Okay, so here we go. Many moons ago, Gredelina1 and I were lamenting the end of the Brotherhood verse. It was the most powerful work I'd done up to that point, and I adored the characters. They were – and still are — very alive to me. I never stopped imagining their lives, even after the epilogue was posted. I think she was fed up with my moaning about how much I missed them, or she was just being a good, enabling friend, but Gredelina1 asked why I didn't go on with them. If I knew more story, why not share more story? That started a story called As Time Goes By.

For a couple weeks I had the best time writing new chapters for them, but a problem developed. I was loath to interrupt their happy life that I had ended with by introducing new challenges, even know I knew that was what happened next. I felt bad about it. A different story idea came — Missing — and I decided to dedicate myself to writing that for a while instead. Missing was followed by Lost and Found and the continuation and As Time Goes By languished. I think I will return to it one day, but not yet. Maybe one day I will feel cruel and find joy in disrupting their lives again.

I sent this to SPN Mum recently as a gift and I realized that you might all enjoy seeing a little of their college life. It's been exactly one year since I wrote The End on Back in the Saddle, and I thought it was the perfect time to share. It's short, it sweet, but I hope you enjoy. It's unbeta'd so excuse the mistakes.

Sorry about the long-ass author's note. Read on…

Vignette

Dean closed the lid of the waffle iron and the batter hissed, joining the sounds of Zeppelin playing on the stereo. Leaning back as the steam wafted up, he smiled as the homey smell filled his nose. He took a quick sip of his coffee and then set down the mug and wandered out of the kitchen and along the hall. He knocked on Sam's bedroom door and pushed it open.

Sam was sitting at his desk, bowed over a textbook among the organized chaos that was his study space. There was a stack of books, two legal pads with scrawled notes, more pens than he could possibly need and the laptop open casting a ghostly light over his face.

"Sammy, breakfast."

"Huh," Sam said, not looking up.

Dean sighed and entered the room. He placed his hand over the page Sam was reading and Sam looked up at last. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Sam nodded vaguely and then his eyes cleared and Dean knew he had his brother's attention again. "Right. Sorry, man. I was…"

"Distracted," Dean finished for him. "I know." He smiled fondly.

It had been three years and yet he still wasn't over the novelty of losing Sam to college study instead of hunting research. That's wasn't to say it wasn't a pain on the nights Dean wanted them to kick back with a beer and watch a game or catch a movie and Sam wanted to hole up in his room instead and work his books. Sometimes Dean had to pull him away from it for his own good. Sam could be single-minded in his focus to make the most of the chance he had been given at Stanford; he didn't want to waste a moment of it. Dean was sometimes forced to be the one to make him see that there was more to life than study.

That wasn't to say it wasn't fun. They had good lives, vastly different to the ones they had been living in the lead up to the apocalypse and Crowley fight. They saw friends for reasons other than crisis meetings, they celebrated holidays, they visited family when they could, they watched football games and even made new friends. Dean reconnected with a few from his old life too. It was a good way to live. It was a life Dean thought John and Mary would both have wanted for them.

Dean went back into the kitchen and poured a coffee for Sam, and when he wandered in a moment later, his textbook in his hand, Dean handed him a coffee and tugged the book out of his hand in return.

"What…?" Sam started.

"Fruit's in the fridge," Dean said. "Prepare that and then I'll give your book back."

Sam laughed and shook his head, his hair falling into his face. He pushed it back and said, "Are you seriously holding my study to ransom until I have done my chores?"

"Yes," Dean said decisively. "No more school for you until you've done your bit."

"But I can watch TV, right?"

"Yeah, but nothing educational."

Sam laughed again and Dean joined him. He set the book down and pointed at the fridge. Sam acquiesced. He picked up a bowl and loaded it with fresh fruit then carried it to the chopping board and set to work while Dean slid his first batch of waffles onto a plate and poured in more batter.

"What's the plan this weekend?" he asked. "I was thinking we could make a trip home, see Ellen, Jo, and Ash."

Sam paused chopping a strawberry and turned to look guiltily at him. "I need to work, Dean. But you can go."

Dean snorted. "Sure. Ellen will let that pass. I won't get a lecture on letting you work too hard at all."

"No one lets me do anything," Sam said.

Dean pointed a finger at him. "Yeah? You tell her that next time."

Sam shook his head quickly. "No, thank you."

"Exactly. Seriously, though, we could go there as soon as we've cleaned up here, stay till Monday morning, and be back in time for class and work no problem if we hop a flight Angel Air."

"I really can't. I've got a paper to finish and finals are coming up."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Finals are in two months, Sam."

"And if I don't pass, I don't graduate." Sam sighed. "I need to be ready, Dean."

"There's ready and there's overworked."

"Tell me you weren't cramming two months before finals and I'll take a weekend off," Sam said.

The lie was on the tip of Dean's tongue, but it would not pass his lips. He huffed with frustration. "Fine. But Spring Break is coming up, and when it does, we're taking a few days at The Roadhouse. We'll both be off work then."

Sam smiled. "Agreed."

He turned back to his task and Dean lifted the lid of the iron to check the waffles. They were ready so he plated them and carried them over to the table. Sam set a platter of fruit down in the middle and then refreshed their coffees.

They sat down at began to eat in companionable silence, Kashmir playing quietly in the background.

Dean was mulling over a problem with one of his caseload as he ate. He was working now as a part of school district social work team. He liked the work as he reached more children than he had working before, but he missed building the close relationships he had when working alone. Now he was part of a larger team, he shared the cases, spreading the load. It was good to have people to go to with problems though, and the backup services availability was much better than he had before. He didn't have to fight for what he needed anymore as they were all part of the same system. It also meant the onus wasn't all on him. There would never be another Mitch as his kids didn't have the same dependency on him.

"You okay?" Sam asked, bringing him from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Fine."

Sam smiled slightly. "How about we see if Cas is free this evening?" he asked. "We can go home for a couple drinks. Maybe see if Bobby's free, too. Cas can swing by and get him, and we can all take an hour or so off."

"Thought you were too busy," Dean said.

Sam shrugged. "Couple hours won't hurt."

Dean knew it was for him that Sam had changed his mind, but he wasn't going to complain. He missed Ellen and the others, and it would be good to see Bobby, too. They both needed a break.

"That sounds good," he said, returning to his breakfast with more enthusiasm.

Some time together and the rest of their family was just what they all needed.

Thanks so much for reading. Much love...

Clowns or Midgets xxx