Sam's gaze slid between the two of us. He was waiting for us to say something- for us to say anything at all. My hand still tingled from the slap that I had given Dean. Our emotions were still running high and they tingled in the air. I knew that Sam could feel them in the old building's air. He got a dark look on his face, and his eyes settled on Dean. Awareness must have passed between the two of them, because Dean turned his head away and brushed past Sam while mumbling something incoherently.
The candles flickered at Dean's sudden departure. Sam looked at me silently, and I met his gaze head on. Feelings rolled beneath my skin. There were vibes that I should be feeling guilty of slapping him. Yet I didn't feel guilty. In fact, I felt nothing on the matter. All there was, was a gaping hole where my heart should be. A lump was in my throat. Tyler, who was the one that I was looking for, had shot me. He was the man I had loved. Tyler didn't even flinch when he had pulled the trigger, while I had looked into his eyes at the base of the abandoned space needle. I felt sick at what I had seen. His brown eyes used to be filled with happiness, mischief, and love. Now there was nothing inside them, except for hate. It was a loathing for me. The only thing that I had desired was to help find him to bring him home, and let things be the way that they were supposed to be.
Contemplations and sadness filled up Sam's dark eyes. He was waiting for me to do something. But I couldn't do anything. Everything felt impossible. It was like I was made of stone, and I didn't feel strong anymore. Half of me just wanted to bawl, scream, or even die. The other half Threshold had made, and it refused to break down and show any emotion. In the end, Threshold's half won. I swallowed the lump in my throat, but it still would not allow me to speak.
Finally Sam broke the silence with, "Its okay. I understand."
He turned away, the soft scuff of cloth the only sound present in the room. He walked outside, where faint whispers could be hurt; Dean had probably waited to see if I would say anything. Letting out a shaky sigh, I laid back down onto the old mattress, and the smell of mold filled the air. I looked out the foggy window above me; there wasn't anything to see besides the inky black of the night sky.
Minutes, maybe hours passed before someone entered into the building. The lump in my throat was still existent. I wanted to be left alone and forgotten. There was no point in helping anyone anymore. The smell of leather and smoke filled my nose, a soft guttural noise filled my ears. I knew it was Dean. He was behind me, waiting for me to respond. I didn't know why he wanted anything from me. Obviously I had hurt him. Why did he care anymore?
A firm grip was placed on my right shoulder, and the movement pulled me back. Remorse and anger filled Dean's hazel eyes as the stared at me. My gaze wouldn't move from his and was caught, as if they were in a trap like some animal wishing to die.
"No more. We have to move," he urged.
The trap was released as his words sunk into my head. Move? What was the point? I was a freak. My eyes turned away from him. He grabbed my jaw with one hand and forced me to look at him again. Dean's jaw was clenched, his lips pursed, like he was trying to control himself from screaming at me. 'Scream away,' I thought meekly.
"I know this guy, Tyler hurt you. More then physically apparently..." My mind wandered as he said something else to himself. "Aeryn!" I snapped to, forcing myself to listen. "We need your help."
'What was the point?' I thought, 'I failed you anyways.' The harpy is gone and I had gotten myself shot by someone I thought I could trust. My eyes pleaded to have Dean just kill me now. Evidently, I was of no worth to anyone in this city. His hand softly grazed my cheek and I realized I was crying.
"Come back. Help us. Be free," he whispered.
Something burned in my chest, and the tears came more freely while he wiped them away gently. I realized what I was feeling; it was love. Dean wanted me, no matter that I had failed him. Sighing softly, I closed my eyes, feeling all the hurt melt away. 'I can't give up now,' I thought, and opened my eyes. I was alone.
Pushing myself up from the old mattress, I stood and looked around slowly. Where'd Dean go? I would have heard him if he had left. Inhaling the musty scent of the old building, I took a step towards the door. Realization hit me- if I had been shot, then I should be bleeding. As I lifted my torn black tank top, I looked at my stomach for a bullet hole, but there was no wound.
I took a step back. What happened? Was I asleep a lot longer than I had thought? I knew I didn't heal fast. Just then Dean stepped in, a look of uneasiness around him.
"Nice stomach, I-" Flicking a glance at my stomach, I watched his expression darken.
"What the- how...your..." he stopped, demanding an explanation.
"I don't know, how long was I out?" I asked, trying to keep the panic from my voice.
"Aeryn, it's been an hour since our incident. I just came in to see if you were hungry." Dean replied, disbelief lining his voice.
My head reeled, an hour? And he just came in to visit me? "That's not pos-"
"What?" he asked, eyebrows scrunched down.
"You were in here and..." I trailed off and held my stomach. All this time, I was afraid that I wasn't human anymore, and that I wasn't capable of anything but to kill. Then love came and showed me I was still human. I was healed by love. A smile touched my lips.
"What?" he asked again, with anger slicing through the words. If I was healed Tyler wouldn't know, and Threshold thought I was dead. The perfect time to extract revenge on the pain I had been given, I thought. "Nothing. We've got a score to settle." I said and flashed Dean a smile.