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[Aug. 12th, 2009|06:42 pm] |
Title: So. Car.
Author: ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) bitchandjerk
Characters: Sam/Dean,John/Mary/OFC OMCs OFCs
Rating :R
Words10,200/2,880,200
Warnings: Wincest,
Summary: Everyone travels to South Carolina for a much needed two week vacation.
Notes::AU, rest are here.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
Feedback: Makes me hard
Getting to South Carolina was easy because all Sam had to do was call Larry who would in turn call the publishers to send the plane. He always gave them plenty of notice and as a result the plane was always waiting at the airport when they arrived. It really was the only way to travel and Sam loved it. He just adored skipping security and stretching out on a sofa with the kids for any flight. It was particularly nice when they went to Paris because he was a big man and liked lots of leg room.
Deciding who was going to South Carolina ended up being a lot more difficult and by the time a decision had been made Sam wasn't talking to Dean, Ann and James weren't talking, and John had narrowly avoided calling Carol the B-word. Michael was pretty pissed off as well, and Jeremy was pouting more than usual. In short very few people were happy, but luckily they had a while to make nice before sitting down for an awkward Thanksgiving dinner.
The trouble started on Sunday morning when Sam was making lists and checking them twice to make sure he had everything he needed. He wanted to bring an ice chest full of his favorite organic chickens because he couldn't get them in South Carolina. He had some other stuff to bring as well and he didn't want to forget anything. That was actually going really well and he was enjoying himself until everyone came back from church.
John had gone with Carol and he was still high on his Saturday conquest of Scrabble nerds. He hadn't won first place but he did have a very nice little third place trophy which he was very proud of. Sam was really proud of him as well because not only did he place, but he was the cutest person at the tournament. Everyone else was shiny and fat so it was like a double victory for John who was hot and well muscled which was the real victory.
When he came over with Carol they were arguing because he was leaving on Monday for South Carolina and he wanted her to come as well. Thanksgiving, however, was time she spent with Nick and Bruce. They were staying in Westport and so was she. Sam completely understood that because she had always spent Thanksgiving with them and then Christmas with the kids so she could be around for Ethan and Evan's birthday. That was fine, but John took it the wrong way and they got in a big fight. He ended up packing his bags early and enjoyed a post departure sleepover with all the kids in the basement.
James and Ann got in a similar fight later in the day since he wasn't going to miss his first new Thanksgiving with his family because he had practically invented the holiday by making peace with the Indians. His family was Sam, Dean, and the kids, as well as the grain of rice baby that lived in Ann's uterus. He wanted his baby next to him when he had his turkey and she wanted him at her parents house so they could spend some time together. James wasn't doing that and made the mistake of reminding Ann that what she wanted was basically inconsequential because he was the man. That got him a knee in the nuts and needless to say Ann wasn't with him on the plane when they left on Monday morning.
Michael wasn't really mad at anyone, he was just mad in general because Jason asked if he could leave on Monday instead of Saturday. Alex and Michael were flying down with Ryan on Saturday since they both had school. Jason apparently wanted to give Alex and Michael some time alone which Sam thought was very sweet and he was fine with him coming down early. Michael was less than fine with that for reasons he never fully explained. He was so incredibly protective of Jason and he didn't agree to let him leave until Jeremy made the surprise announcement that he was taking two weeks off of work and would be leaving on Monday morning as well.
That meant he was going to be in South Carolina for a full week before Aaron came down on the Monday before Thanksgiving. He couldn't just take two weeks off and poor Jeremy was going to be without his snuggle bunny. He was a top with no bottom and Sam really felt bad for him. He was making a huge dramatic deal out of it but Sam knew he really was just a little lonely. He loved Aaron and it wasn't any fun sleeping alone.
Sam couldn't really remember what it was like to sleep alone but he was sure he was going to find out since Dean had been banished to the sofa for a week before they even landed in South Carolina. He was banished as soon as they were on the plane because Jenny had already arrived with Becca ready for her vacation. Sam was almost positive he had told Dean not to invite anyone without his permission but Jenny was there and made sure to mention that Tony was flying down next week. That really rubbed Sam the wrong way and he spent the entire flight with his nose in a book and Evan on his lap. Dean kept trying every trick in the book to get him to talk but Sam was staying quiet since silent anger was the cornerstone of any healthy relationship.
After landing they made it to the house and Sam felt a calm wash over him. He was still going to butt fuck Dean into submission but most of his anger went away. He loved Connecticut and Vermont, but he had bonded with South Carolina is a very significant way. It felt so good to be back and against his better judgment he gave in to a little smile when Dean grinned at him.
As Ethan's pet, Petunia had come down instead of staying behind. He was going to chill out with Oinkers and the horse in the barn. The kids were all very excited about seeing the horse and showing Jenny the animals. They went off to do that with Dean and James took the babies to bring them inside. John was handling the luggage and Sam grabbed a couple of bags before he walked to the front door. He was just about to dig in his pocket for the keys when Todd pulled open the front door with a big goofy smile on his face.
He was another reason why Sam loved South Carolina so much. He was always in such a great mood which was a little infectious. Sam was surprised to see him inside the house but once he stepped in he realized Todd had been very busy. It was nice and cool out and every window was open. The house had been closed up since they left in the Summer so it needed to air out. That was Todd being a good employee, but once Sam was walking towards the kitchen he smelled something absolutely intoxicating. It was Todd being a good friend and maybe a little sneaky as well.
On the counter in a shiny new crock pot was what Todd called his award winning chili. Sam assumed that had something to do with the fair but apparently Belle just really liked it and said he deserved awards. Not only had he made a gigantic meal for them, but the refrigerator was full of all the best toppings for the chili and two pans of cornbread waiting to be baked off. One was plain and the other had some bits of jalapeno which Dean was going to love. Todd had also gone ahead and bought a pack of juice boxes, some milk and enough bread and turkey for lunch. Dean was planning on heading to the store as soon as he was done with the tour but it was a very nice gesture which Sam really appreciated.
"Now I got a surprise!"
"You do?" Sam asked. "Bigger than cooking so I don't have to?"
"Maybe! I hope you're not mad, but I…oh…"
"Oh." Sam said. "Jason, this is Todd. You two haven't met yet."
Jason was the best little worker in the world or maybe the second best and he was bringing bags into the house since he loved to help out. Todd looked a little confused and that was understandable because Jason looked almost exactly like Michael. They were basically the same age and Jason was just thinner with shorter hair. It wasn't hard to figure out who he was and Todd was obviously confused and less than pleased.
"Hello, Mr. Todd." Jason said as he stuck out his hand. "Jason Higgins."
"Excuse me?"
"Jason Higgins!"
"Um…nice to meet you, Jason." Todd said. "You can call me Todd, please."
"Nice to meet you too! Mr. Sam this house is crazy! It's like my head fell off and then they put it on a little sideways."
"It takes some getting used to."
"May I use the restroom?"
"Uh yeah." Sam smiled. "Dad, can you show Jason where the bathroom is?"
"Yeah, come on this way."
"Thank you."
"What the fudge…" Todd muttered as Jason walked away. "Is that…"
"Yes." Sam sighed. "We'll tell you later."
"This family cain't function without me!"
"You are very right about that." Sam laughed. "He's really nice and there's a perfectly logical…well, there's an explanation."
Sam thought for sure that Dean would have briefed Todd about Jason but since he wasn't supposed to be joining them until Friday he probably thought he had time. Todd would never judge openly and he knew his place, but he did seem very concerned about Jason. Like everyone else he was naturally protective of Michael and he at least knew something about his past. He was still very polite to Jason and Sam knew he would continue to be no matter what.
Todd was also very excited because the second the chickens were all in the freezer he was pulling Sam towards the back door. It was hard to believe there was something better than taking over dinner duty for a night but Todd had found it and Sam was actually a little shocked and most definitely not the least bit mad.
The backdoor opened onto the patio where Sam was looking forward to spending some time since it was too cool to swim at night. He was thinking about a nice glass of wine with Dean at the end of the day and maybe some long conversations once they started talking again. The patio was one of Sam's favorite outdoor areas and Todd had made it so much better.
To the left of the patio right under the window above the kitchen sink Todd had planted a very nice little herb garden that seemed to be thriving. Sam spent the entire Summer talking about how herbs didn't come in plastic jars and that his food was suffering. He also kept saying that a herb garden was going to be one of his projects for next summer and Todd had taken the initiative to do it himself. The little garden had everything Sam used and it was going to be perfect for the next two weeks until they could do a big garden in the summer.
"Got you some parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme." Todd said as he pointed. "Dill, um…tarragon, chives, oh and those basils sure got big."
"This is so sweet." Sam smiled. "Thank you."
"You know what I really like?"
"Chervil?"
"Mrs. Dash." Todd whispered. "Woohoo! I'll have to make my award winnin' scrambled eggs with just a dash of the Mrs."
"I…"
"The original one." Todd winked. "Don't go tellin' nobody."
"I won't." Sam smiled. "Wow, Todd, this is so nice. I'm not mad at all, in fact, I love it!"
"You do!"
"I do indeed." Sam said before he hugged him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Sam."
"And you know it's…"
Sam tried to back away but Todd had a hell of a grip on him. He was a strong guy and while Sam could have pulled or tugged to get free he saw no reason to. He was confused for a second as to why Todd was holding him so tightly but then Sam remembered and it all made a little more sense. Clearly the garden had been planned and growing for a while, but Todd had made dinner so Sam wouldn't have to since the last time they saw each other was after the shooting.
Todd knew that Jeremy and Aaron had healed Sam but that didn't make the day go away. Todd had still seen Sam on television and then got on a plane all by himself. That was a big step for him and if there hadn't been so much going on Sam probably would have realized what a big deal it was. Todd hadn't even been out of the state before the wedding and Belle mentioned how terrified he was of flying then. He had done it again not even a month later just to make sure Sam was okay.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Sam nodded. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just so glad ya'll are here and that you're okay."
"I'm fine. I'd even say I'm better than fine because all my meals are going to be extra delicious thanks to you."
"There's sage for turkey." Todd shrugged. "That's what I read. Me? I'd just use a dash of the Mrs.!"
"I've never used Mrs. Dash before." Sam laughed. "It's good?"
"Oh, forget about it!"
"Hmm. And how's your Mrs.?"
"Well." Todd sighed. "You know they redid the bank over the Summer. She's at a seminar in Charlotte learning what to do if someone tries to rob it. She's there until Friday, I guess it takes that long to teach someone how to shoot someone else's face off."
"Mmhmm. And your tiny baby?"
"Oh, he's real good!"
Dean showed up right when Todd was launching into baby mode. It was a good thing he was there because there was a lot of information to discuss and he'd only have to do it once. Dean was by himself having left the kids to get the animals settled with Jenny and Jeremy. Sam was still peeved about the unexpected guests but it was so freaking hard to stay mad at Dean, especially when he was looking so incredibly handsome. It was a little cold when they left Westport and he was wearing his tight black leather jacket he had bought in Paris. He had it on with a pair of jeans and he looked like a movie star. He was just incredible and when he smiled Sam smiled back and then offered his hand.
Todd's tiny baby was still tiny, but he was a tiny eleven inch spaghetti squash. Todd was still holding his hands together like the kid was the size of a hamster but he did seem to realize it was going to be quite a bit larger when he came out. His wealth of knowledge about what was going on inside Belle's tummy seemed to rival Dean's. He told them everything they already knew about twenty-two weeks, but they still listened.
Belle was doing great as well. She had dealt with the morning sickness but it had passed and Todd was praying every night for more smooth sailing. She was a little bummed about the stretch marks that were blossoming across her belly, but Todd loved them. He loved everything about her and the bigger she got the happier he became. Confidentially between the men he also whispered that her sex drive had substantially increased and they was making it about twice a day. He was really enjoying that but also looking forward to time off so his little man could have a rest, thus preparing it for more tiny babies in the future.
"So you're convinced he's a boy?" Dean asked. "You called him "he" like thirty times."
"Oh yeah, he's a boy." Todd nodded. "I can tell. I'm thinking Roscoe, Austin, or maybe…well, I got another I really like."
"It's Dean isn't it! I knew it!"
"Uh…No."
"Hah." Sam laughed. "What is it?"
"I like Beau." Todd shrugged. "I like a B name to go with Belle's name. Then sometimes I like Todd Jr. I would call him Toddy."
"Beau and Belle is really kind of cute." Dean said. "What about girl names?"
"She likes Sissy." Todd sighed. "And Winnie."
"So a boy!" Dean yelled. "What great news!"
Todd had a good laugh over that because it was pretty clear he wasn't on board with Belle's baby names. Winnie wasn't so bad but naming a baby Sissy just didn't seem right. No matter what the gender or what it's name was, Sam knew the baby was going to be beautiful and most of all loved. Todd was really pulling for his pocket sized baby boy and Belle really wanted a girl, but whatever they ended up with was going to be very lucky.
While they were still talking about Todd's tiny baby Sam's own tiny baby made an appearance. Since the house was being aired out the backdoor was still open and Milo walked out in his little boots like he owned the place. John was behind him with his arms out just in case there happened to be a tumble but Milo didn't want or need that. He was a big boy in big boots and if anything the safety net was counterproductive because he'd have to stop every so often to glare at John if he got too close.
Milo had only been walking for a few days and Todd hadn't seen it yet which caused quite a bit of hooting and hollering. Milo seemed to approve of that because it was sort of like applause and he was Sam's son. He was so cute when he walked because every step was incredibly deliberate. He was about as slow as molasses but it worked because he wasn't really falling down that often. He was stamping his feet down step by step and enjoying the journey. Since he was so small he didn't walk for long before taking a break but there was a huge difference between falling and plopping down on his butt to rest.
Sam was pretty close to the backdoor so Milo didn't have to walk far but there some challenging surfaces to overcome. He was fine inside the house because like in Westport it was all wood. Outside, the patio was covered in rough stone which was hard and gave him some traction when he strutted. The grass was a different matter but he walked right into it without a care in the world. Once he was there and about to make some more deliberate steps he got a little nervous but he wasn't turning back since the only worthwhile thing behind him was John.
"Dahdah!"
"I know, that's grass!"
"He's talkin' too!" Todd clapped. "Hey, Milo!"
"Ahabwahdah!"
"He's a penguin!" Dean smiled. "Dad, where's Mary?"
"Sitting on the floor in the living room."
"She's not walking yet?" Todd asked. "Is that strange?"
"She just doesn't want to yet." Sam nodded. "I'm…I'm sure she will. Come on, baby."
Sam was getting a little concerned about Mary but that was just because Ethan and Evan did everything together. He wasn't worried that she wasn't walking yet, it was just a little slight concern and he was hoping she at least started pulling herself up. Sam had been saying the same thing about Milo and now he was not only walking but he was being quite adventurous as well. He walked right over to Dean's leg and tried his best to push him over which was a new thing he was trying. Dean would have fallen if it was any of the other kids, but he had to stand his ground with Milo who eventually gave up and giggled. If he couldn't knock Dean over he was going to have to settle for the second best thing. He held out one hand for Sam and then the other for Dean so the three of them could walk around and explore the vast jungle that was known as grass.
Dean really thought he was going to be in a butt load of trouble but Sam was surprisingly lenient. He didn't even hit Dean with a frying pan or call him bad names, he just calmly listened to the explanation for why Jenny was joining them for Thanksgiving and why he hadn't been informed beforehand. Dean almost got hit when he referred to her as his top hag, but that wasn't much of an excuse and not one Sam was going to buy anyway.
The real reason Dean had invited her was because Mikey had asked. Unfortunately, he asked after Sam sent out the no extra guests for Thanksgiving memo. Mikey didn't know about that so it wasn't his fault, and Dean took full accountability for inviting Jenny and not telling Sam about it. He had just kind of sprung it on him, but he was worried he might say no and then Mikey would be disappointed. It was a lot easier for Dean to deal with a pissed off Sammy than a disappointed kid, but he openly admitted he could have handled the situation better.
That was fine with Sam and he accepted an apology and a few kisses on the neck. Dean felt much better about the whole thing but he did want to know why Sam was so insistent that they not have any extra guests for dinner. Dean would have loved to have all their friends and family there. They had room and he loved the idea of sitting around with all the people who were closest to him. Sam was dead set on family and Dean really wanted to know why.
Sam was very busy showing a pot of soup who was boss but Dean patiently waited for an answer. He didn't care how long it took he was going to find out what the deal was. It was Sam, so he assumed it was a relatively simple and understandable answer that was hiding a much bigger problem and as always he was right. Since Jenny was in the living room Sam made sure to whisper that he liked less people because it was less work for him and he didn't have to split his focus so much.
More people meant bigger meals and it wasn't like Sam had a ton of help in the kitchen. Dean helped when he could but when they had a really full house he was usually busy taking care of other things. Sam prided himself on being the world's best host and he liked to make sure people were taken care of even if they were out in the guest houses. That was a full time job and Dean could see how exhausting it might become. He felt awful for inviting people and was completely prepared to tell Jared and Jensen they should make other plans.
As always Sam took a deep breath and then justified everyone being there. Jenny was fine because she was Mikey's mother and he wanted her there. Tony was annoying as hell, but he sort of had to go where Jenny and Becca were and Sam thought it might be nice if he could spend some time with Mikey. Justin and Charlie were coming next week with Craig and again Sam was fine with that because of Mikey. They had already been invited weeks ago and Sam knew about it so it was okay with him. Jensen and Jared would have been totally fine with not coming, but Sam had told them they could already. On top of that Jensen always took care of himself and the kids did like beating up Jared or making him cry.
By the time they were done discussing all the guests Sam's soup was boiling away on the stove and he was about to begin making the sandwiches. Dean had gone to the grocery so he was absolved from cooking but he helped anyway. They had quite a few sandwiches to make and it was going to be quicker and easier if they worker together. It even seemed like Jeremy might help out because he walked into the kitchen looking a little bored, but then he threw himself against the wall with the most dramatic anguished sigh Dean had ever heard in his life.
"Jeremy?" Sam said. "You okay, Muffinpants?"
"Sam…"
"Oh God! What's wrong!"
"Aaron…" Jeremy croaked. "Aaron…"
"Wha…what's…Dean, do something!"
"And the Academy Award for overacting goes to…" Dean said before he paused. "Oh! For the first time ever Jeremy Winchester beats Jared Padalecki! Brava!"
"I think something's really wrong with him!"
"Yeah, me too." Dean laughed. "Like his mom and his sister are the same person…"
"Sam!" Jeremy whispered. "Will you…oh…uhhh…"
"What? Anything!"
"Will you…will…will you make out with me while I play with your butt?"
"Excuse me?"
"I miss Aaron." Jeremy frowned. "I need you to make out with me while I work you over…three fingers…maybe seven if you're a bad boy."
"Shouldn't Dean do that?"
"He's too short." Jeremy panted. "And…ears…too big."
"Hey!"
"Oh, get over it." Jeremy said as he stood up straight. "Your ears are way too big for your head."
"I could say the same thing about my weenie!"
"Touché…but I still miss Aaron. I don't know what I'm going to do way down here with no one to make out with. I tried to make out with dad but he said no."
"Dude." Sam said. "You just saw him this morning. Where's your gay dignity?"
"Like you could go six hours without seeing Dean."
"Of course I couldn’t." Sam scoffed. "But Dean is at least three hundred times cooler than Aaron…and he doesn't cheat on me with altar boys."
"I don't expect either of you to understand the hardship I have to endure without my honey bunny."
"I went months without seeing Jensen." Dean said. "Trust, a know."
"Jensen sucks!"
"Hey hey!" Sam yelled. "Watch your language or we won't let you sleep with us."
"I'm pretty sure the entire reason I'm down here is so I can stay with Jason. We won't have an opportunity to cuddle and rub our boners together."
"What?" Dean asked. "What do you mean?"
"You know…Jason…" Jeremy whispered. "I'm here so he doesn't have to stay in a guest house alone."
Dean like Sam was completely lost until Jeremy sighed and sat down to explain. Apparently the whole reason Michael didn't want Jason to leave early was that he'd be stuck in a guest house alone. Jason apparently thought he might just stay in Michael and Alex's room so he wouldn't have to be alone. That room was right next to the kid's room though and Michael had to tell him that he most likely wouldn't be allowed in the house to sleep while they kids were there. Jason got really upset by that and said he'd be fine alone in a guest house but Michael didn't believe that for one minute so Jeremy stepped in to save the day. He was going to stay with Jason and Michael was going to have a whole week alone with Alex.
"He lives with them alone." Dean said. "What's the big deal?"
"He's downstairs." Jeremy said. "He's not alone. If he needs someone Michael's right up the stairs."
"Does he need someone?" Sam asked. "Often?"
"He had a front row seat for eighteen years of the world's worst horror movie. He needs someone. It's okay, I deserve a vacation anyway."
"I feel bad." Sam frowned. "Michael must me mad at us too."
"No, Sam, he knows why you wouldn't want Jason in the house, he understands that but I guess it does hurt, it's always going to hurt a little."
"Hey!" Dean said as he clapped. "Maybe we can do something fun with Jason this week and then when Michael gets here he'll tell him all about it."
"What'd you have in mind?"
"I don't know, Sammy, um…we can…uh…what does he do?"
"What?"
"What does he do for fun?"
"He reads." Jeremy said. "And works for you."
"Oh…okay that doesn't help any, but we'll think of something."
"He'd like that." Sam nodded. "And we should get to know him better. I'll get him to help me cook."
"Oh, he likes that too." Jeremy smiled. "Yeah, this'll be great."
"It means a lot to you too, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, Dean, it does."
If it meant so much to Michael and Jeremy, Dean was going to try extra hard to include Jason in whatever way he could. He figured they could maybe go to the grocery together and Dean could kind of suggest that Jason handle dinner one night. He was pretty good in the kitchen and he enjoyed cooking but Dean didn't know if he was actually any good at making a meal. That was something he could do with Sam and then Michael could hear all about it and feel much better about the whole Jason situation.
Dean was sure there was other stuff they could do with him and he was going to really think hard about it and maybe ask Todd for some suggestions. Before he could do that they had to have some lunch and unfortunately that was still a couple of minutes away since the soup needed to cook some more. Dean helped Sam finish all the sandwiches and Jeremy set the table before they went to the living room to check in on the kids. They seemed to be having a great time with Jenny and Becca and James was supervising Milo who so obviously wanted to run all over the place and explore. The kids were all kind of sprawled out on the floor coloring and Ollie was entertaining them with songs. At first Dean thought he was just singing something random, but when he focused he realized that wasn't the case.
"Whaevah tomorrow bwings a be there wit open awms and a nice lookin' curls, yeah-uh!"
"What the…"
"Oh, hey, daddy!"
"Beanie." Dean said as he squatted down. "Where did you hear that song?"
"Wha? A song?"
"The one you were just singing." Sam laughed. "It's nice."
"Oh, thank you daddy! I dunno, a guess when The Beans was in Fwance. La Beans."
"He knows a lot of songs." Jenny said. "Ollie, what was that other one you were singing?"
"Oh…oh!" Ollie gasped. "Is gonna take a lots to tear me away fwom you! Is nothin' that a hundwed men a more would evah do!"
"Now that is a great song!" Mikey said. "Toto is so underrated."
"Did you hear that one when you were in Africa?" Dean asked. "Seriously, where did you hear that?"
"Daddy, The Beans goes places and hears a things." Ollie said. "A bless the wains down in Afwicaaaaaa!"
"Clearly Ollie is meant to be the world's greatest singer." Evan said before he patted his hand. "You can have a band."
"Wit a band…weminds me when a sing a song on a big stage. Wemember when a sing you a song, daddy Sammy?"
"Um…"
"For the benefit." Ethan said before he winked. "You know."
"Oh, yes! Yeah, I remember that. You were so hot."
"That was me!" Dean yelled. "I did that!"
"Daddy." Ollie sighed. "A think a wemember my own life."
Dean was pretty sure he was the one who sang at the benefit, but if Ollie said it was really him then it probably was a safe bet just to agree. Since they still had a few minutes until lunch Dean sat down and Sam joined him. Milo picked up on that like Spotty when he was chasing lizards. He practically jumped off of James' lap and walked over everyone's pictures to get to Sam. Mary perked up as well, but she chose to flirt with Dean a little instead of getting up from where she was sitting. Normally she might have crawled over, but she had her baby with her and it looked like she was taking a little nap and couldn't be disturbed.
"Jenny, do you have everything you need in your guest house?" Sam asked. "I'm going to do the sheets after lunch."
"It's perfect for us, thanks."
"Good, that's good."
"I was wondering if um…"Jenny said before she paused. "If I could maybe make dinner tomorrow."
"Oh, um, sure. That…that sounds great." Sam smiled. "Yeah, that's fine with me, uh, what were you thinking about making?"
"Tuna noodle casserole."
"Yummy."
"It's got tuna and noodles in it." Ethan said. "And cheese with peas."
"Looks like I'll have the day off from dinner tomorrow too!"
Sam looked psychotically thrilled with a big smile on his face which meant he wasn't pleased at all. Dean noticed it and swallowed hard before glancing over at Jeremy who immediately picked a spot on the ceiling to stare at. Sam was enough issues with Jenny and the last thing they needed was for her to start cooking dinner and feeding his kids. She was just being nice, but she had picked the worst possible time to be nice since Sam was already a little worried about having her around.
"And I'll wash the sheets after lunch." Jenny said. "Do you need to do the other houses too?"
"Um…yeah, three more."
"I can handle that and you can relax."
"I can do it." Sam said. "I always do it, it's no big deal."
"Well, yeah…" Jenny said before she laughed. "But you let everyone else have a vacation, maybe you should have one for a day or two."
"Thank you, Jenny, that's very nice."
"I'm not sure my dinner will be as good as that chili smells though."
"I know!" Dean yelled. "God, Todd must really want to make babies with me."
"Wha!"
"You heard me!"
Todd's chili smelled absolutely incredible and because he had been cooking it since that morning the scent had permeated the entire house. Every time Dean inhaled his mouth began to water and he couldn't wait for dinner. Lunch came first though and since Jenny had explained why she wanted to cook and help out, Sam was in a much better mood and was quite generous with the soup portions. John had been arguing on the phone with Carol for a while but he came in for lunch and Jason returned from his in-depth tour of the property with Todd. He seemed a little over stimulated but excited as well and just to be on the safe side Dean was going to suggest a little nap after lunch.
One of Dean's favorite things to do was talk about food he was going to eat while he was already eating. Apparently Jenny liked to do that as well since she asked what was on the Thanksgiving menu. That really got Sam's attention because he loved Thanksgiving and so did Dean. Sam liked it because the kids were always so happy to get such a spectacular meal and Dean just liked it because everyone made a pig of themselves and he didn't feel bad about how much he ate. The menu was fairly standard but Sam was taking suggestions on sides up until Wednesday since he liked to try something new each year.
"Oooh!" Mikey said as he waved his hand around. "Oooh! Daddy!"
"What!"
"Brussel sprouts." Mikey whispered. "With lots of butter."
"Oooh." Ethan moaned. "Yeah…"
"You…you guys like brussel sprouts?" Jenny laughed. "Really?"
"Oh!" Ollie gasped. "Tah die for!"
"They're so good with just a little bit of crispiness." Evan sighed. "Oh, man. Awesome."
"Wait a minute now!" Jason said. "Them little ball things no one likes? They're all mushy and gray lookin'?"
"I gotta agree with Jason." Todd laughed. "Brussel sprouts?"
"You would agree with him." Jeremy said. "You're both hillbillies."
"Personwhodidn'tgotoYalesayswhat?"
"What?"
"Exactly!" Todd smiled. "Burn."
"Hey!"
"My brussel sprouts aren't mushy or gray." Sam said. "They're crisp and buttery and just delicious."
"I sorta like 'em." Jeremy shrugged. "Oh, and make sure you're cooking the traditional Thanksgiving tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce. That's a great side."
"That's right." John nodded. "We have to have that."
"For the last time, I'm not cooking that for Thanksgiving."
"This is Aaron's first Thanksgiving away from Italy! It's going to be hard enough as it is!"
"Jeremy." Mikey sighed. "There is no Thanksgiving in Italy."
"Thank you, Mikey. If Aaron wants Bolognese so badly he can make it himself."
"He can't! We tried and it didn't taste very good. You have to make it."
"Jeremy." Dean said. "Don't make me have Milo backhand you."
"Wahhhhhhhh." Milo said as he held up his hand. "Bwahhhhhh."
"Fine, but we're going to act snooty to everyone." Jeremy said. "Hmph."
"You should really teach them a lesson and not talk to anyone." Todd whispered. "That would be the best thing to do."
"Then I shall!"
"Perfect! Now, I will be making my award winning squash casserole."
"What exactly is that?" James asked. "I do enjoy squash."
"It's squash with heavy cream, butter, cheese…"
"Sold!" Dean yelled. "It sounds awesome."
"Oh, it is!"
"Ya'll make yamallow?" Jason asked. "With yams and lots of marshmallows."
"We can." Sam smiled. "If you'll help me."
"I would…well, Mr. Sam, I would be delighted!"
"Did you have that growing up?" James asked. "It sounds nice."
"No, I saw it on television once and it looked really good."
"I'm sure it will be." Dean said. "We'll all help cook and daddy Sammy can handle the complicated stuff."
"Your Beans wants a pwashooto wit a melon."
"Like all two year olds." Sam laughed. "Baby, if I can find proscuitto in this podunk town I will wrap a whole melon with it."
"Hey now!"
"Todd." Dean frowned. "It is a podunk town."
"I know, but still!"
"If someone wasn't racist I could ask Aaron to bring some proscuitto when he comes down this weekend…he tends to do what I say."
"Because you're the little brother?" Evan asked. "Is that why?"
"Um…yes, let's go with that."
"How exactly am I racist?" Sam asked. "I'll buy him a can of ravioli."
"Typical racist attitude."
Sam reached across the tables and slapped the shit out of Jeremy on the back of his head which for some reason ended the discussion about traditional Italian Thanksgiving dishes. Fixing a meal as a side dish was asking a little much, but Dean knew Sam was going to throw together a little something Italian for Aaron, just like he was making a sweet potato pie for Jared and some Stovetop for Jensen. He was even considering getting a can of cranberry sauce because Justin loved it so much.
Everyone was going to get at least one thing they liked and though it was going to be a lot of work Sam was going to enjoy it. He was a little prickly about having so many people there but once he saw how happy they'd all be he'd get over it quick enough. If everyone helped out cooking next Thursday was going to be a breeze and Dean was looking forward to it. Helping out was going to put Sam in a good mood with was motivation enough, but Dean figured if he helped he'd be able to eat even more without any guilt.
Sam had Todd trapped in the corner of the kitchen and he was repeatedly poking him with a broom but he just refused to give up his chili recipe. It was made with chicken, tomatoes, and beans, but there was a secret blend of herbs and spices as well as some Mrs. Dash in there. Sam wanted to know everything he had done but apparently Yankees couldn't be trusted so Todd was keeping quiet and getting poked harder and harder which was just making him giggle.
If Sam had a little help he was sure he could have made Todd talk, but Dean was completely occupied in the living room with everyone else. The last time Sam looked they were all sort of passed out and rubbing their bellies because the chili was so delicious. There wasn't a drop of it left nor a crumb of cornbread. Dean and John had even cleaned out all the toppings for the chili before they collapsed in the living room with near orgasmic moans of pleasure. The kids were moaning and groaning too and Sam wasn't going to let some no good hillbilly make his family happy.
"Stop pokin' me!"
"I am the most powerful man in the world." Sam whispered. "You will either tell me what's in that chili or I'll seduce your wife and steal your suspiciously tiny baby."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"What haven't I done already?" Sam asked as he poked him again. "Start talking!"
"Sam, I think this is just jealously over your chili never winning any awards. It's not my fault I'm a better cook than you."
"Oh!"
"Just because your whole family is moaning with joy doesn't mean I'm a better husband or father either."
"If you…"
"Sounds like your daddy's moaning the loudest."
"Oh, that's it!"
Sam gave Todd an extra hard poke which sent him running. Maybe Sam would have let him go but then Todd just had to mention how satisfied John was. Sam didn't even let Carol get away with that and he sure as hell wasn't going to let some ridiculously hot property manager do it. Sam chased him all around the kitchen until Todd snuck out into the living room where he would be safe with his many fans.
Dean was flat on his back with his shirt pulled up around his chest. He had eaten so much that his stomach was sticking out in a delightful little pooch which Ollie was rubbing for him. No one was going to argue that Dean was easily the best looking guy in the world but seeing him all tubby made Sam wonder if he'd agree to gain about ten pounds. If he always had that little pooch Sam could think of a lot of wonderful thing to do with it.
Ollie was also getting his belly rubbed by Dean, but he had removed his pants and was just in his underwear. His shirt was pulled up as well and that big white marshmallow looked bigger and fluffier than ever before. Dean had his whole hand over it and was giving it light squeezes which seemed to be helping but it was tickling some as well.
Mikey was sprawled on the sofa with his head in John's lap and they were both groaning. Ethan and Evan were sitting next to each other at his feet rubbing each other's bellies and still talking about the chili. Todd had obviously won some kind of competition so Sam smacked him on the ass one last time and then sat down on the ground. Mary and Milo hadn't had chili for dinner so they weren't completely incapacitated but it was getting late so it took them a little longer to crawl over and get in Sam's lap where they belonged.
Sam's stomach wasn't hurting all that much but Mary and Milo seemed to realize what was going on around them since they began to punch it as hard as they could. It was actually ticking Sam some but he didn't laugh since he didn't want to discourage their efforts. Mary seemed really strong for a baby but those punches were still like little kisses and they were both really enjoying their little game.
It was really nice sitting down and chilling out but Sam could only do it for about ten minutes. He had promised, along with Dean, to check out the nursery Todd had been working on. Apparently it was pretty special and Todd was way too excited. Sam couldn't make him wait so after leaving instructions for John to give the babies a bath he stood up and then pulled Dean to his feet with quite a bit of effort.
Before dinner the kids had all decided it would be best to continue the tradition of evening walks, but none of them looked like they were going to move. Without Dean around to keep him company, Ollie kind of went limp on the rug next to Spotty and Mikey seemed to be having trouble staying awake. James said he'd keep an eye on them but it seemed like they were all ready for bed. The meal was pretty big and they did have a traveling day which was always a little tiring even on a private jet.
Sam thought it was funny that his biggest baby was having the hardest time moving and staying awake. Dean was sort of tripping on his feet and complaining about how movement was hurting his belly. Sam kept pushing though and eventually got him to the golf cart which was about ten feet away from the backdoor. Dean always drove, but he was too full and scooted over so Sam could get behind the wheel. That was just fine with Sam because he was a good husband and no matter what anyone said he didn't hit as many bumps as possible on the way to Todd's house.
When they were nearly there Sam hit a rather large root in the ground which bounced Dean off the seat about six inches. He landed with a rather loud but still classy and elegant fart. Sam started to laugh so hard that he nearly crashed the cart and Dean was yelling about throwing himself off the side because he was so embarrassed. It was actually really cute because he was blushing and trying to hide his head which was the same thing Milo did whenever he had a little gas. Dean probably should have taken a hint from Mary who would poot and then pretend nothing had happened.
"That was so…"
"Shut up!"
"Aww, does a belly feel better now?" Sam frowned. "A little?"
"It does."
"It's okay to fart sometimes."
"In bed?" Dean asked. "If I…"
"Never!" Sam yelled. "You know my chili doesn't make you fart."
"Doesn't make me nut in my pants either…"
"What was that!"
"Nothing! A love you!"
Sam narrowed his eyes and then slammed on the brakes while jerking the steering wheel to the left. Dean went tumbling out of the cart, but that tricky bastard was so talented he rolled and then ended up on his feet. Sam wasn't trying to hurt him but he was hoping that Dean would stay on the ground long enough for kisses and tickles. Since that wasn't happening Sam just parked and then followed Dean inside so they could check out the nursery.
Todd's house, which had been lovingly referred to as the servants quarters, was basically a larger version of the guest houses. They all had two bedrooms and a full kitchen, but Todd had a little more room in the living room which was nice. There was nothing special about his furniture but it looked incredibly comfortable. Dean was eyeing the recliner as soon as they walked in but Sam held him back since he knew he'd fall asleep if he sat down.
The arrangement of furniture was a little different than it had been the last time Sam was there. The sofa was moved a little closer to the entrance wall and the recliner had been angled different all so that Todd could have room for his desk which had previously been in the second bedroom. His laptop from Alex was sitting right on the desk and it was open to one of Dean's favorite baby websites. Todd had his tiny baby on his mind all the time and seeing the computer there made Sam smile.
He smiled even better when they were in the nursery because it was just perfect. There wasn't any furniture yet, but the room had been all cleared out and painted. Todd was lucky because the servants quarters were apart of the more recent renovations and he had actual sheetrock that could be painted. In the main house and all the guest houses all the walls were wood and couldn't be painted without destroying the historical integrity of the house.
The walls were painted a very nice blue against the ceiling that faded into a soft yellow and then white. It was sort of like the sky or at least a version of it. Todd was so artistic that Sam wasn't the least bit surprised that he had done something special but that was just one little layer. All around the room in random spots Sam could just barely pick out a sheen against the flat paint. He didn't know what it was and the overhead light wasn't helping anything. It was incredibly bright and Dean was actually squinting some until Todd flipped the switch and turned if off.
Those shiny spots were actually painted with a glow in the dark paint that was being charged by the bright light. Once it was off all sorts of words appeared on the walls in a very bold but still perfectly appropriate font. The words had nothing to do with babies and they didn't seem connected in anyway but it was still beautiful and Sam got it, Dean did too. Sunlight was going to be filtering into that room all day and when Todd's baby went to sleep he was going to fall asleep in the dark surrounded by daddy's favorite words.
"Extremities." Dean smiled. "I remember that."
"You like it?"
"Todd, it's beautiful." Sam nodded. "Cellar Door. Is that Donnie Darko or Tolkien?"
"What the heck's a Donnie Darko?"
"Oh, you make me so proud."
"I like Tolkien. I'm reading those Hobbit books right now."
"You are?" Dean asked. "Are you enjoying them?"
"They're pretty good."
"Those aren't easy books to read." Sam said as he touched the wall. "Lots of words people don't even use."
"I just think they're wonderful." Todd beamed. "I been reading them out loud since Belle's been gone. I get in bed with my little lamp on the bed and just read all night. They have the most amazing words."
"Like shire!" Dean pointed. "How'd you choose the words?"
"Well, the ones that gave my problems and then the ones I just like. I don't…well, when he's like Ollie's age he'll be looking around and seeing these words. That'll make him so smart and I'm going to read to him all the time. I…I won't let him be like me."
"Todd…"
"He'll be so smart." Todd said as he tapped the wall. "Stupendous!"
"Todd." Dean said again. "There's nothing wrong with you, there's never been anything wrong with you."
"That ain't true."
"Yes it is. You had a hard time reading, but that's just something some people deal with. I have trouble with stuff and so does Sam."
"I do, I…"
"He can't even make a pot of chili." Dean winked. "Well, he can, but it's not very good."
"It's Lawry's."
"Excuse me?"
"Lawry's." Todd shrugged. "It's a dollar at the store and the chili recipe is on the back. I just used chicken instead of beef and three shakes of original Mrs."
"You gotta be kidding me."
"No, that's it."
Sam was so convinced that the chili contained the most exotic ingredient known to man but it was just a prepackaged spice mix. He really should have known better because Todd was without a doubt the biggest no muss no fuss kind of guy he had ever met. Cooking chili from a pack of spices was just simple kind of like him. He kept it simple and unfortunately he still thought he was simple in mind, but Sam had seen again and again that that just wasn't true. He was never going to be a rocket scientist but then Sam didn't know anyone who was. He was just a guy like everyone else and sometimes he needed to be reminded of that. Luckily he had Dean.
"What's going on?" Dean asked. "I thought you got over this stuff."
"I did, but it's so scary. I'm so scared, terrified maybe."
"Of what?"
"That something's going to be wrong with him." Todd said. "It's just scary because he's so small and there's so much that could go wrong. I know it's just 'cuz he's our first but I'm still so worried."
Todd had his hands together like he was cupping some water in them. The first thing Sam felt like mentioning was that the baby wasn't going to fit in his hands or his pocket. It was going to be a regular sized baby, God willing, and that was something he was going to have to get used to. He could have mentioned that but the whole reassuring new fathers thing was Dean's territory.
"What exactly do you think is going to be wrong?"
"You know." Todd whispered. "He'll be…he'll need special help."
"If he does he'll get it." Dean smiled. "That doesn't mean he'll love you two any less or that you'll love him any less. He'll just need some help, but I'm sure he won't."
"Was it hard for ya'll, you know, with the waiting."
"Well…" Dean laughed. "No, because Mikey was already born before I knew about him."
"Do you wish you had known?"
"No."
"What?" Sam asked. "You don't?"
"No, Sammy, I don't."
After Sam came back from the apartment Dean had mentioned several times how much he had missed out on by not knowing Jenny was pregnant. He hadn't mentioned it in a while which Sam assumed was because he had been through three pregnancies since then. Still, Mikey was always going to hold a special place in Dean's heart because he was his first born and Sam found it a little hard to believe that the wouldn't have wanted to know about him as soon as possible.
"If I had known I would have gone through worrying alone." Dean shrugged. "With Ethan and Evan…well, I got to worry with Sam. We got to do that together and it was easier."
"Dean…"
"Come on, Sammy." Dean said as he nudged him. "Not now."
Sam really thought that was incredibly sweet and it made him feel a lot better about not knowing about Mikey either. He was their first born but in a lot of ways he sort of like a good trial run that prepared them both. It seemed like someone up there knew how hard it would be for Dean to wait for him to be born so they just didn't let him find out. When Sam was back in the picture and they were pregnant with Ethan and Evan they could handle it together. Sam stayed up and talked to Dean about how everything was going to be okay. When Sam started to worry that something was wrong it was Dean who help him and told him how Ethan and Evan were already perfect like Mikey and all the rest of their kids would be.
"Are you talking to Belle about this?"
"Sometimes." Todd nodded. "But she's at work all day and then when she gets home I don't want to be bothering her with all my craziness."
"She's your wife." Sam laughed. "That's her other job. Just like it's your job to listen to her."
"Yeah, I know, but then she doesn't know everything either."
"Did you tell her you were worried about him?"
"I did. She said he's perfect. She said she knows…because I am."
"Smart girl." Sam smiled. "She's right. You're a hard worker, you're talented, you're funny, you make a hell of a pot of chili, and you're smart."
"Also, you look really good with your shirt off." Dean said. "And you have really pretty hair."
"You guys really think I'm better than Anthony?"
"Is that the problem!" Dean yelled. "You've always been better than him. Like ten times better!"
"Really!"
"Absolutely." Sam laughed. "You're going to be a great daddy and this baby is going to be perfect. Trust me, I'm sort of a big deal."
"Belle told me to find a psychic if I was so worried."
"What do you know, Sammy's a psychic!"
"What?"
"Yeah, I guess I am." Sam sighed. "And I'm telling you that Beau is going to be fine."
"I really like that name."
"Me too."
"And wit me." Dean nodded. "Listen we're here for two weeks, if you want to talk about anything just tell us."
"Thanks, guys."
"We better get back. If Milo doesn't get his goodnight kisses there's a good chance he'll kill dad."
"Thank you again for my herb garden. I'll make something awesome on Wednesday."
"You're welcome, Sam."
"We'll see you tomorrow."
Dean was always so affectionate and he just had to give Todd and little smooch on the cheek. Sam needed to get in on that so he took the other one which made Todd blush. He was awfully cute and physic or not Sam knew he was going to make a damn fine father. Maybe he wouldn't be perfect but he was going to be close because he cared so damn much. That baby was in for the good life and Sam was pretty sure Amy might have a friend in Belle since Todd was obviously going to be the super-involved father Auden was.
Since Sam had driven he expected to drive back, but Dean took his rightful place behind the steering wheel. Todd was in the doorway waving them off and Dean made no attempt to even pretend they were going straight back to the house. Milo was going to raise hell if Sam wasn't there, but his bath took a while and then he'd have to have a story which meant they probably still had about ten minutes. That wasn't enough time for them to do much, but Sam was sure Dean was interested in a little something.
"Let's just park behind this empty guest house…"
"I ain't poking you."
"I fart one time in nine years and you want to break up with me!"
"Don't be stupid." Sam laughed. "You ate four bowls of chili. No self respecting gay man would venture into your forbidden zone."
"I got other zones!"
"Fine, I'll fuck you in them big goofy ears."
"Hey!" Dean yelled before he frowned. "Are they really too big for my head?"
Dean's ears were a little goofy, but Sam was also sure they were the cutest ears in the world. He couldn't say anything about them even if they were much goofier because Ollie had the exact same little spuds on the side of his head and saying anything against his royal majesty was punishable by death.
Instead of giving a yes or no answer Sam leaned over and traced the line of Dean's ear with his tongue. He started at the lobe and worked his way up and then back down. Dean was always worried about his ears so he kept them very clean which meant Sam could wiggle his tongue in and then lick and bite them as much as he wanted. It made Dean giggle like a little kid and goofy or not those ears were pretty sexy.
"Watcha doing?" Sam whispered. "There's nothing for you in there."
"We'll see about that." Dean said as he unzipped Sam's jeans. "Looks like there's something in here. My God! It's enormous!"
"Thank you, sir."
"Sammy, you better uh…well we better get out of this cart."
"Why?"
"There's a nice patch of grass right there." Dean nodded. "Let's get you flat on your back."
"Oh, my."
"I can get the job done in ten minutes."
"If you insist."
Sam knew there was a good reason he didn't make a pig of himself at dinner. He was really glad he only had two small servings because some things were so much better than chili. He took off his jeans and helped Dean out of his before lying down on the crunchy grass. The sun was setting and it was pretty cool out, but Sam wasn't chilly at all. In fact he felt just perfect and it was certainly nice to be back in South Carolina. |
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