Sam at age 9 and Dean at age 13

Sam at age 9 and Dean at age 13

Sam and Dean hit the mall in style. Dean insisted that Sam actually wear a cool plaid shirt and not a Sam's favorite polo. This, swore Dean, was why Sam never got a girl. Personally, Sam was not interested in girls and after leaving his brother to entertaining a group of girls at the arcade, Sam wandered into a local occult store. Walking amongst the Goths and other kids, Sam looked at the items for sale. Most of it was crap, Sam decided and would have very little use if someone was actually fighting or summoning a demon. Bored, Sam began to walk back through the store when he heard Dean's voice. His brother was shouting at someone. Sam broke into a run and about three stores down, he found his brother standing outside the arcade chin to chin with another boy. The two were shouting at each other and a circle of kids began to gather hoping for a fight.

"Say it again!" shouted Dean. "I dare you!"

"You're a homo," sneered the boy who was backed up by his friends. "The only person I see you hanging around with is this little kid." The boy's friends laughed. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Dean lost control and socked the kid in the jaw. His friends jumped on Dean, the kids gathered began howling and shouting for Dean to get beat up. Sam tried to make his way through the crowd but he was forced back because of his size. Finally, two security guards arrived and dispersed the crowd. Dean was at the bottom of the pile. His nose was bleeding and he had two cuts on his cheek. He was picked up by the security guard and told to leave the mall immediately. Meanwhile, the kid and his friends grabbed their girlfriends and headed back into the arcade. Sam followed Dean through the crowd as his brother began running for the exit. Once outside, Dean began walking toward the motel. He had yet to look or speak to Sam, but Sam was able to keep stride with his brother and saw that Dean was crying.

"Dean" asked Sam. "What happened?"

"Shut it, Sam!" snapped Dean. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Dean" began Sam.

"I don't want to talk about it!" shouted Dean. He stopped, grabbed Sam and shouted in his face. "You'd better not tell anyone about this!"

"Dean" said Sam with tears forming in his own eyes. "Please let me help you."

It seemed to Sam that something in Dean broke. Dean let go of his brother and sat down on the sidewalk. He wiped the tears away from his face with his shirt sleeve. In a low voice, he said " I was talking to these girls and apparently, they had boyfriends."

"The guys who beat you up?" asked Sam.

"Yeah" said Dean. "I know them from school." "They are always making fun of me."

"Why?" asked Sam in genuine surprise. "You are the coolest guy I know."

Dean managed to smile through his tears. "You're such a geek Sammy."

"Anyway" said Dean. "He hates me cause his girlfriend likes me." Dean suddenly grinned. "After all, you cannot blame her, I am completely adorable." To which Sam rolled his eyes.

"Why did he call you a homo?" asked Sam. "What is that?"

Dean's face changed. He looked at Sam. "That is a bad word. Never say that word. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded. Then Dean clamped his brother on the shoulder. "Let's go home."

The two brothers walked toward the motel as the sun set on another day.

Sam at age 25 and Dean at age 29

The air was cool and crisp the morning after the incubus was destroyed. Bobby was taking the old woman back to her home. To their surprise, she hugged both of them.

"You both have made a wise choice" she said. "Not to follow down the path of your father." She sighed and sniffed the morning air. "Your father meant well, but he chose the Left Hand path." She reached into her pocket, pulled out two medallions and cupped them. "His path destroyed his family as well as himself."

Sam and Dean did not respond. Sam's feelings toward his father were numb. He wanted to love and respect Dad, but he had learned too much about his father in the last two years to feel anything above contempt at this point. He looked over at Dean whose face was inscrutable. Instead of looking at Sam, he looked at the old woman. "I'm my father's son aren't I?" "After all, I'm going to hell."

The old woman smiled and touched his cheek. "Your fate is not what you would expect." With that, she turned and walked to Bobby's car. Behind her, the brothers and Bobby looked after her with questioning if not amused expressions. Sam shook his head. "What do you suppose she meant?"

"I have no idea," said Bobby. "But from what I have heard, she is never wrong."

"Where are you off to?" asked Dean.

"Home" said Bobby. "I need some R and R." He looked over at Dean. "I'm still searching for a way to get you out of this deal."

Dean smiled. "Thanks Bobby."

"Don't thank me kid." chuckled Bobby. "That's what family is for."

With that, Bobby gave a wave and walked off to his car. He got in and took off in the direction of Billings. As he left, Tamara walked up. She was just completing a phone conversation.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a couple of hours" she said. "Thanks for calling."

Hanging up, she looked up at Sam and Dean and grinned. "Well, gents, we never seem to meet under good circumstances, but thanks again, I finally feel as though I have been set free."

Sam smiled at her. "I'm glad we could help." For a moment, he and Tamara seemed to only notice each other until Dean cleared his throat.

"Sorry" said Tamara. "I'm headed back to New Orleans. A friend called from Utah. She said that there was an incident with a family there that has the cops stumped."

"What's the case?" asked Dean.

"The family is dead except for the little girl" said Tamara. "Apparently, the police are accusing her of killing her whole family." Tamara shuddered before continuing. "She's only 8 years old."

"Demon involvement?" asked Sam.

"Definitely" said Tamara. "But this is on a higher level than I have seen before." She looked over at Dean. "With your deal coming due, you need to be as careful as possible." She put her hand on Dean's shoulder. "I'll find out what I can and get in touch with you."

Dean nodded his thanks, but didn't say anything else. Sam and Tamara moved away from Dean for a private conversation of their own. Dean unlocked the trunk of the Impala and threw his and Sam's bags in, then he got in the car. Watching Sam and Tamara, Dean hoped that they would get together. Tamara would be good for Sam. His little brother would need someone, thought Dean, to ground him once he was gone. Besides, thought Dean, she is pretty hot for an older woman.

Sam and Tamara hugged, then broke apart. Sam walked to the Impala and got in. Tamara jumped in her SUV and took off with a wave. Sam waved back and looked over at Dean. His brother's expression caused him to frown. "What?" he asked.

"You and Tamara?" asked Dean.

"Nothing is going on Dean" said Sam with a sigh.

"Not yet" said Dean starting the Impala. "Where to?"

Sam laid his head against the seat. "Somewhere we can get some R and R."

"Hmm" said Dean. "How does Seattle appeal to you?"

"Why Seattle?" asked Sam.

"Well" said Dean with a grin. "There is this girl . . ."

Sam held up his hand to stop Dean from going into descriptive detail. "Fine, Seattle it is."

Dean cranked up the radio and under his guidance, the Impala tore out of the parking lot and headed west as the sun rose on another day.