My life's a jigsaw puzzle with the corner pieces missing.

[milesfromfine]

True to their word, Ellen and Bobby had Sam in a real rehab center just as quick as they could arrange it. He wasn't sure how they'd managed it financially and that worry weighed on him as much as all the rest. Another item to add to the miles-long list of ways he'd complicated their lives.

He hadn't seen or heard from Dean since Bobby found him in that motel, either. His brother might have finally given up on him. Sam couldn't help but be a little glad for him, even though he felt the loss like a physical wound every day.

The rehab place wasn't... awful. Sam was messed up enough to resent being there and the withdrawals he suffered through in the first few days were horrific, although they did have medicines that helped a little. After he'd come through them and began to resemble something more like human, they'd started his treatment.

Or, tried to, anyway. Sam wasn't really interested in 'opening up' to strangers and being locked in a place he couldn't leave wasn't really encouraging him to change his mind on it. Progress was slow. Very slow. Sam wasn't sure he'd ever get to leave the place, which was probably exactly what he deserved.

The only part of the whole mess that didn't suck completely was the time each day that he was permitted to sit in the sun room with the other patients. He hadn't really done much in the way of mingling, but it was nice to sit in the seats along the big windows and feel the sun on his face for a while.

Comments

[low_key_angel]

"Well look at this dust mop," Gabriel said with a grin. "Oh yeah. I think he'll give Big Red back there a good run for his money. What do you think furface? Ready to find a forever home with a moose?"

The paperwork finished and deposit paid, Gabriel leaned on the outside of the shelter, basking in the sun beside Sam. Dogs. They were going to have dogs. And a house. He was going to have to get on that tonight. Quirking a grin up at Sam, he nodded towards the little square of shops. "Ice cream before we head back?"

[milesfromfine]

Sam snorted and gave a mock sniff as he slung an arm around Gabe's shoulders. "Well, of course we need ice cream. That was part of the deal, right?"

For the first time in a long time, he felt like a real, normal person with a life and a future ahead of him. Any opportunity to prolong this moment was just fine with him.

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel was pretty sure he was never going to get tired of just how well he fit standing next to Sam with his arm around him. His arm snaked around his waist, giving a squeeze. "Then we're off to get ice cream. And now that we're officially pet owners, find that house with a nice yard that we need."

They were going to be okay this time. He wasn't just faking it to get out and get through the next few days until another crisis drove him back into a bottle. As long as they were together? They were going to make it.

[milesfromfine]

"Wow..." Sam shook his head, a little amazed. Mystified. "How'd we get here? A year ago, I was sure I was going to die under a bridge somewhere. Now, we're going to live in a house with a yard and dogs..."

He shot Gabe a wry smile. "I keep forgetting how things can change so quickly."

[low_key_angel]

Gabriel is pretty sure that Sam smiling will always be one of his favorite things in the world. His first smiles in rehab were small and tight, like he was afraid to let himself feel. But as they spent more time together, they started to slowly relax and brighten more and more of his face. The first time Gabriel saw dimple, real dimple, he considered it something of a personal victory.

He raised up for a quick kiss, "That's because together we're awesome. C'mon, I want a hot fudge sundae the size of a bowling ball to celebrate. I think we've earned it Sammy."