Okay, I felt the need for a little sappiness. Sue me! There will be more action soon – honest! (Man, this chapter was a pain to post! Something's wrong with the document upload again.)

Chapter 30

Sam shoved his hands in his pockets as he entered the reception area. Dean sat on the couch talking on his cell. He glanced up when Sam walked out and waved him over. Curious, Sam walked over quicker than he intended.

"You still have Officer Steve's card?" Dean asked, holding out his hand.

"Sure." Sam dug it out of his wallet, handed it over.

Dean read the number off to whoever was on the phone. "Yes, seriously. This was the cop on the scene, just call him. Tomorrow? No, I can't come in before Monday. Fine, I don't want to come in before Monday. We'll see. Later, Bud." Dean shoved his cell back in his pocket.

"Bud? From the shop?" Sam asked. "He calling to check up on you?"

"Actually, I think he wanted to fire me," Dean said. "You ready?"

Sam nodded, a little speechless that Dean took the attempt to fire him so well. Dean flashed the receptionist a smile before leading the way out. Sam tried to ready himself for the dress-down he would get once they were out of earshot. He took his seat in the Impala, already cringing. The engine did not start. Sam glanced over, found Dean staring at him.

"You want to tell me what that was about?" Dean asked calmly.

Sam rubbed sweaty palms on his jeans. "Not really."

Dean turned on the seat, facing him. "Sam…"

Sam huffed a sigh. "Fine. Something was bothering me and I wanted someone to talk to about it. Happy?"

Dean's brow furrowed and the corners of his mouth pulled down slightly. "You couldn't talk to me about it?"

His hands were just leaking with sweat now, even vigorous rubbing against his jeans was not helping. "Well, it was…kinda…about you."

"About me?" Dean sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Okay, what did I do now?" He sounded resigned, defeated.

"Nothing, I guess. No. Nothing." Sam looked out the window at the low office building. "It was just something stupid bothering me, that's all."

"And you still can't tell me?" Dean demanded. "Look Sam, how am I supposed to fix it if you won't tell me what it is?"

Sam chanced a look at his brother. "There's nothing to fix. It's fine."

"Doesn't sound fine, sounds like whatever-this-is is still bothering you." Dean's eyes narrowed on him.

"Yeah, I guess. But I'll get over it. Really, Dean, it's fine." He shrugged as Dean's hand reached for the ignition. "It's something I should have noticed a long time ago."

Dean's hand froze over the keys, his face turning again to regard Sam. "A long time ago? What the hell are you talking about, Sammy?"

Sam mentally kicked himself. He would have been home-free if he could keep his big mouth shut. "Nothing, Dean. Let's just get back. I'm sure Rae is driving Bobby nuts by now."

Dean cleared his throat, cranking the engine. As they backed out of their parking space, he said, "We have an errand to run first."

"An errand?" Sam glared. "What kind of errand, Dean?"

Dean flashed a smile as he pulled out of the parking lot, causing a sinking feeling in Sam's stomach. Whatever Dean's errand was, he had a bad feeling about it. At first he thought maybe Dean changed his mind or was teasing as they headed home. Then, just before reaching the library, where he might or might not still have a job, Dean turned.

"Are we heading for the school?" Sam demanded. Dean flashed him another grin. Oh, shit. "Dean, why are we going to Rae's school?"

"She's not going back if that asshat of a principal is still there," he declared, pulling into the school parking lot. After parking, Dean turned to look at him. "And you are going to help."

Sam swallowed hard. "What do you expect me to do?"

Dean grinned broadly. "Just stand there looking tall and intimidating. Maybe scowl a little?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "How am I supposed to look intimidating?"

Dean shrugged. "You're tall, lots of people find that intimidating. It'll work. Let's go." His brother hopped out, clearly looking forward to this.

Sam drug himself out of the car, dreading whatever Dean had in mind. It sounded like a really, really bad idea. "Why are we doing this?" he demanded, following in his brother's wake.

"Didn't you hear what Rae told Officer Steve?" Dean asked, dropping back a step to walk beside Sam. "Her principal helped that guy, Ernie, kidnap her."

"He didn't know, Dean," Sam argued.

"He wasn't given a court order, either," Dean argued, his voice taking on a hard edge. "There is no way Rae is stepping foot in this building alone if he's still here."

Sam opened his mouth to argue again, more out of habit than anything, but Dean's argument filtered into his brain and made sense. "Wait," Sam grabbed his brother's shoulder, "we need some kind of plan."

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Principal Crowder hung up his phone, hand shaking. The school board was reviewing the Sammie Cooper fiasco. How was he supposed to know that the guy was impersonating a Family Services social worker? He had been expecting for Family Services to show up and take the girl. She was clearly deeply traumatized and, absurd English papers aside, it had to be the family's fault. So he forgot about needing a court order. Did his career really need to end over that?

Crowder doodled on his deskpad for a moment. Maybe he should resign? Then he could move to another school district, maybe start over. He sighed, weighing his options. It was entirely possible the school district would not fire him, but unlikely. He was well aware of the fact a few parents called complaining about his inadvertent assistance in the Cooper girl's kidnapping, and if a few knew then word could spread quickly. At least the girl was fine, the officer who came by yesterday had filled him in on what happened.

Who knew that girl's so-called parents were capable of rescuing her from kidnappers. Risky and stupid was what he called it. The police were better trained and equipped for those kinds of situations. They ought to be arrested for endangering a minor that way, not treated with the respect the police officer clearly felt.

His door burst open, slamming against the wall hard enough to crack the plaster. Crowder jumped backwards, his chair rolling into the far wall. Both Mister Coopers barreled into his office, the father in the lead. Oh, why did they have to enroll that girl in his school?

"We need to talk," the father growled as the uncle closed the door. Crowder hoped his assistant outside was not on one of her many breaks and had the intelligence to call the police.

"What the hell were you thinking?" the father demanded, leaning across his desk and the uncle loomed by the closed door, looking terribly imposing. If those two were actually brothers, he would eat his deskpad. The father's fists slammed on his desk sending a shudder through the imitation wood. "I asked you a question," he growled.

Crowder tried to swallow, but his mouth and throat were exceptionally dry. "I..uh…" All right, he had seen some irate parents in his career, but nothing quite prepared him for this. Dean Cooper looked angry enough to remove his spleen by reaching down his throat and yanking it out bare-handed. When his eyes strayed to the uncle standing guard at his door, he saw they shared the same expression right around the eyes. Well, perhaps they could be related. He tried for a deep breath. "I'm sorry. It was a mistake."

Dean Cooper's eyes widened dramatically. "A mistake? Hear that, Sam? He's sorry, it was just a mistake."

The uncle, still standing by the door, scoffed loudly in his office. "We could probably sue the school, Dean. Get this idiot fired for sure."

Dean Cooper did not appear pleased with that idea. "Sure, and give all the nutbars out there the idea that it's easy to snatch kids from school." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Because it is."

Crowder managed to swallow. "I'm resigning. I hope you'll consider allowing your daughter to continue coming to school."

"Well," Cooper straightened up, "that's a start." He turned to the other one. "Let's go Sam. I'm good."

"In a minute, Dean." Sam Cooper held the door open for his brother. Dean lifted an eyebrow, but he passed outside, pulling the door closed behind him. Crowder figured Dean was standing guard outside.

Sam Cooper approached. When he spoke, his voice was low and soft so Crowder had to strain to hear. "You got off easy," he said, eyes flashing. "Most people who put Rae in danger don't walk away." Sam tapped his knuckles on Crowder's desk as the principal appreciated just how big this man was. "I hope you were serious about quitting." He turned and left, but not before shooting Crowder a withering glare.

Okay, brothers or not, he had no intention of being here any longer than it would take to write out a letter of resignation. Oh, screw that. Crowder picked up the phone, dialed the school board. He could resign over the phone, that would be faster.

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Dean paused before opening the driver's side door to the Impala. "Well? You think that did it?"

Sam grinned. "If he's still here in an hour, I'll be surprised." Sam opened the other door, getting in.

Dean sat behind the steering wheel, considering their actions. "What else did you say to him, Sammy?" He glanced over as that grin broadened.

"The truth," Sam replied. "That we were letting him off easy."

"Too easy," Dean grumbled, starting the car. "So, what should you have noticed a long time ago?"

Sam groaned. "Come on, Dean. Just let it go."

Dean frowned. "If it were me saying that, would you let it go?"

Sam wanted to argue, but the truth was that he would not let it go, no matter how sincerely Dean asked. "Dean, I'm trying real hard here not to upset you. Can't you just let it go?"

"So it will upset me?" He swung the big car into the library's parking lot, stopping across three parking spaces. Dean turned to face his brother. "Okay, Sam, spill." He motioned with one hand.

Sam looked out the windshield at the library. "Maybe I should go in and explain?"

"Sam!" Dean snapped, relieved when his brother's head spun to look at him. "Focus!"

"Dean, I just don't want to…"

"Well, you're upsetting me with all this trying not to upset me crap. As a matter of fact, I…I…" Dean lifted a hand, clutched at his chest and rolled his eyes back.

"Oh, god! Dean! Dean!" He felt Sam grab his shoulders.

"God, you're easy," Dean quipped, dropping the hand from his chest. "So what about me has been bothering you? I assume it wasn't just the panic attacks?"

Sam released him, leaning back against the passenger door. His brother's breathing was labored and his eyes wide. Well, Dean hadn't meant to scare him quite that much.

"You…you're a jerk," Sam finally breathed, eyes still bugging out.

"Yep," Dean replied with a nod, feeling just a touch guilty over Sam's overreaction. It wasn't like Sam to react quite that strongly. "So, what's the problem? You know, other than the fact this must be your time of the month?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Just don't do that again. Even as a joke." Dean waited while his brother took some deep breaths. "Agreed? I tell you, and you swear you'll never pull that again."

Sam looked a little too intense for Dean's liking, meaning he had really scared his little brother. "Fine," he replied with a nod. He figured it was the least he could do for scaring Sam that much.

"I, uh," Sam stared out the window again. "This is going to sound really stupid."

"So what else is new?" Dean teased, hoping Sam wouldn't back out now.

"I, uh," Sam took a deep breath, "I noticed that you seemed a lot more relaxed since Bobby arrived. And I guess, well, Doc Snyder said I was…uh…" Sam mumbled something.

"Doc Snyder said you were what, Sam?" Dean demanded, alarmed.

Sam heaved a great sigh before looking at him. "Jealous."

The laugh escaped before Dean realized it was even there. "Jealous?" His laughter filled the car as he pounded on the steering wheel.

"Uh, Dean?" Sam's voice cut through his laughing. Dean tried to stop, he really did, but it was so absurd. He held up a hand, needing Sam to give him a moment because he really couldn't speak yet. After a few more chest wracking guffaws, Dean managed to rein it in. He was not sure what actually caused it in the first place, but it was much harder to stop than it was to start.

"Okay," Dean wiped the tears from his eyes, stifling the lingering chuckles, "tell me, princess, why are you jealous?"

"Why is it so funny, Dean?" Sam demanded, looking angry now. "I mean, you can tell Bobby when your panic attacks really started and you lied to me about. You let Bobby call you off that kidnapper before you could actually kill him. I doubt you would have even heard me. And…"

"Sam!" Dean interrupted before his brother could really jump on that train of thought. Because when Sam got carried away it wasn't by wild horses, it was by one of those Japanese bullet trains going a hundred and fifty miles per hour. "First of all," he pointed an accusing finger in his brother's face, "you didn't say a damn thing when I was taking care of Ernie. Second, I did listen to your idea and let you check out the neighboring apartment. You think I take just anyone's opinion? Do you honestly believe I would have let Bobby pick where we moved?" He dropped his hand, studying Sam's face. "And since when didn't you like Bobby?"

"It's not that I don't like him, Dean," Sam looked flustered. "Rae thinks it's cool."

Okay, another left-field comment from the master. "Rae thinks what is cool?"

"That, uh, you think of Bobby as a stand-in for Dad. You know," Sam studied his hands intently, "like a father figure or something."

Now it was Dean's turn to feel uncomfortable. He rubbed the back of his neck, wondering when it was that someone rented out a billboard and posted all of his innermost thoughts on it. He freaking hated therapy. "I never called him a father figure," he replied softly. "I wouldn't do that."

Sam peered up through his bangs. "But he is, isn't he? You know, it…" Sam stared at him a long moment before continuing, "it doesn't mean you don't care about Dad anymore."

Dean felt the words stab, twisting his insides. He looked away, at anything that wasn't Sam. Losing Mom, losing Dad, those were wounds that could never heal. "No?" he whispered. He had been fighting with the echoes of that disloyalty for years now. "Why not?"

"Because Rae said so." Dean did turn to look at his brother now, to make sure he wasn't being teased. This would be a hell of a time to tease. "And I think she would know," Sam finished with a nod.

"Guess so," Dean replied numbly. "She's a good kid, huh?"

Sam lifted his head, smiling. "She's a great kid, Dean."

"Why don't you go see if you still have a job?" he motioned to the library.

"Sure."

He felt the car move and the door close as he stared out at the blue sky. His cheeks felt strange, so he wiped away the wetness there. He shook his head, wondering again what he did to deserve this family. Rae's words from all those years ago resounded in his head, that it must have been something really good.