Disclaimers and warnings see chapter 1

Beta: Many thanks to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills. Any mistakes are mine not hers.

Chapter 8

Dean woke early the next morning and immediately jumped up and looked himself over. Yes! He was back to normal. He ran to the bathroom just to be sure. He was the right size but was sporting light bruising on his forehead, eye and chin. The stitches in his eyebrow had popped out leaving some small holes and a tiny cut amongst the bruising. He rubbed his chin with his hand. He had never felt so happy to have stubble before. He didn't care what John said, it was staying today. Dean ran back into the room and jumped on Sam's bed waking him up.
"Yeah, I'm back Sammy!"
"Glad to hear it, Dean." Sam mumbled sleepily.
Dean danced around Sam's bed making Sam moan at the rocking of the bed.
"Calm down Dean you are not six any more. Hey, you know you have just shorts on don't you?"
"Huh no. Sorry."

Dean dashed to his bag and grabbed out a T shirt, jeans and socks and went in for a shower. Sam lay back down and after a few moments heard his brother humming loudly in the shower. Sam smiled a goofy smile. He loved his brother and he had taken the chance while Dean had been small to get to talk to him about the future. But would he go back to being his brash big brother or would he talk with him more?
Dean strode back into the room with his hair all bright and glowing after his shower. He went to his bag and threw on an over shirt.
"Want some breakfast, Sammy?"
"You going out to get it?"
"No, I'm going to send my amazing pet giraffe out to get it. What do you want?"
Sam got up and slipped on jeans and a hoodie. "I will come with you. Before we go, how is your side since your face looks a lot better."
"It's cool see?" Dean lifted his shirts and showed Sam his lower torso.

Sam had a few moments to notice Dean's hard six packed stomach was back. Something he had been envious of until a year ago when he had started to develop his own. There was only slight bruising on his side, overall he looked a lot better.
"Okay, let's go."
They slipped their boots on and went out into the cold morning light for breakfast. They decided not to let John know where they were going and walked across to the diner. Sam sat across from Dean marveling at the change in his older sibling this morning. He was smiling at everyone including a trucker that held the door open for them as they entered and the waitress that took their order.

Dean flirted openly with the waitress, which happened to be the one that served them the morning before. She certainly wasn't worried by the bruising on Dean's face as she flirted back. Sam smiled as she walked off to get the pot to refill their cups.
"Want me to see if she has a sister?" Dean teased with a cocky grin.
Sam grinned at Dean, almost laughing as their cups were refilled.
Sam turned to Dean reducing his grin to a much more serious face. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good. Way better than last night." Dean shuddered at the memory.
"That's good. You remember everything from the last few days?"
"Oh yeah."
Sam looked apprehensive about talking to Dean now that he was back to his normal self. He was worried Dean would ridicule him or worse, not want to talk about it at all.

Dean looked over his coffee at Sam getting his mood immediately. He knew Sam so well he could see what he was thinking.
"It's okay, Sam I remember what we talked about. Dad and I spoke last night while you were asleep. Don't expect miracles out of him. In fact I think he will fight tooth and nail to keep you with us."
Sam sighed, at least Dean had talked to his Dad, he couldn't ask for more than that. "Thanks Dean."
"Anyway, we should get back before he has a fit or something." Dean paid for the food and they went back to the motel.
John was packing up his room and loading the car when they went in to see him. "Are you boys ready to head out?"
"Just about."
They went to their room and quickly packed up the rest of their gear. They were on the road twenty minutes later headed north for no particular reason.

When they stopped for lunch Dean was his normal cocky confident self but didn't miss that John was looking at the automotive section of the newspaper. He had seen John looking at trucks for a while now and knew he was keen to get one and give Dean the Impala which they all considered Dean's baby anyway. Dean took the next stint of driving and John took the passenger seat, falling into a light doze as Sam read in the back seat. Dean drove steadily all afternoon with each of the Winchesters lost in their thoughts about events for the last few days. Dean could feel the end of an era coming no matter what his father said and did. John could feel a tough confrontation coming with his youngest and Sam knew Dean would have his back as he always did when the time came.

They found a motel for the night as it started to get dark and John set them the task of getting the room ready while he fetched the food. Dinner was eaten in near silence before the boys were given laundry duty. Dean gathered the dirty clothes in a bag and dragged a sullen Sam with him to the laundry mat and sat him on a chair. Dean put the things in the machine and sat next to his brother handing him a book. Sam took the book from Dean looking with surprise at the front cover. 'The Princeton Review Cracking the SAT'.
"That's a good prep for your tests, Sammy." Sam looked suitably stunned.
"Thanks Dean." He had tears in his eyes and no idea what to say.

As Dean was putting the clothes into the dryer Sam looked over at Dean. "If you are doing all the work why do you need me here?"
"To give you the book geek boy. Hide that away and don't let Dad see I gave it to you."
"But where did you…?"
"Not telling, Sammy. Just take it and do the best you can. I will try to work out a way where we can stay in one place to make it easier to study but really that book is the best I can do."
Sam jumped up suddenly and grabbed Dean in a rough hug. Dean allowed it for all of a second before he pushed Sam off him. "Easy there Sammy. I have an image to protect."
"In a laundry mat?"
"You never know where you are going to meet the next hot chick."

Dean kept the mood light with some jokes, even poking fun at John's underwear as he pulled it out of the dryer. They went back to the motel and put away the washing after finding a note from John saying he was going to the pub over the road to hustle some pool. Sam expected Dean to follow suit since his Dad was giving them the night off of sorts but Dean settled down to watch TV with Sam at the end of the beds. Sam was happy to have Dean's company for the night and they laughed and had fun.

At midnight they decided to turn in and got up to go about their nighttime routine. When they were ready they both stood looking at the roll out cot with distaste.
"Okay Sammy, let's settle this in the usual way."
Dean put his tightly clenched fist on the spread palm of his other hand. Sam copied his stance and watched Dean's grinning handsome face as they shook fists.

The End.

They're coming home again tomorrow,
I'm sorry it won't be for long.
With all the pain I've watched you live within,
I'll try my hardest not to cry
When it is time to say goodbye.

Juniors eyes, Black Sabbath.

Many thanks to again to RealFunkyTown for her awesome editing skills.