[h2]Esme Stirling[/h2]

When Cason cut the ropes from Esme’s wrists, she carefully lifted them from the chair and rubbed them with her hands as she brought them close to her. She was about to say something to Cason to answer him about pulling the knife from her leg when she saw Duke turn and look at her with raised eyebrows. She couldn’t stop the small smile that came to her lips as she saw him realize he knew her, and watched him as he bolted over and stood next to her. With some effort, she lifted her chin from Cason’s hand to look up at Duke as he spoke. A small laugh escaped her at his first few words. “It has been forever.” she agreed. She had to admit it surprised her he was here and was the one that helped them with the demons. The last she heard, he had up and fallen out of touch with everyone. When she saw his eyes go to the knife in her thigh, she knew he was going to want to take over even before he shoved Cason out of the way. 

A smile came to her lips at him calling her Babydoll, just like it did back then. She could never keep from smiling at the nickname he’d given her. “That we have.” she replied as her gaze followed him. As her head dropped to look at him, her hair fell over the right side of her face, covering her swollen eye and cheek. Esme watched as he settled in front of her and pulled a bandana from his pocket. When he looked up and met eyes with her, she held his gaze as he took his hat off and placed it on the ground, then couldn’t help but smile and lightly laugh as he did at his words. “Beautiful?” she softly questioned with a laugh in her tone. She knew she looked rough and far from beautiful at that moment from having her face bashed against her car and punched. Though she knew he was trying to distract her from him maneuvering the bandana under her leg. 

“I know I look….. Awful. You can say it, it won’t hurt my feelings.” she smiled as he brought the ends of the bandana up on her thigh. When Duke brought up a case in Vegas, she gave a small laugh, closed her eye, and shook her head softly. “How could I forget? That definitely turned into something we weren’t expecting.” she said as she opened her eye and met his gaze again. She was going to say more when he asked her to look at him and they were going to play the game they played while he removed the bullet she took for him. “Alright.” she said with a nod, holding his gaze. After all this time, it was still so easy to get lost in his blue eyes and have everything drowned out around her. She carefully adjusted herself in the chair and waited for Duke to start the game, his sigh showing he was about to start. As he spoke the colors, she repeated, feeling the bandana get tighter as each color left their mouths.

When Duke said “Pink.” and pulled the bandana tight, Esme took in a sharp breath. Her head dropped a bit as a groan left her lips, then breathed deeply through the pain to collect herself. As she lifted her head back up, she saw Duke removing his shirt and watched as he brought it down to her thigh, then grab the knife. At his words, her gaze lifted from the knife and back to his as his hand came to her cheek to cradle it. She had just taken a deep breath and held it when he pulled the knife from her thigh, another groan leaving her as it left her thigh. She didn’t release the breath until she heard the knife hit the ground and Duke spoke once again. “Still as smooth as ever.” she said softly as Duke tied his shirt around her thigh. She tilted her head to the side for a moment to collect herself. Her gaze followed him once again when he stood and slid his arm under her legs carefully, then lifted her head as he wrapped his other arm around her back. 

Esme carefully leaned over the chair arm with a wince and picked his hat up off the floor before Duke picked her up, causing her to wince again. She would have protested against being carried but knew she wouldn’t have been able to walk out on her own. So, she did the only thing she could do, relax into his arms as he cradled her to his chest while walking to the door. She was about to rest her head against him when she heard Cason call out to Duke on where they were going. She looked up as Duke answered and was going to say something as well, but by the time she worked up the energy to make her voice heard, Cason disappeared from the room. Sighing heavily, she placed Duke’s hat on his head with a warm smile, then rested her head against him as he carried her out of the room. It was almost funny how it felt like no time had passed between them, even if it had been years. 

She didn’t feel any tension like she had when meeting back up with Dean. It was nothing but calm, even with the state she was in. Just like he used to, he swooped in and help her with her injuries as if they were nothing and this made her smile grow. Tilting her back to look at him once more. She had to wonder if he had kept up with anything involving the Winchesters. Esme decided against asking, knowing it would all come to light soon when they all met up. “So, Bright Eyes.” she started in a soft and warm tone. “Where have you been all this time? You just…... Kinda dropped off the map. I’ve been thinking the worst.” While waiting for his answer, she took in the features of his face, noticing how much more defined they had become over the years. It was also hard not to notice how more muscular he’d become while being carried in his arms. They were way more defined they were the last time he had to carry her when she couldn’t walk out of a situation they had gotten into.