11: The Space Between

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                                              Sam's POV:

After Dean's relentless teasing died down, the night settled into a comfortable silence. The room was dimly lit by the single lamp on the nightstand, casting a soft glow over the worn-out furniture and faded wallpaper. I could hear the faint sound of the rain still falling outside, tapping gently against the windows. Dean had gone out to the bar down the street and would probably not be back until the sun started to come up.

Blair was sitting on the edge of her bed, fidgeting with the hem of my jacket, her fingers brushing the fabric absently. I could tell she was still processing everything that had happened—the kiss, Dean's teasing, the weight of what we were dealing with—but there was something calmer about her now. Less tension in her shoulders. Less fear in her eyes.

I wasn't sure how much of that had to do with the kiss, but whatever it was, she didn't seem quite as trapped in her own mind. And I wasn't sure what that meant for us—for what was happening between us—but I knew I didn't want to let it slip away.

"Sam?"

Her voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to find Blair looking up at me, her green eyes soft but uncertain, like she was trying to figure out how to say something but wasn't sure how I'd respond.

I swallowed, trying to push past the nervous energy that had settled in my chest. "Yeah?"

She bit her lip "Do you... I mean, would you stay? With me?"

The words hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. She didn't need to explain what she was asking. I understood. And my heart did this strange, stuttering thing in my chest, like it couldn't quite catch up to the moment.

I hesitated, glancing from Blair to the bed and back again. It wasn't that I didn't want to—because God, I did. But there was a lot between us now, more than just the kiss. There was the pain she was carrying, the grief she was still wading through, and I didn't want to rush into something she wasn't ready for. I didn't want her to feel like I was here out of some sense of obligation or pity.

But the way she was looking at me, the quiet vulnerability in her eyes, told me that this was something she wanted. Maybe something she needed.

And the truth was, I needed her too.

"Blair," I said softly, moving to sit beside her on the bed. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, her gaze steady, though I could see the faintest hint of hesitation in her eyes. "I just... I don't want to be alone tonight. I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night and... and feel like I'm back there again."

The words hit me hard, and I understood exactly what she meant. Those nights when the nightmares were too real, too close, and waking up alone felt like the worst thing in the world. I'd had plenty of those nights after losing Jess, and I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

Without thinking, I reached out and took her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I'll stay," I said quietly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Blair let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder. The contact felt natural, like it had been a long time coming. I turned my head slightly, inhaling the faint scent of her hair—something soft and familiar, like lavender and rain.

For a while, we just sat there, the steady rhythm of our breathing filling the space between us. I could feel her body relaxing more against mine, and it was like some of the tension in my own chest started to unravel too. This wasn't just about physical comfort; it was about being close, about sharing something we both needed.

Eventually, Blair pulled back slightly, looking up at me with an expression that made my heart skip. "Sam," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rain. "I—"

But before she could finish, I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that was softer than before, slower. There was no urgency, no rush. Just the quiet, steady warmth of her mouth against mine, like we had all the time in the world.

Blair responded immediately, her hands sliding up to cup my face as she deepened the kiss, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The weight of her grief, the constant danger that always seemed to loom over us—it all disappeared in the warmth of that kiss.

When we pulled apart, both of us were breathing hard, our foreheads resting together, our fingers still entwined. Her eyes searched mine, and for a second, I could see everything she wasn't saying—her fears, her hopes, her need to feel something other than loss.

I gently brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering at the side of her face. "We don't have to rush this," I whispered, my voice low. "Whatever happens, it's on your terms."

She gave me a small, shaky smile, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. "I know," she whispered back. "But I want this, Sam. I want you."

Her words sent a jolt of warmth through me, and before I could think twice, I leaned in again, capturing her lips in another kiss. This time, it was deeper, more intense, and I could feel Blair's body responding to mine as she pressed herself closer. Her hands tangled in my hair, pulling me down toward her, and before I knew it, we were lying back on the bed, our bodies moving together as if we'd done this a thousand times before.

Every touch, every kiss, felt like a promise. A way of telling each other that we weren't alone anymore, that we had found something in the middle of all this chaos that was worth holding on to.

I wasn't thinking about what would happen tomorrow or what it all meant. Right now, all I cared about was Blair—about the way she fit perfectly against me, about the soft sound of her breath in my ear, about the way her hands gripped me like she didn't want to let go.

And I didn't want her to.

Eventually, we lay there together, the storm outside fading into the background as the warmth of her body settled against mine. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, her breathing soft and steady.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, my arms wrapped tightly around her as she curled into me. For the first time in a long time, the world didn't feel so heavy.

And as I closed my eyes, I knew that no matter what happened next, we would face it together.

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