7.

For a split second Dean was more startled by the speed and the sheer strength that he and Sam often forgot Bobby possessed to react. Then he began to struggle against the pressure holding him flat to the wall. Bobby simply gathered more of Dean's shirt collar and the neck of his tee in his hand and twisted until Dean's own clothing tightened around his neck.

"Bobby!...You're choking me….."

Bobby moved both hands off Dean releasing him, but before Dean could take advantage of it, Bobby had grabbed Dean by one shoulder and flipped him so that Dean's back was now against the wall. Bobby quickly lay one forearm across Dean's throat, pinning one of Dean's shoulders with the other hand. Dean felt Bobby change his stance slightly, effectively ensuring Dean couldn't target his vulnerable spots with his knee should Dean attempt it. Dean sighed, letting his muscles relax and dropping his arms to hang loosely by his side.

"Right. Have I got your attention now son?"

Dean's eyes narrowed,

"I'm not your son."

Bobby nodded his acknowledgement,

"No. You're not. But if you had been, if I'd had that privilege, you'd have a damn sight more respect for yourself and your worth than you've ever had as John's son. If you were mine, I would've told you every day how proud I was of you and, I would've made damn certain that you understood how important you are to everyone. How much you matter. Yeah, Sam's got powers, and look what they've done to him. What they've driven him to, where they came from. The only reason Sam's still vaguely safe and still on our side, is because of you. An' that's got nothin' to do with you following daddy's orders to protect him even if it means you getting' hurt. It's because Sam loves you. He listens to you. What's it goin' to take Dean to get that through that thick skull of yours? Without you, who knows how far Sam will go? Jeeze Dean. I swear, sometimes you're enough to drive a man into the arms of hell itself….."

XXX

If it was physically possible for Bobby to have stuffed one of his own feet into his mouth, he would have done. Instead he let go of Dean and stepped back, shaking his head as he looked at Dean.

"Dean…I…."

At Bobby's outburst Dean had sagged against the wall, his head hung in defeat. Now he looked up at Bobby as Bobby stuttered over what to say to the broken man in front of him. Bobby saw Dean's eyes fill with tears. Dean slowly pushed himself away from the wall and wordlessly walked past Bobby to pick up his belongings.

As he passed by, Bobby reached out as though to touch Dean, before pulling back and simply letting his arm drop to his side. With his other hand Bobby pinched the bridge of his nose as he wondered how things had got so out of control. Dean picked up his jacket and slung the duffle over his shoulder before gazing sadly at Bobby,

"At least we both agree finally. Me being around isn't helping. Sam's got a better chance of stopping this thing without me. I hate what he's doing, the way that hell bitch is playing him. I do. But whenever he looks at me he sees a weak link. So really, maybe it is me that's driving him more and more dark side, making him try to compensate for me not being up to task. If I'm not in his face, he can get on and do what he believes he needs to, without me holding him back….. I'm gonna wait outside for Sam. And Bobby? Please. Don't come after me. I mean it. Really. You've said enough."

As the door closed after Dean, Bobby walked slowly back into the kitchen and pored himself another coffee. He half raised the mug to his mouth, then instead he suddenly threw it across the kitchen. Coffee arched out of the flying mug before the mug itself shattered against the opposite wall, splattering the rest of it's contents over a large area. Bobby stared despairingly at the trails of dark brown liquid now running in rivulets down the wall.

xxxxxxxXXXxxxxxxx