The story takes place right after the season 10 finale, after Dean killed Death, the Mark of Cain was removed and Darkness was released into the world. I mentioned before, new characters will be added and thrown in the story and I will bring back several former characters from the show in the upcoming future.
Chapter 19 Dance Night
Days continued to pass as the gang just continued to adjust in the community, getting by enjoying their time there but still occasionally wondering when they will get back to their own world and starting to grow a bit impatient. Dean's nightmares were becoming less and less and he started to feel more content then he ever did.
Both he and Sam started spending more time with Ava and Gwen and Madame Bess occasionally came along if only to watch over Sam and Gwen to their annoyance. She even offered herself an ear for Dean to confide in since she saw his past and there was an air of understanding between them as she was very empathic towards him. Rev. Humler continued his curiosity of the group wondering if they are ever going to get settled in even finding jobs but Sam and Dean remained aloof insisting they haven't made up their minds yet needing more time as hoping to get him off their backs.
However, they enjoyed the perks of the district, hanging out at the pub enjoying their karaoke nights in which Sam and Dean ending singing after being nearly dragged to by Ava and Gwen, going bowling, fishing and just relaxing. Sometimes they reveled in not have to worrying about hunting, but other times they started to miss it and felt guilty about enjoying themselves when in their own world is in chaos because of what they unleashed.
The week turned to two weeks and now three weeks have passed and they are all still stuck in this parallel world of utopia with no indication when they will finally get out of this alternate reality and back into their own. Time passed so much that they didn't really realized they been in this place for three weeks now.
On this particular day was the night of the Spring dance and even though Sam and Dean were reluctant, the women and Rev. Humler managed to persuade them to attend. Rev. Humler honored his promise and found them some attire they could wear for the event he borrowed from some members. Ava, Gwen and Madame Bess also received some attire through Sophie who loaned Madame Bess her dress and managed to borrow dresses from other women in her book reading group.
That evening, Sam and Dean were now wearing dress shirts and pants and Dean feeling out of place about the whole thing.
"I don't know about this Sammy" he said to his brother as he was fixing his shirt collar and having doubts about going.
"Dean, it is just a dance, no big deal, we go to have fun, the women will be there" said Sam trying to assure him.
"Yeah, but it has been while since I actually dance with a chick. I feel like a kid going to my school prom" said Dean.
"Well, then the prom is about to start so we don't want to be late" said Sam sarcastically as Dean just rolled his eyes.
They soon left their rooms and headed downstairs into the lounge waiting for the women. They didn't have to wait too long, when they looked up and all three of them headed downstairs all dressed up and both the Winchesters eyes lit up when they saw them.
Ava was wearing a long short-sleeve red floral with black flowery decorations. The dress came down to her shins, her hair neatly styled and her lips were draped red lipstick matching the color of her dress and she even had on some red flats. Gwen was wearing a white Chloe dress that covered her knees, shouldering covering straps with a black belt around the waist and matching white shoes. She also was wearing red lipstick. Madame Bess had on a light blue spring dress that looked suited for a mature woman with gray shoes.
Neither Dean nor Sam could take their eyes off of Ava and Gwen as if they were seeing them for the first time.
"Why you look hot" was all Dean could say to Ava with a look of a lovesick schoolboy.
"And so do you, I mean you look really great" said Sam to Gwen with the same look.
"Well, thanks you two don't look half bad yourselves" said Ava and Gwen agreed.
"Well, what about me, does nobody care how I look?" cried out Madame Bess feeling a bit left out.
"Oh, you look great to Ma'am" said Sam.
"Yeah, you look terrific" said Dean.
Madame Bess just smiled and blushed flattered by the compliment.
"Well, I think we should all being going now after you" said Dean as he opened the door allowing the women to exist first before he and Sam followed behind.
The Spring dance was going well. There was good music to dance to as people were dancing on the outdoor dance floor. Others were eating or drinking punch or just standing about watching or sitting down. Rev. Humler was there dancing with his wife. Sam and Dean were on the dance floor dancing with their partners, Dean with Ava and Sam with Gwen.
"Wow, you really haven't danced in a long while" said Ava as Dean tries to keep up her.
"I never said I'm Tony Manero sweetie" he replied to her.
"You're not even a Pee-Wee Herman" she replied in teasing manner.
After the music was over, they all stopped left the dance floor just standing around. Ava left to get some more punch but Dean didn't want any and Gwen was chatting with her grandmother.
"How is it going there?" asked Sam to Dean.
"Well, I'm not good at dancing, I'm embarrassing myself on the dance floor, my feet is sore, and yet I'm having a blast" Dean told him.
"So I take it you are no longer sorry you came?" asked Sam.
"No, I'm really not, I'm mean these past three weeks have been great, this town dance with everybody coming together, it feels so normal like some apple pie life that we never got to have" Dean replied as he was finally taking this little bible-belt community in.
Sam just looked impressed on how his brother was actually enjoying their time there.
"I know, I'm kind of not looking forward to ending even though I know that it has to end" Sam told him.
"Well, I'm not going to think about that just live in the moment, I say" Dean said.
Soon Ava, Gwen and Madame Bess came over.
"Hey, are you ready kick off your shoes some more?" said Ava.
"Are you sure you wanna dance somewhere is not as good as "Pee-wee Herman?" asked Dean.
"What?" wondered Sam.
"Never mind" Dean quickly replied before he was ready to take Ava up on her offer.
"Hey, you guys my grandmother hasn't gotten a chance to dance with anybody" replied Gwen.
"Oh, that's okay honey, I'm too told for all of this" she said.
"Nonsense, Grandma, everybody here is dancing no matter what age, so who will dance with my grandmother?" she asked.
"Gwen, really it's okay" Madame Bess replied not wanting to make such a fuss.
"Oh, come on how about we take a spin and I might even keep up with you" said Dean in flirting tone then he grabbed a hold of her hand and dragged her off on the dance floor and soon they were both slow dancing to the music.
"That's nice of him to dance with her and been a long while since she really got to enjoy herself' said Gwen relieved her grandmother was out dancing too.
"Well, I think we should also have this next dance" said Sam and soon he and Gwen were on the dance floor again while Ava just stood there and watched in amusement as Dean and Madame Bess danced around to the music.
After that dance was over, they all relaxed again and before Ava and Dean slow danced to old school romantic song and has they held each other their sparks between them started to resurface danced closer to each other, their faces nearly touching. Sam and Gwen were also getting cozy during their slow dance until Madame Bess cut asking to have dance with Sam. Gwen excused herself allowing her grandmother to dance with Sam.
"You know you and my granddaughter have gotten rather close during these past weeks" she told him while they were slow dancing.
"Well, she is a nice girl and all" was all Sam could say sensing where this conversation is headed.
"You mean you like her quite a lot?" she asked him.
"Of course, we're friends" he answered.
"Come on, young man I may be old but I still remember what goes on between a man and woman who really like each other" she told him.
"Ma'am you know" but she interrupted him before he could finish.
"You know Sam, I think you are a very nice young man and quite brave considering what you and your brother do for living, but the fact the remains my granddaughter is getting too attached to you and we got to be realistic that this thing between you won't end too well especially when our time in this utopia ends. I mean when we get back to our own world someday what then?" she asked him.
Sam couldn't think of an answer than she continued,"I don't want to see my granddaughter hurt".
"I would never hurt your granddaughter, far from it" he told her.
"Not intentionally, but I know Gwen, when she gets attached to something or someone it's very hard for her to let go, painful even. Now how are you going to handle that?" she asked him.
Sam didn't know how to answer that one. Meanwhile, Dean and Ava continued dancing so close to each other that at one point it seemed like they were about to kiss when Ava pulled away very quickly.
"Is something the matter?" Dean asked.
"No, I'm sorry I need some fresh air" was all she could say and she then walked off leaving the dance floor and disappearing behind the trees in night.
Dean walked off too to follow after her and found her standing under a tree with a sullen look on her face.
"Ava, are you okay?" he asked her.
She looked up quickly at him still looking a bit sad.
"Yes Dean I'm all right, it's nothing" she told him.
"Then why did you storm off like that?" he asked.
"I don't know it's just this whole thing, this place the dance, everything so normal and happy. I guess it reminded me a bit of home and how much I miss it and my folks" Ava explained.
"I understand, sometimes I think of home too and this place actually makes me think of what me and Sam's lives could have been like if we had a more normal life" said Dean.
"I know, I mean in this place there are no monsters, ghosts, demons, nothing, everything so normal and wholesome" said Ava still feeling kind of sad.
"Well except for the fact that is whole place is a bible belt where they follow laws of the bible to the point that you can't even get laid get unless you're hitched" he said.
"Oh come on, is that only thing you can be worried about?" said Ava now smiling and now longer sad.
"Uh yeah!" Dean cried out smiling right back.
Then he looked at her seriously said, "You know its going be okay Ava, I we're not going to be in this place forever. You'll see your folks again I can promise you that" he said in a gentle tone and then he began to lightly touch her face.
This time she didn't pull away but just drew closer to him and in moments they gave into their attraction for each other by kissing each other gently on the lips. Then they started passionately kissing each other holding each other as if they were lovers. Then before anyone knew it, Dean's hand wandered to the back of Ava's dress reaching for the zipper in attempt to unzip it. Suddenly, Ava's hand reached out to stop him as she pushed him away.
"No Dean, we can't" she said.
"Hey, if you're worried about the rules around here, we can just sneak further away in those woods, no one would ever know, besides I was never good at following rules" said Dean with sly.
"Dean we really we can't" she protested.
"Ava, I really like you and I wanted to do this for a long while now and I think you feel the same. So that's not let some ridiculous rules get in our way. Besides we won't get caught" he said.
"That's not why we can't do it. It is because I like you too that we can't" she said.
Dean looked confused.
"I don't understand, I dig you, you did me what is the problem?" he asked her.
"Dean, I really do like you and I'm very attracted to you, but I also know guys like you. You get around, get laid then move on, no strings attached. I'm not judging you or anything but that's not how it is with me" said Ava.
"I admit, I do have a huge track record, but I really do like you Ava" Dean reassured her.
"I know but you are not the type that does the commitment thing"she said.
Dean was suddenly taking back.
"You see for me I can't just have some random hookup just because I like a guy. I've tried that before in the past and it didn't work out too well for me. To me when I have sex it has to be more meaningful. With someone I'm invested in having a meaningful relationship with. I mean a commitment. That's just the kind of person I am" she explained.
Dean really felt awkward hearing all of this. He is so used to hooking up with attractive women who he likes and who like him back so easily and with no worries and no promises. Besides, it has been a long while since a woman mentioned the C word to him, the word commitment. He is simply not used to hearing that word and it really did make him think about his feelings for Ava as he started to realize despite what she says, his feelings for her are more than just a random hookup, a conquest, another notch on his belt. Dean likes her too much to see as nothing more than any of that.
"I think I understand" he said quite disappointed he wasn't going to score but at the same time he did respect her boundaries.
"Good, Dean because I do care for you" she said.
Dean wanted to say that he cared about her but he chickened out but instead he asked her,"Have you ever thought about having a relationship someday?" although Dean didn't understand why he asked her that.
"Sure, but I have to be realistic, as a hunter, there is no room for having a relationship right now. Anybody who understands that is you, that being a hunter comes with some sacrifices. Maybe one day in the future that will change and I will be more than open to it by then if I mean the right guy, but for now hunting is the only thing on my priority" Ava said.
Dean listened and more than understood what she was saying as it made him think about Lisa and Ben, who he hadn't thought about in while now. Yet, a part of it made him sad too as it actually made him wonder about his own future, if he is doomed to have no one in his life other than Sam and maybe Castiel? Is he really satisfied with his life just playing the fields getting laid once and a while and then moving on or does a part of him wonder what it would be like to have something more. Dean just looked at Ava feeling speechless then not wanting to dwell to much of what was discussed he just said, "Uh, you know I think we should be getting back by now, I mean Sam and the others are going to wonder where we disappeared to".
"Okay, let's get back" said Ava and they both headed back each still thinking about what had just transpired.
Somewhere in another part of the woods, Sam and Gwen were strolling along at night having also left the dance to get some fresh air and to get away from the crowd for a while.
"Oh, Sam it's so beautiful out here tonight. I've really enjoyed this night, in fact I've enjoyed the past few weeks and I almost don't want it to end" said Gwen in happy mood.
"I know what you mean" said Sam.
They started glaring at one another feeling the romantic mood.
Sam then broke the silence, "Don't you think we should get back before your grandmother puts a hit out on me?"
"Don't worry about my grandmother, she really does like you" said Gwen.
"Yeah, I can tell, she practically warned me off you tonight" he said still thinking about Madame Bess's words.
"She's just looking out for me. I'm all she's has and she's all I have. She doesn't want me to get hurt that's all. Don't let what she says get to you" said Gwen.
"I can understand looking out for, I mean Dean and I are all that we have and we look out for each other too" said Sam.
"Well, that's one of the things we have in common" said Gwen.
"And you know, I don't really blame your grandmother, I mean with the life I lead, I'm not sure I would want anyone getting too close" said Sam.
"That's not true, Sam you're a great guy" said Gwen.
"That's easy to say Gwen, but you really don't understand the things me and my brother do and how dangerous our lives really are" said Sam.
"But I do, you see back when we were fishing and I touched you, I got visions of your past and the things you've done. I saw a lot" she explained to him.
"You did?" asked awkwardly.
"Yes, I did, I saw what you've been through and even felt what you felt. I didn't tell you before because didn't want to make you uncomfortable, but now I felt this was the right time. I do understand and I think you're brave to go through what you do on a daily basis" she said.
Sam just felt embarrassed that she saw some of this past, like she just saw right through him even the parts he wanted to hide. However, a part of him also felt relief that someone actually saw understood what it was like for him with no judgment but praise.
He looked at Gwen and for the first time he really started to see how much feelings he has for her and these feelings were beyond just a friendship, or a crush they were actually stronger. They mood finally had overtaken both of them and before any of them knew it they drew closer into a kiss at first gently then more passionately.
The dance continued on for most of the night then at midnight, the dance was over and everybody started to leave. Dean, Sam and the rest of the group headed back to the Bed&Breakfast and Dean said goodnight to Ava while Sam said goodnight to Gwen before heading back to their room giving each other longing looks.
"Great night?" asked Sam.
"Yeah, it was. So where exactly did you and Gwen disappear to?" Dean asked giving Sam a sly look.
"We just went strolling to get some privacy and talked" said Sam grinning.
"Just talk huh?" asked Dean still grinning knowing Sam isn't telling him everything.
Sam just grinned back obviously refusing to tell him everything that happened.
"What about you and Ava, you two disappeared and where gone for a while at one time, is there something you would like to tell me?" asked Sam now his turn to give Dean a sly look.
"No, me and Ava just talked, you know, just like you and Gwen" was all Dean would say giving the impression he was leaving a few details out.
"Oh, all right then" Sam said still grinning.
They started undressing out of their dress clothes and didn't say more about the dance even though each knew the other wasn't telling more of what happened with their respective dates. Both of them felt very exhausted after the night that within a hour, the lights were out and the both of them were in their beds fast asleep.