Dear Addiction

Chapter thirty

"She still won't talk to me," Dean whispered. He lent against the gym wall, looking up to his brother, who stood next to him. Sam's own gaze staying forward and on the children that stood at the other end of the gym, singing to Frosty the snowman.

It wasn't like Dean didn't want to pay attention, he had tried, though the kids were awful singers, most simply screaming. It was painful to watch, never mind listen to, and it wasn't like it was even Ellie or John's class.

"Just give her time."

"It's been ten hours!"

Sam looked to Dean, even through the dim lighting, the disbelief clear across his face. "Dude," Sam began, raising an eyebrow. "More time then that."

"You should talk to her."

When Sam didn't reply, Dean let out a low groan, tilting his head up, to stare at the shadowed roof. He knew his brother was right, even if Dean wouldn't admit that, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He missed getting to hear about Ellie's day when he picked her up from school. Listen to her singing, and babble on stories. Instead he'd been lucky to get a glare.

He kept his head tilted up until the sound of applause filled the room, finally looking back to the front, just in time to whatcha s the class that had been singing began to file off the bleachers. "I remember your school performances, you were so cute." Dean said smiling slightly at the memory. Sam and his messy brown hair, his wide grin, that showed off his front missing tooth. The excitement he'd have before any show. "Remember your sleepy hollow performance? I can't believe you joined drama club."

"I was a kid."

"You were sixteen," Dean cried, laughing as he watched his brother's face scrunch slightly. "I love going to those shows, they were awesome."

"You just went cause of Cassie Robinson."

"No, she was just a really hot plus." Dean looked back to the front of the gym, where the next class was almost done being set up. Sam had said Ellie's class would be the third performance, Johns being the seventh, which he hoped was true; children and christmas carols were not a great mix. "Remember the magic shows you'd put on as a kid?"

Dean glanced back to his brother, as Sam let out a dramatic groan. If it weren't for the dim lightning of the gym, Dean was sure Sam's face would have been a bright red. "You were so cute, with your little top hat. You even had a magician name, what was it?"

"Eileen," Sam replied.

"No-" Sam stepped around Dean, and towards a woman that had begun walking towards them.

"Dean," Sam gestured towards the woman, Dean's eyes going from her face to down her body.  She was small, with dark brown hair that fell to her lower back, and wore a simple t-shirt with jeans. Most of her features were casted by shadows from the dsm lighting, though it was easy to see they were soft and delicate, giving her a kind look.. "This is John's ASL teacher, Eileen."

Dean frowned looking back to his brother. "Since when's he been learning sign language?"

"Last month, I told you this."

"Well obviou-"

"Sam-" Elieen cut in, causing both brothers to look back up. She spoke in a monotone voice, one that reminded Dean vaguely of Cas's, though unlike his hers was slightly choppier, and as she spoke she moved her hands. "Is Ellie with you?"

There was a moment of silence. Dean only able to hear the beating of his heart, eyes never leaving Sam, who somehow looked calm. How he did it, Dean didn 't know. His breathing seeming to become more of an effort, as a lump formed in his throat.