Wasted

McKenly couldn’t even face him in the car. She kept her distance, staying on her side of the car, leaning against the door. She only spoke to him when he asked if she was hungry. She’d say yes and they would stop somewhere at a taco joint or a diner. They didn’t talk to each other while they ate. He would occasionally look over her way and start to say something, but he would change his mind, sigh, and return back to his food. McKenly wasn’t sure if he wanted him to say anything. Part of her thought that it just might make things worse. The other part missed the fun, sarcastic conversation with her best friend.

In just about a day, they were just outside of Sunny California in a little town called Ehrenberg. They stopped to pick up burgers and then Dean pulled into a motel and turned off the car. McKenly groaned. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted to get Sam, thinking that he would ease the tension, and start their search for John.

“I could drive for a bit.” McKenly said, not turning her head. “Do you not trust me with her?”

“I trust you fine. We need to talk before we have Sam. Actual conversation about what happened.”

McKenly groaned. “I’m not really a fan of chick flicks.” She said. Dean laughed once. “Besides there really isn’t anything that we need to talk about.”

“You haven’t talked to me all day and I’m pretty sure it was because we slept together last night.” McKenly groaned and pushed herself out of the car, walking to the lobby to get a room. “Are you just gonna ignore me forever?” Dean yelled after her friend. McKenly turned around, throwing her hands up to the side.

“You wouldn’t be able to stay away from me for that long!” she shouted back, smiling. She walked into the small, undecorated lobby. There was an old man sitting behind a small desk that was more like a table. McKenly gave him a smile. He looked up and barely noticed her, but then he took a second glance and smiled.

“Hey, there, Miss.” He said, with a creepy smile. On the inside, McKenly was completely disgusted, but she kept on her flirty smile. She walked up and leaned on her elbows on the table, making sure to flash her cleavage a little. She hated doing it, but it was the best way to get a discounted motel room.

“Hi.” She said, in a breathy voice. “Is there any way that I could get a room? My car broke down a bit up the road and I don’t have much cash. Do you think I can get a room for…” McKenly reached into her back pocket and pulled out a couple twenties. “…this?”

“Well, lucky for you, here’s a sale goin’ on now where rooms are for exactly that.” the man said, trying to flirt with her. McKenly internally rolled my eyes, but kept my smile.

“Thank you.” she said, still trying to be flirty but he wasn’t moving for the key. McKenly leaned down on the desk and grabbed one of the keys, putting only one twenty in his shirt pocket. She winked and walked out of the lobby being sure to sway her hips a little more than usual. McKenly rolled her eyes pushing the door open and going back to the car.

“How much?” Dean asked. McKenly smirked at him, opening his trunk for their bags.

“Twenty.” She said, before realizing. “Not that I’m talking to you.”

He laughed. “Well, I’m proud of you. You know if you were to turn on that sexy side of you for just a few minds, I’m sure that you would get so much more. For free even.” McKenly turned away from him to hide her blush and walked to the room she had grabbed the key for. As soon as she got into the room, she dove for the bed and closed her eyes. Dean walked around room and sighed. “Ken, get up. I know you’re not sleeping.”

“And how do you know that?” she asked, muffled by a pillow.

“Sweetheart, I know you and I know that you would never sleep in your jeans. You like to be comfortable when you sleep.” McKenly opened her eyes to glare at him. “Glare at me all you want, but you’re going to talk to me about what’s bugging you.”

McKenly sighed, sat up and crossed her legs. Dean sat down on his bed across from her. “I’m not trying to make things awkward.” She said, simply, trying to avoid his gaze. Dean was confused. “We, uh, cuddled.”

Dean laughed. “So?”

“It’s not funny, Dean.” McKenly scolded. He instantly wiped the smile off his face, trying to keep a straight look. “You’re my best friend. I just think it’s a little weird, is all. Best friends, well, us, anyway, we aren’t supposed to cuddle. And we especially aren’t allowed to like it.” McKenly said, bringing up when he said it was the best night’s sleep he’d ever had.

“You’re making a big deal outta nothing.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I comforted you until you stopped freaking out about your dream.”

“And you thought you’d just stay in my bed?”

“Hey, you were the one who fell asleep first. I didn’t wanna wake you up again.”

McKenly groaned. She couldn’t believe that she had let her brain wander down the wrong path. Dean was only comforting her and trying to help you sleep soundly. She sighed. “You wanna beer?” she asked, standing from her bed.

Dean smiled. “I would love a beer.” He said. McKenly held out her hand for his keys that he passed over. She walked out of the room to go and grab the cooler out of the car. McKenly mentally kicked herself along the way thinking how stupid she had been. She looked up from the trunk and thought she saw a shadow. She squinted through the darkness, trying to make out a shape. A yellow glow soon showed across the lot. She walked around the car, hand on her gun, but the more that she walked forward, the more the glow faded away. She stopped halfway to where she thought the glow was and stood there for a minute.

“Ken!” Dean shouted. McKenly jumped at the sound of his voice. “Dr. Sexy, M.D. is on!” he called. McKenly turned around slowly, and saw him leaning on the door frame. “Everything okay?” he asked protectively, noticing her defensive stance and her hand’s position on her gun. She nodded.

“Yeah. We’re good.” McKenly turned back to where the glow was, seeing nothing anymore. “I just thought that I saw something.” She walked back and grabbed the cooler. “We’re good, though.” Dean nodded, and gently pushed her through the door with a hand on her back. He leaned out, once she was inside, so that he could get a look around outside. He closed the door, locking it as much as he could, not that it would stop anything that they dealt with.

The two sat up against the headboard of the bed that was directly in front of the television, with their burgers in hand, watching their guilty pleasure. After the show was over, Dean looked over at the clock. It was just around one in the morning. Dean looked back to his friend.

“Just so we’re clear, even though I bet for you it was good sleep, we’re sleeping in different beds?”

McKenly nodded. “I think how we’re doing things is working.”

“Alright then.” He said, getting up off the bed to get his duffel. McKenly did the same reaching for her sweatpants and t-shirt to sleep in. Dean went to the bathroom to change and she changed quickly in the main room. He came out just as she pulled her shirt down. They laid down in their separate beds and turned out the lights.

McKenly laid on one side, facing away from Dean’s bed. She thought about the glow. The strange yellow glow that seemed all too familiar. She turned over the other way and saw the clock had yellow numbers. McKenly scoffed grabbing a pillow and putting it on top of the clock. She laid down on her back, facing the ceiling, but all that she could think about was her dream. Her parents, stuck there, screaming. She switched sides for about an hour before she turned to look at Dean, squinting to see if she could tell if he was awake.

“Dean?” she whispered. McKenly heard him move. “Dean, you awake?”

“Yeah,” he answered groggily. “What’s up?”

McKenly contemplated how to answer his question. “I can’t sleep.” She said, innocently. She waited a second, listening for the sound of his covers moving around.

“Come here.” He said. McKenly could hear the smirk in his voice. She climbed out from her own covers and moved to his. She turned herself up to his side and his arms tightened around her. “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”

“Shut up.” McKenly said, closing her eyes, putting her head on his chest, which was covered this time with a shirt.

“Good night, Ken.” He said, a truly caring tone in his voice. McKenly just grumbled in agreement, drifting to sleep very quickly.

!@#$#@!

The two decided to sleep in the next morning to get as much asleep as they could. Dean was set on Sam going back to the hunting life with them and it would have been a little awkward if Sam caught them sleeping together. McKenly wasn’t completely excited about Sam coming back. She was sure that he wouldn’t even want to. He made his decision to leave a long time ago and he left with a fight. There was no way that he would go back to hunting even if Dean got on his knees and begged.

While they slept there was a suspicious message from John that hand some EVP on it. McKenly listened to it over and over. After about the fifth time that she listened to it, she heard some background on it. She slowed it down and found an underlying message. They decided to use this as leverage to get Sam to go with them. They had enough evidence to think that whatever happened to John, happened on his last case in Jericho.

McKenly did her best to not make things as awkward as they were yesterday. She already felt bad enough for having a little spat with Dean and they hardly ever fought. He’s her best friend and they spent twenty-four-seven with each other. They had to get along. The two of them sleeping together helped a lot. They got more sleep, and better sleep, so they were less cranky. She was definitely more comfortable, feeling safer knowing Dean was right there. She didn’t know how anyone could do this job alone. She would be too paranoid to sleep.

When the two were packed up and the Impala was ready to go, McKenly walked back to the lobby to turn in the key. The same grey-haired man was sitting at the desk just like he was the previous night.

The man didn’t smile when he saw McKenly.

She panicked a little, hoping he hadn’t figure out that she had cheated him out of money. “Hey, there.” She said in a cute voice.

The man didn’t respond.

“Don’t you remember me?” McKenly joked.

“Oh, I remember you.” He said, darkly.

McKenly furrowed her brow.

The man blinked his eyes and now they were pure black.

“Shit! What the hell?” McKenly dropped the hotel room key and ran out of the lobby. “Dean!” She shouted to him, still running. “Start the car!”

Dean leaned out of the window, chewing on a candy bar. “What?” he yelled back, spitting out bits of chocolate.

McKenly groaned, running to the car. “Car! Start it! Now!”

The thing finally came out of the lobby chasing after McKenly, making Dean realize what was going on.

Dean started the car and drove a little recklessly in my direction.

McKenly jumped through the passenger side door that Dean had opened.

Dean quickly drove off onto the highway. “What the hell was that?” Dean demanded.

McKenly shrugged, still trying to catch her breath. “He was different from last night. His eyes turned black.”

Dean groaned, frustrated. He didn’t know what was going on. His eyes fixated on the road in front them. “We’ve got to find Sam.”

McKenly nodded. Granted, she didn’t really want to find him, but Dean did. And Dean needed help. Sam knew a lot about the lore from staying back with McKenly when John and Dean would go out on hunts. McKenly also had to admit that she was trying to make things easier on him. She couldn’t say that she would do the same once she and Sam were in the same room, but she would try.

!@#$#@!

It was dark by the time they reached Stanford. The Impala stopped in front of an apartment. Dean moved to look out his window and McKenly leaned over to do the same.

“Are you sure that this is it?” McKenly asked him, unsure. It looked almost too homey for Sam to be living there, given the lifestyle that he left.

Dean nodded. “This is exactly what he would have wanted. Something different.”

McKenly shrugged, and nodded, seeing where he came from. She glanced to the clock on the center console. “Dean, it is really late. Are you just gonna knock on the door and expect him to answer? He left us, remember?” she said. Maybe it was harsh, but McKenly was trying to talk him out of getting Sam.

“I know that.” Dean defended. “That is why I don’t plan on knocking.” He smiled, pulling a bobby pin out of McKenly’s hair.

She groaned.

Dean got out of the Impala and walked up to the front step, McKenly quickly following.

“Dean, he was a hunter. He could kill us. Let’s just wait until tomorrow.” Dean shook his head, kneeling to pick the lock.

McKenly turned around to keep watch. She heard the click of the lock and an ‘aha’ come from Dean.

Dean tried to open the door.

McKenly smiled when she realized that Sam was smart enough to lock more than a pickable lock.

Dean groaned and got up to try a nearby window. He pushed up on it and it opened. He smiled, McKenly didn’t. “Ladies first.” Dean said, gesturing to the window.

McKenly climbed through and he followed.

Dean instantly tried looking for a kitchen. Probably for a beer. Instead he ran into door beads.

McKenly rolled her eyes. “Smooth. Can we just go?” she whispered.

Dean shook his head and put a finger to his lips. Dean entered a new room and was grabbed by his shoulder. He knocked the new arm away and went to hit the guy with his other arm, but he ducked. Dean grabbed an arm and swung around him. The guy kicked Dean, who blocked it. They were both pushed into the room that McKenly was in.

McKenly tried not to make her presence known as she hugged the wall. It was lighter in this room, though and she was able to pick out the other guy’s facial features. “Sam, stop!” she exclaimed, but she only distracted him.

Dean was able to get ahold of him, knock him off of his feet, and pin him by his neck and wrist. “Whoa, easy, tiger.” Dean joked.

Sam tried to catch his breath. “Dean?” he questioned. Then his focus went to McKenly against the wall. “Ken?”

McKenly smiled. “Surprise.” she said nervously.

Sam looked back to Dean who still smiled. “You scared the crap outta me.”

“That’s because you’re outta practice.” Dean retorted.

“I told him it was a bad idea, but you know him. Once he’s got a thought in his brain, he goes after it.” McKenly made fun of Dean, who turned his head slightly to glare at her.

Now Dean was distracted and Sam was able to grab Dean’s hand and slam his heel into Dean’s back. Dean was now on the floor.

McKenly laughed.

“Or not.” Dean said, his voice strained, pushing the pain away. “Get off of me.” Dean tried pushing Sam up, but he had too good of a grip.

Sam rolled off of his brother and reached a hand down to help him up.

McKenly figured it was safe to approach the boys now that their fighting was over.

“What the hell are you two doing here?”

“What do you think?” McKenly scoffed.

Dean shot her a look.

McKenly took a step back, rolling her eyes.

“Well, I was looking for a beer.” Dean said, speaking for himself. Dean walked closer to Sam and placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders, almost as if he couldn’t believe he was really standing in front of him. McKenly could tell that Dean really missed him. Dean seemed happier with him. Dean dropped his hands.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked again.

Dean looked to McKenly.

“It’s not the time for jokes, Dean.” she told him.

Dean let out a silent sigh and relaxed his arms at his sides. “Okay.” he defended. “We gotta talk.”

Sam looked at Dean like he was stupid. “Could you have picked up a phone?”

McKenly rolled her eyes. “Like you would have picked up.” She remarked. The light turned on and McKenly was the one to look towards the source first. “Who is this, Samuel?” she asked, walking up to Dean, standing close to him. The boys didn’t look though. They held their gaze, staring each other down. Until the girl spoke and the two turned their heads at the same time.

“Jess.” Sam replied, surprised. “Hey.” He gestured to Dean and McKenly. “Dean, McKenly, this is my girlfriend, Jessica.”

McKenly smiled at her. Then looked towards Dean and saw his smile. She elbowed him to tell him to drop the smile.

Dean jumped slightly. “What?”

“Did ‘girlfriend’ not register through your thick skull?” Dean shrugged his shoulders.

“Wait, your brother, Dean?” Jessica asked, putting things together, smiling.

Sam nodded.

Dean grinned, taking in her small shirt and short shorts.

McKenly took a step forward hoping to introduce herself put Dean started talking.

“Oh, I love the Smurfs.”

McKenly rolled her eyes. “Here we go.” she said.

Dean didn’t falter on his advances. “You know, I gotta tell ya. You are completely outta my brother’s league.”

Jess turned to leave the room.

McKenly could tell that she wasn’t comfortable with Dean around. She laughed to herself.

“Just let me put something on.” She said.

Dean stopped her. “No, no, no. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

McKenly pushed her anger down to her stomach. Why am I angry? she thought.

“Anyway, we gotta borrow your boyfriend here, talk about some private family business.”

“But it was nice meeting you.” McKenly added, pulling Dean, by his jacket, away from Jessica.

“No.” Sam said, defiantly.

McKenly looked back at Sam. “When did you grow a pair?” she asked him, watching as he walked over to Jess and put a protective arm around her.

Sam sent what looked like a glare towards McKenly. “No, whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of her.” Sam retorted.

Dean looked back to McKenly.

She gave him a ‘go on’ look.

“Okay.” Dean turned back to Jess and Sam. “Um, Dad hasn’t been home for a few days.”

“So? He’s working overtime on a Miller Time shift. He’ll stumble back in sooner or later.”

Dean laughed shortly.

McKenly rolled her eyes and stepped forward. “John’s been on a hunting trip.” she stressed. “And he hasn’t been home in a few days.”

Sam tensed up, but his expression didn’t change.

McKenly kept eye contact with him, but his eyes moved to Dean.

Jess glanced up at her boyfriend.

“Jess, excuse us. We have to step outside for a moment.”