A.N. Feels like ages since I posted anything and, believe it or not, I think there's only 3 or 4 chapters to go now (although I'm crap at guessing). Chick xxx


CHAPTER 9

ooo

Seeing the anger on Dean's face at the knowledge that his younger brother was being targeted, Sam gave Dean a small smile.

"Hey, try looking on the up side. I've never heard of a harp playing Yeti, so at least we know that's not what we're looking for."

Dean glared at Sam.

"Not funny."

"It definitely was! So...How do you want to play this?"

"Sam!"

"Sorry. Seriously though?"

Dean arched his eyebrows.

"Seriously? That depends...Don't suppose you brought any handcuffs, did you?"

"No! I didn't."

"Ok...Not a problem. I'm sure I can find something in our kit that I can use to tie you to me."

"Dean! You wouldn't!"

Dean gazed at his younger brother steadily.

"Wanna try me?"

...

Aromatic pots of noodles in hand, the brothers knelt side by side on the forest floor, staring at Sam's ordinance survey map by torchlight. Dean prodded a spot on the map.

"I'd say that's about where I found you enjoying your own private concert. You dodged and weaved when you ran, but you didn't stray too far off a roughly straight line. The distance is about right from here, and the forest definitely gets thicker in that area."

Sam nodded.

"Ok...So, anything in the area look interesting?"

Both brother's bent closer to the map, inspecting the terrain, looking for anything that might be worth exploring.

"There's lots of trees."

Sam bumped Dean's shoulder with his own.

"Well done Mr Observant...Hang on...Got something. There. About three miles due south."

Dean looked to where Sam pointed. The map showed the densely packed trees thinning out again around one small area where, according to the map, a tall, rocky structure soared up from the forest floor.

"What do you think?"

Dean shrugged.

"Can't see much else showing. Gotta be worth checking out. Agreed?"

Sam nodded.

"Agreed. First one up makes coffee, then we pack and head out."

"Fine. I'll wake you at first light."

Sam looked at Dean with a frown.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Dean began to raise himself up from the floor.

"It means, little brother, that I'm keeping watch tonight. Don't want you going off on a midnight stroll all on your own, do we?"

"But..."

"But nothin'. It's settled."

...

Dean sat, staring unblinkingly into the flames of the small camp fire, half empty bottle of beer dangling from one hand, held around it's lip between two fingers. To anyone who happened to see him, from his outward appearance they would be forgiven for thinking the young man was mesmerised by the dancing flames. Internally however, he was busy; his mind raking through old hunts, snatches of lore and pieces of legends, trying to uncover anything that seemed similar to that which was currently happening to Sam. Sam himself had disappeared into their small tent an hour before. Dean had listened to his brother trying to get comfortable for a while, but he had now been quiet for the past forty minutes. Dean assumed he had finally fallen asleep, so he was surprised to hear his brother's tired voice call to him. Dean didn't move from his spot in front of the fire.

"What? I thought you were in the land of nod?"

"Can't sleep."

"You looked like you could sleep standing up earlier."

"M'tired, but can't sleep."

"So...You expecting me to sing you a lullaby?"

"S'nice idea."

"Not gonna happen."

"Deeaann."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Dean stood up and stretched before wandering over and squatting down by the low, arched, hole that served as the entrance to the maggot like structure of the tent. He sniggered when he saw Sam's head, hair flopping back from his face and forehead, poking out of his sleeping bag; his wide, pink tinged, eyes gazing up at Dean.

"Ok, I'm here. Why can't you sleep?"

"Feel guilty... 'Cos you're awake."

Dean rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"Well, don't be. It's my job to watch out for you. I'm fine. Now go to sleep."

"I will if you will."

"Sammy..."

"S'a teeny tent n' I'm stuck in a bag. No way I c'n go walk without you know... Dean?"

Dean finally nodded.

"Ok. Move over Sasquatch, so I can squeeze in."

Fully clothed and still wearing his shoes, Dean wriggled feet first into the tent and on top of his sleeping bag. Sam gave him a sleepy smile.

"G'night Dean."

With care, Dean managed to turn over in the confines of the tent until he had his back to his brother.

"Good night Sammy."

...

Dean awoke with a heavy weight pressing down across his chest, an odd brown light surrounding him and something soft irritating his cheek. For a brief moment he was completely disorientated, and he froze whilst he attempted to figure out where he was. Tent...Stupid brown maggot tent. So the heavy thing? Dean lifted his head to see what was pressing down onto him. The soft cheek irritation fell away as Dean moved and he glanced sideways, very nearly banging noses with his sleeping brother; who's hair seemed to have taken over most of the area and, Dean realised, was the thing which had been tickling his cheek. Now back in the game, Dean knew before looking that the weight on his chest was one of his brother's arms. Dean laid his head back down and, with a grimace, tried shifting further away from Sam's face. An idea struck him and he turned his head again towards Sam. Very softly, he began to blow in his brother's face. He grinned as Sam wrinkled and twitched his nose in his sleep, feeling the draft Dean was creating. Dean blew harder, until Sam twisted his face away with a small snuffling noise, but his arm stayed where it was. Dean rolled his eyes. As carefully as he was able, he began to attempt to slide head first out of the tent and out from under Sam's arm. Responding to Dean's movement, it seemed that the sleeping Sam wasn't too happy about part of his bed trying to escape, and he rolled back towards Dean, encircling Dean's waist with his arm and, at the same time grabbing hold of a handful of Dean's tee as if he was trying to pin down an unruly teddy bear. Dean gave up his attempts to not to wake his brother, and instead gave Sam a firm prod with one finger in his ribs, instantly regretting his action. Sam went from sleep to awake and ready to fight off the intruder faster than a blink. Dean found himself shoved to the ground, with Sam still half inside his sleeping bag and straddled over him, a forearm pressed firmly against Dean's throat.

"What the...?"

"Gerroff me you oversized gorilla! Jeeze!"

Moving his arm from Dean's throat, Sam stared down at his brother in confusion.

"What're you doin'?"

Dean stopped struggling and glared back up at Sam.

"I was trying to get out of this bloody stupid tent and make coffee, but you were cuddling me like a girl."

"Was not!"

"Oh, but you sooo were, Samantha."

"Liar!"

"Sam? Look, before you carry on trying to deny your inner girliness...Any chance you could...Get the frigg off me?"

"Oh...Yeah...Uh...Sorry!"

...

Dean insisted on his astronaut ice-cream for breakfast and he made is way through one making appreciative noises, no way was he going to admit it was bloody awful. He forced the last of it down with his coffee, unable to hide his grimace at the bizarre combination.

"You hated that, didn't you?"

"What? No. It was...different is all. Anyway, last night, after you'd gone to bed, I was thinking about what we know so far and about your muzak. I was trawling through past hunts, bits of research I remember. Didn't help then, but...does Fosse grim mean anything to you?"

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A.N. Well? Does it? Chick xxx