortable just for the sake of a demon and angel war."

Brooke wiped a tear away as Dean ran his hands down her, resting on her hip and drawing lazy circles along her thigh as he hiked up her nightgown a bit. The movement was making Brooke feel a little bit more relaxed, but at the same time she knew she had to ask the question that came out next.

"Don't you feel uncomfortable every time you have to hunt?" Brooke asked him.

Dean took a deep breath—great…he was being a hypocrite. Brooke was trying to prove to him that she was just as selfless as he was but she didn't need to. Dean loved her, and he was protecting her because he didn't want her to turn into him. He was so damaged and he wanted Brooke to be as untouched by all of this nonsense as possible.

"I'm trying to protect you from all of this." Dean responded softly.

Brooke nodded. "I know, and thank you for that, but I really need to start standing on my own two feet again, you know? I need to make decisions on my own and travel on my own and be me again. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah…I don't like it…but I get it." Dean said, listening to her as she continued.

"I mean everyone in my life tries to protect me," Brooke reminded him. "Everyone thinks they're doing right by me, but you're the only one that protects me while letting me in on things—since I found out, of course. Why is that?"

"I have other reasons to protect you." Dean responded with a shrug.

Brooke nodded slowly, thinking back to what it was like when Vetis was in here. Even when she was feeling claustrophobic in her own skin, Brooke had heard everything and she knew about Dean's confession. At first it had scared her, and though it still did, Brooke felt comfortable knowing how he really felt about her. It was hard for her to let men into her heart and she was afraid to say it back, but as she thought more about it, she was certain that she felt along the same lines with him.

"Did you mean it?" Brooke asked him.

Dean swallowed and ran his nose along the shell of her ear. "Did I mean what?"

"What you said to Vetis." Brooke answered, not wanting to say it for him just in case he decided to take it back.

"Yeah…I did." Dean said with a nod, loosening his hold on Brooke as she turned around in his arms and looked him in the eye. "You trying to give me an 'out'?"

"I'm always giving you the option of having an 'out'." Brooke told him with a shrug and a soft smile. "I'm not going to trap you…ever."

Dean kissed her gently, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "I don't want an 'out', Davis…I'm in too deep now."

"Well, just know you always have the option of walking away." Brooke said with a shrug, smiling when Dean kissed her again.

"I really, really don't." Dean told her softly. "I couldn't walk away from you if I tried."

Brooke smiled and kissed him hard, Dean smiling a little as her tongue teased the corners on his mouth, glad that she knew. He hadn't actually said the words again, but he knew that she knew and he wanted her to know. He wasn't even upset that she hadn't said it back because he got it—she was still broken and he was still piecing her back together. Eventually they'd be there…eventually they would be able to just say it out loud and not feel this sinking feeling that the admission would bring a demon into their lives that would ruin everything for good.

"I think you're wearing too many clothes…" Brooke whispered, her hands straying down his body, reaching for the bottom of his t-shirt.

Dean chuckled and went to whisper in her ear. "I think you're right…but that's probably you're Dad and I'm already on his list, so…"

"Fine, answer the phone." Brooke said as she rolled her eyes. "You can make it up to me later, Boyfriend. In fact…" Brooke got out of the bed and went to the bedroom door. "I think I'm in need of a shower and I could use an extra pair of hands…"

"I'll be right there." Dean promised, answering the phone as Brooke left the room, wishing that ringtone hadn't gone off. "What do you need, Bobby?"

Bobby took a deep breath. "I think I found something about Ananiel—you and Brooke should get here quick."

Note: Bobby is such a cockblock—but I love him. Feedback is always appreciated!