The next year had started out nice. Dean was with Dad again. They were slicing up vamps. Dad had his truck. Dean the Impala. Dean wasn't smiling yet but at least he was saying a few words every so often. Then they got back to the motel where it all took a turn for the worse.
"Dad, I think there's another nest in town," Dean said quietly looking through the news-paper.
"No there isn't. Sam wouldn't make shit up like that. So stop being so stupid. We leave in the morning. A werewolf in Kentucky is making a mess of the locals and their cows." John said slamming the bathroom door.
Dean hung his head. He looked over the reports again. Sam looked at them as well. Dean had been right there was another nest. The two had different hunting grounds and stayed clear of the other by at least three miles.
Dean sighed and tucked the papers in his own journal. Wait a moment.
"Dean doesn't have his own journal," Sam said eyeing the thing. Cass gave him a look of confusion.
"You sure?" Cass asked looking how full it was.
"Never seen it before," Sam said with a shrug. "Come on Dean you're right. Go after them! You're not stupid!" Sam tried to encourage even though Dean couldn't hear him.
"Maybe Dad's right. Maybe there isn't another nest." Dean said putting the journal in his duffel.
They watched as Dean went to sleep and John got into bed and started snoring. Something else was about to happen or else the vision would have changed.
Sam kept an eye on the clock but it wasn't till an hour later that Dean crawled out of bed. He grabbed his flashlight and went to the bathroom sitting in the tub to prevent the light from leaving. He looked over the papers again and started making notes.
"No there is definitely another nest." He turned off the light and as quietly as he could got dressed, packed his bag, and wrote a note telling John he couldn't sleep so he left early for Kentucky marking the time on the paper at 3 in the morning hours after he had actually left. Dad would buy it. Figuring Dean had an itch and just needed to drive.
Dean often did that now actually. When he couldn't sit still he would just drive and drive and drive. Nowhere in mind just needing to hear the purr of his Baby and see nothing but open space. Sam was ashamed to say he had never seen Dean do that while he was with them.
Dean never took the Impala just to drive. It must have been because Sam had left, that Dean had gained the habit.
Sam watched as for the first-ever he saw his brother disobey a direct order from his Dad. The first time to see Dean do what he wanted because he wanted to.
And he was right. He saved 8 people that day. Killed 5 vamps all on his own and got back in the car. Ready to back up when John's truck stopped him. Those piercing headlights put fear into Dean and Sam and Cass felt it coming off him in waves.
Dean got out of the car as did John.
"Da-" Dean started only to be smacked across the face.
"I told you to leave it!" John screamed.
"But-" John held up his hand again and Dean stopped.
"Don't ever disobey my orders again! If you ever pull a stunt like that again I am taking and scrapping the Impala." John hissed right in Dean's face. Dean's eyes went wide and he took a step back.
"You wouldn't." He breathed.
"Try me." John snarled. With no more moves on Dean's part, John spoke again. "Now get in the car and follow me. We are going Shifter hunting."
Dean sagged into the seat and clutched the steering wheel. "I will never let him hurt you! No one will ever hurt you, Baby! I may be able to protect Sammy anymore but I can sure as hell protect you." He said to the car and patted her dash with a faint smile before following his father out.
As they drove they changed memories again. This time they were outside a motel. The impala was parked outside and John's truck next to her.
It was cold but not painful cold as they watched Dean come out of the motel looking around nervously before booking it to a phone booth. He opened it and pulled a piece of paper out.
He took a deep breath then put in a quarter. He dialed the number before pressing the phone to his ear. He rested his head on the phone box and waited, muttering to himself.
Sam tried to figure out who he would be calling. Dean had his cell phone he wouldn't need to use a phone box.
Then whoever he was calling picked up and his whole face lit up as he said the name.
"Sammy!" He said happily then it fell as something else must have happened. Dean looked at the phone with absolute horror before slamming it down again and getting his quarter back not being on the phone long enough.
He then stumbled back unhappily to the motel only to be stopped by his cell phone going off. He picked up hopefully only to click it open with horrible sadness.
"Hey, Bobby." He said as he leaned against the car. Now being in Dean's memory's had some advantages that they normally wouldn't have. For example, a phone call that wasn't on speaker they could hear.
"Happy birthday. Dean!" Came the cheerful tone of the gruff old man.
"Thanks, Bobby." He said with a smile as he looked up the sky.
"You have to stop by soon. I have a gift for you. I know your daddy's probably forgotten all about it and is past out on the couch." Bobby said and Dean laughed before running his hand over his face.
"Ya, your not wrong," Dean said. "But there ain't nothing you can give me that compares to what I really want. Sorry, you had to spend the money on me."
"Boy I know you just want to talk to your brother but don't think for a moment I did it cause I had to. I didn't have to do anything. It's what I do cause I care for ya and I don't think anyone else is gonna do it." Bobby said and that was why Sam loved Bobby. The man always said what Sam couldn't and to Dean that meant the world.
"Alright, I will see if I can head up," Dean said and they heard Bobby sigh heavily.
"Your daddy still monitoring your calls and where you go?" Bobby asked and Dean solemnly nodded.
"Ya. He doesn't want me going out on my own." Dean said. "I mean I get why. I'm not that great at anything and Sam was always the smart one. He left. So why wouldn't the stupid son stay?"
Bobby growled over the speaker. "You daddy got you all brainwashed and I can't do a damned thing to tell you otherwise. But you ain't stupid Dean. You're a better hunter then your daddy. And you're the best hunter I have ever seen. Your brother would be proud of you."
"I ain't better than no buddy Bobby. And Sam isn't proud of me. He's disgusted. I tried to call him and his voice mail made me think he had picked up only to shove it in my face." Dean said when the door suddenly opened to a stumbling John.
"Dean! Who the hell are you talking to!?" He shouted angrily.
"Bobby...He was just-" John ripped the phone from Dean's hand and slammed it closed.
"How many times do I have to tell you!? Your stupid and no one willingly want's to talk to you. Don't go bothering Bobby cause you need someone to bitch to." John snarled going into the phone and deleting Bobby's number.
"But-" Dean tried again.
"No buts! You're a soldier! I am your commanding officer. Now get packed we have an egghead to fry." John growled and Dean sighed and followed his father.
"Why does Dean take this?" Cass asked. He was starting to really, really hate John.
"Dad never treated Dean like anything else. Though this is the first time I have seen Dad hit Dean. I always thought Dean respected Dad because he thought he was the greatest person but now I am wondering if Dean respected John because he was afraid of him and didn't want me to get treated the same way." Sam said looking at Cass.
"I really don't like your father," Cass said crossing his arms.
"He had his moments that weren't too bad. But Dean took care of me. Kept Dad cool and made sure I could do things to seem more normal." Sam said.
"That's a lot to put on someone shoulders." Cass pointed out as the vision changed again.
"Ya," Sam muttered.
They were back at Stanford. Dean was pacing in front of the Impala a blue and red-wrapped present in his hands.
A student walked by only to be stopped by Dean. "You live in that building?" Dean asked and the kid nodded wearily. "You know a Sam Winchester?" Again the kid nodded. "If I pay you 100 bucks will you bring this to him?"
"What is it?" He asked wearily.
"Just a gift. It's his birthday after all." Dean said holding out the bill and the gift.
"You got it, mister." The kid said and went inside. Dean smiled and got into the car. The problem was Sam never got that present. That kid never showed up at his door. He prayed Dean would never find out but he was wrong.
Dean was about to leave when the kid and a few of his friends came out holding a gold encrusted blade. The work was amazing and it must have cost Dean a fortune to get it let alone trying to get it to Sam. He face fell when he saw the kid with it holding it like it was Excalibur and he was King Arthur before laughing and putting it in his bag.
"Happy Birthday Sammy. Some jackass just stole 100 dollars and an accent knife I found from you." Dean muttered. "I won't go after him, though. You wouldn't. Punk will probably forget about it and bring it to class and get in super uber trouble." That brought a smile to Dean's face.
"Why don't you let him stay here? You go to England and do your thing, Dean can stay here." Bobby said crossing his arms as John turned bright red.
"You can't discipline the boy correctly! There is no way I am leaving without him!" John yelled.
"Da-" Dean tried but was outmatched by Bobby.
"He's 24 years old John! He doesn't need to be under your thumb all the time! Go hunt ol' yellow eyes. Dean can do more here anyway." Bobby said harshly.
"Oh, you think he will better help here than on a hunt with his old man!?" John sneered. And bobby gave such a quick sorrowful look to Dean Sam almost missed it, before he was right back at yelling at John, and suddenly that look made sense.
"You want to take the stupid son with you who can't fly to England because of your ego!? Right cause that's smart." Bobby hissed and Dean looked away closing his eyes clearly, at least to Sam and Cass, trying to hold back tears.
John held that thought for a moment. Before speaking calmly. "Fine, he can stay here. But one step out of line and you need to put him back in his place. I will be back in a month." John said and was gone.
"Sorry, Dean. I know how much you don't like plans. I just didn't want you going through it if you don't have to." Bobby said trying to convey his pain of saying that about Dean.
Dean offered up a sad smile. "Thanks, Bobby. I...I think I'm going to work in the yard a bit." As Dean left Bobby turned to make dinner only to be fuzzed out because Dean never saw this.
Time moved and they were still at Bobby's and Dean was laughing. Hard. Bobby was rolling on the floor as they watched the three stooges. It was nice to see Dean out from their father's grasp and from the looks of it, it got worse when Sam left. This was the first time Sam saw Dean smile. Not just sad or pained or hurt smile, but an actually genuine smile. It was a breath of fresh air.
Till the front door slammed open and John came in.
"What is going on here!?" He yelled angrily. "I'm off working my ass off and you're here laughing at the TV!? Drop and give me 100!"
Dean automatically dropped and did the pushups.
"John! We had been working in the yard all day! We were taking a lunch break!" Bobby said trying to get Dean to his feet but John stepped in the way.
"You're not his father. And you never will be." John growled. "Say your goodbyes when you're done, son. Then pack your bag and put it in my truck. We are never coming back here."
"But the impala!" Dean whimpered still during the punishment.
"It stays! I have no need for your disappearing and disobeying my rules again." John said and left. And Dean stood up panic going through every fiber of his being.
"Bobby!" Dean cried.
"You better listen to him, Dean. I will take good care of her. Trust me. She will be in good hands. And remember what we talked about alright? If you say yes he will no longer have control over you understand?" Bobby said.
"I can't. If I do I won't be Sam's big brother." Dean's lip quivered making Sam and Cass very confused.
"Yes, you will be. Just in the eyes of the law, you won't be John's son. You don't even have to change your name." Bobby said softly. "Just think about it alright?"
"I can't Bobby. As nice as that would be I just can't. I will come back for her when I can." Dean said and left. Not even bothering to pack his bag instead just grabbing the small bug out bag he kept in the car and left with John.
The room went that gray-white again and they left.
"How did he get the car back?" Sam asked confused.
"What do you mean?" Cass asked.
"He picked me up from Stanford in the Impala. If she was at Bobby's and Dad never brought Dean back then how did he get her back?" Sam asked.
"Hopefully we will find out in the next one," Cass said as they opened the door.
"Stop!" They whipped around to see Dean.