AN: Ok, this will be one story that I'll continue if people want me to, if not say so also that way I'll know. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kripke's creations or that of the CW... however if any of these entities would like to share, I'm available! ;)

The rain that was pouring down upon them was ignored, along with the many well wishers who continually walked by. No one wanted to stay, but no one wanted to go; it was one of those confusing situations that made everyone wonder what was the etiquette for a funeral of a couple who died under mysterious circumstances while their two youngest children watched in the background.

John Winchester was now the eldest of their clan and that did not set well with him. Less than a week ago he was worrying about how he was going to keep up with his partying friends and his classes while at Texas A and M, and now he was having to worry about funeral arrangements, and doctors appointments for his little brothers Dean and Sammy. It never ceased to amaze him how fast something could change, and he would have thought that nothing could shock him anymore; not after what he and his family had witnessed throughout the years.

Pulling himself out of a whole other avenue of depressive thoughts, he put his hand on Dean's shoulder signaling that it was time to go. It took a moment before his little brother acknowledged his presence, but when he did the fire flashed quickly in his eyes making John wonder not for the first time exactly what had happened to Mom and Dad. Trying hard not to lose his patience, he tried a slight smile towards his brother and hoped that it would help whatever pain Dean was experiencing at the moment. The doctors had said that the only person he would have an actual civil conversation with was their baby brother Sammy, but to anyone else it was short hostile answers that often involved curse words.

Walking a few more steps he stopped behind the huddled figure in front of the fresh graves. His littlest brother Sammy was only ten years old but already looked so broken. No one had heard him say a word, not even when they knew he was in the midst of a nightmare. The doctor's had all agreed that it was due to the trauma of seeing their parents brutally murdered, that it was a coping mechanism. John let the quacks have their moment, but he suspected something else was at work and it wasn't just the everyday normal kind of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Bending down, he picked up his brother and held him closely, feeling the shivers that were already coursing through the small body. "C'mon kiddo, lets get you and our brother home before you both come down with pneumonia."

Dean watched dispassionately at the scene unfolding in front of him and finally had enough. "No! You go back to school where you obviously want to be. Leave Sammy and me alone!" he yelled standing in front of John, his once hero was now just someone else that wanted something.

John had no idea what to do. He needed to get them out of the November rain, but he could also tell that Dean was itching for a fight. Looking down at his baby brother, he saw the question in those large eyes and knew that he had a choice to make; stay or go. Either he stayed and fought for his family, or left and hoped that the system could find some obscure relative or maybe a family friend who'd take care of them like they deserved.

"So son, have you sent in the paperwork yet?" Max asked his oldest child with a smile.

John almost bashed his head on the hood he was under before gaining some sense of control and looked at his dad. "What?" he stammered out, trying hard to think of a way out of this particular conversation. "uh…"

Max laughed before he reached into his toolbox. "You know, if it wasn't for your mother you would have missed the deadline by a mile. Here… I believe this is yours."

Stunned, John looked at the envelope held in his dad's hand and wondered how he could have ever thought that they wouldn't make sure the application got in the mail. "Look, dad… I don't know if I want to go. In fact, I know I don't… it was just a 'what if…' kind of thing you know?"

"John don't bullshit me, boy. We've been talking about college since you started to talk. It's nothing to be ashamed of, in fact it's something to be proud of; and we are son… we are."

Looking at his father, the man who had done so much in his life, his hero, he knew that what was in his hands wasn't something to back away from but something to embrace. "What about Dean and Sammy? You know how those two get, what if they think I'm leaving for good?" he asked, suddenly realizing that he'd finally put a name to what had been bothering him.

"Son, those two boys think the world of you; there's no way they'll think you're leaving us for good. There are school breaks, holidays and even the summer if you want to join in a hunt or two. Don't worry so much, you'll get grey hairs like your old man."

Dad had wanted him to go to college and he had, now he was watching his brothers look at him like he was a stranger and he didn't like it. "Alright, we're going home and getting dried off, then we're going to talk about this." It took everything he had to ignore Sammy's insistent shaking of his head, the only communication he would allow. Whatever happened out there had scared Sammy bad and made Dean wish that his eldest brother had never been born.

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Dean hated the idea that his big brother was back, as if his presence would fix anything. They just buried their mom and dad, Sammy was still silent as a monk and all John could think of was to take them home. Well isn't that the most brilliant thing anyone could have thought of? If he really had wanted to do something, he wouldn't have left them like he had, or maybe would have made sure to keep up with what was going on at home. Sure his brother was eighteen, but big deal; he still had a family that needed him, and he didn't think twice about turning his back on them.

Seeing John head towards the Impala, and wasn't that so wrong for anyone but Mom or Dad to drive it, he rushed around and took Sammy before rushing the rest of the way to the car. He knew better than anyone what his baby brother needed right now, and it wasn't a hot bowl of chicken soup; it was to feel safe and warm again. Ever since that night, Sammy hadn't stopped shaking; the only difference was the degree of shaking that would occur. Nightmares would have the whole bed trembling while insecure feelings had Sammy shaking slightly and only noticeable if you were looking for it. Dean knew that whatever Sammy had experienced had him so scared he couldn't talk about it or anything else. He just wished he knew what had happened, but he had no damn idea.

"Alright you two, stay close to the car. If anything unexpected happens, you know what to do." Josie said firmly. She might be one of those understanding mom's at home, but when there was a job to do she was all business.

Nodding, both Dean and Sammy knew what needed to be done. Right now though their job was to make sure that the vengeful spirit they were hunting wouldn't double back before the banishing spell was completed. If something went wrong though, they were to get in the car and Dean would get them to safety. Feeling secure in the knowledge that they knew the plan, they both made sure their shotguns were loaded and they started scoping the area.

They had estimated the spell would take less than half an hour if the preparations ran longer than normal, but it had been closer to forty by the time Dean heard the first scream. He looked at Sammy who knew instantly who it was and immediately started to tear up. It only took another few moments before another agonizing scream echoed through the forest leaving Dean's blood cold.

"Dad!" he yelled and started towards the treeline only to be intercepted by a smaller version of their dad. "MOM!"

"Dean, we have to get help! Please Dean, we have to…"

Dean knew Sammy was right, it was the plan that their parents had drilled into them, safety first; and there was no way that they would be able to take down whatever it was that ripped their family apart, whatever it was, it was more than a vengeful spirit.

Nodding, Dean grabbed Sammy's shoulder and started to guide him towards the car when the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Daring to turn slightly, he saw a shadow coming out of the trees and then he was flying in the air before hitting the packed ground harder than he thought possible. When he woke he was in the hospital on the pediatric floor with doctors and nurses trying to find out what happened, and he had no idea what to tell them. In fact he had no idea what had really happened and their questions asked in different ways but never changing made him angrier than he'd been in a long time. It wasn't until he saw Sammy in another room crouched in a corner with wide frightened eyes that everything hit home. Their parent's were dead and whatever did it to them, Sammy had seen and now couldn't bring himself to talk about it.

He heard John grumble something about it not being his fault, but he ignored him; this wasn't the time for a pity party. Right now they had to figure out what was going to happen next because it didn't look good. Dean knew more about the family finances than what he'd let on, and once his big brother saw what had been going on the last several months then it would be a real deciding factor about which direction they were going. Dad had re-mortgaged the house to put John in college but had failed to increase the life insurance policies at the same time. There might be enough to pay the funeral expenses and the house, but there wouldn't be anything left over which would leave the question of how they would live. Of course there was still the question of where they'd live anyway. Would big brother quit school, or would he give his little brothers up so he could do what he wanted with his life?

Feeling Sammy's trembling increase, he knew his little brother had fallen asleep and he could tell they all were in for a rough night.

AN: Does it stay or does it go??