Back at the hotel...
As soon as the door closed, their hands were all over one another and their lips met softly. "You forgot our bags in the car again." Brielle whispered against his mouth and he chuckled softly. Dean pulled her closer to him, nuzzling his scruff into her neck, making her shiver.
"What do we need clothes for, hm?"
Brielle pulled back a bit to look up at the gorgeous man whose arms were around her. He was ever prepared and now he was too enamored with her to get their bags? Turned on or not, this was out of character for him and that gave her that unnerved feeling again. "Dean, seriously? You sleep in your clothes in case we have to run unless we're home." His green eyes narrowed a bit.
"I'll get them in a little while." His gaze dropped to her mouth for a second. "You have your books and your purse. What else do you need?" There was a tiny bit of annoyance in his voice at her behest. Brielle moved back from Dean slightly.
"Nothing." Her tone was light. "I'm gonna brush my hair and use the bathroom." Brielle straightened up to peck his pouty lips. "I could go for some wine..." A smile crossed his features.
"I can order some room service." Dean winked at the brunette and she smiled before they parted so he could use the room phone to order. She watched him cross the room and pick up the phone before she picked up her purse and her book bag, setting them on the nightstand before disappearing into the bathroom with her hairbrush.
As she washed her hands, Brielle looked in the mirror at her reflection. Such a plain girl, she thought to herself. But Dean saw something special and that made her smile. Brielle raked her brush through her dark hair before setting it down on the counter top and exiting the bathroom. Dean gave her a look and indicated that he was still on hold for the room service.
She flopped on the king sized bed and rolled over to pull out one of the books she'd purchased from Camilla's shop that afternoon and opened it to the first page. Brielle started to read, Dean's voice fading from the background. She was about three pages in when he called into her. "Hey sweetheart, you want any dessert?"
"Get me anything. You know what I like." She called back absently, blindly reaching in her bag for the metal bookmark that Sam had bought her for her birthday months ago. It was flat and thin and had a blunt end that folded easily over the top of her paperback.
She rubbed her thumb over the smoothness of the object as she read until Dean appeared in the doorway. He had a smile on his face and he leaned against the frame of the door, arms crossed over his chest. "You mind if I shower? They'll be up shortly."
Brielle was sitting with her back against the headboard, her eyes on him. "Mind if I join you?" His eyes twinkled and she closed the paperback with her silver bookmark inside, setting it on the nightstand before scooting to the side of the bed.
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"That's the shop right there." Camilla pointed to a now dark storefront. She leaned forward after undoing her seatbelt, her arms resting on the benchseat between the two men. "The first hotel is up the road here about four miles." The impala passed the buillding and toward the first place. "Brie, where are you?" She murmured softly to herself. Sam shifted in his seat; he had never seen his brother this worked up over anything.
They'd been on probably hundreds of cases and Dean was always this heroic badass in Sam's eyes, confident that every hunt was going to end with him saving the victim. Even when he was little, Sam never doubted his brother's ability to conquer whatever came their way.
Ah, but this was different. He hadn't ever witnessed his brother's blatant fear that a hunt would go terribly awry, resulting in someone's death that he considered family.
That fear bled over across the bench seat into Sam's own mind.
It's scary to have something worth losing, isn't it?
Their conversation the other day rang back into Sam's mind. This... this was Dean's greatest fear.
Not being able to save the people that meant the most to him.
The guilt alone would do him in.
"Fuck." Camilla swore quietly and Sam glanced over at the blonde, surprised. "Sorry." Pause. There were a few cars in the lot, but none that were even close to the impala. "Dean, a few more miles up the street here, there's two more." It was nearing 8pm and the roads were lit up by the occasional streetlights.
"Fuck." Dean swore this time. "What if you're wrong? What if we're in the wrong damn town and she's hours away?" He glanced at Camilla. She leaned her weight on her forearms, still between them.
"I've lived in this area all my life. This is as festive as it gets. That's why I'm so sure."
Dean didn't say anything else, his eyes on the road ahead of him. Sam and Camilla shared a sympathetic look. The trio was quiet until they reached the next two hotels. Dean pulled into the expanse of a parking lot between the two and groaned softly. "Of fucking course they share a lot. You see my damn car anywhere?"
They all scanned as he drove thought the cars slowly, straining to locate the muscle car. "There." Sam breathed, pointing. "She's in there." Dean parked right next to the car, feeling a little odd about it as the all scrambled out.
"What's the plan?" Camilla asked softly. Sam and Dean looked at each other.
"You stay here." They walked to the trunk and Dean opened it, shuffling through his weaponry as she stared, wide eyed. Sam took one of the smaller handguns from his brother and loaded it with silver bullets. "You see any activity with this car next to us, you text me."
"How do you take one of these things down?"
"Silver... through the heart." Was Sam's reply. They watched her get back in and Dean locked the doors. They crossed the parking lot and entered into the main lobby. One of the men dressed in the hotel's uniform stopped short when he saw Dean, some confusion on his face.
"Sir, is everything all right? I just delivered the room service..."
Dean cleared his throat nervously. "Yes... I just forgot something in my car and I realized I didn't have my card key to the room. Can you get me another one? My girlfriend's in the bathtub and I don't wanna disturb her." The lie rolled off his tongue easily. Sam followed Dean to the front desk where the clerk looked him up in the computer.
"There you are... 619 sir." The man smiled politely as he handed over a spare card key and Dean forced a smile back.
"Thanks." The two men opted for the stairs instead of the elevator.
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The light above the doorknob flashed green when they got to the room after swiping the card key. Dean looked to Sam, who nodded silently, gun in hand. They entered the suite and crept further inside. There was a platter of food and an untouched bottle of wine in the main area and Dean made his way along the wall, towards the bedroom and bathroom to his left.
He wrinkled his nose at the pile of flesh that was the shapeshifter and his face softened when he saw the top of Brielle's head. She was on the left side of the bed and she was just sitting there on the floor, rocking back and forth a bit. "Brielle." His voice was choked and she looked up at him and screamed, scooting away form him. Sam was there at Dean's side in an instant.
"It's us." Sam's voice made her burst into sobs and she let herself be pulled to her feet and into Dean's arms in a tight hug. She was trembling and Sam looked at the shifter goo, then back at Brielle. "You killed him?"
Dean's chin was on her head and his eyes were closed as he held her. "Sweetheart, it's okay... I'm here." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and hugged her even tighter. Sam swallowed hard at the pair in front of him. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Camilla.
Got her... coming back to you
"We should go." Dean murmured, opening his eyes then, focusing on his brother. "We gotta go, Brie." They manuvered around the pile of goo, his hand cupping her cheek towards his chest to avert her eyes. Sam spotted her purse and bag on the nightstand. He grabbed them both and paused when he saw the bedding in obvious disarray before following the pair out of the room.
"Thank goodness you're okay." Camilla got out of the car when she saw them approaching. "The car next to me just freaking turned into that right after you guys left me." That, was a busted up ford with rust all over and no plates. She looked to a very distraught and oddly quiet Brielle. "Brie?"
The brunette continued to stare at the ground, Dean's arm around her. Camilla frowned and looked to Sam. "Dean, you wanna sit with Brielle while I drive?" Sam spoke quietly.
Yeah," Dean opened the back door for Brielle and she got inside somewhat slowly. He slid in next to her as Camilla got in the impala in front of him. Sam pulled his door shut and started the engine. Dean pulled Brielle against him, not bothering with a seatbelt for either one of them.
His hand was absently rubbing her upper left arm as he held her close to the warmth of his body. "Just close your eyes." His whisper carried to the front seat. Camilla glanced back before looking over to Sam. He just glanced in the rearview mirror and adjusted it slightly.
Normally, Dean would've bitched about that, but not now. The car rolled out of the parking lot and headed west on the two lane. There was a calmer atmosphere in the car now that Brielle was safe. Sam drove for about a half hour and he looked over at Camilla when she felt her small hand squeeze his forearm gently, knowing he was tense. They shared a small smile.
In the backseat, the older hunter was still reeling from the day's events. He felt the brunette tense up next to him, then relax. Then she did it again. And again.
"Sammy, pull over." Dean's voice held some sense of urgency and Sam did just so a few seconds later. Brielle pushed away from Dean as the car rolled to a stop and shoved the door open and slid out. Dean slid across the seat and was getting out of the car just as she emptied the contents of her stomach onto the gravel on the shoulder.
Silent tears were streaming down her face and she felt Dean's warm hand on her lower back, a stark contrast to the cold metal under her left hand as it rested on the trunk of the car on the driver's side. Sam turned to Camilla, who'd slid across to the driver's seat, her legs out of the car. He motioned for her to open the glovebox and she leaned back and did so, grabbing some fast food napkins that were stashed in there.
Sam took them from her and tapped Dean on the arm and he turned, nodding his thanks. He handed them to the brunette and she waved him away as another bought of nausea hit.
Dean felt Sam and Camilla move back into the car and close the door quietly. He continued to rub her back in small circles as she fought for control over her stomach.
Once there was no food left in her belly, Brielle straightened up a bit, feeling the muscles in her back pull a bit from her repeated vomiting. Dean hugged her close and she was crying softly now into Dean's chest. She wiped her mouth with the napkin and finally gave a nod. He helped her back into the car and pulled the door closed. Sam locked the doors and the car rolled off the gravel and onto the pavement, heading for home.
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Sam pulled into the bunker garage after midnight and shifted into park. Camilla stirred awake and looked a bit confused at her surroundings. "Sam?"
"You okay to stay here tonight? I just wanted to bring her back..." He spoke softly and she nodded before they got out of the car. The opening and closing of the doors woke up Dean. Brielle was passed out and he got out before reaching in to scoop her up in his arms.
Camilla watched Dean carry the brunette into a side door, leaving the two of them in the garage. "Sam? I'm exhausted." She admitted softly. "But I don't think I can sleep."
"Coffee?" He offered and she nodded. The walked into the bunker and down the hall into the kitchen. He felt her hand slide into the crook of his arm.
"I always imagined you taking me out for coffee, Sam, but never like this."
That made him smile as she slid into the kitchen table seating as he searched for the coffee and filters. "Well, I certainly know how to make things memorable."
"That you do," The blonde smiled, studying him as he found what he was looking for before clicking on the coffee pot. He scooped out several spoonfuls and placed the filter into the top. "I'm kinda starving."
"You want a sandwich or something?"
"How about pancakes?" That made Sam laugh as he filled the water reservior. "Maybe some bacon?" She got up from the table and wandered over to the fridge. She saw a half pack of bacon and pulled it out. "I'll make it if you show me where the pans are."
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A/N:
Hi beautiful readers!
I'm glad Brielle's back with the boys. :) Looking forward to seeing how you guys felt about this chapter. Reviews are my motivation. Thanks for stopping by!
CitrineMama