It's kinda short, but it's the second one of the day, so deal... :P

I felt like I was living a thousand lives, each in ten seconds or so. Images of different people, times, and places flashed around in my brain. Everyone was different, new, even I was. My name, my appearance, my public identity, all continuously shifted and changed. The only thing that stayed constant was the violence. There was always violence. Fire, blades, blood, screaming, bones snapping, torture.

I could hear voices in my head, screaming for mercy, sobbing for help, begging for the lives of their friends and family to be spared. I saw it all, and I felt it all. I saw a woman tried for being a witch and felt the noose chafing my throat and the panic of suffocation when they hanged her. I saw a man stabbed to death and felt each searing slice as I too was stabbed, just as he. When I watched a child burn at the stake, I felt the fire consume me and smelled my own burning hair and flesh, my ears ringing with my own deafening screams mingling with the child's.

But, I wasn't just feeling the victim's pain. I also felt all of the pain of those who loved them as they were forced to watch everyone of them die before their eyes, their lives being ripped from them, slowly. Excruciating pain and paralyzing fear were the last sparks in their eyes before they were lifeless, cold, blank.

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open and I sat up straight, gasping desperately for air. I looked around wildly, lost and confused and, quite frankly, terrified. Someone came up next to me and, without thinking, I punched them as hard as I could. We both cried out as I pulled back, cradling my fist momentarily, before someone's laugh made me freeze.

Finally regaining my senses, I realized Dean was laughing and that I had just landed a right hook on Sam's jaw. I gasped.

"Oh God! Oh God, I'm so sorry!" I scrambled off the bed. "Let me get you some i-Whoa!" And I fell flat on my face. Dean laughed harder and then stooped to help me to my feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked, grinning. I nodded, once again confused and dizzy. Dean sat me down on the bed again, then looked up at Sam. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he exhaled, rubbing his jaw gently, then looking down at me shocked. "Jesus! Remind me never to wake you before you're ready."

I peered up guiltily at him. "I'm sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it, he's had worse," Dean said, sipping his beer. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, it's fine, I was just surprised."

"Bullshit, that one hurt, I could tell," Dean started chuckling again. Sam shot him a look.

"Shut up."

"Didn't mean to bruise your ego," I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile. Dean's grin grew. Sam looked back at me.

"Shut up!" he protested, smiling despite himself. I smiled, then exhaled and rubbed my head. I felt like I'd been dead for a hundred years and had just been woken up. My limbs were heavy and my head was foggy and ached.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Cas removed the barrier and you were out cold for a few days," Dean said, pulling out another beer and offering it to me. I took it and began chugging. "Easy, there. Jesus."

I returned the empty bottle. "I feel like I've been dead for a hundred years and my head hurts like a bitch."

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Starving."

"I'll go grab some grub," Dean said. Oh, he's hungry too. Shocker. "Sam, fill her in, will ya?" And out the door he went. Pie calls.

"Where are we?" I asked, accepting the second beer Sam handed me.

"Well... We're in a secluded underground hideout that was run by an elite group of supernatural experts that now belongs to Dean and I. This is about as close to home as we'll ever get."

I looked at him with wide eyes. "You have a lair?"

He grinned. "Yeah, we have a lair. And this," he gestured to the walls around us, "is your room."

"I get a room?" I asked, obviously way too excited for this. He laughed a little.

"Yeah."

"Yes!" I sat back against the pillow propped up on the headboard. "I feel so special!"

"You should," he smiled. "You're pretty special."

I felt my cheeks flush and glanced down at my lap, trying really hard to suppress my grin. Why was I acting like such an idiot?

"That-that is... uh... I mean, you know... We've never... Never really told-" Sam stuttered awkwardly and I decided to try to save him a little.

"It's okay, Sam," I said softly, offering him a shy smile. "I know what you meant."

He took refuge in his beer, taking a large swig so he didn't have to try to speak any more. We looked around awkwardly for a few long, silent moments before he finally broke it.

"So, um, how are you feeling?"

"Not too bad. I've been worse. I feel like I've been hit over the head really hard."

"Well, do you need ice or anything?" I shook my head. He started to stand. "Are you sure, 'cause it's not a problem. I could just-"

"Sam," I cut him off. "I'm fine, really. I'd like it if you stayed, actually." He nodded and sat down again.

"You sure you're all right?" he asked again after a moment. I smiled.

"Yes, Sam, I'm fine. Why are you so worried?"

He looked down at his lap, almost ashamed or embarrassed. "Well, you were out cold for three days and when Castiel took down the barrier, you were screaming and I was- I was afraid for you... I know what it's like... To see things that aren't real... But hurt just the same..."

I felt my heart go out to him. He had a lot of scars, but he was still going, still fighting. Just like me.

Setting my beer down, I took his hand in both of mine and squeezed it gently. Stroking my thumbs over his knuckles, I thought about how much he must have endured up to now. How many people he must have lost, and how much pain he had gone through. I thought about all that he had missed out on because he was selflessly saving lives at the expense of his own. He and Dean were shouldering the world together, just the two of them, thanklessly.

Without thinking, I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it lightly. When I looked up again, his face was inches away from mine. A moment passed and nothing happened, we just sat there, my brain completely off, my eyes locked on his lips, my body frozen on standby. Then, he leaned forward and kissed me.

The kiss lingered, at least a good five seconds, but was still over too fast. I wasn't disappointed for long though because, as soon as the first ended, the second began. Sam leaned into me more and I slid my arms up, around his neck as he gently pushed me onto my back. He moved so that he was lying on top of me, hands on my hips. I touched his lips gently with my tongue and, when they parted, slowly began to explore his mouth. He followed suit, his tongue gliding over mine, and I was immediately intoxicated. He tasted so sweet and I got goosebumps when he slid his hands beneath me, splaying his fingers across my back and sending chills up my spine.

Then, all too soon, we heard a door slam and Dean's voice rang out, announcing his return with food. Our lips parted, and we looked up at each other, breathing heavily, just staring at each other for a moment, trying to comprehend what just happened. As soon as Sam moved off of me and stood, I realized that I really didn't want him to.

I stood as well, blushing fiercely, and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear while he looked for something to say. He decided silence was best and started out of the room toward's Dean's voice. I followed him, trying to appear nonchalant and probably failing horribly.

At the table, Dean led the conversation, Sam and I answering with as few words as possible.

"So, did you fill her in on the rest of what Cas said?" Dean asked through a mouthful of food.

"I-uh-I didn't. I got... sidetracked," Sam confessed. I bit my lip, eyes trained on my plate, then remembered how famished I was and began eating a lot faster.

"Well, basically, now that the barrier's down, you're so powerful, you could potentially kill a god," Dean said casually.

I froze and looked up at him with huge eyes.

"Huh?"

"Yep," Dean nodded. "And because you're nuclear, you're gonna be on lockdown until you can control yourself. That means no more surprise blackouts and no sudden bursts of power that cause entire cities to black out."

"I didn't..."

"Oh yes you did," Dean raised his eyebrows. "While you were unconscious, at that. Imagine what would've happened if you were awake."

I took a deep breath. "Jesus... Okay, well am I to stay here then? Meditate and practice my control while you guys are hunting?"

"You'll always be with someone," Dean assured me. "We'll take turns watching over you, making sure you're safe, and I've also called in a favor. Our good friend Charlie is gonna come by to help out as well."

I nodded. "Okay, sounds good. Um, will I be allowed to poke around a little bit? You know, check out the other rooms, flip through the books?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't mind. Sammy?"

Sam looked up to meet my gaze for the first time. Our eyes locked for a moment and, I swear, the air became electrically charged or something.

"Uh, yeah," Sam said softly, our eyes still locked. "Yeah, feel free."

"Thanks."

Reactions? Opinions?

Questions? Comments? Cookies?