Chapter 4

The day had seemed different the moment Sam woke up that morning. It was nothing special; it just felt different than it had been the past week or so. True it had been tough since Ellen and Jo had died and it affected a lot more than their troupe was willing to let on. The obvious was his brother and he was trying to just keep going. The not so obvious and a challenge to interpret was Angela.

Sam knew that she was sad by the Harvelles dying. That was obvious since she cried into his shirt. Normally it would have made him unsure but then… he went with instinct and held her and it felt right. In all honesty, he was sad that she was sad by the loss since she always seemed happy with them. It was obvious she was close to Jo given the way they went back and forth and the rare show of affection; even when Jo was dying they shared their sisterly banter. Now… it was a little different.

Normally if something was bothering her, she would shut herself off completely and shut him and Dean out until she was ready. This time around, she didn't completely shut them out but rather made an effort. It was like she didn't want to hurt their feelings and it ended up having Dean wonder if he was going crazy or she was. It was funny how they were used to what normal people would say was hurtful but Sam wasn't laughing. Something was up but her efforts at being interactive were like a buffer and he was certain she didn't mean it that way but it felt like it.

For the most part she would shut herself in her shed and work on stuff that other hunters would need that she happened to overhear from phone calls to Bobby. Or she would work in her room if they happened to be on the road. She was always busy with something but never when she spent time with them. It wasn't exactly like being a hermit but it sort of was since it wasn't her and each day he waited to see if she would come out of her shell, aware that he looked like a lost puppy waiting.

That day wasn't really too different. She was polite as always and even dished up breakfast but it was more like for polite's sake. She even declined on the job that was the next town over and went to work in her shed. It wasn't exactly rude but it was like she was disinterested and while not exactly true, it was off for her. He would have stayed but he figured it was her way of saying that she wanted to be alone. It bothered him to leave her in that state but there was a job and he figured it was better to keep busy after everything.

It was an easy job, a salt and burn. In fact it was so simple it felt like a fluke and Sam waited for the other shoe to drop much like Dean did. It wasn't often that they came across a relative easy case and when it crossed their path it was often viewed with suspicion. When nothing relatively bad happened, except for the fact that Dean ended up with a bump to the back of the head and he ended up with couple of scrapes and bruises from the ghost tossing them around, they were ready to call it a win-win and easy case. Dean certainly wasn't going to let Angela see the bump on his head and preferred that it was nothing. Sam knew that would be a crash and burn.

The drive back to Sioux Falls seemed quicker than leaving and Sam was inclined to think that it was because she was there and he hoped that she had time to think about things or at least feel better about things. Put in his head, it sounded like he was pathetic hanging around but… He brushed it aside and shifted to relax as he looked out at the landscape. He would talk to her if she was willing and maybe they could…

"Worrying about her ain't gonna change things."

Sam glanced at Dean and then out the window. "I know."

"Then quit moping. She'll say something… eventually." Dean cleared his throat knowing that in reality she could carry this weird thing of participating but not really being there out indefinitely.

"I know."

It was quiet for a time even though Dean turned on the radio. Dean turned inwardly to his own thoughts. While he thought it was weird the way his girl was acting, he couldn't help but feel that it was her way of saying that the fuck up in Carthage was his fault. He felt it was since he was the one that said that if they had the chance they should take it and it was his idea to bring in Ellen and Jo. This was on him as it always was. It wasn't hers.

A sigh caught Dean's attention and he glanced over to find that Sam had drifted off. He couldn't blame the kid. They both hadn't had much sleep the last few nights and to be honest his nights were filled with his last moments with Jo and how they ended with her accusing him of killing her and Ellen. It was hellish and he was certain that it wasn't any better for Sam or Angela and it occurred to him that it was probably the reason for this politeness Angela was exhibiting. He sighed and kept his eyes on the road.

Sam in the meantime drifted into a deep sleep. He was tired from the past week or so. His dreams turned into nightmares and were often twisted into combinations of Ellen and Jo dying and his killing Angela… it drove him crazy and he lost sleep and if he did get sleep, he worried about a nightmare happening. It was a vicious cycle and it had interfered on this last hunt and he knew it. So he was trying to take a nap and catch up on his sleep and prayed he wouldn't get hit with a nightmare. He didn't but got something else.

They were alone in the motel and she was crying in his shirt, well finishing her crying. It was turning into quiet sobs and he ran his hand through her hair in a soothing gesture. Eventually she stopped crying and sat back, wiping her eyes. He watched her.

Her eyes were still watery and her lip was quivering but she was pretty composed. Her dark locks had come undone and was spilling out of her hair style. The loose locks were rippled and framed her face with one spilling over her shoulder… her bare shoulder. She was wearing one of those tank tops that had the thin straps. But… she wasn't wearing that before…

The tears were gone but she was still sad. He reached out and caressed her cheek and gently rubbed his thumb. He watched her close her eyes and lean into his hand. His eyes scanned her face but they lingered on her lips and his hands moved to take hold of hers and caress them. He had always liked her hands and touching them.

He leaned forward tentatively to see if she wanted to. She leaned forward and touched his lips with her fingers softly. She then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. He deepened it and moved his hands to keep her there. She didn't protest but welcomed it. The next thing he knew was that he was standing and hitching her up so her legs wrapped around his waist and they were still kissing and she was pulling off his shirt and his hands working their way under hers…

"Hey, we're here."

Sam jolted awake at his brother's touch and said, "Just talking." He looked around and realized he was still sitting in the Impala and looked to see where his breath had fogged the window. He then looked at his brother who was looking at him with a raised brow.

"You okay?" Dean had to ask. While Sam had been asleep, he had been relatively quiet, like he was going to get a good hour of shut eye without a nightmare. Dean noticed though that his brother was dreaming when Sam shifted and murmured something that he couldn't quite make out but whatever it was, it was apparently good since his brother didn't twitch in his sleep and Dean was sorry to wake him but they were back at the Singer house and he knew that Sam was anxious to see her again. Peering at Sam he queried, "Sam?"

Sam blinked as it dawned on him where he was and he shifted since he became a little stiff from sleeping in the car in that position. He stammered slightly, "I'm good." He stretched to hide the fact that he had been dreaming and it was not typical.

"Uh-huh," Dean replied, not believing it. "Dreaming again, bro?"

"No," Sam automatically replied as he finished stretching so he would be able to get out of the car without tripping over his feet because his legs were asleep.

"Right. Anything good?" Dean couldn't help himself and grinned as he asked the question.

"None of your damned business."

That was Dean's cue. He made a face as he got out of the car the same time as Sam did. He had an idea of what Sam had been dreaming of and it was too good an opportunity to pass up. "So… did she kiss you or did you kiss her?" He knew Sam wouldn't need clarification; he would give himself away.

"Nothing," Sam retorted but he couldn't do anything about the blush that was starting to bloom across his face. He tried to hide his face but was aware that it was just egging his brother on more and more. The last time was when he dreamed about when she gave him CPR when they were in that town with the wishing well. Actually that was a lie but he wasn't going to admit that and certainly not to Dean.

"She kissed you right?"

"Dean."

Dean was having too much fun with this. He saw the warning signs and was being careful but this was too good. He picked up that whatever it was that Sam dreamed about was more than just a kiss like the ones he had witnessed. In truth it was good in his opinion but he knew that Sam felt different about their girl and respected her. It was easy to see why he would be embarrassed and ashamed of certain thoughts. "She did," he affirmed, "And let me guess, you liked it."

Sam was certain that if he could, he would open up the ground to let it swallow him whole. He felt his face flushed. He liked kissing her and she seemed to like it but he didn't like assuming since she could appear one way and actually feel another. He didn't respond to that but that was a mistake.

"Of course you do. So what's it like?" Dean followed his brother as they head up the porch. He observed his brother's still red face and it dawned on him that it was more than kissing. "No way."

Sam whirled to look at Dean, "Dean, don't."

"So it was heading that way eh? Beautiful natural acts, Sammy."

Sam couldn't take it anymore and retorted hotly, "Back off Dean. It's not like that."

Dean held up his hands in surrender but was still grinning. "Hey what goes on in your head is in your head, dude. Only proves you more than like her."

Sam pressed his lips together into a thin line and disappeared into the house. He was not going to go there. He liked her yes. Very attracted to her yes but it was more than Dean's idea of… that. To even think like that about her, it made him feel dirty and yet he liked ogling her tattoos, which upped the attractiveness since they seemed in stark contrast to her ladylike nature. The little tease acts like when she would do a handstand and her shirt would slide down slowly to reveal her chakra… Grimacing at where that line of thought was going he rubbed his head as if that would erase it.

Dean watched his brother as he followed him in with a slight grin. He loved teasing Sam about his dreams and it was entertaining when his brother was on a pleasure cruise up the river De-Nile. Now that it was obvious Sam was acknowledging those feelings, Dean tried to be circumspect but some things he couldn't pass up since currently it was like walking on egg shells. He knew Sam would be trying to scrub that out for a while so he went to look for Bobby or Angela or both. First place was the kitchen.

Whenever they stayed with Bobby, it was pretty much natural for Angela to be in the kitchen making something. Whether it was a meal or one of her desserts, she always had something going on and she managed to keep it in a state that it was obvious that it had a woman's touch. Not finding her in the kitchen, he began looking around the house. "Bobby? Angie?"

Sam in the meantime went out to her shed, thinking that maybe she was in there and Bobby was on an errand or actually learning about whatever she was making at the time. He was followed by the puppies since he stumbled upon them in their play and they took to pouncing on him in greeting and then following him. He didn't mind since he rather liked them and they were more showing of Cerebus being a clingy bastard. They were puppies even though they were going to grow into freakishly large dogs with the ability to lay it on demons and other things.

He made it to the shed and gave a knock before entering. He called out to Angela just in case she didn't hear the knock. It sounded ridiculous since her hearing could pick up most anything. Then again it could become selective when she was in the middle of a project. He wandered through the shed thinking that it looked good cleaned up since the fight that ended up with him certainly getting a stab wound that should have killed him but didn't. He never could figure that one out and didn't say anything since there wasn't a point to it.

He found where her work station was and noted the unfinished projects and his eyes lighted on the silver bullets. He picked one up and looked at it. He knew she had been busy making stuff for hunters but this was really good. Then again being on her own through time she had to learn a few things. It made him feel sad a bit and he couldn't name why. It wasn't pity… that much he knew.

Shifting, he saw a scrap of paper. Rather it was parchment and became curious. Leaning closer, he saw his name in that copperplate writing of hers and flipped it over. He read it for a moment and paused to make sure he read it right before leaving the shed, stopping only to pick up the puppies since he was in a hurry and headed towards the house where he found Dean in the study reading a note. He paused and took a breath but Dean said, "They're gone."

Normally Sam would be the one that was anxious she was gone. He missed her when she was in Europe and he felt bad for leaving her behind. Now it was a paradox of sorts with him being calm and Dean acting like his kids went off on a weekend excursion. It was comical on some level. Sam looked at his brother and said, "Dean…"

"I'm not saying she ditched us," Dean replied holding his hand up. "I mean Bobby's with her but…"

"Dean, relax," Sam countered trying not to think to hard that roles were being reversed here. "It's a hunting trip yes. She left without us, yes. The reason why…"

"Because she was bored."

"No, because of Gus." Sam showed Dean the parchment he had brought in. "She… knew I would look in the shed and left it there." He coughed a little to hide the slight flush at the fact that she knew him well enough to anticipate where he would go.

Dean read it. It certainly was more revealing than Bobby's scribbled note along with a cautionary note to feed the dogs or there would be some sort of hell to pay. He calmed down, accepting that but it kind of stung that she didn't want him or Sam to come. He couldn't blame her. If Gus said it was urgent… "So what do we do now?"

"Wait," Sam offered with a shrug. He was in half a mind to follow her since he knew where she was at. She could have left it going on a hunting trip for a couple of days, be back soon but no. She told him where and why.

"Oh yeah like that's gonna happen."

"Dean, she has Bobby and Gus will be there too." Sam paused knowing that his next comment was going to start something. "Why are you so worried?"

"Why are you not?" Dean tried not to shout since they had puppies in the room and he had been warned that the early weeks were critical in developing their hearing. He looked at his brother who was just staring at him, not sure of what to say. "Seriously, Sam… What is up with this? A while back you'd be jumping crazy because she was gone or some lame ass douche was groping her. Now you're so… Zen about it."

Dean had a point and Sam knew he had to explain it. Thing was… he wasn't too sure but he had his reasons. Taking a breath he replied, "She said where and why. She let us know when she could have easily just said she went on a hunting trip and would be back in a couple of days."

Dean couldn't fault that logic. If anything his girl was the considerate one more often than most people. True she had her bouts of forgetfulness but that only made her human. For the most part she gave an account of her whereabouts. It made him feel a bit shitty since she was an adult was entitled to do what she wanted. Hell she could pick up and go back to being solo if she wanted to. He would still gripe and he knew that.

Sam knew he was on a sort of winning streak with this but he knew the way how this would come out might… "And I trust her." He swallowed a bit as he said it knowing that it was a source of tension between the two at the moment.

It was a simple statement but it hit Dean like a ton of bricks. He knew Sam didn't mean to dig at their recent issues. They were good… maybe not great but he had Sam's back and Sam had his. Yet he got the impression that this was different. And it kind of hurt. Being Dean, he played it off, "You trust her?"

"Yeah," Sam replied softly but firmly, "I do." He knew he had to explain things by the look on Dean's face. He just hoped it didn't get too fucked up. "I know that… sometimes it's easy to question her judgement with things on job and like she's said, she's done this a lot longer than we have."

"And?"

"Bottom line: she keeps her promise." At the look Dean was giving him, Sam explained, "I asked her if she ever thought about others when she makes her all or nothing decisions. Same arguments we give each other but the point is, I asked that she keep us in mind when she considers her choices. She has."

Dean couldn't argue with that. Now that Sam mentioned it, it helped to explain certain choices she made. His current fixation was on how she treated her relationship with Sam. It made sense now why she said she didn't want Sam to feel obligated. Then the things she did… it made sense. It didn't mean that he had to like it but he could start to understand. "Yeah I know. Her word is all she has." He sighed and then added, "Alright so do we want to wait here or…" He made a gesture.

"I'll check it out. She gave us the place," Sam offered and went to grab the laptop. He set up shop and didn't mind when Moira came over and solicited a pat. He ended up picking her up and settling her on his lap while researching.

In the meantime Dean worked on the other laptop trying to help. He was tempted to call Augusta since she gave him her number a long time ago and ask what was going on. They got along well and while she would have been one of the hot girls he would have picked up, he got the distinct feeling that if he tried any of his usual, he would looking at himself in a different gender… courtesy from his girl. He knew full well that Angela raised Augusta since she was a kid and turned the girl because she wasn't ready to let go. He wasn't going to go there on that but he did have a pretty good friendship with Augusta.

Deciding to go with it, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number. He waited until it was picked up and he said, "Gus?" He looked around to make sure that Sam wasn't paying attention.

Dean?

"Yeah, it's me. What's going on?" He tried to play it casual.

Nothing. Just working a job.

"Need any help?"

No.

Dean chatted with her some more and marveled at the fact that she was as good as Angela at never volunteering more than what was asked. He didn't want to come out and straight out ask but he got the feeling something was going on. He was just going to have to be Zen about it like Sam and trust her. Thinking about it, he was always griping about trust but he never really was big on the follow through. He did trust her but he was just worried.

A yip caught his attention and he looked down to see Zeppelin sitting and looking up at him expectantly. He noticed that the pup was wearing a collar and frowned at that. He thought the puppy was a bit young but… He bent over and picked up the puppy to take a closer look at the collar. "Did Angie put this on you, boy?"

Zeppelin held still but couldn't help but lick Dean on the face the moment the elder Winchester had him at eye level. Dean spluttered a bit but gave the tinniest of grins. He really did like the puppy. He looked at the collar and noted the style and figured that it was made to adjust with a growing puppy so points there. He then turned his attention to the tag attached and noted the craftsmanship.

He could tell it was handmade and looked almost too fancy to be a dog tag but he could make out the fact that it was designed to ward off possession and he was going to assume summoning. He would put it past the pups to know that trick since they had more hell hound blood in them than an average Wilder. If he had to venture a guess, his girl made it and fairly recently since there was no tarnish. He fingered it until Zeppelin struggled to lick him and he protested, "Hey, I'm not your slobber toy."

"He's just trying to impress you," Sam's voice drifted through the room.

Dean shot a glare but Sam wasn't looking. Instead he was sitting with Moira on his lap and she was being everything her sibling wasn't. It was annoying. "If he wants to impress me, he needs to do something like find food. Angie said he was to be a tracker."

At that moment, Zeppelin leapt out of Dean's arms and raced into the kitchen. There was the clatter of dog claws and some skidding followed by a slight commotion that had Dean know that he was going to hear it later. A few seconds later, the puppy was back and bearing a bag of biscuits, those biscuits, and held them out. Dean couldn't help it and grinned as he kneeled, "Thanks buddy."

Zeppelin barked as he received a pat from Dean. Dean gave him a biscuit and patted him again and called, "Hey Sam, you want a biscuit for that girly dog of yours?"

"She's not mine."

Says you, Dean thought to himself as he joined his brother. He was alert when he realized Sam was quiet and staring at the page. "You got anything?"

"That's the thing. There's nothing going on in Grand Junction, Colorado," Sam pointed out.

"Then why would Angie…" Both brothers went silent after Dean cut himself off. Something wasn't right about this whole thing. And it didn't spell good if it involved their girl.

A/N: Shifting gears to the Winchesters and some puppy love but nothing ever really stays normal does it? Keep watching for more Asmodeus...