#wxw

*Charlie’s POV*

If there was one thing I’ve learned from hanging around the Winchesters, it was that there was always something weirder around the corner. Ghosts? Sure. Demons? Unfortunately. Leviathans? Still traumatized. Dean trying to flirt during an active murder investigation? Basically guaranteed. Which was exactly what was happening right now. 

“So,” Dean said casually as we walked through the parking lot of a tiny sheriff’s station in rural Montana. 

“Three bodies. Hearts ripped out. Sounds like a werewolf.” 

Sam sighed. I sighed. Dean ignored us. 

“What?” He asked. 

“You’ve said that six times.” Sam replied. 

“Because I’m right.” 

“You also said it was a werewolf in Nebraska.” 

“I was close.” 

“It was a ghost.” 

I snorted. 

We arrived in a town called Cedar Ridge after reports of three bizarre murders in two weeks. Victims found in wooded areas, with massive claw marks, and hearts missing. Classic hunter case. The sheriff’s been cooperative enough, mostly because Dean flashed an FBI badge and smiled. Dean could get away with murder when he smiled. After getting the copies of the reports, we headed back toward the Impala. 

Dean stopped suddenly. “Huh…” 

I looked up, and there was a black motorcycle parked next to Baby. A really nice motorcycle. And leaning against it was a woman. She couldn’t have been much older than thirty. Her Y/H/C pulled into a ponytail, black leather jacket, combat boots, a knife strapped to one thigh, a gun holster visible under her jacket, and the expression on her face suggested she could kill every person in the parking lot without raising her heart rate. Dean looked delighted. Sam looked concerned. I was impressed. The woman crossed her arms. 

“You the fake FBI agents?” 

Dean grinned. “Depends who’s asking.” 

The woman rolled her eyes. Definitely not impressed. 

“Y/N.” She held up a badge. Also fake FBI. She was a hunter. 

I blinked. Dean stepped forward. 

“Dean Winchester.” 

“I know.” 

“Sam Winchester.” 

“I know.” 

Dean pointed at me. “And this is Charlie.” 

The woman’s eyes landed on me. I offered a small wave. 

“Hi.” 

She looked at me for a moment, then shrugged. 

“Don’t know you.” 

I blinked. 

“You don’t know Charlie?” 

“No.” 

“Seriously?” 

“Should I?” 

Okay, rude… Not actually rude, just unexpectedly blunt. I pointed at myself. 

“The Charlie? Queen of Oz? Slayer of evil? Professional nerd?” 

Nothing. The woman stared at me with absolutely no recognition. Dean looked offended on my behalf. 

“She’s kind of a big deal.” 

The woman shrugged again. “Good for her.” 

Then she looked at Dean. “You done?” 

I immediately liked her. Dean looked personally attacked. 

“Wow.” 

“I’m on a case.” 

“So are we.” 

“Then let’s stop wasting time.” 

Sam snorted. Dean shot him a glare. Y/N pushed herself off the motorcycle. 

“I’ve been working this case for five days.” 

Dean’s eyebrows rose. “Five days?” 

“Found the first body before the sheriff did.” 

Okay, that was impressive. The kind of impression that made me immediately want to know everything about her. Dean crossed his arms. 

“Then why haven’t we heard about you?” 

Y/N smirked. “Because I didn’t tell anybody.” 

An hour later, we were sitting in a diner comparing notes, and wow, Y/N was good. Like really good. Scarily good. The kind of hunter who clearly knew exactly what she was doing. While Sam and Dean had been interviewing witnesses, she had already mapped every attack location. While we were researching local lore, she had already checked every abandoned property within twenty miles. And while Dean had spent half the morning trying to charm a waitress, Y/N had actually solved part of the case. I was trying very hard not to stare… and failing spectacularly. She was sitting across from me, flipping through case files while drinking coffee. Black coffee, no sugar, no cream. Which somehow made her even cooler. How was that possible? 

Dean suddenly leaned forward. “So.” 

Y/N didn’t look up. “No.” 

Dean blinked. “I haven’t said anything yet.” 

“You were about to flirt.” 

Sam immediately started laughing. I nearly choked on my milkshake. 

Dean looked offended. “You can’t know that.” 

“I absolutely can.” 

Dean pointed at her. “That’s profiling.” 

“We’re hunters.” 

“Still profiling.” 

She finally looked up. “Do you have information about the case?” 

Dean paused. “No.” 

“Then stop talking.” 

I had to look away because I was smiling too hard. 

Over the next two days, we worked together. The case turned out to be a rugaru. Which Dean insisted couldn’t be right. Until Y/N literally showed him evidence. Twice. 

“You know, I usually like being right.” Dean said as we walked through the woods one afternoon. 

Y/N looked at him. “That must be difficult for you.” 

Sam laughed so hard he nearly walked into a tree. 

Dean pointed accusingly. “Nobody appreciated me.” 

I did a little. Mostly because he kept getting shut down, and it was hilarious. The more time we spent with Y/N, the worse my crush got. She was smart, funny, confident, completely fearless, and somehow managed to look cool doing literally everything. At one point, she jumped down from a second-story fire escape. Just jumped, landed perfectly, like she was in an action movie. Meanwhile, I nearly twisted my ankle stepping off a curb. Life wasn’t fair. 

The hunt finally came to a head on the third night. The rugaru had holed up in an abandoned sawmill outside town. The fight was brutal. Dean got thrown through a stack of lumber, Sam got punched in the face, I got chased through half the building, and Y/N? Y/N was terrifying. The rugaru charged her, she sidestepped and swept its legs out. Drove a knife into its shoulder, then shot it. Twice. I think I fell a little bit in love. Not a lot, just enough to be embarrassing. 

The next morning, the hunt was over, the town was safe, and everyone was getting ready to head their separate ways. Dean leaned against Baby. 

“Well.” 

Y/N was strapping a duffel bag onto her motorcycle. 

“Well what?” 

“You ever find yourself in Kansas-” 

“No.” 

Dean sighed. “You don’t even know what I was gonna say.” 

“I know exactly what you were gonna say.” 

I laughed. Sam laughed. Dean looked betrayed, again. 

A few minutes later, Y/N finished packing. Guess this was it… A weird disappointment settled in my chest. We’ve only known each other for a few days, but still… She was awesome. And now, she would probably disappear into the hunter network forever. Y/N turned toward us, she shook Sam’s hand first. 

“Stay safe.” 

“You too.” 

Then Dean. He grinned. “Sure you don’t want my number?” 

“No.” 

“Your loss.” 

“Definitely not.” 

I laughed. Dean looked wounded. Then Y/N turned toward me, and suddenly I forgot how words worked. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey.” 

Excellent. Incredible conversion. Ten out of ten. Y/N smiled, not one of her tiny smirks, an actual smile. The kind that made my brain short-circuit. Then she pulled a pen from her jacket. My heart immediately started beating faster. Wait… Was she? No. No way! She gently grabbed my hand and started writing across my palm. I stared. Then stared some more. Then looked up. Y/N capped the pen. 

“Call me sometime.” 

My brain stopped functioning entirely. “Uh…” 

Wow. Great response, Charlie. Y/N laughed softly. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

I was pretty sure my face was bright red. She stepped back toward her motorcycle. Then paused. 

“See you around, Charlie.” 

And then she was gone. Engine roaring, motorcycle disappearing down the road. Just like that. I stood there staring at the number on my hand. Completely frozen. Behind me, there was silence. 

“Oh.” 

I turned, and Dean was staring after the motorcycle. Then at me. Then at the number on my hand. Then back at me. 

“No wonder.” Dean pointed dramatically. 

“What?” 

“No wonder my moves weren’t working on her!” 

I immediately started laughing. Sam groaned. 

“Oh my God.” 

Dean ignored him. “She wasn’t interested in me.” 

Sam deadpanned. “Your moves shouldn’t work on anyone.” 

Dean gasped. “Excuse me?” 

“They’re terrible.” 

“They’re not.” 

“They absolutely are.” 

Dean pointed at me. “Charlie.” 

I looked up from the phone number I’ve already memorized. “Hm?” 

“My moves work, right?” 

I exchanged a look with Sam. Sam exchanged a look with me. Then we both burst out laughing. Dean looked horrified. 

“Hey!” 

“They’re awful.” Sam said. 

“Objectively awful.” I agreed. 

Dean threw his hands up. “You know what? Fine.” 

“Believe whatever you want.” 

“We will.” 

Dean pointed at both of us. “Chicks dig my moves.” 

Sam climbed into the passenger seat. “Sure, Dean.” 

“They do!” 

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” 

Dean huffed. I climbed into the backseat, still grinning. Then looked down at the number written across my palm. A huge smile spread across my face. The hunt had started with monsters, but it ended with a badass hunter giving me her number! Honestly? That was a much better ending than other hunts I’ve been on.