BTW I'm picturing this fic taking place during the summer, so that's why Sam doesn't have to go to school
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Their dad got home at about five that morning, and Dean saw the look of surprise on his face when he saw that he was awake.
"What are you doing up?" John asked, and Dean nodded toward Sam's sleeping form. At some point during the night Sam's head had ended up on Dean's lap, and he didn't have the heart to move him even though his leg had fallen asleep an hour ago.
"He had a nightmare. Promising to be awake in case he had another one was the only way to get him to go to sleep."
John nodded. He knew this wasn't the first time Dean had done something like that. "We need to leave, soon, Dean." He said, "I found another job. You two can help on this one."
"Okay" Dean nodded to the corner of the room, "If you carry our bags I'll carry Sammy to the car." Dean scooped Sam into his arms as John went to get the bags, and Sam stirred and mumbled something.
"Shh," Dean told him, "Just go back to sleep" Sam nodded, mumbled, and rested his head against Dean's chest. Dean chuckled and carried his little brother out of the motel, somewhat awkwardly given that his leg was asleep, and put him in the back seat of the Impala.
Once they had been driving for about ten minutes Dean asked, "So, where are we going now?"
"Ottawa Lake, Michigan. A woman was killed in her own house, all doors and windows were locked, and her husband went missing a month ago."
"Vengeful spirit?" Dean leaned his seat back and shut his eyes. Michigan was far enough away for a nap.
"That's what I'm thinking." John answered.
Five minutes later Dean was asleep.
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"Alright, boys, rise and shine!" John called a few hours later. Dean and Sam both groaned and rubbed at their eyes as they sluggishly got out of the car and grabbed their bags.
"How long are we going to be here?" Sam grumbled, looking around the dirty room. He hated motels.
"Shouldn't be more than a few days," John answered, ruffling Sam's hair. Sam ducked away scowling. "I'm going to go do some interviewing, Sammy, you stay here and do some research on this couple" he handed Sam a newspaper article.
"Why can't I come with you?" Sam whined, and John sighed.
"If people see a kid with me they're not going to believe I'm a cop, Sam. You know that." Sam tried to interject, but John stopped him, "No. You're going to stay here, and that's that."
Sam went to sit on one of the beds, grumbling about always being left behind. "Come on, Dean," John called as he headed toward the door, "This cop needs a partner."
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Sam was still upset about being left behind as the three of them drove to the house that the ghost was residing in that night. They had learned that the body of her husband had been found and cremated, but she kept a lock of his hair in a locket that was in that house. When they pulled up to the curb in front of the house, they all got out and Sam slammed his door.
"I'm not a damn child, Dad, and I'm not your dog! You can't just order me around and expect me to want to do everything you say!"
John grabbed his arm roughly and growled, "You are sixteen years old, and you will listen to what I tell you."
"And what if I don't? Huh?" Sam pulled his arm away, scoffing and walking the other way.
"Dammit, Sammy, every time something happens that you don't like, you just refuse to deal with it" John yelled at his retreating back, "You can't just walk away from everything, Sammy!" When Sam just continued walking, John turned to Dean, "Take him back to the motel for a while, I have to deal with this" he nodded toward the house and threw Dean the car keys, "I'll catch up with you later."
John walked up to the house, leaving Dean by himself. "Terrific" he muttered sarcastically. He always had to be the one to calm Sam down. Sam and John couldn't go two hours together without one of them exploding, and Dean was always the one caught in the middle trying to calm them down and keep them from killing each other. He got in the car and followed Sam down the road.
"Sammy, get in the car." He called when he caught up with him, "You need to calm down, but not out here. Come on."
"No."
"Sammy, get in the damn car before I make you." Dean threatened, and when Sam gave no response, he pulled the car up and parked it diagonally in front of his brother, blocking his path. As Sam started to go around the car, Dean jumped out and grabbed Sam around the middle from behind, picking him up and carrying him to the passenger's side. Sam was kicking Dean's shins over and over the entire time.
"Dammit, Sammy, just do what you're told for once in your life."
When Dean had successfully gotten Sam into the car and was behind the wheel, Sam started his usual rant about their father. "Why does he have to keep us on this fucking 'need to know' thing? Why can't he just treat us like actual human beings and tell us what he knows? How are we supposed to help when we hardly know anything about this case?"
"It's the way he runs things, Sammy."
"I'm not his dog! If he treats me like a dog again, I'm going to punch him in the face!"
Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "No, you won't, Sam. And you know he's not going to start treating you any different."
"I swear, the minute I turn eighteen, I'm leaving."
"He won't like that" Dean warned, and immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say. Sam started ranting again.
"I don't give a fuck what he wants, Dean! I want to go to college. I want to be a normal person for once; I want to live a normal life! Has he ever considered what I want? No. He's too focused on making us his perfect little soldiers. Well, it may have worked on you, but it sure as hell won't work on me. I'm sorry if I'm not his kind of perfect, but for once in my life I'd like to actually do what I want."
"So talk to him about what you want, Sam, don't just yell at him every time he does something you don't like."
"He's never going to listen to me. You know that. In his eyes, his way is the only way, so screw what anyone else wants if it's different than his master plan."
By this time they had arrived back at the motel and Dean unlocked the door to their room. "Listen, Sammy, I'd like for you to have a normal life and be able to go to college, but you know this life, and I'm not sure it's possible to get out of it forever."
"Oh, yeah? I can. Watch me."
Dean didn't believe him, but he hoped to God that Sam was right.
