HOME (part 2) chapters 12 - 20
12.
The hunt in Tulsa went mostly according to plan. Except for the part where Sam almost got his ankle broken. And the part where Dean didn't tell Sam that he planned to call up his torture skills from his time in hell. And the part where Dean exorcised a demon and sent it to fucking heaven. 'Jesus Christ,' thought Sam as he sat propped up on the motel bed eating the chili Dean had brought from Ron's in a Styrofoam take-out cup, his elevated and swollen ankle freezing under a plastic bag of ice...they had come much closer to disaster than he realized at the time. Sam thought that Dean had been able to do a better job of putting his time in hell behind him. It had taken years for Dean to be as okay as he was now. It worried Sam that Dean had been able to call that shit up so easily. But the fact that he was willing to even go there spoke volumes to Sam about how much Lisa and Ben still meant to him...he cared about them so much that he wasn't satisfied just to get the job done, he had to get some revenge in the process.
But now that the danger has passed, Dean was chowing down on a burger like he'd never eaten before. He looked over at Sam and smiled and Sam felt like everything was okay again. For now.
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Dean didn't let Sam do a thing to pack up the next morning; treating him and his twisted ankle as if he were made out of porcelain. Sam complained about feeling useless, but he let Dean take care of him. His ankle hurt like a bitch. He was glad they were heading home.
13.
Their first full day back at the bunker, Sam noticed that Dean was antsy and unsettled. Usually the bunker was the only place Dean could really and truly relax. Sam was pretty sure he knew what it was about. He also knew Dean wouldn't leave him alone while he was still hobbling around. When Dean made his way back to the kitchen to get yet more ice for Sam's ankle, Sam called Charlie at home.
Dora answered.
"Hi Sam," said Dora warmly. "How the hell are you?"
"Mostly good," he replied, "but I'm sitting here with an ankle the size of a softball. We just got back from Oklahoma and a fucking demon got the drop on me before Dean could cuff her."
"Well, the old man's not as fast as he used to be," Dora teased, "You got ice on that ankle?"
"I think I've got frostbite; Dean won't let me take the ice off for one second," Sam complained.
Dora chuckled, "Well, Dean may have all the charm of a gas station toilet, but he loves you."
"Yeah, and having him hovering over me is driving me crazy," Sam admitted. "I really think he needs to get out of here for a few days...there's some business he has to wrap up from the last hunt and he won't leave with me laid up like this."
"Say no more," said Dora, "Charlie and Scarlett and I will be there tomorrow, if that's okay."
"That would be great," said Sam, breathing a sigh of relief.
"We'll take good care of you," she finished.
Sam knew they would. Sam was already looking forward to it. He hadn't seen Scarlett in a long time and she was so much bigger every time he saw her. There was nothing like time with Scarlett to keep Sam living only in the moment and with everything that had been on his mind lately, living in the moment was a welcome relief when he could accomplish it.
"Sam?" he heard Dora, still on the line.
"Yeah?" Sam responded.
"Are you okay? You sound kind of, I don't know, preoccupied or something," Dora asked. When Sam didn't reply right away, she asked, "Are the nightmares back?"
"Yeah," Sam confirmed, "but I'm working on it."
"Well, you're not going to work on it alone," Dora said with conviction.
14.
When Sam told Dean that Dean needed to just go to Lisa already, Dean couldn't hide how grateful he was. When Sam limped over and gave Dean a hug, Dean hugged him so tight he lost his breath for a second. This was serious. Sam knew Dean wasn't going to see Lisa in order to say goodbye again.
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Charlie and Dora and Scarlett arrived the next day and the bunker instantly came alive with laughter and the sound of small feet running up and down the corridors. Dora and Charlie fussed over Sam as badly as Dean did. Whatever he wanted was in front of him almost before he could even ask for it. Dean actually spent a couple hours in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone and they all sat around the large library table eating some amazing roast chicken and mashed potatoes and stuffing (Dean never made salad). They drank and laughed until Scarlett climbed up into Dean's lap and started to fall asleep. Dora offered to do dishes so Dean and Charlie could talk, and Sam said he was just wiped out and decided to head back to his room.
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Sam sat up on his bed and was finally to take the ice off his ankle now that he was alone. He pulled out the books and notes from the cabin and started reading where he'd left off. He was sure he could find more in the Men of Letters library tomorrow. Soon his eyes were getting heavy and he set the books aside and laid down. He thought back to how Dean had been when he came home; before they went to Tusla. He had seemed so happy. So relaxed. Sam knew that was because of Lisa and Ben. They had been two pieces of Dean that he'd lost for years. Sam knew, laying there in the dark, that if Dean was going to ever be truly okay, they had to be part of Dean's life. Sam also knew that Dean had tried to make a life with them before, but he always left them for Sam. He had to make Dean understand that he would never put him in the position to make that kind of choice again. Listening to Dean talk about Lisa while they had driven to and from Tusla, Sam knew. He knew instinctively that Dean was going to ask her. He smiled.
15.
When Sam sprung that knowledge on Dean the next day, Dean appeared shocked. Sam just grinned; he knew he'd guessed right. He almost always guessed right when it came to Dean. Dean actually KISSED him on the head as he sat there at the table with his ankle propped up. Sam was definitely amused (and, honestly, touched) by this monumental display of affection on Dean's part. It scared Sam a bit, knowing that if things with Lisa went the way Dean hoped, that their lives would change. But Sam thought that they'd probably change for the better. That was, if Lisa would take Dean's sorry ass. It would take someone extraordinary to agree to marry into this, Sam thought. But Sam was willing to try to make a family out of it. He hoped Lisa was too. For Dean's sake. For everyone's sake really. Things had been a fractured mess for so long. It was time to try to make it right.
16.
Sam's phone rang late the next night.
"D" the caller ID said.
Sam didn't even get one word out before Dean poured out in a rush, "She said 'yes' Sammy."
"Well, I guess she's not as smart as I thought she was," Sam teased. But then he got serious, "Seriously, congratulations, man."
Dean went on to tell Sam how it had all unfolded; not at all as Dean had planned, but in the end, just as Sam thought, it was undeniable. Lisa and Dean would never be able to say 'no' to each other.
"I still can't believe it," Dean quietly admitted.
"I keep telling you you're worth it, you idiot," Sam tried to break the seriousness he heard in Dean's voice.
"And you know what she said Sammy?" Dean offered.
"What?" asked Sam.
"She said that if this is going to work, we have to figure out how to make some kind of family out of it; all of us," Dean finished, sounding slightly amazed.
"You're kidding," said Sam; God it was almost word-for-word what Sam had said.
"Swear to God," said Dean. "You really think we can do this?"
"We can do this," Sam responded with more conviction than he felt.
"I just never thought I could have -" Dean started and then sounded like he was getting so choked up he couldn't continue.
Sam didn't make him finish. "You can. We're going to be a Goddamn family, Dean."
Sam could guess that Dean was doing his best to try to get it together, but he was surprised when Dean sighed heavily and continued in a voice that was more cautious than celebratory. "There's more Sam."
Sam didn't like Dean's tone. "What else?" he asked, trying to sound normal.
"Ben. Ben's mine. Ben's my son," stammered Dean.
"Well you always felt like he was your son," reasoned Sam. This was nothing new. "Now it's just going to be legal."
"No, Sam, I mean he's MINE. He's a Winchester. You're an uncle," Dean finished.
Holy shit.
"And Lisa never told you...after you were with her for an entire year?!" Sam asked in disbelief.
"She said she didn't want me to stay with them because I had to," said Dean.
'Smart,' thought Sam. Dean probably would have stayed out of obligation if he'd known. Sam asked, "Does Ben know?"
"As of a few days ago, yeah," confirmed Dean. "But I haven't talked to him yet."
"Wow," was all Sam could manage.
"Yeah, no shit," agreed Dean. Dean wasn't going to let on to anyone that he'd had Charlie run DNA and he knew Charlie would keep it confidential...HIPAA codes and all; and Charlie took all of that confidentiality shit seriously where her job was concerned. At least she did when she wasn't hacking into Federal databases. Dean knew he could trust her. She was always on his side.
"So, what next?" asked Sam.
"I'm bringing her home," said Dean. Sam thought he sounded so...something Sam had never heard in Dean's voice before...he sounded...content.
"We'll figure it out," Sam reassured him.
The next time Dean spoke he sounded more like himself, "Hey Sammy?"
"Yeah?"
"You do realize that I'm not actually going to share her with you, right?" Dean teased. Nothing was more fun for Dean than trying to get under Sam's skin.
"I can find my own dates, Dean," Sam shot back, but it felt good to play along.
"Your right hand doesn't count as a date," Dean stated.
Sam smirked into the phone. "Shut up," he said.
"Can't wait to see you Sammy," Dean said before hanging up.
Dean was going to spend a few more days at Lisa's before heading back to Kansas with her.
Charlie and Dora and Scarlett would be leaving tomorrow. Sam was getting around a lot better. Sam wondered if Walker would be willing to make the drive...
17.
The light went off in the bunker indicating someone was at the door. Sam nervously ran his hand through his hair and climbed the stairs. Outside, Walker was standing there, a plastic drug store bag sitting on the ground next to her. It felt like it had been awhile since their time in the cabin and Sam had no idea what kind of expectations she had. He didn't have to wonder for long. Walker quickly pressed herself against him and reached up to pull him down into a kiss. The first kiss was soft, but then she was pressing her tongue into Sam's mouth and Sam responded with a small groan.
Though his eyes were closed, he realized she was pressing something into his hand. He broke the kiss and looked down to see what it was. It was a condom. Sam looked at her in surprise with a smile on his face. "I figured after last time, well, this time I wasn't going to come unprepared." Walker said with a wicked smile and a glance down at the plastic bag.
Sam smiled knowingly at the double entendre, which got the desired effect out of Walker as she blushed and backed Sam up through the door which closed behind them as they barely stopped kissing long enough to make it down the stairs and onto the table.
Later, Dean would find the condom wrapper shoved up under the leg of the table and roll his eyes and swear he was never going to be able to eat anything off that table again.
When they finally came up for air, a naked Walker let her gaze sweep around the bunker from her vantage point on top of a smiling Sam Winchester, also naked except for his open and barely-on flannel shirt, "God, Sam," she began.
Sam felt a bit of pride at eliciting that response from her.
"This place is amazing!" She finished.
Oh. Maybe Sam should have reigned in his enthusiasm and tried to make it last longer...he had just been so glad to see her...
"You LIVE here?" Walker asked in amazement.
Sam tried to get over his bruised ego, "Uh, yeah, Dean and I, we found out about this place from our grandfather. It IS pretty amazing," he conceded.
"You're pretty amazing," Walker smiled down at him. "You do things to me, Sam," she started to try to explain, but wasn't sure she could.
"There are so many things I want to do to you," Sam responded suggestively. Sam didn't know where this was coming from on his part. Walker made him comfortable. Less uptight and a lot less inhibited.
"And I want us to do every single thing you're thinking about right now," Walker smiled, "but it's not just that," she continued, sounding serious, "you do things to me here," she said as she reached down and took Sam's hand and placed it flat on her chest, between her breasts.
Oh. Now Sam got it. He had hoped, but...
Sam reached up with his free hand and gently pushed Walker's hair back from her face. He thought at that moment that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He felt like an idiot to have been so focused on how badly he'd been wanting her. But he wanted her in more ways than one.
"I feel it too," he said and Walker thought he sounded as vulnerable as she felt. She also felt a rush of relief.
Walker laced her fingers through Sam's, taking both his hands in hers. She stretched his arms above his head, pressing them down onto the table as she kissed him as softly as she knew how. Sam felt a rush of emotion and was glad they both had their eyes closed. He wasn't sure he was ready for her to see that suddenly he was barely holding it together. The kissing started to ground him again though and being pinned under Walker was pushing all kinds of buttons for him. Good ones.
She pulled back for a minute, looking flustered.
"So," she started, sounding uncharacteristically awkward, "do you think, I mean, would it be okay with you if we didn't see anyone else?"
Sam nodded and Walker could see that he was a bit emotional.
She nodded back. Sam was grateful she understood without him actually saying anything. Suddenly the table under them felt way too hard. Sam sat up and pulled Walker close to him. He silently led her over to the couch and pulled a blanket over them. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart. He twined his fingers through her hair and held her tight against him.
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Sam woke up, surprised he'd been sleeping at all. Walker had shown up in the middle of the afternoon but he'd just felt so at peace with her there on the couch that they'd both dozed off for about an hour. Neither of them had moved a muscle. Sam reached down and stroked up and down her back. She made contented noises and looked up at him smiling. "Can I show you around?" Sam asked.
"I'd love that," Walker responded.
18.
Walker really couldn't believe the bunker. Not only was the library on mythology and folklore and all things Christian and Jewish and any-other-religion-that-exists completely beyond anything she'd ever seen, but there was artwork and there were artifacts and they were all carefully stored and cataloged by some long-ago Man of Letters. It was truly incredible. Sam showed her around with pride and reveled in her awe. He pointed out some of the books he'd found most useful and Walker just innately understood why Sam valued them, and the knowledge that they held, so highly. Walker had an appreciation for architecture as well and all of the deco touches in the bunker blew her away. The place was perfect, she thought. Frozen in time yet it had everything, literally EVERYTHING, one would need.
"Sam, I could start reading here and never finish if I read every day for the rest of my life," she breathed in a reverential tone.
"I know," Sam beamed. "Really, anything you want, please, help yourself."
Walker smiled up at him slyly. "I do mean ANYTHING," he said.
"Good," she replied. "I would love to take advantage of everything, and everyone, this place has to offer."
Sam pulled her into a kiss, "Well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't take advantage of my brother, but otherwise, mi casa et su casa," Sam teased.
"Yeah, where is your brother?" asked Walker. "Do I get to meet him?"
"He'll be out for another few days," Sam said. "Actually, when he gets back, he won't be alone. He just got engaged," Sam said. The news still felt new and ill-fitting but he was going to have to start getting used to the idea.
"Engaged? Really?" Walker responded. "Hunters don't usually invent ways to tie themselves down like that. There must be a good story behind this one."
"You have no idea," Sam replied. "I'll fill you in sometime."
"I look forward to it," she responded. Walker looked down at one of the tables in the library. She recognized one of the books from the cabin. "Have you been working on this stuff some more? The Antichrist?" she asked.
"Yeah, I've been trying to find out as much as I can," Sam responded. "I can't thank you enough for that locating spell, and the Aramaic. I don't think I've got the pronunciation right yet, but maybe you can help me with that some more."
"So what did you want the locating spell for?" Walker asked Sam.
Sam didn't want this to be like other relationships he'd had. He wanted to be honest with her. It felt so foreign...honesty, but he had to give it a shot. So he told her. About the nightmares, about the pit, about Adam. About Jesse. She blinked back tears at times. What Sam was telling her stretched her credibility close to the breaking point, but she was the daughter of a hunter, after all. This sort of weirdness came with the territory. She knew he wasn't putting her on in any way.
When Sam finished, he looked at Walker, feeling exposed. He waited for her to protest. To tell him it was too dangerous. She didn't.
He couldn't quite believe it.
Walker realized Sam was waiting for some kind of answer from her. "Are you waiting for me to try to talk you out of it?" she asked. Sam wondered if maybe she could read his mind.
"I don't know, yeah, maybe, I guess," Sam stammered.
"Look, don't get me wrong. If you do this, I am going to be scared to death for you because, honestly Sam, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you." The mere thought that she could lose this just as it was getting started made her eyes sting. "But," she continued, "you know what you have to do and I just want to make sure you're as ready as possible."
Sam was in awe of this woman.
"I want to make sure you're so fucking ready that you can get through this and come home. To me," Walker finished.
Now Sam's eyes were burning. He pulled her close, hugging her to him, "Thank you," he said quietly. Walker really couldn't know how much it meant to him that the only thing she wanted to do was help him make it through intact.
"You may not be thanking me when we're working through our fifth volume of Biblical commentary on the Antichrist," she warned.
Sam laughed. "I think I'm more scared of your homework assignments than I am of this mission," he joked.
"Yeah, well, you should be," Walker teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey Sam?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he responded.
"Thanks for telling me the truth. I know that doesn't always come easy to a hunter," Walker said.
"It feels kinda weird," admitted Sam. "But good."
"Okay then," Walker said, essentially declaring that the ground rules had been laid down. "So....before we get down to work…” She smiled up at Sam and stared straight into his eyes as she slowly started to undo the buttons on her shirt. Watching her voluntarily undress herself for him drove Sam crazy and he stripped off his own shirt, moving in to just get a hand on her caramel skin. She held her left arm out straight, pressing her palm against his chest, holding him at arm's length. He gave her a questioning look. She smiled a knowing smile as Sam watched her right hand disappear down into her opened jeans. She closed her eyes and drew her breath in deeply as her hand started moving. Sam stared. This was so damn hot. She opened her eyes and ran her left hand down Sam's stomach, undoing the top button on his jeans. "Now you," she said, with an intake of breath as her other hand continued to move.
"You want me to..." Sam wasn't sure quite what she wanted.
She reached across and took his right hand with her left (her own right hand stayed busy, out of sight), and lead his own hand down to his fly. "I want to watch you," she said.
Sam was usually way too shy for this, but she was putting on a show for him; it was only fair, after all. And it was HER and he felt so comfortable with her. Sam dropped down into one of the library chairs. He slid his hand down and started stroking himself, drawing in his breath sharply at his own touch on his own over-sensitive cock, watching Walker watching him and he couldn't believe how hard this was making him.
"God, Sam," Walker breathed, "you are so Goddamn beautiful."
Suddenly, Sam was already struggling to hold back, "I want you so badly," he said, his voice deep.
Walker nodded quickly in agreement and took off her jeans. Sam wrestled free of his. Walker was quickly closing the distance between herself and Sam. She gently reached out, "show me how you like it," she said. Sam groaned as she wrapped her hand around him. He closed his own large hand over hers and started stroking again, setting up the perfect pace; faster and a little bit rough. He had his eyes closed now and was just getting lost in the feeling when she was letting go of him. Sam grunted in protest until he felt her rolling a condom onto him and, God she was straddling him right there in the library chair. Then she was kissing him and guiding him...they were both on the edge. He felt her silky heat envelop him as Walker pressed herself down onto him until she had taken in his entire length. Sam was making all kinds of incoherent sounds. God, he was so impossibly deep inside her and she was lifting up and then taking him all back in again. Then she was crying out and he felt her contract around him and he came so hard and so deep he was worried he might have hurt her. But the sounds she made reassured him that he hadn't.
"I think I’m going to like doing homework," Sam said and he was rewarded with a bite on his neck.
Sam pulled out as gently as he could.
Oh....SHIT.
There wasn't much left of the condom.
No wonder it had felt so amazing.
"Oh my God," said Sam, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry."
"What?" asked Walker concerned, looking in the direction of Sam's stare.
"The condom broke," he said urgently.
"It's okay," Walker reassured him.
"What?" asked Sam, starting to get a bit panicky, "How is this possibly okay?"
"What's the first thing you learn as a hunter's kid?" she asked. Sam had no idea why she sounded so carefree. Her tone did not match their current situation and Sam was totally confused.
"What? What are you talking about?" responded Sam, completely lost.
"Never go in without backup," she answered.
Sam just stared at her.
"I'm on the pill; it's okay," she said.
"Alright," said Sam slowly, "then why all the condoms?" he asked.
"Look," said Walker, "it was long a drive over here...I thought about you a lot...like over and over and over if you know what I mean," she looked at him to make sure he got it. "When I finally got here I didn't want to wait until we'd had the conversation about the last time each of us had been tested."
Sam breathed a sigh of relief. "I didn't want to wait either," he admitted.
"But now I guess we should talk about it," Walker said.
"Okay," Sam said. Truth. Only truth.
"I got tested last a year ago and it was all good," she reported.
"Was it a routine test? Or was it," Sam's curiosity got the best of him for a second, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask. It's none of my business," he said, embarrassed.
"No, it's okay," she said, "I don't want any secrets as long as you're sure you want to know."
Sam nodded.
"I was working late one night, volunteering on a research project looking into the history of an ancient Celtic burial site...I was there with another researcher and, well, one thing let to another and I ended up going home with her," she admitted.
"Her?" asked Sam.
"And her husband," Walker finished, wincing a bit anticipating Sam's reaction. "It was her idea and well, it had been a long time for me. I think I just wanted some human contact, you know?"
Sam knew. God, did Sam ever know (there were times in his life he'd wanted some human contact so badly that he'd almost gone home with some of the guys who occasionally hit on him. Almost.), but damn. Dean would tell him this just proved one of Dean's hundreds of theories about women; it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for.
When Sam didn't say anything Walker said, "Is that a problem?"
"Uh, no, no, definitely not," replied Sam, "I was just a little surprised."
Walker let out a deep breath. "Okay, good; you should know I definitely don't make a habit of it."
"Good," replied Sam, "Because I don't want to share you."
Walker smiled. "How about you?" she asked.
"I got tested three years ago," Sam replied honestly. "Everything checked out okay."
"Three years?" Walker asked. "Not since?" She sounded slightly concerned.
"There hasn't been anyone since," Sam said quietly.
"I'm sorry to suggest -" Walker began.
"No, it's okay," Sam reassured her, "it's been a tough few years; it...doing...this...with anyone...well, it wasn't the first thing on my mind. Until you."
"Me too," said Walker. "You, Sam Winchester, are wrecking my ability to concentrate. I haven't done a damn bit of work on my dissertation since the cabin."
Sam smiled, "Well, I don't want to be the reason your academic career goes down in flames," he teased.
Suddenly she looked at him seriously, "I just can't imagine a time when I'll ever be able to get enough of you."
19.
Sam and Walker enjoyed their time alone in the bunker - immensely - and the days flew by. Dean bringing Lisa home...that was a big deal. Sam didn't know if it was the best time for a Dean-Walker introduction as well.
It seemed that Walker just sensed this and on the day before Dean was supposed to get back, she said, "I know you and Dean have some stuff to talk about. I'm going to get a hotel room in town for a couple of days and work on my research and you can just give me a call when you can."
Sam took her hand, "Where the hell did you come from?" he asked.
"Montana," she responded. "You know that."
"No, I mean, I just don't know what I did to deserve you," he added.
Walker smiled. "Sorry; I'm kinda literal sometimes," she said.
"I love that," Sam said. "I love you."
There it was; right out there in the open. Sam hadn't planned to say that. He barely knew he felt it until the words had escaped, seemingly of their own free will.
"I love you too," she responded. Sam kissed her with intensity and she responded in kind. "Maybe you'll want to come visit me, you know, at the hotel?" she asked suggestively.
"Definitely," Sam groaned as she pulled away. "I want Dean to meet you," he said. "It's just that, with Lisa - "
Walker held her hand up, "You don't have to explain," she said, "I get it. This is a big deal."
"Yeah," Sam breathed out, "it kind of is." Sam had filled Walker in on Dean and Lisa over a drink after dinner one night. Walker thought the whole thing was pretty touching in a fucked-up-hunter sort of way.
"You three talk. Work it out. You know where I'll be if you need me," Walker lingered a bit, not really wanting to leave, but knowing that this was just the beginning made it a bit easier.
20.
The front door light lit up. Sam had actually been pacing up on the balcony just inside the door. Dean was supposed to have been there an hour ago. He kept trying to tell himself it was just Dean. Just Dean coming home like he always did. But he knew this time was different. Sam did not want to screw this up in any way. He heard Dean's key in the door and he pulled it open just as Dean was pushing it in and Dean almost fell inside as the door gave way.
"Shit!" Dean exclaimed as he stumbled, but he quickly regained his balance. "Hey, Sammy," he said simply, smiling a very contended-looking smile up at Sam. Sam hugged him. Dean hugged back hard.
Dean broke the hug and turned to Lisa who was standing behind him in the doorway. "Hi Sam," she said.
There was a lot of history here even though Sam and Lisa barely knew each other.
They both loved the same person.
Sam looked down at her. She really was beautiful. All dark hair and sympathetic eyes. Amazing body (Sam wasn't blind even though he didn't plan on thinking of Lisa in that way). Still, she was here and Sam couldn't deny that it felt just a little strange.
It's like Lisa just knew. She stepped forward and put her arms around him, her head barely reaching the height of his chest. She hugged him and Sam dropped his head down and cautiously hugged her back. She stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Dean smiled at the sight and then turned away to hide his watering eyes as he busied himself with bringing in their stuff from the car. Lisa quietly whispered to Sam, "We can do this. We can do this for him." Sam nodded almost imperceptively.
Lisa broke the hug and reached down to squeeze Sam's hand. Sam squeezed back and then quickly let go and cleared his throat, "Let me help you with those," he called to Dean outside. He felt Lisa's hand on his arm and looked down. "We'll talk later, okay?" she said. "It's going to be okay." Sam swallowed hard at her kindness and just the fact that she had so much consideration for him and his place in Dean's life.
Dean, back at the door now and with at least half a grip on his emotions said, "You two good?".
Lisa looked at Sam and then back to Dean, "We're good," she said.
Dean looked to Sam. Sam could see the question in his eyes and the fact that Dean needed to hear it from Sam too, "What she said," Sam responded with a small smile. Dean looked visibly relieved.
Sam picked up the rest of the bags waiting outside the door, following Dean and Lisa down the stairs into the main room.
next - HOME (part 2) chapters 21 - 28
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