A/N - Thank you, my faithful reviewers for being so kind as to leave behind your ever-beautiful reviews. I'm glad you're liking the story as much as I'm enjoying being back in my favourite world, sorry it's taking so long to update. And thank you to everyone else who's reading it. Please feel free to leave a review to let me know what you think, or tell me what you'd like to see in future chapters, or beg on your knees to make a cameo J I'm doing this for each and everyone of you, and would love for you all to be a part of the process! So, enjoy this chapter, I was gonna jump right into the action, but I wanted to have some more fun and games between Dean and Lulu because it's so much fun to see them in their early days. Be sure to leave behind some words, be they kind or not, coz I'd love to hear from you!

As ever, and for always, Blessed Be XOXOXOX

Millie was hurt.

My baby sister.

My family. My heart and soul.

After everything I had already been through, after everything I had already lost…

One thought raced endlessly through my frantic mind as I charged out of the kitchen and pushed my way through the pulsing crowd of the diner. Only one thought echoed inside my troubled mind, beating in time with the furious thump of my heart thundering painfully in my chest.

No.

No.

No.

I can't lose her…

I won't lose her…

I had promised her, as we stood hand in hand in front of the gaping holes where our parents had been laid to rest, gazing down at the devastatingly expensive coffins through a flood of tears. I had promised that I would take care of her. That I would keep her safe.

I had promised her, and there was no chance in Hell that I was going to lose her now.

I couldn't lose her.

She was all I had.

"Please" I whispered to myself as I stumbled over an elderly gentleman's foot in my desperation to get to my sister, pleading with anyone, or anything, that might be listening. "Please, not her. Anyone but her"

I stopped in the middle of the diner as the crowd swelled around me, pulsing and vibrating like a single living thing. The sound of their inane chatter was deafening, and for a long moment, lost in the frightening depth of them, I couldn't breathe.

But then, like something from a Charlton Heston movie, the crowd parted before me and she was there.

My baby sister.

And other than a small bruise blossoming on her forehead, just below the hairline of her blush-coloured curls, there was nothing wrong with her. In fact, she was currently flirting with the shaggy haired blonde kid who worked at the Wal-Mart down the street, giggling and smiling and tracing her pink-tipped fingers along the edge of her collarbone.

"Millie?" I cried, my hands pressed to the gentle curve of my hips. I fought hard to keep the shrill from my voice, barely even noticing the curious stares of the people around me. "What the Hell you're doing here?"

"Hey, Louie" she smiled, not even having the decency to look guilty.

I strode across the scuffed floor of The Pie Hole, gritting my teeth, and stood over my sister. I could practically feel the steam exploding from my ears.

"Don't you dare 'hey, Louie' me" I hissed, leaning in close and keeping my voice low. "You're meant to be in school"

"I got hit with a dodge ball, so the nurse sent me home" she said sweetly, pointing to the insignificant battle wound.

"Don't lie to me" I said, casting a vicious glare at the pubescent dweeb who was trying to peek down Millie's top. He grunted something that I didn't quite understand, and scooted out of the booth to leave us alone. "The school would have called. Millie, what are you doing?"

"I just didn't want to be there today" she shrugged, playing anxiously playing with a paper napkin. "No biggie"

"Yes biggie" I sighed, sliding in to sit across from her. I reached out to take her hand in mine, but she pulled hers away. "We've had this talk before…"

"So let's not have it again" she sneered with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sick and tired of you telling me what to do"

"You know you can't do this, Mil" I said gently. "If you keep cutting classes, social services is going to think I can't take care of you, and they'll take you away"

She wouldn't look at me, but I could see the glint of a tear in the corner of her eye.

"I can't lose you, Millie" I whispered, fighting to control my own emotions. "You're all I have left in this Godforsaken World"

"I don't want to go back there right now" she said, looking up at me. There was something she wasn't telling me, but I knew she would when she was ready. "Please don't make me go back"

"OK" I smiled. "Just this once. But you have to earn your keep, and you know what that means"

"Dishes?" she groaned.

"Darn tooting, missy" I laughed, standing and pulling her to her feet. "Now get your butt moving" I playfully pushed her towards the kitchen.

"Hon" Norma, the grey-haired waitress who had been working at the Hole since the dawn of the dinosaurs, said with a sly smile, nodding towards the handsome stranger who had been trying to score a date. "Mr Hollywood over there has not taken his eyes off you. I think you've got an admirer"

"Oh, crap" I groaned, racing into the kitchen. The slice of lemon meringue I had served up earlier had wilted until it resembled a mess of goo. I took the pie out of the chiller, and cut an extra large piece to make up for the delay. As an added bonus, I quickly whipped up an extra chocolaty, extra large milkshake, and hurried out the Mr Hollywoods booth.

He looked up with a dazzling smile as I set the plate and mammoth cup on the table before him.

"I'm sorry it took so long" I apologised, wiping my hands on my apron. "The shake is on the house"

"I think I can find it in me to forgive you" he said with a hungry glint in his eyes. This time, however, I had a feeling it was more towards the pie than me. "Only if you have a drink with me tonight"

"Persistent, aren't you" I laughed, shaking my head. I had to admit that his attraction to me was flattering, and as much as I would enjoy spending some more time with him, I knew I wouldn't go out with him. I wasn't what he wanted, he just didn't realise it yet. He wanted a hot-blooded woman who would show him a good time and leave him aching in the morning, not a small town girl who had never been past third base.

"I am" he said, the corner of his lips curling into a crooked smile. "When I know what I want"

The primal lust burning in the depths of his emerald eyes sent a pleasant shiver up the length of my spine, and I blushed.

"Look, Cowboy" I said softly, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. "That girl back there was my sister. Our folks died a while back, and since then I've had to take care of her. I'm all she's got, and she's my whole life. You're really sweet, but I'm not the girl you want"

He looked up at me, holding my gaze for a long moment.

"No, Princess" he started, his voice low and husky. "You're the girl who's gonna change my life"