"Watch out!" Sam yelled as he reached out and grabbed Sara's arm, pulling her back as an old truck blew past her going way to fast for a truck stop parking lot.
"Jackass!" Dean yelled at the truck, daring it to turn around. To his disappointment it just kept going until it was out of sight.
"Thanks…" Sara sighed. Linking her arm around Sam's and looking both ways before they all moved towards the front doors.
"This place is huge." Sam mumbled as they walked in.
"A diner, a taco stand, convenience store, showers, beer… everything a man on the road needs." Dean admired.
"It smells like a dirty kitchen sink in here." Sara said turning up her nose.
"Well, can't win 'em all." Dean shrugged.
"Okay, let's pick an area and get busy." Sam said as he spun in one place. "I'll take the cashier and the taco guy, Dean you take the showers. Meet at the diner."
"And me?" Sara asked.
"Well I assumed you'd come with me unless you wanted a tour of the men's showers?" Sam teased.
"Shut up." She punched him lightly as they split up.
She and Sam made their way to the registers first. Sara watched as Sam flashed a few pictures, these people didn't even ask for a badge. Rather they turned to each other and discussed to themselves before speaking up.
"Those two on the left." The obviously stoned guy pointed. "They were both here, both looking for a good time. Asked if we had a lot of lizards around, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah. I got it." Sam said as his eyebrows raised slightly. Sara however looked between the cashier and him confused. He moved to grab her by the arm and pull her outside the doors to the taco stand in the parking lot off to the side of the building, but this time he kept his hand over the small of her back.
She sensed the difference in his movements. Trying to figure out what pushed his 'must protect Sara' button.
"Hi." Sara smiled to the old man in the old truck. "I was wondering if you remember seeing any of these guys recently?"
She held up the photos and the man took them from her.
"Si, si…" he said as he put two of the photos down and handed one back to her. He obviously didn't speak any English but this was his way of telling them he'd seen the man.
"Was he alone?"
"Uhhh…" The man shrugged, also apparently not understanding much English either. Sara sighed, but at least she knew he probably made one hell of a taco.
"Well, we got what we need. Let's go meet Dean." Sam said, pulling her towards him again as they moved back inside and towards the diner. Sara spotted Dean at a booth in the corner, he had already ordered drinks for the 3 of them as he glanced at the menu.
"Find anything?" He asked as they slid in, Sam putting his arm behind Sara and looking around to make sure they had privacy.
"Yeah, all 3 vics got a positive ID. What about you?"
"A bunch of bare bodies I don't care to remember."
Sara giggled.
"Hey, um… what did that guy mean about the lizards?" Sara asked.
"Oh." Dean laughed. "So we got a reptile show in town?"
"Yeah. Apparently so, by the looks of it I'd say it's probably a hot spot." Sam said looking around again. It was then Sara followed his gaze and realized that there were young girls walking up and down the row in front of the parked 18-wheelers. 2 more at the bar of the diner, even though they didn't order anything but a coke.
"Wait… are, are they hookers?" Sara asked confused.
"Lot Lizards, sweetheart. They don't like the term hookers."
"Lot Lizards? That's disgusting…"
"Yeah." Sam said as he moved closer to her again. He hated the thought that they would be heavily outnumbered by the amount of men in and out of this place on a daily basis.
"Sam." Sara mumbled. He looked down at her. "I'm okay, I carry a gun now, and I know how to aim."
He smiled down to her and she smiled back, but to appease him she leaned against him slightly. Dean smiling at her from across the table, happy to know when he wasn't looking she was still safe. Although he never doubted that with Sam around.
…..
…..
…..
"As far as I can tell based on local arrest records there's not consistency in the girls, which isn't uncommon. They stick around for a while, get bored, hitch a ride to a new place… if they're lucky." Sam explained.
"How desperate does someone have to be to climb into those trucks with strangers on a regular basis, and then agree to drive off with them? I mean… what's the point?" Sara asked baffled as she shook her head.
"Drugs. Daddy issues. Free travel… take your pick." Dean sighed as he tipped his beer bottle back.
"So what's our angle?"
"Don't know yet. We need to watch a little longer. See if we can find out what's hunting around here."
"Any ideas?"
"Succubus or a Siren maybe, but not likely… they usually make the vic kill someone closest to them. I think we need to check the bodies. Maybe go undercover, get a truck… dress like a hobo."
"What and let either of you smell like a trash can?" Sara argued. "Hell no… besides you two cannot blend in there. You would stand out like a sore thumb."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked offended.
"You both are way to clean cut, too good looking… despite Dean's efforts no beer belly."
Dean shot Sara a well crafted bitchface and she shrugged in return.
"Okay, so what's your suggestion?" Sam countered.
"Well, I'd blend in a lot easier than either of you."
"No." Dean said shortly, Sam echoed in unison.
"I mean, I won't fight you on it. But we all know its our best chance of scoping things out without raising any eyebrows."
"Sara." Dean sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Do you know what kind of things could happen?"
"Yes. Demons. Monsters. Whatever the hell we're hunting…"
"No." Sam countered. "Truckers."
"Exactly!" Dean agreed. "Those guys can be some of the lowest. They aren't nice to women, and who knows how many of them are serial killers, I mean really it's the perfect opportunity."
"Like I told Sam earlier, I carry a gun. Dean you know I can shoot it, and I know that both of you will be watching me the entire time. It's a good idea, even if the two of you don't like it." She offered as she stood. "I'm gonna jump in the shower, you let me know what you decide when I'm done."
Dean shook his head as he watched her walk away, grabbing her bag before disappearing behind the door. He turned to look at Sam who seemed to be chewing on his lip, deep in thought.
"What are you thinking?" Dean asked.
"That she's right. I hate it, but she is." Sam sighed.
"No… no way."
"Dean. I don't like it. I hate it… I'm not sure I even want to say this out loud but she's the only one those girls will talk to. She'll be able to feel it out, see if they know anything the police don't. Which chances are they do and they just aren't talking."
"No."
"Okay." Sam sighed. "But just remember that the more we tell her no, the more likely she is to do something behind our backs, and then we can't protect her."
"She wouldn't."
"If she thought it was helping us, you know she would."
"Shut up."
Dean stood and walked out the door, taking in a breath of cold air. He walked out to the car and leaned against the trunk. The motel was only across the street from the truck stop and he found himself watching as the women traveled back in forth in pairs and groups.
"They're scared." He mumbled to himself. "Shit."
He ran his hand through his hair and turned to walk back inside the room. He sat on the bed while Sam stood and began to pack away his laptop for the night, laying down salt and checking traps. Dean waited until Sara stepped out of the bathroom and then traded places.
"He mad?" Sara said as she crossed her arms and sat on the foot of Sam's bed.
"No. He's just arguing with himself. For good reason too. I don't want you alone with any of them, the truckers or the girls."
"Hey." Sara said trying to force him to look down at her. Finally, he turned and did so. "I love you."
"I love you too." Sam said as he walked over and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you're trying to protect me, but I really believe I can do this."
"That's not the problem, Sara. I know you can do it, it's just whether or not we can stomach it."
"You two are so dramatic sometimes." She rolled her eyes playfully.
"You must be referring to the other Winchester." Sam teased back.
"What about me?" Dean asked with his arms crossed as he stepped out in a gray tshirt and black sweats. Sara turned at his voice and almost lost her breath. She never got used to seeing him, at least once a day she would turn and look at him just to find herself unable to look away.
"Just that you can be a little… dramatic, when it comes to my safety."
"That's not dramatic sweetheart, it's smart."
"Sure." She smiled back at him. This time it was him who almost couldn't fill his lungs with air. He could see that she was settling onto Sam's bed. He would never admit it out loud but he never slept as well when she slept across the room from him.
"Listen. It's not that I don't think you can't protect yourself. It's just. That is not a place that someone like you belongs."
"Thanks, but just remember… I'm willing to do it."
…..
…..
…..
"Damn." Sam sighed as they stood against the crime scene tape.
"How did we not hear a thing? See anything?" Sara asked as she looked around, the motel literally within yelling distance.
"Nothing to hear." Dean said walking back over to them. "No blood loss, but every vessel in his eyes ruptured. Same as the other vics."
"He suffocated." Sara mumbled.
"Huh?"
"He must have suffocated. People who hang themselves or get choked usually rupture capillaries in their face and eyes."
"Well that makes sense." Sam nodded.
"Yeah okay but what kinda monster suffocates its victims?" Dean challenged.
"I'm just giving you the medical facts, the monsters are all you Dean. I do kinda wish we were out here last night though. Maybe be the last one for a while ya know?"
"Sara. Don't do that."
"It's true. We waste opportunities when we're more concerned with my safety then the case."
"Sara, your safety will trump any case we ever take. That's nothing new."
"Dean. Let me help."
"No."
"Why?!" Sara groaned exasperated as they began to walk back to the motel and Dean walked away from her not bothering to look at her when he rejected her help.
"Because!" He said turning on his foot, Sara going toe to toe with him. "The girls are scared… If they're scared then they're in danger, and I'm not putting you in a situation I KNOW is dangerous unless it is the last resort."
"What do you mean they're scared?" Sam asked. Trying to break the tension between them.
"They're moving in pairs, groups. Not a one of them went anywhere alone last night when I was watching."
"But all the bodies have been men." Sam questioned out loud.
"I know, which makes no sense. Which is why I'm saying that we're not sending her in there until we know more."
"Fine. I'm sorry." Sara said as she crossed her arms and moved to walk back towards the motel. Sam and Dean following behind her.
"Hey Sam?" Sara asked as they got back to the room. "Can you run me to the store? I wanna grab a few things."
"Sure." He said as Dean handed him the keys willingly.
"I'll see what else I can grab from the scene and the unis circling around." Dean nodded at him.
"Thanks." Sara mumbled as she went to follow Sam out the door, but a hand grabbed her arm gently.
"Sara wait." Dean sighed, she turned to look back at him. "I know you're trying to help. I know you're smart and you're tough, and you can do what needs to be done. But please trust me this time, we need to wait and see what we find before we make any decisions."
Sara looked him in the eye. He wasn't angry or scolding, but he wasn't asking either.
"Okay. I trust you." She said squeezing his arm before she walked away.
She got in the car and looked up to Sam.
"Anywhere in particular?"
"Somewhere that sells clothes a lot lizard would wear." She said calmly as she buckled her belt.
"Sara." Sam sighed. "Dean will flip his lid."
"I'm not going out there until you both say so, but I want to be ready when the time comes. Please. I promise I'm not going until you and he both sign off on it."
"Fine." He sighed.
…..
…..
…..
"Okay, the girls aren't talking to the cops, but I was able to get one to sit and talk with me while you were gone."
"Imagine that." Sara mumbled sarcastically. Dean ignoring what he thought he heard.
"The girls are going in pairs everywhere because of the murders, but none of them have been attacked. None of them have seen anything really either. The only thing she did say is that one of them was with the guy the night he died, but other than being an ass there wasn't anything that stood out about him."
"Any pattern on the vics they identified?" Sam asked.
"Yes!" Dean said excited as he dug into his pizza. "They all had some kind of weird fantasy fetish with sci-fi shit."
"Sci-fi shit?" Sara questioned. "Could they narrow that down?"
"Um, I mean I didn't ask for the specifics but some were into Elves and Lord of the Rings type stuff, others more into aliens and star trek."
"Okay. Well. That's something at least." Sam sighed, obviously not seeing that as very valuable information.
"So do you still feel like we should wait to go in undercover?" Sara asked.
Dean looked up to her.
"Two conditions."
"Name it." Sara nodded.
"You don't get in a single one of those trucks."
"Done."
"And you wear a mic so that we can hear what's going on incase you leave our line of sight."
"Okay. I think that's fair, I actually agree with both of those." Sara nodded in agreement. "They make me feel better too."
"Okay… well. I think we're gonna have to find something for you to wear, because you don't exactly blend in either."
"Well… about that." Sara bit her lip as Dean's eyes landed on her.
"What did you do?"
"I figured that if I trusted you to say when, you would trust me to do the deed. So, I already got supplies."
"Really?" Dean turned to Sam throwing his hand in the air. "You took her hooker shopping?"
"I just drove the car." Sam said with his hands slightly raised as he leaned back in his chair. "I don't like it either, Dean."
"Okay. I'm gonna get dressed."
"I'll get your mic wired and Bluetooth it into the laptop so we can keep surveillance going." Sam nodded stepping out to Baby.
Dean sat on the bed against the headboard, his feet crossed at his ankles as he tipped back a beer and flipped through the TV channels. Sam wandered back in and began testing the equipment. It took about half an hour, but finally Sara opened the door.
"Hey, can one of you help me zip these damn boots?" She said walking towards them.
Both Sam and Dean sat in silence, staring.
"What?" Sara asked nervously.
Dean looked her up and down. She was barefoot for the moment, but wore a white far too low cut tank that was cropped at the bottom, might as well not wear anything at all since the black lace bra underneath wasn't hidden in the last bit. Her denim mini skirt was definitely not in fashion, but would let her blend in with the rest of the girls who seem to be stuck in the early 2000's. Finally she topped it off with a black faux fur jacket.
"Hello?" She asked looking between them.
Dean followed her body up to her face. She had lined her eyes with a shade of dark black and silver glitter. Her lips far too bright a shade of pink to look natural.
Part of him wanted to her to wear this every day all day, a chance to stare at her body in ways he normally isn't allowed, but the other part of him looked at her teased hair and heavy make-up and he knew she was far too beautiful to be over there with the rest of those girls or paint so much crap on her face.
"Dean!" She said loudly as she crossed her arms and started back at him, beginning to feel self-conscious at the way they stared. It finally snapped them both from their gaze.
"Uh. Um… yeah, uh here. Sit down." Dean said as he fumbled with his drink and moved off the bed, insisting she sit down as he grabbed one of the knee-high white pleather boots.
Sara leaned back on her elbows and stuck her leg out towards him, he slid the boot onto her foot and zipped it all the way up her calf, his hand shaking slightly as he pulled at the top and grazed against her upper leg.
Sara tried very carefully not to flash Dean every bit of her business from this position, but she honestly wouldn't care if he caught a glance or two of the black lace underwear that matched her bra.
"Dean?" She asked softly as he slid on the other boot.
"Hm?" He said looking up to her, his hands freezing.
"Do I look terrible?"
"No." He chuckled slightly. "It… looks very authentic."
"Is that good or bad?" She asked, again nervous that she couldn't read his reaction.
"You definitely don't look like our Sara, but… its kinda hot." He finally smiled slightly, reaching out his hand to help her stand as he got the zipper all the way up.
She took his hand and she could swear that his eyes looked a shade darker than usual, something in the way he looked at her sending heat through her body.
"Speaking of our, Sara." Sam hesitantly interrupted them, watching the two idiots stare each other down like they wanted to rip each other's clothes off. Although he had to admit, Sara definitely was going in prepared and dressed for the part. He however much rather have her in a hoodie and converse. "You're going to need to come up with a fake name, something easy and quick so you won't forget it."
"Use something that begins with S, it makes it easier." Dean added.
"Um.. Samantha?" She shrugged, no clue on what name actually sounded sexy enough to be a hooker.
"Sammi." Dean said with raised eyebrows. Sara turned to look at him and nodded with a smirk.
"I certainly won't forget it."
"Thanks." Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, her mic is on the table. Hook it up while I go grab an extra battery pack for the laptop out of the car."
"Yeah." He said as he reached down and grabbed the very small microphone with the thin wire and only slightly larger battery, enough to fit a watch battery and nothing else.
He approached her hesitantly as she slid her jacket off, leaving her even more exposed than before. Dean swallowed slightly.
"How do we put it on?" She asked, half nervous and half hoping the needed to conceal it somewhere that her skin would feel the fire from his touch.
"Do you mind?" He asked respectfully as he looked down and gestured toward her chest.
"No, go ahead." She bit her lip slightly, Dean having to pull his eyes away from her.
"Um, turn around, and I'll feed the wire around the back."
Sara followed his instructions and turned her back towards him.
"Lift your arms for me."
Sara complied and raised them just far enough to cross at the wrists behind her head. Dean bit down on his lip to keep from licking them at how easily she obeyed and gave him access to her body. He reached around and stepped closer until his body was barely brushed against her back. He leaned his head over one of her arms so that he could see where his hands were going. Sara could feel his breath beside her face and it was just enough to drive her crazy, the slight smell of whiskey only adding to her need for him to touch her.
Dean reached down and his hand slid inside the right cup on her bra, his fingers sliding against her breast slightly as he tried to find a well hidden pinch of fabric to clip the mic to. Her lips parted and she tried to stop the light gasp that left her mouth, but she wasn't fast enough. Her eyes closed and her heart raced, praying he didn't hear it.
"Sorry." He mumbled, the sound humming against her ear.
"You're fine." She whispered back. Dean struggled to get the mic down far enough that it would be hidden, and as he finally just told himself he was going to have to reach down a little further his finger bumped against cool metal, the slight bump against her piercing sending shock waves through her.
"Hmm." Sara coughed lightly at the sensation just as Dean finally clipped the mic and pulled his hand back slowly. Dean couldn't even bring himself to apologize, unsure he could acknowledge what just happened without giving himself and his desire to touch it again away. He didn't miss the goosebumps that now ran across her shoulder and down her arms.
"I'm going to wrap the wire around and clip this part to the back, okay?" He mumbled gently as his hands moved towards her right ribcage and he pulled at the side of her bra.
"Uh huh." She breathed, not trusting herself to say anything else. His hands began wrapping the wire in and out around the fabric until it was pulled taught, his fingers moved and slid against the skin on her back as he pulled her hair to the side and over her left shoulder.
His touch was warm, and she almost couldn't stop herself from audibly sighing at the sensation of his fingers grazing across her back after he finally clipped the battery in place on the inside of the clasp.
How was he always so warm? She wondered to herself.
"All done." He said again, pulling his body away from hers reluctantly. She shivered slightly as the loss of heat and the desire to move with him. "Feel okay? Not in the way of anything?"
She turned to face him, and her eyes must have been three shades darker than they were before she turned, because Dean had never seen her look at him like that before. Not even during her drunken attempts to expose his feelings for her.
"It's a little close." She swallowed. "Metal doesn't interfere with anything right?" Her eyes danced back and forth but never left his. Her voice was an octave lower and somehow reminded him of the way silk felt against his skin.
"I sure hope not." He said back, unable to tear his eyes away from hers as she chewed on her lip. He could have sworn she was trying to call his bluff right then and there.
"Maybe you should try and adjust it again." She said, unsure where her boldness was coming from as she took a step towards him, their bodies not even an inch apart.
This time it was Dean whose lips parted as his tongue licked at his bottom one without his permission. His hand reached up to her neck, finger tips barely making contact with her skin as they slid all the way down between her breasts. Sara's breath stopped as she forced herself to focus only on his hand, and the fact that he had yet to pull his eyes off of hers.
"Okay we're good to go." Sam said as he barged back in the front door. Sara jumped and Dean's hand quickly retreated as they both finally tore their eyes away.
"Yeah. Uh… all good here." Dean said nervously as he quickly turned and walked towards the fridge.
"I'll meet you outside." Sara smiled at Sam as she walked and closed the door behind her.
"Umm… was I interrupting?" Sam teased Dean with a smile pulling at his lips.
"Shut up." Dean rolled his eyes. "I need a fucking drink."
He grabbed his flask out of his bag and moved towards the door. Sam grinned to himself like a school girl and shook his head before going to meet with them.
…..
…..
…..
"Okay. Dean is on the other side of the parking lot. I'm going to be sitting right inside the diner by this window. Stay in view and keep your phone in your hand. We communicate by text, unless you feel uncomfortable for any reason at all. Do you remember the safe word?"
"Ramble On."
"Okay. You got this." He said kissing her on the top of the head before going to move towards the diner.
"Hey Sam." She called to him, and he turned back towards her. "Don't let me get kidnapped by a trucker."
"Not on our watch." He winked. He disappeared and Sara looked towards the back of the parking lot where Baby was parked. She knew Dean was watching, he was always watching. The heat between the two of them from earlier leaving her brain reeling.
Did he want that as bad as she did? Or was her brain just playing tricks again… it was probably just the clothes. She told herself she was more Dean's type right now in these boots then she ever had been before. Dean flashed his brights at her twice, an attempt to reassure her.
Sara took a deep breath and walked around from the back of the building. She meandered slowly, watching as the men came back and forth from the building to the rows of trucks, the girls spread out, a few leaned against the front of the large trucks, a few sitting on the sidewalk by the front door. Sara took a few steps towards them, but kept her distance and leaned against a parking post right outside of the diner windows, knowing Sam was watching closely.
"Hey." One of the girls on the corner of the sidewalk looked up towards her.
"Yeah?" Sara said back, playing much tougher than she felt. Truth was she was kind of terrified, not that she was going to be taken by the monster, but that they would see right through her and have fought this battle to help the case for no good reason.
"You got a light?"
"You got one of those to spare?" She countered.
The girl with blonde and black hair reached into her purse and lifted her pack of cigarettes towards Sara. She took steps to close the gap between them as she dug into her small purse for a lighter. Something she was never without since traveling with the boys. She carefully squatted down with her knees pushed together and stuck it out towards the girl who still sat on the sidewalk with two cigarettes in her mouth, the flame reaching the end of them both.
The girl inhaled, coughed slightly, and pulled one of the lit cigarettes out and handed it to Sara.
"Thanks." She mumbled as Sara took the cigarette from her hand. "You new here?"
"Yeah. Just left some asshole who gave me a ride here from Oklahoma City." She inhaled and blew out a puff of smoke. Sam watched in shock, he had never imagined Sara as a smoker, but he had to admit she was playing the part well.
"What he get tired of you?"
"I got tired of smelling Cheetos and Dr. Pepper every morning when I got dressed."
"Yeah. Been there." She shrugged.
"You been here long?"
"A few weeks or so, just passing through really."
"Where ya headed?"
"Anywhere that pays well."
"Good luck. I haven't had much luck finding a millionaire at one of these yet." Sara said as she finally sat back beside the girl, the other two getting up and walking towards the rows of trucks in front of them.
"Did I offend them?" She asked, pretending to sound like she didn't care as she inhaled from the cigarette again.
"They're travel buddies. Trying to get guys to pay a little more for both, seems to work for em though." She nodded forward, Sara turned to follow her gaze as the two girls were in either arm of a man. The giggles floating over to you in the cold air.
"Well I'll be damned." Sara shook her head. "So what's the deal with this place?"
"What do you mean?" The other girl asked suspiciously, sending red flags to Sara.
"I mean what do I need to know, should I bounce quick and get he hell out of here or can I cash in for a while before I take off again?"
"I don't know. I've seen some shit I didn't care for."
"Like what?"
"Few guys died."
"Died?" Sara asked. "Like overdosed on titties and beer or what?"
The girl laughed.
"Oh you're funny. I like you…" She looked at her questioningly.
"Sammi." Sara smiled.
"Sammi. I'm Kelly, and no. Like. Killed by someone."
"So we're not safe here?"
"Oh sweetie you must be new to this if you think we're ever safe."
"I uh. I needed to start over, I needed to get a clean break."
"Don't gotta tell your story to me, save it for one of these cheap assholes. They get off on that sappy shit."
"The girls getting killed?"
"Nope." Kelli shook her head, sounding surprised.
"Should I check them for murder weapons?" You joked.
"Ha, Jokes… Sammi I don't know much about what the hells going on at this place, but I know aint none of these girls able to take down a grown ass man like that."
"Well." Sara said as she stood. "Thanks for the smoke, I'm gonna see if I can to find a place to crash around here. Maybe someone's feeling lonely tonight."
"Keep away from the middle-aged ones, go young or old. The bastards in the middle are too cheap. See that one on the end down there?" Kelly asked pointing to a light blue truck, no trailer attached.
"Yeah?"
"It's been here since I got here, keys are gone but the doors don't seem to lock. There's room for one more if you strike out."
"Thanks." Sara smiled as she walked around the front of the building, pulling out her phone.
"I'm impressed and disturbed all at the same time." Dean had texted to the group message.
"You better buy some mouthwash if you're sharing my bed tonight." Sam had added.
"Thanks assholes." Sara typed. "I gotta pee, BRB."
Sara walked in the front doors, looking over to Sam across the other end of the building. He nodded to her, watching the clock and telling himself she had 3 minutes before he made his way to the bathrooms.
Sara walked through the chips and drinks to wind her way to the back of the building near the bathrooms.
"Hey there, hunny." A guy in a baseball cap and two day old clothes stopped her by grabbing her arm and turning her towards him before he let her go.
"Hi." Sara smiled politely as she went to walk away.
"Whoa whoa… slow down sweetheart." He said reaching out again.
Dean sat straight up in the seat, listening carefully as he heard the man call her by the name he reserved for her. He hated the way it sounded out of anyone else's mouth.
"I'm on my way to the bathroom, just need to freshen up first." Sara smiled seductively, knowing if she could just get on the other side of the door she could text for Sam to run him off.
"Oh there's no need for that. We can do that together." He said as he looked up to the "Showers" sign above them, the entrance only a few feet behind him, and the bathrooms a few feet behind Sara. She began to gauge if she could outrun him in the opposite direction.
"I don't know… I. Uh. I hate to bore you, I'd just ramble on all night probably." Sara laughed as he moved towards her, the hair on her neck standing up.
The words triggered an immediate reaction from both brothers. Sam leaped out of the booth and Dean gunned the car forward towards the building. But neither of them were quicker than the man when he yanked Sara towards him and threw his hand over her mouth, dragging her backwards into the men's showers while she tried to scream and fight.
"Hush now." He growled into her ear as they went around the corner, panic coursing through her veins like it was replacing the blood in her body. "I like it when they fight, but you can't be so loud."
There was a loud thud and then suddenly she was falling to the ground, the man's grip now gone as his body weight fell towards her. She scrambled to get away and looked up, seeing Kelly with a small metal bar in her hands.
"Let's go!" Kelly yelled as she reached down and grabbed Sara's hand, the two of them scrambling away.
Just as they turned the corner back into the store they slammed against someone, Kelly reaching up with the bar.
"WAIT!" Sara yelled as he put herself between Kelly and Sam before she could swing. "He's with me!"
Kelly looked between them confused.
"Sara?!" Sam said as he grabbed her by the shoulders, looking her frightened face over for any sign of injury. She couldn't respond before Dean came around the corner, gun drawn and nose flaring. He barely stopped once they came into view, carefully sliding his gun back in his waist band. He looked around and moved towards them, grabbing Sara by the arm and pulling her to him.
"Are you okay?" He said so roughly she wasn't sure it was even the words he said. "Sara?!"
"Yeah, I-I'm fine. Dean, I'm fine." She nodded, trying not to let him see the fear on her face or he'd never let her do anything like this again.
"Sara?" Kelly asked out loud looking between the three of you. "Who the fuck are you people?"
"Kelly." Sara breathed. "Thank you."
"Who are you?" She said as she crossed her arms.
"I'm Sara, this is Sam and Dean. They're brothers and we were here investigating the murders. I-I was undercover, and… I just wasn't fast enough, he just. Grabbed me."
Dean noticed as her hands shook, and she crossed her arms across her chest so that she could hide it from them. His blood boiled.
"Where is he?!"
"Sleeping off his concussion in the bathroom floor, thanks to her." Sara said looking back at Kelly.
"Let's get you outta here." Sam said as he pulled Sara towards him. "Kelly, would you like a room for the night? It's the least we could do."
"Shit. Aint gotta ask me twice, am I sharing it with you?" She grinned. Sara chuckled, finally feeling some of the tension in the air dissipate. But she could still feel Dean fuming behind her.
They all moved towards the door.
"Sara get in the car." Dean demanded as he broke away from them and back towards Baby. Sam and Kelly continued to walk towards the motel, Sam looked back at her and nodded, telling her she was fine to leave him with their new found friend.
Sara sighed slightly, unsure of what was fixing to come out of Dean's mouth but she was sure it was a lecture he was trying to spare her the embarrassment of having in front of other people. She opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, moving towards the middle to sit closer, but not too close as she couldn't read his body language at the moment. He slammed the car into drive and pulled out, looping the building and pulling out on the road, taking the extremely short drive to the motel parking lot and parking in a spot in the back before turning to look at her.
She braced herself and sighed.
"Dean look I'-"
"Stop." He interrupted her. He got out of the car and stood there by the open door, extending his hand to pull her out. She accepted it and slid out of the driver side door, Dean closing it behind her. She leaned against the car and he stood in font of her. She waited anxiously for him to break the silence.
"Are you okay?"
The words were much calmer, but still held an edge of frustration.
"Yes."
"Sara… don't lie to me."
Sara's eyes watered slightly. She wanted so desperately to show him that she was capable, but she was afraid if she spoke the stutter in her voice would betray her.
"Don't play tough with me." He said, the words softer than they were before.
Sara cocked her head to the side and bit the inside of her cheek, determined to stop the flood of emotion making its way back up her spine, from where she had shoved it down until she could be alone and process what just happened.
Dean leaned forward, one arm against the car beside her. She fought to keep her breath at a steady pace as he got closer to her. Without warning his other hand slid to her back and pushed her against him, hiding her against his shoulder as she couldn't fight it any longer.
Without having to look him in the eye she finally let a few silent sobs shake her body as she cried into his shoulder. He moved his hand from her back up her neck and to the back of her head, rubbing his finger tips into the tangled hair and against her scalp as he just let her have a minute to let go of what happened.
He knew if he didn't force her to let it out now, she would shove it in some mental box. Hide it from them because she was afraid they'd be mad. Her breath shuttered as she reached up and wiped her face, smearing the too dark make up across her cheek as she pulled back again.
"I'm fine Dean. I just… I just feel his hands." She cringed.
"Sara, did- did he hurt you, or touch your-"
"No. No… he didn't get that far." She assured him as she continued to try and wipe the make up off of her cheek, but every swipe just seemed to make it worse.
"Here." Dean mumbled as he licked his thumb, reaching up and swiping it under each eye. She looked up and then back down, anywhere but at him.
"You did good work tonight." He said, catching her off guard. She finally turned her eyes to his.
"You're not mad?"
"At you? No. I'd like to go back and drown that guy in a toilet right now."
"You're not mad at you either right? Because. Sam was literally right there, even if Kelly hadn't been there Sam would have stopped him. I know how you can ge-"
"Sara. Stop." Dean said calmly. "I just need to know that you're okay."
Sara nodded her head up and down, Dean staring at her intently and trying to detect any hint of deception. He was pleased that he didn't find any, and felt better knowing that she didn't try to ignore what happened like she was planning to. He didn't want her to hold onto that… because he would have ripped that man to shreds before he ever looked at her again.
"Let's go inside, get you cleaned up and out of those clothes."
"I thought you liked my clothes." Sara teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"There's a time and place for everything." He winked before she dipped her head and chuckled, chewing on her bottom lip as she led them back to their room.
Once they opened the door they found Kelly and Sam sitting across from each other at the table.
"Hey." Sam said as he stood and walked over to her, pulling her into one of those unmatched Sam hugs. She felt herself take a deep breath for the first time in hours.
"I'm okay." Sara reassured him as she wrapped her arm around his long skinny torso, turning to look back at Kelly.
"Did Sam offer you something to drink? We have some pizza on the counter."
"Oh your boy already set a girl up." Kelly said waiving down to the plate and beer in front of her. "Someone has good taste in beer by the way."
"Thank you." Dean nodded from behind her, she turned and smiled politely before turning back.
"So Sam said you three work for some sort of consulting firm? Trying to find out who's killing the poor bastards over there."
"Yeah." Sara nodded, going with the story. She had gotten better at just knowing when to agree and when to embellish a little.
"I'm sorry I wasn't more help."
"Oh, you were more than enough help tonight." Dean corrected her.
"Kelly I'm going to run and grab you a room, okay? A few nights on us." Sam smiled as he went to leave.
"I'm gonna hit the head." Dean sighed as he moved to the bathroom.
"Okay." Kelly said leaning up towards Sara as she sat at the table. "Which one is yours? Cause I'll take whatever's left."
Sara giggled.
"Yeah, they're pretty damn good looking." Sara nodded. "Sam is my best friend in the world. He's the big brother I never had ya know?"
"OH, see. Now I shoulda known by the way that other one was looking at you."
"No." Sara sighed. "Dean is… complicated. It just isn't going to work between us."
"Do you want it to work?" Kelly challenged. Sara looked up to her, unable to hide her desire for Dean as if it was tattooed on her face. "I'm just saying. He sure seems to want it to work."
"I think you're just misreading the signals, Dean is… um. Promiscuous. I'm sure he'd love to scratch that itch, but its nothing more than that."
"Girl please." Kelly snorted. "I didn't misread shit. That man was ready to kill for you."
"They both would have done that." Sara said, feeling lucky to know that they loved her as much as she loved them.
"Yeah but, not like he was. He was ready to kill that man for putting hands on HIS woman."
"Stop." Sara shushed her as her voice grew louder and she could hear the sink turn on in the bathroom.
"Mmhmmm." Kelly tilted her head and crossed her arms leaning back in the chair and going back to her pizza.
"You don't know anything about the murders, huh?" Dean asked her.
"Just what I told your girl here. They seem to leave the girls alone, and whoever it is doesn't seem to like them bastards as much as I do."
"Well. If you think of anything let us know." Sara stood. "I'm gonna jump in the shower."
"Okay, three nights without having to crash in that old truck." Sam smiled to Kelly as he handed her the keycard.
"Thanks, I appreciate that. If you uh, get lonely… you know where to find me." Kelly winked at him before walking out the door.
Sara and Dean both looked up to Sam with a shit eating grin.
"Stop." Sam warned them, waving his finger back and forth.
"Okay, seriously. I'm showering."
"Brush your teeth too." Sam wrinkled his nose at her. "I can't believe you actually smoked that thing."
"Hey, I was trying to sell it! Besides, show me one foster kid who wasn't smoking by the age of 14." Sara defended as she walked away.
…..
…..
…..
Sara was the first one awake the next morning, prying herself away from the warmth Sam provided. She went to wake him and let him know she was going to step next door, something in Kelly's words last night stuck with her and she needed to talk it out. Sam however looked so peaceful she couldn't bring herself to do it. She knew once he was awake, he was awake. Unlike the other brother. She walked over to Dean's bed and sat on the edge, shaking him softly. He barely blinked.
"Hm?" He asked without barely opening an eye.
"I'm gonna go next door with Kelly for a while."
"Take your gun." Dean mumbled, suddenly more awake.
"Got it, and a knife." Sara smiled as she stood and slipped on some shoes and her hoodie. She stepped out of the room and walked to the left, knocking on the door. She heard footsteps, then Kelly opened it, looking half asleep still herself.
"Yeah?"
"Let me in. I need girl talk." Sara grinned as she lifted a cup of coffee towards Kelly.
"Oh, this is about that man over there. Huh?"
"Shut up and let me in." Sara joked with her, Kelly stepping aside and inviting her inside.
Sara couldn't explain why she felt so open with Kelly. Why she suddenly felt this urge to befriend someone again, like it was a cool drink of water on a hot summer day. She had missed it. The giggling, the boy talk, having no expectations from one another.
Before Sara had realized it, four or five hours had flown by, only interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Hey." Dean smiled as it opened. "Just checking on you over here, you never texted back."
"Oh." Sara said surprised. "I'm sorry, Dean I didn't even hear it go off."
"Yeah, too much fun over here?" Dean teased looking between the two of him, his mind going to dirty places.
"What's the plan today Winchester?" Sara asked as he walked in and leaned against the table.
"Uh, Sams gonna pull surveillance footage from the night of the murders, I'm going to run to the morgue. See if I can find anything on the bodies."
"Ugh. Neither of those sound fun."
"I figured you'd pick the surveillance." Dean shrugged.
"Leave your girl here, I'll keep an eye on her. Besides, you already know I can watch her back."
Dean looked between the two women skeptically, he just… didn't feel right about it.
"I don't know, I mean we have a deadline to get some information on the case turned in an-"
"Please." Sara asked, interrupting him. She looked so relaxed. So at ease, but… He expected her to be focused on solving the case, she was so dedicated to the cause yesterday she almost got herself in trouble.
"Uh. Yeah. I'll swing back by as soon as I'm done and we can talk details on what we find." Dean smiled, but it didn't reach as far as it normally did.
"Yay." Sara squealed slightly as she looked back at Kelly, barely waving Dean off as he left back out the door, he paused before walking back to his own room. He opened the door and Sam immediately noted the lack of Sara's company and the expression on Dean's face.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked before he could even get the door closed again.
"Uh. Nothing I guess… Sara doesn't wanna go. She wants to stay and hang out next door."
"Huh." Sam shrugged. "Maybe uh, maybe last night really shook her up."
"Yeah. Maybe." Dean pondered, but he knew that she had already talked to him about it briefly, and that she really did seem to be handling it better since she had a moment to fall apart.
"I didn't figure she'd want the morgue anyways."
"Yeah, but I figured she'd be ready to find a break in the case, ya know? It was like she wasn't even interested in it."
"Maybe… she misses having another female around. I mean you and I are around 24/7 and its not like we have a lot of other females in and out of the bunker or the motels for her to bond with. I think after last night maybe she just really wanted to connect with someone."
"Sure." Dean nodded his head. "Hey uh, stay here until I'm back. Once I'm here you can go grab tapes. I uh. I don't want her here alone."
"Dean. I can run across the street for the tapes, I'm sure she's fine over there."
"Please." Dean said, Sam knew he didn't pull this card often, so whatever was bothering him wasn't just going away.
"Okay." Sam smiled slightly, trying to figure out why his brother seemed so bothered.
…..
…..
…..
Dean had paced back and forth for the last 3 hours since coming back from the morgue. He kept waiting… waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting for her to pop back over from next door. Waiting for her to decide she wants to work the case she was so set on putting her ass on the line for.
"Okay, that's enough. Go get her." Dean said as Sam finally came back in the door. "She's literally been over there all day and she's not said a word to either of us, does that not strike you as weird."
"Uh. Dean." Sam swallowed. "We have a bigger problem, and I need you not to freak out."
"Every time you do that I freak out."
"Just, don't panic. We need a plan."
"What is it, Sam?" Dean asked anxiously.
Sam held out some of the photos he got from the surveillance cameras. One from each murder… each of the vics with a girl. Each of the girls were different, but the problem was that all of the girls were with the same person right before they left with the men. With Kelly, the only common denominator in the case. When Sam added in the photos of the girls coming back to her after they were done, it sealed the deal.
"Sara." Dean said as he moved to drop the pictures and run next door.
"Wait!" Sam yelled blocking him. "Wait. I already checked on them, they're both over there. Laughing and alive. Having a good time. So whatever the hell kinda game 'Kelly' is playing isn't necessarily to harm Sara. She's had every chance to do that. We need to go in smart, confirm WHAT she is, get the job done, and get the hell out of here without a scene."
"Sara is sitting in that room with a monster and you want to sit here and make a damn game plan?!" Dean whisper yelled, not wanting to alert them next door to the new information.
"No!" Sam whisper yelled back. "I'm saying if you bust up in there guns blazing then it's going to be a problem. Listen… I think. I think you were right. She's a siren. She's using the girls to kill the men, I just don't know how she's getting away with it after they come out of her spell."
"Get the dagger."
"Dean, we'll need some of Sara's blood. Okay?"
"Yeah. I know." Dean said already angry enough as it is. His mind ran 100 miles an hour at the thought of how they'd spent the entire day together and the siren would have already put such a hold over Sara.
"Okay. Here." Sam said waking in with two daggers, one for him and one for Dean. "We go in like usual. We catch them off guard. We don't know if Sara's gonna fight yet… we need to be ready for that."
"Yeah. I know."
"Okay. Let's go."
Sam and Dean made their way next door, knocking carefully. Sam sure to put himself first since Dean was struggling to hide his anxiety.
"Hey!" Sara smiled to them as she opened the door. "Come on it, we've been watching movies all day."
"Well, watch anything good?" Sam asked as they stepped in. Dean carefully positioning himself while trying to force a smile.
"Oh I don't know. A little of everything." Sara shrugged as she smiled at Kelly, who only smiled back.
"So any luck on the case?" Kelly asked.
"Funny you should mention that." Dean said as he stepped forward. "You see Kelly, every one of the vics had something in common."
"What's that?" Kelly asked cocky. It was then Dean knew… she was playing a game, and she knew she had been caught. She would only be so sure of herself if she knew Sara would be her human shield.
"You."
"Dean, what the hell are you talking about?" Sara demanded as she stood. Sam carefully trying to move himself along the back wall, towards Kelly who is too occupied pitting Sara and Dean against one another.
"Sara. I'm sorry. Kelly is a siren, okay? She has you under her spell right now."
Sara scoffed.
"Wow Dean. I make friends with one person who isn't you, or isn't scared of you… and suddenly she's a monster?"
"Sara. Please. Believe me and walk over to this side of the room. Please…" Dean said as he reached out for her. She took three steps back towards Where Kelly now stood, a grin on her face so vile and ruthless that Dean knew right then and there that he would kill her before any of them left this room.
"Dean I think it's time for you and Sam to go." Sara said, putting herself between Kelly and the boys.
"Sara." Kelly whined as she moved closer to her back. "They-they wanna hurt me. They don't want to share you."
"I'm not going anywhere, Kelly." Sara reassured her.
"Sara. I need you to listen, okay… Hold out your hand." Sam said softly.
"For what reason?" Sara asked
"I need some of your blood. I can show you what Kelly is, okay? Please… try to listen to what I'm saying."
"They wanna hurt you too." Kelly whispered in her ears. Suddenly Sara pulled her gun, pointing it at either of the men.
"Whoa whoa whoa… Sara. Sweetheart." Dean chanted. "Put the gun down, please. Okay… look at me. You know me. You know Sam… we would never hurt you."
"I think you're lying. You never wanted me in the first place, Dean." Sara challenged, backing towards Kelly as she kept her gun raised at him.
Sam took this opportunity to move closer to Sara from the side, sure that he could disarm her if he only got close. He pulled the dagger from his waist band slowly and held it behind his back as he moved merely an inch at a time. Dean taking the brunt of this argument and waving of gun barrels at his face.
"Hey, get the hell away from her." Sara snarled as she turned her gun on Sam, seeing the dagger in his hand.
"It's him Sara… the monster, it has Sam." Kelly chanted, a smile on her face as she looked back to Dean.
"You bitch, I swear I'll kill you… you can't have her." Dean growled.
"And neither can you apparently."
"Sam!" Sara yelled. "Stop, don't make me do this."
"Dammit Sara." Dean yelled, pulling his own gun. "Sara put the gun down, now."
"No, Dean… Sam's gonna kill us. He's gonna kill me." Sara argued back, her hands shaking as her gun pointed directly at Sam, who was still making tiny movements toward her.
"Sara, Sam won't hurt you!" Dean yelled moving closer, Sara flipped the gun back towards him as he moved, and Sam thought he saw his opportunity. He lunged and took the dagger down across Sara's arm. But before he could move, she faced him again and pulled the trigger.
The bullet landing directly in Sam's upper leg, knocking him to the ground with a scream.
"SAM!" Dean shouted. "Sara! Stop!"
Dean's whole body felt on fire, how could he protect Sam and protect Sara when one was trying to kill the other. It was his worst nightmare laid out before him.
"Sam, talk to me!" Dean demanded, Him not taking his gun or his eyes off of Sara, knowing if she went to shoot again he'd have to pull the trigger himself.
"I… I can't move my leg." Sam groaned, noting that the bleeding was heavy. He knew that meant the bullet must have hit an artery. He only had so much time left, but Sara's blood on the dagger would finally give them what they need to put the monster down.
"Sara stop this right now!" Dean screamed at her, she moved her gun between the two of them. Kelly, assuming that Sam was no threat continued to smile at Dean as she whispered in Sara's ear.
"Sara don't listen to her." Dean begged. "Please sweetheart, just. Put it down!"
Sam continued to drag himself toward Kelly, neither of them watching him, and rather Kelly trying to get Sara to pull the trigger on Dean as well. Just as he made it close enough he knew he only had one chance, one shot and getting off the floor and plunging the dagger through her chest. He took two deep breaths and pulled all his weight on his good leg, pushing himself upwards with the dagger coming towards the siren.
"Sara!" Kelly yelled just before the dagger made contact with her chest. Sara turned and lifted the gun, aiming directly at Sam.
"SARA NO!" Dean screamed as he aimed and pulled the trigger, his heart stopping in the process.
Kelly and Sam both fell to the floor in unison. Kelly dead before she hit the carpet. Sam alive, but bleeding out quickly now that he had used so much effort to drag himself across the floor.
Dean stood in shock, looking between Sam on the ground, and Sara who stood.
She looked down at the gun on the floor, the one that was in her hand before Dean put a bullet in her arm. She turned to him, and then back to Sam.
"Sam…" Dean rushed down and tried holding pressure against his wounds. Looking up and watching as Sara too was bleeding heavily from where she stood, her entire body shaking.
"Sara… Sara!" Dean yelled to get her attention without moving from Sam's side. Sara moved to take a step towards him, but her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, suddenly crying out as she moved to hold her arm.
"Sara are you with me?!" Dean begged, not sure how could save them both at the moment. His heart raced and his brain couldn't land one a single thought.
"Sam." Sara whispered as she looked between Kelly and Sam on the ground. "No.. Sam."
She cried as she crawled towards him.
"Sara, sweetheart you gotta heal him, you gotta do it now."
"I'm so sorry." She sobbed as she held Sam's hand, looking between his barely conscious face and the panic on Dean's.
"Sara, it's okay… It's fine." Dean said as he leaned forward and grabbed her face roughly with his hand, looking down at her arm, while the bleeding was a constant flow, he could tell it wasn't arterial and as soon as he got Sam stable he could focus on her. "Heal him. Okay? Heal him and then we'll get you taken care of. I promise sweetheart."
"Sam." Sara cried as she moved towards him, she pulled her hand away form her arm where a bullet laid in her tissue as well and placed a hand on either side of his wounds. Dean moved to sit beside her, support her as she cried and begged out loud for God to let her save him.
"You got this." He whispered in her ear. "Deep breath. Focus."
Sara closed her eyes and focused everything she had on Sam. Dean watched as a soft white light began to glow from her hands, her eyes however stayed closed and after a few long seconds that felt like forever Sam finally sat up and sucked in air to fill his lungs.
"Sam!" Dean said as he leaned over and grabbed him by the shoulder, trying so desperately to keep a hand on both of them.
"I'm… I'm good. I'm okay." Sam reassured him and then turned his attention to Sara, who still had her eyes closed, but was slowly losing her ability to sit up straight.
"Sara?" Dean said softly as he moved both of his arms back to her. "Hey… Sara?"
Without warning she went limp in his arms, still bleeding rapidly against him.
"Shit!" Dean grumbled. He grabbed the closest thing he could find to hold pressure against her arm and check for her pulse.
"We gotta get out of here." Sam said as he finally pulled himself to stand, feeling oddly fine as he looked down at the floor soaked in his blood. He ran next door and began to grab their clothes and bags, throwing them all in the trunk after ripping off his blood soaked pants and shirt and putting on something else. He moved back to the room next door and waved for Dean.
"Let's go, we'll stitch her up in the car."
"Sam, she won't wake up."
"I know, she didn't last time, remember? We gotta go. We'll get outta town and then stop, get her cleaned up."
Dean nodded and moved to stand, picking Sara up and carrying her to the backseat, his heart pounding just as hard as it did the first time he carried her limp and unresponsive to the impala. He wished so desperately she knew how to control herself. To stop before she physically gave out.
He laid her down and handed her off to Sam in the backseat, so that he could apply pressure while they found some place new to lay low. Dean pulled out on the road and slammed on the gas. He swore to himself he would never return to this town again.
Never come back to the place he almost lost them both.
…..
…..
…..
Sara was groggy. Her mind swimming.
Kelly. Sam. Dean.
The sound of a gunshot right beside her forced her eyes open as she shot up out of the bed.
"Whoa… hey." Dean said as he reached out and grabbed her hand, she flinched out of instinct and pulled it away.
"Dean?" Sara said looking around confused, she was in her bed… in her room. Had this all been some terrible nightmare? A trick her mind played on her. Just as she reached her arms up to run her fingers through her hair she realized one of them was in a sling.
No.
No it was real.
The memories flooded back to her all at once. She quickly began to kick the blankets off of her.
"Sara, what are you doing?"
"Sam… Where is Sam?!"
"Hey! Hey… he's fine!" Dean assured her, practically having to push her back down.
"Sam!" She yelled anyways. She needed to see him. Needed to touch him
"He just ran out for something, he'll be back in a few minutes." Dean told her again, trying to get her eyes to focus on something for longer than two seconds at a time.
"I-I.. I'm so sorry." Was all she could mumble as she continued to frantically pull herself away from him, away from the sheet that seemed to be glued to her somehow.
"Sara, calm down. It's okay. We're okay."
"I shot him!" She yelled back at him. "That is not okay!"
"Sara, stop. Breathe." Dean said grabbing her by both shoulders, careful with her injured arm. He didn't know how to reel her back to reality, but he knew she was on the verge of a full blown melt down if he couldn't. He put his face right in front of hers, hands on her shoulder as she fought off the urge to hyperventilate, swallowing and stuttering every word she tried to get past her lips.
"SARA!" Dean yelled, a little louder and more harsh than he intended. She froze, her eyes wide as they were glued to his. Her chest lost the rise and fall motion it had began to do rapidly, and dean knew she was going to pass out if she didn't get a grip.
"Sara, breathe. Okay. Just breathe."
Suddenly she inhaled loudly, and followed that with all too fast exhale. Dean tried again to place his hands on either side of her face, setting a slow steady pace for her to try and match. She struggled, but eventually found a rhythm to pull the air in and out of her lungs.
"There you go." Dean nodded. "You're okay. Everyone's okay."
"No it's not." Sara shook her head as she whispered, tears freely flowing down her face and out of her control. "I-I never would have hurt him, Dean. I swear."
"I know." He nodded again.
"Dean?" Sam's voice called down the hall.
"Sam!" Sara yelled back. Turning her head towards the door and trying again to get out of the bed, only to find that Dean was holding her in place. She didn't fight as she heard footsteps come down the hall, quicker than usual. Finally she caught the sight of a tall, healthy, not blood soaked Sam as he stepped into her room. His face was twisted with concern, and Sara felt the guilt punch her right in the chest.
"Sam…" She barely could say his name as he moved to sit beside her on the bed. She pulled from Dean's grasp and moved to wrap her arm around his neck, again noting that her other was restricted. She clung to him like he would fade away forever if she let him go.
Sam held her and rocked them back and forth as she tried over and over again to form words, but they all came out broken between her hiccups and cries. Dean stood and paced for a moment before leaning back against her desk across from them. He and Sam looked to each other with a sigh, she had been asleep for two days, and Dean had finally began to calm his own guilt about the situation as he noted her wound was healing rapidly. He hoped that when she woke up, she wouldn't remember any of it. That he could lie to her, make up some alternate story she would buy. Sam had agreed, he never wanted her to have to remember.
He wasn't angry. He wasn't upset with her, he knew she wasn't in control.
They had been down this road before. They had been through the close calls… the deaths and miraculous saves didn't shake them up as much as they used to. They had shot each other, stabbed each other, and flat out tried to kill one another more than a couple of times… but for Sara, it was something entirely new to try and process.
To not be in control. To hurt the ones you loved. To be shot by someone you love.
All the emotions simply laid dormant while her body healed, and to both of their disappointment it seemed as if she would have to face each of them head on. They knew this set back would be her hardest one yet. Dean could only hope that she didn't see him differently… treat him differently.
In his mind however, he struggled with yet another reason he should never be in love with her. How could he choose? How could he choose between his brother, and the woman he loved?
This time he got lucky to save them both… but next time, it could cost them all their lives.
