2

"So...where's Dad?" Adam finally asked.

Dean had picked up his brothers from school and brought them home with the promise of pizza for dinner. Take-out wasn't an occasional thing in the Winchester household as more often than not there wasn't enough food to feed four people in the house. When they got home their father was nowhere to be seen and Dean had fallen asleep on the couch, something he never did when John was around.

"He's on a hunt. In Illinois," Dean replied. "There's a couple werewolves running loose in Chicago and a shapeshifter in Elgin."

"How long's he gonna be away?" Sam asked.

Dean paused to take a bite of the pizza. He wasn't really hungry, just tired. Painkillers did that to you. "He reckons about three weeks or so. But he said it could be longer cause there were a couple of other things around there."

"So...what are we gonna do?" Adam said. "Are we gonna stay here?"

"Nah, the rent runs out in a couple days so we're just gonna pack up and stay at Bobby's for a while until Dad gets back. Good thing he bought that truck, otherwise we'd be Greyhound-ing it to South Dakota."

"We're just gonna leave," Sam said. "Again? Dean I've got exams coming up next week."

"Sammy, there's nothing I can do about it," Dean said trying to placate his younger brother. "Dad didn't leave me enough money to pay the rent for the next week even. As it is, I'm gonna have to hustle some pool tonight to make sure we got enough for gas."

"Dean, do you have to go out tonight?" Adam asked quietly.

Dean knew that even though Sam was gonna be there that Adam would want Dean to stay back as well.

"Yeah, I gave Dad one hundred and fifty bucks from the two hundred fifty I won the other night so I've only"-

"I thought you said you only won two hundred?" Sam asked.

"Yeah well, I won fifty extra from the bartender himself. But I wasn't gonna tell you that while Dad was still within earshot Sammy, you think I've got a death wish?"

Dean turned back to Adam. "I've only got a hundred bucks. We gotta be able to eat tomorrow morning and on the drive to Bobby's. And I know the Impala's almost out of gas. So we gotta fill up as well. Hundred bucks ain't gonna cover it."

Dean didn't really want to go out and leave his brothers at home alone tonight but he had no choice, they needed money.

"Sorry guys but I gotta go," Dean finished with a sigh.

There were two pieces of pizza left and even though Dean had only had two slices and his brothers had eaten four he left the two for them. He checked his watch.

"Alright, I'm gonna head to the bar just down the road okay? I'll have my phone so call me if anything happens," he told Sam and Adam. "Anything at all. I won't be home late, promise."

Adam and Sam nodded and Dean picked up his keys.

* * * * *

At eleven o'clock that night, Dean finally returned to the cramped house with three hundred dollars stuffed into his wallet. He checked on Adam and Sam, both fast asleep on the couch and gently grabbed a pillow that neither of his brothers were using and laid down on the floor.

That morning Sam woke up first. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was search for Dean, relaxing when he say his brother out like a light on the floor next to the couch. Sam glanced at his watch. Seven o'clock. He gently woke up Adam and the two of them made and ate their breakfast quietly so as not to wake up Dean. Their oldest brother looked unbelievably tired with dark circles under his eyes.

Once Sam had packed his bag for school he went to wake up Dean. He gave his brother a soft nudge on the shoulder.

"Sammy...that you?"

"Yeah, Dean, wake up man, you gotta give us a lift to school," Sam said.

This woke Dean up quick. He looked at his watch and then moved his gaze up to Sam. "You guys had breakfast?" Sam nodded. "Brushed your teeth and packed your bags and everything?" Sam nodded again. "Jeez, you won't even need me soon," Dean replied jokingly, covering a yawn with the back of his hand.

"Don't say that," said Adam. He always took everything so literally.

"Just a joke, kid," Dean replied. He stood up and stretched his muscles. Digging his hand into the pocket of his jeans he pulled out the keys to the Impala. "Right, you ready to go?"

* * * * *

School seemed to drag on forever for both Sam and Adam that Friday. Winter was coming and it could definitely be felt in the air. Both boys were wearing almost half of the threadbare clothes they owned that day and were still cold. When the bell finally rang at three o'clock Sam and Adam practically ran from their classes to the parking lot to see the shiny black Chevrolet and Dean sitting in the front seat.

Once they were in Dean sped back to the house. "Alright once we get back grab your stuff and we're heading to Bobby's. I've already packed most of it."

Once they got back to the house, Sam and Adam found all of their meagre belongings, like Dean said, already rolled and packed into their duffel bags. They grabbed the last few things Dean had missed and some of the food from the kitchen that they'd be able to eat on the road.

Finally they were in the car and had set off for Bobby's. They'd been staying in a small town in western Ohio and it was going to be a long drive to South Dakota so Dean had told his brothers to get comfortable. He'd already filled up the Impala to the brim during the day so he probably wouldn't have to stop to get gas until that morning.

The landlord, who owned the house they'd rented, had delivered a letter that morning to Dean personally asking when they would pay rent for the previous three weeks. Dean had assured him that the money would be there the next day before cursing his father for lying about the rent to him. He had enough to worry about, not really wanting to add a money hungry landlord into the deal.

Dean drove through the night only stopping at six in the morning to fill up with gas and grab some coffee. The roads had been devoid of traffic all night and they'd be making the drive in record time.

They arrived at Bobby's place Saturday afternoon having made a stop mid-morning to have some food at a roadside diner.

As soon as Dean saw the dilapidated sign outside Bobby's Salvage Yard his energy dropped. He'd been driving for almost twenty-four hours straight and, like the Chevrolet, was running purely on fumes. He pulled up the Impala in front of Bobby's house and put it in park, dragging the key from the ignition. Slumping down in the bench seat, he tried to stay awake long enough to get out of the car.

Dean was just about to walk around to the trunk when Adam brought him up short.

"We got everything from the trunk," he said simply.

"Oh." Dean gave his little brother another look. He'd loaded himself up with bags. "What- here let me take one."

"Just go inside, we got it," said Sam.

Dean could only nod and stepped onto the porch. He was about to knock on the door when Bobby opened it.

Bobby took one look at the dark bruises still showing on Dean's face from his father's hand and the haggard expression he wore and said, "Room's all set up, take a nap. We'll call you for dinner."

"Thanks," Dean said, his speech slurred slightly by exhaustion.

He staggered to the bedroom and lay down on one of the two single beds, asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Meanwhile, Bobby helped Adam and Sam in with their bags. They left them just outside the room where Dean was sleeping and returned back to Bobby's kitchen.

"You boys thirsty, want anything to drink?" Bobby asked. The brothers nodded and Bobby fetched them each a glass of water. It was actually Holy water but Bobby didn't need to tell the boys that. They knew it and the glasses were drained a second later without any repercussions. Old habits die hard.

"How was the drive?" Bobby asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table next to Adam.

"Long," replied Sam. Adam nodded in agreement.

"When did you leave Ohio?"

"Last night," said Adam.

"Last night," Bobby echoed. "Wait, Dean drove here from Ohio in a day?"

"Yeah, through the night," Sam answered. "I don't think he liked Ohio."

"Uh huh," Bobby murmured through a mouthful of beer. "How bout we let Dean sleep for a bit more and then we'll have some dinner huh?"

Both Adam and Sam nodded eagerly.

"You kids can watch some TV if you like, the remote's somewhere, I can't seem to find it..."

"Thanks Bobby!" called Sam as he and Adam parked themselves on the couch in front of Bobby's ancient set.

After a couple of hours at seven-thirty, Bobby decided it was time for dinner.

"Sam you wanna go wake Dean up?" he asked as he donned his 'Kiss the Cook' apron.

"Sure," replied Sam jumping up, while Adam helped Bobby set the table.

Sam walked down the hall and entered the bedroom they'd be using while they were at Bobby's place. Dean was passed out on one of the beds, dead to the world. He hadn't even bothered to take his boots off. He looked unbelievably tired; his face was pale which made the dark circles under his eyes and the dark bruises marring his skin even darker. Sam felt bad that he had to wake his brother but he knew that Dean would at least need some food.

He reached out and shook his brother's shoulder softly. "Dean, dinner time," he said just as soft. He knew from experience that Dean, as well as Bobby, kept knives under their pillows, and after a couple of close shaves he always woke Dean up gently.

Dean was out cold though. He didn't move. Sam went for Dean's wrist, trying to jerk him from sleep. He got the result he wanted, but not in the right way, as Dean came around with a gasp, ripping his wrist from Sam's hand.

"Damn, Sammy!" Dean cradled his bruised wrist in his right hand, completely awake and not a trace of weariness showing.

"Dean, I'm sorry," Sam blurted out. "I forgot, your shirt was covering it, I'm sorry."

"Hey, Sammy, it's okay," Dean quickly said. "It's fine, I'm fine, you just surprised me is all."

"Uh...Bobby's says, it's time for dinner."

"Sure, I'll be there in a tick okay?"

"Okay."

Sam practically ran from the room, feeling unbelievably guilty. He knew his brother had said he was alright; just one look at the dark bruises on his brother's wrist was enough to let Sam know that his brother wasn't okay. That and the fact that on the drive he'd barely even used his left hand unless he desperately needed two hands to drive. Sam made a mental note to mention it to Bobby later on.

Dean sat on the side of his bed gently rubbing his wrist, trying to relieve some of the white hot pain that was running through the bones. He'd hoped it was just bruised or swollen or sprained or something. But it looked as if it might be broken. His dad was going to have a fit when he found out. He'd have to talk to Bobby about it later, he decided.

Dean got up and stumbled down the hallway to take a seat at Bobby's kitchen table in between his two brothers.

"What's for dinner Bobby?" he asked.

"Chinese," replied Bobby, standing at the kitchen counter, his back to the table.

"You cook Chinese?" Dean asked incredulously.

"Of course I do," Bobby said as he sat down a take-out box in front of each Winchester.

Adam and Sam immediately started laughing. They'd been in on the joke from the start. Bobby had driven into town and picked up the food while Dean was still sleeping. Dean allowed himself a smile.

"Sorry, I thought you boys would be here a bit later. You came earlier than I thought," Bobby said, tucking into the food. "Didn't have time to go out and get groceries."

"S'cool, I'm up for anything," said Dean. "I'm starving," he added through a mouthful of noodles. Inside he was secretly glad that Bobby had managed to pick a style of food that didn't require both hands to eat.

"Even Bobby's home-cooked Chinese?" Sam asked, making Adam start to giggle again.

"Well, maybe not that," Dean said with a grin.

"Boys, this is my house, and whatever I cook, you're gonna eat, you hear me?" Bobby said, his tone playful.

As Dean watched 'Uncle' Bobby joke around with his younger brothers he couldn't help noticing the stark differences between Bobby and his own father. Dean shoved away the thought quickly. John wasn't here at the moment. He could relax for a little while.