1Summary: The fight before Sam leaves. Sam's first weeks at Stanford. How he meets Jess. Possible Hurt! Or Limp!Sam. Dean will probably make an appearance probably as protective! Probably if not definitely AU. NEVER any wincest. We'll just see how it goes.

Disclaimer: All I own in life is what is given to me. I asked for Dean and Sam for christmas... and behold, they were there! And then I woke up and it really was christmas morning... I couldn't even get The Demon to show. So I own nothing is the point.

AN: Unbeta'd This is going to take on a life of it's own, I know that right now, so I make no promises (except that there will be NO wincest). Please be a little patient. Feel free to skip ahead to the part you want to read. Enjoy.

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It was 5 miles to the bus station and a 4 hour wait for the bus.

Every other moment Sam considered turning back. He couldn't, because if he did, he would never be free, be normal.

John would never look at him the same way, and Dean would be happy to see him back, but the sam would be true there to. Sam had closed the door.

XXXXXXXXXX— SsUuPpEeRrNnAaTtUuRrAaLl—XXXXXXXXXXX

Sam walked through the graveyard alone. It was the only place in Palo Alto that he could really go to think. He laughed a bit at the irony, he leaves hunting and the supernatural for normal, and then he runs away from normal to a graveyard.

At least it wasn't the normal experience he was used to. It wasn't creepy–unless you counted the back end where the headstones seemed a bit older–but at least he wasn't digging up a grave for a Winchester salt-n-burn.

FLASHING BACK AGAIN

Sam pretty much slept on the bus all the way to his stop. Honestly, he had no idea of where he had just come from unless he looked at the ticket. There were only two bus transfers until he got to Palo Alto.

But there was something he forgot. Normal people, people who weren't freaking out or knew nothing about hunting, could be pretty damn annoying.

There was someone always asking, "Where ya headed?" which was the easy question, but the "Where ya from," was a bit worse. Either way, both made him cringe a little.

First he was reminded of where he was headed and it made him a bit proud to explain the 'full-ride-to-Stanford' thing. But then the second question was the biggest guilt trip in the world.

You can't just say, "Oh, I'm running away and abandoning my family and I'm not from anywhere really because we hunt ghosts." So he'd make up some nowhere town he'd been to on the road and pray that the person had never been there.

After fifteen times of the same questions, his favorite replies would be, "I'm going to try and find the Great Pumpkin," and "I'm running away from the circus."

It wasn't exactly lying. His life was enough like a circus, plus he always did hate clowns.

And at the ages of 3-9 he had been actually convinced the Great Pumpkin existed. Halloween wasn't exactly the Winchester's favorite holiday. Trick-or-treating was not an option. So every year Dean would make sure Sam magically got his favorite candy. All courtesy of the Great Pumpkin.

Every year without fail. Sam deserved some normalcy that Dean never really had. That is until Sam was convinced that he could hunt down the said pumpkin and attain more candy.

At the time, John just happened to be investigating a Vanir. Sam decided to go off by himself–disappear–and sit in the local pumpkin patch all night long.

John was the first to notice Sam was gone. Dean was out on his usual Halloween tradition–smashing pumpkins and draping the town in toilet paper. So when he got back about a half hour after John, the panic set in.

"You mean he wasn't with you?!"

"Uh... yeah, he always stays home on Halloween," Dean paused after seeing John's face. 'Oh crap' Dean didn't know what it was, but there was something in the patch "Sam isn't here, is he?"

"Let's go Dean, he might have gone with some kids."

"No, he's not a trick-or-treat kinda kid..."

"Your point being..."

"Umm... he's possibly out hunting the Great Pumpkin," Dean looked down and paused, "He's most likely searching the pumpkin patch." 'Oh god, this is really bad.'

"Alright Dean, grab some weapons and hurry, I don't know how to kill it."

'Oh shit, this is way worse.' Dean just stood there.

"Now Dean, GO!"

Meanwhile, Sam crouched low in the patch. In one hand a flashlight. In the other, a sack, rope, a few flare guns, and salt.

He'd search everywhere if he had to, the Great Pumpkin was here somewhere.

About 45 minutes after it got dark, he heard something moving. First, it was coming from behind, but then it seemed almost to be coming from everywhere. Almost like it was circling him or something.

Sam didn't move, he'd wait silently until he could see it to capture it.

Finally, there was a silhouette.

"Stop. I've come to kidnap you unless you give me more candy from here on out!"

Nothing happened and it just drew closer. It freaked Sam out a bit. He expected the thing to be massive with a giant voice–much like the giant pitcher on the kool-aid commercials.

As it got closer, Sam pointed his flash light and was horrified to see a giant scarecrow thing rushing at him. Fumbling in the sack, he pulled out one of the flare guns and fired. It disappeared and Sam used his chance to get out of the patch. It was a long run back, he had been lurking around for a while now.

He didn't get fifteen steps until it appeared again. Not wanting to use the last flare gun just yet, Sam pulled out a hand full of rock salt and chucked it at the scarecrow.

It was stunned for a moment, but Sam didn't bother to look back and check, he just focused on the fence that was just about 50 yards away.

It was faster than Sam though and it gained on him quickly. He was almost to the fence and it was right behind him again. Sam had long ago dropped everything but the last flare gun and the salt–which he already used.

He whipped around and fired the last gun hoping to make it to the fence before it appeared again.

The impala skidded to a stop in front of the gate. They quickly gathered everything the could afford to carry and started to search.

"You take this end and I'll go this way," Dean huffed.

"No, we don't split up. You here me?"

"But Dad, we might find him faster-"

"No buts Dean, we don't know what could happen."

"Yes sir," Dean surrendered.

They couldn't see anything and all they heard was the sound of running and a panicked voice now and again.

Dean and John chased after it, it always seemed to go in a new direction. They finally stopped to take a breath and Dean looked back towards the gate and saw a flare go off.

"Dad! There!"

Sam was within feet of the gate and tripped on a vine. He landed with a thud and knocked his head on the fence post.

When he finally hazily looked up, it was over him. It brought it's hook down to catch him, but Sam rolled and it only caught on his sweater. Sam screamed and the Vanir swung it's arm back, bringing Sam with it and hitting him once again into the fence before dropping him.

He saw it come at him again right before he lost consciousness.

They ran at the spot where they saw the flare go off. Dean was faster and go there just in time to see it go after Sam. Sam was on the ground. Sam wasn't moving. 'Oh god'

"Hey! Get away from him!"

The Vanir was distracted and began to move towards Dean. 'Not my best idea.'

"Dad!"

There were two shots fired as John came up from behind. It disappeared again, but John knew it wouldn't be long until it came back.

Dean ran over to where Sam was laying. Even in the dark Dean could tell that Sam had a huge gash on his head and bruises already forming.

"Sam." He didn't get a response. Shaking him slightly Dean tried again, "Sammy!"

Before he could do anything else, John scooped Sam up in his arms and looked at Dean.

"Come on Dean! We need to move!"

"But it's gone, we need to check Sam."

"It'll come back if we don't leave now. Go!"

They ran for the gate and made it to the impala in time to see it at the gate in the head lights. John floored it to the hotel and left his sons in the car while he packed their things as quickly as he could.

Dean sat in back holding on to his little brother for dear life. It was all his fault. If he hadn't watched that stupid Charlie Brown holiday special, if he hadn't gone out, Sam would be fine. But no. Instead he had to terrorize the locals. He stopped punishing himself mentally as Sam started to move.

"Dean?"

"Sammy! Are you ok?"

"Ah, god it hurts!" he winced. "Wha happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Sam shook his head.

"You went on a little hunting trip tonight."

"What was I hunting? How'd it go?" Sam's voice was weak and he was trying to hide the pain now.

"Doesn't matter Sam."

"Did the Great Pumpkin come yet?"

Dean sighed and said firmly, "Sam. The Great Pumpkin isn't real."

Sam looked shocked and disappointed, but it had to be done after tonight.

"Go to sleep Sam."

Sam more passed out then more than anything.

John returned to the car and started the engine. A few miles out of town he finally asked.

"How did Sam get the idea of the 'Great Pumpkin'?" his voice was slightly angry.

"Well... I-I kinda told him..."

"Why would you do that Dean! You know what we do."

"I felt bad he didn't get candy like the other kids..." 'Like how I never got candy' "I never thought-"

"You never thought what?!"

Dean finally had it, "Well, he never hunts down Santa or the Easter bunny!" After a moment he finally realized what he'd done and muttered a silent 'sorry'.

John sighed, "It's alright son, just no more holiday characters... I'll tell him later about Santa and the gang."

"I already killed the Great Pumpkin if that helps."

"Just... forget about all this. Ok Dean? Just take care of Sammy."

"Yes sir."

"Dean," John suddenly felt bad.

"Yeah?"

"I'm Dad, not 'sir'."

AN: This one's slightly longer YAY! We've got some Protective!Dean and Hurt!Sam plus a piece of background that I honestly didn't plan on writing or even know about when I started this chapter lol. I'm just setting up background as I go.

I'm planning on Sam and Jess meeting next chapter, but again, no promises.

Read and review. Tell me what you think, what you want/don't want to see, or just how your day has been. I don't care, just motivate me.

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