Time Falls Away

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or any of the characters, I am merely writing for entertainment. I am getting no financial benefit, just a hell of a lot of boredom bust.

A/N: Christmas has been busy and my poor computer has been lonely and cold. Enjoy!

Winchesters

Dean's POV

"I am telling you it was a poltergeist" I roll my eyes, major reflex on my part. Just like Sammy to be questioning my previous work. Typical little Sammy, he is smart, but not nearly as intellectual as my true kind. I have been fitting in fairly well over the years, well to be a little more specific my whole life.

Yeah I lied, big deal! Everyone does it. What else was I gonna tell him? That I am a genetically empowered hybrid lab created freak? Ha, ha that's just about the funniest thing I have ever heard. Not a chance. If I told Sammy that he wouldn't begin to understand how, and why. It would just be a ton of explanation on my part. I am all for the talk, just not that kind of talk. He would look at me differently, he would hate dad even more. He would a lot of things. I like Sammy just the way he is, he doesn't need to know what I have just grasped to understand.

"Alright Sammy it was a poltergeist, a poltergeist I happened to kill with silver bullets. Come on Sam, you know I'm right so give it up." Silly, silly Sam, unfortunately for him there is no arguing with a photographic memory. They call him the smart one.

"Fine" great, he is sulking now. I smile, just like the good ol' Samster. He's done that since we were kids, what a baby. He turns away from me shaking his head, glowering in his own unpretentious way. It's actually quite amusing, it's not like there is anything else to do.

Now I bet your wondering how this is possible… here we go.

When I was a small boy, ever since I was four, I had field missions with my biological family. That's right the Winchesters. It wasn't so much a field mission as a field trip, god did I ever have fun! It was like playing house! My brother believed I was away at military school, he wasn't half wrong. We didn't so much lie as hold back most, as in all, of the details.

My Dad was not just any army dude; he was an officer at the special government testing facility. So you can just imagine how happy he and his wife, who just happen to have 'issues' producing a child, were when they were offered a chance to have their very own Manticore made baby. They agreed in spite of the contract it would convey in my future. So here you see the devil had my soul long before I could put in a single syllable.

Tells ya why I was so submissive to my old man, I don't always do it on purpose jumping to attention, it's all just natural for me. Sammy and he are my only family. He is the family that Max never had… which gets me to the point. I didn't tell her. I know, I know I should have. There were a lot of things I should have done. Telling her would mean looking into her disappointed eyes. It would mean watching her enviously lie about how happy she was for me. God, I couldn't do that. Not to her.

Back then when Max freed us all, I stuck with her first out of guilt. Guilt of losing her cure, guilt of screwing her over, guilt of losing her freaking baseball, well basically a general guilt for ever screw up I cost her. Then it became something more.

I began getting anxious about what I said around her, I started noticing the smell of her citrus shampoo, what she wore and before I knew it she was under my skin. She became that emotional attachment I told myself I would never get again, before I could stop it, I was in love. Not like Rachel or Cassie. It is different, more sophisticated and complicated, so to speak. Not so much a high-school romance, that burns out. What I feel for Max is more deep, and perpetual.

Yeah I still love her. When she married that 'selfless' bastard I couldn't sit and watch, so I skipped town. It killed me that he would always be that something Max wanted. God only knows why.

None of that matters anymore though. Five years and I am living on a fresh page. Different name, different job, and completely unpredictable lifestyle, it is a complete turnaround for the man once called Alec. If someone would have told me that I would be hunting the paranormal in five years I would have laughed in their faces. That crazy shit was meant for my dad, not me. Still Max moved on, and I decided it was time for me to do the same.

"Hey Dean?" I look away recognizing how far-gone I let myself get. It happens all the time. My little 'Max' scenarios in my mind. Her honey skin and shiny black hair. Her stumpy finger nails she chews down when she's bored. Those crazy tight cat suits... Right… what was it that he said?

"What?" I ask realizing that he is still waiting for my reply.

"I think we should take the phantom lady in Seattle."

"No" I nearly shout, oops! I hope it wasn't too noticeable. Whoever said advice is least heeded when most needed was a monk. Sammy he's a do-goody two-shoes too. I can't stand when he prods, it really peeves me off.

"Okaay, how about the odd disappearances in Vegas" whew that was a close one. Last thing I need to do is explain myself to Sammy. It gets harder and harder to come up with an excuse to avert Seattle. Well… Vegas, sigh, I love Vegas… Still with work to do, I doubt I will be able to 'try my luck'. Sammy gets mad when I hustle pool and inconspicuously win at poker anyway. It's really not as hard as it looks, a little counting a little measuring and it makes me a very lucky man. I think that he is catching on to my regretful past in the askew city. Good thing he sometimes chooses to shut his trap and move beyond the 'feelings'.

"Yeah, I think it is a more serious case" I nod believably, well so I think. Somehow he doesn't look so convinced. He knows me too well, figures.

"Hey Sammy, that red head in the corner booth has a thing for you…" I smirk. He is squirming in his seat, and frowning. Funny guy, it's been a while since Jessica and I think it is time the sap moved on. Ladies have a thing for the tortured soul; it would do him some good to have a bit of fun. As of late I haven't really been up to any 'fun'. I throw a couple flirtatious looks to the onlookers and Sammy's convinced that I am 'normal'. He's the only one I really have to fool now a days.

"Yeah whatever Dean, now will you pay attention? I think we have vampires on our hands" his voice lowers when a cute blonde walks by for the fifth time. She slips a napkin with a number scrawled in… lipstick? Right now what did he just say, I stuff the napkin with lip smacks on it in my pocket. Vampires... this is just freakin great.

"Dean" he waves his hand in front of my face. I swat it away in annoyance, I hate when he does that, with that tone. Here I let myself believe I am the impetuous one.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Odd disappearances, a ton of missing cases, some weird reappearances, sounds like." I watch Sammy climb off the barstool and pull his jean jacket on. He is giving me a look. "What?" just wonderful, I know what's coming. But it doesn't hurt to check. The kid needs to loosen up.

"Well, the vampires. Let's go" I groan aloud and roll my eyes enthusiastically.

Then I feel it, the nape of my neck tingling like someone is watching me. My hairs are standing on end and I am getting goosebumps. This isn't the first time today; in fact it has been happening all day. I look around trying to spot the perpetrator. Nothing, no one suspicious at least, then again the place is packed with rockers.

"Dean" Sam repeats for what must be the third time. My glance meets his inquisition.

"Yeah, let's hit the streets" I grin, covering for my awkward distraction. He looks like he is going to grill me, just wonderful.

Sammy and I have been hunting all night now, we are strolling the alleyways where three of the murders occurred. I convinced the gatecrasher that nothing is wrong and that I am just fine. He doesn't seem to believe me. I have that tingly sensation again. Must be a new permanent feature, it's has been eating me all day.

"Dean!" Shit, here I go again not paying attention when Sammy gets himself all shot up.

I glance in his general direction. There are five of them, this will be easy. Dealt with a hell of a lot worse. I pull out my blood encrusted knife and take out the two nearest. Next the captor of my brother, now that he is free he isn't doing too bad.

I throw a couple punches, and knock the cheaply dressed fool in front of me to his back. He flips up and kicks me in the chest, while a deceivingly small woman appears and pins me by the neck. Well isn't this just dandy? The death of the legend Winchester through the grips of an undead tiny blonde chick. My air supply is taking a toll and my thrashing is going limp… she is lowering her face to my neck. I grimace, her breath kind of stinks.

I smirk and take her moments hesitation to head butt the bitch. She toddles backward and sags into a blue dumpster. I pick up my scythe that fell to the ground during our little scuffle, and take in the satisfying thump of her head hitting the asphalt. Me one, bitch gone. I look over at Sammy he is still dealing with the last of the bunch. I watch he looks like he has it under control. Gotta hand it to the boy, he may be ordinary but dad taught him well.

Or not, he is now pinned under the weight of the light haired vehement female. "Dean, a little help" he mutters. I kick the animalistic woman in the stomach, she rolls over. She is about to take off, I toss the dagger tipped in blood, and she is down. Sam slumps against the wall again. I hate vampires; they always bring out the worst in me.

I open my mouth to bug Sammy about being beat by a girl when a black clad form tackles me. Gotta admit, wasn't expecting that one. It's fine though. I tumble over the athletic, yet curvy form pinning it down, ready to pull out the scythe. Yet again she pulls over and lands on my midsection. Good form, just like the ones we learned in Manti…

It isn't till then that I notice the glimmering playfulness in those unforgettable chocolate brown orbs. Then it hits me hard.

"Max?" I whisper. She grins even wider. I am clearly not finding the humor in the situation as she is still smiling at me. Then I see Sam carefully approaching behind ready to take off her head.

"Whoa Sammy boy" I roll over Max blocking her from any potential damage. By the look on Sam's face I have a lot of explaining to do. I look away from his confused gaze and back to her inappropriate delight. Her delicate hands grasp my shoulder and the front of my jacket. Something about this is different though. Her lips curve into another gushy smile, the ones she used to give Loggie-boy. Something is definitely not right. My eyes linger much longer than I want them to. God she still has that effect on me. I kind of feel dizzy.

Her eyes drift from mine and flash over my shoulder for a moment. Probably at Sammy, this is getting a little awkward. Slowly and reluctantly I pull away from dark haired beauty. I offer a hand and she slaps it away and gets up on her own. I smirk, she hasn't changed a bit. "So Max… what are you doing?" my curiosity taking its place, I couldn't help it, she kinda surprised me.

"Yeah, bout that, sorry…" She is beaming now, maybe she has changed. "Couldn't help myself" I take in her appearance. She is wearing her diehard leather coat, a pair of form fitting black jeans. Her hair is still long and flowing over her shoulders, it might even be a little longer than before. I watch as her gaze drifts mine and she coyly flicks it over to Sam, and I feel a pang of jealousy shoot through me. "Who's he?" she impatiently turns to me waiting for my response. What did she say again? Right Sammy. "Alec" she bites off I notice the sharp tone in her voice. "Or should I say Dean?" oh boy here it comes.

"Dean, what is she talking about?" Sam burrows. I am left kind of dry in the mouth, like someone stuffed cotton in my mouth. This is a little too much to take in. That's when it occurs to me that blood is trickling down my side. Shit. The last thing I hear before everything dissolves into the black screen is Max.

"You're not gonna spill your beans on me are you…?"

A/N: Another chap up. I hope you like! I will try to get another chap up for New Years, no promises!