This story first appeared in the zine Blood Brothers
Ups and Downs
Dean wasn't sure why he'd let Sam talk him into this one, but he'd always considered regrets a waste of time.
Until now.
He knew Sam was somewhere nearby—he'd been beside him, hadn't he?—but Dean was having real trouble focusing. Hey, it was kinda hard while he was being dragged into the air, leaving even the treetops below his feet. He couldn't move. He could barely breathe. And still it took him higher and higher. How much farther before he couldn't breathe at all? The air was already getting thin…
Dean closed his eyes, heart hammering against his chest.
The thing lurched, and, suddenly, he was falling. But…he still had a grip on it, right? There was no friggin' way he was going to let it get the better of Dean Winchester.
It jerked him this way and that as if trying to dislodge him, yet its hold on him was still painfully tight. He was certain he couldn't take any more when there was a brilliant flash of light. Then, it all stopped. And in the next instant he was free. Except…he couldn't move.
"Dean!"
Strong hands grabbed him, hauled him to his feet. Sam.
Dean took a few stumbling steps as he tried to remember how to breathe.
"You okay?"
Dean's fist tightened in his brother's shirt. "You are so dead."
Sam laughed, then gave a whoop. "You're a virgin!"
"Shut up." Dean let go and took a tentative step, making sure his legs were working again.
"You've never been on a rollercoaster before."
"And you have?"
"Yeah! Jess and I went to Six Flags on breaks."
"Good for you. It wasn't exactly an expense Dad could afford."
"Hey, these tickets were free, man! I didn't know the guy worked for Anhaeuser-Busch. Score!"
"Well, the next time someone wants to pay us for a job, cash works really well, too."
Sam laughed again. "Oh, come on. Don't be a wuss."
Dean gave his brother the finger.
Sam let out another burst of laughter.
Dean pursed his lips; it really wasn't that funny. "Okay, that's enough, laughing boy." He turned, saw Sam pointing, laughing so hard, there were tears in his eyes. Dean found what he was pointing at and cringed. They had taken a picture. The sight of which was driving Sam to hysterics.
"Look at your face!" Sam said through the laughter, that high-pitched sound Dean liked to hear because his brother didn't laugh very often. Normally, it made Dean smile. Today…not so much. He kept walking. And let a smile Sam couldn't see touch his face.
It was okay, really. Though he'd never tell Sam. And he'd have his revenge, too. Because he knew that deeper in the park, just past the Italian Pavilion, was a fun house just loaded with killer clowns…
A/N: The idea for this came to me during a trip to Busch Garden in Virginia around Halloween... :)