Chapter 2

Sam had been very wrong. Oh so wrong. It had been twenty minutes since he had found his shrunken brother and the references Were. Not. Stopping. They weren't even drying up. Dean chose to look at this experience as his brother being a giant, not as him being tiny. Everyone had coping mechanisms, Sam realized, and this was Deans. But there was no end to it! Dean had watched all nine Godzilla movies and those weird horror movies with the giant bugs. Sam was King Kong. Sam was Mothra. Sam was the Jolly Green Giant. He leaned back in his chair in the kitchen and raised his face to the ceiling. Dean was hard to hear from this distance. Good.

Huh. The ceiling tiles were reddish brown.

The mini hunter was finishing up his lunch. Two crumbs of bread, a tiny piece of chicken, a shred of lettuce and dollop of mustard. Dean had nearly stepped in the drop of mustard that Sam had made on a plate. It was the size of his boot. Dean broke off a microscopic bit of potato chip off of the tiny piece his brother had given him. He looked up at his little brother, and saw his chin and neck. He saw that he was pushing Sam's limit with the giant jokes. He realized he should stop. There was nothing stopping the younger Winchester from dumping his older brother in a cup of water. Or something worse. Dean cleared his throat to apologize when Sam leaned forward on his elbows on the table. It was unsettling how his younger brother loomed over him like a skyscraper. More so than before.

"Dean, if you promise to stop the giant jokes, I will go out and buy you a piece of pie."

Dean shut his mouth and nodded fast. His eyes grew wide at the thought. A whole piece of pie, at his size! It would be bigger than his baby! Even though he had just eaten lunch the shrunken hunter's mouth started to water. It would be one of his fantasies coming true. Well, minus several hot chicks and sex, but Dean was very okay with that.

Sam smiled, proud of himself for thinking of that. His brother was not above a bribe of food. Well, right now he wasn't above anything. Sam let out a laugh from his nose at the thought. Dean was really tiny. Fucking miniscule! It was hard to hear him! He had to remind himself not to flick his brother off the table before, because that would probably kill him. A misplaced book could kill him. Hell, a sneeze at the wrong time and Dean could go flying, never to be found again! Sam shuddered at the thought. He blinked at the table.

Dean had been waving his arms to get his brother's attention while his mind was somewhere else. When Sam's eyes re-focused in on him he waved his arm to the door.

"Come on! Let's go to the store!" he yelled. He had to yell so Sam could hear him. Unless he was near his face or by his ear, Dean had to yell to be heard. Sometimes Sam forgot to speak low, and his regular voice hurt the smaller Winchester's ears a little when he forgot. But he remembered when Dean put his hands over his ears. Sam placed his palm on the table and Dean scrambled on. The room was cold and Sam's hand was warm. Dean had never liked flying, but being on his brother felt safe. He knew Sam would never let him fall to his death. (and again, wouldn't that be a sucky way to go.)

Sam gently cupped his hand around his big brother (Christ, he was small!) As Dean leaned back on his fingers, bringing him to eye level.

"Sure, we could use some supplies."

"Groceries Sammy. This is a home. You get groceries." Sam cleared his throat.

"I really don't feel comfortable going to the store with you on my ear, Dean." He told his big-little brother in a very soft voice. Of course that took away any persuasion power that the sentence might have held.

"You could fall off in the store, hell, you might fall off in the car and I might never find you!"

Dean saw the logic in Sam's argument. Not that he was ever going to admit it though.

"So put on a hoodie. If I fall, I'll fall in the sweater hood."

Sam rolled his boulder sized eyes at his brother. The question of leaving Dean alone at the base alone wasn't even something to be considered.

"Yeah, as if I don't look menacing enough at six foot four, I'll wear a hoodie. If I'm lucky, maybe someone will call the police when I reach onto my pocket to pay!"

Dean sighed on his brother's palm.

"Point taken. So where should I go?" Sam dropped his eyes and brought them up two seconds later. Dean folded his arms.

"No." he stated firmly.

He was NOT going in Sam's pocket. Being totted around like a damn purse poodle. Sam lowered his log-sized eyebrows and his eyes narrowed into to what Dean recognized as a mischievous glint.

"No pocket, no pie."

Dean jutted his lower lip out in a pout.

"But Saaaaaam!" he whined.

The bigger Hunter tilted his head forward. Telling Dean that this was the ultimatum.

"Blue pill or red pill." He stated with a half grin, mentally high-fiving himself for the reference. Dean walked forward on Sam's palm, almost tripping on his brother's lifeline, peering over the edge of his palm at the offending pocket, and back up at his dick of a brother who was smiling because he knew that he had won.

"First check the pocket for holes." Dean stated. Sam shrugged.

"Sure." He got up from the table, bringing the hand with his brother in it to his chest carefully. Dean stumbled with a bitten off yelp and clutched a middle finger that was wider than he was.

"What the fuck man?" he yelled. He could feel his brother chuckle deep in his chest as he walked.

"I need to use the bathroom. Do you?" Sam rumbled. As tempting as the idea was to pee in Sam's pocket, he would probably be stuck with it for a while. And Sam would probably (and literally) be pissed and retaliate with something worse.

"Yes." He yelled upward as Sam made his way to the nearest bathroom. So far the brothers had found four. Sam was sure that there was more. They had yet to find a blueprint or useful map of this place even though they had been living here for over a month.

Sam entered the bathroom and moved his hand to the counter of the sink. Dean hopped off.

"How is this happening?" Sam asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"What?" Dean asked, though where from Sam was standing it sounded like more of a squeak.

"Where are you going, to go?"

"Right here." Dean cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled up at his mountain of a brother.

"At the edge of the sink?" Sam mumbled.

"Yes." Dean definitively squeaked.

"Alright, just don't fall in." Sam said moving over to the toilet. He missed the "humph." Dean let out but saw the crossing of his arms. He took care of his own business. A quick glance at the only color on the white sink counter showed him that Dean was done too. Leaning over his brother he quickly and very thoroughly washed his hands. He dried them on the nearby towel and offered one to his brother. He did not miss the scowl Dean gave it.

"I just washed it! You saw!" Sam exclaimed. Dean had muttered darkly something that Sam couldn't hear and slowly clambered on to his palm. Sam slowly moved his hand to the faucet and tuned the water back on at a small stream and grabbed the bar of wet soap that he had used before and brought it to his tiny brother.

Dean was thankful for the fact that Sam was being really considerate to his size. Everything was done slowly and carefully. It was kind of creepy when Sam had loomed over him to wash his hands, but Sam had made sure of where Dean was, he always was. It made Dean feel safe. Dean could feel his brother's body heat. It felt nice. The bathroom was cold, and pissing on a porcelain countertop didn't help. He wished he had his jacket. But even after washing his hands in cold water, Sam's hand was warm.

After cleaning up and checking the pocket, Sam made his way to the entrance of the bunker and brought Dean up to his face.

"I'm gonna put you in my pocket now. Kick me if there's an emergency."

"Ok." Dean replied, eyeing the pocket. Slowly, Sam moved his hand to his pocket, stuck his fingers in and gently tipped his palm on an incline. Dean slid down the palm and landed face-first into the soft pocket. He spat out a lint ball. What a rush! Like a slide! Maybe he could convince Sam to do it again. He pushed himself onto his feet. Sam had checked the pocket before for holes, so he wasn't going anywhere. Dean looked up to see two fingers parting the top of the pocket, part of Sam's face and one eye.

"You good?" asked the younger hunter.

"I'm good, Sammy." Dean yelled up. The material swallowed most of his reply, but Sam had understood. He moved away from the pocket and put his coat on. He softly patted his pocket. To Dean it felt like a whale gently bashing him into a barn. Twice.

"Hey!" he yelled, punching the chest behind him, and receiving hurt knuckles for his effort. Even under two shirts Sam had muscles like a rock. He could feel Sam chuckle deep in his chest behind him and lost his footing as Sam walked out the door. The smaller hunter fell to his knees and crawled to the nearest corner of the pocket seeking better stability. He fitted himself neatly in it. The pocket wasn't as bad as he thought. It was warm and comfy. He crossed his arms and legs. This was downright cozy, with Sam's body heat and the flannel the pocket was warm but not stuffy. The pocket didn't have a flap, but the jacket kept out the cold, late fall air. The pocket moved, but it wasn't totally unlike the movement of his baby. He felt Sam slide into the driver's seat of his baby. He heard the familiar rattle of keys and the purr of the engine. But before the car moved the radio was turned on and fiddled with until a local radio station was found. Dean pulled himself to his feet and kicked at his brother's chest.

"Driver picks the music and shotgun shuts his cakehole." Sam stated simply, shifting the car into drive. Dean huffed and sat back in his corner as the latest top 40 played.

"But if you close your eyes/does it almost feel like nothing changed at all

And if you closed your eyes/ does it almost feel like you've been here befo-re?

How I'm gonna be an optimist about this/how I'm gonna be an optimist about th-is."

Ok, so maybe this wasn't the worst song ever. He shifted deeper into the pocket and closed his eyes. He heard a gentle bu-bump behind him. Sam's heartbeat he realized a minute before he was snoring softly.

Sam drove not to the local supermarket, but a town over where there was a much larger and better stocked store. He grinned as he picked out the fixings for a salad without comment. He looked at his pocket and he could easily imagine Dean's voice in his ear.

"Rabbit food Sam. If you are what you eat then you are a twitchy-nosed, humping machine."

He almost missed it. Almost.

A large amount of canned foods went into the cart. Who knew how long a hunt would keep them away from the bunker. And these things lasted for years.

Passing by the bakery section he paused, remembering his promise. The bakery selection was large, and a large refrigerated section displayed several different slices of pie, packaged separately for sale. It wasn't like he could look into his pocket and ask for an answer.

He picked out slices of apple, blueberry, lemon cream, and chocolate mousse. Even Sam had to admit that the pies looked delicious. He would probably eat the ones that his brother didn't pick. Gently placing them in the bottom of the cart he continued on. He snagged a large bag of peanut M&M's on his way out. Dean wouldn't be able to eat it for a while, but he would appreciate it anyway. He pulled his cash out of his pocket with a smile to the cashier who was a girl in her teens who blushed gently as she caught his eye.

Three weeks ago Dean had found the Men Of Letters bankbook. With the help of the monkey suits and a few VERY official and old documents (and very real looking I.D's) they proved that they were the sole inheritors of the investments and accounts left by the mysterious MOL. (It's not like they were trying to steal money that wasn't already theirs!) Long story short, they had cash to spare. Sam liked to think of it as the inheritance they never got. As he put the bags of groceries back into the cart the cashier chirped:

"Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart!" Sam blinked, crinkled his forehead slightly and tilted his head. The cashier girl blinked right back at him and her face grew bright red as she realized her mistake.

"Dan's Market. Thank you for shopping at Dan's Market." She lowered her red face into her company sweatshirt. Sam laughed.

"No problem." Giving her another smile as he walked out. Sam loaded the trunk and slid into the driver's seat.

"Her face was so red! Dean?" he had expected a reaction from his brother.

"Dean?" he asked again, he pulled back his jacket and used two fingers to open the pocket. There was Dean, tucked away into the corner, fast asleep. He shifted and mumbled as the cold air hit him but he didn't wake up. Sam closed the pocket and sat up. Well, now he had some free time. His eyes were attracted to the familiar green and white of a Barnes and Noble bookstore. A half grin tugged at his mouth as he got out of the car. First he headed for a computer to see if they had the book in stock, next he quickly rushed and out of the children's section to pick up said book. It was never a good idea for an adult male to be alone in the children's section of a store without a kid. Rufus once told them a story about a fellow hunter who was after a vampire who was snatching kids from a library in the winter, but he had been mistakenly jailed, after being noticed hanging around the children's section of the library more than once.

He picked out a few books that he'd been wanting and went to the dvd section. Among his purchases was the sixth season of Dr. Sexy. Dean had been moaning about how he missed most of the season in purgatory. Y'know, FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE OUT THERE. He hoped that the four disk set was enough to keep his brother happy and in one spot for a while. The cashier raised an eyebrow at the children's book but didn't comment on it.

Sam drove back to the base, radio low. Dean was still sleeping after he brought the groceries in. Sam decided to let him sleep. He realized that the shrunken hunter had climbed up his shirt to get his attention. That must have been difficult. He understood that Dean must have been scared. He almost was sat on by his brother! Sam shuddered at that thought. He looked at his pocket and realized how scared Dean must be, he thought of what it would be like if their roles were reversed. If Sam was the one that shrunk. There would be more teasing, but Dean would still take the utmost care of his little brother, making sure he was safe until the curse wore off. Sam resisted the urge to pat the pocket. Instead he started on dinner. He had learned a few things over the years in kitchens despite never having a real one to call his own. He recalled an old recipe, and a quick internet search gave him what he needed. Without thinking, he made two servings. It was already cooking when he realized his mistake.

Dean awoke to the smell of fish. He stretched his arms out and flexed his chest in a catlike arching of his back. That was a nice nap. He opened his eyes and didn't recognize his surroundings. It came back to him a moment later. Oh shit. He fell asleep in Sam's pocket! Were they still in the store? He could tell that Sam wasn't moving. Were they in the car? Why would his baby smell of fish? His dry tongue liked his lips, seeking moisture. Man, he could really use a drink. He grabbed the walls of his pocket bed and pulled himself up. Once he found his footing he gave the chest wall a mighty kick. He felt Sam startle. The shirt shifted as Sam sat up straight and looked into his pocket.

"Evening, sleepyhead." He greeted. He stuck two fingers in the middle of the pocket and curved them, waiting for Dean to get on. An unspoken agreement went that Sam would not pinch Dean between his fingers unless absolutely necessary. Dean stepped on the small platform and flung his arms around a finger as it lifted out of the pocket. He winced and buried his face in it as the bright light burned his eyes. The pocket had been dim. Sam gently deposited him in his other palm.

"You okay man?" Sam asked, seeing Dean cover his eyes. Dean's brain was still fuzzy with after-nap sleepiness, and the bright lights didn't help. The cold air cleared a little bit of the fuzziness away.

"Yeah, fine." Dean blinked his squinty eyes, looking around. Taking a few moments to recognize the kitchen.

"What's for dinner?" he asked taking a deep sniff of that really nice fish scent. Sam moved his hand to the table and Dean walked off.

"Baked salmon and roasted red potatoes."

"Good job, I'd thought you'd have me eating veggies."

"Potatoes are a vegetable Dean."

"Not where it counts!" Dean protested.

"Would you put a potato in a salad?" he asked.

"Well no-"

"Then it's not a real vegetable." Sam moved away from the table to check the fish rather than continue this silly argument. Dean sat down on the table Indian style. He was really thirsty. Not for alcohol, just for a drink of any kind. Something wet. But Sam was way over there and purposefully not looking at him. He sighed. Slumped forward, and then lay on his back on the table spread eagle. Make it easier for the crows to get him.

"Dean, what are you doing?" said Sam who was suddenly blocking out the light from above like a thundercloud. A hairy, know-it-all, smart-ass thundercloud.

"I'm thirsty." Dean said plainly. He couldn't yell very loud, his throat was too dry.

"Oh!" said a surprised Sam. The thought had never crossed his mind. It wasn't like Dean could go and get his own water now. He searched the counter for something his brother could drink out of.

He quickly washed out the smallest measuring spoon, he had used it for spices for the potatoes, filed it with water and brought it to the table.

He wondered how Dean would drink from it. The little hunter solved that problem by cupping his hands into the water and bringing his hands to his face. After slurping two more handfuls, Dean looked up at a sorry, hovering brother and thanked him.

"Next time just tell me when you're thirsty."

"I did!" He protested.

"Before you die of dehydration."

"I was sleeping!" oh. Right. Sam sat down.

"I got you the pie. Four different kinds."

Dean grinned. Dessert was gonna be awesome.