Chapter 4
"Sam might still be in town, Dad. Even if he's not, I'm sure I could find him." Dean hung back by the doorway into the living room, not able to gage his father's mood, but incapable of staying quiet anymore.
After two days locked away in his room, his Dad had finally braved the light and shuffled over onto the couch. He looked pale, his face drawn, eyes more bloodshot than Dean had ever seen them, but otherwise his father seemed alert and calm.
Dean had paced as he'd waited through each day, willing his father to come out from his self imposed isolation so he could put this to him. Things could still be fixed, but he didn't dare look for Sammy until his father allowed it.
"Let me tell him you've changed your mind. That he can come back to us."
The dark brown eyes that fixed him in their stare were cold and unreadable. "He made his choice."
"Like he had much of one?" His Dad's face went stony blank and Dean knew he needed to back up and quick. "All I'm saying is if you give your okay, I can at least tell him he can visit, come back to us when he's not in school. This is Sammy we're talking about, Dad. He's family."
His father said nothing but the cold stare didn't waver. Dean tried his best not to squirm.
"I got a call. There's a job for us in Peyton. I want to leave this afternoon." His father voice was dark and empty.
Dean felt his stomach crumple in a knot. "But, Dad-"
His father stood up. "Get our stuff loaded into the Impala. Make sure the weapons are clean." He shuffled off toward the kitchen.
"Yes, sir." Dean's disappointed dragged at him like an anchor. After what he'd seen in that very room a few days ago, he'd so hoped his father would reconsider. He knew he couldn't risk pushing too hard or too fast, as he'd never seen his father dangling so far over the abyss. He'd watched and helped to keep him from it as best he could for years, so he knew the signs. Dean would just have to continue to work on him, softly, diligently, but it might end up being the hardest, longest battle he ever fought. And there was absolutely no guarantee he would win.