It was fun typing this chapter, and difficult. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter. Dean and Max meet for the first time!
Dean was 17 years old when Max was born. He didn't know he had a daughter until she was around four years old. Max's mother was Karen Lynn and she didn't want Dean to be a part of Max's life. She only knew him for a few weeks in school then he left without saying a word to her. She wanted nothing more to do with him. But then, Max started asking question about her father, who he was and why he was never there. Karen had no choice. She had kept one of Dean's old numbers and decided to try and call him. She didn't think it would still work, the phone rang, but she was hoping for no answer.
"Hello," Dean's voice came through.
"Dean Winchester," Karen wasn't sure if she should continue the call.
"Who is this?"
"Umm, this is Karen. Karen Lynn from high school."
Dean was silent for a bit. "Oh yeah, I remember you. Your dad tried to kill me with a bat."
"Yeah, I'm that Karen," nervously laughing, she hoped that Dean wouldn't hang up. "I, um, have something to tell you…"
"Yeah?"
"Dean, you have…a daughter. Her name is Max and she's four years old," Karen said all at once so that she can get it out of her system. Dean went silent again. "She's beautiful, Dean, she has your eyes. She smart, and always asking about you."
"I don't…um are you sure she's mine," Dean stuttered. He didn't want to believe Karen.
"I'm sure, Dean. There was no one else after you, and you were my first." Dean went silent again. "Do you think you can come by? To meet her? She's always asking about you and she won't stop."
"Yeah, I think I can. Where are you at?"
"Same town. Same house."
"Do you promise that your dad won't have a bat this time?"
Karen laughed, "He won't, I promise."
When the day came, Karen was nervous, pacing around the house. She didn't know how Dean or Max would react to seeing each other. Max was sitting at the kitchen table, coloring and drinking a juice box. She didn't know that she was going to meet her father that day. Karen smiled at her daughter, she was deciding if she should tell Max that her dad was stopping by to meet her, or just to surprise her.
"Mommy look," Max shouted to her mother as if she was far away. "I drew you and me under a rainbow!" She held up her drawing, proud of her work and smiled.
"That's beautiful, Max. I love it," Karen leaned in to kiss the top of her head. "Why don't we hang it up on the fridge?" Max nodded and ran to the counter for the tape. Karen kneeled down and handed the picture to Max. Karen grabbed the tape and ripped off a couple strips. "Okay, hold as high as you can." Max jumped up on her toes, while Karen taped the paper to the fridge. "There. How does that look?"
Max ran to the kitchen table and tilted her head. "Its prefect," she laughed. She ran back to her mother and hugged her.
The doorbell rang, "Max, can you pick up your crayons, please?" Max nodded and ran to the table. Karen walked over to the front door and opened it. "Hello, Dean," Karen said nervously. She smiled at Dean, it was awkward. "Um, come in," Karen stepped aside as Dean walked in.
"This place hasn't changed a bit," Dean said as he looked around. "Your parents aren't home?"
"They passed away a year ago. Car Accident," Karen explained. She closed the door and locked it.
"I'm sorry. At least your father won't kill me this time," Dean joked. It made Karen smile. "So, where is she?"
"Max is in the kitchen, picking up her crayons. Hold on, Max, when you're finished come in here. There's someone I want you to meet," Karen shouted to the kitchen. She and Dean took a seat on the couch in the family room. "You know, I'm really nervous about this," she confessed.
"Yeah, me too. I'm actually surprise you're letting me meet her," Dean said.
"Well, she was asking questions about you. I thought it would be best. She's a smart little girl," Karen said to Dean. He smiled at her.
Karen and Dean both looked up when they heard Max's little shoes run into the family room. Max stopped and starred at the strange man sitting on the couch. Karen held out her hand to her daughter. Max grabbed it and cautiously walked towards to the couch. "Mommy, who is this," Max asked and she was lifted into Karen's lap.
"Max, this is Dean," she introduced to Max. Karen looked at Dean, his eyes were watery, a small smile showed up on his face. "Max, this is your father." A big smile appeared on Max's face. Same with Dean. Karen starred at both of them, they had the same smile. Another trait that Max got from Dean, along with his eyes, and light colored hair.
"Hello, Max," Dean finally said. Suddenly, Max jumped off Karen's lap then into his. She wrapped her small arms around Dean's neck and hugged him for a long time. Dean hugged her back, he refused to let her go, wanting to keep holding his daughter. He was happy, even though they had just met, Dean felt like he had knew Max long before that.
Max let go and looked up to her father, "Hi, daddy!"
"Hi, Max."
Karen wiped away the tears that rolled down her face. It was a precious moment. She watched as Dean and Max talked to each other, smiling at each other. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Dean," Karen asked.
"Yeah, daddy, can you stay for dinner," Max repeated. She looked up to her father, waiting for an answer.
"Sure," Dean answered. "That way I can talk to you more." Dean lifted Max into the air and spun her around. When he put Max down, she ran to the kitchen.
"I'm gonna set the table," Max shouted. Karen and Dean followed her to the kitchen, Max was already on the counters getting the plastic plates from the cupboard. When she grabbed the plates, she tried to climb down with them.
"Be careful, Max," Karen ran to Max and grabbed her. When Karen let go of her, Max ran to the table and placed the plates at each chair. "She's excited. And a handful."
"She's beautiful," Dean said as he watched her run around the table, placing the silverware next to the plates.
"Well, I better get cooking. Does hamburgers sound good?"
"I'll get the grill started," Dean smiled.
Dean and Karen started cooking while Max played outside. She was always shouting to Dean, to watch her as she went down the slide, how high she can swing. She even showed him that she can climb the tree in the backyard.
"I can go really high," Max shouted.
"Max, be careful," Karen shouted. "Come down, it's time to eat."
"I'll get her," Dean said. He walked over to the tree, Max was sitting on the branch that was about Dean's height. "Come on, shrimp. Let's go eat." Dean turned around so his back was facing her. Max jumped on, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Max, go wash up while we finish setting up," Karen said. Dean knelt down so Max can get off. Karen watched as her daughter ran around the corner to the bathroom down the hall. "She has so much energy."
"Yeah, she does. She's one crazy little girl," Dean smiled at Karen. "Thank you, Karen."
The three sat down at the table, Dean made a burger for Max while Karen poured Pepsi into her small cup. Max had to sit up on her knees so she can reach her food. She looked at her plate, "Mommy, where's my bacon?"
"Oh, I forgot. Hold on, I think I have some left from breakfast," Karen got up and walked to the fridge. "Yep, right here. I'll warm it up."
"Wait, you like bacon on your sandwich," Dean asked Max. She nodded back to him.
"She won't eat her burgers without it," Karen complained. Dean smiled at Max, she really was his daughter.
"Don't you like bacon, daddy?"
"I love bacon. I can't live without it." Max laughed at her father.
Karen walked over to the table and placed the bacon on her burger. "Thanks, mommy. Do you want some?" Max passed the plate to Dean. The three talked all the way through dinner, Max was always asking questions to her father. He answered them the best he can. They talked and played all evening, Max showed Dean her room and all her toys. She showed Dean, everything in the house. Until it was time for Dean to leave, and time for Max to go to bed.
"But, I want you to stay," Max said sadly.
"I'm sorry, baby girl. I have to go."
"But, daddy. Please, stay. I don't want you to go." Max began to cry. Karen or Dean didn't know how to explain to a little four year old that Dean can't live with them. Karen knew about his "job" and what he and his family does.
Dean knelt down and gave her a hug. "When's your birthday, Max?"
"July 13," Karen answered.
"That's not too far away. Maybe I can stop by for your birthday. If it's okay with your mother." Both Max and Dean looked up to Karen, she gave them a nod. "There, I'll be here for your birthday. Okay, Max?" Max wiped away her tears and nodded. "Okay, give me one more hug. You be good and take care of your mother."
Max suddenly ran off to the kitchen. Dean and Karen heard a scarping noise and the sound of something hitting the floor. They both looked at each other and quickly went to the kitchen. They found Max sitting on the floor with her crayons all over the floor with a piece of paper. Karen realized it was the picture that she drew earlier that day. Max quickly drew in another person under the rainbow along with her and her mom, she drew Dean holding Max's hand.
When she finished she ran up to Dean. "Take this with you! So you can see me every day," Max frantically waved the paper towards Dean. He took the paper from her and smiled. He loved it. "I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, Maxie." He knelt down to hug his daughter again. After a bit, Dean let go of Max. They all walked out of the house together, Max and Karen stopped on the patio. Dean continued walking to the car that was waiting for. He took one more look at Max. She waved at him, he smile and waved back. He felt bad for leaving her. It hurt him to say good-bye. But he was coming back, but he already couldn't wait to see her on her birthday.
Dean stopped at the next bench. He didn't know how long he was running for. He knew he couldn't keep up with Max, why did he decide to run after her. The entire memory ran through his head, over and over again. Little Max, running around the house, and climbing trees. When the thought of her in a tree popped into his head, he looked up. Nothing. Worth a shot. He walked for a bit before he decided he should start running again. Then he looked out to the lake and found a person standing on the dock. Dean walked a little closer, it was Max. Finally caught up to her. He walked down the path that lead to the dock.
Max looked behind her and saw her dad walking towards here. He was already on the dock, so she couldn't run off. Dean walked up and stood behind her, looking out to the lake. "This is a good place to fish. Might need to come back here one day," Dean broke the silence.
"I don't know how."
"I can teach you." It was quiet between them again. Max finally sat down and starred out to the lake again. Dean stayed standing. "We should go back to the hotel. Grab a bite."
"What time is it?"
"Almost three."
"Just a few more minutes," Max said. "It's peaceful here, I like it. I always think of mom when I see a lake. She took me to one."
"I know, I was there for your sixth birthday. One of the best birthday's you told me."
"I had fun that day. I wished it would never end and that you wouldn't leave again." Dean was silent. Tears began to stream down her face. She wiped them away, hoping that Dean didn't see them. "Did you leave me, dad?"
"I had too, to save you and Sam. I had to make that deal. I had no other choice, Max."
"We could've found another way…"
"There was no other way. Sam was dying, and they were going to kill you. Making that deal was the only way to save you both." Dean waited for Max to say more. But, she remained quiet. "I'm sorry, Maxie. For making you go through all that alone. For leaving you. I thought about you every day down there. Not one minute went by where I didn't think about you. You brought me peace and hope that I would get out of there someday, Max. When I did, you were the first person I needed to see first."
Max suddenly jumped up and hugged Dean, crying. "I'm sorry. Sorry, I thought horrible things while you were gone. I thought that you made that deal, because you didn't want me anymore. That you hated me and didn't want to see me anymore. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, baby girl. For leaving you," Dean tightly hugged his daughter, he started crying with her. "Don't you ever think that I hate you Max. Don't ever think that. I love you more than anything, Max. I can't imagine what life without you. I wouldn't know what to do if something were to happen to you. Who would remember to bring me pie?" Dean tried to lighten the mood. He got a small laugh out of her.
"I love you, dad."
"I love you, too, Maxie." They hugged each other for a bit longer before he let go of her. They both looked at each other, Dean wiped away the tears of Max's face. Then smiles, "Let's go look for Sam, and figure this out together." Max nodded. They smiled at each other and walked back to the road.
When they made it to the road, they were laughing. Smiling at each other, like they had forgotten all that had happen that day. Sam was waiting for them with the Impala. When Max looked up to him, her smile disappeared, as did Dean's.
"Travis called, he needs help with a case over in Carthage, Missouri," Sam said to them. Dean looked up and glared at Sam.
Max looked up to her father, grabbing his hand. Dean looked at her, and nodded. "Alright, let's get going."