"Hey, guys," Kristin said as she pulled on a jacket, "I saw a convenience store on the corner. I'm gonna grab some snacks. You want anything?"

Sam and Dean both declined. They discussed the information they got at the morgue. In the middle of talking, Dean got hit with a sudden, heightened fear that slowly faded.

"Shit!"

He jumped up and grabbed his jacket.

"Dude, what the hell?"

"Kristin's in trouble," Dean said.

"What? How do you know that?"

"Let's go."

They ran to the corner store and looked for Kristin inside, but she wasn't there. Dean ran back outside and scanned the area. A rustle under his foot made him look down, and he picked up a piece of paper.

"What that?" Sam asked.

"A receipt." He held it up for Sam. "What's that look like?"

Sam scanned the list of items. "Snack food."

"They got her."

"The vetalas?"

Dean ran back to his car and flung himself behind the wheel. He was pulling out of the parking spot when Sam jumped in.

"Dude, what's going on? How did you know?"

Dean told Sam about the palm reader, and how he'd been feeling different emotions, and that he'd finally figured out it was Kristin.

"So, you felt her fear?"

"Exactly."

"But it faded?"

"Real slow. Almost like she'd been drugged and was drifting off."

"The venom?"

"That's my guess. You experienced it. Is that what it's like?"

"Pretty much."

Dean pressed the accelerator to the floor.

"Where are we going, Dean?"

"The club. I think they saw us that night. Probably heard us arguing."

"Followed us. Know we're questioning."

"I shouldn't have let her go alone."

"Dean, you couldn't have known."

Dean parked so that he could see both the front door and an alley. His fingers drummed the bottom of the steering wheel while they watched. If it weren't for all his years of experience, he would have charged in. That's where his head was. He just wanted Kristin back.

He sat up when a woman emerged from a side door. A man followed, and staggered a bit as they walked toward the parking lot. A second woman reached into the man's pocket and pulled out his keys. She went in another direction.

"That's them," Dean said.

"Follow the one with the guy."

"I know."

She practically dragged the half-conscious man through the halls of an old warehouse. Dean followed from a safe distance until he saw Kristin tied to a chair. He slipped back into the shadows and motioned to Sam, who was a few paces back.

When the creature was busy tying up the newest victim, Dean made his move. She turned to him as he reached her, and he plunged a silver knife into her chest, then gave it a twist.

"The other one will be here soon, Dean."

"We have to get Kris out of here."

Dean untied Kristin and knelt in front of her. He patted her face.

"Kris... sweetheart, wake up."

Kristin groaned. Her eyes opened only to flutter shut again.

Dean lifted her from the chair and turned as the second vetala came up behind Sam.

"Sam, behind you!"

Sam spun, but the vetala knocked the knife from his hand and pinned Sam to the floor. He fought the creature while Dean lay Kristin on the ground.

Dean kicked the monster off of Sam, and the two of them circled her until Sam was able to grab hold of her from behind, and Dean plunged the knife into her chest.

Dean knelt by Kristin and brushed the hair from her face and neck. His fingers trailed over a bruise on her cheek, and a trickle of blood flowed from a wound on her neck.

"She needs a doctor."

Dean lifted her into his arms and carried her to the car. He let Sam drive while he held Kristin in the back seat.

She groaned and squirmed.

"Keep still, sweetheart. Almost there."

"Dean?"

"Yeah, baby, I'm right here."

"The vetalas..."

"I know. We got 'em."

"They fed on me."

"Both of them?"

Kristin nodded.

"It's okay. We're almost to the hospital."

"So tired..."

"Stay awake. Just a little bit longer."

A couple hours later, Dean sat at Kristin's bedside, holding her hand. After a pint of blood and some IV fluids, her color was returning. The venom wore off not long after she arrived, and she slept for a while.

Dean smiled when she woke.

"Hey."

Kristin tried to sit up, but groaned.

"Just lay still. You lost a good bit of blood."

"I feel like I got hit by a truck."

"I don't doubt it."

"I'm a little fuzzy on time. How long did it take for you guys to realize I was missing?"

Dean squeezed her hand.

"I, uh... I knew as soon as it happened."

"How?"

"The palm reader."

Kristin closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. My head is still fuzzy. The palm reader from the carnival?"

"Yeah. When I stayed behind, she did something to me. She told me I would feel the emotions of someone else... someone I care about."

She shook her head slowly. "What does that have to do with-"

"I felt your fear when those things attacked you. I knew you were in trouble."

"I don't- How can you-"

"You remember in the car on the way back from the carnival? You asked me why I was smiling?"

"Yeah."

"I think I was feeling your happiness."

"No, we just had a fun day."

"Okay, what about that fight?"

"What about it?"

"I felt your anger at me."

"I think you felt your own anger."

Dean ran a hand over his face.

"Okay, after you were in the shower... you cried."

"How... how do you know that?"

"Because I felt it. There was this lump in my throat, and I felt heavy, and I actually cried. But I wasn't upset like that. I was more angry at myself for the way I acted."

"Dean, you told me she was a fake."

"I just wanted to get out of there."

"But why would she want you to feel my emotions?"

"I think she wanted me to realize that you care for me, too."

"Of course I care for you."

"No, sweetheart. Really care. I've been thinking about how angry you got at me. How you wanted me to cut out the big brother crap? Maybe it's because you don't see me as a brother."

"Dean-"

"I gotta be honest, that would be the best news I've had in months."

"Am I still unconscious?"

Dean chuckled. "No, honey, you are very much awake."

"Honey?"

Dean laced their fingers together and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

"If you want me," he said.

Kristin closed her eyes. "I don't understand why she wouldn't tell me this."

"Who?"

"The..." she opened her eyes, and a blush colored her cheeks. "The palm reader."

Dean's brow knit together. "She said you were afraid of an answer."

"I was."

"What was the question?"

Kristin hesitated, staring at their joined hands.

"If you love me or not."

Dean stared at her until her eyes met his, then he kissed her. His free hand caressed her face as she kissed him back, but she pulled away, short of breath.

Dean pressed his forehead to hers.

"We're gonna make sure you get strong again, so I can kiss you like I want to."

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"Just let them try to make me leave."

Kristin moved aside to let Dean lie next to her.

"Can you feel what I'm feeling right now?"

Dean concentrated. He felt relief. Happiness. A mild sensation of butterflies. He guessed that Kristin was feeling those things, but he knew these were his own emotions.

"No, I can't."

"Why not?"

"She told me it would go away when I confronted my feelings."

"And what feelings are those?" she asked with a smile.

Dean smiled back and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Really good feelings," he said.

Kristin was released the next day, with orders to rest. Dean lifted her out of the Impala and carried her into the bunker.

"I'm not an invalid, you know. I can walk."

"You rest. Doctor's orders."

Kristin lay her head against Dean's shoulder as he carried her down the hall and past her bedroom door.

"Ummm, where are we going?"

After a few more steps, Dean turned into his room and closed the door.

"You're staying with me tonight."

He placed her on the bed and helped her get comfortable with extra pillows. He sat next to her and took her hand.

"If there's anything you need, I'll get it for you."

"Dean-"

"I found a book on your night table, so I brought that. And I'll get whatever else you want."

"You know what I want?"

"What?"

She hooked a finger into the neck of his t-shirt and pulled him forward.

"I want you."

Dean groaned, and captured her lips with his. He lay her back into the mound of pillows behind her and brushed his fingers over her face.

He pulled away and rested his forehead to hers.

"You get better, and you'll have me. In the meantime, you'll have to settle for my usual company."

"That's not settling. I've always enjoyed hanging out with you."

Dean stared at her for a moment.

"I think I'm gonna miss feeling what you feel. You always had this..." Dean shook his head and struggled to find the word. "It was a calm kind of happiness."

"Like contentment?"

Dean nodded. "That's a nice feeling. Even second-hand. I couldn't tell you the last time I felt that way."

"What are you feeling right now?"

Dean thought for a moment, and a smile pulled at his lips.

"Well, I'll be damned."

"Content?"

"Yep."

"It's not that you're never happy, Dean. I've seen it with my own eyes. You just so rarely allow yourself to feel it. Let yourself be happy for once."

"As long as I've got you, sweetheart."