Title: Inquiry for Genuine Endearment

Author: AvaAlejandra (Cordelia)

Rating: PG-13 for language and some sexual content.

Summary: Dean must make the biggest choice of his young life, which road will he take and will it be the right one?

Disclaimer: I don't own it, it's all ASP.

Chapter 3

The next week had been nice. Dean made it to Chicago, stayed with an old friend and just relaxed. Really relaxed, he felt better than he had in weeks, possibly months.

Dean: Hey Beth, is it alright if I use your phone?

Beth: Yea, no problem. I got to get Kate ready for her day with her dad.

Dean was still getting used to the idea that Beth had a daughter, it was weird at first but after watching them together it made him feel good she was doing alright.

Dean waited until Beth was out of the room before he grabbed the phone and dialed.

Ring, ring, ring

"Hello, Forester Residence"

Dean: Clara?

Clara: Dean? Omg! Is that you?? Where are you? Everyone has been so worried. Why did you leave? Mom is freaking out. Everything is a mes-

Dean: Clara wait!

Clara: Ok. Dean I miss you, where are you?

Dean: I can't tell you that right now. Look can you do me a favor?

Clara: I don't know. Why would I want to do something for my brother who just up and left?

She sounded pissed, Dean felt a gut tearing pain, and he knew everyone would be mad about him leaving, it just hurt.

Dean: Clara, look I'm sorry. I just need a favor, will…will you make sure Lindsay is ok?

All he heard was silence.

Dean: Clara, Clara?! Are you there?

Clara: Yea yea I'm here. I just want to know why you care so much about Lindsay now? Huh?! You left her on your wedding day? Not that I liked Lindsay much, but still she didn't deserve that!

Dean: Clara I had my damn reasons alright, it is none of your business all I'm asking of you is one small favor.

He could hear her start sniffling, he shouldn't have yelled at her, she didn't do anything wrong.

Dean: Clara, I'm sorry, it's just been rough for me alright. I'm sorry. Can you please just tell me if she is alright?

Clara: sniff Yea sniff she's alright, she left the same day you did sniff

Shock ran in and out of Dean, he felt so horrible now, he ruined her life, Lindsay ran away or moved away or whatever doesn't matter, he broke her heart and he knew it. He felt like crap.

Dean: Oh.

That was all he could say. What else was he supposed to say? He broke off his marriage for a girl who may or may not still love him. God did he feel stupid at that moment. Even stupider after he asked his next question.

Dean: Uh Clara. Is… um how is Rory?

He could barely get out the sentence.

Clara: Rory? She's fine, I guess sniff I saw her the other day she was ok. pauses why do you ask?

He couldn't tell his little sister the real reason he was asking about Rory, then she would know. Somehow though he knew she probably already knew why.

Dean: Oh I uh saw her the day I well uh left and she seemed upset.

He didn't know why he had to keep lying about things, but for some reason it made it seem easier.

Clara: Oh ok. Look mom and dad just got home, do you want to talk to them?

Dean: NO! I mean no, I don't want to right now. They probably are really disappointed aren't they?

Clara: I guess. sigh I'm trying to stay out of it really. pause Look Dean I'm have to get off, please don't wait to long to call again. I miss you big brother.

Dean: I miss you too. Bye.

He waited till she hung up, then he did. His sister was pissed, his parents were disappointed and his fiancé or ex-fiancé if you really want to look at now left. How could he have let himself screw up so badly?

Lying his head back on the couch he began to remember when he was actually happy and content. It didn't take any time to come up with that answer, it was when he was with Rory. God did he love her. If Jess never came back he and Rory would have been getting married, they would have been together and it would have been perfect. He hated Jess so much for ruining it all. For a while he was also angry with Rory, but he couldn't stay that way for long, she wasn't someone you could be angry at for long.

Why did he really ask Lindsay out? Of course it was to show he was over Rory. She moved on, he should too. Only he couldn't understand why he asked Lindsay to marry him.

Dean couldn't take these thoughts anymore, they were driving him up one wall and down the other. He had to clear his head. Only two roads to take, grab a nice bottle of liquor or take a walk. Walk it is, since he isn't 21 yet, it he couldn't exactly buy any liquor.

Grabbing his coat, he yelled back to Beth telling her he was going to take a walk for a while and he would be back.

Stepping out side, breathing in that Chicago air, his mind started to ease. He wasn't even paying attention to wear he was walking, that was until he bumped into a young lady.

Dean: Oh miss, I'm sorry. Are you all right?

Dean wasn't expecting this person, especially not here.

Dean: Li..Lindsay?