Trading Heartbeats

Chapter 4:

It was just past noon as Dean parked the Impala in the back of the parking lot of "Simmons Pharmacy". They had agreed over breakfast to check out the pharmacy and bar once more before deciding it was nothing. Sam had headed over to the bar to get one more run through of the surveillance footage while he and Cas covered the pharmacy.

He glanced over at Cas who was already climbing out of the passenger side. Dean got out shutting the door behind him making his way to where Cas was now standing as he handed him the fake FBI ID he had pulled from the trunk.

"Alright, let me do the talking. Okay, Cas?" Cas nodded in agreement as they made their way into the small pharmacy. Once in the building, they made their way to the counter where a teenage boy was seated reading a magazine with headphones tucked into his ears. With a wave of his hand, Dean cought the boys attention. Removing his headphones and closing the magazine, he looked back and forth between the two men.

"Welcome to Simmons Pharmacy, can I help you?" The boy droned as if he had said the line a million times.

"Yeah, I'm Agent Bonham and this is my partner, Agent Jones." Dean nodded as the men flashed the boy their badges. "We'd like to talk with Mrs. Simmons if she's available." The boy squinted at the badges for a moment before sighing and getting up and walking around the corner. A few moments passed before a side door that read "Employees Only" opened revealing a blonde middle aged woman with plastic reading glasses pushing back her hair.

"Can I help you, agents?" She asked holding the door open for them as she motioned for them to come into the narrow hall that led to a small office. "I thought your partner the...the tall one that was here yesterday got everything he needed."

Dean nodded as they entered the cramped office room filled with papers. "He did, he did. We just wanted to follow up and see if there was any other information you could give us." He smiled sympathetically.

"Would anyone want to harm your husband?" Cas followed quickly. Causing Dean to shoot him an angry glare as worry washed over the widows' face.

"Harm? I thought it was an animal attack..." she began, panic in her voice.

"Just covering all our bases, ma'am," Dean said trying to soothe her.

After successfully calming her down and finishing up their questioning the men excused themselves slipping back out of the office and back into the storefront.

"Do you know how long she'll be?" A familiar voice was asking the boy at the counter as the door shut behind them. Looking up, Dean paused, causing Cas to slam into his back knocking him a few steps forward.

"Dean..." Cas began as his attention was drawn to what had caused Dean to stop so suddenly, the noise getting the young women's attention.

Olivia spun around at the commotion to see Dean looking like a deer in headlights. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she took a step toward the two men.

"Dean? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Liv...I...uh..." he stumbled. "We're in town for work...a case. We're federal agents, this is my partner, Cas" He said glancing at the teenager who had returned his headphones to his ears.

She nodded politely to Cas, "Nice to meet you." She said with a smile before turning her attention back to Dean.

"Federal agents...like FBI?" She asked with confusion still in her eyes. Dean nodded in response feeling a little calmer as she appeared to believe him. "I don't understand, are you here about Mr. Simmons?" She pushed further.

"I can't really go into details..." He started.

"Oh, of course. How stupid. I'm sorry," she responded quickly, a blush coming to her face making Dean smile. She ran a hand nervously through her dark wavy hair as she bit her lip, causing his mind to wander to the night before. He appreciated the effect he seemed to have on her.

"No, it's all right. We were just headed out." He said taking a few steps towards the door, Cas grabbed his wrist swiftly. Dean's eyes met his unsure why Cas grabbed him. Cas cleared his throat and motioned toward Olivia. Dean blinked as it clicked in his mind.

"Uh, Liv, we were going to go back to that bar tonight for some dinner. Would you and your friends you were with last night want to meet up with us?" He smiled. Olivia nodded slowly at first, a grin forming across her mouth.

"I...yeah. That sounds like fun. I'll text you in a bit after I talk to them." His smile widened in response.

"Okay, awesome." He cleared his throat turning his attention to Cas, amusement dancing in his eyes. They said goodbye as they made their way to the Impala.

Once safely out of eye and earshot in the parking lot, the back of Dean's hand met Cas' shoulder with a loud thud.

"What the hell was that, Cas." He growled.

Sighing in response, Cas walked to the passenger door. "Dean, you're obviously attracted to her. This way you get a second chance to have relations with her." He said making it sound so simple.

Dean shook his head walking around the front of the car to the door resting his hands on the roof. "I don't need..." he started before Cas quickly countered him.

"I thought that was what you wanted. I was trying to be your wingman, like Sam." Cas offered with an apologetic grin.

"No, okay. No." He sighed looking around the parking lot. "Just...get in." Cas nodded opening the door.

"She might have some knowledge about Mr. Simmons, too," Cas stated simply before getting in. Dean nodded in agreement remembering she had seemed to know of the man who had died. He slid in after Cas before heading back to the motel to meet back up with Sam.

Sam...he was sure Sam was going to give him a hard time when they got back. As he drove, he weighed the pros and cons of actually meeting her and her friends later. No matter how many times he ran through the list in his head it ended up with more pros. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was about her eyes and smile that seemed so damned...familiar.