"Dean?" Sonny called through the house. The fourteen year old theif had come to the boy's home over nine months ago. He was calloused from his life before Sonny's home, but a good kid. He did as told, did his work and never complained. He even did a little extra, helped the younger kids, and the newer kids with their work as well.

Today was different. Dean hadn't been down for breakfast, hadn't helped the younger kids get ready. He hadn't even done his chores. It was like Dean was one of the more rowdier boys, the ones who refused to do anything. It was so unlike the kid. So, Sonny went on the hunt for the almost fifteen year old.

"Dean!" Sonny called again, going through each room one at a time, as he did with the first floor. Dean usually went to look for the hiding boys. He was an expert at it, knowing exactly where to look for each boy, and finding them in a matter of minutes. Sonny was going on a half an hour.

He opened the door to the boy's room, even though it was the first place Sonny had looked before his systematic search. He walked to Dean's bed, glancing at the Pentagram star that the missing kid had carved into the bed post. Sonny had been mad in the beginning, had started to yell at Dean. Sonny would think the kid would say something sarcastic, not look at his shoes and stay absolutely still, only to flinch at Sonny's hand, when the older man placed it gently on the kid's shoulder. It wasn't that big of a deal anyways.

"Jacob, have you seen Dean?" Sonny asked, looking at the only other occupant in the room. Jacob was a bit older than Dean, a snarky kid, that started a fight in his school.

"Yeah, he woke me up early this mornin' when he started wanderin' 'round. Haven't seen 'em since." Jacob shrugged. "I'd check the third floor closet though, he likes squirrlin' in there sometimes."

"Thanks." Sonny left, following the boy's directions and went up the stairs once again. The third floor wasn't off limits, but most boys didn't go up there. It was mostly for storage, and had dust and cobwebs decorating the walls. and floors. It was more like a more open attic, only having two rooms and a closet. The closet wasn't all that big, but with no shelves a person of Dean's stature could curl up in it with little discomfort.

Sonny could see the soft glow of a flash light from the cracks of the door, bleeding out onto the wooden floors. He walked slowly towards the door, and knocked on it three times.

"Dean?" Sonny sighed as he heard spooked shuffles, and a clearing of one's throat.

"Uh, yeah Sonny?" The voice was croaky and thick with emotion, wavering in defiance.

"Can I come in?" Sonny asked.

"Uh... yeah?" Even though it was uncertain, it was still said. So gently Sonny started to open the closet door, just encase Dean changed his mind. Sonny was kneeling on the ground as the door opened enough for the inside and it's contents to be seen.

Dean was there, curled up against the furthest wall, a pillow clutched to his chest. Tear tracks reddened on his cheeks and down his face, his eyes puffy from the crying. Sonny squeezed into the closet, not being the man he once was, but not being too old to comfort a child. He left the closet door open a crack, not caging the kid in.

Dean wasn't the first abused kid Sonny has had, and he certainly won't be the last. Each kid like this, they had a certain breaking point, when they realized they were safe. Dean just was taking more time with the realization than others.

"It's -uh- it's my birthday." Dean said quietly after silent moments filled the air between them. "An' it got me thinkin' I've been away from Sammy for almost a year... an' I'm probably been forgotten, an' Sammy probably doesn' even care." Dean rambled, ringing his hands together. "I didn't actually loose the money."

Sonny looked up at this. He knew what Dean was talking about, the lost money that made him steal to get food. That landed Dean in this place. Landed a good, responsible kid in a place meant to reform and put those qualities into teens.

"Cause, how can you loose money you don't even have? He always said it was my fault, that if it was just Sammy there'd be enough money. I hope it's true. I don't want Sammy to end up like this." Dean admits. "It's not the worst I've done, so maybe I do belong here."

Sonny wants to say something, how Dean is a poster child that every couple wants, and the one parent that has him is just too stupid and drunk to see it.

"Sometimes he gets mad and won't leave any money. Food is easy to pinch, but you can't pinch bills. I- I needed money for Sammy. I- I couldn't let him down."

"Oh, Dean." Sonny brought in the distraught teen.

"I don't want Sammy to end up like that. I tried to call Uncle Bobby, but he thinks I'm dead. He thinks the calls are a prank from some dumb kid. Everyone thinks I'm dead. They probably salted and burned all my things. They think I'm a ghost." Dean shuddered.

"If he sees that it's you, would that make him believe?" Sonny couldn't believe he was actually buying this 'my dad and his friends hunt the supernatural', but Dean didn't lie. He was too afraid.

"Maybe. But he lives in South Dakota." Dean said miserably.

"I'll take you there." Sonny didn't know why he was doing this, he'd miss the kid terribly if it turns out this Bobby guy was actually decent, but Dean deserved to know his little brother was alright, and this was the only way to do that. "For a birthday present, because I didn't know and didn't get you anything. We can do it tomorrow."

"Really?" Dean perked up, whipping tears away from his face. "I think you'd like Bobby... He-he's not like my dad."

"That's good kid. Are you up to gettin' out here? You can stay if you want. You've helped plenty on this farm to have some of the other kids pull your weight for once." Sonny patted Dean knee.

"Thanks, Sonny." Dean smiled.

"Not a problem, D-dog."

/\\\

Sonny walked into the kitchen early the next day, getting breakfast ready for the other kids. It was still barely light out, but he had a big day. Ruth had been instructed to make sure the farm didn't burn down in his wake. Sonny turned, startled to see Dean curled up on the couch, snoozing. His small book bag already packed with all his belongings that he'd gotten through out his stay at the farm.

"Kid's been up before the rooster, waiting for you." Ruth said as she shuffled in. "Hadn't had the heart to make him go back to bed. Gonna miss the kid. I can take care of breakfast from here."

Sonny nodded his gratitude and stalked over to Dean, gently shaking the boy awake.

"You ready to go?" Dean nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

/\\\

Travelling to Sioux Falls, South Dakota would take the entire day, and they should have gotten an even earlier start, but getting on the road at six in the morning seemed early enough to the older man. It'd be one in the morning if they drive non-stop to get to the city, not to mention finding the salvage yard. Though no one in their right mind would go unannounced to someone else's home in one in the morning, so Sonny was cutting the trip at some point and stopping at a hotel. Plus they had to stop for food and bathroom runs, gas stops, and the traffic of people wanting to go home. It'll be a good two day trip to get there.

"What if I don't want to go back to my dad?" Dean suddenly ask as they pass fields in Pennsylvania. "Bobby is dad's friend... he'd probably side with dad?" Even as Sonny was listening he could hear the doubt in Dean's voice. The knowledge that his uncle, even if not by blood, wouldn't be like his dad. It was the only thing that kept Sonny driving in the direction of Sioux Falls.

"If you want, you can always come back to the farm, D-dog. I could even fight to get your brother too." Dean nodded at this, but even as he did so he didn't look certain.

Sonny stopped somewhere in Iowa around midnight, Dean having fallen asleep, leaning against the window. They still had a good six hours till they got to their destination, but if they left around eight in the morning they'd get there in a decent hour. Sonny parked outside a two star hotel, getting keys to a room with two beds and then going back to the car to get Dean.

To say the kid was impressed was a little sad. He kept looking around the room, and out the fifth floor balcony as if it was some privilege to be staying at a ratty hotel. Though from what Sonny has heard about his string of Motel 6 'homes', maybe it was some big stepping stone.

"It wasn't - it wasn't too much, right?" Dean asked shyly, marveling at the weird shows that flickered on the tv. Sonny guessed the kid could sleep during the drive tomorrow.

"Nah, kid. Just don't be too loud, I need some sleep." Sonny laid down on the bed, glancing at Dean who was mesmerized by a newer Hospital Drama, Dr. Sexy M.D.

"Cowboy boots." Dean murmured, it was the last thing Sonny heard as he drifted off to sleep.

/\\

It had been nine months since John had come to Bobby's house, a mess. Dean had died on a hunt. Bobby was so angry, it was John's own damn fault that he got his son killed, and the older hunter wouldn't let Winchester do that to his youngest son. So Bobby took Sammy away from John, at least until the kid was old enough to make his own decisions. John had tried to fight Bobby, but in the end he left.

Three months after that a kid had called claiming to be Dean, but Bobby wouldn't have it. Dean was dead. John had already salt-and-burned the body. Then all the hunters started getting calls, Ellen and Caleb, even Pasteur Jim. Bobby took all of Dean's belongings with regret, but it needed to happen. The phone calls stopped.

Sam was sad, and Bobby wanted to take a few months in bottles, but couldn't, because he couldn't do that to Sammy.

Then today happened. Bobby didn't get a lot of customers for his salvage yard, maybe two or three a month, and they all called a head. He also knew all the hunters in America, and they too called ahead. So when a old truck Bobby has never seen before, and he hadn't gotten any calls yet, came rolling into the salvage yard, setting off his dogs, he had his shotgun ready. It could be a new hunter, but then again most went to Pasteur Jim first, who then turns them to Bobby with a call ahead. Point is, everyone calls a head, unless their cops or trouble.

A guy about Bobby's age stepped out of the driver's side, and a teenager slid out of the passenger. A very familiar kid.

"Dean?" Bobby gasped, lowing his gun just a bit as he saw those freckles and green eyes he was sure was gone from this world for good.

"Heya, Bobby." Dean smirked, through it didn't go all the way to his eyes. There was something lerking just behind them, a darkness that Bobby couldn't pinpoint. "Is Sam... Is he alright?" If Bobby had any doubt this was really Dean, it was all gone. No monster could replicate Dean's devotion to that kid.

Before Bobby could answer the door smacked open and the limbs of the ten year old crashed into Dean.

"Sam." Dean gathered his brother up in armfuls, having a grip that wouldn't loosen for anything. "I missed you so much."

"D-dad said you died, said a werewolf attacked and killed you." Sam blubbered into Dean's shirt, soaking it with tears. Dean was now in tears too sitting down on the steps and hiding his face in his brother's soft brown locks.

"Uh, I'm Sonny." Bobby turned to the mystery man who brought Dean home. "I ownna boys home in New York. I got Dean when he was stealin' food for him and Sam. His dad said he could rot in jail, so they brought him to me."

"So you've been lookin' after Dean this whole time?" Bobby approved, the boy didn't seem too hurt. "I guess that was your ID those calls were comin' from. Damn, I just... It was just too hard, John had said Dean had died. He wouldn't just say somethin' like that."

"You know what John's been doin' ta Dean?" Sonny asked, suddenly stern and overprotective. Bobby could appreciate a man like this takin' in Dean. He was rough, but still had enough soft edges for these boys. Bobby glanced at Sam and Dean, who were locked in a different timezone, clutching to each other like life lines.

"You know about what we do?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, but I'm talkin' outside of the things that go bump in the night. I'm talkin' about what JOHN does to Dean, not what the monsters do." Sonny emphasized.

"Whatcha gettin' at?" Bobby asked, but with a sinking feeling, he already knew. He had wondered but had wanted to believe John so much. Why would a man that lost his wife, that only had his childern to remember her by. Why would he do that?

"It wasn't the werewolf that killed Dean." Sonny explained. Bobby nodded, could feel his emotions being played as he looked back over to the kid that grew up too fast. The soldier that shouldn't be. "He said you were better than John. But if I don't think.. I'm taken both of these boys back with me."

"As a good man should." Bobby nodded. "I just- I didn't want to believe. Monsters aren't meant to be humans. Thank you, for being him back home."

"Dean doesn't belong with the boys I take care of. I'm supposed to get the ones who need to learn responsibility, not the ones that have too much." Sonny nodded. He handed Bobby Dean's bag of things, and then a slip of paper with his phone number on it. "If you need anything." Bobby nodded and then did the same, his looking more official, with more lines and numbers on them.

"Anything." Bobby confirmed.