Character/Pairing: Dean, Sam
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Season 2 finale
Word Count: 719
Prompt: "So Small" by Carrie Underwood

"While you're sittin' 'round thinking about what you can't change / and worryin' about all the wrong things / Time's flying by, moving so fast / You better make it count, 'cause you can't get it back"

Written for the round 5 challenge at http://community-livejournal-com/prettystickers/ (replace - with . to enable link)

"Sam, there's nothing I can do!" Dean yelled, and he hated it. 9 months left to live just isn't enough time. He let out a deep breath and tried to calmly continue. "If I try to get out of this, you die." He had deliberately put off telling Sam; if he said it out loud, there was no going back.

This was six days ago—and so far Sam hadn't slept or showered or spoken (except the occasional shushing and swatting when Dean tried to see what was so time consuming) and Dean was starting to snap. How were they supposed to kill demons when Sam was researching all day? How were they going to save people's lives if Sam didn't do anything but type on the computer? Granted, Sam did pause to shove food in his mouth three times a day (sometimes four), and he did occasionally pick up a book, but how was Dean supposed to make his mark on the world before he died if they never left their room? He had to make these last months count, and not being able to fight this demonic war they'd been put in the middle of was getting to him.

"Dean, I have a surprise for you."

"About time, goddammit." Dean swung his legs off the bed and walked over to Sam. "What the hell was taking you so lo—"

Dean isn't surprised very often; in his line of work you have to always be prepared (like Boy Scouts, but with guns and rock salt). But when Sam showed him a nine-month calendar full to the brim of things that Dean had always said he wanted to do (and a couple of things he didn't), Dean was unprepared. Sam jumped out of his chair to let Dean sit down and marvel at all of his plans: A cruise to the Bahamas, a trip to the Great Wall of China, pubs in England and Ireland, Broadway shows in New York, an African Safari, and … a drive through the Grand Canyon.

At first, Dean was upset; Sam had just assumed that he wanted to do all of this, and forget about hunting, and Dean doesn't think he's ready to do that. Maybe a few months ago, he was, but now … he isn't sure. So he sat in silence for a bit, looking at all the plans Sammy had made to make his last months worthwhile.

"This is what you've been working on?"

"Yes." Dean was quiet for a long time.

"I don't know what to say, Sam." His voice was cracked, like he was holding back a lump in his throat. "Hunting … it's been my life. I can't just put it down, pack all the stuff away, and forget it, can I? I can't put it all down, and forget it, I … What legacy can I leave if we're frolicking around the country on a road trip?"

"Dean, what do you think we do for a living if we're not on an extended road trip? A couple of months ago you were ready to put everything aside, and give up hunting to have a little fun! Don't you think that family is more important than what we do? It's the reason we do what we do, Dean, and isn't having some good times with your little brother before you die more important than having the world remember your name?"

Dean cries about as often as he gets surprised, which isn't very often. He knows what Sam says is true, and if there were ever any doubts in his mind that what was brought back by the Crossroads Demon wasn't 100 percent Sam, there aren't anymore. He wipes his face with the back of his hand and nods at Sam.

Sam smiles. "We should get some provisions then, yeah?"

"I'll pick up some peanut M&M's and Fritos at the gas station on the way out of town." Because Dean knows that what is important is to decide what to do with the time that was given to him, instead of worrying about things he can't do anything about. What would he do without Sam?

"Dean, seriously? I'm surprised you don't fall over and die because of lack of nutrients or something!"

"Sammy, Sammy. Peanuts have protein, don't worry."

fin.

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