Wolvena

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Esme nearly flinched at how fast Duke and Dean reacted to her collapsing. It was like old times with the three of them, but something about this was different. Duke was different. Duke was angry and possibly jealous about Dean stepping in to help her. Yeah, she had felt anger from him before, but never on this level, and it was scary, to say the least. Esme held her breath, hoping nothing would break out between them with all the tension in the room. When Dean got Duke to sit back down, she released the breath she was holding, then looked at Dean as he spoke to her as he prepared to lift her from the floor. As soon as Dean lifted her, she took in a sharp breath, holding in her groan. When Dean looked down at Duke, she looked at him too, matching Dean’s uncomfortable feeling at how angry Duke seemed. When Dean carried her out of the kitchen and to the couch, Esme rested her head on his shoulder. She quietly groaned when Dean laid her on the couch as he and Bobby exchanged words. She turned her head to look at Dean. “I’m so sorry, Dean.” she told him softly.

Whether he realized what she was apologizing for or not, she felt the need to apologize to him. She was apologizing for the trouble she felt she caused him that night. Apologizing for nearly killing him, worrying him, and putting him uncomfortably close to Hellhounds. She went quiet, looking up at the ceiling as she listened to the conversation in the kitchen, shaking her head lightly as she heard what Cason said. ‘Of course, he was able to get info from a demon from the barn.’ she thought. Esme continued to listen and instantly felt sorry for Anna when Cason spoke about her. She knew this was a lot for Anna to process. “Poor girl.” she whispered. She fell silent again, listening to the rest of the conversation and tensing up when Bobby asked why she looked so much worse than Dean and Natalia. When Cason blurted out what Castiel had told them, Esme closed her eyes tight and balled up her fists. “Damn you, Cason!” she called out, bringing a hand to her sore throat with a wince after Mika spoke up. ”I didn’t want that coming out like this! And it wasn’t your place to say anything either!”

“Yes, I know it would have come out eventually, but it was my place to tell them and a little gentler than you just did!” Esme sighed heavily as she laid there on the couch, wanting to punch Cason in the face. Mika’s words didn’t help her mood either. “I don’t know any more about what I am than you do.” she said, not expecting anyone in the kitchen to hear her. “I’ve gone my whole life thinking I was a human and an Empath. Then, one day, I’m able to burn demons by touching them, and then the next, I become a nuke….. I don’t know what the hell I am.” She sighed heavily again, running a hand across her face in frustration and exhaustion. Esme then turned her face away from Dean so it was almost buried into the back of the couch, closing her eyes tightly. “Maybe I would have been better off not coming to check if you were back from the dead. And maybe I’d be better off alone so I don’t continue to hurt everyone I love.” she mumbled into the couch.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

As soon as Esme walked through the door of Bobby’s, and the familiarity of it hit her, she felt safe and could feel herself relaxing. Her eyes instantly fell on Bobby and how he was looking at Duke, like he was a ghost, before he made his way over to them. When Bobby brushed his thumb over her cheek with a fatherly smile, she smiled back warmly. As he moved to Duke and spoke to him, she let go of Duke’s hand, taking a step back, watching as Bobby hugged Duke and looked him over. It wasn't hard to see how much Bobby had missed him and was worried about him. The lack of a smile from Duke as he responded to Bobby, worried her, especially after getting a slight smirk outside moments ago. When Bobby sent Duke to the kitchen, Esme turned her gaze to Bobby, just as he wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her into him. She quietly whimpered at the action, then wrapped her arm around Bobby, hugging him back. “Yeah, I know. I don’t feel so hot either.” she replied softly with a smile at him calling them idjits. “Missed you too, Bobby.”

Esme then headed to the kitchen after Bobby had let her go. Once in the kitchen, she grabbed a beer from the table and found a place on a wall near Duke. She then took a long drink of her beer, wincing slightly at the soreness in her throat. Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms in front of her, waiting for the others to file in. She knew that Bobby wasn’t going to let any of them go to bed without looking them over or without hearing what happened that night. It had definitely been one hell of a night for all of them. Esme had zoned out briefly, staring at her beer, when Dean and Bobby came in last, and Bobby spoke, snapping her out of it. Esme wasn’t looking forward to talking about what happened. She didn’t want to relive it. But when Sam spoke first, she closed her eyes and listened to what he told Bobby. Then Natalia chimed in when Sam couldn’t finish. She winced when Natalia said her name and that she was taken because the demons wanted her back at the asylum and to mess with the others. She remained quiet as Natalia spoke.

She felt sorry for the woman. She should have never had to go through all that again. She knew she needed to fill in the rest of the story from her perspective when things fell quiet. She didn’t look up from her beer as she sighed and prepared herself to tell the rest of the story. “After we found Nat had been taken, Mika found items that belonged to Nat and a pamphlet for the asylum. There was a note for me to come back on it. We took Duke to the hospital, and I was the only one they would let in with him. He was in such bad shape they took my blood to give him. But a little later, they came and said he…. Died.” Esme paused for a moment, gripping her beer tighter. “I fell apart, and then Cason showed up to take me to the asylum to help get Nat. I fought my way through the demons, lost control of myself, and found the two demons that tortured me in that hellhole for two years. I killed one before Cason came back for me. When he found me, I was….. Not myself. I was feral. I had lost all control over my emotions.”

“I know I scared the hell out of him with the state I was in. I almost attacked him before the second demon showed up, I killed her, and almost attacked Cason again when Dean showed.” Esme sighed heavily. She didn’t want to tell this part of the story. “I was at the point of going nuclear when Dean showed. He tried to talk me down, but it was too late for me to stop it. I tried to get him to leave, but he refused. I went nuclear and took out the asylum. As it crumbled, hellhounds jumped in and shielded us from the rubble. Castiel showed up and pulled us out of the rubble and healed Dean and Nat. Then we found Duke walking down the road, dazed and confused on our way back to the hospital. He didn’t think Dean and I were real.” Esme felt silent, squeezing her beer until her knuckles turned white. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out to collect herself. Suddenly, her legs gave out, and she collapsed hard to the floor with a groan. She knew it was only a matter of time before her legs finally gave out, but she hoped it would have been near a bed or the couch.

“Tapadh leibh uile!” she breathed, closing her eyes tightly as immense pain washed over her. Opening her eyes, Esme tried to get back on her feet, but couldn’t get her body to cooperate, it felt like a lead weight. It had finally succumbed to the energy drain of her going nuclear. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes as she sat on the floor of the kitchen, shaking from the immense pain that shot through her body from the fall and still hadn’t subsided. Esme dropped her head, trying to breathe through the pain the best she could.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

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.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Esme listened as everyone got out of the Impala but didn’t take her eyes off Duke as he woke up. The small smile she had on her lips faded when she saw him frown, making her wonder what he was dreaming about. And even though his eyes were open, did he still think he was dreaming? When he rationalized, she softly nodded her head. “Yes, we’re at Bobby’s.” she replied. She let her hand fall from his face as he looked out the window and sat up. Her slight smile returned when he ruffled his hair, a small sign of him being himself. At his gesture, she turned and opened the door and slowly got her sore and stiff body out of the car. Esme stifled a hiss as she stretched a bit, then turned to Duke as he stepped out of the Impala. The smirk she saw playing at the corner of his mouth brought a new smile to her lips as she took his outstretched hand. “You and me both.” Esme responded after Dean agreed. She pulled her gaze from Duke to Mika as she asked her question. “Yes.” she said with a nod at the same time Dean answered.

Before she could turn her attention back to Duke, Sam and Anna pulled in with Sarah coming in behind them. She trotted over and sat next to Esme, who rubbed the back of her hand against her. Esme watched Anna get out of the truck, make a beeline to Cason, hug him, say a few words, and head back to Sam. Before she made it, Esme heard Dean call out to her. The conversation caused her to wince at the harshness, but she couldn't blame Anna. It was Dean who told everyone to leave Cason to die in the barn that night. Pulling her attention back to Duke, giving him a warm, tired smile, and interlocking her fingers with his. “You ready to head in and have Bobby fuss over us?” she asked. “Then we can grab that beer and relax.” She hesitated briefly before walking towards the door. Bobby had never seen her this busted up and tired, except for maybe that night she met Duke. Esme felt she looked a lot worse off than she did that night, and she felt a lot worse too. She thought back to what she did those days.

Yep, today was a lot worse than that day. That day consisted of a handful of demons and four ghosts, two of which gave her hell before she could get their items salted and burned. She unconsciously gripped Duke’s hand tighter as the entire memory invaded her mind. She softly shook her head to clear her thoughts after she brought her free hand up to it. As happy as she was to see Bobby, she felt that she looked like she’d been put through the wringer almost every time she walked through his door. She could only remember a handful of times she had walked through his door unscathed or with only a few scratches and bruises. Esme sighed heavily as they reached the door and then stepped into the house, pulling Duke inside with her.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

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.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Esme was glad when Duke didn't argue with her about finding answers. But whether he wanted her to or not, she was going to find out how in the hell he cheated death. She had to know what had brought him back to her even though she knew she should let it go and just be happy he was there in her arms. It nagged her from the back of her mind. Other than her giving him her blood, what else happened in the hospital? When Duke returned her hug and pulled her close, Esme winced but didn't let him go. His hug was genuine, telling her she had gotten through to him, and he now knew she was real. It brought her a little relief that she was able to get him to realize that it was a start to bringing him fully back. When he returned her, ‘I love you,’ Esme softly smiled and closed her eyes. The words echoed in her mind as they hugged, but it faded when she felt his guilt. Why was he feeling guilty? She saw nothing that he should feel guilty for unless he was picking up that his demeanor was making them uncomfortable.

For Esme, it was more worry than anything, but she still saw no need for him to feel so guilty about it. Whatever he went through, it must have really shaken him up for him to lose that bright smile and humor. When Duke pulled back to slump in the seat, she opened her eyes and watched him. He had left room for her to snuggle up to him, but it hit her hard when he spoke, making it even harder to hold back her tears. “Sorry?” she repeated. She softly shook her head, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. Then, she settled into the seat and snuggled up to him, resting her hand on his chest. “Don’t apologize, Love.” she softly whispered to him. “You don’t have to apologize for this. Not at all.” Esme fell silent as tears slid down her cheeks from Duke’s apology. The fact that he felt he had to apologize for not smiling or the person they expected him to be bothered her greatly. Yes, they were worried about this new side of him, but that didn’t mean he had to apologize for it. She sighed heavily and snuggled into Duke a little bit more. As tired as she was, she didn’t see herself getting any sleep on the drive to Bobby’s. A little time passed, and the car fell silent.

4 Hours later

As she predicted, Esme didn’t get any sleep on the way to Bobby’s. She was awake the entire four-hour drive while snuggled up to Duke, staring at the back of the front seat. Her thoughts raced with thoughts from Duke to what Valdin had told her before her nuclear moment brought the asylum down and what Castiel had said. Once they figured out how to help Duke, how in the hell would she break the news to Duke about her not being human and being the product of a possible deal? And if he asked what she was, what could she tell him? She had no idea what she was at this point other than an Empath who could become a nuke. She kept being an Empath from him for so long, but how could she keep this from him? Everyone but Duke knew she wasn’t human. They all heard it from Castiel’s mouth. And how would she bring it up to Sassy when she got the chance? She felt she had a lot on her plate right now. She was pulled from her thoughts when the car stopped, and she could see Bobby’s house through the windows.

With a heavy, tired sigh, Esme pulled herself away from the snoring Duke and looked at him. She hated to wake him, but they couldn’t leave him in the car. Reaching over, she brushed his hair from his face before resting her hand on his cheek, rubbing it with her thumb lovingly. “Hey, Love. It’s time to wake up. We’re here.” she said softly but loud enough for him to hear her. She didn’t want to talk too loud and startle him out of his sleep.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

As Esme sat in the backseat clinging to Duke’s arm, her fear for him was growing stronger by the minute. She had been trying to push it from her mind since she realized it was him walking down the road. Sure, it was apparent he was scared and confused when they found him on the road, but she thought he’d be more happy to see them by now. She thought she’d see his bright smile by now and his blue eyes twinkling brightly, but they weren’t. She had never seen him this dark, not even in the most dire situations. It scared the hell out of her to see him in that state of mind, and she knew it was probably showing in her eyes by now. He wasn’t the Duke she had met all those years ago, nor the Duke she had fallen in love with. He had returned to her a different man, as if something inside him was missing. Esme would give anything to see him as she always knew him, to hear him tease one of them. Just a smile would make her feel better. But she could see she wouldn’t get any of that soon.

When the conversation started, Esme pulled her face from Duke’s shoulder but didn’t lift her head from it. It was then she caught Mika staring at Duke, realizing Dean must have told her about Duke dying before they left the field. Cason’s and Duke’s following words made her feel sick; she couldn’t open her mouth to respond, but Dean did. He stopped the conversation cold, not allowing anyone else to discuss it. Esme lifted her eyes to the rearview mirror, watching Dean as he spoke to Duke. The way Duke responded broke her heart more than it already had. He was like a child being scolded. Esme lifted her head from Duke’s shoulder when the conversation of where they should go started. Even before Cason said it, she was thinking about Bobby’s. That was one place where she had always felt safe and comfortable. Her eyes turned to Duke as he broke his silence. She tried to smile but couldn’t. She couldn’t even force one. Before she could respond to Duke, Dean had. It caused her to look back in the rearview mirror. He said something she never thought she'd hear him say to Duke, ‘Snuggle up with your girl.’

It shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. She and Duke were together now, but it sounded strange coming from Dean’s mouth. Everything else was spot on. When Dean glanced back at Duke, she could see that he felt the same way about Duke as she did; she could also feel it. She would have smiled at Dean’s last words to Duke if she could have. She knew Dean would do anything for Duke, just as she would. Esme looked back at Duke as he responded to Dean in a mutter and gave him a forced smile. This was not her Duke at all. She unwrapped one of her arms from around Duke’s, brought her hand up, and placed it gently on his cheek as she turned towards him, even though it hurt like hell. “Duke?” she said softly. “Duke, please look at me.” She lovingly rubbed her thumb on his cheek, unwrapped her other arm from around his, brushed his hair from his face, and placed it on his other cheek, looking into his eyes. “We will figure all this out…… I promise you, Duke. I won't stop looking until I have the answers…. You hear me? I won't stop looking.”

Esme did her best to drive home what she was saying to him, hoping she was getting through to him. Hoping that some part of him deep down believed what she was telling him. After looking into his eyes for a moment, she gently pulled his face to her and sweetly kissed his forehead. Releasing his face, she wrapped her arms around him, pulled him into her, hugged him, and stroked his hair. “I love you, Bright Eyes.” she softly whispered, hugging him a little tighter and closing her eyes. “I’d do anything for you…. I’d do anything to bring back your bright smile and that twinkle in your eyes.” Esme didn’t care if the others heard her. Everything she was saying to Duke was true and she prayed he knew that. She pressed a soft kiss to his head as she held him to her, fighting the tears that burned at her closed eyes as she continued to stroke his hair. “I’m here. We’ll get through this together. But for now, just rest.” she told him, dropping her voice more. Esme sniffled and opened her eyes and softly sighed. She was terrified she wouldn’t be able to bring him out of this, even with the help of Dean and the others.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

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.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme (Duke and Dean Collab)

Esme barely listened to Cason as he questioned the news they just heard. But he did have a good question, seeing as it could be supernatural-related. Her mind didn't even go to the possibility of it being Duke, even if she wanted to refuse that he was really gone. Plus, none of them were fit to go and investigate the situation. Esme closed her eyes with a heavy sigh, and she could see Duke’s face with a smile so bright that it reached his blue eyes. The image made her heart hurt. She closed her eyes tighter and wiped away a tear on her cheek. “You didn't deserve to go out like that. I'm so sorry, Duke. I should have tried harder to keep you with us.” she told herself. Esme pulled her jacket tighter around herself as she hung onto the image of Duke. When Dean got into the Impala and started it, she opened her eyes, watching as they left the field and got into the highway. She was more than happy to leave this place behind and all the memories connected to it, but she knew those memories would be hard to forget, no matter how hard she tried.

But as soon as they got onto the highway, she was pulled from her thoughts of Duke by Cason pushing Dean’s buttons. “Really? You just couldn’t keep quiet?” she groaned quietly. As they bickered, Esme tried to tune them out, but it was proving difficult and getting irritating. This trip was long enough with all the tension build-up. They didn’t need Cason pushing Dean. By the time she had enough, Mika turned around and lectured Cason. Then everything went quiet. Her thoughts went blank as she stared out the window. After what felt like ages on the road, she saw the town come into view and a figure lit up by the Impala’s headlights. Esme watched the figure as they got closer, noticing they had blonde hair and were wearing an open flannel and a pair of jeans. When Dean spoke as they passed the man, Esme’s eyes widened in surprise. She knew that blonde hair. She knew those scars. “Duke?” she whispered, confused. She bolted up in the seat, ignoring the pain shooting through her body, and yelled at Dean, already reaching for the door handle to jump out. “Stop the car! Now!”

Dean flinched like he was shot when Esme suddenly lurched forward and yelled at him to pull over. He slammed on the breaks, reflexively and the Impala came to a screeching halt in the middle of the empty highway.
"What the hell?! Are you trying to get everyone killed?" He scolded her, turning his rearview mirror down to look back at her like an angry father.

Esme already had the door open before the Impala came to a complete stop. She looked at Dean briefly in the mirror, catching his look, but she said nothing back as she quickly scrambled out of the Impala. She didn’t care he was upset with her for yelling for him to stop. She had to know if that was really him or if her eyes were playing tricks on her because of her grief. If it really was him, could he possibly be a Zombie or possessed? She was told that he died. There’s no other way he could be up and walking unless he was a Zombie or possessed. She ran a few feet past the Impala's back end and stopped, staring at the man walking away in front of her. “Is that really you?” she asked herself, tears already welling up in her eyes. There was only one way for her to be sure, one thing she could call out that she knew he’d react to. “Jason!” she called out to him.

Dean sighed, watching Esme glance to him before jumping from the car like a maniac after the drunk guy. He turned and looked at Mika, slapping his hand on the steering wheel. He couldn't let her just get out on her own and go after some random guy in the shape she was in. He opened his door and stepped out after her, following her around the back of the car, but keeping some distance behind her.

Duke had stopped walking, staring at the back of the Impala blankly as it screeched to a stop. There was no way it was real. He was now seeing things. Whatever had brought him back was making him see things...
He squinted, trying to make out what he was seeing. Suddenly, Esme's voice rang out in the dark, a snappy call of his real name and his body flinched as if shocked by electricity. He winced as if he was scolded by a parent. Raising his hand, he covered the tail light of the Impala to see her better, but said nothing at first. She knew his name. She used his real name. It was like a jolt of lightning to his heart and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Esme?" He called to her, his voice hoarse and broken. "I-I don't know what I'm seein'..."

His southern drawl was almost thicker than ever with his confusion, and he sounded like a confused little boy. Dean gasped, his eyes saucers behind Esme as he heard that voice, Duke's scared voice. It was like heaven to his ears in that moment but he couldn't move, just staring at him, tempted to pull Esme back, in case it was a trick. "Duke?"

Esme had stepped forward when he stopped walking and turned to face them. As soon as he flinched and winced at his real name being used, she knew it was him. There was no doubt in her mind that it wasn’t him. He hated being called Jason and would get angry if anyone called him that. He always referred to it as his government name. Then he called out to her. His southern drawl coming in thicker than she ever heard was full of confusion and fear that it broke her heart to hear. Tears were now streaming down her cheeks. It took Dean’s voice behind her to get her to move from where she was rooted. She stepped away from Dean and then broke into a run toward Duke, almost slipping as she went. When she was close enough, she jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms and legs around him and burying her face into his neck. Esme couldn’t control her tears as she held onto him. “How?” she sobbed. “How are you here? I thought I lost you.”

Duke didn't know whether to walk toward Esme or to stay planted in case she thought he was some kind of monster. He wasn't even sure that he wasn't some kind of monster, if he was being honest with himself. His hand was beginning to shake as he held it in front of his face, and then suddenly, Esme broke into a run toward him.
He turned a bit, ready to run away from her, or at least brace himself for an attack, when she threw herself into his arms. With a loud groan, he caught her, his knees nearly buckling as he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from hitting the ground. He stared over her shoulder at Dean, who was still just standing there, watching them with wide teary eyes.

The questions Esme asked both made perfect sense and no sense at all, to Duke. Obviously, he had died, somehow. But he didn't have an answer as to how he was alive. He didn't feel like he was fresh from death, other than a sore throat and a few stitches. Duke brought a hand up to the back of Esme's neck, trying to provide her some type of comfort as he frowned and buried his face into her shoulder. The emotions of it all weren't hitting him, yet, other than fear. He was scared to death, and his heart was racing. He could feel it in his neck as it hammered away, "I don't know, babydoll. I don't even know if this is real..."

Esme clung to Duke, fearing that if she let go, he’d disappear right before her eyes. Feeling his hand rest on the back of her neck, his face on her shoulder, and his racing heart, she nuzzled her face into his neck. She knew he was scared. She could feel it. She was also scared. She feared this was some sort of sick joke the universe was playing on her, and once she thought she had him back, he’d be gone again. Then he called her by his nickname for her and confessed he didn't know if this was real. That tore at her heartstrings, and she cried more. She never thought she would hear him call her that again. She pulled her face from his neck, took his face in her hands, and looked into his fear-filled blue eyes with her own. She sniffled, then lifted a hand from his face to brush his hair from his face, then played with the hair at the back of his neck. “I know, my dear, sweet, bright-eyed cowboy.” she said softly. She leaned in and softly kissed his nose, wishing she could take away his fear and help him see this was real. Esme pulled back and lovingly ran her thumb over his cheek.

“After what you’ve been through today, it must seem like you’re in a dream. But I am here.” she told him. She softly kissed his cheek, then kissed his lips sweetly. After a moment, she broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. “Come home with me, Bright Eyes?” she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek. “If this isn’t real, then what harm will it do?”

Duke wasn't sure what Esme was going to do as she pulled back from his shoulder and looked into his eyes, her hands on his cheeks like little slices of heaven. He was so relieved to feel the warmth of her skin against his, even if every part of him was telling him to pull away from her and keep walking. He hated seeing Esme cry. It wasn't anything he ever wanted to cause, and it wasn't making his emotions any more stable as his eyes welled up in tears, staring down at her with scared eyes.

As her hand began to move his hair around, he was reminded of how comforting the simple action always was, back even before she loved him. That alone was enough to send memories rushing in, behind his teary eyes. He closed his eyes, a couple of tears streaming down his cheeks as she kissed his nose, and then he sighed, taking in her words. I'm here.

He didn't shy away from her kiss, closing his eyes once again as he kissed her back, his own hand coming up to cradle her jaw as he allowed his shoulders to relax, just enough to try and enjoy kissing her in such an impossible moment. He sighed, slowly opening his eyes as she broke the kiss and asked him to come home with her, her nickname for him slipping off her lips like second nature. He nodded slowly, another tear slipping down his cheek.
"Okay. I-I think I can do that."

Esme smiled as she lifted her head from his, leaning her face slightly into his hand still on her jaw. His touch calming her. She was happy that he agreed to go with her. She didn't know what she would have done if he had refused. She lovingly brushed his tears from his cheeks and kissed his nose ever so gently. “Please don't cry, Bright Eyes. It’ll be okay.” she told him softly. She placed a soft kiss on each of his eyelids, then his cheek, before she unwrapped her legs from around him and placed her feet on the ground. Then, she let her arms slide from around his neck so her hands rested on his bare chest and looked up at him with a warm smile. She then turned slightly to look back at Dean, who was still standing by the Impala. She could just barely make out his face from the taillights, but she saw his tears as he looked at her and Duke. Esme then turned back to Duke, took his hand in hers, and squeezed it as she brought it to her lips and kissed his fingers. “Come on. Let’s get you out of the cool night air.” She then lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulders, then wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him close to her before pulling him towards Dean and the Impala.

Duke breathed another sharp sigh of relief as Esme brushed his tears, and spoke his nickname once again. It almost felt too good to be true, to hear it again. He closed his eyes, not flinching away from the kisses to his eyelids and his cheek. If it was a dream, or fake, or whatever it was...It had to be a good thing, right?
As Esme lowered herself to the ground, he held onto her a bit tighter, until he knew she was steady on her feet. He reached up and wrapped his fingers around one of her hands on his chest as she turned to look at Dean, following her eyes to another face he never thought he would see again. He nodded his head, and Dean nodded back, wiping a hand down his face before turning to walk back to the drivers side of the Impala. Dean opened the door, looking back at them briefly with a sigh, and then leaned in.

"One of you climb up front." Dean barked to Cason and Nat in the backseat.

Duke looked back down at Esme, squeezing her hand tightly as she brought it to her lips and kissed his fingers. He simply nodded at her, barely even realizing that part of the numbness in his body was due to him being cold. He leaned his head to the side as she draped his arm over her shoulder, and he kissed her hair, a simple gesture to try and prove to himself that he was indeed touching her as they walked back to the car.

Esme smiled when Duke kissed her hair, then she held him tighter. She wanted to let him know that she was really there and not some dream or illusion. She walked back to the Impala slowly for him and also for herself as she could feel her pain returning. She was also starting to feel the cold settling in despite wearing a jacket. But she didn’t care about herself at that moment. Her focus was on getting Duke in the car, warmed up, and giving him a good looking over. Then, later, figure out how he was even alive. Everything in her screamed that he shouldn’t be at her side while she helped him walk to the Impala. He had died in the hospital. She couldn’t think of any explanation that could explain how he was there. When things settled down, maybe she could ask Bobby to help her find the answer because this confused the hell out of her. As far as she knew, none of them made a deal to bring him back, and she surely couldn’t see the angels stepping in to bring him back. She shook the thoughts from her mind and focused back on Duke and getting him to the car. “Almost there.” she said softly to him after a bit of time had passed.

Once they reached the Impala, she looked up at him and smiled warmly, but she didn’t let him go. Even though he had agreed to come with her, part of her was still afraid he’d run as soon as she let him go. She then looked at everyone sitting inside, wondering how they were going to do this, someone was going to have to move up front, and she knew Cason would have a problem being moved away from Natalia. Esme then looked back up at Duke, studying his face for a moment. “You doing alright?” she asked in a concerned tone.

As Duke and Esme reached the Impala, Duke stilled a bit, his eyes fixed in position as he zoned out and stared off into space over the top of the car. He barely even noticed the shuffling happening inside the car, as Cason quickly found a solution to keep Nat near him, and lifted her up, scooting underneath her. Cason sat Nat down, across his lap, and held his hands up to Dean who glared at him for a moment and then sighed, rolling his eyes. Dean simply got into the car, and sighed again, "I work with children. We just found Duke, walking half naked down the side of the road, and the biggest issue the demon in my backseat has is possibly touching skin with one of us..."

Duke glanced down at Esme, flinching from his thoughts a bit as she asked if he was doing okay. He nodded quickly, pasting a sweet smile to his face, "I'm good. For now, I'm good."

"So, there's room." Cason called to them, gesturing his hand for the newly empty seat beside him. "I'll take the cowboy!"

Duke nearly laughed as Cason volunteered him to sit in the middle. He had no idea why Cason was suddenly so weary of Esme. Despite the obvious background Cason and Esme had, Cason had never seemed particularly scared of her. Duke bent down, hissing a bit as his stitches pulled in his cold skin, and he opened the drivers back door letting go of Esme only to crawl in. It was awkward, sitting knee to knee with a demon, but at least Nat's legs gave a small buffer as Duke folded his hands over his lap. He tried not to notice that Dean was staring at him through the rearview mirror, tears in his eyes and a constant look of disbelief plastered on his face.

Esme took note of how Duke flinched when she asked if he was alright, as if she had pulled him out of his thoughts, but she gave a sweet smile in return to his reply. As she looked up at him, she knew something was bothering him and she wished she knew what, but she wasn't going to press him for answers. It wasn't the time. Hopefully, he’d be up to talking about it later. When Cason called to them, Esme looked away from Duke and into the backseat to see that Cason had placed Natalia in his lap and had scooted all the way over. She sighed at what he said. Of course, he’d choose to have Duke sit in the middle over herself. He was still scared about what she might or could do to him. When Duke bent down and hissed, Esme winched at the same time, but said nothing as he opened the door. After he let go of her, she stayed close as he crawled in and sat next to Cason. She knew it had to be awkward for the guy, even with Natalia’s legs as a buffer. Esme stood at the door and sighed heavily through her nose, the realization of having Duke with her washing over her once again.

She tilted her head back and looked up at the sky, fighting the tears that were threatening to show themselves again. “Please. Please, don’t let this be some sick joke.” she whispered so no one could hear her. It was still hard to believe he was actually there, sitting in the backseat. Dropping her head, she sniffled, closed her eyes, and wiped her face clear of tears with both hands. Then, she got into the backseat with a wince next to Duke and closed the door. She looked up and saw Dean staring at Duke with disbelief in his teary eyes through the rearview mirror. She gave him a look that said, “It’s hard to believe he’s really here.” Dropping her eyes to the back of the front seat, Esme snaked her hand under Duke’s arm, wrapped her arms around his, and rested her head against his shoulder. She just wanted to hold him close and let him know everything would be okay and she was there for him. Turning her head, she buried her face into his shoulder and rubbed her thumb soothingly on his arm.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Esme watched Cason, seeing how tense he was. She couldn’t blame him for how she was before she went nuclear. As soon as he frowned, she knew he was confused about why she was asking him, and she probably wouldn’t like his answer. She was right. She didn’t like his answer. He knew nothing. He couldn’t give her the answers she was seeking at that moment. However, she lost a little hope in finding answers when he said he could ask around his circles about someone who could make someone like her and that he never heard of anything like that happening. Mostly, she just wanted to know what in the hell she was since she just found out she wasn’t human. Esme watched Cason studying her. She’d seen the look before. He was trying to read her emotions. She knew he was worried she’d go nuclear again with how upset she was, but she had nothing left. It was a wonder she was actually on her feet. She looked down at his hand as he held it out, then back to his face as he spoke softer. Before she could respond to Cason, Dean came over, turned her, and hugged her gently. Even with his gentleness, she softly whimpered.

Esme welcomed Dean's hug. A tear slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes, rested her forehead on his shoulder, and put her arms around him, feeling the mixture of emotions coming from him. How could he not be feeling a mixture of emotions after learning she wasn’t human? But she knew he was glad she was okay before he said it. “I’m glad you’re okay, too.” she said as he checked her head. At his next question, she softly shook her head. “No, it happened before.” It must have looked worse than she thought if he was that concerned. She could only nod in agreement when Dean told her they needed to get her somewhere and looked over. She knew there would be no arguing with him about not being looked over. She was just starting to feel herself calming when Cason spoke up. Esme sighed through her nose and carefully pulled herself away from Dean before he snapped at Cason. She knew Dean wouldn’t react well to Cason wanting to take Natalia. After stepping back from Dean, she leaned against Sarah again, using her for support while Dean and Cason had their back and forth about Cason getting into the car.

As she leaned against Sarah and listened to the back-and-forth, she knew Cason was in a losing battle; he’d never win this argument against Dean. But she also realized what situation this put her in. She would be crammed in the backseat with Cason and Natalia. It wasn’t until Cason finally gave up, agreed, and got in the car that she groaned inwardly at the situation. Cason had put himself right in the middle, which meant she’d be right next to him. “God, this is going to be one hell of a ride.” she thought with another inward groan. She wasn’t about to bring up her unhappiness about it to Dean. She knew she’d never win that argument, not to mention she didn’t have the energy to fight it. Sighing heavily and with Sarah’s help, Esme made her way over to the open door. Before getting in, she saw that Cason was sitting as close to Natalia as he could get. She mentally shook her head and slowly lowered herself in the seat. “I really did a number on him in there.” she thought as she pulled in her feet. She shifted so her back was to him and rested her head on the back of the seat.

“I’m not going to do anything to you.” she told Cason. “I’m not going to blow again either. I have nothing left.” She looked at the open car door and heard what Mika had said to Dean. “Murder victim and a suspect on the loose. That doesn’t sound right. “ she said softly to herself. Sarah’s head then popped into view. She stuck her head in and softly nuzzled Esme’s cheek, which made her smile. Esme lifted a hand and rubbed Sarah’s head. “I’ll be alright, girl. I’ll see you at the hospital, or you can follow us there.” she whispered so only Sarah could hear her. Sarah gave Esme another soft nuzzle with a soft whine before pulling away, then pushed the door closed with her head. After Sarah closed the door, Esme pressed herself up against the door and looked out the window.