From the 'Heart'
by
Moviemom44
Author's Note: Both of these drabbles were inspired by 'Heart' (S2.17) and are actually excerpts from a full-length one-shot I've been working on for some while now. Both take place in the hallway of Madison's apartment, before the final shot. The first is a bit of dialogue I dreamed up. The second uses the actual line of dialogue from the episode, but is my take on what Dean was thinking at Sam's lowest moment.
Sam smiled darkly and huffed out a humorless laugh.
"I can't believe you're laughing right now," Dean challenged.
"I was just thinking how Madison didn't even know about any of this until we showed up." With mock excitement, he added, "Surprise! You're a vicious killer and I'm here to waste you!"
He swiped at his wet cheeks with his fingers. "I mean, wouldn't it be great if just once we were the guys with the gigantic million dollar check instead of the damn death squad?"
"Maybe in our next life," Dean replied quietly, empathizing wholeheartedly with his brother's black humor.
~end~
"Just wait here," Sam said, his face wet with tears.
Sam moved toward the living room. Stopping in the doorway, he looked back at Dean.
Dean felt time turn inside out just then. It wasn't a twenty-three year old Sam standing in that doorway; it was a scared, heart-broken boy of twelve who'd just made his first kill.
Dean wanted to close his eyes, to shut out the painful memories, but he couldn't do that to Sam. His little brother needed whatever strength Dean could convey, so he kept looking back at him with all the compassion he could muster.
~end~