Topic: Edge of Seventeen

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-08 21:55 EST
A little over a month ago...

Dean dropped Sam off at the loft, making sure he was okay before leaving to go check on Katt and give her the good news that the ghost was no longer haunting the Bon Bon.

By the time he got there, it was dark outside, and it was a relief he didn't have to worry about the ghost anymore. He tried to clean himself up as best he could, so he wouldn't alarm her, but his first priority was her, not himself. He parked the Mustang and shuffled up the stairs to her room, halting outside her door and running a hand back through his hair, which did nothing really to make him look any more presentable, and knocked.

Katt grunted and fell clear off of the couch when she heard the knock. THUD! Blinking she crawled to all fours. Half way to the door, she actually pushed herself up to her feet and toddled her way to the door. It was opened without a second thought while she rubbed at her eyes with her free hand. "Mrmm?" Yeah..could've been a dangerous creature on the other end and she still opened it so innocently.

He thought he heard a thud from the other side of the door and got worried something happened, so he knocked again. "Katt' It's me....Dean!" He blinked in surprise when he found the door suddenly opened and he looked her over. "You okay?"

Looking around her knuckles she gave him a sleepy look before releasing the door and toddling back in. "Uh huh. I think..uh..I fell off the couch.." She paused and looked back to him. He looked like hell. "Wha...happened to you?"

He frowned at her. "Why are you sleeping on the couch when there's a perfectly good bed to sleep in?" He followed her inside, licking at a little dried blood on his lower lip.

"You need it to sleep in." She stated it so simply and moved to gather her bag. "Let me tend your wounds and then you are going to get some rest...And..uh..I'll fix you something to eat. What..happened?"

He smirked, unable to help himself from teasing her, even though he knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. "Are you gonna play nurse?"

"Mrph.." Her cheeks went red and she huffed at him quietly. "Yes." She finally blurted and pointed him to the bedroom.

He noticed the blush and smiled, amused, pushing his luck by teasing her a little more. "I'm flattered really, but I'm not that kind of guy."

Picking up her bag she paused and looked over to him confusedly. Swoosh. That one went over her head. "Mrm....I don't understand" What kind of guy' One that doesn't let his wounds be treated by a nurse?"

He had to laugh a little at her reaction, but the laughter made his side hurt and he stopped laughing long enough to groan a little and rub at the ache, wincing.

She frowned a tiny bit when he started to laugh and it grew when she saw him wincing. Her hand snapped and she pointed him to the bedroom. "Now! And you are going to tell me what happened!"

He gaped a little at her, never having heard her take that tone with him before, and started toward the bedroom a little sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am." No argument from him when she took charge.

She was confused why he gaped at her but didn't shy down from that look she had. She stalked after him. Woman in charge, yes sir! It was a rare thing. She ended up detouring from the bedroom door to go to the kitchen and grab a chair which she dragged with her to the bedroom.

"I'm fine, Katt. I don't need any mothering." He grumbled a little as he made his way into the bedroom. So much for not arguing. He'd definitely had worse and most likely would have worse in the future.

She marched right past him, jabbing a finger against the side he had been protecting not even a few moments ago. "I am not mothering you. I am going to take care of your wounds while you tell me what happened. Stop whining."

He winced again when she poked at the painful side. She could at least poke him where it didn't hurt! "I am not whining!" he argued, pouting like a child. He flopped down on the bed, blowing out a breath. "I'll be fine. I just need a shower and a little sleep."

Nope, she was proving a point! "Do you have any cuts or anything that's really hurting?" She started digging things out of her bag. A few vials and jars, a roll of bandages, and a ..bracelet' She paused and stared at it for a moment before shoving it back into the seemingly bottomless bag.

He watched her while she dug around in her bag, unsure whether to tell her the truth or not. "Where doesn't it hurt?" he muttered, partly to himself. "You got everything but the kitchen sink in there or what?"

She flashed a smile. "I might even have the kitchen sink! But..mrm.." She paused a moment and shook her head. "I don't have water. Are you hungry?" She pushed herself up and slung her bag down onto her seat. While heading to the door she waved a finger at the vials and jars, thinking that she was pointing to one particular. The one with orange liquid in it. There was a total of four: one orange, one blue, one silver, and one green. "Take a drink out of that. Not a lot..A little goes a long way. I'll go get you some water."

"I could eat," he admitted, leaning forward to look over the bottles. Which one did she say he should drink" "What's in these things, Katt?" he asked, as he reached for the silver bottle. That was the one, wasn't it' He hoped none of them were love potions.

"The one I told you to take has cirtril root extract. It will help numb the pain." Super aspirin! She called it out to him while she headed off to the kitchen to prepare him something simple to eat. Since he wasn't forking up details yet she could use it as leverage!

"Cirtril root?" he echoed. The hell was that' He held the silver vial up to examine it further. It reminded him of mercury. No one drank mercury. It was poisonous. He rubbed at his side, wincing, knowing he wasn't going to get much sleep if he didn't do something about the pain. He pulled the top off the vial and held it up to his nose to take a sniff.

"Mmm. It's a medicinal herb in Unity. It's used for numbing during painful surgeries or just numbing serious wounds. And since you are being vague and not telling me anything.." Those walls were thin! Clank. Clank. She was busying herself in that kitchen. Simple came in the form of a shredded roast beef sandwich and a few chips on the side. And a bottle of water. She had to go back after half way getting to the room just because she forgot that.

"Unity....where you're from?" The stuff looked weird, but it didn't smell too bad. In fact, it didn't smell like anything. He took her word for it, trusting her implicitly, and lifted the vial to his lips, draining about half the liquid.

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-08 21:56 EST
"Yeah.." She sighed as she answered that. She wished she could actually deny it. That way she could just..not be that person she had been there. A second bottle of water was taken up for herself and she returned to the bedroom. "Hmm.."

He winced a little as the silver stuff went down. It didn't taste like anything, but it made him feel a little queasy for some reason. "Are you sure this stuff works?"

She glanced up as she set down the plate by him and the bottles of water on the bed stand. She blinked and plucked the orange vial up. "You didn't even take any." She shook it at him and handed it over, pausing and staring at the one in his hand. "....You..didn't take any of that did you?"

He blinked, looking as guilty as sin. Oops. Wasn't that the right vial" He paled a little as he realized he might have just drunken something poisonous. He handed her the half empty vial. "I thought..."

"Nhh..H..How much did you drink?" She paled and shoved the orange vial into his palm while taking the silver one. Shaking it she stared at the sloshing contents. The idea of changing baby Dean diapers" Not all that appealing..

"I....uh..." He gulped, looking about as pale as she was. "It wasn't poison, was it?" He didn't feel any different really and was hoping whatever it was wasn't harmful.

She blinked and lowered the vial sharply, scoffing at him. "As if I would let you take poison!" Her fingers curled to the vial and she flinched. "I..It's..some sort of aging potion that Miss Shaiya gave me.."

He let her trade the orange bottle for the silver, reluctant now to drink any of the potions. "Should I go stick my finger down my throat?"

She looked at him confusedly while quickly stuffing the vial back into her bag. "Why would you do that..?" Maybe it wouldn't work on him. He looked fine..."D-Do you feel..any different?"

"Aging potion!" he exclaimed, going paler, if it was even possible to go paler, assuming she meant the stuff would make him older, not younger. "What the hell did she give you that for?" He paused a moment. "Wait, you weren't trying to catch up with me, were you?" In age, he meant.

She blinked and laughed. "N-Not growing older! Younger!" She grinned a little but it faded. "I..sorta was thinking about using it..maybe to see what it would like to be at that age and actually..have a life like a normal person.." She shrugged and looked at him worriedly.

He furrowed his brows at her, starting to feel a little sick. He'd arrived in Rhydin this last time as a kid and didn't really want to experience his childhood a third time around. "What age?" he asked, quietly, wondering how bad the damage might be.

"I..I don't know..I don't even think it's affecting you. You look the same.." She shrunk a little back. "I-I'm sorry. I..I should have been more careful."

"Why the hell would you want to be a kid again, Katt?" He'd heard what she'd said, but he couldn't quite understand it, though his own childhood had sucked as much as hers had. Maybe since the potion had been created for her, it wouldn't work on him. Yeah, that had to be it.

"Because I wanted to know how it was to be normal! Growing up knowing nothing but killing people..death..gore...Do you think I want to have that?" She huffed and even though the words came out in a snap her expression was between pained and panicked. What had she done to him' "E-Even if it did work it would only last a couple of hours..."

"Katt, I..." He looked at her sadly, feeling horrible for what she'd been through and bad for worrying her, even if he hadn't meant to. "I'm sorry."

"W..why are you sorry?" She moved to the bottles of water as if nothing happened, forcing herself to swallow the shame of what she blurted out. She grabbed one of the bottles and held it out to him without looking. "Y..You should go do that thing you said..and then take some of the orange liquid.."

He scowled. The idea of sticking his finger down his throat and vomiting up the silver liquid was not exactly his idea of a good time. He wasn't sure how to explain to her why he was sorry. He just was. He paused a moment, as he tried to think of something to make her feel better. "I wish I could help." It was what he did, wasn't it' Help people who needed his help" If he couldn't help those he cared about, what was the point of helping anyone at all"

She stopped, holding the water bottle out to him with a confused expression. "H-Help" With...what? Taking care of your booboos?" Yes, she said it just to tease him a little. Just a tiny bit! "Are you even going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to guess?"

He snagged the water bottle from her, scowling again. She was doing nothing to help his demeanor. "I don't have any booboos, and I'd rather have a beer." He didn't mean to sound ungrateful. He was just feeling bad about making her feel bad. He moved to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go barf up my youth now."

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-21 17:46 EST
Later that night...

Dean awoke screaming in terror, memories of Hell invading his dreams and disrupting his sleep, only to find Katt leaning over him, stroking his cheek.

"Shh. It's okay, Dean," she told him. "You are someplace safe." She stroked his temple tenderly, trying to give some sort of comfort. She struggled against frowning. She disliked that look so. "It's okay.."

Her touch seemed to calm him a little, his heart beating so hard it felt like it was going to burst. He gulped a breath and nodded his head to let her know he heard her and understood, eyes a little glassy.

"Dean..I have been meaning to give this to you since you told me that you had bad dreams.." She drew her hand back and raised something for him to see. Dangling from a black cord was a small ocean blue jewel.

He sat up slowly and shoved his fingers through his hair, taking another breath, a little embarrassed that she'd seen him that way. He glanced at the jewel that hung from the cord. "What-what is it?" His voice sounded ragged and weary.

"It will help you sleep better..It will keep the nightmares away. The lady said it 'eats' bad dreams. It will stop you from having them. I don't..think it will stop good ones but it will stop the bad ones." Unless they were unnatural dreams..aka someone playing with his head. She paused then reached over to put the cord over his head so it hung on his shoulders like a pendant would. "You can hide it under your clothes so no one sees it." Cause she thought he would see it as something girly.

He bent his head to allow her to put the cord over his head, picking the jewel up once it laid against his chest and taking a closer look at it. His heart was slowing and his color was returning as his body realized it was no longer in any danger. "Do you have one, too?"

She blinked slowly at the question and shook her head. She knew what was going to happen admitting it but she wasn't going to let him give it back. "I want you to have it.."

He frowned at her and started to pull the cord from his neck. "I can't take this, Katt. You need it more than I do."

Her hands reached out to softly touch his, fingers curling to the sides of his hands. "Don't..please.." You won't let me..help with your wounds..at least..at least let me do this for you?"

Puzzled but touched, he met her gaze steadily, eyes no longer glassy, fragments of the dream clinging, but pushed aside by sheer force of will. "I never said I wouldn't let you help."

She gave him a crossed look. " 'Don't worry about me. I'll be fine' Ring a bell much?" Her fingers tightened to reassure him before releasing. "It's fine. Really. I want you to keep it."

He frowned at her, mirroring her look. "It was given to you, not me. I'll be fine. Promise." He tried to smile a little, offering her some reassurance.

Her hand snapped up suddenly, her forefinger inches from his nose. "Do not fight me on this, Dean. I am not going to back down! And it wasn't given to me by no one. I bought it." She pushed up off the bed and looked down to him from her slightly higher position. "I'm not taking it back." And that was that! So says the face!

He relented for now, but it wasn't over. She couldn't stop him from leaving it somewhere before he left. "Are you still having nightmares?" he asked, point-blankly, looking up at her from his spot on the bed.

"If you could see my memories..You'd know the answer to that .." She smiled faintly. "But it's okay.." She moved to her bag and picked it up, her arm, yes arm, disappearing into it. She pulled out one of the few stones in there. It was maybe the size of a silver dollar and smooth. "I have these so I don't bother anyone." She smiled like it was nothing.

He reached for the stone, interested in taking a closer look at it. "What is it?" The jewel still hung around his neck, but he wasn't making any promises regarding how long it was going to remain there.

She released it to his hand, the clear stone looking like nothing special. "I make a circle with them, in the area where I sleep, and it keeps anyone from hearing things. Sorta like a barrier for sound?"

He looked the stone over, closing his hand around it and frowning. "That's great, Katt, but what good does that do you?"

"Keeps me from waking up people with my...as it's been called 'banshee scream'" She rolled her eyes to her own words and chuckled. Her expression eased into a soft smile. "Other than stopping me from looking the fool it doesn't really do anything. I am okay with that. I don't..bother anyone and that is all that really matters."

"Bullshit," he muttered, not really wanting to get into yet another argument with her, having met his match, it seemed, when it came to matters of self-sacrificing. He moved to his feet, a little shakily and handed her back the stone, moving then to pull the cord from around his neck. "If you don't need it, I don't either. We'll find another, so we both can wear one." She couldn't very well argue with that.

"Stop it!" Her voice cranked up a volume most never heard. Someone had a set of pipes! Her shoulders slumped. "I'd much rather you wear that than drink yourself into a stupor. I work myself into exhaustion. I don't..dream a lot..so it's fine. Please. Please don't.." Her lips pursed and she shoved her bag at him. "F-Fine. Whatever! Just..put it in there.." She didn't wait to see if he had a grasp on the bag. She was already off to the bathroom in which the door promptly slammed. Crap. He sighed, having angered her again. He took the bag from her, but set it and the jewel aside on the table for now, more concerned about apologizing and trying to make it up to her. He followed her to the bathroom, knocking on the door. "Katt! Katt, I'm sorry..."

She wasn't angry..Hadn't been before and still wasn't. She was simply hurt. "Don't be. It's fine. I shouldn't have given it or offered it. Stupid of me. Seem to be doing that a lot tonight haven't I?" She said something else but a rush of water drowned out her voice.

He heard every word she said, until that rush of water. "It's not stupid, Katt. It's just..." He paused, to gather his words. "I'd rather you wore it than me, that's all. I don't want you making sacrifices for me. I'm not..." He broke off. What was he about to say' That he wasn't worth it' "Look, I....I came her to tell you we took care of the ghost." He sighed softly, his heart feeling heavy again, worrying that now that the ghost was taken care of, their friendship would come to a close. That was how it always was, wasn't it' He'd no longer be needed and she'd forget him and move on.

"You can go home now." The words sounded almost sad coming from him, and he turned to....what? Gather his things? He had no things to gather.

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-21 18:05 EST
If she wouldn't have been sealed, that door would of been ripped off it's hinges. The door reared open hard enough that it bounced off the wall and there she was standing, glaring up at him with her hair wet and sticking to her face like glue. That glare just dared him to finish it. Dare say he wasn't worth it. She'd be all over him like white on rice.

It was too late for him to see that glare, but he could tell from the slamming of the door that she was angry and he could almost feel her eyes boring their way into his head. He started toward the door, feeling almost like a dog retreating with its tail between its legs.

"Don't you dare...Don't you dare leave. Don't you freaking dare!" Swoosh! Towel incoming. So threatening that fluffy thing was. Dead aim though. It fluttered on his head. Plop! "Did it ever strike you, Dean, that I bought that thing for you? That I have been holding onto it since I heard that you had bad dreams?" She didn't move because quite frankly she figured if she did, she'd storm over there and probably slip thanks to the water running down her back.

He got thwapped with a....wet towel" That gave him pause. After fighting a ghost all night, he didn't really feel like fighting her, too. But then she was going on about how she'd bought the stone for him and he felt like an ass. He frowned, turning to face her, the towel draped across an arm, a look of astonishment on his face, not only surprised but deeply touched that she'd do that for him. If she wasn't just saying that, that is. "You bought that for me?" He'd thought she'd bought it for herself and was only giving it to him because she felt sorry for him.

"If I bought it for myself don't you think I'd be wearing it?" She didn't want to admit how much it hurt that he gave it back. No..not giving it back. Refusing it out right. Her lips pursed thin and she lowered her eyes. "What are you going to give me back that knife too' What is it with everyone important to me giving me back stuff I give them..." It wasn't a question but a statement riddled with some serious pain stamped on it. "If..you don't want it fine..You can just say so..but don't..don't refuse it just because of me..."

He took a step closer, looking hurt at their misunderstanding. "It's not that....I just thought..." He chewed on his bottom lip and inadvertently got it bleeding again, licking the blood from his lips with a frown. "I'm an ass. I'm sorry. I thought you bought it for yourself and..."

Her face twisted up and she lowered her eyes from him. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she sighed. Her lips moved faintly but her voice came clear though meek. "You aren't an ass..I wish..I wish you'd stop saying that. A.And..d..don't..Don't go..." She had to swallow so her voice wouldn't crack. "I am..s..sorry for my outburst..B-but please..don't?"

He stepped closer, leaving a polite distance between them, afraid to get any closer, not wanting to seem like he was pushing himself on her again, though he wasn't quite sure what she expected from him, and he was terrified of losing her. "I won't go. I just don't want to fight." He suddenly looked as weary as he felt.

She wanted to tell him to stop being difficult but she swallowed her words, nodding weakly. She kept her attention down, thinking it was better. "Okay.."

"I can...umm...drive you home if you like." He wasn't really sure if she wanted to stay at the hotel or go home for the night, but he wasn't going to make her find her own way once she did decide she wanted to return.

She shook her head slowly and moved a step closer to him. Both hands went out to slide around his waist and draw him into a hug. "Sorry.."

He winced a little when she hugged him, still aching from getting beat on by the ghost, but his arms closed around her, encircling her in his embrace. He probably smelled faintly like sweat and blood and smoke. "It's okay. You don't have anything to apologize for. I'm not....used to..." Used to what? Other people's kindness, caring"

He wouldn't have to worry about hurting too much. Her embrace was weak at best. She was still pretty beaten up too after all. Her nose wrinkled up and she released him gently. "Used to a bath' You should go take one." She stepped back and shuffled a bit, looking at the floor still. "You should eat too." She began to fidget a bit with the shirt. It was wet now but she wasn't going to be going tromping around naked.

He didn't have a change of clothes there either. It could be a problem if he took a shower. He watched as she pulled away from him, not realizing how much he probably needed to clean up, almost too weary to bother. She seemed to misunderstand him again. "I'm not used to people being nice to me."

She smiled faintly. "That makes two of us.." She shooed him a bit before taking a few steps to the side. She started to the couch again, pausing after a few steps. "Dean..." I..." Her chin dipped and she glanced over her shoulder to him. "Thank you.."

He started toward the bathroom, turning back when he heard her call his name, smiling when she thanked him. That was all he needed to hear and the reason he and Sam did what they did. "You're welcome."

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-21 18:06 EST
Pitterpat. Pit..Pat..Pat..Pit...

It stirred Katt a bit. She inhaled a quiet little snort and opened an eye. It rotated to the window. It was raining. She watched it lazily from her spot, half hidden in the blanket. It was a nice sound. Kind of lulling. Her eye started to droop closed before a severely loud thunderclap had her jolting clear off the couch. So fast from her spot that she ended up tangled and hitting the floor faster the screech could leave her lips. Thud! Hello mister floor.

It wasn't the rain that awoke Dean or even the clap of thunder. The blue stone around his neck that prevented nightmares had done its job and he'd finally fallen into a deep sleep, deeper than he'd slept in weeks and months. Nothing could have stirred him from that sleep, but the sound of a screech from the other room. He bolted upright in bed, the towel from the shower laying discarded on the floor, the blankets pooling around his bare waist.

Her legs lashed free and the second boom of thunder was met with a cry and her hands shot up to her head. She didn't know why..Why after all this time..she was still scared. Scared that his voice would follow after that sound. Demanding. Threatening. Overwhelming. Panic made it feel her heart was just about to tear out of her chest. She gulped a handful of breaths before squeaking out a sound that was supposed to be a word. It only came later that she wasn't supposed to scream..other people were sleeping....

He heard a second scream and wondered if he'd imagined it, glancing at the window and seeing the flashes of lightning light up the night sky, cracks of thunder overhead. He could have sworn he heard someone scream. Had he really heard it or had he just dreamed it' He swung his legs off the side of the bed, lightning flashing and lighting up the room. Something seemed off, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. He went over to the pile of discarded clothes he'd left on the floor after he'd taken a shower and rifled around for his boxers, pulling them on once he located them.

She shook her head and scrambled across the floor until she finally found her footing. Pitterpat of bare feet tried to outmatch the rain as she scrambled for the room where the only other body was. "D-Dean!" Please..please let him be there. The next roll of thunder had her jumping and swallowing a scream, since she was bolting into the room she didn't want to exactly scream Dean awake.

His boxers seemed to fit kind of loosely. That was odd. Thankfully, there was an elastic waistband so they stayed put, despite the fact that he was at least ten pounds lighter. He turned toward the door when he heard her call his name, his form a dim silhouette against the crackles of lightning.

"Katt?" He started toward her, following the sound of her voice. "Are you okay?" She didn't sound okay. For that matter, he didn't sound okay. His voice sounded odd, but he pushed the thought aside to focus on Katt.

She nearly bumped into him, barreling in like she was. She slammed to a stop and blinked at ..there was someone..else? A flicker of lightning gave her bare visual but it was all she needed to know. Her eyes rounded wide and she screamed at the top of her lungs while wheeling back. "DEAN! DEAN!!!" Maybe he was in the bathroom or something! She didn't care! "DEAN! THERE IS A NAKED BOY IN HERE!" If her tone didn't just add, "Do something about it!"

He furrowed his brows at her and stepped closer, holding his hands out to try and calm her, not making the connection that he was the half-naked boy she was screaming about. He just assumed she was having a nightmare and sleep walking. Either that or she was having a breakdown and had gone stark raving mad. Or maybe the hotel was haunted or one of the BonBon ghosts had followed her here. It had been known to happen. "Katt, it's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of. There's no one here but us."

The touch only made her very well aware how close he was. Her cheeks and the bridge of her nose shot into a rare red rose hue and both hands flailed out. His words, which were meant to comfort, only made her eyes round owlishly. "Nhhhh! How do you k-know m-my name"! A-And th-that's no-not true!" Dean wouldn't just up and leave without telling her. Her eyes shot every which way when she realized she had been looking directly at him the entire time.

"It's okay. You're just having a bad dream." He reached for her to pull her close, not realizing he was any different and not thinking too much about his state of undress. His only thought at that moment was concern for her.

If her eyes could've gotten any bigger. She meeped when she was pulled closer, tensing up like she was a broomstick. It lasted a whole second. Another booming sound and she jerked, nearly balling up in place. It was in the flickering light that she saw the jewel and a hand reached out to catch it between her fingers. Her eyes narrowed and shifted up to the boy's face. "W-Why are you wearing this" This isn't f-for you. This is for Dean!" Did he..give it to the boy' Why..Why wouldn't Dean just..accept it' She nearly sulked. Nearly but didn't.

He sensed her terror. It was hard not to miss it and though his natural instinct was to pull her close and comfort her until the storm had passed, something wasn't right. He watched while she reached for the blue stone around his neck and that was when he realized that for some reason, she didn't recognize him.

"Katt..." He reached for her again. His voice sounded similar to Dean's. The mid-western American accent was his, but the tone was slightly different, not as deep as a man's. He tried to sound reassuring, though for some reason, his stomach was twisted in knots. "It's me....Dean."

Recognition shot across her face and her hand relaxed on the jewel, knuckles barely touching his chest. Now" Now she was staring at him or rather his face. What little should could see. Swallowing she opened her mouth to speak but closed it back up. There was a handful of seconds" worth of more staring before she tried to speak. "D-Dean?" Oh ..Sh*t..It was thought but not said.

He furrowed his brows at her, looking perplexed. "Why are you looking at me like that' Don't you recognize me?" And then, he realized it was probably because he was only half dressed, but when a woman screamed in the middle of the night, you didn't worry about getting dressed before going to the rescue.

No..No there were no diapers there..It took a moment or two for his questions to click and she shook her head, trying to shake out the shock. Lowering her hand quickly she grabbed his hand and tugged. Without answering she started to drag him to the bathroom.

"What?" He found himself being tugged toward the bathroom. He smirked. "If you wanna take a shower with me, all you have to do is say so."

Seriously glad there was nothing in her way. She would have walked right into it. She sputtered loudly, the warmth in her cheeks stretching to her ears. "S-Shut up.." It was the only thing she could think of saying! Once in the bathroom she pawed at the wall until the light came on. She flinched, squinting while she tried to yank him in until he was standing in front of the mirror. She? Well she kept her eyes elsewhere!

"Seriously, Katt....What the hell is going on' You're starting to freak me..." He broke off as she yanked him into the room and he was suddenly facing a reflection of himself that he hadn't seen in over a decade. "What the..." He broke off again, his jaw dropping open at the sight.

She murmured, her chin dropping as she released his hand. "I-it seems..y-you are the boy.." She winced a bit, the color that had been plastered on her face fading when she realized he was probably seconds away from screaming. Probably at her. It was..her fault after all...

"Son of a bitch," he muttered quietly, leaning close to examine his own reflection, looking himself over. He figured he looked somewhere in his late teens, though he wasn't sure of his exact age. Seventeen or so maybe, give or take. The good news was whatever injuries he'd sustained a few hours ago were gone, as if they'd never existed. He glanced down at his left shoulder, amazed to find no ugly scar there either. Looking back at the mirror, he rubbed his fingers against the upper left part of his chest, where the protective tattoo used to be. "The hell..."

She didn't look to him but she was murmuring away. "I..I'm sorry.." It was said a few times before she fell silent and dipped her chin low. She needed to do something to make it up. It wouldn't last long..It shouldn't. Dean was just human after all.

"I've been re-hymenated," Dean muttered in amazement. "Again."

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-28 14:08 EST
Dean's Loft on the WestEnd...

"Sam!" Dean called as he stepped into the loft, tossing his keys on a table and closing the door behind him, locking it without so much as an afterthought. He was almost relieved to find Sam wasn't there. Must have stepped out, Dean thought. Probably still trying to figure out a way home. Sam's absence gave Dean a little time to concoct a good story, one Sam might not only believe but sympathize with.

Dean headed toward the bathroom for a quick shower. Katt was meeting him here in an hour to help him explain his little age problem to his brother, which gave him just enough time to shower, get dressed, and grab a cup of coffee. If Sam wasn't back by then, he'd call him on his cell and meet up with him somewhere. Most likely, the library.

Katt arrived at the loft about an hour later, juggling an armful of packages. She sighed, remembering when she could go on with a load like this no problem..she was having trouble now. She wanted to sulk. The door was met with a thud and she tried to knock. In the end she ended up kicking at it. "Heyyyyy! Let me in!"

"Keep your shirt on!" Dean called, when he heard the banging on the front door. fumbling with the belt on his last clean pair of jeans, trying to fasten it tight enough that they wouldn't fall down. He pulled open the door, looking a little rumpled in a black Metallica t-shirt that hung too loosely on his boyishly-slim frame, the jeans baggy and hanging past his ankles. He was clean though, which was a good thing, hair damp and sticking up a little in front.

She nearly shouted something in response to that but just sort of corked a strange smile for when he opened the door. She wanted to giggle at the sight of him really. "Cute.." She muttered outright while shouldering past him with armfuls of bags. They were heavy and he was blocking the way!

"Nice of you to notice," he smirked, brows furrowing at her when she shouldered past him carrying an armful of packages. He closed the door behind her and would have helped her with the packages, but she was already inside and could dump them wherever. "Did you buy everything but the kitchen sink?"

"Mm..nope. Just enough I think." She plopped one of the bags on the kitchen table, the one with the food, before turning to him and shoving the rest of the bags into his arms. "There you go! All yours!"

There was a note on the fridge that Dean hadn't noticed yet and wouldn't be happy to find there, but for the time being, he suddenly found himself with his arms full of shopping bags. His mouth dangled open. "What?"

She smiled and innocently turned away, opening the bag on the table to distribute the food. She wasn't going to answer! He was just going to have to find out she bought him clothes on his own! "Where is Sam' Does he even like cheeseburgers?" She shook the spare one up.

He dumped the bags unceremoniously on the couch and opened them, surprised to find them full of newly purchased clothes. "Sam is kind of a health nut, but he'll eat anything if he's hungry enough." He pulled out a t-shirt or two and held them up to check the fit. "How'd you know what size to buy?"

"I have a keen eye and a very good memory." Photographic in fact which at times was a curse. She glanced to the fridge wondering if she was going to have to put Sam's food away. If he wasn't there it would be a good idea. She was still waiting for an answer. After all he could be in the restroom! "When I was putting the ribbon around your waist.." For better explanation. "It was easy to measure."

"I think you enjoy taking care of me a little too much," he teased, smirking over at her as he dropped the shirts on the couch, his stomach growling, reminding him to eat, along with the smell of the cheeseburgers. He shuffled back into the kitchen, his jeans long enough to cover his bare feet, and he reached into the sack to snag a cheeseburger. "You didn't have to do that, Katt."

"S-Sorry." It came quickly after he said the first. She was being overbearing. She knew she was. "T-Think about it as..p..payment for..h..helping.." She didn't realize he was teasing her. The extra cheeseburger and fries was shoved into the fridge and she blinked at the note on it. It was tugged free and looked over. Duci used to leave her notes so it was almost like second nature.

He noticed the stuttering and frowned, not meaning to make her feel bad. He was getting to know her well enough to know that when she only stuttered when she was feeling upset about something. "Katt..." he started, frowning remorsefully. "I was only teasing. I don't mind. Really."

More like nervous in this case. She barely got through the few words on the letter to know it was for Dean. Duh. Nosey rosey this one. She peered up to him and craned her head to the side. "I ..I know. I just.." Sighing she went back to the note. "I am being too motherly or ..overbearing though." The words fell from her lips, growing lighter with each one and the last nearly left her silently. Biting her lip she stared at the note a bit hard.

"You're a little young to be my mother," he smiled, not wanting to admit that he actually enjoyed the attention. He hadn't let anyone take care of him since Lisa and even then, he'd done a lot of the care-taking himself, especially considering she had a son. It had always been up to Dean to take care of those around him, and he felt touched by her concern for him. He took a bite of the cheeseburger and nodded his head toward the slip of paper in her hand. "What's that' Sam leave me a grocery list?"

She wanted to crumple the letter. Tell him 'yes' that it was a grocery list from Sam. She wanted to lie like no tomorrow because she knew...Knew that since Sam left..Dean would leave too. She swallowed heavily, trying to swallow down the sadness that came with the realization. She shook her head and tilted her eyes up to him. "He went back..."

He thought he must have misheard her for a moment, misunderstood. Sam went back....where" To the Bon Bon' To the inn" To the place where they'd burned the remains" His face was full of confusion. "Went back?" he echoed. "Went back where?"

It was her last chance. A last chance to just ..lie. She couldn't do it. No matter how much it hurt..."He went 'home'.."

He lowered the cheeseburger, all the color draining from his face, his voice barely above a whisper. "What-what do you mean....he went home?"

It was something she knew she would've had to accept sooner or later. Him and Sam leaving. Her fingers curled against the note for a moment before she held it out, trying to will herself to loosen her grip so he could take it.

He looked at the note as though it was a viper, terrified to take it from her and read what was written on it, hoping she was wrong, that it was some kind of joke or something. "He wouldn't....he couldn't..." He swallowed hard and reached for the note, eyes scanning the words written in his brother's hand. Dean, I found a way home. I've been waiting for the right time to tell you about it, but it never seems to be the right time. I can't stay here anymore. I don't belong here. I have to go back. I have to figure out what?s going on with Cas and this wall inside my head. There's nothing for me here, but you have a life here, Dean, as much as you try to deny it. Friends, people who care about you. People who love you, if you'll let them. If Balthazar is right and you really can be in two places at one time, you'll be there when I get home, just like always, but I can't stay. I'm sorry. Try to be happy, Dean. You deserve to be happy. You've lived your whole life taking care of me and Dad and everyone else around you. It's time you take care of you. I'll see you when I see you. Sam.

Dean Winchester

Date: 2011-08-28 14:14 EST
Katt's hand dropped to her side and she glanced to the floor. "I g-guess..I guess..you will be going soon too." She had to remind herself ...It was his home. Rhydin..Rhydin wasn't. He had nothing really holding them there. Not even she..She wasn't that important. She forced herself to laugh though it cracked. "Well! At least you have new clothes to wear! At least until the potion wears off." She tried to force herself to move but she couldn't.

It seemed suddenly like there was a buzzing sound in Dean's ears, and though he heard her words, he wasn't really listening. He read and then re-read Sam's note, not wanting to believe it was real. He laid the cheeseburger on the table and dropped heavily into a chair, staring at nothing, seeing nothing. His shoulders slumped, feeling defeated, back to where he'd been over a year ago, when he'd been in Rhydin alone.

She blinked at his reaction, shoving her own fears and worry aside. "D-Dean' Wh-What's wrong?" Was there something she missed"

"He did it again," he told her, looking over at her, eyes suspiciously wet. "Just when I..." He broke off, his voice catching in his throat, not trusting himself to say more without breaking down. He still held Sam's note clutched tightly in his fist.

Her lips parted in confusion and even worse, no clue what to say to that. "I..I don't understand. Isn't..Isn't that what you wanted" You both were tr-trying to find a way h..home.." Moving closer she noticed the note he had in death?s grip. She was missing something obviously.

He lifted his gaze to her, his voice low, looking lost and confused. "I can't go home like this."

That only told her that he was going to go. She smiled sadly to him. "I-It's okay. It should wear off soon then you c-can..can.." Her face twisted with the difficulty of trying to say..he was leaving. Instead she moved over and tried her damn hardest to be strong. "It will be okay. You will catch up to him in no time and be your big tall self again."

He hung his head sadly and shook it, crumpling the paper in his hand he was clutching it so hard between clenched fingers. "No..." He clenched his jaw, not wanting to let her see how this was tearing him apart. "Damn it, Sam....Why?" he asked, looking up at her again. "Why'd he have to leave" Couldn't he just wait a little bit longer" Couldn't he have at least said goodbye?"

It was like the night Sam had left for Stanford, only he hadn't left a note then and Dean had had to take the brunt of their father's anger, as always. It was different this time. Sam had been trying to tell him for days that they didn't belong there, but Dean hadn't wanted to listen.

She didn't understand. She hated that she didn't understand. Slowly she knelt down in front of him. Reaching out with both of her hands she softly tried to pry his fingers from the note. "Why..would he want to say goodbye to me. I am nobody to him. Dean...Stop..Stop being upset. You will see him soon. The potion will wear off, I know it will. Then you can go back to your home.." Her face twitched. She was mentally scolding herself. Toby was right. Majeria was right. She was selfish..she was a monster. How could she want to keep him from that' His home. His family.

He watched her, following her with his eyes, letting her pry the note from his fingers, feeling weak, so very weak. Small and weak and insignificant. And alone. Always alone. Like he'd been in Hell all those years, calling and calling for Sam and never being heard. He opened his mouth to speak, but it took a moment before he could get the words out, his voice raw and ragged with emotion. "I don't....I'm not ready to go home yet."

"Then don't go." She blurted it out and flinched when it left her before she could swallow it down. Her eyes lowered and she murmured a quiet apology. The note was hers to toy with. "He knows you are going to follow. That he will see you again. That..is probably why he didn't say goodbye. Goodbyes...they are so..final. He probably didn't want you to worry or feel like you had to leave with him because he wanted to leave." She nodded and tilted her eyes to him but not looking directly at him. She felt so shamed. "You will see him again..A-And you aren't alone here. You got me. You got Quinn. And ..well you know other people I am sure." She doesn't know everything about him so there was a good chance he knew tons of people.

He looked away, eyes downcast, staring at a spot on the floor or something, seemingly trying to keep his emotions under control, or lost in thought. It was hard to tell which. He was hurt and angry at Sam for leaving the way he had, worried about whether he would get home safely, and conflicted about what he wanted to do about it all.

Her lips twitched and relaxed, falling into a small frown in the end. She didn't know what to do. She hated that. "D-Dean..."

His older self probably would have become enraged and then gotten drunk, but despite the fact that his older self was in there somewhere, younger Dean didn't want a drink, and he became uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe too quiet.

That and lord knows she'd probably go ballistic on him for trying to drink. She frowned a little and pushed herself up to her feet. "Maybe he hasn't left yet. I can go find him." Drag his ass back..didn't say it but she was thinking it!

"Find him?" Dean lifted his head, both brows lifting, afraid to hope. "You think he's still here"

"I don't know but if he is I will drag his butt back here." She nodded firmly and turned, stomping her way to the door like she was a woman on a mission. Which she was!! Rawr!

"Wait! Where are you going?" He sprang excitedly to his feet after her.

"Going to find Sam! I'll drag him back by the ear if I have to. I know he's tall and everything..maybe all that bending over will help him think properly." She huffed but stopped to look over to him. "I..I don't like seeing you like that! I want to do something! Something to...to make it better."

Normally he would have found her remarks about Sam funny, but at the moment, he was too worried to laugh. Instead, he gave her a puzzled look, wondering what she had in mind. "Where do you think he'd go?"

"Honestly I have no clue. So I will start at the marketplace and ask everyone there if they have seen him." And she did seem to mean everyone..

He stepped past her to snag his boots, which didn't really fit his teenaged feet right. "I'm going with you."

"No." She pointed him to the bags. "If you are going to come with me you go change into the clothes I got for you." She didn't want to admit that she almost told him no he couldn't go. She wanted to chew Sam out before she dragged him back to the loft.

He picked up the boots, turning to glance at the bag. "I'll be fine. We don't have time for that now." And he proceeded toward the couch to sit down and put his socks and boots on.

"Dean Winchester! How do you expect to run in shoes too big for you?! Or trip over your own breeches! Stop arguing with me and hurry up!" She turned around so her back was to him and folded her arms. "Instead of arguing and wasting time you should just be doing as I say!"

He blinked, freezing for a moment like he'd just been scolded by his Mom or something, and then he scowled up at her. "Fine, but if we're too late because I'm busy playing dress up, I'm blaming you." He dropped the boots and got to his feet, grabbing the bags of clothes and stomping toward the bedroom to change. No, he wasn't going to change in front of her, though he was sorely tempted to.

She gulped at that and suddenly felt really bad. "I-I.." Her eyes lowered and she stared at the ground. She kept her back to him even after he left the room, shoulders slumping. She didn't mean for him to 'dress up' or anything like that. It would've just been faster and safer for him..to spare a few seconds to change.

He didn't really mean what he said. He was just upset about Sam and he didn't take long to change either. In fact, he was back out of the bedroom in record time, zipping his jeans up on the way.

She heard him shuffling out the bedroom and before he was out completely she was opening the door and heading out to his car. She was pretty sure he would drive them to the marketplace. Or was walking faster" She didn't know and waited for his suggestion.

He already had his car keys and was ready to go, following right behind her, closing and locking the door behind him. "We should check the inn first. He might have tried to use the portal."

"Do you want to split up to cover more ground" There is a portal at the market too. And one that connects the worlds via the orb at the Teas." She stared off down the street, not looking over to him as she spoke.

He didn't really want to split up, but it sounded like a good idea. And if they couldn't find him that way, he had another idea. "That sounds like a plan. Where do you want to meet?"

She nodded. "I will go to the Teas and we can meet up at the fountain since the portal there is close to it." She waved to him, leaving no argument. Already she was jogging herself down the street without waiting his answer.

He didn't waste any time watching her go, just got in the car and started toward the Inn, which was the first stop on his list of places to look.

(Author's Note: Story continued in Asking for Hoodoo Help.)