The drive was long and quiet, with each of them lost in their own thoughts. Allie slept most of the way, her head resting against the window as they drove through the night. Sam watched her peaceful face, feeling a sense of protectiveness that he couldn't quite explain. He knew that Dean was right—they had to investigate this lead. It could be their only chance at finding Azazel.

Eventually, they stopped at a diner. "You wake her up. I'll get us a table."

Dean nodded, getting out of the car and stretching his legs before opening Allie's door. He gently shook her shoulder until she stirred awake, blinking up at him with those big blue eyes that always seemed to hold a hint of play, even in her most vulnerable moments.

"We stopped for food," he said, helping her out of the car and supporting her as they walked into the diner where Sam already had their table waiting for them. "What do you want?"

Blue eyes took a while to re-enter society and become their usual large size. She yawned and reached her arms above her head, stretching out like a cat with hands up to the ceiling. "Steak." She didn't even need to look at the menu. "and eggs." She was particularly hungry. It looked to be late in the evening, perhaps 9 pm. The moon was high in the sky and stars lined their view from behind the window of the small diner. "and a milkshake." A personal favorite. She always ordered them with an extra cherry. Allie rested her head on Dean's shoulder while they waited for the waitress. "Guessing we're on a case?"

Dean chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leaning against the booth. "Yeah," he said quietly, his voice low enough so only she could hear him over the diner's background music. "We got a lead on some missing people." He ordered their food before turning back to Allie with a small smile. "You look cute when you sleep" he murmured in her ear, nudging her lightly before returning his attention to the menu.

His voice made butterflies swirl in her stomach. Lately, Dean had been rather endearing towards her; maybe it was their break from hunting. He did seem more at ease the past week.

Her face turned up at him and she gave a bright, adorable smile with twinkling sea eyes. "Were you watching me sleep? Creep." The words were a stark contrast to her fond tone. She was joking but she was much tamer than usual. Her demeanor was innocent and appreciative. A genuine soft laugh passed her lips and Allie reached for his hand under the table; she drew small shapes into it with her fingertip before taking her head off of his shoulder and resting her cheek on her palm to look out the window at the crescent moon.

Dean couldn't help but chuckle softly at her teasing, squeezing her hand back lightly before leaning against the booth. "Maybe a little," he admitted with a grin, his eyes drifting to where she was looking out the window. The moonlight cast an ethereal glow over her features and for just a moment, he wished they could stay here forever - safe from all of it.

But that wasn't how life worked for them. There would always be another monster around the corner waiting to strike.

Sam was quiet as they waited for the waitress to bring their meals. He eyed Dean and Allie's hands entwined underneath the table but said nothing about it as he dug into his own milkshake. It wasn't typical of him to order one, usually he kept pretty healthy but it was good. "So," he started between bites of salad.

"Dean, how about you see what you can find out about the missing people tomorrow. Allie and I can do some research?" Sam felt guilty but deep down he wanted time with Allie. Over their years together she had only grown closer with Dean. He didn't know how to feel about it...but it didn't feel good.

Dean considered his brother's suggestion for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Sounds like a plan," he said, taking a bite of his own steak and chewing thoughtfully as he watched Allie from the corner of his eye. She was so damn beautiful when she lost herself in her thoughts like that —- innocent and vulnerable despite everything they had been through together.

"All right then," he finally replied between bites. "I'll hit up some local bars tonight, and see if anyone knows anything about these missing people." He glanced at Sam before digging back into his diner steak. Turning back to Allie, he reached over and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face before leaning in closer than was probably necessary given their surroundings. "You two have fun" he murmured softly against her temple before pulling away with an easy grin plastered on his features. He didn't bother hiding his affections in front of his younger brother. As far as he was concerned, Allie and Sam would never happen.

She hadn't even noticed the food coming. When Dean leaned in close to her, it took her out of her own thoughts. All she could think about was the fact that they were looking at the same moon as millions of other people. It helped ease her, and it felt less lonely—like she was a part of something.

His words brought her back to reality and she looked down at her food. Allie pulled her milkshake closer, pink lips wrapping around the straw. The sweet flavor was incredible. Being off the road meant no milkshakes. Bummer. When she finally stopped drinking it she spoke. "What were you guys talking about? Sorry, I was...thinking." She waved her hand dismissively and started to cut into her steak.

Dean's eyes flickered to Sam, a silent question in his gaze before he turned back to Allie with a smile. "Just planning out our next move," he said casually, taking a sip of his own Coke as he watched her attack the steak on her plate like it was going extinct tomorrow. "You know you don't have to apologize for that," he added softly, reaching over and brushing his thumb lightly across her knuckles in a comforting gesture. "We all need some downtime every now and then."

Sam nodded in agreement, his eyes shifting between Dean and Allie before returning to his own food. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the way they looked at each other - like there was something more than just friendship brewing between them. But he pushed those thoughts aside; otherwise, he'd go mad thinking about it. Originally Sam had hoped his feelings for Allie were just due to his loneliness after Jess died— but it had been nearly two years since then and his attraction to her (mind, body, and soul) had only intensified. "So," he changed the subject, clearing his throat awkwardly. "You and your dad agreed on calling more while we're on the road, right?"

Allie nodded while devouring her steak between satisfied moans. Beef was a gift from God. "Yeah." Before their rest, she noticed that being on the road made her miss her father more and more. He was a light in her life. He had saved her in many ways. Bobby was a fucking good dad and it wasn't fair that she had lived without him for so long… maybe things could have been different.

"I don't care how it sounds. I miss my dad and I want to talk to him. So, I'm gonna call him more while we're on the road." She paused her eating and smiled to herself. "Bobby's a good dad and I lived long enough without one." Seeds of guilt resided in her. She'd stay on the phone with him every day for hours if she could. The worst thing about loss? After you've been exposed to it you realize that you will lose everyone else eventually.

Dean nodded in understanding, his own eyes softening slightly at the mention of her father. "That's good," he said quietly "We should probably get some rest soon ourselves," Sam chimed in, pushing his plate away from him with a groan of satisfaction. "Long day tomorrow." He stood up, grabbed their plates to stack them, and headed towards the counter to ask for the bill while glancing back at them over his shoulder.

As they walked outside into the cool night air, Allie wrapped her arms around herself against the chill while waiting for them. She looked so damn adorable standing there like a delicate flower amidst the neon lights of the diner, and it took everything inside Dean not to pull her close and kiss her right then and there.

Her lips parted as red lights lit up her pale skin from the neon diner sign. Despite all of her sleep on the drive, she was still tired. Her body was grateful for the time they had spent to rest both emotionally and physically. She knew such 'vacations' would be few and far between.

A shooting star moved across the night sky and Allie wasn't one to take things for granted. She closed her eyes and wished for something in secret. It was deeply personal, never to be voiced out loud but the idea of exploring it was enough to relax her. As Dean and Sam joined her side she rubbed her arms from the minor cold autumn breeze. "So, motel?" All she wanted in the world was to take a hot shower and climb into fresh sheets.

Dean nodded, opening the Impala's trunk to retrieve their bags before rounding the car and holding out a hand for Allie. "Motel it is," he said with a soft chuckle as she slipped her small hand into his larger one, feeling an electric spark zing up his arm at the contact.

They climbed inside the warmth of the Impala in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they drove to the nearest motel.

Sam took the wheel, his mind still reeling from everything that had happened in the past year. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something big was coming - a storm brewing on the horizon just waiting to unleash hell upon them all. Normally Dean drove but Sam wanted to give him some much-needed rest from the long drive.

As soon as they arrived back at the motel Allie was the first to take a shower. The heat from the water persuaded her to let go of her stress and flow beneath it. Her body melted as though she was one with the water, muscles relaxing from their usual tension. After, she stepped out of the bathroom in Ren & Stimpy pajamas and she practically dove headfirst into one of the two beds. She could hear Sam and Dean talking outside, but only barely. She couldn't make out what they were saying. Not that it mattered. She knew one of them would climb into bed with her eventually and that thought was comforting. "Mmmmm..." she groaned in satisfaction against the pillow.

Sam watched Allie dive face-first into the bed through the motel window, unable to keep a smile from spreading across his features at how adorable she looked in those Ren and Stimpy pjs Dean had gotten for her as a joke a few months prior. He opened the door to speak with her. "Dean and I are gonna hit the bar," he said quietly, sitting down beside her and gently brushing her wet hair away from her neck. His touch lingered before finally pulling away with a sigh.

"Get some rest."

"Don't leave the room, Alls." Dean stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Allie bury her face against the pillows with an amused grin before finally stepping outside and shutting the door behind him quietly. The look Sam gave him was filled with apprehension but he needed a drink or ten before he could think about this case again - before he could face whatever monster lurked in the shadows of their lives this time. "Come on," he muttered, pulling Sam towards Baby. "Let's go get hammered."

—-—-—-—-

Sam sat in silence for a while, nursing his third beer of the night as he watched Dean get progressively drunker and drunker across him. After about an hour passed by in near complete silence except for Dean's occasional snide remarks towards some of the patrons surrounding them, he finally decided to break it himself while unable to keep his curiosity at bay any longer. "So," he started casually, taking another sip of his drink as he leaned closer to Dean with his elbows resting against the polished wood surface of the bar's high table that separated them. "You wanna tell me what happened back there with Allie earlier tonight?"

Not really."

That was all Dean said before downing another shot of whiskey. He had no interest in talking about what happened with Allie right now, or ever for that matter. But if he were being completely honest, even he didn't fully understand what had transpired between them tonight. She just made him so damn protective of her...like he had been with Sam when they were kids and the monsters were getting too close for comfort.

But Allie wasn't his kid brother; she was a grown woman who could take care of herself - hell, she had saved his ass more than once over the years and he couldn't be prouder of how far she had come since joining their little family unit.

Sam raised his eyebrows at the blunt response, finishing off his beer before setting it back down on the bar with a loud thunk. "Seriously?" he asked incredulously, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest as he continued watching Dean down yet another shot of whiskey without even flinching. "Look man," he said quietly, looking around the bar briefly before lowering his voice slightly. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but if there's something happening that could affect our ability to hunt together-"

"No."

Dean cut off his brother's words with a firm shake of his head, taking another swig of his whiskey before turning to face Sam directly for the first time since they sat down at this stupid bar an hour ago. "Nothing's happening between us," he insisted, keeping his voice low so no one else could overhear their conversation.

Sam frowned, leaning back slightly in his chair as he took in his older brother's words carefully - trying not to read too much into them at first, but ultimately failing miserably. "Then what happened earlier tonight?" He asked softly, studying Dean's face for any sign of emotion besides the usual mask of indifference he wore. "Because whatever it was...it's obvious that you two are getting closer." It hurt to say that out loud, but Sam couldn't help thinking it was true - and he was feeling mildly forgotten.

Dean's eyes flashed towards Sam briefly, but he couldn't bring himself to hold his brother's gaze for more than a few seconds before returning his attention back to the half-empty beer and cup of whiskey in front of him. "Look, it was nothing," he mumbled under his breath, picking up the bottle and downing the rest of its contents in one long gulp before setting it down.

"Just forget about it, okay? Let's talk about something else." He wasn't ready to talk about his emotions towards their blonde companion but they went further than friendship and he knew that. He just couldn't vocalize it yet.

He sighed heavily before downing another drink, feeling even more conflicted about everything now. He had wanted to get a few drinks and chill out but of course, Sammy wanted to have a chick flick moment.

"Fine," Sam conceded with a shake of his head before downing another shot and slamming the glass down onto the table with slightly more force than necessary, causing the nearby patrons to glance their way. "But whatever's going on between you two better not affect our hunts together anymore - otherwise I'll have to step in and say something myself."

Sam felt guilty about saying those words aloud, especially since he'd been jealous of his brother's closeness with Allie since day one...

Dean let out a sharp bark of laughter at Sam's words, shaking his head before responding. "Please. You could barely handle being in the same room as Allie without stuttering over yourself like a damn idiot." He chuckled softly at his brother's expression, raising his glass towards Sam in a mock salute before finishing it off with one final swig. "Come on, let's get back before Allie starts worrying about us again"

"I'm not a stuttering idiot around her!" Sam protested, his face flushing red as he glanced away sheepishly at Dean's words...though he had to admit there might be some truth to them considering how much trouble he had talking to her sometimes when they were alone together...

"Fine." He huffed out with a sigh before finishing off his own drink with one last gulp. "Let's go back to the motel."

After they returned from their night out, Dean and Sam made sure to keep quiet while entering the room, not wanting to disturb Allie from her much-needed rest. The room was dark, with only a sliver of moonlight streaming through the curtains illuminating her form curled up beneath the covers - making her look even smaller than usual if that was possible.

Dean paused momentarily as he watched her sleep peacefully for a few moments before heading into the bathroom to shower; letting the hot water wash away any remnants of their evening together along with some other emotions he was still trying to deal with.

After Sam finished taking his own shower, he found himself alone in the room with Allie while Dean was out smoking. He stood in the middle of the room with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, hair dripping wet and water sliding down his body. He quickly dried off and changed before laying down to finally rest. It had been a long day and really he hadn't even wanted to get drinks in the first place.

Allie was sleeping soundly beside him on the bed. He so rarely got to have her like this. Usually, Dean volunteered too fast. - though lately, he'd found himself thinking less about cuddling up next to her for warmth and more about what else they could do together if given the chance...

Allie stirred a bit from the newfound warmth beside her. She let out a happy hum and shifted closer, draping herself across Sam's body. She leaned her head back against his arm, mouth open. Allie wasn't exactly a sexy sleeper and tonight she was really allowing him to see her innate comfort with him. Within minutes the petite blonde was snoring softly, jaw slacked and expression completely dreamy and relaxed. Her lightly damp waves were strewn across his arm as she used it like a pillow, leg slung over his waist like he was the most comfortable bed addition in the whole world.

He let out a soft sigh as she moved closer to him, her body lithe and porcelain over his large frame. She looked so small in comparison, though she was anything but demure Allie certainly held an air of innocence that didn't make sense to him after all she had seen with them. He wanted to reach out and trace his fingertips over her inner thigh… over the space she had for intimate connection… he could practically feel her heat tensing on his fingers already. "You have no idea how beautiful you are"

Dean's voice was low and rough as he stepped in from outside "Sammy, do you want to— " He looked up and couldn't help but notice how Allie had curled up against Sam - her leg draped over him like she belonged there. It made something inside him ache with longing and anger.

"You two look cozy," he said, trying not to sound too jealous but it was hard when they were so close together like that. He always slept with Allie. She was his girl. He had to protect her. "Don't get too comfortable, Sammy." They both knew what he meant. Tomorrow Dean would make sure she was back in bed with him.

Sam's eyes flickered towards Dean, feeling a pang of guilt at the possessiveness in his voice. He knew that Allie was their friend first and foremost - but lately, he couldn't help noticing how well she fit with him. They got along in every way, they didn't bicker like she did with Dean.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied lightly before turning back to Allie who had shifted slightly against him during Dean's entrance; her leg sliding down slightly. "Go ahead," Sam spoke in a hushed tone to avoid waking her up. He knew that Dean had intended to ask about watching something.

Dean nodded, his eyes lingering on Allie for a moment longer than he probably should before turning away and heading towards the bed across from them. He knew it was wrong to feel jealous of Sam like this - but she'd been through hell with him and they had shared so much together over the years that sometimes it felt like there wasn't anyone else in the world who understood him better than her.

As the days rolled on they found that the missing people had been related to a Djinn in town. Dean was taken and strung up, his blood drawn for the Djinn to feast on like it was his last supper. Dean was put into a dream. A dream where Mary never died. They were never raised as hunters. Sam was still at Stanford and Jessica was alive. The Djinn had tried to put Dean into a world where he had everything that he wanted— but Allie wasn't there, and Dean didn't get along with Sam. Somehow Dean knew it was wrong.

They managed to take out the Djinn and Dean held a new appreciation for his family, Allie included. Things could be worse. Much worse.