Walk On By

Author's Note: A Valentine's fic, with no actual references to Valentine's Day. I don't usually write this kind of stuff, but if I was going to write anything for the holiday, it was going to be this.

x X X x

Dean wasn't exactly sure which town in Indiana he'd stopped in. He only knew that it was time to get himself a drink, and perhaps some company for the night. Dean parked the Impala behind the most likely candidate for a good time then made his way around the front. As he did, he noticed that a couple of guys were getting into a fight a little early. Then he noticed the lithe brunette they had cornered. It set off Dean's protective instincts, and he resigned himself to getting into a fight before he'd had his first beer of the night.

A second later, the brunette jabbed out an elbow, a knee, then the heels of her vicious looking stilettos. Before the men could recover, she twisted away from them and headed for the street. Her long strides ate up the pavement despite the height of her heels, and her long brown hair trailed her, beckoning Dean to follow. A woman who looked like that and who could take down two guys as easily as that was the sort of woman Dean wanted to get to know better.

Dean quickened his pace, hoping to catch her before he looked like a complete stalker, but unable to resist stopping for a second to knock the guys' heads together. He figured they deserved it, if only to stop them from going after the woman before he caught up. Seconds later he was on the street. Thankfully she'd slowed her pace once she was amongst other people. His longer legs made it easy to make up the last few yards.

"I saw what you did back there," he said when he was close enough.

The brunette turned and raised an eyebrow at him. It was a casual move, but Dean could see she was assessing his threat level. She was about his age and dressed to kill, making Dean wonder why she'd been in that particular kind of sleazy-looking bar. Her gaze turned into an appreciative one when Dean flashed his most flirtatious smile. "Thought I'd try to knock some sense into them," she said.

"You sure would have knocked some sense into me," he said. "I'm Dean."

"Lisa," she said with a smile.

"What'd they do to deserve it?" he asked.

"How about you buy me a coffee and I'll tell you all about it."

She was completely upfront. Dean liked that in a woman. He also still wanted a beer, but he figured this could work out. "How about I make it a burger and you tell me where you learned your moves." Dean had a feeling he'd be needing to build up his strength.

"Deal," she said. There was something sincerely sweet in her smile. It warmed Dean in all the right places.

x x x

Dean let Lisa lead the way to a nearby diner and they slid into a booth opposite each other. Dean ordered first, a double cheeseburger and a beer. Embarrassingly, he was carded, but seeing as he was only twenty, that was probably warranted. Dean was gratified when Lisa seconded the cheeseburger and ordered a coffee for herself. The moment their waitress stepped away, she excused herself to the bathroom and Dean had to wonder if she was actually ditching him. She'd seemed interested, but maybe she thought he was a total creep. He fidgeted with the strap on his watch as he waited for her to return. What was with chicks and bathrooms? Why did they always have to take so long in there?

When Lisa came back, Dean realised she'd fixed her hair and make-up. Those were not signs that she wanted to ditch him just yet. "Sorry about that," she said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Where were we?"

"I believe you were going to tell me about the assholes at the bar," he said.

"Oh, that," she said. "They tried to hustle me at the pool table. Didn't work because I know exactly how terrible I am."

Dean suspected that there was more to the story, but he wasn't exactly about to spill his life story to a complete stranger either. "I could teach you a few tricks."

Lisa laughed. "I'll bet you could."

Their waitress came by with their burgers. Dean dug in immediately, but Lisa paused to add ketchup to hers. After that, she matched him bite for bite and Dean wondered if they were having a competition of some kind. He was just glad she was enjoying it because she looked like the kind of girl who subsisted on nothing but air and water.

"So where did you learn to take down a guy like that? Two guys, like that."

"I almost lived in the gym when I was in high school," she said. "I took just about every class they had. Self-defence more than once."

"Classes are one thing," said Dean. "But it looked like you had practise."

She smirked as she dipped one of her fries into the ketchup on her plate. She chewed and swallowed before she answered. "What can I say? Trouble just seems to find me."

Dean knew the feeling. He took a sip from his beer.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do you practise self-defence often?"

Sure, thought Dean. Against spirits and monsters you don't believe in. Two days ago I was with my dad and my brother killing a banshee. I took off and left them with clean-up duty. "Well, I wouldn't call myself a white knight, but I do tend to leap to the defence of others."

"Uh-huh," she said, obviously thinking he was talking himself up.

"My younger brother's kind of a geek," said Dean.

"So is my sister," she said. "I'm pretty sure that if she doesn't get into an Ivy League college next year, she's going to kill herself."

"Ouch," said Dean. He threw in an anecdote about the last test Sam got a B on. It was easier to talk to her now that they weren't talking about themselves. They both insulted each other's siblings as well as their own, but Dean could tell she loved her sister. Dean could tell it had been a while since Lisa had last seen her sister.

Lisa actually ate the wilted lettuce and mealy tomato that passed for salad. Dean had pushed his to the side of his plate. He swallowed the last of his beer with a gulp as she licked the ketchup from her fingers, sucking each digit into her mouth. She didn't even seem to realise he was watching her. She wiped her fingers on a serviette.

Lisa looked up and must have caught the expression in Dean's eyes. "Do you want to come back to my place?"

Thank god they were still on the same page. Dean dropped more than a twenty percent tip onto the table and reached for Lisa's hand. Her hand was smooth and small in his. She laced their fingers together, and Dean gave her hand a quick squeeze. "My car's back at the bar," he said.

x x x

Dean and Lisa walked hand in hand back down the street toward the bar where Dean had parked the Impala. Dean didn't think he'd held hands with a girl since high school. Back when seductions had taken longer because just about every girl was a virgin. But this with Lisa was nice, even knowing that tomorrow he'd be on to the next state.

As they passed the bar, they didn't see anyone outside, though the volume of sound indicated that the place was more full than they'd left it. Under the dim light of a distant streetlamp, Dean pressed Lisa against the door of the Impala and kissed her the way he'd wanted to since he'd first seen her. She sighed into him for a moment, before taking control and pulling him closer, opening her mouth and taking him in.

Dean felt himself harden in his jeans, just to the point where the friction helped rather than hurt. He groaned into her mouth as one of her legs came up and pulled his groin tighter against hers.

A moment later Dean pulled back, gazing into Lisa's playful brown eyes as they each pulled in breaths. "I think we should..." Dean gestured toward the car in lieu of finishing his sentence.

"Go back to my place?" asked Lisa with a wicked spark in her eyes. "It would be my pleasure."

Dean grinned his acceptance of the plan and kissed her gently once before unlocking the passenger side door to let her in. "Milady," he said, bringing out the faux gallantry.

Lisa laughed and slid inside the car in one smooth move. The quirk of her lips was an unspoken promise.

Dean made his way around the car as quickly as possible, almost throwing himself inside. He gave her hand one last squeeze before starting the car. Immediately, AC/DC's 'Back in Black' came pouring out of the speakers at an earblowing volume. He turned to see if she wanted him to turn it down. Lisa did nothing more than nod her head in time and sink back into the Impala's seat, as though becoming one with the car. It was the hottest thing he'd seen her do that night.

x x x

Following hand gestures and the occasional spoken direction, Dean drove to Lisa's place in under ten minutes. Her apartment building was old, the sort of place he'd expect to find a restless spirit if he was on the job. But he wasn't, so he didn't care. With Lisa beside him, ready for anything, he was more than a little reckless.

Lisa led him up the stairs to the highest floor. Her door was on the left, and opened into a high-ceilinged studio apartment. There wasn't much in the way of furniture. There was a bar stool by the built-in counters in the kitchen, and a double mattress on the floor. "Love nest?" he asked.

Lisa looked a little embarrassed, so Dean told himself not to mention it again. "I'm moving out on Monday, actually."

"Guess I caught you just in time," he said. Dean reached out and pressed her against the nearest wall, silencing himself before she had cause to kick him out. She tasted like coffee, which only seemed fitting with her coffee-coloured eyes and hair.

Dean wasn't clear on who began undressing whom first, but he was clear that shirts were the first to go. Or rather, his leather jacket and her tank top. He found himself mesmerised by the creamy flesh over her collar bones and the curves of her chest beneath the lacy thing she called a bra. He barely noticed her pulling his t-shirt over his head even as he shivered when her hands made their way across the outlines of his muscles.

Dean kissed her again before they got below the belt. He found himself unable to keep away from her, teasing her lips, then her jaw, then her neck. Similarly uninhibited, Lisa flipped them, surprisingly strong for her frame. Dean was pressed against the wall as her talented mouth trailed the same path down his body.

Jeans and shoes hit the floor and Dean had enough presence of mind to steer them toward the mattress. It was too far to fall, so they went to their knees before lying on sheets in their underwear, taking advantage of their new position and all the skin that was revealed.

Her fingers found their way beneath his boxer shorts, stroking him to his fullest. Dean pulled away to a mutual whimper, then grasped for his jeans. He found a condom in the pocket, then made his way back to Lisa quickly, to make up for his temporary absence. He unhooked her bra, kissing and sucking on each of her breasts as they appeared. She gasped in delight.

Her panties went next and he pressed his fingers into the folds of her flesh before teasing her clitoris.

"Mmm, Dean." He was pretty sure that was only her first orgasm for the night.

Lisa returned the favour by pulling off his underwear, delicate fingers teased his erection before her other hand rolled the condom on. Dean didn't think it was a moment too soon. Her legs wrapped around him and she guided him in smoothly. He kissed her again before setting the pace. She quickly pushed back, speeding the process. Dean was happy to oblige.

They came together in more ways than one, then basked in the afterglow, fingers lazily trailing skin and whispers exchanged. Dean had no idea what he was saying to her. But the way her eyelashes fluttered over her cheeks, he was pretty sure he could have been extrapolating on the merits of a banshee and she wouldn't care.

But before either of them fell asleep, gentle touches became more intimate and Lisa went into the bathroom for more condoms.

x x x

Daylight had begun highlighting the windows before they fell asleep. Dean had lost track of the condoms and positions, of whether it had been his turn to give or receive.

Dean woke at about midday knowing that he had to get on the road. He had to be in a different state by midnight. He'd been planning on Michigan and maybe stopping by a Great Lake before turning back to meet up with dad and Sam. But Lisa was asleep beside him and he couldn't bring himself to get up. Dad and Sam would never have to know.

Dean rolled over to face Lisa, tangling his fingers in her loose curls. He kissed each eyelid gently, but she didn't stir. Dean's stomach growled, so instead of going back to sleep, he got up, slipped into his boxers and made his way over to the kitchen. Dean had seen a lot of bare cupboards in his time, but those were usually before the family moved in. Lisa had one teabag and the refrigerator wasn't even plugged in. It looked like he was going to have to go out for breakfast. Good thing he'd spotted a bakery in the building next door.

He didn't leave her a note, but he did leave his jacket hanging on the closet's doorknob so that she'd know he was coming back. He winced a little as he went down the stairs; a muscle he'd forgotten existed twinged. Dean bought a box of pastries, and a couple of large coffees, and was distracted by the pie in the display. Then he thought what the hell and bought a whole cherry pie, too.

On his way back up, Dean grabbed his duffel out of the Impala. Lisa was exactly where Dean had left her. He shucked his boots and jeans and sat on the sheets beside her, waving her coffee under her nose to wake her.

"What?" she said, still sleep-dazed. He continued the dangle the cup in front of her face until she opened her eyes. Lisa smiled at him as one of her hands snaked out to take the cup of coffee from his hand. She tried to keep the sheet around her as she sat up, then gave up, resting back on her elbow as she took a sip. Dean's mouth went dry at the sight of her bared breasts and he was thankful that he hadn't been drunk when he picked her up last night. "Mmm. You sure know the way to a girl's heart."

"Panties, actually," he said. "But close enough."

Lisa laughed, then shivered, clutching her coffee cup tighter to herself. Dean helped her sit up and wrap the sheet around herself. "Thank you," she said, just staring at him.

Dean cleared his throat. "I brought pastries," he said, setting the box between them. "And pie, but that's for later."

"Pie?" She raised an eyebrow.

"That's the way to my heart," he said, though it didn't come out as teasing as he'd hoped.

"I'll have to remember that," she said, looking thoughtful.

"So you can have any of the fruit danishes," said Dean, opening the box. "But the chocolate croissants are mine."

"Oh really?" said Lisa. "Well, it's no skin off my nose. I'm allergic. But if you want to eat them, I'm afraid there will be no more kissing."

"Too bad," said Dean, setting aside the chocolate pastries. He wasn't entirely certain whether she was kidding or not, but figured it couldn't hurt to humour her. "Well, I hope you're not allergic to cherries because I'd hate to have to eat a whole pie by myself." His grin made it clear how little he'd actually hate for that to happen.

Lisa laughed as she snagged one of the chocolate croissants and took a bite. "I had you going there, didn't I?"

"For maybe a second," said Dean, grabbing the other chocolate pastry.

Eating on the bed led to crumbs in awkward places, followed by hands and tongues in those same places. It only made sense that when Dean became as naked as Lisa, they'd end up in the shower together.

x x x

Lisa's shower was tiny. Dean had to push the shower head all the way up to stop from hitting his head on it. Lisa seemed to find it amusing. Dean was more amused by the way she could contort her body so that the two of them could fit into the space together.

"I think you were Gumby in another life," he said.

She smirked and pressed against him harder, trying to pull him undone.

"Seriously," he said. "What do you do for a living? This is not natural."

"Yoga instructor," she tossed out. "And I can't be doing this right. You keep talking."

Lisa twisted slightly and Dean's brain dropped all thoughts. He gasped and moaned. What had he done to deserve this amazing moment?

x x x

Somewhere between towelling off and getting dressed someone suggested a massage that ended happily for both parties. A return to the shower was vetoed in place of pie.

Dean and Lisa sat on the counter, half-wrapped in sheets with the pie between them. They each had a fork but fingers dipped into the dish and each other's mouths more often than not.

"This pie is amazing," said Lisa, sucking her fingertips. "I can't believe I've lived next door to that place for a year and never had a slice."

"The pie's okay," said Dean. "I think the company is what makes it exceptional." Dean leaned up and kissed her, long, lingering and deep.

"You know what else I've never done?" she asked.

"What would that be?" he asked.

"I've never had sex on this countertop." She patted the Formica beside her hip.

That was an invitation Dean couldn't refuse.

x x x

When Dean and Lisa finally got dressed, most people would probably be getting undressed in preparation for bed. When Lisa said as much aloud, Dean laughed. "Was that a suggestion?" he asked.

"I wish," she said. "I have to be out of here by nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

"Need some help moving?" he asked, unsure why he was offering. "I am a complete pro. My dad moved us around so much as kids I can pack and unpack an apartment in under four hours."

"Thanks," she said, sitting back slightly. "But my mom's coming to help." She looked around as though just realising it looked like an orgy had taken place in her apartment.

"I guess I should get going, then," he said, though he made no move to even stand. "Unless you want me to wait until she shows."

"No offence," said Lisa. "But I don't think my mother would really approve of meeting you."

"Right," said Dean. What the hell was he thinking? He wasn't a meet the parents kind of guy. "Where are you moving to?"

"Not far," she said.

"What time's your mom getting here tomorrow?" he asked.

"Early," she said. She stretched and yawned, tiredness drawing her eyelids closed.

"Well," said Dean with a smirk. "It's not yet tomorrow. I can be out of your hair by then." His hand automatically found the spot at her hip that made her writhe in anticipation.

Dean overshot the mark by a couple of hours, but they weren't counting.

x x x

They said goodbye at Lisa's door in the early hours of the morning. "Can I call you?" he asked.

Lisa's lips pressed together and Dean wondered if he'd misjudged. He'd thought she'd had as good a time as he had. One he wouldn't mind repeating the next time he found himself in Indiana.

"I don't have a cell," she said. "And I don't have the numbers worked out between here and the new place."

"Here's my number," said Dean, scribbling it down on last night's diner receipt. "Call me when you do."

Lisa smiled at him, though it had none of the spark of the previous night's flirtation. "Sure," she said.

Dean did his best work when he kissed her that last time. He wanted to make sure that she remembered him.

Lisa was breathless and her eyes were warm. "Goodbye, Dean."

"Goodnight, Lisa," said Dean. He trailed a fingertip along her cheek, and she held it for a second before letting go.

As much as it sucked, Dean was pretty sure that was last time he was ever going to see Lisa Braeden. But at least he'd always have the bendiest weekend of his life to look back on.

x X X x

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day!