The Cynical Prince

'Somehow, I never thought this would happen...'

"Mommy!" I smiled feeling much better after eating and taking the medication that the doctor had prescribed to me, jumping up to meet Tagan in a large hug. Chase right behind him smiling down at Tagan and I.

"My boy! How was school?" I asked and he smiled at me brightly. He pulled out a piece of paper with a couple stick figures drawn on it. A picture depicting what seemed to be me being carried by another stick figured (I think male) and being brought back home to a small stick figure that was labeled with a green crayon 'Tagan'.

"It's Mr. Dean saving you mommy!" I chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you very much. Go put it on the fridge and then start on your homework so we can have some fun okay?" He smiled at me and nodded his head. However, before he ran off into our bedroom he quickly gave Dean a hug and then slammed the door shut.

"Well, isn't he happy." I looked up at Chase who just smiled at me cheekily.

"Well, he loves his mommy. Thanks for picking him up." I hugged Chase and looked over at Dean who was now standing up ready to give Chase a proper greeting.

"You know it's not a problem and holy crap! It's been so fucking long dude!" Chase enveloped Dean in a tight hug shocking Dean and myself. Dean patted his back lightly and nodded his head.

"I know. You look good." Chase smiled nodding his head taking a deep breath. He did that whenever he would take in a scene.

"So do you man. It's been to long. We should hang, got a number?" Dean nodded his head and I walked into the kitchen to see what I could make for dinner. I knew Tagan would be hungry for a snack and he had his Jell-O's but I didn't want him to eat all of them before he could finish them before the week was up.

"Hmm..." I muttered to myself not really paying attention to anything else that was going on until I heard Chase say bye. I waved at him from inside the fridge in which I currently had my face stuffed into and thought about what I was going to do. I saw cheese and thought about what I had in the cupboards.

"What are you doing?" I heard Dean ask, shutting the door behind Chase as I climbed onto my kitchen counter to reach the cupboards on top.

"Looking for something to make. There's cheese in the fridge." Dean laughed and walked over to me grabbing onto my waist.

"You're going to kill yourself one of these days." I smiled looking down at him and then back up at what was on my shelves.

"Nah, I was used to doing this. Andrew was always home late. However, when he was home he would cook. Ah-ha!" I grabbed the box of pasta and the rather large can of tomato sauce.

"You can let go now." I commented so that he could let go and I could jump down but instead he only tightened his grip on my waist, lifted me up in the air, and placed me down on the ground.

"Why, thank you." He smiled at me and I placed the items I got from the cabinet on the counter and watched Dean head for his coat on the couch.

"You're not staying for dinner?" Just then, Tagan's head popped out from our bedroom door looking straight at Dean very sternly. Dean looked over at him his eyebrows knitted together in confusion and then at me.

"Well, my job is done." I smiled and shook my head.

"Don't be silly, we'd love to have you for dinner, right hunnie?" I looked over at Tagan who nodded his head slowly glaring at Dean. Dean licked his lips and let out a small chuckle.

"Uh, okay. When you put it that way." Tagan nodded his head and then slowly slipped back into the room closing the door.

"Such strange child." Dean commented and I just smiled.

"I know!" I was proud of my odd little boy. He was my precious and he knew that. I told Dean to sit down and relax as I made a dish that I had watched Andrew make so many times before. Tomato sauce seasoned with some spices, chicken, grilled and seasoned pasta, and some grated mozzarella cheese. It was an amazing dish that Tagan loved and I hoped Dean liked it also.

If my memory had served me right, Dean liked anything that had meat in it. He would. Anything healthy oddly enough (for a work-out nut) was like poison to him. I swore to you his body was the hottest yet oddest things out there. Surprisingly though, Dean loved it and after Tagan ate, he fell right to sleep. I tucked him into bed, checked his homework, signed it, and then closed the door leaving his nightlight on.

I looked at Dean who was getting his coat on admiring him. He was such a great man, helping me, buying me lunch, playing with my son. He didn't have to do anything of these things especially after it had been so long since we had seen each other. I couldn't believe that he was being to friendly to me. Then again he always was. More cynic towards others but to me he was a sweetheart.

"Heading home?" He nodded his head as he stared at me. Those intense green eyes stared back at me with an unknown emotion. Or, maybe I did know what that emotion was it had just been so long that I didn't recognize it?

"I'll see you in class next week. You rest. No working at bars or lounges or Borders, okay?" I bit my lip looking at him like he was crazy. I couldn't not work. If I didn't work, I didn't make any money, and if I didn't make any money, there goes my rent and food! What the hell would Tagan do without his jell-O's!

"I can't. You know I have to work, Dean. Money's tight for me, that's why I have all those jobs. I'm thankful I don't have to pay Chase and Steph but food and rent I do have to pay." Dean glared at me and then walked to my door without saying anything, opened it and then turned around.

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to live you until you can go back to work. Bye." With that, he quickly closed my own door in my face and rushed off. Live with me? Dean Winters...live with me?!

God, how was this going to turn out?