Work Text:
It was supposed to be just a simple hunt. Quick, in and out of Mississippi, meet up with Dad in Arkansas afterward to help with the werewolf he was tracking. If this went well, Dad would let them take off together for the rest of the summer, chasing hunts and concerts and whatever they wanted as long as they were where Dad said to be in time for Sammy to get to his senior year of high school. Not that they’d stay there, as Sam pointed out as soon as Dad was out at a bar. “Why does he always get to pick where we go to school? If he’s letting us go off on our own, why not just forge the paperwork to let you sign me in and out of schools?”
“People don’t question it when your dad does shady stuff, he’s your dad. When your brother’s checking you in and out of school less than a month apart, it draws a lot more attention.” Dean tossed Sam a beer. “I asked. Also pointed out that thanks to him forgetting you were supposed to start school, you’re eighteen, you could check yourself in and out of school. Apparently that’s even worse about drawing attention.”
“And the last thing we want is attention.” Sam popped open the beer. “Dammit. Gonna be hard to get back to hiding in the fall.”
“Least it saves us the trouble of figuring out which version of our relationship is the public one? Summer, in and out, no one cares. School, there’ll be people poking around. Girls looking to date you, maybe some guys, too, and if you’re calling me your brother it gets hard to say you’re taken.”
Sam set his beer aside and wrapped his arms around Dean’s neck. “What are we doing about prom?”
“Are you actually going? You’ve never been interested in school dances before.”
“Yeah, but prom’s kinda… if I’m at a school when they have their prom, I kinda wanna go, just for the normal experience, you know? I miss so much of that…”
“If it’s normal you want, try to find a date. Free pass, just for that night, whatever you wanna do you can.”
Now Dean wouldn’t have to worry about killing his jealousy for prom night, though. The “simple” hunt turned out to be a lot more complicated than they’d thought. The clear-cut salt and burn wasn’t. There was an entire coven of ghosts – witches’ ghosts – whose powers were intact. They figured it out eventually, thanks to calling Pastor Jim for some help and the luck of having another hunting team pass through. After checking to make sure Tim, Reggie, and Steve hadn’t been sent by their dad and wouldn’t tell on them for taking help, they’d gladly teamed up with them.
Four out of the five hunters walked out of there. Well, three out of the five walked out, and Dean was dragged off by Reggie and Steve while he screamed at them that they needed to go back and find Sam. Tim sat him down in the hotel room. “Dean. You didn’t see, but Sam… he was torn apart. If you go back, all you’ll find are chunks and blood. Maybe some hair. That bomb… he was standing right on it, man. Never had a chance. For what it’s worth, it was probably quick.”
Dean got up and walked out without a word. He went back. There were chunks, there was blood, and he found a bit of hair with a piece of the scalp still attached. Once he was done throwing up, he wrapped the hair up in a Kleenex and tucked it into a pocket. It didn’t mean Sammy was dead, necessarily, but… he had to accept that was the most likely possibility. Lots of people kept a lock of hair of a dead loved one, right?
It was the complete opposite way from Arkansas, but Dean had promised Sam that after wrapping up the hunt, they could detour to see the World’s Largest Brick in Alabama. Dad didn’t like Alabama, for some reason, and avoided hunts there as much as he could. Sam pretended to hate the roadside tourist traps that existed just to exist, but Dean could tell that he loved them. Sam was with him in spirit, Dean was sure, so off to Montgomery it was.
Dean leanded against the Impala to stare at the giant brick. No need to get up close and personal. Really, Dean felt cheated, as it wasn’t a single brick but a brick made out of normal-sized bricks – Dean reached into his pocket to touch the hair. He hadn’t gotten around to cutting the skin off yet, so slightly creepy there, but still a way to keep his brother with him. “I wish you were here, Sammy. I would love to hear what you’d have to say about this bullshit.”
“Like, don’t advertise it as a single brick when it’s not?”
Dean looked to his left. “Sam?”
“Yeah. I don’t know how I’m here, either. I remember going up against the witches, that bomb going off… and then I was in a bright room, all white, with some grumpy-looking guy in a trenchcoat saying that this was wrong, it wasn’t time yet for the plan. He touched my forehead with two fingers, and next thing I know, I’m here listening to you say you missed me. How long have I been gone?”
“Uh… not even a day. I got some sleep, checked with the guys to make sure we were done, and then took off to come here.” Dean reached into his pocket again, frowning when he realized the hair was gone. Shit. Oh well. “I’ll call Reggie, tell him you showed up, we don’t tell Dad? We get to have our summer of freedom still?”
“You can try. Dad’s always had a weird sense of knowing when you’re lying to him, though, and you know you can’t stand up to him.”
“I can try. This is important.” Dean straightened up and opened the door. “Come on. We need to find a room for the night.”
“Aren’t we supposed to be headed for Arkansas?”
“I just got you back from the dead, Sam. Dad can fucking wait while I convince myself you’re really alive.”
Sam smirked and got into the passenger side of the Impala. “I like this side of you that stands up to Dad and calls him on his shit.”
"Dad doesn't. I'm still deciding." He didn't have to look at Sam to know that the puppy eyes were coming out, but he did anyway so that Sam could see he was serious about the next part. "What it gets me is worth it, though. God, life without you... can't imagine anything worse, having to go on with you gone."
"Well, then, glad you don't have to."