Beta- JudithRose26
Warnings and disclaimers: see chapter 1
Chapter 2 Little brother has a plan.
Dean drove through the night heading towards their next hunt. Sam didn't stir when he stopped for gas at two am or when he topped up the tank again at six and bought them coffee and bacon and egg sandwiches. Sam had his head borrowed into Dean's jacket so far he looked like he was trying to sniff it in through his nostrils. Or eat the thing. Dean made a mental note to wash it next time they made one of their quick laundry stops. He hoped it was soon as they were fast running out of clean things. Dean pulled the car into a rough gravel parking lot of a deserted field two blocks from the gas station and lightly sat on the end of the hood to eat his food. He was peacefully sipping the last of his coffee when Sam finally pushed the door open and walked stiffly with both hands deep in his jacket pockets to where Dean was sitting. Sam leaned up against Dean grunting as he was handed warm food.
Dean raised his eyebrows when Sam pushed up against him harder and rubbed his face on the shoulder of Dean's jacket.
"You all right there, Sammy?" Dean failed to keep the amusement out of his voice.
"You're warm." Sam mumbled around his food.
"Actually I think I'm hot," joked the older sibling.
Sam grinned swallowing a bite of his food and took the coffee cup offered to him.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"Did you drive all night?"
"Yeah." Dean shrugged to indicate it was no big deal.
"You better let me drive then."
"I'm okay. You should be researching our next job anyway."
Dean gave Sam a light shove with his shoulder indicating he was keen to make a move.
"You sure you don't want to do the research?"
"Nuh. You're better at that stuff and I'm okay to drive a bit longer."
Sam finally moved away from Dean so he could study his face. He looked no more tired than normal so Sam let it slide - for now. He knew Dean would just stay up and do the research anyway. They drove all morning in a normal pattern of Sam studying the hunt and Dean asking questions as they drove. At twelve Sam's stomach begun to grumble and by the look on Dean's face he would be driving through to Tennessee. Sam decided he didn't want that. Money was running low and supplies were as well. Sam also needed to do laundry fairly badly. He looked at the road they were on and spotted a large diner.
"Hey pull in will you? I'm starving."
"You're always hungry Sammy." Dean teased but pulled in anyway.
Sam scooped up two notebooks from the passenger floor as they headed inside and set them on the booth seat next to him in the fairly busy eatery. Dean hardly spoke as they ordered then ate slowly, only looking up for a second when Sam nudged him under the table with his leg to make sure he was okay. Dean looked very tired and went back to his food without comment, seeming to know Sam was concerned.
As Sam was drinking his coffee he noticed Dean's eyes were almost all the way closed with his head on his hand. Sam could see they were just open enough to see any threats to them, but otherwise he was resting. Sam hated seeing Dean this tired and it seemed to be a constant state lately. Back to back hunts were the order of the day for every hunter they knew so he acknowledged it was normal for them. He slid the bottom notebook out and opened it to the back page. The book was Dean's and more or less his journal, like their dads, but Sam had borrowed it for information a couple of weeks back and hadn't returned it. Dean hadn't seemed to care so Sam kept it safe. It had proven a hive of information and not just about hunts although the hunting notes were much more interesting that their dad's. Sam had enjoyed trying to work out Dean's code in the margin of each page. Some he had already worked out from hunts he had been on in his teens, but others he was still to work out.
What he was looking at now, however, needed no decoding. There was a list of backroom poker tables that Dean knew of and it turned out, after a careful scan and a consult of their position, there was one not that far away. In between Tennessee and where they now were as it happened. Sam came up with a plan as he looked at Dean's tight scrawl. He could take over the driving and have them there for an early night. They could get a room for the night, get stocked up, do washing and have a proper sleep. For Sam it all locked into place and he drank the last of his coffee with determination.
Sam started to rise and Dean was instantly on his feet and reaching for his wallet even though Sam could see there was still a little coffee in his cup. Sam let Dean pay so he could keep the last of his money for the motel and snagged the keys out of Dean's sleepy hand as they walked to the car. Dean didn't seem surprised but stayed up and went over the case file Sam had put together for the next job. Sam saw Dean blinking repeatedly and rubbing the bridge of his nose after ninety minutes and knew his stubborn brother was fighting sleep. Sam wordlessly handed Dean the jacket he had used earlier that day as a pillow and Dean sighed, nodded, then curled up for sleep.
Sam had them where he wanted them just before four and hunted down a nice looking motel paying for one night and moving the bags in before Dean woke. Dean had only had just over two hours sleep and moved slowly looking at Sam with a question on his face as he came through the open door.
"How you feelin?
"Peachy."
"Yeah you could use some more sleep hence the motel for the night."
Sam saw Dean open his mouth to dispute the idea that he needed something as luxurious as a hotel to sleep or, knowing Dean, sleep at all.
"I know. I know we need some cash, but there is a poker game in town. You can get us some money while I do the laundry."
Sam opened his wallet and handed Dean his last one hundred dollars. "That enough?"
"Yeah, sure."
Dean took the cash while scratching his head. He felt a little railroaded, but they did need some cash so, all round, it was a good idea. He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face and used the toilet before giving Sam a pat on the back with a 'thanks, back soon' before shutting the door on his surprised face.
Sam was glad he had picked a motel with a laundry as he sat and watched just about all their clothes roll around in the dryers. With their work schedule of late, he felt like they needed a bit of rest and relaxation. He had the clothes all folded, packed away, and the weapons cleaned and stashed when Dean wandered in.
"Now you turn up."
"What?"
"Now all the work is done," Sam teased.
"I did plenty of work Sammy."
Dean pulled a wide roll of notes out and slapped them on the end of the bed where Sam had just sat down.
"Holy crap, did you rob a bank?"
"Just a run of good luck. For future reference; being tired out of your gourd makes for a good poker face. Those clowns were betting everything they had against me."
Dean pulled a bottle of expensive looking whiskey out of his jacket. He handed the bottle to Sam whose jaw dropped.
"Springbank- from the Campbeltown region of Scotland," he read, "Hey, this stuff is over thirty years old. Must be worth a fortune."
"Around seven hundred bucks."
Sam whistled through his teeth. "I guess we won't be using this to clean wounds."
Dean gave Sam a look that said 'don't you dare'.
"So you ready for some shopping then dinner?"
"Shopping?" Dean arched an eyebrow.
"Supplies. We are pretty low."
"Oh yeah, okay."
They found the nearest Wal-Mart and stocked up on supplies, including more hard wearing clothes; both being a little surprised how busy the store was. Sam pushed Dean into a steak restaurant when they had finished and they ate till they felt their stomachs were going to burst. They went back to the motel and packed away the supplies, including restocking the first aid kit that had been looking very empty.
TBC
