Thanks again to you oddballs following this flight of oddball fantasy! Hope this installment fulfills that oddball craving you clearly have.

Chapter 9

Sam kept his brother's music on, though at a lower than normal level, while Dean slept. He wondered if they should stop soon, it was past lunch and neither of them had eaten. Dean looked so frail and weak when he fell asleep, it rocked Sam into a state of high alarm and anxiety. Fortunately, he was getting pretty good at those walls lately, so he did not think Dean knew.

This highway was desolate except for the trees, but Sam figured they should come on some civilization pretty soon. Then they would find lunch.

That thing that happened to Dean, that was weird. It was beyond weird, and plagued his thoughts as he drove. What were they talking about when it hit? Sam tried to replay the conversation in his mind. Oh yes, they were talking about Dean not giving himself enough credit, and then it struck. Sam had felt a phantom pain in his own shoulder and arm, not nearly as intense as Dean's but enough so he understood what was happening. After he managed to drive them off the road and put the car in park, no mean feat with Dean still in the driver's seat, the answer came to him with startling clarity as Dean gritted his teeth against a fresh wave of pain. Sam shocked his own brother.

Not in a million years did he think that might be a possibility, especially with Dean's heart attack still so fresh in his mind despite the fact it happened several years ago. But he did it, he sent an electric shock through his brother's arm, mentally targeting the pain coiling through Dean's nerves. What surprised him the most was that it worked. Sam had the distinct feeling if he had not done anything, it would have escalated beyond what even Dean could tolerate.

Sam glanced at his sleeping brother. Dean's right arm curled around his stomach with his left hand clutching his right bicep, as though waiting for the pain to return. However, his brother's face was smooth and relaxed for a change, as though nothing could bother him. Sam found himself wishing they could feel like that all the time. How strange, now that they both had "abilities" that they still worried so much and so many things still seemed to go wrong. Could the abilities be making it even worse, he wondered as the car came up on a road sign. There was a town up ahead, they could stop for food.

"Food?" Dean asked, stirring in the seat.

"There's a town coming up," Sam replied, "we can stop for lunch if you like."

Dean stretched and yawned, though Sam noticed his brother did not move that right arm too much. "Sounds good," he rumbled, sounding like his usual self. Sam glanced over again, checking that his brother looked as good as he sounded. He did. Dean's color was good and his face relaxed, though not as much as in sleep.

Sam wanted to ask what happened, where the pain came from, but he suspected Dean knew about as much as he did – nothing. A few buildings were visible ahead, in a clearing of the trees. Were they in some national forest or something?

"State park," Dean said. "Let's try that burger place."

Sam squinted against the sun, trying to see what Dean was referring to. A questioning glance showed him Dean's eyes glowing a little bright for daytime. "Where?" he asked.

"A mile and a half up ahead," Dean motioned through the windshield, closing his eyes again. "Wake me when we get there."

"Dean?" Sam cleared his throat. Dean could be a little touchy sometimes. "I noticed that your eyes seem kinda bright."

Dean snorted. "How do you think I saw the burger joint?"

"What?" Sam's head whirled around of its own accord, he had to force it back to watch the road. "What do you mean?"

"Watch it or you'll pass it."

Sam slammed on the brakes as the restaurant threatened to pass by, fishtailing into the parking lot. Feeling more than a little sheepish, he parked carefully, cautiously. When the car came to a full and complete stop, and Sam shut the motor off, Dean opened his eyes.

"Good thing I didn't see that," Dean said, reaching for the door handle, "or I might have to ban you from driving."

Sam followed his brother without comment, he deserved that crack. They took a table by the window, where Dean could keep one eye on the car. The moment they finished ordering Sam noticed someone walk in.

"Uh-oh." Sam's eyes were riveted on the man approaching their table.

Dean cocked an eyebrow at him before turning around. "Oh, shit."

"Dean?" Mike rushed to their table. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Dean growled. Sam noticed that irritated haze around his brother again. When he looked up at Mike, he was surprised that Mike looked upset, even anxious.

"We were pretty worried," Mike said, sitting in the chair next to Sam. "You sure you're okay?"

Sam exchanged a significant look with Dean. "You were worried?" Sam asked. "Why would you be worried?"

Mike ignored him, focusing on Dean. Well, that was a first. "What happened?" he asked. "What came after you?"

Dean's eyes widened a little as he shot Sam another look. "Nothing," he replied with a shrug. "Anything come after you?"

Their waitress returned with their drinks. Dean seemed relieved by the interruption, sipping his cola as he evaluated Mike over the rim of the glass. Sam left his drink untouched, reluctant to take his eyes off this scene for a moment.

The instant the waitress walked away, Mike leaned on the table, getting as close to Dean as he could. "But something attacked you!"

"Sorry," Sam interrupted, "but I didn't have much choice."

"Not that!" Mike snapped, his eyes flaring blue. "The first thing!"

Dean's arms crossed over his chest. "And how the hell would you know about that?"

Mike glared back. "We're keeping tabs on you, that's how."

"So why didn't you show up to help?" Sam demanded. "I had no idea if shocking him was going to work." Not to mention the fact he had been scared to death of triggering a heart attack.

Mike ran both hands through his wild hair, which made Sam think of controlled randomness. "I was unavoidably detained," Mike finally said as his left hand came up to rub at his right arm.

Sam looked between his brother and Mike. Where Dean appeared irritated and confused, Mike was simply bewildered. Then it hit him, he understood. "It got you, too," Sam said, and both sets of eyes turned to him. "You couldn't come, could you?"

Mike sighed deeply, a lonely, solitary sound. He leaned back in the chair, left hand gripping his right arm as he shook his head.

"You mean, it happened to both of us?" Dean asked. Sam saw his brother's confusion as a halo of fluctuating colors surrounding Dean's head. These visible emotions were starting to make him wonder if this was what an acid trip was like, and if so, why anybody would do that voluntarily. It was creepy.

Mike cleared his throat. "You're part of a community now, Dean. I guess you could say, we feel each other's pain."

"And how often are angels in pain, Michael?" Sam asked. He had a feeling he knew the answer already, but he wanted it confirmed.

Mike shrugged, looking away. Sam nearly laughed at the sight. When it came to avoidance, Mike was the amateur.

"Have you ever felt pain before, Michael?" he asked softly, trying to catch Mike's eye.

"Not like that," Mike admitted, cradling his right arm as though it might return any moment. "What was it?"

"Michael, do your emotions ever take physical form?" Sam asked, feeling the heat of Dean's glare. He ignored his brother. If he was right this could potentially be really, really bad.

"Sure," Mike replied. "You do remember the tree, don't you?"

Sam frowned. What tree? Mike never did anything to a tree that he could recall. Unless Mike referred to something Dean did, in which case the only tree would be the one…struck…by lightning. "Dean did that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "The lightning?"

Mike nodded looking confused, his eyes darting between Sam and Dean. Sam glared at Dean. "Then I have a pretty good idea what happened."

Dean did that thing with his head, that half-tilt half-roll which meant 'get on with it already.'

Sam took a deep breath. "Your emotions," he pointed at Mike, "take physical form. Since Dean won that stupid stare-down contest you started, he has been taking on your characteristics. So now Dean's emotions can take physical form as well. I am right so far?" Sam waited for a confirmation from Mike before continuing. Dean still had that mildly confused look, which meant his brother honestly had no idea where he was going with this, though Sam thought it obvious.

"Okay. So the pain, the thing that attacked Dean, was Dean." Sam explained. By the twin blank expressions he knew they still didn't get it. Sam cleared his throat, not really wanting to expose an issue they never admitted Dean had in the first place. "Dean has a few issues with, ah, self-esteem."

"No I don't!" Dean snapped, eyes flaring bright green for an instant. "Wait a minute. It wasn't me." The hazel-green eyes that looked after him his entire life focused on him now. "It was you. You were annoyed because I said I wasn't good at it. That's when it hit me." Real emotion crossed Dean's face, open and honest. "You were really annoyed. I could feel it, Sam."

"He shouldn't be able to do that," Mike said. "I need to go."

"No." Dean locked eyes with Mike, who stared back for the first time since losing the stare-down. "Don't even think about it, Mike."

"Dean, he's a danger to all of us now," Mike replied, and actually bothered to look pained by it.

Sam watched the exchange, the information only now sinking in. "Wait. What? No, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't. I couldn't."

"Now this is just a guess, but I'd say that's why you were able to stop it." Mike said, his voice hard and dangerous.

"I didn't." Sam insisted. "I mean, yes I stopped it, but I'm sure I didn't start it."

"He's right," Dean said, still staring at Mike. "Isn't he, Mike?"

"Dean, this isn't just…" Mike broke off, sitting back and staring at the two of them. "You both looked annoyed." His eyes darted back and forth. "You two don't…" His hand motioned between them.

"Don't what?" Dean growled. Honestly, Sam thought his brother would be used to the innuendos by now.

"Share emotions?" Mike asked softly.

"What's it to you?" Dean snapped, and Sam's annoyance level with Mike rose instantly.

"How long?" Mike demanded as the waitress headed back toward their table. Mike waved her away and she suddenly turned to another table. "Dean! How long?"

Sam had the sudden desire to leave. These questions were so stupid and pointless. None if it mattered anyway. He jumped to his feet, pulling out his wallet to pay for their drinks. They could find another place to grab some lunch. From the corner of his eye, Sam saw Mike reach for Dean. His hand flashed out to stop Mike, to protect his brother, but it never reached its target.

Sam froze, right in front of his eyes. Dean, now beyond irritated and well on his way to pissed off, leaned into Mike's face. "What did you do to my brother?"

"Nothing, Dean," Mike replied with a weary sigh. "Don't you recognize it?"

Dean looked around. Everyone in the place was frozen like Sam. "What the hell did you stop time for again?"

Mike ran both hands over his face. "Because I need to talk to you. Just you. We can't allow this, Dean. It isn't safe."

"Allow what?" Dean snapped. "Because if you even think about going after my brother, I'll make Lucifer look like he should still be up there." He jabbed a thumb skyward.

"Actually, I wish you'd been there. I doubt the fight would have been nearly as close as it was." Mike shook himself. "But that's not the point, Dean. Sam is dangerous. If you're sharing emotions, then his emotions can take on physical form as well, like today." Mike's left hand massaged his right arm again. Dean suspected Mike did not even know he was doing it.

"But it was my fault!" Dean's anger seethed. "Sam's right about that. There are things I shouldn't argue about with him."

One of Mike's perfectly formed eyebrows lifted. "Like whether or not you're doing the job you're best suited for?"

"I hate it when you do that." Dean glared at him.

"I know, but that's what you meant, isn't it?" Mike asked, just as cool and calm as he was when he stopped time back in that bar.

Dean glanced down at the table, his anger dissipating as quickly as it had come. "I guess." He shrugged.

"Dean, you're the first human to ever get the best of me. I'm confident you'll get the hang of these new responsibilities. But I really don't know what to do about Sam." Mike hugged his right arm against his side. "And I don't want to go through that again."

"We'll do our best to make sure it doesn't happen again," Dean promised. "But even if it does, you'll have to go through me to get to Sam."

Mike studied him for a moment before giving him a slow nod. "Then let's hope it doesn't come to that. I'll still have to tell the others what happened."

"Whatever," Dean replied with a wave as he sat back down. "Now get out of here, we're hungry."

As Mike walked out, time picked back up. When Mike reached the front door, time was at normal speed again.

"Aren't we leaving?" Sam demanded. Dean felt Sam's confusion over the sudden loss of emotion and knew his brother sounded angrier than he actually felt.

"Nah. Mike left." He picked up his menu. "I think I'll try a burger. How about you?"

Sam sat slowly, staring around. "So what happened?"

Dean shrugged. "Nothing. You eating or what?"