Chapter 15

John could tell something was eating at Bobby and had a good idea what it was about. He shifted in his seat and winced as pain coursed through his body. The shower had helped take some of the stiffness out, but he was still sore, and the gunshot wound itched.

"Why don't you go ahead and say it Bobby, I know there's something on your mind," John finally broke the silence between them.

"Alright I will. Not once since you woke up in the hospital and saw Sam and learned what he did, have you asked anything about him. Are you that bull headed and stubborn that you can't see what's in front of you?"

John looked down at his clenched hand on the table as his face became hardened and he bottled up any emotions and locked them away. "We don't know what happened to him in the time he was gone. The demons I questioned trying to find Azazel were talkative. They told me a powerful being challenged him and won. Azazel had been killed by one of his own. He was one of the Demon's special children, his favorite and he was supposed to be the leader of a demon army. He was to take over Hell, the 'Boy King' they called him…" John said in disgust. "When S…When he said he killed the Demon…Christ Bobby, what was I to think? How could my son be this 'Boy King' the demons were talking about? I didn't know what he had turned in to…" He turned away as he fought the wetness in his eyes and clenched his jaw tightly.

"What do you mean one of his own? Special children? You're not making sense here John. What do you know that you're not telling me?"

"Before the ghouls got me, I had questioned a couple of talkative demons who told me Azazel found children that were special or from a certain blood line and he…He fed them his blood when they were babies…That's why Mary was killed. She walked in on the Demon in the nursery and he was…He was doing that to…" John couldn't go on. Just the thoughts of what his youngest son had been subjected to, made his stomach roll and clench. It felt like the room was closing in on him. He fought back the bile that rose in his throat and stepped to the door needing to get some fresh air. He stumbled outside as his breaths came short and painful. He leaned against the post trying to force the images from his head of what had happened. The reason his wife was dead was because a demon decided his son was special and wanted him. He swiped at the tears before they could fall as he gazed out across the parking lot and watched as darkness descended across the land.

Bobby sat back in his chair as he replayed what John had told him. Sam had been fed demon blood as a baby and Mary was killed because she tried to stop the demon. Plus, San wasn't the only baby this was done to. There were other kids out there that had the same thing happen to them. He wondered if their mothers were killed too. What John said explained some of the questions about Sam. What he couldn't understand was why John couldn't see if Sam killed Azazel instead of joining him that he wasn't bad. He had watched that kid grow up and there wasn't a bad bone in his body. No matter what flowed through his veins, he was still a Winchester and that counted for everything. Bobby got up and went to the door to find John standing at the end of the walkway staring off into the darkness.

"Think we can talk some more?" Bobby asked him. "I've got a bottle stashed away in my car if you want a drink."

"I'll take the drink, not sure about talking," John replied.

"Well, let's do this, we can have a drink and I'll do the talking and you can listen."

John rolled his shoulders and grimaced slightly before pushing off from the post and turning toward Bobby. He followed him down to their room and went inside. Bobby made a detour to his car and rummaged around in the trunk for the bottle of whiskey he kept there. It might not be much, but at least it was a start. He hoped he could convince John that Sam wasn't bad and he was still his son, but it may take more than one bottle and one talk.

"Better limit your drinking since you're on pain meds," Bobby cautioned John as he poured a shot into his glass. John paused for a second and doubled the shot if it was going to be his only one. "I noticed you couldn't even say his name, it's Sam by the way," Bobby said sarcastically. "You know if you'd get your head out of your ass you would see that boy ain't bad. Hell, he's the farthest thing from it. He killed the demon you've been looking for half yer life. Is that it?" Bobby questioned when he saw a darkness pass over John's face. "Are you mad at him because he ended that evil sonovabitch and not you? Are you that petty? Why can't you be happy that it's been done? Sam went through hell, but he fought back, and he won. He may not be the same kid you told never to come back when all he wanted to do was go to college, but he still loves you and he proved it by saving your ornery life."

John swirled the drink around in his glass before taking a sip as he listened to Bobby berate him. He knew he deserved it, but it still irked him. Was he that petty to push his son away because he had done what he had been trying to do for nearly twenty years? Between the alcohol and pain meds, John was starting to feel woozy and lightheaded. The more he thought about his youngest son, the worse his head wanted to pound.

"If Sam can kill a demon like that, what else might he be capable of doing? What if…What if this power corrupts him and turns him bad and he starts hurting people or even killing them? Am I supposed to…" John asked not able to finish the sentence because he couldn't say it out loud. He swiped a hand down his face trying to control the pent-up emotions raging inside of him.

"I don't think you give Sam enough credit John. That boy is stronger than you think, and he has something that you're forgetting about."

"What?" John asked as his brow creased trying to figure out what Bobby was talking about.

"He's got an older brother that would move a mountain to protect and help him. Dean is right there with him and standing beside him and you know when they are together, they're almost unstoppable. Why don't you stop jumping to conclusions before you know all the facts? You need to talk to Sam, hear him out instead of pushing him away. Because you know if you lose one son you've lost them both. Dean's not going to let Sam go through whatever he's going through alone. Why don't you think about calling your son and finding out how Sam is doing? Or better yet, calling Sam and talking to him."

John finished off the whiskey and sat the glass down. His eyes were getting glassy and he knew he couldn't think straight right now. "I think I need to lie down," he mumbled as he pushed himself from the chair and wobbled to the bed.

"We'll head out early in the morning," Bobby told him knowing the talk was over for now. He didn't know if anything he said got through to him or if he would take his advice. He couldn't force him to do it, but Bobby knew John would regret not calling if something happened to either of his boys. He got up and went to the bathroom before turning in himself. He planned on calling Missouri once he got home and get her take on Sam.

spn

The salvage yard loomed ahead of them as Bobby eased the truck through the gates and steered it around to the front of the house. He stopped and spoke to John as he shook his arm, "We're here, why don't you go on inside while I get my car loose? I'm going to take this trailer back, so I won't be charged for another day."

"Alright," John replied looking around for a moment and letting his mind wake up. He had slept the last hundred miles and was still half asleep. He got out and let Bobby unlock the door for him before heading inside. He made it as far as the couch before sitting down and deciding he could sleep some more.

Bobby locked the door behind him and went to his car to unstrap the front tires so he could back it off the carrier. He parked his car out of the way and got back in the truck to head for town and the U Haul place. While he was in town, he planned on stopping and get a few supplies so he wouldn't have to go back out for a few days. He dropped the car carrier off and picked up supplies and food for their dinner since he wasn't in the mood to cook tonight. John had been quiet all the way home and barely spoke at all. Bobby hoped he would stay long enough to let himself heal before heading out and would take his advice and call the boys.

spn

Deciding it would be easier to talk to Missouri alone, Bobby stopped the truck in front of the house and dug his cell from his pocket. He pulled up his contacts and found her number. He listened to it ring several times wondering if she had gone out or something.

"Hello," Missouri answered just before Bobby started to hang up.

"Hello Missouri, how are things going?" Bobby greeted her in a warm voice. He had known her for a long time and respected her for what she was and the help she had given hunters over the years.

"I was wondering when you'd call Bobby Singer. It's been a while."

"Can you talk? The boys aren't where they can hear, are they?"

"No, Sam wanted to go into town to the bookstore and you know Dean; he's not letting him go alone. I don't think that boy has hardly let his brother out of his sight since they got here."

"How is he doing?"

"He's doing better than most in his situation would be. Sam's handling what happened to him and trying to do something good with it. That boy is strong Bobby, stronger than anyone I've seen, and I don't know if we've even scratched the surface. He's still coming to terms with all of this and the changes that have happened to him, but he's accepting it and not fighting against it. I can't say it's not hard on him, but he's determined to learn what he can."

"And Dean, how's he taking all of this?"

"He's going to stand with his brother no matter what. They've got a bond that is still strong, and this hasn't changed that. How's John doing?"

"Still as bull headed and stubborn as ever. I've tried to talk to him, but he's scared Sam's going to turn bad and will have to be killed. I've tried to convince him to talk to Sam, but I don't know how much progress I made."

"I don't know how much longer the boys will be here. I've helped Sam about all I can. The rest is up to him and what he chooses to do with it."

"Dean wants to come here, but he knows Sam won't if their Daddy's here."

"We're going to have to let them work it out. All we can do is nudge them in the right direction. I think they're going to find each other again, but the path might not be a straight or easy one."

"You're probably right. Well, I better get our food inside so we can eat while its hot. I'll talk to you later and I'll send you a herbs list I need restock on. Give them to the boys. They'll be heading this way eventually."

"I can do that and don't worry so. Things are going to work out," she tried to assure him. "Bye Bobby."

Bobby got out of the car and grabbed the bags of food from the seat beside him. He headed into the house to see what John was doing.

A/N: Bobby gets to the point and calls John out on how he is acting toward Sam. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I do like reviews. NC