As Dean stares at the body that's covered in a hotel room bedsheet laying a few feet away from him as he remembers back to the day he met the woman who changed it all for him.
"Who are you?" Y/N growls at the two intruders, pointing her gun between the gun between them, the safety off and her finger ready to pull the trigger if she needs too.
"We're here to help," the taller one says, his hands up in surrender. His facial worry and a little fear in his eyes. "Bobby called us. He said you need some help."
"That doesn't answer my question!" She growls again, clearly more agitated than a few seconds ago.
"I'm Sam. This is my brother, Dean."
"Winchester?" She asks slightly lowering her gun giving each of the men a once over, her eyes still narrowed as she remains on alert. Dean couldn't blame her. All the good hunters were always on high alert, not trusting anyone until they proved they could be trusted. It was a reckless move if you weren't on high alert.
"Yeah." Dean speaks lowering his arms as she seems to relax a little.
"Bobby sent you?"
Both the men nod.
"Would you mind completely lowering that? I don't feel like getting shot by some chick today," Dean snarks unimpressed.
She completely lowers her gun, glaring at him and goes back to doing what she was doing before being rudely interrupted by them all while explaining to them what case she was working and why she needed the help.
Dean watched and listened to her closely and intently. He noticed the stiffness in her posture, the cold tone in her voice, and the way she would barely look at them as she explained everything and showed them all the evidence she had collected. He got that they were strangers to her and he never expected her to embrace them with open arms but this felt different. Her standoffishness seems to go a little deeper than workplace professionalism.
It didn't help this case seems to be a particularly tough case, a werewolf and vampire working together to make some kind of hybrid. Y/N and the Winchesters, being the experienced hunters that they are, thought they had seen it all until this case. It was strange from the moment Y/N started working it. A fresh a set of eyes and Bobby's input really helped her. Of course it came with a lot of arguing, someone being used as bait and their plan going to hell, something that wasn't new for the Winchester brothers. All three hunters were injured in more ways than one and barely made it out alive. Y/N was grateful for the help knowing if she kept working the case alone, she'd be going to hell a lot sooner than expected. Crossroads would have really loved that.
Once they were back at the hotel room, Dean, who had the least injuries patched himself up and then helped Sam and Y/N. He was wrapping Y/N's lower arm when he noticed she had a far away look in her eyes.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked her.
"Just thinking about how we already have enough monsters in the world and how we don't need anymore. But here we are, monsters creating new monsters." She sighs. "How crazy is that?"
"If this job has taught me one thing, it's that there's much more out there than we think," Dean says finishing up the bandage.
"And that we're always going to be shocked by something when we know we should always expect the unexpected." She adds.
"Exactly," he agree with her. "Now are you sure you're going to be okay on your own?"
"I've managed this far, haven't I?" She smiles at his genuine concern for her. Over the five days they've been working together, her stone cold attitude towards them had slightly melted. She could admit that she trusted the brothers to have her back and she would have there's. They proved themselves to each other with this case. "I have your numbers now so if I need to, I'll call you after I call Bobby."
"So glad to know I'm second on your list," he rolls his eyes playfully.
"Actually you're third," she kids a slight smile still on her lips.
He pretends to look at her offended while holding a hand over his heart. "You wound me. You'd really call Sam before me?"
"He argues less." She smirks.
"You wait until you're around him 24/7," he says as he cleans up the left over medical supplies. "But seriously, you'll call us if you need us, right?"
Y/N nods her head yes. "But it would be best if you never saw me again. I don't want you to get attached."
At first Dean was thinking she was joking but he was wrong because that's exactly what happened. After they first met, they came across each two more times within a month before deciding to stick together. But it wasn't just Dean who became attached to the former solo hunter. Sam had fallen in love with her too but in a completely different way to his older brother. To the younger Winchester, Y/N became the sister he never had. They argued like siblings, made up like siblings, teased each other and protected each other just like siblings. Both brothers took it hard when they learned her big secret. Dean, of course, taking it the hardest.
Sam left the room a few minutes ago to let Dean and Y/N talk. It hurt him to know what was happening but he knew it was hurting Dean more.
"Were you ever going to tell us?" Dean questions her, leaning against kitchen wall as she sat at the table of Bobby's home.
Bobby accidentally let slip about how her time being up was coming up way to quickly for his liking 3 months into her working with the Winchesters.
Within the 4 months of having known the Winchester brother's she's grown incredibly close to them. She's grown to love the both of them.
Sam became a younger brother to her. She never had siblings, being an only child. It was nice for her to know what it's like to have a sibling.
But Dean is different. So, so, so much different. They're like magnets to each other, always pulling each other in. Neither of them had felt the way they do with anyone else. And as much as she wanted to keep their distance from him, she always found herself close to him, whether she was comforting him after a nightmare, letting him talk when he needs someone to talk to, getting ready for the next hunt or helping him with Baby. They two were never far apart and always close together. Neither of them would admit it, but there were falling in love and everyone could see it.
She nods knowing whatever she says wouldn't make up for not telling them-him sooner. "I didn't know how."
"'I made a deal with a demon and I only have less than a year to live' would be a pretty good start," he glares at her, the hurt and heartbreak evident in his voice and his green eyes. "What do you think will happen? That you'll be gone in 7 months and we'll just forget you exist? That's not gonna happen!"
"I didn't want you to get attached," she says going back to the words she spoke when they first met.
"It's too late," He sighs. "I'm attached, sweetheart and it's not just me."
It's quiet for a few moments, both of them trying to gather their thoughts while trying to hold back their tears and emotions.
"We're going to get you out of this." Dean spoke up, breaking the heavy silence. "We'll figure something out. We always do. It's what we do. I've done it before, I can do it again. And if not we can find a way to pull you out."
He moves over to the books scattering the table and goes over them as if he's looking for answers.
"Dean," she says trying to get his attention as she stands up and walks over to him. "Hey," she takes the book he's holding out of his hand and places it back down on the table. "There's no coming back from this Dean. The deal is rock solid. There's no room for bargaining or renegotiation. They won't let me go, not for anyone."
"You don't even want to try?" He asks feeling defeated though there was no way he was going to give up as easily as she is.
"I just want to make the most of the time I have left. Hunters don't have a long life expectancy. It's rare and you know it," She tells him, frowning slightly.
"I'm not just going to let you die," he says sternly the defeat he was feeling suddenly gone and replaced with determination.
"You have to," she says sadly.
"No, I don't," he says walking out of the room before any more was said.
Things changed a lot from that moment. They were all on edge for a couple weeks. Y/N accepted her fate before she met the guys but they were doing everything they could to get her out of it. Dean went as far as going to a crossroads and summoning the demon again.
"What in the Hell do you think you're doing?!" Y/N's voice comes angrily from behind Dean who is glaring at the demon in front of him.
"Unlike you, I'm trying to save your ass," Dean yells back.
"Listen to her Dean, there's nothing anyone can do. Your little girlfriend is damned to hell for all eternity," the crossroads demon smirks triumphantly as though this is her biggest achievement and would be praised for centuries for it.
"That's bullshit," he keeps his glare on the demon as Y/N's footsteps gets louder as she comes closer.
"It's a shame really," the demon teases. "Just when you find the woman you'd give it all up for."
"Shut up!" He growls at her.
"You two could have had a beautiful future together, marriage, a beautiful home, safe jobs and mini Winchester's running around," the demon continues. "If only you met her before she made the deal."
"Would you shut up," it was Y/N who spoke this time to the demon. She turns to Dean, a look of guilt in her eyes while his eyes were filled with anger and determination. "We need to go."
"We're not going until she destroys the contract." He frowns.
"I can't do that." The demon says causing both of them to glare at her.
"You can't save everyone Dean, and that includes me." Y/N says making him look at her.
"Why are you giving up so easily?"
"I'm not, trust me. I've tried and Bobby's tried. There's no getting out of it." She says as tears start to build up in her eyes.
"She's right." The demon mumbles. "Just tell her you love her already and give her the best last five months of her life. She'll need something good to try hold on to."
Dean glares at Y/N and then at the demon and back at Y/N again before storming back to the impala.
Y/N goes to chase after him only to stop when the demon starts talking again "I can change one thing to your contract. I was human once too and in a situation very similar to the one your in now. When the hounds come for you, once your gone because there will be no holding them off, I'll give you five minutes to say your final goodbyes before I personally drag you back to hell myself. I know Dean won't stop until trying to save you, even after you take your final breath."
She looks towards Dean, his face in a scowl. He can hear everything that's being said.
"Why the sudden bleeding heart?" She asks turning her attention back to the demon.
"Like I said, I was human once." With that the crossroad demon disappears.
Y/N walks over to Dean, not wasting any more time, she pulls him into a kiss showing him how much she loves and cares for him.
That night they didn't return to Bobby's home where Sam was waiting for them. Instead they drove to an empty field where she would go a lot to get away from everything for a few hours when she was a teenager. They camped out in the impala, spending the night talking, kissing, making love and eventually falling asleep.
Everything switched again after that night. Things seemed slightly better though their situation still weighed heavily on their minds. Dean vowed to give her the best 5 months of her life. And he did.
He feels fingers thread between his own, bringing him back to reality. He looks up from his shoes seeing her ghostly figure, her torso stained in blood, her skin a horrible grey colour, her usual bright eyes now a dull y/e/c. Guilt rips through him. He should have done more to save her. He should have done more to get her out of her deal.
"It's going to be okay," she tells him causing him to shake his head and avoid looking at her.
She lets go of his hand and cups his face. Standing on her tip toes she pulls him into a kiss that spoke more than any words could in this moment. It spoke of the love they shared. A love that was unexpected. A love filled with passion, unforgettable memories and hope for a future. The once in a lifetime kinda love.
The kiss doesn't last long before Y/N breaks the kiss, keeping their faces close, both of them savouring their final moments together.
"It's time," she whispers just loud enough for him to hear.
He wants to refuse unable to let her go just yet. He can't pull her from hell and there was no angel willing to do it for them. Both demons and angels saying this is her fate, that this was how it's meant to be.
She kisses his cheek, her cold lips leaving a chill as they brush against his warm skin. But that chill didn't compare to the coldness he felt when she faded away as he took out the matchbook from his pocket and ignites it.
"I love you." He whispers.
"I love you too," he hears her voice say before he throws the matchbook onto the body of the woman who unexpectedly stole his heart.
As the body bursts into flames, he finds himself sitting on the ground, his eyes never leaving her body as memories flash through her mind.
Y/N in the front passenger seat of the impala singing Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer at the top of her voice while he drives them back to Bobby's after a case.
Her smearing ice cream all over his face when he started a food fight with her in Bobby's kitchen.
Them showering together after a hunt that had them covered in blood and mud and god knows what else.
Laying together naked in bed, her asleep curled against him as he watches her, soaking her all in and making sure he doesn't forget a single detail about her.
Them stargazing.
Her playful bantering with Sam.
Her getting excited about going to a beach.
Her smile.
Her eyes.
Her laugh.
Her tears.
Her voice.
Her heart.
After what feels like hours, he stands up when he hears footsteps behind him. He doesn't have to look to know it's Sam and Bobby as the two men stand on either side of him, none of them speaking a word as they grieved for the woman that had touched their lives in different ways.