[h2]Esme[/h2]
As Esme walked, Dean overtook her stride, causing her to walk faster to keep up with him. She was sure she held her staff higher on her shoulder as they went so that it was not too close to the ground to trip over. As she walked behind Dean, she gripped her staff lightly and tried to keep her thoughts positive, which was difficult, with Dean’s worry hitting her so strongly. She didn’t have to be an Empath to know just how worried Dean was. He had those he cared for missing, just as she did, as after what they had been through tonight, how could they not be? They had no idea if they were alive, dead, or on the edge of death. It was enough to make anyone sick with worry. And as worried as she was for the whole group, most of her worry was for Duke since she knew he had a significant injury. She prayed that he was still alive and that she wouldn’t find him dead somewhere in the barn. As strong as she made herself out to look, she wouldn’t be able to cope with losing Duke at the end of all this.
 
Even with her mind racing with all the possible ways they could find the others, Esme was sure to watch for more demons since neither knew how many were still around and if they were planning an ambush as they searched for everyone. Then they rounded the corner of the barn, and there was Mika, alone, with demons running off into the night. A silent sigh of relief escaped her lips. Yes, the two hadn’t hit it off that great, but she was still glad to see the woman alive. When Dean grabbed her hand and pulled her long, it was like a blast from the past, and out of instinct, she wrapped her fingers around his hand. She would have smiled at the familiar action if this had been any other moment. When Dean dropped her hand, she was snapped back into the present. She slowed and slowly walked over to Dean and Mika, keeping a little space between them. While Dean checked on Mika, Esme scanned the darkness around them for any signs of movement. She could see nothing, and she could hear nothing but Dean and Mika and crickets, causing her to chew her lip in worry. 

Suddenly, Natalia’s voice called out to them. Esme quickly turned to see the woman in the darkness walking towards them on unsteady feet. She quickly rushed over to Natalia. “I got you.” she told her as she wrapped an arm around her waist and then led her over to Dean and Mika. Moments later, Sam found them and told them what had happened on his end. “What!?” she said almost in unison with Natalia. Esme’s jaw clenched at the news. Anna had been taken, and Duke and Cason were missing. Jamming the end of her staff into the ground, Esme released a heavy sigh through her nose as she closed her eyes and ran her free hand through her hair with worry and frustration. “Where the hell are you?” she mumbled, as it sent pain through her tender shoulder. It took every ounce of her willpower not to pass Natalia to Sam and bolt into the darkness to search and not care about how dangerous it was going alone. Opening her eyes, she looked at each person around her, stopping on Dean as if looking for answers or what he was thinking, knowing his mind was racing from the news. 

No matter what was going through his mind, the look in her eyes clearly spoke of what she wanted to do and what she felt she needed to do. She then looked over at Sam. “I couldn’t find Duke after we were separated. The last time I saw him, he was…… Stabbed in the stomach. By the time I could return to where I last saw him, he was gone.” she said, her worry for Duke evident in her tone. She half wished she could go back and rip that female demon’s head off herself. Esme’s fist clenched at the thought of Duke lying somewhere, bleeding out, while she stood there doing nothing but talking about what had happened. She had to find him, and soon.