Dean woke up early, like he always did. Before he opened his eyes, he took stock of what he could feel, and let the memories of where he was sink in. They were at The Roadhouse, and he was lying on his back on a cot. What he couldn't remember was the warm, soft form that was pressed against him, her head on his shoulder and her arm casually laying low on his abdomen.
Piper.
He had pulled Piper onto his cot to comfort her, and they had fallen asleep. She was close against him, warm. As he thought it, she sighed and nestled her head into his chest, still asleep.
Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd slept, just slept, in a bed with a woman. Unwillingly, he found himself thinking of the kiss Andy had coerced them into sharing. Her soft lips, the breathy sigh she'd let go when they finally made contact, all of her curves pressed into him…
Dean realized that he was about to have a problem. As slowly and gently as possible, he extracted himself from her and stood. A frown appeared on her face, but she curled into a ball and stayed asleep. He sighed, relieved. That would have been awkward.
He stood, looking at her for a moment. The way her messy purple hair framed her face, which was swollen from sleep. The way her hand was stretched to the end of the cot, as if searching for him. The blanket that rode low on her waist, making him realize that she was just in a T-shirt and panties.
"Shit," he muttered to himself, and walked out of the room to find a cold shower, a beer, and Sammy.
xxxxx
Piper came awake slowly, wondering why she felt like something was missing. When she remembered the events of the day before, her eyes flew open and she shot up. "Oh, my God…" she whispered, eyes widening in shock.
Yesterday, I kissed Dean Winchester... And last night, I slept with him.
She wasn't sure how to process what she was feeling, so she broke it down.
The kiss. Okay, that happened because Andy told us to do it. But it had still been good. Doesn't matter. Andy told us to do it, that's why we did it. Besides, any kiss with Dean Winchester was going to be good, the man was a walking poster child for dirty thoughts. Okay, the kiss didn't matter.
Sleeping with him. Just sleeping, she corrected. That had been amazing. For someone who was so closed off, Dean was a hell of a cuddler. He did it to comfort you, because you were being a baby. Right. Strictly for comfort.
So… Neither of those things meant anything. They were unlikely to run into someone who could control minds any time soon, and she was going to work on keeping her emotions beneath the surface. She had cried more times in the past three weeks than she had in the last three years, and she didn't know what was wrong with herself. Piper took a deep breath through her nose, and huffed it out through her mouth. She tried on a smile, and found that it came pretty naturally.
She felt better, she assured herself.
And she ignored the little part of her that was sad beyond belief as she stood up to find pants and a toothbrush.
xxxxx
After the breakfast Ellen and Piper had made, Piper went for a walk.
She really just walked around the parking lot a few times, but it helped her think. The case with Andy and his evil twin had brought home the fact that hunting with the Winchesters wasn't like hunting on her own. Sure, she was in danger regularly, but she had never been in "a psychic guy is trying to kill you" trouble.
Was she willing to die for the Winchesters? Yes, she was. That wasn't what she was fighting with herself about. She would die for them, but was that insane? Did it matter?
She had paused, looking toward the horizon, still pondering the question, when she heard gravel crunch behind her.
He was hesitant. "Everything okay, Pipes?"
She nodded, not turning around. "Yeah, Winchester. Just letting it all sink in."
Dean came and stood next to her. "Letting what sink in?"
She shrugged. "The whole crazy situation. I've only been here for three weeks, and I haven't had a chance to process. Hell, I haven't even dealt with your dad dying, much less anything else that happened."
Dean snorted. "Join the club, kitten."
Piper laughed. "I don't know, it's just so crazy right now." She glanced at him. "I might go back home for a few days, try to get my head on straight."
He was quiet. "We probably shouldn't have dragged you into this mess."
She rolled her eyes. "Can it, Winchester."
He shook his head. "I'm serious, Piper. You'd be safer if you stayed at Bobby's."
Piper rounded on Dean, and started poking him in the chest. "God dammit, Dean! How many times do we have to go through this? I am not 'staying' at Bobby's. I am not going to sit on the sidelines while you and Sam figure this out alone. I am with you guys, always. I am on your side." She huffed and crossed her arms. "So you need to get used to me being around, got it?"
Dean had backed up a little from the vehemence in her words. He blinked, then smiled slowly and raised his hands in surrender. "All right, Finley, all right. Just trying to watch out for you."
She glared. "Stop it."
He laughed and held out his arm. "Well, if you're done 'taking a walk,' let's go back in."
She was still irritated, but that smile did things to her thought processes. She took his arm and they started back in.
xxxxx
Dean was watching Piper laugh as they walked through the door. Her head was tilted back and her sparkling eyes met is. Damn, she's pretty.
They were interrupted by Ellen shouting, "I am your mother, I don't have to be reasonable!"
"You can't keep me here!" Jo shouted back.
Ellen scoffed. "Oh, don't you bet on that, sweetie."
Jo shrieked in frustration. "What are you going to do, are you going to chain me up in the basement?"
Ellen smiled coldly. "You know what, you've had worse ideas than that recently." She started shouting again. "Hey, you don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to school."
"I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection."
"Yeah, and getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?!" She spotted Piper and Dean at the door. "Guys, bad time."
Dean nodded eagerly and started to turn around. "Yes, ma'am."
"Wait." Jo started toward them. "I wanna know what they think about this."
"I don't care what they think!"
The phone started to ring. Jo glared at it, then at her mother, as Ellen went to answer it. "Harvelle's. Yeah, Preacher."
Jo walked over to Dean and Piper with a file folder in her hand. "Three weeks ago a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment." She shoved the folder at Dean. "Take it, it won't bite."
Dean looked nervously at Ellen. "No, but your mom might."
Piper rolled her eyes and elbowed Dean in the side. "Ow, damn it, Piper," he glared at her as she took the folder.
Jo started warming up to her subject. "And this girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years six women have vanished. All from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two so cops never eyeball the pattern. So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer, or-"
"Who put this together, Jo?" Piper was flipping through the folder. Dean looked over her shoulder at an extremely well organized case file.
"I did it myself." Jo said proudly.
"This is very well-done, Jo." Piper said with a warm smile.
Sam had come up behind them, and was looking over Piper's other shoulder. He glanced at Dean. "I gotta admit. We've hit the road for a lot less."
Ellen had finished her call and came to join them. "Good. You like the case so much, you take it."
Jo whipped to face her. "Mom!"
Ellen looked at Jo dispassionately. "Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. And I won't lose you too. I just won't." She turned to Sam, Dean and Piper. Dean fought with the urge to hide behind Piper. "Take the case and go ahead, kids."
Piper nodded and smacked Dean in the chest with the folder. "The boys will head there as soon as they take me home, Ellen."
xxxxx
Bobby came out on the front porch to greet them. Dean heard Piper make an inarticulate noise, and she opened the door to Baby before it had stopped. "God dammit, Piper-" he started.
"Shut up, Dean." Sam said quietly.
Dean looked over to see Bobby holding Piper quietly, her shoulders shaking. Dean felt his stomach drop, and the familiar feeling of guilt settled on his shoulders.
"Sam, maybe we should-"
"Dean, stop." Sam interrupted quietly, eyes glued to Bobby leading Piper into the house. "She's going to be fine. She's pretty tough, she's just got to work some things out."
Dean watched as Sam got out and grabbed Piper's bag and put it by the front door. He came back and got in the car. "Let's go, Dean."
Dean stayed and looked at the front door for another moment, then put Baby in gear.
xxxxx
Piper was sitting at the kitchen table at Bobby's house, her hands wrapped around a cup of lukewarm coffee. "I'm sorry, Bobby." She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "You shouldn't have to listen to this."
Bobby handed her a box of tissues. "Shut it, idjit," he said affectionately. "I heard about your crush on Tom whatever his name was when you were eighteen and I'll hear about this now."
Piper shook her head. "This isn't about a crush, Bobby," she gestured to her tear-stained face. "I can handle it."
Bobby pointed at her. "You listen to me, Piper Jane. I have lived a long time. Long enough to know that you can't keep this stuff inside. So you tell me what is happening inside that pretty head of yours right now."
Piper was silent for a moment, and opened her mouth to speak. "Bobby, I think I would die for him without thinking twice. It scares me. It goes so far beyond a crush. What am I supposed to do?" she asked, tears gathering in her eyes, looking down at her mug.
Bobby sighed. "Piper, I didn't want this for you." She glanced up. "Loving a hunter isn't easy. Especially if you don't intend to tell him."
More tears. She nodded.
"Do you want him to know?" he asked gently.
Piper panicked. "No, no, absolutely not. Bobby, you can't tell him, oh, God-"
"Hush, idjit." Bobby said roughly. "I'm not telling anyone anything. I'm asking because now you have a choice to make." She looked up at him. "You can get okay with telling him, get okay with not telling him, or leave."
Piper was shocked. "I can't just leave them, Bobby. They need all the help they can get."
Bobby nodded. "All right. Then if you don't want him to know, then you need to get okay with… Feeling that… And him not knowing."
Piper thought for a second. "That… Is a lot simpler than I thought it would be, Bobby."
He huffed. "Of course it is. I'm too old to have lovestruck kids running around." He stood and circled to her, planting a kiss on top of her head. "Now let's get something to eat and hit the books."
xxxxx
The next few days were peaceful for Piper. She trained in Bobby's yard until her fingers bled and sweat dripped into her eyes in the mornings. When she was so tired she could barely move, she showered, bandaged her hands, and slept. When she woke up in the afternoons, she made Bobby dinner and researched until they both dropped, usually right at the table.
She came to a realization during those days. She was probably in love with Dean. And it didn't matter. She felt a storm coming on, a war. In war, feelings couldn't come into play. She would be in love with Dean, be the there for he and Sam, and fight alongside her Winchesters.
A week later, Dean called while they were researching. "What's up, elder Winchester?"
Dean's voice was low and strained. "Hey, Pipes. How are things?"
She sat up. "What's wrong, Dean?"
"Nothing's wro-"
"Cut the crap, Winchester. I know you better than that. Tell me what's wrong or I will come kick your ass."
Dean sighed. "Dad was the reason Jo's dad died. He used him as bait, then left him for dead."
Piper closed her eyes. "Oh, God…"
"I just. You think you know a guy, huh?" Dean chuckled.
"Can it, Winchester. Listen to me very carefully. Are you listening?" Silence greeted her question.
"I swear to God, Winchester, I am getting my keys-"
"Shaddup, I'm listening." Dean grumbled.
Piper let a sigh of relief go away from the phone. "Listen here. You are not your father. You would never intentionally leave someone behind. Listen, Dean," she sighed. "Listen, I loved John. God knows I loved John. But he was not a great person. He was a phenomenal hunter, but to be that way, sometimes you have to be willing to risk other people's lives. You have never been like that."
A long silence ensued. Piper almost asked if he was there, when he finally responded. "I guess you're right."
She smiled. "Damn right. Hey, when are you guys coming home?"
"We're headed back now." He sounded like he was choosing his words carefully. "You think you're ready to get back out there?"
"Yes, I think I am."
xxxxx
Dean opened the door to the Impala after parking it at Bobby's house. He sighed and leaned his head back as Sam got out of the car. The ride back had been quiet, with Piper's words and faith in him rolling around in his head.
He didn't get the chance to consider them more as a screech sounded through the yard and made him jump.
"Sammy!" Dean watched as Piper came running through the yard to throw herself at his brother.
Sam laughed and swing her around.
He opened the door and got out of the car. "What's with the enthusiasm, Pipes?"
She smiled as Sam put her down. "I missed you guys. I got used to hearing you two bicker all the time."
Dean rolled his eyes and turned around to close the door. Only the soft sounds of her sneakers warned him, and he whipped around to catch Piper as she flew at him. He caught her and held her close. He laughed and buried his face in her hair. "I think I actually missed you, kitten."
He felt her smile. "Missed you, too, Winchester."
xxxxx
"Dammit, Sammy, be careful!"
Piper glared at Dean. "I am not a child, he can hit me as hard as he wants."
Piper turned back to Sam and put her fists up. "Again, Winchester."
Sam nodded and swung.
Dean groaned and went back into the house. Piper was training hard, insisting that one of them spar with her every morning. Her hands would break open, and she had a bruise over her left eye, but she wouldn't quit.
"If you're going to get in her way, don't watch." Bobby said calmly, coming to watch at the door.
"Why is she doing this, Bobby? She's good enough, I don't get it."
Bobby looked at him evenly. "She knows there's a battle coming. She wants to be ready."
Dean's heart clenched. "Bobby-"
Bobby held a hand up to stop him. "Stop right there, boy. If you try to keep her away from the battle, she will tear apart everything that stands in her way, and then she'll tear you apart, too."
Dean sighed, put his mug down, and muttered, "Well, I don't have to like it." He walked outside.
"Tap out, Sammy, I'm coming in."
xxxxx
Piper winced as Sam bandaged her hands gently. "Sorry," he muttered, glancing up at her.
She put a strained smile on her face. "It's okay, I did it to myself," she chuckled.
He finished fastening the bandage and sat back. "There, done. Why are you doing this, Pipe?" He looked at her curiously.
She shrugged. "I need to pull my weight."
He frowned. "You do, Piper. You're just as good as Dean and I."
She shook her head. "Sam, it's not just that. Although you both being over six feet tall and huge does mean that I need to work harder to be just as good." She sighed and met his eyes. "Look, Sam, whatever is going on, it's not going to end peacefully. It's going to end in battle. I want to be an asset in that battle." She grinned. "And, you know, stress relief."
He smiled and pulled her forward with a hand on the back of her head to kiss her on the forehead. "You are an asset, Piper, and not just in battle."
He stood and left the bathroom. She sighed and followed him downstairs.
The smell of warm butter met her nose, quickly followed by cursing from the kitchen.
"Goddamn thing is defective!" she heard Bobby shout as she jogged to the kitchen.
She moved past Sam, who was laughing in the doorway. She found Bobby and Dean glaring at a pan which had what she could only assume was the attempt at a grilled cheese sandwich.
Laughter bubbled up in her and before she knew it, she and Sam were leaning on each other, laughing hysterically.
xxxxx
Dean glared at both of them as Piper wiped tears from her eyes. "Shaddup, you two."
She walked over and stood between Bobby and Dean, beaming at them between chuckles.
"Here, let me show you."
Bobby excused himself, claiming that he was certain the stovetop was haunted. Dean, however, tried to pay close attention. He did what she asked, since her hands were bandaged, and listened to her as she explained that a lower heat was more effective.
"You know, so you don't burn the hell out of it," she said, still chuckling.
"Shut it, kitten, I'm working here," he said confidently. "Master Chef here, make way, woman."
She laughed out loud again, and Dean found himself thinking about being able to pull her close and claim her mouth with his, to try to capture that laughter somehow. He must have been staring, because she self-consciously, and a little breathlessly, asked, "What, Winchester? Do I have something on my face?"
Dean shook his head. "No, no, just thinking."
She tilted her head. "About what?"
He smiled, mentally shrugging his thoughts away. "How are your hands?"
"Oh." She looked down at them, and then presented her bandages for inspection. "Great! Sam bandaged them, and they hardly hurt. I should be good to go in a few days, and then we can hit the road."
His first instinct was to protest. She should rest, she should stay here, and be safe. Then his conversation with Bobby came to mind. She was going to fight if she wanted to, and if she was going to fight, then he wanted her with him. So instead, he just smiled. "Good."
xxxxx
A/N: Hi, everyone! Here's my notes:
I own only Piper Finley, the original character. I don't own Supernatural, or the characters (heartbroken).
Reviews and comments give me the warm fuzzies and keep me going.
If there are any mistakes in continuity, canon, or geography, blame me.
