Over the next few weeks Dean and Sam investigated further into the history of the town. They had put to bed two disgruntled spirits, but still had yet to make any progress with the case that had brought them to town. "I'm starting to think this thing went to a different town." Sam said nursing a beer from the only bar in town. "Nothing has showed up yet, in all the other towns by now there was at least one incident."
"They were starting to create a lot of attention, there probably laying low before they make their move. Even if they aren't here, I still think we should look more into Abigail's family. I mean she hasn't started showing any physic signs yet, but we're here we might as well look into it. Besides if her story is anything like yours at least we know the demon is going to come back for her." Dean said taking a long pull from his own. "I'm going to take off. I promised Abigail that I would go on a walk with her tonight."
"Dean-" Sam started to protest, as he watched his brother drop of few bills for his drink.
"Sammy I don't want to hear it." Dean said back to his younger brother.
"She's 17 Dean. Jailbait, underage. Anyway I put it she's still too young for you Dean."
"It's not even like that. Despite popular belief I can hang out with a girl without trying to get in her pants." Dean finished before walking away.
Sam took another long pull of his beer trying to figure his brother out. They had been in town for a little over a month now. And outside of the time spent researching and on hunts it seemed that almost all of Dean's free time was spent with Abigail. If Sam hadn't known any better he would have figured that his brother had feelings towards her, but Dean didn't fall for girls. Sure Dean had slept with his fair share of girls while they had traveled across the country, but he never spent any time with girls without the promise of sex, and even after the fact it was never more than one night. "Hope you know what you're doing." Sam said under his breath before turning back to the research they had compiled.
"So what did Sam say about you going on a walk with me?" Abigail asked as they walked down a deserted street. She knew that Sam had questioned their friendship.
"I didn't stick around to hear him out." Dean told her as they continued down the street. "So what's the destination tonight?"
"What makes you think that I have a destination in mind? What's wrong with just wanting to walk around town?" Abigail asked trying to hide the smile that lingered beneath her lips.
"Because you have that mammoth of a camera packed in your bag, which means you really want to take a picture of something. Chances are it's on the bad side of town because you know Eva and I would kill you if you went by yourself." Dean answered stopping to make his point more affective.
"Okay fine, there's this run down old house out past the tree line. A lot of kids go out there think the place is haunted, but there's this really pretty stain-glass window in the back of the house. I've wanted to photograph it for years." Abigail admitted.
"Okay, creepy old house it is." Dean laughed as they continued to walk to short distance across town. As they continued walking they soon found themselves at the end of the long row of trees that separated Andover from Wilmot. "Last chance to back out, before we walk into the deep dark woods?"
"I'm not scared. Are you?" She teased before heading into the woods ahead of Dean. They walked in silence for a few minutes before walking up towards the small run down shack.
"This place has a stain-glass window?" Dean asked taking in the appearance of the shack, the shutters were barely hanging on, and if there still was a front door it had been broken down years before. There weren't any functioning windows outside of the shards of broken glass that lingered, and the porch had since dissolved into the dirt surrounding the shack. "Even if it has one it hasn't been broken by some kid yet?"
"Hey, I'm a teenager. Just because were young doesn't mean that we all have a thing for vandalism. It's kind of a town legacy of something." Abigail said before moving unto what was left of the porch. "Are you coming or what?"
Dean watched her disappear into the house taking a minute to scratch his head before walking in himself. All the busted out windows gave enough light for the moon to give him a small glace at where he was headed. It was easy to find Abigail by the bright pink hooded sweatshirt she was wearing. "So where's this window you wanted to see so badly?"
"It's back here." Abigail called before heading further back. Dean followed and soon stood next to her looking at the colorful glass that was illuminated by the moonlight. "So this is it. I'll just take a few pictures and we can get out of here."
"Why does this place creep you out?" Dean asked feeling right at home with the surroundings.
"It doesn't creep you out?" Abigail asked taking her camera out of her bag. "Or is this your idea of a romantic date? Take a girl to an abandoned asylum and try and cop a feel?" She said raising the camera to her eye and snapping a few pictures of the window before placing the camera back in the bag.
"Do I look like the type of guy to make a move on a sweet innocent girl?" Dean smirked as they continued to stand in front of the window.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Abigail laughed before starting to move back to the front of the house.
"Hey," Dean called grabbing her arm and pulling her back to where they had previously stood. "I have never once tried to cop a feel on a girl in some asylum, or some run down shack. Although there can always be a first." Abigail took a minute to lean in slightly placing her arms on Dean's shoulders.
"If you were going to make a move on me," she whispered before leaning into his ear "you would have tried by now."
Holding her in place Dean lowered his head to put is mouth next to her ear "If I do recall, the one time, that we could even remotely call me coping a feel would be when you kissed me." Dean said before walking out of the house. Abigail wasn't far behind, the darkened house catching up with her nerves. As she ran out the door Dean grabbed her from behind and quickly covered her mouth to stop her scream. "Shh-there's someone walking toward the house with flashlights we gotta get out of here." Grabbing her hand Dean pulled her around the corner of the shack and behind a cluster of trees. As the flashlights got closer Abigail began to shed her pink sweatshirt.
Dean shot her a glance confused at what she was doing. "What, it's really bright I don't want them to see it, especially if it's the cops." She said crouching down behind the base of a tree. As she tried to hover low to the ground she began to teeter backwards, Dean caught her stopping her from hitting the ground, unfortunately the ground wasn't very flat because Dean soon toppled back taking Abigail with him. She landed ungracefully across his chest chestnut hair cascading into her face. Brushing it out of the way with his fingers letting the tips linger on her check, lowering his other hand to her waist, his fingers lightly grazing the bare skin between her pants and the thin shirt she was wearing.
Trying to remain as still as possible Abigail turned to see if the people approaching had heard them. Dean lowered the hand from her cheek bringing it to her waist to help adjust where she lay on his chest. The longer they stayed there the more awkward it would be after, especially if the people walking towards the house spotted them. Abigail began to fidget from her position causing Dean to silently groan at her movements.
"Yea so I'm a klutz, thanks for breaking my fall," she whispered slowly pushing herself off Dean's body. She began to look closer at the people before quickly standing she called out to the people, "Jimmy, Krista what on earth are you doing out here?" She said walking over towards them.
"Abs what on earth are you doing out here? It's 11 o'clock on a Friday night?" Krista asked smirking when she saw Dean make an appearance from behind the tree. "I see now. Trying to make a move on your new house guest? Hi Dean."
"Hey," He said walking closer up, handing Abigail her sweater. By all appearance's it would be easy to assume something of the sort, and if they had been able to read Dean's thoughts they would have been correct. "We were actually just leaving."
"Yeah, so I guess I'll see you guys later." Abigail called before running up to catch Dean. "Why the rush to get out of here?"
"I figured they're coming up here for some reason, four's a crowd." Dean added walking briskly away from the shack.
"Dean, slow down." Abigail said grabbing his hand to stop him from moving further. "What is your deal? I mean were enjoying the visit to the house, taking pictures and then other people show up and you clam back up. I'm starting to think that you're ashamed to be seen with me." She teased
"Abigail you know I don't care who sees me with you." Dean said trying to walk away again. "Look it's getting late I'm sure your grandmother will be looking out for you soon."
"Would you stop walking away from me?" Abigail yelled, causing Dean to turn and look at her. "I didn't force you to come out here with me. I don't force you to go on walks with me. You're the one who followed me into the cemetery and tailed me when I crawled out of my window, I didn't ask you for any of this!"
"I know that, that's not what this about. It's just starting to get late; it's been a long day." Dean said in a much quieter voice.
"You know what, it is getting late. You should head back Dean." Abigail said turning and going back in the direction of the shack.
"Where are you going?" Dean asked following her back.
"I'm going to walk back with Krista and Jimmy," She said softly. "I wouldn't want to waste anymore of your time."
"Abigail," Dean called watching her walk away and back into the house. Taking a minute to take a calming breath, making sure she was with Krista and Jimmy, before walking out of the woods and back towards town. During his long walk back he had a lot of time to think of the freak out between him and Abigail. He knew that the argument was brought upon by his sudden need to be anywhere but near her. Sam words kept playing through his head. He knew that he had been spending a lot of time with Abigail and for the most part it had been innocent. But there was the small part of Dean's brain that kept telling him that he needed to stop pretending. As he made it back to his room at the boarding house. Sam was already in bed typing away at his laptop.
"You're back earlier than I expected." Sam said looking up from his computer. "I can't hear Abigail upstairs?"
"She's not back yet. She's hanging out with a few of her friends. I got a call from Bobby he's got something for us, I'm pretty sure it's just a simple spirit. I'm going to go check it out I should be back in a day or two." Dean said as he started to put some clothes in his duffle bag.
"Dean, are you okay?" Sam asked setting the computer down and getting out of his bed.
"Yea, I just want to get to Connecticut before the sun comes up." Dean said closing his bag. "I'll see you in a few days, be on the look out for the restaurant owner. Their getting pretty established around here." Without giving Sam a chance to respond Dean closed the door and headed down the stairs. Stopping in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water before heading out the door. As he walked onto the street to the Impala Abigail was making her way up the walk alone.
"Where are Jimmy and Krista?" Dean asked.
"I'm a big girl Dean; I don't need them to walk me to my front door." She bit back at him, before she caught a glimpse of his duffle bag, "hey, where are you going?"
"I have to be in Connecticut tomorrow for an article. I'll be back in a few days." Dean said opening the door to his beloved Impala
"Seems kind of sudden, but have a good trip." Abigail said hoping that Dean would give her something else to go on, a glimmer of anything. After standing awkwardly for a few moments Dean got into the car starting the engine and pulling away from the curb. Abigail waited until the taillights were out of her view before heading inside and upstairs to her room.
The next morning at breakfast Abigail noticed Sam dragging himself down the stairs. "Good morning Sam." Eva said as Sam sat down at the table. "I'm guessing Dean won't be down this morning?"
"Actually Dean's not here. He got a call from our publisher and he left last night for Connecticut. He'll be back in a few days." Sam explained.
"Well Abigail I guess you'll have to find someone else to go on your walks with you." Eva smirked before walking into the kitchen to grab a few more plates of food.
"So Dean was acting pretty weird yesterday before he left." Abigail said sitting down at the table in a seat across from Sam.
"Weird how?" Sam asked his intrigue picking up.
"We walked out to this abandoned shack just outside the city limits. I wanted to take a picture of this window, but something happened. Dean all of a sudden got really defensive and picked a fight with me." Abigail said grabbing a muffin from the table. "Tell my grandma I left early for school." She said before standing and leaving.
Sam excused himself from the table after a quick breakfast and went out to the front porch to make a few calls. First to Bobby, and then to Dean. "Yea, Dean when you get this give me a call." He said simply not letting on that he knew. Bobby said that he hadn't called Dean in a few weeks. So what happened that caused Dean to pick up and leave so quickly.
In actuality Dean hadn't made it more than 20 miles outside of Andover. He just needed a little time away from certain people. He needed to go into a bar and find some hot girl to hook up with a shake off the feelings that swirled around in his head. Caring and feelings wasn't a Winchester trait that he had acquired. It wasn't something that he wanted to deal with, but here he was. Hiding out in a hotel trying to forget the feeling of Abigail's skin on his fingertips. Shaking his head as if to shake the thoughts out, Dean ordered another beer trying to drown out the sound inside his head.
He had received a few voicemails from Sam and from Bobby letting him know that Sam knew he was lying. He was never going to hear the end of this.