"Are you sure I'll stay asleep?" I ask.

"If you wake up, I'll just put you back to sleep," Cas shrugs. "It will be short enough that you wouldn't remember it anyway."

"Alright," I sigh. "Get it over with."

I clench my eyes shut and focus on Dean's hand in mine. Cas is about to knock me out and mutilate the sigils on my back so they're useless.

"I'll be here the whole time," Dean reminds me. "It'll be over before you know it."

I don't respond. I feel Cas touch my forehead, and then I'm out cold.

As I wake up, I feel a thousand times better. Dean is still sitting next to me in a chair, holding my hand that's dangling off the table, but his head dangles backward; he's asleep. I squeeze his hand and say his name a few times before he stirs, and eventually wakes up.

"Hey, how you feeling?" He asks, clearing his throat of the sleepiness that settled in his voice.

"Great," I reply, "nothing hurts. Does my back look okay?"

Dean stands and looks me over quickly. "Not even a scar. Cas cleaned you up pretty good."

Forgetting that I'm undressed from the waist up, I sit up and stretch. Dean clears his throat and stares at the floor.

"Oh, shit," I mumble and hastily cross my arms over my chest. Without a word, Dean slips off the flannel he's wearing over his T-shirt and gives it to me. I don it quickly and button it shut. "I'm decent now."

"Fitting," Dean smirks. "You should wear my shirts more often."

"Are you suggesting that I wander around the bunker half-naked more often?" I ask jokingly.

"Only if Sam and Cas are gone," he says strictly.

I laugh a genuine, full laugh. It feels wonderful to throw my head back and let my torso shake with laughter. It feels good to be pain-free in the company of people that care for me.

I return to my room to at least slip on a bra under Dean's flannel. After, I go find Sam and Cas in the foyer. Sam's reading the newspaper, Cas is looking over old books.

"Do you two ever just relax?" I ask.

"Hey, look at you," Sam laughs.

"Mallory," Cas greets me with a slight grin. "How are you?"

"I feel great. Really. Thank you, Cas."

I give him an awkward hug which is only somewhat returned.

"Don't mention it. We take care of our own."

I smile, full-fledged. "So what's going on out here?"

Sam shrugs. "I've been looking around for a case, but I can't really find anything."

I nod. I feel somewhat bummed out; Dean's probably never going to let me go on a hunt again.

Nothing says you have to go with them, my conscience reminds me. It's a poor idea, but a thought, in case I'm ever desperate.

I look on as the boys go about their business. My mind wanders. I think back to when I first came here. I was supposed to complete the deal, then leave. Alas, I ended up loving one as a man, and the other two as brothers.

But I still wonder what I do now. I'm free, and flying as low below the radar as it gets. Part of me still wants to venture off by myself, but most of me is content here.

A few days go by normally. The boys all decide to just take a break since they can't find any cases. One morning, as I sit in the library, I hear unfamiliar voices coming from the foyer.

I follow the noise and enter. Sam and Dean are standing with two females that I've never met, the younger looking is one detaching herself from Dean as I walk in. I take my place next to Dean, close enough to make a statement to her.

"Who's this?" I ask.

"Mal, this is Ellen and Jo Harvell. They're close family friends," Sam introduces. "Ellen, Jo, this is Mallory, another close friend."

"You boys are real socialites these days," Ellen jokes. She gives me a strange look. "What's your story?"

I scramble. "It's kind of complicated."

"Hm."

"Ellen and Jo are going to stay with us for a few days," Dean says warmly. "We owe them one, and they were closer to the bunker than the safe house."

"Oh, okay." I smile at both of them, but it's not reciprocated. Ellen seems suspicious of me, but Jo is flat out glaring at me.

Sam clears his throat. "Let me help you guys get settled."

Ellen agrees. The three of them leave the room. I turn to Dean. "I don't think they like me."

"They just don't know you," he says. "But definitely don't mention the reaper part, unless you want them to tear you to shreds."

"Like they could," I mutter jokingly.

"I'm serious, they don't take kindly to anything other than humans," he warns. "It took a long time for them to come around to Cas. Maybe just try to stay out of their way."

"Stay out of their way?" I scoff. "I live here, they're your guests. I would think they'd be a little more polite."

"They've been around a lot longer than you have, Mal," Dean reminds me. "I've known Jo since we were five. Ellen used to babysit me sometimes when dad went on hunts."

"Good to know you're so close with Jo," I grumble.

Dean heaves a sigh and leaves me alone in the foyer. I can tell there's not going to be much pleasantness amongst the household for the duration of the Harvells' stay.

❤️