Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or its characters.

I was thinking about why Dean would be mad at Sam for going to college (Season 1 Episode 6 "Skins"), and I didn't think the only reason he'd be angry was because Sam left him, so here's the outcome!

Dean grabbed the mail off the kitchen table and thumbed through it. Junk, junk, junk...

Was it possible? Dean's heart thudded powerfully in his chest as he stared at the letter in his hand: the letter from Princeton. There was no way he got accepted. He didn't even want to apply except his favorite teacher said "What's the harm in applying? If you don't get in, you don't seem like you'll be too beat up over it." With a 6.8% acceptance rate, Dean applied as a joke. Now, though?

Dean shrugged off his nerves. Even if he did get in - and that was a big if - there was no way they could afford the tuition of $45,000 a semester. Still...

Chancing a glance at the bathroom door, Dean hoped beyond hope his dad wouldn't walk out and see the rejection letter in his hand. Pulling the knife from his pocket, Dean carefully opened the letter.

Dean skimmed over the letter once, and then carefully read it a second time to be sure. Not only did he get accepted into Princeton, but he got a full ride! His little geek brother would be through the roof when he found out after his study session at the library.

Hearing the toilet flush, Dean quickly folded the acceptance letter and shoved it in his pocket. His dad didn't even know he applied, so how was Dean supposed to tell him? Jumping onto the couch, Dean grabbed the TV remote and turned the TV on just as his dad walked out of the bathroom.

"What was in the mail?" His dad asked.

Dean nonchalantly looked over. "Oh, y'know, the usual. Junk, junk, and more junk. Nothin' special."

His dad sat down and picked up the newspaper from the table. "Mmhm."

Silence fell upon the room. The only sounds were some stupid horror movie on TV and the occasional flipping of a newspaper page.

After a few minutes, Dean stood up from the couch. "I'm, uh, gonna head out and pick up Sammy from the library."

His dad nodded in acknowledgement, not bothering to look up from his newspaper.

Dean shut the motel room door behind him and let out a sigh as he walked to the Impala. How would he even begin to tell his dad about Princeton? His father ate, slept, breathed the hunting life, and now Dean was going to tell him he was leaving it? That conversation would end in screaming, no doubt.

Dean climbed into the Impala and rolled the windows down. A drive would clear his head, he was sure of it.

Parking at the library, Dean stepped out and headed up the steps. He found his brother in the far back corner with some brunette.

"That makes so much more sense! Thank you, Sam." The brunette batted her eyes and placed her hand on Sam's arm.

Sam's dimples were on full display as he smiled. "It was no problem, Lacy. Really."

The brunette, Lucy, gathered her books slowly, watching Sam from behind her bangs, and left the library with only three separate glances back at him.

"Who knew Sammy was lady killer!" Dean joked.

Sam's ears burned bright pink. "Shut up, Dean. She could hear you! Why are you so annoying? Go back to the motel."

Dean shook his head. "No can do, little bro. Your 'study session' is over. We gotta get home. Besides," Dean leaned in close and whispered, "I have news to tell you."

Sam grabbed his books and his bag and walked to the exit. "What is it, Dean? Is it about a hunt?"

Dean's heart pounded in his chest. A hunt. It's always about a hunt. Even Sammy is being pulled into the hunting life, and now Dean is going to tell him he's leaving him? Should he even be telling Sam this, or should this be a conversation he has with his dad first?

"Dean?" Sam was looking up at him expectantly.

Dean took a deep breath and smiled at Sam. "That girl was totally diggin' you."

Sam turned a dark shade of red and pushed his brother. "Shut up."

The boys walked into the motel room to see their dad packing their bags. Dean immediately went to help.

"What's going on?"

His dad looked flustered. "A contact of mine called with a lead on the demon that killed your mother."

The demon that killed mom. The sole reason they lived this life. Dean knew then that he couldn't leave his family, not now. Not when his mother's killer was still free. Shoving the acceptance letter along with the rest of the clothes into his bag, Dean turned to his dad.

"Let's take that son of a bitch down."