The world was suddenly brighter. Light danced around his upturned lips and seemed to scatter the darkness. The shadows lingered in the valleys of his cheeks as they deepened with the brilliance of his smile. The dips proved fluid and a terrible place to flee from the light as his laughter boomed and dispelled any remaining doubt. Sam was happy. Dean hadn't seen him that carefree in such a long time and his eyes memorized the dimples as his smile widened once again even as his heart memorized the feeling of contentment. He'd use that some day to remind him why he kept up this brutal pace and why he had less than a year left on earth.
Dean watched, trying to catch his breath, as Sam went after the culprit. The author of the sticky, albeit hilarious, mess they found themselves in. Liz was a precocious college girl that Sammy knew through Jessica. She had contacted Sam after some of Jessica's things had gone missing. Thinking he may have come by to get them she called and they caught up on life after Jessica. Turns out the intruder was just an over zealous new roomie who was cleaning up and didn't know that she wasn't being helpful. Things worked out on that end but the two still kept in touch periodically.
It seems that Liz was visiting her parents outside Albuquerque when the brothers were driving through between cases. So they set up a meet. Much to Dean's annoyance they were invited to the family barbecue that Saturday. Sam had readily accepted then pestered Dean into going. It was the Fourth of July and hot as hell in New Mexico. The aroma from the back yard quickly improved Dean's outlook on the event and he was completely won over when Liz's older brother turned out to be a Chevy man. They spent the afternoon tinkering under the hood of the Impala and downing cold beers between swapping stories of their conquests. Sam spent the day with Liz and her younger brother debating the particulars of a certain local legend.
All in all it was a pretty relaxing day. The event was considered well worth any discomfort on Dean's part when Liz attacked Sammy with the watermelon. It seems his lil bro had said something about a party and Liz's drunken escapades ,that he had promised to never repeat, In the presence of both her brothers who now had ample blackmail material. She started throwing everything close by. The watermelon came first and was followed closely by her glass of sweet tea. Dean was splattered by both but couldn't find it in himself to be pissed. It was too damn funny watching Sammy get walloped on by a girl half his size and she beat him down with food of all things.Sam's shocked face got Dean smiling. When he got steamed Dean died laughing. Poor Sam tried not to crack a smile but he couldn't hold back when he saw Dean laughing so hard. It became a vicious cycle. The brothers laughed even harder and fed off each others merriment.
Yup; Dean decided that he liked happy Sam. This moment, the memories made his sacrifice worth it. Without Sam he would never have made an honest to god friend in the form of Liz's brother and without Sam the world would be a dark and scary place. Sure he was going to the scariest place imaginable but he would always have his time with Sam to carry with him. All the good things would live on in his heart and no one could take them away. He was going to take on hellfire and damnation with a grin on his face and the light of Sammy's laugh in his heart.