Second Nature 8/?
Chapter 8
They walked the short distance to the bar and Baby clearly enjoyed this new method of traveling. Dean expected her to start skipping any second now.
Her almost childlike enthusiasm did falter when they entered the bar, though. For a second Dean was equally stunned when he faced the packed bar room. He'd kept track of the moon phases but over that he'd totally lost track of the actual day.
Friday evening, he remembered. For the normal world the working week was over and it looked like the whole town was crowded in this bar to celebrate that fact with a beer.
"So many people." Baby whispered in awe and stayed mostly behind Sam's broad back.
The biggest crowds were a the bar, of course, and at the pool tables in the back, Dean noticed. Tonight the emphasize lay on the bar part of the "Bar n Grill" and they got one of the last tables, in the back near the pool tables much to Dean's delight. Baby didn't hesitate and took the place in the corner, wall in the back, window at her side, and Dean sat down next to her, shielding her from the rest of the room, for which she gave him a grateful smile.
However, Baby seemed to be oblivious to the looks and glances she got or she was just used to it. No matter what form, Baby drew attention.
"Quite busy here." Sam commented while he took his seat across from them but Dean only hmmed, his eyes already on the players at the table.
"Why are so many people here?" Baby leaned into him and not only to get close enough to whisper the words in his ear. She was playing with the zipper of her leather jacket and took in the noisy scenery with wide eyes.
"They're having a good time." Dean gave her knee a reassuring squeeze and he felt some of the tension leaving her body but she stayed glued to his side. For her first time in a bar, hell, the first time around more people than two, it had to be rather scary for her.
When the waitress came over, Dean ordered beer for all of them and cheeseburgers for himself and Baby. Sam threw him a glance and made a point of ordering a salad for himself.
"What?" Faking ignorance Dean raised an eyebrow at his brother as soon as the waitress turned her back on them.
"A cheeseburger? Really, Dean?" Sam made a face as if Dean had ordered rat poison. "That's like gassing her up with gut-rot whiskey." Or that.
Next to him Baby made a strangled noise and she looked at him with rising panic in her eyes.
"I eat it all the time." Dean defended his decision and gave Baby's knee another squeeze. "Besides, do you really want to humiliate her by forcing silverware on her for the first time? Here, in public, where half of the room is already staring at her?"
Sam went silent at that.
"Thought so."
"Dean, I don't want gut-rot whiskey." Baby skipped to the important piece of information. "It would ruin my engine, I wouldn't even start. Dean?" She was close to a panic now.
"Sam's just a drama queen." Dean rolled his eyes at his brother. See what you've done? "Like I said, I eat it all the time. Hell, half the time I eat in the car so you know it's not going to kill you on the spot."
"No, it does it over time." Sam just had to add that, hadn't he?
"It's good food." He turned to face Baby. "Have I ever done something to hurt you?"
The second the words were out of his mouth he remembered the one time he had hurt her, the one time he'd used a crowbar on her. She didn't say anything but she remembered as well, it was all over her face. She'd been totaled, already on the ground, and Dean had beaten the shit out of her.
Under the table, outside of Sam's view, Baby placed a hand on Dean's knee and gave it a little squeeze. A silent I forgive you, it's okay, I understand.
Dean swallowed against he lump in his throat and didn't know what to say. He was saved by the waitress bringing their food. The slightly panicked look had left Baby's eyes but she looked at the burger on her plate as if it was about to jump her. Following Dean's lead she took it in both hands and had her first bite.
"This is good." She said with surprise and her mouth full and Dean couldn't help but grin his victory at his brother.
"Here, have some of this, too." Sam dumped half of his rabbit food on her plate. Reluctantly she picked up a piece of lettuce, inspecting it closely, before she put it in her mouth.
"This is good, too." She picked up another piece and offered it to Dean. "You should try it, Dean. It tastes good."
Dean buried his face in his burger so he could pretend to not notice his brother's smug expression.
They cleared their plates in silence and after Baby had learned to drink beer without choking on the foam they sat back, enjoying the feeling of a full belly and a cold beer in hand.
"Watch and learn." Dean said to Baby and finished his beer. He'd observed the players on the pool tables for quite a while now and he'd marked his target.
"What's he going to do?" Dean barely heard Baby's question and didn't get Sam's answer at all because his focus was on the man around his own age who had shown all the right signs of I've more money in my pocket than I need and I'm willing to risk losing it for having a good time.
"Gentlemen." Dean showed his best smile while he entered the circle of friends surrounding his target. "Have room for another player?"
As expected they welcomed him in their group and his target didn't bat an eye when Dean suggested to spice the game up with a little money.
With his own money low Dean couldn't afford to lose the first game like he'd normally do but he made sure to make it a tight one.
"Beginners luck." He shrugged it off with an appropriate smile and took the money. Dean got his ass handed to him in the next game which was planned but not as easy as it sounded. His opponent, a nice guy named Justin who was out with some friends to blow of some steam, wasn't a great player, he wasn't even a good player. So Dean had to work hard to make himself look like an even worse player and to get the balls in the right position for Justin to pocket one of them once in a while.
Between shots Dean glanced over to the table where Sam and Baby waited for him. Most of the time they had their heads stuck together and he wondered what they were talking about. With Sam at the table as well nobody had tried to make a move on Baby and the way Sam surveyed his surroundings he was aware of the attention Baby drew. Dean wasn't worried that somebody would try something shady but he doubted Baby knew how to handle somebody making advances on her.
"Hey, Dean. Stop eying your girlfriend." Justin comradely slapped his shoulder. "Your turn, man."
"She's not my girlfriend, she's …" Dean started but didn't know how to describe his relationship with Baby. She's my car, didn't seemed to be the right thing to say.
"Whatever." Justin dismissed his statement with a knowing grin.
"She's a friend." Dean stated and leaned over the table to place his shot. He won the next two games with ease but to Justin it had to look like he could have won those two rounds, with a little more luck, a little more skill but victory was just an inch out of his reach. Just like Dean wanted it.
"So close." Justin could still laugh and was eager to win his money back, time for Dean to strike.
They were interrupted by a little tumult at the tables. Glass shattered and a woman shrieked and when Dean looked over he saw his brother with a woman in his arms. Surprised by that sight, Sam was the last person he expected to see with random women in his arms, it took Dean a second to reconstruct what had happened. When Sam awkwardly tried to pat the woman's dress dry with a napkin it was pretty clear what had happened, damn crowded place.
Dean just enjoyed the view for a moment, Sam's face was the color of a tomato by now and Baby only watched with a curious expression on her face, before he shook his head in amusement and turned back to Justin.
"What do you say?" Dean placed his won money on the table. "Double or nothing?"
Like expected Justin doubled the stake without hesitation. If he played it right, Dean could lure him into another round of double or nothing. Smiling at that thought, Dean made his first move.
Focused on the game Dean couldn't really admire what was happening at the table. The woman, a petite brunette with an open smile, had joined his brother and Baby and then there were more drinks on the table.
Figures, you have to practically throw a woman at Sam before he takes notice. Dean wasn't sure if he should be proud of Sam and hope his brother had found some company for the night, after the last month he totally deserved some quality time, or if he should worry about the amount of alcohol suddenly involved. Sam was known to falter after two beers and Dean had no idea how Baby could hold her liquor. Probably better than Sam, though.
However, there was money on the table and Dean trusted his brother to not let things get out of control, he was the reasonable one after all.
"This round looks better for you." Justin commented Dean's improved skills but there was no suspicion in his tone.
"With the right motivation." Dean nodded at the wad of bills. "I'm a fast learner."
It was Justin's turn but he'd need a miracle to turn the tables and they all knew it.
"This time you're really going to pay." His friends teased him but Justin didn't seem to care. He took his time to find the right angle and Dean couldn't help but check on Baby.
Sam and his new girlfriend were still engrossed in their conversation but Baby wasn't sitting across from them anymore. Dean quickly swept the bar room with his eyes but in the crowd he couldn't make out Baby. Dean was about to get over there and rip his brother a new one, money be damned, but then Sam looked up and met his eye. Instantly knowing what was on his brother's mind Sam rolled his eyes and nodded towards the bathrooms.
Put at ease, at least for the moment, Dean turned back to the game. Victory was just a few more shots away.
"Good game." Justin admitted his defeat and handed Dean the money. "Gonna give me a chance to win it back?"
Dean licked his lips. He had more than enough money for the moment but he was having fun and you can never get enough money, right?
One glance at where Sam and Baby should be took the decision from him. Sam was where he was supposed to be, busy flirting with the brunette. Baby, however, wasn't back at the table.
"Don't think I want to risk that." Dean forced a smile on his face and hurried to get away from Justin and his friends. "Thanks for the game, though."
With a few long strides Dean was back at their table.
"Sam?" Dean had to raise his voice to get his brother's attention. "Where's Baby?"
Chapter 9
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