I told you it was going to be a gigantic chapter, in retrospect I should have split it in two as it is over 12000 words, but I wouldn't know where to split as it all fits together.
Anyway; the song you need is La Vie en Rose, but the Armstrong version this time ;-)
Enjoy and at the end I ask you one question...
Chapter 12: Epilogue
Two bachelor parties and a wedding.
*
'Come on Dean, get up!' Sam said poking his brother.
'Five more minutes, mom,'
Sam sighed, his brother had been sleeping on their couch quite often the last six months, not wanting to go back to his own empty house, he needed the company, he needed laughter and voices around him.
'Good morning,' Julie said as she came downstairs, finding the odd picture of her fiancée poking his half-naked brother in the side.
She kissed Sam and went over to Dean, her maternal instincts took over as she pecked him on the cheek and stroked his forehead. Dean could definitely get used to this and that's exactly what Sam was afraid of.
'Don't encourage him!' Sam said to Julie but she ignored him.
'Come on, let's get you a cup of coffee.'
She poured him a steaming mug of coffee and behind her back Dean's devilish grin towards Sam appeared, his eyes bright and innocent.
Sam rolled his eyes and went to sit at the table next to him.
'You have a tux-fitting today, don't forget,' he said.
'I know, I'll be there.'
Dean got dressed and decided to go back to his own home, he still had some stuff to organize for the Bachelor party which was only days away.
'See you later,' he said stepping out the door.
'Three O'clock!' Sam yelled back.
Julie's phone went and as she saw the caller-ID her face lit up.
'Hey Katie what's up? She did what? Oh no, I understand,' Julie's tone changed into disappoint, 'uhu, I see, yeah sure. No we'll have tons of fun. Sure, see you later,' she hung up the phone throwing it on the table.
'What's a matter?' Sam asked, though he could surely guess what was wrong.
'Lena called Katie and Christina, she's not going to make it back in time to organize hen's night, so she pawned off that maid of honour duty to Chris and Katie.'
'That's great!' Sam said trying to cheer up his girl.
'What do you mean?'
'Look I love Lena but if you're talking party you need Chris and Katie, no doubt.'
'Yeah perhaps,' she replied smiling.
The aftermath of the break-up was tangible in all their lives, Julie and Sam were constantly worrying about Dean who acted like he was fine and threatening people who asked him if he was fine. Christina and Katie went on with their lives as usual though their Thursday night dinners were now a thing of the past, they would only get together sporadically. And the only contact Julie had were a couple of text message once in a blue moon from strange and long phone numbers. After six months they all had new routines and were happy just the same, they missed their friend but they knew she was out there somewhere doing her own thing.
As the wedding came closer they became all much happier, lost in the details of what was to become a fairytale wedding, though Sam didn't need the hoopla he did love to see his girl fantasize and eventually went with everything she wanted. They had rented a beautiful vineyard and a house that looked like it was completely made out of glass. Sam didn't see the need for a wedding church but did want their bond to be unified in some special way.
'I need to go,' Sam suddenly said as he jumped up and left Julie baffled.
'Where are you going?'
'Just something for the wedding, don't worry,'
'What then?'
'I'm not telling you,' he said with a grin on his face making Julie sigh with Sam's secrecy.
'Babe,' she yelled before he went out the door, 'you talk to the minister yet?'
'No,' Sam said frowning in fear of his girl yelling.
'What? I thought you took care of that? What are we supposed to do? We're walking down that aisle in a week!!! What the hell Sam. You forgot?!' she yelled in a frenzy seeing her wedding coming loose at the seems.
'I just didn't really wanted a minister, but don't worry I have an alternative, you'll see.' Scared out of his wits he ran to his car and hoped plan A would come through because plan B didn't exist.
Sam drove to a deserted park and started praying.
**********
'Hold still,' the tailor demanded.
'Sam, I don't understand this, I have this why can't I perform your wedding in this?'
'Cas, come on blend in okay, you're wearing a suit, you'll feel much more comfortable,' Sam grinned as he saw the Angel standing in an awkward position. Sam figured that their union couldn't be holier than an Angel actually performing the wedding. Castiel didn't know what to say at first but Sam played the remember-what-we-did-three-years-ago card and Castiel had caved, not wanting to fess up to Sam what a huge favour he had done all of them just a few months ago and for some reason he felt honoured by their request, he had wanted to learn more from humans for so long but he had never dared to participate in their weird customs and he kind of liked this side of humans, he had seen so much pain and hurt in his existence that he had almost forgotten that they could be so endearing, loving and caring.
'This is ridiculous,' he sighed.
'You'll get used to it, look I don't like it either but he's calling the shots,' Dean said nodding at his brother, while he was standing next to Castiel getting his measurements taken by a slightly older gay man.
'Hey, hey, watch the goods, they're not for you,' Dean said looking down at the man who was taking the in-seems.
'Dean!' Sam yelled in embarrassment, 'let the man do his job!' he covered his eyes with his hand in shame.
'So Sam, getting nervous yet for the big day?' Dean asked as he was changing back in his jeans and T.
'No not really,'
'No cold feet?'
'Nope, nothing. I just feel really, really right. I am one hundred percent certain of this. Julie is the love of my life, what can I say.'
'Yeah, yeah, she's yin to your yang, I've heard the speech. Speaking of, say can I bring a date to the wedding?'
'You're up for a plus one so yeah, but you do know she is coming right?' Sam was careful about saying her name because it always had a bad effect on him.
'Yeah, I know,' he said averting his eyes, 'I mean it's been six months I'm pretty sure she hasn't been celibate since.' He said, 'Have you spoken to her?' he asked cautiously.
'No, Julz did though, she called last week to confirm some stuff for the wedding,'
'She say where she was?'
'Who?' Castiel suddenly said coming out of the fitting room.
'No one,' Dean said walking away and leaving the shop.
'Why is Dean being evasive when asked a direct question,' he asked not understanding this particular human behaviour. Sam just laughed and shook his head leaving behind a confused angel in a tuxedo shop.
**********
'Hunny, I'm back!' Sam yelled.
'I'm not talking to you,' she replied not looking up from her book, Supremacy.
'You're not huh? Too bad, I was going to tell you something important but well if you wont talk to me never mind.' He said shrugging walking carefully into the kitchen.
'I can listen,' she said still annoyed.
'Well let's just say our MOC problem has been resolved.'
'Our what now?'
'Master of Ceremony, it's taken care of, you'll see.'
'Sam,' she said with a worried look on her face, putting away the book, 'I know you and upstairs don't have the best relationship and I'm not very religious either but I was kind of hoping to marry in front of God as well as the state. Can we please just confirm the minister?'
'Julz, look into my eyes,' she leaned over the couch doing as she was told, 'do you trust me?'
'Yes,' she replied hesitantly.
'Than don't worry about it okay,' Sam continued walking towards the kitchen.
'So where's my food woman! I'm starving!' he yelled stretching to his full height.
'It'll be here in,' she cocked her head and listened, 'about 32 seconds.'
Sam heard the Impala pull up and Dean's steps in the grind, he sighed.
'Hunny I'm home,' he proclaimed walking through the door with three pizzas.
'Hi darling,' Julie purred making Sam want to bite off his arm just so he would have something to fling to his freeloading brother.
'You know Julie, if you keep treating him like that, he'll never leave, you do realize that don't you!'
Dean sat down while Sam was still standing in the kitchen doorway.
'But he's so cute, we can't kick him out,' she said petting Dean's head.
'She's right bro, I'm adorable.'
Sam gave up and all three of them had a great light-hearted meal. Julie noticed Dean had ordered and was actually eating a vegetarian pizza. She didn't say anything but felt that he was still trying to catch some sort of essence from her.
Julie was putting everything in the dishwasher as Sam recycled the carton boxes. And Dean was confused. He was pacing in the kitchen, looking at everything.
'What are you doing?' Sam asked.
'I don't know,' he said absently moving with his hands, 'something's different here.'
'Yeah, like what?' Sam smirked.
'That's what I'm trying to figure out, it's not the lighting, or the curtains or the cupboards.' Dean continued looking at the kitchen, 'you got a new table?'
'Dean that's been there for over three weeks!' Sam noted.
'What was wrong with the old one?'
Both Julie and Sam went bright red as they had a little accident with that old kitchen table.
'Hot pot,' Julie said but Sam said, 'paint!'
'Oh my God! You totally broke it!' Dean yelled laughing taking his beer to the living room.
'Look Dean you have to understand,' Julie said walking behind him, 'mommy and daddy love each other very much and sometimes they can't contain themselves.'
'Oh God! Please shut up now, Sam shut her up,'
'But Dean don't you have questions, you know the birds and the bees?' Sam said playing along with Julie's onset.
Horror struck on Dean's face.
'Oh my God! How many times have I eaten on that table?! You are both disgusting, can't contain yourselves?! You're both adults for crying out loud! That's just plain unsanitary!'
Sam and Julie were laughing till tears came in their eyes, Dean, totally crept out, left his beer and the horny couple alone. That was probably for the best as they still had to break in their new kitchen table.
**********
'Hey, yeah I'm on my way, see you in a few,' Julie said as she was packing an overnight bag.
'Do you really have to go?' Sam asked lying on the bed as he watched his girl pack.
'You know the rules, we aren't supposed to sleep together before the wedding,'
'Those rules are so archaic, let's ignore them shall we?' Sam said as he groped her by the waist and pulled her closer to him on the bed. Julie yelped in pleasure but fought her way out of his grip.
'I have to go, besides Dean will be here any minute,'
Sam grunted as he heard the words,
'But I don't want to go look at half naked women,' he whined.
'You're such a liar, you love a boys' night out and you know it, just don't kiss any of those skanks, I mean for my own protection of course, I don't want you to kill me you see,' she smiled.
'How can a siren ever get to me, when she's already here,'
'Did you just compare me to an old ancient Greek creature?'
'Yeah I guess I did, still better than calling you the Trojan horse right?'
'Yeah I guess so,' she replied with a grin on her face, 'okay now kiss me goodbye,'
Sam did as he was told.
'I'll see you the day after tomorrow, I'll be the one in white,'
Sam smiled and sighed as he saw Julie slip away. A wind blew across the room and Sam got up.
'What are you doing here Cas?' Sam asked confused.
'I have been given instructions to be here at 7pm sharp,' the Angel answered and as Sam looked at the clock he noticed it was 5 seconds past 7.
'By who?'
'By Dean,'
'Of course, well let's get downstairs, I'm sure he'll be here soon.'
'What is going to happen Sam?' Cas asked a bit anxious why he was summoned here.
'I'm not going to lie to you Cas, you're not going to like it, I'm not going to like it but we'll pretend and hopefully we'll survive the night,' Sam said sighing as he walked down the last steps, followed by Castiel.
Only a few minutes later Sam heard the cars pull up on the driveway.
'Here's Johnny,' he said in his best Nicholson voice.
'Who's Johnny?' Cas asked not getting the allusion.
'Never mind,' Sam replied opening the door and watched the rowdy bunch get out of the cars, how he ever got into this hillbilly state of mind he never understood, he blamed his brother for it. Dean was caring a couple of six packs, while Andy brought in the food.
'Our favourite bachelors,' he yelled as he saw Sam and Cas standing in the doorway, Dean was honestly exited for the evening to come and he hugged his brother on his way in.
'Hey Cas, this big bear is Andy, he's married to Christina, and this small fry is Chris he's Katie's man.'
'It's my pleasure,' Andy stammered reaching out his hand.
'Hello,' Cas said eying the man's hand suspiciously, his own hands crossed behind his back.
'Guys this is the Angel we talked about,'
'Dean!' Castiel suddenly yelled, 'you told them who I was?'
'Calm down Cas, these guys are trustworthy believe me, they're like Bobby, only prettier.' He smirked.
'I can not condone this behaviour, these are civilians, not hunters,'
Andy and Chris couldn't help but look unbelievably uncomfortable, unwanted and meaningless as Andy tucked his hand away in his jeans, too afraid of hitting an Angel in the face for insulting him.
Sam quickly intervened feeling the tension rise.
'Cas, it's okay, they're reliable, look no one else knows okay, besides Julie and Lena know too and they're not hunters,'
Castiel eyed Sam suspiciously at his last statement but decided to give the two fairly innocent looking men the benefit of the doubt, besides he didn't feel like smiting anyone today, he just wanted to be human, just for a day.
'Awkward,' Dean said with his high-pitched voice and he made his way into the living room turning on the TV.
'Hey guys, the game has already started, hurry yup,' he yelled at the foursome who joined him and finally found some common ground.
Castiel was intrigued by the progress, he thought this was going to be a social event but instead of talking and sharing they were all glued to this box, showing 22 men running around in tiny shorts. And then there was this yelling at the TV, he didn't understand why these grown men were yelling at people who couldn't hear them, he figured it was so pointless.
'So I don't get it,' Cas suddenly asked when they were all quiet for a second, 'these men run their heart out to catch this ball and then they kick it and proceed to run after it again? How's that logical?'
All the guys laughed when they heard Castiel's logic, they had to admit he had a point.
'See that big net and those poles?' Andy asked.
'Yes, I do,'
'Well they're trying to kick the ball into the net, only using their feet to do it, it's called soccer and sometimes it's called football but I don't know where.'
'It sounds more logical to call it football, you kick the ball with your feet,' Castiel remarked.
'True but there's another game called football,'
'Do you kick that ball with your feet too?'
'No not exactly,' Andy sighed as he had no idea how to explain the given names.
'Here take a beer, you'll enjoy the game more,' Dean said tossing Cas another one.
By the second half of this 90 minute game Castiel had finally found the appeal of drinking, eating and yelling at the TV, he had found it very educational and when their team in the end prevailed he was generally relieved and joined in on the patting on the back and the cheerful laughter.
'Okay boys, on to the next part of our evening,' Dean said as he stood up finishing his beer.
'What is this next part you talk of?' Castiel asked curiously.
'Don't worry man, you're gonna love it,' he replied hitting the Angel in the back.
They all followed Dean out of the house and got into Chris' BMW, he was the designated driver for the night, poor man had chosen 'paper' playing rock-paper-scissors against Dean.
*
'Let's go man, while they haven't seen us together yet,' Dean said slapping Andy on the back, anxious for some action.
Andy sighed, but caved easily as he knew this was what part of being a hunter.
Both made their way up to the pool table and got ready to take some poor bastards money. Before they were going to break Andy walked up to Dean and whispered in his ear.
'Can I please take them tonight?' Andy pleaded quietly.
'Sure man, if you think you're ready, you're ready.'
Dean broke and whooped Andy's ass, by the time they finished the game they had already turned a few heads, mainly because Andy was pretending to be loud and drunk. When Dean put his stick down and took Andy's money there were already a couple of vultures circling the table, ready to profit from a drunken buffoon like Andy.
Chris, Cas and Sam observed from a table afar and laughed as the two put on a show like there was no tomorrow.
'What is this game they play?' Castiel asked.
'It's pool man, the balls need to go into the pockets, first one to finish wins.' Sam stated.
'And that is fun?' He asked without any sarcasm in his voice
'The game itself pretty much bores them both but the mind games they're playing during it is much more alluring.'
'I think I'll go observe up close.' Cas said curious what Sam meant by mind games.
'So Sam, you think you're ready for married life?' Chris inquired suddenly.
'Yeah I think I am, I mean nothing's really going to change when it come down to it. Just a piece of paper in the end.' He said casually not believing his own words; 'were you ready?'
Chris sighed deeply and thought back to his life with Katie, how she has saved his life and how she had made him happy in so many many ways.
'In retrospect I can absolutely say that yes, yes I was ready for marriage, Sam you can't believe how much I love her. Since the first moment I met her actually, I know she didn't see me like that at first but I did,' he said staring out in front of him, a big stupid smile appeared on his face, 'she looked at me and I just melted. It was love at first sight.'
'Man you're still a love sick puppy, and I think I have an idea how much you love her,' Sam said his own eyes sparkling at the prospect of putting that ring around her perfect finger.
'Yeah I guess you do,' he answered toasting with their beers.
'Yeah sure, get ready to loose buster!' Sam heard Andy yell to a biker that was about Andy's size.
'You break,' the man said pretty sure of himself.
Andy broke perfectly, just as Dean had taught him, Dean couldn't help but smile brilliantly as he was so proud. But the biker caught Dean's smile and wasn't going to take their shit lying down. He broke the cue and came swinging at Andy but he was quick on his feet and though he was always a kind hearted person who wouldn't hurt a fly, you know you don't anger a bear. Andy gave the guy an uppercut before the stick had even hit him. This angered the biker's friends and some other people in the bar who were just looking for a fight. One managed to jump Dean, who was stunned for a minute but then found that Chris had already hit his attacker in the balls from behind so he just collapsed and released Dean from the grip.
'Thanks,' Dean said a bit humiliated being saved by a guy half his size in width.
Dean saw Sam getting in some good punches to free Andy of the two heavy guys that had jumped him even Castiel jumped in after a guy hat hit him in the back with a chair.
'You shouldn't have done that son, I am an Angel...'
'Not now Cas just hit him in the face!' Dean yelled at him, interrupting Castiel's introduction. Castiel listened and felt bad about hitting his father's creation in the face but he had to do something.
The moment they saw that the people were stunned but still ready to attack the five friends, they grabbed the cash and ran outside like the five hooligans they really are.
'That was fun,' Dean panted getting into the Beamer.
'Fun?' Sam said rubbing his head.
'Yeah!' Andy growled as the engine came to life and skidded off the lot.
'On to stage 3 of our plan.' Dean proclaimed.
'This? A barfight, was part of your plan?' Sam yelled as he was still pumped with adrenaline.
'Of course, couldn't have you marrying that beautiful girl before you say goodbye to your old life now could I?'
The car responded in laughter except for Sam, he found it hard to believe that this was going to be his last fight and if it was he kind of wished he had gotten in some more punches.
Castiel didn't see the humour either, he couldn't believe what he had just done, hitting a civilian in the face? He kept staring at his hands.
'Oh man, I hope this doesn't turn into a black eye 'cause Christina will kill me if I show up like that on the wedding.'
'That's why we have tomorrow to recover man, we can get hammered and beaten up and by Friday we'll be back on our feet.' Dean said smiling at his own brilliance for planning the bachelor party on Wednesday instead of Thursday.
'We're here,' Chris said as they pulled into another parking lot.
Castiel squinted at the red and blue neon lights that were flashing from the building.
'What is this place?' he asked at the sight.
**********
When Julie arrived at Christina's she was disappointed that there was no red Mustang in sight, she breathed deeply and rang the bell.
'Here she is our bride!' Christina squealed with a big smile on her face as she opened the door.
'I see you have started without me,' Julie said hugging Chris as she remarked the margarita in Chris' hand.
'How do you figure that? This is just my starter!'
'Julie you're here!' Katie said as she came through the kitchen door, 'how are you feeling?'
'Pretty exhausted actually, believe you me I'm only getting married once!'
'Oh you'll be glad when it's finally there, when it's your day and you have nothing more to worry about.'
'Yeah, I know, I can't believe I'm actually getting married,' she said putting her hands in her hair while Chris poured her a margarita. She tossed it back in one shot and Christina just refilled the glass.
'Hmm, what do I smell? It smells good!' Julie suddenly noticed.
'Chris' famous lasagne, of course! Only she used that substitute meat instead of the real thing,' the corners of Katie's lips went down as she said the words.
'It's supposed to have the same flavour,' Chris remarked not very certain of her own cooking.
'What is it made of?' Julie asked squinting her eyes in disbelief.
'You don't want to know,' Chris said.
*
Lena pulled up at Christina's place and saw the various cars in the street she knew so well, she noticed she was late but she needed to pause for just minute and wrap her head around; why she was here again? Right Julie's wedding, can't bail, maid of honour duties and all that.
She breathed in the summer air that was slowly turning into an autumn breeze, as she looked through the window she saw her three friends laughing and toasting, she felt like an outsider staring in, and that was exactly what she was. Though she yearned to go in she was scared shitless that things had changed between them. She hadn't been the bestest friend to any of them, she hadn't done much for the wedding or any of her other bride's maid duties, she hadn't checked in on Chris and her kids, for Christ's sake she hadn't even been on the phone with Katie talking books for hours on end. Thinking back to their lives before she split made a smile creep up her face, she loved these women and she had a feeling she would be forgiven, they'd mostly felt sorry for her, she guessed. They knew what Dean had meant to her and they would understand.
Stop this madness, just go in, you worthless chicken.
Lena sighed heavily and set one foot in front of the other repeating the process until she reached that door.
*
The doorbell rang as they knew their fourth and last guest had arrived. All jumped up and went over to door, and as they opened it they saw a tanned and smiling Lena.
'Oh my God, it's so good to see you all!' Lena yelled in pleasure hugging each of her friends.
As she took of her shades, she started crying out of joy.
'I missed you guys so much!' she said happy and cheerful.
'We missed you too!' They replied content to be complete again.
'Don't ever go again,' Julie commanded as she would hardly let go of her friend and Lena just laughed.
When they were done hugging and kissing and checking each other out they took their seats at the dinner table, and like nothing had changed over the last six months, they talked, laughed and drank. The lasagne turned out to be great even without the meat.
'Okay spill it, where have you been?' Julie suddenly asked after the table had been cleaned and all eyes were now on Lena.
'All over, pretty good trip.' She replied lightly.
'Be specific for once!' Julie cried, yearning for more information.
'Well, when I left I decided to go back to my hometown actually, so after a roadtrip to Austin, Texas, I left Jared in a garage box and took a plane back to Belgium, I didn't stay there very long but I did caught up with some old friends. I went to see my precious car.'
'Your car? But you said you left it in Texas?' Julie interrupted.
'I left Jared here but my first love was in a garage box back in Antwerp, my Alfa GT, so I took a roadtrip through Europe, I had forgotten how much I loved it there. I was finally able to battle my own demons. And I flew in from Italy just a few days ago.' She said with a smile on her face, like she was content.
'So you'll be going back then?' Katie cautiously asked.
'Nope, not for a while though, I have no idea what I'm going to do. You know me.' She said shrugging.
'Just stay a while then, if you have nowhere to be.' Julie said trying to disguise the pleading in her voice.
'Sure I might just take you up on that offer.' She replied not completely certain of that statement.
The foursome started drinking and toasting and Lena cunningly diverted the subject from her own to Julie's oncoming wedding. It was like their Thursday night dinners had never stopped, except then it was Wednesday, they still felt unbelievably comfortable with each other and it was so easy be with on another, no pressure, no awkwardness, just friendship. Lena had certainly missed this feeling, she had forgotten how good it felt to actually belong somewhere and not be the odd one out for once.
**********
Dean and his posse entered the Pussy Cat with Castiel closing the lines as he was not exactly sure in what situation the eldest brother was putting him in.
'Ladies!' Dean proclaimed as he walked through the door like he owned the place.
A lot of squeals and half-naked bodies greeted the men, making Chris, Cas and Sam a bit uncomfortable.
'Sam you're early,' A girl called Denise said, 'does that mean you are staying?'
'Yeah, I guess so,' Sam said, hands in his pockets and his shoulders up high.
The girl had seen Sam on various occasions although Sam wasn't the strip-club kind of man, the club did have his cell phone number in case Dean had had one too many.
'Ladies, I know I am irresistible, it's tough,' Dean exclaimed seriously, 'but tonight we're here for my brother's bachelor party, so you treat him right,'
A lot more screams and congratulations came from the girls as they were led to one of the booths in the club. The ladies always put on their best show for the Winchesters because they tipped decent and they kept their hands to themselves, the boys treated the ladies with respect and humour, every one of them begged to wait on their table.
'Hi, I'm mother Teresa and I'll be your waitress tonight,' a girl in a blue outfit said with a pad in her hand.
'Yeah, I bet you are,' Dean said nodding approvingly, 'how have you been Chantrelle?'
'Fine Dean, thanks, so Sam I hear it's your bachelor party, congratulations!' she said leaning on the table showing a cleavage that left not much unseen.
'Yeah, getting married Friday,' Sam said to her.
'You know what's perfect for bachelor parties?' she said biting her lower lip teasingly.
'No, what,' Sam smiled.
'Bodyshots!'
'Yeah! Bodyshots! Definitely!' Dean yelled, cursing himself for not thinking of it himself.
'I am so in!' Andy added to Dean's joy.
'Yeah, you go ahead, I don't know though,'
'Come on Sam, it's innocent fun you know, you wont be crossing a line,' Chantrelle said.
'Okay, fine,' he caved setting off a lot of ruffles on the table and scanting from the men.
'Just so you know, we're closing the club for tonight, so this is going to be the best farewell send off we could offer you,' she added.
'Oh that's really sweet,' Sam said, 'you didn't have to do that.' Sam said with his palm to his heart.
'But we wanted to,' she said winking and leaving the men.
*
'Okay this is how it's going down,' a woman in some sort of dominatrix costume yelled while toying with a leather whip, 'Samuel Winchester are you willing to accept this challenge and go through this rite of passage?'
'What's this rite of passage she talks about? And why are they all so little dressed?' Castiel whispered to Andy.
'Just watch man, you'll get it, we're here to appreciate the female form,' he whispered back.
'Yes I am!' Sam said in the mood from previous alcohol use.
'Good!' the dominatrix said as the rest of the onlookers were clapping and cheering Sam on.
Sam was a bit unsure how he would do it because he wasn't just here to pass the rite, he was here to break Dean's record and he figured he would be able to do that if he didn't fell down. The stage, the women usually used to dance on, was now covered with ten beautiful girls, all shapes, colours and sizes. Each of them had a streak of salt beneath their belly buttons, a shotglass of tequila on their midriff and a slice of lime between their breasts, and he wasn't allowed to use his hands.
Sam set off as soon as a woman dressed as a dirty nurse had given the go with a timer in her hands. With certainty and speed he licked the salt off of his first girl which appeared to be Denise, and as his tongue accidently brushed the girls thong he moved up to the tequila in one swift move he tossed it back and went for his end goal, the green slice hiding between two Ds.
All the other men and women were cheering Sam on as he went down the line. Though Dean got a bit weary when he reached number seven and could still walk straight.
'He's heading for your record, man,' Chris said as he stood behind Dean.
'Shut up, he'll never make it,' he replied frowning.
'So what is that beverage?' Castiel asked Andy.
'Tequila man, you should try it.'
Andy waved over Chantrelle and asked for a couple of tequilas for his friend. Castiel didn't know exactly why but being referred to as a friend made him feel something funny, something warm in his gut and he didn't quite understand it but seeing it was a good feeling he didn't bother to ask.
'Here, first lick your hand, a little salt, lick your hand again, toss back the tequila and bite down the lime,' As Andy showed Castiel his eyes squinted biting the lime.
As Castiel repeated the process he too closed his eyes at the sour of the lime.
'Now, what?' He said still as sober as a fish though he had been drinking like all the others.
'Now you repeat the process,' Andy said laughing.
Suddenly everyone except one was jubilant as Sam had reached the final girl, dressed as a if she was an extra in one of Britney Spears' clips, and had indeed broken Dean's record.
Dean was cursing on the inside but he decided to let it go and let Sam have his moment of triumph. He walked up to his brother and hugged him, though resentful he was so proud at the same time.
The party resumed as everyone started dancing and drinking, fifteen beautiful ladies, a dj and five grown men having the night of their life.
'Okay I think I can feel the effect now,' Castiel said slightly light-headed.
'You can't be serious!' Andy slurred as he saw Castiel toss back another scotch. Though the new found buddies had been drinking together, Andy was already on the drooling-and-nearly-passing-out stage while Cas just started to feel it.
'Hey big man, want to come and dance?' Denise said as she pulled Castiel out of the booth. Before he could reply he was already on his feet throwing a help-me look at Andy, who just laughed and encouraged Castiel.
Dean and Sam watched Castiel being caught by a see of women and decided to take a breather and slid into the booth across from Andy.
'So Sam, you ready?'
'Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes for Christ's sake, I am.'
'Ready to leave all this behind?' Andy said nodding at the half-naked girls who were devouring Castiel and Chris, 'you have to be nuts.'
'Nuts about love,' Sam said.
'Excuse me while I gag a little,' Dean said pretending to barf next to the table.
'You any regrets Andy?' Sam asked.
'Oh god no! I knew the minute she flew over and she was in front of my door. We got along fine online and I was a bit apprehensive about our first meeting but God,' Andy said exhaling, reminiscing when he saw Christina on his front step, 'I just knew we were going to get along just fine and it was like we had known each other for ages. You know that feeling? When you just know no one can top that?' He said to Sam.
'Yeah, I do, I absolutely do. I mean Julie, she's a looker, I know that but what goes on inside that head of hers! She always thinks about others first and she is such a good person. She puts up with my crazy family, with hunting. I mean she's the best thing that could have ever happened to me.' He said, love saturating his voice.
Dean just looked down at his beer and didn't know what to say. He had that feeling, he lost that feeling. All of a sudden he missed Lena even more than he had for the past months, the only thing he wanted to do was call her and talk to her for hours, but he blamed the feeling on the intake of alcohol, he took a swig of his beer as he felt Sam's and Andy's eyes scrutinizing his actions.
'What?' he yelled.
'Nothing man, I'm sorry I should never have brought it up, I know how you feel,' Andy said apologizing.
'Yeah, some how I don't think you know how I feel,' he said with a harsh voice, 'picture yourself loosing Christina because of what you do? Yeah I don't think you know how I feel.'
'Dean, that's not fair, you can't blame Andy for your idiocy.' Sam said intervening.
Dean just went silent figuring his brother was right, he shouldn't have brought the girls with them on that hunt and if he hadn't he figured he's still be happy and in love.
'Tell me, you really love her?' Sam suddenly asked not sure what the answer was.
'More than anything,' he replied silently staring at the brown bottle in front of him.
The conversation had turned for the worse but before anyone else could say anything they were interrupted by a whip hitting their table top.
'You boys getting lazy on me now?' the dominatrix a.k.a Heather said menacingly.
She convinced the threesome to get up, though wobbly on their feet, and come and join the party again as they were playing Little L by Jamiroquai, though it wasn't exactly Dean's genre, he was starting to like the guy or was it because it reminded him of someone else.
**********
Thursday morning everyone, including the girls who had passed out on the couches after having one hell of a slumber party, woke up with a major hangover and all were very happy that the wedding wasn't taking place today.
'What are you doing?' Julie asked as she looked over at the table with only one eye, and saw Lena darting in and out of the kitchen.
Lena shushed Julie as she was talking into her phone.
'Okay thanks, great. I'll see you tomorrow.' She hung up the phone.
'I'm making breakfast my dear, what does it look like?' Lena answered her friend with a radiant smile.
'So you're past the damn-I-wish-I-laid-off-the-martini-sooner part of the day?'
'Yeah, I took two aspirins and if all you ladies came to the table I laid them out for you as well.'
The three women smiled and took their seats while Lena served the eggs, three different ways, just as everyone liked them, overeasy, scrambled with bacon and sunny side up.
'So who was on the phone?' Julie asked with a mouth full off bagel and egg.
'You've been hanging around the boys too much hunny,' Lena said as she watched Julie eat and talk, 'actually I was talking to the florist, he's confirmed, hair and make-up are expecting us by noon, the ice-sculpture will be there at 4, we have your final dress fitting this evening at five, which is actually in about,' Lena looked at her watch and added, 'three and half hours.'
'You did all that?' Julie said so thankful that she didn't have to do anything anymore.
'I really needed to make up for being a crappy maid of honour so from now one don't you worry about a thing anymore, I'll take care of everything and you can just relax and be pampered. That reminds me, two masseurs will be here at 6, so I figured we could microwave the left-overs from yesterday and eat them in front of the telly, you know Thursday night, CW night?'
All of the women looked in awe at Lena, they were all so happy that they no longer needed to organize anything anymore. Though Chris and Katie did believe it was about time that Lena stepped up to the plate.
The ladies finished their breakfast in peace and by some sort of miracle they all showed up on time and half-decent in the bridal shop, huge sunglasses hiding their fun from the shopkeepers of course. The assistant didn't look all that happy when these four ladies entered in ragged jeans and white T's, she was probably used to skirts and long-legged blonds, well tough shit because these four women were perfectly able to kick her ass, verbally as well as physically. So she reluctantly decided to help them anyway.
'Can I help you ladies?' her tone drenched with despise, only adding to Christina's hangover.
'Dress fitting Winchester wedding?' Lena said stepping in front of Chris who was about to shake the white flesh of this woman's bones.
'Right, follow me please,' she said as she understood the four meant business.
She led the foursome in one of the private dressing areas which had a podium, two luxurious seats that seemed to have belonged to a French fanny one point in time and two separate cubicles for changing.
As the woman, whose nametag said Rachel but introduced herself as Rachelle, came back with 4 dresses Lena sighed in relief.
'Oh thank God,' she said.
'No thank Katie for that,' Julie said.
Lena was so relieved to find out the bridesmaid dresses were a deep chocolate brown and not some pastel coloured thing with puffy sleeves, not that Julie had bad taste on the contrary, she was just not that familiar with dresses, let alone bridesmaid dresses.
They started off with Julie's and as she came from behind one of the cubicles their breath was caught in their throats, though Chris and Katie had already seen the dress on various occasions, the alterations made, definitely had an impact.
'You look so gorgeous, Julz, Sam is going to faint!' Lena said in total awe of her friend, and for no particular reason she suddenly envied the woman in that beautiful ecru satin dress, which felt light and breezy, which was strapless and showed off her neckline.
Even the shopkeeper had to agree that Julie was going to make a stunning bride and without dragging her feet this time she came up with the veil, swiftly tucked it behind Julie's bun and it came down only a foot from where the dress had ended on her back, below the shoulder blades. It was finished with a small satin strip on the bottom.
As Julie looked at herself in the mirror she had to agree with her friends, though the woman standing in front of the mirror wasn't exactly her, she was definitely pretty and she could live with the compromise, at one point in time she had considered walking down the aisle in blue jeans but had given way for Sam's judgement, he liked seeing her in dresses or skirts but as she hardly ever wore one she decided she could give him this favour, an ecru, traditional, simple dress.
As Julie twirled some more and flirted with her reflection her phone went off indicating a text message.
*
Sam looked around the room with the three men and was pleased on how his party had worked out, Dean was a genius, he had to admit. They were barely awake but just enough to turn ESPN on and eat the left over cold pizza from the day before, and they were going to stay in this vegetable state of mind probably for the next 16 hours or so. Luckily they had all showered and dressed so the stench of cigarette smoke, beer and throw up had been evacuating the living room.
'Where's your new friend Andy?'
'He poofed when he lost the game,' he said dryly.
'What game?'
Andy was caught as he subtly pushed the box away from Dean's sight.
'A drinking game of course!' he huffed.
'Yeah right, Cas lost to you? That's not really possible now is it, what game?' Dean asked with the widest grin on his face.
'Monopoly okay, I kicked the little Angel's ass!'
Sam watched the bickering and was amused but his mind was focused on the PDA in his palm, he hoped Dean wouldn't find out because he would be in a shitload of trouble.
*
'Hand me my phone please,' Julie said reaching out her hand as she was truly becoming a bride and she had three minions to her disposal.
'Yes, me lady,' Lena said as she grabbed into Julie's purse.
'Oh no, you don't, it's from Sam! You're not getting your phone, no contact means no contact!'
Julie disagreed and nearly had a meeting with the pink carpeted floor as she had hauled herself off the podium to her phone, luckily Chris and Katie had seen it coming and had prevented a nasty carpetburn and a torn or dirty dress. They were true heroes
'C'mon, what he say?' she whined restrained by her friends.
'You know what he says; I miss you and I love you blablabla...' Lena said in her Sam voice, which was a bit girly.
Instead of shutting the phone off, she decided to redial and tell him what she was thinking.
*
'Sam what are you doing?' Dean said as he suddenly stopped ridiculing Andy when he saw a suspicious move in the corner of his left eye.
'Nothing,' Sam said innocently stretching and placing the phone back on the table, pretending like he was just bored.
'Uhu, one more violation and I'm tying you up man, abstinence is abstinence!'
The phone suddenly blared and before Sam could reach it Dean was already holding it, even hungover Dean was quick on his feet. Well quicker than Sam hungover anyway.
'Oh what do you know, isn't that Julie's ringtone?' Dean said sarcastically listening to the phone, 'Yeah I think it is,' Dean started to sing along with the phone's tune in a girly voice, 'I had the time of my liiiiife and I owe it all to you.'
'Just gimme my phone, asshole,'
'Yeah fat chance Baby!' Dean said flipping open the phone not expecting what was held for him on the other side.
*
'Sam, you have to stop, this is bachelorette's zone, you can't be apart for two days, you shouldn't be getting married because that's obsession not love. Now do us girls a favour and try not to destroy the wedding dress again,' Lena ranted on the phone, when there was no answer her heart swelled as if she had gone too far, it was all a joke right, Sam knew that... right?
'Sam?' she asked tentatively.
*
Dean stopped breathing, normally when Lena was ranting like that he would have held the phone away from his ear because it hurt his ears but now he couldn't get enough of the stupid comments she made on the other line, he wished for her to keep on ranting, just for the heck of it. And as all the heads had turned towards Dean's direction none of them guessed what was going on, why was Dean grinning so widely and had that dark cloud above his head turned a bit lighter talking to his sister-in-law?
He finally breathed the question; 'Lena?' and if the room hadn't been quiet before it was now still frozen. Though they had all known that Dean and Lena would inevitably see each other, they hadn't expected the reunion to be this way and this soon. They hadn't even known if Lena was going to make it to the bachelor's party, they guessed she had.
*
'Dean?' she replied softly finding the strength somewhere. She too had been mentally preparing herself for the reunion Friday, Friday in the evening no less, not Thursday, Thursday was meant to be peaceful and apart from throwing fits around florists and ice sculptures and not confirmed guests who might or might not appear, it had to be relaxing, but this sent her heart-rate up skyhigh and her stress level went from I'm-calm-and-in-my-happy-place to shit-so-this-is-what-a-heart-attack-felt-like high.
'It's good to hear you too,' she said answering the phone as Dean must have said something, 'just tell your boy to back off and let us have our last day with our bachelorette, we promise to give her back tomorrow.' She said quickly wanting to hang up the phone as soon as possible.
'I couldn't agree more,' she heard Dean say on the other side; 'then again, we always saw eye to eye.'
'Yeah that couldn't be further from the truth, we hardly agreed on anything,' she said feeling a bit light-headed.
*
Dean listened to that voice that he had been craving for six months and now it sounded more heavenly than it had in his mind.
When he heard her voice say; 'I'm going to hang up now, I'll see you tomorrow,' he wanted to scream no, but he was smarter than that and not really that desperate, he wanted to answer but before he could, he heard that the connection had already been broken. Ironically he didn't feel that the connection between them had been broken, ever, talking to her on the phone made everything disappear, like the last six months hadn't taken place. He cursed his insecure self for having a date at the wedding, he wished he hadn't but he was not going the cancel, besides Lena might have just done the same.
Though both sides desperately wanted to know what had just happened and if both were going to crumple they knew better than to ask. Neither Dean or Lena would tell them how their hearts had beaten ten times as hard and why deodorant suddenly had no effect. They just resumed their activities and would bring the subject up again tonight if enough alcohol had been spilled.
*
Lena, Chris and Katie ducked into the cubicles one by one and by some sort of miracle the measurements Lena had given Katie a couple of months ago hadn't changed, though she might have lost some weight and toned up a little the dress still fitted. As Lena looked at herself in the mirror she really started to like the deep chocolate brown dress, there was no fluff or unnecessary detailing except for a white sating band that went around above the bust and then again below the bust. She closed her eyes for a minute and images of Dean flashed in her head, how he had torn up one of her A-line dresses after they had attended her high school reunion. She smiled as she leaned back against the mirror and heard him whisper her name over and over.
'Get a grip for crying out loud, it has been six months, you should have gotten over him by now,' she cursed.
She opened her eyes and approved of the dress as she turned around she was ready to go out until she saw the blue, brown print peeping above the dress and below her shoulder and another yellowing print on her elbow.
'Lena come out, we want to see!' Chris yelled.
'The size all right?' Katie asked, scared that she had messed up the order.
'Size is fine,' she said before appearing with a fake smile trying to keep the attention on the front and not the back, which was probably inevitable.
'Oh my God, it's beautiful,' Julie chirped.
'Thank you,' Katie replied relieved with the bride's approval, she jumped up to see if everything was all right with the dress, no loose hems, the length, the width, she circled Lena like a vulture looking for its prey, while Lena held her breath afraid of being caught.
'Hey what's this?' Katie suddenly asked poking in Lena's back.
'Ouch! For crying out loud,'
'How'd you get that?' Chris said inspecting Lena's back.
'I fell down, how surprisingly is that? Now let it go.' Lena said turning around and heading for the cubicle, she heard all three of them giggling and laughing at her clumsiness.
'Seriously, Lena, when are you gonna learn to walk?' Chris yelled.
'Yeah, what was it this time, let me guess your own feet!' Katie said followed by a lot of laughter.
'Haha, you guys are just too fucking hilarious!' Lena said silently from behind the screen.
'Come on you guys, she's right, it's not her fault that she can't walk.'
'Okay that's it, I'm getting out of this dress and you can all just freakin' bite me!' Lena said as she unzipped it and nearly fell down putting on her jeans, the sound of her falling back against, what sounded like a cardboard wall made the laughter only increase.
'Oh please, spare us the theatrics and don't take it out on the dress, it has nothing to do with you being a clutz.' Katie said rolling her eyes as Lena appeared from behind the screens.
The laughter tied down and the ladies went back to business, all three dresses had the same beautiful colour but the white detailing was different for each of them. Chris' had a white cross on the chest, making four quadrants and separating her boobs from each other. It looked stunning, but that goes without saying. Katie's was just as beautiful, the white satin string appeared to come from behind, coming to the front and before both ends would meet they went down and stopped on the waist.
After the dress fitting the day went along slow and relaxed just as they had foreseen, except maybe for Lena, as she was talking into her earpiece at least until the two hunky masseurs arrived at Chris' suddenly she no longer needed to call people. They all enjoyed the massage and their micro-waved dinner.
Julie looked around her and saw all four of them sitting in the couch watching the telly with one eye and chattering. It was like an outer-body experience as she realized she was so unbelievably happy, almost four years ago she wouldn't have thought she would ever smile again but seeing her in the here and now. She felt guilty for having a good time while she no longer had her mom, how in hell's name could she be happy when someone you loved had died? The first time she had felt guilty for being happy she immediately became sad again but now after all these years she had learned to place her grief and could honestly enjoy this moment. This moment with her friends, and like they knew what Julie was thinking, the atmosphere became quiet and Katie laid her head on Chris' shoulder and Lena put her feet up on Julie's legs as she laid her head in Katie's lap. And as they were all connected, Julie was happy and peaceful and she sighed.
**********
It was the fifth of September, and it had been a beautiful day, luckily no glitches Lena couldn't handle.
'Julie, it's time,' Lena said in the bridal part of the house, and as Julie looked outside she could see parts of the scenery and the sun that was slowly turning orange this time of day.
'Just gimme a sec,' Julie said and Lena nodded at Chris and Katie who closed the door behind them.
'You look beautiful hunny,' Lena said softly, rubbing Julie's arms while they stared into the mirror.
'Thanks,' she sighed, 'I'm ready,'
As Lena turned for the door and both women joined the line as the music was starting to play.
Lena needed all her strength and her will to keep her eyes from peering at Dean's, she felt his stare on her and all she wanted to do was return it but her mind didn't let her heart get away with her again, not this time she vowed, so she focused on the guests seated on the beautiful lawn and the lake behind the arch, she nodded and returned smiles at the people she knew, and she promised herself to have a chat with Bobby, she had missed the old man and looking into his eyes he knew he had missed her too. She let herself look at one of the Winchester boys and she thought: 'damn when did Sammy get so hot and manly' she shook her head to try and loose those unholy thoughts.
She made it down the aisle without glancing at Dean and felt pretty damn proud of herself, except then that she felt he was so close now that she could almost touch his essence but she was just going to ignore that and watch the bride, her best friend make her big entrance and walk down that line.
Julie looked at the people who had showed and saw admiration in all of their faces, she had never had this effect on a crowd before, so it was a nice change. She saw the eyes of her students and she couldn't help but give a little wave. She saw distant relatives and was glad they came, she saw old high school friends, and then she saw her brother tearing up, what the hell she thought, and his wife and her little Felix, all dressed up in a mini-tuxedo. On the other side she saw Ellen and Jo both radiant and happy for Sam, she saw Bobby and tons of people she didn't know. Many of Sam's innocents had shown up to congratulate the happy couple, Becky was there with her brother and even Ed and Harry were there, but that was to be expected since Sam had asked them to be the camera crew. As she passed all those faces she knew this was the world she wanted to live in and she saw Sam, he was the man for her, he was her everything and as she looked at him catching his breath her smile only widened. It wasn't until she was upfront that she realized who was going to perform the ceremony. She was ecstatic, you couldn't get closer to the real thing than an actual angel performing the wedding.
Sam couldn't stop himself and kissed her when she reached him.
'Stop,' Castiel said, 'this is not in the script you gave me,'
The crows laughed and Sam just smiled and let him take lead.
The ceremony was beautiful and not too long, there were no random picked bible pages and no mealy words, it was just about them and the love they shared, Julie didn't really listen until it was time to say those two little words that would change nothing and everything.
'Do you Julie Boss take Sam Winchester as your husband, in front of all these people, do you vow to love and to hold him in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer till death do you part?' Castiel said in a deep voice.
'Even beyond that I do,' Julie said blinking away a tear that had crept up on her.
'Do you Sam Winchester...'
'I do,' Sam interrupted.
'You didn't let me finish,' Cas said quietly ensuing giggles from the attendees.
'It's okay, I know what's coming,' he replied winking at the angel. And Castiel agreed.
'Who has the rings?'
'I do, I do, I do,' little Felix said jumping up as he brought forth the pillow where two silver bands were resting, one big and one small.
'Thank you hunny,' Julie said as she picked one off and put it on Sam's finger, Sam followed suit and took the small one of the chocolate brown pillow.
'You may now kiss the bride,' Castiel exclaimed and as he saw Sam enveloping Julie he smiled and felt that warm feeling again, he was honoured that he was chosen to be part of a moment that was so personal and so private.
Clapping and cheering the crowd moved from the open space closer to the dining room in the house.
**********
The families and friends ate their dinner as they saw the sun drown into the lake and left what was to become a beautiful night. Julie and Sam sat at the bridal table together with the three bridesmaids, the tree groomsmen, Castiel and Dean's date. Lena had concentrated on Castiel for most of the dinner but sometimes her eyes wandered and caught Dean, who was openly flirting with his date, Sherri. The room was beautifully dressed with the chocolate tints appearing everywhere but subtly. Lena's surprise ice sculpture was dreadful and tacky but just perfect as it was a magnified Winchester rifle standing amidst the buffet, it turned out to be a real topic of conversation.
Music and laughter filled the dining room until Dean stood up and tapped his glass a couple of times.
'Ladies and gentlemen, as you know I am the best man, and as you probably know I'm also the brother, yes I know you think it is not possible that Sam has such a handsome brother but it's true nonetheless. I wanted to say that I have known Sammy all my life, we had our ups and downs and I love him more than I do my right hand.' The room laughed at Dean making an idiot out of himself, but Sam was just grateful the mockery was pointed at Dean instead of himself. 'All joking aside,' he aid turning to look his brother in the eyes: 'Sammy I am so happy that you found the love of your life and Julie is by all definitions the perfect girl for you, and a fine addition to the family. Sammy I have always and always will be proud to be your brother.'
Sam stood up and hugged his brother, his best friend, he was honestly moved by the words Dean had spoken and though they might not have been Shakespearian words, they sounded like it to Sam.
Lena knew it was her time to speak and stood up as well.
'I am not be gifted with words as the best man is but I'll try to be as eloquent. Julie, I have not known you for a great stretch of time but that doesn't really matter, the moment we met it was like we had known each other for years, suddenly I found a best friend in the oddest of places. What I have been allowed to witness between you and Sam took my breath away on many occasions, it's hard to believe in love when you have known so much pain and it's easier to shy away from it. But you didn't, you two have something so precious and I just know that whatever may happen in the future can never change that. Julie thank you for letting me be a part of something so undeniable. To Sam and Julie.'
'To Sam and Julie,' the room responded lifting their glasses.
Dean suddenly couldn't peel his eyes from her and realized they needed to talk eventually.
As Sam and Julie took their place on the dance floor to have their first dance as a married couple Armstrong came out of the jukebox and the music floated through the room as every head was turned to the couple, except for one.
Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
After thirty seconds other couples filled the dance floor, starting with the bridal party. Christina and Andy were happy to take a place, just as Katie and Chris did, all four were reminded of their own weddings and for some reason it felt like they had renewed their vows.
When you kiss me heaven sighs
And tho I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
Lena almost wanted to ask Cas as she didn't want to sit alone at the table but Dean appeared behind her.
'Can I have this dance,' he said with a real pleading in his eyes, shocking not only Lena but Sherri too.
'Sure,' she said feeling her heart rate go up like she was on a treadmill, she took Dean's hand, and a real gentleman he was, his other hand went under her elbow to help her up. She hadn't seen it coming and winced as he reached the bruise. She had asked one of the girls to cover up the one on her back but she hadn't bothered to do the elbow. She wasn't quick enough to hide her reaction and saw in his eyes that he had seen it.
'So what did you do?' he asked as he escorted her to the dance floor.
'Walk in with the door, it's nothing.'
Dean didn't trust her answer but let it go anyway because when he gripped her waist and her hand went to his shoulder he couldn't think straight anymore he only wanted to be closer to the one thing he couldn't have.
'So you went back to Europe?' he asked sincere.
'The girls tell you that?'
'I read your book,' he confessed.
'You did? You never read my books? No one does.'
'Yeah that's not exactly true, I've read all of them, you know how much time I spend with Sam in the car. There's just a lot of time to read.' He looked up into her eyes and she stared back both unable to speak.
'Hmm,' she nodded, 'so you liked it?'
'Yeah I really did, for some reason I could really relate to the character,'
Lena squinted her eyes and tilted her head scrutinizing his statement: 'it's about a heart-broken woman going back home to find her roots again.' She said with a little smile.
'Well yeah, but...' he started to search his brain to explain how he felt but ended with: 'nope I got nothing,'
They came closer and danced in silent, when the tension became to grave to handle Lena interrupted.
'So Sherri huh?'
'Yeah,' Dean smirked at an inside joke
'What?'
'She's got tits an ass and no facial hair.' He smirked.
Lena laughed out loud, all the tension leaving her body and suddenly she felt like the both of them were back where they had been so many months ago, Dean put his hand on the small of her back and pulled her a little closer and she couldn't be sure but she could have sworn that Dean was smelling her hair and squeezing her hand a little as if he had wanted to hear her laugh for so long. She agreed and let her body ease into his, it felt so natural. Sherri tapped Lena on the shoulder and she politely gave what was not hers back to the blond before Dean had a chance to protest.
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose
Lena decided that she wasn't ready for her to see Dean dating and flirting with others, how could she? She was never going to be ready for that, she found her purse and walked out of the room, not looking back until she was outside, where she could breathe again. It wasn't too cold or too warm, it was just perfect as she breathed in and out she was again the outsider looking through the glass house full of laughter. She glanced once at the happy couple and decided she was no longer needed here. She wasn't planning on coming back soon, maybe in a year or two, but this was just too hard and no one, but no one could force her to stay and witness Dean fall in love with another, no one.
She smiled as she saw Sam dip his head and kiss the woman in his arms. She knew it was time to go.
**********
Lena didn't know why but she got into her rental car and drove down the road she had taken so many times, she slowed down as she came to the house that was once hers too. She decided to park up the street not to alert the neighbours as they would notice a strange blue volkswagon in the driveway.
She made her way to the house, not stopping to breathe or reconcider, she took the sparekey from the ledge above the right window. She smiled that Dean was so predictable. As she put the key into the lock she froze.
'What the hell was she doing here? Looking for more pain?' she asked herself.
'No, I have a purpose! I forgot my scarf and winter was just around the corner, I need my favourite scarf!' she told herself resiliant and walked through the door.
The smell permeating her nose was a stench she knew too well, a bachelor lived here, she didn't know wether to be relieved or grosed out. She flipped on the light on the table behind the couch and surprisingly found the way to that light without falling and without problems. As the light illuminated the room she couldn't breathe, the pictures of herself that she had removed and put into the box in the basement, where neither of them ever came, were back where they belonged. She smiled as she touched a frame of one where she and Dean had been fooling around and he had taken the picture with his arm stretched in front of them. They looked so blisfully happy but Lena now looked at it as if she was looking at two strangers.
She looked around still holding the frame in her hands, she noticed most of the things that she had found too girly for Dean's taste were back, some candlesticks, some tealights and even the collage she had made out of her New York pictures was back.
'It was such a shame to find them in the cellar,' Dean said leaning against the doorpost.
Lena was startled as she had been fretting in her own mind, she dropped the frame she was holding, the glass splitting over the floor, the wood breaking.
'Crap,' she said: 'you scared me, what are you doing here?' she got to her knees cleaning up and gathering the glass.
'What am I doing here? I live here, what are you doing here?' Dean replied.
Ouch he's right though.
'Ouch,' Lena said out loud as she cut her finger, making Dean roll his eyes and get to his knees near the glass too, he took her finger and put it in his mouth, seeling up the wound. Lena jerked back and got on to her feet.
'I forgot my favourite scarf, I need it for the fall.' She hastily said going over to the coatrack, which was pretty empty, except for Dean's leather and his black peticoat.
'You wont find it,' he said, 'you didn't forget, I stole.'
'What d'you mean?'
'I... uhm,' he hummed, 'I kind of took it before I left,' he paused, 'that day.'
She wanted to ask why and drag it out of him but it was pretty clear why, in the dim light she could see in his eyes that he was feeling the same way, hell the fact that he left Sherri behind at a wedding where she knew no one pretty much speaks for itself. She heard his footsteps on the crackling glass and saw him approach with a yearning in his eyes. When he reached her, his hands went up cradling her face while his lips found hers eagerly. She responded briefly but broke the kiss and her head fell down on his chest, smelling the cologne, she took in as much as she could before she whispered: 'I can't do this again,' she ran out of the door.
Okay that was it, the end. As you see there's room and I have ideas for a sequel... Should I? Or am I poluting the internet waves with my dribble? Let me now.