May 2015
You didn't know whether to answer it or not. No one besides the reception desk knew you were here, so who could possibly be calling?
Deciding to pick it up, you answered with a confused "Hello?"
And to your amazement, a familiar friendly voice sounded through your ears. "Glowworm ! You're alive!" Sam cried. "We, we've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Sam?!... How, how did you?... I was literally about to call you..." You muttered, still confused.
You heard him chuckle awkwardly on the other end of the line before a loud crackling sound made you pull the earpiece away from you. "Hang on. I'm just putting you on speaker." His voice called out, barely audible due to the distance you had placed the phone away from your ear. "Can you hear us okay?"
Us? Who was us? "Um. Yeah... I can hear you." You replied anxiously as you began to recognise the roar of Baby's engine in the background. "Who else is there?"
Sam was in the car and had put the call onto speaker which could mean only one thing. "Well..." he began.
"Hi sweetheart..." Dean's voice carried to your ears. "Are, ah, are you, okay?... Besides your scars, I mean?" Dean was there too, and surprisingly, lacking his usual confidence.
The way Dean had said sweetheart, was different too. Different from the old way he used it throughout your friendship and relationship. There was no anger to it like he'd used in front of Charlie's funeral pyre. And there was a variance to it from the very last time you'd heard it through his voice message.
"Hi..." You stuttered nervously. Your heart was thumping and it felt like it was threatening to burst out of your chest. "Yeah, I'm okay... What, about you? The, um, the mark..."
"It's gone." Dean confirmed.
Your eyes closed and you breathed a sigh of relief. "That's... That's great. Congratulations..." You mumbled. Was congratulations really the right sentiment?
"Yeah, thanks..." Dean's voice sounded like he was smiling, happy at least.
"So you two are together... But, what about Cass?"
"Cass is here too." Sam replied. "But you... Glowworm, where have you been? We tried calling your phone and..."
You cut him off on that before he could get any further. "It's, it's smashed... I, landed on it I guess..."
"Landed on..." You heard Sam begin. But just as you had done before, Dean also interrupted him.
"You ended up in the same place you were found right? On the side of the road?" Dean asked hoarsely. His voice sounded strange again but you couldn't pick up on which emotion was there.
"Yeah... About six hours ago, maybe longer, I don't know... I just, when I realised where I was, I decided my best option was to walk here, to Spearvillle. I took a guess and I ended up going the right way... Wait... How did you guys track me down?"
That's when Sam finally got to complete a full sentence again, explaining "I traced your credit card. I've had the software running in the background for the last few days and it alerted me when you used it at the Gas 'n' Sip, and then with the motel you're at. I called the front desk, the guy was a dick, but he patched me through to your room..."
"...Glowworm. Cass told us what happened, but it's been days since he set off the protection spell... We were starting to think maybe you'd been sent back to Australia, but we couldn't find you, not here, not there. We've tried multiple location spells but you weren't appearing anywhere.."
"Well, you found me..." You chuckled softly. "The last thing I remember before waking up on the side of the road, was Cass setting off the protection spell. I didn't believe the guy at the reception desk when he told me it was the twenty-fifth." With a huff, you then tried to make the conversation lighter by adding, "At least I know how the spell works. The magnetic part at least. It really did pull me back to the exact same place like Crowley said. Dunno 'bout the timing though."
"Yeah, well, you're safe, so none of that matters..." Dean cut in again. "We're on our way to you now so just sit tight and don't leave that room until we get there. Alright?"
That strange tone was still there in his voice and your heart continued to pump hard because of it, refusing to allow you to forget it's presence. "Okay..." You replied reluctantly.
"We'll be there in two hours sweetheart."
Sam then finished the call with "See you soon Glowworm." Before the call dropped out and you were on your own again.
Two hours... You weren't sure if you were relieved, excited or terrified to see them, in particular Dean... You wanted to see him most of all and not, at the same time.
After your phone call, you decided it wasn't a very good idea to take a shower like you had originally planned. With no clean clothes to change into, the last thing you wanted to be wearing when the three men rocked up at your door was a hotel towel or complimentary robe. So rather, you chose to get comfortable on the bed and eat the remainder of your 'meal' from the service station, attempting to wait patiently while watching a random movie. You would just have to deal with your cuts later.
Every ten minutes, you would look at the small digital clock on the bedside, willing the time away. Calculating how much longer they would be and dreading what would happen when they eventually arrived.
22:02
22:13
22:27
22:36
'An hour and a half to go.' You wanted to see Dean, you did. But you were uncertain about how it would be. He'd called you sweetheart, twice, on the phone and while his tone had been calm, there was something, odd, about his voice. The way he'd spoken to you, was unnerving. You couldn't see his face and you couldn't tell by his voice alone, if he was happy, angry or sad.
23:25
23:38
23:41
With twenty minutes to go, your eyes were feeling heavy and while you fought to keep them open, sleep won you over. At least it did until you were startled by the sound of loud thumping, against the motel door.
"Dammit!" Dean's voice carried from outside and you quickly jumped up knowing all too well that he would probably attempt to pick the lock or kick the door down if you didn't open it quick smart.
Still feeling the effects of your nap, you fumbled with the handle and called out a "hang on!"" It was now too late to worry about the neighbouring room being woken up, if there was anyone in there to begin with. Dean's version of knocking and the added shouting would have woken even the heaviest of sleepers.
As you pulled the door back, you were greeted with the sight of a flustered Dean, an amused Sam and an ever clueless but slightly disheveled looking Cass. "Hi..." You muttered sheepishly. "Sorry... I um, fell asleep..."
You bit your lip, hesitating on what to do as you watched Dean's expression change from agitated to relieved. At least, you assumed that's the expression he had given. It was hard to tell with the way his face had clearly been beaten. There was swelling around his left eye and left cheek and the skin there was already beginning to bruise. You had to wonder why Cass hadn't healed them for him, then again, you'd already observed, the angel didn't look too good himself.
Dean huffed softly at your revelation. His lips turning upwards on the good side of his face as he stood there just as unsure of what to do as you were.
When his eyes met yours and you saw a hint of the sparkle he used to give you before Charlie had died, your body took on a mind of its own and you fell into him. Your arms wrapping around his back, ignoring the sting of your scars as they strained under the movement. You didn't care that they hurt, you just needed to be close to him.
It had only been a second, maybe two, when you noticed he wasn't holding you in return however. His body was tense next to yours and you knew instantly, that your action had been unwelcome. With a disheartened sigh, you quickly pulled back and lowered your head, not wanting him to see the fresh tears you felt beginning to pool under your lashes. You thought he'd be happy to see you, judging on what he'd said on the phone call, but that clearly wasn't the case. "Sorry..." You snivelled. "Old habits die hard..."
"No... Sweetheart..." You saw his hand move under your chin to lift it up. His eyes still looking at you with the glimmer you had seen before you had stupidly moved to hug him. "It's not that... I know its impossible for a demon or angel to use you as a meat suit, but I need to know it's really you in there and not something else, like a shifter..."
Relief washed over you as you heard the real reason why he was withholding hugging you back. "Oh... Right... What, um, what do you need me to do? Silver?" Of course Dean would presume the worst. He wouldn't be good at his job, if he didn't.
Your last question was answered when Sam stepped up, holding out a small pocket knife for him to take. "No Sammy. I'm not cutting her up anymore than she probably already is..." Dean stated as he pushed his brothers hand away. "Where did I first kiss you?... A real one, not just on the top of your head?..." He clarified quickly.
All eyes were on you, and your throat felt somewhat dry because of it. You thought for a moment, watching him just as intently as he was watching you. Your heart pounding under his gaze, wishing he would just step up to you and wrap his arms around you instead as you had done to him just now. "In Topeka..." You answered. "We were in the real estate office, dealing with Dark Charlie..."
"The Qareen... Who did it appear to me as, Bach or Simpson?" Dean asked not skipping a beat between your answer and his next question.
"Neither..." When his lip upturned, it gave you more confidence and you answered with determination. "It appeared to you as me."
Dean nodded some and then narrowed nis eyes at you. "One last question... When did I first tell you I loved you?"
You looked back at him confused. He'd never told you he loved you. That was a topic neither of you had breeched and the confidence you'd just gained demolished into nothing as you replied with far less gusto. "Um... You. You, never have..."
"Yeah..." Dean smirked at you as his hands brought your arms around to the back of his waist, just as you had attempted to moments before. "Look, I know there's a lot we need to talk about, but that can all wait 'til we ditch the third and fourth wheel here..." He used his head to gesture to Sam and Cass and you heard a sound of protest coming from the former.
Ignoring the remark and pulling you as close as he could until you moulded into his frame, Dean then leaned down close to your face. The hairs on his chin tickled your cheek just as his breath did whispering into your ear. "There's something that can't wait though..." And with the addition of your name on the end, he said, "I love you," for the very first time.
That was the last thing you thought you'd hear that night. At all even, after what had happened the last time you'd seen him and you struggled to believe the words you heard. Your heart still raced and you began to worry that he was expecting you to repeat the same back to him but you weren't sure you were ready. It had been a long day and the anticipation of waiting for him just to return your hug, was overwhelming in itself.
But when his hand came under your chin again and he lifted your face up to meet his, your doubts diminished as you looked in his eyes and saw his shit eating grin reaching all the way through them. Even if you had wanted to say something in return, he didn't give you the chance. His lips gently reached out for yours, stealing your breath and any chance of speech away.
The spark you two shared was instantly reignited and had it not been for the clearing of Sam's throat, you probably would have stayed the way you were, happily all night. Blissfully unaware to everything around you besides him. Dean. The man who loved you.
"Dude. Save the make out session for later." Sam huffed behind you. His words causing you to giggle into Dean as your mind went straight to the gutter. Later still held its own special meaning to you both.
Dean pulled back from you, his green eyes sparkling as they watched you mischievously. His arms let you go and you were able to move to Sam and give him a hug too. The younger Winchesters arms lifted you up and squeezed you tight and it caused you to intake your breath sharply. While Dean had held you close, he had been more gentle, knowing all too well, what your cuts did to you.
"Sorry Glowworm..." Sam stated sheepishly as he put you down again. "I forgot about your cuts..."
"So did I..." You grinned back at him.
From the corner of your eye, you saw Cass watching you and you moved from Sam to hug him as well. "Hi Cass... I didn't hurt you did I?" You asked. "I was worried the protection spell might have done something to you..."
Cass gave his usual awkward smile as he answered you. "No. You didn't hurt me. But you did, transport me away... I'm sorry, I attacked you."
"No... Don't be silly..." You chuckled lightly. "That was Rowena's doing..."
The angel nodded at you graciously before raising his fingers to your forehead. "Here." He said as the tingling feeling you knew so well, swarmed over your body. The skin surrounding your cuts felt warm and the ache in your muscles beneath them dissipated.
When Cass removed his fingers, you raised your left arm up and pulled back the sleeve of your shirt and jacket to reveal dried blood and a pencil thin red scar. "Thanks Cass..." You whispered back to him.
"Maybe we should move this inside now?" Sam chuckled behind you.
Following Dean's lead, all four of you stepped into the motel room you'd booked. Cass and Sam settled at the small table by the window while you sat on the end of the bed with Dean right next to you. His hand holding yours as you recounted your day to them.
"So why has she never been brought back here before after every other time it's been set off? I never got zapped away like Cass did. Neither did Metatron or that Grigori?" Dean asked aloud on your behalf.
"The only explanation I can think of is that my intention was worse..." Cass stated solemnly. "I went to strike her in the chest. Where as Dean, you went for her leg with the hammer.... I wasn't there for Metatron and I didn't see what the Grigori did, but I can only assume they weren't as severe."
"Crowley did say the scar on her chest would pull her to the exact time and place right? So that spot on the highway is like a, respawning point, and the time..." Sam paused before suddenly becoming quite animated as the cogs in his brain turned. "Cass! Rowena's hex on you was removed this morning!"
Dean looked at his brother confused for a moment before seeming to understand where he was going. "Respawning point?.." He muttered first before continuing louder for you all to hear. "You saying the only reason she popped back up was because the original threat that set the spell off was gone?" He then looked at you seriously. "Yeah... You'll be sitting out any future angel or demon related job from now on."
"Why? I wasn't hurt anymore than I usually am... And we know where I'll end up now..."
"You... You seriously wanna..." Dean begun. But another clearing of Sam's throat pulled you and him away from what was about to possibly become a heated discussion.
"You guys really want to talk about that now?" Sam glared at Dean mostly, but you weren't left out. "It's late and it's been a long day for all of us... So I'm gonna go piss off the guy at reception again and get a room... Unless you think I need to be here to stop you two from saying anything stupid to each other... Yeah, I'm looking at you Dean." He quipped on the end.
"And Glowworm, he's been a mess all week... Go easy on him. We were all starting to think you were dead, but he took it the hardest..." With that Sam stood up and walked over to the door. "You're both welcome!... We'll see you in the morning. Come on Cass..."
Your head hung low like a scolded child as Sam and Cass both left the room, but there was a small smile on your face. When you heard the door close behind them, you looked up at Dean to see him staring at you. While his face was still serious. It held with it a sadness you were unfamiliar with.
"He's right. I thought I'd lost you." Dean admitted. "And after I said all those horrible things to you, I thought I'd never get the chance to make it right... But here you are, and I'm, I'm so sorry sweetheart. The things I said to you at the pyre, I didn't mean a word of it. You've never been a, a way to blow off steam or..."
"Dean..." You interrupted him. "I'm the one that should be sorry. You said those things because you were angry and you had every right to be. I lied to you about what Sam was really doing... And Charlie, she died because of it..."
"No." Dean twisted himself on the bed so he was facing you fully. "You were right about Charlie. You couldn't have known. And I knew that. I also knew you did what you did because you were trying to help me, but I, just couldn't see past it... The mark it... I know it's not an excuse, but I let it take control of me and I did things I'm not proud of..." He sighed. "I just hope, you'll forgive me for what I did..."
You shook your head at him. "I heard your message and I don't know if you got mine back, but I forgive you. I always will... That's what, you do when you're, in a, relationship, right?"
You had stumbled on the word relationship. Wondering whether friends would've been better.
Friends. You cringed at that one. Even though you'd promised yourself you would be okay with just being friends with him, the fact that he said he loved you outside, made you want more than that. But you were uncertain about what you were to each other now. The last time you'd seen him, you were broken up and nothing had been discussed to say otherwise as of yet.
"Yeah sweetheart. Relationship. If that's what you want?"
Gently, you nodded your head. "Yeah."
"Good. Cause that's what I want too." He said before he pulled you to sit on his lap. "We still got a lot to talk about and you might wanna do us both a favour and delete any voicemails you have on your phone when it's up and running..."
"More voicemails?" You questioned over the top of him.
His chest shook next to you as he chuckled quietly. "Let's just say they're a bit pathetic... But I meant what I said to you outside. I've felt it for a while now, I was just afraid I'd scare you off even more. You've already been dragging your heels with the whole room thing, which I noticed you moved your things out of by the way..."
You bit your lip on that comment but said nothing.
"I don't expect you to say anything back, but I hope you will one day. It would be nice to know the girl I wanna eventually marry loves me back..." His hand began playing with your hair as you snuggled into him. "Thinking I lost you put things into perspective sweetheart, and I can't lose you again... I love you too much..."
Hearing all these words had you feeling on cloud nine and while you had already decided what you wanted to tell him in return, you waited just a little longer to hear Dean continue to pour his heart out to you. It was such a rare occurrence to hear him speak about his emotions for so long and you were going to enjoy every second of it.
Once you were certain he'd finished, you raised your head off of his chest where it had been resting and looked into his eyes. "Dean... I think, I love you too."
"You think?" He asked, attempting to sound offended before he shrugged his shoulders, added "I'll take that" and then leaned in to kiss you.
He was your Dean once more. Dean without the Mark of Cain. He loved you and, well, you thought you loved him too.
Who were you kidding, you did.
END PART TWO
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A/N: Please look for Part Three under my profile to continue the story :) Thanks for reading!