Alternate Ending #1

"Remember, test next week! I'll know if you studied or not," I told the students. They all bolted like bats of Hell out of my classroom.

Once the last one filed out, I collapsed into my chair, ruffling my shoulder length brown hair. I sort of missed my short hair, I wasn't going to lie. But I couldn't cut it again. When I moved on from my life, I swore I would let it grow out. It would make the change feel real.

I spun the chair until I was at my laptop, skimming through attendance of my classes and all their grades. These classes were a mixed bunch. Attendance and grades were on all spectrums. I put my chin in my hand. Now I understood how all my teachers felt with their students.

I had asked for this career. Some days and students made the job worth it. Other times, I wanted to curl into a ball and wish to travel back in time and redo my life. But I knew time travel didn't exist, not for me.

The halls outside of my room were quiet, so most students were still in class. That was the thing about working at a community college: classes were on different days in different rooms at different times. I was lucky to secure my schedule and remain in the same room in the same building.

I glanced at the clock on the laptop. I still had less than a half hour to go before I was out of here. I'd make the commute back to my apartment, where noisy neighbors above would greet me with their arguments. I wished I could afford something better.

I heard a knock on the door frame, but I kept my eyes on the computer.

"No, I'm not going to change your grade because you begged, Reggie," I said out of the corner of my mouth. "Your grade reflects your effort."

"Wow, you can be really harsh on your students."

My eyes widened, I slowly sat up straight in my chair. I fumbled for the bottled water at my side.

That voice. The voice I swore I thought I'd never hear again after seven years of no visits or whispers from him.

I knew I wasn't hallucinating; I wasn't on any medication that would cause it nor did I have a mental issue. It wasn't a voice inside my head, either. It was funny, how I instantly recognized who the voice belonged to though I almost forgot what he sounded like.

With wobbly legs, I got out of my chair and faced him properly. I didn't know why I expected him to be decked out in a suit and tie. Maybe it had been from all those visits he and Dean had made to hospitals and such, posing as FBI agents and health inspectors and anyone of importance that required a suit. His fashion sense hadn't changed at all; he still packed on the layers, with plaid being the under layer.

The biggest feature I noticed though was his hair, that wild lion's mane of his. It looked like it was racing to reach my length. When was the last time he had a haircut? When he was little?

I kept an iron grip on the water bottle as I slowly approached him. He watched me with careful, soft eyes. Those eyes I remembered. Those eyes had held so much anger and so much pain, but so much spirit at the same time. He was a very emotional man, in both a good and bad way. His eyes looked aged, though, as I got closer. Whatever he went through changed him.

"Sam?" I almost didn't get his name out, the shock was still cloaked over me.

"Hi, Kota."

The name catapulted my mind back to some memories. Some good, some bad, but mostly good. I can't remember the last time I heard that name.

I wasn't sure why I did it to begin with; I needed to test him first. But, for whatever reason, I ran smack into him and didn't let him go. I almost broke down into tears as he rubbed my back.

He was real. Sam really was here, in my classroom.

Well, his body is, I reminded myself. I still need to test him. If it's you, Sam, I'm sorry about this. I cringed after I dowsed him with the water. He recoiled but wasn't burning.

"Sorry," I said sincerely. "I just had to be sure."

"I don't blame you."

"H-how are you even here? I-I mean, the last time I saw you..." My mind went to the hole in the ground, with him and Michael falling through it as Dean and I had watched helplessly. "Y-you went to Hell."

"Oh is there a story to that," he said lowly.

"A long one, I imagine."

"You have no idea."

"So, you got out." I nodded slowly as I processed the information. Then the real light bulb went off in my brain. "You remembered the deal."

"I kept waiting for the day."

"So...it's over?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, it's done."

"And Dean...?"

"We still keep in touch."

"Was it recent, the retirement?"

"Sort of. You're hard to find, Kota."

I rolled my eyes playfully at him. "Sorry I'm not chipped." I tossed the bottle and caught it nimbly.

"It's been how long?"

"Seven years, I think."

He nodded towards my bottle. "You drink holy water?"

"No, keep a bottle on me, just in case. This is the first time I've used it." I screwed the cap back on. "Sorry. Again."

He wiped his face of droplets, leaning against the door frame. "I thought you were gonna wipe yourself clean of that once the apocalypse was stopped?"

"Some things I couldn't shake."

"So, Texas, huh?"

"The heat's endurable when the people are hospitable," I said proudly. "I've been here for three years now."

"And the community college. First year?"

"Third, actually," I boasted.

"Nabbing a job within the year." I swore I saw his lips try to smile. "Look at you, Ms. Bailey. All grown up and teaching."

"It's been nice. Never a dull class, I got all types of people."

"I can imagine so." We avoided eye contact in the awkward silence. "So...you've been doing well?"

"Work wise, yes. Social life, not so much," I admitted with a half shrug. "I get backed up on grades sometimes. I seem to work more than play."

"Sounds like the college life."

"Teacher life now," I reminded him, scuffing my foot against the floor. "And look at you." I reached up to ruffle his hair. "Trying to become Simba, are we?"

I giggled as he tossed his head. "It's easy to manage."

"Said every guy ever." I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm just glad the side burns have taken a backseat."

He pouted. "What was wrong with those?"

"Sam, they were getting out of control. At some point I thought they would be the reason you started growing a beard," I teased. "And I must say"—I found stubble on his face—"this is different." I put my hand down as I realized what I was doing, feeling blush run to my face. "S-sorry. O-oh," I stammered as his hands grabbed my waist.

"Don't be."

I dropped the water bottle the moment he kissed me. My stomach did backflips, and my heart was running the marathon of its life in my chest.

"You—you wouldn't happen to be seeing anyone, would you?" he asked awkwardly, our heads still close together.

"N-no," I breathed.

"Oh, good." He smiled dorkishly, making him look like the Sam I remembered. "Because that would have been awkward."

"Shh." I kissed him. "Don't ruin this."

"I missed you, Kota."

"I missed you too," I choked. "Every day...One day I just accepted it. I moved on." I laughed bitterly.

"The things I went through..." He shook his head, I touched his face tenderly.

"I can't even begin to imagine," I whispered thoughtfully. "But all of that is behind you now. You're done. You're here. You made it, Sam."

"It doesn't feel like it."

I kissed the corner of his mouth. "It will in time." I melted inside, hazel meeting gray. "I love you."

His lips parted in surprise. "I-I thought I would never get to hear that."

"I thought I would never get to say it to you," I whispered fondly. "I—I thought you said it to me once. But I never got the chance to tell you..."

"Now you did." He kissed me enthusiastically.

"You know, we can catch up back at my place or over some dinner. I get off pretty soon."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Well, you can either hang around here, or you can go wait for me. Your choice."

"Well..." He guided me to be trapped between a wall and him. "As long as nobody comes in, I can help pass the time."

"What if someone did come in?"

"I can make up a story. It's not hard. You could just be answering some questions I have about the assignment or the chapter you gave me to read, Professor." I snickered as he waggled his eyebrows.

My mouth opened in surprise. "Am I hearing this right? Sam Winchester wants to be sneaky?"

"What can I say? I'm still the same, more or less."

I laughed. "Yes, you are." I couldn't help but run my fingers through his hair. God, it was so soft. "You have to tell me your secret behind this. It's so soft."

"I'll tell you everything soon, Kota, I promise. I'm here to stay, if you'll have me."

I smirked. "Now, why wouldn't I want to keep you around? Why would I want to run you out after you went to all this trouble? You found me, Sam. I'm not going to let you go again."

Another kiss. "I'm so glad to hear that."

**So, this is more along the lines of happy Sakota fluffy feels :) And yes, I did the thing. I had her say the title of the book. It felt fitting.

And yes I used this song. This felt like the best chance to do it.**