A/N: This is the last chapter for this story. It's basically the Stanford fight. I am planning a sequel to it, which takes place during the Supernatural series. Dean is not in this chapter, but will be in the sequel. I have a plan for another story first, though, so it may be a little while for the sequel. Thanks guys!

Mary wondered what it was that Sam was so excited about telling them. Despite another setback in finding and killing the demon that killed Dean, she and John were in a good place. Their relationship had never been stronger, both between themselves and with Sam. He updated them a few times a week on what was going on in his life, with the big exception of whatever this huge announcement was. John pulled into Bobby's driveway, stopped the car, and turned to Mary and asked the question he'd been wondering about since they'd started the journey here.

"What do you think the big announcement is?"

"I don't know." Mary said. "How about you?"

"Maybe he's got a girlfriend or something?"

"I don't know. I think he would've told me about that over the phone."

"Yeah. You're right." John laughed when he noticed the windows a pair of eyes peeking at them through Bobby's window. "I think we have a spy."

"Well, let's go in and find out."

Ten minutes later, Sam had his parents and Bobby seated on the couch in the living room. He was so excited about something he was practically vibrating. Mary tried not to laugh; obviously whatever he had to tell them was very important, and she didn't want to make him feel bad.

"Sammy, what in the world is going on?" she asked.

"Okay. Sorry. I'm just excited." Sam said. "I've actually got two things to tell you. First, you know I'm graduating this weekend?" Everyone nodded, and, seeming to defy the odds, Sam's smile grew even bigger. "Well, I'm valedictorian. I'm giving the speech at graduation."

Mary was not all surprised, but put on her best acting routine. "Sammy, that's amazing!"

"Good going, bud." John said.

"That's my boy." Bobby agreed.

"So what's your other news?" Mary asked.

Sam took a deep breath. He had led with the valedictorian news, hoping to soften the blow of his actual news. He wasn't sure how his parents would react. He just hoped that they would actually be happy for him.

"Okay. Please, both of you, just listen to me and don't freak out."

"Sam, what is it?" Mary asked. "I thought you said it was good news."

"It is." Sam said. "But I sort of…broke a promise to you and Dad, and I don't want you to get mad."

College, Mary thought. He applied to college and got in. A pit formed in Mary's stomach. She and John had had a long discussion with Sam the summer before his senior year about college. They promised him he could go, but they both wanted him to take a gap year and either stay home at Bobby's or attend community college in the area for the first year. It gave her and John one more year to find and kill the demon, with Sam staying safe at Bobby's. She felt John tense beside her, and reached out to hold his hand. Don't yell, she willed him. Hear him out.

"Just say it, Sam." Mary said.

"Well, this'll tell it better than I can." Sam handed a piece of paper to his mother, infectious smile still decorating his face.

Mr. Winchester,

We have received your application and are pleased to offer you admission to Stanford University's class of 2006. Congratulations and welcome!

Due to your outstanding academic record and stellar recommendations, as well as in response to the financial aid package you sent us, we are also prepared to offer you a full scholarship to pursue your academic studies. Details about how to receive and keep your scholarship will be mailed to you in the weeks to come. The only thing needed from you at this point is a $100 deposit. The purpose of this deposit is to hold your spot in the upcoming class. The due date for this deposit is July 31st, and should be paid by cash, check, or credit card to our admissions office. The address is at the top of this letter, and we will send an email confirmation of receipt to the address you provided for us.

Information about orientation, registration, and housing will be mailed to you after receipt of your deposit. Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to call us at the number listed above, write to us, or email our admissions department.

We look forward to seeing you in the fall.

When a stunned Mary simply handed John the letter, Sam got worried. Surely his parents weren't really that upset about this. He'd been handed a full scholarship to an Ivy League university. Wasn't that something to celebrate?

"I already sent them the deposit, so you don't have to worry about that. Everything's covered-housing, including for the summer, classes, food, books, all that. I might need a little money now and then for stuff like groceries and school supplies, but if that's a problem, I could try to get a part time job…"

"Sam, it's not that. The money's not the problem." Mary sighed. "Honey, I thought we agreed you'd take a gap year."

"Mom, I don't want to take a gap year. I want to go to school. This is an awesome opportunity for me."

"I understand that, Sam…"

When John handed the letter back to Bobby, he said simply, "Sam, you're not going."

"What?" Sam asked. "What do you mean I'm not going?"

"I mean exactly what I just said. You made an agreement with me and your mother, and we're not going to allow you to break it. The only reason we allowed you to move in with Bobby is because he can protect you too. If you're across the country, none of us can protect you."

"I don't need protection. I'll be in class and studying. How is that dangerous?" Sam asked, suddenly not nervous and shy now but angry and resentful.

"You're not going, Sam."

"Mom?"

"I'm sorry, honey. Your dad's right. It's too dangerous." Mary felt like a spectacularly horrible mother for denying this to Sam, but John was right-Sam being away was far too dangerous and would likely get him killed if he was too far away from them.

"So you'd take this away from me, this awesome opportunity that might never come my way again, because you're afraid of what might happen."

"Sam, let's call Stanford. We can try to go there and explain the situation, that you can't attend this year and maybe come next year…"

Sam scoffed. "Please let me be there when you tell the Stanford board of admissions that you're trying to make me stay home because you're afraid a demon is going to kill me."

"And that's why you have to stay." John growled. "Because you don't appreciate the seriousness of this."

"I do, Dad, but come on…"

"NO!" John shouted, rising to his feet finally. "No, Sam. The answer's no. You're not leaving."

"Sam, please, please just try to understand." Mary said, attempting to defuse John's anger and impatience with some understanding. "If things were better, safer, your father and I would go down there with you ourselves. But it is just too dangerous."

Sam took the letter back from Bobby, who had said next to nothing in the entire exchange. "Do you agree with them?"

"This ain't my fight, Sam." Bobby said, and couldn't look Sam in the eye when he said it.

Sam was crushed. He'd thought for sure that Bobby would be on his side. That he'd tell Mary and John they were being completely unreasonable, and that they needed to let him go. But apparently even that was too much to hope for.

"Great." Sam said, fuming. "Just great."

"Sam, I'm sorry. We just can't lose you too." Mary was begging now, pleading for him to understand.

"Don't." Sam turned back to Mary, eyes swimming with frustrated tears. "Don't tell me how sorry you are. Don't tell me you're taking something that I may never get to do again because it'll keep me safe. You have the choice here. You can choose to be right, and I stay here and be miserable and never talk to any of you again, or you can choose to be happy, and let me go and live my life."

"Please sit down, Sam." Mary said calmly. "Please, just sit down and listen to me without interrupting. Please."

Though his father was clearly still fuming at Sam's attitude towards the whole situation, Mary was trying hard to keep the peace. Sam decided to listen to her, though he had no intention of actually staying behind. He pulled the chair from behind Bobby's desk and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sam, this isn't just about finding Dean's killer. We think the demon might be after you too. But if you're across the country, and he comes after you, we can't come and protect you. We just can't take that chance, honey. I'm sorry. Do you understand?"

"No. No, I don't. Do you get how amazing this is? How big of an opportunity it is? And you're asking me to give it up because of what might happen."

"I know it's frustrating. But I promise you, Sam, we kill that demon and your dad and I will do whatever we have to to be able to send you to college after that. If we both have to work every day for the rest of our lives so that you can finish your education, I swear to you we will. Just not right now."

"That's all good and everything, mom, but what happens if you never find him? Or if you don't find him for ten years? Twenty? Am I just supposed to stay here at Bobby's for the rest of my life?"

"It won't take that long." Mary promised.

"How do you know that, Mom?" Sam asked. "Tell me how you know, how you can guarantee it won't take that long."

"You know I can't do that." Mary said.

"Then don't tell me it won't take that long. You've already been doing this for seventeen and a half years. My entire life. And I won't let you keep me trapped here for the rest of it."

"What exactly does that mean?" John growled.

"It means I'm going to Stanford. I wanted your blessing, but I'm going either way."

"You'd really leave without our okay?" Mary asked. "Sam, please. You're so smart. Just think about it. We can protect you so much better here than if you're far away."

"I must not be that smart, Mom. Because I thought for sure I'd have support on this. But I guess I should have known better than to expect some support from my parents."

"Sam, get up to your bedroom." Bobby said from the couch.

"Bobby?"

"Just go up to your room. I'm gonna talk to your mom and dad." Sam didn't waste time, just headed up to his room. Bobby turned back to John and Mary. "You two need to let him do this."

"Bobby, we can't. What if…?"

"Sam's right. It's not right to take this from him. He'll never get an opportunity like this again. We can work together and find a way to keep him safe. Send hunters to check on him…"

"Bobby, no. He stays with you or he travels with us." John said. "If you don't want him to stay…"

"I didn't say that, you jackass." Bobby said. "But I think you know this as well as I do. I know you're worried about losing him. But if you keep him here, you're gonna lose him anyway."

"The hell we will." John said.

"John, he's right." Mary said. "Bobby, do you have enough hunters to keep an eye on him?"

"If nobody can go, I'll check on him myself." Bobby promised. "Mary, you know if you keep him here, he'll just leave the first chance he gets. Would you rather know and be sure of where he is or hope that he made it there safe?"

"I can't believe this. You're really gonna let him go."

"Yes. I am." Mary said. "If we don't, he'll hate us and he'll never listen to us again."

"Fine." John said. Any other time, Mary might have laughed at how much John looked like Sam when he crossed his arms petulantly over his chest.

"Come on, Bobby. Let's go tell him."

Mary and Bobby walked up the stairs, expecting to find a sulking Sam sitting on his bed, or perhaps angrily throwing books or things around his room. There was no sound when they made it to the door of Sam's room, so Mary knocked softly and waited for a response. When none came, Mary opened the door and walked inside. The covers on Sam's bed were pulled back, and a duffel bag that Sam kept under the bed was missing. On the bed was a note, hastily written and turned up so it was visible.

Don't follow me.