Alright, I figure that's enough torturing for now. Here's the story on Sam. Also some very important character development of Dean, and his relationship with Sam. Mostly the parts where he's undeniably dependent and obsessively paranoid about every little thing Sam does. Also some cute Sam/Jess.
Dean's POV
Cas and I just had sex. In a public bathroom. In the middle of a police station. If that wasn't enough to put me on edge I'm not sure what else could.
It wasn't that it was bad sex, because fuck, it was anything but. Probably the best sex I'd ever had and it wasn't even real sex. We literally just rubbed each other off against a wall but it was absolutely, well, orgasmic.
But I was mostly bothered by myself. Bothered by how guilty I felt for ignoring my responsibility to my own brother. He had so much to explain to me. But I got caught up in some erotic thrill with our caretaker.
At the same time it wasn't right to push Cas aside like I did. But I felt so damn guilty about it. But alas it only built up more remorse as I realized he was probably kicking himself over nothing. Because he didn't do anything wrong.
It was me- I was the one in the wrong.
Maybe a thank you or a chaste kiss would have been nice. A hug or a genuine smile. Instead I closed a door in his face and left him standing by himself.
But what about Sam? Doesn't it always come back to him? This is where it all started. With Sam.
I was always worried about Sam. Always wondering if he was okay. I knew why, now. Because I always had. Because I felt it was my job.
Meanwhile, Sam hated it. He wanted to take care of himself. Wanted me to do the same. Take care of myself. Or let myself be taken care of. And that was what Officer Castiel was doing.
It all seemed so simple in theory. Just let go and Sam will assume responsibility over himself. It was about time.
But when it came down to it, I had a difficult time letting go.
I walked through the police officers and secretaries, keeping my head tucked low as their eyes burned holes in me. Everyone was looking, even if they pretended not to be.
It was a big deal, apparently. The Winchester boys and their drunken daddy. They arrested my dad. They got him. Cas said he would, and they did. Had it really blown over me this entire time?
The magnitude of this. Of course, we already addressed the fact that Cas would be taking us in now. But the thing was, I wouldn't have to see John fucking Winchester until, what? A court hearing? In which he would be found guilty and be put to jail for most, if not the rest of his life.
He might have been my blood, but that didn't make him my family. It was a good thing he was locked up.
I swung around the corner, entering the toasty room in which Sam sat with Jess. Where they held mugs of hot cocoa and a large, haphazard coloring book with cheap, broken and peeling crayons on the table. It was rather comical, at the least.
I laughed shamelessly when I entered the room.
Part of me waited for a "What took you so long" or an exasperated, "Finally" but neither came. Just two gentle, understanding smiles. It hit home that while I had been worrying over Sam this whole time, Sam was fine.
Sam was almost always fine and that wasn't because of me. It was because of himself.
He could take care of himself. And obviously, Jess as well. The fact that they were here in the first place said that much. But it had taken me up until then to realize it.
"Hey." I said, stifling a chuckle and sliding down across from them. It didn't glaze over me, the gentle tangle of their fingers under the blanket they shared in which they thought I couldn't see. But I saw, alright. Way to go, Sammy.
"Hi." Sam answered, and he didn't look upset in the slightest. He turned to the pretty girl to his right and gestured openly. "Jess, this is Dean. Dean, Jess."
"Hello." She said in a quiet, yet inviting tone.
"Nice to meet you." I answered, deciding not to shake hands in case I interrupted the intense finger-twining act they were having.
"Well, I obviously have a ton of questions," I continued, giving Sam a pair of raised eyebrows. I could have been mad, but I knew I'd done some pretty dumb shit for girls (and guys) in my day. "So how about you just give me the cliff notes for now." I sat back in my chair.
"Okay," Sam started. "So after I went upstairs, you know, earlier…" I nodded, "I heard this tapping in my window, turns out Jess is standing there waiting for me. She found Cas's house after coming here to ask for any updates in the first place. Sergent sweet-tooth had told her we were holed up there."
Sam had a whimsical expression, as if he was asking me for answers.
"Oh." I said, nodding. That was… Gabe? I think that's what I heard someone call him. They all had it figured out from the start, apparently. They're all relatives. The cops. Well, most of them." I stumbled out "He's the Lieutenant."
Sam rolled his eyes at my correction "Whatever." He smirked. "So then I said you know we should go back and tell you.."
"But I made him stay." Jess interrupted. Sam didn't argue.
"So we just you know walked around."
"And then we were downtown, and this skinny looking asshole comes up to us." Jess includes, a mix of adrenaline and fear in her tone. "And he grabbed my bag and tried to steal it from me."
I felt my eyes grow wide at this. They had been mugged? My baby brother with one arm was mugged, and came out with all their things intact and not a scratch? Way to go, Sammy.
"So Sam just took this freaking pen he had in his pocket! A pen! And he stabbed him with it! You know not anywhere important." Her face was shining with pride and excitement matched only by the light I watched dance in Cas's eyes just a few minutes ago. It was filled with such fondness I was about ready to just leave them alone for a few hours.
"His bicep." Sam added.
"And he just flipped! Dropped everything and ran for the hills."
"We decided we had to go right to the cops, seeping as I just stabbed a guy…Turns out, it's a guy they've been looking for around here too! We got a DNA sample, his blood, and they have an ID because of me."
"You're shitting me." Was all I could manage, because if I hadn't known my brother for being anything but truthful, I would have called bullshit to the whole thing.
"No!" Jess answered, almost breathless with her awe. It was a beautiful color on her, to say the least. And telling by Sam's facial expressions, I could tell he agreed whole-heartedly.
"I'm glad you're alright.." I added, gently patting Sam's shoulder.
He just smiled, a pure shiver of accomplishment streaking through his eyes.
"All by myself, Dean."
"All by yourself…" I tasted the words, enjoying the way they sat on my tongue. Maybe it was difficult to wrap my head around… But Sam was much more independent than I gave him credit for.
Sometimes, I think it was more important to me to take care of him than it actually was to Sam.
"I'm proud of you." I added, enjoying the feel of the phrase almost as much as Sam enjoyed the sound.
"Thanks, Dean."
"No problem, Sammy." I stood to rub my fingers through his scalp, and he laughed, despite his annoyance at having to untangle his fingers from Jess's to fix his mop-top.
"I think I could get used to it." I said, after dodging a punch to the gut.
"Of course you could. You did promise, after all."
"Yeah well, I guess I'll just have to leave you alone, huh?" I meant this to apply to the present moment, as much as to the future, and my ability to let Sam do his own thing.
"Yes, I think that would be nice." He answered, and Jess blushed softly, although Sam didn't notice.
"I'm sorry we scared you."
I could only nod, I didn't have it in me to be mad. I took my chance then to make my way to the exit.
I bid Jessica a small goodbye, and Sam a fond smile.
I, had some apologizing to do, myself.
I left the two love-birds to themselves, catching the chaste kiss Jess placed on Sam's cheek when she thought I couldn't see.
I didn't miss the fluorescent blush that spread across Sam's face.
Of course, with two-way mirrors and all that, it wasn't that difficult to see.
I could only hope they weren't installed in the bathrooms as well.