Author's Note: Ok people, I have deceided to combine both stories in a way. If you have read my other one, it was to be an account of what it would be like if they had a girl with them on almost every episode/hunt. Well, now I've decided to make it so that Riley knew them before and joins them at the point after Scarecrow has happened. As it is now, Sam has helped Dean get free but instead of joining up with his brother, he went back to California to seek out his dad for a lil bit. Dean is coming back to help RIley with a hunt then He will want her to join him and his brother, who has just informed him that he's coming back. So from then on, I'll be dealing with every eppy from Faith right to Devil's Trap. WIth maybe a few originals in the mix. So I hope you guys enjoy!

III

The second was home to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Since Riley's bedroom was one of them, she basically had the whole upstairs to herself. Not many people occupied the spare bedroom. Sometimes if Dean brought Sam along on one of his trips, Sam had the extra bedroom. Dean would occupy Riley's room with her. But since that horrible night, no one came to stay.

With her arms wrapped around her stomach, Riley made her way to her room. When the light switch was flipped, the room filled with a soft glow. Her light cover minimized the amount of harsh, fluorescent light. The walls were painted a dark, forest green. Dark wood floors were covered with a few small rugs, beige in color. The dresser, table, and bed frame were a dark, cherry oak. From her four poster bed hung a dark red and black canopy. If she wanted, she could draw it all around the bed, hiding herself. Next the bed was a matching cherry oak nightstand and iron lamp. Her window had a seat, complete with plush pillows. With the window open, one could escape onto the roof. Many nights after Dean had left she had sat on that window seat, watching the driveway. For those first few weeks, she had hoped to see him again. But she never did. It took awhile to convince herself that he wasn't coming back. When she was convinced the photos, CD's, presents, dried flowers, and old clothes of his went into boxes that sat in the back of her walk-in closet. And now, Riley found herself standing in her closet, looking at those two boxes. Why was she suddenly thinking about him? Yearning for his touch and his voice? Stepping forward, she took hold of the first box and put it down on the floor. Hesitantly, she flipped it open.

Inside the box was a few folded up shirts, tee's and button up's. On top of the clothes sat framed photographs. A small smile came across her lips as she looked at them. The first one was taken by the small stream in the woods on the side of her house. Dean and her use to walk those woods, just talking and laughing as they went. In the picture, Dean had his arms wrapped around a laughing Riley as he swung her around, while he stood in the stream. The second one showed a stoic looking Dean. Standing on the edge of the cliff behind the house, he had his hands in his pockets and was staring away from the camera at something on the ocean. Riley closed her eyes briefly, blinking away the wetness. Setting the photos aside, she grabbed a CD case that lay beneath the photos. As she stood, she paused and then bent back down to grab one of the t-shirts in the box.

The CD she put in the stereo and hit the random button for track selection. Walking over to the dresser she pulled off her tank and tossed it aside. As she was pulling the old t-shirt over her head, the CD player started to play. What made her pause for the next few moments was the song it happened to land on. Slowly she turned and stared at the CD player as White Snake's 'Heaven Isn't Too Far Away' poured out from the speakers. Riley thought about walking over and hitting stop. The CD was a mix that Dean had Sam burn for her. It was mostly old rock songs. They both shared a love for old rock or, as Sam put it, mullet rock. This song pulled at her heartstrings especially because, corny as it sounds, Dean had sung it to her.

They had been driving back from a job that lasted late into the night. Riley had been in a grouchy mood. Her reason being that she had spent a good half of the night freezing outside in the rain, as she tried to out run a nasty shape shifter. Luckily for her, Dean had come to her rescue, but that didn't save her soaking, dirty attire and mood. So as she sat in the car, brooding quietly, that song came on. Hoping to brighten her mood, Dean sang along softly with his hand on her thigh. For the first part of the song, she managed to ignore him. But she couldn't help but give in and look over at him, as she placed her hand on top of his. She even flushed a little as he glanced over every now and then, a half smile on his face as he sang. He had warned her the next morning, that his little performance was a one time thing and not something to get use too. She, in turn, would use it as ammo to tease him with. Cooing publicly about how he had this sweet, sensitive side. Either way, it had brighten that night and made her understand why she loved him so. But now as she stood there, remember that moment, her heart began to ache. Slowly, she let herself sink onto the bed as she wiped at her tears in frustration. She wasn't going to cry, she promised herself that she wouldn't cry over him anymore. But despite her pride, she let the tears fall silently.

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Awww...Sorry, I just had to have a cute, cliche love thing. Since we know Dean has a sensitive side (that he doesn't like to show, but hey, he loves this girl) Besides, tough guys AND girls have senistive/sweet sides.