Reaching forward and wiping his jacket sleeve down the inside of the windscreen, Dean cleared a patch amid the condensation and peered out at the late afternoon. Heavy rain drummed a noisy melody on the roof above him and he sighed in frustration as he checked his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes.

His eyes closed and his feigned sleep apparently working as planned -- his stressed brother having left him alone for a short while -- Sam tried to ignore the fidgeting beside him. Heated debates and brooding apologies had swam in the car between them in what seemed like an endless cycle and he had long since had his fill. Departing the Impala and stomping away down the rain soaked road had helped briefly about two hours ago but a combination of chilling damp and guilt had drawn him back for more remorseful silence.

Unsure quite how long Dean had before he simply imploded, Sam was out of ideas as to how to help his antagonizing mess of a brother. Thinking back to occasions when their father would exasperate him in much the same way, Sam felt a guilty sorrow stirring deep within and desperately hoped that somehow he could assist -- or at least grow to understand -- his brother before it was way too late.

"Oh, thank fuck!"

The Impala rocked as Dean wrenched the door open and scrambled out. Sam opened his eyes and gazed up at the car's roof as he heard the truck approach. He heard Dean's idea of a grateful welcome shouted into the rain and Sam sighed in disappointment as he slowly sat up. Climbing wearily from the car, he hurried over to halt the argument before it even got underway and stepped between his cabin fevered brother and an indignant Bobby.

"Shit, Dean!" Bobby fumed, slamming the truck door shut, "I broke god knows how many speed limits trying to get here! I can't fly, goddammit!"

Sam spun to Dean and silenced his inevitable rebuke with a warning glare.

"Jeez …" Bobby continued, turning away and heading towards the rear of the truck. "I swear … one of these days, I'll just smack you down …"

Sam saw Dean draw a quick breath, "Hush!" He ordered, and suddenly wanted to laugh. "What is it with you!" He sighed, unable to stop the thin smile that pulled at his lips, and stepped back to go and assist Bobby.

Moving to the open tailgate, Sam leaned under the sodden tarpaulin and reached for the large metal tool box fixed to the truck.

"I think we'll just get somewhere dry." Bobby offered quickly, placing his hand on Sam's shoulder and handing him one end of a thick tow-rope.

Dean emerged around the corner of the van, shuddering slightly as rain soaked into his jacket shoulders. "You don't want to take a look first?"

Bobby shrugged and stepped back, swinging the coils of rope over one shoulder and lifting the tailgate up to slam it shut. "Hell, you know her better than me, Dean." He mumbled distractedly, "You say she's beyond a quick patch up, then I'll take your word for it."

Bobby's words almost lost as he headed off towards the Impala, Sam frowned and glanced back to see Dean smiling briefly. And that was it. Without any definitive clarity to Sam's mind, the two of them had patted each other on the back and all animosity vanished into the rain. As confused as he was relieved, Sam shook his head in despair and crouched down to fix the crampon grip to the metal loop under the tow bar of the truck.

XXXXX

It took a little over half an hour to tow the Impala to the nearest town and Bobby expertly guided her up onto the forecourt of the garage. He left the engine idling and jumped down from the cab, waving in greeting to the mechanic who wandered out to meet him.

Sam watched the exchange and yawned wearily. Glad for the brief respite from his brother's company and the welcome change of seating inside the generous cab of Bobby's pick-up, he stretched his arms out before him and moaned softly.

Certain that nothing would be said to Dean, Sam had relayed his concerns about his brother to Bobby and it had lifted a little of his own weight. Bobby may have only been able to offer the odd shrug and gruff remarks about apples falling from trees but he had listened and Sam was so very grateful for even that.

Watching Bobby nodding in agreement and jogging back past the truck to the tethered Chevy behind, Sam peered into the side mirror and watched him relaying instructions to Dean. Guessing their next move, Sam climbed from the cab and took a deep breath, shivering in the chill that had settled in the air now that the rain had passed.

Together the four of them unhooked the Impala and pushed the heavy, crippled car up into the dry confines of the garage. Bobby quickly introduced the brothers to Leo, the owner of the auto-shop he had thankfully located and contacted under the guise of a (not altogether false) breakdown service engineer.

"Thanks so much for this, man." Dean enthused, shaking Leo's hand eagerly.

"No problem." Leo's lined face crinkled as he smiled and he waved his arm to indicate the large garage. "I hadn't got much on this evening." He then looked back at the new arrival and whistled softly. "'67, huh? What a beauty!"

Sam saw the instant grin of pride that spread across Dean's face and chuckled to himself as the classic automobile admiration began in earnest. Moving round to the trunk, Sam collected his overnight duffel and a few research supplies before then chancing interrupting the muscle car banter going on at the hood.

"Sure." Leo nodded quickly in response to Sam's query. "There's a Motel 6 not ten minutes walk from here."

Memorizing the directions he was given and quickly reassuring both his brother and Bobby that he was completely fine and just needed food and a shower, Sam left the three of them chatting excitedly and headed into the town.

XXXXX

Combing his still wet hair from his face and slumping onto the end of the bed with a grateful sigh, Sam grabbed his phone and entered in the quick dial code. Listening in surprise to the message that greeted him from one of the bar staff, he quickly scribbled down the alternative number he was given and ended the call.

It took a moment for a response and Sam smiled as he heard her somewhat gruff reply. "Hey, Ellen, it's Sam."

"Sam, honey? You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we're fine." He briefly explained their predicament and heard her groan of sympathy. "Mmm. Not the best of days." He surmised and took a deep breath. "Listen, we were on our way to a job and - "

"Not a problem, honey." There was a pause as she considered his unspoken request. "I can give you a couple of numbers to try. I'm sure someone will go sort it for you."

Sam quickly jotted down the names and numbers she recited from memory and offered his thanks.

"Sure thing, Sam. I'd call around myself for you but I'm driving right now."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, heading back from Deluth. Thought it was about time I shared some humble pie with my daughter."

Sam closed his eyes and felt his heart suddenly grow cold.

"I'm glad I did, too. She needed some money and … well, you know Jo, she wasn't going to back down and call home."

His mouth suddenly dry, Sam licked his lips and closed his eyes. "But - " He cleared his throat and clenched his free hand into a tight fist. "She's okay … Right…?"

"Yeah! She's fine! Doing better than I'd like to admit!" Ellen laughed warmly, "Hell, she's even talking about college and sensible shit like that!"

Sam released the breath he had not realized he was holding and smiled in relief. "Good."

"Say … where abouts are you, honey?"

"Rochester."

"Shit, I'm not forty minutes out!" Ellen declared in delight, "I'll swing buy. Get you boys a mug of whatever passes for beer in that town."

"Yeah." Sam enthused, his smile growing. "That'd be good."

"I'll see you soon."

"Yup." Sam concluded merrily and ended the call

XXXXX

Humming merrily to the local radio station's music selection that blasted out above the static from the battered old stereo, Dean rolled himself back under the hood of the Impala and hefted the socket wrench up inside.

"Got it?" Bobby urged quickly.

Dean tightened the bolt and groaned with the effort. "Yup."

"Man!" Bobby stood up straight and pressed his greasy fists into the small of his back. "When she goes, she really goes with style, huh?"

"Yeah!" Dean agreed with a merry chuckle. "My baby's nothing if not impressive."

"I'll say!" Leo agreed, overhearing their conversation as he returned to the garage with two steaming mugs of coffee. "You sure kept her in good condition."

"Had to." Dean replied easily, grabbing the underside of the drivers door rim and rolling himself back out from under the engine.

"Hmm." Leo nodded thoughtfully, giving one mug to Bobby and then stooping down to hand Dean his. "It's some road trip you guys are doin'."

Dean caught the slight concern in Bobby's interested frown and shrugged slightly. "Well … Sammy's all I got … and when he took a break from college, it seemed a good time to get to know my kid brother."

Leo laughed gently, "By draggin his ass back and forth across the country?"

Dean grinned and took a sip of his coffee. "Oh, he loves it."

Nodding thoughtfully, Leo perched on a pile of tyres next to the Impala and sighed heavily. "Man … my wife and I took off in much the same way once … Route 66 on a '72 Fatboy …" He seemed lost in his memories for a moment and smiled wistfully, "Now … with kids and grandkids and …" Laughing suddenly, he looked back up at Dean and a sparkle danced in his grey eyes. "Lets just say, gone are the days of making out under the stars on the warm leather of a Harley."

Dean smiled in empathy. "I hear you, man …"

"Well." Leo cleared his throat and stood back up quickly. "Speaking of which." He glanced at his watch and sighed slightly. "I have chores."

"Sure." Dean raised his mug before him, "Thanks for this, Leo."

Leo waved one hand dismissively and nodded merrily. "Trudy'll be happy to fix you guys something to eat. I'll send her down."

"Oh, that's okay." Bobby replied quickly, "We don't want to be any trouble. We really should get this done and be on our way."

Leo shrugged and looked between the two of them in interest. "Yeah?" He smiled and headed for the door, adding quietly. "You might think differently once you've tasted her blueberry pie."

Pie? Dean mouthed, glancing eagerly at Bobby. He saw the gentle shake of the older man's shaggy head and groaned in disappointment.

"Well, maybe …" Bobby offered, "If we can get the seals done, at least."

"Goody!" Dean chuckled eagerly and put his coffee down on the cement floor.

"Well, hell, Dean!"

Gasping in surprise, the two men spun towards the open garage doors and watched the woman that strode towards them.

"If I didn't know better," Ellen laughed, "I say you looked almost happy."

"Ellen?" Dean got to his feet and hurried across the garage, smiling in welcome. "Hey, there!"

"Wo!" Ellen halted and backed off from him, raising her hands in amusement as he advanced. "Not with those muddy paws!"

Dean let his outstretched hand fall to his side and nodded in agreement. "Dude!" He enthused, suddenly frowning, "How …?"

Explaining the happy coincidence quickly, Ellen saw the brief flash of dismay in Dean's tired green eyes and quickly nodded. "It's okay. Sam gotta hold of someone for the job." She assured, then looked past Dean and her smile grew slightly. "Hey, Bobby."

"Ellen." Bobby touched the brim of his cap politely. "Long time, no see."

Dean saw the look the two exchanged and the history written in their silent regard of each other. Intrigued, but knowing far better than to even think of prying, he shrugged and turned back to the car.

"So." Ellen took a deep breath and tucked her straw-colored hair behind her ear as she stepped past Dean. "You broke your ride, huh?"

"Oh, she'll be okay." Bobby assured softly, "She's just getting too old for all this."

Ellen laughed and moved forward to reach out and stroke the edge of the ink black roof tenderly. "I know how you feel, honey …"

"Hey!" Dean interjected, hurrying across to his car defensively. "Don't listen to 'em, baby."

Bobby smiled and stooped down to pick up one of the newly cleaned valves at his feet. "Well, she is pushing forty …"

"She's in her prime!" Dean corrected merrily and crouched down to collect his tools from beside the front wheel. He smiled up at Ellen, delighted at the easy banter between them, and saw her staring at the shiny black metal of the roof under her fingers. Watching her lost in her thoughts for a moment, he thought he saw something in her somewhat mournful gaze and he was sure he had an answer as to exactly what she and his father had once meant to each other.

"So." Bobby broke the silence that had descended and stepped out from under the hood. "You came to give us a hand?"

"Hmm?" Ellen looked up suddenly and noticed Dean quickly looking away from her. She forced a smile to her lips and seemed to then register Bobby's question. "No. God, no! That's what I pay my own mechanic free pool and beer for!" She stepped back from the Impala and shoved her hands into the pockets of her thick suede jacket. "I just thought it might be nice to have a beer."

"Checking out the competition, huh?"

Ellen glanced down at Dean's boyish grin and smiled back at him. "Something like that."

Dean nodded and peered past her to see the sparkling new Mercedes SUV sitting in the forecourt. "And you dared come near us in that elitist monstrosity?"

Rolling her eyes and regarding Dean in fond amusement, Ellen sighed. "Ash insisted on renting it for me. Said something about providing comfort and cover at the same time." Laughing gently but well aware of the underlying warning in her good friends' words, she suddenly sobered and flicked experienced eyes around them. "We've had some pretty suspicious types dropping in on us of late." She offered under her breath.

Dean wanted to offer some quip about that not being unusual but saw the fear in her hazel eyes and nodded slowly. "We'll be done here in maybe an hour or so." He nodded towards the car and the approaching Bobby. "Then we'll talk." Seeing her somewhat relieved, he reached out to pat her shoulder gently. "Meantime. Go tear Sammy from his books, will ya? All that reading can't be good for a person."

"Already tried." Ellen chuckled, "He said he'd meet us in town later."

Shaking his head slowly, Dean began to turn back to the Impala and then movement in the road beyond the open doors caught his attention. Instinctively stepping back from direct sight of the road, he frowned and watched suspiciously as the blue-grey sedan cruised past the end of the forecourt.

The car was moving too slowly to be just passing by and the smart-suited passenger took a long lingering look at the blue 4x4 and the garage entrance. His heart thudding in his ears, Dean watched the car then pull away and he held his breath as he turned to Bobby and met the same dread in the man's suddenly pale face.

Tbc ...