New Beginnings

First Anniversary

From Maggie's POV:

It took another four days of being cooped up in the infirmary before Dean would let me leave and come back to our room. Fortunately, during those four days, he kept me company while he had me on lockdown. We spent our time talking, playing cards, telling jokes and watching movies. At night, he slid into bed next to me and he cradled me in his arms while I rested my head on his broad chest.

It had been a week since I was paroled from the infirmary, so I decided to make dinner for everyone. I settled on making pot roast and veggies, with a strawberry-rhubarb pie for dessert. I put in the beef roast with a little water on the bottom. I set the slow-cooker on low and started chopping my vegetables for later, like carrots and onions. Then I started cleaning strawberries and dicing the rhubarb.

While I was cleaning the strawberries in the sink, Dean came up behind me and snaked his arms around my waist. He gently kissed my neck and caught a whiff of my peach vanilla body wash I used this morning. "Mmmm, Mrs. Winchester," he purred. "You know that the body wash you use leaves an intriguing scent that drives me wild." He nipped at my collarbone, then rested his chin on my shoulder and closed his eyes. "That, my darling, is why I use it each and every day," I explained in my sexiest voice.

Then he asked what I was making for dinner. "Well, sweetheart, I put everything in the slow-cooker for pot roast, now I'm working on a strawberry-rhubarb pie," I explained.

Dean took one of the strawberries from the sink and held it to my lips. I took a bite of the luscious, ripe, red strawberry then pulled his head down for a kiss. "Mmmm, Maggie, your skin smells like peaches and vanilla bean....but you taste like strawberries," he said as he grinned and winked at me. He took one more strawberry for the road, kissed me and left the kitchen.

I shook my head in amusement, then I finished cleaning the strawberries. Once I slid the pie into the oven for baking, I opened my laptop to my previous search. Not for a case, but for an anniversary gift for Dean. A few days from now was our one-year anniversary as husband and wife, and I had no idea what to get him. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head and I typed it in the search box. Just then, Sam came around the corner and I quickly closed the laptop screen.

Sam stopped in his tracks, looked at me and asked, "What are you doing? Are you crazy, researching for a case? You're barely two weeks out of the infirmary after your experience with Keenan! Dean would hit the roof if he knew--"

I cut him off. "--if he knew I was trying to find him an anniversary present? Calm down, Sam. No, I'm not researching cases. I agreed some time ago to leave the field work to you and Dean. But, somehow I keep getting sucked into helping to solve cases, or the monsters come after me to get to you and Dean. 'Cause that's just so much fun," I finished, rolling my eyes.

"So, what have you come up with for a gift?" Sam asked. I opened up my laptop again and showed him the website for guitars. "I thought about this one. It's a Fender, all-Mahogany, FA-135CE Concert Accoustic-Electric guitar. I realize everything I just said made about as much sense to you as it does to me, but it means something to Dean. And, it sure sounds like I know what I'm talking about, doesn't it?" I giggled.

Sam smiled and shook his head. "I'm sure he'll love whatever you choose, Maggie. Let me know what you decide." Sam squeezed my shoulder as he left and went back to what he was doing.

I clicked on the item I wanted, paid for it, and chose the "pick it up in the store" option. After I took the pie out of the oven, I went back to our room to get my keys and my wallet. I closed the door, looked each direction down the hall to see if Dean was around. I didn't see him, so I speed-walked to the garage. Hmmm. Baby's usual spot in the garage was empty. Shrugging my shoulders, I got in my car, backed it out of the garage and headed to town. I was jamming to "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple when I saw Dean and the Impala heading the opposite direction. Wonder where he was coming back from? I thought.