Sam watched from the window as Tony chased Will – Jo's son – around thefront yard, both of them armed with a handful of snowballs, and notafraid to use them. They had come after leaving Missouri's place inKansas, surprising the West family up here in South Dakota, in theplace that used to be Bobby's.
It still hurt, sometimes, to knowthat the old man wasn't just upstairs, working on some research orpulling out some relic for a hunt. Then again, Jo and her husband Matthad changed the place so much that it really didn't look like Bobby'sanymore.
"They're sure having fun," Jo said from behind him where she sat at the kitchen table, carefully taking apart an antique gun.
"They'reboth teenagers," Sam said wryly, realizing that Will was closer toDean's age right now than Sam was. Tony. He meant Tony. Even though theyounger man was Dean too, Sam still had trouble keeping it all straightin his head. He loved them both, his brother, his lover, who were bothso different. He couldn't imagine what it was like in there, to havetwo lives and one soul.
Jo snorted. "You're not thinking about joining them?"
Samshook his head. "I'm too old." And how had the years gone by soquickly? Dean had been dead for twenty and Tony had been alive for justthat long.
Before Jo could retort, the door slammed open andTony entered, a wide grin on his face. Sam took a moment to appreciatethe young man, his dark hair a nest of wayward curls, his hazel-greeneyes bright in his flushed face. Tony looked around until he spottedSam by the window. "Sammy!"
Sam held up his arms in surrender asTony charged across the room and caught his lips in a quick kiss. Samgasped as Tony slid ice-cold fingers up Sam's shirt, freezing Sam'swarm skin. "Dean!"
Tony stepped back and narrowed his eyes. "Sam…"
"Fine,fine, DT." Sometime he forgot. Dean…DT had said Sam couldn't have ittwo ways, couldn't make love to Tony at night and then ride shotgunwith his brother during the day. Tony was Dean, and Sam had to stopseparating them.
"C'mon. Let's show Will how Winchesters have a snowball fight."
Sam blinked. "We play dirty?"
"Exactly."
"Holdon there, I’m not letting the Winchesters outnumber the Wests," Jofinished clicking the antique gun into place. "I'm coming too. Ifthere's not an age limit on playing in the snow." She shot Sam apointed look.
He got it, he really did. But Sam couldn't lethimself forget the young man he had met all those months ago, howinnocent and carefree Tony seemed, in the sleepy seaside town where hehad been born. That had been before the dreams and Dean waking up.Before he could blame himself for that, DT squeezed Sam's hand.
"You should be wearing gloves," Sam said.
DTrolled his eyes. Green where there used to be only brown. "I will onceyou get your ass geared up for the weather. C'mon, Sammy."
"Right behind you, D," Sam grinned. Where he'd always be.
end