A/N: And now here's a slice of domestic tranquility, scenes in the Winchester/Braeden household. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Chapter 3 – heart and soul

As soon as I walked through the door with the bag I realized I needed a drink.

Or I needed to drink a drunk.

I passed two bars on the way home. I could've grabbed one or two drunks, but I didn't. Then I'd have to put up with all the screaming and pleading and I just didn't feel like dealing with all that noise. I needed the straight stuff, right out of the bottle.

Surprised? Don't be. It's not all about the blood.

I dropped my boots at the door, put the bag on the dining room table and padded into the kitchen barefoot. I pulled a six pack of beer out of the fridge, went back into the dining room and sat down in front of the bag. Half a six pack later I was feeling buzzed, in a good way, right between the ears. That was the only way I could make myself deal with this freaky thing. I reached out and opened the bag again. Sam's voice still sounded faraway, but I could hear him better.

…dean…please…

Huh. I sat back in the chair and stared. The bright white light didn't hurt my eyes. It was kinda nice, actually.

I leaned forward and poked the soul with my finger. It was hard and slick at first, but then my finger went in a little bit, like it was a sponge, and I jerked back. Thought it was going to burn me, but it didn't. And I just didn't want to hurt him, that's all. Sounds like I'm going soft, right? I thought Sam's soul was gonna growl "Quit it." He always did when I poked him in the arm before. Now I was sitting here poking my finger into his soul. Instead he sounded sad, and he said my name again.

…dean…

"Sammy," I whispered out loud.

Maybe it was the beer talking. I reached in and put my fingers around the soul, lifted it out of the bag. It felt tingly. Felt nice. Still felt heavy and light all at the same time. Freaky.

Sam's soul became quiet. It was like it...he...didn't care what I was now. Like all it wanted…all he wanted…was to know that I was around.

I put it back in the bag. I didn't close it back all the way, though.

I sat back in the chair.

"Babe. You okay?" Lisa put her arms around my shoulders She leaned down and rubbed her cheek against the side of my face. I leaned into her, and she kissed me on the jaw.

That felt good. "No. I mean, yeah."

She reached down, placed her palm flat against my heart. Her hand moved in small circles, just the way I like it. On the way home I called her, gave her a heads up about what I had in the bag. No sense in both of us being freaked out. Lisa wasn't, though. I could feel it in her skin. She stared at the bag and her hand moved on my chest and I just didn't want her to stop.

"So what are you gonna do for your brother?"

For a long moment I didn't say anything. I always looked out for Sammy. Always. He was different now, but here I was, different too, and I had the one piece that he was missing. Besides which, he let Boris turn me. He let it happen, and even though Sam told me he didn't give a damn but anybody, including me, I wasn't pissed off at Boris, but I was plenty pissed off at Soulless.

I could give him his soul back, which would really annoy Soulless. Maybe that just shows how twisted I am, but I liked that idea. Sam could have a life of his own after I gave him his missing part back, but I doubted he would. He'd try to save me. Boris and the boss figured Sam would be weaker, that he'd disappear after that. I knew they were wrong. I tried to tell Boris, but he wasn't listening.

One thing I didn't want to do was turn Soulless. Turning a soulless dude into a vamp could be really bad news. It was bad enough turning the average human.

Damn, all this was giving me a headache, despite the beer. Despite everything. I closed my eyes and hung my head. I reached out blind and managed to close the case up (…dean…de...) and then I sat back in the chair. Lisa massaged my shoulders, and I let her. I grunted when she hit a tight spot, and she worked through the knot, slow and steady.

"Well?"

"He could still have a life," I mumbled finally.

"Baddest vamp I know, and you're gooey, Winchester."

"I'm - I'm what?"

"Gooey. Hard on the outside, gooey on the inside." She nodded toward the bag. "Speaking of which, how are you gonna give that back?"

"Death put a special coating on it. I have to get close enough to push it back into Sam's chest."

Lisa's eyes got wide when she heard that. "Oh."

The front door opened, then closed. Somebody screamed in the hallway behind us. We turned in the direction of the noise.

Ben froze. He had this girl I'd never seen before by the throat. She was slightly older and taller than he was. Black eyeliner, black leather and black fishnet stockings. She was screaming her head off. We had to move after I ditched Sam and the Campbells. Not likely that our new neighbors would call the police. Most of them on this block are vamps.

I scowled at him. "Dude. Stop playing with your food, all right? Either drink it or snap its neck. That noise is driving me crazy."

Ben grinned at me all toothy. "Sorry about that." He hit Goth Chick in the face, and she went down like a ton of bricks. The kid grabbed her hair and pulled her upstairs. Her heels bumped on each step as they went.

He's my kid. Mine. I smelled the family resemblance the first time I came around after I was turned. That's why I shoved him away so hard that night. Lisa was mad at me because I did that, but I should've been pissed because she lied to me before, told me Ben wasn't my kid.

She stopped being mad the second time I came 'round. I don't hold grudges.

Well, not with her.

"Geez. Was I like that when I was his age?" I groused.

Lisa shrugged. "Probably. Minus the thirst and the fangs, of course."

"You gonna be all right while I'm gone?"

"Sure. We've got new human neighbors." Lisa sighed ruefully. "Down the block. Nice couple. He's Italian, she's Chinese." She dropped her fangs and ran her tongue over her teeth. "I'm in the mood for Chinese food."

I quirked an eyebrow at her.

She pushed me in the shoulder. "We'll be fine. You go on and take care of your brother."

I chuckled and kissed her long and deep.

All-righty. Now that we've got the mushy stuff out of the way, the hunt is on. Soulless Sam and Vamp!Dean square off in the next chapters. More Saturday, earlier if RL permits.