Wolvena

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

As Esme hugged Duke close to her and could feel his heart hammering in his chest, she could still see his eyes behind her closed eyes. They were filled with a mixture of emotions, but the main one she saw was fear. She had scared the hell out of him. Duke thought he was losing her. After everything they had been through, to think she had died there next to him had to have been overwhelming. His ‘Hey there’ after she said his name echoed in her mind. She should have told him this sort of thing happened to her on occasion, and she felt absolutely horrible for not telling him. There were other things Esme hadn’t told Duke about herself and knew she needed to before any of those things showed themselves. Maybe she should make a list and give it to him. She was pulled from her thoughts when Duke softly kissed her neck, and she could feel his fear being overtaken by relief, but his heart was still hammering in his chest. Esme closed her eyes tighter, forcing more tears from them, as Duke’s and her father’s faces returned to her again. She pushed them from her mind to focus on helping Duke calm down.

After a few moments, she felt Duke tilt his head back as she sniffled and kissed her jaw. A smile tried to tug at the corners of her mouth, but it didn’t show. Esme sniffled as Duke took a deep breath and then tangled his hand in her hair, curling his fingers against her scalp. She knew he was trying to soothe her, probably because he thought his emotions were affecting her, which was only half true. Esme took a breath and focused on his fingers on her scalp but didn’t open her eyes yet. Duke’s words relaxed her a little more, and she sniffled as he pulled her hand back. When he pulled back to look down at her, she opened her eyes to look at him with tear-filled eyes, taking in his words. “Okay.” she breathed, followed by a sniffle. As Duke placed his forehead against hers and took a deep breath, she did, too. Then she put one hand on his cheek and the other on his chest, taking another deep, calming breath. Even with Duke there with her, she was having trouble getting completely calm. Seeing and talking with her father still had her worked up.

Esme couldn’t wrap her head around how he was there. She knew it was him, not something pretending to be him. After all this time and her going to her safe place in her mind, why now did he come to her, and how? Trying to figure it out hurt her head and frustrated her. She pushed it from her mind and focused on Duke’s breathing and his fingers on her scalp. She did her best to match his deep breathing and nuzzled her forehead against his for comfort. After a moment, Esme sighed softly. “I’m sorry I scared you so bad.” she breathed. I should have told you about those moments of mine. When I overuse my powers, get overwhelmed by others, or as tired as last night, I fall into a deep sleep, and as you saw, it looks like I’m not breathing. If you hadn’t kissed me, I would have slept for about three or four days straight.” Breathing deeply through her nose, she slowly let it out and closed her eyes. “You’re not the first I’ve scared with my deep sleep moments.” she added. Esme could still clearly remember the faces of Dean, her father, and Sassy when they first experienced her waking up from her deep sleep. They were much like the look she saw on Duke’s face just moments ago.

Of the three, Dean was the only one to kiss her and have her wake, then refer to it as a princess moment. Her father and Sassy were frantically searching for other ways to wake her than to let her wake on her own. Then there was Cason, but she was sure he called Dean for help on how to wake her. He looked worried but not scared like the others, but then it could be hard to tell how Cason was feeling by looking at his face sometimes. Opening her eyes, she looked into Duke’s, sniffled, then softly nuzzled his nose with hers. She was feeling a little better but not fully back to her usual self yet. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

Before Esme turned to ask the boys their opinions on the dresses she liked, she had secretly watched them in the mirror, seeing how uncomfortable Dean seemed and how perfectly comfortable Duke seemed. Of course, Duke would be comfortable, was getting free booze, and there were pretty girls. She almost laughed as she watched them. It still got her how different the two were from one another, but still alike in some ways. One way they were similar was how fiercely protective they were of her, which could be sweet and annoying at the same time, but she wouldn’t change that about them. After turning and asking them their opinions, Esme watched them both, taking in Duke raising his eyebrows and seeming speechless before elbowing Dean. Focusing on Dean as he opened his mouth, she smiled as Dean stuttered out his answer and blushed. It was pretty damn cute. “But hopefully not too distracting.” she replied warmly to him with a grin. Her attention went to Duke as he laughed and answered in his usual flare. She saw the look Dean gave him. Esme playfully narrowed her eyes at Duke, lightly shook her head, and softly laughed. “You have no idea how nice I clean up, Cowboy.” she joked with a grin.

“You, on the other hand…. I guess we’ll just have to see.” Esme continued to joke with a smile. She then turned back to the three women with a warm smile. “Let’s start with these first.” she said, pointing to a few dresses. They nodded and led her back to the dressing room after one woman got her shoe size and a pair of heels. Seconds later, two of the three women came out and waited. Once alone in the dressing room, Esme proceeded to get undressed behind the curtain, starting with her boots and socks. Once undressed, Esme chose to go with the silky teal strapless number. It had silver detailing on the bodice and a little more throughout the dress. The front was just low enough to be a bit dangerous, and the back was open to mid-back and laced, similar to a corset and a mid-thigh slit. Once she slipped into the dress, she held the front in place while she slipped her feet into the heels. They felt a bit strange since he hadn't had to wear a pair in a while. Stepping out from behind the curtain, the woman who stayed behind smiled. “Let me help you with the back.” she said warmly.

Esme turned with a “Thank you”, bringing all her hair to her right shoulder as she held the front of the dress in place. Esme looked in the mirror as the woman laced and tied the back of the dress. She felt a little exposed but couldn't deny it was a lovely dress. “This color looks so lovely on you.” the woman said as she finished. “This is a lovely color.” Esme said with a smile. “Why don't you go out to the bigger mirror so you can have a better look and so the two gentlemen can see how gorgeous you look.” the woman suggested with another smile. Esme laughed a little and nodded her head before responding. “Okay, but I'm a little afraid their eyes will pop out of their heads.” Gathering up the bottom of the dress as the woman laughed with her, Esme walked out of the dressing room and to the large mirror. “You look stunning.” the older woman told her as she walked over to her, smiling softly. Once in front of the mirror, Esme smiled back, released the bottom of the dress, and looked at the dress from all angles as the older woman adjusted parts of the dress.

It hugged her in all the right places, but she thought it would bring her more attention than what she actually wanted. There was also the thought of one false move, and she’d fall out the top, and she could scarcely breathe. “What do you think of this one?” the woman asked, looking over Esme’s shoulder into the mirror at her. “It’s lovely.” Esme replied warmly. “It’s definitely a maybe.” “Maybe is good.” the woman smiled. “But you want to see the others before you decide.” “Yes.” Esme nodded with a smile. “I understand.” the woman replied. After gathering the dress up, Esme returned to the dressing room, but not before flashing the boys a warm smile. Esme went in and out of the dressing room a few more times, looking for that one dress that felt right. The last dress she came out in was a velvet royal purple, off-the-shoulder number with a slight plunge in the front, and the back was open to mid-back. It hugged every inch of her and slightly fanned out at her knees. She was liking this one more and more the longer she looked at it. Esme turned to the three women to tell them that this was the one she wanted but stopped herself when she saw another dress just out of sight of the boys.

Esme stared at the dress momentarily before smiling and looking at the older woman. “Could I try that one?” she asked, gesturing towards it. The women turned and looked to where Esme had gestured. “Yes, ma’am. Of course…. I didn’t think to show you that one because most of the women in town don’t like that one.” the woman told her. “Really? I think it’s a gorgeous dress.” Esme replied. With a genuine, warm smile, the woman sent one of the other women to retrieve the dress Esme had pointed out. Esme watched as the woman went to get the dress, then turned and faced her when she got to it. “This one, right?” “Yes, that’s the one.” Esme smiled. When the woman returned, Esme walked back to the dressing room with her and immediately changed out of the dress and into the new one she had found. She stood in front of the smaller mirror and looked at it on herself with a smile. “This is the one.” she told the woman. “Are you sure? You don’t want to look in the bigger mirror.” she questioned. “I’m sure this is the one.” Esme said matter of factly.

“I think your gentlemen friends will be disappointed they missed you in this one.” the woman smiled. “Perhaps, but they’ll get one heck of a surprise tonight.” Esme grinned. The woman laughed as Esme took one last look at the dress before changing out of it and back into her clothes. Once changed, she came out from behind the curtain, handed the dress and heels to the woman, and walked out with her and over to the boys. “I found the one I want. I’m ready when you two are.” she grinned. She then looked over at Duke. “I hope you didn’t drink too much. We don’t need you sloshed before the party has even started.” she joked. Esme then took Dean’s hand and walked with him up to the front of the store.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

As Esme dreamt about her time in the asylum, she could not only see every detail vividly but could also feel, hear, see, and smell everything from that time. She could still feel the straps holding her down tightly in the gurney as the demons poked, prodded, beat, stabbed, and broke her bones while they did their experiments on her to see how each liquid they injected reacted to her body. They also put her through tremendous amounts of streets, fear, anger, and sorrow but never rage as they were too afraid to push her that far, fearing what she might be able to do, and they were told not to by their boss. They were to wait until they were in a more controlled environment. Esme could still hear the generator's hum that powered the lights and the beeping machines hooked up to her. She could still feel the various items shoved into her mouth to muffle her screams while they did the experiments and the shock therapy. When the memory faded and Duke woke, Esme was plunged into darkness before she found herself lying in an open field filled with lavender, lupins, lilies, and a little stream. She hadn't seen it in person in years, but it was always a place of pure comfort.

As Esme lay among the flowers, she heard Duke’s voice say her name. He sounded miles away, but it didn't sound like him. “Who’s there?” she called out but received no answer in return. She then sat up, keeping her left leg straight and bending her right knee toward her chest. Dropping right arm over her knee, she rested her chin on her arm and looked out over the field. Esme was enjoying the peace when a male voice called out to her. “Esme, Honey? I know you need rest. And this is your comfort place, but you can’t stay. You need to go back, Little Wolf.” Tears welled up in Esme’s eyes before she lifted her head and looked at him. “Daddy?” she breathed. Scrambling to her feet, she ran over and wrapped him in a tight hug, which he returned as she softly cried into him. “I miss you so much. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.” she cried. Her father smiled warmly and stroked the back of Esme’s head. “Shhh, you have nothing to be sorry for, My Little Wolf.” her father told her. Esme lifted her head and looked at her father as he continued.

“ I knew what I was walking into, as did the others. We all knew there was a chance it was a trap and we wouldn’t make it out. That’s why I sent you after those ghosts.” He leaned in and kissed Esme’s forehead, causing her to close her eyes and making a few tears roll down her cheeks. “If I would have been faster after you called, maybe I ……” Her father sighed heavily at her words and shook his head. “No, not even then could you have brought me back.” he whispered sadly. Lifting a hand, he brought it to Esme’s cheek and wiped away her tears. “I’m sorry I didn’t use better judgment that day so I could have been there to help you through everything you’ve been through. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to get you out of that asylum.” he said, hugging Esme again. “I’m sorry for what they did to you.” Esme hugged him back with a sniffle and shook her head against his shoulder, silently telling him he didn’t need to apologize. “Don’t apologize for that. No one could have known that would happen.” she said softly. After a moment, Esme lifted her head from her father's shoulder and looked up at him, meeting his gaze.

Her eyes held sadness and questions, and he sighed. “I know you have lots of questions after having to go back to the asylum. I want to tell you, but I don’t have the time to give you the answers you want.” he told her. “You have to get back to him. He’s worried about you.” Esme looked at her father, confusion written on her face. “Him?” she questioned. “Duke. You need to get back to him. He needs you.” he told her. Esme’s eyes widened with surprise that she had momentarily forgotten about Duke. The word ‘worried’ echoed in her mind, and then it hit her. Duke must be trying to wake her, but she can’t and is getting scared. Esme didn’t want to leave her father, but she wanted to return to Duke. “I don’t know how to get out of here without sleeping it off.” she told her father. “But I need something answered…. Is it true Mama made a deal with a demon, and I’m the product of that deal?” Esme watched as her father’s features hardened a bit and then nodded. “Yes, she did, but was tricked into making that deal. Your mother wasn’t familiar with demons and the other things that go bump in the night. I never told her about what I did until I had to. The demon claimed she was a “miracle worker” and could help her have the child she always wanted.”

He paused with a sigh, dipping his head a moment before looking back at Esme. “Your mother desperately wanted a baby. She wanted a small family. So she jumped at the chance even though it sounded too good to be true…. I couldn’t stop her. I was off getting us drinks at the bar when she unknowingly made the demon deal.” he admitted. “So, Valdin was right.” Esme breathed. “Yes, he was.” he answered her. “I’m sorry I never told you. I thought I was protecting you, Little Wolf.” “I understand.” she told him softly. “You'll find out all the other answers you seek in time. Now focus on waking up before that Cowboy of yours thinks you’ve fallen into a coma or you’re about to die on him. Who I approve of by the way.” he told her. Esme nodded with a light smile and focused on waking up, but nothing was happening. But then she lifted her fingers to her lips as she felt a warmth on them and could feel herself waking. Duke must have kissed her. Lowering her fingers, Esme looked back at her father with a warm smile. “I love you, Daddy.” “I love you too, Little Wolf.” he smiled warmly.

Esme’s father and safe place faded away, and she found herself in darkness again, but she felt Duke’s lips against hers, and a tear fall onto her cheek. ‘Oh, Duke.’ she thought. She concentrated on Duke’s lips on hers and finally woke, inhaling deeply through her nose as she kissed him back. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw the fear in his teary blue eyes before she felt it hit her hard. She knew he’d be scared about her not waking, but not this scared. Her not waking up had scared the hell out of him. “Duke.” she said sadly, her eyes matching her tone. Esme quickly wrapped her arms around Duke. Pulled him to her and hugged him tightly, her hand resting on the back of his head. “Shhhh, it’s okay. I’m here.” she whispered. “I’m sorry I scared you.” She stroked his hair and kissed the side of his head. Tears welled in her eyes as she nuzzled her head against his and closed her eyes. “I’m here, Bright Eyes. I’m here.” She fought not to let her tears show in her tone, but she was sure she failed. Her tears were a combination of feeling Duke’s fear and from seeing her father and talking to him, which was strange and soothing all at the same time.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

Esme didn’t answer Duke’s comment about calling the woman back and asking about the necklace. If she had not mentioned what was so important about it, she probably wouldn’t tell him if he called her back. But she did wish he had asked while on the phone with the woman, nonetheless. When Dean answered her with questions, she nodded to his first and then gave him a knowing look at his second. “You know how I feel about wearing dresses, but if that means I get to see you in a tuxedo, I can deal.” she answered with a grin. Esme watched as Dean glanced between herself and Duke and finally gave in to going to the party. She smiled, leaned back into the couch to look at both boys without any trouble, and listened as the two talked, taking it all in. She nodded as Duke quickly explained, but she forced on his words ‘either one of us,’ which meant she would likely be the distraction in this. ‘Lucky me.’ she thought. Which meant she was going to have to put on a smile and deal with a drunk man possibly groping her while Dean and Duke took care of business.

Esme’s attention was pulled to Dean as he grumbled a reply to Duke, causing her to smile. Of course, he would drink, and she knew he wouldn’t be kept away from the finger foods. She watched Dean as he walked over to her, placed his hand on Duke’s shin, and leaned down to kiss her. Esme leaned up and quickly kissed him back and smiled with a nod. “Alright.” She watched Dean step away and toward the stairs before looking at Duke as he leaned in close to her with a bright smile. “Pfft, of course, you’d say that.” she said, giving him a friendly little shove. “So, I’m assuming my role in this is to be a distraction while you and Dean get the necklace?” she questioned. “Walk and dance around the main area so most eyes are on me and have the men drooling over me and possibly get my own little trinkets out of the deal?” she added with a grin.

A Little Bit Later

Esme walked into the dress shop with the boys in tow. There were dresses of every color for every occasion on racks and hanging throughout the shop. It would have been overwhelming if she hadn’t been in a shop like this before. Walking further in, she started looking at a few dresses, almost scrunching her nose at the thought of wearing a few of them. Finding a dress for such a fancy occasion would be more challenging than she thought. Moments later, she was approached by a slightly older woman with a bright smile. “Welcome in. Is there something specific I can help you find?” the woman asked kindly. Esme pulled her eyes away from the dresses she was looking at and looked at the woman with a warm and friendly smile. “Thank you. I’m looking for a dress for tonight’s party. I know I’m cutting it close, but you know how things can get in a busy life. I could have sent one of these two, but there’s no telling what they would have brought back.” she said in a friendly manner and light laugh. “Oh, yes, ma’am. We’ve had a few other ladies come in looking for dresses for the same party today.” the woman said with a light laugh in return as she glanced at the boys.

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you some dresses I think will look amazing on you.” Esme nodded, her smile still on her lips, and followed the woman near the back of the store, where they were met by two more women closer to Esme’s age. The older woman stopped and turned to face Esme, looking her over thoughtfully. “I think reds, teal, purples, and gold would look really nice on you and make your eyes pop.” the woman started, getting nods from the other two. “For style, I think something that shows off your curves, low cut but not too low cut, off the shoulder or strapless, and something silky with a little lace. I’ll pull a few dresses, and you can tell me which styles you like.” she smiled. The older woman leaned in close to Esme and whispered into her ear. “When I get through with you, and these two see you in the dress, they’ll be drooling over you.” Esme couldn’t help but laugh at her words. There was really only one guy she wanted to have drool over her wearing one of these dresses, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t want to see Duke’s reaction.

“Alright, I trust your opinion.” she told the woman. The three women gathered a few dresses in the styles and colors the older woman mentioned and returned to show Esme after they placed her in front of a mirror. They held each one in front of her, giving her time to look it over before switching to another. “I’m leaning more towards the off the shoulder one with the low back and lace detail.” she told the women. She then turned to the boys and smiled warmly at them. “What do you guys think?”

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Esme scrunched her nose a bit when Duke softly laughed at her weariness of the sandwich but smiled when he confirmed her thoughts. But she couldn’t help it. She was too tired to get out of bed and find a place to throw her guts up from something Bobby slipped into the sandwich like he did the whiskey. Duke would have to carry her to bed, which she was sure he wouldn’t mind, but then he would be even more worried about her and never let her out of his sight. Esme also didn’t want to go through it again because she knew she wouldn’t be worth anything in the morning. She was already worried about falling into such a deep sleep that she wouldn’t wake up for a few days, and she could picture the panic on Duke’s face when he couldn’t wake her by talking to or shaking her. Duke had never witnessed that except for small moments when they were a trio, and Dean would kiss her to wake her. She sighed inwardly before looking back at Duke as he came and sat next to her on the bed. She followed his eyes to the sandwich and then looked back at his face.

He gave Esme the answer she thought he would, and she matched his smile. Her eyes never left his face as he removed his hat, tossed it on the sink, and looked back at her. Her smile grew at his next words, and she even laughed with him. Esme knew she was in worse shape than he was, but he was still hurt, too, and she wanted to take care of him. When Duke gave her the eyes, she half wished he was still wearing his hat so she could pull it down over his eyes, but she laughed a little more. “Okay, okay. Stop with the eyes already. I’ll take care of myself.” she told him through her laugh. Looking down at the plate, she picked up half the sandwich and took a bite. “See, I’m eating.” she said through her bite as she looked back at him. Chewing and swallowing the bite she took, her eyes fell to the bandage on Duke’s stomach before returning to his face. “You need to be taken care of too.” she told him. “And don’t you dare tell me you don’t. You know I’ll tie you down and make you let me take care of you.”

Her tone was serious, but a loving smile rested on her lips, showing that she really wanted to take care of him just as he wanted to take care of her. Taking another bite of her sandwich, Esme leaned into Duke and sighed contently, her eyes falling back on the masquerade masks. As she stared at them, another memory of that night came flooding into her mind, and unbeknownst to her, she projected it to Duke as well. Esme had just finished a dance with the owner of the place, and in his drunken state, his hands had started to drift to her ass. She was trying her damndest to keep her cool as she tried to keep his hands away from her ass as they had danced, but when they did, she’d move in such a way that his hand slid off. As the next song started, the owner took her into his arms again and began dancing with her. Keeping a smile, she looked around the room for Dean and Duke, hoping they were done with their part of the job. Just as she spotted Duke, the man's hands found her ass again, and she clenched her jaw.

After making eye contact with Duke, she gave him a look that said, ‘help me out here, please.’ Duke didn’t waste any time weaving his way through the throng, but she lost sight of him when the man turned her to change directions. Once she located him again and he was close, Esme pushed herself away and spun right into his open arms as he asked if he could cut in. The man opened his mouth to argue, but Duke pulled Esme away before he could get a word out. Once they were out of earshot and sight of the owner, she relaxed a bit and sighed. “Man, am I glad to see you. I’m not sure I could handle much more of his groping.” she told Duke. Duke, in his usual manner, smiled brightly at her with a light chuckle and asked her if she wanted him to go and kick his ass. Esme laughed and shook her head. “As tempting as that sounds, no. We don’t need that kind of attention on us.” After agreeing with her, he pushed her from him and spun her, then quickly brought her back to him and led her around the dance floor with a smile resting on his face.

“Did you and Dean find and get the item?” she asked him. He gave her a look that said, ‘I can’t believe you asked that.’ But nodded with a smile before verbally saying they did. “Great. I was a little worried with how many showed up to this party. Guess that means the three of us can enjoy the rest of the night then.” Duke agreed with her with his bright smile and worked his magic with her on the dance floor, drawing everyone's eyes to them as they danced. “Maybe this should have been the distraction. No one can tear their eyes away from us.” she joked before Duke dipped her with a light chuckle. The memory slowly faded as the song ended. They bowed to the crowd, and Dean approached them to get the next dance. Esme released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding while the memory overtook her, dropped her eyes to the plate, and took another bite before her eyes returned to the masks. After chewing and swallowing her mouthful, Esme yawned, now feeling the tiredness settling in. “When I’m not so tired and can hear your full answer. You’ll have to tell me why you kept those.” she said in a soft, tired tone as she gestured to the masks and yawned again.

Esme fell silent and finished her sandwich. Then, she put the plate and her phone off to the side out of the way before settling into the bed with a yawn. Once Duke settled into the bed and was comfortable, she snuggled up to him and tangled her legs up with his. Tilting her head, she looked up at Duke with tired eyes and a tired smile, then placed her hand on his cheek, gently pulling his face closer to hers. “I love you so much, Duke.” she softly whispered against his lips. Esme then closed her eyes and kissed him lovingly, falling asleep in the middle of the kiss. Her sleep started out peaceful, but later on, it turned into a nightmare. She found herself back in the asylum, reliving the experiments they did on her. Little did she know, she was sharing it with Duke as he slept.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

Esme smiled behind the sweet kiss, knowing she shut up any witty remark he was planning to say to her thank you. She also knew he had to be a bit surprised to see her smile after all the tension between Duke and Rachel. Honestly, she was, too, but it helped that she was sitting so close to Dean while it all happened. He acted like a buffer. When Dean brushed her hair back from the side of her face and smiled into the soft kiss, she softly breathed out through her nose. The actions soothed her mind, made her relax, and melt into him. There was just something about his touch and the way he kissed her that made her relax and forget most things that were bothering her. Dean’s next words and his smile turning mischievous made Esme raise her eyebrows a bit, but then her smile turned into a smirk. “Oh, can you now?” she asked playfully, the smirk still on her lips. “I think I can think of a few reasons as well.” She took in Dean’s bright smile as she spoke and then matched his kiss when he kissed her. She didn’t think she would ever tire of him kissing her so passionately.

When he broke the kiss and stood, she looked up at him with a warm smile on her lips, then followed his lead. Grabbing her chocolate from the table, she let Dean drag her toward the stairs and up them.

Two Weeks Later

Esme sat on the couch reading one of Bobby’s old books she had been wanting to look at while Duke took a call. When Duke cackled loudly, she looked up from the book and watched as he danced across the living room and over to where she sat. She looked up at him as he beamed, his smile bright and his eyes twinkling, causing her to smile slightly. As Duke sat next to her, she shut the book and sat it on the arm of the couch before Duke draped his legs over hers. He waved a piece of paper in her face as she turned to him. She opened her mouth to answer, but Dean interrupted her as he stepped into the living room and spoke to Duke. Esme draped her arms over Duke's legs and smiled more at how excited he was. She listened as he explained things to Dean, her head tilting to the side as he mentioned having to get a necklace. “What’s so special about the necklace?” she asked in unison with Dean as she looked at Duke curiously. She frowned a bit when Duke said he didn’t ask about the necklace's importance. Esme felt that was important to ask even if whoever he was talking to didn’t want to get that information to them.

Esme was pulled from her thoughts when Duke asked her if she was up for a party. “Don’t you think you should have asked about the importance of the necklace?” she asked him first and paused momentarily. “Yeah, I’m always up for a good party, but I don’t have a dress for a party like that. Yes, I own a couple of dresses that I only wear for certain things, but they aren’t fancy enough for that kind of party.” She looked away from Duke to Dean, trying to read him on how he felt about going to this party for a necklace they knew nothing about. “Whatcha say, Dean? You up for it?” she asked with a light smile. “If you are, we’ll have to do a little shopping before tonight. I’ll even let you two help me pick out the dress.” she smiled warmly. As much as she disliked wearing dresses, she would for a case if it called for it. She also couldn’t deny it gave her a reason to see them in suits, which they looked good in.

All Roads Lead To You

Esme

Esme watched Duke as he took in her words in his drunken state and how he swallowed heavily as she looked into his eyes. She watched as he searched for his words to her terms. Her eyes narrowed slightly at his answer. She didn’t think it was that hard to figure out what she meant, but then again, he was drunk. There was still no telling how much of what she was saying was getting through to him. Her eyes were then pulled from Duke to Dean as he spoke. She sighed softly and opened her mouth to respond, but the knock at the kitchen door caused her to jump and close her mouth. Esme followed Dean’s gaze to the door. She wasn’t used to anyone knocking on the kitchen door. Her eyes returned to Duke as he spoke. Then, she watched as he got up from his chair and stumbled a bit. Her eyes followed him as he walked to the door and then looked back at Dean with a look. It was apparent Duke knew the person at the door and apparently wasn’t ready or didn’t want to talk to them. When Duke opened the door, Esme’s eyes fell on the girl standing there.

Esme’s eyebrows raised slightly as she took in the girl at the door that Duke failed to block from view. Not only could she see the emotions on the girl's face, but she could feel it seeping through the open door and couldn’t help but feel a little bit for her. Esme’s eyes shifted to Dean briefly as he spoke before returning to the girl at the door. She sat in silence as she heard the exchange of words between the girl and Duke. Clearly, this girl had it bad for Duke and was devastated by how he left. She started to feel like she had a front-row seat to a soap opera as she continued to listen as Duke pushed the girl out into the garage. When Dean stood, Esme’s eyes went to him, and she watched as he walked over to the window and gently opened it to continue to listen in on the conversation. She softly shook her head with a slight smile on her lips. “You’re as bad as a teenage girl at a sleepover.” she whispered to him. Esme fell silent once again as their voices came through the open window. She felt sorry for this girl, even though she didn’t know her.

Her eyes fell to the table as the conversation continued but then returned to Dean when he came over, leaned down, and dipped his head to her. Esme nodded her head at his words. ‘Worked until about a month ago? That’s when I met him, and he left the same night.’ she thought. Before she could think about it much more, the conversation in the garage continued, and her eyes returned to the table. Esme closed her eyes as she listened to Rachel talk to Duke, feeling slightly awkward overhearing the conversation between the two. Esme couldn’t blame the girl for being hurt. She would be, too, if she were in her shoes. Hearing Rachel say that Duke told her he would let her in caused Esme to tense a bit in sadness for her. From the short time she had known Duke, she could tell he didn’t let others in that easily, and if he said he would let someone in, it wasn’t guaranteed. Duke’s response upset her a bit. The girl deserved an answer better than ‘I can’t do this right now.’ The rest of the conversation caused Esme to sigh silently and shake her head a bit.

Duke was trying to avoid Rachel, and she was practically throwing herself at him and, in his drunk state, gave into her. When Dean spoke, Esme didn’t immediately open her eyes as she listened. She wasn’t so sure the two would be walking around like nothing happened. Something told her that Duke may regret his actions in the morning. After opening her eyes, she looked up and met his green eyes after he pulled a chair closer to her. “Awkward is one word for it.” she replied as he placed his elbow on the table. She watched him as he put his head on his fist close to her face. Dean’s following words brought a warm smile to her lips, and she nodded. “The dynamic feels better than it did. So, I would say yes, you did help.” She leaned in just enough for the tip of her nose to touch his. “Thank you.” she breathed, then tilted her head slightly to kiss his lips sweetly.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

When Esme sat on the bed, and her stomach growled, she saw the frown appear on Duke’s face before she asked him to raid the kitchen. Knowing Duke, he’d be fine with some whiskey to hold him off until morning. She could do that too, but with everything that had happened, she needed something solid in her stomach before going to sleep; otherwise, she’d be feeling quite sick in the morning when she woke. That wasn’t something either of them needed to wake up to, especially Duke, who was being so protective of her now. Esme knew he’d never let her leave the RV without a fight if she woke up sick from not eating. The thought made her laugh inwardly. Her smile then grew as he answered her request to raid the kitchen and went to order her not to fall asleep before she read his mind, and he nodded. She knew him well enough to know that those would have been the next words out of his mouth. “Thank you, Love.” she told Duke as he turned and opened the door. Esme didn’t move until he was down the steps, and he closed the RV door behind him.

Taking to her feet, Esme walked over to where she hung her jacket, pulled her phone from one of its pockets, and then walked back to the bed. Before getting on the bed, she unbuckled her belt, undid her pants, and slipped out of them, leaving them in a pile on the floor. She then crawled up on the bed and got under the covers but didn’t lay down, knowing if she did, she’d be out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow. She also needed a shower but was far too tired even to attempt to take one. Esme crossed her legs in front of her, placed her hands in her lap with her phone, and looked around the RV momentarily, taking in everything about it. Most of it she remembered from back in the day, but some things seemed new or things she had missed. “How did I miss that?” she asked herself aloud with a laugh as her eyes fell on a picture of her, Duke, and Dean. Pulling her eyes away from the picture, they soon fell onto two masquerade masks, and Esme couldn’t stop the grin that came to her lips.

“I can’t believe he kept those.” She was tempted to get out of bed and pick them up but was too tired to get out of the bed. As she stared at the masks, the memory of the night came to her mind and swallowed her. Esme could still picture every moment and the music that played in the background. She wore a tight purple dress trimmed in gold that matched her mask, and both boys wore tuxedos. Duke’s mask was a gunmetal gray, and Dean’s was black. They both looked absolutely gorgeous that night. She had walked into the party with them, one on each arm, and was overtaken by the vastness of the place. They were there to get information about a case they were working on and to have a little fun at the same time. After getting the information they had gone there for, the two boys took turns dancing with her, and they all three enjoyed the wine, champagne, food, and each other's company. The night may have ended a little differently than they all intended, but it was still a beautiful memory for her. Pulling herself from the memory, she looked down at her phone and opened it.

Scrolling through her contacts, she selected Sassy’s number and texted her despite it being late. Esme received an answer moments after sending hers. She read the message with a slight smile on her lips. Esme and Sassy sent a few more before stopping moments before Duke returned to the RV. As Duke walked in, Esme looked up from her phone and smiled warmly at him, setting her phone off to her side. “A Bobby special.” she repeated softly, looking at the sandwich on the plate he was holding. She was still a little wary about eating or drinking anything made by Bobby after the whole incident that morning, drinking the glass of whiskey he had made her, and she still wondered what he had put in it. But she trusted Duke and knew he would have watched Bobby make the sandwich and would have put a stop to him adding anything unnecessary to it. “Thank you, Bright Eyes. That’s actually more than I thought you might find in there.” she said warmly as she looked back at him. “I already know the answer, but I will ask anyway. Would you like half of it?” As she waited for his answer, she patted the bed next to her, silently asking him to come over and sit next to her.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

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.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme

Releasing her hold on her jacket, Esme brought her hand to rest on her aching chest. She still wasn’t sure why she told Duke and Mika about that night. It was like as soon as it came to her mind, she couldn’t stop it from leaving her lips, which she immediately regretted and wanted to bolt from the kitchen when she felt the sorrow and guilt coming from the two. She didn’t want them to feel sorry for her for being in the asylum and going through what she did. Esme also didn’t want them to feel guilty for not knowing she was there. There was absolutely no way they could have known. Lifting her gaze to Mika, she shook her head softly after she and Duke finished talking. “Yes, it was pretty terrifying back then, but you have nothing to be sorry for, Mika.” she told her. “Even back then, it was a wonder that the place was still standing. And if she looked anything like I did, I don’t blame you for rushing to get out of there, especially with how many demons were there and the possibility of more coming. From what I could hear, I know getting in and out was a hell of a fight.”

Esme sighed softly, the sounds of the fighting ringing in her ears and sending a visible shiver down her spine. “I hold nothing against you for not going in and looking for others. There was absolutely no way you could have known they had someone else locked up in one of the other rooms. Not to mention, it would have been hard to find that room. They had the door well hidden.” she told Mika. “The only reason my godmother found it was because someone came and opened the door and told me it was going to be alright and that help was coming. To this day, I have no idea who they were or why they didn’t come in and unstrap me from the gurney or how they knew my godmother was coming for me.” she added. Esme still wondered who it was in that doorway back then, why they chose to keep their face hidden from her, and why they didn’t loosen her restraints. She wouldn’t even be able to pick out their voice since they spoke to her in a whisper. Esme could still clearly picture their silhouette standing in the doorway as they whispered to her.

Slightly shifting, Esme let her fingers slip from Duke’s belt loop and looked up at Duke. Removing her hand from her chest, she placed it on his chest. “And you, Duke. Especially you, have nothing to feel sorry or guilty for.” she told him, her features soft. “I know if you knew I was there, you would have been there in a heartbeat, but even if you had been there, I’m not sure you would have been able to feel me like you used to. When I left, the link between the three of us was broken. Or at least it was with Dean.” she told Duke. Esme then reached up with both hands, causing her jacket to fall from her shoulders and reveal the bruises she had been covering, and took Duke’s face into her hands, making him look at her. “Don’t beat yourself up for not answering the Dean’s call and missing the chance to save me from that place. I knew things would be hard between you and Dean when I left, but I never thought you’d leave and cut him out of your life for a while. For that, I’m sorry.” she told him softly, looking deep into his eyes.

“And don’t beat yourself up for what happened at the farm, either. Things happen that we can’t control, and we couldn’t have known what was waiting for us there. What matters is now. We’re together, and we’re both alive, a little beat up, but alive.” she told him with a small smile to try and get him to smile. “We’ve been given another chance, so let’s grab it by the horns and run with it. Don’t dwell on what happened. Just keep looking forward. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities to protect each other down the road.” Esme held his face a little longer to make sure her words got through, then let her hands slip from his face as she took a shaky breath, crossed her arms over her stomach, and turned back a bit towards Mika, her smile fading a bit. “I feel like we’re all going to have to protect each other in some way with what’s coming. It’s good that we’re all working to be on the same page because we will all need to work together when we face what’s coming. It’ll be hard, or we’ll never see the end because we’re divided.” she sighed tiredly. Esme suddenly felt as if she could pass out right where she stood, even with her aching chest.

But even with being tired, she was worried about what they would have to face. She worried about her vision of Dean coming true and worried about losing Duke again. There was no way Esme would survive mentally if she lost Duke again. Something deep down told her she’d take out more than a building if she lost control of herself over losing Duke again. She also couldn’t help but worry that Duke would be reckless, especially if he ended up separated from her or the others. She hoped that he’d be smart about things to come after what happened at the farm. Esme dropped her eyes to the floor and closed her eyes in an attempt to ground herself and push away the sorrow and grief, but it was proving difficult with how tired she was and no other emotions to focus on. So she focused on something that made her happy, and that slowly started to work. Once she was where she felt comfortable, Esme opened her eyes but didn’t lift her eyes from the floor.