Title: Laddie
Author: Darkamber
Rating: G
Genre: Humour, fluff
Characters: Sam, Laddie (fox!Gabriel), Dean
Word Count: 717
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, no money made, no infringement intended. Characters belong to Kripke, Singer & co.
Summary: Gabriel not only wards Sam's dreams against Lucifer, he sometimes meddles with them.
Sam is sitting on the steps to the Winchester's house. It's a perfect summer day, nice and peaceful. His mom is singing in the kitchen as she makes pie. Dad is at work at Bobby's Garage, fixing cars.
The sun shines from a clear blue sky, making all colors seem more intense. The picket fence is white as new snow, and the grass on the lawn is emerald green. There are apple trees on the left side of the path down to the gate, and lilacs on the right side. There's a faint scent of roses coming from the flowers in the flowerbeds on each side of the steps.
He's whittling at a piece of wood, making a present for his little brother Dean, while enjoying the warm summer sunshine. He holds the wood up towards the sky; it's beginning to look like a troll with its hair standing up.
All too soon the peace is broken by the sound of loud yipping, and Sam's fox comes running at full speed around the corner of the house.
"What is it, Laddie?"
"Yip, yip, yip!"
"What, has Dean fallen into a well, again?"
"Yip, yip, yip!"
Sam jumps to his feet. "Show me the way, Laddie!" He runs after the fox, around the house.
Laddie leads the way down a path into the forest behind the house, bouncing all over the path with excitement. They end up at a well on a nearby farm. Sam can hear little Dean cursing even before he reaches the well.
Leaning over the stone fence encircling the well, he looks down and there is little Dean, thrashing around in the water.
"Dean, are you ok?"
"Yeah, just get me the hell out of here!"
Sam unties the rope from the bucket on the ground, ties a large knot, and lowers the rope into the well.
"Just do like you've done before, put the knot between your legs and hang on tightly, ok?"
"Yeah, yeah… Ok, pull!"
It's a good thing little Dean is so small and light, or Sam would have had trouble hauling him up, even though he's strong for a 10-year old. Finally Dean is high enough that Sam can grab him and lift him out of the well.
Dean stands there, his striped t-shirt and red overalls soaked through, looking pissed off.
"What is it with you and wells, Deanie? Why did you fall in this time?"
"Laddie told me there was a cherry pie down there, and when I had climbed up on the ledge to look, he pushed me!" Dean says, glaring daggers at the fox.
Laddie whines sadly and gives Sam a kicked puppy look.
"Dean, how can you be so mean to Laddie! He's always the one who comes and gets me when you've fallen down a well! Besides, he can't speak; he's a fox!"
"He speaks to me!" Dean insists, pouting.
Sam shakes his head. "You have to learn to take responsibility for you own actions, Dean, and not blame Laddie when you get into trouble."
Dean pouts even worse and crosses his arms over his chest. Sam rolls his eyes.
"I think you should apologize to Laddie, Dean," Sam says sternly. "Now."
"Sorry, "Dean mumbles.
The corners of Laddie's mouth turns up, making it look like he's smirking.
"Laddie is a good fox, isn't he!" Sam says and ruffles Laddie's fur. Laddie closes his eyes and makes small, happy sounds, leaning into Sam's hands. "When we get home, I'm going to make you your favorite treat, and you can sleep in my bed tonight."
Laddie perks up, then takes off on a too-happy-to-stand-still run around the well. When he reaches Sam, he bounces and rolls around looking so silly he makes Sam laugh. Then he's off on another round around the well. And all through the running and clowning he makes a squeeing sound, like an excited fangirl. Finally Laddie flops down in front of Sam, and rolls over, demanding a tummy rub.
"Screw you guys, I'm going home…" Dean mutters sulkily. His tennis shoes squelch as he walks along the path.
"Whooo's a good boy then?" Sam says to Laddie who's squirming on his back, mouth open in a canine grin as he's getting his tummy rubbed. "You are! Yes, you are!"
AN: Inspired by this video of an ecstatically happy fox: .com/watch?v=o6CWLNumxgo