July 6th-7th, 2005
The sun was bright and the air was humid in Sioux Falls, SD as Lorelai rapped at the familiar, dilapidated old door and stepped back. It had been a few months since she'd been by, but Singer Salvage Yard hadn't changed at all – something Lorelai always found comforting. Bobby didn't keep her waiting long – just long enough to register the scent of rust and motor oil mingling with the sunbaked earth – before he pulled the door open, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a rare smile beneath the brim of his old trucker hat.
"Well as I live and breathe, if it ain't MACUSA's finest gracing me with her presence," he drawled. "Was starting to think you forgot about me, kid."
Lorelai rolled her eyes but returned his smile, pushing past him easily.
"I'd never forget about you, old man," she jabbed back affectionately. "They've just been keeping my nose to the grindstone in New York." Lorelai didn't have to turn to know the look Bobby was giving her.
"Somethin' tells me you've been keeping your own nose to the grindstone. Seriously, kid, you ever hear of work-life balance?" At that, Lorelai did turn around, raising an eyebrow as she did.
"Have you?"
Bobby grumbled while he closed the door and followed her into the house, something about him already having lived a life and her having her whole life ahead of her if she'd just start living it.
Over the years, Singer Salvage had become a familiar stop for Lorelai as it had been one of the first places Silas Ruskin had taken her when she'd started with MACUSA. Her mentor and the cranky hunter went back a ways from what Lorelai understood, and Bobby had been the first Muggle Lorelai had gotten to work with. When she'd started the job, she'd been relatively good at blending with normal Muggles already, but she credited Bobby with her ability to blend with hunters when need be. He'd been the one to help her hone her skills with knives and guns, fine tune her combat skills, and know what of her magical tools were most likely to raise eyebrows with a hunter. It had started as a favor to Ruskin – he'd insisted she needed the help after week one when she'd had her first shouting match with higher ups over MACUSA's standard operating procedures utilizing Obliviate. Bobby had taken to her quickly, though, and she'd continued working with him even after Ruskin had retired.
Lorelai wasted no time in dropping into one of the worn kitchen chairs, easily accepting a beer she knew was laced with holy water and tipping it back while she lazily waved her wand and summoned her files from her bag. Bobby pulled up the chair across from her, a pile of his own research thudding onto the table between them.
"Whatever's going on, seems like it's just here," Lorelai sighed, jumping right into it. "Not sure if that's saying much, though. They don't have half the crap we do across the pond."
"That brother of yours come to town again?" Bobby asked and Lorelai nodded, fighting back a yawn.
"Mmhmm. Just for a weekend. Anyway, he said they hear about demon deals here and there, but the demons keep to Muggles, so the Ministry stays hands off. He's keeping an ear out, though." Bobby frowned but she was relieved when he didn't delve. They'd been through her own stance enough, and she was glad not to rehash all the things the Ministry still did she disagreed with. At the end of the day, the political situation in England had come a long way from what it had been and Lorelai didn't like bashing them.
"So it's just an us problem," Bobby surmised. Lorelai pursed her lips before taking another sip, nodding her head.
"Would appear that way," she agreed. "Can't find jack to explain it though. I combed through MACUSA's records. Demon activity's been steady for at least the last two centuries. Small upticks here and there, but in pockets, nothing serious. Nothing nationwide like this."
"You got any good news?" Lorelai shook her head before rolling her neck and then reaching for one of the folders on the table.
"Not really," she admitted, rifling through her paperwork. "I dug up some old exorcisms, but I doubt it's anything you haven't seen before." Bobby leaned back in his chair, a pensive expression on his face as he took a long pull from his beer.
"What about killin' the damn things?" he finally asked, and Lorelai frowned. "Your crew got anything for that?" There was no way for Bobby to know, but it was a loaded question, and if it were anyone else she probably would have been more cautious in answering.
"Technically? Sure. Killing Curse would do the trick. It'd kill the host too, but demons don't tend to leave 'em in the best shape anyway, and it would definitely take care of the problem permanently."
"Why d'you say 'technically'?" Bobby asked, eyes narrowing, and Lorelai's frown deepened before she covered it by bringing the beer back to her lips. She was willing to concede it was a slippery slope, and she understood why it was banned, but Lorelai still didn't agree in the popular no exceptions stance on that particular curse. Dark wizards had no problem throwing it at the good guys, and there were far darker, more painful ways to kill someone.
"It's an Unforgivable. Use it and it's a one-way ticket to life in jail. Besides that, it's pretty dangerous to cast… or at least to cast successfully. Intent and the emotional energy behind it matter, and for most people to pull it off… that hate and anger you've got to live in to do it… it'll turn you dark in ways you don't come back from."
Of course, she'd cast it. She hadn't been the only one during the war that had decided the handicap was just too great to keep playing by the rules. She wasn't sorry about it either. If anything, it had felt like letting some of the Death Eaters off too easily. The first time she'd used it, the night Dumbledore had died, was the only time it had ever bothered her. She'd gotten cornered, two on one, and she'd thrown it back instinctively after narrowly avoiding a flash of green light herself. Still, she'd had a moment when the dust settled that the reality of what she'd done set in. Fred and George had found her dry heaving with tears streaming down her face after everyone had dispersed from the Hospital Wing.
It was the second time in her life she'd allowed herself to wonder how much of her father's darkness she had in her… what effects that nasty Cromwell blood of his may have wrought on her being. Fred had been quick to pick that out, and quicker to disabuse her of the notion. George had pointed out it was self-defense, and that the times they were living in blurred the lines of right and wrong. Fred had admitted, his voice brimming with anger and barely-there restraint, that if he'd been there to see them take the shot at her, he wouldn't have hesitated to do the same or worse.
The way Bobby was looking at her now, eyes still narrowed, the gears in his mind clearly turning, made Lorelai shift uncomfortably. She didn't talk much about those times, but Ruskin had given Bobby her MACUSA file when he'd introduced them. It contained most of the sordid details of her past – everything that hadn't been deemed classified, anyway. Definitely everything that had come out when MACUSA had investigated her for faking her death so she could go on the run with Harry. And although Bobby had always respected the mental box she kept those memories in, for a moment she worried he was going to try to pry it open.
When he ultimately sighed and ran a hand down his face, Lorelai felt she could breathe easier.
"Yeah, well that ain't gonna work then. And even if it did, wouldn't help hunters any. What about a weapon?" Lorelai's chest loosened even further and she was smiling slightly as she shuffled through more of her paperwork.
"That I have an idea for," she admitted. "We don't have anything right now, but I'm thinking that I might be able to do something with the right runes and enchantments. Maybe modify the underlying architecture on the Killing Curse… make it work without the draw on the castor."
"What, and make a magic knife or gun or something?" Bobby asked, and Lorelai nodded slowly.
"Yeah, if I can get it right. It'd be sort of like the line of protective wear we have at Wheezes… but about a thousand times more complex. Could take a while to get it right. Lots of experimenting… and MACUSA might not like it so much."
Bobby leaned forward, calloused forearms braced on the table. "But it's possible."
"Yeah. We're still in purely theoretical territory here, but yeah," Lorelai agreed. Bobby mulled her words, drinking down more of his beer while he did and pressing his lips together.
"Well, with your brains I'll give it a better than fifty percent chance. You don't go killin' yourself over this, though. You hear me? The devil's traps and the exorcisms are just fine. I know how you get, and I don't need you stirrin' the pot on my account."
Lorelai quickly held her hands up in a surrender motion, keeping hold of her beer with her thumb and pointer finger around its neck.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Promise." She could tell by the look on his face that Bobby didn't buy what she was selling, but he let it drop anyway and Lorelai was happy to relax back into her chair.
Pushing aside the heaviness of their previous discussion, she redirected the conversation to lighter topics, asking Bobby how he'd been keeping busy lately.
"Ah, you know. Same old grind," he tried to tell her, stretching back and lacing his fingers over his stomach. "Dealt with a poltergeist last week. Keepin' up with the phones. This idjit dentist took out the tooth fairy and thinks he's a hunter now. Sweet kid… not sure he's got the stomach though. Other than that, been pretty quiet 'round here."
"I very much doubt that," Lorelai quipped. "It's never quiet with you."
Bobby scoffed, but she saw the corners of his mouth twitch. "Watch it, kid. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve to take you down a notch."
"I'd like to see you try," she laughed.
They traded stories a little while longer, a mix of work and personal, until Lorelai had to go. She almost mentioned Dean… Bobby was well connected with other hunters, after all, and it wouldn't have been the first time she picked his brain about whether or not to let someone in on the big secret… but in the end she kept her mouth shut. He'd have questions she didn't want to answer, and this situation was different. The problem wasn't that she didn't know Dean or his background… the problem was that she did and it didn't bode well.
As she was heading to the door, Bobby asked after the girls, smiling when she showed him a picture from Christmas and letting her ramble a little longer than she would have with someone else about how Katie's first year at school had gone and how quiet the place had been this week while she was off with Nolan in London.
"She'll be home soon enough. You tell her I say hi. You got a good kid, there Lorelai. You've done right by her."
Lorelai felt a swell of gratitude for his words, even if she wasn't always convinced of the sentiment. Playing parent to her half-sister had never been the plan, and she'd fumbled plenty, but she tried her best.
Bobby paused in the doorway as Lorelai stepped back out into the sun-baked yard.
"You take care of yourself, kid," he said gruffly. "Don't be a stranger, you hear?"
With a grin and a final wave, Lorelai Disapparated, leaving Bobby framed in the doorway of the old house. Grumpy as he was, catching up with Bobby never failed to brighten her spirits, and she wished working with the other Aurors was even half as easy.
The next day as she shuffled into the conference room for a staff meeting, Lorelai couldn't help but reflect on the sentiment, her ire with the rest of the department only growing with time.
"Lorelai, what do you want me to do?" Nick asked her when she followed him back to his office after they'd all dispersed. "You're the one who's so fond of pointing out that I'm not the boss." Lorelai rolled her eyes and glared while Nick dropped into his desk chair.
"No, but you manage calendars and case files, and you can put someone on this!"
"No, I can't," he disagreed. "We're short staffed, everyone on our team has assignments, and it's a low priority, not even really official MACUSA case." Lorelai seethed, her hand clenching and unclenching. It was these small moments, though, where she appreciated working with Nick. There was no need to explain why she didn't want to take this one herself.
"That's such bullshit," she muttered, and Nick quickly threw his hands up in a surrender motion.
"Hey, I don't disagree with you, but you know how this goes. This hasn't impacted us, at all, and there's no witches or wizards residing within fifty miles of that lake."
"Five people are dead." Nick nodded solemnly, keeping his eyes on her even as interdepartmental memos began to swoop in through the open door.
"I know, Lorelai. Look, if you come up with an idea you know I've got your back, but I can't make anyone take this."
"What about Margo?" she asked. "I'll trade one of her –" but Nick was already shaking his head.
"Margo's undercover right now. I can't switch you two. Why don't you call Singer? I'll bet if he can't take care of it, he'll know a hunter in the area." Lorelai sighed, and when she trudged back to her own office ten minutes later it was without any better ideas.
Nicks suggestion of calling Bobby had merit, but Lorelai still didn't like it. He knew what she was capable of, so he'd want to know why she was calling him instead of just handling it herself. The last thing she wanted to do was let him see yet another chink in her armor when he already knew so much.
Still, she couldn't just leave it either… that wasn't the way she worked, even if MACUSA thought it was alright. And going after a water wraith herself with her limitations was reckless even by her standards. She still had an unanswered text from Dean from earlier that morning. Last she knew, he was somewhere in West Virginia, not too far from Lake Moomaw. She didn't love the idea of inevitably telling him why she didn't want to work the job herself, but it was more palatable than opening that vein to Bobby… she'd be lying too if she said the opportunity to see him again wasn't appealing.
It was with those thoughts in mind that she pressed the call button, heart beating a little bit faster as she listened to it ring.
"Hey there, sweetheart." He answered on the second ring, Dean's gravelly voice filling her ear when he did, and despite herself she couldn't help the small thrill that went through her at the sound. "Wasn't expecting to hear from you today."
"Yeah, I know," she said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger self-consciously. Despite her intentions, they'd fallen into a pattern - trading text messages, talking on the phone every few nights. He usually let her know what he was up to. Lorelai found that harder to do without tipping her hand. "How's it going?"
"Oh, you know, same old. Dad took off to help a buddy out near Birmingham. I'm finishing up in Beckley. Don't have anything lined up yet. Was actually thinking of calling and seeing what you were up to." Lorelai snorted, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Of course you were."
"So?" he prodded, and Lorelai leaned back in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose as she wrestled with herself for one last second.
"I, uh… there's actually this case I'm working not too far from where you're at. Lake Moomaw, right over the state line heading into Virginia. I was gonna see if you had some time. I could use a hand on it if you're free." She bit her lip, waiting for his response.
"A case, huh?" Dean replied after a beat, and she could practically hear his smile. "What's going on?"
Lorelai quickly but carefully explained the situation, lying as little as she could. The facts of the case were easy - freak weather incidents around the lake like weird currents and a whirlpool, local reports of overcast weather, and the five people that had turned up dead so far. She told him she picked it up reading over a story one of her coworkers was working on, figuring it was at least partially true, and leaving out that said coworker was fully capable of handling it themselves if they'd wanted to. Dean listened, asking the right questions and putting together what she was dealing with before she'd even given her own theory. The reminder that he was legitimately good at this was welcome, and eased some of the uneasiness she'd had in calling to begin with.
"And you want me to come help out with this thing?" he clarified when she'd finished.
"If you can," Lorelai said, still hating that she'd had to call in the first place. She'd faced down some of the darkest wizards of their time for fuck's sake, and taken on the things of most people's worst nightmares. Didn't change the fact that she couldn't swim worth a damn, though, or that she'd never outgrown her fear of water. "I know it's last minute."
"Like I care about that," he dismissed easily. "I'm only a few hours away. I can be there by dinner time."
She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The excitement underlying Dean's voice was clear despite his attempts to temper it, and she felt a mix of affection, guilt, and some lingering embarrassment.
"That'd be great. Thank you, I really appreciate it."
"Don't sweat it. Send me the address when you get a chance. I'll see you later."
They hung up the phone and for a moment Lorelai felt relief… until she looked at the clock and realized what time it was.
"Shit!"
The next hour was a mad scramble as she tried to get her bearings and do enough research to make it look like she'd actually been working the case, rather than having just been handed everything at a meeting. The lake was mostly surrounded by campgrounds, which made sense since the water wraith had been picking off vacationers and hikers. Lorelai briefly debated trying to cobble together a believable campsite or do some mix of transfiguration and conjuration to come up with an RV, but in the end, she opted to find a motel room in Warm Springs instead. It would be easier to meet up with Dean that way, and she'd had enough camping to last a lifetime. If they ultimately needed to camp out – which she suspected they would – they could tackle that together too, and hopefully keep it as brief as possible. She wasn't exactly keen on the idea of sleeping in a tent again, especially without the convenience of magic.
Address given to Dean, she still had to tie up things in the office, update Nick on what she was doing, pull together her things, and get to Virginia with enough time to make it look like she'd already been there a few days. Procuring a rental car had been the least enjoyable task, and in the back of her mind she wondered if it wouldn't be worth telling Damien and Nat she'd keep her Mustang this year after vacation instead of continuing to keep it at their place. The paperwork was unnecessarily arduous, and it had taken more begging than she liked to wind up in a car that was only a hair better than the one she'd been stuck with in Tullahoma.
Car begrudgingly in hand, Lorelai proceeded to drive into the small town, carefully taking note of the sights and getting the lay of the land. It was a small town, and the motel she'd told Dean to meet her at was easy to find. For a moment she'd been concerned she was going to have a problem when the girl at the desk started stammering that she didn't have any rooms available, but with some effort Lorelai was able to coax out that the real problem was that the only room they had left had a broken air conditioning unit – a problem for most people, but not for her. She got the room at a discounted rate, easily fixing it with a wave of her wand when she got inside just before she set about going through the rest of her motions.
Notes from the meeting were replicated and transfigured to look like various scraps of newspaper and other research corroborating the story she'd given Dean, along with notes of her own, and were then carefully scattered across the small table. She quickly unpacked essentials into the bathroom and threw a few errant pieces of clothes over one of the chairs to help give the illusion she'd been there a few days before she threw her bag down by the side of the bed. All the while, guilt churned in her gut at the depths of the deceit she was engaging in, and Lorelai was relieved to have a mission at hand to distract her. Nick had tried to stop her on her way out, and she hadn't let him actually talk, but he'd said enough for her to know he'd been starting in on her for not having let Dean in on the secret yet. If her promotion went through, she'd have more carte blanche to do what she wanted, but in the meantime working with Muggles meant extra paperwork so the higher ups could track what was going on, or it meant formally requesting permission to tell the Muggle about magic. It was an unwritten rule that Aurors usually didn't work with the same hunter more than two or three times before starting to work on obtaining permission, but Lorelai still didn't feel ready. Besides, the werewolf and the Vetala really didn't count, so this was only case number two.
It was with an hour to spare that Lorelai carefully stowed her wand and surveyed her handiwork. The room looked acceptably lived in and she felt prepared to dive into whatever conversations were needed about the case when Dean got there, but her stomach was now rumbling, and she suspected that Dean's would be too by the time he arrived. Grabbing the keys to the car, Lorelai set off in search of food and crossed her fingers that something edible was around.
Pickings had been slim, but she found burgers just in the nick of time, pulling back into the motel parking lot only a minute before she watched the familiar black Impala pull into a parking space a few over from her rental. Keys in hand, Lorelai paused near her door and turned, smiling despite herself as she watched its owner climb out the driver's side. Dean grabbed the green duffel bag he seemed to favor out of the backseat and caught her eye when he straightened up. The smile he sent her way made her heart flip.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he called out as he approached, and Lorelai blushed before holding up the takeout bag as if it were an offering.
"I got dinner," she told him, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous. Dean's grin widened and one of his hands came to rest on her hip at the same time he dipped his head to capture her lips in a kiss hello. The familiarity of the action didn't strike her until he was pulling away, his free hand cradling her face, his eyes automatically locking onto hers. When it did, she had trouble feeling anything but happy about it, even with the alarm bells beginning to sound in her head. Lorelai was having trouble determining if they were getting dimmer or if the impulsive part of her brain that craved a good time was just getting louder.
"Burgers?" he asked, the smell emanating from the bag, and Lorelai nodded.
"Yep. Extra cheese and bacon for you." He kissed her again, this time rolling his tongue against hers when he did.
"Guess I'm not the only one that's been taking notes," he teased when they broke apart. Lorelai shook her head, laughing lightly as she deliberately took a step back.
"I'm just glad I got it right," she said, trying to avoid incriminating herself further. Her stomach growled and she nodded towards the door. "C'mon, let's eat before it gets cold."
Dean followed her inside, his eyes sweeping over the room as he stepped over the threshold. Lorelai bit her lip, hoping she'd staged it well enough and then immediately feeling that tug of guilt again.
"Y'know, for someone who says they love the city so damn much, you seem to find yourself in the middle of fucking no where pretty often. I've never even heard of this place before," he commented lightly. Lorelai shrugged, pushing aside some of the paperwork she'd strewn about before dropping the greasy bag onto the table. She could feel Dean's gaze on her as she did and tried not to find it too distracting.
"I go where the job takes me. Make yourself at home."
She heard the thud of his duffel when he dropped it by the wall. There was a kitchenette a little further into the room and Lorelai retreated, crossing her fingers there were napkins in one of the cabinets. Dean's hands found her waist, breath hot against her neck, while she was still reaching up to feel around one of the shelves.
"Missed you," he murmured, placing a kiss below her ear. Lorelai exhaled, leaning back into him, her search for the napkins abandoned. His familiar musk clouded her mind, and his body was solid and real in a way she didn't like acknowledging she craved.
"Missed you too," she admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them. Dean's arms tightened around her. She felt that pendant of his pressing against her.
"Oh yeah?" Even without looking, his grin was audible. Bracing herself for the onslaught, Lorelai turned in his arms. As expected, his green eyes held a mischievous glimmer, and there was a cocky smirk on his face.
"Maybe a little," she allowed, matching his teasing tone. Their noses brushed, lips dancing across each other even lighter. The corners of Dean's mouth ticked further upwards, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
"Knew you couldn't stay away."
"Jackass," she muttered, and Dean kissed her, nice and slow in a way that made her head spin.
"Irresistible jackass," he countered, resting his forehead against hers for just a moment. The takeout bag was long forgotten, and Lorelai didn't argue with him, instead inching up on her toes to continue what he'd started.
Dean walked her backwards towards the bed then, their lips never parting. His hands wandered her body boldly, tracing the curve of her hips, the dip of her waist, the swell of her breasts. Lorelai instinctively arched into his touch, craving more, while her hands did their own exploration. They raked through his hair, slipped under the button down hanging loosely over his shoulders, clutched at his waist. It had been hardly more than a week since they'd seen each other, but Dean Winchester was quickly becoming a new addiction.
The backs of her legs came up against the bed just as Dean's mouth found the sensitive spot below her ear that turned her into putty. He licked and sucked at the skin there until Lorelai was squirming against him, her breath already coming harder.
"Dean," she gasped, hands fisting in his shirt. He hummed in response, the vibration sending sparks across her nerve endings.
Lorelai tugged impatiently at his layers until Dean relented, leaning back, cocky smirk in place, just far enough for her to push the overshirt off his shoulders before he stripped his t-shirt in a smooth motion. She drank in the sight of his bare chest, running her hands over the hard muscles and scattered scars. His muscles rippled slightly at her touch, and she let her nails scrape down his abs, smirking when his breath hitched.
"Eager, are we?" Dean teased, hands settling on her hips as he nipped at her ear. She intended to come back at him with some sarcastic quip or another, but when she opened her mouth, it was another moan that came out, and Lorelai found her hands sliding around to his back.
"No more than you," she managed before maneuvering to recapture his lips with hers. They were still kissing when she let herself fall back into the bed a moment latter, pulling Dean down with her. His weight settled over her, one leg slotting between hers as he deepened the kiss.
Another moan escaped when his thigh pressed against her center. She was embarrassingly turned on already, though she highly doubted she was the only one. Dean swallowed the sound eagerly, his tongue sweeping insistently against hers. He brought a hand up to palm at her breast through the tank top she was wearing, his thumb circling her nipple, and even through the layers it sent sparks through her body.
"Dean," she gasped when they broke apart for air.
"Tell me what you want, sweetheart," he murmured against her throat, placing open-mouthed kisses along the column of her neck. His low voice did things to her that felt wholly unfair.
"You," Lorelai breathed. "Please. I want you." Dean's answering grin was wolfish.
"I can work with that."
He pulled back slightly, enough to ruck her shirt up, at which point Lorelai quickly shifted to help him remove the offending article, and her bra followed quickly behind. Dean's heated gaze zeroed in on her bare breasts, his hands coming up almost immediately to cup them reverently, thumbs brushing over the already tight peaks. Lorelai bit her lip, arching into his touch instinctively.
"Fucking beautiful," Dean praised huskily before dipping his head to capture a nipple between his lips. Lorelai cried out when he sucked firmly, tongue laving the sensitive bud while her own hand gripped at the short hairs on the back of his head and the other raked along his back. He continued to knead her other breast as he went, pinching and rolling the nipple between his fingers.
Wet heat continued to pool, and Lorelai rolled her hips desperately against Dean's thigh, seeking some friction. He chuckled at her obvious neediness, a sound that made her nervous, and switched his attention to her other breast, giving it the same treatment while his hand wandered south.
"Dean, please," she heard herself beg. Dean kissed his way down her torso, his light stubble scratching wonderfully against her skin, fingers deftly undoing the button of her shorts, before they were gone too, and he had her completely bare.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked, mouthing at her hipbone. "Thought you said you only missed me 'a little'," he teased. His fingers traced patterns on the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, so close yet so far from where she ached for his touch.
Cocky bastard, she couldn't help but think as she glared down at him. She knew, however, that the effect was slightly ruined by how wrecked she was sure she already looked.
"Don't be an ass."
Dean's grin only widened.
"Hey, if you want to rethink that statement, I'm all ears," he said just before sliding a single finger through her folds. He then took it and circled her clit with feather-light touches, and Lorelai's hips bucked involuntarily, seeking more pressure.
"Fuck," she hissed. Dean, of course, used his other hand to hold her in place and continued the maddeningly light touches, refusing to give her what she needed.
"C'mon, Lor," he coaxed just before he leant forward and licked one broad stroke along her slit. "Tell me how much you missed me, sweetheart. We both know you did."
Lorelai bit her lip, caught between her stubbornness and her desperate need for release. Dean chose that moment to slide two fingers inside her, curling them to hit that spot that made her see stars. Her resolve crumbled.
"Fuck! Dean," she gasped. "Okay, okay - I missed you! So much. Haven't stopped thinking about you since Duncan Falls. Please, Dean, I need you."
The truth was she wasn't sure she'd stopped thinking about him since that first night in Tullahoma but given the ridiculously smug look on his face she figured there was no reason to inflate his ego any further than necessary.
"There's my girl," Dean praised, licking another short, broad stroke that had another whine spilling from her lips. "Now was that so hard to admit?"
Before she could retort, he nudged her legs further apart and settled more firmly between them, swiping his tongue through her slick folds. Lorelai cried out, head falling back against the pillows. He licked her languidly, avoiding her aching clit for now. Lorelai clutched desperately at the sheets, moans spilling from her lips unchecked.
"Fuck, you taste so good," Dean groaned before sealing his mouth over her entrance and thrusting his tongue inside. Lorelai keened, back arching off the bed at the sensation.
He fucked her steadily with his tongue, occasionally flicking over her clit just to hear her desperate mewls. He brought his two fingers back, pumping into her and crooking just right. Lorelai was mindless with pleasure, grinding shamelessly against his face.
"Fuck, Dean, please," she panted, and he smiled against her.
"Please what?" he asked. "C'mon Lor, use your words."
"Dean, Dean please make me come," she gasped out.
"Good girl," he hummed against her approvingly. "Let go." And then he fastened his lips around her clit, sucking rhythmically as his fingers pistoned inside her. Lorelai shattered with a sharp cry, vision going white behind her eyelids. Her inner walls fluttered around his fingers as she rode out her intense high.
Dean didn't stop, easing her through it until Lorelai went limp against the mattress, chest heaving. Dean kissed back up her body until he reached her lips. Lorelai could taste herself on his tongue as they kissed languidly.
"Think you can go again for me, sweetheart?" Dean rasped when they parted. His eyes were dark, lips shiny with her slick and Lorelai nodded eagerly.
Dean stripped off the rest of his clothes in record time, pulling a condom out of his pocket as he did. Lorelai eyed his thick length hungrily, arousal already coiling low in her belly again.
He settled between her thighs once more, brushing the blunt head of his cock through her folds to coat himself in her wetness. They both groaned at the contact. Dean slid inside slowly, inch by glorious inch, stretching her in the best way possible.
Lorelai wrapped her legs around his waist, heels digging into the small of his back, desperate to have him as close as possible. Dean set a steady pace, rocking into her deeply. She gasped and clutched at his shoulders, nails leaving crescent marks on his skin.
"God, baby, you feel so fucking good," Dean bit out, breath hot against her ear. "So tight and wet for me."
Lorelai just moaned in response, beyond words. Dean shifted then, hiking her right leg over his shoulder. The new angle allowed him to penetrate her even deeper and Lorelai cried out as he hit new spots inside her with every thrust.
"Oh fuck, Dean!" she choked out. The pressure was building again rapidly. Dean grunted with the effort of holding back, thrusting into her relentlessly.
Lorelai slid a hand between them, fingers finding her clit. She rubbed tight circles, chasing her second release. Dean's rhythm faltered when he glanced down and saw what she was doing.
"Fuck, that's hot," he bit out. "Touch yourself, sweetheart. Wanna feel you come on my cock."
His gravelly words sent her hurtling over the edge again with a sharp wail. Lorelai shook apart beneath him, cunt spasming around him, the leg she still had curled around his waist pulling him closer. Dean cursed loudly, fucking her through it before stilling deep inside her. Lorelai felt his cock pulse as he found his own release.
They stayed like that a moment before Dean carefully lowered her leg from his shoulder. He then half collapsed on top of her, face pressed into her neck. They laid entwined, breath coming in harsh pants as they each came down from their highs.
Lorelai stroked her fingers lazily through his hair. Dean nuzzled against her, pressing soft kisses to her collarbone.
"Fuck, I needed that," he mumbled against her skin. "You know, you drive me crazy."
Lorelai huffed a laugh, nuzzling into him. "The feeling's mutual," she admitted.
Dean's answering grin was cocky as he lifted his head and caught her eye.
"Guess I'm not the only one who's gotten a little addicted, huh?" He asked, tying off and tossing the condom away. Lorelai rolled her eyes but couldn't stop her own smile.
"Don't get too smug. I'm still mad at you." Dean snorted, an eyebrow arching when he did.
"Is that so?" he challenged playfully. Before she could react, his fingers were dancing along her ribs, tickling mercilessly. Lorelai shrieked with laughter, squirming to get away from him.
"Dean! Knock it off, you ass!"
Dean just grinned wickedly, continuing his assault. By the time Lorelai finally managed to buck him off, both of them laughing breathlessly.
When their breathing evened back out, Dean propped himself up on an elbow and smoothed a hand down her side, his touch gentling. She watched as his green eyes softened while he looked down at her, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. Lorelai's heart fluttered despite herself.
"C'mere," Dean murmured, drawing her in for a sweet, lingering kiss. Lorelai sank into it, the playful mood shifting into something more tender.
When they eventually parted, Dean rested his forehead against hers with a contented sigh. His warm breath fanned across her face.
"You know, I really did miss you," he told her softly, all teasing gone. Lorelai let her eyes drift closed, basking in the quiet intimacy of the moment.
"Me too," she whispered. A moment later, a loud gurgle from her stomach broke the spell. Lorelai's eyes flew open to see Dean grinning down at her, mirth dancing in his gaze.
"Someone worked up an appetite," he teased.
Lorelai huffed, shoving at his chest. "Don't even start, I'm starving. I was hungry before you got here."
Dean pressed one more quick kiss to her lips before rolling off the bed. "Me too. I'll grab the burgers."
Lorelai sat up, eyes watching appreciatively as he pulled his boxers back on and walked to the table. Dean shot a cocky look over his shoulder when he noticed her staring. "If you're angling for another round you're gonna have to wait until after food this time."
"You're incorrigible," Lorelai laughed, moving to fish his discarded shirt off the floor and pull it on.
Dean just winked, snagging the takeout bag and sauntering back. Lorelai accepted her burger eagerly, stomach rumbling.
They ate in comfortable silence, thighs pressed together atop the rumpled sheets. Lorelai polished off her food quickly, appetite sated. She eyed Dean's leftover fries contemplatively. Noticing her gaze, Dean nudged the carton towards her with an indulgent shake of his head.
"Go for it," he told her.
Lorelai happily snagged a few fries, popping them into her mouth. Dean balled up the wrappers when they finished, tossing them neatly into the trash can.
"So, tell me more about this water wraith," Dean said, settling back on the bed. "You said it's been picking off vacationers?"
Lorelai nodded, wishing she could just summon her notes from the table as she swung her legs off the side of the bed. It only took a moment for her to retrieve them though, and she passed over the mismatched stack of paper as she slid back into bed.
"Yeah, five victims so far. All drowned, but the bodies show signs of a struggle. Locals are writing it off as tragic accidents, but the pattern is too consistent. Looks like they all got taken from the same part of the lake. And then there's all the weird weather bullshit too."
She watched as Dean scanned through her research with a practiced eye.
"Looks like you've done your homework," he commented, impressed.
Lorelai shrugged, trying to ignore the twinge of guilt at the praise. It wasn't her work, after all, but Dean couldn't know that.
"It's what I do," she said simply.
They spent the next hour going over the details of the case, Dean asking pertinent questions and offering insights. It was somehow reassuring and nerve-wracking at the same time. He knew what he was doing, which made her feel better, and his presence had always had a stupidly calming effect on her. But she knew the question would come eventually, the one she didn't want to answer, and as they got closer to being done rehashing the facts she felt her anxiety ratcheting up higher.
Too soon, Dean was leaning back against the headboard, a thoughtful expression on his face and the pile of paper tossed off to the side carelessly.
"You know, Lor, this sorta seems like a milk run. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to help, but... why'd you call me in on this one?"
Lorelai tensed, her heart rate picking up. There it was, the moment she'd been dreading. She forced a laugh, trying to keep her tone light.
"What, I can't just want an excuse to see you?" she asked. Dean chuckled, but his eyes remained serious.
"I'm flattered, sweetheart, and believe me, I'm more than happy to see you. But we both know that's not enough of a reason for you to call me in on a case."
Lorelai bit her lip, averting her gaze. She could feel Dean's eyes on her, patient but expectant. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words.
"Lor," Dean said softly, reaching out to tilt her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Talk to me. What's really going on?"
She sighed, knowing she couldn't avoid it any longer. If they were going to take care of the damn wraith together it would be dangerous not to tell him what he was dealing with.
"It's stupid but I... I can't swim," she admitted quietly, the words feeling like sandpaper in her throat. She watched his brow furrow in confusion.
"Okay... but that doesn't explain why you need help on this case. You could just stay on shore, right?"
Lorelai shook her head, frustration bubbling up inside her as she tried not to fidget. "It's not just that I can't swim. I... I have a thing about large bodies of water. Lakes, oceans... they freak me out."
Understanding dawned in Dean's eyes, followed quickly by concern. She was both frustrated and touched at how he was always so in tune with her.
"Did something happen?"
Lorelai nodded, her throat tight with emotion. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "When I was little, maybe four or five, my oldest brother Thomas and I were by a lake. He was watching me while we were playing outside. I don't remember all the details, but... something happened and he got pulled under."
She remembered the details. It had been a kappa that had attacked him and it had been horrible, but she couldn't tell Dean that or her story about how she got into hunting wouldn't make sense anymore. Dean thought she didn't learn about things that went bump in the night until she was a teenager… just another thing she had to lie about because of the big lie she was perpetuating.
Dean's eyes widened in horror. "Lor..."
"I watched him drown," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't do anything to help him. By the time our parents got there, it was too late."
Dean reached for her, pulling her into his arms. Lorelai went willingly, biting the inside of her lip as she tried not to let her face heat too much in embarrassment. Dean's hand rubbed soothing circles on her back as he held her close.
"I'm sorry, Lor, that's horrible. Had to be one hell of a scare," he murmured.
Lorelai sighed but nodded against his chest. "Yeah. It feels like a fucking lifetime ago, but I've had a thing about water ever since. I can handle showers and small pools, and if I know I've got decent control over the situation I can manage going near the water, but a situation like this… anything goes wrong and I know I'm not gonna be able to bail myself out."
Dean was quiet for a moment, processing her words. When he spoke again, his voice was soft but firm. "Why didn't you just tell me from the beginning? I could have just handled this one on my own."
Lorelai pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. "I was embarrassed," she admitted. "It's stupid, I know. I hunt monsters for a living, but I'm scared of a little water. And you're not handling this on your own, that's stupid. I can help, I just can't do it alone."
"Hey," Dean said, cupping her face in his hands. "It's not stupid. We've all got our fears. Hell, I'm terrified of flying."
Despite herself, Lorelai felt a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Really? The big, bad Dean Winchester is afraid of planes?" Dean nodded, a rueful grin on his face.
"Hey, planes crash!" Lorelai chuckled, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.
"Fair point."
Dean's expression grew serious once more. "Listen, Lor. You don't have to be embarrassed about this. Not with me. I've got your back, always. We'll get this shit taken care of and get out of here. And if you change your mind, I hear you about not wanting me to do it on my own, but I don't mind."
Lorelai nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at his words. It was moments like these that made it so hard to keep her walls up around him.
"Okay," she whispered. "We can start at the morgue tomorrow."
"It's a date," he joked. Lorelai smiled and caught his eye, feeling the remaining tension drain from her body.
"Thank you," she said. "I… this isn't… just… thank you."
Dean pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before pulling her close once more. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, Lorelai listening to the steady thrum of Dean's heartbeat.
Soon enough, Lorelai found herself yawning. The emotional toll of the evening, combined with the long drive and their earlier activities, was catching up with her.
"We should get some sleep," Dean murmured, his own voice tinged with exhaustion. "Get at it first thing."
Lorelai nodded, reluctantly extracting herself from his embrace to slip under the covers. Dean followed suit, pulling her close once more.
As she drifted off to sleep, Lorelai couldn't help but marvel at how safe she felt in Dean's arms. It was a dangerous feeling, one that threatened to tear down all the walls she'd so carefully constructed. But in that moment, wrapped in his warmth and surrounded by his scent, she couldn't bring herself to care.
Hope everyone enjoyed 😊 Thank you all as always! Your comments bring the biggest smile to my face. I really can't tell you how much it means to see other people reading and following along with this story. See you all next week!