Chapter 2

Dean made a quick stop at a convenience store to gas the Impala and grab the smallest bag of ice they had. He got several plastic bags and made a pack for Sam to apply to his knee. He got back on the road and kept an eye on the signs looking for a place for them to stop for a few days.

Several hours later, he pulled off the highway and followed the signs to a small town that really seemed to really get into the Halloween spirit. The entire town was decorated for the holiday that was only a few days away.

"Oh great, I pick the only town that thinks Halloween is a fun holiday," Dean grumbled as he looked at the banners, pumpkins, ghosts, witches, spider webs, and other themed items placed everywhere you looked.

"It's not only that," Sam surmised as he glanced around seeing posters and advertisements for a Magic Convention. "There's a Magic Convention that starts tomorrow and lasts until the day after Halloween."

"I hope I can get a motel room," Dean said as he pulled into the parking lot of a motel and up to the office. "I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."

"Funny, ha, ha," Sam sneered as he shifted in the seat and grunted in pain. His bottom was asleep, and his leg was wet and cold from the ice melting. Dean had folded a blanket and slipped it under his knee to keep any water from getting on his precious car seat. Sometimes he wondered if he cared more for the car than him.

"That was lucky, someone canceled their reservation, and I got the last double room they had," Dean told him when he got back in the car to move it to the back where the rooms were located. "And it's on the ground floor."

"Thank god for that, no way could I do stairs," Sam sighed.

"Yeah, we just need to deal with all the weirdos something like this event brings out. Why don't I help you get a quick shower and settled, and I'll go down the block and get us something to eat?"

"I do need a shower," Sam agreed when he sniffed his shirt and wrinkled his nose at the body odor. He was dirty, his clothes were torn, and he had sweated profusely from their hike out of the woods.

"Let me get our things inside and then I'll help you get in the room. You know, I should probably hunt you down some crutches so you can get around easier," Dean surmised. "That way I won't have to lug you to the bathroom. Be right back."

"Not going anywhere," Sam snorted knowing better than to try to get out on his own. He didn't need to face plant on the asphalt and hurt his knee worse. He watched Dean grab the bags from the back and go to the motel room door and unlock it. He disappeared inside and was gone for a few minutes before reappearing again.

"Okay, let's get you out of there," Dean announced opening the backdoor to let Sam slide across the seat and tried to help support his leg. He saw the pain run across Sam's face as he started to push himself to a standing position. Dean quickly moved to grab Sam around the waist and support his left side as he slowly guided him toward the door of the room. "Bathroom first," he instructed moving him that way. "Would you believe it, this is a handicapped room, and the bathroom is bigger and equipped for someone like you right now."

"We're doomed," Sam whined as he hissed in pain. "When do we ever get breaks like this? Is something going to blow up or attack us?"

"Hey! Don't jinx us," Dean snapped at him. "Alright, how are we going to do this?" Dean asked leaning Sam against the counter. "I'll get the water running and I need to get your clothes off."

"I can do it," Sam insisted with a frown not happy with the situation.

"Get real Sammy," Dean scoffed. "Undo your jeans so I can get them off of you." Dean stood there tapping his foot with his arms crossed over his chest waiting. "You're the one hurting, not me. Besides, it's not like I haven't seen you buck naked before."

"Fine!" Sam grunted seeing there was no reasoning with his brother when he was like this. He undid his jeans and pushed them down as far as he could and allowed Dean to pull them to his feet and over them. He got his shirts off and tossed to the side and watched Dean remove the ace bandage from his knee and then head.

"Oh damn," Dean exclaimed when he saw Sam's knee. It was swollen and bruised but looked like the patella did stay in place. His body was covered in different size bruises and scrapes. He quickly checked to be sure none would need tending to once Sam showered.

"That bad?" Sam asked seeing several bruises on his torso and touched one to find it tender.

"Naw, not bad at all," Dean lied standing up. "I'll get the water going and help you into the shower. You can shed your briefs once you're in there. Okay?"

"Alright," Sam sighed, trying to put a little pressure on his left leg and felt the radiating pain run up his body to the top of his head and decided it wouldn't be a good idea to do that again.

Dean turned on the water and got it the right temperature before stepping back to get Sam into the shower. He made sure shampoo and soap were within his reach before stepping back and allowing Sam to shower. He grabbed a towel for him to use when he was done.

"Don't forget to clean that bump on your head good," Dean called to him. "I'll get you some clothes to put on. Sweats will be the best for now." He stepped from the bathroom and rummaged around in Sam's bag for clothes to take back to the bathroom.

"I know," Sam mumbled as he let the hot water wash over his head, wetting is hair to hang in strands around his face. After getting his briefs down, he pushed them out of the way. He used the handicap bars to help balance himself so he could wash his hair, grunted when he washed the bump on his head to get the blood from his hair. He could feel himself waning the longer he stood there and tried to hurry through the shower before he had to get Dean's help.

"You about done?"

"Yeah, let me rinse good."

When Sam turned the water off, Dean stuck a towel behind the shower curtain for him and waited as he dried his body and hair. Sam wrapped the towel around his hips and secured it before pulling the curtain back out of the way.

"Easy does it Sammy," Dean cautioned him as he reached his arms out to steady him. Once he got him out and leaning against the counter again, he shook out his briefs and held them at his feet so Sam could get them on and then looked at the sweats for a moment before pulling out a knife and holding the sweats up to Sam's body.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"It'll be easier if they're short," Dean answered chopping off the legs.

"But…" Sam whined as he watched Dean ruin his sweats. He didn't have but a couple of pairs and hated to see Dean whack the legs off the ones he was holding. He was down a pair of jeans and a pair of sweatpants making his wardrobe dwindle even more.

"I'll buy you another pair," Dean shrugged pulling them up to Sam's hips. "Now your shirt and we'll get you in bed. Let me check your head wound to be sure it's not bleeding again." He parted Sam's wet hair to see it was seeping a little and got the first aid kit to get an alcohol wipe to clean it. "Now the knee…" Dean mumbled to himself knowing Sam's knee needed to be kept immobile so it could heal.

Once Sam was dressed, Dean got him to his bed and eased him onto it, keeping his leg straight. He got the extra pillows and put them under Sam's knee to elevate it.

"Okay, you need some good pain meds, and I'm making a supply run and getting us some dinner," Dean told him as he searched for the stronger meds and shook two out into Sam's palm. He gave him a cup of water and waited as Sam took them. "Here's the remote, entertain yourself, there's probably an adult channel you can watch."

"What? I don't…That's…" Sam sputtered as his face turned red.

"Keep telling yourself that," Dean laughed leaving Sam on the bed swearing at him as he headed out the door still laughing.

spn

Dean stood in the first aid aisle looking over the selection before grabbing different sizes of ace bandages, a knee brace, ice bag, another bottle of extra strength Tylenol, box of alcohol wipes, and crutches. He headed to the front with everything and grimaced to see all the cashiers dressed as some type of horror monster.

"What's with all the costumes?" Dean asked the cashier.

"It's Halloween," she shrugged.

"Does this town always go all out like this every year?"

"I've only lived here a year, this is my first Halloween here."

"Isn't it going a little overboard with all the decorations and crap?"

"People like it."

"Why? It's full of monsters and things always happen on Halloween. You got pretend witches, psychics who cause all sorts of trouble, dumb kids throwing eggs or toilet papering someone's yards. I mean why such a big deal?"

"That'll be seventy-eight dollars and seventy-four cents," the cashier told him ignoring his rambling.

"Charge," Dean said swiping a credit card. He didn't notice others waiting in line listening to him and giving him the evil eye and frowning at him. "Thanks man."

"Have a good Halloween," the cashier told him handing him the receipt.

Dean headed out of the store and put his purchases in the back of the Impala. He headed to a diner not far from his motel and went in to get takeout. After placing his order, Dean looked around and saw more posters for the Magic Convention hanging around.

"Does this nutty convention come here every year?" he asked the hostess when she stopped at the desk.

"Oh, no, we were up against ten other towns for the privilege of hosting the Magic Convention."

"And the townsfolk are okay with all the weird, strange, and crazy people that it brings into the town?"

"It brings income to every business we have and gives us additional publicity to bring more conventions like this."

"And you don't care that it brings fakes, charlatans, and those who want to rob people of their money? It's all illusions, mirrors, and smoke. I can't see what the big deal is." Dean didn't see some people nearby eyeing him like he was trash and sneering at him.

"Here's your order," the waitress interrupted the conversation as she sat two bags on the counter. "That'll be seventeen dollars even."

"Now that doesn't happen often. Keep the change," he told the waitress giving her a twenty. He took the bags and headed back to the car, taking a deep breath of the enticing aroma coming from the bags. His mouth began to water as he pulled into traffic.

Dean got out of the car and looked up at the power lines as a large black bird began to squawk and flap his wings at him. He eyed the bird with frown and mumbled under his breath, 'don't even think about it dude.' He headed on to the room and unlocked the door to go in.

"Food and medical supplies are here," he announced to Sam who wearily looked over at him. "Let me get the other things and I'll get our food ready." He went back outside and got the other bags and crutches and suddenly shouted, "Shit!" as a black bird dive bombed him making him duck and run for the door. "Damn bird tried to attack me."

"Birds don't do that unless you are too near their nest," Sam told him. "It was probably nothing."

"It was probably nothing," Dean mocked him with a sour look on his face. He got busy getting the food and drinks out and helped Sam sit up in bed with his knee still elevated. "Man, I'm starved." Dean began to dig into his food and looked to the television screen to see what Sam was watching. "So, you didn't find anything sexy to watch?"

"No," Sam stated in an angry voice. He started eating much slower than Dean and ignored the other snide remarks from his brother.

After eating, Dean checked Sam's knee and went to get ice to put on it. He checked his head injury and dabbed a little cream on small gash as Sam fussed about it making his hair greasy. Sam was almost asleep by the time Dean finished and didn't object when he tucked him in and told him to get some sleep. His knee was finally easing a little, the pains meds were kicking in, and he was so exhausted he fell asleep almost immediately.

Dean cleaned up and took the trash out, looking around everywhere for the bird before stepping out and hurrying to the dumpster. When he got back inside, he got his shower and got ready for bed too. After the day he had had, he was almost too tired to fall asleep, but finally let the darkness pull him under.

A/N: Dean does not realize that he is making enemies in the small town as he speaks him mind. What is going to happen? I do like reviews/comments. NC