Chapter Two - You've got mail
One month earlier
Sam walked to Bobby's front door and froze. Dean was outside chatting happily to the mailman and he had the post in his hand.
Shit, he's got the post in his friggin' hand.
Sam sighed and calmed himself, then strolled out to meet his brother like he didn't have a care in the world. He smiled at the mailman and made a half-hearted attempt to seem interested in whatever the heck his brother had found to discuss with this guy and tried hard not to stare at the little pile of envelopes in Dean's hand.
Shit, shit, shit.
The top one had his name on it, it was there in big bold letters. Sam Winchester c/o Singer.
Shit.
"Want me to take the mail into Bobby and let you finish up on the car?" Sam tried to keep his voice easy but Dean turned and stared at him and he could feel the blush start at his throat and work its way up.
"Nah, I need a break anyway, you could go get the coffee on though." Dean smiled at him but his eyes had a curious look.
Shit, he knows I want the mail.
Sam decided that action was the best course here. He snatched the mail from Dean's grip, startling his brother and almost ripping the letters in half as Dean impulsively tightened his grip against the assault.
"Jesus, Sammy…ok here, have the mail." Dean let go the letters, deliberately letting go as Sam pulled again and grinning as his brother stumbled backwards nearly going down. Dean snorted and shook his head.
Sam knew that he should make some comment but his brain just wouldn't function, he'd got the mail and for the moment that was enough.
"What, nothing to say there Sammy?"
Sam turned without a word and just hurried into the house. Dean raised an eyebrow. Yep, something was definitely going on, he just wasn't sure what.
The mailman was staring as Dean turned back to him. "Sorry about that, my brother's a little OCD sometimes."
"Yeah, I can see that…he sure did want that mail." He checked his watch. "I'd better be going."
"Yeah, I'll speak to ya later, take it easy now." Dean watched the mailman walk away and then turned back to the house. Yeah, he sure did want the mail alright. He stalked across the yard and into the house.
Sam was sitting at the laptop, coffee forgotten beside him and muttering at an e-mail that he had opened in front of him. Dean grabbed himself a cup of coffee and then walked over, realising as he got nearer that Sam was so lost in what he was doing that he didn't hear him. He walked right up behind him.
"Sam!"
"Shit!"
Sam squeaked a girly squeak and slammed the laptop shut…on his fingers.
"Shit!"
He pulled his fingers free catching the coffee cup and knocking it over the table and into his lap.
"Shit!"
He jumped up, lifted the laptop away from the encroaching puddle of coffee, threw it on the couch and then grabbed at his jeans trying to lift the material away from his skin.
"Word of the day there Sam?" Dean's sigh was a long one, he grabbed a towel, mopped the table and passed it to his brother. "Coffee still hot then was it?" He looked around him.
Sam raised his head. "What?"
"Nothing, just wondering if you'd found and lost another rabbit's foot that you hadn't told me about, klutz boy."
"Funny." Sam picked up his duffle from the floor and grabbed clean jeans and boxers from it. "You should know better than to sneak up on people. How long were you standing there?" His tone was accusatory and he was almost in Dean's face.
Dean held his hands up in mock surrender and cursed as he spilt his own his coffee down him. "Shit…god it's catching…I just walked up." He put the cup down and grabbed the towel from his brother, mopping at his t-shirt as he next spoke. "What's with you anyway and what the hell was that with the mail and then this. What's going on?"
Sam just stared off across the room. "Nothing, you startled me that's all."
Dean raised his eyebrows. "What are you up to?"
Sam's own eyes shone with innocence as he looked at his brother. "Absolutely nothing."
Dean leaned over him. "Don't you know that it's a sin to lie?" His face was so serious that Sam burst out laughing.
"Pot and kettle…and I think you're hanging out with those angels of yours too often."
Dean smirked at him and picked his coffee back up. "Whatever it is you're up to little brother…I will find out. I'm gonna go back and finish up the car and then maybe we can head somewhere…I still want to go to Reno you know."
Sam looked panicked. "We can't" His voice was a little high and a little stressed. "I need to stay here and help Bobby with some research." He calmed himself and puppy-dog eyed his brother. "Just for a little while."
"Stop that look. I hate that look." Sam smiled at him but didn't relent with the eyes. Dean rolled his head on his shoulders. "Fine. How long?" He was walking out as he spoke but the little pile of mail on Bobby's table by the door stopped him. Ok, there was more than that when I gave...sorry had it snatched outta my hand by Sam.
"Two weeks tops…promise."
Dean groaned. "Sam, what am I going to do here for two weeks while you and Bobby are buried like a coupla book worms? I need to keep busy Sammy."
"I know." Sam knew that what Dean really meant was that he needed to keep busy to keep his mind off of his memories from Hell, something Sam was still trying to make his brother feel less guilty about. After all, that was one of the reason why there were here at Bobby's in the first place.
Dean mistook his brother's silence for a huff and sighed again. "Two weeks Sam and that's it ok?"
"Fine."
"Fine." Dean turned and walked back out into the yard his mind wandering again to just what his brother was up to. Maybe I really don't want to know. He started back in on the car.
Sam went and changed, grabbed a new coffee and the laptop and sat down at the table again. He checked over his shoulder and opened up the laptop, pulling the little scanner out from under his bag as he did. He scanned the first piece of mail that he had opened with a smile. This might not help Dean forget or forgive what he did in Hell, but hopefully it just might make him feel a little better about himself and that was all Sam could hope for.
tbc