Then and Now

The past will always haunt us, brother

Sam didn't come down for breakfast the next morning. Dean sat at the table alone, poking at his toast as he looked over at the stairs constantly, waiting for Sam to enter the room. He tries to push the worry out of his mind, but he can't. Sam hadn't even looked at him when he had checked up on him earlier, curled up in a spot on his bed, hugging himself as though trying to comfort himself. 

Dean pushes his plate away, unable to eat. He wanted to help Sammy, but the boy was only growing more and more distant no matter what he did. 

Ten minutes pass, and Sam still hasn't appeared. Sam would never risk them being late to school, this thing with Michael had really affected him. Dean had always been scared that, after everything they had been through, that someday the darkness would steal his little brother away from him too. 

Another five minutes tick by. That's it, he was going to see what was taking Sam so long. The boy was too thin to keep skipping breakfast. He takes the stairs two at a time, thoughts running wild through his head in random directions. He had to figure out how to help Sam. How long had he been doing this? When had he started pulling away... why was Cas ignoring him so much? What had happened to Michael? Cas's eyes were bluer than he remembered.

Dean shakes his head, his thoughts spiraling out of control. He needed to stop letting thoughts of Cas crowd his mind. His brother needed him to focus on him. He couldn't be distracted by whatever those thoughts were about. 

"Sammy?" He knocks softly on Sam's door. "You up yet?"

There was no reply. Dean hesitates, resting his hand on the handle. "Sam?" When silence once more met his question, Dean slowly opens the door. 

It was still dark inside the room, the curtains still drawn across the window, blocking out the bright morning sun. Scanning the dim room, he quickly spots Sam curled up on his bed staring blankly across the room.

"Sammy? You okay?" It was clear he wasn't, but Dean wasn't about to tell his poor brother that he looked like shit. Instead, he moves over to the bed, sitting down carefully next to Sam. "Did you have another panic attack?"

Sam doesn't answer, but after a long silent moment he slowly nods. 

"Do you wanna stay home today? I can get Bobby to call you in sick."

Sam nods again, he looked exhausted. He would probably sleep half the day away now. Sure enough, he was already drifting off to sleep and Dean quietly leaves the room. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, he had passed out before having had the chance to even start looking into what happened to Michael. 

"Hey Bobby?" He jogs downstairs, leaning around the corner to see Bobby sitting at the kitchen table. "Sam isn't feeling so good, he's gonna have to take the day off from school."

"Fine. Don't think you're getting out of it though boy, it only takes one person to look after him and I'm sure I can manage that job." Then Bobby looks up at him and says with a less gruff tone. "You need to take a break from parenting him, enjoy just being a teenager Dean."

Dean grins at him, "I would never dream of it, speaking of I need to run or I'll be late." Dean did mean to go to school. He grabs his bag, yelled out his goodbyes and runs out the front door. He felt bad for leaving Sam, but it did feel good to not have to be the parent for once. Guilt fills him as soon as he thinks that. He didn't resent Sam for losing his childhood, that was Azazel's fault. It was Azazel he blamed, he liked being there for Sammy. 

Shaking his head, he walks down the front path still with full intention of going to school. 

Then again, maybe he could use this time to find out what happened to Michael, and be able to reassure Sam that it was nothing like what happened to them. 

So instead of heading towards the school, he heads for the hospital. 

The town was quiet as he sped walks along the street, praying no teachers were around to see him. Thankfully it isn't a long walk to the hospital and he's there in no time. 

"Excuse me?" He plasters a warm smile on his face, "I'm here to see a friend of mine," he continues in a smooth voice as the receptionist looks up at him.

"Shouldn't you be at school kid."

Dean's smile falters for a moment. Damn. "Uh, no, I'm in college." 

"You're in college?" She studies  him for a long moment, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder. "Sorry man, I guess you just look younger."

Ouch. Dean frowns at this. "Oh no, I'm definitely... 19." He flashes her a crooked smile, "I'm Dean."

"Lisa." She grins, "sorry about that, I didn't mean to offend you or anything."

"Its fine, I'll just take it as a compliment." 

She laughs. "Well, Dean, who are you here to see?"

Right. Michael. "Uh, um, yes, Michael? Michael Milton?" She types something into the computer.

"Room 201." She smiles up at him. 

"Thanks, Lisa." He pauses for a moment, before turning to go.

"Hey Dean?" He turns back to see Lisa smiling shyly at him. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Definitely." Dean grins widely. "Maybe later on?"

"I finish work at 3." Her smile widens. "Maybe I'll see you down at the diner?"

"Maybe you will." Dean winks, before leaving for the stairs. He couldn't stop grinning, she had seemed really nice. 

As he climbed to the second floor, thoughts of Lisa gone as he nervously adjusts the strap of his bag. From what he had heard from Sam, Michael had been pretty messed up and now he was starting to feel nervous. What if Sam's fears were right and this did have something to do with them?

He shakes his head. "Get a grip, Winchester, Azazel's locked up for life." He runs a hand over his face. Knocking softly on the door, he cracks it open and looks inside. 

"Michael?"

Michael was lying in the bed, pale faced turned towards him. "Hello?"

"Its, uh, Dean." Dean opens the door a bit more. "Can I come in?"

"Dean Winchester?" Michael shifts up into a half sitting position. "Been a while."

~~~~~

Okay so this was supposed to be longer but I wanna update while I have the time so I guess I'll try to get the rest out around work!