Sam got through his first class with marginal success. His concentration was severely lacking. He would just have to trust that Dean would wait. He walked into his math class and took his regular seat. He said hello to Allen.
With a smile, he answered, "Dorothy, you're back! So, did you work it out?"
"I don't know, yet. I'm supposed to meet him later." Sam blushed a little as other members of the class turned to look at him.
After class, he told Allen how he and Dean had spent the night together and that Dean was thinking about leaving, anyway. Allen didn't want to tell Sam what to do; that wasn't his style. He listened and let Sam talk. Sam rambled.
" He thinks I don't need him but, we had such a good time. He got a little freaked out about Ray. I didn't think anybody else saw him the way I did. I thought if we all spent time together, Dean would see that it could work."
Allen could see the train wreck coming. He said, "I am about to do something I try never to do. Give advice. Sam, you screwed up. He walks in; he doesn't know anybody. But, we know all about him. The way we looked at him. And then a doppelganger shows up. Good time or not, I'm sure Dean felt like he didn't belong. "
Sam realized how much he had been thinking of his own feelings. He couldn't imagine how he would react in that situation. He explained to Allen how he thought their night together would have shown Dean how much he needed him.
"Sam, he already knows how you feel about him. It's the next step that's the issue. How does he think about a commitment when he thinks you've got a replacement? Now, we all know how Ray is. He's not looking for what you guys want but, your brother doesn't know it, does he?"
Sam didn't know what to say. He hadn't seen any of this. Of course, Dean would be brave and bow out if he thought Sam was happy.
Allen rolled his eyes and continued. "Anyway, you guys have work to do. You gotta figure out if this is what you want. I have a suggestion. Just tell him; just ask him. We'll be here, if that helps at all. And that's all I'm going to say about that."
To Sam, it all sounded so simple, in theory.
He thanked Allen and walked to his last class of the day. On the way, he took out his phone to call Dean.
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Dean was on the way to his car when he heard his phone. He looked at the screen and saw it was Sam's number. He felt a slight twinge of panic until he checked the time display. He didn't know if he was ready for this conversation but, he knew Sam loved the face to face. So, he took the call. After the 'hey', Dean asked Sam if he was done with his classes.
"Hey, Dean. Not yet. I'm just calling to...(check up on you, make sure you show up, don't change your mind?)..say hi" He had never called Dean to say 'hi' in his entire life. He could just imagine his brother's facial expression. Then Dean surprised him, again. He said 'hi'. Sam could hear the smile in his voice.
Sam explained that his last class was actually at the research center; he was working on a project and he was willing to skip it. Dean wouldn't be responsible for that. He told Sam he was forty minutes away and he would meet him in an hour. Then he added, "I wasn't going to bail, Sammy."
Sam felt transparent and responded as sarcastically as he could, "What do you think, you're a mind reader, now? I knew that."
But, Dean could hear the smile in his voice.