Disclaimer: Just the usual. If you recognize it I don't own it. Simple.

Author's notes: Thanks to lynxlan for the beta. This has changed a little since I got it back so any mistakes are mine. Also just wanted clarify this takes place just after Route 666 so just a slight reference to that eppy. There's a little language in here as well.

More author's notes at the end.

Pink M&M's

By infinite shadow

Dean sat in the Impala impatiently drumming his hands on the steering wheel. He'd filled the car, checked her fluids, topped up the tires and washed the windshield. And now here he was. Waiting. Battling against the urge to slam his fist against the horn. As he waited. How long did it take for college boy to pick up a few munchies, drinks and get back to the car anyway?

The desire to hit the horn to make his little brother move faster in the incredibly small gas station convenience store was overwhelming. Dean was exhausted, cranky and hurting. There was only so much comfort he could get from the purr of his sleek black muscle car. As much as he wanted to keep driving, keep moving away from the hurt in his heart, he needed a motel and sleep more.

Sam had picked up almost everything they needed at this small store. He'd even found some jelly beans for himself. He loved those just as much as Dean loved his M&M's. Speaking of the candy he stared at the one package on the shelf. He couldn't get away with this, could he?

Dean reached out and turned the key. The Impala roared to life then settled into an idling purr. The familiar noise calmed him and he closed his eyes. Lovingly he ran his hand over the steering wheel.

"Sorry baby," he murmured. His hand pulled back from the wheel and belted the horn. He glared menacingly into the gas station.

Sam whipped his head up and met smouldering eyes in the Impala. He gave a cocky grin and then flipped off his older brother. "Oh yeah. I am so doing this," he said as he grabbed the package and headed for the till.

"College boy needs to hurry before I leave his pokey ass behind," Dean mumbled as he reached behind the seat and into the box of tapes. A grin slowly spread over his face. "Perfect."

He chuckled as he slid the tape into the deck and heard the satisfying thunk as it engaged the player.

Black Sabbath began to pour out of the speakers as the car door groaned opened and Dean glanced over.

"Dude what's your problem?" Sam asked as he sat down in the passenger seat and glared at his brother.

"Dude what's your problem?" Dean mimicked as he pulled out onto the road.

"Whatever," Sam mumbled as he tossed the convenience store bag into the back seat. His brother had been in a foul mood since leaving Cassie behind. He hadn't talked about it, in fact he'd barely spoken at all. Sam had given him space, as was the Winchester way, but even he had his limits.

The car filled with the sounds of Iron Man and Sam flinched. They'd listened to this tape all day yesterday and it was a complete relief when Dean had tossed the tape into the box and played Metallica. What he wouldn't give right now for some BOC or Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Dean followed the road and passed the entrance to the inter-state.

"So where are we going?" Sam asked.

"Motel. Tired," Dean said.

"How are our reserves?" Sam asked. These direct questions were the only way his brother would talk to him.

"Low," Dean said as he spotted a motel sign in the distance.

Sam nodded. "Well if we're lucky then we can get a motel near a bar and I can hustle while you get some shut eye."

Dean burst out laughing. After calming slightly he pulled into the motel parking lot. "Oh Sammy man thanks, I needed that."

"Dean I'm serious," Sam said.

Dean snickered. "Dude you don't hustle you get hustled."

A blush rose on Sam's cheeks as he looked away. "Only once," he mumbled.

Dean shifted slightly to look Sam. "Look I appreciate that you want to help but seriously Sammy you've not hustled for money since you left for Stanford. So we can play and get you up to my level. Then you can hustle, ok?"

"But I can do this," Sam said with conviction in his voice as he looked back at his brother. "I don't need you to watch over me all the time."

Dean smiled. "We need a gig. Why don't we just kick back for the rest of the day and you can find us a gig in the morning. Then we'll play some pool tomorrow and maybe if you're not too rusty I'll let you hustle."

Sam shook his head and looked out the passenger side window.

"Sammy I know you don't need me to watch over you. But humour me, ok? If I know you're out hustling I'm not gonna stay here and rest," Dean said.

"Yeah ok Dean," Sam said softly. "I'll find us a new job. But how are we gonna pay? I thought you said we were out of cards."

"Yeah we are. I've got some waiting for us we just have to pick them up," Dean said. "Sam we have enough for two nights. I think we can both use the down time."

Sam nodded.

"Good. I'll check us in," Dean said as he got out of the car.

Sam looked down and took the tape out of the deck tossing it into the box. At least the Black Sabbath was over for the day.

Dean entered the room first, tossed his bag onto the bed and did a cursory check of the room. Faded brown wallpaper, with old sailing ships no less, green curtains and yellow bed spreads. Just your normal no-tell motel and their home over the next two days. Aside from that the carpet wasn't that dirty and as he walked into the bathroom the sink, tub and toilet were actually clean without the normal mouldy areas that they were accustomed to.

Dean exited the small room and Sammy went in. As Dean settled on his bed with the remote he heard the shower turn on. He surfed for a few minutes and then shimmied down on his bed. His arm came up and rested over his eyes. God he was tired, no exhausted. He concentrated on trying to relax until he got to that nice floaty place where he wasn't sleeping but he wasn't awake. He was aware that Sammy was out of the shower and moving around in the bathroom. The T.V. had changed from an episode of Dead Like Me to some action movie. He was thankful it wasn't a chick flick. There were people walking past their room talking loudly, and cars driving by on the road. Concentrating he took a few more calming deep breaths and felt himself almost fall asleep.

Sam came out of the bathroom and saw Dean was asleep. Realizing that he'd left a few things in the car he grabbed his brother's jacket and took out the keys.

"Sammy? What?" Dean slurred his voice heavy with sleep.

"I'm just going for coffee, ok?" Sam said softly. "Want anything?"

"Jessica Alba?" he mumbled and turned onto his side.

"I'll see what I can do," Sam said quietly with a small smile.

Twenty minutes later Sam had returned. The coffee shop was only across the street and he'd grabbed two large coffee's. As quietly as he could he came back into the room, laptop bag slung over his shoulder and set the computer down on the table.

"Smmy?" Dean asked as he shifted on the bed.

"I'm back. Go to sleep Dean," he said softly.

"Hmm kay," Dean mumbled and sighed as he finally allowed himself to stop drifting and fell asleep.

Sam tried to surf but found out that the motel's wireless internet was out. He had to opt for dial up. He sipped some of his coffee as he waited for graphic heavy pages to load up. He rolled his head on his shoulders trying to ease the stress in his neck and shoulders.

He surfed for a while and saved up some information to share with Dean later. Looked like they had a couple of hauntings in Seattle and Oregon.

While Sam was tired he didn't feel like sleeping. He still had the images of his last nightmare with Jessica too close to the surface and he didn't want to go through that again. So he brought up the gaming section on MSN and started to play.

Dean woke about two hours later to find his little brother asleep in front of his laptop. He shook his head. His little brother had the worst luck with nightmares, even as a kid he had serious nightmares that made him scream and hide wherever it was they were living. He'd lost track the amount of times he awoke to Sammy screaming or getting jumped on as he'd run to him in fear. He swore he'd have permanent claw marks on his back from Sammy holding on so tight.

He smiled slightly as he sat up on his bed. The TV was still on and an episode of Stargate SG1 was now playing. Getting up he yawned and gave a big stretch. Then he dug through the bag from the gas station pulling out the bag of M&M's as he watched the SG1 team infiltrate some hideout.

"Not bad," he whispered so he didn't wake his little brother.

He moved back onto his bed and opened the package as the building they'd just exited exploded from three different angles on the screen. Reaching into the bag he popped a few of the candies and munched on them. Just as the show came to the end, and Dean had made it through half of the bag, Sam jolted awake blinking fiercely.

"Sammy?" Dean said softly not wanting to spook the boy further.

"Y-yeah?" Sam replied sleepily.

"Find anything?" Dean asked.

"Um yeah," Sam said softly sitting up properly and pushing back the dregs of the nightmare.

"And?" Dean prompted.

"Two salt n burns. Seattle and another in a small Oregon town," Sam said as he stood up and moved to his own bed. Just before sitting down he snagged a handful of Dean's candy.

"Hey hands off," Dean said. He started to swat his brother's had away from his candy when got his first look at the candy coated peanuts and jumped off the bed.

Sam's eyebrows went up at his brother's action. "Dean?" Sam asked as he sat on his bed and stared back at his brother.

"Those things aren't M&M's," Dean said seriously.

Sam looked at him for a moment. "Ok. What's wrong with them? Are they stale or something?" he asked.

"Dude! Did you even look at them?" Dean asked.

"Ye-ah. They're M&M's," Sam said frowning.

"No. No way are those things are my M&M's," Dean said seriously.

Sam sighed. He was way too tired for this now. "How so?" He asked patiently.

"Dude do you not see them?" Dean demanded incredulously then scrunched up his face in outrage. "They're PINK!"

Sam snickered. "So?" He asked innocently.

"Freakin' girly M&M's. Gotta be yours," Dean said.

"Dean let me remind you that you are the M&M freak of the family," Sam said.

"Yeah but my M&M's have manly colours. Blues, green's, browns. But this Sammy? It's just wrong!" Dean exclaimed.

Sam smiled slightly. "Did you eat some already?"

"Yeah. Man I'm surprised that I didn't choke on them," Dean said.

"Well you know how green M&M's make you libidinous? Well these pink ones will turn you into a girly man. With the higher voice and everything," Sam teased.

"Lib… Shut up!" Dean said and tossed a handful at his brother.

Sam laughed as he ducked slightly.

"Is it too much to ask for a regular bag of M&M's?" Dean complained.

"No. But the look on your face – priceless," Sam said as he laughed harder.

"Bitch," Dean said as he got up and grabbed Sam's jelly beans.

The End

This story was not meant to take away from the Pink Campaign or to promote it and I am not affiliated to any cancer campaigns or with the M&M company.

The Pink M&M's that I purchased were in support of Breast Cancer. If you're curious and want to learn more here is a link to the M&M's website. http (dot) mms (dot) com /us /news /promotions /komen If you copy and paste the link above into your browser and switch the (dot) for . and remove the spacing you can go into the M&M's website which has information about the campaign they ran back in October, November and December 2006.