"Hey Sammy, you okay?" Dean looked at him with concern. "Sammy?" Sam looked up from the ground as they walked away from the school. "Huh? Oh... I was just thinking about Jess." Dean's eyes softened, and he placed a comforting hand on his little brother's head. "She'll be okay. Remember what the doctor said? Full recovery."
Sam pulled away. "They also said she's lucky to be alive, Dean! Lily too... They... They could've died." His voice shook with repressed anger, but it wasn't directed at Dean. It was whoever had done this... The taller Winchester sighed. "They'll find out who's responsible. It just sucks that they didn't see the guy. Too dark out, I guess." Sam nodded weakly. "Hey, we'll tell dad when he comes by today." Dean suggested. He sighed.
Thinking about his girlfriend of almost a year, her body bruised and battered, he clenched his fists tightly. What was she even doing out at that time of night? He shook his head. It just didn't make sense. Reaching the house, Dean unlocked the door and they went inside. "Hey Bobby! We're home!"
There was a clattering from the kitchen. "How was school?" The grizzled man walked into the cluttered hall, stirring something in a bowl. He looked at them from under his baseball cap. Dean gave a half-grin. "Not bad. Spent Civics class in a closet, heh heh." Sam shrugged distractedly. Bobby looked sympathetic. "Worried about your girlfriend?" He nodded. "Yeah..."
Dean grimaced, then pulled Sam along. "Dad come by yet?" Bobby shook his head. "No, not yet. Should be here within the hour though." He led them into the kitchen, where some sandwiches had been placed on the table for them. "Makin' brownies, if you boys want some." He poured the batter into a pan and pushed it into the oven. Dean raised his eyebrows. "Hell yeah."
Each male had an empty plate and glass in front of them, and Dean was talking with Bobby about the pros and cons of aspiring gymnasts, when they heard the key in the front door. It opened, and John Winchester stalked through. "Boys? Bobby?" Dean stood up. "Kitchen, dad!" Their father entered, setting his duffle bag down. "Hey."
Bobby scowled briefly, then nodded. "John." Dean had to keep himself from snorting. He remembered that the last time the oldest Winchester had dropped by, Bobby'd gotten so mad he'd threatened to shoot him. John sat down, and Dean handed him a beer. Once he'd had a drink, he looked at his boys. "So, anything happen I should know about?"
Dean looked at Sam, who hesitated. He was reluctant to tell him, and he wasn't even sure how much the man would care. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah. Something happened at the school yesterday. Er, near it." Sam proceeded to explain the attack to his dad. Dean and Bobby listened silently, offering their own comments from time to time.
When he finished his story, John sat back in his chair. "I see... that's worrying, if there's someone attacking students. Does anyone know who it might be? Why they did it?" The boys shook their heads. "But Jess and Lily weren't supposed to be there." Sam insisted. "I don't know what they could've..." He groaned in frustration.
Then his head shot up in disbelief at John's next words. "Well it's none of your concern anyway." He stared. "What!?" Dean looked shocked too. "Dad, we've got the know-how, we can help." John shook his head. "No, you can't. You're too deeply involved, Sam. And Dean, you are too. Just... stay away from it, you can't get involved."
Sam stood up, knocking his chair over. "What the hell have you been doing for 15 years!? You've been 'getting involved' with mom's murder! Yeah you've been solving other cases too, but wasn't that why you quit being an official detective? So you could get this guy?" John's face was livid. "Sam! That's different, and you know it! You're just a kid, and one that's gonna get himself killed if you don't step back!"
Bobby saw the movement before anyone else, and tried to grab Sam. Before he could get a hold on him though, the boy had bolted. The front door slammed, and John slammed his fist on the table in frustration. Dean looked between them. "Why does Sam always fight me on things like this?" His father scowled. Bobby rolled his eyes. "Come off it, you were always like that at his age."
Finally, John decided to leave, after making Dean promise to find his little brother. After he left, Dean sighed. "I get where Sammy's comin' from though. It's frustrating that after all this time dad doesn't think we can do anything!" He pulled on his leather coat, bearing an annoyed look on his face. As the door shut for the third time, Bobby shook his head. "Then why don't you tell him how you feel for once? Idgit."
The only sound Sam could hear was his own footsteps on the pavement, as he ran from the house. The evening breeze was bracing on his reddened face, but it didn't cool his anger. He'd been right in the first place, their dad didn't care, at least not like he should. He cared that there was a case in town, not that one of his sons' girlfriend almost died.
So he ran, and ran, until he was out of breath and his legs were numb. Looking around, Sam saw that he was downtown. Panting and feeling his stomach growl, he stepped into a cafe for a coffee and sandwich. After getting his Chicken Salad and drink, he walked over to an empty table to eat. He'd been to the place once before, and had really liked the food, but this time he could barely taste it.
'You can't get involved.' John's voice rang in his head, and he gripped his cup angrily. Jess was his girlfriend, how could he not get involved? Not to mention Lily. She might not be one of his closest friends, but still... Finishing his dinner quickly, he left again. Breathing heavily, he thought of Dean searching for him. "Guess I should go back..."
He was too tired to walk all the way back, so he decided to take the bus for a while. Catching it just in time, he clambered on, flashing his bus pass and walking sulkily to the back. Sam sighed, leaning against the side and closing his eyes. A moment later, he felt someone sit next to him.
"Hey, little Winchester~" It was a feminine voice. Opening his eyes, he looked at her. "Huh? Do I know you?" She had long, slightly wavy blackish hair, and a look of uncaring arrogance. The young woman quirked an eyebrow at him. "Maybe not, but I go to school with you. The name's Ruby." She smirked. "Care to talk?" Sam looked at her unsurely. "Uh... sure. My name's Sam, by the way."
Twenty minutes later, Sam said farewell to Ruby and got off the bus. His heart was pounding with guilt, although he didn't know if he should feel it. There was something about her... Something that caused him a mix of guilty intrigue and wary caution. Shaking his head and reminding himself of his currently injured girlfriend, the boy started walking.
Before he got very far, he heard a familiar voice. "SAM!" Freezing, he turned. Dean was running towards him at full speed. Stopping before he ran head first into his little brother, the older boy grabbed him by the shoulders. "What the hell!? NEVER run off like that again! I've been lookin' all over for you!" Sam felt a pang of guilt, and he averted his eyes. "I'm sorry Dean, I just... dad made me so mad!"
Dean rolled his own eyes. "Yeah, I know. But you piss him off too, Sammy! He doesn't want you getting involved because he doesn't want you to get hurt." Sam sighed. "Fine. Can we just go home now?" Dean nodded. "Sure. Dad's left already, after I promised to look for you. Y'know you seriously worried all of us? I had to make Bobby promise to wait. He's getting too old to be out here looking for you when you run off!" The two brothers walked back home together, where Bobby was waiting for them.
