Chapter Seven

"Sam I swear if you tell Nicki I screamed I will get revenge."

Jason frowned as Sam climbed down the ladder from the attic with the dead rat hanging from his grip by the tail.

"Yeah and what are you gonna do man?"

"Oh I'll think of something evil."

Sam laughed as he walked into the main room of the apartment holding the rat up for Nicki.

"I really thought it would be bigger."

"Babe, that thing is huge, Sam insisted on carrying it into the room but I was the one that killed it."

"My superman." Nicki threw her arms around Jason and kissed him. Sam stood awkwardly in the doorway holding the rat.

"Least I didn't scream like a girl."

"What's that Sam?" Nicki peered over Jason's shoulder.

"I said at least it didn't breed like a girl, only found the one up there."

"Thank you, there was no way Jason could have caught that one on his own."

"He helped to kill it by knocking over a bowling ball."

"Really!"

"Oh yeah, the thing went down like a pin, it was impressive." Laughed Sam.

"You do know I'm in the room right?"

Jason took the rat from Sam, holding it as far away from his body as he could.

"Did he really kill that thing?" asked Nicki.

"Oh yeah, while backing away and screaming like a girl he knocked a rake which knocked a book which hit a bunch of records, which , by the way , Dean would love to go through, which knocked the bowling ball sending it down a shelf to fall smack onto the rat."

Nicki bent over double as Jason frowned at them from the other room. Through his tears Sam managed to give Jason a manly nod of solidarity all the while revealing his girlish screams to Nicki.

"Honestly Nick I don't know why you couldn't kill it yourself."

"Did you see the size of that thing?"

"You've killed vampires, run them over and beheaded them and that's the thing that scares you?"

"Sam give me vampires over rats any day."

Nicki and Sam left Jason to the rat cleanup and went to the diner. The old place was the main source of the social meetings in the town. It was also famed in the surrounding towns for having the tastiest food and best service that could be offered. Nicki loved working there. She waited tables and served behind the counter, and she loved it. It was hard work but it meant she had got to know the whole town in the space of a few weeks. Al had taken her in and given her a job, instilling in her a confidence she didn't know she had. She'd always felt like an outsider, always felt out of step and out of place. But here, this town, with Grace, with Jason, she belonged. She was home. Funny how you can find home in the place you'd least expect it.

"Sam you want coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks Nicki." Sam settled into a seat at the counter and rested his head on his hands. It had been such an exhausting couple of days, but seeing Dean sleeping had finally allowed Sam to relax into Grace and Nicki's company. He loved coming back here, coming into the arms of Grace and allowing all the pain, all the worry and stress of their lives to melt away for a few days. He'd fully embraced Grace's care. After the second visit to the women Sam's heart had made up his mind for him. This was home. This was what he'd wanted all along, this is what Jess would have helped him make. He just wished Dean would relax in the same way. It was different for him, he had something to compare home to , something to remember. A mother. Maybe that was why it was easier for Sam to allow Grace to take on that role for him, she was a friend, a confidant. He just hoped Dean would break it down and realise that she didn't want to take over, she didn't want to replace anyone in his life. She just wanted to be there for them now. It bothered him that Dean never fully relaxed into their company. He was so aware that his big brother felt uncomfortable that during the last visit he'd known on the first day Dean would have them moving on quicker than before.

Nicki handed Sam the steaming cup of coffee and winked as someone approached him from behind.

"Hey Paula."

Sam froze. Carefully put down his cup and smiled as he turned to the woman behind him. She beamed fully at him and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Hey Sam how are you?"

"Good thanks Paula, do you want coffee?"

"To drink please, not to wear."

"Of course." Laughed Sam as he motioned Nicki for another cup. He always became so nervous around Paula, either throwing coffee onto her or, like last time, dropping a bowl of soup over her feet.

Paula sat opposite Sam and tried desperately to hide the heat he caused to rise in her. She sat with her arms on the table projecting a relaxed demeanour but she felt anything but. This young man made her blood rush through her veins and heat her body with the friction.

Husband and kids, husband and kids. Blah Blah Blah.

"How have you been Sam?"

Sam glanced up, fearful of catching the women's eyes and drowning within their depths. He looked instead at her hair, cut short and rounding her face perfectly. He glanced at her ears, moving his eyes down to her neck. Mentally berating himself he smiled and nodded.

"Good thanks. My brother's sick though. That's why we're here."

"Oh really? Wish him well from me will you please."

"Sure. How are you?"

"Good thanks."

Nicki passed the coffee for Paula to another waitress. Justine took the cup and giggled, they both loved watching these two trying to be polite and civil. It was so obvious that they were mentally undressing each other each time they met.

"Here you go Paula, compliments of this strapping young man here."

Paula reached for the mug and scolded Justine with her eyes.

"Sam, could you pass me the sugar please?"

"Yeah sure." As Sam reached for the sugar he knocked over a ketchup bottle that some inconsiderate customer had decided to leave the top off of. The bottle fell back and rolled along the table, spilling it's contents over the edge, dropping the red liquid down lazily into Paula's lap.

Had it not been for Justine and Nicki howling with laughter he would have screamed and pouted like a five year old.

Instead he grabbed some paper towels and smiled as Paula sat back, giving him easy access to her lap.

XXXXXXXXXX

After walking around the town for an hour Sam made his way back to the motel. He found Grace in her living room watching what appeared to be a very corny soap opera.

"Have fun Sam?"

He nodded and smiled, ignoring her smirk.

"How is he?"

"Feeling a lot better I'd say. He even managed to eat some more toast so tonight I might try him on some more filling food. Need to build up his strength. How was the diner?"

"Good." Answered Sam warily. "I'm gonna go up and check on Dean."

"He needs help with something Sam, I'll stay down here while you see to him."

Sam frowned as he made his way to the stairs and up to Dean's room. He found his brother dozing on his right side. The lines of pain across his face almost invisible.

"Hey man, how you doing?"

"'m ok."

Dean watched as Sam made his way into the room, settling into the chair by the bed. He rolled onto his back easily. The ache in his muscles eased and easily ignored. Sam crinkled his nose and frowned, looking at Dean in bewilderment.

"What's that smell?"

"You mean BO or the other smell?"

"The other smell."

"Lavender and Camomile." Dean shook his head at Sam's puzzled frown. "Don't ask."

"Ok, you look like you feel better."

"Yeah I do, Grace took the ache away." Dean shook his head again at Sam's puzzled frown. "Don't ask."

"She said you ate lunch?"

"Yeah, was even hungry for it."

"Man that's great."

Dean cast his eyes downward, he wanted, no, he needed Sam to help him but having to ask his brother for this kind of help, when he was so weak, not being able to stand on his own still, having to be supported just to walk to the bathroom, just wasn't right. But they were brothers. They'd been through worse.

"Dean? What it is?"

"Can, you, um. Can you help me to, um…" Dean pulled at his t-shirt and gave a relieved sigh as the realisation crossed his younger brother's features.

"You need to get clean." Sam stated. It wasn't a question. It was something he'd been waiting for Dean to ask since he'd started looking better.

Dean nodded and smiled what he hoped was a relieved smile, not one full of guilt over being such a burden.

"Dean it's fine. You want a shower or a bath?"

The surprised raise of his eyebrows hit his face before Dean could hold back the reaction. He hadn't actually thought of how he wanted to get clean, just that he needed to. He again allowed the surprise to play across his face as Sam gathered the supplies he'd need and carried them to the bathroom, along with a fresh t-shirt and boxers. His little brother amazed him so often with heroics and physic gifts that it took this, this small acknowledgment of his being needed, the acceptance of the task in hand. The love with which he'd taken over what was a difficult thing for Dean to ask. Took it all in his stride out of love for his brother. It was that love, shown in small ways that scared Dean.

To have someone depend on you was easy, could be focused on and used in battle. But ever since that day Dad had called on Sammy to come and help with the hunts Dean had felt a terror like no other. His brother, who loved him, would also die for him. It was a package deal. Love someone that much and you'd be willing to sacrifice anything for them.

Sam came back from the bathroom and decided that since Dean wouldn't make up his mind, seeing how he seemed so uncomfortable with the decision, that he'd make it for him.

"Ok man, well seeing how you're still wobbly on your feet I think a bath is probably the best thing. I'll go get it started."

With that Sam turned and left the room, leaving Dean, mouth agape, staring at empty space.

Well, guess that answered that question. This was going to be…interesting.

Once he was satisfied the water wasn't too hot Sam went back into the bedroom to pull the covers from Dean. Dean for his part attempted to help but he had to admit he was as weak as a new born calf and standing for too long made his head spin and his knees buckle.

With an arm around Sam's shoulders he walked slowly and carefully to the bathroom. His first steps strong and determined, as the short journey wore on he gave more of his weight over to his brother as his strength began to leave him. By the time Sam sat him on the closed toilet lid he was panting and feeling the need to take a nap.

"Dean, you ok?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

When the hell did he get so weak? Somewhere around the fifth or sixth bout of puking he guessed. What a week. He looked up at his younger brother and nodded. Figuring the quicker this started the quicker it would be over.

Sam pulled the clothes from his brother and helped him into the bath. Dean crinkled his nose at the smell from the bubbles.

"Dude! What the hell?"

"I just grabbed whatever was in the cabinet. It's cranberry i think." Sam failed to hide the smirk as Dean flicked the bubbles around with his hand.

"Sam I got it from here."

"Sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll be in the hallway reading, give me a holler when you're done."

Sam handed Dean the shower gel and a face cloth to wash himself, as he reached the door Dean gently called his name.

"Thanks Sam."

"It's what brothers are for Dean."

"Cranberry scented baths? You're such a girl Sammy."

"Ok, well maybe we'll leave that bit out of the story."

"Dude this is a story that will never be told."

Sam laughed as he pulled the door to, ignoring his brother's irritated shout of his name. He settled himself on the floor of the hallway with a book on Demons Bobby had lent him. As he read he could hear the swish of water and the gentle sound of Dean singing 'Hand In My Pocket' by Alanis Morrissette.

Dean washed himself slowly, hating the feeling of being so weak but loving the feel of being clean. He washed all the sweat from his body and leant back against the cool porcelain of the tub. The water was warm and comforting, aiding the rub Grace had given him and easing his tired muscles. His eyes began to grow heavy as his mind left for a wander. He remembered the past few visits , just hanging out, getting attached. He allowed his mind to retrace that first meeting of Grace and Nicki. He loved coming here but it was a big no no in the Rule Book of John Winchester. He was getting attached again, he knew it and his Dad wouldn't approve. Dean closed his eyes and let his mind wander to happier times, younger times.

Sam turned over another page of his book, he hadn't heard Dean move around in the water for some time now and was torn between his brothers privacy and just barging right in there to check he was ok. He settled for a happy medium and stood quietly. He pushed the door slowly and peered into the bathroom. Dean's head was slumped toward the door, resting against the side of the bath. His right arm draped over the edge, small droplets of water gently making their way down his fingers to fall gracefully onto the tiled floor. Sam stepped forward, pulling a towel from the rack as he went. Kneeling beside his brother he flicked his face gently with water and smiled as slits of green drowsily appeared to frown up at him.

"You know you shouldn't fall asleep in the tub Dean."

"Mm? Wasn't 'sleep."

"Yeah, ok man. Time to get out though, you're turning into a prune."

Dean frowned again as he lifted his left hand from the water and studied the wrinkles on his fingers. He was so tired, so warm and comfortable that his mind eluded him with a decent comeback.

"Yeah, well Sammy, you're a prune."

Sam smirked at his brother as he helped him to stand on shaky legs, wrapping the towel around his shoulders he guided him to sit on the closed toilet lid and began drying him.

"Dude, I can dry myself."

"You sure?"

"Seriously Sam you need to tone down the mothering or we'll start having to look for a boyfriend for you."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"I'll go get your bed ready, you finish up here."

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

Sam smiled as he left Dean sitting on the toilet seat. He knew full well that even the act of drying himself would exhaust him. But his brother was a stubborn jerk and as always needed to find out the hard way. Sam replaced the sheets on the bed with new ones Grace had brought up earlier. As he made his way back to the bathroom he could see Dean hanging on tightly to the basin, attempting to stay standing while he brushed his teeth.

"Got a date Dean?"

"Bite me." Dean said around a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Seriously man that could have waited."

Dean spat and rinsed his mouth, missing the side of the basin as he tried to put is toothbrush down and ignoring the fact Sam had to steady him with a helping hand as he bent to pick the toothbrush up from the floor.

"Think it's time we got you back into bed bro."

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"Really?" Asked Sam with genuine surprise as he supported Dean on the slow walk back to the bedroom. "Can I have that in writing?"

"Dude if you get sick I am so getting you back for this."

"I don't get sick Dean. Here, lay down, shut up and go to sleep."

"Gonna make you sick if it's the last thing I do." Dean ignored Sam pulling the covers up to his chin, ignored the fact his mind had him rolling towards the chair where Sam had sat with his book, he attempted to ignore Sam's feet as they were propped up by his head.

"Dude, your feet stink."

"Go to sleep Dean."

"Seriously man." he said around a yawn. "I think you're the one that needs a bath now."

"Dean, go to sleep."

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Would love to know what ya think of this chapter, it was fun to write so hope it was fun to read!! I figured Dean was a cranberry type of man! LOL!

Again thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this .

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