Author's Note: Gonna have to split this one up, since it got a lot longer than I anticipated. I couldn't resist all the domestic fluff. Not set in any particular time.
"The Notebook? Really?" Claire scoffed, sneering at the DVD she was holding by the corner with disdain. "This is what you choose on your week to pick the movies?"
"Do you hate it?" Alex asked, deciding between two boxes of microwave popcorn.
"Yes."
"Then that's why I picked it," Alex grinned, laughing as she caught the bag of chips Claire threw at her face.
"Girls," Jody warned fondly, shaking her head at them. Weekly movie nights had been a hard sell at the beginning, when they were learning how to coexist. But now they all looked forward to it, no matter how much they grumbled at each other's movie selections. Sometimes the best nights were the nights that the movies weren't all that good and they could add their own running commentary. And Jody had been excited to introduce them to the comedies of the 80s.
"Just you wait, I'm going to pick the nastiest, goriest movie I can find next week. Just to cleanse myself of this sap," Claire said with an evil glint in her eye.
"As if we need more violence in our lives," Alex scoffed, tossing a bag of homestyle butter in the microwave and starting it up.
"It's a good way to learn tips and tricks," Claire defended, grabbing a knife from the drawer and wielding it like a sword.
"Put it away, Zorro," Jody snorted, emptying a bag of pretzels into a bowl. They didn't need to add an emergency room trip to their night. It was going to be fun and relaxing with no drama.
Sudden knocking on the front door put Jody on high alert immediately, without her being able to help it. Knowing what was in the world, plus her years in law enforcement always had her a bit on edge. It wasn't like the bad guys usually knocked and waited politely, but she wasn't going to take any chances.
"Let me go see who that is," Jody said, pointedly looking at both girls as she walked over to the front door. Claire glared, keeping the little knife in her hand, while Alex rested her hand lightly on a rolling pin. Always ready for a fight.
"Who is it?" Jody called through the door, keeping away from it and to the side. She wasn't going to stand right in front of the door and risk getting blitzed.
"Hey Jody, it's Sam," the voice on the other side replied. Jody let herself relax and opened the door with a smile. A slightly frazzled looking Sam was standing on her doorstep, with an annoyed Dean a few steps behind. He had his arms crossed and was looking at his feet, which was very unlike Dean. Typically, he would greet her with a smile, like he was happy to see her.
"Hey boys, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Jody asked, stepping back to allow them into the house. Sam walked in gratefully, while Dean had to be pulled in by his shirt sleeve.
"Well, we've got this hunt about four hours from here," Sam started.
"And you're looking for a place to crash?"
"Not exactly," Sam sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Dean's sick." Jody frowned, looking over at Dean. He didn't look under the weather, as far as she could tell. But then again, she wasn't going to argue with Sam's assessment of his brother. Not after the lives they'd led.
"I'm not," Dean grumbled, digging his toe into the floor.
"Normally, I'd just leave him to ride it out at the bunker, but Cas isn't there right now and I don't want to leave him alone," Sam explained. "Dean doesn't usually get sick, but when he does, he gets really sick. It comes on hard and fast."
"I'm not a baby," Dean grunted, glaring at his brother. "And stop talking about me like I'm not here."
"I would've postponed the hunt, but I can't with this one," Sam continued, as if Dean hadn't even spoken. "It's this curse that only crops up once every six years and the window to take care of it is small."
"Oh. Well, do you want me to go take care of it while you stay with Dean?" Jody offered. She didn't really want to, but it didn't seem like Dean wanted to stay here while people fussed over him either.
"It's pretty complicated. And there are still a few things along the way I have to pick up for the cleansing," Sam mumbled, visibly ticking boxes in his mind. "It would be easier for me to do it."
"With me," Dean insisted.
"Dude, no."
"Why not? I'm fine."
"Remember what happened the last time you went on a hunt while you were sick? Your fever got so high that you were seeing double and you almost shot me instead of the werewolf," Sam said. Dean's cheeks turned red and he looked away ashamedly. Sam must've noticed the look because his face immediately softened. "Dean-"
"You're right, you should go," Dean murmured, giving him a short nod.
"Look-"
"It's fine. I know this is just your way of hogging all the glory for this hunt," Dean joked, even though they could all tell his heart wasn't in it.
"I should be back by tomorrow night. Any later and I'll call," Sam promised. Jody could tell he was eager to go, but also reluctant to leave Dean.
"Don't worry, the girls and I can handle your brother," she assured him, chuckling at Dean's pout.
"Thank you so much for this. I'll owe you, big time," Sam said, shooting her an appreciative smile.
"Yeah, your burden of a brother will be just fine," Dean grumbled. Sam gave him a disapproving look, then turned to head out on his hunt. Dean grabbed his arm before he could leave, looking up at him seriously. "You be careful, okay? If this is more difficult than we thought, there is always next time."
"I will be. I learned from the best, right?" Sam replied, squeezing Dean on the shoulder. They seemed to be having a silent conversation, so Jody looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment. She hoped that someday Claire and Alex could form a bond sort of like the brothers, even though they weren't related. But that didn't always matter when it came to family.
They finally broke apart and Sam left after a few more promises to check in and threats for Dean to actually try to get some rest. Dean just rolled his eyes, watching his brother drive away in his car with a scowl. As soon as he was out of sight he slumped a little, rubbing at his temples.
"Headache?" Jody asked, and Dean jumped a little as if he'd forgotten she was there.
"Yeah. His name is Sam," Dean snorted, stooping down to pick up the bag his brother had dropped next to the door. "Look-"
"If you're about to come up with some excuse why you shouldn't stay, save it. I told your brother you would be here while he ran off to play with ghosts and I'm not going back on my word."
"It's a curse, not a ghost."
"Either way. You are going to stay here and hang out with us for movie night," Jody declared, grabbing him by the elbow and leading him to the guest bedroom. "If your brother was wrong and you aren't sick, great. I've got some stuff around the house you can help me out with tomorrow. And if you are sick, we'll deal with it."
"Shouldn't I leave if I am sick though? Wouldn't want you all to catch it," Dean pointed out.
"We all just got over the flu about a week ago, so no worries on that front," Jody grinned. Those had been some uncomfortable days, but it was also so normal that she hadn't really minded. "In fact, we have a ton of leftover supplies. This is actually perfect timing."
"For you maybe," Dean grumbled. She gave him a pointed look and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just annoyed. But I shouldn't take it out on you."
"It's fine. I know I'm not the most pleasant when I'm under the weather. Not that you are," Jody added quickly.
"Really though, thank you for having me. And sorry we didn't call first. I didn't even know we were headed here until we got off on your exit."
"Are you telling me that you let Sam drive?" Jody questioned with a raised eyebrow. Everyone knew how territorial Dean was over his precious car.
"Doesn't mean anything," Dean brushed off.
"Sure it doesn't."
"It might be nice to have a girls night actually. It's been a while."
"And when's the last time you had a girls night?"
"Well, I was at a bar and there was this bachelorette party…" Dean trailed off, letting his eyes go unfocused a little.
"That's enough!" Jody yelped, waving her hands in Dean's face to get him to stop. She really didn't need to hear the details. "Why don't you change into something more comfortable and join us in the living room for the movie?"
"Don't I look comfortable?" Dean asked, gesturing to his typical flannel and jeans.
"Not particularly," Jody chuckled, walking back out of the room. "If you don't have anything, I think I've got an old nightgown I can let you borrow." She smiled when she heard him squawk behind her. Jody hoped he really wasn't sick, but she would enjoy his company either way.
The girls were setting out snacks on the coffee table by the time she made it back out into the living room. But instead of just the normal standbys, they also set out crackers and ginger ale.
"I take it you were eavesdropping?" Jody asked, popping a pretzel in her mouth.
"We were listening in case you needed backup," Claire shrugged.
"Right," Jody snorted, glancing at the television screen and seeing the movie menu. "We're still going with The Notebook?"
"Oh yeah," Claire laughed, wholeheartedly in favor of the chick flick now.
"Hey guys," Dean greeted as he joined everyone in the living room.
"Well now, don't you look cozy," Jody said, tugging on the sleeve of Dean's shirt. He was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of lounge pants. It was probably the most dressed down that she'd ever seen him.
"Sam packed my bag," Dean grumbled, shoving his hands in the front pocket. If Jody didn't know him, she would've guessed that Dean was closer to the girls' ages than her own with how he looked at the moment. There was always a weary, aged look in Dean's eyes when she saw him, evidence of a lifetime of having the weight of the world on his shoulders. But seeing him relaxed and with his guard down gave her a glimpse of the young man she'd never gotten a chance to meet. She was determined to see this side of him more often.
"I guess he knew just what you needed," Jody said with a smile.
"Sorry to crash your party," Dean said, walking over to the couch and plopping down into the middle of it. He stretched his arms over the back of the couch, grinning as he took up so much space.
"Shove over, jerk. If you think you're hogging all the popcorn, you're crazy," Claire hissed, sitting down on one of the cushions next to him and bumping him with her elbow. He wrapped his long arm around her head, pretending to give her a noogie. Claire had warmed up to Dean over subsequent visits to the point they had sort of a sibling relationship. Jody could tell that Claire looked up to him a bit, wanting to become a hunter like him. And she could see that Dean enjoyed having a kind of protege.
Alex sat on his other side, keeping a little more distance between them. She was always a bit more standoffish in nature when it came to touching and Dean never pushed her. He was good with boundaries in that way. Dean let her lead, always keeping the door open for whatever she decided she was comfortable with.
"Enough, you two," Jody said, taking the empty chair. Dean released Claire and she grumbled as she fixed her mussed hair. She didn't move far from her spot though, leaning back casually as Dean rested his arm across her shoulders. He put his other hand back in his sweatshirt pocket, so Alex wouldn't feel crowded.
"What are we watching?" Dean asked, frowning as he read the words on the screen. "That's not what I think it is, is it?"
"It sure is," Claire confirmed with a sly smile. Dean groaned, sending them all an exaggerated pout.
"Really?"
"They have their hearts set on it," Jody shrugged. Dean grumbled a little more under his breath, but didn't argue further.
"You'll love it. It's a classic," Claire assured him, leaning forward and grabbing the bowl of popcorn, dropping in it Dean's lap so they all could reach it.
"I'll be asleep before we even get halfway through," Dean muttered, popping a kernel in his mouth before pulling a face. Jody had seen how Dean was with food, so that may have been a sign that Sam was right. She'd just have to keep an eye on him.
They started the movie, with Claire beginning her commentary almost immediately. She picked apart the dialogue and their clothes, laughing about how unrealistic it all was. Alex scoffed and rolled her eyes, turning so her back rested against the arm of the couch and the tips of her toes were just touching the side of Dean's leg.
"Ryan Gosling's not bad. He's no Dr. Sexy though," Dean smirked. "I met him once. Kind of."
"You met Ryan Gosling?" Alex gasped.
"No, Dr. Sexy," Dean laughed, playfully swatting at her shin. "It was actually an archangel who'd trapped us in a TV world, but I like to think it counts."
"Run that back for me," Jody requested, crinkling her nose in confusion. He'd said it all so casually that she was sure she misheard.
"Not important," Dean waved off, laughing a bit more before it turned into a little cough. He cleared his throat, staring pointedly at the screen. But Jody made note again.
"Would you like something to drink?" Jody offered.
"Sure, I'll take a beer," Dean grinned. Claire leaded forward and grabbed a ginger ale off the table to hand him. "Uh, this isn't a beer."
"But it has the word 'ale' in it, so close enough," Claire smirked. Dean rolled his eyes, but accepted the drink. He took a small sip and grimaced as he swallowed.
"Refreshing," Dean winced. Jody wasn't sure if he was making that face due to the taste or pain in his throat.
They kept watching the movie, even Claire becoming enthralled in the story, no matter what she said. But more and more, Jody was distracted by Dean. He wasn't really doing anything, but that was the most worrying part. There was no snacking or joking. The only sounds he was making were little throat clearings, which he was obviously trying to muffle.
The girls were starting to notice too, because Alex nudged the drink back into Dean's hand, urging him to take another drink. He relented, taking another reluctant sip. Claire grabbed a cracker, poking at his mouth with the corner of it until he finally took it from her. He bit off the smallest piece, chewing it with a slight frown.
"Everything alright?" Jody asked, keeping her voice casual.
"Yeah, yeah," Dean mumbled, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "It's like a furnace in here though." Jody frowned a little at that, since she was finding it a bit chilly at the moment. It was an early fall night, just about getting to the point where she'd have to really start turning on the heat every day.
"Take off your sweatshirt then, dork," Claire snorted, leaning to the side so Dean would have more room. He quickly shrugged it off, tossing it onto the empty chair on the other side of Claire. He relaxed back in his seat, now only in a plain tee. Jody had a feeling he wasn't going to stay like that for long.
Sure enough, about twenty minutes later, Jody could see Dean start to shiver. Her temperature had fluctuated like crazy when she'd been sick, leaving her unable to stay comfortable for very long. But Jody had known Dean screwed up the second he threw the sweatshirt out of reach. Asking for it back now would be like waving a white flag, and she didn't think he felt bad enough to do that yet. Should she take pity on him and ask Claire to hand it back? Or did she leave him alone a bit longer and let him be stubborn?
"This is my favorite part," Alex cooed, shifting so she was sitting normally on the couch, with her arm pressed against Dean's. Claire rolled her eyes at the passionate kissing on the screen, grabbing a blanket that Jody hadn't noticed was tucked under one of the end tables, spreading it across their laps. The girls must have been paying as much attention to Dean as she had. Jody was so proud of them. Dean stuck his hands under the blanket, sighing contentedly as a little of the chill was taken away.
"Kissing in the rain isn't all it's cracked up to be, you know," Dean said, his voice a little more scratchy than usual. "Too slippery and gets in your mouth."
"Speaking from experience?" Claire asked, raising a challenging eyebrow. Jody shot him a look as he opened his mouth to brag and he shut it again with a clack.
"Read it in a book somewhere," Dean mumbled. "I think it was the same one that said to never have sex and always do your chores."
"My favorite book," Jody agreed.
"Prudes," Claire sighed, shaking her head in disappointment.
"Don't think I've ever been called that before," Dean chuckled, sniffling before he could stop himself. He glared around the room before focusing back on the TV. Jody wondered if she could slip some medicine into his drink without him noticing. The sooner she could get it in him, the better it would be in the long run.
The movie was almost over and Jody could see the signs that Dean was starting to fade faster. Claire hadn't waited for him to ask for his sweatshirt, chucking it at his head after he kept trying to pull the blanket higher. He'd thrown it on happily, tucking his hands into the long sleeves and even throwing the hood on his head.
Alex had gotten him to drink almost the whole bottle of ginger ale, while Claire had gotten two crackers in him. He was powerless to their ministrations it seemed. They were still all bunched up together, watching as the older couple on the screen had their final moments together. Jody could admit that her own eyes were a little watery and when she heard some sniffles coming from the couch, she was expecting to find one of the girls caught up in the emotions of the ending. But that wasn't what she saw.
Dean had tears streaming down his face as he watched the scene. When he noticed Jody watching him, he quickly wiped at his face with his covered hands, clearing his throat to try to get control of himself again. But this time it turned into a cough, which led to more and more. Soon enough Dean was doubled over, coughing uncontrollably into his elbow. The girls were rubbing his back as the credits scrolled away.
"Dean, are you-" Jody couldn't even finish getting all the words out before Dean was scrambling up, fighting the blanket holding him back away as he rushed down the hall. Jody took off after him, catching up just as Dean was falling to his knees in front of her toilet and bringing up the meager things he'd consumed during the movie. "Oh Dean."
"Sorry," Dean choked out, before a gag sent out another wave of puke.
"Don't you dare apologize," Jody murmured, kneeling down to support Dean as more spasms racked his body.
"Sam shouldn't have dumped me on you," Dean moaned as he spat out a string of bile.
"I'm glad he did," Jody insisted, rubbing the back of his neck. "No one should have to be alone when they're sick."
"I can take care of myself," Dean sighed, resting his head on his arm that was laying across the toilet seat. Jody took advantage of this lull and grabbed a washcloth, wetting it under the tap.
"You don't have to," Jody said, wiping down Dean's face with the cool rag. He closed his eyes at the feel of it and Jody wondered how often someone did this for Dean, instead of him doing it for someone else. Jody knew that Sam would try his best, but he didn't have the experience of doing it as a parent. Like Dean.
After a few more minutes of nothing else coming up, Dean started pushing himself off the floor. He waved her off as she tried to help, still as stubborn as ever. Jody would love to have a stern talking-to to whoever taught Dean that he couldn't ask for help when he needed it.
"Bedroom?" Jody asked as soon as Dean was fully upright.
"With the girls in the house?" Dean grinned, inappropriate humor still intact, even at his worst.
"Very funny," Jody grumbled, hovering at Dean's side as he trudged down the hallway and into the guest bedroom. He sat down heavily on the bed, rubbing his throat as he hunched over. He looked pretty pitiful and Jody sympathized with him. Being this sick was no fun. "Will you be okay while I go grab a few things?"
"You really don't need to do anything. I'll be fine on my own," Dean sighed.
"That's not what I asked. Sit tight and I'll be right back," Jody directed, giving him a patented mom look to tell him to stay still as she left the room. She headed to the living room first, to make sure the girls didn't need anything before she had her hands full with Dean. They were cleaning up the mostly uneaten snacks, chatting about the movie.
"How's the patient?" Claire asked, folding the blanket and throwing it over the back of the chair.
"Sick."
"Duh," Claire replied, rolling her eyes. "It was obvious when he got here."
"Yeah, because of your eavesdropping," Jody reminded her.
"I would've known even without that. His freckles were extra freckly."
"And his eyes were super green," Alex added, rolling his bottle worriedly between her palms. "Is he okay?"
"He's having a rough go of it at the moment, but I think he's going to be okay. Just gotta ride it out like we did," Jody said, walking over to the kitchen. She got a glass of water, not wanting to risk anything else yet while Dean's stomach was still unsettled. She'd prefer to get something more substantial in him to take the medicine with, but they were mild enough that they probably wouldn't cause any extra issues being taken on an empty stomach. It was going to be hard enough for him to keep it down in the first place.
"Well, if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I will happily send Alex along to help you," Claire chuckled, smirking at Alex's eye roll.
"So generous," Jody snorted, shaking her head in amusement. "Goodnight girls." They returned her goodnight as she went into the bathroom, gathering up the medicine and other supplies. She hoped he wouldn't be as stubborn when it came to taking the meds, but she was prepared to battle him on it. Jody wasn't going to let pride stand in the way of Dean feeling better.
He was just how she'd left him, if perhaps hunched a little bit more. Maybe her mom look had been a bit too strong, since laying down and getting more comfortable had been acceptable options for him, but he'd done neither. She might need to be more careful with her words while Dean was in his current state.
"You alright?" Jody asked, setting everything she brought on the nightstand. Dean mumbled something incoherent, his voice barely even audible in this quiet room. "What was that?" She ducked down in front of him to hopefully hear him better this time.
"Sammy?" Dean murmured, looking at her with those bright eyes Alex had mentioned.
"He's out working a job, remember?" Jody replied, grabbing Dean's arms as he tried to get up.
"I gotta go help him," Dean insisted, even though he didn't even have the strength to escape her grip. Thank goodness he wasn't alone with access to a vehicle. She had no doubt that he would've tried driving to find his brother.
"He's fine. You don't have to worry about him," Jody soothed, rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand. "Why don't you lay down and get a bit more comfortable?"
"'Kay," Dean whispered, tipping over onto his side. Jody huffed out a laugh, situating him a little better, so his head was actually on a pillow.
"I'm gonna take your temperature now," Jody said, grabbing the thermometer out of her kit. Dean grunted and pressed his lips closed. "Don't worry, I don't need your mouth for this."
"What?" Dean mumbled, jumping in surprise when Jody stuck the instrument in his ear. "Better than my ass, I guess."
"For both of us," Jody agreed, frowning when the number on the display read 102 degrees. It wasn't too high yet, but she didn't want to see it go any higher. "Want to try taking some medicine?"
"Can that go in my ear too?" Dean sighed, rubbing his stomach.
"Unfortunately, no. But the girls and I were able to keep it down, even at our worst," Jody replied, pouring out the proper dosage. She helped him lift up his head and poured the medicine in his mouth, wincing in sympathy as Dean held back a gag at the taste.
"Gross," Dean moaned, laying his head back down as soon as he was finished.
"That's how you know it works," Jody said, rubbing up and down Dean's arm as he tried to settle his stomach. It didn't work, and about a minute later he was tipping over the side of the bed, coughing up the medicine and more bile into the bucket Jody had thankfully brought.
"I'm sorry," Dean gasped, panting as his stomach tried to vault out of his body. There were tears streaming down his face from the exertion and Jody's heart clenched from the sight.
"You never have to apologize for being sick," Jody murmured, dabbing at his wet face with a tissue.
"I wasted it," Dean said in a small voice.
"Hey, I don't care if you go through all the food and medicine I have in the house. You getting better is worth all of that and more," Jody insisted. She helped Dean ride out the rest of his spasms, until he slumped back on the bed in exhaustion. She really wanted to get some sort of liquids in him, but she didn't have the heart to put him through getting sick again when he looked so close to getting rest.
A sick Claire had to fight for every second of sleep she got, so waking her up had been a sin. Even if that meant missing a few doses of medicine. A sick Alex could be coaxed out of sleep for anything, then immediately drop back out. Jody would have to see what kind of patient Dean was, but she would err on the side of caution.
"I'm gonna go clean this up, but I'll be right back, okay?" Jody murmured, running her fingers through Dean's short hair. He mouthed something unintelligible, snuggling further into the pillow. Figuring that Dean probably wouldn't have a crisis in the two minutes it would take to rinse out the bucket, Jody trotted off to the bathroom to get rid of the most recent mess.
She sent off a quick text to Sam when she was finished, letting him know that he'd been right about Dean. She gave him a brief rundown on how he was, assuring him that Dean would be fine with her, no matter what. With how close the boys were, it had to be torture for Sam to leave his brother when he was in this state. But Jody was honored that he would trust Dean with her.
By the time Jody got back to Dean's room, he was asleep. She took a second to really look at him, now that his defenses were down. Claire sure hadn't been wrong about the freckles, so pronounced on his pale face. He had a hand tucked under his cheek as he laid curled up on his side. He looked absolutely precious and Jody's mind flashed back to her own son looking so similar, all those years ago.
Taking care of the girls had of course brought up those nostalgic feelings, but there was something different about taking care of Dean. Jody swiped away a stray tear that was trying to fall from the corner of her eye, giving herself just a few moments to reminisce about what could've been if things had been different. She didn't get a chance to take care of her own son for as long as she should have, and Dean didn't get to be mothered for as long as he deserved. This situation may not be the same, but maybe they could help each other heal.
Jody grabbed a chair from another room, setting it down next to Dean's bed. She was going to spend the night right here, just in case Dean needed anything. No matter how long it took.
