CHAPTER 2

Sam was reading "Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secret" but his mind wasn't there in it. Its been four hours since his dad was gone. Not that there was anything new in it. He knew better than to take his dad's word for his estimated return time but its just that he was worried just like every other time he had been when his dad went out hunting alone. His dad had some stupid rule and while Sam knew it was for his own safety , he hates it , he hates a lot of silly rules his father makes but this one he hates the most. The rule was 'No hunting till you are sixteen , Sam'. He knew it was for his own benefit but he wanted to be on the hunting field besides his father so that he can have his old man's back if so the situation arises.

The creature his father went to hunt tonight was a "Vetala". Vetalas are a type of monster, almost snake-like. They appear human until they attack, at which point they reveal sharp teeth and blue, snake-like eyes. They can be killed by silver knife. They are mostly beautiful. They are luring Truckers and taking them someplace to use them as food bags. His dad went to kill the monster and hopefully free the truckers if they are still alive after being used as a monster's food bag.

Sam closed the book and took to pacing from one corner of the room to the other. It didn't calm him but still it was better than just sitting on his ass. He didn't know how long he had been pacing when finally he heard the familiar rumble of the Impala and at this moment he wasn't sure if he had heard anything more beautiful in his life. Sam ran towards the door and all but jerked it open but what was on the other side wasn't something he was expecting.

Oh , there was his dad on the other side alright but he was leaning heavily against a boy who Sam didn't know. The boy was just a little shorter than his dad but still definitely tall. He had cropped hair and emerald green eyes. He looked older than him maybe four years or so.

"Kid, you gonna let us in ?" The boy said or more like panted out because even though he looked built but certainly not enough to support all the weight of his dad. Sam jerked aside and held the door wide open to let them in.

"Sam…" John said and then coughed when speaking put too much of a pressure on his injured side. He had gone to hunt the Vetala as planned tonight and he had done his research but no-one had told him that the bastards hunt in pairs. He was able to pin one down and he was about to kill the bitch when suddenly he was attacked from behind. If it wasn't for Dean jumping in at the right moment and killing the bastards he would have been a dead meat because apparently he was able to piss the creatures enough that they weren't even planning to use him as a food bag , they were going to kill him right at the spot.

"Dad ..god…" Sam ran his hands through his hair seeing all that blood which was still gushing out from the right of his dad's side just above his waist. His shirt was soaked in blood and he could see that even wrapping the wound hadn't done much. He could feel himself panicking when suddenly his shoulders were grabbed in an iron grip.

"Whats your name ?" The boy asked. For a moment Sam didn't reply just blinked. But after a small but firm shake from the boy , god he needs to know the name of this well boy because its weird saying boy again and again in his head but it was soo not the time for this shit. After a moment or two he finally managed to croak his name out, "Sam."

"Okay. My name is Dean. Your dad is hurt and you freaking out and almost going into a panick attack wouldn't help him much. So you will stop losing your shit and will do what is required of you. Can you do this Sammy ?" The boy no Dean asked him in a gentle but firm tone and Sam nodded. Dean is right , freaking out can wait. He will help his dad first.

"Awesome, kiddo. Now can you go and bring me some warm water and towels." Sam nodded and ran towards the bathroom to fetch those items. When he returned he saw that Dean had cut his father's shirt off of him and was now trying to get a good look at the wound.

"Here." Sam said passing Dean the items and looked at his dad who was trying to smile for him but certainly all he was able to manage was a grimace. But his effort was duly noted and appreciated by Sam. After that it was all a blur for him as he just sat besides his dad on the bed and let Dean do all the work. Because Dean knew what he was doing. He looked like he had knowledge about this stuff. And Sam don't know what it was about Dean but he felt like he could trust Dean and just lie down because Dean was there and he would manage everything.

His presence was in a way strangely assuring which was helping Sam to calm down. And wasn't that completely weird to trust a complete stranger to take care of his dad, his only family alive. But before Sam could ponder more about it Dean spoke and brought him out of his musings.

"There ya go. Have some whiskey it will help." Dean said wiping his hands and passing the bottle of whiskey to John before making his way towards the bathroom.

John took a long swig of the whiskey and sighed. He had needed stitches. His side was badly torn. One thing was clear from all this mess that Dean was a hunter just like him and he saved his life tonight.

"Dad , you alright ? What happened ?" Sam asked taking back the bottle from his father and setting it on the nightstand. Before John could reply Dean answered the question for him.

"Your daddy got hurt from those Vetalas. They always hunt in pair but I think he didn't know that. But now there is nothing to worry. You just gotta keep an eye out for possible infections."

"Thank you, son. You saved my life." John said sincerely looking at Dean and noticing with a surprise that the boy was blushing under his praise and looking for all world like a deer caught in headlights. He also didn't miss the fact that how easily Dean had managed to calm down Sam and how he had managed everything himself even though Dean didn't know them from Adam.

"Its what anyone would have done." Dean said shrugging. He wanted to say more but was cut out when Sam all just launched himself into his body and he all but managed to produce an,

"Umph" sound. Sam hugged Dean tightly because he saved his dad's life and then patched him up and at the same time stopped him from going into a panick attack. Dean's face was flushed when Sam let him go.

"Thank you, Dean." Sam said with a grateful smile. For a moment he thought if that is how you are supposed to feel when you have an older brother. You can just be free and rely on him to do the right thing. Just as he had relied on Dean tonight. Not that John hadn't told him how to nurse injuries and all but every other time he had freaked out and had managed to stitch his father only with shaky hands. But this time he just didn't have to do all that. He wasn't alone and he didn't have his dad's blood on his hands. But now he really needs a shrink if he is starting to think of Dean as his older brother when he just met him a little over an hour ago.

"No problem, Sammy." Dean replied ruffling his hair. And if it were his dad Sam would have grouched about being called with a stupid childhood name and would have swatted his dad's hand away from his hair and then he would have definitely grouched somemore for messing his hair. But with Dean he just took it all with a smile. And why did he do it ? Even he didn't know. Just more of the reason for him to just tell his dad that he had finally lost it and take him to the shrink already.

John had watched the whole exchange between the boys with a little smile on his face. So it looks like it wasn't just him who had been affected by Dean, it was his son too. He didn't know whether to be relieved or worried about it. When the silence got somewhat uncomfortable around the room , John broke it with a,

"You are a hunter too, then." He said as a matter of fact and a little cautiously because he had noticed that Dean had walls made of cement around him. He was guarded and reserved and for some reason John wants to know the kid instead of scaring him away.

"Ya think ?. Look you are all fine now. So I think I should go. It was well, um, interesting knowing you." Dean replied and started shrugging his jacket on.

John was a little confused as what made Dean in a hurry to leave like this. But before he could say anything Sam was there tugging at Dean's arm stopping him in his tracks.

"You can stay the night. Its already after midnight." Sam said. He wasn't sure but it seems like the right thing to say. Just as it looked like Dean was about to decline , John backed him up.

"Sam is right. Its already late. You don't have a ride. And I don't think I can give you a lift with the way I am."

"You don't need to. I will be fine. I always am." Dean said. The last part was said with a light bitterness in his tone which got both Sam and John frowning at him in confusion. With that said he started making his way out. Sam looked at John who was still frowning. He could just see the wheels running in his father's head. His dad was trying his level best to figure Dean out like he was some complex mathematical problem nevermind the man just had twenty stitches. Sam didn't know why but a little voice in his head said to stop Dean and he did just that. Nevermind the list of whats and whys was just increasing ever since Dean walked in his life.

"Dean ?" Sam called out. "Please stay." He said using his ultimate weapon. His puppy dog eyes as his dad liked to call it with a full force on Dean. For a good measure he even stick his lower lip out. He knew at this moment he probably looked like a five year old begging his mother to buy his favourite toy but he didn't care.

Dean turned to look at him with his hand still hovering over the doorknob. He fidgeted nervously for a moment then sighed.

"Dude, that's cheating. You know ?" Dean said with a wry smile.

"What ?" Sam asked all confused and innocent.

"You using that expression on me. It's a nasty thing." Dean said shaking his head but there was a little smile on his face albeit a little unsure. But a smile nonetheless.

"Tell me about it. I call this his puppy dog expression." John too gave his two cents' worth on the matter.

"You will stay ?" Sam asked with a hopeful expression. He needed to be sure although he knew the answer well kinda.

"For tonight. Yeah." Dean replied straightening up from the door against which he was leaning on to make his way inside the room shedding his jacket and toeing off his boots.

John was happy and somewhat relaxed. He didn't want to think about anything at the moment. Even if he try he wouldn't be able to because the painkillers were starting to lull him into sleep and soon he lost his consciousness.

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Sam was up bright and early not that was an uncommon occurance. He was a morning person who liked to wake up early no matter how late he went to sleep. He looked at Dean and found him sleeping on the couch with his legs hanging off the edge. He had tried to coax Dean to sleep on the bed or to let him sleep on the couch instead since he wasn't the one who came back tired after hunting monsters. But Dean hadn't listened to him.

He then looked at his dad who was also lost in a deep sleep with a peaceful expression on his face. His face looked pale but otherwise he was fine and there with him. Even if he fights with his dad on a daily basis he can't just live his life without his dad in it. It was all Dean who saved his father and Sam would remain grateful to him. He decided to take a shower and make some coffee for his sleeping roommates.

Dean woke up with a painful gasp and for a moment he felt like he was again inside that warehouse. He didn't know how long will it take for the nightmares to be over or for how long he would be able to refrain from loosing his sanity over them. He rubbed his eyes to shed the last remnants of the painful nightmare and sat up with a groan. He should have taken the kid's offer to sleep on the bed. He stretched his arms over his head to try loosen some knots around his shoulder and neck when he felt eyes on him. He looked in front to see the two pair of identical hazel green eyes watching him worriedly. That's why he hated staying at anybody's place. He didn't want anybody to look at him like that. He was the last person to be worthy of someone's concern. 'Don't go there , now.' He thought to himself.

"You alright ?" John asked him when he stood up from the couch. Hearing the concern in the man's voice sparked a flair of anger in him. He don't need anyone to worry over him. He wasn't worth it. Besides it was just a nightmare doesn't matter how horrible it was but that wasn't something new. He had been having these nightmares for almost five years now. Sometimes it even surprises him that he is still sane even after all that. But these people don't know that so he tried to squish his anger.

"Why wouldn't I be ?" Dean replied shortly while trying not to look at their faces. If it wasn't for Sam using his puppy dog expression on him. He would have been long gone. Seriously the kid could get anyone to do anything with those doey eyes of his. Well Sam could get him to do anything. The kid was all innocent like Dean had been once before life happened that Dean feels oddly protective of him for some reason. But it wasn't like the kid needs to know it but he had a suspicion that Sam got to know it last night.

"Okay. You want some coffee ?" John changed the subject and wisely decided to not prod any further. Something about Dean tells him that the kid had a rough past. Dean is like a closed book , he didn't even know the kid's full name or anything about him for that matter and pushing him to open up even just a little would make him run so fast it would seem like someone set his pants on fire. Last night when he asked or more stated just a common fact of Dean being a hunter had been enough to make him run for the door and he would have been long gone too if it weren't for Sam.

Coffee sounded good. Dean could never function fully without caffeine anyway. He wanted to make his escape but it can wait till he gets his caffeine fix atleast.

Sam was worried about Dean. People have nightmares when something bad had happened to them. And Dean had woken up with a painful gasp as if he couldn't breathe. His eyes were filled with sheer terror the moment they opened and Sam wanted to know about the nightmare , about Dean. But the way Dean didn't look at either of them and the way his voice became rough and not only due to the fact that he had just woken up told him to drop the matter. Whatever it was Dean was not ready to discuss it. So he had let it go and by the looks of it his dad had came to the same conclusion. But he couldn't stop himself from glancing at Dean every now and then. It took Dean lightly cuffing his head and replying with a soft "Everything's fine." To stop his staring. He didn't believe it for a second but he let it go and in return passed his own smile at Dean.

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Please review. You know it helps to write and get a sense in which direction the story I should take on. And it serves to motivate me a lot to write too.