"He ditched us. I can't believe he actually ditched us!"
"How on Earth did he get passed your constant and impenetrable night vigilance?" teased Sam, rolling his eyes. He was convinced Dean slept downstairs to make sure Bobby didn't sneak past him. Great job there, Dean!
"Shut up," Dean barked back. "Bobby probably went to the store, or maybe he went for walk." O fcourse Sam didn't really believe that, but he was sure Bobby wouldn't
have gone anywhere or done anything stupid. Not without them to initiate it, that is. "Why are you so worried about him? I believe he's old enough to take care of himself. Where do you think he went, anyway?"
Dean looked at him like he was asked why fish swim. "Dude, I'm worried for the same reason we hesitated telling him about that damned demon we were chasing for the past week."
Sam was quiet for few seconds."Wait a sec. You think Bobby would actually...." Sam shook his head. "I'm sure he's fine. This is Bobby we're talking about, not-"
"Dad?"
Sam sat at the kitchen table, pushing the unfinished bowl of cereal away from him.
Dean was leaning against the counter. Sam swore he could feel Dean's eyes boring holes into his brain. He hated when his brother did that so much.
"He knows the same fucking demon that possessed his wife is back," Dean continued. "The exact same fucking demon sonavabitch that made him kill his wife is within striking distance. Don't tell me you wouldn't go hunt that thing down now, no matter how deep you buried that memory, no matter how much you told yourself you're over it." He paused. "Look, I would've never believed for a second that Bobby would go the ol' revenge route. Hell, it would normally be him telling us not to do anything so stupid. But he isn't Superman, as much as we'd like to think sometimes."
Sam nodded his head slowly, understanding exactly what Dean was trying to tell him. Bobby, their Uncle Bobby (not by blood, but by association) was truly the only other person they trusted other than each other, and that seemed to be hanging by a thin thread these days. He displayed an uncanny ability to have an answer to every question they threw at him. From why is the sky blue (when they were little), to more recently, how to reverse the curse of renegade ghosts. Both of them knew Bobby would do anything for them, anytime and anywhere, no questions asked. Sometimes Sam felt like they took advantage of his selflessness, offering only an awkward thanks after he saved them from yet another embarrassing botched hunt, or even from death itself. Too many times to admit to themselves, for sure. They didn't even offer to pay for the pizza last night, knowing Bobby would never ask.
No, Bobby was not Superman, or Castiel for that matter. He was just a guy. A guy vulnerable to all of life's challenges, struggles and temptations. Capable of anything, even if it contradicts the norms others set upon him.
"So. Suppose he did go hunting for that thing, why wouldn't he tell us? Why keep that to himself, when we could help? We were the ones hunting it down before we got here." Sam didn't say this with any malice or hurt feelings, just stating facts.
"Because we fucked it up." Dean parted the frail, sun-bleached curtains from the window, revealing the oddly comforting sight of rusted, mangled car frames, some towering as high as the house itself. "Because to do the job right, sometimes you got to do it yourself."
TBC