Hey folks!

This is just some sweet little fluff, starring a 4-year-old Sammy and 7/8-year-old-Dean.
It's a little stand-alone, but at the same time the teaser of my new story... don't ask me how this happened... it just was there *plopp* in my head.

Thanks to my favorite little pumpkin for dugging into this - Love ya!

Enjoy, and if you like it, you'll probably like "In the blink of an eye". Sorry about any suspense you may find here... - Lee

Will it be soon tomorrow Dean?

"Daddy?" serious eyes met his and John smiled gently.

"Don't worry, Sammy. Everything will be alright."

He crouched down in front of the boy, giving him more access to see the precious burden he carried.

"Is he still sick?" Sammy asked, looking at his brother's face.

John nodded. "Yes, but he'll get better."

"Is he too sick to play?" Sammy continued the questions.

"I think he needs a couple of days, but I bet he'll be able to play then."

"He needs some candies, daddy." Sammy looked up.

"Yeah. He definitely is in need of some candies." He smiled, straightening.

"Now, how about you go and pull the blankets back?" the little boy in front of him nodded eagerly and ran ahead.

John looked down at the sleeping face of his oldest.

The fever was gone, finally. All that remained of those horrible days that lay behind them were the bones John could feel through Dean's skinny frame, the pallor and the dark circles still surrounding his eyes, and of course the scratches, still vividly present on Dean's pale skin.

Sighing, he moved down the hallway, stopping inside the room his little boys share every time they visit Pastor Jim.

Jim was leaning against the wall, quietly, a soft smile playing around his lips, as he nodded to John who simply nodded in return.

He placed Dean carefully on the bed farthest from the door – he noticed, watching Sammy as he almost immediately tucked the blanket around his brother's shoulders.

"Good job, Sammy." He praised, a small chuckle escaping him as the little boy beamed up at him.

"Can you keep an eye on Dean, Sammy? Can you do that while I go talk to Pastor Jim?" John asked.

"Yes, sir!" the little boy answered immediately and scrambled up the bed to sit beside his sleeping brother.

John saluted him and left the room.

SPNSPN

Sammy looked at his fast asleep brother beside him, concern creasing his small face, as he gently touched Dean's pale face.

The skin beneath his fingertips was warm and smooth and didn't feel sick at all.

Sammy giggled as he felt Dean lean into the touch. He gently moved his fingers up to Dean's forehead, starting to bite his bottom-lip as he seriously searched for fever.

Convinced that there was no fever, he trailed his fingers toward the cut on his brother's jaw, the touch light as a feather as he followed the mark. It almost felt like someone had scratched his brother.

He stopped his examination when his brother stirred slightly.

His hand went to Dean's forehead again and he gently stroked a few strands of hair out of his brother's face.

"Shhh, sleep Dean…" he could feel his brother lean into the touch again.

SPNSPN

"This had been a mess…" John trailed off, looking up at Pastor Jim's gentle but serious face.

"You pulled through though." Jim answered; taking a sip of his coffee, nodding his head at the mug sitting beside John's twirling fingers.

"I could have lost him. For a moment I really thought this thing would kill him…" John grabbed the cup with both hands, not drinking just busying his fingers.

And then he locked eyes with Jim.

"If it hadn't been for Sammy…" a sad smile crept on his face. "… it probably would have ended like that."

SPNSPN

He woke up to someone wriggling at his side, a soft voice talking non-stop and for a moment he was trying to follow the words. A soft, small hand touched his face and for a second he wanted to flinch, but then he recognized it. Sammy.

"… and Daddy said that you'd be up and play with me, when you had a good-night's sleep, so why don't you wake up, like now and we can play… and… and have candies… because you sure need some candies… candies make it all better, but only if you don't have tummy-ache, because then candies aren't good…"

He pried his eyes open and blinked a few times and when his vision cleared he could see his brother's huge eyes looking back at him.

They continued to look at each other in silence, before Dean lifted his arm and put it around his brother's small frame, ignoring the small twinge of pain coming from his hurt chest as he felt Sammy snuggle closer.

"Go to sleep, Sammy…" he mumbled.

"You still tired?" Sammy's voice whispered.

"It's in the middle of the night lil' brother, you're supposed to be tired too."

He could feel Sammy wriggle again.

"If you don't sleep, you'll be too tired to play tomorrow." Dean mumbled, already half asleep again.

"Will it be soon tomorrow Dean?" Sammy breathed.

"Next time you open your eyes Sammy…" Dean answered.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

FIN

Hope you enjoyed this! Thanks for reading!!!