Wolvena

Supernatural - After The End

Esme Stirling

Esme had also stayed pretty quiet on the way to the safe house. She was enjoying Dean’s company as well as his touch. As she drove, she would occasionally look over and see him trying not to fall asleep as she rubbed his hand. She couldn’t help but smile at the effect her touch had on him. After she asked her question, she looked over and saw his smirk in response to her words and her stomach, then nodded at his words with a small smile as she looked back at the road. She could see Sam as one to get over it, but not too quickly. Castiel, on the other hand, was a little harder for her to read being an angel and all.

She trusted Dean could handle whatever happened with Castiel when they reached the safe house. As Dean continued to talk, she looked over, catching his eye roll before he looked at her and she smiled. “I see…... With what I’ve seen of Sam, it does seem like one could get bored easily if left alone with him for too long.” she said as she looked back at the road. “You on the other hand….” she trailed off purposely with a smirk on her lips. They were quickly closing the gap between them and the safe house, and she was still smirking at her comment to Dean. When they reached the safe house, she pulled in and parked the car, then looked at the place she would be staying for a bit, taking it all in. Esme then turned to Dean with a warm smile and gave his hand a squeeze. “Ready?” she asked, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze.

Sam Winchester

Sam watched Madison as he sat there, focusing on her face as she took in his words of just checking on her. He caught the flash of gold in her eyes, but didn’t make any move to show that he saw. He was honestly glad that she didn’t lose it after looking so concerned about something being wrong when he woke her. He stayed quiet as she answered his question, nodding in understanding as she told him what she saw. He was about to ask another question when she picked up his hand off the mattress. He watched her as she played with his fingers, then looked up into her eyes as she spoke once again.

A soft sigh escaped his nose at her words. He could see how hard it was for her and it tore at him. Sam gave a small smile as he took her hand in both of his, giving it a small squeeze to comfort her. “I know it's scary and I’ve seen the looks. I know I’ve even had the look.” he said softly. “But I can see how hard you’re trying to learn and you’re making good progress.” He paused to study her face to see if any of what he said was helping or making things worse. He looked down for a moment at their hands, then looked back up into her face. “I know you wouldn’t hurt any of us, but you have to know it could happen if you ever lose control. But know, I’ll be here to help you through it if it happens…. I won’t leave you alone. I promise you that.” he told her warmly.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme was close to being completely calm thanks to Sarah and Violet being curled around her. But a growl from the two hounds disrupted the calm as they lifted their heads and looked towards the door. Esme lifted her head from her hands and looked towards the front door, now hearing the scuffle coming from inside the house. She dropped her head with a sigh and shook it. This was no time to have a fight break out among them. “Easy girls.” she said, placing a hand on each of their heads as she looked at them. She patted them silently to let them know she wanted to get up, then moved and helped her with a low growl still in their throats.

“It’s alright, we’ll get this sorted. Just stay here and I’ll call if I need you.” she told them before walking to the door. She could hear the raised voices coming from the house, and could tell who each one belonged to. The closer she got to the door, she could tell who was involved in the fight and a knot formed in her stomach. As soon as she walked through the door, she stopped in her tracks as it hit her and stole her breath, pure and unbridled rage. It hit her harder than a ton of bricks, almost bringing her to knees by the sheer force of it. She held onto the door frame, not able to stop the rage from taking her over.

She could feel it bubbling up within her and making her chest burn as if a fire were raging within it. Esme lifted her gaze from the floor to look at Dean and Cason just as Dean put the blade to Cason’s throat, her eyes narrowing at the two with a fire raging within her blue eyes as they shot daggers. She could feel her body heating up from the rage now coursing through her and was steadily losing control of. Esme pushed herself off the door frame, taking a few more steps into the house, trying to keep herself from going over the edge. She stared at the two on the floor as Cason spoke to Dean, her eyes narrowed more.

Then her eye cut briefly to Bobby as he screamed at Dean and gripped the back of his neck. She lost it as he said no one was dying in the house tonight. Heat radiated off her body as she stared down Dean and Cason with a glare, the fire within her eyes growing stronger. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO!” she screamed at them at the top of her lungs as she clenched her fists tight. “THIS IS NO TIME TO BE FIGHTING AMONG OURSELVES WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON!” Her eyes darted between them as she continued to stare them down, her fists clenched more, her nails digging into her palms, but she didn’t notice. “NOW STOP! BOTH OF YOU!”

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme hung back while Dean and Bobby talked, not really paying attention to what they said for still being in her thoughts. Though she could feel the emotions radiating off of them, she could feel them through the entire house. She sighed inwardly once again as she stood there. If she was honest with herself, she would much rather be out on the front porch than inside the house. She could feel far less while outside and could actually relax a little, but being in the house, she felt like she couldn’t relax at all without fear of being overwhelmed again. When Dean walked away and stomped through the kitchen, she watched him till he was out of sight, then averted her gaze to a wall and stared at it.

She mentally kicked herself for staying so long and for kissing him back at the bar. She knew she should have pushed him back and not have returned his kiss, but she couldn’t fight against it as if her actions weren’t her own. She knew that her returning his kiss had only made things worse, but there was nothing she could do about it now. It happened and Mika and Natalia saw. Esme was about to turn and head to either the couch or the porch when Cason seemed to appear out of nowhere and take her hand, then kissed her knuckles and spoke. She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions, mostly pain, sorrow, and guilt.

“Don’t remind me.” she mumbled with a heavy sigh. She looked at her hand he still held and gently pulled it from his hand, then tucked both of hands into the pockets of her jacket. She really didn’t want to be touched at that moment, for it only seemed to amplify her emotions and those of the others. She had hit the point where she wished she couldn’t feel a damn thing. She just wanted to be numb to everything around her. She couldn’t stop the flashes of her and Dean singing to each other from flooding her mind once again. Shaking them from her head, she looked back at Cason briefly before looking at the front door.

“I can’t stay in here. I need to get outside so I can breathe.” she mumbled. Without waiting for a response from him, she gently made her way around him and out the door to the porch. Esme then sat down on the steps, closed her eyes and took a long deep breath of the cool air through her nose, then slowly let it out through her mouth. She was hoping it would have more of an effect, but it didn’t. She still felt the same as she did before. Opening her eyes, she looked out over the junkyard, waiting for Cason to walk out and join her like he had before. By now, she knew he wouldn’t want to leave her alone in the state she was in.

As she sat there, she brought her knees up and rested her crossed arms on them as she leaned forward. It was then, she saw Sarah and Violet walking up from the distance. She gave a small weak smile to both of them when they reached the porch. “Hey girls.” she whispered softly to them. The two hellhounds closed the distance between them and nuzzled Esme with a small whine as she placed an arm around each of them and laid her head against theirs. She couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped her at the sudden relief she felt with them near. It was strange how everything seemed to be drowned out by their presence, she couldn’t feel all the emotions bearing down on her from everyone in the house, she could breathe and actually fully relax for once that night.

Esme breathed in deeply, feeling herself relaxing more and more with them being close and blocking everything from reaching her. “Please stay close. You two are helping in blocking out everything I'm feeling.” she whispered to them so only they could hear. Esme lifted her head as they nuzzled her again and moved around her into more comfortable positions and curled around her protectively. She then placed her elbows on her knees, rested her chin in her hands, closed her eyes and let out a breath through her nose. Now relaxing, she could feel just how mentally and physically exhausted she was from everything.

She felt like she was in a protective bubble with the two hounds curled around her. Never in a million years did she think she’d be so grateful to have hellhounds around. After a little time, Esme opened her eyes and looked out at her car in the distance, taking in how the moonlight played with the color of the paint. “I never should have followed Natalia and stayed as long as I have.” she whispered as she sank into the comfort of the hounds. “I don’t even know why I’m still here.” In the back of her mind, she knew why she was here, it was because Dean had begged her to stay and she told him she would stay.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

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.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme was so focused on the ground ahead of her, she hadn’t realized Dean had turned around and stopped until he stepped up to her, causing her to stop. She lifted her head just as he took her face in his hands, his sad teary eyes hitting her hard as he kissed her forehead. When he pulled her into a hug, she almost melted into it, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. After a little time, she turned her head, resting the side of her face against his chest with a deep, shaky breath. “I…. I’m so…...sorry, Dean.” she mumbled as she closed her eyes.

She knew a few words from her song had hit him rather hard. She felt it as soon as she had said them and wished they had never left her mouth. She gripped his jacket tightly as she felt the pain building up in her chest again. She still couldn’t stop the shaking from taking over her body, brought on by their combined emotions and from fighting against the influences of the song. “I’ve…… Done it again. I’ve…...” She trailed off when a violent shiver overtook her followed by a muffled whimper. She took in a shaky breath as she clung to him, waiting for another to overtake her form, and it soon did, making her close her eyes tightly as she gripped Dean’s jacket and whimpered.

Esme tried to concentrate on other things, like Dean’s breathing and heartbeat, the way he held her tight, her own breathing, and the surrounding sounds to try and calm herself. Eventually, her shaking died down to a small tremble and she loosened her grip on his jacket but not her tight hug, when she knew she wouldn’t shake violently again. She finally opened her eyes, wanting to say something, but couldn’t find the words to say anything at that moment. Her mind felt blank and somewhat clouded. All she could do was sigh softly and continue to hug him tight as he hugged her tight.

Though her mind drifted back to Mika and how upset the woman was at what she walked up on, she couldn’t blame her, though. Esme hoped Dean and the others could defuse this situation with Mika before it got any more out of hand. Everything about this night had been bazaar and needed to find the cause of it all soon for all of their sakes.

Supernatural - After The End

Esme Stirling

Esme smiled a bit more as Dean gripped her leg a bit and responded to her words of calming him down. Before pulling out on the road, she looked over at Dean, his brightly smiling eyes warming her heart. She gave a laugh at his comment as she pulled out on the road, then placed her hand on his. “I don’t doubt that.” she said with a laugh in her tone. “Running around with just you requires a lot of energy, from what I remember. I can only imagine what energy I’ll need to run with all of you.” she said thoughtfully. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t wear heels very often then” she joked.

As she drove to the safe house, she ran her thumb back and forth over Dean’s hand affectionately. She gave a content sigh once again as she stole a glance over at him. The next thing she knew, they were almost at the safe house. Meaning their time alone together was ending, but she knew there would be more opportunities alone with him. It also meant she could feed her protesting stomach. As she thought about eating, her stomach growled loudly, demanding to be fed soon. She cut her eyes over at Dean with a small smirk on her lips. “Think one of us will get an ear full since we took a little extra time getting here?”

Sam Winchester

Sam had given Castiel a nod before walking into the room Madison was in. He hoped Castiel could find out more about Esme and shed some light on how her being around Dean had such an effect on him. It was strange seeing him so smiley and carefree, as if he had not a problem in the world to worry about. When Madison woke and seemed concerned, he smiled warmly at her. “Nothings wrong. I was just coming to check on you.” he told her simply. He kept his tone warm and calm, hoping that her concern would fade quickly and not rise to a concerning level.

“You’ve been asleep for a little while now.” He removed his hand from her shoulder and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her and scanning her face. “How did you sleep?” He continued to smile warmly at her as he waited for her to answer and calm after telling her nothing was wrong.

Supernatural - After The End

Esme Stirling

Esme smiled sweetly again at Dean’s pout and shrug, then closed her eyes and shook her head gently at his comment before giving a little laugh of her own. Opening them again, she looked at Dean, watching him fighting to keep his eyes open as she continued to trace over his hand with her fingers. It brought a smile to her lips even as he spoke about her being the only one to see his softer side. “I know you did.” she whispered. Though, she still didn’t see the harm in the older woman seeing his softer side. When the older woman came back to the window, Esme continued to trace over Dean’s hand with her fingers as she looked over at the woman with a warm smile and thanked her as Dean took the bag.

Turning back to Dean and him shaking the bag in front of her, she gave a warm laugh at his words and looked down at their hands again. “Looks like I finally figured out the technique to mellow you out completely then.” she said as she lifted her gaze. She then rested her hand on top of his for a moment, then held his hand in hers, bringing them up to her lips and softly kissing the back of his fingers as she closed her eyes briefly. “It’s good to know in case you get too overwhelmed.” she spoke softly against his fingers. She gave his fingers one more soft kiss before bringing them from her lips and setting his hand back down on her thigh, letting her fingers softly glide off the back of his hand.

“I appreciate you feeding my protesting belly.” she smiled sweetly. “Then again, I knew you wouldn’t let me go hungry.” She then turned from him, putting her hands on the steering wheel and pulled out of the drive thru, a content smile resting upon her lips as she did.

Sam Winchester

Sam leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he listened to Castiel, giving a simple nod. He knew it was going to be hard convincing Dean. He felt also bad himself for talking behind Dean’s back. He looked down at the table as he listened to Castiel, then closed his eyes as he went over everything. “I agree. It shouldn’t be too hard to keep her close, unless she wants to be around Esme. I don’t see her letting Dean do anything. The two of them formed a pretty close bond in the short time they were together. In fact, she’s the one that found Madison when she ran away from us.” he told Castiel, his eyes still closed.

“Esme gave her clothes to wear and showed her kindness, and was even going to feed her.” He let out a sigh through his nose. “There’s something different about her I can’t quite put my finger on. She hugged Madison and she almost instantly calmed down.” he said thoughtfully. Sam fell quiet as he went into thought, going over the events of the previous day and how everything had played out. He was pulled from his thoughts as Castiel spoke again. He gave a simple nod. “Right, we don’t need her scared as soon as she wakes up.” he said as he opened his eyes. Sam leaned forward and pushed himself from the chair and onto his feet.

“Let’s hope you’re right about this.” He then turned from Castiel and headed to the room Madison had gone into. He gently pushed open the slightly cracked door and stepped into the room, then walked over to the bed. He looked down at her sleeping form for a moment before taking in a deep breath. “Madison?” He said her name softly as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme continued to walk by Dean’s side, back to Bobby’s in silence, with her hands in her jacket pockets. She looked at the ground ahead of her, thinking back on all the night's events and how bizarre and hurtful it had all been. Not really noticing, he was stomping away from her. She felt as if it had repeatedly stabbed and ripped her heart from her chest tonight. It still ached from it all. She sighed inwardly and shook her head softly to rid it of the thoughts running through it. She wanted the night to end; she wanted all the pain to stop; she wanted to find out who or what was doing this to them and for what purpose.

She looked over at him when she felt his gaze on her, wincing a bit as she saw his bruised eye and the sadness within both. She tried to smile to show she was okay to go alone, but just couldn’t muster it and sighed. “You’re right.” she agreed. “My mental state hasn’t been like this in some time, but……” He cut off when he reached over and pulled her arm into his. She knew it was a comfort move. Pulling her hands from her pockets, she placed her free hand on his arm, giving it a small squeeze. “I don’t really want to go alone, but I’ll be alright to. You need to make sure she’s alright and see if you can calm her, that’s the important thing right now.” she whispered.

After everything, she was half tempted to lay her head on his shoulder to comfort him more, but thought it would be a bad idea. “I’ll stick around if you want or need me to, but I’m going to stay out of her sight. I’m pretty sure she’d like to kill me right now. ” Esme fell silent as an image of Mika flashed before her, her face full of anger and hate with a gun pointed at her face. She gently shook it from her mind.

Cupid popped in to watch them, a smile on his face now that they were completely alone together. He looked at the two and sighed happily. His plan to get them alone was working, even if it caused a few problems. As he watched the two walk, he thought this would be the perfect time for another song for them. His smile turned into a large grin as he whipped up another melody to play softly around them, steadily growing louder by the minute.

Esme was doing her best to relax and calm her emotions, but she soon heard the melody start playing. She unconsciously gripped Dean’s arm and became tense as it became louder. She didn’t want to hear or sing another song tonight, but she soon felt the words bubbling up within her. She fought against them, closing her eyes tight, but they took hold of her and she began to sing once again. “I'm so glad you made time to see me. How's life? Tell me how's your family. I haven't seen them in a while….. You've been good, busier than ever, we small talk, work and the weather, your guard is up and I know why.”

She loosened her grip on his arm as she opened her eyes, slowed her steps, and fell behind him. “Because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind. You gave me roses, and I left them there to die.” As she sang, she brought her arms up around herself, wishing she could stop and not continue, but the words continued to pour out from her mouth and heart. “So this is me swallowing my pride, standing in front of you saying, ‘I'm sorry for that night’, and I'd go back to December all the time.” She fought against the urge to run up in front of him as she sang the words, and for once, won. Though she still couldn’t stop singing the song to Dean.

“It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you. Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine. I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right. I go back to December all the time.” She fell further back from Dean, half wishing he’d turn around and place his hand over her mouth to stop her from singing, but also hoping he wouldn’t turn around and watch her sing. “These days, I haven't been sleeping, staying up, playing back myself leaving. When your birthday passed and I didn't call. And I think about summer, all the beautiful times, I watched you laughing from the passenger side. Realized I loved you in the fall.”

She held back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes from the words, she hated singing this even though the words were true and he probably needed to hear them. “And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind. You gave me all your love and all I gave you was ‘Goodbye’. So this is me swallowing my pride standing in front of you, saying ‘I'm sorry for that night.’ And I'd go back to December all the time. It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you, wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine.” Esme blinked away the tears in her eyes, still half wished he’d help her stop.

She tried to bring her own hand to her mouth, but she couldn’t pull them from around herself. She screamed internally for the will to stop. “I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind. I go back to December all the time.” She tried again to pull her arms from around herself, this time only getting them as far up as her upper chest, gripping at her shirt. “I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right. And how you held me in your arms that September night. The first time you ever saw me cry. Maybe this is wishful thinking, probably mindless dreaming, if we loved again I swear, I'd love you right.”

She gripped her shirt tighter, hating she had to sing to him about love at a time like this. “I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't. So if the chain is on your door, I understand. But this is me swallowing my pride standing in front of you saying, ‘I'm sorry for that night.’ And I'd go back to December…… It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you, wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine. I'd go back to December, turn around and make it alright. I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind. I'd go back to December all the time…… All the time.”

When the song was over and the melody died away, she took in a shaky breath, slowly letting it out as she felt herself shaking from the effort of trying to control her actions. Esme closed the gap that had formed between them as she sang, but still walked a bit behind him. Her hands were still up to her chest as she willed herself not to let her tears fall from her eyes, too many tears had been shed this night.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme watched Dean as he processed the words that had spilled out of her mouth from her heart. She could see and feel just how overwhelmed he was with everything going through his mind. He caught her off guard when he took her face into his hands, brushing back her hair with his fingers, then turned her towards the building. A small gasp escaped her lips when her back connected with the brick of the building. She watched him as he leaned in and kissed her. It was the one thing she never thought she’d feel again, and she melted into it, not being able to push him away.

Her eyes fluttered close as she returned it, bringing her hands to rest on his arms, her breath catching in her throat as he pressed his body against hers. She could feel all the emotion flowing through his kiss, and that he wanted her to forgive herself as he had forgiven her. She also knew this would be the last kiss she would ever receive from Dean. This was their closure of being with each other one more time. Esme brought her hands to his face, as a tear escaped each of her closed eyes and landed on his hands as she gave a small whimper of her own.

Her eyes shot open at Mika’s voice and as he abruptly pulled away from the kiss. Her eyes landed on Mika as she yelled, all her emotions pouring off her and Esme was feeling it all. She could feel it building before Mika balled up her fist and punched Dean in the face, which caused her to flinch. She saw it all happen in slow motion, starting with the punch to Dean falling to the ground. “Mika…. I……” she couldn’t finish what she wanted to say as she stormed off. She looked at Natalia as she scolded them. She winced, knowing that the woman was right.

Esme’s arms dropped to her sides as Natalia’s tone of disappointment stabbed her heart. When Natalia yelled at Dean and flipped him off as she went after Mika, Esme turned into the wall. “Hellfire!” she mumbled as she slammed the side of her fist against the wall and closed her eyes tight. She couldn’t call after Natalia as Dean had. She had no right to. She had fallen weak against her emotions and let them get the better of her and take control. She opened her eyes and turned back to Dean as she threw up his hands, and saw his eye swelling along with his apologetic look.

She gave her own look in silence to say he had nothing to apologize for. At his gesture to follow him, she did and remained silent with her hands in her jacket pockets, keeping her gaze averted from him. Esme’s eyes went to his phone when he received the text. When he growled and placed the phone against his forehead, she knew it was bad. She looked over at him and shook her head softly in response to driving her to the motel. “It’s alright, Dean….. You don’t have to. Just worry about taking care of her….. And getting her to calm down….. I can get there.” She gave a small smile as she picked up her pace to stay with him. She fought the urge to reach out and touch his arm to calm him.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme had heard Dean’s words as she stepped away from him, and they slightly lifted the weight on her heart. She almost missed him reaching out to her to pull her to him. She noticed him freeze and flinch when she moved away from him, then shoved his hands into his jacket. Even as she had spoken, she could see he didn’t know what to do with himself just from her stepping away and spilling her heart out to him. When he turned and met her gaze, she noticed his eyes softened and he went into thought. When he stepped towards her, she tried to step back but was frozen in place.

Esme’s eyes closed as if on their own as he brushed away her tears, then pulled her into a tight hug. She hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around him, not being able to fight it anymore. As he hugged her, apologized, and kissed the top of her head, she tightened her hug and gripped his jacket tightly. As Dean spoke, she closed her eyes tighter, listening to every word, and it tore at her heart, making it ache even more. When Dean mentioned not thinking about anyone telling her about his death, she tensed up as she remembered the call. She could still remember it like it was yesterday.

The news had frozen her in place and couldn’t breathe, and she had barely gotten out the words ‘No, he can’t be’ before she dropped her phone and fell to her knees in a sobbing mess. Esme opened her eyes when he sniffled, then listened to his next words. She tried to shake her head but couldn’t with the way he was holding it. “But I…..” she started, before he pulled her face from his chest. She stared into his eyes as he stared into hers. His words hit her hard. Mostly, the part about how she left was one of the worst nights of his life. Even if he forgave her for it, she couldn’t forgive herself and wasn’t sure if she ever would.

She had run away from the best thing in her life, all because it scared her and was afraid she wouldn’t find answers to her father's death, that she didn’t want to drag Dean into. Esme looked up at Dean with tear-filled eyes that held sorrow, pain, regret, and shame. “I…… I honestly don’t know how…… You can forgive me.” she stammered. “That was one of the…… Worst things I could have done to you…… Everything was so good between us. Then I…… Up and leave because I was……. Scared.” She dropped her gaze in shame to his shoulder, feeling a fresh wave of emotion hit her. She fought hard against them, not wanting them to take her over, the effort still making her shake. “I still can’t for…. Forgive myself for leaving and only leaving a note behind.”

Little did they know, Cupid was still sitting on the roof of Rusty’s in tears as he watched Dean and Esme. Notching an arrow in his bow, he pulled it back, taking careful aim at the two below as they embraced each other and talked. Adjusting his aim, he pointed his arrow at Esme and let it loose, his arrow hitting his intended target. A soft melody began to play after the arrow hit Esme, steadily growing louder by the second.

Esme tensed up when she heard the melody begin to play, looking around for its source but couldn’t find it. She closed her eyes, gripping Dean’s jacket tighter as she fought against the urge to sing to him. No, I don’t want to do this she thought to herself. The more she fought against it, the stronger it became and soon started to hum along with the melody against her will. Her gaze slowly lifted to meet his, her eyes turning soft as she sang to him. “Turn down the lights. Turn down the bed. Turn down these voices inside my head.” As she sang, she released her grip on his jacket and caressed his cheek before pulling away from him and stepping back.

“Lay down with me, tell me no lies. Just hold me close, don't patronize, don't patronize me.” She closed her eyes, turned and walked away as she continued to sing as she brought her hands up to her chest. “'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't. You can't make your heart feel something it won't.” She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she sang to Dean, still not able to fight against the words forming and pouring out of her mouth. “Here in the dark, in these final hours. I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power.” She turned back towards him, opening her eyes and dropping her head as she continued.

“But you won't, no you won't. 'Cause I can't make you love me…... If you don't…….” Esme wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes again, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I'll close my eyes, then I won't see. The love you don't feel…. When you're holding me. Morning will come and I'll do what's right, Just give me till then to give up this fight….And I will give up this fight.” Esme opened her eyes and took a couple of steps towards him, closing the gap and taking his hand in both of hers, looking at their hands. “'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't. You can't make your heart feel something it won't. Here in the dark, in these final hours. I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power.”

She looked up into his eyes, with her tear filled ones as more tears slid down her cheeks. “But you won't, no you won't. 'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't…….” She hummed along with the end of the music and caressed his cheek one last time. Gasping for air, after the song finally ended. Esme released his hand and put some space between them, then turned her head away, dropping her gaze to the ground. “I…… I’m sorry.” she mumbled through her tears. She brought a hand up and wiped away her tears with a sniffle and shaky sigh. “I couldn’t fight it.” She had done the same thing he had done to her, sang out her hidden truth and couldn’t stop from doing it. She brought her arms around herself, placing her hands on her elbows before slowly looking back at him.