𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 - 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 (ON HOLD)

Eleven

The days following Alastair's death, and Dean's discharge from the hospital, Bobby tries desperately to keep his faith in the depressing and sombre household. He continues on with his research for the apocalypse, for fellow hunters, and keeps an eye on the girl and Sam after Dean takes off for some solo hunts to clear his head. The house is quiet, even his small, cheap television that's turned on some random news channel does nothing to mask the silence, and he stands up, purposefully scooting his chair back loudly to alert the two kids upstairs that it's time to wake up. He wonders into the kitchen, getting ready to make something for lunch, when heavy footsteps come downstairs. He doesn't have to turn around to know it's Sam. He simply nods at the stove, asking, "Hungry?"

"No thanks." At that, the old man turns around and notices the younger Winchester grabbing his bag of weapons and slinging it on his shoulder, as he explains, "Dean's got a hunt, asked me to tag along."

Bobby hides his surprise, grunts, "You two idjits be careful."

"We will." Sam nods, too eager that his brother is talking to him again, and heads to the front door, "Gonna wait outside. See ya later."

Sure enough, not even twenty minutes later, Bobby hears the familiar sound of blaring music and the Impala's engine.

Before Sam can even greet his brother, Dean's turning off the music, digging in the glove box and shoving a phone into his hands, "Listen to the voicemail."

"Dean-"

"Just listen to the damn voicemail."

Sam flips open one of his father's phones and presses it to his ear after clicking on the inbox. After the automated voice says there's one saved message, a soft, almost inaudible voice speaks up, "Uh... is this John? John Winchester. I, uh, I need to talk to you. It's me Adam. Adam Milligan... your son. Please, call me back. We need to talk."

Sam stares down at the phone and looks at Dean, speechless. Dean's expression is unreadable and all he says is, "I hope you brought your computer."

Zoey slumps in her chair, staring at the stack of pancakes covered in butter and syrup, muttering, "Thanks."

"Eat up. There's plenty." Just to make sure the girl eats, Bobby sits down with her. There's dark circles under her eyes, and she looks like she hasn't gotten a wink of sleep despite not leaving her bed for four days.

"Forever. The demons will never stop. You can never be with your family. So, you either get as far away from them as possible, or you put a bullet in your head, and that's how you keep your family safe, but there's no getting out and there's no going home."

"Well, don't sugarcoat it, Sam."

"I'm just telling him the truth, Dean. Someone has to."

~ SUPERNATURAL ~

"What are we doing?" Zoey asks Bobby, following behind him.

Bobby picks up a paintbrush and hands it to her, "We're fixing the symbols in the panic room. Most of them are fading."

"Why?" Zoey asks, following him down the stairs, before she remembers, "Sam."

"We've got to get that demon blood out of him." Bobby tells her, opening the door to the panic room, "Dean called. They're on their way now. Should be back in a few hours."

Zoey watches Bobby grab a can of paint, dip his brush, and follows his instructions. As they paint over the fading symbols, Zoey asks, "What have they been hunting?"

"I don't know. Haven't told me much."

They busied themselves with the task until Sam and Dean arrived and Bobby locked him in the panic room per Dean's command. Zoey could hear his protests and screaming all the way upstairs. She sat next to Dean on the loveseat, watching him drink another beer when one of Bobby's phones started ringing.