I pushed at the clock on my bedside table as it shone a bright green light on my face. I was becoming all too familiar with the sunless mornings. Too early to be tomorrow, too late to be yesterday. It was the middle hour that haunted my past and now threatened my future.

I ran my fingers through my hair, mussing it up. Then I took a deep breath, letting the air fill my lungs in a peaceful silence. I would never get to sleep like this. I bit my lip before standing and pulling on an old t-shirt, leaving my room and making my way down the hall. I pushed at the door two down from mine lightly, and it creaked as it opened. I could see Alex's still form on the bed. He was holding his breath, like a child does when he pretends to be asleep. Nevertheless, I made my way to his side and wrapped my arms around him. He didn't say anything, and I respected the silence. I would wait until he was ready. But I hadn't needed to wait long before he turned his body around to face me.

"I forgive you." I met his eyes. They were more brown than usual, and the area was big and puffy. As if he'd been crying. "But, I need to know something."

"Anything." I promised him. I waited, and I grew increasingly worried the longer he took to ask.

"Do you love me, Mitch?"

"What?" But he didn't repeat himself, and I shut my eyes tight, taking in a deep breath."Because I love you. And I would do anything to keep you with me. I don't know what I'd do without you." When I opened my eyes he was crying and I bit my lip. "So, I need to know. Do you love me?" He deserved the truth. I owed him that much.

"No." I shook my head, covering my mouth as I cried, locking my eyes with his as more tears spilled down his face. He opened his mouth and stumbled out his next question. "Do you love Scott?"

I nodded, and he looked over my shoulder at his room. He seemed to be memorizing it, as if the place he spent the most time in wasn't already ingrained into his mind. Or maybe he was trying to look anywhere but at the one who betrayed him. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but I inhaled sharply when Alex's eyes met mine again. This time they held a look of loss, the same look he'd given me when he'd been waiting at my bedside.

He blamed himself.

"Did you ever love me?"

"Mitch?," he began but he hesitated briefly. I looked up at him, curiosity growing."What's up?"

"I love you." His eyes met mine and I took a sharp intake of breath. My heart began to pound against my chest, and I couldn't breath. My hands grew sweaty as I choked out, "What?"

Alex laughed at my reaction, and placed a hand on my cheek."I love you. And I kinda think I have for a long time now." He admitted. I gaped, my mouth resembling that of a fish's as I tried to find your next words. "Alex...I..." I shook my head, trying to find the words as his face grew discouraged.

I bit my lip, trying to think of what to say. I nodded slowly.

"Yes, I did." He nodded and pulled me gently into his arms. I closed my eyes, hoping that this would be the right choice. Hoping that maybe Alex and I could figure it out, and that Scott and I could move on. And before I knew it, the calmest sleep I'd had in a while had captured me, and I fell willingly into it's abyss.

_________________________

He found Scott in the very back of the library, combing through several large volumes of spells and witchcraft. Books Scott had most definitely read before.

The younger man was sitting criss cross on the floor, in a circle of novels. He hadn't noticed Alex entering, too lost in the lore of the darkness. Scott sniffed, rubbing his eye and Alex realized with a sinking feeling that his best friend's face was shiny with tears. Alex kneeled down slowly, copying his friend's position on the floor. Scott looked up, his finger ready to flip to the next page of the book in his lap. He held it there, and Alex noticed the paper begin to shake before Scott released his hold.

Alex eyed the younger man who was clearly avoiding Alex's eyes. Scott glanced along the stacks of books surrounding him, and up at the shelves. But eventually, his gaze landed on his best friend. Alex noticed, for the first time, not at all looking at the curse on his arm. Alex held up the two beers in his hand, they bumped against each other, sending out a small ringing noise. "Beer?" Alex offered, and Scott reached forward to receive it, his eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Thanks." He muttered, his voice hoarse from the previous silence. His curiosity of Alex's attendance was obvious, and the elder couldn't wait much longer to get to his point."How long?" Scott swallowed, not quite expecting the force of Alex's question. He chided himself, he knew he should have been expecting it. He didn't deserve any less."Remember that awful motel we got stuck in...um...Jack's Motel 7 and you convinced us to go to some bar?"

"That was years ago." Alex interrupted.

Scott cleared his throat, nodding. It was before Alex and I had started dating, almost three years prior.

"That's when you...uh...realized you loved him?"

"No." Scott looked back up, his puppy dog eyes flickering with a deep sense of longing. "That was the night he told me he was in love with you." Alex said nothing, but he looked down, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Then he looked up, as if expecting Scott to continue. "But, uh...within an hour, you'd found some guy and Mitch and I decided to head back to the motel. It was that one night, with the crazy storm. We played some drinking game with Jeopardy and I...um. I kissed him." Scott looked up, to catch his friend's reaction. But, Alex retained an absolute poker face. "And he pushed me away and said, 'Why did I fall for the wrong brother?'" Scott rubbed his chin and cleared his throat. "And that was it. He doesn't remember any of it."

"I always wondered." Scott continued without prompt, and Alex stared at his best friend. "Maybe...just maybe he might change his mind. Maybe you would be crazy enough to not realize how amazing he is, and he would change his mind. But he didn't. And then, before I knew it, the two of you were..." He cut off, dropping his head and sniffing again. "But, he's made his choice now. And, I'll be okay." Scott shrugged unconvincingly.

Alex paused, hesitating with his response. "He says your name in his sleep." Scott looked up at his best friend's words, eyes wide with wistful guilt. "I try to ignore it, but I can't anymore. I was...I was racking my brains, trying to figure out what was different. Because he was never really...there. I thought it was just me, or the mark." Alex shook his head and he scoffed. "But it was you."

"We never meant to hurt you." Scott started, but he stopped. There was nothing more he could say to ease his or his best friend's pain. What's done was done, and the only choice was to keep going.

"He loves you, you know." Alex told him, juggling a random book between his hands, staring intently at it. "I can see it in his eyes — when he looks at you. He never looked at me like that."

Sam said nothing.

"But what's that old saying? If you love someone, let him go?" Cliches and quotes weren't something that would usually came out of Alex's mouth, yet this sounded rehearsed, even sane, as if poetically practiced. Scott's eyebrows lifted from his confusion as Alex's intents became clear.

He shifted, turning to look at his friend.

"He chose you, Scott." He told his best friend, a clench in his gut. "Mitch's an amazing man. And I'm not gonna be the one to make him miserable the rest of his life." Scott opened his mouth and closed it several times, unsure of how to respond to his friend's statement.

Scott took a deep breath, and looked up to meet his best friend's eyes.

"Do you love him?"

"Alex—"

"Answer the question Scottie." Alex's serious tone made Scott straighten up. He wondered why Alex would want to do this to himself, put him through the unnecessary pain the question brought.

"Yes!" Scott said forcefully, Alex's insistence suffocating him. But all he could see was that first night, and the feel of Mitch's arms around him and of his body against his own. The smell of Mitch's hair and the way his touch felt as his fingers traced his scars.

"I'm in love with him." He admitted, running a hand through his hair to bring himself back. "Good. Take good care of him." Alex stood, patting his jeans. He made as if he were going to turn around, but he stopped, waiting for his friend's response.

"What?" Scott stood to meet his best friend, even more confused than before."I'm leaving, Scott." Alex raised his head to look his best friend in the eyes, his jaw clenched. Scott opened his mouth to argue, but once again, nothing came out.

"I'll keep in touch. But I think we all need some time."

"What should I tell, Mitch?" Alex didn't answer and Scott shook his head in distraught. The friends paused, lost in their own thoughts. Alex, not quite wanting to leave and Scott, not sure how to make him stay, or if he should.

"Give him this." Alex reached into his pocket and placed a carefully folded paper on the table nearby. Then he looked back up at Scott. "He's the love of my life, Scottie. I never believed in 'the one' and all that crap. I didn't think I deserved it, not since Travis. Mitch, he changed that. You know, all this crap that we do. Hunting. No one ever gets a happy ending. Everyone dies. It's part of the job. No one gets out." Alex swallowed harshly, clenching his hands into fists and trying to keep calm. Scott could see his eyes watering.

"I know, Alex..." Scott spoke in his friend's silence. Alex reached up and wiped his eyes, before placing a hand on Scott's arm."You gotta get him out, man." Alex ordered, but his voice was shaking and his hands were clenched.

Scott watched his best friend cautiously, but standing tall. Because he knew. He knew Alex was losing himself, and no matter how hard Scott would fight, it didn't matter. Alex had given up. He was done fighting.

"Promise me, Scottie."

"I promise." Scott swore, and Alex dropped his hand back to his side.

"See you later..." He nodded his head to Scott and turned away, exiting the library. Scott watched him go, then patted his thighs and sat back down. He made no move to open the books around him, only placed his head in his hands and tried to breathe through the weight on his chest.

___________________________

"Scott? Where's Alex?" I'd searched the entire bunker before finally finding Scott in the library. I wondered if I was being silly. Alex had probably gone out for a grocery run. And I was worried about talking to Scott after what had happened last night. But something felt off, and I had to be sure.

Scott looked up from the table. A circle of books on the floor behind him told me he'd switched positions. As I got closer I could see the dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were red, as if he'd been scratching them all night...or crying. He didn't take his eyes off of me however, even as he watched you take in his appearance."Where's Alex?" I asked again, my stomach sinking.

"He's gone." His voice was scratchy and rough.

"What are you talking about?"

Scott held up a single white paper and I completed the next three steps to the table, taking the flimsy paper in my hands.

I looked over the words, so obviously in Alex's handwriting. My hands began to tremble as I read over the note again and again, finally looking up at Scott.

"What does this mean?" I stuttered, as tears began to stream down my face.

"Scott? What....why is he..." He said nothing, but stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. I let myself be pulled into his embrace, Alex's words swimming around in my head. I turned my head into Scott's chest, letting the tears soak into his shirt.

The two of us stayed in our embrace, time passing around us. My breathing had finally settled. I sniffed and tightened my arms around Scott.

"Mitch..." He started, and I shifted to look up at him. "You...you don't have to...to stay with me. I know you decided to stay with Alex and—"

"Scott. I love you." I told him, raising a hand to his cheek. "I will always love you." I promised him. He nodded, taking my hand in his and kissing it.

I let out a light laugh, a yawn slipping out." Why don't you go lie down. I'll make some tea." He offered. I nodded, slipping into the normal movements. It was the only way to move forward.

I made my way to my room, wrapping the blanket at the bottom of the bed around me. I let out a deep breath, pulling the blanket tighter around me.

I looked down at the note still clenched in my hand. On the back, I recognized Alex's artistic style. He'd drawn a small house, simple and yet, divinely pretty. In the background was the unmistakable blue of an ocean, and a path of sand divided the home and the sea.

I ran a finger along the water, a small smile gracing my features. I closed my eyes and held the picture to my chest.

And that's how Scott found me, asleep from the exhaustion of the last few months. He smiled and gently brushed my hair off my face. Then he took the paper from my fingers, and stared at it.

He sighed heavily and set it down on the bedside table. Joining me on the bed, he wrapped an arm around my waist and absentmindedly ran his thumb over my hip. I looked peaceful, and happy, and there was a sense of calmness that surrounded me. His gaze was drawn to my face as I let out a deep breath and whispered his name.

"Scott?" He frowned, once again brushing your face lightly. He had to get me out. No matter what. Because I deserved a happy ending. He had to get me out...for Alex.