A Fresh Start (Book 6 Arrow/SPN Series)

Picking Up Where You Left Off - End

It's funny how hearing something you really never have rocks your world. I knew people had loved me over the years, people who don't love you don't throw themselves in front of bullets and demons, rebel against Heaven to save your ass a few times or take you in when you have nowhere else to go after your brother jumps into Lucifer's cage. Hearing it from her was different, maybe because it had taken so long for her to say it or for me to be ready to hear it. I won't say that the guilt and crap I've carried for years fell away and disappeared, because it didn't. It was just a lot less important. The only thing that mattered was her and the potential for an us somewhere in the future. I've kissed a lot of women in my life, none of those kisses felt like this one did. I didn't want it to end, didn't want to take it anywhere else, go any further. We didn't need to, the physical stuff we'd already done plenty of times, this was all new.

Unfortunately, at some point you have to breathe. The kiss stopped but our lips were still touching, just enough to send sparks down my spine.

She let out this really low, breathy chuckle. "Well, that was different."

"I kind of like different." I went in for another one, which was just as good as the first one but the rest of my body was catching up to my emotions, which I really didn't want so I broke it off. That threw her off.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

She got this quizzical look on her face and laid the back of her hand against my forehead, "You must be coming down with something."

"Smart ass. I'm fine." I kicked off my shoes, pulled off my shirt, laid back down, got my arm under her, pulled her as close as I could and gave her another kiss. "Get some rest, you still look wiped out."

"I'm not that wiped out," She took a good long look at me and I saw her get it, "Course, you've had a long day too haven't you."

"You know, you can't really build up a tolerance to having your soul or spirit pulled out of you and shoved back in. It's not like cardio, it doesn't get easier the more you do it."

"Huh, that never came up in the lore books I read."

I laughed. "So we're taking a shot at this then?"

She nestled up against me and closed her eyes. "I told you I love you. What do you think?"

"I think you're going to have to keep me in check when I run across the people who have issues with us."

"Us? It really is a day of firsts for you isn't it?"

"Yeah, trying to get them all out the way quick. Sort of like jumping into a cold lake."

Her hand went to that spot that she's the only one to have ever found and the idea of cold left my brain pretty fast. "Once you get used to it though, that's when the fun starts."

"I'll remember that. I have a place now. How do you want to do this? Your place or mine?"

"I have to go back home. I've already been on the road for a few weeks. You decide." I felt a kiss on my ribs, then she moved her hand and relaxed. It didn't take all that long for her to go sleep and I drifted off to the sound of her breathing.

I woke up a few hours later, she'd rolled away from me but was still asleep. I grabbed my phone and texted Sam, "You up? Need to talk. There, I said it. Happy?"

It took a minute or two but he texted back, "Coyote? Why are you on Dean's phone?"

"Shut up jerk."

"Bitch. Get over here."

I wrote a note telling her where I was and why, got dressed and headed upstairs. He had the door open before I even got there. "Hey."

"Hey, Roy pass out?"