In a motel room not far from a run down diner two men, well I should really say a man and his son, were talking in hushed tones. The older man bent on making the younger one understand his role in the family.
"You can't just let him wander down to that old diner after dark Dean, you know that! What if someone driving down the road didn't see him in time? What would you do?"
"Dad, he's thirteen freakin' years old. He can manage walking to go get dinner half a mile away. And if he can't see a car coming, then he needs a lot more than my help."
The father just sighed, clearly exhausted. In fact if you looked close enough the lines of fatigue around his eyes and mouth.
"I know that. I just don't like it when he's alone. He's too young to be by himself, hell I hardly like leaving you alone."
"Well don't, I'm seventeen. Perfectly able to take care of a myself and a wayward little brother."
Dean's statement was puntuated by the sound of thunder cracking and a torrent of rain against the windows.
As soon as they heard it, John was cursing a blue streak, and Dean had gotten his jacket and keys in hand.
"Think it was smart letting him out right before a storm, now?"
Dean had nothing to say. He just hung his head glowering at the floor.
But before either one could open the door it was slammed open by a slight figure with a bag in hand. The figure barely glanced up before scurrying in closing the behind him. Kicking the wet shoes off and placing the bag on an old table near the window, he turned to the two people in the room.
"Hey, glad you're home Dad. Brought you a burger just in case."
The door opening had caught the two hunters slightly more off gaurd than they cared to admit, but it was quickly forgotten as the smelly of food and the sight of the youngest in the family set in.
"Told you. I knew Sammy'd be fine after dark."
John offered his son a glare while moving to the food. He'd been dead tired by the time he'd gotten home, and a nice burger would make sleep all the sweeter.
The youngest one Sammy hobled over to the bathroom, but was halted by his brother's hand on his shoulder.
"Why're you limping there, buddy?"
John quickly whipped his head towards his sons.
"Heh, would you believe some jackass tried to run me down? I was just in the parking lot of diner when some guy pulls out and hits my knee? Knocked me in the dirt that's for sure, but other than that it's totally fine."
"Yeah and Dean here loves brocoli. Sit your ass on the bed and let me check it out."
Dean watched as his dad looked at the slightly bruised knee. It wasn't bad, but it still made Dean feel slightly guilty about sending his brother out alone.
"Should be fine. Just stay off it tonight and we'll check it again in the morning before we go to Bobby's in the morning."
Sam's head snapped to attention.
"We're going to Bobby's? Really?"
It was common knowledege in the family that sam loved going to bobby's. The man had these dogs that loved sam as much as he loved them, which frankly speaking was quiet a bit.
"Yeah, we've got a hunt a day away from there and he needs someone to watch his dogs. Make sure they don't maul anyone who happens by."
Sam's smile was so bright, it brought the exhaustion of the hunt from John's face and the tension of being left with out his father from Dean's shoulders. It was what the small family was all about. Living one day from the next for the joy of each other.
"I can't wait to see how the dogs are."