Meg was fighting exhaustion as she waved to the medivac hours later. The pilot and paramedic had been able to return her to a field just outside of town. She pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at the picture she'd snapped as she'd taken off. What drama have I missed? Wind from the helicopter whipped her hair as it flew away. Closing her eyes to both block out the dust and to pray for strength, Meg started walking towards town. I'm either going to find one of them dead and the other in jail or the fight still raging. There's no way they can peacefully co-exist. This just isn't going to… She rubbed the heel of her hand across her eyes and drew a deep breath. Her feet were on the sidewalk leading in to town. There was no turning back. She lifted her chin and walked onwards, head held high. So far no screams or shouts. That's a good thing. She glanced down a side street but didn't see any of the local fire fighters' cars or trucks home. As she approached the fire house she concentrated on keeping her gate even. The doors are shut. It doesn't look like anyone is there. That's odd. On a Friday at… Well, it is only three. I guess they went back to work. I would have thought that some would have knocked off for the day after that call, though. Or that the crisis team would have been called in. Hmm. That is odd. She kept walking through the center of town, making the bend so she could see her house. Meg stopped mid-stride. Her front yard was covered with cars and trucks of every make and model. A few stuttered steps further allowed her to see that the exterior of her house was currently receiving a sand-blasting that she had been unable to do herself. The shudders that she had been afraid to climb up and remove were leaning against trees, already free from the paint that she knew contained lead. How… Who… Dean. Dean. Her heart began to pound. She realized it wasn't her heart, it was her feet as she was running down the street. Someone was yelling for Dean. It wasn't her. "Dean! Dean! Meg's here!"

"Where? She was supposed to call!" She heard him shout from the back yard. He rounded the corner of the house as she ran up the drive. "You were supposed to call umph!" She jumped up, wrapping her arms and legs around him, nearly knocking him over. Dean wrapped one arm under her butt and the other around her shoulders, clutching her tightly. "Not upset?" he asked quietly.

"You are amazing." she whispered.

"Told you they missed you." he said with a chuckle.

She kissed his neck. "Why do I think there's more to the story?" He clamped his lips shut. "Exactly." She kissed his chin. "I don't see any marks. That's a good thing, I guess."

Dean patted her butt as he whispered in her ear, "I wouldn't be the one with marks, sweetie. And that wouldn't happen at the fire house. I can promise you that." Meg unwrapped her legs and stood in front of him. "You are mine, Meg. And I will protect what's mine."

Meg slid her hands down to rest above Dean's heart. "Just don't go looking for a fight. I'm liking my possessive, protective young stud hale and hearty." Dean's eyes widened before they tightened to pinpoints.

"You are evil." he growled. She laughed as she tapped his chest.

Seth shouted from the back yard, "All good over there?"

Dean shouted back, "Just freakin' peachy!"

Jay grumbled, "What's wrong with him now?"

The chief laughed loudly. "My guess? A yard full of the entire company. Dumbass didn't think this through!" The whispers, innuendoes and raucous laughter filled the air.

"Ya'll ain't funny." Dean grumbled.

Meg ruffled his hair. "They're freakin' hilarious." she corrected before walking into her house.

Dean stared after her. "You really are stuck on her, aren't you?"

He looked the chief in the eye before answering him very seriously. "I knew she was special before but she was Chris's wife. He may not have taken those vows to heart but she did. And I would never mess with another man's woman. That's not me. I felt privileged to call both of them my friends. Knowing what I know now I hurt for her, for the pain she felt thinking that we, I betrayed her in some way. I also know that I am fortunate to get the opportunity to have her in my life again and I'm going to relish every minute I have with her." He nodded and continued. "Meg is mine. We're going to come up to the station together, go out to dinner together and be seen around town together. I'm going to help her finish this house. When she looks around, I want her to think of me, not him."

The older man clapped his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Making a good start, son. You're showing her with some pretty big actions. Don't forget the words, too." Dean nodded again.