You Are Now Leaving Stanford
by Tracy (lunarknightz)

Rated: PG
Pairing: None- Gen.

Spoilers: For Pilot.

Summary: John and Dean Winchester have just dropped Sam off for his first year of college. Dean isn't very happy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural...just playing.

"I can't believe you just let him go!"

"It's hardly a crime, Dean, going to college." John Winchester half chuckled as he switched lanes, getting out of the exit only lane.

"Sam's place is with us. Fighting evil things, that's what we do. And he's just waltzing off and abandoning us! How can you be so damn calm, Dad?"

John took one hand off the wheel and put it on Dean's shoulder. "This way of life isn't for everyone, son. It was a hell of a way for you two boys to grow up." He sighed. "You were real little before all this spook hunting started, but you can remember when we lived a normal life, complete with the white picket fence, with your Mom. Sam's never known that. For most of his life, we've been going here and there, going after every little thing that goes bump in the night. Can't say I blame your brother at all, for wanting a break."

"This is our calling, Dad. It's not a hobby. This is what we do. The three of us, we're a team, and Sam's just leaving. It's not right!"

"Sam came and asked for my blessing." John paused, and pulled the car off to the side of the road. He turned to face Dean. "And I gave it to him."

Dean was aghast. "Why in the hell would you do that?"

"I figure…I figure that's the way your mother would have wanted it. She always wanted the best for the two of you, you know that? Plus it goes to figure that knowledge and education would be nothing but an advantage in our line of work."

"He's not in our line of work anymore." Dean fumed. "Did you not notice him taking every shred of everything he owns and leaving this car?"

"You know as well as I do, Dean, that the supernatural tends to come and find you more than you go looking for it. Sam is still a member of this family, and there's nothing that will erase that. I have every reason to believe that the day will come that you'll fight alongside your brother once more. For the time being, I'm letting your brother find his own way."

Dean was silent for a moment. "Would you have let me go? To college?"

"Still would, if you wanted to." A silence. "Want to?"

"Not particularly." Dean reached up and grabbed his sunglasses from their perch above the passenger side visor. "It was never really my thing. Sam's the egghead." He put on the sunglasses, an old pair of Ray-Bans, a thrift store find during a job in Seattle."What are we waiting for, Dad? Let's get going! There's gotta be some evil sons of bitches that need their ass kicked somewhere. And we're just the men to do it."

"That's my boy." John patted Dean on the back before merging back into traffic.

"You Are Now Leaving Stanford." Dean glared at the sign as they passed it. He glanced at the backseat, uncharacteristically empty. It made him want to barf. Dean already missed the bugger- his annoying, brilliant, and gawky brother…the only true friend he really had…his best friend. Things would never be the same again.

"Hey Dad, how about some tunes?" Dean said, grabbing a tape and shoving it into the player. If Sam could make a new life for himself, Dean could too. Starting now.