Summary: Four ways Chloe and Jimmy's engagement ended, and one way it never started.

::salt and burn::

Sam looked from the small fire at his feet to his brother's face. "What are you doin'?"

"Stopping evil."

Sam frowned, giving the fire a closer look. He was pretty sure he could see bright blue inside the flames. Bright blue, plastic. "Is that Chloe's engagement ring?"

"That thing is evil." Dean paused thoughtfully. "Well, was evil."

Before Sam could respond, Chloe emerged from Bobby's house, looking surprised. "Did something happen?" she asked, looking between the brothers.

Sam took a step away from his brother, deciding he didn't want to be in the way of Chloe's rage. "Ask Dean."

Dean held up his hands, reasoning before she could even get angry. "Chloe, I was doing it for your own good. That ring was evil. I swear."

"What ring?" Chloe asked, before glancing down at her bare hand. "My engagement ring?" She finally noticed the small fire and frowned. "You burned my engagement ring?"

"Actually salted and burned," Sam corrected, smirking at his brother's glare.

Chloe paused before answering, and Sam imagined her coming up with ways to make Dean pay. He just hoped she didn't try to kill him. He kind of liked having his brother around, even if he was an engagement-ring-burning-moron.

"He cheated on me," she said suddenly.

"Who?"

"Jimmy." She frowned, rubbing her now-bare finger. "He made out with some random chick at a bar." She laughed. "And the stupid thing was I brushed it off. I said it was okay. But now, I've changed my mind. I'm not okay with it. I'm going to break it off."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Sam asked, wondering if Dean had been right.

Chloe shrugged. "I don't know. It's weird. I just suddenly decided I'd had enough."

"It's the ring," Dean muttered, kicking at the dying fire. "Told you it was evil."

::change and shift::

Jimmy frowned as she slipped on her coat and headed for the door. "Ever since I moved in, you've been spending more time away from the apartment than in it. You aren't avoiding me, are you?"

Chloe looked up at his words, shaking her head quickly. "What? No. I'm just really busy."

"With your demon friends?" he asked.

"They aren't demons. They just believe in them," she clarified, annoyed by his mistake.

"You say tomato…" He shrugged. "I still say you'd rather be with them than with me. You do remember who you're engaged to, right?"

Chloe paused, studying him as he spoke. Something felt off. "Jimmy, why are you acting like this?"

He sighed, stepping closer to her. "I've done everything for you Chloe. I love you, don't you get that? I changed to be with you, and now you're off with those Winchesters all the time."

"Wait," Chloe started, stepping back from her fiancé. "How do you know their names?"

"The Winchesters? Are you kidding? Those two are famous." He smiled, closing the gap between them. "But don't you see, I'm so much more powerful than them. I could be them if I wanted. Or if you wanted me to. All you have to do is ask."

"Ask what?"

"For me to change."

Chloe watched his eyes flash in the evening light, and jumped back. "You aren't Jimmy. What have you done with him?"

"I am Jimmy," he argued. "But I could be Sam, if you wanted." He shook his head. "No, I bet you prefer Dean."

Shapeshifter. Chloe realized, remembering the brother's stories. "Where's the real Jimmy?" she demanded, wondering how long the imposter had been living with her.

He sighed, resting his hands on his hips. "Would you relax. I didn't kill him. I just switched places with him."

"How long?"

He shrugged. "Let's just say he wasn't the one who got down on one knee and proposed. That was all me. Ol' Jimbo disappeared right after he backed out of his deal with Lex Luthor."

Chloe glared. She'd never killed a supernatural creature, but before she left her apartment that was going to change. Then, she was going to see the Winchesters about shapeshifter recognition.

::dress and whisper::

Dean blinked when Chloe opened her door. Now that was not what he'd been expecting. "That's a bit much for work, isn't it?" he asked, forcing his gaze from the white gown hugging her body.

Chloe looked down as if she'd just realized what she was wearing. "I was, trying it on. Lois just got it back from the tailors and I wanted to make sure it fit." She stepped back, letting him walk inside. "What do you think?"

Dean gave her another lingering once-over. "You're beautiful," he admitted.

She blushed, pushing up on a loose strap, only to have it fall down again. "These stupid things keep falling down, though."

Dean moved closer, pulling the strap up and setting it on her shoulder. "You must have shrunk," he mused, his hand remaining on her almost-bare shoulder.

She smiled. "Must have."

Dean swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sudden worry he felt in his gut. He'd seen her with an engagement ring for over a month. A wedding dress shouldn't have been any more of a shock.

But it was.

"What's wrong, Dean?" Chloe asked.

Don't marry him. He hesitated, surprised by his own thoughts. But not too surprised. Not really.

She watched him expectantly and he opened his mouth to respond, closing it again when nothing came out.

"Dean—" she let out a surprised squeak when he cut her off, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers. To his relief, she quickly recovered, kissing him back in a way he'd never expected her to.

He pulled back suddenly, both straps of her dress now hanging uselessly. "Don't marry him," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

She licked her lips, eyes wide in surprise, before nodding slowly. "Don't leave me," she bargained.

Dean decided he could make that compromise.

And One:

::live and confess::

"I don't. I'm sorry, I can't."

Chloe hurried from the barn, praying no one followed her. Her mind was spinning and she really didn't need someone trying to comfort her. I don't need comforting, she thought, pulling the dress away from her feet. I need someone to help me out of this thing. By the time she made it to the house, the bottom of her dress was covered in dirt, and she was ready to burn the thing.

"Lost?"

Chloe looked up at the familiar voice, surprised to see the Impala parked at the front of the Kent home. "Dean? What are you guys doing here?" she asked, looking inside the Impala he was leaning against, expecting to see Sam in the front seat. "Where's Sam?"

"At the motel." He smiled softly, like he was telling her a secret. "He thinks I'm on a food run."

"What are you doing here?" she repeated, moving to stand beside him. She leaned against the bumper, not caring that she was probably staining her dress even more.

Dean shrugged as he gave her a slow once-over. "I was planning on crashing the wedding, but it looks like I'm a little late."

"You were going to crash my wedding?" Chloe smiled a little at the thought of Dean bursting into the barn with guns blazing, maybe rambling off an exorcism to really get the crowd going.

"You never sent me an invite. I figured it was fair," Dean answered with a shrug.

Chloe's smile grew and she leaned over, bumping his shoulder with hers. "I'm sorry about that. I figured you wouldn't want to come. I know you don't like Jimmy."

"No." Dean shook his head. "I don't like you and Jimmy. I'm sure the guy is fine, he's just not what I pictured you with. He's too normal."

"And I'm not?" Chloe asked, smirking at her question. She knew the answer.

Dean mirrored her smirk. "Welcome to the club."

She reached down to grab the hem of her dress, picking at the dirt staining the edge. "If I had known you were going to crash my wedding I'd have waited a few minutes before leaving."

"Why did you leave?"

Chloe swallowed, meeting his gaze carefully. You, she thought, but kept that to herself. That was a confession for a different day. "I just couldn't. It wasn't right."

Dean watched her without responding, his eyes studying hers. She couldn't help but wonder what he saw in them. She'd always tried to keep her thoughts to herself, but she knew she wasn't strong enough sometimes.

After a beat, she stood from the car, crossing her arms against the brisk weather. "So, I was wondering," she started hesitantly, "would you and Sam mind a stowaway for a while?"

"You shouldn't run away from your problems," Dean teased in mock seriousness.

Chloe laughed, feeling the pressure of the day ease a little. "I'm not running away from them, I'm joining them on a road trip."

Dean pretended to look touched, standing from the car too. "Wow, Chlo' I never knew you felt that way." He pulled off his coat and slid it around her shoulders, giving them a small squeeze. "You can join us on one condition."

"What's that?"

"No hunting."

Chloe smiled at his predictability. "Promise."

As they both slid into the front seat, Chloe mentally cursed the day she'd ever decided she wanted a train on her gown. Sensing her struggle, Dean leaned over and helped her pull the rest of her dress inside, smiling at her once they were both situated. "Ready?"

"Just as soon as I get out of this thing." She felt herself blush before the words were even out of her mouth, imagining the look on Dean's face.

"I think I can help you with that."

[and one way it never started]

::confess and apologize::

"Surprise," Dean muttered once Chloe opened the door.

He watched her eyes widen in shock, before watering slightly. "Dean?"

"In the flesh," he said, offering her a small smile. He silently cursed Sam for leaving him alone. He could have used his brother for backup on the emotional front.

"I thought you were dead," Chloe whispered, a tear sliding free. "The police station exploded. They said no survivors."

"We were gone before it blew." Dean reached out, brushing a thumb against her wet cheek. He hated that she was crying over him. It killed any illusion he'd had that she would be fine after his deal came due. "I was trying to protect you. Our lives, Sam and mine, are getting more dangerous everyday," he explained, repeating the words he'd rehearsed earlier. "We aren't just hunting down demons anymore. We now have demons hunting us down. I'm not going to let anything happen to you just because you have some strange need to be involved."

"What's so strange about me wanting to help you?" Chloe asked as she reached up to grab his hand, squeezing it softly.

"It's dangerous."

She nodded. "You said that. But I don't care. I want to help."

Dean smiled, feeling a small sense of unease disappear. "Good." He brought his other hand up, holding her face carefully. Two months, his mind argued, but he decided that was exactly the incentive he needed. You only lived once and Dean doubted he'd get another chance.

Before their lips met, he saw her smile back and realized he'd been wrong to ever think he could stay away from her. He kissed her deeply, deciding he was even more determined to not go to Hell.

He suddenly had another reason to live.