After dinner is eaten and cleaned up, the house separates. Bobby heads for his books, looking up information for a frantic Rufus that called earlier, Lizzy and Dean very suspiciously disappear to the second floor, and Sam settles in on the couch in the living room with his copy of the newest book he dug up from Bobby's collection of non-supernatural literature.

Lou finds him this way, sitting on the couch and completely involved in his book. She pauses there and observes him when he doesn't realize she's there. From the doorway his oddly long and shaggy hair is covering over parts of his face but she can still see the concentration written into it. His forehead wrinkling and unwrinkling with what he reads and reacts to, his eyes darting back and forth across the pages with impressive speed, he's comfortable. He's probably in his happy place. No hunt, no worries… just a couch and a book. She can respect that.

"What're you reading?"

Sam's head snaps up with a start, her voice yanking him from the book. "Oh, uh… hey," he smiles slightly to see Lou standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "Didn't know you were there." He sighs without knowing he does it, still a little uncomfortable with her. She comes on far stronger than he knows how to deal with and all the objectification is getting old at this point.

"That's why I spoke up," she smiles warmly, leaving her usual predatory ways outside of the room. Taking a seat opposite him on the couch, Lou turns in her seat to face him and leaves plenty of space between them. "What're you reading over there?" She nods at his book.

"Uh, Tree and Leaf," Sam says to her, marking the page with an old scrap of notebook paper he tore off a pad in Bobby's study to focus on her. "It's by…."

"Tolkien," Lou knowingly finishes for him.

He smiles wide. "You know this one?"

"I don't know Tree but I know Leaf by Niggle," she tells him. "My dad read it with me as a kid. It's a really good story."

"I'm only halfway through right now," he looks down at the cover, the simple text without illustration on the hard-covered book making him feel happy somehow. "But it's good."

"Tolkien has a way with adventure stories," she nods and laughs slightly. "I really liked that one when I was little. I remember thinking how unfair it was that Niggle got taken away from his life's work before he could properly finish it."

"He had a duty," Sam shrugs, understanding the artist in the book well enough. The painter was working on his masterpiece but over and over again people pulled him away from what he really wanted in order to get his help. He can sympathize.

"Yeah but… everyone has to do things for themselves," Lou rebuts. "He was an artist. All he wanted to do was finish what he started… to do what he truly wanted to do. It just always felt so unfair that he couldn't."

Sam nods, understanding. "But he knows the importance of helping others. You gotta appreciate that."

"I do," she nods and smiles. "Guess we both do."

"Yeah," Sam agrees, looking down at the book.

"I won't tell you how it ends… but I think you're gonna like it," Lou says to him, knowing that Niggle never gets back to his life's work, to what he wanted for his life's meaning in the long run, but the consolation prize of what does become of his life after all the fighting and strife is beautiful enough and well deserved. "Make sure you finish that. I know you'll get it... and appreciate it."

"I will," Sam says and makes a funny face as he sits back in his corner of the couch and turns to angle himself towards her too. He's more relaxed with her now, since she's not been crude or pushy for once, and he's also pleasantly surprised. "You didn't strike me as a reader."

"Oh no?" Lou asks with a laugh.

"No, not at all," he laughs in return.

"What did I strike you as then?" she asks with curiosity, propping an elbow on the back of the old couch and leaning her cheek into her hand.

Sam pauses. Should he be honest?

"Yes, you should tell the truth," Lou says, his worries obvious. "Go for it. I'm tough skinned. I can take it."

"Alright…" Sam cautiously begins. "Well, first night? I thought you were… brazen."

"Brazen isn't bad, right?"

"No. You just… came on strong," Sam tells her. "Maybe too strong."

"Most men usually like when I come on that strong," Lou rebuts.

"Guess I'm not most men," Sam says quietly.

"No you're not," Lou responds and Sam snaps his focus right onto her hard, blown away by the honesty instead of slick flirtation in her voice. Her expression is soft yet serious. "I know I come off a certain way," she explains herself. "But I have to. It's just Lizzy and me out on the road. We can't afford to show weakness. If it's not an evil bastard that we're after it's a guy that thinks we're easy targets at the bar. I know what we look like and I know how some men think."

"I doubt any men are dumb enough to try anything unwanted on you or Lizzy," Sam scoffs at the idea. Both of them are intimidating enough and can handle themselves.

"You'd be surprised how dumb your sex can be," Lou laughs. "I know it sounds stupid since I'm only days older than her, but Lizzy… she's…."

"Trusting," Sam says, having observed enough of the girl.

"Very. And sometimes she thinks the best of humanity when she shouldn't. I feel responsible for her. I need to protect her from that shit when I can so I've become… tough. And harsh. So... I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sam questions.

"I just… I'm used to putting on a certain face," Lou shrugs. "I'm sorry if I came on too strong for you."

Sam nods, shocked by all this. He never saw the honesty and apology coming.

"And… I'm sorry if I pushed you into anything," Lou says with a cringe. "Everything you told me about Madison and Jessica… I just wanted you to see it could be ok. I mean, I'm still here, right?"

He huffs a laugh at this. Only she could talk him right out of his pants and have a point to prove through it. "You are."

"And nothing came for me… and I didn't, like, turn into anything else," she promises. "I know how to protect myself. If I go down fighting it won't be because I had sex with you."

He laughs again, blown away by her openness.

"I sure hope not," Sam tells her, finding that he's grown fonder of the girl than he's thought. Once she returned to the kinder and calmer version of herself he saw the night before he remembers what it was that made him fall under her spell. She's very understanding and she's really just a kind girl that buries herself under a shell, one that she needs in order to survive in her world.

And the way he grins at her, warm and comfortably, she knows she's got him back on her side.

"So what's your plan for the night?" Lou moves on. "Read until you pass out?"

"That was the plan," Sam nods. "Maybe I'll check the news for anything we might want to get on tomorrow once you guys go."

"Sounds kind of boring, but ok," Lou giggles a little at him. "You know, if you want some company… I wouldn't mind hanging out."

"Is that a come on?" Sam has to ask as he doesn't truly know.

"No," she laughs. "I mean, I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with a huge giant that takes up most of it again if the night leads in that direction, but I meant it. I'm sorry for being so pushy."

"I appreciate that," Sam admits.

"You better!" she laughs. "I've never apologized for my attitude in my life before now!"

"Your poor parents," Sam laughs with her.

"I put them through the ringer," she lets him know. "But seriously, I wanna hang out. And, if you want and only if you want, we can see where the night leads."

"Fair enough," he smiles, dimples full out and Lou's heart beats faster.

"Just remember something when it's time to turn in," Lou requests. "We worked really well together." She shoots a knowing look.

"We… did," he quietly agrees, looking down at his book, planning on how to let her down gently later.

Lizzy kicks the door to the bedroom shut behind her as she searches through the music on her iPod. Once satisfied with her choice she pops it into the dock she brought up with her and pushes play. Neil Young's voice softly fills the air as 'You and Me' begins.

"Last night," she says to him as she leans back into the dresser the dock is on and looks at Dean sitting on the bed they've shared for two nights now. It's more of a lament than a statement. She's not ready for the weekend to be over.

"That it is," Dean concurs as he looks at her in her shorts and tank top, Sam's brown sweatshirt on her like a dress. Her bare legs look so long and smooth as she crosses them at the ankle. Where the hell did this weekend go?

"I was thinking about quitting," she jokes to him with a smile that lets him know just how not-serious she is.

"Oh yeah?" Dean asks, lightly smiling at her as he sits on the foot of the bed, feet planted on the floor.

"Yep. Gonna get a place in the woods somewhere… off the grid. Live off the land. Maybe house some weary hunters now and then," she says, smirking.

"Ah," he nods. "You're setting up booty calls."

"I only have one booty call in mind, thank you," she feigns insulted. "What do you think I am?"

"Easy?" Dean smiles wide.

"Fuck you!"

"Hey, you slept with me pretty damn quick," he rebuts.

She looking him over and says seriously, "You're different."

He doesn't know what to say back to that and a silence grows between them. Lizzy hops onto the bed and sits Indian-style. Dean moves back, lying on his side facing her with an elbow propping his head up. Their usually easy banter isn't flowing as freely now that their time together is almost up.

"This is kinda weird," she says out of nowhere.

"A little," he agrees, his free hand reaching out to push her bangs out of her eyes.

"Why is this weird?" Lizzy wonders out loud, not appreciating it.

"Not sure." He's a liar. Dean knows it's because she's leaving and neither of them knows when, or if, they'll ever see each other again. Uncertainty sucks and so does knowing that whatever this thing is between them has to end and they have no choice over the matter.

And now he sees for sure that there is something between them. He can feel the icy grip of fear make its way into his chest at the very idea.

"I feel like there's so much I'm supposed to say right now but I for the life of me can't figure out what it's supposed to be." She then huffs a laugh. "Which is strange because talking isn't normally a struggle for me."

Dean laughs at this. "I've noticed…."

"Watch it," she playfully smacks his shoulder.

"But I know what you mean," he assures her, making sure she gets that she's not alone in this right now.

Lizzy shifts closer, lying next to him on her side also so that their faces are just inches apart. She rests the palm of her hand on his cheek.

"I'm going to miss you," she tells him, honesty all she has left. "I kinda feel like I already do and I haven't even left yet."

Dean doesn't respond but instead moves in and kisses her lips gently. This was much easier for him than using actual words as emotional moments were never his thing. He's an actions kind of man.

When he pulls his lips away she looks right into his eyes. "I just… I wish that…"

"I know," Dean stops her. "Trust me… I know." Her words were going to sting and it's easier to leave everything unsaid yet still understood. He pulls her closer, his arm around her waist and his hand flat against her back, so that no space remained between them. Her body pressed to his he thinks he would be more than happy to stay this way the rest of his life.

"I better hear from you now and then," Lizzy gives her fair warning. "I'll need to know that you and Sam are ok. And alive."

"That can be done," he promises, kissing her cheek with all intentions of using this last night together the right way.

"I'm serious," she keeps trying, his lips landing on her neck next. "If I don't hear from you I will track you down and kick your ass."

"So violent," he says, his tongue running in a circle on her skin.

"Absolutely. Whatever it takes," Lizzy tells him, eyes closing as he keeps going. With his mouth still doing wonderful things to her neck she grows bold. "You're… important to me, to us. You and Sam both are."

"But mostly me, right?" he asks, his voice vibrating off her skin before he lifts his head and looks right at her.

Lizzy smiles, puts her hand on his neck, pulls him to her, and kisses him in answer.

Soon enough Dean is hovering over Lizzy, lips pressed and hands roaming. They take their time, enjoying each other for as long as possible. As Dean hears Eddie Vedder's voice crooning 'Come Back' in the background, he is sure that this is the single most wonderful and heartbreaking moment he's ever been through. If he could read her mind he'd know she was thinking the same way.

Sam flies awake when he hears footsteps coming closer to him across the wooden flooring of Bobby's living room. He fell asleep on the couch, giving Lou the room as a good man would and dealt with the cramped space and lack of leg room for people six and a half feet tall.

When he looks up he sees Lou in her sweatpants and a tight t-shirt walking towards him.

"Lou?" he asks her.

Without a word she lifts the spare comforter he has draped over him and climbs in next to him.

"What are you doing?" Sam asks her, knowing that the night before now was friendly and enjoyable in a purely nonphysical way. It was really nice yet here she is doing exactly what he figured she would.

"Relax," she says as she presses her back into his front and snuggles in. "You already turned me down earlier."

When she yanks his arm around her middle he's confused.

"Then what is this?" he wonders.

She hesitates. "Hunting is lonely," is all she says to him as she settles in right, tired of always being in her bed alone every night. She felt good when they slept next to each other the night before, waking up to him stirring next to her and getting ready to slip out of bed before she woke.

And he can't say anything in return to that. She's completely right. Hunting is lonely. Granted, as a hunter he's never alone and neither is she. They live and work with their partners, constantly in the presence of another.

But it's so lonely it hurts sometimes. Hunting makes any form of real relationship nearly impossible and the solitude of that gets old.

So Sam goes with her whim. He pulls her in tight, letting her fingers weave into his as he settles there. Her hair is in his face a little but it's fine. She smells good and she feels better. That comfort of another person, one he actually clicked a bit with over literature and their mutual love for things like the fantastical works of Tolkien and an odd fascination with serial killers, is impossible to turn away.

For just one more night he gets to feel like he isn't alone. After Jessica and Madison and even his mother and father… Sam deserves as much.

"You sure you have everything you need?" Bobby questions while watching the girls finish up packing the car.

"I think so. I can't imagine we're missing anything," Lou responds. She had their new journal in hand and she looks to Sam. "We're gonna go through this on the ride. It'll keep us entertained."

"You have my number, right? And Dean's too?" Sam asks the girls.

"Definitely. We'll text you today so you can be sure." Lizzy walks to him and gives Sam a tight hug. She whispers something in his ear that makes him smile. She then innocently kisses him on the cheek before heading in Bobby's direction to say her goodbyes to him also

"Dean, it's been a pleasure," Lou says stepping in front of him.

"All mine, Lou." he responds while holding out his hand to her.

"You really screwed me here, bro," Lou says while shaking his hand. "I'm gonna have to deal with her depressed ass for a while."

"Oh, she'll be fine," Dean brushes it off.

"No… she really won't," Lou says, glancing at her best friend as she puts on a brave face for the proper goodbyes. "And thanks for that, by the way." She winks to let him know she's joking… sort of.

Dean just laughs as she walks away, Lizzy now moving towards him. He swallows hard and looks her over, committing her visually to his memory. She's so damn gorgeous. It's a shame they have to be on their way.

"So, I wrote you this." Lizzy hands over a folded piece of paper when she gets to him. "I wrote it this morning when you weren't up yet. I know you aren't big on… verbalizing your feelings and all that shit but I usually am. So, to save you the awkwardness, I put everything down here."

"Ok," he nods and pockets the note, appreciating that she would do this for her.

Lizzy pulls him down, circling her arms around his neck. She kisses him and does it seriously, with every bit of the feelings she's so quickly and easily developed for him in such a very short amount of time. When she ends it she hugs him tightly and says directly into his ear, "Be safe out there. I'm going to need you in one piece for when I get to see you again."

"I'll do what I can," Dean promises her and actually means it.

"Good. Because I will see you again." Lizzy then backs away while staring up at him, her eyes sincere and filled with a sadness he hadn't seen on her all weekend. "I really wish things could be different."

So does he.

"You guys better head out before you lose too much daylight."

]She forces a pained smile and turns to the car. Lizzy gets into the passenger side as he sees Lou and Sam hug goodbye. He's about as surprised as Sam is when Lou grips his face hard and yanks him into one very big, very attacking goodbye kiss.

When done, Lou lets him go and smiles wide. "I'll get you next time." She winks and he smiles a little as she gets into the Toyota.

The car starts and through the rolled up windows Dean can hear 'Ramble On' begin played.

"Shit," he mutters under his breath as the car begins making its way down the driveway. Lizzy gives him one last sad look before she can no longer see him from down the driveway. He feels a hand on his shoulder as the Toyota turns and disappears. He looks and sees Sam, who gives him a sympathetic look.

"Jesus Sammy, enough with the chick flick bullshit." He shrugs the hand off his shoulder and Sam huffs before leaving him and heading back to the kitchen with Bobby.

Leaning against the Impala, Dean takes the folded note out of his pocket. Giving it one seriously, he thinks about it and decides not to wait. He unfurls it and begins to read;

Dean,

I'm not really sure where to begin here since there is so much I have to say so I guess I should just dive right in. First and foremost, thank you. I have lost so much in my life and, aside from Lou, no one has ever been able to understand what I have seen and been through. It is comforting to know we are not alone in this world and I sincerely hope we were able to comfort you in the same way. You and Sam can consider Lou and me as part of your extended family now. Lean on us. Let us help you. We will always be there if you need us.

Getting to know you these past few days has been wonderful. You are an exceptional person, Dean. With the life you've been given most people would be spent beyond belief yet you hold up and keep fighting. You're easily the strongest person I know. I respect you more than I could possibly put down in words.

As for how I feel about you, I am conflicted. My lifestyle is not accommodating of actual emotional attachment and that's why this is so difficult. This thing we have is different than anything I have ever experienced before. I have never been so taken off guard by a person. You do something to me whenever I am near you, or whenever I even think about you, and whatever that something is I really like it. It's terrifying knowing that tomorrow I will be waking up alone and unsure of where you are and what you are doing but at least I know you're still fighting for what you believe in.

I know it is a scary word so I won't write it down but I think that's what we have might actually be that. It's big. I can feel it and I know you do too. I want you to know it's there for me too since you're probably freaking out about it in that overworked head of yours. They say you know it when you feel it. Well, I feel it.

The past few days were the best I have ever had. Getting to know you has been a hell of a ride and more importantly than anything else, I've found that I am totally myself with you. That's quite a feat these days.

More than ever before, I wish my fate was not what it is. I would give anything to pursue what we have a little more but I am realistic. I just look forward to the chance of finding out there someday hopefully soon enough. Please be safe. I have lost people before but I do not think that I can handle losing you too.

You are a wonderful, good-hearted, well-intentioned man, Dean Winchester. Do not let this miserable world change you. The person that you are is pretty damn alright.

With love,

Lizzy Noonan

Dean huffs a sigh and folds the note back up. Figures she'd get that deep on him. She's not afraid of emotions and she's always ready to speak them aloud.

And now he's left with so much to process.

Love scare the shit out of him. It's the one thing that's led him down this road of shit he's on now and finding more of it is not something he welcomes. But that's the word she wouldn't write down in that note and he recognizes now that he's known the strength of his feelings for her all along. He simply refused to accept it before now because of how terrified it makes him.

But he can't ignore it now. Even if Dean had always done everything he could to avoid this, especially after Cassie ripped his heart out years ago this can't be ignored. In his experience love is messy and awful and always ends in heartache, or at least that's what Cassie taught him.

This time around? It's very different already. This thing with Lizzy didn't come with rejection. Lizzy hadn't run away when he told her the realities of his life and she would have stayed with him even with that knowledge if she didn't need to be on the road. That alone has changed his perspective a bit.

His sadness grows deeper as he mulls over her letter. Life is insanely difficult and unfair, especially if you've inherited the Winchester name. There's something in him that's stirred up with meeting her. Something that feels a little too much like longing for domesticity for him to let it fully develop. Dean wipes his palm down his face when it overwhelms him.

"Dean?"

Sam's voice punctures his thoughts. Fucking Sam. How long had he been there?

Dean lifts his head and watches Sam walk towards him. He takes out his wallet and shoves the note in it before his brother reaches him.

Sam's arm is outstretched with a beer that Dean takes from him before Sam leans against the Impala next to him. "You ok, man?"

"Fine, Sammy." Dean takes a huge swig from the bottle in his hand.

Sam nods, accepting how tight lipped Dean's about to be within the situation. He knows his brother well enough. Now's not the time to talk about it. Instead he offers what he can. "We'll see them again."

"Bet you'd like that," Dean jokes flatly and he hears Sam sigh with exasperation in his sibling. He clears his throat. "Thanks Sam." He does appreciate that his brother is doing what he can to help, even if he's terrible at it. They both drink in silence for a few minutes as Sam quietly supports his hurting older brother.

"Well, if you want a distraction Bobby thinks he's picked up on something," Sam tries, knowing that working is probably their best bet right now. Don't think about the good stuff they just had. Let it go for now and focus on work before it hurts. "We can go check it out if you want."

"What is it?"

"Ghost. They're filming a horror flick in LA and people on the set claim something is haunting the soundstage. A guy died during filming yesterday. Could be interesting."

"Huh," Dean thinks out loud. "I do love me a good scary movie."

"Yeah. I know."

"Alright. Let's head west."

"I'll go let Bobby know the plan." Sam heads back into the house and Dean hears his phone. Taking it out of his pocket, he flips it open and checks the text.

Did I scare the shit out of you yet?

He laughs. She's worried about freaking him out. How Lizzy knows him so well already he doesn't get but it's good of her to check on him. And she just knew he'd read the letter the second she left. He responds.

Nah, I'm good. Thanks for the letter. Have a safe trip.

He pushes send. It isn't the message she probably wants from him right now, especially with how honest she was in the letter, but Dean needs some time to process everything. Maybe he can call her and check in after they're done in LA.

Dean stands up on his feet and heads into the house. He has some packing to do if he and Sam were going to get on the road before nightfall.

THE END