Disclaimer: Not mine
Author's Notes: Thanks to Jedisapphire for the beta
Summary: Sam glanced over at Dean looking like he got everything he ever wanted in a life time for Christmas, yet trying his hardest not to cry.
o0o
Dean awoke to sunlight streaming through the window and the smell of coffee.
The extra night spent at the Fisher home after banishing an nasty spirit, had given Dean the best night's sleep in he couldn't remember when.
Turning on his side it would've been easy for him to drift back to sleep but the smell of bacon and something wonderfully cinnamon canceled any chance of that.
o0o
"Are those Belgium waffles?" He asked wide-eyed stepping into the kitchen.
"They sure are," Elaine Fisher, a single Mom in her 30's answered from in front of the stove. "Sound good?" She asked turning around with a smile.
"In a word, yes," Dean answered. "But you really didn't have to go to this much trouble." He added, trying not to drool at the feast of a breakfast in front of him.
"It's the least I could do," She said with appreciative eyes, squeezing a plate of bacon on the table beside the cinnamon rolls. "After what you and Sam did yesterday. It was the first peaceful night's sleep my son and I have had in months."
"Glad we could help," Dean answered warmly. It felt good helping people on this personal level again. Especially 4 year old Danny who had quickly attached himself to Sam.
"Speaking of my brother is he still sleeping?"
"I'm pretty sure he is," Elaine said, grabbing the syrup and butter. Everything was set in place now for a nice breakfast.
"Come here," She said patting Dean's arm gently. "There's something I want to show you."
Elaine led him through the hallway and into the living room where Sam was asleep on the couch. Not making it to Danny's room where he had been bunking since they started this job.
Dean looked at Elaine confused. He wasn't sure with Sam facing away from him what he was supposed to be looking at.
"Take a closer look," Elaine motioned for him.
Dean took a few steps and peeked over his brother's shoulder. A warm smile formed and his eyes found Elaine's momentarily before returning to her son Danny, curled up against Sam in his spider man pajamas. Dean, shifting his gaze to Sam, studied his brother's features in sleep, which still after everything, retained the innocence of the little boy he once could hold in his arms. Who like Danny, would end up after a nightmare curled up beside him.
Elaine's touch drew him back to the present.
"Not sure where you went but would you like to have some breakfast while our boys sleep?"
"Sure," Dean nodded. He knew if he didn't soon his growling stomach might wake them.
o0o
"These waffles are awesome!" Dean said blissfully, stuffing in another forkful dripping with syrup.
"I'm glad you like them," Elaine said, getting a kick out of how much Dean enjoyed his breakfast. It felt good being able to repay him in some small way.
"So this is really what you and Sam do for a living?"
"It sounds crazy, but yes."
"A few months ago I would have said that," Elaine admitted."But not after what Danny and I lived through these past few months and the other things you spoke of that are out there."
Dean and Sam didn't want to tell Elaine about monsters. But the door to the real world was opened for her when this nasty spirit invaded her peaceful one. The brothers wanted her and Danny to be safe and to be safe meant the knowledge of what was out there. With the Angels pretty much secured back in heaven, and not to overwhelm Elaine, they limited telling her to the run of the mill monsters. And demons.
"How exactly does one come to hunt monsters?" She asked curiously.
"It was something passed down to us by our Dad."
"Your Dad?"
"It began for him when one of those things out there killed our Mom."
Elaine's eyes widened "I'm so sorry."
"Me too. But our Dad wasn't about to let what he didn't know at first was a demon, get away with killing her, and he didn't want it to kill anyone else. So hunting things and saving people became his life and ours."
"So you and Sam are carrying on his legacy of saving people. That is something to be very proud of."
Dean did feel proud. Over the years he and Sam had battled all kinds of evil. Demons which had taken their parents. Angels who tried to divide them.
Then the darkness. Their hardest fought battle which united them profoundly as hunting partners and brothers.
They prevailed because together they were stronger. They survived because they had each other.
o0o
"Spider man told me he's hungry," Sam announced, carrying Danny on his back.
"Oh he did, did he?" Elaine got up and took her son into her arms. "How's my big boy this morning." She asked, hugging him tight before setting him in his seat.
"How's my big boy this morning?" Dean teased warmly.
"Ha ha," Sam answered taking a seat.
"Want me to cut up a waffle for you?" Dean asked, handing his brother a plate.
"I'm surprised there's any food left with the head start you got on breakfast Dean."
Elaine smiled at the brothers, enjoying their banter, while she fixed Danny his breakfast. Taking a moment to hand Sam a cup of coffee.
"Thank you Elaine," Sam smiled shyly. "Thank you for all of this. It looks great!"
"It is," Dean assured him polishing off a cinnamon roll.
"Well help yourself Sam, to whatever you want and as much as you want."
"Maybe I should have warned you about saying that to my brother," Sam teased affectionately.
"Hey!" Dean looked up, acting insulted. Helping himself to another cinnamon roll.
Elaine sat down and the four of them enjoyed a leisurely breakfast together. The closest thing to a family meal the boys had experienced in some time. Full of warmth, conversation, and laughter.
o0o
Leaving was difficult, Sam had grown as attached to Danny as he had to him. But a promise to visit in a few months for Danny's Birthday lessened the sadness for both of them. Sam, making sure to explain it might not be on that exact day, but they would certainly celebrate his turning the big number 5 when they got there.
o0o
The brothers were about half an hour into their drive home when Dean switched off the radio. The quiet that followed and Dean's struggling expression to say something caught Sam's attention. "What is it Dean?" He asked.
"I've been thinking," he started, followed by more silence.
"About what?" Sam urged him on.
"You and me, things have been good since all this darkness crap."
"Uncommonly good," Sam emphasized.
"Helping Elaine and Danny. Doing what we do best."
"It was nice getting back in the saddle again."
"Yes, but its more than that Sammy."
"You mean us? Yes, of course, its been great doing the job and being on the same page again."
"No."
"No?" Sam questioned.
"Its been more than being on the same page Sammy. We're in the same paragraph. No, we are more like two words in the same sentence. The ones that are connected with that little dash."
"A hyphen," Sam said, finding Dean's analogy of how close they've been lately the most adorable thing he ever heard and the most moving.
"Yes! That's us now Sammy, and I don't want it to ever change," Dean's voice carried an urgency and the look on his face seemed to be searching for some guarantee.
"Then we won't let it change!" Sam stated strongly. "We have that power. Because its what we both want."
Dean didn't need to say a word, one glance and his eyes revealed all his fears and doubts.
"I'm not going anywhere," Sam tried to assure Dean. "Hunting is my life now. It's what I want." Sam paused momentarily. " Let me put it the way some "jerk" once did to me. I know now where I'm at my best, and that's right here, driving down crazy street, next to you."
"Bitch," Dean answered. It was all he said. Or more truthfully all he could say after hearing Sam repeat word for word the same sentiment he expressed to him upon returning from Purgatory.
Sam glanced over at Dean, looking like he got everything he ever wanted in a life time for Christmas, yet trying his hardest not to cry.
It had taken a long time to get here, Sam reflected. A necessary journey, a struggle within himself that had to work itself out. To get to this place. To be sure. But now Sam knew without a doubt, there was no place else he wanted to be. Then right where he was now. More importantly Dean knew it now too.