Written by: gooberlanes13

Edited by: KariGorsuch

Echoes of voices radiated in my head as I felt myself struggling to wake up. A slight twitching of my face could be felt and a gradual return of awareness slowly began to bleed back into me, as the echoes of the voices became louder.

My eyes seemed to be struggling to open. There was a conscious block between my mind and being awake, it seemed. I felt myself struggle even more, before I silenced the confrontation of my mind when I felt the bed move and some whispering came echoing into focus:

"...give her time Sam, she'll come around." Dean's voice came through, strong and steady, as I felt - what I assumed was him - adjusting himself on the bed next to me.

"She's just so stubborn, Dean. Tough as hell, sure, but sometimes she acts like she has to take on the world alone." Sam's voice carried concern, tinged with frustration. "...I just - I just wish I would have had five more minutes with that Jared guy, Dean - if you would have seen -"

"- I have a pretty good idea." Dean spoke with undertones of anger and concern as I felt a tickle across my cheek and my hair fell off my face onto the pillow. "If you hadn't have come -"

"- I know." The unspoken weight of what could've happened settled between them. "What the hell did we find here, Dean?"

"With these two?" Dean scoffed softly, almost like he was trying to keep things light, but there was no mistaking the tension in his voice. "I don't know, Sam, but..." He trailed off, then sighed deeply. "Eve- she's something else. Annoying as hell sometimes, always has to be right, even when she's dead wrong. But... she's a badass."

"I think I have an idea of what you're talking about." Sam paused for a beat, then added, his tone turning inquisitive, "But Dean, I've never seen you like this over anyone before. She's the first girl you've gone soft on- like, really soft."

Dean didn't respond immediately, the silence almost deafening. "She's strong. She's been through a hell of a lot and still keeps going. Doesn't need anyone, least of all me, but... I don't know, Sammy. She gets under my skin."

Sam laughed lightly, "Yeah, I've noticed. She's independent, but... Dean, this is the first time you're this shaken up over someone. You're not just watching her back like you do everyone else. This is different."

"Different, sure. But what am I supposed to do, huh? After everything?" He sighed heavily, "She deserves better than... this life. Hell, she deserves better than me."

There was a soft rustle of fabric as someone shifted on one of the beds. "Dean, you've been there for her when no one else was. She knows what she's getting into with you. She's not blind to the life, as much as you wish she was."

"It's not that simple." Dean paused, "I can't mess this up for her. What if..." he cut himself off.

It was in that moment that my consciousness decided it was strong enough to push through the darkness, and as Dean stood from the bed, my fingers weakly wrapped around his hand.

"Eve," He breathed, spinning to face her, his voice a mix of relief and barely veiled guilt. "You're awake."

"Barely." My voice cracked, hoarse and scratchy.

Dean instinctively moved to pull away "Let me get you some water."

My grip faltered for a second, then tightened again. "Wait.." I coughed, then managed a faint smirk. "I heard you think I'm a badass."

Sam chuckled softly in the background, Dean's eyes darting swiftly to him before returning to me. His mouth twitched like he wanted to smile, but couldn't quite manage it. "She's barely awake and already calling you out, Dean."

Dean glared half-heartedly at Sam before looking back at me. "Yeah, well... Don't let it go to your head." his voice softened, "You scared the hell out of me."

My brain finally caught up with the situation. I was looking at Dean, was hearing Sam's quiet chuckle in the background- but something was wrong. I blinked a few times, the haze in my mind slowly lifting, and a sharp realization hit me.

"Wait.." My gaze darted around the room, trying to see through Dean. "Where's Bri?"

Dean's brow furrowed instantly, his grip on my hand tightening as if he could anchor me in place. "She's fine." His voice was steady, but the way his eyes flickered to the other queen sized bed told me that he understood my panic. "She's with Sam."

I craned my neck, ignoring the throbbing ache in my body, and finally spotted her small form curled up, cuddling Sam. I sighed in relief, laying back down.

"...I don't know how to thank you." I winced at the pain again as I attempted to smile, but failed.

"It was noth -" He started, but I interacted by squeezing his hand.

"It wasn't nothing," I spoke low, glaring up at his downplaying. "It was everything, if you hadn't have come for me he would have -"

"- don't think about that." Dean spoke, taking my right cheek and beaming into my eyes. "I'm here, and I won't let anything like that ever happen to you again."

That familiar heat, that I now found so much comfort in, rose between us as he leaned down pressing his lips against my forehead. I leaned up onto my elbows, wincing in pain, but lifting my head slightly, our noses touching, our lips just a kiss away. I could feel his body heat radiating between mine, and it felt so fitting.

He paused, his eyes softening into mine.

I paused, pleading with mine.

His eyes flickered between my eyes and my lips as he watched me make a small nod. I leaned in, preparing myself, but as I leaned in - he hesitated and sounded as if he wanted to say something, but instead just pulled away.

My jaw dropped as I watched him rise off the bed to move across the room to grab some medicine and made an effort to pass me painkillers. I kept my eyes on his, and didn't make a move to take the pills he had in his hand.

When his hand hovered too long, he placed the pills down on the center table before announcing to Sam, while avoiding my eye, "Going to grab breakfast!" Before exiting the room.

A pain tightened in my chest, an embarrassing blush flushed over my cheeks and my jaw dropped at the unexpected behavior. My gaze lingered toward the hotel room door and then they, reluctantly, slid back across the room to Sam, who looked just as shocked as me.

Watching me carefully, he asked, "Did he just -?"

I paused, glaring at the painkillers, glass of water and washcloth on the bedside table, and rolled my neck in an attempt to pop it - which was a mistake because I flinched in pain for that too. "Pull away?" I sighed, voice tinged with frustration. I felt stupid, embarrassed, worthless and confused. "Yeah. He did."

"Eve -" Sam frowned, clearly caught between sympathy and bewilderment.

"Sam, I don't get it. He flirts, he cares, he bought me a drink, hell, he fucking fought to protect me from that asshole.. The moment I finally..." I trailed off, shaking my head. "Was I wrong? Is he not..? Did I move too fast?"

Sam shook his head quickly. "It's not you, Eve. Dean's just..." he hesitated, searching for the right words. "Complicated."

"Complicated?" I almost shouted, but flinched at the flex that pushed against my ribs, causing me to collapse back onto the bed. "Sam, I can't tell if you're trying to defend him or explain him."

He chuckled slightly, the tension between us easing slightly. "A little bit of both."

"Can you do me a huge favor?" I asked, frowning over at Bri. "Can we switch?"

Sam hesitated, his brow furrowing slightly, but he nodded. Gently, he shifted Bri, who rolled over to face the opposite wall, pulling the blankets tighter around her.

"Thank you." I winced as Sam carefully pulled the blankets off me and scooped me up. His movements were soft but efficient, and he placed me in his warm spot next to Bri.

"She'll wake up happy," Sam said, his voice just above a whisper, as he helped adjust the blankets around me.

"I can't..." I started, my gaze drifting toward Dean's unmade bed

"...I get it." Sam followed my line of sight, his expression dropping. "I don't have an excuse, Eve. If he was waiting for his moment-"

"- that was it." We finished in unison. I flinched, half-smiling at the small giggle that slipped from me despite the pain.

A heavy silence hung between us. I stared at the ceiling, lost in thought before whispering to Sam as he settled into Dean's place on the other bed.

"Sometimes, I tell myself that maybe I should just stop hoping." My voice cracked slightly as I turned onto my side, facing Bri's back. Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to spill. I didn't want Sam to see me like this- not when I already felt so small.

Sam said nothing, allowing the silence to stretch on as I shifted deeper into the sheets. Bri stirred next to me, half-asleep, and turned over. Her sleepy smile met mine, and she snuggled up to me, offering comfort without words.

Unfortunately I couldn't stay asleep. When I woke up again, the morning haze filled the room, its brightness irritating my already frazzled nerves. Bri had rolled back toward the window, and the room was silent- emptied of everyone else.

With a heavy sigh, I adjusted the pillows behind me to lean against the headboard. My gaze fell on Dean's unmade bed, my thoughts spiraling as they often did when I was alone.

The stitching on the comforter caught my attention- not that I cared. My mind wasn't on fabric. It was on Dean.

The flirting. The care. The way we looked at each other. The unspoken acknowledgement of feelings neither of us dared to name.

He'd bought me a drink. Twice. That's a date, right?

He saved me. He cared for me. And then...

I flinched as my body reminded me of last night's pain.

And yet, when I finally made a move- when I tried to kiss him- he pulled away.

Tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them. My chest ached, the tightness unbearable.

A sharp inhale to my right startled me, and I quickly wiped at my face. Bri was stirring, adjusting her pillows to mirror my position. But something about her rapid breathing and trembling movements made me pause, concerned about replacing my self-pity.

I sighed heavily, glaring over at the unmade bed of Dean's, and as I scanned the room my eyes remained solid on the edge of the bed.

"Bri?!" I gasped, my eyes catching the fresh bruises marring her skin. "What the fuck-?"

"Jared," Her voice was clipped, and she flinched as she tried to adjust her hip.

She gestured toward me, but before she could continue, I cut her off.

"I know you know... Nick." I nodded, and we both let the room settle into a heavy silence, the weight of the previous night pressing down on us.

Finally, Bri broke the quiet. "Do you mind telling me why my human furnace isn't beside me?" her attempt at a giggle was half-hearted, and her easing tone quickly faded as her eyes locked onto mine. "Eve, what's wrong?"

I sighed, the heaviness returning. "... It's just.. Dean."

Bri raised an eyebrow, her expression hardening. "Nick beat the hell out of you last night," she began, her voice firm. "Dean beat the hell out of Nick for you, carried you to the Impala, then up to this room, and took care of you all night- and you're still iffy about him?"

Her tone sharpened, but I shook my head. "I tried to kiss him, and he pulled away," I blurted out, the words escaping before I could stop them.