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Chapter 25

Dean knew the moment she came down the steps a few hours later that she was distant from him. Although Scarlett sat with him as he watched TV, her eyes never took anything in. They were her biggest enemies for the betrayed all her emotions to him. Her walls were up, the same walls that he'd thought he'd broken down. She was guarding herself and Dean didn't understand why she was behaving so.

"You're not happy," he mused, a frown settling on his face.

"I am happy," she replied. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself and that made Dean's frown deepen.

Scarlett didn't dare look at him. She could feel his gaze burning into her as well as the frown that she knew was settled on his lips. Her heart was already making her break her vow to honor his friendship. Those cursed feelings were returning and her subconscious was more than aware of him. He wielded the power to weaken her resolve simply with a look. Good god, how was she to spend five more days with him without letting those forbidden emotions get involved?

"Scar," he said, reaching for her. She felt the heat of his fingers enclose over her hand and her throat clogged up as her eyes turned to him.

Don't touch me so tenderly. She pleaded in her mind. His touch was gentle but firm, telling her silently that she wouldn't be going anywhere. And those eyes, those piercing blue eyes that reminded her of the shimmering oceans when they were calm and the most elegant of sapphires when they darkened with desire.

Desire. Her breath hitched and her lung constricted in her chest. She had lost her mind if she thought she'd seen desire in Dean's eyes for her. No, she'd seen his eyes darken when he'd pulled away from the kiss with Renee, hell, she'd seen the evidence of his arousal through his gym shorts that morning.

"You're crying," he said softly, touching her cheek. It was then that she noticed the wetness on her cheeks and she blinked in surprise. When had she begun crying?

Dean felt anger course through him as he wiped her tears. He was furious…because he was helpless. Dean had no idea what was causing the tears or what had hurt her so much to break her down twice in one day. He hated not knowing the reason for those moist eyes, he hated not being able to do anything.

"Why are you crying, sweetheart?" He asked, not remotely aware of the words spilling from his mouth.

"Tell me what's causing you so much pain, baby. Please," he all but pleaded as he slipped down to his knees in front of her as she sat on the couch, both his hands twining with hers. Dean wanted, no, needed, to know why she was so upset. She only watched him as more tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I…I…," Scarlett tried to find the excuse, to find the words to make him move away from her. She had no energy to push him away and her heart wanted nothing more than to spill everything to him. But her mind was stronger and refused to let her speak the words that were threatening to escape her lips.

I don't want friendship from you, I want more. Those words were on the tip of her tongue but no matter how hard her heart pushed her to say, her mind shunned the words and screamed the consequences of losing him entirely. She couldn't tell him the truth.

"Tell me," he urged, pressing his lips to her knuckles.

"I…my B&B…it's going…to get…shut down," Scarlett felt the lie slip past her lips none too easily.

~oOo~

Seth grunted as the paramedic pressed his fingers into his side.

"Nothing broken. Just bruising," he told him after checking over and standing up to strip the gloves he was wearing.

"What on Earth were you thinking diving onto the apron like that?" Stephanie asked, a deep frown settled on her face.

"Heat of the moment," he hissed back as he stood up and pulled a shirt over his head.

"Get some rest. You're working yourself too hard," Hunter advised.

"Rest? He has appearances to make, especially now that Dean's on vacation too," Stephanie interjected, shaking her head. Her husband gave her an exasperated look and let out a sigh.

"I'd rather have him be in perfect health as opposed to making money while struggling for air," Hunter replied. Stephanie opened her mouth to argue but he steered his wife out the door after telling Seth to take the weekend off.

"Now that's just unfair," Roman said when Seth informed him of his departure until Monday night.

"First Dean and now you. I feel lonely," Roman said, feigning hurt. Seth rolled his eyes.

"Oh please. You love the attention. I saw you sneaking that brunette up to your bedroom last night," Seth said, bursting out into laughter when Roman raised his eyebrow at him.

"That's the third girl in the last three days. Trying to set a record?" Seth asked, chortling.

"Competing with you, pretty boy. The blonde you had was her sister," Roman replied. That snapped his mouth shut and the two stared at each other, Roman wearing a smug look.

"Well…damn…," was all Seth could manage before the two burst out into laughter.

"Alright, go on. I'll see you Monday night," Roman said, punching him in the shoulder as he headed towards Catering.

Seth hauled his bag over his shoulder and turned to leave only to come face to face with someone who had him groaning in frustration.

"I share Dean's sentiments. No," he said trying to brush past, but Summer stepped in between him and the door, crossing her arms before her chest.

"Relax. I'm not here to seduce you, I've got class," she said, earning an incredulous scoff from him.

"A little birdie told me that Dean's swept the ugly duckling to Vegas," Summer's sickly sweet voice and the grin on her face caused Seth to go rigid.

"Tell me, Seth. Why did Dean take that piece of shit to Vegas when he could've taken me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Watch your mouth," Seth snarled at her.

"Touchy aren't we? It'll interest you to know she's not happy with Dean with the way he's been treating her. Spending his night with other women," Summer said as she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. Seth's eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

"I talk to them everyday. They're happy," Seth said.

"Are they? Call them up and see if I'm lying," and with that, she left him alone. Seth stared at the spot where she had been standing. The seed of doubt had already been planted though and the worry began to edge in. Fishing out his phone, he quickly dialed Dean's number. He waited and waited, and waited some more.

"Hello?"

"Is she okay? Are you okay? Is everything okay?" Seth fired the moment he heard Dean's voice.

"Seth, this really isn't a good-."

"Dean, the fuck did you do to her?" Seth's anger shot at him the moment Dean spoke in that resigned voice of his, confirming Summer's words.

"Seth-."

"No, don't 'Seth' me. Where the fuck is she? Get her on the phone!" Seth all but yelled into the receiver as he walked towards his rental quicker.

"She's in her room upstairs," Dean told him. Seth's eyes widened and he felt a spark of anger.

"Dean," he began but Dean cut across him this time.

"Now's really not the time, Seth," Dean said before he hung up. Seth stopped in his tracks and stared at the phone in his hand. Had Dean just hung up on him? Growling he stuffed his things into the rental and turned on the GPS.

They say anger clouds judgment and had Seth really paid attention, he would've realized it was the first time since he'd met him that Dean didn't snap back at him.

~oOo~

"You're leaving me," were the first words out of his mouth as he stared at her. Scarlett's gaze snapped to him and he could've sworn he saw a flicker of something in her eyes.

"I won't stop you," he said finally standing up. He didn't know what he was feeling as he understood the implications of the words she'd spoken.

"Thank you," she whispered in a small voice as she stood up slowly, her gaze planted firmly down at her feet.

"Scar-."

"I feel a migraine coming. Will go take a lie in," she told him and then shuffled out of the living room and up the stairs.

Dean watched her go, the sudden want to hold her and never let her go engulfing him. But he held back. Even when Seth called, Dean couldn't focus on the conversation or what Seth was saying. All he could think of was her leaving him.

I'm leaving him. The thought sent a wave of pain through of her and Scarlett sat down at the edge of her bed to gather her thoughts. She wanted to buy herself time from the impending farewell from him. So she took the only escape route she had and thus here she was, with a supposed headache.

Can you do it thought? A voice in the back of her mind asked her. It was timid almost, but clear nonetheless.

Can you leave him now? After the kiss, after the way he's held you and touched you? She remembered the feeling of his hands on her waist during their kiss, the way his body molded into hers on the very bed she was sitting on not too long ago. The hard muscles cushioning her back and his hands holding hers. His fingers wrapping around her own and gently massaging them.

Can you leave him now that he's confessed he wanted to kiss you? He hadn't meant it. Had he? No. He couldn't have.

Can you leave him knowing that once you step foot out of this house, there is a very high possibility you will never come back ever again? Her heart twisted. The thought of never seeing him again made her sick. But in the end, it was true. He was a world famous wrestling superstar who had fans flocking him left right and center, and she was a mere B&B owner. If she left him, she ran the risk of never seeing him again.

"I don't want to go," she whispered under her breath.

"I don't want to go," she repeated, laying back and staring up at the ceiling before turning around and finding a pillow to curl into. It was the same pillow she'd pushed away, the one that had trapped the one scent that she'd come to find so addictive. She pulled it close to herself and hugged it.

"I don't want to leave you, Dean," she whispered, the fragrance of his cologne still stuck to the pillow and offered its little caress of comfort that she basked in.

Dean slowly made his way to her room and finding the door ajar, he entered. It was almost déjà vu when he spotted her lying on her bed curled into a pillow. He noticed that she hadn't appeared to have packed anything and while a touch of curiosity picked at him, it all flew away when his gaze fell on her sleeping face.

The corners of his lips turned up into an involuntary smile and he took a seat beside her slowly. The light that sifted through the curtains illuminated her face to him. He'd never seen her sleep up until now and he found it incredibly relaxing. Her face was relaxed and fully at peace. Never had he seen her look so at peace as she did in her sleep.

A groan escaped her and she shifted before rolling over towards him, her grip on the pillow never loosening. While the right side of her face allowed him to drink in her peace, the left side of her face hurled her traumatic life at him. The scars that marred her cheeks and slid up her forehead, the skin that had healed but could not regrow the portion of her hair above her ear; he took in everything.

It was then that Dean accepted what he'd been ignoring all along. Even with her scars, there was something about her that was incredibly alluring to him. Something that drew him in and regardless of what anyone thought, Dean found her to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her temple, not giving a damn about the scars, and returned to his feet. He pulled the covers around her and chuckled when she pulled the pillow tighter towards herself when he tried to take it from her. He headed out the door and closed it behind him slowly, leaving her to her rest.

"Evening Mr. Ambrose," Esme said as she made her way in as he came down the stairs.

"Hey Esme. Could you please make something quick and simple for dinner?" He asked.

"Sure thing, Mr. Ambrose. Is Ms. Rayer in the kitchen?" She asked as she headed towards her destination.

"Scarlett's fallen asleep and I don't want to disturb her," Dean said shaking her head. Esme stopped and turned to look at him before she smiled gently at him.

"If I may be so bold, you two are quite a perfect match for each other, Mr. Ambrose," Esme said and with that she slipped into the kitchen to begin preparations for the evening dinner. Dean shook his head and pushed her words out of his head as he headed back to the TV room. He found Vitani sitting on the couch, almost as if she was waiting for him.

"TV time?" He asked. She meowed at him and he turned the TV on, switching the channel to a baseball game that was showing.

"Your mistress is one of a kind. I hope she realizes that," he said softly as he watched the game. The cat placed her paw on his thigh, almost in a reassuring manner.

~oOo~

The doorbell ringing followed by a series of knocks had Dean making his way to the door and opening it, ready to yell at the person on the other side.

"It takes you way too fucking long to open the door," Seth growled strolling into the house, his head whipping left to right.

Dean stayed rooted to the ground watching the man in his home. Out of all the people he expected to show up, Seth wasn't one of them. He shook himself out of it and shut the door following Seth as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Good to see you again, Mr. Rollins," Esme said as she looked into the saucepan simmering on the stove top. Seth stopped and stared longingly at the saucepan, his stomach grumbling, before he remembered why he was here. He rounded on Dean and glared at the man.

"Where's Scarlett?" He asked coolly.

"Ms. Rayer is asleep upstairs. Mr. Ambrose informed me she hasn't been feeling well since this morning," Esme was the one to answer and Seth's face morphed from anger to worry.

"She's not hurt?" Seth inquired.

"No. She's not," Dean assured him. Seth heaved a sigh of relief then glance out the kitchen door.

"Which room?" Seth asked.

"The one on the left."

Dean's gaze followed Seth as he disappeared out the door and he felt a sense of unease come over him as he witnessed Seth's obvious care towards Scarlett. He tried to push it away but it grew and Dean quickly followed Seth up the stairs.

"Don't disturb her!" Dean said harshly when Seth slipped into Scarlett's room.

"Oh thank god," he heard the relief in Seth's voice and Dean stared as the two toned man gently prodded her sleeping figure awake and took her into his arms in the most delicate of hugs.

"Seth? Wha…" Scarlett's voice was groggy and she trailed off as she rubbed her eyes.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her face to get a good look at her. His hands were gently cupping her face and she blinked several times at the sudden contact then settled her chocolatey gaze on him.

"You're actually here?" She asked in disbelief, her eyes going wide.

"Someone told me you weren't okay, and so I came right over to see if everything was okay," Seth said, glancing at Dean from the corner of his eyes. Scarlett's heart melted at the worry he always seemed to have with her. She would never tell him but his and Roman's caring attitude towards her sent a tingle of warmth through her, it felt nice to know that there was someone who cared about you.

"I'm okay," she assured him, tapping his arm as he let go of her.

Dean felt his heart cinch as he saw those eyes he had come to adore so much look at Seth in the same way that they looked at him when he made her smile. A maddening urge to rush over and drag Seth away from her tore through him but Dean controlled himself.

"And Steph and Hunter just let you go?" Dean asked, his tone was clipped and the duo on the bed turned their attention to him.

Thank you for noticing my existence. He thought bitterly.

"Actually Hunter gave me time off until Monday night. Botched on the apron and bruised up my side," Seth replied, reaching up to touch the tender spot on the left below his ribcage. He winced and that seemed to do the trick for Dean's gaze softened and he berated himself for his previous thoughts. Seth was his brother and he was in pain. Hadn't Roman told him how much the two of them cared for Scarlett? Then why was he feeling the way he was.

"Come on, you should be resting then. Bags in your trunk?" Dean asked turning around to head out the room.

"Yeah, hang on. I'll come with," Seth said getting up.

"Esme's downstairs, Scar. Thought I'd let you know," Dean told her when she got onto her feet as well. He headed out the door with Seth and missed the grateful look she sent his way before she reached for her scarf and twisted it around her face.

~oOo~

"You said you came because someone told you Scarlett wasn't okay, who told you that?" Dean inquired as him and Seth headed to Seth's parked car to get his luggage. Seth looked at him sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It was stupid, now that I think about it. Summer cornered me in the locker room and told me…" Seth trailed off shifting uncomfortable. Dean raised an eyebrow at him, his blue gaze focused entirely on him.

"Well…she told me that you…that Scarlett…" Seth stammered, trying desperately to find the words to tell Dean.

"That I what?" Dean pressed.

Seth took a deep breath and said, "She told me you were sleeping with different women and Scarlett wasn't happy with you."

Dean stared at Seth in astonishment and shook his head quickly.

"You shouldn't have trusted Summer, Sethie. You know how she is. Besides, you've been in touch with us since we got here," Dean said, running a hand through his hair and leaning down to take out one of Seth's suitcases. The other man pulled out his gym bag and together the two made their way back inside.

"Is there anything that I should be worried about though?" Seth asked him once they were inside. "She seems a bit down."

Dean contemplated sharing the news of Scarlett's B&B shutting down with Seth but in the end decided that it was Scarlett's choice and stayed mum.

"She hasn't been feeling well since this morning. Complained of a headache earlier," he lied quickly. Seth shrugged and grabbed his things from Dean, hauling them up the stairs and into the bedroom he always crashed in whenever he came over. Dean made his way to the living room to find Scarlett playing with Vitani while sitting cross legged on the carpet.

"Seth wanted to know if you were okay," he said quietly. She glanced up at him and then took a deep breath.

"I'd rather this stays between us, Dean. He's hurt and I don't want to worry him further," she said quietly. Dean frowned and moved towards her, taking a seat on the loveseat.

"You care about him, don't you?" There was a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach as he said those words.

"Of course I do. He's Seth, how can I not care about him?" She asked, shrugging her shoulders as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. All this while, her eyes were trained on Vitani and Dean realized that she was avoiding looking at him.

"He's picked up on your mood you know."

She didn't answer him, instead continued to play with Vitani. Scratching the cat behind the ear and then holding one of the mouse shaped toys for her to play with.

"Don't go, Scar," he said to her softly. She froze and her eyes snapped up to him, staring at him for the longest time.

"Go where?" Seth asked walking into the room. Vitani let out a loud "meow" at the sight of him and she bounded towards him. Seth's eyes lit up and he bent down to pet her.

"I thought you were a dog person," Dean said, remembering Seth's yorkie in Iowa.

"She's a special girl. Just like her mistress," Seth said, sending a wink towards Scarlett. She answered with a smile and while Seth continued to play with Vitani, she turned her gaze to Dean, only to find it fixed on her.

Trouble in paradise much? Review please!

- K.