#flashbacks.

WHEN — August 18th, 2020.

WHO — Elijah & Aslihan ( @draslihanxfahri-bailey ).

FLASHBACK THREAD.

The atmosphere of Vinyl Countdown had always been warm and inviting to Elijah, pleasantly peaceful and relaxing, but he'd found it especially so on the days that he knew they got their shipments in. After living in Colorado again nearly a year, he'd made it a habit to stop by the record shop at least once a week, every week, on the same day around noon — a poor habit financially, he was sure, but a habit nonetheless — and if he was honest, it worked wonders for him. His apartment was certainly beginning to overflow with unnecessary purchases, but his heart grew a bit fuller each time he picked out a record from the pile that he hadn't yet seen. Were they really unnecessary, then? He found himself asking that question often, each time his fingers sorted through the shelves, but he honestly couldn't be fucked to figure out the answer. It made him happy, and that was what mattered. Lord knows he fucking needed that nowadays.

Two different records under his arm in the span of fifteen minutes, Elijah continued to browse the selection, humming the song under his breath that played quietly over the store's speakers — one of his favorites, This Must Be the Place by Talking Heads. It occurred to him then that he couldn't remember if he owned the album it came on in vinyl yet, and he took a brief pause from the Folk section in order to see if they had any copies in stock. He turned the corner, entirely in his own world until he saw someone else looking in the same area, coincidentally holding exactly what he'd been looking for. "Seems I'm not the only one with the right idea, huh?" he spoke up as he approached, sliding in right beside her with a friendly smile on his face. "You didn't happen to see if they had another one of those laying around, did you, love? Figured I'd snag it if I could, while it's on the brain and all."

A/N: This is a rewrite of a story my good friend @spnbaby-67 allowed me to take and rewrite. All mistakes are mine. This is canon divergent, meaning some things that happened in the show will still happen here but with my own twist to it.

Summary: She and Dean met when they were kids. Even at such a young age, she knew that he was her soulmate. Being the daughter of a hunter, Michaela (Micki) Singer knew the life he led came with a price, but she was up to the challenge.

Pairings: Dean Winchester/reader, Sam Winchester/friend!reader, John Winchester, Mary Winchester (mentioned only), Bobby Singer

Warnings: Flashbacks are in italics, fluffy stuff, angst stuff, character death, kidnapping, depression, semi-dark themes

The first attempt of a family dinner, Saint bailed the second he’d sat in the passenger seat. Looking at Kitty with a pleading green gaze as anxiety ate him whole and demanded for more time, that he wasn’t ready yet to indulge her want to dine with the people she cared about most in the world and create a secret union between the two families. But for Saint, anxiety didn’t come from the idea that he had been doing something wrong, something his mother would disapprove of and punish him severely for. It’s the notion of not being liked, the understanding that he was a Warden and them all Femenias. What business had he had walking directly into the lion’s den and declaring his adoration for their cousin? Nerves weigh lick a ten tonne brick on his chest for the majority of the evening, sat at the dining table quietly polite, speaking when spoken to and nodding agreeably as jokes and onslaughts of laughter reverberator energetically around the room.

“I’m going for a cigarette,” he leans over to whisper into Kitty’s ear, who is too occupied in a conversation with Marcus to pay any mind to his new absence, and Saint hadn’t caught the conversation entirely as he grabs his jacket from a coat hanger and makes his way outside onto the terrace. Inhaling a deep and welcoming breath of fresh air, humming into the summer evening breeze and, ultimately, the quiet. The roar of the Femenias family replaced by central London’s ambient setting. The sound of cars below and the chatter in which the city so naturally inhabits. They’re different from his own family in more ways than just their rivalries. They’re warm, whereas the family dynamic he had been born to be icy cold. Loud versus the quiet that his mother encases him in, and then a new noise interrupts as he’s lighting the tip of his cigarette, and Saint turns around to meet their gaze.

Ravi. His shoulders relax, slump as he takes a deep inhale and breathes out a smooth line of smoke from his lungs. “Hey. Sorry. I just needed a cigarette, I’ll be back in in a moment,” Saint offers with a hesitant smile. Kicking himself already for his own mundanity, feeling uninteresting and more like an intruder than he had Kitty’s partner. He should hate to think what they all thought, though it was rather simple to presume. That his declared love had come from a place of opportunity, which even worse, would have suggested that those feelings he’d experienced for her and only her hadn’t been real. Cigarette stays pressed against his lips, lusting after the quick relief of nicotine before his attention returns to the other, “Oh, that’s super rude of me. You didn’t want one, did you?”

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

---- One Hour Later ----

Silas pushed his way through the crowd, frantically looking around for his sister that he now knew for certain was here. He had never been so angry in his life, but there was a stronger force at play that was driving him to find her once and for all. Fear. “Maria!” He called out, but his voice was drowned out by the wild music and laughter of the party.

Clemence followed him, her hand clutched firmly in his as she echoed the calls behind him into the cacophony. Her long blonde hair was down, fallen into mussed ringlets on her thin shoulders that bobbed around when she looked to and fro for the woman in the peacock gown.

His own hair and clothes were disheveled, evidence of their indiscretion during their absence. Silas turned on the spot grabbing Clemence’s shoulders, near shouting over the music. “Let’s split up and try and find her. I’ll go check the gardens and you look in here.”

Clemence nodded at him at once, before she turned and continued into the crowd, looking around for her and calling her name as loud as she could, squinting through the throng of people, glitter, and cigarette smoke that filled the room.

Silas rushed outside, looking every which way for Maria. He passed several couples who were getting fresh air or trying to hide behind hedges for some privacy while they succumbed to their passions. He even interrupted one, thinking it was his sister by pulling the woman off of her partner.

“Apologies.” He offered before departing from the area. He continued to scour the grounds for any sign of Maria.

“I assure you, my Lords, you will not be disappointed. This promises to be a fantastic venture and will be a great investment for you.”

Silas stopped and looked to his left where he spotted his brother in law conversing with a small group of men. His eyes narrowed with pure hatred and his long strides brought him closer and closer to his target. He grabbed William by his shoulder, forcefully turning him before throwing his fist forward to punch William squarely in the face. “You fucking bastard!”

William stumbled backward, landing against a glass door which sounded loudly throughout the party as it shattered. The gentlemen he had been cozying up to look nothing short of astonished. “I say Sir!” One of the more elderly ones rebuked Silas indignantly. “It is extremely rude to interrupt a conversation so violently!” 

Silas had advanced on William, grabbing him by the lapse of his jacket, snarling in a feral manner. Then he looked at the one who had just addressed him. “It is also rude, Sir, to lie and manipulate a young woman into leaving her family and then turn around and use her as a punching bag!” He threw another punch to William’s jaw, which only made his target laugh. “Don’t fool yourself Silas... she came of her own volition.”

Clemence was unaware of that which occurred outside as she raced through the crowd, throwing elbows at anyone who dared try to slow her down as she called out for Maria.

"Oh, now this reminds me of home," Tilda hums toward Amara, the distant sound of people shouting and squealing and glass breaking bringing a smile to her face.

Clemence turned as the glass shattered, spotting Silas and the man he was assaulting. “Oh no,” she breathed, turning now to run headlong towards that. On her way past, she slowed to shout desperately to Tilda and Amara, “Have either of you seen Maria? The woman we met dressed as

"N-," Tilda paused, completely startled by the disruption of the Gilnean, beginning to eye around hesitantly, "No! I can't speak for Firecracker here," she motions toward Amara, "But I haven't seen her since she bolted earlier. Now that I think about it... She has taken quite a long time powdering her nose..." With a thoughtful expression Tilda murmurs, "I didn't think her nose was

"Can you go check the loo?" She begged, gathering up her skirts so she could run again.

With a soft sigh Tilda set her cup down and gathered her skirts, turning about with a heavy sigh, "Here I come, Big Nose Marie..," before gathering her walking buddy's wrist and dragging Amara with her, weaving through the crowds for the washroom.

Clemence flashed her a grateful grin and took off for the veranda were Silas was with William, bursting from another door and coming down the deck she reached for Silas' arm and tried to pull him back.

Amara's blue eyes widened with a mixture of surprise, and fleeting panic. "I hope she's alright," she mutters lamely as she's dragged along with Tilda. "Have you seen my-- my husband?"

"Uhm, honey.. I'm already lookin' for one cutie with a bootie," Tilda expresses with her earnest apologies, providing the woman a somber smile, "But after we can try to look for him?"

The two men had entered into a struggle, each trying to overpower the other. William was sporting a cut on his cheek as well as a bloody nose, while Silas had blood coming from his gums, staining his teeth a grotesque red.

At long last, the two were separated by two other men who were brave enough to wrestle them away from each other. “You will pay for what you’ve done, Thorne! Mark my words!”

“Mighty big words coming from a Vanburen. Can’t even be bothered to take care of things yourself!” William stared at his brother in law with malicious intent.

“Where is Maria?!” Silas demanded, struggling to break free from the strangers grasp. “Tell me where she is!”

Clemence reached to capture Silas by the crook of his elbow again, this time giving him a firm tug, "Silas!" She shouted, "That's enough! Blimey! Yor gonna ‘ave yorself kicked out!"

But, it was too late; the King's guard was already descending upon them.

William chuckled, seeing the guard arrive. He didn’t deign to answer Silas, as he had sent Maria back to his brother’s house. He couldn’t risk her being found and be persuaded to leave him. Looking to the guard, he straightened up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“This man attacked me without provocation!” Those surrounding them that had been witness to the scene murmured their confirmation.

“You deserve it!” Silas shouted before whipping his head to look at Clemence. Then he scanned the scene, realizing too late how it looked.

“I’ll see myself out,” he snarled, already formulating an idea in his head. “Come on,” he steered Clemence around by her shoulder to lead her away from the party.

Clemence shot William a nasty look over her shoulder. Any man born of Gilneas knew who she was, and who her daddy was too. It wouldn’t leave the best feeling behind. She followed Silas out thereafter.

"Hm," Tilda huffed, completely flabbergasted by the lack of a red-headed peacock, turning about to exit the powder room-- surely just in time to watch Clemence and Silas trot out. The blonde scowled, muttering, "Well... Rudes can't even bid farewell-- oh look the magician has a pony!" Like a child, the woman perked up immediately, flabbergasted and astounded by the tricks being performed. Damn wizards.