"Dean is by no means slow. He's actually quite bright. I think he's been holding himself back on purpose." Mrs Matheson, the English teacher, explained in the staff room.

Mr Dawson, the Science teacher, rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about Joanie? He doesn't respond to anything in class. He skips school frequently. And he has never received above a C average in my class."

Joanie shook her head. "Have you noticed the bruising? And the fact that he never wears short sleeves, no matter the weather. But Sam, his younger brother, is never bruised and wears t-shirts quite often. I think they have a bad home life, and that Dean is getting bad marks on purpose so that he won't graduate yet. He's staying back on purpose so that he can continue to protect his little brother."

"That's a good theory, Joanie, but what do we do about it? Unless Dean comes to us, there's nothing we can do…" Tom Stiles was the Physical Education teacher, and still disappointed that Dean had flat-out refused to try out for the football team.

"I checked his file, Sam's too. Someone changed the contact person, in pen. When we update a file we print a new page. I think Dean changed it from his father to his Uncle Bobby." Joanie added softly. She hated the thought of any child suffering at home, but hated it more that Dean was obviously drawing the attacks himself so that Sam would be safe.

The other teachers glanced around. "So…call the Uncle? Dean obviously trusts the man more than his father, if he has put his contact details in." Tom asked curiously.

xxx

"This better be damn important…" a gruff voice answered the phone, causing the teachers to look to one another. If this is what Dean felt safe with, what was his father like?

"Mr Singer? This is Joanie Matheson, from Dean Winchester's school, as well as some other teachers who have him in their classes; we have you on speakerphone."

"Is Dean alright? What's happened? Sammy?" The worry in Bobby's voice had them all concerned. Not many people got so panicked over a phone call from a teacher.

"They're both fine, Mr Singer, we were just hoping we could talk to you about Dean…and the bruises he quite frequently tries to hide…" Joanie answered quickly, hoping to calm the man's nerves.

"Damn it, the boy was supposed to tell me if John started beating on him again." Bobby growled. "You tell him he's not to walk home this afternoon; I'll pick the boys up after school. Now, as for you lot, whatever you do, do not call children's services, alright?"

Joanie glared indignantly at the phone. "And just why would we not call them, Mr Singer? Those boys need protection."

"Hmmm, like they protected them last time the boys got taken off John? All those two boys have in this world is each other and me, and they don't lean on me too often. But children's services took no time at all to decide that they needed to separate them. Dean almost got killed by his foster father within a week; Sam lasted two weeks before he was admitted to hospital for dehydration and malnutrition. Despite the fact I'd been trying to get custody the whole time, and the boys yelling that I'd never hurt them." They could hear the old fears in Bobby's voice.

"Besides, Dean has three months before he turns eighteen. He's got everything lined up to gain custody of Sam. The boys will live with me, and have any support they need. In the meantime, they'll be having an extended sleep over at my place."

"Mr Singer, has Dean been getting bad results in school on purpose?" Mr Dawson asked curiously.

"Once he finishes school, John plans to send him off across the country on jobs. Sam would be alone at home with the man. Dean aims his results to be just low enough that he'll be kept back, but just high enough that with a rescheduled testing, he can get his piece of paper. The principal has already drawn up a schedule for him two weeks after his birthday so that he can retake all of his tests and hand in all of his real work."

"He's been doing everything twice? Once to fail and once to pass?" Joanie asked, astounded. Most of her students barely managed to do the work once. Not only was Dean doing it twice, but he could decide what level of low mark he wanted and hit it.