HEADS UP

Dean banged desperately on his parents door and John answered and seeing Dean's face he grabbed his son.

"Dean what is it?"

Dean still clutching his phone he tried to explain what had happened what he had heard but he wanted to get there pleading for them to get him there.

To Dean everything seemed to be in slow motion from that point on and he felt as if his head was under water.

Arandi had said she loved him as if she would never get the chance again and he felt sick.

His heart was racing as they drew closer and flashing lights were everywhere and Dean was out of the car running.

A policeman blocked his progress and his eyes took in the scene, Arandi's parents on the porch crying and hugging with Jade, Nathan being led away to a waiting police cruiser covered in blood, and the body bag being pushed away.

Dean felt the world go out from under him and the policeman that had been holding him back was now holding him up calling for help.

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Sirens and bright lights, too many voices, and Arandi where was …dear God no.

Dean opened his eyes to find himself in the hospital.

"Dean." His mom was beside him.

Dean was afraid to ask, afraid to hear the words.

"Dean Arandi is fine it wasn't her in the body bag." Mary comforted. "It was Nathan's dad, he followed Nathan to Arandi's and tried to stop him but they struggled for the gun and it went off."

"Where is Arandi?" He asked.

"She's being treated for some cuts but she is going to be fine. Dean if you hadn't called her when you did she'd be dead."

Dean choked back a sob.

Nathan would have found her asleep and easily have subdues her.

"He won't hurt her anymore Dean." Mary continued. "He felt so guilty for having killed his dad who kept bailing him out and trusting him that he killed himself well he tried to attack police and they killed him."

Dean felt no remorse. "Can I get up now?"

Mary nodded and helped him sit up checking to see if he was off balance.

They walked into the hall and Arandi was coming out of another room with her parents and Jade.

Dean pulled from his mom and ran to Arandi who began to sob the second he wrapped his arms around her.

The parents stood by and watched.

"I know you can't go home yet so it you'd like we have plenty of room." Mary offered the Remington's.

"Are you sure Mary?" Beth asked.

Mary glanced at the still hugging couple. "Of course I'm sure, way better than an impersonal hotel."

"Thank you so much, we'll grab some things and be there, is it alright if Arandi just goes on with you?"

"That's fine she can rest after this terrible ordeal." Mary said rubbing Arandi's back.

Dean and Arandi seemed to be lost to everyone but each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dean and Arandi were sitting on the sofa holding each other.

"I saw a man die Dean." She whispered softly.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." He said soothing her the best that he could.

"How am I supposed to be able to sleep in that room again?"

"We'll figure something out, I'm just glad that you're fine." Dean sighed hugging her a little tighter. "When I saw that body bag and I didn't see you."

"I know when I saw you with all that blood on your shirt as they put you next to me in the ambulance I thought that somehow you had gotten hurt trying to get to me." She shuddered.

"Yeah that's twice now that my nose has gushed blood just before I pass out."

"And the doctor says that's normal?" Arandi asked.

"Yeah but if happens again I know my mom is going to drag me to another doctor and I'm going to be a test bunny for hours." He groused.

"As long as you're ok would it really matter?"

"You would side with my mother." Dean sighed. "You said that you loved me." He brought in clear from left field.

"I thought I was dying." Arandi sighed.

"So you didn't mean it?"

"I meant it but you don't have to feel that you have to say it back."

When everyone was finally settled they found Dean and Arandi sound asleep curled up on the sofa.

Mary and Beth exchanged glances.

"He was raised better than that." Mary tried.

"Mary he saved my daughter's life and they care about each other, my daughter was raised right too but you know what hearts can do."

Mary nodded hoping that she really had raised her son right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

One day off from school and the whole place was in an uproar.

Kat was having a full on meltdown because with only four games left in the season a new girl in school who had been head cheerleader in her old school had demanded to be allowed to try out for head cheerleader at Hunter High.

Lily Dos Santos was a striking green eyed brunette who apparently was used to getting what she wanted and her father had made sure through high proper channels that his daughter got the try out.

This meant the try outs were open to everyone and the cheerleaders already in position had to try out again.

Dean got the news as soon as he was out of his car Tuesday morning making his still achy head pound.

He also discovered quite quickly that Lily thought highly of herself and had set her eyes on the star quarterback before she even met him.

She sauntered up to Dean in her mini skirt and tight blouse. "Hi I'm Lily." She flirted. "I'm new here and I would love it if you showed me around."

'Dean looked her up and down and smirked, hell once upon a time this would have been a great time for him.

"I have a girlfriend already so you might want to ask one of the other players."

Lily got on her tippy toes and kissed him on the lips quick. "I always get what I want." She purred.

Dean stared at her as he absently rubbed his lips with the back of his hand.

Chris cleared his throat loudly and Dean looked up in time to see Arandi seeing it all.

Lily grinned and proceeded to do an amazing display of flips down the hallway that ended in a double back flip with no hands into splits.

The look on Kat's face was pure horror and Lily sauntered away laughing already having most of the boys in a tizzy over her.

Dean hurried after Arandi. "Arandi she kissed me I ….."

"You didn't push her away and you looked like you didn't mind one bit." Arandi snapped angrily.

"Fuck Arandi she caught me off guard and I told her I had a girlfriend." He defended.

"I knew that I wasn't enough."

"Arandi don't do this shit." Dean grabbed her arm and Arandi instinctively shoved him away.

Dean heard the now familiar muddled sounds in his head and the drops of blood starting from his nose.

"Dean, Dean look at me." Arandi was holding his head up.

He blinked his eyes hard seeing others watching he tried to snap the cobwebs from his brain.

Arandi was leading him to the nurse's office where he had to endure her close attention to his nose.

Arandi stood by looking the strangest combination of pissed off and worried sick.

Dean knew when to make something work for him.

"If you're having a headache I can send you home." Nurse Jones was saying.

"No ma'am I just want to finish the day." Dean said sweetly.

"I don't know if practice is such a good idea."

"I promise if I start feeling worse I'll tell the coaches." Dean gave her his best smile.

"Alright then you both get along." She gave them passes and they left.

"You're not better Dean this isn't good." Arandi started.

"It only happens when I get upset. " He stressed.

"I didn't see you passing out when Lilly was molesting you." Arandi snapped.

Dean put his hand to his head and winced which instantly calmed her down.

"Look Arandi I'm sorry that happened you're my girlfriend and after what we've been through I can't believe that you would think that I would drop you that easily."

"That's exactly why I would think that you would drop me Dean because it has been too much."

Dean kissed her not caring where they were. "I thought you said you trusted me."

"You're not the one I'm having problems trusting what did she say to you anyway."

"She wanted me to show her around and she said she always got what she wanted."

Dean saw a fire light up in Arandi's eyes that he kind of liked a lot. "What are you thinking?"

"Any bitch that thinks that I'm giving you up that easily has another thing coming."

"You just turned me on in ways that I didn't know were possible." Dean grinned.

Arandi kissed him firmly and walked away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The tryouts were happening right after school right where the football team practiced so the football team would be able to see it all.

Dean was tired already and trying not to drag ass but his head was buzzing and he was sweating up a storm.

Man his mom wasn't kidding about head injuries being complicated.

He nearly tripped up a play when he saw Arandi coming out onto the cheerleader tryouts part of the course.

The coaches knew that there was going to be more injuries than not with the boys trying to play football and watch the tryouts so they ended practice early.

What the hell was Arandi thinking if she got chosen she would have to deal with Lily and Kat every day and suddenly Dean got it. It was a case of keep your friends close but your enemies' closer and man she would look so fucking hot in the outfit.

Yeah he had his priorities straight.

Dean could tell that not everyone on the cheerleader squad was still going to be there after today and there was no way in hell that Kat was staying head cheerleader. She was good but Lily had her by miles with her gymnastic skills, doing flips and shit that wowed the judges.

He felt his stomach churn if she became head cheerleader he was going to be chased relentlessly by this little vixen and his head hurt more just thinking about it.

Dean realized that he still had a million things to learn about his own girlfriend when it was her turn he nearly swallowed his tongue. Arandi even made Lily look like she still needed lessons.

Dean knew that she had to be still sore from all the bruises but she was going strong.

"Holy fuck." Chris said to Dean. "No wonder you're always smiling."

Perfect flips and a triple no hands back flip that made everyone gasp with the height and spin landing in perfect splits that had Dean thinking no fucking way in hell was he letting her out of his sight.

It was no surprise to anyone that she got the head cheerleader spot and although Kat and Lily both made the squad they both stormed off pissed to all hell.

Arandi smirked after them. "Practice on time ladies or you can be replaced."

She didn't know why she had done this now she always known she had it in her to be on the squad she just had never wanted to especially because Dean always dated cheerleaders she didn't want to be around them listening to them brag about him and she sure didn't want him dating her because she was one.

She had done it backwards thanks to Lily she now was on Dean's arm as head cheerleader and homecoming queen.

She was almost afraid to look at him thinking he was going to be pissed for putting herself in direct contact with Kat and Lily everyday but when she looked at him he was smiling like he just won the lotto.

She had to pick up her uniform and make sure that it fit and getting schedules and routines from the coach.

Dean waited for her patiently and by then the entire parking lot was nearly empty.

"Is there anything else I should know about you?" He asked as he pulled her into a kiss.

"Like what?"

"Like do you work for21 Jump Street or something?"

"Yes you found me out and you're under arrest for being so hot." She murmured into his neck.

"I wasn't the hot one today." He snickered. "But being that you are my girlfriend I must insist that you pass every routine by me so I can be sure that it's appropriate."

"You do now what appropriate means right?" Arandi giggled.

"Are you insulting my intelligence?" Dean asked in mock anger.

"I can't insult what ain't there sweetheart."

"Oh it's on now little girl." Dean growled as Arandi ran off screaming with Dean at her heels.

The sun was already going down and they were the only people left on the campus. Arandi ran with everything she had and Dean followed laughing hard.

She was fast and he loved that about her because she kept him on his toes.

She ran onto the football field and now she was on his turf and he put on the speed catching her and tackling her to the ground making sure not to hurt her by turning them to where he hit the ground first with her on top of him but then quickly rolling them over.

"Now what were you saying little girl?" Dean growled as he readied to tickle her.

"You can't even remember what I was saying two minutes ago old man." She laughed.

"Oh you want me to make you pee huh?"

She screamed as he tickled her and she was gasping for air.

Not far off a car backfired and then Arandi was really screaming and fighting against Dean back in an instant in her room hearing gunshots.

"Arandi, Arandi it's ok it's just me." Dean calmed her knowing exactly where she had gone.

"I'm trying so hard to put this shit behind me but then crap like that sets me off." She breathed against him.

"You're only human Arandi it takes time." He comforted her and he wondered if she realized that they were still lying on the football field.

"I don't want it to take time I want it over already."

"I can make you forget for a little while." Dean whispered in her ear.

"Can you?" Arandi sighed as Dean kissed her and moved down her neck and they both forgot everything for a little while but each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They did their best not to look like they had just been making out on the football field. Dean had behaved and kept it to mostly heavy kissing and one feel up. He was about to get caught doing anything else not yet anyway.

It smelled great their dads apparently had grilled steaks and their moms were working on sides as they made their way inside.

"I'm dying to hear why you're walking in nearly two hours after practice." John said to Dean.

"I know I should have called but guess who the new head cheerleader?" Dean easily deterred the lecture.

Arandi lifted her uniform up for all to see and her mom was so excited had always wanted that of her daughters but had never pushed them.

Arandi had to explain how it had happened but of course she left out the insanely jealous part of the whole deal but Mary got the gist the way Dean was grinning.

They sat down to dinner. Jonathan explained that they would be back in the house by the following Monday. All repairs would be done and Arandi would have a completely different room which she was grateful for.

Dean was so tired already and he still had homework to do so he excused himself, he took a quick shower and got his books on his bed so that he could at least relax but he was out like a light in seconds.

Arandi found him all cutely asleep with his hair messed up and she coaxed him to lay down better put his books on his desk and covered him up.

She knew what his homework was so she did his along with hers before heading to her own bed.

She was worried about Dean being so tired and wondered how mad he would be with her if she told his mom about the episode in school but she decided to just keep an eye on him.

What she had done really hit her when she was lying in bed having to practice cheers with girls who basically hated her and she wasn't too fond of them herself. Dean had her all kinds of turned around and twisted.

"You made your bed now lie in it." She scolded herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dean woke up to find that it was four in the morning and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore.

He remembered his homework and smiled when he found that Arandi had done it for him, she had done a pretty decent job of matching his hand writing.

A soft knock on his door made him smile he wasn't the only one awake.

He opened the door a crack. "Sorry I can't let you in right now Angelina and I are a little busy."

"You really did hit your head hard didn't you?" Arandi snorted.

Dean grinned and opened the door to let her in, kissing her as soon as he had the door closed.

"I bet she came to get her lips back." Arandi poked.

"I do not have Angelina lips." Dean groused.

"No yours are much sexier." Arandi breathed kissing him again.

"Why are you up?" He asked pulling her onto the bed with him.

"I slept a few hours but I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep."

"Yeah I can't sleep either but I know how we can waste some time." Dean smirked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

John and Jonathan both had early calls so they were up before the sun trying to keep as quiet as possible as they made their ways down the hall.

They both stopped and glanced at each other when they heard Arandi's giggles coming from Dean's room.

They got closer and listened.

"Dean behave you're going to wake everyone." Arandi hissed.

"I'm just trying to show you how good I am." Dean replied.

"Dean stop it."

"No just deal with it."

"Dean please you can't do this to me again."

Both dads had heard enough and threw the door open and they both felt like idiots when they found their son and daughter playing Halo on Dean's PS3 looking so innocent.

"Sorry dad we couldn't sleep." Dean offered giving his best of innocent looks.

"Oh yeah sure no problem." John stammered.

"Dad are you alright?" Arandi asked her dad who was still standing looking rather red.

"Just getting ready to leave for work and…yeah."

"I can make you some breakfast if you want."

"No I'll pick something on the way."

The door closed and Dean and Arandi exchanged amused glances before Arandi got back on his lap and they went on playing Halo.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Arandi was determined to prove that she could pull off being head cheer leader and was surprised to find that the rest of the squad was accepting it rather well.

She had some routine ideas that she was dying to share with the coach.

The day went pretty fast and lunch was interesting to say the least since Arandi being head cheerleader now Dean pulled her toward the football and cheerleader table.

Arandi looked over at her friends who were just watching her with amusement having giving her big congratulations on her success earlier.

Arandi looked at Dean and when in the hell did he become such a fucking pansy to her pleading blue eyes?

He shook his head but motioned Kal and the others over. At first it was really awkward but soon it was laughter and giggles abounding as Kal showed off his fashion talents and promised he would have all the cheerleaders having hair every other girl would envy.

Dean sat straddling the bench with Arandi cozy next to him so he noticed the intense looks that were going on between Arandi and Lily. This was going to be interesting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dean was catching lots of aggravation from his friends on how cheerleader practice was going to end up. He was worried but more about how much damage Arandi could do against girls when she was pissed than anything else.

He waited to see the girls come out as his team practiced and was beginning to worry that everything was happening in the locker room.

Arandi looked herself over in the mirror with the cheerleader uniform on.

They didn't always have to practice with them on but the coach had asked them to wear them today so she could get a better idea of how the new routines that Arandi had come up with would look.

It didn't slip her attention that she was being glared at from two different directions so she looked at both Kat and Lily showing them both no intimidations.

Kat looked away obviously remembering her ass getting kicked but Lily walked up to Arandi.

"I'm not used to losing but you won fair and square." Lily offered. "And I know you don't have any reason for trusting me after what I pulled yesterday with your boyfriend but that was just my way of coping with having to change schools my senior year."

"Making people think that you're a slutty spoiled brat skank?" Arandi asked coolly.

Lily laughed. "I guess I deserve that. Look I don't expect us to be BFFs but I don't want to be on a squad that sucks."

"You know you don't have to be the head cheerleader to be popular."

"I found out who the quarterback was took one look and thought wow he's hot and has to be popular and then I found out that he had broken up with the head cheerleader and had barely started seeing another girl a few weeks ago. I thought I had it made until I saw you and you're like wow and the way he looks at you, girl that boy is laid out and nice and wrapped up for you."

Arandi felt her cheeks burning; her family and her two girl friends were the only females that ever told her she was beautiful so hearing from a girl she had barely met and was gorgeous to was beyond weird.

"Dean is…"

"You don't have to explain anything to me but do you think you could get me in with his friend Chris, he's pretty hot himself." Lily gushed.

Arandi laughed knowing Chris was going to piss himself when he heard this. "I'll see what we can do."

Dean threw the most horrible pass of his life and was glad that it was only practice when he saw Arandi and Lily talking as they walked out of the locker room together, not to mention seeing Arandi in her uniform for the first time.

Plus it was one immediate course on the pros and cons of wearing a jock strap.

That was his girlfriend, holy crap that was his girlfriend. He could still make out the now fading bruises on her thighs, those fucking muscular sexy thighs that he just wanted to…alright enough of that.

He wasn't alone and he had to be careful of reactions like that so he turned back to his team mates and coaches only to find them all lost on the cheerleaders.

He laughed but then it dawned on him that they were getting an eyeful of his girlfriend and oh hell no that wasn't going to work.

"You're not looking at Arandi right?" He called out to his friends.

"Well duh." Stony dared.

It earned him a hard smack to the back of his head.

.Dean turned back to look at Arandi getting one of her brilliant smiles that just made him give one right back.

"Lucky mother fu….." Another team mate started.

"How much you value your teeth depends on you finishing that sentence." Dean said sharply.

"Come off it Winchester." Anthony snorted.

"What, it's not like she wasn't there all along; you all had your chance."

"You're kidding right were you really that blind? No one stood a chance with you around."

He had no idea what to say and it made him feel kind of empty that Arandi had been there waiting patiently for him and he had been such a fool, lost so much time.

"Enough of the Dawson Creek, One Tree Hill melodrama." Coach Davis barked. "Back to playing football."

"Nine oh one two oh baby come to daddy." Dean snickered trying to lessen the tension he suddenly felt.

He turned to see the cheerleader squad practicing a new routine and of what he could tell it was going to go over very well with the crowd.

He slipped his helmet on.

"Anthony, Everett cut the horseplay!" Coach Davis yelled.

Dean began to turn to look but never got to before Anthony, Everett, and another player crashed into him full force knocking him to the ground face first.

His head filled with buzzing sounds and he felt the blood gushing from his nose, he tried hard to push himself up but couldn't so he just closed his eyes and let the world fade away.

TBC

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Thanks for reading!

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