Good Grace

Broken Hallelujah

Dean knew she had seen him pull into his own driveway. He leaned on the car watching her reaction.

A few moments after she went inside he decided to go check on his brother, who was probably doing homework, but when he opened the door the smell of alcohol hit him like a brick. Son of a bitch. Dads home. Dean thought to himself.

By now both the Winchester boys knew what this entailed. For Dean, it would be getting punched kicked and screamed at, along with the constant worry that their dad would turn on Sammy at any time. For Sammy, it would be pacing the room hearing the yelling and fighting, along with the constant worry that his brother might not make it out alive this time.

Dean walked cautiously into the living room to find his alcoholic father passed out on the couch. Dean let out a sigh of relief, turned on his heal and tried to walk silently up the stairs.

The very last step squeaked loudly under his weight. Dean stopped all movement including breathing.

There was a muffled "mhmmhpm" and Dean cussed under his breath.

"DEAN-GET-YOUR-ASS-DOWN-HERE NOW!" came the booming sound of his fathers voice, loud enough to still make Dean jump out his skin. Even if he's heard it a million times.

Dean walked stiffly down the stairs answering "Yes Sir?" (Dean would never call him dad, father, or even John.)

John stumbled off the couch toward Dean. "WHY WAS SAM ALONE WHEN I CAME HOME? WHY WAS HE ALONE ?" Came the booming voice of John Winchester. Dean dropped his stair to the floor for just a second but knew it was a mistake as his head was jerked up with Johns fist.

Dean was surprised he was still standing after that one. He heard his fathers booming voice again. "LOOK AT ME WHEN IM TALKING TO YOU!"

Dean began to stair into the hardened eyes of his father. "SO WHY WAS SAM ALONE!" "

Dean knew John was looking for an answer but he had none that his father would except.

"Because I went to get more beer for you, Sir." Spilled out of Deans mouth before he could stop himself.

John looked skeptical. "AND WHERE IS MY BEER?"

"Um, they um, there... they didn't have your favorite. I'm sorry Sir." *punch*

Dean felt his jaw burn with Johns fist. Then another *punch* Dean felt his knees give even tho he tried to push against it.

He felt a boot to his chest sending him across the room to land on his back gasping for air. A few seconds later he felt another impact from his fathers boot collide with his ribs, cracking at least two. It's over. Oh god. It's over and I can't protect Sam any more. Dean thought as the room faded to black and the song Hallelujah by Bon Jovi faded in.