Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC Series Summary: Sam and Dean answer Jody’s call about a ghost wandering in the woods, calling for help, wearing period clothing. Thinking they’re taking a break from the end of the world and handling a run of the mill haunting, they hit the road, unaware their world is about to be turned upside down. Genre:Time travel AU, WW2, Romance, Angst Warnings:None for this part, except some swearing. Chapter Summary: In present day, Sam and Dean try to figure out where to start in figuring how Eva got here, and how to get her back to 1944. Disclaimer: I don’t own Supernatural, or Sam and Dean. Eva is an original character, and mine. The depictions of members of Easy Company in this story are based on the actor’s interpretation in the HBO series Band of Brothers, which I also don’t own.
“This is perfect, this is just fucking perfect,” Dean says through grit teeth as he drives. His knuckles are white against the steering wheel.
“At least it has nothing to do with me this time.” Eva pipes up from the backseat, smiling politely at him in the rearview mirror.
His grip tightens.
“What are we supposed to do?” Sam asks, sounding equally as stressed, “Tell Jody ‘sorry, we can’t save your life today’?”
“Are either of you going to tell me what’s going on?” Eva asks for the fifth time, and Dean exhales hard through his nose.
“Listen to me, both of you,” he says, going full big brother mode. “Both of you are going to shut up–”
“Hey–!”
“You’re going to shut up and let me drive so I don’t kill us all, and then we’ll decide what the hell we’re going to do when we find Jody.”
Eva has her arms crossed. “Who is Jody?”
“She’s who led us to you, actually.” Sam says. “A friend of ours, who’s gotten herself into a bit of trouble.”
“I mean, why not just run off after the first thing with fangs before asking anyone else for help or backup?” Dean mutters under his breath.
“What?” Eva asks, alarmed.
“Nothing.”
Dean’s foot lands heavier on the gas pedal and he just hopes that they’re going to make it there in time. When Jody called, she was cut off almost immediately, and Dean could hear the sounds of a fight in the background.
They have no choice but to get to her as fast as they can, no matter if they have a passenger or not.
Ten minutes later, tires squealing, Dean pulls into the parking lot of an abandoned building, Sam nearly leaping out of the door before the car is even in park.
“Stay here.” Dean orders, before he too is out of the Impala, not giving Eva a second look.
Inside, he’s right behind his brother, his adrenaline kicking in as he hears Jody struggling. At least she’s still alive. He and Sam move nearly in sync, picking up where Jody left off with the vamp nest.
All he can hear is the sound of his own heavy breathing as he focuses, and only notices for one second that there’s a fourth person in on the fight before he does a double take, seeing red.
Eva is there, his gun clutched tight in her grip, and she’s firing with precision, her eyes hard.
She has no idea that her bullets aren’t going to do a thing.
Sam lands the final blow to the last vamp before it can turn on Eva, but it’s Dean who’s turning on her, voice loud even to his own ears.
“What the fuck are you doing? I told you to stay in the car!”
“I don’t take orders from you,” she says, eyes flashing, “and you’re welcomeby the way, for helping you with whatever was happening here.”
Dean pinches the bridge of his nose. “You have no idea what you just walked into, and you could’ve–”
“I’m sure sitting alone outside was the better strategy, or did I miss that in officer training school?”
Dean opens his mouth to fire back another biting reply, but Jody’s voice cuts through the tension.
“Uh, hello?”
He turns to her. She’s got a pretty bad cut on her forehead and a few other scrapes, but he doesn’t see any other blood, and more importantly, no bite marks.
“Thank you for coming, but also – who the hell is this?”
“Eva Simmons.”
“What?” Jody looks at Sam and Dean incredulously.
“We found the ghost.” Sam says, deadpan.
“She’s not a ghost–” Dean interrupts, but before he can finish, Eva beats him to it.
“Actually, I’m still not positive I’m not dead, so…”
Jody looks dumbstruck. “She is what you found in Virginia?”
“And unless you have any other ideas on how to get her back to 1944, we might all be speaking German by morning.” Dean bites, tired of beating around the bush. “So we’re going back to the bunker, and I’m going to drink two – no, three – beers before we figure out what the hell to do here.”
Sam rolls his eyes. Eva looks furious, which Dean is starting to think is her default setting. Jody looks amused, which just makes Dean grind his teeth a little harder.
An hour later, they’re packed into the Impala, and Dean’s mind won’t shut off. Eva has made herself as small as possible in the backseat, and she stares out the window watching the view go by.
He wonders why she’s not more freaked than she’s acting. She’s not exclaiming at every digital billboard or car or anything else. She seems… calm.
For the first time tonight, he’s suspicious of her story. She’s got the clothes, and the slightly old-school accent, but she could be a great actress. Though - what would she gain from finding Sam and Dean? How else can he explain the way she fired a gun like she’s done it a million times before?
And her fear earlier… that didn’t seem fake.
Everyone but Dean falls asleep by the time they reach the bunker.
He puts the car in park and stretches in his seat, his neck cracking and back protesting the long drive. At his movement, Eva wakes. She gasps and looks around wildly, which wakes Jody.
“We’re here.” Dean says.
Inside, he watches as Eva walks around cautiously, but there’s something reverent in her gaze, the way she runs her fingers lightly over the mahogany table.
“Think it seems familiar to her?” Jody whispers. “It was built around the time she–” she stops herself, almost like she can’t believe there’s a time traveler in their midst. “Have you looked into her story at all?”
Dean shrugs. “Sam did some digging, but there’s nothing. Not from what he could find on his phone, anyway.”
“How the hell are we going to do this, Dean? We have no idea what sent her here in the first place–”
“I know.” He runs a hand over his face. “I feel– this is above our paygrade, Jody.”
“You need to treat this like a haunting,” she says quietly. “She’s a person, and there’s a reason she’s here. We just have to figure out what that is.”
.
Eva feels like a fish out of water, but this place feels – homey?The architecture, the furniture, they all feel familiar.
She worked on code breaking in a place like this.
“Do you want to find a room to stay in?” Sam asks her, appearing at her side.
She gives him a weak smile. “That would be great, thank you.”
He leads her down a long corridor of polished tile, their footsteps echoing. “Any of these rooms,” he gestures to the right side, “are open. This place was meant to house a lot of people, so take whichever one you want.” He pauses, “There’s also communal bathrooms down the hall. If you want to shower, or–”
“I think I’m just going to try to sleep. Maybe when I wake up I’ll realize this was all a dream,” Eva says, smiling at Sam.
“Maybe.”
Dean walks over slowly, eyes wary. Eva gets the feeling he’s not a very trusting person. Hell, she doesn’t blame him. Her whole adult life has been about second guessing every story, every name.
There’s more to Sam and Dean’s story than they’ve told her - that much is clear. She still has very little understanding as to what she walked in on earlier. They were frantic about getting to Jody, and those people she shot– they weren’t people. Not anymore.
She shivers just thinking about it.
“We’re going to do some research to figure out how we can get you back to where you’re supposed to be. The more you can tell us about yourself, the better.”
Eva stills. This, this, is the number one thing she’s trained to look out for.
.
1944
Lieutenant Lewis Nixon is cold, tired, and needs a drink.
He stomps through camp, for once hoping the fog doesn’t clear. If it does, they’ll be jumping into Normandy without their best ally on the ground.
No one has heard from Eva Simmons since she dropped with the Pathfinders.
He’s starting to get worried. The biggest worry in the back of his mind is that she went into some little French town and she was made by a collaborator, or the Germans themselves.
It seems so far-fetched, but these days, he’s going with his gut. They’re so close to the invasion he can taste it, but they absolutely can’t go without making contact - not just to belay his own fears that she’s alive, but they need the intelligence first.
He gets into Battalion headquarters, his gut churning.
“Nixon.” Colonel Sink barks his name, and he takes a deep breath before he enters the room. He goes to salute, but the Colonel waves him off. “We don’t have time for that - sit down.”
“Sir, we haven’t made contact with Simmons.”
Sink sighs. “I was afraid of that. Do you think something happened on the drop?”
“The rest of her company checked in via their radio man. It was coded, but we got it. She has a separate code that she’s meant to use when she hooks up with the Free French.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Sir, there are two options: either she was killed during the drop, or she was intercepted on the ground.”
“What’s more likely?”
“I think the latter, sir. Simmons excelled at jump school. She’s smart and she knows how to blend in, but there’s a chance that she had a run-in with the wrong people.”
“There’s nothing we can do but wait, Lieutenant. The minute you hear something to suggest she’s alive, you report directly to me.”
“Yes sir.”
Outside, Nixon tries to quell his fears and stop assuming the worst. There’s got to be a reason she didn’t check in… she’s too smart to get captured, and the alternative… well, she didn’t just vanish into thin air.
.
Present day
Eva doesn’t sleep much that night. She told Dean and Sam as much as she could without giving too much away - she’s still so paranoid. She wonders if she’s going to be like this for the rest of her life.
Whatever time she has left.
She can’t remember what she was doing right before she ended up in Virginia. She doesn’t remember if she was wounded, if she was killed, if she was… was she– a brief flash of a memory, of being… she’s somewhere cold, and dark, and she’s frantic. Her pulse is beating a mile a minute.
She’s running, from someone, from something…
She can’t think. She can’t think.
Frustrated tears come to her eyes.
She has to figure this out. There’s no other option. She promises herself that in the morning, she’s going to steel herself, and do what she does best - solve the code that got her here in the first place.
Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC Summary:Sam and Dean answer Jody’s call about a ghost wandering in the woods, calling for help, wearing period clothing. Thinking they’re taking a break from the end of the world and handling a run of the mill haunting, they hit the road, unaware their world is about to be turned upside down. Genre:Time travel AU, WW2, Romance, Angst Warnings: None for this part. Masterlist
Prologue
“… yeah, we can take a trip and see what’s going on. I’ll do some research. Sure, bye.”
Dean listens in as Sam finishes up a phone call, his cell pressed between his ear and his shoulder as he types on his laptop.
Dean raises his eyebrows. “A hunt? I thought we were taking some time off.”
Sam nods. “It’s Jody. A haunting. She thought we could look into it since she knows you’re incapable of actually taking time off.”
Dean rolls his eyes.
“It’s weird - Jody says there’s been a huge uptick of stories in Virginia of a woman who haunts this stretch of woods, here.” He points at a spot on Google Maps on his laptop screen. “She wears period clothes, calls out for help, the usual.”
“So?” Dean shrugs. “Look, we can’t help every lost soul. Why us? Isn’t there someone local who can figure out what’s going on?”
Sam gets that look on his face. “Get this - the other day someone else saw her. But this time, she saw them. Like – made eye contact, and spoke to them.”
“Still not that weird. An intelligent spirit.”
“She came closer, and grabbed their arm. The guy said it felt real. He thought she was a real person. By the time he got his phone to call the cops, she took off.”
Dean sits a little straighter. “She didn’t disappear? She ran away?”
Sam nods. “Appears so.”
Dean frowns. “So, this ghost. She’s been there for years. And only now she’s interacting with people?”
Sam nods. “And that’s not all. Before, it was the usual lost soul stuff. Asking for help, walking the same path. But now, she’s been seen in different areas, even walking along the sidewalk in some places. And she’s spoken to people, and says different things every time. Not like a record on repeat.”
Dean scratches at his beard. “Okay, that’s weird.” He stretches, sighing. “Virginia’s nice this time of year.”
Sam grins.
.
Two days later, the Impala slows to a stop alongside the highway.
In the trunk, he and Sam grab flashlights, their guns, and some salt. Dean doesn’t think they’re dealing with an aggressive spirit, but it never hurts to be prepared. The last time he made assumptions, he almost got his eyes clawed out by the ghost of a teenage girl.
“Let’s go,” Sam says quietly, and they head into the woods, gravel crunching lightly underfoot.
It’s quiet.
Dean feels the hairs on the back of his neck start to stand up, and he slows his steps, looking to his brother. He feels like someone’s watching him, and no sooner has he digested that thought, then he hears the click of a gun being cocked.
He freezes, his jaw clenching.
“Don’t move.”
The voice is female, softer than he expects for someone who has a weapon pointed at him.
“Woah, woah, woah–”
“I said don’t move.”
“Not moving.” Sam says. “We don’t have any money.”
“I don’t want your money,” she snaps. “I want your name, rank, and serial number.”
Dean falters. “Excuse me?” He asks, trying to turn around.
“Don’t move!”
“Alright, alright. Look, we don’t have rank or a serial number.” He tries to see her out of the corner of his eye. Her hands are shaking, just slightly. “I can tell you our names.” When she doesn’t say anything, he continues. “I’m Dean, and this is my brother Sam. We’re here to- to help someone.”
“Put the gun down.” Sam says. “We’re unarmed.”
“No one’s ever unarmed.” She says, almost laughing. “Turn around.”
They turn slowly, and Dean sucks in a breath when he sees her. Dark hair, pulled tight into a twist. She’s got an olive drab colored button-down shirt tucked into high-waisted trousers, and a sidearm, pointing right at his forehead. Her grip is steady, but she twitches when she meets his eyes.
“American?” She asks, and Dean’s brow furrows.
“What else would we be?”
She glares. “You’re in civilian clothing. You didn’t identify yourself.”
Sam and Dean share a look before Sam speaks. “Miss… we’re out here trying to help someone. We’re not looking for any trouble. In fact, I’m starting to think we’re looking for you.”
“What?”
Dean takes a step forward, his hands out in a placating gesture. “What’s your name?”
Something flashes in her eyes. “Eva.”
“Eva. We can help you, but you have to tell us what you’re doing here.”
“What do you mean– are you stupid?” She asks, and Dean’s jaw drops. He shares another look with Sam. “What else would I be doing here?”
Sam also takes a step forward. “Eva… where do you think you are right now?”
She shakes her head, just slightly. “France. I– I got separated and I must have… hit my head, I guess. I– I have to find my way back, but no one will help me. No one responds to the code words, and I–”
“Wait. Wait. Eva–” Dean starts, holding up his hand. “Eva, this is Virginia. United States.”
She stares at him. “Is this a joke?”
“No, Eva. It’s not.”
“We don’t have time for this! I have to get back to my unit. The op is in two days–”
The air whooshes out of Dean’s lungs as he reads the desperation on her face. This isn’t a ghost. She’s real, just as real as him and Sam.
“Just… wait here. I need to talk to my brother for a second.” Dean says, pulling Sam by the elbow a few feet away.
“Is she–”
“A box of fruit loops? Probably.” Dean says, rolling his eyes. “Look, we can get her to a hospital. But if we miss the window on that spirit appearing–”
“Did you not hear what I said to her?” Sam interrupts impatiently. “I think she’s the ghost.”
Dean shakes his head. “She– look. That’s not possible. She’s not exactly made of vapors or whatever.”
Sam sighs. “Jody said the spirit wore period clothes. Asked people for help. Appeared real, but took off so fast people thought she was a ghost.”
Dean puts his hands on his hips. “You think it’s her. That still doesn’t tell us what to do from here. This is out of our wheelhouse, dude. We don’t do memory loss.”
“She thinks she’s in France.”
“Like I said. Cuckoo for cocoa puffs.”
“What if she’s not crazy?”
“Can you two stop talking about me like I’m not standing right here?” Eva hisses, and Sam and Dean turn to look at her, Dean dismayed when he sees tears on her cheeks. “No one will help me. I don’t know how I got here. Look - you’re American, and I hope I’m not being compromised, but I think I was made, and I have to find my unit. Please, just–”
“Eva, slow down.” Sam says quietly. “Eva, it’s– today is June 4th.”
“Iknowthat.”
“June 4th, 2021.”
All the color drains from her face. Dean speaks, softly. “It’s 2021.”
“That’simpossible.” She whispers.
Dean sighs. “Yeah. We hear that a lot.”
.
A/N:What do you think? I’m excited about this one and would love to hear your thoughts! Please note: I am not doing a tag list for this story - so sorry, but it just takes so much time and effort. If you want to read more, please turn on notifications for my blog!
Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC Summary: Sam and Dean answer Jody’s call about a ghost wandering in the woods, calling for help, wearing period clothing. Thinking they’re taking a break from the end of the world and handling a run of the mill haunting, they hit the road, unaware their world is about to be turned upside down. Genre:Time travel AU, WW2, Romance, Angst Warnings:Descriptions of war and war-typical violence, some (small) mentions of era-typical misogyny, descriptions of PTSD. Appropriate trigger warnings will be at the beginning of each chapter if applicable. Author’s Note: I have no idea why my brain insists on these crazy ideas, but here we are. As some of you know, I have a sideblog for HBO War content like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, etc ( @softspeirs ). I’ve been having writer’s block re: some projects for that fandom lately and wanted to switch fandoms to see if that would help. In the middle of the night I had an idea for this fic. I hope it interests some of you!
Explicit 18 +/Warnings: None really. Cas being Cas, light angst, brief mentions of grief.
Word Count:3,043
Series Summary: Dean has been her hero from childhood, can she ever get him to be more?
Chapter Summary: They’re all searching for a way to get Sam out, what happens when they find out he already is?
A/N: The thirteenth chapter in a longer series. As I’m writing, the story is stretching out a little and I’m thinking it’s going to be at least 20 chapters. Sorry! It’s what I’ll call cannon adjacent. It will follow the general storylines through the seasons, but I’m creating my own offshoots.
A/N 2: I so apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I struggled with it a lot, and then just being so busy with RL this time of year, it just took me forever to get it out. I’ll try not to let the next chapter take more than 3 weeks to come out. Thanks for your patience.
The beautiful divider at the end was created by @talesmaniac89.
1 month later (June 2010)
Julie woke before Dean did, his shifting and thrashing in his sleep waking her up just before he jolted awake, sitting up with a grunt of fear, his breaths shallow and rapid.
Obviously realizing it had just been another nightmare, he dragged in deep breaths, trying to recover. Julie sat up beside him.
“Dean.” She said softly, wishing as she always did, that she could offer him some kind of peace from the terrors that constantly plagued his mind.
He shook his head; his voice was raspy with sleep. “Sorry, sweetheart. Didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s fine.” Julie said and then paused a moment. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
“And I couldn’t be sure.. I had a a feeling so peculiar That this pain will/won’t be for… Evermore. Evermore”
Dean unexpectedly dies during a routine hunt. Ellie has a really hard time moving on and accepting the finality of it. A trip down memory lane leads her to a risky but bold decision. This time instead of running away, she can try to solve the problem.
Darkness I charge you with this sign, mother in the night, are mine. I teach you the mystery of rebirth, work my mysteries in mirth. From me they come, and to me they go. I invite you to come.
And just like that, Dean is back. They get to pick up where they left off. Build a life for themselves. For Evermore
@mvdeanw so…. This video is very important to us. And we feel very proud of it. It’s our own fix it version of the finale.
I was listening to that song a lot last summer andbi kept thinking. There were lyrics that made me think of the finale. And then the ending was a lot more hopeful. So i knew roght away what i wanted to do. I had the whole sequence in my head. This time we starter at the end and worked our way to the sad parts. We wanted to be sure that it works and that the story as we intented it, works. I think we did okay.
Hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed making it. And i hope it makes you happy. ❤️❤️
Alex! That was beautiful! I couldn’t stop crying, but it was good. You make the perfect ending!!!
Pairing: Teacher!Dean x Sophia Morris (OFC). Other Characters: Jody Mills, Donna Hanscum, Charlie Bradbury, Lisa Braeden, Chuck, Bobby Singer and Meg Masters (mentioned), Simon and Julia Morris (OFC’s parents) Jenna (OFC’s sister, mentioned).
Word Count: 9301 (y’all know me by now, I don’t do short fics)
Warnings: Friends to Lovers, well-meaning friends, overbearing mother, some angst, but ends in FLUFFFFF
Summary: Dean is a substitute teacher, who finally gets opportunity to stay for a while at one school. He meets Sophia and makes an impression on her, but not necessarily his best one. But he is determined to win her heart, and gets some help along the way.
A/N: This started out to be a Christmas story, then New Year’s, now just a good old AU with our beloved Dean Winchester. Shout-out to my daughter, @phoenixisred who beta’d this for me as the story unfolded. Enjoy!
Sophia Morris wandered into the teacher’s lounge, chose her seat and dropped her bag on the table. She fished her favorite travel mug out of her bag and headed to the coffee machine to fill it. If I can just get some coffee in me, I’m sure I can make it through the day, she thought to herself.
Ahead of her in line was a strikingly handsome man she was sure she’d never seen before. He had spiky, sandy blond hair and a bit of stubble gracing his gorgeous face. As Sophia’s eyes trailed downward, she appreciated his perky behind that flowed naturally into bowed legs. Yowza, she silently commented.
“I’ll bet if you looked up the word ‘man-snack’ in the dictionary, you’d see his picture,” murmured Donna Hanscum, the U.S. History teacher.
“Please Donna, not before I’ve had my coffee,” Sophia groaned good-naturedly. Donna laughed and nudged Sophia forward, as it was her turn at the coffee pot. Unfortunately, the last of the coffee had been drained into the cup belonging to the aforementioned “man-snack”, leaving none for Sophia or anyone else. Sophia wanted to register her complaint with the coffee thief. However, before she could do that or even make a fresh pot, her boss walked into the room.
“Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a pleasant Christmas break,” announced Principal Jody Mills. “We’ve got a lot to go over for today’s staff meeting, so let’s get started. First of all, Mrs. Garlock went into early labor over the break. As such, she will be out for the rest of the school year,” she explained. Principal Mills went on to give the new baby’s vitals and confirm that mother and baby were doing well, as was Mr. Garlock.
“For the remainder of the school year, we have brought in a substitute teacher. Everyone, meet Mr. Dean Winchester, who will be taking over for Mrs. Garlock in our Biology classes,” Principal Mills remarked.
The previously dubbed “man-snack” stood up from his chair, coffee cup in hand, which had “I Heart Biology” written on it. Instead of a typical greeting card heart drawing, the heart looked like a real one, with veins and arteries coming out of it. Sophia didn’t know whether to appreciate the humor or to still be upset by the lack of coffee running through her own veins.
“Good morning,” he said as he gave a quick wave. “I’m Dean Winchester, new Biology teacher, nice to meet you all. I like classic rock music, I drive a classic muscle car and love teaching Biology class. I look forward to working with and getting to know all of you,” he winked. “By the way, this is really good coffee. Thank you,” he added before resuming his seat.
Principal Mills clapped her hands and suggested for everyone to go around the table and introduce themselves. There was Charlie Bradbury, Computer Science, Meg Masters, Algebra, and Bobby Singer, Industrial Arts. Most everyone had a cute story to tell about how long they’d been teaching at this school or elsewhere. Dean nodded and smiled, even laughed where appropriate.
Finally, it was Sophia’s turn to introduce herself. Sophia wanted nothing more than to say her name, make a new pot of coffee and head to her classroom. She stood from her chair, locked her gaze on Mr. Winchester and waved her hand. “Sophia Morris, English Lit teacher. On my way to make a new pot of coffee,” she added. This, however, was not to be Sophia’s day, because the first bell rang, signifying the beginning of the school day.
“All right, that’s all for now, folks,” Principal Mills called. “Have a good 'first day back’, everyone.”
Sophia picked up her coat and her bag then hurried for the door so she wouldn’t be late to her classroom. As she passed him, Dean’s hand shot out and grazed her shoulder, which startled her a little. “Excuse me, Ms. Morris? I noticed you earlier, as you waited behind me for the coffee. I’m really sorry I took the last of it, and that I didn’t get a chance to make more before the meeting. I’d like to make it up to you in some way, if I can,” Dean remarked.
The look on Dean’s face was filled with genuine remorse, making it very difficult for Sophia to stay angry with him. “It’s really not necessary, Mr. Winchester. I’ll chalk it up to it being your first day,” she remarked. “I’m sorry to run, but I need to head to class so we can continue our discussion of 'Macbeth’,” she explained as she dashed down the hall.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dean was left standing in the teacher’s lounge watching Sophia doing her best to make a quick getaway. He didn’t mean to take the last of the coffee, and he truly had wanted to make more before the meeting had started. I should leave home a little earlier tomorrow, he thought. Can’t leave anyone hanging without coffee again, especially not a beautiful woman like that, he mused.
He had noticed Sophia the second she walked in, wearing her light wash jeans and pale pink cowl neck sweater. He watched as she rummaged through her bag for her coffee cup and snickered when he saw the caption, “So Many Books, So Little Time” on the side. Dean hoped that by spending more time with just one school, that he’d have a chance to get to know Sophia Morris better.
A year ago, Dean wouldn’t even be thinking of getting involved with someone new, not after he and Lisa had split. Lisa was always telling him he could do so much better than being a substitute teacher. She had a friend in the insurance industry who was always trying to recruit new agents, but Dean refused to budge. Teaching was his passion, and he loved the feeling of connecting with the students, even if it was on a temporary basis. So Lisa broke up with him, but he stayed with his career as a substitute teacher.
Thoughts of Ms. Sophia Morris in her fuzzy pink sweater occupied his thoughts as he made the trek to his classroom. He walked to his desk at the front of the room, draped his leather jacket on the back of his chair and took out his copy of the Biology book. “Good morning, class. My name is Mr. Dean Winchester. I’ll be your teacher for the remainder of the school year,” he announced, and with that, his first class had begun.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sophia could not wait until the final bell rang at 2:55pm to end the school day. She wasn’t quite ready to come back to work after the holiday, loving that she got to sleep later each morning. Still, even work was better than the train-wreck that had ensued at her family’s Christmas dinner.
There were the usual annoying conversations at dinner, ones she was tired of having. There was “when are you going to find someone to settle down and have a family with?”. Or, “when are you going to quit your teaching job and take your rightful place within the company?”. That question was followed up with a scathing comment. The usual one is, “All you do is waste time babysitting a bunch of kids every day, pretending English Lit is something they’ll use in their future life.”
It infuriated Sophia to no end how her family didn’t understand how much teaching meant to her. Her favorite moments were witnessing the looks on her students’ faces when it finally all made sense to them. That breakthrough, A-HA! moment was priceless to see, when everything clicked into place. Those moments made it all worth it every time she stayed late to help a student or worked well into the evening hours reading essays instead of going out after work.
Her parents tried everything to get Sophia to come work with them. Her two uncles, an aunt and several cousins also worked for the company, so it was very much a family-run business. Except for Sophia, who chose a different path, and she has never heard the end of it.
Sophia’s younger sister, Jenna started as an intern, which led to her becoming the company’s corporate events planner. Jenna had also married well, as her husband was the son of one of her father’s business partners. To top it off, she happened to be expecting the family’s first grandchild. Their mother was quick to point out this fact every time Sophia visited.
It wasn’t as if Sophia hadn’t thought about kids. She was surrounded by them five days a week, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want ones of her own. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend, Chuck, didn’t really want kids and decided to find someone who agreed with him. One night about a year ago, she found him in a compromising situation with another woman. Sophia kicked him out and never looked back.
Until she’d met Dean Winchester, Sophia wouldn’t have even entertained the idea of getting together with someone new. Dean seemed to carry himself with a certain degree of confidence, a bit of an I’m sexy and I know it attitude. He hadn’t made the best first impression when he took the last of the coffee, but he did make sure to apologize for it. Sophia wished there had been more time to talk to him after the meeting.
Throughout the day, she’d heard an increasing number of her students talking about the “hot” or “awesome” new science teacher. Even some of her colleagues, both single and married, were found gossiping in the hallway about Dean. Most of the comments were about his physical attributes, which Sophia agreed were considerable. But she wanted to know more about the man behind the charm and swagger. The man who obviously loved teaching as much as she did, and that made him all the more interesting to her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On Friday, Dean walked out to the parking lot after school to his sleek, shiny black 1967 Chevy Impala. Before he climbed into the driver’s seat, he stopped to admire the car that had been parked next to his every day this week. It was a 2-door, royal blue 1968 Chevy Nova, with a white racing stripe running down the side. He gave a low whistle of appreciation as he scanned the parking lot for its owner. Dean had almost given up and driven away when he saw Sophia unlock the Nova’s doors. Oh my god, she’s perfect. And so is the car, he thought.
“Gorgeous car,” he heard her say. When Dean broke out of his trance, Sophia was gently running her fingertips along the body of the Impala. For the briefest of moments, he wished he could switch places with his car, just to feel her fingertips brush over his body. Vaguely, he heard someone calling his name, then realized Sophia had been trying several times to get his attention.
“Hmm? I’m sorry, what did you ask me?” he stammered. Get it together, Winchester, he growled to himself.
Sophia laughed at his being so flustered and Dean decided her laughter was his new favorite sound. “I asked how your first week went,” she repeated.
Dean’s eyes brightened as the smile returned to his face. “Really well, the kids are great, and so are the other teachers,” he answered.
“Well, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. We’ve all been the 'new kid’ at one time or another,” Sophia replied.
“Say, I was wondering….if, um….you’re free this weekend, maybe we could hang out together, get some dinner? You could bring me up to date on all the gossip,” Dean smirked.
Sophia gave Dean an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Dean, I have a lot going on this weekend. Maybe some other time?” she suggested, then looked at her watch. “I’m sorry, but I should be going. Have a good weekend, Dean,” she said.
“You too, Sophia. See you on Monday,” Dean responded. As he watched Sophia drive away, a plan began to formulate in his mind. He was enchanted by the pretty English Lit teacher, and all he could do is hope she was also interested in him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sophia arrived at work a little early on Monday morning to get a head start on grading some papers. Her mother, Julia, had called over the weekend, which meant that she didn’t get to read as many term papers. Julia had insisted that Sophia help her with some of the details surrounding the company’s annual charity gala. In the next breath, Julia warned her that Sophia had better find a date for the gala or someone will be found to escort her.
Donna and Charlie were already there and when Sophia walked in, they ran over and each grabbed a hand, nearly dragging her to the meeting table. Once there, Sophia could see why her friends were so impatient for her to arrive.
In front of Sophia’s spot at the table was a small arrangement of random flowers, nestled in a ruby red vase with a gold ribbon around it. The card was addressed to Sophia, with the message, For one whose beauty far surpasses that of the blooms in this vase.
“Someone has a secret admirer,” Donna remarked in a sing-song voice. “Who do you think it is?” she whispered.
“I have no idea, Donna. This is the last thing I expected to see on Monday morning, but they certainly are lovely,” Sophia replied softly. “Definitely makes up for the phone calls from my mother this past weekend,” she muttered.
Charlie wrinkled her nose in disgust as she heard Sophia’s mention of her mother. “What the hell did she want anyway? More pressure about quitting teaching and joining the family business?” she retorted.
“No, Char, nothing like that. She only demanded my assistance with this year’s charity gala AND told me I’d better find a date or one would be found for me,” Sophia grumbled.
“Well, I know one person you could ask to be your date,” Donna drawled and motioned with her head towards the door. At that moment, Dean walked in with his bag slung across his broad shoulders, his bowed legs carrying him over to the coffee station.
“Good morning, ladies,” Dean greeted as he filled his cup. “Here’s to a positive start for the week. Hope you all had a pleasant weekend,” he remarked.
Before Sophia’s friends could respond for her, Principal Mills entered the Teachers’ Lounge. She paused when she saw the flower arrangement in front of Sophia. Her eyes held a spark of curiosity in them, but she kept any comments to herself. “Listen up, everyone. We have some changes to our normal schedule, due to the state-mandated testing going on this week. Here’s how it’s all going to look,” she announced as her assistant handed out the adjusted schedules.
Sophia was reviewing her schedule when she noticed Dean sidling up next to her. “Say, what time do you have lunch today? Reason I ask is because I’m usually eating lunch by myself, and if we go at the same time, we can maybe have lunch together?” Dean asked.
Peering over Sophia’s shoulder, Charlie blurted out,“Soph has lunch at 11:30am for 30 minutes.” Sophia gave her a questioning look.
“Hey, my schedule says the same time. Would you like to have lunch with me today?” Dean inquired.
“She’d love to,” Donna answered for Sophia, who turned her questioning glare to Donna.
“That’s great! How about we meet–” Dean started.
“Why don’t we have lunch in my room? A science lab isn’t exactly a relaxing lunch setting, what with the skeletons and whiffs of formaldehyde,” Sophia quipped.
Dean broke into laughter himself. “No, I suppose not. Your room it is, my lady. When it’s time, I’ll head to the cafeteria, grab my lunch and head over to your room. See you later,” he winked.
Sophia could only manage to nod in response. “S-see you later, Dean,” she squeaked out, her earlier bravado gone. As soon as he left the lounge, she turned to her scheming friends. “Why did you do that?” she demanded.
“Because you two needed a little nudge,” Charlie retorted. “I have a feeling he wants to get to know you better, and a good way to do that is over a meal. Relax, chickie. It’s only lunch. For thirty minutes. C'mon, you can do this!” she cheered as the three ladies left for their classrooms.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
One day of having lunch together turned into somewhat of a regular occurrence over the next few weeks for Dean and Sophia. Usually, they each brought their own leftovers to reheat in the teachers’ lounge, or sometimes they ordered food to be delivered. Conversation flowed easily between the two educators, sharing tales from their teaching careers. Dean told stories of schools he’d worked in, while Sophia shared anecdotes from when she was a student-teacher.
“Wait, wait, one of your students didn’t want to dissect the frog, so he opted for an alternate assignment?” Sophia asked.
“Right. But instead of doing a paper, he decided to go a different way with the assignment. He hooked up a video camera, then he put a top hat on the frog, gave it a cane, and pretended the frog was a puppet. Started singing like Michigan J. Frog, you know, the one from Looney Toons? Totally gave that kid an 'A+’ for the effort and for making me laugh,” Dean recalled.
Sophia threw her head back and laughed heartily, picturing the scene in her mind. Dean, on the other hand, was focused solely on Sophia. He couldn’t help but think how beautiful and carefree she looked in that moment.
“So, I’ve been wondering….if you’re free this weekend, would you maybe like to go out to dinner?” Dean asked, his voice rising in pitch at the end.
Sophia gave Dean a beaming smile that allowed him to release the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “That sounds like a fantastic idea, Dean. There’s a new burger place I read about in the newspaper that I’ve been wanting to try. You up for it?” she suggested.
“Are you kidding? You just mentioned two of my favorite things: burgers and spending time with you, sweetheart. Count me in,” Dean grinned.
Sophia glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that their lunch time was about over. With promises to arrange a time to meet for dinner on Saturday, Dean returned to his classroom.
The amount of time that Dean and Sophia were spending together did not escape Donna and Charlie’s attention. The other teachers and even some students had also noticed that something was happening between them. Sophia’s colleagues knew about what happened with Chuck, and everyone liked Dean. Thus, no one cared, as long as the two were happy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dinner with Dean at the burger place was perfect. He showed up at her door right on time, and looked amazing in his black jeans with the charcoal gray button-down shirt. He had brought her a small arrangement of tulips in an assortment of colors. Dean thought Sophia looked gorgeous in her dark-wash jeans and lavender peasant blouse.
Conversation between them at dinner never lagged, nor did they seem to run out of things to talk about. Sophia and Dean traded stories of their childhood, from Sophia’s travels to far off places, to Dean’s summer vacations with friends. After their dinner plates had been cleared, they started sharing odd facts about themselves. Dean explained about his fear of spiders and Sophia mentioned her skill at playing 8-ball.
“Are you kidding? A woman that can shoot pool? I think that’s hot,” he grinned.
“How else do you suppose I put myself through college?” Sophia winked. “Some guys assume a woman doesn’t know how to play, so that immediately puts me at an advantage.”
“I would never make that assumption, sweetheart,” he promised, his eyes closed and holding his hand up as if swearing an oath. Sophia’s heart skipped a beat at how easily the term of endearment for her continued to slip past his sinful lips. “I’d know better than to go up against–”
“Dean?” a woman’s voice from behind him caused him to freeze mid-sentence.
He slowly turned around. “Lisa,” he whispered. Clearing his throat, he returned to his original position, facing Sophia. She reached across the table for his hand and squeezed it to reassure him. “Lisa, you and I have nothing more to say to each other. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m on a date,” he responded curtly. Then he gave Sophia a beaming smile and a wink before brushing his lips to her knuckles.
Lisa gave a huff of annoyance at Dean’s quick dismissal. “That’s okay, Dean. You can brush me off for now. But we both know what you’ll be missing when you’re alone in your apartment,” she sneered.
As Lisa walked past her, Sophia stood up. “Excuse me, but I think Dean knows exactly what he WON’T be missing. He’s NOT missing someone who couldn’t and wouldn’t support him in his dream of being a teacher. A woman who thought it was her job to change him into what she wanted because she didn’t accept him as he was. Someone whose head was so far up her ass that she’d need an operation to see what a truly extraordinary man she’d lost in her life. Get the picture? So leave us alone to enjoy the rest of our date,” Sophia snapped.
Lisa angrily stomped away and Sophia returned to her seat. When her eyes met Dean’s, she was alarmed at the shocked expression frozen on his face. Oh my god, I’ve gone and done it. I went too far. I’ve ruined everything. He’s never going to want to see me again, not after this. These thoughts and so many more were running through her head, occupying her attention. She didn’t realize Dean had paid the check and had his hand held out to help her out of her chair.
“Thank you,” she murmured softly. Dean tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and they walked out to where the Impala was parked. She tried to think of something to say to diffuse the situation, but no words would come out.
When they got to the car, Dean reached over to open the door for Sophia. Before she could get in, he took hold of her hand and drew her back to face him. “Wait,” he said. Dean’s other hand gently cradled the back of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek.
“Dean, I’m–” was all Sophia could get out before Dean’s lips crashed to hers in a hungry, passion-filled kiss that left her breathless. His mouth moved against hers, tasting the salt and the tangy ketchup from the French Fries at dinner. Dean leaned back to allow himself and Sophia to catch their breath. He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “You stood up for me against Lisa. No one’s ever done that for me before. Couldn’t even do it for myself,” he muttered. Dean hooked his finger under Sophia’s chin to look into her eyes, which was when he saw her unshed tears. “Oh sweetheart, why are you crying?” he asked while wiping them away with the pad of his thumb.
Sophia took a deep, shuddering breath to try and regain her composure and stop the tears. “I thought….I thought I had spoken out of turn, said too much. I thought you wouldn’t want to see me anymore, then it would be awkward at school and–” Dean stopped her rant with another kiss.
“Darlin’, you have nothing to worry about. I know it’s only been a few weeks that we’ve known each other, but I already feel this incredible connection with you. I’m not about to let go of you so easily,” he affirmed. “C'mon. Since we didn’t order dessert, I know a great little place to get some ice cream,” he grinned, then pecked her cheek.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After getting their fill of ice cream, Dean drove Sophia back to her place. Ever the gentleman, he got out and hurried over to Sophia’s side of the car to open her door. As she walked up the porch steps, Sophia could feel the warmth from Dean’s hand spanning the small of her back.
Once she reached the front door, Sophia fumbled through her handbag for her keys. When she looked up, Dean was gazing directly into her eyes. He tenderly brushed the back of his hand to her cheek, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I had a wonderful time tonight, my sweet Sophia. I’d sure like to see you again, maybe for another date?” he asked.
Sophia nodded. “I’d like that very much, Dean. If you have time next week, maybe you could come over for dinner and a movie? I make a great lasagna,” she added.
“That sounds perfect. I’ll be at Sunday brunch with my family tomorrow, but I’d sure be up for something next week. Maybe after work?” Dean suggested.
“Perfect, you can just follow me here. Until then, I’ll see you at work on Monday,” she smiled.
“Until Monday, my pretty girl,” Dean murmured, then closed the gap to seal their plans with a kiss. He brought his hand up to cup her face, then snaked it around to tease the soft hair at the base of her neck with his fingertips. Dean grinned against Sophia’s lips when he felt her shiver with excitement at the contact.
“Monday,” she whispered after the kiss finally broke. Sophia unlocked her front door but before she closed it, she blew a kiss to Dean, who pretended to catch it and hold it close to his heart. With a final wink, he skipped down the porch steps and back to the Impala.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Monday rolled around with the usual activities, staff meeting in the morning with Principal Mills, lunch with Dean at midday. Dean was in the middle of one of his stories when one of Sophia’s students, Emma Taylor, popped in.
“Oops, I’m sorry, Ms. Morris. I wanted to talk with you about something, but it can wait until after your lunch is over,” Emma hastily remarked. She started to back her way out of the classroom when Sophia called out to her.
“You know what? I’m gonna see myself out, let you two ladies talk things over,” Dean stood up and began to put his lunch container back together. He caught Sophia’s gaze once more and grinned. “I’ll see you at the end of the school day, okay?” he added, then kissed her temple before walking out.
“Ms. Morris? Are you and Mr. Winchester…..?” Emma asked, her eyes wide.
Sophia closed her eyes and debated on how much to say to her student. “Yes, Mr. Winchester and I are seeing each other. We’ve only had the one date so far, but we’ve been spending a lot of time together,” she admitted. “Anyway, what brings you here today, Emma?”
Emma withdrew an envelope from her bag, addressed to her from Dartmouth College. “I wanted you to be one of the first to know,” she answered, handing over the envelope.
Sophia withdrew the correspondence from the envelope and began reading. Her eyes grew wider with every word she read. “This is an acceptance letter from Dartmouth College, with a full-ride scholarship,” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. “Emma, I am so happy for you!” She jumped up and met the young lady for a hug.
“They said they were most impressed with my essay on the application. I couldn’t have done it without you, Ms. Morris. I promise I’ll make you proud,” Emma choked out.
“I was already proud of you, Emma,” Sophia replied. “I know this wasn’t easy for you, but you worked hard and made it happen. Congratulations, Emma,” she added.
The two ladies embraced again, then Emma had to get to her next class. However, Sophia made Emma promise not to put anything on social media about her and Mr. Winchester. “You know what, Ms. Morris?” Emma called from the doorway, causing Sophia to look up. “About you and Mr. Winchester? We students totally ship it,” she grinned before dashing off to class. Sophia was still smiling and shaking her head when her students started filing in.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On Wednesday night, Sophia was bustling around the kitchen, making lasagna for dinner. Dean had told her earlier in the day that he had something to do right after work. He couldn’t follow Sophia to her house, but he would meet her there as soon as he could. In the meantime, Sophia had her classic rock playlist going and was singing and dancing in her kitchen.
About halfway through “Poison” by Alice Cooper, Sophia’s phone rang. She frowned at the interruption and answered the phone without checking the caller ID first. A regrettable decision, because it was her mother on the line, wanting to speak to her again about the charity gala.
“Mother, now is not a good time to talk to me about that. I’m making dinner for my date tonight with Dean,” Sophia explained.
“Dean? Dean who? Who’s Dean? I don’t know anyone in our circle of friends with a son around your age named Dean,” she retorted.
Sophia pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “Mother, I am not having this conversation with you right now. I still have things I need to do to get ready for tonight,” she replied.
“Sophia–” her mother tried again but Sophia disconnected the call before her mother could say anything more. She returned her attention to assembling the lasagna, layering the noodles with the meat, sauce and cheese. Right as she closed the oven door and set the timer, there was a knock at her door. Sophia quickly checked her appearance in the mirror by the door, smoothed down her hair and fixed a smile on her face before finally opening it for her guest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Looking devastatingly handsome as always, Dean was dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt that clung to his muscular chest and biceps and a red overshirt. In one hand was a bouquet of assorted flowers, and in his other hand was a bottle of red wine.
“Good evening, sweetheart,” Dean grinned as he leaned in to peck Sophia’s lips. She took the bottle of wine from his hand and stepped back so he could enter the house. “Is everything okay?” he wondered.
Sophia gave Dean a smile, but he could see that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, Dean. Would you like me to open the wine?” she asked on her way to the kitchen. She was trying desperately to change the subject so she didn’t have to explain about her mother.
Dean followed her into the kitchen, placing his hands over hers as she tried to line up the corkscrew on the wine bottle. “Hold on a second. What’s going on, darlin’? How’s come you look so upset?” he gently inquired.
Sophia stilled in her movements and rested her forehead on their intertwined hands. “It’s my family,” she whispered.
Dean took out two wine glasses from the cabinet and poured them each a glass of the Pinot Noir. He was usually more of a whiskey man, but he felt the evening called for wine, so he stopped and picked up a bottle. He guided Sophia to one of the dining room chairs and waited until she got comfortable before handing her the glass. “Okay, so what is it about your family?”
Sophia took a sip of her wine and took a deep breath. “My main issue right now is with my mother. See, my parents own Morris Industries Inc., one of the largest corporate conglomerates in the world. The company throws an annual charity gala, and my mother has been very demanding of my assistance in planning the one for this year. To top it off, she’s made it crystal clear that I have to have a date or she’ll find one for me,” she scowled.
Dean had the perfect solution, but pretended to think about it for a bit. “Hmm. If only you knew someone who loves to spend time with you, looks great in a tux and has that evening free?” he mused, tapping his chin with his index finger.
An understanding dawned over Sophia as she considered Dean’s words. “Would you….would you be my date for the gala?” she asked.
“My dear, sweet Sophia, I would be honored to be your arm candy for your family’s annual gala,” Dean grinned.
“Thank you so much, Dean,” Sophia laughed, then she heard the oven timer go off. She rose from her seat at the table to check on the main course for the evening meal. Satisfied with its appearance, she removed the lasagna from the oven and replaced it with the loaf of garlic bread. “About ten more minutes and we’ll be good to go,” she called.
Sophia turned to leave the kitchen, only to run straight into Dean’s well-muscled chest. “Whoa there, sweetheart,” he chuckled. His arms reached out to embrace Sophia, which she willingly accepted. “Dance with me?” he asked huskily.
“There’s no music,” she replied breathily. Dean pulled his phone from his pocket and fumbled a little with the keys. Soon there was soft music playing from it and Dean returned his hands to rest on Sophia’s hips.
“Dance with me, pretty girl?” he asked again softly. She nodded and slid her hands up Dean’s chest until they were cradling his neck. Her thumbs began to caress his jawline, which earned her a groan of appreciation. Just when her fingers were about to venture into playing with the shorter hairs at the base of his neck, the oven timer went off again.
Sophia lightly chuckled and separated herself from her dance partner, first giving him a lingering kiss on the cheek. She removed the garlic bread from the oven then cut the lasagna into portions, sliding one on each plate. By this time, the bread was easier to handle for cutting into slices. Dean brought their plates to the table, and Sophia followed behind with silverware and the platter of garlic bread.
While they ate, Dean told Sophia about his parents, John, a mechanic and Mary, a librarian. His younger brother, Sam, was an attorney and his sister-in-law, Jessica, was a nurse. Sophia learned that Dean worked summers and part-time in his father’s garage so that he could afford to go to school. Dean was just as committed to his profession as she was, and best of all, he understood her.
“Wow, I think I fit in better with your family than I do my own. And I can certainly tell how proud you are of your brother. I know law school is expensive, so I’m going to guess that the bulk of the college money went to Sam. Even so, you didn’t let that stop you, because you knuckled down and busted your butt to get to where you are today. I admire that about you, Dean Winchester,” Sophia remarked, taking his hand in hers and leading him to a seat on the couch.
“Will you marry me?” he blurted out dramatically. “No one in my past relationships has ever understood me like you have, not even Lisa. She thought being a substitute teacher was somehow beneath me, and always thought I should do better. Lisa never listened to me when I told her about how it felt when I knew I’d helped my students. She just kept pushing me to be something else and when I wouldn’t, we broke up,” he replied. “So please….marry me.” He then chuckled and gave her his best puppy-dog eyes.
Sophia laughed at his antics, knowing he wasn’t serious. “Maybe not marriage right away, but I would love to keep spending time with you like this. And in my opinion, it’s Lisa’s loss that she didn’t appreciate what she had when she was with you,” Sophia responded.
“I sure had to kiss a lot of frogs until I finally found my princess,” Dean murmured. He leaned forward to close the gap between himself and Sophia. He gave a hum of contentment when their lips met for a slow, lingering kiss. Dean’s hand cradled the back of Sophia’s head, his fingers tangling in her hair. “At last I found you, my strong, kind and beautiful princess,” he whispered.
Sophia scooted closer to Dean on the couch until she was practically in his lap. “Lucky for me that I’m the one you found, my warmhearted and handsome prince,” she answered.
Dean’s lips captured Sophia’s in another kiss, this one with a little more hunger and urgency to it. His tongue swept along the seam of her mouth, requesting access, which she was eager to allow. Sophia could taste a hint of the wine from dinner, coupled with the rich tomato sauce from the lasagna. Dean kept one hand on Sophia’s cheek, while the other roamed up and down her back, occasionally tightening his embrace.
All too soon, the need for oxygen presented itself, and the couple broke their kiss, both trying to catch their breath. Sophia curled up into Dean’s side, as he wrapped his arms around her. When their breathing had somewhat returned to normal, Dean heard a little giggle from Sophia.
“What’s that about? What’s so funny?” he wondered.
“I was just thinking,” she started.
“Risky endeavor, sweetheart,” Dean quipped.
Sophia gave his chest a playful swat. “Quiet you,” she retorted. “When I introduce you to my parents and everyone….what should I call you? Are you okay with being called my boyfriend?” she asked.
Dean took a deep breath before answering. “Well, in my mind, you’ve been my girlfriend ever since that first date and you told Lisa off,” he mentioned. “So yeah, I’m okay with being called your boyfriend, girlfriend,” he grinned.
Sophia snuggled deeper into his chest, if that was possible. Then she remembered her conversation with Emma and her head jerked up to catch Dean’s gaze. “I think the school knows about us, Dean,” she admitted.
“What makes you say that?” he wondered.
“Remember that day one of my students came in while we were having lunch?” she questioned. Dean nodded. “You kissed me before leaving, and Emma kind of asked if there was something going on with us. I couldn’t lie, so I confirmed that we had only had the one date, and that we were seeing each other. She promised not to put it on social media, but her last remark was that the students 'totally ship it’? Whatever that means,” she muttered.
Dean threw his head back and laughed. “Baby, that means the kids think we should be together, that they support us being in a relationship,” he explained.
“Ah, that makes sense. Well, who are we, then, to destroy that dream?” Sophia replied cheekily. With that settled, the pair spent the rest of the evening watching a movie, locked in a warm embrace.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
During the next couple of weeks, Sophia fought to keep a balance between her work life, the charity gala and spending time with Dean. Fortunately, two of those three elements were more than understanding, with Sophia’s mother being the least flexible. Principal Mills allowed Sophia some additional time to turn in mid-term grades. Dean tried to make things as easy as possible for her, bringing coffee for Sophia and making the most of their lunch dates every day.
When Sophia went dress shopping, Donna and Charlie were invited, making it a “Girls Day Out”. They went to three separate dress stores before Sophia found THE dress. It had a white, sleeveless tank-top style bodice with lace at the scoop neckline. The floor-length skirt was made of a pink organza material with flower appliqués and pearls sewn throughout the dress. A pink satin wrap to cover Sophia’s shoulders was the last piece.
Once the dress, shoes and accessories had been purchased, the ladies decided to catch lunch at a sidewalk sandwich café. Their waiter brought out their drinks then took their orders.
“Oh Soph, Dean’s going to bust his cummerbund when he sees you in this dress!” Charlie squealed.
“You think so?” Sophia asked. “He wanted to know the color of my dress so he can match his tuxedo accessories to it,” she added. “I told him I’d let him know as soon as I found the dress, but that he’d have to wait until the night of the gala for the full effect,” she giggled.
“Soooo, things are going well on that front?” Donna wondered.
Sophia felt the blush coloring her cheeks. “Things with Dean are going very well,” she finally answered. “I know that my parents would rather I choose someone from their circle of friends, but Dean is MY choice. We understand and support each other when others have chosen not to. Plus, he’s sweet, attentive, an amazing kisser and sexy as hell,” she finished dreamily.
“As long as you’re happy, Soph, and we can see that you are,” Donna added.
“I’ll drink to that!” Charlie chimed in as all three ladies toasted the new relationship.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The night of the gala, Charlie and Donna came over to help Sophia get ready, with Charlie in charge of hair and Donna helping with makeup. As she was being put together, Sophia explained to her friends, as she had to Dean, how the evening would go. First, a car service would pick up Dean at the time he specified with them, then they would drive to her house to pick her up.
At 6:30pm, a knock on the door signified that Dean had arrived with the car service. Sophia finished putting her earring in and slipped on her rose gold pumps. After a last check of her hair, she nodded at Charlie, who answered the door.
The sight that greeted Sophia was breathtaking. Dean was dressed in a classic black tuxedo, a crisp white shirt underneath with pearled buttons and cuff links. The buttons, the pink flowered bow tie and pocket square were all coordinated to match Sophia’s gown. His hair was perfectly slicked back, which made his piercing green eyes stand out, especially with the crinkles around them when he smiled.
Dean was equally captivated by Sophia’s appearance. Her soft chestnut hair was piled high on her head in an almost regal updo, kept in place with combs adorned with crystals. She had kept her makeup simple, with softer shades of pink on her cheeks and lips. Not that he ever thought she needed it because to him, she was always beautiful, with or without it.
“Whoa….oh my….you look absolutely stunning, princess,” Dean whispered. “I don’t even think that word covers it, or if any word could adequately describe what I’m seeing,” he murmured.
Sophia felt her cheeks growing warmer by the second under the heat of Dean’s gaze. “Thank you,” she replied softly. “I’m the luckiest princess to be escorted by such a suave, handsome prince,” she remarked.
Dean held out his hand, which Sophia accepted. He brushed his lips across the back of her hand, then gave her a wink and grinned before tucking it securely within the crook of his arm. “Don’t worry ladies, I’ll take good care of her for you,” he called over his shoulder.
“Oh, wait a second,” Sophia said as she briefly left Dean’s side. She walked over and gave Charlie and Donna each a hug. “Thank you. Thank you both so much for helping me get ready,” she whispered. She gave her friends a beaming smile then returned her hand to be tucked close to Dean’s side again. “I’m ready,” she added softly.
Dean guided her down the porch steps and out to the waiting car, where the chauffeur opened the door for her. Once she got her skirts situated and gathered around her, Dean closed the door and entered the car from the other side. Sophia gave the destination to the driver, and they were on their way. Dean’s hand found Sophia’s and intertwined their fingers, while at the same time giving her a loving smile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After about a twenty minute ride, they had arrived at the gala. Dean squeezed her hand before exiting the vehicle and coming around to her side. “I’ve got her, thank you,” he informed the chauffeur, who nodded politely. Dean opened Sophia’s door and held out his hand to help her out of the car. Sophia gathered her dress in one hand and Dean assisted by taking her other hand. She gave him a grateful smile, adjusted her satin wrap around her shoulders and they walked to the venue’s entrance.
Sophia gently tugged on his arm to pause before they walked through the doors. Dean gave her a questioning look, and she laid her free hand alongside his cheek. Dean closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, briefly turning to place a kiss on the palm of her hand. “You okay, princess?” he murmured.
With a soft smile that went straight to his heart, she answered, “I’m fine. Before we go in, I wanted to say 'thank you’ for doing this. No matter what anyone says in there, please remember that I am yours.”
Dean brushed his knuckles on her cheek and gave her a gentle smile of his own. “No need to thank me, sweetheart. Sure, I’m dressed up in this penguin suit, but on my arm, I’ve got the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. And same goes for me–no matter what anyone in there says, remember I am yours,” he replied. “Now let’s go in there and make 'em all jealous,” he winked. Sophia chuckled softly and nodded her head at his suggestion.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
No sooner had they entered the banquet hall, they were spotted by Sophia’s mother, Julia. Upon discovering that her daughter had arrived, Julia made a beeline for the couple. “Thank goodness you’re finally here, Sophia. I need you to speak to the caterers and make sure they are ready to serve on time,” Julia ordered.
“Good evening, Mother,” Sophia responded and motioned to Dean. “Mother, I’d like you to meet–” she started but was interrupted.
“Sophia,please go and see to the caterers. I asked your father to do this, but he’s too busy chatting with his golfing friends,” Julia grimaced.
“I’ll be right back,” Sophia whispered. She turned to leave, but Dean gently caught her wrist. He gave her an encouraging smile, which seemed to relax her a bit after the encounter with her mother.
“So,” Julia turned to Dean. “You’re escorting my daughter this evening. Why is it I’ve never met you before?” she asked, her eyes narrowed.
“Mrs. Morris, my name is Dean Winchester, and I have been dating your daughter since the holidays. We met at her school, where I teach Biology,” he explained.
“I hope you are aware that she is out of your league,” Julia drawled. “My daughter should be working for the company. Instead of wasting her time teaching a bunch of hooligans about literature,” she spat out.
A spark of indignation arose in Dean, but he was able to tamp it down just in time. “Mrs. Morris, you may not be aware of this, but one of your daughter’s students was awarded admission to Dartmouth College. Your daughter recognized that her student needed extra help, which she freely offered. The college was so impressed with the young lady’s essay, that they not only admitted her, but offered her a full-ride scholarship. All four years,” he remarked.
“That’s all well and good, Mr. Winchester, but we all know that’s not the real issue here. Know this: you’ll never get your hands on my daughter’s money,” Julia snapped.
“I’m not dating your daughter for her money. I’m dating your daughter because I love her. I can see where she inherited her tenacity, her strength and her beauty, and you should be proud. I have yet to meet Mr. Morris–” Dean started.
“I believe I’ve been paged,” Simon Morris replied, noticing Dean. “Good evening, and who might you be?” he questioned as he and Dean shook hands.
“This is Sophia’s 'boyfriend’,” Julia retorted.
As if by a miracle, Sophia appeared and saved Dean from further scrutiny by either of her parents. “Dean, honey, here you are,” she remarked and placed a lingering peck on his lips. “Hello, Dad,” she greeted him with a hug.
“Hello, Sophia darling,” Simon replied. “Your mother just introduced me to Dean–”
“Sophia, dear, may I please have a word with you in private?” Julia interrupted.
As requested, Sophia followed her mother to a secluded corner of the room a short distance away. Before she left, she gave Dean a kiss and patted his chest. “What is it, Mother,” she asked wearily.
“This man you’ve brought with you this evening, I don’t believe he’s suitable for you to be dating,” Julia remarked.
Her mother’s remark had Sophia seeing red. “Mother, I am not having this discussion, not now and not ever. Dean cares about me, he understands me and I love him. He is MY choice, and I will not stop seeing him just because you demand it. And if you ever make me choose between him and you, I guarantee you won’t like my answer,” Sophia snapped. With a swish of her skirt, she marched away from her mother.
When Sophia returned to Dean’s side, she caught her father’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Dad, but we’re leaving. Call me if you need anything,” Sophia said, to which her father nodded. Julia tried to protest, but Simon steered his wife away from his daughter.
Dean slid his arm around Sophia’s waist and tugged her close to his side pressing a kiss to her temple. “C'mon, my brave, independent princess,” he murmured against her skin. “Let’s get you home.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On the way back to Sophia’s house, they stopped by Dean’s place to pick up some comfier clothes to change into later. They dismissed the car service in favor of the Impala, then drove to Sophia’s house. When they walked in, Dean followed Sophia to where the guest bedroom was so that he could change his clothes, while she retreated to her room.
For a few minutes, she sat on the edge of her bed, going over the evening’s events in her mind. Sophia almost couldn’t believe her mother had the audacity to question her judgment about the man she loved. She knew that her mother and Dean had exchanged words, and dreaded to find out what Julia had said.
The door opened slowly and a head with sandy blond hair peeked in the room, eyes cast downward. “Everything okay, sweetheart? You’ve been in here for a while,” Dean remarked.
Sophia took a deep breath, then looked up and smiled. “I’m still dressed, Dean. You can come in if you want,” she replied.
He pushed the door open the rest of the way and sat beside her on the edge of the bed. “Did you mean what you said? About me to your mother, did you mean it?” he asked warily.
Sophia thought back about what she’d said to her mother and smiled. “Absolutely. I know we’ve only known each other for a few months, but I….I love you, Dean. Being with you feels so right, more than anyone else I’ve been with. I don’t see myself walking down the path of life with anyone but you,” she affirmed.
Dean gave her a somewhat shy smile and squeezed her hand. “My darling Sophia, I love you too. With you, I’m home. You understand me like no one else ever has, and someday, we’re going to walk that path together forever,” he promised, resting his forehead on hers.
“That night after we danced in the kitchen, do you remember what you asked me?” she inquired, her eyes almost pleading with him.
Dean searched his memory of that night and remembered that he asked Sophia to marry him. He had voiced an impulsive thought, but the more he thought about it, the more it made complete sense. In Sophia, Dean had found his person, the one he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. “Yes, Sophia. Someday, I want to make you my wife, but I understand if you want to wait until–”
“I don’t want to wait, Dean. I know that how I feel here, with you, is how I’ll feel ten, twenty years from now. You’re my one, my person and I want to walk that path together with you, forever, starting today,” Sophia declared.
“Are you sure? I mean, what about your parents?” Dean asked.
Sophia took Dean’s hands in hers and locked her hazel eyes on his jade ones. “I’m not doing this to spite them or 'act out’ or get back at them for something. For once I’m deciding what’s best for me, not them. I’m doing what makes me happy, and that’s to be with you,” she answered.
“Okay, then. How should we do this?” he wondered.
“We could….grab a couple of witnesses and go to Las Vegas. Pack a bag, hop a flight to Vegas and get married. I’d say we should ask Donna and Charlie. They’ve been cheering for us ever since you left me those flowers, Mr. Secret Admirer,” she teased.
Dean felt the tips of his ears grow warm as a sheepish smile crept across his face. “How-how’d you know it was me?” he queried.
“Because before you came along, no one had ever brought me flowers,” Sophia replied softly.
“Well, that is a cryin’ shame, darlin’. Because my wife deserves to be told every day how sweet and beautiful and cherished she is, and to get flowers,” Dean grinned. “Sophia Morris, will you marry me?”
Sophia’s hands left Dean’s only for her to throw them around his neck. She peppered his face and neck with kisses before finally pausing to give him an answer. “Yes, Dean. I will absolutely marry you. I love you so much,” she told him through her happy tears.
“I love you too, sweetheart. Let’s make some calls and get you packed,” Dean suggested.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next twenty-four hours passed like a blur to Sophia and Dean. Donna and Charlie instantly agreed to drop everything and head to Vegas to witness their best friend’s wedding. Within two hours of Dean’s phone call, everyone was at the airport waiting to board the plane.
Within six hours of their arrival, a new married couple joined the ranks of those who tied the knot in Vegas. Dean and Sophia had entered The Terrace Gazebo chapel as boyfriend and girlfriend, and exited as husband and wife. They spoke a simple set of vows and exchanged a simple but elegant set of rings. The deal was sealed with a passionate, breath-stealing kiss that the new Mr. and Mrs. couldn’t wait to continue in private.
Later that evening, Dean and Sophia laid in bed, their bodies covered merely by moonlight and a sheet, legs entwined together. Sophia was curled into Dean’s side, her left hand covering his heart and her head resting on his upper chest. Dean’s arm was cradled around Sophia’s shoulders, keeping her as close to him as possible.
Sophia raised her head to gaze at her new husband, still not quite believing that he was hers forever. "I love you, Mr. Winchester,“ she whispered.
Dean smiled in response, brushing his thumb along her cheek. "I love you, Mrs. Winchester,” he replied softly.
“And I couldn’t be sure.. I had a a feeling so peculiar That this pain will/won’t be for… Evermore. Evermore”
Dean unexpectedly dies during a routine hunt. Ellie has a really hard time moving on and accepting the finality of it. A trip down memory lane leads her to a risky but bold decision. This time instead of running away, she can try to solve the problem.
Darkness I charge you with this sign, mother in the night, are mine. I teach you the mystery of rebirth, work my mysteries in mirth. From me they come, and to me they go. I invite you to come.
And just like that, Dean is back. They get to pick up where they left off. Build a life for themselves. For Evermore
@mvdeanw so…. This video is very important to us. And we feel very proud of it. It’s our own fix it version of the finale.
I was listening to that song a lot last summer andbi kept thinking. There were lyrics that made me think of the finale. And then the ending was a lot more hopeful. So i knew roght away what i wanted to do. I had the whole sequence in my head. This time we starter at the end and worked our way to the sad parts. We wanted to be sure that it works and that the story as we intented it, works. I think we did okay.
Hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed making it. And i hope it makes you happy. ❤️❤️
Alex! That was beautiful! I couldn’t stop crying, but it was good. You make the perfect ending!!!
@mvdeanw one year in the making. Well… Not exactly in the making. But definitely we’ve been plotting it for a while.
And given how important it was to us, it came together relatively fast.
Explicit 18 +/Warnings: Smut. Unprotected sex. P in V. Very gentle lovemaking, nothing that’s overly explicit. Fluff. Just a smidge of angst, but nearly all fluff.
Word Count: 4,515
Series Summary: Dean has been her hero from childhood, can she ever get him to be more?
Chapter Summary: What awaits Dean and Julie on the other side of Purgatory.
A/N: The twentieth chapter in a longer series. As I’m writing, the story is stretching out a little and I’m thinking it’s going to be at least 20 chapters. Sorry! It’s what I’ll call cannon adjacent. It will follow the general storylines through the seasons, but I’m creating my own offshoots.
A/N 2: Well, this is it! I can’t believe I’ve finished this series. This is, without a doubt, the longest thing I’ve ever written, and it’s the first long fic I’ve ever finished completely. I have loved every minute of writing Dean and Julie’s story and I’m so incredibly grateful to EVERYONE who has read it and reblogged it, liked it and commented on it. I’m so grateful for your support and love!
The beautiful divider at the end was created by @talesmaniac89.
April 2012
Walking through the portal out of Purgatory felt almost the same as travelling into Purgatory - the same white light, the same pressure on Julie’s lungs, the heat, the wind - all of it was the same. The big difference was, it was over almost instantly. It was simply a matter of taking two or three steps and they were through.
As soon as they were on the other side, Sam and Julie fell to their knees, as the pressure in their chests gave way and they could breathe normally again.
Cas set Dean down on the ground and knelt beside him. Julie crawled over to where Dean lay in the leaves and dirt of the forest floor and panicked at his extremely labored breathing and pain-wracked expression.
A huge sigh of relief left my mouth while I read this final chapter! Phew!
Spoilers hidden under the cut:
“Kept your clothes clean and waitin’ for when you got back.”
❤️❤️❤️ Sam knew he would find his brother, sooner or later!
(I wish he’d done the same in canon)
He warmed the lotion up between his palms before he placed his hands on her shoulder blades and began to rub it in. If she thought putting the lotion on herself felt good, Dean’s hands spreading the lavender smelling concoction across her skin was absolute heaven.
When he moved down her back and got to her towel, he simply reached around to the front of her and gave it a tug, untucking it and letting it fall away.
He pushed gently on her shoulders and whispered into her ear. “Lay down on your stomach.”
I turned into a puddle of arousal reading this. Sorry, TMI.
The smut was SO sexy and sweet! You managed to show exactly how much they needed to take their time with each other, simply enjoying each other’s company. It was a beautiful way for them to get back to “normal life”, where they didn’t need to rush and flee everytime.
Julie laughed softly with tears in her eyes. “You’re better than you think you are.”
YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES! In every aspect of life. Dean’s a better person than he thinks he is, period.
“Get me something with, emeralds. After all, green is my favorite color, you know.”
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
THERE AREN’T ENOUGH HEART EMOJIS ON THE INTERNET TO EXPRESS HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS LINE!
And when tomorrow came, they would face it together.
And that’s all that matters. Life will throw piles of shit onto them, we know it, but they’re stronger and better together. I love them so much!
That was such a fullfiling ending! It made me so happy and relieved that Dean finally accepted he needs Julie, he loves her as much as she loves him and there’s no point in fighting that!
Thank you, @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior, for sharing your talent with us, and your beautiful, complex original characters. I’ll love Julie forever. I’m grateful for having met you, my dear friend
