Later that evening, the five sat around the kitchen table, with Alicia, Bobby, and John having reached a tentative truce, sharing a home cooked lasagna and beers.
Dean shoveled food into his mouth and closed his eyes, moaning in contentment. "Oh, this is amazing," he mumbled, chewing. Alicia smiled from her spot across the table as she pushed food around her plate. "Where did you learn how to cook like this?"
"I'm good with spells," Alicia replied. "And recipes are essentially spells—just with different ingredients." She took a sip from her beer bottle. "Besides, I was getting sick of microwave dinners and SpaghettiOs."
"I can relate to that," Sam replied, holding up his bottle. Alicia held hers up and clinked it with Sam's, smiling. Sam returned the smile as the two of them held each other's gaze so briefly that Dean was the only one who caught it. His grin faltered a little as he quickly averted his eyes, guzzling the rest of his bottle's contents before grabbing another. Alicia did the same, but Bobby quickly plucked it from her hand.
"Hey!" Alicia protested.
"You've already had one," Bobby replied.
"Aw, come on," Alicia complained, annoyed. "I'm perfectly fine." She reached for the bottle, but the older hunter moved it out of her reach. "Bobby!"
"You remember what happened in San Diego two years ago?" Bobby asked. "You got three sheets to the wind, and all hell broke loose."
"Sounds like someone got a little rowdy," Dean said, grinning.
"'Rowdy' is an understatement," Bobby replied.
"It wasn't that bad," Alicia replied quickly, shooting her uncle a look. Dean opened his mouth, but Alicia shook her head, smiling. "But it's not up for discussion right now."
"No, it's not," John spoke up suddenly, "but tomorrow's agenda is." Sam and Dean looked at him, confused.
"Well, I'm working on the car," Dean replied slowly. "I want her fixed as soon as possible, and Sam, Allie, and I found enough parts around for me to get started in the morning."
"The car can wait," John said. "There's a job we gotta take care of in Cheyenne first." He noticed the expression on Alicia's face shift, but he ignored it.
"Dad, we nearly died," Sam protested. "Alicia just healed us. Don't you think we should rest a few days before jumping back into hunting?"
"Yeah, and I want to get my car fixed, first," Dean reiterated.
"This can't wait," John replied. "We need to leave first thing in the morning. Bobby said it's big."
"How big is 'big', John?" Alicia asked curtly. "Are we talking 'big' as in a vetala, 'big' like a 'wraith'," she tilted her head, staring at him with a hard expression, "or maybe 'big' like a werewolf."
"Alicia," Bobby chided.
"Hey, you know, maybe Alicia could join us," Sam suggested. "She did kind of save our lives, and it doesn't hurt to have another hunter on the job."
"Could be fun," Dean replied, smirking.
"No," John and Bobby said in unison, causing the brothers to frown.
"Why not?" Dean asked. "I mean, she's clearly not an amateur; it's not like we're gonna have to babysit her or anything."
"Absolutely not," Bobby replied. "I will not—"
"You know, it's okay," Alicia spoke up as she quickly stood up. "I just got back from a pretty big hunt myself, so I have no plans to go on another one for a few days." She briefly fixed Bobby with a glare as she headed for the living room. "Look, I'm really tired. Since I made dinner, if one of you guys could clean the kitchen, I'd appreciate it." She marched away, heading for the stairs.
"Okay," Sam said slowly, "what was that about?"
"Like she said," John replied dismissively, "she's tired. Now, here's what we know about Cheyenne." As John began talking, Sam and Dean glanced at each other, sharing a similar expression, but Dean shook his head slightly. Sam nodded, and the two listened to their father fill them in while Bobby went about cleaning the kitchen.
The door to Sam and Dean's room slowly opened, and Dean stepped out, cautiously glancing around. It was almost midnight, and the house was locked up securely and dark, everyone in their rooms, but Dean still knew his father and Bobby were not heavy sleepers—even if Sam was. He smirked as the sounds of his brother's snores were muffled when he carefully shut the door behind him. He slowly walked down the hall until he came to the last door on the left.
In the entire house, Bobby had few areas that were completely off limits, and that door had always been one of them. Dean had once tried to pick the lock when he was in his early teens, but instantly regretted the decision when Bobby caught him. The young man squirmed, remembering not being able to sit down for a long time, pissed off at the older hunter, but after learning about Alicia, it didn't take Dean to realize that door most-likely led to her bedroom. He glanced down the hall toward Bobby's room for a moment before knocking softly on the door. He heard some shuffling, then the door opened, and Dean raised an eyebrow.
Alicia stood on the other side, having changed out of her clothes into a pair of black pajama shorts and a black tank top with the 'Def Leppard' logo across the chest; she was also barefoot, with her blonde hair down, falling down just below her shoulders. "Yeah?" she asked. Dean just stared at her, mouth open slightly. "Earth to Dean." The young man finally regained his composure, clearing his throat.
"I, uh, I didn't know you liked 'Def Leppard'," Dean said lamely.
"Well, seeing how we never talked about music since you've been conscious," Alicia replied, amused, "I wouldn't expect you to," she looked at him, eyebrow raised, "unless you're a mind reader."
Dean chuckled. "Well, out of my many talents," he said, relaxing, "telepathy doesn't seem to be one of them."
Alicia held his gaze. "It's almost midnight," she replied after a few moments, "and everyone else is asleep—except you and me, apparently—so what can I do for you?"
"Well, you seemed to cut and run after dinner," Dean answered. "Everything okay?"
"Fine," Alicia replied a little too quickly and casually. "Like I said, I'm just tired."
"If you were, you'd have already been asleep," Dean pointed out.
"I could say the same for you," Alicia retorted. "You're leaving in the morning, and it's a long drive to Cheyenne."
"Well, I can't sleep right now," Dean replied, "and since I'll be gone for a few days, I was thinking—"
"What?" Alicia asked. "That you'd come here, flash a smile, and I'd be putty in your hands?"
Dean squirmed a little, mouth open, then he scratched the back of his head nervously. "No, no, uh, of course not," he replied quickly, "because, uh, you would see right through that."
Alicia stared at him, a small smile on her face. "If you promise to behave," she said, "you're welcome to come in." She stood aside to let Dean in, and the young man glanced down the hall one last time as he stepped inside, then stopped short.
Unlike the rest of the house, Alicia's bedroom looked like it was out of a home decorating magazine. The walls were painted in a nice, medium gray shade, and the flooring a nice, medium-stained oak. A queen-sized bed was pushed against the wall adjacent to the door, decorated with black and white tartan bedding, gray, black, and purple decorative pillows, and a purple throw. It was flanked by matching three-drawer nightstands, with a set of chrome table lamps on them, their lights glowing softly. A single framed photo of a young Bobby, another young man, a young woman, and a baby sat on the far nightstand, along with a black radio alarm clock.
Opposite the door was the room's single window, covered with purple curtains that matched the throw. Under the window was a simple five-drawer dresser, with a small three-tier fountain trickling softly trickling water, and a diffuser sending a pleasant odor into the room that was a little familiar but Dean couldn't quite place it. On the wall opposite the bed were wall-to-wall built-in cabinets, the same shade as the walls, the shelves filled with various books, journals, jars of various herbs and concoctions, and numerous tools and objects associated with a witch's arsenal. Centered in the middle was a desk area, the only thing on it a potted bonsai tree; clippings and a small pair of scissors were laying next to it.
"Okay, this place is officially the friggin' Twilight Zone," Dean said softly.
"It's my refuge," Alicia explained as she shut the door. "I need a place to decompress," she nodded at the tree, "find my center." She walked over and picked up the potted plant, returning it to its spot next to the fountain. "One of the cardinal rules of magic is maintaining a clear and steady mind—and most of this house is not exactly conducive for that."
Dean nodded in agreement, then indicated the diffuser. "Essential oils?" he asked in disbelief.
Alicia nodded. "My own blend of lavender, orange, ylang ylang, chamomile, rosemary, and rue. Powerful relaxer and antidepressant."
"Funny, you don't strike me as an aromatherapy chick."
"I'm a witch," Alicia replied jokingly. "I'm a natural aromatherapy chick." Dean couldn't argue with her there as he walked over to the cabinets, looking everything over, impressed. Alicia came over. "Most of it was hers." Dean glanced over. "My mother's. She had an impressive collection even before she and my father got married. After she died I got all her stuff, and over the years I've just been adding to the collection."
"How did they meet?" Dean asked.
"Back in seventy-nine," Alicia explained. "They ran into each other while separately investigating a hell raiser, a really nasty one. Dad quickly figured out Mom was a witch—he was pretty sharp—but that didn't change his feelings for her. They teamed up, killed the monster—and then stayed teamed up from that point on; they ended up getting married less than three months after meeting."
"And it worked?" Dean asked.
"Until she died," Alicia answered. "I mean, they had problems like every couple, but they stayed focused on what was most important: family." She shrugged. "I just wish I got to know her personally. Dad would tell me about her—how much of a badass she was, how much she cared about saving people," she chuckled, "how I have her eyes, but it's not the same as knowing her myself."
"Yeah, I hear you," Dean replied. "I mean, my mom died when I was four, and I still barely remember her." Alicia gave him a sympathetic expression, and Dean opened his mouth, but he quickly cleared his throat, nodding at the cabinets. "Looks like you can do some pretty badass things yourself with all this stuff."
Alicia blushed a little, trying not to look embarrassed. "Not a lot," she admitted. "I mean, there was a lot of stuff in Mom's journals, and Dad and Bobby tried to help where they could, but without someone experienced to teach me, it's pretty much been a learn-as-I-go experience." She chuckled. "At least I'm not blowing things up when I touch them anymore—not unless I want to." Dean chuckled. "You know, that reminds me. I need to check how you've healed."
Dean's smile faded. "Come again?" he asked.
"Dean, you had some pretty bad injuries when I found you," Alicia replied seriously. "I'll be honest with you: I've never healed anything that serious before, and the fact that I did," she shrugged, "I just want to make sure there's no weird, lingering side effects or anything."
"What, like me sprouting a tentacle out my forehead or something?" Dean jokingly asked.
Alicia just stared at him. "I hope not," she replied without cracking a smile.
Dean's smile faded, and he cleared his throat. "Look, I'm fine, don't worry."
"I'd like to be the judge of that myself," Alicia replied, "especially since you're leaving in the morning. I just want to make sure you're in tiptop condition." Dean raised an eyebrow. "Look, even if you're not worried, could you at least humor me, please?"
Dean sighed. "Okay, fine," he said after a few moments. "If it'll make you feel better, what do you need me to do?"
"Well, for starters, take off your shirt and lay on the bed."
Dean tilted his head, smirking. "Ooh, we get to play 'doctor', huh?" he asked. Alicia, still smiling, tilted her head, folding her arms, her expression authoritative and unwavering. The hunter sighed, knowing what that look meant. "Right." He pulled his shirt up and over his head, tossing it on the side of the bed. He saw the flicker of appreciation in Alicia's eyes before she quickly averted her gaze, blushing slightly. He hid a smile as he all but flopped on one side, leaning back against the pillows, waiting. "Okay, now what?"
Alicia walked over and sat next to him, leaning close before she held her palms against both sides of his head. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes. She gasped and quickly opened them as she felt Dean gently but firmly grab her wrists. "Son of a bitch," she hissed. "You can't do that while I'm trying to focus." She noticed his slightly worried expression. "What?"
"You said you're past accidentally blowing up stuff, right?" Dean asked, trying to sound casual.
Alicia smiled. "I'm not going to explode your head, Dean."
"Good, 'cause I'm kind of attached to it," Dean retorted. He hesitated, then slowly let go of her wrists
"I'm just going to do a little scanning," Alicia replied casually as she put her hands back on each side of her head and closed her eyes again.
Dean nervously glanced to each side, then he quickly grabbed her wrists again. "Uh, maybe this isn't such a good idea."
Alicia smiled, opening her eyes. "I can't read minds, don't worry." Dean looked a little relieved as he let her go. The young woman closed her eyes again, taking a deep breath. "Da visum occultis." Her hands began glowing with a soft purple light, and she softly repeated the words as she kept her hands on his head.
After a few moments, she felt Dean's fingers wrap gently around her wrists once more. Startled, the young woman opened her eyes and saw Dean staring right at her with an unusual expression. She felt a little self conscious, but couldn't look away from him.
"Uh," she said, her voice wavering slightly as Dean's fingers brushed against her bare skin, sending a shiver down her spine. "Your, um…head's okay."
"I haven't been okay in the head for a long time," Dean replied, grinning a little. He started moving his fingers further up her arms, but Alicia gently pulled away.
"That isn't helping my concentration, Dean," she said gently.
"You just said I'm fine," Dean replied
"And I'm not done with my examination," Alicia pointed out gently. "You had lacerations on your liver and kidneys, as well as massive internal bleeding."
Dean suddenly grabbed her around the waist, and she yelped softly as he gently pulled her close until she was straddling his lap. "Examine away," he replied playfully.
Alicia opened her mouth to protest, but Dean simply raised an eyebrow, and she sighed before closing her eyes. She softly whispered the Latin incantation, and her hands glowed. She lowered them onto Dean's abdomen, and heard him inhale sharply as her fingers brushed his bare skin. The young woman's voice cracked slightly, but she regained her composure as she focused on her task. She moved her hands around his abdomen and chest, using her magic to ascertain his injuries.
"How is it?" Dean asked softly, his voice wavering slightly.
"Very nice," Alicia whispered as she felt him shift under her. She froze, stammering, clearing her throat. "Uh, I mean, it's fine." Her hands stopped glowing as she opened her eyes, and saw Dean sitting up, his face inches from hers, his green eyes staring into hers. "Uh…I think you're good to go."
"Cool," Dean said, cupping her face in his hands.
"Cool," Alicia repeated softly.
The two hunters stared at each other for several moments before Dean pulled Alicia close, and the two of them began making out furiously. Alicia wrapped her arms around Dean's neck as Dean moved his arms around her waist, moaning as he felt her body pressed against his. Alicia leaned her head back, whimpering softly as she felt his mouth moving up and down her neck, planting soft kisses on her skin.
After some time passed, Dean held Alicia close and quickly flipped her; the young woman squeaked softly as she landed under him on her back, and she stared up at him, stunned, as he smiled smugly at her. She opened her mouth to say something, but he stopped her by kissing her hungrily; she closed her eyes and moaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
(End of Chapter 4)