Disclaimer: Dean and Sam are not mine but my heart is theirs.
Beta: bia1007 and PsiChic

Chapter 3

"Do we have an option?"

"What option? Leave them? Dump them elsewhere?" The way Sam said those words suggested he was not in favor of the options – neither of them would be Dean's choice anyway. They really didn't have any other way than to go with the flow – Castiel's flow.

Sam ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply as he watched the boys play with his laptop.

"Deannie, what's this?" Little Sammy asked, hands tracing the laptop's frame with a slightly open mouth.

His big brother contemplated for a while before he confidently answered "Must be some sort of a TV…ya' know, the newest one." Nodding his head eagerly, Dean's face showed pride.

"No pictures?" Pointing a finger towards the screen, Sammy looked at his Dean, face filled with hope.

The seven year old bit his lower lips, looking around for something. "Guess the power is off," he randomly assumed.

"Buttons?" Sammy ran his chubby fingers on the keypad – tapping onto one or two in the process.

The big brother scratched his head, pouting a little. Though Sammy's questions were getting on his nerve, he patiently answered "Umm…the remote?" The confidence was elusory.

Sammy looked at his brother with his brown eyes big and bright. "Really?!" Then he studied the 'remote' again and said "Cool!"

And the confidence returned to the older brother's face.

Sam was astonished. He could see complete trust in Sammy's eyes towards his big brother. It was clear that to that little one, Dean was his hero. On the flipside, Dean was a giver, unwilling to give up until he had fulfilled Sammy's wish. Sammy was Dean's everything – his purpose in life to protect and to fulfill, his religion.

Even the way Dean attended Sam's one word questions was fascinating. He always seemed to know whatever Sammy meant with his words.

Unknowingly, Sam's lips curled. He turned around, looking at the older Dean. His Dean. His big brother was deep in thought. Rubbing his face with his hands, Dean seemed to be carrying a heavy burden. Sam's smile quickly faded.

"Hey! What's up?" Sam sat on the bed across Dean's, positioning himself right in front of his brother – something he had avoided doing for quite some time now.

"I think this is my fault…" Dean quietly whispered. One hand cupping the back of his neck, rubbing it as if Dean had acquired a massive headache and was trying to lessen it with a quick massage.

"How?"

"I asked something from Castiel." Dean confessed.

Sam nodded. He knew the angel was in favor with Dean, not always in a pleasant manner though.

Earlier, when Dean had returned from hell, he cherished the fact that Dean was pulled back to life by an angel. An angel was looking after Dean. That was great! He was a bit jealous though. Instead of an angel, he got a demon watching his back, following him anywhere he went – and he prayed every day and night, a true believer when Dean was not.

But also he was happy for Dean, getting an angel to save you meant you had God watching over you. That was everything a little brother could ask for, well, that was everything he ever prayed for – for God to protect Dean because he had been protecting everyone – especially Sam - but had nobody to really protect him. Sam? Sam wished he was protecting Dean, but always it turned out he was the one that need protection.

So, when Dean told him he got his back watched by an angel, Sam was thankful. Maybe God was listening to him after all, answering his prayers. Now however, Sam was not so sure if he was still jealous of Dean. The angel proved to be different from what Sam had imagined. No halos, no feathered wings, no face filled with passion and love, no caring thoughts and no words of comfort and wisdom.

Well, at least he was better compared to Uriel. Sam thought that other angel could be a half-breed – well, if angel and demon were allowed to make love. The hatred he had embedded in his eyes was so intense it pierced through Sam's heart – killing him inside. And the fact that he was an angel just made him worse than any demon they had met. Sam shuddered at the thought.

"What?"

Dean huffed out a tired sigh and shook his head. "Nothing."

The problem with them now was they talked less and were keeping more and more from each other. Stealing a glance at the younger kids, Sam hoped his Dean could be more like Sammy's Dean – to answer his questions and to fulfill his wishes in any way he could. But then, for the answers to work their miracle Sam had to have complete trust in Dean, just like little Sammy had in his brother. It was trust that was missing between them these last months.

"Deannie…sleepy."

The soft whines made the older boys turn their heads towards the younger ones. Sammy was swaying back and forth on his chair. His eyes were droopy and the effort to keep them open was futile. Immediately the big brother went into protection mode. The seven year old pulled his little brother closer and leaned him against his side.

Sam was distracted by a movement. He looked up and found Dean standing by the bed. "Dean?" His brother's face held that look – the ever-protective look.

When Dean moved towards the boys, Sam couldn't help but be on alert. He didn't want Dean hurting his younger self. He had seen it before and he knew Dean was capable of doing that in his recent state of mind. Sam stood up, ready to go between them.

Instead of going to the boys, Dean went for his duffle. He rummaged for something, took out a clean shirt and handed it to the seven year old.

"Go wash your face." His voice was commanding. "And change into this."

The little one was perplexed. "What are yo…" He was stopped with Dean's sharp glare.

"No questions young man…go now!" Sam hadn't heard that tone for a long time now. It was the demanding big brother's tone he had missed since Dean gone to hell. "After you've finished, you are going to bed."

"Sammy?" The young one asked as he looked down to his baby brother, tucked under his chin and completely lost to the world in his noisy slumber.

Dean got up. He was about to take Sammy away from the little big brother but he knew better. Dean would never give up Sammy to anyone - even to Dad - when he was suspicious. So he stopped and suggested "Why don't you lay him on the bed?"

Sam watched as the younger Dean scrutinized the older one warily and then eyed longingly at the bed. The boy must have been tired himself. When little Dean carefully cupped his baby brother into his arms and carried him towards the bed, Sam saw his big brother's lips curl into a smile. This invoked one on Sam's lips. Dean always had a soft spot for children, no matter how much he refused to admit it. Come to think of it, children liked Dean better than him. If not any other kids, Sam liked Dean when he was a kid. Even now he liked Dean, no questions - just reminders.

After tucking Sammy in, Dean dashed to the bathroom, glanced lovingly at his baby brother and shot a warning glare towards the older men and closed the door. They heard the water run in the sink and before they could even twitch a muscle, the seven year old was out again.

The sight before him made Sam chuckle. A grown man's shirt was way too big for a seven-year-old kid. Young Dean looked like as if he was wearing a blanket. One shoulder was exposed as the shirt sloppily fell out of place. It reached Dean's knees and the sleeves covered his entire arms, leaving skinny hands protruding from the shirt. Sam fell on the bed with fits of laughter.

His laughter didn't last long when both Deans stared at him with the same murderous look that said 'Laugh all you want smartass…you'll pay in the morning.' He gathered himself back together and coughed warily. One Dean was already hard to handle, he didn't want two Deans teaming up to bring him down, not when little Sammy was sound asleep and was off any help.

"Guess we need to go shopping tomorrow." Sam grinned like an idiot.

"Yeah, but for now…this will do." Dean looked at his mini self and pointed to the bed. "Now, you sleep."

The kid pouted. "You're bossy!" He grunted irately but still following the order.

"Well, live with it dude." Dean smirked devilishly. "This is you talking."

The young Dean rolled his eyes as he climbed in the bed, next to Sammy – who was sprawled across the bed and snoring softly without worry. Not bothering to shove his baby brother aside, Dean curled himself into the vacant space beside the youngest Winchester, throwing one protective arm across Sammy's chest. The toddler, recognizing the touch, snuggled in closer towards his big brother and burrowed himself deeper into Dean's embrace.

Dean's green eyes wandered around the room, giving the older Winchesters one last look, before his lids finally dropped. Somehow he trusted the two men without any doubt. In a way, they felt like family.

Sam and Dean watched as both young kids slumbered, feeling warm and fuzzy inside for all that mattered. Watching the kids, the boys felt surges of emotions flowing through them. However as green eyes met hazel ones, they both shied away.

"So, where you'll be sleeping Dean?" Realizing his older brother had given up his bed for the kids, Sam felt a pang of sympathy building inside him.

"Don't worry Sammy…I will not invade your bed, unless you want me to." Dean smirked mischievously.

"You're gross!"

A pillow flew towards Dean, smacking him right on the face. Dean laughed like a maniac as he walked towards the couch with the pillow tucked under his arm. He double checked the room, making sure they had salted the possible entrances and confirming there was no sign of demonic activities around. Now that they had two young ones to look after they had to double the precaution. When he was satisfied, Dean tumbled to the couch – feeling exhausted and drained all of a sudden.

As gentle as possible, Sam pulled the cover over the sleeping kids and went to his bed. He took off his sneakers and lay on the bed, arms crossed under his head. When his feet touched the blanket, Sam frowned. Making a mental note to ask for an extra blanket from the hotel manager tomorrow, Sam kicked the blanket off the bed.

His action didn't escape Dean's eyes.

"Why did you kick that blanket away…you having a cold is the last thing we'd need."

"I'm all warmed up…take it if you want to."

"No, thanks…I'm hot!" Dean smirked, knowing immediately Sam's intention.

Sam rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded like 'Idiot big brothers'. He turned towards Dean, saw his brother closing his eyes and wondered where Dean had gone earlier. Dean looked awfully tired.

"We're taking care of them huh?"

"Yeah…we'll be doing babysitting until I find Castiel." Dean slurred.

"Then?"

"Then I'll kill him!" The drowsiness was overtaking Dean almost completely.

"Dean…?"

"Okay, I'll talk to him, make him send them back…and then I'll kill him."

Sam shook his head with disbelief. He wanted to ask more questions, but seeing Dean dozing off, he decided it was best to save them for tomorrow. Listing to his side, facing the other bed, Sam studied the little brothers. Watching them buried into each other, he hardly could believe those kids used to be him and Dean. Guess time could change everything.

"Hey Sam? If you were so warmed up, what do you need the socks for?"

Sam looked down to his feet. He was wearing double layers of socks. It was a cold night but Sam's face felt hot all of a sudden. Covering his face with a sling of an arm, he hid the blushes on his cheeks from Dean's peeking eyes.

"Shut up Dean!"

When he heard Dean giggle, Sam's lips curled into a faint smile.

As the digital clock showed 2.30, Sam was already fighting the demon within him in his soundless sleep.

…………………………………

Sam didn't feel like he had been sleeping for long when he felt a vibration next to his ears. Driven by habit, his eyes snapped open and he reached for his cell he had kept next to his pillow. A call during this time of the night, Sam knew who the caller was.

"Ruby…" Sam whispered as he read the numbers on the display. His thumb stroked the received button, contemplating whether to accept or reject the call.

"Deannie…"

Despite of the waiting call, Sam was distracted by a tiny voice coming from the bed next to his. Little Sammy in his sleep had found his way into his big brother's shirt and now the kids looked as if they were conjoined twins who shared the same shirt. Sam chuckled at the sight.

Then he looked back at the display and without hesitation, he pressed the reject button. Giving it a second thought, he switched off the phone, knowing if there was any distress call Dean's cell was on.

Tossing the phone onto the bedside table, Sam switched off the bedside lamp and went back to sleep.

Only Sam didn't realize he was not the only one who had the habit of waking up to a vibrating phone. Dean was woken from his slumber as soon as Sam's phone started vibrating, even before Sam himself. When Sam hesitated on receiving the call, Dean waited anxiously. His heart pounded so hard he thought it was going to explode.

Dean breathed in with relief when Sam rejected the call and shoved the phone away. As he closed his eyes, and tried to go back to sleep, Dean smiled – thinking Castiel must have done what he did out of desperation and maybe it was not such a bad idea after all.

………………………………

Sam bent down to lace his sneakers, ignoring the hovering emerald eyes set upon him. Dean had gone to get breakfast, leaving him to babysit the young ones. It was unfair. He was still sleeping when Dean went out, and only woke up from the sound of little Sammy singing nursery rhymes in the shower.

The boys took too long in the bathroom and he was left with no hot water. A cold night without a blanket on and an early morning shower without hot water, Sam thought life couldn't be more unfair

Now, he had his big brother – in a kid form - scrutinizing him closely while he was dressing. It was getting on his nerves.

"What?!" Sam looked up, throwing his arms and heaving his shoulders, greeting young Dean with a less patient look.

The little Dean had been watching him since he started putting on the jeans and never turned his eyes away from him.

"How come you grew up so big?"

Sam's annoyance melted and was replaced with an amused chuckle. "That's because I ate my veggies Dean."

Dean winced. "What are you? A girl?"

"Urgh! You're unbelievable!"

"Sammy is a girl…" Dean sang a little too merrily.

Sam gritted his teeth in an attempt to curb his anger. "Well…at least I'm not growing up short!" He teased and got his payback when Dean stopped singing and glared at Sam with narrow slits.

"I wanna' be big like you." Little Sammy pointed to Sam with eyes so big and wide.

Flashing the seven-year-old a victory smile, Sam said "You know what Sammy…you are going to be bigger than shortie here." He peeked at Dean's direction and that was when he saw the kid lurching towards him. My! He had no time to evade the attack and was brought to the bed – Dean on top of him.

As if on cue, big Dean opened the door, carrying breakfast boxes in his arms.

"And now who's the stronger one?" Dean – the little Dean – threw his arms up in the air and yelled a winning cry. The young boy leapt away from Sam and did a victory dance on the bed while Sammy happily followed his big brother's groove.

Looking at his big brother – who stood by the door slack-jawed – Sam felt his face warm with embarrassment. This was the second time he lost to little Dean and what was more embarrassing was this time it happened in front of Dean.

"Oh Sammy! You're helpless without me." Dean shook his head and went to the table, passing the three boys on the bed – two of them still dancing and the oldest one still blushing. "Come and get your breakfast." Dean called and later cringed at how fatherly he sounded.

The kids jumped off the bed and scrammed towards the table. Sam was the last to arrive and gingerly took a seat across little Sammy – at the same time throwing a menacing glare at little Dean.

Dean smacked the back of Sam's head. "Stop acting like a kid Sam!"

"Am not!" Both Sam and Sammy retorted with the same pout.

Dean rolled his eyes. Some things never changed.

"Eat your breakfast and then we'll go shopping," Dean sat next to Sam, facing his younger self who was looking at the meal in front of him without blinking. The kid stared at the extra big cheesy sandwich and the apple pie slice with awe and then glanced at Sammy's – the same meal minus the pie but with a mini action figure for a side dish – and back to his meal again.

"Why are you not eating?" Dean asked.

"Are these all mine?" The kid pointed to the food and looked up to Dean.

"Yeah! You don't like it?"

The seven-year-old shook his head frantically and beamed. "No…it's just that I never ate this much before." He looked at Sammy and smiled seeing his baby brother gobbling his food without mercy.

Sam smiled sadly hearing the boy's response. He had been spending so much time with Dean when they were growing up and actually remembered very well his big brother always gave up eating to make sure he went to bed with a full stomach.

Dad went out a lot and most of the times he returned later than he intended to. Then the ration that was left behind would never be able to fill up two hungry growing up boys. There was not even enough to fill up one child. Dean was the one who would give up his meal for Sam and would only eat what was left from Sam's plate. Sometimes there was none left because Sam wasn't able to think about other people when his brain was mainly a baby's brain.

But Sam was glad his brain didn't take too long to start growing like an adult's. As soon as he knew what sharing meant, Sam always left half of the portion for Dean, so both of them went to bed without being hungry but content.

Most of the time, Sam thought Dean's unbelievable and sometimes compromising appetite was driven from the things he was not able to have when he was younger. He was not choosy on what he was about to eat and he never wasted any meal that was given to him, unless it came out in violent heaves due to sickness and concussions which always led to puking.

"Hey! We don't do that pansy talk." The older Dean pointed a finger to the younger one's face. "Leave that to Sam and Sammy here…now eat."

Sam didn't miss the red tinge on Dean's cheeks and he couldn't help but laugh quietly.

"Hey! What's this?" The younger Dean pulled a layer of green from his sandwich. It was lettuce.

"Salad." Dean answered bluntly without looking up from his breakfast.

"Duh?!" The boy gave that look which said 'I can see that, you moron'. "What is it doing in here?"

"Just eat it already!" Dean ordered, so daddy-like.

The seven year old cringed, put the salad to where it belonged – on the plate, and ate the sandwich heartily.

"You shuwun woo wat…" Sammy mumbled with his mouth full.

"Sammy, don't talk with your mouth full." Sam wiggled one finger in front of Sammy's face.

"Sowwee…" Sammy immediately swallowed his chunks and continued "Veggies good for you."

"Shut up Sammy!" His big brother seemed not to be pleased with the idea of eating vegetables.

Sam was surprised himself. Dean was supposed to know himself better than anyone. Vegetables didn't go well with Dean Winchester. It was not human food Dean said. To him everything that was green was cow food. So why in the world would Dean buy a sandwich with salad in it for himself, his younger self that is?

"Deannie, veggies makes you big," Sammy continued babbling, his arms were spread wide as he looked at Sam and Dean, thinking of something. "Like him." Sammy decided and pointed towards Sam.

In an instant, Sam figured out everything. He looked at Dean - who was eating quietly as if nothing had happened - and grinned like an idiot.

"Don't even think about it Sam," Dean warned.

Sam snorted as he raised his arms in defeat. He was so not going to start a war at breakfast. They might send the food to fly around the motel room and have to flee from there without further notice.

But he couldn't resist, just for this one time.

"Nice try Dean!"

"Eat Sam! Or do you want me to stuff it for you?" Dean turned to Sam with face as dark as a cloudy sky.

Sam stifled a laugh and started eating. This felt so good!

TBC

a/n: Okay, okay…I know the chapter is lame, huhu. But still hope you'd like it. If you can figure out what Dean was trying to do at the end of the chapter, you have a bunch of cookies waiting for you. Okay now, if you like the chapter, please review or I would just have to delete it and rewrite it all over. Thank you for reading! Love ya!