[h2]Esme[/h2]
 To say Esme was surprised by Mika's agreement with her was an understatement. She could have never imagined the woman agreeing with anything she said this soon after having a civil conversation. She figured it would take more time for her to come around to most of what she said, but Esme was glad to have her agree with her. Maybe Mika was finally starting to see her as her own person, which was a relief to Esme, and it helped not to have Dean lingering in the background while they talked. When Mika gave her a nod of agreement and spoke, she gave a small smile in return. “Don’t be. It’s not like either of us had a chance to really get to know each other with everything going on.” she told her. She was also happy that Duke had agreed with her before she dropped her hands from his face; it made her feel a little better, but it still bothered her how guilty he felt. Esme knew it was because he felt that he had let her down, which was far from what she felt. Duke hadn’t let her down at all. She felt she had let him down the day she left the trio. 

Duke had tried to get her to stay by telling her he could make her happy, but she turned him down, which she regretted afterward. Esme wished she had stayed with him. If she had stayed with him, maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have ended up in that damn asylum, and she’d still be human. After the dream she had, she felt she knew the demons were responsible for changing her. Duke, placing his hand on her lower back, pulled her out of her thoughts, and she looked up as Duke spoke and nodded in agreement. Esme had to agree with Duke; she felt Dean and Anna would be the hardest to get through to. But she still felt like it was possible. They had to get through to them and have the whole group on the same page. “Yes, we are, and I agree.” she said softly, the tiredness showing more in her tone. As she stood there, she tried to think about the best way to get the two on board with them without causing any more trouble between the two, without using any type of force, and without using her empathy to make them compliant with the idea of working together. 

Her mind drifted from Dean and Anna to what Castiel had said before he left them in the field next to the rubble of the asylum. Esme couldn’t help but wonder what he was referring to and what would be in store for the group in the coming days. She could only hope that all of them would make it out alive, even though she knew that was a large ask. Mika’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and Esme couldn’t help but smile warmly and nod in agreement. “I believe you’re right about that. I’d actually prefer not to sleep on the couch again tonight.” Her tone held a light laugh as she replied to Mika. As Mika stepped away from her and Duke, Esme just barely had enough time to grab her jacket and drape it back on her shoulders before Duke spoke and wrapped an arm around her waist. A smile graced her lips when he called her princess. “Alright.” she said softly as he pulled her to the door. As he helped her down the steps, Esme was reminded of times he had helped her up the steps from botched hunts and long nights out, and it made her smile a little more as she reached the familiar gravel. 

Once her feet were on the gravel, she slid her arm around Duke, rested her free hand on his stomach, and walked with him and Mika to the RV. Her eyes followed Mika as she walked over to the RV and opened the door for them. “Goodnight, Mika, and thank you.” she said warmly with a matching smile just before Duke told her goodnight. She then stepped inside with Duke’s help and kicked off her boots near the door, but out of the way as Duke shut the door behind them. Then she removed her jacket as Duke turned and faced her with a soft smile that she matched. “Having you here all night with music and you caring for me without drama sounds absolutely wonderful.”  she said as she hung up her jacket near the door. She then went over to the bed with a yawn, sat on its edge, and her stomach growled softly. Reminding her that they never went out to get something to eat. “Before we get too comfortable, could I talk you into going back inside and raiding the kitchen for some snacks? We never made it out to get anything.” she said with a light laugh and a sweet smile.

“I’ll stay right here, and I promise not to fall asleep until you get back and we eat a little something.” Esme knew that Duke was now in protective mode and wouldn’t let her do anything but rest for the rest of the night, which was exactly what she was planning on doing. She didn’t want to do anything but eat a little something, rest, and snuggle up next to Duke for the night without worrying about anything but themselves. She wanted to tune everything out and become deaf and numb to everything outside the RV, and she wanted a decent night's sleep that wasn’t plagued by nightmares and memories.