Drabbles of the Brothers Winchester
Author Note: I am not halfway through Season 1 odf Supernatural. Yeah, I know I'm behind and late to the game of Winchester fan fiction. But I have arrived. My first vig fell short: 1 response. I know its back at the front of the series but I need some support. If you can see your way to leaving a response, I would be grateful. It lets me know I'm doing something even remotely right. Thanks. Please enjoy my new drabble/ficlet thread on Supernatural.
This plot bunny was from Queenofthehours back on 4/13/2007. I was mining old plot bunny sites. I hope you're still out there.
A picture is worth…
The Chevy Impala rumbled up to the gas pump at seemingly deserted service station 100 miles West of Lawrence Kansas. Sam stepped from the car and peered into the dirty window for sign of life. He looked back to Dean and hunched his shoulders before walking to side of structure where most restrooms might be found.
When Sam disappeared into a rust speckled door, Dean relaxed at the wheel. He saw Sam's wallet sitting on the seat next to him. He would have ignored it, but the tattered edge of what looked like a photo protruded from its innards. Sparking his curiosity, Dean opened the wallet. He pulled at the edge of the photo until it came out. Other than the exposed outer edge, the picture was pristine. The image was of the two brothers the day Sam left for Stanford. Their dad had disappeared, disappointed and hostile to Sam, but Dean would not allow his brother leave without some sort of send off. A neighbor had taken the picture, which show Sam smiling big, ready to leave hunting, Dean and their dad behind. Dean looked sullen in the picture, not angry or sad, just resigned. If Sam wanted to leave he wouldn't stop him. He still had dad…and the work. It hadn't been a happy day. When all was said and done, Dean was left standing alone on the curb, the Impala his only consolation.
Den felt a flare of the betrayal that day had spawned, but quickly shut it down. All of that was over. They were together again, even if dad was missing. He laid the picture on the dash. He took a small amount of comfort that Sam had kept this picture for so long. He hadn't completely rejected the family; at least not Dean. Sam hadn't called and rarely emailed during the Stanford years. It hurt. Even if Dean wasn't one to get all sappy about his feelings, he would have preferred Sam stay with them. But, alas, it wasn't to be. He had to go his own way.
Dean was pulled from his reverie when he heard the creak of the door and saw Sam coming back to the car. He made no effort to put the photo back in the wallet, which still sat open on the seat.
Sam opened the door, but paused before getting in when he was the picture on the dash.
"You went through my wallet?" Sam asked, perplexed more than angry or hurt.
"Cool your moral outrage," Dean replied. "I saw something sticking out of it and decided to take a look. Good to know you didn't forget us completely."
"Yeah, well, even if both of you were assholes, I don't usually hold a grudge."
Sam replaced the picture in his wallet and looked out his window.
Dean laughed derisively. "Really, now? What would you call four years of college with little to no contact with the family?"
Sam looked at Dean with tired eyes. "Didn't we have this conversation on the way to Jericho?"
"I guess," Dean replied. "Just never knew you kept a photo."
Sam's tired eyes turned skeptical. "Are you getting emo on me, Dean?"
"Shut the hell up," Dean replied through a grimace.
"Just sayin'," Sam said, grinning.
Dean lifted his hand in surrender and shifted the car into gear. They peeled out of the creepy gas station and on to the next job.
