Drinks on Me

3

(anyone who's like i thought this was a sammy fanfic it is i just need to build context okay ily bye)

    The first note came on January 9th. Aimey was cleaning the counters after a large and rowdy group, when Dean walked in. He sat down at the counter and gestured to the shelves. As he turned to face the door, Aimey noticed a note pinned to his shoulder. She leaned over, tearing it off.

"Mr. Winchester, I think this was stuck to you."

He grumbled something intelligible, so she folded it up and placed it in her pocket, figuring she would slip it in later. After a few hours of traffic, the place was empty. Something about that note felt heavy in her pocket. After that night weeks ago, Aimey wanted answers. What was the scar from? Who was she sending him home to each night? As she headed to the bathroom, Aimey found herself feeling for the note. She pulled it out, and unfolded it.

"Thank you to whoever is sending my brother home each night. I'm assuming he's been to a bar, and I'm not sure if it will make it to the helper, but thank you regardless. My brother is not in the best mental state, as is obvious, so thank you for caring for him."

There was no name, but Aimey found herself smiling. Returning to the counter, she scribbled down a return note
"Hello! Your letter did, in fact, make it to the sender. Your brother has been here almost every day. He doesn't say much, but he is good company. It is good to know he makes it home safely every night. I worry for him. Thank you again for the kind words. Sincerely, Aimey"

As she escorted Dean out the door that night, she carefully attached the note to his coat. He said nothing as he stepped into the cab, but he looked at her with a kind smile. Aimey watched after the vehicle, a sense of nervousness. Would the brother write back? Should she have said anything? Did Dean notice? The questions ran through her mind as she unlocked the door, much later that night. Her mother had stopped by, inquiring about her absence at christmas and informing her of a new lover, swearing he was "the one" and begging her to come home. After a conversation that escalated, Aimey had headed down stairs, and slipping a bill into the cash, she opened a bottle from the wall. She sat in silence, thinking about the night, and everything that had happened. When her thoughts drifted to her father, she took a long draw and walked over to the record player in the corner. It hadn't been touched in years, but once it was on, a quiet sound spread through the room. The voice of the singer touched Aimey. She wandered to the register, pulling a box from underneath. Placing the box on the counter, Aimey rifled through pictures, letters, little bits of memories from before. Before her dad left, before her mom's deterioration, before her world had fallen apart. She held up a picture from her family's trip to the coast, where they had swam and eaten, and her mother had danced on a bar.

"Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me..."

She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her head and the stinging from behind her eyes.

"When I'm alone as blue as can be..."

Aimey placed the box under the counter, and capped the bottle.

"Dream a little dream of me."

She wouldn't. She refused to waste any more of her time on people who wouldn't stay. Before the song could continue to the next verse, she unplugged the player. Aimey shut off the lights and locked the doors. She would not dream of them. She would only dream of leaving, the only dream she believed would become a reality.