Time Is on Our Side

***March 1997***

Lunchtime was her solitude.

Before her accident, she was popular and was asked to sit at every table she had passed. But that all changed the minute she woke up from her coma and confided that she could see the dead walking around the halls. Now instead of hellos and high fives, whispers and jaunts followed her as she walked outside to the old oak tree that sat near the parking lot. Here is where she tried to escape from the world by drawing in her journal.

As she was sketching in her book, a large shadow covered the page. She tilted her head back to see the tall boy she had bumped into earlier. They had only one class together, so she wasn't able to see him.

“You're blocking my light.” She grumbled as she moved her head back down to her page. Her left hand gripped the pencil tightly in her hand.

Sam smiled as he pointed to a spot next to her. “This seat taken?”

“NO.” She didn't glance up at him as he saw down next to her. She heard the crumple of paper and moved her eyes to the right to see him taking out a sandwich from the bag.

“Want some?” He handed the second half of his sandwich as he smiled at her. “My brother made it for me. BLT.” While she was looking at the sandwich, deciding wether to take it or not, Sam glanced down at the journal that had been sitting in her lap. It was a pencil drawing of a man standing over someone that was lying on the ground. Behind the man, she had shaded in a matching pair of wings that stretched high above his head.

Her hand took the sandwich, careful not to touch his, shut her journal and quickly stood up from the ground. She crammed the journal into her black satchel that hung around her neck. “Th..thank you.” She stammered as she shyly tucked her hair behind her ears.

Sam stood up, easily towering over her. “Hey, I was wondering if you would like to help me with that English assignment. Mr. Mackey is a tough one.”

She turned to look at him, her blue gray eyes studied his caramel colored ones, wondering if he was pulling her leg. It was a trick to get her to say yes and then laugh at her for being a fool. She felt heat creep along her cheeks and the back of her neck as she realized he was waiting for an answer. “Umm...sure.”

“Great.” Sam reached into his backpack, took out his notebook and scribbled something on the page. He ripped it out and handed it to her. “That's my number. Call me this evening? My dad's going out of town and it's just me and my brother.”

“O...ok.” She felt her heart hammer in her chest as she placed the paper inside her satchel. “I...I need to go.” She turned away from him for a second before turning back around. She held up her half of the sandwich. “Th..thank you.”

********

Savannah let out a huge sigh as she pulled into the parking lot, noticing it was empty of cars. Except one. A classic black Chevy was parked under the red neon lights. She looked at the GPS, then at the piece of paper that was lying on her lap. This had to be it.

She turned off her engine and opened the car door, her black flats crunched heavily under her feet. She walked past the huge black car, the black paint highlight with the bar's name. Harvelle's Roadhouse. No, this wasn't her type of bar at all and she suddenly felt very out of place.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she pushed open the red door and stepped inside the bar. It was dimly lit, something was playing on the jukebox in the corner and a man was sitting at the bar. She noticed he turned to look at her, his truckers cap low on his head. He scratched his brown beard before turning back to his bottle of beer. She was about to turn around and leave, when she spotted him standing up from a table.

When she had first met Sam so many years ago, she never realized how handsome of a man he had turned into. He was still tall, but instead of being lanky, he was built with muscle. She could see how truly muscular he was as she noticed how good that black and green plaid shirt looked on him. His hair was longer, touching the collar of his shirt.

She stared at him for a few seconds as he roze to his full height, towering a good eight inches above hers. She tilted her head as her eyes swept his body, a smile forming on her face.

Sam was caught off guard when he saw Savannah walk up to his table. She had grown into a beautiful woman. Her hair was straightened, bangs gazing her forehead, letting him see those beautiful bluish green eyes of hers. Her figure was shown off in a tight fitting red dress that flared out at her curvy hips, skimming the bottom of her calves. He looked down, his eyes moving along her toned bare legs, ending at her face. He licked his lips as he gave her a lustful smile. For a brief second, he wondered what that dress would look like on his motel rooms floor.

“Didn't think you were coming.”

“I almost didn't.”

“Well,” Sam cleared his throat as he motioned to the seat across from the table. “Thank you for changing your mind. Can I get you a drink?”

Savannah pulled out the chair and slowly sat down, crossing her right leg over her left. “Sure.”

Sam held up his hand as he smiled at her. Savannah turned around in her seat as she noticed a dark haired woman come up to their table. The woman extended her arms as Sam stood up from the table. “Sam Winchester! Good to see you boy.” The woman was engulfed by the giant of the man as he hugged, lifting her off the floor.

“Good to see you.”

The woman turned her head to see Savannah and a smile spread across her face. She looked at Sam, then at the girl who had finally stood up from the table. “Hey, I'm Ellen.”

Savannah took her hand briefly as she quickly sat back down. “Savannah.”

Ellen looked at her for a second before hitting Sam in the arm. “Drinks are on me. What can I get you two?”

“Gin and Tonic.” came the reply from both Sam and Savannah.

Sam turned his head to look at Savannah who had a shocked look on her face. He cleared his throat and leaned forward. “I asked you here because this is the safest place I know that we can talk.”

Savannah leaned back in her hair and nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. “So? What's so different about this place than the diner.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing towards the bar. “Won't they hear us?”

“This place is safe Savannah.” He paused long enough to allow Ellen to drop off their drinks, but not before glancing back over at Savannah. He couldn't blame her for being a little curious. Sam wasn't known to bring strangers to the Roadhouse. She was being protective of Sam. That's just who she was.

Savannah dropped her eyes to her drink, trying to collect her thoughts. “Sam...I don't know what's happening to me.”

“Annah,” He reached over and cupped her hand into his larger one and flashed her a smile. “You can tell me anything. You know that right?”

Savannah tilted her head and looked at Sam and those damn dimple of his, they were her weakness.. She let out a sigh, blowing out the breath between her lips. “I see the dead.”

Sam was taking a sip of his drink when she finally spoke. He gulped it down as he began to cough. “I'm sorry..what?”

Savannah nervously looked around the bar and noticed the man in the truckers cap was looking in their direction. “Sam..”

“Sam Friggin Winchester, you dirty dawg.”Sam let out a sigh as he saw the man walk up to their table. He rolled his eyes and glanced at Savannah who was being bombarded with a hug. Her eyes were huge with her shock. HE leaned back and smiled at her. “And who this scrumptious looking woman.” He licked his lips as he winked at her, brushing his hands through his dark hair.

“Savannah.” She smiled as she extended her hand.

“Hmm...” He slid his hand into hers as he looked into her eyes. “Ash. Nice to meet you and if things don't work out with him,” He hooked a thumb over in Sam's direction. “Come see me. Ash will take the hurt away.” He gave her one last wink before he walked back to the pool table.

Sam let out a sigh as he gulped down the rest of his drink. “Listen,” He leaned forward a bit as he took out his wallet, took out some money and slapped it down on the table. “I don't want any more interruptions and I know you want this off your chest. So, why don't we go somewhere a little more private?”

Savannah felt a chill as Sam stood up from the table. How long had it been since she'd been alone with Sam? “OK.” She was shocked at her response despite how guarded she felt. “I know the perfect place.”

*******

Sam was instructed to drive the Impala out of the city, the engine easily taken the car past the speed limit. Several miles of silence overcame the two of them, each trying to find words.

Sam was about to ask how much further, when she told him to turn right onto a gravel road. After a few minutes, she told him to stop. He shut off the engine as Savannah grabbed the sack of burgers from between the seat and stepped out into the night air.

Summer was just about over and the nights were cooling off and she wished she brought a jacket. She watched as Sam took out a blanket from the trunk, walk to the front of the car and spread the blanket on the hood.

“This...” Savannah paused as Sam placed the six pack of beer between them and she reached to pull one out of the box. With a hiss, she unscrewed the cap and tossed it on the ground. “This was a place my father took me. I hope this is OK.”

Sam smiled at her as he smoothed out the blanket. “No..this is perfect.” He raised up his finger. “Hold on a second.”

Savannah took out the burgers and placed them on the blanket , smiling as she heard the radio click on. Sam returned a few minutes later and they both sat on the hood, their back against the wind shield. Sam handed her a beer and he waited and then clinked hers against his.

She sighed and took a sip of her beer and reached into the sack to grab a fry. But Sam had the same idea and their hands touched. She brought her hand back as if she had been burned and felt her cheeks burn.

Sam chuckled and took a sip of his beer, his concentration on the water in front of them. He turned his head to see she was slowly biting the tip of her nail. “This is nice...really..”

Savannah nodded as she looked down at the bottle of beer, peeling off the label. Chunks of paper fell into her lap as she tried to think of how to start this whole conversation. Sam was the first person she trusted since her parents death. “I never told you about the accident I was in.”

Sam turned his head to see that Savannah was looking at him, the moonlight shining in her eyes. Her dark hair was glossy as it highlighted her features. “No..no you didn't.”

Savannah took her time gazing at Sam. He was a gorgeous man. Her heart thudded in her chest as her eyes skimmed down to his tight chest. Sam was a very big man and she felt a clinch in her stomach as her eyes continued their path, ending between his legs. She felt heat singe her body as she tore her gaze away from him, gazing at the lake in front of them. Damn him for distracting her.

“My...my father lost control of the Jeep we were riding in. There is no rhyme or reason why he did.” Savannah looked at her bottle with the ripped label. She took a second to take a large swig of beer before she continued.” I was asleep..in the back.” She snagged her lower lip between her teeth. “I should have died.”

“But you didn't.”

Savannah shook her head and continued to peel the label. She stopped when she felt Sam cover her hand that was destroying the bottle. She blinked back the tears. “No..I..I didn't and I don't know why. I don't know why I lived while my parents died. I don't know why I have..this..this..”gift.” A gift that was a more and more like a curse.

“Annah,” Sam's voice was low, soft as he moved his hand up to her neck and brushed some hair to the side. That's when he noticed the tip of the tattoo. “That's why I need my brother.”

“He..doesn't know who he is Sam. And you busting in there saying your his brother is just going to make him worse.” She moved her head away from Sam's touch. The feel of his fingers felt way too nice. “Let me ease him into it, OK?”

Sam nodded and returned to his beer. She had shied away from his touch. She never did that before. “Yeah..OK.” He cleared his throat as he slid off the blanket and extended his hand. “It's late. Why don't I take you back to the bar?”