The next few days were spent at the shooting range. Dean wanted Lexi to get as much practice as possible. She was getting better, but Dean knew that firing a gun while running for your life was nothing like firing a gun in a shooting range where you had time to aim and think about the shot. She needed real practice. The problem was, real practice would put her in real danger.
While the days saw Lexi's hands wrapped around the cold metal of a gun, the nights had her wrapped in the warm arms of Dean Winchester. They made love each night, never knowing when John would be back. The time alone was precious, and they intended to savor it.
They lay in bed one night after a round of love-making, breathing heavily as they kissed. Lexi lay on top of Dean, and he held her hair back from her face. He had just rolled them onto their sides when his phone went off. He groaned against her mouth, and Lexi whimpered when he pulled away. Once again on his back, he reached for his phone and flipped it open.
"It's a text, from dad. The job with Caleb is done. He wants to know where we are so he can meet up with us."
"Does he say where he is?"
"No."
"Ugh. I guess the honeymoon's over."
Dean smiled as he texted his dad their location and waited for a response.
"Okay," he said, "he's about seven hours away. He's gonna grab a motel room and head here at first light." Dean flipped his phone closed and put it back on the night stand. "So," he said, pulling Lexi into his arms, "we can at least have the rest of the night."
"And then I go back to being stuck in a library all day, and a separate bed at night."
Dean kissed her forehead. "Baby, I know it sucks. You think I wanna share a bed with dad while you're in the next one? This is just until I can figure out a way to tell him without him seeing it as me defying his orders. The only way to come clean now and be together would be to leave, like Sam did. I can't do that to him, Lex."
"I can't, either. I just wanna be with you, Dean. Whatever it takes. I'll follow your lead."
Dean set his alarm for eight a.m., giving them more than enough time to be out of bed and distanced by the time John got there.
He ran his fingers through Lexi's hair and brushed his thumb over her cheek. She smiled and closed her eyes at his gentle touch.
"Lexi..." Dean paused and Lexi opened her eyes. He stared into them for a while before he continued. "I love you, sweetheart."
Lexi's smile grew, and she caressed Dean's face. "I love you, too, baby."
Dean captured her lips in a passionate kiss, and they made love again that night, knowing that they may not hold each other again for a while.
When Dean's alarm went off, they both groaned. Dean reached over and shut it off, then pulled Lexi close.
"Good morning," he said.
"No, it's not. Can we stop time?"
Dean ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. "I wish I could."
"Why can't we run away, again?"
"It would kill him."
Lexi sighed and nuzzled her face into Dean's neck. "I know."
"The longer we lay here, the harder it'll be to get up." Lexi groaned and Dean smiled. "Come on, it's not like we're saying goodbye. We'll still be together most of the time."
"That's only gonna make it harder, Dean."
"Gimme a break... I'm trying to find a silver lining, here."
"I'm sorry. This sucks so bad."
"I know." Dean kissed her head and pulled out of her arms, getting out of the bed. Lexi whimpered, and Dean looked back as he pulled on his boxers. "One of us had to do it. We need to get some distance before dad gets here. Let's go get breakfast."
"Okay."
Lexi got up and walked toward the bathroom. Dean watched as her bare hips swayed gently. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath. The sight of her was getting to him.
"Dean," Lexi called through a crack in the door, "bring me my bag, please."
He grabbed the bag and brought it to the door. When she opened it to take the bag, he saw her naked body and couldn't resist. He dropped the bag to the floor and lifted her off the ground, placing her on the counter. His lips crashed onto hers and she moaned.
"I thought we needed distance?"
"I'm gonna get really close first."
He pushed his boxers to the floor and kicked them to the side. He kissed down her neck, to her breasts, where she held him close. Her hands clenched his hair as he drove her to the edge. He recaptured her lips before plunging into her. Soon, she was clutching his shoulders, her body curling up around him, then he fell forward, leaning into her. He kissed her shoulder as he pulled back, causing her to shudder.
"I think we're in trouble," Dean said.
"I told you it would be hard."
"Maybe it's because we know we don't have much time left alone."
"Maybe."
"We both need showers."
"Yeah," she said as she slid off the counter and pulled Dean toward the shower, "we do. Let's try to practice self-control."
Self-control went out the window as they kissed and hands traveled to intimate places. When they got out of the shower, they dressed and went for breakfast. When they finished eating they sat there, hesitant to leave.
"I don't think we should go back to the room," Lexi said.
"Agreed. Dad should be here soon enough. We'll just drive for a while."
"Good idea."
They drove until Dean got the text that John was just twenty minutes away.
"You ready to test our restraint," Dean asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be."