CHAPTER 2

It's Katelyn's scream that has me leaping to the door with all intent of killing the unknown terror that is trying to harm my baby. Just as I'm grasping the handle and yanking the door open its Katelyn's voice of pure glee that stops me dead in my tracks.

"Deanie!!"

And there he is, with his back turned to me, embracing the eight year-old, dark haired girl that has just flung herself into his awaiting arms.

"You're back!" she exclaims. Thank God.

Dean is chuckling as he feels her squeeze her arms tighter around his neck. "Hey gorgeous girl, don't tell me you missed me or something?"

Katelyn leans back so she can look into her Uncle's face as a frown appears on her own. "You haven't called in three weeks." It's more of a demand to know why then it is a statement.

Dean sighs, maybe he was hoping we hadn't noticed, yea good luck there Dean, "I know sweetie but………"

"No buts Uncle Dean" she interrupts as she squirms to be released from his hold, "You're meant to call at least once a week, no matter what. It's the rules!"

I lean back against the doorframe smiling as Katelyn berates her Uncle. Katelyn is right, he is meant to call every couple of days or at the least once a week. It is the rules. But in all honesty she is the only one who can get away with this and there is no way in hell that I'm about to stop her. Dean broke the rules and now he must face the ultimate consequence - Katelyn's wraith.

Her little arms are now crossed in front of her chest and she is giving Dean her most "I'm very disappointed in you and you better have a damn good excuse for it" face, but before Dean can explain himself to his niece he is almost barrelled over by the flurry of the small, three year-old boy who has now attached himself to Dean's leg.

"Hey there J man" Dean greets as he bends to pick up his nephew and swings him onto his hip. "You're not gonna yell at me too?"

Jayden just looks up into his Uncle's face and even from where I stand I can see the grin that has engulfed his own, "Unkie Dee, missed you." is all he says as he clamps himself tighter to Dean and buries his face into his Uncle's chest.

Dean takes a moment before he says anything and when he does it's so soft that I barely hear it at all, "Yea, missed you to little buddy."

The tone in Dean's words seems so sad as if he had been away for a lifetime and I'm at a loss, it isn't like this is the first time he has been away for so long.

The thud of the car boot seems to bring both of us out of our thoughts and I see Dean put Jayden down and make his way to Sarah's car.

"Hey Sarah," he greets my wife and she quickly closes the gap between them to hug him and kiss his cheek.

"You Mister have had us very worried," she says in a stern voice but her soft face and hand that caresses Dean's cheek betray her.

"Yea, I'm sorry." he replies and I see Sarah's face cloud over with concern. I can hear it, she can see it. Something is wrong.

"Let me help you with these," Dean changes the subject as he bends to retrieve the grocery bags that lay at Sarah's feet. But before he has the bags in his full grasp Katelyn rushes over to his side and pries one of the lighter bags from his hand, "I'll help too Deanie, you've just got home and need to take it easy."

I raise an eyebrow at this and I'm sure that Dean does too. All seems to have been forgotten about his breaking of the rules, but, then again, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she didn't feel that there was something wrong with her Uncle too.

As Katelyn heads towards me with Jayden now in tow I see Sarah also removing a couple of the bags from Dean, "Katie's right you know and you sure do look like you could use a cup of coffee. Let's head inside."

I move away from the door to let the kids pass through as I hear Dean chuckle and respond to Sarah "As long as it's black and strong, I'm there."

And it is only now that I catch my first glimpse of Dean as he turns to follow Sarah and for only the briefest of moments before he sees me watching him I see everything. I'm just not sure what everything is.

He looks exhausted no doubt. He also looks paler and seems to have lost weight but there is something else lingering under the surface that I can't quite make out but before I can come to any conclusion he notices me and his mask is switched back on. Jesus Dean what the hell went down in Pittsburgh?

"Hey Sammy."

"It's Sam," I sigh as I watch him trudge up the stairs.

By the time he reaches the top stair he seems to falter, are you out of breath, but before I'm able to determine if this was a simple misplaced step or something more serious he is once again surrounded by my kids who are attempting to rid their Uncle of another bag. What the hell Dean?!?

I'm losing my patience. "Dean, we need to talk." and I know he hears the underlying anger that is there.

Dean allows the kids to take another bag between them and watches them struggle down the hallway before he straightens and looks at me nodding, "Later."

I go to open my mouth again but the voice of Jayden wafting down the hallway interrupts me.

"Unkie Dee, you comin'?"

"We'll talk later." Dean reaffirms and walks into the house leaving me standing there with my unanswered questions.

"Just give him time," Sarah's hand is placed on my shoulder bringing my attention to her. "He will tell us, but we can't rush him, never could."

I nod in agreement although the foreboding feeling doesn't leave me.

"Let's just get these groceries packed away and we can all have a strong cup of coffee, maybe it's all he needs, a quick pick-me-up, he might just be tired and that is."

Sarah tries to sound reassuring but even she knows there is more to it than being tired. Something is wrong with Dean. And whatever it is, I'm gonna fix it!

We enter the kitchen to find Dean and the kids already packing away the groceries that they had brought in. I stand back and watch my kids interacting with their Uncle and I feel the smile that blooms across my face. This is how it should be.

Katelyn and Dean have always shared a special bond, it's almost like they are kindred spirits. While her looks have derived from Sarah, she looks just like a miniature replica of her mum, she seems share the same soul as Dean.

From her birth in the backseat of Dean's prized Impala, Katelyn has always been inseparable from her Uncle. Wherever Dean was, Katelyn would be right there next to him or in most cases clinging onto him, she never liked him out of her sight.

When she first noticed Dean leaving to go hunt, although even now she only knows that he is out there catching bad guys, she would have screaming fits and be practically inconsolable until her 'Deanie' would come home. But once she understood that Dean had to follow strict rules, that he always had to call and always would come home to us, she became the self-appointed rule keeper and if ever a rule was broken than she made sure he not only received a stern lecture from herself but also a fitting punishment. Katelyn even doled out some herself much to mine and Sarah's amusement.

When Dean would sometimes come home injured, Katelyn would always be right there, hovering over him, taking what care she could of him and he would always let her, it was just their way.

They would also have their own private secrets and conversation. Ones that no-one else in the family were privy too. I sometimes even noticed that they didn't seem to need to speak to each other to know what the other was thinking.

That's not to say that little Jayden was out of the loop, he was, after all, Dean's J-man. Dean said that Jayden always reminded him of me when we had been kids and Sarah and I had to agree with him except for two major details.

Under the shaggy brown hair that flopped over his face were Dean's hazel eyes and when he smiled, when he truly beamed, you could swear that it was Dean's smile lighting up at you.

Sarah thinks he gonna be a real ladies man, even more so than his Uncle. With Dean's eyes and smile and my so called 'book-smarts' and we are all sure eventual height, she says that no woman would be able to resist his looks and charms. A factor that both Dean and I are proud of. Dean is also hoping Jayden is going to be just as defiant as I was, "Why should me and Dad have gotten all the fun." he once claimed only to receive the finger from me. "Case and point there Sammy."

It's the phone ringing from the lounge room that brings me out of my musings and I turn from the chaos in front of me to head out and answer it.

"Hello Sam Winchester speaking"

………………………….

"Listen can it wait? My brother just got home."

…………………………..

"But…….."

……………………………

"Yea ok……"

……………………………

"Ok I'll be there within half an hour."

I place the phone back down and turn to be greeted by my wife's understanding face.

"It's ok Sam, the kids and I can look after him. I promise he won't be let out of our sight." she assures me cupping my face in her hands.

I smile and kiss her lips, "That's my girl. I promise I'll be home by dinner, they just need me to go over a few files before they head to trial tomorrow."

Sarah nods, "Good, dinner should be ready just after six. Just don't be too late."

"I won't. Tell them for me." I ask nodding in the direction of the kitchen before I grab my briefcase and head out the door determined to be home as soon as possible, I don't want Dean out of my sight either.

It is after six when I return home and I walk through the front door to be hit by the wonderful aromas of Sarah's cooking.

Setting my briefcase down by the door I sneak into the Kitchen and quickly take a sample from the simmering pot on the stove while Sarah's back is turned.

"Hey!" Sprung.

"I was just ah…… do you need any assistance?" I redirect trying to sound sincere but not really achieving it.

As always my offer is flat out refused, "No, we want to be able to eat the meal Sam. Dean needs to be fattened up." She is right, as usual, and my cooking sure as hell won't help Dean there. Cooking is one talent that I'll never master.

A hacking cough from further in the house gets my attention.

"He has been doing that all afternoon. I asked him about it but as usual he just waved me off, said something bout it being just a 'little' cough."

I can see the worry in Sarah's face and we both know that what we just heard was no 'little' cough.

"Where is he?"

"In the lounge room with the kids."

I nod and give Sarah a quick peck on the cheek before turning to leave, "I'm just gonna check on them."

As I make my way to the lounge room I note that all is very quiet. The only sound I can hear is the soft clinking of wood on wood.

I peer around the corner not really wanting my presence noted and the scene before me comforts me.

Dean is sitting in one of our single lounge chairs with Katelyn snuggled in his lap, both silently watching Jayden playing with his wooden blocks.

"It's about time you got home Sammy." Dean says without ever taking his eyes off Jayden. Should have known he'd know I was here.

"Daddy" Katelyn shrieks as she jumps off her Uncle and runs towards me with Jayden close behind her.

"It's Sam," I say to Dean and I bend and pick up a child in each arm. "And what have you two been up to? Keeping outta trouble I hope."

Katelyn just beams at me and answers for both her brother and herself, "Looking after Deanie." Well duh Dad.

"Neither of them have let me out of there sight." Dean pipes up.

I raise an eyebrow to him and let the kids back down, "Can you really blame them?"

A soft chuckle comes from Dean but he says nothing as he helps Katelyn to snuggle back up on his lap. I take his silence as confirmation that he agrees with me.

"I think we should ground him Daddy."

Now it's Dean's turn to raise his eyebrow and the look on his face causes me to let out a short laugh, "I think he maybe a little too big to ground pumpkin, but don't you worry, I'm sure that we can come up with a suitable punishment." I reassure her, although I have a funny feeling that this time we are all gonna let this slide.

"Dinner's ready!" Sarah calls from the dining room and within seconds the room is void of children. I watch as Dean slowly rises from the chair and I can't help but notice the pain engraved in his features. Before I have time to question this, a deep cough assaults him, leaving him panting for breath and clutching at his chest. What the hell?

"Hey man, you ok? Dean?" I ask with panic in my tone as I gently rub his back both relieved and concerned when he doesn't brush me off.

"Yea…just give me…a sec" he wheezes as he fumbles through his pocket and brings out a bottle of pills.

I say nothing but give him a questioning look.

"The doc gave me these…to help with the congestion," he answers as he pops off the cap and swallows two of the little white pills he shakes out.

I don't remember Dr. Markson giving him any pills but my thoughts are cut short when I hear another shout from Sarah, "You boys coming or what?"

I give Dean a quick once over and he smiles reassuringly at me, "I'm good let's not keep your wife waiting." and we make our way into the dining room.

Sarah and the kids are already seated when we get there and we quickly take our own seats across from one another. Both of our plates are piled high and my mouth waters with anticipation, I guess Sarah wasn't kidding about fattening Dean up.

"Looks great Sar," Dean compliments as he picks up his forks and begins to eat. Me and the kids nod in agreement as we follow suit and soon all that can be heard is the clinking of cutlery on plates and the chewing of food. I'm too engrossed in my meal to notice anything that is going on around the table however, Katelyn is not.

"Aren't you hungry Deanie?"

The sudden question brings my eyes up to my brother and then down to his plate. It's only now that I release that although the food is more scattered around the plate then before, there still seems to be just as much there as when we first sat down to eat.

I look back up to Dean and notice that he does seem paler. "You sure you're ok man?"

"Ah yea," he sighs as he puts down his fork, "I guess I'm just not that hungry."

I frown with concern, since when have you ever been not hungry Dean?.

"It's ok Dean," Sarah says as she gets up to take Dean's plate, her own meal already consumed, "I'll just put it in the fridge, you can heat it up later if you like."

"Thanks Sarah, sorry." he apologizes.

"Don't be silly," she chuckles, "No need to apologize, but don't think that I haven't noticed you've lost weight. You're gonna have to fatten up if you wanna be let outta this house again."

At this Dean's face breaks out into a genuine smile and he playfully mock salutes her, "Yes Ma'am!"

He receives a subtle smack to the back of the head and a warning that I'm almost certain we all want her to follow through on, "Behave Dean or you will never be let out of this house again."

With dinner now completed and the pots, cutlery and dishes packed away in the dishwasher it's all hands on deck in effort to get the kids ready for bed.

Dean keeps Katelyn occupied with another of his lessons in the fine art of Poker playing, God he is teaching her bad habits so early, while Sarah and I set to the task of bathing Jayden. This is no small feat by any means, sometimes I think hunting a Wendigo would be easier. One hour, two soggy parents and two bedtime stories later Jayden is out for the night and now its Katelyn's turn.

"But Daddy," she whines "Dean and me is still playing."

"And you'll still be able to do that tomorrow, now get a move on." my tone is laced with warning, apparently one that she refuses to take notice of.

"But….."

""No buts Katie," Dean interrupts her next plan of attack and I smile to myself, you tell her Dean.

"If you don't have a bath and get enough beauty sleep you'll end up looking like your Dad here," he gestures to me, "and no one wants that."

I send him filthy glare, Jerk, and he breaks into a cocky grin, I can see the word 'Bitch' written all over it.

I do notice however, that Dean's comment seems to have had its desired effect as Katelyn gets up from the floor and makes her way to the bathroom.

"Works like a charm." he gloats and I resist the urge to throttle him.

"You'll keep" I reply as I turn to leave him to help Sarah turn down Katelyn's bed.

Once Katelyn is tucked in and Dean is left to read her a bedtime story, although I am sure it will just be another water downed tale from a past adventure, Sarah and I take the time to have a shower and prepare ourselves for what may come next. I'm gonna get the truth from Dean tonight even if I have to drag it out of him. He will tell me.

After our shower we stop off in Katelyn's room still expecting Dean to be there but find only our daughter there sound asleep. After quickly readjusting her blankets and giving her a kiss goodnight we go in search of my brother.

It's not long before we find him. He is sitting out on the front porch gazing up at the stars, seemingly deep in thought. He looks towards us as we make our way onto the porch but says nothing before returning his glare to the darkened sky above.

Seating ourselves opposite him we sit in silence for a while before I finally break.

"So are gonna tell us what's went on or not." I ask, with more venom in my tone then I intend.

"I said later Sammy." he replies just before a deep wheezing cough rattles him.

I wait for it to subside before I continue, "It IS later Dean." and I'm not gonna wait much longer damn it.

He finally turns towards me and the look I receive is cold and hard, I'm rushing him and he doesn't like it but I need to get to the bottom of this.

He stays staring at me for a moment and I almost think he is going to cave. Instead he just gets up, he is not going to tell me, he is attempting to leave.

"Dean," it's a plea. I want, no, I need to know what it was that happened on his last hunt. If he would just tell me what happened I could help him, I could fix it.

I look deep into his eyes and silently beg for him to be honest with me, I try to work that little brother hold that I always had over him. He stares, standing there for a moment, reading the pleading look that is in my eyes before he finally sighs an "Ok" and plonks himself back down into his chair defeated.

I wait, but as the minutes tick by Dean makes no effort to begin and my patience is again beginning to wear thin. Just as I'm about to snap and beat the truth out of him its Sarah voice that has me calm down some.

"Dean, honey, you know whatever it is or whatever it was that happened out there we are here for you. Sam, me, the kids," she pauses and reaches out to lift his face towards her so he is forced to see the truth in her eyes, "no matter what we are here to help."

Dean just sighs again and rubs a hand wearily over his face and through his short cropped hair. God, he looks beyond exhausted. This just isn't right, and what he says next does nothing to extinguish the panic nor the anger that has been rising in me for the past few weeks.

"The hunt went fine, just like I said, it was a simple salt n' burn I was done within a few hours….."

"Then where in the hell have you been for the past few weeks?" I interrupted him as my anger bursts to the surface.

I don't even register Sarah calling my name asking me to calm down before I begin my tirade on my Big Brother. "You leave here when you're barely recovered from the flu that had you on your ass for nearly a month saying you'll be back within a few days, a week at most, you'll call when you're done, it's just a simple salt n' burn…."

"….it was…" he tries to cut me off but I won't let him, I'm so not through with him yet.

"…and then for over three weeks we don't hear from you, we don't know what's happened to you, for all we knew you could have been dead!" that word causes Dean to flinch but I barely notice, "I was just about to haul ass to Pittsburgh to find you myself!"

"I'm sorry, Sammy, it just…"

"Just what Dean!" I yell as I stand and get into Dean's face "just where in the hell could you have been, what the hell could you have been doing that was so God damn important that you didn't even think to pick up the phone to tell your family that you were alright, that you were safe? Where in the hell have you been for the last three weeks?!?"

I'm seething and my chest his heaving with the exertion of my outburst.

I stay there, inches from his face, waiting for him to respond to me.

Dean takes a moment and I'm not sure if it's to prepare himself for what he is about to say or to allow me to gain a little self control first. I see him lick his lips and the words that tumble from his mouth shocks me to my very core

"Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh."

Please R&R I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thanks for reading!