Sam Winchester was…..happy. For the first time in a long time, years actually, he walked with a spring to his step, shoulders squared, head held high. His immediate world didn't consist of much; he didn't own much of anything, not a car, not a place to call home. He didn't have a regular job, no steady income, and no bank account, nothing set aside for whatever future he may have, and he earned money where he could, when he needed it.
He lifted his face to the sunshine, smiling up at the cloudless blue sky, arms spread wide and he turned in a circle, reveling in the pure joy of being alive, of being free from his dark, shadowed past. He had nothing more important to do then walk down main street of the small hick town in the mountains of Montana where he and his brother had decided to hole-up and find a store that sold ice cream and get his brother a milk shake.
He'd decided to walk. It didn't matter it was cold; he enjoyed the walk simply because he could. He didn't need to arm himself with holy water or salt or a handgun loaded with silver bullets or a sawed-off shot-gun loaded with rounds of rock salt. No special knives or unique guns hidden in his coat, no need to chant in Latin at every person who passed by him that he deemed suspicious. The time would come again when he would have to face the life he and his brother led but until then, he was determined to get enjoyment out of being in the here and now.
He and his brother were on a vacation of sorts. Dean was recovering from a condition that led to an illness that had all but taken him down and out. A life of stress, concern and worry along with too much aspirin combined to often with a bad diet accompanied with an unhealthy quantity of alcohol had given him a stomach ulcer that could require surgery. The doctors were treating it with medication and diet, but there were no guarantees that surgery would be avoided.
Knowing Dean, he would persist on being stubborn and develop complications so Sam was doing all that he could to avoid Dean perforating the ulcer. One of Sam's obstacles was keeping any and all forms of alcohol out of Dean's hands. Doing so meant Sam was denied the adult pacifier that soothed both emotional and mental wounds as well but it was a sacrifice he was more than happy to make. Sam's bigger problem was convincing his brother that he had to give up caffeine which meant he had to give up coffee, that battle had been harder to win then the demand he give up alcohol.
Who'd'a'thunk?
Hence, a month or so in the quietest, least populated town Sam could find. He was not the least bit upset to be side-lined for a few weeks and he'd been both relieved and surprised when Dean had agreed without much of a fuss. Gave him time to catch up on what had all happened in the world while he'd…been gone. He had books he wanted to read, magazines and newspapers to scour, memories and stories he wanted to write down, a new computer to set up and make his own along with a new phone that was all but its own mini-computer.
Usually, he argued about spending that kind of money, but Dean had offered and Sam hadn't been able to bring himself to refuse. Yeah, there was still a need to put others, innocent victims and the defenseless ahead of himself and before his brother but no longer to the extent he had in the past. He'd made sacrifices, his childhood, his upbringing, his brother's happiness, his brother's life, his own life, but no more. Nothing and no one was ever again going to use him to destroy the world, wasn't going to happen because he wasn't going to let it. He and Dean would catch up between one another and there was no better place to do it then ice-fishing together in the middle of an isolated lake. Didn't matter neither were particularly fond of lake trout, Dean was supposed to avoid spicy foods, the blander the better, and who didn't think fish was the blandest non-meat ever?
His cell rang with the tune that identified without looking at caller id, who the caller was, Sam rolled his eyes, kicking at pebbles on the sidewalk. Dean wanted to whine otherwise he would have sent a text.
"Yeah Dean?" he crossed the street. "Don't want orange anymore?"
"How about a caramel cappuccino? Sounds good, don't it?"
"Yeah, it does and nice try, you ain't having one."
"Ok, forget the caramel, how about a mocha one?"
"How about, of all things I need to remember, the definition of cappuccino ain't one of them? Orange or cookies-n-cream?" he was at the chain restaurant, standing outside on the sidewalk, reading the menu in the window. "Mint chocolate chip? You like that."
"Cookies-n-cream Frappuccino sounds great, make it a large!"
"All right wise guy, vanilla milkshake it is." he opened the door to go in. "This ain't no Starbucks, you ain't getting no cappuccino or a frappuccino or a fribble or any other coffee flavored shake."
"Why not? Dude, you hate me or something? Malt, can I at least have malt?"
"Because Dean, those drinks are made with coffee. So, vanilla?"
"You're not supposed to think of that." he mumbled. "Mint chocolate chip, I guess."
The doctor had given them dietary guidelines to follow, advising them it wasn't set in stone, was just a guide. Best thing to do was try what he wanted to eat and learn what to stay away from and Sam was always taking things away from him. Dean didn't think, never paid attention, and that was his whole problem. They'd stop for gas and enter the mini-mart and out of habit, he reached for slim-jims or salami sticks or beef jerky and Sam who was always two steps behind him, had to snatch from his hand whatever ill-advised spicy snack he picked up and replace it with crackers. Whole milk was a no-no, but ice cream was currently Dean's favorite food.
"Anything else?" Sam held the door for a woman to exit the store with two toddlers. "Dean?"
"No, did you walk?"
"Obviously you see the car, so…yeah…you feeling any better?"
"Guess…ok, commercial over….see ya soon."
They were staying in a rent-by-the-week motel, room complete with a kitchenette that included a fridge, microwave, toaster, useless coffee pot and small, but complete gas-fed stove. There was even a dvd player and Sam had visited the local library to supply him with a variety of movies to keep him occupied when he didn't feel like getting out of bed.
Kinda like now. Dean sprawled on his bed with all the pillows the room possessed piled behind him. He'd give Sam's back when the kid went to bed but in the meantime, a semi-upright position was the most comfortable one he could find. He wasn't thrilled being side-lined with a painful condition that dictated what he ate, how he ate and when he ate, and though he'd never admit it, he was quite happy having been forced into some down time.
He wanted to take some time and enjoy life with his brother in it. Over the last six, almost seven years of his life, the relationship between him and his brother had been twisted, tested, beaten and nearly broken. During that time they had both had to live without the other, mistakes had been made, sacrifices had been demanded, and retribution had been paid. Now today, all these years later, trust was re-established, past betrayals were forgiven, lies and omissions had been put to rest and despite the best intentions of both heaven and hell, the bond between them remained unbreakable.
He thought about getting up and going over to the kitchen and popping a bagel in the toaster, considered heating some soup, decided dinner would consist of whatever flavored milkshake Sam returned with. He meant to remain awake and watch TV but he drifted off. The medication he was on for the ulcer tended to make him sleepy and he saw no need to fight it. He was comfy in bed and had no reason to stay awake. It was hard to fight the medicine's pull anyway so why bother.
He and his brother were hidden from all, not even Bobby knew where they were. Their cells were new, the numbers were recently changed, he hadn't even brought his beloved, but easily recognizable car, leaving her at Bobby's in favor of a car no one could trace to them. His last conversation with Bobby had upset him, left him emotionally battered and he'd jumped at Sam's offer to go away, not telling Sam he was crawling away to lick his wounds. The argument certainly hadn't done him any favors, only incited his ulcer to riot which caused Sam, who was unaware of the issue with Bobby, to turn all nurturing and brotherly.
***000***
"Dean, dammit boy, don't you walk away from me!" Bobby thundered, wanting to reach out, grab the younger man by the shoulders and shake him until his teeth clattered. "Dean, you can't do this."
"I can, I will….you of all people should understand Bobby! I just got him back and nothing, no one, not even you is going to convince me to give him up."
"No one is asking you to give your brother up Dean." Bobby growled, clenching a fist.
"Not this time." Dean agreed. "But it will come to that, one of us will be expected to do something to save the world and the payment will be the other of us. My answer is no, not again, let someone else be the hero."
"And Eve?"
"She ain't my problem. For once, what's happened isn't our fault. We didn't start it; we don't need to end it."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Bobby paced around his desk. "You seriously telling me you don't care about what's coming? You aren't going to do anything about it?"
"I didn't say that. I said not now."
"Then when Dean? You chose to return to hunting, no one made you so don't cry about it now. You're the one that gave up that life you always wanted. Weren't you at least a little happy? I thought you were, you didn't have to go back to hunting, so why did you?"
"And what? Leave Sam where he was? Ignore it?"
"You knew where he was the day he went there, why is now any different? You didn't choose to go back with Sam when he first came back."
"First came back? Don't you dare go there Bobby, not you of all people, don't you dare!"
"Was giving up everything you ever wanted worth it? Worth getting your brother back?"
"Yes! Yes Bobby, it was! You of all people should know that! I wanted a life that included my brother. Any time I ever dreamed about a house or having some kind of family, he always lived next door or across the street, never further than around the corner. I always pictured the woman in my life accepting Sam. I never once pictured a life where I would ever have to choose."
"That ain't the life you were given Dean. Yeah, it sucks, but….."
"Not another word." Dean held one finger up, mortified to find it shaking. He was close to losing control of his emotions and it was a place he didn't want to go. He couldn't believe Bobby was pushing him on this. He understood damn well the next threat to the world was looming and looking over his shoulder but he just couldn't bring himself to care. The last six months had kicked his ass and he was so emotionally battered and torn, not to mention physically beaten that he couldn't take anything more.
Not even Bobby trying to make him see reason.
"What do you want from me Bobby? Huh? First you berate me for going after Sam and leaving Lisa and Ben and then you yell at me for not caring about the fate of the world, again! You knew he was back for a year and you didn't bother to tell me, made the decision for me that my life was better off without him…"
"Now, that is just not true, I made the decision your life was better off not hunting…"
"It wasn't your decision to make Bobby, I thought I could have both, I tried it, didn't work out."
"Might have, had Sam been Sam."
"Yeah, well, that was the problem, wasn't it?" he raked his fingers down his face. "Not again, never again. We didn't do this and we don't feel responsible to have to fix it. I gave him up once, and it hurt Bobby, it hurt, and it's killing me that you expect me to do it again and I can't…..I won't do it again, you have no right to ask that of me."
"No one is asking you to give your brother up Dean, he made the choice and you let him do it. But this time ain't like that, all I'm saying is, if you're both back in the hunt then we have work to do."
"It's too soon."
"Too soon for what?"
"To risk losing him again. I'm not going to let him do something stupid because he feels guilty over something he did during that year. I can't handle that Bobby, I can't! Why would you want me to? I lost him to a demon, to an addiction, to lies and deceit, to guilt and remorse…..I can't do this. I just….just can't."
Bobby was stunned to hear Dean admit to such vulnerability. The man usually shouldered his guilt and insecurities and plowed straight ahead, taking on whatever was thrown in his path, but not now, he wasn't bouncing back this time. "Dean, you can't just…..walk away…."
"Watch me."
Sam came in the back door, tossing his keys to the kitchen table as he heard the raised voices coming from the room Bobby called his library. He'd been at the town library, reading up on the condition Dean had been diagnosed with and had headed home trying to come up with a way he could convince his brother to see things his way. His way being some time off, just the two of them, taking things easy until Dean was feeling better.
Oh sure, he could continue to lead his life as he had been, would need to make some necessary adjustments in his diet, his sleeping habits and adjust to the medication, but he didn't have to deviate from his daily routine. But Sam wanted him to, wanted to be selfish and have his brother all to himself at least for a little while and to him, this was the perfect excuse to get his way. He doubted Dean would see things that way. Sam didn't want to resort to manipulation and guilt but if it came to that, well, he was pretty sure he had what it took to get what he wanted from his brother.
"Hey guys….." he strolled into the room to find Dean clutching at his stomach. He staggered two steps towards Sam before falling at his feet. Sam just looked down at his brother then gave Bobby an annoyed look. Obviously whatever they had argued about had caused yet another flare up. "So, how's that nap coming along?" he gave Dean a hand up. "Something going on between you two I should know about?"
"No." Dean bit out. Unable to stand upright, he made his way over to a chair and sat down, doubling over.
"Yeah, sure." Sam pushed his hair back. "So, just got back from the library, did some reading, doesn't look like you're feeling any better Dean."
"Minor…set…back…"
"Uh-huh, so, thought maybe…." he frowned when Dean didn't immediately shake off the effects of his 'minor setback'. He went down on his haunches until he was eye level with Dean. "You ok?" he didn't push, but concern laced his soft tone. He was tired of seeing his brother in pain and struggling to hide it from him. Tired of watching him fight through it, tired that he was in pain at all. "Dean?" one word. That one word spoken with affection was all it took to crumble what little composure Dean had. He extended his arm, one finger up to signal he needed a moment. Sam knocked his arm aside and laid a palm on his brother's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze. "Ok, you know what, that's it, I've had enough." Sam stood up. "Bobby, do you have a car we can borrow?"
"Borrow? For what?"
"We?" Dean's head came up. "I - we - have a car Sam."
"We can't take your car this time Dean, with our luck, for the first time in our lives, someone will recognize it. Bobby, if you don't, just give me a ride to town and I'll rent one."
"Why do you need a car? Where you going?"
"Away." Sam's look dared him to argue. "I'm taking him and we're going away."
"To where?"
"Away Bobby, just away."
***000***
And here he was, in some town Sam had chosen at random but with some thought behind it, trying to stay awake in what was for them, a decent motel room until his brother was safely in the room with him. Dean blinked but sleep was determined to have its way and the last thing he remembered was wondering if he could coerce his brother into coffee flavored cookies. Those Italian pralines weren't made with actual coffee, were they? Just flavored with it, right?
"Hi." the girl behind the counter smiled a greeting at him. "Sam, isn't it? What can I get you?"
"Um, we've met?"
"Sure, small town." she grinned. "Everyone eats at Momma's place. Dean's hit on every waitress there. My roommate is Robin."
"Aah, right…so….you would be…..?"
"Natalie, so what will it be?"
"Large mint chocolate chip milkshake."
"So, where's your brother? Is he feeling better?"
"Um, I left him at the motel, he's still pretty tired."
"You sure that was wise?"
"Oh yeah."
"Robin said he's been sick and you came here so he could get some rest." she chattered on and Sam fell into an easy conversation with her. "So, why didn't you bring him with you?"
"Cause he's tired and when he's tired, he's cranky and I just didn't feel up to dealing with him whining. I wanted to enjoy the day and walk here and he would have complained all the way."
"So, you left him alone? Gee Sam, selfish much?" Sam raised an eyebrow. She had the grace to blush but laughed it off. "Hey, small town, remember? Every female, single and married in town has had an eye on the two of you."
"He usually doesn't like to let me outta his sight but sometimes I just need to get away from him, you know? Give him a couple of days, the medication he's on is keeping him pretty quiet, it's why I was able to leave him without him kicking up a fuss. Trust me, once he's adjusted to it, he'll be ready to come out and play."
"Mmm. Maybe we can make it a double date."
"You sure you want me to bring him along?" Sam joked. "I had to drug him to get him to be compliant."
"Well, someone has to watch him, right?"
"And feed him, he's getting this milkshake for dinner, you can make that with low-fat milk, right? How much chocolate do you think is in mint chocolate chip ice cream? Just the chips, right?"
Sam and Natalie continued their teasing conversation, paying no mind to the other people in line. One minute, Sam was standing in line, waiting for his order to be filled and the next, a woman was in his face and two police officers were wrestling his hands behind his back and slamming him against a wall.
"That one right there!" she announced, waggling a finger right in Sam's face. His instinct was to slap it away but his arms were restrained and when he attempted to shrug free, the hold tightened painfully. "How dare you! How dare you leave a two-year old child alone in a motel while you come out and arrange a date! What kind of father are you? You should be ashamed, ashamed I say! Some people don't deserve to be a parent! Of all the nerve!"
"What?" Sam sputtered, stunned. "Ma'am…."
"To leave a child all alone because you didn't want to deal with him whining? To drug him so you could leave him? How could you? All children complain, it's what kids do. You don't deserve to be anywhere near that boy. You selfish, sick man! You're a monster!"
Of all things anyone could say to him that would garner a reaction that was it. Sam's peaceful, fun demeanor fled and his lip curled into a snarl, giving the interfering woman such a look of hate that she actually stepped back. Natalie came around the counter, bewildered that everything was spiraling out of control.
"Officer, there's a misunderstanding." she began. "I have no idea what she's talking about, she must have Sam confused with someone else."
"Oh, I am mostly certainly not confused. I stood right here in line and heard your entire conversation! A hit with all the waitresses at Momma's, left at the motel because he was tired and cranky and you wanted to arrange a date! You drugged him to avoid having to deal with the poor boy throwing a fit over being left alone! You needed some time away from him! Giving him a milk shake for dinner! You make me ill!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Sam recovered his lost wits. "I didn't drug anyone!"
"Your two-year old son. Dean, I believe his name is."
"My son? Lady, what the hell…?" Sam desperately tried to regroup. "What? Wait, who's two?"
"There's been a mistake…" Natalie tried again.
"There's only one motel in town." the woman continued. "The fire department has been dispatched to find that poor boy and take him to the hospital."
"The..fire dep….." Sam jerked. "Are you out of your freaking mind?" he shook his head, finally catching up. "Dean is not my son, he's my brother and he is not two years old, he's 32.….."
"Months?" she scoffed. "24 months or 32 months, son or brother, it doesn't matter, a child that young…"
"Years." Sam sneered. For the love of god, how did he find himself in these situations? All he did was take a walk to get ice cream. A simple, normal activity millions of people did every day without being arrested and accused of child neglect. Over a child that didn't even exist! "My brother is 32 years old, he's not a child and he's been sick, he's on medication prescribed by his doctor, I didn't drug him."
"We'll just straighten this all out down at the station." one officer said.
"You will not get him back." the woman snapped. "He's better off with social services than with the likes of you."
Sam shrugged. "No one will be taking him anywhere because when the authorities burst into that motel room, they are going to find a 32-year-old man who won't be any too happy over being disturbed. By the way, I didn't get your name. Since you seem so interested in my business, I'd like to know who you are so when this is over and it's proven I didn't do anything wrong, I know where to find you."
The two police officers exchanged a look. That wasn't' exactly a threat, but it sounded ominous.
"Let's go buddy."
***000***
Dean was in the bathroom when he heard sirens outside in the parking lot. He didn't pay them much attention, wasn't unusual to hear such sounds in a motel. However, he didn't expect them to be right outside his room and went over to look out the window.
A fire truck, two ambulances, several police cars, both county and state, a news van and several unmarked vehicles that Dean would swear were FBI swarmed the parking lot. Huh, something big must be going down. Maybe a robbery or a warrant was being served…no….that wouldn't require medics or the fire department. Well, then perhaps it was a domestic dispute…..or someone was lost or lost a kid in the woods behind the motel, cause, yeah, that was certainly a helicopter he heard.
Watching from the window, Dean observed the police entering the motel office and come out with the employee on duty who pointed down the sidewalk towards his own room. Odd, he didn't remember anyone checking in next to their room. He didn't smell or see smoke and no fire alarm had gone off so he doubted there was a fire anywhere. So, back to robbery then? Hold up? Hostages?
Least he knew Sam was safe, he'd gone to town and was nowhere near the motel. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all leaving the Impala at Bobby's. Boy, didn't take much to get these small town folks in an uproar, better go find out what was going on. He looked down at his bare feet; best to dress first. He dropped the curtain and returned to the bathroom. Banging, not knocking on the door scared him shitless. No one was knocking, no, they were pounding with what sounded like an axe. He heard keys rattle in the lock and cursed. He had no weapons of any kind with him. He and Sam had come empty-handed, deciding for once not to always expect the worst.
"Son? Don't be scared! We aren't here to hurt you, you can come out." the door burst open and bounced off the wall, and several men barged in. Three police officers led the way with two paramedics on their heels. "Dean? It's ok, everything is going to be ok."
"Thought the kid was drugged." "Look under the bed." "Check the bathroom." "Probably scared to death."
Dean heard the voices shout out to one another but didn't process any of what they were saying. All he heard was his name and knew they were looking for him. What the fuck?
"Dean, we need you to come out now. No one is going to hurt you."
"Jack, I don't see any evidence of a child being in this room. No crib, no high chair, not even a toy, what kind of sick bastard treats a kid like this?"
"This outta be enough to keep him locked up til he gets a trial date, no judge is gonna give him bail, not in this county."
Dean pulled a shirt on and zipped his jeans. Kid? Crib? Drugs? Trial? Bail? What the hell was going on?
"Dean! I need you to come out, I need to see you, need to know where you are."
"Ok, ok, ok." Dean held his hands up in surrender. Better to go out and play stupid then be found cowering in the bathroom like he had something to hide. "You got me."
"Who the hell are you?"
"You looking for me?" he didn't know whether to be amused or angry. By the look of shock on the faces of the men who were crowding into his room, they hadn't encountered the situation they'd been expecting. "Can I help you all with something?"
"You aren't two."
"Two what?"
"Years old. Where's the child?"
"What child? There's no child here, just me." Dean remained where he was, the state police officer looked calm and in control of his emotions, the two local cops had drawn on him and looked ready to shoot first and look for missing child later. "I don't have a child…..so you got the wrong room." did these people think he had kidnapped a child?
"Your father….."
"My father?" Dean motioned to the guns still aimed at his head. "Think maybe you could, you know, get those outta my face?"
"Mind if we have a look around?" the state police officer asked calmly.
"Go ahead." Dean nodded, sending out a prayer of thanks that Sam had insisted no weapons on vacation. He didn't want to entertain the thought what would happen if those kinds of guns were found in their motel room. "Can I ask why you think there's a kid in here?
"Your father…..the child's father drugged his son and left him alone in their motel room. Kid's two years old."
"Huh, soooo, this dad…tall guy? Brown shaggy hair? Brown denim jacket?"
"Yup, know him?"
"Yeah." he sighed. "I do. Look, there's no kid here. I'm Dean, and I'm not two years old. I don't know what's going on or why you think I'm a kid but obviously, he's not my dad and I'm not two."
"So, the man we have in custody is…"
"My brother if you're talking about Sam." he felt the first stirring of unease. Sam being arrested wasn't a good thing. They hadn't counted on interacting with the police and hadn't taken steps to ensure their stories matched. "Police custody? What did he do?"
"Drugged you and left you alone in a motel room. It's illegal to leave a two-year old child alone and unattended." the state police officer explained. He'd been the only one to do any talking.
Dean couldn't help it, he tried, but the shit eating grin stole across his face. "Oh Sammy!" he burst out laughing. Best vacation ever! "Do I gotta go bail him out or you gonna release him?"
"In the morning, once this is all straightened out."
The smile vanished, the laughter abruptly ended and all traces of humor and amusement were wiped from his face. Dean's willingness to be cooperative evaporated. Sam was in jail and it was only 3 o'clock in the afternoon, there was no way in hell Dean was going to allow his brother to spend the night in jail. Not in this town. Not with the locals they'd seen walking the streets and in the bars, nuh-huh, not happening.
"There is nothing to straighten out. Tear this motel apart, go door to door, we've been here for over a week and no one has ever seen either of us with a kid. You won't find evidence or a witness that says differently so whoever you got your information from is full of shit. I'm in no mood to be dicked around, you will release him now, not tomorrow, or you won't like what'll happen, you hearing me? You got nothing to hold him on."
Dean strolled into the police station with a swagger, sucking his thumb and hugging a teddy bear. Sam sat in a chair next to a desk, one wrist cuffed to the chair's arm. A teddy bear? Seriously? Where the hell had he found a freaking teddy bear? He found this funny? Make him choke on that damn thumb.
"Pa!" Dean cooed. "How could you? Why'd you do it Pa? Go and leave me all alone?"
"Cut it out." Sam didn't move, head back against a filing cabinet, eyes closed.
"I's scared Daddy!"
"Knock it off."
Dean tossed the bear and slapped Sam on his knee. "Ice cream dude, all you had to do was walk to the store and buy me a milk shake. What the hell happened?"
"Met a girl." Sam kept all emotion from his face. He was relieved to see Dean, but not because he was afraid of spending the night in jail. No, seeing his brother walk into the station on his own without a police escort meant he had kept his temper when confronted at the motel. All Sam had to do was get him something to eat so he could take his meds. A simple act, retrieve a milkshake and even that hadn't gone right. Nothing was going right, Dean should be feeling better by now, not worse. Worst Vacation Ever!
"Aah, using the baby brother pick up line, huh? Okay, fine, but next time try including a babysitter in the story, you think?" Dean perched one hip on the corner of the desk next to the chair to which Sam was anchored. "So, you don't think they'll try to bill us for the rescue attempt of poor little ole me, do ya?"
"Shut up." he rattled the chain on his wrist. "You here cause they're letting me go?"
"Yeah, no charges were filed. You ok?" Dean asked quietly, lowering his voice so they wouldn't be overheard. "No overzealous prick I need to take out for police brutality?"
"No."
"No cell mate named Bubba?"
Sam allowed his mouth to quirk. "Been parked here in this chair since they brought me in."
Dean nodded, satisfied. "K then, let's get you outta here."
***000***
Sam went to the diner the following morning for breakfast. Robin waved him to her table and sat down across from him with a coffee pot.
"All alone today?" she paused with the pot and he nodded, grateful that he could enjoy as much coffee as he wanted without feeling guilty. He hadn't been drinking any in front of Dean because it was the right thing to do. Dean wouldn't have extended him the same courtesy, but hey, it was one less thing he had to listen to Dean whine about.
"Yeah, he's sleeping in, not feeling too great." Sam reached for the sugar. Dean hadn't had a good night. Neither of them had brought up the reason, but both knew it was due to the panic Dean had felt over the thought of Sam having to spend the night in jail.
"Heard about yesterday." she looked around to make sure she wasn't neglecting any of her other tables.
"Everyone has." he stirred milk into his coffee. "Natalie, huh?"
"Yeah, kinda funny, don't ya think?" she grinned. "Most excitement this town has had in years. Everyone's been talking about nothing else all morning."
"Not really." but he gave her a grin. "All the things that have happened in my life, all the things I've seen, all the things I know about, just when I don't think there's anything left that can surprise me, waa-lah, along comes Dean. Who else can be mistaken for a two-year old neglected kid?"
"Careful, never know who might be eavesdropping and picking up every other word and coming to their own conclusions." she got up. "Got other tables, what can I get you?"
"Pancakes, side of bacon, thanks." he sipped his coffee, inhaling the wonderful scent. "Oh, cup of fruit to go, it's mostly melons right? With seedless grapes? And…" he skimmed the menu. "Plain bagel, cream cheese on the side and you might as well leave me the pot."
"So, he gets fed this morning."
"Try it anyway."
"Huh, well, if he feels better, let me know, he has my number. Maybe the four of us can go bowling and catch a movie."
"Aaah, sure, sounds like fun, can go to dinner."
"Well, here in town, this is about it, but the nearest town is…."
"Great Falls, yeah, I know." Sam gave a shy smile at her look. "His doctor recommended being near a hospital. I decided I could live with one being thirty minutes away."
"If you don't mind me asking, just how sick is he?"
"Not sick, not really, he's still adjusting to a diet and the medication, don't worry, he's not contagious." Sam glanced around the small diner. It really was a nice cozy atmosphere and everyone they'd met here so far had been friendly. He hadn't seen the woman from the ice cream store in here at all, thank god. "How about Tuesday? Long as he feels up to it, we'll drive over to Great Falls and catch a movie and have dinner."
"Sounds good, I work days and Natalie can switch her hours around should she be working that night, give me a call."