A/N: I do not own anything except Aeron. This occurs after On the Head of a Pin but before Monster at the End of This Book. I am taking some liberties, I believe with some of the ages I list, but I did my best. Thank you for reading! Enjoy!
You woke up screaming aloud
A prayer from your secret god
You feed off our fears
And hold back your tears
Give us a tantrum
And a know it all grin
Just when we need one
When the evening's thin
Oh you're a beautiful,
A beautiful fucked up man
You're setting up your
Razor wire shrine
Sarah McLachlan – Building a Mystery
She pulled him into the cabin, closing and latching the door behind them as she checked to make sure that the line of salt she had laid earlier in the day remained intact. She turned back to Dean, watching him as his eyes scanned the room. The light from the candle cast shadows on his face, yet she could still see the dark circles under his eyes, the bruises that graced his cheek and jaw. He had taken a beating prior to coming to her, the evidence of that was clear. She stepped closer to him, inspecting him more closely, her heart skipping a beat as their gazes met. The emotions that he could display with just one look never ceased to amaze her.
He walked towards her, stopping only inches from her body. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes, her 5'3" frame dwarfed by his own. Her gaze followed a rain drop that slid along his face before disappearing under his collar. She was struck by the desire that coursed through her veins, silently wishing she were the drop of water. It amazed her how much she wanted him; how she could never get her fill of him. Reaching up, she placed her hand on his cheek, her thumb rubbing back and forth over his cheekbone. She wiped away a tear that escaped his eye and she felt her heart break for him. She knew that he was a passionate man, that he had intense emotions and feelings that he attempted to keep pushed down deep within himself. She felt relief that he felt comfortable with her to let his true emotions out. He very rarely gave her his standard reply of "I'm fine." Even after John's death, he had confided in her before he had Sam. It was as if she was the only person he didn't have to put on a mask for. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.
He buried his face in her hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel his tears against her skin, his fingers tangling themselves into her hair. She ran her fingers into his hair, soothing him, as she murmured that everything would be okay into his ear. She felt his lips press against the skin at the base of her ear, before he moved down her jaw line, leaving a trail of fire with each passing kiss, as she struggled to keep her breathing steady.
"Aeron," she heard him whisper before she felt him pull away slightly to look at her. "I…I can't make the images go away," he paused briefly and she knew he was talking about hell. "Every time I close my eyes…and now…" he pulled away completely, his hands running through his hair in desperation. "This is all my fault. This whole damn apocalypse is happening because of me; because I was weak!"
She watched him pace the room, not knowing what to say. She didn't completely understand what he was saying. She knew of Lilith and the 66 seals. She knew there was an incredible increase in demonic activity. She had even heard whispers that something was not quite right with Sam. Still, she didn't understand Dean's role, and she knew now wasn't the time to ask for clarification. She took a step towards him, flinching as he punched the nearby wall, repeatedly and increasingly more violent. She moved forward, grabbing his forearm before he could swing again.
"Dean," she said quietly, "stop it." She pulled his hand into hers, surveying the damage. He had broken open a few of the healing scabs, but they didn't look too bad. She kissed the area gently, moving to grab her first aid kit.
"No!" he said, pulling away from her. "I'm fine!" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm…I'm fine," he stated softer the second time.
"Obviously," she said as she walked back towards the window, unsure of what to say, staring at nothing. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he walked towards her, stopping behind her, his hands on her shoulders. He turned her around towards him. His hands pushed her jacket off her shoulders and down her arms, the sound of the fabric hitting the ground dull in her ears.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as he looked at her, his eyes silently asking if he could proceed. "I just need…" he couldn't continue, he just hoped that he needed to feel something real, something pure, something that would make him forget what he had done in hell and what Castiel had asked him to do more recently. Aeron placed her hands on his chest, her eyes never leaving his as she pushed his leather jacket off his body.
She watched him sleep, his chest rising and falling slowly with each breath he took. Her thoughts moved to older memories, happier times she supposed. At least in some ways. They had met when she was three years old. Dean had been eight and Sam, four. Her father, Dominic, had met John on a job and the two had formed a bond. Dominic had later turned to John when his wife was killed while they were hunting a nest of vampires, and Dean had been responsible for her, as well as Sam, several times during their childhood.
She had always looked up to Dean, comparing him to her guardian, her knight in shining armor. He had always been open and honest with her, showing a side of his personality that others rarely had an opportunity to see. He had kept her entertained when their fathers were away together on a hunt, had spent time at her tea parties, understood when she crawled into bed with him after a nightmare, and had made the monsters disappear. He had listened to her stories of princes and princesses, and she had listened to the stories of each of his conquests; something that she hadn't always been enthusiastic about.
She wasn't quite sure when she had fallen in love with him. More than likely the crush had always been there and the love had developed over time. She had been scared to death when he finally became completely enveloped with the life of a hunter, embracing everything that came with it. She figured she began to flirt with him when she turned 15 and her hormones went into overdrive. It wasn't until she was 18 and he was 23 that anything physical had happened between them, each in a moment of pain and loss. Aeron dealing with the death of her father and Dean having been pushed away by Cassie. She let out a bitter laugh as she crawled out of the bed, wrapping a blanket around her body and moving to look outside. There was nothing healthy about their relationship and yet, there wasn't a single change she would make. The only thing she ever wished for was that he would come to the realization that he loved her as much as she loved him, something that was probably never bound to happen.
She heard the sheets rustle and a sudden gasp for breath, and she turned her gaze back to him. She watched as he sat up, leaning his head back against the headboard, his hands running down his face. She knew the action well; she knew he was more than likely suffering from nightmares.
"What are you doing?" he asked after his searching eyes landed on her, his voice rough from sleep.
"Nothing. I couldn't sleep" she said walking back towards him as he patted the bed next to him. She sat down next to him and leaned into his body, her head on his chest, his arms wrapping around her.
"Tell me a story Aeron," he said, a line he hadn't used since he was twelve and they were laying in a field, dreaming up places they would rather be, the summer sun shining down on them, dandelions blowing in the breeze. Aeron laughed lightly, her fingers drawing designs on his chest.
"There once was a beautiful princess who lived in a castle and spent her days among the animals and the flowers. She had everything she ever wanted: a loving mother, a caring father, and people who adored her," Aeron began the story she had been telling since she could remember, always with a few modifications over the years. Dean's hands moved into her hair, his fingers playing with the long, dark, strands. "One day an evil witch invaded the castle grounds, darkness following her every step. The flowers began to wilt, the animals turned vicious, and the people turned against one another. The princess' mother tried to fight off the witch, but died in the process of saving her young daughter. The princess, fleeing from the danger, came upon a well. She slipped a ring her father had made for her from a chain around her neck, and placing a kiss on the cool metal she tossed the ring into the water below, wishing for someone to come and save them. She raced back through the woods towards the castle, hiding in the bushes so not to be caught, and along the path she ran into a man on a horse. She knew the moment she saw him that her wish had come true, that he would be the one to save her kingdom," Aeron smiled against Dean's skin, her fingers playing with the amulet on his chest.
"The knight followed her back to the castle where a great battle ensued between the knight and the wicked witch. With one final sweep of his sword, the witch lost her head and fell to her death, disappearing into the Earth. The princess approached where her body had been and noticed something glinting in the sunlight that had returned to the lands. She knelt down and found her ring lying where the witch had fallen. Stunned by the magic involved, she presented the knight with the ring as a symbol of her gratitude," Aeron's hand moved to Dean's right hand and traced the silver ring she had given him when they were teenagers. "She hoped that he would stay, but she knew that his job was to save those in need, and as she kissed him goodbye, and watched him ride away, she whispered for him to be safe and…" she trailed off wondering if she should add to the story. She moved up onto her elbow to look at him.
"And?" he asked, wanting to know what she was going to say. Aeron looked into his eyes for a moment before moving back to lay her head on his chest.
"And for him to one day return as she had fallen in love with him," she whispered.
