"Thanks again." Dean shook Frank's hand. They stood in the parking lot of the nearest gas station to the car.
Frank nodded. "Sure, no problem. Sure you two don't want a ride back?"
"We don't want to put you out." Sam said from behind his brother.
"No problem." Frank assured them as they both watched the younger Hardy jab his older brother in the ribs with his elbow. Dean looked to the blonde boy then back up at Frank.
"You sure?"
Frank looked over at his brother. Joe was frowning. He looked back to the Winchester boys, "Would you excuse us for a moment?"
"Okay?" Dean nodded then looked to his brother as the other two walked away. Frank took Joe by the elbow and led him off to the side. The two brothers began to talk in hushed tones. Frank said something and Joe shook his head. The conversation went on for several more minutes and then they returned. Frank Hardy was smiling.
"We'll take you back to your car." Frank said.
Joe was still frowning.
"Okay. Cool." Sam smiled at them. "Does that mean I can go wait in the car?"
Frank shrugged. "Sure."
"Thanks." Sam said with a yawn. He rounded the front of the van and disappeared through the open sliding door.
Frank looked to Dean. "Are you guys on a schedule or can I make a quick phone call before heading back?"
"No go ahead." Dean shrugged.
"Thanks." Frank walked off and entered a nearby phone booth. Joe watched his brother go.
"So." Dean looked over to where the younger boy leaned against the front of the van.
"So..." Joe echoed, looking to Dean as if waiting for him to continue.
"I don't know." He shrugged, "I'm going to check on Sam." Joe then shrugged himself and looked back over to the phone booth where the elder Hardy was already deep in conversation with the person at the other end. Dean walked over to where his brother was and looked in to see him lying across the backseat. "Sam? You awake bro?" But he was only met with the light sound of even breathing.
o0o
When they returned to the Impala, it was near dawn. Dean almost had to carry Sam to the car. Joe was asleep in the front seat and Frank got out to help Dean fill the gas tank.
"Well, that's it." Frank said, stepping away from the car and handing the empty gas can to the older Winchester.
Dean took the can and set it in the backseat. "Thanks for your help."
"Sure." Frank smiled. "Take care." Dean watched as he returned to the van and got in. Seconds later, they drove off. It wasn't long before the van vanished from his sight altogether.
"Alright, Sam." Dean said getting in the drivers seat, "Lets find a motel." He looked over to his brother and was not at all shocked to see Sam asleep once again. "Alright, looks like I am finding one on my own."
He started the engine and switched on his turn signal as he pulled back out into the street. Several miles later, he passed the gas station and it wasn't much longer until he reentered civilization. Pulling into the lot of the first motel he found, Dean turned off the engine and shook his brother awake.
"Sammy, come on lets get you in a real bed, how 'bout." Dean laughed a little when Sam's eyes flew open at the mention of a 'real bed'.
"Where are we?" Sam asked him once inside the motel.
"Just passed the gas station we were at before." Dean enlightened him, then turned to the man at the front desk. "A room, please."
"A room?" The man squinted looking at them from over a square pair of glasses. "Just one?" Dean anticipated the man wanted more money.
"Yes. Just one. Two queen beds please." Dean looked at him. Annoyance playing at his already fake smile.
The man's commercial grin faded. "I'm afraid our rooms only include one queen bed and a foldout couch. If you want the two queens, you'll need two rooms." He began pulling some brochures out of a messy drawer. "See?" He pointed to an advertisement. From the look of the design, Dean figured the paper must be over thirty years old.
"Just one room. We will deal with it." Dean snapped. He was starting to feel the effects of the lack of sleep.
The clerk nodded and took out a binder. He flipped open to the third page. "May I see your driver's license?"
"Here." Dean fished the card from his wallet and practically threw it at the man. He could see Sam's head nodding again as the man took his sweet time getting them checked in.
"May I have a current address and a phone number?" The man handed the license back to Dean along with a form and a pen.
"What do you need that for? What? Are you gonna stalk me now?" Dean narrowed his gaze on the man.
The man frowned. "It's policy."
"Yeah? Well I don't like your 'policy'. But hey if you don't want our money," he wove a card around in the air for the man to see, "Then we'll go somewhere else. Come on, Sammy." He grabbed his brother's arm and turned like he was really going to leave. Hoping that the man was more interested in his money then following policy.
"Will that be cash or credit?" The man continued, pulling the half-finished form towards him.
"Credit." Dean said with a triumphant smile. He handed the card to the clerk and the man took it, sliding it through the processor.
"Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman." He handed it back to Dean along with a pair of keys. "Room 4."
"Thank you." Dean took the keys then once again took hold of Sam's arm and lead him out the door.
"Smooth, Dean. Real smooth." Sam laughed.
Dean shrugged and walked across the lot and to the door of room number four. He stuffed the key into the lock and turned. Moments later the door swung open. Dean stepped inside and switched on a light.
Sam scrunched his nose in disgust. "Do you smell something? Or is it just me?"
"Dude, you don't want me to answer that." Dean smiled at him.
"Oh shut up, Dean." Sam shoved him farther into the room.
Dean found the stand for his duffle bag and set it up in a corner. "Probably the worse place in town and we found it." He popped open his duffle bag and pulled off his coat.
Sam headed to the bathroom with his toothbrush. He popped open the door and turned on the light. "You're kidding me!"
Dean was at his side in an instant. "What is it?"
"Can you say, road kill?" Sam motioned towards the dead rat in the bathtub.
"Well, I guess that explains the smell…"
"Ew. Man, I don't know if I want to stay here. Better luck in the car." Sam stepped over to the bed and looked down at it. They had already talked about Sam getting the bed and Dean taking the couch.
Dean closed the bathroom door and followed his brother. "Looks clean enough, but I'd still check it for bugs."
Sam looked to his brother, "How much are we paying to stay here?"
"Too much." Was Dean's reply. He then turned to the couch so see about folding it open.
Sam lifted the dingy bedspread and sheets off the bed to inspect his accommodations. There he found dip in the mattress. "Uh Dean? You can have the bed after all."
"Nope. It's all yours, little bro." Dean looked up at him and grinned.
"Jerk."
"Get some sleep, Bitch." With that, Dean climbed into his 'bed' and waited for Sam to do the same, before flipping off the light. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight… Jerk."