Chapter Twenty Eight

Their last night at Grace's was a pleasant, if slightly sad affair. They'd been invited to dinner, Grace cooking up her famous roasted lamb dinner, complete with potatos and a sauce who's ingredients were unknown to everyone except Grace herself.

The boys had eaten their fill and enjoyed the friendly conversation. Sam sat in the dining room with Grace, something about the woman seemed to make him open up and the fact that she loved to hear about him and his life was so refreshing. There weren't many people he could open up to, but telling this woman about Jess was somehow exactly what he needed to do. He spoke for hours to her about how he first met Jess, how they dated , afternoons spent together, evenings, weekends. He let his heart pour, he told her of the fire that had claimed her life, the pain of the loss. In turn Grace had told him about her own husband, about their life and the struggle to help him through his illness which subsequently had claimed his life. Together they shared their sad stories and their fond memories.

Dean and Nicki washed up the dinner plates in the kitchen, Dean listened intently as Nicki relayed the details of her date with Jason. From the sounds of it Dean was confident this man would treat her right. If he ever didn't Dean would be back in a flash to beat the holy crap out of the man. Nicki's voice had taken on a dream like quality as she told him all the details of the meal, all the details of the conversation.

"You do know I'm not a chick, right?"

"Of course I do, Grace confirmed that"

Dean frowned but continued regardless.

"It's just that all I need to know about your date, is that he treated you right, cos if he ever doesn't he'll have me to deal with"

"Oh really?"

"Really" Dean leant forward and kissed Nicki on her forehead. She in turn flicked soap suds in his hair.

"Hey"

"Those two seem to be knee deep in conversation don't they?"

"Sam can talk at Olympic levels."

"Grace too, you know, while they're distracted.." Nicki moved toward a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Whiskey, she shook it invitingly at Dean.

He shouldn't really, although he was no longer on painkillers and only took advil if his leg bothered him, he really shouldn't, it wasn't right and Sam would tell him just that if they were caught.

He thought all this while pulling out two glasses and following Nicki to the bench outside.

After four drinks his reasons for not consuming the liquid were a distant memory, he was sat on the floor while Nicki lay across the bench.

"I called my Dad"

"Really? Good for you Nicki, how'd that go"

"It was difficult, started as a shouting match but then I told him to shut up and listen and you know what? He did."

"What did you say?"

"Sorry"

"Really?"

"Yeah, said sorry, said I was lost but I think here with Grace I've been found. Then he told me about what he's been doing. Seems he's trying to get his feet back under him"

"That's a good thing, you're all going to need time"

"I even told him about Jason"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"

"You think you and Jason are the real thing?"

"Maybe"

Dean poured out another glass of whiskey for them both, he filled the glasses to the top and set the bottle down with a little difficulty as the ground seemed to slope all of a sudden. He frowned in his concentration and when sure the bottle was secure, he gripped the glass with both hands. Annoyed by the glow that seemed to emanate from everything around him. Glancing behind him he began to wonder why he hadn't sat on the bench, seeing as how now there were two of them.

"I think you and Jason make a nice couple"

"You ever been in love?"

Dean stared into his glass and smiled sadly. He was getting drunk, but not drunk enough for that conversation.

"So you gonna stay here with your Aunt. Help her run the motel"

"Yep, am indeed, I think this place is good for me"

"Yeah, I agree"

"What about you and Sam? You gonna come back through?"

"I'm sure we will at some point, that meal was amazing so maybe we'll be back for dinner every now and then"

"It's best to come for dinner and not be the dinner"

"Oh god yes"

Dean laughed as Nicki smiled an ear to ear smile down at him.

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"You seem to have a problem measuring a shot"

Dean stared into his full to the brim glass and slurped at some of the liquid.

Sam and Grace found Dean and Nicki with the empty bottle of whiskey an hour later. Nicki was hung upside down on the bench while Dean was laying on the ground with his feet propped up by her head.

All in all they made a strange looking pair.

Both were caught up in laughter, breathing hitching as they tried to finish whatever it was that had caused them to lose the plot completely.

"Heading that way!"

"She'll never turn heads again!"

Dean howled as Nicki hiccupped through her joke.

"What the hell is going on out here?"

Grace stood, hands on hips frowning at the two drunkards. Sam stood back a little, suppressing a smirk as Dean tried to put on his most serious face.

"Nothing"

"Nothing?"

"Nothing, nadda, zip, zero."

He paused and regarded Grace's stern expression, pointing slightly to the left of Nicki he said " She made me do it"

"Hey!"

"What?"

"I know where you're headed with that"

Grace sighed and lowered her head as the two erupted into laughter again.

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