Guarded: The Alternate Path of Dean Winchester

Chapter 11: guarded

Andrea chose to take a break from school for a couple of years before heading off to college. She enjoyed shopping and gallavanting around the city. It filled the time but nothing seemed meaningful. The relationship between her and Dean had been forever altered. They didn't speak much and he seemed to always keep her at a distance. Andrea felt herself slipping back into her old ways as she found strangers at the bar to party with her night after night into the wee hours of the morning.

Dean never broke tradition, still bringing her a single cupcake yet chosing to leave it at her bedroom door and head to bed. Her 19th birthday came and went. A few months before she was to reach her 20th birthday Sam came down for a visit from Stanford. She wanted to put her best foot forward in school and had quit partying weeks before his arrival. Andrea decided to make dinner for the three of them and hoped to learn more from Sam over a nice home-cooked meal. Dean watched from the other room, not uttering a word. Andrea shook off the feeling of sadness and regret and worked away until the sun set in the sky.

Sam arrived and the meal was nice enough, though tension sat thick in the air. Sam looked back and forth between his brother and Andrea, knowing something was wrong. He looked to his brother pointedly, silently questioning him. Dean gave him one look of warning and shut it down.

After dinner Sam and Dean took a walk around the gardens as Andrea looked on, hanging her head in resignation. Not ten feet from the house Sam turned towards his brother "Dean, what is going on between you two?" "Going on..there's nothing between us Sammy." Sam arched an eyebrow. "That's not what I.." Sam's eyes grew wide, "Deeean."
"Don't look at me like that Sam. There is NOTHING to talk about." Dean shut down and started further down the path with Sam on his heels. They sat down by the pool area and Dean started up the electric fire pit. "Sammy, things have been rough between Andy and I. Do you mind making the drive back in a few months to get her back to the campus before college starts? I was thinking I'd drive up separately and get things moved into my apartment. It would be best if I give her a little more freedom as she starts college. Won't be long before my contract is up and she decides legally rather to keep me on. Sammy, I don't know what I'm gonna to do." Sam knew his brother struggled to express emotion and he knew Dean cared about the girl. Sam clapped his hand warmly on Dean's shoulder. "You got it Dean." Sam stated as he stood to make the drive back to Stanford. He stopped momentarily in the house to say goodbye to Andrea. Giving her an empathetic nod before heading off.