Title credit - Home Sweet Home by Mötley Crüe

The prompt for this was broken promises from jacklesverse bingo on tumblr and it was inspired by Dean's birthday

Summary: Still navigating the transition from friends to something more, Dean and Katrina's relationship faces a new hurdle after Dean and Sam find the Men of Letters Bunker - distance. How will they cope? Will Dean's birthday be the impetus they need to reconnect? Set mid-season 8

Warnings: Contains smut. Mild angst. Fluff.

Original posting date 1/24/25


Dean Winchester had no illusions about what he was. He'd grown up thinking that his life had been changed forever when the yellow-eyed-demon had killed his mother and ruined the only home he'd ever known at four years old. Now, as an adult, he knew that his fate had been inevitable. Between his mom's family, the great plans that had been preordained for him and Sam – even if they had managed to subvert expectations – and now, most recently, the revelation about the legacy his father was…

No, Dean knew by this point in his life that Team Free Will or not, hunting had always been his path. As sure as he was that, whenever his time came, he'd die bloody with a gun in his hand.

It was a life he had largely embraced, at least most of the time. That moment – him standing by his dad at sixteen, watching a monster burn while Sam waited in the car – was still seared into his brain. In his best times, Dean remembered it as the moment the pieces had really fallen into place for him, everything clicking and feeling… right. At his lowest, it was a moment in his past he questioned, wondering if it had truly felt right, or if he'd psyched himself into feeling that way because it was what he'd needed to do, to survive if nothing else.

It was in those low moments he let himself wonder if he'd have enjoyed a "normal" life… wonder what it might have been like and try to picture it. Until Lisa and Ben.

After Lisa and Ben, Dean had made himself a promise. No more wondering. No more longing. No more questioning. It was too dangerous – for him and for everyone around him.

You're not a person, Bobby had told him on that last case, in his very Bobby way, when Dean had been spinning out despite the vow he'd made. You're a hunter, meaning you're whatever the job you're doing today. Now, you get a case of the Anne Sextons, something's gonna come up behind you and rip your fool head off. Now, you find your reasons to get back in the game.

It wasn't long after that Dean found his new way of coping with the lows - mentally repeating Frank's advice and trying to take it to heart instead of indulging the wistful part of his brain.

Decide to be fine till the end of the week. Make yourself smile because you're alive and that's your job. Then do it again the next week… I call it being professional. Do it right, with a smile, or don't do it.

That shit had stuck with him in a way Dean hadn't expected. Frank had Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, but damn if it hadn't been what he'd need to hear. And damn if it hadn't helped him stick to his promise.

Katrina Black, of course, was somewhat of a complication.

It was midday when Dean found himself calling up her number, juggling three coffees in his other hand as he moved the phone to his ear and listened to it ring.

"You better not be calling for the reason I think you're calling," she answered, and Dean was torn between smirking at the quip and frowning, knowing he was about to disappoint her.

"C'mon sweetheart, don't be like that."

Katrina Black had been a royal pain in his ass at first – an unwanted, unwelcome addition to his found family when he stepped back into hunting that only reminded him of that year. The year that belonged in someone else's life, that had been some weird mix of wonderful and excruciating that, to this day, Dean couldn't wholly make sense of. But she'd grown on him, quickly, and soon enough, he'd gone from being driven crazy by her to being crazy about her.

"Don't pull that sweetheart crap with me, Winchester."

Dean sighed, bracing himself for the conversation to come, and began explaining the latest to her.

It'd been a few months since they'd gotten together. Dean had done his best to keep his distance – they both had… but in the end, he hadn't been able to keep pretending. Not after Purgatory. Not after losing Cas, again. Not after spending so much time thinking he'd never see her again. Not after realizing how much he'd regretted those self-imposed boundaries they'd created when they'd taken for granted they'd have a tomorrow.

Overall, it had been going well. She'd been scared. Hell, he had been too. But it had been for nothing. Once the truth was out there, their cards on the table, the two of them had fallen together without missing a step. Somehow, they'd managed to find the excitement and heat of something new, while getting to take solace in a relationship that felt as comfortable and familiar as a well-worn flannel. The fact that she was in the life? That she understood what his life was? Dean couldn't have asked for more. He could be with her without breaking that promise he'd made to himself. Kat already knew that he couldn't give her normal, just like Dean knew she couldn't give it to him either.

It was great. It was the best of both worlds.

Until his grandfather came crashing through the closet door and Dean found his world sort of turned on its head… yet again.

"I'm sorry, you're stuck dealing with what?"

Dean huffed out a humorless laugh and turned the keys in the ignition, leaning back into the bench seat as the Impala rumbled to life.

"Nazi necromancers," he repeated. There was a beat of silence and then he heard Katrina sigh into the phone.

"You couldn't make that up if you tried," she said, and that time, Dean really did laugh. The disappointment underlying her voice made the guilt in his gut churn, but he tried to push that down.

"Trust me, Kat. Considering the weekend we had planned? This is the last thing I want to be dealin' with."

Henry Winchester jumping through time to magically appear in his and Sam's motel room had revealed a lot of information and introduced all kinds of new… things… into their life – Abbadon, Knights of Hell, Men of Letters…

Of those things, the Men of Letters bunker and the key that went with it had been the biggest find. Initially, Dean had been in awe… still was, if he were being honest. But as the weeks drew on, the newness of it was wearing thin, and Dean was starting to see the downsides. Chiefly one downside:

The bunker, wonderful as it was, was located over six hours away from Katrina's house. And unlike him and Sam, Katrina couldn't just pick up and disappear. Not indefinitely, anyway.

It had been weeks since they'd seen each other – longer, if he didn't count the hour or two he'd taken to say goodbye as he and Sam had packed their stuff to head to Lebanon and check things out… and he really didn't.

At this point, Dean had started to lose track of how many times their plans had gotten derailed, but he thought this was at least the fifth. It wasn't all on him – Katrina had been on the other side of this same call at least twice – but that didn't make it any easier.

Part of him thought it might not have been so hard if he hadn't been so used to seeing her all the time. Outside of Purgatory, she'd been a near constant presence in his life for years, even before they'd decided to try this whole relationship thing a shot. Then there was the voice in his head that nagged at him, reminding him that the distance had been hard with Lisa too, but nothing like this. He hadn't found himself constantly thrumming with a need that he just couldn't satisfy.

Of course, Dean was still trying to convince himself he was fine. That it was no big deal. Even if the situation was slowly driving him insane.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Don't do that," she admonished, though there was no real heat in her voice. "Don't promise. That's what you did last time. That's what we keep doing."

It was true, but that only made it harder to swallow. The fact that she wasn't angry somehow made it worse too. Dean could have handled angry… but the quiet disappointment… the understanding in her voice, laced with a wistfulness he related to all too well… it was threatening to undo him.

"Kat –"

"It's fine, Dean. Really. I get it… you know that."

This thing between him and Kat had felt so natural, had fit so easily into his day-to-day, that Dean hadn't realized until recently how comfortable he'd been getting. That despite the promise he'd made himself, when he hadn't been paying attention, somewhere in his subconscious he had started wanting at least some part of normal again.

He missed her. But it wasn't just the obvious stuff he missed. It was the little things he hadn't realized how much he cared about. It was hearing about her day when she wasn't working a case and she got home from work, or helping her do the dishes before they went to bed. He missed their bickering, whether it was over the music on the radio or which cereal to buy at the grocery store. Hell, he missed listening to her and Sam nerd out over old lore and whatever books they'd been reading.

"Yeah, I do. I'm still sorry. How's about I swing back your way when we wrap up? Should hopefully only be a coupla days."

He knew the answer before he'd asked, and her disappointed sigh only confirmed it.

"We're shorthanded next week and I'm pulling doubles almost every day. Maybe the week after."

"Yeah, alright," he agreed, unable to hide his own disappointment, and the silence hung between them.

"You and Sam alright out there? I could probably come help."

But as much as he wanted to see her, Dean knew it would be a waste. They were practically on the other side of the country, and to fly would cost her money she didn't have, to drive would be too much time, and all for a situation he and Sam could manage without her.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Sammy and I got this one covered. Though if you've ever heard of something called the Thule Society, I'm all ears."

She hadn't, of course, though Dean wouldn't be surprised if he heard from her by the end of the day with some information he and Sam had failed to dig up. A minute later, he found himself reluctantly hanging up the phone and navigating back onto the road, heading back to Sam and their golem sized nazi problem. The only thing he could hope was that next week would be better.

It was around the same time the following week that Dean found himself picking up his own phone, this time on the receiving end of a very similar call.

"Don't tell me," he started and this time he heard Kat let out a frustrated sigh.

"Jenna was in a car accident… she's fine, but I gotta go out and help get everything taken care of."

Dean felt his stomach drop as he automatically sat up straighter in his seat. Jenna was Katrina's younger sister - finishing her last year of college and the reason Kat worked as hard as she did.

"Jesus. What happened? You sure she's alright?"

"Yeah. She'll need a day or two in the hospital, but the kid's tough, she'll be fine. There was a deer. She swerved… rolled the car…"

They'd known each other long enough that Dean could hear through the gruff, almost dismissive tone Katrina was putting on. He was sure that Jenna was in fact fine, but he was equally sure that his girlfriend was rattled anyway.

"Kat, let me come help. You don't need to handle this on your own. That's stupid."

In the background he could hear Kat moving around… drawers being opened, things being moved, but she paused, and Dean could easily envision her standing in the middle of her room, phone to her ear with that stubborn look on her face.

"I… no, really, Dean. I've got it. You don't need to rush out there too. I've gotta deal with insurance and the car -"

"You tellin' me I can't help with a car?" he asked, and that at least earned him a snort of laughter.

"Sounds like it's totaled," Katrina admitted, "and we both know the thing wasn't worth much to begin with. But if you wanna help me find her a new one when she's outta there I'll take you up on that."

There was no arguing Jenna's car probably wasn't worth salvaging - Dean had been trying to convince her and Katrina to let him help them find her something else since before he and Kat had started dating.

"Consider it done," he promised. "But seriously, Kat. Let me meet you at the hospital or something."

Katrina took a deep breath and Dean frowned. That fierce independence he loved so much also drove him batshit sometimes.

"Thanks, but you stay put. I'm sure you and Sam got your hands full, anyway, and I can handle this. But I promise I'll call if I need you? How's that? And next weekend, I'm all yours."

It wasn't much, but for Katrina it was progress and Dean knew it was the best he was going to get for the moment.

"Only if that's a real promise," he told her, just as Sam was walking into the room. Katrina laughed, and he was happy to hear it sounded genuine.

"It is, really. And I'm sorry about this. I… I miss you. And I know this has been hard."

Hard was an understatement, but there was no part of him that didn't understand.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Take care of what you need to, I'm not going anywhere."

When they hung up a minute later Sam was giving him a knowing look, tinged with sympathy.

"Trina cancel on you again?" he asked while Dean dropped the phone onto the table and leaned back in his chair. His packed bag sat mocking him atop the table in the war room, just visible from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah."

There was a part of him - a big part - that was saying go anyway, regardless of what Katrina had said. She'd give him shit, but she wouldn't actually be pissed, and it wouldn't be hard for him to figure out where Jenna was and surprise her. It wasn't exactly the reunion either of them had been picturing, and he knew she truly didn't need him there… but Dean sort of figured it wasn't just about pure need. Since he'd met her, Katrina had been there for him without question… had managed to make him feel, even if it was only in small moments, like the weight of the world wasn't on his shoulders, and his alone. He wanted to be able to do that for her, even if it was just being a warm body she could hold at night and lending a sympathetic ear.

Before he could put his thoughts into action, however, Sam was nodding and putting the laptop down on the table.

"That sucks, man. Probably for the best though. Check this out."

And a few minutes later, Dean was reluctantly repacking his bag to head to Omaha instead of Boulder and heading for the Impala with Sam in tow instead of by himself. Duty called, and he and Kat would have to try again next week.

Of course, the next weekend was just as much of a bust as the string of weekends behind it had been, and so Katrina found herself forming a new plan and dialing a different Winchester than the one she normally called on these days.

"Hey Trina!" Sam answered on the third ring, his voice bright if not a bit surprised. That made her stomach twist just a bit with guilt. "How's Je-"

"Jenna's fine," she cut him off, "but I've only got a minute and I need your help. You alone?"

As much tension as there'd been between Sam and Dean since Dean's return from Purgatory, she and Sam had been having their own issues even longer… since those days immediately after taking out Dick Roman had kicked Dean and Cas into Purgatory in the first place. It wasn't something they talked about, and they had an unspoken agreement to keep those issues between them and not involve Dean. And for the most part it was… fine. They still got along. There was just that underlying tension… the ever-present risk that one of them would say the wrong thing, or accidentally jab at one of the scabs left from those arguments they'd had while Dean was gone.

Still, tension or not, Sam was family, and Katrina knew she could count on him, just like he could still count on her. And as they talked, Katrina made a mental note that maybe when she eventually got to Lebanon, it was time for the two of them to have a conversation about it. They'd both been putting it off, neither of them looking forward to the inevitable confrontation and the memory of their last one still unpleasantly vivid, but it had been long enough. Letting it continue to fester wasn't doing anyone any good.

For the moment, however, Katrina explained her plan, or the basics of it, anyway - that she'd taken off a couple days of work for Dean's birthday, that she hadn't told him, and that she was hoping Sam would help her pull it off both by making sure he and Dean actually stayed at this super secret bunker of theirs instead of seeking out any more last minute cases - as he'd been so prone to doing lately. And, of course, she'd need his help actually finding the bunker too, since she hadn't been there yet. For half a second, she debated sharing more, but decided it wasn't necessary. There was part of her that worried the second part of her plan was colossally stupid, but the wheels were already in motion, and if it was, she didn't need to hear it more than once. The rejection from Dean would be enough.

"Trina, you know birthdays aren't exactly Dean's thing, right?" Sam ventured carefully after he agreed to help, and even though he couldn't see her, Katrina rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but c'mon. It's not like I'm talking about throwing him a party or anything. I just wanna see him. And every time we've tried to make a plan since you two moved out there, something's gone wrong… so I figured I'd try surprising him. And his birthday seemed like as good an excuse as any."

"Well, trust me," Sam chuckled, "He'll be glad to see you. There's no disputing that. He's been pretty miserable."

And there was a sort of wistful quality to his voice that made Katrina wonder if he was thinking of Amelia. That subject, however, was a gateway to ones she didn't have time to broach right then and there. She'd ask him how he was doing with all of that after they talked.

"He's not the only one," Katrina admitted instead.

"You guys are really serious about giving this a shot, huh," Sam mused and Katrina chewed on her bottom lip, nervously fiddling with the bottom button of her sweater.

"Yeah, Sam. It's… I… I know that it's a little crazy, but -"

"You don't have to justify it to me, Treen. It was a long time coming with you two, and I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks, Sam," she said, touched by the sincerity in his voice. There wasn't more time for conversation after that, though - her break was up and she could already see through the glass door that she was needed.

Two days later, Katrina was relieved to be in her Jeep, a case of beer, a cherry pie, and her packed bag in the seat behind her with what she hoped would make for a decent birthday gift tucked inside it. True to his word, Sam had kept in touch with her and had avoided getting him and Dean sucked into any new cases, and Dean was still none the wiser that she was coming. All that was left was the six hour drive… which, with the radio going, was no problem for Katrina. She'd done a lot more for a lot less.

It was early evening by the time she pulled up to a nondescript, abandoned looking building, but the Impala parked outside and Sam's tall form standing to the side of the gravel roadway let her know she was in the right spot. He was pulling her into a bear hug, one that she gladly returned, before her car door had even closed. It was so cold outside the comfort of her car that her breath hung in the air in front of her, and she regretted leaving her coat on the passenger seat inside.

"You made it!" Sam was saying as he pulled her in.

"Did you doubt me?" she scoffed, and Sam laughed.

"Sorry, I should have known better," and as he pulled away, he was raising his hands in mock surrender. "'S not like you've had to cancel a whole bunch lately, or anything. How was the drive?"

Katrina gave an affectionate roll of her eyes and shrugged, all the while trying not to shiver. Sam, seeming to notice, was already moving to the rear driver's side door.

"Easy," she answered. "No traffic. The fact that it's a random-ass Saturday in January probably helped. How's everything here?"

"Fine." Sam went to grab everything from the backseat, but Katrina took the bag and the pie, refusing to not help with something. "Dean's been in his room for the past hour or so, doing God knows what, so have fun with that. But come on, let's get you inside. You look like you're freezing."

Katrina followed him inside without complaint, though when they finally walked through the heavy metal door, her jaw dropped of its own accord.

In the weeks they'd spent apart, Dean had told her plenty about the defunct Men of Letters bunker that he and Sam had gained access to, but she realized in that moment that it was unlikely any amount of talking could have prepared her for the reality. Sam led her down the wrought iron staircase and her eyes were darting everywhere, taking in the table with the map sitting center stage of the room they were heading for, the radios and phones lining the walls, and most impressively, the beautiful library visible beyond that first room - filled with books, and artefacts, sturdy wooden tables and comfortable looking chairs… it was a hell of a lot nicer than her house, and surprisingly immaculate, considering how long it had been abandoned.

"Damn," she breathed out as they came to the bottom, her eyes still flitting around in amazement. "It's like you guys found the fucking batcave."

Sam snorted and put the beer on the table.

"Dean said the same thing."

Katrina distractedly placed the pie on top of the box and made a face.

"Yeah, well he wasn't wrong. This place have a garage? I'll bet they left all kinds of cool shit in there if this is the entryway."

"We're still sort of figuring everything out," Sam admitted. "Obviously that's the entrance the key works for, and you can see the library from here - I've already found a ton of lore I bet you'd be interested in… I can show you later. And there's a kitchen, through there, and then a bunch of bedrooms down that way. Dean's room 11."

For a moment she'd been so caught up in awe of her new surroundings that she'd almost forgotten why she was there, but with the mention of Dean's room, she found herself suddenly itching, desperate to see him after the weeks apart. From the look on his face, Sam already expected as much, and as soon as they made eye contact he nodded towards the hallway he'd indicated.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up with you guys later. Pizza sound good for dinner?"

Katrina wrapped him in another quick hug, before readjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder and heading towards the bedrooms.

"You're the best, Sam!" she called back. The sound of his chuckling faded the further away she got, her eyes scanning the numbers on the doors as she went, looking for 11. By the time she found it, she could hear her heart beating in her ears and took a breath to steady herself.

She wasn't nervous - that would be stupid, they'd been together for months, talked damn near every day… but there was some sort of anxiety bubbling in her chest she couldn't totally ignore. Pushing past it, though, Katrina knocked on the door and waited with bated breath, trying and failing not to chew on her lip.

"Whaddya want, Sam? I'm in the middle of something."

The corners of Katrina's mouth threatened to twitch up into a smile.

"Not Sam," she called back. There was a pause, and then a flurry of movement on the other side of the door, and only seconds later, it was swinging open to reveal Dean - wearing a familiar, blue flannel, his eyes wide with surprise as he looked down at her.

"Kat?" Any concern she had fell away as Dean's disbelief faded and a large grin formed on his face in its place - a grin she couldn't have stopped herself from returning if she wanted to. "What are you - how did you -"

"Happy birthday," she said in way of an answer, a sly, somewhat shy smile in place. Dean blinked back at her for a fraction of a second before hauling her into his arms, her bag falling to the ground with a resounding thud next to them.

"Fuck, it's good to see you. How did you -"

"Sam," she answered into his shoulder, holding just as tightly to him as he was to her. "I didn't want to disappoint you if something went wrong again. Figured we'd broken enough promises to each other. Hopefully it's a good surprise?"

She felt more than heard Dean's chuckle. "The best."

And then he was kissing her with an intensity that never failed to take her breath away, even after all these months. Katrina felt her head spin, but gave as good as she got, molding her lips to his, reveling in the solid warmth of his body as they pressed against each other, and letting the smell of him invade her senses while the weeks of distance slowly faded away, leaving just them, there in that moment.

"How long are you here for you?" he asked against her lips, seemingly unwilling to pull away. Katrina got it - she wasn't willing to either.

"Few days. I took some time off work."

A grin split across Dean's face, but before she could say anything, Dean pulled her into the air and she let out a surprised squeal instead. Her legs wrapped around him instinctively and his arms likewise found their way around her thighs, even as he gently kicked her bag just inside the door.

"No shit -" he started saying, already pushing the door closed.

"Dean! What are you doing?" she laughed, holding tight around his neck, even as he carried her further into the room. It wasn't much, but she could see that Dean had already started to put his own touches on the space. Familiar weapons were hung in places of pride on the wall. Records and photos were placed with care atop the dresser. She had just enough time to notice that he'd set a photo of them on his nightstand, stood up against the lamp, before he playfully tossed her onto the bed and climbed in after her. It was one Bobby had taken, in those early days, before what they were now had even seemed like a remote possibility - but they looked happy, nonetheless, Dean's arm slung around her shoulder, hers around his waist, and bright smiles on their faces that had belied what they were each going through at the time.

"Unwrapping my birthday gift," he teased. Katrina snorted, though her mind drifted briefly to the folder tucked safely in her bag - the real gift. Dimly, she hoped Dean would be similarly enthusiastic when she showed it to him.

"Brought beer and pie too," she told him, and Dean groaned.

"Have I told you lately that you're fucking perfect?" he asked, his mouth blazing a trail of fire down her neck. Katrina bit her lip, tilting her head to give him better access while her grip on him tightened.

"Not in the past twenty four hours."

Dean hmphfed but then his lips were on hers again and she was too caught up in the sensation to worry about anything else. He'd quickly become like a drug to her, as cliché as it was, and it had been far too long since she'd had a fix.

"Gotta change that then," he murmured.

They moved back deeper onto the bed, Dean pushing what sounded like a magazine onto the floor as they went and kicking off his shoes. She did the same, glad she'd opted for flats instead of her usual boots, and hitched a leg over his hip, pulling him in even closer. Dean's tongue dipped past the seam of her lips, tasting her and exploring her mouth as if it had been months instead of weeks they'd been apart. Katrina couldn't blame him - it had felt like months, and this felt like coming home.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, eagerly pushing off the blue flannel shirt, and when she went for the hem of his t-shirt before he'd even fully gotten his arm out of the overshirt, he sat back on his heels, chuckling down at her but taking the hint.

"Eager, are we? Thought I was supposed to be doing the unwrapping here, sweetheart."

Katrina huffed and rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched into a smirk anyway, and there was no real heat behind it.

"Then maybe you should get on with it -" she began, but the rest of the taunt died on her lips as he pulled the shirt over his head and her mouth went dry at the expanse of skin and muscle he revealed. Noticing her distraction, Dean smirked back at her, even as his hands found their way to the bottom of her own shirt, sliding under and running reverently up her sides as he leaned back down.

"Patience is a virtue," he teased back, ducking his head to nip at her earlobe before continuing on, his warm breath ghosting over her ear and sending shivers down her spine. "Not that you and I are exactly known for our virtue."

The next thing she knew, he was pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to the side. He unhooked her bra with practiced ease, and she sucked in a breath as the cool air hit her heated skin.

"Hell no," she agreed, and Dean chuckled, his hands coming up to cup her, thumbs brushing over her nipples and pinching, making her breath hitch further. Despite having done this countless times by then, Katrina still found herself squirming self-consciously under his gaze, even as his eyes darkened with lust and she could see the evidence of his arousal tenting the front of his jeans.

"Dean," she half-moaned, half-whined, and he ducked his head, kissing her quickly but deeply before beginning to move down her body.

"God, Kat, you're beautiful. Missed you so much, baby."

"Missed you too," she gasped just as he replaced one of his hands with his mouth, licking and suckling and doing all the things he knew drove her crazy. Her leg tightened around him and she ground up while her fingers raked through his hair, pulling lightly while holding him close at the same time. His now free hand continued its journey south, tracing along the waistband of her jeans before his fingers began working around the button. Katrina shifted to make the angle easier and he popped it open with ease, dragging the zipper down immediately. He started to move down her body, trailing kisses as he went, but realizing his intention, Katrina squeezed with her thighs and reached out, rolling them before Dean could even realize what she was up to. Of course, once he did, he looked up at her in confusion.

"Kat?"

But she was already shimmying out of her jeans and underwear, careful to keep her place on top of him, and as she kicked them both to the floor her hands were already going for his belt, undressing him with the same speed. It didn't take him long to catch on, and Dean lifted his hips to help her. Her mouth watered at the sight of him completely bare beneath her, cock hard, leaking, and begging for her attention. He was reaching for her though, and Katrina let him pull her back into his arms, relishing the skin-to-skin contact and meeting him in another desperate, messy kiss.

Both their hands were everywhere - groping, touching, holding - and then one of Dean's was slipping between her legs and she gasped as his fingers parted her folds, circling her clit and playing with her entrance, a low noise coming from his throat.

"Shit, you're so wet. Need you, Kat. 'S been too damn long."

Katrina rocked against him, feeling his length pressing against the inside of her thigh, and moaned her agreement. Then, in the space of a second, Dean was lining himself up, thrusting up and sliding home with ease, and they both let out twin groans as they came together. Katrina sat up, her head falling back in pleasure and her hands braced against his chest. The stretch of having him inside her again after such a long absence was delicious, the feeling of fullness something she'd missed, and the reunion soothing an ache that had been festering. Dean gripped at her hips, hard, and ground against her, giving them both a chance to adjust.

"Fuck, Dean," she breathed. Dean began to shift just a bit beneath her, giving small, shallow thrusts that were more rocking than anything.

"I know, sweetheart. Fuck you feel so good," he answered, his own voice strained. Katrina bit her lip and began to move, needing more, and as soon as she did, Dean's grip became impossibly tighter and he began thrusting in earnest.

The air filled with the sounds of their labored breathing, the slap of skin on skin, the wet sounds from where they were joined, and strings of bitten off curses and moans of each others' name. There was nothing sweet or tame about their coupling. Every movement was filled with a raw need and desperation, every touch seeking to reclaim the time they'd lost. Dean sat up, throwing an arm around Katrina's waist and burying his face in her breasts, mouthing at one nipple than the other while she gasped and moaned at both the feel of his mouth and the change in the angle.

When he eventually fell back to the bed, panting and bringing a hand between their bodies, circling her clit with his thumb and his eyes locked on her chest, Katrina leaned back, bracing her hands behind her on his thighs for added leverage while she continued to move her hips.

And eventually, as the haze of their initial reunion began to clear and her energy started flagging just a bit too much, Katrina slowed her movements, leaning forward again to brace herself once more against his chest. Their tongues were still tangled together when she reluctantly pulled off him, and Dean broke away, confusion clouding his eyes, but Katrina didn't wait for him to ask the obvious question before she began pressing open mouthed kisses down his neck and then lower. Dean caught on quickly, swearing under his breath and threading fingers through her hair as she peppered his chest with kisses, her nails raking over his abs, until she was finally face to face with his cock, still coated and glistening with her own arousal.

"Kat, you don't have to - fuck."

His hips jerked of their own accord as she ignored him and gripped him at the base, licking a broad stripe up the underside of his cock before swirling her tongue around the head and swallowing him down. The smell of sex hung heavy, she could taste herself more than she could Dean at first, and it was sticky and messy - but all of it only spurred her on, especially as the sounds of Dean's pleasure reached her ears. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked hard, alternating between quick, short bobs of her head and long, deep ones where she relaxed her throat, constantly working to take more of him into her mouth. Her one hand worked at what she couldn't fit while her other came up to massage his balls, and Dean panted above her. His fingers tightened in her hair, and she could tell it was taking a lot of restraint for him to keep control.

When he hit the back of her throat and she swallowed around him, Dean lost the battle. Katrina gagged slightly and she heard his head fall back against the bed, the grip he had on her tightening for just a moment.

"Shit, Kat, I'm so -"

"Don't be," she assured him, pulling off just enough to glance up and catch his eye, deliberately licking along his length when she had his attention without looking away. "I'm good, I can take it."

And then she was swallowing him down again, moaning around him, knowing the vibrations would drive him wild, and this time Dean let himself go, still being careful but giving into his instincts and thrusting shallowly. Katrina let him, keeping her throat relaxed, taking care to breathe through her nose and reveling in the weight of him on her tongue. The stream of moans and expletives falling from his mouth picked up, and Katrina continued massaging him, gripping at his hip with her other hand.

"Oh, God, sweetheart you're so - fuck, that feels so good. You're amazing, taking me so good like that. Fuck, fuck -"

She could tell he was close - his thrusts growing more erratic, thighs trembling, the subtle swell of him and the tightening of his balls - but before he let himself fall off the edge, Dean pulled her off him, the obscene pop echoing through the room as he hauled her back up the bed.

He rolled them, covering his body with hers, face barely an inch from hers, both their chests heaving with exertion as he pinned her hands on either side of her head against the bed. His green eyes were dark with arousal. She knew she must have looked wrecked - her face a mess of saliva and their combined arousal - but Dean kissed her deeply anyway, seemingly uncaring of where her mouth had just been, and in fact moaning into her at the taste.

"Why'd you stop me?" she panted when he broke it off, and Dean smiled, kissing her again.

"Because I'm not done enjoying my gift," he murmured, mouthing at her neck. Katrina could feel the tip of his cock nudging against her entrance, and she shifted, aching to be filled again. Dean, noticing her squirming, obliged, and thrust in easily, his forehead falling against her shoulder as he bottomed out. "Fuck, Kat."

"Oh God, Dean! Move," she begged.

He let out a breathless chuckle, but began thrusting, slower than before but deep, and Katrina lost herself in the feeling of his cock dragging along her walls. However, when she went to wrap her legs around him, desperate to be closer and her hands still pinned under Dean's, he abruptly pulled away, sitting back on his heels. The quick shift had barely registered before he was manhandling her onto her stomach, pulling her back to him by her hips while he maneuvered onto his knees behind her.

Dean wasted no time thrusting in again, this time setting a punishing pace. Katrina cursed, eyes rolling back into her head while her hands twisted in the sheets and she rutted back against him, needing everything he could give her.

"Shit, you're taking me so good, you're so tight, baby. 'M close. You gonna come for me?"

Beyond words at that point, Katrina nodded into the bed, though she suspected it hardly mattered anyway. Dean's arm wound around her, holding her tight while his fingers began playing with her clit at a relentless pace. His other hand moved up her body, groping at her breasts and rolling her nipple between his thumb and his index finger.

The combination of it all had her hurtling towards her own release at an alarming rate and before she knew she was letting out a near-scream of 'fuck, Dean!' and her whole body was spasming with the force of her orgasm. Dean's movements didn't let up in the least, drawing it out, his own groans growing in intensity and his thrusts becoming more erratic and impossibly harder. Then he was following her with a shout of his own and spilling deep inside her, his one hand dropping from her breast to brace against the bed as he half-collapsed against her.

They stayed frozen like that for a moment, both their hearts racing, no sound in the room aside from their heavy breathing until Dean slowly withdrew from her, collapsing onto his back and pulling her with him, letting her sprawl over his chest. They were both slicked in sweat, but Katrina didn't care, nestling into him, basking in the afterglow but nowhere near ready to be away from him again - and she guessed from the grip he kept on her, that Dean felt similarly.

"Best birthday present ever," he murmured, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head, and Katrina laughed breathlessly.

"Glad you enjoyed it, old man," she teased. Dean immediately pinched her side, playfully, and she squirmed.

"You better watch it with the old man crap, Kat. I'm only five years older than you," he pointed out. Katrina just smiled back, craning her neck to brush her lips against his. As she settled back against his chest, her fingers came up to absentmindedly trace at the anti-possession tattoo over his heart. She could feel it beating under his skin, heart rate slowly returning to normal but not quite there yet, reminding her that he was there with her, alive and well.

"Mhmm, yeah. Whatever you say, babe. Seriously though - happy birthday, Dean. I love you."

His arms tightened around her, his own fingers idly tracing patterns on her upper arm.

"Love you too, sweetheart. Having you here really is the best thing I could have asked for. This long-distance thing is for the birds."

She let out a half-hearted chuckle, though there was no humor in it - she couldn't have agreed more with his sentiment. Her only hope was that he felt as strongly about it as she did.

"I've missed you too," she told him, her voice gentling while she tilted her head up to meet his eyes. "These past few weeks have been awful."

"Yeah, they have," he agreed, nodding. "But we're here now. How long did you say you could stay again?"

It was the perfect opening to share the folder in her bag with him, but the thought of laying her cards on the table still made butterflies swarm her stomach and so she stayed put, telling herself that the moment was just too perfect to disrupt by moving.

"A few days," Katrina answered, repeating what she'd told him before. "I took the week off from work, so my schedule's… flexible."

A grin split across Dean's face, and he settled back further into the pillows. "Awesome! We are not leaving this room for at least twenty-four hours."

"Oh no?" she snorted. "What about for food? Sam said he would go pick up some pizza. And don't forget, I brought beer and pie."

Dean pulled a contemplative look before rolling his eyes dramatically, throwing his free hand up into the air.

"Fine, you got me there. I guess we can emerge for food, but then it's right back here. And we're bringing the beer and pie with us."

Katrina laughed, feeling lighter than she had in weeks.

"Whatever you say, birthday boy," she teased, stretching languidly, brushing a kiss to his stubbled jaw as she did. She winced only slightly as the way her muscles protested. "Maybe we could get a shower first, though."

Unsurprisingly, Dean's ears seemed to perk up, his green eyes already darkening with renewed interest.

"Now there's an idea. Been a while since we tried shower sex. Got plenty of space for it here, though. What'd you say?"

Katrina rolled her eyes fondly, but that didn't change the fact that a little while later she was following him into the attached bathroom. True to his word, there was plenty of space for both of them, and she wasn't sure how long they took, but she knew if they'd been anywhere else they'd have definitely run out of hot water.

By the time they finally made it back out to the kitchen, Dean taking his time to point out things about his new home as they went, Sam already had three pizza boxes stacked on the counter, paper plates and napkins next to them. He was looking at something on his laptop, but as they entered he arched an eyebrow in their direction, an amused smirk playing across his face.

"About time. Was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten about food."

"Never," Dean declared, immediately grabbing a slice. Katrina gave a small shake of her head, following after him.

"Thanks for picking up dinner, Sam," she said, shooting the younger Winchester an appreciative look.

"No problem," Sam replied. "Figured you guys would work up an appetite."

Katrina was long used to both his and Dean's teasing, but she felt her cheeks flush slightly anyway, even as Dean grinned unabashedly and handed her a plate.

"Damn right we did. Now, where's the beer?"

The three of them settled in around the table, eating, drinking, and catching up. Despite the initial teasing, Same tactfully avoided any further mention of their activities, and instead spent some time filling Katrina in on some of the interesting things they'd uncovered in the bunker so far.

"I still can't get over this whole thing," Katrina marveled, looking around and then playfully nudging Dean's arm. "You owe me a tour. This place is incredible."

Mouth full, Dean nodded and waved a hand at her as if to say yeah, yeah. When she went to shove him he ducked, clearly holding back laughter as he ruffled her hair and pulled her closer. Sam, long since accustomed to their antics, ignored them.

"Right?" he agreed enthusiastically. "The amount of knowledge here… it's unreal. And we've barely scratched the surface."

"Yeah, yeah," Dean cut in, finally swallowing and rolling his eyes good-naturedly, "it's nerd heaven. Still say this place has the best water pressure of anywhere we've ever stayed before." Katrina shook her head, laughing.

"Uh hu, so you've said. So, c'mon, what else have I missed? It's been weird, not having you guys around all the time, I feel so out of the loop."

From there they launched into a recap of the past few weeks, filling in all the details she and Dean hadn't had time for in the phone calls they'd made. Katrina listened with rapt attention as they told her about the Nazi necromancers and Aaron and his golem, before in turn filling them in her own life - the few cases she'd worked solo, how Jenna was doing, the latest drama at work. None of it was nearly as dramatic as what the boys had encountered, but they seemed equally interested, and Katrina dared to hope they'd missed her as much as she'd missed them.

As the night wore on, despite Dean's claims that they'd be going straight back to his room, it was Sam that excused himself first. She and Dean lingered a little while longer, talking quietly, stealing the occasional kiss, and going back for seconds on the pie. Finally, it was Dean's stifled yawn that signaled it was time for them to turn in as well.

It was as they got ready for bed that Katrina found herself hovering over her bag, her stomach aflutter with nerves again as she froze in place after her hand brushed against the folder she'd brought with her. It could wait till the morning, but there was part of her that wanted to get it over with… and there was the fact that she had intended it to be a sort of birthday gift, despite the fact that she'd been increasingly second guessing herself as the inevitable moment she'd need to tell Dean about it drew nearer.

Of course, Dean clocked her reaction immediately, and shot her a concerned look from where he was already climbing into bed.

"You okay?" he asked.

Katrina took a deep breath. It was now or never. And she may have been nervous, but she'd be damned if she was going to chicken out.

"Yeah, I'm good," she promised, straightening up and quickly shucking off her jeans as intended before swapping her shirt for the one she'd gone to pull out of her bag. "I, uh, I just… I actually do have something for you. For your birthday. Kind of."

Dean raised his eyebrow, curiosity piqued, even if she was trying to cover how unbelievably nervous she was.

"Oh yeah? I thought you were my gift. I wasn't kidding earlier when I said this was already the best birthday ever."

Katrina let out a soft huff. "Yeah, well… hopefully this makes it a little better." And without any further delay, she grabbed the folder and crossed the space between them, stopping a foot or two away but within arm's reach, clutching the papers against her chest and willing herself to stay steady. Dean eyed it carefully, seeming to pick up on the fact that she was nervous now, and she could practically see the gears turning in his brain.

""I'm sure I'll love whatever it is you've got there," he said carefully. "C'mon Kat, what's going on?"

Katrina took another deep breath, bracing herself.

"So, I've been doing a lot of thinking. About us and this whole… long-distance thing we've been trying. And… I agree with you. It's total crap. And I don't want to do it anymore."

Dean had tensed slightly while she'd been talking, but then his face fell, and before he could say anything, Katrina hurried on.

"The distance, I mean. I don't… I don't want to be away from you anymore. Or not more than we need to be, anyway. So I… I've been applying for jobs… out here in Lebanon."

Dean's eyes widened in surprise and Katrina felt like her heart was going to beat out of her fucking chest, but she bit her lip and held out the folder for him to take anyway. He accepted it, still looking stunned, and wasted no time flipping it open.

Inside was a copy of the one job offer she had already received, as well as a list of the interviews she had scheduled the rest of the week - the other reason she'd taken the time off from work. Behind the list were all the details of each position she had an interview for, and she watched as Dean's eyes skimmed over it all, his expression unreadable. Despite her best intentions, she couldn't help but fidget as the silence stretched on.

"I know it's a big step," she started rambling, "and I don't want to pressure you or anything. I mean, obviously, I'd find my own place to live - I wouldn't expect to move in here or anything. And if this isn't what you want, or you're not comfortable, or whatever, I don't have to do it at all. I just thought -"

"Katrina," Dean interrupted, finally looking up from the folder. "Breathe, sweetheart."

Her mouth snapped shut, and she wrung her hands anxiously, waiting and bracing herself for his reaction. A slow smile spread across Dean's face, his eyes drifting back to the folder.

"This is amazing," he said softly, and Katrina blinked in surprise.

"Really? You're not… freaked out by it?"

Dean snorted, tossing the folder aside. He then reached for her hand, tugging her back towards the bed.

"Are you kidding?" he asked. "This is fucking awesome. I can't believe you'd be willing to do this for me."

"For us," she corrected gently, allowing herself to be pulled onto the bed. "I… look, I know you don't do the whole chick-flick thing, and I don't really either, but life is too short, especially ours. I love you, and I want to be with you, whatever that looks like. I'm all in Dean, I always have been."

Dean reached out without hesitation and cupped her face, pulling her into a deep kiss that she quickly melted into, relief washing over her. When they finally broke apart, Dean rested his forehead against hers, his thumb running over her cheekbone as he looked her carefully in the eye.

"Me too, Kat. But sweetheart, are you sure? This is a lot - too much - to ask from you."

Katrina wet her lips, eyeing him nervously but nodding nonetheless. "I'm sure," she promised, meaning it, before reluctantly letting some of the darker stuff that had been festering finally bubble up. "If I'm being honest… it's not like I've really got a whole lot tying me to South Dakota anymore. My mom's gone, Bobby's gone, Jenna's been away at school and she's graduating, but who knows where she'll land. I've got, what? My work? At a crap job I only took to take care of someone that's not here anymore? A house that's just filled with a bunch of crap memories and metaphorical ghosts? It was different when you and Sam were staying there… but it just… it feels so empty anymore. But really, if this isn't what you want, it's not like I can't figure something else out. And like I said, I'll get my own place, I'm not -"

But Dean cut her off with another kiss, this one just as deep as the last, his fingers moving to thread through her hair. And by the time they broke apart, they were both slightly breathless and Dean was wearing an expression she'd rarely seen.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I want this, I want you. And if you're moving out here, you're moving in with me. With us. This place… Kat, baby, it's amazing, but it's not home without you here."

Katrina felt uncharacteristic tears prick at her eyes, and she quickly blinked them back, swallowing hard.

"Are you sure? I don't want to crowd you, or for you to feel obli-"

"I'm positive," Dean interjected. "I love you, Kat. More than anything. You and Sam, you two're my whole world. I want you here with me. For as long as you'll have me. Please."

"I love you too," Katrina whispered. "So much."

They kissed again, softer this time but no less passionate. When they finally pulled apart, Dean was grinning from ear to ear.

"Best. Birthday. Ever," he declared, repeating himself from earlier. Katrina laughed, joy bubbling up inside her, replacing her earlier anxiety entirely.

"I'm glad you approve. Now come on, old man. Let's get some sleep. We can start figuring everything out tomorrow."

Dean grumbled good-naturedly at the 'old man' comment but allowed Katrina to pull him under the covers. They curled up together, Katrina's head on Dean's chest and his arms wrapped securely around her.

And as she drifted off to sleep, Katrina couldn't keep the smile off her face. For the first time in weeks, everything felt right in the world. She was exactly where she was meant to be - in Dean's arms, in their home. And she couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.