Fanfiction Writing Month: December [622]
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Dean ran through the house, past Sonny and Amina and Kathy and Rosa and out into the field. There were these little paths in the middle of the fields, guarded by tall stalks of plants and corn, and that's where he ran. He sprinted past everything as though Sir were on his tail screaming at him to run or he'd break his legs for him. He ran like Dr. Maddela was at his heels. He ran until his legs ached and his lungs burned and he could feel bile rising in his throat. He tripped on a patch of uneven ground and fell hard, tumbling over rough, stony patches of ground; before he could get up, he vomited, over and over, onto the ground, heaving until there was nothing left. Then he scrambled to his feet and ran again.
Sam ran into Amina's room, where she was talking to her girlfriend on the phone. "Amina," he gasped, and she stood. He was so distraught that he spoke in Latin without even realizing it. "Erraverim." I made a mistake.
"Hold on, Mel, I'll call you right back." She hung up the phone, turned to Sam, and frowned. "What kind of mistake?"
Sam looked at her, helpless. "Errat fraternus." A mistake with my brother.
When Cas came home from school, they still hadn't found Dean, and Sam was in tears, frantic with worry. "I didn't mean it," he said. His arms were wrapped around himself, and Kathy rubbed his back comfortingly. "I-I swear—I just—I just wanted him to listen, that's all, I…"
"It's okay, Sam," Sonny said. "We'll find him." They'd alerted the police but warned them not to approach Dean; they received a call almost two hours after Dean's disappearance about his location. Sonny, accompanied by Sam, Amina, and Cas, drove to the spot. Dean had run almost ten miles away from Sonny's, and when they found him, he was soaked in sweat and shaking. Leaned against a tree, Dean held his head in his hands, muttering to himself in a raspy voice.
"Dean!" Sam cried, rushing forward.
"Sam!" Dean's voice was merely a croak, reminding Amina of his voice when Sam was gone. "Sam, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"
"Don't, Dean." Sam hugged him tightly, careful not to hurt him. "I was being stupid and selfish and I didn't mean what I said, okay? You're my brother, and you're also my mother and my father. You've raised me, and I couldn't ask for anyone better." Dean cried, embracing his baby brother. "You've taken care of me for as long as I can remember, and you've protected me no matter what happens to you." Sam was crying, too, now. "I don't care what we do, Dean, as long as you're happy. You've gone through so much bad for me, and I want to make it up to you. You're the best parent I could ever ask for."
Dean sobbed into his brother's arms, clutching his shirt.
That same day, once they were home, Dean told Sam that he could go back to school after Christmas break. I UNDERSTAND, he said. WAS TOO P-R-O-T-E-C-T-I-V-E. I'M SORRY, SAMMY.
"It's okay, Dean. Really." Sam hugged him. "If you don't want us to go back to school, then it's fine."
He shook his head. I WANT YOU HAPPY, he said. I NOT WANT YOU HURT, SAMMY. BUT IF YOU WANT SCHOOL, OKAY. IS OKAY. I SCARED, BUT I WILL… He stopped. "I'll have to get used to it," he whispered. "I can't shelter you forever."
Sam smiled. "You've done a great job protecting me so far, Dean," he said. "Now it's my turn to protect myself a little."
It wasn't perfect, but it was good.
A/N: I know, I know, this chapter was unbearably short, but I just needed a resolution for the last one. I'll post the next one soon.