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Eileen was checking out the last details before leaving again. Escaping was becoming part of her routine already, since the hunter accidentally killed the British Men of Letters employee. She remembered Sam hugged her on that day and told her, speaking as much as using ASL, that was a mistake and consequently implying it was not her fault. However, nothing changed the fact that she was the one who shot that man and murdered him, intentionally or not. If she was not so careless he would still be alive, probably.
F
The young woman felt guilty. She never killed anything in her life but a monster before. To her, it would be okay to be executed by the British Men of Letters, by the way, if she did not have recently discovered that she was not the only one they wanted to hurt. Eileen became aware that the London faction was bugging all the bunker. She did not know what their intentions were but she was sure they were not good ones.
Another thing she was sure about is that she needed warning the Winchester brothers somehow. The young brown haired woman knew too well that if she did it, she would be exposing herself too and risking, literally, her neck in the process, but she could not be at peace with herself if anything ever happened with the boys just because she did not warn them in time.
Not a long ago Leahy met the Winchester, but soon enough she got attached to them, especially the youngest one. They had a lot in common: Both of them lost their parents when they were babies, both of them started to hunt searching for justice, both were connected to the Men of Letters, both wanted to study law at the college, both were affectionate and they worried about their family above all things. Sam even made an effort to learn ASL, only to be able to better communicate with her. Eileen did not want to admit, but she felt a little shaken by the boy. Nobody ever did something like that for her and she never felt such strong connection with anyone before, not even with Mildred whom she deeply esteemed. Although she loved talking to Mrs. Baker, they did not have so many topics in common as Eileen and Sam did.
With a whisper, the hunter decided to keep packing up. She was a girl marked to die, it wouldn't do any good keeping feeding hope of a future she would never have. The better she could do was guarantee those she loved would have a future, even if without her.
It was melancholic having his kind of thoughts flying on her mind, but Eileen preferred thinking this way than delude herself with frivolous daydreams of a full and happy life beside Sam Winchester. When she had finished her preparations and was about to zip her bag, she felt her phone vibrating inside the pocket of her jacket. With a fast movement, the hunter finished her previous action and looked for the device. She noticed it was a message.
"There are some days I don't get news from you, so I decided to check how you are. SW."
Eileen smiled entertaining, happier than she would like, the thought that Sam was worried about her as much as she was worried about him. She clicked on the answer option and wrote:
"Hi, Sam. I'm fine, thx for asking. I just packed my bag, ready for the next destination. EL."
Almost immediately, the phone vibrated again. On the screen, the answer:
"I suppose you won't tell me again where ur going to."
Eileen wanted to tell him where she would go. She wanted to invite him to go there with her or maybe visit him in the bunker but she knew it was too dangerous to both of them. Instead of it, she decided to try to fulfill one of her goals: trying to warn them about the bugging.
"Ru on the bunker?", asked Eileen via text.
"Don't tell me you're close by... :)"
"You know I can't tell where I am." said Eileen. "Ru escaping 2?"
"Nope." answered Sam in what seemed more like a chat now. "I'm on Esbon, solving a case w/ Dean."
"Aw! Send a hug to him, pls."
"Only him gets a hug?"
The young woman could clearly visualize the expression the brown haired man would be doing at the moment, one mixing a slight provocation with the puppy eyes he did with mastery at this point of his life and probably would guarantee anything he wanted from anyone.
"I'd rather hug you in person." She played back.
"The case ended up being a false alarm. We're going back to the Bat-cave. We'll be there in 20. I'll be waiting with open arms o/"
"I've got a better idea. Do you remember that place we went that day Castiel abducted Dean, saying he needed his help? We could meet there."
The place aforementioned was the Village Cafe. Eileen couldn't call what happened there a date but it was a pleasant afternoon, anyways. That was probably the only coffee shop in the small city that had only 94 inhabitants and in which Sam was in. He would certainly remember the place.
"Deal. I'll talk to Dean."
"Get something to do to spend your time. I should take 1h or so to get there."
"No prob, just come."
"On my way :)"
"Waiting :)"
Eileen Leahy took her bag, rapidly putting it on her truck and, getting in her car, she started to drive, going through the US-136 route which she knew relatively well. When she finally got to Webster St. and took the US-281, on her right side, she was so anxious she started to tap her fingers on the wheel, looking for a distraction. It didn't take long, though, for the hunter's boredom restart. It was a huge relief when she finally arrived at the KS-112 and realized she was about five minutes to the marked location.
She parked in front of the Village Cafe, not without check if there was something outside the normal around there. She immediately recognized the black impala 67 parked two cars from hers, an indication the boys were already there too. She smiled with the thought.
It was not difficult to locate the brothers when she got in the shop. The coffee shop was modest but beautiful and the coffee they made there was wonderful. Dean and Sam stood up as soon as they saw her.
"Hi! Did you make a nice trip?" asked Sam with a large smile on his face and doing the signs that corresponded the sentence in the American Sign Language as well. He hugged her tenderly then and Eileen had the impression her heartbeats could be heard, so strong they seemed to beat inside her ribcage. Sam said nothing about that, though.
"I made a great trip, thanks." the woman answered.
"Hey, Eileen!" greeted Dean. He didn't make any sign but he smiled and he looked her in the eyes while talking to her. That was enough for her to understand him, since she was an excellent lip reader. He also hugged her, but it was shorter than his brother's.
"You got to come in less than one hour, how great!" said Sam, still smiling. "Where have you been, after all?"
"Riverton, Nebraska." the female hunter answered. "Sorry I didn't tell you that before, I wasn't sure your phone wasn't bugged."
"We understand, Eileen." answered Dean.
"We're dealing with everything with the British Men of Letters," Sam added, "we won't let anyone hurt you."
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." started the young woman. However, right at that moment a waitress showed up greeting them politely and asking them what they would like to have.
Eileen asked for the famous coffee, while Sam and Dean waived off the opportunity because eating was their pastime while they waited for her which was what they explained to her.
"I don't want you guys to interfere and put yourselves against the Men of Letters on my behalf." Eileen proceeded when the waitress went away to get her coffee. The Winchester looked at her intrigued, while she continued using only sign language, which she was sure Sam would understand. "The Men of Letters... They are not reliable. They bugged all the bunker. There might be bugs on you at this very moment."
"I think it's really cute when you gesture to each other like that, but could we have the hearers' version now?" asked Dean who still did not understand how serious the situation was.
"She asked me to understand her reasons and do not insist on this topic. She knew I was going to protest." Sam said aloud while putting his index finger on his mouth, the universal gesture to ask for silence, as soon as his brother opened his mouth again. Eileen just nodded, indicating that, for now, Dean should accept that answer.
"OK, you're a grown girl already." Dean replied.
"It was exactly what I was trying to explain to Sam." agreed Eileen, keeping the cover.
Meanwhile, under the still curious gaze of his brother, Sam frisked himself and then his brother as well. This time, Dean resigned to only make faces that clearly indicated the dirty jokes he would do if he could speak freely. The younger Winchester found there were not any bugs on them.
"Ok, we're clean." he declared.
"Does someone care to explain to me what happened right now?" asked the older Winchester, peeved because he was left out of what seemed to be important information. "I want to take a picture of you guys when you are full of love signs with each other, but I feel like I'm losing something that I shouldn't right here, so spit it out."
"The Men of Letters bugged the bunker. Eileen thought they might have bugged us too." explained the man with longer hair. "That's why you didn't want to go back to the bunker?" this time Sam looked to his friend.
"Yep." Eileen answered. "If I told you about the bugs there, they would know you know about them. And they would also know that I was there. I don't know what you intend to do with this information, but surely I thought it would be better if they didn't know you know about it."
At this moment, the waitress returned with the hunter's coffee.
"Thank you." Eileen said, sipping the liquid. They waited for the waitress to get out of their vision field again.
"That was very smart, Eileen." said Sam. The woman felt her heart involuntarily race again.
"Answering your question, we're gonna play dumb." said the oldest Winchester. "Pretending we don't know anything until we find out what their plan is. Then we're gonna get them."
"Good plan." complimented the young woman.
"How about you?" asked Sam. "What is the plan? You could come with us."
"To the secret refuge of the guys who want to kill me? Sam Winchester, I didn't know you hated me so much..." answered Eileen mockingly.
"They don't need to know you're there. We could communicate to each other using only ASL." replied Sam. "Besides that, the bunker would be the last place in which they would look for you."
"And if they show up there, we can always shoot first and ask later." Dean completed. "It's OUR bunker. Our home. We will put things in order there and reinforce the security."
Sam looked at her like the Puss in Boots.
"Sam..." Eileen felt his gaze intensifying on her. "OK, but you must pretend I'm not there until we get rid of the bugs."
"You can stay in Sam's room, so there won't be noises from the guest room." said Dean. Eileen and Sam looked to each other in a mix between irritation and embarrassment as they were trying to scream "DEAN!" at the same time.
"What? It was only an idea..." Dean tried to justify doing the best innocent expression he could make. He stood up from his chair a few seconds after that. "I need to piss. Don't do anything I wouldn't."
Eileen, slightly flushed, saw the oldest Winchester stand up and go to the Village's restroom. Sam signed "I'm sorry" to her as soon Dean got out of their view.
"That's okay." answered Eileen, also using sign language.
"This is his way of telling he considers you as a member of the family too." said the boy, mixing speaking and sign language now. Eileen knew he wanted to say he considered her family as well.
"It's strange being considered part of a family after spending so much time without one." Leahy commented, also signaling. "But it's pleasant."
They stood there for what looked like minutes only looking at each other, the hunter's coffee finished a long time ago. Eileen looked to her own hands, she didn't know why Sam made her feel so nervous like that. It's not like she was inexperienced in relationships.
"You improved a lot on sign language." said the girl, trying to restart the conversation.
"I've got the best teacher." Sam answered, smiling at her. Eileen felt like melting with that smile. "Eileen..." the hunter said, after a while. "When all of this with the Men of Letters finish..." He averted his eyes from hers, hesitating for a moment, but right after that he continued using only signs: "Do. You. Want. Get out. With me?"
"I may not be a good company." said Eileen, also using ASL. "They say I'm a terrible listener."
Sam laughed out loud, judging by the way his body shook."
"I can deal with that." replied Sam. Eileen also smiled.
"And I don't call on the next day." completed her.
"I send a message." retorted Sam.
"OK. I think my arguments ended."
"Just say yes, then."
"Yes." Eileen answered, smiling at him.
"I think that is the part I'm supposed to kiss you but my brother is getting out of that restroom any time now and I'll never see the end of it if he sees us." Sam commented. Eileen got a little disappointed, she just realized she actually wanted him to kiss her at that instant. "Oh!" Sam explained. "You know what? Screw it."
And he ended the distance between them. Eileen corresponded practically immediately. She forgot she was in a coffee shop, she forgot she was being hunted, she forgot she was on a mission. All that existed was her, Sam and that kiss. They parted from each other slightly breathless, however with huge smiles on their faces.
"I think Dean's idea might not be that bad after all..." commented Eileen. Sam smiled once more. "I'm kidding. Don't start to have ideas."
"I said nothing!" replied the other hunter. Eileen smiled.
"You better go to call your brother. He's taking too long in that restroom."
Eileen waited there while the youngest brother went after the oldest just to be informed by Sam there were not anybody in the restroom.
"Do you think he passed by here and saw us?" asked Eileen, pondering that Sam was right about the fact Dean would never let them be if he had caught them osculating.
"We're gonna figure it out soon enough." answered the tallest one, extending his hand to her hunting companion to grab. She took his hand and they went together in the impala direction.
"Finally!" said Dean when they arrived. Eileen immediately knew he was not referring to their delay in reaching the car. Looking sideways to Sam she saw he knew it too.
"Oh, stop!" commented the brother with long locks, feigning irritation.
"My car is over there," said Eileen. "I'll follow you guys with it."
She did not wait for an answer from them before going her way, but when she sat down on the driver's chair she could read Sam's lips while he enunciated to his brother what looked like: "Shut up... Jerk."
The oldest one, with a smile that showed pure pride and satisfaction on his face, seemed to answer to him: "Bitch."
Brothers...
Eileen smiled pretending she did not see their exchange. So both cars followed the road out towards the place the Winchester called home, which she would also do soon enough, although she did not know that little fact yet.