[h2]Esme Stirling[/h2]

Duke’s flinch to Esme’s voice breaking the silence didn’t go unnoticed to her. It was clear to her that she had pulled him from deep thought and from a possible memory. When he furrowed his brow at her fading smile, it took her a little by surprise, not expecting it to affect him in such a way. It was a serious question in her mind and the way it made her feel stole her smile, and she wasn’t sure he would even answer the question. She watched Duke as he shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the road before giving a short answer, making her think that was all he was going to say until he glanced back at her. She watched and listened to him intently as he spoke about seeing signs everywhere that led to fate, this caused her eyebrows to raise in interest as he continued. As he spoke about the husky and its demeanor, and how it reminded him of her because it looked like a wolf, her soft smile returned at the thought of the husky making him think of her. 

She was going to say something in response but stopped herself as she took in his actions, seeing that he was encouraging himself to keep speaking. So she remained quiet as to not stop him and only nodded, her smile growing a bit more as he began to speak once again. Esme took what he said and how the next sign presented itself to him, her smile fading a bit as he said he realized he didn’t want to go alone even though it would have been a blast and has been obsessed since he was a kid. Then he turned to her once again, smiling and tilting his head to the side, the action and his next words got her, causing her to tear up as she remembered them talking about it. When Duke turned his attention back to the road, she looked away, bringing a hand up to quickly wipe away the tears that had escaped her eye as she heard the little scoff escape his chest. 

It was saddening to hear that he had gotten so close to fulfilling the dream but didn’t because signs of fate got in the way that made him not want to go alone. Yet it was sweet hearing him say that it was their little pipe dream adventure, and it warmed her heart that he had remembered that it was their dream. Closing her eyes briefly, she wiped away a few more tears that rolled down her cheek. Esme looked out the window with a small sniffle, watching the motel come into view. As the truck dove over the lip of the pavement, she winced a little from the slight jolt it gave the truck, then watched as Dean’s Impala came into view as Duke parked next to it. As she turned her head back slightly, she wiped away a few more tears that worked themselves free from her eye. She remained quiet, not knowing what to say after hearing Duke talk about not going through with the trip. 

Esme just barely noticing Mika run out of her room towards the truck. When Mika’s form registered with her, she watched as she waited for Duke to leave the truck and throw her arms around him in a hug, almost bowling him over. It was almost strange seeing this side of Mika even though Esme knew she had a softer side.