What Would Be But Never Was (A Supernatural AU Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - Time

It was a quarter till 1 am.

        "He should be home by now." Mary muttered worriedly as she paced back and forth in front of the front door with her warm cell phone in hand. Dean sat nearby on the foyer bench, a pensive look clouding his troubled teenage face.

        "Maybe I should go out and look for him." he offered, gripping his own phone in his hand. His mother stopped pacing and looked at him with a thoughtful yet strained face, offering a sad grin.

        "I feel something...bad has happened, and if that's the case...perhaps you should go now just as a precaution- but don't go too awfully far. You have 15 minutes, and if you don't return at exactly that, I'm calling the cops. No questions asked. I couldn't stand loosing either of you..." she decided, leaning down over him and kissing his forehead. He bit his lip and stood up to hug her.

        "I promise I'll find him. Besides, he probably just stopped by that coffee shop down the street to use the bathroom or something- you know how his bladder is." he joked, breaking from their hug with a nervous chuckle and stuffing his phone in his pocket. He quickly grabbed his camera, shoved it in its carrying bag and grabbed a flashlight from the mud room for a 'just in case' situation. He threw all these things - plus a wad of cash - into a small backpack, which he slung over his right shoulder as he headed out the door after another quick kiss to his mother.

        "Don't worry! I'll be back before you can say pie!" he called out behind him as he slammed the door shut. Mary remained standing a few feet from the door, gripping Sam's navy blue American Eagle hoodie he'd refused to wear earlier that day because he thought it to be too warm outside for a jacket. She buried her head into it and a tear escaped, leaving the soft material with a damp spot.

        She felt as if her past was catching up to her, and she couldn't take that. First her childhood, then her husband? She couldn't understand why the fates seemed to hate her with such a fiery passion. What had she done wrong? These questions burned themselves into her mind.

        There was no other reason than her past catching up to her that would explain her son's disappearance. But he hadn't disappeared yet. Not until Dean showed up empty handed would she admit that, and he'd yet to return. There was still 10 minutes on the clock though. Plenty of time. She was sure they were both fine.

        Instead of waiting more, she huffed out a sigh and tossed Sam's jacket aside where Dean had been sitting, grabbed her own jacket, her phone, and the key to the house. There was no way she could just sit by and watch the rest of her family disappear like the rest. Determination now strong on her face, she exited her abode and locked it behind her, promising it and herself that she would not return without her sons.

        Thus, the house lay in silent discontent.

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        Dean walked up the street to the little cafe called "Edible Vibe" //a/n its a cafe that used to be open where I live but they aren't anymore :( (cue nostalgia)\\ and walked up the small steps and opened the door. A set of reindeer-harness-like bells hung on the other side and jingled against the glass door as it opened and closed. Stepping inside, Dean took in the delicious smells of pastries and illustrious types of teas and coffee brews. The only reason they were still open at such a late hour was that the son of the owner wished to stay open till 1:30 am every Saturday to get his National Honer Society hours in for volunteering to work there. Otherwise it would be closed like any other sane family owned business.

        The guy himself was behind the counter and smiled at Dean, calling out a hearty "Hey Dean!", making Dean blush and grin anxiously while he approached him.