Rejected

13: The Winchester House

Since Sam had to go back to his house at 1, and it was already 3:30, Lucifer drove straight back to the Winchesters' house, dropping Sam at the curb. Sam sighed and pulled his bag on his back, starting to walk up the driveway to his house.

Sam's father, John, had lost his wife in a freak house fire when Sam was 6 months old and Dean 4 years old. Since then, it was always a challenge to make ends meet, what with only one source of income until Dean was old enough to work.

The Winchester residence was an ugly brick townhouse that was connected to a long line of equally-ugly houses. Sam didn't like having to be so close to the neighbors, but it was the best they could do.

Sam pushed their old doorbell, hearing the familiar buzz. When no one answered within a minute, he pounded on the black door, jiggling their tarnished nickel doorknob. "Open up, Dean!" Sam yelled into the door.

A few moments later, Dean opened the door. "Sorry, Sam, didn't hear you."

Sam huffed and pushed pass Dean, dropping his bag in the foyer.

"And I thought you said that you'd be home by one." Dean said. "You're late."

"We went to a gummy bear poker game. It ran over."

"I see." Dean closed the front door. "Who won?"

"I did."

Sam trudged up the two flights of stairs to his bedroom. His room wasn't painted over its original color, an ugly blue-green. Sam's bed, covered in a patchwork quilt, was in the corner. The walls were bare, save for a few framed pictures. There was a dark wood bookshelf in the opposite corner of the bed that was stuffed full of books.

There was also a closet on one wall. It was mainly full of flannels, t-shirts, and jeans, but also held dress clothes for band concerts and Sam's costume for the musical. Sam was supposed to were a white t-shirt under a tweed vest and jeans, with a pair of black Vans.

He wasn't looking forward to it. Then again, he wouldn't really have to go, because he was moving.

Sam collapsed onto his bed, face first. He wondered when his dad would be home from the mechanic's. Probably late.

Since Gabriel and Sam had spent the entire night up watching Cutthroat Kitchen, Sam fell asleep almost instantly.

In his dream, Sam was on a Ferris Wheel. Next to him sat Gabriel, who had two lollipops in his mouth and was staring straight ahead.

This was one of Sam's reoccurring dreams. Always a Ferris Wheel, always Gabriel with those two lollipops sticking out of his mouth. When the wheel would get to the top, Gabriel would give Sam a lollipop. It would be lime green. Gabriel would tell Sam that lime green was his favorite color. Sam would tell Gabriel that his favorite color was blue. Gabriel would then give Sam a blue lollipop.

That was how it always went, and that was how it went this time, not a single difference.

As the Ferris Wheel took another rotation, Gabriel took the lollipops out of his mouth, discarding the empty sticks. The Wheel kept rotating, then stopped at the top of its rotation.

Gabriel smiled at Sam. Sam braced himself for what would come next.

Gabriel leaned over and kissed Sam. But there was nothing, no spark, no feeling. It was like a ghost was kissing him.

Then Sam woke up.

Beside him, his phone was buzzing with the sound of a new text. Sam grabbed his phone.

[Unknown Number]: Heya Sammy

Sam: Gabriel?

[Unknown Number]: Yeppity yep