3

The sound of the door opening and closing woke me up. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and rolled over to see Dean standing there holding coffee.

"Morning, beautiful. Thought you might like some coffee." He handed me one of the coffee cups, it warmed my hand. "How you feeling?"

"Fine." I said smiling at him before taking a sip of the hot liquid. I held the sheet against me as I scooted up and leaned against the headboard.

Dean tossed his jacket over a chair and sat beside me. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me toward him. I leaned against him.

I Sipped on the coffee thankful for the warm liquid waking me up. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Thought we'd take a look at my car. See what recommendations you have. I know she needs a tune up, with all the miles we put on her. It'll be nice to have access to a shop." He kissed the top of my head, "And a hot and experienced mechanic."

I smiled, "Sounds good." I leaned over the side of the bed and put the coffee down.

I felt Dean's eyes on me as I quickly gathered my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I quickly dressed and ran my fingers through my hair and wrapped it into a messy bun.

When I exited the bathroom Dean approached me and slipped my bronze heart pendant over my head and pulled me toward him for a kiss. "Are you hungry? I already ate downstairs, Ted offered some delicious biscuits and gravy. Couldn't pass it up. We could go and get you some."

I shook my head, "No, I'm fine."

I pulled from his arms and sat on the edge of the bed and put my ankle boots on. I grabbed the cardigan and put it on quickly. Dean handed me my coffee and then grabbed his jacket as we headed out of the room. The sun was high and already so warm. I had grown used to the heat and had even browned my skin to a perfectly golden glow by being in the sun most days.

I had an urge to go swimming, but I wasn't sure if Dean would be down for it. Instead I focused on the thought of looking under the Impala's hood. He slid his hand into mine and laced our fingers together as we headed around the tavern where the Impala sat.

Dean handed me the keys. "Drive it over to the shop."

"Alright." He opened the driver's side door for me and i slid in. He quickly hopped around the other side and slid into the bench seat, draping his arm around the back of the seat.

I put the key in the ignition and closed my eyes as I listened to the Impala roar. i could tell already that an oil change was needed and my mind was silently making a checklist of things to check under the hood. I knew of a few premium parts that Dean could swap out in the engine that would be beneficial for a vehicle driving long miles, it would also add to his gas mileage.

Dean gazed at me with a look of excitement. "You're like a car whisperer. What's she telling you?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Oil change, for sure." I shifted the car in reverse and could feel the slight hesitation behind the shift. "Tune up, too." I said.

Once I was on the highway headed to the shop I opened her up and enjoyed the feel of the Impala's ferocious engine. I pulled up to the back of the garages and turned the engine off. Dean reached over me, brushing my bare thigh teasingly and popped the hood.

I turned in the seat and faced Dean as his hand fell to my bare leg. I stroked his cheek, relishing the feel of the growing scruff, that felt sensual under my hand. His other hand pulled at my hip, moving me closer to him. I bent one leg over his lap and his fingers played delicately across my bare leg.

I never want the feeling that Dean filled me with to end. The way his hands made my skin burn with pure desire and made my heart pound in my chest. I knew, no matter what, I would not be the same after having Dean in my life. Whether it was for weeks or even years, I was going to be changed. There was a small part of me that feared the future I would be facing, with or without Dean; I couldn't decide which was scarier.

I moved over Dean and straddled his lap. His hands grabbed at the back of my clothes and he held me against him.

"I've never met anyone like you before." He whispered as he kissed around my collar bone. "It's like the earth stands still when you're in my arms."

I melted into him with his words. "Then you know how I feel when I'm in your arms." I replied in a sensual tone. And yet thinking those words sounded familiar to me as well.

The garage was open and had a car being worked on by one of Harold's mechanics. I knew we couldn't stay in the car the way we were. At some point someone would see us. As much as I wasn't worried about the public display I wasn't one of those that would just pull my clothes off in a public area.

I climbed off Dean's lap and crawled out the passenger side door. He followed behind me. I looked under the hood and Dean asked what I would suggest. I began pointing out parts that could be replaced with higher quality pieces and would increase the performance and gas mileage.

"How long do you think all that will take? And how much will it cost?" Dean asked, crossing his arms.

"Just over a week to order the parts. A few days to install them. So, less than two weeks as we do an oil change and tune up at the same time."

"And cost?"

I turned and smiled at him, "You get the house ready for Margaret and I'll pay for the parts myself. As a thank you for helping me out."

Dean snickered, "To be honest, you've been doing most of the work. We've just been here telling you what needs to be done to stop the haunting. It wouldn't be right to take a payment for work you've been doing yourself."

"Fine, then let it be one helpful person helping another helpful person."

Dean raised an eyebrow at me.

"You drive across country to help those battling this darkness that they don't understand. You've probably saved lives. She get's you to those locations and without her you wouldn't have a vehicle to help those people out... or even to get here and help me out. Let me do this for you so that you and your brother can continue to help people."

Dean's face softened, but he didn't look convinced.

"Consider it an investment from the Lily Foundation. If you come across someone that you see needs help from the foundation, tell me. That's all I ask in return."

Dean shoved his hands in his pockets as his face grew solemn. "You seem to be resolved in knowing that I won't be staying." he said softly.

My heart froze and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat.

I closed the hood as Dean headed toward the stairs and up to my apartment. I sighed and followed behind him.

"Were you even going to ask me to stay?" Dean asked, once the door was closed behind us.

"Would it matter if I did?" I asked softly.

Dean's eyes softened as he stepped toward me.

I shrugged, "I understand enough of what you do, to know that you do it to help people. I would never ask you to stop helping others, not even for my own selfish desires."

"Do you want me to stay?" He asked, his eyes shimmering softly.

I smiled, "Of course I do."

"Come with us. Sam's already said that you're beyond helpful. Your resourceful and smart." Dean wrapped his arms around me and held me against him.

My body was yelling yes, but my mind was telling me it wasn't time for me to leave yet. "I can't." I said softly. "I have to stay and make sure that Margaret is safe and wait for Rachel to return before I leave. It's what Heather would've asked me to do."

Dean nodded in understanding, but didn't let me go.

"Will you come back?" I asked after a moment of heartbreaking silence.

"Whenever I can. And one day you'll leave with me. I promise you that." Dean leaned down and kissed me.

I knew, in my very soul, that one day I would leave with Dean. What the future of being with him offered, I had no idea, but I knew I would face it with him. I could no longer see a future for me without him.

Rachel had just started her final year of college. She had said she would be finishing her classes early and graduating early, but that still left at least six months before she returned to live with her mother. I wouldn't leave Margaret until I knew she was being well taken care of. I could obviously pay for a nurse to live in and tend to Margaret, but I knew she would be too lonely without a friendly face. And Heather wouldn't want that for her mother.

I resolved myself to staying until Rachel returned. I would use the time to gather my accounts and prepare myself for leaving the town. I could work harder, bring in more tips and invest more money. Within six months I could safely secure a higher revolving income that would allow me to freely roam with Dean and Sam for however long I wanted or we wanted.

"you probably meet tons of pretty girls on the road, more than willing to throw themselves into your arms." i said with a smile.

Dean smiled his faltering grin at me, "I won't lie." Then his eyes softened. "None of them could ever compare to you, though. They all fail in comparison."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, "As long as you come back to me, it doesn't matter."

It was my way of telling him that he was free to have fleeting relationships on his travels. A body to warm his cold bed while on the road, so long as he returned only to me, I didn't care.

His arms wrapped tighter around me as he lifted me into his embrace and carried me to the bed. "Then continue to remind me why I want to return to you." He said both playfully and seductively.

I pulled his shirt over his head, his jacket already draped over a barstool. I let my cardigan slip from my shoulders and pulled my tank top over my head and tossed it aside with my heart pendant. Before He laid me on the bed I quickly kicked off my boots.

I put all of my effort into making him feel how he made me feel. I poured my emotions into him with every caress, kiss, and thrust of my hips.

When we were both spent I laid on his chest, listening to the pounding of his heart as it slowly regained it's relaxed rhythm.

I sat up, "I need to shower, then I'll head down to the office and get the parts ordered for you."

He pulled me back against him, "I'd rather stay in this bed with you."

I smiled and turned toward him, "Tell you what. We get rid of Charles tonight and we can stay in bed all day tomorrow. And I'll continue to show you my gratitude in private."

he flashed me his crooked smile, "Then I'll hold you to that."

I climbed off the bed and into the shower. A half hour later I was blow drying my hair. I wore another pair of jean shorts, this time with a black belt and a pair of gorgeous black cowgirl boots that Lucy had purchased for me for my birthday. I grabbed a light pink tank top and put it over a matching light pink lace bra. I put on on a blue and pink flannel button up t-shirt over the tank top and left it unbuttoned.

For the first time in months I put on the locket my mother had been given by my father and had given it to me. It held a picture of my father in it, and for some reason I felt like I would need my father's protection. I had curled my hair slightly and it fell into waves around my shoulders. i added only a little make up, accenting my eyes.

When I exited the bathroom, fully ready, Dean stared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He replied. "you look good, that's all."

I smiled, "Thank you."

He nodded and turned around, glancing at a photo in a frame. "Please tell me you don't have a kid out there somewhere?" He asked, holding a photo of my little brother when he was a baby.

I shook my head, "No, it's my brother."

"I take it he's not a baby anymore, why only a baby picture?"

"To remind me of the innocence he used to have. When I didn't immediately continue my degree after my internship, or at least get a job using my degree, my mom figured I threw my life away and she had suddenly realized what a mistake she had made with me. Claiming I had been horrible as a teenager and there were so many things she had done wrong with me." I shrugged.

"She changed all her parenting methods and used things like ADHD to make excuses for the now very present behavior problems my brother now has. He's taken to making excuses for his behavior and never taking responsibility. So, my mother in my eyes is clearly failing my brother, while I have apparently failed her."

"Why not tell her how well you are doing for yourself? I'm sure if she knew about your investments-"

"She would only come calling for money handouts. Figuring I owed her."

"She would do that? Not just be proud of what you've done for yourself?"

"My mom may be 21 years older than me, but she's never learned how to fully swim on her own. She's paddling around in the adult pool, doing alright, keeping her head above the water, but she hasn't learned how to swim fully. She makes mistakes and hasn't figured out how to learn from them yet, she just keeps making the same mistakes."

Dean set the photo down, "That's too bad."

I shrugged, "We don't get to pick our family, we're just stuck with them."

I grabbed a different pair of sunglasses, remembering I left mine in my car back at the tavern. "Come on. I'll order the parts and we can hit the farmer's market in town for a snack."

Dean shrugged, "Let's go."

Harold was in the office and smiled as I entered. "Good to see you, Dee. How's Aphrodite? And where is she anyway?"

I returned his warm smile, "Aphrodite is great. She's at the tavern. We drove Dean's Impala over so I could check her out."

Dean stepped forward and shook Harold's hand. "She's a great mechanic. Can't seem to get her to quit the tavern job and work here for me. if she offers to look under the hood, she must think highly of you."

"Naw," Dean said. "She's just using me for my car." he joked.

"It's a nice car, can't blame her." Harold sat back down in the office chair. "What can I do for ya?"

"I just need to order some parts for the Impala. Would that be alright?"

Harold stood up and offered me the chair, "By all means. I'm gonna go and check on the truck so I can give Mr. Greisher a call once it's done."

I ordered the parts and then we headed to the farmer's market downtown. It was Friday and that meant a whole street of vendors with plenty of food samples for free and just good company.

Dean and I parked on the other side of the park and headed toward the closed street for the farmer's market.

He wrapped one arm around my waist as we walked. We sampled plenty of food and listened to the performance stage with local musicians.

"You know something it's kinda strange and yet fitting to find a girl like you in a town like this," He said breaking the silence.

"Why do you say that?"

"I mean no offense to anyone in this town, but you being here… it kind of just makes you stand out completely. In this amazing way. But part of that comes from how… adored you are here." He said as he smiled at more people waving at me.

"That's not me. I can promise you that. It's the town. It's why I fell in love with it. This is the type of place I would want to retire to. Live out the last of my days." I said with a smile.

Dean nodded, "I can totally agree on that. But like Sam said, you have these amazing abilities. You should be out there making a difference."

I stopped and turned toward him, grabbing his jacket collar and pulling him toward my lips, "Then it's a good thing I'll be going with you soon enough." I smiled and kissed him.

He pressed me against him and then pulled away as we started to walk again. "And you're sure about coming with us. It's not always ghosts, sometimes it's bigger than just saving one person here or there. It get's dangerous. I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes sleeping arrangements aren't always so comfortable. And there's long hours."

"Are you trying to convince me to stay?" I asked softly.

"I want you to know the risks. Sometimes our lives aren't always guaranteed, and injuries certainly happened."

"Life isn't guaranteed either way. And call me crazy, but I feel like I have to see this through." I stopped him and pulled him toward me gently. "I have to see where you and I go."

"Then I'll be counting down the days till you're on the road with us." He looked at me longingly as he brushed my cheek tenderly with the back of his fingers. He brought his lips to mine gently and slowly deepened the kiss.

The world seemed to stand still as he held me. I never wanted to leave his arms.

We pulled away and checked the time and headed back to the impala to go and meet Sam.

Sam was leaning against Aphrodite as we drove up. Dean pulled me closer toward him to make room in the front seat for Sam.

"Just sit up front. It won't take long." I said to Sam and he did.

I directed Dean the short distance to Ted and Lucy's place. Ted was still at the tavern and Lucy insisted I take the boys out back and shoot. It was something that Ted and I did frequently together while we waited for dinner and after.

Lucy brought us a tray of iced tea while I brought out Ted's guns. Ted had set up a fun little aiming practice course when he was younger and he maintained it because it was something he thought I needed to know how to do having my own gun.

I stored my favorite gun with Ted, because he had a gun safe and it was actually pretty valuable mainly to me.

I set up my revolver and Ted's shotgun with a few boxes of ammo on an outdoor table far enough away from the aiming course. I also brought out a set of throwing daggers I stored for practice over here. They weren't solid silver, but they felt similar in throwing and so I used the non valuable ones for practice.

Dean came over and picked up the revolver and whistled. "This is nice! Where'd Ted get this?"

"It's not Ted's it's mine."

He glanced up at me in surprise. "Seriously? Then where'd you get it?"

"A guy in Washington. Wanted a permit to conceal it in my glovebox on the road. In order to get that you have to designate the gun you're carrying. So, while I was still working on getting Aphrodite running I went to the local gun range and practiced with every gun I could. Six months later the guy finally drags that out and I tried with that. Love at first shot." He handed the revolver to me and I took it and swung the chamber open and loaded it. "He gave me a heck of a deal because he didn't think I would be able to fire it without hurting myself. When I hit the target first try, he was dumbfounded."

I flicked my wrist and spun the barrel closed and released the safety. I took aim at the tin cans on springs along the fence. Six aims, six shots, all dead on. Dean whistled and Sam chuckled. I spun the barrel open and disposed of the metal crate Ted used for shells and reloaded.

"Very nice!" Dean said.

I handed him the revolver and he took it. He took his stance and aimed, then fired. He wasn't expecting the kick it had and didn't hit any of the targets.

"Damn, that's got some power!" He took aim again and this time anticipated the kick and hit the target in the middle.

I loaded the shotgun it held seven rounds. It had a powerful kick, but was the most common type of shot gun in the town. It could be found in almost every home and Ted thought it was important I had learned to shoot with it as well.

I pumped it with one hand and swung the handle into my arm. I braced it took aim and shot. Again six rounds for the six targets, all dead on.

Dean whistled, "Wow!"

I opened my dagger box and took out six daggers. I was best with my daggers having found a true passion and what felt like my calling. I held the six daggers in a fan in my left hand. I took one at a time in my right hand. Aim, toss, grab. Six daggers, five thrown in my right hand and my left hand taking aim at the same time when it was down to the last one. All dead on, blades stuck in the targets.

The guys were speechless. I went to retrieve the daggers and as i walked back i looked at Dean. "Satisfied that I can handle myself now?" I asked him.

Dean wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me, "Sorry if I ever doubted you."

"What do you mean handle yourself?" Sam asked, eyeing Dean and I. "Because you can't possibly mean bringing her along? Do you know how crazy that is?"

"You said yourself she'd be helpful and that you wanted to bring her along on every case." Dean replied, turning toward him and wrapping an arm around me.

"Yeah, but…" Sam sighed, clearly battling with emotions and thoughts. "I meant that she was useful, yes, but we live a dangerous life. We really shouldn't be dragging her into all of it. I mean come on, Dean, you know how bad it gets. And it's not like you've known each other for very long anyhow."

Dean nodded, "Dee understands what she's getting into. If things get too rough for her liking she can sit out for it until we move on." Dean scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, "And I can't shake this feeling that she's supposed to be with us. And I know that you've been picking it up too, so don't lie!"

Sam sighed.

"This is just something that Dee and I need to see through. I can't explain it. It's like I've known her for a while. Everything about her feels familiar." Dean added.

"Yeah, I get that." Sam finally said. He looked at me, "You sure about this?"

"Yes, but it's not like I'll be joining you right away. I have to stay here and wait for Margaret's younger daughter to graduate and I'll get everything squared away before then."

"Then once she's ready we'll come get her or she can come to us. In the mean time, we'll try to come back through a few times and see her." Dean said as we sat down on the back stairs.

Sam shook his head, "This is crazy, you both know that right?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I'm fully aware of how crazy this is."

I leaned against Dean's shoulder and slipped my hand into his.

Ted walked onto the back porch. I had heard his truck pull in and expected him to come and get us. I could already smell the dinner that Lucy was probably setting up now.

"Alright, you three, dinner is ready. Sorry for the delay." He looked at the table with the guns and ammo. "Ah, Dee shoot for you? She's a good shot isn't she?"

Dean stood, "That she is." He helped me to my feet and we headed inside and sat at the table.

Lucy made us say grace before she started dishing up mashed potatoes, pork loin, gravy, green beans and biscuits.

Dean and Sam ate happily as we all talked and laughed. After dinner Lucy dished up still warm pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Dean looked like he was in heaven. "This pie is phenomenal!"

"Told you. Best pie in town if not the whole world!" I said smiling at Lucy.

After we ate pie, we had to politely excuse ourselves to get back to the house to dig up Uncle Charles. Lucy said that she was determined to have the three of us back there for more pie before the guys left town. Sam and Dean agreed and Lucy was delighted. Ted assured me he'd return my gun to his gun safe.

We piled in the front seat of the impala. "Crap, we'll have to stop by my car and get the gate opener first." I said as Dean put the car in drive.

He slid his hand to my bare knee, "Not a problem."

We got the gate opener and headed to the house. The backhoe was there waiting. I climbed in and turned the key. Dean opened the gate and I drove the backhoe in and he followed with the impala.

I continued around the back of the house in the slow moving vehicle. Sam and Dean got out, grabbing things from the trunk. I got to the location that I had pinpointed and the guys were already beside me, guns in their hands.

I lined up the back hoe and began digging. It wasn't long before things got interesting. If I had thought it would be easy to unbury an angry ghost's body and burn it, I was sadly mistaken.

I got a couple feet down and felt myself get suddenly cold. "Those guns will work to keep Charles at bay, right?"

Dean cocked the gun, "They'll help, but only burning the remains with end this."

Another foot down and I was pushed from the backhoe with incredible force and tossed into Sam. His arms wrapped around me as he hit the ground.

"Dee? Sam?" Dean hollered as he shot towards the ghost as it appeared.

"We're fine." Sam replied. "You alright?" he asked me as he helped me to my feet.

"Yeah, now keep me covered so I can get this done!" I said as I dash back to the backhoe.

"Duck!" Dean yelled and I tucked myself down in the backhoe's cage and he fired behind me as the ghost appeared. "We've gotta move faster!"

I nodded as I shifted the backhoe and dug faster. It was still a slow process, but much faster than two or three shovels. I heard the sound of the metal scrap against something and I got out and jumped into the hole I had made.

"Got it!" I said with a smile.

"Catch!" Dean tossed me a tire iron and I pried the lid open.

The scent of long ago decomposed remains hit me hard and made my stomach turn. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dean get tossed back. I climbed out as Sam poured lighter fluid over the remains and salt. He stood over the remains, searching his pockets for a light.

"Dean! Lighter!" Sam yelled, just before getting pushed back.

"Dee!" Dean pulled out a book of matches and tossed them to me.

I stood over the remains, lit the whole book and tossed them in just as the ghost appeared in front of me and burned out.

My heart was racing and I was trying to catch my breath. Sam and Dean walked toward me. "You alright?" Dean asked, eyeing me for injuries.

"I'm fine." I said, brushing the dirt from my hands. "Can we get out of here now? I'll call someone in the morning with Margaret's permission to get the remains removed. Until then, I'd rather not be here."

"You know the ghost's taken care of, right?" Sam asked.

I got back into the backhoe and headed toward the gate, since I had promised Mike it would be waiting where he had left it for me.

Sam and Dean headed back to the car and we all headed out of the gate. I put the keys where Mike had left them and hopped down from the backhoe and headed toward the car.

Dean was leaning against the hood, "So, what do you want to do now that you've hunted your first ghost?"

"Drink!" I said as he took my hand.

He chuckled, "To the tavern?"

I nodded and climbed in the front seat beside Sam as Dean slid in behind me and drove to the tavern.

We got a booth and beers. I had gone off to the bathroom and made sure to wash all the dirt from my hands. I returned to Dean and he got up so that I could slid in. I leaned against window and drapped my legs over one of Dean's. He held a beer in one hand and trailed his fingers over my legs.

"So, this is really happening then? We're really going to be bringing her along?" Sam asked.

"I thought I handled myself well." I replied sitting up a little.

"That's not what I mean. You did great. It's just… I've never known Dean to grow attached to a girl… ever."

"I told you, Dee's different." Dean said, with a slight glare.

"Yeah, I get that. Dee's different than any girl, just a fact. And I get what you're saying about her being useful and like she's already a part of this, but I just wanna make sure that you're both sure about this."

Dean set his beer down, draping his arm over the back of the booth and bringing his other hand to caress my legs. "I don't like the idea of Dee being out there with us, but I hate the idea of being without her for some strange reason."

"So, is this like a love at first sight kind of thing? Because I didn't think you believed in that." Sam replied.

"We don't know what this is." I said, "But we feel that we have to see it through."

"Alright." Sam said.

"I'm gonna hit the bathroom then get us some more drinks." Dean got up after kissing my cheek.

I sat up and faced Sam, "I get it that you don't want me to come, but can you tell me why? I thought I proved myself useful already."

Sam sighed, "You have. It's not that. We do more than just stop ghosts or the occasionally creature. Sometimes it's bigger than that. Think like apocalypse bigger."

His words for some reason didn't scare me. "So, you think by telling me that it's going to scare me to stay. Because after hearing that I kind feel the need to join you more. Because it that's really the case, then I think you can use all the help you can get."

Sam chuckled, "That's probably true. Why do I get this feeling that you're about to change everything for us?"

Dean set down beers on the table, "Because she already has." he said as he slid in beside me.

"Tomorrow we should probably sit her down and let her know everything we're dealing with now." Sam said as he sipped his beer.

"Good idea. Tomorrow." Dean smiled as he wrapped an arm around me. "How about a dance?"

I nodded and he took my hand as he joined the crowd of people dancing. It was a slow song and he pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me.

"You know this isn't going to end well, right?" Dean said softly.

I ran my hand down his cheek, feeling the rush of energy flowing through my veins. "Then I'll enjoy the ride."

He brought his lips to mine and ignited something inside of me. I was in for one hell of a ride, and I was determined to enjoy it.

The next day they both shared information about the apocalypse they were trying to stop. Apparently, Lucifer was determined to end the world and they had to find a gun called the Colt to bring Lucifer down.

It was one thing to know about angels and demons, it was a completely other thing to know that they really existed.

They also explained that if I were to be going with them then I would need to get another tattoo. Dean drew it for me and told me to get it before I joined them on the road. I got it before they even left, I got it along my lower ribcage and toward the side slightly. Somewhere easy to conceal as I didn't need to be explaining what it meant.

They shared a few stories of what they had defeated in the past and my head was spinning with the dangers they had faced, but it was thrilling as well.

Dean and I spent as much time together as we could. We worked on the impala together and found ourselves growing closer, almost like a strong bond was forming, even between all three of us.