Author's Note: The Scream movies are some of my favorite movies ever, and the relationship between Gale & Dewey has always been a favorite of mine. I've also always been sad that there never really seemed to be fan fiction for the couple. Because of that I've decided to write some, with the hope that it would inspire others to write some too. Truthfully I don't know if there is really a following for this, but if there isn't I'm hoping I can make one. So that is what I've set out to do, which might be a fairly lofty goal.

About this story, it starts pretty much where Scream ended and then will move into Scream 2. I don't honestly have a 100% percent solid idea of where I'm going with it but I want to fill in some of the blanks that the movies left. I really do hope that you will like it and please leave a review. Thanks!

Disclaimer :: I own nothing, absolutely nothing. I don't own the Scream movies, I don't own the characters and I don't own the actors who portray the characters. Nor do I own my own house, I barely own my own car and I have a pink laptop. There is no point in suing me, promise.

Silver Lining

Chapter One :: Sympathy

"And stranger than your sympathy,

Take these things, so I don't feel"

Standing outside his hospital room there was a mass spectrum of thoughts going through her brain. It didn't make sense in her own head to be visiting someone in the hospital that she'd only met barely forty-eight hours ago. She didn't know him, not really and for once in her life she wasn't thinking about the story she was reporting on.

That fact right there should have worried Gale Weathers, the story was always the most important thing. He was part of the story though, they both were tied into a story that could make a reporter squee in excitement and bless her luck for landing such a insider scoop. They were lucky for sure, but for another reason entirely. They had nearly died all because a pair of teenagers who had let their love of scary movies go too far. She was just a reporter there for the story, determined to get the whole story.

She had a story now, that was for sure. This sort of publicity would do wonders for her career, she had a first hand account of that bloody night in Woodsboro. There was nothing like a survivor story to gain the love of her viewers.

But not everyone had lived, not everyone had been that lucky. That fact couldn't be displaced from her mind as she watched Dewey Riley's mother exit his hospital room. The woman looked like shit, in one night she had lost her daughter and had to look over her son's bloodied body. She looked like she had been through Hell and back, then again all of them had that look about them. Even Gale who made a point to always look impeccable had a look on her face that no amount of make up could wipe away.

Typically she would be forcing her way into getting an interview with the suffering family members, hoping to catch tears on camera. It was the business she was in yet for once she was wondering if she should really be there. The woman gave her a dirty look, apparently she shared her deceased daughter's opinion. It was an atmosphere she was getting very familiar with, in this community she was the outsider. She might have nearly died and saved Sydney Prescott's life but Gale wasn't welcome. So once again, why was she here? She should be outside with the rest of the storm of reporters and probably would be if she hadn't been injured.

Fighting the intuition to just turn around she found her feet leading into the hospital room. Despite all the gore she had become familiar with in her career and the recent events it was still shocking to see the deputy attached to so many wires. A man who she had only recently met but after the longest night of her life it didn't seem to matter. He had a look on his face that mirrored his mother's and the other victims. When he caught sight of her there appeared to be no change, just the look of a broken man.

"Here for an interview, because I'm not giving one." The words had a serious tone but he cracked a small smile. He still seemed to catch the startled look on her face. "That was a joke Miss Weathers, you can smile if the guy with an IV can."

That smile made him look more like the goofy yet charming man that she had flirted with at the beginning of the investigation. There was still a definite change, that smile seemed forced, a smile of a man just looking for a reason to smile.

She was speechless for a moment, something rare for the inquisitive journalist. Entering the room without a game plan she didn't know what to say. Wasn't sure what she could say, mincing words was unfamiliar territory. Usually being the one to offend people, she didn't want to hurt or anger a man who had just lost his younger sister. She clearly shouldn't have come.

"Not every day Gale Weathers brings you flowers." His words made her look down at the bouquet of daisies in her hand, she had almost forgot about them.

"These are for you, clearly. I'm not really good at this whole visiting people in the hospital unless I'm pumping them for information." She walked further into the room and set the flowers down. "How are - never mind, terrible question."

She was grateful that he didn't act awkward or bitter, instead just offering an answer. "Medically I'm a lot better off than I could have been, I got lucky- damn lucky. Mentally I'm-"

He paused, a far off look appearing on his face. Was he thinking about his sister?

"No, you don't have to. This isn't an interview, I swear." That reassurance was out of character and mentally that reporter in her was cursing her for throwing away an interview opportunity. That was why she had come to Woodsboro, to find out the facts like always. Then again those fact were already in place, facts that would help her write a bestseller.

"I know that Miss Weathers, if I thought I couldn't trust you then I'd have told you to get out the door the moment you walked in. I've heard It's a madhouse outside the hospital, usually I'd be shooing reporters away." There was a reassuring smile on his face but Gale wasn't sure why.

He trusted her? Questioning his intelligence was her first reaction, no one trusted a reporter and she was accustomed to that. She didn't blame anyone for not trusting her, she wouldn't even gain her own trust. Yet this man trusted her and had shown signs of trusting her all along. And just maybe she liked having someone trust her.

Even if he really shouldn't, she had flirted her way into that position. Gale had used Dwight Riley but did that mean her interest in him was all part of the ploy? No, that couldn't be true because he had somehow managed to charm her from the beginning. What was it about his boyish charm that drew her in when she had met plenty of men who were much bigger charmers yet she hadn't fallen prey?

"Surely you've been told to never trust a reporter, especially one slimy as me." She joked along, hoping the mood could stay light. Considering the circumstances that was an awful lofty goal.

"That might be helpful advice to remember but I don't find you too slimy ma'am, not really. Though my experience in your presence is rather limited."

"Such a shame, really." A blush came over her cheeks thinking back to their kiss in the the bushes. It was short lived, something she had regretted at the time. Not the kiss but that the moment had ended so quickly. Her mind hadn't been on the story then either, she was on unfamiliar territory when it came to Dewey.

By the look on his face his thoughts were headed in the same direction. "I find you to be pretty spectacular Miss Weathers."

"Right back at you Deputy."

Only thing about their little romance was the bad timing, they had both had a wild night that had shaken their lives. While this was bound to make her career flourish this had changed his life in a negative way. She would gain off of the night and murders that had stolen his sister. Where she could use this as a stepping stone for her career he would be stuck in Woodsboro to deal with the repercussions. There would be funerals to attend and a broken aura around the whole town. Even now she could walk down the sidewalks and see the looks of people who couldn't believe that it had happened in their hometown.

Without saying anything she could tell that the mood in the room had changed. While she didn't want to bring up a difficult subject she felt like something needed to be said. For a woman that had made a career out of stepping over everyone else on her way to the top she sure felt uncomfortable, a very foreign feeling.

"I heard about your sister, I'm sorry." In reality she had seen the body and hoped that he had been spared that cruelty. Surely it would haunt him enough without having to have his last memory of his sister being stuck in a garage door, her head smashed beyond recognition.

He was silent, as if questioning how much he should divulge. It was evident that there were so many thoughts swimming in that head. The haunted look she had seen many times before but it had never felt this personal.

"I just expect her to walk though that door, telling me to be more careful and not such an idiot. I can't believe it but then I see how this is affecting my mother and - no you don't need to hear this."

It took her a moment to realize that he was imparting such personal information with her, usually she'd consider herself lucky to get such a baring look into a victim. Instead she felt almost honored he'd trust her. Taking a seat on the edge of the hospital bed she rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to say anything but if you need someone to talk to I'll listen."

"I just wish I had watched her closer, hadn't let her out of my sight. Of course I know Tatum would have never gone for that but I - if I'd done something more. Not let her date that psycho, fought with her less. I blame -"

"No, don't blame yourself." She cut him off. "It will feel natural to do that but the only ones to blame are dead, those sick fucks-"

"No offense ma'am-"

"Gale, Dewey."

"Gale it was my job to protect her, I was her big brother. I joined the force to protect people and I couldn't even save my sister."

"And I became a reporter to find out the facts but things don't always end up being that simple. I have no doubt you're a good cop and brother."

"From what I hear you saved us."

"Oh that, I merely provided a distraction. I nearly got myself killed because I was too stupid to check the safety."

That moment would replay in her mind for years to come, a lesson that she had learned that heard way and wouldn't soon forget. If it wasn't for Sydney's quick thinking she would have died next to Dewey on that porch. The killers might have gotten away with it and no one would be the wiser. It was that thought that would haunt her dreams.

"Still, not bad for a slimy reporter." His words brought laughter finally to the hospital room but it was still very hesitant at first. She had a feeling it was going to be that way in Woodsboro for a while, all the more reason to head out of town.

A reporter didn't linger around to witness the after effects of a news story. Otherwise she would be a much more bitter woman, and probably more of a bitch. If that was possible.

Yet here she was sitting on Dewey's hospital bed, his hand moved up to hold her own. "Gale, I was wondering if after all of this calms down if you- if you would like to get coffee sometime. That's if you like coffee, if you don't I under-"

She gave an awkward smile. "No! I do, like coffee that is. When you can finally get out of this bed. Maybe back into your cute uniform."

He smiled, "That will probably be a little while, but I knew you liked the uniform."

That was the truth. Something about the uniform mixed in with his boyish charms. And he was so genuine, that was why she was sure it couldn't work. She had no business being a nice boy - man like Deputy Riley. They were from two very different worlds and she was certain the charm would wear off eventually.

Still it was nice to think, what if, what if she was the type of girl to go for a guy like that. With no doubt small town boys wanted to settle down and there was no room in her life for that. Gale wasn't the type to play housewife to a small town cop, she had her own career to focus on. She might be visiting him in the hospital but that didn't change anything, it didn't change her.

That didn't stop her from running a hand across his clean-shaven face, his fingers grazing a few cuts and bruises. She had agreed to coffee but it was altogether possible she'd never see him again. Not after she left Woodsboro and got back to her real life, started writing a book about the experience.

Shouldn't she take what she had available in front of her? If only he wasn't hospitalized, maybe then they'd at least get a chance at a wild passionate fling before she left town. No, she would have to settle for a kiss. Leaning down she placed her lips to his, even in a hospital bed he was a amazing kissed. The simple kiss progressed as they worked out their frustrations and worries in each other's mouth. It when she found herself nearly on top of him that she decided things needed to stop. Pulling away she smiled down at him. It was then she heard someone clearing their throat.

Looking to the door she found Mrs. Riley giving her a disapproving look. "I don't this your mother likes me." She whispered, they both smiled like guilty teenagers.

"Not in your demographic?" He teased as she got up from the bed.

As if that was a sign it became clear that it was time for her to leave, she knew that now. "I'll see you later Deputy." Even as she said those words she knew it wasn't true, sill it was nice to pretend. With one last smile she walked out the door and out of his life as quickly as she entered it.

Their paths wouldn't cross again, what was the point in fighting it. Dewey Riley would be barely a small chapter in her life. Gale was certain the moment she exited that small town that those feelings would pass. After all she was Gale Weathers, and she had a book to write.

A/N:: Like? Review? I should provide the next chapter shortly ;)