It's November 2nd, the anniversary of what started a path on revenge with John Winchester. It's been twelve years and he's got nothing on the thing that killed his wife. Every year he loses a bit more hope that he'll even find the damn thing.

Every year is the same. John goes to drown out his sorrows at a bar and leaves Dean behind to look after Sam in some cheap place he'd rent out for a few days. He knows it isn't the solution to the problem, but he honestly doesn't care.

It's hard on Dean every year too, but he doesn't mind looking after Sam. This year, he's lounged on the couch dozing on and off while Sam is sitting on the floor doing homework or whatever he's doing these days. He's quiet because he knows what day it is, and he doesn't want to upset Dean in any way.

Dean picks up on what he's doing and gives him a sad smile, even though he can't see him. "Hey, Sam." He says softly, and Sam slowly turns his head around towards his brother, bangs falling down over his eyes. The kid really needed a haircut.

"Yeah, Dean?" Sam answers back in the same soft tone.

"Give me a hug." Dean says and holds out his arms. It's a major conflict with his no chick flick moment rule, but on this day it doesn't matter. Nothing matters.

Sam nods and let's Dean wrap him up in a hug. Dean holds onto him a little longer than needed but he can't help it, he carried this kid out of a fire twelve years ago. He can get away with it. And When he finally does let go of him, Sam gives him a little smile before turning back to do his homework. Dean puts a hand over his eyes and tries to go back to sleep.

He's awake when his dad comes stumbling in drunk, watches as he gives both him and his brother a cold stare before he's leaning up against the wall.

"When I left earlier, you both were doing the exact same thing your doing now." He says, but it comes out cold and it makes Sam wince.

"Dad..." Dean warns and shakes his head, but John isn't listening to him.

"I understand you, Dean." He spits out before glancing back down at Sam and shaking his head. "But Sam, why the fuck are you even doing homework? Is school more important than what today is?" It comes out yelling, and Sam swallows hard.

"Dad, just stop." Dean says, pushing himself up to where he's sitting up on the couch. "You've had to much to drink. He's a kid, he doesn't remember anything."

John smirks before looking up at his oldest. "Well, maybe we should make him remember."

And then everything happens really fast after that. Dean doesn't even have time to react before his dad is grabbing Sam by the arm and is jerking him up from the floor, keeping a tight hold on his son.

"Dad don't!" Sam yells and pushes against him, to no avail. "DEAN!" He's cut off short when John backhands him across the face and sends him crashing toward the ground.

Dean's adrenaline is pumping when he finally registers what the fuck just happened. His dad just fucking touched Sammy, his Sammy. There's no way in hell he can let that go. He's on his feet in an instant and he's charging at his dad and has an arm pressed against his throat as he pushes him against the wall before John knows it.

"Dean, you better fucking watch-"

"No, you watch it." Dean spits out, cutting his father off. "You drunk piece of shit, if you ever touch my baby like that again, I will take him away from you and you will never fucking see us again. You understand!" Dean yells and pushes his arm harder against his father's throat.

John shakes him off and doesn't answer. He gives him the same cold stare before stumbling over to the couch. "Fuck this shit." He mumbles before crashing on the lumpy sofa. "Fuck it all."

Dean stands there for a minute, clenching and unclenching his hands before finally turning back towards Sammy. The poor kid is still on the floor, nose gushing blood and he's holding his left arm close to his body. Dean can see his eyes are wet and that he's trying hard not to cry, and that just makes this situation so much fucking worse.

"Come on, Sammy." He says softly and helps him up off the floor. "Let's go in the bathroom and get you cleaned up, yeah?"

Sam slowly nods, and let's Dean lead him to the bathroom, leaving their father behind in the living room to pass out.

Dean shuts the door behind them in the bathroom and stares down at the knob for a second before turning the lock. He's not taking any chances with his father being the way he is right now.

"Sit down." He softly tells Sam and points to the closed toilet lid. When Sam does as he's told, Dean grabs a rag and rings it out under warm water before crouching down next to Sam, and pinching his nose with the rag. He talks softly in Sam's ear, and tells him it's all gonna be okay, but even he doesn't even know if what he's saying is true.

"I'm sorry." Sam finally says when Dean takes the rag from his nose when it's stopped bleeding. Tears fall from his eyes after he says it, he can't keep it all in anymore.

Dean shakes his head and takes Sam's face in his hands. "Don't you ever apologize to me about dad."

Sam slowly nods and sniffles as the tears keep rolling, further breaking Dean's heart.

"Fucking hell, Sam." Dean curses when he see's Sam's shoulder completely out of the socket. He's gonna kill his dad, he's gonna fucking kill him. Sam's tiny for a twelve year old, and the way his dad grabbed him fucking hurt him more then it should have.

After setting Sam's shoulder back into place and letting the poor kid cry on his shoulder for a few minutes, Dean grabs a few tylenol from the first aid kit and hands them over with a cup of water.

"I'll pick you up something for that shoulder tomorow," Dean finally says after a moment of silence.

Sam nods and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thanks, D-Dean." He manages to get out and gives him a little smile, despite the tears that are still in his eyes.

Dean gives him another sad smile. "No problem. Why don't you go lay down? I'll be in there in a minute, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Sam says and gets to his feet. Dean unlocks the door and watches Sam walk down the hall into the room they both share for the moment, before walking back into the living room. His dad is passed out on the couch, and he hopes he'll fucking stay that way all night. He flips the lights off before walking off behind Sam.

Sam's curled up on one of the beds sniffling back more tears, and Dean decides there's no way he's gonna let him sleep alone. He climbs up beside his brother and let's Sam curl up next to him, being careful of his injured shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sam." Dean says quietly and runs his fingers through Sam's hair. "I'm sorry he hurt you."

Sam shakes his head and looks up at him. "Don't you ever apologize to me about dad."

Dean smiles again, and he stays awake until Sam's breathing evens out into sleep before knocking out himself.

The next morning, John's up bright and early with a hangover from hell. He makes some coffee before sitting down at the kitchen table with his head in hands.

Sam comes down a few minutes later, but he stops when he see's his dad sitting at the table. He gets nervous when he glances over at him.

John notices the bruising that's clearly shown across his youngest's face and swallows hard. He did that, the memory coming back fresh in his mind. He feels tears well up in his eyes before he's holding his arms out. "Come here, Sammy." He says gently.

Sam just stands there for a moment before walking slowly toward his dad, and before he knows it, he's being pulled into a bone crushing hug that irritates his already sore shoulder. He let's out a yelp that makes his dad pull back from him, hands gently resting on his arms.

"Sam?" He says and looks at him confused.

"It's just my shoulder," Sam answers. "Just sore."

Fuck.

"I'm so sorry, Sam." John says and lets the tears fall from his eyes. "I'm sorry about what I did, I had no idea-"

"It's okay." Sam says, cutting him off and nodding. "I know what day it was. it's okay, dad. I forgive you."

John hugs him again but is more careful of his shoulder. He fucked up majorly, but he's glad Sam's forgiven him. Dean might be another story...

"I'm gonna go finish my homework, alright?" Sam says, bringing John back to reality.

"Okay." He says and watches Sam walk back in the living room before glancing back up. Dean's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and the look he's giving him doesn't look like he's gonna show any sign of forgiveness anytime soon.

"Dean..." John starts and shakes his head. "You know what day it was. I got a little messed up. If I had any idea-"

"But you didn't." Dean says, cutting him off. "You didn't, and Sam paid the price. Do you think mom would want you man handling her youngest?"

John winces and clenches his hands together and tries to stay calm while shaking his head. Dean's just trying to get a reaction out of him. "I told him I was sorry." He says quietly.

"Sorry isn't always gonna cut it, dad. A line has to be drawn somewhere and I'm gonna have to be the one to do it."

"I know."

Dean scoffs and pours himself a cup of coffee. "You remember what I told you last night, dad? After it all happened?"

John runs a hand through his hair before slowly nodding.

Dean smirks. "I'm gonna say it again. If you ever touch my baby like that again, not only will you never see us again, but you'll need Pastor Jim down here to pray over your body."

It comes out so cold, John flinches like Dean's just punched him in the face. He deserves it, but it still doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to hear his son saying those kind of things to him.

"You understand?"

"Yes." John says through clenched teeth. "I understand."

Dean stares at him for a minute before nodding. "Okay." He says and starts to walk into the living room to sit with Sam, but he looks back one last time, "Don't think I'm being a bad son. I'm just doing what you've been telling me to do the past twelve years. Look out for Sammy. That's what I'm doing."

John doesn't even get a chance to say anything, Dean's already in the next room and he thinks it's best to leave it all alone. What happened, happened. There's no going back and changing it.

He's just gotta deal with it.