Chasing Cars

"I know, I noticed that you were different back at the diner. I know you're not really the Sam that I knew." Frankie said. She hadn't spent much time with him, but she knew that he was nothing like she'd known two years ago. And even then she'd fallen for him. With how he was now, she could easily see it happening again and even faster than it had back then. It honestly kind of scared her, but he was Aaliyah's father, and she wanted him in her life, regardless of how scary it all felt and regardless of how farfetched and crazy everything he'd told her earlier seemed.

"I want you in her life, Sam. I wouldn't have agreed to hear you out if I didn't. And everything you told me before still seems a little crazy, but I think I believe you." She said quietly. She wanted Aaliyah to know her father. Even if she was a little hurt about what had happened two years ago, she wanted to try and put that in the past. She could tell that Sam wasn't the same person she'd known, and she wanted to get to know the real him even if there was a chance that she would fall for him again. She knew that was pretty likely anyway.

---

Dean didn't go back to the motel right away. He drove around town for a little while, just trying to blow off some steam. He hadn't heard from Sam yet, which he assume was a good sign, but if his brother was already back at the motel he didn't want to lash out at him just because he was pissed at Roxanne. As he drove though, her words rang loud and clear in his head. She had almost told him that she loved him. That was why she'd left. He knew that he'd felt something for her back then too, and her words probably would have shocked him, but he knew that he wouldn't have turned her away. She wouldn't have ruined things by telling him. But it was too late for that now. She already had ruined things.

Once he got back to the motel, a bag from the liquor store in hand, he wasn't all that surprised to not find Sam there. He knew that if his brother had needed him, he would have called by now. If things had gone south with Frankie, he was certain that it would have already happened. So, he reacquainted himself with his friend Jack Daniels, all the while finding it next to impossible to get a certain blonde out of his head.

@ sam winchester.
Roxanne got back to her apartment and collapsed onto her bed. She felt Cole sit down beside her and pat her back like a best friend would obviously do, "I knew that I fucked up, Cole, but I didn't expect to ever see him again. I didn't think I would ever have to face what I did." She said quietly as she felt a couple tears slide down her cheek. She didn't want to cry. She didn't deserve to be able to cry. She shouldn't even be feeling as bad as she was. She had hurt Dean. It was plain and simple. Everything that he had said was well deserved for her, "Rox, you can't beat yourself up though. You fucked up, yeah, but that doesn't mean he's the only guy out there." Cole replied.

That's what he didn't understand. She had tried. She really did, but somehow she always ended up comparing the guys to Dean, "It's not that simple. Nobody will ever compare to Dean, and I only spend two weeks with him, but it was better than any other two weeks I had spend with anybody else." She explained before she kicked off her shoes and jeans before crawling under the covers, "I just want to sleep everything off...can we go for a hike tomorrow?" She asked softly as she looked up at him. He nodded, "Of course, Rox. It won't be until evening, though, I have some things I have to take care of, is that okay?" Roxanne nodded in response before he smiled and kissed her forehead, "I'll be in the guest room." He stated, causing her to nod and close her eyes before falling asleep.

---

Sam smiled lightly at Frankie's words, "I'm a lot nicer now. From what I heard from my brother, soulless Sam was a dick." He joked and then smiled again. When she said that she wanted Sam in Aaliyah's life, his entire face lit up in happiness, "Really?" He asked, obviously extremely excited. Not only did she believe him, which was something he wasn't sure if she would or not, but she also wanted him in Aaliyah's life, which is something he honestly had thought she wouldn't want because of him being gone for this whole time, "I'm going to do everything I can to get my memories back, Frankie. I may not be the same guy that I was, but I can sure as hell be who I am now."

Sam was thrilled. He couldn't wait to tell Dean everything that had happened. Everything that day had just been a rollercoaster of events. Not only had he found out he had been in the town before, but he also happened to have had a relationship with the waitress from the diner that he and Dean happened to go into. Then he found that not only did he have a past with Frankie, but they also had a daughter together. Sam knew next to nothing about being a father, but he knew that he was going to try his best to be a good one for Aaliyah.

Frankie laughed slightly in response to his comment about being a dick when he didn't have a soul. "Your brother's right, you kind of were a dick." She admitted. He had this air of confidence about him though that she found extremely attractive, and that evidently led to them hooking up quite a few times, obviously resulting in Aaliyah happening as well. Thinking back on it, she really didn't know why she'd been all that surprised when he skipped town without even telling her that he was doing so. He really was a dick, but she had found him attractive, and the sex had honestly been freaking amazing, and she had this tendency to love too much and too quickly, so she had fallen for him despite knowing, deep down, that nothing would likely come of it. Until she found out about Aaliyah, and thought that maybe, just maybe they could be a family. That went out the window the moment he never returned any of her phone calls though.

She smiled when she saw his face light up when she told him she wanted him in Aaliyah's life. "Really." She said. "Aaliyah deserves to know her father." She didn't know what it meant for them, but right now what really mattered was that she wanted Sam to be in Aaliyah's life. She was still too young to really understand that she should have a father in the picture, and she didn't want her to start questioning that either. She wanted her to know Sam. "I'll do what I can to help you get them back." She said. "Without slapping you this time." She added with a quiet laugh. She still felt pretty bad for slapping him, regardless of whether Sam said it was okay or not. "Mommy!" She heard come from the bedroom a few moments later. Frankie hadn't realized just how long she and Sam had been talking for. "I'll be right back." She told Sam before she stood up and walked into the bedroom. Aaliyah was standing up in her crib and made grabby hands at Frankie when she walked into the room. Frankie smiled and picked her up. As she carried her out of the bedroom, she spoke to her. "Baby, there's someone I want you to meet."

---

Dean figured that Sam would have called already if he needed him. He was glad that his brother was obviously having a much better day now than he had earlier. That makes one of us. He thought bitterly as he brought the bottle to his lips. Maybe it wasn't the classiest thing to do, but he didn't care. He was hurting, and even though his alcohol tolerance was pretty high, he hoped to drink himself into enough of a stupor that he'd be able to numb the pain in his chest. It was all a little too chick-flicky for him, but he knew that it would help somewhat. If not, he figured that it would at least take some of the edge off.

@ sam winchester.
Sam laughed at her words, "He'll be pleased to hear you say that." He replied and laughed again. When she replied that Aaliyah deserved to know her father, he smiled really wide, "Well I'm glad it's now than back when you met me, if I'm being honest, because soulless Sam would have been an awful father." He said. Sam knew that he didn't know the first thing about being a father, but he was ready and willing. He didn't run away from his responsibilities. Not anymore. He wanted to be in Aaliyah's life, and he knew that being in the life and being a father would be really hard, but he was going to try his best to be a good dad to Aaliyah. Whatever it took.

When Sam heard Aaliyah call for Frankie, he realized how long they had actually been talking. He nodded when Frankie went to grab, Aaliyah. He grew slightly nervous about introducing himself to his daughter. He was glad she was at the age where she didn't really ask questions because he knew that would be an even worse conversation to have and explain where he had been for the beginning of her life. When Frankie walked back out with Aaliyah and said she wanted her to meet Sam. He smiled widely at his child and waved, "Hey there, sweetheart."

"I'll be sure to tell him when I see him next." Frankie said with a laugh. She was still somewhat on the fence about some of the things that he'd told her today, but she did believe him, and she knew that she wanted Aaliyah to have the opportunity to know her father. She could tell that he was different now, and that he was nothing like he'd been last time he was in town, and she honestly just had a lot of faith in him being a good father. She didn't really know how this was all going to work with the line of work that he was apparently in, but she knew that they'd figure something out.

Frankie smiled and took a seat back on the couch with Aaliyah still in her arms. Her daughter turned to look at Sam when he waved and spoke to her. "You remember meeting him back at the diner earlier, right?" She asked her daughter who nodded. "He's actually someone who's very special to you, baby. Liyah, this is your daddy." Frankie watched as he daughter's face lit up much like Sam's had moments earlier when she'd told him that she wanted him in Aaliyah's life. The little girl wasted no time at all in wriggling out of her grasp so that she could move across the couch to where Sam was.

@ sam winchester.
Sam watched as Frankie introduced Sam to Aaliyah. He felt his heart swell up at how excited she got when Frankie told her that Sam was her dad. When she moved over to where he was on the couch, he opened his arms for her so she could hug him, and he pulled her into a tight hug, "Daddy!" She squealed in happiness. Sam nuzzled his face into her hair as he hugged her. He felt the tight grip of her hugging him back, and smiled wider than he ever thought was possible.

He looked over at Frankie and grinned widely at her. He mouthed a thank you to her before he pulled away from Aaliyah and looked his daughter over. She was his spitting image and he couldn't stop smiling at how perfect she was. He had no idea what kind of father he was going to be, but he really hoped it was a good one. Sam begged that he would be a great father to her, "She's so beautiful." He said to Frankie as he held Aaliyah's hand in his.

Frankie watched the exchange between father and daughter with a smile on her face. She could see how happy knowing Sam was her dad made Aaliyah and just how happy having Aaliyah know that he was her dad made Sam. She was glad that she had decided to hear him out and give him a chance to explain himself. Sure, she always told herself that she and Aaliyah were fine on their own, but seeing how Aaliyah already was with him made her realize that she wanted Sam in her daughter's life. She wanted them to know each other.

She smiled and mouthed a you're welcome to Sam when he thanked her. Just seeing them together made her certain that she'd made the right decision. Sam was going to be an amazing father to Aaliyah. She just knew it. "She looks just like you." She told him with a smile as she watched him look Aaliyah over. "I noticed it right away, but I notice it even more as she gets older." It kind of hurt seeing Sam every time she looked at Aaliyah for a while, it being a constant reminder that Sam wasn't there, but that stopped after a while once she told herself that they were doing just fine without him.

@ sam winchester.
Sam nodded at Frankie's words, "That's kind of how Dean figured out I had been here before today." He replied. It was plain to see that Aaliyah looked just like Sam, from hair color to smile. It was plain to see. Sam smiled and watched as Aaliyah played with Sam's hair, "I know. I know. It's almost as long as your hair is." He said to his daughter with a smile on his face. He looked over at Frankie, "What does she like?" He questioned, seeing as Aaliyah was fairly busy playing with his hair. He felt awful for not being there for the beginning of his daughter's life and finding these things out for himself, but he was sure that soulless Sam wouldn't have cared much seeing as how big of a dick he was. This Sam, however, wanted to know everything about his daughter and her mother.

"It's obvious just looking at her, but it's even more obvious with you two in the same room together." Frankie said with a small smile. She'd always known just how much Aaliyah looked like Sam, but seeing them together right now still blew her mind. There were small things that she'd gotten from Frankie, like her chin and slight curls in her hair, but most everything else was Sam. She let out a quiet laugh when Aaliyah started playing with Sam's hair. Something told her that, knowing her daughter, Aaliyah was going to be pretty preoccupied with his hair for at least a little while. "She loves coloring as I'm sure you noticed today. Fingerpainting's another thing too. I think she's going to be into art when she's older. She loves Disney movies. Her favorite right now is Tangled, but Belle's her favorite princess and her all-time favorite is Lilo and Stitch. She loves being read to before bed. We're on the second Harry Potter book right now. She'd eat peanut butter for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I let her." She laughed.

@ sam winchester.
Sam smiled at her words. When she started to talk about the things that Aaliyah liked, he grinned widely before glancing at his daughter, "Reading was always one of my favorite things too." He said as he looked over at Frankie. He honestly couldn't believe how much stuff he had missed out on from not being in her life until now. It pained him to think of all the things he had missed. Her first steps. First time eating on her own, "What were her first words?" He asked quickly as the thought popped into his head. So many firsts, and he had missed all of them. He regretted it so much, but knew there was nothing that he could do about it. Not really.

Frankie smiled when Sam said that he always enjoyed reading too. "I read to her a lot when I was pregnant." She told him. She had read somewhere that babies could learn in the womb if they were being read to, and she had decided to try it out. She seemed to get a response from Aaliyah when she did read to her, so she'd continued, and she just never stopped after she was born either. She knew that Sam had missed out on some things, and she was hoping to fill him in on everything he had missed as best as she could. "Her first word was book actually." Frankie told him with a slight laugh. "Then mama came after that and then she just started saying hi to literally everyone who walked passed her." She laughed once more.

@ sam winchester.
Sam grinned when she said that she used to read to Aaliyah when she was pregnant, "I wish I could have been there for that." He stated with a small falter in his smile. His smile returned when Frankie said that Aaliyah's first word was book, "Social butterfly. I can already tell." He grinned before he looked at his daughter, who was attempting to style his hair, "Whatcha doin', little bug?" He asked curiously, "Makin' you pretty!" She replied back excitedly. Sam let out a chuckle, it being clear that she was obviously entertained at the current moment.

"You're here now, that's what matters." Frankie assured him. She knew that he probably felt bad for missing out on so many first with Aaliyah, but she didn't blame him like she used to anymore. She knew the truth, she knew that he wouldn't have left like that if he'd had his soul. She'd been attracted to soulless Sam, but she was liking the real Sam a lot. He was a sweetheart, and she knew that he was going to be an amazing father. "Oh yeah, definitely. She gets everyone who walks passed her in the diner to talk to her." She said with a laugh. She smiled when she saw Aaliyah was attempting to style Sam's hair before glancing over at the clock above the TV. They really had been talking for a while. "I should probably figure something out for dinner...did you want to stay?" She asked Sam. She wouldn't mind having him there, and something told her that Aaliyah wasn't going to let him leave just yet anyway.

@ sam winchester.
Sam nodded at her words, "I'm glad that I'm here now." He replied. When she replied that Aaliyah was a giant social butterfly, "She definitely doesn't get that from me, so it's gotta be you." He stated. He knew that she probably could have gotten it from Dean as well. Sam had never been the social brother, it was always Dean. Sam raised his eyebrows at her question before he nodded, "Yeah that sounds great actually, if you don't mind." He answered. He knew he would have to call Dean to let him know, but he also figured that Dean was probably still at the bar drinking, or maybe sleeping. Sam knew that if he really needed to call Dean, he would, but he didn't need him right now. So he didn't call him yet.

"I can be social when I want to be." Frankie said with a slight laugh. In high school and college she'd gone to parties and everything, but she'd always much rather be at home or back at her dorm. "I wouldn't have asked if I minded, Sam." She told him with a smile. She didn't mind him staying for dinner at all. She was glad that she'd given him a chance to explain himself. She could see just how much Aaliyah loved him already, and seeing her with Sam honestly warmed her heart. He was so good with her already. "Do you mind giving her a bath while I get dinner ready?" She asked. "The bathroom's the first door on the left, and there should be towels on the rack already."

@ sam winchester.
Sam smiled at her words before she asked if he would give Aaliyah a bath while she made dinner. He nodded with a smile, but he could feel his nerves building up on the inside on his first real time alone with Aaliyah with her knowing that he was her dad, "Alright, squirt, ready for a bath?" He asked as he picked up his daughter, carrying her to the bathroom. She grinned and nodded, "Bath!!" She exclaimed happily. Sam was glad that she wouldn't fight him on it. He turned on the light to the bathroom before he started to fill up the tub, making sure the water wasn't too hot but not cold either. He looked down to see Aaliyah was already set and ready to get in the bath, rubber duck in hand and everything. He smiled and picked her up, setting her in the bathtub. Aaliyah played with her duck as Sam washed her hair, but when he had finished, she made him play with, which of course he wasn't going to object against.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Frankie said with a smile. She watched as Sam picked Aaliyah up and carried her into the bathroom before she started on dinner. It was never anything crazy, and she'd decided this morning before work that she was making pasta and chicken cutlets today, so that's what she stuck with. As she got started on dinner, she couldn't help smiling as she heard her daughter's giggles and Sam laughing every so often as well. She had learned pretty quickly that she'd made the right decision by letting Sam back into her life and into Aaliyah's, but she was realizing just how right she was with each passing moment that Sam spent with their daughter. While she waited for the water to boil for the pasta, she headed into Aaliyah's room to grab a pair of pajamas for her. "It sounds like we're having fun in here." She said as she peered into the bathroom to set the pajamas down on the sink.

@ sam winchester.
Sam laughed when Aaliyah accidentally squirted him with her rubber duck. He finished up washing her and her hair, but continued to play with her until Frankie walked in and brought some of Aaliyah's clothes with her, "Yeah a certain someone keeps squirting daddy with water." He said and looked over at Aaliyah, who giggled and hid her face behind her hands. Sam was realizing how easy it was coming to him; being a dad. He figured it was more than likely because it was his daughter and he wasn't acting dad to another kid. He just felt a little less nervous now after spending some time with Aaliyah by himself.

Frankie smiled at her daughter's laughter. It was no secret at all that Aaliyah had taken no time at all in warming up to Sam. She'd taken to her father almost immediately after Frankie had introduced the two, and it was clear that Sam was already falling into the the father role easily. She wasn't at all surprised by this though. She'd known in her gut that he would be, that was why she'd given him a chance to explain himself. "Well, these are her pajamas. I'm going to go finish up dinner, it'll probably be ready in ten or fifteen minutes." She said. "Pascetti?" Aaliyah asked. Frankie laughed and nodded. "Yea, baby. Spaghetti."

@ sam winchester.
Sam smiled and nodded at Frankie's words before he looked over at their daughter to see how happy she was over having spaghetti for dinner, "Alright, little one, five more minutes of bath time then we are gonna put on your pjs and go have dinner with mommy, okay?" He asked with a smile. Aaliyah grinned and nodded, "Pascetti!" She exclaimed with a giggle as she played with one of her Barbie dolls in the water. Sam played with her duck in return, giving her some squirts of water every now in then, just to hear her giggle profusely. It was such a beautiful sound to him.