OK, I finally got chapter 8 finished. I'm really sorry for the wait, but, as I said before, I couldn't write during the week because my dad doesn't have the internet. When I got to my mom's house, I had every intention of writing but found out that a had a full schedule of work (at Limited Too, in case you wanted to know, which you probably didn't), and when I was at home my sister hogged the computer. I'm not sure when I'll be able to do chapter 9, because I have to work tomorrow, and then on Sunday I have a Toby Keith concert at Hershey Park. And then, (sigh), I have SCHOOL on Monday. Well, at least I'm a senior.
"Is it time now?" questioned Jake excitedly to Dean.
"Yeah, little buddy," said Dean, patting him on the head. He opened the side door of his prized Impala, trying to keep himself from grimacing as Jake slid himself into the front seat. The only people who had ever previously enjoyed the privilege of sitting in that coveted spot had been his father, Sam, and himself. Sam made fun of him for being so obsessive about his 'baby', as he called it. Although he could never give a very witty response back explaining his slightly compulsive actions regarding the vehicle, the truth was that the Impala was one of the very few things he loved in his life.
Jake squealed with delight as he placed his diminutive hands on the steering wheel, moving them side to side like he was driving.
"Look, mommy and daddy! I'm Dean!"
Sam laughed, slapping Dean on the shoulder. "Isn't that cute, Dean?" he wants to be just like you!"
The eldest Winchester raised his eyebrows at his brother. "You think that's funny? As I recall, he's not the only one."
"What?"
"Come on, dude. Don't you remember when we were kids? You copied everything I did."
"Did not," replied Sam indignantly.
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too! Dean turned his head, suddenly aware that his and Sam's petty bickering was being heard by an audience. Embarrassed, he bowed his head, and Sam blushed as Veronica moved next to him, giggling.
"Sam, you copied everything Dean did?"
Sam shook his head, a response that caused Dean to slap him across the back of his skull angrily. "Yeah you did, Sammy! What are you, an amnesiac? I seem to remember a certain occasion when you were eleven and I was fifteen that you drew fake facial hair on your chin to match me, dude."
"That SO didn't happen, Dean!"
"It did, Sammy. I wouldn't make up a story that stupid if it weren't true. I think Veronica here knows I'm right," he added, responding to the knowing smirk on her face.
"It does sound like something a younger brother would do, Sam," she admitted. "I can see it already in Billy." She glanced at her youngest brother, smiling at his reaction to the car. Carol was holding the child next to the Impala, letting him watch Jake while he was 'driving', and the two-year old was shrieking, putting his hand up to the window and looking in at his sibling. Joe was standing off to the side, apparently the less social of the family, and simply watching the scene with a smile on his face.
"That was really nice of you two, by the way," she said warmly. "For letting him see the car, I mean. He loves stuff like that. And he really looks up to you, Dean. He doesn't usually form attachments to people that easily."
"Yeah, well...I've had some experience. I was the one to look after this dork when we were younger."
"Really?" she said. "Well, you did a good job." She gazed fondly at Sam, who gave her his signature white smile. Dean rolled his eyes. For one brief moment, he had thought that maybe, MAYBE, Veronica was becoming more interested in him. But no. She only had eyes for Sammy, the same guy who had barely said a word in the past five minutes and who definitely wasn't being as charming as he was. Life was messed up sometimes.
The young trio was interrupted as Joe and Carol approached them, each parent carrying a son. Jake was smiling from ear to ear, still enthused about his 'ride' in the driver's seat.
"Hey Dean!" he called. "Your car is really cool!"
"Thanks, little man," said Dean.
"Sam, Dean?" said Carol hesitantly. When they looked up, she continued. "Seeing as that all of my offspring seemed to have taken a liking to the both of you, I was wondering if you would like to go on the tour with us this morning of the mansion. I mean, I usually wouldn't ask complete strangers, but you both seem trustworthy enough."
"I'm sorry, Mrs..."
"Brooks," she supplied for him. "Carol Brooks."
"Thanks," said Sam, continuing. "I'm really sorry. Dean and I really weren't planning on going until later tonight. We just came to see it, because we really couldn't wait, but we have some stuff to do today."
Jake sniffed, looking up at Dean. "You can't come to the mansion with us?"
Dean looked into Jake's tear-filled green eyes, flashing back to the many times he had gazed into the similar, though hazel, eyes of his younger brother on difficult occasions – usually involving their father leaving them alone to go on a hunt. He hated disappointing kids. Silently, he cursed the fact that they had no money, as well as the fact that he and Sam had never once gone on an excursion like the one the Brooks family was – that is, a trip for pure enjoyment. Even now, they were only at this incredible place to solve a murder. They were here on important business, and something stupid like money prevented them from even going in, even if it was to save lives. And now, not only could they not go in for that, but they couldn't go in to make children happy. Instead, they had to lie, lie like they always did to everyone who entered their twisted lives.
"No, little guy. Not now. But I promise, we'll see you again before me and Sammy have to leave."
"Okay, Dean," answered Jake, brightening a little.
"So, where are you guys from, anyway?" asked Carol.
"Uh, Kansas," answered Sam, the first to speak of the two brothers.
"Kansas?" said Carol, obviously surprised. "That's a long way away! You came all the way to California just to see the mansion?"
"Well, not exactly. We're kind of on a...road trip." Yeah, he could call it that. "We're just going around the country, seeing the sights. We were in the area, and wanted to stop here because our last name is actually Winchester, which we thought was weird."
"Winchester is your last name? That is strange. Well the trip sounds like fun."
Dean snorted involuntarily, quickly turning it into a cough. "Yeah..." he coughed again, for effect. "It's a blast."
Sam smiled, laughing slightly at Dean's attempt at covering up his reaction to the idea that their little 'road trip' was fun. It was anything but, unless your idea of a good time included exorcising demons and banishing spirits.
"Where are you staying?" asked Joe, the first time he had acknowledged the brothers.
"Oh, we have a hotel close by," said Dean quickly.
"Which one? Because I know a lot of them around here are really expensive."
"Oh, I forget the name. We just checked in, got a pretty good deal." The last thing Dean needed was strangers feeling sorry for him – he didn't want to tell them that in reality, they were staying in a crap hole on the side of the street.
At that moment, Billy started crying, burying his face into his mother's shoulder.
"Shush, shush..." cooed Carol. "It's all right." She looked up at Sam and Dean, shrugging slightly as if apologizing for her son's behavior. "I should've known not to bring him here so early, but Jake was absolutely begging to come. We'd better go, I know we have to wait anyways to get in. I've gotta feed little Billy here, maybe give him a nap."
"Yeah," said Dean. "Of course. We have to go too."
"Well, it was nice meeting you," said Carol.
"You too," said Sam and Dean in unison.
"We look forward to seeing you boys again," said Joe.
"Here," said Dean, scratching a number on a scrap of paper. "Here's both of our cell numbers, in case you can't reach one. You don't have to call or anything, but we might not have much chance of running into each other. We'll be here a little while, maybe we can have lunch or something."
"Thanks," responded both Joe and Carol.
Dean and Sam started walking away, waving goodbye to Jake (who was waving back wildly), but were stopped as Veronica rushed up to them. She kissed Sam on the cheek, and then said a rushed "Goodbye," before running back to catch up with her parents.
Dean gave his brother a frustrated look as they both situated themselves in the Impala.
"What, Dean?" asked Sam.
"'What'? is that all you have to say after all of that?"
"Uh...all of what, exactly?"
Dean sighed. "I don't get it. You went to Stanford and can tell me the square root of pie, and yet you have no idea how you just made us both sound."
When Sam continued to look clueless, Dean continued. "Come on, Sam...'yeah, we're going on a road trip, you know, seeing all the sights. We wanted to come here, because our last name is Winchester and we thought that was weird.' You sound like some gap-toothed country hick who gets excited too easily."
Sam threw his hands in the air. "How in hell to you get that out of what I said, Dean? I had to say something to explain what we were doing there."
Dean was quiet for a few seconds, staring ahead through the windshield. Sam knew what his problem was, and could almost see the jealously burning under his skin. Sure enough...
"What was with that kiss, man? She didn't have to KISS you, she barely even knows you!"
Sam grinned at Dean. "Yeah, that was nice."
Dean just groaned and started the engine of the Impala, muttering words under his breath that sounded mysteriously like "not fair," "much hotter," and "blonde in stilettos."
Sam chose to ignore it. "So, where are we going now?"
"Breakfast," answered Dean simply.
"I know for a fact that you ate at least three chocolate donuts this morning from the gas station, Dean."
"How? You weren't there, dude. Are you doing some psychic reading on me now? I should get an aluminum foil hat to block my mind, man."
Yet again, Sam ignored his brother's comment. It was something he was all too used to doing. "You think I don't know your morning ritual? You always buy donuts at the gas station."
"Yeah, well..." Dean fumbled, apparently having taken for granted how well Sam actually knew him. "I'll get you an award, if that's what you want. It'll say 'World's Most Annoying Gap-Toothed Country Hick Younger Brother With Psychic Powers' on it."
"I don't think you'll find that at Hallmark, dude."
"It's the principle of the thing," said Dean.
"All right," continued Sam, choosing to focus on the day ahead of them. "Well, we still have a whole day to kill before it gets dark, and now we have to stay here until tomorrow too so we can squeeze in lunch with the Brooks family. So what do you want to do till then? We've already got the info we need, so the library's out."
"I don't know about you, Sammy, but I'm gonna go to a bar and score myself someone hotter than Veronica. You can stay at home and watch PBS."
"Dean, I don't-"
"Yeah, you do, Sammy. Don't try and deny it. I caught you watching 'The History of Submarines' last week, dude."
Sam said nothing, merely staring out the window. "We don't get that channel anyway," he said under his breath.
TBC
Do I have to tell you again? Please Review! (And I'll just apologize again for how long I know it's going to take for chapter 9. Bear with me, 'kay?)
