Let It Go
Premise: Set about six months after the death of John Winchester. Sam and Dean stop in a quiet town for a few beers, and Sam finds something more.
The Winchester brothers walked into the bar and chose a corner table. The bar was quiet and clean, and the waitress was attentive, quickly getting the boys two cold beers and a bowl of buttery popcorn. Sam and Dean were both content, and no words were exchanged as they allowed their brains and bodies to decompress from the last case.
Halfway into his second beer, Dean stretched his long legs under the table and sat back in his chair. "This is a great night, Sammy," he said. "Sometimes life is just...good."
Sam nodded and grinned at his brother. Both were a little beaten down from that last monster, as it had not gone without a fight. But Dean had gotten a big hug from a young pretty girl who had been in peril, and he was feeling his oats.
Sam groaned when he saw the door open and a group of five young men came in, carrying guitar cases and speakers. "House band," he lamented.
"No, they are really good," commented the waitress, refreshing the drinks. "You should stay, this place really gets hopping on a Saturday night."
They had not even realized what day of the week it was.
"Stay or go?" Dean asked him, wiping off a foamy mustache with the back of his hand. Sam realized Dean was in a good mood, offering his little brother the choice.
Sam pointed over his shoulder at an unused pool table. "How about a few games, and see how it goes?" he replied. Dean nodded and walked over the the pool table to choose a stick. Sam turned his head towards the door as he heard loud, girlish laughter come into through the door. Three girls tumbled in, grinning and laughing at one another. They waved to the bartender and chose a table across the room, quickly leaning in towards one another, talking.
One dark haired girl had a nose ring and pink stripes in her hair. The second was plain, with a small, smooth face and large brown eyes and brown hair held back in a perky ponytail. Sam's gaze rested on the third – a tall, svelte blonde in worn jeans and a bright pink tank top. He heard Dean clear his throat conspicuously.
"This is gonna be a great night, Sammy," Dean repeated, a grin spreading across his face. Sam narrowed his eyes comically at Dean, swiping the pool stick from his hand.
"Its gonna be a great night, Dean, because I am going to kick your ass at pool," Sam retorted. He made his shot too quickly, bouncing the cue ball right off the table. It landed with a resounding thud on the wood floor, making everyone, including the three girls, glance over at him. Sam, still poised over the pool table in the shooting position, hung his head and laughed with Dean.
"Okay, amateur, let me show you how its done," Dean pushed his brother aside playfully. Soon the brothers were joined by two locals, and after several games – where Dean, surprisingly, just gambled drinks, not money – Sam looked around and was surprised to see how full the bar was becoming. Their waitress was busy, so Sam sauntered to the bar to get two more cold beers. Right as he was returning to their table, the band began to play. Sam found himself in the direct middle of the dance floor, suddenly surrounded by twisting, turning bodies. Gingerly he walked through the crowd, attempting not to slosh anyone with his beers.
He found himself face to face with the cute blonde he had seen earlier. The music was loud, so she pointed to a beer in Sam's hand and then to herself, eyebrows raised, grin appearing. Sam looked at her for a moment. She had large blue eyes and a ski-jump nose. Damn, she was cute.
"Uh...," Sam awkwardly held the beer out to her, but she spun away and was lost in the crowd.
"Nice job, Romeo," Dean teased as Sam handed him his beer. Sam shrugged and smiled. Dean was the hook-up man, leaving Sam to sleep out in the Impala many a night while Dean kept company in their motel room. But maybe tonight...Sam felt he had nothing to loose. He returned to the bar, and waved down the bartender.
"That blonde, the one you know? What is she drinking?" Sam shouted to him over the music. The bartender returned with a mixed drink and Sam paid. But...now what? Was she still dancing – should he leave it at her table? Then she wouldn't know who brought it. Find her in the crowd? And hand it to her there?
Dean was so much better at this.
The blonde was suddenly at his side, leaning over the bar, ordering a drink. The bartender frowned and pointed to Sam. She looked at Sam, then back at the bartender who nodded, and then back to Sam.
"Thank you!" she yelled to him over the music. "I'm Alex!" she offered a hand and Sam took it as if to shake it, but she laughed and pulled him out onto the dance floor, leaving the drink at the bar.
Uh-oh.
Dancing.
It was decent music, thank God. "Mustang Sally" was being cranked by the band, and the blonde's friend with the brown hair was up on stage, belting out the words. Sam swung his arms and did a little step. He actually thought he wasn't too bad a dancer.
"Wow, she's good!"
"What?"
Sam pointed to the girl on stage and gave a thumbs up. Alex nodded in agreement, her blonde hair flowing around her shoulder. Sam suddenly thought of taking that blonde hair in his rough hands and pulling her close...
The band stopped and announced a fifteen-minute break. The two found themselves still standing on the dance floor. It was an awkward moment.
"I'm Sam," he offered her a hand. For some reason, Alex narrowed her eyes and looked at him closely. There was suspicion in her look, something untrusting. Then it was gone. She smiled and shook his hand.
"Thanks for the dance, Sam, and the drink," she said as she turned to go.
Except he didn't want her to go.
"What was it – the drink – I don't even know what I ordered for you," Sam struggled to keep the conversation going.
"Oh...uh...just cranberry juice." Alex was suddenly hugged from each side by her two girlfriends. The singer, for all her stage presence, seemed small and afraid. Sam could see the dark-haired girl had several tattoos.
"This is Jayla, our singer...," Alex said, "...and this is Melissa, our wild child. Ladies, this is Sam."
Sam nodded in reply, and complimented Jayla on her singing. She smiled in reply, looking at her shoes. The three waved good-bye, and as a unit, returned to their table. Sam stood in the middle of the floor, feeling the fool...for feeling his heart pounding. He felt Dean's hand on his shoulder.
"Ready?" Dean looked tired. He had been driving a lot lately, and then this last case...Sam felt bad for keeping him up so late. Sam sighed and nodded. The brothers headed for the door, and Sam took one more look back at Alex. She was looking right at him from her table.
She mouthed the word, stay.
"Uh, Dean, how 'bout you head out...I'll meet up with you later." Sam patted his brother on the back. Dean turned and smiled broadly.
"Should I sleep in the Impala?"
Sam felt his cheeks redden and glared at his elder brother.
"Okay, okay, sorry, just wanted to offer, that's all...," Dean waved goodnight at his brother over his shoulder and left.
Sam blew the air out of his cheeks, watching Dean walk to the car through the window in the door.
Uh-oh.
Now what?
Go sit with Alex at her table with the two other girls? Play it cool and go back to his old table, and let her join him?
Sam glanced at the bar and saw Alex sitting on a bar stool, an empty one beside her.
Whew.
He sat down next to her and the two smiled at each other.
"I - ," "I," they both started at the same time, and laughed.
"You first," Sam said.
"Okay...I don't know why I did that. I don't know why I asked you to stay – and I don't want to lead you on, there is no one-night stand it this, okay?" Her words came rushing out.
Sam sipped on his beer. He was glad that was out in the open, and he knew they wouldn't have too much chance for meaningful conversation, as the band began to rejoin on the stage.
"That's fine with me, Alex. Its just nice to have some nice company. I'm on the road a lot, and just being able to hang with someone like you...its a luxury," he hoped his words sounded as meaningful as he meant them.
Alex hung her head for a moment, and Sam could see her blush on her face between the strands of blonde hair.
"Thanks, that's sweet," she replied. The band started up again, a bluesy, soulful number. Alex jumped off her stool and pulled on his hand, all smiles again.
"Oh, no, no," Sam begged off. "I know my limits."
Alex laughed and danced the next two songs with Melissa and Jayla. Sam wondered that Alex must have had some professional dance experience – she was, by far, the best dancer in the bar tonite. She turned and swayed, her hands traveling down her body and into the air above her head, hips pounding to the beat, head tilting and hair swinging. She finally returned to the bar with Sam, playfully collapsing into his arms in a sweaty heap. Sam felt his heart leap at the closeness of her and returned her hug.
"Ouch, you are strong!" she said, staying in his arms, pinching his biceps. She went to reach for her drink, but to keep her close, Sam reached and offered it to her.
"...and you are a great dancer," he replied. He tried to tone down his smile, as he could feel it stretch from ear to ear. Play it a little bit cooler, Sam, he told himself. His heart pounded in his ears, and he could feel the heat from her body as she leaned against him to drink.
Melissa grabbed Alex's arm.
"Slow down," she growled to Alex. Alex shook off her friend's hand.
"I'm fine," Alex replied, looking off at nothing.
"Whoa, nothing is happening here," Sam put his hands up in the air as if to surrender. Melissa shook her head.
"Alex has a bad ticker," Melissa told him, pointing to her own heart. "I just don't want her to over-do it."
Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at Alex, who suddenly looked crushed. "I'm fine," she assured him. "Come on." She pulled him to the dance floor, where couples swayed to a slow ballad. Jayla was on stage again, lamenting about a lost love.
"I'm fine," Alex repeated, pushing her hands up from Sam's neck into his hair. They touched foreheads, and Sam rested his hands on her hips.
"I'm not worried," Sam replied. He felt her smile. They danced in a comfortable silence, bodies close, hearts pounding, a fire inside each of them beginning to burn. When the song ended, Sam and Alex left the bar, waving good night to Jayla on the stage, and a glowering Melissa at the bar.
The night was cool and clear and exceptionally quiet after the din in the bar. Alex shivered, the sweat on her body beginning to cool. Sam wordlessly shrugged off his flannel shirt and placed it over her shoulders. He still had a dark blue t-shirt on underneath. They walked a few steps, the gravel parking lot crunching under their feet.
Sam laughed. "I don't have a car," he confessed. "My brother left with it."
Alex looked up and him and they faced each other. "My ride is inside, and she's pretty pissed off right now," she replied. Sam placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her close, his other hand caressing her long blonde hair, like he'd been wanting to do all night. She tilted back her head, meeting his kiss, soft and sweet and yearning.
Sam felt the desire rise up inside him, hot and earnest, and regretted not telling Dean to sleep in the Impala. But if she had a bad heart...?
Alex pushed herself away from him, but still stayed in his arms.
"I – I'd better go home."
"Can I walk you there?" Sam saw a look of worry cross her face. "Just walk you there...I won't come in, I promise. I'll stand ten feet away and let you lock the door," Sam crossed his heart, but stopped, the smile frozen on his face.
"Sam...did you just 'cross your heart and hope to die'?" Alex snickered. "That's hilarious. Come on, let's go." She grabbed his hand and they walked out of the parking lot onto the paved sidewalk.
"What do you do?"
"I'm a hunter," the words rolled out so easily it shocked him. He always had a lie prepared, a way to move the conversation away from himself – he gulped – his guard was totally down.
"Oh, like a bounty hunter? Finding people that skipped out on bail?"
"Uh, yeah, bad folks...its a family business." What the hell?
"So your brother – and your dad do it too?"
"Yeah, my brother does, but my dad died. About six months ago."
Alex stopped and pulled on his hand so that they faced each other. Sam could see in the moonlight how she bit her bottom lip. He wished he hadn't said that, as he didn't want her feeling sorry for him. He opened his mouth to move past the subject, but she interrupted him.
"I lost my Dad, too, about a year ago. He was everything – my mom, when I was born, just left. So it was me and him and my older brother. My only regret is that we found out about my heart condition just before he died. I wish he hadn't known about it, because...sometimes I feel him around, you know? And he's worried." Alex shook her head. "I'm sorry, jeez, here's my life story...ugh," she made a disgusted face. It made her look even more damn cute. "I'm sorry about your dad."
They continued walking. Sam dropped her hand and pulled her close, so that they were walking with his arm over her shoulder. She told him it was another three or four blocks until her apartment building, and he wished it was longer. The town was sweet, small, and provincial. They passed the school with its large playground, then through the quaint town square with its boutiques and yarn shops. Sam enjoyed the quiet company, the feel of a girl under his arm, the lingering kiss on his lips. He felt butterflies in his stomach – would she invite him in – should he accept – was it safe with her heart – should he just go back to the motel?
Damn, Dean was so much better at this stuff.
They arrived at her building, a house that was split into two apartments. She explained that she bought it with her dad's inheritance, living in one side, and renting out the other. They looked at the building together for a moment, then she pulled away to go inside.
"Thanks...for a really nice night, Sam. You seem like such a nice guy...I...it was great to meet you," Alex's words came haltingly. Sam pulled her close and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"My pleasure...really. Its hard to find someone nice...just to spend time with."
He watched her climb the stairs to her door, unlock the door, turn and wave, and enter and lock the door behind her. Sam did as promised, staying ten feet away, though every fiber of his being long to rush in and push Alex onto her bed.
It's okay, just let it go. A hunter's life...if I wanted sex I should have gone for some floosy in the bar...but Alex is too nice...let it go.
Sam stared at the house until he saw the lights go off downstairs. He didnt want Alex to think he was some stalker, so he began to walk away, occasionally glancing at the house over his shoulder. The lights went on upstairs, where apparently her bedroom was located, then off again as she went to sleep. Sam tried to keep himself from thinking about what she was sleeping in...some soft, white...
He shook his head viciously and cleared his throat. Maybe some other time, in some other life, he would meet a girl as sweet and kind as she. But right now, it was not meant to be. Sam knew he had to walk away, to let it go.
It was going to be a long three-mile walk back to the motel, just alone with his thoughts. A long three miles.
Let it go.