Dean's bruised and battered heart began to beat a little faster when his dad exited the Impala. The boy loved him no matter what and all he wanted to do was run downstairs and right into John's arms and hug him tight. Dean didn't because he wasn't sure what sort of condition or mood his dad might be in. They hadn't heard from him for a long time. Not even for Sam's birthday, not that it came as a shock.

He opened the window and shouted to "Dad!"

When John looked up, the man looked genuinely happy to see Dean.

"Hey Son, come on down!"

"Son!"

He gave Sam a rough shake of the shoulders, "Wake up, Dad's back!"

The boy's eyes fluttered open, darted around the room then looked up at Dean who had a big smile on his face, the kind of smile he reserved for desserts and kisses.

"Dad?"

"Yeah Dad and I think he's in a good mood."

…..

Bobby stood on the porch watching as John ascended the stairs. There was no warning at all so Bobby could get his bearings. Showing up out of the blue like this probably meant he wanted Sam and Dean back. This was the longest the boys had stayed with Bobby and John was a possessive, driven man.

John clapped him on the back and looked pretty cheerful. Bobby didn't detect the smell alcohol, just unwashed alpha. The man must have driven straight through from wherever he was and it showed by the amount of beard on his face. He looked rundown and beat up so this mood he was in surprised Bobby.

Dean burst through the door and hugged his dad, "We missed you, Dad." When he felt his father's big hand cradle the back of his skull and one arm slide around his waist Dean felt like crying all those happy tears he'd been saving up for something just like this. He didn't because tears showed weakness and he didn't want ruin the moment.

John smelled his son's hair and neck to take in minute details of Dean and how he'd changed since they'd been apart. His son smelled fresh, sweet and ripe for the picking. The alpha knew that would be trouble down the road. If he could only smell the omegas genitals he could tell if Dean had already been deflowered. John doubted it because Bobby kept an eagle eye on the both of them.

Dean did the same to his dad but with caution. First the hair, then the neck but the alphas smell was unpleasant because he needed a shower.

John pushed his son back and held him by the shoulders, "You look good Dean, I think you shot up a couple inches. Hell, you might end up taller than me. You're filling out nice real nice."

Sam didn't burst through the door; he sort of crept out so he could watch his dad and brother interact first. Once John spotted Sam he called the boy over and hugged him. Sam cautiously returned the hug. John did the same to Sam, first the hair and then the neck but smelling the boy's genitals would have told John nothing because Sam was just a boy.

Sam didn't bother to smell his dad. There was only one person he liked to scent and that was Dean.

Bobby eyeballed the fellow hunter, "You look like shit. Go take a shower before you stink up the place."

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, Bobby."

…

Dean had forgotten what a handsome man their dad was when he got cleaned up and the omega hung on John's every word throughout dinner. This version of dad was the one Dean missed and he hadn't seen him in a long time.

Sam on the other hand waited for his dad to say something crappy and John didn't disappoint.

They had warmed up leftover biscuits with butter and maple syrup for dessert. Dean proudly held up the jar of dark amber liquid, "Bobby taught us how to tap, process and preserve maple syrup this spring."

John looked at Bobby and shook his head, "That's what you've been teaching them? When in the hell are they going to do that when they're out hunting?"

"The boys need to learn how to do more than hunt, they need to learn to survive and I told you that already." The elder hunter poured himself another whisky and downed it quickly, "Besides, I got an inkling it'll come in handy."

Sam nodded, "I get dreams about something bad that's going to happen."

An uncomfortable silence fell over them as John stared at Sam as he worked his jaw. Dean knew what that meant, Dad was getting upset.

Dean took the heat off of Sam, "Bobby taught us all kind of stuff about hunting and we've gone with him and done just about everything except Sammy didn't do the real dangerous stuff because he's a kid." It was one long running sentence blurted out but it worked, John was looking at him now.

John took a long draw on his beer and set the bottle down, knocking over an empty. All eyes were on him, "Something bad is always happening every minute of every day. I think Bobby got his inkling from the bottom of a bottle and Sam…well don't talk about these dreams or visions of yours. You don't want to end up in a nut house do you?"

Sam was hurt by that and it was Bobby who ran interference.

"This summer I'm takin' the boys on a wilderness adventure and do a little living off the land. Fall I'm taking them both bow hunting during deer season. They'll learn to dress the carcass and butcher the meat and maybe tan the hides for leather; this'll all go on between school and hunting of course." Bobby was trying to head John off at the pass, show the man that Sam and Dean were learning all the time. There was nothing John hated more than idle children.

John's jovial mood since he got there disappeared and his expression turned serious, "You can forget that wilderness crap, I'm taking the boys with me on the road. School is out and I want them back."

Dean wasn't sure how he felt about leaving. He missed his dad and wanted to be with him again but he'd miss Bobby. Would his dad still give him hugs like the one he just got or would things revert back to the way it's always been?

Like some abused or neglected children, all Dean wished for was his dad's praise and acceptance. The boy had made excuses and covered for him for years but yet he remained his father's whipping boy.

For Sam it was a no brainer but then his relationship with John was very different than Deans. If Sam fucked up like the time he ran away or when he broke his arm or didn't do a good job at something, it was Dean who paid for it. That was a hell of a burden for a child to carry. It was one of the reasons why he tried to excel at the tasks that lay before him, that and he saw it as a means of escape someday.

Sam decided he didn't want to go and Dean shouldn't either.

"We want to stay here, Dad."

The alpha smirked, "You say that like you have a choice. Well guess what, you don't." He stabbed a finger at Dean, "You don't either."

Bobby felt a headache coming on along with a lot of heartache, "John, its fine if they stay. I need the help and the company."

"I'm taking them and we'll leave in day or two."

"Make sure you have them back by the end of August because they'll have school registration."

"We'll see."

Bobby wanted to give the younger alpha an ass full of rock salt and demand he hit the road alone. Negotiating with someone so unmovable was like rolling a boulder up an ice covered hill, impossible.

The only thing he could do was pray they would only be gone for the summer and returned safe and sound. It wasn't as if they all lived normal lives or lived by conventional rules. If that were the case Bobby would have applied to be Sam and Dean's custodian years ago. He was fuck out of luck and he knew it.

….

Sam showed his dad their bedrooms and how he and his brother had made them their own. He hoped it would show John how established they were in this household. The next day Sam showed his dad their bikes and the boy went into detail about how special and important his bike was and how he'd miss it. He also bragged about his excellent grades and how much better Dean was doing in school. Sam gave it his all and hoped it was enough to touch their dad's stubborn heart.

…

Bobby had a long conversation with John about the boys over some good whisky the next night. It was a real tightrope act talking to John Winchester; Bobby had known the man for so long that he knew John's triggers both good and bad. It was a nice night and the two sat on the porch and hopefully out of ear shot of the boys.

"Looks like you had a rough time of it since we saw you last."

"Not any rougher than usual. Look Bobby, I know what you want to talk about and the answer is no. I'm taking the boys with me at least for the summer or longer."

"John, they've got it nice here. I taught 'em just how you wanted and didn't let them slack off."

"You spoiled them is what you did."

Bobby felt like smacking his ball cap across the younger man's head and declaring him an idjit but he didn't.

"I need to pick up Dean's pills tomorrow and I'll get as many as I can. It's important he stays on them and doesn't miss any doses. I'll pick up scent block and some other things he needs. The pills make his heats real light and not hurt so bad. Are yah sure you want to take this all on?"

"Dean isn't a goddamn baby. Has he been fucking around on your watch?"

"No, he hasn't but if you hadn't noticed, he's a beautiful kid so it's better safe than sorry."

John sat there in silence for a good fifteen minutes as he drank.

"Alright, get his stuff then because we leave the day after tomorrow."

…

Sam and Dean heard the whole thing though the open kitchen window. They were supposed to be asleep but eavesdropping was the only way to ever know what their dad was planning.

Neither of them could sleep after that. Dean silently hoped their dad had changed but hearing that conversation it sounded like it might be more of the same or even worse. Sam couldn't sleep thinking about giving up all this stability and not seeing Bobby or his room and bike again.

Sam would leave with no fussing or complaint but only because of Dean.

….

Bobby handed over a small duffle bag full of Dean's supplies and medication. He made sure to include bags of their favorite candies and a few paperbacks for Sam to read.

"Dean, you got all my numbers?"

"Yeah, we both do."

"Summer will fly by and everything is gonna be ok. Both of you got that?"

They said "yes" in unison.

As the Impala drove off he saw Sam waving through the back window and Bobby waved back until he couldn't see the car any longer.

Tonight would be as good a night to drown his sorrows.

TBC

A/N This chapter was an interlude before getting down to brass tacks.