#...and i was starting college so it was trouble to squeeze in spn time

[coridallasmultipass]

This is "SuperWhoLockSTUCK" erasure, and I will not sit idly by as history is rewritten.

[self-proclaimed-chaotic-good]

True Winchester Fashion | Adam Milligan x Reader (Oneshot?)

Prompt: Meet Cute

Fandom: Supernatural

Warnings: Mentions of gore, minor swearing, only brief fluff because Winchesters can’t catch a break

Words: 1643

A/N: This was supposed to be fluffy, why am I like this? I haven’t caught up with SPN, all I know from S15 is Adam’s brief appearance. This is another idea I had way before S15, revised to fit his current situation, of how they would bring back Adam again in my vain hope of him recurring more often.

-

The bar wasn’t exactly your thing, but your friends wanted to celebrate the end of the grueling final exams and teased you for being boring. All you wanted to do was borrow your neighbor’s netflix account and relax with a tub of ice cream. They weren’t having it and were determined to get you laid. You were determined to make sure they don’t get in trouble and drive them home.

Three shots in and your little group had already attracted unwanted attention. Three guys at the billiards table kept glancing at your group, whispering among each other while smirking and laughing. You only hoped that they’d keep their distance, but that may be wishful thinking.

“Hey, we’re going to the bathroom,” one of your friends said, “Can you watch our drinks?”

“Of course,” you said.

They swung an arm around each other’s neck and made their way towards the heavily graffitied restrooms, dodging other patrons on their way in. You sighed, wondering how many bottles they were going to drink before they called it a night. It was a pain to clean up their vomit from your backseat last time. A price to pay for being the designated driver.

From the corner of your eye, you could see those three guys putting down their pool cue sticks and making their way towards the bar area. You let out a shaky breath, glancing back at the bathroom doors for your friends.

“Hey, is this seat taken?” You turned and saw a man with a pair of familiar hazel eyes standing next to you. He smiled. “I’m Adam, by the way.”

“I know. We had a few classes together,” you said, briefly looking away to hide how flustered you were at his sudden appearance. “You borrowed my notes for Micro lab once.”

“Yeah, (Y/n), right?” You nodded. “Let me return the favor and make sure that the three little piggies over there don’t bother you.”

You sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

Adam hopped onto the stool next to you and ordered a beer. “So, got any plans for the break?”

“Not really. Mostly work. You?”

He sighed. “I was hoping to visit family, but they haven’t answered any of my calls. Must be a busy year for them with the whole… family business thing.”

“Family business? What does your family do?”

“Uh,” he paused, taking a swig of his beer.

He could still say they were hunters, but he didn’t want to go off on a tangent of what they hunt. Once, he had to deal with someone’s rant about the ethics of hunting animals and while he knew you, he didn't know you enough to know whether you’d do that. He looked down at the bottle and found an answer.

“Brewing. My family owns a brewing company. Winchester and Milligan, or W and M. It’s small, but it’s something.” He shook his head and pointed his bottle at you. “What about you?”

“I work at the library,” you said with a shrug, “Boring, I know.”

Adam shook his head. “No, not boring at all. Is it the public library?”

“Museum library, actually.”

“Even cooler!” You looked down bashfully, shaking your head at him. “It’s true!”

You and Adam chatted for almost half an hour when you realized that your friends were taking too long. You frowned, checking your phone for any messages and found none. Adam could sense your distress, but you excused yourself to go and check on them in the bathroom.

Passing two couples in a heavy makeout session, you squeezed your way to the bathroom, calling out the names of your friends. They weren’t at the sinks, so you made your way towards the stalls, looking out for their shoes. Halfway down, you found a sight that made your stomach churn. A scream was stuck in your throat as you shakily opened the stall door.

There was a high pitched noise, then it went dark.

Everyone near the bathrooms heard the scream, but no one dared to move. Adam cursed under his breath rushing over and bursted through the door. He found you collapsed on the sticky floor next to a pool of blood. He checked you for a pulse, which was faint, and if you had any injuries. Seeing that you had only fainted, he gently propped you up against the wall and stood to investigate the blood. It was one of your friends slumped over the toilet seat, neck viciously ripped open, lifeless eyes left wide open.

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered. His brothers better answer their damn phones this time.

-

In true Winchester fashion, when one case is finally closed, another one opens up. They had done a full day of well earned rest when their little brother called them, sending several text messages when they didn’t answer. It wasn’t how they wanted to reunite with him, but that was just how it was going to be.

They rolled up to the bar, red and blue lighting up the parking lot. An ambulance was parked on the side with what looked to be a college student wrapped in a blanket sitting at the back being examined by medics.

Sam and Dean flashed their badges and were allowed to pass the police tape. Tucking their badges away, they spotted Adam next to the ambulance talking to one of the medics. They nodded at him, making their way towards the sheriff to get the formalities out of the way.

“According to those two kids there,” the sheriff said, gesturing to Adam and the college student before leading Sam and Dean into the bar, “Their friends had gone to the bathroom and didn’t come out for almost half an hour. One went to check on them and fainted and I don’t blame them. You might want to brace yourselves for this one, agents.”

“Trust me, in our line of work, nothing surprises us,” Dean said with a smirk.

Adam watched his brothers go before turning back to you. The medics had cleared you, saying that you were still in shock but you were okay to leave. He led you away from the ambulance, replacing the blanket with his jacket.

“Don’t worry, (Y/n), they’ve got this covered,” he assured you.

You remained silent, still trying to come to terms with what had happened to your friend and wondering what kind of monster would have done this. There was also the fact that your other friend was missing from the scene and could not be contacted. It all happened so fast, how could this have happened in less than an hour with no one noticing?

You didn’t realize how long you were just standing there, spacing out, until Adam started speaking again. “I’m going to talk to the feds over there, okay? You’ll be okay, right?”

You nodded. He gave you a once over filled with concern, fixing his jacket over your shoulders before walking towards the towering federal agents that came to investigate. You blinked, a strange thought that they would pass as brothers. The agents looked over at you and gave you a polite smile and a nod of acknowledgement, then turned their attention back to Adam.

“They’re cute. Nice touch with the jacket,” Dean teased, “Look at our little bro carrying down the family legacy of being a casanova.”

Sam huffed out a laugh. “We’ll talk about his love life later,” he said, “What do you guys think?”

“Vampire?” Adam guessed, “Is messy toilet murder their M.O.?”

Sam shook his head. “Well, they usually try to be more discreet. It’s also possible that they’ve taken the friend back to their den. Did you notice anyone going in and out of the bathroom?”

“No, I-”

“He was probably busy chatting up his cute friend over there,” Dean said. Adam glared at him, earning a playful smirk in return and a slap on the shoulder. “I’ll go ask around for any more witnesses.”

“Hey,” Sam said, snapping Adam’s attention away from their older brother, “Let’s get this over with and we’ll catch up later, okay?”

Adam nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, and, uh… (Y/n) is still in shock, so be careful with them.”

Sam suppressed a chuckle. “Dude, you realize how long we’ve been doing this gig? I know. We’ll see you later.”

You were holding Adam’s jacket tighter around you, the image of your friend in the bathroom engraved into your brain. They were just slumped over like a life size doll, the smell of iron and piss in the air, the loud rock music mixed with moans from the couples making out, it was all like a scene in a movie that you couldn’t believe you were in. There was no scream or ruckus or anything and suddenly they’re gone just like that.

One of the federal agents walked up to you, going through the usual greetings and then the questionings. You told him what you told the sheriff, doubting that it was going to be much help. Then, he started to ask questions that caught you off guard. If there were any disappearances in the last month, anyone you knew that started acting differently and particularly avoiding going outside. You answered with the best of your abilities before you were dismissed.

A coworker had heard what happened and came to pick you up, reassuring you that your car could be picked up the next morning. Before you climbed into her car, you looked around for Adam who seemed to have left already. Frowning, you put on his jacket properly before ducking in.

A shadow stood at the back of the bar, watching the car leave. The shadow remained where they were, watching the two federal agents until they left in their ‘67 Chevy Impala. They needed to report to the Alpha.

[waywardnewcomer]

Built-in Best Friends Part One

A/N: I’M BACK! I thought I’d start my return off with some fresh meat! This is going to be an ongoing series, so I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list.

Summary: Y/N has first day jitters, but as always Tom is on hand to calm her down.

Warnings: Anxiety, Panic Attack, Fluff

Pairings: Reader x Thomas Padalecki, Jensen x Daughter!Reader, Danneel x Daughter!Reader

Word Count: 1.3K

Series Masterpost

Since Y/N could remember, the one person by her side was Thomas Colton Padalecki. She was born 5 days after him, and with the closeness of their families, he came as a built-in best friend. He was there when she started school and when he began to play football she was at all his games. When Y/N was getting bullied Tom was there to fight them off. Tom’s first date, Y/N helped him get ready and impress the girl. Tom sat with Y/N through her first period, her first heartbreak and the days where she just didn’t want to get out of bed. In return, Y/N cheered him on at every football game, got him through his first heartbreak and helped keep him out of fights. They were each other’s rock since day one and it seemed like nothing would break them up.

“So, your kids are going into senior year, does that make you feel old?” The interviewer asked Jared and Jensen, laughing when they put on a shocked face.

“To be honest, very. It seems like yesterday I was holding Y/N in my arms, now she’s 17 going into senior year and I have 4 kids,” Jensen laughed running a hand down his face. His eyes sparkling remembering the day you were born.

“And to think Supernatural has lasted that long.” Jared laughed, clapping Jensen on the back. “Them two are amazing, they’ve always got each other’s backs and are a great help with our wives at home.” Jared smiled sincerely, looking over at the two of you stood giggling about something on your phone, Tom’s arm lazily wrapped around your shoulder.

“Any romance on the cards?” The interviewer laughed, looking over at the two of you with a smile.

“I don’t know. In one sense that’s my baby girl, and no one is touching my baby girl. But on the other hand, Tom is a gentleman. I’d be lucky to have a guy treat her as well as he does.” Jensen smiled and patted Jared on the back. “You raised him well.”

“Thanks, bud, you too,” He smiled, zoning out for the next few minutes looking at the two of you. He had a mission, and he was sure Gen and Danneel would be all for it.

After a long day of watching your Dad do interviews all you wanted to do was sleep, but your mind wouldn’t let you. You suffered from anxiety and thinking about starting senior year tomorrow was putting your mind into a tailspin. What if you fail? Don’t get into any colleges? What if your friends don’t want you anymore? What if you're late? What if you fall? Get laughed at? The thoughts began invading your head as you felt your breath getting quicker and shallower. You were going to have a panic attack.

You quickly knocked on the wall behind your bed, put the window on the latch and slid down the wall. You put your head between your legs and tried to focus on your breathing as your tears rolled down your hot cheeks.

Almost instantly Tom had climbed through the window and was sat by your side, whispering in your head and rocking you back and forth. He grabbed your hand and put it on his chest reminding you to breathe with him. He had sadly become an expert at this, knowing the routine off by heart.

“Did you remember to take your meds today?” Tom asked quietly once you’d began to breathe normally and collapsed in his chest.

“I set up a reminder like you told me,” You whispered, wiping away your tears and sniffling.

“Okay, so we write this down and take it back to your Doctor. It’s been too many with your medications now. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you every step of the way and we’ll get it sorted.” He whispered, kissing your hair and rubbing your arm.

You stayed there for a while listening to his heartbeat wondering how you got so lucky to have a best friend like him.

“Tomorrow, I’ll be right outside waiting for you. We walk in together, get our schedules and I’ll walk you to your first class. It’s gonna be alright, we’ve done this plenty of times before. We’re experts now.” He laughed, as he counted the things off on your fingers.

“But what if I make you late to class?” You asked timidly, not liking when you get him into trouble.

“Then I’ll say I had an appointment, my Mom will back it up,” He explained softly, always knowing the right thing to calm you down.

“Okay,”

“You feeling better?” He asked, looking down at you.

“Lots, thank you,”

“Always,”

Your door creaked open and your Mom took one look before her expression turned to a worried one.

“Another one?” She asked softly, frowning as she cautiously made her way over to you. You sometimes liked to be left alone during a panic attack, the only exception being Tom.

“Yeah, Tom sorted me out,” You mumbled. “Like always. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. You got stuck with me.”

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be, trust me.” He smiled, squeezing your arm before jumping up.

“Right Aunt Danneel, I’ll leave her in your capable arms. I’ll be by at 7:30 tomorrow to pick you up, and you better be ready.” He laughed, knowing how much time you take in the morning to actually wake up.

“Thanks, Tom. I really appreciate it.” You smiled, giving him a hug and watching him crawl back through the window to his room.

“That boy can never use the front door,” Danneel sighed, laughing softly. “You okay sweetie?”

“Just first day jitters, Tom sorted me out.” You smiled leaning into her chest.

“I’m glad you have him in your life.” She smiled at you kissing your head and leading you over to your bed. “Now you, young lady need sleep, do you need me to stay tonight?”

You looked at her temptingly and timidly nodded. 17 and needing your Mom to sleep in the same bed as you, anxiety sucks. She nodded and went out the room to change into her pj's. You got into bed and snuggled under your covers. She laid beside you and wrapped an arm around your waist.

“I’m 17 and need my Mom, I’m so pathetic.” You whispered, laughing sadly.

“Honey, you’ll never stop needing your Mom. I like coming and sleeping in here sometimes I miss my cuddles off my big girl.” She grinned, kissing your nose like she did when you were little.

“So that’s where my wife is.” Jensen chuckled from the doorway.

“Sorry Dad,” You mumbled, embarrassed.

“Hey, if you need your Mom I get it. But if you ever need me to sleep in here, say the word and I’ll come running.” He smiled, sitting next to you and stroking your back.

“Thanks, Dad,” You smiled, relaxing at his hand on your back.

The motion made you quickly fall asleep, it was something your Dad learned early on in your diagnosis. He did it when you couldn’t sleep as a child and it helped to relax you. He hated seeing his baby in so much pain, so any time he could relieve it he took the opportunity.

“Is she okay?” He asked once he was sure you were asleep.

“First day nerves, Tom came and calmed her down.” Danneel smiled at her husband, sparkle in her eye.

“He’d give the world for her, how’d we get so lucky?” Jensen chuckled kissing her softly.

“Thank Gen and Jared for that one. I just wish they’d figure out their feelings already. It’s killing me here!” Danneel laughed.

“They will, once they’re ready.” Jensen smiled over at his oldest child sleeping, knowing she’d be okay with her best friend by her side. “Night.”

“Night,” Danneel whispered, moving closer to you and staring at your sleeping face. “Figure it out baby girl, he loves you.” She smiled, knowing you were gonna be okay.

Next Part

Series Tags - Let me know if you wanna be added :)

Forever Tags: (people who have asked, let me know if you want adding) @creativedogs  @a-magey @natashacamillaus  @not-jk-rowling  @captainsherlockwinchester110283  @sleepylunarwolf @claitynroberts @theshortegg @unicornblood4ever @casiskween @robfangirl @fanficwithasideofcanon @jaremish @mlovesstories @lauren-novak  @hi-my-name-is-riley @spn-tw-37 @supernatural-teamfreewillpage

[sorenmarie87]

I call him Mr. Huggles

Summary:  You and Garth have a YouTube channel together - and do everything together.  He has always been your best friend but with the support of your followers, and your older brothers, will you take that leap from best friends to lovers?  

Square Filled: best friends to lovers (SPN Fluff Bingo) Pairing: Garth x Reader, Dean x Reader (sister)  Word Count: 1,476

Warnings: None.

A/N - Written for @spnfluffbingo  This is a modern AU - so no hunting.  

Forever Tags - @lovetusk​ @dragongirl420​ @mirajanefairytailmage​ @kazosa​ @soythedemonqueen​ @docharleythegeekqueen

SPN Tags - @clockworkmorningglory

It was your idea to start a youtube channel with Garth.  The two of you manage to do everything from crafting, cooking, weird challenges, and even some video game playthroughs.  Your most popular videos always involved Q&A from your subscribers.  You were in your shared office going over the list of new questions when Garth gently knocked on the door that you had open and handed you a cup of tea.

“You are a lifesaver Garth.”  He chuckled as he helped you get everything set up for the next video.  The two of you decided to film something a little bit different.  With your last video, you noticed a lot of the comments asking for the two of you to do a “relationship tag.” video.  Why did everyone assume you and Garth were together?

“About that time amigo.”  He heard you chuckle from the couch as the two of made yourselves comfy and started filming.

“Hey everybody welcome to Hunter’s Corner with Garth and Y/N! This week's episode will be something else, won't it Y/N?”

“Of course.  We got a request from our lovely viewers - to do another tag video.”  You heard Garth chuckle and take a drink of water before shifting towards you with a grin on his face. “I still don't understand why you guys are insisting that we do a relationship tag but we'll do it.”

You pulled up the list of questions you had saved on your phone.  “We are going to take turns asking each other these questions so that this video doesn't go on forever.”

“Our first question is when or where did we first meet?”

Garth chuckled with a huge grin before answering.  “We actually met in college.  We both are currently enrolled in the same dentistry school.”  

“My brothers’ actually introduced us when I was having trouble in one of my classes.  We became fast friends after that.”  You shifted slightly and handed Garth your phone.  “Okay so next question is what do we usually argue about?”

You actually had to think about that before you answered.  The two of you never really argued but there were two major instances where the two of you needed to be separated by someone. “Here's the thing we are pretty chill people so we don't argue that much.  We've only had two major arguments.”

“Yeah let it be known Y/N can get mighty feisty when she’s upset,  woo buddy.”

“It's the only time I can say that I've actually slapped someone in the face.  I felt so bad.”

“I was being kind of a jackass at the time..  Your brothers’ egging you on certainly didn’t help matters.”  

He handed you an open bottle of water after you finished your cup of tea.  You put your phone back in your pocket and switched over to your tablet,  so you could prop it up in front the two of you instead of passing your phone back and forth.  “We’ve learned our lesson about fighting fair.  Okay so onto the next question.”

“What's my favorite article of clothing?”

“I think it's all the clothes I end up stealing from him and wear around the house.”

“Believe me guys - she makes them look so much better than I ever could.”  You winked at the camera and you heard Garth laugh.  “It's true though.  Our next question is what's my favorite type of junk food?”

“That's an easy one - sweets of any kind.”

“We’ve been around each other too long.”  Garth heard you snort from laughing and you shook your head.  “She loves anything gummy or rice crispy treats.”

“I like what I like, sue me.”  You chuckled and smiled afterwards.  “Actually don't - you won't get much out of me.”

“Here's a hypothetical question - I'm ordering a pizza,  what's your preferred toppings?”

You knew your answer would cause another debate.  “I'm a ham and cheese kind of girl.  Although here recently I've been enjoying Hawaiian pizza.”

“Any topping is fine with me.”  He watched you make a face and bumped your shoulder with his.  “I know a lot of our viewers don't agree with pineapple on pizza.  It's not that bad honestly. Her brothers always give her such a hard time when she orders it.”

“Every time my oldest brother is over and we order pizza he’s like ‘'Y/N just order something normal.’  This coming from the man who salivates when someone even mentions the word pie.”

“Okay so moving onto the next question.”

“What film always makes me cry?”

“Any movie to be honest.”  He put his arm around you and gave you a gentle squeeze. “This one cries at anything.”

“Movie nights can be tricky at our house.”  You took a drink of water and watched Garth nod in agreement.  “

“What's my favorite video game?”  

“His favorite is definitely Castlevania.”

“She likes so many games though - it's hard to pick.”

“The next question is what's my nickname?”

You grinned at Garth and ruffled his hair.  “I sort of switch up what I call her.  Her friends call her Y/N/N and her brothers call her anything from squirt, short stack, etc.  I like to think she has this really epic nickname for me but -”

“My nickname for Garth is Mr. Huggles.  I mean he gives the best hugs.”  You watched as pink tinted his cheeks and you giggled to yourself.  “I'm joking - my nicknames for him change constantly.”

“Hey Y/N I know it's not on the list but do you wanna have dinner with me?”

“You mean like dress up, go out and all that? Garth, it sounds like -”

“Like I'm asking you on a date?  That's because I am.”

You actually chuckled to yourself and held up your tablet.  “Of course, I will gladly go on a date with you Garth.”  

“I guess this ties into the top comment someone left on our last video.”

“Impala67 left this on our last Q&A video and they said ‘I wish these two would realize how they feel about each.  I don't know how much more we can take.  Garth,  grow a set and ask her out already.’  

“That's all the time we have this week.  Let's us know what you want to see next down in the comments below and leave a like.  We’ll see you guys next time! Bye!”

The two of you smiled at each other as you ended the capture.  Making sure to save everything correctly, you handed everything off to Garth as he moved towards the desk so he could start editing and start the rendering process before the video posted.    

Garth was sitting in front of the computer the two of you shared with headphones on.  He was syncing up the audio and editing as he went along.  You were content with just watching him from where you were sitting as he worked.  Your phone was going off like crazy and you figured it was one of your brothers.  You were tapping out a text when you felt the couch dip.  Garth moved silently away from the computer and plopped down next to you on the couch.  

You felt him pull your body closer and you smiled at him.  “Why do you think it took us so long?” “I’d say our timing was off.”  You felt the warmth of his hand envelope yours with a light squeeze and he placed it over his heart.  “You’ve always had a place in here.”

“I forgot to tell you - there was a question I skipped because I didn’t want anyone but us to know just yet.”

“Which question was it?”

“When our first kiss was.”  Garth leaned over as you felt his lips press on to yours.  You would always remember your first kiss with Garth as sweet and tender.  He pulled back with a grin on his face as you moved your hand from his chest to the back of his neck.  Pulling him closer, you crashed your lips into his.  It wasn’t until you heard someone clearing their throat from the doorway that the two of you pulled apart.

“I see you took my advice Garth.”  He grinned with his arms folded as your face flushed.  “I know you’ll take care of my baby sister Garth, so I won’t give you too much of a hard time.”

“Thanks for the support, Dean.  It means a lot.”

“Just no nieces or nephews just yet okay?”  He said with a wink and left the two of you alone again.  

“What did he mean by advice?”  

“That comment that was left on the last video by Impala67?”

“THAT WAS DEAN?”  You chuckled as you laid your head on his shoulder.

“Yep.”

“Even your family could see that we belonged together Y/N.”  

“Our biggest shippers were my brothers’.  Do you know how weird that is?”  

“Very.”

[deans-fire-dragon]

What Comes After, SPN Fanfic, Gen, Chapter 10A

                                            banner by jessicarae24

Title: What Comes After Author: November'sGuest Character's: Sam and Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore, Sam's Stanford friends (most OCs), and a brief appearance by Missouri Mosley. Category: Hurt/Comfort, Horror, Angst, and AU Rating: T (PG-13) Spoilers: None beyond second season if any…it's pretty much AU. Disclaimer: Supernatural and its characters are the property of Eric Kripke and the CW. This is solely written for fun…obviously no profit made. Summary: Sam and Dean travel to Stanford to investigate recent deaths of college students after receiving a call from Rebecca Warren. Meanwhile, as Dean recovers from his injuries, his new and bizarre visions of Jessica continue to haunt him and Sam. Sequel to "The Wake-Up Call."

                                         Back to MASTERPOST

A/N: I’m so sorry guys, but I’m realizing that maybe the fact I’m taking so long to get this posted has caused some continuity errors. I haven’t been re-reading everything prior to the current chapter to make sure it all stays cohesive which is really bothering me. The problem is, when I try to go back and re-read the whole thing, I feel like my earlier writing has so many flaws that I need to stop and re-do all of it (which would seriously be a bad idea if I ever want to finish this). However, I did try to hit the highlights before posting this one and I’m hoping the errors aren’t so bad as to ruin the story for you.  Also, fair warning: this chapter is completely unbetaed. It’s 100% me—mistakes, warts and all. I’ve read it enough that my poor brain just registers static at this point, so apologies in advance for poor writing, negligence and any weirdness that may crop up. Hopefully, nothing is too distracting or problematic for your enjoyment. Given the cold response at FF.net, I'm kinda worried here. As always, thank you so much for reading and I look forward to reading your thoughts. *hugs*

                                     Chapter 10:  Warning Sign                              “I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in                               I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones                            That I started looking for a warning sign…”                                                                  ~Coldplay

Pancakes bubbled in the hot skillet as Lori and Chris debated blueberries versus chocolate chips—of which, they had neither, but that didn’t seem to matter much to the discussion. “Chocolate makes everything better.” “No, you’re thinking of bacon. Bacon makes everything better.” “What happened to team blueberry?” Lori snickered and gave Chris a playful shove. “Well, you see, blueberries are the bacon of the pastry world.” A knock on the door stopped Lori mid-laugh and they exchanged looks. Handing her spatula to Chris, she walked to the door and peeked outside. There stood Sam, head hanging, floppy hair hiding his face. Hands shoved deep in his pockets completed the look of a naughty child come to apologize. As soon as the door opened, his head came up and his cheeks colored. “Would it help if I said I’m sorry,” he began, “and I don’t know what came over me?” Lori crossed her arms. “Really!” he rushed.  I am sorry. My behavior—what I said—was totally uncalled for.” Her arms fell loosely by her sides. “Yeah, it was—” “I…I don’t—” he interrupted “—I mean, I’m pissed at Dean, I am. But I totally crossed the line. I’m not sure why I was so angry.” Sam shook his head helplessly and looked at her with wide hazel eyes. A basset hound had nothing on this kid. She smiled and stood aside. “Come on, this may be your only chance to see Chris cooking.” Sam ducked his head and crossed the threshold. He stopped short when he caught sight of Dean asleep on the couch immediately to his right. Concern pulled his brows in, made him frown. “Is he okay? I-I didn’t even ask earlier.” “I think so—relatively speaking.” Sam frowned, but he didn’t look particularly surprised. “What do you mean?” She sighed, wondering how much information she should give Sam—what Dean would be okay with him knowing and what he needed to know. “After you left, he had a bad breathing attack. Turned blue and scared us to death.” She shrugged. “But we gave him his inhaler and that seemed to take care of it. He’ll be worn out the rest of the day, though. Attacks that severe really sap the body’s energy levels.” She watched Dean for a second and, seeing no signs of distress, turned toward the kitchen. “Go ahead and help yourself to some coffee. Breakfast will be ready in a minute.” She exchanged glances with Chris when he handed the spatula back to her. Removing the pancakes from griddle to platter, she covertly watched the brothers. Sam stood next to the couch, gaze fixed on Dean for a long moment. A range of emotions played across his face and he couldn’t seem to settle on any one thing. He grabbed the afghan from the back of the couch and spread it over his sleeping brother. The care he took pulling and smoothing it over Dean’s shoulders tugged her heart into a swell of emotion. Face crinkled in concern, he joined them in the kitchen. Chris offered Sam a piece of blackened bacon. “Olive branch?” Sam smiled and took the greasy offering, stuffing the entire slice in his mouth. He spoke around the wad of meat. “Bacon brings people together.” The two men grinned at each other—at the old joke they shared. “I’m really sorry about earlier,” Sam apologized. “All this must be getting to me more than I thought.” “Totally understand—but I’m not sure I’m the one you owe an apology.” Chris’s eyebrows rose meaningfully as he bumped Sam’s shoulder to soften his words. Sam looked toward the couch, his face twisted between exasperated and troubled. “He makes me so mad sometimes—stupid overprotective crap. He’s always been this way, always reckless when it comes to himself.” Chris nodded in understanding, but said, “He’s not completely wrong, though. Anyone can see you need closure—and someone has to stop this thing.” Sam met Chris’s gaze. “Yeah, but does it have to be Dean? I get why he does it, but does he ever stop to think how I’ll feel if something happens to him? You know, it’s not fair. I’d do anything for him, including keeping him safe.” Staring at his feet, Sam sniffed. “I don’t wanna lose him.” Lori quietly set the table, not wanting to interrupt. Sam’s anguish hung heavily around them, though, and she couldn’t help staring toward the couch. Her heart ached for Sam. For both brothers. It seemed tragic that their love for each other had put them at cross-purposes. She couldn’t imagine doing what they did—such a dangerous job and each one so scared for the other. Chris squeezed Sam’s neck. “Look, man, I don’t pretend to know your relationship with your brother. I mean, I get there’s baggage—that much is obvious—but what’s between you and your brother is…it’s not something I expected. It’s hard to reconcile the way you guys are together with how you never spoke about him the whole time I’ve known you.” Chris sighed. “I thought I had you guys—him—dialed in, but now I…I don’t know. But I’m certain he’s not purposely trying to hurt you.” “I know that. That’s the problem. He’s always tried to protect me from everything. And, you know, I’m not a kid anymore. He doesn’t have to shoulder everything. I want him to lean on me like I’ve always leaned on him.” “Yeah, well, easier said than done. Little brothers will always be little brothers, Sam.” Sam looked at Chris, sympathy easing the tension between his brows. “Yeah, I know. Chris, you gotta know you weren’t—” “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” Chris turned away to finish piling bacon on a plate. Sam watched him for a while then nodded. “Okay.” “You gonna move outta the way or stand there like a moose in the road?” Chris smirked. Stepping around Sam, he took the plate of bacon and set it in the middle of the table. Lori turned the conversation to less charged topics. “If you guys grab the juice and milk from the refrigerator, we can eat. Oh, and grab those glasses sitting by the sink. I’ll get Dean.” Sitting on the coffee table, she shook Dean’s shoulder. “Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey.” When Dean didn’t rouse, she jostled him a little more. “Dean, time to wake up. Hey, some of us are hungry.” This elicited a grimace and a groan of displeasure as he shifted fully onto his back. “Mmm—time’s it?” he grumbled. His eyelids fluttered, but stay closed. “Time to wake up and eat. Let’s go already!” She smiled at the creases carved into the side of his face and the hair sticking up along the side of his head. Her fingers itched to smooth the wayward strands down. Instead, she removed the blanket Sam had so carefully placed over him and quickly folded it back over the couch. He blinked his blood-shot eyes open, then slammed them closed with a grunt. Cautiously, he peered out slits of green and slowly levered himself up on an elbow. Lips thinning, Dean pressed fingers to his forehead, brows pulling together. “Headache?” she asked. “Yeah.” “I’ll bet it’s a doozy, too. Let me help you sit up and I’ll go get something for it, okay? C’mon, old man, easy does it,” she teased, bracing his shoulders. She knew his back had to be throbbing, so she tried to take as much of his weight as she could and secretly planned on giving him something more than over the counter meds. With her help, he pushed fully upright—his logger boots clunking to the ground as he leaned into the couch, resting his head against the back. “No one should feel this bad if liquor’s not involved,” he grumbled. She frowned. “No, they really shouldn’t.” Darting a glance at Sam, she leaned in and whispered, “You need to let someone check you over—someone besides me.” “I told you, I’m fine.” Dean stared down his nose, not daring to lift his head. “Nothing that won’t heal. Why are we whispering?” Poised to whisper back, she switched to an easy smile when she noticed Sam coming their way. “Hey, Sam, look who decided to join us?” Dean’s head twisted so he could see, but Sam was already coming around the couch and into view. Right before her eyes, Dean camouflaged everything but the tension in his shoulders. Shaking her head at him, she stood and said, “I’ll get you something for your headache.”

                                       Sam ran a hand over his mouth nervously. “Hey, ready to eat? We’ve got pancakes, bacon—and coffee, a big pot of it.” Dean studied him carefully, his expression impassive and guarded. It hurt to have his brother look at him like that, but given what had happened earlier, Sam guessed he had it coming. Raking his eyes over Dean, he checked for signs of injury. Other than being white-washed pale with deepening smudges under his eyes, he seemed relatively intact. But he knew the blood had come from somewhere and the tightness around his brother’s eyes indicated his pain level was pretty high. “You okay?” Dean asked huskily. And wasn’t that just like Dean? “I think I should be asking you that. Are you?” At Dean’s raised brows, he clarified, “Okay, I mean?” “Yeah, I’m good.” Sam could see the lie as plain as the freckles on his brother’s face. Sam huffed disbelief and drew his bottom lip in, deciding not to call him on it. Like a lightning bolt, it hit Sam that he had no idea whatsoever how Dean felt and hadn’t had in over twenty-four hours. Yes, they’d worked on making sure Dean’s thing was under lid as much as possible, but there wasn’t a hint of anything—nothing but the normal connection born of blood and long hours spent together. He wanted to ask Dean about it, but Lori came breezing back in with an oblong, white pill and a half glass of water. Sam recognized it as an acetaminophen based narcotic—definitely overkill for a simple headache. “Here we go,” she said. Dean scowled at the pill. “Don’t you have Tylenol?” When Lori directed a sour look at him, Dean popped the pill in his mouth without another word. Sam felt his eyebrows rise, not used to seeing his brother so easily bullied into things unless it was Dad doing the bullying. When he was done, she took the glass from him, saying, “You guys go ahead, I’ll be there in a sec.” Chris had taken a seat, digging in already. He looked up and mumbled around a mouthful, “What? I’m hungry and you’re taking too long.” Sam smiled in amusement and stretched his arm out to Dean. “C’mon, I’ll give you a hand.” Dean stared at the hand. His eyes flicked up to Sam’s and he said, “Um, I can’t-I don’t—my chest’s a little sore…” he trailed off. “What happened to your chest?” “Dude saved my life, that’s what happened to his chest,” Chris provided helpfully. Sam turned back to his brother, his eyebrows crawling off his face. Dean grimaced. “It’s not a big deal… Stop it, Sam—dude, your face is gonna freeze like that.” Frustration churned inside him, but he let the emotions leak away on a long, measured exhale—he didn’t want to fight. He could see his brother was a mess and that was enough. Besides, the more he showed anger, the more Dean would shut down and that wouldn’t help anybody. “All right, but we’re talking about this later.” Sam ignored Dean’s eye roll as he bent to grab his brother’s elbow. The effort it took to get him up rattled Sam—he had to take almost all of Dean’s weight to get him on his feet. Tremors shook through Dean and he swayed. Sam tightened his hold and hung on, fingers curled into his brother’s flesh, bruising. Bright fear shivered through him. “Y’alright?” Dean nodded, but he didn’t pull away like Sam expected. Instead, he allowed Sam to keep a steadying hand at his elbow all the way to the table. Did he even realize Sam was hovering? Uneasiness zipped along Sam’s spine and his stomach churned in worried swoops. The worst part? He couldn’t say a word—not here, not in front of everyone. One more thing he’d have to shelve for later. Getting through this meal was going to be torture. Lori and Chris peppered casual breakfast conversation with surreptitious glances at them. Awkward didn’t begin to cover how Sam felt being so closely observed. And if he felt awkward, Sam was downright sorry for his brother. Scrutiny gravitated Dean’s way more and more as the meal continued, zeroing in on his mostly untouched plate. Dean, for the most part, kept his eyes down, focused on poking holes into his pancakes with his fork. Now and then, he’d pick up a piece of bacon and take a bite. His silence, though, shouted louder than if he’d participated in the conversation happening around him. “Dean, you need to eat,” Lori pointed out when everyone else was nearly done. “That pain pill will sit better on your stomach if it’s not empty.” “Sorry,” he glanced up, “not very hungry.” Sam eyed the shake of his brother’s hand as he reached for his coffee. Halfway to his mouth, Dean lost his grip, spilling hot liquid over the front of him and sending the mug crashing to pieces across the floor. “Dammit,” Dean hissed, jumping back from the table, hastily brushing at his clothes. Lori shot up from her chair to grab some paper towels while Chris stared at all of them with cheeks puffed full of his last bite. Sam knelt and picked up the shards of broken stoneware, listening to Dean’s shaky apologies. “I’m sorry, it-it…it just slipped—dammit,” he said, bitter and contrite. “I’m so sorry—” “Hey, it’s okay. I’m not worried about the mug.” Lori handed Dean the paper towels. “I’m worried about you. Did it burn you anywhere?” “N-no, I’m …” he trailed off as he stared down at himself. “Are you sure?” She reached for Dean’s shirt, but he caught her wrist and stopped her. “I’m fine.” “I’m fine,” he repeated a few seconds later, after she’d already knelt to the floor next to Sam. Sam looked up, concerned by the weird tone. “Dean?” His breath was stolen by the chill that freeze-dried his heart. Dean stood rigid, hands clenched at his sides, paper toweling crumpled in one shaking fist. His pupils were blown wide-open—stricken vulnerability naked on his face. Sam didn’t think the others noticed—Lori still sopping up coffee and Chris wrestling with the trashcan’s stubborn lid. Sam squashed the urge to grab his brother and hide him away before they could. “Dean?” Sam stood, hands clutching dripping paper and broken mug, brown coffee polka-dotting his boots. His brother’s eyes anchored to his, a desperate mooring in a vast, vicious stormy ocean. Sam’s heart thud-fluttered, the beat picking up and bumping hard against his chest. He fervently wished for the connection between them—he needed to know what made Dean look like that. “What? What is it?” His words seemed to break the spell. Dean half shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut and shuddering. “I’m okay,” he whispered. “You want me to pour you some more?” Lori’s voice intruded. Their heads turned in sync to watch her throw a mass of wadded paper into the trash bin Chris was holding. “No,” Dean slowly answered. “I’m good.” She rummaged through an open drawer before turning back to them with a tea towel. Rooted, his brother remained unmoving until Lori came over and began brushing off his chest and thighs. “I got it,” he said quietly, taking the towel from her. Confused by the weirdness permeating the air, Sam didn’t realize he was drawing attention himself until Chris jabbed him with an elbow. “You gonna just stand there dripping coffee all over your feet?” Chris eyed him with concern, but his voice was casual and teasing. Sam glanced down at the saturated napkins and shards cupped in his hands. “Um, right. Guess I should—” He raised a self-effacing eyebrow at Chris, shrugging, and threw the trash into the bin. He washed his hands and turned back, automatically finding his brother. Dean held his damp, stained shirt away from his skin, face screwed up in disgust. “I hate to eat and run, but, uh,” he cast a look at Sam, “I think we’re gonna head out. You ready?” Sam nodded, eager to get them out of there, and quickly cleared his dirty dishes from the table. “Yeah, um, thank you for breakfast. Been a while since we had homemade pancakes.” “Not a problem,” Lori said, taking dishes from Dean’s hands. Bewilderment passed over her face when Dean failed to acknowledge her presence, instead, robotically walking to the middle of the room as soon as his hands were empty. She bent close to Sam and whispered, “Let me send the extras home with you in case he changes his mind about eating.” “Yeah, alright.” Sam nodded. Appreciation for the concern she showed his brother skipped alongside the guilt from the less than kind things he’d thought—and said—about her. She stretched plastic wrap around the food and paper plate, handing it off to Sam. “Is he okay?” Dean’s soft voice drew their attention. “Um, I’m not sure…” Dean patted his pockets. “Uh…keys?” Since when does Dean misplace his car keys? Sam felt like he’d stepped into an alternate universe where nothing made sense. “They’re in the bedroom,” Chris called over his shoulder, shoving the trash can back into place. “Should be on the dresser.” Dean nodded, looking toward a room off to the side, his hands still patting at his pockets absently. “I’ll get them,” Lori said when he made no effort to move. Dean nodded again, still weirdly lost and vacant. It was so unlike his brother, Sam went to him and touched his arm, needing to ground himself in the contact. Dean flinched, but his expression cleared and he looked a little more present. Lori came back with his keys and amulet in her hand. And, wow, how had Sam missed that? Dean took both, but immediately handed the keys over. “That everything?” Sam asked. Dean glanced scornfully at the plate of food, but nodded as he drew his thumb along the side of his nose and moved slowly toward the door. He turned at the last minute to address the room. “Thanks. For everything. And I meant what I said,” he directed the last at Lori. “Yeah, I know. Please, take care of yourself. I’d like a chance to collect on that favor someday.” “I’ll do my best.” His smile would’ve been convincing if it had come anywhere near his eyes. Maybe if the corners hadn’t been lopsided with uncertainty and the depths of his eyes melancholy. Sam tightened his grip around the car keys and watched his brother shiver as he headed out the door. Turning to his friend settled once again at the kitchen table, he asked, “Chris, you need a ride?” “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m gonna finish this.” He lifted his coffee cup. “Lori can give me a ride.” “Yeah, don’t worry about him. We’re gonna head over to the hospital in a little bit. Sam,” Lori called as he moved to follow out the door, “make sure he rests.” Sam shifted onto his heels, considering. He shook his head ruefully. “I get the feeling I’ve missed something big—but I also get the feeling I should thank you both for looking after my stubborn brother.” Pointing at Chris, Sam continued, “We’ll talk later.” Sam smiled at them both, pulling the door shut behind him. Part B continued here!