Chasing Cars

@ sam winchester.
Sam smiled at her words, "That's a beautiful name." He replied as he looked down at Aaliyah. When she asked what he was doing here, she called him by name, and that was the only confirmation he needed that Aaliyah was his daughter. The way she said his name sparked some flashes in his memory again. He could hear her calling him by his name with a laugh, just saying it to say it, he could hear her saying it with a moan as they....well...there was more proof that he and Frankie had a relationship, "What did I do to make you hate me?" He asked, desperately trying to rack his brain to remember so he didn't sound so stupid.

Sam looked over when Dean neared them and said that they had to go. He gave Dean a frown before turning back to Frankie, "I'm going to tell you everything, if you would like, I just have to go take care of some things. I can come back." He sounded almost like he was pleading. He just found out he had a daughter after all, he needed more time with Frankie to remember what had happened. He needed something that was going to spark his memory and bring everything back, "What time do you get off?" Sam asked quickly.

"Thank you." Frankie said quietly. She was honestly a little confused right now. He wasn't acting anything like he had two years ago. He was like a completely different person. She didn't really quite understand how that was possible. She knew that people could change, but this was way more drastic of a change than she ever really thought was possible. His later words caught her off guard completely, and she looked at him with a furrowed brow. She wanted to ask him if he was being serious, but the expression on his face said it all. He had no idea why she hated him, though she wouldn't necessarily say that she hated him. She was angry and pissed off, but she wasn't the type of person to ever really hate anyone.

She opened her mouth to say something when the other man approached and interrupted their conversation, claiming that he and Sam needed to get going. She was still extremely confused, but figured that would be the end of it. Until Sam spoke again. He sounded so desperate, like he was pleading with her to talk to him later on. What did he mean about telling her everything? What did everything entail? Did it have something to do with his reason for not knowing why she was so pissed at him? "I get off at four."

---

Dean knew he was interrupting something. They'd been at the diner for a while though, and it was starting to get late, and they still had a case to crack. He didn't know what Sam had just said to Frankie, but there was a look of desperation on his brother's face and one of slight shock and confusion on Frankie's. At least she was looking at him though, that was a slight improvement from when he and Sam first walked into the diner about an hour or so ago. He knew that his brother wasn't going to give up any time soon, not now that he knew that he had a daughter and something obviously had been going on with him and Frankie. He was silent as he waited for his brother, and listened to him almost plead with the brunette to let him explain everything to her. Dean, of course, knew what that meant. When Frankie told Sam when she got off work, Dean was almost certain that his brother was being given the chance to give her an explanation. That was a good sign. "She wasn't ignoring you anymore." He said once they were both outside and walking towards the Impala.

@ sam winchester.
Sam smiled when she replied when she get off and he nodded, "That's good. That's good. I'll be back when you get off. We can talk." He stated. He knew he wasn't really giving her an option, but he needed to tell her everything that was happening and happened. She deserved to know. Sam waved slightly before walking out of the diner with Dean to the Impala, "She wasn't. She told me the little girl's name. It's Aaliyah." He replied to his brother as he got in the passenger's side, "I'm going to tell her everything, Dean. She deserves to know and the only way for her to know is to know all of it." He explained to his brother.

(ahh only one paragraph. I'm sorry. I suck)

The day went by pretty quickly. For the entirety of her shift, Frankie couldn't stop thinking about the expression on Sam's face when he asked her why she hated him. She didn't know why he didn't remember what had conspired last time he was in town, but it was fairly obvious that he didn't remember it at all. That's why she wanted to hear him out this afternoon. She wanted to know what was going on. She wanted to know why he'd left and why he hadn't returned any of her phone calls. She had questions that she wanted answers to, and she hoped that whatever explanation that he had to offer would answer those questions.

"So, are you just going to hang out here with Aaliyah until he shows up?" Tanya, one of Frankie's coworkers asked her. Frankie shrugged her shoulders as she finished counting out her tips for the day. "He knows I get off at four, the ball's in his court now. If he decides not to show up, then I'll know not to try anymore." Tanya was twenty years Frankie's senior and was like a mother figure to her almost. Frankie had been working at the diner since college, and she'd known Tanya just as long. The older woman knew what had happened between her and the tall brunette last time he came to town. She definitely wasn't his biggest fan. "And you're sure you want to give him a chance?" She asked. Frankie sighed. "I don't know, honestly. He just seemed different, T. And he's Aaliyah's father. If there's a chance that he can be in her life, I want to take that chance."

---

"You're sure that you're going to tell her everything?" Dean asked, glancing over to his brother as he drove towards the diner from the motel. He was dropping Sam off so that he could talk to Frankie and maybe start to fix things with the waitress. They'd gotten some headway on the case, but not enough to know exactly what they were dealing with. Dean had interviewed the most recent vic's family, and Sam had done what he did best and did some research at the local library. Dean wasn't going to say anything, but he had a feeling that they didn't really know what they were up against yet because his brother was distracted. He knew that Sam had every reason to be though, so that was why he wasn't going to say anything.

Once they reached the diner, he pulled up out front by the sidewalk. "Drop me a dial if you want me to come get you." He told his brother as he put the Impala in park. He'd been on edge most of the day, mainly because of the town they were in, and he was thinking a drink or two sounded freaking amazing right about now. He knew of a bar just one town over.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne was sitting with Cole at the bar, giggling over something that he had said. She was on her second beer and she had down three shots in between the beers, "I'm serious, Cole! I've gotta find a man who isn't boring." She said with a frown. She had never been able to find someone as good as Dean since they had been together, "I already told you what your problem is, Rox. You're still hung up on that guy from forever ago." Cole replied before taking a drink from his bottle. Roxanne frowned and shook her head at his words before she took a long drink from her own bottle. They were, of course, in the bar that she and Dean had met, so her thoughts were clearly focused on Dean.

"I'll take another please." Roxanne said when the bartender had walked over to her and Cole. When the bar tender placed the bottle in front of her, she smiled in thanks before she finished off her second bottle and started on the third. She had a day off the next day, so she was ready to get drunk, or as much as Cole would let her.

---

Sam nodded at Dean's question, "She deserves to know. If I have to explain to her why I don't remember her then the only way that I can do that is to tell her everything." He said as Dean drove toward the diner. If he was being honest, Sam was really nervous about this talk with her. He didn't know how to begin other than he didn't remember her. He knew that it was going to be a confusing conversation, but he knew that it needed to happen. He would probably sound crazy. He knew that for a fact.

When Dean pulled up in front of the diner, Sam nodded at his brother's words, "Will do." He said as he got out of the car and walked into the diner nervously. He spotted Frankie instantly talking with another one of the waitresses, "Hey." He stated awkwardly as he neared her. He saw Aaliyah sitting and coloring again, "Hi, Aaliyah. Whatcha coloring?" He questioned with a smile, "Butterfly!" She replied and held up her drawing, "Wow that's really good." He said with a smile before turning back to Frank, "I didn't know if you wanted to talk here or not." He admitted honestly.

Both Frankie and Tanya looked over to the front entrance of the diner when they heard it open. Frankie mustered a small smile when she saw Sam. "Hey." She said just as awkwardly. She still was pissed about everything that had happened a few years ago, but she was trying to be less bitter about it now that she was hopefully going to get all of her questions answered. That and she still couldn't get the look of desperation on his face from earlier out of her head. He'd looked like a lost puppy, with his eyes all wide like that. Aaliyah looked at her with those same eyes, occasionally puppy dog ones when she wanted something, and maybe that was why she'd softened up enough to agree to talk to him. Aaliyah had automatically popped into her head, and she knew that if there was a small chance that she could have her father in her life then Frankie was at least going to try to make it happen.

She watched as he spoke to Aaliyah and asked her about what she was drawing. "I've got plenty of her artwork to last me for years now." She said. They hung up a few of her pictures at the diner, and she had a few of them hanging up on the fridge in the apartment as well. "We can go back to my place. I have to put her down for a nap anyway." She told him. "Let me just grab my stuff and then we can head over. It's only about a five minute walk from here." Today had been one of the days she'd decided to walk to work. It wasn't too cold, and those were the days she normally saved the gas money and walked. It was definitely a lot easier now that Aaliyah was walking well enough. She went behind the counter and grabbed her jacket, wallet, keys and Aaliyah's jacket. Once she had everything and had gotten Aaliyah's jacket on, she held out her hand for her daughter. "Hold mommy's hand." She reminded her before turning to wave goodbye to Tanya. "I'll see you tomorrow, T." She said and then motioned for Sam to follow her.

---

Dean understood what his brother meant. If Sam was going to try explaining anything to Frankie then he was going to have to tell her everything. There was no possible way for him to explain not remembering her because he hadn't had a soul when they hooked up and conceived a kid without explaining how everything that goes bump in the night was real. "Good luck, and call me if you need anything." He repeated. He knew that Sam had been acting a lot better now since the whole fiasco at that warehouse a few weeks back, but he was still worried about his brother and the hallucinations that Bobby was convinced had gotten better.

He didn't wait for his brother to walk into the diner though and drove off in the Impala. Now that he was alone, it was even easier for him to brood over being back in this town. Everything that he passed by reminded him of her and it was practically driving him up the freaking wall. At first he'd been thinking that a beer would suffice, but now he was starting to think he'd have to go for something a bit stronger if he was going to manage working this case and being here for at least a couple more days. Once he arrived outside the bar, which hadn't changed whatsoever, he climbed out of the Impala and headed inside. He didn't even notice her over near the bar when he took a seat, too lost in his own thoughts until the bartended approached. He ordered a glass of Bourbon straight off the bat.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne was halfway through her bottle of beer, laughing at something else Cole had said. She hadn't noticed him walk in until Cole spoke up, "That right there definitely seems like the type of guy you would go for, Rox." He said and pointed over her shoulder to a guy sitting at the end of the bar. Roxanne rolled her eyes and turned to look to see who this guy was, freezing instantly the moment she saw him. He hadn't changed one bit and knew exactly who it was. Why was he here? It had been so long and he had never shown back up, why of all places was he here? Roxanne turned back to Cole and gave him a worried look, "What?" He asked curiously. Roxanne frowned and finished the rest of her bottle, "That's him." She replied, "That's Dean." She clarified to Cole. His eyes got wide and he let out a laugh, "No way! What are the odds?!" He exclaimed with another laugh.

Roxanne couldn't believe that he was here, in the same bar they had met all those years ago. What the hell was she going to do? It wasn't like she could just go over and talk to him. That would be insane. Cole flagged over the bartender and smiled at him, "I was wondering if you could send another drink to that guy down there. Whatever he is having." Cole stated. Roxanne looked at him with wide eyes, "What the hell are you doing, Cole?" She asked him in a harsh tone. She was going to kick his ass later for this, "Tell him that it's from her." Cole finished, watching as the bartender nodded and walked down to Dean and gave him another drink. Roxanne turned her head so he couldn't see her face, "I'm going to kill you, Cole Anderson." She stated and glared at him.

---

Sam laughed at Frankie's comment about how much of Aaliyah's artwork she had. He nodded when she said they could go to her place and watched as she grabbed Aaliyah's things. His heartrate was increasing by the second as he thought about how to start his conversation with her. He didn't know how to even think about starting it. He figured he should probably start with telling her how he didn't remember her. How he didn't remember being with her and them ultimately conceiving Aaliyah. He hunted monsters for a living and this talk was scaring him. He knew that he couldn't tell her about the hallucinations about Lucifer. That was too much to start out with, plus he knew she more than likely wouldn't believe him. She would think he was crazy.

He nodded and followed her out of the diner and toward her apartment. There were so many things he wanted to ask her, but he couldn't bring himself to ask any of them in case she had already told him once before when he didn't have his soul, "Do you always bring her to work with you?" He asked, hoping that he wasn't supposed to already know the answer to the question. He figured she must have a lot on her plate at work if she always brings Aaliyah with her between trying to take care of tables and make sure that her daughter was okay and occupied. It was probably really tough.

Frankie smiled a bit when she heard him laugh. He used to laugh at some weird things a few years ago, but it was still the same laugh that she remembered him having. She really didn't know what to expect out of this conversation. She didn't know if she was going to hear what she wanted to hear. She hoped that she would, and that she'd get answers to the questions she'd had for the last two years, but she couldn't be too sure just yet. She'd know once he started talking. "Yeah, it's just her and I, so I usually work the day shift and bring her with me. Today's my longest day though, normally we're out of there by one or two, so it isn't too bad." She said, not really knowing why she was telling him all of this. Maybe she was just hoping that the conversation would go well.

Once they reached the apartment complex, she led him up the stairs to her apartment. "This one's me." She said as she came to a stop outside of the apartment. She unlocked the door and walked inside. "I'm just going to put her down for her nap. I'll be out in a few minutes." She helped Aaliyah out of her jacket and led her to the bedroom. The apartment was only a one bedroom, and she'd kind of relinquished the bedroom to Aaliyah when she was born and took to sleeping on the couch. "Get some sleep, baby." She said, kissing her daughter's forehead before she walked back out and the nerves sort of kicked in. "You said you wanted to talk." She said quietly once she had walked back out.

---

Dean was on his second glass of Bourbon when it happened. Another glass was set down in front of him and he looked at the bartender, somewhat confused. He hadn't ordered another one yet, and he didn't think he looked nearly that pathetic for the guy to set another one down in front of him when he wasn't even half way through the one he'd ordered. He could hold his liquor, so he wasn't worried about driving or anything, but that didn't mean he wasn't confused as to why another drink had just been set down in front of him. "The blonde down there ordered it for you." The bartender explained, nodding his head down towards the opposite end of the bar.

Dean's heart stopped for a second when he turned and saw the side of her head. She wasn't facing him, and her hair was long enough to conceal the side of her face, but he'd know her anywhere. He couldn't believe it. The last thing he'd expected was for her to be here too. He also hadn't expected her to order him a drink either. He downed both drinks before he stood and made his way to the other side of the bar where she stood. That's when he noticed she wasn't alone, but that wasn't going to stop him. Sure, it cause something to surge through him, but he was refusing to believe it was jealous because it just wasn't. Dean Winchester didn't get jealous. "Roxanne Monaco, it's been a long time."

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne was beyond furious at Cole for pulling a stunt like that, "I swear to God, if he comes over here. I'm going to kill you." She stated as she took a sip from her beer, "Looks like you're going to have to kill me." Cole replied and Roxanne's head dropped, "You're the worst." She replied. When she heard his voice from behind her, she sighed and gave a pointed look to Cole, showing him how pissed she was at him. She turned to Dean and her words froze in her throat, "Dean." It was the only thing she was able to get to come out of her mouth. She was so scared in that moment that she wanted to curl into a ball and hide.

She had just left him that night. No note or anything. It was one of the worst things she had ever done, but she ran because she was scared. She ran before she could screw things up with him, "How are you?" She asked quietly. She had made her bed years ago, and now it was time for her to lay in it. Only she didn't want to. Roxanne wanted to run away. She took a long drink from her beer and looked down at her shoes, quickly becoming nervous that he was going to blow up on her.

---

Sam nodded at her words in understand, “Well at least it isn’t night shift or anything.” He replied. That would be hard to do with Aaliyah being there and he could definitely see how it would be tougher then. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he walked with her towards her apartment. He looked over at Aaliyah to see her already starting to doze off. It was clear that the young girl was ready for her afternoon nap. Sam walked in behind Frankie when she opened the door. He nodded when she said she would be back.

While she was gone, he looked around the apartment a little bit. It was small, but it was clearly working for her, but he wasn’t one to say anything seeing as he basically lived in and out of motel rooms for the entirety of his life. He looked over when Frankie walked in the room. He nodded with a frown, “I want to tell you what’s been going on.” He stated. He took a breath before looking at her and at his shoes, “I don’t remember you. Or being in this town. Though I think from you knowing me, and from Aaliyah looking just like me, that I have been in this town before and that you and I know each other, despite me not remembering.” He explained. He wanted to face-palm himself for giving such a crappy start to the conversation, "I know that sounds like such an dick thing to say, but I can explain. You have to keep an open mind, though, because I know once I tell you that you're not going to believe me."

"Yeah, occasionally I'll cover a night shift, then Tanya, the other waitress who was there this afternoon, will watch her since she leaves when I'm coming in." Frankie said. She really didn't know why she was telling him all of this. She didn't know what was going to come of their conversation. She didn't know if she was going to like the explanation that he was going to give her, and she didn't know if the questions she'd been harboring for over two years now were going to be answered. She was hopeful that she would like what he told her, and that Aaliyah would have her father in her life though, and she supposed that was why she was telling him all of this despite being pretty pissed off still.

Frankie was thankful that Aaliyah hadn't started asking questions yet about who Sam was. She didn't want to have to lie to her daughter because she didn't know where things were going with Sam just yet. That was why she was honestly pretty freaking nervous when she shut her daughter's bedroom door behind her and walked back over to where she'd left Sam. She nodded when he told her that he wanted to tell her what was going on, but didn't say anything. The anger from earlier came back the moment he said that he didn't remember her. Before she even knew she was doing it, she heard the impact of skin coming in contact with skin as she slapped him. She froze, looking at him with wide, blue eyes. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I said I was going to hear you out and I just slapped you."

---

Dean couldn't believe that she was there. What were the odds? It had been what? Eight or nine years? Sure, she'd been the one thing on his mind since he drove into the next town over, but he hadn't expected to see her. Part of him honestly hadn't wanted to see her again. He was still angry and bitter about her leaving like she had. He didn't understand why she had. Things were going well, he thought that they were anyway. He supposed that they weren't though, and he honestly kind of wanted some answers. That was why there was a small part of him that had hoped that she would be there tonight. It still came as a shock to him that she actually was though.

"I'm alright." He said. "Surviving, that's what matters." He shrugged his shoulders before eyeing the guy she was there with. "Dean Winchester." He didn't hold his hand out to shake his though. Alright, maybe he was a little bit jealous, and maybe it was a little harsh for him not to even bother asking her how she was doing, but he was still pissed off about what had happened years ago. Maybe it was stupid and childish of him to act that way, but it was the truth, and he honestly kind of did hold grudges.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne frowned briefly before nodding at his words, watching as he introduced himself to Cole. Cole smiled and gave a nod at Dean, "Cole Anderson. Roxanne and I work together." Cole replied. Roxanne knew that Cole was trying to imply that there was nothing between the two, but Roxanne knew that Dean probably didn't care anyway. It had been so long since she had last seen him, so long since she had left in the middle of the night without saying anything.

Roxanne knew that she had never truly gotten over Dean. It showed in his pattern of guys that she had been with over the past eightish years since she had left Dean. She never held a guy for more than a week, and she honestly preferred it that way. In some ways she felt like she was betraying Dean if she would be with a guy longer than that, "What are you doing in town, Dean?" Roxanne asked the question that had been on her mind since she first saw him at the end of the bar.

---

Sam was shocked. He really was. He had expected her to be pissed, but he wasn't prepared for the slap that stung his cheek. He knew he deserved it. Hell, he deserved more than just a slap. Sam shook his head when she apologized, "No it's fine. I totally understand." He said as he closed his eyes and rubbed out the pain in his cheek. When he closed his eyes, though, more memories came flashing back to him. The first time he had met Frankie, she had slapped him then as well. He then recalled more of her laughing and smiling. Their time together. It was starting to come back to him. This was exactly what he needed.

"I deserved that slap." He stated with a small laugh. He motioned to her couch, "Can we sit down? I feel like you're going to need to sit down for this." He said as he walked to the couch. He looked over at her and sighed, "This is going to sound crazy, but when you and I met, that wasn't me. I mean, it was. But I wasn't me. I didn't have a soul." He explained and sighed at how awkward that sounded and unbelievable, "I know how fake that sounded, but I can explain everything and why I don't remember you. I just need you to be open minded."

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne frowned briefly before nodding at his words, watching as he introduced himself to Cole. Cole smiled and gave a nod at Dean, "Cole Anderson. Roxanne and I work together." Cole replied. Roxanne knew that Cole was trying to imply that there was nothing between the two, but Roxanne knew that Dean probably didn't care anyway. It had been so long since she had last seen him, so long since she had left in the middle of the night without saying anything.

Roxanne knew that she had never truly gotten over Dean. It showed in his pattern of guys that she had been with over the past eightish years since she had left Dean. She never held a guy for more than a week, and she honestly preferred it that way. In some ways she felt like she was betraying Dean if she would be with a guy longer than that, "What are you doing in town, Dean?" Roxanne asked the question that had been on her mind since she first saw him at the end of the bar.

---

Sam was shocked. He really was. He had expected her to be pissed, but he wasn't prepared for the slap that stung his cheek. He knew he deserved it. Hell, he deserved more than just a slap. Sam shook his head when she apologized, "No it's fine. I totally understand." He said as he closed his eyes and rubbed out the pain in his cheek. When he closed his eyes, though, more memories came flashing back to him. The first time he had met Frankie, she had slapped him then as well. He then recalled more of her laughing and smiling. Their time together. It was starting to come back to him. This was exactly what he needed.

"I deserved that slap." He stated with a small laugh. He motioned to her couch, "Can we sit down? I feel like you're going to need to sit down for this." He said as he walked to the couch. He looked over at her and sighed, "This is going to sound crazy, but when you and I met, that wasn't me. I mean, it was. But I wasn't me. I didn't have a soul." He explained and sighed at how awkward that sounded and unbelievable, "I know how fake that sounded, but I can explain everything and why I don't remember you. I just need you to be open minded."

Frankie felt terrible for slapping him. She had agreed to hear him out and he hadn't even really said much and she'd slapped him. She hadn't expected him to tell her that he didn't remember her or anything about his time spent here with her though. It made a lot of sense though. That was why he'd asked her why she hated him back at the diner this morning. If he remembered, he'd know why she'd been going all Ice Queen on him. "It's not fine, I said I was going to hear you out, I should be able to at least do that." She said with a small frown.

"You hardly said anything, you didn't deserve it." She reasoned with him before nodding when he asked if they could sit down. She didn't know why he thought she should sit down for this, and it kind of worried her a little bit. What was he about to tell her? He had said that he was going to tell her everything back at the diner, and she was really starting to wonder what everything actually entailed. She followed him over to the couch and took a seat, angling her body so she was facing him. She listened as he spoke, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he started to explain how when they met he hadn't been himself. She didn't interrupt him and ask him what he meant though, she let him continue on. His words took her by surprise. I didn't have a soul. His words rang in her ears. That definitely wasn't what she was expecting to hear. "I know I said I was going to hear you out, Sam...but you have to understand how crazy that sounds from my end..." She frowned, because when she really looked at him, she saw that he was being completely serious. "I'll try my best to keep an open mind though."

---

She couldn't have been any more wrong, because Dean actually did care right now. Maybe it was because she was still coming to this bar after everything that had happened all those years ago. Maybe he was a little hurt by that, even if he wasn't willing to admit to it out loud. The fact of the matter was, her leaving after that night had hurt him. She hadn't even left him a freaking note to explain why she'd left, and sure he'd been pissed at first, but he'd been pretty damn hurt too. And he still was to this very day. He hadn't thought about her in a while with all the shit he and Sam had been dealing with over the years, but the second he drove into town this morning she was right back on his mind, and she had been all damn day since then.

"You must work close if you're hanging out here." Dean said. "I guess you came back after you left me." He knew that it was a low blow, but he couldn't help it. He wanted her to know just how hurt and pissed he'd been after she left like that. And maybe he hadn't thought about her in a while, but she still crossed his mind every so often. He never quite forgot about her. "Just doing some extermination work in town with my brother. Still trying to keep the family business going as best as we can. Not that I should be the one explaining myself."

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne almost winced at his words, they cut deep. It was clear that he was still pissed off by what she had done. She nodded and tried to not cringe, "Yeah I came back about three years ago." She replied. When answered her question, she sighed and took a long drink from her beer and frowned before looking at Cole, "You mind giving us a minute?" She asked her best friend with a small smile. He gave her a pity smile and nodded before he walked over to the pool tables and started to play by himself.

Roxanne looked over at Dean, "If you're going to yell at me, please do it now. You know how I feel about the passive aggressive crap." She requested sadly. She felt like she almost needed him to do this. To yell at her. She had hurt him, that much was obvious, but she didn't want to beat around the bush with this, "What I did was awful. I know. I can't take it back, Dean, as much as I wish I could." She explained and frowned even more. She wasn't sure if the bar was the right place to talk about it, but it seemed like it was the only place where she could probably force herself not to break down at how awful she felt.

---

Sam shook his head, "It's fine, Frankie, I promise." He replied with a laugh. He honestly could say that it was the first time he had ever been slapped and was okay with it. If it was going to help bring back his memories then he didn't mind at all. Hell, he would have her slap him a couple more times if the force that had been behind it hadn't hurt so damn much. He knew that it must have been hard for her to hear that he didn't remember her or any of their time together, so he was going to be okay with it.

Sam nodded at her words, "I know. I know. Believe me. I know how crazy it sounds." He stated. He took a breath before he looked at his shoes and then back at her, "You know all those stories of the monsters your parents told you not to worry about as a kid?" He questioned, figuring that it was the best way to start off the explanation, "Well they're real. All of the stories. All of the monsters. And my brother, the one at the diner with me, and I hunt them...for a living." He looked at her curiously, trying to get a read on what she was thinking at that point.

Frankie still felt bad for slapping him regardless of whether he was okay with it or not. She knew that it wasn't the first time she'd slapped him though, not that she knew if he remembered that or not. She wondered if he remembered anything about her or if there was no recollection of knowing her at all. She wondered what could possibly cause him to forget all of that. He said that it had something to do with him not having a soul when they first met, which still seemed so freaking far-fetched to her, but she didn't really know what that connection between the two could possibly be. She supposed that he would explain that to her as well in time.

Even though everything he'd told her so far sounded crazy, she was going to at least hear him out. He was being completely serious, and she could tell that he wasn't just trying to pull her leg or something. She nodded slowly when he mentioned all the stories about monsters that she'd heard when she was a kid, wondering where this conversation was going. She didn't say anything though, and waited for him to continue. "You hunt monsters for a living?" She repeated slowly, trying to wrap her head around what he'd just told her. "Sam..."

---

Dean knew that his words had been harsh, but he didn't care. He wanted her to know how he felt about her right now. He wanted her to know how upset and hurt he'd been when he woke up in the motel that morning and found that she had left without so much as a note. He wanted her to know how confused and worried he'd been about her. He wanted to know why she'd done it the first place. Why had she left? Had he done something to make her leave? Was it all his fault? Had he managed to fuck up the one good thing he'd had in a really long time?

He watched as the guy she was with left them to talk alone for a few minutes. "Did you really expect me react any other way, Roxanne?" He asked her. He refused to call her Roxy. He couldn't do that right now. That nickname had been reserved for when things between them had been so much better. They weren't right now. Not even close. "If you know that what you did was awful, why the hell did you do it in the first place? Why did you leave?"

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne flinched again when he called her by her full name. She shook her head, "No of course not. I could never expect you to be happy with me after what I did." She replied. When he asked her why she left, she frowned and ran a hand through her hair. She wasn't sure if she would be able to tell him why she left. It was so long ago, but she still couldn't face what she had done. She didn't want to face it, "Dean, you have to understand. I never wanted to hurt you." She explained, knowing that it was all shit now because she had hurt him no matter if she wanted to or not.

"I didn't want to ruin things between us." She stated. Roxanne knew that by leaving she didn't give things a chance to see if they were ruined, but at the time she didn't care, "I was so scared, Dean. So I took off." She closed her eyes slightly as she thought back to the night she left, "If I would have stayed, I was so scared that I would ruin everything because I almost slipped up the night I left. We had only known each other for two weeks, there was no way I would be able to tell you after only two weeks." She knew that she wasn't making sense, but she didn't want to say what she had almost said to him that night. There was no way she could tell him. Not now. She didn't get to tell him that now. It was too late, "I'm so sorry, Dean."

----

Sam nodded at her words, "I do." He replied. When she said his name, he nodded again, "I know. I know. Crazy. But it's true. All kinds of monsters. Demons. Ghosts. Shape-shifters. The lot. I've hunted them all. I've killed them all at least once." He explained, "I've met angels who were bad and demons who were good. I was put in a cage with Lucifer in hell to stop him and his brother from causing the apocalypse."

"Frankie, I know it's crazy, but I wouldn't lie to you about this." He explained, "When I met you, I didn't have a soul, because when I got out of that cage with Lucifer, my soul stayed in the cage. My brother and I had Death give me back my soul and he put up a wall so I didn't remember the things I had done when I was soulless and when I was in the cage. The wall broke, but I still am having a hard time remembering things. I am having a hard time remembering you, although you and this town are so familiar to me, and I hate that I don't remember anything from here. Please, Frankie, I'm not lying to you."

Frankie didn't know if she could believe him or not. First he was telling her that he didn't have a soul when they first met, and now she was telling her that monsters were real and he and his brother hunted them for a living. It was a lot to lay on her all at once, and even though it was obvious that he wasn't lying to her, she was starting to wonder if he had a few screws lose or something because this just sounded freaking insane. She honestly didn't know what to think.

Then he tried telling her why he didn't remember her and that sounded even more farfetched, but it also didn't sound like something that could be made up so easily. She doubted that, if he couldn't remember her, that he had this whole story planned out as to what he would say to her if he saw her again, and it didn't really seem like something that could be made up on the spot either. "What do you remember?" She finally asked. She wanted to know if he remembered anything at all from when he had been here last. "I don't know if I believe you yet or not. I want to...but I don't know if I can. I know you aren't lying to me, I can tell that you aren't...this is just a lot to take in, Sam."

---

Dean really didn't know what she was talking about. She was freaking speaking in riddles right now, and most of what she was saying wasn't making any sense to him at all. It wasn't because he didn't want to know why she'd left, he really did want to know, it was because she wasn't really telling him even though she was. "Now that's funny." He laughed when she said that she never wanted to hurt him. That was the biggest crock of shit he'd ever heard. If she didn't want to hurt him, why did she leave? Why didn't she leave a note or at least try talking to him before she left? Leaving the way that she had hurt him real bad.

"What were you scared about, Roxanne? What could you have possibly been so scared about that you couldn't freaking talk to me before you left?" He exclaimed. He didn't care if he was drawing attention to them right now. She'd wanted him to yell at her, and now he was yelling. He was frustrated, hurt and more than anything else, right now, he was pissed off. He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "Forget about. Forget I even asked." He shook his head and started walking away. He needed to leave before he said or did something that he really regretted.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne frowned at his words, "It's true, Dean. I never wanted to hurt you, and I know by leaving that I hurt you anyway, but it was never my intention." She replied. She frowned even more when he started yelling at her, but knew she deserved it and had asked him to. She couldn't answer his question in that moment, and he didn't give her a chance to before he turned and walked away, starting to walk out of the bar. Roxanne sat stunned for a moment before she finished off her beer and ran after him.

"Dean!" She yelled as she caught up to him at the Impala, "You wanna know why I was so scared?! I almost said I love you the night that I left, and it scared me so badly because we had only known each other for two weeks. Dean, that scared the hell out of me because I had never loved anybody before let alone so quickly. So, the only thing I figured I could do was leave so I didn't tell you by mistake and ruin things because it was so fast. That's why I left. That's why I was so scared."

---

Sam could see that she didn't believe him. He knew that it was a lot to take in at once, but it was the only way he could think to tell her. He frowned when she told him she wasn't sure if she believed him or not, "I know it's a lot, and I know it's a lot for me to ask you to believe me, but it's all true, Frankie. It really is." He stated before he thought about what he did remember so he could tell her, "Well I remember now that wasn't the first time you've slapped me." He started with a laugh.

"I remember that you smiled around me a lot. I don't really remember a lot. I just get flashes every now and then. Like the first time you said my name today back at the diner, it was so familiar, and I had gotten flashes of different times you had said it when we were together. Then you slapped me and I remembered when we first met and you had slapped me then too. That's about it though. I just get constant feelings of Deja Vu, nothing else besides that really."

Frankie didn't know what to believe. What he had told her was all stuff that shouldn't be possible. She knew that he wasn't lying to her about any of it, he meant everything that he said, but she didn't know what or if she could believe any of what he'd told her. "It is a lot." She said. "And I know that you aren't lying to me...I just...I don't know what to believe." Everything he had told her were things that shouldn't be real. Monsters weren't supposed to exist. Losing his soul shouldn't really be possible. The devil, well maybe he was real depending on the religion you followed, but even that seemed farfetched too. And the apocalypse? What the hell? She mustered a small smile when he said that he remembered that wasn't the first time she'd slapped him. "You're right, it wasn't."

She listened as he told her the rest of what he remembered about her. It wasn't a lot, but it was still something. "So you still don't know why I was so upset when I saw you today at the diner then..." She said quietly. Even if she couldn't fully believe what he'd told her yet, she figured he should know why she'd been acting the way that she had. "You left." She said. "You left town and didn't tell me why. You didn't even tell me you were leaving. And then I found out about Aaliyah...and I tried calling you a few weeks later...and you never called me back."

---

"If you didn't want to hurt me, you wouldn't have left." Was the only thing Dean said before he started walking away. He was done. He didn't want to hear what she had to say anymore. He had heard enough, and maybe it would have been right for him to hear her out completely, but he couldn't do it. So he made out of there like a bat out of Hell, but he obviously wasn't fast enough because he heard her following behind him.

He clenched his jaw and paused by the Impala, his hand hovering over the handle on the driver's side door. He didn't turn to look at her though. He couldn't look at her anymore. He was silent as he listened to her explanation. It surprised him, but it didn't matter anymore. That had been years ago, and it was too late now. That was what he was telling himself. He'd seen a lot of shit since then. Even then he'd seen a lot of shit, but he'd seen even more now, and he wasn't the same person he'd been back then. He wasn't so forgiving. "Well, you really didn't give yourself a chance to see if you ruined it or not, because the moment you left you ruined it in a completely different way." He didn't say another word to her and got into the Impala before driving off.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne's jaw fell open at his words before he got in the Impala and drove off. Roxanne wanted to chase after him, but she knew it was no use. There was no point. She ruined it, just like he had said. She didn't know how to react to everything. She wanted to break down and cry. She wanted to find where he was staying and tell him off, but for what reason? She had no justification because everything that he had said to her tonight, she deserved completely. To be honest she didn't even deserve for him to talk to her at all.

Roxanne walked back into the bar with her tail between her legs. She walked over to Cole and frowned, "Can we go home?" She asked sadly. He gave her a pity sigh and nodded before he went over to pay for their drinks and walked out with her, "I guess it didn't go well?" He asked. She shook her head and frowned at her best friend, "Come on let's go get you into bed." He said as they got into a cab and he gave the address to Roxanne's apartment.

---

Sam raised an eyebrow at her words. Soulless Sam was a dick, so it was something that he should have expected, but was still a bit surprised, "Frankie, I am so sorry. You have to realize that I wasn't me. I would never do that to someone ever. Especially if there was something as big as Aaliyah involved." He explained. Sam felt horrible. Aaliyah was almost two and Sam hadn't been in her life at all, and he felt awful, "I promise you if I had known. If I had been me. I wouldn't have blown you off like that."

Sam knew that he could never take back what had happened, even though right now he really wished that he could, "Frankie, you have to help me remember. I want to be able to do anything I can to be in Aaliyah's life...I mean...if you want me to be in her life." He said. He hadn't actually thought about that at all. Frankie had been just fine on her own raising Aaliyah, but now Sam was back, and he just assumed that she would want him in Aaliyah's life.