SAM

As Anya looked up at the ceiling in a manner that he recognised all too well as the universal sign someone was thinking about their next words or ideas, he gave her time to come up with her answer to his question before he watched her look back down and rapidly type on her phone. When she was done, he listened to the phone speak what she typed out and he couldn't help but get a little smile on his face at her words. Her likes on films were much more broad than Dean's which was a nice change of pace for him. He took, liked many different films, he had the people he had known over the years to thank for his broad taste in films, songs and anything else pop culture. "Oh I seem soppy enough do I?" He teased before chuckling, "well you'd be sorting of right there I guess, my likes are pretty wide. Fantasy, sci fi, superhero stuff, thriller, room coms when done right...I'm a lot more open to anything" he added before continuing, "I've got a good stash of stuff we can watch in my room if you're okay with that? We don't really have a separate room to watch stuff in" he explained. He didn't want to put her on edge but also didn't want to assume she'd just be okay with watching something alone in his room with him. If she was unsure about that, he'd gladly think of something else and find a more neutral room they can watch something on his laptop. "We keep meaning to invest in a large TV and make a room for relaxing but the two of us keep going back to our rooms and not do anything about the idea" he told her, even though the full truth wasn't just that they keep going back into old habits, it was an idea they had come up with when Mika was still around and when she passed, the plan just kind of fell through. Though now Lexi was living with them, even if it ended up being temporarily, he might make more of an effort to sort something out.

"If you're not comfortable with that, we can just grab my laptop from my room to go watch something in another room?" He then suggested, to show her that he didn't want to push her into a situation she wasn't happy with. He hated the idea of someone thinking of him as some kind of predator but he could also understand it with the job he and Dean had. It's not like their lives were completely open and innocent in a lot of ways. They did do a lot of shady things to keep people safe on the streets at night over the years. But he was still very aware of how he came across to people and he liked Anya, thought she was a cool person who deserved a lot of respect. So he began to guide her to his room so they could pick something to watch whilst she decided on whether she was happy to remain in his room to watch something or go in another room that's more open to watch something.

LEXI

Lexi hoped that her message back to this person on the dark web would be enough to grab their attention. She was usually pretty good at drawing people in and convincing them to give her information she needed, but there was always that tiny part of her that always became concerned that she wouldn't convince the next person she was trying to reel in. Leaning back in her chair, she made herself to try and relax a little, but here was Dean Winchester next to her, stretching and inadvertently looking more appealing to her than he did just moments ago. She tried to keep her mind focused but then he had to go and say about strip poker before mentioning the very valid point that they were working and could end up on the road any moment. "Easy cowboy.... It's probably not the best of ideas you could have right now" she smirked, looking at him out the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but chuckle when he tried to change the subject by wondering what Sam was up to and joking about driving himself into having a stroke. "I'm sure Sam is fine showing Anya around, he's a big boy he can look after himself" she replied to him.

Going quiet once more, she tried to think of something to do that would be wholly innocent and normal but her mind had inexplicably gone utterly blank. Her mind had gone into work mode so rapidly that she now didn't know what to do to shut her mind off for a few moments. As she tried to think of something to do, her laptop pinged with an incoming message, making her sit up and open it up. "Well hello OccultNrd333" she said in an almost cooing tone. "Seems we're right about them being desperate because that was barely any time at all for them to reply" she remarked before actually reading the message.

'HntrssDknss76,

I have received your message and I'm choosing to trust you. I do need proof though to guarantee putting my trust in you is the right thing to do.
If proof is good enough I shall send coordinates on where to meet.

OccultNrd333'

"Seems they want proof but I'm reeling them in pretty easily here. Almost too easily" she told Dean. This wasn't her first rodeo on the dark web and usually it took a few more messages back and forth before she got what she needed out of the mysterious user, but this was straight up choosing to trust as long as she sent proof they had leads on where the Colt was. "How do you wanna play it?" She asked Dean honestly.

Anya shrugged in a joking but sweet gesture when Sam asked her if she really thought he was sappy. Obviously the answer was ‘yes’. Sam seemed sweet, and he seemed like the type of person that could love deeply when he got to know people. If he wasn’t into the idea of a love story, Anya would have been super suprised.

Her face dropped its smile for a moment when he mentioned heading to his room. On one hand, she trusted him explicitly. He hadn’t given her any reason to feel otherwise, yet. On the other hand, getting close to someone, in their space, on their terms was risky. She knew a little bit about the life, and the job. She also knew that, at the moment, she wasn’t exactly safe in the world. Getting close to someone…just wasn’t high on the agenda.

But after Sam went into a long explanation, letting her know that he was fine moving to another room, Anya’s face settled into a bit of pity, and adoration as she smiled at him and shook her head. She tapped her hand on the table and then typed on her phone.

“Your room is fine, Sam. Just…keep your hands to yourself.”

As the phone read the message, she stood from the table and stepped over close to him with a giggle, shoving at his chest. He seemed to be treating her like she was a breakable thing that he had to be super careful around, which she appreciated. But she also just wanted him to relax. As they stepped into his room, she stopped just over the threshold of the doorway and looked around the room. If she could speak, she would have uttered an unsurprised “wow”. But instead, she leaned against the doorway and smirked, typing on her phone.

“Why is this exactly what I expected for you? You’re easy to read, Sam Winchester.”



Dean shrugged his shoulders with a ‘hmph’ at Lexi’s turning down his idea for passing time. Who knew how long this guy would take to get back to them?! But he didn’t know what he was trying to keep his mind off of more, the fact that they were in the bunker, after the kiss in the car…or Sam and a mute girl they didn’t even know galavanting around the bunker. But Lexi responded to that just as quick as it crossed his mind and he raised an eyebrow.

“Sam’s also a softie when it comes to helpless women with big blue eyes. If you haven’t noticed, there’s one with him, right now.” He explained, trying to justify his own bored paranoia. After a moment, he dropped the idea, and glanced around, as if he was looking for Anya and Sam. Then the computer pinged and Dean sat up straight, gesturing toward it.

“These internet nerds…”, he started as Lexi opened the computer and he chuckled, “I wonder if he thinks you’re one of those mysteriously sexy girls in a chat room full of dudes. Let’s roll the dice on whether you’re a forty year old man in a basement.”

He chuckled at his own joke and scooted close to Lexi so he could read the message on the screen as she read it off. Furrowing his eyebrows, he read it again, just to make sure he read it right and brought a hand up to his mouth. If the guy was too eager, this could be a trap. Or he might be eager because he was stupid, which was the more likely case. He was probably some teenager who was in way over his head in things he couldn’t possibly understand. Sighing, Dean fanned his fingers out nonchalantly and pointed to the computer.

“We can just send him a scan of the journal entry. I mean, it’s not like it gives him much info about us…where we are or anything else about the gun. All it says is that some dude had the gun and then obviously we had it…and it was given to another human most likely. If he knows anyone who has talked about the gun, we can shake him down for a name, follow the name to the next and so on.”

But after he finished his sentence, he sighed again with frustration, “But what if this is just some kid that doesn’t know what he’s getting into. Will he have a name or is he just a gun nut who wants the Colt, and thinks it’s a myth? Shaking him down might turn up nothing…or it’s a trap.”

[b]SAM[\b]

At Anya's permission and calmness about watching the film in his room, he was relieved and even smirked and chuckled at her hands comment. He held his hands up "I will, don't worry" he replied whilst thinking to himself 'I'm not my brother'.

In his room, he turned round to see she was standing in the threshold taking in what it looked like. He never really thought about it before but it was rather basic, not as basic as Dean's 'decorating' but basic nonetheless. Still though, there was some things that said he did care about his room and environment and had tried to make a very old room his own. As her thoughts came through her phone, he sheepishly smiled and nodded, "guilty as charged I guess. I admit, I like some kind of order in my room. With the job we have, we don't really get much of that, so coming home here to a tidy and homely feel bedroom? Just feels right" he explained. "Better than the chaos that is Dean's" he smirked. He welcomed her in with an outstretched arm, "feel free to step inside. It's not much but the chair and bed is comfortable, so pick where you wanna sit or you can pick one of the films on my shelf" he explained. He wanted her to feel comfortable and relaxed whilst they waited for Dean and Lexi to get information on the colt that Anya so desperately needed. He walked to his little TV set up and turned it on ready for whatever film or series Anya decided she wanted to watch as he really did have something of everything in his collection. The collection all began from hearing the hype about various titles either online or on the street and he figured he'd get them to see what it was all about. It became a regular thing to the point that even Mika would have seen something, bought it and just left it on his bed with a note saying 'saw this, sounded up your alley'. After that, he never really stopped expanding his collection. If Anya walked to his shelf of DVD's, she'd have seen titles from Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones to Pixar films such as Cars and Wreck it Ralph.

[B]LEXI[\b]

Lexi couldn't stop the amused smile from creeping onto her lips when Dean mentioned about Sam's soft spot for women in distress as it was true. She herself was one of those women not that long ago in reality. Yet if Sam hadn't found her she would have been yet another dead hunter or a rogue hunter that became incredibly reckless and just get herself killed later down the road. She also wouldn't have met Dean if Sam hadn't found her in her house. "oh I know what Sam's weakness is, I was one to a degree don't forget" she retorted with a smirk. She could feel the paranoia oozing off of Dean but she also felt that she had known Sam long enough to trust he knew what he was doing. She presumed that's what what was different about her and Dean, she saw Sam as a friend and colleague whereas Dean just saw the baby brother he needed to protect over everything else. The ping of the message alert came at a good time as she wasn't sure where to go conversation wise that didn't take a turn into the flirting road. She was still aware of how Dean was coping with his grief, just as she was and she didn't want to overstep either.

With the message read and discussed, she had to agree with Dean that this could be one of two situations. A kid that was way over his head or a trap. She hoped it was the former and not the latter but she had also been in this job long enough that they couldn't just write the latter option off the table completely either. She listened to him suggest the scan of a journal entry about the gun, weighing it up and coming to the conclusion that it was their best option. "okay, send me the scan so I can attach it to the message. If this is just a kid in way over his head then we'll deal with it once we've got the location. If it's a trap? Well we'll deal with it as well. All we can do now is treat it as a non threat but be prepared if it turns south" she explained, whilst also mentally grounding herself from having Dean so close to her to read the message himself. It was an invasion of person space but for some reason she wasn't totally adverse to it whilst it was Dean doing it. She figured it was just a trait of his and so she didn't say anything. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him off when she had accomplished getting him focused on something other than becoming one with his mattress.

In a shadow across the main room, Mika's spirit watched on as the two of them worked as a team, impressed by this Lexi's work ethic and how she was with Dean. "funny how death is making me less jealous all of a sudden" she muttered to herself, she really did just want him happy again over everything else. Once more, she let herself vanish and head outside the bunker, perching on the wall that lead to the parking lot underneath as she looked out the scenery in front of her. "You ready to come with me yet? It's been months" a reaper, one that had been coming to Mika since day one of her death appeared once more. "Not yet. He's not ready to fully let me go yet and I need to know he is. But I have hope he will soon with this Lexi around. I'm actually seeing him smiling and cracking jokes again" she replied. "Mika....you can't stay much longer, even for you, you're taking a huge risk watching over him this long" the reaper explained. "I know that Lee, but until he's ready to let me go, I'm still tethered to him. We've always been tethered together, he needs to cut the cord himself. I can't do that for him" she explained.

Anya laughed as Sam overexplained his own room. He was so self concious, she could only assume because of Dean’s teasing. But she found all of it rather endearing. She pulled her phone to her chest and typed a quick, “I think it’s great, Sam. Clean. Very…not gross bachelor pad of you.”

She read the message out with a laugh, and then stepped into the room to look over the movies he had obviously been collecting for a while. She pointed at a movie for a moment, and then pulled it and held it up to him. Her eyebrows raised as if to say, “What about this one?”

She turned the cover toward him to reveal that she had pulled “Dirty Dancing” which she was surprised he had. Handing him the movie, she kicked off her boots and stepped over to his bed, falling onto it and crossing her legs as she sat against the headboard casually. She pulled her phone onto her lap, and typed a message with a smirk.

“And no…you don’t have to sit in the chair. There’s plenty of room.”



Dean tapped his hands on the counter, once they had a plan. He still didn’t necessarily like the idea of running into this without sussing out if it was a trap or not. But he also had to trust Lexi as a hunter. He had to trust his own instincts and just be on guard. He stood quickly from his seat and walked over to Sam’s little computer area with the journal they had been reading from. He opened the scanner, and placed the journal onto the glass, printing out a detailed scan of the entry they had found.

As he did so, he felt a bit of a chill, and he looked up and scanned the room. He saw nothing, other than Lexi sitting in her chair at the table. He breathed out through his mouth, and saw no fog, and so he put the thought of being watched out of his mind…for the most part. But as the papers landed into the plate below the printer, Dean couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t alone.

He shook himself from his thoughts, and grabbed the papers and the journal, returning to the table. He tossed the journal on the table, and pointed at Lexi’s computer, “It should be there, but I have physical if we need them. I feel like we need a radio in here. I’m getting paranoid with all the silence and echoing. The mighty hunter…rawr.”

As he teased, Dean sighed also, showing that he really was feeling a bit weird in the bunker, these days. Maybe it was PTSD. Maybe it was false hope he had given himself. But something wasn’t normal…

“So, let’s get him that info, get his address and bail. I need some fresh air anyway.”

SAM

Sam didn't even fully know why he was suddenly over explaining everything. He just was. The only excuse he could come up with was that he just wanted Anya to feel safe here and not in danger. He remembered being like it to a certain extent with Lexi when he first met her, except the only difference was it wasn't the bunker, it was a motel room because he had to get her out of her house where all the traumatic sights were around her. Safety was his number one reason for a lot of things, especially over the last few years. He let her type on her phone and then listened to what it spoke for her, making him smile sheepishly, looking at the floor briefly before up at her. He let her walk in and over to his movie collection, letting her pick whatever she wanted to watch. When she seemingly found one, he looked over his shoulder as he stood from the TV set up and couldn't help but chuckle at her choice. He had forgotten he even had they one in his collection. Taking the dvd from her, he opened the case and put it into the player before standing up, grabbing the remote and about to head to the chair when she told him he didn't have to sit on the chair if he didn't want to. So he went to the bed and sat next to her before pressing play on the remote.

"If Dean walks in on us watching this I'll never hear the end of it, but I know for a fact he's sat through far more Disney movies than I have over the years" he laughed, folding his arms casually across his chest as he got comfortable. After he stated that, he decided he would have to remember to keep his knowledge of the number of times Mika used to make Dean watch Beauty and the Beast over the years and he has caught him humming the songs in the shower, so he had dirt to tell Lexi if it ever was required.

LEXI

She knew that Dean wouldn't have seen her in hunter mode and unlike Sam, Dean still had to see for himself what she was capable of. Although it may have come across that she was ready to charge in all guns blazing and not wanting to suss out all capabilities this could turn, she was always thinking about it. Her mind was racing through numerous scenarios all at once, whilst her outside demeanor remained calm. She let him get up and grab what they needed, glancing over for a brief moment before looking back at her laptop screen, unaware that he was sensing he was being watched. In her eyes, there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary in the bunker, she certainly never would have guessed his ex partner was still watching over him from the other side. She had heard about her and thought what a complete badass hunter she must have been. She didn't want to erase Mika from Dean's life or replace her in any way, but she would have been lying if there wasn't a tiny part of her that truly did want to experience some happiness and closeness with Dean.

When he came back, she looked over at the information he brought over before looking back at her screen, seeing he had indeed sent a digital copy of the scan to her laptop. 'good job my laptop name is Lexi's laptop' she thought to herself. "thanks" she said before chuckling at his rawr. "You know you could just text Sam if you're that worried about where he is with Anya?" She pointed out, thinking that was the sole reason he wanted radios in the place. Yet it was also clear to her that he was feeling on edge for some reason which got her wondering if it was just the case they were on or something else putting him on edge.

She sent OccultNrd333 the proof they wanted that she was telling the truth and as she waited for the reply, she grabbed her glass taking a sip of her drink. "fingers crossed he won't waste any time in replying like before" she replied to Dean. She desperately wanted to ask if he was alright. But she also didn't want to over step by getting personal when they were in work mode. So she remained silent, staring at the laptop screen for a few minutes until they got a message back.

HntrssDknss73,

Okay, I believe you. Find enclosed the coordinates to my location.
Meet in one hour.
OccultNrd333.

click here for location

"Okay, we're on! We better get moving, which one of us is gonna tell Sam and Anya we're heading out?" She asked Dean as she closed down her laptop and stood up.

Dean waved his hand at Lexi when she insinuated that he should just text Sam about his location in the bunker. He didn’t want to harrass his brother. Who knew what was going on in Sam’s head? For all they knew, he was showing Anya every old book in the entire library to keep her busy, just calming the poor girls brain.

He sat down in the chair close to Lexi and glanced at the computer. He held his hand up and crossed his fingers, physically agreeing with her sentiment. The guy seemed obsessed and desperate. Maybe they could get lucky and get out of the bunker before Dean felt the need to go around and look for ghosts. He didn’t know how to tell Lexi what he was dealing with, because it was hard to explain. It didn’t quite feel like a haunting and how could anything haunt this place anyway?

Before he had the chance to think much further, the laptop pinged and he sat up straight, “There he is…”

He leaned in and read over the message before clapping his hands and scooting his chair back from the table. He was ready to go. “Yep! Let’s go…oh wait. We have to tell them we’re leaving?”

He thought about it with a frown and then sighed, dropping his head a bit, “Fine. I’ll go tell him. So help me if he’s doing anything stupid, I’ll kill him, Lexi.”

Dean reluctantly tapped his hand on the table, and then walked away, down the hall to look for Sam.



Anya laughed at Sam’s assessment of Dean’s fragility toward chick flicks, although, oddly enough, she wasn’t surprised that Dean had been suckered into enjoying Disney and other things that seemed out of character for him. Seeing him with Lexi, she could read that he was a pushover for pretty girls with pretty eyes…that he cared about.

For a while, while Lexi and Dean were in the war room setting up for their night out, Anya sat and watched the movie, laughing with Sam as they teased about some of the cheesier moments. But as the movie progressed, Anya felt herself tempted to reach out and wrap her arms around Sam’s arm. She was tempted to get closer. Maybe it was the movie. Maybe it was their closeness. She couldn’t really place it.

She pulled her phone into her lap, trying to decide what to type that would bridge a gap and make it less awkward if she did ask him to be closer. She had just met him. It wasn’t like the knew each other, or had a chance to really be attracted to one another. For all she knew, he saw her like all the other hunters did…some broken kid.

Anya sat up a little taller on the bed, and pulled her legs up to her chest, seemingly getting more comfortable. And then she decided to just…make a move. She leaned toward Sam, feeling a little awkward, and tapped his arm. As soon as he turned his head, she leaned in, and placed a simple, and impossibly gentle kiss against his lips.

“Seriously?!”

Anya flinched, so hard that she likely would have screamed if she was capable. Her head instantly turning to see Dean standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips in annoyance.

“I leave you alone, and you bring her to your bed?”

LEXI

With the information received that they needed, Lexi picked up her cell phone and quickly input the co-ordinates into it so they knew where they were going. "It will only be right to tell him" she pointed out to Dean about telling Sam they were headed out. The last thing she wanted was to just scarper out of the bunker and Sam comes out to find the two of them missing. Though when Dean said he would kill Sam if he found his brother doing anything stupid, she couldn't help but smirk and shake her head. "You wouldn't kill him and you know it" she pointed out as he walked away. She may not have known Dean for as long as she knew Sam, but it was clear as day how close the two of them were and they would rather do anything reckless than see each other hurt or hurt each other.

As Dean left the war room, Lexi finished gathering their belongings so they were completely prepared in case anything went south. She didn't want to think about it being possibly a trap but she also knew it was far better to be prepared for one nonetheless. It was only when she was on her own that she paused what she was doing and looked up and around. "What spooked him?" she whispered to herself, not getting any weird feelings around the room. Shaking the curiosity out of her mind, she slung her bag over her shoulder and picked up Dean's for him, heading to the spiral staircase to wait for him. She found herself going through various scenarios in her head and trying to imagine what kind of person they would be meeting up with, wondering if they really could be as prepared as they think they are.

SAM

Sam couldn't remember the last time he watched Dirty Dancing or if he even had actually watched it, so a lot of his laughter and sassy commentary with Anya was completely genuine and off the cuff. She proved great company and she was proving that she had quite the sense of humour that complimented his own really well, which was a breath of fresh air for him. He hadn't had a chance to really laugh with someone much since Dean had his grieving den and if he was ever with Lexi, they were constantly in work mode. So to just be able to chill out and laugh with someone was so welcoming and cherished.

For the most part, he was oblivious to what Anya was thinking, ashamedly more focused on the film that he actually realised. It was only when Anya scooted closer and tapped his arm that he looked down at her direction and gave her a smile, about to ask her what she wanted to say when she placed her lips upon his own, shocking him initially. He was about to initially break away slowly until he heard Dean's voice practically bellow in the doorway of his room, making him flinch and break away much quicker than he planned. "Dean! What the hell!?" he responded in an annoyed huff. "It's not like that alright!? We're watching a film. What do you even want?" he practically scolded his other brother, feeling like he shouldn't have to explain himself- they weren't kids anymore, but here he was doing exactly that.

Dean raised his eyebrows, tilting his head back and forth in a mocking way as Sam explained that he and Anya were simply watching a movie…on his bed, as if he didn’t just see them kissing. He shook his head and then held up his hands, “You know what? Fine. I was just coming to tell you that me and Lexi are gonna go follow up on this lead we found. Don’t wait up. Don’t destroy the place and keep her inside.”

Anya was tempted to chime in, and ask what he found but she also wanted to be as invisible as possible in the awkward tension in the room. Her face burned with embarrassment, both toward Dean and toward Sam for her actions. They had just met and she was already making moves on him? That wasn’t like her at all, and from what she could gather from Dean’s reaction, Sam didn’t seem the type to move that fast, either. She sank back into the pillows and hugged her knees as they talked.

“So, I’m going to head out…” Dean almost grunted, waving his brother off as he turned and walked down the corridor, back toward the war room. He wasn’t angry, as much as he was worried. They knew nothing about Anya, outside of what she had told them, and what little information they had about her father. Her inability to speak made her even more of a threat, as it was hard to not see her as sneaky. But he had to try and trust Sam’s judgement. As he re-entered the war room, he stepped over to the library area, and picked up a duffel bag, before swiping his phone from the table on his way to the stairs, where Lexi was waiting, “So, Sam’s…very comfy. So is Anya! I told them not to let us distract from their…fun, and not to wait up. I told you I didn’t trust her just wandering around, and now she’s holed up in his room…on his bed…convincing him of God knows what.”

SAM AND LEXI

Sam wished he could fully explain without Dean continuing to fly off the handle but he knew it was pointless in this moment in time. So instead he decided it was best just to let Dean have his little rant, give whatever message he was giving and let him leave. "...fine" he began to reply but as Dean just left without another word, he couldn't even finish his own reply. Sighing in frustration at how Dean was being, he looked at Anya sheepishly, seeing how she took was highly embarrassed at what just occured. "ignore him, he's highly strung sometimes and this just so happens to be one of them. He's probably internally fighting with himself between letting Lexi in and keeping a distance due to grieving his ex" he explained, not being able to think of any other reason. At least, no other reason he could rationally tell Anya. There was times he himself felt like something was off in the bunker, like they were being watched over but nothing ever matched up to a haunting and it certainly didn't make any sense as the bunker was spooks and monster proof. But he didn't want to freak Anya out by saying anything about that.

"He'll chill out once he's been out of the bunker" he reassured. "and..don't feel embarrassed by the kiss" he smiled. Sure, it was very unexpected and he didn't realise she could have such a crush on him so quickly, but he also found it kind of sweet at the same time.

At the staircase, Lexi looked up when she saw Dean reappear and ready to go, but clearly was irritated by something. When he ranted about what he saw in Sam's room she couldn't help but softly chuckled, quickly covering her mouth as she did so to try and stop herself. "I'm sorry ..didn't mean to laugh, but he's a grown boy Dean. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. He's got his head screwed on right for the most part." She replied, patting him on the back. "Come on, let's get this little trip done. I'm curious to see the great Dean Winchester in action" she teased with a smirk, as she headed up the staircase in front of him.

It was true after all, she was curious to see him in action. She had witnessed Sam's skills but she was yet to see Dean's and although it was to be a simple meeting of sorts, she still wanted to witness him work for herself. She cranked open the door once at the top of the stairs and stepped through, waiting for him on the other side of the threshold. "I would say your car or mine, buuuut we both know mine is still in the garage" she remarked, trying to bring some light hearted vibes to Dean. The comment also reminded her that she really ought to check in with the garage to see how much longer her car will be, she just wished now she found a way to bring it to the bunker to get the boys to look at it.

Stepping over to his car, she waited for Dean to unlock it so she could shove her bag in with his. She really didn't know which way this meeting was going to go and she knew she had to start mentally preparing for anything that would come their way. At least this time she had backup.

Anya met Sam’s eyes as he turned to her and she sighed, hearing his explanation for Dean’s behavior. It wasn’t anything she couldn’t see herself, seeing Dean being so guarded and aggressive. She didn’t know if it was just a personality trait that came out when he was stressed or if he was genuinely high strung, but from what Sam was saying, it was a mixture. She pulled her phone and began typing as Sam explained that Dean would be happier out of the bunker, but stopped typing when he told her not to be embarrassed about kissing him.

She deleted everything she had typed on her phone, and looked up at him, not really able to smile, because she was embarrassed. There was something about him that felt safe, and attractive in a way that wasn’t just physical. He made her feel safe and she could tell that in a perfect world, he was someone she would be able to be good friends with…at the least. At best, maybe they could try to spark up a normal friends to relationship type situation.

Anya frowned and typed on her phone, her fingers moving quickly before she pressed send with a sigh, “I am embarrassed. But I’m more embarrassed that I kissed you while you’re trying to help me. It’s not really like me. I just think you’re…someone I want to get to know better. I didn’t know how to tell you that, and I guess now you know.”



Dean tilted his head in a mocking way when Lexi explained away Sam’s actions, as if he didn’t have a stranger in his bed, while he and Lexi were about to leave the bunker. Thinking about it, though, it might be good for Sam to get some quality time alone with a girl. Who knew? It might crack open that brain of his and make him concentrate on work a little harder, when Dean got back. Anything was better than all the moping…Dean too.

He grumbled a bit, but finally followed Lexi up the staircase with an awkward smirk. She wanted to see him in action, like he was some sort of mythical superhero. The thought widened his smirk and he stepped out into the cool night air behind her, gesturing toward the Impala, “You know we have to take that sweet girl. She’s been on damn near every hunt I’ve ever been on. No need to change things up!”

As he teased, he walked around and popped the trunk, tossing his bag inside, and as soon as her bag was in, he slammed it shut and walked around to the drivers side of the car, opening the door and sitting down heavily in the seat, “I’m just hoping I don’t overwhelm you too much with my…skills. I would hate to scare you away. Not many women have seen…what I can do.”

Dean shot her a proud smile, happy with his joking skills as he turned the engine over. “And I promise to keep my hands to myself on the way there.”

SAM

Sam couldn't help but watch Anya type quickly on her phone, only to delete whatever it was she was going to say because of his ramblings. He saw her look up at him and gave her a reassuring smile, hoping that he was somewhat making her feel less embarrassed but her lack of a smile told him he wasn't succeeding in that department. He just wanted to be able to help her, make her feel welcome in the bunker and most importantly, not feel alone. He let her type out whatever it was she wanted to say, waiting patiently until the phone spoke out what she said. Her words made him smile softly, nodding and looking at her in the eye. "I do and you really seem like a cool person Anya, someone I'd love to get to know, build a friendship with" he replied back to her.

If things advanced in the future and they became more than friends, then he would welcome it but for now friendship had to be the first step. A part from Lexi, he didn't have friends anymore, sure he had acquaintances, people he got along with just fine but no one he would consider truly a friend. That ended when Mika died and worse for him, when she died he lost a sister, not just a friend. But now wasn't the time to be thinking about the past, now was the time to focus on the present, focus on making Anya comfortable and not feel on edge all whilst they waited the other two to get information and figure out their next move to help Anya out. That was what he wanted more than anything right now, to feel like he's helped someone in need and give Anya some answers to the questions she no doubt had in her head.

"So....did you want to continue watching the film? I can grab us some food or make us stuff in the kitchen if you ever get hungry" he offered, really trying his best to lessen the embarrassment she was feeling and in a lot of ways, he was feeling also. He just hoped that what he said about Dean feeling better once he got out of the bunker was in fact true and Lexi would manage calm Dean down.

LEXI

The fact that Dean didn't try and correct her about what she said about Sam, told Lexi that she had made him think about the situation in a different way. That much she was glad for if it was the case. Outside, she followed his gesture as he pointed toward the impala and smiled as Dean called the car his sweet girl. It wasn't in the least bit surprising to her that that's how Dean felt about his car. He seemed the type to love the thing above everything else for the most part. "Okay okay" she chuckled, following him to the car and putting her bag in the trunk after he put his in. She walked round to the passenger side, opened the door and got in, sitting down a lot less heavily than Dean did. Closing the door behind her, she laughed at what he said realising that what she said moment before clearly made some kind of impact on his mind.

"Well none of those women have been me" she teased back with a broad smile, glancing at him as she spoke. With the impala's engine roaring to life, she relaxed in her seat, ready to be going on another job again. "I should hope so, can't have half your attention being on what your hands are doing" she joked back with a soft and endearing chuckle as she looked out the front windscreen at the road ahead of them. It felt so refreshing to be able to be this comfortable around someone again and be herself once more, her grief had stolen too much of herself for too long and here Dean was, bringing a part of herself back to her. Whether he knew it she didn't know, but she was thankful to him nonetheless. "Gotta say though, feels good to be back on a job again, I swear I get antsy if I go too long without a job nowadays" she said a bit more seriously this time.

As the impala went out of view, Mika watched the direction they went in and smiled. "Go do what you do best Dean, save the world" she remarked before she let herself just vanish once more.

Anya was relieved that Sam didn’t take her declaration of attraction as some sort of overstep. He took it in stride. That seemed to be a trend with Sam, a personality trait that only made him more attractive. He wanted to be her friend. He wanted to spend more time with her. He wasn’t just running away and shunning her for having weird feelings for him. That much was a relief.

She smiled softly, finally showing some emotion on her face other than awkward worry, and nodded to him. Without looking at her phone, she typed a simple, “I think I would like that.”

After thinking over his offer for food, Anya shook her head and pointed to the movie. She wanted to finish the movie with him, something simple and personal. Then, they could explore more of their budding friendship. She pulled her phone up and typed a message, “Let’s finish the movie, and then I might see about making you something sweet. I can be a decent cook. Maybe it will help Dean warm up to me, too.”

As the message read out, she giggled softly.



Dean furrowed his brow in a tiny bit of offense when Lexi once again brushed off his advances, but she related it to work, which made him tilt his head to the side, as if she had a point. He blinked a few times and smirked, sighing. As they drove down the road, Dean gripped the steering wheel excitedly and agreed with her.

“Oh yeah. I feel like I’m going crazy in the bunker. It’s like the walls are crushing me, and then Sam is moping around. He’s lonely and fixing everything. He’s fine with just staying inside, pouring over the same old books over…and over.” He paused and chewed at his lip. “And I can’t help but feel like theres something…around. Like it’s not the same home it was, you know? Hell, I don’t know what it is. I know the place ain’t haunted. It’s proofed. Like…more than proofed. But it just feels tense. The air is heavy. Call it grief or anxiety or whatever…but I needed to get out of there or I was going to go crazy.”

He paused and smiled fondly, “But I will tell you, it’s nice to have a new voice echoing off those walls.”

SAM

The moment Anya smiled softly after he said he would like to get to know her better, he felt relieved that she didn't feel like running off and he wasn't coming across as a bad guy. He wanted to see the good in Anya, as he did with most people. He trusted his gut with Lexi and that proved to be right, considering she was now out on the road with Dean, and he was trusting his gut instincts with Anya. He knew out of both he and Dean, he was the more optimistic one and more trusting one, and it didn't always go in his favour but he wasn't going to stop because of a few bad people.

Hearing her express that she would also like to see where this friendship could go made him smile a bit more. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest now that it seemed the awkwardness was lifting from the room. "Okay, we can finish the film first" he replied initially to her wish of wanting to continue watching Dirty Dancing. He went to go press play again on the movie, not fully remembering when he could have even pressed pause, when Anya expressed how she wanted to express her own thanks by cooking.

He chuckled, feeling a sense of deja vu. Lexi made the same offer when she first got brought to the bunker and it made him see that maybe there was similarities between the two women, even if it seemed Anya was probably younger than Lexi. "I would say I can't have a guest cooking but I've learned my lesson from that." He laughed, causing a strand of his hair to fall in front of his face which he quickly tucked behind his ear.

"Lexi made the same offer and it definitely won't Dean over. So if you really want to get him on your side? I say after the film, I'll take you to the kitchen so you can see what we got and let you go wild in there" he smiled.

LEXI

Brushing off his advanced wasn't her objective, but it seemed that Lexi was still learning how to properly flirt all over again. She didn't know why she was being like this after they had already shared a kissing moment in this very car much earlier on in the day. She did really like Dean, he brought her out of herself more than anyone had since her own fiancé got murdered. She just didn't want to mess up whatever it was they had growing between them.

Seeing him grin and smirk excitedly was infectious. Yet again, she couldn't help but smile back, even her eyes seemed to smile and light up as she did so when she saw him smile. After hearing how much he had moped around in the bunker for a few months from Sam, seeing him be like this was a joy to see. Frowning and moping didn't seem to suit him in her opinion. She listened to him express his feelings about what it felt like being in the bunker for so long and it felt like such a change to the Dean she first met who wanted nothing more than to hide in his room, eat junk food and drink copious amounts of alcohol.

When he mentioned about feeling like something was still lingering around in the bunker, she rose an eyebrow and stopped smiling. It was curious to say the least. She remembered Sam explaining how extra proofed the bunker was so how could anything be lingering around? The only thing she could possibly think of was maybe the energy that his ex left behind and coupled with his grief, it did leave that tense vibe. Then he smiled again and co to ued talking, making her smile again.

"I can agree with that. I've been out on the road or in motel rooms on my own. Having you is a breath of fresh air" she replied honestly. She tried so hard not to let her intrusive thoughts win out and put her hand on his leg as he drove, placing a hand partially under her chin and in front of her mouth before glancing back out the passenger side window for a moment.

She definitely could get used to being on the road, kicking asses and taking names with Dean Winchester. He made her feel alive once again.

Anya smiled brightly as Sam seemed to agree that food might be the way to Dean’s heart, if she wanted to gain his trust. She could tell from looking at the older Winchester that he was a meat and potatoes guy, with a stomach for down home cooking. Judging from both their accents, and the bunker being in Kansas, she guessed soul food might be his drug of choice. The simplicity of Sam pushing his hair behind his ear caught Anya’s eye, following his hand absentmindedly with a soft sigh. She resisted the urge to snuggle up with him, gesturing for him to press play on the movie so they could finish it up. If he didn’t, she wasn’t sure they would ever fully shake the awkwardness, because her temptation would get the better of her…all over again.

A little later, Anya stretched, dropping her legs off the side of the bed to stand up. She stretched a little harder once she stood, and smiled, turning to Sam typing on her phone, “I think I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in months…”



Dean raised his eyebrows when Lexi mentioned that having ‘him’ was a breath of fresh air. It nearly caused his heart to skip a beat. He couldn’t decide if it was excitement, or flattery, or a mixture of the two. Either way, his raised eyebrows fell into a proud smirk at her words. She adjusted himself in his seat, squeezing the steering wheel a little tighter to prevent his hands from reaching over for her, not knowing that she was fighting the same urge.

“Well, I’m glad to be of service.” He teased, glancing over at her as she stared out the window. He decided to focus more on the case than the tension in the vehicle, grounding himself so he wasn’t distracted. “I say, when we get there, I’ll hang back and let you handle the guy. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, but you showing up with me might cause him to…bolt. If I need to, I’ll rough him up a bit. But if we’re right, dude’s just a basement dweller with a little too much interest in the occult, you know?”

SAM

Seeing Anya smile brightly at his explanation on how to win Dean over. The way her whole face seems to light up when she genuinely smiled like that was so sweet and refreshing to see. She seemed like a totally different person when she smiled that brightly, like there was an air of confidence ins her just dying to come out more often. With the movie playing again, he settled back into a comfortable position and watched the rest of the film.

When the film finished, he ejected the dvd and put it back in its case before turning the TV off as Anya got up off the bed and stretched. Getting up himself, he took did a stretch before walking round to the other side of the room. He smiled at her words, glad that he could be a part of her feeling truly relaxed. "I'm glad. I know how hard it is to feel properly relaxed some days" he replied to her. "So...kitchen?" He suggested with a shrug and smile, pointing in the direction of his door. He had to admit, now they they had finished watching the film, he was feeling peckish and could do with heading to the kitchen to grab something.

LEXI

Lexi had no idea that Dean was fighting the same urge as she was, but seeing his raised eyebrows at her words, turn into a proud smirk made her smile all the more. There really was something about that damn smile of his that just made her heart do skips and flips in her chest. She hadn't felt that since the very first day she met her except. She didn't even think anyone could make her feel that anymore, but here Dean was proving her completely wrong.

She smiled more at his reply of being happy to be of service. A light chuckle escaping her lips at his remark. "why are you making it so hard to not reach across to you?" she thought to herself, glancing back at him when he brought the conversation back to work. She had to admit, he had a point. Guys like who they're about to see, usually did bolt if another guy showed up but the moment a woman turned up? They instantly felt they were on an advantage. "Makes sense, if it is a kid like I think then chances are he'll feel more comfortable if it's just me that appears. But I know you got my back" she replied to him, looking right at him whilst he continued to drive. "I'll get what we need our of him and just walk back to the car. If I need you I'll give some kind of signal behind my back" she suggested. In her eyes, discreet signals always worked a charm, but she was also very much aware that there could be a time when they don't.

Anya nodded, smiling at Sam’s demeanor when he stood and stretched. His shrug almost looked boyish and he pointed toward the door. Anya nodded toward the door and quickly walked through it, out into the hallway. She vaguely remembered the way to the kitchen, and didn’t wait long for Sam to join her, before exiting the corridor into the war room, looking around the large room as if she had never seen it before. It was intimidating, antique, and as weird as it felt to say…it seemed like the most appropriate home for Sam and Dean.

As she walked past the table, she brushed her fingers along the antique wood top, and over the back of one of the chairs, carefully stepping through the swinging doors of the kitchen. She leaned against the stainless steel counter of the kitchen, and waited for Sam, while typing on her phone.

“So, from what I can read about your brother, he’s simple. He likes a lot of meat and hearty foods, right? Beer. Pies. Ice Cream. Burgers. That sort of thing? Find me some ground beef, whip cream, and any fruit you have. I’ll have him wrapped around my finger in two bites.”

As soon as Sam came through the door, Anya pressed play on the message and smirked, looking up at Sam from under her hair as it fell into her face.



Dean almost breathed an audible sigh of relief when Lexi returned his talk about work, as it was obvious they were both having trouble being this close to one another, considering they had shared a kiss the last time they were in the Impala together. It was a muscle memory thing…he thought. But she had faith in him having her back. That was a relief. Something in the pit of his stomach wondered if he could, after what happened to Mika.

He didn’t necessarily trust himself to help anyone anymore. It had made him almost a hermit in the bunker. He took a deep breath and glanced over at her to find her eyes staring at his.

“I got your back. As far as we know, this kid is just human. So, you give me any sign and I will blow his brains out.” Dean explained, seriousness overshadowing his good mood for a moment, to let her know that he would lay anyone out that tried to come near her. There was no way he was going to let another person he cared about get hurt right in front of him. “One signal. I’ll kill him. Try to stay where I can see you both. Get the info. Get out of there. We’ll be on the road…”

He nodded to make sure Nat understood that he was serious, and then he smirked, “I hate sounding like a bossy dad.”

SAM

As Anya headed out the room, he followed close behind incase she took a wrong turn but he was impressed she remembered the way to the main war room and then to the kitchen. He noticed how she looked at the now empty room differently, like it felt so much bigger than it did when Dean and Lexi were also in the room. He couldn't help but smile softly when she ran her fingers across the table and chairs as they went through the room, noting how soft and delicate her touch was over the furniture.

He walked into the kitchen behind her and listened to what the phone was saying on her behalf, something he had already gotten used to. He didn't even think twice about it. Listening to what she had he started laughing and nodding, as she got Dean down pretty accurately. "You'd be right on that assumption. He loves his pie and beer to a worrying level" he replied to her, still amused at how easy his brother was to read to people who barely knew him. "Lexi made pie the first night she stayed here as well, he was still grumpy but instantly said she could stay if she continued with the pies" he laughed.

He then walked to the fridge and opened it, seeing what ingredients they had in, "well it seems the two of them restocked the place!" He remarked, closing it again, but not before pulling out two cans of soda for them both. He stepped closer to her and swept her hair behind her ear for her, "here..." He then offered her one of the cans. "So, feel free to rummage through the cupboards and fridge and make whatever you want" he smiled, changing the subject before he let himself look her in the eyes for too long and making things awkward.

LEXI

Despite how Dean was feeling about protecting anyone he was on a job with, Lexi really did trust him to have her back. She saw no reason to not trust him. She may not know the full story of what happened to Mika, but that didn't matter to her, all that mattered was this job right here and now. She listened to his reply about her plan, glad that he was agreeing to only step in if she gave him a signal. His words may have been extreme but she understood that he was dead serious and could understand why he was being that serious. Like Dean, she didn't want to lose anyone else she cared about either as she knew she wouldn't cope with the loss a second time. She highly doubted that she would ever come back from it mentally if it happened.

At his last remark about being a bossy dad, she smirked and chuckled, "you don't and I get it. Don't worry, I will stay in sight, close enough to the car if I have to retreat and need you" she reassured. she really did hope it was just a human kid they were meeting and nothing more but that wouldn't stop her going into this meeting somewhat secretly armed.

Looking at the GPS on her phone and then up at their surroundings, it did seem they were making good time to their destination. "We're making good time. I just hope this isn't going to be a wasted journey as well. Of it is a kid and they waste my time I won't be too pleased" she remarked, letting her hand just drop to her side on the seat between herself and Dean. She still so desperately just wanted to be in hold with him but she knew she needed to stay professional at this moment. She just wanted this job to be done so she didn't have to think about it, and allow her mind to wander instead.

Anya giggled silently at the mental image of Dean just latching onto whoever was willing to make him food. It almost seemed like Dean needed a good maid, rather than a girlfriend. She stepped around to the ovens, opening them as Sam rummaged through the fridge. This was an industrial kitchen, something of dreams for anyone who liked to cook. It was something she could work with, at least, as long as she could remember everything she needed.

Luckily, Sam alerted her to the fact that Lexi and Dean had been grocery shopping. So, she could probably find everything she needed and she tapped on the counter, rather excitedly. But her mind went blank for a moment when Sam stepped back over to her, a little closer than she expected and his fingertips brushed her face, pushing the stray strand of curly hair behind her ear. The simple gesture caused her heart to skip a beat, and she had to hide a shudder with a soft smile, turning her eyes up to his.

This was a moment she wished she could speak more than anything, as the tension in the room instantly raised and she was once again tempted to just tilt up on her toes and kiss him. But he changed the subject and she let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.

With a nod, she broke eye contact and took the can of soda with a smile. She stepped away from him, walking over to the fridge to gather the supplies she needed for baking and luckily for Dean…meat. She slid all of the ingredients onto the butcher block counter, and pressed a few buttons to turn the oven on as she whipped around the room.

After several minutes of mixing and making a mess, she wiped her hands and placed the last pie in the oven, closing the door and taking a deep breath. “Done…”, she thought before turning to walk back over to Sam. She pulled her phone from the counter on her way by, and typed out a simple message before setting it down and pressing play.

“We just need to wait about twenty minutes and I’ll have stolen your brother’s heart.” She teased in the message, smiling as she stepped in front of him. Standing there, she wrapped her hand around he elbow and awkwardly stood, tapping her toe for a moment as she tried to decide what to say to him. As was the case before, the kitchen fell into a bit of tension. She scanned over the features of Sam’s face, taking in his height over her, and the way he stood. His empathy wasn’t an act. Neither was his ability to calm someone when they were close to him. Unlike his brother, he didn’t feel the need to use bravado and wit to push his way through someone’s walls. He was…interesting and beautiful.

She only realized she was zoned out staring at him after what could have been minutes, but she assumed was only seconds and she snapped herself out of it, reaching up to rake her hair out of her face. She picked up her phone and sighed, deciding to just break the ice on their tension.

“I’m having a very hard time being around you, right now. I feel the tension, and everything in my brain is telling me to touch you. You feel it too, right?”

She looked up at him briefly, and then typed another bit before pressing play on the whole thing, nervously tilting her eyes up to meet his.

“It’s just me and you, here.”



Dean smirked as Lexi told him he wasn’t being bossy, he was being careful. He did feel a bit bossy though. He was protecting her with aggression, his PTSD screaming through as he looked at her and saw just as formidable of a hunter as Mika, but also someone who was vulnerable, as long as he was connected to her. His better judgement wanted her to run as far away from him as she could. He also knew that he would never tell her that, out loud.

With a nod, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel, and glared through the windshield, “I’ll let you take the first swipe at him if he’s running us around. Let’s hope he’s dealt with hunters before and knows better. Somehow I doubt it.”

Dean glanced down, seeing her hand drop to the seat. He stared at her hand for a moment, and chewed at his lip, fighting the urge to comfort her, even if she didn’t seem upset. He was long past the days of being soft with his partners…or women. That part of his soul had likely been crushed into oblivion over the years. He just couldn’t quite place ‘when’. He squeezed the steering wheel with his left hand, and reached down with his right, picking up her hand without warning.

“It’s just a milk run…” He muttered, more to himself than to her, as his mind ran over every single way this appointment could go wrong. He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, ending his internal screaming against showing affection, when it was obvious they weren’t going to be able to stay away from each other…professional or not.

SAM

Seeing Anya laugh at the mental image he just gave her about Dean, brought a smile to Sam's face. There was something so pure and almost innocent to it that he found incredibly endearing and made her seem like a completely different person to the frustrated girl in the electronic store he first saw. Opening his can, he sat on the edge of the table in his best attempt to stay out of her way but also be close enough if she needed his help with anything or to grab something for her. Part of him, like when Lexi insisted on cooking, felt a little guilty that his guest was cooking food for them, but he also had a feeling that if he tried to convince her he'd just buy takeout and she shouldn't have to cook when she's a guest, he'd get a mouthful about being old fashioned. He learned his lesson with Lexi on that subject. He also kept thinking about how almost shy she went when he tucked her hair out the way just moments ago. She really was a stunning looking woman he thought to him which made him go to the table and sit on it and try and be normal for once. He did t want to be like Dean when it came to girls, he never was and certainly didn't want to start now, especially when it seemed Anya had that kind of personality trait down pat already.

Watching her prepare food and making an appropriate amount of mess in the process, he couldn't help but smile at the whole situation in front of him. When she put everything in the oven, he snapped out of his thoughts and saw her typing out what she wanted to say, so he listened when it played out loud. He smirked when she said about winning his brother's heart with her cooking. "oh I see, so it IS Dean you're more interested in!" He teased back, faking disappointment before just laughing and shaking his head at his terrible reaction. He noticed she was looking at him a d all his features as they fell into an awkward silence, as both them seemed to possibly be trying to think of a topic to talk about.

When she didn't seem to stop looking, he realised she had completely zoned out making him about to snap her out of it when she seemed to do that herself. He let her type out whatever it was she wanted to say, not expecting the very next words to be spoken at all. So he wasn't just imagining the whole thing about them, and it wasnt just a fluke that she had kissed him earlier. He shook his head, "it's not just you.. I do feel it too" he confirmed to her before she pointed out the obvious about it being just the two of them in the bunker. "it is" he clarified, pushing himself off the table and stepping over to her, glancing down at her softly.

LEXI

She truly understood why Dean was being aggressively protective about this job. She probably understood it more than most people would ever realise. She took was always scared about people getting too close to her and then dying on her. She didn't want to be the cause for Dean getting hurt yet again when she already knew how much hurt there still was in his heart, just as there was in her own. It may have been a year but there were nights after hunts that she'd still see her ex in her sleep ripped to shreds on their living room floor. The sight making her toss and turn in her sleep only to wake up in a sweat. That guilt of not being home that night will forever torment and haunt her, no matter how much she moved forward in her life. It was guilt like no other and she NEVER wanted to add to it by getting another person hurt or killed.

She gave a nod at his promise to let her have first swing if this guy gave them the run about and it brought a smirk to her lips. "Damn straight you will" she half teased, half said in seriousness. She took doubted that whoever they were meeting hadn't dealt with hunters before which meant they had the advantage of surprise when it came to skills.

She didn't even think about her hand when it dropped to the seat between them, it when he caved into his desires and grabbed it, she looked down and followed his hand as he brought hers to his lips and kissed it protectively. "Right" she agreed, even though he didn't strictly speak to her. He wasn't the only one imagining ways things could go wrong, but she tried to focus on the situation going right instead. It was the only way she could stay sane, so she gave his hand a squeeze with her own, linking her fingers between his.

There was definitely way they could keep themselves from getting close, no matter how much they tried to deny it.

-----

At the meeting point, she looked around and eventually spotted someone standing in the distance nearby an old beat up car. "Chances of that being our guy?" She asked Dean, seeing that the guy looked to be in his late teens/early twenties at most, jacket and hoodie on with hood up.

"Guess it's showtime" she sighed, placing her other hand on the door handle to open it up.

Anya sighed with relief as Sam reacted exactly how she hoped to her words. She was worried he would brush it all off and ask her what she was talking about, as if he wasn’t covered in tension. Anyone could see by just looking at him. She could have chalked it up to grief, or him being worried about his brother, but every time their eyes met, the tension rose higher. When he pushed off the counter, her heart jumped into her throat, and her hands began to shake with nerves. It was the first time that they seemed on the same page since the moment they met, not awkwardly dancing around each other.

She turned her eyes away from him briefly, thinking about typing another message. But she decided against it, laying her phone on the table behind her, before stepping up toe to toe with Sam. As if asking permission, she reached a nervous hand out and placed it on his chest, feeling his heart beat beneath her fingers.

Looking up at him, she smiled softly, trailing the same nervous hand up to his shoulder and then the side of his neck, curling his hair around her fingers. She was terrified to kiss him again, but everything on her face made it clear that she really…really wanted to.



Dean sighed with relief as Lexi not only didn’t pull her hand away but verbally agreed with him, and squeezed his hand. It was a step. It was a tiny step toward allowing themselves to get closer, without instantly jumping into each other’s arms, which he wasn’t sure he was ready for. He knew he wanted to be around her, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to just…allow himself to.

—

At the meeting point, Dean perked up when Lexi pointed out the nervous looking guy standing near an old beat up car. He scanned the guy over, and judging by his demeanor, he didn’t look too hard to take down, if the need arose. He looked as if a stiff wind would blow him over. Dean scoffed, “He looks about like I expected.”

As Lexi moved to get out of the car, Dean pulled her hand back, kissing her knuckles one more time with a stern look, “You stay…”

The words buzzed in his brain, the same warning he always gave Mika. It was the same speech, different hunter. Same speech, different attachment. The thought made his stomach churn, and he couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. He cut himself off and shook his head with a sad smile, “Get out of here. Go get him.”