Chapter 5

Dean pulled the impala over to a local grocery store before opening the door for Dakota. Sam on the other hand was being pulled along by Laura who was eager to cook for them. He enjoyed watching her scan each aisle deciding on what ingredients she would need. He carried her basket for her as she added in item after item. A few times she would ask if he was managing alright. He would smile slightly at her and tell her he was managing just fine. He was too, compared to the gear bags and other things he had to carry as a hunter. He followed her as she spoke of stories from her past and would occasionally get off track with another story. He liked hearing her talk the way her tone would change depending on the subject. He wanted to tell her the truth. Tell her who he really was. He hated lying to her, a woman who he's only known for two days. But when she put four steaks into the basket and looked up at him with those big blue eyes and long lashes his heart melted. He had fallen in love with her.

"Sam?" Her voice was a soft angelic whisper.

"Hmm?" He snapped from his thoughts.

"Do you think that will be enough?" She asked again.

Sam didn't hear her the first time and when she asked him again she only asked half the question. His eyes dropped to the items in the basket analyzing each item trying to figure out what she had asked. The steaks would be a main course with four baking potatoes and items for a salad. He assumed she was asking would this be a filling meal. For three out of four yes. "Well, Dean doesn't eat salad but for the rest of us I think so."

"Oh." Her soft mouth formed into a slight frown. "Should we not have a salad and do something else instead?"

He hated seeing her frown. "No, let's do the salad and perhaps a desert? I know he loves pie and will be more happy with pie if he's cut short on food."

Her face lit up by his words. "That's perfect! Dakota loves to bake!" Once again her tiny hand laced into his and he was being tugged away again. "I know they're in here somewhere." She scanned trying to look over the produce item shelves on her toes.

Sam's eyes looked for his brother and Dakota finding them by the apples. "They're over there." He said and she looked around the tomatoes.

"Oh, thank you." She giggled covering her mouth with her hand. "I would have been in here forever looking for them and they were right there the whole time."

They met up with the others and Laura showed Dakota the items for dinner struggling to hold the basket up for her best friend. "And then," Laura let the basket drop and bit and nearly spilled the contents on the floor. Sam swooped in and took the basket with ease. "Sam suggested about maybe making a pie?"

Dakota thought for a moment inspecting the ingredients again while Dean nearly drooled on the floor. "Sure, but I will need a few things for the pie though. More butter, sugar and some flour. I have the rest at home."

"We're on it!" Laura grabbed his hand again pulling him to the back of the store.

Dean winked at his brother before helping Dakota pick out apples.

In no time Laura was staring at all the brands of butter. "Laura can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Sam." She pulled a blue and white box of butter from the fridge.

"Well um," He stammered a bit. "Have you noticed anything unusual with Dakota lately?"

She put the butter into the basket an walked down the next aisle. "No, not really. I've seen her as much as you have since the attack. The only change would be her confidence."

"Her confidence?"

"She was extremely nervous about you two coming over. That's why she started early to finish it before you two came over."

"Why?"

She looked both ways up and down the aisle before answering him. "She likes Dean. Like a lot. I've never seen her so nervous or mesmerized by someone before."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Her heart Sam."

He tilted his head in confusion. "Her heart?"

She looked down and bit her lip that gave him a tingle down low. "She had her heart broken so many times that I'm amazed she's getting this close to Dean at all. Her last break up she nearly killed herself. That's why her and I got matching tattoos. It's a promise that no matter what happens we will keep fighting and will always be there for each other." She showed him her tattoo on her wrist. The same one Dakota had. "I keep popping up on them to make sure she's okay and that Dean's not trying anything."

"That guy hurt her that bad?" Sam's heart sank at Laura's words.

She nodded. "They were supposed to get married and then he had his way with her… tossed her to the side and left her."

Sam's grip on the basket became very dangerous. "Who is he?"

Laura brushed him off and picked up a bag of flour. "Don't worry I took care of it."

"You?" Sam was a bit shocked. What on earth could this sweet, innocent, beautiful, kind woman do to someone?

She flashed him a dark smile. "I tore his life apart. First I beat the living shit out of him, then I sent over the tapes of him stealing from the register from his work and then I turned in all the records of him dropping dirty to his insurance."

Sam blinked blankly at her.

"Yea, this girl isn't to be trifled with." She led him back to the front of the store where Dean and Dakota were checking out. "Of course, she doesn't know that. He left town because I told him too. She thinks he left town because he wanted to."

"I won't tell her." Sam vowed.

They checked out of the store and packed into the impala the sun starting to get low.

Dean pulled back up into the drive of Dakota's house. The girls started to head to the trunk when Sam stopped them.

"Why don't you ladies head inside and get everything set up for dinner and we will take the groceries in." Sam offered.

"Okay." Laura said pulling Dakota inside.

Dean unlocked the trunk. "What's up man?"

"Dude you need to be careful with Dakota." Sam growled.

Dean leaned his hand on the trunk lid. "Why?"

Sam looked over his shoulder. "Laura told me about what happened to Dakota-"

"What is she a werewolf?"

"No," Sam started gathering bags. "I think she checks out. You didn't find anything and other that her crushing on you Laura said she's normal. Laura told me the last guy she was with promised her the world, she bought into it, he used her and left her."

Dean's grip tightened on the trunk.

"Don't worry Laura said she took care of it. But you might want to slow down with her."

Dean gathered the leftover groceries and closed the trunk. "I can't help it Sam." Dean gritted his teeth walking over to the house.

Sam stopped in the driveway. "You love her don't you?"

Dean stopped for a moment. "Shut up."

Sam's laughter followed his brother inside.