Skies of Fire

Fear

"Does it really show that much?" Dean asked, trying his best to speak in a joking manor. Jokes were Dean ultimate defense against weakness. If he could get someone to laugh or even crack a smile they would usually forget about their question.

"Just a little," the worry didn't leave her face, but she still smile softly over at Dean. "Is this your first time?"

Dean shook his head. "No, I had to go on once when I was like ten." He tried not to shudder as he thought back to that dreadful experience. "I hated it," Dean added grimly.

It had been another occasion when they had been in a hurry to get somewhere. John had insisted that flying was the only was the only was they'd get the job done before more people got hurt. He remembered almost hyperventilating as the plane took off. The entire frame had shifted and warped under the intense speed and pressure at which they had been moving. Once they made it into the air, things hadn't gotten any better. The turbulence was terrible, rattling the entire plane and making it feel like they were flying through an earthquake. Dean had been stuck by the window on that flight too. He remembered making the mistake of looking out the window that time and immediately rushing off to the nasty airplane bathroom to throw up the contents of his stomach.

When he had returned Sam had taken Dean's seat by the window. His father was just glaring at Dean, and Dean had hung his head in shame. Everyone around them was looking at them funny, watching Dean with a wary eye. When Dean had taken the middle seat, beside Sam, his father had thoroughly scolded him and told to 'calm the hell down and get his shit in order. It was just a damn plane ride'.

After that, Dean had spent the rest of the flight, pale faced, sitting stiffly in his seat as he placed a strangle hold grip onto the armrests. He never relaxed fully, but at one point, Sam and taken his small hand and placed it carefully on top of Dean's. It had provided Dean was a small ounce of comfort and he was able to get through the rest of the flight without incident, Sam's little hand rubbing smooth lines over his skin.

This time things felt much worse. This time, he didn't have his little brother to help keep his head on his shoulders. He was on the edge of a panic attack and they hadn't even taken off yet.

"Don't worry dear," the woman said, soothingly. Gingerly, she placed one of her soft, hand over his in a comforting gesture. Dean looked down at her hand without a word, wishing for all he was worth that this was Sam's hand on his instead of hers. He still appreciated her attempt at soothing him though.

The woman paused, her hazel eyes scanning Dean's face briefly before jumping to the window behind him. Dean was a little surprised when a moment later she asks, "Would you like to switch seats with me so you're not by the window?"

Dean's eyebrows jump up as he hesitantly breathes, "You'd be willing to switch?"

"Of course love," she smiled warmly at him and shifted her legs so Dean could get up and slide past her.

When Dean was sitting down again he felt marginally better. As he buckled the seatbelt, Dean let out of soft sigh of relief. He hadn't realized until then just how uncomfortable the window seat had made him.

"Thank you," Dean said gratefully as he tried to give her a soft, appreciative smile.

"No problem honey," she answers. "I'm Amber by the way."

"Dean," Dean said, holding out his hand as he introduced himself.

"So you're flying alone Dean?" Amber asked curiously.

"Yeah, I'm going to meet up with my brother, dad and uncle," he told her truthfully.

"Ah, and how old are you sweetheart?" It was clear that Amber was trying to keep Dean's mind off the impending flight, so he kept letting her ask him questions. Normally, he wouldn't be so willing to talk about himself to someone that he just met. Dean didn't think Amber was any kind of threat to him so he didn't mind speaking with her. She was nice and Dean needed a distraction. Her questions were the perfect distraction.