Summary- Dean is granted his "heart's desire" while tangling with a witch. Now under a witch's spell, he feels compelled to overprotect Sam from every danger and wants complete control to keep Sam safe. Will the brother's relationship survive? S2
This story is a birthday dedication to my wonderful beta and friend- Sendintheclowns.
I have a busy day ahead, so rather than making you guys wait, I decided to put the last chapter up early. Thanks for reading!
Heart's Desire Twenty Three
Bobby was fixing breakfast again, on day three of detoxing Sammy. He had to smirk at the thought of how close he had gotten to the two Winchester boys over the years. A hunter's lifestyle didn't make it easy to have a family, so it was nice that he had formed that kind of bond with the boys.
He was happy to see Sammy feeling better, last night had even been a bit fun. They had tried to play cards, but Sam kept forgetting what card game they were playing. It had been comical, but a bit frustrating so after twenty minutes of guess what we're playing, Dean had pulled out Monopoly.
It seems the hunter that Dean was renting from had a penchant for board games, so they had had their pick of games. Monopoly had been one of Sam's favorite growing up, so Dean thought he would feel more at ease playing it. Sam had, and had thoroughly beaten Dean and Bobby.
Bobby had just finished the eggs, when he heard the boys heading towards the kitchen. He had a bit of news for the boys, that he wasn't sure how Dean was going to take. Bobby fixed a plate of food for himself and Sam and sat them down on the table.
Sam smiled at Bobby as he looked up from the plate in front of him. "Thanks Bobby."
"No problem son, just try to eat it all, that way hopefully when you take the half tablet of Valium it won't hit you hard." Bobby gave Sam a reassuring smile.
Bobby watched as Dean headed over to fix himself a plate. "Bobby, you're spoiling Samantha over there. You're gonna head out, and he's gonna expect me to bring him his food."
"Whatever Dean!" Sam snapped. "Besides, I've had enough of that kind of attention to last me a lifetime."
Bobby caught Dean quickly wince at that comment. Unfortunately, he knew it would be quite awhile before Dean could find humor in what happened over the past week.
"Dean, um I shouldn't … sorry." Sam moved around uncomfortably in his chair.
"Hey Sammy, you want some juice or milk with breakfast?" Dean quickly replied ignoring his brother's earlier remark. Bobby sighed because he knew that the road to healing over what had happened would be long one.
"Coffee?" Sam asked with a hopeful look on his face.
"Uh, no nice try. I'm not chancing any bad interaction between the caffeine and Valium. Milk or juice Sammy?" Dean leaned against the counter, eyebrows quirked.
Sam sighed and quietly replied, "Milk."
"Good choice." Dean replied and poured it out for his brother. Bobby watched as Dean brought the milk and Dean's coffee to the table and then returned with his breakfast plate, heaped high with food.
"Looks good Bobby. Thanks for cooking again." Dean replied and then forked a large bite of eggs.
"No problem, but since Sam here is feeling better, I'm gonna let you take over being our domestic goddess for the day." Bobby replied and winked at Sam.
"Man! I guess it's back to take out then." Dean replied.
Sam looked up from his breakfast. "Bobby did I hear your phone ringing earlier? Did you get any news from Joshua?"
Bobby hadn't been sure how to bring up what he had learned this morning from Josh, but with Sam's question, he no longer had an option of putting it off.
"I was going to talk to you guys about that after breakfast. It was Josh, and he and that other hunter took care of our little problem last night." Bobby could see both boys were on edge waiting for details.
"Are they okay? What happened?" Sam quickly asked.
"Yeah, they had cornered Kira at a warehouse she was using. She was on the second floor, and had said to them that she would rather die than have them bind her powers. In her haste to get away from them, she fell down the stairs, the fall broke her neck. Joshua said she got her heart's desire, so if seemed only fitting." Bobby finished and watched both boys closely. Sam seemed relieved but Dean was really quiet.
"I'm glad it all worked out and nobody else will be hurt." Sam replied.
Bobby watched as Sam's eyes met Dean's and the younger Winchester immediately frowned at Dean with concern. "Are you okay Dean?"
Dean let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm okay, it's just I really wanted to handle the bitch myself. I know revenge doesn't solve anything but it would have made me feel better."
Sam gave his brother a reassuring smile. "I get that, and Dean I'm so happy that you stayed here with me instead of hunting her down. I know it was hard to stay out of that hunt."
Bobby nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know it was damn hard, but it was for the best."
Dean gave them both a week smile. "Yeah I'm glad it's over."
oooOOOooo
The last week had been a blur. Being in a drug confused state, definitely not fun at least in Sam's book. The last few days had been better. He had taken the last of the Valium yesterday and his head was finally beginning to feel normal.
Now that he was feeling better, he was going stir crazy. Dean was still in mother hen mode, and Sam was afraid to say anything even in jest. He knew that it would only make Dean's feelings of guilt come to the surface.
Bobby had left that morning, and had told Sam that he felt the boys needed time to work through what had happened. Sam knew that Bobby was right, but at the moment, he just wanted some time away from Dean. He needed some time to think, maybe some fresh air.
Sam had spent the morning reading on the couch while Dean had the weapons spread out on his bed cleaning them. Looking up from his book, Sam could tell that Dean was locked into the ritual of cleaning. He knew Dean drew comfort from cleaning the weapons, it made him feel closer to their dad.
He hated to disturb his brother, but he really wanted to take a walk. "Dean, I think I might take a little walk before lunch, okay?"
Dean looked up from his work and nodded. "Give me a sec, Sam and I'll grab my boots and join you."
"Um, Dean, I really wanted to go by myself. I wanted some time by myself to clear my head." Sam could see the concern in his brother's face.
"I get that Sam, but just the other day, you were having trouble walking on your own. Your sense of balance is coming back, but it wouldn't take much for you to fall on your ass." Dean replied as he started putting the guns up.
"Dean, I'll be fine. I can even take my cell phone and if I trip and fall, I promise I'll call you." Sam put his book down and got up off the couch approaching his shoes by his bed. He sat down and started to put them on.
"Don't like it Sammy, sorry I think I need to come." Dean continued to pack the guns away.
"Dammit Dean! The spell is supposed to be gone, please give me some space! I can't breathe with you hovering over me all the time!" Sam regretted his outburst the minute he saw his brother's face. All the guilt and shame over the past two weeks were present and it devastated Sam to know he was the cause of his brother's emotional pain.
"Fine! Go, I'll just finish cleaning the weapons." Dean's expression immediately masked.
Sam knew he had screwed up and screwed up bad. Sam decided that he would take the walk, clear his head and then tackle the task of getting his brother to talk to him about what had happened.
"Dean, I'm sorry I snapped. I won't be gone long, promise." Sam got off the bed and looked over at Dean. Dean's who body was tense and he didn't look up from his task.
"Sure Sammy. I'll be here." Dean replied never looking up.
oooOOOooo
The walk had been good. It had helped Sam clear his head and gave him a chance to examine what had happened at least the parts he remembered. He knew that he really needed to talk to Dean, and to get it all in the open.
When Sam entered the cabin, he found his brother sitting on the couch flipping channels. Sam noticed his brother body posture stiffen as he entered.
Sam plopped down on the easy chair across from his brother. Dean flipped the TV off.
Dean looked up and spoke. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah. I'm starting to feel more myself." Sam watched as his brother nodded.
"Good. Uh Sammy, I'm not very good about this whole sharing our feelings crap, but I do want to apologize for the past two weeks. I screwed up, went into a hunt guns a blazing and because of that you paid the price." Dean shifted in his seat looking down at his hands.
"Dean, uh I know you're feeling guilty about all this but, so have I. The minute the spell was cast, I felt like it was my fault. You may have gone in there Rambo style, but I sure didn't have your back. I dropped the ball on the research end. We both went in there blind and I felt you paid the price for it." Sam looked at his brother who was shaking his head in denial.
"Sam, I drugged you! How did I pay the price, you were the one who couldn't do anything without a shadow?" Dean's face was full of guilt.
"Hum, well Dean this works both ways, I had to watch you become physically ill ever time you worried about me! You could have actually have died from fighting the spell. And on top of that, I knew, knew that you would be punishing yourself over your actions once the spell was broken. I knew this was coming Dean and that it would be a hard battle to get to stop punishing yourself. Punishing yourself over something you had no control over!" Sam eyes locked on Dean's pleading with him, hoping that he was reaching him.
"God Sammy, how can you even stand to be with me, after what happened." Dean replied eyes full of misery.
"I love you." Sam replied quietly giving his brother a reassuring smile.
"You are such a girl Sam! Just had to turn our discussion into a Hallmark moment didn't you!" Dean replied, with a tight smile.
"Whatever Dean." Sam replied returning the smile.
"Well, if you're done with your Hallmark moment, I'm starving. How about I make things up to you and take you to Rusty's and buy you a steak?" Dean seemed to relax before Sam's eyes and he realized that at least some of what he had said reached his brother.
"Uh sure Dean, but don't most of the people in town think I'm "special"?" Sam watched as Dean's face lit up as he chuckled.
"Oh Sammy, you are special!" Dean got off the couch and headed over to his bed grabbing his boots.
"Whatever Dean, I'm gonna feel awkward." Sam replied mostly to keep his brother's good mood going, because he would just about do anything right now if it would help his brother move on.
"You always feel awkward in a bar. Just be your normal geeky quiet self and no one will think anything about it." Dean smiled.
"Okay Dean, but you're cutting my food. Got to act the part." Sam smiled as Dean gasped.
"Fine Sammy, live it up while you can!" Dean gave a fake huff as he put his boots on.
Sam smiled at his brother and felt like things were going to be better now. He wasn't stupid. Sam knew it would take time to get over the events of the past few weeks, but it would happen.
AN: As Bobby said earlier in the story, all good things must come to an end. This was definitely a good experience for me. It was only my third fan fiction and to have the response that I did, truly overwhelmed and touched me. Thanks to everyone who read, put me on their alerts and especially those who reviewed the story. You guys rock. I couldn't have done this alone, and a big thanks goes out to my friend and beta sendintheclowns.
Speaking of her, she and I are presently working on writing a story together. It,s going to be posted here on ffnet under my account, and on Live Journal under her account- sendintheklowns. The story is titled Every Breath You Take and here is the summary. A move to a new apartment puts fifteen year old Sam in danger when their apartment manager turns out to be a psychic vampire. Will her addiction to Sam, destroy the Winchesters? Hopefully we will have it up in a couple of weeks. Thanks again for all your support!
