Discliamer: I do not own "Supernatural."

Author's Note: Two more! Two more to go! Chant with me people! Two more to go! I'm so excited to be finishing this! I really hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it and nit-picking it in my head! ;)

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"Sooooo, Dean seems to be having a good time..." Jess murmured as she dropped down next to him.

Sam shifted on the blanket to make room for her. His gaze still out in the field where his anti-social brother was currently embroiled in a very social soccer game. Mike had arrived, as usual, in style. A van with goals and soccer balls and even sneakers, hell if he'd had time he might have brought uniforms too. He'd also brought three guys they'd hung out with at school. Jake had brought two girls he was friends with, and Kerrie, Lacey, and Jess had had decided that they wanted dessert too; so they'd brought cake and fruit and pudding and whipped cream-- this was not an event that would end early. There was a mountain of food, enough beer to keep a bar stocked for a weekend, and enough testosterone to keep the game going for hours.

Sam was not happy.

Dean was avoiding him, practically ignoring him to be exact and he was doing it by becoming a joiner. Dean was not a joiner. Dean made fun of joiners. So the fact that he was willing to become one to avoid Sam was highly insulting.

It also made Sam seem like a jackass to his friends, because he was sitting here moping while his brother charmed them all into believing that whatever riff existed between the brothers certainly wasn't Dean's fault. Not Dean who'd taken Lacey and Kerrie and Jake's two friends on a joy ride. Not Dean who'd declined all Mike's offers, but told him the name of dealer in New Mexico who had classic cars for a good deal. Not Dean who was winning the game for Jake's team and had set up the grill for Doug...

"Sam?"

He started a little, pulling his gaze away from the game and fastening it on her, "Yeah," he muttered in response to her question, "Yeah, he does..."

Jess was silent a moment, "You don't," she said softly.

"I'm fine."

She tilted her head to one side slightly, studying him, "You are...?"

"Yes. I'm glad he's here."

"You are...?"

"Of course! I've missed him...I'm glad he's having a good time..."

"You are...?"

"Yes!" he snapped, suddenly irritated.

"Then why are you over here?" She snapped back.

The question stole the wind from his sails. He looked away. The sun was low on the horizon, not setting yet, but getting there. The day was ending and Dean had only given him only one. When they went to the bar, they'd play the game... and then Dean would leave.

The day was ending and he was here... in park, watching his brother play soccer with his friends... sharing his brother with his friends...

"Sam?" Jess questioned, coming closer to him, pressing herself against him, not letting him ignore her. "Tell me what's going on here."

"I can't." He said softly.

"Yes you can. It isn't just your brother that's not what I expected." She continued, "It's you too. And your relationship."

He shifted towards, upset by her words, by her questions, "What's that supposed to mean?" He hissed. Why couldn't she just leave well enough alone?

She arched an eyebrow at him, telling him she didn't appreciate the tone, but her voice was soft when she answered, "It means I expected that two brothers who never spoke and never saw each would be rather..." she paused a moment, "... indifferent to each other," Sam opened his mouth to speak, feeling indignation at her words, but Jess rushed on, "I expected to see coldness between you and that's the last thing that I've seen... in all the time I've known you, I have never seen you volley back and forth between moods so much . You keep reverting to--"

Sam had had enough. "Don't psycho-analyze me, Jess! I hate it when you do that!"

"I'm not! I just have eyes Sam! One minute the two of you are laughing -- the best of friends and the next you're glaring holes into each other and people around you can feel the anger, then you're teasing each other -- all inside jokes and laughter, it makes my head spin!"

"I don't have to explain--"

"No, you don't, but I hate to see you torture yourself unnecessarily." She cut him off, her tone abruptly soft again.

Sam blinked, he'd been expecting more yelling, the quiet took him by surprise, "I'm not..."

"You are," she interrupted again, "Why aren't you playing? The guys asked and asked and asked..."

"I'm not in the mood..."

"Because Dean is playing?"

"Because we shouldn't be here! Because he's going ot leave and we're wasting time!" Sam growled, his voice rising with his emotions.

"He's having fun." She said simply and again he felt himself deflate.

He didn't have a comeback for that. His gaze went back to the game. They were taking a break, discussing strategy as if it were a battle plan and not an afternoon of fun.

"You could have fun with him," Jess added, "You could play with him..."

Sam shook his head, "No... I can't... I... it wouldn't..." he sighed, "I'd ruin it... somehow... at first it would be... okay, but then..." he paused, searching for the words and Jess waited. Silently.

He took a deep breath and tried again, "We haven't..." he trailed off, not knowing how to continue, how to tell her what they still hadn't done.

"... cleared the air..." she offered and he stared at her a moment before nodding slowly, thankful that she understood that. Thankful that she wasn't pushing to know what needed to be cleared.

"Yeah, exactly... everything just has... double meaning and that... that would ruin it..." he finished, letting his gaze drop from hers.

"Sam..." she called after a long moment of silence.

He sighed and looked at her. She gave him a wry smirk, "Take it from me, I'm an older sibling, I know these things... sometimes a game of soccer is just a game of soccer," she stated, "He's here because of you, for you... so why don't you just... play the game!"

He ducked his head a little, "It's complicated--"

She rolled her eyes, "No Sam. It's not... just try to get the ball to into the opposite net." She stood suddenly and reached down grabbing his arm, "Come on... I'll be your personal cheerleader!"

"Jess!"

She pulled at his arm and when he wouldn't move turned towards the field and screamed for the guys. She screamed that Sam had changed his mind, that he wanted to play, that he was worried about upsetting the teams...

An instant later his quiet, secluded spot under a tree was invaded by the two teams.

"You can be on there team," Jake drawled, "they need all the help they can get."

Sam stood, shot a glare at Jess for good measure, and then began to extricate himself from this mess, "I actually don't want to--"

"Aw, come on, man..."

"What's up with you?"

Sam shrugged and opened his mouth, but Dean's voice made him snap it shut again.

"It's better if he doesn't-- used to trip all over those freakishly long legs whenever he used to play..." his brother stated calmly.

Sam scowled, "I did not."

Dean's gaze met his for the first time in two and half hours, "That's how I remember it, Francis..." the older man drawled, "You wanna clarify that memory for me or what?"

There was something besides a challenge in Dean's voice and it took Sam a moment to identify it -- come play. A request.

"Fine. I will." He muttered, but there was a sudden amused glimmer in his dark eyes and it matched the glimmer in Dean's hazel ones. Who knows, maybe Jess was right this time.

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"Christ! Is every game the two of you play like that?" Mike collapsing dramatically onto the bench and draping his arms across the table. Lacey laughed and shoved his arms off the table so she could sit on it.

"That was intense." Jake drawled, as he started handing out beers.

Doug shook his head, wiping sweat off his face, "It was vicious."

"It was appalling!" Jess hissed, "Look at you!"

"You're all covered in sweat and grass and dirt...!" Lacey stated, eyeing Mike with ,mock distaste.

"They're bleeding, Lacey," Jess corrected.

She nodded, "Yeah, that too."

Sam shrugged, looking down at his elbow, "Just a little."

"Soccer is barely a contact sport!" Jess continued.

"Except for the tackling," Kerrie added, chuckling, "I think this was more of a rugby-slash-soccer game."

"You scared off the other guys!"

"Aw come on, Jessy. How were we supposed to know they worked in television..." Dean drawled, shooting her a warm, amused smile.

Jess was not amused, "Don't Jessy me. They told you they did... and then you got rougher!"

"Everything was fine till Sam started playing..." Jake offered.

"No, but seriously..." Mike began, "Is every game the two of you play like that?"

Sam shrugged and exchanged a look with Dean, "Like what?"

"I don't know... like... do or die..."

The brother chuckled, "Winchester's don't play to lose," Dean offered and Sam nodded.

"Yeah," he picked up, "So it makes it kinda tough when two Winchesters are playing on opposite teams..."

"Well you both lost," Jess stated, exhibiting devious glee and shooting them both brilliant smiles when they glared at her.

"We both won," Sam argued.

"A tie is open to interpretation, Sam..."

"We would've won if we hadn't lost two of our players!" Jake defended, "We were shorthanded!"

Sam shook his head, "I'm just that good..."

Dean snorted, "Dream on..."

"You two were out for blood," Mike continued with his tirade on the viciousness.

Sam rolled his eyes, "We were not..." he drawled.

"... out to win," Dean corrected.

"You should have seen that pool game last night..." Jake called out, grinning at the girls.

"... a thing of beauty," Doug piped up, "I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't been worried my friend was on the eve of a nervous breakdown."

Sam shrugged a little, looking a little sheepish, but he remained silent.

Mike nodded, "That was intense too," he added.

"You two must make one helluva team, huh?" Jess wondered, her gaze on Sam's face.

He met her gaze and smiled, "Yeah..." murmured, before shifting that gaze to Dean, who was watching him.

Dean offered him a half tilted smile, his eyes still warm in the park lights, "Unbeatable, even..." the older man added.

"I'm hungry," Jake stated.

Kerrie shrugged, "We ate already."

"We're gonna hafta eat again, 'cause I'm hungry."

"We gotta pack it up, they're gonna kick us out of here any minute." Mike stated, "I had the delivery men load up the gear as soon as we were finished, but we gotta pack up all this stuff."

"Okay, yeah... but food."

"We can go back to that bar we were at last night," Dean stated, "Sam and I are going back anyway..."

And just like that reality washed over Sam.

"Going back for what?" Jess asked.

Dean shot her another grin, "Sammy wants a rematch..."

"Sam lost by one shot, he deserves a rematch..."

"... still gonna lose..."

"The meaning of pack it up, means put things away..."

But Sam wasn't listening anymore. All he could hear was the word rematch, all he could think of was what would happen after; after they went to bar and played pool. The day was nearly over.

They'd had a good time today. It had surprised the hell out of him...

He could remember days when they young, when Dad had been on a job, and they'd sneak away to a park. He could remember being friendly with all the kids in the playground minutes after they'd gotten there while Dean hung back and played on his own or simply watched him. He could remember being a little older and asking his brother to just try and be nice, to just try and blend in, to just make an effort. He could remember Dean's smirk and the way he'd brush the request off with, you're makin enough for the both of us. He could remember wishing his brother would just connect with someone, because maybe, just maybe if Dean did, he'd want to stay and if Dean wanted to stay too maybe they would.

But his brother never did want to stay.

Dean could always manage to be a part of and yet not; to find a way to stand back. He hadn't stood back today though. Today Dean had gone above and beyond the request to make an effort, but Sam wasn't fooled. The day was nearly over and no matter how much fun Dean had had, no matter how well he'd blended it, Sam knew it still made no difference...

His brother never wanted to stay.

He'd just gotten better at passing through.

"Dude, you could help us, instead of impersonating a statue!" Dean snapped at him as he walked by lugging a cooler towards the parking lot.

Sam started a little.

"Sam thinks he's management or something," Kerrie taunted, "Here, lead from the front..." she stated, handing him the second cooler.

"Leave him alone, he's nursing a bruised ego..."

"Well he should be! He actually tripped!"

Sam scowled at that, shooting Mike a dark glare, "I did not trip."

"Oh yes you did, baby... we saw you," Jess purred as she followed towards the lot.

"You did, Sam, you fell," Lacey confirmed.

"I did not trip," he repeated. They were all walking towards a parking lot now, each carrying a load. Sam let his voice carry when added, "Someone tripped me."

Dean was a few feet ahead of him, walking with one girls Jake had brought by, but that comment had him hanging back a little and shooting his little brother a smirk, "Aw come on Sammy, admit it... you still haven't gotten the hang of those stilts you call legs..."

"You're just pissed 'cause I got that shot right over your head," Sam retorted.

The others laughed and joined in the teasing and for one moment Sam caught of glimpse of what it could've been like. They teased and joked all the way to the parking lot. Their cars were practically the only ones left in the lot. The park was practically closing the gates behind them.

"So this bar...?" Jess drawled, when they'd put everything away and were milling around the cars, "Where is it?"

"Near my-- our place," Mike offered, correcting himself with a quick a look at Lacey. She rolled her eyes, but shot him a smile anyway.

"I vote everyone who smells like a dumpster goes to their respective homes and showers before we out to dinner," Kerrie stated.

Jess nodded, "Yes, especially if you've got blood on your clothes... that would not make a good impression anywhere."

Dean and Sam couldn't help but look at each other and grin. The number of times they'd gone somewhere covered in blood and god-knows-what-else was in the double digits.

And it came again-- the glimpse of what it could've been like... if only...

A small voice told him not to be fooled. It told him that Dean never wanted to stay. It reminded him that his brother had given him one day... and that Dean always meant what he said.

But it had been such a good day. So Sam let himself grin at his brother and when Lacey arched an eyebrow and looked between them, asking what's so funny he just chuckled.

"Dean and I parked over on that side," he murmured a few minutes later when the others were getting ready to get in their cars.

Mike sighed dramatically, "Dude, are you sure I can't take that car for a drive..."

Dean laughed, "Sorry man..."

"He'll take you for a spin-- like he did the girls," Jake taunted.

"Sooner everyone cleans up, sooner we can eat..." Kerrie reminded them, "We'll meet at the bar in an hour..."

"Yeah, I've got work tomorrow, so let's make this an early night..." Lacey stated.

"We've all got work tomorrow," Jake stated, "But how often is Sam's brother in town, huh? I say we celebrate..."

"You just wanna get drunk, you bum," Jess teased.

"Just because I chose to not completely enmesh myself in post-graduate life, does not mean I'm a bum," Jake defended.

"It's only nine now," Mike offered.

"Exactly! The night is young!"

Lacey rolled her eyes, "Fine, let's celebrate, but only because..." she shot Dean a grin, "I like Dean..." she finished.

Dean grinned and winked at her, "I like you too, babe..."

Mike cleared his throat and shot a glare at Sam, "Could you watch him, please!"

Sam laughed, "Are you kidding?"

The man in question shrugged with false modesty, "Sorry Mike, I have this effect on all women," he murmured, "It fades in a few weeks though," he consoled.

Mike glared at him now, "Good to know."

The others laughed. Jake took keys out of his pocket. Doug followed suit. Soon they were all headed for cars, cries of see you later ringing in the air. Jess hung back a moment, "My car's here so I'm not going with you," she told Sam softly, "If you tell me where the bar is three of us will meet you guys there..."

Sam nodded and gave her directions.

"See ya later," she murmured and went up on tip-toes to kiss him, "You had fun, huh?" she asked quietly.

He grinned, "Must you rub in that you were right?" he asked teasingly.

"Always!"

She'd run a few feet when suddenly she stopped and ran back, "Oh listen! We went to an invitation store and I put a bunch of samples and stuff in the living room. I moved Dean's stuff into your study..."

Sam opened his mouth, but she cut him off, "I know its your private domain… but I swear, I didn't look at anything or touch that lovely organized disaster you have going in there… I just dropped his stuff and ran, okay…" she was grinning at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Okay, fine," he murmured, "You'd better go... I see Lacey changing CD's in your car..." he told her.

She made a screeching sound and whirled around, running to her car.

Sam heard a chuckled behind him. Dean was standing a few feet away. Neither one moved or said anything; they just watched until all of Sam's friends had pulled out of the parking lot.

Then they wordlessly headed for where they'd parked the Impala.

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