Some Nights

Family Ties

caution: contains the spanking of a wayward son

****

"So you are just going to live some normal apple pie life? Is that it?"

"No, not normal. Safe."

"And that's why you ran away."

"I was just going to college. It was Dad who said if I was gonna go, I should stay gone. And that's what I'm doing."

"Dad's in real trouble right now. If he's not dead already. I can feel it."  (Pause.) "I can't do this alone."

"Yes, you can."

"Yeah. Well, I don't want too."

- Pilot (1x01)

*****

The cafeteria was loud and noisy, students coming and going, various groups gathering together for the last meal of the day, conversations rising up over other conversations, occasional shout to a friend. Sam Winchester took no notice of the craziness, head bent over his book, presumably homework.

Dean sighed, watching him. His brother had always been a nerd, but this, this was plain nuts. "Dude, how can you even concentrate in here?"

"You get used to it." Sam said without looking up. He flipped the page, continuing on.

Dean looked down at the tray that he had filled haphazardly, complete with a bowl of ice cream already starting to melt. He dug his spoon in it, closing his eyes as the  creamy flavor hit his tongue. The Stanford college had better food then, well anywhere else Dean had eaten. He looked across the table at his little brother bent over the book, his chin propped in his hand, tray of food ignored beside him.

"I don't think I could ever get used to this." Dean picked up a chicken wing, taking a bite of it, and groaning with pleasure. "Oh my god. Like how do you choose? Do you wake up in bed with the hot chick, or do you set your alarm to be the first in line for breakfast?" 

This caught Sam's attention, and he looked up, giving Dean a disgusted look. "Glad to see you haven't changed in the six months I've been gone." This earned him a quick Dean smile that was so contagious that Sam found himself smiling back, shaking his head. 

Dean finished off the chicken wing with flourish, and moved on to the next section of his tray, forking away mashed potatoes, stuffing his mouth. Sam watched for a moment, before sighing, and closing his book.

"Why are you here, Dean?"

Dean took another bite of ice cream, and then wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket. "We miss you."

"We?" Sam laughed bitterly, and reached across the table, snatching a egg roll of his brother's tray.

"Oy, get your own!" Dean tried to snatch it back, but Sam successfully escaped with it, and took a bite. "Jerk." Dean muttered, but he was smiling. Honestly, he missed his brother so much it freaking hurt. "He cares, you know."

"No way." Sam shook his head adamantly at his older brother. "Dad could care less where I am right now."

"That's not true." Dean pointed at him with the second egg roll. "He tells me all the time how he wishes you would come home."

Sam paused at this, frowning, searching Dean's face for any hint of the truth. "You're lying."

"Well, he doesn't say it out loud. But he's mopey as hell, and you can tell he's sorry."

"Dad is never sorry, Dean." Sam scoffed. "Everyone just has to fall in line behind him, and go with it, no matter the cost. How the hell can you stand it?"