Title: For family's sake
Author: 0cloudyday
Rating: PG-13
Spoiler: none
Characters: Dean, Sam, John
Summary: AU. Dean starts acting strange and one day he disappears. A desperate search for a brother and a son is starting.

Disclaimer: I don't owe Supernatural or the characters.
A/N: My native language isn't English, so sorry for the mistakes.
Thanks a lot for the reviews ;) . Loved them - I am so glad you liked the story, so here is more! Enjoy and would love to get some reviews again ;) .

Chapter 2: Dean, where are you?

Previously

"Three weeks after I went to Stanford? You have to be kidding me, right... Are you just telling me that he is missing for nearly two years and you didn't bother to tell me?" Sam yelled.

John looked at Sam. "You said you are out of this family... that you don't want to be part of this anymore. You went out of this family. In those two years you didn't once call – doesn't really seem as if you care" John said angrily.

"You said don't come back. You closed that door, not me!" Sam said pissed. "But Dean is my brother. You really thought I wouldn't care... for gods sake Dad... he is my brother... shit!" he continued, stood up and hit the wall angrily.

"You couldn't have helped anyway... I am doing everything I can to find him and I have help." John said as if he wanted to apologize for what he has done.

But Sam could only look at his father. He sometimes couldn't believe how little John knew about emotions. "You know, that's exactly why I left in the first place. You only have hunting in your mind that you even forget how it is to be a real person – with emotions, you remember such a thing?" Sam said still angry. "I know you think I'm a lousy hunter – something Dean thinks too... but even if I could have done nothing, I could at least be concerned. The whole time I was in Stanford I thought he was safe... two years. God, I can't believe it." Sam said and finally sat down again.

"I at least wanted one of us to have a normal life. You did it. You got out, you went to Stanford... I didn't want to ruin it for you." John finally whispered and Sam looked at him as if he saw a ghost.

Sam sighed. "But I would never have done it at the expense of Dean's life or safety... as far as we can say this in our family." Sam said and John had to smile. Sam simply ignored the fact that his father just told him that he supported his life in Stanford – there were more important things right now.

John looked at his son. He knew he screwed up as a father...

"So what happened after he left." Sam said after while.

"I don't think he left freely... As much as you don't want it, but hunting is Dean's life. He wouldn't have simply went away." John said convinced. Sam didn't argue about that...

"I checked the news. I called friends... I tortured demons... Nothing." John said. He didn't tell that he picked up the phone at least hundreds of times with the intention to call Sammy, but always stopped after the dialed three numbers...

"...not that I was surprised. He is a great hunter. I taught him everything I know. If he doesn't want to be found we can hardly find him." John said.

"Well... so I finally reported him missing." John added and Sam once again looked at his Dad with surprise.

"You included the police?" Sam asked to make sure he heard right. His Dad has always told them that they shouldn't trust the police, that they always caused trouble.

"I was desperate..." John admitted. "... and we hadn't been on a hunt. So I didn't really have to lie or hide anything from them. And I hoped they could help somehow... maybe he disappeared because of something natural." he explained his thoughts and Sam only nodded.

"Fine... but doesn't really seem as if they helped, did they?"

"A little. They found out in which bar Dean had been the night he disappeared. And I dug deeper. I talked to some people who had been there too. They said he had been drinking a lot and he of course played pool and flirted a lot – as always." John told and Sam had to smile again. He just noticed how much he missed his big brother."

"But the important part is that he was seen before he went to the bar. Some people saw him with somebody in a dark alley. They said he had an argument with the other person. They only heard Dean yelling and then he stormed into the bar. They couldn't say anything about the other person." John paused.

"The important part is what Dean said to the other person." he added.

"I wonder what you did to get the informations." Sam mumbled.

John ignored his son. "As far as I know, Dean said: I already told you I am coming with you, so keep them out of it. We had a deal, remember... and he said: I did what you told me to do in Pocatello. I even talked to Travis. That should be proof enough, right!" John said and Sam looked thoughtful.

"Keep them out of it? Was he trying to protect somebody... but he said he would go with that person... and Pocatello and who is Travis?" Sam thought aloud.

"I thought about the same things as you... and I had time to check it. The last time we had been in Pocatello or near it, was in January and February 2002. That's about a year before you left to Stanford." John said.

"And it's around Dean's 23rd birthday." Sam added and John nodded,

"I checked the news around the time we were there and a few weeks later. There were the news about the demon we had been hunting then. But there was also news about two dead girls and a robbery." John said and Sam flinched.

"You want to tell me that you think that Dean was responsible for their death?" Sam said angrily.

"I am just telling you facts I know. I don't want to believe that Dean was responsible..." John said calmly.

"As you said, Dean's life is hunting. And that is because he wants to protect other people. He would sacrifice himself if he has to... he would never kill anybody." Sam said still angry.

"Sam I am just trying to find Dean. I agree with you. I don't think Dean would ever kill anybody. But he was acting strange the few days before you left and you know that... something must have happened. I just told you the facts, okay!" John said now louder.

"Fine." Sam said and tried to calm himself down again. "What about this Travis guy..."

"That was a bigger problem and I am still not sure that I found the right guy... I took a while. Actually I found him a week ago. The reason why I am here. I mean how many guys do you think live in the US who are called Travis?" John asked sarcastically.

Sam didn't response. "Well... from the conversation it seemed that this Travis was somebody special. So I looked if I could find a Travis in our hunter community – or however you want to call it. There were two matches and I checked both and talked to both, but they never met Dean or knew anything – I am sure. So I checked other famous Travis'. Well that was pretty much everything I was doing the last two years... Till an old friend of mine – Missouri – found a guy named Travis, who had been in a psychiatry the last year. He told everybody that he had been a prisoner in his own body for three years and that he knew the world was going to end..." John told his story.

"Sounds like possession. But since when do demon's keep their victims alive?" Sam said.

"I went to the apartment he lives in since his release. I was pretty sure I found the guy... I watched him a few days. I noticed nothing suspicious so I finally decided to go talk to him. I waited for the night and knocked at his door after I saw him going home... but he never opened the door, so I broke it. But in the house was no trace of Travis." John said and Sam got alert.

"He disappeared in front of your eyes?!" Sam asked. His father was definitely getting careless.

"Let me tell the end of the story." John said, a little bit amused of Sam's faith in him. Although he had always questioned everything the last few years before he left for Stanford, Sam obviously sometimes still had the image that he was a hero.

"...I checked the rooms twice and ended up in the bedroom again... and I looked up to the ceiling – where I saw... him pinned up to the ceiling, his stomach sliced. And the next second he started to burn..." John said and looked at his son carefully, because he got paler every second.

"Like Mom." Sam whispered.

John nodded. "Well that's how I ended here. I tried to get out of there as soon as possible. I don't know exactly what happened. But I know I was nearly at the door, when everything went black." John admitted and Sam watched his father carefully.

"You think the demon might have tried to kill you? Hell, you think the demon who killed Mom, abducted Dean?" Sam asked.

"After this incident. It can't be a coincidence, not in our business..." John said and Sam got even more paler.

"God, this is too big, too fast..." Sam said and looked totally lost for a second, which made John's heart ache. It was a thing that would never stop – he will always have the urge, to protect Mary's boys, his boys.

Sam might not see it that way, but for him telling them about the Supernatural, was his way to protect them, to keep them safe. Although it meant to take away their innocence. It had been a hard decision for John, but for him the only right one.

"Is there anything I can do now?" Sam asked.

"You could search for informations about this Travis. Some background informations, like where he has been the last few years – before he went to the asylum. Also check if he has been in the same city as we have been... the little stuff, you know what I mean." John suggested and Sam nodded.

Sam went over to his duffel bag and took out his laptop. He sat back down next to his father and started to search.

"His name is Travis McMillan. He was born November 28th 1968 in Richmond, Virginia and last year he was in the Maddison Psychiatry in Portland, Oregon ..." John listed the things he knew.

Sam nodded and began his search. Meanwhile John took out his journal and started to write down stuff and he began to analyze some papers.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Sam asked after a while, still looking at the screen.

"Trying to find Dean." John said not looking up either. But now Sam looked at his father.

"What? You have a lead? Why didn't you tell earlier!" Sam asked harshly.

"It's nothing specific. Just some stuff I noticed. It doesn't matter... keep working on you stuff." John said, still not looking up.

"I have never seen you doing anything unimportant... if this is about Dean, I need to know. You want to hide things from me again?" Sam asked pissed.

"You really want to fight now?" John asked and both men glared at each other. Finally Sam backed off and stood up.

"I need some air." He said and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Sam really was angry at himself. He was wasting time with fighting, while he should be searching for Dean, who might be going through

hell right now.

The thought that Dean might be dead, never came to his mind. Or actually he didn't allow himself to think of it. Well his father believed that Dean was alive – so he wouldn't doubt it either.

Sam sighed. He turned around again and went back to his father's room. He wondered where Caleb and Pastor Jim might be, but actually didn't really want to talk to them either. After all they didn't tell him that Dean was missing either...

Sam opened the door. His father was writing in his journal again and he didn't even look up when Sam came back into the room and sat down next to him, to search for informations about Travis.

It was okay like that. Both Winchesters knew that silence was the best conversation they could have at the moment.

"Sam... Sam!"

Sam awoke startled from his dream – or better nightmare. He looked confused at his surrounding, not aware where he was for a second. But then he remembered what had happened the day before...

He must have fallen asleep during research, because now the sun was getting down again.

Sam looked at his father, who was standing next to him – fully dressed.

"Dad... what..." Sam was totally confused.

"I checked myself out, while you were sleeping... We can't waist time now." John said and Sam felt as if John was slapping him. Because it sounded as if he was again disappointed at him. Dean was missing and he felt asleep during research. He actually could slap himself. He was used to study through the night, without sleep... and now that it was about Dean, he fell asleep.

But for now he simply ignored his father's comment.

John saw the guilty look on his son's face. His comment wasn't meant that way. He had let Sam sleep, because he knew he needed it. Sam had to process everything he learned this morning... but he had no time for this now. So he didn't address it again.

"I might have a lead. Let's go." John said.

"What? A lead... where?" Sam said while he placed the laptop back in his duffel bag and followed his father out of the hospital.

John seemed a little weak... after all he just awoke from a coma... but he still seemed strong. And Sam was amazed by that fact.

His dad went to the parking lot and Sam stopped dead when he saw which car they were going to drive.

Dad gave Dean the Impala when he turned 18 and since then it had been his baby. He never even allowed Sam to drive it once. Seeing it here, he finally really realized that Dean was gone. And it made him feel weak again.

"Sam get in." John said. It wasn't an order... Sam did not know why, but for him it sounded more like a promise – a promise that they are going to find Dean.

Sam nodded slightly and sat down on the passenger's seat, while his Dad started the engine.

It was strange for Sam to sit in the Impala. The last time was with Dean, when he brought him to the train station. And it wasn't really a good memory.

The first ten minutes they didn't speak. But then John broke the silence.

"Caleb in already on his way there... Jim is back on his way to Minnesota. He has some appointments. He says he is sorry and ... there is a package in the trunk for you from him." John said and Sam nodded.

"Where is there?" Sam asks after a while.

"Palo Alto, California." John said and Sam looked confused.

"What? Why! You said you had a lead..." Sam said.

"Okay... listen. After the incident with Travis, I came to the conclusion, as you... that the demon who killed your mother, has something to do with Dean's disappearance. So I checked my old notes about the demon... and I realized something. There is a pattern. There had been a few incidents... just like the one with you mother. Houses burning. Eyewitnesses who insist that they saw their family members pinned to the ceiling and burning. I had been on the trail for a few years... but when Dean went missing, I put it on hold." John said.

"You never told us..." Sam said.

"I hadn't figured out the pattern... it wasn't something we could really use. Well, the important thing is, that I figured out the pattern yesterday – finally. And I checked... it happened in the Lawrence and in Portland. And the signs. It happens again. In Palo Alto." John finally said and Sam was paralyzed.

"You know, who it's going to to attack? Or why?" Sam asks.

"No. I only know that it's going to be in Palo Alto... and I am pretty sure that if we find the demon, we are going to find Dean." John said.

"Sammy you okay?" John asked after a while. He had looked at his son and his face was pale.

"Dad... we need to drive faster!" Sam said quietly.

John looked at his son confused, who didn't look good at all.

"Sam what is it." John said, but Sam just looked on the road.

"I said drive faster!" Sam insisted and the tone in his boy's voice, made John to step on the gas-pedal.

"You are going to tell me what it is?" John asked.

Sam didn't look at his father. "I had this nightmare yesterday..."

"I noticed... about Jess?" John asked and Sam finally looked at his father.

"How.."

"You talked in your sleep." John only answered.

"Oh... yes. I dreamed about Jessica – my girlfriend." Sam slowly said, waiting for any reaction on his father's side, but John now just only looked on the street. So Sam continued. "The dream was only in snatches... I was in our apartment. And then I was in our bedroom ... and then I was lying in the bed and looking to the ceiling... and then I saw here on the ceiling, sliced and she started to burn!" Sam whispered.

John gripped the wheel harder. "People have weird dreams... and after I told you the story about Travis... it could have influenced your subconscious." John tried to explain it.

"I dreamed about it before... Actually for a few weeks. And now you are telling me that the demon is back and he is going to be in Palo Alto – you really think it's a coincidence?" Sam asked.

John didn't answer to it. But now he really stepped on the gas-pedal. He had actually seen Jess. During his search for Dean he had stopped in Palo Alto a few times, to make sure that Sam was alright and to check if Dean showed up there.

Jess had made Sam smile – a smile, John hadn't seen on his son's face a long time.

John seriously didn't want to see Sam losing his girlfriend, just as he has lost Mary.

The next few hours they didn't speak. Sometime on the road John had called Caleb to inform him, to go to Sam's apartment... but Caleb's car broke down ten minutes later and it would take a while, to fix the car. So in the end John and Sam needed to hurry even more. Sam had the uneasy feeling that it was happening tonight. And he was scared. He had tried to call Jess a few times, but she wasn't answering... and this was odd too. Sam just hoped that they were arriving in time.

When they finally arrived in Palo Alto, they immediately drove to Sam's apartment. Sam didn't question how his father knew the way...

But already on their way, they heard the sirens wail and Sam got even paler.

Oh god we are too late... too late... Jess, not Jess... god please Sam thought on and on.

When they finally arrived they saw that the fireman already started to extinguish the fire.

Sam jumped out of the car. "Jess!" he screamed and tried to get through the crowd, to get in the house... but a fireman was finally holding him back.

"No. I live here.. my girlfriend is in there!" Sam tried to argue with the fireman.

"Jessica Moore?" the fireman asked and Sam stopped to struggle, ready for the bad news. "Yes." Sam whispered.

"She is alright. She got out of the house in time!" the fireman said and Sam looked at the man as if he was crazy.

"What?" Sam asked confused.

"She is over there!" the fireman said and pointed in the direction.

Sam immediately rushed over there, his father on his heels.

And there she was, wrapped in a blanket and talking to another fireman. She immediately saw Sam and she smiled, totally forgetting the fireman and running over to her boyfriend.

"Sam!" she said and fell in his arms.

"Oh god Jess... I thought... god I am so glad you are okay." Sam whispered and kissed her. John meanwhile watched the scene from afar.

"I can't believe it myself. I guess I had a guardian... but what are you doing here. I thought you were with your father." she said.

"He is alright... actually he is over there." Sam said and turned around to his father, who came to the couple now.

"Dad, that's Jess, my girlfriend. Jess, my father – John Winchester!" Sam introduced the two. More out of politeness, not because he wanted too. He still wasn't sure how his father would act.

"Nice to meet you. Although I wished it had been a better time and place." John said and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you too. And glad that you are fine, Mr Winchester." Jess said and smiled at him.

Sam looked at the two and was impressed that his father after all seemed to know how to be polite.

"Jess, what happened?" Sam finally asked, looking at the house.

"I don't know... I still can't believe what happened... I mean it can't be. I don't know what happened." Jess said looking lost.

"Hey it's okay. Let's go sit over there." Sam said and led her over to a bench. Meanwhile Sam and John had shared a glance. They had interrogated a lot of people who witnessed supernatural stuff and their statements all started pretty much like Jess'.

"Jess look at me. I need to know what happened! You can trust me, please just tell me!" Sam said after they sat down.

Jess sighed. "I guess it must sound crazy... I was hanging out with friends. And it got late, so one of Nicky's friends brought me home. I said goodnight and went inside. I was tired, so I just wanted to go to sleep... suddenly, out of nowhere there was this guy in the room. I swear he just appeared out of thin air... his back was turned to me, but he pretty much looked like you. And then the lights went off. And I couldn't move. But somehow my body moved back against the wall." Jess said and tears ran down her face... remembering the traumatic scene she went through.

Sam just hugged here, while he and John shared another look. It really sounded like the demon. Although they never knew how he killed Mary.

"The man in the room turned around to me... and his eyes were yellow. Just like animal eyes... And then my body suddenly moved along the wall, up to the ceiling. I swear I am not making this up... god, I thought I was going to die." Jessica whispered.

Sam was still holding her in his arms, but said nothing.

"... and then. Suddenly the door opened and Nicky's friend came running in. He had a gun in his hands and was yelling at the demon. I didn't really understand it. Something like: "you don't have the right... against the rules" I can't remember... and suddenly I fell back to the floor, but Nicky's friend caught me. Then he told me to run and I shouldn't look back... so I ran... But before I went out of the house I heard him screaming and then there was fire everywhere... I told the firemen that he was still in there. But they told me, that they couldn't find anybody..." Jess finished her story. "He saved my life!"

Sam didn't know what to say. He couldn't really tell her that it was going to be okay, or anything else. He was just glad the she wasn't dead.

"Do you know the name of the guy who saved you?" John suddenly interrupted the silence.

"His name was Dean... Dean Murphy." Jess said.

"What?" Sam whispered. "Dean... oh my god, Dean!" Sam said and jumped up, running toward the still burning house.

"Sam!" Jess yelled after him, totally confused.

"Stay here!" John ordered Jessica and ran after his son.

Dean watched the scene from afar.

"You know, you could say hello to them, right?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah sure... and getting them involved. No thanks. I can't even believe that you are telling me this." Dean said calmly.

"Dean, by now you must have realized that they are getting involved, unimportant what you do." the voice said.

"We had a deal!" Dean said angrily. Tired of repeating it...

"Yeah and he is a demon. Demon's lie." the voice simply said.

"And still he couldn't kill her. I made the deal with my blood and as long as I keep my part, he won't be able to hurt them or involve them." Dean said half smirking.

"Dean, they are on our trail... They only arrived minutes after you intervened. And Sam is involved now too. They are determined to find you. You really think you can hide much longer." the voice said with pity.

"You want them involved?" Dean asked pissed again. The voice didn't answer. "I thought so. So stop the crap... they will stop searching eventually." Dean whispered.

Neither of them said a word, they just watched. The house burning. Sam trying to get in the house and John trying to calm him down. Jessica totally confused.

"Poor girl!" Suddenly a second voice interrupted.

"Did somebody invite you?" Dean said pissed. He really hated her.

"He wants to see you... You know, he is really pissed." the second voice said.

"Because he underestimated me. Did he really think I am stupid." Dean asked. "I guess he is getting old... Even my Dad noticed the signs. What do you say about that, Meg?" Dean said.

Meg glared at him. "You are going to break, soon... and I can't wait for it." she hissed.

"He tried the last two years... and I am still me. Hell can't get worse!" Dean just said.

The next second the place the three had been, was empty.

Tbc

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