E/O Drabble Challenge

Challenge word: FILE

Word Count: Triple Drabble today - 300

Other players in the challenge are now too many to list here! There are lots of people tending this Supernatural garden. You can find the list of names at Enkidu07's profile page and/or OnyxMoonbeam's profile page. Also, to find all of the lovely drabbles, there's a sweet little C2 community out there to subscribe to and enjoy. You can find the link on their profile pages mentioned above.

Disclaimer: Neither the boys nor anything related to Supernatural belongs to me. I'm just having some fun with the boys, playing around with Eric Kripke's sandbox.

PROOF OF LIFE

By: Vanessa Sgroi

"So this's what it's come down to?"

Dean scowled as a thick file folder slammed down on the table in front of him.

"Keeping a file" continued Sam angrily, "of all my past mistakes—all my transgressions!"

"It's not like that."

"It sure looks like that to me! And why? So you can randomly throw it all back in my face some day? Gotta have every little detail handy?" Anger and hurt waged an epic battle across Sam's brow.

Dean pushed the file back toward his brother. "It's not a file about you—I mean, it IS, but it isn't." He sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "Look again."

"Why? So I can feel even shittier about myself than I already do?"

"No. That's the whole point. I put that together—remember what your friend Brady said a couple of years back?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"I couldn't let it go. I tracked—from the time you were six months old—all the people who 'nudged' you into following the path they wanted you to take."

Sam swallowed hard. "Why?"

"Because…because I wanted to prove to you that none of this has been your fault. Not really. Those SOB's manipulated you every single step of the way. They were like guidance counselors from Hell. Literally. And all those years ago Dad missed it. I missed it. None of us could've grasped the vastness of it all."

"Why didn't you show this to me before now?"

"It was never the right time. I mean, when things were good, I wanted them to stay good. And when things were bad… Well, I was afraid it'd be that final straw…"

"Oh."

"You remember old Mrs. Tembe?"

"Yeah—the cookie lady? No, not her?!"

"Yeah."

Sam tapped the file. "I'm afraid to look."

"It'll help."

"Maybe."

FIN