(A/N- Sooo this is the sequel to my previous story Unplanned Parenthood. You are welcome to read this first if you want, but I have changed a lot of the Winchester backstory from the Series. So you might be a little confused on some of the concepts. I tried and put some explanations in the midst of everything, just in case.)

Chapter One

Dean dramatically clinked his beer against Sam's and spilled a little of the liquid onto his brother's shirt. Sam good naturedly laughed and brushed at the liquid on his shirt. Dean didn't notice he was too busy tiling back into his seat; his beer still raised. "To Sam. A friggen' brilliant kid with a brilliant future. I mean a full ride to Stanford." He grinned wide. "You should have been the valet-victorian, Runt."

"Okay." Sam gave a loud laugh. "So many things wrong with that. Susan didn't help park people's cars for them. She gave a speech. It's valedictorian you doof. And I am not a runt. I'm taller than you jerk."

"Still a dumb speech, bitch. You could have done better." Dean sputtered in disgust. Obviously he was very drunk, because he would have gotten a little over sensitive about Sam's blatant comment about his height, or lack of compared to Sam.

Sam had been offered the position of valedictorian but he hadn't wanted it as bad as Susan. Poor Susan was pressured by her family to do amazing in school, he had suggested she take his place. She hadn't said it in so many words, but she'd thanked him once when she borrowed a pen. There had been a deeper look that had implied the appreciation. "I think Susan did an awesome job. Besides, she's smarter than me. I was happy when she got asked."

"Whatever." Dean slurred.

Sam rolled his eyes and glanced over at his father, still nursing his beer. Dean was toasted, and Bobby had stepped away for a while to read up and get some information for a hunter. His father was still working on beer number one, taking tentative sips. Every now and again he would toss a concerned glance at his oldest son. It had been a while, and John was having more good days than bad. For the most part he'd been able to get off of the stuff; save a holiday or a special event. Withdrawals had been awful. Both he and the boys suffered through them, and he tried to be gone on some of the worst days. Now he was a year sober and very reluctant to start on the stuff again. He didn't want to spiral down again. Neither did he want his boys to do so.

Today was special though. His youngest graduated top of the class, was going to an amazing school, and not spending a penny for his education. He was determined to enjoy himself, but keep today about his boy and not about his own drunken antics.

"He's right. No matter how many times I say it, it's always going to be true. I'm damn proud of you, boy. So proud." He fingered the label he was in the process of peeling back. "It wasn't originally what I had in mind, but I'm proud of you none the less. You're doing you."

Sam's eyes watered. Despite returning and warming up to his boys his 8th grade year, he still held on to that word. Proud. He held on tightly to that word and it still didn't come out as easily. It just meant so much more though whenever his father said it.

"I'm visiting you. I know Dean already promises that he'll not give you a second of peace there, but I swear that I'll come by too. You couldn't stop me." His father awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. "And I'll probably be hunting in that radius anytime something pops up. I can't have spooks anywhere near you, boy."

"I'm looking forward to that. The visits I mean." Sam smiled warmly at his father. Both men startled and glanced down at the unconscious Dean, as he broke his gentle snore to give a short snort then returned his steady breathing. Sam's expression darkened. "He could have gone too. I mean not gone to community college. He got plenty of letters, some from schools he hadn't applied to."

The guilt had been palpable. Dean had all these opportunities and instead chose him. Even lost his girlfriend Carmen because of it. She finally was done playing second fiddle against Dean's precious little brother. It happened a year after graduation. After a long distance relationship, him being here and her being in California modeling, he'd finally got the call that he was anticipating. It had been devastating. He'd said he was okay, but Sam knew that he wasn't okay. Dean afterwards invested his time in school, and his family. Sure there had been a few one night stands, but he was still hurting. It had taken a while but he finally accepted it.

"He's just hardwired that way, and that happened before I handed you to him and he rushed out of the house. It happened when we brought you home, told him to say hi to his little brother. Dean took one look at you and he swore to his mother that he'd be a good big brother. Besides he's done well for himself. Yeah it was community but he finished his three years and got a degree. He's now a licensed mechanic and a damn good one at that. I know you may not agree he's also a damn good hunter." John ripped a corner off of the label.

"If he wants too." Sam shrugged. "His choice."

John sighed. "What I am saying is, he did everything because he wanted to do it. You couldn't have made your brother do anything else. Both of my boys are forces of nature. Someone just doesn't tell any of you boys what to do. Even either of you."

"Yeah." Sam chuckled. All the Winchester boys were stubborn; that included his father. "Same for you."

John warmly laughed himself. "Yeah. We all seem to have that same trait. You both are a little too much like your old man."

"I'll say." The two men turned at the sound of Bobby's voice. The old man himself stood in the entrance to the kitchen amusement clearly on his face. Every time John came through he'd always catch them talking quietly in the kitchen about one thing or another. This was just the first time that he'd seen Dean conked out during their little heart to heart. If he were honest it was usually Sam who fell asleep first. "You all are not only stubborn, but annoying." Bobby walked passed the table in favor of the beer in the fridge.

"You finish helping Rufus?" Sam smirked and stared down into his drink. It didn't happen too often, and he wasn't a big fan of drinking, but it was a big day and he didn't want to say no when it had been placed in front of him.

"The obnoxious prick is fine. He needed help identifying some creature or whatnot. Course he also twisted his foot when he was trying to avoid getting bit, but he says that he says that he is perfectly okay." Bobby popped open the bottle with his thumb. "I thought the moron would keep me on the phone forever."

Sam met his father's eyes and rolled his own. Bobby had already admitted to the boys that Rufus and he had a long time friendship with the man beginning with when he had saved Bobby's ass. For some reason the only way those two could spend a second together is if they were silent and with a beer, or griping some vivid offenses back and forth. And yet they were best friends. "Sure, Uncle Bobby. Glad you got off though, thought we'd be stuck with Sir Snore-a-Lot."

"He did drink quite a bit didn't he." Bobby regarded the older boy. He threw his hands up and joined the two at the table. "Whatever, today is not about Sleepy over there, today is about you Harvard. Are you ready for the 7 year commitment."

Sam chuckled and glanced down at his drink. He knew what a great opportunity it was to get a full ride, but it was starting to make him embarrassed. "Yeah. It's something I really want. It's something that shouldn't seem like it would take too much time."

Two years ago the kid had come to them with the hope to be a lawyer. He was ready to make a difference. Bobby and Dean wasn't opposed to the idea, or even thinking the kid would fail, but they had been doubtful. Already he'd come forward saying he was going to be an astronaut, a scientist, an engineer, and so many more careers. Kid could have done all those and more, but his plans kept changing faster than the seasons. Now here the boy was going to one of the best schools for Pre-Law.

"Besides for seven years you can call me anytime, so long as I'm not studying for important exams, and get some info on our friends. Their libraries are huge." Sam laughed at the face Bobby pulled. "Not that you don't have an extensive collection yourself Uncle Bobby. Just in case of emergency."

"Don't worry. I'll call you." John winked at the boy. "You are the best researcher in the room, kid."

Bobby turned to face John. "HEY!"

"Sorry, gotta call it the way I see it." John shrugged.

"Well the way I see it is if you need to know something, you better just settle for running away, because I won't tell you shit!" His tone deepened, but his eyes read amusement.

Sam burst out laughing and didn't stop as the exchange continued.

John smirked. "Who was the one who found out about the Nokken's weakness first."

"That crap was in Norse. The kid found a translator and read through the page before I could. I can't help it if he's freakishly smart." Bobby smirked back at John. "Now I'm really not giving you information. Just try everything until you kill the damn thing. Course I hope it doesn't kill you first."

Sam inhaled a sharp breath and pressed a hand to his chest. "Stop it, I need to breathe."

Bobby smirked at the boy. "I will though. Call you if I need any help as well. However, I don't see too much of that, so I'll have to call for occasional check-ups."

"You guys are getting so sentimental." Sam wiped away tears that had formed during his small bout of laughing. "I'm not even leaving yet. I have some time before I have to pack, and then I'll be back for all the holidays I get off."

"Yeah, it'll just be weird. Without you being around." Bobby choked in a breath, and collected himself. "I mean Dean will be inconsolable. Crying all the time, and he'll dramatically look out the window with a longing glance for his floppy haired brother to return."

Sam shook his head and he only confirmed the floppy hair theory when his hair went in all directions. "Now you're making it sound like a soap opera. Do I have an evil twin in the next episode? I've always wanted one of those."

"I'll see what the producers can fit in." Bobby shrugged.

The dog door popped open and Sam's (because that dog's heart and soul belonged to the kid and visa-versa) dog, Buddy, poked his head through the door. He caught a glimpse of the people around the table and hopped all the way through to join them.

Sam unhanded the alcohol in favor rubbing his dogs ear. He smiled warmly as Buddy's head cocked to the side and almost seem to fit in his large palm. "Hey Buddy. You done scouting the perimeter? You make sure no one was getting to us?"

Buddy wagged his curled tail and gave a loud bark in response.

"Good boy." Sam scooted off his chair to join the dog on the wooden floor. There the boy started giving the dog a good rub down.

Just like the huge 6'4'' kid, the dog was incredibly smart. Not that his previous dog, Fluffy, wasn't smart. (Bobby stalled his thought on that ridiculous name. He was going to be named something vicious, so that if he was going to sic his dog on someone for protection it would be petrifying. Killer, get him; Sounded so much better than, Fluffy, get him! But he had gotten the dog right around the time of the boys visit, and Sam had loved and kissed on the dog so much he responded to Fluffy.) Buddy (because that name was sooo much better) was just so much smarter. Most times it almost seemed like Buddy was an angel sent from above. He knew when to cuddle to make someone feel better, and he was always protecting his boy and his boy's family. Bobby wouldn't have to tell Buddy to make rounds, Buddy made rounds himself to check up on everything.

"He'll miss you too." John said quietly.

"Yeah, I'll miss him. I'll miss waking up here. This place and you guys-" Sam broke off his sentence. They all got it though.

At the age of twelve, Sam had finally gone on his first hunt. John probably would have fought you then on the matter, but the hunt hadn't been safe for a first hunt. A killer who had murdered so many when he was alive was torturing people who came across his final resting place. Each death was different, but equally awful, painful, and their death had not been swift. After splitting up to check the plant Sam had been taken by the ghost. It had taken a while, but Dean found his brother in a cooler, no longer shivering. After a few days in the hospital Sam had come to rest up in Bobby's home, only after a discussion about bad parenting between John and Bobby, John thought that his boys would be better off without him. The man left for a year, avoiding other hunters that Bobby sent out to return him home. Sam and Dean had settled in the home, but they had still missed their father. Finally, John had come home, and middle of hunts would come to check on his boys and spend precious time with them. Once Dean had graduated Dean had joined his father on a few of those hunts, only to start going on occasional solo hunts himself.

For six years, Bobby's house had been Sam's home. Sam knew every creak the floor boards made. Sam knew every step to avoid if he wanted to sneak down the stairs. Sam knew all the best hiding places, even though his much bigger body would no longer permit most. Every morning Bobby, Dean, and he (John if he was around) would sit at the table and eat a breakfast they made together. When Sam had gotten off of school, he would usually start dinner so that once Bobby and Dean came home from work they'd have something. Then they would sit around the table and talk some more. Sure it was repetitive but he was going to miss it. He was going to miss going to sleep with Buddy warming his feet. He was going to miss being around his family all the time.

Then again he was excited. For the opportunity, and for the possibilities the future held.

"Yeah, it'll be a change for sure." John stated simply packing so much meaning in those words. Everything would be changing for his youngest.

Buddy sensed the change in his boy's mood and whined nudging his head under the kid's lanky arm, and pressing his wet nose into his boy's side.

"Heyyy- stop it." Sam jumped at the cold nose. "Geeze Buddy." Buddy kept rubbing up against Sam, knocking the kid to his back and eventually settling half of his weight on the kid's chest while he berated the kid's face with kisses. "Buddy! Stop." Sam finally broke into laughter as he tried pushing the dog's persistent face away.

Bobby didn't stop the exchange. Once again the damn dog had picked up on the kid's mood and was helping alleviate the tension. "Maybe he's trying to clean you. You did hopefully take a shower today."

"Not-" Sam finally shoved the dog's weight off of him and wiped at his face with a laugh. "You were not helping." Sam looked down at the dog. Buddy was tongue lolling and tail wagging. As a bout of irony the dog used his puppy eyes against the king of puppy eyes himself. "Ahhh, you're a pest. And I bet, I can beat you once around the house."

Sam lightly swiped at the dog and rushed towards the back door, he opened and closed it quickly before Buddy was off following through the dog door barking playfully after his boy. John and Bobby smirked at the shades swaying after the violent slam. Sam may have grown in physical height and intelligence, but he was still just a big kid. Life would certainly get quieter and lonelier without him being around.

xxxOOOxxx

Sam had so much to prepare for in order to go to school, and yet it seemed like the time went by too quickly. The day that they started packing up Sam's things in the back of Bobby's truck for the 24 hour dive to California was both exciting and heart wrenching. They'd made the drive before. Sam had gotten a tour with his big brother of the school. This time however it was so final.

Sam and Dean got into the Impala for the drive, and Bobby and John hopped into Bobby's truck for the drive. Despite it only being a 24 hour drive they'd opted to give themselves plenty of time should an obstacle show itself. They also figured they'd split the trip so that sometime they could stop and rent a room.

The first few hours of the trip Dean remained a little quiet. He didn't even turn on his familiar tunes. It was a lot of things cycling in his mind. His little brother finally wasn't going to be in their room. He wasn't going to hear his brother's soft snore. He wouldn't have Sam around to harass.

Then it was also Carmen. An inkling of guilt bit at him for his ex. Last they'd spoken they had broken up over distance. She had wanted him to visit and he didn't want to. The trip would have been too long and he wasn't prepared to be away from Sam that long. She then had gotten angry. She'd been okay with Sam being his main focus before. It had been sweet and enduring to know that Dean could love so passionately. But now, she was getting a little tired of playing second fiddle to Sam. She wanted to be not the main focus of Dean's life, that would have been too much to ask for. No she just wanted to matter more. She wanted Dean to care about her the way he cared about his little brother. Dean couldn't do that though. Sam would always be number one and anyone else would be just that, someone else. It had been devastating to lose her, but Dean had gotten through it well enough.

Making the drive to California, again, Dean couldn't help but have that little bit of guilt nag at him. He hoped that Carmen wasn't someone he ran into on the way to California.

Sam watched the expression his brother wore and frowned himself. He hated it whenever his brother retreated into himself. Dean didn't discuss his feelings. Dean was a man, not a Disney princess. Sam allowed it for a little while until he finally wasn't okay with it. While Dean stopped at a station for some gas and snacks, Sam snuck out his brother's box of cassette tapes. When Dean started the car again Blue Oyster Cult started blasting Sam had popped in the Blue Oyster Cult cassette that Dean broke into a grin. "Don't fear the reaper! Sammy, you have some awesome taste."

"Runs in the blood." Sammy shrugged.

Up until the motel, it was bad karaoke, and a lot of indignant words thrown back and forth. At one point Sam smeared some of the powdered cheese on the dash, and a slap fight occurred not even causing Dean to swerve around.

It took Dean a little to fall asleep at the motel, but Sam found it difficult. He kept listening to his brother breath in soft breaths as he slept. Maybe it was just him being melodramatic, but he knew he'd miss hearing his big brother's steady breaths. He would miss his brother's crazy antics, and his brother's doting. It would be weird getting off of school and seeing him ever.

"Quit thinking runt." Dean moaned from the other bed.

"What?" Sam jumped a little in surprise at his brother's voice.

Dean moaned again. "I will miss you too. But we have to get there first. For that we need sleep, and I can't sleep properly with your gears turning so stop."

Sam chuckled and shifted to his other side. "Sorry."

"G' Night sasquatch." Dean muttered.

The following morning Dean got up first and kicked Sam's bed to wake him up. After showering they ate a quick breakfast they filed into their cars and headed on the highway again. Once again Sam made sure the drive was light hearted.

By the time the boys had arrived at the campus, Dean directed his car informing Sam he didn't need any help to the dorms they'd seen when Sam had gone for a visit. And Dean hadn't lied. He was fantastic with directions. Came with all the driving he did when he hunted.

Bobby, for once, had beaten them. When the boys had driven up, he had shut off his truck and both him and their father shuffled out of the truck closing the doors. From there it hadn't taken too long. They checked Sam in, gotten his room, and put the few things he had brought upstairs. It was all too soon when they had everything in its place and they were finished. After a quick meal that they stood in front of the building having an awkward time of saying their goodbyes.

Dean was the last one to hug his brother.

"I promise. I'm visiting every chance I get." Dean stated his words muffled by Sam's shirt collar.

Sam choked in a breath, but didn't tear up. He promised he wouldn't. He was going to miss Dean. They had never lived apart. "You better."

(If you have reached the end of this chapter and maybe didn't hate it then please drop me a PM or leave me a comment. I am up to some concepts if you would like to throw them out. I am willing to put them into consideration. Who knows maybe your idea fits into my little written out plan. Even post some critiques. Lord knows I am not a perfect creature and sometimes things just don't go as planned. Last story I would reread a few chapters I had posted and found a horribly phrased sentence, or a paragraph that was a huge ole mess. Sometimes even though I read and reread these things over and over again before posting, they slip through. So please help me clean up my stories. I won't get my feelings hurt I promise.)