Another Life
AN: What if Dean had agreed with Sam and had supported Sam going off to college? How would John have taken it? This is super, super short. But I wondered what that conversation would be like. I think I got it pretty close to how it would go. Enjoy!
Dean could feel his father's anger as Sam drove off, headed to Stanford. He slowly turned as he prepared himself to face his father.
"What did you mean? You are actually supporting him, leaving us, leaving the family business?" John paused, fuming. "Where is his loyalty? Where's yours?"
"I'm still here, Dad." Dean countered. "Right here!" He said, pointing to himself. "But Sam…."
"Don't mention his name!" John said as he turned to storm off. "I can't worry about him right now?"
Dean knew what his father meant, but he was still angry. Dean didn't like being dismissed, and he knew he would not be able to not mention his brother's name. He exploded at his father, and John was taken aback for a moment.
"Sam is in college because that's where he needs to be, Dad, in college!" Dean fired back. "He's not like us. This life is not for him. He's going for normal, why can't you let him have it?"
"Son…Dean, you know this. This life…it doesn't let you go, once you're in, you're in." John said. He was still angry with Dean and Sam. But he had calmed himself, a little. "You can't just walk away from it. It follows you, and…it catches up with you." John sighed. "If you're not ready for it when it comes, it can…it can kill you."
Dean did know all that. But he also knew his brother. "Dad, Sam's strong. He's smart. He's got a future…out there. He deserves a chance to grab onto it with both hands." The young Winchester sighed. "If anyone can make it, it'd be Sam."
"I know he's smart, Dean. He gets that from Mary. You both get that from her. But it's not about that. It's not about Sam being smart, Dean. It's about the fact that once the monster world knows you, it remembers you and it follows you. It finds your weaknesses, and it goes in for the kill." John shook his head. "Like it or not, Son. The Winchesters are branded. It's well known we're hunters. Sam's a Winchester…he's my son, and he's your brother." He paused. "Do you really think those creatures out there are going to stop and ask Sam Winchester whether or not he's a hunter given what the rest of his family does?"
Dean shook his head. He didn't guess so. But he still hoped somehow some way that Sam would be able to step away from the life and pursue normal. He really hoped it would happen.
But, meanwhile, he and John would just have to make trips to California to keep tabs on the youngest Winchester.
THE END