Salt In The Snow {Sam}

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

If there was one kind of weather Dean hated, it was snow. Typically because it meant freezing temperatures and bad road conditions. Driving when the roads were icy was tantamount to playing Russian roulette with a loaded pistol. It was only a matter of time before the odds went against you and bam! You’re upturned in your car, halfway down an embankment, freezing to death because no-one can find you in the white out of a blizzard.

It always had Dean’s nerves on edge to put his precious car on the line, but never more so than when he had to drive it in the snow. So while Sam sat in the passenger seat beside him, rummaging through a stack of research and maps as though this hunt they were going to was actually going to turn out to be anything real, Dean kept his eyes firmly on the road ahead, his arms locked out against a knuckle white grip on the steering wheel.

“Did I ever tell you how much I think this is a waste of time?” He muttered bitterly, wincing as the huge back end of the Impala fishtailed on a particularly slippery corner. Experience and skill helped him to correct the potentially dangerous situation and the car straightened back out again until the next patch of ice would catch him off guard.

“Everyone knows that the Abominable Snowman is a myth. He‘s like Bigfoot, or Elvis.”

Much like the Sasquatch - and not the one sat next to Dean in the car - the Abominable Snowman was a persistent legend from the more mountainous and remote parts of the country. One which, despite numerous people claiming to have seen it, was a complete pile of crap.

Hunters had tried tracking it down for decades but no proof of its existence had ever been found. Stories of it dragging hikers off into the wilderness where they were never seen of again often covered more logical explanations. Sometimes people going missing and winding up dead was the result of animal attacks, wild cats or bears. More often than not though it was just inexperienced hikers getting into trouble on rough terrain and not being able to get out of it again.

Occasionally it was something a little more in keeping with their line of work, a Wendigo or a Chupacabra, but they were rare enough. So called evidence of Snowman activity, like giant footprints in the snow tended to be the work of pranksters so as far as Dean knew, there was no Abominable Snowman.

So why was he driving all the way out into the middle of no-where, Colorado?

Well…it was complicated.

For the last few months things between Dean and his brother hadn’t been quite what they usually were. In fairness, Dean had been distracted as much as Sam had, being told you were responsible for the looming apocalypse by the angel who’d pulled you out of Hell tended to get in the way of every day life. Saving seals and worrying about the end of the world had left him dropping the ball on what Sam had been up to lately. It turned out Ruby had picked said ball up and was running in the other direction with it.

Now let’s not get things wrong here, Dean was grateful to Ruby for looking out for Sam while Dean was in the pit getting his torture on, but Dean knew things about Ruby that Sam didn’t. Like how she was one of the first in line to take a blade to his soul when they started selling tickets for the privilege. He did get the distinct impression that she was only doing so to save her own ass at the time, but that didn’t discount the fact she left him there to rot and never mentioned a word of their underworld encounter to Sam. Not that Dean had either mind you.

It also sat uneasily with him that she was a demon. Another nail in the coffin of distrust between Dean and Ruby. Demon’s by nature were deceitful, manipulative and evil. Who could really say for sure that she had Sam’s best interests at heart, just because she remembered what it was like to be human once.

Of course there was the simple explanation as to why Dean really didn’t like her. It felt to him as though Ruby was taking Sam away. As though he didn’t need Dean anymore and the very idea of having to let Sam go again was just too frightening to accept right now. It hurt when he left to go to Stanford. It hurt even more when he died in Dean’s arms and being alone in Hell without him was the worst. So right now, with everything weighing on his shoulders like it was, he knew that not having Sam by his side would be the reason they’d lose the fight. Dean needed him.

So perhaps it wasn’t complicated at all. Perhaps the reason Dean had agreed to looking into a hunt he really didn’t believe in, all the way out in the remotest part of no-where he’d ever been to, in weather he hated no less, was simple. It meant some quality time with his kid brother. No Ruby to get in the way. No seals, or demons or angels, just another fake Abominable Snowman and a pain in the ass, but very real, Sasquatch.

Maybe snow wasn’t so bad after all.

“Son of a bitch!” The car slid wildly on the icy road and Dean fought to straighten her out once more.

No, snow definitely still sucked.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam sat in the passenger seat of the Impala with his laptop open. He was sorting through lore on the Abominable Snowman, much to his own chagrin. He knew it was one of those things that any seasoned hunter knew was not real. But, it didn't hurt to be thorough. He was also reading up on various other things about the happenings of the area. The missing hikers and stories from supposed witnesses. Looking for omens, strange weather patterns, the normal routine for researching a case.

It was a bit odd to be back in the car, out on a regular case with his brother. So much had been going on lately that they spent more time apart than together these days it seemed. But, got to give credit to some things that never changed. Dean was grumbling about the case. Sam shot him a sideways glance out of the corner of his eye and sighed.

“It’s a case. Doesn’t hurt to check it out. We’ve wasted our time on worse things.”

Sam went back to his research. He knew what Dean was thinking and he couldn’t disagree with him. The sightings of the Abominable Snowman always turned out to be bogus. The stories were so rampant that people purposely liked to pull stunts to keep the legends going. However, missing tourists, campers and hikers was not a myth. That was very real and it warranted at least a cursory investigation on their part.

They were currently driving up an icy road somewhere in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There was snow piled up on the sides of the road from the snow plow. It was grey and full of dirt and debris, but farther off when you looked in the distance you could see the picturesque view of the mountain. It looked like it should be on a Christmas card, snow covering the ground like a blanket and hanging in the branches of the trees.

Sam was used to riding in the car, his eyes on his research, not really paying attention to the road. He didn’t even register the minor bumps and slides as they drove along. Not until they swayed drastically and Dean swore loudly while he tried to recover from the slide did Sam look up to see what was going on. Stretching out one hand to brace himself on the dash as he got slightly pushed into the door from the swerving. Even then he wasn’t really worried and Dean got them straightened out within a few seconds.

“Dude, maybe you should try slowing down a bit. The ice isn’t so bad if you’re not trying to win a race you know.”

Sam smirked at his brother, knowing he was not happy about this trip, the weather or the mountainous road slick with ice.

While he was looking up Sam took note of the mile marker on the side of the road and then consulted one of his maps. Did a little more checking and calculating and then turned to Dean again.

“It should be just a few more miles up the road. Then we will be a the lodge. We can get settled in then go from there. Most of the people missing were staying at the lodge.”

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

“Dude, maybe you should try slowing down a bit. The ice isn’t so bad if you’re not trying to win a race you know.”

“Maybe you should try shutting up and just let me drive?” Dean snarked back reflexively, hating to be nagged by back seat drivers. Especially one that he’d taught to drive in the first place. However when Sam shook his head and promptly buried it back into his beloved research, Dean did subtly ease his foot off the gas a little.

“How much further to this crapshack?” In Dean’s experience, lodges that were located so far up in the mountains that it snowed all year round, were nothing more than basic wooden cabins with the barest of essentials. Typically, that meant no television because the kinds of people that went to these places either wanted to spend all day out on the slopes, hiking or skiing or whatever the hell regular people did on an outdoor winter vacation, or they were the type of people who wanted to cut themselves off from civilisation entirely. So no television, no phones - which usually meant a piss poor phone signal thanks to the mountains - and lots and lots of reading. In other words, Sam would have to put up with a rather bored and most likely, annoying older brother for the time they’d be out here.

Maybe I’ll start a prank war…heh, yeah…bucket of ice water over Sam‘s head first thing in the morning…

“It should be just a few more miles up the road. Then we will be at the lodge. We can get settled in then go from there. Most of the people missing were staying at the lodge.”

“Maybe it’s run by Norman Bates and they’re all just hidden in his freezer.”

Sam was right, no surprise there really, a few miles up the road and they were at the lodge. Dean was so relieved they’d actually made it one piece, he almost kissed the snow under his feet when he stepped out of the car. The fleeting thought vanished from his mind as soon as he laid eyes on where they were actually going to be staying though. For a long moment he just stood beside his car, mouth hanging open at the sight before him. He could hardly believe what Sam had brought him to.

“What the hell?”

To say it was a ‘crapshack’, as Dean had so affectionately guessed it would be, would have been way, way off the mark. Quite the opposite in fact. The path leading up to the front doors of the inviting little lodge was swept clear of snow, marked either side with a row of torches, lit now that the sunlight was starting to dwindle. The cabin itself was quaint and cosy looking, made from solid timber and built with aesthetics in mind. It wasn't overly grand, but it certainly wasn't a basic hut. The roof was dusted with snow, giving it a gingerbread house kind of appearance and through the windows he could see a roaring fire in a large open hearth making the inside glow a toasty amber colour of warmth.

“Seriously?” He turned to Sam was an expression on his face that held the questions, ‘are you seeing this too?’, ‘did you know it was this awesome?, ‘how can we afford to stay here?’ and, ‘don’t you think we’re gonna stick out like a sore thumb?’ all at once.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean’s ‘Norman Bates’ comment, but didn’t have time to reply back as they just pulled up to the lodge. Sam was slightly surprised by the sight of the lodge, but he wasn’t fully dumbfounded like Dean was. Apparently Dean was under the impression it was going to be some kind of ramshackle hunting shack or something.

Pulling all his things together he stuffed them into his laptop bag before getting out of the car and giving the lodge another look. Sam just shrugged while he spoke.

“Might want to close your mouth before you catch a fly. Just because it’s up in the mountains doesn’t mean it’s going to be craptacular."

Chuckling a bit as Dean continued to stare at the finely crafted lodge that looked like it would be very comfortable and more importantly, warm inside, Sam headed to the trunk of the car. Popping the trunk open he grabbed up his bags. Adjusting them on his shoulders before he turned to head to the mountain resort.

Glancing to make sure Dean was behind him he headed up the torch lighted path to the front doors. When he pushed the doors open and got inside, it was how he imagined. The warmth washed over him and the fireplace was roaring brightly. They floors were highly polished wood with various rugs colored in earth tones placed strategically. Adding to the warm inviting feeling of the place.

Sam made his way to the front desk which was also made of wood and shined till it was sparkling. The young woman at the desk gave him a genuinely happy smile and asked if she help him. He couldn't help but smile back, it was infectious.

"Yeah, we should have a reservation. Under the names, Lucas and Ford."

Sam waited while the woman behind the counter typed into a computer and looked back up at him. Telling him their reservation was all in order and called the bell boy over to take their bags and show them to their room.

He nodded to the woman and said, "Thanks." Then he let the bell boy take his bags and put them on the cart. He kept a hold of his laptop bag. He waited for Dean before following the bell boy off to their room.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

“Just because it’s up in the mountains doesn’t mean it’s going to be craptacular."

Dean turned and gave Sam an incredulous look over the roof of the car. His brother seemed to have some sketchy memories of their past experiences with staying in cabins out in the wilderness.

“When it involves me and you on a case it does. This is…” Again he took in the sight of the gingerbread lodge and the inviting glow that could be seen through the window, making him want to step inside and soak it up.

“This is so...nice.” Nice fitted it perfectly but the look on his face gave the impression that it was something foreign to him. Not exactly a word often associated with anywhere the Winchester‘s stayed that didn‘t involve crashing at Annali‘s house.

“Makes me wonder what the hell we’re doing here.”

As Sam began getting bags out of the trunk, Dean opened up the back door of the car and leaned in to grab his duffel and the half eaten bag of peanut M&M’s that had fallen into the foot well. He suspected he wouldn’t need them, that the lodge looked like the sort of place that actually might have room service, or at least a restaurant that would serve up a good, home cooked hearty meal. The very thought made his stomach growl with anticipation, but it was always wise to pack a snack for supper later, when no doubt his nightmares would keep him from sleeping properly, or they’d be up all night researching a phantom Yeti that didn’t really exist.

A quick stop off at the trunk for Dean to stash a couple of guns and the odd hunting knife or three in his bag and he was good to go. At least the night would give him chance to get a little weapon maintenance done if nothing else but secretly he was hoping for cable and a magic fingers bed. There wouldn’t be much else to do around here at night unless they had a decent bar and some strippers hidden in the back.

Just like Sam, Dean was hit with the warmth of the place as soon as he opened the door. It was like walking into a warm blanket of snugness, one that quickly melted the snowflakes on his jacket so that it was like they had never been there at all. He stopped for a moment to glance around the open lounge where the log fire was roaring away, a fond smile gracing his face at the sight of a young couple sat in each other’s laps on a long couch covered in furs. It was obvious to all they were in love and it warmed Dean’s heart to see them just enjoying each other’s company over glasses of mulled wine. It made him want to bring Annali here for a romantic getaway, though maybe when it wasn’t the middle of winter when the roads weren’t such death traps.

Maybe Valentine's day...

Reaching the receptionists desk, he raised an eyebrow at Sam who seemed to be stuck in a perma-smile that was so wide he wondered if there was a sign for free wi-fi. Upon seeing the cheerful woman behind the counter, with her braided blonde pigtails and her rosy pink cheeks, Dean knew instantly why Sam was so smiley. He couldn’t help himself, he had to give the eyebrow wiggle and smirk combination to Sam that said, ‘maybe you’ll get lucky while we’re here’.

The bell boy came to politely take their bags, but Dean was so un-accustomed to the service that he just ended up frowning in confusion at the poor kid when he held his hand out to take Dean’s duffel. His natural reaction was to shrug the bag further up on his shoulder, defensively moving it away from the kid hoping to take it from him.

“Whoa, whoa, easy there grabby hands.” He said distrustfully, frowning even as he saw Sam hand over his bag happily. He got it then, this was what happened in fancy hotels. You checked in and someone in a smart little uniform took your bag off you and carried it to your room for you, which you could have done very easily yourself without having the person then expect you to pay them for the privilege. But it wasn’t the fact he’d have to tip for the bellboy to carry his bag - which he wasn’t even doing, because he had a trolley and everything - it was that he had a small arsenal in his duffel and handing it over to a complete stranger was just something he didn’t consciously do. So with a polite but firm refusal, Dean insisted he’d carry his own bag, thank you very much.

“I got it.”

Sam would probably disown him for causing a fuss in public but Dean remained blissfully unconcerned about the situation, striding off to the room like he knew where he was going. Which amazingly he did.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

On the trip to their room Sam just shook his head in dismay over Dean's reaction to the bellboy wanting his bag. Sam knew why Dean didn't want the man taking his bags, but all he had to do was politely decline. Not grasp on to the bag for dear life. Like that wouldn't make someone suspicious or anything. He had to admit though, this wasn't normal for them. A place like this. Dean was most certainly out of his element.

At the door to the room the bell boy opened the door and wheeled the cart with Sam's bags on it inside. Sam followed the man inside. He scanned the room taking in the decor that mimicked the main lobby area. Lots of highly polish wood and brass fixture. Fluffy flannel comforters on the king sized beds, extra fleece blankets folded up neat at the foot of each bed. A comfortable sitting area with arm chairs and a coffee table. Another set of chairs and a table for dining. They even had their own fireplace. Sam raised an eyebrow. This was pretty impressive, he had to admit.

The bell boy finished unloading Sam's bag, which didn't take long since there were only two of them on the cart. The man stood up and began to push the cart toward the door. Stopping and turning to ask if there was anything else that they needed. Sam shook his head to indicate they were fine and dug into his pocket for his wallet. Handing the man a ten dollar bill, he wasn't sure exactly either what the protocol for tipping a bell boy was so he hoped it was somewhere in the proper area for the amount. The man seemed satisfied and gave him a smile, Sam thanked him and shut the door as the guy left.

With his laptop bag still on his shoulder he turned around to see what Dean was doing. He chuckled at his brother's response to the room. The look on his face was priceless. He looked like a kid in a candy store or more accurately, Dean with free cable access. Which they just happened to have. Every channel you could possibly imagine. Most likely it was satellite and not cable way up here in the mountains, but the difference wouldn't matter to Dean. It was still the all you can watch TV buffet.

Sam went over to one of the comfy arm chairs, pulled his laptop out of the bag and went about setting it up. They also had free wi-fi here and as soon as the computer booted itself up he was able to jump right onto the Internet. Immediately he started pulling up searches and started reviewing his research more in depth. This was going to be interesting. Neither he or Dean believed there was actually a Yeti, but there was something going on up here in this place that looked like a little mountain paradise.

"So, dude. You think we should head outside start taking a look around? Or maybe we should head out to the lobby, ask some questions? Could be some witnesses, but that's probably unlikely."

Sam continued to tap away at his keyboard as he talked to his brother. Scanning articles and various pages that he flipped through quickly on his screen.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Given his lifestyle and the way he had been brought up, Dean was used to making do with whatever accommodation they could scrounge together enough money for when they weren’t flashing the fake plastic with the equally fake name on it. Generally speaking, basic motels on the outskirts of town were their base of operations for the duration of a hunt but it wasn’t uncommon for them to squat in abandoned houses or businesses where they equally wouldn’t be disturbed.

Now and then, when things got really rough, the Impala was their bed for the night which, although she was comfortable for driving in, didn’t always make the most practical place for two guys over six foot to sleep in. Being cramped up never did Dean’s back good in the long run, but he’d never really complain because after all, she was his baby.

So it was somewhat understandable that when Dean saw the room he’d be staying in for the next couple of nights, his face lit up like a five year olds at Christmas. Dropping his duffel on the end of the nearest bed he took himself on a brief tour of the space while Sam dealt with the bellboy at the door, choosing to skip making a comment about Sam being a fool for paying a guy who’d just temporarily robbed him of his bags.

The sheer size of the beds were what drew his eye first, the urge to throw himself face down onto one with his arms out wide was just about curbed because the bellboy hadn’t quite left yet, but he could already tell from the softness of the comforters as he let his fingertips glide over them, that he was going to get a quality night’s sleep here, nightmares be damned. He also knew he’d struck gold when he caught sight of the pillow chocolates before Sam.

With a surreptitious glance over his shoulder, he snagged the one on his bed and proceeded to devour it as though if he didn’t swallow it before he bothered to chew, then someone else would steal it from him. Once it had gone, he started eyeing up the one on Sam’s bed next, wondering how likely it was that Sam would even notice anything was amiss. Then again, the reason Dean was so hungry to begin with was because it had been hours since they’d last stopped for food and even then it hadn’t been the best gas station fare on offer. Sam was probably just as hungry and Dean didn’t have it in him to steal candy from a baby.

“Hey, you want this?” He asked in that, ‘I’m gonna eat it if you don’t claim it in five seconds’ tone. Evidently though, Sam had a hunger for something else entirely as he took up a seat and went straight back to booting up his laptop.

"So, dude. You think we should head outside start taking a look around? Or maybe we should head out to the lobby, ask some questions? Could be some witnesses, but that's probably unlikely."

Dean frowned a little, some of the shine coming off his Disneyland experience.

“We could do those things…” he pointed out, pretending to mull the ideas over in his head as though they were something he actually wanted to consider, “…or we could find out if this place has real food and a bar where we can get so drunk you end up doing karaoke.”

Scrunching up the chocolate wrapper and grinning when he threw it and it bounced nicely off the side of Sam's head, Dean wandered off into the bathroom to take care of business while he listened to Sam ramble on about whatever it was he was rambling on about. In truth, Dean had tuned him out a little when he caught sight of the roomy steam shower.

Awesome…

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam's head was deep into reading something he found about the missing hikers and tourists. He stared at the screen with his brow furrowed and wasn't paying much attention to Dean as his older brother practically pranced around the room he was so giddy at their posh surroundings. Sam just kept reading until the sound of Dean's voice answering his question got him to lift his head up.

“We could do those things…”

“…or we could find out if this place has real food and a bar where we can get so drunk you end up doing karaoke.”

Chuckling Sam sat back in the chair and looked at Dean and shook his head in wonderment. His brother was so transparent, it wasn't even funny. Sam couldn't help but smile. The younger Winchester had endured his older brother's good natured ribbing for so many years it wouldn't be the same if there wasn't something Dean was harassing him about. And... Sam was glad to see that Dean was in a good mood. Something that had been a rarity these days with everything that had happened. Everything that WAS happening.

"Sure, food sounds good. I could go for a drink or two also. But... Ummmm... I'm drawing the line at karaoke. Yeah. For real."

Sam closed closed all his windows and documents and shut his computer down. He folded the top down and left it sitting on the table as he got up. Stretching he worked the kinks out of his neck and his back before he headed toward the door. Stopping as he got to the door handle he turned and looked over his shoulder at Dean.

"Hey, knock yourself out with the chocolate, dude."

He knew his brother was salivating over that little piece of chocolate left laying on Sam's pillow. Giving his brother a grin he opened the door and headed out of the room, in search of a place to eat and drink.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

"Ummmm... I'm drawing the line at karaoke. Yeah. For real."

“Aww, c’mon Sammy, you’ve got a voice like an angel.” Dean snickered, knowing full well that Sam couldn’t hold a tune to save his life, but that never stopped him trying, especially when he was drunk and feeling confident. It was one of Dean’s favourite things to watch, mostly because it meant he had plenty of ammunition to tease him with the morning after when Sam would be no doubt praying to the porcelain god.

“Maybe not any angel’s we know, but…”

It didn’t matter if karaoke was off the menu though, taking time out to enjoy a decent, well cooked meal and a few beers with his brother was good enough. It wasn’t often they got a night off and he was going to make the most of it. Somehow he suspected Sam wouldn’t consider this down time, he was very much ready to go hunt the mythological Yeti, Dean on the other hand, was ready to hunt down the very real sirloin steak in the restaurant.

Tucking Sam’s pillow chocolate into his jacket pocket for later, Dean headed off with him down to the grand dining room, which wasn’t as big as the title suggested, but was no less grand all the same. They got seated at one of the tables in the middle of the room and Dean ordered the steak. When the waiter asked how he would like it cooked, his response was, “cremated until it’s dead, I don’t want it still mooing on my plate, thanks”.

They got the beers in too, talked about mundane stuff and generally settled into a relaxing night, laughing and joking about what Bobby would say about their fine dining habits if he could see them. It usually took Dean some time to feel this comfortable somewhere new, but he really liked this place. It was cosy and welcoming and best of all, they knew how to cook a good steak.

A man could die happy in a place like this…

Of course, things were going a little too smoothly for fate to not decide to step in and screw things up for him. On the table to their left, a couple had just sat down, talking in hushed whispers that weren’t as hushed as perhaps they thought they were.

“I’m telling you Steve, I saw something and it wasn’t a bear. I know what a bear looks like and this wasn’t a bear.”

“I’m not saying it was a bear, but I don’t know anything else that would leave tracks like that.”

“So, you are saying it was a bear. You don’t believe me do you.” The woman sounded upset, sitting back in her chair with her arms folded.

“Of course I believe you honey, I’m just saying that it’d have to be one really big bear to leave footprints like that. Did you see the size of them?”

“Yes, I saw the size of them, I also saw the size of that big white…whatever the hell it was.” She suddenly stopped, gasping a little in horror.

“Oh my God, you don’t think it was the Abominable Snowman do you?”

At that point, Dean looked across at Sam, who had probably heard everything he just had, sighing with defeat that his relaxing night off was getting ruined.

“Don’t even say I told you so.” He cautioned Sam before dropping his fork to his plate and leaning over a little to talk to the couple.

“’Scuse me for eavesdropping, but did I hear you just say you’d seen something up in the mountains?” He asked, giving them the most sincerely curious look he knew how to.

“Well, uh…” Steve started, only to be interrupted by his girlfriend.

“It was huge!” Dean raised his eyebrows, sensing that this woman was quite excited that there was at least someone willing to listen to her story.

“And it was covered in matted white fur…sort of like a bear, but it definitely wasn’t a bear.”

“It could have been a polar bear.“ Steve cut in, hoping to make his girlfriend sound less crazy.

”Jesus Steve, how many times do I have to say, it wasn’t a bear! And it certainly wasn't a polar bear, this isn't Lost. Polar bears live in the Arctic and you didn‘t even see it, you fell off your ski‘s. I always said you didn‘t have good balance.”

Dean shot a look at Sam and cleared his throat to get back to the point at hand.

“Ohhkay then… so if it wasn’t a bear, what do you think it was?”

“The abominable snowman. I’m almost certain of it. I mean, what else could it be up here?”

“A bear?” Steve promptly got smacked in the face with a bread roll. Dean tried not to laugh.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam shook his head at Dean's comments as he tromped out the door. They found their way to the dining room without much trouble. It wasn't a huge place, but it was decked out in luxury as much as the rest of the lodge. It also still managed to maintain that comfortable cabin like feel but definitely of the up scale sort.

The tables were covered in cream colored linen table clothes. The places were set with the finest china, silverware and crystal as well. Sam looked over at Dean and shrugged as they were seated. After a few moments the waiter came over an asked to take their order. Sam rolled his eyes as Dean ordered the steak well-done in his own colorful way.

"I'll take the steak as well, medium rare. Instead of the potato can I have the rice pilaf and I'll have the green salad with vinaigrette dressing on the side. Thanks."

He handed his menu back to the waiter and they also ordered a couple beers to go with their dinner. The waiter left and came back shortly with their beers and Sam's salad. Sam was happily eating his salad, sipping his beer and talking with Dean about nothing in particular. When a couple came and sat down at a table near them. Sam and Dean exchanged looks when the other pair's words drifted over to the brother's table.

They seemed to be in an argument of sorts about a bear sighting. When the words 'Abominable Snowman' came out, Sam almost choked on his beer.

"Crap,"

Sam mumbled quietly to himself. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and pushed aside his salad plate. Picking up his beer and sipping on it while Dean leaned over and spoke to the couple.

Sam watched quietly and had to stifle a laugh when they talked about it possibly being a polar bear. The odds of it being a polar bear were higher than it actually being an Abominable Snowman. At least here in Colorado. But, it surely wasn't any other kind of bear either with white matted fur.

Sam smiled and chimed in after Steve as beaned in the face with a dinner roll.

"Wow, that sounds like it was pretty scary. Where abouts were you when you had this encounter?"

Sam was trying to tread lightly. He didn't want to take sides, but they needed more information.

"Well, we were on the black diamond ski run up over off the place they call Sultan's peak. Dorkus over there went off the trail and fell off his skis. So, I went over there to try and help him when I saw it. It was gigantic, white matted fur, big teeth that looked more like fangs and claws that looked like some kind of a monster. IT. WAS. NOT. A. BEAR."

Sam cleared his throat and nodded solemnly in agreement with her. Steve wisely kept his mouth shut. Still rubbing his forehead where the bread roll had hit him.

Sam looked at Dean and then back to the woman.

"Thank you for telling us. I guess we'll need to keep a close look out. That sounds like it could be really dangerous. You two should be careful out there on the slopes. Maybe keep to the other side of the resort."

Sam sat back in his chair and let out a long heavy sigh. Waiting for Dean to turn his attention back to their table. He looked at his brother and shrugged.

"Well, what do you think? I know there isn't supposed to be an Abominable Snowman or a Yeti or whatever, but it seems like there is definitely something out there."

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Keeping his voice low now that he knew how easy it was to overhear a conversation on an adjacent table, Dean turned back to Sam leaving the couple beside them to their little domestic dispute.

“Of course there’s something out there,” he replied dejectedly, “I mean c’mon. How many times do we get this kind of luxury? Our luck’s not that good that we don’t have to abandon it all to friggin’ hike up a mountain in the middle of winter.”

It just wasn’t fair. Every time he thought he could catch five minutes to relax and regroup in the middle of this apocalyptic struggle between Heaven and Hell, something always came along to make trouble. He missed the old days when they just hunted ghosts and spirits, or the occasional wendigo or reanimated scarecrow. Back then life was simpler, they picked a job, worked it through over a couple of days and enjoyed the good life afterwards until they found something else.

Drinking in bars, picking up women, hustling pool more for fun than to be reliant on the money, they were more care free times. Now Dean felt like there wasn’t even time to catch his breath anymore. He was always tired, always wrung out and sore. Guilt and responsibility hanging over him like sharpened knives ready to fall, weights on his shoulders that he could barely carry anymore. It had all become too much and there were days when he thought that dying in battle would be the easy way out. But he couldn’t leave Sam again, not after finding out how badly he’d coped the last time, so he hung on by his fingernails as best he could, hoping desperately that they would find a way to end what he’d started. Hoping he would last the distance.

“There’s no sense in going out tonight though. We get lost in that blizzard we’re gonna turn into Yeti’s ourselves and I don’t know about you but I’m beat and those beds upstairs look too good to pass up. We get a little rest and head out first light tomorrow, hopefully the weather will have settled a bit by then.”

After finishing off the remainder of his beer, he settled the bill for the meal and told Sam he’d meet him back up at the room, his brother no doubt eager to get back to his research now that they had a few more clues to go off. Dean on the other hand made a thinly veiled excuse that he’d left something in the car so that he could take a detour to the bar for a few nightcaps to help him sleep. In the end he bought the bottle and took whiskey back to his room, hidden in his jacket pocket. The last thing he wanted was a lecture off Sam about getting drunk the night before an off piste hunt.

The bed was everything it had promised to be, soft and springy like a giant marshmallow that seemed to mould itself around Dean’s over-tired body as soon as he face-planted into it. The pillows were as soft and comforting as laying his head against Annali’s breasts, though he never hid a hunting knife under her boobs when he went to sleep on them. For once he actually bothered to get undressed too, shucking off his boots, jeans, jacket and button down shirt to crawl under the warming fleeces, intent on getting the best night’s rest he could, oblivious to whatever Sam was doing.

“Get some sleep you freak.” He muttered sleepily, too far gone to even hear what Sam’s reply was. Within minutes his heavy lidded eyes had fallen shut and his breathing evened out into a relaxed state of unconsciousness so deep, even dreams of Hell couldn’t stir him from it.

All too soon it was over though, his foot being nudged as someone urged him to wake up again. His initial response was to burrow deeper into the pillow followed swiftly by a moan of displeasure when the insistent nudging became a thump on the thigh.

“’M awake, quit smackin’ me.” Came the sleep slurred protest from underneath the blankets, Dean sounding for all the world like he was a teenager resisting having to get out of bed. He rolled over onto his back groaning, wincing as the early morning light from the window assaulted his retinas.

I’ve only been asleep for about five minutes, how is it morning already?

Blinking through bleary eyes and rubbing a hand over his face to clear away the cobwebs, the sight of Sam, wide awake and already fully dressed came into clarity.

“Wh’time is it?” He asked, squinting again and yawning, wishing for bad weather so that they couldn’t go out even though he already knew from the brightness coming through the window that he wasn’t going to be that fortunate.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam shook his head but remained quiet as Dean grumbled about their shitty luck. One of the extremely rare times that they have gotten to stay in a hotel that wasn't a dive. On one hand Sam could understand wanting to enjoy the comforts of the resort. On the other hand, they had a job to do. He thought about suggesting they come back some other time, maybe bring Annali and Ruby... Then he remembered that Sam and Ruby couldn't exactly hangout with Dean and Annali like other couples, especially since Dean didn't know the entire extent of Sam's relationship with Ruby.

He nodded, agreeing that it made sense to wait and start this hunt in the morning. Then he carefully wiped his mouth off on his napkin before he got up. Sam waited while Dean paid the tab. Together they started to head out of the dining room until they got to the main hallway. Sam raised and eyebrow when Dean said something about leaving something in the car. He shrugged it off though and headed to the room on his own.

Once he got into the room he opened his laptop again. He didn't even think about how long it had been since he returned to the room. Lost in his research when Dean returned, though he did notice the smell of the whiskey but kept his mouth shut. His attention stayed on the screen as Dean mumbled one of his typical snarky comments at him. Sam continued typing and clicking on his computer until he could hear Dean snoring softly. The slow even breathing that came with sleep.

With his brother already sound asleep Sam finally closed his laptop down and got ready for bed himself. Unlike his brother he didn't fall asleep immediately when his head hit the pillow. He lay there for sometime, his mind drifting. There was so much going on. Now he was wishing that the Abominable Snowman, Yeti or whatever it was had turned out to be nothing. But, it was just their luck that it wasn't. They had to do the right thing and go out looking for whatever it was in the morning. With thoughts of hunting and just how crazy his life really was is how Sam drifted off to sleep.

It was early when Sam woke up. Before the sun had even came up over the horizon Sam had made some quiet phone calls to the front desk to set up getting some equipment. Silently he had gone out the door and picked up what they might need and brought it back into the room. Sam tried to be as quiet as he could while he packed up the industrial sized backpack they had given him. After that he made a pot of coffee and sat back down at his computer again.

Sam gave Dean until 7am to get up before he started in with the poking at him to get up. It took awhile to get a response, Dean seemed to practically be in a coma. Sam's persistence paid off in the end though, as it usually did. Dean woke with his usual morning good nature, which was really grumpy and protesting that he hadn't gotten enough sleep.

"It's 7 o'clock. Time to get up and get going. We need to get out there and get this started so we can get it over with."

Sam went back to the table and sat down, sipping at his coffee again and looking at his computer screen. It was going to take Dean a little bit to get fully awake and ready to go.

"I went out and got some equipment while you were passed out."

Sam pointed at the back packs that were leaned up against the wall. There were two parkas, once draped over each pack. He kept sipping on his coffee while he waited for Dean to do what he needed to do. When his brother was dressed Sam got up and decided to attach the parka to the side of the back pack. The morning sun was out and they would be hiking a bit, so he figured he wouldn't need the jacket until later. He was already dressed in long underwear, jeans, boots, a long sleeve thermal top, t-shirt and a flannel button down that was left unbuttoned for the time being.

Picking up the larger of the two packs, Sam slung in around onto his back and slipped his arms through the straps. He was cinching everything up tight when he glanced over to look at Dean.

"Come on dude, let's get a move on. We don't want to get stuck out there late tonight. If you hurry up we can get back and maybe you can spend another night in that comfy bed there."

Folding his arms across his chest Sam waited impatiently for Dean. At last, with a heavy sigh he headed out the door when Dean was ready to go.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

He didn’t want to get up, not in the slightest, yet his body was moving as if it was on automatic pilot, pushing the covers back and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed before his sleepy brain could really make much of a protest about it. It all came from an in grained obedience to being told he had to get up and work that his father had drilled into the both of them when they were learning the ropes of what was required of a solider. It was probably the least favourite part of Dean’s day, the whole effort of getting up the energy to keep going for another twenty four hours. Like trying to get a boulder moving up a really steep hill. Starting was always hard work, but once he got going, he’d go until he reached the end.

Sam, as ever, was already fully alert and annoyingly enthusiastic about getting a good head start, doing his usual routine of trying to make things sound more interesting than they actually were while Dean shuffled off into the bathroom to take care of business.

”I went out and got some equipment while your were passed out.”

Of course you did…

“What kind of equipment?” Dean asked, peering around the bathroom door with a toothbrush in his mouth. Sam didn’t need to elaborate, he just pointed to the huge, stuffed to the brim backpacks against the wall.

Camping. Why’d it have to be camping?

Dean made an unhappy face, grunted something unintelligible around the toothbrush in his mouth and disappeared back into the bathroom, returning a few minutes later to hunt for the clothes he’d stripped out of the night before, finding them strewn like a trail of breadcrumbs on the floor leading to his bed.

“How is it that you sleep less than I do and you’re all perky and shit in the mornings? It’s just not normal.” Dean muttered as he dressed, his only precautions for hiking out into the snow being an extra pair of socks and a second t-shirt under his button down flannel. Dean Winchester was an excellent survivalist, but thermal underwear just wasn’t his thing. Kind of like wearing shorts.

Arming up was next, tucking a knife into his boot and his pearl handled Colt into the waistband at the back of his jeans. Knowing Sam, and going off the size of the packs he’d prepared, if they’d need anything else while they were out, it would already be packed. Sam was nothing if not a boy scout when it came to stuff like this.

"Come on dude, let's get a move on. We don't want to get stuck out there late tonight. If you hurry up we can get back and maybe you can spend another night in that comfy bed there."

“Alright already, don’t get your panties in a knot, I’m coming. Just let me grab breakfast first will ya?” He huffed, rummaging in the bright yellow bag on the bedside table for a handful of M&M’s which got promptly stuffed into his mouth while he poured some of the coffee Sam had made into a fancy motel mug to wash it all down with. It wasn’t the best tasting breakfast he’d ever had, especially since it all sort of tasted minty so soon after brushing his teeth, but it was a little fuel to keep him going out in the snow.

“Okay, I’m good. Let’s go find us a Yeti.” He waited until Sam was out the door already before he ditched the parka and pulled on his own thick blue jacket. Hiking always warmed him up, he didn’t need to look like a dork while he was doing it.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam shook his head as he looked back over his shoulder and saw that Dean had left the parka behind. Shrugging his shoulders he headed out of the lodge and into the bright shining day. He took a look at the map he was carrying, which was almost useless since everything was covered in snow. Most of the landmarks were difficult to make out.

Making a decision on a direction Sam started walking toward the back of the lodge and toward the mountain. Once he got to where the ski slope area was he veered off a little to head off the groomed snow area and into the woods. This was the area where most of the people had gone off the path and ended up siting whatever it was that was out there.

The time passed as they hiked for awhile. He bantered back and forth with Dean as they walked. Sometimes he just thought about things while he kept moving. The thought of telling Dean about Ruby passed by in his head a few times. He knew he'd have to tell him eventually, it just didn't seem like the right time. Especially in the middle of a hunt. It might take Dean's head out of the game. They certainly didn't need to be fighting with each other in the middle of fighting some weird creature that they didn't even what the hell it was. But, apparently it was BIG and not exactly friendly.

The sun was still shining and it was comfortable just hiking up the mountain in his t-shirt and flannel button down. The parka still safely attached to the backpack. He stopped for a minute and took the pack off his back and leaned it up against a tree. He dug around inside for a few minutes and pulled out a bottle of water and some beef jerky. He looked over at Dean as he took tore a bite off the piece of jerky.

"So, we've been hiking for awhile. Nothing seems odd so far."

Sam paused for a second to take another bite of his jerky.

"I think we could break for lunch. I packed some stuff in your bag."

Nodding to the the backpack that Dean was carrying. He didn't mention that is wasn't exactly a bacon cheeseburger or anything like that. Sam was pretty sure Dean wasn't going to be entirely happy with the cuisine that he'd picked up from the hiking shop at the lodge. Jerky, trail mix, vacuum packaged food, some freeze dried stuff. It's was all stuff that would keep for awhile in case of emergency or they got stranded.

Sam sat and looked up at the sun that was still shining. It felt nice to be outside. He frowned a little as he saw some ominous looking clouds off in the distance. They were pretty far away, but it looked like they might roll in their way sometime that night. Hopefully, they would be done with this little trek by then and be back safe and warm, enjoying the comforts of the lodge one more night before they hit the road again.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

The first thing Dean did when they left the lodge was take a glance over to check that his car was okay, sighing in annoyance when his eyes fell on the big white lump that was the snow covered Impala. Even if it didn’t snow again while they were here, it was going to need digging out if they wanted to leave in a hurry.

I hate snow…

Grudgingly he followed Sam up the mountain, letting his little brother lead the way like some kind of over grown boy scout kitted out with everything a geek might need for hiking. A smile crossed his lips at the thought of Sam actually being in the scouts when he was younger. With the advantage of having a father who’d taught them both everything they ever needed to know about hunting and survival before they’d hit middle school, Sam would have aced everything he ever did, probably getting every badge under the sun within a week. But then, even without their father’s mentoring, Sam was a quick learner, he’d have been top of the class anyway, no question.

Today though, Sam seemed pre-occupied. More than once Dean had caught up with him and it felt like Sam might have said something, only to change his mind at the last minute. There’d be a little awkwardness and then Dean would fill the silence with another gripe about it being cold or that he was too hot with the pack on his back, or that no wonder Sam was enjoying the hike since this was natural territory for the Sasquatch.

Eventually they stopped for a break, Sam easing the pack of his back carefully, Dean just letting his fall of his back like a dead weight he didn’t want anything to do with. He’d left his jacket on for the climb, but now he was overheated, his back feeling sweaty where the pack had pressed his shirt against his skin, so he shrugged that off too and let the frigid air cool him down.

“I tell you what does seem odd,” he began, working himself up to a rant. “How this damn pack feels like it’s getting heavier the higher up we get. Seriously Sam, what did you put in here, bricks? You know we’d have gotten up here quicker if we weren’t dragging half a ton with us and that would mean we could get back down again in half the time.”

The ranting continued while Dean opened up his pack and began rummaging around for the promised food that Sam had claimed was in there, only to disappointingly find rabbit snacks and packets of what looked like freeze dried space food. He stilled and blinked in disbelief.

“Really, Sam?” Dean scowled, holding up the trail mix as though it was a dead skunk that had been stuffed into his bag. It figured Sam would stock up on health food that would keep them alive, but that would taste like ass all the same. At least there was jerky, which wasn’t exactly steak, but it would definitely taste better than raisins and nuts. He threw the trail mix at Sam and grabbed that instead along with a bottle of water.

“There better be a Biggerson’s at the top of this mountain or I’m gonna freeze dry your ass and put you in shrink wrap.” He huffed without any real threat behind it, tearing open the packet and biting off a chunk as he sat down too.