[h3] Cason [/h3]

Cason smirked as Nat grumbled, her scrunched face amusing him enough to almost laugh out loud.  But he stifled his chuckle only long enough to hear her insult her brother, and then his chest shook against hers with soft laughter, “Eh.  Don’t be so hard on him…”

He stretched his legs, releasing her knee from between them.  He didn’t sleep, but at times he would zone out, and her knee being pinned meant that at the least she wouldn’t hurt herself thrashing around if she had another bad dream.  He watched her face for those few moments of silence, doing his best to read her expression, but before he could ask her what she was thinking, she thanked him.

He nearly laughed out loud again, but instead, he softened his face into a relaxed smile and shrugged his shoulders, “I meant what I said.  You’re safe as long as I’m alive.”, he explained simply, as she sat up and began showing her remorse for what she had said to her idiot brother the night before.

“I don’t think you were a bitch at all.  But then again, I was resetting my nose after being assaulted by the idiot, and so…I might be biased.  You were emotional.  You were understandably on edge, after what I…you know.  I don’t think he’ll hold it against you for more than the time it takes you to inevitably apologize.”, he explained simply, with an amused look on his face.  He sat himself up against the headboard beside her, and reached a hand over, pulling her hands away from her face, holding one of them in his own, “And if you want to get that inevitable apology out of the way before we talk, I definitely understand.  They are not far outside the door…I can hear them.”

[h3] Dean [/h3] 

Dean winced at the look on Sam’s face when he mentioned Anna’s name.  It was an instant reaction, and thus answered his own question.  When Sam explained further, Dean couldn’t help the miserable groan that left his chest.  He glanced down at the note, right as Mika stepped up and asked about the situation.

“I mean, she couldn’t have gone far, right?  She doesn’t really know anyone, and she’s never had any reason to leave your side. Even with the…attacking Cason thing, you were right there.  You guys even…you know…seemed to get along fine.”, he awkwardly tried to talk his brother down.  But he realized quickly that the approach he was taking was probably not the right one.  The last thing he wanted to remind Sam of was his…attachment to her.

“Where would she have gone?  She must have mentioned something, right?”, he asked, trying to be a little more professional about things as he took the letter from Sam’s hand.  Reading it, he frowned, looking up at Sam right after, while handing the letter to Mika.

[i] Sam,
I hate myself for doing this to you…again.  It’s just not fair to either of us to pretend that this can work.  It never has.  We barely speak.  We barely look at each other outside of hunting together, which tells me that time has not been kind to whatever connection we made all those years ago.  

That’s why I think it’s best that I let you go, for good this time.  I shouldn’t have stayed.  I shouldn’t have held onto you, as if you were mine to lose.  We weren’t each others to lose.  So please be safe.  Please don’t lose that shine in your eyes, and your smile.  Don’t lose yourself in this horror show, and give all that love that I know you have buried somewhere in there to someone who can hold it for you.

I’ll miss you for the rest of my life.  Don’t look for me.  Please.

Love forever, 
AnnaBeth[/i]

Part of Dean’s solumn look came from the fact that she signed the letter with her full name.  He hadn’t heard that name in months, and just reading it almost made him choke up.

[h3] Duke [/h3]

Duke smiled as Esme nuzzled his nose with hers, sweetly asking how he slept.  Truthfully, he had slept better than he had in a while, between the warmth of the Hellhound pillow he was laying on, and Esme being wrapped up in his long arms.  He nuzzled her nose back, brushing his lips over hers with a bright smile, “I actually slept pretty amazing.  I’m assuming by the smile on your face, it was good for you too.”

He laughed softly, but quickly pulled back from her as she sat up, Sarah pulling from under his head, and hopping over the side of the truck bed.  He sat up and glanced toward the others, as Esme turned back to him.  With a nod, he reached down and tightened the towel around his waist, “Yeah none of them look very happy to greet the morning.”

He slowly scooted himself down the tailgate, until his booted feet touched the ground, and then reached out to wrap his arm around Esme, making sure that if the blanket fell, at least he would be able to grab it.  He walked with her over to the group, and sighed as soon as he stepped up and saw Dean reading a letter, “Who is it, Nat?”

“Anna.”, Dean said simply, nodding at Esme to tell her good morning.  He ran both his hands through his hair, and Duke instantly placed both his hands on his hips.

“What do you need me to do?  Need a bounty hunter?”

“No.  Duke not yet.  We’re…we’re letting Sam decide how to handle this.  But…do we know if she knows anyone?  Anyone that might know…”, Dean started, before it dawned on him, “We do know someone she knows.  Someone she knows very well.”

Dean turned to Mika and then glanced back toward Nat’s door.