Two and a half hours before the deal came due, Sam saw the most beautiful sight he could imagine; his little girl waking up. While Bobby rushed to get the doctor, Sam kept hugging Dee until she squirmed and whined to be let go.
"Daddy, wha'…?"
"You fell off the monkey bars and we've been waiting for you to wake up ever since." He said calmly, feeling as if he could finally take a full breath.
Shocked, Dee started to cry, "I mess'd up th' pic'ic!"
Bobby couldn't believe that that was what little Dee was worried about, "No you didn't. Your Daddy was trying to find a way to nicely tell Twyla that it was time to go, you just helped him expedite things a little."
Dee had no idea what that meant, but she could tell her Daddy wasn't mad, so she smiled and tried to cuddle up to him, pushing away the doctor in the process. "Go 'way! I wan' my Daddy!" she said stubbornly, making a point to look away from the other man.
Smiling, the doctor shook his head, "Alright, I can tell her reflexes seem to be good, and she's aware of you and her surrounding. Barring any complications I'd say she could go home as early as tomorrow morning."
Sam looked at Bobby then back at the doctor. "Is that really necessary? I mean we can watch her through the night and if anything seems wrong we can bring her right in."
The doctor looked over the chart again and smiled, "Sure, it was just going to be a precaution anyway, I don't see any cause for worry."
Relieved, both Sam and Bobby smiled and gathered Dee's things before rushing out without waiting for the release papers to be signed.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Sam was happy to get back to Bobby's, he had no idea if anything would happen tonight, but he really didn't want to take the chance. Smiling, he picked Dee up out of the truck and made his way inside where Bobby had already made the bed for her upstairs. After slipping her into one of Dean's t-shirts and a pair of boxers that looked like they would come off if she turned the wrong way, he tucked her in then went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. It was going to be a long night.
He and Bobby had finished off their second beer when they saw that it was getting close to time. Making their way back upstairs, they were surprised to see Dee sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
Smiling, Sam walked over and pulled her onto his lap. "I hope you know Dee, I've had the greatest time lately, and it's all been because of you."
Dee looked up at her Daddy and smiled. "I love you Daddy!"
"I love you too Babygirl, how about we gets some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day you know." He said quietly, hoping that whatever happened, she would be happy.
Nodding, Dee settled in his lap and drifted back to sleep while he settled against the headboard. Bobby looked at the two and knew that Sam was being ripped apart at the moment. He could only hope that whatever happened, it happened quick, because he didn't think that the kid could take too much more of this.
Bobby heard movement and was about to open his eyes when he heard a very distinctive "What the hell Sam?" coming from the bed. When he looked over, Dean was standing at the side of the bed dressed in his t-shirt and boxers, while Sam looked like he had just lost his best friend.
Sam looked at Dean and couldn't bring himself to care about what his brother thought. Instead, got up off the bed and looked at Dean's incredulous expression. "It's good to have you back man." He said before turning to Bobby. "I think I'm going to get started now."
Dean watched Sam walk out of the room and was about to say something when Bobby interrupted. "Don't even think about it boy. Your brother's been through Hell and back and right now, no matter how much he's happy to see you, he's hurting. Now get dressed and come downstairs. I have a feeling that he's going to go for the gold this morning."
Standing in the middle of the room Dean could only stare at Bobby's retreating back and think, 'Everyone's lost their mind!'
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Both Bobby and Sam were outside with a cooler between them when Dean finally ventured out to join them. "Alright you two, what's going on? One minute we're in Virginia taking the night off and the next I'm all cozy with my baby brother and let me tell you something – even I'm not that kinky. So c'mon, spill!"
Sam looked at Dean then at Bobby before shrugging his shoulders, "You're not going to hell Dean."
Dean looked at Sam dumbly then smirked, "Yeah, ok, so what… suddenly you're freaky psychic thing has…"
"Quit being an ass Dean, the deal came due last night, you're still here… figure it out." Bobby growled, not really wanting to get into this conversation while he was still sober.
"Ok, figure what out?" Dean asked, getting impatient that Bobby thought he needed to field his brother's answers for him.
Suddenly Sam stood up, "I'm going for a drive."
"Sam," Bobby warned, he knew the kid hadn't had that many yet, but he didn't want to take the chance.
"I'll be fine Bobby… I just need to clear my head."
Worried about his brother's sudden change in attitude, Dean jangled the keys to the Impala, "Well, I don't think you're going to get too far without these."
Holding up his own set of keys, Sam continued to walk towards the truck. "Wanna bet?"
Dean and Bobby watched as Sam maneuvered his way down the drive and onto the road. Finally, Dean looked at the older man and demanded, "Ok, what the hell is going on around here?"
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Sam made sure to stay off the main roads, he had just started his second beer when Dean started getting demanding, but he also knew he was still tired from the whole ordeal. Glancing over to the passenger seat he saw Dee's car seat with Page lying in it. Choking back a sob, he swung to the shoulder and sat there with the truck idling while the radio playing softly Wish You Were Here.
"So what you're telling me is that I was turned into a girl? Tell me I was at least a cool girl, I mean c'mon how could I not be right?" Dean asked Bobby with a suggestive gleam in his eye.
"Not a woman you jackass, a little girl… your brother's little girl!" Bobby growled out, getting tired of the conversation while at the same time worried about Sam.
Stunned, Dean looked at Bobby, certain his friend was pulling his leg. "Wh – what?" he choked out cocking his head as if he hadn't heard properly.
"Just what I said, haven't you been listening? Damn it boy sit down! That witch you helped, turned you into Dee, Sam's three year old little girl. The only thing that we can think of is an alternate universe type thing, if you believe in that; and wouldn't we be fools not too this far in the game." He paused to give Dean a moment to catch up. The boy wasn't stupid, but sometimes it took him awhile to get there. "Anyway, the idea was that turning you into her would keep the contract in deadlock until it was nullified. They couldn't send an innocent to hell, and the spell wouldn't reverse itself until the danger had passed."
Dean sat there and listened, trying to wrap his head around everything. "So, where was I during all this?" he asked, getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"As far as we know, you were there too, just not aware. Look kid, I have no idea what to tell you. Your brother has been chased by the Fed's with a little girl in tow, which was bad enough, but then that Hendrickson guy shows up here and tries to make more trouble. On top of it all, you end up falling on your head on we spend most of yesterday in the hospital waiting for you to wake up so we can get you away from prying eyes in case you changed back last night. Of course you have to be different, 'cause I know for a fact that at three thirty this morning you were still a little girl."
Smiling, Dean looked at Bobby, "So, you were worried about me… that's sweet. How about we hug now?"
"Jackass!" Bobby groused, knowing that it was Dean's way of saying "thanks".
They both were startled by the sound of the truck pulling into the driveway, and they both watched as Sam sat there for a moment before getting out where Dean took a really good look at his brother. "Hey Pony, how's it going?" he teased, hoping that he'd get at least a grin out of him. When it didn't happen, he nodded. 'This is going to be harder than I thought.'
"Don't worry Dean, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I take it Bobby filled you in?" he asked, then seeing Dean's nod he reached in for another beer before tossing Bobby his keys.
"Sam, are you sure about…" Dean began, but then stopped when he saw the harsh look swung his way.
Tossing his phone to Dean, Sam gestured towards it. "Call Lillian, she can fill you in on anything we may have missed. Right now though, I want to get drunk and not come up for awhile. Anyone have any objections?"
Dean was about to voice his very loud and very clear when Bobby's voice broke through first, "Nah, it's not like you're going anywhere, right? Go ahead the cabinet's unlocked."
As they watched Sam walk back into the house, Dean started to get angry. Turning to Bobby he yelled, "What are you doing? He's a lightweight, you give him access to the cabinet and he'll be in the ER…"
"Dean, shut up. I know from first hand experience what it's like to lose someone you love… and so do you. I get that Dee isn't real to you, but for Sam and everyone else who met her, she is… not was, Dean, still is. Now we'll let him get drunk, and then after his hangover we'll deal with picking up the pieces. Until then, just… try to be a little more understanding."
Shocked, Dean watched Bobby go into the house before saying, "Hey, I'm understanding."
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Sam didn't even ask why he had drank so much, he already knew; and the gut wrenching pain he was going through couldn't even make him feel sorry for it. He lost his little girl, and he was entitled to jump off the deep in at least for a moment, right? He was thankful that Bobby had kept Dean off his back, because he didn't think he could have dealt with his brother right then.
Dean heard every sound that came out of the bathroom, and he wasn't sure which he should be; sorry for his little brother who was puking his guts out, or amused because his little brother thought he could hang with the big dogs and was now paying for it spectacularly. Finally hearing the water in the sink, Dean got up from the floor and waited by the door.
It took a few more minutes but when the door swung open and Sam staggered out, Dean couldn't help but smirk at the sight. His brother's now short blonde hair was sticking up all over the place while Sam's clothes looked like he'd slept in them for a month. "All right Sammy, time for you to tell me what's really going on in that freaky head of yours." He said, trying to sound understanding, but not quite able to pull it off.
Looking at his brother, Sam shook his head. "You wouldn't understand, and you mocking me right now isn't helping."
"Hey, I'm not mocking, I'm just trying to understand…"
"NO, you're trying to find a way to make it into something it's not. This is one situation that I'm not going to let you twist around, alright? Now if you can't just be here for me, then find someplace else to be." Sam yelled, groaning that every syllable seemed to amplify in his head.
Bobby had heard every word and wondered how Sam had kept from blowing up at Dean sooner. Sighing, he couldn't figure that boy out; it was as if Dean was being purposefully obtuse about the whole mess. Shaking his head, he called up the stairs, "Sam, Skeeter dropped something off for you. He said you'd probably like to have it."
Dean followed Sam down the stairs determined to find out what was really going on when Bobby grabbed his arm. "Boy, you do anything to hurt your brother anymore and I'll tan your hide."
Any response that Dean was going to make was cut off by the sound of Sam rushing out of the house followed by the truck being pulled out of the driveway. Running into the living room both men saw a photo on the coffee table. When Bobby saw it he cursed loudly before handing it to Dean. "You want to know what has your brother so damn tied up in knots? Here, now tell me how you would feel if you had to give up your little girl to get your brother back?"
Stunned by the outburst, Dean looked down at the picture in his hand and felt as if someone had kicked him in the groin. There in living color was a little girl who looked like a tiny version of his mother looking up at Sam. What really caught him though was how happy they were and the look that Sam was giving her showed just how much he really loved her. Now it made sense, now it had been driven home, and now he really did feel like the ass Bobby had accused him of being.