Title: The Distance Between
Author: kaly
Category: Gen; angst; pre-series (Sam 18, Dean 22)
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Word Count: 300
Rating: K
Spoilers: none
Summary: Sam's leaving for college impacted all of the Winchester men.

Note: Many thanks to geminigrl11, as always. :)

Disclaimer: Not mine. The pretty, snarky, angsty brothers belong to Kripke & the CW.

The Distance Between
.
.
.
Near

Dean sat at the bar; nursing a scotch he'd bought hours earlier. A glance revealed the usual
crowd: singles looking for a hookup, hustlers looking for a mark. On any given night he
might be one or both, but not tonight.

Tonight Dean just hoped he might forget the sound of the front door slamming, the screams
echoing. The sinking feeling of everything irrevocably changing and his inability to fix things
might stop souring his stomach.

Tilting his glass to the west, toward where Sam was moving further away from where he
belonged, Dean's heart felt heavy.

"Good luck, Sammy."
.

.
.
Far

Sam had long lost track of the highways and bus stations, the never-ending stream of people
he moved through in a daze. He clutched his backpack to his chest, another two duffels by
his feet.

He was pretty sure that going to college was supposed to be a big deal, it should have made
him happy. Until he'd actually received the letter and knew it was impossible without cost.

Sighing, Sam rested his head against the window. Desert rolled past, unremarkable; but Sam
saw only the anger on his father's face and, far worse, the pain on Dean's.

"Forgive me."
.
.
.
And In Between

John sat, the door open from where Dean had stormed out not long after Sam. The echoes of
their fight rang in his ears. Dropping his head into his hands, he took a shaky breath.

Pride kept him mute as Sam fled but it was shame that kept him motionless long after. Mary
would hate him for the things he'd said. He knew how happy she would've been for Sam.
It didn't stop the fear, the whispers of paranoia that persisted. Shuddering, John pressed his
eyes closed, praying for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Be careful, Sammy."

end