Disclaimer: I do not own the darlings.
Shared Comfort
"Sam, you're driving me nuts! What's up with that finger of yours?" Dean asked in annoyance.
"I've got this freak'in splinter that I can't get out and it's driving me crazy" Sam responded, as he continued to squeeze at it.
"Want big brother to kiss it and make it better?" Dean asked, smirking.
"Frig you Dean" Sam shot back, before turning his head to look out the car window, as Dean turned into the restaurant parking lot.
"Grab us a window table okay princess" Dean said as he headed to the washroom. Sam tried to give him the finger, but that pain in the ass piece of wood, lodged right at the bend, hurt like a mother.
As Sam was looking at the menu, Dean returned with a wet paper towel. "Here, put this on it, it'll help loosen the splinter" Dean said, handing the warm paper towel to Sam.
After they'd ordered, Dean wanted to look at Sam's finger. "Let me see" he asked. "Dean, don't worry about it, I can get it out by myself" Sam said, but Dean quickly grabbed his wrist and removed the paper towel.
Dean winced when he saw the red and inflamed finger, the piece of wood clearly imbedded in it. "Ouch!" Sam cried out, pulling his hand away, after Dean tried to squeeze it out.
"Sorry Sammy" Dean apologized. "I was just trying to help." "I know, thanks for trying" Sam said, as he smiled at Dean.
After eating, they headed back to the motel, it had been a long day and both boys were looking forward to solid sleeps.
Dean was lying on his bed, wide awake, listening to Sam's breathing evening out in the quiet and dark room. He also heard Sam whimper and begin to murmur. This had been happening more often since Dean had made the deal.
Dean got up and went and stood beside Sam's bed, looking down at his little brother, gently brushing the tangled mass of hair out of his eyes, before sitting on the edge of the bed and tenderly taking Sam's hand in his own. He slowly began to work out the splinter. It was one of those deep ones that really hurt until you got it out.
Sam continued to mumble in his sleep. Dean leaned closer to hear what he was saying. It took a few minutes, but Dean understood. Sam was scared of losing him. What Sam couldn't say in his waking hours, was being said in his sleeping hours.
When Dean finally got the splinter out, he gently raised Sam's finger to his lips, kissing it. "Big brother can still make the owie all better Sammy" he said in a low and soothing voice, as he continued to hold Sam's hand, running his fingertips over the calloused and rough hewn surface, thinking back over a lifetime of memories of holding Sammy's hands.
He curved Sam's hand to his cheek, closing his eyes. "Aw Sammy, I'm sure gonna miss you little brother" Dean whispered in a desperate voice.
The slack fingers tightened in Dean's clasp. Dean opened his eyes. He could feel Sam's eyes on him.
As Sam moved his hand away, he opened his arms wide. "Hug" he whispered.
Dean leaned forward, putting his head on Sam's chest and his arms around his shoulders. Sam's arms encircled him in a tight embrace, gently rocking his big brother, as unshed tears were finally released and scared feelings were shared, through hiccupped sobbing and panicked words.
As silence slowly returned, two little boys, in grown-up bodies, clung to each other.
The end.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading this story.