Alive

Chapter 9: That'll Jump Start the Heart

My mind plays tricks on me while I sleep.  I see myself running through the woods as fast as I can.  My throat growing hot and dry as my breathing presses hard and quickly against my insides.

Something is running after me but I don't know what. I'm out of breath.  I just keep running and running and I hear it behind me growling and snarling. Branches hit me in the face as I run and I trip and fall, my body hitting the cold ground, hard.

Suddenly all these creatures are around me and they start to attack me. They stab and scratch at me and I see blood, my blood, splattering.  I then see flashbacks of when I was attacked the night Sam and Dean saved me. I see flashbacks of when I went off Wickery Bridge with my parents in our car, I see myself trapped underwater while my parents slowly die. Suddenly I'm in the woods again, this time I see Klaus. He comes after me, ready to kill me once again.

I'm jerked from my dream and I scream as loud as I can, thankfully waking up from my nightmare, only to realize that I was actually screaming out loud in my sleep. 

I shoot up quickly, breathing heavily as I place my hand over my sweaty chest. "Elena?"  I hear Dean's voice yell from down the hall. The floor boards creek loudly as I hear him and Sam running, bursting out of their bedroom doors and down the hall to my room. My door flies open and they come running in.  My hand goes to my chest again as I try and catch my breath.  "What happened?! Are you okay?!"  Sam yells as he looks at me wide-eyed and in a panic. I look up at both of them with tears in my eyes. Sam is in pajama pants and a black t-shirt, while Dean is shirtless with gray sweat pants on. Dean sits next to me, "What happened—is someone in here?—did something get in?—did you see something?!"  He talks super quickly and frantically. 

I shake my head, "No it was just a nightmare.  I'm sorry I didn't mean to scream out loud it just kind of happened I wasn't awake when I did, I screamed in my dream, and..."  I wipe the sweat off my face with my hands, still breathing heavily.  Dean looks up at Sam.  Sam looks relieved but you can tell he's still worried. "Are you okay?"  Sam asks, looking at Dean and then at me. I nod, finally starting to catch my breath. "I'm fine." I say, laying my hand on my chest and keeping it there. "Are you sure?" He asks.

I nod again, "Yeah, it just scared me."  I say reassuringly. I really am fine. It was just a bad dream. Sam nods.  "Alright, we're both here if you need us."  He says as he walks out of the room.  But Dean stays. Sam goes back into his room, not even noticing that Dean stayed. Dean notices my teary eyes and I watch as his worried expression turns to sympathy. "Elena...what was your nightmare?" He asks as he moves a strand of hair away from my face and behind my ear. I get goosebumps again as his touch immediately soothes me.

I look down and a small tear runs down my cheek.  I look back up at Dean, a little embarrassed to be like this in front of him.  I hate appearing weak in front of the boys. Especially Dean.

He looks as if his heart breaks when he sees the single tear falling—rolling down my cheek.  He wipes my tear with his thumb so gently. I begin to explain. "It was random...I kept seeing flashbacks. Really terrible flashbacks..."  I say as I look down.  Dean places his fingers under my chin and lifts my face back up to look into his eyes. "It's okay, you're okay now. It wasn't real." He says softly. He places his hand on the side of my cheek and I lean my face against it, pressing my hand against his.  "Thank you."  I say quietly as I pull away from him. 

A bird from outside flys away from a tree and it makes a loud noise, making me jump. 

"Shhh shhh it's okay, that was just a bird."  Dean says as he comforts me, seeing how on edge I am.  "Maybe I should stay in here with you a while, at least until you fall asleep.  Would that make you feel better?" Dean asks. I nod quickly, running my hands over my face again. He nods.

He gets up from the bed and closes the door. Then he walks over to the balcony doors and makes sure the curtains are shut. He comes back over to my bed and lays on the other side of me, wrapping his muscular arms around me. I can feel his bare muscles against my skin and the heat radiates from him. He does have his shirt off...and I can't say I don't like it.

I cuddle up into him and we lay back down, sinking into the mattress.  Dean slowly rubs the top of my head...so caringly.  I feel so safe and comfortable in his arms. The smell of his cologne and shower wash meets my nose and it smells so good. I slowly begin to drift into a sleep and his breathing makes his chest go up and down slowly, somehow this comforts me even more. I can hear his heartbeat through his chest as my ear lays against it. I fall right to sleep.

[[ The next morning. ]] [[ "Pull Me Down" -Mikky Ekko]]

I begin to wake up to the smell of coffee and bacon. Mmmmm, the perfect mixture of smells.

I yawn as my eyes slowly open and I see the white ceiling first, the sunlight hardly creeping into my room.

And then I remember.

I freeze, feeling arms wrapped around me. The smell of Deans cologne so close to me. My eyes widen as I realize Dean fell asleep last night and he never left my bed. His strong arms are wrapped around me and we're spooning.  I lightly lift my head and look at his face which is in the crook of my neck.  He's totally in a deep sleep.  Completely out.

He looks so hot, oh my God. He's so attractive when he sleeps and I can't believe he's sleeping with me right now. Oh my God.  I can't believe this is happening right now.  What do I do? I mean of course I'm enjoying this but we haven't even kissed or anything yet oh my gosh. The sun shines brightly through the little cracks of the curtains.  I slowly and softly move, trying to get out of Deans grasp without waking him. 

I turn my face toward him and it's so close to his. As soon as I slide out of his arms he wakes up.  His eyes shoot open and he jumps up.

Dammit.

I freeze in my place, keeping quiet as I wait for him to say something first. "Holy shit. I fell asleep didn't I? I'm so sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything I'm-". I cut him off quickly as soon as I realize where he's going with this sentence, "You definitely didn't make me uncomfortable. If anything I felt super comfortable. And safe." I admit nervously as I get up.

My feet touch the cold floor and it creeks underneath me.  I walk over to the curtains and open them all the way so that the sun shines brightly throughout the room. Dean shields his eyes slightly. "Is Sam making breakfast? It smells awesome." He says. I nod, "I think he is, and he'll yeah it does." I can tell by what he's talking about and how he's carrying himself that he's trying to make this situation less awkward. But the thing is, this isn't awkward for me. 

Is that bad?

He thinks he made me unhappy with sleeping in bed with me but it was literally perfect to me. 

I walk over to the mirror and pull my hair up into a ponytail. I have on my light pink tank top and grey short-shorts. I see Dean watching me.  I smile to myself.  "Wanna go get breakfast?"  I ask.  He looks at me for a minute and then he gets up.  God his body looks so good.  He's ripped and it's perfect.  He smiles, "Sounds good."  He says softly with a hidden grin. He walks past me and out the door into the hallway.  I follow.

I hope to God Sam didn't walk in and try to wake me up or anything only to see Dean in my bed.