You always knew Dean Winchester wasn’t meant to stay in Lawrence. There was something restless about him, like a caged animal waiting for the right moment to bolt. He was the kind of guy who talked about the future like it was some far off place he’d never get to, the kind who spent more time looking at the horizon than at what was right in front of him. And yet, for a while, he had been in front of you. It started slow detention, sarcastic remarks, a shared plate of fries at the diner when he wouldn’t stop talking long enough for you to study. It built in long drives down empty roads, music blasting through the Impala’s speakers, stolen glances over milkshakes and late night conversations neither of you were supposed to be having. You weren’t sure what you were to each other. Friends, maybe. Something more on certain nights, when he looked at you like you were the only thing keeping him tied to this place. It wasn’t love, but it was something close. Something that felt dangerous to hold onto, because deep down, you knew it wouldn’t last. Then John Winchester went missing. And everything changed. The knock on your door came late. You weren’t surprised to see Dean standing there, hands in his jacket pockets, like he was trying to figure out how to say what he’d come to say. “Gotta take off for a while,” No explanation. No details. Just that same smirk, but his eyes weren’t smiling. You leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.* “And you’re telling me because…?” “Figured I owed you that much.” “Good luck, Winchester,” He nodded, “You too, sweetheart.” And just like that he was gone. You didn’t see him again after that night. Not when Sam left for college. Not when you finally packed up and left town yourself. Years passed. Lawrence became nothing more than a chapter in an old book, something you didn’t think about much, until you saw him again. It was late. Some roadside diner, miles from home. You were just passing through. And then, there he was. Same leather jacket. Same green eyes. But something was different. Older. Sharper. Haunted. Dean paused when he saw you, like he wasn’t sure if you were real. “Well, I’ll be damned,” “Still making bad decisions?” “Depends. You getting in the car or not?”