Heart of a Hunter

22. Every Mile, Every Moment

Sam's POV:

The hum of the Impala's engine filled the quiet space around us, a steady rhythm that always seemed to calm me. The early morning sun filtered through the windows, casting soft golden light over everything—over Blair, sitting next to me, her red hair catching the light just right, making her look like something out of a dream. Dean had already dozed off in the back, his usual sarcasm giving way to light snores. For once, it felt like we had a few hours of peace ahead of us.

And with Blair sitting so close, her hand resting on her thigh, just inches from mine, it felt like there was something else in the air. Something heavy and sweet, the kind of feeling that wrapped around your chest and made it hard to focus on anything but her.

I glanced over at her, my heart skipping a beat when our eyes met. She was watching me, her lips curled into a soft smile that made everything inside me still. It wasn't just the beauty of her face—it was everything behind it. Everything we'd been through together, everything that connected us in ways I'd never been able to explain. The way she made me feel like I could stop running, stop fighting just long enough to breathe.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes sparkling as she whispered, "What?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "Nothing," I said softly, my fingers brushing against hers as they rested between us. "I just... I can't believe you're here. With me."

Blair's smile widened, and she leaned closer, resting her head against my shoulder. Her warmth settled into me, and I breathed her in, feeling the way her presence seemed to ease the tension that always hung around my chest.

"I'm always with you, Sam," she whispered, her voice soft but full of meaning. "No matter what happens, I'll always be with you."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with the weight of her words. I wasn't used to feeling this way—to having someone who was there for me in the way Blair was. I'd spent so much of my life on the road, always focused on the next hunt, the next fight. I'd lost people I loved, and somewhere along the way, I'd convinced myself that maybe it was safer to be alone. Safer to keep my heart closed off, protected.

But Blair had broken through that. From the moment we met, something inside me had shifted, and now, with every passing moment, I could feel it deepening. This wasn't just a fleeting feeling. This was real. She was real. And I loved her.

I reached out, my fingers intertwining with hers, and when she squeezed my hand in return, the simple gesture sent a surge of warmth through me. "I love you, Blair," I said, the words coming out softer than I'd intended, but they were heavy with everything I felt for her. "I don't think I've ever loved anyone the way I love you."

Blair lifted her head, her eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The road stretched out ahead of us, but I wasn't thinking about where we were going or what we'd find in Nebraska. I wasn't thinking about the Arcani or the danger waiting for us.

I was thinking about her. About how every time she looked at me like that, like I was her whole world, it felt like I'd finally found something worth fighting for that had nothing to do with monsters or saving the world.

"I love you too, Sam," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "More than I ever thought possible."

I leaned in, brushing a soft kiss against her lips, and for a moment, it felt like the world had stopped spinning. Her hand came up to cup my face, her fingers brushing lightly against the stubble on my jaw, and I could feel the tenderness in her touch—the way she cared for me, the way she trusted me. The way she loved me.

I looked at the road stretching out in front of us, the adventure ahead uncertain. I felt steady, I felt like all the puzzle pieces in my life that had been so scattered, were finally fitting together in the correct way.

"I don't deserve you," I whispered,  my hand still holding hers tightly. "But I'm so damn grateful you're here."

Blair shook her head, her hand gently brushing through my hair. "You do deserve this, Sam. You deserve to be happy."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and  I let the weight of them settle in my chest. She believed in me—in a way no one else ever really had. She believed I deserved love, happiness, something more than just a life of fighting and loss.

And maybe, with her, I could start to believe that too.

The sound of Dean stirring in the backseat broke the moment, and Blair lifted her head slightly, her lips quirking into a smile as she glanced back at him. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty's waking up," she whispered, her voice full of warmth.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "He's going to make a joke about this, you know."

Blair grinned, leaning in to kiss me one more time before settling back into her seat. "Let him. I don't care."

Dean let out a loud yawn, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, blinking blearily at us. "Man, you two are worse than a Hallmark movie," he muttered, though there was a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Seriously, I'm gonna get cavities from all this sweetness."

I shot him a look in the rearview mirror, but Blair just laughed, her hand slipping back into mine. "Get used to it, Dean," she said, her voice light. "Because I don't plan on letting him go."

Dean snorted, leaning back against the seat. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't make out while I'm back here trying to sleep. Some of us need to rest before the next apocalypse."

I rolled my eyes, but my smile didn't fade. Dean's teasing couldn't touch the way I felt right now—like I was holding the most important thing in my life right next to me.

As the miles stretched out ahead of us, the tension that had been weighing down on me since the moment we'd left the motel seemed to lift. There was still danger ahead, still so much we didn't know about the Arcani or what they wanted with Blair, but for the first time in a long time, I wasn't afraid.

Because I had her. And that was all I needed.

Blair squeezed my hand, her thumb brushing softly against my skin, and I glanced over at her, feeling my heart swell with love. She smiled at me, that soft, sweet smile that I'd come to love more than anything else in this world.

I knew one thing for sure: no matter what was waiting for us in Nebraska, no matter what the Arcani had planned, we would be completely okay. As long as we had each other.