Author's Note: Sorry about the ridiculous wait. I've had this chapter written for at least a week, but I haven't had a functioning computer to post it on. But, finally, it is time. It's a short chapter, but we've got plenty of fun coming afterwards.

Chapter Six: Daddy Issues

John found himself almost wishing that Dean would just shout and cuss and rage at him. Anything would be better than his son just standing there with his arms crossed, glaring silently at him.

"What do you want me to say, Dean?" John asked after a long, uncomfortable stretch of silence.

"I want to hear your explanation as to why you think you can talk to her like that," Dean said flatly.

"Dean…" John started weakly, but he had no idea what to say next. Mary's words wouldn't quit echoing around in his head. We will lose our sons…we will lose them, John…

His eldest son just raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. "I'm waiting."

"I didn't mean to be so harsh, Dean," John finally got out. "I never meant to upset you, or Sam. I just…"

"You just what? I honestly want to know," Dean snapped. "I want to know what it is about Julie that makes you so angry you are willing to insult a woman you don't even know and have no reason to hate."

"I don't hate her," John admitted. "I just…I don't see eye to eye with her. And I don't approve of what she's done to you and Sam."

"Yeah, what kind of horrible person would pick up your broken sons and help them put themselves back together?" Dean spat, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "What kind of monster would die to save your son? I mean, after all the ways she's taken care of us, how could you not hate her?!"

"This!" John snapped, his anger getting the better of him. "You were never like this, Dean. Not to me. To monsters, sure, but not to your own father. But whatever this girl has done to you, she's changed you. And not for the better."

"Why? Because she finally taught me to grow a spine and stand up for myself?" Dean shouted. "If you hate her because she taught me to have the strength to actually stand up to you, then the problem is not with her."

"I know I'm not perfect, Dean, but at least I tried! I did my best to take care of my sons and raise them up to be good men. And you used to understand that. You looked up to me, Dean. You loved me, but now…she's in your head. She's made you hate me."

"For the love of God…I don't hate you, Dad!" Dean cried. "You're my father, and I'm always going to love you. But you cannot talk to Julie like that. You just can't. You have to be respectful and kind and understanding like she had been to you-"

John snorted derisively. "That girl was as far from respectful and kind as she could have been-"

"The hell she was!" Dean shouted, his anger surprising John. "Julie was polite and patient with you the whole time you were rude and angry. You're just mad she actually had the guts to stand up to you, unlike me. But I'm done with that, Dad. This is the way it's going to be. You're going to apologize to her and behave civilly from now on."

"I will admit that I was probably a little harsher than I needed to be," John sighed. "But I can't apologize for the way I feel, Dean."

"You can and you will," Dean growled. "And if you don't, then Sam and I are going to have no choice but to stop seeing you."

John tried to hide his fear behind a forced laugh. "Dean, I'm your father. You're not going to cut me out of your life over some girl."

"I will if I have to. And so will Sam." Dean was dangerously confident, and John's fear was beginning to grow. Then Dean softened ever so slightly. "I don't want to lose you, Dad. You're my father, and I love you. But I love her, and if you can't respect that…"

The two men faced off for a moment. "Why her?" John finally asked wearily. "She's pretty enough but…why her?"

Dean sighed. "I wish you would just give her a chance, Dad. Then you could see why. She's amazing, she really is. Brilliant and tough and kind and funny and likable…"

John couldn't stop a short snort from escaping her. Dean's eyes narrowed. "She is, Dad. Every person she's ever met has loved her. And if you would just give her a chance, I'm sure you would too."

But John's face stayed blank. Dean sighed in irritation. "Why can't you just give her a chance, Dad? What is it about her that you hate so much?"

"She's a threat, Dean!" John suddenly burst out. "She is." He took a deep breath to steady himself. "You…you love her, you and Sam both. I see that now. She matters more to you than your own father, and that…scares me. You boys don't need me anymore, but you need her. And if she said she didn't like me, if she asked you…you would leave me. You would."

Dean blinked at the real fear in his father's eyes. "She wouldn't ask that, Dad," he said almost gently. "I'll admit, she's not a huge fan of how you parented us. But she would never want to divide our family. All Julie wants is for me and Sammy to be happy. She's not a threat, Dad. Not unless you make her one."

John was silent for a long moment, and then the last bit of fight went out of him. "I'm sorry, Dean," he admitted softly. "I never meant to hurt you, or Sam, or…or even her. My anger got the best of me, and I said things that I didn't really mean."

"I forgive you, Dad," Dean said after a moment. John's heart started to lift a little, but there was still a hint of danger in his son's eyes. His heart sank as Dean finished, "But I'm not the one you need to apologize to…"

Julie looked up in surprise as the Roadhouse door swung open, and Dean walked in. He was back surprisingly fast. Hopefully that was a good thing. He didn't look furious, so that was a good sign.

She stood up and started to move towards him, Sam two steps behind her. But Julie stopped abruptly when John Winchester walked into the bar behind Dean.

His words hadn't quite left her head, and a little surge of anger went through her at the sight of John's face. But Julie forced herself to relax a little. The fact that John was here with Dean and they weren't throttling each other was a good sign.

For a moment, Sam and Julie faced John and Dean in a tense, uncertain silence. Then Julie swallowed and forced a smile at Dean. "Hey," she said carefully.

"Hi." He walked away from John to give her a quick peck on the cheek. Then Dean straightened up and turned to give John a pointed look. "I believe my father has something he would like to say to you, Jules."

Julie and Sam looked to John expectantly. "In front of everyone?" John asked uncertainly, glancing over at Ellen and Ash, who were watching from behind the bar.

"Yep," Dean said confidently.

John cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably with five pairs of eyes on him. But eventually he was able to lift his eyes enough to meet Julie's. Then he took a deep breath and said quietly, "I'm sorry. I am. I didn't mean all that, and I just…I've been an ass to you, Ms. Carters. And I'm sorry for that."

There was a brief moment of silence, and then Julie said genuinely, "I forgive you, John. I really do. And I really am sorry that you don't like me. Hopefully, one day that might change, but until then I promise I will keep my distance from you, let you have some time with your sons without me there."

Dean and Sam both looked less than thrilled with that compromise, but to everyone's surprise, it was John who blurted, "No! No, that…that won't be necessary. I've been unreasonable lately. And if you're willing to move past this…I am too. You're a part of their lives now, and I just need to accept that."

Julie nodded gratefully. "Thank you," she said softly, and he nodded slightly back at her.

"You know, John, you're welcome to stick around here with us," she suggested kindly.

"That's very kind, but I think it would be best if I went and found Mary and let you three have some time to yourselves," John said. He paused to shoot one last apologetic look at Sam and Dean, and then he turned and left the Roadhouse.

Everyone was silent for a long moment, and then Ash said, "That actually went pretty well."

The tension left the room instantly as everyone laughed lightly and began to talk all at once. Sam and Julie pestered Dean with questions about what had happened between him and John to cause such a sudden change in John's attitude, but Dean didn't really feel like discussing it at the moment.

"I'm just glad things are okay right now," Sam admitted, and Julie and Dean both murmured in agreement.

"You know what?" Dean said after a moment. "We've been in heaven for a little while and we haven't had nearly enough fun!"

"Too much drama," Julie muttered in agreement.

"What were you thinking of doing, Dean?" Sam asked brightly.

"Well, we've spent quite a bit of time with Dad since we get here," his older brother said, starting to smile. "But I don't think we've spent nearly enough time with the other man who raised us."

Sam's face lit up. Even Julie knew what Dean was suggesting, and she smiled eagerly. Dean grinned down at her and said, "You know, Jules, I think it's about time you get to know Bobby Singer."