"I was just away from my parents, and everything was different. I tried explaining things, but you were being Dean. Headstrong, stubborn, and hurt. I was ready to test out this new world, where I didn't live under my parents thumb anymore, and I figured you would probably never forgive me for the hurt I put you through. So, I ran, because it was the only thing I could think of."

"So, where do we go from here?" He asked, not just you, but himself as well.

Sighing, you stood up, heading into your kitchen where you grabbed a couple of beers. Taking him one, you stayed on your feet, a nervous energy keeping you moving, unable to sit down. "Dean, I don't know. When I heard you were in town, that this confrontation would happen, the first thing I wanted to do was run. I panicked. I had just found freedom, had a taste of what it was like to be on my own for once. To make my own decisions, to not have to fear the heavy hand of my parents anymore."

"And you thought me coming here was going to take that from you?" He asked, unable to conceal the hurt in his voice.

"No, yes. I don't know!" You yelled, angry at yourself for how confused you felt. "Dean, I don't think you would mean to take any of that away, but just being with you, would change that. And it made me panic."

Running his hand through his hair, he stood up, placing his unopened beer on the coffee table. With his shoulders hunched, he started walking towards the door. "Y/N, I'm not your parents, but if you want to choose this sense of freedom over a relationship. If even thinking about being with me made you panic, then I guess I know what that means. So, I wish you all the best, I truly do. But don't come knocking on my door once again, begging for help. Because I can only do this once."

"Dean, wait!" You exclaimed, racing over and stopping him from opening the door. "Please, let me finish."

You watched as he took a deep breath, schooling his features before he turned to look at you. "Fine, finish."

"Yes, I panicked. Sure, partly because I knew being with you would change this little life I had found for myself. But that's not the biggest reason." You explained, grabbing his hand and pulling him back over to the couch. With a frown, he sat down, making sure that his knee didn't come close to brushing yours.

Clasping your hands together in your lap, you continued. "But I mainly panicked because I didn't know what your reaction to seeing me again would be. I couldn't see you, see the hate or the pity in your eyes. That would have been almost worse than any beating I had ever received from my parents. So instead of having that happen, I decided to run."

"Y/N, why would I..." He started, then stopped.

"Dean, I knew how upset you were, I knew how mad you were at me. I thought you would never get over that, no matter how much explaining I did. But I love you Dean, and I'm so glad that we had this chance to talk. No matter what happens from here on out, I'm forever grateful you caught me before I could run again."

"Can you promise me one thing?" He asked you, and you shook your head emphatically. "Don't run again, please. No matter what we're going through, please talk to me. Give me a sign, a code word. Anything to let me know how you're feeling. But don't run!"

His words gave you hope that maybe you hadn't completely ruined things between the two of you. "Dean I promise. But does this mean..."

"Y/N, I've never stopped loving you. Even when I was hurting, I loved you. When you were with your parents, I was a mess. I missed you, I was furious with you. But mainly? I was scared. Then, when you were in the hospital, I couldn't handle seeing you there, battered, knowing that I had broken my promise. Finding out you had taken on your parent's wrath to protect me? Y/N, you humbled me, and I couldn't wait to find you to tell you that. To have you in my arms once again. So please, come with me. We can move slow, figure things out. I will never take your freedom away from you, but sweetheart, I need you by my side. Please?"

Crossing the short distance on the couch, you flung yourself into his arms, unable to contain the tears that slipped down your cheek. You were happy, and as soon as you felt his arms around you, you knew this life you had been living had been fake. That your happiness and freedom had just been temporary. Your true happiness was being in Dean's arms. Dean had been your freedom all along, even when you had been young. You had just forgotten that for a while.

With you settled against his chest, he glanced around the room. "So, about this. You're already packed, so..."

"I just need to tell Catherine that I'm leaving. I'll think she'll understand." You answered him.

"Good. But maybe you can tell her in the morning?" Dean asked hopefully. "It's our first night back together, and I don't want that happening in a motel room with Sam and Bobby. Even if I just hold you in my arms, it would be nice just to have the two of us."

"Of course." You answered. "I can text Catherine, let her know my situation, and we can leave in the morning. I'll order us pizza?"

"Sounds amazing." Dean answered, but the two of you made no attempts to move away from each other. You loved being held in Dean's arms, back where you had always belonged, and you would be forever grateful to Bobby for bringing the two of you together once again.

"We need to do something nice for Bobby." You mumbled against Dean's chest. "Without him, we could have missed each other completely."

"I'll buy him a bottle of whiskey." Dean answered.

As the two of you sat there in silence, you nervously nibbled on your lip. Everything was perfect, better than you could have expected, but still. You still felt like the broken daughter of your parents, flinching at some movements, still somewhat a shell of your former self. And you worried that you would never get past that. "Dean." You asked quietly, and he hummed in response.

"What if I can't get past my reservations? What if my parents screwed me up so much, that I'm just this broken person, and you get tired of me?" You whispered your dark thoughts, the idea of it becoming too much for Dean scaring you.

"I will never get tired of you. And without your parents here any longer, you just need to give it time. You've already changed, I can see that. And you'll continue to blossom, and soon you might grow tired of me. After all, I'm broken too." He answered.

"Never." You insisted. "You've been there for me since I can remember. I've loved you since we were young, and I'll never grow tired of you. We can be broken together."

"What a pair we make." He whispered against your hair. "But I'd rather be broken with you, than whole with anyone else.

*Epilogue coming**