This one-shot is set after "In My Time of Dying" and before "Everybody Loves a Clown".

How did they get the third Winchester back in such fine shape?

I'd love to know what you think. Even a simple, "I liked it" goes a long way toward motivation. I hope you enjoy it.

No longer Hidden

Sam could do little more than watch as his brother began the repairs on his beloved Impala. He'd initially offered to help, but Dean's various replies forced him to give up. At his first offer, Dean snorted with laughter. On his next offer, Dean said an abrupt 'no'. He was convinced to cease trying when Dean responded with an openly hostile 'get away'.

The Impala had once belonged to their mother. His father had driven it for all the years following her death, one day presenting it to his eldest son. Sam would never forget Dean's reaction. Their father had held it over his head for so long, he assumed he'd never actually get possession of the keys. At one point, Sam had called his brother 'Prince Dean', who would never get his throne. Even after it was Dean's, his father could never really let completely go of it.

Hey, Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were gonna ruin it.

Sam knew Dean needed to rebuild the car to make some final connection with the father. He'd known it from the start. Dean probably didn't understand that Sam thought maybe he could find some connection to their father as well, by helping.

Sure, Sam had never been as 'in' to the car as his father and brother, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate its value to their family.

Bobby chuckled as Sam entered the kitchen. "He deny you again?"

Sam nodded. "He needs to do this. I told you that." Bobby had once argued that the car was beyond saving, even with Dean.

"He might not be able to without your help." Bobby offered, an idea hidden behind his gruff exterior.

Sam sank into a chair at the table. "He doesn't think so. I've never been exactly helpful with cars."

"There's other ways to help." Bobby continued.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Bobby, would you just say it? How can I help?"

Bobby swallowed a gulp of coffee. "Dean's got high standards. This isn't a simple repair. He's surfing the net for original replacement parts. It's not cheap."

Sam began to see where the older hunter was going. "So…"

"You can only charge so much on stolen cards and ship things to the same area before people get suspicious." Bobby mused.

"So, I should?" Sam asked as puzzled look crossed his face. He could tell he should contribute to the financing of the project, but it seemed like Bobby had a specific idea in mind.

"I know a guy a few miles down the road. He has several businesses he runs off his land, including some farming and cattle. His normal help quit and he could use a hand. He'll pay cash and it would be good money, too."

Sam's eyes sparkled at the opportunity. "When can I start?"

Bobby grinned. "I told him he could expect you tomorrow." He paused. "I should warn you though. He's a tough old coot… not easy to get along with."

Sam chuckled. "Gee, I've never been around people like that before."

…..Supernatural…..

Sam was eager to get started the following morning. He was only slightly deterred by the lack of transportation. Bobby would need his truck and the only other vehicle currently working on the lot was being used to run into town and back by Dean.

Sam considered asking for a ride, but figured he might as well stretch his legs. He jogged down the road.

Bobby hadn't been kidding when he said the guy, Vern Baxterson, was difficult. There were times when Sam would have rather tackled a wendigo than the bitter old man. The work was long, hard and physical.

Sam would leave shortly before dawn, jog to the farm, work the day away and then jog home. After the first day, he learned to bring a lunch with him. Vern wasn't going to offer. He'd shower and look fresh just in time for Dean to come in to dinner.

The trio seldom spoke in the evening. Sam wasn't even sure Dean knew what he was doing. Dean often went to the local bar and Sam would turn in early.

After the first week, Sam proudly presented Dean with $500 cash. "It's for the car… Bobby can't afford it all and honestly, man. He shouldn't have to." Sam thrust the money into Dean's stunned hand.

"Where did you get this?" He mumbled, fanning the money between his fingers.

Sam smiled. "Bobby found me a job nearby." His eyes twinkled. "It pays well. Another couple weeks and we should have her paid off."

Dean was clearly overwhelmed. "Sammy… I… I had no idea… I thought you were in town at the library or something." His words were tinged with guilt.

Sam waved it off. "It's been good to get out… do some honest work. Seriously!" He added, when Dean eyed him skeptically.

…..Supernatural…..

Three days after Sam's gift presentation, Dean was stuck. He was waiting on several parts. Since there was nothing he could do, he decided to pack it in and head to town early; however, this night would be different.

He intended to swing by this farm Sam was working at and haul his little brother with him. Dean knew he'd been avoiding Sam. It hurt too much to be near him and be reminded of their loss, and yet it also hurt to be distant from him as well.

Dean pulled into the yard and saw no one. He slid out of the embarrassing mini-van he'd been driving and stretched his back. The yard was cluttered and dirty, much like Bobby's, but it didn't have the feel of welcome or comfort that Singer's Salvage Yard delivered.

He scanned the area for a clue as to where to start looking. His ears however picked up the trail before his eyes did. Someone was shouting.

He followed the sound and rounded an old barn. Behind it was a large patch of mud with a tractor stuck in the middle. It took a moment for Dean to take in the situation. An old man stood safely on the side barking out orders, while his brother struggled to replace a tire.

"Vern, can't we risk driving it the short way out on the bad rim? This is impossible." Sam was trying hard to remain calm and reasonable. Dean could see it.

Vern seemed to snap. He unleashed a slew of slanderous insults at Sam. The slander continued as he crossed the muddy patch carrying a board and shoved Sam down into the mud. "Get off your lazy, good-for-nothing ass and get this changed."

Dean's blood began to boil. No one talked to his brother like that, well, except him. Before he could jump in, Sam climbed to his feet and began again to work the tire free. Dean was content to see how his brother would handle the situation. Truth be told, he had no desire to wade through the mud either.

Dean didn't know anything about tractors, but even he could see no one could complete the task. With his shirt stuck to his body from the mud, he could see every muscle in his brother's body straining with the effort to budge the damaged tire. The crowbar he was using suddenly slipped from his grasp due to the slippery mud on his hands and he crashed painfully forward.

"You god damn stupid idiot."

From no where, Vern backed his verbal insult with a whack across Sam's back with the board he carried.

Dean had seen enough. "HEY!" He stormed across the mud. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" In a heartbeat and before it even registered to the old man, he was grabbed around the collar and flung back against the tractor.

Dean spit into his face as he growled. "NO ONE TOUCHES MY BROTHER, GOT IT?"

Sam recovered from his shock and pulled Dean back. "Dean… man… it's ok." In his mind, it really wasn't. Vern was quick with the insult, but he'd never hurt Sam physically before that moment. Sam had been equally stunned.

Dean whirled on Sam. "No, it's not. You're not going to stand there and take that." He grabbed Sam's arm and pulled him behind him, out of the mud. As they stepped onto dry ground, Dean shoved Sam forward and turned back to the old man.

He covered the distance faster than one might have thought possible and got right in his face. "Tomorrow, you bring a week's salary to Bobby Singer's in cash. If you don't, I'll be back to claim it and it'll be two weeks."

Vern tried to argue. "He… He only worked a few days…"

Dean leaned in further and his voice lowered to a terrifying growl. "If you don't show up, you'll be arrested for assault or even better, I'll come back and teach you a thing or two about manners."

Vern swallowed. "I'll be there."

Dean nodded.

Once Sam was safely tucked into the passenger seat of the van, Dean began shouting at him about his choice of jobs.

"Dean! We need the money."

Dean slammed on the brakes. "We'll get the money. Number one, you do NOT work in the mud unless you're after a demon and number TWO. If I EVER see you take a hit like that again without defending yourself, I'll kill you myself."

Sam scowled. "YOU didn't give me a chance!"

Dean ignored Sam's accusation. "Are you hurt?"

Sam rolled his eyes, knowing Dean had now ended the conversation. "No. He didn't have much in that hit. He's an old man."

"He touches you again and he's a dead man."

…..Supernatural…..

Bobby was the next victim of Dean's anger. "How could you send him to a place like that?"

Things settled quickly down once Sam proved he hadn't been hurt. Vern delivered another $500 payment the following morning and Dean went back to work on the car.

Sam strolled into the living room to find Dean and Bobby hunched over the old desktop computer Bobby used for the business. Sam had all but given up using the dial-up internet. He missed his laptop's wireless.

"What's up?" Sam asked.

Dean merely growled. Bobby sighed and turned on his chair. "The engine for the impala. It's… Well, it's more money than we've got and I'm maxed out on legitimate credit."

Dean added. "It'll be weeks before we could get more cards to get advances on."

Sam knew he'd never forget the disappointment in Dean's eyes at this turn of events. "I could go back to Vern's."

Dean glared at him. "Aren't you a comedian?"

Sam frowned. "Dean, it was hard work, but it was honest."

"NO SAM!" Dean demanded and ended the debate in his usual way.

Sam swallowed. "Something will come up."

Dean slammed a notepad on the desk and left the room. The two remaining men watched him leave with heavy hearts.

Sam's hand slipped into his pocket and his fingers clutched at it's contents. "Bobby? Can you get me to that pawn shop?" Sam asked quietly.

Bobby closed his eyes and shook his head, knowing immediately what Sam had in mind. "No, Sam. That's for a new laptop or something you need. Dean wouldn't want you to…"

"Dean doesn't even know it exists." Sam was already heading for the door. "Are you coming or not?"

Bobby sighed and grabbed his coat. He wondered why he even bothered to argue with a Winchester.

…..Supernatural…..

Dean had been moping around the yard for three days when the truck pulled in. Bobby's friend Max from the service station in town had an engine on the bed of the truck. Max honked his horn several times and Bobby came out of the house, closely followed by Sam, who was grinning.

Dean swallowed as he came to realize what it was. "How?"

Bobby pointed to Sam. "You tell him while we go get this set up."

Dean's eyes narrowed on Sam. "I told you you're not going back to work for that asshole."

Sam nodded. "And I didn't."

"So where did you get the money?" Dean knew Sam had done it. It was so Sammy-like.

Sam backed up and sat down on the stairs. "The demon was wrong."

"Huh?"

Sam smiled softly, as if recalling a pleasant memory. "He tried to bait you by saying Jess and I were shopping for rings."

Dean looked quickly away to wink back the emotion. Sense was flooding into his soul.

"I'd already asked Jess to marry me. She'd said yes and I'd already bought the ring. We were waiting until Thanksgiving to make it formal with her family." Sam chuckled at the memory. "Her dad's an old fashioned, hand-in-marriage, kind of guy."

Dean continued the story. "You've had it with you all this time?" And I never knew?

Sam shrugged off the implication. "I had to do my part, Dean. She's a part of me too." Sam said softly. "Jess would have wanted it this way. She would have understood."

Dean scowled. "Sam… that's all you have of her." Dean felt himself drowning in the gesture. He knew he hadn't been easy to live with recently. The grief of losing their father was threatening to pull him under and it was all he could do to keep level.

Sam shook his head. "No, I have her memories and her love… That's all I need. What was I going to do with a ring? Hell, chances are I would have lost it eventually. At least now we know it will be a part of the Impala."

Dean scowled. "You don't even love her."

Sam knew Dean meant the car. "Yes, I do. She was a part of mom, and then dad, and you… the family that I love… and now, Jess will be a small part of her too."

Dean was still not ready to accept Sam's gesture, although he knew he ultimately would have to. He took a deep breath. "You could have used it to get a new laptop."

Sam laughed. "Laptops come and go. We can use a card for that." He pointed to where Bobby and Max were offloading the engine. "The Impala will last forever."