Duke glanced over at Dean when Esme stated that she not only didn’t want them to work on her car, but also that she didn’t want to deal with their fighting anymore. He tilted his head in a way that said ‘see what you did?’ And straightened his cowboy hat. Dean had always been one to give Esme space, if she needed it. Even when he was hovering over her injuries or wellbeing, he was still willing to give her air. He knew this couldn’t be easy for her, being taken care of, and basically being on house arrest while she wasn’t super mobile.

He watched her stand up and took a deep breath, going back to his food. But Duke wiped his hands on his jeans and slapped a hand on the table next to Dean with a knowing look, “You know you’re supposed to run after the girl when she’s upset and needs air…right? Don’t kick me or so help me I will beat your ass in this kitchen and apologize to Bobby later.”

“I’m not gonna kick you. She wants space. I give her space. It’s what keeps things…kosher.” Dean explained, gesturing with his hands to punctuate his statement. Duke scoffed and shook his head, standing from his chair suddenly. “Where the hell are you going?”

“I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna talk to that girl. She seems like she needs an ear…” Duke stated simply, not smiling at Dean which weirded him out. He narrowed his eyes at Duke and leaned back in his chair, watching his best friend leave the kitchen, straight for the front door.

Duke stepped out the front door and carefully closed it behind him. He rolled his bare shoulders, and without making any more noise than necessary, he slowly stepped down the steps next to Esme and then sat down, not saying a word for a bit. After the awkward silence, he couldn’t handle it anymore and looked up from his folded hands, staring across the vast yard, “So, you wanna talk about it? What happened yesterday, I mean. You’re pretty busted up and I’m here if you wanna…talk about it.”

Esme had sat her coffee cup on the step beside her and zoned out, looking out over the yard. It was pretty peaceful here, even with Bobby tinkering with things in the garage. She wasn’t even aware that Duke had walked out the front door and was now on the porch with her. It wasn’t until he came and sat down on the steps that she noticed him because it caused her to jump slightly. When he said nothing, she returned to looking out across the yard. She thought it was a little weird he wasn’t talking. Since meeting him, he’s done nothing but talk. But apparently, the silence got too much for him because he asked her about what happened yesterday a few moments later. Esme softly sighed, tilting her head down to look at her lap. Then, let the hand holding the bag of peas fall so both rested in her lap. She closed her eyes, and her hair fell to cover her face. Did she really want to talk to Duke about it? She had planned to talk to Dean about this, but he wasn’t there at the moment. He was still inside, giving her some space.

But he allowed Duke to come out with her, which surprised her after everything she had witnessed. “Do you really want to hear about it, or are you just trying to be nice?” she asked. Esme fell silent, thinking once again if she should tell him. She hardly knew him. It was also strange for her to hear someone she had just met say they would sit and listen to what was bothering her. But she did feel like she needed to get it out before it festered and turned into what it did last night again. Opening her left eye, Esme briefly looked over at Duke before lifting her head and looking back across the yard. “The day started like any other.” she started, deciding to talk about it. “Sassy and I got a call with information about demons running rampant in one town and a ghost problem in another. Since we were together, we took out the demons without much trouble. They weren’t too smart.” she told him. She paused to pick up her coffee, take a drink, and then set it back down. “After that, I told her to go home. I’d take care of the ghost….”

“It was only supposed to be one, according to what the guy told us.” Her grip on the peas in her lap tightened. “That one ghost turned into four. Two were easy enough to take care of. The third gave me a run for my money. He threw me around that decrepit house like a rag doll.” She paused again, taking a few deep breaths, her grip on the peas tightening again. “It took some trial and error to send him off finally. I thought I was done. I collected what I had dropped, then headed for my car…. I got in and called Sassy to let her know it was done, then that’s when all hell broke loose.” Esme closed her eye, seeing everything play out again and feeling her anger rise. “That last ghost possessed my car, locked me inside, and took me on a joyride I won’t soon forget. He dove my car into every object in that giant yard, every dip and every hole. Then drove straight into that damn house. I barely got out before it collapsed after I salted and burned his hat.” Esme released a heavy, irritated sigh through her nose as she dropped her head and shook it.

“I’m pretty sure the guy Sassy got the information from is out to get my family. There are so many that don’t like us…… If you were to ask me why. I couldn’t tell you. Maybe it’s the way we handle things, or maybe it's because of what happened to my mother.” Esme tensed up as she brought up her mother. She hoped Duke didn’t notice, but if he did, she hoped he wouldn’t ask about her. That was one thing Esme couldn’t bring herself to talk about. She barely touched on it with Dean. “That guy needs to be found and have a bullet put right between his eyes.” she mumbled.

Duke smirked as Esme asked him if he actually cared about what she had gone through. He probably would have been offended, if they hadn’t had such a tumultuous first impression. Instead, he shrugged with a smirk, “I’m just offering an ear and almost twenty years of huntin’ experience to the situation. Nothin’ more.”

As she seemed to let her guard down and start speaking, Duke lowered his eyes to the steps, taking in every single word that she said, without interjection. He couldn’t help but notice the anger that oozed from her when she spoke about the situation, the idiocy and unnecessary outcome hanging in the air.

“Ah…the old possessed car trick.” Duke mumbled, shaking his head with sympathetic annoyance. He had been taken out of work for months due to a possessed car breaking both his femurs after running him down. Luckily, like always, Dean was there.

As she finished got to the part about the bad informant, Duke squinted, a look of disgust on his face as he kicked a couple of pebbles on the wood steps, watching them fall into the grass below. His ears perked up when she brought up her mother, and he was very tempted to ask her about the situation, but he could feel the tension as he glanced to her. He could see it in her shoulders. It was a sore subject that he knew better than to touch while she was this emotional.

“Well that’s somethin’ we agree on. Any idea who the guy might be? Maybe who he runs with? I’d be happy to take care of him for you. I ain’t a big fan of petty bitch hunters.” Duke spoke at the end, turning without a single hint of a smirk on his face as he watched her face from under his hat. “Just give me a name.”

He was genuinely angry about the situation, a rare emotion for him to show, especially to a stranger. He took a deep breath and dropped his eyes, staring out over the yard, “I’m sorry that happened to you. You didn’t deserve that crap…”

Esme glanced at Duke when he spoke after she explained everything to him, feeling the anger coming off him. She was surprised to see him so angry over something that happened to a stranger. It was then that Esme caught a glimpse of what kind of person Duke was, making him slightly attractive at that moment. She mentally shook her head and looked away at the grass. What was she thinking? She’s with Dean. She then shook her head to Duke’s questions. “All he gave us was his first name. Mark. I have no idea who he runs with.” she told Duke. She fell silent momentarily and looked up and out over the yard in front of them, sighing heavily through her nose. “I doubt he’ll call again. He probably thinks I’m dead, and I probably should be after all that happened last night….. But thank you for your concern and wanting to go after him.” Esme then picked up her cup, drank the last of her coffee, rested the empty cup on her knee, and went into thought. After a moment, she glanced over at him. “Whatcha say we go shoot and blow off some steam?” she asked him with a slight smile.

Duke thought about the name. There were at least a dozen hunters he could think of with that name, and none of them seemed to be the type that would pull a stunt nasty enough to get someone hurt on purpose, unless they planned to kill the person themselves. He sighed, wringing his hands a bit before wiping them on his pants and sitting up straight, glancing up at the sky, “Well, I’ll remember that name. Whether or not they think you’re dead, you’re not. It’s in their best interest not to come around.”

He smirked, and turned back to Esme, his smile widening as she thanked him and took that final drink of her coffee. He didn’t answer her thanks, shrugging a shoulder as he contemplated whether he should leave her alone with her thoughts, or press her for more, to let her get it all off her chest. Maybe she would feel better and resting up would be more comfortable without all that anger.

But her next words took him off guard. He tilted his head back and flashed another brilliant smile at her, “You want to go shootin’ with me? You know what? I won’t ask. I’m gonna go get my pistol and we can head out to the range, right out there.”

He stood quickly as he pointed toward the small garden of mannequins, pots, pans and other random things that Bobby had set up for the kids to shoot at. He got all the way down the steps, before turning around rubbing absentmindedly at his bare chest as he turned to Esme and tilted his head.

“You wanna come with me? I gotta go grab my stuff from the RV. Ain’t no sense in just sittin’ around here waitin’ on me to get back.” He chuckled and reached his hand out, offering it to Esme.

A few moments later

Duke grumbled as he walked across the gravel, making a mental note to grab his boots once he was inside the trailer. He turned to Esme and smirked, before pulling the door to the trailer open and climbing the steps, before turning to her and offering his hand to help her up the steps. Even though he was thin, he was stout and there was no way he was letting her walk up on her own, as banged up as she was. “Watch that top step. Welcome to my home, when I get kicked out of my home!”

He chuckled and stepped over to the small table that he had all of his guns torn apart on, hoping to go shooting later on. He began to rummage through them, putting the pieces back together as he let her explore the trailer. Around the table, there were books from every religion out there, along with a small radio that was playing country music at a low volume, something he only listened to when he was alone.

He kicked his cowboy boots from under the table and sat on the cushion, pulling them onto his feet, before standing again, and putting the last couple of guns together, glancing up at Esme.

“You’re welcome in here any time you need to talk, you know. I know how Dean can be. He’s nice and cuddly, but he’s not much of an open book. I ain’t goin’ nowhere. So, if you’re gonna be around, welcome to your new therapists office.” He joked, laughing with a bright smile.

Esme couldn’t help but smile slightly at Duke's words before she suggested they go shooting. She found it sweet how he felt so deeply about the situation. Other than Dean, her father, and Sassy, she hasn’t had anyone act in such a way about things that have happened to her. It was strange to her. Her smile grew when she saw how surprised he was when she said she wanted to shoot with him. She gave a slight nod to his question as he spoke, almost laughing as he continued to talk. She followed his finger to the garden of mannequins and other various items to shoot. “Alright. Seems like plenty to take some anger out on.” she responded. She watched him stand and descend the stairs, fully intending to wait for him there on the steps. But then he turned around and asked her if she wanted to go with him, and he held his hand out to her. Esme thought about it a moment, then hesitantly took his hand. “Okay. I need to grab mine as well.” she replied. “If he tries any funny business, I’m gonna deck him.” she thought. She didn’t care how sore she was. She’d do it.


Esme walked with Duke to the RV. Once there, she stopped when he turned to her and smirked before opening the door. It was almost as if he wanted her to see it inside. “Did he have this planned from the start, or was he just hoping I’d say yes to coming with him?” she thought. She sighed softly to herself and tried to clear her thoughts. It was too early to judge him in such a way, wasn’t it? After Duke climbed the steps and offered his hand to her again, Esme stepped up to the steps and took his hand. Once up the steps and inside, she winched a little at his words. “Yeah, you got kicked out last night when I showed up and blew up. Sorry about that.” she said as she stepped in further. She took in her surroundings as he approached the small table, noticing how they were all torn apart. “He was hoping I’d agree to go shooting with him. I don’t understand why after how I treated him last night.” she thought. Esme took note of his collection of books on religion and the small radio playing country music.

As she looked around, she crossed her arms loosely over her stomach, taking in everything to learn a little more about him. She was pulled from her exploring when Duke stood, and she could feel him looking at her, but she didn’t turn to face him until he spoke. A smile graced her lips at his kindness and his comment about Dean. It was true. It was like pulling teeth to get Dean to open up about things. Then she laughed when he welcomed her to her new therapist's office. She grabbed her ribs with a wince but continued to laugh. “My new therapist, huh? Pfft. You sure you can handle what I might come to you to talk about? I could possibly come in here with some doozies.” she said, a laugh till in her tone. In this line of business, she felt every hunter could do with a therapist or someone they could talk to who understood what they dealt with pretty much daily. She couldn’t lie to herself. Knowing she had someone willing to listen to her when she couldn’t talk to Dean, her father, Sassy, or Bobby about things was nice.

Even if she didn’t know Duke all that well, but it was nice just to have him tell her he’d be there if she needed to talk. She couldn’t think of anything she’d want to talk to him about at that moment. However, she knew that would more than likely change over time, just like it did with Dean. After collecting herself, she looked back at Duke. “Thank you. I appreciate that.” she smiled warmly. “You’re also welcome to talk to me if you ever need to. I know there is only so much you can talk to Dean and Bobby about. It’s always nice knowing you have someone else you can go to when you need them.” Esme went silent, waiting for the rest of the ache in her ribs to subside from her laugh. It had been a bit since she had laughed like that, and she needed it after being taken over with rage. She then took a breath and slowly let it out, feeling slightly better after her laugh. “So, now that you have what you came for. Why don’t we go get mine and head over to the range?” she suggested. She didn't want to sound rude, by suggesting they go so quickly, but she wanted to be out in the sun with the light breeze blowing in her face. She enjoyed being outside and wanted to spend some time outside while she could before Dean decided she needed to take it easy and rest inside.

Duke shrugged off Esme’s apology about forcing him into the RV. At least in the RV he had more space to himself, and he didn’t have to deal with Dean’s mood swings. It was his little slice of heaven that a lot of nights, he chose to sleep in, whether they had company or not.

He was happy to see her laugh, though. Her laugh lit up the entire room, and was music to his ears after the time she had had the night before. He didn’t know her very well, but he knew that she had to be a good person. Bobby kept her around and she was close to Dean, who rarely held onto anyone. In fact, Dean rarely stayed in one place long enough to hold onto anyone. So, Duke wanted to get to know this girl better…or perhaps for worse.

He laughed with her, raising his eyebrows as she told him that she might bring him things he couldn’t handle. There wasn’t much he couldn’t handle. He had been around this business since he was barely old enough to read, and a shotgun felt like a lead brick in his hands. Duke didn’t extend more of an invitation, only shrugging his shoulders in a suave and ‘brush it off’ sort of way until she thanked him.

“You’re welcome.” He beamed, his smile only falling a bit as she mentioned that he could talk to her as well. His mind went to the deep scars on his back, and the fact that he was walking around without a shirt…around a stranger. Hard conversations tended to try and fire up around the scars on his back. Those conversations would not be had any time soon…at least he thought.

“I’ll keep that in mind. You do seem like you’d be a good shrink. I might have to be careful my dark and edgy side doesn’t come out, if we ever have a session.” Duke teased, before turning and tossing all the guns into the duffel that laid open on the cushion of his kitchen table. He nodded at her suggestion to get moving and tossed the handles of the duffel onto his shoulder. “Sure! Just try not to make too much eye contact when you go in the house. Dean might never let you leave.”

Without another word, Duke passed her, turning his back to her as he jogged down the steps of the RV, out into the covered carport. He walked up to the back door, and swung it open with excitement, stepping into the kitchen. Dean was on his second or third helping of breakfast when Duke stepped in, causing Dean to raise his eyes from the newspaper he had laid out next to his plate.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Dean asked him, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m goin’ shootin’ with your girlfriend. It’s restful. It’s at home and she wants to hang out with me. So, read your paper and relax.” Duke beamed at him, passing him to walk to the fridge, retrieving two beers before kicking the door closed. “You wanted a day off.”

“And you’re going to run around, around someone you don’t know…half naked? I know you’re excited to prove yourself to her, but…are you okay?” Dean asked, with narrow eyes. Duke simply shrugged his shoulders and stood at the head of the table, before pointing the beers at Dean.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“And Esme, you good?” Dean called over to Esme, still with narrowed eyes. “I told him to give you space.”

Duke rolled his eyes with a sigh, and turned on his heel, walking through the living room and out the front door, a clear sign that he would simply meet Esme at the shooting range, rather than listen to Dean order people around.

Esme saw Duke’s smile fall a bit when she told him he could talk to her as well. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t wonder what had flashed through his mind at that moment to take his smile away, but she didn’t press it. She had also noticed the deep scars on his back as they had gone into the RV. She had seen scars like them before and knew they had to be from a monster they dealt with in their line of work. But seeing as they just met, she felt it wasn’t her place to ask about them. That conversation would probably come in time. When he answered her in a tease, she laughed again. “You think so, huh?” she laughed a bit more. Dark and edgy side? That’s one of my specialties.” she teased back. She watched him as he tossed all the guns into his duffel, then threw the handles over his shoulder. She couldn’t hold back her laugh at his comment about Dean. “Isn’t that the truth.” she replied as he walked past her. That was one thing that hung in the back of her mind as she thought about going inside to grab her stuff.

Esme turned and followed Duke out of the RV, catching a glimpse of his scared back before she turned to close the door behind her. She slowly descended the steps and followed him out to the covered carport and to the back door. By the time she walked in the back door, Dean and Duke were talking, and Duke was at the fridge grabbing two beers. She stood there holding in a laugh at how Dean was reacting to Duke running around without a shirt on around a stranger. She took it that it was odd for him to do so. When Dean addressed her, she gave a warm smile at his narrowed eyes, then walked over to Dean as Duke rolled his eyes and left the kitchen. Esme placed a hand on Dean’s, a smile still resting on her lips. “Yes, Dean. I’m perfectly fine.” she told him as she gently squeezed his hand. “I don’t doubt that you did tell him to give me space. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.” She gave a soft laugh as she looked at him. “But there comes a time when too much space can become a bad thing.”

“He’s just trying to help me work through all the emotions from last night.” She gave Dean’s hand another squeeze as she rubbed her thumb over the top of it. “But if you’re that worried about me. You are more than welcome to join us out there.” she told him, making it clear she was going whether he went or not. Esme then placed her free hand on his cheek, leaned in, and kissed his other cheek. “I really am okay, Dean.” she whispered. She kissed his cheek again before pulling away, then looked into his green eyes. “I’m going to go grab my stuff and give you a chance to think it over.” Esme gave him another warm smile before she kissed his lips sweetly, then pulled away to go grab her stuff.

Dean shook his head as Duke left the kitchen and walked out the front door, a sight that he was unfortunately used to any time he tried to give Duke advice. He turned his hand over as Esme picked it up, giving her hand a little squeeze as she confirmed that he had attempted to give her space. He looked up at her and matched her smile, but his own fell briefly when she mentioned that she might have had too much space. Dean wondered if this was her way of telling him that she felt like he was avoiding her, which was far from the case…or at least he thought so.

He narrowed his eyes and snapped from his thoughts when she spoke about Duke ‘trying to help her work through her emotions’. That sounded like a classic Duke move. Emotions were his favorite door into someone’s heart. He had a habit of making people fall in love with him…just by talking to them.

“I don’t want to hover…” Dean grumbled, as he softened his face, and scanned her face for her feelings toward the situation. He tried to read whether she wanted him to come out to the shooting range or not. He was trying to just get an idea of what was expected of him, something he wasn’t exactly good at reading with people, but was trying to learn.

Her lips against his cheek made him smirk, and nod at her declaration of being okay. At least there was that. She was okay. Would it be so bad to let her hang out with Duke? If anything, Duke’s positivity might be good, after whatever had happened the night before…which he needed to press her on, himself. He looked between her eyes as she stared into his, swallowing heavily at the honesty he saw there. As she leaned in to kiss his lips, he nodded softly, “Okay. I’ll probably be out there in a bit, after I get dressed. Just…don’t get too attached to Duke. He’s friendly, but he’s a bolter.”

He kissed her back, tempted to pull her onto his lap and keep her in the house somehow, but she seemed adamant about going out. He just had to give her a warning, a warning that Bobby would have slapped him for. Duke had broken Bobby’s heart a million times by running off with no calls or signs of where he was going…and yet…Bobby didn’t allow them to talk about it.

When Esme went to turn, after pulling away from Dean, she stopped and turned back as what he said sunk into her mind. A warm smile graced her lips as she looked at him. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve dealt with my fair share of bolters.” she told him. “That’s why it took me a bit to warm up to you fully.” She gave a little laugh to lighten the air. Plus, just the little time she had been around Duke, she felt that he was someone who would run off without warning and stay away for long periods of time. Dean’s warning only drove home what she had assumed. She then walked to the kitchen doorway and stopped, looking back at him. “I hope you do decide to join us….. And don’t think of it as hovering. Think of it as…. Spending time together and having fun on this rare day off.” Without another word, she left Dean in the kitchen and went to collect the guns she wanted to use. She had left her duffle with her weapons at the base of the stairs, from not having the energy to take it anywhere else the night before.

Esme unzipped her duffle, pulled out a smaller bag, and unzipped it. She then removed a few pistols, bullets, and knives from her duffle and placed them in the smaller one. Once satisfied she had what she wanted, she zipped up both, grabbed the smaller bag, and headed for the front door. Each move she made, she had been careful not to aggravate her sore muscles. Esme opened the door, ready to step through, but stopped to look back through the house. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.” she teased. She then walked through the door, closing it behind her. Walking to the steps, she looked out over the yard, seeing Duke in the distance at the range. She then slowly made her way down them and out to the range to meet up with Duke. She walked a little slower than she normally would but eventually made it. Esme took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she stood there, collecting herself for a moment. The walk over took a little more out of her than she thought it would, but she wasn’t about to admit that to Duke or Dean when and if he showed up.

“I actually made it. Can you believe it?” Esme joked. “I could tell he was tempted to stop me.” She laughed softly, then went over to where Duke had placed his duffle, set her bag next to his, and unzipped it. “So, you already know what I’m blowing off steam about. Is there anything this is helping you release, or is it just something to do to pass the time and talk to me?” she asked him, pulling out a pistol from her bag.

Dean tilted his head, as if to say ‘touche’ when Esme explained that basically a lot of hunters were the bolting type. She would know just as well as anyone how to handle someone with a hair trigger. He just worried, because of how easy it was to get attached to Duke, and to worry about him for months. He always seemed to limp back home, mostly in one piece, but Dean didn’t worry about him any less, every time he left.

He turned fully in his chair as she stopped again and was once again tempted to stand up, kiss her, pull her back in and try to convince her to just lay around all day. He had expected her to want to. But she was asking him to relax…and to possibly relax with her, something he couldn’t refuse if he tried.

“I’ll be out in a bit. I just gotta check on Bobby in the garage.” He replied to her, making sure that his smile conveyed that he wasn’t upset or irritable at all. He just wanted to hold her close for a while before she ran off. He closed his newspaper and stood from his chair, taking his dishes to the sink, before hearing her call from the living room. He smiled with a chuckle, “If Bobby doesn’t sucker me under a hood, I won’t. Take it easy out there, you hear me?”



Duke had reset all of the cans, pans and mannequins that he could find the pieces to by the time he heard the front door open. He tilted his cowboy had back a bit, and glanced toward the door, watching Esme closely as she took the steps. The last thing he wanted to be responsible for was her hurting herself worse, especially when Dean seemingly didn’t throw too big of a fit toward her hanging out with Duke.

“Well hey there sweet pea!” Duke called out to her as she approached him. He could tell that she was completely winded, and probably a little worse off than she would ever admit to the boys. He stepped away from the last of the mannequins, and walked over to his bag, grabbing his pretty silver .45 pistol that Bobby had given him for his birthday. Bobby said it was from some sort of card wheeling and dealing. Either way, Duke was obsessed with the gun. He pulled the magazine and checked to make sure he had fully reloaded it, right as Esme spoke up. A bright smile appeared on his face, “I figured you would have to tie him to the chair to get him to let you come outside. Either he’s feelin’ sweet today, or he’s needin’ his precious alone time and had to decide which was more important…hoverin’ and being weird or takin’ some time to himself like a princess.”

As he joked with her, he nearly winced at how mean he sounded. But Dean was like his brother. There wasn’t much they held back from one another, and seeing Dean super possessive and worried was a new one. He wasn’t even that way with his ex…the ‘big one’, as Duke called her.

Esme’s next question took him off guard and although he kept the smile on his face, he looked up across the yard, contemplating things for a moment as he squinted in the sun. He really did just want to spend some time with her, get to know her, and smooth things over, but she had been so open with him, he almost felt obligated to be the same with her. He glanced down at the gun in his hands, and pulled his slide, loading a bullet into the chamber, with a soft shrug.

“I’ll be honest. I mostly just wanna get to know you, I guess. I don’t see no harm in makin’ a new friend while I’m around.” Duke stared with another shrug, and then he thought about it for a moment and sighed, “And since Dean decided to bring up my back in the kitchen, I might as well trauma dump that while we shoot. You are my shrink, after all, and you’d be one of three people who I’ve ever talked to about it. Sore subject and all…”

Duke laughed awkwardly, and then chewed at his lip and pointed his gun at one of the mannequins, specifically aiming at its heart before shooting. He hit what he was aiming at with a deep breath, “I’ve been with Bobby since I was seven. Werewolves. They um…they killed my parents…”

He paused, aiming for another of the targets, double tapping it like it was second nature. But his hand was a bit shakier and he lowered the gun, offering the targets to her as he continued the simple but not so simple story.

“…and apparently they used me as a fun toy for a few hours. I don’t remember much, other than the look on Bobby and Rufus’ face when they figured out I was alive.”

When Esme got to the range, and Duke called her sweet pea, she couldn’t help but smile. It was something new. She had never had anyone call her that. If he had already come up with a name for her, did that mean he was already getting comfortable around her, or was that something Duke called all the girls he was around? She shrugged off her thoughts. She couldn’t hold back her laugh when he joked back with her. It may have sounded mean, but it was too funny not to laugh about. “Ah, so I wasn’t imagining that internal struggle.” she laughed. When she asked her question after collecting herself, Esme noticed a change in Duke even though his smile remained. Her smile faded a bit as she watched him look across the yard. She could see she had taken him off guard with her question, so much he had to think before answering her. She watched his actions before he finally spoke. A small smile graced her features when he admitted he mostly just wanted to get to know her and make a new friend. Even though he added, ‘while I’m around, she was perfectly fine with that.

Did that mean he wasn’t planning on sticking around long, as Dean had warned her? Duke sighed and continued, her smile fading at his words. “I may be your shrink, but you don’t ha……” She was cut off by him shooting one of the mannequins, hitting his mark. Esme fell silent as he spoke about the Werewolves and his parents. She never could have imagined he’d tell her about what happened this soon. Her eyes dropped to the gun in her hands after he shot at another target. She knew what it was like losing your parents, or parent in her case, to a monster. When he offered her the targets, Esme pulled the magazine and checked to make sure it was loaded. After popping it back in, she pulled the slide to load a bullet and aimed at a mannequin. She blinked away the tears that were trying to well up in her eyes. She shot the mannequin right between the eyes after Duke finished talking with a heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry, Duke. I know how it feels to lose a parent to a monster you hunt almost daily.” she told him with sorrow heavy in her tone.

Esme aimed at another target, then shot twice, making a slight adjustment in between, hitting a pan and a can. She lowered the gun along with her head, closed her eyes, and sighed through her nose, fighting the tears. Images of her mother flooded her mind and the night she was taken from her, making her want to close in on herself. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, looked up, and looked at Duke, her hands now shaking as well. Her eyes were glassy, with tears threatening to fall. “It was a Hellhound that….. That killed my mother. I was barely.” she said, her voice filled with tears. She looked back at the targets. She hated it when others saw her teary-eyed. “I don’t know why it came for her. She didn’t seem like the person to make deals with demons…. She always said she had everything she could ever want.” Esme lifted her gun once more, doubled-tapping, hitting a mannequin in the chest before letting it drop to her side along with her head, gritting her teeth. “Then it came for me…. It bit me just above the ankle, snapping the bone. It dragged me three miles from home….”

“It roughed me up pretty good before my father was able to catch up. He showed up just before it turned to attack me.” Esme involuntarily shuddered before lifting her head again, looking out over the yard. Every time she saw the scar, she was reminded of that horrific day. Bringing up her left hand, Esme wiped her eyes. She was tempted to put her gun away and walk over to Duke and hug him, but she refrained from doing so. “What are the odds that we would lose parents in almost similar situations and be used as toys by those monsters?” Esme asked after a brief silence. Esme could hardly believe that all came out to Duke, especially since she had never gotten that far into it with Dean. Closing her eyes, she sniffled, then took a deep breath, slowly letting it out to calm herself down.

Duke watched Esme step forward, and check her gun, before firing a terrifyingly accurate shot into the mannequin in front of her. He raised his eyebrows, but quickly frowned at the sound of a sigh and then the pity that he would never have asked for from her, especially this early. He sighed himself, and shook his head, “I deal, you know. Wait what?”

It was then that he realized she was talking about her own situation, and his heart dropped. It was a story old as time with hunters. Either a parent, or a spouse, or a sibling…someone was killed by a monster and the hunt for revenge or answers began. A lot of them were just kids, when they were introduced to the world. It seemed he and Dean weren’t alone in that. He ducked his head, watching her line up another shot, both hitting their targets. And then she turned to him and he saw the tears in her eyes. He had never meant to make her cry.

That was the last thing he wanted to see from her. He had made her cry. But when she furthered her own story, Duke sighed involuntarily and glanced down at his own gun, turning it over and focusing on the floral pattern on the side. It was rare that he cried, but there was a lump in his throat. He snarled his nose, and looked back up at her as she finished. The entire situation made him shake his head. Demons and Hellhounds were torturous, and ruthless. It didn’t surprise him a bit that they would come after a mother and her kid. It didn’t surprise him to finally hear about a child who was actually almost killed during what seemed like a payment for a deal, even if Esme didn’t believe it.

He watched her body language for a moment, after lifting his head, seeing how spaced out she was as she recalled everything. And then came the million dollar question. They had a lot more in common than either of them had realized, and less than a day after meeting…they had both come clean to one another about exactly how much they had in common. Duke stepped over to the fence post, and placed the safety on his gun, before approaching Esme carefully. He didn’t know if it was his place to comfort her, or if she would even accept it, but it was in his nature. “I said I deal…but I wish you didn’t have to.”

Duke stepped in front of her, and without expecting anything in return, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing his left hand up to massage the back of her head as he pulled her into his chest. He took a deep breath, echoing her own breathing as best he could to help her calm down, “And you don’t have to face all that alone…as long as I’m around, alright? I know you don’t know me, and it might be inappropriate for me to say, but I got you…”

Esme had placed the safety on her gun as she stood there. With her hands as shaky as they were, she knew she could easily set off her gun. She didn’t want to shoot herself in the foot or Duke accidentally. As she breathed, the images worked their way back in, and she could hear her mother’s screaming her mother’s desperate cries to her father for both of them to run. She could see her father fighting to save her mother before the Hellhound came for her. As the memory played out, she vaguely heard Duke speak and step up to her. Esme flinched when wrapped his arms around her, pulling her out of the memory, but she didn’t pull away like she normally would have since it wasn’t Dean comforting her. When he pulled her to his chest, and she felt his hand massaging the back of her head, she rested her forehead on his shoulder, as tears rolled down her cheeks. At his words, Esme wrapped her arms around Duke. “Thank you.” she whispered. As they hugged, she could hear Dean’s words ringing in her ears. She could now see why he gave her his warning about Duke.

With how sweet and friendly Duke was, it would be hard not to get attached to him. And even though they didn’t know each other well, he was easy to talk to. She knew she should be careful with how much she shared with him, but it was just so easy. She also knew that it wasn't like herself to spill things she kept locked up and accept a hug from someone she hardly knew. Even if Duke was labeled as a bolter, she couldn't deny the connection she felt. But she wouldn’t say she was attached yet. As Duke hugged her, she could feel her shaking subsiding and her emotions calming. After a moment, Esme sniffled and sighed softly. “Look at us trauma bonding.” she said with a light laugh. If her forehead weren't pressed to Duke's shoulder, Esme would have shaken it. She always laughed at the idea of trauma bonding, thinking it was a load of crap, yet here it was happening to her. Which she never would have guessed would happen to her. Sniffling again, her thoughts went to Dean and how she had invited him to join them out here. She thought about his reaction to seeing her and Duke hugging and what words would be said, especially after his warning before she came out.

Would he even believe them after they told him that Duke was comforting her after talking about a traumatic event in her life, or would he think Duke was up to something else? There was really no telling for her. She was still trying to figure out how Dean’s mind worked and process his emotions, especially when she had difficulty getting him to open up to her about things. Esme debated whether or not to say something about it, just to lighten the air after such a depressing conversation. She then decided to go with it. “You know? After everything in the kitchen, Dean will probably have a cow if he sees us like this.” she laughed lightly.

Duke continued the calming motion of his fingers in Esme’s hair, tempted to rock her as she seemed to be calming down. He completely ignored her ‘thank you’, expecting nothing from her other than taking his affection, taking a deep breath, and relaxing enough that Dean wouldn’t murder him for upsetting her. But as her body relaxed in his arms, Duke smirked over the side of her head, just taking in how it felt to have her arms around him. In a way, whether he would admit it to her or not, she was grounding him, too.

As she brought up trauma bonding, Duke laughed, and tilted his head in a bit of a shrug, “I mean, I’ve had worst first dates.”

After a moment, Duke chuckled again, and moved his hand down to Esme’s back, rubbing her shoulder blades, “I’m just kiddin’. I may look like a playboy dickhead, but I ain’t that much of one. And thank you for takin’ a hug from a complete stranger who’s half naked and hasn’t even bought you a drink.”

And then Esme brought up the obvious, and Duke stilled for a moment, thinking about Dean coming out and finding them, but he tilted his head, “Oh yeah? What did he tell you about me?”

As if on cue, Dean’s voice called from about twenty feet away from them, “So, I see that shooting’s going well.”

Duke glanced up, and smiled, pulling back from the hug and straightening his hat, “Conversation got a little heavy at all. I’m a hugger. You know that.”

“Yeah. Yeah I know. I also know that your…friendliness gets you in trouble…a lot.” Dean scoffed, turning his eyes to Esme with a look that said ‘you didn’t hear anything I said, did you?’

When Duke laughed and made his own comment about their trauma bonding, she laughed, even with him calling this a date. She laughed a little more at his description of himself. ‘So, that’s how you see yourself.’ she thought. But at his thank you, she softly shook her head. “I think we both needed a hug after that conversation. Also, you owe me that drink.” she told him. Talking about the death of parents was a sore subject for her, and she could tell it was for Duke as well. She was still surprised he came out and told her about how his parents had died. She was even more surprised with herself coming out and telling him about her mother and what happened to herself that same day. When Esme brought up Dean, she almost lifted her forehead from Duke’s shoulder as she felt him thinking about her words. She was about to answer when Dean’s voice rang out as if on cue. “Well, guess I jinxed that.” she whispered. When Duke pulled away, Esme stepped to the side and turned to face Dean as he and Duke spoke. Then, he saw the look that Dean had given her.

“Don’t you give me that look, Dean Winchester. I heard you.” Esme told him in a firm tone with a raised eyebrow after wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Like Duke said, our conversation got a little heavy. We both needed comforting, and you weren’t here.” She crossed her arms over her chest, resting her gun on her arm as she looked at Dean. “What should I have done, hugged the fence post or one of the mannequins for comfort?” she asked, gesturing to both as she spoke. “Besides, it was one hug. It’s not like we made out…. Would you rather us be at each other's throats instead of getting along?” Esme understood he was trying to protect her from Duke hurting by bolting when he felt like it, but she couldn’t be cold to the guy. If they were going to be staying at Bobby’s, she had to make an effort to get to know him. Plus, how could she know this little shooting date would end up with them talking about how they lost their parents and end in a hug? She then gave him a look that said, ‘Don’t make me shoot you for being overprotective.’

Duke mulled over the idea of taking Esme for drinks. She seemed like the type that would be a lot of fun, when she wasn’t busted up and had a little alcohol in her system. He would have to bring it up to her later on. He was still insanely curious what Dean had said about him. Dean was pretty open with Duke about how he felt on the subject of his running, and his inability to hold onto any kind of friendship with anyone but those who ended up at Bobby’s. Esme at least seemed like one of those…

Duke raised his eyebrows as Dean barely got his dig in, and gave Esme a look that Duke recognized all too well. Esme hit him back immediately, and Duke folded his arms over his bare chest, choosing to watch the show unfold in front of him.

Dean on the other hand was taken aback by Esme’s scolding, at his look. He too raised his eyebrows and held his hands out to his sides, ready to defend himself, when she continued. He placed his hands on his hips and shifted to one foot, glancing between Esme and Duke.

“No of course not. I don’t want you guys fighting or anything I just know…” Dean started, and Duke shifted to his right foot, tilting his head back as if asking Dean to continue whatever potentially hurtful thing he was going to say. “I’m just making sure that we all get to know each other, with no charming or manipulation.”

“So, you think I’m manipulating her?” Duke chimed in, the disappointment written all over his face, but Dean shook his head, holding a hand out.

“I didn’t say that. Look…”

“Well that’s what it sounds like. I mean, I can talk to people, and I can get pretty close to them, I guess, but I’m straight up just tryin’ to help. No romance. No gestures…” Duke explained and Dean nodded.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m tired. I’m tired and I’m grumpy and honestly, I think I need a break.” Dean started, as Duke chuckled and shook his head, turning his eyes down to the ground for a moment, “What?”

“You were gettin’ your alone time, and you had to come out here and check on things, because you think that if you don’t watch me, I’m gonna grab the girl and run off like a bank robber with a hostage.”

“What? No…” Dean started, but then he couldn’t argue because that was the exact reason he had come outside. He wanted to make sure that Esme was heeding his warning and holding Duke at arms length. Walking out and seeing them all tangled up in a hug was a bit jarring. Dean sighed, “Can we start over?”

“I dunno. Ask her.” Duke smirked, and glanced over at Esme, hoping to catch her eyes so she could see the glimmer of mischief in his own. “I owe her a drink…”

Esme watched Dean as he reacted to her scolding and what she had said next. She caught Duke’s movements from the corner of her eye like he was getting ready for a show to unfold before his eyes. She then listened as Dean began to talk, taking in his words, causing her to sigh and shake her head. Did he really think she could be charmed or manipulated that easily by someone? When Duke spoke, Esme leaned against the fence post, looking at the ground, and let the two hash it out, taking it all in. When Duke called out Dean about being afraid he was going to run off with her, she looked up, watching Dean as he answered. ‘Lier.’ she thought. How could he possibly think she wouldn’t fight, even in her state, if Duke had tried such a thing? She knew Dean was super protective of her, but this was wild. It showed her another side of Dean, making her feel like she would have to walk on eggshells whenever Duke was around. She sighed heavily as Duke turned the conversation to her. She caught the glimmer of mischief in his eyes as he looked at her.

Esme uncrossed her arms and turned her back on both boys, then rested her arms on the fence and leaned against her arms with a sigh through her nose before looking out across the yard. “Start over, huh?” she started, her tone holding no emotion. “I’m half tempted just to call it done and take Duke up on his drink offer. Leaving your ass here.” She held her gun, looked down at it briefly, and released the safety. “You’ve already started digging yourself a hole that’s going to be hard getting out of.” she told him. She straightened and took aim at a mannequin and fired twice, the first shot hitting the heart and the second hitting between its eyes. “You’ve made it clear you think I can be easily manipulated and charmed by someone I’ve just met and that you think I can just be whisked away.” Esme had planned to go along with Duke, making a joke out of everything, but the more she thought about it, the more upset it made her. It felt like Dean didn’t trust her, or he was just letting his intrusive thoughts get the better of him. Esme took another shot, hitting a pan dead center this time.

Setting the safety on her gun, she leaned against the fence again, looking at the ground. “I’m not a child, Dean. Even in this shape, I can take care of myself. I know you’re concerned and want to protect me, but I’m more than capable of taking care of myself…. I wish you could trust me in that.” Esme lifted her head and looked at all the targets in the yard. She softly shook her head. “Do you honestly think I’d ever do anything to hurt or worry you purposely?” she asked him. Running her left hand through her hair, she looked toward the garage, wondering if she should just go and hang out with Bobby in the garage for a while or just go inside and lock herself in the guest room. Both options sounded pretty nice at the moment. With all the bickering and Dean’s over-protectiveness for her toward Duke, she felt that rest would be hard to come by.

As Esme turned around, Dean knew that body language. She was annoyed as hell with him, to the point that it was bordering on him pushing her away, all over one little reactionary moment. Dean groaned as she began to speak, wanting to interrupt her, but he knew better as she released the safety on her gun. So, instead, he turned to glare at Duke, who smiled brightly at the comment Esme had made about going out with him for a drink.

Both Duke and Dean flinched slightly as Esme fired her gun, hitting every target she fired at while explaining her problems with Dean’s behavior to the letter. Dean shook his head, holding a hand out, trying to find a point to get a word in to defend himself, but as she fired the last shot and put the safety back on her gun, he sighed and dropped his hand, once again glaring at Duke.

Duke shrugged and tilted his head, smirking as he let the rim of his hat cover his eyes for a moment, making Dean stew and listen to Esme, without his eyes to burn a hole into. Dean shook his head, “I know that…”, he replied to her comment about her ability to take care of herself. Of all people, Dean knew that. He just felt the need to protect her heart, over everything else, even if his was a little cold and jaded. She didn’t have to be that way.

“No…no of course not. I don’t think you would do anything to hurt anyone. I’m not a saint and I know how people see me.” Dean started, pausing for a moment before pointing, “But that’s why I worry…you’re good. Your heart is good. You let people in, and you…you take care of them.”

“Even when they don’t deserve it…” Duke chimed in, keeping his head down as Dean paused and then tossed a hand out toward Duke as if he had a point.

“Even if they don’t deserve it, all the time. I just worry about you getting your heart broken…” Dean finished. Duke shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He knew that Dean was referring to his inability to not run away from people, when he got attached. That must have been what Dean told her about him. Dean had told her that he was a ‘bolter’. The thought, especially now that he had even a small connection with Esme made him want to punch Dean in the face, for even trying to keep him away from her. But he knew that would only push Esme away more…but not from Dean.

Dean stepped away from his frozen spot and stepped past Duke, who just awkwardly turned as he walked by. He stepped up behind Esme, and reached out, placing a hand on her hip to pull her into him. He leaned in and buried his nose into her hair on the back of her head and took a deep breath, “I’m sorry. Really. I’m sorry. I protect too much and I’m aggressive and rude. I don’t do ‘I love you’ and I don’t do good with…not getting my way.”

He paused and pressed a feather soft kiss to the back of Esme’s head, tilting his head to rest his forehead against her hair, “If I walk into that house and I answer those phones…and I give you some space, can we start over? Can I talk you into helping me dig out of this hole?”

Duke rolled his eyes, awkwardly scuffing a boot against the grass he stood on. He kept his eyes turned down, trying to focus on anything but Dean groveling his way back in, while fixing absolutely nothing with Duke…as usual. He was tempted to just go on about his day, and go back to the house, but if he did, Dean would see he was bothered. It was either that, or Esme would see he was bothered…possibly a little jealous, and she would never look at him the same way.

“I’m startin’ to think we might need some beers.” Duke chimed in out of nowhere. Though, what he was really thinking about was whisking Esme away from all this hovering and lack of rest and relaxation, to a bar. He could loosen her up, and bring her home in a much better place than she left it. Judging by Dean’s sweet talking, he didn’t see that happening.

Wait…was this jealousy? Or some sort of guilt?

After Esme got what she needed off her chest, she fell silent, listening to Dean and Duke. She sighed softly when he commented on how he knew how people saw him and her heart. It was true she let people in and cared for them, but not all got that treatment from her. There were some people she knew she couldn’t get through to. But the comment about ‘Even if they don’t deserve it’ stood out in her mind. Did they both feel they didn’t deserve the kindness she had shown them or was Duke’s comment directed at Dean? The question slightly faded as she felt Duke was uncomfortable, possibly finding the answer to the question he asked her before Dean came out. Esme knew it had to be hard on him, knowing that Dean told her he was bolter and not to get too attached. She knew he had to feel Dean was trying to keep her away from him. Hell, she felt like he was trying to keep her away from Duke, but that’s a bit impossible when they are all in the same house, and she’s not where she can just get up and go somewhere if she wanted.

Esme was pulled from Duke’s uncomfortable feeling by Dean stepping up behind her, placing a hand on her hip, and pulling her to him, which she didn’t fight against. She closed her eyes as Dean buried his nose in her hair and spoke. Sighing softly, she opened her eyes and looked at the fence post. She was well aware that Dean didn’t do ‘I love you’ and not getting his way, but he also knew that she didn’t do well with being told what to do. Not that his warning about Duke was telling her what to do. Another soft sigh escaped her lips when Dean kissed the back of her head, rested his forehead against her hair, and continued. She brought her left hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose. More space from him isn’t what she wanted, even if she did say she would leave his ass here. She hated hearing him grovel when he knew he had annoyed her. Esme rolled his words around in her mind as she also felt how much Duke was bothered. Duke chiming in about them needing beers pulled her out of her thoughts, and she softly shook her head.

“No.” she said simply. Esme pulled away from Dean and walked over to her bag, placing her gun in it. Then, she finally turned to face Dean with no smile on her lips or in her eyes. “After everything I’ve said to you this morning, do you really think more time alone is what I want or need?” she asked him sternly. “Dammit, Dean!” Esme said under her breath, then turned her back on him once again, looking down into her bag of weapons. “But if you feel like that’s what you should do, go ahead. I won’t stop you.” she told him. She was done with having time alone. If she wanted time alone, she would come right out and say it. She already felt alone enough, with how much her father and other family went off on cases without her. She didn’t want to feel that way with Dean. Esme wished he could see that giving her so much time alone wasn’t always the answer. Running her hand through her hair, she looked up from her bag, sighing through her nose. “Before you do anything, though. You need to fix whatever is going on between you and Duke.”

“I won’t stick around and watch it build and become a brawl between you. I’ve watched it happen enough in my family, and I won’t watch it with you two. So, fix it.” she told him. As much as she cared for Dean and what she could feel Duke could be, she wouldn’t watch the two tear each other apart over built-up emotions they never worked through. Plus, what she could feel between them was starting to be a little too much to handle and making her irritable. Esme needed them to work it out so she could relax and not worry about a fight between them. She wasn’t looking forward to being in the middle of that, even if it wasn’t her place to try and break it up. But she swore to herself she wouldn’t be around if it started to build up to that point. Esme then zipped up her bag, picked it up, and turned to face the boys. “I don’t want to see either of your faces until you work things out. Got it?” she told them, looking them in the eyes. “Don’t even think about coming in and telling me you worked through it when you didn’t. Dean knows better than anyone. I’ll be able to tell if you’re lying.” With that said, Esme walked past them, without another look, and towards the house.