Katherine sat in the small kitchen with a cold cup of coffee in her hands. The small kitchen light was the only thing lit throughout the downstairs. Everything else was black, everything else was quiet. She looked towards the baby monitor that she had sat a few inches from her coffee and she could hear her baby sleeping peacefully and moving in his crib. She smiled and reached for it when her tattoo caught her eye. A tear fell from her eye as she retracted her hand from the monitor and brought it towards her. She ran her thumb over his name and a small smile on her face appeared. Voices echoed through her head, her own and his.
"Will I see you again?" She pulled the comforter up against her as she leaned against the headboard.
"Next time I'm passing through."
She laughed, "Which means…never."
A small smirk spread across his face as he finished tying his boots. He looked over at her and he didn't see the frown he was expecting but a smile and that head of hers tilted as she watched him carefully. Dean turned to face her, "There are just things about me that no one could ever understand and I can't pull anyone into that life."
She bit her bottom lip and nodded, "I understand."
Dean smiled at her and placed his hand on her cheek and then kissed her other one. She closed her eyes savoring the kiss. Sure it was a one night stand she was never going to see this guy but she was hoping that he too had felt the connection they had, but she guessed she was wrong. She felt him move away from her and she watched him grab his jacket off the chair. She gave him a small smile, "Goodbye Dean."
Dean had the door open and that charming smile appeared on his face as he turned to look at her, "Goodbye's too permanent how about see ya later." He gave her a wink and closed the door behind him.
She smiled remembering they always would say see ya later, never goodbye, even when he had died. There was never a goodbye there was only a see ya later. Thinking of the day he died sent her heart deep into her gut. That was one of the hardest days of her life.
"Hey," said Sam walking in and she looked up at him with a smile.
"Hey…did I wake you?"
"No actually the quietness did," he joked and pulled up the seat next to her. He took her hand in his and held it, "Everything ok?"
She was quiet but gave him a smile, "I think so."
"Is it Dean?" Sam knew the relationship the two had. He saw the love the two had for each other over the years, also the heartache, the passion, the anger, the tears, and the happiness…everything they shared over the years.
"Yeah…just him being back. It's-"
"Shocking."
"Yeah," she gave a small laugh, "I mean how are you feeling? It's your only brother back from Hell."
"Happy, very happy. To be honest I felt like crying when I saw him."
"I fainted."
Sam laughed, "I know we all ran after you."
She gave a small laugh and then bit her lip, "Do you think it's ok if he comes by to see Charlie?"
"Why wouldn't it? Nothing's changed Kat, Charlie is Dean's son, Dean is my brother and Dean is your…" Sam didn't know what to say and Katherine looked down at their hands.
"M-my ex," she said quietly and her face dropped along with her heart when she said that. Sam squeezed her hand.
"Dean of course is allowed over whenever he wants. He's our family."
She gave Sam a smile, "Thank you…I guess it's a little late to call him and ask him to come by tomorrow huh?"
Sam looked at the clock seeing it was midnight, "He may still be up knowing him."
She chuckled, "Yeah…I'll just call him tomorrow."
"Come on let's go to bed." Dean pulled Katherine up from the table and she grabbed the monitor. Katherine shut the light off as Sam pulled her towards the stairs. She had Dean on her mind the whole time she was going up the stairs. She wanted Dean to be telling her to go to bed with him and sleeping in his arms. She thought of it every night but now knowing he was back…it was much harder.
Two Days Later
"Bobby, we've been trying to get a hold of him," said Katherine. Bobby could hear the worry in her voice, "He won't answer the phone. Sam doesn't know where he is. He's checked every hotel in town. Where is he?" Bobby knew she was in tears now. "What if they took him back? What if-"
"Katherine just stay calm…just breathe ok. I know where he is. I'll get him and figure out what's going on and I'll call you."
"Call me right away Bobby please."
Bobby frowned, "Ok kid…ok." He hung up the phone and pulled up to the small motel Dean has been hiding in for days now a few towns over from Katherine and Sam. "Alright you idjit what are you doing?"
Bobby got out of the car and walked up to Dean's door and knocked.
"I said I don't want any housekeeping!" yelled Dean.
"It's me you idjit! Open up!"
Bobby heard some cursing and a few metal cans and glass hitting together as footsteps neared the door. Bobby watched the door open and Dean squinted at the light. Bobby looked the oldest Winchester over. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a white wife beater. Stubble was all around his face and his hair was a mess. He looked like he hasn't seen the light of day since he got back.
"What?" he asked.
"What? Are you kidding me? Let me in you idjit." Bobby pushed Dean out of the way and walked into the room seeing beer cans and bottles throughout the room. Bobby shook his head in disappointment and turned to Dean who closed the door and walked back over to the bed. "What are you doing?"
"What's it look like?" he asked as he flopped down on the bed and grabbed another beer and opened it up.
"You know Katherine and Sam have been looking for you."
Dean shrugged and looked at him, "I know. Kiki's been calling my phone. I finally shut it off."
Bobby stared at Dean in disappointment. Dean was downing the drink as if it was his chance to survive…or maybe die.
"Get up."
"What?" Dean looked at him.
"You heard me! Get your ass up! There's a kid out there that doesn't know his daddy is alive!"
Dean smirked, "Oh yeah he knows his daddy is alive, Sam's his daddy not me." Dean got up and walked towards the mini fridge.
"Quit throwing yourself a pity party for God's sake and go see your son!"
"He's only my son by blood! The kid thinks Sam is his father!"
"Sam is not his father and you are! And you need to act like it kid! You need to clean yourself up and get over there and be the father that kid needs. The moment and time that most of us hunters don't get to have. You got something we don't."
Dean looked over at him and swallowed hard, "What about Kiki? I need her Bobby. It hurts…I-" Dean was about to tell Bobby something but he couldn't. That was too personal even for him to remember. Dean shook his head dismissing what he was going to say.
"I can't help you there. She's your brother's wife," Dean held back the tears and shook his head, "but if you love her and she loves you then it will all work if you get your head out of your ass."
Dean let out a chuckle and smiled for the first time in days.
"I'm getting my family back."
"Good…now clean up and take a shower you smell worse than my Aunt Carol on a good day."
"Thanks Bobby." Dean grabbed his bag and walked towards the bathroom. He was going to do this. He was going to be there for Charlie and win his Kiki back without hurting Sam. She was his and Sam should have known better not to marry his girl even if he was dead. Yes he asked Sam to protect her and take care of her but marrying her…that was supposed to be his job.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Katherine was biting her nails as she stared out the window waiting for Dean just to pull up anytime hoping and praying he would. But she knew he never would. The phone began to ring and she quickly answered, "Bobby?"
"Not exactly," said Dean.
"Dean? Oh my God you're ok. Are you ok? How are you? Where've you been?"
Dean chuckled on the other end of the phone, "You know me…just needed me time." Katherine let a relaxing smile spread across her face as she leaned her head on the window. She was just glad he was ok. "I was hoping I could come by."
"Of course Dean…you are always welcomed here. Please come by and see us."
Dean smiled and felt the tears in his eyes, "I'll be there soon." He hung up and tossed the phone on the bed and looked at Bobby, "How do I look?"
Bobby looked up from the TV and arched an eyebrow, "What do you want me to say? You look handsome as ever?"
Dean rolled his eyes, "Thanks Bobby. I'll be back."
Katherine bit her bottom lip as she looked at the phone and then looked at Charlie who was playing with his teething ring, "You're daddy is coming over." She smiled at him and Charlie looked up at her and her smile dropped, "You're daddy is coming over…what should I wear? Oh I look like crap right now!" She picked Charlie up off the floor and she headed up the stairs towards her and Sam's room. She placed Charlie on the bed and went through her closet. "I don't know what to wear. Charlie baby I need help."
She grabbed a red dress and an olive green one, "Ok…which one? Red or green?" She looked at Charlie who wasn't paying attention. She frowned, "When me and your daddy were dating Sam would always help me with my choices. I can't do that now." She sighed and threw the dresses on the floor and flopped down on the bed next to Charlie. He rolled over and smiled at her, "What am I doing baby? I'm with your uncle but I still love your daddy. Ok I'll just wear nice jeans and a nice top sound good?" She gave Charlie a kiss on the head and got up grabbing her clothes.
Once Katherine decided on what to wear she turned to Charlie and smiled, "Ok what do you think?" Charlie looked at her and made a noise. Katherine frowned and looked back in the mirror, "What you don't like? Do you think daddy won't like? Should I change again?" She ran her hand through her hair and heard the doorbell, "Too late to change." She looked at Charlie and smiled, "And you little man are going to knock his socks off. You look adorable as always…just like your father."
Charlie smiled and she walked down the stairs. She smiled at him before she answered the door and she grinned, "Hi."
"Hey," said Dean.
Katherine opened the door more to let him in. He closed the door behind him and looked at her, "You look great."
"Really? Thanks. Charlie helped me, huh baby?" She looked at him and he smiled placing his head on her shoulder, "Don't be shy," she looked at Dean, "Come on we can sit in the living room."
"Alright, hey I got you guys something." The two sat down and she had Charlie sitting on her lap with her arms wrapped around him.
"You didn't have to."
"Well I saw them and thought of you two."
Dean pulled out a small car and Charlie's eyes lit up, "Look baby…look what daddy has," said Katherine and Charlie reached for it. Charlie gave a small smile as he looked at it. "It's a car baby. Just like your room." She looked at Dean and smiled, "He has cars all over his room. I wanted him to grow up like his daddy."
"I hope not too much," he smiled, "That may be bad one of these days."
"There's nothing bad about you." She blushed a little. It was like being with him for the first time. She looked back at Charlie and kissed the side of his head as she rubbed his belly.
"And this is for you," he said pulling out a leather bound journal. She smiled as he handed it to her, "I remember how much you love to write so…"
"Thank you Dean…I love it." She bit on her bottom lip slightly as she looked at it. She smiled looking back into his eyes and seeing hope for once in them, "Well we have something we want to show you…or well sort of help us with."
"Alright what's up?" He watched her get on the floor and she patted the part of the floor across from her, "What are we doing?" He sat across from her.
She grinned, "Well Charlie here is of age to start sitting by himself and we want you to help."
Dean looked at her, "Are you sure? I mean I don't-"
"Neither do I so we just have to trust each other."
Dean nodded as she spread her legs placing Charlie close to her and sitting him up, "Now grab his hands," she told Dean. Dean did as she told him and held his sons hands. Charlie looked at him and that's when Dean noticed that his son trusted him not to let him get hurt. He will never let anything hurt his son and he could always trust him.
"Alright buddy," said Katherine from behind him, "Daddy and I are going to teach you to sit ok?" She kissed the side of his head and looked at Dean, "It's ok to let go…just slow ok?"
Dean nodded as he slowly let go of his son's hands. He smiled as Charlie sat there for a second before he started wobbling then fell back onto Katherine's lap. Charlie looked up at her unsure and Katherine put her hands to her mouth, "Uh oh," she smiled at him, "Did you go boom?"
"Boom?" asked Dean with a smirk as he pulled his leg up and leaned his elbow on his knee.
She slapped his leg and smiled, "Be quiet. Ok…let's try again."For a good fifteen minutes the three continued to bond together.
The afternoon had gone by quickly must to both Dean and Katherine's distaste. They wanted more time together as a family.
Katherine laughed at Dean and he smiled missing that laugh. She was the only thing he ever held onto when he was in Hell. She kept him sane and kept him from saying no every time. She rubbed her hand against his softly with a smile and looked towards Charlie.
"Oh no," she laughed seeing Charlie with his head tilted to the side as he slept in his highchair. "Someone fell asleep."
She got up from the table and picked him up. She kissed his forehead and smiled at Dean, "I'm just gonna put him to bed."
Dean nodded watching her walk up the steps and out of view into one of the bedrooms. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked around the house looking at the pictures again. There was one of Charlie in Katherine's arms when he was first born and it made Dean smile. She looked so proud of him and he knew she had fallen in love with him.
"I still remember that day," she said walking up to him, "Best day of my life…well I should say early morning." Dean smiled, "It was so painful and all I wanted was…you. I wish you were there to see him." She rubbed his back softly, "When they gave him to me I couldn't help but cry because he looked like you and he is a part of you. I promised to take care of him for as long as I lived."
"Thank you," he said looking at her, "For being strong."
"Trust me I wasn't that strong. I had my moments and still do," she shrugged. They both heard the clock strike five and Dean looked at his watch.
"I better get going," he said.
"Oh…you sure?"
Dean hesitated and nodded, "Yeah," he smiled and the two walked towards the door.
"Well…do you know when you'll be back in town?" She opened the door, "I mean for Charlie."
"For Charlie?" he asked with a wink and she blushed. He still had her he knew it. He watched her lean on the door biting her bottom lip. He just wanted to take her in his arms. He loved her so much. "I'm thinking of staying in town for a while."
He watched her eyes widen and brighten up, "Really?"
Dean shrugged, "Seems like a great place to start over," he winked at her, "See ya later babe."
Katherine watched him walk over to his car and she smiled as she waved, "See ya."
Authors Note: Thank you all for the reviews! Glad you like and hope you enjoy this chapter too!
