[h3] Bobby [/h3]

Bobby smirked when Esme assumed so quickly that Duke would cut her out upon first meeting. That wasn’t Duke’s personality at all. In fact, the moment she began scrapping with him verbally, the boy probably fell in love with her. He shrugged his shoulders, “I wouldn’t be so sure…”

He walked back over to his desk, hearing the shower turn on, and the house fall into a lull of almost silence, just how he liked it. Pouring himself another drink, he glanced up at Esme from under the bill of his hat and scowled for a moment. As much as he wanted to force her to come sit in a chair and let him redoctor that cut on her head, he knew that she would just refuse. If anything, she was in good hands with Dean. The boy was head over heels for her, whether he liked it or not.

[h3] Dean and Duke [/h3]

[b][i] A few minutes later [/i][/b]

“Fresh and…clean.” Dean sighed, cutting himself off as he rubbed at his hair, walking shirtless into the living room. His eyes landed on Esme, laid back on the couch, either sound asleep or just on the verge and in deep thought. He tossed his towel in the overflowing laundry hamper in the kitchen, and carefully walked over to the couch. Bobby said nothing, flipping the page on his book as if he had seen this song and dance a million times.

Dean slowly sank down onto the cushion beside Esme, and reached his hand out, brushing his fingers through her hair against her forehead.

“She’s awful cute when she’s sleepin’. Way more peaceful.” Duke chimed from the kitchen and both Bobby and Dean shot him a glare that said ‘shut the hell up and let her rest’. Bringing his hands up in defense, he wiped his messy blonde hair with a towel and lumbered over to Bobby’s desk. “I’m just tryin’ to diffuse the tension.”

“And you think callin’ someone who just met you…and instantly hated you ‘cute’ is that option?” Bobby teased Duke quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. Duke tilted his head to the side, signalling that Bobby had a point, then sat down, picking up Bobby’s half drank beer, and taking a swig.

Dean turned and in a loud whisper, he pointed at Duke, “Listen…after the night we’ve had, you don’t think it’s RV time for you?”

“This is my house too, you know…” Duke grumbled back, just as Bobby snatched his beer back from his adopted son with his own grumble.

“It is. And there’s a reason you have the RV. It gets crowded in here, and I’m taking the guest room. Esme always gets it when she’s here.” Dean narrowed his eyes, waiting for Duke to say something stupid, but Duke simply shrugged and Dean rolled his eyes. “Just go to the RV, Jason.”

“HEY! Hey. There’s no need for government names to come out here…You never call me that.” Duke suddenly errupted. Bobby reached an arm out and placed it on Duke’s shoulder, pushing him down into the chair with gritted teeth. “Sorry. It makes me feel weird…and he knows it.”

“Son. I suggest you just go to bed. By in the mornin’ maybe we can start over. You want to diffuse the tension? Go to bed.” Bobby whispered to him, putting on his best supportive father face. With a sigh, Duke reached over and plucked his now clean hat off the stack of books on Bobby’s desk and plopped it on his head. He stood from the chair and began to walk toward the kitchen to head out to the lot. 

“I guess tell her I said goodnight when she wakes up. I’ll be in for breakfast. After all this, somebody better make me some bacon.” Duke grumbled as he opened the back door and headed out to his RV. Dean turned back to Esme with a sigh and brushed his fingers across her forehead, just as Bobby turned on his TV by his desk, settling in for his own night of sleep…right there in his office chair and later, the couch.

“Hey sweetheart. Why don’t we go get some rest. I wanna take a look at you.” Dean whispered to her sweetly, all of his bravado fading away the second he knew only she could hear him. After a moment of watching her eyes for any sign of waking, Dean sighed, glancing over at Bobby’s desk. He could tell Bobby was beginning to nod off, himself.

Dean stood from the couch, and reached for Esme, slipping one arm behind her and one under her legs, before hoisting her into his arms. He let her head roll against his cheek and turned his head to press a kiss to her hair, as he walked toward the stairs.

“See you in the morning Bobby…” He muttered on his way by the desk. Bobby waved at him, and Dean smiled making the trek up the stairs with Esme. Luckily the bedroom door was already cracked open, and all he had to do was nudge it with his foot. He quickly and gently walked to the bed and as if she was made of glass, lay her down against the pillows.