A/N
Okay, hope you all like. Just after watching Shadow, and Sam and Dean's conversation I got this need to just write this. I don't know what I'm doing with it though. I guess if I feel like it, or someone wants me to, I might write a sequel. But, otherwise, it's fine like this to me ;D
The car ride back was silent. No one spoke a word. In all his preparations for this, Dean thought it'd go different. This was their underlying goal. Because of this, they were introduced to a whole new world. And now, it was over. Dean had expected a little more celebrating. At first Dean had planned to go out to a bar somewhere and celebrate all night out, but that was then. Recently Dean had decided that after this was all over, he was going to make Sam and John sit in the motel room with him, drink beers, and actually be together again. Pulling into the motel parking lot, Dean sat waiting while both John and Sam jumped out of the car and headed for the motel room.
……………..
Sam wasn't ready. He was caught off guard. Killing the demon had been the plan, it had been the plan for so long, but carrying out the plan had seemed so far away. It had merely seemed like they would always be hunting this demon. Twenty-two years ago, when this demon first introduced itself to the Winchester world, it hadn't given any warning of the next time they'd meet. Now, at twenty-three years old, Sam had accomplished the 'family dream'. It was all over. Now, Sam could go back to the life he always wanted. He'd always wanted that normal, safe, apple pie life. But he had never really expected to get it, and now was his chance. This was the end of the Winchester way.
……………
For Sam or Dean, it didn't matter. Kill it, be done with it, and move on with life. But that wasn't it for John. Maybe, just maybe, Sam would understand. He lost his girlfriend; but had Sam really loved Jessica the way John would always love Mary? They would never know. But John knew, this was his battle to fight. He knew it brought the boys in on it, but he needed it, wanted it to be his battle. At the end of the day, he wanted to be the one that sent that fucking demon out of this world, an all others, forever. But he hadn't been the one. If he hadn't killed it, his next choice would have been Sam. He had Sam had both lost their loves to this demon, but apparently Dean's love for his mother was stronger. No one had expected Dean to pull the trigger on the demons life.
……………
Sitting in the car alone, Dean was only vaguely interested in what might be going on in the motel room. He could probably guess that no, Sam and John weren't sitting drinking a few beers waiting for Dean to come in. Pulling away from his thoughts, Dean noticed the dark figure of his dad's shape slowly emerge from the motel room. He had imagined that John had already said goodbye to Sam. He was leaving. Dean waited, any minute now John would come up to the window and tell Dean to get his ass back in the room with Sam, say he had to leave, and take off in his black pick-up truck. Maybe Dean had thought John would do those things because he merely wanted him to, but he wasn't expecting what happened next. Staring in disbelief, Dean watched as John passed by the impala barely recognizing Dean in the front seat. John walked right on by to the pick-up truck in the back. Now watching in the rear view mirror, Dean watched as John climbed into the truck, and left the motel parking lot without a word.
…………
"Sam, I'm leaving," John's voice tore Sam's attention away from his thoughts.
"What? Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving. But don't worry, I'll send you and Dean coordinates. You guys will be fine."
"Dad I'm going back to Stanford," the words barely fazed John as he picked up his things and left the motel room abruptly. Sam sat staring at the door in disbelief. They had just killed the demon that had put so much grief in the Winchester family, and changed their lives forever, and his dad had just walked out. It didn't make sense. But if John got to leave and do what he wanted, then well, so did Sam.
…………
The next thing Dean saw did not surprise him. He had expected Sam to come outside with all his stuff in one hand. He had expected Sam to come over to the car and slide into the passenger seat.
"Dean, dad left," Sam said breaking the silence first. Dean nodded in response. "I guess, I'm leaving too, I'm going back to college."
Dean just sat staring ahead, nodding.
"Dean, I'm walking to the bus stop. I'm sorry, I know you wanted to stay together, but Dean I have to do this. I want to do this. Please understand, don't be mad."
Still no response.
"Dean, I'm leaving right now," and with that the door opened again. Sam sat with one leg out looking back. "You're not even going to say goodbye?"
After a few minutes with no response, Sam stepped out of the car and slammed the door. He walked around the side to look through Dean's open window.
"Dean thanks for everything. You honestly saved my ass more than you needed to. You're one hell of a big brother. I love you…"
And with that Sam was gone. He was just another dark figure moving along the sidewalk with all the rest. It was in that moment that Dean rolled the window up. It was right there, that Dean noticed the first tear falling down his face in a long time. This was not how the Winchester family lived. They weren't three separate people, but this is what the other two had wanted. Dean almost wished they hadn't killed the demon.