The creature's wings moved in a rhythmic lift, thrust, drag motion that made a sound like wind hitting a tarp. It moved over the field of frozen pumpkins before choosing the biggest one and alighted on top. It used its elongated snout to sniff the fruit before opening its mouth wide and biting down, breaking through the thick rind.

John Winchester stood there at the edge of a field with his rifle ready just waiting for it to attack. He was thrown off guard because the fox faced bat-like creature the size of a brown bear was content to just stare at the hunter with indifference. It seemed the creature was more interested in chowing down on that five hundred pound plus pumpkin than worry about this smaller human.

"Fuck, what is that thing, a bat, fox, dragon? Sorry monster, I don't care if you're kinda cute, nothing personal but you have to die…"

As if the creature could read the hunter's mind, it let out a high-pitched shriek that caused John to drop to his knees and cover his ears. He could only watch as the sky opened up and the creature vanished.

John hadn't witnessed anything like this before. He needed aspirin and a drink, stat. The alpha prided himself on being unshakable but this thing and it's vanishing act did the trick.

At the diner, John had a good think about his encounter, over a plate off eggs, bacon and hashbrowns and hot chocolate laced with whisky from his flask. He didn't even like hot chocolate but had an overwhelming desire for it.

The waitress noticed the man's hand shake as he sipped from the mug, "Is everything ok, do you want a refill on the hot chocolate?"

"No, is the coffee strong here? I don't want any of that weak crap."

"We start serving at five in the morning and get a ton of truckers through here, the coffee has to be strong enough to peel paint."

Maybe it was the bizarre, failed hunt of a pumpkin eating cyrtid and the sky opening up like a door for it to vanish through and the explosion of mixed-up Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations all over the diner, but John couldn't get his sons off his mind now.

He took out his Nokia cellphone and his finger hovered over the numbers but the father decided to wait. Sam might hang up on his dadand Bobby would read him the riot act but hopefully Dean would answer and give him the time of day. John recalled what that wacky healer omega said and how he scoffed at Cal. Now those words came back to haunt him.

…..

Dean parked across the street from the school instead of the lot because there was a cop car with lights flashing and the coroner was there.

"They found the corpse…just great. Can't trace it to me and it was so rotten I doubt they'll be able to tell who or what it was is anyway…"

Sam cocked a brow and looked right at his worried looking brother, "What did you do?"

"Nothing! Ok, the other day when I was waiting for you, a Golden Girls zombie was out there staggering around and I stabbed it through the eye. It "died" Dean did air quotes, "and I dragged it in the woods. It was all gross and runny looking like a pile of hamburger left out in the sun. No big whoop."

Determined not to miss school, Sam grabbed his backpack and got out of the car.

"Aw, come on Sam, I bet school is cancelled today because of the body and shit. You can help me pick out a turkey for Thanksgiving and stuff for sides and then we can see Bobby and bring him some of that sponge candy he likes. I bet he gets sprung before turkey day."

Tanya dashed across the street as soon as she spotted Sam and his hot brother with the cool car, "Sam, guess what, the groundskeeper found a dead body. School is cancelled, isn't that cool?!"

Sam wrinkled his nose in disgust over his crushes joy over the whole thing. Maybe he didn't like her so much after all.

"Tanya, I wouldn't say cool, more like tragic."

Dean stuck his head out the window, "Super tragic. Come on Sam, let's get out of here."

Tanya smiled brightly at big brother, "Can I come? I bet my mom won't mind."

The omega gave the pretty blonde a cool once over, "Sorry, we've got important stuff to do, Tony."

She let out a humph, "My name is Tanya, do I look like a boy?!"

"Kinda, but don't worry sweetheart, you'll fill out."

Sam stifled the laugh desperate to get out. Grocery shopping with Dean did sound better than school.

…

The trip to the grocery store was fraught with danger and hungry looks from the males who picked up on Dean's impending heat. Not only danger for Dean but for the interested males if he rejected them but they persisted. He was with Sam and perfectly happy with that since he considered his brother his partner if not a mate, at least not yet.

Dean felt pride having Sam at his side. His brother was still coltish and adorable but there was a stallion in that lanky body somewhere, waiting to come out. Other males sensed it and so did Dean.

For Sam, the shopping trip was nerve wracking. Dean didn't realize how much that New Year's Eve years back affected Sam. Every strange male who hit on his brother was potential trouble and every wolf whistle and catcall aimed in Dean's direction was an afront to Sam's sensibilities even if his brother blew it off.

When he stepped on the back of Dean's shoe because he was too close behind, Dean handed over the list and set Sam off it pick out fixings. Sometimes brotherly love could get a little stifling. Dean was aware of his brother's concern and jealousy and though he secretly kinda enjoyed it, he didn't enjoy Sam getting so tense over a trip to the grocery store.

When a cute guy gave Dean a hopeful smile across the bin of turkeys, Sam made a show of flinging bags of stuffing into the cart and then gave the guy major bitch face.

Dean whispered in his brother's ear, "Don't worry Sammy, I'm all yours on this shopping trip." He delighted in the visible shiver that ran though his brother's body.

He didn't look forward to telling Sam he was leaving tomorrow morning.

….

The wound care nurse finished tending to the cranky man's burns, "There, all done. Just a few months of this and you'll be completely healed. Do you have someone at home who can help you with dressing changes?"

Bobby frowned at her, "I can do it myself, don't worry about it. When do I get out of here, Doris?"

"I don't see how you'll be able to reach the back. You'll need to come in for treatment then."

"Sure, let me out and I'll come back, promise. When will that be?"

"Tomorrow on the doctor's rounds he'll let you know. I would imagine it will be very soon and you'll be home for the Thanksgiving."

"Great, this place is like a train station for…" Bobby watched as a whisp of a figure passed by the door.

"For what, Bobby?"

"Germs. Hey, can I get a bunch of those little salt packets?"

"Too much salt is bad for you. I suppose you can try requesting a few extra with lunch. Good luck with that."

…

Dean enlisted Sam's help to make dinner and it was fun, just the two of them like always. Dean handed his brother the easy biscuit recipe to work on while he got the pork chops ready for the oven. They had their meal in front of the television and watched Xena, a woman they could both appreciate.

"Man, how awesome would it be if we had Xena hunting with us! She could wear that sexy little leather outfit and kick ass."

Sam muttered, "boobs" while his eyes followed her every move. Dean broke out laughing. "You horny little fuck!"

"You're gross, Dean."

"You'll have to take the bus tomorrow, I'm going to leave for a few days. By then my heat will start up and I just need time alone to get over it. I'll write down the name of the motel in case you really need me."

Sam took their plates to the kitchen and stayed in there to clean up. He needed a few minutes to think this information over and when he came back, he had an answer for his brother.

"You always stay here when Bobby's around, he doesn't care and neither do I. I think it's better if you stay home."

"Well, I don't and I wasn't asking permission."

Sam flopped on the couch next to his brother, "Dean, you don't have to be worried around me, I-I wouldn't try anything."

"Sam, I'm not worried about you around me, but me around you. You don't need to see me acting like a cat in heat. "I would around you, I know it and the embarrassment and fallout afterwards would suck…"

The young alpha stood suddenly, "I guess what I say doesn't matter. Fine, I'll see you in a couple days." Once he got to his room, he waited for Dean to knock on the door but the knock never came. What he viewed as being treated like a kid, infuriated Sam. It was just the opposite; right now, Dean wasn't seeing his brother as a child but as an inexperienced stud.

The next morning, Dean was gone along with the leftover pork chops but he left Sam the biscuits.

By nightfall Dean had picked up an omega to get his needs met. Being with one of his own was safer and a cock was a cock unless it was an alpha and Dean wouldn't go there. He was saving himself for Sam.

Sam's night was very different, he stayed inside with the house locked up tight and had warmed up biscuits with butter and honey before brushing his teeth and going to bed. He couldn't fall asleep because something kept hitting his bedroom window, it sounded like pebbles being thrown against the glass.

"What the heck…"

More curious than creeped out, he cracked the window open and took a look. "Hey, whoever it is, knock it off. I've got a gun!"

The hunter spotted a huge, shadowy figure lopping toward the salvage yard and when it passed under the security light Sam got a glimpse of the creature.

"Whoa, no way!"

…

The man walking the halls of the hospital in search of Bobby Singer's room caught everyone's attention. He looked as if he just stepped out of a way back machine from the Ottoman Empire, clad in a belted, elaborate caftan and a cotton headwrap. Strands of long, curly hair escaped the headwrap and dust goggles sat atop his head. He looked like he walked there through a sandstorm.

He stepped up to the nurses' station, "Bobby Singer's room number, please."

The young girl standing next to him with her mother, tugged on the man's robe, "Are you from Hogwarts?"

He smiled down at her, "I wish! Actually, I was in the desert saving the world from monsters."

The mother dragged her away from the obvious weirdo.

…..

Bobby heard a knock on the door and barked, "Come in." He took a gander at his visitor and said, "You look like you stepped outta that movie "Tremors".

"Well, my dear, I was fighting giant sand worms."

TBC