"Dean."
The voice was accompanied by someone gently shaking his shoulder and Dean burrowed further under the covers, determined to ignore the attempt to get him to wake up.
"Dean – come on man, it's time to go."
Apparently Sam wasn't taking no for an answer and Dean pulled the covers back, fixing his brother with a glare. Sam just chuckled, used to Dean's mood when being woken up.
"Hey it was your idea to go back and check the place out tonight." he said, getting up from where he'd been sitting on Dean's bed once he was sure his brother was properly awake.
"Oh sure, blame the concussed guy." grumbled Dean as he got up, wincing as he pulled bruises that were already starting to develop.
"So now you admit you're concussed?" said Sam, fixing him with look that was part concern and part exasperation.
"Figure of speech." said Dean, ignoring the look and sitting down to pull on his boots.
Sam rolled his eyes, knowing it was no use even suggesting they leave checking the place out until Dean wasn't concussed – figure of speech or not.
Pulling on his own boots, Sam made sure he grabbed the Impala's keys before Dean did. The move earned him a glare but he took no notice and Dean clearly wasn't feeling good enough to argue the point.
"You are such a pain." he said and Sam just grinned at him as he slid into the driver's seat.
Sam made sure to park round the back of the dance hall, out of sight from the road. Getting out they grabbed the flashlights from the trunk, along with the rock salt loaded shotguns. Dean took the EMF out of his pocket and, quickly scanning the area to make sure they were alone, they headed towards the back entrance of the dance hall.
"From what I saw, before Casper decided to get up close and personal, there's half a dozen rooms on the top floor and just the one big hall downstairs. You wanna go check the hall while I do the rooms upstairs?" said Dean, as Sam got ready to pick the lock.
Sam looked up at Dean with his eyebrows raised. "Let me think about it – do I want us to split up and check out the huge empty building, separately, for a spirit that's already pushed you down the stairs and knocked you out once today?"
There was a pause. "I'm gonna go ahead and take that as a no, shall I?" said Dean dryly.
Sam didn't bother dignifying that with a reply and concentrated instead on the lock. Moments later they were inside. Dean turned on his flashlight and swept it round the hallway they were in.
"You wanna do down here first?" he whispered.
"Sounds good to me." Sam whispered back. As they made their way into the main hall Dean shook his head.
"You know this would go so much faster if.."
Sam cut him off. "Not happening, Dean. Deal with it and move on would you?" he hissed.
Dean rolled his eyes, shining his flashlight in Sam's face. "This whole wanting to be in each other's pockets when we're hunting is gonna be a real problem, Sammy. It's a little impractical, don't you think?"
Sam knocked Dean's flashlight so it wasn't in his eyes in anymore, and fixed him with a glare. "It may take a little longer, but it's a hell of a lot safer. Do you need me to remind you how many times you've been hurt when we've split up? How many times you've almost been killed? Or arrested? Or God knows what else? I'm getting tired of visiting you in hospital Dean, so impractical or not we do this stuff TOGETHER from now on."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "You done? Cos I happen to have been doing this a lot longer than you have Sam, and I'm still here. Do you need me to remind you that I managed perfectly well on my own while you were at Stanford?"
"That doesn't mean your luck is gonna last forever. And it doesn't mean I didn't have nightmares about something happening to you back then as well. I wasn't around then, but I am now. And it's as much my job to look out for you as it is for you to look out for me. I wish you'd get that part."
Dean sighed. "Fine, we'll hold hands nicely ok? Now can we get on with this or do you wanna do a little more bonding?"
Sam rolled his eyes. "Jerk." he muttered.
"Bitch" said Dean, and when Sam glanced at him he saw Dean's customary smirk. He couldn't stop himself grinning in return, and Dean nudged him with his shoulder to get him moving again before the moment became too 'deep'.
There was no sign of any spirit activity whatsoever in the hall so they moved upstairs. They swept every room up there as well but there was nothing.
Dean threw his hands up in frustration. "Great. Now we get a part time spirit." he said and Sam snorted.
"Yeah, well at least we know it is definitely a spirit thanks to your little encounter earlier. Maybe it's only attracted to the contestants."
"Or maybe it had better plans tonight." said Dean dryly.
They made their way back downstairs and let themselves out. Back in the Motel room Dean hung his jacket up and dropped back onto the bed with a sigh.
"So that was one huge waste of time." he said and Sam shrugged as he sat down on the other bed.
"Least we know now it seems to be connected to the competition and not just the building."
"Yeah, but it also means I'm actually gonna have to turn up for this practice tomorrow." he said, looking disgusted.
Sam grinned and then tried to hide it, but the pillow that hit him in the head told him he hadn't hid it well enough.
"Hey, look it's not my fault the spirit was a no show. Besides Cara seems delightful." he said, throwing the pillow back at Dean.
"Delightful my ass. The woman's a demon." said Dean as he caught it and Sam chuckled.
"Actually she kinda reminded me of you." he said and Dean looked at him with a horrified expression.
"I am nothing like her!" he said indignantly and Sam just carried on laughing.
"Maybe I'll get lucky and the damn thing will push me down the stairs again." said Dean as he grabbed his t-shirt and shorts and headed for the bathroom.
Sam instantly sobered. "That's not funny, Dean." he said and Dean just smirked at him over his shoulder as he shut the door behind him.
Author's note: Sorry this is a short one – next one will be longer I promise! And yes, we will get to the Dean dancing part... 'grins evilly'