A/N: Thank you again to those who have read my story, especially those who have followed/favorited/or reviewed. I appreciate it all. Please enjoy, and if you have the time, please leave a review and let me know what you think.


Come just as you are to me

Don't need apologies

Know that you are worthy

I'll take your bad days with your good

Walk through the storm I would

I do it all because I love you

I love you

Katy Perry - Unconditionally


One Month Later

Aeron had been travelling for what seemed like days; winding her way through the countryside as she moved towards her goal. Castiel had warned her as much as he could that something big was happening and that Dean would need her there for support.

And, he had said, she needed to hurry.

She pulled her truck into the parking lot of the hotel Castiel had told her she would be able to find Dean and rushed into the building, her eyes searching out the elevator. She hit the up button several times in quick bursts, willing the numbers to move faster. She cursed when the number stopped at another floor before quickly turning towards the stairwell and beginning her assent towards the suite number Castiel had given her.

She rushed towards the room, pulling out her gun, unsure of what she would be running into, cocking the gun. She stopped outside the door, attempting to catch her breath, before hearing a crash and subsequent yelling. She slowly moved her hand towards the doorknob, hesitating, her hand inches away. She pulled back quickly as the door opened.

Aeron shrunk back against the wall as a figure stepped out, her heart beating against her rib cage, her gun raising towards the door in anticipation. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Sam, lowering her weapon slightly, her finger moving off the trigger.

"Sam?" she said quietly, the air thick with the anger that was rolling off him. He locked eyes with her for a brief moment before he slammed the door and walked off without a word.

Aeron moved back towards the door, her gun still clutched tightly in her hand. She stood outside, listening, for what seemed like hours, although it was no more than a few seconds before she knocked lightly. She rolled her eyes at herself, at the stupid action. She could hear a pained groan through the wood. She quickly opened the door, her gaze falling on Dean's battered body lying on the floor. She quickly decocked the gun, putting the safety on and dropping in on a nearby table, as she fell to her knees.

"Dean," she said quietly, her hands touching his face lightly.

His eyes met hers, and she swallowed back her own tears as she saw his eyes well up.

"What is going on with you two?" she asked him softly, as she helped him up and over to the bed to sit. He sat down on the bed with a wince, his breaths coming out ragged. She wasn't sure if it was because of the physical exertion of the fight or because he was fighting back tears caused by the bitter betrayal of his brother.

Aeron kneeled in front of Dean, her eyes roaming his face, looking for any kind of recognition from him. He looked up, his eyes finally locking with hers as he snapped out of his daze. He looked sadly around the room, his eyes surveying the damage. He quickly realized he was sitting on the bed that mere hours, if not minutes before, Sam had been screwing Ruby. His stomach clenched at the thought, and it further lurched when he saw a drop of crimson staining the white sheet. He knew that Sam had been drinking her blood. Aeron's gaze followed Dean's and she finally was able to put two and two together. Although she and Dean hadn't seen each other since that morning at the cabin, they had talked over the last month, and she was fairly certain she knew as much about what was going on as Dead did himself.

"Ruby?" she asked quietly. Dean nodded remorsefully, his hand rubbing his neck where Sam had only minutes before strangled him. He stood, wincing in pain, grabbing the knife. He needed to get away from that room. He needed to stop Lilith before Sam went completely over the edge on which he was teetering.

"Get me out of here," he said, grabbing onto Aeron's shoulder for support. She nodded, pulling his arm over her shoulders and guiding him towards the door in silence.

Aeron glanced at Dean for the 1 millionth time in five minutes, her eyes travelling over the features of his face. They had left her truck at the hotel and she was currently wishing she was driving and not gripping the door of the Impala for dear life. As he took a turn at 95 MPH, his tires squealing loudly, she finally decided to say something.

"Dean…"

"I can't believe he would do that to me!" Dean yelled, cutting her off, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. She watched him briefly, her eyes flicking to the road again, watching as he drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic.

"Dean…" she said louder.

"I don't even know who he is anymore. He's nothing more than a monster," he said a bit more quietly, still not listening to her, and shaking his head.

"Dammit Dean!" Aeron screamed, reaching for the steering wheel. Her jerking the wheel back to the right seemed to bring him out of his head and he slammed on the brakes, attempting to pull the car over on the correct side of the road, safely. They rolled to a stop as the blare of the trucker's horn faded in the distance. Neither of them said a word as they struggled to slow their hearts and breathing back too normal. It was several minutes before either of them spoke.

"Aeron," Dean said quietly, "I'm sor…"

"Don't," she said, cutting him off. "Don't apologize Dean," she continued, reaching for the door handle and getting out of the car. She stood, taking in a deep breath of fresh mountain air and closed the car door behind her. She walked towards the edge of a nearby cliff that overlooked a mountain valley. Looking out over the edge, her eyes took in the sheer beauty before her. She soaked in the splendor of the green trees that sloped down the hill towards the sleepy creek that meandered its way through the craggy rocks of the mountains surrounding it. It was difficult to believe that beauty like this existed in a world as fucked up as theirs. It was even more difficult to know that tomorrow seal number 66 could be broken and hell could literally be on Earth. She turned towards the sound of footsteps moving towards her, her eyes meeting Dean's briefly. She gave him a sad smile and turned back towards the view.

"It's amazing to me that life continues on as if there's nothing going on around it," she said, quietly. "That people out there don't realize that everything they love, everything they cherish, could be gone in a blink of an eye.

Dean nodded, although she couldn't see him, before stepping beside her. There was an immediate sense of comfort that flooded him as his body brushed against hers. She reached over and slipped her hand into his, her fingers intertwining with his.

"He walked out on me Aeron," he said. "He tried to kill me, and then he walked out, without a second thought." He paused for a brief moment, his eyes filling with tears. He swallowed quickly in an attempt to put his emotions in check. "He told me that I wasn't strong enough to defeat Lilith," he faded away and she could feel his renewed anger building as he tensed up again. She gently squeezed his hand.

"Dean, I'm sure he didn't mean it that way…"

"Don't!" he said sternly, turning her around to face him. "Don't you dare patronize me!"

"Dean," she said, reaching up to brush his cheek with her fingertips, "I'm not patronizing you! I just…" she faded off, "You know what?" she dropped her hand, "It doesn't matter. Come on, we need to get to Bobby." She reached her hand towards him, and Dean glanced at her palm with a confused expression.

"What?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Give me the keys, Dean."

"No way in hell, sweetheart," he said with a scoff, turning towards the car. Her hand on his forearm stopped him.

"I mean it, Dean. You almost killed us back there," she raised a finger to stop his protest. "No! You listen to me. You are tired, you are bloody and beat to shit. You are angry, and soon you are going to physically crash and to be honest, I want to live long enough to see this so-called apocalypse," Dean frowned and gave her an exasperated look. "Dean, give me the keys. I promise I won't hurt your baby," she ran her hand down his arm, slipping her hand into his pocket. "I will get us to Bobby's and I will make it up to you later tonight."

Dean gazed down at her, his eyes searching hers for a few seconds before he nodded his head in quiet acquiescence. She pulled her hand out of his pocket, the keys jingling as they were freed, and turned towards the car. She stopped when he placed a hand on her shoulder. Aeron turned around to face him and smiled inwardly when he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.

"Thank you," Dean whispered against her lips, "For everything."

"You know I will be there whenever you need me," she replied, pulling him towards her, her mouth claiming his. She poured everything she had into the kiss, finally taking a moment to savor the fact that he was with her, that she could touch him. She pulled away slowly, leaning her head against his chest for a moment.

His hands buried in her hair, tilting her face up to look at him.

"Thank you, Aeron. I…" he trailed off staring into her eyes, hesitating for a moment.

Aeron nodded slowly, understanding what he was trying to say, before reaching up and kissing him again, savoring the touch and taste of him.

She pulled away from him as a car drove by, pulling her back to reality. "We should keep going."

Dean nodded, releasing her, his hands running down the full length of her hair as they parted.

"Hey," Dean said as he opened the passenger door. Aeron stopped and looked at him over the top of the car, "How did you know where to find me?"

"Castiel," she said simply, knowing there would be no need for further explanation.

Dean looked at her in shock. After a few moments he simply shook his head and got into the car, silently thanking God that Cas had risked his entire existence to help him and that Aeron had rushed headfirst into whatever mess he was in.

Again.