Fortunate Son

-CCR

Five weeks.

It had been five weeks since Rhiannon and Dean had left Bobby's house in the Impala, just the two of them. No John. The elder Winchester ripped the rug right out from under the pair just as they were all beginning to settle into a routine. Dean had been more than livid at his father's plan to run off on his own to hunt down the demon that killed his mom. Rhi was afraid that the young Winchester's anger would once again manifest itself in long brooding silences and locked doors.

Both of those reactions would be awkward while traveling in the Impala.

Dean, however, surprised the young redhead. The hunter managed to keep his emotions in check around her, ensuring that she understood that any anger he had was in no way directed at her. He tried his best to project a calming aura whenever he could, even if he was boiling under the surface. It was hard, but after finding out how his out-of-control emotions affected her, he made sure to try.

He was still unsure of how he felt about her. Dean wasn't one to travel around with a woman and although Rhi assured him that he wouldn't have to change his 'extracurricular activities', as she called them, something felt off about it. He picked up a few chicks in the beginning, but by the end of the second week, he found that he didn't have as much of a drive to do so.

And now he really couldn't.

Rhiannon sat in the passenger seat fuming, arms crossed tightly against her chest, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed as they sped down the highway. Dean had never seen the Gypsy look so pissed, not even when things exploded at Bobby's. The hunter may not be able to read or feel auras, but he sure as hell could feel the heat rolling off the redhead next to him now.

His father had sent them on a case to New Orleans and Dean was all over it.

It was supposed to be cut and dry. Some Voodoo Shaman was scamming tourists out of years of their life. It was a slam dunk case…sort of.

"Married, Dean," Rhiannon huffed. "Married." Dean sighed, running his free hand through his spiked blond hair. He knew this was coming.

"I said I was sorry, Rhi." And he was. It wasn't like he had planned for this to happen. Hell, he had never wanted to get married…ever. Marriage for hunters ended badly. That's why he stuck to one-night stands. It was easier. "How was I supposed to know she was the Shaman's fiancé?"

The Gypsy narrowed her eyes at him. "Maybe you should try not to hit on everyone you meet. Be smart for once instead of sleeping with every booty short wearing hussy that bats her eyelashes at you."

That was a bit harsh, but the redhead had a point.

If he would have been more careful in his research about the Shaman maybe, then this wouldn't have happened. He hadn't known the Shaman was engaged to another Shaman. It explained why it was couples who were targeted instead of single individuals. Dean hadn't known about her, but she apparently knew all about him. He had hit on her at the bar, knocked back a few drinks, and somehow, he ended up back at the motel with Rhiannon, a marriage certificate on the bedside, and a cryptic note left by the Shaman Lady.

You took something I love, so let me be clear:

Marriage binds two souls together, forever.

I'd keep her close if I were you.

Don't let her out of your sight for too long,

Or else you might lose her like I lost him.

-Kendra.

The hunter didn't realize the full extent of what Kendra meant until he left Rhiannon at a hotel a few days later to follow a lead on a different case. Less than thirty minutes into his trip the redhead had called him in a fit of pain so bad that it had her nearly seizing on the ground.

Dean had never felt such panic before in his life. He felt as if his heart had stopped when she called him, writhing in agony alone in their motel room. As soon as she was in his sights again, all was well. Like it had never happened. His father would kill him if anything had happened to her.

She was his to protect.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She sounded almost heartbroken, her voice shaking. Her full pink bottom lip trembling slightly. Rhiannon wore her emotions for everyone to see. It was one of the things Dean liked about her. Whether it was something left over from her past or from having no memory, the redhead was blunt and told people how she felt. "You should have told me what Kendra did. Maybe I could have been more prepared."

Dean couldn't argue with that. He hadn't told her about the note or the fact that they were miraculously married. Really married. The only thing they were missing was the rings. He couldn't remember it even happening and neither could Rhi.

"It explains why I have this hole in my memory from that night," The redhead continued as she stared out the window at the passing redwoods. She was still upset. "I thought it was going crazy or something. Or that maybe my amnesia was getting worse." Dean winced. He hadn't thought about what a hole in her memory would feel like to her.

"I didn't know how to tell you," The hunter admitted ashamedly, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "It was my fault. I let my guard down and now we have one more thing on our plate to worry about."

"Yeah," Rhiannon sighed dramatically. "You're going to have to keep your booty calls short and sweet." She meant it as a joke to help lighten the somber mood her attitude had created, but it fell flat, even to her ears.

Would he still be going for hookups? The marriage was technically a sham, and she knew that if they could, Dean would get it annulled, but part of her hoped he would honor the vows that came with it. Even if he didn't remember saying them.

"How are we even going to do this if we can't be separated for more than half an hour?" Rhi wondered. "What happens if you are gone for too long and don't make it back in time? Can it be stopped? How come I'm the only one affected? How far away do you have to be for the doomsday clock to start ticking down?"

As much as he wished he did, Dean didn't have an answer for her. More than anything he wanted to be able to tell her the rules, but he didn't know them himself. Kendra's letter was purposefully vague. He was blind and in unfamiliar territory and he didn't like not knowing the answers.

"I don't know, Rhiannon," The hunter huffed. "And right now, it is not on the top of my list to worry about. In case you forgot, Dad is missing."

Rhiannon's amber eyes darkened as she shot him a baleful glare from her seat.

"Oh," The redhead hissed sarcastically. "I'm sorry. Excuse me for worrying about whether or not you standing on the opposite side of the bathroom door for too long is going to kill me."

"Rhiannon." Dean's jaw was clenched tightly as he took a long breath in before releasing it. The Gypsy could feel how irritated he was, but also how guilty he felt. She knew that if she pressed him too much that he would end up exploding. She wasn't ready for that, but Rhi wanted him to know how she felt.

"Why are we even going to get your brother?" The redhead asked curiously, pressing herself up against the cold glass of the passenger window. "You and John always said that he chose to leave. What makes you think he'll help find him?"

"Because it's Sam," He growled. "He will."

"And if he doesn't?"

Dean didn't answer. Instead, the hunter turned up the radio to block her out. He knew Sam would help. He had too, it was their Dad. Part of him still resented the youngest Winchester for leaving him behind. He had practically raised Sam himself. His father sure as hell wasn't around. Always chasing one lead or another. Their father became obsessed with the supernatural, training them to be soldiers instead of sons.

Rhiannon could never understand what it was like growing up as John Winchester's son. The redheaded Gypsy got to experience a completely different side to their father, one Dean hadn't seen since before the fire.

Sam would help find him…He had to.

It was well past midnight by the time the pair pulled the Impala up to the darkened apartments where Sam was currently living. Rhiannon would be lying if she didn't say she was nervous about meeting the youngest Winchester. John rarely spoke about his youngest son, but when he did it was a mix of contempt and pride.

Dean, however, spoke all the time about Sam.

At first, Rhiannon was sure it was because the elder Winchester wanted to remind her that she was simply a substitute. Whenever he brought up his brother it was boastful. 'Sam could do it easily' or 'We wouldn't need to do this if Sam were here'. Over time those remarks dwindled and there were times when Dean would tell her stories about the two of them growing up together.

They had been nearly inseparable.

What if he didn't like her? Rhi knew that was a possibility. Dean had tried to reassure her that Sam was rather accepting, but the redhead couldn't be so sure. It had taken a while for Dean to talk to her without any kind of bitterness or resentment. Plus, they were married now. What would his younger brother have to say about that?"

"Are you sure about this, Dean?" Rhi whispered as they scaled the fire escape towards Sam's fourth-floor apartment. "We could just knock on the front door like normal people." The blond scoffed.

"Where's the fun in that?" Rhiannon rolled her eyes, her lips turning up at the corners at Dean's excitement. His aura was lit up like a Christmas tree with how excited he was. Climbing through the window of Sam's apartment wasn't easy. Dean had to lift her through the small space and even though he did it with ease, it was still embarrassing.

Rhi attempted to keep quiet as she strolled through the kitchen, but Dean had other ideas. She wondered how he could be so quick and quiet on hunts but with something as simple as breaking into his brother's apartment he was like a bull in a china shop.

God bless him.

She stared down at the hunter; lips pressed into a thin line to keep from laughing as Dean lay on the kitchen floor having successfully faceplanted his way into his brother's kitchen. The man merely chuckled and gave her a dismissive shrug at the large clatter he had created. Rhi rolled her eyes at his nonchalance.

The redhead eyed the beaded doorway that looked as if it led towards the bedroom, taking note of the iron segmented beads. Looks like old habits die hard, Rhi mused as she passed Dean to get towards the living room.

Then she felt it.

"On your six," Rhiannon whispered to Dean just in time. The elder Winchester found himself being tackled from behind. The Gypsy watched utterly fascinated at the shadowed display of the two brothers fighting. The two were fierce and equally matched as they traded blow after blow until Dean managed to gain the upper hand.

"Easy tiger," Dan smirked down his brother.

Sam stared up at his brother in disbelief, his chest rising and falling in rapid breathes. "Dean?" The blond chuckled. "You scared the crap out of me."

Dean shrugged nonchalantly. "That's because you're out of practice." But Sam wasn't. He may not be a hunter any longer, but there were still monsters that lurked in the dark. The brunet grabbed hold of the wrist to the hand that held his throat before quickly flipping Dean on his back in an impressive hold. "Or not. Get off of me." Dean tapped his brother's arm with a chuckle, accepting the hand he gave to help him off the floor.

Rhi watched as the two brothers stood facing each other, the only light in the small kitchen coming from the moonlight streaming through the windows. Sam had yet to notice that she was in the room.

"What are you doing here?" The young Winchester questioned. He hadn't seen Dean in years and he certainly hadn't expected him to show up in the middle of the night, especially not on Halloween.

"I was looking for a beer," Dean smirked, amused. Sam just repeated the question, his aura flaring with annoyance. "We need to talk."

"You couldn't have just picked up the phone?"

"Would you have answered?" Dean snapped but Rhiannon saw him wince when he noticed the guilty look on Sam's face. Suddenly the room was flooded with light. Rhi turned to see a pretty young blonde standing at the entrance to the kitchen wearing nothing but a cut-off Smurf's shirt and a pair of striped boy shorts.

"Sam?" The woman asked confused, her pretty blue eyes taking in the scene before her. It wasn't every day someone broke into the apartment.

"Jess, hey," Sam looked from her and then back to his brother. "Dean, this is my girlfriend Jess."

"Wait," Jessica asked somewhat excited. She had never met any of Sam's family. He rarely spoke about his Dad, but Dean, well he spoke about his older brother like he was a god. "Your brother Dean?"

"I love the Smurfs," Dean gave his brother's girlfriend a wide smile, his eyes lighting up. "I have to tell you; you are completely out of my brother's league." Rhiannon resisted the urge to gag. None of them had noticed her tucked away in the corner of the kitchen that led to the front hall.

"Just let me go put something on."

"No, I wouldn't dream of it," Dean carried on flirting. "Seriously."

Now the redhead really did gag. All eyes turned to her.

"Can't resist yourself, can you?" Dean shrugged unapologetically. He would never make a move on his brother's girl, but it was fun to rile them both up.

Sam looked between the pair confused. Who was she and what was she doing with Dean?

"I'm Rhiannon," The redhead introduced herself, holding a hand out to the pretty blonde who shook it. "It's nice to meet you. Don't mind Dean. The Viagra has eaten away at what's left of his brain."

Sam and Jess both laughed while Dean glared at the redhead.

"It's nice to meet you, Sam," Rhi shook his hand next. "Dean has told me a lot about you. Your dad too." She smiled up at him, her amber eyes taking in the colorful hues of his aura. He was so much like his father in that aspect. Calm and reassuring. Almost peaceful. Unlike John, however, it was natural. John often had to force himself to keep a calm and quiet aura, battling with the inner demons so that she could be at peace around him.

Sam was bewildered by the redhead that stood before him. He didn't understand what she was doing with his brother. She certainly wasn't the normal barfly he picked up while out on the road. She didn't wear a trace of makeup, except some mascara and her jeans and light sweater were more homely than anything the women Dean was interested in would wear.

"Anyway," Dean turned the conversation back to him. "I need to borrow your boyfriend here for some private family business. It was, uh, nice meeting you."

"No," Sam moved from his brother's side to wrap an arm around Jessica. "No, whatever you have to say, you can say in front of her."

"Okay," Dean would play along with this. If Sam wanted to try and involve her, let him. "Dad hasn't been home in a few days."

"So, he's working overtime on the 'Miller Time' shift again," Sam wasn't at all concerned, but Rhi could see Jess's. The blonde's bright eyes traveled between the two brothers as she took them in. "He'll stumble back in sooner or later."

The redhead flinched when Dean's aura lashed out in a brief cut of anger before settling back down. His forest eyes met hers for a minute, taking her in to make sure his lash of anger hadn't affected her. It hadn't.

"Dad was on a hunting trip and he hasn't been home in a few days." Dean was no nonsense as he delivered the news with a slight sneer. Jess could sense the change in him, his body growing rigid beneath her hold as he took in what his brother was saying.

"Excuse us, Jess." That was all the blonde needed to escape the awkward tension that had fallen over the two brothers.

Rhi sighed as Dean grabbed her hand tightly, pulling her out of the apartment behind him as he descended the stairs towards the Impala. He didn't want anyone, especially Jess, to overhear their conversation.

It was going to be a long night…

A/N: Enjoy! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and faved! I love them all! KEEP IT UP!

Till next time...