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Mornings without the threat of an apocalypse were something Sam could definitely get used to. Sure, there were still hunts and late nights, but not as many as before. There were still bruises to ice and cuts to stitch, but fewer concussions and broken bones. Things were, honestly, looking up, and Sam intended to enjoy every minute of it.
His morning runs around the local lake gave him something to look forward to, as well as some time to clear his head in the mornings. Nothing but his feet hitting pavement and some soft music in his ears if he chose it that morning. It was nice. He often had time to shower and make breakfast before Dean even got up to grace the bunker with his hedgehog-styled bedhead.
Not this morning though. When Sam found his way to the kitchen just before nine, shower-wet hair dampening the neck of his t-shirt, Dean was already standing in front of the stove. He didn’t turn around when Sam stood in the doorway, so maybe he hadn’t been heard yet.
He took a moment and smiled to himself at the sight in front of him. Dean was humming softly under his breath as he fried up some bacon on the stove. His hair was, predictably, a mess, and his dead guy robe hung comfortably off his shoulders. Miracle sat by his feet, waiting for a piece of bacon. Dean, of course, obliged, and the treat was gone in mere seconds.
“You’re up early,” Sam commented as he came down the two steps into the kitchen.
Dean didn’t even bother turning around. Maybe he’d heard Sam after all, not that it mattered. “I felt like real bacon today, is that such a crime?” he asked and finally glanced over his shoulder to smirk at Sam.
“Isn’t it always real bacon?” Sam smiled back and grabbed the coffee pot to pour himself a cup.
“Except when you get ahold of it.”
“Dude, that was twice, you need to get—“
“You don’t mess with bacon, Sam, it’s plain and simple!” Dean waved a spatula at him. Miracle whimpered, hoping for something to fall, disappointed when nothing did.
Sam just rolled his eyes, used to and comforted by their typical morning banter. It was an easy routine to settle into. One he’d wanted his whole life, in fact. He took his cup of coffee and sat at the table, watching Dean as he finished up with breakfast.
“How’d the run go?” Dean asked when he turned around with plates of eggs, bacon, and toast to set on the table.
Sam took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “Good, yeah. They’ve finally got the sidewalk opened up just past the co-op.”
“Right, you and the tree-root-destroyed sidewalk. A battle for the ages,” Dean said sarcastically and grabbed a cup of coffee before he sat down across from him.
“It’s good they got it dealt with, but really, three weeks?” Sam heaped some eggs and a slice of toast over from the plate in the middle of the table.
Dean shrugged. “Guess not everyone’s as efficient as we are, eh?” He passed Miracle a small piece of bacon that fell from a larger strip.
“Dude.” Sam raised his hands in a seriously? gesture.
“What? I got two of you givin’ me the puppy dog eyes now. At least he’s easy to please.”
Sam gingerly kicked him under the table. They were quiet for a few minutes as they ate before Sam said, “You’re up early today.”
“Yeah, only because you don’t wake up at a productive hour,” Dean snarked back and spread some jam onto his toast.
Sam leveled a look at him. Sure, maybe it was a fluke. But Sam was willing to bet there was something on Dean’s mind. He had one of those looks, like he was holding something back, and using something productive like cooking to keep his mind off it. Even now, he kept shooting Sam little glances when he thought he wasn’t looking. “What is it?” Sam finally asked and braced himself.
Dean paused with the toast halfway to his mouth. He looked Sam in the eye for a second before he took a bite. “Was thinking we could take a vacation,” he said, a bit muffled around the bread.
Of all the things to come out of his mouth, Sam hadn’t been expecting that. “A vacation?”
Dean nodded. “World’s not ending, there’s less hunts, we’re free to do whatever we want, and Miracle could use a change of scenery.” He ticked off each reason on his free hand.
The last they had talked of an honest vacation was right before Dean got possessed by Michael. Everything after that spiraled so far out of control that they hadn’t even broached the topic again in the months since Chuck’s defeat. As Sam realized that, he caught a sense of sincerity in his brother’s gaze.
“You’re serious about this.”
“Damn straight,” Dean said. “I mean, why not? If anyone’s earned some fresh air, it’s us.”
Sam couldn’t argue any angle of that. And as much as he was coming to love the routine they had settled into at the bunker, it wasn’t a bad idea to enjoy some of the world they’d worked so hard to save. “What are you thinking?” he asked.
A grin spread across Dean’s face and he shook his head. “Nah, that would ruin the surprise.”
Sam frowned a little in confusion. “Surprise? What do you—how long have you been thinking about this?”
Dean just shrugged, the stupid expression not leaving his face.
“Do you have a whole itinerary in your head or something already? Am I what, the parent permission slip?”
Dean snapped his fingers and pointed at him. “Bingo. Just need your signature and we can blow this joint.”
Miracle took that opportunity to put his two front paws on Dean’s thigh, angling for another slice of bacon. Surprisingly, Dean didn’t give in, though Sam saw him fight with himself over it.
“And Miracle?”
Dean smiled and scratched Miracle’s head. “He’s all good to go. He does a lot of hard work, you know, he could use a breather too.”
Sam looked between the two of them. Dean’s face, filled with a type of happy anticipation Sam hadn’t seen present in quite some time.
Why not?
“Just as long as it isn’t a bacon museum,” he said with a slight laugh. “When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow work for you?”
Tomorrow would work just fine.
Dean had instructed him to pack a week of warm-weather clothes and that was about it. Sam knew the drive would take them two days, going a little under ten hours each day, which was easily doable for them, and they’d get to their destination on the third day. Beyond that, Dean didn’t give him any hints.
Sam did, of course, get an idea of where they were headed based on the interstates they took. His first guess was Louisiana—but they were half a year late for Mardi Gras—and second guess Mississippi, though he had no idea what they’d do vacation-wise in Mississippi.
He was genuinely surprised when they crossed into Alabama at the end of the second day. Dean was absolutely relishing in Sam’s obliviousness, and for once, Sam wasn’t about to look online to try to figure out where they may be headed. Let Dean have his fun. There had been too many years where it had been lacking, and it wasn’t hurting anything now.
Dean packed them up bright and early the third day so they could hit the spot “on time”. Before they got there though, Dean pulled into a shopping center in front of a beach essentials store.
Sam’s eyes widened as Dean shut the car off and looked at him, smiling as he did so. “We’re going to a…beach?”
Dean beamed. “Hell yeah we are! I mean, that’s not all, but it’s the start.”
“A beach vacation? Us?” Sam was still trying to wrap his head around it, but he definitely wasn’t opposed to it.
“No, I chauffeured Miracle all the way down here to spend a week by himself. Yes, us, Sam.” Dean reached over the seat to pet Miracle, who was happily sitting on the rear bench seat.
Sam nodded very slowly. “And we’re here because?” He gestured to the store.
Dean just stared back at him. “We’re gonna get skiing lessons,” he said, deadpan. “The hell do you think we’re doing? Beach accessories aren’t exactly sold in vast quantities where we live.”
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose as he smiled. “I can’t believe you’re serious about this.”
“I mean, you can hitch a ride back to Kansas if you want, but me, I’m gonna pick up some ‘essentials’,” he said with air quotes, “and hit the water. You coming?” He raised an eyebrow at Sam before he got out of the car and attached Miracle’s leash to his collar.
Sam was chuckling to himself as he got out of the car and followed Dean into the store. The store was, thankfully, pretty empty, given the early morning weekday. Dean immediately went over to a rack of sunglasses and began trying some on.
“So, you’ll buy sunglasses for the beach but not to drive across the country?” Sam asked, coming up behind him. He watched as Dean’s eyebrows furrowed in a frown in the mirror, his eyes covered by the square sunglasses with red rims.
Dean then shrugged minutely and tipped the glasses down just enough so that he could look at Sam in the mirror. “It’s all about the relaxed image, man. If we’re doing a vacation, we’re doing it right.” He grabbed another pair from the rack and tossed them backwards to Sam, who caught them easily. “You should try those on.”
Sam finally looked down at the glasses as Dean grabbed another pair to try on, only to find bright pink frames with fairies on the arms sitting in his hands. Dean let out a wheezing laugh at the eye roll Sam sent his way before they continued shopping.
Sam insisted on purchasing sunscreen, just in case, even though Dean didn’t think it was wholly necessary. Some items that Sam picked up, Dean shot down, only saying that Sam would see why later. Apparently he’d already packed some essentials of his own from what they had in the bunker.
In the back of the store was a pair of changing rooms and a few racks of swimsuits. “Dude,” Dean said and held up a pair of bright red swim trunks with white flowers on them.
Sam laughed. “Your first pair of swimming trunks ever, and you’re going with those?” he teased his brother.
Dean let Miracle sniff them before he frowned and looked them over again. “We’ve saved the world how many times now? I think that entitles us to some judgement-free vacation outfits.”
“Knock yourself out, man,” Sam said with a smile and picked out a pair of much less obnoxious plain dark blue trunks to try on.
They both went into the adjacent changing rooms at the same time, and Sam barely had a leg inside his trunks before fabric came sailing over the flimsy wall between the stalls and landed right behind Sam. “Dean!” Sam exclaimed, trying and failing to keep his voice down.
“Just try ‘em on, quit getting your panties in a bunch,” Dean replied, the lightness that Sam loved so much back in his voice.
Sam decided that his shorts were, in fact, too plain, and that the blue ones with white flowers that Dean had tossed over weren’t awful. Of course, he’d never tell him that, but he suspected Dean already knew. So when Sam made an excuse that his didn’t fit and he didn’t feel like trying on any others so the ones Dean picked were fine, the way Dean’s face lit up was entirely expected but wonderful all the same.
Purchases in hand, they made their way back to the Impala with Miracle trotting along happily beside them.
“How far to the beach?” Sam asked when they got back on the road.
Dean tsk-ed him from the driver’s seat. “Patience, Sammy, we’ll get there.”
So Sam let him drive. Dean’s hand was lazy on the wheel, tapping in time to the radio. Miracle panted happily in the back seat. The wind blowing in from the open windows was a comfortable September sea breeze. It was perfect.
A few miles down the road, Sam noticed signs for Fort Morgan directing them to the left. Sam noticed Dean watching him out of the corner of his eye, judging his reaction.
“You didn’t think I’d drag you all the way to Alabama just for a beach, now did you?” he asked.
“I’m perfectly happy with just a beach,” Sam returned, noting how they didn’t turn in for the fort but instead went right into a lot for beach parking.
“Hey, where there’s opportunity for a double-whammy, don’t let it go to waste, you know what I’m saying?” Dean smirked at him. “I figure a couple of beach days, some time at the fort, balance the fun with your nerdy history.” He pulled into a spot and turned the car off before he returned his gaze to Sam, still waiting for his reaction.
Dean had this planned all along, Sam knew. He just didn’t know how long Dean had been sitting on this, waiting for the world to stop ending or for them to be in a good enough spot emotionally for it to happen or trying to judge if Sam would even be up for it. And then, to seek out a place that would hold genuine enjoyment and a break from the norm for both of them. The sheer amount of thought made Sam’s eyes sting.
“Sounds pretty good to me,” Sam said honestly. Dean’s grin widened and he slapped Sam gently on the shoulder before he got out of the car and made his way around to the trunk.
“You need a wardrobe update though,” Dean said when Sam came around to join him. The trunk was packed with towels, chairs, a frisbee, some balls, and their duffels. That was why Dean had insisted on stowing Sam’s stuff in the Impala for him when they had left; seeing the trunk would’ve immediately given it away.
“What are you—“ Sam cut himself off when Dean tossed a shirt at his head. Sam unfurled it to see the most obnoxious Hawaiian shirt he had ever laid eyes on. It was bright blue with red and orange flowers and green palm trees along the bottom.
Next to him, Dean was putting on his own matching shirt over his black undershirt. Paired with his bright red swimming trunks, it was quite the eyesore, but Dean didn’t seem to care. “They didn’t have any with a ‘sasquatch’ size on the tag, so I hope it fits.”
Sam let the joking jab be what it was and simply relented, putting the shirt over his grey undershirt. They both traded their boots for flip-flops they had picked up at the store and spent a few seconds laughing at just how ridiculous the shoes were. Miracle padded around them happily as they did so, and took off a few steps in front of them once they grabbed everything and made for the beach.
It was early afternoon and the beach was for the most part empty. The kids were back in school and almost everyone else was at work, so save for a few people jogging and an elderly couple set up close to the parking lot, they had most of the beach to themselves.
And what a beach it was. White sand stretched until it curved back towards the land and small turquoise waves rolled white foam up onto the beach. From what Sam could see, the water was clear and inviting. It was warm but not too hot, though the humidity had their shirts sticking to them.
They picked a spot a little ways down from the parking lot and set up their chairs, blankets, and cooler. Miracle ran up to Dean with a stick he had found and after Dean had finished congratulating him on it, he threw it towards the water for Miracle to get. Sam watched as Miracle ran towards it, paws kicking up sand as he did so.
“This is a good spot,” Sam said, looking out at the water as he took in a deep breath of the salty air. It was a gorgeous beach, a perfect day, and Dean had even found a place with extra things to do besides just the beach. Sam couldn’t have asked for anything better. When he looked over and saw the soft smile on Dean’s face, Sam knew he understood all the meaning and gratitude under those five simple words.
“Well, come on then, let’s make good use of it.” Dean’s smile morphed into a full-on grin as he kicked off his flip flops onto the towel (getting sand everywhere but Sam couldn’t find it in himself to be even remotely annoyed) and pulled off his shirt and undershirt.
Sam followed suit and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen he had picked up from the store earlier and tossed it over to Dean. “Dean,” he started when Dean looked at it, confused, “I am not listening to you complain about a sunburn for the next week. Use it.”
Dean rolled his eyes just a bit before he relented, the fight just for show, and sprayed the sunscreen before tossing it back to Sam.
“Last one in’s a rotten egg!” Dean yelled the instant the bottle had left his hands and made a beeline for the water.
Sam chuckled as Miracle bounded after Dean into the surf, stick still in his mouth. The water erupted around them as Dean ran in to his thighs and then dove under one of the medium-sized waves coming towards shore. Sam, sunscreen drying on his skin, watched as Dean popped back up and ran a hand backwards through his hair.
“Dude!” Dean called simply, bright grin on his face.
Sam waved his hand in an ‘I’m coming’ gesture and, after leaving the sunscreen with their things, walked down to the water. It was warm, probably close to the air temperature. Sam sighed at the sensation. It had been over a decade since he had last been to a real beach. He’d gone once with Jess, a lifetime ago back at Stanford, but the water had been too cold to be enjoyable.
This, with the water and the sun shining and his big brother laughing in the ocean next to him, was perfect. He was broken from his reverie by a sudden splash of water to his face.
“Rotten egg,” Dean said, and made a move to splash him again. Sam avoided it and grabbed Dean’s wrist in the same movement so he could leverage him and push him back into the water. For a moment, he thought victory was his, but then he felt Dean grab him around the waist and the next thing he knew, he was underwater. He came up sputtering and laughing, much like Dean next to him.
“You happy now?” Sam asked jokingly as he pushed his hair out of his face.
Dean’s laughing only increased. “You’ve—you got…seagrass in your hair, Ariel.” He nearly doubled over as Sam reached his fingers into his hair to pull out the offending plant. When he couldn’t find it, Dean finally reached out a hand to snag it. As he did so, Sam splashed him right back, and a round of tussling began, with Miracle happily watching on shore.
When they decided enough was enough, they played monkey in the middle with Miracle and his stick, which he was very keen to retrieve from the two humans. He barked as they tossed it back and forth above his head and occasionally let it fall just shy of the other brother so Miracle could proudly snatch and return it to one of them.
They retreated back up the beach a little while later for water and sandwiches they had bought on the way to the beach. Sam had his obnoxious Hawaiian shirt on, front buttons undone, while Dean insisted on “soaking up every single ray possible. Don’t get many of those in an underground bunker, now do ya, Sammy?”
Sam replied by tossing a small piece of bread at him.
“Just missing the little umbrella drinks,” Dean said with a satisfied sigh as he packed things back into the cooler. Sam had pulled out a book from their towel bag and was content sitting in the sun, toes in the sand and sea breeze rifling through his hair to read it.
“I think we’ll live,” Sam smiled at him. He pulled down his sunglasses and looked up from the book to Dean, who was fiddling with a frisbee in his hands and watching Miracle. He was definitely a shade redder, not enough to be worrying, but enough that it would probably sting tomorrow. Sam made a mental note that they’d need to pick up some aloe on the way back to the motel. “Maybe we can invest in a real umbrella for next time though,” he added.
Dean immediately whipped his head around at the mention of a next time. Something softened in his expression. They had time for a ‘next time’, whenever the opportunity arose. Hell, they could choose to only take hunts close to the beach if they wanted. Or nix the hunts altogether. But that was a conversation for another time.
Dean then looked down at his reddened skin, which threatened to hide his freckles, and shrugged. “A little tan never hurt no man,” he said with a smirk, proud of his impromptu rhyming. He then tapped Sam on the shoulder with the frisbee and got up out of the chair, Miracle at his heels.
Sam shook his head, still smiling to himself, and returned his attention to the book, sunglasses in his lap. It was nearing evening, the sun starting to tinge the sky orange as it drifted down towards the horizon. Sam got a few more pages read before he heard a whoop of laughter and looked back up at the scene in front of him.
Dean’s head was thrown back in a full-body laugh, shoulders shaking with a force Sam could see even from feet away. Sam didn’t know the last time he’d truly seen Dean laugh like that, the last time his shoulders were so relaxed and the easy smile on his face refused to leave. The years seemed to bleed off him as he chased Miracle, and the frisbee, into the surf.
He had to get in up to his waist to retrieve the toy, Miracle watching impatiently from the water’s edge. When Dean was successful, he held it above his head for Sam to see and shook it in victory. Sam raised a thumbs-up in response, book open and mostly forgotten in his lap.
Dean jogged—sloshed, more like—out of the water and returned to his game of fetch with Miracle. Once Dean was sufficiently distracted, Sam pulled out his phone and discretely snapped a few pictures, wanting to hold this moment in time for however much of it they got.
Maybe Dean noticed and maybe he didn’t, Sam didn’t really care either way. Their time was theirs now, and Sam intended on making the most of the happy moments.
So he stuck his bookmark in the book, not even close to the end of the chapter, and went to join his family.