We're not calling it Babe 7/?
Chapter 7
"Go, get your things, Dean." Margret said without looking at Dean, she had only eyes for Mac. "I'll watch him."
She was still in a crouch in front of Mac, Dean didn't want to think about her hip or knees, they had to ache in this position, but then both, the woman and the pig, looked up at him with such pleading eyes that Dean just dropped the leash in her waiting hand.
"Stay." He ordered but Mac didn't look like he wanted to go anywhere any time soon. As long as Margret was cooing over him, he wouldn't move an inch. Dean gave the pig a warning glare and hoped that Mac would stay in character even without Dean at his side.
Dean had never rushed through the store like this before. Lucky him, the store wasn't that big and he'd been here often enough to know exactly were to find what he was looking for. He couldn't help the glances he threw at Mac every time he came into his line of sight.
On the other hand, this was a great test for Mac's ability to keep the glamor up and it gained Dean points with Margret. Not that Dean wasn't her favorite customer already, at least that was what she had told him more than once but who knew who else she'd told that, but it never hurt to stay on her good side. She used to sneak an extra apple or a candy bar into his bag when she was in a good mood. Sam loved the apples. He never saw one of the candy bars, though.
Margret had gone back behind the counter where she had a chair, her knees did give her some trouble these days, Dean knew that, and she had Mac in her lap now. One hand was always working that spot behind Mac's ear.
"You ran out of peanut butter?" Disappointed Dean came back to the counter. He had found everything on his list except for the peanut butter Sam liked for his disgusting peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Dean had no idea why he even bothered to get the ingredients for that abomination. But Sam liked it and if he could make his brother happy with some peanut butter, Dean was all for it. Sam deserved something good from time to time.
"I expect the next delivery some time during the week." Margret said and started ringing his things. She was working one-handed, her other hand still firmly attached to Mac, so it took longer than usual for her to scan everything.
"Wait." Suddenly her face lit up with a smile. "You might be lucky."
She ducked behind the counter, Mac still in her arm and Dean started to seriously wonder if he would get his pig back in the end.
"Knew it." She came back up with a triumphant grin on her face and a jar of peanut butter in her hand. "The Olsen kid was short on money and had to leave it." She explained, her smile faltering for a second. "His loss, your gain, right?"
"Right." Dean added the jar to his pile. It felt weird to take it but Margret could have put it back on the shelf already and he would have never known. He paid for his things and grabbed the bags.
"And my dog, please." He held out his hand for the leash.
"What dog?" Margret closed her arms protectively around Mac but then she handed the leash over. "You be a good dog for Dean, won't you?" She took Mac's face in both hands and gave his head a playful shake.
"He is a good boy." Dean said with pride in his voice. Mac had done really good, better than Dean had expected if he was honest.
"Just make sure to bring him next time." Margret straightened and brushed out her skirt. "Otherwise I will be very mad at you and won't have peanut butter behind the counter."
Dean laughed to that but promised to bring Mac. And he had every intention to do so. It would be good training for Mac and the way Margret looked at the little guy he just didn't have the heart to disappoint her.
Back at the bunker Mac immediately went for the shelf and set back on his haunches, looking up at where the biscuits were waiting for him.
"Yeah, you earned those." Dean hurried to give him the treats, impressed that Mac even remembered their deal. But Mac had kept his end of it and so he got his reward. While Mac was happily munching the biscuits Dean went over to the kitchen to store the groceries.
Turned out that this time Margret had sneaked in some extra treats for his "dog".
"How did it go?" Sam strolled in and went for the nearest bag.
"Really good." Dean put the bananas in the fridge. "Margret almost didn't give him back."
"And she saw him as a puppy?" Sam found the peanut butter and Dean had to turn around to hide his pleased smile when he saw the expression on Sam's face. His brother was so easy.
"Yep." Dean let the word pop. "Golden Retriever puppy all the way."
Later that evening they sat in the library, the books and notes spread all over the tables, but they had abandoned the research and were now sitting there with a beer, just enjoying each other's company.
"We should take him on a job." Dean said out of the blue.
"Shouldn't we wait a little while longer?" Sam asked, doubt clearly written over his face.
When it came to his own abilities, Sam was quick to declare himself fit for the job but when it came to everybody else, he would wait until eternity before he would let them back in the field. Dean had that argument before, thank you very much.
"He won't be a bother." Dean was sure of that. Mac was sleeping in his bed in the corner and Dean couldn't help the fond smile on his face when he looked over. "He knows when to follow my lead."
They had only trained for a few days and Mac shouldn't be this good at following Dean's commands just yet but he was. And Dean was pretty sure that Mac understood way more than was normal for a pig. He wasn't willing to bet his life on Mac not making a mistake if he could help it but he was willing to take the risk and take Mac with them on a hunt. For the dangerous part Mac would stay in the car anyway.
Mac was a good distraction but Dean knew he needed to work. He needed the thrill of the hunt, of the kill, to keep the Mark of Cain under control. It wasn't that bad at the moment but the novelty of having Mac around would wear off eventually and Dean didn't want to hurt the little guy.
It had been easier with only Sam around. He didn't want to hurt his brother either but at least he knew that Sam would put up a fight. Mac was helpless.
Sam studied him for a long moment and Dean wasn't sure how much of his thoughts his brother could read in his expression but judging by the hoarse "okay" Sam gave him, Sam could read him better than he liked.
"Try to find us an easy one." Dean teased and took a sip from the bottle.
"The ones that look easy at first are usually the hardest." Sam replied with a snort.
Sam did find them a case only half a day's ride away. Some gruesome murders the authorities didn't know what to do with. Sadly it didn't come with a note saying "Dig up Aunt Julie and set the bitch on fire!". It was never that easy.
What else wasn't easy was getting ready for a road trip with their new addition to the family.
The Winchester brothers had packing down to an art. They knew what they needed and how to fit it in one bag without crinkling the suit. They could go from "waking up" to "ready to leave" in under ten minutes. However, neither of them had traveled with a little pig before.
"He needs his bed." Dean insisted, ready for a tug of war with the bed when Sam didn't let go of it.
"As if he's going to sleep in it." Sam countered and shoved the bundle of shirts and blanket in Dean's arms instead. "Here, make him his nest in the foot room."
Blindsided Dean caught the bundle but didn't know what to do next. Thinking about it Sam was right with the bed. It would only take up space in the car and Mac would end up sleeping in Dean's bed anyway.
"Alright." Dean let go of the bed. "Just make sure to pack his toys. And the treats, you always forget the treats."
Muttering under his breath Dean went to set up Mac's place in the car. Technically they had a dog crate for traveling but Dean had no idea why Sam had bought it in the first place. Did he really think that Dean would cram Mac into that thing? That crazy lady had probably forced it on him. Honestly, Dean had no idea where the crate even was. Sam had put it into storage with a few other things they would never need and hadn't mentioned it since. One more reason he loved that giant fool of a brother.
"What else do we need?" Dean thought aloud when he put the bag with the toys into the trunk. Sam had even brought the treats, good boy.
They had an argument over the bowls.
And one over the litter box.
In the end both stayed at home. Mac could eat out of the burger wrapper just like Dean and would probably be neater about it, Sam's words not his. Sam would wake up with a dick drawn on his forehead for that one, Dean promised him silently.
As for the litter box, they would just take Mac outside whenever he needed to go. He was pretty good at letting them know when it was time to go for a walk by now.
"Just remember." Dean locked eyes with Mac who watched every move they made with interest. "Accidents on Sam's stuff."
The sound the little guy made could be interpreted as agreement or a snort, Dean wasn't sure which but it was good enough for him.
They left the bunker almost two hours later than intended and Dean was still sure that they had forgotten an integral thing Mac would need. In the end it turned out that he'd forgotten to pack his own toothbrush but he could live with that.
This time Mac was well rested and almost fully healed so he was restless from the beginning. Dean was proud of Sam for withstanding the pleading eyes and tiny feet on his shin for almost thirty seconds before he scooped the little guy up and put him in his lap. Mac looked very pleased with himself.
They had a few more potty breaks than usual, and Dean had to admit that it was nice to stretch his legs once in a while, but other than that the ride was rather boring. Mac loved watching the landscape flying by and as long as Sam was petting him, he stayed in his lap without squirming.
Dean glanced over at the two of them and couldn't help the little ping of jealousy in his chest.
He turned on the radio so he didn't have to listen to Sam talking sweet nonsense to the pig. After fiddling around for a bit he found a classic station which seemed to have a marathon of his all time favorites running. He wasn't sure what was better, the music or Sam's bitchface when Dean sang along with every single song. Either way, it lifted his mood.
Chapter 8
Masterpost