A/N: I don't own these characters or the show they came from. I also don't own a big screen tv on which to drool over (ahem, watch) them.
A/N 2: Warning for a scene of violence in a dream sequence. I raised the rating of the story just in case.
A short time later the brothers Winchester were ensconced in the motel room they had checked into upon arriving in the town adjoining the Park. Dean grabbed the ice bucket and left to get ice and munchies. Sam laid the branch he'd used as a walking stick along the floor on the side of his bed, figuring it had worked well enough and they would be back at the Park walking the next day anyway. He grabbed a clean T-shirt and sweats and carefully made his way into the bathroom, sighing in relief as the water from the shower pulsed over his body.
A few minutes later he emerged from the bathroom and cautiously limped to his bed, seeing his brother, the big softy, had placed a pillow at the foot for him to rest his ankle on. The first aid kit and a full bucket of ice lay on the nightstand by the bed, along with an assortment of junk food. Sam bit his lip to keep from smiling.
"About time you got out of there, there are other people needing hot water too, you know." Dean grumbled.
"I left you enough. Besides, you're the one that normally snags it all." Sam said, settling down on the bed and grabbing the sturdy plastic ice bag they used for injuries and filling it.
"Ah, but I miss that steam shower in Oklahoma. None of these motel ones can come close." Dean sighed, remembering, then grabbed a clean pair of sweats and disappeared into the bathroom.
Sam grinned and a short while later was propped up against the headboard, the first aid kit closed, his ankle raised on the pillow surrounded by the ice pack and flipping through channels on the motel room's television. He picked through Dean's choices for dinner and disregarded the peanut M and M's, the chips, and the processed cheese and found a lone energy bar, which he snagged. He grabbed a bottle of water and settled back to watch the documentary of lighthouses which was the only alternative to the inane comedies on the few other channels available.
Dean emerged toweling his hair, observed Sam resting and asked, "Anything good on?"
"A documentary on lighthouses of the Northeast." Sam replied.
Dean sighed. "That stuff will rot your brain, Sammy."
Sam hid a smile. "Actually, some of them might be haunted. And it's Sam."
His brother perked up. "Yeah? Which ones?"
"Guess you'll have to watch to find out."
Dean tossed the towel at the bathroom and settled on his bed, opening a soda and taking a healthy swig and then taking the chips and cheese.
An hour later he groaned dramatically. "Not a single mention of ghosts, Sam."
Sam just shook his head. He'd alternated leaving the ice on and taking it off. His brother came over and took a look.
"Not much swelling. Good, you can keep up tomorrow." Dean was privately relieved; an unexpected fall could have ended far worse.
"Think we should try researching in the library again?" Sam was game to delve through dated material again to find if any hikers had gone missing in the past, but when they had first arrived they'd come up with a dead end.
"Well, if we don't find the missing hikers tomorrow they should show up the following day if it follows the pattern. I'd like to go back and check out those bones- that hole sure seemed like a hiker trap."
"Yeah." Sam yawned, and was too slow to keep his brother from seizing the remote and changing channels. He was forced to watch one of the comedies, but it didn't hold his attention and he soon drifted off to sleep.
Dean glanced at his brother and checking to make sure Sam was really out he laid the motel's thin blanket over the sleeping form.
"Sleep well, Sammy." He whispered, then shut off the television and settled in his bed.
He was splashing in the stream, his littermates nearby. His brother and sister were more adept at catching fish, but he preferred to play. His mother always gave him food anyway, and recently had started to teach him how to dig the succulent grubs from the rotted logs near their den. He heard a strange noise and looked up, and saw a strange creature standing upright like his mother sometimes did to reach the high berries. He looked curiously at the half bare face and the strange thing on the creature's head. It was holding a long stick, which it pointed at his brother and sister. Suddenly there was a loud booming noise and he blew loudly, frightened. His brother let out a grunt and fell into the stream, a dark stain spreading on the water. His sister clacked her teeth and growled, turning to lumber up the opposite bank. The booming noise sounded again and his sister squealed a sound like he had never before heard, sliding back into the water. He got a whiff of a strange odor he had never smelled before. Truly frightened, he cried in distress for his mother, who had been off gathering food. He saw the strange stick aimed at him, and turned and fled towards the den. He heard the booming noise again and felt incredible pain, losing his balance and falling to the ground. As the world began to fade around him he heard his mother's growl and saw her charge at the strange creature. He barely heard the booming sound as a furrow raced across his mother's shoulder. The last thing he saw was the creature running away, his mother moaning in grief.
Sam jerked awake, breathing harshly. He'd thrashed his legs around the bed, and his ankle throbbed.
In the next bed Dean raised his head asking sleepily, "You okay, Sammy?"
Sam swallowed and blew out a breath.
"Yeah, just a bad dream."
He wondered, though. He had a gut deep feeling that the bones they had stumbled across were those of the bear cubs in his nightmare.
Ghostwriter, thanks a lot. And your stories are in no way lame-just look at the reviews, Nate and Jake, here you go, and yes those previews are cool, Solus Nemo, not really a cliffhanger this time either :), thanks so much for reviewing, Applegrape8910, sorry I missed thanking you in the last chapter-I'm writing slowly, bit by bit till there's enough to post :), Phx, glad you're enjoying the story and I like Sam angst and protective Dean too :) Everyone have a good week!