Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold Ch. 25
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this chapter including Star Wars…that belongs to George Lucas!
Author's Note: I know nothing about battle simulations, so if I got things wrong, I am truly sorry!
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Previously: "I just, I'm not ready to be around a bunch of strangers yet and I didn't want everybody to think I was weak because of it." Sam answered honestly feeling embarrassed once again.
As they sat huddled in Bobby's living room making plans on how to build a better fort than their dad and Bobby, Dean also thought about how he could start building Sam's confidence once again. He knew if Sam continued hiding himself away at Bobby's, that he would never fully recover from his harrowing ordeal with that bastard Hank Reynolds and he wasn't about to let that happen. He was getting his little brother back come hell or high water. Deciding on a course of action, he decided to put it into plan. "Hey Sammy, I've been thinking.
"Oh crap, that's never a good thing." Sam responded with a smirk as he glanced over at his brother.
"Hey, I'll have you know that I do come up with some good ideas once in a while little brother." Dean answered with a pout that put a smile on his baby brother's face.
"Yeah, once every decade." Sam retorted as he slapped his brother playfully on the knee with his good hand. "So what were you thinking about?"
"Well, I was thinking after dinner tonight that you and I could go cruising around town in the Impala, maybe take in a movie." Dean answered with a hopeful voice as he watched Sammy for his reaction.
"Dean, I don't think…"
"Come on Sam, it will be fun. You don't even have to get out of the car, we'll go to a drive-in. Star Wars, the Phantom Menace is playing and I know how much you like Star Wars so what do you say kiddo? Will you at least do it for me?"
Chewing on his bottom lip a little nervously, Sam asked. "Just a cruise around town and a drive-in, you promise you won't make me go anywhere I don't want to?"
"Yeah dude, I promise on the stack of Hustler magazines I have hidden at the bottom of my duffle bag, and don't you dare tell dad." Dean answered eliciting another smile from his baby brother.
"Kay" Sam replied hoping he wouldn't regret it later.
"Thanks tiger, I promise you wont regret it." Dean stated with a grin a mile wide. He couldn't wait to get Sam out in the open air and enjoying life again. It was just going to take a few nudges in the right direction. Now all he had to do was convince his dad to let them go out alone.
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Returning a few hours later from their drive into town, Bobby and John walked into the house to find Dean and Sam sitting on the sofa in front of the television watching Poltergeist. Rolling his eyes, John said, "I can't believe you boys like to watch that crap knowing how wrong they always get things."
"That's what makes it so fun dad, We can poke fun at how the writers don't know their behinds from a hole in the ground when it comes to the supernatural." Sam answered with a soft voice.
"Yeah, if they ever faced what we do, they'd probably wet their pants in fear." Dean added with a wicked grin as he nudged Sam with his shoulder before asking, "Hey dad, did you remember to pick up another set of blocks?"
"Sure did, and we bought an Army action set too. Figured if we were going to be building some forts that we might as well have a mock battle." John answered with a smug look as he saw the astounded look on the faces of both his sons.
"Cristo!" Sam exclaimed loudly knowing that his dad had to have been possessed to do such a thing. John Winchester never took the time to play with him and Dean, even when they were little. He was too focused on the hunt to do much of anything else.
Laughing aloud, John said, "I'm not possessed kiddo. I just thought it would be nice for a change to have some fun with my boys, and besides, it'll also be a lesson in tactical maneuvers ya know."
"Awesome" Dean retorted after he got over the initial shock at hearing what his dad had to say.
"Well then, let the games begin." Bobby stated smugly as he handed Dean their materials which consisted of more children's blocks, a packet of toy Army soldiers and artillery. Once the materials had been evenly divided, the two teams settled in to get their forts built. Bobby had no doubt that he and John would be the winners in the mock battle simulation since both of them were war veterans. They would most definitely put the Winchester boys to shame.
Carrying their materials outside, the hunters placed a large sheet of plywood between their two camps so that they would be able to create their forts without prying eyes from the opposing side.
"Okay Sammy, let's show dad and Bobby a thing or two about building a fort and battle simulations." Dean said as he and Sam began to lay the foundation. Knowing the best way to protect their fort would be with some underground bunkers, Dean pulled out his pen knife and began to dig while Sam placed the blocks according to the plan they had come up with earlier. Dean knew it would be painstaking work for the youngest Winchester, but Sam needed the therapy.
A few hours later, after each side had finished with their preparations, the plywood was removed between the two forts and the mock battle began.
"Wow, your fort looks pretty impressive." John admitted as he looked over to see the medieval type fort that the boys had made.
"Thanks dad." Dean stated with a smug grin as he used his foot to trip the little catapult he had set up and sent a stone flying right into the middle of John and Bobby's toy soldiers that were set up to protect their fortress.
"You rotten little sneak." Bobby grumbled as he watched some of his platoon fall under the unexpected attack. The walls they had built around their citadel type fort crumbled under the assault and they lost more than half their toy soldiers to the sneak attack.
"Hey old man, you do what you gotta do to win." Dean retorted as the battle then proceeded in earnest.
Each side took a lot of hits in the ninety minute battle that commenced. Dean and Sam lost a third of the soldiers in frontline skirmishes, while John and Bobby's fell in strategic and tactical maneuvers. Each camp removed their 'dead' before commencing with new battles, but in the end, the bunkers stood firm from all attacks Bobby and John sent their way and the boys were declared the victorious winners.
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Later that evening after they sat down to dinner and Sammy had had a chance to rest, Dean decided to talk to their dad about the idea of taking Sam out to the movies. They had all gathered in the living room to watch some television when Dean said, "Hey dad, I was talking with Sammy earlier and we were thinking about maybe going to the movies this evening."
"Dean, I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm not sure Sammy is ready for it and I definitely don't like you boys being out alone after dark. You know what kind of things come out after dark."
"Come on dad, you know that I'll be careful and watching our backs at all times. Besides, Sammy agreed to go and he needs to get out of the house and get some fresh air. He needs to start being around other people again so he can rebuild his confidence. You know I'll do anything to make sure he stays safe. What do you say?" Dean asked with a pleading voice.
"Now that you put it that way, I guess you're right. You boys can go, but if there is any hint of danger, and I mean any little thing, you boys better haul ass back here. Do you understand?" John said in a commanding tone.
"Yes Sir" Dean replied with a smile just before looking over towards his little brother. "Grab your jacket Sammy, we don't want to be late."
Helping Sam into his jacket, Dean buttoned it up for him before the boys then gave a wave and were out the door before John even had a chance to tell them to be careful. Quickly getting into the Impala on their respective sides, Dean fired up the engine and pulled out of the drive, setting off towards town to the sound of Back in Black blasting on the speakers.
"Hey Sam, you doing okay?" Dean questioned as he looked over to see Sam slouched in his seat as he looked out the window. Sam hadn't said more than ten words on their twenty minute drive and he was beginning to worry if maybe this had been a bad idea.
"Yeah, M'okay" Sam answered with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Trying to get Sam out the funk he was in, Dean said, "Cool, then tell me you feel up to running through a drive through and getting some honest to goodness food cause I gotta tell ya dude, that crap Bobby is feeding us, it's about to make me barf if I don't eat some real food soon."
Turning towards his brother with an honest to goodness smile this time, Sam replied. "Boy am I ever, that tofu Bobby made tonight was awful wasn't it?"
"Is that what that was? No wonder it tasted so freaking bad." Dean replied with a grin of his own.
"Yeah, I know Bobby is trying to do what Jefferson asked, I just wish he wouldn't go so overboard." Sam said as they pulled into drive thru line of the Taco Bell restaurant.
"You want me to talk to him and dad about it?" Dean questioned as he glanced at Sam.
"No, I don't want to hurt Bobby's feelings. Besides, the food is actually good for us you know."
"I wish you'd tell my stomach that." Dean replied as his stomach chose that very moment to rumble loudly causing both boys to burst into giggles.
"Damn that sure sounds good." Dean thought to himself as they waited their turn in line. It had been too damn long since he heard the sound of Sammy's laughter.
Ordering a few burritos and a couple of sodas. Dean paid for the food items and then drove to the Sioux City Drive In. Finding a parking spot where not too many cars were close by, Dean and Sam began munching on the food as the opening credits of Star Wars, the Phantom Menace began to play.
Thoroughly enjoying themselves as the movie progressed, Dean was pleased to see Sam becoming more relaxed and animated about the things that were happening on the big screen. He took enjoyment in listening to Sammy iscussing parts of the movie instead of being the quiet kid he had been for much too long. Smiling to himself, he couldn't imagine a more perfect night right now than sitting beside his baby brother and watching the awesome space prequel to the Star Wars trilogy!
TBC Hope you enjoyed this light hearted chapter.