Title: Breaking From Abeyance

Pairing: Rachel/Dean

Category: Action/Adventure/Angst

Summary: On a dangerous hunt, Rachel finally meets John Winchester and helps Dean come to a realization about his own complicated relationship with his father and his future with Rachel as the three Winchesters team up together to defeat an enemy with links to their pasts.

Timeline: This story is written loosely around the events surrounding the last few episodes of Supernatural Season One. Assume One Tree Hill seasons 1-3 occurred the way they normally did. This story roughly follows the events of "Reflections Road" and is in the same canon 'verse.

Disclaimer: Eric Kripke owns Dean and Sam from Supernatural, Mark Schwann owns Rachel from One Tree Hill. I obviously don't own anything, so please don't come file litigations.

Abeyance is defined as being in a state of hold or in suspension.

*

"Any sign of those humans?" Luther asks as the group of vampires assembles at their pre-arranged meeting spot. They're looking slightly demoralized and he inwardly curses their weakness- this is no time to lose control and composure.

"No, but they cut off Hank's head," One of them gasps, clearly out of breath and clearly panicking. Luther knows not to show weakness now- these humans are trickier than he thought but he stays calm, forcing himself to draw upon his experience. Then he remembers that Kate isn't back and she's not with them.

"What about Kate?" He can't help but ask about his mate.

"I don't know- she wasn't there. What're we going to do? I did see a truck go up that highway."

"Kate," Luther whispers, able to detect her presence in the darkness. "She's in that truck."

*

The vampire known in his previous life as Joe is left along with a few others guarding the vampire nest while Luther and the other lead vampires are away. Joe isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knows that when Luther wants him to stay, he's going to stay. With nothing to do but to watch the tied up humans and wait for the others to return he's about to settle down for a game of Solitaire when he hears knocking on the door.

"I thought you said you weren't going to be back so soon," He can't help but grumble as he opens the door.

Dean Winchester is standing on the other side, Sam and Rachel flocking him on either side.

"Boo," Dean says simply, machete raised- the door slams, and the cleaning of the nest begins.

While Sam and Dean take the lead in killing the remaining vampires, catching them by surprise, Rachel makes her way over to the cage where the humans have been left tied up. She's seriously grossed out by the way they've been maltreated and they look like they're emaciated and starved, so she focuses on breaking the lock, jimmying it in just like Dean taught her to. She finally gets the lock free and she slips inside, quickly cutting through the knots with her pocket knife and removing the gags from the captives. The captives exhausted but relieved, help her out by untying one another and helping each other to their feet. Rachel tosses them a whole bunch of car keys that were left on the table by the vampires.

"Here you go," She says, cutting the ropes of the last tied up human free. "There's a whole bunch of cars they left parked outside and I saw some of them leave a few wallets and purses lying around, so there's some money for you. Leave quickly."

They shoot her looks of gratitude and she shyly smiles back. After all the things that she had done in her own life that she wasn't proud of, Rachel is still unused to accepting thanks from others.

"Thanks," One of the girls says softly and Rachel manages a 'you're welcome' before urging them to leave. Sam and Dean have efficiently killed most of the vampires, but Rachel catches one of them blocking the door, the entire group of human captives with their stolen car keys and bags halting and hesitating. They're unarmed and Rachel is the only one with a weapon.

"Hey!" She yells, getting the vampire's attention, and when he turns to look at her, she's quick with her machete and manages to wound it heavily even though she was aiming for a clean cut across its neck. As the vampire fumbles in pain, the humans dash for the open door. Rachel acts quickly, yanking the machete out and beheads the vampire in one fell stroke, the adrenalin rushing through her. It's not like she's a natural hunter like Dean is or even a very skilled one like Sam is, but she's had enough agility training through gymnastics and cheerleading to help her stay alive. Sam rushes up to her to see if she's okay, and she notices Dean beheading the last vampire.

"Did they get out?" He asks breathlessly. Rachel simply nods, and Sam gives a grin.

"Nice work, Rachel."

"Yeah, you too." She smiles back at him. Sam seemed very tense in the past couple of days, and it was good to see him looking relieved.

"All right, let's get out of here," Dean says, catching up to them and Rachel simply gives him a nod, telling him that she's managed to get all the humans out. He breathes a sigh of relief, and they all make their own speedy exit. John's taken a huge risk by drawing all the powerful vampires in the group to him by taking that female vampire hostage, and Rachel knows that they've got to get back to him as soon as possible.

Dean starts the Impala as she and Sam take their respective spots, and as they speed towards the pre-determined destination, Rachel hopes that they'll make it on time.

"He'll be fine, baby," She can't help but blurt out, seeing the way Dean's hands are gripping the steering wheel.

"I know," Dean muttered. "It doesn't mean I'm not going to worry though."

"We'll make it," Rachel reassured him, and without even hesitating, she puts a gentle hand on Dean's thigh as he drives, hoping that through this simple touch she can communicate her support. Dean glances down at her hand and gives her a soft smile, one of the few he's had in the past week. Rachel's been with Dean long enough to know what that soft smile means.

I love you.

*

In the middle of a road several miles from where his sons and Rachel were cleaning out the vampire nest, John Winchester keeps an eye on the rear view mirror as he speeds to another destination in the opposite direction. He's done this many times before but he knows that even for an experienced hunter, this is very dangerous. These are the same vampires who killed Elkins, and now that he's got the vampire that is the alpha female in the group, he knows that he's made a very risky move by kidnapping her and the fact that he's sent Dean, Sam, and Rachel in the opposite direction to clean out the nest is one that's a calculated tactical manoeuvre. It also means that if anything happens, he wants them somewhere safe. John knows that he's very close to the Colt and at this stage, he's willing to take the gamble.

As he hears two cars speeding up behind him, John keeps his foot on the gas pedal until he turns the bend of the road, only to find several parked cars and a very angry Luther and his followers standing in the middle.

He reluctantly brings the car to a stop as Luther demands,

"Get out!"

"Name's Winchester," John drawls.

"Where are your friends?" Luther smirks, and the three vampires behind him, dressed like they actually belong in a country-western bar, try to look intimidating.

"Cleaning out your nest," John replies back with a straight face, but Luther refuses to take the bait.

"Where's Kate?"

"Here, sweetheart," John replies, and with a quick yank of his rope he has the semi-conscious female vampire out of the car, and with the instincts of a professional hunter, he has the knife to her neck.

"Kate, are you all right?" Luther asks, concern actually lacing his voice.

"Dead man's blood," She breathes out.

"You son of a..."

"I want the Colt," John demands. "Elkin's gone. We'll trade."

"Is that what it's all about?" Luther can't help but scoff. "You can't shoot us all. We'll kill you."

"Oh, I don't need it for you. I'm saving it for someone else." John smirks back. "Put the Colt down, or she goes first."

"All right," Luther agrees, taking the Colt out of its holster and laying it on the ground. "Just don't hurt her."

"Back up," John commands. "Further."

With his hands out, Luther complies. The second John bends down to pick up the gun, Kate digs her elbow into his side and the Colt slips from his grasp. Luther walks over, throwing John against the side of the car. Smiling triumphantly, the vampire walks closer for the kill when a crossbow bolt shoots through the air and lands squarely into one of Luther's lackeys.

As they turn to see where it came from, the Winchester brothers and Rachel come crashing through the bush, Sam moving faster and Dean right behind him, landing a bolt to another vampire. Rachel's right behind Dean, but she misses on her shot. Sam gets engaged in a fight first, grappling with one of Luther's lackeys while Luther goes for Rachel, tackling her to the ground, knocking her crossbow away from her.

"Put the blade down, or I'll twist her neck," Luther roughly drags Rachel up and she's struggling against him.

Dean realizes what's happened and his face is set in grim determination as he holds the machete. When Luther tightens his grip on Rachel and he can hear her gasping for breath, he puts the machete down.

"Babe, it'll be okay," He says, his usually low voice rough with worry and a tinge of fear. Rachel, for her part, is terrified but she knows that Dean will find a way to save her. She focuses on calming down and she sees Sam nearly able to throw his assailant off of him and even if Dean doesn't have the machete, she knows that he'll find some other way, but Luther's grip is tightening and she's starting to gasp for breath more frequently.

"You people," Luther spits out bitterly. "Why can't you leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so," John Winchester's gravelly voice speaks, and as Luther turns around, John fires the Colt, aimed right at his forehead. Rachel feels as if time has stopped before the bullet hits its mark squarely and Luther's grip slackens. Rachel takes this moment to escape and before she knows it, Dean's caught her in his arms from behind and he's holding her for dear life and Rachel clings onto whatever part of him she can, breathing in the scent from his leather jacket and just thankful that she's alive.

"Luther!" Kate screams, helpless as Luther sinks to the ground slowly, as if the last light of whatever humanity he once had slowly blinks out and this vampire that's managed to live on its wits and assemble his own nest and followers finally ends his existence after controlling this part of the state for so long.

Kate growls something deep below her breath that sounds inhuman and slowly starts for John, but one of her lackeys holds her back.

"Kate- let's just go!" It takes two of her lackeys to drag her to one of the last getaway vehicles, and the last of the vampires speed away. Once their leader's gone, it'll be easier to pick them off one by one, but Dean is just glancing in shock at his dad, holding Rachel in his arms as if he can't believe that she's still here.

John gives a small satisfied nod, a tentative smile gracing his lips as Rachel raises her head above where she's buried it in Dean's shoulder and looks at him and finally sees John Winchester in a way that she's slowly beginning to understand Dean's devotion and love for his Dad.

Sam is right beside them as he exchanges glances with his brother and his Dad, silent but impressed.

Maybe, in the middle of this lonely highway in the dead of night, Rachel is beginning to find understanding and acceptance in this dark and complicated world of the Winchesters she now inhabits.

*

John comes back in unannounced as Sam is helping pack up their things and Dean is examining Rachel for the second time for any injuries she's had during the hunt.

"Dean, I'll be fine," Rachel tries to reassure him, holding onto her boyfriend's forearms and giving him a brave but real smile.

"I was so worried," Dean confesses and he gently kisses Rachel on the forehead and Rachel pulls him closer to her, the two of them locked in that embrace when John walks in. His gaze is no longer shocked or disappointed or even surprised, but the tiniest of smiles grazes his lips when he sees his older son and Rachel. The two certainly don't look like a one-night stand or a two week affair, rather, Dean and Rachel remind him of the marriage that he and Mary shared for many years, where they were linked body and soul.

"You all disobeyed direct orders," He gruffly coughs and Sam looks down at his feet mumbling a 'yes sir'.

"We also saved your ass," Dean looks up at his dad, pulling Rachel up to stand with him and Rachel has her arm around Dean's back with her right hand resting gently on his chest while Dean's arm remains around Rachel's waist.

"You also saved my life," She adds, her chestnut brown eyes looking back at John directly and her lips form into a genuine smile. "Thank you."

"I've been doing some thinking," John admits, stepping closer to his sons and Rachel. "You mentioned that we were stronger together as a family and we are."

He doesn't have these kinds of emotional heart-to-heart talks often, but tonight it finally feels like some of the burden he's been carrying with him for all these years is lifted off of his shoulders, and this way of living as if things were on hold, as if having a relationship with his sons was on hold until he was able to exact revenge on the very thing that had torn them apart, is finally starting to break its grip on him.

"We're going after this thing," He announces grimly. "It won't be pretty, but we'll be doing it together as a family."

He stretches out his right hand to Rachel, and her hand leaves Dean's chest as she takes it and gives it a reassuring grip that tells him that this girl is no pushover and although she doesn't look it, is tough as nails and he knows that Dean chose wisely.

"Yes sir," Sam says more resolutely and then laughs. "Yes Dad."

"Yes Dad", Dean's lower voice and Rachel's sweeter voice chime in at the same time as Dean has drawn Rachel back into his protective arms and John looks at both of his sons and the closest thing he has to a daughter-in-law, and he nods, satisfied at last.

*

Author's Note: This concludes the first part of the 2 part story arc I have planned, but the adventures of John, Dean, Sam, and Rachel will be continued in the next cycle! Thanks to all loyal readers and reviewers- please continue to read and review like you do!

"Breaking from Abeyance" is one of the darker fics I have in this Rachel/Dean verse but I must say that I am satisfied with the way I've tried to deal with each character's emotions and background. Abeyance is a state I think that has trapped all of the Winchesters in parts of their past, certainly in the way they've dealt with their complicated family relationships with each other and certainly for Rachel in the way she's navigating through this newfound arrival with John as a 'father-in-law', and I've hoped that I've been able to show that in small ways, this can be broken over time.