Comrades and Brothers

Part 3

Thump. Thump. Thump. "Ackles, hey, hey, Ackles…wake up."

Jensen groaned and shifted to lay on his side, back to the dark, open archway where Jared peeked his head in, dressed in nothing but dark blue boxers and a t-shirt. He hung on to the door frame wondering if he should just march to the bed and shake the man awake instead. Jensen had a pillow covering his head, as if he ignored Jared long enough he'd slink back to his room, but Jared had more pressing matter than sleep. "Ackles, dude, I know you're awake."

There was a growl and suddenly a pillow went flying and hit Jared square in his stomach. "Ow. Dude, really?"

"Dude, really?" Jensen echoed, turned around so Jared could see angry green eyes in the darkened bedroom. Yeah. Okay. Jensen had a right to be angry. It was a little past one am now. Jared still hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep yet, he just wasn't tired but yeah, he could see why Jensen was a bit cranky. "I'm tired. Can't whatever it is wait 'til morning?"

Jared was about point out it was technically morning but he saw Jensen hold up a hand and quickly amended, "Later in the morning I mean, like a time when normal people actually start to wake up." There was a slight emphasis on normal.

Jared snorted, a retort at the tip of his tongue. Thump. He paused and looked back down the hallway. Thump. Thump. He heard a string of curses coming from the kitchen and turned back to see Jensen push himself up in bed, rubbing blearily at his eyes. Jensen looked a disheveled mess, his normally blonde hair neatly gelled and combed down now spiked in every direction. He glared murderously in the dark when he caught sight of Jared holding in his laugh. Jared smiled innocently as he flattened a palm to his head.

There was another loud thump and a muttered curse through the thin wall. "What's going on?"

Jared stood back on his heel. "Bobby's getting ready for a hunt."

"Oh." Jensen fell back on the pillow. "So he's going now?"

"Looks like."

"Awesome. So then that leaves us the house."

"Uh yeah…about that." Jared scratched his chin thoughtfully as he watched Jensen roll over to face him again, annoyance on his face now. He mouthed what is it now? Jared sucked in a deep breath as he heard Bobby marching around in the other room, gathering his rifle and silver bullets and other essentials he needed. "I kinda asked him if I could tag along."

There was a long lapse of silence as Jared watched Jensen mull it over. Finally he just shrugged and said, "Okay."

"Okay," Jared echoed, unsure, hesitant. That was it? Okay? It must have shown on his face, in his voice, because Jensen shrugged again.

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever, man. What do you want me to say?"

"Well…I mean…" Jared paused, searched for something to respond with. He started to idly tap on the wall with his fingers like it was a piano. Frustrated, Jared said, "I mean, just 'okay'? 'Whatever, man'? That's all you got to say about it?"

Jensen threw him another annoyed look. "Yeah. That's it. All I got. I mean this is already crazy, ya know? Totally, out of this world crazy." He snorted and turned back to look at the ceiling, hands underneath the pillows. "If we ever make it back to our world, at least I'll have this incredible, unbelievable story to tell."

Jared couldn't help but agree. He found himself walking into the bedroom without a second thought. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jared looked down to the floor. "Yeah. No one's gonna believe us."

"Yeah well can't say I'd blame them. I still don't believe any of this myself. I still feel like I'm floating around in a dream, everything's just surreal, ya know?"

"Yeah. Yeah I get the feeling."

The bed shifted under their weight. Jared still wouldn't look at Jensen. "So uh, I guess this means, he's letting you?"

"Yeah…he's, uh, letting…us."

"Us…us?"

Jared shifted uncomfortably, coughed into his fist. "It was the only way to get him to agree. Bobby said he couldn't let both of us out of his sight. He was gonna get someone to watch over us originally but I was kind of persistent to go along on the hunt so one thing just led to another." He peeked over his shoulder to see Jensen's reaction.

Jensen had bolted upright, stared back at Jared like he'd lost his marbles. Maybe I have, Jared thought wryly. "Are…are you fucking insane, Padalecki?" Jensen all but shouted. "What the hell, man?"

"Yeah I'm fucking insane, dude. Calm the hell down." Jared attempted to lay a placating hand on Jensen's shoulder but he was pushed back as Jensen scrambled off the bed and away from Jared.

Jensen rubbed his face with a sigh. "Okay, so okay…give me a minute here." He took a gulp of air and he thought it over. "Okay. So Jim's original plan was to get us a babysitter, probably some other…" he made a grimace, "…some hunter, cos he got called in suddenly to take care of some supernatural creepy in the middle of the night but then you had to butt in," at this point Jensen levelled a glare, "and say you could somehow help out even though you have no, and let me emphasize on the no, experience whatsoever hunting. He tells you no first time round. How am I doing so far?"

"Good," Jared mumbled.

"Awesome. Just awesome," Jensen huffed and rubbed his face again. "So then you make this deal where we both go with him. Right? Am I fucking right, Padalecki?" At Jared's hesitant nod, Jensen took a step back and laughed. "Awesome. Neither of us have any clue how to hunt, let alone use a freakin' gun! Listen pal, I ain't going. That's that, okay?"

Jared finally rose to his feet. "Aw come on, man. Just listen, will you?"

"No. Nu uh. No way. I ain't getting any more involved in this freak world than is required. He can find us a god damn babysitter. Then I can sleep and tomorrow we'll wake up back in the real world!"

Jared grabbed hold of Jensen's shoulders and shoved him hard to the wall. "Just fucking shut up and listen for once," he said roughly shaking the man's shoulders. Jensen quieted but the defiance in his eyes still showed clearly through the darkness. It took Jared a moment to gather himself. "Okay. Okay, look, first I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry. Sorry I didn't ask you first. But dude, I'm doing us a huge favor here." Jensen snorted but Jared didn't let go. "Seriously. I am. I mean, who do you trust more? Bobby? Or some random hunter?" Jensen didn't say anything so Jared continued. "Look, I know. You're tired and cranky and frankly, so am I. I get it, man. And yeah we haven't exactly been buddy buddy the past few years. Hell, I know more about Misha than I do of you and he's only been on set for a little over two years. No offense."

"None taken."

"Right. So yeah. We're not exactly buddy buddy," Jared repeated for good measure. Jensen inclined his agreement. "But like I said…this beats the alternative, right? Besides I asked Bobby about the guns. He said, and I quote, 'Like hell I'm handing you idjits guns when ya'll don't know a damn 'bout how to use one.' So no accidental shooting from me," he smiled slightly at the joke, willing Jensen to too. Jensen snorted and shoved him off once Jared loosened his grip.

He picked up his discarded jacket and put it on, reminding Jared more and more of Dean Winchester. Once they got back to their own world, Jared was going on holiday. Jensen's eyes flicked to his and followed his unspoken gaze to the jacket. Shrugging he said, "If we're going to do this thing in the middle of the night, gotta be prepared. I ain't getting the chills standing outside while Jim shoots down a…uh, werewolf or whatever."

"Yeah, it's a werewolf," Jared mumbled as he followed Jensen out of the room. "Or at least Bobby thinks it's one. It's causing a ruckus in town and Bobby's been called to clean it up."

"For fuck's sake," Jensen muttered. He looked back over to Jared and glared pointedly at him. "When this is all over, you owe me a drink."

Jared sputtered indignantly, "Are you kidding me? Why would I owe you?"

"Just because."

"Just because. Dude, are you okay? You been channeling Dean Winchester a lot since we got here you know."

Jensen scowled at him and threw his hands up as they reached the kitchen. "Me? At least I'm not the one who's playing along with these nuts."

Jared nodded sagely. "Yup that's another Dean Winchester thing to say."

"Well maybe Dean's a little part of me. Ever thought of that?"

Jared shrugged. "Whatever. Dude, calm down. You know I'm just messing with you, right?"

"Yeah. Whatever, man," Jensen grumbled as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

Bobby turned around when he heard the two approach. He raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of them. "How you boys been holding up?"

"Great," Jared replied. He stood back on his heels as his gaze drifted to Bobby's bag, a rifle poking out. "All ready here."

"Good," Bobby grunted and turned back to shove more supplies into the go-bag. He stood up once he was done and turned back to regard the two men thoughtfully. His eyes lingered briefly on Jensen whom shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.

"Let's do this thing," Jensen said finally, lifting green eyes from the kitchen tiles.

Bobby regarded for another minute before nodding. He slung the bag over his shoulder and pushed past the men. "Alright. Let's go."

Jared and Jensen exchanged nervous glances before scurrying to follow.

It wasn't very far to a town called Brookings. Sooner than Jared knew they were coming up to signs of civilizations like traffic lights and advertisement billboards of McDonalds and other fast food joints. His mind inadvertently shifted to food as his stomach growled. Jared sat in the backseat and stretched his legs as best as the small space allowed him. Jensen flashed him a grin from the front. Jared remembered him calling dibs on shotgun right before they had scrambled into the truck, shoving each other to get to the front. Bobby had looked on in annoyance with a small hint of amusement, a small drop of it Jared was sure he had interpreted his expression wrong, then he coughed awkwardly into his fist and took Jared by his arm and led him to the back. Jared had been sulking ever since but now he was hungry as they made their way into Brookings.

Bobby threw a granola bar into the back. "Might as well eat up." He threw another one at Jensen. "Both of you." Jared caught it in midair and tore the wrapper off. They ate in silence as Bobby pulled up to a random motel. Jared was again struck by a sense of familiarity by this…except this wasn't a script. It was all real. He gulped the last of the granola bar down and chugged the water he was handed.

"This is pretty new to me too you know," Bobby said after a while. He sighed and turned the key to the ignition before pulling it out. "You boys look like them and I end up forgetting." Then he got out of the truck before either could say anything.

Jensen snorted. "Well that's not awkward at all."

Jared rubbed his face wearily and laughed. "Yeah not at all," he agreed as they got out and followed the hunter into the motel.

The room was cheap and predictably, sucked. It was a modern size room with plain curtains and dry white walls. There was a small TV set against the wall and a desk on the other side, a small dresser with a lamp on top next to two queen size beds and a couple chairs at one corner, a small fridge in the kitchen area, a closet to hang clothes and a bathroom next to it.

The only furniture that looked relatively comfortable aside from the beds was a dark green plush looking couch that was currently occupied with a 6'1 body stretched out, flicking channels lazily with the remote. Jensen shot Jared a smirk before going back to channel surfing. It was nearly three am. Jared flopped back on a bed as he heard sink water running from the bathroom. Bobby's head peeked out after a few minutes and said, "You boys okay with staying here?"

Jared blinked before shooting back up in a sitting position, tried not to wince at the jolt in his back at the abrupt movement. "What? Dude, you said we could come with!"

"I did say that and you did come with," Bobby said. "You're here in Brookings with me now."

"We're at a motel," Jared pointed out.

"We're cool here," Jensen said from the couch. He shrugged when Jared shot him a glare.

Bobby sighed. "Look this hunting business is dangerous stuff. I don't normally take civilians along but you're a special case."

Jared shot off the bed, clenched his hands to fists. "We're not exactly civilians you know."

Bobby raised an eyebrow as if saying oh yeah? So Jared pressed on, "Yeah. We've been working Supernatural for years. We've been doing what Sam and Dean have been doing for years. Ji…Bobby, man, taking down a werewolf…that ain't easy, right? It isn't like a typical salt and burn, right? Right. So that means you might need a hand."

"Your hand?" Bobby glanced at the two men in amusement. "You talk a good game, Padalecki, but you boys ain't real hunters. Playing pretend don't automatically make you pro shots. Bet you don't even know how to shoot a gun." Jared said nothing, knew the hunter was right and Bobby took the silence as an answer. He closed the bathroom door and took a shower.

Jensen turned around to face Jared when the shower could be heard. "Why do you wanna hunt so bad anyway?"

Jared sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. He shrugged and looked Jensen straight in the eyes with a tired grin and said, "Just you know, wouldn't it be fun to get a last bit adventure before going home tomorrow? Something to rub in Misha's face or something. It's stupid, I know, but…"

Jensen chuckled. That was an image of Misha they both would like to see when they retold all what happened to them. Jared could see Misha's eyes bulging out of their sockets as he told the details of an up close and personal encounter of a werewolf. He didn't have to believe them. His expression would be more than enough. "Yeah, I guess that'd be something. Still you know we never handled a real gun before."

"Yeah. Like I said, it was a stupid idea," Jared said.

"Right. Whatever." He flipped past the weather channel for the third time. Bobby got out in a clean plaid shirt and jeans. He shuffled past the TV and put on his hunting boots and cap.

He looked back at the two as he headed for the door, brows furrowed together. "You boys gonna be alright here?"

Jensen waved him off. "Yeah, yeah we're both adults here. We'll be fine."

Bobby looked to Jared. "We'll be fine," Jared echoed.

"Right. My number's on the paper on the desk if either of you need anything." Then he was gone.

Jensen shut the TV off and moved over to the unoccupied bed. "You sure you're alright just sitting here?"

Jared grimaced. "No, not really. But he's right…Bobby that is. We'd be more a liability than help. Besides," he turned a rueful grin to Jensen, "I'm not particularly keen on meeting up with a werewolf up close and personal."

Jensen laughed and turned off the lamplight, letting the darkness descend into the room. The moon shone brightly outside the motel window.