The Barrier (A Destiel AU)

Chapter 4

2000

Dorothy jumps off of the bed and paces in front of Dean, who is thoroughly confused at the moment.

"Okay Dean. This doesn't leave this room, you hear me?" She asks and Dean nods.

"I have a girlfriend named Charlie, who is so incredibly hot by the way." She says, looking at him, daring Dean to say something. But he doesn't so she continues. "My parents don't approve of me being gay... And you might meet somebody soon that you want to date.. But you're keeping your sexuality a secret... So..."

She looks at him expectedly, like he should know what she is talking about now but Dean doesn't. "Umm.."

Dorothy huffs, rolling her eyes, and punches Dean in the bicep.

"Hey!" He protests, rubbing his bicep. Dorothy is much more tough then he thought.

"Since my parents don't approve of me dating Charlie, then maybe you could be my boyfriend!"

"Wait didn't you just say you were gay and had a girlfriend?"

"Oh my god, Dean, have you been living in a cupboard under the stairs your whole life?"

"Isn't that a Harry Potter reference?"

Dorothy tries not to smile. "Shush. What I mean is.. We could pretend to date each other and then on our dates we part ways and go date who we want!"

It clicks in Dean's silly little mind and he grins. "That is brilliant!"

"I know, I know." Dorothy gives him a dorky smile. "Only if you want to."

"No, yeah, of course I want to. I don't exactly have anything better to do than help you defy your parents wishes."

"God, you're such a little guilt tripper. But YES, ah, you're perfect Dean Winchester!"

Dean smiles, feeling happy. He had just made a friend, even if she was just kinda using him to date Charlie. At least Dorothy seemed to generally like him.

Dorothy hugs him and hops over to the Betty Boop phone on her bedside table saying, "I have to call Charlie!"

1980

John finally starts to get his life back together, trying to glue the shattered pieces of his heart back together. He can't get to Michael, he can't back into the forest. His mom needs him, Bobby is getting married and he is graduating soon. With a tiny bit of help with magic, John brings his grades back up. His friends greet him pleasantly but whenever the question pops up like , "Where have you been Johnny boy?" he tends to shut off. They learn to just push past it and soon John is preparing to move away right after graduation. His father is coming back
and his mother doesn't need him anymore.

Slowly, but surely, John is pushing Michael into the back of his mind.

The night of graduation, also after the help of a few beers, John breaks away from the party and his friends to take a walk near the forest. In the dark, John can freely think. It's cool near the edge of the woods, the tall trees swaying and he ends up where he had first met Michael; where he used to enter the forest; where he couldn't get back in.

He stands in front of the invisible Barrier, his hands stuffed into his jeans pocket, and stares into the dark. There is nothing to look at of course but for the first time in months, John imagines Michael running out of the darkness. He imagines taking Michael away from this wretched town where past memories and hardships lie. He imagines them being together happily somewhere far, far away, being able to touch and laugh and forget about magic all together.