Dean watched cartoons. First he sat on the floor Indian-style with his elbows on his knees. After a while the hunched position got uncomfortable for his stiff and sore torso and he glanced up at Sam's bed. It would be more comfy up there stretched out with his head propped up against the headboard. And he could have a close eye on Sammy. Just to make sure he was alright.

Carefully Dean settled next to Sam who didn't even stir. The remote in one hand and with the other one absently playing with Sam's hair – this way he'd notice if the fever climbed up again, why else would he do it? – Dean let out a breath and relaxed a bit. And when Sam's arm landed across his stretched out legs he didn't move because if it made Sam feel held and warm and loved who was he to deny that, right?

Watching TV really showed him how different this time was from what he knew. The motel room was like every other he had ever been in, the current one possibly hadn't changed since the seventies, same for the diner. The cars in the parking lot looked slightly futuristic but they couldn't fly and they still had four wheels. What really hit him were the commercials. Cell phones and laptops – so that was that thingy he had found among Sam's stuff and he still had no idea what it did – were the ones he had physical evidence off. Other thing seemed just too weird to be real. Often it weren't even the thing they tried to sell which stunned him. People changing into other people, people flying, solid thing tuning into water or dust or just change, talking animals and it didn't look fake. He was pretty sure it was fake but hell if he knew how they did it. It was kind of relieving every time the break was over and the cartoon started again. Not a show he knew and the drawings were astonishing good, far better than he thought they could ever make it, but he still could clearly tell it was drawn.

After a few hours Bobby woke up. Dean didn't notice till Bobby stood next to the bed, carefully peeling away the sleeve of Sam's t-shirt to get to the dressing on the wound beneath. As soon as Dean did notice he tried to get out of the embarrassing position he was in. But it was too late, Bobby had to be blind to didn't see him cuddling with his brother.

"Stay where you are." Bobby said and if he smiled behind his beard Dean couldn't tell. "He's laying perfect for me to check his wound." With sure and experienced movements he changed the dressing. "Looks good. No infection and it's healing nicely." Dean glanced at the wound and had to agree. The biggest gash was hold together by three stitches and he couldn't help but wonder who put them there. Most likely his adult self.

The treatment finally woke Sam. They untangled with a minimum of embarrassment and Dean smoothed over it by fetching his brother water and the painkillers.

"You?" Sam shook the bottle of pills with a questioning look.

"'M fine." And he was. A little stiff because he hadn't moved much the last few hours but nothing he could really describe as pain.

"You hurt, boy?" Along with Sam Bobby eyed him head to toe trying to figure out where he was hurt.

"'M fine." He repeated.

"OK." Sam set the bottle on the nightstand. "But if you need one don't hesitate."

Bobby opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Sam: "Dean, could you bring me the map and the notes? We should go through this while I'm actual awake."

Dean expected them to stick their heads together and completely forget about him. That, however, was the way his dad did – had done – these things. Keep Sammy occupied while the adults plan the hunt.

But Sam wasn't John. To his surprise Dean found himself sitting next to Sam on the bed with a marker in his hand, putting an X everywhere Sam pointed at. Sightings of the snake-monster, where the bodies had been found – if you can call half digested bones bodies – and finally where that thing had attacked him and Sam. Dean was glad they left the pictures out, the quick glance he had gotten of them were enough, thank you very much. It nearly flipped his stomach to know the victims were kids, he didn't need to see pictures of their remains.

"So my best shot will be in this area." Bobby tapped at the map.

"I should come with you." Sam said but didn't make an attempt to get out of the bed. They all knew how that would end.

Sam made a face. Dean knew the feeling, being left behind, waiting, hoping. It had to be worse for Sam because he was a hunter now, he was used to be out there.

"Hey, I was optimistic and brought the second spear for you." Bobby stood up and grabbed one of the weapons. "But we can't wait any longer." Nobody disagreed. It still sucked.

So Dean helped Bobby to gather his things while his uncle stabbed the air first with one and than with the other spear, trying to figure out which one lay better in his hands. Decision made he set one aside and took the other one to the car. With the dagger in his belt he was ready to go. Dean followed him outside and nearly tripped over a fallen over trashcan. Damn racoons.

"Watch out for that brother of yours." Bobby ruffled Dean's hair.

"Always do."

"I know." Bobby climbed into the car. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

"Yeah, that's what Dad always said." His chest felt too tight. "Until he didn't come back."

"Dean, your dad …"

"Sam told me." Dean interrupted him. "He'll never come back." His eyes were watering again and wasn't that pathetic.

"Dean." Bobby was half back out of the car.

"Just come back. OK?"

"OK."

Dean nodded and ran back into the room. Behind him he heard Bobby driving off. Inside he slumped face first into the free bed. It smelled like Uncle Bobby now, like motor oil and dust and whiskey.

"Dean?" Came Sam's voice from the other bed. "You alright?"

"Thought you were asleep." He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"Bobby's a good hunter. He'll find it and he'll kill it." Sam sounded confident.

"And then I'll be grown-up again." He wasn't so sure he liked the idea.

"I hope so." Sam propped himself up on one elbow and looked him straight in the eye. "This has to be scary for you. I won't lie to you. Shit happens and in our life a lot shit happens. But there are good things too. Things to remember. The time with dad. Your first hunt. Your first girl." He smiled his eyes dreamy with memory. "Believe me you'd miss something if you don't remember Jane Williams. Dude, that was the worst case of too much information in my life." He paused for a moment. "But most of the time it was just us, growing up together. You being there for me. I don't want to be the only one to remember that."

"You really want him back." You don't want me, you want him.

"Dean, what happened to you wasn't right. Come here." Seconds later Dean found himself in a tight hug. "I love you." Sam whispered into his ear. "I'll always love you. It doesn't matter how old you're, we are brothers nothing will ever change that. We stick together and we watch out for each other, like we always do."

Dean melted into Sam's chest. He didn't know who he'd be at the end of the day but it didn't matter anymore. He'd be Sam's brother, that was enough.

Sam's arms started to slip and Dean eased him into a laying position. He was fast asleep before his head hit the pillow.

"Dude, how can you sleep that much?" Dean shook his head and adjusted the blanket around his brother.

With nothing else to do he turned the TV on. It was at least a distraction from his thoughts.

Some time later, he had no idea how long, a knock at the door startled him. With an "Uncle Bobby" on his lips he opened the door but it wasn't Bobby who stood there on the porch.

"Hi." Linda the waitress said.

Dean's first impulse was to slam the door into her face. Instead he asked: "What do you want?" Looking over his shoulder he made sure Sam was still asleep.

"I'm sorry." She said. "For yesterday. I thought … I saw … and I thought …" She broke up fingers digging into a box she was holding.

"My brother is sleeping, he's been sick. I don't want to wake him." Dean stepped out of the room but left the door behind him half open just in case.

"I noticed. That he's sick, I mean." She didn't look him in the eye. "Look, I just wanted to apologize. I brought you some pie." She offered him the box but before he even had a chance to take it she dropped it.

"Did you see that?" With horror she stared over his head, eyes wide and a panicked look on her face. "The...there..." She pointed with her finger but Dean was already running. And stopped cold in the door to their room.

The feathered snake was on Sam's bed, hoovering over his still sleeping brother.