Young Blood [SUPERNATURAL]

Part 18: Talking

THE SUN WAS COMING UP.

They had returned to the motel hours ago. Ash had showered and dressed in an old flannel Dean gave her. Conversation was limited until Sam and Dean retreated to their bedrooms to capture sleep during the few remaining hours of the night.

There was no reason for Ash to even try to sleep; she knew she wouldn't be able to rest for even a moment. There was too much on her mind.

Moving slowly and carefully, Ash tiptoed out of the motel room. Under the awning of the building, an old bench was tucked underneath a neon sign, flickering vacancy in red letters. She sat there for hours, underneath a sky void of stars, the only sound being the buzz from the sign.

"You were taken."

Was it true? If the vampire was telling the truth, everything would change. It would mean that she wasn't an orphan, that she wasn't alone. Someone could be out there, missing her. But why? Why take a baby from her mother just to end up in foster care? And what did the vampire mean when he said he was looking specifically for Ash?

There was so much she was uncertain of, so much that scared her.

Ash stared at the screen of her phone. Suddenly, her sadness was overwhelming. The other stuff- her mother, what may or may not be true- seemed unimportant when she thought of Wyatt.

Before she knew what she was doing, her phone was to her ear, listening to the ring. Hot tears prickled behind her eyes as an automated voice answered. She knew Wyatt couldn't answer; she was just desperate to hear his voice.

"Talking to someone?"

Ash jumped slightly at the sound of Dean's voice. "No-" She slid to the side of the bench, making room for him to join her.

Green eyes watched her face carefully, as if he didn't quite believe she was there. A five o'clock shadow darkened his jaw. His lips twitched as his eyes traveled from her face, down her neck, to her body.

"I think my clothes might look better on you than they do on me." He joked half heartedly.

Ash smiled, but even he could tell she was detached.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked.

"Yeah."

Ash's eyes were leveled on the horizon, where the sun was beginning to lighten the sky slowly. Things felt better with Dean sitting beside her. She liked the way he smelled- like leather and smoke and just good. She liked the way their arms brushed and she felt warm where he touched her.

"Ash."

She looked at him. The expression on his face was soft and maybe just a little bit vulnerable. It made her wonder if he was scared, too. Even though she didn't express herself, it seemed he understood what she was feeling. He seemed knowledgeable about dealing with sadness and helplessness, underneath the exterior of his defenses.

"Talking about things...it doesn't always help. Sometimes it makes it worse. But if you want to, you can talk to me." His voice sounded tight, as if he had never said anything like that before, like it was hard for him. "I can't promise I'll know what to say, but if you want me, I'm going to be here."