CHAPTER 4

Without hesitation Sam was running headlong to the water, shedding his flannel and kicking off his shoes. Splashing in the shallows, as soon as he could he dove forward, swimming with strong strokes toward where he estimated Luke should have landed. He paused when he got close, treading water and looking around frantically for the boy. A shout from the shore pulled his attention to Travis, who was pointing beyond him toward the far side of the lake. Twisting around, he saw Luke bob up for a second then sink back under the water. In a flash he was on his way, diving and grabbing him as he came back up. They emerged both gasping for air, Luke coughing roughly to expel the water he'd ingested.

"Lie back," Sam instructed, "Let me do the work." Thankfully the boy listened, and before much longer they were at the shore and Travis' hands were there helping them both out of the water. Luke was then engulfed in his arms, and Sam could see Travis was shaking with fear and adrenaline.

"Are you ok Luke?" he asked, running his hands carefully over the torn and bruised skin on his grandson's arms and legs. "Sam, are you ok?" he asked, not forgetting he had another boy in his care. Sam had been pulling his shoes back on, wincing as the cuts he'd gotten from the last few barefoot steps to and from the shore rubbed.

"Yeah, I'm g-good." he replied. "C-cold. Luke, buddy, are you ok?" Luke stared at him from his grandpa's arms, shivering and looking shell-shocked, but he nodded. "Good, I'm glad. You scared us." Luke just ducked his face back into Travis' chest and Travis scooped him up in his arms.

"Let's head back, get you boys warm and let Grandma look at your war wounds." Travis said cheerfully to Luke, his own anxiety lessening as it seemed both the boys were going to be fine. He led the way, carrying Luke for a bit but then needing to stop for a rest.

Sam sat down on a rock beside Luke and asked him, "You ever had your head in the clouds?" Luke looked puzzled. "Hop on my back, and you'll be able to see for miles. You will practically be in the clouds!" Luke giggled at that, but when they rose to finish the hike, he was on Sam's back, arms clasped loosely around his neck. Sam smiled over his shoulder at Luke, glanced at Travis, and then broke into a bouncing march, eliciting giggles from his companion as he sang a silly marching song.

Back at the truck, Travis blasted the heat, and Luke was very soon yawning and leaning into Sam, his eyes drooping. Sam moved his arm to allow him to lean more comfortably, and just stared down at the boy, marveling at how their relationship had changed in just a short span of time. Looking up he caught Travis smiling fondly at them both and quietly used Dean's favorite sarcastic line, "Take a picture, it'll last longer." Pulling up to the house, Travis put the truck in park and then grabbed his phone and did just that before Luke stirred. Sam glared, but he smiled back unrepentantly. Gotcha, hero! He thought proudly, then gently shook Luke awake and steeled himself for Grandma Izzy in a tizzy.

–SPN–SPN–SPN–SPN–SPN–

Luke was both the man of the hour and in the doghouse. He was alternately scolded and cuddled, Izzy tending to his cuts and scrapes and his Mom ruffling his hair even while lecturing him. Sam made himself scarce after being smothered in hugs by not just Izzy but a tearful Juliette, who apologized for crying all over him but, "pregnancy hormones, what can you do?" all the while thanking him profusely for saving Luke.

"I owe you my husband and my son!" she exclaimed. Sam assured her, even as he slowly withdrew, that she owed him nothing. He caught Travis' dancing eyes enjoying the show and flashed him a dirty look as he made good his escape.

Having showered and changed, he decided it was high time his errant brother was found. To be honest, he was worried. It was very unlike Dean to give in to his emotions…it was much more like him to bluff and bluster to attempt to convince everyone how fine he was. So it was with slight trepidation that he headed up to the barn, hoping Dean had just succumbed to the peaceful space like he had done so many times himself and had fallen asleep.

The barn was remarkably empty of humans, but Sam was startled to be greeted with a loud "hee-haw!"

"A donkey, Travis? Really?" he muttered. He quickly climbed up to the haymow, discerning instantly it was empty of his wayward brother. "Where did you go, Dean?" he puzzled. Opening the upper window, he looked out across the back pasture and saw movement on the far side. Returning to the ground, he made his way out through the gate and towards the outer fence he'd mended on their last visit. He was nearly knocked over by a pinecone that came whizzing by his head, followed by Digger and Coop racing to retrieve it. "Hey! Watch it!"

"Sorry Sammy." Dean said unrepentantly as he finally came into Sam's view, sitting cross-legged in the taller grass at the edge of the paddock. Coop proudly brought his pinecone back and dropped it, slobber and all, in his lap. "Gross dude. I don't want that."

"Clearly you do." Sam laughed, sitting down beside him and leaning back on his hands to stare up at the sky. They sat in companionable silence for a while, laughing at the dog's antics and tossing multiple projectiles for them to chase and retrieve. Digger tired of the game first, wandering further and further afield to explore new smells until he didn't come back at all. Coop plopped down in front of Dean and dropped his head onto his crossed legs, his expression clearly saying, "you tired me out!"

After a while Sam ventured, " How are - "

"Don't Sam."

"I just - "

"Don't. Please." Sam could hear the slight pleading in his brother's voice and relented with a nod. Just then Digger returned, but he was not alone.

"I wath told to go fetch you, and I'm thupposed to come back with BOTH of you." said Lucy, hands on her hips and what she probably thought was a stern look, but which both boys found captivating.

"It's a mini Izzy." Sam murmured to Dean.

"Scary, isn't it?" he replied sotto voce. To Lucy he responded, "Right away miss, right away. Here we come, will you please show us the way?" She giggled delightedly, waiting until both men were on their feet before turning and running ahead of them toward the house.

Sam hissed as he rose to his feet, then darted a glance at Dean, hoping he hadn't heard him. No such luck. In response to the raised eyebrow he replied, "Travis, Luke, and I went for a short hike to a river earlier. There was a lovely waterfall upstream with a nice big, deep lake that Luke decided to fall into and needed to be rescued from. I took my shoes off, and I think I must have cut my feet up on something…" Dean just stared at him, mouth opening to ask a jumble of questions, then closing again as he struggled to figure out which to ask first.

"Are you coming?" stated their guide, back again, stamping her foot firmly.

"Sorry, Lucy, we are. Give my brother and I just a moment, ok?" She regarded Dean solemnly, then nodded and held up her hand to indicate she would give him one minute. Turning back to Sam, he asked quickly, "Is Luke okay?"

Sam stared at him. "You don't think I might have led with that when I found you?" he snarked. "Yes, he's a bit scraped and bruised, but no worse for wear. Izzy patched him up."

"But not you?"

"Well… I didn't exactly tell her.." Sam looked at Dean's frown and hurried on, "She and Juliette were so set on hugging me and thanking me for saving Luke…"

Dean barked a laugh, being able to picture the scene exactly, and knowing why his humble brother had made his quick escape. "Well, you're telling her after we eat." he stated, "Yes milady," he said addressing the irritated sprite now right in front of him, "I promise, we're following. Lead on Macduff!"

"Who ith MacDoff?"

"Nevermind." he muttered as Sam let loose a chuckle.

-SPN-SPN-SPN-SPN-SPN-

Lunch was a calm affair. Luke enjoyed being the center of attention, retelling his story dramatically for Dean since everyone else had already heard it. Dean was the best audience, gasping in the appropriate places and listening with an intense interest. He clapped a hand on Sam's shoulder proudly when Luke finished, even as Sam sneezed violently.

"Sorry, excuse me!" Sam said, caught off guard, "Continue, Sir Luke!" Lucy giggled delightedly at that, but Luke blushed as a pointed look was directed at him by both of his parents.

"Thanks for saving me." he said, adding sheepishly, "Forgot to say it earlier." Sam smiled back, then sneezed again.

"Sounds like you might be coming down with something." worried Juliette.

"Nah, I'm fi- achoo!" Sam replied. Izzy frowned at him, then leaned over to feel his forehead even as he bobbed away from her. "Really, Izzy, I'm fine." he argued. Sensing the disapproving look he was receiving from multiple directions he rose from the table, saying, "I just need to blow my nose. I'll be back." and disappeared down the hallway.

As everyone dispersed to various activities following the meal, Dean snagged Izzy's arm after depositing a load of dirty dishes in the sink. "Izzy, I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly earlier…" he started.

"No apologies needed, Dean." she replied, patting his cheek gently, "Sam filled us in on things. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah…" he trailed off, not sure he wanted to talk but unwilling to hurt her.

She smiled but gave him an out though by changing the subject. "I think your brother might have caught a cold."

"I'm guessing you're right." he agreed, "Or an infection." Her eyebrows went up at that. "Oh yes, apparently he cut his feet up when he played the hero and neglected to mention it." Sam returned to the room at that same moment, only to pause in the doorway as he found himself speared by Izzy's sharp scrutiny.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Sit." she said succinctly, pointing fiercely at the chair.

"Traitor." he threw at Dean without heat, then sneezed again and groaned. Dean just smirked at him, then pulled up another chair to observe. "I don't need an audience." Sam grumped, even as he started pulling off his shoes and peeling back his socks, hissing. Izzy plopped her first aid kit back on the table, staring with Dean in dismay at the angry cuts on Sam's feet.

Sighing, Izzy started gently treating the damaged skin, clucking when she found debris was ground into some of the cuts and already some infection was setting in. "Just once I would really love it if you boys would come for a visit that didn't involve my first aid kit." she said somewhat sadly.

"But you patch us up so well." Dean tried, receiving a glare for his efforts. She patted Sam's left foot gently after wrapping it in gauze, then started on the right one. Dean stared at the pieces of sand and other foreign substances being removed, then growled at his brother. "Why didn't you tell someone you were hurt, moron?" Sam just shrugged, clearly starting to feel pretty lousy. Izzy finished with the second foot and handed him some Tylenol, then directed Dean to help him to the family room. Hobbling with Dean's assistance, he was soon ensconced on the couch and quickly fell asleep, snoring softly.

The sound of running feet and childish laughter stopped abruptly at the doorway as Luke and Lucy ground to a halt when they saw Dean sitting on the floor, leaned back against the couch almost as if he was guarding his sleeping brother. He looked over and waved them in with a finger to his lips.

"Is he ok?" Luke asked, looking worried, "Did I make him hurt?"

"He's a little hurt, but he'll be fine." Dean whispered back, "and it's not your fault, Luke. Sammy will tell you the same thing when he wakes, I guarantee." Luke nodded but didn't look completely convinced.

"He ith hot." Lucy announced and Dean turned abruptly to see her little hand on Sam's forehead. Some guard I am, he groused to himself. To her he replied, "He has a fever, but the medicine he took should help." Lucy regarded Dean solemnly as she absorbed his statement, then patted Sam's forehead once more before leaning leaned forward to kiss it, beaming as if she had made things all better. Dean smiled and glanced at Sam, immediately noticing the change in breathing that indicated he was actually awake though he hadn't moved.

Luke, meanwhile, had looked shocked when Dean mentioned a fever. "I shouldn't have been climbing on the rocks." he worried softly.

"Luke," rasped Sam, opening his eyes but not moving. "It's not your fault bud. Accidents happen. Believe me, the number of times my big brother has had to rescue me…"

Dean jumped at the chance to both reassure Luke and throw Sam under the bus. "You would not believe the scrapes my little brother Sammy has gotten himself into!" He launched into an innocuous story about the time Sammy had tried to walk home on his own and ended up stuck up a tree with a kitten he'd tried to rescue. Both kids plopped down and listened with intent faces. Sam laughed along with them at the story, mentally remembering the time and the parts Dean was leaving out - the monster that was actually the reason he was up in a tree, and the cat (which he had discovered already there when he climbed said tree) turning into a wild thing when he tried to help it and being the reason he nearly fell out of the tree.

Watching the kids, Dean once again felt a pang of the what-might-have-been. He glanced up and caught Sam watching him through glazed eyes, the fever clearly working its way through his system. Sleep he mentally ordered.

I'm not a child Dean.

Then stop acting like one.

Jerk.

Bitch.

Juliette smiled to herself at the tableau she had found when she went looking for her children. Secluding herself out of eyeline, she listened to Dean's tale with delight, noting the interplay between the brothers. That final silent conversation held her completely mesmerized, having never witnessed such connection between siblings before. She was so caught up in the moment that she jumped and let out a little squeak when a hand was laid on her back. Whirling, she came face-to-face with her husband, who was laughing quietly even as he drew her away from the scene she had been watching.

"Eavesdropping, my love?" chided Jake with laughter as soon as they were out of range.

"These guys…" she said, frowning as she tried to find the right words, finally landing on simply, "...they're special, aren't they?"

"Very." Jake said, seriously. "Sam and Dean have weathered more storms in their lives than anyone I've ever met. And yet they still know how to laugh, and smile, and be gentle and loving with our kids… I would be a quivering mess in the nuthouse. I don't know how they do it."

"Well, at least they have Izzy and Travis. And us now too." Juliette stated emphatically, but then paused uncertainly again. "But, how do we help them, Jake? I owe them your life, and now Luke's. How do I repay that?"

Jake drew her into his arms, rubbing her back then gently patting her growing baby bump. "They have had little love in their lives, Jules. Their family was never what we were blessed with. They've only ever had one another, really. So we love them, and we share our family with them. Show them they're not alone." Nodding, Juliette cuddled closer to her husband, grateful for him, and reveling as she felt the baby kick in response to his touch. Love these men who had already shown themselves to be selfless and worthy? Easy. She could do that.