Never

Sam sat at the table in the kitchen, his laptop open in front of him, coffee going in the pot behind him and he was typing away. He had been up for hours, had finished off about three cups of the twelve but hadn't really thought about the time until Dean walked in, dressed in his usual, t-shirt and boxer briefs with that Dead Guy's Robe and slippers on.

The older brother mumbled a "morning" grabbed a cup from the dishrack and moved behind Sam to fill it with coffee before he moved to sit across from him. They were silent for a few minutes, comfortable in it, before Sam looked up to find his brother staring at him.

"What?" Sam questioned, confused.

"Just curious," Dean growled out, his morning voice a little deeper than usual, "have you seen our little weekend guest?"

"Ali?" Sam sat up straight, "I thought she was in with you."

"No," Dean snapped, but then looked down at his cup, "I mean, she was but that was sometime in the middle of the night, this morning she was gone, I thought she might have gone back to you, but since you're out here and your room is empty..."

"You checked my room?"

"Not the point," Dean grouched. "She's MIA… again."

"She could be just roaming around, I mean, we did find her in the storage room last time."

"Sam," Dean got serious, "this is the fifth time she's disappeared while she was here. I get that she's never left the bunker, but don't you find it a little, I don't know, disturbing that she keeps doing this?"

"She's adjusting," Sam shrugged, but yeah, he found it really strange.

"It's been three months, I think the adjustment period for having an alien take over your body has passed, now, she's just a little off the wall."

"This is Ali, Dean, when has she not been off the wall? Since we met her, she's been in one screwed up mess after another so yeah, I think she's still adjusting to this."

"Okay, so how about this," Dean sighed, "maybe… maybe we should find her."

"Why?"

"Seriously? Because she's missing, Sam!"

"I'm not… missing," Ali's amused voice made them both jump and look in the direction of the kitchen door that lead to the bedroom hallway.

She stood there in workout pants and a tight tank top, but the grin on her face and the way her sweat-drenched hair covered her forehead, Sam could feel the need to get up and take her right against wall. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath and quickly looked down at the computer.

"Where have you been?" Dean questioned, slowly rising and all Sam thought about was reaching out and grabbing the man's arm before he could move, but he was too curious on what would happen next to stop Dean. "You scared the crap out of us."

"Not really," Sam interrupted and Dean glared at him long enough for Sam to get the point before he turned back to Ali.

"I was down in the weight room," she smiled and turned her back so she was leaning against the doorsill. Her eyes traveled up over his body as Dean took up the rest of the space between the frame.

Sam licked his lips, watching the way they stared each other down and he wasn't sure if he was waiting for the title fight to happen or if he wanted Dean to just grab her and kiss her. Sam, himself, would have gone with just an all-in-balls-out, take-you-where-you-stand kiss, but that was because it was what he needed.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

Dean, however, had opted for a title fight.

"What? Workout?"

"No, disappear like that?"

"You really want me to wake you up when I need to pee? Or shower, or God forbid, work off something that might, at some point, hurt you?"

"Hurt me? You really think you could hurt me?"

"Dean, this thing makes me violent, okay, you've seen it, I've felt it, and yeah, I'm scared that I might hurt you when it comes on."

"Why didn't you say anything then? Why not open up and let us help?"

"You're kidding right? You… helping me out, yeah that got you linked to me, to Sam and don't get me wrong, the sex is fantastic, but I love you too much to let you volunteer to let me beat the holy hell out of you."

"Is that what you feel like doing? Beating something?"

Ali rubbed her forehead and reached out, placing a hand on Dean's stomach. Sam watched him take a deep breath in, straighten himself and square his shoulders, like that touch alone would have made him give into her.

"I always feel like…" Ali lowered her eyes from Dean, stopping where her hand rested before she swallowed and looked towards the ground, "the anger is always there, Dean, and I'm not going to use you as a punching bag, no matter how much you think you can fend me off."

"You think you can take me?"

"Dean, please," Ali's voice was a whisper, as Sam watched her eyes close but Dean took hold of her hand, which made her eyes shoot up to his. Dean tugged her closer, sweaty workout clothes and all, and wrapped his arm around her waist as he brought the hand he held to his lips.

"I mean it, Porter, you think you can take me?"

"I…" she fumbled with her words and that made Sam even more curious.

"You need this, right?"

Sam closed his eyes. His brother was a glutton for punishment but this was Ali and he would do anything for her.

"I need something," she huffed and tried to look away but Dean's hand instantly went to her chin, holding her as he did her stare. "Not now, the fight is all gone, right now I just need a shower."

"I can help with that too," he winked and Sam just rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Dean, that's probably not the best idea either."

That response made Sam look at her in shock. She had never turned down Dean joining her in the shower, well, it was more of Dean sitting in the bathroom while she showered. It was a weird "let's talk about it" thing while one was behind the curtain. "Bathroom Confessionals" is what she called it once, but for her to say no...

"Okay, now I know something's wrong." Dean wrapped his arms tighter, "what gives?"

"Nothing," Ali winked, stepping back out of his arms. Dean, surprisingly, let her go. "Tell you what, Winchester, let me have my shower, and I'll meet you both back here. We'll have breakfast and then we'll go out on that hunt that Sammy is so engaged in."

Sam watched as her eyes landed on him, but he was curious more than confused on how she knew what he was doing before he was distracted by the way she licked her lips and looked him over.

"Really? You think I can just let you go, just like that?"

Ali looked up at the tall man in front of her, she got up on her tiptoes, grabbed a handful of his shirt, and pulled him down for a quick kiss.

"Never," she smiled, releasing him, "which is why I promise to come back and let you stare at me longingly while we eat. Deal?"

Dean sighed, rolled his eyes and nodded, before she released him and winked at Sam, disappearing quickly down the hall.

Dean shook his head, walked back to the table and sat down abruptly. He looked down at the coffee, sighed again, and got up to refill it.

"So," Sam smiled, as his brother went through the motions of looking at the door every two seconds as he sat down again, "what's for breakfast?"