Broken {Supernatural Fanfic}

6. Nightmares

"Nightmares exist outside of logic, and there's little fun to be had in explanations; they're antithetical to the poetry of fear"- Stephen King

Dean was reluctant to stop that night at instead of driving continually as he and Sam normally did but his little brother was still healing and so was Autumn. Rain pounded in sheets across the windshield as he drove, eyes straining in the inky blackness for any sign of life. He was just about to give up hope when a small town came into view, distinct only for the few streets lights barely shining in the gloom.  There was a single dingy motel in the town that looked like it had seen better days. The owner gave him a room on the ground floor without any fus, or electronic keycards, and didn't comment when he was joined by a little girl and a taller man. Dean was glad for that. He was too tired to come up with a good lie.

Autumn curled up silently in a dusty chair, not saying a word as he and Sam settled in. She simply watched them with those wide eyes and Dean could have sworn she was dead had he not seen her chest rise and fall with each breath.  Finally he couldn't take the tension in the room for one second longer. "I'm taking a shower," he announced and, grabbing a fresh pair of clothes, headed for the bathroom where running water mercifully made some noise.

~

Sam watched his brother leave and then turned to Autumn. "He couldn't take the silence anymore," he said, feeling as if he owed the girl an explanation. He thought he saw the hint of a smile curving about her mouth then but a moment later it was gone as if it had never existed. "That's why he has music on in the car all the time. He can't stand silence." She nodded once, message recieved, and they went back to silence.

Dean came back ten minutes after he had left, hair damp and face exasperated when he realized there was still no talking. Autumn was half asleep curled up on the chair and Sam had a feeling that the only reason she hadn't drifted off was that she was half afraid they were going to lash out at her at any moment. Sam left her alone for the time being; he didn't think he had the energy to do anything else.

Despite the fact that his throat was mostly healed each breath still hurt him to pull in. He felt his eyes drift shut and saw that Autumn was almost sound asleep as well. He watched from beneath hooded lids as Dean slumped down on one of the beds after double checking the deadbolt and finally allowed his eyes to close.

He woke up what felt like only minutes later to the sound of a choked scream. Sam jerked upright and looked around before noticing Autumn curled up tight in the chair, whimpering slightly in her sleep. He held down a groan and blinked eyelids that felt as if they were made of sand, glancing at the clock. The electronic flashing red numbers claimed it was two in the morning. Dean was sitting up now too, knife in hand and looking around for any danger. " It's fine," Sam mumbled, sliding gracelessly off the bed and gently shaking the little girl.

Dean dropped back heavily on the bed at the same moment Autumn's eyes flashed open. She flinched slightly at the sound and blinked wide, watering eyes at him. He crouched down next to her and said, "Whatever it was, it was just a dream. Okay?" She nodded, pulling in a shuddering breath. Sam hesitated before reaching out his arms to her and was startled when, after a moment, she wrapped her own around his neck, allowing him to pick her up.

Dean was already sound asleep when Sam settled back on the bed, Autumn snuggled up against him. Her eyes were already drifting shut again and her breathing evening out. "Sleep well," he told her and her eyes opened a little, arching eyebrows at him as if to say Who are you kidding? "Yeah," he told her. "I know." Sam watched as her eyes drifted shut again and she slipped off to sleep.