Still don't own Supernatural. Not suing would be appreciated. I have no money, I promise, so please just let me use the brilliant characters.

Don't be fooled by the happy beginning, I don't write fluff without reason, so don't worry – there will be plenty of anti-fluff later…..followed by more fluff, cause we all like fluffy endings with the Winchesters.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Sam is 7, and Dean is 11

-/\-SN-/\-

The warm July sun poured through the windshield, countered only by the windows open wide. The highway rushed past them, music turned up to be heard over the rush of the wind. John glanced in the mirror at Sam, the boy's small hand out the window dipping up and down as he tilted his hand like the wing of a plane. A smile was spread across the boy's face, his dark hair whipped in front of and away from his joyful eyes. Dean was leaned back in the seat with a smile on his face as he hummed along with the radio, AC/DC's Back in Black.

Summer was always easier, less for John to worry about which made him more relaxed and more like the father he always tried to be for his boys. The days longer, the nights shorter, warm sun and his boys happier. No school to fight with over admitting his boys midway through the year, no worries about them missing too many days, no arguing with Dean over the necessity of homework. Sam had finished first grade and Dean had finished fifth. John was a little worried how Sam would take it now that Dean would be moving into middle school in the fall, but that was months away and he pushed it from his mind.

John leaned back, one hand on top of the steering wheel, the other tapping along on the door. He smiled a little and glanced over at his boys again, happy that they were happy. They weren't heading to a job, not this time, just to Bobby's, it was tradition.

Every summer, mid-July or so, they'd all meet at Bobby's (because he had the most room) for a few days. Pastor Jim, Caleb, Missouri, Ellen and Bill with Jo and Joshua were the usuals, but it wasn't unheard of to see Jefferson, Daniel Elikns or Pamela Barnes either. It had started a few years back, by accident, just coincidence that a handful of the group had shown up around the same time. They spent the evenings drinking beer and telling stories about successful and interesting hunts, a way to see what was going on out there and a way to keep in contact with each other. It became something looked forward to, something written in on calendars; a break from it all and a time to relax with trusted friends.

It was with that in mind that John had taken to the road again. The miles and hours passed in a rush of highway scenery.

"Sam, you ready for some dinner?" John looked in the mirror again.

The boy looked up from the superhero action figures in his hands and smiled. "Uh huh."

"Dean?"

Dean glanced back at Sam. "I was ready an hour ago." He smiled.

John laughed slightly, Dean had been going through a pre-teen growth spurt, and was almost always hungry; though John couldn't remember a time when Dean had turned down a meal. He eased the car onto an exit ramp and pulled into a fast food place. His boys scrambled from the car and ran to the doors, John a few steps behind.

Sam hung on the counter, his chin just cleared the top, as John ordered. Dean grabbed Sam's arm to go wash up for dinner. The smaller boy tripped slightly on his untied shoelaces, but his older brother kept him from crashing to the floor. John smiled at them with a small shake of his head.

His boys met him outside at the table. Sam climbed onto the seat and sat on his knees as he dipped his french-fries in catsup. Dean took a mouthful of his hamburger and sighed happily. They ate with other happy families around them as they all enjoyed the summer evening.

Sam's eyes drifted over to a nearby family. He watched as the mom wiped mustard from her son's face, the boy squirmed away and laughed. Dean saw the small, longing smile on his brother's face and stole a fry as a diversion.

"Hey." Sam turned. "You have your own."

He shrugged. "Yours are better."

"They're the same." He smiled.

Dean reached for another. "Then I'd better have another to make sure."

John watched the playful fight between his boys for a few seconds. "You boys done?"

They both nodded and shoved a few last minute fries in their mouths. John took the wrappers and dumped it in a nearby trashcan. The small family climbed back into the car and John returned to the highway.

The setting sun glowed orange inside the car. Sam sat with his head leaned back and his eyes unfocused on the landscape that blurred by. Eventually he gave into the warm air and fell asleep against the door, his hands relaxed and open in his lap. Dean was better at saying awake, he never had been as comforted by the car as his brother. He figured it was probably because Sam had spent more of his life in the backseat, more time rocked to sleep by the road and the engine.

"How much longer 'till Bobby's?" Dean asked and fought back a yawn.

"An hour or so." John glanced over. "I'll wake you when we get there."

Dean shook his head and watched the sun dip under the horizon, turning the sky indigo-gray in twilight. He was asleep within fifteen minutes. John turned the music up a little and sang along when he knew the words, which was most of the songs by this point.

By the time the car pulled into the driveway that circled the side of Bobby's house, it was dark. The back porch light was on and cast a yellow light over the parked cars. There were a few more working cars in the driveway and John recognized most of them. He smiled as the back door opened and Caleb and Jim came down the steps.

John reached over and touched Dean's shoulder. "Dean."

The boy's eyes blinked open. He looked over at his dad and then at the friends that approached the car. With a wide smile, he ran from the car. While Caleb and Jim were commenting on how much Dean had grown, John carefully took Sam from the back seat. The boy half woke, but then just buried his face in his father's shirt collar, his small hand gripped a fistful of shirt.

"Come on, sport." Caleb playfully punched Dean's shoulder. "Let's get those bags."

John tossed them the keys as they passed.

Jim ran his hand over Sam's head. "He's grown, too."

John smiled. "No matter what I do."

"Want me to take him"

"I got him." John navigated the stairs.

John carried his youngest to the back bedroom and placed him on the bed. The window was open, a small fan sat in the corner and tried to move the warm air. He slipped off the boy's shoes and tugged the shirt from his small body. Sam's eyes blinked open for a moment, but he didn't wake.

Dean and Caleb slipped into the room and placed a bag by the bed. Dean pulled out pajamas for his brother and basketball shorts for himself. John tugged Sam's shorts off and pulled the pajamas onto the sleeping boy.

"Dean." John rested a hand on his son's head, his words quiet. "Get ready for bed."

"But I want to stay up with you." He glanced out in the hall to where Caleb stood. "I'm not even tired." He yawned.

John smiled. "You can stay up tomorrow night, that's when everyone will be here anyway."

Dean rubbed a hand across his eyes and nodded. While he changed into the shorts, John leaned over and brushed Sam's hair back from his face. Dean carefully climbed onto the bed, Sam between him and the wall, like always.

John rested his hand on Dean's cheek. "Good night, Dean."

"G'night." Dean yawned again.

"Good night, Sammy." John whispered and slipped from the room.

He closed the door part way and went with Caleb to the front porch where Jim and Bobby waited with a cooler of beer.