1Disclaimer: The moment I happen to own anything connected with Supernatural. I'll let you know. Nor do I own the song/songs in this chapter.

A/N: So my trip to the big ATL., to baby sit my two second family sisters was great fun. Should be since they are 14 and 17, just old enough to be fun! Meet their boyfriends, made fun of their boyfriends, showed said boyfriend embarrassing baby photos. And managed to write a chapter during all of this!

Sarah the mutant farm girl: Glad you liked the chapter and the hidden artillery room! And my trip was a blast. I think I'm gonna have to do it again soon.

HoofsTails Gals: Thanks, I try to keep them consistent. I probably have an easier time since the relationship between the two (Adyn and Montana) is based loosely on the relationship with my own little brother. I know that Sam never called Dean his big brother, but Michael mentioned (I think, if not he was supposed to have mentioned it. I told him to, but he does have a mind of his own sometimes) that Dean was the older of the two, or that Sam was younger. I also thought about the willingness to follow them, and I'm sure I had some rational reason in my head, but the cold medicine erased it... I'm so glad you think it's well written::does a happy dance:: Although I really don't think it good enough for any forums... and if it was I wouldn't know where to start.

Friendly: Thanks. As long as I have boring college classes and the muses shine down upon me I'm gonna give it my best shot.

SeerBlack: Glad you are enjoying it. That's my aim, anyway.

Song lyrics

thoughts.

Simple? Thought so.

Choices are Always Given

Previously

Adyn was right. It was late, he was tired but he couldn't sleep. He just laid there. Staring at the ceiling, thinking. This was part of the reason he liked the road and hunting. He didn't have time to think. He agreed with Sam. This job was weird, cause it wasn't a job. He wouldn't admit it to Sam, but the vision things did freak him out a bit. Not because he found them particularly freaky. But because he was afraid what others, like Gordon, would do because of them. He knew Sammy wasn't evil, but he was afraid the demon, Baal, he corrected himself, would find away to coerce Sam into unwillingly doing his will. But what Dean really hated the most was the feeling that he would fail Sam. That he wouldn't be able to save Sam. He wondered if Adyn ever felt that way about Montana? There was something about her and her brother that Dean couldn't put his finger on. They were comfortable. He felt a sameness with them and yet completely different. As he continued to muse on this strange duo he had met he dozed into a fitful sleep.

2222

Dean woke with a start, surprised that he had actually fell asleep. After all this was a strange house, with strange people he didn't know, who seemed ok, but then one can never tell. Glancing quickly at the clock, he figured he'd slept roughly two hours. Not nearly long enough, even by Winchester standards. Which begged the question, why the hell was he up then? Nobody in their right mind, or left mind for that matter, was up at 5a.m., especially if they hadn't gotten into bed until 3am. Well, Sam sometimes was up that early, but it wasn't out of choice so it didn't count.

That's when he heard it. It was very faint, even his keen hunter senses just barely made it out. There was music playing. Quietly Dean got out of bed and went to investigate. Sticking to the shadows of the hallway, he made his way toward the living room. The sight his eyes beheld made him stop up short and stay hidden. Adyn was sitting on the floor with her back against one of the recliners, papers scattered around her. She wasn't looking at them, however; instead, she had her head resting on the seat of the chair, eyes closed. Dean would have thought she was asleep, but he could just barely make out the sound of her humming along. She looked sad, lost, and alone. All emotions Dean understood, even if he would never admit to actually having them. Adyn started mouthing some words, and Dean realized the musical intro was over and that the lyrics had started. With the movement of Adyn's mouth, Dean found himself drawn into listening to the enchanting song.

And I'd give up forever to touch you

Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be

And I don't want to go home right now.

Dean could understand that. How often had he felt the same way? Course, he didn't have a home, but the home he had once had, was something he avoided like the plague. Sam was currently the closest he'd ever get to heaven, in a purely platonic way. Maybe that's why he flirted so much, cause he just didn't want to face reality. He just hoped someone, just once, if only for a night, would truly feel him. They didn't.

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

Cause sooner or later it's over

I just don't want to miss you tonight.

'Cause missing anyone meant being alone with your thought and those are scary. And if he was breathing someone else's life, he wouldn't have to face his own sorry excuse of an existence. 'But sooner or later it all ends,' he thought, 'and you are left all alone.'

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

when everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am.

The world doesn't understand me, that is why they don't see me. Ever. It would be nice to have one, just one person, see and understand him. Hell, not even Sammy-boy truly sees me. But maybe not 'til everything had already been broken, would that longing be fulfilled.

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything seems like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

Dean never cried. So why fight them? High school counselors always tried to tell him not to fight the tears, that it was ok to cry. But he simply didn't have tears to cry; he seriously wondered if his tear ducts actually worked sometimes. And God only knew how many lies he had told. Sometimes the truth happened. But he tried to avoid it. He understood bleeding. Perhaps that is why he was so reckless in hunting. He was alive if he bled. God! Sometimes he needed to feel alive. Sometimes he just needed to bleed.

And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am (X2)

I just want you to know who I am (X4)

Dean found himself actually fighting tears. He just wanted someone to know who he was. He mentally cursed himself for the sappy thoughts and attributed them to the early hour and lack of sleep. He turned his attention back to Adyn, not liking at all the feeling the song had evoked. He thought he saw a lone tear snake down her cheek, but he couldn't be positive as he blinked, and when he looked again no traces of a tear could be found.

As the final note of the song hit, Adyn lifted her head and stared down at the papers. Dean was stuck: if he went back she would see him and know he had witnessed whatever it was that he had witnessed, but if he walked out into the living room, she would know too. He almost laughed when the next song to play was Led Zepplin's Houses of Holy. When Adyn turned away from him to pick up a paper, he "stumbled" out into the living room, rubbing his eyes.

"Zepplin?" He slurred sleepily, hoping she bought the 'just woke up' routine. "Zepplin Rules."

Adyn looked up, surprised she hadn't noticed him approach. 'I must be more tired than I thought...' "Oh. I'm sorry if I woke you. I'll turn it down." She made to stand, but Dean stopped her.

"No. It's not a problem. It was time I got up anyway," Dean lied.

"Dean, it's 5:15 in the morning. You went to bed at three. That's not really enough sleep for anyone." The moment of truth in his lies.

'Why the hell am I thinking to that song?' Dean groaned inwardly. "Yeah, well, I'm up now. Did you get any sleep?"

"No. But it's cool. I'm not so far removed from college that I can't handle a 48-hour marathon occasionally." She replied with a shrug of her shoulders and a rub at the back of her neck.

"Hnn." Dean gave her a disapproving look

"Thank you, daddy dearest, for your concern." She mocked as she rolled her eyes. "I swear. No wonder Montana doesn't like you." Narrowing her eyes she suddenly asked. " Have you two been talking behind my back?"

"No. And he likes me... sorta. Ok, ok, so he only tolerates me," He amended at a look from Adyn, "but I can guess we both see the benefit of you actually sleeping."

"Probably. But it's a moot point cause I won't be able to sleep now. You want some coffee?" Diversionary tactics were always best, especially when she was lying outright. Truth was if she laid down, she'd probably be out before her head hit the pillow. But she had more important things to do before she slept.

"Sure." He had a feeling she was more tired than she let on, but he figured he wasn't the one to push the subject. Instead he stood, helped Adyn up, and followed her to the kitchen. "Can I ask why your living room is littered with news papers and computer printouts?"

"Yes, you may ask."

Dean waited a while before giving her the 'I'm waiting' look. To which Adyn replied with the patented, 'well?' look. Dean sighed exasperatedly, but inwardly he was congratulating her. Not many people could pull off what she had with the finesse she managed to pull it off with. "Why is your living room scattered with newspapers and computer printouts?"

"See that wasn't hard, and I'm sure you can figure it out. I was looking into a potential job and some of the printouts are for Monti's classes." She explained as she put on a pot of coffee.

"You wanna help me make breakfast?" She asked as she measured out the coffee grounds.

"You mean we aren't having just cereal?"

"Well, if you'd rather have that, then I'll just do enough pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, ..."

"No, no, no. I mean if you're going to be making all that anyway, I'm sure I could force myself to eat that." Dean cut her off, willing himself not to salivate, overmuch.

"So you wanna do the bacon and sausage or the pancakes?"

"Dude, male!" Pointing to himself. "Give me the meat."

Adyn laughed. "Aight. Check the fridge." She told him as she pulled out a bowl, flour, milk, eggs, baking powder, salt, sugar, and of course the key ingredient, chocolate chips.

"Chocolate chips? Did you 'read' Sammy for that?"

"Nope. Michael told me."

"Right. This 'Angel'." Making air quotes, Dean scoffed a little.

"Dean, You know I can read you. I know you've thought about it, especially after that run in with a departed priest. I'm not going to try to force you to believe; I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Nor will I push it on you, but I will speak plainly. And if it comes up, or the explanation to a question involves Michael, I'm not going to shy away from it just because you are uncomfortable with the idea. But I also won't bring Michael and angels and God and good up incessantly, as that would seem to be counter productive and turn you away."

"Thanks, Adyn. I appreciate it." And he did as he had actually been worried she would talk about it all the time. He wasn't sure he could handle it. Yeah, after the whole dead priest masquerading as an angel, he was rethinking the presence's of angels and such, but that didn't mean he was ready to hear about it nonstop. He fell quiet as he watched Adyn mix the batter, his thoughts turned to what he could have had if he hadn't been a hunter.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." She said, followed by, "My mom taught me how to do this." The latter was spoken softly as if to herself, in a manner that indicated she wasn't aware she had actually said it out loud.

Dean startled out of his thoughts, by the softly spoken words. He almost missed them. Scrambling for a way to change the topic (he always hated talking about mothers) without being rude, he said the first thing that popped into his head. "Where does your mom live now?" Dean mentally kicked himself. 'Dumbass... great way to change the topic!' Adyn's stance visibly stiffened and Dean could see her jaw clenching.

" She doesn't." She growled.

SNSN

'Fuck!' Adyn thought 'Great. I had to go and open that can of worms.' "She doesn't." She ground out between clenched teeth, perfectly set on not saying more. Movement to her left caught her eye. Michael was leaning against the door jamb that led to the dinning room.

'He doesn't see you, does he?' Adyn thought at the angel.

"Nope. Can't hear me either. I don't really feel like getting shot at, and since he doesn't believe I exist yet, he'll just try to put my 'spirit' to rest, or send me back to the hell he is sure I come from."

'And no matter how long we talk, it'll just be like an extended pause to him, I'm guessing.'

Michael nodded. "See I knew you'd get the hang of it."

'Bite me.'

"Tsk. Tsk. Temper."

'What do you want Michael? I'm not in the mood for banter.'

"About that. You need to tell him about your parents."

'Like HELL! I'll help them find what they are looking for, but I don't have to, and won't, share personal details about our lives with him. I don't share this with my close friends so why the hell would I tell him?'

"Because he needs to hear it. Because you need to hear some of the things he can tell you in response. And because he needs to be comfortable with you and Montana, which won't ever happen if he knows you're keeping things from him. He's a Hunter. He is naturally suspicious."

Adyn shot him a glare. 'What if I choose not to tell him?'

"You know as well as I that you may well choose not to. But you also know, I'm only a messenger. I don't see the end of the paths you could choose. However, choosing to tell him, I can tell you, is the preferred path."

'I hate you. You know that, right.'

"Yeah, yeah. Trust me. I hear from a valid source, that telling him helps you both."

Adyn sighed. 'Ok. Fine. But if it doesn't do any good, and I shared needlessly, I'll hunt your sorry ass down myself.'

"You could try. Remember. I've got several millennia on you." Michael smiled knowingly and then vanished.

"Both my mother and my father died..."

SNSN

Dean heard her sigh, and after a slight pause during which Dean was racking his brain for something to say, she continued, "Both my mother and my father died when I was 19 and Montana was 15. Dad had a business meeting, but Montana had a ball game he couldn't miss. Instead of taking us all to California with him as he had planned, he and Mom went, and I stayed to watch after Monti and take him to his game. We dropped Mom and Dad off at the airport, but we were running late and had an hours drive from the airport to the game. We never made it. Car crash. Found out later that Mom and Dad's plane went down roughly forty minutes into flight. The official report said it was mechanical failure said. Roughly the same time their flight went down, our car was hit. Monti almost didn't make it. Neither did I. But that was four years ago. Should be over it, right?" She wiped her hands on her pj pants, leaving flour marks, and stoically set about mixing the pancakes, while keeping her back to Dean so he couldn't see the tears that her eyes were currently trying their damnedest not to be swimming in.

Dean was shocked. First, that she actually told him, and second, that she had lost her parents and almost her brother, and yet she was so... so, well, so incredibly adjusted. But then he recognized the front she was putting up. He had done the same thing when his dad died. "I-I-I'm sorry. I didn't know. It's tough losing someone. I don't think you ever really get over it. Well, I know I won't. At least I had a couple of decades between my mother and my father dying. I think if I had lost them both at the same time, I'd be a hell of a lot more screwed up." Dean paused. " You said forty minutes?"

Adyn nodded. "Yeah, but I don't buy the mechanical failure. I did manage to find that it had to do with a latching device near the back of the plane. Sounded extremely fishy to me, but I couldn't do anything about finding the truth. Hospital stays and unconsciousness and all. By the time we were out of the hell that the world deems fit to call a hospital, everything had already been wrapped up and disposed of."

Dean thought for a moment. "I doubt it was. Sam and I had a run in with a demon that was taking down planes forty minutes into flight. I'm willing to bet it was the same thing. We exorcized it back to hell once and for all, if it helps make you feel even a little bit better."

Adyn nodded and sighed "Oddly, yeah it does. At least they were avenged. Thank you for that." She paused. "Oh, and if you tell Monti we had this endearing little chat, I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to walk straight for a year."

Relieved it hadn't escalated into a full-out chick flick moment, Dean laughed. Adyn handed him a spoon of batter to lick. And in the process smeared it on his nose to lighten the mood. Which it did. It also led to a small food war, but neither minded much. For a while, laughter reigned in the kitchen.

Adyn put another pancake on the griddle before launching an M&M at Dean. "Dean! Get out from behind the refrigerator; the bacon's burning!" But as Dean made no move to come out of the safety of his position, Adyn was forced to multi-task between the pancakes and the bacon. Dean then took the opportunity to pour ice down her back, which caused Adyn to jerk and send hot, dripping bacon flying onto his arm. Adyn died laughing.

"Fuck! That hurt!" Dean exclaimed.

"S-S-Sorry." Adyn stammered. She wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, succeeding in only smearing pancake batter and bacon grease on her face. When Dean looked up and saw that sight, he burst out laughing.

Adyn was trying to remove the bacon from Deans bare arm, and check to make sure he wasn't hurt to badly, but her efforts were hindered by Dean's endeavors to wipe the batter and grease from her face, which were hampered by Adyn's attempts on his arm. This only caused both of them to laugh harder.

"What the hell is going on here?" An angry voice demanded causing Adyn and Dean to cease their actions and look quickly to the kitchen doorway.

2222

A/N: You know the drill read it. Review it. Or just simply tell me how much you hated it. I really don't care so long as feedback is given. Oh and the song was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.