Chapter 12

Mike chuckled at the boys dashing upstairs. His wife hadn't come out of the kitchen, though. Ah, hell. Mike stood slowly, his lower back aching from hours leaning over a customer's engine. He rubbed his back with one hand as he pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen. Kate sat at the table, her head down on her arms.

"Honey?" Mike asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"

Kate's head lifted to reveal a tear-streaked face. She held up a spiral notebook. With a frown, Mike took it. He sat in the chair next to his wife as he read how much Dean liked sharing a room with his little brothers. The conclusion was short, but somewhat disturbing.

Because Mom and Pop let me share a room with my brothers, I can protect them at night. It's really nice of our parents not to make me sleep in a different room and I love them for it.

"Well," Mike said slowly, "at least he loves us."

Fresh tears streaked down Kate's cheeks. "Because we let him do too much?" she whispered, her words forced and choked.

Mike sighed as he pulled her into a tight hug. "We'll talk to the therapist about it this week. Okay?"

Kate nodded against his chest. Was she taking lessons from Dean now? Oh, well. Mike held her close until she settled down. When they tucked the boys in, after Sammy said they were allowed in the room, Kate ruffled Dean's hair. Dean did not like to be touched, so they typically did not display their affection for him, but tonight Dean did not shirk away or cringe. Encouraged, Mike did the same and Dean grinned as he settled under the covers. Wow. That was amazing!

Mikey was so excited he couldn't possibly sleep. It was hard to even pretend to sleep! But finally, finally, finally, he thought Sam was probably asleep.

"Dean?" he whispered.

"Now," Dean whispered back.

Mikey jumped out of bed as quietly as he could. He couldn't stand still while Dean crawled slowly out of bed. They sneaked downstairs to the extra bathroom. Dean looked under the sink cabinet, moving stuff around. He turned to face Mikey with a triumphant grin and a bottle of pink dye in one hand. Yes!

Mikey followed his awesome big brother back upstairs. They very, very carefully used a cotton ball to paint a pink stripe in Sam's bangs. Oh, this was going to be sooooo sweet! Dean hid the dye in the closet before going back to bed.

"Night, Mikey," Dean whispered. "Feel better?"

"You betcha," he whispered to his big brother. "Thanks, Dean."

When Sam got up in the morning and screamed at his reflection in the mirror, it was SO worth it! And all Pop said was "Boys will be boys." So they got away with it too! Sam came down to breakfast with a hunk of hair missing right in front. Mom gave him a funny look, like she wanted to ask why Sam cut his hair, but Pop shook his head so she didn't. Dean kept chuckling and watching Sammy all through breakfast. This was the best day ever!

Dean groaned over the fact Sam was insisting on meeting his English teacher. The kid just did not know how to take 'no' for an answer! Dean knew this game, Sam would continue to pester the everliving daylights out of him until he caved. It was probably easier just to get it over with now. Plus, with that hunk of missing hair in the front, Dean was having a real hard time saying no anyway.

Sam made an excuse to leave early with Dean. Dean checked his watch. If Sam didn't take too long with his teacher, he would have time to walk Sam back to the elementary before his first class. They hurried to the middle school. Dean led Sam through the confusing hallways to his English classroom. Honestly, he had no idea if his teacher would even be there, but if they didn't try there was no way Sammy would shut up about it.

Crap. She was there. Sam marched right up to her desk and cleared his throat. Miss Nevins looked up and glanced between Sam and Dean.

"Can I help you?" she asked, sounding a little curious.

"I'm Sam," Sam said in a firm voice. "Dean is my big brother."

Dean rolled his eyes. Sam and Mikey always did this. They were never his little brother, he was always the big brother. He liked to pretend it annoyed him, so they would keep doing it.

"Well," she said slowly, "it's nice to meet you, Sam. Is there a purpose for this visit?"

"Yes." Sam stood right in front of her to look her in the eye. Sheesh, Sam had some guts! "You gave Dean homework on the first day of school."

Miss Nevins nodded at him. "Yes, I did. And if you're in my class in a few years, I'll do the same for you."

Sam scowled. "I don't like teachers picking on Dean. You should stop it."

She stared at Sam long enough to make Dean nervous. "Sam. I am not picking on your brother. This is the way I teach my class." Miss Nevins smiled as her attention shifted to Dean. "Do you have your paper, Dean?"

Dean nodded as he reached into his bag. He pulled out the paper on his family to hand over while Sam scowled.

"I have a feeling I am going to enjoy this. Dean, you'd better take your little brother over to the elementary before you're late for class," she told him.

Dean ran a hand affectionately over Sammy's head as they left his school. He had the best damn brothers in the world.

"But he let us touch him," Mike argued with Dean's therapist. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well certainly," Doctor Collins said, "but for such a young boy to think he has so much responsibility can not be healthy. What if he were to perceive failure on his part? Do you realize how severely it could set him back?"

Mike looked to his wife for some support, but Kate seemed to be listening to the therapist intently. Damn it.

"I don't want to tell him," Kate finally said. "This paper was the first time he said he loved us."

"Then I'll talk to him," Doctor Collins said. "Send him in."

Sam waited anxiously in the waiting room for his big brother. He hated doctor day. He really, really, really hated doctor day. Mom and Pop kept telling him it was necessary, that the doctor was helping Dean. Sam didn't see it. Besides, if Dean didn't have a good reaction today, Sam wouldn't be able to play a prank on him tonight to get even for the pink stripe in his hair.

Finally the big hand on the clock pointed straight up. Sam turned his attention to the door. Any second now Dean should be walking out. When it opened, Sam jumped to his feet. Dean, head downcast with slow, shuffling steps, walked out.

Damn it! Sam wished he could get this stupid doctor's mother's phone number so he could tell on the asshole. Who in their right minds would tell Dean anything to make him act like this?

Sam rushed to his brother's side to grasp Dean's arm. Almost instantly, Dean shook him off. Dean shook him off? What the hell was going on here? Sam grabbed Dean's hand, tight.

"Don't you do that," Sam said sternly in a quiet voice while Pop and Mom talked to the doctor. "Don't you dare."

Dean sniffled and ran a hand under his nose, not even looking at Sam. Mikey stood off to the side. Sam jerked his head at the little kid. Mikey knew just what to do, he grabbed Dean's other hand and held on for dear life. Sam hadn't seen Dean quite this bad before and it scared him.

The whole ride home Dean did not lift his head one time. Mom kept looking back at them with worried eyes. Sam didn't blame her, he felt pretty much the exact same way. When they arrived at home, Sam and Mikey dragged Dean upstairs.

"What did he say?" Sam demanded, rounding on Dean. Granted, threatening Dean rarely got him anywhere, but he was more than a little freaked out at the moment.

Dean sat on the corner of the bed and shook his head. Not talking, not even to him? Oh, this was just freaking perfect! Sam wanted that stupid doctor's mother's number more than ever. What kind of asshole took a job where he got to harass kids like this?

"Dean?" Mikey said, climbing into Dean's lap. "Are you mad at me?"

Now Dean's head did lift, and he appeared startled. Oh, good. At least Mikey got a reaction. Dean shook his head slowly.

"How about me?" Sam demanded, leaning on Dean's knees behind Mikey. "Are you mad at me?"

Dean's head shook slowly again. Sam let out the breath he had been holding.

"Then don't scare me like that," he snapped. "What's wrong? What did that asshole tell you?"

Dean's head dropped again and he shrugged. Little Mikey made a nasty face. Right in front of Sam's amazed eyes, Mikey slugged Dean in the shoulder. Dean's head snapped up, some of the Dean they saw when they played football coming out.

"Stop that!" Mikey admonished, shaking his finger in Dean's face. "Tell us what the asshole said!"

"That..." Dean dragged in a deep breath. "I'm too old to share a room with you two."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Mom! Pop!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

Heavy steps on the stairs told him their parents had been waiting to be called. "What?" Pop asked as he threw open the door. "What is it?" He kept looking from them to the window for some strange reason.

"Are you planning to make Dean move out of our room?" Sam demanded, hands on his hips as he glared at his parents. He hoped they got the message from the way he was glaring.

"Uh, well..." Mom said slowly. "The doctor thinks it would be a good idea, but – uh..."

"No," Pop said. "We're not." It was funny, but Pop was looking at the window and not at Dean. "Definitely not. Right Mom?"

Mom's gaze went to the window too as she shook her head. "No. We're not."

Dean sighed and his eyes closed as his shoulders slumped. Mikey leaned his head on Dean's shoulder and Sam was relieved to see Dean put an arm around their baby brother. This was much better than shaking them off.

"Why don't you boys go outside and play for a while? Dinner won't be ready for at least half an hour," Mom said quickly.

"Yeah," Sam chimed in. "Come on, Dean. Mikey needs to practice that new move you taught him. Ready?" He grabbed Dean's football off the top shelf.

"Come on, Dean." Mikey hopped down to grab Dean by the hand. He tugged and tugged until Dean finally stood up.

"Catch." Sam barely gave any warning before throwing the ball hard at Dean's stomach. Dean had awesome reflexes, though, and caught it.

"Sam!" Mom snapped. Sam glared back at her. He had half a mind to tell her exactly what he thought of these stupid therapists, but he didn't want to make her mad either. Mom could be a little scary when she was really mad. Sam knew she could scare Dean like nothing else could, and Dean was clearly freaked out enough.

"Outside!" Mom ordered, pointing down the stairs.

Sam waited at the door to follow his brothers outside. When he was halfway down the stairs, Sam looked back at their parents. It was really weird, but Mom and Pop looked about as freaked out as he felt. What they needed was a really good, really intense game of football.

"He's fired," Kate said, her voice quivering with rage. It had been years since she had seen Dean this withdrawn.

"We're running out of therapists," Mike said softly.

"I don't care!" Kate snapped. "I'll drive him to the next town if I have to. We will undo whatever the hell his father and this idiot did to him. We will." They had to. They had to fix Dean. God, he had been doing so much better and the freaking therapist screwed it up? Maybe they should sue him, too.

Mike's hands rested on her shoulders. "I don't think he's broken, honey," he said softly. "Maybe he just needs a little space."

She shook her head. "No. He needs help. We're going to help him." Kate reached back to grab his hand and hold on tight. "What kind of parents would we be if we couldn't help him?"

"Normal?" Mike asked. She felt his cheek press against hers as he leaned forward against her back.

Kate felt the tears brimming as she held tighter to his hand. "We have to do better than that," she whispered, unable to put more force in her voice.

"Okay, honey," Mike said in his soothing voice, the one she knew was supposed to calm her down. Oddly, it usually worked even though she knew what he was doing. "We'll find a new therapist. I promise." A strong arm wound around her waist. "But let's worry about it tomorrow, huh? Or maybe next week. I think maybe today Dean needs some time to play and be a kid."

Kate nodded, leaning back into her husband. She rested there for a long moment, until she heard one of the boys shouting from outside.

"I better fix dinner," she said, reluctantly pulling away from Mike.

"I was thinking about going outside to throw the ball around a little. What do you think?" Mike asked her.

Kate sighed, turning around to face him. "Honestly? I have no idea what to think. Or do. Or anything!" she shouted, throwing her arms up in the air.

Mike reached her in two quick steps to embrace her in an all-encompassing bear hug. Kate sagged in his arms wanting someone else to carry the burden, at least for a little while.