Title: Complications
Fandom: Supernatural

Author: DJ Sparkles
Rating: FRAO (language, mostly, so far)

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue. I'll put them back when I'm done.
Spoiler Warning: Um, possible spoilers for all seasons so far… don't want spoiled, don't read. BIG spoilers for In My Time of Dying, Heart, All Hell Breaks Loose, Parts 1&2, and season 3.
Timeline: Diverges from Canon after episode 3x03, Bad Day at Black Rock.

Beta: Ithil-valon, River, and StMatt. You ladies just ROCK, you know that?
Pairings: None so far.

Part Six

"We need to move."

Those were the first words Dean spoke after he woke up the next afternoon. Sam was kind of glad to hear them; he was beginning to wonder if his brother was ever going to rejoin the land of the living. He'd slept so long and so deeply that at one point, Bobby had suggested taking his pulse.

On the other hand, it didn't really sound like Dean. The exhaustion he supposed he could understand; it probably took a lot out of a person to shift forms like that. But Dean's usual method of dealing with fear and uncertainty was to pour on more bravado and bullshit. This quiet acceptance was disturbing.

"Where to? Bobby's? He left a couple hours ago, while you were still asleep. He said something about searching the rest of his library for cures and lore." Sam was watching Dean carefully. Usually Dean would have a smartass comment for something like this.

"Bobby's sounds good. At least there I won't have to worry about killing someone." The words were clipped and tense, and Sam got a little more concerned. This just wasn't like Dean. If he'd already given up, they had a serious problem.

"So we move. Dean." Sam had to say something. He needed to shake Dean out of this weird mood before it drove him crazy. "Are you okay?"

Dean took a deep breath before facing his brother. "Oh, yeah, Sammy, I'm just peachy. We'll never make Bobby's before I change again. Too late in the day. But that's okay; you can let me out long enough to make the change and then maybe howl at the moon or scratch some fleas or something. Yeah, I'm just great. Better than great. I'm a damn werewolf, Sam! You tell me how that could possibly be okay!"

"You're still breathing, that's how!" Sam was tired of the argument but he had to do something to shake Dean out of his apparent funk. "Dean, we can fix this. We just don't know how yet. We aren't going to stop looking, okay? I won't stop looking. Not ever. Not until you've drawn that last breath, Dean, and maybe not then. I will not stop trying to save your life, okay? Get used to the idea!"

Dean blinked. "Intense much? You can't break that deal, Sam, we've been over this already. I'm not risking your life to save mine. No. End of discussion. The werewolf thing? Knock yourself out. But you go messing around with that crossroads demon, I will stop you. I told you that before." He shook his head. "This isn't getting us anywhere, Sammy, if we're going to get to Bobby's, we need to get moving."

"Car's already packed, I was just waiting on your lazy ass." Sam wasn't giving up. He'd let it rest for now, but no way was he going to let Dean die. No, he'd do whatever he had to, in order to save his brother. The werewolf thing, as Dean called it, might be the worst part of it; they'd had to kill the only other person they knew who'd gone through this change because there'd been no cure available in time for her and she couldn't stand the thought of killing someone.

It tore at Sam to see Dean the same way. He'd loved Madison, even if it had been an extremely short relationship. In the end, he'd done as she asked. He'd pulled the trigger. It hadn't helped him to know she wanted to die. It had still broken his heart to stop hers. No way was he going to let that happen to Dean. Sam didn't think he could take it. Not again.

That thought gave him a bit of hope, though. Madison had never completely taken on a wolf form, not in the three days after she'd become a werewolf. Dean had not only shifted completely, he'd managed to retain some of his essential personality while in the wolf form. Maybe that meant there was more than one kind of werewolf? It was worth checking into.

"Hey! Earth to Sam, you coming? Bus is leaving, dude." Dean had his head stuck back into the room and Sam could hear the purr of that big V-8 already running. He'd better get his own head straight before he tried to work on Dean's problem.

"Yeah, let's go. Sorry, I was just thinking something." Sam packed up the laptop, the last thing they had left in the room, and got into the passenger side. "I'm gonna work on some stuff in these printouts, then, since you're driving. Might find something we overlooked."

"Yeah, well, don't lose yourself too deep. We'll switch when I start to change, I guess. I figure four, five hours to Bobby's, tops, and we've got maybe three until sunset." Dean pulled out of the lot carefully, watching the nearly deserted highway for traffic, and Sam noted the cautious action. Another thing that didn't add up with Dean since this change. Dean was never like this, although Sam supposed it might be a change for the better. No, Dean's usual habit was to fly down the road if he could, loving the speed and the feel of the Impala around him. He knew enough about his brother to know that something was still bugging Dean a lot; but he couldn't come right out and ask, not without getting his head bitten off again.

It was looking like a long drive to Bobby's.

TBC…