BLOOD [Supernatural]

01. Parker

"If you tell me to shut my cakehole Dean, I will punch you in the throat."

•¤•¤•¤•

"Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in a few days."

Sam's expression doesn't change while he takes this in and Jess glances up at him. "Jess, excuse us. We have to go outside." He says after a moment, giving Dean a look as he ushers his girlfriend back to bed while simultaneously putting on jeans and grabbing a jacket.

"I mean, come on. You can't just break in, middle of the night, and expect me to hit the road with you." Sam grumbles, stomping down the stairwell beside Dean.

"You're not hearing me, Sammy. Dad's missing. I need you to help me find him."

Sam rolls his eyes with a scoff, "You remember the poltergeist in Amherst? Or the Devil's Gates in Clifton? He was missing then, too. He's always missing, and he's always fine."

Dean stops and turns around, causing Sam to stop too. "Not for this long." He argues, "Now are you gonna come with me or not?"

There's no hesitation in the younger Winchester's response, no pause to think, just, "I'm not."

Dean's eyes blow wide and his eyebrows shoot up incredulously, "Why not?"

"I swore I was done hunting. For good."

"Come on. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't that bad." Dean shrugs off, starting down the stairs again with Sam following.

"Yeah? When I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a .45."

Dean stops at the door to the outside, "Well, what was he supposed to do?"

"I was nine years old! He should've said what Jude told me, don't be afraid of the dark."

"Don't be afraid of the dark? Are you kidding me? Of course you should be afraid of the dark. She knows what's out there, what was she thinking?"

"Yeah, I know too, but still," Sam shakes his head, "The way we grew up, after mom was killed, and dad's obsession to find the thing that killed her," Dean glances outside as Sam continues, "But we still haven't found the damn thing. So we kill everything we can find."

The older Winchester's face grows serious, "We save a lot of people doing it, too." There's a brief pause as they hold each other's gaze.

The youngest swallows, taking a breath, "You think mom would have wanted this for us?" Dean rolls his eyes and slams the door open, climbing the short flight of stairs from the door to the parking lot. Of course, Sam persists and follows. "The weapon training, and melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors." They cross the parking lot to a beautiful sleek black Impala.

"So what are you gonna do? You're just gonna live some normal, apple pie life? Is that it?" Dean snaps, turning around to face his younger brother.

"No. Not normal. Safe."

"And that's why you ran away." Dean accuses, looking 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."

"Yeah, well, dad's in real trouble right now. If he's not dead already. I can feel it." Sam stays quiet, mulling it over. "I can't do this alone."

"Yes you can."

Dean looks down and mutters, "Yeah, well, I don't want to."

Sam sighs and looks down, thinking over his options before lifting his head. "What was he hunting?"