"Stand Back Up"

"Dean!"
Cringing at the sound of his name, Dean pushed himself out from under the Impala as Sam came toward him. He had been doing this all day, every day since Dean was released from the hospital, and he was getting irritated with his brother's constantly checking up on him.
"What is it, Sam? What could you possibly want?"

"If you can get away from the car for a little bit, Bobby and I could use your help, doing some actual case work."

Dean sat up and wiped his hands with a grease rag.
"This case nearly totaled my car!"

"You drove it down a hill, Dean. You almost hit a tree. Don't stand there and make excuses!"

"I'm making excuses? Sam, you've got a different excuse every day when you come out here and bug me. You didn't need me for the last two demons you wasted, and you don't need me for this one, so just leave me the hell alone, and let me fix the car!"

"Dean—"

"Just go, Sam. I'm sure you and Bobby can handle research without me, just this once."
Dean resumed his work without another word, leaving Sam standing there awkwardly. He wanted to help his brother in the worst way, but Dean wasn't letting anyone in. As long as there was daylight, he buried himself in fixing the Impala, even if there wasn't really anything to fix. He spent all of his nights getting sloppy in bars. Sam would hear him roll in around 6 a.m. or so. He also heard the early morning arguments between his brother and Bobby. The older hunter wanted to help Dean just as much as Sam did, but his brother was a loose cannon. No one would be able to help Dean, unless he was willing to help himself.

Sam found Bobby buried in a very large book when he finally made his way back inside.

"Find anything?" he asked, settling down into his chair at the table where he'd left his research.

"Not yet. The pattern of these killings just doesn't make sense."

"Are you sure it's a demon, Bobby? I mean the way these people died seems more like a vampire attack."
"I've seen demons do a lot of messed up things, Sam. Who says they can't mimic other creatures?"

"You've got a point. We let a lot of things out when the devil's gate opened, things we've only seen in our nightmares."

Bobby rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and closed his book.
"Any luck with Dean?"
"No. He's been out there every day since we opened the devil's gate. I go out there every day to talk to him, and every day he tells me to go away. I don't know what to do anymore."

Bobby pulled back the curtains on the front door and peered out at the salvage yard. He spotted Dean, working on the Impala like nothing was wrong. He wished to God they could get through to Dean after all they had been through with him.

"These things take time. He's been through a lot these past couple of months. You can't just flip a switch and make him better."

"I wish there was a switch, Bobby. I want my brother back."

Bobby pulled the door open.
"I'll be right back. Keep digging up anything you can on that demon."
Bobby strained his eyes against the sunlight as he stepped out onto the porch. Dean was standing at Bobby's workbench, looking for a tool. As he made his way across the yard, he could tell Dean was trying really hard not to look at him.

"Fix those brakes yet?" he asked casually as Dean picked out a smaller socket for his ratchet.

"Yeah," Dean turned back toward the car. "Only thing is a tie rod is busted clean in half. I have to find a new one."

"I might have something around here that may fit your car. Feel free to look."

"Thanks, Bobby." Dean slid himself back under the car.
"Hey, when you get done, can you come help us inside? Sam and I have been trying to figure out what the hell kind of demon can mimic vampire attacks. My eyes are swimming, and Sam is pretty much at a standstill. We could use some fresh eye."

"Thanks but no thanks," said Dean from under the car.
"Look, smart ass, you need to put your focus on the job, not on this car, or some girl in a bar. Sam and I need you right now. We can't do this without you."

Dean slid out from under the car and sat up.
"Sam and I went out looking for the thing, and now my car's all screwed to hell! I'm all for killing the bastard, but we can't do anything without the car, so unless there's another idea—"
Bobby grabbed Dean by the shirt. "If, and when, we get a lead on the thing, we'll take my car. Now get your ass in that house and help with research. The sooner we find answers, the sooner we can send this thing back to hell." He let Dean go, and started toward the house. Dean stood there for a second, realizing that he couldn't use the Impala as an excuse anymore. Defeated, he turned and followed Bobby into the house.

"I don't get it!" Dean said, slamming his book closed in frustration. They had been searching for hours, only to come up with nothing. "How can this demon be nowhere? We don't have any viable leads on the damn thing. It's like it freaking vanished!"

Bobby sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose. Dean was right. How could they have nothing?
"Anything off the Internet, Sam?"

"I've got nothing. It could be that we're the first people to come across this demon. That would explain why there's no information anywhere."

"Great!" Dean got up and started pacing. "So what are we supposed to do now? Sit here with our junk in our hands until this thing shows up?"

"No, we need to track it like your father tracked the Yellow-Eyed Demon. I want to know its every move."

Sam reached for his phone, intending to call Ash for help, but slowly set it down when he remembered that Ash was killed months ago, when demons attacked the Road House and burned it to the ground.

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm nowhere near as organized as Ash was at doing all of this," Sam said, opening his computer again and typing vigorously.

"You do that Sam." Dean started for the door. "I'm going out for a while." As he opened the door, Bobby put his hand on it and slammed it shut.
"How do you plan to drive anywhere without your car, Dean? Did you think you were going to take one of my junk cars without asking?"

"I've got two feet. I know how to use them." He tried to shove his way out the door again, but Bobby blocked his path. "Stop treating me like I'm ten years old, and let me leave!" Dean pushed him aside and stormed out the front door. Bobby almost went after him, but stopped himself. Dean needed to learn to respect himself again before he could have any respect for the job, and that was something Bobby could not teach him.