This is it folks, the last chapter of this wonderful (in my opinion) story. Feel free to tell me all what you thought. The good. The bad. The ugly. I really hope you all enjoyed reading this story.

Chapter 24

Months went by and still no word was heard from John or the demon. Dean wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing all he cared about was that they stayed away from Sam. Dean sat on the couch trying to relax now that they didn't have a hunt. It felt good to come to Bobby's and chill when they weren't hunting. It felt like home. But it wasn't really. It was just a placed they crashed every now and then.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Harmone asked, flopping on the couch next to him, laying her legs on his lap.

Dean shrugged, "Just thinking."

"About?"

Dean sighed, "I don't know. Everything. Nothing."

Harmone frowned. She never saw Dean like this. She gently squeezed his shoulder as she swung her legs off him, "Hey, I know. Trust me I do."

Dean shook his head, "No, Harmone, you don't. You and Bobby, and everyone else, you all think you know and understand but you don't. There's no way you can."

Harmone blinked and stroked his arm, "Talk to me Dean. I've always been told I'm a great listener."

Dean sighed, "All my life I've looked up to John. Not just as my father but as a man I respected. He taught me everything I know. But when I found out how he felt about Sam once he found out that he was deaf…I don't know I guess all that shifted and I guess I was too young to really understand. He used to look at Sam with disgust all the time and then when mom died…it was worse. I hated it. The way he treated Sam like he was trash. But still, I tried my best to do as he asked. I think after the werewolf incident was when I really saw him for what he was."

Harmone licked her lips, "Which was?"

"He manipulated us. A lot. Lied to us. So I took care of Sam as best I could. I swear I think if I hadn't grabbed Sam he would've left him in the nursery to die. It's not fair. Sam is the sweetest kid ever. Won't hurt a fly. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

Harmone shook her head, "No he doesn't. And you do a good job of taking care of him."

"Do I? If I had protected him none of this would've happened. He would've never found out that he had demon blood inside him. Dad wouldn't be gunning to kill him…"

"Dean, you can't blame yourself. You can't protect Sam from everything. But all of this? It's not your fault. You're doing the best you can which is saying a lot for any sixteen year old raising his twelve year old brother."

Dean looked at her and gave her a watery smile. He hated crying, especially in front of pretty girls. It didn't matter that Harmone was like a sister to him, he didn't want to cry in front of her. Harmone pulled the younger teen into her arms and kissed his forehead.

"It's okay Dean. It'll all be okay."

~~~ADTH~~~~

It wasn't until the day after Sam's twelfth birthday that they heard from John. Actually, it was Drew calling about John.

"Dean?"

"Hey Drew, what's up?" he asked as he drove to pick up Sam and Harmone from school.

It had taken them a long time to convince Sam to go back to school. It was an ongoing argument between Dean, Harmone and Sam. Bobby wisely stayed out. Sam felt that since Dean dropped out he should too and both Harmone and Dean disagreed. After much arguing, Sam and Harmone both got reenrolled in school.

"You got a minute?"

Dean sighed, "Yeah, what's up?"

"It's John. He's dead. We, uh, were supposed to be working this hunt together but he went ahead without me. Probably because we got into some argument. When I caught up with him though, he…"

"What kind of hunt?"

"Demon. But, uh, there was this letter on him addressed to Sam."

Dean watched as the students all filed out of the school building, "What's it say?"

"I haven't opened it. I figured you'd want to come get it or something."

Dean rubbed a hand over his face as he unlocked the door for Sam and Harmone, "Where are you?"

"Just outside Omaha."

"I'll be there tonight," he said, hanging up the phone.

"What's going on?" Harmone asked, buckling her seatbelt.

Dean glanced at Sam in the rearview mirror so his brother would be able to read his lips, "John's dead. Some sort of demon hunt."

"The demon?" Sam asked softly.

Dean shrugged, "We don't know that for sure Sammy."

Sam sighed and glanced out the window as Dean drove back to Bobby's.

That evening, Dean drove to meet Drew and retrieve the letter, "I think he expected me to find it and give it to Sam."

"Drew, what happened? John's the best hunter I know. How on earth did he get caught off guard by a demon?"

Drew shrugged, "My best guess? He probably found out that it was the demon who killed your mother and you know how that makes him. He became blindsided. Anyway, I'm about to give him a hunter's burial. You wanna be there for it?"

"I gotta get back to Sam. He should read this."

Drew nodded, "Right. Well, see ya Dean."

Dean, clutching the letter in his hand turned and headed back to the car.

~~~ADTH~~~~

Sam, Harmone, and Bobby, of course were up waiting for him to return. Dean handed the letter to Sam who opened it and read it out loud.

Dear Sammy,

I know you probably don't want to hear from your old man again and I understand that. I wish I could take back everything I did and said to you, but I can't. And I am so sorry son. I never gave you a chance. When the doctor told us that you were deaf all I could picture was that I wouldn't be able to teach you anything and how you'd make a mess of everything. Then your mother died and…I lost it. I know it was wrong for me to blame you, but when I found out why she died? It just angered me. You know the truth, right? How the demon bled in your mouth and she tried to stop it. I don't know the whole story, but I know that the demon is creating some kind of demon army. You're not the only one who the demon…tainted. I wish I knew why but I don't. But, you'll be fine as long as Dean's with you and I know you're a good hunter son. Dean told me that by the time I realized how good a kid, how good a hunter you are, it would be too late. And he was right. If you have this letter in your possession that means the demon got to me and that Drew or Jim found this and gave it to Dean. I wish I could say more but I don't have the time nor do I know what to say. I love you son.

Sam blinked with tears in his eyes looking up at his big brother. Dean frowned.

"Son of a bitch. He knew."

"Knew what?"

"That the demon was behind his hunt and he went there to get himself killed. He knew the demon was after him this entire time and he didn't tell us. Wouldn't tell us."

"He was just trying to keep you safe," Bobby scratched his beard.

"Don't you try and defend him now Bobby. You know as well as I do Dad didn't give a damn about us being safe. He cared about what was necessary for the mission."

"Dean."

Dean looked up at his brother and put his arm around him, "It's going to be okay Sammy. I don't know what's going to happen, but it's all going to be okay. No matter what it's you and me against the world little brother."

END.