Chapter Text
"I said no, Dean."
John Winchester placed the shotgun in the trunk of the car and slammed it shut. Dean was leaning against the side of the impala, arms crossed over his chest.
"Come on Dad, it's been four years. Two since we've even heard from him."
John walked past his son but stopped as Dean grabbed his bicep.
"You miss him just as much as I do. This fight has gone past being ridiculous. His college isn't that far from here."
John frowned and shrugged off Dean.
"You seem to forget he was the one who left."
"To go to college! You were the one to tell him to not come back!"
~If you leave, don't bother ever coming back!~
John winced at the memory. He had said that in anger, he didn't expect Sam to actually leave for good. Disagreement or not, John loved Sam and he was worried about him.
"How far is the college?"
Dean smiled and pulled out a map.
"Just over 150 miles. It'll take about 2 hours to get there. If we leave now, we can make it for lunch."
John and Dean walked into the administration building, stopping at the front desk where a woman was busily typing.
"Hi, I'm trying to find what dorm my brother is in."
"Alright, what's his name?"
"Samuel Winchester."
"Winchester? Like the gun?"
John sighed
"Yes, like the gun."
The woman typed in his name and browsed through a list.
"I'm sorry, but he doesn't go here anymore."
Both Dean and John felt lead settle into their gut. Sam was gone? Worst possible scenarios ran through their heads.
"Where- where did he go?"
"It says here that he graduated last year."
"Graduated? Doesn't it normally take 4 years?"
The woman raised an eyebrow at Dean, as if asking herself if her really was that dumb.
"Some people graduate early."
Dean turned away from the desk, rubbing the back of his head nervously. John took his place.
"Look, I need to find my son. Can you help or not?"
"I'd advise going to talk to his former roommate. He might be able to help. Here's his old dorm room number."
"Do you think he was taken? Maybe as bait for us?"
Dean and John walked quickly across campus to Sam's old dorm.
"I don't know Dean, maybe."
Both men entered the building, going up the stairs two at a time. The dorm number they were given was open, a young man with short brown hair was leaving.
"Hey! You!"
Dean grabbed the young man by the back of his red hoodie. The kid flailed his arms and squawked.
"Hey! What the hell dude!"
Dean shoved the startled kid against the wall.
"What is it with people throwing me into walls! Am I just a throwable person? I mean you're not as bad as Derek, but still! And I don't even know you! Who are you? My name is Stiles. Well, that's not my real name, just my nickname. My real name is super hard to pronounce. Back to the point! Are you some kinda robber? Should you really be doing this inside during the day where everyone can see you? Maybe-"
"Kid, shut up!"
"Right, shutting up."
John pulled his son off of the kid name Stiles before talking.
"Did you used to have a roommate named Sam Winchester?"
Stiles smiled brightly.
"Are you Dean and John?"
". . . yeah. . . "
"Sam told me that if you guys came for him, to give you his forwarding address."
"So he really is gone?"
"No, just from college. He bought a house just across town. Here's the address."
Stiles handed John a scrap of paper.
"Thanks."
"Sure thing, but you should know that Sam may not want to go hunting with you."
Dean and John turned back on the kid, but Stiles was already down the opposite side of the hallway and in the stairwell.
"Did that kid-"
"I don't know. He could just be talking about regular hunting."
Dean didn't looked convinced.
"Come on, let's go."
Sam stood in the doorway, shocked.
"Dean? Dad?"
Dean smiled and pulled his brother into a hug.
"Sammy!"
The hug quickly turned into a headlock.
"Why didn't you tell us you graduated! That you bought a house!"
"Uh- what- what are you guys doing here?"
Sam pulled himself out of the headlock. John grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Sam, I'm sorry."
"W-what?"
"I'm sorry. This fight has gone on long enough. You're my son, and I shouldn't have said what I did. I love you and I'm proud of you."
Both Sam and Dean stared in shock. Sammy pulled his father into a hug, both Dean and John pretending they didn't see any tears. Sammy had always been a little more emotional than his brother and father.
"Why don't you guys come on in."
Sam led them into the living room. It looked mostly normal, except for the glock on the coffee table. There was an open bag of rock salt and lighter fluid sitting on the stairs leading to the second floor.
John looked Sam over. He was taller than last time he saw him, and he had filled out some more. There was a new scar on his forearm- some kind of burn.
"You still hunting?"
Sam disappeared into the kitchen, returning with three beers before sitting on the lounge chair facing his family.
"Somewhat."
Dean took a swig from his beer before speaking.
"I thought you said you didn't want to hunt anymore."
"I never said I wanted to stop hunting, just that I wanted a little more normalcy. I wanted to go to school, make friends. Not have to move every week- a actual home to go back to when done."
John frowned.
"Son, that's a hard thing to do you-"
"What the fuck is that?!"
Dean jumped to his feet, nearly spilling his beer. He was pointing at Sam, or more accurately, he was pointing at Sam's hand. On Sammy's left hand was a simple gold band. A wedding ring.
"You got married?!"
"Dean I-"
"No, no, no need to explain! You went and graduated college and didn't tell us, and then you went and got married! Did you even think about inviting me- us?!"
"I was told not to come back! I thought I had been disowned!"
John felt his stomach drop.
"Disowned? Sam I- I would never disown you or your brother. Ever."
"Well I didn't know that! I thought- I even took Jess's name."
"You changed your last name?"
"Not- not completely. It's, um. . . Samuel Winchester-Moore"
"Wow, Sam. You took her name? You're such a girl."
"Uh, actually. . . "
The front door opened and closed.
"Sam! I'm home."
A young man walked into the living room, stopping short when he saw Dean and John. The man was tall, maybe two inches taller than Sam. He had blonde hair and green eyes. He was slim but muscular- like a hunter.
"Sam?"
Sam walked up to the man, grabbing his hand.
"Jess, this is my father John and my older brother Dean. Dad, Dean. . . this is Jesse Moore. My husband."