Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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That night Dean insisted on staying in Sam's room with him. Robin didn't object, figuring it must have had something to do with the events of that morning. At first Sam tossed and turned, complaining that he couldn't sleep while his brother watched over him like some creepy lurking shadow. When morning came Sam was well rested, which was more than could be said for Dean.

"I've got work all day." Dean said. He poured himself a bowl of cereal then passed the box over to his brother.

"Fine." Sam filled his bowl to the brim. Poured the milk and started chowing down.

"I'd like you to come with me."

Sam almost choked on his corn flakes.

"What?" Dean asked

"Dean?" Sam looked over at his brother. Sass in his eyes.

"What? Dean repeated.

"I'm not a baby. You don't have to babysit me."

"I'm not…baby sitting. I just thought you might like to see my workplace. It's not like there's much to do around the house here by yourself."

Sam knew there was another reason for the invitation.

"We leave in five." Dean said and put his empty bowl in the sink.

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"Eh Dean-o!" Ricky shouted from across the garage. Ricky was an older man with a full head of hair and a clean-shaven face. He had been informed about Dean's new family situation and had been very lenient with his work schedule. Dean had a strong work ethic and Ricky wasn't going to punish him for a family emergency.

"Ricky!" Dean approached the man with Sam tailing behind. "This is Sam. Sam, Ricky."

"Nice to meet you," Sam said. He kept his eyes low but offered up a half smile.

"Same." Ricky clapped a hand down on Sam's shoulder. "You know, you got'cher self one hell of a brother!"

"Yeah," Sam tried to stay calm. Play it cool. He still wasn't used to being touched by strangers.

"Best mechanic in the state." Ricky added.

"Second best," Dean said, "Ricky here taught me just about everything I know."

Sam kept a tight smile on his face and nodded a few times.

Ricky took a step back towards his project, "Look kid, make yourself at home here. There's frozen burritos and bee- I mean uh, soda, in the fridge. Eh who am I kiddin' there's beer in the fridge too but I better not catch you throwin a cold one back. Capish?"

Sam nodded.

Ricky smiled and then got back to business.

Sam followed Dean into the small break room. Dean placed the lunch Robin had lovingly made for him in the fridge.

"You can hang here or you can come sit with me while I work on a few projects." Dean suggested.

"Ok." Sam took a seat on the small couch in the corner of the room.

"Ok," Dean repeated slowly, "you'll let me know if you need anything."

"Yep." Sam slouched down on the old cushions.

It was hours before Sam emerged from the break room. He wasn't planning on leaving at all but the silence of the room was driving him half out of his mind. At least out in the garage there was noise.

Sam casually made his way across the garage and over to Dean's side. He sat down on a nearby swivel stool and gently twisted from side to side.

"I was wondering how long you'd stay in there." Dean said glancing over at Sam. "Glad you decided to join me."

Sam shrugged.

"You know it might be good for you to know a little car maintenance now that…well now that you have a car of your own. Did Dad ever…" As soon as he mentioned his father he regretted it. Dean cleared his throat. He hadn't realized it would be so difficult talking about his father. It was probably worse for Sam.

"No. No he never showed me anything. I mean besides the usual's… gas, oil, hotwiring."

"Right." Dean said, "Well maybe we can bring her in for a tune up soon and I can give you a few pointers."

"I guess so." Sam shrugged. Then a smile spread over his face, "But only since you're the best mechanic in the state."

"Shut up." Dean said tossing a greasy rag at his brother.

The rest of the day was quiet. Dean continued with some engine work with Sam handing him tools and sitting quietly in his swivel chair.

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The next few days were calm. Sam and Dean would wake up, eat, and get to work. Even though he barely showed it, Sam was beginning to enjoy his time at the garage. He was learning a lot about cars.

"So, final question" Dean said pointing in the engine, "what's this?"

"The, uh, the carburetor."

"Very good Sammy," Dean said with a smile. Proud of his star pupil.

Sam smiled big enough for his dimples to make a rare guest appearance. He didn't even notice the nickname slip.

Dean closed the hood on the 1967 Chevy Impala.

"She sure is beautiful," Dean said admiring the old family car, "hasn't aged a day."

"You can still hear them," Sam said before he could stop himself.

"Hear who?"

"The Legos in the vents."

"Really? Dad let those things kick around in there all this time?"

"Well, no," Sam sat back down on his swivel chair, "he threw them out after you…Anyway, I found them in the motel trash one night. It had only been a few weeks without you. I still thought you might come back, so I took them out of the trash and I put them back where they belonged."

"Thanks Sam," Dean said. Because he didn't know what else to say.

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"So, you picking up some new skills down at the garage?" Robin asked as she strolled down the grocery store aisle with Sam by her side. She had asked Dean the night before if Sam could spend the day with her instead of down at the garage. She had been so busy with the diner lately, but had finally been able to take a day off again. She wanted to take some time with Sam.

"Few things." Sam was actually pretty pleased with his new knowledge. It was fun to learn new things outside of lore and weapon maintenance.

Robin added a few items to the cart.

"Remember, you have to put in what you want too." Robin smiled, "I'm still trying to figure you out."

"I'm fine with whatever."

"That's what you always say, but you've got to have some likes and dislikes." Robin stopped the cart in front of an array of ethnic foods. "What looks good?"

Sam shrugged.

"Couscous?" Robin offered.

"I've never had them."

Robin smiled and tossed a box of couscous in the cart.

"Pad Thai?"

Sam smiled, "Never tried that either."

Five minutes later the cart was full of diverse foods.

"This is going to be great!" Robin said. "I haven't tried a lot of these either."

Back at the house Sam and Robin got to work in the kitchen.

"You've got some mad chef skills Sam," Robin said watching Sam whip up a tempura batter. "If you ever want a job at the diner, it's yours. Did you ever work in the food industry? Like a part time job or something?"

"No," Sam smiled, "My only experience working with food is reheating pizza and brewing motel coffee."

"Do you miss it?" Robin asked. She pulled the pho noodles off the hot burner.

"Motel coffee?" Sam laughed, "No."

"No, just the whole moving around thing? Do you miss the constant change?" Robin asked. While Sam stood silent, thinking, Robin piped up again to explain her question. "I just know for me, I've been in one place my whole life. If I had to change all of a sudden and go from never moving to always moving…It would be hard."

"I don't know." Sam started dipping shrimp and placing them in the hot oil. "I always thought it was what I wanted. Being in one place. A home."

"And now?"

"I mean you and Dean are great. Way better to me that I deserve." Sam flipped the shrimp. "I just think maybe it's too late."

"What makes you say that?" Robin asked.

Sam didn't answer right away; instead, he looked down at his scarred forearms. Then in a voice just above a whisper he said, "I don't know. I mean, it's just...I'm already a monster. A freak."

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Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you have a minute :)

The next chapter will have finish up the Robin and Sam kitchen scene. I was going to wait until it was done but I didn't want to wait any longer to post an update. I already take way too long as it is. Thanks for sticking with me!