AN: I'd like to thank my lovely friend for creating the cover picture for me! Everyone should go to her awesome Tumblr, wishingstargonesupernova! The title of this story comes from an Elton John song.

I just want it on the record that I never intended to write a high school AU. This story just happened, and, well, why fight fate?

I hope you enjoy it!

UPDATE: Part of chapter two was mistakenly posted with chapter one! The complete chapter two is now available as the actual chapter two of the story!

Dean wanted his baby. Even if it was technically his dad's car, John Winchester didn't take care of her nearly as well as Dean did. How cool would it be to pull up to the first day of school in a beautifully restored 1967 Chevy Impala? That would be a way to make an entrance. Then someone might pay enough attention to remember him.

Sam kicked a rock with his toe and watched it bounce into the street.

"This is stupid, Dean," he complained.

"Look on the bright side, Sammy," Dean smiled encouragingly, "at least we're not totally new here. Who would've guessed we'd come back to the same town twice?"

"I still have to go to a new school. Sure it's easy for you, drop back in for a couple months, say hi to your old friends. I'm supposed to be starting high school."

Dean sighed. He didn't like seeing his little brother so dejected. Their dad, of course, had done nothing to comfort Sam the night before, although for once Dean couldn't really blame him. Sometime last year Sam had given up on their dad entirely and now confided solely in his brother. Dean swallowed down the anger at his father for pushing Sam—both of them—so far away. And he was pissed that they had to walk to school.

"You went to middle school with some of these kids, right? I'm sure they'll remember you," Dean hoped his brother couldn't tell he was lying through his teeth. No one ever remembered the Winchesters. Here today, gone tomorrow. That was their life.

"Dean we've been here for a month. No one's talked to us or anything," Sam sighed. "Nobody remembers us. It was four years ago, and we didn't even stay until school was out."

Yeah, Sammy, I know. It sucks ass. Which is why I really just want to be done.

"We live in a motel and do most of our shopping at three AM. Maybe they just haven't seen us," Dean shrugged. "There's always Bobby."

Sam smiled. Bobby was a good friend, no, more than that really. Deep down, Sam and Dean trusted Bobby Singer more than they trusted their own father. Bobby had been in and out of their lives as long as they could remember, but it was through no fault of his own. John was the one who moved them across the country every few months.

"Look, Sammy, we're here. Home of the wombats!" Dean pointed to the purple-and-grey decked brick building that rose imposingly in front of them. "You'll meet me by the doors after school, right?"

Sam mustered up a smile for his big brother.

"Of course, Dean. Let's go kick this school's ass."

Dean scanned the crowd for his brother. Students had a tendency to linger on the first day, exchanging phone numbers, dropping classes, and generally getting in his way. The final bell had been fifteen minutes ago but the lobby was still swamped. Dean thought he heard his name being called and turned in the direction of the sound, only to see Sam waving frantically towards him. Grinning, Dean parted the sea of bodies.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam was practically bouncing with excitement, the exact opposite of what he'd been that morning. Dean couldn't help grinning from ear to ear, relieved to see his brother happy. "Guess who's here?" Sam was shouting, and then Dean was getting punched in the arm.

His attacker pushed pulled back to stand next to Sam, grinning almost as much as Dean was.

"Jo! I can't believe they let you into high school!" he teased, happy to see a familiar face.

"I can't believe you guys didn't tell me you were back in town! My mom is gonna flip. After she's done kicking both your asses for not dropping by," Jo said.

She was the same girl he'd known two years ago but also different, more grown-up. It was easy to forget she was the same age as Sam.

"The two of you are coming home with me today, no excuses," she continued, and Dean remembered the way twelve-year-old Jo had defiantly flipped her blonde ponytail at him in a fast food restaurant two years ago.

She'd stopped them on their way to the door and bluntly asked "Do you two eat here, like, every day?"

"Uh… yeah?" he'd replied lamely, not sure what to do with this gutsy middle school girl.

"Not tonight," she'd asserted boldly. "Tonight you're eating at my house."

She hadn't even known their names. They told her on the way over, and she introduced herself to them. Jo Harvelle, a seventh grader, she'd seen them around. Her mom, Ellen, had fussed over them from the moment they walked in the door.

"Mom, this is Sam and Dean Winchester," Jo had said proudly.

"Are you John Winchester's boys?" she'd asked, and Sam had nodded mutely while Dean stuttered out an answer.

"Uh, yes ma'am. You know him?"

"I've heard of him," she'd answered, leaving the boys to get food from the refrigerator. "Any friend of his is a friend of mine."

"Your mom still have the bar?" Dean asked the grinning, fourteen-year-old Jo in front of him.

"Yeah, she's got it. Still won't let me work in it," Jo grumbled.

"Hey, Sam, is that your brother?" a brown-haired boy asked.

Sam beamed.

"Yeah, this is my brother, Dean. Dean this is Brady, he's in my biology class."

Dean nodded to the boy. It was good to see Sam already making friends.

Brady waved to a blonde-haired girl who stumbled through the thinning crowd to join the little group.

"Hey, Jess, have you met Sam Winchester? He's new. "

Dean noticed Jo was glowering.

Jess introduced herself, offering Sam a shy smile.

"Sorry we can't stay, but my mom should be here any minute," she adjusted her backpack. "I'll see you around!" she called on her way out the door. Brady followed her.

"Come on, guys, we should get going too," said Jo, who seemed to have recovered from her bad mood.

On the walk to Jo's house Dean hung back from Sam slightly, matching Jo's shorter strides.

"You wanna tell me what that evil eye was about back there?" he asked.

Jo bit her lip.

"It's Brady. He's… trouble. Not, like, anything serious. He's just kind of a jerk," Jo explained hesitantly.

Sam and Jo had gone to different middle schools during the Winchesters' first stay in the town, which meant Jo had spent three years or more in school with kids Sam had never even met.

"What about Jessica?" Dean asked.

Jo shrugged.

"I don't really know Jess at all. We had a couple classes together in middle school and she always seemed nice enough. I could never figure out why she hung out with Brady. I think they knew each other when they were little or something."

The tri turned onto Jo's street.

"I hope you guys are prepared," Jo teased, "I wasn't kidding when I said Mom was going to kick your ass."

"Mom? I'm home!" Jo called. Sam and Dean followed her into the house. Ellen had always made them feel welcome here, and Dean quickly realize that after two years it still felt almost like home. Or like the closest thing he had to a home.

"Jo, baby," Ellen came out of the kitchen beaming, "how was your first day of high school?" Mother and daughter embraced and then Ellen caught sight of the two brothers hanging patiently in the background. "Joanna Beth Harvelle! Is that who I think it is?"

"In the flesh." Jo flashed Dean and Sam a look that said 'I told you so.'

"What the hell were you boys thinking not telling me you were back in town?" Ellen scolded, moving to them each in succession. "You planning to stay long this time?"

"I don't really know," Dean admitted. "Dad hasn't told us anything. Haven't really seen that much of him since he dropped us off at the beginning of August."

Ellen frowned.

"You boys have been here a whole month and you didn't think to call me?" Dean opened his mouth but was instantly quieted by another glare. "And don't you give me any of that 'it's been two years' crap. I know you still have my number." It was true, Dean did have her number, along with Bobby's, permanently saved in his cellphone. And written down in case anything something happened to his phone. "A whole month you've been staying in some cheap motel, probably eating fast food crap every night." Dean looked sheepish. "I know you'll turn me down flat, but my offer from last time is still open."

Ellen wanted Sam and Dean to stay at her house. Dean had refused—though he wanted nothing more than to say 'yes'—because he knew his dad wouldn't approve. John Winchester didn't like what he called 'taking charity.'

"Thanks, Ellen, but the answer is still no," Dean said politely.

Ellen shook her head.

"Well at least I can make sure you get some decent nutrition once in a while," she muttered. "Starting tonight, no excuses."

Dean had to smile, remembering how much of Jo's attitude came from her mother.

"It's good to see you guys again," he admitted.

Like Bobby, Ellen and Jo were family.