The Dream I Dreamed (A Dean Winchester Love Story)

Chapter 7: And Unafraid

Chapter 7 And Unafraid

Sam fell asleep on the long car ride home, his head leaned against the window. Dean smiled at how peaceful he looked, a gentle smile playing on the corner of his thin lips. Dean didn't mind being the only one awake in the car. It gave him time to breathe, to think. It allowed him to loosen the iron grip he kept on his emotions just the tiniest bit. He glanced to the back seat. Hope hadn't moved an inch, still curled into the leather of the old seat. Dean pursed his lips, trying to make sense of what he was feeling. Finally, he shook his head and turned on the sterio, playing the music softer than usual so as not to wake his two sleeping passengers.

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Dean reached over and shoved Sam's arm as he pulled the Impala into the garage of the bunker. "C'mon, get up, big guy. I'm not carrying you inside, too." Sam muttered something incoherent, opening his eyes and sitting up groggily. The sun was already up; they had driven through the night, Dean the only one conscious for most of it, despite Sam's offers to take the wheel.

"How's Hope doing?" Sam asked as he got out of the car, swinging his bag over his shoulder and patting the inside pocket of his jacket to be sure the tablet was still there.

"Still out like a light, but I think she's okay. Here, take this." He said, handing his duffel to Sam as he picked Hope up and lifted her out of the car carefully, making sure not to hit her head on the roof. He pushed the door to the back seat shut with his leg and headed inside.

"We're back!" Sam called as he walked into the main room of the bunker. Cas and Kevin looked up. Concern crossed both of their faces when they saw Hope in Dean's arms.

"Is she alright?" Kevin asked.

"Just knocked out. I think she used too much of her grace." Dean explained.

"Did you get the tablet?" Castiel asked. The former angel stepped forward to examine Hope as the Winchesters came farther into the room.

"Yeah." Sam said, pulling the slab of dark rock from his pocket and handing it to the prophet. Kevin took it to the table, comparing some of the heavenly chicken scratch with his notes.

"She should be fine, she just needs to rest. She'll wake up when her grace has recharged." Cas assured Dean.

The hunter nodded. "I'll take her to her room." He said, carrying the angel away.

When he reached Hope's room, he pushed the door open with his hip, stepped through it, and kicked it shut with his foot. The hunter set Hope gently onto her bed, lowering her head onto the pillow. He started to walk away, but paused. A strand of hair had fallen in her face. Dean pursed his lips, considering, before finally reaching out and tucking the golden lock behind her ear. The angel shifted in her sleep when he pulled his hand back, a soft whimper escaping her lips.

A softness came into Dean's vivid green eyes. He recognized that sound, that slight wrinkling of her pale forehead. He knew from experience that Hope was having a nightmare.

He grabbed the chair from the corner of the room and pulled it up to the twin bed before sitting down in it. Then, hesitantly, he took her hand in his. It was so small; it fit in his palm, leaving his fingers to curl around the pale, freckled skin.

"It's okay." He whispered, his voice gentle. Dean remembered when he was a child, before his mother died, when he would have nightmares. He had been so innocent back then, with no reason to fear the things that go bump in the night. He could still see his mother's face, still hear her voice and feel her arms wrapped around him as she soothed him, singing 'Hey, Jude' softly. "Angels are watching over you." She would say.

Dean couldn't bring himself to say those words, to share such an intimate moment out loud, but he found the lyrics of the old Beatles song coming to his lips. He sang softly, his voice untrained and slightly rough, but still gentle. "Hey, Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better." He tried to send that feeling of safety and comfort to Hope with a reassuring squeeze of his hand. "Remember to let her into your heart. Then you can start to make it better."

Suddenly the hunter's eyes felt heavy and he remembered that he had been up all night driving. He rested his head on the mattress as he finished the song, then fell asleep, still holding Hope's hand.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. This chapter is dedicated to OleaLoren for being awesome and being the first person to comment. Check out the beautiful version of 'Hey Jude' sung as a lullaby on the side!