Later That Night – The Training Room, Bunker Basement

The lights above flickered. Not from faulty wiring. From her.

Maya stood at the center of the dim training room, palms out, fingers twitching slightly as tiny arcs of gold-white light shimmered across her skin.

Jack watched from a safe distance—or what he thought was a safe distance. He didn’t look worried, just focused. Proud. Quietly amazed.

“Okay,” Maya exhaled, eyes locked on the stack of books on the bench across from her. “Control. Right.”

“Don’t overthink it,” Jack said gently. “You’re not forcing it. You’re asking.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Asking the universe to behave?”

Jack grinned. “Basically.”

She reached out her hand. A pulse of light shot forward—and the books exploded.

Jack ducked instinctively.

Maya’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, sorry—!”

“No, no, that was great,” Jack said, straightening with a smile. “Powerful. Impressive.”

“Destructive.”

“Effective.”

She smirked, cheeks flushing.

It was their third night in a row down here, trying to refine her growing powers—telekinesis, energy channeling, aura manipulation. And while she’d made progress, it was messy. Unpredictable. A little dangerous.

Just like her.

She walked over to him, arms crossed loosely. “You sure you want to keep doing this? I almost took your face off.”

“I’ve survived worse,” Jack said softly, stepping closer.

Their eyes met.

The air between them buzzed—an actual hum. Not metaphorical. The lights above them brightened slightly as her aura responded to the nearness of him.

“Okay, maybe I should stand further back,” Jack muttered with a laugh, backing away.

“Maybe I should stand further back,” she teased, eyes glowing faintly again.

Jack paused. “Actually… wait.”

He walked toward her again, slower this time.

Her breath caught. “What are you—?”

“I think… your powers don’t just respond to stress. They respond to connection. Emotion.”

She swallowed. “So what? You wanna test that?”

His smile turned playful. “I mean, we could keep throwing things at walls… or…”

He reached out and gently took her hand.

Maya didn’t even flinch. The light didn’t surge this time—it shimmered, a soft, dancing glow around their hands.

“Better,” he whispered.

Maya stepped closer. “I could get used to this kind of training.”

Jack leaned in. “So could I.”

And then, like it was the easiest thing in the world, he kissed her.

There was no hesitation this time—just warmth. Familiar, magnetic, intoxicating. The kind of kiss that curled through her spine and lit up every part of her body that remembered how to hope.

The light around them pulsed, golden and soft. Their feet slowly lifted off the ground—hovering inches, then a foot above the floor.

Maya barely noticed.

Jack deepened the kiss, arms gently wrapping around her waist. She returned it fully, fingers weaving into his hair, pressing against him as her aura wrapped around them both like a blanket of light.

When they finally broke apart—breathless, hearts pounding—they were floating nearly a meter off the floor.

“...Okay,” Maya said, blinking. “That was new.”

Jack chuckled, eyes wide with wonder. “You’re amazing.”

“No. We are.”

A pause.

Then the lights above them flickered again—but not from her this time.

From something else.

A faint boom echoed from above.

They dropped to the ground instantly—both of them alert.

“What was that?” Maya asked.

Jack was already walking to the door. “Dean.”

—

War Room – Minutes Later

Dean stood in front of the bunker’s war table, a map spread out, multiple red pins stabbed into it. Sam sat beside him, Castiel looming near the shadows. Tension coiled thick in the air.

“You felt it too?” Jack asked, stepping in.

Dean nodded. “Lilith made a move. Big one. Rupture near the old church ruins in the Alps. Burned symbols, blood rituals—classic Lilith.”

Maya flinched.

“She’s calling out,” Cas said. “Testing the limits. Looking for a breach.”

Sam looked up at Maya. “You okay?”

Maya nodded tightly. “Fine.”

Dean motioned toward the map. “Here’s the deal. We found a spell—risky, old, and borderline insane—but it might let us track her before she gets any closer to Maya.”

“Define ‘insane,’” Jack said.

Dean sighed. “It involves bait.”

Everyone looked at Maya.

She raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“We don’t actually put you in danger,” Dean said quickly. “We just use an echo of your aura. A residual frequency. Castiel can manipulate it.”

Jack immediately stepped forward. “No. Too dangerous.”

“But not for her,” Castiel said calmly. “Her power is already connected to Lilith. This might be the only way to pull her out of the shadows.”

Maya looked between them all. Her pulse was racing—but not from fear.

From resolve.

“I’ll do it,” she said.

Jack turned to her, stunned. “Maya—”

“I want this to end too, Jack. And I’m not hiding anymore.”

Dean gave a sharp nod. “Good. We move at dawn.”

Maya stepped away from the war table and toward Jack.

“Hey,” she said softly. “You’re not losing me. You’re fighting with me.”

Jack exhaled, touching her cheek gently. “Just… don’t float away without me again, okay?”

She smiled. “No promises.”