CARRY ON WAYWARD ROAD

SPIDERWEBS, DUST, AND COBWEBS

CHAPTER 2

Sam,

Went to the local wine and dine to grab some grub, if you wake up, come join me. Or, if you want anything, give me a call. If I'm not back tonight, don't worry, I've seen some fine ladies walking around.

Dean.

Dean left his note for Sam taped to the back of the door, that's where he usually left his notes, he figured there was no way of missing it there, especially since their tables were usually littered with papers from researches.

Dean had showered and put on clean clothes, he sat around for a while, waiting for any sign of life from his brother, but he was never one to sit still for very long so, he decided to head to the local bar and grill to grab some food and see what kind of trouble he could find to get into. It was pretty packed for being a weeknight. He figured it was probably one of the only things to do in such a small town.

He didn't understand the lifestyle that most people lived. He couldn't understand how they could continue to live in a way that made them so unhappy, and bored. He was never bored, sure, his life was hard at times, he didn't grow up in the typical way. And, as for happy, well there was a hell of a lot that didn't make him happy, but he had his brother and his car, and that was all he needed.

They filled the gaps and made him happy. The waitress was cute, he flirted with her a little while he placed his order for some drinks and a big, greasy bacon cheeseburger with extra onions and an order of fries. He couldn't help but watch her walk away, damn she had a fine ass! He studied the town folk playing pool in the corner. This place even had an air hockey table, since it was a diner with a bar inside of it, it didn't have an age limit.

The air hockey table seemed to grab the attention of all the teenagers, while the pool tables consisted of the adults. Dean ate his food while observing the night life of the local folks. He figured maybe they did seem happy. They were surrounded by people they knew, playing innocent games with each other, carrying on everyday conversations with friends and neighbors.

Everyone seemed to know everyone's name, on a first name basis or by a friendly nickname. They didn't seem bored at all, in fact they seemed to be having a good time. He gave a few flirting glances to some ladies in the room, but decided to keep it civil. He even chose against trying to hustle anyone one in pool. Everyone seemed too innocent for his taste anyhow.

He finished his food, downed the couple beers he ordered, and ordered a dish of green, grassy, rabbit food for his brother. He headed out, deciding to stop at the local liquor store. He figured it was going to be a long night, and since Sam hasn't called him, he guessed he was still asleep. But, Dean knew Sam well enough to know something was bothering him, and once he woke he would have the need for some type of sharing and caring moment, which would require alcohol, at least Dean knew he would need it.

Depending on what was running through his brother's head, would determine if Sam needed any or not. He was sure he had bought more than what he needed, but then again, when it came to alcohol, was there really a such thing as too much? He also, for Sam's sake, stopped into another store and grabbed a couple bottles of water, just in case his brother didn't want a hard drink. He made his way back to the room. His hands full of bags from the diner and store.

He unlocked the door and found his brother in the same spot he had left him. Dean let out a sigh, quietly placed the bags on the table that sat beside the door, and made sure the door was closed tightly and locked. He proceeded his normal salting routine, making sure there was a fine line in front of the door and across the windowsill.

He checked his brother, just to make sure he was still alive. The seconds passed like hours. He opted out of turning the tv on, he didn't want the noise to wake Sam. He couldn't read anything, not like he wanted to anyhow, because he wanted to keep the lights low, he knew Sam, obviously, needed some rest. So, Dean cracked open a bottle of liquor. Drinking that one down, he opened another.

He turned the heat up just a little. He didn't want his brother getting too hot, but, he had given Sam all his blankets, and Dean didn't want to get too cold. At some point, during the third bottle, he managed to pass out on his bed, sleeping the rest of the night.

The rays of sunlight came through the cracks in the curtains like a punishment. Dean's head was throbbing, wishing he hadn't drank so much last night. The beams of light were blinding, only causing the pain to worsen when he opened his eyes.

Sam hadn't moved. He remained in a restful sleep the entire night. He caught Dean's concern, but at the moment, he needed to shower, to rid his head of the throbbing pain. Coffee, he needed coffee. He rolled himself out of bed, not because he wanted to, but because he had to. He closed the gap in the curtains so the light wouldn't wake Sammy in the same horrifying way it had woken Dean.

He showered, hoping to wash away the hangover he was feeling. After changing clothes and readying himself for the day he gave a slight frown, noticing Sam still hadn't moved from the place he had passed out the night before. Dean removed the note from the door, writing a new one, letting Sam know he had gone for coffee and breakfast, asking him to call him when he woke.

The diner wasn't as full as it was the night before. It seemed the town folks were already at work and school. Dean found a corner booth that was away from most of the noise in the joint. He ordered a coffee and eggs and toast. He wasn't sure how much he could eat without finding the need to vomit, besides he was sure Sam would wake soon and be hungry, which meant he would be eating again soon.

He sat his phone on the table in front of him, anticipating Sam's call. The call never came. Dean had finished his food and 4 cups of coffee, feeling a little better from the hangover, but feeling a growing concern for Sam, he made his way back to the room. He frowned when he found his brother, still, in the same place as before.

Following what had now seemed like a normal routine, he checked his brother for life and a fever. He must be sick, Dean thought to himself, but he didn't feel warm, didn't have any normal symptoms of sickness. Dean turned the air conditioner to a comfortable temperature. He hated when the weather would change so much between the day and night.

During the day air was required, at night it was heat. Dean sighed, he couldn't sit around the room. He has too much constant built up energy. He figured, even if his brother did wake soon, he wouldn't feel like taking a road trip. So, Dean gathered their clothes, changing the note on the door, again.

Sam,

Went to do laundry. If you wake call me, please! I shouldn't be gone too long. I paid for another night so don't worry about the time or having to leave. I figured you needed the rest and wouldn't feel like driving today. Let me know when you finally decide to wake up, we'll go grab some grub.

Dean.

Dean approached the front desk, paying for another night and asking where he could do laundry. It was a nice day, spring time was in full bloom, so he decided to walk, the laundry mat wasn't far. He enjoyed getting some fresh air, and the walk helped him release some built-up energy he had been holding.

He sorted the clothes, making sure to treat any stains, and filled the two washers. One was filled with whites, and one with darks. He poured the soap into both machines, counting out the quarters needed and starting the wash cycle. He sat in a chair in the corner to wait. There was a small table beside the chair, littered with old magazines.

He looked around, the place was empty. He figured with everyone having normal 9-5 jobs and school on their daily agendas this wasn't the prime time for laundry mat business. He didn't mind, he liked being alone, means there's less to worry about, no monsters to beware of. He thumbed his way through a couple magazines, not reading them, really, he was just looking at the women in them.

They were some type of entertainment, this is the way the actors really live, magazines. The ones that try to make them seem like every day, normal people. He heard the washers turn off and sat his magazine down. He changed the clothes from the washers to the dryers, dropping the quarters into the slots and returning to his seat.

He pulled out his phone for the 50th time, just to make sure he didn't miss a call from Sam. He didn't. There were no missed calls or text messages. He sighed, picking up another magazine, hoping the women inside would help pass the time.

He hated the normal routines of normal people. He was a Winchester, so far from normal, yet, here he was, sitting in some run-down laundry mat, looking at some old entertainment magazines, waiting for laundry to finish, like a normal person. Dean shuttered at the thought. He suddenly felt envious of his brother.

He wished he was the one passed out and Sam was sitting here, living the normal life. Sam enjoyed that type of life. He enjoyed the moments he could feel normal. Dean didn't, his mind didn't seem to work the same as everyone else's. Perhaps, it was because he was programmed different at such a young age. Perhaps he just wasn't born to be normal.

Maybe, whoever decided their fate, knew he wasn't going to live a normal life, so he was made different than most. He had 2 things engraved in that brain of his, 1. Take care of Sammy, 2. Kill the monsters. That's all that mattered. Everything else was just a waste of time. Like laundry, he knew they needed clean clothes, but it still felt like such a waste of time, sometimes, sleep even felt like a waste of time to Dean.

He was relieved to hear the dryers finally turn off. But, he wasn't in a hurry. His mind may have been, but then again, it's always in a hurry. But, his brother hasn't called, which means he's probably still asleep, and there wasn't anything else to do, so he spent his time folding their clothes, separating them into 2 separate piles. Once that was complete, he made his way back to the room.

He was relieved to see that Sam had at least changed positions, something he hadn't done in almost 24 hours. Dean ripped the note off the back of the door when he turned to close it. He put their clothes in their bags, spent a few minutes pacing the floor in the room, then sinking himself into one of the chairs sitting at the table.

After a few minutes of sitting and watching his sleeping brother, he stood, and paced a little longer before falling onto his bed. He figured he might as well finish the drinks he had bought the night before, there wasn't anything else to do. A liquid lunch wouldn't bother him anyhow.

3 liters later and the drinks were finished, Dean wasn't feeling as anxious, the walls in the room didn't feel so closed in. He figured, he needed to go purchase some more for the long night ahead. He knew Sam had to wake up at some point. He checked him again, everything was still the same. Scribbled another note, taping it to the back of the door, again. Letting Sam know he was headed to the liquor store and to call him when he woke up.

Dean returned with twice as much as he had bought the night before, finding Sam still laying in the bed, sleeping. He figured it couldn't be good for him to sleep over 24 hours without waking to at least use the bathroom. After much debate, and 2 more bottles later, Dean decided to wake his brother.

"Wake up sleeping beauty!" Dean said with a slap to Sam's foot.

Sam responded by pulling his knees to his chest, and giving a slight groan.

"Come on, don't make me lay one of my magical kisses on you to wake you." Dean added, while scuffing up Sam's hair, which was already as bad as it could get, so if anything, Dean was helping him.

Sam swatted Dean's hand away. "Leave me alone!" he grunted.

"Nope! Time to rise and shine, Sammy boy!"

"Why?" Sam sounded like he was whining.

"Because you're a whiney little brat, and you stink, you need a shower. Plus, you've been asleep for a long time, I'm sure you have to pee or something."

"Nope."

"Aww, come on Sammy. Saaaammmmmyyyyy. I need you to entertain me, come on, wake up!"

"You're a pain in my ass!" Sam said as he moved himself to a seated position.

"I know." Dean said with a big grin, then covering his nose with his hand he added, "dude, you really need a shower."

Sam rolled his eyes, pushing himself off the bed, he grabbed some clean clothes, absent minded that they were all clean, he hadn't realized Dean washed them. He headed to the bathroom, to first relieve himself then wash off the grimy feeling he had coating his body.

Dean sat impatiently, on his bed. His legs giving a constant bounce. Sam wanted to stay put, he wanted to stop and get a room, but Dean wanted to keep going, he didn't want a room, he wanted the constant movement of his baby driving down the road. Dean had about reached the end of his tolerance for sitting still. He almost hopped on top of Sam when he came out of the room.

"Feeling better?"

Sam rolled his eyes again. "I guess, how long was I asleep for?"

"Dude! You passed out! As soon as we entered the room you were in dream land! You've been asleep for well over 24 hours! I figured you needed to use the bathroom and get at least some fluids in you, if not food too."

24 hours? Dean's behavior and increase in anxiety made more sense now, his brother never could sit still for long, not when he was alone. Sam didn't reply verbally, but gave his body a big stretch and worked out some kinks with a moan.

"Hungry?" Dean asked, almost too eagerly, like he was anxious to get out of the room, like he needed some excuse to escape the 4 walls surrounding them.

"Yeah." Sam answered with a grin as he sat to put his boots on.

Dean already had his boots on, he was pacing back and forth in front of the door, like a tiger waiting to prance.

"Dean, calm down." Sam said, a little irritated mixed with slight concern, "I just gotta put my boots on, what the hell is your problem? If the walls are closing in around you that much, I'm sure you could have found something to do."

"I did! I washed our clothes, went to the bar last night, went to it again for breakfast, visited the liquor store twice, walked everywhere I went, I'm sure I've never taken so many showers..."

"Dude!" Sam stopped him.

He was rambling, and not just normal rambling, it was like his words were going 100 miles a minute, they were jumbling together, not giving him a chance to slow down, or take a breath.

"All right!" Sam continued, "I get it, come on, let's go grab some food, I'm starved."

Dean didn't waste a second, flinging open the door, stepping outside, Sam following close behind.

"Wanna walk? It isn't far."

Sam agreed deciding if nothing else, maybe Dean would work out some of that restless energy he had building inside of him.

They arrived at the diner, the one that was also a bar. It was still early, maybe around 5:00. The place only had a couple people in it. They were the ones who got off work early, Dean had thought. He figured everyone else was probably just getting off work, making their way home, gathering the family, maybe even doing homework, before venturing out to visit with family and friends at the bar and grill.

Dean sat in the same booth he had located for breakfast. The waitress was different, someone he hadn't seen before, she was pretty, but not like it really mattered, Dean's head was feeling all fuzzy, and he had no interest in flirting right now anyhow.

They ordered their meals, Dean ordering 2 beers from the start, getting a raised eyebrow and look from his brother, one that Dean chose to ignore. Sam couldn't help but notice how Dean's leg kept bouncing, like he, literally, couldn't sit still.

"So, what the hell made you sleep so long?" Dean started, his voice sounding just as jittery as his body looked.

"I don't know." Sam admitted. "I didn't know I had slept so long."

"Man, you had me concerned, I mean it was a good 20 hours or more before you even moved positions."

Sam just shook his head. "I don't know, man. I was in an ill mood, while we were in the car, then it felt like the outside, like the trees and stuff, came inside the car and started suffocating me. I remember you pulling me out of the car, it helped me breathe again. And once I felt calmer we got back in. Then you stopped and got us a room. Details are a little fuzzy. I'm not even sure what made me in such a bad mood to begin with. I remember walking into the room, thinking I was going to take a quick nap, while you… while you did something, I don't remember what."

"Shower." Dean clarified, receiving a nod from Sam.

"And the next thing I remember, you were waking me up, threatening to kiss me."

Dean chuckled, "Yeah, that's pretty much it, you slept longer than I've ever seen anyone sleep. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah." Sam gave a puzzled look. "I feel fine, now. I'm not even in the same mood. I feel… I feel like my normal self. I feel rested." Sam chuckled with that last part, of course he felt rested, he just slept for over a day straight.

"You're not sick, or anything like that? Don't feel possessed?" Dean had to make sure, he had to take care of Sam, and be sure he was alright.

Sam gave Dean a look of annoyance. "No! I'm not possessed or anything like that. I feel fine, honest, I don't feel sick or anything."

Dean just nodded his head, accepting Sam's answer, taking a bite out of his cheeseburger.

"What about you?" Sam asked, between bites, getting a puzzled, shocked look from Dean.

"What?"

"What about you, are you feeling alright?" Sam repeated.

"I'm not the one who slept for over a day."

"I know, but maybe you should have? You feeling okay?"

"what? Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Cause, you seem a little anxious, I mean…" Sam pointed toward Dean's legs. "You can't even seem to sit still, and you've been this way since you woke me up. You were pacing the door like you couldn't wait for your cage to be opened, what's up with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Sam gave Dean a look of disbelief.

"I said I'm fine! Really, there's nothing wrong with me!"

Dean was getting irritated. He was never really 'fine' but he always said he was, but this time, he knew he was feeling like his own skin was entrapping him, like he needed to claw his way out from the inside, and he wasn't sure why, but he couldn't let Sam know, Sam had his own issues, his own thoughts and feelings, and Dean didn't have any right to add to them.

Frustrated, before he even finished his meal, Dean downed the remainder of his second beer, stood, retrieving the money from his wallet, tossing it onto the table to pay for their meal, and he left. He left Sam sitting there alone, unsure of what the hell just happened.

He began wondering what type of creature they had come across lately, if anything could have placed a spell on the brothers, anything to describe the mood they were both experiencing, the mood that was only broken by a really, really long sleep for Sam. Sam finished his food, it had been a while since he ate, and then headed back to the room.

He didn't have a key, god, he hated making Dean answer the door, but he didn't have much of a choice. Dean opened the door, not with a gun or knife in his hand, but with a bottle of Jack.

Sam glanced around the room and realized what he hadn't realized when he first woke, there were at least 20 empty bottles of beer and liquor sitting around the room, and just as many that hadn't been opened yet. There was a bag filled with fresh bottles, Dean had obviously stopped by the liquor store after he left the diner.

Sam just shook his head and started gathering the empty bottles. Ignoring any looks his brother gave him. By the time he had finished, there was another empty bottle sitting on the nightstand between the beds and a newly opened one in Dean's hands. Sam gathered the blankets that were on top of his bed, the ones from Dean's bed, and placed them back on the bed.

Dean was sitting with his back against the wall, legs stretched out over the bed, so Sam just laid them in a pile at his feet. He picked up the newly emptied bottle and tossed it in the trash with the rest. Then sat on the edge of his bed across from Dean. He took a moment to drop his head in his hands, rubbing his hands over his face as he lifted his head to look at his brother.

"You sleep any?" Sam asked, his voice full of concern and uncertainty.

Dean didn't answer, he just chugged another large gulp and shook his head no.

"I was thinking…"

"That's never a good thing." Dean interrupted, followed by another hard swallow of liquor.

Sam stopped himself from making a full eye roll. "I think maybe we came across something we didn't notice."

Dean looked at Sam, confused.

"Look, we're both experiencing moods that aren't normal for us, well, they are but not to the extent that we're experiencing them, and when have you ever known me to sleep that long? I'm just saying, there's gotta be something we came across that caused it, and I feel better now, so I'm thinking maybe an extra-long sleep is the cure?"

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother. "If this is your way at telling me to quit drinking and sleep, you're doing a piss poor job at it."

"Dean! I'm being serious, just think about it. You'll see, I'm right."

"Yeah cause you're always right! My smart, college boy, little brother! He knows everything! Always right, always perfect, always everyone's favorite."

"Dean?" Sam was a little shocked by his brother's hateful outburst.

"Oh, come on, Sammy, you know it's true! No matter what I do, no matter what I've ever done, I always screw up, I'm always the dumb one. You… you're the smart one! You're the perfect one! You're the one Dad would have chosen if he had a choice. We all know that. You're the one everyone would choose. No one wants a screw up, especially a dumb screwup who's always wrong about everything."

Dean had finished his drink, opening a new one, and downing half of it in one gulp. He had stood from the bed, pacing the floor again.

"Dean." Sam tried to keep his voice calm. "You know that's not true, Dad loved you, he made sure we were both taken care of, not just me. And, no, I'm not always right, I wouldn't be as smart as I am if I hadn't had you to help me. Remember all the nights we spent, staying up late, helping me understand my homework? You're my big brother, you were always there to help me. And I've never seen you as a screw up, you're smart as hell, man."

"Yeah, whatever! And no, Dad didn't make sure we were both taken care of, he only left enough for one of us, my job was to take care of you, he knew that, I knew that. I would always make sure you were taken care of, that you had food, I would go days without eating, as long as you had enough. I would dig through the dumpsters when I got too hungry or started feeling too weak. Dad didn't leave enough for both of us, he left enough for you, and expected me to take care of you, not me, YOU! Do you even have any idea how many nights I would lay in bed and, silently, cry myself to sleep?"

"No." Sam answered, quietly.

"Dad would leave us, I would have to protect you, and myself, cause if I was gone then there would be no one to take care of you. There were nights I was scared, I knew there were monsters around us, there were nights the hunger pains were so bad, nights that all I felt like doing was vomiting but there wasn't even enough stomach acid to dry heave. All while you slept comfortably, happily. Because, because, you're the perfect one, Sammy. You're the one that could never do wrong. You're the one Dad worshiped. Not me, you."

Dean had finished another bottle, and was working on the next. He sat back down on his bed, leaning against the wall, his body was becoming limp. Sam was hoping his brother would pass out soon. He was hoping he would pass out and sleep like Sam had, and wake feeling better, shaking off whatever mojo had been put on them.

"I love you, Sammy!" Dean said in a drunken, half asleep slur. "But, I've always hated me."

Then Dean sunk down on his side, passed out. Sam removed his boots, jeans and outer shirt, the same as Dean had done for him, placing a pillow under his head, after pulling him into a more comfortable position, and covering him with his covers. He removed the almost empty bottle from Dean's hand, placing it in the trash with the rest. He brushed Dean's sweat covered hair from his forehead and followed the movement with a slight kiss.

"Good night, Dean." Sam whispered and he moved away from his brother.

He grabbed the bags full of empty bottles and made his way out of the room, tossing the bags into the trash, and paying for another night, hoping his brother would sleep like he had.