Sam nodded, watching as Allie settled into the backseat of Baby and closed her eyes. He felt a twinge of sadness at seeing her so content; it made him realize just how much he wanted to protect her from their dangerous lifestyle. In a way... she confused him. Why would she choose to live this life? Hunting didn't exactly lean itself to simple pleasures. Getting to know Allie had taught Sam a decent amount about her. She was intelligent (Though seemed to unconsciously mask it) and driven. Pretty but also independent. Alice could have a good life. She could be successful with a career and a family easily. So why stick with them? "You sure you don't want me to drive?" he asked softly, glancing over at Dean who was focused on navigating through traffic. "You look like you're thinking about something."
Dean shook his head, focusing on the road ahead as he drove. "Nah, I'm good," he said gruffly, trying to shake off the strange mix of emotions swirling inside him. It was true that Allie had been through a lot with them recently; she deserved some rest after all they'd been through together. The day at Disneyland was a good temporary distraction but that's all it had been. A distraction. The more that he got to know her... the more that he worried. Hunting was no place for dreams of living a long, fruitful life. Once you were in you were in. No one got out of the life. No one.
But there was something else bothering him too - an underlying attraction that seemed impossible given their scenario and their respective... situations. Allie was his mentee for Christ's sake! And Bobby's daughter! But Dean wasn't used to having such… close relations with a woman.
The sound of Allie's soft breathing filled the backseat as she slept. Classic rock played in the car and strangely it felt like a lullaby. Despite all they had been through... she found herself caring about the Winchesters. They were important to her. It felt like she belonged somewhere when the trio operated together. Gentle and content sounds came from her as she dreamt in the backseat, small purrs of satisfaction while the sunset came over the horizon.
Sam turned back at the sound of Allie's gentle snores, watching as her chest rose and fell with each breath. She looked so peaceful in that moment; it was hard to imagine all they had been through together. He glanced over at Dean out of the corner of his eye, noticing how he still seemed lost in thought behind the wheel despite their conversation only moments prior.
"You okay?" he asked quietly, sensing something unspoken between them. He felt a bit jealous that Dean had been friends with Allie for nearly a year while he was at Stanford. In a way, it felt like he had missed out. Growing up they hadn't exactly gotten chances to have meaningful friendships. One minute they were in a new town, the next they were gone. "Surprised you haven't..." Sam stopped himself, eyes glancing back and forth between Dean and Allie. "Never mind."
Dean glanced over at Sam, raising an eyebrow in question. "Surprised I haven't what?" He asked warily, his mind immediately going to the worst possible place before he realized that wasn't what Sam meant. "I mean...yeah," he admitted with a shrug, trying not to think about how close they were getting or how much he enjoyed her company. It was dangerous territory; something he had sworn off long ago when their mother died and left them alone together. Allie was his friend. That was it. Well, not just his friend. His... student? The word seemed juvenile compared to what he was teaching her to do. It's not like he was some fucking gym teacher or something. He was showing her how to kill things, evil things.
Sam nodded, understanding the unspoken tension between them. "Yeah," he agreed softly, looking out at the passing scenery as they drove towards their motel room for the night. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at Dean's closeness with Allie once again; it was hard not to when she seemed so comfortable around him and shared such an easy rapport. Back in the day it had only been the two of them against the world.
"You know," he said after a moment, turning back to face his brother, "I don't think I've ever seen you have an actual friend before."
Dean's eyes widened in surprise, turning to face Sam with a raised eyebrow. "What the hell does that mean?" He asked defensively, his tone sharper than he intended. "I have friends," he protested too quickly, thinking of all the people they had saved along their journey who would probably vouch for him if called upon. But none of them were like Allie; she understood him on a level no one else did — not even Sam sometimes.
Sam held up his hands in a placating gesture, chuckling quietly so as to not wake the blonde beauty resting just behind them. "I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly, shaking his head. "What I meant was... you know how we always joke about me being the brains and you being the muscle? You never really had anyone who sees both sides of you." He glanced over at Allie again before returning his gaze to Dean. "You know, someone who gets your dumb jokes and can also talk about... stuff." Well, in a way that Dean responded to at least. That was no easy feat. Allie seemed to know when to hold back and when to speak her mind. Funnily enough, she also didn't let Dean get away with shit. A skill that Sam greatly appreciated.
Dean thought about that for a moment, his expression softening slightly. Sam had a point; he'd always been more comfortable with the hunt and women who didn't ask too many questions or stick around long enough to see beyond the charming facade he wore like armour. But Allie was different— she saw through it all and still chose to be there for them both.
"Yeah," he finally admitted reluctantly, taking another glance at her peaceful form in the backseat before returning his focus to the road ahead. "I guess you do have a point."
They finally arrived at the motel. When Dean turned back to look Allie was deep asleep. "I'll carry her inside." He knew he didn't have to. He wanted to.
Sam nodded, following Dean to the room they had rented for the night. He watched as his brother carefully lifted Allie into his arms like she weighed nothing at all and carried her inside, setting her down on one of the beds with a gentle smile before turning back towards him. "Thanks," he said softly, feeling a twinge of envy uncomfortably mixed in with appreciation for how well Dean treated their friend.
"You know... I think you're right about something else too." Sam referenced a conversation that the boys had shared in private after defeating the spirit that haunted their childhood home in Kansas.
Dean raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Oh yeah? What's that?" He asked warily, not sure if he was ready to hear whatever Sam had to say next.
Sam took a deep breath, looking down at the floor before meeting Dean's gaze. "I think... I think we should tell her about our past," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as if afraid of what it might unleash. "She deserves to know who she's getting involved with." Unbeknownst to Sam, Dean had already told her everything. So had Bobby. That's why they were so close.
Dean's eyes narrowed in suspicion, immediately going on the defensive. "And what makes you think she wants to know?" He asked sharply, crossing his arms over his chest protectively. Despite everything they had been through together - the demons and monsters, the loss of their mother and Jessica - there were still parts of himself he kept hidden from even Sam; how could he expect Allie to understand? Even if she knew the basics, that didn't mean needing to dive into a therapy session over their shitty upbringings and how John had... whatever.
"She likes us for who we are now," Dean sighed and ran his hand through his short hair. "She already knows pretty much everything, Sam. You missed a lot."
Sam Winchester's eyes widened in surprise, feeling a pang of hurt at Dean's words. "What do you mean she knows everything?" He asked hesitantly, taking a step forward to confront his brother more directly.
"You told her about... about our dad?" His voice rose with each question as he tried to process the idea that Allie knew so much and they had kept it from him all this time. He didn't know how to feel about it. Why would she help them find John while knowing what kind of father John was?
Dean rolled his eyes, shrugging nonchalantly. "Yeah," he said dismissively, trying to play it off like it was no big deal when in reality it had been a huge moment for him — the first time someone truly understood what they'd gone through without judging them or running away screaming. "She knows about our past with Dad and everything else." He glanced over at Allie again before turning back to Sam. "Look, she gets us. She accepts us as we are now. That's all that matters." Dean thought for a moment. "Her mom wasn't a walk in the park. So." He didn't want to give too much away without Allie's okay.
Sam couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions - relief that Dean had finally found someone who understood him, jealousy at the bond they shared, and confusion about why Allie would want to be involved in their dangerous world or assist them in finding their neglectful and abusive father. He knew she was strong-willed and capable, but it still didn't seem fair that he hadn't been given the same chance as his brother.
"I just... I don't know," he said, running a hand through his hair before looking back over at Allie once more. "She deserves better than this life." In the months that Sam had come to know Allie, he had begun to appreciate very particular traits of her personality. Though they lent themselves to hunting well it still didn't feel right for her to be hunting. He knew what the life did to people. What it did to their father and had begun doing to Dean.
Dean shook his head, stepping forward to clap Sam on the shoulder reassuringly. "She knows what she's getting into," he said firmly, trying not to let apprehension creep in at how much Allie meant to them both. "Look, we all do." He glanced over at her again before turning back towards Sam with a grin. "We protect each other and save people too; it ain't all bad."
Sam sighed, knowing Dean was right. They did save people and they had each other in the end. At least they had a family. But the thought of Allie being involved in their messed up lives still didn't sit well with him. She deserved normalcy; she deserved a life where her biggest worry wasn't whether or not she would wake up alive tomorrow morning. "I guess you're right," he finally relented, nodding his head in defeat. There was no use attempting to fight with Dean, especially not lately. They were butting heads like crazy. "We should probably let her rest though."
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes lingering on Allie for a moment longer than he probably should before turning away. "Yeah," he agreed, moving towards the bed and flopping down face-first onto it with an exaggerated groan of exhaustion. "I'm beat myself." He knew that wasn't entirely true; adrenaline usually kept him going long after they had finished hunting but today was different - being around her made everything feel... complicated. He turned on his back beside her. He always slept with Allie on the road. It was a... protection thing. Yeah. A protection thing.
Sam nodded, heading towards his own bed. He knew Dean was exhausted from everything they had been through and he couldn't blame him for wanting some rest. As he lay down on the lumpy mattress, his mind raced with thoughts of Allie; her smile, her laughter, how she fit so seamlessly into their messed-up family dynamic. Having a new addition did raise questions of how their dynamic would most likely eventually shift, or completely erode.
He tried to clear his head, focusing instead on the sound of her soft breathing as it filled the small motel room. He fell asleep quickly, his mind filled with nightmares of Jessica— like usual. True restful sleep never occurred anymore.
Allie stirred and shifted closer to Dean. Normally they didn't cuddle but her sleepy stupor made her bold. She snuggled up to his side and rested her head on the edge of his arm. "Mmmm..." she hummed in contentment. "Night." The word was barely coherent from her exhausted state. She made a small yawn and nuzzled into his bicep with her nose.
Dean's heart skipped a beat as Allie snuggled up to him, his body automatically responding with warmth and comfort. He couldn't help but smile softly in the darkness of their motel room, feeling her breath against his chest. She was like a little kitten curling up next to him; innocent yet fierce when needed. "Night," he whispered back, one hand finding its way onto her hip where it rested beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. It didn't move, didn't caress, just held there. The physical aspect was nice actually. Not exactly... sexual. The hold was respectful, even.
In the morning she awoke to find Sam was already awake. He was distressed, obviously. He had been since Jessica's death. Not that she could blame him.
She crawled out of Dean's arms gently. He was still asleep.
"Morning." She whispered so as to not wake the older Winchester. "You okay? More nightmares?" She questioned while rubbing his arm to comfort him and stifling a yawn. "How much did you sleep?"
Sam looked up at Allie, a haunted void sat behind the gaze of hazel eyes. "Yeah," he replied softly, nodding in response to her question about being okay. He knew she could sense it; empathy was one of her many gifts as a hunter and friend. "Not much," he admitted with a sigh, rubbing his face wearily before sitting up on the edge of the bed. "I'm just... I dunno." Struggling. The appropriate word would be struggling but unable to verbalize what the struggle felt like. This pain was not like losing Mary. Mary died when he was a baby. Jessica died when he was so close to... to...
She took a seat next to him on the bed and placed her still-tired head on his shoulder. A silence washed over them. Nothing much could be said. Sometimes it was just good to have a friend around who cared. She ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp with careful strokes. "It'll get better, Sam." But she knew that fact didn't help right now. "It wasn't your fault. Just like Dean said when we fought Bloody Mary," She knew that Sam was racked with guilt. " You're only human, Sam. "
Sam closed his eyes, leaning into the gentle touch of Allie's fingers in his hair. Her words washed over him like a cool breeze on a hot summer day; they were familiar ones but somehow, hearing them from her made all the difference. He knew she meant every word she said, that she truly believed it deep down in her heart. "Thanks," he finally managed to whisper, turning towards her and cupping her face with one hand. "I just... I don't want you getting hurt because of us." Like Jess. It was his fault. He should have known. Normalcy would never come for him. He had been a fool for trying.
Allie leaned into his touch. Sam was kind and gentle. She liked that about him. Her cheek nestled into his palm and she released a soft sigh, blue eyes gazing up at him beneath her lashes. "Sam, if something ever happens to me it won't be because of you or Dean." She was a hunter now. Like them. "I chose this. To me, it's worth it. Don't put that on your shoulders," Her hand reached out and rubbed his knee affectionately. "You're so sweet. But don't worry about me, okay? Right now you need to take care of yourself. I'll help."
Sam offered a gentle smile at her words, feeling a warmth spread through his chest from her comfort. "You really do understand," he said quietly, squeezing her hand briefly before letting go again. "Thank you." His voice cracked slightly as the weight of everything they had been through and all that lay ahead pushed down on exhausted shoulders. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I know you're right," he finally admitted reluctantly. "We need to focus on finding Dad." Diving into the pain would only hurt more, right? At least he had some sort of a support system, though it didn't replace the feeling of being loved.
Dean stirred in his sleep, sensing the shift in energy as Sam and Allie spoke. His eyes opened slowly, blinking several times before he fully woke up to find her hand resting on Sam's knee, their faces close together in a moment of understanding and support. He felt something twist inside him— envy mixed with relief that she was here for them both; someone who got it without judgment or expectation. He pushed those thoughts aside, clearing his throat softly to announce his awakeness. "Morning,"
Allie's eyes shifted to take in Dean's early morning aesthetic. He was so cute when he woke up. It was like a kid being forced to get ready for school. "Morning sleeping beauty. Get up. It's already 8 a.m. we need to hit the road." He was usually one to protest. She walked over to their bed, gripped the duvet, and ripped it off of him. "I need coffee. Get up or I'll make you." Her treatment of the two boys was vastly different.
Dean groaned, rolling onto his side and groping for the bedside table where he knew his cigarettes were kept. He lit one up with shaking hands, taking a deep drag before exhaling a cloud of smoke in her direction. "You're bossy," he grumbled good-naturedly, sitting up slowly and stretching out his stiff muscles. "I guess I could use some coffee myself."
Allie waved her hands in her face and ripped the cigarette out of Dean's mouth. "Don't smoke in here! Are you nuts?! You'll make the alarm go off!" She knew he was doing it as payback. Allie held the cigarette between her fingers for a few seconds. God she hadn't had one in so long. "Fuck you, this is mine now!" Over time their bickering had become kind of a weird love language. She placed the cigarette between her lips and walked out the door to smoke it.
Dean glared at her over the smoke-filled room, but couldn't help a small smirk tugging at his lips. "That woman's gonna be the end of me," he said with a chuckle, climbing out of bed and joining Sam in getting dressed for their next adventure.
Sam looked up at him warily, still clearly wrestling with emotions from earlier. "You good?" Dean asked quietly as they both pulled on jeans and T-shirts before heading downstairs to find Allie already waiting impatiently by the Impala. Sam gave the older Winchester a small smile, trying to put on a brave face for Dean's sake. "I will be," he added, his voice cracking slightly as he tried not to think about the nightmares that haunted him every time he closed his eyes. He knew it was pointless; they were inextricably linked now, this life and all its horrors etched into their minds like scars from countless battles.
In the time it took for them to come downstairs, Allie had already gotten dressed in the Impala. She was pretty good at impromptu changes. It was hot as hell outside. She wore a white tank top and denim shorts, an outfit that wasn't typical for her wardrobe but the heat had forced her into the high denim. "Ah! The gruesome twosome finally makes an entrance. Or... exit? Depending on how you see it." She dangled the car keys from her fingers. "Coffee coffee coffee!" She twirled on her heels in front of them.
Sam took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering fog of sleep and guilt as he stepped outside into the blistering heat. The sun was already high in the sky, casting harsh light over the parking lot where Allie stood twirling like some carefree ballerina. He couldn't help but smile at her morning energy. Coffee. As if the petite and rambunctious woman actually needed it. "Coffee would hit the spot"
Dean followed Sam out of the motel, squinting against the bright sunlight as he took in Allie's cheerful dance. The morning air was thick and humid, it was in his throat and dried out his esophagus nearly instantly. He couldn't help but grin at Allie's antics, reaching out to grab her around the waist and spinning her once before setting her back on solid ground with a playful growl. "I'm not letting you drive - You're gonna get us killed," he teased, taking the keys from her hand and unlocking the Impala's doors.
The road to their next hunt was long. On the way, they received a call from John instructing them not to come for him and to instead go to Burkitsville, each year a couple had mysteriously disappeared while passing through the small town. Dean and Sam fought over going after their dad or listening to him. Allie sat in the car while they argued before Sam walked away and Dean climbed back into the driver's side. She was a bit confused... until Dean started to drive away. "Dean, what are you doing?! We can't leave Sam!" Dean was off to the hunt, obeying his father's orders while Sam was off to find John.
Dean's eyes narrowed in frustration as Sam stormed off, hands balling into fists at his sides. He knew it was the right thing to do— they had been through this before; John always seemed to know best even when he didn't explain himself. But leaving Sam behind felt wrong like a part of him was being ripped away. "He'll catch up," he muttered under his breath, climbing into the driver's seat and starting the engine with more force than necessary. "We gotta go."
Most of the drive was quiet. She missed Sam. She wondered what he was doing, where he was. Most of the time she just stared out of the window.
Finally, they arrived and hours later walked through the forest until they stopped at the sight of a scarecrow. Dean called it "fugly". That made her laugh. She grew closer to it. It was... there was just something about it. Together they noticed that the scarecrow was made out of human skin. Gross. Some of the shit that they had seen... Alice was still growing accustomed to some of the more disgusting aspects of the job. She took a few steps back. "Jesus Christ! What is wrong with this town?" A large grimace and Allie turned to look at Dean. "I am... very uncomfortable right now."
Dean's face twisted in disgust, his stomach churning at the sight of the grotesque scarecrow. "Maybe something cult-related" he muttered under his breath, reaching into his jacket for his trusty hunting knife as they cautiously approached it. "We need to find out who's behind this shit and put an end to them." He glanced over at Allie, noticing her pale complexion but trying not to show how much it bothered him. He quickly identified the skin as belonging to one of the missing people who had travelled through the town via a tattoo on the scarecrow's forearm.
Well, they did figure out what was happening. The town was sacrificing people to pagan gods in an effort to keep their crops alive. Sam and Dean seemed to make up over the phone, too bad their luck ran out.
They were thrown into a damp, cold cellar by the townspeople to be sacrificed next. "We aren't a couple!" Allie pounded on the locked cellar door in an effort to persuade them, though she knew it wouldn't work. They just needed a young man and woman as a fertility offering. "Fuck!" She rested her head against a supporting beam in the cellar. "Can't wait to be bled dry so some asshole can grow a corn maze." It terrified her that Sam would have no idea what happened to them. They were left alone, the small group of townspeople had left until sundown.
Dean paced the small confines of their prison, his hands clenched into fists as he tried to think of a way out. "We're not going down like this," he muttered under his breath, pausing in front of Allie and gently brushing her hair back from her face in an effort to soothe his female friend. "You got any tricks up your sleeve?" He questioned, hoping against hope that she had some hidden talent or weapon stashed away somewhere. They needed something - anything – to get them out of this mess alive.
She was frustrated but his touch to her face did ease her panic. "No. They took all of my stuff before they shoved me down here." Allie pressed their foreheads together. She sighed. There was no giving up but she still wrapped her arms around his neck. She wouldn't cry. Allie was no victim. "Should I lie and say I'm not scared, like usual?"
Dean chuckled quietly, his breath brushing against her cheek in a warm caress. "I'd rather you didn't lie," he said with a hint of rarely shown affection, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. He couldn't help but notice how small she felt pressed up against him like this; vulnerable and yet somehow stronger than anyone he knew. "We gotta find something to use as a weapon or distraction." His eyes roamed the damp cellar, taking in every detail of their temporary cell.
The moment was cut short by the townspeople opening the cellar door. They had thought they had an hour or so, it seemed not. The assailants grabbed them and brought them back to the orchard before tying them to trees for the scarecrow to kill them after sundown. Dean said he would come up with a plan but she knew there wasn't one. They were pretty much fucked. "How about a little comedy?" She spoke grimly before starting to sing in a sarcastic, loud tone of defiance.
"Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey— Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky!" She wrestled with her ropes. No use.
He did crack a small smile at her attempt to lighten the mood, his eyes flickering with amusement as he listened to Allie belting out that godawful country song. It was so... Allie; trying to distract themselves from their impending doom by making jokes and causing trouble. "You know," A pregnant pause and Dean took on a sarcastic tone while wiggling under tight ropes. "I always wondered what you sound like when you sing."
She laughed. Even in the darkest moments they still had friendship. They still had each other. "Yeah, well, I figured why not make my last concert free?" She matched his sarcasm, allowing the irritation at their current predicament to drip from parted lips. "I don't do encores though, so don't ask." She rested the back of her head against the tree and grimaced. "If they put my skin on that scarecrow it's gonna have a butterfly trampstamp. Isn't that fun?" Great. Her teenage mistakes would live on forever.
Dean chuckled softly, his breath quickening slightly as the honesty of their scenario hit him. "Well, at least you'll be remembered for something," he whispered back with a grin in his voice. He couldn't help but admire Allie; she was strong and resilient despite the situation they found themselves in - always trying to lighten the mood even when things looked bleakest. They were alike in that way.
As time ticked away slowly, their captors left them alone again, giving them some much-needed privacy. Although Allie was normally one to make light of situations and attempt to make others laugh... she didn't want to die as some girl who peaked in high school. She wanted to be cared for, to be understood and she certainly wanted to be warm and show her friend that she cared for him. (Even if he royally pissed her off half the time.) "You were a good mentor... but a better friend." Allie turned her face to get him in her view. "We don't talk about shit a lot but... I love you." It wasn't a romantic confession. It was a vocal admission of appreciation and comfort.
Dean froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he processed her words. Love? No... it couldn't be that. They were just friends; they had to be. But the way she said it, looking at him with those big blue eyes filled with sincerity and vulnerability, made it hard for him to focus on the meaning. Fucking sad but had anyone ever... said that to him? Other than Sam? Not that they said that kind of shit often. Wow. He was about to die as an unlovable prick. He figured as much. His dad would be sickened! He couldn't even protect his friend. He'd taught her everything she knew and now he'd be the cause of her death. "Allie..." He started, unsure of what to say next. She meant too much to him - more than any woman ever had before. "I- I mean... thank you,"
She shook her head. Thank you? - "Wow. That's awkward. Sure. Don't say it back." The blonde rested her head back against the tree trunk. Maybe it would have been comedic if they weren't about to be sliced and diced by a scarecrow that was possessed by a pagan God. Oh, and then skinned! Awesome.
She shifted a bit and turned her head at the sound of a noise. "Oh fuck! Dean, it's moving. It's coming." Allie tried her best to break out of the rope tied around her as the figure approached but it was no use. The ropes reddened her wrists, burning into her pale skin and forcing it to tear from friction.
Dean's heart raced as he heard the scraping of boots on dirt, his senses heightened to a razor-sharp edge. "Allie," he growled lowly, He could feel sweat beading on his forehead despite the chill in the air; adrenaline coursing through him like electricity.
"I... I care about you too." The words tumbled out before he could stop them, shocking even himself with their honesty. They sounded a bit awkward considering he didn't say such chick stuff often, but he was trying.
Allie was about to reply when she was cut off by Sam approaching, not the scarecrow. "Oh, thank fuck." She drawled out and looked up at him with eyes wide. "Get us the hell out of here!" He untied them and they stood. The scarecrow was no longer on its stick. "Shit!" She grew closer to the boys as they attempted to run, only to be stopped by the townspeople who tried to restrain them. Bad move.
The scarecrow approached and sank its sickle into two of the lead townspeople before dragging them off into the woods by their wounded and gaping legs. That must'a hurt. The sacrifice was complete, though only this year's. "We need to burn down the sacrificial tree." The only way to defeat the God that hung over the morally corrupt town.
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving the possessed scarecrow as it stalked away from them with its victims in tow. "Allie, you take care of the tree," he ordered sharply, drawing out a lighter from his pocket and tossing it to her before turning his attention back to Sam as the leftover captors ran off.
Allie grabbed a nearby torch and lit it. She hesitated for a moment. Scorching the tree meant the town would die out. All of its protection would be gone. Was anyone innocent? Did everyone know about the sacrifices? She turned to look at the boys and they nodded.
It had to be done.
The blonde slowly lowered the torch to the bark and watched as the sacred tree went up in aggravated flames, licking at autumn-coloured leaves.
The ride in the Impala was a stark contrast to what she anticipated. The boys didn't fight. There was a peaceful air to the drive from the trio being back together again. Allie piped up with a short joke. "Scarecrow did a good job of keeping the crows away."
Dean couldn't help but shake his head at the lame joke, glancing over to catch Sam's slight smirk. "You are something else," he said with a shake of his head before turning back to the road ahead.
"So... about what you said earlier..." He trailed off awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as they drove in silence for several long moments. Finally mustering up the courage, he turned to face Allie directly. "I- I mean, uh... thanks."
Allie raised an eyebrow. For once he wasn't offering a stupid pickup line or a witty retort. She wasn't quite sure how to react. "For what?" A pause and their eyes connected. "Eyes on the road, hotshot." She nodded with a gleam in her eye and a wink. The sweet moment between them was nice. Maybe their friendship was changing but that wasn't a bad thing. They were a unit now. Respect ebbed and flowed between the three misfits.
Dean couldn't help but return her wink, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered under his breath, focusing back on the road ahead as they continued their journey toward who knows where next. The truth was, he had meant his words. He did care for Allie. For the first time in his life, he realized that he had a friend. Not another family member or just a civilian to save but... a true friend.