Supernatural. Prompts: 8, 5, 4
Title: Just You and Me
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: General Series
Prompt: 8 - Don't Close Your Eyes by Kix
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,000
Summary: Sam and Dean realize that they are all each other has.
Dean looked over at his brother, not liking his pale color. Sam didn't respond to his questions exactly, but he'd make noises to indicate his discomfort. Whenever Sammy wouldn't talk, it was bad.
They'd had what they thought was a run of the mill poltergeist, and they'd been wrong. It was a sneaky sucker and had confused both boys once they were in the home. Dean was scolding himself for not being more prepared before Sam was even attacked. Once they crossed from what they expected into surprise, he'd felt responsible for the lack of information.
He was used to speeding down the road in the Impala. He and Sam were good hunters, and they were careful, but they still got injured. It was just part of the job. But, most of the time, Sam was quite verbal and giving Dean feedback. Sam asked just as many questions when Dean was hurt and they knew what information was needed to access their situation and get appropriate treatment. Sam's silence was unnerving.
In the parking lot, he tried not to squeal to a stop. He didn't want to attract attention but he was in a hurry to get Sam inside and check him over. When the car jolted to a halt, Sam didn't even complain. He jerked in his seat but didn't respond otherwise.
"Come on," Dean tried to coax Sam out of the car and into their motel. "We're real close. You can rest when we get inside." Sam didn't even open his eyes. Dean bent his knees and then hooked his arm under Sam's and around his back. "Up on three. One, two, three! Ugh! Help me out here a little, man!"
Sam barely lifted himself from the passenger seat. It was a small movement, but it was showed that he could obey orders and offered a good sign about Sam's mental condition. He started to fall forward when his feet tangled together. His world was spinning and he had no chance of keeping up.
"On your feet!"
The muddled man tried to comply. It was ingrained in him that Dean knew best.
"Almost there. Through the door, Sammy. Just a little further."
Balancing Sam and operating the lock proved difficult but not impossible. Dean used some choice four letter words before the door swung open. He shuffled inside, trying to get the both of them through the threshold.
Sam's boots scuffed along the carpet slowly until Dean set him on the bed furthest from the door.
"Where's?" Sam mumbled.
"The monster? I got him and then saved your ass. Up on the bed, big guy." Dean swung Sam's legs up on the bed and got his boots off. "Stay with me, Sam."
He methodically removed Sam's clothes until he was stripped to his boxers. He ran his hands over Sam's skin, looking for cuts and broken bones. He had abrasions from where he'd hit but nothing that needed stitching. Bruises were already starting to form and Dean knew they would hurt like hell.
"You really cracked that big head of yours," Dean commented as he felt the goose egg forming on Sam's skull. "Luckily, I dropped you a time or two as a baby so I know you can handle it."
"Dean," Sam feebly tried to bat Dean's hands away from his head. Dean had no problem avoiding the half-hearted blows.
"Almost done." He laid Sam's head back on the pillow. "Just that one huge knot. Looks like you'll be fine. You've knocked yourself goofy, but otherwise okay."
Sam drifted off when Dean went to get ice.
***
In Sam's mind, he traveled back in time to when he had the flu shortly after he'd moved in with Jessica. He was a tough guy and could take a lot but when he was attacked with the high fever and chills, he was at the virus's mercy.
Jessica had tried to 'mother' him in the beginning when Sam was grumpy and refused her help. When he thought back to whenever he'd been sick before, Dean had taken care of him. He remembered worrying about John when he as gone, but he never cried for him as he did for Dean.
Once he was too miserable to do much more than breathe, he happily accepted Jessica's offer of Tylenol. He didn't fight when Jessica helped him out of his drenched t-shirt and jogging pants. He shivered when the air hit his sweaty skin.
Jessica watched him toss and turn. She ran a washcloth over his skin when he was too warm, and covered him with a sheet when he shivered. While he was in and out of consciousness, Jessica never left his side.
She took very good care of him. He couldn't fault anything she did. But, she wasn't Dean. She didn't have his certain TLC that Sam was used to and responded to best.
When she took sick after catching the bug from him, Sam felt awful but knew how to care for her since he’d been the only one around to tend to Dean when he was sick. He hated the feverish look on her face and the dull glaze of her eyes when she wasn’t making any sense. He really appreciated her more after that ordeal.
***
"Oww," Sam rolled over, away from the small rays of light coming through the bathroom door that was ajar. The light hurt his eyes and switching sides made him feel disoriented.
"Sam?" Dean shot out of bed. He brushed Sam's hair back from his face and noticed how damp it was. "Shit. You're soaked."
Sam moaned and moved away from Dean's touch, his eyes still squeezed shut to block out the light.
"Be right back." He returned with a washcloth and wiped the sweat from Sam's face and neck. Sam fought him at first, then relaxed when he realized what Dean was doing.
"Hurts."
"I bet. Think you can swallow some Tylenol for me?"
There was a brief pause before Sam answered, "Yeah."
Dean propped Sam up so he could place the pills on Sam's tongue and give him some water. "Swallow." He moved the glass away and asked, "Need more?"
Sam nodded and immediately regretted it. Dean steadied him until he got his bearings.
One more sip and Dean set the liquid aside. He eased Sam back down and removed some of the covers. He wanted Sam to cool off but not so quickly that he got a chill.
"I should be used to this," Dean chuckled. "Every childhood illness and hunting injury I went through with you? It doesn't make it any easier to see you in pain." Dean said sadly, "You're all I've got, Sammy. It's just me and you. I guess it's always been that way for the most part . . . Now, there really is nobody else left. What am I going to do?"
Trying to shake the melancholy feeling, Dean wet the washcloth again, rung it out and ran it over Sam. "You'll keep me on my toes. Always have. Pain in the ass little brother."
Hearing the fondness in Dean's voice, the corners of Sam's mouth turned up just a little. It was only Dean and him left. But, Dean was all he needed. They were going to be okay.
***
Sam ripped off his shirts and tore them into bandages. They were deep in the woods and Dean had been slashed by a wendigo. He took his belt off and used it as a tourniquet on Dean’s leg. Apologizing to Dean, Sam hoisted him into a fireman carry and hurried back to the car.
Dean’s injured leg was jolted each time Sam stepped. The one thing Sam had working in his favor was that Dean was unconscious. The one thing that Sam had working against him in the long run was that Dean was unconscious. Rotten Winchester luck.
The light was fading fast and Sam hoped he was headed in the right direction to get them to the Impala and back to the motel. He started to huff when Dean got heavy but kept up his pace. He felt like he could finally breathe freely again when he saw the distinctive outline of the Impala. Safety was in sight.
He laid Dean on the backseat. Some of the bandages had moved but he didn’t take the time to retie them. He checked the belt because that was the most important. The wendigo’s claws had nicked Dean’s femoral artery and Sam needed to get the bleeding stopped pronto.
Gunning the engine, Sam raced to the motel. He talked to Dean the whole way, more out of nervousness than anything else. Dean didn’t reply at all. When they arrived at the motel, he was still unresponsive.
The parking lot was half full with cars but no one was wandering outside their room. Sam was able to carry his bleeding bundle into their room without anyone spotting them and calling the cops. Given that Dean was still a wanted man, the law had to be avoided at all costs.
After Dean was lying on his bed, Sam ran to get the first aid kit. He cut Dean’s jeans off by slicing each leg to the waist. He quickly scrubbed his hands so he could investigate further to see what Dean needed.
The first thing he had to do was clean that cut on the femoral line and stitch it up. He could only leave the belt tight around Dean’s upper thigh for so long before he had to worry about causing damage.
Every so often, Sam asked Dean a question to see if he’d respond. Otherwise, the room was filled with Sam’s panicked chatter. He ran on about anything he could think of. Part of him expected Dean to wake up just to tell him to be quiet.
When the first set of stitches was complete and Sam was satisfied that they would hold, he loosened the belt. He moved on to the next area that required stitches but kept an eye on those first ones.
Dean was not going to be happy when he woke. The wendigo had almost rid him of his family jewels and Sam had demolished his favorite pair of jeans. Sam decided that he’d just be happy that Dean was able to rip him a new one when the time came.
“I’m going to roll you now,” Sam told Dean. “I’ll get the jeans untangled and throw them away. The arterial stitches are holding steady. Your shirt is going to have to go. I’ll cut it along the seams so you can fix it if you want to, but I’m not chancing any movement that could jeopardize those stitches.”
Once the Metallica shirt was reduced to no more than a rag, Sam was able to see the scrapes and bruising from where Dean had hit the ground. They were spots that were going to hurt but at least the claws had only done damage to his legs.
Sam filled a syringe with a strong antibiotic. Dean hated needles and would complain until he’d finished the course of these intravenous drugs but they were the strongest they had and Sam wasn’t leaving anything to chance. He wanted to give Dean something for the pain, but Dean had to wake up first so Sam could assess him for severe head injury.
“You’re going to feel a little sting,” he told his unconscious brother before injecting him with the medication. “All done.” Sam threw the needle away and fetched a washcloth and bowl of soapy water. He sat down on the edge of the bed after putting towels around Dean. “Now it’s time to wash the rest of you off.”
He worked in sections. Once he’d cleaned the dirt and grime away, he toweled that part off and moved on to the next one. Every time he finished one area, he checked the crucial stitches. They weren’t the only stitches Dean had on his legs, but they were the most critical..
Satisfied that Dean was as clean as he was before the hunt, he took care of his supplies. The last thing he did before turning out the light was to cover Dean up and put ice where the belt had been. It wouldn’t do much for the pain but it would help swelling.
The next chore was to get Sam himself cleaned up. It took twice as long as it should have because he kept checking on Dean, but Sam got washed and Dean was still out, so it was a success. Sam fired up his trusty laptop and did some research on blood loss and loss of consciousness. He already had a library in his brain that covered those topics, but he wanted to be sure that he wasn’t missing anything.
Dean’s groan made Sam jump. It was loud in the silence of the room. Sam snapped his computer shut and went to Dean.
“Open your eyes for me,” Sam told him. “I know you’re hurting. After you answer some questions, I can give you a painkiller. First you have to open those eyes of yours.”
Dean laid still for a minute. Then, he groaned again. Sam held Dean’s face in his hands. “Look at me, Dean. You need to open your eyes now.”
His lashes fluttered and then stopped.
“Almost,” Sam encouraged him. “You have to open them long enough to look at me.”
The next time they fluttered, they opened a slit, and then a little more.
“Good,” Sam smiled. He checked Dean’s pupils and asked, “What were we hunting?”
“Wen . . . Wen.”
“Wendigo. Right. What year is it?”
“2007,” Dean replied.
“That’s enough. I’ll get the narcotics.” Sam loaded another syringe. “You’re going to feel a poke.” He withdrew the needle and was met with Dean’s glare. “They’re strong and work quick. Next time you can pick out your own pain meds if you stay conscious. That’s the deal.”
Dean closed his eyes, but he was just resting. Sam could tell my his breathing that he hadn’t fallen asleep.
“He got you in the legs,” Sam explained the extent of Dean’s injuries. “The worst part was when he got your artery, but I think that it’s stitched up fine. You have stitches on both legs, mostly your thighs. Your back is beat up from your fall, but you probably won’t even notice that over the sutures on the cut where he almost took your manhood.”
Dean’s eyes popped open.
“You’re still intact, don’t worry.” Sam should have known that a comment like that would get Dean’s full attention.
Satisfied that Sam was telling the truth because no guy alive would joke about something like that, Dean fell back to sleep.
He dreamed of when he was little, before the fire. He’d been sick with a cold, and Mary had sat and colored with him between the fluids of all sorts that she tried to get him to drink. She let him lean into her, curled up under a blanket, while she read him his favorite book Even though he was sick, Dean had still felt pampered.
Mary made his favorite foods when he started feeling better. John had grumbled over the supper table and Mary had given him what for. Unbeknownst to Dean, Mary was pregnant with Sam and not feeling so well herself. She could take care of a sick child but her patience drew the line at a complaining husband.
“Hey, Jude,” Mary sang softly to him while he was trying to fall asleep. He had her lullaby memorized and still heard it in his head whenever he was hurt or upset. He treasured the connection that he still had with her.
But, she was dead and Dad was gone. The only reason he was still alive was Sammy.
“Wake up, Dean,” Sam was in his face. “You need to drink something, stay hydrated. I’ll pick up some energy bars across the street when it opens in the morning. We’ll keep your diet simple but you still need your fluids. I’m not sure how much blood you lost, but it’s more than I’m comfortable with.”
After taking a drink, Dean realized that the cool water was better than any 80’s rock song. He wanted to finish the glass, but Sam took it away. He told Dean he could only have a little at a time.
Dean scowled. He was the big brother. Sam was supposed to be following his orders, not the other way around.
“Give me that stubborn look of yours all you want,” Sam told him. “It doesn’t hurt me any. I’m still not letting you drink yourself into puking and losing what you have gotten down.”
“Sing to me,” Dean said slowly.
“I can’t sing, Dean. You know that. Want me to turn on the radio?”
“No.” Dean felt as if he was going to cry. “Miss Mom.”
Sam’s heart broke a little for him. He ran his fingers through Dean’s hair as he spoke. “I do, too. She must have sang to you when you were sick, right? It’s great that you can remember that. I’m thankful for the short time you had with her. She must have taught you how folks should be cared for because I know you didn’t get your bedside manner from Dad.”
That earned Sam a smile.
“When I got sick at college, Jess took good care of me. It wasn’t the same, though. It bothered me because it wasn’t you. Must be like how you miss Mom more when you’re hurt. Everyone has that someone who can make it all better.”
“It’s just me and you.”
“Yeah,” Sam agreed. “That’s okay, though. In certain ways, I think it’s always just been the two of us.”
Dean didn’t get to voice his agreement before sleep dragged him under.
“I wish I could remember Mom,” Sam spoke softly as he continued stroke Dean’s hair. “When I try to picture Mom, I see you. It’s not a bad thing. I just don’t have a hole in my heart where she used to be.”
Sam stopped his hand movements and sighed. He was tired. It had been a long day and the light of the next one was already coming in the curtains.
They were a team, just as they’d always been at school and on hunts. They had all they needed to handle whatever life decided to throw at them--each other.
Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 1
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: general Series
Prompt: 5 - Two Out of Three Aint Bad by Meatloaf
Rating: R
Word Count: 2,021
Summary: Dean gets a call in the middle of the night that changes his life.
Dean had the shovel over one shoulder and the duffel over the other. What had started out as an unseasonably cool, misty fall evening had turned into a thunderstorm with driving rain. His hair was plastered to his scalp. Rain rolled down his neck and invaded the warmth under his leather jacket.
Visibility was low on the way to the motel. He had to make a real effort to keep his speed down when all he wanted was a hot shower and sleep. His droopy eyes peered through the rain, thankful to see the rundown motel sign with only the letters 'o' and 'l' lit up.
Desperately trying to get rid of the chill under the water that never got warmer than tepid and had lousy shower pressure, Dean shifted from foot to foot as he rubbed his hands on his arms.
"Come on, come on." Dean scowled at the showerhead and the water turned ice cold in revenge. "Shit!" He leapt out of the tub so fast that he stumbled and tore part of the shower curtain.
Shivering was supposed help his body warm up. Dean knew it as a fact. Their father had hammered first aid into both him and Sam. At the moment, the movement didn't seem to be helping Dean. He dried off as best he could, bundled up in his warmest sweat suit and thick socks, and huddled under the covers.
As he laid there in the dark, he knew he hadn't been eating enough of the right foods. He hadn't been sleeping enough and he'd spent too much time running on empty. It was going to catch up with him. If he could just fall asleep, he'd take better care of himself starting tomorrow. He could sleep in, find a grocery store and actually use the small fridge and microwave that came with the room. Well, he'd have to bleach them out first.
The shrill sound of his cell phone ripped Dean from his peaceful slumber. He slapped at the nightstand, finding his phone just before it vibrated onto the phone.
"Yeah?" he cleared his throat when it came out at as croak.
"Who am I speaking with?" a woman asked him.
Dean sat up and turned on the lamp. One look at his watch told him that he'd only been asleep for two hours. He didn't have long before the sun would cut through the cheap curtains. "Do you know what time it is, lady?"
"Almost four o'clock." She was all business. "Can I get your name, please?"
He glanced at his ID and it read 'Unavailable'. "Who the hell is this?"
"Nurse Lacy from County General."
"Is Sam hurt?" Dean hadn't seen him for a year but that didn't change how he felt about the kid.
"I don't know any Sam. If you'll be patient with me and answer my questions, I'll be able to tell you more information sooner."
"Dean. Dean Winchester."
"What do you drive?"
"1967 Chevy Impala."
"What color?"
"Black. Why?"
“I was given your number by Tami Carr. She was able to give me just a few details about you.”
“Okay. Why did she need to call me?”
“She didn’t want to call you. She’s in labor and is going to sign away her rights. The baby can’t be given up for adoption unless you’ve signed the papers, too. That’s why I’m calling.”
“She’s in labor?”
“Yes. She says you’re the father.” Silence. “Hello?”
“I’m here. I mean, I’ll be there. To get the baby.”
“So, you’re not going to sign away your rights?”
“No. I’ll . . . what do I need to bring?”
“Just yourself.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t let anyone take my baby. I’m coming.”
“We don’t make a habit of that,” Nurse Lacy’s heart felt lighter after hearing how happy Dean was at the news. “Drive careful.”
After shutting his phone, Dean copied the number and address of the hospital into his journal just in case the slip in his wallet got lost. He rolled his stiff shoulders and tried to crack his neck. Groaning, he twisted and turned until he made his neck and back worse than it was before.
If he could just drink enough coffee to make it through four states to the hospital, he’d be happy. After that, he could worry about purchasing baby items and selecting a place to stay. Oh, he'd have to get that extra rest somewhere in there, too.
000000
The weather didn’t warm up as the sun rose. More dark clouds rolled in and icy drizzle that turned to a pounding torrent in a heartbeat were in the imminent future. At the last Gas Stop/Convenience Store, Dean was able to find replacement wiper blades, and bags of snacks that at least resembled real foods. The dehydrated apple chips and spicy jerky (not the kind conformed to a tube) weren’t bad. A couple bottles of cola gave him a break from coffee.
He was getting closer and closer to the hospital. Doubts were beginning to pop up in his head. Was he ready to be a dad? How bad would hunting screw up a kid? In the case of their dad with he and Sam, how had that one turned out? Was it better to stay with family or would they have been better off placed somewhere else?
All Dean knew from a young age was to look out for his little brother. The word ‘family’ was used so often and never explained. When they were on hunts, they saw other families that had been ripped apart by something supernatural that the Winchesters were trying to kill or send away. Sometimes it brought peace to the family that had caught their attention to the problem in the first place. Most of the time, it just prevented the same tragedy from happening over and over.
Dean and Sam learned early on that family was who loved you. Bobby, Father Murphy, Harvelles, Caleb, Jefferson and Missouri were considered family.
Because he had been thrown into hunting at such a young age, there had been a couple of times when Dean had made contact with a small child who had been traumatized. He’d been patient and able to coax the child out of their shell. He wasn’t able to get answers from the kids but he could get breadcrumbs, and that was something.
He’d had a big part in raising Sammy and he never regretted spending time with his little brother instead of going out to find some friends his own age. They’d be moving on in a month or so, and it was easier to hang around Sam who already knew what hunts involved and how careful they had to be so that Child Protective Services didn’t take Dean and Sam away. Most kids thought living in a motel was cool. Dean just let the kids think that. He wanted to be the loner kid who no one bothered. If how they lived gave him some credibility, he'd take it. He'd be able to insure Sam's safety easier that way.
Sam had been a quick learner in anything he wanted to know about. Sometimes hunting fit in that category and other times it didn't. He devoured all that he could find about folklore and legends. When it came to training and bringing what he had read about into practical use in the field, he only went to try to keep Dean safe.
The one summer Sam played soccer, Dad hadn't been happy but he'd let them stay in one place. Both of them pled with him and promised to train extra hard if he allowed them those three months. Dean sat in the bleachers during practice and attended each game. On days when neither was scheduled, they completed training before the sun had enough time to make it too uncomfortable, napped during the hottest hours and practiced soccer in the empty lot until dark.
He'd heaped praise on Sam for studying. He was proud of Sam's grades, even as he had to leave Sam at the door of the school and then take his fake ID and try to hustle before class was out. Dean had known his academic career was non-existent but he wanted Sam to have options spread out before him. He later thought that Sam could have parted on better terms on his way to Stanford. It still felt like a physical injury when he remembered the anger in Sam's eyes directed at him. If he'd known what Sam had planned for that evening, he would have had arguments prepared for their dad. As it was, he had none. He could just stand there, dumbfounded, which Sam mistook as agreeing with the words shouted at him.
Day turned into night. He was getting closer and closer to a future that he was unsure of. He was twenty-three and had never learned how typical folks lived. Sure, he could pretend for a short period of time. That was all he'd been required to do. How was he going to not only convince a nurse that he was a responsible adult but also avoid any mistakes that might make her think he was weird and have social services check up on him? He couldn't just panic and break a baby out of a hospital. Could he? Didn't they have some kind of Lo-Jack on them these days?
Pulling into town, he made one last stop before his destination. He squinted in the dingy bathroom mirror and took a couple deep breaths. He could do this. He had to do this. He changed into his jeans with just a couple small holes and a white t-shirt. It was as good as he was going to look.
His heavy boots resounded on the tile floor. When he spotted the front desk, he flashed the young lady a smile. Then, he remembered he needed to blend in and be responsible, not charming. He toned down his smile.
"Sir? May I help you?"
"Yeah," his throat tightened up until he cleared it. "I received a call from Nurse Lacy. She asked me to come here."
"Nurse Lacy? I know her. Let me call, see if she's on tonight." After a short conversation, she hung up and turned back to Dean. "You're in luck. Nurse Lacy is working the overnight shift so she's just coming on duty. She's on her way down to meet you. Would you like to have a seat?"
After he shook his head, he tried not to pace. His heart was pounding out of his chest and he hoped no one could tell.
A matronly woman appeared. "Dean? This way, please."
"Nurse Lacy? How is . . . I mean, did everything go okay after we spoke? I didn't want to stop to call and check, I thought it would be better to just get here--" Dean fell into step with her and couldn't help his nervous flood of words.
She warmly smiled at him. "Everyone is healthy, don't you worry."
Freshly scrubbed and gowned up, Dean sat in the rocking chair surrounded by tiny beds with babies. It was a sea of pink and blue.
"These two have been waiting to meet you," Nurse Lacy pulled a bed bigger than the others over to Dean. "Your daughter is four minutes younger than your son."
"They're so small." Dean leaned closer but didn't reach toward them.
"Twins are a bit on the little side. There are two of them growing in a room built for one. It won't be long before they are just as big as the other babies here. But, we might need to keep them a couple extra days to get up to a weight where we're comfortable discharging them."
"Whatever is best for them. Wow. Twins."
"Would you like to hold them?"
"Really? Yeah."
The nurse put a pillow under each of Dean's arms before she laid the bundles in them. She took the first family picture. Dean was the proud, beaming father. Someone he never thought he'd ever get a chance to be.
Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 7
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: General Series
Prompt: 4 - Heaven by Warrant
Rating: R
Word Count: 2,546
Summary: Dean gets married.
"So . . . I noticed that Daisy seems to be here more than I am. Anything you want to tell me?"
Dean set his beer down on the table. "You know how attached she is to the kids."
"How about you?"
"I'm partial to Knut and Linnae." He smirked.
"You know what I mean."
"Daisy isn't hard to figure out. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body."
Sam worded his next question carefully. "Are you attracted to her?"
"I have to be so careful. I can't screw up our friendship."
"You want a serious relationship with her. And it scares the shit out of you."
"I'm not . . . No, I'm not scared. I don't know if I could take her rejection."
"Have you seen Daisy? The way she looks at you?" Sam scoffed. "There's no way she'd turn you down."
"We both know that she's simple, Sam. I don't want to just date her. She's a part of my future. If we have to stay friends, that is fine. Hanging in the middle, dating each other but unable to move forward, isn't me."
000000
Dean sat in the Impala, wishing he had some alcohol to calm his nerves. He knew smelling like a brewery would not make a good impression and had to settle for the familiar scent of the leather seats.
His boots weren't new and he wasn't dressed different from when he hunted except for the fact that his jeans didn't have holes in them.
A balding man answered the door and noticed that Dean was by himself. "Hi. Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, they're fine. Daisy was going to take them to the park right after 'Sesame Street'."
"That show's still on?"
Dean smiled. "You bet. It's much easier to listen to than the new shows they're coming out with. Aliens, inanimate objects and vehicles have annoying voices. It's like a requirement for the cartoons."
"Where are my manners? Come in." He welcomed Dean into his living room. "The twins have a birthday coming up. Have they hit the terrible twos?"
"I'm not sure about that, Sir. I've heard that threes can be worse."
The older man laughed. "Sir? I think we're past that stage, Dean. Too many suppers at your table to be formal."
Nodding, Dean fidgeted in his seat. He was unable to look anywhere but the coffee table between them.
"What's on your mind? Something has you on edge."
"Daisy and I have known each other for awhile now, and some of that time has been spent dating." Dean cleared his throat. "All we've ever done is kiss, Frank, I swear."
"She told me. She doesn't lie, I don't know if she can. I remember the first time she tried to kiss you and you discouraged her in a way that was kind and honorable."
Dean's ears turned red. "She told you about that?"
"You were probably still on your way home when we were talking about it. Explaining to her that all friends can hug but only certain ones can kiss was smart."
"She'd seen Jill give Sam a quick peck and I think it made her wonder where she fit in."
"Giving her a secure place in the lives of Knut and Linnae was a great start."
"I want to make her a permanent part of our family. Frank, I'd like to marry Daisy, with your blessing."
With tears in his eyes, Frank smiled. "I know you'll take care of my little girl."
000000
"Why were you wrapped around that intern, then? Am I just convenient when you're in town?"
"Convenient! When in the hell has this been about my convenience?" Jill's shrill voice carried through the closed door.
Dean and Daisy had been watching a movie when the other couple walked in. They'd tried to ignore Sam and Jill when their discussion traveled through the house. When they were hearing Jill loud and clear, Dean pulled Daisy closer as he curved his arm around her.
"Why don't we hear Sam?" she asked as she laid her head on Dean's shoulder and took his other hand in hers.
"He doesn't want to wake the kids. She doesn't care who hears her."
"Don't you dare! How can you use family as an excuse--" Jill's latest rant was interrupted by wailing.
"Knew she'd do that," Dean grumbled. He went into the nursery and Daisy followed. After a quick diaper check, the four of them returned to the couch. It was easy to fall into a doze while holding a sleeping baby.
Jill's dramatic exit was to stomp all the way to the front door and slam it on her way out.
Sam sighed as he approached the couch. "Oh, gees. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." He began to rub his temple.
"Want to help me with bedtime take two?" Dean smiled.
"Like I could ever say no to that."
When they got back downstairs, Daisy was putting the finishing touches on hot chocolate. She already had a plate of sugar cookies on the table.
"Jill won't be coming around anymore."
Dean's response was, "We figured that."
"Sorry," was the best Daisy could come up with in the awkward situation.
"I caught her cheating. She didn't even bother to try to hide it," Sam stirred the marshmallows around as they melted.
"Want me to kick her ass?"
"She's a tiny girl, Dean. I don't think that is necessary."
"Your my little brother. I at least have to offer."
"Appreciate the thought, but I'll survive without siccing you on her."
"If she pisses me off, can I let her have it?"
"Just with words. Otherwise we get into the grey area of lock picks and jailbreaks. They're great in movies and suck in real life."
"Suppose I have to be a responsible dad now."
"Yep. Hey, when do we start planning out the backyard playground for the kids?"
"Sometime after the wedding?" Daisy smiled. "Let's handle one event at a time."
000000
"Frank, she could talk to Dean about it. Don't you trust him?" Anna took a sip of coffee as she looked at her longtime friend.
"Weddings are women's things. Men just have to show up. I have money for it, but I can't help her pick anything out."
"I'll be thrilled to help her with her wedding. I can give her the Mother/Daughter talk if you want me too, but you could do that on your own." She saw the horror-stricken look on his face and quickly offered, "I'll do the talk, just mind your blood pressure."
"I can't thank you enough."
"Am I invited to the service?"
"Of course."
"That is all I could ask for. Would you like more coffee?"
"Sure. You can tell me what a dad's duties are since all I know is I walk her down the aisle."
"Bingo. That's it. Do you know how old your suit is?"
"I can't remember if it fits," he hated to admit.
She seemed way too happy. "We'll need to take you shopping!"
000000
"How was your day with Anna?"
"I found the perfect dress, Dad!" Daisy's excitement rolled off her in waves. "It makes me look like a princess! And a crown-thing that holds the long veil!" She twirled around once or twice. Dropping her voice, she said, "Anna said to tell you we had the talk so you wouldn't worry. Hey! Why didn't you tell me she helped you find a new suit? Can I see it?"
Frank put on his new white shirt and black suit. He tried not to think of how embarrassed he'd been to have Anna fussing over him in the Men's department. He would have grabbed the first one that fit (meaning he could breathe comfortably in it) and left. Anna actually looked at the cut of the coat. It made a difference. Who knew?
"I really like the suit. Do you have a tie?"
"There's three for you to pick from." Frank the small boxes to show her the different patterns. "I just let Anna pick them after the look she shot me when I pointed one out."
"Well, you look very handsome in your suit. Did you leave anything out to make for supper?"
"What do we usually have on Saturdays? Do you need the car to go to Dean's?" he called from the other room as he changed back into his regular clothes.
She took the partially thawed meat out of the fridge. "Dean is going to drive tonight. We're going to a movie."
"He got a babysitter?"
"Sam's home."
Once he was in the kitchen, he asked, "Still not dating?"
"Nope. He says he wants quality time with Knut and Linnae. We're going to pick up his favorite pizza on the way home from the early movie."
"It's great that you'll share your date nights with Sam."
"He is Dean's brother. He'll be mine, too."
"I'm so proud of you," Frank hugged her. "Did I ever tell you my happiest day?"
"The day I was born." Daisy grinned. "You finally got to meet me."
"That's right." Frank launched into the story that Daisy had heard hundreds of times.
000000
The little church was decorated and Anna played the piano. Dean stood alone at the front of the church. He appeared to be patiently waiting but Sam could tell he was nervous. Knut and Linnae walked down the aisle, holding hands and ringing bells. When they reached Dean, he took the bells and set them aside. Then, they waited with Dad for the ceremony to begin.
Sam escorted Melanie down the aisle. Sam had a new suit and she wore her Sunday best. She held a small bouquet of white roses.
Frank was fighting to hold the tears back as they stood at the rear of the church. He gave Daisy a kiss before pulling down her front veil.
"Are you ready for this? We can still just go home."
"Daddy!"
"I know. Plan on me being there for every dinner. I don't want to be making meals for one."
"Our door is always open. We'll be visiting you, too."
Frank nodded. "I think they are waiting for us."
"I'll always be your baby girl. I just live down the street."
"I'm not giving away a daughter, I'm getting a family."
Daisy picked up her pink tulips and linked arms with her dad. "Let's go, Daddy."
000000
"Why didn't you bring a date?"
"You're as blunt as ever, aren't you, Mel?" Sam smiled at his friend. "I tried dating. Didn't work out."
"So? Find someone else."
"I'm pacing myself. It's a small town."
Melanie gave Sam a hard look.
"I'm a wimp?" He shrugged and tried not to blush.
"You can't expect the right gal to show up on your doorstep."
"I know. Maybe you can find her for me."
"I've kept my eyes open. Haven't found one sweet enough for you."
"Aww. You're trying to make me puke. Think Rusty is missing you yet?"
"Brady's keeping him busy. Kid loves the cake and I don't allow sugar at our house."
"He's hell on wheels. That's what you're saying."
"Rusty's the one who gave him cake on the sly. This'll learn him."
"You're mean. Why'd he marry you again?"
"I think someone's flirting with you."
Sam looked over to where Melanie indicated, which happened to be where Dean and Daisy were standing. A little face with curls peeked out from behind Daisy's skirt and quickly hid again when she saw Sam. All he could see was Linnae's fist as she gripped the flowing dress. "Where's her partner in crime?"
"Daisy's dad had Knut earlier."
"I have to go check on them. Let Frank visit."
"Need my help?"
"Um, I think you'd better rescue Rusty. Brady just smeared frosting all over him."
"That is a new suit!" She flew to her feet and yelled, "Brady Elliot!" Both Rusty and Brady looked up, eyes wide.
Grateful that he wasn't Rusty, Sam played peek-a-boo with the cutest little lady until he could swoop her up in his arms. She patted his face and babbled, "Am, am, am, am."
"That's right, sweetie. Got a kiss for me?"
She grinned wide after leaving spit on his cheek.
"You know where Knut is? Let's find him." Knut was easy to find once Sam heard his laugh. He was on Frank's lap, crashing trucks together. "He keeping you entertained, Frank?"
"You bet."
"I can take him. Your family and friends are here today. You should catch up with them."
"I was showing him off. Would've taken Linnae if she wasn't so attached to Daisy." He looked at the cars as he continued, "I gave my baby girl away today. She's my life. What do I do now?"
"You've gained a crew of Winchesters for all your troubles. You won't have to ever be alone if you don't want to."
"My family had their own ideas about how I should have raised Daisy. She needed extra patience and that rubbed some relatives the wrong way. It was easier to lose contact with those that weren't helping, which ended up being most of them."
Sam nodded his understanding. "We don't have any kin, either. We're thrilled to have you, Daisy, and Anna around.. Melanie, Brady and Rusty we've known since before we moved to Shadow Lake. You guys are our family."
"I'm going home to an empty house."
"I'm taking home two overtired toddlers. Want to come with?"
"Really?"
"We have the extra room and I could use an extra set of hands."
"I'll go home with you since you need my help." Frank had to hang on to his pride.
"Umpa!" Linnae reached out to him. When Frank held her, she tucked her face in his neck, gripped his tie in both hands and snuggled in. She felt that she had earned herself a nap.
"We can say our goodbyes to Daisy and Dean. These two need to get to bed."
"When do they leave on their honeymoon?"
"Impala's packed. They leave from the reception."
It was easy to find the special couple. Just because it was their wedding day, Dean accepted a hug from Sam, Frank and even Rusty. Daisy was teary-eyed as they said their goodbyes. She promised to call home everyday if Dean didn't.
000000
Daisy stared at her mother's wedding ring. Now, it was hers, cleaned up and sparkly. She wondered what her mom felt like on her wedding day, and was sad because she'd never know.
"Hey, Baby. Do you like it?" Dean wrapped his strong arms around her waist. Suddenly, she realized how lucky she was. She felt protected and safe, loved and cherished. She was the only woman who would ever be Dean Winchester's wife. "I thought you'd like the beach."
"I do, I do." She tried to hide a yawn. "Today started so early. I didn't sleep very well last night."
"Worried about today?"
"I thought about how that would be my last night sleeping in my room or listening to my dad snore."
Dean smiled at her. "If you're tired, let's just go to sleep. We're here for a few days. Let's stargaze another night."
"Hmm. That sounds good."
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: General Series
Prompt: 8 - Don't Close Your Eyes by Kix
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,000
Summary: Sam and Dean realize that they are all each other has.
Dean looked over at his brother, not liking his pale color. Sam didn't respond to his questions exactly, but he'd make noises to indicate his discomfort. Whenever Sammy wouldn't talk, it was bad.
They'd had what they thought was a run of the mill poltergeist, and they'd been wrong. It was a sneaky sucker and had confused both boys once they were in the home. Dean was scolding himself for not being more prepared before Sam was even attacked. Once they crossed from what they expected into surprise, he'd felt responsible for the lack of information.
He was used to speeding down the road in the Impala. He and Sam were good hunters, and they were careful, but they still got injured. It was just part of the job. But, most of the time, Sam was quite verbal and giving Dean feedback. Sam asked just as many questions when Dean was hurt and they knew what information was needed to access their situation and get appropriate treatment. Sam's silence was unnerving.
In the parking lot, he tried not to squeal to a stop. He didn't want to attract attention but he was in a hurry to get Sam inside and check him over. When the car jolted to a halt, Sam didn't even complain. He jerked in his seat but didn't respond otherwise.
"Come on," Dean tried to coax Sam out of the car and into their motel. "We're real close. You can rest when we get inside." Sam didn't even open his eyes. Dean bent his knees and then hooked his arm under Sam's and around his back. "Up on three. One, two, three! Ugh! Help me out here a little, man!"
Sam barely lifted himself from the passenger seat. It was a small movement, but it was showed that he could obey orders and offered a good sign about Sam's mental condition. He started to fall forward when his feet tangled together. His world was spinning and he had no chance of keeping up.
"On your feet!"
The muddled man tried to comply. It was ingrained in him that Dean knew best.
"Almost there. Through the door, Sammy. Just a little further."
Balancing Sam and operating the lock proved difficult but not impossible. Dean used some choice four letter words before the door swung open. He shuffled inside, trying to get the both of them through the threshold.
Sam's boots scuffed along the carpet slowly until Dean set him on the bed furthest from the door.
"Where's?" Sam mumbled.
"The monster? I got him and then saved your ass. Up on the bed, big guy." Dean swung Sam's legs up on the bed and got his boots off. "Stay with me, Sam."
He methodically removed Sam's clothes until he was stripped to his boxers. He ran his hands over Sam's skin, looking for cuts and broken bones. He had abrasions from where he'd hit but nothing that needed stitching. Bruises were already starting to form and Dean knew they would hurt like hell.
"You really cracked that big head of yours," Dean commented as he felt the goose egg forming on Sam's skull. "Luckily, I dropped you a time or two as a baby so I know you can handle it."
"Dean," Sam feebly tried to bat Dean's hands away from his head. Dean had no problem avoiding the half-hearted blows.
"Almost done." He laid Sam's head back on the pillow. "Just that one huge knot. Looks like you'll be fine. You've knocked yourself goofy, but otherwise okay."
Sam drifted off when Dean went to get ice.
***
In Sam's mind, he traveled back in time to when he had the flu shortly after he'd moved in with Jessica. He was a tough guy and could take a lot but when he was attacked with the high fever and chills, he was at the virus's mercy.
Jessica had tried to 'mother' him in the beginning when Sam was grumpy and refused her help. When he thought back to whenever he'd been sick before, Dean had taken care of him. He remembered worrying about John when he as gone, but he never cried for him as he did for Dean.
Once he was too miserable to do much more than breathe, he happily accepted Jessica's offer of Tylenol. He didn't fight when Jessica helped him out of his drenched t-shirt and jogging pants. He shivered when the air hit his sweaty skin.
Jessica watched him toss and turn. She ran a washcloth over his skin when he was too warm, and covered him with a sheet when he shivered. While he was in and out of consciousness, Jessica never left his side.
She took very good care of him. He couldn't fault anything she did. But, she wasn't Dean. She didn't have his certain TLC that Sam was used to and responded to best.
When she took sick after catching the bug from him, Sam felt awful but knew how to care for her since he’d been the only one around to tend to Dean when he was sick. He hated the feverish look on her face and the dull glaze of her eyes when she wasn’t making any sense. He really appreciated her more after that ordeal.
***
"Oww," Sam rolled over, away from the small rays of light coming through the bathroom door that was ajar. The light hurt his eyes and switching sides made him feel disoriented.
"Sam?" Dean shot out of bed. He brushed Sam's hair back from his face and noticed how damp it was. "Shit. You're soaked."
Sam moaned and moved away from Dean's touch, his eyes still squeezed shut to block out the light.
"Be right back." He returned with a washcloth and wiped the sweat from Sam's face and neck. Sam fought him at first, then relaxed when he realized what Dean was doing.
"Hurts."
"I bet. Think you can swallow some Tylenol for me?"
There was a brief pause before Sam answered, "Yeah."
Dean propped Sam up so he could place the pills on Sam's tongue and give him some water. "Swallow." He moved the glass away and asked, "Need more?"
Sam nodded and immediately regretted it. Dean steadied him until he got his bearings.
One more sip and Dean set the liquid aside. He eased Sam back down and removed some of the covers. He wanted Sam to cool off but not so quickly that he got a chill.
"I should be used to this," Dean chuckled. "Every childhood illness and hunting injury I went through with you? It doesn't make it any easier to see you in pain." Dean said sadly, "You're all I've got, Sammy. It's just me and you. I guess it's always been that way for the most part . . . Now, there really is nobody else left. What am I going to do?"
Trying to shake the melancholy feeling, Dean wet the washcloth again, rung it out and ran it over Sam. "You'll keep me on my toes. Always have. Pain in the ass little brother."
Hearing the fondness in Dean's voice, the corners of Sam's mouth turned up just a little. It was only Dean and him left. But, Dean was all he needed. They were going to be okay.
***
Sam ripped off his shirts and tore them into bandages. They were deep in the woods and Dean had been slashed by a wendigo. He took his belt off and used it as a tourniquet on Dean’s leg. Apologizing to Dean, Sam hoisted him into a fireman carry and hurried back to the car.
Dean’s injured leg was jolted each time Sam stepped. The one thing Sam had working in his favor was that Dean was unconscious. The one thing that Sam had working against him in the long run was that Dean was unconscious. Rotten Winchester luck.
The light was fading fast and Sam hoped he was headed in the right direction to get them to the Impala and back to the motel. He started to huff when Dean got heavy but kept up his pace. He felt like he could finally breathe freely again when he saw the distinctive outline of the Impala. Safety was in sight.
He laid Dean on the backseat. Some of the bandages had moved but he didn’t take the time to retie them. He checked the belt because that was the most important. The wendigo’s claws had nicked Dean’s femoral artery and Sam needed to get the bleeding stopped pronto.
Gunning the engine, Sam raced to the motel. He talked to Dean the whole way, more out of nervousness than anything else. Dean didn’t reply at all. When they arrived at the motel, he was still unresponsive.
The parking lot was half full with cars but no one was wandering outside their room. Sam was able to carry his bleeding bundle into their room without anyone spotting them and calling the cops. Given that Dean was still a wanted man, the law had to be avoided at all costs.
After Dean was lying on his bed, Sam ran to get the first aid kit. He cut Dean’s jeans off by slicing each leg to the waist. He quickly scrubbed his hands so he could investigate further to see what Dean needed.
The first thing he had to do was clean that cut on the femoral line and stitch it up. He could only leave the belt tight around Dean’s upper thigh for so long before he had to worry about causing damage.
Every so often, Sam asked Dean a question to see if he’d respond. Otherwise, the room was filled with Sam’s panicked chatter. He ran on about anything he could think of. Part of him expected Dean to wake up just to tell him to be quiet.
When the first set of stitches was complete and Sam was satisfied that they would hold, he loosened the belt. He moved on to the next area that required stitches but kept an eye on those first ones.
Dean was not going to be happy when he woke. The wendigo had almost rid him of his family jewels and Sam had demolished his favorite pair of jeans. Sam decided that he’d just be happy that Dean was able to rip him a new one when the time came.
“I’m going to roll you now,” Sam told Dean. “I’ll get the jeans untangled and throw them away. The arterial stitches are holding steady. Your shirt is going to have to go. I’ll cut it along the seams so you can fix it if you want to, but I’m not chancing any movement that could jeopardize those stitches.”
Once the Metallica shirt was reduced to no more than a rag, Sam was able to see the scrapes and bruising from where Dean had hit the ground. They were spots that were going to hurt but at least the claws had only done damage to his legs.
Sam filled a syringe with a strong antibiotic. Dean hated needles and would complain until he’d finished the course of these intravenous drugs but they were the strongest they had and Sam wasn’t leaving anything to chance. He wanted to give Dean something for the pain, but Dean had to wake up first so Sam could assess him for severe head injury.
“You’re going to feel a little sting,” he told his unconscious brother before injecting him with the medication. “All done.” Sam threw the needle away and fetched a washcloth and bowl of soapy water. He sat down on the edge of the bed after putting towels around Dean. “Now it’s time to wash the rest of you off.”
He worked in sections. Once he’d cleaned the dirt and grime away, he toweled that part off and moved on to the next one. Every time he finished one area, he checked the crucial stitches. They weren’t the only stitches Dean had on his legs, but they were the most critical..
Satisfied that Dean was as clean as he was before the hunt, he took care of his supplies. The last thing he did before turning out the light was to cover Dean up and put ice where the belt had been. It wouldn’t do much for the pain but it would help swelling.
The next chore was to get Sam himself cleaned up. It took twice as long as it should have because he kept checking on Dean, but Sam got washed and Dean was still out, so it was a success. Sam fired up his trusty laptop and did some research on blood loss and loss of consciousness. He already had a library in his brain that covered those topics, but he wanted to be sure that he wasn’t missing anything.
Dean’s groan made Sam jump. It was loud in the silence of the room. Sam snapped his computer shut and went to Dean.
“Open your eyes for me,” Sam told him. “I know you’re hurting. After you answer some questions, I can give you a painkiller. First you have to open those eyes of yours.”
Dean laid still for a minute. Then, he groaned again. Sam held Dean’s face in his hands. “Look at me, Dean. You need to open your eyes now.”
His lashes fluttered and then stopped.
“Almost,” Sam encouraged him. “You have to open them long enough to look at me.”
The next time they fluttered, they opened a slit, and then a little more.
“Good,” Sam smiled. He checked Dean’s pupils and asked, “What were we hunting?”
“Wen . . . Wen.”
“Wendigo. Right. What year is it?”
“2007,” Dean replied.
“That’s enough. I’ll get the narcotics.” Sam loaded another syringe. “You’re going to feel a poke.” He withdrew the needle and was met with Dean’s glare. “They’re strong and work quick. Next time you can pick out your own pain meds if you stay conscious. That’s the deal.”
Dean closed his eyes, but he was just resting. Sam could tell my his breathing that he hadn’t fallen asleep.
“He got you in the legs,” Sam explained the extent of Dean’s injuries. “The worst part was when he got your artery, but I think that it’s stitched up fine. You have stitches on both legs, mostly your thighs. Your back is beat up from your fall, but you probably won’t even notice that over the sutures on the cut where he almost took your manhood.”
Dean’s eyes popped open.
“You’re still intact, don’t worry.” Sam should have known that a comment like that would get Dean’s full attention.
Satisfied that Sam was telling the truth because no guy alive would joke about something like that, Dean fell back to sleep.
He dreamed of when he was little, before the fire. He’d been sick with a cold, and Mary had sat and colored with him between the fluids of all sorts that she tried to get him to drink. She let him lean into her, curled up under a blanket, while she read him his favorite book Even though he was sick, Dean had still felt pampered.
Mary made his favorite foods when he started feeling better. John had grumbled over the supper table and Mary had given him what for. Unbeknownst to Dean, Mary was pregnant with Sam and not feeling so well herself. She could take care of a sick child but her patience drew the line at a complaining husband.
“Hey, Jude,” Mary sang softly to him while he was trying to fall asleep. He had her lullaby memorized and still heard it in his head whenever he was hurt or upset. He treasured the connection that he still had with her.
But, she was dead and Dad was gone. The only reason he was still alive was Sammy.
“Wake up, Dean,” Sam was in his face. “You need to drink something, stay hydrated. I’ll pick up some energy bars across the street when it opens in the morning. We’ll keep your diet simple but you still need your fluids. I’m not sure how much blood you lost, but it’s more than I’m comfortable with.”
After taking a drink, Dean realized that the cool water was better than any 80’s rock song. He wanted to finish the glass, but Sam took it away. He told Dean he could only have a little at a time.
Dean scowled. He was the big brother. Sam was supposed to be following his orders, not the other way around.
“Give me that stubborn look of yours all you want,” Sam told him. “It doesn’t hurt me any. I’m still not letting you drink yourself into puking and losing what you have gotten down.”
“Sing to me,” Dean said slowly.
“I can’t sing, Dean. You know that. Want me to turn on the radio?”
“No.” Dean felt as if he was going to cry. “Miss Mom.”
Sam’s heart broke a little for him. He ran his fingers through Dean’s hair as he spoke. “I do, too. She must have sang to you when you were sick, right? It’s great that you can remember that. I’m thankful for the short time you had with her. She must have taught you how folks should be cared for because I know you didn’t get your bedside manner from Dad.”
That earned Sam a smile.
“When I got sick at college, Jess took good care of me. It wasn’t the same, though. It bothered me because it wasn’t you. Must be like how you miss Mom more when you’re hurt. Everyone has that someone who can make it all better.”
“It’s just me and you.”
“Yeah,” Sam agreed. “That’s okay, though. In certain ways, I think it’s always just been the two of us.”
Dean didn’t get to voice his agreement before sleep dragged him under.
“I wish I could remember Mom,” Sam spoke softly as he continued stroke Dean’s hair. “When I try to picture Mom, I see you. It’s not a bad thing. I just don’t have a hole in my heart where she used to be.”
Sam stopped his hand movements and sighed. He was tired. It had been a long day and the light of the next one was already coming in the curtains.
They were a team, just as they’d always been at school and on hunts. They had all they needed to handle whatever life decided to throw at them--each other.
Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 1
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: general Series
Prompt: 5 - Two Out of Three Aint Bad by Meatloaf
Rating: R
Word Count: 2,021
Summary: Dean gets a call in the middle of the night that changes his life.
Dean had the shovel over one shoulder and the duffel over the other. What had started out as an unseasonably cool, misty fall evening had turned into a thunderstorm with driving rain. His hair was plastered to his scalp. Rain rolled down his neck and invaded the warmth under his leather jacket.
Visibility was low on the way to the motel. He had to make a real effort to keep his speed down when all he wanted was a hot shower and sleep. His droopy eyes peered through the rain, thankful to see the rundown motel sign with only the letters 'o' and 'l' lit up.
Desperately trying to get rid of the chill under the water that never got warmer than tepid and had lousy shower pressure, Dean shifted from foot to foot as he rubbed his hands on his arms.
"Come on, come on." Dean scowled at the showerhead and the water turned ice cold in revenge. "Shit!" He leapt out of the tub so fast that he stumbled and tore part of the shower curtain.
Shivering was supposed help his body warm up. Dean knew it as a fact. Their father had hammered first aid into both him and Sam. At the moment, the movement didn't seem to be helping Dean. He dried off as best he could, bundled up in his warmest sweat suit and thick socks, and huddled under the covers.
As he laid there in the dark, he knew he hadn't been eating enough of the right foods. He hadn't been sleeping enough and he'd spent too much time running on empty. It was going to catch up with him. If he could just fall asleep, he'd take better care of himself starting tomorrow. He could sleep in, find a grocery store and actually use the small fridge and microwave that came with the room. Well, he'd have to bleach them out first.
The shrill sound of his cell phone ripped Dean from his peaceful slumber. He slapped at the nightstand, finding his phone just before it vibrated onto the phone.
"Yeah?" he cleared his throat when it came out at as croak.
"Who am I speaking with?" a woman asked him.
Dean sat up and turned on the lamp. One look at his watch told him that he'd only been asleep for two hours. He didn't have long before the sun would cut through the cheap curtains. "Do you know what time it is, lady?"
"Almost four o'clock." She was all business. "Can I get your name, please?"
He glanced at his ID and it read 'Unavailable'. "Who the hell is this?"
"Nurse Lacy from County General."
"Is Sam hurt?" Dean hadn't seen him for a year but that didn't change how he felt about the kid.
"I don't know any Sam. If you'll be patient with me and answer my questions, I'll be able to tell you more information sooner."
"Dean. Dean Winchester."
"What do you drive?"
"1967 Chevy Impala."
"What color?"
"Black. Why?"
“I was given your number by Tami Carr. She was able to give me just a few details about you.”
“Okay. Why did she need to call me?”
“She didn’t want to call you. She’s in labor and is going to sign away her rights. The baby can’t be given up for adoption unless you’ve signed the papers, too. That’s why I’m calling.”
“She’s in labor?”
“Yes. She says you’re the father.” Silence. “Hello?”
“I’m here. I mean, I’ll be there. To get the baby.”
“So, you’re not going to sign away your rights?”
“No. I’ll . . . what do I need to bring?”
“Just yourself.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t let anyone take my baby. I’m coming.”
“We don’t make a habit of that,” Nurse Lacy’s heart felt lighter after hearing how happy Dean was at the news. “Drive careful.”
After shutting his phone, Dean copied the number and address of the hospital into his journal just in case the slip in his wallet got lost. He rolled his stiff shoulders and tried to crack his neck. Groaning, he twisted and turned until he made his neck and back worse than it was before.
If he could just drink enough coffee to make it through four states to the hospital, he’d be happy. After that, he could worry about purchasing baby items and selecting a place to stay. Oh, he'd have to get that extra rest somewhere in there, too.
000000
The weather didn’t warm up as the sun rose. More dark clouds rolled in and icy drizzle that turned to a pounding torrent in a heartbeat were in the imminent future. At the last Gas Stop/Convenience Store, Dean was able to find replacement wiper blades, and bags of snacks that at least resembled real foods. The dehydrated apple chips and spicy jerky (not the kind conformed to a tube) weren’t bad. A couple bottles of cola gave him a break from coffee.
He was getting closer and closer to the hospital. Doubts were beginning to pop up in his head. Was he ready to be a dad? How bad would hunting screw up a kid? In the case of their dad with he and Sam, how had that one turned out? Was it better to stay with family or would they have been better off placed somewhere else?
All Dean knew from a young age was to look out for his little brother. The word ‘family’ was used so often and never explained. When they were on hunts, they saw other families that had been ripped apart by something supernatural that the Winchesters were trying to kill or send away. Sometimes it brought peace to the family that had caught their attention to the problem in the first place. Most of the time, it just prevented the same tragedy from happening over and over.
Dean and Sam learned early on that family was who loved you. Bobby, Father Murphy, Harvelles, Caleb, Jefferson and Missouri were considered family.
Because he had been thrown into hunting at such a young age, there had been a couple of times when Dean had made contact with a small child who had been traumatized. He’d been patient and able to coax the child out of their shell. He wasn’t able to get answers from the kids but he could get breadcrumbs, and that was something.
He’d had a big part in raising Sammy and he never regretted spending time with his little brother instead of going out to find some friends his own age. They’d be moving on in a month or so, and it was easier to hang around Sam who already knew what hunts involved and how careful they had to be so that Child Protective Services didn’t take Dean and Sam away. Most kids thought living in a motel was cool. Dean just let the kids think that. He wanted to be the loner kid who no one bothered. If how they lived gave him some credibility, he'd take it. He'd be able to insure Sam's safety easier that way.
Sam had been a quick learner in anything he wanted to know about. Sometimes hunting fit in that category and other times it didn't. He devoured all that he could find about folklore and legends. When it came to training and bringing what he had read about into practical use in the field, he only went to try to keep Dean safe.
The one summer Sam played soccer, Dad hadn't been happy but he'd let them stay in one place. Both of them pled with him and promised to train extra hard if he allowed them those three months. Dean sat in the bleachers during practice and attended each game. On days when neither was scheduled, they completed training before the sun had enough time to make it too uncomfortable, napped during the hottest hours and practiced soccer in the empty lot until dark.
He'd heaped praise on Sam for studying. He was proud of Sam's grades, even as he had to leave Sam at the door of the school and then take his fake ID and try to hustle before class was out. Dean had known his academic career was non-existent but he wanted Sam to have options spread out before him. He later thought that Sam could have parted on better terms on his way to Stanford. It still felt like a physical injury when he remembered the anger in Sam's eyes directed at him. If he'd known what Sam had planned for that evening, he would have had arguments prepared for their dad. As it was, he had none. He could just stand there, dumbfounded, which Sam mistook as agreeing with the words shouted at him.
Day turned into night. He was getting closer and closer to a future that he was unsure of. He was twenty-three and had never learned how typical folks lived. Sure, he could pretend for a short period of time. That was all he'd been required to do. How was he going to not only convince a nurse that he was a responsible adult but also avoid any mistakes that might make her think he was weird and have social services check up on him? He couldn't just panic and break a baby out of a hospital. Could he? Didn't they have some kind of Lo-Jack on them these days?
Pulling into town, he made one last stop before his destination. He squinted in the dingy bathroom mirror and took a couple deep breaths. He could do this. He had to do this. He changed into his jeans with just a couple small holes and a white t-shirt. It was as good as he was going to look.
His heavy boots resounded on the tile floor. When he spotted the front desk, he flashed the young lady a smile. Then, he remembered he needed to blend in and be responsible, not charming. He toned down his smile.
"Sir? May I help you?"
"Yeah," his throat tightened up until he cleared it. "I received a call from Nurse Lacy. She asked me to come here."
"Nurse Lacy? I know her. Let me call, see if she's on tonight." After a short conversation, she hung up and turned back to Dean. "You're in luck. Nurse Lacy is working the overnight shift so she's just coming on duty. She's on her way down to meet you. Would you like to have a seat?"
After he shook his head, he tried not to pace. His heart was pounding out of his chest and he hoped no one could tell.
A matronly woman appeared. "Dean? This way, please."
"Nurse Lacy? How is . . . I mean, did everything go okay after we spoke? I didn't want to stop to call and check, I thought it would be better to just get here--" Dean fell into step with her and couldn't help his nervous flood of words.
She warmly smiled at him. "Everyone is healthy, don't you worry."
Freshly scrubbed and gowned up, Dean sat in the rocking chair surrounded by tiny beds with babies. It was a sea of pink and blue.
"These two have been waiting to meet you," Nurse Lacy pulled a bed bigger than the others over to Dean. "Your daughter is four minutes younger than your son."
"They're so small." Dean leaned closer but didn't reach toward them.
"Twins are a bit on the little side. There are two of them growing in a room built for one. It won't be long before they are just as big as the other babies here. But, we might need to keep them a couple extra days to get up to a weight where we're comfortable discharging them."
"Whatever is best for them. Wow. Twins."
"Would you like to hold them?"
"Really? Yeah."
The nurse put a pillow under each of Dean's arms before she laid the bundles in them. She took the first family picture. Dean was the proud, beaming father. Someone he never thought he'd ever get a chance to be.
Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 7
Fandom: Supernatural
Claim: General Series
Prompt: 4 - Heaven by Warrant
Rating: R
Word Count: 2,546
Summary: Dean gets married.
"So . . . I noticed that Daisy seems to be here more than I am. Anything you want to tell me?"
Dean set his beer down on the table. "You know how attached she is to the kids."
"How about you?"
"I'm partial to Knut and Linnae." He smirked.
"You know what I mean."
"Daisy isn't hard to figure out. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body."
Sam worded his next question carefully. "Are you attracted to her?"
"I have to be so careful. I can't screw up our friendship."
"You want a serious relationship with her. And it scares the shit out of you."
"I'm not . . . No, I'm not scared. I don't know if I could take her rejection."
"Have you seen Daisy? The way she looks at you?" Sam scoffed. "There's no way she'd turn you down."
"We both know that she's simple, Sam. I don't want to just date her. She's a part of my future. If we have to stay friends, that is fine. Hanging in the middle, dating each other but unable to move forward, isn't me."
000000
Dean sat in the Impala, wishing he had some alcohol to calm his nerves. He knew smelling like a brewery would not make a good impression and had to settle for the familiar scent of the leather seats.
His boots weren't new and he wasn't dressed different from when he hunted except for the fact that his jeans didn't have holes in them.
A balding man answered the door and noticed that Dean was by himself. "Hi. Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, they're fine. Daisy was going to take them to the park right after 'Sesame Street'."
"That show's still on?"
Dean smiled. "You bet. It's much easier to listen to than the new shows they're coming out with. Aliens, inanimate objects and vehicles have annoying voices. It's like a requirement for the cartoons."
"Where are my manners? Come in." He welcomed Dean into his living room. "The twins have a birthday coming up. Have they hit the terrible twos?"
"I'm not sure about that, Sir. I've heard that threes can be worse."
The older man laughed. "Sir? I think we're past that stage, Dean. Too many suppers at your table to be formal."
Nodding, Dean fidgeted in his seat. He was unable to look anywhere but the coffee table between them.
"What's on your mind? Something has you on edge."
"Daisy and I have known each other for awhile now, and some of that time has been spent dating." Dean cleared his throat. "All we've ever done is kiss, Frank, I swear."
"She told me. She doesn't lie, I don't know if she can. I remember the first time she tried to kiss you and you discouraged her in a way that was kind and honorable."
Dean's ears turned red. "She told you about that?"
"You were probably still on your way home when we were talking about it. Explaining to her that all friends can hug but only certain ones can kiss was smart."
"She'd seen Jill give Sam a quick peck and I think it made her wonder where she fit in."
"Giving her a secure place in the lives of Knut and Linnae was a great start."
"I want to make her a permanent part of our family. Frank, I'd like to marry Daisy, with your blessing."
With tears in his eyes, Frank smiled. "I know you'll take care of my little girl."
000000
"Why were you wrapped around that intern, then? Am I just convenient when you're in town?"
"Convenient! When in the hell has this been about my convenience?" Jill's shrill voice carried through the closed door.
Dean and Daisy had been watching a movie when the other couple walked in. They'd tried to ignore Sam and Jill when their discussion traveled through the house. When they were hearing Jill loud and clear, Dean pulled Daisy closer as he curved his arm around her.
"Why don't we hear Sam?" she asked as she laid her head on Dean's shoulder and took his other hand in hers.
"He doesn't want to wake the kids. She doesn't care who hears her."
"Don't you dare! How can you use family as an excuse--" Jill's latest rant was interrupted by wailing.
"Knew she'd do that," Dean grumbled. He went into the nursery and Daisy followed. After a quick diaper check, the four of them returned to the couch. It was easy to fall into a doze while holding a sleeping baby.
Jill's dramatic exit was to stomp all the way to the front door and slam it on her way out.
Sam sighed as he approached the couch. "Oh, gees. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." He began to rub his temple.
"Want to help me with bedtime take two?" Dean smiled.
"Like I could ever say no to that."
When they got back downstairs, Daisy was putting the finishing touches on hot chocolate. She already had a plate of sugar cookies on the table.
"Jill won't be coming around anymore."
Dean's response was, "We figured that."
"Sorry," was the best Daisy could come up with in the awkward situation.
"I caught her cheating. She didn't even bother to try to hide it," Sam stirred the marshmallows around as they melted.
"Want me to kick her ass?"
"She's a tiny girl, Dean. I don't think that is necessary."
"Your my little brother. I at least have to offer."
"Appreciate the thought, but I'll survive without siccing you on her."
"If she pisses me off, can I let her have it?"
"Just with words. Otherwise we get into the grey area of lock picks and jailbreaks. They're great in movies and suck in real life."
"Suppose I have to be a responsible dad now."
"Yep. Hey, when do we start planning out the backyard playground for the kids?"
"Sometime after the wedding?" Daisy smiled. "Let's handle one event at a time."
000000
"Frank, she could talk to Dean about it. Don't you trust him?" Anna took a sip of coffee as she looked at her longtime friend.
"Weddings are women's things. Men just have to show up. I have money for it, but I can't help her pick anything out."
"I'll be thrilled to help her with her wedding. I can give her the Mother/Daughter talk if you want me too, but you could do that on your own." She saw the horror-stricken look on his face and quickly offered, "I'll do the talk, just mind your blood pressure."
"I can't thank you enough."
"Am I invited to the service?"
"Of course."
"That is all I could ask for. Would you like more coffee?"
"Sure. You can tell me what a dad's duties are since all I know is I walk her down the aisle."
"Bingo. That's it. Do you know how old your suit is?"
"I can't remember if it fits," he hated to admit.
She seemed way too happy. "We'll need to take you shopping!"
000000
"How was your day with Anna?"
"I found the perfect dress, Dad!" Daisy's excitement rolled off her in waves. "It makes me look like a princess! And a crown-thing that holds the long veil!" She twirled around once or twice. Dropping her voice, she said, "Anna said to tell you we had the talk so you wouldn't worry. Hey! Why didn't you tell me she helped you find a new suit? Can I see it?"
Frank put on his new white shirt and black suit. He tried not to think of how embarrassed he'd been to have Anna fussing over him in the Men's department. He would have grabbed the first one that fit (meaning he could breathe comfortably in it) and left. Anna actually looked at the cut of the coat. It made a difference. Who knew?
"I really like the suit. Do you have a tie?"
"There's three for you to pick from." Frank the small boxes to show her the different patterns. "I just let Anna pick them after the look she shot me when I pointed one out."
"Well, you look very handsome in your suit. Did you leave anything out to make for supper?"
"What do we usually have on Saturdays? Do you need the car to go to Dean's?" he called from the other room as he changed back into his regular clothes.
She took the partially thawed meat out of the fridge. "Dean is going to drive tonight. We're going to a movie."
"He got a babysitter?"
"Sam's home."
Once he was in the kitchen, he asked, "Still not dating?"
"Nope. He says he wants quality time with Knut and Linnae. We're going to pick up his favorite pizza on the way home from the early movie."
"It's great that you'll share your date nights with Sam."
"He is Dean's brother. He'll be mine, too."
"I'm so proud of you," Frank hugged her. "Did I ever tell you my happiest day?"
"The day I was born." Daisy grinned. "You finally got to meet me."
"That's right." Frank launched into the story that Daisy had heard hundreds of times.
000000
The little church was decorated and Anna played the piano. Dean stood alone at the front of the church. He appeared to be patiently waiting but Sam could tell he was nervous. Knut and Linnae walked down the aisle, holding hands and ringing bells. When they reached Dean, he took the bells and set them aside. Then, they waited with Dad for the ceremony to begin.
Sam escorted Melanie down the aisle. Sam had a new suit and she wore her Sunday best. She held a small bouquet of white roses.
Frank was fighting to hold the tears back as they stood at the rear of the church. He gave Daisy a kiss before pulling down her front veil.
"Are you ready for this? We can still just go home."
"Daddy!"
"I know. Plan on me being there for every dinner. I don't want to be making meals for one."
"Our door is always open. We'll be visiting you, too."
Frank nodded. "I think they are waiting for us."
"I'll always be your baby girl. I just live down the street."
"I'm not giving away a daughter, I'm getting a family."
Daisy picked up her pink tulips and linked arms with her dad. "Let's go, Daddy."
000000
"Why didn't you bring a date?"
"You're as blunt as ever, aren't you, Mel?" Sam smiled at his friend. "I tried dating. Didn't work out."
"So? Find someone else."
"I'm pacing myself. It's a small town."
Melanie gave Sam a hard look.
"I'm a wimp?" He shrugged and tried not to blush.
"You can't expect the right gal to show up on your doorstep."
"I know. Maybe you can find her for me."
"I've kept my eyes open. Haven't found one sweet enough for you."
"Aww. You're trying to make me puke. Think Rusty is missing you yet?"
"Brady's keeping him busy. Kid loves the cake and I don't allow sugar at our house."
"He's hell on wheels. That's what you're saying."
"Rusty's the one who gave him cake on the sly. This'll learn him."
"You're mean. Why'd he marry you again?"
"I think someone's flirting with you."
Sam looked over to where Melanie indicated, which happened to be where Dean and Daisy were standing. A little face with curls peeked out from behind Daisy's skirt and quickly hid again when she saw Sam. All he could see was Linnae's fist as she gripped the flowing dress. "Where's her partner in crime?"
"Daisy's dad had Knut earlier."
"I have to go check on them. Let Frank visit."
"Need my help?"
"Um, I think you'd better rescue Rusty. Brady just smeared frosting all over him."
"That is a new suit!" She flew to her feet and yelled, "Brady Elliot!" Both Rusty and Brady looked up, eyes wide.
Grateful that he wasn't Rusty, Sam played peek-a-boo with the cutest little lady until he could swoop her up in his arms. She patted his face and babbled, "Am, am, am, am."
"That's right, sweetie. Got a kiss for me?"
She grinned wide after leaving spit on his cheek.
"You know where Knut is? Let's find him." Knut was easy to find once Sam heard his laugh. He was on Frank's lap, crashing trucks together. "He keeping you entertained, Frank?"
"You bet."
"I can take him. Your family and friends are here today. You should catch up with them."
"I was showing him off. Would've taken Linnae if she wasn't so attached to Daisy." He looked at the cars as he continued, "I gave my baby girl away today. She's my life. What do I do now?"
"You've gained a crew of Winchesters for all your troubles. You won't have to ever be alone if you don't want to."
"My family had their own ideas about how I should have raised Daisy. She needed extra patience and that rubbed some relatives the wrong way. It was easier to lose contact with those that weren't helping, which ended up being most of them."
Sam nodded his understanding. "We don't have any kin, either. We're thrilled to have you, Daisy, and Anna around.. Melanie, Brady and Rusty we've known since before we moved to Shadow Lake. You guys are our family."
"I'm going home to an empty house."
"I'm taking home two overtired toddlers. Want to come with?"
"Really?"
"We have the extra room and I could use an extra set of hands."
"I'll go home with you since you need my help." Frank had to hang on to his pride.
"Umpa!" Linnae reached out to him. When Frank held her, she tucked her face in his neck, gripped his tie in both hands and snuggled in. She felt that she had earned herself a nap.
"We can say our goodbyes to Daisy and Dean. These two need to get to bed."
"When do they leave on their honeymoon?"
"Impala's packed. They leave from the reception."
It was easy to find the special couple. Just because it was their wedding day, Dean accepted a hug from Sam, Frank and even Rusty. Daisy was teary-eyed as they said their goodbyes. She promised to call home everyday if Dean didn't.
000000
Daisy stared at her mother's wedding ring. Now, it was hers, cleaned up and sparkly. She wondered what her mom felt like on her wedding day, and was sad because she'd never know.
"Hey, Baby. Do you like it?" Dean wrapped his strong arms around her waist. Suddenly, she realized how lucky she was. She felt protected and safe, loved and cherished. She was the only woman who would ever be Dean Winchester's wife. "I thought you'd like the beach."
"I do, I do." She tried to hide a yawn. "Today started so early. I didn't sleep very well last night."
"Worried about today?"
"I thought about how that would be my last night sleeping in my room or listening to my dad snore."
Dean smiled at her. "If you're tired, let's just go to sleep. We're here for a few days. Let's stargaze another night."
"Hmm. That sounds good."