Two Guys, a Girl and Chevy Impala: Fic 9: Masters of the Mind Meld (5/5)
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Title: Fic 9: Masters of the Mind Meld
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R to NC-17
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
I'm posting the final part tonight because I'm in the midst of a big winter storm and there's a real possibility the power will go out. So here's the conclusion. Enjoy! :D
The satisfied smile on Dean's face disappeared when he walked next door and went in to see Sarah on her way out, her face more depressed and down than he had ever seen her. He watched her leave before turning to look at Sam. "Dude, what did you say to her?" he demanded.
Looking weary, he rubbed a hand over his face. "Forget it. What's up?"
"You, man," he replied, a little concerned at Sam's demeanor. "You're chasing Sarah out of the room, you look like hell. I was gonna try to talk peace with you, but now..." He sighed in frustration.
"You and Chloe work things out?"
He laughed. "You get to ask me questions about my love life but not the other way around?"
He shot Dean a look and lay back on the bed, yawning.
He rolled his eyes and turned around, heading for the door. "Whatever, dude. You don't wanna talk, fine."
"I just think I should...back off from this thing with Sarah for a little while. Until I get these other powers under control," he whispered.
Stopping and turning around, Dean's frown furrowed deeper. "And did you tell her that, little brother?" he asked.
"Yeah. I can't just lead her on, Dean."
It seemed that it was too late for that, based on the look on the brunette's face, but Dean didn't say that. "Okay," he whispered. "About those other powers, Sammy. How exactly do you intend to get them under control?"
"I'm not sure yet. But...Chloe found a way to get the mind reading under control. Which means...there's gotta be a way to get the others under control too."
"What, you mean your weirdo visions and moving things by thinking it?"
"I don't think there's going to be a way to control the visions. But the telekinesis, yeah."
"Wait, I thought that was a one-time deal," Dean replied, a little concerned.
"Somehow I don't think so, Dean," he murmured, slowly sitting up to look at his brother.
"Damn," he whispered, remembering his father's words and wondering for what seemed like the hundredth time about why he had to die and handle this burden alone.
"Chloe seems to think if I get it under control that...I'll somehow feel better."
"Gotta say, that'd be a good thing, dude. This moping gets old after awhile." His tone was light and slightly playful, trying to get Sam more out of himself. And to keep him from honing in on their father's words.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "So I'm gonna start researching telekenisis," he told his brother, a determined glint in his eyes.
"*We're* gonna research this," Dean corrected him with a smirk. "All of us."
"Thanks, Dean," he said, his voice quiet.
"Sam," he replied, looking at his brother, his voice and eyes filled with meaning.
Nodding a little, Sam rose to his feet, still gazing at his brother. "You should go spend some time with Chloe."
Glancing at the wall, Dean thought Chloe was probably busy talking to Sarah, who by all accounts needed a shoulder to cry on. "Nah, I'll hang out here for a little while. She's probably... busy." He cast a knowing look at Sam.
He winced a little. "All right." He raised an eyebrow. "Poker?"
"Texas Hold 'Em," he replied, sitting down at the table and grabbing the cards from Sam's bag. He hoped, more than anything, that he and Sarah would eventually patch things up. Because he knew that girl was the best thing to happen to his brother, and if he didn't realize he was worthy of her soon...
Dean let that thought hang as Sam sat down, two beers in hand, ready to play.
*
Sarah didn't pay much attention to Chloe as she burst through the door, tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks, Sam's basic rejection of her still fresh in her mind.
Quickly dropping her bag at the look on Sarah's face, Chloe felt her heart sink. Obviously things hadn't gone so well between Sam and Sarah as they had between she and Dean. "Hey. What happened?"
She was startled a bit by Chloe's presence but quickly recovered. "He doesn't want me," she muttered, the tears falling freely as she grabbed her suitcase and yanked it open, packing her stuff.
"What?" She quickly moved over and put a hand on her friend's arm.
She paused and looked down at her things. "He doesn't want me," she repeated miserably, her voice quiet with defeat.
"Yes, he does," Chloe said softly. "More than you know."
She bit back a heated and sarcastic retort, not wanting to offend Chloe. Her friend had probably read Sam's mind and knew so much about him... and her... more than Sarah would probably ever know. That hurt in too many ways to count. "Yeah, well he has a funny way of showing it," she finally whispered, resuming her packing.
"Sam's scared, Sarah. This whole thing...threw him for a huge loop. He's...afraid that his other abilities are gonna wind up hurting you."
"So why do I have to hear these things through you and not him?" she shouted, slamming her suitcase shut with a loud bang. She swirled around and faced Chloe. "When he tells me we should take a step back for awhile? Without explaining anything?" Her eyes were bright with tears, her cheeks red from her anger and hurt.
Chloe flinched involuntarily and looked at the floor. "Because he's a guy, Sarah. And...different as they might be, at the end of the day...communication? Still not their best feature."
"Not even when I begged him, Chloe," she replied, her voice despairing. "I actually begged him to tell me why, and he still wouldn't tell me. Damn him." She moved to the bathroom to clean herself up. Did Sam really think so little of her suddenly that she wasn't even worth an explanation? "I've tried helping him, Chloe, but if he doesn't want me in his life, then why am I sticking around?"
"Because he does want you in his life. He's just...too stupid to say so. Look, I had the same kinda thoughts earlier. I was ready to pack and go back to Metropolis. But it wouldn't have made things any better. Running never solves anything." Her voice lowered. "Believe me. I know."
She put a cool cloth over her eyes, trying to cool her burning eyes and listening to Chloe's words. She then sat down on the bathtub rim and sighed. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime, Chloe? Wait for him to wake up and smell the hottie?"
A faint smile tugged at Chloe's lips. "He has." She rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Just...don't leave. Please. Sam's not the only one who needs you, you know."
"Thanks," she whispered, taking the cloth off her face but looking at it in her hands. Chloe and Dean had each other, it seemed: maybe they needed her, too. For research. It was better than nothing, she supposed. "So I guess I should... find my own place to sleep tonight?" She snuck a glance in Chloe's direction.
Her cheeks flushed. "Dean...still has a room of his own, so...you can just...have this one."
She stifled a knowing yet sad giggle. "Okay, then. You should go... get ready. Go see Dean. You two fighting and not talking has been hard to watch."
Chloe's blush deepened. "Right. Okay. Are you sure you're okay? I can stay here if you want."
Can you fix a broken heart? Sarah wondered, looking at her friend and knowing she wanted to be where Dean was. She sighed. "I'm fine, okay? Just... I need some sleep."
"Okay." She gazed at her for a moment. She stood up slowly. "If you need me, I'm just down the hall."
"Sure, Chloe." She mustered a small smile as she watched Chloe grab something from the suitcase on her bed and leave the hotel room. She sat there for awhile, crying for everything she felt she was missing out on, for the things she longed to have but seemed always just beyond her grasp.
Chloe was a mixture of nervous and excited as she slipped into Dean's room using the spare key he'd given her. She immediately headed to the bathroom, unsure of how much time she had before he'd arrive. She changed quickly into the lingerie she'd bought in Louisiana and hadn't had a chance to wear yet. Feeling awkward and uncertain as she stared at herself in the mirror, she bit her lower lip. “Well, here goes nothing, Sullivan," she whispered, moving out to the king-sized bed and laid down on it, waiting.
After two hours of playing poker, Dean realized his brother was tired. It didn't matter that he was also losing badly. "Dude, I'm leaving," he muttered, standing up.
"Night," Sam responded, immediately dropping his cards onto the table and heading for the bathroom.
Shaking his head and wondering where Sam had learned to cheat at cards, Dean unlocked the door to his room and opened it. He stepped in and saw darkness, save for a silhouetted body lying on the bed. He smiled a little. "Chloe," he whispered, taking a few steps towards her before he got a good look at what she was wearing.
"Holy crap," he whispered, seeing her clad in little more than lacy teddy, leaving little for his rampant imagination and hard body.
A smile tugged at her lips, his words leaving little doubt in her mind just how much he liked what she'd picked out at Victoria Secret.
Shrugging off his shirt in a hurry, he grinned in anticipation. "Victoria knows how to give away her secrets, doesn't she?" he whispered, crawling onto bed beside her and lying on his side. "You look..." He searched for the words as he played with one of the thin straps on her shoulder.
Chloe gazed at him in the darkness of the room, lifting a hand to his cheek.
He found her cheek and pulled her to him, kissing her hot and hard. He pulled her close to him, frustrated by the clothing that separated their bodies.
Their tongues engaged in an intense duel and she slid one hand around to cup the back of his neck, shifting closer to him, sliding one of her legs between his.
He groaned as her thigh connected with his groin, then slid slowly against him. "Tease," he growled, his hand trailing down to cup her bottom and curl her against him.
Chloe grinned at him before nipping lightly at his lower lip. "Not at all. I have every intention of following through, Mr. Winchester," she whispered, dropping her mouth to press kisses along his jaw.
"You gonna show me how?" he whispered in her ear as he lightly bit her earlobe. His body was hard and urgently cried out for hers, though he wanted them to take their time.
She raised an eyebrow and lifted her head to look at him. "That's the general plan," she teased.
"Good," he said, smiling as he pulled her on top of him and caressed her body through the thin fabric of her lingerie, his body quaking literally at the noises she was making as he touched her.
Chloe licked her lips as his hands explored her curves. She gazed down at him for a moment before lowering her head to kiss his chest, sliding her hands down to rest on his hips.
Dean closed his eyes in pleasurable agony as she kissed and licked his chest, her hands applying pressure against his hips, her lower body sliding against his. His hands trailed to her hips and squeezed gently before he slipped the straps off her shoulders and pulled the teddy off her. He stroked her back as she continued kissing him.
She drew in a breath, kissing her way down his abdomen and sitting up to undo the button on his jeans.
Helping her slide his jeans and boxers off him, he rolled them over so she was underneath. His lips tugged at one of her nipples while his hands tried to take off the rest of her underwear. When it wouldn't budge, he whispered, "Help me get this damn thing off you."
"Awfully eager there, Sport," she said lightly, lifting her hips to help him.
Chuckling, he peeled the teddy off her and put her hand onto his hardness. "Very... eager," he rasped, his breath hitching in his throat when she moved her hand along his length.
"So I noticed." Her eyes twinkled as she raised her head to kiss him as her hand stroke his length with firm but gentle movements.
Dean groaned into her mouth as he moved his hips to the rhythm she had created with her hand. When he started seeing stars and knew his control was slipping, he whispered raggedly, "Stop."
Chloe smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. "You have other ideas in mind?"
Using her hand to guide him into her hot, wet core, he grinned. "Hell yeah," he mouthed inaudibly, smirking.
She slid her legs around his waist, raising her hips to meet him halfway.
He gave her body a moment to stretch around and accept his entrance. But when his eyes met hers and saw the same need mirrored in his, he began to move. Slowly at first, though her movements demanded he move faster. Harder. His will gone, he buried his face into her shoulder as they both came together, his body spasming as he felt her orgasm hit her.
Breathing heavily, she smoothed her hands over the taut muscles in his back, pressing a soft kiss to his temple as she closed her eyes, her body relaxing beneath his. "Love you," she whispered.
"Oh my God," Dean said, his breathing coming in short pants as he tried to regain the will to move off her. "Chloe, you... you're amazing." His heart was too full of love for her to say anything else.
A faint smile touched her lips and when he tried to pull away, she slid her arms around him to keep him in place.
"You alright?" he asked, looking down at her. He kissed her softly to emphasize his concern.
"I'm good," she whispered, gazing up at him.
He smirked, feeling utterly satisfied with himself. "Glad I could be of service," he teased, playing with her hair lovingly.
Chloe smirked in return. "I think that service thing is very much a two-way street," she informed him.
"Yeah, you know it, baby." Moving off her, he pulled her with him and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Chloe," he whispered, gazing into her green eyes and losing himself in them.
A content smile spread across her face at his soft words. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and then laid her head on his chest.
He was quiet for several minutes, enjoying the simplicity of her body pressed against his, her breath moving lightly across his chest. "Where'd you buy that thing?" he whispered.
"Louisiana," she admitted, her voice soft. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand began to stroke her hair lightly.
He chuckled lustfully. "Thinking of gettin' lucky, huh?" Her hair felt like silk, he thought, spreading the length across his chest.
"Well I pretty much knew I would whether or not I bought lacy undergarments," she said with a faint smirk. "It's not why I bought it."
"Full of yourself, aren't you?" Dean asked with a sarcastic chuckle. "But why else would you buy something that... delicious?" His body grew hard again, thinking about how it clung to her.
She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes twinkling. "Just to see the look on your face."
He was a little surprised at her response. "And did I give you what you wanted?" he whispered, kissing her neck, his body wanting hers again.
"Mmhmm." She closed her eyes as his mouth trailed over her sensitive skin. "Did I give you what you wanted?" she echoed with a faint smile.
"Always," he said quietly, his voice mingled with love and need for her. "Not just talking about the hot sex, either."
That caught her off guard and she lifted her head to look at him once more, her eyes questioning.
His mouth stopped its tail down her body at her sudden stillness. "I mean it," he whispered, seeing the doubt and uncertainty in her eyes.
Chloe gazed into his hazel eyes for a long moment before leaning her forehead against his. "Ditto," she whispered back.
He knew she meant what she said, but he didn't know... "I dunno how I deserve you," he whispered, his hands moving along her body lightly.
She kissed him softly. "You're a good man, Dean," she murmured, resting a hand against his chest.
His jaw clenched as he pulled her flush against him. "I don't know about that," he protested lightly. "But I know one thing. You're too good to be true."
"And yet here I am," she said, her own voice light as she smiled at him, groaning as she felt his hard length beneath her. "And there you are."
He smiled and moved his hand between them, sliding a finger into her womanhood. "Glad to see I have the same effect," he groaned, feeling her pull his finger into her body.
Chloe shut her eyes, biting her lower lip as she rocked her hips lightly against his hand out of pure instinct.
He smiled, watching that familiar habit of chewing on her mouth when she was aroused, feeling her moving along his finger. "You know," he chuckled, slipping a second finger into her, "that's a nasty habit, biting your lip."
"I could bite yours instead," she managed to say, not quite managing a smirk.
His palm working with her hips, he whispered, "I like that idea," and kissed her lips as she rode his fingers, reaching her peak quickly.
A soft cry escaped her as heat and pleasure washed over her an intense wave. She bit down lightly on his lower lip, feeling his hips jerk against hers involuntarily. A smile quirked her lips and she lifted her head to look at him with raised eyebrows. "Learn something new about you every day," she murmured.
Rolling her over, positioning her hips so her heat tantalized his thickness, he groaned as she lowered herself onto him. "I'm just kinky like that," he whispered, his breath caught in his throat at her beauty.
She grinned at his words, leaning down to place a kiss against his chest before she began to ride him, grinding her hips hard against his and leading them both toward another maddening climax only moments later. Exhausted, she laid her head on his chest once more, listening to the rapid beating of his heart.
Dean couldn't stifle the satisfied chuckle as he wrapped her in his arms. "You're killing me," he whispered breathlessly, kissing the top of her head.
She smiled. "I think we're just proving that old saying..."
"Which is?" he asked, his mind pleasantly blank for the moment.
"Something about absence making the heart grow fonder. Although...maybe in our case...abstinence." She chuckled.
"You're a regular comedian," he snarked softly, rolling them onto their sides and spooning his body behind hers. "We should probably get some sleep."
"Sleep is good," she murmured with a stifled yawn. She covered his arm that was wrapped around her waist with her own, resting her head on the pillow.
Caressing the back of her neck with his lips, he sighed softly as he felt her relax against him and fell asleep. He closed his eyes and knew that whatever tomorrow held in store, they would be better able to handle it. Together. "I love you, Chloe Sullivan," he whispered, falling into a dreamless slumber.
&&&&&
Epilogue
Sarah's eyes blurred with fatigue as she pulled up yet another website producing little more than the same vague information about the wonders of mind control and telekenesis. She sighed, wishing her brain had shut off enough to have slept. Even when Chloe walked in, radiating with positive energy, she did little more than look up from the screen. "Hey, we leaving or what?" she asked tiredly,
opening another page and scanning its contents.
"Yeah, I think so," Chloe answered, stretching her arms above her head and moving toward the closet to get her suitcase. "You get any sleep?"
"Not like you have," she replied, smiling faintly. She turned around briefly to see the smile on Chloe's face. "I take it... everything went well?"
Her cheeks turned pink. "Yeah." Definitely went well, she thought as her smile widened a little. "You researching?"
She nodded, turning back to the computer. "Lot of good it did me," she muttered, sighing in frustration as she scanned the webpage. Her body froze halfway down the page and widened in surprise and fear. "Chloe..." she started, afraid of how to continue.
"What? What is it?" Chloe turned to face her, her eyes filled with concern.
"Remember that little problem you guys ran into back in Smallville?" Sarah whispered, horrified at her thoughts. What if they got to Sam? she kept asking herself.
It took her only a moment to realize Sarah wasn't referring to the woman who'd used astral projection to steal fetuses. She was referring to 33.1. Her eyes narrowing a little, she gazed at Sarah intently. "The Luthors are out?"
She swallowed hard. "I don't know about that, perse, but... there's apparently a 33.1 factory near here." She swirled around, her troubled eyes on Chloe's face. "What if they get Sam?" she asked, the fear in her voice evident.
Chloe's face paled a little. "There's another 33.1," she whispered in shock.
She shook her head. "Not a hundred miles from here. Literally out in the middle of nowhere." She stood up, putting her hands on her cheeks. "You think there are more?" she whispered to herself.
She shut her eyes, leaning heavily against the wall. Of course there were more. She should have figured that out herself. Even if the Luthors were in prison, clearly their money was still keeping the torture machine running. "Fuck," she whispered.
"We have to do something," Sarah said, looking at her friend's pale face. She shut her laptop and shoved it into her bag.
"We will." Her voice was quiet, determined. And when she opened her eyes once more, she found the same determination reflected on Sarah's face. "Get the guys in here."
She quickly left the room and went next door. Since she found the door cracked, she opened it without knocking. She found Sam and Dean packing their things. "Guys, we... Chloe and I need to talk to you before we leave," she said, not looking directly at Sam.
Glancing over at his brother, Dean said, "Sarah? What's wrong?"
Sam's eyebrows furrowed with worry at how pale her face was. "What's going on?"
"Can you come next door? Please?" Bowing her head, she left the doorway.
Dean immediately followed after her. "Sammy, I think Sarah's in trouble."
Feeling unsettled and more than a little worried, he quickly followed his brother and Sarah into the room next door. He was even more alarmed when he saw that Chloe was just as pale as Sarah was. "What's going on?"
Chloe swallowed hard, lifting her gaze to look at Dean.
Dean frowned at seeing both women equally unsettled and knew something bad was wrong. "What the hell is it?" he demanded. His concern grew infinitely when both their gazes settled on Sam.
"It's 33.1," Sarah whispered, holding Sam's eyes. She shoved her hurt and anger from last night behind, needing to focus on this to protect Sam.
"There's another one. Here." Chloe's voice was quiet. "In the middle of the desert."
"What?" Dean was stunned, speechless. "I thought we took that damn thing down. What about the Luthors?"
Chloe shut her eyes as she slowly turned her laptop toward them for them to read the article that had taken her less than 30 seconds to find. "Fully exonerated."
"Paid off the judge no doubt," Sam said under his breath.
"Fuck," he muttered out loud. This was the last thing they needed, he thought, his body tense with anger. He glanced over at Sam. "We have to get you outta here," he whispered.
"No," Sarah said, not taking her eyes from Sam. "We need to shut these bastards down."
"I agree," he said without hesitation.
A faint smile threatened to spill onto her lips but she bit it back.
"Wait, are you kidding me?" Dean demanded harshly. "Do you think I'm gonna let you get near Luthor after everything that's happened?"
"Lex Luthor and his father are experimenting on people with abilities, Dean." Sam turned to look at his brother. "We have to shut him down." His voice was determined.
"Not disagreeing with you, Sammy, but I don't want them to get a hold of you, you hear?"
"They won't," he said firmly.
Still dubious, he looked at Chloe. "You with these two?" he asked, already knowing the answer in her eyes.
Chloe met his gaze with an intent one of his own. She knew how badly he wanted her to vote against this, could see it in his eyes. And she understood his fears. Hell, she shared them. She dropped her gaze to the ground for a moment. "Lex and Lionel...would have you in a room tortured in two seconds flat if given the chance," she told Sam quietly.
"Which is why you need to be anywhere but here," Dean replied, still looking at Chloe though his words were directed at his brother.
Sarah took a step towards Chloe. "Don't you think, guys, that Sam could help us take this facility down, and others like it? I mean, think about it. He can read minds. It'd be so easy with everything he could learn." She looked away, not able to look Sam in the eye.
"I'm not running away from this," Sam told them all, looking around the room. "And you can't keep me away from it, Dean." His gaze was intense.
Chloe drew in a breath, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Dean's once more. "He's right." Her voice was soft. "They both are. And you know it too."
God, she was beautiful when determined and right, he thought, staring at her before looking at Sam. "Alright," he replied in an even tone, not willing to betray his worry. "But if you die, I'm gonna bring you back to life and kill you."
A faint smile tugged at Sam's lips and he gazed at his brother for a moment before turning to look at Chloe, then at Sarah.
Her shy gaze met Sam's briefly. "There, was that so hard to admit?" she asked Dean with a smirk as she moved around them to pack her things.
Chloe couldn't bring herself to smile. She'd been on the trail of the 33.1 story for as long as she'd been a reporter. And she knew it wasn't going to be easy. The Luthors lived in a Lion's Den. And the four of them were about to walk right into it.
Title: Fic 9: Masters of the Mind Meld
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R to NC-17
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
I'm posting the final part tonight because I'm in the midst of a big winter storm and there's a real possibility the power will go out. So here's the conclusion. Enjoy! :D
The satisfied smile on Dean's face disappeared when he walked next door and went in to see Sarah on her way out, her face more depressed and down than he had ever seen her. He watched her leave before turning to look at Sam. "Dude, what did you say to her?" he demanded.
Looking weary, he rubbed a hand over his face. "Forget it. What's up?"
"You, man," he replied, a little concerned at Sam's demeanor. "You're chasing Sarah out of the room, you look like hell. I was gonna try to talk peace with you, but now..." He sighed in frustration.
"You and Chloe work things out?"
He laughed. "You get to ask me questions about my love life but not the other way around?"
He shot Dean a look and lay back on the bed, yawning.
He rolled his eyes and turned around, heading for the door. "Whatever, dude. You don't wanna talk, fine."
"I just think I should...back off from this thing with Sarah for a little while. Until I get these other powers under control," he whispered.
Stopping and turning around, Dean's frown furrowed deeper. "And did you tell her that, little brother?" he asked.
"Yeah. I can't just lead her on, Dean."
It seemed that it was too late for that, based on the look on the brunette's face, but Dean didn't say that. "Okay," he whispered. "About those other powers, Sammy. How exactly do you intend to get them under control?"
"I'm not sure yet. But...Chloe found a way to get the mind reading under control. Which means...there's gotta be a way to get the others under control too."
"What, you mean your weirdo visions and moving things by thinking it?"
"I don't think there's going to be a way to control the visions. But the telekinesis, yeah."
"Wait, I thought that was a one-time deal," Dean replied, a little concerned.
"Somehow I don't think so, Dean," he murmured, slowly sitting up to look at his brother.
"Damn," he whispered, remembering his father's words and wondering for what seemed like the hundredth time about why he had to die and handle this burden alone.
"Chloe seems to think if I get it under control that...I'll somehow feel better."
"Gotta say, that'd be a good thing, dude. This moping gets old after awhile." His tone was light and slightly playful, trying to get Sam more out of himself. And to keep him from honing in on their father's words.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "So I'm gonna start researching telekenisis," he told his brother, a determined glint in his eyes.
"*We're* gonna research this," Dean corrected him with a smirk. "All of us."
"Thanks, Dean," he said, his voice quiet.
"Sam," he replied, looking at his brother, his voice and eyes filled with meaning.
Nodding a little, Sam rose to his feet, still gazing at his brother. "You should go spend some time with Chloe."
Glancing at the wall, Dean thought Chloe was probably busy talking to Sarah, who by all accounts needed a shoulder to cry on. "Nah, I'll hang out here for a little while. She's probably... busy." He cast a knowing look at Sam.
He winced a little. "All right." He raised an eyebrow. "Poker?"
"Texas Hold 'Em," he replied, sitting down at the table and grabbing the cards from Sam's bag. He hoped, more than anything, that he and Sarah would eventually patch things up. Because he knew that girl was the best thing to happen to his brother, and if he didn't realize he was worthy of her soon...
Dean let that thought hang as Sam sat down, two beers in hand, ready to play.
*
Sarah didn't pay much attention to Chloe as she burst through the door, tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks, Sam's basic rejection of her still fresh in her mind.
Quickly dropping her bag at the look on Sarah's face, Chloe felt her heart sink. Obviously things hadn't gone so well between Sam and Sarah as they had between she and Dean. "Hey. What happened?"
She was startled a bit by Chloe's presence but quickly recovered. "He doesn't want me," she muttered, the tears falling freely as she grabbed her suitcase and yanked it open, packing her stuff.
"What?" She quickly moved over and put a hand on her friend's arm.
She paused and looked down at her things. "He doesn't want me," she repeated miserably, her voice quiet with defeat.
"Yes, he does," Chloe said softly. "More than you know."
She bit back a heated and sarcastic retort, not wanting to offend Chloe. Her friend had probably read Sam's mind and knew so much about him... and her... more than Sarah would probably ever know. That hurt in too many ways to count. "Yeah, well he has a funny way of showing it," she finally whispered, resuming her packing.
"Sam's scared, Sarah. This whole thing...threw him for a huge loop. He's...afraid that his other abilities are gonna wind up hurting you."
"So why do I have to hear these things through you and not him?" she shouted, slamming her suitcase shut with a loud bang. She swirled around and faced Chloe. "When he tells me we should take a step back for awhile? Without explaining anything?" Her eyes were bright with tears, her cheeks red from her anger and hurt.
Chloe flinched involuntarily and looked at the floor. "Because he's a guy, Sarah. And...different as they might be, at the end of the day...communication? Still not their best feature."
"Not even when I begged him, Chloe," she replied, her voice despairing. "I actually begged him to tell me why, and he still wouldn't tell me. Damn him." She moved to the bathroom to clean herself up. Did Sam really think so little of her suddenly that she wasn't even worth an explanation? "I've tried helping him, Chloe, but if he doesn't want me in his life, then why am I sticking around?"
"Because he does want you in his life. He's just...too stupid to say so. Look, I had the same kinda thoughts earlier. I was ready to pack and go back to Metropolis. But it wouldn't have made things any better. Running never solves anything." Her voice lowered. "Believe me. I know."
She put a cool cloth over her eyes, trying to cool her burning eyes and listening to Chloe's words. She then sat down on the bathtub rim and sighed. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime, Chloe? Wait for him to wake up and smell the hottie?"
A faint smile tugged at Chloe's lips. "He has." She rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Just...don't leave. Please. Sam's not the only one who needs you, you know."
"Thanks," she whispered, taking the cloth off her face but looking at it in her hands. Chloe and Dean had each other, it seemed: maybe they needed her, too. For research. It was better than nothing, she supposed. "So I guess I should... find my own place to sleep tonight?" She snuck a glance in Chloe's direction.
Her cheeks flushed. "Dean...still has a room of his own, so...you can just...have this one."
She stifled a knowing yet sad giggle. "Okay, then. You should go... get ready. Go see Dean. You two fighting and not talking has been hard to watch."
Chloe's blush deepened. "Right. Okay. Are you sure you're okay? I can stay here if you want."
Can you fix a broken heart? Sarah wondered, looking at her friend and knowing she wanted to be where Dean was. She sighed. "I'm fine, okay? Just... I need some sleep."
"Okay." She gazed at her for a moment. She stood up slowly. "If you need me, I'm just down the hall."
"Sure, Chloe." She mustered a small smile as she watched Chloe grab something from the suitcase on her bed and leave the hotel room. She sat there for awhile, crying for everything she felt she was missing out on, for the things she longed to have but seemed always just beyond her grasp.
Chloe was a mixture of nervous and excited as she slipped into Dean's room using the spare key he'd given her. She immediately headed to the bathroom, unsure of how much time she had before he'd arrive. She changed quickly into the lingerie she'd bought in Louisiana and hadn't had a chance to wear yet. Feeling awkward and uncertain as she stared at herself in the mirror, she bit her lower lip. “Well, here goes nothing, Sullivan," she whispered, moving out to the king-sized bed and laid down on it, waiting.
After two hours of playing poker, Dean realized his brother was tired. It didn't matter that he was also losing badly. "Dude, I'm leaving," he muttered, standing up.
"Night," Sam responded, immediately dropping his cards onto the table and heading for the bathroom.
Shaking his head and wondering where Sam had learned to cheat at cards, Dean unlocked the door to his room and opened it. He stepped in and saw darkness, save for a silhouetted body lying on the bed. He smiled a little. "Chloe," he whispered, taking a few steps towards her before he got a good look at what she was wearing.
"Holy crap," he whispered, seeing her clad in little more than lacy teddy, leaving little for his rampant imagination and hard body.
A smile tugged at her lips, his words leaving little doubt in her mind just how much he liked what she'd picked out at Victoria Secret.
Shrugging off his shirt in a hurry, he grinned in anticipation. "Victoria knows how to give away her secrets, doesn't she?" he whispered, crawling onto bed beside her and lying on his side. "You look..." He searched for the words as he played with one of the thin straps on her shoulder.
Chloe gazed at him in the darkness of the room, lifting a hand to his cheek.
He found her cheek and pulled her to him, kissing her hot and hard. He pulled her close to him, frustrated by the clothing that separated their bodies.
Their tongues engaged in an intense duel and she slid one hand around to cup the back of his neck, shifting closer to him, sliding one of her legs between his.
He groaned as her thigh connected with his groin, then slid slowly against him. "Tease," he growled, his hand trailing down to cup her bottom and curl her against him.
Chloe grinned at him before nipping lightly at his lower lip. "Not at all. I have every intention of following through, Mr. Winchester," she whispered, dropping her mouth to press kisses along his jaw.
"You gonna show me how?" he whispered in her ear as he lightly bit her earlobe. His body was hard and urgently cried out for hers, though he wanted them to take their time.
She raised an eyebrow and lifted her head to look at him. "That's the general plan," she teased.
"Good," he said, smiling as he pulled her on top of him and caressed her body through the thin fabric of her lingerie, his body quaking literally at the noises she was making as he touched her.
Chloe licked her lips as his hands explored her curves. She gazed down at him for a moment before lowering her head to kiss his chest, sliding her hands down to rest on his hips.
Dean closed his eyes in pleasurable agony as she kissed and licked his chest, her hands applying pressure against his hips, her lower body sliding against his. His hands trailed to her hips and squeezed gently before he slipped the straps off her shoulders and pulled the teddy off her. He stroked her back as she continued kissing him.
She drew in a breath, kissing her way down his abdomen and sitting up to undo the button on his jeans.
Helping her slide his jeans and boxers off him, he rolled them over so she was underneath. His lips tugged at one of her nipples while his hands tried to take off the rest of her underwear. When it wouldn't budge, he whispered, "Help me get this damn thing off you."
"Awfully eager there, Sport," she said lightly, lifting her hips to help him.
Chuckling, he peeled the teddy off her and put her hand onto his hardness. "Very... eager," he rasped, his breath hitching in his throat when she moved her hand along his length.
"So I noticed." Her eyes twinkled as she raised her head to kiss him as her hand stroke his length with firm but gentle movements.
Dean groaned into her mouth as he moved his hips to the rhythm she had created with her hand. When he started seeing stars and knew his control was slipping, he whispered raggedly, "Stop."
Chloe smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. "You have other ideas in mind?"
Using her hand to guide him into her hot, wet core, he grinned. "Hell yeah," he mouthed inaudibly, smirking.
She slid her legs around his waist, raising her hips to meet him halfway.
He gave her body a moment to stretch around and accept his entrance. But when his eyes met hers and saw the same need mirrored in his, he began to move. Slowly at first, though her movements demanded he move faster. Harder. His will gone, he buried his face into her shoulder as they both came together, his body spasming as he felt her orgasm hit her.
Breathing heavily, she smoothed her hands over the taut muscles in his back, pressing a soft kiss to his temple as she closed her eyes, her body relaxing beneath his. "Love you," she whispered.
"Oh my God," Dean said, his breathing coming in short pants as he tried to regain the will to move off her. "Chloe, you... you're amazing." His heart was too full of love for her to say anything else.
A faint smile touched her lips and when he tried to pull away, she slid her arms around him to keep him in place.
"You alright?" he asked, looking down at her. He kissed her softly to emphasize his concern.
"I'm good," she whispered, gazing up at him.
He smirked, feeling utterly satisfied with himself. "Glad I could be of service," he teased, playing with her hair lovingly.
Chloe smirked in return. "I think that service thing is very much a two-way street," she informed him.
"Yeah, you know it, baby." Moving off her, he pulled her with him and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Chloe," he whispered, gazing into her green eyes and losing himself in them.
A content smile spread across her face at his soft words. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and then laid her head on his chest.
He was quiet for several minutes, enjoying the simplicity of her body pressed against his, her breath moving lightly across his chest. "Where'd you buy that thing?" he whispered.
"Louisiana," she admitted, her voice soft. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand began to stroke her hair lightly.
He chuckled lustfully. "Thinking of gettin' lucky, huh?" Her hair felt like silk, he thought, spreading the length across his chest.
"Well I pretty much knew I would whether or not I bought lacy undergarments," she said with a faint smirk. "It's not why I bought it."
"Full of yourself, aren't you?" Dean asked with a sarcastic chuckle. "But why else would you buy something that... delicious?" His body grew hard again, thinking about how it clung to her.
She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes twinkling. "Just to see the look on your face."
He was a little surprised at her response. "And did I give you what you wanted?" he whispered, kissing her neck, his body wanting hers again.
"Mmhmm." She closed her eyes as his mouth trailed over her sensitive skin. "Did I give you what you wanted?" she echoed with a faint smile.
"Always," he said quietly, his voice mingled with love and need for her. "Not just talking about the hot sex, either."
That caught her off guard and she lifted her head to look at him once more, her eyes questioning.
His mouth stopped its tail down her body at her sudden stillness. "I mean it," he whispered, seeing the doubt and uncertainty in her eyes.
Chloe gazed into his hazel eyes for a long moment before leaning her forehead against his. "Ditto," she whispered back.
He knew she meant what she said, but he didn't know... "I dunno how I deserve you," he whispered, his hands moving along her body lightly.
She kissed him softly. "You're a good man, Dean," she murmured, resting a hand against his chest.
His jaw clenched as he pulled her flush against him. "I don't know about that," he protested lightly. "But I know one thing. You're too good to be true."
"And yet here I am," she said, her own voice light as she smiled at him, groaning as she felt his hard length beneath her. "And there you are."
He smiled and moved his hand between them, sliding a finger into her womanhood. "Glad to see I have the same effect," he groaned, feeling her pull his finger into her body.
Chloe shut her eyes, biting her lower lip as she rocked her hips lightly against his hand out of pure instinct.
He smiled, watching that familiar habit of chewing on her mouth when she was aroused, feeling her moving along his finger. "You know," he chuckled, slipping a second finger into her, "that's a nasty habit, biting your lip."
"I could bite yours instead," she managed to say, not quite managing a smirk.
His palm working with her hips, he whispered, "I like that idea," and kissed her lips as she rode his fingers, reaching her peak quickly.
A soft cry escaped her as heat and pleasure washed over her an intense wave. She bit down lightly on his lower lip, feeling his hips jerk against hers involuntarily. A smile quirked her lips and she lifted her head to look at him with raised eyebrows. "Learn something new about you every day," she murmured.
Rolling her over, positioning her hips so her heat tantalized his thickness, he groaned as she lowered herself onto him. "I'm just kinky like that," he whispered, his breath caught in his throat at her beauty.
She grinned at his words, leaning down to place a kiss against his chest before she began to ride him, grinding her hips hard against his and leading them both toward another maddening climax only moments later. Exhausted, she laid her head on his chest once more, listening to the rapid beating of his heart.
Dean couldn't stifle the satisfied chuckle as he wrapped her in his arms. "You're killing me," he whispered breathlessly, kissing the top of her head.
She smiled. "I think we're just proving that old saying..."
"Which is?" he asked, his mind pleasantly blank for the moment.
"Something about absence making the heart grow fonder. Although...maybe in our case...abstinence." She chuckled.
"You're a regular comedian," he snarked softly, rolling them onto their sides and spooning his body behind hers. "We should probably get some sleep."
"Sleep is good," she murmured with a stifled yawn. She covered his arm that was wrapped around her waist with her own, resting her head on the pillow.
Caressing the back of her neck with his lips, he sighed softly as he felt her relax against him and fell asleep. He closed his eyes and knew that whatever tomorrow held in store, they would be better able to handle it. Together. "I love you, Chloe Sullivan," he whispered, falling into a dreamless slumber.
&&&&&
Epilogue
Sarah's eyes blurred with fatigue as she pulled up yet another website producing little more than the same vague information about the wonders of mind control and telekenesis. She sighed, wishing her brain had shut off enough to have slept. Even when Chloe walked in, radiating with positive energy, she did little more than look up from the screen. "Hey, we leaving or what?" she asked tiredly,
opening another page and scanning its contents.
"Yeah, I think so," Chloe answered, stretching her arms above her head and moving toward the closet to get her suitcase. "You get any sleep?"
"Not like you have," she replied, smiling faintly. She turned around briefly to see the smile on Chloe's face. "I take it... everything went well?"
Her cheeks turned pink. "Yeah." Definitely went well, she thought as her smile widened a little. "You researching?"
She nodded, turning back to the computer. "Lot of good it did me," she muttered, sighing in frustration as she scanned the webpage. Her body froze halfway down the page and widened in surprise and fear. "Chloe..." she started, afraid of how to continue.
"What? What is it?" Chloe turned to face her, her eyes filled with concern.
"Remember that little problem you guys ran into back in Smallville?" Sarah whispered, horrified at her thoughts. What if they got to Sam? she kept asking herself.
It took her only a moment to realize Sarah wasn't referring to the woman who'd used astral projection to steal fetuses. She was referring to 33.1. Her eyes narrowing a little, she gazed at Sarah intently. "The Luthors are out?"
She swallowed hard. "I don't know about that, perse, but... there's apparently a 33.1 factory near here." She swirled around, her troubled eyes on Chloe's face. "What if they get Sam?" she asked, the fear in her voice evident.
Chloe's face paled a little. "There's another 33.1," she whispered in shock.
She shook her head. "Not a hundred miles from here. Literally out in the middle of nowhere." She stood up, putting her hands on her cheeks. "You think there are more?" she whispered to herself.
She shut her eyes, leaning heavily against the wall. Of course there were more. She should have figured that out herself. Even if the Luthors were in prison, clearly their money was still keeping the torture machine running. "Fuck," she whispered.
"We have to do something," Sarah said, looking at her friend's pale face. She shut her laptop and shoved it into her bag.
"We will." Her voice was quiet, determined. And when she opened her eyes once more, she found the same determination reflected on Sarah's face. "Get the guys in here."
She quickly left the room and went next door. Since she found the door cracked, she opened it without knocking. She found Sam and Dean packing their things. "Guys, we... Chloe and I need to talk to you before we leave," she said, not looking directly at Sam.
Glancing over at his brother, Dean said, "Sarah? What's wrong?"
Sam's eyebrows furrowed with worry at how pale her face was. "What's going on?"
"Can you come next door? Please?" Bowing her head, she left the doorway.
Dean immediately followed after her. "Sammy, I think Sarah's in trouble."
Feeling unsettled and more than a little worried, he quickly followed his brother and Sarah into the room next door. He was even more alarmed when he saw that Chloe was just as pale as Sarah was. "What's going on?"
Chloe swallowed hard, lifting her gaze to look at Dean.
Dean frowned at seeing both women equally unsettled and knew something bad was wrong. "What the hell is it?" he demanded. His concern grew infinitely when both their gazes settled on Sam.
"It's 33.1," Sarah whispered, holding Sam's eyes. She shoved her hurt and anger from last night behind, needing to focus on this to protect Sam.
"There's another one. Here." Chloe's voice was quiet. "In the middle of the desert."
"What?" Dean was stunned, speechless. "I thought we took that damn thing down. What about the Luthors?"
Chloe shut her eyes as she slowly turned her laptop toward them for them to read the article that had taken her less than 30 seconds to find. "Fully exonerated."
"Paid off the judge no doubt," Sam said under his breath.
"Fuck," he muttered out loud. This was the last thing they needed, he thought, his body tense with anger. He glanced over at Sam. "We have to get you outta here," he whispered.
"No," Sarah said, not taking her eyes from Sam. "We need to shut these bastards down."
"I agree," he said without hesitation.
A faint smile threatened to spill onto her lips but she bit it back.
"Wait, are you kidding me?" Dean demanded harshly. "Do you think I'm gonna let you get near Luthor after everything that's happened?"
"Lex Luthor and his father are experimenting on people with abilities, Dean." Sam turned to look at his brother. "We have to shut him down." His voice was determined.
"Not disagreeing with you, Sammy, but I don't want them to get a hold of you, you hear?"
"They won't," he said firmly.
Still dubious, he looked at Chloe. "You with these two?" he asked, already knowing the answer in her eyes.
Chloe met his gaze with an intent one of his own. She knew how badly he wanted her to vote against this, could see it in his eyes. And she understood his fears. Hell, she shared them. She dropped her gaze to the ground for a moment. "Lex and Lionel...would have you in a room tortured in two seconds flat if given the chance," she told Sam quietly.
"Which is why you need to be anywhere but here," Dean replied, still looking at Chloe though his words were directed at his brother.
Sarah took a step towards Chloe. "Don't you think, guys, that Sam could help us take this facility down, and others like it? I mean, think about it. He can read minds. It'd be so easy with everything he could learn." She looked away, not able to look Sam in the eye.
"I'm not running away from this," Sam told them all, looking around the room. "And you can't keep me away from it, Dean." His gaze was intense.
Chloe drew in a breath, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Dean's once more. "He's right." Her voice was soft. "They both are. And you know it too."
God, she was beautiful when determined and right, he thought, staring at her before looking at Sam. "Alright," he replied in an even tone, not willing to betray his worry. "But if you die, I'm gonna bring you back to life and kill you."
A faint smile tugged at Sam's lips and he gazed at his brother for a moment before turning to look at Chloe, then at Sarah.
Her shy gaze met Sam's briefly. "There, was that so hard to admit?" she asked Dean with a smirk as she moved around them to pack her things.
Chloe couldn't bring herself to smile. She'd been on the trail of the 33.1 story for as long as she'd been a reporter. And she knew it wasn't going to be easy. The Luthors lived in a Lion's Den. And the four of them were about to walk right into it.