A/n: Just for some clarification, it was about the end of November when Alina told Dean that she loved him. The next flashback takes place in December. I hope everyone is enjoying this story. It's definitely new for me! Thank you to all who have reviewed . Reviews always let me know what you think and they are MUCH appreciated!

** CHANGE: I'm going back to the orignal... it's about January in the story right now


~Flashback~

"Hey, what're you doing?" Dean asked, coming up behind me and beginning to kiss my neck.

"Dean, stop," I hissed, trying to shrug him off of me.

"What? I'm just trying to kiss my beautiful, hot, sexy girlfriend," Dean said, playfully, in between leaving sloppy kisses on my neck.

"Dean, quit it! I'm serious," I snapped, turning around.

"Sorry," Dean said, taking a step back, defensively.

I sighed, "Sorry, I'm just… not in the mood right now. I'm trying to get this paper written for my class. Life can't be fun and games all the time, you know?"

"Who says?" Dean asked, returning to his laidback self.

I had been trying to be okay with our relationship ever since that 'I love you' happened and he hadn't said it back, but it wasn't working. I had tried so hard and everything! I just couldn't get that moment out of my head. I had replayed it several times and it just made sense that this shouldn't happen anymore. I told Dean that I loved him and he couldn't say it back. It just seemed like he wasn't in a place for that kind of relationship and I was and that wasn't a good combination.

"I do, Dean," I replied, softly. Dean still thought that this relationship was just fun and games and I wanted more. This wasn't going to work at all.

"Alina, is something wrong?" Dean asked.

"Um… no, I'm fine," I answered, quickly. I knew it had to end. But I had to think of something.

"Alright," Dean said, distantly.

~End Flashback~

3rd Person POV

Dean awoke and went out into the kitchen. He looked around and noticed that Alina wasn't here. He panicked a little. Where could she possibly be? What if she had gone out? Had last night's talk meant nothing? Maybe she had just been saying all that stuff and went out last night to do God knows what. That was until he noticed the note that sitting on the kitchen table. It was left on a folded up piece of printer in Alina's loopy, girly handwriting. It read:

Went down to the Rialto Market. I'll be back soon. Call if you need anything!

- Alina

"Rialto Market?" Dean asked. He figured he'd go out looking for her, just to be safe. He also figured it'd be nice to get out in Italy. He had been here for almost a week but he had barely seen Italy. Dean never would've thought that he would ever see Europe. First, he thought he'd die before he'd ever get the chance to and second, he never thought he'd get over his fear of planes.

Dean chuckled to himself. He remembered getting on the plane to Italy after he had gotten Alina's phone call. Sure, they had had a past, but Chris had been like a brother to Dean, especially when Sam left for Stanford, and Alina had always meant something to him, even if he never admitted it. The Cope family had been nothing but good to him. And the way that Alina sounded on the phone, he knew that she needed someone. He was partly afraid that she wouldn't want to see him, but he figured that it had been long enough that they'd be able to be mature adults about the past.

He knew Sammy would be proud, wherever he was right now. Dean was beginning his normal life.

Dean got dressed and then headed out for the Rialto Market. He didn't actually know where it was, but he brought a map. Apparently it was one of those popular places, popular enough to be on the tourist map that he had bought at the airport.

Dean maneuvered the streets of Venice and then over the Rialto bridge, to the market. He looked around. It was a busy, outdoor market with produce under tents, loud noises, and salespeople trying to sell their products right and left. Dean took in a deep breath.

"How the hell am I supposed to find her in all of this?" Dean mumbled to himself, before beginning to walk around the place, looking for Alina.

End 3rd Person POV

"Grazie," I said to the man selling vegetables as I finished purchasing some. I smiled politely before going to the next tent. This was one of my favorite parts of the open air markets. There were always such interesting, fresh foods here. I carried it in my canvas bag that I put all of the produce that I had bought from the market. I wore some flats, black sheer tights, and a ice skater-esque dress with a jacket over it and a scarf stylishly tied around my neck.

"Uh, no thank you. I'm sorry-, I don't, I don't speak… uh… Italiano…" I heard an all too familiar voice say. I laughed to myself before turning around.

"Need a little help?" I asked, teasingly.

"Oh, thank God, you're here, Alina!" Dean sighed, exasperated.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Uh… where did you think I'd be?"

"Nowhere," Dean shrugged.

"The more important question is, what're you doing here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you left me a not so I figured I'd come find you… you know, just in case you had any trouble… which I realize is kind of ironic at the moment," Dean replied, uncomfortably.

I laughed, "How did you find me anyways?"

"Oh, this place is on like, every tourist map," Dean replied.

"Gotcha. Well, I'm about done. Do you mind if we go back to the apartment so that I can put all this stuff away? Then why don't we have breakfast or something?" I suggested light heartedly.

"That sounds great," Dean replied.

"Great," I said back with a smile.


After breakfast, Dean and I were doing dishes together. I had opened a couple of windows to the apartment and there was a nice, spring breeze flowing in. I had this warm, good feeling, like the breakdown I had had last night was what I really needed. I had been so angry that I felt like I couldn't feel anymore, but last night I had felt so much that it was just… cathartic.

"Hey, do you want me to dry those for you?" Dean asked, motioning to the wet dishes that sat on the drying rack.

"Yeah, that'd be great," I replied.

"Alright," Dean said back.

I took one good look at Dean. He had changed so much. The last time I saw Dean, he was still a boy, but he had turned into this kind, responsible man. It was amazing! Sure, he was still stubborn as hell and a pain in the ass, but he was different – the good kind of different. And he was so handsome… it was really too bad that he was seeing someone. I know that it would be stupid for me to even think about going there again, especially after the last time, but at the same time, I felt like maybe, if he was available, just maybe we'd be on the same page this time. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that messed around just for fun all the time. He seemed like he wanted something real for once.

"I don't hate you," I said, breaking the silence between us.

Dean looked up from the dishes, "What?"

"Last night… what I said to you. I didn't mean it. I don't hate you, Dean. What you did last night, dragging me out of the bar like that and talking some sense into me, it was for the best so… thank you," I said.

Dean shrugged, "It's not a problem. And I know you didn't mean it, Alina. You were angry and upset… people say thing. Hell, I say things all the time that I don't mean, especially when I'm angry or something, so I guess what I'm trying to say is that I get it."

"Well, thanks. And uh… if I'm being honest here, you coming here is the probably the best thing that's happening the past month. I don't think I knew how much I needed help, and you know how much I hate admitting that I do. I just… if you want to stay, you should stay. I want you to stay," I replied.

This was incredibly hard for me – being vulnerable in front of him – but it was the truth. I did need someone and right now, I needed Dean. I needed him to help me be strong enough because I don't really know how the hell I'm supposed to do this alone.

Dean chuckled, "You mean it?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"Well, I'm planning on staying for a couple of months so uh… you'll get sick of my eventually. I promise." I laughed at Dean's remark.

"I feel bad though… you know, you have someone back in the states and… well, she can't be too happy that you're here," I murmured.

"Yeah, well, you guys are like family to me. I should be here," Dean said, firmly.

"Well, you're welcome to stay for however long you want to," I replied, almost happy that he was staying.

"Thanks uh… so what exactly should we do first then?" Dean asked.

"What you do mean?" I asked back, confused.

"With the apartment. You said that we needed to fix up the apartment to sell," Dean replied.

"Oh, right! It's fairly new so we just have to uh, pack some things up. You know, Ali and Chris' stuff," I said.

Dean nodded, "Well, okay then."

"I don't know if I can," I admitted.

Dean took a deep breath, "I know."

"It's okay. We'll do it together. Tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded slowly, "Sure. Tomorrow."

~Flashback~

"Going somewhere?" Dean asked.

I glanced back at Dean once before returning my attention to my open duffel bag that I was packing up, "Yeah." I put the stack of clothes that was on the bed into the bag and then went over to the dresser to get a couple of other things.

"Wh-, what? Where?" Dean asked.

"I'm sorry, Dean," I practically whispered. This hurt so much and I was going to try to keep it together as best as I could.

"What do you mean, 'you're sorry'?" Dean asked, confused and almost angry.

"I'm leaving, Dean. I think… I think it's time for me to go," I replied, finally turning around to look at him. I looked him straight in the eye as I said this.

"Where are you going to go?" Dean asked back, taken aback.

"Back home. I'm starting school in January and uh… well, finish my freshmen year on time and everything so, yeah," I replied, swallowing. I kept reminding myself to hold on as long as I could and to not let him see me weak. I had already done that with the big, failed 'I love you'.

"Is… does Chris know about this?" Dean stammered.

"Yeah, we uh, I talked to him about it last week," I replied.

"Last week? You've been thinking about leaving since last week?" Dean exclaimed.

I nodded, "It's time for me to go, Dean. I don't-, I don't belong here."

"Well, what about us?" Dean asked.

"What about us?" I snapped.

"Is-, is this because of the whole 'I love you' thing because I thought we were past that," Dean started.

"You thought we were past that? Dean, that's not something you can get past that easily. I said that I loved you, and you couldn't say it back. Look, I just need time. This… was all a really bad idea," I replied, trying to keep it together. I returned to the bed, packing my last item, and then zipping the bag up. I threw it over my shoulder and started to leave.

"You're leaving now?" Dean asked, softly.

"Yeah," I replied. "Goodbye, Dean." I started to walk out the door when I heard Dean say something else. I stopped in my tracks.

"Alina, you don't have to leave," Dean said.

"Actually, I do… unless you can give me a reason to stay, then I do have to leave," I replied, sternly. Dean knew exactly what I was talking about. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"I-," he started, but nothing followed.

"That's what I thought," I replied.

"Alina, you ready?" Chris asked, coming up behind me and laying a brotherly hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I replied, nodding before going out to the car. I could hear Chris and Dean talking as I put my stuff in the car.

"Just let her go, man," Chris said. "It's for the best. I'll meet up with you for the next hunt after I drop her off." Chris then headed back to the car and sat next to me, in the driver's seat. He started the car up, put it in reverse, and we were off. I looked back at Dean, to find him standing at the door, just watching us leave.

~End Flashback~