A Turn of Events| Lisa & Dean

[Lisa E. Braeden]

"Yeah it really is sometimes. Its nice for it to be my job though. What do you do?"

Lisa thought back to all the plans she had made before Ben was born. She had wanted to go to school. She had had so many options and had not really picked one to study but still she had wanted to go to school for something just to get an education. She wanted to better herself. She had even briefly thought about doing the military life like her father and her brother. She was a military brat and always had been. She knew the ins and outs better than anyone save for the people actually in the military. She thought maybe that would work for her as well. But then she had found out that she was pregnant with Ben and everything had changed. She devoted her life to being a mother and do anything she could to make her son's life better.

"He's so stubborn though. He argues about every little thing and its like I can't get a handle on him anymore We used to be so close now he's locked himself in his room half the time blasting his music. He just doesn't want to listen to me anymore."

Her and Ben used to be really close. Being only the two of them they only had each other. He used to help her around the house and make her feel better when she was stressing about bills. She remembered a time when he was only seven years old. She was stressing over not having enough money and he had seen it. He walked in with his piggy bank and gave it to her saying he was going to pay the bills because he was the man of the house and that was his job. It had made her smile so much. She hadn't noticed that Dean had moved closer to her but her body out of instinct moved closer to him as well. She looked up at him with knowing eyes.

"It seems like you speak from experience. Did you have a son?"

[Dean M. Winchester]

"I, uh. Heh, I travel a lot, help people in need." He stated, not giving a definite answer on what it was he did. What could he say that wasn't a flat out lie? Dean had picked the best thing he could to give her since he hated lying to Lisa. He had to say something though or she was bound to get a little too curious about it, wasn't she? After scratching at his cheek again Dean sat up and set the empty beer bottle onto the coffee table. He then shifted slightly to better face her as she spoke on Ben again. Dean knew all about the kid's stubbornness. Ben had always been stubborn, so long as he'd known him anyway. It wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't the best either. He pulled in a slow breath before rubbing at his chin in thought, trying to come up with something to give her.

"Like I said, boys are touchy at this age. There could be a hundred reasons why he's locking himself up. Could be trouble at school or meeting a girl that he likes." He frowned before reaching over to pat her arm without even realizing he'd made the motion. "Look, unless he stops eating, stops going to school and starts ignoring friends, there's not a problem. Teenage boys fight with their parents at thirteen. They rebel, they can't help it. Just let him have his space but make sure he knows that you're there if he needs you." He said while pulling his hand back away.

At her question Dean frowned and turned his gaze to the coffee table just as a swell of memories rose up inside of him. He and Ben working in the garage on the Impala and Lisa's car. He and Ben working on cooking dinner on the grill. Baseball games, tossing a ball back and forth in the yard, playing football in the backyard with the neighbors kids and dads. He and Ben cooking breakfast for Lisa on Mother's Day, Valentine's Day. Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas morning. The last was the hardest one. Seeing Ben's face light up all over again when Dean had bought him a brand new brown leather jacket that had matched the one he'd worn for so long. Dean felt his eyes well up and his heart hammer madly while his breath caught in his throat, nearly choking on air.

He swallowed hard and sniffled quietly before his right hand rose to rub at his eyes, rubbing the tears into his skin rather than wiping them away. "Yeah." He said in a gruff whisper. "Sorry.." He whispered without taking his hand from his face, keeping his eyes shielded. Dean was hoping that he wouldn't break down, but it looked emminent.

[Lisa E. Braeden]

Lisa nodded. Dean was right she shouldn't be worrying but it was like her. She was a mother after all and mothers worried all the time about their children. She hated seeing Ben so distant from her. It scared her as well thinking that they might be growing too far apart. She didn't feel like she knew her son anymore but she had to keep reminding herself that he was still Ben. He still loved video games and junk food. He still loved playing sports and watching the television. He still loved cars and old rock music. Where he picked that up she had no idea. But he was still her son and tat would never change.

"I guess you're right. He's a teenager now. I knew this day would come but its still hard, ya know? We used to be so close and he used to tell me everything. But now I guess I need to get used to some distance. Thanks, Dean."

She took the last sip of her beer and placed the bottle on the table in front of her. She noticed a water ring on the table that she had never really paid any attention to. It was just something that was there but now it caught her eye. Little did she know that it was there because of the man who was sitting next to her. That was where he would sit his beer when he was watching the television and just relaxing. Her mind was pushing at the wall that held those memories back. It was starting to crack under the pressure. A she saw Dean rub his eyes she knew he was getting a little emotional as he mentioned he did have a son. She reached out and laid her hand on his arm in a comforting way.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

That one touch sent chills down her spine and one of the cracks let some memories through the wall in flashes. She saw Dean and Ben playing baseball and working on her car in the garage. She saw them cooking breakfast for her on Mother's Day and bringing it to her in bed. Thanksgiving and Christmas flashed before her eyes with Dean still there with her. Lisa closed her eyes for a second and shook her head a little. Her head started to ache. When she opened her eyes she pulled her hand away from Dean as she looked at him. She looked up at the clock on the wall and sighed.

"It's getting late. My son should be here any minute now. You can stop by whenever you want if you have anymore questions about the neighborhood. I hope you get the house. It would be nice to have you as a neighbor."

[Dean M. Winchester]

"He's a teenage boy, Lisa. They all pull away from their mothers at some point or another. If he didn't, then you should be worried. You can still be close with him, just don't push it." He stated with a little smile. Dean was mostly just trying to give some 'friendly' advice to the once love of his life. After all, he'd lived with them for a whole year. He knew all about Ben's defiance and attitude and could only imagine that it had gotten worse in the last year and a half. He honestly paid no attention to the small water ring on the table, only because he'd forgotten all about it. His feet kicked up on the table, half-ass leaning on the couch while watching something on tv and drinking a beer after working all day long. He'd never admitted it to anyone, but it had felt good to be a regular guy for a little while. To be happy with Ben and Lisa, to forget the world. He couldn't admit that out loud because then it would mean admitting that Sam was right about wanting to be with Jessica.. or the hundred other girls he'd hooked up with since then.

Dean wasn't proud of the fact that he'd turned his brother into a bit of a man-whore. Nothing could be done about that now, was there? As her hand touched his arm it felt like a jolt of electricity, instantly sending a flurry of memories past his covered eyes. Ben and Lisa laughing over the dinner table at some lame joke from him. Ben and himself fighting over the kid wanting to be a hunter. Lisa and him fighting over money and what was best for Ben. And then when he'd first shown up on her doorstep after Sam had gone to hell, crying his eyes out because he didn't know what more to do. He didn't know where else to go. The drinking, the crying, the depression, the anger. Then when he and Lisa had split up because he'd shoved Ben away to try and protect him from.. him and Ben called because Lisa had a date. Lisa'd gotten hooked on the Doctor and Ben had hated him and did everything he could to get Dean back to the family. Lisa's possession and the demon stating that Ben was Dean's before laughing and saying she'd lied. Of course, Demons could lie, but he also knew that they could tell the truth. The problem for him had always been which part had been the lie and which had been the truth?

Dean swallowed hard to push the memories down so that he could respond to her, again trying to keep from breaking. It was all too much at once. "No. You had a right to. Don't worry about it." He said gently while rubbing at his face to be sure it was clear of any tears that might have made an attempt to escape. "Sorry for nearly breakin' down." He apologized quietly and shrugged a shoulder up quickly as if to dismiss the whole thing entirely.

Hearing that Ben would be home anytime Dean instantly perked up. That meant that he needed to get out. He couldn't see Ben. Just couldn't do it. "Yeah. I should probably go." He said while pushing himself to his feet. Dean scratched lightly at the back of his head, a look of sheer awkwardness on his features. "Erm. Thanks for the beer." He said as he took a step away from the couch. "I'll stop by if I think of anything else." He stated as he edged toward the door. It felt weird now, to know that he had to make it out the door before the kid showed up, to know he could be here any moment. Weird and painful.

[Lisa E. Braeden]

Lisa nodded at Dean. He was right. Ben was a teenager now and all teenagers pulled away from their parents around this time. She knew that she had when she was his age. She had full out rebelled when she was a teenager. She had done everything to make her parents' lives miserable. She had thought that she had hated them and they were just trying to ruin her life. She knew now that that wasn't true but back then she thought that it was. She regretted a lot of things she had done but at the same time it was a normal thing for a teenager to do. She knew that Ben would probably go through the same exact thing and she had to prepare herself for it. Dean's advice helped though. She again wished that she could have someone who could be the male influence to ben like she couldn't be. It was hard doing this by yourself but she was used to it. But at the same time just because she was used to it didn't mean she had to like it.

As she watched Dean almost break down it felt like her heart was breaking for him. Her mind flashed again to her opening the door and him standing there looking utterly lost. She saw herself taking him in her arms and letting him cry. She let him in and let him break down more as she took care of him. The images soon disappeared though and it confused her on why she was seeing these things. She had never seen things like this before even after she had met him at the hospital. She had pretty much forgotten about him until he showed up on her doorstep now.

"It's fine. I wish I could do something to help though."

She picked up the beer bottles and took them into the kitchen to the garbage can under the sink. Somewhere deep in her mind it was telling her to make him stay. To not let him walk out of that door. But she knew she couldn't. He was a stranger to her. Maybe he would get the house down the street though and maybe they would be neighbors but right now he was still a stranger to her. The brunette woman walked back out to the living room and walked with him to the front door. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Ben should be here soon. She smiled again at Dean. A genuine smiled.

"Stop by whenever you like. There's always a beer waiting for you. It was nice to see you again, Dean."

[Dean M. Winchester]

"Ah, don't worry about it. It's life, right?" He stated with a little shrug in his shoulders. He raised a hand to scratch at the side of his face before stepping closer to the door as she walked with him. Dean watched the smile spread over her lips just before she spoke again and couldn't help but to smile back, even though it hurt. "It was good to see you, too, Lees." He said, calling her by that old nickname out of sheer habit. He stepped out onto the porch "See you later." Dean said without having any real hope that he ever would. After waving he turned his back on her and took in a deep breath to keep himself together.

Without another word he walked quickly down to his -stolen- car and jumped in. Dean tried to keep from looking back at the house as he snapped the wires together to get the ignition thrumming under him, but couldn't help himself. Green eyes quickly danced back up to the house and saw a hundred other memories flash through his mind. Dean took in a deep breath and let it out quickly before putting the car in gear and hitting the gas to get him the hell out of here before he did something completely stupid and reckless.