𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 || 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Chapter 37 ~ Oh, Irony

Episode: Season 6 - Exile on Main Street Pt. 3

The car ride there was filled with the boys catching up although I did notice Dean was pretty guarded around his little brother. I grinned as I ran my hands over the familiar leather seats, thinking of all the memories we'd had in this car. It had been a very long time since we'd been driving around in Baby and gosh, I missed her. A few hours later, we arrived at Bobby's.

Boy, was he surprised to see us. As soon as that door had opened though, he grabbed me up in a hug and I smiled against his shoulder, the smell of alcohol still strong on him.

"Day drinking again, Bobby?" I smirked over at him and he shrugged.

"Had to do somethin' with my free time since you moved out." he replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

I rolled my eyes playfully as I followed Dean inside. The house was just as I remembered it and I bit my lip, feeling instantly at home. But just as Dean began to say something, we heard footsteps in the doorway behind us and Sam walked in.

"Hey, Bobby," he greeted him.

Bobby just nodded in response to him, "Sam,"

Dean and I frowned, looking back and forth between them.

"You knew? You knew Sam was alive," Dean fumed once they'd all gathered in the living room.

Little did they know, I was sitting on the stairs in the hallway, listening to every word.

"Yeah..." Bobby said quietly.

"How long?!" Dean asked him.

"A year..." Bobby sighed.

"You got to be kidding me..."

"And I'd do it again,"

"Why?!"

"Because you got out, Dean! You walked away from the life. And I was so grateful, you got no idea,"

"Do you have any clue what walking away meant for me?"

"Yeah - a woman and not getting your guts ripped out at age 30. That's what it meant," Bobby countered.

"I settled down with Parker because you asked me to," Dean shot back and I assumed he was looking at his brother now, "Although I love her, I settled down because you wanted that, Sam. You wanted me, too,"

"Good!" Bobby huffed.

"Good for who? I showed up on her doorstep half out of my head with grief. Who knows why she even let me in..."

I bit my lip, thinking back to that night on the porch.

"I drank too much. I had nightmares. I looked everywhere. I collected hundreds of books, trying to find anything to bust you out..." Dean continued.

"You promised you'd leave it alone," Sam finally spoke up, reminding him of their pact.

"Of course i didn't leave it alone! Sue me! A whole year? You couldn't put me out of my misery?!"

"Look, I get it wasn't easy. But that's life! And it's as close to happiness as I've ever seen a hunter get. It ain't like I wanted to lie to you, son. But you were out, Dean," Bobby interjected.

"Do I look out to you?" Dean asked him, making Bobby fall silent at his words.

He walked out of the room after that and stopped when he saw me sitting there on the stairs.

"Did you...did you hear all that?" he asked me, hooking a thumb back towards the living room.

Slowly, I nodded and he let out a sigh, "Look, Bobby's gonna look after you, okay? Me and Sam, we're gonna head out,"

I frowned at my boyfriend, "For how long? And just why can't I come? I can handle myself,"

"I know you can, okay? I know that. You're a great hunter, Park, you always have been. But.." he started and then stopped himself, sighing, "I'm so sorry, Parker,"

"For what?" I asked quietly.

"Those things were coming for me. And I should've known,"

"How could you know a monster was gonna show up? You couldn't have known that, Dean. It could happen to anybody," I pointed out and he gave me a look, "Okay, so it usually just happens to us but still...it's not your fault. These things just happen, D,"

"I should've known. I should've known that if I stayed with you that something would come, because something always does. But I was stupid and reckless and...you can't outrun your past," he told me, his voice raw with emotion.

"You're saying goodbye..." I whispered, realizing it with sudden clarity.

He met my brown eyes briefly before looking down at the floor. Stepping closer, he sat down on the stairs beside me. Dean was silent in that moment and I sat with my back rigid, feeling angry at him. We'd been together for a year, we'd both been adamant about making it work this time. And now here he was, at the first sign of a monster, wanting to call it quits again.

"I'm saying I'm sorry for everything," he said softly.

"Everything..." I repeated, shaking my head before facing him, "You're an idiot!"

He arched both eyebrows briefly, turning to me.

"I mean, I know it wasn't greeting-card perfect, but we were in it together, Dean," I insisted.

"I was a wreck half the time," he shot back, shaking his head.

"Yeah, well, the guy that basically just saved the world shows up at your door, you expect him to have a couple of issues," I countered his argument and he fell silent, letting me continued, "You're always so amazing with me. You took care of me, put up with me through everything... You know what I wanted, more than anything?"

Glancing over, I noticed Dean's eyes boring into mine - every fleck of green reflected in those orbs.

"I wanted you, Dean. Not the house, not the car, not the job, or the stupid little parties the neighbors would invite us to so they could brag about their new pool... I just wanted to have you. And that's what I got," I said, whispering the last part softly as I reached out to caress his face with my fingertips, "So, you're saying it's all bad, Dean? 'Cause it was the best year of my life,"

I shook my head, feeling tears pricking the back of my eyes but I refused to let them fall, letting out a humorless laugh.

"Ironic, isn't it? This is the spot where we first got back together last year... Now it looks like it's going to be where we break up again..." I said softly, looking down at my hands.

But just as I did, I felt fingers lift my chin up and soft, plump lips were pressed against mine. And I knew in that moment, we would be fine. I melted into Dean's kiss just like I always did, his touch sending butterflies swarming in my stomach just before he broke away. Leaning my head on his shoulder, I heard him sigh. It was going to be a long, next few weeks without him here.