Broken || Dean Winchester

13. Family Don't End In Blood.

*Cover gif from google.* 

*Sam's POV.*

"You did what?!" Sam yelled.

"I did what was best for you and Dean." John said calmly. 

"How is sending her away best for us?" Sam said, breathing heavily. 

"She was making you both weak, especially Dean!" John exclaimed. 

Sam stared at his father wide eyed. "You're kidding me right?" 

No, Sammy. Riley was a distraction." John shook his head. 

"She's my best friend!" Sam yelled. "She's in danger without us!" 

"She's not in danger, I sent her to Bobby's." John said calmly. 

"You're unbelievable." Sam turned away from his father. 

"I know you're mad, but I need you both focused on finding Yellow-Eyes." John sighed. "Which is why you can't tell Dean I sent her away." 

"You want me to lie to him?" Sam raised a brow. "He'll be crushed!" 

"No, he'll be angry. I need him to channel that anger onto the demon!" John argued. 

Dean walked into the motel room, carrying a bag of food. 

"Oh good you're back, I got dinner." Dean said, holding up the bag. 

Dean placed the bag on the table and Sam sat down in one of the chairs. John gave Sam a warning look before joining him. Dean started pulling burgers and fries out of the bag. 

"Riley! Grub's up!" Dean called out. 

Sam looked down at the table. When there was no answer, Dean furrowed his brows and looked between his father and brother. 

"Dean, Riley's not here." John said. 

"Why, where'd she go?" Dean asked, sitting down at the table. 

Sam couldn't look him in the eye, so he stayed quiet. 

"She left." John said. 

"Why would she leave?" Dean said. The hurt on his face was killing Sam. 

Sam knew that even though he wouldn't admit it, Dean had developed a soft spot for Riley. Despite his obvious attempts to push her away, she had opened up Dean's heart again. She'd knocked down the walls Dean had worked so hard to build up around himself. But the return of their father had forced Dean into old habits and he'd built that wall straight back up again. 

"She said she didn't belong here. This isn't the life she wanted." John said.  

Sam was disgusted at how easily John could lie to his own son like this. 

"I don't understand, why didn't she say anything to us?" Dean said, gesturing to himself and Sam. 

John looked at Sam for help and Sam sighed. 

"She tried to leave before and we stopped her, maybe she thought it was easier this way?" 

"Did she say where she was going?" Dean asked John. 

John shook his head and Dean sat back in his chair with a sigh. Sam could tell his brother was hurting. So was he. She might not have known it, but the brothers depended on Riley more than either of them cared to admit. She'd given them hope, even on their darkest days. She'd helped Sam through the trauma of losing Jess, she'd helped Dean when Sam had walked away from him. Riley had been through so much and never even once complained about it.