Never Say Goodbye - Bonus Track #1
Pairing: Dean W. x Female Reader
Summary: The first time you and Dean sensed each other’s thoughts and feelings, you were just kids. It would take years to realize that you both were bonded for life, and even longer to finally meet. [Soulmate AU] (18+)
AN: The "Bonus Tracks" have arrived! AKA: Sequels to “Never Say Goodbye.”
I have two parts in the wings for you, but let's start with Part 1...
Word Count: 4,500
Tags/Warnings: Angst, supernatural shenanigans, death, cavity-inducing fluff (all to come through Parts 1 & 2)
Bonus Track #1: Disturbing the Peace
Dean walked into the bullpen of the Sioux Falls Police Department with a file in hand.
He went into one of the holding cells, where his latest perp was waiting for him with a salty attitude and an untouched paper cup filled with water.
“Jessie Deluca. Thirteen years old, already with two priors for petty theft,” Dean read off the file.
“Wasn’t me,” the kid said coolly.
Dean flashed Jessie a wry smile and sat across from him at the table.
“Sticking gum in the camera lens is creative, I’ll admit. But the nice old man who owns the 7-Eleven recognized your jacket,” Dean said, gesturing at the kid’s dark red hoodie. “Maybe next time don’t dress like a fire hydrant.”
“Plenty of people could have this jacket. Not like it’s Prada or anything,” said Jessie. He was stubborn, crossing his arms in the way only punk-ass kids could accomplish. “Besides, you’re not allowed to question me without my mom here, dipshit. I’m guessing you’ve been a cop for all of what, five minutes?”
Dean’s expression flattened into a more wan smile. “Oh, your mom’s on the way. We’re just chattin’.”
“Well I don’t feel like talking to a dumbass plebe,” Jessie quipped, with all due snark.
“All right, kid, listen the hell up,” Dean said more sharply. His gaze tightened with sternness. He glanced behind him, where he suspected your father Jack was watching. Dean was often partnered up with Jody, but she was out sick today. Which meant he had “the hawk” watching his every move.
Dean leveled the kid with a look.
“Fact is, you’ve got three strikes here, Jessie,” he said. “Now, you were dumb enough to go in with a gun. And we will find where you stashed it.”
Jessie snorted in response.
“…But you’re lucky,” Dean said. “No one got hurt this time. Problem is, at the rate we’re going here, you’re not gonna make it to next time.”
Jessie seemed to pause at that. But after a moment of indecision, he leaned forward on his crossed arms on the table.
“What part of ‘you can’t talk to me’s not getting through your thick head, Hasselhoff?”
Dean frowned, but before he could lose his temper, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked down and realized you were texting him.
Hey, sorry I’m going to be late tonight, you said.
Dean raised a finger at the kid. “I’ll be back.”
Jessie gave him a whatever look. Dean waited until his back was turned to roll his eyes. He exited the holding cell and found Jack on the other side.
“Kid’s a piece of work,” Dean said.
“Remind you of anybody?” Jack asked slyly.
Dean scoffed. “Maybe. I’ll be back, but let me know if his mom shows up.”
Jack nodded, and it gave Dean leave to get back to his desk and call you back. It took you so long to answer that he thought you almost wouldn’t.
“Hey, baby,” you greeted. It brought a small smile to his face.
“Hey. How’s work goin’?”
“It’s ridiculous. Jerry wants fifty new books logged and shelved by the end of the day. And we’re getting a new shipment in tomorrow,” you replied. “…Well, they’re not new. They’re ancient. Transferred from a museum that closed in Boise. But you get the idea.”
Dean’s smile threatened to grow, but it faded when he remembered why he needed to check in on you.
“Is that why you’re getting in late again tonight?” he asked.
“No, I promised I’d help Jason with his applications for grad school,” you said, making Dean frown.
“Who the hell is Jason?”
“Remember? Mrs. Jenkins’ grandson?”
Dean’s frown deepened. “No, that guy? Come on. You already helped him with, uh, cleaning out his grandma’s apartment, right?”
“Yeah, because she died, Dean.”
“Then it was cleaning out his apartment.”
“So he could move into her apartment,” you pointed out. “That he inherited upon her death.”
“And now you’re gonna go over there and share a screen all night?” Dean didn’t like that thought. Not one bit. “I don’t trust him, babe. He’s shifty.”
“Dean,” you tried patiently. “We practically grew up in the neighborhood together. I’m just helping him out because he’s gone through a rough time.”
Dean quieted. He still wasn’t totally on board, but he didn’t want to sound like a needy bitch either.
“All right, whatever,” he said.
“Don’t ‘whatever’ me,” you cajoled. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Right.” Perhaps he was a bit grumpy, but he felt justified. Due to both of your schedules, he hadn’t even shared a meal with you all week.
“Okay, I have to get back to work. Bye!” you said, hanging up shortly after. Dean didn’t have a chance to reply.
He sighed, pocketing his cell.
He returned to Jessie, where he noticed the water cup was now drained.
“Having fun?” he asked the kid.
“About as fun as you look right now. What, fight with your girlfriend?” Jessie sassed.
Dean gave him a flat look.
Jessie smirked. “Ah, definitely a fight.”
Dean sighed. “Wasn’t fight, just…you know what, mind your business.”
He discreetly checked his phone again, seeing if you’d sent him any other messages. But the kid had sharp eyes. He peered over the table at Dean’s background.
It was one he’d taken on his first date with you. Really, he’d surprised you with the picture when you two got to the restaurant.
You were trying to fix your hair after the wind had mussed it up. But at the angle he took it, you looked equal parts adorably confused, playfully amused, and sexy in your black suede dress and wind-swept hair.
“She’s hot,” Jessie nodded.
“Shut up,” Dean said, locking and pocketing his phone. “What’re you, like twelve? And still stealing Twix at the gas station? Do better, dude.”
“Too hot for you, even,” the kid continued, as if Dean hadn’t spoken. “Probably downloading another guy’s hard drive, if you know what I mean.”
“All right, smartass. That’s enough,” Dean said, with a more irritated frown.
That was when Jack came into the holding cell, escorting a woman inside.
“Jessie’s mother, Ms. Sandy Deluca,” Jack said.
“Just Sandy, please. You don’t have to remind me about the deadbeat I married,” she said, giving Dean a cursory (but appreciative) once-over. He gave her a thin smile.
He had to assume she was in her forties, but she also looked rough, and smelled like the crusty bowels of a bar.
“And you. What the fuck’re you doin’, huh?” Sandy bat her son across the back of her son’s head. Jessie flinched and withdrew inside, more like the child he actually was.
Dean noted all of this, sharing a subtle frown with Jack. Both men sat down across from mother and son and explained that Jessie was suspected of robbing a 7-Eleven at gun point. The owner saw him take off. And at some point, before Dean caught him, the kid managed to toss his gun.
“It’s only a matter of time before we find it. And if the prints match, that’s it,” Jack said. “Jessie gets booked for a felony charge.”
“He ain’t did it though. You don’t even have him on tape,” Sandy said. “All you got is one senile old man.”
She had a point, but not one Jack or Dean were willing to concede.
“If he admits what he did, we can work with him,” said Jack. “Maybe the felony charge gets dropped down to petty theft, and he probably only does a short stint in juvenile detention.”
Dean stared at Jessie, his thin, boyish face, his sandy brown hair, and shuttered eyes. And maybe Dean saw a bit too much of himself.
He tapped Jack’s elbow beneath the table, earning the man’s attention.
“Well, we’ll let you think on it for a few minutes,” Jack said. He got up along with Dean and headed outside the cell. They were able to look in through the one-way window.
“What’s the matter, Dean?” Jack asked.
“We can’t hold him. Not for long, unless the gun shows up,” Dean pointed out. “He stole, what, thirty bucks in bread, cans of tuna, three Twix bars? He’s a punk, but he’s not a killer. He’s just hungry.”
Jack considered this with a sigh through his nose.
“Yeah. But it’s his third strike on theft. This time he took a piece. Armed robbery, even for a kid…that’s gonna require jail time,” he said.
“Okay, how about this. Why don’t we let him go for now, hook him again when we find the gun?” Dean suggested.
“And maybe we don’t look too hard for it. That what you’re trying to tell me?” Jack asked.
Dean just held the other man’s gaze, leaving the decision up to him. But Jack had come to know his future son-in-law too well for that.
He sighed again. “All right, we’ll let him go. For now. But this is his last chance.”
Dean called his brother on the way home from work, tired, but ultimately in a better mood than he had been after talking to you.
“Hey, Dean.”
“Hey, Sammy. How’s the Big Apple?”
“Musty,” Sam said with a chuckle. “But good. Eileen and I are headed to a Broadway show tonight, to celebrate the end of semester.”
Dean smiled at that. Trust Sam to find his soulmate in a subway station. And trust the universe to land his brother with another hunter.
Or a huntress, as Dean had teased him. A banshee had killed her parents when she was a baby, and had rendered her deaf in the process. A hunter had raised her, and Eileen had continued the family business into adulthood, all the while looking for the creature that had killed her parents.
When she met Sam, however, he of course wanted to help her. He even took a week off school once they tracked the banshee to Lebanon, and helped her kill the thing himself. Now though, Sam had been subtly trying to convince her to retire from the hunting life. To build a life with him.
But, as always with hunters, Eileen seemed wary of fully committing to leave the life she’d always known.
Dean could understand that.
“That’s right! My smart-ass brother got all A’s in lawyer school,” he said. “I should get one of those bumper stickers.”
Sam scoffed. “Right, like you’d tape up the Impala like that.”
Dean grinned. “Anyway, end of semester, huh? That mean you’re coming back home soon?”
“Not this weekend, but the week after. Just in time to help you guys prep for the wedding,” said Sam. “It’s like, what, three weeks out?”
“And counting,” Dean replied. He couldn’t believe it was getting this close either.
“Eileen and I’ll stay with Bobby though. We don’t want to crowd your apartment,” Sam said. “How’s everything going, by the way? How is she?”
Dean huffed. “She’s probably just fine.”
“Probably?” Sam noted. “What’s going on?”
Dean was reluctant to talk about it, but his brother knew him too well to just let it go. He prodded until Dean had no choice but to spill it.
“The wedding’s just got her all over the place. Plus her job’s got her working evening shifts half the week sometimes,” Dean said. “And when she’s not doing that, she’s volunteering herself all over the damn neighborhood…”
Dean chuckled dryly then, realizing how much he sounded like a needy chick right now.
“I don’t know,” he said. “God, I sound like a freakin’ sap.”
“No. It sounds like you miss her,” Sam said.
“Hmm,” Dean nodded. He popped a frozen dinner into the microwave and watched it spin. “Yeah, probably.”
A lot, a voice in his mind corrected. He knew he didn’t have to say it for Sam to get the picture.
“Just tell her how you feel, man,” Sam said. “You know for a fact that there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you.”
Sharing and caring had never been Dean’s strong suit, by any means, but he knew his brother might have a point this time.
So he waited up for you. For hours.
He started to fall asleep on the couch before he realized what time it was, creeping past midnight. He texted you, called you. It all went unanswered. Dean started worrying long before then, but he tried not to let his mind jump to conclusions.
He cleaned the kitchen and waited. He tried watching the next couple of episodes in season three of Game of Thrones, your favorite show, but couldn’t concentrate on the storylines. He usually had you to explain the complicated plot points and remind him of who’s who.
So he switched over to Dr. Sexy M.D., which you’d tried not to judge him for.
But finally, around 1:00 a.m. on a weekday, Dean felt your presence before you pull into the driveway. He was sitting on the couch, and he crossed his arms when you walked in.
Still, you gave a tired smile when you saw him. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey,” he responded, but you knew immediately that he was off. You saw the tight look on his face, his tense demeanor. You even caught a glimpse of his emotions before he cut you off…which in itself was a tell that he wasn’t in a good mood.
You frowned and set your purse and work bag next to him on the couch.
“What’s the matter?” you asked. Dean raised both brows at you, as if he was annoyed that you had to ask. It wasn’t like you could read his mind.
Well, you could, if he hadn’t closed himself off.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked.
Your brows knitted at his tone.
“You know where I was,” you said. “I was helping Jason—”
“You’ve been with that guy at his house all night?”
You tried to give him a patient look, but you were bone tired. And you hadn’t expected to get the third degree from the minute you stepped through the door.
“Dean, I told you. We were working on his applications to grad school, mostly on his entrance essays.”
“And that really took all night, with no breaks?” he asked. Now with a more suspicious brow raise.
“Of course,” you replied, crossing your arms. “I mean, we stopped to eat dinner.”
But then you raised a finger as something occurred to you.
“And oh! He showed me his new motorcycle,” you said, with excitement that he didn’t share. “Dean, you’d freakin’ love it. I can’t remember what model he said it was, but I told him, ‘My fiancée’s a major gear head. He’d love to get a motorcycle.’ But I’d literally die if you made me get on one of those things—”
“So, correct me if I’m wrong,” Dean said, interrupting you as he got up from the couch to stand across from you.
“You spent all night at some guy’s house. You had dinner with him, and he tried to impress you with his new goddamn motorcycle?”
You considered what he was suggesting, and you had to suppress a grimace. Yeah, it did sound bad, but it really wasn’t.
“It wasn’t like that at all, Dean,” you said. “Jason’s just…he’s feeling a bit lost. He wants to continue school, but he’s not sure if he can do it. His grandma practically raised him, and it’s a whole thing—”
“That’s not your damn problem!” Dean said, raising his voice. “You realize that, right?”
You crossed your arms, leveling him with a frown.
“Okay, you need to take that way down,” you warned him.
Dean took a beat, briefly closing his eyes as he reigned himself in.
“I’m sorry, all right,” he said. And he drew a hand over his tired face. “It’s just…lately, for the past few months, it seems like you’re never here. We’re like ships passing in the night. And if I didn’t check in, I’d never fucking hear from you.”
You sighed, staring back at your fiancée with both hot guilt and a prickle of resentment.
“So, do you like how it feels?” you asked.
Dean sharpened. “Excuse me?”
“I’m just saying, welcome to my world, Dean,” you said. “I lived that existence for the first two years of our relationship.”
He couldn’t exactly refute that, but it still hurt to be reminded of what he put you through.
“What, are you doing this on purpose or something?” he asked. “You’re punishing me. Is that it?”
You relented then, reaching for his arm.
“Of course not, Dean,” you said. “I just find it ironic that you can’t handle just a taste of what I went through.”
Dean’s lips pursed.
“Until I finish training our new hires, there isn’t much I can do about what my job demands of me,” you said. “But if you want to help me, how about everything I’m doing to plan this wedding? It’s literally a month away, and there’s plenty to do. I feel like I’m going insane with these vendors calling me 24/7, mostly demanding money.”
You covered your face with your hands for a moment, shaking your head.
“Tomorrow I have my final fitting for the dress, after work,” you said. “This weekend I have to finalize the seating chart, make the final deposit on the venue, and a shit-ton of other things.”
“Okay, well I can help with that,” Dean said, trying to take your hand. “All you need to do is ask.”
You gave him a peeved look.
“You see, I would. But the last time I tried, you said you were working late,” you said. “I called my dad to see where you were. Come to find out, you’d left early.”
Shit, Dean thought.
“When was that?” he asked.
“Last week, Thursday,” you jogged his memory.
Shit, he thought again.
What you didn’t know was that he left early that day to pick up your wedding ring, which he’d had customized for you. But he couldn’t tell you that without giving away the surprise.
“Listen, there’s an explanation for that.”
“Well right now, I don’t feel like hearing it,” you said. You slipped your hand out of his and left him to beeline for the shower.
Dean watched you go, silently simmering. Was this what he had to look forward to when you two actually got married?
You and Dean didn’t even look at one another as you got ready for bed in silence.
You were annoyed that he didn’t trust you. A bit resentful that he chose now to complain about you being busy, when you’d tried so many times to get him to help you with the wedding planning process.
But at the same time, as you two climbed into bed without uttering so much as a word, it felt like you won the battle, but lost the war.
And you didn’t feel any better when you woke up the next morning.
Because when you saw the empty side of the bed next to you, but didn’t hear Dean puttering around the apartment, you realized that he’d left for work without saying goodbye.
He usually greeted you with a kiss on the cheek or the forehead; the best alarm you’d ever had. But today, you were forced to wake with your alarm. So you turned it off on your phone and dutifully got up to get ready for work.
Your mind was buzzing with too much coffee on the drive over to the museum, and when you arrived, your phone sounded off in your purse. You checked it and found a text from Jason Jenkins.
Hey, thanks for coming over to help yesterday, he said. I think I’ll actually get into grad school now. These essays are top notch thanks to you.
Your lips quirked with a smile. You replied as you walked into the museum, waving hello to your boss, Jerry, as you went.
You’re welcome! you replied. Dean’s words from last night replayed in your mind, so you decided to keep it brief. But then, Jason replied again.
But I also had a good time last night, he said. You’re just so easy to talk to…would you want to come over for dinner? I make a mean carbonara.
You deflated when you read the text. Goddamn it.
And you knew then that Dean might’ve had a point last night. With a sigh, you raised your gaze to the heavens. You didn’t have enough coffee to deal with this.
But you knew you had to reply.
Look, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression but—
You paused, then deleted that response. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but maybe you could say something that made your boundaries clear without making him feel bad about himself.
Sorry, Jason. I’m staying in with my fiancée tonight. But good luck! I’m sure you’ll get into grad school.
With that message sent, you pocketed your phone and continued to your desk in the museum library. It was surrounded by tall shelves of books from all over the world, and you often enjoyed perusing through them when you had down time (not that you had much of that these days).
Jerry came in, wheeling a large shipment of boxes. You gave him a wan smile at the sight.
“Delivery,” he said. “Need these books logged and shelved, please. By end of the day, if you can. Oh, and tell Charlotte we need more toner for the copy machine.”
You playfully saluted your boss. “On it.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I know it’s been a lot for the past few months, but you’re doing great, kid.”
You didn’t appreciate the kid remark, but you did thank him graciously. It was nice to be recognized for your work because you did take pride in it. But right now, as you looked at the ten large boxes piled on the dolly, you really wished you could control + alt + delete this day.
Instead, you sighed and opened the first box, pulling out a stack of heavy books. One of them caught your eye, as it was leather-bound, but bordered with gold, and had hieroglyphic images on the cover. The largest of which was a golden sun, encircling a lion’s head.
You weren’t supposed to touch the books without gloves on, but you were so intrigued that you forgot to slip on a pair before you reached for it in wonder.
The moment you touched the cover, however, a burst of energy swirled around the book—and then wrapped around your hand.
You didn’t realize it, but your mind went hazy as amber rings of magic illuminated your pupils.
Dean got home from a long day of work, sighing when he saw that the apartment was empty.
He felt bad for how things got left off between the two of you last night, but frankly, he was surprised (and maybe a little hurt) that you didn’t reach out to him at all today.
Usually when you guys argued, you were the first one to reach out to him after you both had time to cool down. You could be stubborn about things, just like him, but you were also quick to forgive. And that often forced him to confront his honest feelings.
When his phone started ringing, Dean paused in the living room and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hi, there! Is this Dean?”
“You got me. Who’s this?” he asked. It was the receptionist at the shop where you found your wedding dress. Apparently, you hadn’t shown up for the appointment of your final fitting, and you hadn’t called to reschedule.
“Well, that’s not like her,” Dean said with a frown. You’d never dropped the ball on anything having to do with the wedding. Not once.
“Let me get ahold of her and we’ll get back to you,” he said. The receptionist agreed, and the moment he hung up with her, he called you. It rang for a while, but ultimately went to voicemail.
A tendril of worry started to grow in his mind, but he tried to keep it at bay when he called your boss next.
According to Jerry, you took your lunch break early and never came back.
Dean’s worry became a living thing after that.
But before he could call Jack and mount a full police squad search, the front door of the apartment unlocked, and you walked through the door.
You looked completely fine in your business casual white blouse, pencil skirt, and heels, but you didn’t have your purse, work bag, or any of the usual things you carried.
Dean hung up with your boss and eyed you in disbelief.
“Well, well. I guess you’re playin’ hookie today,” he remarked dryly.
You gave him a cursory glance, but you all but ignored him on your way to the kitchen. Dean’s incredulousness grew, along with a spark of irritation.
He followed you into the kitchen, where you started rifling through the pantry looking for spices and herbs, of all things. You examined a clear parcel of thyme.
“What are you doing, babe?” Dean asked. “Are you tired? Did you just need to take a beat? Because I can understand that…”
You didn’t seem to be hearing him, so he grasped your hand.
“Hey, what the hell’s going on with you?” he asked. Your brows knitted together in annoyance.
“By the gods, what a nuisance.” You slipped your hand out of his and continued what you’re doing.
Dean felt struck with hurt as he stared at you once again in disbelief.
But then, a spidey sense began to prickle at the back of his neck. This wasn’t like you at all…
You finally seized him up through impassive eyes.
“Pretty,” you remarked, “but the world of men seems to have remained the same. Needy, clawing, and pathetic.”
Dean’s brows furrowed. He called your name uncertainly, but he realized something.
He couldn’t feel you. Not your thoughts, and not even your emotions through the soul bond. It was a gut instinct, but Dean's was rarely wrong.
Whoever was wearing your face, it wasn’t his girl.
You smirked and stepped toward him, drawing near enough to place a hand on his chest. He tensed, knowing that this wasn’t about to end well.
With a burst of amber-hued magic, you flung him across the room.
Dean crash-landed against the couch with a yelp and a grunt. He’d definitely be feeling that in his back later.
He heard the crashing of glass and ceramics hitting the hardwood floor after he fell. When he was able to slowly pick himself up, he saw that he’d shoved the couch into the coffee table, where a vase and a few frames had fallen.
And when he managed to lift his gaze to the rest of his surroundings, he found an empty apartment. The front door was left ajar.
You were gone…
Or at least, whoever possessed you was.
AN: So first of all, sorry for the cliffhanger lol. But Sam's soulmate is revealed! (I was VERY upset when Sam and Eileen didn't get their reunion when Jack brought back everyone after the "snap.")
Like my top note said, this will be two parts. Let me know what you think of Part 1!
Next Time:
Dean searches for you with Sam, Eileen, and Bobby's help. But there's just a few weeks before the wedding.
What could possibly go wrong?
Keep Reading: Bonus Track #2
Series Masterlist
Dean Winchester Masterlist
Main Masterlist
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