Fiction- 37b37- Jaded

Title: 37 By 37 Series

Chapter Title: Jaded

Author: Restive Nature

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Supernatural. They belong to Eric Kripke and The CW. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.

Rating: PG-15 for innuendo and language.

Genre: Straight Fiction

Type: Angst, friendship

Pairing: None

Summary: Sam never thought that it would be possible for Dean to surprise him. Maybe he's just getting a little too old for all this.

Spoilers/ Time line: Later Season 3 as Sam and Dean are trying to come to terms with Dean's deal coming due.

Feedback: Always welcome!

Distribution: Ask first please.

A/N: This is a challenge response to Supervixen at the Nuns With Pens site. Her challenge, “You Are Here” invited writer's to do an author insertion fiction in the Supernatural world. The challenge is as follows:

You Are Here

Make a story where the main character is you. In the story (not as a profile, but actually in the story) try and include your main facts: what you look like, how old you are, etc. But don't forget the Winchesters and how you're connected to one another. Anything is possible, since basically all you're doing is adding yourself into the world of the Supernatural.

Ways to make it NOT a Mary Sue: You can't be better than the boys (though you may be as good), and you can't have a love relationship with them (cuz that's also a Mary thing), also, third person works best here.

Hope someone tries this first challenge!

-Since I am honest enough with myself to know I would be inept in their world, I chose to bring Sam and Dean to the author's world.

Jaded

Sam woke with a start, coming fully upright as he felt the Impala, his ostensible home on the road, come to a shuddering halt. He blinked at the gritty feeling in his eyes and against the morning light that was peeking through various gaps of houses, in what he thought was oddly enough, a fairly Spartan suburban area. Wetting dry lips and smacking his lips disgustedly at the stale taste of old coffee and donuts, their two in the morning keep on driving snack that his brother Dean had insisted upon, Sam turned to regard said brother. Dean was waiting patiently enough in the driver’s seat for the question he knew was coming.

“Where are we?” Sam asked, his voice still husky and low from just waking up.

“Montana,” Dean answered simply. It was the same answer he’d given his brother when they’d crossed the border into the state before they’d pulled over for that snack.

“Yeah, I got that,” Sam grunted, annoyed, even though he knew that this was the sort of answer he’d get. “Where in Montana?”

“Little place called Vaughn,” Dean enumerated, his gaze straying from his brother up to the house that was just off to Sam’s right. A little more looking yielded some more information for Sam. They had pulled into a driveway, not far off the highway, if the sounds he was haering were correctly interpreted. The yard was large enough, well kept though the grass had that not quite pristine look that indicated the state was well into it’s winter season. Although the snowfall was scattered and certain areas sparse of the needed moisture. But, seeing how it was November, that made sense. Sam glanced up at the house they were parked by, slightly confused as to why they’d pulled in there, as opposed to a motel or a diner. He was waiting for the rest of the explanation that was not forthcoming.

“So what’s in Vaughn?” Sam questioned. And then hastened to continue before his brother could rattle off another smart ass answer. “Ghost? What?”

“Actually,” Dean drawled out, running one hand through his hair, still short but starting to get slightly shaggy at the bangs, “since we were in the area, I thought I’d drop in on an old friend.”

Sam blinked once and then again as he started recognizing signs he’d seen in his brother for the past several months. Dean ignored the scrutiny, preferring to perform his own in the rear view mirror. After having made a deal to trade his own life for Sam's, after a demon-driven former U.S. Army private by the name of Jake, had stabbed him to death, Dean was “making the most” out of every opportunity that life had given him. For the most part, that meant Dean felt even freer to indulge in every vice that appealed to him. Booze, women and food at the top of that list and not always necessarily in that order. But Sam had thought that after a certain point, Dean had finally realized that they had more important things to pay attention to, rather than… “old friends”.

Trying to come up with an excuse as to why this didn’t seem like the best idea that wasn’t just plain gut instinct, Sam flipped his wrist slightly to check his watch, groaning aloud. “At seven in the morning? On a Saturday?” he demanded.

The tip of Dean’s tongue appeared between his teeth and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively at his younger brother. “Trust me, Shannon will not mind.”

“Jeez Dean,” Sam grunted. “Is that all you ever think about?”

“Nope,” Dean admitted candidly. “But it does take up a good portion of the day.” Sam rolled his eyes. He shouldn’t even have bothered asking. He knew his brother too well.

“And what am I supposed to do while you’re…?” Sam wasn’t sure he wanted to imagine, let alone know what Dean would get up to with this girl, Shannon.

“You could join us,” Dean grinned wickedly, knowing just what buttons to push and laughing when Sam’s face twisted up in disgust.

“Dude!” Sam shuddered at the thought. “That’s sick.”

“And the ladies love it,” Dean chuckled. “Bitch!”

“Jerk!” The word spewed out of Sam’s mouth automatically. That exchange had been going on long enough that the words had become a learned response, as natural and unthought of as breathing.

“Hike your ass back to the highway, turn left and hit up the convenience store,” Dean instructed, finally seeming to take pity on the lanky young man beside him. “They’ve got a wicked Irish Cream. And I highly recommend the Danishes.” Sam stared incredulously at Dean for a moment. How long had he spent in this town to know this? How many little towns across the country could Dean give the exact same information and be right about it? It didn’t bear thinking about for several reasons. One, Sam knew that his estimation would be way too low. And also because if he really thought about it, Sam was getting to be the same way. On that final note of instruction, Dean clambered out of the Impala, not bothering to lock it and rounded the front of the vehicle. He took the two steps up to the side door and knocked heartily, his shoulders squared, his stance screaming confidence.

Embarrassed by, though used to his brother’s antics, Sam scrambled to get out of the way. He opened his own door as he heard the door to the sky blue house open and a feminine voice give a small screech of delight.

“Dean Winchester!” most likely this friend, Shannon squealed. “What are you doing here? Oh my God. Come in!” Dean, without a word, just a wink over his shoulder at Sam, followed the young lady into the inner sanctum. Just as Sam, assured that he had his wallet and phone, climbed out of the car, he heard her ask, “so black silk today, or are you up for the French?”  The house door slammed shut on that and Sam shuddered that there were women out there to match his brother’s sexual appetite.

*****                

Sam, stuffed with coffee and Danish, head full of trivial and national news from the three newspapers he’d read, had finally decided to head back to the car. It had been three hours since they’d arrived. And even with the purchases he’d felt compelled to make, mostly to keep the convenience store cashier from forcibly evicting him from the small table he’d managed to snag, Sam could still feel the burn of that evil eye. And the natural suspicion that came along with strangers hanging around. Granted, being right on the highway, he was sure they saw more than their fair share of people just passing through. But as Sam had very little information to share with these people, he didn’t see the point in explaining that his brother was visiting an old friend. A visit that Sam wasn’t included in. Well, he didn’t want to be the cause of smearing anyone’s reputation. This woman Shannon still had to live here after Dean left.

It really was a short walk back to the woman's house. Sam could see from his position down the street the barest glimpse of the rear end of the Impala, still taking up the driveway. Of course that didn't tell him if Dean were in said vehicle waiting for his return or still in the house, up to his usual hijinks. With a long suffering sigh escaping his lips, he continued trudging on.

While there had been plenty of traffic on the main road before he had turned back from the way he had come earlier, there was little to none on this street. Which was probably why Sam was startled when a dark green SUV flew by him. He barely cared, aside from the rush of cold wind that it blew up to swirl around him. He grimaced as he realized he should have grabbed more than just his light jacket. But then, his own embarrassment over Dean's antics had prevented that, as Sam had been scrambling to get out of earshot.

But to his utter horror, the vehicle pulled to a stop right outside his targeted destination and several teen aged girls spilled from the doors and began running up to the house.

“I'm telling Mom!” the first, a dirty blond yelled as she fought to be the first in the door.

“Shut up Sandy,” the other, dark haired and just slightly taller girl tried to shove the other away from the door.

Sam stood, frozen for the moment and then groaned. He hoped to heaven above that Dean wasn't in the house, in flagrante delico when those children burst through the door. The poor kids would be scarred for life. But then, the situation got even worse as the driver stepped out of the vehicle and leaned forward.

“You two leave your Mother alone and get your butts back out here and help unload the groceries!” the older man yelled up at the girls. Sam sucked in a deep breath. Oh shit!

Dean was in there, flagrantly fooling around with a married woman! A woman whose children and possibly her husband, had just arrived home. Sam blinked, looking around desperately as if wishing miraculously that Dean's innate sense of getting himself out of this sort of entanglement had kicked in. But there was still no sign of his recalcitrant brother. Normally, if it had just been a husband arriving home, then Sam would have been tempted to let the situation play out and shame on Dean for his behavior. And the woman for hers. But damn it all to hell, there were children involved. And more than just the two that had run up to the door and then back out to return to the SUV to start unloading the back end. Because the woman's husband was now unloading another child who looked to be of preschool age and while that little girl waited, another even younger, all bundled up adoringly in a powder blue snowsuit.

Sam squeezed the bridge of his nose, wondering how the hell his brother was going to get out of this situation intact. And more importantly, what could Sam do to help or calm the situation that was surely about to erupt at any second. Because the guy, carrying the youngest and holding onto the little girls hand, was heading up the walk to the front door. Sam knew he was too late the very second he heard the muffled shout and the girls, still at the SUV, panicked and dropping their loads on the sidewalk, ran into the house after their father.

Sam had no choice but to hightail it up to the house and try and keep his brother from being murdered on the spot. Not like it wasn't going to happen soon enough anyways. But Sam still needed his brother. That would never change and he needed him for as long as he could possibly imagine.

And so, it was to his utter surprise, the scene he burst in on. His brother stood, grinning broadly at the guy who'd just come in, holding the infant in his arms while the two teen aged girls were circling around him, both talking rapidly while Dean and the other guy were laughing over something. A woman, most likely Shannon, stood back a ways, Sam noticing absently that she was hugely pregnant and Dean, well Dean's hair was much shorter than it had been just a few hours ago. Sam blinked,

And blinked again.

And then it was that Dean noticed his brother hovering uncomfortably in the doorway.

“Hey, there he is,” he gestured with his chin towards Sam. “Guys, this is my brother Sam. Sam, this is David and Shannon McAllister and their kids.”

“Uh, hey,” he greeted awkwardly. This was sooo not what he had expected to find. The little girl stared up at him, holding her father's leg, her shyness in the face of strangers, very obvious.

“And this is, let's see, that's George and this is Bob,” Dean started gesturing to the girls and Sam's brow furrowed. Dean ruffled the brunette's hair and the girl in typical teen fashion ducked and thrust his hand away, but Sam could see that she was thrilled with the attention and Sam groaned internally. The kid was obviously infatuated with his brother. Not unlike other young women that they had interacted with in the short term.

“Shut up Uncle Dean,” she laughed and punched Dean in the shoulder.

“Ooh, that hurt,” Dean mock groaned. Uncle Dean, Sam thought to himself. That was an entirely new one. He glanced at the other adults suspiciously, but they seemed long used to this behavior.

“You got it wrong Uncle Dean,” the blond teen grinned. “I'm George and she's Bob.”

“Oh, right, right,” Dean nodded. “And that little one is Cookie.” He looked down at the girl holding onto her father still.

“I'm not a cookie!” the child protested indignantly. “My name is Hoppy!”

“And this is the first time I'm meeting this little one,” Dean added, a twinkle in his eye as he pulled back the hood on the littlest of the brood, to as it turned out, reveal another little girl.

“This is Michaela,” David grinned.

“And the last one?” Dean smirked, without even looking back.

“The long awaited David Junior,” Shannon drawled from her position against the wall, her hands dropping to smooth her shirt over her rounded stomach.

“Dude!” Dean grinned, holding up a palm to David. David smacked it and Sam could see a similar look on the other mans face. “About time.”

“I know it,” David sighed.

“Hey, before we have any more testosterone filling the air,” Shannon interrupted quietly and Sam fought a grin as the entire room fell silent, “girls, go get the groceries and let Sam in the house. We aren't paying to heat the outdoors.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sam grimaced as he realized that he was part of that problem. He glanced at his brother who had returned the baby, or rather, toddler to her father, who was expertly divesting said toddler of bulky outer wear.

“Mom, can I call TJ after I'm done?” the dark haired girl called as she headed past Sam.

“Who's TJ?” Dean wondered aloud, his eyes following after the teens before darting to David.

“The Jerk,” the blond girl answered, full of wry amusement as she followed after her sister.

“I heard that Sandra!” her sister outside, yelled back.

“Hey, it's not my fault his initials match,” the girl who was obviously Sandra laughed, her voice fading as she finally got out the door as well.

Sam still unsure as to what the hell was going on, but relieved that it wasn't as bad as he had feared, wondered what he should do in this situation. It had been a long time that his brother had known people that he hadn't met, or been aware of and usually in those cases it was something supernaturally related. He wondered now if that was where the connection had come from.

“Would you care for some coffee Sam?” Shannon asked of him then. She asked it so politely and in that calm manner he had already seen her display, so that even though he was already loaded up on caffeinated fuel, he was unable to refuse.

“That would be lovely, thank you,” he smiled.

“Come on in and have a seat,” she offered. “It's best to get out of the way when Kelly and Sandy are bringing in groceries. They tend to load up as much as possible.” With that parting shot, she moved off to the kitchen, trailed by the younger two, the pre-schooler, Hoppy? That one was asking for cookies and her mother was offering her apple sauce instead.

Sam moved to the closest seat, the sofa, actually and folded his long frame onto it, watching his brother who was moving around the house in apparent ease. Now that he had a chance to look about, he could see the signs of a happy home. There were portraits and photographs ranging all over the far wall, around a stone walled fireplace. The floors were hardwood with a few scattered rugs about. And his brother and David were talking about a new rifle that David had gotten for his birthday.

“... and so, this summer we'll be heading down to Helena for a few re-enactments,” David was grinning.

“So you finally found someone to back you some black powder blanks?” Dean asked as David gestured to the sofa. Dean moved to sit next to his brother, completely ignoring him for the moment. David nodded, looking very satisfied with that for some reason.

“So,” Sam took an opportunity when he saw it and gestured between the two men, “how did you guys meet? I'm sorry to say, Dean never mentioned you guys before today.”

“I'm not surprised,” David laughed. He had not taken a seat yet and Sam was wondering what he was waiting for. The front door opened and the two older girls moved in, loaded down with their purchases and made a beeline for the kitchen.

“Your brother seems to forget about us until he hits the border,” David continued as the girls headed out for a second trip. And then Sam saw what David had seemed to be waiting for as Shannon reappeared with a tray in her hands. David hurried to take it from her and bring it to the coffee table. With practiced ease, the man set it down and then scooped up two bowls and made his way over to a small children's table across from the sofa. “Here, sweetie,” he offered as the little girls sat down at the toddler chairs. Shannon was busying herself putting a bib on the youngest.

“Carol, I said one cookie,” she ordered and the little girl, no longer Hoppy now in Sam's mind, looked guilty as she quickly put the second cookie back. When she was down her task, Shannon rose up, looking incredibly spry for her advanced stage of pregnancy. She waddled over to a rocking chair while her husband began to pass around coffee cups. Sam could see that she had prepared a tray with the beverages, sugar, cream, spoons, napkins and of course, cookies. Sam was grateful for the warm coffee, but declined any of the cookies.

The door opened again for another load of groceries. And they watched the progress of the two girls.

“You know,” Dean muttered, “still haven't heard who this TJ is.”

The brunette just threw a smirk at him without answering.

“TJ would be 'the boyfriend',” Shannon informed them wryly and Sam could hear the inflection change. It was just the opportunity that his brother needed.

“Oho,” Dean crowed. “Her first boyfriend? She's really growing up huh?”

“Please Dean, she's fifteen,” Shannon chuckled.

“More like second boyfriend,” David shook his head and sighed while Sam had to stifle a sudden laugh as Shannon flashed her hand, with fingers spread behind her husbands back, indicating the number five. But Dean caught it.

“Five boyfriends?” Dean demanded and Sam couldn't tell if he was impressed or being, well like a protective older brother, or dare he say it, a pseudo uncle, since that was what those girls seemed to have deemed him.

“Five?” David demanded, whirling around. “Where have I been?”

“There was Donnie,” Shannon began relating, and then glanced at the brothers, “a long distance relationship, that culminated in a total of three dates. And they broke up while she was visiting her grandparents.”

“Uh huh?” David grunted as he took a seat close to his wife.

“And then there was Nick, Donnie's friend,” Shannon went on, “who she never actually went on a date on, but he stole a kiss after church services and they talked on the phone all the time.”

“That's not a boyfriend,” Dean scoffed.

“When you're female and twelve years old it is,” Shannon smirked back. “And then let's see, there was Dylan the dork.”

“Complete dork,” Kelly rolled her eyes as she and her sister made another pass through the living room to head back outside.

“How much did you guys buy?” Shannon demanded suddenly, glaring at her husband.

“Just what was on the list,” David protested. Shannon rolled her eyes and Sam could suddenly see the startlingly resemblance between mother and daughter and chuckled.

“Whose list?” Shannon grumbled but then shook her head, as if long used to this. “Anyway, they dated for about half a day, until Kelly found him making out with Sandra's best friend.”

“That little shit,” Dean protested, even though Sam knew that if it had been Dean in that situation, there would have been smirking and high fives on the sly.

“Wasn't as bad as that other little jerk she was flirting with,” David infromed them and then stared at his wife in growing horror. “Oh don't tell me...!”

“Hey, you said you didn't want to hear that she was dating Jimmy, so I never said,” Shannon quickly defended herself. “Besides, it only lasted a few weeks.”

“Yeah, but if I'd have known, Bertha would have made more frequent appearances,” David complained.

“You got out Bertha, huh?” Dean laughed and Sam could only wonder how his brother was intimately enough entangled in these people's lives. But then his brother turned to him. “Big Bertha is David's prized weapon. Beautiful little Colt .45 magnum.”

“Please? Little?” David scoffed. And then Sam understood. Typical redneck father behavior, though David didn't appear a typical blue collar worker, dressed as he was in jeans and a fashionable black sweater.

“So what was so bad about Jimmy?” Sam asked, finding himself slightly amused at this glimpse into Suburbatopia.

“Other than the drugs problems, the record and authority issues?” Shannon smiled, though it was very pointed.

“Ooh, ouch,” Dean snarked.

“A trifecta of bad,” Shannon laughed.

“So what about this last one?” Dean wondered, holding his coffee cup aloft. David opened his mouth immediately and Shannon held up a warning finger.

“We like him,” she expounded. “He's polite, treats Kelly with respect, treats us with respect, lives close by, but they don't spend all day, every day in each other's pockets, and he has plans for college that don't include bumming around.”

Sam watched David bemusedly watching his wife and then, when she seemed finished with her little spiel, turned to Sam and Dean. He proudly announced to them, “and he was the only one that didn't crap himself on sight with Bertha.”

Shannon started chuckling and shook her head. “Actually, he asked if David would give him shooting lessons.”

“Smart boy,” Dean commented. And then, his eyes slyly following Kelly and Sandra's last progression with the groceries, called out, “any chance I'll get to meet him?” He pursed his lips and tilted his head teasingly. “Give him the Uncle seal of approval?”

“Oh hell no!” Kelly called back from the kitchen before quickly reappearing at the doorway. Her father's admonishment of her language had her flushing slightly. “Sorry Uncle Dean. You'd give TJ a complex.”

“Yes,” Shannon agreed quickly. “Because TJ firmly believes that there is no man as handsome as he or David is, in Kelly's life. To find out that her pseudo Uncle is,” she turned to her daughter, “how did you describe him to Cece?” Sam and Dean both had to laugh as Kelly rushed to her mother and pressed a hand over her mouth.

“That was a private conversation!” she yelped, even as Sandra was yelling taunts from the kitchen. She appeared quickly enough, some vegetables in her hands.

“She said that he was 'the epitome of sex on legs' and that if she were older-!”

Her words were cut off as Kelly whirled on her sister, holding a threatening finger up. “I did not say that! I said he was cute and that-!” She cut herself off as the adults guffawed at what she had inadvertently revealed and clapped both hands over her own mouth, flushing a bright red.

Sam calmed immediately, remembering days gone by when he had been teased by the adults and sibling, often at the same time.

“It's just too bad he doesn't have a personality to match, right Kelly?” he offered kindly and the look of relief on her face was immense.

She gave him a tight smile, then reached for the cordless telephone and skipped out of the room. Dean threw a broad glance to the rest of the room and waved one hand. “Ah, I already overheard that little tidbit. I thought it was new gossip,” he teased and Sandra reappeared from the kitchen at the exact right seeming moment.

“I'll tell ya later, Uncle Dean,” she promised as Dean chortled gleefully and Sam, in a moment of unity with the poor harried mother, both shook their heads. But Sandra was turning to her mother. “What do you want me to set out to thaw?” she wondered. But it was her father that answered.

“Depends on what Sam and Dean would like,” he grinned. He turned to the boys, but even as Sam's mind was reaching for the hundred of excuses they could use, Dean was settling in further to the sofa, mulling it over.

“I seem to remember something about you grilling me up the perfect steak next time I was in town,” he prompted.

“Dean!” Sam protested automatically. “It's the middle of winter!”

“Which means nothing in Montana,” Shannon chuckled. “Plus David has been waiting for months to have an excuse to use that behemoth out back.” She turned to her daughter. “Pull out that large pack of t-bones, and some hamburger for the little girls.”

“Okay mom,” the teen nodded and turned away, but paused at the doorway to address Dean. “I assume you'll want all the trimmings too, right?”

“Of course,” Dean answered simply and Sam felt slightly queasy once more as his older brother exhibited his typical behavior in taking advantage of anything offered to him in the form of beer, food or sex. And while Sam might have been mistaken about the goings on earlier, it was still obvious that Dean could milk people for anything. But then, he felt a wave of embarrassment sweep over him when he caught Shannon watching him with a softly calculating look before smiling.

“You know,” she murmured, “Dean said that you might like a trim too. I haven't put my clippers away.”

“Oh, I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble,” Sam answered immediately, even as he was pushing his too long bangs back from his eyes. She grinned and looked pointedly at him. “Yeah, it's probably overdue, but...” his eyes strayed to her stomach and her hands rested upon the mound that was their expected son.

“The problem with this stage of pregnancy,” she announced genially, “is that I can't stand for too long, but at the same time I can't sit for that long either. And if I lay down, I fall asleep whether I'm tired or not. So that's not a problem.”

Sam felt a nudge in his side and glancing at his brother, saw the deliberate glare that told him 'get your ass in there if you know what's good for you!' With a sigh, knowing that he'd feel bad about it regardless, he gave his brother's friend a bright smile.

“Sure, if you don't mind,” he agreed as they both stood. He followed after the woman, heading to the kitchen, stopping only once to receive a picture from her second youngest which, once she was in the kitchen, she affixed to a refrigerator that was already overflowing with the mass production of childish renditions of art.

“Sandy,” she murmured to her daughter that was puttering around the kitchen. The girl stopped, her hands on the cupboard door, “when you're done here, can you take the girls down to the playroom for a while.”

“Sure Mom,” she agreed with a nod. “I want to play the new LoZ game and Carol is getting good at spotting the stuff I need.”

“I know,” Shannon nodded. “If she could do it herself, she would. Just make sure that 'Chaela has her blanket.” Sam heard her daughter murmuring agreement and quickly put the last few items away. Shannon was already collecting the usual, familiar trappings of a barber or hair stylist. She had pulled a stool out from under a counter and gesture to Sam. “Sorry,” she muttered as he took a seat, his long legs stretching out before him. “I usually use the chair out in my shop, but I'm also not supposed to be standing on stools to cut hair.”

“No, this is fine,” Sam protested immediately. He felt her hand on his shoulder and turned his head slightly to see her shaking out a barber's cape to wrap around his body to protect his clothing from the clippings. Her hand then was in his hair and he had to admit, her touch was firm, but gentle, a sign that she had done this often.

“So how much would you like trimmed off?” she asked.

“Maybe we could go an inch,” he suggested. “Like I said, I kind of let it go.”

“Hard to find a good barber on the road,” Shannon nodded. “So, I take it by your reaction earlier that Dean never mentioned us.

“No, he didn't,” Sam sighed and was surprised when Shannon giggled.

“Well, I can imagine, knowing how my siblings would react...” she began. “I don't imagine Dean wanted to admit exactly how he came to get to know us.”

“It's that bad?” Sam winced. He felt some clips being inserted in various sections of his hair and suddenly his bangs were swept out of the way.

“A little embarrassing, but nothing disastrous,” Shannon murmured. “Of course, the second time he saw us, he thought it was.”

“Oh, now you have to tell me,” Sam smirked.

“Well, it's quite simple,” Shannon chuckled now as she set to work on the hair on the nape of his neck, combing through it quickly. “Back when we just had Kelly and Sandra, David was going to school and working in a local bar to supplement the income he got from his grants. It was spring break for the girls, so they went to visit David's parents for the week,” she began. Sam murmured approval to hear something potentially embarrassing about his elder brother. “A friend of ours, Valerie, came out to visit. Well, she went to keep David company and ended up meeting Dean at the bar. She's young, she's single,” she prompted and Sam nodded quickly.

“Dean's type exactly, right?” he agreed.

“Exactly,” Shannon laughed. “So, pissed me off at the time, but she brought Dean home with her.”

“Ouch,” Sam winced. “That was a little presumptuous, huh?”

“I found out from Dean later,” Shannon explained, “that she never mentioned that she was staying with us and actually lived in another town. The girls were gone and I was sound asleep when they got back to our place. I think things would have been okay if Dean hadn't had to use the bathroom.”

“Uh huh,” Sam murmured again. He could feel and hear the scissors, so he was careful to keep his head as still as possible.

“So Dean got up and I don't know, he won't admit to it,” she giggled a little, “but I think he was still pretty drunk. The way our old house was set up was extremely confusing. He took a wrong turn on the way out of the bathroom and ended up in the master bedroom, where he just flopped into bed with me.”

“Oh no!” Sam gasped, bu the woman was still laughing.

“I was still asleep and didn't realize anything was wrong,” Shannon continued. “Until I woke up. I figured at first that it was David, but he, unknown to us, had been called out to a house fire right after his shift. It was Valerie, peeking her head in, wondering where Dean had gotten to and she told me who he was. You can imagine how pissed I was, but when she told me that he had gone to the bathroom, I could see the problem.”

“So you weren't mad at him?” Sam asked with relief.

“No,” she answered softly. “Valerie yes, for bringing a strange guy home. But not Dean, because David, the girls and I had all done the same thing, though we always ended up in the spare room. Or the girls coming into our room. In the middle of the night, half asleep, yeah, it happens.” There was silence for a moment while she moved around to get a better angle where she was cutting. “Anyway,” she picked up the thread of the story, “I got up and made coffee and called David and found out about the fire. He was on the volunteer fire department there, like he is here.”

“Oh yeah?” Sam found that interesting, simply because he knew that his brother used to have dreams, or aspirations, when he was little, of being a firefighter.

“So, Valerie decided to head home, leaving Dean there,” Shannon explained. “Another black mark in my book, of course. So I was puttering around the house and making a cup of coffee for Dean when I started to hear him stir.”

“I can't believe you didn't just push him out of your bed and kick his behind to the curb,” Sam grunted.

“Oh believe me,” Shannon sighed. “I did think about it. But he kinda had that look, you know?”

“What look was that?” Sam demanded curiously, though gently, truly wondering.

“The look that said he didn't often get a good night's sleep,” she answered easily, though her hands had stilled for a moment before resuming the snipping. “Anyway, once the coffee was ready, I took it in to him. He was all awkward and apologetic, trying to stammer his way through things, because he obviously didn't remember a lot of the night before.”

“Yeah, that hasn't changed that much,” Sam joked, though it was true often enough.

“And of course, Valerie and I looked quite a bit alike, because she had dyed her hair,” Shannon explained. “So then, Dean's drinking his coffee and David comes home.” She paused and though she was moving some of his hair to get his bangs situated properly, Sam also had the suspicion that she did it deliberately to let his imagination of how bad the scene got take over. And it did. He started to snicker. “So David's calling my name and I look at Dean and say 'oh that's just my husband'.”

Sam couldn't help it, he started laughing outright, shaking so hard that she had to stop trimming. “Please tell me he was still drinking the coffee!” he begged as he gasped for breath.

“Of course,” she came into his eye line with what he could only describe with a wicked grin. “But it gets better.” Sam paused a moment and she moistened her lips. “I went to get David to introduce him properly to Dean, since he had been serving Dean and Valerie at the bar. We went back to the bedroom? Window was open, Dean was gone and I found his boots wedged under the spare bed the next day.”

Sam roared with laughter.

“Hang on,” Shannon laughed right along with him. “Hang on,” she gasped again. “So we hung on to Dean's boots, not realizing that he was just passing through town. And he finally did again, about seven months later. When I was six months pregnant with Carol.”

“Oh no!” Sam gasped, picking up the implications immediately.

“Uh huh,” Shannon nodded. “So we're at this diner, since I was craving their molten raspberry lava cake and I noticed Dean and pointed him out to David. It was pretty hard to hide how pregnant I was and David, thought he would be nice and let Dean know that we still had his boots. He gets up out of our booth and Dean of course has noticed this all. He panics, goes to disappear again, knocks into this waitress with an extremely full platter, food goes flying, Dean and the waitress go down and there's David hurrying to help, which Dean totally took the wrong way.”

Sam was having trouble breathing, imagining it all.

“I finally manage to catch up to David and I'm leaning over to try and help and here's Dean yelling that he didn't do it, don't kill him, he didn't know I was married, and David and I were confused as all get out, until we thought about it from his point of view,” Shannon sighed through her laughter. “David very quietly extends his hand to Dean and says, I just wanted to give you your boots back. They were parked under our spare bed, where you left them.”

“Did Dean smarten up then?” Sam asked, feeling like he could actually note the sparkle in his own eyes. Shannon nodded.

“He was cautious, and after David helped him up, we explained what had happened and we've been friends ever since,” she finished.

“That's an excellent story,” Sam nodded.

“I've always thought so,” the woman agreed. “And I'm just about done here.” She made a few more snips and then brushed the shorn hair from his shoulders. “There we go. Let me grab the mirror.” She did so and handed it to Sam He glanced in it, happy to see that she hadn't changed his style, just did as she promised and trimmed it up. He could see again, without the threat of hair forever in his face.

“Thanks so much,” he grinned as she removed the cape. “Now, where's your dust pan and broom?”

“In that closet over there and thank you,” Shannon returned the look. “Bending over is a feat I can barely accomplish these days. And David and the big girls do too much for me as it is.”

“It's a small task to thank you for your hospitality,” Sam explained as he retrieved the cleaning items. He went about the task as Shannon returned the stool to where it obviously belonged.

“Well, you'll find out just like Dean did,” she explained. “I love to cook and bake and Kelly has inherited that love too.”

“Oh yeah?”

She nodded. “In fact, instead of college in a few years, she's thinking culinary school.”

“That'll be interesting,” Sam noted. He dumped the small bits of hair in the trash, returned broom and dust pan to the small closet and then followed suit in washing his hands at the sink. “Anything specific she wants to do?”

“Open a bakery,” Shannon nodded. “Sandra on the other hands wants to go into pediatric medicine.”

“That'll be a long hard slog,” Sam noted as Shannon handed him a towel. She simply nodded her agreement.

“So Sam,” she began and he waited, “no more feeling too awkward at invading our home at your big brother's embarrassing behest?”

He was slightly startled and scratched at the back of his neck. “You obviously know Dean well.”

“And taken with a grain of salt, because I know how family is about their own, the little that he shared about you,” she offered kindly. “Dean is a good friend and the girls adore him. Mostly because he picked the bigger girls up from school one day for me and won them the admiration of all the popular girls. And the fact that he terrorized this one bully that was making Carol's life hell at the playground. Tore right into the kid's mom about disciplining her kid.”

“Seriously?” Sam was surprised. Not that his brother was capable of protective tendencies, but that he'd do so for some other family that was not his own.

“You were at college,” Shannon noted quietly. “And just because you were, those feelings, that thing in him that tells him to protect the weaker or younger, or innocent, didn't just go away.”

“No,” Sam nodded after a moment. “It didn't.”

Shannon was quiet for a long moment as she toyed with things on the counter. Sam busied himself, idly rearranging the things that Sandra had left out on the counter to thaw and he noted that Shannon had turned and was now leaning against the counter, looking at him with a contemplative look. He ignored it, folding the towel that he had used to dry his hands with and aligning it along the edge of the sink before inching it away so that it wouldn't get any more wet. With a smile when he turned back, Shannon once more smoothed her hands over her stomach and then picked at some invisible lint.

“Can I ask you a personal question Sam?” she blurted out and Sam, just starting to realx once more, froze slightly. “No wait!” she held her other hand, the one that wasn't cupped over her belly, up in the air. “I hate when people do that to me. What I should say, is, may I ask you a personal question regarding how you related to your father?”

“Uh,” Sam was caught slightly off guard by the topic. Obviously, by the past tense, Shannon knew that John Winchester was dead. He had to wonder how she had known, if maybe Dean had been in contact, or mentioned it just that day.

“And please bear in mind, that if you'd rather not answer, I will leave the subject alone and not ask again,” she pointed out helpfully.

“Okay,” Sam decided suddenly. She was right. He was under no obligation to answer. “Shoot.”

Before she asked her question though, she moved to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair to take a seat. Sam followed after, sitting opposite of her. “Okay, did you ever have a moment, when you were younger or even older, where you suddenly realized, and not in an abstract way, that your father had a life before you and your brother were born? Or even before he met your mother?” she wanted to know.

Sam had been about to answer automatically that of course he had. But then he heard her words resound in his head. Not in an abstract way, in that self centered way that children had in which they assumed that a parent's life wasn't any great shakes until the kid came along and livened up a parent's world. “I did, actually,” he recalled with a slight smile of remembrance on his face. “I can't remember how old I was, but Dad ran into an old friend of his from his days as a Marine. They had a beer and reminisced and were talking about a few of their missions, or something. And I remember, I told Dean that Dad should be whooped for telling such obvious lies.”

“And what did Dean do?” Shannon chuckled, understanding written all over her face.

“Um, smacked me upside my head and set me straight about Dad's service days,” Sam grinned. “Told me about a few of Dad's awards, commendations and stuff.”

She nodded slowly. “I ask because Sandy and Kelly had a moment like that when Dean was visiting,” she explained. “Much the same circumstances. David was telling Dean about some of the jumps he went on in the Gulf. And the girls had no idea that their father actually saw action when he was in the Army. He never talks about it with us, which I understand,” she sighed. “But there they were, gaping at their father, complaining how he never told them that he was so cool. And afterwards, they wanted to hear all our stories about when we were younger.”

“Oh, well, I suppose that's natural,” Sam shrugged and leaned back in his seat to slide his hands partway into his pockets. That way, the nervous wringing he wanted to do wouldn't betray him.

“I bring it up,” Shannon spoke carefully, “because it seems like you might need a moment like that with your brother.”

Sam suddenly understood and smiled politely, if a little coolly. “I'm well aware that my brother had a life while I was away at college.”

“Oh, it's not just that,” she waved one hand. “I'd like to be honest, because I get the sense that Dean's...” she sighed heavily and fidgeted in her seat, looking uncomfortable. Sam wondered if it were natural from her pregnancy, or if she was as on edge because of the subject matter. Perhaps both. “I get the sense that we're not gonna see Dean again, for a long time, if ever.”

“What makes you say that?” Sam asked cautiously, moving his hands once more and leaning his elbows on the table, his hands tucked slightly out of sight. She smiled and then chuckled and ran her hands over her stomach.

“Lots of little things, actually,” she frowned monetarily. “How much he's talking. He was jabbering a mile a minute about you this morning. And telling me all the stuff you guys have been doing. And it's not just him. You've been watching him, with this look on your face.” She paused and drew in a deep breath. “Kinda makes me think he's sick or something. I mean, I've come to expect a few things when Dean shows up. And he's been doing them. But there's something more. And I think you've been doing the same. You've been very surprised that Dean hasn't been behaving the way he usually does.”

“Well, yes, I do kind of find it all surprising,” Sam nodded, side stepping the suspicions portion of the conversation. Since it was true, but there was no way that he could explain the details of the deal he had struck for Sam's sake. It was better to let her think what she was going to and try not to give details. “I mean, I've rarely seen this side of Dean. Not that there's anything wrong with it. And I guess, I am having that moment. Where he surprises me and I want to know more. But at the same time, I already know everything I need to know about my brother.”

“All the important sibling stuff, huh?” Shannon grinned. “I've got a brother and sister of my own,” she explained at Sam's questioning look. “I know that I tease the hell out of them, but I'd literally tear apart anyone that tried to hurt them. Same with my kids and the girls all act the same with one another. They have the power to tear each other to shreds, but they'll go to the mat before they let anyone else pull that crap.”

“Exactly,” Sam nodded. They were quiet for another moment and then Shannon sighed once more.

“Okay, so I guess, putting the questions in my mind in the proper perspective, and don't think I didn't notice how you didn't answer me,” Shannon growled at him, but it wasn't anything more than a friendly playful tone, as she pointed an accusatory finger at him, “then my best guess is that Dean is trying to share a part of himself with you. And that he's trying to make sure that you have friends around you... just in case.”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed, blinking. “I... yeah, that sounds just like Dean.”

“Okay,” she nodded, scooting her chair back. “Well, let's not disappoint him then.”

Sam watched her clamber from her chair, straighten her shoulders determinedly and moved to the door. She waited for Sam and he realized that he needed to make the same decision she had. There was no way in hell that he was going to let his brother go to Hell for him. But at the same time, there was no way in hell that he was going to pass up the opportunity to do something like this that meant something to Dean. It was more important than the little side trips to the Grand Canyon, or revisiting old girlfriends. Or visiting favorite old haunts, eating one more best burger in the world.

“So,” he wondered as he reached Shannon's side, “did Dean ever tell you about the time he decided that he was just as good a soldier as my dad, even though he'd had no formal training and he challenged my Dad to a race through an obstacle course?”

“No,” she shook her head, grinning wickedly. “I don't believe he ever mentioned that.”

“Well, let me tell you, he made one fatal mistake,” Sam announced as he pushed the swinging door open. “He forgot that my Dad was the one setting it up.”

“What'cha talking about there Sammy?” his brother, surprised at Sam discussing their father, had taken note immediately of their return to the living room.

“Your rather... erm, entertaining trip through Dad's obstacle course,” Sam grinned pointedly and Dean groaned throwing one hand over his eyes.

“Oh Christ, no, not that story,” he muttered.

“What?” Kelly, sitting on the sofa by his brother, cordless phone in her lap, turned to Sam and was leaning forward.

“I wanna hear!” Sandra chimed in, coming from behind Sam and Shannon, obviously having returned from her time in the basement.

“Oh I don't know,” Sam drawled, as he and Shannon took a seat in the living room and he glanced around at the eager faces. “Some of the things Dean said weren't quite PG friendly.”

“That's okay, Mom swears like a sailor,” Kelly volunteered as her mother laughed.

“It's true,” she nodded.

“Okay, then, if you're sure,” Sam chuckled. He settled himself in his seat, squirming to find a comfortable position, while his brother protested and the girls hushed him and David teased him. He shared a glance with Shannon and she nodded gently. Sam waited for just the right moment and began his own tale of Dean's embarrassment, noting the entire while, that for all his brother protested, there was a smirk lingering on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

*****

Sam waved heartily at the picturesque scene the family made, hanging on the side steps as Dean pulled the car out of the driveway. The glare of lights from the motion sensing spotlights rigged to the garage was enough to illuminate the darkness, since it was nearing ten in the evening. David had suggested several motels to stay in, further down the highway, since Dean was determined to head out. Both Sam and Dean knew that they would probably drive on several hours more before stopping for the night. Sam had to balance a large plate of tinfoil covered treats on his lap at the moment, but there was a lightness of spirit present that had a grin plastered to his face as he watched the family Dean had just introduced him to, giving their all to farewell them.

Finally, once he had the Impala cleared, Dean pulled away as Sam leaned over and gave one final wave. And then he shifted in his seat to place the tray that Shannon had pressed on them as they left for the night, to the floor. “I like your friends,” he announced as he straightened up.

“Figured,” Dean grunted, his eyes mostly on the road. “Those aren't stories you share with just anybody,” he grumbled, though Sam could hear the pleased tone. He nodded briefly.

“Maybe next time we're around this way,” he began hesitantly, not sure how to broach the topic.

“We, Sammy?” Dean pressed gently. Sam sighed and chewed at the corner of his lips for a moment. Finally, like Shannon had earlier, he decided to just say it, rather than dance around the subject.

“Yes we,” he nodded. “Because there's no way in this life that I'm just gonna let you go Dean. But!” he stressed over his brother's protests, “if something...” he swallowed heavily, trying to get past the bile infested ball of misery lodged in his throat, “if something happens to you... it's good to know there are places I can... I mean...”

“Gotcha,” Dean nodded. “And yeah, we'll have to get back soon. You know David's gonna be hell to live with after that kid is born.”

Sam smirked. “Well, four daughters and they're finally having a boy, wouldn't you be thrilled? If that's what you were hoping for?”

“Meh,” Dean grinned. “The way they talked, he was like that after each and every one of those girls came along. You shoulda seen the pictures Shannon showed me after Carol was born. He freaked out cause the doctor made him cut the cord,” the grimace on Dean's face was mirrored by the milder form on Sam's as they both contemplated that. “But still, he looked like it was heaven on earth, you know.”

“Yeah,” Sam murmured. “I suppose.” He was almost ready to slip into another contemplative silence when his brother groaned. The instant worry was there, but with an experienced eye, seeing his brother rub absentmindedly at his stomach, he grinned and reached for the antacids in the glove box. “That steak was good, wasn't it?” he teased, opening the top of the bottle and shaking out some pills for his brother. Dean was already holding out his hand for them.

“Man, I wonder what the holidays are like around there,” Dean sighed before popping the pills into his mouth. “Kelly was telling me about it one time. Apparently they do a hell of a turkey dinner. Three different kinds of pie and cheesecake to boot.”

“Sounds just like your kind of meal,” Sam grinned and then shook his head. “You just about inhaled those tarts that Sandy made.”

“As if you weren't either,” Dean complained, raising the hand that wasn't resting on the steering wheel to shove his brother's shoulder. He was quiet for a moment and then glanced at Sam. “So, I know we're gonna head through Colorado. Wanna go find a mountain and try your hand at skiing?”

“Skiing?” Sam asked doubtfully and then grinned. “Yeah, sure. Why not. It'll just add to my collections of all the ways Dean Winchester likes to look like a fool.”

“What the hell makes you think I'd look like a fool?” Dean demanded, slightly irate.

“Uh hello, remember the in line skating incident?” Sam reminded his brother gleefully.

“Dude, that was a decade ago,” Dean snorted. “Let it go. Besides, who said I was gonna ski? I'm looking for a decent lodge, hot fire, warm cocoa and an even hotter ski bunny!”

“Of course you are,” Sam chuckled, shaking his head, suddenly content once more. His brother would never change. Add facets and surprising tidbits sure, but at the core, Dean was always gonna be himself. And nothing Sam could or would do, was ever going to change that.

37b37- Just The Ticket