With a wide sweeping glance, Sam swallowed. The pieces spread out look like a disrespected skeleton and he sent a quick prayer that they'd be fine during this homeland security stint. Then he caught the tape player his brother was fiddling with and became distracted by the oddity. Which earned him a lecture over an EMF meter like he'd forgotten during his time at Stanford. Annoyed, he snapped back at his brother, reiterating the question on design. It turned out that's what it was. Surprised, he eyed Dean's apparent pride on the device. Apparently his big brother had listened to him on going back to his love of the mechanical. Except, not really.

Sam froze as Dean's face fell at the irritation that slipped through on what his brother would call his bitch voice, watching as Dean continued searching over the plane with his homemade EMF meter. He shook his head. He hadn't meant for it to come out that way.

Not sure how to apologize about it, still awkward being around Dean again, Sam continued searching over the plane visually. He fought himself, not commenting on how the homemade EMF meter worked when Dean found something. Dean would have caught the irritation in Sam's voice he had at himself over his earlier mistake and Dean would likely misinterpret it. As soon as they were out of here, Sam's itched to check the busted Walkman himself. His brother's mechanical ability was definitely worth the praise even if Dean didn't always believe what his little brother and uncle Bobby said all those years ago. Maybe that would make up for his accidental tone later. Apologies and accepting them always made it worse with Dean, even if Sam itched to say it out loud. Then Dean wiped off the grimy mysterious residue he touched from the plane's emergency door handle onto Sam. That did it. Sam forced his mouth shut. Apology bill fitted. Screw making sure Dean knew his issue was the not going to MIT and wasting his talents.

Sam had finally fallen asleep. It seemed as though 'Hey Jude' still did the trick, lulling Sam to sleep after playing on a local rock radio station. Dean glanced over at his kid brother. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved, what with the abnormal dreams Sam had mentioned, but he was relieved. Sam needed the rest and Dean didn't want to look too closely at the premonition of Jessica dying before the fact.

When a popping noise echoed across the Impala and tranquil security, Dean nearly swore. Knuckles tight on the steering wheel, he jerked the car back onto the right side of the road and twisted his head. Sam somehow, miraculously, slept on. Dean nearly cursed again as he spotted a certain young escape artist poking herself between Sam and him from the back seat. Allison had discovered how to use her talent to find him out on the road.

Anthony wasn't holding his time with Sam against him, but it seemed his sister had if the mixed look on her face was anything to go by. Scowling. Yet also appearing ridiculously pleased with herself, eyes lit up in excitement the longer she looked at him. Then she announced he had another niece, but she fully expected to be his favorite and one most talked to. She shoved a piece of paper at him and grinned before she popped away again. Dean blinked at the abrupt departure, expecting differently, but realized the paper held a phone number. He snorted. Little shit. Couldn't just call or text his phone, could she? He laughed to himself, shaking his head and then her first words hit him. Hermione had a daughter!

'Congratulations! Allie gave me the news. A little daughter? Bet she takes after you and will be a bright little thing. As if dim Sneakly wasn't already outnumbered.'

It felt an awful lot like his brother blaming him for leaving for college, despite the pride Sam heard for years under the nerd teasing. Except any real issue, anything really Dean at the core, it came out in fissures when Dean was overly stressed. Not calm and lecturing. Sam again demanded the shape shifter of Dean's whereabouts and worked to free his bound hands. The so called learning the shifter claimed seemed true enough with things he said, but the shifter defiantly hadn't learned Dean. It helped Sam focus past it's current appearance. Then the shifter stated Dean knew he was a freak to be ditched by everyone.

A freak? Ditched? That didn't make sense to Sam. Dean took to the life of saving people as a teenager, didn't even take Sam's suggestion of normal with MIT. And Dean was the one who continued backing Sam's learning all through growing up. Hell, even was the one to help him move in first year. Not dad, Dean.

The shifter's face twisted a bit, but nothing new was spoken other than more put downs that Dean would never say this calmly if it were a real issue. Such a fake, not even a good one, looked nothing like his brother the longer it talked. The shifter then ended it's speech with a promise of harm to Becky. Sam continued working determinedly at his bonds under the sheet the shifter threw over him, ignoring most of what it said as its piss poor rendition of Dean. The only weird bit that lingered as Sam worked was the apparent confusion it had after digging for why Dean considered himself a freak. It never elaborated on it. As if it shared Sam's lack of knowledge behind why. Sam could make an educated guess why after how they grew up. He shrugged it off, yanking at the bonds harder. He never would have guessed before that Dean felt the same over how dad raised them all across the country and into the supernatural.

With a swipe, Dean rid himself of any wet evidence of calling dad about the something in their old house possibly still there. Then he called Hermione, intent to find out if Sam's weird dream premonitions could just be a delayed thing. A delayed natural wizard thing. As expected, she scoffed, never a fan of divination.

Dean chuckled, amused at her sudden rant over the subject. Then broke in with seriousness. She went quiet, listening as he explained details behind Jessica's death and now their childhood home. As if he could really explain it well. The entire thing was freaking him out.

He wasn't the least bit calmer at Hermione's speculation. Pitcher had something similar apparently and it was due to a piece of the wizard that tried to kill him as a baby. Hermione's first guess of there being a piece of the thing that killed mom living inside of Sam was not an idea Dean wanted anywhere near his mind. She reassured him she'd research into that sort of magical ability when Rose fell asleep. Dean gave a distracted greeting to the little girl, earning an odd and gleeful squeal, then hung up feeling numb.

Aware of Sam sleeping on the motel bed near him, Dean managed to get his breathing under control in his panic. He had nothing from all of years involved in supernatural to have an answer for his little brother of what was happening to him. Not even magical. Besides Pitcher, which was a very unusual case according to Hermione, there was no recordings of any sort of premonitions tied with dreams for natural born witches and wizards. Hell, even Hermione was concerned enough with the painful headache inducing awake one Dean described in a text, to offer coming here to look over his brother.

Sam was devastated they hadn't gotten up in time to save the Miller men, thinking why else would he have these things before they happened. Damn. His little brother was stressing less than he was. But Sam felt it was his way to make it up to Jessica. He hadn't taken advantage to save her, so he was determined to save the others.

When they had been on the drive over to Roger Miller's apartment, it finally got to Sam. It had begun scaring his kid brother on why it was happening to him. Roles reversed from Sam's previous drive to save these people he dreamed about, it was Dean making reassurances then. They dealt with the supernatural everyday, they'd figure it out. And if it was something magical, well, Dean just might have to tell Sam the truth. Only if he could figure out what it was first for sure. Maybe whatever it was that suppressed Sam's abilities as a wizard had finally run its course. Anthony was closer than Hermione. So he asked Anthony to come check for Sam's magical signature while Sam was sleeping. His mate shook his head afterwards, tucking his wand back into its holster. There was nothing magical ringing up high enough to even faintly register like Dean's did at this point. Thanking Anthony and giving his well wishes for Allie and Darcy before Anthony took off, Dean fell back into the motel chair. What the hell was going on with Sam?

They grew tall. And well. Those two boys grew up to be fine men. Bobby felt for that poor girl dragged into this demon business with John, but it was damn good to see those boys again and handling her with care and concern. He'd seen too many lose those qualities after hunting so long, such as their father when he was on the trail of something or another. The well being of the victims dealing with the aftermath became overlooked or shrugged off due to it no longer affecting the hunter in question.

He pressed his numbers into Dean's palm as the boy trudged back from helping Sam with moving and giving proper respects to Meg's body. Despite Bobby saying he could do it so they could get safely away. Those boys. Dean looked at the scrap of paper and his face lightened from its tension, thanking Bobby. Those boys better stay in contact this time after damn John burned his numbers after Bobby's promise of a shotgun to that man's head.

Sam followed up shortly, his smile even wider than his brother's when Dean displayed the paper before he pocketed it. His eyes went wide in surprise at something behind Bobby suddenly. He turned about to see what, then snorted he could read whatever the hell he wanted in his free time. He gave a minute shake of his head at Dean's worry at the sight of the popular series in with all his other relaxing read picks. There was sure to be calls over them later, especially on Bobby's side notes he had on the magical series. Bobby quickly steered the conversation back to them getting a go on before the paramedics arrived.

At Darcy's giggle entering the kitchen, Anthony glanced up from the bowl of brownie mix and grinned. Heaving a large overdramatic sigh, he tapped his toe and looked to his Portable Post phone on the table. Darcy nodded. His sister was still mooning over her silent phone, growing even more impatient as the birthday turned to evening. Her letter of acceptance for next school year and her friends texting birthday wishes didn't distract her much.

Quickly, Darcy swiped a chunk of the mix out of the bowl and liked her finger clean. He wagged the spoon at her, which she snatched away and got his nose. The kiss after was pleasant and made up for it.

Allison stomped in, breaking up the kiss unknowingly as she glared at her phone. Catching the playful look on Darcy's face again, Anthony sighed and gave in. She took the offered spoon with glee, sneaking up on his sister.

"Hey! Darcy, that's not funny!" Allison rubbed the brownie off her face. Then huffed. "Uncle Dean would have liked that, I guess I should have taken a picture to take with me if he ever calls like he promised."

"Don't you think about it," Anthony warned. He recognized the look his little sister had all too well. "You know the day isn't over and he's probably busy working a case with his brother. He keeps his word, you keep yours and wait before you go see him. Wait for us all to go. And you wonder why both of us say you'd have never been Hufflepuff if you attended Hogwarts."

"I heard that," Allison shot back. "I totally would be!"

"Dean's got the right of this," he responded offhandedly as he stole the spoon back to pour the brownie mixture into the pan. He knew it would start the usual argument and distract Allison over the lack of call. Sure enough, he heard his little sister explaining all the reasons she would never be a Gryffindor, but a Hufflepuff like Dean and himself. Darcy distracted her further with asking which house she would have been in.

Concerned himself, Anthony shot Dean a reminder text message on his phone. 'Allison's getting antsy here. Busy? Or is Sam in earshot? Text is fine to hold her back from popping over to you.'

'Shit. I forgot. I'll shoot Allie a message, but I can't. I promise for you and Darcy's one year coming up. Visit then. But. I can't. I can't.'

Anthony frowned and turned away from his wife and little sister debating. He didn't want Allison picking up on this. Dean wouldn't just forget. There was an alert noise and a sudden whoop of joy behind him. 'What happened? Is it Sam?'

The responding message was a jumbled mess of confusion, but very clear in its message and he swore loudly.

"Shit?" Allison repeated curiously. He didn't swear much and saw both Allison and Darcy's eyes go wide with panic. More so Allison. "You know! You know why Uncle Dean called for a raincheck on us popping over today for my birthday! What happened?"

"Don't!" She jerked away from his barked command, startled. "Allison, just don't. I don't care if you can apparate straight to people too, don't!"

He dialed Dean's number, making to leave the kitchen for privacy, but Allison's small hurt face ate at him. Anthony looked back to her tearful face. "His dad." Her nose scrunched in dislike, clearly remembering when she called Dean and his father yelled at him about her familiar claim on her 'Uncle Dean'. Anthony didn't blame her either. He wasn't a fan of Dean's father either. But. "His dad passed away Allison."

Then he left completely, focused entirely on his emotionally shaken mate, trying to comprehend his father's last words and death and hold it all together for his brother.

Author's note :

Reading over a few of your reviews that give me a grin every time I get one, there seems to be a trend of dislike going on. Poor Sam. I'm sure Dean would thank you all for your support, especially if you're a pretty lady, but he's always going to downgrade the rank of his personal feelings compared to Sammy. And honestly, it is kind of all Dean's fault that Sam treats him like he does because he rarely opens up and keeps hiding his own times and versions of normal happiness. Not to mention, Sam hasn't been around Dean in four years, since a just turned 18 years old. Even if he has taken leadership roles at college while away from his dad and brother, Jessica just died. Complain all he wants, Sam needs the feeling of being looked after and taken care of right now. Then you add in the weird dreams that started up right before. He's going to be off in his loss and not always say the right thing when he tries to joke again. Down people. You're making me feel really bad for Sam. He's still the kid brother now. Give him a few years to grow up and start really demanding to be treated equally instead of bitching and complaining like the kid he still is. Dean preserved as much of Sam's childhood that he could too. Poor Dean. Ya'll question his Sammy raising? :P