Their next case had them acting as employees at a high school. Allie was able to obtain a job as a school nurse easily. All she had to do was perform a bit of sweet talk and show her degree. Dean was a substitute Phys Ed teacher. Sam managed to get hired as a janitor. It was kind of nice. She hadn't used her nursing degree for much in years other than patching up the Winchesters.
Between classes, she watched as Dean roamed the empty halls. Allie grinned and put on her best smile, pressing her clipboard into her chest. "Coach Winchester— A lovely surprise! Nice shorts. " Her eyes fell to the bright red gym shorts he was wearing. It was tough to stifle a laugh. "No class right now?"
After Dean turned the corner he spotted Allie and walked towards her, stopping a few feet in front of her with his hands on his hips, letting the clipboard drop to his side. He looked down at his gym uniform, then back at Allie with a smirk. "Hey, Al. I thought you'd be stuck in there." Dean gestured with his head towards the Nurse's office. "How's it going?"
"The shorts are a pain but the whistle is worth it," Dean responded, still smiling and looking down at himself, before looking back at Allie. "They make my ass look good, right? Don't be shy." Dean replied with a grin.
He turned around and bent over slightly, taking his clipboard in both hands and looking over his shoulder.
Allie rolled her eyes as he made a show for her. God, he acted like such an idiot. It was funny though. His humor was best when he was immature. "Tables have turned. Now I'm the one staring at your ass." She called him out for the fact he did it to her sometimes. Yes. She knew.
She grinned. He was joking with her and she got it but she also knew he wouldn't expect her to play along— but she was a woman of many mysteries and today she felt bold. Allie leaned forward and grabbed his ass. Hard. Her nails dug into his asscheeks and she turned her body so no one could see. "Very firm. Nicely done, teach ." The blonde purred in his ear with a mischievous smile, eyes bright from messing with him.
She smirked and let her hand fall off of him after a few seconds before straightening up. "You got any leads on the dead teens? Or are you just making all those kids run laps the whole time?"
Dean's body stiffened slightly at first, but he quickly regained his composure and turned around to face Allie with a raised eyebrow. "You little—" He started, trying hard not to laugh as he caught the mischievous glint in her eyes. "You're getting too boisterous"
He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other. His hand slid up her arm, stopping just short of her shoulder before he leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Don't ever do that again,"
Woah. Aggressive. That made her bite her lip. "You liked it." Her tone was darkly flirtatious. "Don't be shy. I'm a good nurse ." She teased while pressed against him. Her confidence was unmatched. They so rarely crossed boundaries like this. Sure they flirted and joked but these moments were more than that. It was obvious to any outsider.
The tension was heavy but neither of them had ever pushed the line into romance or even straight-up sex. They hadn't even kissed! Ever since Dean got back from Hell though... man the line was getting thinner and thinner.
Dean's grip on her wrist tightened slightly, but he didn't pull away. Instead, his free hand slid down to rest lightly on her ass, squeezing it playfully before letting go and stepping back with a grin. "You know I can't resist you when you're being naughty," He teased back, trying hard not to let the desire she stirred up in him show too much.
"We gotta focus, Allie." His voice was rougher than usual as he tried to clear his head of thoughts that were definitely going down a dangerous path. "I think we should split up and talk to some students who knew them best."
Mmm...fuck. This was too close. She was beginning to get impulsive! It was getting harder and harder to think clearly and refuse his advances. A part of her wanted him desperately. She tried to push it down and fight it. They were trying to end an apocalypse for fuck sake! And Dean was her friend. He had been for years. But lately, it was just different.
It took all she had not to react to his hand on her ass. Men were consistently disappointing. Well, every man other than him. He had managed to swing her affection. "I'll see you later, Maverick." Allie breathed in an aroused tone. She hadn't meant to show it. It just slipped through. She didn't even notice it.
The blonde stepped away and tucked a few curls behind her ears. She twirled on her heels and walked away from him. The hair in her ribbon-adorned ponytail swung against her back as she exited, hips purposely swaying more than usual.
Dean watched Allie walk away, his eyes lingering on her ass for a moment longer than he should have before turning and heading in the opposite direction. He knew they couldn't cross that line, not now when there was so much at stake but Jesus Christ! She made it hard sometimes. The way she teased him, flirted with him... It was like walking through hellfire barefoot.
He tried to focus on the case, but all he could think about were those moments when their bodies had been pressed against each other, how good she smelled, how soft her skin felt underneath his fingertips. He couldn't help but wonder what she would taste like, how she would sound when he was deep inside her, how his name would sound different when he was between her thighs…
Dean shook his head sharply to clear the thoughts from it and focused on finding any clues that could lead them closer to whoever or whatever was responsible for the disappearances of these kids. But every time he caught a glimpse of Allie those forbidden thoughts crept back in again.
As the day wore on, Dean tried everything he could to distract himself: flirting with every attractive female teacher he saw (and there were quite a few) but deep down he knew. The attraction was getting too much. Other women weren't filling the void like they used to.
Meanwhile, Sam found himself lost in thought as well. Not about Allie specifically - although he couldn't deny that she looked damn fine today - but rather about the nature of their work and its impact on their lives. Hunting monsters wasn't supposed to be a career; it was something they did because they had to. Now here they were, years later, still running from one crisis to another without any real hope of escape.
Despite his initial reservations about joining Dean on this particular mission instead of finding Lilith, Sam couldn't ignore the sense of purpose it gave him. This school had meant something to him in his youth.
It was hours later when he heard a commotion in a nearby classroom. A teenager was shoving another teenager's hand in a blender . The class ran and when Sam came in black goo was pouring out of the assailant's ear. Sam went to Dean soon after. They walked together down the hallway. They discuss it being ghost possession. The goo was ectoplasm. "Poor kids. This is gonna traumatize both of them for life."
Dean nodded in agreement as they walked toward the classroom where the incident had occurred. "Yeah, and imagine what their parents are gonna think when we tell them it was a damn ghost." He sighed heavily, shaking his head at the thought of having to explain things that most people didn't even believe existed. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.
"So, how's our little nurse doing?" he asked casually, trying to change the subject. He just couldn't stop thinking about her. What was wrong with him today?
"She's fine. I think she likes being a nurse again." Sam shrugged, his mind still on the case but he couldn't help but smile at Dean's question about Allie. It was sweet how protective and caring he could be with her.
"I know you like her a lot more than you want to admit," Sam said softly as they entered the classroom filled with police tape and crime scene markers. The teacher looked frazzled and two cops were taking the previously possessed boy away.
Dean's eyes narrowed slightly at Sam's comment, but he didn't deny it. "I don't know what you mean," He said gruffly, trying to play off the obvious attraction that was written all over his face like a neon sign. "She's my best friend, okay? That's it."
"And besides," Dean added quickly, changing the subject before they could delve any deeper into something neither of them wanted to discuss. "We gotta focus on finding out who or whatever is possessing these kids and put an end to it before anyone else gets hurt."
Sam's head bobbed, understanding the change of subject. "Right." He agreed and they began to investigate the classroom for clues. They found a journal underneath the desk that belonged to one of the victims. It was filled with cryptic messages about feeling watched and being trapped in a nightmare he couldn't wake from.
"It sounds like we have ourselves an angry spirit," Sam said as he flipped through the pages. "Maybe someone bullied them so bad they decided to haunt the school."
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of paranormal activity. "Could be," he said thoughtfully. "But why wait so long? Most ghosts don't hold a grudge that long." He frowned, deep in thought as he continued to search.
"Hey, Al!" Dean called out when he spotted Allie coming towards them with her clipboard in hand. He enjoyed seeing her in her school nursing uniform. It was adorable. Kind of sexy, too. Mainly because she was wearing it. "We found something in one of the victim's journals. Think you can take a look?"
Allie caught up with them. She had a brilliant smile across her features. "Sure!" Gentle fingers took the journal and opened it. Across the pages were writings of bullying, feeling like an outsider, being called names... "Textbook bullying. Looks like this poor kid was a geek." She sighed. In high school Allie was popular. She was prom queen and head cheerleader. She wondered if she had ever hurt anyone back then. Of course, it wouldn't have been on purpose! But still.
"The first assailant was bullied too. Something is happening with the lesser popular teens." The boys told her about the possessions and she nodded along. "We gotta do some digging about this town. See if any kids have died sadly or mysteriously."
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes flickering with determination. "That's our plan," he said firmly. "We find out who the bullies were and see if we can track down any possible victims." He glanced at Sam, silently asking him to handle that part while he focused on finding more clues around the school grounds.
They found out that a boy had committed suicide after being bullied years beforehand, just after Sam and Dean had left the school. Dean and Sam burned the remains but the possessions continued. Finally, they found out the father was a bus driver and kept a lock of the son's hair. It took a lot of fighting but they managed to burn it, ceasing the possessions.
When they got back to the motel Allie was there. She hadn't really assisted on the case much. Normally she would have but the nursing suited her and the boys allowed her the few days they were employed to have a sense of normalcy.
It was nice to be the school nurse. The falsehood of normal living was soothing. Plus, Allie had always been good with kids. Taking care of them healed her. Ever since Dean got back from Hell things had been rough. The peace was calming, even if there were haunts going on. Allie gave a small smile to them. "Felt good being in my hometown." She hadn't actually told them prior. She didn't know if it would be a good idea.
Both brothers stopped. Ohio. They were in Ohio. Allie always stated she was from Ohio. "You went to Truman High?" they spoke at the same time.
Her eyes darted from side to side. "Uh, yeah." All three of them stilled as the truth dawned on them. For one month in 1997, they had gone to school together. It would make sense that they didn't remember, the three of them were all in different grades. But still. What… the chances of that… Allie tried not to focus on it.
That night they went to a bar together. Things were fine for a long time until Sam stood up to leave, announcing that he had to take a call. Allie grimaced when he walked away. "What are we gonna do about this, Dean?" It was getting to be too much. "He won't listen. This is gonna end badly."
Dean took a deep breath, his eyes following Sam as he left the bar. "I don't know," He admitted reluctantly, turning back to face Allie with a troubled expression. "He thinks he knows what he's doing, but I can see it getting worse."
"But we promised Dad we would look out for each other, right?" He said softly, reaching over and squeezing her hand in solidarity. "We just gotta keep talking to him, try to reason with him before things get too far gone."
Dean drained his beer and set the empty bottle on the table, leaning forward slightly towards Allie. "So, how was your day?" He asked, in an attempt to talk about something else as he reached for another beer.
"Any fucked up kids?" His voice was light and teasing, but there was a hint of desperation beneath his words. Dean needed something else to focus on besides what lay ahead with Sam and the demon's plan.
Allie was deep in thought while Dean spoke. "Yeah..." a red painted fingernail traced over the rim of her whiskey sour. His words faded away while she sat in the thought of Sam, of how the trio's relationship was becoming damaged. Would it ever get better? He was slipping away. It was lonely. Allie missed him desperately and yet they were rarely apart.
The sound of a familiar song filled the bar. It pricked her ears. "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" by The Smiths. She listened to it often when Dean was gone. Allie sang along to the melancholy lyrics under her breath. She hadn't even noticed but her hand moved to his. The pad of her thumb caressed his calloused knuckles while her eyes focused on her drink.
" And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine "
Dean's eyes flickered to their joined hands, her thumb absently stroking the back of his as he listened to her sing softly. The words struck a chord within him, making him think of how close they'd come to losing each other so many times.
"Hey," He said gently, covering her hand with his free one and giving it a light squeeze. "We'll get through this, I promise." His voice was firm despite the uncertainty in his heart.
Dean leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and looking at Allie with caring intent. "You know, you're not just my best friend, right? You're family." He said seriously, his eyes searching hers for understanding.
Blue eyes met with his. The world felt really quiet. Normally they were shouting or talking about something difficult, running for their lives or fighting a monster— But this bar wasn't very busy. The music from the speakers wasn't typical of the dive bars they commonly attended; they were all ballads. Perhaps the bartender had an affinity for finding unrequited or hidden love. It certainly felt like hers was on display.
The dim lamplight above him made his skin look holy. Holy and beautiful and deserving of everything good that the earth had to give.
The truth of her feelings dawned on her. The silence brought them out like a blooming rose in the spring. She loved him. "Who chose this music? Not really... bar type of music." She bit her lip anxiously and changed the subject in an effort to avoid her feelings while "Love of My Life" by Queen spread through the setting. What the fuck was happening?
Dean felt a jolt of surprise course through him at her words, but he tried not to show it. "I don't know," He said gruffly, clearing his throat and taking another swig of beer before setting the bottle down with more force than intended.
"Maybe it's just fate trying to tell us something." His voice was light-hearted, but there was an underlying tension in his tone that betrayed how much their conversation had affected him as well.
He couldn't deny that Allie meant everything to him — she always had . He stood and offered a hand to her. "Dance with me. Pick a song on that old music player." He nodded towards a dusty modernized jukebox in the corner of the bar.
She nodded without saying a word and took his hand to gingerly stand up. Her heart was swimming in their connected gaze. Allie blinked slowly before tearing her eyes away to pick a song.
The pressure was somehow intense. It's like she didn't know any music at all. What was happening to her? She felt dizzy and anxious. Men never got to her like that. Well… Ryan was different. That was bad fucking anxiety and it wasn't because of happy feelings.
She selected "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" by The Ink Spots. It was an older song and certainly not classic rock but Allie enjoyed music from all decades and that one... just felt right . "Don't judge my choice." She noted and took his hand, drawing closer as they met in the middle of the bar floor. "I haven't danced with anyone in a while. So... don't judge that either."
Dean couldn't help but grin at her nervousness, his hand tightening around hers as they began to sway slowly to the music. "I could never judge you, Al," He said softly, leaning down and brushing a gentle kiss against her temple before pulling back slightly.
"You look beautiful tonight." His voice was husky with desire as he gazed into her eyes, feeling the familiar pull between them grow stronger than ever before. That was what normal people said, right? Civilians? It had been a long time since he tried to actually compliment a woman without sexual motives.
He moved closer, their bodies pressed together in an almost intimate dance that bordered on something more.
Blood pumped into and out of her heart. She could hear it beating in her ear. Pulsing. Throbbing. Allie could smell his usual scent— it wafted up her nostrils and invaded her mind, the musk brought forward memories. Their eyes connected, her own looking at him from beneath her lashes. "Thanks..." it was a struggle to even respond to him. "You... always look..." she trailed off. Normally they joked around when they flirted and complimented one another. This was serious. She didn't know where to draw the line.
"Handsome." Allie swallowed and grew a bit closer to him. The proximity allowed her to lean up on her tippy toes and whisper in his ear. "You mean everything to me, Dean. " He had offered her kind words before they danced. It was time to return the favor.
She sank back down to the ground and flashed a small, soft smile.
Dean's breath hitched in his throat at her words, and for a moment they simply swayed together, their bodies flush against each other from hip to chest. He wanted to lean down and claim her lips right there, but he forced himself to maintain some distance.
"You mean the world to me too," His voice was rough as he brushed another light kiss over her temple before pulling back slightly. "We should probably... uh..." He trailed off, not sure what else to say or do. They had never been here before — on this dangerous edge of crossing that line between friends and something more.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to break the tension building between them. "So, uh... how's your day been?" He asked lamely, his eyes flickering back to hers as he tried desperately to focus on anything but the way her body felt against his. Had he already asked her that?
He must have been feeling awkward too. That made her laugh. She covered her mouth out of guilt. "Sorry, what happened to the Prince Charming that sweeps women off of their feet? I'm looking for him." Allie teased him and moved her arms to lace around his neck. "Did he go that way or...?" She gestured aimlessly around the bar in an attempt to ease him.
Allie placed her head down on his chest and pulled her arms back, resting them against his abdomen. They had ceased their dancing. Now he was just holding her. It was the best thing in the world.
Dean couldn't help but chuckle at her teasing, his hand gently rubbing circles on her back as he held onto her. "I think I left him in the Impala," He replied with a grin, referring to the beloved car that had been through hell and back with them over the years.
"But don't worry, Al. You know I'll always be here for you." His voice was soft and sincere, his gaze locked onto hers as they stood there in silence once more. It felt like time stopped when she looked up with those large, gorgeous blue eyes—like nothing else mattered except being with him at this moment. He didn't know why he told her he'd always be there. It's not like she had asked, he just needed to tell her.
That was a good one. She laughed. "Oh... okay. You got a whole charming Jekyll and Hyde thing goin' on. Gotcha." Their joking was relaxing her. She wondered if he could feel it.
The urge to kiss him was strong but she held back. They were friends. Being more than that brought a lot of complications. Not to mention— if Dean rejected her it would potentially break her. That shit would hurt.
"I know. You're so good at what you do." She paused and smiled to herself. "I always say that I don't need you to protect me— but it's not true. I do . I need you ." Their connection was reaching new heights. She wondered if that was due to Sam's withdrawal and the broken trust amongst their group. She was clinging to Dean. Was he clinging to her?
Dean's heart swelled at her words, a warmth spreading through him like sunshine on a cold winter day. "I need you too," He admitted softly, his hand moving up to gently brush away a stray strand of golden hair that had fallen out of place during their dance. Her hair was always so soft, so inviting. He wanted to weave his fingers in it. "You're the best damn nurse and partner I could ever ask for." His voice was husky with emotion as he leaned down slightly, his breath tickling against her ear before he pulled back again.
They stood there in silence for a moment longer, just holding each other close, savoring this rare moment of vulnerability between them.
Pink lips curved into a wide grin. "Damn right, babe." Partner. They weren't a mentor and mentee anymore. That was years ago but sometimes she still viewed him as her... well... She didn't quite know how to describe it.
She didn't want to stop being held by him. These days it was the only thing that actually made her feel good. Their lives were just getting harder and harder. She was surviving but not really living anymore. That was the gospel truth.
"Sam's still not back. I'm tired. Are you tired?" The easiest way to be held again? Go back to the motel and cuddle in bed with him.
Dean nodded in agreement, his eyes still locked on hers. "Yeah, I could use some rest," He admitted reluctantly, not wanting this moment to end either but knowing they had a long day tomorrow.
"Let's go back and crash for the night." His hand squeezed hers gently before he let her go with a soft sigh. They made their way over to the bar together, paying their tab and heading out into the cool night air. The walk back to the motel just down the road felt like it took forever as they both tried—and failed miserably—to ignore the electricity that was practically crackling off of them. Goddamnit, he should have just drove. Allie always insisted on him not driving if they were going to get slammed.