Comfort Crowd Δ SPN [ 1 ]

124. IT'S JUST PIE

It's nighttime and Dean pulled over, the four getting out, Dean grabbing the take out they got. Sam leans against the hood of the car and the girls sit on the hood. Dean walks over, putting the bag of food and the tray of drinks down.

"All right, here we go." Dean says. He leans against the car next to Sam and grabs a taco. "You know... even though the world is going to crap, there's one thing that I can always count on... these things tasting the same in every drive through in every state in our great nation."

Dean takes a bite of his taco, letting out a small moan of delight.

Sam gives Libby her taco and she unwraps it, taking a bite out of the top like a burger. Sam gives her a weird look, going to tell her that's not a normal way to eat a taco. But he decides against it and stays silent, knowing she won't care what he tells her.

A phone rings and Sam feels his pockets, but it isn't his. Dean takes his phone out and answers it. "Annie." He continues the conversation, the girls not paying a lot of attention to it.

Libby lets Ophelia take her tomatoes, the younger girl refusing to touch the red food. In return, Libby takes Ophelia's cheese.

+++

The next day, they're at a restaurant and waiting for Annie to get there. They're by the window and are overlooking a pier. The girls are playing I Spy, having already decided what to eat.

"Hey, get this." Dean says, looking at the newspaper he got earlier. "Dick Roman is funding another archaeological dig. Guy moves more dirt than "The Drudge Report."" Dean says.

"Well, anything on what he's digging for?" Sam asks.

"Don't you think I would have led with that?" Dean asks. Sam sighs, looking at his watch.

"Annie's not usually this late, is she?" Sam asks.

"No, never. She's totally compulsive. I'll try her cell." Dean says, getting his phone out.

"You know, uh, you know she and Bobby had a thing, right?" Sam asks.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know that." Dean mumbles, finding Annie's contact in his phone. "Really?"

"Yeah. Kind of a foxhole thing. Very Hemingway." Sam says.

"Huh." Dean hums, putting his phone to his ear. "She and I kind of went Hemingway this one time, too."

"All right, well... that happens." Sam says. He makes a face and Dean looks at him until he understands. "What, you too?"

"Look, it was a while back. We ended up on the same case. She was stressed. I-I-I... I didn't... have a soul." Sam admits, wincing a little.

"That's a lot of foxholes." Dean comments.

"What are you guys talking about? What'd you do with Ms. Annie?" Libby asks, looking between them confused.

The brothers look at each other, struggling for an explanation.

"Um... uh, she's not answering." Dean says, getting the subject to slightly shift. "Well, here's to ghosts that aren't there." He says, pouring some whiskey from his flask into his coffee mug.

"Huh?" Libby asks.

"You, uh... why don't you go wash your hands, sweetie?" Sam suggests.

"Why?" She asks.

"So we can order our food and then eat." Sam says.

"Why can't I wait until after we order?" Libby asks.

"Just go do it, okay? Oph, go with her, please." Sam says.

"Wh--" The older girl starts.

"Strength in numbers. Scream if somebody grabs you." Sam says.