Bound By Fire

3 Bound By Fire

The room was still, the only sound was the steady rhythm of Dean's breathing, matching the pounding of my heart. My whole body was buzzing with the shock of what had just happened- of how close we'd come to something neither of us could fully understand. And then there was Dean, kneeling beside me, his eyes scanning mine, looking for something, anything, to reassure him I was okay.

He had no idea what he'd just done to me. Not the thing with the shadow- no, that was terrifying in its own right- but the other thing, the weight of his body protecting mine, the feel of him so close. How his words lingered in my ears: I'm not letting it take you.

"Are you okay?" His voice was husky, barely steady as he reached out, his fingers brushing my arm. The contact sent sparks through me, something electric that I couldn't shake.

"I'm fine." I lied, though I wasn't sure what part of me I was talking about. Physically? Sure, I was in one piece. But emotionally? I felt like I'd just walked into a storm with no way out.

Dean must've seen through it. He aways did. "Stella, talk to me." He urged, sitting down beside me, the heat of his body an unspoken comfort in the cold air. "You don't have to pretend you're okay." 

I wanted to tell him I was fine. That I could handle it, that I didn't need him to worry. But the words stuck in my throat. After everything that had just happened, the last thing I wanted was to push him away. Not now. Not when I needed him more than ever.

Instead, I turned to face him, our knees nearly touching. "Dean," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. "I've been running for days, and I don't even know what this thing is. I don't know why it's after me."

Dean's face softened, the sharp edges of his hunter's demeanor fading for just a moment. "You don't have to face it alone. I told you, we'll figure it out. I'm not letting you deal with this on your own." 

I nodded, trying to believe him. But the fear, the uncertainty, it was still there, gnawing at the edges of my mind. "What if it's too strong, Dean? What if we can't stop it?"

Dean shifted, turning fully toward me, his hand coming to rest on mine. The warmth of his touch spread through me, calming the tremors running through my body. "You don't know me very well if you think I'm going to let some shadow take you." His voice low and full of promise

I stared at him, taking in the intensity of his gaze. There was something different in the way he looked at me now, something deeper than the usual protectiveness I'd come to expect from him. Something raw. Vulnerable, even.

For years, we'd danced around whatever this was between us. Unspoken feelings, glances that lingered too long, moments where the air felt thick with something we couldn't name. But after tonight, after him throwing himself in front of me to face down a shadow of pure darkness, there was no denying it.

"Dean..." I started, not sure where to begin. How do you tell someone you've spent years ignoring, what's been right in front of you? How do you tell them you've been too scared to admit how you really feel, because once you do, there's no turning back?

He leaned in closer, his hand tightening around mine, as if he could sense what I was about to say. "Stel, you don't have to say anything." He murmured, his voice soft but steady. "I've known for a while."

My breath hitched, and I looked up at him, feeling the words hang between us.
"Known what?"

Dean exhaled slowly, his thumb brushing across the back of my hand. "That it's not just about the job with us. It's not just about keeping you safe." His eyes flickered with something raw, something I hadn't seen before. "I care about you Stella. More than I should."

The admission hit me like a punch to the chest, and suddenly, all the tension, all the fear, melted away, replaced by the weight of the truth I'd been avoiding for years.

I cared about him too. More than I should've.

I could've pretended it wasn't true, pushed it aside like I always had, but after tonight, there was no denying it anymore. This thing between us, whatever it was, had always been there. Lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to break free. 

And now, we were here.

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest. "I care about you too, Dean. More than I should."

For a moment, the air between us felt heavy with everything we hadn't said over the years. The late-night phone calls, the times he'd shown up out of the blue to help me out of whatever mess I'd gotten myself into, the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention. All of it led us here, to this moment.

Dean didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. The way his eyes softened, the way he leaned just a little closer, was enough. The unspoken connection between us was stronger than ever, as real as the pounding of my heart in my chest. 

Without thinking, I closed the distance between us. My lips met his, soft at first, testing the waters of something we both knew we wanted but had been too scared to reach for.

The moment our lips touched, it was like something inside me clicked into place. His hands found my face, pulling me closer, the kiss deepening with each passing second. It wasn't rushed or frantic. It was something else- something inevitable. Like we were finally where we were meant to be.

When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathing hard, his forehead resting against mine. Neither of us spoke, but the silence between us was filled with understanding. This was real. This was happening.

But before either of us could say anything, the room shifted again. The air grew cold, and that familiar, oppressive presence slithered back into the space, stronger this time. The shadow hadn't left. It had just been waiting.

"We're not done yet," He muttered, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of the entity.

I stood, my heart still pounding from the kiss and the rising fear. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't giving up. It was still coming for me. And now, after what had just happened between us, I knew Dean wasn't just fighting for my life- he was fighting for something far more precious.

Us

To be continued...