Not Just the Family Business

Just What I Needed

"Home, sweet home." Dean pulled the Impala into Bobby's driveway.

"Finally," I said.

Even though the guys had picked up an ankle brace for me at a random gas station near Chicago, my ankle throbbed. The potholes and other bumps along the ride didn't help. If I hadn't been tired enough to pass out for the first few hours of the journey, I wouldn't have slept.

"Out ya come." Bee helped me out of the car and looped an arm around my waist. 

With her help, I hopped to the steps outside of the house. I was building up the courage to get up the stairs when hands grabbed my hips and lifted me off the ground. Once I was safely up the four steps, Dean set me down on the porch.

"Thanks." I tucked my blonde hair behind my ear. Bee had been kind enough to buy some brown hair dye at the gas station as well. I think we were all getting tired of the blonde.

"Anytime." Dean walked into the house with two duffle bags on his shoulders.

Bee slid her arm around me again. "I'm not going to lie. That was kind of hot."

I shook my head.

By the time we made it to the living room, I was already exhausted. The thought of climbing up the twelve steps to the second floor depleted whatever energy I had left. Bee opened the door to the stairs. I frowned.

"If I couldn't manage the four steps outside, how am I going to climb three times as many?" I asked. Bee opened her mouth to call for Dean, but I stopped her. "Once I'm up there, how do I get back down and up again? I'm not going to be carried everywhere for a few weeks."

"So, what are you going to do?" Bee asked.

I hopped over to the couch and plunked down on it. "Stay right here until I can walk again."

"Then I'm going to crash upstairs." Bee rubbed her temples as she disappeared into the stairway.

"Hop up for a second." Sam put the other duffles down by the door to the stairs. I did as he said and scooted out of the way. "There's a mattress in here. I can't say how comfortable it is, but it gives you more space than just the sofa." Sam took the cushions off and pulled the foldable mattress out. 

"Thanks." I hobbled over to the end of the mattress. "You didn't have to—Ah!"

I meant to rest my good leg against the mattress for support, but it decided to give out on me instead. In full panic, I reached out for something to stop my fall. The only thing available was Sam, who—shocked by my sudden fall—didn't have enough time to brace himself.  He toppled over on top of me.

"I didn't get your ankle, did I?" Sam shifted to look at our legs.

"No, it's fine." I felt my cheeks burning bright pink as I realized how compromising of a position we were in.

Sam looked back at me, which meant that I didn't hide the awkwardness from my voice very well. Our eyes connected. One word slipped through. Kiss. That word alone caused firecrackers to erupt over all of my skin. From the look on Sam's face, he felt it, too.

"Here are some spare—Whoa! Dude, if you're going to get busy in the living room, have the decency to put a sock on the door," Dean said.

The partial body weight that had rested on me rose off as Sam stood. He cleared his throat. I shifted and sat up so I could turn and see Dean. Both of our faces glowing beat red probably didn't help our situation.

"I just wanted to bring Melanie these crutches, but it appears you two had other plans," Dean said.

"I fell." I rolled my eyes.