Chapter 1 – It's Been Awhile

He recognized her from across the bar. They'd met in a town near here and had spent 3 days together before Dean moved onto the next case. He had developed feelings for her in that short amount of time and as he watched her serve beer to the customers he realized those feelings hadn't gone away.

Ah screw it, he thought to himself and headed towards her. He stood there waiting before motioning her towards him.

"Dean." She smiled warmly coming around the bar to hug him. "What are you doing here?" She asked her mouth next to his ear sending shivers down his spine.

"Another case." He replied pulling back to look at her. She hadn't changed much; her blue black hair was longer now reaching her middle back even up in a ponytail. He remembered quite well how her light gray eyes would turn to a stormy gray from passion or anger. He wouldn't mind making those eyes turn stormy with passion again. He gave himself a mental shake when he realized that she had asked him something. "I'm sorry what did you say?" He grinned at her slinging his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close again.

"I asked if you guys were being careful." She repeated snuggling into his side. "We're always careful except when we're not." He laughed. "What time do you get off? Maybe we could go grab a bite to eat and catch up. It's been what like 4 months since we've seen each other?" It had been so long since he had feelings for a female. It was something new and strange to him. He thought for sure it'd been a fluke when he had met Emma but seeing her again caused him to realize it wasn't. He was lonely, just having Sam for company didn't quite cut it and he realized most of all he wouldn't mind her company right now. He just wanted to wrap himself up in her in every way possibly and stay that way for a few days.

EMMA

She hadn't been able to believe her eyes when she saw Dean. Her heart had stuttered in her chest when she wrapped her arms around him. She had missed him so much, granted they had only known each other for 3 days of all of which were spent together, it felt like longer. Almost as if she'd known him for her whole life. "I get off in ten minutes and it's actually been about 7 months." She quietly replied. "I gotta get back to work sit and have a beer till I'm off and then we can go." She walked back behind the bar kinda upset. It had been 7 months and he didn't even remember. She supposed she shouldn't be upset thought she didn't really have the right to be. It wasn't like they were dating or anything. She brought him his beer and started to walk away but he grabbed a hold of her hand before she could.

"I've missed you." He softly murmured lightly stroking her palm. Her heart skipped again when she heard him utter those words. She'd been about to reply when her replacement showed up. "Now who is this yummy treat?" The woman grinned and leaned against the counter so she could better show off her cleavage to him. He laughed softly to himself thinking over the hundreds of time women had done that to him.

"Susan this is my friend Dean. Dean this is my coworker Susan." She replied annoyed that the moment had been interrupted. Turning to Susan she filled her in on who was drinking what before grabbing her coat to leave.

"So you wanna follow me or just take my car and I can bring you back to yours late?" Dean asked as they walked out to the parking lot. "Actually I don't have a car I walk to work." She embarrassedly replied. "Ok m car it is." He grinned at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. They were almost to his car when a heard a weird noise like clicking. "Did you hear that?" Dean worriedly asked looking around all the while damning himself for letting his guard down.

"I didn't hear anything. Stop worrying you don't always have to be the hero. Everything's been normal around here." She laughingly replied as they reached his car.

"Guess I'm just hearing things." He continued to scan their surrounding as he unlocked the car doors. He didn't see anything or hear it again so he chalked it up to exhaustion and started his car. "So where to?" He asked resting his arm around the back of her seat.

"There's a Denny's just a couple blocks that way." She answered pointing to the right. "Alrighty then." He said pulling out of the parking lot. It only took them about 10 minutes to get there and be seated.

"So how have you and Sam been? Obviously well since you're sitting in front of me." She grinned resting her hands on the table near his. "We've been good, a couple scraps here and there but nothing major." He lied not wanting to tell her the hell Sam and he had been through literally and figuratively. For once he could just be himself and hold nothing back. Emma knew all about what him and Same did. It was how they'd met. Her town had had a vampire problem and Sam and Dean took care of it. Emma had almost died at the hands of the vampires but Dean had rescued her.

He already felt better, less tensed and more relaxed. It was amazing how just being near her did that. He enjoyed and in one of those rare moments he wished that he was normal and could possibly be with her for longer than just a couple days.

"So where is Sam?" Emma asked bring Dean out of his unrealistic musings. "He's back at the motel. He needed sleep and I needed out." He ruefully smiled. "Ooooo I want see him tomorrow. Well… that's if you guys are gonna be around." She looked at him questioningly. "Yeah we'll be around for a few days." HE warmly smiled at her, unable to resist anymore he covered her hand with his. She flashed that smile that he loved so much..wait..love?

"So what have you been doing?" He asked changing the subject. "I've been working 3 jobs and going to school for nursing. I'm also trying to save up to buy a house." She perused the menu missing the look on Dean's face. She'd always been practical it was one of the things that had attracted him.

The waitress finally came and took their order and they found themselves in a comfortable silence with Dean still holding her hand. Once their food came he released her hand. They ate quietly breaking the silence occasionally to ask the other a question. They finished their food and slowly left neither of them willing to part ways. "Hey you wanna come to my place and have a beer?" Emma awkwardly asked. "I'd love to." Dean replied unlocking the car. Had he been paying attention he would've heard the clicking sound again.

It took him 15 minutes to reach her house. "You really walk this far to work?" He asked in disbelief knowing it took a lot longer on foot.

"Sometimes I can get a ride but usually I walk. It's not bad I listen to my iPod it passes the time." She laughed as she unlocked the front door. He swore he heard the clicking sound again but yet again he saw nothing when he looked around.

Her house was just like her style, laid back and comfortable. He felt at home instantly. "You want a can or bottle of beer?" She asked throwing her coat on a chair. "Bottle please." He replied doing the same with his coat and followed her into the kitchen.

"Ya wanna watch a movie?" She asked him once she handed him the beer.

"Sure something funny please?" He requested plopping onto the couch.

"What you don't wanna watch a monster movie and laugh at how unreal it is?" She teased sitting next to him and leaned for the remote. Her shirt rode up and he found himself staring at the skin that showed suddenly wanting to see a hell of a lot more.

"Here." She threw the remote to him. "Find something good on Netflix, I'm gonna go change into PJ's." She explained before jumping up and heading down the hall. She came back a bit later wearing a tank and shorts and scrubbed free of makeup. Her black hair was down and swung around her as she moved. He shifted as his groin tightened painfully when he noticed again how beautiful she was.

"So what'd you pick?" She asked sitting back down beside him.

"Role Models." He replied pressing play.

"I've never seen it so it better be good or I'm blaming you." She teasingly poked him in the ribs.

"Hey!" He said jerking away laughing. "Don't blame me. Blame Netflix." He threw his hands up in mock surrender when she poked him again. They both fell silent as the movie started.

It was so easy just being himself when he was around her. He didn't have to be tough and brave, he didn't have to work on a case, for just a little bit he could just forget it all and just be himself. No demons, no drama, no Sammy, and most important of all no danger. It was a great feeling and one he knew he unfortunately shouldn't get used to.

They'd been watching the movie for awhile when Emma spoke up. "Did you really mean what you said earlier, that you missed me?" She shyly asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah… I did mean it. You were on my mind a lot. Your laugh, your smile, the things we did together and just the little bit of time we spent together." He replied turning to face her.

"Yeah." She smiled shyly at him again.

"Did you…uh…" His voice trailed off as he debated asking and making himself even more vulnerable than he already was.

"Miss you?" She asked finishing his sentence. "Actually I did. I mean I know we only spent 3 days together but in that short time I developed feelings for you." She admitted her cheeks turning a deep red as she blushed in embarrassment for admitting to him how she felt.

"Yeah I do too… But we could never do anything about it. It's too dangerous and I won't risk you."He was angry as hell the one thing he actually wanted for once and he couldn't have it. There was too much at stake he had to just walk away and let her go on with her life before she ended up dead.

"Don't you think I should be the one to decide if it's worth the risk?" She asked looking into his eyes.

"I can't take the chance." He insisted looking away from her eyes. They were such a stormy gray it was easy to lose his self in them. To just pretend for an instant that things could be alright.

"I want to take the chance Dean… We could have something good if you just said yes." She pleaded with him. He could feel his resolve weakening. He wanted her so badly; he wanted something normal and stable in his life. For once he wanted to be selfish and have her in his life. He wanted to know that for once he could maybe have some sort of life that vaguely resembled normal and what better way than to have a girlfriend?

"I can't and won't put you through that. Just being near me is dangerous; I shouldn't have come and said hi to you at the bar." He bitterly explained.

"Dean Winchester you listen to me and listen good. It is my damn life and I decide what is and isn't worth the risk." With that said she pressed her lips to his and leaned into him, her body meeting his in a very intimate way.

He broke the kiss and raggedly drew a breath. He was selfish and he knew it. "Are you sure?" He looked into her eyes for the answer and found it lurking in the dark depths.

"Very sure." She whispered stroking his cheek lovingly.

With a groan he dragged her body back against his, melding their lips together.