Time passed. More hunts. The usual. They put an end to a 'faith healer' who was simply using a reaper to kill people like a dog on a leash.
What came next was something that Allie was unprepared for. Dean received a call from a 'friend'. Well, the friend was not a friend. He had certainly downplayed the association. She was a woman named Cassie whom Dean had dated for a few weeks years beforehand. People had been going missing in her area. Jealousy brewed in her but Allie pushed it off. When had she ever been jealous? At least like this? Allie stood awkwardly with Sam while Dean 'visited' with Cassie. "So..." she thrummed her finger on the doorway of the motel bathroom. She didn't know what to do with herself. "This is fucking weird."
"Yeah," he agreed softly, setting down his laptop and leaning against the frame of the doorway across from her. "I guess we should... uh... grab some food or something?" For him, it was weird because he wanted to find his father and he had never seen Dean with a woman for more than a few days, let alone be serious with one. Well, other than Allie but that was different...right?
"Wait..." he stopped and turned to look at her, to really take in her body language. "Are you jealous?"
Allie took on a serious expression. "What?! No!" She huffed and turned away from him, hoping he wouldn't see the redness on her face. "I just think... you know, it's not a good idea. She dumped him." Dean had told Cassie he hunted monsters when they were originally together. She broke it off with him. She sighed while turned away from Sam. "It's going to hurt him when we leave, you know." She paused. "And we can't stay after we deal with the ghost." the attempt to downplay her emotions was paper thin. Practically dust.
Sam raised an eyebrow, studying her back for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "If you say so." He knew better than to push the subject further; Allie was good at hiding her emotions when she wanted to. Instead, he focused on their current predicament: finding and stopping whatever supernatural threat had been terrorizing this town.
"I know," he finally said softly, his voice low. "But that's the life."
The next evening they dragged the old truck out of the swamp that contained the body of their ghosty. The ghost had been appearing in a truck and killing people. It didn't work. Allie and Sam were forced to give Dean directions to bring to truck back to where the victim died. By that, what was really done was Sam took over and kind of just… went with it. He didn't even tell Allie his thought process. She stood back and scratched her head.
Thank God it worked.
Maybe things should have been happy. Unfortunately, their lives never really catered to that.
Cassie said goodbye, remarking she didn't see much hope for her and Dean to continue. Allie stared at Sam from the backseat while he sat in the driver's. It was exactly what Allie thought would happen. Still, watching them kiss goodbye somehow made her feel... okay. And that gave Allie intense guilt. Sam drowned in relief as they pulled away from the scene, leaving Cassie standing alone in the parking lot. He knew Dean had been holding onto hope for their relationship to work out, even though deep down he probably knew it was futile.
As they drove back to their motel room an awkward silence settled between them like a heavy blanket. Allie shifted restlessly in her seat, and despite his better judgment, Sam found himself glancing over at her more often than not. Dean tried to focus on the road ahead, but his mind was elsewhere; replaying Cassie's goodbye kiss in slow motion. Damn it all to hell, he thought bitterly as they pulled into their usual motel parking lot. He knew she was right - there wasn't a future for them beyond this life of hunting monsters and running from one disaster to another. But that didn't make saying goodbye any easier. Stepping out of the Impala, he stretched his stiff muscles before turning around to offer Allie a tired smile.
For once Allie didn't know what to say. She wanted to comfort him but she didn't know how. Dean would always choose hunting, it had been ingrained in him since childhood. He loved Cassie. She could tell. Though she wondered if it was true love or a yearning for what could have been. A desire to cross into the realm of normalcy even if only fleeting. When they entered the motel room Allie offered a small smile to both boys. "Dust in the Wind, right?" She quoted the classic rock song, figuring Dean would understand that she was trying to be there for him before she disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower.
Dean shook his head as he followed Allie into the motel room. "Yeah," he agreed with a sigh, collapsing onto one of the beds and pulling out his phone to check for any new leads on their father's whereabouts. He couldn't help but notice how her scent lingered in the air even after she left - something sweet and fresh that made him feel both at ease and unsettled all at once. A blend of wildflowers and vanilla.
Sam closed the door behind them, his mind still reeling from everything that had happened earlier. He knew Dean would brush it off and try to act like he was fine, but he could see the hurt in those green eyes - a pain all too familiar to him after losing Jessica. He grabbed two beers from the fridge and cracked one open before joining Dean on the other bed. "You doing okay?" He asked casually, trying not to sound as though he cared more than he should about Cassie. This was about his brother and making sure he was alright. "She's trying to help. She cares." Sam referred to Allie's brief sentence before she left.
Dean took the beer gratefully, taking a long swig before setting it down on the nightstand. "Yeah," he said gruffly, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I'm fine." He knew Sam was trying to help and really... a relationship with Cassie wouldn't have been realistic. "She does care," he reluctantly admitted after a moment of awkward silence. "More than I deserve sometimes."
Sam nodded, taking a sip of his own beer. "You're wrong about that," he said softly, setting the bottle down on the bedside table and turning to face Dean head-on. "Allie cares because you let her in. You showed her your scars both physical and emotional, and she saw someone worth fighting for." He paused, considering how much he wanted to say but knew it would cross lines they couldn't uncross. It was best to toe the line. "Besides, we all care about each other here. That's what family does, right?"
Dean shifted uncomfortably under his brother's intense gaze, feeling exposed in a way he hadn't expected. He was never good at talking about this kinda shit. Chick flick moments. "Yeah," he muttered, looking anywhere but at Sam as the words sank in. He didn't know what to say; Allie meant more to him than anyone else besides Sam and maybe Bobby - hell, she was like family too. But they were just friends... weren't they?
"You ever think about settling down?"
Sam's heart skipped a beat at the change of subject, but he played it cool. "Settling down?" He echoed with a chuckle that sounded more nervous than intended. "I mean... I guess everyone thinks about it sometimes." His mind drifted back to their brief time in Disneyland; and how happy they had all been for those few hours. It was like they were just three normal people enjoying themselves instead of monster hunters constantly running from death. "You know I went to college and stopped hunting until Dad..." It was strange to hear Dean talk about settling down. "So...yeah. I think about it. Well... I did think about it." with Jess. That was painful to think about.
Dean nodded in return, taking another swig of his beer before setting it down on the nightstand. "Yeah," he said softly, turning to face Sam fully now. "I know you did." He paused for a moment, considering how much he wanted to say but knew better than to push things further between them - especially after what happened with Cassie earlier. He wasn't exactly winning the relationships department. Sam had more experience there. Even if he did suck ass with women initially.
"So... uh..." His mind raced for something else to talk about as they settled into an awkward silence again. "You ever think about kids?"
Sam's heart skipped a beat at the question, his mind racing with images of himself as a father. He could picture it vividly: A little girl with her mother's golden blonde hair, running around their cozy suburban home while he cooked dinner in an old-fashioned kitchen. But that was all just a fantasy; a pipe dream for someone living this life. "I... I don't know," he finally managed to say truthfully. "It's not something we really talk about much on the road."
Dean bobbed his head, understanding the hesitation in his voice. "Yeah," he agreed softly, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he thought about what could have been if things had turned out differently for him and Cassie. But they both knew that wasn't meant to be; their lives were too messed up for something like family or settling down. "Maybe someday though," he said wistfully, reaching over to clap Sam on the shoulder before changing the subject. "So, any leads on Dad?"
Sam forced a small chuckle, grateful for the change of subject. "Not yet," he admitted with a shrug. "But we'll find him, Dean." He knew it was easier said than done; their father had been missing for weeks now and they hadn't found so much as a single lead. But they would keep searching, no matter how long it took or what dangers lay ahead. Family did that. Though he did miss school. "So... any ideas on where to start tomorrow?" He asked, trying to shift the conversation away from his own personal thoughts and back onto the case at hand.
The next day they headed out on the road. They stopped at a bar only to see Meg there, a woman that Sam had met while separated from them during the scarecrow hunt. They spoke in a friendly manner but later on, Sam voiced concerns about her. Right, he was— because just a few hours later they found out that Meg was evil! Woo-hoo. She captured them and tied them to beams in an old abandoned building. Fun. God, she had been tied up a lot recently.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit of a cunt?" Allie retorted while Meg taunted them. "You should look into a personality adjustment."
Meg Masters raised an eyebrow at Allie's crude language, her lips twitching into a smirk. "Oh, sweetheart," she sneered, sauntering closer to the blonde hunter with a predatory grace that made Dean instinctively tense up beside her. "I think you're the one who needs some personality adjustment." "You see, I like chaos and destruction,"
Allie rolled her eyes. "Did you just use my own retort back at me? That's lame." Uncomfortable situations only made Allie more sarcastic, and more humorous. She wasn't one to show her emotions on her sleeve. Unless it was frustration. Or anger. She was helpless as Meg suddenly climbed into her lap and flirted with her darkly. "Sorry, I already went through my experimental phase. College." She hissed.
Meg's eyes flashed with anger at Allie's insult, but she couldn't deny there was a spark of amusement in her gaze as well. "Oh, you think you could make an exception for me?" She purred, leaning closer until their breaths mingled hotly before she suddenly lunged forward and bit down hard on the blonde hunter's neck.
Allie bit her lip hard to avoid screaming. "Fuck you! —- Bitch!" She seethed and leaned her head back on the beam. "You —- !" She was cut off by Meg talking about how capturing the Winchesters wasn't about them, it was about setting a trap for John. Not good. Allie was only brought along because she was with them. A bit of blood dribbled down her neck and Allie did her best to focus on the ceiling rather than Meg's taunts.
Dean growled low in his throat, struggling against his restraints as he watched helplessly as Meg feasted on Allie's neck. He could feel the familiar burn of jealousy and protectiveness surging through him like a wildfire out of control; she was his responsibility, damn it! "Let her go!" He snarled, straining against his own bindings with renewed force. "You don't touch her—- She has nothing to do with this!"
Sam's heart beat wildly in his chest, adrenaline coursing through him as he watched helplessly from his own restraints. He hated feeling so damn powerless; it was against everything he stood for as a hunter. His eyes flickered between Dean and Allie, worry etched deeply on his features. She couldn't be hurt again... not after all they had been through together. "Dean," he said urgently, trying to keep his voice calm despite the panic bubbling beneath the surface.
Meg pulled away from Allie's neck with a satisfied groan, licking the blood off her lips before turning to face Dean. "Oh, but she is mine now," she purred, her eyes burning with an unholy fire that chilled him to his core. "You see, Winchester," she continued, sauntering closer until they were mere inches apart. "I serve someone much stronger than you could ever hope to be." She reached out and trailed one long fingernail down his cheek, leaving behind a thin line of Allie's crimson in its wake.
Dean let out a deep grunt, refusing to flinch as the bitch taunted him. "Let her go," he repeated through gritted teeth, struggling against the bindings holding him tightly in place. He couldn't lose Allie too; not after everything they had been through together - not when... He forced those thoughts away, focusing on getting them out of this mess alive. His eyes flickered towards Sam for a brief moment before returning to Meg, assessing their situation quickly.
Sam waited for Meg to approach him again before suddenly headbutting her.
Meg fell to the ground and Sam quickly destroyed the altar she had created, causing the Daevas she was controlling (shadow entities) to toss her body out of a nearby window.
He quickly raced to Allie's side first and checked her neck. "It's not too bad. We'll clean you up soon." Deft fingers untied her and Dean.
They left to find John. Meg hadn't lied. He was in town. They found him in a small apartment. Allie hung back while they all shared a sweet reunion. She felt awkward and out of place. After all, she had never met John. She was simply a young woman who joined his sons.
The reunion was cut short by the Daevas appearing once again. Allie was thrown against a wall, her thigh cut up from its claws. She let out a blood-curdling scream while searing hot pain ripped through her pectineus and watched as the men were attacked. The moment was brief but painful. Sam lit up the shadows with a flare and they ran. They all ran like hell while beaten and bruised and bloodied.
Just as quickly as they found John— he left; determining their reunion made them too vulnerable.
At the motel, Allie limped into the bathroom and slowly peeled off her jeans. She bit down on a towel to avoid screaming out in pain from the denim tugging at gaping, deep rips in her porcelain flesh which was now marred in partially dried blood. "Shit..."
Sam rushed to Allie's side as soon as they released their bags, his eyes widening in horror at the sight of her gruesome thigh. "Allie!" He cried out, quickly assessing the severity of her injuries before helping her onto one of the beds. "It's okay," he soothed, grabbing a first aid kit from their bag and rummaging through it frantically for antiseptic and bandages. "I got you."
She let out a soft breath while trying to relax. She was sitting there in her underwear. Thank God they were cute! Allie swallowed hard and her eyes flickered over to Dean. The cuts were long, running from her mid thigh right up to the top of her inner thigh in a thick curve. The top was right next to her... sensitive bits. "It's fine." She breathed out and closed her eyes. "I just need a little kiss on my boo-boo." She joked before wincing.
Dean noticed the way Allie's eyes flickered toward him, a mixture of pain and vulnerability in their depths that made something inside him twist uncomfortably. He knew he should stay away from her; they were just friends - nothing more. But as Sam cleaned up her wounds with gentle hands, his own fingers itched to do the same. "Here," he said gruffly, reaching out to gently press a kiss against the worst of her cuts before pulling back quickly. "Sorry."
Sam's heart ached at the vulnerability he saw in Allie's eyes, a mix of pain and fear that tugged at his own emotions. He knew Dean was just trying to comfort her, but it still stung a little bit. She had been through so much with them already; she deserved some kindness, even if it came from his brother instead of him. "I'm so sorry, Alls."
Dean had never, ever been so gentle with her. No man ever had. The feeling of him kissing her wounded skin sparked something inside of her. Words could never express the feeling. Her heart... it felt beautiful. Her skin felt like it belonged to her and her alone. Like she was whole. His eyes were gorgeous. Was he always so handsome? Or was she just dizzy and out of it from the pain? Sam's words took her out of her own feelings. "Sam... it's not your fault. She fucked up all of us." Allie leaned forward to rest her forehead on Sam's shoulder. "I'm sorry about your dad." John had left... she couldn't imagine how Sam was feeling. After all of their effort to find him...
Dean couldn't tear his gaze away from Allie's exposed thigh, the sight of her pale skin tainted by blood and dirt making him feel protective in a way he didn't want to admit. She was strong, fierce when she needed to be - but right now, she looked so damn vulnerable sitting there with Sam tending to her wounds. "It's not your fault," he repeated, clearing his throat awkwardly before turning his attention back to bandaging up his own injuries.
Sam wrapped the bandage around Allie's thigh carefully, his fingers brushing against her skin more often than necessary. He tried to focus on making sure she was comfortable and not on how close they were or the way their bodies touched in ways that shouldn't be happening between them. "It is," he muttered under his breath, knowing it wasn't fair but unable to shake off the guilt weighing heavily on him. "I should have seen it coming."
Dean shot Sam a warning look, but he knew his brother wouldn't back down easily when it came to taking responsibility for something like this. "It wasn't your fault," he repeated firmly, reaching out to squeeze Allie's hand reassuringly. "We all got caught off guard." "Besides," he added with a half-hearted grin, trying to lighten the mood slightly, "at least we have some pretty scars to show for our adventures together, huh?"
Allie laughed and laid back on the bed as Sam finished cleaning her up. "Yeah, that'll look dope on Halloween." Pretty wasn't the word she'd use but it was what it was. She hadn't really thought about how scarred her body would get from the job. It made her insecure. She stood up to change and crossed the motel room to the bathroom with her duffle bag. When she returned she was in tight track shorts, a white cropped plunging necklined t-shirt, and leg warmers. Her belly button piercing was on full display. It was a pair of cherries. It was probably the most revealing outfit she had ever worn around them but it was comfortable and she couldn't bring herself to care. Allie dove into the bed beside Dean as per usual, blonde hair wild over the pillows. "What are we watching?"
Sam couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of Allie walking back into the room, her lithe figure accentuated by the tight shorts and revealing top. He tried to focus on bandaging up his own wounds instead, but it was difficult when she settled down in bed beside Dean like they were just any old family watching TV together. "Dr. Sexy MD." He forced out, his mouth dry from the sight.
Dean grinned at Allie's choice of attire, appreciating the way her toned legs were on full display underneath those short shorts. She had no idea how damn sexy she looked right now; like a goddess who'd just stepped out of an old pinup poster - all soft curves and tempting flesh. "Sounds good to me," he agreed, reaching over to flip through the channels until they landed on his favorite cheesy medical drama. Well. Secretly favorite. Sam didn't know he enjoyed it.
"Oh god." Allie groaned in protest. Dean loved the show. She didn't get how. It was... very cheesy. Super cringey. "When will I get to pick what we watch? Or the music in the car?" She knew the answer. Probably never. Allie snuggled into bed and turned to face the wall away from the TV. She was tired anyway. A light, soft yawn passed her lips and she made a few cute noises of satisfaction. "I'm beat. Goodnight gentleman." She spanked Dean's ass playfully and smirked over at Sam, winking at him before getting back into her original position.
Dean reached over to squeeze her thigh lightly in a comforting gesture before returning his attention back to the TV. "Sleep tight, Alls," he murmured quietly, unable to resist the urge to brush his hand against her bare leg one more time before letting it drop back down onto the blanket between them.
Sam watched Allie's antics, a small corner of his heart warming at the sight of her curled up in the other bed with Dean. Despite their differences and the complicated situation they found themselves in, there was something comforting about having someone else to share this life with - even if it wasn't exactly what he had always imagined for himself or his family. He watched as Dean leaned over to press a light kiss on top of her head before turning back towards the TV, feeling an odd mix of jealousy and relief course through him. They managed to live another day but he was still alone. He missed the warmth that Jessica had given him. Sam waited until the sounds of Allie's slumber filled the room, signifying that she was asleep. Sam finally spoke quietly. "She got hurt today because of us. Because the demon wants our family."
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving the TV screen as he thought about everything that had happened earlier. "I know," he said gruffly, a muscle tensing in his jawline. "But she knew what she was getting into when she decided to hunt with us." "and," he added after a moment's hesitation, turning slightly towards Sam so they were facing each other partially from their respective beds. "She can handle herself pretty damn well, right?"
Sam sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes before turning to face Dean. "I know she can," he admitted reluctantly. "But that doesn't mean I want her in danger because of us." He paused for a moment, considering how to phrase what was on his mind. "Dean... about Allie..."
Dean's gut tightened with dread. He knew exactly where this conversation was going. "What about her?" He asked cautiously, trying to keep his voice casual despite the sudden surge of protectiveness coursing through him at the thought of losing Allie too.
Sam took a deep breath, his hands fidgeting nervously in his lap. "I... I mean," he stuttered, clearing his throat before trying again. "You know how much she means to us both, right? And how grateful we are for everything she's done?" He glanced over at Allie, still sound asleep on the other bed, her soft breathing gentle against the silence of their motel room. "Well..." He swallowed thickly, steeling himself for whatever reaction Dean might have. "I just wanted to say... I mean, if you ever..." He trailed off, unable to find the words to express what he was feeling. "Have you ever wanted to..."
Dean's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing with all the possibilities Sam could be suggesting. He knew what was coming next; he just didn't want to admit it out loud - especially not to his brother. "Sammy," he began carefully, trying to play off his sudden discomfort as an annoyance instead of something else entirely different.
"We're on a damn mission here, okay? We don't have time for any of that shit."
Sam's heart sank at Dean's response, but he knew it was for the best. They were on a mission; they couldn't afford any distractions right now. "Yeah," he agreed with forced nonchalance, trying to mask his disappointment behind an easygoing smile. "Of course." His brother never wanted to talk about emotions. It got frustrating. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, unable to meet Dean's gaze as he stared resolutely ahead at the TV screen.
Dean couldn't shake the image of Allie in that revealing outfit, her soft curves on full display for him to feast his eyes upon. She was like a damn siren calling to every primal instinct he had ever tried so hard to bury deep down inside himself - and tonight, with adrenaline still coursing through his veins from their close brush with death...He shifted uncomfortably in his own bed, trying to focus on the cheesy medical drama playing out on screen instead of how much he wanted to pull her into his arms and taste those plump lips, feel those soft curves beneath his hands. But they were just friends; nothing more than that. He had never been one for commitment anyway - not when there was always another town around the corner waiting for them to save it from whatever hell-spawned monster lurked within its seemingly ordinary facade.
Sam's heart ached at the thought of Allie meeting a gruesome demise or life-changing injury due to their lifestyle. The idea was.. anxiety-inducing. Were they hindering her by bringing her along with them? Was it selfish?
He tried to focus on the TV show as well, chuckling along with Dean at some ridiculous line spoken by Dr. Sexy MD himself.