A joyful squeal jingled in the cold, clear air of that winter morning.
A child toddled out of a motel room, wrapped up in three layers of clothing and a winter coat that was way too big for him. A few steps on the slippery street and he tripped on his ski boots, over sized for him, but he laughed as he found his mouth filled with powdery snow.
-Sammy! Wait for me!- another child shouted, running after the other.
He was a few years older, and he was clearly supposed to look after him.
He reached for him and helped him stand up, then, hand in hand, they ran towards the little playground on the other side of the street.
The two children stood still at the edge of the yard, in awe of the white wonder in front of them.
For Sam, being barely six, it was the first time he had ever seen snow, and he was kind of frightened by the thought of ruining that white, frozen perfection.
It was up to Dean, that was the name of the older child, to dissipate his doubts.
He tightened the hold on his hand and gazed at him with a look that meant "Trust me, we're doing this together". The clouds of fear in Sam's eyes were melted away by a shining joy. He smiled fondly, completely relying on his big brother.
-On the count of three, and we jump.- Dean said, and then began to count.
The leaped and landed heavily on the thirty centimeters high snow cover, they both lost their balance and fell forward, their laughters echoing through the desert street.
They got up quickly and ran towards the high slide.
Dean helped Sam to climb the little, slippery, frozen ladder, and then went waiting for him on the other side.
-Don't be afraid, I'm here to catch you.- he said when he saw his little brother doubting in front of the long, snowy slide.
His encouraging smile was just the push Sam needed.
And when he slid down, pushing all the cracking snow down with him, he shouted very loudly his brother's name.
Right before his little feet touched the ground Dean picked him up, held him close, smacked a kiss on his flushed cheeks and then put him on his shoulders and ran away from the slide.
They tried every single thing on that playground, from the swing to the horse-shaped spring riders, from the seesaw to the roundabout. Sam was constantly laughing, scampering around, admiring the imprints he left on the snow and the crackling sound the snow made beneath his feet, and Dean, always following him right behind, was smiling with such a full and extraordinary cheerfulness, which was very rare in the weird, troubled life they lived.
After a while, little Sammy, tired and breathless of running and laughing, sat down in the snow and looked up to his brother, who reached promptly for him.
-So, how's snow?- he asked smiling fondly.
-Super!- Sam answered, still excited even if tired.
-You know what else we can do with it?- Dean said, giggling at his little brother's confusion.
-A snowman!- he shouted out, leaping up.
Sam followed him with a gleeful cry, all his tiredness already forgotten.
They worked probably for hours, shaping up the three, big snowballs that would made the snowman's body, and looking for little stones and branches to decorate him.
At the end, Sam gave him also his beanie, which was anyway too big for him, and smiled fondly at him.
-What's his name?- Dean asked, looking proudly at their work.
-Bobby.- Sam answered firmly.
-I think he likes it.- Dean said, writing it down on the snow with a stick.
Sam beamed a smile, but he was clearly tired and cold.
-Now Bobby's going to sleep, why don't we go as well?- the older child asked, picking his little brother up into his arms.
Sam moaned in agreement and leaned his head on Dean's shoulders.
-Bye bye, Bobby.- he mumbled to the snowman, waving a hand towards him.
When they got to their motel room he was already dozing.
John, their father, had left without a word, leaving two plastic bags full of food and some money for emergencies. Dean's happiness cracked a little when he saw them, because they meant that he could be gone for more than two days, but, as he always did, he tried not to think about it by focusing on Sammy.
He helped him getting rid of his coat, boots and a few layers of clothing, leaving him in his nightclothes, then put him to bed and tucked the covers in.
-Try to get some rest. When you wake we eat something, okay?- he said, sweetly.
Sam nodded, and closed his eyes.
He went locking up the door, and then got to the bathroom to have an hot shower, to wash away cold and disappointment.
He was, once again, alone with a burden that was really too heavy for a ten years old boy, but his father didn't seem to care.
When he got back in the bedroom, Sam was still awake.
-Hey Sammy, you okay?- he asked, reaching for him.
Sam shook his head. Even though the thick pajamas and the two duvets, he was still shivering.
Dean thought that maybe, if he got it on time, he wouldn't get sick again.
So, he took another woolen blanket from a wardrobe, put it on the bed, and then crawled beneath the covers and drew Sam close.
The younger one nestled in his brother's arms like a scared hedgehog, putting his little, frozen hands beneath his shirt and sticking his feet between his legs.
After a while he stopped shivering and he relaxed a bit, without stepping away though.
Dean's warmth and closeness reassured him, his scent of milk and soap smelled like home, and his breath could cradle him more than any lullaby.
-I love you.- he muttered with a sleepy voice and a peaceful smile.
A few moments later, he was fast asleep.
-Me too, Sammy. Me too.- Dean whispered back, even though he couldn't hear him anymore.
And after having placed a soft kiss on his forehead he allowed himself to relax.
Less than a minute later, he was sleeping soundly too.