The good news is that I decided to post another chapter today. The bad news is that it's a short chapter. The next update's the last, so I hope you're ready for a shocker!
"You know," Dean began as the kid slid back onto a sitting position on the bed, "you don't hear this enough, so I'm going to tell you now and I want you to remember it. I'm proud of you."
"For what?" the boy asked uncertainly as the man knelt down on the floor in front of him.
"For being so brave through all of this. I know you're scared, and I know what dad said, but he's not here right now. Your brother's asleep and mine's not here, so, come on. Just this once." Dean opened his arms, sighing as the boy jumped off the bed and ran into them, wrapping his own slender arms around the man's neck.
"I don't know what to do," the boy sobbed as the tears he'd been holding back for so long finally won out over his control and came flowing freely from his eyes, "I don't want to mess up. I want you to be happy."
"I will be," Dean said, stroking the boy's hair as his own tears began to flow, "whatever you do, it'll be all right in my book."
"I miss daddy."
"I know. I do, too."
The boy pulled away, wiping his nose and eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "Tell me what to do. I don't want to loose Sammy. I don't care what I have to do, I want to stay together. I wanna be a family."
"I know you do," Dean said, swiping at his own eyes and he set the boy back on the bed, "and I have a plan. Tomorrow morning, the first thing you do after we leave, come here and pack up. Take Sammy and run."
The kid shook his head. "Dad was our only family left. We don't have anywhere to run to."
"You do," Dean said, "but not one of dad's friends. Stay away from them. If the cops find out about them, they'll search the house. You need to go to someone he didn't see often. You need to take your brother and head back to Lawrence."
"No. It's bad there. Mom died there. I can't go back."
"You have to," Dean said urgently, taking the boy's shoulders, "there's a psychic there, Missouri Mosley. She knew dad, and she'll be able to help. You don't even have to tell her what's wrong or why you're running. She'll know. Trust her. Go there and at least you'll be together. She can help."
"You're sure?" the boy sobbed, "she'll let us stay together?"
Dean nodded. "She will. Just follow the road signs and keep your brother close. Take a couple of the guns. Be careful. Um, take care of yourself, all right, kid? Take care of your brother."
"I will," the kid nodded, smiling weakly before wrapping his arms around Dean's neck again. He buried his face in the adult's jacket and began to cry again. "I'm so scared."
"Don't be," Dean comforted, "everything's going to be all right, just as soon as you get to Lawrence."
"I wish you were my dad," the boy sobbed, hugging the man tighter, as if letting go might make him disappear forever.
"I wish I was, too," Dean confessed, laying his head on the boy's shoulder and sobbing with him as Sam watched, unnoticed, through the slightly open door.