Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its related characters or themes...


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Chemistry 101

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"Mr. Winchester?"

Dean finally looks up, frowning, "Yeah, sweetheart?"

Laughter rings through the classroom, but it doesn't seem to deter Miss. Pennyworth. "Would you mind staying after class for a few minutes?" she says, her tone not completely conveying her embarrassment.

"For you?" Dean leans back into his chair and grins, "No problem!"

The same cheers and grins fill the class, but Miss. Pennyworth simply turns her back on them, continuing to write on the black board as if nothing happened. She continues with the lecture on the differences between Acids and Alkaline without pause.

"Thank you, and I'll collect those reports by Wednesday," she says and greets the class as they file out twenty minutes later, "Have a good weekend, everyone!"

Dean stands in front of her desk, leaning over with a sly smile, "Wanted to talk to me, Lucy?"

"… Since we're on first-name basis now, yes. I do, Dean," the young woman says and walks around to stand next to her desk, "Mind telling me why you never do work in my class?"

"It's boring," he answers without hesitation.

"If it was Math… then yes, I would have to agree…" she says but crosses her arms in front of her chest, "But not with Chemistry."

"Oh yeah, I can do Chemistry," Dean says, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She scoffs but doesn't move from her position, "What does your mother and father do?" she asks, tilting her head, "I heard your father is a Mechanic…. Or, at least, works at the Autoshop…"

Dean finally moves to sit down on the chair, interested now. "And how do you know that?"

"My brother works as the secretary there…" she answers, smiling.

"Secretary? Really?" Dean repeats, laughing heartedly.

"He used to be in the army too?" Lucy asks, ignoring Dean's chortling.

"Are you from Social Services or something?" Dean asks abruptly, his shoulders instinctively hunching up. He's pretty sure they haven't been in Bethlehem long enough for there to be an established rapport. Especially not when they do what they always do. We keep to our own, Dean.

Lucy takes her time to answer, slightly surprised by his question, "No… I just noticed his stance… the way he talks… my father used to be in the army," she finally says, "… my dad used to be a mechanic for the tanks."

Dean nods in understanding, "I see… sorry," he says, "I kinda know how you feel… I lost my mom…".

Lucy rests her hands in her lap, "You must miss her a lot."

The young man frowns, drops his head down. It's silent for a few moments before he finally relents to nodding.

"What do you want to become, Dean?" she asks, trying her best to smile, but failing.

"A…" better hunter, he shakes his head, "… a mechanic… like my dad…"

"I don't think that that is something that your father does full-time, Dean," she retorts. "Full-time mechanics don't opt for wages."

Dean sighs, realising the futility of arguing the lie further, "We…. Uh… my dad… hunts…" he says, feeling a cold wave of terror wash over him. He's never told anyone this before, regardless that her understanding and the real truth is still different.

"Hunting, huh?" she repeats, mulling the thought over in her head. How could anyone consider hunting a full-time, or even part-time job? She decides not to argue the logic though, not when the boy in front of her looks like he's actually seeing her for the first time.

"Yeah… he's taken me on a couple, but… I doubt he'd ever let me go alone… at least, not until I'm twenty-five or something!" Dean says and chuckles a bit to himself, "My dad's pretty tight on security and safety…"

A thousand questions ran through Lucy's mind, arguing just how illogical this speech of this boy was. "Well… hunting is dangerous," she says, forcing herself to think of some 'dangerous' wildlife still on the loose these days…. Not many. Or maybe loads, if you count squirrels and hedgehogs.

"Y-yeah… it is…" Dean says, instantly brightening up, only to frown a second later.

"So… hunting…."

"It's our… family business.."

"And you're happy with that?"

This time it's Dean who take a long time answer, "… I'm really good at it…" he says and rubs his head absently, "I'm a pretty good shot…"

"Oh, handy!"

"Sure is, I took down a Ban-" Dean pauses and sighs, "… sorry…"

"It's fine…" she says, with no intention of prodding him further, "heh… I think… this is the best conversation I've had with anyone in a long time…"

"Hmm…" Dean smiles, rubs his brow and looks back at her, "Thanks…. For… you know… the talk…"

"Not really the talk I intended to have with you," Lucy says with an awkward smile, standing up and motioning to the door.

"I have a tendency to make girls do things they don't intend to do," Dean says with a teasing grin.

"Do me a favour, lose the attitude," she says deadpanned, finally ending with a sure smile. "It was good to get to know you, Dean…"

"... it was nice, just to talk…" Dean mumbles, grabbing his bag from the floor and heading to the door as well.

"Get to studying, Dean," Lucy says and stand to the side, allowing him to pass, "I expect at least a B at Mid-term finals…"

Dean laughs, but he's knee-deep in elements, alkaloids and hydrostatics that afternoon.

But, two weeks later, John's got them packing for New Orleans. A hunt. A big one.

"Umm… Dad, can we stay, just for a couple more days?" Dean asks, hesitantly.

"Problem, son?"

"N…no?"

"Then we're leaving in two days, pack up… and help Sam with his books, would you?" John says, heading to the kitchen.

So, Dean packs up. He packs it all up. He loads it in the trunk of the Impala. He smiles. He nods. He blabs on about how much better Motorhead is than Metallica.

But, two days later… Dean's standing over his Chemistry notes, watching the last remains of them burn in the drum in the backyard of the motel.

He smiles to himself when Lucy's final words replay through his head, "Well… if you have to stay in the family business… you should do it, at least, on your own terms…. You know, your way,"she had said.

"Dean! Why're you burning your books!" Sam yells, trying to make a grab at the remained of the textbooks.

Dean snatches Sam's hand and holds it, "Leave it… it's alright, Sam... I don't need books... I'm great at Chemistry."

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