'The little shit,' thought Dean as he pulled up in front of Jake's house. 'He said he'd be outside.'

Dean threw the car into park and decided to wait. He figured his brother would be out any minute. He was probably just waiting inside until he saw Dean pull up. After a few minutes, Sam had yet to appear and Dean was becoming more agitated as time passed. He was just about to get out of the car and go knock on the door when Jake poked his head out of the house.

"Sam left a few minutes before you got here. He got tired of waiting and said he'd watch for you while he was walking."

"He left?" questioned Dean, not quite believing what he had just heard. Sam had even acknowledged that Dad didn't like him walking by himself but then he decided to head off alone anyway. "Great. Which way did he go?"

"Towards the school," stated Jake. "I'm surprised you didn't pass him on your way."

'That's because I came from the other direction, Moron.'

"Thanks – I wasn't really looking for him. I must have driven right past him," said Dean before he pulled a u-turn and set off to find Sam. 'I'm gonna kill that little shit when I find him!'

Dean drove cautiously down the road looking for his brother but didn't find any trace of him in the two blocks before the school. Once he reached the school, he drove carefully through the parking lot in case Sam had decided to take a short cut through the schoolyard. With no sign of him there, Dean proceeded down the road in the direction of the motel.

He was driving past a large park when he noticed a small group of kids gathered beside the ball diamond. Dean slowed right down to see if his brother was with them. As he looked harder at the cluster of kids, he recognized the same boy who had been giving Sam a hard time earlier that day. Now he really hoped that Sam was not with these kids.

Dean pulled the Impala onto the next sidestreet so he could get closer to the group of kids. They didn't seem to be doing anything other than simply loitering but he wasn't going to be too careful. As he pulled adjacent to where they were standing, he saw Sam walking through the playground directly ahead.

'Thank God. At least I made it here before Sam met up with them.'

Dean revved the engine in order to get both Sam's attention and to let that Rick kid know that he was there - in case he thought he might try anything once he caught sight of Sam.

Sam looked up when he heard the car engine revving and immediately recognized it as his brother's car. He stopped walking and stared at the Impala for an instant and then he turned around and headed back the way he had come. Watching his little brother retreat made Dean even more livid than he already was and he put the car into drive and sped down the road closer to his brother. After he had driven as close as he could get before the street turned in the opposite direction, Dean drove the car onto the grass and continued across the park towards Sam.

Dean drew the Impala up beside his brother and leaned out the window. "Sam! Get in the car!" but Sam acted like he hadn't heard him and kept walking away. Dean had had enough of his brother's games and shouted, "Sam! Get in the car NOW! You'll be sorry if I have to get out and drag your sorry ass back here! Get in the car!"

All the commotion had caused the array of teenagers to watch the spectacle that was unfolding between Sam and Dean. The display seemed as amuse them almost as much as it infuriated Dean.

Sam had ceased walking as he heard how angry his brother had become but he still didn't make any move to get into the car. He just looked over at Dean as if daring him to make good on his threats.

"Sam, so help me….!" exclaimed Dean and it almost looked like he was seriously considering murder. "Get over here NOW!"

For whatever reason, Sam decided that he wouldn't keep challenging Dean's authority and began walking very casually over to the car. He hesitated before opening the car door and sliding inside. "What took you so long?"

Dean's grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles were bone-white. "Just shut-up," was all he bothered to say as he drove across the park and back to the road.

They rode in silence for a few minutes before Dean decided to let Sam know who he would have found in the park. "Did you see who was at the park?"

No answer.

"Sam? Did you see who you would've run into at the park? And he was there with a bunch of his friends. Not the smartest move you've ever made, going off by yourself."

"Shut-up Dean! I could've handled myself. Now all you've done is make me look like some kind of idiot chasing after me like that!"

"You told me you'd wait."

"So. I get tired of always waiting for you. I don't need you holding my hand everywhere I go."

"Well, take it up with Dad. He's the one who told you to call me. Ya think I want to be left babysitting you all the time?"

They were only a block and a half away the motel and were stopped at an intersection to let a pedestrian cross. Sam opened the car door and stepped out, slamming the door behind him. "Then just leave me alone!" he yelled and started walking towards the motel.

Dean couldn't take any more of his brother's attitude and floored the gas pedal to get away from him. Sam would just have to walk the rest of the way.

For the second time that day, Dean screeched the car to a halt just outside their motel room and slammed the car door shut as he exited the car. He burst into the room in the same angry manner he had previously exhibited when he had arrived a few hours earlier and found his father sitting in the exact same place he had been when he left.

"Where's Sam?"

"He should be here in a minute. He got outta the car a couple of blocks back."

"And you left him?"

"YES, I left him! You deal with him. He's your son – not mine!"

Okay…I know I seem to be going in circles. But that'll end next chapter. I promise! And thanks for reading!