Childhood Stranger

Croatoan: Part 1

The three hunters were back on the road following one of Sam's visions, at first it had been hard for Danny to get his head round everything but he'd managed. It was completely silent in the car till the phone in Sam's hand spoke up with the directions to where they were going. The shorter hunter was lounging in the bag seat eyes slipping shut every so often till he jolted awake he didn't want to fall asleep, it meant that he would have to relive everything again but not sleeping in a few days was starting to catch up with him. 

"Danny?" Sam called from the front of the car, he'd been watching the man in the back through the front mirror for some time and was becoming more and more concerned. The youngest Winchester watched as his friend practically jumped awake at the mention of his name. "You okay?" 

"Yeah Sammy why wouldn't I be." Danny replied a sleepy smile on his face as he tried to cover up how he was, though by the look on the others face he wasn't convinced. 

"Really? I've been watching you for twenty minutes," The youngest Winchester revealed with a smile as he turned to look at the other. "Go to sleep we'll wake you when we get there." The other hunter gulped before giving a small nod before resting against the window silently, he could still feel eyes on him and knew Sam was watching him. The hunter settled up against the car door letting his head drop against the window his body acted on instinct at the opportunity of sleep, eyes fluttering shut as he hoped and prayed that he wouldn't see it again. 

It had been only a few minutes since Danny had fallen asleep and it didn't take long for Sam to notice his brother constantly sneaking glances at the sleeping man in the back. 

"Dean what's a matter?" The youngest Winchester asked with a sigh as he watched him, the man in question turned to him with a confused look. 

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked as he continued to glance between his brother and the road, the youngest Winchester gave him a stern look that said 'tell me'. 

"Somethings going on with Danny and you know about it you've been watching him for the last fifteen minutes," Sam told him, watching as his brother attempted to come up with some kind of excuse. "Just tell me what's going on I'm worried about him." 

"You know Peter?" Dean asked after debating whether it would be the right decision to tell him something this personal, but decided it were the best and that Danny wouldn't mind considering how close him and Sam were. Out the corner of his eye he saw the younger Winchester nod. "He's dead." 

"What?" Sam asked completely shocked, Danny hadn't mentioned anything about his dad to him over the time they'd spent together. "When? What happened?"

"A year ago." Dean let out a sigh as he turned to glance at the sleeping man who seemed to be peaceful for the moment. "Peter was on a hunt a werewolf and he thought it was the only one he called down Danny and they went out after it. They found it and put it down but there was another one." Dean paused to glance over at his brother who was staring intently. "Went after Peter and ripped him apart while Danny froze up he blames himself for it." 

"Its not his fault." Sam said seriously as he stole a glance into the back at the sound of shuffling, Dean did the same tensing up slightly and waiting for any other reaction.

"I know but he doesn't his Dad's death hit him hard when I spoke to him he told me that he's been having nightmares ever since." Dean said quietly looking back once again at the man in the back who shuffled once again with a groan, it looked like they were starting. "I stayed with him when we were on the Holmes case and it seemed to help, we should pull over I think they're starting up." The older Winchester pulled over on the side of the road before turning to wake the other. 

"Wait." Sam called out suddenly as he grabbed his brother. "Did you see how he was before he's exhausted, you said it helped when you were there so why don't you get in the back just to let him rest up." There was that warm feeling in Dean's stomach once again at the thought, for a moment he thought of declining till he looked back and saw Danny's scrunched up face. 

"Take care of my baby." Dean said before jumping out of the car and back in this time in the back as Sam slid over beginning the drive once again. Danny was beginning to become more and more restless as he moved around in what little space that he had.Slowly, the eldest Winchester reached out taking the others hand softly the sleeping man instantly froze up for a second before relaxing. The car was silent for a moment, Danny suddenly shifted again before his body suddenly dropped to the side so he was resting against the eldest Winchesters side with his head on the others shoulder. At the sudden warmth Danny snuggled into it seeking more of it, it brought Dean back to the apartment when he'd done the same. The eldest Winchester suddenly felt eyes on him causing him to glance up to see his brother smiling at the sight from the front seat. 

"Not a word." Dean said seriously, Sam let out a chuckle with a stupid grin on his face. The youngest Winchester remembered when they were younger and Danny had told him all about his little crush he used to have on Dean, he had no idea where the hunter still stood on that but he thought he could see something between them. 

"Don't worry I won't."