Bonds Tested

Red Sky at Morning -- Drowning

~*****~

I yawned tiredly as I tried to get back to sleep. "So, I've been waiting since Maple Springs. You got something to tell me?" Dean inquires loudly. I grumble and peer up from his lap.

"It's... not your birthday." Sam retorted as if it were obvious.

"No?"

I sat up and gazed back at Sam. "Happy Purim? I don't know. I've no idea what you're talking--"

"There's a bullet missing from the Colt." Dean retorted irritably. "You wanna tell me how that happened?" Sam hummed in denial. "I know it wasn't me. Wasn't Lottie neither. So, unless you were shooting at some incredible evil cans..." Sam hummed as if he wasn't in trouble. "You went after her, didn't you? The Crossroads Demon. After I told you not to."

"Yeah, well..."

"You could've got yourself killed!" Dean barked.

"I didn't." Sam retorted plainly.

"And you shot her."

"She was a smartass." Sam retorted as if it were obvious.

"So, what? Does that mean I'm out of my deal?" Dean questioned.

"Don't you think I might have mentioned that little fact, Dean?" Sam asked. "No, someone else holds the contract."

"Who?" I ask.

"She wouldn't say." Sam sighed.

Dean shook his head. "Well, we should find out who. Of course, our best lead would be the crossroads demon. Oh, wait a minute."

"That's not funny," Sam growled.

"No, it's not! It was a stupid freakin' risk, you shouldn't have done it." Dean sighed.

"He shouldn't have done it?" I echoed. "Dean, he's your brother. No matter what happens, he's always going to try and save you. And if you think for one minute that he needs to apologize for it, I'm gonna smack you silly, you hear me?" Dean just gazed at me incredulously. "Are we done?" I question irritably. "Good! Now both of you, shut up, and relax!"

~*****~

"But I don't understand, I already went over all this with the other detectives!" Mrs. Case exclaimed.

"Right, yes, but, see, we're with the sheriff's department. Not the police department, different departments." Dean explained.

"So, Mrs. Case," Sam hums, cutting the old woman's attention from Dean.

"Oh, please. Miss Case." She offers politely.

Dean and I are holding back, so hard. This old woman was gazing at Sam so longingly. "Okay, um..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Miss Case, um..." I elbowed Dean, almost wringing out a choked sob of laughter from him. "You were the one who found your niece, correct?"

"I came home. She was in the shower." Miss Case explained.

"Drowned?" I questioned.

"So the coroner says." She sighs. "Now, you tell me, how can someone drown in a shower?"

"How would you describe Sheila's behavior in the days before her death I mean, did she seem frightened? Maybe she said something out of the ordinary, or..." Sam asked.

"Wait a minute. You're working with Alex, aren't you?" Miss Case accused.

"Yes, absolutely," Dean nodded. "Alex and us," He lifted his fingers and crossed them. "We're like this."