A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I updated the Kisses! Credit where it's due here: my lovely beta (always full of great ideas!) suggested the idea for how the John kiss would come about. I hope I've done her idea proud! Please enjoy!

Extra big love and hugs for my friend, partner, beta, often savior, Mali Bear's Buddy. She's best at all those things and I love her lots. Do go check out her stories because she's a fantastic writer on top of everything else! :)

Disclaimer: Don't own Supernatural, just playing.

John

John Winchester pushes through the brush and debris in the quiet forest. He hears his son, Dean, some fifty yards away doing the same. His feet are leading him to a small cabin where a group of vampires have been holed up. His mind, however, is more than a thousand miles away. At Stanford University, to be precise.

His thoughts are often on his younger son these days. Ever since Sam left to pursue college and a "normal" life away from hunting. While they both said ugly things to each other the night Sam left, John hasn't stopped looking out for his son. He checks in with friends and swings through California when he can, making sure he's safe.

Lost in thoughts of Sam, he doesn't notice the vampire stalking him until it's almost too late. He dodges the attack, rolling away before jumping up to face the creature. Coming in low, he swings his machete, neatly severing the vamp's head.

Breathing hard, John scans the woods for Dean. His horrified eyes pick out his older son just as another vampire catches him from behind. "Dean!" he screams, scrambling through the underbrush. He can hear the hissing of the vampire and Dean's grunts as the two wrestle on the ground.

He's still a few yards away when he hears Dean's groan of pain and then silence. With a terrible yell, he leaps toward the vampire, hacking its head off with one sure stroke of the blade.

He falls to his knees beside Dean's still form. His hands and eyes search the younger man's body, looking for injury. Shoving Dean's jacket out of the way, his hand comes out bloody. A knife wound, apparently inflicted by Dean's own blade.

Pulling off his own jacket and shirt, John presses the latter against the wound to try to stop the bleeding. He then wraps his jacket around Dean to hold the temporary bandage in place.

Dean stirs briefly, eyes fluttering open. "Easy, son," John murmurs as he lifts him into his arms. "You're gonna be alright. Everything's gonna be alright."

Dean nods slowly before slipping back into unconsciousness.

~~~SPN~~~

Dean stirs slowly, grimacing as he feels the tug of stitches in his side and a nasty ache on the back of his head. Dragging his eyes open, he blinks as they adjust to the sharp overhead lights. The antiseptic smells tell him he's in a hospital and he glances around the room. His eyes come to rest on his father leaning toward him, a relieved smile on his face.

"What happened?" Dean mumbles hoarsely.

John snags a cup of water from the bedside table and holds it for Dean to have a sip. "Ambushed by those vamps," he says quietly.

Pieces of memories float through his head. He was approaching the cabin then the vampire attacked him from behind. After that, things got a little hazy. Dean's hand goes to his side, feeling the bandage. "I think it got me with my machete. I didn't even see it coming. Sorry, Dad." He grimaces again, this time embarrassed. John would never have let a vampire sneak up on him like that.

John shakes his head, eyes drifting away to a spot over Dean's head. "Don't worry about it, son. Could have happened to anyone."

Dean tries to cover his surprise by fidgeting with the blankets. If he didn't know better, he'd think his dad felt guilty about something. It was written all over his old man's face. But he had no idea what it could be.

Quickly changing the subject, he asks, "So, uh, how long am I stuck here?"

John shrugs, doing his own bit of fidgeting. "Another day or two at least. You lost a lot of blood." Again, a flash of guilt.

There's a moment of silence between the two men, then John stands. "Well, I'll let you get some rest. I've got some things to take care of, but I'll be back later." He smiles briefly. "Bring you some decent food maybe."

Dean's mouth waters at the thought of a bacon cheeseburger. "God, yes! I hate hospital food."

Gaze turning serious, John leans over the bed, pressing a brief kiss to Dean's forehead. "I'm sorry, son," he murmurs and abruptly leaves the room.

A stunned Dean stares after him, fingers unconsciously touching his forehead. He wonders what the hell kind of drugs they have him on because he must be hallucinating. Closing his eyes, he rests back on the pillow.

What the hell had really happened out there in those woods?

Next up: "Classy Girl" from Tall Tales (the first Trickster episode) - Dean's version of the girl in the bar story.