Run

Chapter 3

"I don't want you to think I'm some crazy person, but your hometown, it wouldn't by any chance be Ambrose, GA would it" Dean asked reluctantly.

Sydney stopped petting the dogs and stood up, "ye.. yea it is, how did you know that" she said taking a few steps toward the door. This wouldn't be the first person John sent to track her down.

"And your mother, her first name, is it Cassie, short for Cassandra" Dean asked.

"How do you know that, did he send you, is he after me again, did he find me!?" She said in a raised voice as she jetted for the door.

"I knew your mother!" Dean shoutex.

Sydney stopped, door ajar, she didn't know why to do.

Do I trust that he is telling me the truth and he really just knows my mother or did John send him and he is just trying to stall me till he gets here.

"You.. you knew my mom?" Sydney questioned. "She never mentioned a Dean before"

Dean got a hurt look on his face. "We dated for a while in high school, we met at 13 and fell instantly in love. Every time I get a hint of cherry blossom, I think of her" he said.

Cherry blossom. That's mom's favorite perfume scent.

Dean walked over and sat on the couch. "I broke her heart, of course she wouldn't ever mention me." He said sadly.

"What do you mean you broke her heart" Sydney said as she closed the door.

"She had just turned 16, sweet 16, and our 3 yr anniversary was coming about a few days later" he said as he stood up to go to the bookshelf in the corner. "She always used to tell me that I was the best birthday present she got for her 13th birthday" he said as he thumbed through his books. "For her 16th birthday I have her this book of poetry, poetry was her favorite thing then, she loved to write" as he plucked the book out.

"She still does" Sydney said as she sat on the chair across the room.

"This is of course a copy as she still has the one I bought her, or at least I hope she still does" as he opened it and started thumbing the pages. "This was her favorite poem.." he said as he pulled a photo from between the pages.

He stared at it for a second. "I'll never forget those eyes or her smile. They were my favorite thing about her" he said as he handed the picture over to Sydney.

It's mom!!

The picture was of her mom, very young, with a boy and a book, he had his arm around her with a big happy birthday banner behind them. "That was takin at her sweet 16 party after I gave her the book" Dean said with a sad look on his face.

"Am I missing something here, my mom looks really happy with you" Sydney said.

"Well, 3 days later, I showed up at her house with news I knew she wouldn't like. My father had gotten transferred, and we had to move, immediately." Dean said crossing the room to look out the window. "She didn't take the news well, cried the rest of the day, we had to leave the following morning, on our anniversary" Dean said.

"My mom never told me this story" Sydney said as she laid the picture on the coffee table.

"She tried to write, and call, but it was just too hard for me. Hearing your voice, reading her letters, I was devastated. I loved your mother with everything I had in my body, and it just made it that much harder for either of us to be happy. So I just stopped, I stopped answering her calls, I stopped writing her back. And eventually they just stopped coming." Dean said as a tear ran down his face.

"I'm so sorry" Sydney said.

"Dont be. She met your father shortly after and had you." Dean said as he turned to her with a smile.

Sydney returned his smile as Sam jumped up onto her lap.

"I named Sam after her, I don't know why, makes me feel like a part of her is with me I guess" Dean said wig a shrug.

"That's amazingly romantic. Have you contacted Mom at all since then?" Sydney questioned.

"No" he said with a frown. "It would be too hard, for me at least, to hear her voice." Dean replied.

"Out of all the people to literally run into" Sydney said as they both shared a laugh.

"So.. about the room. Are you still interested?" Dean questioned.

He seems like an ok guy, if mom trusted him I guess I can.

"Yes, I am still interested" she said with a smile.

Dean showed her around the apartment and then to the room he wanted to rent out. It had a bed, a chair a dresser and a tv. "I don't have anything fancy just basic cable, and I have a DVD player in the hall closet if you want" Dean said pointing toward the door in the hall.

"It's better than the shelter" she said sitting on the bed. "I'll take it" she said as she grabbed her purse and fished out the $300 her boss had gave her. She reached it out and handed it to him.

He looked over at the backpack she had brought with her. "Is that all you own" Dean said pointing to her backpack and purse.

"Yes" she said.

He took $100 from the $250. "Go shopping and get some food you like and some new clothes, and maybe a movie if you want, it gets pretty boring around here and never anything on tv" Dean said.

Again! What is with people being so nice today. Must be my lucky day.

"Thank you" she said as she put the money back in her purse.

"I'll go have you a key made tomorrow" Dean said as he started out of the room. "Oh, welcome home" he said with a smile.