A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's….Though I wished I owned the guys…*sighs*
Dean rolled over seeing it was 6:00 according to the clock. The sun was starting to break through the blinds as he looked around her room. The walls were bare save for the photos of various locations Dean suspected she had been to in his absence. He could see the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., the Alamo, several lighthouses and lastly Niagara Falls. As he scanned the room, his eyes stopped at the photo sitting on the dresser. Dean flung back the blanket careful not to disturb Brooklyn as she slept beside him and rose from the bed and over to the dresser.
He smiled as he clutched the photo in his hands. It was when they had gone camping their senior year for their trip. He had that simple vest on with long sleeved shirt and hat on as it had been cold that week. It was right before graduation and he had made up his mind on proposing to her that week. But he never got the chance as the following week she had received the acceptance letter to Michigan and he left her in the cold.
Dean sighed as he replaced the photo and saw another one beside it. He knew right away it was Tristan.
"That was when she was born," Brooklyn's sleepy voice called out.
"She looks so much like me," Dean turned around seeing Brooklyn nod in agreement.
"Yeah she does and she also has your spirit too."
"What do you mean?" Dean sat down beside Brooklyn.
"When she started school a girl named Meg bullied her, a lot. Well one day she got fed up with the little snot and started beating the literal crap out of her. Tristan was no match for Meg but she didn't let her small size get in the way," Brooklyn chuckled.
"Well what happened?"
"She got in trouble for one thing though I caught Caleb and Sam both telling her that she was pretty brave for sticking up for herself against a bully. Meg had a broken nose and black eye from Tristan and since then the girl hasn't bothered her since. In fact, Meg turns the other way when she sees Tristan coming."
"That's my girl," Dean beamed at his daughter's convictions.
"Well don't encourage her okay? It's bad enough Jimmy's picked up her bad habits. If anyone comes near Tristan and he doesn't know them, he goes into bodyguard mode and attacks. He's her self-appointed bodyguard and he tells everyone she's his girlfriend."
"Jo's still mad at me huh?"
"Well she won't be thrilled to know you're back but she won't go postal on you either. After losing Mac, she devoted her energy into Jimmy. She and I both agreed that letting the past control our futures would only destroy us and hurt our kids. But now you're back…." She reached out and caressed his cheek.
"Brook, I'm not leaving you again. I know your heart was badly hurt by me and you don't know how much being let back in means to me. When I came back here I prepared myself for whatever venom or pain came my way but instead I find you stronger and more mature than I ever was. I don't deserve any chance that may be presented to me."
"Dean," Brooklyn took his hand, "While what you did wounded me greatly, I never stopped hoping deep down that you would come back. Everyone thinks I have this hard exterior created by the anger and hatred of what happened but they're wrong. My brother told you I had six years of pain that still existed huh?"
Dean nodded.
"Well even my brother didn't understand. I just didn't want to dredge up the past and instead I would go quiet or leave or come up with some other excuse to avoid talking about it. Even Sam thought I was still enraged. But the truth is I was still angry but I learned to deal with it."
Dean pulled Brooklyn up until she was sitting upright on the edge of the bed. He took her hands in his and stroked the tops of her hands with his thumbs while thinking of what to say.
"Brook, I know you're seeing Ric and all but…." Brooklyn silenced him by kissing him hard then gently pulled back.
"Dean I don't love Ric. He's a good guy and all but I just can't commit to him. I think he knows with you being back for good….."
Brooklyn didn't get to finish as she heard Tristan's little voice at the door.
"Mommy are you in there?"
"Crap, uh Dean get under the blankets quick," Dean dove beneath the throw and pressed his body tightly against Brooklyn's as she covered back up and in good time as Tristan turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
"Mommy who are you talking to?" Tristan rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"Uh no one baby," she covered. Tristan stepped further in seeing Dean's clothes along with her strewn across the floor.
"Uh huh," Tristan stared down at the jeans and shirt that were not her mother's.
"Mommy did you have sleep over last night?" Brooklyn bit her lip and felt Dean's hand on her waist. She fought hard not to yelp as his fingers tickled her side.
Tristan tilted her head and clutched Hawkeye tighter to her chest.
"Hawkeye says lying is bad. Did Dean stay over?"
Brooklyn sighed and knew her daughter was right.
"Yes baby he did," she confessed. Tristan smiled slightly as she saw a hand slip up and out of the covers and wave at her.
"Okay," she turned and closed the door. Dean pulled up from the blankets astonished that Tristan was so at ease with it. Brooklyn rolled over seeing Dean's surprised expression.
"Come on, let's get up and around," she kissed him once again before leading him by the hand towards the bathroom.
Tristan was sitting at the table when Brooklyn and Dean appeared. The little girl smiled knowingly at them both as she waited for her cereal. Brooklyn grabbed the Frosted Flakes and milk then two bowls and spoons. Dean sat down beside the giddy young child noticing she wasn't upset that he was still there.
"Morning kiddo," Dean ruffled her coppery tresses. Tristan giggled and squirmed in her seat.
Brooklyn got the coffee going while watching Dean and Tristan enjoy breakfast together. Hawkeye sat beside them both a silent witness to the bonding of father and daughter.
"Hello?? Anyone home?" A voice called out through the screen door.
"In here Jo," Jo stepped in with Jimmy in front of her. The little guy saw his playmate and rushed through the doorway nearly knocking Jo down in the process.
"Tristan!" He called out as Tristan hopped down to greet her best friend. Jimmy saw Dean and let go of Tristan and charged for the strange man. Dean watched as the little guy began pounding on his legs and slapping with open palms.
"James Novak," Brooklyn caught his little arms, "What have I told you about hitting people?"
Jimmy glared at Dean but saw his mother's disapproving stare as she appeared behind Dean.
"Not to hit people," he said in a tiny voice.
"That's right now you say sorry to Dean for hitting him. Go on," she pushed him towards Dean. Jimmy huffed and crossed his little arms.
"Sorry," he grumbled.
"Sorry for what Jimmy?" Jo faced her son.
"For hitting you," he looked up with wide puppy dog eyes that threatened to well up with tears.
"Mommy can I go play with Jimmy?"
"Brush your teeth and change then you can go out in the backyard," Tristan finished her cereal and snatched Hawkeye before trotting to her room to get changed. Jo sat across from Dean and merely fired a hard look at his direction.
"Hiya Jo," Dean waved nervously.
"Hello Dean," she said curtly, "Brook didn't tell me you were back."
"I just got in two days ago," he took a drink of coffee. Jo looked at Brooklyn with a raised eyebrow then back at Dean.
"So are you planning on staying or fleeing again?"
"I'm staying Jo, for good," Dean smiled up at Brooklyn who couldn't but to help smile back. Jo watched the exchange realizing something happened between them.
"Did you two….." She pointed her finger back and forth.
"Guilty," Brooklyn and Dean said at the same time.
"I dunno what to say honestly. I mean everyone was so angry with you Dean and for six years Brook was alone with Tristan…."
"Jo I know you have a right to be upset with me and I don't expect anything less alright? But I'm back and I want to be there for Tristan and Brook. If I had not been such a jerk and read even one letter she sent me I would've returned in a heartbeat. If there was anything I could do to turn back time and change my actions I would."
"Does Sam know you're back?" Jo took a drink of coffee.
"Yeah and Caleb has seen me too."
Jo took in the news letting it digest for a moment. Sure she wanted to deck him for hightailing it out of here but then again she knew how deeply Dean loved her and found herself believing what he was saying or trying to rather.
"Does Ric know about Dean's return?" Jo kept her gaze level with Dean's.
"Yeah he met him last night," Brooklyn said quietly.
"I see," she simply said.
"Well if you are planning on staying Dean, you better stick to your word."
"Joanna Beth Harvelle I will swear upon my very life that I am not going to let Brooklyn or anyone else down. Tristan's my daughter and I will do everything in my power to make it up to her."
"Well we'll see soon enough huh?" Jo got up and turned over to Brooklyn hugging her tight and whispered in her ear.
"I hope you know what you're doing Brook."
"I do Jo," she pulled back and smiled.
"Okay well I'll leave Jimmy here for a while and come back this afternoon. I gotta run over to Quincy for some errands. Dean I can't believe I'm saying this but I am glad to see you back. Tristan needs her father."
Dean nodded and looked up at the two women as Jo turned to leave. Dean's phone went off and he saw it was Sam calling.
"Sam hey," He flipped the phone open.
"Hey where are you at? I didn't see your car at the hotel last night."
"Yeah I was with Brooklyn all night."
"I kind of figured that. Listen can you meet me at Antonio's at around noon? I found some information on Ric."
Dean looked over at Brooklyn as she was ushering the kids out to the backyard.
"Yeah I'll be there."
"See you then."
Sam continued looking over the articles sprawled out on his desk. The nice thing about being the DA was access to databases and other information not available to the general public. He picked up the one that disturbed him the most.
Local man sought in death of college student
Sam reread the article and the details of how a college student had vanished then turned up dead along a riverbank two days later. It seemed she had been engaged in an affair with her calculus instructor, Ric Saltzman. But Ric had gone missing after the young girl did which added up to trouble in Sam's mind. He continued reading on, noting she had a long term boyfriend back home in Wisconsin that had no clue this was going on.
Dean was going to have a field day with this but Sam was going to warn him not to thrust this in Brooklyn's face either and flaunt it around. No, they would get in touch with the authorities in South Dakota and Illinois about the two deaths and what if any other information they had.
How will Dean react to what Sam found out????