Warnings and disclaimers: See chapter 1

Many thanks to CorieHall for the beta on this story.

Chapter 26 Into the sunset

Dean was laid on Bobby's couch and given control of the TV for the next few days while he recovered. John took him up to the room he shared with Sam every night to sleep. Sam slept in the same bed as Dean every night even though they each had their own and they were both singles. Dean knew Sam was still a little freaked about losing him for a week and although he wasn't too fond of waking up every morning with Sam's drool on his shoulder and the blankets pulled off him he knew his brother just needed time. It was Dean's gauge to how Sam was doing and he wouldn't allow them to leave before Sam starting sleeping in his own bed again.

John for his part spent the first couple of days updating his journal then helping Bobby to move his huge library of books around. At day five he had started to work on the Impala even taking Dean out with him to sit on a tall stool and supervise the work. Dean was eating good meals again and his strength was coming back well. At the end of his first week back he was rewarded with a nice juicy burger making everyone laugh as he tried to swallow it whole. Sam spent a lot of time studying normal school stuff for his upcoming SATs. Bobby even had some books to help him out which he dove into. Dean could walk slowly with shoes on by day seven and started taking small walks around the junkyard every day to build his strength up.

Dean finally got his stitches out two days later and walked gingerly out to the Impala and cleaned out the trunk. Sam came down to help after a while and they worked in companionable silence for a time before Sam broke it.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine Sammy."
"Your hands look a little stiff."
"It's coming back. Just gonna take a little time."
Sam nodded. "It's weird huh? I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam's lack of subject.
"Dad I mean, letting us stay this long." Sam explained.
"You looking a gift horse in the mouth?"
"No it's nice it really is. But strange at the same time."

Dean sighed as he closed the false bottom and placed a couple of clothes bags back in the trunk then shut the lid.
"We will move on when its time don't worry about that. Until then let's just enjoy it. It doesn't happen too often."
"And I'm the smart one?"
Dean grinned. "Well you had to get it from somewhere."
"I guess. Why don't we help out and cook dinner? Bobby has been doing it all week."
"You trying to poison us?"
"Ha, Ha Dean. My big brother taught me a few things and I was hoping he would teach me a few more while we have a full sized kitchen."
"Like what?"
"How about those killer steak sandwiches you make? I want to learn what all those 'secret' ingredients are and Bobby has some steaks in the fridge."
Dean nodded. It would be nice to spend some time with Sam that wasn't hunting.
"Okay."

It did John's heart good to see Dean and Sam working so well in the kitchen together. They laughed and played around like they were little kids again even making him laugh at their antics. Dean cooked well and it showed over the next few days as Sam and Dean took over the kitchen cooking all meals. Sam learned quickly and Dean soon had him cooking things from a book just for the challenge. Dean took Sam out walking and down to the yard for shooting practice for some activity and a bit of fun. They kept to the confines of the yard at first then slowly tested the waters outside but keeping it local. They enjoyed their time together and with John when he joined in. John didn't talk about hunting to the boys at all just talked about normal things as normal parents would. When the subject of Sam going to school came up John just found a way of disappearing without seeming to obvious. He didn't want to ruin the happy time by telling Sam what he thought. He put it on the backburner to talk about later.

By the end of the next week, Sam was starting out sleeping in the other bed but came over to Dean's during the night. A few more days and he was making it through the night on his own. Dean knew it might go back to the other way once they were back in their first motel but he was hopeful Sam was doing better. He was having a few nightmares himself about the ordeal but by the time John started hinting it was time to get back on the road a full three weeks after arriving Dean was just having a few bad dreams.

Bobby was sad to see the Winchesters pack their bags to leave but for them this had been a long stay. The bodies from the explosion had never been identified not surprising them and the cause had been ruled accidental. So it seemed they were free and clear to get back on the road. John had a restless spirit to start the ball rolling two states away. Dean was walking like he had never been injured and they were all getting on well. For now. Bobby hoped John would keep his promise to trust the boys intuition and listen to them but a long past of screwing things up didn't bode well for the future as far as Bobby knew.

The boys loaded up then hugged Bobby long and hard. They all had tears in their eyes as Bobby told them not to be strangers. Bobby watched them drive off into the sunset then went slowly inside to find Dean and Sam had left a tray of peach cobbler with a note telling him there was homemade ice cream in the freezer. Bobby smiled to himself as he cut himself a piece of cobbler and got a scoop of ice cream to go with it. He already missed the boys and the kitchen was way too quiet without their jovial laughter. It was all delicious and as much as Bobby wanted to scarf it all down at once, he would make it last.

The end

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review as we went along. I haven't had the time to reply personally to everyone as yet but I will try to get at least one to each of you in the next day or so. smalld1171,Rraz45, BranchSuper and moira4eku get a hat tip for their regular reviews and support. ~Gett