"You know, I could kick myself for not asking to talk to you when your father called me, Sam." Gary admitted. "I don't know what I was thinking. It sounded like a solution to my problem I guess, and that was selfish of me. All I heard was that Sam Winchester needed a job and a place to stay. I didn't really stop to consider why that was. And I should have, Sam. I should have, and I'm really sorry."

Sam fiddled with his pot roast, shrugging. "It's okay. It all worked out for the best."

"Did it?" Gary sat staring at him with an intensity that made Sam nervous. "I mean there's no argument that Hy and I got a good deal, but what about you, Sam? Are you happy with the situation?"

Sam shrugged again, not meeting Gary's eyes. "I like it here. I like working with Hy." He risked a glance at the younger boy, pleased to find him grinning back.

Gary nodded. "And what about Dean?"

Sam felt his face go pale. "What about him?"

"I know all about raising brothers, Sam. Bobby tells me he's beside himself. He wasn't on board with this whole separation, was he? Bobby didn't sound too pleased either. Was this your father's idea?"

Sam shook his head. "It was my idea. Dad just … he didn't fight me on it."

"Dean thinks your father hurt you, Sam."

Sam gasped, looking up. "What?"

Gary nodded. "Bobby said Dean's been out of his mind with worry. I think you need to call him, son."

"I … he'll come here. He'll … he'll take me back." Sam stammered.

"Dad! No!" Hy interrupted. "Don't call him!"

"Hy," Gary reasoned with his son. "I want you to consider something for me, okay? Picture Moses alone at school, and he hears that you suddenly went missing. How do you think he would feel? Do you think it would be fair to let him worry if you were really okay?"

Hy fell silent, considering.

Gary turned to Sam. "Sam, does your father hurt you?"

But it was the look on Sam's face that answered the question. "No! I mean, Dad never laid a hand on me except to … to spank me. He just … we don't really get along all that well."

"But he's never done anything out of line? Never punched you or threatened you or … or done things he shouldn't have?" Gary struggled not to be too explicit in front of his son.

"No. Of course not."

"Has Dean ever done any of those things? Or Bobby? Because if you tell me yes, I'll see to it that you can stay here. I won't make you go back into an abusive situation. I don't care how hard I have to fight. Or who."

Sam shook his head. "No! Nothing like that! It's just …"

"Just what?"

"Just … Dean … he doesn't have a life because of me. Dad's made him look after me since he was four years old. He can't have a girlfriend or join a team at school or … or go on the hunts he wants to go on because I'm always there. I'm always in his way." Sam turned pleading eyes on Gary, "This is the one thing I can do for Dean. I can give him this!"

Gary looked stunned. "Did he say those things? What makes you think Dean wants that, Sam?"

Sam looked miserable. "He didn't tell me. He'd never tell me, but he … he told other people, and it got back to me. What I'm doing … I'm doing it FOR Dean, not to hurt him."

Gary nodded, sitting back in his chair. What Sam was telling him didn't jive with the picture Bobby had painted of two men going out of their minds with worry.

"I should tell you - they're coming here, Sam."

"Who?"

"Dean and Bobby and some others. We're going on a hunt, and I told Bobby they could stay here. This might be your chance to make things right with your brother. What do you say?"

"Dean's coming?" Sam was sort of surprised, surprised and pleased. As much as he wanted Dean to be happy without him, he missed his brother something fierce. "He's really coming? He said so?"

Gary nodded. "As far as I know. He's driving down with Bobby. They'll be here on Wednesday."

"I just thought …"

"What, Sam?"

"Well, that he was probably doing better without me. That he might like the freedom."

Gary shook his head. "Didn't sound that way to me, son."

Suddenly Sam's face lit up like the dawn after the bleakest winter storm. "He's really coming! Dean's coming." He turned to Hy. "He's gonna love you! You have to show him that move you tried on me yesterday! He'll never believe it."

Hy tried to be sad, but Sam's excitement was contagious. "You think he'll notice that I got moves?" He asked hopefully.

"I know he will, Hy." Sam reassured him. "You'll love Dean. He's the best big brother in the world, well except for Moses, of course."

Hy grinned. "He'd have to be pretty rad to beat Moses."

###

The more Dean thought about the upcoming hunt, the more he realized he wasn't up for it.

He had just one thing on his mind, and it wasn't watching his back, or watching anyone's back for that matter. Heading out into the game like he was feeling - well, that could just get people killed. Dean shook his head. He had to sit this one out.

"Hey Bobby."

"Hmm?"

"I, uh, I can't go with you."

Bobby looked up from the socks he was tucking into his duffle. "You can't?"

"No. I'm sorry."

Bobby was silent a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Dean was surprised, "Okay? That's it? I expected fire and brimstone."

Bobby shrugged, "I know you got a lot on your mind, kid. I ain't judging you."

"It's just, my head's not where it should be right now, you know? I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

Bobby nodded, "I expected as much, just do me a favor okay?"

"Sure."

"Call Gary and let him know we're gonna be a man short. He's letting us stay at his place, and it sounded like he's making up rooms for us. Number's on the table."

"Got it covered," Dean said, reaching for the phone, he pulled the number close and dialed.

###

Gary was in the shower and Hy was doing homework in his room when the phone rang. Sam answered absently, his head bent over a book of classic poetry he'd gotten at the library.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I'm calling for Gary Grey. This him?"

"He's not available to come to the phone right now. Did you want to leave a message?" Sam asked, looking around for a pen and some paper.

"Yeah, I guess. Uh, just tell him Dean can't make it down this week."

Sam's hand froze, mid-reach. "Dean?"

"Yeah, Dean Winchester. I was driving down with Bobby, but something came up."

Sam felt his heart plummet in his chest. "You're not coming?"

"No."

Sam swallowed, "Why?" The question was out before he could call it back.

Dean hesitated, considered telling whoever this was that it was none of their damned business, but something held him off. "I, uh, there's just something more important I need to do this week. I'll try to catch the next one, hunh?"

Sam nodded, suddenly understanding. "More important. Got it." He said shortly. "I'll make sure he gets the message."

Dean paused, suddenly feeling like he'd hurt the kid's feelings. This must be Gary's son, Hyrim. Bobby had said he was about 10 years old. "Listen, uh, I'd be there if I could. I just … can't."

"Yeah, you said that already. You can't come. I got it. Bye." Sam ended the connection.

Dean wasn't coming. Seeing Sam wasn't important enough.

He guessed that pretty much said it all.

Sure didn't make it hurt any less though, and Sam didn't even notice the tears until suddenly Hy was there, reaching out a hand and catching one on a finger.

"Why are you crying, Sam?"

Sam swiped at his face, embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "Nothing. Nothing, Hy. I'm fine."

"You always cry when you're fine?" He asked in that grown-up way he had. "Who was that on the phone?"

Sam considered lying, but then realized he had no reason to. "It was Dean. He's, uh, he's not coming down."

Hy's eyes widened. "Did you tell him how much you wanted to see him?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't think he realized it was me."

Hy's brow furrowed, "Whyn't you tell him? I'd give Moses sass if he promised to come and then called and cancelled."

Sam shrugged, "He had something he had to do. It's okay, Hy, honest. It's for the best. It's … it's what I wanted. Dean has his life back now. I can see why he doesn't want to risk rocking the boat, you know? You'll be okay for a bit if I go lie down? I'm not feeling too well just now." Sam stood, closing his book quietly.

Hy nodded. "Yeah. That's cool."

Sam smiled sadly, nodded once and headed for the stairs.

Hy sat staring at the phone, an unreadable expression on his young face.

###

Dean hung up the phone, feeling all kinds of wrong about that conversation.

"Hey, Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"That Hyrim kid, he really lonely or something?"

Bobby looked up, confused. "That's an odd question. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. Just seemed like it upset him that I wasn't coming along. I never met the kid, did I?"

Bobby thought back. "No, pretty sure. You remember Moses, right?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, sure. Moses and Gary, but not the kid, right?"

"Far as I know, Dean." Bobby shrugged.

"Hunh." Dean snorted as the phone rang. "That was weird." He said, catching Bobby's eye as he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Is this Dean?" the voice asked.

"The one and only." Dean smirked. It was a kid on the other end of the line.

"You suck."

Dean's eyes widened, he turned to Bobby, confused, and punched the speaker option.

"Who is this?"

"This is Hyrim Grey. You made Sam cry."

Suddenly, the conversation wasn't funny anymore, and Dean felt his stomach kick. "What did you just say?"

Bobby was beside him instantly, a hand on his shoulder.

"Sam. You made him cry. He wants to see you. Why can't you come? What's so important that you can't come and see Sam? He had all these plans."

Dean swallowed hard. "You know where Sam is? You better tell me right now."

"You just talked to him not 10 minutes ago."

Dean blanched. The kid on the phone. The one who sounded so mad when he found out Dean wasn't coming.

"That was Sam?" Dean felt sick. How could not have recognized his brother's voice?

"Didn't you know he was here? He's been coaching me."

Dean's voice failed him. He sat slack-jawed and, for once, speechless.

"Hyrim, this is Bobby Singer. I need to speak to your dad."

"He's in the shower. I'm scared Sam's gonna leave now. I don't want him to leave. Can you tell him to stay?"

"Yes!" Dean all but shouted, "Put him on the phone, Hyrim. I'll tell him."

"He's not gonna wanna talk. I told you. He's in his room crying. We were gonna show you my new move."

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to scream. "Hyrim, please. I need to talk to Sammy."

"He said you didn't need him around anymore, but I like having him around. I'll keep him if you don't want him anymore."

Dean felt his face go white. "Hyrim … I …"

"Sam said you told other people and he found out what you said about him. He was trying not to cry when he told us that too. I thought that was mean, but Sam said it wasn't. He said it was just you trying to be honest."

"Hyrim …" Bobby tried to cut in.

"I want to keep Sam here. I like him. He's a nice brother, almost as nice as Moses, and he never says anything bad about anyone, not even you, Dean. And I don't think you treat him very nice. If Moses treated me like that, Dad would kick his butt. He cries a lot too, but he doesn't think I notice. He writes letters to you in this notebook, and they make him sad. Maybe you should just stay away. Maybe that's for the best. Me and Dad, we won't make him cry every day."

And at that, the connection went dead.