Well, aging is another bridge they'll cross when they come to it. Fortunately, he hasn't lost too many years for time-jumping (not when he should at least be in his mid-thirties to Dean's forties).
Ruby has nothing but ability to convince of things he wouldn't normally do, so maybe. Sam can't understand how Dean can be a little more concerned, but his brother's attitude about it convinces him somewhat. "Yeah. There's not just the pool or the bunker, there's the lab here too. There's some pretty cool people I got to meet here because of it too." His thinking cap is still firmly on though.
Yes, but he's a co-founder of the 'Dean told me not to do something' club not because he let Dean do everything for him. Time will tell.
USB cords, switch on the power and that's it. There's already one or two in the box from Christmas or a 'borrowed' picture of them at the Houndsooth. Most the physical photos lately end up on display in the library, add to the new family photo book.
She can keep that goofy smile on his face just by looking at him forever more. Right now, it's good she would refuse to leave him alone because leaving very abruptly and very completely for a while would be confusing. Not that it wasn't at the time. When that happened, he'd instantly felt a hole with her absence. It's not long after he realized it wasn't right for him.
"We won't be long." Sam agrees, if he should speak for everybody. The tunnel stretches long enough where they're out of sight before long. Mary meets him half way, placing her hands at his shoulders and leaning in just enough to welcome him but have her view of him unhindered. Oh, John and him checking in with her. "Good. I'm happy we could do this." It has her thinking how they used do things for Dean (mostly) and Sam to add wonder to their lives.
"How's my honey?"
Sorry, Dean. Sometimes he says what he's thinking before his head can filter it to something easier to hear. Sam glances at Dean apologetically, though he wouldn't take it all back if he could. Sam turns his attention to the cells too. Ultimately, he looks closely at one of the few that are open but is not as brave as Ruby to step in. It seems to him if he does, it could close on him. Dean's made sure he's seen one too many horror movies. He looks back when Ruby speaks up to see where she is. "This one too," he chimes in. "Though some of it looks like writing and— and dried blood too." He nods only to confirm that it is a lab and that he agrees in how it could only be used for cruel experiments too.
"Twins?" Yes, Sam knows Dean means Ruby and himself but he's not getting the reference. He hid under the covers long before the twins showed up when they watched The Shining.
"New places are always popping up around here because of wishes. Intentional or otherwise," Dean tells him. One would think a small town like Itinere can get boring and there are days that it is boring. However, there's a rotation of traveling attractions and new pop-up things all the time. He chuckles a little. "Yeah, there are some pretty cool people here," he has to admit.
Most of the physical photos do end up in the library, but Ruby has some in a box in their room that are hers alone. They are pictures of Sam in the morning with bedhead and a sleepy smile. There are pictures of him being goofy to make Ruby laugh and pictures of the two of them together.
The last thing Ruby wants to do right now is (leave Sam) confuse Sam. Thus far, John, Mary, and Dean have been pretty good about not commenting on Sammy's girlfriend choices. That may be tested the longer Sammy stays, but they've all started to accept Ruby as a part of their lives, if not their family so he needn't worry about her going anywhere unless he wants her to (for example, when he finds out she's a demon).
Everyone else does agree with him. Dean doesn't want John and Mary to worry and he knows that they will. John nods a little. "Yeah, it's been a good day so far. His brow furrows a little, but he pushes his concerns about Sam out of his mind. This isn't the time. "It's been a long time since we were out: you, me and the boys. Grocery shopping, I think? Dean insisted on carrying the basket." It's the last memory he has of going out with the three of them. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to her forehead. "You're here. I'm doing grand."
He shouldn't step into the open cells. Ruby could get herself out or survive until they could get her out. Sam should be more careful. Ruby frowns and leaves the cell she's in and walks into the one Sam is looking at to examine it. She shakes her head and runs her fingers over the writing. "I don't know the language," she responds and scratches a little bit of blood up with her fingernail, "but this is definitely blood. All of this could be completely normal if this is a prison, but I don't know why a place like this would have a prison in the basement."
"You never watch anything I tell you to, do you?" Dean grumbles. "Little girls in the hallway of the hotel. Come play with us. None of this is ringing a bell?"
"Yeah? Makes me almost want to get out of here and see what's new." Almost. This place is new and exciting as far as he's concerned and he'd be damned if he didn't stick it through to look around more. If Sammy should find that to be the case, it'd be one more reason for him to want to stay. Suffice to say he's never been bored a day he can remember in this place. "Lucy." Sam lists the first person to come to mind.
No one can argue that. Second of all, Sam's fine with the photos of his sleeping chubbyface being for her eyes only. It makes his heart jump leaps and bounds to see her laugh and it doesn't bother him there's evidence of such.
He created the confusion for himself but on the plus side, he fixed it. Sam has no clue just how good they've been about it. But when, not if he learns what Ruby is, their example might rub off on how he handles it. Truth is, he loves her enough to let go of learned racism all over again.
There's a little worry in letting Sam go with Ruby but Dean is with them so Mary can trust they'll be fine. Mary can only smile more and softly. "Tell me about it." Going back to the beginning, it's something she's always asked him at the end of the day. Mary remembers them shopping, it was when Sam started to sit up alone, and of course Dean wished to help as Mom was still puttering along with baby brother in tow. "I remember. My two, heroic men stepped up to help with the shopping." Dean, of course, loved being called a hero. "That was a good day for all four of us. It's when we discovered Sam likes banana but not pie." Their poor baby had been so confused. It was the last all four got but that's neither here nor there. One forehead kiss is sweet; her eyes close when he plants it but open again to one on his lips. "Glad to be here."
Sam would worry about her going hungry if that happened. Of course, out of all three of them, she'd be the only one to cope. Well, he is trying to be careful and look out for her too. He startles when he sees her walk out but relaxes since she's out. Sam looks at the language she's trying to decipher. "That's... That's from Star Trek, I think." But he can't read it either. He grimaces a little at her touching the blood and instinctively covers her hand with both of his to keep her from touching more. "Who was that mad scientist guy you said Cisco told you ran this place?" He turns back to Dean, asking to get to the bottom of the questions Ruby's statements provoke.
"No. If I did that, I'd never get any sleep again because you'd use it against me." Sam's look is less than thrilled. He can remember the last time he did Dean hid under the bed and grabbed his feet. "Now, there's no way I want to see any movie with twins. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, too."
"You can make it tomorrow's activity," Dean assures him. "Yeah, Lucy is super cool. I think she's dating Cas. I think he's not really sure about whether they're dating or not though." Cas doesn't always 'get' normal things like dating. Dean just knows that whenever Cas is human, he's usually at Lucy's. He figures that's close enough to dating.
She's got quite the cache of videos as well, some of them of him making those happy noises in his sleep that he so often does. They'll remain for her eyes only though. He needn't worry about that.
Ruby isn't so certain, but he'll find out soon enough how he deals with her being a demon. After all, Dean isn't going to let it go on too long. Eventually, he'll give her the ultimatum: you tell him, or I will.
John is grateful he's not the only one that worries about Sam with Ruby. He can't help but smile at her recounting of their events. "I think this day is going to measure up. I woke up with you. Doesn't get much better than that. Plus there won't be any diapers to change or midnight feedings," he points out. There are advantages to their kids being grown. He draws the kiss out a little. After all the kids are out of sight.
Ruby would appreciate the concern, but she would also feel certain they'd get her out sooner rather than later. Ruby gives Sam a confused look. "Why would someone carve a fictional language on a wall?" Dean has to think about Sam's question a moment. "Some guy named Wells? Maybe." He hadn't been worried about it at the time.
Dean grins like an idiot at Sam's words. "Yeah...well, I've got a duty as a big brother." Yep, he remembers doing that. It'd been hysterical. "Hey, now. I've met plenty of very nice twins in my life," he tells Sam. Of course, there'd also been Andy and his evil twin but h's thinking more about the double-mint twins and the Olsen twins are pretty hot to be honest.
"If you come." It seems only right to say. Besides he wants Dean to come now, help navigate. Maybe deep down he also knows he'd never be able to look around with Ruby to distract him instead. "Seriously? I missed a lot, didn't I. I didn't know Castiel was interested in dating." He means angels, but Castiel too. Of course the last time Sam was in Itinere he did get the impression Castiel could be normal. Guy was cool, though. He answered a lot of his burning questions about what Heaven was like.
No one other than Ruby is allowed to see those! It's the reason to which he first showed her how to lock her phone (because it's embarrassing). Dean would never let him hear the end of it.
Only time will tell what will happen with that. Honesty is the best policy though. There's more honesty coming in the coming days. (About having children.)
It wouldn't be like Mary not to worry about Sam and the special nature of his first relationship. She can recount everything in perfect detail but covered only the highlights. "You made scrambled eggs and waffles," she adds, very much a fan of that part. She snorts at what he calls a plus side too. "I'll take this morning over diapers anytime." To look on the bright side at least. She can't have that time back, but she still has time with John and time with her kids too. She leans into the kiss more. There's a little time before they might want to check in with the boys.
No doubt Sam wouldn't rest until she was. He can't let go of her hand yet. He considers her question thoughtfully before putting forward his thought. "Maybe so they're the only one that can read it." His attention returns to Dean. "We should look more into that guy," he suggests. Whatever was going on here, he wants to get to the bottom of it.
The last thing Sam does is smile, but he does not pout either. "Says who? Says no one, that's who." It hadn't been hysterical to him. He jumped then shouted at Dean. He looked to make sure where Dean was for the next little while too. "Like whom?" Sam asks skeptically. But he can give Dean some leeway with the time gap.
Dean doesn't hesitate to respond. "Yeah. Sure." He glances at Sam and shrugs. "I didn't know he was either, but about once a month or so, he's human. It started then. Lately, he's been seeing more of her even when he's an angel." Yes, Sam. Castiel has a time of the month. Castiel is the best of the angels and he's a great human as well.
Sam knows his brother well. Ruby will keep those pictures and videos to herself.
It's something they need to talk about. Sam and Ruby tend to live very much in the now. It'll do them good to actually plan and talk about the future, though it should wait until he's his normal age again.
"It only seemed right since you did it most week mornings," he tells her. John likes cooking, if only because it puts such a smile on Mary's face. Dwelling on all the years they lost won't do anyone any good. John is going to enjoy the hell out of what they've got and he hopes that Mary does too. There is a little more time and it's easy to get carried away. John slides a hand up Mary's back to tangle in her hair.
Ruby is absolutely okay with Sam holding onto her hand. She's not exactly sure why he needs to hold onto her hand, but she's not going to complain. Ruby frowns at that. "Well, that's dumb. That's sort of the point and definition of a message: to be read."
Dean nods. "Yeah. We might be able to find something at the bookstore." Little do they know, they'll find loads of comic books about Wells, Cisco, and the Flash.
"Doublemint twins," Dean offers. "Kara and Krystal in...Indiana?" It's clear he's neither certain on their names or their location. "The Olsen twins. The Bella twins," who are way after this Sam's time. "Yeah...that's all I've got." And yes, they are all girls.
For Sam, it's almost been too long since they hung out (not counting the time in Itinere) so it's good answer. "Cool. Right after breakfast?" His brows lift in unison because decide if it's strange or if he's happy for couple. "Is that something he wished for? To be human. Really sounds like it, but I'd ask them if they're really a couple first." Because Sam has never let himself think something without all the facts first.
From experience he just knows Dean will use anything to embarrass him. Stay out of his room! Ruby just need to ask to have him assist with keeping their memories secure.
Waiting until he's normal again is good. Besides his only concern right now would something to the opposite effect where he's worried she wants to get pregnant before he's even out of HS.
"We agreed it's what I wanted to do," she reminds him. But no, it does not mean that she minds that he wants to chance the pace of things a little now. He continues to put a smile on her face by being so romantic, in fact. Going forward with John has been the best part about adjusting to Itinere and life in a small town made of magic. Very easy to get carried away. Her hair cut a little less long a while ago, but an inch or two has grown since then.
It's one of those things where the longer he holds on to it the more difficult it is to let go. He has an idea though, and coaxes hers hand to take his by opening his palm too hers. He tries to move to her line of thinking. "Maybe there's only one other person that can." He does not sound so certain because Star Trekkies aren't widely known in his time. "Can we take a picture of it with us," he adds. He's aware cell phones of the ability to but not carrying 'his own.'
Bookstore is the magic word that lights him up. "Yeah, that's where I'd look." He means it's where he'd love to go next if that was in the cards. Or soon. Dean should know by now that he can't say bookstore without Sam getting excited. He would say comic on these guys they're looking into are just as eerie as the SPN ones detailing their lives.
"Do you even know any of those twins in person," Sam asks. It should worry him that they're all girls, but only if Dean has met them.
As they both get older and busier back home, it does become harder and harder to find time to hang out. In Itinere, that's not a problem and they tend to hang out together a good deal more. He nods at Sam's question. "Yeah. I don't have anything else planned." Sam's question about Castiel's humanity stumps Dean. "Uh...I don't know. I haven't ever asked him. I'm not even sure if you can wish for that sort of thing." Now that the question is out there though, Dean is considering it. Maybe he should ask Cas if he wished to be human or if he even wants to be human. He knows Cas seems to enjoy his human periods (with a few exceptions like the peeing) but he's never asked him specifically if he'd wanted to be human, only if he'd had a good time when he'd returned from Lucy's. He nods a little more certain. "Yeah. Guess I probably should." His brow furrows a bit. "I didn't think Lucy really did relationships, but it's not like I've gotten into that conversation with her." What he wants to say is Lucy sleeps around a lot, but he's also not entirely sure that's true lately. In fact, he's not seen Lucy with anyone besides Cas in a while.
When they get around to talking about the permanence of their relationship, she'll ask him about it because her immortality will come up. It'll be something to reassure her (and him).
At least finding out she's a demon and lacking a pulse will set his mind to ease about that.
John and Mary had agreed they'd wanted a traditional family with him going to work and her staying at home to rais the kids. Things are different here. He's got more time to change the pace of things and the kids are capable of cooking their own meals (Dean even makes a good deal of all of their meals). Mary is easily the best part of Itinere. Yes, he likes getting to know the boys outside of hunting, but he's not sure he'd want to do all of this without her. He'd been okay with his death and even his destination. He likes her hair a little shorter, which something he didn't think he'd ever say, but accidentally grabbing Ruby's ass thinking it was Mary had been damn disturbing. It's sexy on Mary (but then, most things are).
He doesn't have to coax much. She opens her hand to take his easily and his words bring an obvious understanding to her expression. "That makes sense. So maybe they were hunting both of them and this person wanted the other to know that they'd been there once they got caught." Okay, so it's bleak, but kind of sweet as well. Sam's question about the picture shakes Ruby out of that bleak thought. "Yes," she confirms and takes her own phone out (the lock screen is a selfie of Ruby and older Sam). She unlocks it with her thumbprint, flicks open the camera and leans in to take a couple of pictures, one without the flash and the other with it then shows it to Sam. "Good enough?" Taking pictures is something she's very good at doing with her phone. She takes a lot of them.
"Okay, we'll stop off there once we're done here. See what we can find and take it back to the bunker," Dean answers. Of course, if Sam wants to browse, he should probably just take Ruby there. Dean has been in the bookstore, but he doesn't enjoy wandering around it the way Sam does.
Dean scoffs at that. "The Indiana twins have very fond memories of me and I of them," he assures Sam. Probably not the answer he wanted.
It's something that's been felt since Sam was on his own to finish school and Dean was off helping their father hunt. In Itinere, there are some nights Sam brings the beer and other nights he does one better for Dean's health and brings along wieners to roast outside on the fire. "I'll hold you to that." Don't get him wrong; Sam trusts Dean, but he has seen plans not work out before. About Castiel, Sam can't ask him himself right now, so sorry about that Dean. "Oh. I guess... I guess I can ask him later what is new with him." Sam looks almost disappointed by Dean's answer but nonetheless accepting. It's more than likely if Dean doesn't ask those questions, Sam will. There's a lot he would love to know about the angel experience and the conversion experience from one being to another (in this case angel to human and back). "We should go see what they're up to," he decides (or helpfully injects). What Lucy is up to is of interest to him too.
He'll teach her everything that comes to mind. Though, technology changes all the time, it switches formats. The best thing he can tell her is to back memories up on every new format whilst keeping the old just in case. For example, it's for reasons like that he could find pictures of himself in College on social media if he wanted.
Well, something to that effect. There's always one thing or another to worry about it seems. At least whatever road they go down, Sam sincerely loves Ruby at the end of it.
Mary had worked in a record shop before they had the kids and had loved it, but not as much as the days she was home with little Dean and baby Sam when he came along. Things move at a different pace here. The best thing is John of course, but the time there have too. Heaven is a good destination for all, but the thing Mary likes most about Itinere is that it isn't just their spirits together reliving old memories. Here, they're flesh and blood, and above all new memories can be formed. She never thought she would cut her hair either, but it's lighter on her shoulders, easier to take care of, and most of all, no has had anything bad to say, least of John whose opinion matters the most to her. (No, and they don't need repeats of what happened with her son and husband and mistaken blonde identities.)
His lip twitches at the corner when her palm open up to his and splays his fingers widely to accept hers. In some ways, her obvious understanding about what he said makes him think about them. As a couple they're building a language all of their own (more or less). He's only certain because like now, she makes it easy to hold hands with her. Sometimes, it's because he gets clues about what she wants when she looks at him in a certain way. Mostly, he can't help look at it in the romantic way when she shares that one possibility of two people trying to escape prosecution. "They're not here anymore, so maybe they got out. Maybe they found each other again." He is wistful about the image, but not yet forgetting there are special circumstances behind why they were imprisoned in a technological fortress. He can't know which side he should be supportive of. Sam lets Ruby take the pictures and swipes through them with his finger when she shows them to him. One is only blurry, but it's okay because there's two more that satisfy their purpose. "Yeah. Great job." He wants to be nothing that supportive of her efforts.
"You don't know the Indiana twins." Sam is still remotely unconvinced, but it is more than he needed to know.
There have been a lot of times that their plans haven't worked out for a variety of reasons, but Dean was invested in spending time with Sam. He has wanted a normal life for so long, and a normal life includes spending time with his brother doing normal things like having a beer or roasting hotdogs over a fire. He's not going to waste those things. It's okay. Dean should be a better best friend. "Yeah," Dean nods. "I bet he'll tell you. With Cas, you just have to ask direct questions. He doesn't always talk a lot." It's something Dean forgets himself. His brows lift. "Lucy and Cas? She's probably at the bar. If he's not there, I bet he'll meet us. Want to eat there for dinner tonight?"
Oh Sam. Ruby still has to learn to trust and believe that he won't want more for his future than she can give, but she has no doubt about her feelings for Sam. She knows she wants to spend as much of the rest of her life as possible with him.
John does cherish the chance to make new memories with Mary and the boys. It's something he never thought he'd get and there's no place he'd rather be, heaven included. It's a good look on her, but so is the way she looks when she's happy like this. (No one wants that)
He's not wrong. They are developing their own language both in the form of code (fries) as well as in looks and things not quite said. Sam would think it was romantic (which is one of the things Ruby loves about him). She hesitates then says "Maybe." Wouldn't that be nice? Ruby certainly isn't going to harsh on his idea of a happy ending for the two hypothetical prisoners.
Dean snorts. "The Indiana twins are the main reason for the best night of my life."
If all their plans can start to work out because of Itinere, things won't be a waste any longer. Things have already started to turn around. On a scale of one to ten, ten is how Sam thought Dean would rate the beer or hotdogs. Well, neither Cas or Sam would say Dean is a bad friend. Somethings are just easily overlooked. Of course a light bulb comes on in Sam's head. "Think you should ask him. You know him better than I do." It's not that Sam doesn't think they made a connection. Dean's just right about how Cas doesn't talk a lot if you don't ask him questions or to join in on the fun. "Yeah, of course. I mean, I'd like to see here and it'd save us the trouble of thinking about what's for dinner." Even the dog knows the Winchesters find dinner every night difficult to meal plan.
Hopefully, in time she can see Sam intends to find a way to weave what he always wanted into what she is willing and able to give him, if she stays. It'd very likely he'd give her the rest of his days.
SYS, LOL, etc. Some of it isn't as great as other code, but the most romantic they have are the looks and things not quite said. Theoretically, it could be them, but most likely, it is only a fairy tale like so many others that he dreams of in his head. Her hesitation snaps him out of it a little, having him realize it's a little silly. "Yeah. Maybe." Both his cheeks go a little red. Ruby isn't ruining anything to bring his head back to reality. "Why don't head back now? Mom and Dad are waiting."
Sam doesn't have to think, he just knows that's too much information. "You're disgusting."
When they come out of the tunnel, Mary and John are waiting as if it's all they'd been doing. Mary finds herself looking at Sam to see that not one more strand of hair is out of place and Dean too. She's been quiet not to judge the relationship over the age gap. "Anything exciting?" she asks.
Sam's first to offer an answer. "Well, the tunnel is. But there's these indestructible cells down at the end, that looks like they used to host prisoners. I couldn't count how many just by standing there." He hates to be the one to have to say that.
Itinere still has it's mishaps and emergencies, but most of their plans should work out. Dean doesn't understand how anyone could rate beer and hot dogs as less than a ten; it's unAmerican. Dean gives him a look. "You do realize I still don't do chick flick moments, right? I'll ask him though." Mostly because he ought to be a better friend and ask Cas not only what he's doing with his free time but he ought to ask what's important in Cas's life too. Dean nods. "I bet mom and dad will go for it." Or Mary and John will consider it a chance to have a night alone to themselves. Either way, dinner at the Houndstooth is a go.
She will see that. Ruby has no intention of going anywhere.
Not all code has to be great to be effective. Personally, Ruby likes those little 'romantic' things as well. They seem far more intimate and personal than the others. There's nothing wrong with fairytales as long as reality doesn't get completely left behind. Besides, as Sam well knows, real fairytales are dark, grim and don't always have a happy ending. Dean nods and they start back down the tunnel toward the main room.
"Not what Kara and Kendra told me," Dean jokes with Sam. Yeah, he might have just said a different name now than when he first named them. To be honest, he can't really remember their names...yep, he probably is disgusting.
Of course, that's all they've been doing! How dare anyone think anything else. No, unlike the parents, Ruby and Sam were good on their little side trip. Of course, they had a Dean shaped chaperone. Maybe Dean should have stayed here with the parents.
"There was blood," Ruby adds, less concerned about adding that detail. "Not a lot though."
John's brow furrows at that information. "Maybe we ought to find out a little more information about this place before we go poking around in it."
None recently, thankfully. Neither have there been any emergencies since Sammy was switched in. Sam is set on watching his weight bodily health, that's how. On a good day, Sam would rate them an eight. He ignores the look. "Yeah... Still is better if you're the one that asks him." Because Dean's been saying no click flick moments since as far as he can remember and the words have lost their meaning. Sam obviously likes that idea. "Let me ask them." Doubt they could say no to his face, but either way they're welcome to cut the evening short.
Well, it's a good thing Sam wouldn't be able to leave reality too far behind due to his upbringing. Of course if there's any happy ending to be had in their dark fairy tale, he would hope it would be him with her no matter what age he was. Sam sticks close to Ruby's side when they had back. Honestly, it's a relief because he has the most vivid imagination and the cells give him a bad sense.
"Dean, I'm not listening anymore," Sam exclaims! Lucky for Dean, he can't place the names are most likely subconsciously borrowed from Super Girl and the former Slayer in Buffy.
Yes, the good behavior is key to unlocking more trust. Maybe when Sam and Ruby are married they will have less eyes on them and will no longer require chaperones nor invite questions. So sorry that Dean is in the middle of this. He ought to spent his time with Carmen.
Ruby is being honest, though. Sam shifts his attention to her, nodding at that detail to confirm. "Something was written, but I couldn't read it."
That's something else Sam hoped it wouldn't come to, but he understands it's for the better. "Later it might be possible to look up who ran this place in the library." Because Sam is aware Itinere has a knack of keeping records of life stories there too.
Dean hopes the emergencies stay away. He's had enough of those to last far more than his lifetime. Yes, Sam likes kale (because he's a weirdo). Everyone knows, especially Dean. He will ask Cas about Lucy and where he stands with the blonde. Dean smirks and shakes his head because he's right. There's no way John or Mary could say no to Sam at this age.
His age doesn't bother Ruby. He will always be younger than she is so his age doesn't concern her much. Yes, in some ways she misses older Sam, but no matter what age he is, he's still Her Sam. That's all that really matters.
"Hey, you asked," Dean reminds him. Yeah, yeah. At least he has good taste in hot chicks.
Ruby would hope they'd have fewer eyes on them when/if they're married, but ultimately Sam's opinion matters the most, with some weight given to Dean, Mary and John. Dean doesn't mind being in the middle of it. Honestly, he has a lot to work out in his own head regarding Carmen. It's good for him to have some time with his family to remember what really matters to him because it reminds him of what he can have if he'll get out of his own way.
"I think getting out of here is a good idea," John says, even more certain after Ruby's comment about the blood. "We need to know what ot expect next time we come looking around." Which is also an agreement to check out the bookshop once they all get piled back into the Impala.
They all deserve to have a degree of normal after all they've been through or will be through. Kale isn't so bad. Maybe Dean should try it like Sam keeps insisting he does before he passes judgement. Swear to God, it wouldn't hurt. Dean doesn't know it yet but the angel may have an interesting answer. Well, obviously he knows neither of their parents would say yes to him or he wouldn't have offered as ecstatically. But what's less obvious is that it's the first time he gets to set something up for all them and he can't leave anything to chance.
That's some sound logic if there ever was any. Sammy just needs to catch on to that first.
"I didn't ask you to tell me everything!" Once again proving he is a poor liar who is, in fact, still listening.
Honestly, the way things are going, by the time Sam proposes to her, all eyes on them should be more relaxed. Call it a feeling, he just knows it will come to pass. If family is what Dean needs to be around and watch before he can get out of his own way for Carmen, then all the best to him. Sam would like to see him happy no matter what form it takes. Of course he still doesn't expect he'll be the one to marry and start a family first.
John doesn't need to say that twice. For once, he and Sam do agree on something and the bookshop is on a shortlist of magic words that has him move for the exit ahead of everyone else. "Ruby has pictures of the writing." That's a place to start, right? Once they're back in the Impala, Sam slides back into the middle. He holds the door open for Ruby at the library then wanders to the same area as last time where he found the Supernatural novels. On a table, a comic he never seen before waits for him and upon closer inspection he can tell it's what they're looking for. "Hey, I think I found something," he calls to anyone within earshot.
They're all basking in the normality. It's kale. Everyone knows that it sucks! That's one of it's defining properties: green, leafy, gross. It'll be a good conversation. Oh, Sammy. How can anyone say no to him with that sort of context?
Oh, Dean knows that Sam, particularly at that age, is always listening. He will spare everyone the gory details.
Dean has had a lot of years to develop a stack of issues that include commitment issues, believing he doesn't deserve good things as well as trust issues. Itinere is helping to heal some of those issues because it's given him so much. Fortunately, (?) Carmen has some issues as well because of the alternate universes, but they'll both get there with a little time. Sam definitely is the more likely one to be the first to get married.
That is a place to start. There's bound to be a language translation dictionary of the languages from Star Trek. He's definitely in the right area. Dean is the closest to Sam when he says he found something. Ruby had wandered off a little and picked up a couple of novels, but she makes her way over there to see what he found.
"What's up, Kiddo?" Dean asks as he leans in to look at the book.
John is in the paranormal section when Sam says something so it takes him a moment to get over there, but he wanders in after Ruby and Dean, interested to see what Sam has found.
One of these days Sam ought to change the perception his family has of kale by learning new recipes they would enjoy. Fortunately, he enjoys dinner being easy with them when there is more selection at the table. That's a good question. But maybe the question should be: Has anybody ever said no to him before?
Dean is his big brother, so of course, it's harder for him not to listen to him. Sam's learned his best critical thinking skills that way.
Never once has Sam seen Dean as undeserving. In fact, due to Dean being the one to raise him, he holds his brother in high regard and hopes many great things will happen for him because all he's done. Carmen has the Winchesters and whatever she needs, Sam is always willing to lend a hand to her. He doesn't know that yet. About being marred first. It's still up in the air.
Wish magic has it's benefits whether Sam realizes he used it or not. Star Trek is next on the list, of course. Sam can wait for them all to gather anyway because he tabs the page of interest then continues to flip through the comic book to give them something more concrete.
He flips back to the page when Dean leans over to look then over to another. "This is the first thing I noticed." The pages show the man known as Wells standing on one page and in a wheel chair cutting the ribbon to the lab in the next. "I think that's supposed to be Wells. He definitely comes off as the evil genius."
Sam shows Ruby, then John and Mary again when they come over. He taps on the image of the building. "It's the spitting image of where we just were."
Lucy will help him figure out how to sneak it into things. Honestly, if he'd ask her, she'd make some things with kale snuck into them and bring them to family dinners. She likes to cook and feed the people she cares about. Oh, John has probably said it a few thousand times, but it's much easier to say yes here. Things are safer in Itinere. More importantly, John wants to be able to tell Sammy yes here.
That's a little scary, but it seems to turn out well for him (which Ruby thinks has more to do with who Sam is at his core than anything).
Sam has a unique perspective on Dean. As Carmen accepts Dean and gets more homesick, she'll come to rely on the Winchesters more. Neither does anyone else and some of the Winchesters will be a little leary of Sam getting married (to Ruby) first.
Wish magic is amazing. The Winchesters use it conservatively but Lucy uses it nearly every day and thinks it's one of the best things about Itinere.
Dean's brow furrows and he frowns. "And we're pretty sure he's more Lex Luther than Professor X?" Yes, Dan has pop culture knowledge.
Ruby takes a look at the page Sam shows her then picks up another one of the books to leaf through it. "Definitely," John agrees, examining the image carefully. "I'd like to find another source of information. Not everything you read here is fact." He's read some of the Supernatural novels and knows that some things are definitely embellished to say the least.
Yeah, Lucy and him could potentially work together to cook sneaky dishes for everybody. Surely sometime he will think to ask her about joining him to cook with him. She's such a big part of their family already that he knows already how great of a cook she is already. Well, John is not just anybody (and probably one of the few people immune to his trademark puppy dog eyes). Safety is exponentially more certain in Itinere. There are no demons keeping an eye on him, save for one. What's interesting is that Sam prefers hearing yes too.
Well, he doesn't fall for the dumbest things anymore. That's the opposite of scary, right? He never would have broke his arm or ended up back on the road with Dean if Dean didn't have the ability to make him listen. It is who he is at his core. People he cares about are the easiest to listen to.
Sam only grow up with Dean. Sam will be the first to welcome Carmen into their functionally nonfunctional family when the time comes. Weariness wouldn't be the worst thing to come out of Sam informing them when he is ready to propose to his blonde dream girl.
Maybe Lucy should use less of it. She has metaphorical angel on her shoulder that could do almost anything wish magic can with his habitual habit of popping up where ever he is asked to be or not.
But who hasn't watched Superman (1978) or the Xmen cartoons. Both the boys grew up watching those and playing make believe as one superhero or another (recall why Sam broke his arm.) "Well, uh, I'm not sure. Maybe 75% sure. Professor X doesn't have evil thoughts at the beginning of his arc, when he opens his home to students." Sam looks back to the pages and flips back to the start to read it carefully.
Ruby has the right idea. Sam's attentions flickers to her because it's hard not to be tickled by the fact they're doing the same thing. John isn't wrong about that though. About the source of information being unreliable. Sam considers the options for a moment and comes up visibly short. "Where else should we look?" Because as the Supernatural books had proved, the only information out there sometimes is all but unreliable.
Lucy is so grateful that the Winchesters have taken her in as family. She doesn't function well alone and when Jill disappeared, she was lost. Maybe she'll mention to Sam about making dinner sometime for them all. He can suggest something healthier than what they're accustomed to. Fortunately for everyone, the one that's keeping an eye on him is good at keeping him safe.
Well, it's a good thing he ended up back on the road, at least as far as Ruby is concerned. She's aware it's selfish and that Sam would be safer if he were living his normal lawyer life instead of a hunter's life, but she's okay with being selfish. The people you care about are usually the ones that have your best interests at heart so it's good to listen to them.
Lucy should make less use of the wish magic. She'll start praying to Cas for that latte in bed instead of wishing for it (if she hasn't already). At least with Lucy, he doesn't have to ask. Sure, he could pop in at awkward moments, but she'll be okay with it if he is. Privacy and modesty are a myth for Lucy.
"I don't know. Inviting hot, high school girls to stay at his house...," Dean says as he considers the information in the book.
They have a lot more in common than one might first assume. She's well aware that research is a good place to start. Dean considers Sam's question a moment. "We might be able to get our hands on the old resident files. We'd need to be able to hack into their network files though." While an older Sam could do that, Dean knows this Sam probably isn't capable of that yet.
The Winchesters can relate to not functioning well alone. Except it has nothing to do with that. The reason Lucy became apart of their family is because she is likable all on her own and no one Winchester feels more sympathy for her than the next person who lost somebody. She earned her place in their hearts. Sam would be humbled and tell her yes to such an offer. Naturally, they could cook the best for both worlds. After all, some members of their family are easier to appease by giving them their way (ie it's been harder to say no when Mary shares some of Dean's preferences). Did he ever Ruby that he likes her focus on him?
Well, for some time at least, Sam isn't sure the life of the lawyer would be for him anymore. Of course right now, at this age, he's just dreaming what his options are. Whatever they may end up being, his desire to help people will always remain. There's no knowing for certain he would have been left alone to go to Harvard anyway. Dean and Ruby are a big part of why he is still even around if you look at key points of his life.
It would certainly ease Castiel's concern for her if she did both of these things. Though, he may have to learn how to make a latter first. Some unfortunate soul, after all, doesn't deserve having their latte spirited away. Fortunately(?), Cas is getting better at asking permission to enter. Dean and Carmen have a few stories to tell. He now has the idea to knock or text before he enters most of the time.
"Yeah, after he turns it into a school. He doesn't think about girls 24/7 like you," Sam counters. He'll go down defending Professor X's character.
Sam has noticed that. An attractive trait is a girl that know the value of research. Unfortunately, this Sam hasn't even technically gotten his first laptop. Libraries have computers though, right. He looks over his shoulder a moment to be sure then asks any one of them, "Any one of you able to hack the system? We can use the computers in here." The best of his capabilities is web searches, if they want to try searching Wells on Yahoo.
Lucy understands that. Sometimes it's better to make little changes and let them have their way most of the time. He has told Ruby that and it's only made her more blatant about her focus on him.
It's hard to go back to normal when you know the monsters under the bed are real. Ruby gets that. She'd lived it for a little while long ago when she was human. She'd had all that power and she'd found out demons were real. Normal life was a lot harder. That desire to help people is the thing that John thought saved Sam from the future Azazel had planned for him. Dean is the other thing that saved him. John is still hedging his thoughts on Ruby, but he can't deny that she makes Sam happy and he's been told by Dean and by Sam that Ruby saved them both a few times both back home and here.
He could always pop into the coffee store and order one for her before he pops into her bedroom. Yes, Castiel's sudden appearance had been startling and inconvenient particularly the first couple of times he'd shown up. After the third or fourth time, Carmen had handled it much better and told him unless there was blood, come back in 45 minutes. It's good for everyone that isn't Lucy if Castiel learns to text or knock before entering a room.
"Well yeah, not after he's old, bald and paralyzed," Dean counters back. Yes, he knows he can get a rise out of Sam this way. His brow furrows a little. "Wait, was he born old, bald and paralyzed? Is that part of his superpower?"
"I can play music and cat videos," Ruby offers, which won't help them at all. Dean snorts. "I can't even get porn sites to play without the computer freezing." John puts his hands up. "Don't look at me. There's nothing even as advanced as the phones here back home."
"So, we're stuck with old fashioned book research," Ruby says. She rolls her eyes and stands up. "I'll go look back in the stacks and see if I can find something that looks more non-fiction."
That's a good way to put it. Lucy is like a little-big sister whom happens to be older than Sam. Her affectionate attacks to his person just so happen to be the part he is most receptive to.
Funny how true that works. There was a time when he was about nine that he sniffled about going to sleep when the monsters could get him, and now there is a time where the trouble in sleeping would lie in if Ruby wasn't next to him in his bed. He's grateful for the life he has here. It is his hope that eventually all can resemble the normal he has always pictured. Monsters are just par for the course now. Maybe Sam will eventually figure out how to best channel his desire to help people in Itinere as well.
A while ago Lucy did teach Castiel that things made from scratch mean much more than anything else. It wouldn't even occur to him order a drink for her anymore. Yes, he's committed. Yes, it was understood when Carmen told him 45 minutes. She ought to know he came back exactly 45 minutes later. Lucy is free to undo the work that has been done to make him better about entering a room if it suits her needs.
"Shut up. You don't know know anything anyway or you wouldn't question if baldness is his superpower." Getting a rise out of Sam isn't the hardest thing to do. Professor X is a fiction role model of his. "He lost his hair at a young age when he was growing into his powers. His spine was broken later in the battle against the Shadow King." Mary shoots John a side glance because the boys may as well be talking in a foreign language.
Mary shrugs at her turn. "I just found out how to use the internet." Sam scratches his cheek then the corner of his ear to push some misplaced strands of hair back. "Unless we know anybody else who can help?" Sam looks at Ruby particularly all the while he has no clue he would normally be the right person for the job.
He stands up rather hurriedly when Ruby does too. "I'll go with you!" Even he realizes how eager that came off after he says it and hesitates before making up an excuse. "...To help. Two sets of eyes are better than one, right?"
Lucy likes the idea of being a little sister, even if she is older. Sam is the only one who gets those affectionate attacks from Ruby and they're usually when no one else is around because god forbid anyone realizes she's not the stone-cold bitch that she seems to be.
Oh, Cas. It's no wonder Lucy is very much in like with him. Carmen knows now that Castiel is very punctual. The next time Lucy gets a text or Cas knocks, she'll tell him that he doesn't have to do that; he can just come in. Mixed signals much?
Dean grins, barely stifling a chuckle at the rise he'd successfully gotten out of Sam. "Good to know, Geek Boy," Dean chirps, but he's still flipping through the comic books. "How did I forget Rogue was so hot," he says mostly to himself. John shrugs at Mary's look. "Don't' ask me. I just gave them money to buy the comic books."
Dean thinks about it a second and shakes his head. "As much as I love her, Lucy doesn't strike me as a computer whiz. We could ask Carm. She's never mentioned being a secret hacker though." Carmen might know her way around a computer, but probably not to the proficiency that they'd need. It'll be an issue they'll have to shelve until the older version of Sam comes back.
Ruby looks back over her shoulder, flipping her hair as she does when Sam declares he'll stay with her. A cat's got the milk grin slips over her lips and she holds out her hand, slowing a little but not stopping. "That's what I hear," she tells him.
John sighs and rubs a hand over the back of his neck. "I don't know whether to worry about that or be charmed by it," he says almost as an aside then looks back to the comic books. "So we'll research and stay out of the lab until we know more. Maybe we can find some techno-babble spell that'll get us into the database. I miss when everything was in a file cabinet in a basement somewhere." Little does John know that if he wished for that exact thing, he might get it.
Sam would have once also said she was a little too touchy feely, but Lucy has been better about that for a while. She is still the type to fit his image of a little sister. Nobody has told him yet that Ruby and Dean are very much a like, thank God Jesus. Sam is probably the only one that knows the extent of the facade she puts on too.
Because he learns quickly from their discussions. Did she not want him to be punctual? Yes, it very much will send him mixed signals the next time he doesn't come in before asking and she informs him that he can just come in.
It doesn't escape his notice that Dean is being a jerk, and Sam knows nothing he can say will change that so he gives him this look of being so done with him. He takes the comic book right from under Dean. "You can go look in the newspaper archives." He appoints Dean that job should he be willing to take it or not. It might be the hardest job he can think of. Okay, Mary won't ask. But in it, John shares a small fact that brings her smile to widen. She knows he did good for the boys when he could.
Sam doesn't hide his disappointment from being visible, but is not discouraged by the thought of finding answers the hard way. They've always managed to do it and it was just the three of them then. The five of them together makes anything seem possible. "Okay. So that's a fate no. If you're not sure then I don't think we should bother Carmen or Lucy with this. We can do this ourselves. Like we always do." He really does have faith. He really does think they just need to find the right place to look.
Sam is pretty sure time stands still for a moment when Ruby's ringlets bounce as a result, but then it speeds right up again the further she gets from the table. "Yeah. Me too." He's not thinking how he just said what he agreed to. He pushes the chair more away from him to have it noisily scratch across the floor and stumbles, finds his balance to move around the table to follow behind her at a brisk pace.
Sam is gone. Mary and Dean are still left standing there with John though. She rubs her palm up and down John's arm because there are really no words to tell him to let their youngest find out for himself and their youngest should be fine. Mary considers his second unspoken question with more thought. "Don't suppose there is anyone around here that we can ask?," she offers, clearly uncertain, but looking around at the same time for signs of someone that worked there that could(n't) have possibly slipped their notice.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2020-02-24 12:29 am (UTC)Ruby has nothing but ability to convince of things he wouldn't normally do, so maybe. Sam can't understand how Dean can be a little more concerned, but his brother's attitude about it convinces him somewhat. "Yeah. There's not just the pool or the bunker, there's the lab here too. There's some pretty cool people I got to meet here because of it too." His thinking cap is still firmly on though.
Yes, but he's a co-founder of the 'Dean told me not to do something' club not because he let Dean do everything for him. Time will tell.
USB cords, switch on the power and that's it. There's already one or two in the box from Christmas or a 'borrowed' picture of them at the Houndsooth. Most the physical photos lately end up on display in the library, add to the new family photo book.
She can keep that goofy smile on his face just by looking at him forever more. Right now, it's good she would refuse to leave him alone because leaving very abruptly and very completely for a while would be confusing. Not that it wasn't at the time. When that happened, he'd instantly felt a hole with her absence. It's not long after he realized it wasn't right for him.
"We won't be long." Sam agrees, if he should speak for everybody. The tunnel stretches long enough where they're out of sight before long. Mary meets him half way, placing her hands at his shoulders and leaning in just enough to welcome him but have her view of him unhindered. Oh, John and him checking in with her. "Good. I'm happy we could do this." It has her thinking how they used do things for Dean (mostly) and Sam to add wonder to their lives.
"How's my honey?"
Sorry, Dean. Sometimes he says what he's thinking before his head can filter it to something easier to hear. Sam glances at Dean apologetically, though he wouldn't take it all back if he could. Sam turns his attention to the cells too. Ultimately, he looks closely at one of the few that are open but is not as brave as Ruby to step in. It seems to him if he does, it could close on him. Dean's made sure he's seen one too many horror movies. He looks back when Ruby speaks up to see where she is. "This one too," he chimes in. "Though some of it looks like writing and— and dried blood too." He nods only to confirm that it is a lab and that he agrees in how it could only be used for cruel experiments too.
"Twins?" Yes, Sam knows Dean means Ruby and himself but he's not getting the reference. He hid under the covers long before the twins showed up when they watched The Shining.
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Date: 2020-02-24 12:58 am (UTC)Most of the physical photos do end up in the library, but Ruby has some in a box in their room that are hers alone. They are pictures of Sam in the morning with bedhead and a sleepy smile. There are pictures of him being goofy to make Ruby laugh and pictures of the two of them together.
The last thing Ruby wants to do right now is (leave Sam) confuse Sam. Thus far, John, Mary, and Dean have been pretty good about not commenting on Sammy's girlfriend choices. That may be tested the longer Sammy stays, but they've all started to accept Ruby as a part of their lives, if not their family so he needn't worry about her going anywhere unless he wants her to (for example, when he finds out she's a demon).
Everyone else does agree with him. Dean doesn't want John and Mary to worry and he knows that they will. John nods a little. "Yeah, it's been a good day so far. His brow furrows a little, but he pushes his concerns about Sam out of his mind. This isn't the time. "It's been a long time since we were out: you, me and the boys. Grocery shopping, I think? Dean insisted on carrying the basket." It's the last memory he has of going out with the three of them. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to her forehead. "You're here. I'm doing grand."
He shouldn't step into the open cells. Ruby could get herself out or survive until they could get her out. Sam should be more careful. Ruby frowns and leaves the cell she's in and walks into the one Sam is looking at to examine it. She shakes her head and runs her fingers over the writing. "I don't know the language," she responds and scratches a little bit of blood up with her fingernail, "but this is definitely blood. All of this could be completely normal if this is a prison, but I don't know why a place like this would have a prison in the basement."
"You never watch anything I tell you to, do you?" Dean grumbles. "Little girls in the hallway of the hotel. Come play with us. None of this is ringing a bell?"
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Date: 2020-02-24 02:59 am (UTC)No one can argue that. Second of all, Sam's fine with the photos of his sleeping
chubbyface being for her eyes only. It makes his heart jump leaps and bounds to see her laugh and it doesn't bother him there's evidence of such.He created the confusion for himself but on the plus side, he fixed it. Sam has no clue just how good they've been about it. But when, not if he learns what Ruby is, their example might rub off on how he handles it. Truth is, he loves her enough to let go of learned racism all over again.
There's a little worry in letting Sam go with Ruby but Dean is with them so Mary can trust they'll be fine. Mary can only smile more and softly. "Tell me about it." Going back to the beginning, it's something she's always asked him at the end of the day. Mary remembers them shopping, it was when Sam started to sit up alone, and of course Dean wished to help as Mom was still puttering along with baby brother in tow. "I remember. My two, heroic men stepped up to help with the shopping." Dean, of course, loved being called a hero. "That was a good day for all four of us. It's when we discovered Sam likes banana but not pie." Their poor baby had been so confused. It was the last all four got but that's neither here nor there. One forehead kiss is sweet; her eyes close when he plants it but open again to one on his lips. "Glad to be here."
Sam would worry about her going hungry if that happened. Of course, out of all three of them, she'd be the only one to cope. Well, he is trying to be careful and look out for her too. He startles when he sees her walk out but relaxes since she's out. Sam looks at the language she's trying to decipher. "That's... That's from Star Trek, I think." But he can't read it either. He grimaces a little at her touching the blood and instinctively covers her hand with both of his to keep her from touching more. "Who was that mad scientist guy you said Cisco told you ran this place?" He turns back to Dean, asking to get to the bottom of the questions Ruby's statements provoke.
"No. If I did that, I'd never get any sleep again because you'd use it against me." Sam's look is less than thrilled. He can remember the last time he did Dean hid under the bed and grabbed his feet. "Now, there's no way I want to see any movie with twins. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, too."
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Date: 2020-02-24 03:27 am (UTC)She's got quite the cache of videos as well, some of them of him making those happy noises in his sleep that he so often does. They'll remain for her eyes only though. He needn't worry about that.
Ruby isn't so certain, but he'll find out soon enough how he deals with her being a demon. After all, Dean isn't going to let it go on too long. Eventually, he'll give her the ultimatum: you tell him, or I will.
John is grateful he's not the only one that worries about Sam with Ruby. He can't help but smile at her recounting of their events. "I think this day is going to measure up. I woke up with you. Doesn't get much better than that. Plus there won't be any diapers to change or midnight feedings," he points out. There are advantages to their kids being grown. He draws the kiss out a little. After all the kids are out of sight.
Ruby would appreciate the concern, but she would also feel certain they'd get her out sooner rather than later. Ruby gives Sam a confused look. "Why would someone carve a fictional language on a wall?" Dean has to think about Sam's question a moment. "Some guy named Wells? Maybe." He hadn't been worried about it at the time.
Dean grins like an idiot at Sam's words. "Yeah...well, I've got a duty as a big brother." Yep, he remembers doing that. It'd been hysterical. "Hey, now. I've met plenty of very nice twins in my life," he tells Sam. Of course, there'd also been Andy and his evil twin but h's thinking more about the double-mint twins and the Olsen twins are pretty hot to be honest.
no subject
Date: 2020-02-24 04:29 am (UTC)No one other than Ruby is allowed to see those! It's the reason to which he first showed her how to lock her phone (because it's embarrassing). Dean would never let him hear the end of it.
Only time will tell what will happen with that. Honesty is the best policy though. There's more honesty coming in the coming days. (About having children.)
It wouldn't be like Mary not to worry about Sam and the special nature of his first relationship. She can recount everything in perfect detail but covered only the highlights. "You made scrambled eggs and waffles," she adds, very much a fan of that part. She snorts at what he calls a plus side too. "I'll take this morning over diapers anytime." To look on the bright side at least. She can't have that time back, but she still has time with John and time with her kids too. She leans into the kiss more. There's a little time before they might want to check in with the boys.
No doubt Sam wouldn't rest until she was. He can't let go of her hand yet. He considers her question thoughtfully before putting forward his thought. "Maybe so they're the only one that can read it." His attention returns to Dean. "We should look more into that guy," he suggests. Whatever was going on here, he wants to get to the bottom of it.
The last thing Sam does is smile, but he does not pout either. "Says who? Says no one, that's who." It hadn't been hysterical to him. He jumped then shouted at Dean. He looked to make sure where Dean was for the next little while too. "Like whom?" Sam asks skeptically. But he can give Dean some leeway with the time gap.
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Date: 2020-02-25 12:31 am (UTC)Sam knows his brother well. Ruby will keep those pictures and videos to herself.
It's something they need to talk about. Sam and Ruby tend to live very much in the now. It'll do them good to actually plan and talk about the future, though it should wait until he's his normal age again.
"It only seemed right since you did it most week mornings," he tells her. John likes cooking, if only because it puts such a smile on Mary's face. Dwelling on all the years they lost won't do anyone any good. John is going to enjoy the hell out of what they've got and he hopes that Mary does too. There is a little more time and it's easy to get carried away. John slides a hand up Mary's back to tangle in her hair.
Ruby is absolutely okay with Sam holding onto her hand. She's not exactly sure why he needs to hold onto her hand, but she's not going to complain. Ruby frowns at that. "Well, that's dumb. That's sort of the point and definition of a message: to be read."
Dean nods. "Yeah. We might be able to find something at the bookstore." Little do they know, they'll find loads of comic books about Wells, Cisco, and the Flash.
"Doublemint twins," Dean offers. "Kara and Krystal in...Indiana?" It's clear he's neither certain on their names or their location. "The Olsen twins. The Bella twins," who are way after this Sam's time. "Yeah...that's all I've got." And yes, they are all girls.
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Date: 2020-02-25 03:35 am (UTC)From experience he just knows Dean will use anything to embarrass him. Stay out of his room! Ruby just need to ask to have him assist with keeping their memories secure.
Waiting until he's normal again is good. Besides his only concern right now would something to the opposite effect where he's worried she wants to get pregnant before he's even out of HS.
"We agreed it's what I wanted to do," she reminds him. But no, it does not mean that she minds that he wants to chance the pace of things a little now. He continues to put a smile on her face by being so romantic, in fact. Going forward with John has been the best part about adjusting to Itinere and life in a small town made of magic. Very easy to get carried away. Her hair cut a little less long a while ago, but an inch or two has grown since then.
It's one of those things where the longer he holds on to it the more difficult it is to let go. He has an idea though, and coaxes hers hand to take his by opening his palm too hers. He tries to move to her line of thinking. "Maybe there's only one other person that can." He does not sound so certain because Star Trekkies aren't widely known in his time. "Can we take a picture of it with us," he adds. He's aware cell phones of the ability to but not carrying 'his own.'
Bookstore is the magic word that lights him up. "Yeah, that's where I'd look." He means it's where he'd love to go next if that was in the cards. Or soon. Dean should know by now that he can't say bookstore without Sam getting excited. He would say comic on these guys they're looking into are just as eerie as the SPN ones detailing their lives.
"Do you even know any of those twins in person," Sam asks. It should worry him that they're all girls, but only if Dean has met them.
no subject
Date: 2020-02-25 11:57 pm (UTC)When they get around to talking about the permanence of their relationship, she'll ask him about it because her immortality will come up. It'll be something to reassure her (and him).
At least finding out she's a demon and lacking a pulse will set his mind to ease about that.
John and Mary had agreed they'd wanted a traditional family with him going to work and her staying at home to rais the kids. Things are different here. He's got more time to change the pace of things and the kids are capable of cooking their own meals (Dean even makes a good deal of all of their meals). Mary is easily the best part of Itinere. Yes, he likes getting to know the boys outside of hunting, but he's not sure he'd want to do all of this without her. He'd been okay with his death and even his destination. He likes her hair a little shorter, which something he didn't think he'd ever say, but accidentally grabbing Ruby's ass thinking it was Mary had been damn disturbing. It's sexy on Mary (but then, most things are).
He doesn't have to coax much. She opens her hand to take his easily and his words bring an obvious understanding to her expression. "That makes sense. So maybe they were hunting both of them and this person wanted the other to know that they'd been there once they got caught." Okay, so it's bleak, but kind of sweet as well. Sam's question about the picture shakes Ruby out of that bleak thought. "Yes," she confirms and takes her own phone out (the lock screen is a selfie of Ruby and older Sam). She unlocks it with her thumbprint, flicks open the camera and leans in to take a couple of pictures, one without the flash and the other with it then shows it to Sam. "Good enough?" Taking pictures is something she's very good at doing with her phone. She takes a lot of them.
"Okay, we'll stop off there once we're done here. See what we can find and take it back to the bunker," Dean answers. Of course, if Sam wants to browse, he should probably just take Ruby there. Dean has been in the bookstore, but he doesn't enjoy wandering around it the way Sam does.
Dean scoffs at that. "The Indiana twins have very fond memories of me and I of them," he assures Sam. Probably not the answer he wanted.
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Date: 2020-02-26 03:51 am (UTC)He'll teach her everything that comes to mind. Though, technology changes all the time, it switches formats. The best thing he can tell her is to back memories up on every new format whilst keeping the old just in case.
For example, it's for reasons like that he could find pictures of himself in College on social media if he wanted.Well, something to that effect. There's always one thing or another to worry about it seems. At least whatever road they go down, Sam sincerely loves Ruby at the end of it.
Mary had worked in a record shop before they had the kids and had loved it, but not as much as the days she was home with little Dean and baby Sam when he came along. Things move at a different pace here. The best thing is John of course, but the time there have too. Heaven is a good destination for all, but the thing Mary likes most about Itinere is that it isn't just their spirits together reliving old memories. Here, they're flesh and blood, and above all new memories can be formed. She never thought she would cut her hair either, but it's lighter on her shoulders, easier to take care of, and most of all, no has had anything bad to say, least of John whose opinion matters the most to her. (No, and they don't need repeats of what happened with her son and husband and mistaken blonde identities.)
His lip twitches at the corner when her palm open up to his and splays his fingers widely to accept hers. In some ways, her obvious understanding about what he said makes him think about them. As a couple they're building a language all of their own (more or less). He's only certain because like now, she makes it easy to hold hands with her. Sometimes, it's because he gets clues about what she wants when she looks at him in a certain way. Mostly, he can't help look at it in the romantic way when she shares that one possibility of two people trying to escape prosecution. "They're not here anymore, so maybe they got out. Maybe they found each other again." He is wistful about the image, but not yet forgetting there are special circumstances behind why they were imprisoned in a technological fortress. He can't know which side he should be supportive of. Sam lets Ruby take the pictures and swipes through them with his finger when she shows them to him. One is only blurry, but it's okay because there's two more that satisfy their purpose. "Yeah. Great job." He wants to be nothing that supportive of her efforts.
"You don't know the Indiana twins." Sam is still remotely unconvinced, but it is more than he needed to know.
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Date: 2020-02-27 01:47 am (UTC)Oh Sam. Ruby still has to learn to trust and believe that he won't want more for his future than she can give, but she has no doubt about her feelings for Sam. She knows she wants to spend as much of the rest of her life as possible with him.
John does cherish the chance to make new memories with Mary and the boys. It's something he never thought he'd get and there's no place he'd rather be, heaven included. It's a good look on her, but so is the way she looks when she's happy like this. (No one wants that)
He's not wrong. They are developing their own language both in the form of code (fries) as well as in looks and things not quite said. Sam would think it was romantic (which is one of the things Ruby loves about him). She hesitates then says "Maybe." Wouldn't that be nice? Ruby certainly isn't going to harsh on his idea of a happy ending for the two hypothetical prisoners.
Dean snorts. "The Indiana twins are the main reason for the best night of my life."
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Date: 2020-02-27 04:14 am (UTC)Hopefully, in time she can see Sam intends to find a way to weave what he always wanted into what she is willing and able to give him, if she stays. It'd very likely he'd give her the rest of his days.
SYS, LOL, etc. Some of it isn't as great as other code, but the most romantic they have are the looks and things not quite said. Theoretically, it could be them, but most likely, it is only a fairy tale like so many others that he dreams of in his head. Her hesitation snaps him out of it a little, having him realize it's a little silly. "Yeah. Maybe." Both his cheeks go a little red. Ruby isn't ruining anything to bring his head back to reality. "Why don't head back now? Mom and Dad are waiting."
Sam doesn't have to think, he just knows that's too much information. "You're disgusting."
When they come out of the tunnel, Mary and John are waiting as if it's all they'd been doing. Mary finds herself looking at Sam to see that not one more strand of hair is out of place and Dean too. She's been quiet not to judge the relationship over the age gap. "Anything exciting?" she asks.
Sam's first to offer an answer. "Well, the tunnel is. But there's these indestructible cells down at the end, that looks like they used to host prisoners. I couldn't count how many just by standing there." He hates to be the one to have to say that.
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Date: 2020-02-28 01:13 am (UTC)She will see that. Ruby has no intention of going anywhere.
Not all code has to be great to be effective. Personally, Ruby likes those little 'romantic' things as well. They seem far more intimate and personal than the others. There's nothing wrong with fairytales as long as reality doesn't get completely left behind. Besides, as Sam well knows, real fairytales are dark, grim and don't always have a happy ending. Dean nods and they start back down the tunnel toward the main room.
"Not what Kara and Kendra told me," Dean jokes with Sam. Yeah, he might have just said a different name now than when he first named them. To be honest, he can't really remember their names...yep, he probably is disgusting.
Of course, that's all they've been doing! How dare anyone think anything else. No, unlike the parents, Ruby and Sam were good on their little side trip. Of course, they had a Dean shaped chaperone. Maybe Dean should have stayed here with the parents.
"There was blood," Ruby adds, less concerned about adding that detail. "Not a lot though."
John's brow furrows at that information. "Maybe we ought to find out a little more information about this place before we go poking around in it."
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Date: 2020-02-28 04:01 am (UTC)weightbodily health, that's how. On a good day, Sam would rate them an eight. He ignores the look. "Yeah... Still is better if you're the one that asks him." Because Dean's been saying no click flick moments since as far as he can remember and the words have lost their meaning. Sam obviously likes that idea. "Let me ask them." Doubt they could say no to his face, but either way they're welcome to cut the evening short.Well, it's a good thing Sam wouldn't be able to leave reality too far behind due to his upbringing. Of course if there's any happy ending to be had in their dark fairy tale, he would hope it would be him with her no matter what age he was. Sam sticks close to Ruby's side when they had back. Honestly, it's a relief because he has the most vivid imagination and the cells give him a bad sense.
"Dean, I'm not listening anymore," Sam exclaims! Lucky for Dean, he can't place the names are most likely subconsciously borrowed from Super Girl and the former Slayer in Buffy.
Yes, the good behavior is key to unlocking more trust. Maybe when Sam and Ruby are married they will have less eyes on them and will no longer require chaperones nor invite questions. So sorry that Dean is in the middle of this. He ought to spent his time with Carmen.
Ruby is being honest, though. Sam shifts his attention to her, nodding at that detail to confirm. "Something was written, but I couldn't read it."
That's something else Sam hoped it wouldn't come to, but he understands it's for the better. "Later it might be possible to look up who ran this place in the library." Because Sam is aware Itinere has a knack of keeping records of life stories there too.
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Date: 2020-02-29 06:24 am (UTC)His age doesn't bother Ruby. He will always be younger than she is so his age doesn't concern her much. Yes, in some ways she misses older Sam, but no matter what age he is, he's still Her Sam. That's all that really matters.
"Hey, you asked," Dean reminds him. Yeah, yeah. At least he has good taste in hot chicks.
Ruby would hope they'd have fewer eyes on them when/if they're married, but ultimately Sam's opinion matters the most, with some weight given to Dean, Mary and John. Dean doesn't mind being in the middle of it. Honestly, he has a lot to work out in his own head regarding Carmen. It's good for him to have some time with his family to remember what really matters to him because it reminds him of what he can have if he'll get out of his own way.
"I think getting out of here is a good idea," John says, even more certain after Ruby's comment about the blood. "We need to know what ot expect next time we come looking around." Which is also an agreement to check out the bookshop once they all get piled back into the Impala.
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Date: 2020-02-29 07:41 am (UTC)That's some sound logic if there ever was any. Sammy just needs to catch on to that first.
"I didn't ask you to tell me everything!" Once again proving he is a poor liar who is, in fact, still listening.
Honestly, the way things are going, by the time Sam proposes to her, all eyes on them should be more relaxed. Call it a feeling, he just knows it will come to pass. If family is what Dean needs to be around and watch before he can get out of his own way for Carmen, then all the best to him. Sam would like to see him happy no matter what form it takes. Of course he still doesn't expect he'll be the one to marry and start a family first.
John doesn't need to say that twice. For once, he and Sam do agree on something and the bookshop is on a shortlist of magic words that has him move for the exit ahead of everyone else. "Ruby has pictures of the writing." That's a place to start, right? Once they're back in the Impala, Sam slides back into the middle. He holds the door open for Ruby at the library then wanders to the same area as last time where he found the Supernatural novels. On a table, a comic he never seen before waits for him and upon closer inspection he can tell it's what they're looking for. "Hey, I think I found something," he calls to anyone within earshot.
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Date: 2020-03-02 02:21 am (UTC)Oh, Dean knows that Sam, particularly at that age, is always listening. He will spare everyone the gory details.
Dean has had a lot of years to develop a stack of issues that include commitment issues, believing he doesn't deserve good things as well as trust issues. Itinere is helping to heal some of those issues because it's given him so much. Fortunately, (?) Carmen has some issues as well because of the alternate universes, but they'll both get there with a little time. Sam definitely is the more likely one to be the first to get married.
That is a place to start. There's bound to be a language translation dictionary of the languages from Star Trek. He's definitely in the right area. Dean is the closest to Sam when he says he found something. Ruby had wandered off a little and picked up a couple of novels, but she makes her way over there to see what he found.
"What's up, Kiddo?" Dean asks as he leans in to look at the book.
John is in the paranormal section when Sam says something so it takes him a moment to get over there, but he wanders in after Ruby and Dean, interested to see what Sam has found.
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Date: 2020-03-02 03:50 am (UTC)Dean is his big brother, so of course, it's harder for him not to listen to him. Sam's learned his best critical thinking skills that way.
Never once has Sam seen Dean as undeserving. In fact, due to Dean being the one to raise him, he holds his brother in high regard and hopes many great things will happen for him because all he's done. Carmen has the Winchesters and whatever she needs, Sam is always willing to lend a hand to her. He doesn't know that yet. About being marred first. It's still up in the air.
Wish magic has it's benefits whether Sam realizes he used it or not. Star Trek is next on the list, of course. Sam can wait for them all to gather anyway because he tabs the page of interest then continues to flip through the comic book to give them something more concrete.
He flips back to the page when Dean leans over to look then over to another. "This is the first thing I noticed." The pages show the man known as Wells standing on one page and in a wheel chair cutting the ribbon to the lab in the next. "I think that's supposed to be Wells. He definitely comes off as the evil genius."
Sam shows Ruby, then John and Mary again when they come over. He taps on the image of the building. "It's the spitting image of where we just were."
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Date: 2020-03-03 12:08 am (UTC)That's a little scary, but it seems to turn out well for him (which Ruby thinks has more to do with who Sam is at his core than anything).
Sam has a unique perspective on Dean. As Carmen accepts Dean and gets more homesick, she'll come to rely on the Winchesters more. Neither does anyone else and some of the Winchesters will be a little leary of Sam getting married (to Ruby) first.
Wish magic is amazing. The Winchesters use it conservatively but Lucy uses it nearly every day and thinks it's one of the best things about Itinere.
Dean's brow furrows and he frowns. "And we're pretty sure he's more Lex Luther than Professor X?" Yes, Dan has pop culture knowledge.
Ruby takes a look at the page Sam shows her then picks up another one of the books to leaf through it. "Definitely," John agrees, examining the image carefully. "I'd like to find another source of information. Not everything you read here is fact." He's read some of the Supernatural novels and knows that some things are definitely embellished to say the least.
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Date: 2020-03-03 03:53 am (UTC)Well, he doesn't fall for the dumbest things anymore. That's the opposite of scary, right? He never would have broke his arm or ended up back on the road with Dean if Dean didn't have the ability to make him listen. It is who he is at his core. People he cares about are the easiest to listen to.
Sam only grow up with Dean. Sam will be the first to welcome Carmen into their functionally nonfunctional family when the time comes. Weariness wouldn't be the worst thing to come out of Sam informing them when he is ready to propose to his blonde dream girl.
Maybe Lucy should use less of it. She has metaphorical angel on her shoulder that could do almost anything wish magic can with his habitual habit of popping up where ever he is asked to be or not.
But who hasn't watched Superman (1978) or the Xmen cartoons. Both the boys grew up watching those and playing make believe as one superhero or another (recall why Sam broke his arm.) "Well, uh, I'm not sure. Maybe 75% sure. Professor X doesn't have evil thoughts at the beginning of his arc, when he opens his home to students." Sam looks back to the pages and flips back to the start to read it carefully.
Ruby has the right idea. Sam's attentions flickers to her because it's hard not to be tickled by the fact they're doing the same thing. John isn't wrong about that though. About the source of information being unreliable. Sam considers the options for a moment and comes up visibly short. "Where else should we look?" Because as the Supernatural books had proved, the only information out there sometimes is all but unreliable.
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Date: 2020-03-04 12:39 am (UTC)Well, it's a good thing he ended up back on the road, at least as far as Ruby is concerned. She's aware it's selfish and that Sam would be safer if he were living his normal lawyer life instead of a hunter's life, but she's okay with being selfish. The people you care about are usually the ones that have your best interests at heart so it's good to listen to them.
Lucy should make less use of the wish magic. She'll start praying to Cas for that latte in bed instead of wishing for it (if she hasn't already). At least with Lucy, he doesn't have to ask. Sure, he could pop in at awkward moments, but she'll be okay with it if he is. Privacy and modesty are a myth for Lucy.
"I don't know. Inviting hot, high school girls to stay at his house...," Dean says as he considers the information in the book.
They have a lot more in common than one might first assume. She's well aware that research is a good place to start. Dean considers Sam's question a moment. "We might be able to get our hands on the old resident files. We'd need to be able to hack into their network files though." While an older Sam could do that, Dean knows this Sam probably isn't capable of that yet.
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Date: 2020-03-04 02:24 am (UTC)Well, for some time at least, Sam isn't sure the life of the lawyer would be for him anymore. Of course right now, at this age, he's just dreaming what his options are. Whatever they may end up being, his desire to help people will always remain. There's no knowing for certain he would have been left alone to go to Harvard anyway. Dean and Ruby are a big part of why he is still even around if you look at key points of his life.
It would certainly ease Castiel's concern for her if she did both of these things. Though, he may have to learn how to make a latter first. Some unfortunate soul, after all, doesn't deserve having their latte spirited away. Fortunately(?), Cas is getting better at asking permission to enter. Dean and Carmen have a few stories to tell. He now has the idea to knock or text before he enters most of the time.
"Yeah, after he turns it into a school. He doesn't think about girls 24/7 like you," Sam counters. He'll go down defending Professor X's character.
Sam has noticed that. An attractive trait is a girl that know the value of research. Unfortunately, this Sam hasn't even technically gotten his first laptop. Libraries have computers though, right. He looks over his shoulder a moment to be sure then asks any one of them, "Any one of you able to hack the system? We can use the computers in here." The best of his capabilities is web searches, if they want to try searching Wells on Yahoo.
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Date: 2020-03-05 12:42 am (UTC)It's hard to go back to normal when you know the monsters under the bed are real. Ruby gets that. She'd lived it for a little while long ago when she was human. She'd had all that power and she'd found out demons were real. Normal life was a lot harder. That desire to help people is the thing that John thought saved Sam from the future Azazel had planned for him. Dean is the other thing that saved him. John is still hedging his thoughts on Ruby, but he can't deny that she makes Sam happy and he's been told by Dean and by Sam that Ruby saved them both a few times both back home and here.
He could always pop into the coffee store and order one for her before he pops into her bedroom. Yes, Castiel's sudden appearance had been startling and inconvenient particularly the first couple of times he'd shown up. After the third or fourth time, Carmen had handled it much better and told him unless there was blood, come back in 45 minutes. It's good for everyone that isn't Lucy if Castiel learns to text or knock before entering a room.
"Well yeah, not after he's old, bald and paralyzed," Dean counters back. Yes, he knows he can get a rise out of Sam this way. His brow furrows a little. "Wait, was he born old, bald and paralyzed? Is that part of his superpower?"
"I can play music and cat videos," Ruby offers, which won't help them at all. Dean snorts. "I can't even get porn sites to play without the computer freezing." John puts his hands up. "Don't look at me. There's nothing even as advanced as the phones here back home."
"So, we're stuck with old fashioned book research," Ruby says. She rolls her eyes and stands up. "I'll go look back in the stacks and see if I can find something that looks more non-fiction."
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Date: 2020-03-05 03:51 am (UTC)Funny how true that works. There was a time when he was about nine that he sniffled about going to sleep when the monsters could get him, and now there is a time where the trouble in sleeping would lie in if Ruby wasn't next to him in his bed. He's grateful for the life he has here. It is his hope that eventually all can resemble the normal he has always pictured. Monsters are just par for the course now. Maybe Sam will eventually figure out how to best channel his desire to help people in Itinere as well.
A while ago Lucy did teach Castiel that things made from scratch mean much more than anything else. It wouldn't even occur to him order a drink for her anymore. Yes, he's committed. Yes, it was understood when Carmen told him 45 minutes. She ought to know he came back exactly 45 minutes later. Lucy is free to undo the work that has been done to make him better about entering a room if it suits her needs.
"Shut up. You don't know know anything anyway or you wouldn't question if baldness is his superpower." Getting a rise out of Sam isn't the hardest thing to do. Professor X is a fiction role model of his. "He lost his hair at a young age when he was growing into his powers. His spine was broken later in the battle against the Shadow King." Mary shoots John a side glance because the boys may as well be talking in a foreign language.
Mary shrugs at her turn. "I just found out how to use the internet." Sam scratches his cheek then the corner of his ear to push some misplaced strands of hair back. "Unless we know anybody else who can help?" Sam looks at Ruby particularly all the while he has no clue he would normally be the right person for the job.
He stands up rather hurriedly when Ruby does too. "I'll go with you!" Even he realizes how eager that came off after he says it and hesitates before making up an excuse. "...To help. Two sets of eyes are better than one, right?"
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Date: 2020-03-06 01:19 am (UTC)Oh, Cas. It's no wonder Lucy is very much in like with him. Carmen knows now that Castiel is very punctual. The next time Lucy gets a text or Cas knocks, she'll tell him that he doesn't have to do that; he can just come in. Mixed signals much?
Dean grins, barely stifling a chuckle at the rise he'd successfully gotten out of Sam. "Good to know, Geek Boy," Dean chirps, but he's still flipping through the comic books. "How did I forget Rogue was so hot," he says mostly to himself. John shrugs at Mary's look. "Don't' ask me. I just gave them money to buy the comic books."
Dean thinks about it a second and shakes his head. "As much as I love her, Lucy doesn't strike me as a computer whiz. We could ask Carm. She's never mentioned being a secret hacker though." Carmen might know her way around a computer, but probably not to the proficiency that they'd need. It'll be an issue they'll have to shelve until the older version of Sam comes back.
Ruby looks back over her shoulder, flipping her hair as she does when Sam declares he'll stay with her. A cat's got the milk grin slips over her lips and she holds out her hand, slowing a little but not stopping. "That's what I hear," she tells him.
John sighs and rubs a hand over the back of his neck. "I don't know whether to worry about that or be charmed by it," he says almost as an aside then looks back to the comic books. "So we'll research and stay out of the lab until we know more. Maybe we can find some techno-babble spell that'll get us into the database. I miss when everything was in a file cabinet in a basement somewhere." Little does John know that if he wished for that exact thing, he might get it.
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Date: 2020-03-06 04:16 am (UTC)GodJesus. Sam is probably the only one that knows the extent of the facade she puts on too.Because he learns quickly from their discussions. Did she not want him to be punctual? Yes, it very much will send him mixed signals the next time he doesn't come in before asking and she informs him that he can just come in.
It doesn't escape his notice that Dean is being a jerk, and Sam knows nothing he can say will change that so he gives him this look of being so done with him. He takes the comic book right from under Dean. "You can go look in the newspaper archives." He appoints Dean that job should he be willing to take it or not. It might be the hardest job he can think of. Okay, Mary won't ask. But in it, John shares a small fact that brings her smile to widen. She knows he did good for the boys when he could.
Sam doesn't hide his disappointment from being visible, but is not discouraged by the thought of finding answers the hard way. They've always managed to do it and it was just the three of them then. The five of them together makes anything seem possible. "Okay. So that's a fate no. If you're not sure then I don't think we should bother Carmen or Lucy with this. We can do this ourselves. Like we always do." He really does have faith. He really does think they just need to find the right place to look.
Sam is pretty sure time stands still for a moment when Ruby's ringlets bounce as a result, but then it speeds right up again the further she gets from the table. "Yeah. Me too." He's not thinking how he just said what he agreed to. He pushes the chair more away from him to have it noisily scratch across the floor and stumbles, finds his balance to move around the table to follow behind her at a brisk pace.
Sam is gone. Mary and Dean are still left standing there with John though. She rubs her palm up and down John's arm because there are really no words to tell him to let their youngest find out for himself and their youngest should be fine. Mary considers his second unspoken question with more thought. "Don't suppose there is anyone around here that we can ask?," she offers, clearly uncertain, but looking around at the same time for signs of someone that worked there that could(n't) have possibly slipped their notice.
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