Don't Blink by the--blackdahlia (John Winchester X Reader)

Chapter 18

AN: Find the house mentioned here: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5246-Carson-Pl-Lawrence-KS-66049/74581002_zpid/

2000's

She prepared ahead this time. She had several bank accounts that hadn't been touched since 1990, and she had even taken a page out of John Winchester's book and paid cash for a storage locker that she now owned. She had stored things away in there so that she would have things no matter where she ended up.

The angels had erased Sam's mind. Adam wouldn't remember her. She had no doubt that they had probably gotten to John and Dean too. As well as Bobby and any other hunter she had come in contact with since she was sent to 1970. She was all alone, but this time she was on more familiar territory. She knew that 14 year old her was running around in Indiana in 2000. So she stayed far away. Instead, she settled in California at a little diner.

She held on to the hope that maybe John would remember her and he was out there looking for her. But as the years passed by and she celebrated birthday after birthday alone, the hope started to fade away. She closed herself off but kept a smile on her face. Smiles brought in tips and that money from the 80's and 90's wouldn't last forever. But this time, she knew lottery numbers and winners of sports events. She could survive.

Truckers would come through and flirt with her, promising her to buy her whatever she wanted if she would help them out. Hunters would come through too and she would offer information that she knew. It was exactly a road house, but at nights the 24 hour diner would serve beer and pay off cops to keep it off the books. She liked working nights, even though the handsy truckers would be at her. It was better than dealing with tourists who thought they were better than some waitress.

It was December 2004 and (Y/n) would be turning 30 soon. Lou, the owner of the diner, kept her up with one of his son's, but her heart was elsewhere to a man that didn't know she existed. She honestly wasn't even sure she had a heart anymore until right before Christmas when two men walked into the diner. Lou was at the counter, serving up some beers with his oldest son. They were distracted and couldn't see the way that (Y/n)'s eyes widened or her breathing quickened. She managed to calm herself down to head over to take John and Dean's order.

"Hi. Welcome to Lou's. What can I get you?" (Y/n) asked. John looked up from his menu and stared at her, not saying anything. Dean smirked at her.

"How about we start with your number and go from there?" Dean asked. He jumped and yelped then. "What the fuck dad?!"

"Language." John growled. Dean got up, grumbling at how his leg hurt, and headed over to Lou's bar.

"What can I get you?" (Y/n) asked quietly. John just kept looking at her.

"This is where you've been?" He asked. "How long?"

"Excuse me?" (Y/n) asked, still trying to play it off that he didn't know her.

"(Y/n), they didn't take my memories of you." John said. "One of them let me keep them. He told me where our son was. He took pity on me I guess." (Y/n) let her shoulders relax. John could see the tension leaving her body and the tears pooling in her eyes.

"John..." She whispered. He gently grabbed her hand.

"Dean will be busy for a while. Can we talk?" HE asked. There weren't many people around in the diner and (Y/n) was ready for a break. Lou told her to go and take 30 minutes. She was his best waitress and he didn't want her overworked.

"Meet me around back." She told him. She disappeared through the kitchen towards the back of the diner, where the dry California air greeted her. John saw that Dean was busy talking to a couple girls who patrolled the diner looking for someone to take them east. He slipped out of the diner and made his way towards (Y/n). She was sitting on the hood of her car. A newer model Chevy Impala.