"So what're you doing tonight?" Dean asked, as the two of us woke up the following morning. I was so happy that we could spend now but the thought of it having a time limit wasn't fair. Why had I told him I loved him back? It wouldn't be fair to him if I just up and left to go to South America. I could barely think straight now.

"Um, it's up to you. I have a somewhat brief shift at the hospital but then I'm all yours," I replied, deciding to focus on the time being.

"Good because I'm cooking you dinner," Dean replied.

I was surprised at his response. It seemed a little out of character for him so I said, "You cook?" I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

"I can," he replied, playfully defensive.

I smiled, "Well it's a date then." I then kissed him and then started getting out of bed.

"Hey, where are you going?" he exclaimed.

I giggled, "I've got to go to work, silly. How else am I supposed to get home in time for you to cook for me?"

"Yeah alright," Dean replied, letting go of my wrist. I went into the bathroom and then shut the door. It was an overwhelming mix of feelings of happiness and worry, anxiety, and sadness. This was not my favorite place to be.

After things started to slow down at work, I found Bradley reading in the intern lounge all alone, curled up in one of the chairs.

"Hey, what're you doing in here?" I asked.

"Just reading. I got bored," He shrugged. "What's up?"

"Can I talk to you about something actually?" I asked, curiously.

"If I say no, you'll tell me anyways," Bradley teased.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, nudging him playfully.

"Yeah, sure, what's on your mind?" Bradley asked, finally.

I sighed, "So Dean told me he loved me last night."

"Well that's great!" Bradley exclaimed.

"Sort of. The thing is, Dr. Stevens submitted me to this resident program that'd be… well kind of in the middle of nowhere village in South America and uh, I got in," I explained, anxiously.

"Congratulations! Wait a second, you're not actually thinking of turning it down because of Dean right?" Bradley asked.

"What if it were you in my place? What if it were Jessica?" I asked, desperately.

"She'd understand that I couldn't pass up such a good opportunity no matter how much we loved each other. You need to talk to him, Jen," Bradley said.

I sighed, "I know but it's just, we know a lot about each other. We talked when he was here at the hospital and saying 'I love you' is a big thing for him. I just don't know what to say. Would it completely break him?"

"Look, you'll never know until you try. Jennie, you can't pass up an opportunity like this. Just talk to him," Bradley advised.

I nodded, "Yeah. Oh but he's cooking for me tonight."

"He cooks?" Bradley asked.

"That was my exact response. He's, amazing, Bradley. How am I supposed to give that up?" I asked.

"Just talk to him. He might understand and I'm not saying that you two can wait for each other or anything but… I see the way he looks at you. He really does care."

"Yeah, I know." This decision was getting harder and harder to make. In getting involved with Dean, I had almost forgotten about the program that Dr. Stevens had submitted me to. If that was all I thought about, would I have even though about Dean in the first place? I had been so career driven but now it seemed like my heart was making all the decisions.

"Hey, I'm home," I said, coming into the house. I shut the door and put my keys in the little bowl on the side table near the door. I pulled off my jacket and kicked my shoes off before going into the kitchen. The house smelled really good.

"Hey, you," Dean said as I got into the kitchen. "Here just try this." He held out a wooden spoon that he had coated in past sauce. "It's hot, so be careful." I blew on the spoon and then took a taste. It was delicious! "You look surprised."

"No, it's great! I mean, seeing as you're out on the road a lot I guess I'm a little surprised that you two cook for yourselves," I admitted, blushing a little.

"Sammy helped, I have to admit," Dean said.

"Oh yeah? Where is he anyways?" I asked, curiously.

"Oh he met a girl at a bar," Dean replied, shrugging. I chuckled. It seemed a little out of character for Sam.

"Hm, I thought that was your job," I said.

"Well I already have a girl so I have no need for that," Dean said.

I smiled, "Yes you do already have a girl." I then kissed him. It felt so good to be with Dean but I also felt so guilty.

He smiled into the kiss before pulling away, "Okay sit down. Dinner is ready and if you continue to distract me then I'm going to burn it."

I giggled, "Yeah okay."

Dinner was great. Dean and I just sat and talked and laughed. The laughing was the best part. I could barely even remember the actual subject matter that we talked about, we'd just laugh. We had fun together and I was head over heels for him. He was only making this next part harder than it should be. Before Dean, I would've accepted in a heartbeat. But I knew the answer to the nagging question. I had changed a lot with Dean.

"Hey Dean, can I talk to you?" I asked, suddenly.

"Yeah, what about?" he asked.

I sighed, "Look, I know that you saying you love me is a really big thing for you and I love you too. Uh, Dr. Stevens submitted me for this resident program for a year in South America."

"Oh yeah?" Dean asked.

"Well that was right before we met and I had no idea that you and I were ever going to become something. Hell, I just thought you were an attractive guy in the ER that'd hit on me and I'd never see again. I never planned on… falling in love with you. God, I really need to tone the telenovela thing down. Damn it. But we've waited for a while and we finally heard back from the program and uh, I uh, I got in, actually," I replied.

"Well that's great!" Dean exclaimed but I could see it in his face that he knew what it meant for us.

"Here's the thing, though. I would uh, I'd leave Sunday," I said, biting my lip.

"Oh," Dean said.

"Yeah," I replied.

"So what about us?" Dean asked. "I mean… what? We try it long distance or…?

"I want to but that's a year apart. I can barely go being apart from you for a week but a whole year? I don't know, Dean. Not only that but it'd be in a rural village in the middle of the jungle meaning we'd really have no means of communication," I said, reluctantly.

"Are you saying you want to break up?" Dean asked.

"NO! I mean, I don't want to break up but it would be cruel for me to ask you to wait for me. Plus, I mean, it's a year. That's a long time. And if I like it enough and they like me enough… they'll invite me back for another year or maybe even hire me for a position… I don't know. Things are just… very open right now. Do you think we could even do it?" I asked back.

He sighed, "I don't know, Jennie. It would be wrong of me to ask you to not go. I think you should go. It sounds like a great opportunity for you and I know it's the kind of thing you love to do. You remember when we had that conversation about you doing Doctors without Borders or something?"

"Haha, yeah, it was in the middle of a scrabble game and of course it was just a ploy to get me off my game," I laughed.

"What can I say?" he shrugged innocently. I giggled. After me constantly beating him at scrabble, he'd always come up with tactics to try and get me off my game. "You should go," Dean nodded.

I smiled, "You think?"

"I know. We'll spend our last days together and then we'll wait. If something happens when you're gone, then okay, something'll happen but if you don't find anyone better, then we'll talk when you get back," Dean said.

"So we'll wait for each other unless someone else comes along?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

I smiled, "Okay. Sure. And Dean?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"Thank you for being so understanding," I replied.

"It's because I love you," he replied.

"I love you too," I said, happily.

Dean leaned in and then kissed me. Things between us started heating up and we went into the living room. The living room floor then became our bed. Our sex was probably hotter than the fire that was burning in the fireplace. At the end, Dean and I just lay next to each other, wrapped in the blankets on the floor. I didn't want to leave him, but I knew I had to. And he was being amazing about it too. It was just bad timing I guess.

Dean and I's last day together was bittersweet. I was excited to be going to South America but I hated leaving him. I was never that girl to choose a boy over her career and this was yet another one of these instances. I wasn't quite sure what I needed to pack. Dr. Stevens had said that I wouldn't need much but clothes, medical supplies, and hygienic products. I put yet another t-shirt and pair of shorts into my duffel bag. Dean was being really good about this. He hadn't really show a sign of true disappointment which meant either he was being strong for me or didn't actually like me that much. Okay I knew that the second reason was false. Dean loved me. I could feel it.

"So you're only going to be gone for a year right?" Dean asked.

"Mhm. Just a year," I replied.

He smiled, laying back on my bed. I hummed to myself as I continued to pack. I hated this feeling of packing but I kept pushing myself to finish. It was that Sunday night feeling. That feeling you got right before you had to go back to school and the idea of the weekend ending.

"Sorry is this boring for you?" I asked, looking over at Dean.

"No, not at all. I have a great view," Dean smirked, looking me up and down. I giggled. I was going to miss that smirk.

"I'm sorry I just… kind of have to do this," I said. I hated this!

"Oh no, go right ahead. I'm going to get some water," Dean replied.

"Okay," I said back. I kept packing. I sighed, glancing at the book on my bedside table. I never got to finish it and it wasn't like I needed to bring a billion books with me. I had already packed several. I was left on my own for a couple of minutes in silence. I kept attempting to turn my brain off but I couldn't help but think all of these things… What if Dean found someone else? I mean, obviously the man had no problem getting women.

"Do you need help packing?" I heard a voice ask, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned around to see Dean. He was just standing there and staring at me, a heartbreaking look in his eyes. And right at this moment, I realized what an impact it had on him. This wasn't just about me, it was about Dean too.

"Uh, sure, that'd be great," I replied. But Dean just stood there. Instead of consoling him or telling him that I'd be back, I just walked over to him and kissed him right then and there. "You know I don't want to leave you, right?" I pulled away and looked at him.

"I know you don't," Dean nodded.

"Good because I really don't. This is what I've always wanted to do and like you said, we'll wait for each other. I'm so in love with you, Dean Winchester. Nothing is ever going to change that," I reassured.

"I love you too," he said back.

The two of us looked at each other and I began to pull away, "Just a bit more packing." Dean helped me go through my drawers and pick out what I needed.

"Do you think you'll need this in the jungle?" Dean asked. I turned to see what he was holding and of course, it was a black and lacey bra.

"No, I definitely don't. That stays here," I said, snatching from him and shoving it back in the drawer. I closed the drawer.

"Aw, you're no fun!" Dean whined.

I giggled, "Well, I'm about done and I can do the rest later."

"You sure?"

"Sure."

"Well what now?"

"Well," I started, mischievously. "Since I leave tomorrow morning, I say we make tonight count." I moved closer to Dean, tangling my fingers with his. He seemed taken aback that I was the one coming on to him this time. I leaned in for a kiss and he met my lips with his. I was going to miss this too…

"Oh I can't believe you're really going. You're going to be amazing. Go save lives, okay?" Katie smiled, hugging me.

"Aw Katie, I'm going to miss you! You kick ass at the hospital, okay?" I asked back. She smiled and nodded and then pulled me in for another hug. "It was really great actually getting to know you and take care of Bradley for me, alright? He gets a little irresponsible sometimes and doesn't know what to do with himself."

"I will," Katie chuckled. Next, was Bradley.

"What am I going to do without you?" Bradley asked.

"I don't know. Crash and burn, maybe," I suggested. Bradley chuckled.

"I'm going to miss you a lot. Don't have too much fun without me," he said.

"Oh I'll try," I said back. Hey, and don't do anything stupid without me, alright?"

"Alright," Bradley said. I gave him one last hug before moving on to Alex.

"Bye, Jen. You'll be amazing," Alex commented.

"Thanks, Alex. I'll see you in a year?" I asked.

"See you," he replied.

"We should get going," Dean said.

I nodded, "Bye you guys. Take care of my house, please!"

"We will," they replied.

Just like last night and this entire thing, it was very bittersweet. Dean put my duffel bag in the trunk and I got in the passenger seat next to him. Dean started the car and the two of us were off to the airport. We didn't say much on the way there. It was a nice, sunny day and Dean had the windows rolled down. I just contemplated everything as the wind ran through my hair.

"Well this would be me," I said, as we reached my terminal.

"Oh, yeah, right," Dean mumbled.

"Look, I'll be back in a year. I love you, okay? I wish I could stay with you, I really do, it's just, this has always come first for me just like hunting will always come first for you," I said.

"Yeah, I know. I just wish you didn't have to go to the middle of nowhere," Dean said back.

I chuckled, "Sorry about that. And I know we said we'd wait for each other but if anything happens to me or if you find someone else, I want you to move on. I don't want to hold you back."

"I don't think I'll find anyone better than you, Jen," Dean said.

I rolled my eyes playfully, "Oh trust me. You will. But really, if you find someone don't miss your chance."

Instead of responding, Dean just said this: "Come back to me, Jennie Montgomery."

I smiled, "I will."

He then leaned in and gave me one last kiss as my plane was being called.

"I love you," Dean said.

"I love you too," I replied.

"Goodbye. I'll see you in a year?" he asked.

"I'll see you in a year," I replied, smiling. I was trying to fight back tears so instead I just smiled. It was hard not to cry. I turned around to go get in line and I was walking when all of a sudden I just stopped. I turned around just as Dean turned around. The two of us saw each other and walked towards each other once again for one last kiss.