InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I acknowledge your pain"

Dean Winchester (hellsboy) wrote in vas_captio_rpg,
@ 2009-04-21 23:45:00

Entry tags:

!complete, day 04, dean winchester, location: museum, shannon rutherford

Day Four - Late Afternoon
Who: Dean Winchester & Shannon Rutherford
What: Meeting to do some apple picking (i.e. When Weevils Attack)
When: Late afternoon
Where: On the road between the museum & the gas station
Rating: R (these two and their language are notorious)
Status: Complete

There was no way he was going to sit around the museum looking at bad art until something happened to jog his memory. Sam hadn't been able to get it flowing again and there was nothing for him to do but let it come back naturally it seemed. And it wasn't like it was a long walk. Not to mention there would be beer at the end. That was what made it all the more worthwhile to swallow some more pride and meet Shannon for apple picking in the woods.

He was pretty sure that when they got down to hunting around the woods for apples or whatever that might be a code word for - who knew what she really meant? - she'd get sullen again like she had before if he didn't take the ego blows like he had before. He wondered if she was always touchy about people not needing/wanting her help or if she reserved that for people she thought might be dangerous - hence the metal bar. Well, he wasn't going to humor her ego at the expense of his own. Not too much. And if the journal was any indication, she might be in a better mood for having dipped into the sauce.

Which was something he figured he would ask her when he saw her. How was it that apples were in short supply but peppermint schnapps and skunky beer were available in spades? He smirked to himself as he kicked a rock along the crumbled road as he followed it in the direction of the gas station. He at least knew where that was in the scheme of things because he'd been there with the Doctor. It wasn't hard to follow the road out of town and it wasn't long before he saw her wandering toward him. Inclining his head to block the sun from his eyes as he watched her walk, he stopped and smiled at her.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-21 10:54 pm UTC (link)

Bidding adieu to Jay in favor of meeting Dean and maybe getting some grub that wasn't made of artificial sweeteners or dead animal, Shannon slipped behind the counter of the gas station for a plastic bag which she filled with some of the beer still in the fridge. She'd leave Jay's stash alone; he'd been smart enough to think to put it outside, so it wasn't her place to take it from him.

Making her way down the road, she could immediately see Dean in the distance heading toward her. When they were within earshot, Shannon smirked. "Is it really escorting if both parties are escorts?" she called to him, taking a beer can out of the bag as he stopped and tossing it to him.

Shannon came up to him and raised her eyebrows, nodding toward the treeline. "Shall we?" she asked, taking a beer out for herself and cracking it open. She was starting to get used to the skunked out beer but she hoped that the extra warmth from the cans being stored in the broken refrigerator rather than out in the cold wouldn't make it taste even worse. Taking a sip, she decided that no, it wasn't too much worse. Definitely not the best she'd ever had, but it wasn't disgusting, either.

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hellsboy
2009-04-21 11:00 pm UTC (link)

Dean caught the can of beer Shannon had tossed to him with a deftness that spoke of many a caught and drunk beer in his past. He grinned at her amusedly and nodded. "I think it's escorting whenever beer and hikes alone in the woods are concerned." He popped the top on the beer and took a long swig from the can. It was warm and disgusting, like drinking something growing on the bottom of a fish tank. But it was beer and that was what counted.

Taking another drink, Dean sighed audibly and patted his gut. "That hit the spot. I think I'm ready to escort you through the woods now." He winked at her and started toward the edge of the treeline she had indicated. His boots crunched in the underbrush of the densely grown trees and bushes as he pushed his way off of the road and inside the forest itself.

Turning back to Shannon, he asked, "Do you have any idea where these apples might actually be growing? Or are we doing the hit or miss thing and just hoping to find something in here?"

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-21 11:08 pm UTC (link)

Smirking, Shannon rolled her eyes playfully. "Can't say I've ever mixed beer and hiking alone in the woods with some guy I barely know," she revealed. She took another drink - a deep chugging drink - from the can, draining at the very least a quarter of it. The can was still hovering at her lips as she grinned around its rim when he winked. Shannon got the idea that Dean was the sort of guy who knew that he was attractive and used it to his advantage.

She followed him into the forest, holding her free hand up to block any twigs or small branches from smacking her in the face as she went. "No clue, no," she admitted apologetically. "I just know they're in here somewhere."

Her eyes roamed up and down his shoulders and back as she walked carefully behind him, stepping over upraised roots and trying not to trip on her own feet as they slid into the not-quite-dry earth beneath them. It had been nice for a couple of days, but it didn't seem strange to her that the ground in the forest was softer and muddier than the dirt road outside; the sun probably didn't get in through the trees as well. "Did you remember anything...?" she asked curiously; casually. She didn't want him to have to answer, but she did wonder. "After I left, I mean?"

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hellsboy
2009-04-21 11:22 pm UTC (link)

Dean caught her smile over the rim over her can and he recognized that look. Which in itself was a return in memory from who he was. A good sign he guessed. He'd just been on auto pilot. Behaving however felt natural, responding off the cuff. That look told him, in spite of the fact that he had yet to see or remember his own face, he had enough to be confident about as far as being attractive himself was concerned. That made him smile to himself slightly. Good to know, he thought.

He took another long drink, ignoring the flavor as he drained the can. With one hand he crushed the can and tucked it into one of the deep pockets of his jacket. He'd rather not have it there but he wasn't about to chuck it into the woods either. It wasn't that he cared about littering, though he sort of did, it was that he wanted to keep the peace. She might be a dyed in the wool nature lover and since she was the second person he'd met here and a favorite of his brother's apparently if the dude let her help so much, it would be a good idea to keep things copacetic.

"So it's hit or miss for us. I knew you had ulterior motives for getting me out here. Now what are they?" He turned back from her and continued through the woods, gazing up for apples he didn't figure they'd actually find.

He thought back on his conversation with Sam and the things he had actually remembered while they talked. It was highly personal and some of it upsetting. That wasn't the type of conversation he wanted at this point. "Sure. I remembered Sam dresses like a woman in his spare time. He really likes the feel of lace and satin against his skin." His tone was a bit absent but he was still looking upward for apples.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-21 11:43 pm UTC (link)

Shannon watched as Dean finished the beer and she followed suit with little effort as he shoved the can into his jacket pocket. She, however, dropped her own empty can into the plastic bag she was carrying. "Uh, you can put it in the bag here, unless you prefer carrying around crushed beer cans in your pockets," she teased. "You wannanother?" she asked. Shannon smiled to herself. Jay was great at making her feel better, even just by being in his presence. They hadn't even been joking or being silly, but something about him just cheered her up anyway. Maybe this time around it had been the beer. Beer and a grungy punk made her smile... Who would've guessed?

Dean's question made Shannon roll her eyes playfully. "Yes, I feigned being famished and afraid to be alone in order to lure you into the woods so I could have my way with you. God, you're so smart, Hulk," she teased. "Or am I just that transparent?" With that, she followed his eyes up in search, also, of the apples. They had to have come from somewhere, but Sarah hadn't really said where in the forest she and Andy had been when they found them. It might be easy and they might be sparsely spattered everywhere in the forest, or...it might be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. As her stomach churned with hunger, she hoped it was the former.

Her eyes moved back to Dean when he spoke again and she laughed. "Does he, now?" she asked, grinning. "Either that's true or you're definitely his brother, because only a younger sibling would say something like that about a person if it wasn't true," she replied. At least, well, she had. Back in high school. Boone had stopped talking to her for a week, he'd been so pissed.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 10:36 am UTC (link)

"Eh, it's in there now. No sense in fishing it out." He was too distracted with trying to find apples now to really care about an empty beer can in his pocket. He supposed that he'd have to eventually get it out again but he was feeling lazy and the beer had apparently decided to combine with the last vestiges of whatever drug had been in his system from the asshole tattoo experiment and he was feeling more and more relaxed by the moment. Of course, it was impossible to get drunk on warm, skunky fishtank beer. Which was a good thing, he decided. He didn't need to be any further out of his mind than he had already been today.

"I knew it!" he said, hearing the eye roll in her tone and laughing. "I know your type. Always with the octopus arms and over-glossed lips. Well I'll tell you something right now. You won't get in my pants, Super Girl. No matter how hard you try, I will not let you take my uh virtue." He glanced over his shoulder at her and winked.

"Younger? No, I'm older than Sam," he said and then snorted in amusement as it dawned on her what she'd actually said. "We've graduated to insults on maturity levels. Nice! Yeah I think I'll have another beer." He glanced back at her and held out his hand for her to toss another can his direction, his expression playfully disapproving.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 11:00 am UTC (link)

In an if-you-say-so gesture, Shannon shrugged. To each their own, she supposed and she left it at that, because really...it was just a beer can and there wasn't any point pressing the trivial issue. He'd have to take it out eventually, anyway. "Okay," came her nonchalant reply as her eyes continued to scan the trees. It was stupid, considering this was a forest and not a jungle, but she found herself keeping her eyes peeled for passion fruit and guavas, too. Passion fruit would've really hit the spot... She didn't bother looking for eucalyptus as a last ditch resort if the inhalers failed, were stolen, or lost; if she found fucking eucalyptus in a forest, they were in bigger trouble than she'd originally thought, she imagined and if it was here, she'd rather not know.

Her eyes moved back to him and she grinned, wrinkling her nose. "Well, shit, I think that's gotta be a first for me. Getting turned down for sex... Unless you're gay, in which case, get in line," she laughed. While she sort of preferred her own name to 'Super Girl,' she had to admit the nickname made her smile a little in the same way that Domeki's having called her his muse had. It meant he liked her enough to do so and at this point, any ally was a good one.

Fishing out a beer can and giving it a gentle toss in his direction, Shannon blushed slightly. She knew Sam's brother was older, but it hadn't really occurred to her when she'd said that. "Oh, ha, I'm sorry...I didn't even think of that; he said as much. Reflexive, Hulk. I didn't intend on insulting your maturity, it's just...well...he's bigger than you. And I used to tell people that same thing about my older brother. He got really pissed off at me," she replied with a nostalgic, somewhat sad smile.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 11:14 am UTC (link)

Nearly tripping on a gnarled and brush-hidden root, Dean grabbed hold of a branch and held on until he felt steady again. He waited for the inevitable joke about not being able to hold his liquor and chuckled inwardly. The beer was gross and so was this forest. Everything smelled damp, like mildew.

And underneath it all there was this singular scent of sewer that they seemed to be walking closer toward with each step. He breathed in a lungful of it and tried to pinpoint the direction so that they could walk away from it but it seemed to be all around them at this point. He wondered if she noticed or if maybe it was some random reaction of his body and the beer and the drugs that were hopefully leaving his system. Whatever it was though it made him want to gag so he decided to breathe as shallowly as possible without sounding like a pervert breather on the telephone.

Dean caught the beer she'd tossed and laughed, a real laugh and not a sarcastic snort. She'd caught him off guard by suggesting he might be gay and that struck him as truly funny. "Yeah yeah, Sam's bigger than me. And probably cuter. But really, do I look gay to you?" he asked. He stopped walking and turned to face her. "Seriously, do I? Because I don't know what I look like." That bothered him now suddenly. It was one thing to forget a lot of other people in your life but it was another to forget yourself, especially when you had no idea how you looked.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 11:28 am UTC (link)

"Easy there, killer, have another beer," Shannon teased even as her hand made its way to the small of his back to offer extra support until he seemed to have steadied on his own. Then, she dropped her hand away and raked it through her matted hair. God, what she wouldn't give for a shower...with hot water and soap. Ohhhh and shampoo... At least on the Island they'd had shampoo for a little while from a few people's luggage until it had run out. Some had been better than none.

Her nose wrinkled slightly when, in addition to the scent of wet earth and mildew or mold, she caught the acrid stench of sewers. She tried not to gag reflexively once it hit her, but failed. "Fuck, what is that?" she asked, her brow furrowed heavily as she held a hand up to cover her nose and mouth. It was so strong that it turned her stomach again and made her eyes water. "Oh my God..." she mumbled.

Chewing her bottom lip, Shannon looked back at him. It hadn't occurred to her that he wouldn't know what he looked like, either, but that was a good point. It wasn't like there were any mirrors...although she supposed there might be in the funhouse back at the carnival, if he really wanted to know. A small laugh escaped her and she shook her head. "No, you don't look gay, but then...you're kinda pretty and where I come from that's usually a good indicator," she teased. She wasn't sure just how detailed a response he wanted, so she erred to the side of more detailed. She'd want him to be detailed if the tables were turned. "I...don't think Sam's cuter than you..." she admitted softly. Not conventionally, anyway, although Sam was far more her type in the looks department. "You have...dark blond hair cut pretty short and you wear your bangs a little longer so you can sort of spike 'em up a little...green eyes...freckles around your nose-"

She cut herself off then and had a sudden thought of Kate and the way Sawyer had taken to calling her Freckles. Shannon might actually steal that nickname for Dean...

"Uh, you have a nice tan," she added with a smirk. "Doesn't look like fake 'n' bake, but you're not as pale as Sam, either. And you're bulky, like...you're probably pretty muscular under there," she said, nodding toward his shirt and jacket. She smirked a little in spite of herself. "You look like a real heartbreaker, Hulk," she said with a wink.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 11:47 am UTC (link)

And there it was. The joke. She was a bit predictable or maybe he was? Predictable was good though. Predictable meant that nothing would trigger a random and upsetting memory. Predictable meant they could have a conversation of witty banter or sarcastic sniping and there wouldn't be any pressure. That seemed to be the tune of his life today. Pressure. He would be so glad when he remembered everything again.

Of course, he hadn't expected her to touch him and even through his jacket he'd felt it. The reassurance of it was not unwelcome and he had the momentary urge to take her hand and hold it. He wouldn't do that any more than he'd tell her she was predictable. She wouldn't get either thing.

He raised a brow at her as she responded to the disgusting smell in the forest. The lovely brewing odor of human waste and toxic by-products seemed to be everywhere and getting worse by the minute. He had the desire to pinch his nose but all he did was laugh and shrug his shoulders. "No clue. At least it's not either one of us."

Dean wrinkled his nose at her description and asked with good-natured amusement, "What the hell does that mean? I'm pretty." He shook his head at her and tried hard not to breathe. "I wouldn't tell Sam you think I'm cuter. It'll cause all kinds of sibling rivalries."

He raised his brows at her again as he listened to her rather detailed description of how he looked. "Well I wouldn't fuck me but I guess it'll do. You're not so bad yourself, you know? Even if it's only when you're laughing." He grinned and winked at her. Then he looked up for apples or whatever was causing the smell.

Then, thinking better of it, he turned his gaze back to her and with a more serious tone he said, "Thanks, Shannon." But that was the extent of his ability to express his appreciation for her honesty.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 12:00 pm UTC (link)

Shannon's eyes rolled playfully when he joked that it was neither of them. "I don't think it's humanly possible to make that smell. Jesus...it smells like...a sewer or something; gross," she murmured, her nose wrinkling again. She went back to covering her mouth and nose with her hand, having dropped it to describe his looks to him. It did little to muffle the smell, but it made her feel better to at least be trying.

"I won't tell if you wont," she said quickly. She didn't know Sam well enough to know if that sort of thing would hurt his feelings. At the very least, it'd probably be a blow to his ego and in spite of any lingering uncertainty about him, she definitely didn't want to do that. Shannon wanted to keep Sam on her side. Better as a friend than an enemy, that was for damn sure. "Pretty, like...I don't know, like Ben Affleck in Armageddon or something. Rugged, but kinda sexy in a metro kinda way that only the stubble sort of skews in a good way," she replied with a shrug.

She grinned when he said he wouldn't fuck himself. I might. Not in the real world, but maybe here... she found herself thinking. "If you were gay, you might," she pointed out with a laugh. She had the fleeting urge to ask if he'd fuck her, but it went away as he looked up and it retreated even further when he looked back at her and thanked her sincerely. Nodding, Shannon gave him a small smile. "You're welcome, Dean."

A grunting sort of noise interrupted whatever moment they seemed to be having and she looked away from him, over his shoulder. "Did you hear that...?" she asked, craning her neck to look around. The canopy above made it darker in the forest than it had been out on the road and she couldn't see very well; at least not terribly far ahead of where they were already standing. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms. Probably should've grabbed a hoodie or at least a long-sleeved shirt while she was in the thrift shop, but it hadn't occurred to her while she was there.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 12:48 pm UTC (link)

Dean mouthed the name Ben Affleck with an incredulous expression on his face. He was almost thinking he'd like to avoid mirrors the minute they might come into play with whatever was happening here. He'd be damned if he looked like Ben Affleck of all people. Yuck. He made a distasteful face to himself and cleared his throat. "If I were gay and I looked like Ben Affleck, I still wouldn't fuck me." He chuckled distractedly.

The second she asked if he had heard the grunting noise, which he had heard, he was back from the touchy feelies immediately. The moment was gone and he went almost into auto-pilot. Instinctively he put a protective arm out across her middle as he glanced around in the direction from which the grunt had originated. "I don't think that was a person..." he said quietly, his mind running through the catalog of monsters that seemed to be stored within it. Nothing popped up as an obvious choice.

Looking back at Shannon, he took a breath. "Stay here and I'll check it out, okay?" he asked as he set down the beer can and slid out of his jacket. The shirt beneath was warm enough for the moment so he tucked the jacket around her shoulders with an absent expression. He was focused now on that fight or flight thing happening inside him. The one that was all for the fight and nowhere near the flight. "I know you probably want to help but don't."

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 01:06 pm UTC (link)

"I don't mean you look like him, I mean that sort of pretty. As opposed to, like, pretty pretty princess, you dork," she replied with a smirk. She laughed a little to herself when he said he still wouldn't fuck himself. "Boy, you're really picky," she joked.

A small piece of her was relieved that she hadn't been the only one to hear the sound. The rest of her was terrified because she'd been thinking exactly what he'd said. It didn't sound human, whatever it was. His protective gesture did not go unnoticed and she found herself endeared to him for it, in spite of herself.

She nodded when he said he'd check it out, even if all she really wanted to do was suggest they both just get the fuck out of there. She was too scared to move, anyway. When he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, Shannon gave him a small smile that didn't quite meet her terrified eyes. He was wrong about her. No, no she didn't want to help; she wanted to run. But she didn't say as much. Instead, she nodded mutely again and pulled his jacket in around herself. "Be careful, please," she said with a slightly furrowed brow. There were a lot of bad things that could happen to her if anything happened to him, not the least of which was probably finding out for sure whether or not Sam was a good guy if she came back without his brother...

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 01:24 pm UTC (link)

"You're something else, Super Girl. Pretty pretty princess." Dean grinned at her and nodded. "Oh yes, very picky. I only like ugly men. And sometimes girls who are only cute when they laugh." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. But that good mood didn't last as he slid into instinct at the sound of the grunt.

He caught the look in her eyes as he draped the jacket over her shoulders and the way she pulled into herself both emotionally and physically. She had the drawn in expression of someone trying not to panic. Not good, he thought. If she freaked out they could be in a lot of danger.

Looking into her eyes, he said as reassuringly as he could, "I'll be fine, I promise." Then, as quietly as he could, Dean slid away from the tree and stepped around the wet, mildewy brush in the direction of the sound. The putrid smell grew stronger and there was another grunt. He turned his head over his shoulder to see if Shannon was still okay and then slipped out of sight around a stand of trees.

Covering his nose he groaned softly as he caught sight of what had been causing horrific smell and the grunting that had disrupted their snarky trip into the woods for some apples and beer. Whatever it was, it was large enough to be a man but its skin was swarthy and brown. All but bald, the thing seemed to be a bit fuzzy but it was in now way cute. It was still sleeping beneath a tree, a smattering of half-eaten apples strewn around him/her/it? The best idea seemed to be to turn around, walk back to Shannon and get the fuck out of there but he stood rooted to the spot, watching the bizarre thing sleep.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 01:43 pm UTC (link)

Shannon nodded her understanding and hoped he could keep that promise as he slunk off with the sort of movement that suggested he was used to stalking threats. Sam said he believed in monsters. She wondered if Dean did, too... She took a deep breath that caught in her throat when he looked back at her just before going out of sight.

For a few minutes, Shannon just stood there, finding herself bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet in anxiousness. She heard another grunt, but nothing else. No sound from Dean, no movement in the brush behind which he'd disappeared, and no sound of a struggle. That, she supposed could only be good. At least for now.

Without realizing it, Shannon had started to back herself away from the spot; away from the smell and into the brush opposite the direction Dean had taken off the crude path on which they'd stood. Fight or flight, she thought to herself; Shannon chose flight. She wasn't going to leave Dean in there, but she wasn't going to stand there alone in the middle of the forest, either, out in plain sight.

The back of her heel hit something as she stepped back and she gasped, reaching for the nearest tree to keep from falling over it. Fucking roots. Except when she looked over her shoulder and down at the forest floor, it wasn't a root at all. The familiar and disgusting stench of sewer hit her then and whatever the hell it was let out an angry grunt of protest as its eyes opened and its lips curled back in a snarl, revealing a set of teeth - or fangs, or something - that were even more frightening than the appearance of the thing to begin with. Before she could stop herself, she let out a piercing scream and whirled to face it, scrambling backward out onto the path again as it stood.

It had the body of a man who would easily rival Sam's height, even if only by a little, but its face... Trembling, Shannon stopped moving when it did, staring back at it with wide eyes. It tipped its head to the side like a confused puppy and let out a low wail that sounded to her like a mix between a sad Chewbacca and an angry protest that she'd kicked it. Shannon tried to call out for Dean but when her mouth opened, no sound came out. Apparently, Dean had gone the wrong way, because she was staring at the source of the grunt right then and there and as it straightened its head and hunched its shoulders just slightly, it looked pissed.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 06:53 pm UTC (link)

The thing's breathing looked labored and it was almost whining now. "Must've had too many apples, dumbass," he said under his breath. "Didn't your mom teach you too much of a good thing isn't good anymore?" He chuckled silently to himself and began to back away finally. The nasty looking man-sized beast was still sleeping as he turned around and tread quietly back toward where he'd left Shannon.

Behind him the animal thing continued to wreak of fecal matter and toxic sludge. Dean was grinning, about to tell Shannon that they had nothing to be afraid of and that there were definitely apples nearby, when he noticed she was nowhere to be seen. Shaking his head, he cussed quietly and shook his head. She'd run away at the first sign of possible danger. Typical girl, he thought. He was two seconds from heading back toward the road when he heard a scream.

Turning, he had just a moment to think before he was moving again. This time he was going in the direction of the scream and he could hear another sound. A low wailing sound that was definitely not Shannon. He hadn't taken more than five steps before he nearly collided with her frozen form. She was visibly shaking, her mouth moving soundlessly. His eyes followed hers toward a second man-beast. This one was awake and looking beyond testy.

"Now you did it," he whispered to Shannon. "Be very still." Sliding slowly in front of her, Dean put up his hands defensively toward the thing to show him they meant it no harm. Whatever it was didn't seem too convinced they were benign because it swung its arms threateningly and wailed again. "Shit."

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 07:05 pm UTC (link)

"Me!?" she breathed, wanting very badly to give Dean an incredulous look, but unable to make herself tear her eyes away from the thing in front of her. "I was just trying to hide behind a tree until you came back so I wasn't all out in the open. I thought it was a root; I backed into it," she whispered hastily back as he moved between she and the thing.

Shannon idly wondered if she looked the part of a damsel in distress or something...or if maybe Dean was just crazy, wanting to put himself in that position. He held his hands up defensively and Shannon had to put both hands over her mouth to keep herself from letting out another shriek when it wailed again, swinging its arms. Shit was right.

Moving one of her hands away from her mouth, she grabbed the back of Dean's shirt and gave it a gentle tug. It was her way of silently asking whether they should be trying to slowly back away. Her eyes scanned the immediate area in hopes of finding something they could use to defend themselves and she noticed, a few feet away, a large, fallen tree branch. There was no way she could heft it, but maybe Dean could. Rather than say anything, because her voice had left her again, Shannon walked her fingertips up Dean's back and onto his shoulder, pointing at it. Hopefully he'd take notice of what exactly it was she was pointing at without having to move too much.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 07:24 pm UTC (link)

"Yes, you with the Jamie Lee lungs. Think you could've been louder?" he grumbled under his breath. His tone was a bit terse but in reality he was trying to make light of it all. Talk her out of being as near panic as she seemed to be. He wanted to soothe her and snark seemed to be the best avenue. It would either divert her or make her angry. He hoped. He'd deal with either one but screaming and fainting would not be ideal. She didn't seem the type but you could never tell with people who repressed their feelings as tightly as she seemed to do.

The thing was wailing again, stepping toward them and flailing its arms like something from a Discovery channel documentary about angry gorillas. It was hunching its shoulders and trying to make itself appear larger even though it easily outweighed both he and Shannon. He took half a step back, shielding Shannon with even more of his body. Pressing back against her in a very protective closeness.

He was so focused on trying to show himself harmless to the animal that he hadn't had time to think about trying to defend them yet. Then he felt her fingers on the back of his shirt and his shoulder. It distracted him momentarily and he noticed what she was trying to point out to him. The branch was huge and the most he could do with it if he could even get to it would be poke the stinky thing. He shook his head.

The beast tilted its head back and let out a roaring wail that sounded different from before. It sounded like it was calling for help. To Shannon, over his shoulder, he said softly, "Oh. Fuck. Give me a beer." He reached behind him with his hand open, fingers opening and closing urgently in the air as he waited for her to put a can into them.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 07:32 pm UTC (link)

"Like you wouldn't scream like a little bitch if you turned around looking for a tree root and saw that thing staring at you!" she hissed back at him quietly, furrowing her brow in frustration. "My scream didn't wake it up, genius, I screamed because it woke up," she added in exasperation, feeling the need to defend her own reflexive actions.

When he backed up against her, Shannon's other hand reflexively went to his side, partially to let him know that, hey, he was touching her now and partially because she was afraid and holding onto Dean gave her something else to think about for a split second.

She gasped again and her breath caught in her throat as she started behind Dean when the beast roared. At Dean's command, Shannon's hand dropped off his shoulder and dug into the bag, quickly putting a beer can into his hand, interrupting the movement of his fingers. "You gonna get it drunk, Hulk?" she snarked in spite of herself. Because, really, what the fuck was he gonna do with a beer? Throw it at the thing and piss it off more?

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 07:49 pm UTC (link)

That was better. She sounded like she was getting madder the more he spoke to her. She might still be scared but he could feel her against his back and she didn't seem to be trembling anymore. Her voice was calm too. It meant that he wouldn't have to try to take care of her while he tried to get them out of this situation. It also meant that she was paying attention. If he told her to run, she'd hear him right away.

"You screamed because you woke it up? Great idea. Kick it and scream at it while it's sleeping. Makes perfect sense," he said in a low whisper as she put her hand on his side. It almost tickled and he just about laughed before the sound of footsteps came crashing through the underbrush. It was close enough that he could hear the responding wail from the beast he had seen among the apples.

When he felt the beer in his hand he lowered it to his side, shaking the can vigorously as far out of sight from the monster as he could get it without hitting Shannon with it. "Back up behind a tree if you can. There's another one coming. And no, I'm not going to get it drunk, Super Girl. Smart ass."

He patted her hand on his side with his free hand to stir her into action if she was able to move. He wouldn't blame her if she wasn't. The thing was acting more and more erratically, advancing on them and he wished more than anything for some sort of weapon. What would the Doctor do in this situation, he wondered.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 08:29 pm UTC (link)

"You are such an asshole, I can't believe you're fighting with me about this right now," she whispered back frantically. Unfuckingbelievable. Her head turned sharply when she heard the returning wail behind him.

Dean was shaking the beer can and, okay, she had to give him credit for that. It was more than she'd thought of, but he was also telling her she needed to back up behind a tree. Yeah fucking right, even if she wanted to move, she couldn't. "No! If I move this one charges you and the other one finds me," she hissed back, shaking her head. "Then we both die. Not happening, I am not dying here, dammit, no fucking way. I survived a plane crash; like hell I'm letting that ugly ass thing take me out," she added angrily.

Shannon felt Dean patting her hand and rather than respond the way she figured he wanted, by moving, she moved her hand out from under his and took his in her own, giving it probably a harder squeeze than she'd meant. Her other hand went to Dean's hip and she took a slow step back, trying to pull him back with her.

There was a rustle behind them and she let go of Dean, turning completely around and hoping Dean's height and bulk would hide her movement from the one he was facing. Especially since, as she backed into Dean again, she was facing another. "Shit..." she whispered. "Okay, Hulk, what's the plan?" she asked, taking out her own beer can and leaning her upper back against Dean. She arched her back away from him and shook the beer can between their bodies. "We got another one. What the hell are they?!" she breathed, more to herself than as an actual question to Dean.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 09:06 pm UTC (link)

Dean was so tempted to laugh when she called him an asshole but now was not the time. She was funny when she was mad and scared at the same time. He considered telling her but decided it wasn't the time. "Who's fighting? I was complimenting you on your fine hunting skills," he answered in a sarcastic tone.

Survived a plane crash? That explained a lot. What it explained he didn't know but... He squeezed her hand back in a silent sign that he understood why she didn't want to do as he asked. That thing was on its way, crashing through the brush now like a furious rhinocerous. It would be there in half a minute and the other one was being spurred on by the frantic calls back and forth.

Over his shoulder, Dean said quietly, "When you see the whites of its eyes, er," he looked at the scrambling, frantic beast which was now only a couple feet away, "the yellows. When you see them, pop the top and use your finger to direct the spray right into its eyes. Then you run as fast as your fucking legs can go back toward the road."

Shaking his can and keeping his eyes on the monster in front of him he didn't answer her question. He had no idea and he didn't really want her to know just how close the one in front of his was. "Whatever you do," he whispered into her ear, "do not scream."

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 09:18 pm UTC (link)

Sarcasm. Lovely. He was like her with a penis. Just what she needed right now. Her arm was cramping up and getting tired as she shook the can, still, watching as the beast, tipping its head from one side to the other as it advanced on her. She decided now wasn't really the time to keep shooting back at Dean, especially because she was distracted with fear; he would win and she hated to lose. She'd far rather forfeit.

Dean's plan sounded good in theory, but she already knew that Dean's...monster...was closer than hers was. If that was the plan, then Dean was going to have to spray his first and then she was fucking fucked. Leaning her head back against Dean's neck, she shook it. "I won't have time by the time you see yours," she pointed out aloud hesitantly. "And I won't scream," she added almost bitterly. The first scream was reflective because she was surprised; she'd be prepared this time.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 09:27 pm UTC (link)

He hadn't thought about it really because the nasty thing in front of him hadn't been as close when he'd thought of the plan as it was now that it was time to implement the plan. She was right. She wouldn't have time because the other one wasn't close enough yet and the one in front of him was so close that Dean could feel its brutally ripe breath on his face as it roared at him. The thing raised its arms and wailed, hot spittle flecking his face and there was nothing left to do but act.

He had no time to respond to Shannon. With one hand, his other hand still squeezing hers, he popped the top of his can. Warm, fizzy beer began spouting down over his hand. Half-plugging the hole with his thumb he directed the stream of beer into the monster's eyes with a feral shout of his own. The beer sprayed directly into the monster's yellow eyes illiciting a scream as the thing lunged madly, half-blinded and arms flailing.

Dean dodged left and spun, pulling Shannon into his arms and propelling her out again away from both monsters. The two of them swung in a tight semi-circle away and the half-blinded beast ran straight into the second one, fists beating out at its buddy instead of Dean and Shannon. As the two nasties tangled, Dean held to Shannon's hand and ran.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 09:48 pm UTC (link)

A squeak of surprise caught itself in Shannon's throat before it could be truly elicited. That was good, at least, she supposed, because she didn't need or want to make things any worse than they already were.

Dean was surprisingly quick and before she could truly process what was going on, beer was flying, that monster was screaming and Dean had whirled her around. She barely had time to register that one of the things had gone after the other before Dean started running and dragging her along behind him. Once the confused shock of it was gone, she sprang into action and rather than being dragged behind him, she ran beside Dean. She didn't, however, let go of his hand.

The sound of the scuffle behind them made her want to look back, but she knew if she did, she'd only trip herself - and Dean - up, so she resisted the urge, even if only barely. Had they really gotten that far into the forest? It was like the trees were never ending before the two of them. Her chest was tight again and she ignored it, pursing her lips together and refusing to let herself pant; that would only set off the asthma completely and she wasn't letting that happen if she could help it. Especially right now.

A few minutes felt like an hour before they broke through the tree line and she finally allowed herself to breathe through her mouth again, gasping for air and slowing her run. Finally, she let herself look over her shoulder but the things didn't seem to be following and the sound of the beasts fighting was gone from her ears. It looked and sounded, to Shannon, like she and Dean were in the clear, but Shannon knew better than to assume she was safe.

She did, however, stop running and let go of Dean's hand to double over and catch her breath. "Jesus Christ..." she panted, looking up at him through her eyelashes without straightening again. "You're pretty quick on the draw, Hulk." She gave him a tired smile and stood up again, looking back over her shoulder. Still nothing. At least not yet.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 10:02 pm UTC (link)

Dean was glad she went with it and did not try to resist the way he moved her around. It had been like a dance move almost and she'd glided into it so easily and then back out again before they began to run that he started to think he'd underestimated her in a few ways. She might be emotionally closed off, but there was a layer or two of depth to Shannon. Probably more. Oh. And she hadn't screamed.

He held tight to her hand as they ran, grateful again for her depth. She didn't try to look back. That took a lot of self-control. She kept moving instead. Once they flung themselves past the tree line and onto the road, he let go of her hand as she let go of his. It felt like a loss. That bothered him and he shoved it aside to gently rub her shoulder as she fought to catch her breath. He was pretty winded himself but not like she seemed to be.

"Are you okay?" he asked, smiling slightly as she called him Hulk. "Yeah, monsters got nothing on me. Or whatever." He smiled a bit more at her and glanced toward the forest to keep an eye on the possibility that those things, whatever they were, might have followed them. It didn't seem like they had but they couldn't be safe enough until they were farther away.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 10:15 pm UTC (link)

Dean was rubbing her shoulder as she tried to catch her breath. For a fleeting moment, the gesture made her angry. Not at him, but at herself. Having to be careful not to aggravate her asthma was making her look out of shape and weak, neither of which she would willingly agree that she was. Most especially out of shape; Shannon took great care to keep herself fit. Once a dancer, always a dancer and she wasn't willing to give up the figure she'd earned from all her hard work.

Nodding slightly and giving him a small, grateful smile, Shannon took another deep breath and let it out in a tired huff. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks," she replied. "Too bad for them, huh, tough guy?" she joked breathlessly, balling one hand into a fist and pounding it lightly against her chest in hopes of loosening the uncomfortable tightness there before she started wheezing. God, she hated the wheezing.

In through the nose, out through the mouth, she reminded herself and did just that. Almost as fast as the attack came on, she managed to settle it without an inhaler. A smile tugged at her lips. Domeki would be proud.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 10:26 pm UTC (link)

Dean watched her concernedly as she concentrated on breathing. That didn't seem normal to him. It wasn't the type of thing someone who was merely out of shape did. It was something controlled. She must have asthma or something worse, he decided. He wasn't going to ask. Instead he let his hand fall away and walked a few steps away to survey the forest critically.

"Too bad for them," he answered absently, staring into the darkness beyond the first layer of trees. He thought he could hear the sounds of a scuffle and distant wailing. If anything they were moving off in the opposite direction. He hoped.

"Yeah, they never saw us coming did they, Super Girl? Or should I say they didn't see you coming?" He grinned, still not looking at her as he teased her gently. He was past needing her to be mad to keep her focused so he wasn't going to give her too much hell about waking up the creature. He could have done that himself. It had just been the luck of the draw.

It occurred to him then that the Doctor had been right. He could get out of a dangerous situation without banging people on the head or shooting them. He hadn't even done much damage. Whatever those creatures had been wouldn't suffer long. He had to admit he hoped they'd kill each other and have done with it but at least he wasn't responsible for the death of something that might not have been anything but a scared and confused animal awakened in a strange place by a screaming girl. The Doctor would be proud.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 10:37 pm UTC (link)

Shannon looked over at Dean and watched him back as he seemed to be checking the forest. He was still and his response to her was distracted; it looked to her like he was listening. Shannon, herself, couldn't hear anything over her own panting. "Shut up," she laughed airily when he poked at her again for having woken the stupid thing up to begin with.

She realized, then, that she was still wearing Dean's jacket. "Oh, here," she said as she maneuvered her arms out of the sleeves and shrugged it off, holding it out to him. "Thank you."

Dean had put himself between her - a complete stranger - and a threat. He'd come up with a plan of action, executed it, and kept her safe until they'd gotten out of the forest entirely. Now she had a heroic poet and a heroic smart ass. That was...interesting. "So much for apples, huh?" she asked with a nervous laugh before letting out a sigh. He hadn't had to do any of those things. Like Domeki, he could've left her there to fend for herself, but he hadn't. He acted as if it was reflex and it made Shannon wonder what he did in the real world. She didn't ask, though, lest he not remember and she pour salt in the open wound.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 10:45 pm UTC (link)

Dean turned back toward Shannon as she took off his jacket and handed it back to him. He was still warm from the adrenaline of the situation they'd just escaped and the run to the edge of the forest. His breathing was beginning to return to normal and that was good. He glanced at her face, taking it in quietly as though memorizing it, before he took the jacket from her hand. "Are you sure you don't still need it? I'm fine without it for now. You could give it back when we get back to the museum. That's where you're living, right?"

He held the jacket at arm's length still, offering it back to her should she need it. Some part of him felt like he still needed to protect her. The fact that she'd had trouble breathing and he'd forced her to run, well it made him feel a bit guilty. It also made him look at her differently. She was tough as nails. There was nothing overly delicate about her and yet there was. Somehow she managed to be both harder than steel and as fragile as a flower. It confused him but he thought what he was feeling was both protectiveness and admiration.

But this was over now. He knew how it would be. They'd go back. It would be a funny story they'd tell around the campfire - if they had those in this ridiculous place. All the stupid feelings he was having would fade back into the shell of sarcasm and snarky sniping. The witty banter would cancel out anything else. And why was he even thinking about her like that anyway? Yeah, that was enough of that.

Clearing his throat, he glanced back in the direction of the forest. "I'll go back another time on my own and find some for you. I think I can handle it if no one wakes the big babies up again." He smiled to himself as he got in another gentle dig and then said, "So, back to the museum, eh?"

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 11:02 pm UTC (link)

For a moment, Shannon just stood there, looking at him. He had taken the jacket back but was offering it to her again, saying that he didn't really need it. The way he'd looked at her was...weird... She was cold again though, yeah. "It's...where...we're living," she replied carefully. She'd just sort of assumed he'd move in with them since his brother and the Doctor lived there. Maybe she'd assumed incorrectly. "I mean, unless you had somewhere else you wanted to go..." she added quickly.

Shannon took the jacket back from him and gave him another small, grateful smile as she put it on again, pulling it tightly around herself. "Thank you," she said softly. She wasn't that much smaller than he was, or she hadn't thought she was, but she was practically swimming in the jacket. Somehow, she hadn't noticed that when she'd been wearing it before. She supposed it was dawning on her now because she was out of the direct line of fire, so to speak.

"I have food," she replied. "I was just kind of sick of Slim Fast bars," she explained. The last thing she wanted was for him to go out into the forest alone to get some stupid apples for her. "Don't worry about it, seriously." Besides, what if you get snatched up again and then they finish whatever it was they might've been trying to do to you...? It'd be my fault if you actually expired, she thought to herself in reference to the tattoo that had been on his arm - was still on his arm. She didn't say any of those things though.

She shifted from one foot to the other and nodded. "Yeah, we should get back..." she agreed. Her mind was turning over the events and the one thing that she couldn't seem to explain to herself was why he'd been looking at her the way he'd looked at her. She wondered if maybe he looked like someone he knew in real life and was trying to remember. Maybe Cassie, whoever she was. Maybe Shannon looked like her. She didn't ask.

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hellsboy
2009-04-23 11:11 pm UTC (link)

When Shannon accepted his jacket back and slipped into it, he watched her for a moment. It was so large on her that he wondered how she managed to see over the collar. She was slender where he was muscular. He was lucky he hadn't hurt her when they'd been escaping considering how he'd man-handled her. And she hadn't even complained. Yes, he definitely admired her. That was all it was.

"Slim Fast bars don't sound like something you need as far as I can tell," he commented, indicating that she was indeed slim and fast with a glance at the forest and then her figure. "It'd probably be relaxing to take a walk alone in the forest, as long as no one decides to hold me a few more days then tattoo the other arm with something just as stupid."

He found his smile and slid it across his face in a charming mask as he turned back to her from the woods again. "Alrighty then," he said, offering her his arm jauntily as though chivalry were not dead. "Let's get back to the museum before Stanford starts worrying about us both ending up expired."

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-23 11:28 pm UTC (link)

Blushing slightly and shaking her head, Shannon smiled. "Yeah, but like hell I'm surviving on chocolate bars and potato chips," she pointed out. "Not if I want to keep this," she added, making a vague gesture toward her middle. Her smile faded slightly at the latter part of his statement. That was exactly why she didn't like the idea of him going out on his own. "You should go with Sam," she suggested. "Get to know him. Seeing as how he knows you and all..." she said softly, giving him a sympathetic smile.

Sympathy faded into amusement and Shannon's smile broadened as she linked her arm through his. "He does seem the worrying type, doesn't he...?" she mused mostly to herself. Not that it was a bad thing. Shannon felt like maybe it was actually a good thing; it'd keep him alert and careful. Or else she was completely off and the worry wasn't what it seemed to be at all. She didn't want to let herself go back to thinking that way, though, so she pushed the thought away.

She started to walk back toward the museum and found herself feeling a little bit empty on the inside. Part of it, she thought, was because of the apples and the other part, she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was like she was missing something that was staring her right in the face and she couldn't for the life of her figure out what the fuck it was. Maybe she was just paranoid; this place was probably slowly driving her insane.

I am slowly going crazy
One, two, three, four, five, six, switch
Crazy going slowly am I
Six, five, four, three, two, one, switch

"Jesus..." she laughed, shaking her head. "I really am going crazy..."

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hellsboy
2009-04-24 08:26 am UTC (link)

Dean did not like that sympathy he saw on her face. It made him feel small, the way Dad had always made him feel when he'd fucked up and hurt himself before he was old enough to know how to suck it up and save face. He understood why she'd look at him like that but he hated it just as much as he figured she must hate when people acted like her help wasn't needed. "I think I can handle a couple stupid sewer beasts on my own - just give me a couple beer cans and I'll gitter done," he deflected with a small smile.

When she took his arm, Dean tucked his hand in his pocket, snugging her arm against his side. It felt nice and somehow familiar. Which didn't seem right since he knew she was someone he'd just met. Must be Cassie he was remembering, he decided. Now there was something he was not letting surface. He could think about it and wallow in self-pity inside his own head if he had to but he was not letting that shit out of his mouth or onto his face. Why did he have to remember that of all things right now?

Whatever though. They'd survived a minor crisis and the endorphins still had him on a nice high. So it wasn't difficult to put up the façade and be the funny man again. "I have a feeling old Sammy would insist on getting the apples for you himself. He'd cut me out of the deal completely and then how would I ever get you in your pants?" he asked with a rakish twinkle in his eye as he looked over at her. Then he laughed as she suggested she was going crazy.

Plucking up his best Anthony Perkins Psycho voice, he answered, "We all go a little crazy sometimes..."

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-24 12:00 pm UTC (link)

In spite of the, don't be an idiot just to look macho, train of thought that was running through her head at Dean's response, Shannon returned his small smile with one of her own. "Well...I suppose we at least know that they apparently sleep during the day, so I guess as long as you watch your step better than I did..." she said, purposefully letting her voice trail off as she gave him a small, impish smile. Why she felt the need to give herself a jab, she wasn't sure, but she thought maybe it had to do with the fact that he'd made a joke but it hadn't really been accompanied by the smug sound in his voice or the shit-eating grin.

Shannon felt him tuck his hand into his pocket, pulling her arm snugly against his side and she smiled slightly to herself. Whatever was keeping him running was wearing off on her; she was tired. With a sigh, she leaned her head over on his shoulder and wiggled the fingers of her free hand to re-grip the bag of beer cans. "I can't believe I didn't drop these," she laughed, shaking her head just slightly against him before lifting it again. "Does that make me a huge lush? We're running from some big, scary monster thing and I hold fast to the beer?" she joked, looking over at him.

Her eyebrows arched slightly and she laughed. "First of all, why the hell would Sam wanna do me any favors? And second of all, who says bringing me apples would be enough to get you that out of the deal?" she teased.

At his impression, Shannon smirked and hummed out a giggle. "Man, what I wouldn't give to just sit down and watch a movie right now. I know, that's, like, so random but..." she let her voice trail off. It had been forever, it felt like, since the last time Shannon had gotten to do anything so simple. The closest she'd been to watching a movie in the past couple of months was watching the bullshit drama between Kate, Jack, and Sawyer unfold. ...and that plot line got old really fast even if it was the most interesting thing to watch on the Island.

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hellsboy
2009-04-24 01:02 pm UTC (link)

Dean chuckled lightly at her own self-snark. "Well I have to say you're probably the best one for the job if we want to rile them up. Which might not be a bad idea if we could steer clear of them ourselves and let them fight themselves into oblivion. Just bring in ol' Shannon with her horror movie lungs and we've got ourselves a great situation started." He was still only teasing gently. The memory of her working to catch her breath made him sympathetic and he had learned from experience that she wasn't a silly fluff who screamed for no reason. This was just distraction chatter because they were almost to the museum and he was loathe to let her go so soon.

"I'm just surprised you didn't beat yourself up with the damn bag while you were running. Girl, you can move!" he grinned. "I think Sam would do anything for you. Why wouldn't he? He's a very smart guy. It's smart to keep the pretty girls happy. Which is why I figure if I get you some apples I'll get in your pants eventually."

He winked at her with that statement. He was pretty sure she would know he was messing around but in case she was the type to wonder if he was going to hold some sort of score over her head for saving her or whatever, he wanted to be safe. He wasn't that kind of guy. At least, he didn't think he was. He hoped not.

"I know what you mean," he muttered as he on the road stopped in front of the museum. "I was wishing I had my tape deck earlier. A movie would probably be better. Think there's any popcorn hidden in this asshole place?"

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-24 06:14 pm UTC (link)

Rolling her eyes, Shannon gave him a playful shove. "Shut up. At least if I'm ever in trouble I know you'll hear me all the way across town, though, huh?" she laughed. She gave him a pointed look then. "And I expect you to come running to save my ass, Hulk," she added with a smirk.

Dean's compliment left her grinning to herself. She hadn't ever really had to run like that before, so she'd actually surprised herself. It was nice to hear the sentiment from someone else. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure I'll have a nice bruise on my thigh for it, but hey, we have beer, so yay," she joked.

Shannon tried not to pause her step as she tried to process the next thing that Dean had said. He thought Sam would do anything for her. He thought she was pretty. ...he wanted to have sex with her?

"So hang on," she said playfully. "Back up the train. You wouldn't fuck yourself, but you'd fuck me? Is that what you're saying?" she asked, grinning and raising her eyebrows with curiosity. "Just a heads up if I've got it right...it's probably going to take more than apples to get me in the mood in this fucking place," she teased.

Although, as much as the last statement didn't feel untrue, she did suddenly find herself wondering if maybe getting laid would chill her the fuck out for a minute. She didn't share that thought process with Dean.

As they came up to the museum, Shannon felt a second wind of energy surge through her. "Ha, oh my God, can you see it? Friggen JiffyPop over a torch. There's a theater...we should get people together and put on a play or something to get our minds off everything," she laughed, only half-joking. She stopped walking and turned to face him, her smile softening into a more serious expression. "Thank you," she said, taking a deep breath. She let it out in a huff and smiled weakly at him. "You know, for saving my life when I screwed up," she finished, standing on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek.

Giving him a small grin, Shannon winked and nodded back toward the museum. "So, shall we? Have a rest or something, maybe, before the sun goes down and we all have to start our shifts?"

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hellsboy
2009-04-26 07:42 pm UTC (link)

Dean grinned when she shoved him and eyed her playfully. "I'm actually surprised no one else has come running already to save you. You were damn loud, Super Girl." He paused and thought for a moment as she stated her expectation. He figured he didn't need to respond to it. He would always run to save her if he knew she was in trouble. It was in his nature.

"You need old Doctor Dean to take a look at that bruise? Patch it up all proper for you?" he teased. Avoing admitting anything specific, to further tease her he added, "I have a feeling that might help where the apples wouldn't help enough. Am I right?"

He lifted a brow at her as she mentioned the theater and putting on a play. "Oh hell no. You're not getting me in a theater for any reason unless it's to watch a Schwarzenegger movie. I don't do plays. Last one I was in was in 2nd grade and I ended up the tail end of a horse with Smelly Melvin LaMarque. One of the few times Dad was stopped on the road long enough for Sammy and me to be in school a month or two."

Another memory. A ridiculously random one that had no business cropping up right now or coming out of his mouth. He bit back revealing any more, including the bullying he'd taken the day of the play and how Dad had reacted. Suck it up, son. Walk it off. And next time just walk away. The only things you should be fighting are the monsters under you bed.

Instead of faltering or pausing too long, he simply smiled at Shannon. "Golly! You're welcome. It's all part of the job, ma'am," he said, pretending to be flustered by her kiss. He chuckled and tugged her arm lightly, pulling them back into stride, arm in arm up the steps to the museum door.

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ballerinadreams
2009-04-26 08:17 pm UTC (link)

Shaking her head, Shannon wrinkled her nose. "Shut up, I hate you," she laughed. She'd missed this sort of banter. Boone hadn't ever been able to keep up and Sayid had only managed to get in a few good quips in the time she'd known him. He'd waited until they'd known each other a lot longer; Dean had no such reservations. It was a fun challenge for her.

"Doctor Dean, huh?" she asked with a smirk, raising her eyebrows. "You're awfully sure of yourself aren't you?" The innuendo was pretty clear to Shannon. Instead of continuing with the guise of misunderstanding and tiptoeing around word play, Shannon decided to change tack to see if she could catch him off guard. "A rousing game of Doctor never hurt anyone...I wouldn't hate it," she said bluntly although with an air of nonchalance as she grinned smugly and shrugged. Her eyebrows cocked just slightly in her amusement with herself.

Dean was opposed to the idea of the theater and her cocky grin faded into something softer as he seemed to be recounting another memory. She wanted to say something, but she kept her mouth shut, in case he had more to say on it before he realized he was talking about a memory and locked it off unintentionally. But then he didn't say anything further and so she gave him a facial shrug. "Fair enough. Not even to watch other people make asses of themselves?" she coaxed.

A hum of a giggle escaped Shannon's lips as he pretened to be flustered for her having kissed his cheek. "Oh, my hero," she drawled out in a Southern accent, fanning her face with one hand and batting her eyelashes, laughing when he tugged her arm and pulled her back into their linked arms position. They headed up the steps and Dean pulled the door open.

Sam was already waiting and had said he was looking for one of them. Dean, she had to assume and so she gave Sam a sheepish grin by way of apologizing for stealing his brother. As Dean held the door open, she headed inside and gave Dean a playfully weary look as he explained what they'd been up to while they'd been gone. Deciding to make herself useful and clean up the floor of one of the other rooms, just in case someone needed or wanted it at some point, she gave Dean a wink and Sam a small smile accompanied by a wave before making her way inside and down the hall. Dean made a crack after her and she shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Asshole," she muttered in amusement before turning into one of the rooms to get to work.

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