[h2]Esme Stirling[/h2]

Esme had listened to Dean’s voice as she tried to calm her down, him calling her baby girl replayed in her thoughts. She remembered him holding her like this and stroking hair whenever she would have moments of painful reflection. After she had calmed and he took her face in his hands and rolled his head against her forehead, she looked into his face as he pressed his forehead against hers. “Alright, sounds like a plan.” she whispered as he pulled back. She watched him as he pulled her arms from around him, which she didn’t fight, then wrapped her left arm around his. As they walked, she held onto his arm, almost leaning into him for comfort. 
__________

When they reached the house, she almost sighed at the same time Dean did. Like Dean, she was waiting for Mika to pop out and ambush Dean, or even her, from the night's events as they walked into the house. She looked around the house, only seeing Bobby and Natalia inside. She relaxed a bit, realizing Mika wasn’t inside the house, but wondered where she was. After Dean asked his questions, she followed his gaze and saw Mika pass by the window in the kitchen. She couldn’t help but wonder about her, since she left them a while ago. She looked at Natalia, seeing the disappointment in her eyes, and listened to her words. 

They hit her hard. Even though Dean had told her that this was on him, she still felt like she played a major part in all of it. If she hadn't followed Natalia from the hotel she met her in and showed up at the motel where they had all met up, none of this would have happened. She would still be on the road on her own, thinking Dean was dead, but they would be fine and Mika wouldn’t have to worry about her coming between her and Dean. She sighed inwardly at the thought as it played out in her mind.