Ahh, Branch, your review gave me warm fuzzies. One step closer to my goal of exclamation-point insertion. XD Happy~ Caymus, I am glad you like it! Don't worry, I'll make up for it with Sa-I mean. No spoilers or anything. XD ILLUCIDA! AHH! I was so excited when I read your review. Compliments don't get much better than it being like a scene. Unless it's an original story and not series-related. But this is series-related. So yesh. XD I was all giddy this morning after your review and then I got a bummer review on my other story but then I read yours again and was gleefully despairing. Which is a good thing. XD I adore you people! And I shower you with virtual hugs and cookies. By the by, I'm thinking I need some Sam-clarification. I read that he got back soulless, got his soul, but no memories till Cas broke him down. Do we know what Sam's memories were at all? Or anything? Is there anything relationship-changing with anyone that I should know? And I heard he did something to Bobby? I don't get to watch season 6 till it arrives Sept 13. Because I'm OCD like that. ;-; *been sneaking and watching Dean/Cas moments anyway* Profound bond, much? XD~
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"Damn, for a grease-house suspected of zombie-crashing this place is pretty spotless." Dean noted as he crouched down and inspected for any visible signs of sulfur while he was at it.
Twenty minutes of searching the Raceway had turned up a whopping nothing, and there was no sign of James.
"I don't think he raised her here, Dean. He'd do it at his house, most likely." Sam noted distractedly as he read over some papers he'd found in a locked drawer. A paper clip had solved that little issue readily enough.
Dean noted that as he rose to join his brother and leaned his back against the desk with his arms crossed as he looked up at the other. "Find somethin'?"
"Maybe. Some incantations...but most of it's not even Latin, I think it's a bunch of crap he pulled offline."
"Alright. Well if his rituals are crap, what brought this chick back?"
"We aren't sure it's her." Sam noted as he perused the last of the pages.
"Let's see. Chick disappears ten years ago, no one wants to talk about it, her boy's running with demons, and, oh, all the girls disappearing now are disappearing like she did. Yeah. It's not got nothing to do with her."
"Thanks for the sarcasm, Dean. Really helpful."
"My pleasure, Sammy." Dean replied 'sweetly'.
Sam glanced down at the other in irritation. They'd gone from cuddly to prickly in zero-to-sixty. But he supposed he could chalk some of Dean's snarkiness up to the fact that he was stuck in a ten-year old body.
"Dude. You're staring again."
"Just wondering why your memories came back all of the sudden. If you were cursed, I dunno, wouldn't they want you still thinking you were a kid? Why go through the trouble and then just give you back your memories?"
Dean considered that a moment before he clapped Sam's arm. "Cause I'm just too awesome to stay cursed right." he said matter-of-factly as he pulled away.
Sam doubted his brother's answer, but he couldn't do much about it. For now, Dean was willing to forego heavy investigation into his situation until the case was finished. Which, he wasn't surprised by Dean's focus on the job, he took it more seriously than he let on. Sam was just surprised that Dean seemed to be taking things so...well. Shell-shock, maybe?
"That demon thing was weird though..." Dean noted. "I thought for sure that dude was casting, but then there's a demon? What's the angle? It can't just be somethin' like James' measly soul."
"Guess we'll have to find James and find out." Sam was still surprised that the other had dared to try and stab a demon to give him blood. And the whole situation, him wanting Sam to turn 'superman' and save them all...that just wasn't normal. The more pieces of the puzzle he found, the more it seemed like said puzzle had a very different picture than they'd imagined.
"Back to that diner chick? You said she was our best lead, right?"
"She's the only one talking anyway. There's no point in running after James, we have no idea where to start looking. We'll check Moira's grave tonight."
"Alright, diner it is. I want some pancakes anyway." Dean announced as he made his way to the back entrance with Sam. But this time, there wasn't really anything for him to stand on as there had been outside. The boxes were farther away and likely to cause Dean to fall through more than to prop him up. Dean looked up at the banner-window with a look that suggested that he blamed it for even existing.
Sam noted his brother's hesitation, not to mention irritation, and knew that if he opened his mouth to ask to do what he was about to do-he'd get some sort of threat. So before Dean had a chance to complain he hoisted the other up by the waist and at the window opening.
Dean had started to turn away when he felt hands on his sides and he made a noise of surprise as he found himself lifted up to the window. He shot Sam a dark glare mingled with a flush of embarrassment as he scrambled out quickly and hopped down. The moment Sam was out, he shoved a finger into the other's stomach. "Listen here, pedo-bear, keep your hands to yourself, got it?"
"Pedo-bear?" Sam repeated in amusement as he looked down at his brother. "Get over it, Dean. You're height challenged. It's not a crime."
Dean's eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment. Whether he liked it or not, his expressions were more open and animated on his child's face. "Y-You-"
Sam cut him off. "Aww, do you have a stutter, buddy?" he spoke in a somewhat patronizing tone as he ruffled Dean's hair teasingly.
If looks could kill, Sam would be roadkill in forwards and reverse. "I know where you sleep, bitch." Dean grumbled as he stalked away to the Impala before Sam could do some more damage to his already slighted ego.
"Same to you, jerk." Sam replied, glad to have one-upped his brother a bit and eased his brother's snarkiness somewhat.
As he reached the Impala, he found Dean waiting with his arms crossed and a somewhat sullen expression as he and Sam started into the car. "I should be driving her. She doesn't do good with other drivers."
"I drive her all the time when you want to sleep." Sam noted with a roll of his eyes.
"Yeah, but I'm sleeping then. As long as my eyes are open, I should be behind the wheel."
"Dude, you really need a girlfriend." Sam regretted his words as he spoke them, but he wasn't wholly sure why. Something tugged at his senses again, a prick of something missing, and if Dean's clenched jaw and averted look were any indication, he'd felt something like that too.
There wasn't much to say right after that. They brothers were in the car, Dean was reluctantly riding shotgun, and there was a sense of loss that they unknowingly shared hanging over the pair. Finally, Dean tilted his gaze to Sam and said wryly. "So is it still weirding you out? My, uh, condition?"
Sam was a bit surprised at the question but he answered anyway. "Not as much...it's weirder now than when you thought you were really ten though."
"Say what?"
"I dunno. How would you feel if you heard me talking and acting like you at that age?"
"No offense, Sam, but acting like me would imply a level of coolness you just ain't got." Dean drawled.
"I was being serious, Dean." Sam muttered with a sidelong glance at his little big brother.
"So was I." Dean replied 'seriously' before he looked away with a faint grin.
"It was kind of nice too, though. I missed that."
Dean tilted his gaze back towards Sam with a frown, concerned that this was heading dangerously into chick-flick territory. "Missed what?" he asked warily.
"...You. Me. Being able to talk to you. Stuff like that."
"We talk all the time. Just cause it's not all some big Lifetime moment..." Dean muttered, and already he was closing up.
"See? That's what I'm talking about, Dean. You avoid everything. We're brothers. If you don't wanna talk to other people, then fine. But-"
"Dude! Seriously? We're going to have this conversation now? Is this really the time?" Dean hedged.
"...You know what? Forget it, Dean. Sorry I mentioned it." Sam kept his gaze on the road and his expression blank, and Dean gave a little groan that Sam ignored.
What was he supposed to do? Start blubbering just because Sam had a hard on for chick-flick moments and little Dean didn't know better than to keep his trap shut? "You know one of the reasons I hate telling you stuff?"
Sam didn't reply at first, but reluctantly he muttered. "Why's that?"
"Because I shouldn't have to."
Sam blinked before the statement sunk in and he glanced at Dean, who seemed focused on something out the window. "Dean..."
"What do you want me to say? You're right; we're brothers. You're my little brother, Sammy. I've bent ass over backwards to keep you safe, to keep you alive. I'm still with you, aren't I? What the Hell could I say that's any different than what I've done? You want me to be all chatty and cry my heart out? What good's that do? But all I do for you, for this family, Hell, for the world? Isn't that enough? I shouldn't have to narrarate it. You should already know how I feel without me playing Dear Diary every two damned seconds."
Honestly, Dean's words made sense. He understood where the other was coming from, understood that that was just how Dean was, he could get not wanting to talk. But sometimes talking helped and Sam, unlike Dean, wanted to talk. Sometimes, about some things, and usually just to his brother. So yeah, he did miss being able to bring something up and having Dean talk him through it, or share it with him, he missed the other offering his opinion and support, or kicking his ass if he was being 'stupid'. It wasn't that they weren't close, because they were, but...it was a brotherly intimacy that he missed.
"I get what you're saying, I do-"
Dean mock-hit his head on the window in exasperation. "But...?"
"...Who else am I gonna talk to, bro?" he asked softly.
Sam could have said a million things, gone in-depth and given some logical reason, or some emotional one, but in the end he chose the simple and to-the-point response. One that implied that they were all that they had, that he trusted Dean, that Dean was his partner, and it was Dean he relied on and drew comfort from. And yeah, there was more than just talking underlying the whole thing. It wasn't just about talking. It was about the bond they had, one that they'd been jerking back and forth on for too long. Keeping secrets, feeling ashamed, hiding from each other, fighting for no reason, closing up on each other...that wasn't what he wanted and he knew Dean felt the same whether he would admit or not.
Dean was silent before he drew a long sigh and then rubbed his head. "Yeah, well...look, I'll work on it, alright?"
That was the biggest concession he'd gotten from his brother in ages. "Did my brother really just agree to work on his surliness?"
"'Surliness'? Dude...you need help." Dean shook his head and Sam smiled faintly. "Don't get the wrong idea, this doesn't mean we're gonna start having heart-to-hearts or anything...I'm just saying, ya know...I am your big brother. So...if you...need to run your mouth or whatever..." he trailed off awkwardly. "And I mean...it's not like I'd let anyone but you do it, so it's not a total chick-fest..." Which was sort of his way of saying what Sam had just said.
"Sure, yeah, your manhood is intact. Don't worry." Sam agreed, but there was a note of amusement in his voice.
"Shut up, Sam." Dean muttered, but there was no heat in it as he looked out the window and Sam got the impression that he was smiling a bit himself.
And then came the diner.
"Ohh, I remember you. You came back just to see me, didn't you?" Lynette was speaking to Sam, but it was Dean who replied with a 'smooth' smile and a flirtatious tone.
"You and your pie. Sweetest things in this town." Dean was replying reflexively, so when Lynette shot him a somewhat puzzled, somewhat amused look, he remembered all too clearly what form he was currently in.
"Aww, well aren't you a cutie? Is this guy your little brother?" Lynette smiled at Sam.
"Ah, yeah...this is Daniel..." Sam said and he didn't bother glancing at Dean. He could feel the other's glare on him just fine.
"Ahh, I gotcha. Danny here acts just like the other guy, he was a flirt too. But just between us, you're cuter, kiddo." she winked at 'Danny', who managed a thin smile. He shot Sam a covert look that suggested Hell if Sam dared laugh.
Sam tilted his gaze back to Lynette. "Lynette, I was wondering...could you tell us more about what you mentioned yesterday? It seemed like you might have something to add."
Lynette's smile slipped before she shrugged. "It's just all over the news, you know? Big story. That's why you want to know about it, right? Can't tell you much though, sorry." she seemed more tight-lipped than she had previously and Sam wondered if she'd been reprimanded for the prior conversation.
"That's too bad. I heard there was a girl ten years ago who disappeared the same, and I just wondered-"
"Wondered what? Aren't you investigating these disappearances now? A decade is a little old for it to be the same, right?"
"That's what we're looking into." Sam explained.
"Can't help you, sorry. Are you going to order something or...?"
Dean and Sam exchanged a glance before the pair rose. "No thank you, sorry to have taken your time."
As soon as they were outside, Dean spoke. "Talk about a personality change."
"Well, she's obviously been told not to talk." Sam noted as the pair got into the car.
Dean considered that a moment before he grimaced. "You don't think this is another one of those sacrificing-to-scarecrow kinda places, do you?"
"What? You don't want the honor of being some god's dinner?" Sam asked in mock-astonishment.
"Ha. Ha." Dean said dryly. "Cemetary it is."
"I checked on it and there're two between the towns, even dead there's a class separation. Moira was buried in the Westland Cemetary."
"Figures. Let's go burn us a body. Or gut us a zombie. Whatever."
Dean was back, all right.
...
"Put your back into it, Sammy." Dean smirked a bit as he sat by the edge of the grave. It wasn't like he could have dug it up, so that dubious honor fell to his little brother.
"That's helpful, Dean, really."
"Just doing m'part." Dean's smirk remained.
The shovel clanked against something and he rammmed the shovel down on the coffin. A pretty literal example of pay-dirt. And when he bent down and pried it open, he found it empty.
"Looks like we're going zombie-huntin' tonight." Dean noted as he peered down into the grave.
"I'm not so sure. No ressurection marks, totally clean coffin, the demon...I don't know, something just...doesn't add up."
"Well if it's no zombie, what is it?"
"Good question."
The sliding of dirt and a yelp from Dean took him by surprise, but it happened slowly enough that his reflexes kicked in in time for him to catch Dean as he leaned too far and slid into the grave.
Sam found himself holding his brother awkwardly before he adjusted him bridal style and shook his head. "Falling for me, Dean? Sorry. You're a little young for me."
"You're a real comedian, Sammy, you know that? Just help me up." he muttered, his face an interesting shade of pink.
Sam chuckled as he hefted his brother up before he climbed out and brushed himself off.
"You're the reason there are so many of those damned, what're they...slash fics. You girl."
"Says the butch." Sam replied with a faint smirk of his own and Dean muttered something about 'annoying little brothers' and headed for the Impala with Sam behind him.
Back in the Impala, yet again, they weren't much closer than when they'd started to solving the case.
"For now, we'll go back to the motel. Do some more research and check with Bobby. If James turns up, we'll grab him."
"And torture his scrawny ass? Tell me we can." Sam snorted slightly in reply and Dean rubbed his stomach.
"First, stop for some burgers or something, dude. I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Memories of their previous lunch-time tugged at his brain. He'd really...seen things differently, watching little Dean while an adult himself as opposed to just with the hero-worshipping eyes of a little brother.
"Well someone neglected to feed me and tried to keep me locked up-"
"About that..." Sam's tone held a bit of chastisement.
"Sam, if you try and lecture me now, I will punch you." Dean warned.
Sam rolled his eyes. "Jerk."
"Bitch."
But Sam went through a drive-through anyway, and a contented Dean munched down a pair of burgers with relish.
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Dorky place to end, but I was rushing. XD I wanted to finish this chap before I leave for work...which was supposed to have been three minutes ago...but anyway! Yay! What could this monster be? We're coming closer to the end! I think. XD And surprise faces! And there was supposed to be a villain-scene in here but I don't have time. XD So next time. More shameless brother fluff though. XD I adore you people! *shower of cookies and hugs*~