Daughter of Heaven (WIP - On Hiatus)

Chapter 26 - Coming together

They didn't drive for very long. Dean pulled over at a picnic site in a park. At 11 pm, the place was abandoned, so it was perfect for the type of conversation they were about to have. He walked around the Impala and held the door open for Allegra. She got out, her whole body trembling with anxiety and panic.
It should never have come to this. But it had. Because she had allowed it. Instead of keeping the mask up and walking away, she had let it come too far. There was no going back now.

Dean took her arm and led her, firmly but gently, to the nearest table. He sat her down. For a moment, it looked like he was gonna say something, but then he just started pacing in front of her, his hands clasped together by his mouth. After a few minutes, Allegra couldn't take it any longer.

"Dean, say something, please."

He halted.

"What exactly do you want me to say, Allegra? We've known each other for almost 4 years now, and just when I think I have you figured out... Why is it so goddamn hard for you to just talk to me? I have to find out from Castiel and Bobby that you got more secrets than the freakin' Dead Poet Society."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I just wanted to keep you away from it all. I wanted you s..."

"No! No more keeping me safe, no more keeping me in the dark, no more secrets! Just tell me, dammit!"

Allegra looked at the hard expression on Dean's face. He wasn't gonna let this go. Not without a fight, anyway. And that was the last thing she wanted. She sighed and cast her eyes down in defeat.

"How much did Castiel and Bobby tell you?"

"Cas said you killed your lover when you were 18, and Bobby said you can't let it go because of how it happened. But seeing how no one tells me anything around here, that ain't much to go on."

"He wasn't my lover. We were dating, but we never... never had sex. We were going to, but then... he died...because of me. I killed him."

Dean sat down beside her.

"I'm all ears," he said.

Allegra briefly met his eyes. He was determined to learn the truth. Seemed like she had no choice. She took a deep breath, feeling her heart bleed as she recalled that horrid time.

"When... When I was 18, I spent some time in Wyoming. I worked at this B&B ranch up in the mountains, doing housework and helping out with the horses from time to time. The family that owned the place let me stay in one of the guest rooms. It was the longest I ever stayed in one place before I started living with Bobby and the closest thing that ever felt like home to me. There was this... guy. He was the eldest son and about 2 years older than I was. His... His name was Eric."

She pressed her quivering lips together as she spoke that name out loud.

"We... went on a few dates, and we hit it off. He asked me to stay. I hadn't heard from the angels in a while, and demons seemed to have a hard time tracking me up in the mountains, so I did... I will never forgive myself for that mistake. Had I left, had I kept moving like I always did then... Eric would still be alive."

Her voice broke. She forced herself to continue, keeping her gaze down at her clenched fists on her knees.

"We were alone this one night. His parents had gone to a state fair with his two sisters, and they wouldn't be back until noon the next day. After a couple of weeks of dating, we wanted to take the next step. We were in bed together and... we were going to... But then Eric started coughing up blood and... convulsing... screaming... I tried to help him, but it got worse as soon as I touched him. There was so much blood... And then he just stopped breathing, and there was this heat coming from inside of him, and he... h-he caught fire. His body just went up in flames..."