Chapter 7

Dean was awakened to a light knocking at his bedroom door. He looked at the clock on the bedside table. 8:07 a.m. He moaned rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Yeah?"

Jon opened the door slowly carrying a breakfast tray on his right arm. " Morning, brother."

"Hey, brother. What's this?"

"Breakfast in bed. Come on. Sit up."

Dean sat up in his guest bed adjusting the pillows behind his back. Jon sat the tray on Dean's lap.

"You have sausage links, scrambled eggs and wheat toast. Orange juice and coffee. Sans cream, sans sugar. Just how you like it."

"Oh. Wow."

"Unless your taste in coffee has changed."

Dean chuckled rubbing a right palm in his right eye. "You spoil me."

"Eh." Jon shrugged.

"Well, where's your breakfast?"

"I'll graba bagel on the way to work at the YMCA. Oh, and I called your boss and said you had a family emergency and would not be in for a few days to work. He told me to tell you to take all the time you need. He also said that if you ever need anything..."

"I appreciate that."

"How did you sleep?"

"Not very well as a matter of fact."

"Hmm. Figured."

"Are you sure it's okay that I stay here for a while? I could always go back home."

"Nope. Out of the question. When I said you could stay here as long as you need to, I meant it. Plus, I would not have felt right knowing you were alone. I mean...I myself probably would have lost a few winks of sleep."

Dean chuckled. "Jon, I can't thank you enoughfor what you're doing to help me. I appreciate it. Truly."

Jon sat down next to Dean on the bed. "Hey. We're family. That's what family is for. This is what brothers are for." Jon slapped Dean on the back. "I know you loved her. I loved her too. Like I said last night, she was like a kid sister to me."

Dean thought for a moment, then asked. "Do you think she would have said yes?"

"I know she would have said yes. Now I have to get to work. Help yourself to the pantry and the fridge. Other than that, just...take it easy today. Make yourself at home."

Jon rose from the bed and walked to the bedroom door.

"Would you mind if I used the gym in your basement today?"

"Have at it."

After finishing 2 sets of 25 reps of bench presses, he gloved up, removed his shirt and took to the punching bag which hung from a hook on the ceiling. Dean started at a steady pace, then began to pick it up. However, a couple of minutes into the punching, visions of Stacy entered into his mind.

She was smiling, talking, laughing. She looked so happy. Pictures of the two of them eatting out, going to a movie, Jon giving Stacy a light headlock at a backyard barbecue. Wonderful memories. Pleasant memories. Then those flashbacks turned dark and somber. He could just see the fear in her eyes as he imagined the monster attacking her.

Dean's punches on the punching bag became more vicious, more fierce. He could imagine Stacy getting struck across the face. Dean's punches were now getting more quick and more violent. Dean became very angry with every punch he threw.

Then he iamgined of her being held down in the water in the tub by her throat, then being brought up out of the water coughing and sputtering, then dunked again, but not before he imagined the attacker forcefully kissing her. It killed Dean to see her struggle. The last thing he saw in his mind was the lipstick message on the bathroom mirror, the piece de resistance, the grand finale of the criminal's masterpiece.

With a powerful scream, he pulled his right fist back, and socked the bag as hard as he could. With enough force, he knocked the bag off the hook and it landed on the floor with a thud. Dean panted heavily, sweat pouring down his muscular 6'4" 225 pound frame. He removed the gloves from his hands, then tossed them behind him. It was then that he began to feel sick to his stomach. He rushed over to a trash can in the corner of the basement gym. He knelt in front of the can and emptied his stomach for half a minute. The images which played in his head was enough to make his stomach churn.

He wrapped his arms around his stomach after the vomiting had ceased, then leaned backfirst against the wall. Just like last night, tears began to fall from his broken blue eyes. He brought his knees inward towards his chest, sobbing quietly. How anyone could do something so heinous, so horrible to an angel such as Stacy. Dean rested the back of his head against the wall, closing his eyes, going back in time at the day at the park just 2 short months ago. The day that Dean and Stacy said to each other for the first time, 'I love you'. It was also the day that they shared their first kiss.