A/N: Please read and review. Italics mean flashbacks.
He watched her from the shadows. Her head thrown back in a robust laugh, her lips curved in delight. He hated knowing that he had to ask her for help. After all she had been the one to leave them in a lurch, and then make all the money on their little adventures afterward.
He hadn't been invited to the gala but after reading in the newspaper that supernatural expert, Danielle Washington was attending, he had to go. He knew her for what seemed so long ago. Even watching her, after sneaking in with a group of people, he felt the sharp stabbing pain of regret and betrayal. In his way of thinking she had betrayed him and his father, agreeing to write their stories in the best way possible while taking pictures of what they did.
Knowing eventually he'd have to talk to her, he moved from the shadows. She looked stunning. He had known it was her the minute he'd walked into the ballroom, a shocking red in a sea of black and white. Her dark auburn hair was let down and parted on the side framing her round face. He knew what it was like to touch her golden skin, how silky it was. Her head turned toward him and from the look on her face he knew he was spotted.
Danielle Washington glared at him. How dare he come, how dare he, especially after the way he treated her before she left. It wasn't her fault that she had been able to get away from all of their experiences unscathed in the most part. Or at least that's how it came off to him. No she hadn't come back as physically hurt or mentally even, but emotionally her heart had been broken into millions of tiny little pieces.
Excusing herself she hurried across the crowded ballroom floor. She couldn't imagine for a second why he'd come. He'd certainly made his feeling perfectly clear five years ago and for a few minutes her mind wandered back.
"What are you talking about?" An eighteen-year-old Danielle asked. "I'd never do anything to hurt you or your father. You have to know that."
"All I know is that I saw you talking to that reporter pouring your little heart out. Sprouting off with your thesis on why we fought these things. This is something you know only because we taught you about it."
Her heart stilled in her chest. "You have to know I'd never do that. I love you and if you can't understand that meaning then maybe I should leave."
His laugh was cold, uncaring when he answered, "You love me? That's a laugh and a half baby. Make it easier on yourself, leave in the middle of the night because from here on out you aren't welcome."
"Are you sure you know what the hell it is you are saying? I could have sworn last night you said the same words I did." Her eyes took on a hard edge.
"Yes but remember exactly where we were too sweetheart. Things get said in bed that may not want to be repeated in the open. Leave in the night, it would be so much easier for all of us." He tossed over his shoulder before walking back into the hotel, leaving her standing in the night cold, tears dripping down her face.
She stood frozen to a spot for just a moment. She had loved him with all her heart but then again she'd only been eighteen, maybe she'd just been grateful that he and his father gave her a job. Shaking her head she started forward again, trying to block all of the happy memories of the two of them together.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She sneered; when she came to a stop in front of him she completely lost her manners.
"Coming to see the supernatural expert of course, it's been what five years Danni?" He asked smirking a bit, his eyes darting around the room trying to avoid looking directly at her.
"Yeah it's been five years. What in god's name do you want? I believe you made your feelings perfectly clear that night I left." Her face was flushed in anger, her eyes shooting daggers at him and he knew that if looks could kill he'd be dead where he stood.
"Yeah I suppose I did. Maybe I wanted a little bit of a remembrance." He shook his head; he couldn't let old feelings get in the way of what he was really there for. "No, that came out wrong. Listen I'm not sorry for the things I said back then but I want no need…."
"You need what Winchester? Help? Because I was under the impression that you never wanted to see my god-awful face again, and I thought something horrible would have to of happened before you even considered asking me." She hissed.
"Something horrible has happened. Danni, he's missing. Dad went missing and I haven't seen him in a month of Sundays."
He watched her face pale as she stuttered, "You're wrong. You have to be. I just saw him not even a week ago. He stopped in here saw the pictures, picked up my newest book. Told me business was good and that he had a feeling you and your brother were helping out too."
He closed his eyes, "Did he say where he was heading? I need to know."
Her brow furrowed making a little thinking line in the middle of her forehead. "I think he said something about Alaska or maybe it was Maine. All I know was that it was one of the coasts."
He sighed in frustration. "So in other words you really don't know. And here I thought you'd be pretty good help." He looked over her shoulder at the people dancing behind her. "You wouldn't want to go with us would you?"
"I don't do the supernatural anymore Winchester and haven't for a long time. So why don't you take yourself and your family business to hell?" she hissed, turning and walking briskly away.
Again he closed his eyes. It'd been five year; he was supposed to have gotten over her. Yet there she was striding away still tying his stomach into knots. Her long legs ate up the floor, despite the fact she just barely reached five foot. Sighing he went after her, "Danni wait."
She stopped and turned. "Why so you can show me how much more you despise me?"
"No because unfortunately after Dad, Sam and me, you are the only one the really understands what goes bump in the night." He stated matter-of-factly.
Her laugh was cold. "Please you should know me so much better than that. Really Winchester is that all you are able to come up with now? Go far, far away and stay away."
"Fine, go back to your little party. Back to your life of pedicures and manicures. See if I care." He snapped.
"Oh but you do care Winchester. You do or else you wouldn't be so upset that I turned you down. As I said before, you can go to hell and take everything with your family business with you. I'm through with you and have been since you told me to stay away five years ago."
"Danni," he started.
"My name is Danielle to you. Only friends call me Danni." She turned on her heel and all but ran away from him.
Sighing he left the gala, swearing that Sam and him were stopping at a bar. No matter how badly Sam protested.
Two hours later Dean Winchester and his brother, Sam stood in front of the hotel concierge. "I'm telling you my wife is staying here. It's our anniversary tomorrow and I came to surprise her."
The concierge, whose name tag read, Scott, looked at him down his nose, "I'm sorry sir. I'm not allowed to give out the name of any hotel guest. Now please find another way to meet Miss Washington."
Grumbling Dean reached into the bag at his feet, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper, "Here buddy. I'm telling you Danielle Washington is my wife. Read it and weep."
Scott looked at it and then back at Dean, whose face was bleeding slightly from the fight they had gotten into back at the bar, "I'm making this a one time deal. Mr. Winchester your wife is room 115. Here is a key."
Dean took it and picked up the bag at his feet, "Thanks."
Sam followed his brother silently. It had been unusual at he had been the one trying to figure out what had his brother's panties in a bunch. It didn't take long to figure out that it had been his meeting with a woman named Danielle.
Dean turned and unlocked the door, entering the room silently. "Figures she'd still sleep in a dump."
Sam looked at the room around him. Pale yellow walls, dark cherry trim, pictures, didn't look like a dump to him. "Dean give it up. Are you sure she's going to help us this time?"
"Oh she will. I saw her mind whirling at the gala. Of course that could've been because she hated the sight of me." He said tossing the bag at the end of the bed. "Why don't you lay down Sammy? You need the sleep more than I do. I can wait for her."
Sam looked at the king-sized bed. It did look tempting but he knew that if he slept the dreams would come, and at the present he wanted to avoid those as much as possible. "Nah, I don't need to sleep."
"Yes you do. Lay down or I can always knock ya out." Dean said looking over all of the stuff that was piled over the table. He fingered two pictures; one was a more professional, casual shot of him and his dad; the other was an amateur shot that his dad must of taken of Dean and Danielle.
Sam watched his brother's reaction to whatever it was that he found on the table. "What is it?"
Dean dropped the pictures at Sam's words. "Nothing. Sleep Sam."
Nodding, he lay on the bed and rolled to his side, his back to Dean. He heard Dean sigh as he sat in the chair beside the table.
Dean looked out the window ignoring the stabbing pain in his side. He'd look at it later, one thing Sam hadn't noticed was when one the drunks pulled a knife on him. He figured it wasn't too deep and didn't really need anything at the moment. Reclining back he thought about the past, never once feeling the blood that dripped from his side wound.
An hour later, Danielle smiled as she entered her room. Home, sweet home, at least for a little bit she thought, but even as she walked in she knew something was wrong. There was an extra bag at the foot of her bed and a man she had no clue who he was sleeping in it.
Then she saw the familiar form sitting, or rather sliding in the chair to the floor. In a heartbeat she rushed over. If there was one for sure thing the Winchesters had taught her it had been to help whenever it was needed, no matter how much you despised them.
She groaned when she saw the blood that dripped on the floor, she also saw the two photographs clutched in Dean's hand. "I swear to god Dean Nathanial Winchester if you as so much go a speck of blood on those pictures. I'm going to kick your ass."
"Whatever." He mumbled. "Danni, do you remember how to stitch up a wound?"
She kneeled next to the chair and pushed his shirt up, "Luckily for you I do. Damn it why'd you have to go and get beat up? Stupid jerk off."
"Yeah, yeah. You've told me before."
"Shut up." She replied rising and retrieving the first aid kit and turned the overhead light on, all the while swearing at him in Spanish.
Quickly she cleaned up his wound and stared for a minute. "I haven't done this in forever. Last time I was stitching up your arm."
Slowly and painstakingly she did the best she could, sighing in relief when it was over. "Now you son of a bitch move over to the bed. Don't you dare tear those stitches, you do you'll be dead."
His glazed, hazel eyes locked with hers, "Yes mother."
Slipping an arm around his waist, she helped him into bed. Covering him up she said, "How the hell did you get in here?"
"Key." He mumbled going to sleep.
Sighing she got ready for a long night of staying awake to watch the two of them.