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Dean
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I woke up when Erin started whimpering in her sleep. I shifted her gently, trying not to fully wake her up, but to just help her break out of the nightmare. She stopped, the frown smoothing from her face and she made a contented noise in the back of her throat and cuddled closer into me, splaying her hand over my chest.

I was awake now, just laying there holding her, with no clue what in the hell I did to get to touch someone like her. She was gentle and kind but below that she was so strong. Every time my skin touched hers she was stuck with all the fucked up shit in my head, but here she was. I leaned down and pressed my lips against her hair.

I shouldn't have done this, Bobby was right, she was a job, and as time went by I could see more and more how impossible it was to keep her from Yellow Eyes. So many damn people had died and I couldn't do anything to stop it, I didn't know what I could do to protect her.

I tightened my grip on her and she snuggled deeper into my arms, pressing her face against my chest. She frowned and I wondered if she felt it. If my restlessness somehow transferred through skin to skin. Was that an emotion?

She shifted and blinked her sleepy eyes open. "Dean?" She asked.

"Shh," I soothed, running a hand up and down her smooth back. "Sleep baby," I whispered into her hair, wishing I could make this moment last.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Too early," I assured her. "We'll get on the road on the morning."

She shook her head with a frown. "I dreamt about him again," she told me in a small voice.

I tightened my arms around her. "They can't get in," I promised. I wanted her to feel safe at least for now, because once we left this room I didn't know if I could keep her safe from the demon. No one had been able to stop him yet. Hell, my old man had dedicated himself to hunting down that bastard but it hadn't done any good.

Erin shifted again, half asleep and I knew it was because of my shit. I slipped out of bed, pulling the blankets around her, she didn't need to feel all the ugly shit in my head. The clock told me it was a little before five a.m. I took a shower and got dressed before I woke her up.

It was still dark, fall in Minnesota meant the sun wouldn't be up for a while. Erin rolled towards me when I laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake. "Beckett," I said in a low voice.

She woke with a smile on her face that I couldn't help feeling pretty smug about. This was normally the time I either slipped out or kicked them out. It had been a long time, probably since Cassie that I actually stuck around after. I had thought I had been in love with Cassie, that she was something special, turns out I just hadn't known what that was.

Erin wasn't like Cassie. Cassie had been no-nonesense and sassy, with an edge to her that would cut if you pushed too hard. But Erin...Erin was kind.

Whether she had always been that kind or if it was a direct result of her superpower I couldn't imagine Erin striking out to hurt anyone's feelings on purpose. And yet, there was that underlying strength to her that I had only caught glimpses of. She wasn't a victim. She faced the demon and stood toe to toe with me against them. She was stronger than even she knew, but it was that gentle kindness that made me feel like I needed to protect her, Even from me, maybe especially from me.

I was such an asshole. I never should have touched her last night but for just once I didn't want to feel like shit after what I needed to do for the job. Erin understood the job, when I broke the truth to Cassie she had called me crazy, cut and run, but Erin grew up around a hunter, and she hadn't blinked when things got hard.

She rubbed at her eyes and yawned as she sat up, lifting the sheet to cover her. I smiled down at her. "We should get on the road," I told her.

She glanced towards the clock and groaned, flopping down on the bed dramatically.

I laughed and slapped her hip playfully. "Grab a shower. I'm going to head across the street and get us coffees," I told her heading towards the door. I shrugged on my leather jacket and looked back at her.

She was laying on the mattress watching me with an impish gleam in her eyes. I literally just stood there and stared at her. She was goddamn gorgeous. Not like the other cheap women I wasted my time with, but genuinely good and beautiful.

She cocked her head to the side as she stared back and a ghost of a smile crossed her face. She pushed herself to her feet and strutted towards me. I had been caught, not just staring, but she had also used her damn super power on me. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my coat, trying to save face, but it was no use. I stared at the sassy sway of her hips as she marched naked towards me. She kissed me and turned to get into the shower.

I stared after her total dumbfounded. I sucked in a breath when she stepped into the bathroom and I was able to think again. I turned to the door and hesitated, turning back around to remind her not to leave or cross the salt lines until I got back.

I opened my mouth but she was already turning back to face me. "I'll stay here," she said.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You said you couldn't read minds," I said again.

She smirked at me. "I can't," she called and closed the bathroom door.

I shook my head. "Liar!" I yelled after her. I heard the shower start and content that she would be safe I ducked out of the room to get us coffee.

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Erin
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The drive to North Dakota was fairy uneventful. I don't know what exactly I had expected from Dean after the night before. Every other time I had slept with a guy it had been an awkward disaster, but Dean acted as though nothing had changed between us. I had kept my walls down just to be sure, but had felt nothing from him but desire, affection and concern for my safety.

When we pulled into Kulm Dean drove down the street straight to the witches house. I felt like so much had changed since we were here last even though it had only been a few days. As we neared her house I could feel Dean focusing and winding up, his emotions shifting to harden wariness and apprehension. He was separating himself, settling into The Hunter as we approached a potential threat. I understood and did the same.

Dean parked on the street and climbed out. He let me walk ahead of him, keeping his eyes on the road. He rested a hand against my low back as we made our way up the front walk. It was sweet, and even though I couldn't feel his emotions through my clothes I knew it was his way of reassuring me. I knocked on the door.

The door cracked open, stopping just a few inches as the chain caught. The witch peered out through the small opening and blew out a frustrated sigh. "You again?" she huffed.

"You seem surprised to see us," Dean said turning his focus off the street to the witch in front of us. He flashed her a dangerous smile.

The witch pulled back slightly, fear flickering in her eyes. "I'm not psychic," she said her voice tight with tension.

"We need another set of hex bags," he said.

She arched her brows, her surprise making her bolder. "Those didn't last long," she said. "Must be one hell of a story."

Dean pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and flashed it to her. "I trust we don't need to get into the story," he said carefully.

She snorted but nodded in agreement as she reached out for the bills. Dean pulled them back and made a show of counting some off and handing her half. She grunted in annoyance but didn't seem surprised. "Come back and see me tomorrow morning," she said gruffly.

"No sooner?" Dean pushed. He shifted his weight and the back of his hand accidentally brushed mine. I could feel how badly he wanted to get out of this town, and how worried he was about being in one place. It reminded me how easily the demons had found us before we had the hex bags and I swallowed wrapping my arms around my torso.

Neither one of them were paying attention to me however, the witch scowled at Dean through the chain on her door. It seemed off to me that she would have the door chained in a sleepy little town in the middle of the day.

"You know how to make hex bags?" She snapped. "I need the moon," she said gesturing at the sky.

I glanced back and forth between them. "It's not like the moon goes away," I said calmly.

Both of them turned to stare at me like I had lost my mind. "You just can't see it during the day," I pointed out.

The witch stared at me for a long time, her face thoughtful. Then she pinched her face up in frustration and she huffed and turned. "Give me two hours." She said and she slammed the door in our faces.

Dean led the way back down the walk to the car. "Good thinking Beckett."

I nodded, worrying my lip with my teeth. "Hopefully it won't affect the strength of the bags," I said, worrying I maybe shouldn't have opened my big mouth about it.

Dean and I went back to the impala. His jaw was set and he seemed tense as he looked up and down the road.

"You okay?" I asked.

He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "Your superpower broken?" He teased.

I rolled my eyes. "No, it's just someone pointed out that it's not exactly polite," I reminded him as we climbed into the car.

He chuckled but I could still see the tension in his shoulders and his hands as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Dean," I said gently and he startled from his thoughts and looked back at me.

He pressed his lips together grimly, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he thought. "Do you remember the nightmares you had last night?" He asked.

I frowned, pulling back in surprise. "No," I said honestly. I felt like I had slept better last night than I had in ages. I had no memories of nightmares.

Dean nodded. "I wasn't sure if you would," he told me. "You were pretty out."

"I wonder why," I teased gently.

He smiled, despite himself but when he looked back at me there was real concern on his face. "You said you dreamed of the demon again. Which means he's looking for you."

I nodded, pinching my lips together. I had been cavalier about my use of my power today. I tried to think how much time I had spent with my walls down outside a ring of salt.

Maybe it should have bothered me more that I didn't remember the dream, but I could find it in me to begrudge is the night we had shared. Even if it only ended up being that one night. I knew Dean and knew his type. But sleeping next to Dean had been incredibly soothing. I honestly had not felt so safe and relaxed since I was little. I didn't know how to explain it. I felt like I should thank him somehow, but I wasn't sure how to explain it to him in a way he would understand. It wasn't necessarily anything he had done it was just intrinsically who he was. There was something to his aura, something he put off that made me feel incredibly safe. It was soothing to me, but I couldn't explain it. I think from the outside of the two brothers most would assume Sam would make someone feel that way, but his energy, his aura or whatever people called it didn't appeal to me. Not the way Dean did.

I swallowed and turned back to Dean who was lost in his own thoughts. "So..." I said tightly. "We have a couple hours to kill..."

Dean nodded and started the car, the impala rumbled to life. "Let's get some food," he said and he drove the two blocks to the only cafe in town.

We sat in the small town cafe and ate lunch, but all the while Dean was tense. His focus on the door and his eyes running over the other patrons. As much as he claimed to not be worried, it was painfully obvious to me he thought the demon was hunting me again now that I didn't have protection. For my part I kept my power entirely contained and went to great lengths to make sure I didn't touch anyone.

Exactly two hours later we were standing back on the witches doorstep. She scowled at Dean, and didn't invite us in. She held out her hand but instead of handing over the money he just raised is eyebrows. The witch scowled again but she handed over the hex bags to me.

Dean handed over the stack of money he had earned the night before. She counted it in front of him and nodded.

Dean turned putting a hand on my low back to guide me back down the walk. He seemed to exhale now that the hex bags were in my hands.

"Hunter," she called after him. Dean turned and she met his gaze unwaveringly. "Don't darken my door again. You bring death," and she slammed the door.

Dean stiffened but he didn't argue. I felt a flare of an emotion I couldn't quite name before it was gone, swallowed up in his rigid self control. Despite having the hex bags I didn't push for more information. I knew how much something like that could hurt and Dean didn't need me eavesdropping on him.

We climbed into the car and I slid one bag in my pocket and one in my stuff in the backseat. I blew out a relieved sigh and stared out the windshield at the ribbon of road that spread out in front of us to the horizon. I would never get used to how flat it was here, how desolate.

I tried not to take the witches words to heart, but the fact of the matter was, I knew the truth. It wasn't Dean who brought death, it was me. Everyone I had allowed myself to be close to in the last few years, hell maybe my entire life, had ended up dead. 

Dean glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as he drove us out of town but he didn't ask what was wrong. I truly appreciated that. I didn't want to have to explain myself. Not yet, not until I worked it all out in my head.  But with the witches words echoing over and over I knew we couldn't keep up the way we had. We had to come up with a plan instead of just reacting.

Dean shifted and pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. He hit one of the buttons on speed-dial and held it up to his ear. He swore when it kept ringing and voicemail finally picked up.

"Sammy, it's me, answer your damn phone," he called into it and he flipped it closed. He flipped it back open with a practiced snap of his wrist and he held down the next speed dial button. This time it was answered on the second ring.

"Bobby," he said by way of greeting. "Where are you guys? Where's Sammy?" Dean asked without waiting for Bobby to say a word.

His tone was sharp and I could see how worried he was about his brother. I felt guilty. I was the reason he had been separated from his brother so much lately. Dean cared deeply for his brother and took his safety as a personal mission. I couldn't imagine having someone care for me in the way Dean did for Sam. Not even Jack. He had protected me and cared for me, but Dean and Sam watched each others backs no matter what.

Dean exhaled a breath of relief and I raised my eyebrows at him, asking what was going on. He nodded and held the phone away from his face, turning it on speaker.

"You're on speaker here too," he said quickly.

I wondered if there were things he was worried about them saying that I might overhear. I couldn't imagine what it might be.

"What did you guys find?" Dean asked.

"A whole lot of dead bodies," Bobby replied gruffly.

Sam cleared his throat. "It's strange, we came down here for the one and three more showed up, exact same MO all within a day or so of our arrival," Sam explained.

I could feel Dean's suspicion but my own was stronger and I frowned, folding my leg up underneath me I shifted so I was closer to the phone as my thoughts raced.

"We did some leg work," Bobby said. "But none of the last ones seemed to have any evidence of being psychic that we could find. If they were, either they didn't know it or their power barely registered," Bobby continued. "It looks like he's scraping the bottom of the barrel with these poor saps."

Sam cleared his throat again and Dean cracked a smile. Something was funny, but I hadn't been around them long enough to know what it was I had missed.

"Is Erin still there?" Sam asked carefully.

"I'm here Sam," I called so I could be heard. I unbuckled my seatbelt and shifted across the seat so I was sitting in the middle, next to Dean.

"Well..." he started to say and he stopped. I could practically feel how uncomfortable he was from here.

Dean glanced at me. Sam didn't want to say what he was thinking outloud. Dean's eyes studied my face for a second before he looked back at the road. "Just spit it out Sammy," Dean said firmly.

Sam paused another second before he exhaled exhaustedly. "So now," Sam said a little uncomfortably. "The question becomes what will Yellow Eyes do now that he has reached the bottom of the barrel so to speak."

Dean tensed, the muscles across his shoulders tightening as his knucled turned white on the wheel. Whatever he had just thought, he didn't like. I was betting it had to do with the fact that I had just started having those dreams again.

"Please tell me y'all got those hex bags," Bobby said after a beat.

"Just picked them up," Dean told them. "We're about a half an hour out of Kulm."

"You just got them?" Bobby asked incredulously. "That Yellow Eyed bastard could be tracking you right now!" he exclaimed. "What in the name of hell took you so long!"

A blush worked it's way up my face and I was sincerely glad we were having this conversation over the phone and not all in person. Dean glanced at me and noticed. A knowing smile twisted his face and he winked at me.

"The witch wasn't going to make them for us in the middle of the night," Dean said smoothly. "Besides I had to make a stop and get some cash," he explained. "She got the bags to us in a couple hours of us being there. We tried pushing for faster but she wasn't having it. She isn't exactly going to win the award for miss congeniality Bobby."

"I never said she would," Bobby said with a huff. "She just happens to be the most powerful witch I know in the tri-state area that will sell her stuff to hunters."

Dean grunted in agreement but didn't push the subject anymore. Hopefully we had seen the last of her. She gave me the creeps.

"Well, if Yellow Eyes is out of options the only thing we can assume is that he'll come back for Beckett," Bobby said after a moment.

"He won't be able to find her," Dean said confidently.

I tangled my hands in my lap. I wished I shared his confidence. Instead I resisted the urge to check the rearview mirror behind us to make sure we weren't being followed. I really wished I hadn't rushed the witch on those hex bags.

"So we're back to square one," Sam said with a huff.

"We need to kill this bastard," Dean said gravely.

"A little complicated without the colt," Bobby said sarcastically.

I frowned, glancing at Dean. I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but I have never heard of anything that could kill a demon.

"Plus we'd have to find him to do that," Sam replied.

"That's easy," I said. "Just get rid of the hex bags and he'll come straight to me."

"No way," Sam said in a rush.

"Not going to happen," Dean said at the same time.

"Something to consider," Bobby muttered and I could feel Dean and Sam's outrage.

"Bobby!" Sam exclaimed.

"I'm just saying-" Bobby stopped himself.

"No," I said quickly before Dean could get mad at him too. "Bobby's right, we can't keep running, and once we find a way to get rid of him, using me as bait to lead him in is the only thing that makes sense."

"No," Dean growled.

I shot him an impatient look. He wasn't being rational. If this was the only way we could get him then it was the obvious choice. I wasn't going to sit by and let more people die.

"All right look," Bobby said quickly taking control of the conversation. "We aren't there yet so there's no point deciding anything today. We'll be back home late tonight. Why don't y'all head that way and get settled. Even with the hex bags the wards will hold. My house is probably the safest place there is while we get this worked out."

"We'll be there in a couple hours," Dean reported and he flipped the phone closed without saying goodbye.

The silence in the Impala was heavy as Dean blasted down the highway. I was tempted to glance at the spedometer but decided I was probably better off not knowing exactly how much faster he was going than the speedlimit. Instead I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes for a nap, praying I wouldn't dream.

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Hello all! I hope you enjoyed the update!