Fighter: Dean Winchester (REVAMPED VERSION)

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Dean felt a pang of nostalgia as he followed Nadia's truck through her neighborhood. Only a few months ago, he'd come to Canaan desperate, searching for a way to save his life. In addition, he'd met Nadia Turner, the calm in the eye of his storm.

Unlike anyone else, Nadia knew how to steady him—knew when to call him out in a way that both sobered him up and built him back. And after everything they'd been through since he returned, it was hard not to feel something for her.

Nadia was fresh air compared to the women Dean usually met. The last time he'd had something real, something remotely like Nadia, was years ago—and he'd ruined it. That was why he agreed to stay friends. He couldn't bear to ruin a good thing, not again.

"You must really like her," Sam's voice broke his thoughts.

"Huh?" Dean glanced at his brother, caught off guard.

"Nadia," Sam said, motioning towards her cherry-red truck.

"Relax. We're just friends."

"I didn't say you were more than that."

"I like her as a friend, okay?" Dean replied, perhaps a bit too quickly.

"Sure," Sam replied, clearly unconvinced. "Though I will say, it's a bit out of character."

Dean cleared his throat, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "What is?"

"It's not very *you* to choose a girl's little brother's birthday party over hunting down another case."

Dean shrugged. "We could use a break."

Sam smirked. "Let me rephrase: her little brother's birthday party, where her dad and stepmom will be."

Dean gave him a raised brow. "So?"

"*So,* Dean, you hate meeting parents."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I hate meeting the parents of women I'm interested in. Nadia and I are just friends. She's one of the guys."

"So, you stare at your guy friends' asses too?" Sam teased, arching a brow.

Dean's face flushed, and he looked away. "Shut up, okay? Listen, you know me. No matter how hard I try, I'd mess things up with a girl like Nadia. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to save myself the embarrassment."

Sam grinned, finding his brother's sudden self-awareness amusing. Dean was usually fearless, the kind of guy who never hesitated to make a move. But Nadia was different, and even Dean knew his usual charm wasn't going to cut it here.

As they pulled up to the house, Dean felt his pulse quicken. Sam was right; he didn't do parents, and even as friends, he'd had to bribe her father with whiskey just to get through the door last time.

"How do I look?" Dean asked as they parked at the curb, glancing in the mirror to check his reflection.

Sam chuckled. "Why?"

"Just 'cause... do I look okay?" He adjusted his jacket, shifting nervously.

"You look great. Relax." Sam leaned in with a mischievous smile. "Wait... actually, you've got a little—" He reached out with a thumb, dampening it slightly.

"Don't you dare!" Dean batted his hand away. He quickly composed himself, flashing a slightly forced smile as Nadia approached them, carrying a duffle bag and a brightly wrapped gift.

"You all right?" she asked, noticing his unusually stiff stance.

"Oh yeah, yeah, I'm ready to party," he replied, pumping a fist in the air with forced enthusiasm.