Chapter Nine- The Game

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a little treat to show you some love: two for one posting! Enjoy and please leave feedback!

The group had spent the evening apart, each making themselves busy. Dean had called Cas, but had to leave a message telling the angel where they were. He hoped he wouldn't be too long. Sam seemed charged, ready to get started on ending the apocalypse. Dean had to admit that he felt in better spirits too. The thought of ending this thing seemed a little closer and a little more real.

It was drawing close to midnight when Dean felt his eyes starting to get heavy. He had had his first shower in days and after getting dressed into some clean clothes, he started to feel just how tired he was. He was about to stand to go check on Naomi and say goodnight when there was a soft knock at the door.

Sam and Dean both stood to go answer the door, but after a quick look to each other, Sam was the one to turn the lock and open the door. Dean was trying to understand the exchange when he heard Naomi whisper, "Hey. I didn't wake you, did I?"

Sam shook his head. "Nope. We're night owls."

She stepped around him, smiling up at him. "That doesn't surprise me much."

Dean felt his heart jump for a moment. Naomi's hair was dark auburn, wet from taking a shower, up in a braid that was long enough to fall over her shoulder. She wore flannel pajama pants with an AC/DC T-shirt on. She was wearing thin-rimmed glasses that had begun to slide down her nose. She pushed them back up as her eyes met Dean's. She smiled as she held up a deck of cards and Ziploc bag full of black and red chips. "Want to get your butt kicked at poker?"

Dean laughed. "I know you've known us for less than 24 hours, but it shouldn't really be that big of a surprise to you that I don't get anything kicked when it comes to poker."

Sam closed the door and stood beside Naomi. "We've played our share of poker, Naomi. I don't think you stand a chance."

Naomi glanced between them and swung the bag tantalizingly. "Then you'll have nothing to lose, right?"

Wrong. Out of the three games of poker they played, Naomi had won every one by a landslide. As they laid down their cards for the last game, Dean groaned when he saw Naomi had swept them away again. She pumped her fists in the air and said, "Well boys, it was pleasure doing business with you" as she scooped up her winnings.

Sam silently shook his head at her as Dean gestured towards her hand. "That's not even fair. You bluffed the last five rounds!"

Naomi smirked as she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "It's not my fault that I have a convincing poker face…and that I can read your tells."

Sam and Dean exchanged a look, then looked back at her. They said simultaneously, "We don't have tells."

Naomi laughed as she stood. "Oh. Yes, you do."

Sam cleaned up the cards and chips as Dean stood. He gave her a look over, scrutinizing her. He asked, "Did you cheat?"

Naomi held a hand to her heart in mock surprise. "Oh, of course. The only way I could have won is because I cheated. You caught me, Dean."

He rolled his eyes. "You had to have done something. You're way too…nice to have that good of poker face."

Naomi's head slightly cocked to the side as she smiled. "Thank you…I think."

Sam stood and handed the cards and bag of chips to Naomi. "Or to be that good of a liar."

Naomi smiled and shrugged. "I like to surprise people." A moment passed between the three of them before Naomi broke it. "Well, good night!" She turned and headed for the door.

The boys called after her in unison, "Goodnight."

She tossed over her shoulder before closing the door behind her. "Sleep tight! Dream good dreams tonight!"

Sam and Dean watched the door silently for a moment before they turned towards each other. Sam smiled at him. "What do you think?"

Dean felt his eyes widen. "Of what?"

Sam fell back onto his bed, resting his arms behind his head. "Of Naomi, Dean. What do you think about her?"

Dean felt his face get warm and walked to his own bed to hide it from Sam. He didn't know why he was blushing or why didn't want Sam to see. "I don't know. What am I supposed to think?"

Sam sat on his bed. "I just thought she'd be more…"

"Deadly?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. She said she likes to surprise people. Maybe there really is more to her than we think."

Dean pulled back the sheets on his bed and yanked his jeans off. "Well, I think she's got a long way to go before she gets to apocalypse-stopping level, Sammy. Don't get your hopes up." He didn't like the tone Sam had when he talked about her.

"Dean-"

Dean grabbed the sheets and roughly drew them over him, turning his back to his brother. "Just go to sleep, Sam."

Dean waited until Sam turned off the light before releasing a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He didn't understand why he was in such a bad mood. He had felt fine when he was losing at poker to Naomi minutes ago. He rubbed his eyes and settled in the bed, not realizing how drained he was. His head and his eyes felt heavy.

I'm just tired. It's been a long day. Sam needs to get that…and get over Naomi. She isn't that special. She's normal. She's…