Kind of a prequel to my story: "The More Things Change"
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Dean found Sam out on Bobby's back porch. He was sitting leaning a shoulder against the upright, arms folded across his knees, staring out at the junkyard. Nightfall was a half hour or less away.
"You okay?" Dean asked, sitting down next to him on the top step.
"Yeah."
"You didn't each much at supper."
Dean kept trying to enforce his big brother status since he came back three days ago, but Sam wasn't reacting the way he used to. Instead of explaining to Dean why he didn't each much, trying to convince Dean he was okay when Dean could see he wasn't, trying to make a joke about the lousy cooking, he didn't answer the comment at all.
"Hey Dean? When we were fighting all those spirits, none of them was - there wasn't - you didn't see - you didn't see Madison, did you? Or - Jessica? Did you?"
"No, I didn't." Dean said, honestly. "Did you?"
"No. I kept expecting it though. I kept thinking - if I saw Jess - I don't know what I would've done if I'd seen her. I don't know if I could've shot her with the rock salt. I don't think I could've shot Madison again."
"They weren't there Sammy. They weren't going to be there."
"So you think that means - ?" Sam hesitated like he wanted Dean to confirm what hed been praying for was true.
"It means they're at peace, Sam. Jessica and Madison. They're both at peace."
"Yeah. Yeah." Sam ran his hand over his face and sighed. "I didn't see Dad either."
"No, but I almost wish we had." Dean said. He laughed. "Woulda made our job a whole lot easier."
"What d'you mean?" Sam asked, sounding like he had no clue and maybe thought Dean was crazy.
"You know Dad - no matter how pissed he mighta been at us – a roomful of angry spirits? He woulda got the job done, and probably without our help."
"Yeah. Ha." Sam managed a laugh and Dean felt better that he could still make Sam feel better about some things. "I'm gonna take a walk and get some air before I turn in." Sam said. He stood up. "You going to bed soon?"
"Naah, I'm gonna sit up awhile, sit out here and get some fresh air of my own. I'll be in after awhile."
"Okay." Sam said but it looked like he was considering something. "Okay. I'll be back, I won't go far."
"Okay but -." Dean started. Sam apparently recognized something in his face.
"Dude - seriously - you're not going to tell me to stay where you can see me, are you?"
"No." Dean said, nearly choking trying to keep himself from saying exactly that, or something pretty darn close. "But be back when the streetlights come on."
Sam grinned at him, "I will," though the closest thing to a street light was Bobby's 'dusk to dawn' yard light.
"All right." Dean said, watching Sam walk away into the junked cars. "If only the rest of us could be at peace too."
The End