Muddy Situations

"I know sis, I know" Jean sighed into the phone. Her sister Kate had already called her twice already to make sure she was coming. Kate was Jean's little sister, although they didnt look anything alike. Kate had beautiful long straight blonde hair and sky blue eyes where Jean had long wavy red hair and emerald green eyes. Since Kate was the youngest she was of course their parents favorite able to do no wrong. Kate was their shining star always lighting up a room when she entered and she attended college where Jean turned down the opportunity to attend college to help their father in their parents store which she has done so for the past four years ever since their father had a slight heart attack. She was planning on going away for college but she over heard the doctors talking to her parents the day her father had his heart attack. The doctor warned that her father needed to slow down. Jean knew he wouldn't sell the family store, he was too proud and stubborn. Jean loved her father and made the decision that she would stay home and help her father although she told her parents it was because she just couldn't bare to leave home and was tired of school anyhow. She just didn 't want her parents to feel guilty and she knew her father would never except the help if he knew she over heard what the doctor said and wanted to stay for his benefit. Jean never even told Kate what she heard because Kate was very sensitive and Jean didn't think Kate could handle this kind of news so she kept it bundled up inside herself.

Three months after Jeans decision to stay home her boyfriend Jake of two years dumped her claiming long distance relationships didn't work and he was also kind enough to mention he was seeing someone he met in college. After hearing this Jean emersed herself in work. She was just starting to get over the fact of being dumped when her sister called her to tell her she was engaged and they were planning on getting married in just two months. Jean was happy for Kate until Kate brought her fiance home for dinner since mom insisted she bring him home for dinner to celebrate. When Kate showed up with her fiance Jean froze and stared at Jake her ex boyfriend which is now apparently her sisters fiance as they entered the house. Jean wanted to walk up to him and smash his face in but she refused the notion and instead she walked up to her sister and hugged her. Kate pulled back and looked at her sister..."I didn't know how to tell you..I..I was afraid you'd be angry". Jean forced a smile and replied blankly "Youre my sister how could I be mad? I only want you to be happy, and besides I never really loved Jake" Jean said as she looked over to Jake making sure he understood he didn't break her. She struggled to keep a smile on her face while inside she was full of hurt and anger and she knew it wasn't her imagination as Jake touched and kissed her sister while sneaking looks at her with a smug look on his face. She wanted to smash that look off his face for him but when she looked at her sister she was so happy that she couldn't ruin this for Kate.

While Jean was in the kitchen cleaning up Jake strolled in and snaked his arm around Jean's waist before she realized who even came in the kitchen. He pushed her into the sink cabinet with his body pinning her there as he whispered in her ear "now I can have you both.." Jean was horrified and tried to push him off her only managing to rub against his manhood making him moan in her neck "you always were easy and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt your poor little sister" Jake murmured. He then tried leaning in to kiss her on her neck so Jean took a cup of water and splashed it in his face. "oops, I'm so sorry Jake it must of slipped" Jean mumbled thinking it would of been better smashing the glass on his head instead. Jake smirked, "oh come on Jean your soon going to be my sister in law, we should really get along". Jean slit her eyes and gave him a death stare then looked up to see Kate strolling in smiling then abruptly stopping in her tracks "Jake honey is everything alright?" Jean couldn't believe Kate would automatically worry more about Jake then her but then Kate always assumed Jean was invisible. "sure sweetie just scared Jean here and got a splash of water for it is all" Jake smoothly replied. Jean couldn't take anymore so she smiled and claimed she wasn't feeling well and headed up to her room. After she calmed down she headed back down stairs to find Kate left with Jake without saying goodbye. Her mother quick to defend Kate said Kate didn't want to disturb Jean since she wasn't feeling well. 

At the moment Jean was on a business trip trying to obtain new inventory to attact younger customers since business was slacking as of late. "I promise...I WILL be there!" Jean repeated in the phone. Kate was upset Jean had left not understanding why this trip couldn't wait and frustrated that her sister is taking longer than planned but Jean just had to get away! She had her reasons which didn't have anything to do with the business. "Look Kate, I'm on my way right now...ok?" there's a slight pause then "ok, I'll see you soon...bye" Jean sits the phone down takes a deep breath then grabs her bags and heads out. 

It had been raining for days. Jean hadn't given any thought to check the weather, now she wished she did. The main roads were closed forcing her to use the back roads which of course were just as flooded but added to that was the mud from the not so paved roads. She was at a stand still yet again and already wet and muddy from her last two episodes of getting stuck in the mud. She curses under her breath getting out once again and looking around for anything she can shove under the tires. Luckily since it was a back road there were plenty of branches here and there. She shoved the branches under her tires and gave it a little gas to no avail. She then sticks a leg out and tries rocking the car while applying the gas and turning the wheel but still no luck. She hits the steering wheel cursing yet again wondering to herself how she got into this predicament but knowing full well how. She just couldn't call her sister and admit she was right...she shouldn't of waited until the last minute to leave but then she couldn't stand being near that asshole Jake even though he was right about one thing....she couldn't hurt Kate. She knew she had to do something but she also knew Kate and Kate wouldn't listen. Kate always did what Kate wanted and never listened to reason so all Jean could do is stay away up unti the last moment. Jean rested her head on the steering wheel her head throbbing from the lack of sleep and struggling with the knowledge her sister is entering a shitty marriage. Jean finally decided to look for help since she was getting no where this way.

 

 

 

2

Dean was sitting in his parents cottage with his trusted companion a beautiful husky named Buck resting by his feet. He had just finished making himself something for lunch and was about to dive in when Buck raised up alerting him to a presence outside then sure enough there was a knock on the door so Dean reluctantly got up and opened the door. Standing before him was a red headed girl her hair was the color of rubies and it was plasterd to her head from the rain with ruby red strands stuck to her face. She looked up with emerald green eyes that looked full of fustration yet also determination. She just stood there for several minutes with her mouth slightly open just staring which Dean was accustomed to since one side of his face was covered with scars. "What do you want" he asks in a disgusted impatient voice.

Jean looked up, the guy that answered was huge! He had to be almost 7ft tall with dark brown almost black hair with saphire eyes. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen! Even the scars running down one side of his face did not take away the beauty of this man! She just stood there staring at him when he gruffly blurts out "What do you want?" which startles her into regaining her voice, "I..I...I was hoping you could call a tow truck for me, I got stuck in the mud" she forces out trying to regain herself. He just stands there staring at her as the rain is pelting down on her. Finally after waiting for awhlie she blurts out, "well?" She wasn't prepared for the firm "No" that he booms back at her. "Fine" she mumbles and she starts to walk off "MEN!" she spats out as she continues walking. "Wait!" he calls after her. Jean stops but doesn't turn around she wants to just keep going but she's tired and wet but she'd be damned if she has to deal with another asshole so she starts to walk again when she hears, "What are you doing out here?" he asks. Jean turns around to face him debating whether she should answer then she says, "I was trying to get through to Welchville". "What ever is in Welchville must be VERY important for you to risk this weather!" he booms then adds..."you wont find anyone else out here for miles and as for a tow truck...even if the phone lines and signals were working no tow truck would attempt these roads until the water level goes down."

 All of a sudden Jean felt cold and hopeless and the pounding in her head was getting worse. Her legs started to shake on their own accord. Next thing she was aware of is being swooped up in massive arms and being carried inside. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she manages to scream. "I asked you several times if you were alright when you didn't answer I assumed there was a problem and took pity on you to being you out in this weather." He dryly states. "I...I...I" she stampers out yet unable to think straight. "I don't think I'm feeling too well" she then manages. Dean looks down at her he notices she's very cold and knows he needs to get her warm "do you have a change of clothes in your vehicle?" he asks her. "yes, yes I do but my car is stuck in the mud quite a ways away. It seemed like I was walking forever before I found your place."She replies. "In which direction?" He asks her. "uumm...that way" she says as she points her arm in the direction she had came from then feeling very self conscious since she was still in his arms she added "can you put me down now?" "I'm sorry" he says as he lowers her to the ground "you are so light I forgot I was still carrying you" he said with a slight smirk on his lips. As soon as he released her she stumbles and almost fell but he swiftly and smoothly was able to scoop her back in his arms before she hit the floor. "what's wrong with you?" he asks. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" She stammers then says "I'm sorry,  I really don't know what's wrong with me...." She trails off trying to figure out herself just what's wrong. This isn't like her....something was terribly wrong. He carries her in the bathroom and sets her down on the toilet lid before starting a warm bath and grabbing towels. He then turns to her and asks her if she thought she could manage taking a bath while he goes to get her extra clothes without drowning. "WHAT? I'M SO NOT A CHILD YA KNOW? " she blurts out then just stares at his confused expression then adds "I'm so sorry....I honestly don't know what's got into me...." again she trails off confused and tired...so tired. "Well look, I'm going to go get your extra clothes I wont be long....try too relax and clean up but don't go falling asleep in the tub...I will be right back." She shakes her head in acknowledgment as he walks out he wonders if leaving her is a good idea but decides she will feel better once warmed by a bath and heads out. Jean then gets up to turn off the bath water that he left running, closes the bathroom door noting it has no lock but deciding she would have plenty of time before he manages to get back so takes off her soaked muddy clothes and steps into the warm soapy water. Immediately she feels better.  

Dean returns to find the woman slunched in the tub and ASLEEP! Angry that she couldn't even do this one task without being monitored Dean quickly grabs her under her shoulders making sure she doesn't slide any further into the water. She doesn't even blink. She was burning up! He focuses on her hair...it's matted with mud so he begins the task of cleaning the mud out which isn't as easy as it would seem. The mud was part clay and didn't want to simply wash out so he had to work with it trying to be quick but gentle. He finally finished getting all the mud out of her hair and cleaned her up as well as he could and with one final rinse he picked her up and dried her off as much as he was able without touching certain areas. He then carried her to the spare bedroom and tucked her in. He stood there looking down on her not knowing what else to do for her. She was beautiful and he admired the fact that it looked like she didn't just give up when her car got stuck in the mud like most women. He noted the branches she used to shove under the tires and the jack she abandoned in getting the branches more securely under the tires. She definitely was  a determined woman. He checked her forhead one last time, she was as warm as she was so he finally decided to go see what he could salvage from his uneatened lunch.

Jean slowly opens her eyes then sits up looking around trying to remember where she was. She recalls the tall handsome man that offered her refuge from the weather and jumps up to find him. As soon as she exits the room she smacks right into a huge solid very warm object as she looks up she manages to stammer..."I am so sorry! I was just coming to thank you" 

Dean hears her stirring in the room and goes to see if she's alright. Before he is able to enter the room she slams right into him. He stares down at her and smiles not hearing anything that she's saying. "You do know you're not dressed right?" He asks with a smirk forming on his face. Jean freezes unable to move as Dean takes off his flannel shirt he wears over his T-shirt and drapes it over the front of her. When she finally is able to manage it she lets out a squeal and runs off back into the room. Dean stares at her bare butt as she flees as she fails to realize she hadn't even covered it. A few seconds later she comes back out wearing Deans flannel shirt covering all of her this time as it drags the ground. He laughs while he informs her that her bags are in the room if she would like to get dressed in her own clothes. She again whirls around back into the room as Dean heads back to the kitchen. 

Jean stands in the room face red as a tomato trying to get her thoughts together. She has never been so embarraced before in her life. She scans the bed and finds a towel laying on it. I guess I just crashed in the towel waiting for him to get back she thinks to herself. She goes through her bags and grabs out the clothes she's going to wear noticing her bags are dry and wondering how he managed to get them back without getting them soaked. After dressing she again goes in search of her host. She finds him in the kitchen cooking something that smelled delicious! "Are you hungry?" He asks her. "Yes, starving!" he smiles then replies "good, sit down its about done" she couldn't help noticing  how smoothly he moved for a guy his size. As she sat down she feels something wet on her hand, as she looks down her heart skips a beat. There was a giant wolf staring at her. The giant creature doesn't growl instead it wags its large tail so she softly coo's out..."your beautiful" as she offers a hand for this giant wolf to smell. Dean turns around to see her stroking Buck. "You're lucky, Buck usually doesn't take to strangers" Dean says as he looks her up and down. "I love animals" Jean explains. 

Jean had a hearty appetite and when finished exclaims, "The food was amazing!" Dean smiles and replies "I'm glad you liked it, by the way my name is Dean" then asks, "so you never told me what was so important that you risk traveling in this weather". Jean doesn't think it's his business but since he is her host she explains that her sister is getting married and is depending on her to help with the arrangements. Dean looks at her then asks "couldn't you have waited until the weather got better?" She then explains that she was suppose to leave several days before but I just couldn't face to leave..."I was seeing this guy before my sister came back from college to visit. Well things weren't going so well at my fathers shop so I was putting in some over time to cut back on paying overtime to our employees. Well when things settled down the guy I was seeing broke off seeing me anymore then my sister exclaims she's getting married and has this man over for dinner with the family and can you believe it was the jerk that broke it off with me? The thing that hurt the most is she knew who I was seeing so I don't understand how she could of done this to me then act like she didn't do anything wrong." Dean was just staring at her. "I'm sorry" he quietly says then stands up to clean up the kitchen.  "Oh, let me! It's the least I can do" she says. She starts washing the dishes as he dries and puts them away. "You never told me your name" Dean states. "Oh yeah, my name is Jean, sorry" "you apologize too much you know that?" Dean says. She just looks up at him measuring him up, seeing if he's being sarcastic or not when he turns to her and asks, "why are you even worried about going back? After what your sister did to you, why worry about fighting the weather to be there for her?" "She's my sister" is all Jean could say. Dean shakes his head as he understands then walks over to the fireplace to make sure it wasn't going out. "When do you think a tow truck will be able to help me with my car?" Jean asks as she watches Dean poke the logs in the fireplace grateful it was warm since with the rain it was getting colder outside. "Not sure" was his answer. "We will just have to wait and see, if it doesn't stop raining the water level won't go down." He sneaks a peak in her direction then adds, "hopefully by morning the rain will subside and the water level will go down" then he offers her a smile. She stares at him then nothing....

Dean watches her as she turns pale then starts to collapse. He quickly runs to her side and catches her before she hits the floor. "Thank you, I..I...I don't know what's over come me" she measly mutters. He looks down at her and exclaims, "you're burning up!" "We better get you to bed" Dean tucks her in then heads towards the kitchen to get some aspirin. When he gets back to her side he hands her the aspirin and water which she swallows then as dean turns to walk away she grabs him..."I'm cold, please don't leave me! I'm so cold!" Dean stares at her as she is shivering even with all the blankets covering her. "Push over" he says and she doesn't even hesitate just pushes over for him. Dean crawls in with Jean as Jean clings to him looking for heat. "You're so warm" she replies. "Go to sleep now" Dean says.

Dean laid there trying to figure out if he could leave her. He had to hunt but figured he could postpone the hunt until she was better but not knowing how long that would take. Besides she hasnt let him go ever since he slid in next to her. At least she stopped shivering even though she was practically on top of him. He couldn't help the tingling sensations she gave him nor the way his heart seemed to skip beats when she looked at him. He pushes any thought of it to the back of his mind. For now all he knows is he has to protect this small creature and that's what he's going to do. Buck jumps up ready to settle in, looks at his master then lays down. Dean remembers Bucks reaction to her....he excepted her! Buck doesn't except anyone! What's with this strange small creature? Dean takes in a deep breath breathing in her smell of sweet mulberries and lilacs before dozing off.

Jean wakes with her head pounding. She feels horrible but very warm. She moves and finds she is actually on top of Dean. She tries to scoot off him only to put herself in more of a perdicument. She somehow manages to be straddling him and she can tell he's aroused. Flushing she closes her eyes and tries again trying to be extra careful not to wake him. "Need some help" Dean whispers close to her ear. Startled she pushes off of him "I...I...I'm sorry" she says. He smiles down to her "still with the appologes?" She smiles then cringes with the pounding in her head. Dean quickly gets up and disappears quickly returning again with some pills and water. "Take these, they will help" he simply states. Her head pounding she doesn't even question him. As she takes them she starts shivering again so Dean slides back down beside her dragging her to his side and immediately the shivering stops. Dean looks down to find she has again drifted to sleep hoping the next time she wakes she is better.

 

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Publication Date: 04-26-2015

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