This Life [Dean Winchester]

chapter one

OLIVIA CONNOR stands behind the counter, counting the woman's change before holding it out to her with a smile.

"Have a nice day," Olivia says sweetly, tucking a string of blonde hair behind her ear as the lady walks away. She sighs in relief to see there is no one else in the diner, aside from the other waitress, Sarah. "Closing time?" Olivia says to the other waitress. The woman nods.

"I can lock up," Sarah says. "You can go, if you want."

"You're a life saver," Olivia smiles at the woman before untying her apron and sliding it over her head. She sighs, tired from her long day. "I'll close up tomorrow, okay?" Olivia promises.

Sarah smiles. "Okay." Olivia makes her way out the door with a small wave to her coworker. Since she first settled down here nine years, Olivia has not made many friends with the exception of her coworker. She is used to it, though, because all her life, she has never had more than a few friends at the same time.

The blonde haired woman does not go straight home, though. First, she stops by a large three story home, where a nice old woman lives. This woman babysits children when their parents are busy or at work.

Olivia enters the house, not bothering to knock like usual. The place is always loud and sort of chaotic, and as soon as Olivia steps inside, a few of the kids run past her, screaming and completely ignoring her entrance. Her eyes widen and she takes a step back before they can crash into her and she watches as they disappear into the next room. She sighs in relief when she sees the nice old woman come around the corner, looking a little crazed. That's understandable. Watching a dozen and a half little kids must be no picnic.

"Miss Connor, you're early!" The old woman greets her with a smile, despite the craziness in the house. Olivia returns the smile, nodding.

"Yeah, I was able to get away sooner than I thought," she tells the woman. "Is, uh... is Noah around here somewhere?" The blonde haired woman asks, raising her eyebrows and craning her neck to look around the room, but not seeing the spectacled boy anywhere.

"Yes, he is in the other room. I will get him." Olivia smiles as the old woman saunters back into the other room. She bounces slightly on the balls of her feet, anxious to see Noah. Sometimes she has to remind herself that her life is no longer dangerous, no longer bloody and deadly. She left that a long time ago. There's nothing after her. Or Noah.

"Mom!" The little boy rushes around the corner and wraps his arms around his mother's waist, smiling into the hug. Olivia grins and hugs her son back, relieved to see that he is okay.

"You ready, kiddo?" She asks him once the ten year old boy pulls away from her and nods. She notices that he has his school bag on his shoulders, resting securely against his back. She takes his hand and starts for the door, before remembering that she has to pay the babysitter.

"I'm sorry, Kate, I almost forgot," she says with a small laugh, turning back to the old woman who so kindly babysits for her on he weekdays. "How much do I owe you?" She reaches for her wallet but Kate reaches a hand forward and placed it over Olivia's arm, stopping her movements.

"It's my pleasure to babysit for you," she says. "Noah is a big help around here. He helps with the younger kids. You don't need to pay me today." Olivia sighs, not wanting to give Kate nothing for her services.

"But Kate—" She starts, reaching for her money again.

"No buts," Kate cuts her off. "You need that money. Just... don't tell any of the other parents." She says the last part in a low voice. She grins and winks at Olivia before turning and going back into the other room. Olivia frowns slightly. How does she know about that?

"Noah?" Olivia asks her son as they get into the car and start heading down the road. "Did you tell Kate that we're having money problems?" She glances at him skeptically, already knowing the answer based on his facial expression.

"I..." he trails off, as I trying to come up with an excuse and failing. Olivia raises her eyebrows at him.

"Why did you do that?" She asks, not raising her voice. She doesn't want Noah to think she is mad at him for this. She just does not think that it is anyone's business but their own.

"Well, you pay her a lot," Noah explains. "And I know you don't make a lot of money—"

"How do you know that?" Olivia cuts him off sharply. Noah only frowns and looks at his hands. Olivia sighs and looks back to the road. "It's okay, Noah. I just don't think it's anyone else's business. And I don't want you to think we don't have any money, because we do, and..." She pauses, sighing as she uses one of her hands to brush her blonde hair back. "I'm trying my best," she says softly.

"I know, mom," her son replies. She looks at him and smiles a little, reaching her hand over to ruffle his hair.

***

It's a normal Friday morning. Olivia goes into Noah's room to wake him up, since he needs to go to school in an hour.

"Noah," she shakes her son gently. "Noah, wake up," she says louder, watching as her son opens his green eyes. He groans as the light hits them, and covers them with his hands, turning away. Olivia laughs. "It's seven, Noah. Come out and eat, then get ready for school."

She gets up and leaves once she's sure that her son is awake. She already prepared breakfast before she woke him up; bacon and pancakes, like always.

Noah crawls out of bed and comes into the kitchen, climbing up in one of the chairs and starting to eat his food. Olivia smiles at him; his hair is always a mess in the morning.

"Mom?" Noah says, chewing his bacon.

"Yeah?" Olivia asks, pouring a glass of milk.

"I don't want to go to school today," he complains, resting his head in his palm.

"I know you don't," Olivia says. "But it's Friday. You can sleep in as early as you want tomorrow. Just gotta get through today, alright?"

Noah sighs sadly. "Okay," he says.

"That's my boy," Olivia says, ruffling his hair a little. She looks up as someone knocks on the door unexpectedly. After ten years, her hunter instincts still kicks in. "Why don't you take this to your room? You need to get dressed too," Olivia tells Noah. The boy is so surprised and happy to be able to take food into his room that he doesn't question the offer.

Olivia grabs a pan, holding it tight in her fingers. She walks to the door slowly and glances through the peep hole. She furrows her eyebrows, not recognizing the two guys on the other side. "What do you want?"

"Olivia?" One of them says, and the blonde haired woman tightens the handle of the pan in her grip.

Olivia jerks the door open and holds the pan right up into their faces, ready to strike. "How do you know my name?" She demands. The shorter one puts his hands up in surrender.

"What, you really don't recognize me?" He asks. Olivia's eyes widen as she suddenly realizes. It's just been so long, she almost forgot what he looks like. "Dean."

Olivia gasps and then slams the door in their faces.

She places the pan down quickly and grabs her coat. The two boys open the door and come inside despite her earlier actions. "Look, we just want to talk–"

The blonde haired woman grabs the closest thing to her, which happens to be a plastic cup, and chucks it in Dean's direction. She then proceeds to throw other items at him and his brother, such as a spatula, a magazine, and another cup.

"Olivia, stop!" The taller of the two demands. She finally stops, but now she is a good safe distance away from them.

"No!" Olivia exclaims. "I told you I was done Dean! Get out!"

"Olivia–" Dean begins, coming closer to her, but she only takes a step back.

"No, Dean," she says firmly, then stands up straight to illustrate her point further. "I'm done."

There's a long pause. Olivia is totally prepared to shove them out the door, but that's until Sam says something that changes her mind.

"Bobby sent us."