-well, I got the chapter all transfered into here, might as well post it ;)

So many show quotes XD

SO, so many

P.S. - I felt like a feaking Ninja this chapter :3

I'm droping hints of whats to come left and right. I had to make a few vaguer just so it wasn't blatantly obvious. Don't worry, you will know in due time. In due time.

March 3, 2015

Baby's engine was purring as Dean cursed her down the interstate. A Skynyrd song drummed quietly from the stereo. Sunlight filtered through the back windshield, warming up the back of his neck. Even after driving around 13 hours straight, Dean wasn't very tired. All the while Sam's snores were being drowned out by the radio and the engine. Though, his stomach growling was starting to become a contender too. If Dean remembered correctly, there was a diner after the next turnoff. Maybe he could get Sam to find a motel. He needed a shower, food, and a nap. Not necessarily in that order. He beamed as he recognized the hum of an Asia song. Glancing at his still dead-to-the-world brother, Dean reached for the volume knob.

Heat of the Moment blasted around the Impala, effectively jolting Sam into an upright position.

"Rise and shine, Sammy!" Dean called out as Sam frantically turned the volume down.

"Really?" Sam bitched.

Dean shrugged with his signature smirk curling his lips. "Diner up ahead. Though maybe you could look us up a motel while we chow down."

Sam ran his fingers through long strands of disheveled hair. "Is shaving that squirrel from your face in the agenda?"

"That hurt. That just plain hurts, Sam." He gave his brother the side-eye. "One of these days this squirrel on my face is gonna attack you."

Sam just rolled his eyes before looking out the window. "Where are we anyway?"

"About an hour from Colorado state lines."

"Jesus! Did you drive all night?"

Dean kept his eyes on the road. Guilt gurgled in his stomach -or because he was hungry.

"Dean,"

"Sammy, you aren't dead yet."

"Yeah, yet."

"Get your panties out of a twist, I would have pulled over."

After Sam huffed, Dean turned the music back up. Sam attempted to change the song but was shot down hard.

"House rules Sammy. Driver picks the music,"

"Shotgun shuts his cakehole." They spoke in unison. Dean rose a brow.

"You've said it before," Sam explained.

"Okay, whatever." Dean brushed off, cutting the engine before getting out.

Dean had a few things nagging his mind that just wouldn't go away. They were sat down, order just having been set in front of them before he asked it.

"So how long?" Dean stared into the unending blackness of his coffee. He risked a glance up. "You and Jess."

"Oh, uh… Since-"

"No. No, how long have you been engaged? Actually engaged? Don't give me any bullshit either. I want the truth. You haven't done the sharing thing very well lately."

"We haven't been talking lately."

"Sam."

Sam picked at his eggs with his fork. "Since late February… last year."

"And you… you told me?"

"Yes!" Sam lowered his voice quickly. "Of course I did. You were just too busy for Jess and me to tell you right away."

"While I'm talking with you, could we maybe meet up sometime?"

He rubbed at his temples, trying to will away the oncoming ache.

Dean caught Sam's worried expression. "I'm fine. Go on."

"We finally had an opening on your day off. Jess and I told you over dinner. It's weird how you can be so overjoyed to have your entire world crashing down around you 24 hours later."

"So the next day was when it happened," Dean concluded.

"Yeah, Dean. It was." Sam forgot his fork in favor of massaging the bridge of his nose. Eventually, he just dropped his head in his hands. "Now every time my damn phone rings I can still hear Benny's voice. 'Sam, it's Dean. You need to come to the hospital right now. There's been an accident.'"

"Cas is he okay? Do you know how bad it is?"

If Dean hadn't been confused, he sure as hell was now. The longer he tried to think on why exactly Cas would be calling Sam on his condition, the more his head hurt.

"Dean? Dean?" The worry in his brother's voice snapped him out of it. Dean found his own head in his hands.

He looked up to find the shine of fear in his brother's eyes. Something he could have heard in his voice from what felt like forever ago. Something Dean never wanted to witness again.

Dean sat up straighter, clearing his throat. "C'mon, eat up. My little brother's getting married. We sure as shit are gonna celebrate." For some reason, he thought of Castiel.

"I thought we went on this road trip for guy time?"

"That too."

…

"Really? Our first stop is the Four Corners?" Sam looked over Baby's hood.

"When in Rome." Dean shrugged, making his way over to the monument.

Sam shook his head. "You're ridiculous."

"And I hold the world record. Now stop whining, bitch."

"Jerk," Sam huffed.

Surprisingly the only other people visiting the moment were on their way out. Dean had figured people would be swarming the place. Maybe not. He looked down at the plate he stood on. Deeming he was in four states at one time. Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. He snapped a picture on his phone. Before he knew it, it was already sent to Castiel.

"You know, technically you're still in Colorado. The marker's off by eighteen hundred feet."

Dean glared at Sam. "You call me ridiculous."

Just then his phone buzzed. Fun fact: the monument is off by about 1,807 feet

Dean grumpily typed back. Fun fact: my brother said the same thing. You're both know-it-alls

"You're both against me," he grumbled.

"Both?"

"Yeah, friend of mine says 1,807 feet." He didn't know until that moment how desperately he wanted Cas to be more than just a friend. Though the guy still needed his time. Dean may not be able to bring his husband back, but could at least give him that.

Dean looked up again to find that look in Sam's eye. The giant opened his mouth.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Say it and I'll kill you."

March 5, 2015

Dean tried to discreetly itch at his beard for the umpteenth time. He really should have thought this through. Facial hair and desert heat do not mix well - at least in his experience. The brothers had spent their time in Colorado but now had moved on to Arizona. They hiked up the rocky trail, sightseeing at the top of the Grand Canyon. Dean had to snort at the sign: OOH AAH POINT.

That was another photo that somehow ended up being sent to a certain professor back home. The brothers stood next to one another, looking out over the expansive canyon.

"For a giant hole in the ground, it's pretty neat."

Sam chuckled before hitting Dean in the arm.

"Bitch,"

"Jerk."

Dean smiled. When he first decided to take this trip, he didn't know it would be this easy to get along with his little brother again. He'd even go so far as to say that he'd almost forgotten exactly why they had avoided each other. Then he'd remember that they'd eventually have to go home.

"Remember the last time we were out here?"

"God, yes. You about gave me a heart attack after you ran off." Dean shook his head. "Dad wasn't too happy to find that out either." He paused, eyes soaking in every detail of the landscape before him. "I remember all those fires that dad was called out to. Majority were started by lightning."

Unlike back then, today had a clear sky bearing down on them. No fires that they had to worry about. No flash flooding. It was a much-needed vacation, not work. Sam was right beside Dean. Maybe not for long, but right now Dean had his brother. It was all he ever needed. They moved along to another, less populated spot.

"Dude look," Dean elbowed Sam, pointing to the Eagle soaring. It swooped down toward the river, rising back up with its prize.

"Pardon me," an accented voice behind them interrupted.

"What's up?" Dean quirked a brow, sharing a look with Sam. The man was a little shorter than himself. The scruff around his face made him almost look like a cartoon character came to life. The guy was wearing a dress shirt for crying out loud. Though there was something about his demeanor that just didn't sit well with Dean.

"Sam and Dean Winchester, correct?"

"Depends on who's asking." Good, that meant Sam didn't like the guy any more than Dean did.

"Mick Davies," He extended his hand.

The brothers just stared.

"Oh, well. Would you follow me? There are a few things I believe we should discuss."

"Right here's fine," Dean answered quickly.

"In private," Mick tried to plead.

"Then give us a rundown."

Flustered, Mick rolled up his shirt sleeves a little more. "Alright. I work for an agency called Men of Letters. There are several branches of it. For instance the h-"

"Is this it?" Dean interrupted impatiently.

"No, there's plenty more to it. Like I said most of it we need to discuss in private."

"The answers still no."

"If you'd prefer there is another agent who accompanied me. I wouldn't recommend Ketch, but if you insist."

Sam folded his arms over his chest. "We're not insisting anything."

"Dude, get on with it, or beat it." Dean did the same, noticing how the new man was becoming uncomfortable. He was outmatched in every sense possible. And he knew it that too.

"Sorry, sorry. There is a client who has been with our services for years who would like to… how do you say it? Meet up with you."

The brothers shared another look. "Who is this 'client'?"

"I am not yet at liberty to discuss who unless done in a private, disclosed area. The case is still being closed and we are still trying to keep h- them under wraps."

"No thanks," Dean rumbled, placing a hand on Sam's arm before they walked off.

"That was weird," Sam spoke once they got back to the Impala.

"Tell me about it." Dean huffed.

…

That afternoon they hauled ass out of Arizona, hoping to put space between the "Men of Letters" and themselves. During that time they managed to come close to Big Bend National Park. Close, by a few hundred miles.

The Heavens sparkled above their heads where Dean had parked baby where they could camp it out for the night. There was just something about the stars dotting the midnight sky that itched in his brain. Something that once was. So far away to be reached again.

The cry of a lone coyote carried with the light breeze. Dean's phone buzzed with a goodnight text from Cas. He answered back before turning it off.

"So this guy you're talking to…" Sam left the question open-ended.

"Just friends." For now, hopefully, but the last thing Dean wanted to do was push.

"You don't have to worry about me so much. It was rough at first after the hospital, but I'm managing."

"You're my brother, I'm never gonna stop worrying about you."

"You're stealing my lines here." They both chuckled, taking a drink from the beer bottles in hand. After the rumbles tapered off, the seriousness set back in. "I wanna remember." The admission was hardly audible. I wanna know so badly how large this hole is. Of all that I'm missing. I want to remember.

"We all want that for you too," Sam glanced over.

"Were we… were we like this before? Still not talking?"

"No, God no." Sam looked to the sky. "It was as perfect as it could be."

Dean nodded, another question beating around inside his head. "So are you and Jess?" He couldn't finish that sentence. Hell, he didn't even know if he wanted the answer.

"We have a house picked out. It's worn down and needs work, but I figured that my brother could help with some of that."

Now Dean was confused. Did Sam want him to follow them to California? It excited him but he couldn't do that. The more he thought about that, the more he realized something. That he'd be leaving so much behind. Far too much. Blue eyes may even fit into that equation.

"It's right outside of Lawrence. The firm wants to move, or expand. They wanted me around home, and so did I."

Wait, what? Dean's gaze snapped to Sam.

"So what do you say? I'd like my best man to help me out with the house."

Dean grinned from ear to ear, clicking his bottle with Sam's.

March 6, 2015

Dean woke to the morning sun shining right into his eye. There was a dull pounding on the side of his head. It wasn't from a hangover. His own voice echoing in his thoughts.

He and Sam didn't even drink that much. Speaking of, the giant was staring down at him from the back seat. Sam's demeanor was marked with apprehension and unease.

"Morning sunshine," he tried to brush it off.

"You were talking in your sleep."

Dean sat up. A phrase of denial sitting on his tongue. He wouldn't even get to utter a single word.

"Jody told me about the nightmares. It's not that hard to tell somethings up after being with you almost constantly for the last 96 hours."

Dean huffed. "Alright genius." He paused.

Sam rose his brow in a silent 'go on?'

Fine. "It was um, a phone call. I was pacing around, phone in hand before someone answered."

"Who?"

Dean glared at his brother. The look softened as he thought it all over. "You, I think."

"What else?"

"That's it. I woke up after that." Lies. Complete lies by the skin of his teeth. There was more to it. Much, much more. Enough to make his fingers itch to pick up his phone.

"Hhmmm,"

Dean took in the dark circles under his brother's eyes. "What about you? You don't look so peachy either. Care to share with the class, Sammy?"

Sam hesitated. "It's just… I've had the dream before."

"And?" If Sam could push, he very damn well could too.

"The first two times it was before the warehouse fire. Each one a little different but had the same aspects." Sam gulped. "You lying in a hospital bed, tube down your throat breathing for you." He ran his fingers through his shaggy hair, pulling at it. "I- It's what they say is the worst part."

Dean's brows furrowed. "What'd they say?"

Sam tried to smile, to brush it off. It made him look all the more torn up. "When you were in the coma, they always came to me. They always tried to discuss an end of life plan."

Dean's eyes widened. "To… take me off life support."

Sam didn't even need to nod. "Especially at the beginning. How many times they had to bring you back." He sucked in a breath, "it's just-"

Dean wrapped a hand around his brother's arm and squeezed. "I'm right here Sammy. I'm not going anywhere." He slid over to the wheel, glancing over his shoulder. "But how does a motel sound right now? I can hear a shower calling our names."

Mirth shone in Sam's eyes. "You first, I think people back home can smell you from here."

"You're no better." Dean snarked back as he turned the key.

…

"I still can't believe it."

Dean glanced up from his eggs. "I swear to God, Sam."

There were tears in Sam's eyes as he tried not to make too much noise as he laughed. "Do I need to call animal control? Your squirrel escaped."

"If I knew you'd act like this I would have grown a beard a long time ago." Sam just couldn't let the joke go. Not even after Dean had shaved that morning. He had trimmed back down to a comfortable 5 o'clock shadow. Honestly, he was glad he did. The extra facial hair was great in the winter, but damn near disastrous in the heat. He didn't know how Bobby managed. Though, that stubborn old bastard could do the impossible. Dean's phone buzzed with another message.

"Just friends, huh?"

"Get your panties out of a bunch, it's only Jody. Oh, and he says howdy." Dean pocketed the device after he shot a quick response to Jody and Cas. That part he wouldn't tell Sam. His plate of eggs clean. Sam's mostly still occupied by the food he was too busy making fun of his brother to eat. "Alright freak of nature, ready to hike?"

Sam's eyes grew to the size of the dinner plate in front of him. He stopped laughing completely.

Revenge, oh sweet revenge is glorious when Dean's the one holding the keys. To the car, and to heavenly air conditioning.

When it was obvious that Sam was paying more attention to his food, Dean swallowed one of his headache pills. He silently prayed it'd kick in soon.

…

The boys staggered back into their room an hour past noon. Big Bend was absolutely beautiful. It made Dean wish he could take a permanent vacation and just run around the country with his brother. Though, his mind kept bringing up Castiel.

…

Not wanting to put any thought into what they'd eat for the night, they ended back up in the diner where they had eaten breakfast. Dean was still mulling over a couple more days worth of places they could go before heading on home. His coffee arrived with Sam's rabbit food, the burger not far behind.

They were squabbling about food choices when a waitress turned the volume on the TV up. Dean had muttered something around 'some of us have to lift heavy things on a daily basis, Sam.'

It was Sam's turn to retort, when Dean raised his hand, pointing at the screen. The bottom of the screen gave a location somewhere in Northern Texas.

Dean's eyes zeroed in on the reporter. Behind him were large billows of black smoke, consuming the blue skyline. There were even flames that waved up from the treetops. He was either desperate to keep his job, or crazy. "Move outta there you moron," Dean growled.

"He to close?" The other waitress asked.

"Yeah. It's too dry around there, not enough wet spots. A little wind and that fire can cover that place in minutes." Dean shook his head. "Back where I'm from, I haven't had to deal with many brush fires. The few I had were nasty thought."

It seemed she was genuinely interested in what he was saying but didn't say much as the reporter drowned her out.

"This afternoon, right outside of Dumas, an uninhabited farmhouse caught fire. Before the city fire department was notified, the fire spread. As you can see behind me, the flames are on their way into town. Fire engines from surrounding towns are on their way to help, but Dumas city council is planning for evacuation, and shutting down the city until further notice."

"You were planning on running through there on the way home, weren't you?" Sam didn't even look back at Dean.

"Yep."

Damn. There went those plans. That was when Dean spotted the dark-haired man. He was nicely dressed, almost too much for the Texas heat. Dean was reminded of that Mick guy. He did say he had a partner. Then again, Dean could just be really fucking paranoid.

"I'll be right back," he didn't even give Sam time to question where he was going. Dean straight up walked out of the diner. He needed air, and he needed it yesterday. His headache was starting to pulse again and it would be a few hours before he'd be able to take anything.

"A shame, isn't it?"

Dean spun around to find the waitress. He didn't realize how far he'd gone from the diner until now.

"That's the third fire I've heard about this week."

"Third?"

"Yeah. Oklahoma and Kansas. That's where the others were." She shrugged. "If I didn't know any better I'd think it was that Alastair guy." Dean shivered at the name. "But thank God he's locked up."

"He'll be away for a long time." He rumbled.

"Life is what I heard."

"Good," Dean hated the bastard. Hated that he had the guts to do what he did and work with the Fire Department. It was sickening. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end when he spotted the guy that had stared at him walk out. There was another one too. A man across the street with sickening yellow eyes.

Screw whatever plans he had before, Dean had changed his mind. "Thanks, sweetheart for the company, but I think I'm headed." He walked briskly back to the diner doors, bumping shoulders with the hawk of a man. The hand that he used to fix his tie had a cross tattoo. Not weird at all.

Sam was still staring at the TV when Dean walked back over. He called to the waitress that served them, asking for doggy bags.

"Sure thing," she hummed.

"What's up?" Sam failed at keeping back his concern.

"Time to go home, Sam."

Dean didn't need to utter anything else. He watched his brother take in his tenseness before giving a nod. It felt almost as if they had overstayed their welcome on the open road. They paid and high tailed it out of the small town. Yeah, it was long past the time to go home.