Title: Fears and Tears

Pairing: Fem!Chuck Charlie/Dean (If you squint)

Rating: T

Author's Note: Another Fem!Chuck fic! This one is based off of one of the head canons I came up with for Charlie. Takes place just before Free to Be You and Me. Enjoy!

Charlie Shurley Head-Canon #001:

Charlie always cried right after a vision. When she was younger, she cried because it scared her. After she met the Winchesters, she cried because she was scared for them.

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Little nine-year-old Charlene Shurley was curled up on her bed, crying. It had happened again. Her head started to hurt really badly, and then she was whisked to a world where two boys travelled with their dad who fought monsters. She didn't like these dreams. The therapist called them "waking dreams". This time, there was a scary man who used… parts of other people to… live forever. The dad almost didn't…

She sobbed even harder into her pillow. She wanted her mommy. She wanted her mommy to hold her and tell her it would be all right. But she knew her mommy wouldn't come. The therapist had told her mommy and daddy that she was just "acting out". Trying to get attention. So they stopped comforting her. "Tough love," they had said. Charlene hated it. Now they gave her angry looks after crying over her dreams. They made Charlene want to leave.

She didn't want the scary man to come for her parts. She didn't want parts missing. She didn't want these dreams.

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Still slightly small 27 year old Charlie Shurley was curled up in her bed, crying. It had happened again. Her head had felt like it was splitting in two, and then she saw Sam and Dean, fighting monsters. Well… not this time. This time, Sam and Dean had separated because they needed time apart: Sam from hunting and from his brother, and Dean from protecting Sam. It broke her heart. Seeing the two of them leaving each other… seeing their faces… She sobbed even harder into her pillow.

Charlie had no one to turn to when she had visions. She couldn't tell the boys, they can't know their futures. Bobby was always too busy, and her parents… it didn't matter. The boys were hurting. She couldn't help them.

The opening notes of "Smoke on the Water" interrupted her thoughts. Dean. She sat up and sniffed loudly, wiping her tears. When she felt her voice wouldn't shake, she picked up her cell and answered it.

"Hey, Dean!" she chirped as gleefully as she could muster. She could hear the small smile in his voice when he replied, but she could also hear the hints of pain. He was trying to hide it too.

"Hey, there, Charlie. Hope I, uh… didn't wake you."

Charlie smiled and moved to the edge of the bed, not fooled.

"No, you didn't. I've been up."

"Oh…"

There was a moment of silence, both of them taking comfort in knowing there was someone on the other side of the phone. Charlie cleared her throat.

"So… what do you need?"

Dean was silent for a moment before answering.

"Could I, uh…. Maybe stay at your place for a night or two?"

Charlie could definitely hear the pain now; his "tough guy" voice couldn't cover it up any longer. She bit her lip.

"You okay, Dean?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just, uh… Sam's staying at Bobby's for a few days and I was caught in the middle of a hunt closer to you. Don't feel like getting a motel room if it's just me."

Charlie squeezed her eyes shut. Of course he'd lie to her. He wouldn't tell her he was hurting even if hiding feelings were punishable by death.

"Of course you can, Dean. You know you're always welcome. I'll make up the guest room."

"All right, I'll be there in an hour," he paused. "Thanks, Charlie."

"Any time, Dean."

There was another pause, and Dean disconnected the call. Charlie sighed and swiped the remaining tears from her eyes; she sat on her bed for another minute before getting up to set up the guest room.

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When Charlie answered the door about an hour later, neither she nor Dean said a word. She took one look at him and pulled him to her, holding him for all she was worth. Dean knew, then, but he said nothing, opting to just wrap his arms around her and bury his face in the crook of her neck. Nothing was said, and no more tears were shed. They just stood in her foyer, taking comfort in each other.