Witching Hour | Winchester

Thirteen

"Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, then head south," Dean says from the driver's seat, glancing back at Roxanne, "hit Bisbee by midnight."

She nods, and Dean smiles. She ducks her head, trying to avoid his gaze. Things had been weird between them ever since that afternoon right before Christmas, not to mention their gift exchange on Christmas Day. Not necessarily bad, just weird.

Dean had gained a new perspective on Roxanne ever since the Bloody Mary case. He wondered if her late husband was the reason why she just 'wasn't feeling like it' then. If so, he doesn't think he can hold it against her.

He looks to Sam, who's currently paying him no attention. Dean's eyebrows raise.

"Sam wears women's underwear."

"I've been listening, I'm just busy," Sam states, refusing to look up.

Roxanne's interest piques, and she leans forward, resting her forearms on the back of the front seat. He's scrolling through something on his phone, but even squinting, she can't make out any words.

Dean frowns. "Busy doin' what?"

"Reading e-mails."

Dean swings his legs out of the car and gets to his feet. She leans back as he begins to fill up the tank.

"E-mails from who?" She asks, eyes on Sam.

He glances over his shoulder to flash her a quick grin. "From my friends at Stanford."

"You're kidding. You still keep in touch with your college buddies?" Dean grunts.

"Why not?"

"Well... What exactly do you tell them? You know, about where you've been, what you've been doing?"

"I tell them I'm on a road trip with my big brother and his girlfriend. I tell them I needed some time off after Jess..."

"Oh, so you lie to 'em."

"Dean," Roxanne warns, eyes dashing to the man outside.

Sam is about the best friend she's ever had, and she often finds herself taking his side. Of course, she tries her best to be impartial. She has taken Dean's side a few times.

It's hard being caught between the two brothers.

"No. I just don't tell 'em....everything."

"Yeah, that's called lying," Dean points out. "I mean, hey, man, I get it. Telling the truth is far worse."

Sam sighs. "So what am I supposed to do? Just cut everybody out of my life?"

Dean only shrugs in response, and Sam stares at him incredulously before turning around to look at Roxanne.

"Roxanne?"

She avoids his gaze for as long as she can, but eventually, she has to stare into those soft hazel eyes.

She wants to tell him something different. But she'd just be a hypocrite.

"It's different for you," she says slowly. "Your brother and I never had too many friends... We don't have anyone worth keeping up with."

She glances at Dean, who merely shrugs at her. A wave of relief washes over her as she realizes he's not offended.

"You're serious?"

"Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can't get close to people. Period," Dean states flatly.

"You're kind of antisocial, you know that?"

"Yeah, whatever."

Roxanne puts her hair up into a ponytail as Sam continues to read his e-mails.

"God..."