Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1

Many thanks to rascalflattsgurl43 for the speedy and accurate beta on this story

Chapter fifty four Cocktail room

In the dawn light, Dean slipped out of the Impala and away from the area quickly. There was a park two blocks over and Dean found a deep dip between two hills and sat down. He dry swallowed three different pills from his stash in his pockets and leaned back against the cool soil of the hill. He was trying to formulate a plan as to what to do but kept coming up empty. Sorting the scattered images in his mind was hard, painful work but Dean concentrated hard even though it made his headache worse and his nose started to bleed again. Dean's brain finally started to cooperate and the memories fell into order. He was now starting to remember the fights and the bad feelings that came along with them.
'No wonder Sammy didn't want to tell me.'

They had plenty of fights and Dean could now remember standing between them and pleading with them to try to get along for what felt like the millionth time. Dean wiped the blood away from his nose with his sleeve and decided he needed relief no matter what. He grabbed a handful of pills and swallowed them down gagging slightly at not having had any liquid since the night before. Dean battled to sort his thoughts before the pills overtook him and he scrunched down in the narrow valley and drifted off in a restless slumber.


Sam had the day off work so he checked all the places Dean might have been including the library and the university bookstore which was stretching it a bit but he left word where he could for anyone to call him if they saw his brother. Sam was starting to work himself into a lather, even considering calling his dad when he remembered Dean's SIM card had survived the wreckage of his phone. Sam went out and bought a new phone and plugged the SIM card into the phone then rang the phone company and retrieved Dean's last incoming call. Sam sighed when he realized the call was their dad's number. Damn! His dad had stuck his head in and upset Dean. Just what they needed. They were getting along so well and now John comes along and screws it up.

Sam quickly dialed John's number, not surprised when it went to voice mail. Because he was ready and pissed he ranted for three or four minutes just so John would know what an asshole he was by the time Sam was done with him. Sam felt like throwing his phone as he finished by stating he would ring back when he found his brother and would be blaming him for Dean's condition. Sam stalked around the apartment trying to cool down. He went out in the car this time spreading his search area to include the liquor store that the robbery had taken place in. He found the small park across the way where Dean he told him he had sat and drank his beers and was surprised to see beer cans on the ground around the bench. Sam frowned hoping Dean hadn't been here again. Sam went back to the apartment, hoping Dean would come back but found himself sleeping on the couch again.


Dean had walked down to the nearest liquor store and bought himself a large bottle of whiskey. Since he had plenty of money in his wallet, he bought the good stuff and tucked it into his jacket. He was beginning to feel like a wino as he sat back in his valley in the park but it had turned out to be a good spot as he had been undisturbed all day. He was finally able to sort out the memories that had flooded back to him in such a huge torrent. Even though he still had a large headache he could feel it starting to abate. One thing that bothered him about his memories was the feeling that he and Sam didn't get on anymore. He didn't have all the memories of the night Sam left but he could play the last fight between Sam and John over and over and unsurprisingly it made him depressed. He washed some more pain pills down with quarter of a bottle of the strong fluid, almost coughing as the alcohol bit down on his throat and numbed his brain. He seemed to have no memories after the fight except Sam walking towards the door. Surely he would have gone after Sam? Or talked to him after? Dean floated down into his drug and alcohol induced sleep with a creased brow.


Sam woke the next morning to his phone ringing. He almost toppled off the couch in his haste to pick the device up and fumbled the green button before jerking it to his ear.
"Hello?" he asked sleepily.
"Sam? It's Angela, Dean's physiotherapist?"
"Oh Yeah. Hey Angela." Sam started to come awake.
"Hi. I'm sorry for calling you Sam. I got your number from Jenny. She didn't want to give it up but I was persistent. Its just Dean didn't come in this morning for his appointment and when she told me he was missing I had to call. Have you heard from him?"

Sam could hear Angela's distress and he smiled to himself at Dean making a friend so quickly but it faded as he recalled what she was calling for.
"No I haven't. It's been more than two days and I haven't heard a word. I have searched around but no one has seen him."
"It's strange right? You have his car still?"
"Yeah."
"Well where could he have gone?"
"I don't know."
"Well obviously, or you would have found him."
"Ha, yeah."
"Did something upset him, do you think?"
Sam sighed before answering.
"Yeah I just found out last night that our dad called Dean just before he left. I haven't been able to get in touch with him but I would say they probably had some kind of argument."
"Hmm okay. Well I will keep an eye out for him. Let me give you my number to call me if you find him and I will give you a call if I find him. Got a pen?"

Sam took down Angela's phone number and promised to call if something happened. Sam dressed and went out again in the car to look for Dean. Sam made sure he ate breakfast and lunch while he was on the road. He searched all day to no avail.

TBC