Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala, Fic 7: Throw Me Somethin' Mista (2/?)
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Title: Fic 7: Throw Me Somethin' Mista (2/?)
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
It didn't take Sarah long to find Sam. He was downstairs in the hotel bar, sitting in the darkest corner with an even darker on his face. Tightening the belt of her robe, she hesitantly approached him.
Sam stared blankly at the untouched beer in front of him, not noticing Sarah's approach. He didn't understand why Dean wouldn't talk to him about Dad. They both needed to talk about it.
"Sam?" she whispered, sitting down across from him, worried that he was obviously so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed her. She cleared her throat louder, as she didn't want to completely startle him.
He blinked a couple times and lifted his gaze to hers. "Hey...I thought you were sleeping?"
"Couldn't. Kinda hard to when... I just couldn't." She shrugged, never moving her gaze from his. "Why are you down here, Sam?" She figured he'd fought with Dean, but the despairing look in his eyes spoke of a pain she might not be able to heal.
"I don't know why I even bother talking to him."
She knew it. "Dean, you mean?" she whispered, her eyes burning with worry and sadness. She started to reach across the table to touch him but faltered. He was too much inside himself.
"It's like...I don't know...something's not right. And it's not just because Dad's gone, there's something else. I can feel it. And he won't talk to me."
"I know, Sam. I feel it too," she whispered, looking down at her hands and playing with her fingernails. She had a sneaking suspicion Chloe knew whatever it was Dean was hiding, too.
"What do you..." His voice trailed off and he lifted his gaze to meet hers. "You think he's told Chloe whatever it is?"
She said nothing, yet her sad eyes told the tale of her theory as she stared back at him, troubled by the thought of being left out of the loop.
His jaw tensed a little and he looked at the table once more. "I don't know what to do."
She stood up and sat down next to him, grasping his hand in comfort. "Gang up on them and make them tell?" she teased sadly, wishing there was something she could do to honestly help him out. "I'm sure there's a reason..." Her words drifted off, suddenly angry.
"Yeah. Maybe," he murmured doubtfully, rising to his feet and taking his her hand.
"Where we going?" she asked as she stood. She didn't like the look in his eyes.
"Back upstairs. "
She shivered in fear at the resolution in his voice. She tried to pull her hand out of his, but he wouldn't let go. She gave up and allowed herself to be nearly pulled up the stairs.
Sam headed straight for the room he was sharing with Dean, reluctantly letting go of Sarah's hand as he twisted the doorknob and walked in without knocking.
The sound of the door slamming against the inside wall scared the living hell out of Dean. Pushing Chloe behind him, he whipped out his gun, wiping his tears away as he pointed it towards the door. And saw Sam on the other side, looking like he was about to kill, himself. "Sammy?" he asked miserably.
From behind Sam, Sarah stood, her arms wrapped around herself. She felt like returning to her room, but there was no way she was going to leave Sam to do this alone. Despite her unsettled feelings, she went into the room and stood beside Sam.
The look of despair on his brother's face made most of the anger slip right out of him. "What's going on?" He looked from Dean to Chloe.
Embarrassed now that Sam had caught him at a weak moment, Dean dropped the gun and threw it onto the bed. "What does it look like?" he retorted, the despair evident in his voice.
Chloe swallowed hard, and rested a hand on his arm. "Sarah and I are gonna..." She nodded toward the door, then kissed his cheek softly.
Touching Sam's arm, Sarah nodded, eyes on Chloe as she turned away.
Dean looked at her, not wanting her to leave. It was to the point to where they needed to hear this, too.
"You guys need to be alone, Dean," she whispered.
"Fine." He turned towards the window and walked towards it. He heard the door click shut softly and sighed.
Sam remained by the door, silent, and staring at his brother's back intently.
Dean took a deep breath, uncertain where to begin. "I'm sorry, Sammy." He kept his eyes on the goings on outside the window, scanning for any sign of their "friend".
Of all the things he expected Dean to say, that would have been right at the very bottom of the list. "For...what?"
"For everything, little brother," he whispered brokenly. "For... everything." The tears were gone, but his self-loathing still remained.
Feeling lost, Sam slowly moved over and sat down on the bed.
It took him a few moments, but he was finally able to get the words out. "Gordon's here. In New Orleans. Looking for us."
Stunned, he stared at his brother. "What? You saw him?"
"No, I haven't seen him," he replied flatly. "Your psychic visions aren't working for you?"
"You know it doesn't work like that, Dean," he said tensely.
"I know, Sammy," he replied, his eyes never straying from the window. "He's here, I can feel it."
"Great." He ran a hand over his face, trusting his brother’s instincts without question.
Suddenly, Dean saw something out of his peripheral vision. Something that had slipped around the corner as if trying to remain unnoticed. It looked like Gordon. "I think I just saw him, man," he replied, pulling away from the curtain and going for his jacket.
"What?" Sam rose to his feet, alarmed.
"Dude, stay here and keep an eyes on the girls. I'm going hunting." He shrugged into his jacket quickly and pulled out his gun, smiling that it was loaded and ready.
"Dean, this is a bad idea," he protested, watching his brother head for the door.
A frown on his face, he turned around to look at Sam. "Until we find something to hunt and kill here, what else are we gonna do?" The unbidden thought of he and Chloe tangled together naked on the hotel bed crept across his mind, making him smile a fraction.
"How about get some sleep?" he suggested in frustration.
His fingers twitched, anxious to get his hands wrapped around Gordon's throat. Gordon, who had pretended to be a friend and yet had turned on him in the end. Gordon, who wasn't that different from himself. He looked down. "Can't sleep, Sam. Too much on my mind." Too much he couldn't tell his own brother. Oh, how he hated his father for that.
"So you're just gonna go after Gordon alone?"
He gave Sam a look. "Yeah, I'm just gonna grab my invisibility cloak and follow him to his lair." He shook his head. "You're too tired, dude, and Chloe and Sarah... they shouldn't be out there right now."
"And neither should you, Dean."
"But I wanna go hunting, dude." His voice held the slightest hint of a whine, but he made no move to leave.
"We'll go tomorrow. We'll find *something* to go after. It won't be hard, I"m sure."
Sighing, Dean shook his head and took off his jacket, lying it on the chair by his bed. "This place is crawling with evil," he muttered, flopping back onto the bed. "Hell, how much you wanna bet Dad's got something in his journal?"
"Probably more than something," he answered, relaxing as he realized Dean was actually backing down for once.
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at his brother. "Been memorizing Dad's journal again, Sammy?" A wry smirk touched his lips.
A faint smile touched his own lips as he flopped down onto the other bed. "Maybe."
"Alright, little brother. Why are we here?" Dean couldn't suppress a chuckle at Sam's knowing reply. Clearly things had not progressed as far between his brother and Sarah as he'd thought.
"Uh, because Chloe said she'd never been and Sarah agreed?" He smirked a little.
He snorted. "Well, duh, Captain Obvious. I meant... what has Dad written about this place, I mean, aside from the vamps crawling all over the place?" It was probably the reason Gordon was in New Orleans, but Dean still believed he'd followed them.
"Zombies, Hoo-Doo practitioners, black magic, possessions...take your pick, Dude."
"How about all of the above? We'll show the girls a good time and hunt us some freaks."
Sam smiled a bit and looked up at the ceiling. "Works for me. We could be here awhile."
A faint knowing smile crossed Dean's lips at his brother's thoughtful response. "Would that be such a bad thing?" he asked slowly. "I know there are a lot of places you could show to certain... people." He fully intended to make himself busy utilizing those places with Chloe.
He snorted. "You have a one-track mind."
"Oh come on, dude. Like you don't," he smirked. "Beautiful girl like Sarah?"
Sam rolled his mind. "There's more to her than that, you know." His voice was quiet.
Dean shook his head. "Aware of that, Sam. Question is, are you ready to take her on?" They hadn't talked much about his girlfriend Jess, but Dean always wondered how his brother could handle losing someone he loved.
He drew in a breath, falling silent for a moment. "Jess...wouldn't want me to be alone forever," he whispered almost inaudibly. "And I love Sarah."
Dean bit back a grin. "About damn time, man."
"I just..."
He held up a hand. "You don't have to explain. They way you two look at each other was a dead giveaway."
"No, I just...I'm afraid to get...too involved," he admitted very softly.
"Not surprising," he whispered, knowing all too well what his brother was talking about. It was much to late for him. "I'm in way over my head, myself." He sighed and put an arm over his eyes.
"Yeah, I figured that out."
He smiled ruefully but said nothing.
"I like Chloe. I think she's good for you."
"Why, because I'm more open to chick flick moments?" he teased, moving his arm to look at his brother.
Sam chuckled. "No, it's just...I don't know. You seem...happier around her."
He blinked in surprised and grinned. "What, I'm not a happy guy?" he protested.
"Lately? No."
"Could say the same for you, Sammy," he replied, not denying his brother's comment. "At least you smile when Sarah's around."
Sam smiled faintly. "Hard not to. She's great."
Dean opened his mouth to speak when he heard a light rap on the door. He smirked at Sam. "You gonna get that?" he asked, yawning and stretching.
"Somehow I'm betting it's for you, "he said with a smirk.
He stood up, smiling. "Chloe isn't one for knocking." He pulled the door open and saw Sarah standing on the other side, her face pale and uncertain.
"Hey, Dean," she said shyly, looking around his body and into the room. "Sam in there?"
"I'm here." Sam sat up quickly.
"Oh good," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes as she looked down.
Dean rolled his eyes when his brother didn't make a move. "Sammy, come answer the door." He offered her a wry smile, as if to say 'my brother, the Romeo'.
He moved to the door. "Hey, come on in." He took her gently by the arm, and gave Dean a look. "I'm sure Chloe wouldn't mind a visit."
He didn't have to be told twice. With a gleeful grin he let Sarah pass by and left the room immediately, leaving Sarah alone with his brother.
"Are you... okay?" she whispered, the tears still shining in her eyes.
Wordlessly Sam slid his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "Yeah, I'm okay," he whispered, resting his hand on the back of her head gently. "Dean actually apologized for bein' a jerk."
Sarah curled her arms around his waist and held him, letting go of her sadness. "He did?" she asked with a small smile, rubbing her nose into his chest. She felt the relief wash over her.
"He did." He kissed the top of her head softly.
An involuntary sob escaped her, despite the feeling of peace she felt. "You're really okay, then? Because... you were so... intense earlier."
He shut his eyes, holding onto her a little more tightly. "I'm okay. I promise."
She clung to him for a long moment before the awkwardness set in. She loved him, but she still felt a chasm between them. "Did you and Dean talk things through?" she whispered.
"Not exactly," he admitted. "But...enough for now, I guess."
She frowned, staring into his sad brown eyes. "You think he'll ever totally open up about your father?"
"Knowing Dean?" He smiled sadly. "No."
Sarah touched his cheek gently. "You know I'm here if you ever need to talk," she said sadly, knowing she was a lousy substitute for his brother.
"I know," he said softly, kissing her gently on the lips. "Thank you."
She leaned into his kiss, then pulled away reluctantly out of his arms. "So I guess you're stuck with me until..." She nodded towards the adjoining room with a look.
"Til tomorrow?" he said with a wry smile.
She sat down into one of the chairs a little awkwardly. "Could be." Her face flushed as she looked into his eyes.
"Knowing my brother? At least." He shook his head a little. "We could see if there's any movies on if you want."
She smiled, shifting a little. "Sure, we could do that. I think this thing has cable." She fumbled for the remote control and turned on the TV.
He smiled back at her and settled on his bed, his back against the headboard.
* * *
Chloe walked alongside Dean as they headed around St. Louis Cathedral, taking in the sights. There was a lot to see, but she still couldn't shake the wary feeling resting upon her shoulders as she looked around. She smiled a bit as she realized Sam and Sarah were holding hands, barely any space between them. They're cute together, she decided.
Dean's grip tightened on Chloe's hand, feeling her tension and yet, understanding exactly where it was coming from. He saw Gordon last night and knew he was nearby. Lurking somewhere in the shadows of the day. He saw Chloe look behind them and couldn't help smiling. "I'm glad," he whispered in her ear, nipping at her earlobe a little.
Sarah, oblivious to the sights around her because of Sam's presence, caught Chloe's look and colored a little. She squeezed his hand, grateful for the time they had spent together the night before.
Sam glanced down at her and smiled, squeezing her hand in return. "So what do you think of New Orleans so far?" he asked softly.
Her cheeks stained a darker shade of red. "I totally forgot where we were," she replied, looking into his brown eyes and wordlessly spoke to him of her love for him with her own eyes.
His smile widened a little at her soft admission and he paused, turning to face her and placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Shaking her head a bit in amusement, Chloe grinned.
"Get a room, you two," Dean called back to them, amusement in his voice as he watched Chloe's reaction.
"Leave 'em alone," she whispered, nudging him lightly in the ribs.
"Yeah, leave us alone," Sarah replied, agreeing with Chloe before kissing Sam again.
Leaning down, Dean brushed his lips against Chloe's ear and said, "You gonna kiss me and make it all better?" He playfully rubbed the spot where she'd elbowed him.
She shivered at the feel of his lips on her earlobe. "If you don't stop it I'm gonna end up doing more than kissing you," she mumbled.
"That's kinda the idea," he growled and nibbled on her earlobe again, his body tense with need for her. His body froze in place, however, when he noticed a tall, dark figure disappear around the corner, just feet from them.
Sarah nearly bumped into Dean and Chloe, who had stopped suddenly. She blinked, surprised. "What's going on?" she asked.
"Is that..." Chloe's voice was quiet, tense as she looked at Dean worriedly.
"Dean? What is it?"
"Gordon." His voice was hard and dark. He turned around, eyes on Sam. "Stay here." He let go of Chloe's hand with one last squeeze.
"No way I'm letting you go after Gordon by yourself," Sam said in disbelief.
He looked at the girls before turning his gaze back on his brother. "Who's going to keep an eye on Chloe and Sarah?" he demanded in a low, threatening voice. "With that maniac on the loose, there's no way we can leave them alone."
Sarah frowned. "Now hang on a second..."
Chloe knew this wasn't about them as much as it was about his fear of keeping Sam safe and as far away from Gordon as possible. Still, she hated the words that came from his mouth even as she understood them.
Sam glanced at the girls, his face determined. "You two head into that cafe back there. We'll be back."
Dean glared at his brother, who looked like he was about to punch him out if he protested. But unless he told Sam what he really was in front of God and everyone, Dean didn't have a choice but to let Sam come with him. And hate himself forever if Gordon took him. "Fine, Sammy. You get hurt, though, and I'll kick your ass."
Sarah's mouth remained down-turned, despite the fact that she knew she and Chloe could take care of themselves. Letting go of Sam's hand, she whispered, "Be careful, okay?"
"I will." He kissed her quickly and headed after his brother, racing through the crowd.
Snaking an arm through Chloe's as they watched the brothers' heads disappear into the crowd. "Want a latte, Chlo? My treat?" she asked, trying to keep the tone light, despite the nagging feeling that there was a lot more to this chase than Dean and Chloe had told them.
The last thing she wanted was a latte. Or anything else for that matter. She was half-tempted to chase after the Winchesters herself, but she couldn't leave Sarah there alone. "Sure," she murmured, her heart beating quickly in her chest as she stared into the crowd where the guys had disappeared.
Dean knew Sam was behind him, and he couldn't very well whip out his gun in broad daylight. All he could do was trail after Gordon, who he swore he saw duck behind the bushes facing St. Louis Cathedral.
"Where the hell did he go?" Sam asked, scanning the crowd as he caught up to his paused brother.
"Good question," he replied, scanning the crowd but finding no sign of the vampire hunter. "Damn, must be losing my touch."
"Damn," he whispered, feeling uneasy as he looked at his brother.
Scanning the crowd, damning their luck for having lost him, Dean looked back at his brother. "Let's get back to the girls, dude." He took off, practically running towards the small cafe where they'd left Chloe and Sarah.
&&&&&&&&
Chloe tapped her foot nervously on the sidewalk as she sipped her latte, trying not to worry about Dean and Sam. It wasn't like they hadn't been doing this sort of thing long before she ever came into the picture. They could take care of themselves...she hoped. Feeling uneasy, she turned and found herself facing a taller black man with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Willing Sarah to remain in the cafe, her eyes hardened. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Sarah turned, seeing who Chloe was talking to and paled considerably. The butterflies in her stomach tripled as she faced the man who'd been hunting the guys, Who had shook their tail... and come after them instead. She gripped Chloe's arm tightly and swallowed, saying nothing.
Gordon smiled, a slow knowing grin. "Oh, you're a smart one," he commented idly, pulling out a small yet nasty-looking knife. "I always knew there was a better way to get to the Winchesters. Only a matter of time before I found their... weaknesses." He eyed Chloe and Sarah, a glint in his eye.
If possible Chloe's eyes darkened even more. Right then she wished more than anything she'd had Lois' fighting ability--or hell--even that she was skilled in Lana-Fu. She put an arm out slowly, keeping Sarah slightly behind her. "Leave them alone."
He crossed his arms, the knife hidden by the wide span of his biceps. "Why? They're just so interesting to watch." His smile became a leer as his gaze settled on Sarah. "Gonna be lots of fun watching them when I take you two."
Sarah wanted to shudder but fought back the bile rising in her chest. She wouldn't give him any sign of her fear. She moved to stand next to Chloe and glared at him. "Wanna watch them come back any second and kick your ass?" she retorted.
"Sarah." Her voice was soft as she spotted the gun on Gordon's right hip, just peaking out from beneath his coat.
"No, Chloe, I'm not gonna --" Her words faded as she followed Chloe's line of sight. And trembled. He was going to take them, she thought miserably.
"Yeah, that's right, girls," he replied with a satisfied smirk. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll walk outside this cafe and into the car parked outside."
Her teeth gritted together, she glared at him hatefully but held onto Sarah's arm and slowly led her out to the car, her gaze darting around hoping the guys were on their way back. But no such look. The feel of cold steel at her back pissed her off more, but also sent a chill of fear through her. If he was as ruthless as Dean said, they were in trouble.
Title: Fic 7: Throw Me Somethin' Mista (2/?)
Authors: Clarksmuse and X_tremeroswellian
Rated: R
Pairings: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah
Disclaimer: Yeah, we don't own anything. Except our computers. :P Don't sue. Thanks.
It didn't take Sarah long to find Sam. He was downstairs in the hotel bar, sitting in the darkest corner with an even darker on his face. Tightening the belt of her robe, she hesitantly approached him.
Sam stared blankly at the untouched beer in front of him, not noticing Sarah's approach. He didn't understand why Dean wouldn't talk to him about Dad. They both needed to talk about it.
"Sam?" she whispered, sitting down across from him, worried that he was obviously so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed her. She cleared her throat louder, as she didn't want to completely startle him.
He blinked a couple times and lifted his gaze to hers. "Hey...I thought you were sleeping?"
"Couldn't. Kinda hard to when... I just couldn't." She shrugged, never moving her gaze from his. "Why are you down here, Sam?" She figured he'd fought with Dean, but the despairing look in his eyes spoke of a pain she might not be able to heal.
"I don't know why I even bother talking to him."
She knew it. "Dean, you mean?" she whispered, her eyes burning with worry and sadness. She started to reach across the table to touch him but faltered. He was too much inside himself.
"It's like...I don't know...something's not right. And it's not just because Dad's gone, there's something else. I can feel it. And he won't talk to me."
"I know, Sam. I feel it too," she whispered, looking down at her hands and playing with her fingernails. She had a sneaking suspicion Chloe knew whatever it was Dean was hiding, too.
"What do you..." His voice trailed off and he lifted his gaze to meet hers. "You think he's told Chloe whatever it is?"
She said nothing, yet her sad eyes told the tale of her theory as she stared back at him, troubled by the thought of being left out of the loop.
His jaw tensed a little and he looked at the table once more. "I don't know what to do."
She stood up and sat down next to him, grasping his hand in comfort. "Gang up on them and make them tell?" she teased sadly, wishing there was something she could do to honestly help him out. "I'm sure there's a reason..." Her words drifted off, suddenly angry.
"Yeah. Maybe," he murmured doubtfully, rising to his feet and taking his her hand.
"Where we going?" she asked as she stood. She didn't like the look in his eyes.
"Back upstairs. "
She shivered in fear at the resolution in his voice. She tried to pull her hand out of his, but he wouldn't let go. She gave up and allowed herself to be nearly pulled up the stairs.
Sam headed straight for the room he was sharing with Dean, reluctantly letting go of Sarah's hand as he twisted the doorknob and walked in without knocking.
The sound of the door slamming against the inside wall scared the living hell out of Dean. Pushing Chloe behind him, he whipped out his gun, wiping his tears away as he pointed it towards the door. And saw Sam on the other side, looking like he was about to kill, himself. "Sammy?" he asked miserably.
From behind Sam, Sarah stood, her arms wrapped around herself. She felt like returning to her room, but there was no way she was going to leave Sam to do this alone. Despite her unsettled feelings, she went into the room and stood beside Sam.
The look of despair on his brother's face made most of the anger slip right out of him. "What's going on?" He looked from Dean to Chloe.
Embarrassed now that Sam had caught him at a weak moment, Dean dropped the gun and threw it onto the bed. "What does it look like?" he retorted, the despair evident in his voice.
Chloe swallowed hard, and rested a hand on his arm. "Sarah and I are gonna..." She nodded toward the door, then kissed his cheek softly.
Touching Sam's arm, Sarah nodded, eyes on Chloe as she turned away.
Dean looked at her, not wanting her to leave. It was to the point to where they needed to hear this, too.
"You guys need to be alone, Dean," she whispered.
"Fine." He turned towards the window and walked towards it. He heard the door click shut softly and sighed.
Sam remained by the door, silent, and staring at his brother's back intently.
Dean took a deep breath, uncertain where to begin. "I'm sorry, Sammy." He kept his eyes on the goings on outside the window, scanning for any sign of their "friend".
Of all the things he expected Dean to say, that would have been right at the very bottom of the list. "For...what?"
"For everything, little brother," he whispered brokenly. "For... everything." The tears were gone, but his self-loathing still remained.
Feeling lost, Sam slowly moved over and sat down on the bed.
It took him a few moments, but he was finally able to get the words out. "Gordon's here. In New Orleans. Looking for us."
Stunned, he stared at his brother. "What? You saw him?"
"No, I haven't seen him," he replied flatly. "Your psychic visions aren't working for you?"
"You know it doesn't work like that, Dean," he said tensely.
"I know, Sammy," he replied, his eyes never straying from the window. "He's here, I can feel it."
"Great." He ran a hand over his face, trusting his brother’s instincts without question.
Suddenly, Dean saw something out of his peripheral vision. Something that had slipped around the corner as if trying to remain unnoticed. It looked like Gordon. "I think I just saw him, man," he replied, pulling away from the curtain and going for his jacket.
"What?" Sam rose to his feet, alarmed.
"Dude, stay here and keep an eyes on the girls. I'm going hunting." He shrugged into his jacket quickly and pulled out his gun, smiling that it was loaded and ready.
"Dean, this is a bad idea," he protested, watching his brother head for the door.
A frown on his face, he turned around to look at Sam. "Until we find something to hunt and kill here, what else are we gonna do?" The unbidden thought of he and Chloe tangled together naked on the hotel bed crept across his mind, making him smile a fraction.
"How about get some sleep?" he suggested in frustration.
His fingers twitched, anxious to get his hands wrapped around Gordon's throat. Gordon, who had pretended to be a friend and yet had turned on him in the end. Gordon, who wasn't that different from himself. He looked down. "Can't sleep, Sam. Too much on my mind." Too much he couldn't tell his own brother. Oh, how he hated his father for that.
"So you're just gonna go after Gordon alone?"
He gave Sam a look. "Yeah, I'm just gonna grab my invisibility cloak and follow him to his lair." He shook his head. "You're too tired, dude, and Chloe and Sarah... they shouldn't be out there right now."
"And neither should you, Dean."
"But I wanna go hunting, dude." His voice held the slightest hint of a whine, but he made no move to leave.
"We'll go tomorrow. We'll find *something* to go after. It won't be hard, I"m sure."
Sighing, Dean shook his head and took off his jacket, lying it on the chair by his bed. "This place is crawling with evil," he muttered, flopping back onto the bed. "Hell, how much you wanna bet Dad's got something in his journal?"
"Probably more than something," he answered, relaxing as he realized Dean was actually backing down for once.
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at his brother. "Been memorizing Dad's journal again, Sammy?" A wry smirk touched his lips.
A faint smile touched his own lips as he flopped down onto the other bed. "Maybe."
"Alright, little brother. Why are we here?" Dean couldn't suppress a chuckle at Sam's knowing reply. Clearly things had not progressed as far between his brother and Sarah as he'd thought.
"Uh, because Chloe said she'd never been and Sarah agreed?" He smirked a little.
He snorted. "Well, duh, Captain Obvious. I meant... what has Dad written about this place, I mean, aside from the vamps crawling all over the place?" It was probably the reason Gordon was in New Orleans, but Dean still believed he'd followed them.
"Zombies, Hoo-Doo practitioners, black magic, possessions...take your pick, Dude."
"How about all of the above? We'll show the girls a good time and hunt us some freaks."
Sam smiled a bit and looked up at the ceiling. "Works for me. We could be here awhile."
A faint knowing smile crossed Dean's lips at his brother's thoughtful response. "Would that be such a bad thing?" he asked slowly. "I know there are a lot of places you could show to certain... people." He fully intended to make himself busy utilizing those places with Chloe.
He snorted. "You have a one-track mind."
"Oh come on, dude. Like you don't," he smirked. "Beautiful girl like Sarah?"
Sam rolled his mind. "There's more to her than that, you know." His voice was quiet.
Dean shook his head. "Aware of that, Sam. Question is, are you ready to take her on?" They hadn't talked much about his girlfriend Jess, but Dean always wondered how his brother could handle losing someone he loved.
He drew in a breath, falling silent for a moment. "Jess...wouldn't want me to be alone forever," he whispered almost inaudibly. "And I love Sarah."
Dean bit back a grin. "About damn time, man."
"I just..."
He held up a hand. "You don't have to explain. They way you two look at each other was a dead giveaway."
"No, I just...I'm afraid to get...too involved," he admitted very softly.
"Not surprising," he whispered, knowing all too well what his brother was talking about. It was much to late for him. "I'm in way over my head, myself." He sighed and put an arm over his eyes.
"Yeah, I figured that out."
He smiled ruefully but said nothing.
"I like Chloe. I think she's good for you."
"Why, because I'm more open to chick flick moments?" he teased, moving his arm to look at his brother.
Sam chuckled. "No, it's just...I don't know. You seem...happier around her."
He blinked in surprised and grinned. "What, I'm not a happy guy?" he protested.
"Lately? No."
"Could say the same for you, Sammy," he replied, not denying his brother's comment. "At least you smile when Sarah's around."
Sam smiled faintly. "Hard not to. She's great."
Dean opened his mouth to speak when he heard a light rap on the door. He smirked at Sam. "You gonna get that?" he asked, yawning and stretching.
"Somehow I'm betting it's for you, "he said with a smirk.
He stood up, smiling. "Chloe isn't one for knocking." He pulled the door open and saw Sarah standing on the other side, her face pale and uncertain.
"Hey, Dean," she said shyly, looking around his body and into the room. "Sam in there?"
"I'm here." Sam sat up quickly.
"Oh good," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes as she looked down.
Dean rolled his eyes when his brother didn't make a move. "Sammy, come answer the door." He offered her a wry smile, as if to say 'my brother, the Romeo'.
He moved to the door. "Hey, come on in." He took her gently by the arm, and gave Dean a look. "I'm sure Chloe wouldn't mind a visit."
He didn't have to be told twice. With a gleeful grin he let Sarah pass by and left the room immediately, leaving Sarah alone with his brother.
"Are you... okay?" she whispered, the tears still shining in her eyes.
Wordlessly Sam slid his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "Yeah, I'm okay," he whispered, resting his hand on the back of her head gently. "Dean actually apologized for bein' a jerk."
Sarah curled her arms around his waist and held him, letting go of her sadness. "He did?" she asked with a small smile, rubbing her nose into his chest. She felt the relief wash over her.
"He did." He kissed the top of her head softly.
An involuntary sob escaped her, despite the feeling of peace she felt. "You're really okay, then? Because... you were so... intense earlier."
He shut his eyes, holding onto her a little more tightly. "I'm okay. I promise."
She clung to him for a long moment before the awkwardness set in. She loved him, but she still felt a chasm between them. "Did you and Dean talk things through?" she whispered.
"Not exactly," he admitted. "But...enough for now, I guess."
She frowned, staring into his sad brown eyes. "You think he'll ever totally open up about your father?"
"Knowing Dean?" He smiled sadly. "No."
Sarah touched his cheek gently. "You know I'm here if you ever need to talk," she said sadly, knowing she was a lousy substitute for his brother.
"I know," he said softly, kissing her gently on the lips. "Thank you."
She leaned into his kiss, then pulled away reluctantly out of his arms. "So I guess you're stuck with me until..." She nodded towards the adjoining room with a look.
"Til tomorrow?" he said with a wry smile.
She sat down into one of the chairs a little awkwardly. "Could be." Her face flushed as she looked into his eyes.
"Knowing my brother? At least." He shook his head a little. "We could see if there's any movies on if you want."
She smiled, shifting a little. "Sure, we could do that. I think this thing has cable." She fumbled for the remote control and turned on the TV.
He smiled back at her and settled on his bed, his back against the headboard.
* * *
Chloe walked alongside Dean as they headed around St. Louis Cathedral, taking in the sights. There was a lot to see, but she still couldn't shake the wary feeling resting upon her shoulders as she looked around. She smiled a bit as she realized Sam and Sarah were holding hands, barely any space between them. They're cute together, she decided.
Dean's grip tightened on Chloe's hand, feeling her tension and yet, understanding exactly where it was coming from. He saw Gordon last night and knew he was nearby. Lurking somewhere in the shadows of the day. He saw Chloe look behind them and couldn't help smiling. "I'm glad," he whispered in her ear, nipping at her earlobe a little.
Sarah, oblivious to the sights around her because of Sam's presence, caught Chloe's look and colored a little. She squeezed his hand, grateful for the time they had spent together the night before.
Sam glanced down at her and smiled, squeezing her hand in return. "So what do you think of New Orleans so far?" he asked softly.
Her cheeks stained a darker shade of red. "I totally forgot where we were," she replied, looking into his brown eyes and wordlessly spoke to him of her love for him with her own eyes.
His smile widened a little at her soft admission and he paused, turning to face her and placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Shaking her head a bit in amusement, Chloe grinned.
"Get a room, you two," Dean called back to them, amusement in his voice as he watched Chloe's reaction.
"Leave 'em alone," she whispered, nudging him lightly in the ribs.
"Yeah, leave us alone," Sarah replied, agreeing with Chloe before kissing Sam again.
Leaning down, Dean brushed his lips against Chloe's ear and said, "You gonna kiss me and make it all better?" He playfully rubbed the spot where she'd elbowed him.
She shivered at the feel of his lips on her earlobe. "If you don't stop it I'm gonna end up doing more than kissing you," she mumbled.
"That's kinda the idea," he growled and nibbled on her earlobe again, his body tense with need for her. His body froze in place, however, when he noticed a tall, dark figure disappear around the corner, just feet from them.
Sarah nearly bumped into Dean and Chloe, who had stopped suddenly. She blinked, surprised. "What's going on?" she asked.
"Is that..." Chloe's voice was quiet, tense as she looked at Dean worriedly.
"Dean? What is it?"
"Gordon." His voice was hard and dark. He turned around, eyes on Sam. "Stay here." He let go of Chloe's hand with one last squeeze.
"No way I'm letting you go after Gordon by yourself," Sam said in disbelief.
He looked at the girls before turning his gaze back on his brother. "Who's going to keep an eye on Chloe and Sarah?" he demanded in a low, threatening voice. "With that maniac on the loose, there's no way we can leave them alone."
Sarah frowned. "Now hang on a second..."
Chloe knew this wasn't about them as much as it was about his fear of keeping Sam safe and as far away from Gordon as possible. Still, she hated the words that came from his mouth even as she understood them.
Sam glanced at the girls, his face determined. "You two head into that cafe back there. We'll be back."
Dean glared at his brother, who looked like he was about to punch him out if he protested. But unless he told Sam what he really was in front of God and everyone, Dean didn't have a choice but to let Sam come with him. And hate himself forever if Gordon took him. "Fine, Sammy. You get hurt, though, and I'll kick your ass."
Sarah's mouth remained down-turned, despite the fact that she knew she and Chloe could take care of themselves. Letting go of Sam's hand, she whispered, "Be careful, okay?"
"I will." He kissed her quickly and headed after his brother, racing through the crowd.
Snaking an arm through Chloe's as they watched the brothers' heads disappear into the crowd. "Want a latte, Chlo? My treat?" she asked, trying to keep the tone light, despite the nagging feeling that there was a lot more to this chase than Dean and Chloe had told them.
The last thing she wanted was a latte. Or anything else for that matter. She was half-tempted to chase after the Winchesters herself, but she couldn't leave Sarah there alone. "Sure," she murmured, her heart beating quickly in her chest as she stared into the crowd where the guys had disappeared.
Dean knew Sam was behind him, and he couldn't very well whip out his gun in broad daylight. All he could do was trail after Gordon, who he swore he saw duck behind the bushes facing St. Louis Cathedral.
"Where the hell did he go?" Sam asked, scanning the crowd as he caught up to his paused brother.
"Good question," he replied, scanning the crowd but finding no sign of the vampire hunter. "Damn, must be losing my touch."
"Damn," he whispered, feeling uneasy as he looked at his brother.
Scanning the crowd, damning their luck for having lost him, Dean looked back at his brother. "Let's get back to the girls, dude." He took off, practically running towards the small cafe where they'd left Chloe and Sarah.
&&&&&&&&
Chloe tapped her foot nervously on the sidewalk as she sipped her latte, trying not to worry about Dean and Sam. It wasn't like they hadn't been doing this sort of thing long before she ever came into the picture. They could take care of themselves...she hoped. Feeling uneasy, she turned and found herself facing a taller black man with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Willing Sarah to remain in the cafe, her eyes hardened. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Sarah turned, seeing who Chloe was talking to and paled considerably. The butterflies in her stomach tripled as she faced the man who'd been hunting the guys, Who had shook their tail... and come after them instead. She gripped Chloe's arm tightly and swallowed, saying nothing.
Gordon smiled, a slow knowing grin. "Oh, you're a smart one," he commented idly, pulling out a small yet nasty-looking knife. "I always knew there was a better way to get to the Winchesters. Only a matter of time before I found their... weaknesses." He eyed Chloe and Sarah, a glint in his eye.
If possible Chloe's eyes darkened even more. Right then she wished more than anything she'd had Lois' fighting ability--or hell--even that she was skilled in Lana-Fu. She put an arm out slowly, keeping Sarah slightly behind her. "Leave them alone."
He crossed his arms, the knife hidden by the wide span of his biceps. "Why? They're just so interesting to watch." His smile became a leer as his gaze settled on Sarah. "Gonna be lots of fun watching them when I take you two."
Sarah wanted to shudder but fought back the bile rising in her chest. She wouldn't give him any sign of her fear. She moved to stand next to Chloe and glared at him. "Wanna watch them come back any second and kick your ass?" she retorted.
"Sarah." Her voice was soft as she spotted the gun on Gordon's right hip, just peaking out from beneath his coat.
"No, Chloe, I'm not gonna --" Her words faded as she followed Chloe's line of sight. And trembled. He was going to take them, she thought miserably.
"Yeah, that's right, girls," he replied with a satisfied smirk. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll walk outside this cafe and into the car parked outside."
Her teeth gritted together, she glared at him hatefully but held onto Sarah's arm and slowly led her out to the car, her gaze darting around hoping the guys were on their way back. But no such look. The feel of cold steel at her back pissed her off more, but also sent a chill of fear through her. If he was as ruthless as Dean said, they were in trouble.