MC4A
Fill: 10
Prompt: 4A (Cold)
Representations: Dean Winchester; Sam Winchester; John Winchester; Losing a loved one
Bonus Challenges: Where Angels Fear; Gingersnap; Second Verse (Queen Bee; Lovely Coconuts; These Boots; Strange Potato; Machismo; Toto's Tribute; Misshapen Pods; Mouth of Babes)
Stacked with: Winter Bingo; Romance Challenge; NCR; FF; SoC; LL; NC; ToS; BAON; New Fandom Smell (N); In a Flash (N); Fandom List C (Y); Wee!chesters (Y); He's My Brother (N); Tiny Terror (N); Fire Time (Y)
Word Count: 533
Dean stared at the burning building in front of him, holding his brother close as he waited for his dad to come back out of what had been their home. His father had told Dean to take Sammy and run, so he had. Now he waited for his dad to return. He sighed in relief when he saw the familiar figure emerge and looked around wildly for his mother. She never came out and he sagged against his father for support. The silent tears on his father's face told him all he needed to know. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
His father eventually directed him into the car and he sat, distracting himself by playing with Sammy. His brother didn't know yet that his mother was gone, he had been woken up in the middle of the night and now he was giggling as Dean played with his fingers. Dean made a promise then and there that he would do all he could to protect Sammy from losing his joy.
He didn't pay attention as his father turned the engine on and drove away from their home. The flames were dying down now—aided by the firefighters and the light rain that had started up. He let his father guide him and Sammy into a motel room, covering his little brother as much as he could from the misting rain on the journey from the car to the room.
His father collapsed onto one of the beds and Dean saw his shoulders start to shake. He left him alone and focused all his attention on Sammy. If he thought about why they were in this motel instead of home, or why it was only the three of them; he'd lose what little control he was clinging to.
Not entirely sure of what to do but having watched his mother do it several times, Dean started getting Sammy ready for sleep. Sammy knew the motions and he recognised them for what they were, going along with his brother for which Dean was grateful for.
Once he was settled in, Sammy asked, "Ma?"
Dean let out an involuntary sob at the reminder that she wasn't there before pushing it back down. He wouldn't break down in front of Sammy, he'd be strong for his brother. "She's not here anymore, Sammy. It's just you, me, and Dad."
Sammy held out his hand and started tugging Dean down when his brother held it. Dean went willingly and curled around his baby brother, not letting the tears escape. His eyes landed on his father curled around himself and he wondered if he was noticing the differences of not having Dean's mother in his bed to curl around.
Sammy was a warm patch of comfort and Dean was soaking in every inch of that warmth. Was his father cold? Was he feeling the cold patch of the mattress that would normally be the place Dean's mother lay? Dean looked down at Sammy who shifted closer to him. Gently, he picked his brother up and moved them next to their father. They weren't Mary, but they could help fend off the empty coldness of the motel bed.