Author's Note - This follows the last six episodes of season three(minus Ghostfacers), I just added my own character into the mix and a few more things. I don't own any of the characters or the episodes, just Apple and the plot following the NRFTW. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Review please. (:

Burning, I'm not used to seeing you
Chapter Twenty-two

Dean's head hurt; hell, his whole body hurt. He wasn't sure where he was now. Before he realized it, he had somehow gotten into a completely different room. It was like a jail cell almost. There was a bed and that was about it. Every once in a while food would appear through a slot in the door. Dean was surprised and often wondered if he was indeed in jail instead of hell.

He laid down on his bed and looked up slightly as he heard the slot in the door open; speaking of food. Dean didn't make a move though, he just laid back and closed his eyes.

His dreams, which he had surprisingly a lot of now; consisted of Apple, and sometimes Sam. They were different every time he closed his eyes. Sometimes he would have to watch his brother, or Apple die. Sometimes they would get married, separately of course. And sometimes, well sometimes he'd be in his dreams and he'd be happy with them.

The last dream he had consisted of Apple, his Impala, and a starry night. It had been one of his better dreams. And it still surprised him every time he saw her, she still managed to ignite those feelings he had for her. Dream or not, it felt real; every dream felt real. In the dreams where Sam or Apple would die, he felt just as guilty; no matter how many times he reminded himself they were dreams. But then again, for all he knew Apple and Sam could be dead by now.

Sighing, he turned over and tried to relax. It didn't take Dean long to fall asleep; soon his head was filled with Sam. He watched as his brother sat on down on Apple's bed and watched her sleep.

Something soft touched Dean's shoulder and he looked up, surprised to find Apple behind him. "He's worried, you know."

Dean's breath caught in his throat, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." She came around and stood by his side.

"I'm not sure. I think I'm dreaming."

"You look like hell," she muttered as she studied him. He was covered in bruises and dried blood was on the corner of his mouth. She reached out with her thumb and carefully wiped the blood away.

"Well, you don't look too good yourself. Though, I gotta say, vampire's a hot look for you. And God, when are you gonna start eating again?"

Apple rolled her eyes. "Dean."

"Okay, okay. Sorry. What happened to you?"

"I don't know. I wish I did. All I know is something isn't right."

"You're telling me. We keep running into each other, I don't see why though. I'm dead."

"Yeah." Apple said sadly.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Dean just stared at her. "Oh, you mean your comment. You shouldn't be, it's just the truth."

"Yeah, but it sure doesn't make it any easier."

Apple shrugged her shoulders. "I wonder if this is what I'm dreaming about," she said as she looked at her sleeping self.

"You're moving around too much."

"Well, I'm walking around."

"Yeah, but your movements are too jerky." Apple conceded with a small nod. "How's Sammy?"

"He's been okay. He's just been worried about me lately, and I really hate that."

"It's not your fault."

"Oh?"

"Well, if you don't even know what's going on with you, then how can it be your fault?"

"I've got to go Dean."

"What?"

"Dean, I have to go." Apple repeated, sadness in her eyes. She gave him a small smile before she kissed his cheek.

X – X – X – X

"The hell?" Dean muttered as sat up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the dark cell. What kind of dream was that? He'd never had one like that before. It was probably just another false dream. All of the dreams he had were probably false. This was hell after all, he could never trust anything here; even the things in his head.

He sighed as he laid back and closed his eyes once more.

X – X – X – X

"Apple? Honey?"

Apple's eyes fluttered open as an unfamiliar voice flooded her ears. When was there ever a female around them? She was the only female that had been around.

"What?" She mumbled as her eyes landed on a blond haired woman. "Oh my God."

"Well, no. It's Courtney actually. Remember me? We ran around in diapers, sang into the ends of hairbrushes, had way too much tequila on your twenty-first birthday?"

"Courtney, what're you doing here?"

"That's not exactly the greeting I was looking for." The blond frowned as she looked her best friend over. "What happened to you anyway? Did Sam take away your food and sunlight privileges? He's pretty cute, you know."

"Courtney." Apple said, trying to get her friend to make her point. "Why are you here?"

"Right. Well, Sam was worried and called me. I tell you he has the best phone voice? Jeez. Well anyway, he told me you hadn't been taking proper care of yourself and wondered if I could help out."

"I'm gonna kill Sam."

"Hey, no killing of the Sam. I like him. Now tell me what's been going on."

Apple sighed as she laid back down. "I really don't feel like talking about this."

"Well too bad, because you are. Now, spill."

"Fine." Apple looked around the room before staring into the blue eyes of the woman who had once been like a twin to her. "Dean died."

"Dean?"

"Sam didn't tell you about Dean?"

"No. Not really; he just said you'd been having some trouble after the death of a friend. Said it'd been a year and you were... well, acting strange."

"Dean was his brother, and I... well we had gotten really close." Apple explained.

"Liar. You fell in love with him. I can see it in your eyes." The blond said smartly with a firm nod.

"Fine. Yes, I fell in love. He died, okay? I was a wreck for a while, but then... things got to be okay. Then just recently... I've been..." Apple paused. She knew there was going to be one more person to add to her list of those who thought she was an insane basket-case. "I've been seeing him. Everywhere. In my dreams, in random places, I don't understand it."

Courtney rubbed her friend's shoulder comfortingly. "You're not crazy, you know. To be honest, it kind of sounds like something I've heard before. I just can't remember what exactly it was."

Apple quirked her eyebrow at her friend. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. But hey, don't worry about anything okay? I'm going to help you figure this out. 'Kay?"

"Yeah." Apple pulled her friend into a hug. "Hey, I'm really glad you're here. Sorry I haven't kept in touch."

"It's alright. Looks like you've had your hand full with two outstanding and pretty boys. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go catch up with dear Sam."

Chuckling, Apple watched her best friend disappear from the room. Okay, so maybe she wouldn't have to kill Sam after all. Apple slid out of bed and grabbed a change of clothes before she made her way to the bathroom.

X – X – X – X

"I can't believe you thought she was joking!" Courtney exclaimed as her and Sam sat at the kitchen table.

"What was I supposed to think? She was talking about seeing my brother, who's been gone for over a year now."

"Still, Apple's not the kind of person who would ever joke about someone's death. Let alone joke about seeing them again."

Courtney shook her blond head as she took a drink of her coke. She looked around the kitchen before her eyes stopped on Sam's face. Her blue eyes scanned over his face and took in every feature. His puppy like features were almost endearing to her, which was strange considering she hadn't known the man very long at all. She watched as his lips moved, then realized he must have been talking to her.

"What?" She asked as she zoned back in.

"I was asking how you had gotten into the whole hunting thing."

"Oh, I'm not really into it. I mean, Apple and I trained together as kids, and continued on as we grew up. But it never stuck with me, I was never interested in it. I wanted my own life, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand that. More than you know."

"So, after high school, Apple and I parted ways. She went off with her family and I went to college. Though, Apple and I kept in contact of course; you can't throw away eighteen or nineteen years of friendship that easily."

"What do you do now?"

"I'm a journalist, actually."

Sam found it interesting; Courtney and her way of life. He had been like her once. But he had left that behind in pursuit of finding Yellow-eyes with his brother and dad. Even after they had found him, Sam stayed with the hunting life. It seemed to fit better than anything else.

"Wow, that's pretty impressive." Sam said as he smiled at her. It was the first time in a while that Sam had smiled; a true smile anyway. It actually felt pretty nice.

"You have a nice smile, Sam." Courtney observed, flashing him a smile of her own. She found it amusing how his entire face seemed to turn red at her compliment. This was going to be easier than she thought.

"Uh, thanks." Sam replied, cursing his blush to hell.

X – X – X – X

"You remember when I told you your story sounded familiar?" Courtney asked as the group sat around the living room after they had eaten a late dinner. She sipped on her beer and looked at Apple.

Apple raised her feet off the ground and tucked them under herself. "Yeah, what about it?"

"I remembered the story."

"What story?" Sam asked as she looked at the blond haired girl beside him.

"It was a story Apple's grandma told us when we were kids. It was about a man and a woman who were very much in love, the man had cancer you see? Well, neither were ready to let go. So, before the husband passed away he stared deeply into her eyes for what felt like ever. Somehow, half of their souls got exchanged. Simply put, the man received half of her soul, while she in return got half of his soul. Kind of like some kind of binding ritual, you know?" Courtney took another sip of beer before she continued. "Anyway, the man died the next day and woman was devastated, of course. So one year went by, right? Well, the woman's body began to fail and she ended up dying not long after that. The man came to collect her and his part of her soul, thus bringing them back together. Her soul couldn't survive very long without his."

"So all of that reminded you of me and my issue of seeing Dean?" Apple asked, though she didn't sound too certain of her friend's logic.

"In a matter of speaking, yeah."

"I've never heard of that." Bobby said from across the room.

"Well, it's not a well known story. I dunno, it was just a story her grandma told us, who knows where the woman heard it from though. No offense, Apple."

"None taken. The woman had always been a bit... crazy."

"You think that could be true?" Sam asked.

"Eh. Who knows really. I'm sure it's just a story." Courtney reassured him. "Well kids, I think I'm going to bed. You coming Apple?"

"Oh, yeah." Apple rose from her chair and stood by the blond. "Night boys."

X – X – X – X

"Dean, what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just watching you."

"Why?"

"Since when do I, Dean Winchester, ever have to have a reason for doing anything?"

"Since you've been staring at me for the past five minutes." Apple muttered as she opened her eyes and stared into his warm, bright green ones.

"You're haunting me, you know that?"

"I'm haunting you? The last time I checked, you were the one that was dead. Not me."

Dean chuckled as he put his chin lightly on Apple's chest, looking up through his eyelashes. "You're pretty."

"Well, you're not too bad yourself, bright eyes." Apple laughed softly as she motioned with her index finger to get him closer to her.

"What do you want, Delaney?"

"Oh nothing, Winchester. Nothing at all." Apple whispered as she pressed her forehead against Dean's; her breath ghosting across his lips. She pulled back with a small grin on her face.

"Oh, you little tease," Dean huffed, glaring at her playfully.

"Whatcha gonna do about it?"

"Hm, nothing," he said innocently as he let his hands fall to her sides. For a second it seemed as if he wasn't going to do anything. Suddenly his fingers began to run up and down her sides, occasionally pinching her.

"Dean! Stop it!" Apple managed to get out between laughs. "It's not funny!" She said as she tried to glare at him for laughing at her. Moving from side to side, she attempted to get him to lay off. "Dean!"

"Fine, fine. Just say I'm the hottest, most gorgeous man to ever grace the earth."

"Dean, you're the hottest, most gorgeous man to ever grace the earth." It took a bit of work, but eventually she was able to get it out. She laid beneath him, trying to get her breathing back to normal. That wasn't at all accomplished as Dean took her lips with his, leaving her even more breathless than before. "I hate you," she mumbled as she stared into his green eyes.

"No, you don't. You love me, I make you weak in the knees, and it's always harder to breathe when I'm around," he informed her, a grin crossing his lips.

"Oh? And how would you know that?"

"Because that's what you do to me; every time I see you."

(all around me - flyleaf)