Simple Man

Amanda sat at the kitchen table with a cup of hot tea and watched the boys as they did various things around her apartment to protect her while they were gone. She couldn’t stand not knowing where her best friend was, and she could tell Sam was panicking as well. She wanted to ask why they were pouring a line of salt at her doorway and windows, but she didn’t want to interrupt them; she figured they knew what they were doing and didn’t want to question their actions. As Amanda took another sip of her tea, Dean slowly walked over to her and squatted down so he was at her level. He handed her a gun, and Amanda’s eyes went wide as she shook her head. “I don’t know how to use that.”

Dean smiled lightly, “I’ll show you the basics really quickly,” He began to maneuver his hands around the gun and slowly explained to her the most important things and she listened intently, in awe as he knew a lot about them. “Don’t shoot unless you have to.”

Amanda lowered her head and tears welled up in her eyes again, “I’m scared, Dean.”

He set the gun down on the table and stood up so he could pull a chair up closer to her and as he sat down, he took her hands in his. “I know you are, and I promise that you are safe in here. There’s no way anything could come through your windows or doors, trust me. We will search all night if we have to to find Sasha, okay? And when we find her, I’m going to come back here and you’re going to be okay, alright? I like you too much to not come back here.”

Amanda gave him a small smile, “Okay.” She took a deep breath as she watched Dean and Sam walk out the door a few minutes later, then sat on her couch and looked around uncomfortably. She worried about Sasha, but knew Dean and Sam would find her. They had to.

She eventually ended up falling asleep on the couch; and as she slept, her brother Alex appeared and watched over her, careful not to wake her. He hadn’t meant to scare her the first time he came to her, but he didn’t know what to say to her. So he decided to be quiet for the time being, and when he knew she wasn’t by herself, he would leave again. And she would never know he was there. When he heard a frantic knock at the door about two hours later, he immediately disappeared as Amanda shot up from the couch, gun already in her hands. She slowly walked towards the door, holding the gun how Dean had showed her. She looked through the peephole and had a sigh of relief when she saw Dean on the other side of the door. She lowered her gun and opened the door wide enough so he could make his way in. As soon as the door was shut, he walked over to her and brought her into him in a tight embrace, picking her up slightly.

“Sasha’s okay,” Dean sighed as he heard Amanda start to cry. “We found her; she’s a little banged up but no broken bones or any permanent damage. But she’s okay, I promise.” She nodded into his shoulder and didn’t want to let go of him. He could tell she was shaken up a bit, so he carried her to the bedroom and laid her down gently, then covered her up with her blankets. She pouted at him lightly, but was relieved when she noticed he was taking some of his clothes off so he could join her. She felt safe in Dean’s arms, so she let out a sigh of relief almost, and he started running his fingers through her hair. “Are you okay?”

Amanda waited to respond for a minute, trying to gather her thoughts. “I think so. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around all of this.” Dean smiled lightly; he was used to this. “So, why did a demon take Sasha?”

“It’s an extremely long story with too many details, but to make it quick… the demons are not very happy with me and Sam at the moment, so they decided to take something we care about to reel us in,” Dean hoped that would make sense to her and was relieved when he saw her nod lightly. “To tell you the truth, I was dead for four months. I was in actual hell and then out of nowhere an angel pulled me back to Earth.”

Amanda sat up and gave him a confused look, “Look; I’m no expert, but isn’t that something you should mention on the first date?”

Dean laughed lightly, “To be fair, this is kind of our first date. This is the most I’ve opened up to a girl in a long time, Amanda.” He sat up with her.

She lowered her head into her hands, “I almost want another cigarette. This is a lot to take in,” she chuckled and looked over at Dean, putting a hand on his cheek. “Let’s finish our date, Dean.”

He loved the way she said his name; and the way her hips moved as she walked; he loved that she wore fuzzy socks and Spongebob pajama pants; he loved the way she crossed her legs every time she sat on the couch and he almost couldn’t catch his breath when he saw her pick up her guitar and start playing. She was perfect. He couldn’t make eye contact with her when she looked up and smiled at him; so he just closed his eyes and listened to her beautiful voice.

Love of mine, someday you will die
But I’ll be close behind
I’ll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the No’s on their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark
Then I’ll follow you into the dark

As Amanda played the last chord, a blush rushed to her cheeks as she saw Dean giving her a most interesting look with a small smile on his face. She put the guitar down and laid her hands in her lap, not really sure what to say to him. So she said the first thing that came to her mind, “Did you like it?”

Dean chuckled, “Of course. I loved it. Is that yours?”

She shook her head, “No, unfortunately. I wish I had written it. It’s Death Cab for Cutie,” She smiled and Dean shrugged her shoulders. “Never heard of them, I guess?”

“Probably not,” He smiled and moved over so he was sitting next to her on the couch. “I’m more of a classic rock kind of guy.” Amanda nodded understandingly and looked down at her hands. “You have serious talent, Amanda. You need to do something with it.”

“I already told you; after I graduate I’m going to Nashville.”

“You better,” He sighed and leaned over, then placed a soft kiss on her lips. “If I don’t hear your songs on the radio within a year I’m hunting you down and kicking your butt.”

Amanda laughed lightly, “Great motivation, I guess.”

---

Sam looked over at Dean as they drove through a small town and laughed, “What’s up your ass, man?” Dean looked over at his brother and glared, then lightly shook his head. He wanted to ask Sam to change the radio station, but he was exhausted and decided to let Sammy drive the Impala so he could rest. And that means that when Sam drives the Impala, Sam also controls the music. He had set it on a variety station and each song was more annoying than the one before it; Dean was about to go crazy, until he heard it.

Ain’t no talkin’ to this man
Ain’t no pretty other side
Ain’t no way to understand the stupid words of pride
It would take an acrobat and I already tried all that
I’m gonna let him fly

Things can move at such a pace
The second hand just waved goodbye
You know the light has left his face
But you can’t recall just where or why
So there was really nothin’ to it
I just went and cut right through it
I said ‘I’m gonna let him fly’
Oh yeah

There’s no mercy in a live wire
No rest at all in freedom
Of the choices we are given
There’s no choice at all
The proof is in the fire
You touch before it moves away – yeah
But you must always know
How long to stay and when to go

And there ain’t no talkin’ to this man
He’s been tryin’ to tell me so
It took a while to understand
The beauty of just letting go
‘Cause it would take an acrobat
And I already tried all that

I’m gonna let him fly – fly whoa
I’m gonna let him fly – fly
I’m gonna let him fly

He didn’t have to hear the artist’s name; he already knew who it was. And he should have been happy, but he wasn’t. He was angry.

He was angry because that song was about him, and he knew it.