Disclaimer: the characters of "Supernatural" were created by Eric Kripke and are owned by the CW Network and Warner Brothers Studio. No Profit is being made.
This novella first appeared in the fanzine, Route 666 #2, June 2009
Reader notes: The completely revised version exists only in print. I wasn't able to find the saved final version on my computer from the Editors of Route 666, so apologies for any blatant issues.
I wrote this as my version of a TV tie-in book, when I had finished a "Supernatural" tie-in novel that I did not enjoy, so I started writing this back in late 2008 and finished it in early 2009. The intro lyric blurb was just added and does not exist in the print version.
*** This story takes place during Season One sometime after "Faith" ***
I hope you enjoy this novella and I will post it chapter by chapter rather than all at once. I will post a new chapter once or twice a week. Happy reading, I hope!
The Architecture of Brotherhood
By Dawn Nyberg
"…Oh if the sky comes falling down, for you, there's nothing in this world I wouldn't do…" ~ lyrics by Avicii, "Hey Brother"
Chapter One
Wooded area – Valdosta, Georgia
Sam could feel his body being jostled, and lifted from under his arms to a sitting position. His head felt like a boulder pulling his neck back at an uncomfortable arch until something firm and soft cupped the back of his head, and eased it against something warm and solid. He heard a voice in the dark recesses of his foggy brain; it was familiar and calling to him, 'Sammy.' It was the voice of his brother Dean and now it was commanding him to do something.
"Open your eyes, Sam," Dean's voice was assertive like their father's was, and he tried to obey. His eyes fluttered as he fought toward awareness. "That's it Sammy, come on."
Sam's brown eyes slipped open slowly, fighting to focus and immediately looked into the concerned hazel-green eyes of his older brother. "You with me Sammy?"
"It's Sam," the younger Winchester tried to sound annoyed at his childhood nickname, but it fell short. He soon realized that he was being held by his brother in a sitting position with his head propped against Dean's chest and the crook of an arm. He started to sit up on his own, and Dean slowed his momentum with a hand.
"Easy Sam," he encouraged. "You hit your head when that skin walker threw you."
"Where is it?" Sam asked looking around wearily.
"Taken care of."
"I missed all the fun," Sam quipped offering a slight smile. "Man, for someone so anti-chick flick moment this is a classic." And, continued to sit up fully without help pulling away from Dean. He glanced back at his brother with a smirk as if to reinforce that his older brother holding him was in deed a bona fide chick flick moment.
"Shut up." Dean pursed his lips in annoyance.
"Jerk." Sam smiled.
"Bitch." Dean replied straight-faced, but with a glint in his eyes.
Dean pulled himself up in order to offer his younger brother a hand up. Sam took the offered hand to stand, and promptly began to sway. "You sure you're okay," Dean asked his voice concerned as he studied his brother while holding his arm to steady him.
"Yeah, head rush. I'm good."
"All right," Dean's voice was hesitant, but he let go of Sam and he didn't sway again. "Let's get out of here."
"Dean?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we take a break for a few days?" Dean looked at his younger brother with surprise. It wasn't exactly something he expected Sam to ask. "I mean, I know you like to look for the next job ASAP, but…" Sam looked at his brother and saw a mix of confusion and concern passing across his face. "Never mind." Sam started past his brother, but Dean reached out and caught the sleeve of his jacket.
"No," Dean began. "Sam, if you need a break just say so." He looked at his little brother for a long moment and saw the dark circles under his eyes and the tight lines around his mouth. He was only twenty-two, but he looked older, and Dean knew it was exhaustion. After all, Sam hardly slept because of nightmares, and the older Winchester knew he had been pushing his brother harder than he should, and now he looked at Sam and saw the damage, really saw it. Sam had left Stanford after Jess's death and started hunting again. It was too much, too fast.
Sam was quiet as he felt himself under the close scrutiny of his brother's gaze.
"Spring Break!" Dean shouted suddenly startling Sam, so much that he actually ducked thinking there was some other spook about to attack.
"What?" Sam snapped as the words sunk in and the state of alarm left his body.
"Spring break, man," Dean said with a wide grin. "I mean it's March right? That's what you college kids do in March. You know P-A-R-R-T-Y," Dean purposefully drew out the R's to accentuate them to his little brother. Sam rolled his eyes.
"Damn Dean, you scared the crap out me. You're a freak you know that?"
"I know you are, but what am I," Dean said with a smirk. Sam just shook his head in frustration.
"Are you sure you're the older one?" His voice annoyed.
"Me, big brother, you little brother. So, you know what that means?"
"No, but I bet you're gonna tell me, huh?"
"I'm your elder so you have to respect me," Dean said with a chuckle.
Sam rolled his eyes, "Bite me." and, started to walk away toward his brother's black '67 Impala.
"You know that attitude is why I always got the extra cookie growing up." Dean quipped after his brother. Sam just flipped him off as he continued to walk away. Dean trotted to catch up to him, and grabbed his arm. "Wait, Sam."
"What?"
"I meant what I said about taking a vacation. We'll take a week off. You know spring break. Sun and fun, that's how it works, right? You can relax and I can do what I do best."
"Yeah, and what's that?"
"Make the ladies tingle in all the right spots."
"Man, that ego's still writing checks it can't cash," Sam, said shaking his head.
"It's not an ego when it's the truth." Dean offered.
"Yeah-yeah. So, I get to relax and you get laid."
Dean looked at his brother. "Now, now Sammy, it's not my fault I was always the ladies man growing up."
It was the truth really, Sam thought. Dean was always really good with the ladies over the years while they were growing up. He would flash that smile and puff up like a rooster, and it always worked. Sam was always more reserved. But, then he had met Jess, and she had changed his life. When Dean had met her he told her point blank that she was way out his brother's league. And, Sam had to agree, but he'd never say that to Dean. Jess had loved him and he shared a life with her that he was sure he'd never know again. Dean must have noticed the distant look that came over his brother, "Sam?"
"Yeah," the younger Winchester said as his brother's voice drew him away from his thoughts.
"Where'd you go?" Dean knew the answer, but didn't want to lead on.
"Huh? I'm right here. So, where to?"
"You mean you're up for it?"
"Well, the P-A-R-R-T-Y thing wasn't exactly my college experience," Sam replied mimicking his brother from earlier. "But, I'm game. So, where to? Kicking back in Ft. Lauderdale?"
"No, what about Miami? You know South Beach?" Dean saw Sam smile and shake his head in this knowing fashion. "What?" He replied innocently.
"You know what," Sam offered. "Just how many chica's do you plan on having quality time with, eh? Just remember I'm not sticking up for your ass when one of their boyfriend's is coming for your head."
"Have some faith in me, little brother. I can handle my stuff." Sam snorted a laugh at that statement.
"I'm well aware you can handle your stuff you've never stopped telling me since I was fourteen. All I can say is don't go impregnating half of South Beach while were there." Dean was the one to roll his eyes now.
"What do you take me for Sammy? I know the rule after all," he offered with a pause. "Dad filled me in when I was sixteen."
"Oh really," Sam replied sarcastically. "Dad gave you the sex talk?"
"Sure."
"And, what enlightenment did Dad bestow on you?"
"No glove, no love." Dean answered with a big smile. Sam just shook his head and muttered.
"I can't believe I'm apart of this DNA pool. Are you sure I wasn't adopted?" Dean smiled at his younger brother.
"Sorry, Sammy. You know family, can't live with them, and you can't live without them. You gotta love genetics. Come on." Dean motioned to the car. "I figure it'll take us about sixteen hours to get to Miami. We'll drive through the night and be there when the sun's up."
"We're really doing this?"
"Yeah."
"But?"
"But, what?"
"What if Dad text messages with coordinates while we're there, or a job comes up?"
"Now, if you're not the pot calling the kettle black. We are on vacation officially this minute. And, the way I look at it jobs and Dad's occasional text messages will all be waiting for us in a week. Come on." Dean cuffed the back of Sam's head playfully as they turned to walk to the car.
Sam had offered to drive the first part and Dean let him partly because he wanted to make sure his head was okay from earlier and didn't want him to go asleep right away, but also driving seemed to relax his younger brother sometimes and kept his mind from becoming to muddled with things. Dean talked with Sam for a while, and dozed off without even realizing he had. Sam glanced over at the passenger seat after ten minutes of silence had filled the space of the car. The older Winchester was fast asleep leaning against his arm on the window. Sam drove down the highway and started following the exits for I-95 south to Miami. He had stopped for gas and managed somehow not to disturb Dean. He figured his brother must be really tired. Sam felt like he was on autopilot, and just kept driving. The sun was rising and Sam noted that the sky was pink and purple with cobalt blue streaks that branched out like limbs from a tree. The palm trees along the roads edge reminded him of centurions standing guard, and for the first time in months he felt the tension in his shoulders begin to release.
Dean stirred against the window, and then opened his eyes. He looked out the passenger window and then turned his head toward Sam. "You drove too long, Sam. Pull over and we'll switch."
"I'm in a groove."
"Oh, yeah. Well groove on over to that rest area and we'll switch."
"All right." Sam acquiesced. Dean glanced at the gas gauge.
"When did you stop and fill up," he couldn't believe he had slept through it and became irritated with himself.
"A little bit ago. Yeah, miracles do happen I suppose. I couldn't believe you kept sleeping either. Dean glanced at his brother for a long moment. Sometimes it felt like the kid read his mind. "Not a big deal, man. It's not like were in some dangerous hunt or something. Vacation, remember?"
Dean smiled, "Yeah."
Sam pulled the Impala into a parking spot and opened the door. He stretched his back, and then turned to his brother looking at him over the roof of the car. "Catch," he said lightly and tossed the keys to Dean. "I gotta use the restroom before we hit the road again."
"Yeah, I'm feelin' ya on that one." The brothers walked the rest area bathroom.
Dean followed the signs as they reached the outer rim of Miami. The traffic was starting to back up on the 95, and the older Winchester sighed in frustration. He looked over at Sam and he was fast asleep. Sam's bangs covered his forehead and his face was peaceful, and in that moment Dean smiled because he truly saw his little brother not some older looking version with tight lines and dark circles waking from a nightmare. This break would do them both some good.
South Beach – Miami, Florida
"Hey Sammy, we're here," Dean lightly tapped his brother's chest. Sam opened his eyes slowly and the first thing he saw was a group of girls walking down the sidewalk in thong bikinis. And, he wasn't surprised at all to see his brother staring at them with a huge smile.
"Watch the traffic Don Juan it's stopping."
"Yeah," Dean's reply sounded like an after thought and Sam knew his brother was still staring.
"Dean!" Sam raised his voice.
"What!" Dean glared at his younger brother. "Ah, man, you made me miss it," Dean's voice was deflated.
"Miss what?"
"She was going to bend over for that towel."
"You're kidding me, right?" Sam was exasperated. "Snap out of it, you horn dog. You gotta watch the traffic. You just about rear ended that car."
"Sam traffic is bumper to bumper. We're moving at two miles an hour. I can watch the road and the ladies at the same time. It's called multi-tasking. Man, you're like an old lady. Loosen up."
"I am loose," Sam said quietly in a huff. Dean looked at his brother and chuckled.
"Sam, you've never been loose. Never ever."
"Sit and spin."
"There's my Sammy."
"Again, it's Sam."
"Yeah-yeah."
"Hey, man cool car," a voice from outside Dean's rolled down window spoke. There was a young guy on a Ducati motorcycle next to the Impala, and a young girl hanging onto him.
"Thanks," Dean answered and eyed the motorcycle, "nice ride." And, then he thought this might be a good chance to find out where to stay. "Hey, do you know a good place to stay? My brother and I just got in."
"Man, you're kidding right? Everything's full. This place books up month's in advance." The young guy leaned down and glanced further into the car and looked at Sam, and then leaned back up and spoke, "Look my parent's have a summer house down here and they let me have it during spring break. I got plenty of room, plus you'll be able to park this sweet machine off the street and out of the sun."
"Hey, we don't wanna put you out or anything." Dean answered.
"It's not. I'm Josh by the way, and this is my girlfriend Sarah. And, some other friends and family will be getting in over today and tomorrow."
"I'm Dean and this is my little brother Sam." The older Winchester saw Sam bristle at the little brother introduction. Josh noticed, too, and chuckled.
"Hey, Sam, don't sweat it. I've got an older brother too. I'm twenty-four, and he still thinks I'm ten, and introduces me as his little brother." Sam offered a smile at that. "Hey, traffic is finally moving."
"Man, the traffic is a bitch here," Dean grumbled.
"It's Ocean Drive on South Beach kind of goes with the territory." Josh answered. "Hey follow me to my parent's place."
"Lead on."
They drove for a few minutes and finally turned off and Josh pulled up to a guardhouse with a gate. He motioned for Dean to drive forward and the guard handed him a pass to hang on his rear-view mirror to get in and out if he had to leave. "Damn, Dean. His parents are like rich. Look at these houses. This is like lifestyles of the rich and famous." Sam was wide-eyed. He figured they'd be at a condo or something, but not a palatial ocean-view home.
"Boy, did we hit the jackpot or what, Sammy?"
"Sam, Sam, Sam. The name is Sam."
"Don't go and have an aneurysm, man."
The younger Winchester decided to ignore the elder one and continued to look at the houses. Josh turned up a steep driveway lined with palm trees and bright flowers and Dean followed. Sam saw the place first through the landscaping on his side of the car. "Holy crap," he said suddenly. Dean snapped his head toward his brother suddenly on full alert, but he saw no danger.
"Dammit Sam, what's your deal?" His voice snapped as his heart rate slowed. He watched Sam point.
"Look." And, Dean followed Sam's pointing finger through the lush landscaping and his mouth parted slightly in awe.
"So, this is how the other half lives, huh? Sweet."
Josh parked his motorcycle and walked toward a four-car garage. He motioned for Dean to wait a second while a punched a code into a box and a garage door opened. "Go ahead, man. It's all yours."
"Thanks. You sure nobody else is going to need the garage?"
"Nah, no worries. Most of the others will arrive by the airport shuttle."
"Okay."
Josh showed Dean and Sam around the large home. "I think either of these rooms will work. Take your pick."
"We can take that one," Dean offered.
"You guys don't have to share. I meant you both could choose which room you want."
"What about the others coming?"
"Only four more are showing up, and the others have a time share."
"Well, if it's cool then I'll take this one."
"Go for it." Josh said with a smile. "Here Sam follow me down the hall to your room."
Josh showed Sam around the roomy space and showed him the view. "I gotta ask you Josh," Sam began.
"What?"
"I mean you don't even know my brother and me, and to invite us into your home. It's just…" "Well, I figure with Kansas plates you can't be too dangerous. And, I had the space and figured why not. Plus, your brother's car looks great in the garage. Hey, what college do you guys go to anyway?"
A voice cleared at the doorway and both young men turned to see Dean. "Sammy here is a Stanford boy."
"Oh yeah, UCLA," Josh said with a smile looking at Sam. "What about you Dean?"
"Me? College wasn't my deal. I guess you could say I went into the family business with our Dad."
"Oh, yeah, what's that?"
"Investigation."
"Cool, you're like a private detective or something."
"Or something," Dean said with a smirk.
"My Dad's a plastic surgeon not super exciting. So, you like Stanford Sam?" The younger Winchester's eyes shifted suddenly down and then back to Josh.
"I'm taking a break right now."
"Yeah, well, nothin' wrong with that. I took a year off after high school and went back packing and goofed off the entire time."
"Yeah," Sam's voice was soft. "Excuse me I gotta use the bathroom."
"Sure." Josh glanced at Dean apologetically. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry."
"No," Dean began. "Stanford has some bad memories for him." Dean motioned Josh out into the hall with him, so they were out of ear shot from Sam. "Normally, I'd keep this between Sam and me, but he may wake the house up a few times while we're here and I don't want everyone to freak."
Josh's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"He has nightmares, okay? And, sometimes they're really bad."
"Oh."
"Something happened while he was at school, a fire. Sam survived it, but his girlfriend didn't. He has nightmares about her."
"Christ," Josh said in a hushed voice. "I didn't mean to make him think about…"
"It's okay, he knows you had no idea. And, please, don't let him know I told you."
"I won't say a word, man. And, there are only two rooms on this side of the house anyway, nobody will hear if he has another one of those nightmares. So, no worries."
"Thanks, Josh. You really helped us out by giving us a place to stay."
"It's cool, really. Well, I better get downstairs to Sarah before she starts wondering what happened. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge or to go swimming, whatever man."
"Thanks."
Josh left and Dean went back into the room and found the sliding glass door open and saw Sam leaning out on his own private balcony facing the ocean. He walked quietly out there. He noticed the ocean breeze was buffeting Sam's hair and his eyes were closed. "You okay?" Sam opened his eyes and looked toward the direction of his brother's voice.
"Yeah."
Later that night after the others had showed up including extra guests just there to mingle and party Josh had asked Dean and Sam to join them at local club and bar. Sam declined, but encouraged Dean to go. "Sam, I can stay. The house will be empty."
"Now, Dean, who's being the old lady? I'm a big boy despite what you might think. Go do your thing. And, anyway Josh has is letting you use his brother's bike. You can't pass up a sweet ride like that. I'm fine here. Maybe, I'll take a walk on the beach or something. I'm good."
"If you're sure," Dean's voice was hesitant.
"Yeah, go." And, Dean started to turn to go. "Hey?" Dean turned back toward his brother.
"What?"
"Remember no glove, no love."
Dean's face broke into a wide smile. "Got it covered, little brother. Later, then?"
"Yeah, later. Bye."
And, within twenty minutes the house was completely empty except for Sam who wondered around downstairs and then back up to his room where he sat down in a chair on the balcony and watched the surf roll in. The moon cast across the water making the cresting foam sparkle against the dark water. He decided to take a walk on the beach, after all, this portion of the beach was private for the property owner's only, and he wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of revelers.