Year 2014

It was late at night and the patrol met up to start their usual rounds along the perimeter of Camp Chitaqua. Lee pulled her jacket tighter as the wind started to pick up. She lingered at the back of the group, leaning against a stack of wooden boxes filled with supplies, while Dean stood at the front barking orders.

"Did'ya hear that from back there, Lee?" Dean shouted and Lee rolled her eyes in response.

"Yeah yeah, whatever…"

"Alright then move out," The group dispersed in pairs and Dean kept his eye on Lee, "Lets go Lee I don't have all night."

Before she could push herself off the crates, Dean had already started marching off towards the south gate. The strap of her military grade gun slipped off her shoulder as she tried to catch up to him. Lee caught the gun by its heavy barrel and decided to inspect it as she walked.

She clocked in a fresh magazine and adjusted the weight of the gun until she found the sweet spot with the butt of the gun resting against her shoulder. Lee peered through the scope and saw Dean thundering along the fence checking his own weapon as well.

"Dammit Dean we're supposed to be patrolin' together!" Lee shouted and Dean stopped dead in his tracks. His shoulders dropped and he threw his head to the side and Lee knew that a look of annoyance was plastered on his face.

The dirt gravel puffed up in a cloud as Lee ran to catch up and no words were exchanged once she was at Dean's left. He gave a sniff and continued walking; not even glancing at her, but Lee had grown accustomed to this harsh demeanor.

Ever since Sam gave in to the devil, Dean had taken up a more totalitarian style of leadership. Lee cast a sideways glance at Dean's brooding expression. He'd changed so much these past couple years. Lee couldn't remember the last time he even cracked a smile.

A rustle echoed from the direction of Dean's old impala. Lee paused and snapped her arm out to stop Dean. He squinted down at her and then turned his head to see what she was looking at.

They heard a strangled cry and a movement of shadow flashed in view of the smashed windows. Dean grew focused. He brought a finger to his lips and motioned for Lee to round the right of the car.

Both of them cocked their guns at the ready and Lee held it in a tight grip. Her palms began to itch against the textured handgrips. All possible scenarios were running through her head. Was the camp compromised? Had the croatoan virus infiltrated their sanctuary? Had Lucifer finally decide to show up and wipe them out while wearing Sammy as a meat suit?

Or was it just Johnny and the other kids breaking curfew yet again?

Steady breaths turned rapid and shallow. Dean paused and locked eyes with Lee.

'I'm fine," She mouthed. Dean nodded, satisfied with her answer, and held up a count with his hand as they neared the car.

On three, Dean yanked the door open, nearly ripping it off its rusty hinges, and pointed his gun. Whatever was inside let out a shout and Dean's aim faltered as he saw what was inside. Lee saw Dean's eyes bug out of his head before he rushed to slam the butt of his gun against the intruder.

"Son of a bitch…" Dean muttered, "What the hell is going on!"

Lee raced over with her gun held up, but the minute she reached Dean she dropped it to her side. She felt her mouth gape open and looked from the slumped figure in the car, to Dean, and then back to the car.

"What in the Sam Hill do you think this means?" Lee asked and looked up at Dean who still hadn't moved an inch. She crouched down and pulled the face into the light. It was Dean. Or at least something that looked like Dean. "Skinwalker?"

Dean shrugged, "I don't know but we'll know soon enough. Help me with it." They worked together to hoist up the unconscious body and each wrapped an arm around their shoulder.

It was a long walk to Dean's cabin and this doppleganger was not a light load. Even with the weight distributed between them, Lee struggled to hold up her side. She tripped over a pothole in the ground as she tried to shift the weight to get a better grip.

The Dean look-a-like groaned as his head knocked into hers but he didn't wake up. Dean shot a look of aggravation and Lee's clumsiness. She flicked a side glance at him. Lee looked back and found herself looking at the intruder with its head lolling around

They looked so similar that she found it hard to believe that it could be a skinwalker. The same jawline, similar slope of the nose, and even with his eyes closed Lee could tell that the intruder's eyes held the same intensity that Dean's did.

Inside the cabin, Dean sat in deep thought. Lee was leaning against the wall with folded arms. They had just finished testing the doppleganger with everything they could think of – salt, silver, holy water – but nothing worked.

"I don't get it," Dean said with a shake of his head.

"We'll just have to wait 'til he wakes up then," Lee responded with a shoulder shrug. Soft tinkering was the only sound in the room as Dean started to clean his gun. This look-a-like passed all the tests with flying colors, but he couldn't help but cast wary glances at their prisoner.

Dean felt hard wood beneath him and his arm tingled like a thousand needles were dancing on it. All he could think about was how he was going to murder Zachariah and whoever had put his car – his baby – in such a condition.

"Look he's wakin' up." He heard a voice drawl as he struggled to open his eyes.

Prying his eyes open, he saw that he was in a small room lit only by a small lantern that casted a dark orange glow. Two figures were facing him but only one caused him to widen his eyes and shuffled backwards into the wall.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered as he saw his mirror image sitting across from him with a gun in hand. Considering his situation, Dean realized that this must be himself in the future.

"I should be asking that question, don't you think?" Future Dean spoke with a glare as he set his gun in his lap, "In fact, why don't you give me one good reason why I shouldn't gank you right here and now?"

"Dammit Dean we talked about not threatening the thing!" Both heads turned to the direction of the voice.

"Do I know you? Are you talking to- " Dean started to ask but stuttered to a stop as the woman stepped forward, "Lee!"

"No she's not talking to you moron!" Future Dean snapped and turned to Lee, "How about you let me handle things the way I want to, hmm?" Lee frowned, her top lip twitched and threatened to curl.

She was different than when he last saw her. Lee stared at him with a cocked eyebrow but her gaze was hallow and empty, just like future Dean. She looked tired in her torn up loose-fitted jeans and large army jacket. Dean realized he was staring when her eyes narrowed at him.

Dean cleared his throat, "Zachariah sent me back. I'm you from the tail end of 2009."

Future Dean stands up and steps a rushed step towards him, "Come again? Where is he? I want to talk to him." He demanded.

"We haven't heard from him in years," Lee muttered and nudged future Dean's arm, "Maybe you'll still be able to…." Her voice trialed off but Dean noticed by the looks they were giving each other that they were thinking the exact same thing.

Dean shift uncomfortably against the ladder he was cuffed to as future him and Lee held a silent conversation. "Look I don't know where he is."

"Oh really?" Future Dean said sarcastically, turning away from Lee.

"No," Dean replied, "I just want to get back to my own friggin' year, okay?"

Future Dean was silent for a moment, "Okay. If you're me, then tell me something only I would know."

Dean looked down in thought and snapped his fingers, "Got it!" He smirked but faltered when he saw Lee right beside his future self, "You okay with Lee hearing this?"

"There ain't nothing that'll surprise me about you Dean Winchester," Lee chuckled and punched future Dean in the shoulder. He gave Dean a nod to continue.

"Rhonda Hurley," Dean saw him flash a quick glance at Lee and knew he immediately regretted allowing her to stay. "We were, uh, nineteen. She made us try on her pink and very satiny panties. And you know what? We kind of liked it."

"Touche," Future Dean nodded and Lee let out a strangled cry and pressed her hand against to mouth to stifle her laughter.

"Panties Dean?" She giggled. Future Dean glared but that did nothing to tame her laughter.

"So I can see that the world really went in the crapper these past five years," Dean said, trying to change the subject, "But what about Sam?"

Lee's laughter died instantly. She shrunk back and hugged her arms tightly. Future Dean spoke after a long minute, "Heavyweight showdown in Detroit. From what I understand, Sam didn't make it. Lee was there with him when it happened." He added, pointing to Lee who started to angrily wipe away fresh tears.

"I shouldn't have been the only one…" She muttered under her breath.

Future Dean whipped his head around to face her, "You're really gonna start this again Lee?" He snapped.

Lee clenched her jaw and gave him a look of death, "You bet your ass I am! And you know what, Winchester, you should have been there with him! Instead, you let a small issue come between you and your own blood! Did you even realize how much his mistakes tormented him?"

"Enough!"

No more words flew from her mouth. Lee pointedly shifted a few feet away as she hung her head, fists shaking at her sides. She lifted her eyes from the ground and briefly locked eyes with Dean. He saw her frustration and sadness being held together by a thread that threatened to snap. She turned and walked out the cabin, slamming the door as she left.

Future Dean stood frozen, facing the closed door. Dean saw him stutter forward, but hesitated and shook his head as he turned around.

"So I take it we aren't friends with Lee anymore?" Dean dared to ask.

"Lee, she's…" Future Dean glanced back at the door, "She's stubborn as hell but one of the best hunters I know. Lee's got a big heart and keeps me grounded…" His voice trailed off before continuing, "Keeps everyone grounded."

"Hey! Where you going!" Dean yelled as his future self was halfway out the door, "You're just gonna leave me here? Cuffed to this damn ladder!"

"Damn straight," He chuckled.

The door clicked shut, leaving Dean alone in the candle light. "Dick." The room was quiet and he scanned the room before landing on a nearby floor nail. "Jackpot." He smirked.

Later on, Dean was walking freely around the camp. A few people waved and voiced common greetings, but most kept their head to the ground. They all seemed to keep to themselves and walked around as if in a haze.

"Hey, Dean," He turned around and saw Chuck coming towards him, waving a clipboard, "You got a second?"

"No, yes. Uh…I guess," Dean stuttered. Chuck arched an eyebrow as Dean tried to act normal, "Hi, Chuck." Dean felt that palms of his hands start to clam as Chuck studied him for a moment.

"Hi. So we're good on canned good, but … Oh, Lee!" Chuck waved behind Dean, "You should hear this too."

"Hey Chuck… And Dean…" He dared not to look at Lee, but Dean felt her eyes burning a hole as she tilted her head knowingly.

"So like I was saying, we're good on canned goods but the hygiene supplies is lacking," Chuck looked up from his clipboard, "People aren't going to be happy about this. What should we do?" He glanced between them before settling on Dean.

"…I don't know, share?" Dean shrugged. Beside him Lee stifled a chuckle and Chuck stared in disbelief before consulting back to his clipboard.

Chuck looked up, "Aren't you supposed to be on a mission?"

Before Dean could answer, Lee cut in, "Don't worry sweet pea, Dean here is just dottin' some i's before he heads out! But you're doin' great work alright! Top knotch." She patted his arm.

"Thanks Lee," But Chuck's smile slipped off as he focused behind Dean and Lee. "Uh oh…"

Dean saw a fist swing around out the corner of his eye. He felt the air move across his cheek as Lee pulled him back in time, "Whoa! Jeez! Easy, lady!" Dean cried as a angry brunette woman tried swinging again.

"Watch it." Lee ordered with an icy stare, stepping protectively in front of both Dean and Chuck.

"Risa." Chuck snipped.

"Risa?" Dean uttered.

Risa stood toe to toe with Lee, barely reaching her chin. Lee stood still while Risa's eyes twitched. "You spent the night in Jane's cabin last night!" She turned her murderous glare to Dean, "I thought we had a 'connection'."

Dean took a moment to look at Risa, noticing her full figure and soft face, despite the anger, "Well I'm sure we do."

"Yeah?"

"Hey Risa," Lee smirked, crossing her arms, "I mean, how's this even surprising to you? Did you really fall for his sappy love crap?" She drawled thickly.

"I'm not sappy…" Dean muttered under his breath.

"Screw you." Risa stomped off.

"Is there something you need Dean?" Lee's voice pulled him back to reality, checking Risa's retreating figure one last time before turning to Lee. Her eyes flick to where he was staring. Dean caught a strangled expression flash across her face, but assumed it was his imagination once Lee turned back with a clear face, "Dean?"

"Huh, oh yeah. Is Cas still here?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think Cas is going anywhere," Chuck replied in an amused manner.

Lee motioned for Chuck to follow her, "Cas's cabin is up that path. Behave yourself, Dean." She warned pointedly.

"Sure thing Lee," He waved with a forced grin as the two walked away discussing future supply runs. Breathing a sigh of relief, he followed Lee's directions to Cas. For some reason, Lee let him roam free. Why? He didn't know, but he was thankful for it.