flagstaff | chapter twenty

When Dakota wakes up, the first thing she sees is Sam sat up in his bed silently watching her. His eyes widen as he sees he's been caught and he quickly looks away. Dakota sits up and looks at the boy across from her. 

"So." She states, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Where did you go last night? You had me terrified."

"I'm sorry." Sam sighs. "I needed to think. I panicked when you said what you did."

"Oh, you mean 'I love you'?" Dakota snaps, glaring when Sam flinches slightly.

"Look. I have never had a serious relationship before, having never been in one place long enough. And we've only known each other a week. Is that not too soon for love?" Sam asks, raising his eyebrows. "Sure, I've felt the connection, and I've felt other feelings for you too. But love? How can you be sure?"

"I'm not sure, Sam!" Dakota shouts incredulously. "That's the thing. This is as new to me as it is to you. I have only had one other serious relationship in my life, and we both know how that turned out! But I believe that I love you. I believe."

"But how can we be certain that this is what love is?" Sam asks with wide eyes, quite obviously scared of his own feelings.

"The way to know you love someone is to lose them. If you miss them, you love them. But if that's the only way to find out if I love you, then I never want to know." Dakota shrugs. "That is what I believe. So, no. I am not certain that this is love. But I believe it is, and that's enough for me. Is it enough for you, Sammy?"

"I don't know!" Sam states. "My Dad loved my Mom, and you know what happened? She died. Killed by some monster or whatever. And Dad was overcome by revenge. I don't want that happening to you, I don't want you to die and I don't want to become like my Dad."

"Sam, that could happen at any time. Just because you love me doesn't mean I'm going to die. Your Mom didn't die because she loved your Dad, she died because something killed her. I could die today, or tomorrow, or in fifty years. Loving you won't change the fact that I could die at any point in time." Dakota explains softly. "I love you. I need to know if you feel the same, Sam. I don't mean to push you, but I was terrified last night, for two reasons. One was I was scared you were going to get hurt out there alone, I couldn't find you and it was terrifying. And the other reason was because I was scared you'd reject me and I'd never see you again. So please, Sam. How do you feel about me?"

Glistening tears make their way down Dakota's cheeks and her eyes sparkle with the unshed ones.

Sam is silent for a while, looking as though he's deep in thought. Multiple emotions flash over his face as he thinks and Dakota grows concerned for him. 

Finally though, he speaks. His voice is quiet and soft, so soft you wouldn't hear it if there was the faintest noise in the room.

"I love you too, Kota." He whispers softly with a smile. "I love you too. Like you said, we can't be completely sure, but we can believe. And I believe. I believe in you, and I believe in our love. And you're right, you could die at any point in time, me loving you isn't going to speed that up. So yeah, I love you, Dakota Quinn."

"I love you too, Sam Winchester." Dakota grins, leaping up from the bed and jumping onto Sam, attacking him with kisses all over his face until she finally kisses him on the lips in a soft and passionate kiss. The kiss is full of love, and Dakota can feel the pure difference in it.

She may not be completely certain, but she is definitely feeling it. 

Dakota Quinn is in love with Sam Winchester.