"Miles to Go" (Woods are Lonely 'verse)

[blueiris08]

Title: “Miles to Go”
Category: Gen
Characters: Sam, Dean
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3400
Summary: Dean finds closure on an old job, and new worries about Sam’s psychic abilities. Melancholy and angsty, except for a brief misunderstanding about Sam’s candy cane. Dean POV.
Author’s notes: This is the third fic in my “The Woods are Lonely” ’verse. You’ll

Comments

[fredsmith518]

Sam scrunched up his face like a Muppet sensing a disturbance in the Force.

“Dude, does the Yoda face really do anything?” he demanded.

“Uh....” Sam experimentally relaxed his face until he looked more like that Scottish guy playing Sir Alec Guinness. “No.”

“Then don’t do it anymore.” He switched on the sensor, muttering under his breath, “At least, not when you’re standing next to me.”

very much liked the interchange and the images held therein

[blueiris08]

It just wouldn't be 'Supernatural' without the occasional Star Wars joke, right? Thanks for commenting--it took quite a while to get those lines worked out just right, so it's good to hear that they come across well.

[arliss]

Just read all three, and enjoyed them very much. I love the ways both men are gentle with the little girl ghost. I hear an echo of John in the "sweetheart."

[blueiris08]

'John?' I thought, but then I remembered the scene in "Dead Man's Blood," so yeah, I get what you mean. ;-) Thanks for commenting--I'm glad you enjoyed them.

[randomstasis]

I loved the first one, and am so glad they went back to visit, and get a little closure.
Liked Dean knowing what he did for Sam, and both of them using it to comfort a terrified child ghost, in spite of the issues it raised between them. (and even though Sam wouldn't take it for himself- even after he lost the comfort of being rescued when he gave it to the ghost) Losing chips of himself and still letting her in again- awww
They'll both spend everything to do their job-saving people, and it's so sad and grand of them- good to have that implicit in the story, your reminder was understated but powerful:)
Loved the fear of the trees, and how it was never realized, so you didn't know if there was real danger or just an echo of her fear.

[blueiris08]

This is going to sound goofy, but...I'm glad they got closure too. Dean was the one who really needed it, but it's difficult for me to write from his POV. So the story was touch-and-go for a while.

and it's so sad and grand of them
That's exactly what I was trying to capture: thank you.

Do you want to know if the trees were a real danger? ;-)

[randomstasis]

Wellll- yes, (but not if it's cheating!)

"it's difficult for me to write from his POV. So the story was touch-and-go "
maybe- but it went fine, and it was touching, soooo:)

[blueiris08]

but it went fine, and it was touching, soooo:)
Heh, and thanks.

Wellll- yes, (but not if it's cheating!)
Nope, it's not cheating: I dropped a couple hints in "Promises to Keep," with the bushes and brambles catching on Sam's clothes. The trees in the forest weren't sentient, but they were dangerous/malevolent to those who could feel them: that's why Sam made sure that Dean had a free hand for the girl to hold.* The trees in the cemetery weren't dangerous, though, because they weren't influenced by the little girl's fear. That was just Dean and Sam not wanting her in the environment where she'd died.

*There's no reason for a reader to catch that: a lot of hints and cues in the stories are probably visible only to the author. Not that there are a lot of them.

[black_samvara]

This is beautiful, I started at 'Woods' and worked my way forward. I love the sheer creepiness of the story, the dialogue and the way the boys interact.

[blueiris08]

Thank you! 'Woods' in particular is very close to my heart, so it's good to hear that new readers are starting the series from the beginning, which will give it much greater emotional impact. Creepiness, on-voice dialogue, and meaningful but understated brotherly interaction are what I was shooting for as a whole in this trilogy. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and appreciate the comments.

[devon99]

Absolutely lovely. This verse is one of my favourites. Its beautifully written, and so original. This latest installment is fab, some great banter between the brothers, with lovely underlying emotions. Look forward to the continuation.

[blueiris08]

Look forward to the continuation.
Pretty much the first thing I learned when writing in this fandom is that I can't predict what stories will end up being written. ;-) Over the next few months, though, I'll be working on a fic set earlier in the year, before Sam's psychic capabilities and liabilities reached the point that they have in "The Woods Are Lonely." After that...

Some great banter between the brothers, with lovely underlying emotions.
I hope for that to be the signature of stories in this 'verse, until it all devolves into angsty sex. But we'll try to lace some humor into those scenes too.

Thank you for commenting, and I'm very glad you enjoyed them.