falling like the stars, sam winchester [ 3 ]

010. facing the past

Sam is leaning against the hood of the Impala, groaning at the headache. Miranda is watching the kids while they run around and Wyatt tries to chase Carly, both of them giggling. Dean walks over with drinks and food from the food truck they're parked near.

"How you feel?" Dean asks.

"Like I got hit by a planet." Sam says, taking a coffee.

"Well, lucky for you, I'm a doctor. I got joe, grub, and..." Dean holds up a bottle of pills and shakes them.

"What are they?" Sam asks.

"Effective." Dean says.

"I'm okay. Thanks." Sam says.

"Suit yourself." Dean pockets the bottle.

"So, how long was I out, again?" Sam asks.

"I'm telling you, like two or three minutes. Why, what'd it feel like to you?" Dean asks.

"About a week, give or take." Sam says.

"You want to talk about it?" Dean asks.

"It?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, whatever that was. I mean, it was like you were fucking electrocuted." Dean says.

"Look, I mean, it wasn't fun, but I-I'm... fine." Sam says.

"Fine. It was Hell, wasn't it? You got a big, fat face full of Hell. Ever cross your mind that you could've died?" Dean asks.

"Oh, come on." Sam rolls his eyes.

"I'm serious. And none of this it's just a flesh wound bullshit. Cause we did it your way. We let you go explore, and every bad thing that I said would happen happened. So guess what -- past stays past. We're not kicking that wall again."

"So I'm supposed to just ignore it?"

"Yes."

"Dean... I might've done... who knows what, and you want me to just forget about it?"

"You shove it down and you let it come out in spurts of violence and alcoholism."

"That sounds healthy."

"Well, works for me." Dean says and Sam sighs. "It's not a joke. Your life is on the line here, Sam. This is not a debate. I mean, first you were a soulless dickbag, and now you're not. So we good?"

"Yeah. Sure." Sam says.

"Good. Well, let's get your mind off it, shall we? You, uh, up for a job?" Dean asks.

"Well, what do you got?" Sam asks.

"Janitor murdered in a college lab last night. Doors were locked, nobody else in or out of the building."

"Great. Where to?"

"Paterson, New Jersey. Hey, maybe we'll have a Snooki sighting."

"What's a Snooki?"

"That is a good question."

+++

"Check it out. This thing's fucking awesome." Dean grins at the anatomy dummy in the science lab. He takes the heart out. "Be my valentine?" He holds it out to Sam.

"Dude, we're working. Put it back." Sam says.

"Have a heart." Dean teases.

"Dean." Sam hisses.

"Buzzkill." Dean comments. "You smell sulfur?"

"Yeah, we're in a science lab." Sam says.

"Right." Dean puts the heart back. His phone rings.