Sam drove them back to Dean's home. Once inside the older Winchester directed his brother where to find the supplies they would need.

Sam brought everything to the living room to find Dean perched on the arm of a recliner.

“You should probably sit in the chair.” Sam said.

Dean shook his head. "Let's do this in the bathroom. I don’t want Lucia to have to clean blood from the carpet."

"Lucia?" Sam asked, gathering up the first aid items before following his brother to the master bath.

"Cleaning lady," Dean explained.

He led the way to a large room lined with soft beige tiles. One corner was taken up by a Jacuzzi tub, opposite that was a glass-enclosed shower with spray jets and a steam unit. He’d once told Sam the bathroom was what sold him on the property.

Dean leaned over the sink and twisted one handle, encouraging lukewarm water from the faucet. He rinsed the wound on his arm as Sam laid out supplies on the top of the gray porcelain toilet tank. The younger Winchester hated being in this position and tried to diffuse his nervousness.

"What did you buy - a case of these?" He gestured to the box of butterfly bandages.

"Yeah, I’ve been waiting to break them out for a special occasion."

Dean dropped the toilet lid down and took a seat, watching his brother open a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and saturate some gauze squares. "You're going to need a few too, little brother." He lifted his hand to touch one of his brother's cuts, just as Sam applied the disinfectant to Dean’s injured arm.

"Sonofabitch!" Dean exhaled sharply through his nose. The burning sensation warmed his arm and brought tears to his eyes.

"Sorry." Sam dabbed a little more, and when satisfied, placed a liberal amount of antibiotic ointment on the wound before pressing fresh gauze squares against it and wrapping it up. He tended to Dean's other cuts, before switching positions and allowing his brother to minister to him.

"What are you going to tell them at work?" Dean asked, as he pressed a small butterfly bandage across a cut on Sam's cheek. They would not heal by Monday morning and the bruises would only just be switching from red to purple.

"Camping trip gone wrong?" Sam suggested. He had explained to his girlfriend, Alissa, that he was going camping, so he thought he should be consistent. He was eventually going to tell her about his sideline work in hunting, but their relationship was still casual, and not serious, yet.

"God, I hate camping." Dean grimaced at his distaste. "They'll believe it."

On Sunday, the brothers relaxed. Sam left early that evening, heading back to his place in order to be at work on time the next day.

On Monday morning, Dean was surprised to hear from his brother so soon.

"Are you on the road?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm on my way to the office. I know it's a rare occurrence, but I like to keep people on their toes. So. . .what's up?"

Sam knew what was really being asked and answered accordingly. "They blamed some vandals for the holes in the walls and the rest of the stuff," he stated with a relieved chuckle.

"Thank God for crime." Dean shook his head. They had been careful and the real purpose would not be discovered. From the extended pause that followed, the older Winchester sensed there was another reason why his brother had called. "That it?"

"I got an invite to poker night at Daniel's," Sam blurted. He stared at the email for the tenth time that morning, re-reading it again to make sure he did not misunderstand.

Dean had spoken to his friend, explaining that his brother was important and could not be dismissed or ignored. Daniel hadn’t responded well when Dean threatened to quit, but quickly apologized for his stubbornness and promised to make amends. "He's trying, Sammy."

"I know. Thanks." Sam smiled. It was a simple gesture on Daniel’s part, but it helped Sam start to feel accepted by his brother's friends and no longer an outsider to Dean's new life. "So, I guess I'll see you on Wednesday at Daniel's?"

Dean nodded even though Sam couldn’t see the motion. Their father had raised them on cards and pool. On so many occasions since John had died, he had made himself be known and remembered. For Dean, playing poker with his brother at the table would be another moment. "Yep, and they better watch out with the Winchester boys together again."

Uploaded by: Etta