Author's Note: I've been writing a lot of angst and the idea of writing something a bit happier really made me grin. So, after "LARP and the Real Girl" with no major spoilers. I love Charlie and I miss her. Plus, it's my birthday on the 23rd and this is a bit of a birthday present to myself. I hope you all enjoy!

"Sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get bored. And sometimes all I want, more than anything else in the world, is to go on a freaking date."

—Kiersten White

"You're what?"

Dean's voice sounded perplexed and tinged with the tiniest bit of disbelief.

Charlie bit her lower lip, though quickly shook off any feelings of guiltiness. She had the right to do what she wanted and she didn't need to explain anything to Dean or Sam. If anything, they should be supporting her on this endeavor.

"I'm going on a date." She repeated, shifting the phone to rest pressed against her ear as held up a cute green cocktail dress in the mirror. She wrinkled her nose in disgust—too formal perhaps?

"A date." Dean repeated, voice flat.

"Yes, Dean," She sighed exasperatedly. "You know, one of those things where two people meet, they kind of like each other so they decide to—"

"I know what a date is, Charlie." The eldest Winchester replied wryly and Charlie smirked somewhat.

She'd missed this in her life—the teasing, the comforting presence of having someone who cared. It had been years since she ever had anything that resorted some semblance of a family and now she had two brothers that she could call and talk about things going on in her life.

She'd forgotten how much she needed that.

There was a mumbling on the other end of the phone and soon she heard a click. Groaning, she began, "Please tell me you didn't put me on—"

"Hey, Charlie." Sam's voice filtered in and she flopped on the bed, eyes staring upwards on the popcorn ceiling. Yes, she loved the Winchesters, but she never knew that her informing them that she was going out on a date would cause so much hassle.

"Hi, Sam." She breathed, reminding herself that she would get through this, that she didn't need their approval. If she wanted to go on a date, she could.

"So, who's the girl?" Dean questioned quietly and Charlie sighed softly.

"Are we really doing this?" She mumbled and Sam chuckled in the background.

"Do I need to remind you of the last girl you hooked up with?" Dean pointed out and Charlie shook her head furiously, though she knew they couldn't see her. The last girl she'd hung out with turned out to be a fairy and left her with a broken heart and bittersweet memories.

"Her name is Jana Douglas." Charlie supplied reluctantly. "She's a girl that just joined the LARP group." The redhead smiled thinking of the other woman's stunning sea-blue eyes and sunshine hair. "She's part of the Shadow Orcs, actually—

"She's got no criminal record." Sam reports dutifully. "Some parking tickets but nothing—"

Charlie sat up on the bed, mouth falling open in shock.

"Did you just look up my date?" She asked, not sure whether she should be more shocked or angry for this breach of her privacy.

"Well, yeah." Sam admitted sheepishly.

"We're just looking out for you, Charlie." Dean interjected. "You never know who could be out there."

"Guys, look, I appreciate the thought but . . ." She ran a hand through her hair, trying to come up with a nice way to put this. She wasn't used to having people looking out for her. She'd been alone for so long that she'd been sure that all she'd have in her life was her trusty comics and games. Now though, she had two brothers—two guys that treated her like one of their own—and she didn't want to risk losing that.

"But?" Dean pressed.

"But I think I can handle this one on my own." She grinned, though she knew they wouldn't be able to see it. "I've known Jana for a month and during that time I've seen her in broad daylight—so, no vampire—and during the raid of the full moon—no werewolf—and I asked her out, so it's not like she's targeting me or anything."

"Even so—" Sam tried to add, but Charlie sighed.

"I'll be okay." She told them softly. "I've got this."

There was a pause and she could just picture the two of them having one of their silent conversations that their glances tended to produce. She waited for their rationale to win out against the paranoia because sure, while there were many things that did go bump in the night, Charlie was sure that Jana Douglas was not one of them.

At least, she hoped Jana wasn't.

"Well, good luck on your date." Sam finally said, almost too cheerful.

"Where are you two thinking of going?" Dean asked casually.

"Just some Italian place around the corner." Charlie said dismissively, and then glancing at the clock, she grimaced. "And I've really got to get going. I'll call you tomorrow."

And with that, she hung up and returned to the dilemma of the green cocktail dress.

Jana was stunning.

Up until tonight, all the redhead had seen of her date was her dressed in the Shadow Orcs uniform. Now, here she was, radiant, dressed in a pale blue dress that seemed to be tailor made to her body, hugging her curses in all the right places. Her platinum was piled high up onto her head, in some sort of a bun. Her blue eyes sparkled as she took a sip of her glass of wine.

"This is so much fun!" The blonde commented and Charlie nodded her head enthusiastically. She took a bite of the delicious Fettuccine Alfredo on her plate and savored the warm pasta.

"This place is really great." Charlie nodded her head, grinning. She ducked her head, somewhat embarrassed at herself. She was a shy person by nature and she wasn't used to going on dates. Sure, she had other girlfriends before, but nothing serious. Jana was her first chance at happiness in her love life since what seemed like an eternity ago.

"You like Italian food?" Jana inquired, taking a bite of her lasagna.

"Love it!" Charlie nodded her head enthusiastically. "You?"

"It's good, but I'm more of a sushi girl." Jana winked at that and the redhead found herself laughing once more.

"We could go to sushi next time—" Her voice cut off as she realized the implications of her statement—that there might be a second date. She didn't even know if Jana felt the same way that Charlie did. How could she be so foolish to say something like that?

"Of course!" Jana replied, without missing a beat. "I know this great place by the Kingdom that we could try—"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that familiar leather jacket and the longish brown hair that she knew all too well at a table across the room. She couldn't make out the faces of the occupants—there was a column blocking her view—but she would bet her whole Kingdom on her being right as to who it was.

"Would you, uh," She rose from her chair, trying not to come across as crazy or angry, though she felt both coursing through her system. "Would you excuse me for a second?"

Jana's brow creased in confusion but she answered, "Yeah, of course."

Crossing the dinning room floor with purpose, Charlie slid into the booth.

"So," She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her gaze. "You two want to explain what you're doing here?"

Sam and Dean ducked their heads, refusing to meet her gaze, both petulant like a child.

"Charlie—" Dean finally started, but the redhead held her hand up for silence.

"Save it." Turning her attention to the youngest Winchester, she added softly, "This I'd expect from him, but you, Sam? Just what is—?"

"We were just . . ." Sam hesitated for a moment, sighing a bit. "Concerned, Charlie."

"Concerned?" Charlie echoed in disbelief. "Guys, Jana is nice and she's human!"

"You think." Dean interjected.

"I know!" The redhead protested, voice rising. Then, remembering that she was in public, she quickly quieted herself. "Sam, Dean, you know I love you two like brothers, but right now, I'm seriously considering punching both of you."

Dean smirks, "Charlie, c'mon, you wouldn't—"

"Do you guys think I'm incapable of choosing who I should go out with?" Her gaze narrowed and the boys blanched. "I'm a grown-up, not some teenager who needs to be watched!" The more she spoke, the more the rage spread within her. Ever since she'd been little, people had always been underestimating her. When she got into gifted classes at school, she was viewed as a product of the school district needing more girls in its diversity reports. When she made her own site at age ten, her parents dismissed it.

When she was finally on her own, she swore that she would never let anyone else define her by his or her expectations. She's strong, she's come this far by herself and if the Winchesters thought she needed to be coddled, they were sadly mistaken.

"Charlie, we would never—!" Sam began to protest, only for Dean to interrupt,

"We're not saying you're an idiot, but you don't know what kind of things that can be out there, posing as humans—"

She shook her head, her heart breaking, slowly and ever so painfully.

"I'm leaving now," She rose from the chair, unable to even look at them. She trusted them. She loved them. And they thought she was weak? That she couldn't protect herself?

"Charlie—" Sam's puppy dog eyes were out in full force and she bit her lower lip, trying to keep the tears at bay. Her vision grew watery; she cleared her throat.

"And you two better go too or as soon as my date is done, I'm going show you guys just how hard I can hit."

And with that, she calmly collected herself and made her way back to her table.

"Everything okay?" Jana questioned, voice soft and eyes taking in her obviously distressed appearance.

Charlie grinned, trying to blind her date with a dazzling smile.

"Fine." She lied. "Everything is fine."

But it wasn't.

It wasn't even close to it being okay.

"Well, I had a great time." Jana told her as they stood outside of her apartment. She smiled that dazzling grin that Charlie had found herself falling for and quickly leaned in, kissing her briefly on the lips.

It was this that she had missed over the months—being normal. Pretending that she wasn't aware of the world that hid in the dark, of the creatures that lurked there, ready to pounce on easy prey.

But this—being with Jana—it was nice and for once, maybe, it would be a chance for her to remember what it felt like to have someone to come home to. It had been so long since those days.

"Me too." Charlie whispered as she pulled back.

"Next time, sushi!" Jana told her, waving as she walked into her building.

After a few minutes, Charlie moved back to her car, putting her keys to the ignition. She should call Sam and Dean, should give them a chance to explain their reason, no matter how ignorant or stupid. They were her boys, after all, and though she was downright furious, she did love them and care for them. They were just looking out for her in the only way they knew how.

She dialed Dean's number, placing the phone by her ear.

It went directly to voicemail.

"Odd." She remarked, and then after leaving a message, she dialed Sam's number.

That also went straight to voicemail.

"Okay." She whispered, her heartbeat quickening. Her cheeks flushed and her palms grew moist as the nervousness and worry consumed her.

The boys were in trouble.

She didn't know how she knew, but somehow, deep down, she knew. Her boys needed her and they needed her now. She had to find them and get them out of whatever jam they had gotten themselves into.

She just had to find them first.

She may be a somewhat of a legit person now—she doesn't really hack for her own gain anymore—but breaking into the cell network mainframe was a walk in the park for a woman of her skills. Getting a signal on the boys' phone was almost too simple and ten minutes after she walked into her apartment, she's storming back out, armed with a strong signal and a GPS location to where the boys were.

It almost feels like a real quest, she thought with a melancholy grin. The kind of quest she'd always dreamed about going on when she was younger. Go slay the dragon and rescue the Princess (though, in her case, it was princes today) and then waltz into the sunset, happy and fulfilled.

Charlie may be a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. There's a strong possibility that she might be walking into a trap of some sort. Her boys had crossed so many people over the years that any sort of creature could've taken them. She might get hurt or die tonight if she follows through on her plan.

And that should scare her.

But it doesn't.

She understood now, what Sam and Dean had been trying to convey to her in the restaurant. How they just wanted to protect her and keep her from harm's way. Sure, they went about it in the wrong way, but right now, she can't even muster up even the tiniest hint of anger.

She'll find the boys, no matter what it costs her.

"Hang on." She gripped the steering wheel of her car and then floored it.

She had a monster to vanquish.

It occurred to her, as she pulled up in front of the creepy abandoned warehouse on the other side of town, that she was woefully underprepared to face any sort of malicious person, let alone a supernatural creature. As she opened her trunk and took stock of what she had—which, the boys had given her in case of emergency mind you—she grimaced.

"A bottle of holy water," She held it in her hand and sighed before tucking it in her pocket. "A silver knife." She didn't even really know how to use that. "Great." She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm screwed."

The boys were right inside though. She couldn't leave them to go get more supplies. Who knew what would become of them in the meantime? No, she had to act and act now.

Before it was too late.

"Well," She had this habit of talking to herself when she was nervous. She should probably stop before it gave her away. "Well, if Buffy can do it, then I can too, right?"

She didn't wait for her mind to retort that Buffy had slayer strength before she started walking towards the door.

Time to face the music.

So, her sneaking in skills could probably use some improvement.

"Well, well," A man in a business suit chirped as she picked herself up from the floor. "What do we have here?"

She dusted herself off, silently cursing the pipe that had served as her downfall and met the somewhat worried and perplexed gazes of the Winchester brothers.

The boys were tied up in chains to two different chairs. Even in the dim light, she could see bloodstains on their clothes and she nearly gasped when she saw the various bruises and cuts they'd managed to sustain in the few hours they'd been apart. Their mouths were ducked taped so they couldn't convey any information to her, though she doubts it would help her.

She was here and someway, she'd find a way to save them.

"Are you the cavalry?" The man in the suit spoke once again, his voice tinged with an accent Charlie couldn't quite distinguish. He smirked somewhat and it sent a shiver down her spine. This man . . . he was pure evil.

"Depends," She replied, trying to keep her voice calm. "Are you the bad guy?"

She knew he was—obviously, given the state her boys were in and the surroundings—but she had to get him talking, keep him focused on her and not the boys.

The man chuckled darkly and took a step towards her, "What an odd question."

She forced herself not to back down from his threatening stature. She would not act like a cowering girl. She would find a way to save the boys, no matter what happened to her.

"Look, I don't suppose we could write this off as an accident?" She gave him a shaky smile. "Like I thought this was address of the rave that I got invited to?"

"No, love," He cooed, shrugging. "I'm afraid it's too late for that."

"So, what now?" She reached in her back pocket, casually grabbing the bottle of holy water.

"Now?" He placed a cool hand on her cheek. "Now, I find out who the hell you are and then I kill you. Painfully."

Dean struggled against his chains.

"Sorry," She smirked. "Not going to work for me."

She tossed the bottle of holy water at him, sprinting towards the brothers as the man cried out in pain.

Demon, she deduced.

She freed Dean first and before she knew it, he was up and freeing Sam. It looked like they were going to make it out of here, alive and—

"Sorry, love," A voice whispered sinisterly by her ear. "Afraid it's going to take more than holy water to get me down."

The next thing she knew she is falling and there is a sharp, burning pain in her side.

She immediately reached for the spot where the pain was emanating from and her hand came back wet and crimson.

Holy shit, I've been stabbed.

Things happen faster after that, though she was somewhat disconnected from it. It's like her world was on mute and the picture was out of focus. All she knew was the pain and once that began to fade, cold started to seep into her bones.

She's dying.

And that should terrify her, but she doesn't even have that much energy for that. It's taking every ounce of her strength to even keep her eyelids open. She won't last long at this rate.

But out of the dim corners of the room, she can spy her boys fighting the man in the suit and they are winning.

That's all that matters, after all.

Someone called her name, but the darkness consumed her and Charlie just let go.

Let go and fell into the welcoming embrace of unconsciousness.

"Miss Bradbury?"

She struggled to open her eyes, but after a grand effort, a kind visage swum into existence. The redhead blinked a few times but eventually she can make out the blinding white lights and hear the steady beeping of a monitor.

"Miss Bradbury?" The older woman who stood above her offered a kind smile. An I.D. tag hung from the pocket of her black scrubs.

"Yeah?" Her voice was dry and her throat was parched. She winced at the sound of it and tried to move her head to look for some water but her head was much too heavy.

"You're at a hospital, Miss Bradbury," The nurse informed her. "The operation to repair the stab wound was a success. We're moving you to the ICU, okay?" She grinned again, warm and inviting. "Your brothers are very anxious to see you."

"Brothers?" She whispered, scrunching her forehead. She didn't have any family. She'd been alone for so long and she would probably always be alone—

"Yes," The nurse continued. "They've been here all night."

"Okay." She murmured though her brain was so foggy. Brothers? Did she have brothers? She didn't—

And then, like a car running her over, it hit her.

Sam and Dean. How she foolishly had gone to rescue them and failed miserably.

If the boys were here, then that meant they were safe at least.

"Miss Bradbury?" The nurse stood at the door. "I'm going to send them in, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

The nurse vanished down the hall and Charlie tried to sit up a bit, only to groan as a biting pain stole her breath.

"Easy."

She couldn't help but grin as Dean helped lift her forward and Sam adjusted her pillow.

Her boys were a bit worse for wear—bruises and bandages seemed to cover a lot of their exposed skin—but it was the dark circles under their eyes that gave the self-proclaimed geek pause. Had they slept at all?

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hey." Sam replied.

For a moment, she couldn't find the words to convey the overwhelming relief she felt at seeing them—alive—and knowing that they had made it out okay. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry as the relief coursed through her.

"It's okay." Dean placed a hand on her shoulder, shooting her a rare smile.

"You're safe now, Charlie." Sam assured her.

"I'm glad," She managed to get out. "You two are safe."

"Yeah," The eldest Winchester grinned. "Thanks to you."

"I'm sorry," She told them quickly. "For the restaurant. I didn't mean to get so angry and maybe you two are right, there are bad things out there—"

"Easy," Sam soothed. "It doesn't matter now, Charlie."

"But once you get out of here, we will have a huge talk about how stupid that was for you." Dean warned her, voice low. "You went up against the King of Hell, Charlie—"

"You almost died," Sam interjected. "An inch lower and it would've killed you."

"I know," She whispered. "But you two needed me." She grinned widely. "Besides, if it had been me in that warehouse—"

"We would've come for you." Dean completed.

"Even though it would be dangerous." Charlie said softly.

"Charlie, you're family—" Sam started.

"That's the point." The redhead murmured. "You two, you are my family. You're all that I've got."

It was true.

These two boys were all that she had left. They were the only two people in the world who cared for her, who loved her for who she was. Funny that it took her a brush with death to make her realize that.

"Charlie—" Dean started and she chuckled.

"Right, got it," She laughed. "No chick-flick moments."

Her eyelids began to droop. She tried to fight it only for Sam to grab her hand and squeeze it softly.

"Get some sleep, Charlie."

"But—" She felt the need to resist, a bit of lingering fear welling up within her.

"We'll be here when you wake up." Dean tells her softly.

And with that, Charlie sleeps.

Author's Note: I love boys/Charlie family feels. Not ashamed to admit that. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please review if you have a moment. Thanks!