Uhm, well, this one was waiting to be done and posted because there's a plot bunny hopping around in my story yard, still growing but it has certain ideas which kind of a story it wants to be. And it asked me to build a bridge from Broken to the story it wants to be once it's grown up.

However, this one might not be the most thrilling chapter of all times but maybe you'll enjoy it nevertheless ;)

Even more epilogue...

Sometimes only a handful of years could feel like half a lifetime. Or even like the memory of a life that had happened to someone else but yourself.

Three and a half years...

School was long left behind and the real life had begun. Getting a job and an own place to live. Things hadn't really changed much, yet everything was new in a way. Being done with school had brought a new rhythm on. And responsibilities. More and also new ones. Some good things, like not caring where the money comes from, had stayed in the easier times of not being an adult but with them also some dark things were left far behind. Memories no one wanted to remember.

Seth breathed a deep sigh while his thumb tapped lightly on the back of the computer mouse and his eyes were fixed on the words which were written across the screen of the monitor in front of him. It was a quiet day and if it hadn't been for the sounds around him, it would have felt a little like being at home, not at work. The background noises were busy, some of them a little louder, further away and harder and some of them closer and softer, inviting to just grab a cup of coffee and watching what was going on there.

Wrenching his eyes away from the screen, he allowed them to sweep the big main room of the shop he was sitting in for a moment before his gaze wandered over to a door that led to an office, to the door the inviting sound were coming through. And laughter, right now, low and rumbling and happy.

Roman.

While Seth's parents hadn't been happy about Seth's choice of occupation, he himself wouldn't have wanted to work in any other job, de facto couldn't even imagine being anywhere else but here... at the shop of Roman's father. With Roman and Dean.

A pack that had found together under partly not so nice circumstances. Inseparable now.

Family.

A smile spread over Seth's lips, as affectionate as the feeling that always settled in his chest when he was thinking about their friendship...

It was the clicking of the door to the backyard that was being opened that called his attention and caused him to glance over, finding Dean who just entered the main room and the very second Dean stepped through the door, the air was filled with a light and sunny voice that washed over Seth like a summer breeze and brought the feeling of a warm happiness with.

"Uncle Dean!"

"Babygirl!" Dean laughed, hunching down with his arms wide open to welcome the little girl that was running towards him.

Sam, that little girl of Dean and Roman's direct neighborhood that loved Dean so dearly ever since he'd gotten her one of her toys out of a tree, came running out of the office. And Seth knew that Dean loved Sam, too, probably more than anyone could imagine.

Sam's mom had an appointment today and it had become habit that every time she needed someone to look after the girl, that she would ask Dean and Roman and since they both had to be at the shop today, Sam was with them. She'd been with Roman at the office, helping him doing paperwork like shredding documents and stuff like that because being with Dean while he was repairing cars was a little too dangerous since he couldn't have an eye on her the whole time.

With a squeal Sam jumped right into Dean's embrace, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly as he lifted her up from the ground.

She had grown in those few years, going from a cute little baby doll girl to a little lady. She was almost ten now.

They all had grown. In different ways.

Roman... Time had graced him with a tinge to his handsome features that made him look like the picture perfect model for the next Davidoff commercial. He looked matured. The way he was thinking of things, the way he talked... Actually Seth couldn't really put it in words, no matter how often he mused about it. Then there was the Samoan ink art that enwinded Roman's right arm in a full sleeve tattoo now, a silent but proud symbol of his heritage.

And then Dean. The metamorphosis his friend had gone through that past years was fascinating but it was also a little sad. Sad because it showed how bad Dean's life had been before, how much he had suffered in all those long years before.

Three years. Seeing the Dean from back then evolve to the man he was today was like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly. As if his body... and his mind... had waited all the years before to finally crawl out of the disguise of Dean's body that had served as hideaway to finaly stretch and breathe and fly. The scars were still there though, would probably never fade, but the marred skin wasn't sickly pale anymore but sunkissed and the once skinny body was well-toned now. Dean had put muscles on and sideburns were gracing his face now, just like the usual three days scruff. Sparkling eyes and free, lighthearted laughter.

Sometimes it still broke through more visibly, that past, like two weeks ago when they'd been getting burgers from the little restaurant around the corner and witnessed a father yelling at his son, holding him at the shoulder and shaking him. Seth had watch Dean pale before losing it, running over to the guy and forcing his hands away from the kid and probably the only reason why the man still had his teeth was because Roman had been there to literally drag Dean away in the very last second. Dean's expression, so full of hate yet heavy with panic, too, had etched itself into Seth's memory. Also the way it left Dean trembling for long minutes. Those devastating reactions had become very rare though and with every step Dean had made in the last three years, he had more and more left the fog of his old life behind.

Seth's mother always said that you don't love a person because they're perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they're not. And she was right.

Dean sure had his quirks and moods but he loved him to death.

The smile on Seth's lips broadened as he watched Dean press a kiss to Sam's forehead. There was a woof and the hasty sound of claws on the hard floor, telling Seth that Mox was in a hurry to get to Dean. The furball came sprinting out of the office, jumping around Dean's legs while barking happily.

"Helped Uncle Romie with the paperwork," Sam explained proudly, pointing over to Roman who was standing in the doorway to the office, leaning against the frame.

"I'm sure he couldn't have done it without you, angel," Dean said with a fond smile as he looked over to Roman who pushed away from the frame and walked over to them.

Sam giggled as Dean stole a kiss from Roman but put her hands on the backs of their heads as if she wanted to make sure they kept kissing.

"Did you guys miss me?" Dean asked as they drew back, leaning into Roman's big palm that cupped his cheek.

"Like crazy," the big man replied softly.

Shaking his head lightly, Seth laughed quietly. Saps. Lovesick puppies. Barely two hours of being separated by a few meters and two doors and they acted like they hadn't seen each other in a week.

But God knew he was happy for them.

Leaning back in his chair, Seth watched the scene and if he wouldn't have known it better, he'd said that he was just looking at two proud and loving fathers with their daughter. And it made him wonder how long it would take until the two were married and trying to adopt a child because after all that had happened, he trusted his two friends to hurry things up and be the family of the century in less than two years.

It was in moment like this that memories which he'd stored away in the dark corners of his mind came back to visit him, like... like... that night in the hospital, that night Roman went to Dean's place and...

He swallowed hard, dropped his gaze to the desk. He'd never forget that image of Dean in that hospital bed and those feelings it had caused in him for which he still had no words to explain them except dark and painful. Standing in the doorway to the hospital room, seeing Dean like that, he'd thanked God that Roman hadn't been too late. And Roman... although the nightmare had been over already that moment, Roman had never looked this small and scared. Back then the only thing that Seth could do for his friends was breathing through and go in there, trying his best not to show how much it affected him and push Roman to square his shoulders and remind him... and himself... that Dean was strong.

It was a woof and a weight that fell on his legs that pulled his mind out of the swamp it just had gotten stuck in. Wagging his tail, Mox stretched to lick Seth's chin. For him the little dog was the symbolization for the happy ending he was allowed to be a part of.

"Hey, Mox," he murmured, scratching the happy creature's ear. Mox tilted his head a little, pressing into the carress. "Yeah," he snorted lightly. "At least you got someone who's scratching your ear when your dads are all lovey-dovey."

The dog closed his eyes and it almost looked as if he was smiling. And maybe he was.

That was the only bitter thing about Dean and Roman being happy together. The fact that Seth was witnessing it day in and day out without having someone himself. The feelings he'd been haboring for Roman had faded away during the past year, though every now and then he felt a familiar tugging in his chest when it came to Roman. Like old scars that hurt when the weather changes. It was okay, it really was and if he was honest with himself, he wouldn't want those scars to vanish because they were part of the way they had walked together. Only that he wouldn't mind having someone was quietnening them in those moments when he felt the ache.

Not that there hadn't been girls. Only that none of them turned out to be the right one and guys... After Roman there had never been another man who could have been a candidate or rather, the only other guy that had been striking certain chords in him had moved out of town about three years ago. So eventually he'd decided to stop looking for love and instead waited until it would find him.

It would. Well, at least he hoped so.

And then he would be looking as happy as Dean and Roman, who were walking towards him this very moment. He smiled at them and it was a bitter-sweet one. And maybe Roman understood because when he walked up to Seth, he stepped up behind him and dropped his hands to Seth's shoulders, gently massaging the tenseness away which Seth hadn't even noticed being there.

"Hey, li'l bro, how about a break?" Roman asked and Seth wasn't sure if he was referring to the job or... to his brooding.

And damn this man for adding that soft note that still managed to put a tingling in Seth's chest.

Tilting his head back, he rested it against Roman's belly as he gazed up to his friend.

"Nah, don't need to, it's rather quiet today," he said and skimmed his fingers through Mox' fur who had curled up on his thighs in the meantime. The smile Roman gave him in reply was a bit crooked. So, yeah, Roman hadn't meant the job. "It's okay, really," Seth assured.

"You got the parts?" Dean chimed in while lifting Sam over to sit on the desk.

Looking at Dean, Seth nodded.

"Uhm, yeah, should arrive tomorrow," Seth informed him, opening the order confirmation for various tuning parts.

Ever since Dean and Seth had come up with offering not only car repair but also car tuning services, the shop was having more customers that ever before. The beginning had been tough but slowly the word got round that they weren't doing stuff they had no background of, because Dean knew what he was doing.

After Roman's dad had given Dean a job in the garage and Roman started working backoffice in the shop, it had never really been a question if Seth should or should not join them as Roman's father offered him a job as salesman. Roman's father was still at the shop every day but he wasn't making it a secret that once the three of them were able to run the shop themselves, that he would retire. And their plan was to focus on the car tuning and oldtimer restauration. It would take a few years until they'd get there eventually but it would work out great, that he was sure of.

His parents had wanted him to become an engineer and long evenings of talking about what they thought was a good job for him and what he thought was a job he could imagine doing until his retirement followed.

Like running a shop together with his best friends. And successfully so.

"Great, so I'll get the car done three days earlier," Dean grinned, rubbing his hands. "Another happy customer."

"Ahm, something else," Seth said while fishing for a piece of paper, holding it out to Dean. "Got a call from a new customer who'll come over the day after tomorrow. A friend of him recommended you for having his '69er Mustang restaurated."

It was always heart warming how Dean's eyes lit up when he got a new oldtimer to get it back in shape.

The Camaro was still Dean's baby and when he came to the shop with it, he usually parked it in that old dusty garage it had been hidden away for more than a decade. And he talked to it when he was alone with the car. A few times Seth had overheard it, thinking at first he was talking to Roman or Sika but... no. It was the car Dean was talking to. About his past.

Listening to it was like the ultimate invasion of privacy, wasn't it?

The bell of the entrance door made them all look up. The guy who came walking towards them was tall, clad in motor cycle clothing and was just at taking off his helmet and...

... and Seth hesitated while Dean and Roman left his side to meet the guy half way, returning his cheerful hello. Hugs were exchanged and Seth could only sit there and stare.

Randy.

The only other guy who'd struck his chords in the right ways.

And Seth still only stare as Roman pointed over to him and Randy's gaze followed. Briefly Randy only looked at him before excusing himself, leaving his two friends standing there. The broad grin on the handsome face became a soft smile and Seth only faintly registered how Roman and Dean looked at each other or that they called Sam to come over to them because his eyes stayed glued to the man he'd last seen about three years ago.

A faint scent invaded his nostrils and he remembered it. It was Randy's aftershave, the same he'd already used back at school. It ran throughout his senses like a tiny shockwave, making him hyperaware of the man in front of him.

And suddenly three years didn't only feel like half a lifetime... but infinitely long.

"Hello, pretty boy," Randy greeted him quietly as he stepped up to the desk, placing the helmet on it.

"Told you not to call me that, didn't I?" Seth replied as quietly, his voice oddly breathless.

Pretty boy was the pet name Randy had used to call him that last half year back at school and yes, every single time Seth had told him not to call him that while silently enjoying that term of endearment. There had been something between them, nothing he'd imagined. A very real feeling and Randy must have felt the same because although never obviously hitting on Seth, Randy had been always charming, seeking his company whenever possible. Looking at him like that. Half a year and with every passing week back then Seth had felt it stronger and to be honest, he'd hoped Randy would make the first step.

Instead he moved out of town after finishing school, not spilling a word where to or leaving any contact informations. He did drop by that day he left though, giving Seth a goodbye and a hug that lasted longer than a hug between friends was supposed to. And then he was gone and Seth had been...

"You still angry?" Randy asked, the smile on his lips wavering briefly.

"I've never been angry, Randy."

... disappointed and sad.

Not that he'd really ever had the right to blame Randy anyway because as much as he'd wanted the other man to make the first step, he could have grown some balls and opened his mouth instead of letting Randy go just like that. Maybe things would have turned out different then.

"Okay," Randy murmured. Was there relief in his eyes? Seth could have sworn it was there. "That your dog?

"Uhm, no, it's Dean's. His name is Mox," Seth explained, lifting Mox off of his lap and over to the desk while getting up from his chair.

Automatically he brought a hand to the dog's head to pet it. His heart made a tiny somersault in his chest when his fingers touched Randy's as the other man did the same.

"How about a coffee?" Seth suggested quickly, walking around the table and towards the office. "Can you have an eye on the shop?" he called over to Dean and Roman, not waiting for an answer though.

His way ended at the coffee machine. He could hear Randy entering the office only a moment later, his steps stopping not far from Seth while he filled two mugs with the hot black liquid.

"Milk? Sugar?" he asked.

"I like my coffee black, thanks," he heard the low, slightly rumbling voice right behind him and when had Randy come so close?

A light shiver ran down his spine, distracting him from that thought.

Turning around, he found himself almost nose to nose with the other man and involuntary he took a deep breath, mostly because his heart did a funny leap in his chest again. Randy took the mug from his hand and stepped back to the desk, perching on it while sipping at the coffee. Randy looked... he looked good. The same military kind of hair cut, short cropped mutton chops. He'd put on some more muscles, too, as far as Seth could tell.

"How're you doing, pretty boy?"

Reaching behind himself, Seth took a sugar cube at threw it at Randy, hitting him right in the middle of his chest.

"Next time I'll throw the coffee machine, Orton," he warned Randy, shooting him a raised eyebrow. "I'm doing good," he added, getting a nod from the other man. The expression in the grey eyes was careful, inquiring but there was also a softness lying in them, one that Seth had seen in there before. Three years ago actually. "And how are you?"

"Good. I'm doing good. So the three of you are running the shop now?"

"Pretty much, yeah, but Sika is still around every day."

Randy nodded, taking another sip from his coffee. Seth gazed at him for a long moment, staring down at his own coffee then, before setting it aside. Here they were after three years of not having seen the other and all they managed was a fair-weather talk at best.

"Randy," he sighed, not sure how to begin. He needed a start though because fuck, he'd thought he would never see Randy again but he was here now. And maybe... maybe that was what he should start with, wasn't it? "Why are you here?"

From the corner of his eye he noticed how Randy seemed to freeze at the question.

"Been visiting my parents and thought I could say hi," came the reply after a few long seconds. It was spoken hesitantly and it was what made Seth glance up at Randy, who just put his mug on the desk. A sigh passed his lips and Seth just wanted to say something again when Randy beat him to it. "I... I went to your parents' house to ask them where I could find you," he said so very quietly that Seth had a hard time to actually understand his words.

Grey eyes met his own only reluctantly, almost as if Randy was afraid that he might have said something wrong. It was the moment Seth understood.

His voice failed him as he wanted to speak, maybe because it had joined his heart that was suddenly singing in his chest. The sounds around them faded into the background while they just gazed at each other. And then it was back on Randy's face, that oh so soft smile.

Seth had given up on finding love long ago but maybe, just maybe... love had come back to find him...

- End... or tbc..? -

Yeah well... got some words for me?