Author's Notes: I don't own Supernatural although I wish I did. I own the OFC referenced herein however. Please read and review. Although this is kind of a stand alone piece, it does fit into the world that I'm creating with a little series of my own and on my author page you'll find just where this story does fit in. Just thought you'd all like to know that. And the song referenced in the title as well as the lyrics in the story itself are from a song called "Strange & Beautiful" by Aqualung. If you haven't heard the song before, you really should give it a listen. It very much inspired this ficlet. I think the song would be perfect in an episode of Supernatural under the right circumstances actually. Hope you enjoy!

Sam tried not to sigh too loudly because he knew that would get Dean's attention and it would mean getting teased mercilessly right now. That was something Sam wanted to avoid at all costs if at all possible. He heard enough crap from his brother when they were on the road. Right now he didn't want to hear it. Dean was over by the pool tables hustling a game of pool or two, leaving Sam to his thoughts, but he was still within earshot, which Sam knew all too well. So Sam made sure that he drew as little attention to himself as possible. His mind, however, was already running away with all kinds of thoughts of her.

She was unassumingly beautiful. Sam had noticed that the first time he'd laid eyes on her. The way the light caught her hair and made it sparkle was fascinating. Even in the crappy lighting of the dive they were in now, everything about her looked amazing. He was utterly captivated by her hair right now, wanting to run his fingers through it, wanting to pull her close and tangle his fingers into that silky hair, wanting ...

He had to look away for a moment and took a long drink from his bottle of beer at the same time. He wasn't supposed to want her like he did but Sam couldn't help himself. He tried to tell himself that it was because of being in close quarters and all that but he knew that wasn't true. She kept her own room while Sam shared one with Dean. The only time they were in 'close quarters' was when they were sitting in the car but even then she was relegated to the backseat. Even when they sat in a motel room (hers or theirs) to 'brainstorm', she would sit on one bed and Sam would sit on another or she'd just sprawl out on the floor.

It's cute how she does that actually.

He was smiling at the thought and again Sam knew he had to mentally give himself a good kick. He looked over at her again. At the moment she was leaning against the bar, flirting with the bartender probably in an effort to get a couple of free drinks. A guy who'd just come up to the bar bought her a shot and she downed it, laughing after at the surprised look the guy gave her. Sam watched her every move though, feeling a pang of jealousy that he wasn't that guy she was flirting with, which he tried to push away as well.

Those lips, he thought, a little smile creeping onto his lips again. They're so soft and full. It felt amazing when we kissed.

Of course that had only happened once but Sam clung to the memory of that kiss anyway. At the time it had come as a surprise but now he found himself wanting to crush his lips to hers again, wanting to feel those soft, full lips against his. He licked his lips a little at the thought and took another drink of his beer. Sam's gaze quickly shifted to see what his brother was up to. He needed the distraction anyway.

That didn't last long however because Dean wasn't really doing much. Or at least not much that seemed to catch Sam's attention. Soon Sam's eyes drifted back towards the bar. She was laughing again, flirting with a couple of guys now, her hips swaying a little to the music. His eyes moved along her body. She wasn't 'dressed up' by any stretch of the imagination but what she was wearing clung perfectly to every curve. The t-shirt was just tight enough and had a v-neck collar, which showed off a bit of her cleavage. Not so much to be trashy but enough to definitely look sexy. And her jeans seemed to make her butt look amazing. Sam smiled at that again as his eyes slid back up her body again to settle on her face. Her hair was pinned back a bit, in a kind of partial ponytail, which allowed everyone to get a good look at her pretty face. She played up her eyes with her makeup, her lips glossy from a coat of clear lipgloss that Sam recalled seeing her put on before they'd walked into the bar.

Sam licked his lips again as he stared, swallowing hard as a hundred different thoughts seemed to swirl through his mind. He felt his cheeks suddenly warm when she looked over at him and smiled softly. He just nodded, hoping that the poor lighting on the side of the bar where he was sitting hid the blush he could feel on his face. It must have because she didn't make a face or anything at him. She liked to tease him when she made him blush and Sam figured she would have come over to tease him about it now if she'd seen it.

He was taking another drink of his bottle of beer, not looking at the bar for a long moment during which she managed to wander back over to him. Sam tried not to choke when he looked over to see her sitting down across from him, smiling softly as she looked at him. Her fingers tapped along with the song playing on the jukebox now and she bobbed her head a bit to the beat.

"Got you another," she finally said, nodding to the bottle she had set down in front of him before sitting down and Sam mumbled a 'thank you' which got her to softly laugh. It seemed that she just thought he was being 'uptight' right now. "Loosen up, Sam. We're here to have a good time, remember?"

Sam weakly smiled and nodded. He was wondering if that meant she was going to go home with some random guy tonight. He wasn't sure if she even did that although he did assume Dean wouldn't be coming back to the motel tonight. Dean was wrapped up in his pool game and flirting with at least two girls that were sitting there watching him. Sam figured that meant Dean would be leaving with one of those girls, which would leave Sam alone. Part of him wondered if she was going to be alone too, if she'd want to come hang out with him for awhile or if she'd think he was just trying to get her in bed with him. Sam finished off his beer and set the empty bottle aside, pulling the new bottle towards him with his other hand as the song on the jukebox changed.

I've been watching your world from afar,

I've been trying to be where you are,

And I've been secretly falling apart,

I'll see.

To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,

You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,

You turn every head but you don't see me.

Sam seemed to smile a little as the song started to play and then shook his head at himself, earning a look that said 'what?' from her. It was a soft, slow, haunting song and it seemed to speak to him. He just shrugged in response to her look though. There really was no way that Sam could explain it to Emerson.

That song, he thought with that wry smile, is perfect.