After breakfast the next morning, Dean took John aside and asked him about their situation. The man was still in shock, but he seemed to be at the accept-and-just-try-to-understand-it stage.

"Have you come across anything like this before?"

John shook his head, unnaturally reserved, speaking to his son-but-not-quite. "Never in my life. Time travel? It's science fiction, it's never come up before."

Dean sighed. "Yeah… that's what I thought."

"You know, I don't know if I'm relieved or not." John finally said after a short silence, during which both of them mentally begged the other to speak. Dean quirked an eyebrow for him to continue. "I thought you were possessed, or… I don't know. Dark doubles. I'm sure that would have been easier to get my head around."

"Aw, come on, this isn't so bad." Dean tried the humorous approach, as per usual. "You could take some serious advantage of this. How often do you get a chance for a sneak preview?"

"Dean, I wouldn't want to know how things turn out even if you asked me." John didn't miss a beat. "Things are better found out when the time comes. Just knowing the two of you are safe and alive is enough."

And what about you? Dean found himself thinking. Fast forward ten years and God knows where you are.


Monday.

Eugh. Monday.

If it weren't for Sam's (some might say 'irrational') fear of messing with the past and inadvertently changing the future, he'd be home with Dean right now, helping him build a tower out of matchsticks and falling silent whenever John came into view. Now the whole household was in on their secret, there was no need for them to keep up the front and continue going to school… but Sam couldn't bear the thought of returning to normal just to discover he'd dropped 50 IQ points because he'd left school at thirteen.

The same idea hadn't seemed to bother Dean quite as much.

So instead of relaxing at home and trying to solve this thing, he was sitting in a classroom, not even sure what subject he was supposed to be learning, trying to ignore the incessant whispers of 'Sam! Saaaam!' coming from the back right-hand corner where he'd deliberately NOT chosen a seat.

And to moan for the sake of moaning – because Sam was just in that kind of mood – he was still short.

'Saved by the bell' was a cliché he would never scoff at again; the loud ringing truly was a magical sound when one was in his position – although, to be fair, very few were. Sam bolted from the room. He'd never been a heavy drinker, but right now, he could use a couple shots more than anything. Understandably, remembering that he was meant to be only thirteen and definitely not admitted into any bars worsened his mood.

Through the scatter of kids hyped up on recess, and as Sam tried his best to stealthily evade his 'BFF', he caught a glimpse of something which made him stop for a minute.

"Hey… hey, Tanner!" Sam called out and jogged after the boy.

He turned around, and Sam was surprised to see his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and his skin had paled, covered in a light film of sweat. But above all that, the short, light brown crop which had been similar to Dean's in style had grown at least a foot and a half over the weekend.

"You wearing a wig or something? What happened to your hair?" Sam asked.

"It was like this this morning." Tanner replied with a weary tone. "My mom thinks I'm taking steroids."

"…are you?" Asked Sam, recalling the kid's incredible talent for impressions of men far beyond his years.

"No way. I heard drugs screw with your voice, anyway, my band would kick me out." Tanner said earnestly.

"So then… how..?"

Tanner leaned in close, keeping his voice low. He didn't look scared… worried at the most, but his voice portrayed far more. "I wish I could tell you, but I don't have a clue what's happening to me."


When Sam got home that afternoon (he'd insisted he was old enough to take the bus by himself, and John couldn't argue) he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to find. Dean and John at each others throats? Maybe. John researching through thousand-year-old texts and Dean watching wrestling on TV? Probably more likely.

He hadn't expected to open the door to the two of them sitting on the couch, each with a beer in one hand and a bag of peanuts between them, laughing at some inside joke.

Yeah, that was a surprise.

Sam stepped into the room, face housing an awkward half-smile. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, hey Sam." John greeted him between chuckles. "Dean was just telling me about how he took down that bully at school last week."

"I thought you didn't like us fighting at school." Sam frowned.

"You boys are adults now, aren't ya?" John cocked an eyebrow. "Old enough to know it doesn't bother me half as much as I make out. That 'n other things."

"What things?" Sam probed, all too aware that he probably had the empty beer bottles scattering the floor to thank for John's openness going this far.

John shrugged. "I'll tell you when you do 'em."

Sam rolled his eyes, grinning just a little, and crossed the room to put his bag down, which was beginning to feel like it weighed a ton.

"So, you two look like you've had a productive day." Sam commented sarcastically as Dean tilted his head back and flicked a peanut into his mouth with perfect aim. "Whatcha been doing?"

"Bonding." Dean replied without missing a beat, promptly fighting off a fit of laughter.

"Right. Yeah, okay." Sam rolled his eyes again and stalked off into the bedroom, dragging his bag behind him.

The late afternoon sun was streaming in the bare, dusty window, and for a moment as he looked back, the sharp shadow along John's jaw made it look like his hair had grown.

"Oh!" Sam exclaimed, and doubled back.

"Dean, I met someone today."

"Yeah? She hot?"

Sam rolled his eyes, and sat on the edge of the coffee table, facing them. "Not a girl, Dean -"

Dean looked alarmed. "Whoa, whoa, stop right there Sammy -"

"Would you just listen?" Sam was beginning to get frustrated. "I think he might be a lead in why we're here."

Suddenly, Dean was all jokes aside. John was listening too.

"Today, his hair had grown more than a foot just over the weekend." Sam continued. "And last week, I heard him practicing with his band, doing an exact impersonation of Ronnie Van Zant."

Dean was frowning at the floor. "So… because he overdosed on Hairnergizer and he can sing, you think he's the devil in disguise?"

"Dean, the kids like fourteen. And it's strange, right?" Sam pressed. "It's the only possible lead we have, and if we really were brought back to stop something, shouldn't we at least look into this?"

"Yeah, alright." Dean nodded. "See if you can interrogate him some more tomorrow."

Just as Sam was about to leave, he noticed John, sitting quietly beside Dean, listening. He caught his eye, and John gave him a smile and a solid nod.

He grinned and took another swig. "That's my boys."


"Hey, Tanner. You're looking better today." Sam commented as he spotted the boy just inside the school gates. He'd cut his hair short again, and his skin had its healthy tan back.

"Yeah, I feel better." The kid nodded with a grin, and the way he said it made Sam think it held more stock than just face value.

"So, uh, fever all gone?" Sam probed cautiously, then added approvingly. "You cut your hair."

Tanner grinned that same mysterious grin. "That's the thing. I didn't."

"What?"

"C'mere."

Tanner led him behind a building, glancing around to make sure no one was following them.

"I didn't cut it." He said again once they were out of sight, with the tall white wall of a classroom on one side of them, and the freshly mown football field on the other. "I just… wanted it to be short again. And it was."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." Tanner winked, a big grin on his face. "And check this out."

For a few seconds, it didn't seem like anything was happening, but slowly, Sam noticed Tanner's hair was beginning to lengthen again. Like it was taking on a life of its own, the strands snaked down to his shoulders, then receded back into his scalp again, creating the neat, boyish cut in less than twenty seconds.

Sam didn't have to feign shock, his natural reaction was enough. He stared at Tanner in amazement and the kid wiggled his eyebrows.

"Neat, huh?"