As It Was - Dean Winchester

Part 10

I walked into the bar, confident that I was going to get the work done. He hadn't been hard to track down, really. It had been all too easy.  I kept my head low, ensuring he didn't notice me as I stepped in through the door.

I'd pulled my hair back in a ponytail for change. I had pulled out a pair of jeans and a black tank top. The weather was still warm, and I didn't feel the need to cover up more than that.

The dark hunter sat by one of the tables in the bar talking to someone turned with his back my way, and even though I didn't know Dean very well, I could tell that it was him from a mile away.

"Great," I mumble under my breath as I walked up to the bar and ordered some shots. Gordon and Dean sat close enough for me to hear their conversation even though I tried not to.

"Yeah. Yeah, you know. He was just one of those guys. Took some terrible beatings, just kept coming." Dean told Gordon, and I wished I was anywhere else but right there. "So you're always thinking to yourself, he's indestructible. He'll always be around, nothing can kill my dad. Then just like that," he snapped his fingers. "he's gone."

I downed two shots.

"I can't talk about this to Sammy. You know, I gotta keep my game face on." Dean cleared his throat, and I felt the need to do the same. "But, uh, the truth is I'm not handling it very well. Feel like I have this -"

"Hole inside you?" Gordon filled in. "And it just gets bigger and bigger and darker and darker? Good. You can use it. Keeps you hungry. Trust me. There's plenty out there needs killing, and this'll help you do it. Dean, it's not a crime to need your job."

I spent some time looking around the bar to see if I could see the youngest Winchester. John's words rang through my head about begging Sam and Dean to tell me about him. I must have listened to that voicemail a thousand times.

I ordered three more shots.

"Know why I love this life?" Gordon continued after a while.

"Hmm?"

"It's all black and white. There's no maybe. You find the bad thing, kill it. See, most people spend their lives in shades of gray. Is this right? Is that wrong? Not us."

"Not sure Sammy would agree with you, but uh..." I turned around to see Dean drink his beer.

"Doesn't seem like your brother's much like us," Gordon told him, and I didn't miss the startled look on Dean's face. "I'm not saying he's wrong. Just different. But you and me? We were born to do this. It's in our blood."

I had had enough and turned around and placed the shots on their table, taking mine right away.

"Whoo." I grimaced and slammed the shot glass back on the table. "I'm glad you see the world in such simple terms, Gordon."

He looked up at me, surprised. Eyes as dark as coal.

"You've got to be kidding me," Dean mumbled from his seat when I pulled a chair over to join the two hunters.

"Willow Price, long time no see," Gordon greeted me.

"Not long enough." I faked a smile. "You haven't been answering Liam's phone calls, so he sent me to make sure you're still on track."

He studied my face and let his eyes trail down my body for a second. He smiled at me, and I wanted to puke. Gordon was definitely not the kind of guy I would want anywhere near me.

"You workin' for your brother again?"

"No, I'm just helping him out a bit. You know how it is." I shrugged. I pulled out my phone and dialed Liam's number while the two hunters drank their beers, staring at me.