The Devil You Know - SPN

Chapter Twenty-One

The Carmen/Dean Fluff Is Strong With This One

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The next town we arrived at was larger than its former but not by much. Empty stores and houses dotted the single lane road that divided the town, thankfully this town had a motel, perhaps one of the worst motels I'd ever stayed in but a motel nonetheless.

Dean pulled into the side of the road, Sam was close behind him in my car, I felt a pang of guilt when I noticed that Sam had driven this whole way in my car for me but forced it down, promising to thank him the moment he was within earshot.

Dean yanked open his door and I followed suit, stumbling out onto the road, my limbs had turned to jelly due to the length of time I'd been sitting in the car. Sam was beside me in an instant, a gentle but supportive hand on my back, I hadn't even noticed him climbing out of the car.

"Thanks," I began, straightening up and turning to face him, "For driving my car, and helping me and, you know, just everything," I added, still delirious from sleep I couldn't help the stream of words flowing from my tired lips. He furrowed his eyebrows as I spoke, seemingly taken aback by my sudden gratitude.

"I should be thanking you," he stated as if he were offended by my words.

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by Dean who sauntered over to us at the worst possible moment, "C'mon guys, I don't wanna stand out here all friggin' night."

I followed Dean into the motel, Sam close behind me. Once we'd arrived at our rooms I bid the boys goodnight and wrenched open the door, practically collapsing into the dirty motel room.

I flicked on a light, the yellow glow of the bulb illuminating the dirty room. The pungent smell of damp carpet wafted up to my nose, I winced, at least the bed was made, nice white sheets pulled tight against the undoubtedly lumpy mattress.

I threw my bag to the ground and tugged off my jeans, not bothering to shower. I pulled on a shirt, too tired to attempt pants as well and crawled into the soft cocoon of the sheets.

I was asleep instantly.

-

She stood in front of me, the moonlight reflecting off her black eyes. Her blond cropped hair hung haphazardly around her face only further accentuating the sickly smile that danced across her sharp features. My eyes dropped to her hands, lifted up in a fighting stance, with one she was firmly squeezing the hilt of a blade, with the other; my locket.

"Give it to me," I began, holding out my left hand and trying my hardest to disguise the tremor that shot up my spine the closer she got to me.

"Say pretty please," She taunted, her smile only growing and her fist around my locket tightening.

I threw myself at her, extending my arms and locking my fingers around her neck. She threw me off as soon as I was on her, despite my iron grip and laughed deeply, the sound alone send imperceptible tremors up my body.

"Look's like you'll need to try harder," she jeered again, I attempted to lunge at her but she jerked her arm forward, the blade enclosed in her hand sinking into the flesh of my stomach. I felt it bury itself inside me, sharp pain shooting up my spine. The world around me seemed to melt away, the park we'd been standing it shifted into a room. The walls decorated with smiling family photos, and a long chaise lounge that adorned the wall nearest to me.

On the furthest side of the lounge sat a man, I couldn't quite recognize him but there was something about his piercing green eyes that seemed familiar. He twisted slightly, revealing a child in his arms, the baby sported the same piercing green eyes but atop its head was an unruly clump of chestnut brown hair - much like my own.

Before I could fully focus on the man and his child a hand enclosed around my throat and the picture changed again, I was still on my knees my hands clinging desperately the hilt of the blade as blood flowed out of the gushing wound but now I was in Bobby's house.

A man I didn't recognize with dark, near black eyes hand his hand wrapped around my throat and his lip curled in disgust.

"Look at you, pathetic. The mother of the chosen?" He scoffed as if it were meant to offend me, "If they meant to make it hard to kill you, they failed."

His snarl shifted into a sickly grin as he reached down to the blade still plunged into my stomach and wrapped his slender fingers around the hilt. He gave it a sharp twist, eliciting a scream from me and seeing this as some kind of sign to continue, he twisted it further.

White hot pain shot up my spine, blinding me. It felt as if every inch of my body were on fire as if acid had replaced my blood and was flowing freely through my veins, scorching every part of me it touched.

"Car! Car, you're alright," a familiar voice soothed as the burning picture of my dream faded into my subconscious and was replaced with two familiar green eyes leaning over me, the epitome of worry.

"Dean," I breathed, moving to sit up but I was stopped by a throbbing in my head.

"You just started screaming, I ran over as fast as I could," Dean continued, the frown between his eyebrows deepening as he spoke.

"Good thing I forgot to lock the door, I suppose," I replied with a grin, still hazy from sleep.He chuckled lightly, still leaning over me. I shakily propped myself up so I was sitting as well, our faces mere inches apart.

"You look so worried all the time," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. I'd probably regret this in the morning but my thoughts were too incoherent for me to realize I should stop.

I raised a hand to his face, lacing my fingers through his hair and running my thumb across his cheekbone. I felt him stiffen, every muscle in his body tense but he didn't shy away.

"Maybe because you always make me worry," he whispered back, his breath fanning across my face.

I smiled gently, pulling my hand away from his face and not missing the way he almost imperceptibly leaned into my hand as I removed it.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he murmured, moving to stand up but I wrapped my fingers around his wrist.

"Wait, don't go," I pleaded, ignoring the desperation that was laced into my voice.

He sat back down, quirking an eyebrow but my mind was still too hazy to know to let to him, that this was a bad idea.

"Stay with me," I began, lacing my fingers through his and trying my hardest to block out my conscious that was screaming at me to stop.

Dean's eyebrows furrowed but he obliged, mimicking me as I fell back against the mattress. He didn't complain when I curled up on his chest, the thin material of his shirt doing nothing to disguise the bulges of his toned chest. He curled an arm around my waist, tucking my head under his chin.

"I feel safe with you," I murmured, my voice so quiet I could barely hear it but he did, nuzzling his nose into my hair, he sighed contentedly.

That was the first night in a long time, that I sleep soundly.