A/N: My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who were affected by the senseless school shooting in Texas...

Chapter 16

"Sam, Sam wake up!" a young voice broke into Sam's dream as he moaned and tried to get his eyes to open. "Are you awake?" the voice questioned loudly again close to his ear.

"Dean?" Sam slurred turning his head slightly to see his brother's face almost touching his nose. He stared into his huge green eyes for a moment before turning away to roll onto his side. "Go back to sleep," Sam mumbled not wanting to get up yet. He had learned quickly that Dean had no concept of time and when it was too early to get up.

"But you said we'd go hike today and have a picnic," Dean whined, crawling up on the bed to shake Sam's shoulders. "You promised," he pouted.

Sam let out a long breath and glanced sideways at his brother seeing the tears already forming in his brother's eyes. He wondered if he was like this growing up with Dean. Did he turn on the water works when he wanted his way? Or throw puppy dog eyes out there? Sam knew he wasn't going to get anymore sleep with Dean bouncing on the bed and on him.

"Okay, I'm awake Dean," Sam sighed. "Give me time to use the bathroom and get dressed. We've got to have breakfast too and I need to make and pack our lunch."

"Okay," Dean replied jumping down and running out the door.

"I'm going to sleep for a week when we get you back," Sam mumbled to himself as he let his head fall back on the pillow. He closed his eyes and lay there enjoying the peace for a few more minutes before deciding he better get up or Dean would be bugging him again. He threw back the covers and sat on the side of the bed to finish waking up. Stretching and groaning, Sam stood and made his way across the hall to the bathroom to do his thing before getting dressed.

Sam walked into the kitchen to find Dean on a chair at the counter putting slices of bread into the toaster. He had butter and jam sitting beside him to put on the toast. He guessed Dean couldn't wait on him.

"What are you doing Dean?" Sam asked as he made sure he wasn't doing anything that could harm him.

"It's a surprise, I'm fixing us breakfast," Dean told him, smiling happily. "I'm making toast and jam."

"I can see that. Why don't you let me finish since the bread's going to be hot to get out? How about a scrambled egg too?"

"Alright. Can I put my own jam on my toast?"

"Sure, have you seen Uncle Bobby?" Sam asked glancing back into the other room to see the office empty.

"No, he wasn't in here," Dean replied.

"That's strange," Sam mumbled to himself wondering where Bobby would have gone. He knew he would have left a note for him. He looked back at the bread as it popped up and got it out to put two more slices in. He got out eggs and quickly cracked them, adding milk and salt and pepper before beating them and then poured the mixture into a frying pan to cook.

"Uncle Bobby," Dean announced loudly running to the man and throwing his arms around him. "Where were you? I was worried."

"Hello son, there's no reason to worry. I had to run out to the garage for a minute."

"Hey Bobby, toast?" Sam asked.

"Naw, I ate something earlier, but I will take a cup of coffee."

"We're going on a picnic today. Sam said we were going to the river," Dean offered sitting at the table to wait on is food.

"You are? Well, that sounds like fun."

"Do you wanna come?"

"No Dean, I'm too old to be trapsing through the woods trying to keep up with you young ones."

"We'll be leaving when I get lunch made for us," Sam told Bobby.

"You just be careful out there Sam. And be sure to take your cell with you."

"I will. We'll be back after lunch sometime."

"I'm going to take some parts into town to a couple of garages if I happen not to be here. I may have lunch while I'm out too. Maybe I'll see if Jody is free for lunch."

"Jody?" Dean perked up looking to Bobby. "Tell her I miss her and want to make another pie with her."

"I'll do that Sport. I'm sure she'll do that if she can. You have to remember Jody has a job taking care of the town and its people who live here."

"Oh, okay," Dean surmised thinking about what Bobby said as he tried to digest it.

"Okay, Dean do you want ham and cheese sandwich to take with us or peanut butter and jelly?"

"Ham and cheese, please," Dean answered. He sat up more when Sam placed a plate with eggs and toast in front of him. He grabbed his fork and started eating with gusto.

"Okay, here's you some milk to drink," Sam told him sitting a glass of milk by his arm. He ate his toast and egg sandwich while getting the sandwich makings out of the fridge. He put a couple of Gatorades in the freezer to get colder until they were ready to leave. Sam headed into the laundry room and looked around for a cooler bag and backpack so he could pack it for their hike. "I'm running upstairs Dean, you finish eating."

Sam headed upstairs and looked in Dean's dresser for clothes to take with them. He figured if Dean was near water he was going to get soaked and would need dry clothes. He grabbed a couple of older towels to take also. Sam when back downstairs and put the things in the backpack.

After making the sandwiches, he stored them in a plastic container so they wouldn't get squashed. He added zip lock baggies of baby carrots, sliced apples, cookies, cheese, and granola bars. He looked in the cabinet and found a small bag of peanut M&Ms as a treat for Dean. Sam was watching how much candy he gave Dean because he knew what sugar did to a kid, and Dean was hyper enough as it was.

Once Sam had the food and drinks ready and packed, he went searching for a hat and sunglasses for the hike. He found a hat small enough for Dean and laid the items by the pack. He put his cell into a side pocket and slipped a couple of water bottles into the web pockets on the side. There was a blanket tied to the bottom to use when they had their picnic.

"Dean, go use the bathroom and brush your teeth," Sam told Dean when he saw he had finished eating. "And put your socks and sneakers on so we can head out."

"Okay," Dean nodded getting up to do as asked. He came back down the stairs fifteen minutes later to find Sam waiting on him.

"Come out on the porch so I can spray your arms and legs with bug spray," Sam told him.

"Ugh," Dean grimaced looking at the bug spray but followed onto the deck.

"Yeah, but you'll be glad when the bugs don't bite you."

They stepped onto the deck and Sam shook the can before applying a thin coating of the spray over Dean's arms and legs. He did the same to himself, wrinkling his face as the cold spray hit his body. He stepped back inside and picked the pack up shouldering it and adjusting the straps to make it comfortable. Sam put a hat and sunglasses on and took the other to Dean, settling it on his head.

"Alright, Dean, ground rules here, no running off from me to go exploring on your own and we need to stay on the trail to the river. Can you do that?"

"I can. Can we go now?" Dean whined as he fidgeted from one foot to the other. "Can Rufus come?" he asked when the dog trotted toward them.

"No, he needs to stay here. Rufus would scare away an of the animals and we don't want him running off."

"Okay. Bye Rufus. I'll play with you when we get back," Dean told him, hugging and petting him.

"Are you ready?" Sam asked him after locking the backdoor.

"Yes!" Dean yelled jumping up and heading for the back gate.

"Stay in my sight," Sam warned as he followed Dean across the yard.

spn

The day was perfect for their hike. The sun was shining brightly and there was a warm breeze blowing through the trees making the temperature comfortable. They went out the back gate and across the field to enter the forest and find the trail weaving through it to the river.

"Look," Dean whispered pointing off into the trees at a pair of squirrels chasing each other up and down a tree, chattering and fussing.

"I see, they must be brothers," Sam laughed watching the show. "Okay, head on down the trail, I'll be right behind you."

"Okay." Dean skipped along the dirt path, pausing to look at plants or pick up odd looking rocks, keeping some and tossing others. Everything was interesting to him and caught his eyes.

Sam took his time as they hiked through the woods, enjoying every second with Dean. It amazed him at how inquisitive and curious Dean could be with the trivial things he took for granted. He was seeing the world through Dean's eyes now and finding out what he was missing.

"Look at the butterflies," Dean called to Sam, pulling him from his thoughts. "Sam, look."

"Wow, aren't they colorful?" Sam replied stopping to stand by him as they watched the butterflies' flit from bloom to bloom gathering the nectar. He chuckled when several flew around Dean's head. He stepped back and pulled his cell out to snap some photos as Dean held his arms up and one butterfly landed on his fingers.

"It tickles," Dean giggled standing very still as the butterfly investigated his hand. It finally flew away to join the others as they flew off to other flowers. "Did you see that? It tasted me."

"I saw, guess you weren't sweet enough," Sam teased, tickling Dean's side to make him giggle. "Come on, we're not far from the river."

"I wanna see the river," Dean agreed hopping down the barely recognizable trail toward the river. "Hurry up slow poke," he called back to Sam.

"I'm coming," Sam laughed picking his pace up slightly to keep Dean in sight. He frowned when Dean suddenly skidded to a stop and didn't move. He was looking at the ground ahead of him, but Sam couldn't see what got his attention. "Dean, what's wrong?"

"Sam, there's a snake…" Dean's soft, scared voice told him.

"Don't move Dean," Sam commanded as he hurried to his side. He looked around on the ground and then saw it about six feet in front of them laying on the trail. The snake was brownish in color with black splotches on its body. It looked about four feet long and seemed to be sunning on the trail. "It's a hog nosed snake Dean. It's not poisonous, but that doesn't mean there aren't ones around that are. Stay here," Sam instructed Dean. He looked around until he found a long, broken limb and used it to move the snake out of the way. It slithered away in the brush without any fight. "There, now keep an eye out for anymore."

"Okay," Dean nodded before moving cautious down the trail watching the ground for any other snakes.

spn

"We're here!" Dean cried out as he broke through the trees to the river. He ran to the water's edge and plopped down to take his sneakers and socks off so he could wade in the shallows.

"Come on Dean, let's walk down a little way, and find a place to set up," Sam told him stopping to pick up Dean's shoes and socks.

"Alright." Dean ran to Sam and followed him down the bank until he found a shade tree where he could spread the blanket. He dropped the pack and untied the blanket shaking it out and letting it settle on the grass and moss. It was perfect, shaded with a breeze blowing, and a pleasant view of the river.

While Sam was distracted, Dean when back down to the water and waded out into it. He stood knee deep and bend over to look at the rocks on the riverbed. He would reach down and pick one up to look at it trying to decide if he wanted to keep it. He moved deeper, not really paying attention when suddenly his foot slipped, and he fell forward into the faster moving water.

Sam looked up missing Dean and heard noises that sounded like a strangled cry at the river. He walked down to the edge looking for him.

"Dean," Sam called scanning the water when a head appeared briefly and disappeared again. "Dean!" Sam screamed running into the water until he was waist deep. He quickly dove under trying to spot Dean and was able to grab a foot before the stronger current pulled him away. When Sam surfaced, he flipped Dean and threw him over his shoulder so he could make his way to the shore.

Sam sat on a rock and laid Dean across his knees on his stomach so he could slap him on the back and push on his abdomen to get any water in his lungs out. "Come on Dean, breath!" Sam urged turning Dean's head to check his breathing. He sighed with relief when Dean coughed and spit water from his mouth. "That's it, cough it up." When Dean was breathing okay, he put him on his feet, holding him by his upper arms to check his body for injury. "What the hell bro!" Sam fussed in anger, giving his body a slight shake to let him know he was upset with him. "You scared the crap out of me! What if I didn't grab you before the undertow did? You would have been pulled downstream and could have drowned."

"Sor'y…" Dean's shaky voice whispered as huge tears dripped down his face and his body trembled uncontrollably. He breath hitched and he began to sob.

All the anger left Sam as he looked into Dean's frightened, panicked eyes. He grabbed him in a tight hug and whispered, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's okay," he mumbled as Dean sobbed into his neck. "You're okay, you're okay…" Sam rubbed his back and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He kissed his forehead and gently rocked him until he seemed to calm.

"I slipped," Dean hiccupped as he clung to Sam's wet shirt.

"I know, but you're going to be alright. Does anything hurt?" Sam asked.

"No," Dean whispered.

"Then let's get these wet clothes off you and get you warmed up." Sam carried Dean to the blanket and set him down. "Brought you some dry clothes just in case you got soaked." He opened the pack and took out the cold bags to get to Dean's clothes and the towels. He knelt and grabbed the hem of Dean's T-shirt to pull it over his head before wrapping a towel around his body. Sam took the edges and rubbed Dean's hair to get the water from it. He pulled Dean's shorts and briefs down and rubbed his body to warm it. "Step into these dry briefs and shorts for me."

"Okay," Dean replied holding onto Sam and lifting each leg, letting Sam pull them up over his hips. He raised his arms to let Sam slip his T-shirt over his head and down his body.

"I'll lay these clothes on the rocks to dry," said Sam as he wrung the clothes out before placing them on the rocks. "Now, I need to do the same." Sam pulled his shirt off and took the other towel to dry his body and slipped his cut offs jeans off laying both on the rocks too. He grimaced as he removed his sneakers and wet socks, thinking they were not going to be dry when they got ready to leave. He cinched the towel around his waist and went to sit down by Dean on the blanket. "How about a little Gatorade to drink?" Sam got out a bottle and opened it offering it to Dean. "Just a little at a time Dean."

Dean held the bottle in both hands and tilted it to his lips, savoring the taste as it wet his throat. He leaned against Sam's bare chest, trying to get warm. He snuggled closer as Sam put an arm around him and hugged him. He drunk a little more and offered it to Sam to drink.

"Thanks, Buddy," Sam told him gently. He took the bottle and drank some, trying to let his adrenaline rush taper off. He was just realizing how close he came to losing Dean because he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't help the guilt that was building inside of him. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," Dean mumbled shivering slightly as he tried to press closer into Sam's body.

"Do you want to go back?" Sam asked brushing Dean's hair from his face and kissing the top of his head.

"No, I want a picnic."

"Okay, but you don't go back in the water, deal?"

"Deal. Can I wade?"

"Only to your ankles and I need to be watching you."

"Okay. Can I look for rocks?"

"Go ahead, but don't wander too far away." Sam let Dean up and watched him walk back to the water's edge looking at the rocks scattered along the bank. He seemed okay after what happened, but he was going to keep a close eye on him. Sam thought it was true that kids did bounce back fast. He gave a long sigh and shook off the anxiety he was feeling. Sam moved to sit in the sun to warm his body and to watch Dean.

A/N: FF is being a pain, can't see reviews. That was a close call for Dean, but Sam saved him. A little brother bonding here that I hope you liked. Reviews/Comments would be great. NC