Restless Heart Syndrome Ch 34/?
Fic title: Restless Heart Syndrome
Genre: SPN Het
Pairing: Sam/ OFC, Dean/OFC (Lexi, played by Eliza Dushku)
Rating: M
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: New town, new school for Sam. It's his fifth high school in three years but John promises it's going to be Sam' s last one. Dean and Sam settle into their new routine and enjoy being normal. A few months after school starts Sam meets Lexi. He could tell she was trouble the moment he laid eyes on her but it's the kind of trouble he's always wanted. Dean feels the same way about the new waitress at the diner.
*This is a prequel to Under Your Skin and Wayward Son.*
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33
Or on AO3
Chapter 34: Beautiful Loser
*Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters belong to Kripke. It's his sandbox, I'm just playing with his characters.* This is a prequel to Under Your Skin and Wayward Son. I hope you like it! Please review!
“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of an old man. He wants his home and security. He wants to live like a sailor at sea. Beautiful loser, where you gonna fall when you realize, you just can't have it all?”
May 27, 2002
Lexi’s in that in-between place of dreaming and awaking when the alarm goes off. Dean swats at the offending alarm before he reaches out for her. He wraps an arm around her waist then tugs her flush to him. With his free hand, Dean brushes Lexi’s long brown hair from her shoulder and replaces it with his mouth.
He mouths at her shoulder leaving light kisses and nips of his teeth. Lexi sighs and opens her eyes while Dean continues his assault on her shoulder. He moves his mouth to her neck, fingers trailing down her stomach causing her tremble slightly.
“Dean.” She breathes out softly while shifting in his arms.
Dean lifts his head from her shoulder placing a gentle kiss to her ear. “Mornin’, Lex.”
“Morning…” Lexi whispers. She reaches up cupping his cheek, his stubble rough against her palm. Dean wiggles his eyebrows causing her to laugh before he rolls on top of her. He pulls her legs up against his sides and presses her down into the mattress, his weight pinning her underneath him. Dean's tongue moves lightly across her bottom lip while he leans down on his forearms. Lexi pushes lightly against his chest shaking her head no despite how adorable Dean looks with his stubble and sex/bed head. “No, not right now. Wasn’t two times last night enough?”
“Nope. I never get enough of you. But if you don’t wanna do it...” Dean sighs just before he rolls off of her.
“Dean,” She laughs propping up on her elbow. Lexi lets her fingers trace over the tattoo of her name on Dean’s chest and asks, “rain check?”
“Hmm sure but I’m gonna hold ya to it. How bout we get some breakfast?”
“Ok, but wait.” She says resting her hand on Dean’s chest to keep him from getting out of bed. “I wanna ask you something kinda serious.”
“Ok, shoot.”
She takes a deep breath before blurting out, “Dean, if I got pregnant, what would you do?”
Dean stares at Lexi for a beat with wide eyes. He runs a hand through his hair asking, “Are you saying that you are?”
“I'm not. Hypothetically speaking.”
“If I knock you up I ain't going anywhere.” Dean states as he sits up. He cups her cheek in his hand, his eyes locking on to hers before continuing. “I'm gonna be right there with you and if you wanna keep it then I'll step up. Why are you asking me this?”
Lexi shrugs and she bites down on her bottom lip. “We never talk about the future. And I…”
“You can't plan your life out no matter what people say. Hunters don't have long shelf lives, Lex. If things get too dangerous...” Dean says quietly.
“What you're gonna take off on me?”
Dean sighs, breaks eye contact with her and shifts uncomfortably. He stares down at the quilt while he nods his head. Dean licks his lips then looks back at Lexi. “It would kill me but honestly, yeah. I don't want this life for you Lex and if it comes down to you being alive and safe or being with me? I'm gonna choose you being alive and safe without me. It terrifies me what I would do for you Lexi. The lengths I'd go to, to keep you safe. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you on my watch.”
“Nothing bad is gonna happen to me.” She says with a smile before kissing his cheek. “You worry too much.”
“Kettle black, Lex.” Dean replies with a smirk.
“Ok, I’ll give you that Dean. Let’s go get some breakfast.”
They go down the street to one of their regular spots, the Old Coffee Pot Restaurant on Saint Peter’s. The minute Dean and Lexi walk through the green French doors, Miss Ella is up and ushering them into the dining room. She places two menus on their usual corner table in front of the glass French doors. “Mornin' y’all. Haven’t seen ya in a while.”
“We’ve been busy. My little brother’s in town.” Dean replies with a small shrug.
“Ah, I see. You been cheatin’ on me."
Dean looks at Miss Ella, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk, “Never Miss Ella.”
“Hmm hmm. What can I get y’all?” She drawls and taps her pen against her order pad.
“Our usual and two orders of Callas Cakes.”
“Are you telling me,” She asks Dean with a raised eyebrow, “you can't share those Callas cakes with your girl? You’re getting one order of Callas cakes cuz let’s be honest ‘Lil Miss Lexi will eat half a cake and you’ll eat the rest.”
“I'm hungry.” He protests.
“Boy, you always hungry. You don’t need two orders. Always asking me for more than you can eat.”
Lexi laughs and waits till Miss Ella walks away before turning to Dean, “About what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
“You didn’t freak me out.”
“Dean.” She says while staring at him with a knowing look.
“Yeah, ok, you freaked me out.”
“I’m sorry it’s just…what we have is great and I don’t wanna…” Lexi trails off before worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I know Lex. I know you wanna get hitched. I know you wanna have kids. What I don’t know is if I can give you all that. And it’s not because I don’t want to… If I lived a different life, I’d give you all those things in a heartbeat.” Dean takes a deep breath then reaches across the table placing his hand over hers. “Lexi, I know hunters don’t have a long shelf life and I’m gonna die bloody with a gun in my hand. I’m okay with that. But you need to know when I picture myself happy it’s with you living a normal apple pie life with a house full of kids. Don’t think I don’t love you cuz I do…more than you know.”
June 1, 2002
Sam looks around the airport in search of his brother. He finds him easily enough. Dean’s leaning back in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he watches the crowd. He spots Sam a few seconds later and calls him over.
“Hey, Dean.”
“Hey little brother.” Dean says with a grin while he stands up. His eyes sweep over him as he shakes his head. “Well, not so little anymore. Look at you same height as me now, finally catching up.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Sam replies with a roll of his eyes. “Where are the girls?”
“Working. Jackie’s at the tattoo parlor and Lexi’s giving a tour.”
Sam raises his eyebrow not quite sure he heard his brother right then asks, “A tour?”
“Yeah. Ya know those walking tours? Lexi’s a tour guide. Works two hours a day, gets tips and Lil Miss Know It All gets to expound on the city’s history. She loves it.”
“Expound? What did Lexi get you word of the day toilet paper?” Sam retorts with a laugh.
“No, I read.”
“Dean, I’m pretty sure Penthouse Forum doesn’t count.”
Dean pulls a face at Sam snapping, “Shut your face, Jerk.”
“Bitch.”
Dean cuffs Sam around his neck smirking before mussing up Sam’s hair. “C’mon little brother let’s get you settled so we can go get some beers and get you a haircut.”
“I don’t need a haircut.” Sam protests.
“Dude, just gimmie five minutes with some clippers.”
“It’s not gonna happen, Dean.”
“Whatever Samantha but when you want a man’s haircut lemme know.”
The first thing Sam notices when they walked out of the airport is the heat. It isn’t just hot, it’s oppressive. Sam shrugs off his button down and follows Dean to the car. He shifts his bags to his other hand and wonders if coming here for the summer was a good idea. After all, he’s never been around Jackie for more than two weeks at a time. What if she gets sick of him after a couple of weeks? Sam sighs and throws his bags in the trunk while telling himself not to worry.
Sam gets into his brother’s ’67 Chevy, leans back against the seat and closes his eyes. He lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’s been holding and lets the familiar smell of the Impala wash over him. He didn’t want to admit it but he really missed this. As much as he wanted to get away from his family, Sam missed them. He missed his brother, he missed sitting in this car with Dean.
“You okay, Sammy?” Dean questions with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, I’m fine. And it’s Sam by the way.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’ll always be Sammy to me little brother.” Dean states with a grin before he turns the ignition.
The Impala roars to life and then Dean’s pulling out of the airport heading towards I-10 East. The twenty minute trip takes longer than usual thanks to the Saturday traffic. Dean didn’t seem to mind though as he sings along to Bob Seger’s ‘Beautiful Loser’, his fingers keeping time against the steering wheel. He asks Sam about college life and in return Sam asks him about life in New Orleans. Dean looks over at him with a genuine smile on his face saying, “It’s good.”
Sam nods with a smile of his own. He isn’t going to begrudge his brother’s happiness. Especially when Sam can see Dean isn’t faking it for his benefit. Dean’s relaxed and happy. It’s obvious to Sam that his brother has found a home here for himself with Lexi. And that’s a very good thing in his opinion.
“So, is Lexi okay with me staying here this summer?”
Dean takes his eyes off the road to glance at Sam. “Yeah, she’s fine with you being here. Lexi’s never held a grudge against you. You’re the one that was pissed off at her. And not for nothing Sammy, she never knew that you liked her as more than a friend.”
“Yeah, I guess I was being a jerk. I should apologize to her…” Sam trails off as he turns towards his brother.
“Yeah, you should.”
“I will.” Sam replies before falling silent.
He turns his attention to the scenery and lets himself relax. This is going to be a good summer he tells himself. He’s gonna be with his brother but there will be no hunting for Sam. No, he meant it when he said he was out. Sam is never going to hunt again. He’s going to spend a normal summer in New Orleans with Jackie which meant getting a job. He’d start looking for one tomorrow.
A little over a half an hour later, Dean’s parallel parking the Impala on St. Peter Street. He gets out leading Sam through the iron gate and the court yard to the steps that lead to his second floor apartment. They stop at the door as Dean pulls out his keys, the sound of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors coming through the door. Dean smiles at Sam before turning his key in the lock, “Lexi’s home.”
They find Lexi with her back to them as she’s vacuuming and dancing around the living room. Dean slams the door causing Lexi turn around. She grins then turns off the vacuum before bounding over to Dean. She stands on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. Dean wraps his arms around her tugging her closer as he deepens the kiss. Sam stands behind them awkwardly shifting from foot to foot before clearing his throat. Dean pulls away from Lexi reluctantly then glances over his shoulder at Sam. “Better get used to it Sammy if you’re staying with us.” Dean states with a smirk, “You’re gonna be seeing a lot of this.”
“Yeah, yeah just remember to keep it PG in the common areas.” Sam retorts.
Dean shakes his head before his eyes sweep over the apartment. He looks down at Lexi his eyebrow raised. “Did you clean? And wait, do I smell something cooking? Did you cook for me baby?”
“I was in the middle of cleaning up when you walked in.” She shrugs. “I’m not technically cooking. I’m just warming up some jambalaya my Granny gave me today.”
“Your Granny gave you more food?”
“Yeah, she said she feels sorry for you because I can’t cook but I told her it doesn’t matter that I’m a disaster in the kitchen cause I cook in the bed room.”
“LEXI!”
“What? You think that’s bad you should hear how she talks. Though, she did say that I better learn to cook before you knock me up.”
Dean bites down on his lip trying not to laugh. Lexi’s grandmother, Estelle, is constantly asking him when they were going to get married and give her a great grandbaby. Most people would be annoyed by that but not Dean. He likes Estelle and knew she was just busting his balls. She was one of the handful of people in Lexi’s family that genuinely liked him and treated him as family.
“So,” Dean asks turning to look at Sam, “what do you wanna do tonight little brother?”
“Jackie said something about us meeting her down at some place on Frenchmen Street.”
“Snug Harbor?” Dean questions.
“Yeah, that’s the place.”
June 14, 2002
John parks his truck behind the Impala and sighs. He hasn’t seen or heard from Dean in weeks. At least he didn’t make this drive for nothing. John grabs the folder on the seat and then makes his way up to the second floor apartment and knocks on the door twice. John isn't a bit surprised when Lexi answers the door in his eldest son's shirt. She looks up at him her eyes wide. “Hello, Lexi.”
“Mr. Winchester...”
“You can call me John, remember?” He says with a soft smile.
“Right,” She replies with a nod of her head before returning his smile. “John.”
“Is my son here?”
“Dean? Yeah, he's in the bedroom getting dressed. Come on in. I just made a pot of coffee.”
“Coffee sounds good.” John says throwing her a smile.
“I'll get ya a cup.” Lexi states while she steps back to allow John in. “You like it black right?”
“Yup.”
John steps inside, his eyes sweeping around the apartment. He takes notice of the salt line hidden under the throw rug in front of the door as he follows Lexi to the kitchen. He sits at the table taking in his surroundings. The place is neat, a little too neat. “You two get a maid or something?” John questions when Lexi places his coffee and a slice of pie in front of him.
“No.” She laughs. “Dean’s a bit of a neat freak.”
“Really? My son Dean?”
“Oh, yeah. I clean and he goes right behind me cleaning because he says it’s not clean enough.”
“Hey, Lex I thought you were getting dressed so I could take you to work.” Dean calls as he walks into the kitchen. He stops in the doorway when he sees his Dad sitting at the kitchen table. “Dad...”
“Hello Dean.”
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I'm talking to Lexi.” John states simply.
“Right, I see that.” Dean replies while he goes to grab a cup of coffee. “So, why are you in New Orleans?”
“You haven't returned any of my calls. I came to check up on you. Make sure you were still alive and well.” John says lightly but the look he gives his son is anything but.
“I’ve been busy.”
“How long are you staying?” Lexi asks.
“Till tomorrow if you two will have me.”
“I think we can do that.” Lexi replies before pressing a kiss to Dean’s cheek. “I’m gonna go get ready for work.”
As soon as Lexi’s in the bedroom she texts Sam to let him know John is in town. Sam stares down at his phone in disbelief. He reads Lexi’s message a second time while taking a deep breath. Dad’s in New Orleans. More specifically, he’s at the apartment and isn’t leaving until the next morning. Sam know he only has two choices. He could go back to the apartment and face his father or he could stay away until the coast was clear. It’s an easy choice for Sam. He’s going to stay away.
Sam makes the short walk over to the tattoo parlor on Frenchmen Street that Jackie works at. The place is empty except for one client. Sam flops into Jackie’s chair and closes his eyes. Jackie raises an eyebrow but says nothing.
“You’re not gonna ask me what I’m doing here?” Sam asks.
“Nope. She replied while she cleaned up her booth.
“My dad’s here and he’s not leaving until tomorrow.”
“And I take it you’re gonna be a stubborn ass and not go back to the apartment until he’s gone.”
Sam sits up and huffs before saying, “He told me if I left to not come back so no Jack, I’m not going there tonight.”
“Well, guess me and you are just gonna have to stay out all night.”
Sam stares at Jackie for a beat then breaks out into a huge grin. Staying out all night in New Orleans with Jackie wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Okay so maybe having his father in town did have its perks after all.
Dean and Lexi’s Apartment
Once Lexi leaves for work Dean leans back in his chair staring at his father. It’s obvious to Dean that his father isn’t just here to check up on him. John Winchester doesn’t drive cross country to just say hello. “So, why are you really here Dad?” John reaches into his duffel without saying a word then tosses a manila folder onto the table. “What’s this a case?”
“It’s not a case. It’s info on your girl.”
“You looked into Lexi after all this time, why?”
“I wasn’t looking into Lexi. I was looking into someone that was a hunter and who had information on the demon. It led me to Lexi. She’s from Lawrence.”
“Lexi?”
“Read the file Dean.” Dean opens the folder, flips through the first few pages and then stops when he sees the photograph. At first glance the woman in the picture looks exactly like Lexi. But the more he stares at it, the more doubtful he becomes. “Dean, it’s not Lexi.”
“Who is it?”
“That’s her mother. She died in Lawrence when Lexi was six months old.” John eyes his son as he leans across the table. “You notice anything else?”
“Yeah, fire. You think?” Dean looks up at John as he puts the pieces together. “You think whatever killed her mom is what killed…”
“Possibly. The fire, Lexi’s age. It can’t be a coincidence. Flip to the last article and take a good look at the picture.”
“Of mom?”
“No, the other picture. Look at the crowd outside our house. Now look at the pregnant woman to the left. She look familiar?”
“Lexi’s mom. Why’s she hanging around there?”
“You don’t remember her?” John questions Dean with a raised eyebrow.
“No.”
John runs a hand down his face and sighs before speaking. “A few days after your mom…you stopped talking. I couldn’t get you to say anything. I took you and Sammy to the park hoping I could get you to talk. Well, I left your brother’s bottle in the car and went to get it when I came back you were talking to her. She claimed to know your mom and her parents. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. You seemed to know her. You waved and said, ‘Bye Megan.’”
“So you think this woman was a hunter?”
“I know she was. Megan Connors hunted with her brother Gavin.”
“Wait. Megan Connors. Why is that name familiar?”
“Because she’s the woman that I told you about on your birthday. Megan Connors died in a nursery fire in Lawrence on June 15, 1984.”
Dean glances down at the file then back at his father as he recalls their conversation in January. “She’s the one that her daughter was missing. The fire department and the police only found Megan's body. You’re saying that Lexi is her daughter.”
“Yeah. I’m positive Lexi is Megan Connors daughter.”
“What about her father?”
“I couldn’t find anything on her father. The original birth certificate said father unknown. Does Lexi know she was adopted?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Dean answers with a shake of his head. “Lexi would’ve told me by now if she knew.”
“Don’t tell her Dean. She doesn’t need to know her mother was murdered by a demon when she was six months old. I want you to be careful. Keep an eye on her, watch for demonic omens. We don’t know why this demon killed your mom or Megan Connors.”
“I’ll be careful.” Dean nods while sliding the file across the table to John.
“Oh and one more thing.” John says with a slight smirk, “Dean do yourself a favor and don’t knock Lexi up again until you put a ring on her finger.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m not ready to be a Grandfather and she’s the kind of girl that’s gonna want the church, the dress…the whole nine yards.”
Dean sighs and runs a hand down his face before saying, “Yeah, don’t I know it. Wait are you saying…”
“That I like Lexi? Yeah, Dean I like Lexi and maybe once we find the demon you two can…” John trails off.
Dean shifts in his seat and rubs the back of his neck. He wants an apple life with Lexi more than anything but hearing his father say he can have it one day ties his stomach in knots. Dean doesn’t want to get his hopes up. He’s had too many disappointments in his life to count and he doesn’t want to add Lexi to that list. Besides, when has he ever gotten what he wants? Dean glances up at his dad with a forced smile. “Yeah maybe…”
Genre: SPN Het
Pairing: Sam/ OFC, Dean/OFC (Lexi, played by Eliza Dushku)
Rating: M
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: New town, new school for Sam. It's his fifth high school in three years but John promises it's going to be Sam' s last one. Dean and Sam settle into their new routine and enjoy being normal. A few months after school starts Sam meets Lexi. He could tell she was trouble the moment he laid eyes on her but it's the kind of trouble he's always wanted. Dean feels the same way about the new waitress at the diner.
*This is a prequel to Under Your Skin and Wayward Son.*
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33
Or on AO3
Chapter 34: Beautiful Loser
*Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters belong to Kripke. It's his sandbox, I'm just playing with his characters.* This is a prequel to Under Your Skin and Wayward Son. I hope you like it! Please review!
“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of an old man. He wants his home and security. He wants to live like a sailor at sea. Beautiful loser, where you gonna fall when you realize, you just can't have it all?”
May 27, 2002
Lexi’s in that in-between place of dreaming and awaking when the alarm goes off. Dean swats at the offending alarm before he reaches out for her. He wraps an arm around her waist then tugs her flush to him. With his free hand, Dean brushes Lexi’s long brown hair from her shoulder and replaces it with his mouth.
He mouths at her shoulder leaving light kisses and nips of his teeth. Lexi sighs and opens her eyes while Dean continues his assault on her shoulder. He moves his mouth to her neck, fingers trailing down her stomach causing her tremble slightly.
“Dean.” She breathes out softly while shifting in his arms.
Dean lifts his head from her shoulder placing a gentle kiss to her ear. “Mornin’, Lex.”
“Morning…” Lexi whispers. She reaches up cupping his cheek, his stubble rough against her palm. Dean wiggles his eyebrows causing her to laugh before he rolls on top of her. He pulls her legs up against his sides and presses her down into the mattress, his weight pinning her underneath him. Dean's tongue moves lightly across her bottom lip while he leans down on his forearms. Lexi pushes lightly against his chest shaking her head no despite how adorable Dean looks with his stubble and sex/bed head. “No, not right now. Wasn’t two times last night enough?”
“Nope. I never get enough of you. But if you don’t wanna do it...” Dean sighs just before he rolls off of her.
“Dean,” She laughs propping up on her elbow. Lexi lets her fingers trace over the tattoo of her name on Dean’s chest and asks, “rain check?”
“Hmm sure but I’m gonna hold ya to it. How bout we get some breakfast?”
“Ok, but wait.” She says resting her hand on Dean’s chest to keep him from getting out of bed. “I wanna ask you something kinda serious.”
“Ok, shoot.”
She takes a deep breath before blurting out, “Dean, if I got pregnant, what would you do?”
Dean stares at Lexi for a beat with wide eyes. He runs a hand through his hair asking, “Are you saying that you are?”
“I'm not. Hypothetically speaking.”
“If I knock you up I ain't going anywhere.” Dean states as he sits up. He cups her cheek in his hand, his eyes locking on to hers before continuing. “I'm gonna be right there with you and if you wanna keep it then I'll step up. Why are you asking me this?”
Lexi shrugs and she bites down on her bottom lip. “We never talk about the future. And I…”
“You can't plan your life out no matter what people say. Hunters don't have long shelf lives, Lex. If things get too dangerous...” Dean says quietly.
“What you're gonna take off on me?”
Dean sighs, breaks eye contact with her and shifts uncomfortably. He stares down at the quilt while he nods his head. Dean licks his lips then looks back at Lexi. “It would kill me but honestly, yeah. I don't want this life for you Lex and if it comes down to you being alive and safe or being with me? I'm gonna choose you being alive and safe without me. It terrifies me what I would do for you Lexi. The lengths I'd go to, to keep you safe. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you on my watch.”
“Nothing bad is gonna happen to me.” She says with a smile before kissing his cheek. “You worry too much.”
“Kettle black, Lex.” Dean replies with a smirk.
“Ok, I’ll give you that Dean. Let’s go get some breakfast.”
They go down the street to one of their regular spots, the Old Coffee Pot Restaurant on Saint Peter’s. The minute Dean and Lexi walk through the green French doors, Miss Ella is up and ushering them into the dining room. She places two menus on their usual corner table in front of the glass French doors. “Mornin' y’all. Haven’t seen ya in a while.”
“We’ve been busy. My little brother’s in town.” Dean replies with a small shrug.
“Ah, I see. You been cheatin’ on me."
Dean looks at Miss Ella, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk, “Never Miss Ella.”
“Hmm hmm. What can I get y’all?” She drawls and taps her pen against her order pad.
“Our usual and two orders of Callas Cakes.”
“Are you telling me,” She asks Dean with a raised eyebrow, “you can't share those Callas cakes with your girl? You’re getting one order of Callas cakes cuz let’s be honest ‘Lil Miss Lexi will eat half a cake and you’ll eat the rest.”
“I'm hungry.” He protests.
“Boy, you always hungry. You don’t need two orders. Always asking me for more than you can eat.”
Lexi laughs and waits till Miss Ella walks away before turning to Dean, “About what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
“You didn’t freak me out.”
“Dean.” She says while staring at him with a knowing look.
“Yeah, ok, you freaked me out.”
“I’m sorry it’s just…what we have is great and I don’t wanna…” Lexi trails off before worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I know Lex. I know you wanna get hitched. I know you wanna have kids. What I don’t know is if I can give you all that. And it’s not because I don’t want to… If I lived a different life, I’d give you all those things in a heartbeat.” Dean takes a deep breath then reaches across the table placing his hand over hers. “Lexi, I know hunters don’t have a long shelf life and I’m gonna die bloody with a gun in my hand. I’m okay with that. But you need to know when I picture myself happy it’s with you living a normal apple pie life with a house full of kids. Don’t think I don’t love you cuz I do…more than you know.”
June 1, 2002
Sam looks around the airport in search of his brother. He finds him easily enough. Dean’s leaning back in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he watches the crowd. He spots Sam a few seconds later and calls him over.
“Hey, Dean.”
“Hey little brother.” Dean says with a grin while he stands up. His eyes sweep over him as he shakes his head. “Well, not so little anymore. Look at you same height as me now, finally catching up.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Sam replies with a roll of his eyes. “Where are the girls?”
“Working. Jackie’s at the tattoo parlor and Lexi’s giving a tour.”
Sam raises his eyebrow not quite sure he heard his brother right then asks, “A tour?”
“Yeah. Ya know those walking tours? Lexi’s a tour guide. Works two hours a day, gets tips and Lil Miss Know It All gets to expound on the city’s history. She loves it.”
“Expound? What did Lexi get you word of the day toilet paper?” Sam retorts with a laugh.
“No, I read.”
“Dean, I’m pretty sure Penthouse Forum doesn’t count.”
Dean pulls a face at Sam snapping, “Shut your face, Jerk.”
“Bitch.”
Dean cuffs Sam around his neck smirking before mussing up Sam’s hair. “C’mon little brother let’s get you settled so we can go get some beers and get you a haircut.”
“I don’t need a haircut.” Sam protests.
“Dude, just gimmie five minutes with some clippers.”
“It’s not gonna happen, Dean.”
“Whatever Samantha but when you want a man’s haircut lemme know.”
The first thing Sam notices when they walked out of the airport is the heat. It isn’t just hot, it’s oppressive. Sam shrugs off his button down and follows Dean to the car. He shifts his bags to his other hand and wonders if coming here for the summer was a good idea. After all, he’s never been around Jackie for more than two weeks at a time. What if she gets sick of him after a couple of weeks? Sam sighs and throws his bags in the trunk while telling himself not to worry.
Sam gets into his brother’s ’67 Chevy, leans back against the seat and closes his eyes. He lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’s been holding and lets the familiar smell of the Impala wash over him. He didn’t want to admit it but he really missed this. As much as he wanted to get away from his family, Sam missed them. He missed his brother, he missed sitting in this car with Dean.
“You okay, Sammy?” Dean questions with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, I’m fine. And it’s Sam by the way.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’ll always be Sammy to me little brother.” Dean states with a grin before he turns the ignition.
The Impala roars to life and then Dean’s pulling out of the airport heading towards I-10 East. The twenty minute trip takes longer than usual thanks to the Saturday traffic. Dean didn’t seem to mind though as he sings along to Bob Seger’s ‘Beautiful Loser’, his fingers keeping time against the steering wheel. He asks Sam about college life and in return Sam asks him about life in New Orleans. Dean looks over at him with a genuine smile on his face saying, “It’s good.”
Sam nods with a smile of his own. He isn’t going to begrudge his brother’s happiness. Especially when Sam can see Dean isn’t faking it for his benefit. Dean’s relaxed and happy. It’s obvious to Sam that his brother has found a home here for himself with Lexi. And that’s a very good thing in his opinion.
“So, is Lexi okay with me staying here this summer?”
Dean takes his eyes off the road to glance at Sam. “Yeah, she’s fine with you being here. Lexi’s never held a grudge against you. You’re the one that was pissed off at her. And not for nothing Sammy, she never knew that you liked her as more than a friend.”
“Yeah, I guess I was being a jerk. I should apologize to her…” Sam trails off as he turns towards his brother.
“Yeah, you should.”
“I will.” Sam replies before falling silent.
He turns his attention to the scenery and lets himself relax. This is going to be a good summer he tells himself. He’s gonna be with his brother but there will be no hunting for Sam. No, he meant it when he said he was out. Sam is never going to hunt again. He’s going to spend a normal summer in New Orleans with Jackie which meant getting a job. He’d start looking for one tomorrow.
A little over a half an hour later, Dean’s parallel parking the Impala on St. Peter Street. He gets out leading Sam through the iron gate and the court yard to the steps that lead to his second floor apartment. They stop at the door as Dean pulls out his keys, the sound of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors coming through the door. Dean smiles at Sam before turning his key in the lock, “Lexi’s home.”
They find Lexi with her back to them as she’s vacuuming and dancing around the living room. Dean slams the door causing Lexi turn around. She grins then turns off the vacuum before bounding over to Dean. She stands on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. Dean wraps his arms around her tugging her closer as he deepens the kiss. Sam stands behind them awkwardly shifting from foot to foot before clearing his throat. Dean pulls away from Lexi reluctantly then glances over his shoulder at Sam. “Better get used to it Sammy if you’re staying with us.” Dean states with a smirk, “You’re gonna be seeing a lot of this.”
“Yeah, yeah just remember to keep it PG in the common areas.” Sam retorts.
Dean shakes his head before his eyes sweep over the apartment. He looks down at Lexi his eyebrow raised. “Did you clean? And wait, do I smell something cooking? Did you cook for me baby?”
“I was in the middle of cleaning up when you walked in.” She shrugs. “I’m not technically cooking. I’m just warming up some jambalaya my Granny gave me today.”
“Your Granny gave you more food?”
“Yeah, she said she feels sorry for you because I can’t cook but I told her it doesn’t matter that I’m a disaster in the kitchen cause I cook in the bed room.”
“LEXI!”
“What? You think that’s bad you should hear how she talks. Though, she did say that I better learn to cook before you knock me up.”
Dean bites down on his lip trying not to laugh. Lexi’s grandmother, Estelle, is constantly asking him when they were going to get married and give her a great grandbaby. Most people would be annoyed by that but not Dean. He likes Estelle and knew she was just busting his balls. She was one of the handful of people in Lexi’s family that genuinely liked him and treated him as family.
“So,” Dean asks turning to look at Sam, “what do you wanna do tonight little brother?”
“Jackie said something about us meeting her down at some place on Frenchmen Street.”
“Snug Harbor?” Dean questions.
“Yeah, that’s the place.”
June 14, 2002
John parks his truck behind the Impala and sighs. He hasn’t seen or heard from Dean in weeks. At least he didn’t make this drive for nothing. John grabs the folder on the seat and then makes his way up to the second floor apartment and knocks on the door twice. John isn't a bit surprised when Lexi answers the door in his eldest son's shirt. She looks up at him her eyes wide. “Hello, Lexi.”
“Mr. Winchester...”
“You can call me John, remember?” He says with a soft smile.
“Right,” She replies with a nod of her head before returning his smile. “John.”
“Is my son here?”
“Dean? Yeah, he's in the bedroom getting dressed. Come on in. I just made a pot of coffee.”
“Coffee sounds good.” John says throwing her a smile.
“I'll get ya a cup.” Lexi states while she steps back to allow John in. “You like it black right?”
“Yup.”
John steps inside, his eyes sweeping around the apartment. He takes notice of the salt line hidden under the throw rug in front of the door as he follows Lexi to the kitchen. He sits at the table taking in his surroundings. The place is neat, a little too neat. “You two get a maid or something?” John questions when Lexi places his coffee and a slice of pie in front of him.
“No.” She laughs. “Dean’s a bit of a neat freak.”
“Really? My son Dean?”
“Oh, yeah. I clean and he goes right behind me cleaning because he says it’s not clean enough.”
“Hey, Lex I thought you were getting dressed so I could take you to work.” Dean calls as he walks into the kitchen. He stops in the doorway when he sees his Dad sitting at the kitchen table. “Dad...”
“Hello Dean.”
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I'm talking to Lexi.” John states simply.
“Right, I see that.” Dean replies while he goes to grab a cup of coffee. “So, why are you in New Orleans?”
“You haven't returned any of my calls. I came to check up on you. Make sure you were still alive and well.” John says lightly but the look he gives his son is anything but.
“I’ve been busy.”
“How long are you staying?” Lexi asks.
“Till tomorrow if you two will have me.”
“I think we can do that.” Lexi replies before pressing a kiss to Dean’s cheek. “I’m gonna go get ready for work.”
As soon as Lexi’s in the bedroom she texts Sam to let him know John is in town. Sam stares down at his phone in disbelief. He reads Lexi’s message a second time while taking a deep breath. Dad’s in New Orleans. More specifically, he’s at the apartment and isn’t leaving until the next morning. Sam know he only has two choices. He could go back to the apartment and face his father or he could stay away until the coast was clear. It’s an easy choice for Sam. He’s going to stay away.
Sam makes the short walk over to the tattoo parlor on Frenchmen Street that Jackie works at. The place is empty except for one client. Sam flops into Jackie’s chair and closes his eyes. Jackie raises an eyebrow but says nothing.
“You’re not gonna ask me what I’m doing here?” Sam asks.
“Nope. She replied while she cleaned up her booth.
“My dad’s here and he’s not leaving until tomorrow.”
“And I take it you’re gonna be a stubborn ass and not go back to the apartment until he’s gone.”
Sam sits up and huffs before saying, “He told me if I left to not come back so no Jack, I’m not going there tonight.”
“Well, guess me and you are just gonna have to stay out all night.”
Sam stares at Jackie for a beat then breaks out into a huge grin. Staying out all night in New Orleans with Jackie wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Okay so maybe having his father in town did have its perks after all.
Dean and Lexi’s Apartment
Once Lexi leaves for work Dean leans back in his chair staring at his father. It’s obvious to Dean that his father isn’t just here to check up on him. John Winchester doesn’t drive cross country to just say hello. “So, why are you really here Dad?” John reaches into his duffel without saying a word then tosses a manila folder onto the table. “What’s this a case?”
“It’s not a case. It’s info on your girl.”
“You looked into Lexi after all this time, why?”
“I wasn’t looking into Lexi. I was looking into someone that was a hunter and who had information on the demon. It led me to Lexi. She’s from Lawrence.”
“Lexi?”
“Read the file Dean.” Dean opens the folder, flips through the first few pages and then stops when he sees the photograph. At first glance the woman in the picture looks exactly like Lexi. But the more he stares at it, the more doubtful he becomes. “Dean, it’s not Lexi.”
“Who is it?”
“That’s her mother. She died in Lawrence when Lexi was six months old.” John eyes his son as he leans across the table. “You notice anything else?”
“Yeah, fire. You think?” Dean looks up at John as he puts the pieces together. “You think whatever killed her mom is what killed…”
“Possibly. The fire, Lexi’s age. It can’t be a coincidence. Flip to the last article and take a good look at the picture.”
“Of mom?”
“No, the other picture. Look at the crowd outside our house. Now look at the pregnant woman to the left. She look familiar?”
“Lexi’s mom. Why’s she hanging around there?”
“You don’t remember her?” John questions Dean with a raised eyebrow.
“No.”
John runs a hand down his face and sighs before speaking. “A few days after your mom…you stopped talking. I couldn’t get you to say anything. I took you and Sammy to the park hoping I could get you to talk. Well, I left your brother’s bottle in the car and went to get it when I came back you were talking to her. She claimed to know your mom and her parents. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. You seemed to know her. You waved and said, ‘Bye Megan.’”
“So you think this woman was a hunter?”
“I know she was. Megan Connors hunted with her brother Gavin.”
“Wait. Megan Connors. Why is that name familiar?”
“Because she’s the woman that I told you about on your birthday. Megan Connors died in a nursery fire in Lawrence on June 15, 1984.”
Dean glances down at the file then back at his father as he recalls their conversation in January. “She’s the one that her daughter was missing. The fire department and the police only found Megan's body. You’re saying that Lexi is her daughter.”
“Yeah. I’m positive Lexi is Megan Connors daughter.”
“What about her father?”
“I couldn’t find anything on her father. The original birth certificate said father unknown. Does Lexi know she was adopted?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Dean answers with a shake of his head. “Lexi would’ve told me by now if she knew.”
“Don’t tell her Dean. She doesn’t need to know her mother was murdered by a demon when she was six months old. I want you to be careful. Keep an eye on her, watch for demonic omens. We don’t know why this demon killed your mom or Megan Connors.”
“I’ll be careful.” Dean nods while sliding the file across the table to John.
“Oh and one more thing.” John says with a slight smirk, “Dean do yourself a favor and don’t knock Lexi up again until you put a ring on her finger.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m not ready to be a Grandfather and she’s the kind of girl that’s gonna want the church, the dress…the whole nine yards.”
Dean sighs and runs a hand down his face before saying, “Yeah, don’t I know it. Wait are you saying…”
“That I like Lexi? Yeah, Dean I like Lexi and maybe once we find the demon you two can…” John trails off.
Dean shifts in his seat and rubs the back of his neck. He wants an apple life with Lexi more than anything but hearing his father say he can have it one day ties his stomach in knots. Dean doesn’t want to get his hopes up. He’s had too many disappointments in his life to count and he doesn’t want to add Lexi to that list. Besides, when has he ever gotten what he wants? Dean glances up at his dad with a forced smile. “Yeah maybe…”