Athazagoraphobia

Chapter 4

"Jack? What's wrong?" Sam turned around when he heard Gabe's voice to find Jack, a scared look on his face. He saw Gabe walk over and place a hand on each of Jack's shoulders. "Jack, what's wrong?" Gabe asked again.

Jack didn't say anything for nearly a solid minute.  "D-Dean. He's freaking out, and Cas wanted me to get you, Sam," he finally said.

Gabe looked back at Sam and nodded. Sam nodded, and Gabe led Jack away while Sam headed to Cas and Dean's room.

Sam knew that Dean had freaked out earlier at just the sight of their dad. What could John have possibly said or done that made Dean freak out so much? He knew John had done some terrible things to Dean growing up, no matter how much he tried to protect him from it. Sam

Sam could hear John's belt against Dean's back through the thin motel walls, the smack of flesh against flesh as the thump of a body hitting the floor. He tried to help his brother, but there wasn't anything he could do.

He also knew how John wouldn't give them enough money before he would leave. He knew how Dean would go without weeks without eating to make sure he did. He'd try to make Dean eat, but he'd just say he ate earlier and would leave the room. Sometimes he would pass by the bathroom to see Dean on the floor holding his stomach, tears rolling down his face. The first time he found him like that, Sam tried to comfort him. Dean just smacked his hand away and yelled at him to get out. Sam never attempted to comfort him again after that, no matter how much he wanted to.

Sam knocked on the door before entering the room. Dean's body lay curled into Cas's side, his head on the angel's chest. Cas looked up at him as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong? Why did you need me?"

Cas looked down to Dean, then back up at Sam. "John said something to Dean. I don't know what, but Dean passed out after having a massive panic attack. He was barely lucid and was mumbling about how John was going to do something. How we were unsafe."

Sam was shocked. He'd witnessed a few of Dean's panic attacks first-hand, but he'd never seen nor heard of them ever getting that bad. "What the hell did John say to him?"

Cas shrugged, careful not to jostle Dean. "I don't know. I know that Dean probably won't tell anyone, including me. And what I know from John, he most likely won't tell you, either. Is there any way you can think of to get him to say?"

Sam leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, then folded his hands together and leaned his head against them. "Maybe if I tell him that I know about what he said, he might start talking about it."

Cas tilted his head to the side in confusion. "But you don't know what he said."

Sam sighed. "I know that Cas, but John doesn't know that. If I play it right, I might be able to convince John that Dean told me what he said, even though I know he didn't." That sounded confusing, and even Sam got a little lost while saying it. Thankfully, Cas was a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent and seemed to get what he was saying.

"I suppose that could work, but I'd still tread carefully. John might put you up on a pedestal, but that man won't be afraid to knock you down a few pegs if he deems it necessary," Cas warned. He knew it probably wasn't warranted, but better safe than sorry.

Sam nodded. He agreed. He knew how much John worshipped him, especially compared to Dean, but he'd never been afraid to speak whatever was on his mind, even if he knew it would hurt Sam.

Sam took one last gander at his brother and brother-in-law, then left to settle the score with John.