SPN/SV Fic: How to Save a Life (2/?)

[xtremeroswellia]

Title: How to Save a Life

Authors: X_tremeroswellian and Shadow_One

Disclaimer: Not ours. Don’t sue. Thanks.

Rating: R for language and violence.

Author’s Note: This story follows two others, the first titled, “Everything Will Be…” and the second, “Sweet Sacrifice.” If you haven’t read those, you’ll be lost with this one.

Author’s Note 2: The title was obviously inspired by the song “How to Save a Life” by the Fray.

Spoiler warnings: Up through and including “Freak” for Smallville and “Born Under a Bad Sign” for Supernatural.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight |




Chapter Two


Michael sat on the floor of he and Matthew's bedroom, playing with his hot-wheel cars, rolling them back and forth. "Vroom!"

"What kind of car is that?"

He looked up. "Impala," he said proudly.

"Ohh, that's a good car."

"My daddy drove one. Uncle Sam has it now." He looked down at his cars again, zooming them over the carpet.

"And do you like going around in it with Uncle Sam?"

Michael nodded, a small smile on his face.


"You think he'll let you drive some day?"

"Yes." He nodded again. "Uncle Sam's cool."

"Really."

"Not as cool as Mommy. But almost."

"Ohh, I see. And what makes your mommy cool?"

He grinned, his eyes bright. "She's smart and funny. And she's a good cook."

"She sounds really cool now."

Michael nodded happily. "Best mommy in the world."

"I bet."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed as she carried a basket of laundry toward her bedroom, pausing when she heard her son talking to someone. Matthew was in the living room watching Aladdin. "Michael? Who are you talking to, honey?"

Michael looked over to where his mom was standing, "My friend, Mommy."

It took her a moment to understand and a faint smile touched her lips. "What's your friend's name?"

He shrugged, "He won't tell me."

"Oh. Well, tell him I said hello." She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling.

"Okay." He turned around, "Mommy says hi."

Chloe winked at him and headed back down the hall to her room.

"Your mom's very pretty."

Michael beamed. "I know."

"She's probably the prettiest mom in the world."

He nodded his agreement, returning to playing with his cars.

"So, is there anyone else in the house that's cool or anything?"

"Uncle Sam's at school. My brother Matthew's watching a movie. But he's kind of annoying."

"Kind of annoying?"

Michael nodded a little. "He hits me with his toys a lot."

"Aw, well that's not nice."

He felt a moment of guilt. His mom was always telling him and Matthew to be nice to each other and most of the time they got along just fine. "He's not bad though."

"So you have fun with him?"

"Most of the time."

"Until he starts hitting you with his toys."

He grinned. "Yeah. 'cept then."

"Well, it's good you still like him."

"So how come you won't tell me your name?"

"Cause it's a secret. Don't you like secrets?"

He frowned a little. "Sometimes. Is it a good secret?"

"It can be."

"Like a game?"

"Yeah, like a game."

Michael grinned, his cheeks dimpling a little. "I like games!"

"Good! Then this'll be a fun game!"

He nodded eagerly.

"Maybe one of these days if you play the game right, you'll know my name."

Michael smiled again. He hoped he could play this new game because he really wanted to know.

* * *

It was late that evening when Sam got in from a night class. Chloe was sitting curled up on the sofa with a mug of coffee in her hands, watching the news with a frown on her face when he walked in the front door. A sudden nervousness twinged in her stomach as she thought about the night before and the almost-kiss. "Hey. How was class?"

Sam blew out a breath and plopped onto the sofa next to her, "I need to stop with the night classes...I swear."

"That bad, huh?" She glanced at him sideways.

He shrugged, "They're just...blah..."

Chloe gazed at him for a minute. "I promised the boys you'd tell them goodnight when you got in," she said softly, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"In other words, I'll go in there and they'll both attack me." He said with a slight smirk.

"Sounds about right. I doubt they're asleep."

"Do they *ever* fall asleep when they're supposed to?"

"Rarely if ever." Chloe grinned. "They like to see you before they fall asleep."

He smiled sadly, "Yeah."

She took a long sip of her coffee, gazing blankly at the television screen. "They're really lucky to have you," she whispered.

Looking down, he began to play with his hands, "I guess."

Chloe drew in a breath, hating the awkward tension that lay between them. "Sam..."

Sam stopped her with the shaking of his head, "No, don't."

She bit her lip. "Are we okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah...we're fine." He said, grabbing her hand.

Relaxing a little, she leaned back against the sofa, not pulling her hand away. "Michael has a new friend," she said with a small smile.


"He does?"

"Of the invisible, imaginary kind."

He chuckled, "Oh that's fun."

"I'm actually a little worried," she admitted, glancing at him sideways.

Sam raised and eyebrow and frowned, "Why?"

"Well, I had an imaginary friend when I was his age and...it was because I was lonely." She bit her lip. "I didn't have any friend and Lois...well, her family moved a lot because her dad was in the military..."

"I don't know Chloe...he *could* be feeling lonely, so he wants someone that he can really confide in."

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Maybe I should take some time off from work," she murmured, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand. "Be here for both of them more often."

"Maybe you guys need a vacation." He suggested.


Chloe was quiet for a moment. "Am I a bad mother?"


Sam was shocked at her question, "No. Chloe, you're anything *but* a bad mother."

"Are you sure?" she whispered uncertainly. "I mean it's not like I really had anything to go by." She swallowed hard, staring into her mug of coffee. "I barely knew my mother and...I don't know, Sam. It just feels like what I do isn't enough."

"What you do...Chloe, you're an amazing mom. Just look at those two."

"Maybe," she murmured.

He shook his head, "There's no maybe about it."

"As my best friend, I think you're required to say that," Chloe said with a faint smile.

"Chloe..."

"You should go tell them goodnight."

"Not until we talk about this."

A wry smile touched her lips and she set her cup down on the table and turned so her body was facing him. "All right."

Putting his fingers together and resting them against his chin, Sam let out a breath, "Alright, what's with this sudden change in attitude with your parenting?"


She shrugged a little, looking down. "I guess I just have doubts from time to time," she admitted softly.

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"

"I don't know. I mean, they're great kids, right?"

"They are."

She shut her eyes for a moment.

"Hey." He put a hand on her shoulder, "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

"It's stupid." She bit her lip.

"Nothing's stupid."

"When I got to work this morning there was a parenting article on my desk."

He pressed for more details, "And what'd it say?"

"Something about...mothers who work too much," she admitted.

"Chloe...I find it hard to believe that you work too much." He said, frowning, "Considering you're almost always with the boys, and you write most of your stuff from home..."

"Well someone obviously disagrees." She tried to smile and didn't quite manage it. "I don't know. It just hit me the wrong way, I guess."

"Well, if it happens again, call me."

"What, are you gonna come beat up my co-workers?" she asked with a faint smile.

He smirked, "I might."

Chloe grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good."

"Now, go." She gave his arm a light, playful push. "Tell the boys goodnight so they can get some sleep tonight."

"Fine...fine...I'm going." He stood up and walked down the hall. Stopping at the boy's closed doors, he heard snickering coming from inside. Knocking on the door he smirked, "I wonder if there's sleeping boys inside this room. I'm opening the door...and here I come..."

Michael and Matthew both giggled from their beds.

Matthew shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep even as he laughed.

Opening the door, he stood at the end of the boys beds, "Huh...I guess there's no boys in here...I better leave..."

"No!" Michael threw back his covers and jumped up to stand on his mattress.

Grinning, Sam turned around and grabbed Michael and tossed him gently onto the bed.

He giggled. "Hi, Uncle Sam!"

"Hey buddy."

"How was school?"

"It was good. How was your day? You and Mattie play nice?"

He nodded. "We missed you." He flung his arms around Sam's neck.

Sam wrapped his own arms around his small body and smiled, "Missed you guys back."

"Mommy missed you too."

He leaned back as Matthew jumped onto the bed beside them and put his head against him, "She did?"

"Yep. She always misses you when you're gone." Michael smiled.

"I see."

Matthew hugged him fiercely and kissed his cheek. "We had hot dogs and mac and cheese for dinner."

"Oh that sounds really yummy." He hugged Matthew back, and ruffled his hair.

"Can we go to the park tomorrow?"

"I dunno..."

Matthew's face fell.

"We can go...if you can get your mommy in on it."

"Yay!" He hugged Sam again.

"Alright. Now you two need to go to sleep." He said, standing and picking Matthew up.

He laid his head on Sam's shoulder. "Okay, Uncle Sam."

Waiting for Michael to lay down, Sam brought the covers around him, "Sweet dreams bud."

"Night, Uncle Sam." Michael smiled at him and turned over, closing his eyes.

"Night." Turning around, he cradled Matthew against him until he reached his bed, "Alright you, bed time."

He smiled against his uncle's shoulder. "Okay."

Sam lowered the little boy gently to the bed and tucked the covers tightly around him, "You have good dreams too, okay?"

Matthew nodded. "Night night."

Smoothing his hair, he smiled, "Night night." And with that, he turned around and walked out of the room, leaving the door open a little ways.

Chloe was shutting off the television when he returned. "How wide awake are they?"

"I think I got 'em calm." He said, sitting down next to her again, "They want to go to the park tomorrow."

"Oh." She smiled a bit. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah, and you're coming."

"Oh, I am, huh?" Chloe grinned.

Sam nodded and pulled her into a hug, "Yeah, you are."

Drawing in a breath, she slid her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. His arms enveloped her completely, making her feel safe and warm. Content.

Smiling slightly, he lay down with her on the couch, "The park's gonna be fun."

Not for the first time, she was thankful for his presence in their lives. All of their lives--her own included. She was pretty sure she wouldn't have made it without him. Not after Dean had died. "Yeah, it always is," she murmured, closing her eyes.

Gently stroking her hair, Sam began to drift off himself, glad Chloe had let him stay in hers and they boys' life after Dean had left. He just hoped he could keep up being a good father figure for those two, even if Chloe wouldn't let him get any closer to her.