Chapter 5

Dean sat back in the desk chair and tried to digest what he had read. He tried to wrap his mind around it all and wondered how Sammy came to this conclusion to research it. He was deep in thought as his eyes roamed over the titles of books on the bookshelf beside him. One caught his attention and he reached to pull it from the shelf. After flipping through a few pages, he stopped and began to read sections of it. Deciding his mind was getting too overloaded, Dean slammed the book shut and put it back before getting up to go check on Sammy.

He found his brother on the couch reading a book. Dean walked over to the old television set and turned it on and began to check the few channels that Bobby could pick up. He finally settled on a western and plopped down on the couch beside his brother. Neither spoke as they waited for Bobby to get home.

"Dean," Sammy finally asked breaking the silence between them.

"What Sammy?" Dean asked glancing at him.

"Is Dad okay?" he asked in a small voice. He wouldn't look at Dean for fear of what he might see.

"Sure, he's okay," Dean finally said. "He's smart and a great hunter."

"Why hasn't he come looking for us yet?"

"You know if Dad is in the middle of a job he can't just stop it. I'm sure he'll be calling or show up here any time now."

"Honestly?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" Dean hoped he was being convincing, and Sammy wouldn't question him more.

Sam gave him a young bitch face and started to answer with a snide remark but the ringing of a phone in the office had them looking toward it. Dean started to get up to go in there but stopped when Sam grabbed his arm.

"Bobby said not to answer the phone or the door," Sam cautioned him.

"I know Sammy, I'm not deaf you know," Dean fussed pulling away from him and walking into the other room ignoring his protests.

Dean looked at the ringing phone, itching to answer it, hoping it would be their father, but dared not pick up the receiver, not willing to disobey Bobby. He growled to himself as he wrestled with his predicament. Knowing what he should do, Dean turned and headed back into the living room and dropped onto the couch with a huff.

"How 'bout we play some cards?" Dean suggested already bored with the television show and reading. He needed to do something to take his mind off his concerns for Sammy.

"Okay, but only if you promise not to cheat this time," Sam said.

"Me? Cheat?" Dean gasped in disbelief that he would even suggest such a thing.

"Jerk," Sam mumbled as he got up to follow Dean to the kitchen table.

"Don't think I didn't hear that bitch," Dean shot back after finding a deck of cards and chips in the dresser. "Why don't we work on your poker skills? You need to learn now so you can use them later."

"Fine, whatever," Sam sighed watching Dean shuffle the cards before dealing them out. He picked up his cards and glanced at them before rearranging them, trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

"Ante up Sammy. And how many cards do you want?"

"Just a minute," Sam snipped as he worked out possible hands in his head before deciding what to get rid of. "I'll take two."

"Two it is," Dean says dealing Sammy two cards. "And the dealer will take three."

They looked at their cards and decided whether to bet more or fold. Dean won the first hand and pulled the chips toward him. He shuffled the cards again and dealt them out to begin another hand. They played for nearly an hour until the front door opened and Bobby came in.

"Let me help," Dean told Bobby grabbing two bags from his hands to sit on the counter. "Sammy put the cards and chips up."

"Thanks son," Bobby told him. "I'll go get the rest from the car."

"Why don't you do it?" Sam pouted.

"Because I'm helping Uncle Bobby."

"Fine," he grumbled, gathering the scattered cards and stacking them together. He took the small box and racked the chips into it and took it to the dresser behind the table.

Dean started putting away the groceries while Bobby brought in the other bags. He sat them on the counter and pulled a few things from one bag.

"Sam, I remembered how much you liked crossword puzzles and got you a couple of books," he told the young boy before laying the books on the table.

"Thanks Uncle Bobby!" Sam gushed looking at the books before hugging them to his chest. Their father wouldn't let him buy frivolous things like this since he thought it was a waste of money. Very rarely did he get to do puzzles unless he found an old newspaper with the puzzle not worked in it.

"I'm glad you like them, and Dean I got you a car magazine."

"Gee, thanks Uncle Bobby. After we finish putting the groceries away, do you have any cars we can work on?"

"There's a couple I haven't fixed that we could tinker on."

"Someone called while you were gone," Sammy offered gingerly turning to the first puzzle to look at it. He ran to the office to get a pen and hurried back so he could start working one.

"I didn't answer it," Dean added since Sammy didn't say that.

"If it's important, they would have left a message, or they'll call back. How about chicken tenders for dinner tonight? And I got some deli meat for sandwiches for lunch."

"That sounds good, I can help you cook," Dean offered wanting to be helpful while he was there. He didn't have any money to give Bobby for the food and was glad he was letting him work it off.

"When we get the rest of this put away, we'll head out to the garage."

"Okay. Sammy, do you want to come?" Dean asked his brother and looked his way when he didn't answer him. "Sammy? Hey dude, do you hear me?" he asked louder tossing a dish towel at him.

"What?" Sammy fussed pushing the towel off his book.

"Do you want to come to the garage with us?"

"No, I'm good here," Sammy replied getting up with his books and going to the living room to get comfortable.

"You made his day," Dean commented watching his brother leave the room.

"He deserves a little pleasure now and then and so do you Dean," Bobby replied.

Dean froze in putting away some canned goods and looked over at Bobby for a moment. He caught his lower lip between his teeth but didn't say anything before continuing his job. Once everything was put away, Bobby and Dean grabbed a drink and headed for the front door.

Dean looked over at his brother who was curled up on the couch working a puzzle, lost in his own little world. What Bobby said was true, they did deserve a little happiness now and then. Lord knows, John didn't see it that way. He was all training, research, finding the next hunt, and constantly moving around from one place to another.

Bobby let Dean work on an old clunker he was trying to get running and started on a customer's car to repair it. He knew how much Dean loved tinkering on cars and was a natural at it. He never saw him happier than when he was elbow deep in an engine.

Spn

"The tenders are done Uncle Bobby," Dean let him know after peeking into the oven.

"Alright, take them out and put the rolls in to brown," Bobby instructed him. He stirred the potatoes he was frying, stepping to the side so Dean could get to the oven. "Be careful and don't get burnt."

"Smells good," Dean hummed taking a deep breath of the cooking food. "My stomach is already growling."

"Is that what I'm hearing," Bobby teased the young man. He smiled when Dean laughed and thought he needed to do it more. There was such a long time in his life when he had nothing to smile about or to be happy for. Bobby knew Dean had had a hard upbringing, having to raise his brother and look after his father.

"Yeah," Dean laughed as he took up the tenders and left them on the stove top to stay warm. "Has Sammy surfaced yet?"

"Last I looked he was still on the couch with his nose in his puzzle book. That boy, is wiser than his tender years."

"Yeah, Sammy got the brains of the family."

"Now Dean, I wouldn't say that. You've got a good head on your shoulders, and I know you try to hide just how intelligent you really are."

Dean shyly looked at the floor as he felt his cheeks grow warm. He didn't think anyone had noticed that about him. He was good at hiding it from everyone.

"Can't fool a con man son," Bobby offered when Dean didn't say anything. "Go tell your brother to wash up dinner will be ready in five minutes."

"Yes sir," Dean mumbled scooting away from him. "Hey Sammy, go wash up so we can eat."

Sammy was concentrating so hard on his book he didn't hear Dean talking to him.

"Hey!" Sammy cried out when Dean jerked the book from his hands and held it away from him. "What?"

"It's time to eat, go wash up," Dean told him as he looked at the book to see several had already been worked. "You can't keep your nose in a book all the time Sammy."

"Give it back," Sam ordered holding out his hand and staring Dean down.

"Later, now do as I told you." Dean grabbed the other book and headed back into the kitchen leaving Sammy sitting there simmering for a moment before getting up and stomping to the stairs to head to the second floor to do as he was told. He was swearing under his breath, calling his brother every name he could think of. He got tired of Dean being so bossy sometimes just because he was older.

The table was set and food on it when Sammy came back down and took a seat. He didn't look at his brother as Bobby passed around the bowls mumbling thank you as he took a portion. Bobby looked between the brothers and remained quiet deciding this was something they needed to work out themselves without his interference.

Spn

After dinner when the kitchen was cleaned, Dean sent Sammy upstairs to take a shower and to get ready for bed. He gave him back his crossword puzzle books to take with him. Sam snubbed him because he was still mad at Dean for taking them in the first place but gave him a begrudged 'thanks' before heading upstairs.

"Uncle Bobby, can I talk to you?" Dean asked in a wary voice.

"Sure son, what's on your mind?" Bobby asked him as he looked up from the paperwork he was doing.

"I found Sammy doing some research on the computer while you were gone. When I looked at it…Well, I think he's worried about his dreams."

"What was he looking at?"

"Psychic powers, specifically premonitions. And he checked out the meaning of dreams too. Do you think Sammy could have this? Could his dreams have been a vision?"

Bobby laid his pen down and looked at the elder Winchester seeing the concern and worry on his face. He wasn't sure how to answer the boy because he didn't know himself. This was out of his league, but he knew someone that might be able to help.

"I can't rightly answer that Dean. But there is someone who might be able to help. I'll get in touch with her and maybe we'll take a road trip to see her."

"If Sammy does have some psychic power, what does that mean for him? Could this have been a onetime thing?"

"He's still young and growing and learning. He's your brother no matter what, I hope you know that."

"I do but I don't know what Dad might say about it. I'm not sure he will be that pleased."

"Well, why don't we cross that bridge when we come to it. You really don't need to be concerned about it until we learn more. I know you're worried about your Daddy, and you don't need to add your brother to the mix. Let's take things one step at a time for now. Why don't you go check on your brother?"

"Okay. I'm going to take a shower and probably go to bed too. Goodnight Uncle Bobby."

"Night son." Bobby watched the boy walk out of the office and could hear the footsteps going up the stairs. He would make a call tomorrow and get some advice about the youngest Winchester. He didn't want to make any assumptions until he had all the facts.

A/N: Guess you can figure out who he's calling. Thank you for coming along for the ride. I hope you are enjoying the story. Reviews/Comments are great. NC