Catch Me When I Fall

Sandwich

The next morning when Sam woke up, the first thing he did was check on Dean. He frowned when he saw the empty bed. "Dean?"

Walking downstairs, he checked in the living room, before checking the kitchen, where he saw Bobby sitting at the table reading the paper, and drinking coffee. "Where's Dean? Is he okay?" asked a worried Sam when he didn't see his brother anywhere.

"Good morning to ya too, Sam." Bobby looked up at Sam's face, and sighed. "He's out in the garage, messing with one of the cars."

Sam looked at his watch. "It's only 8.30. Did you see him? Did he look okay to you? Did he say anything?"

"What the hell is the matter with ya? Yer acting like his mother or something."

"I don't know," said Sam, taking a seat at the table. "Dean... he passed out last night after we finished up... and he... I could feel his ribs through his shirt, Bobby. He isn't eating right, and that's not like him."

"Now ya mention it, he refused breakfast when I offered him some. He made up some crap about already eating, even though he'd just got out of bed."

Sam sighed, and went to the fridge. "I'm making him some breakfast whether he wants some or not."

"What are ya going to do? Tie him to the chair, and force him to eat?"

"If I have to," he answered, getting out the frying pan.

"Sam, ya can't force yer brother to do something he doesn't want to do," said Bobby, walking over to stand in-front of the younger man.

"What do we do then, Bobby? Just sit back and watch as he starves himself? I don't think so. He's my brother, it's my job to take care of him." Sam took a deep breath, and looked out of the window, so Bobby didn't see the tears in his eyes.

"It's our job, ya mean. I'm not saying we do nothing. But ya know as well as I do that Dean Winchester doesn't like to be forced to do anything. Make breakfast, I'll go talk to him."

"Thanks Bobby."

Out in the garage, Dean was trying to figure out what the trouble was, when he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him jump and hit his head. "OW! SONOFABITCH! he yelled, before turning to look at Bobby. "Dude, what the hell?"

"I wanted to talk to ya."

"A warning would've been nice," said Dean, rubbing his sore head. "I can't exactly talk if I'm sparked out on the floor, can I?"

"Sorry about that." Bobby leaned against the car, so he was beside Dean. "Sam's making breakfast. Do ya want to come in? He's making bacon sandwiches. I know ya like them."

Dean avoided looking at Bobby. "I'm not really hungry. I'll have something later, I'm fine."

"That's crap, and we both know it. These clothes..." Bobby tugged on Dean's shirt sleeve. "Which normally fit are too baggy, and Sam told me about ya passing out last night."

"Can we talk about something else? Ooooh look a bird." Dean pointed outside where a magpie was outside the garage door.

Bobby rolled his eyes when Dean tried to change the subject. "I don't care about a frigging bird. I care about..." He sighed. "Ya may not care about yerself, but me and Sam do. Now yer coming in that house if I have to drag ya myself."

"Okay dude, chill. Can I-"

Bobby grabbed Dean's arm, and started walking back to the house.

"Hey, hands off the merchandise." Dean shrugged off Bobby's hand, and started walking. When he got to the kitchen, his eyes went straight to the sandwich on the plate. "I forgot I left something outside." He turned to go back out, but Bobby turned him back, and sat him in the chair.

"Sit," said Bobby, putting his hands on the young man's shoulders.

"What am I? A fricking dog?" Dean shrugged the hands off, and took a deep breath. He looked at Sam with a forced smile. "T-This looks... great."

Sam smiled back, but Bobby could still see the worried look in his eyes.

The two watched Dean pick up the sandwich. He held it for a minute, before he put it back down again. "I can't... I'm not hungry."

"Please, Dean," said Sam, almost begging. "You need to eat, you're too skinny. Is something wrong? Is that why you won't eat?"

Dean glared at the two. "There's nothing wrong with me," he said, knocking the chair over as he stood. "Except you two being a pain in the ass."

"If there's something wrong, you can tell us. We're your family," said Sam with tears in his eyes.

"THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!"

"Calm down, son," said Bobby, reaching out a hand to touch Dean's shoulder.

Dean recoiled from the touch. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled, before running out of the door.

The two men stood side by side as they listened to the Impala drive out of the yard. "Well, that went well."