Chapter 8

Dean came downstairs after Dakota had cried herself back to sleep. Sam and Laura obviously made up as they were making out on the window bench seat when Dean came down. Dean rolled his eyes seeing Sam's hand cradle Laura against him.

Dean cleared his throat announcing his presence and the two immediately separated. He let out a long sigh. "Awkward." He went into the kitchen in search for a drink and settled for water noticing he cleared the house of beer the night before. "Well Dakota is asleep. I finally got her to calm down."

"She's the first to freak out that bad about the 'truth is out there' speech compared to others we've met before." Sam said holding Laura on his lap.

Laura laid her head on his chest her eyes low to the ground. "Dakota has always had these horrible detailed nightmares. Some nights she would wake up screaming." She shuddered at the memory. "She started drawing her dreams a few years ago." Laura went upstairs quietly and brought down a black sketch book checking behind her making sure Dakota did not wake up. "She keeps them locked in the bottom drawer of her dresser." She laid the sketch book out on the bar counter and the boys came over to investigate.

They flipped through pages and pages of creatures they have come across before. Each one in black and white pencil in terrifying detail.

Sam picked up a drawing of a small twisted child. "This is a changling." He flipped through more. "A windigo and werewolves?" Sam was baffled at the accuracy Dakota had.

Dean picked up one drawing of a creature hovering over a small child's bed.

"Oh," Laura explained to Dean. "That one she's afraid of the most. She swears to this day she woke up to it over a friend's bed once. I'm actually surprised she drew it."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Shtriga." Dean said showing Sam the drawing. He looked at Laura. "When did she draw this?"

She shrugged her little shoulders moved up and down. "I don't know, but that nightmare happened over at a slumber party when we were really little. Dakota woke us all up screaming. The next day a friend of ours was admitted into the hospital where she died of pneumonia."

Dean looked over at Sam. "The shtriga attacked at the slumber party and Dakota must have been so sensitive to it she woke up. Her scream probably spooked it and the thing took off."

"You think that this is real?" Laura scoffed. "It was just a nightmare."

Sam's hand trailed up Laura's forearm. "It's real Laura. One tried to kill me too."

"Sam and I killed one a few years ago in Fitchburg, Wisconsin." Dean threw the paper down into the sketch book slamming it closed. "No wonder she's so terrified at nearly everything. To spend your life thinking that they are just nightmares then to find out they're real?" He turned his gaze to the window. He hated seeing her afraid, suffering and trapped. He felt the same way. "Sam," He growled. "We are going to kill that thing if it's the last thing I do."

"Until that happens one of you are going to need to walk me to my car." Laura said gathering some of her things. "I have to be at work in an hour."

"Sam why don't you go with her to her work. Make sure that thing doesn't attack, and I'll stay here with Dakota." Dean suggested.

Sam nodded and escorted Laura out.

Dean leaned his weight on the counter top listening to them drive away in her car. He stood there staring at the forest fighting back the urge to punch something.

It was late in the afternoon and Dean was sucked into a sitcom on the tv when Dakota came down got a glass of water in black sweats and an oversized grey sweater. She didn't say a word to him. His stomach felt tight when he saw the redness around her eyes, the knots in her hair and the weightlessness her body looked as she floated across the room like a ghost.

His mouth felt dry but he managed to force her name out. "Dakota." Dean's voice stopped her from going up the stairs. "Come here."

She didn't resist his command. She turned and sat down with him on the couch holding the glass of water in her sleeve covered hands. She sat cross legged on the couch her bare feet tucked under her legs. Her long grey and black rooted hair sagged down over her face brushing against the glass in her hands. Her eyes stared empty at nothing on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Dean moved closer feeling the lack of warmth from her body.

Her thumb brushed the rim of the glass. "I had another nightmare."

He tucked her hair behind her ear revealing her pale face. "What of?"

Her small mouth and plump lips opened but nothing left but a sigh before she closed her jaw biting her lip. "I think I was awake when it killed my brothers. In my dream I was laying on my stomach in the forest unable to move or even speak. I remember Calvin my younger brother crouched over me shaking my shoulders screaming at me. I could hear what he was saying. My eyes drifted to Trevor behind him with his rifle raised at something. I recall the flash of the gun when he pulled the trigger and then…" She took a shaky breath. "A figure like a large wolf attack him. I could see blood spraying from behind Calvin but I couldn't warn him when a pair of fangs gripped his shoulder…and pulled him away." Her grip became dangerously tight on the glass. "I couldn't do anything. I couldn't scream. I couldn't even let the tears fall from my eyes. I just drifted away into darkness into nothing."

Dean instinctively wrapped his arms around her body holding her into his warmth. "It was just a dream Dakota."

"I hate it when it feels so real." She mumbled lowly.

"Me too." Dean's arms tightened around her of the memories of his own nightmares.

"Where is Sam and Laura?" Dakota's voice snapped him from his thoughts.

"Well," He cleared his throat. "Laura is at work and Sam is keeping an eye on her. So we have the house to ourselves." He grinned at her and with a waggle of his eyebrows he was able to get her to laugh.

She slipped from his arms with a giggle escaping from behind her sweater covered hand. "I'm going to shower throw on some comfy clothes and binge watch tv until my brain is mush." She vanished upstairs and the sounds of water running floated down to Dean.

An idea popped in his head and he began to work on it as quietly as he could.

*Dakota's Pov*

I came down stairs with my wet hair in a bun and my black sweat pants dragging behind my feet. I wore only a white spaghetti strap top that hugged my every curve. When I reached the bottom of the stairs Dean stood in the middle of the living room with his arms spread wide and a huge grin on his face. The couch had moved closer to the tv, the coffee table littered with snacks and drinks, blankets and pillows covered the couch except for two small spots in the center of the couch and the smell of popcorn seeped out from the microwave.

"What's all this?" I smiled at the coziness before me.

"This," Dean gestured to the room. "is the tv binge watching colosseum. Complete with snacks, popcorn, drinks and yours truly."

A smile cracked over my face and I couldn't hold it back. "You really know how to treat a girl." I came over and sat on the couch working my way through the pillows and blankets until I was comfortable. "Care to join?"

Dean dashed into the kitchen only to bring back a bowl of hot buttery popcorn. He set the clear glass bowl of golden goodness into my lap as he sat next to me his feet up on the table and an arm around my shoulders. He pressed play and Scooby-doo original cartoons came on the tv screen.