[h2]Esme[/h2] 
Esme remained quiet as she stood against the counter with her coffee. She could feel the tension in the air and see it in Duke’s shoulders. She also knew he had to be upset with her saying nothing but ‘Hey’ to him since he walked through the door, but honestly, she didn’t know what else to say to him. The way he left didn’t sit well with her, even though she had Dean's warning beforehand. Yes, she was used to people coming and going in her life, but not like how Duke did it. With how Dean spoke about Duke, she knew this would be something she’d have to get used to, but she was starting to think it would be difficult. Esme knew that he probably thought she wasn't happy to see him back, but she was, even though she still hardly knew him. She was glad to see he came back relatively in one piece since she knew he left upset in the middle of the night. Duke's sighed comment about him going alone made it clear that he felt they weren't happy to see him. Esme watched as he went over, grabbed his bag from the chair, and then headed to the back door, only stopping when Dean cleared his throat. 

When Dean said they would go out, she saw his uncertain but willing look. She felt the same, but she knew they needed to get out before they both lost their minds, with nothing to look forward to but chores and helping other hunters. Esme watched Dean gather all the information into a pile, write Bobby a note, and set it on top of the stack before scooting his chair back. Her attention was pulled to Duke as he stepped to the back door and spoke to both of them, flinching a bit. She sighed as the door closed behind Duke, seeing how upset Duke was. She looked down into her coffee cup as Dean stated the obvious, then took a drink of her coffee, lowering it as Dean walked over to the sink and turned to her. Holding her cup at chest level, Esme closed her eyes and sighed heavily at Dean’s words. She knew that he didn’t have to tell her, that’s not why she didn’t say much to him. “I know that….” she started, opening her eyes and looking into her cup again. Looking up from her cup, she looked at Dean, clearly struggling to find the right words to say to him. 

“I just don’t know how to talk to him after how he left, and then he just randomly shows back up as if nothing happened. I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m still bothered by how he left. Maybe it’s because I feel it was partly my fault. Which I know you’re going to say it wasn’t.” Sighing heavily through her nose, Esme looked at the back door Duke had just gone through. She knew she could either let him stew or go after him, talk to him, and smooth things over. With the type of person she was, she couldn’t just let him go and stew. She had to try to smooth things over. “And you know he’s upset because he thinks we’re not happy he’s back.” she added. “It was written all over his face, as well as how he spoke.” Esme took another drink from her cup and set it on the counter before looking at Dean. “I can’t let this sit. I have to fix it. I’m going to go talk to him.” she told Dean. “I’ll be right back. And don’t worry about my mess in there. I’ll get it when I get back in.” 

She then stood on her toes, kissing Dean’s cheek before turning and walking to and out the back door. As she made her way through the garage, she watched where she placed her bare feet so as to not step on anything. She finally caught up to him and called out to him. “Duke?.... Wait!”  She closed the gap between them just enough to where she would have to yell over Bobby’s tinkering. “Duke, I’m….. I’m sorry for upsetting you in there.” she started, looking up at him. “First, I was so engrossed in those books and talking notes, it was hard to pull away to give you a proper welcome. Then…..” she stopped herself and sighed heavily. “I don’t quite know how to talk to you now.” she admitted as she looked off to the side, then back to him. Esme almost felt like she needed to sit down and talk to him all over again, but she knew Dean wouldn’t go for that. He’d prefer she not get too comfortable with Duke because he didn’t want Duke to hurt her by his bolting nature.