Different Roads: First Summer 5/5
Beginning May 26, Dean and Sammy sat at their small kitchen table.Theyhad breakfast and then got down to work.
They were on their own now -- 16 and 12 against the world -- and if they were going to be hunters as they had been brought up to be, they would need to train.
Unlike their father, who just barked orders and expected them to be obeyed, Dean brought Sammy 100% on board. They worked out schedules together. Study and research and physical training.
Sammy suggested enrolling at the Y and taking some of the intense training there. Dean was completely on board with that. It would help them get better and provide cover so that if bruises happened on hunts they wouldn't have CPS sniffing around.
Dean found an area that was all parking lot at night. Soon as possible, he'd start teaching Sammy how to drive.
Bobby turned out to be a fountain of information. Once,though, he answered the phone so cold and impersonal that Dean asked bluntly, "Uncle Bobby, is Dad there?"
"What do you think, you gold-plated idjit?" Bobby snarled into the phone.
"Call me when it's safe."
Dean hard a growl and a "Stupid know-it-all hung up on me!" before he hung up with a soft smile. Good old Uncle Bobby.
"Was he?" Sammy asked.
"Yeah. Bobby'll call when he's gone," Dean sighed and sat down, rubbing his head.
Sammy patted his arm, then asked, "So where's this haunting supposed to be?"
Bobby called them three days later.Their father was heading to Florida to investigate a possible chupacabra.
Two weeks later, the Winchester brothers -- lying about their ages and letting Dean do all the interviewing -- went on the haunting case.
And very nearly had their asses handed to them on a silver platter.
It was pure dumb luck that they managed to disperse the spirit, then salt and burn her bones.
Dean began sketching out ideas for a prototype EMF detector the minute they got home.
Five days after the near-disaster of a hunt, Dean broght it up. "Not that I'm complaining-- because I'm not -- but..." You not complain-complain. Why?
Sammy laughed. "Dean, you brought us home, not to another motel room to prepare for the next hunt! Not once out there did you tell me to 'suck it up'! You were a partner and a mentor, not a drill sargent!"
Dean frowned. Yes....so?
"This hunt -- no matter how it nearly went -- Dean, this hunt was fun! You made it fun!" He frowned slightly. "I've never been on a hunt that was fun before."
Dean just stared at him.
Sammy squeezed his arm. "Don't you see, Dean? Dad made it hell. You made the same thing fun."
So...it was the company, Dean slowly signed.
Sammy just smiled.
The hunt they went on in late July was more successful. The boys knew more what they were doing, and they showed signs of becoming a well-oiled machine.
But during the first week of August, Dean began to have problems of his own.
Sam found him in the kitchen at 4 AM, staring at piles of paper with scribbling that made no sense. "Dean?"
"I can't do this, Sammy." He sounded very young and afraid. "I can't get my thoughts together enough to do this!"
"What are you working on?"
"Lesson plans," Dean sighed, then groaned. "How am I supposed to teach anyone how to sign if I can't even pull together--" Sammy's palm connected sharply with the back of his head. "Ow! Hey! What was that for, you little bitch?"
Sammy sank into the chair beside him. "Cause, you big jerk, you're overthinkin'!"
Dean frowned. "I'm...what?"
"Over. Thinking. I know you can teach ASL." He raised his hands. You taught me.
You're just one. This is a whole class--
Sammy held up a hand and Dean lowered his. Teach them like you taught me. One sign -- one concept -- at a time.
Dean blinked and began to smile.
August 21st was the day Dean met with Maggie, his counselour. He had tested out of all but two classes -- and his own class would count for elective credit -- so all he had was English and History.
Both teachers had agreed in principle that -- so long as he got all assignments every Monday and did all the homework and papers, and had proctored tests -- Dean would not have to join in or attend the classes.
Dean could tell they were looking for him to fail.
Sammy knew Dean would thrive. Dean would hold onto his brother's unwavering faith in him until he had his own.
That evening, the brothers made a school supply run.
Tuesay morning, the Impala pulled into the employee parking lot of Johnson High.
Sammy got out and went right to get onto the bus that would take him to the middle school.
Dean watched the bus pull away, then grabbed his folder of papers and strode into the building.
Their first summer together on their own was over.
END