𝔑adia's thoughts spun as guilt gnawed at her. She hadn't been honest with Pamela about what she'd seen and heard, and the consequences had been devastating. Pamela's melted eyes haunted her—a memory that even the sterile lights of the hospital couldn't shake. She'd gone with Bobby to see her friend, but all the doctors could do was clean and bandage Pamela's empty sockets. The outcome was final: Pamela was blind, facing an entirely new reality.
"She's in ICU," Nadia told Dean over the phone, her voice hushed in the echoing waiting room. She paced slowly, stepping on the beams of light spilling across the tiles. "Bobby's with her now."
Dean sighed, heavy with regret. "I'm so sorry, Nadia."
"It's not your fault."
"Feels like it is. Whatever's happening is because of me, and I see it's hurting you too. I feel bad for pushing you to come along on this."
"You don't need to apologize," she replied. "This... it's not new for me. It's been following me for years. Bobby was right; maybe it's time I face it. Besides, I couldn't have just walked away—not after thinking I'd never see you again."
She could almost hear his grin.
"You know, before I kicked the bucket, I thought about you a lot," he admitted.
"Oh yeah?" she smiled.
"Yeah. Had three weeks to live, odds were bleak, and your dad told me it was pointless, but you... you kept me going. Coming back to see you, it felt like coming full circle."
Nadia nodded, feeling the weight of his words. "I get you, Batman."
Dean laughed softly. "Guess that means we're officially a team."
"Yeah," she replied with a small, worried smile. Even as close as they were, Nadia knew now wasn't the time for deep connections—not with everything so dangerously unstable. Flirting with Dean felt like tempting fate, and if she was honest with herself, walking away might be the safest option in the end. Still, her heart kept pulling her back.
"Hey, Bobby's back. I'll keep you posted. Bye, Dean." She hung up as Bobby reentered. "How's she doing?"
"She's stable, resting," he said quietly.
"I'd like to see her," she replied, and Bobby led her through the labyrinthine hallways to the ICU.
When Nadia entered the dim room, her breath hitched at the sight of Pamela lying unconscious. Her chest rose and fell steadily, but her face, wrapped in gauze over her eyes, was a cruel reminder of what had happened. Nadia bit her lip, devastated.
"Oh, Pam," she whispered, taking her friend's hand.
"She'll be all right," Bobby said from the other side of the bed. "Bitter as hell, but if anyone can make the most out of a mess like this, it's Pamela Barnes."
Nadia forced a smile, but it faded as the memories replayed in her mind. "Damn it," she muttered, turning away.
"Nadie, you can't blame yourself. Pamela—"
"I lied," Nadia cut him off. "When I touched Dean's arm, I heard his name—Castiel—and I saw his eyes, though I couldn't see his face."
Bobby's brows shot up. "What?"
"And at that store after we found Dean... I felt something. Whatever hit that place, I couldn't hear it, but I knew it was there."
"Why didn't you say something?" Bobby asked, his voice a low whisper of disbelief.
"Because I knew you'd have questions I couldn't answer. I thought I was just losing it again. Maybe my meds were wearing off, and it was another episode."
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Fighter: Dean Winchester (REVAMPED VERSION)
FanfictionWhen Dean Winchester finds himself at the mercy of Bella Talbot, desperate for information that might save his soul, he crosses paths with Nadia Turner-the strong-willed, fiercely independent daughter of hunter Rufus Turner. Though the connection be...