Without A Trace >> Dean Winchester

11 | Shadow of Perplexity

"Smile even though your heart is aching.
Smile even though it's breaking."
-Dean Winchester

Chapter 11 | Shadow of Perplexity

IT TOOK ME A FRACTION of a second to realise my surrounds have completely changed. I wasn't in the dark area anymore with the violet-eyed angel. I find myself clutching on the armrest.

Gasping, I jump a little from my seat, my head twisting in different directions. It takes a few moments for my mind to comprehend that I'm in the...bunker? With Dean? I wipe the beads of sweat away from my forehead with my forearm before making eye contact with Dean's frazzled expressions.

I shift in my seat, feeling my eyebrows still knitted together. How—? I swear just a moment ago, that angel, who was kind of a devil actually, was threatening and holding me by the neck. But now, I'm here with Dean safe and sound like nothing happened at all.

"Yo, Peanut. You listening?" Dean snaps his finger twice.

I blink, my eyes adjusting to the dim- lighted room. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, dozed off a bit there for a second."

"Sure." Dean snorts, "you dozed off and dreamt of La La Land and grew candy hair, causing you to be drenched with sweat and your hands trembling. To top it all of, you've been ignoring what I was saying a few minutes ago."

'God has a path readily laid out just for you the day you were born.'

Well, gee. Thanks Big Guy up in heaven. Nice to know a path is ready for me to freaking walk on. No thanks. I'll find the path to my future myself.

I clear my throat. "Yeah, I'm fine. So where were we?"

"You do know that you can always tell us anything that's bothering you, Peanut." His face tells me he didn't fully believe me, and I couldn't blame him. I wasn't exactly the attentive listener he wants me to be.

I shrug, looking down at my clenched fist resting on my lap.

I don't answer him.

I silently pray for him to leave it and jump to another topic with my fingers crossed underneath the table. But he doesn't, instead, he pulls a face and decides to continue, "You were muttering some stuff just then, and I know you've been having nightmares."

My eyes snap up to meet his. How the hell did he know that? Stalker alert, people. I heaved a heavy sigh. If only I could press a button to make this conversation over.

"You think I don't know? Last night, you were tossing and turning in your sleep, grunting."

I let out a loud scoff, my patience wearing thin. "Everybody has nightmares, Dean. It's natural."

"For three nights straight?" He exclaims.

With all my efforts of gritting my teeth to remain silent, it goes down the drain when I snapped. I stand my seat and slam my white knuckled fists on the table. "You have some nerve to care for me like a father! Why don't you leave it for me to deal with? It's none of your business! What's your problem anyway?!"

For a millisecond, he widens his eyes in surprise, but quickly recovers with a deep growl, resembling an angered dog, and my gut warns me this isn't going to end well. "You know what, fine. I don't understand why can't people accept the help of others? You're just one of them. Don't come crawling back to me like a sick, helpless puppy."