Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.

Chapter Eleven

When Nicole got to school, Adam was waiting at her locker a smile on his face as she came towards him. He held a brown paper sack in his hand that he offered to her when she joined him.

"Morning," He greeted.

"Morning," Nicole took the bag he offered, "What's this?"

Adam shrugged, "Thought you might like some breakfast."

Opening the sack, Nicole found two containers of pudding and two plastic spoons. Laughing, she pulled them out, handing him one and keeping the other for herself. They sat down, their backs against the lockers as they broke into the treat.

"Here's to Homecoming," Adam held up his cup as if it were a glass of wine.

Nicole tapped hers together with his and found her smile again home on her lips. She hadn't felt this good in a long time and sitting with Adam, she knew she'd always be happy around him.

"Thank you for the balloons," She scooped up some pudding and licked it from the spoon. "I wanted to thank you yesterday, but Nathan said that would be a social grievance."

Adam laughed, "Of course he did. I'm glad you liked them."

"How did you know my favorite color was green?" Nicole asked, thinking of the balloon still tied to her bed with his name grinning out from it.

"Lucky guess," Adam shrugged like it was nothing but his eyes were grinning, "All your notebooks are green and when we got into your apartment, your quilt on your bed was green and blue. Nathan and I actually did rock paper scissor for what color to do it, blue or green. I won."

"You sure did," Nicole slid closer to Adam her now empty pudding forgotten at her side as she slid her hand into his. He laced his fingers with hers, his large hand encompassing hers. It was warm and comforting and for a moment, made Nicole forget that she was the one protecting him. At his side demons couldn't get her, she was safe.

…

"Back so soon, Sugar?" Bethany's loud voice filled the salon as Nicole pushed through the door after school. Bethany was with another customer, an older lady getting a perm, but she motioned for Nicole to join her anyway.

Nicole sat in the empty stylists chair in the next station as Bethany introduced the older woman, "Melba, this here is Nicole, the poor thing I was telling you about. Nicole, this is my friend Melba."

"Hi," Nicole tilted her head in greeting.

"Oh, dear, you are absolutely gorgeous!" Melba cooed, "And Bethany, you did such a good job! Look at that pretty face. I bet the guys just can't keep their hands off you."

Nicole blushed, "Well, actually-"

Melba cut her off with a loud sigh, "I wish the boys still wanted a piece of me. I tell you what ladies, I haven't seen a decent naked man in years. I may be old, but I ain't dead; I still appreciate a fine looking man now and again."

"Don't we all," Bethany burst into laughter.

Sifting in her seat, Nicole tried again, "Actually, I was hoping I could get your help again, Bethany. I got the boy I want; we're going to Homecoming together."

"I told you that new 'do would work," Bethany beamed with pride as she rolled a section of Melba's hair.

"It did," Nicole smiled at the memory of Carla's horrified expression when Donnie ignored her in favor of Nicole. "But now, I've never been to a dance before and I don't know where to start. I got a few magazines from a friend, but it seems like a lot of work and I just don't know what to do. I thought maybe you could help me again."

"You've never been to a dance before?" Both women looked at her with surprise.

"You aren't one of those crazy Amish people, are you?" Melba dropped her voice and leaned in as if it was a secret society not to be spoken of.

Nicole rolled her eyes, "Why does everyone think that?"

"Don't worry," Bethany waved a hand, "You just need to get out more, Honey. Tell you what, I got Saturday off, why don't we go shopping together. I know some great stores we can find the perfect dress, we'll get you some shoes, you'll be the bell of the ball, Sugar. When is this dance of yours?"

"Next weekend," Nicole sighed, relieved, "Thank you so much."

Melba's face lit up, "Hey! The pastor's taking a vacation in the Bahamas on Saturday so bingo's going to be a real drag. If I tag along with you ladies, I'm sure to hook me a young stud. Count me in!"

Nicole agreed to meet the ladies at the salon Saturday morning before she left and drove through the suburban streets leading to Adam's house. The trees along the road were turning dazzling colors of reds and oranges and the sun flickering through the branches made trees spark to life. The temperature was slowly falling each day, warning of the winter to come. In the fall wind, a sense of awareness grew in Nicole. It seemed like with the coming of winter also came more bumps in the night and more reasons to look over your shoulder. Hopefully, Nicole thought as she pulled up to the curb outside Adam's house, this season she could let her guard down.

Adam was waiting on the porch for her and waved as she climbed from the cabin of her truck. When she mounted the steps, she wrapped her arms around him and let his arms enfold her. They stood for a moment, locked in the embrace, until Nathan stomped noisily up the steps.

"Ladies, ladies, let's break it up. We've got major tests to study for." Nathan didn't wait, just yanked the front door open and waltzed it as if it was his own house.

Pulling back from Nicole, Adam shook his head, "He's too comfortable here."

Nicole laughed as she followed the boys inside. Adam's house was kept neat and clean, unlike his bedroom, Nicole thought. The living room was off to the right, kitchen on the left and the hallway and stairs cutting down the middle. Following Adam so as not to appear like she knew where she was going, Nicole dropped her backpack by the coffee table before entering the kitchen. Nathan wasted no time in rummaging through the cupboards to find snacks. His hunt produced chips, Oreos, and M&M's. Adam in the meantime, fished out three sodas and handed one to Nicole.

"Every good study party needs good food," Nathan informed Nicole, "That's foolhardy tradition number nineteen."

As they trooped into the living room and laid out the snacks on the table, Nathan reached for his bag, "And studying for the SATs calls for an extra special snack: Red Vines."

"Sweet," Nicole snatched a licorice from Nathan and took a bite.

Adam produced several SAT study books and they drove in, heads down, lowered voices, brows crinkled in concentration. They kept at it until the chips were gone, the Red Vines demolished, the Oreos attempted at and the M&Ms untouched.

Nathan crushed his second soda on his head, "Ugh! I can't handle anymore! It's too much!"

With a sigh, Adam closed his book, "Me either. I say we call it a night."

"For sure," Nicole leaned back against the sofa. After the hours of studying, she was thinking the SATs wouldn't be such a big deal. It was all basic knowledge and if she just buffed up on a few dates and facts, she didn't think she'd do too bad.

As they cleaned up, Adam volunteered to make copies of the practice test for next time. It would help give them an idea on what they needed to study and help them focus. Nathan agreed as he rushed out the door, claiming he had to meet his girlfriend.

"Do you ever wonder if his girlfriend is real?" Nicole asked as they stood on the porch and watched Nathan barrel down the road.

With a chuckle, Adam replied, "Sometimes. But Nathan swears she'll be at the dance next weekend."

"Speaking of the dance," Nicole slid her hands into her jacket pockets and leaned against the banister, "I'm going to get a dress on Saturday. Do you have any preference for a color?"

Adam stood beside her, still facing out to the street, hands gripping the rail, "You're asking me? I thought the girl was supposed to make all those choices."

Nicole kicked softly at the air, head down as she shyly replied, "I guess I'm not very good at this stuff."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Adam smiled reassuringly, bumping her shoulder slightly, "You're great. If it helps you pick a dress, I'd be happy to pick the color scheme." He wrinkled his nose as he pretended to think. "Let's see, we'll need to match, of course. It should be something masculine enough for me and feminine enough for you." Nicole laughed as he turned around and wrapped an arm around her, "Maybe something to bring out your eyes."

Nicole gazed up at him, her eyes shining in the porch light. "What about your eyes? We wouldn't want them to feel left out."

"Of course," Adam nodded, a grin on his face, "I guess we're lucky we both have blue eyes."

"I guess so," Nicole leaned in closer, closing the space between them, their eyes locked together.

Adam's gaze drifted down to her lips and for a moment, Nicole thought he was going to kiss her. Unfortunately, the mood was broken by the ringing of her cell phone. Muttering a few choice words under her breath, she pulled out her phone and snapped it open.

"What is it, Gordon?" She tried not to sound angry, after all, Gordon didn't know he was interrupting what could have been the greatest moment of her life. At the same time, she was cautious. The dangerous vampire hunter wasn't high on her list of favorite people and if he was calling, she had reason to be on guard.

"Hey, Nicole," Gordon's voice was calm and level as always but she recognized the cool edge he had when hunting. "I heard your dad was hunting a nest of vamps, thought maybe I could help. Is he around?"

Nicole took a step back from Adam, scanning the yard instinctively, her muscles tensing, "Sorry, you missed him. You could try calling his phone."

"I did, got the answering machine."

"He must be busy then," Nicole strained her ears to listen to the background noise coming from the phone. Wind. A car horn. He was on the move. "I thought you worked alone, anyway?"

Gordon chuckled, "Alright, you got me. I really just need to talk to him, need some information on someone. Maybe you can help me instead. I'm looking for Sam Winchester, have some information he might like to know about. Seen him around?"

The trick when sharing information with someone you didn't trust in the hunter world was to give them enough to trust you in case you needed the favor returned, but not enough to actually help them. Carl had driven this lesson in her skull when they first met Gordon in Tennessee three years previous. "Last I heard he was working a case with Dean out West."

In Gordon's sigh, she knew that he knew she wasn't giving up the details and he wasn't happy about it, "Look, Nicole, this is bigger than you and me. I need to find Sam Winchester before things get out of hand."

"Sorry, Gordon," Nicole shrugged, "I wish I knew more, but I don't. Try Colorado, I heard a few jobs opened up out there." The line went dead and Nicole let out a sigh of relief.

"Is everything ok?" Adam asked, his eyes full of concern.

Nicole smiled in an attempt to reassure him, but her eyes still darted around, searching the growing shadows for movement. "Fine. It's getting late, I should head home."

Adam opened his mouth to say something, but only nodded and stepped aside to let Nicole pass. When she got to her truck, she dialed her dad's number. Gordon was right, the answering machine picked up the call.

"Hey, Dad. Gordon called looking for Sam Winchester. I didn't give him much and he didn't sound happy about it. Watch yourself." She hung up and kept one eye in the rear view the whole way home.