AN: Thanks a lot for the reviews. Okay, I said that this story is more John and Dean right? But it Winchesters' story and Sam is still a Winchester right? So, here a lil Sammy. Hope you like it.

Beta'ed: Green Raven 212. Bucket o'crazy for, oh no, that's for Meg. Bucket of cookies for you. Yes, that sounds okay. :D

Summary: See Chapter 1

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Distant and Faded

Chapter IV

Maybe it was the fever, or maybe it was the headache that started its pumping again in his head that made him fall asleep too fast. He was sure that he just closed his eyes for a second when he felt something cold and wet behind his head.

"Bobby." He tried to turn to his back when a big hand held his shoulder to stay still.

And the hand was not Bobby's.

"No, it's me. Stay still, I need to take care of your head."

Hearing the voice, Dean quickly turned his body to the right, supporting his form with his right elbow. And John never had a second to stop the boy from facing him this time. And the way Dean looked at him just shrunk his heart.

What was that? Did he think that I'm going to hurt him?

"Dad?"

"Yeah." Why are you so stupid John? Is that the only word you know how to pronounce?

John cleared his throat, he tried to say something, like starting a conversation but somehow, he didn't know how to do that. It was not their stuff, talking about their feelings, having some chick flick moments, a thing he knew Dean hated too much. And he knew that he just threw the chance when something else slipped from his lips. "Why don't you lie back like before? I tried to clean the wound. Then you can go back to sleep."

Dean took a slight glance at his father, before looking back on his palm. Apart from everything, the lines there were the most interesting things right now. But he didn't want to just sit there, facing each other and saying nothing. So he nodded and laying back on his left, facing his back to his father.

He closed his eyes shut when the cold wet cloth rubbed his head again, before something surely a needle sticking through his skin.

Thinking back, it was funny how two weeks could change their life. They seemed more like strangers now, instead of father and son. He knew some of this was his fault. But maybe this was what his father wanted. John never saw him as a son before. He should know it early. Sam was right. He was just a soldier, his father's puppet.

His father didn't even want to talk to him right now. Maybe he was doing this because Bobby asked him too.

He never mattered to his father. It was just the hunt, Sam and the stupid thing that killed their mom.

John just needed him to protect Sam. Now Sam has his own life, he didn't need his big brother anymore and it meant that his job was done.

He was useless now.

And in silence, his father convinced him about that. His dad never wanted to see his face. He kept separating them to different hunts. Where was the main rule he said before? That 'we hunt together; we watch each other back together'. He thought they were a family. But at the end, he was the only stupid person out of three. Sam saw this a long time ago and he was the one who didn't get it.

They are not family. They were just hunters.

Dean felt a warm blanket pulled up to his shoulder before a hand soothed back his hair a few times, taking away some of the aches in his head. He frowned. His father never did this since a long time ago. He didn't know if he had it when he was unconscious or something but his father never touched him like this on his awareness.

He turned slowly onto his back, staring with a deeper frown into his father's eyes. The sooth stopped and the older hunter was looking away but he managed to catch something in the eyes. It was not hatred or anything he expected. It was something he never used to, something he didn't know how to read.

It was something else.

And suddenly it gave him a new hope. Maybe Sam was the one who wrong. Maybe he was the one who was right.

They were still a family.

And he just needed to make it right this time.

He made a mistake before and he needed to apologize.

"I'm sorry." His raw voice sounded nothing like his but he knew he said it when the older Winchester turned back to look at him.

"I know. Me too, buddy. Me too." John gave a small smile to his son. It was a half smile but still, it was there.

"Go back to sleep. Everything is gonna be fine tomorrow." Then he continued to brush the sandy hair until the boy was asleep.

When he wanted to touch his son, he still could feel the trembling in his hand but it was better now. And the important thing was, Dean never noticed about that.

He smiled.

This was a start. He was sure they could make it this time.

--

Sam tossed carelessly to his right. But he still couldn't sleep. So he moved back to his left. And it was still the same. Then he lied flatly on his back. He opened his eyes with a big sigh. His hands rubbed his face roughly.

"Damn it!"

"Dude, still can't sleep?"

Sam turned his head to his left, looking at Henry, his roommate. "Yeah, sorry I woke you up."

"Nah, I can't sleep either." Henry threw both his legs down to the floor. He looked at his friend with sympathy. "But seriously man, it's been three days. You can't stay like this. It's final exam next week. I know you can do it but man, it's no fun to answer the question if your eyes are screaming for a nap."

"Yeah, I know. I tried but…"

Henry shook his head before asking. "Just what's the problem, man? You know you can tell me anything."

Sam turned to his friend once more. The African-American guy seemed sincere to help him. He thought for a while. It couldn't hurt to tell Henry about it, it was not like he told him everything about his previous life. So, Sam chucked out his legs beside the bed, turning on the lamp, and sat duplicating his friend's pose. For a while, they just facing each other with a silence before Sam took a deep breath and started telling him.

"It's just my brother."

"You have a brother?" Henry asked with a surprised frown.

Sam didn't bother to answer, just continued. "We never talked since I came here. We used to be good brothers but then everything just… you know, not like before. And then…"

"Then what?"

"I got a call from him."

"Three days ago." Henry completed his friend's sentence. He knew it because it was the reason for all this insomnia stuff.

"Yeah. You're the only person who has my number right? And I'm sure you didn't give it to him. I don't know where he got my number but he can do a lot of things you can't, you know." Sam chuckled. Dean was something. But sometimes, he didn't understand his brother. Like why in the hell did he love to be just a good little soldier? He was smart and he was still young. He could do a lot of things, if he wanted.

Sam sighed at the thought and continued the story.

"He called me just to say hi." But I cut him off with 'I don't wanna talk to you, Dean'. He felt so bad about it and he would do anything to take it back. But it was too late now. And he didn't have a strange to call his brother back.

"Then, what happened?" Henry was still curious but he knew he wouldn't get the full story when Sam just shook his head and lied back on his bed.

"Alright. Whatever man. But…" he took a bottle of pills from his bag that hung at the end of his bed. "I used to have insomnia and this helps me a lot. Don't worry about it, my dad gave it to me and he's the best doctor I ever know. I don't give it to you early because I don't want you to get used to it."

Sam caught the bottle that flew into his space. He read the prescription on the label and gave a grateful glance to his roommate. "Thanks dude."

He took a couple of pills and swallowed them in one gulp. As the bottle changed hands back to the owner, he turned off the lamp and fall back to the pillow. "G'night Henry."

"Night Sammy."

He flinched.

TBC

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