I've been thinking about the most touchy-feely of the Winchesters leaving the family for college and how he would deal with the separation. There would have to be a few bad days.

Moody Sam

Jess watched her boyfriend with growing apprehension. What was wrong with him? He was surly and moody, and nearly bit her head off this morning when she offered him a cup of coffee. Last week he had been so sweet and kind, setting up the best birthday party she ever remembered having. All their friends from college were there and it was alcohol, food and flowers all evening. Sam had told everyone not to bring her gifts, just stuff for the party. It had been absolutely wonderful and there were enough leftovers to feed the two of them for days.

Now he sat flipping through his Family Studies book with a vengeance, sipping at his coffee as though it alone were responsible for his foul mood. As he aggressively turned a page finding the answer to one of his study questions, Sam growled under his breath something that sounded suspiciously like, "That sounds like Dean."

"Sam? Who's Dean?" Jess asked, sitting across from him.

"Huh? What?" Sam looked up through his long, lazy bangs. She thought they were so sexy, for a moment she forgot what she'd asked.

"Dean? You just said something sounded like Dean."

"Yeah. This." Sam pointed an accusing finger at his textbook. "The Parentified Child. Describes Dean perfectly."

"Can I see?" Jess held out her hand for the book, which Sam shoved forcefully away. He made himself another cup of coffee while she read the short description. "A parentified child is one who takes on the responsibility of younger siblings when there are either no parents or a lack proper guardianship." She looked up at Sam. "And this describes Dean?"

Sam nodded, his face tight and jaw clenched.

"So who is Dean?" She asked again.

Sam's eyes widened in obvious disbelief, as though the answer to that question were so obvious it was written in neon across the walls. "Dean's my brother."

"You have a brother?" Jess felt her own eyes widen. The only family picture she had ever seen was the one of Sam's parents, which had arrived in the mail shortly after they moved in together. She put it up in their bedroom so Sam could see it first thing every morning.

"Of course I have a brother," Sam's voice was a growl. "Who do you think sent us the picture of my parents?" He shook himself, as though the vibrations would drive off his bad mood. Soft brown eyes met hers. "I'm sorry, Jess. Didn't I ever tell you about Dean?" Now his voice was soft and gentle, the voice she had grown not just to love, but to crave.

Jess shook her head. Well, at least this was an improvement in his mood. A smile flickered across his face for the first time in days. "Our mom died when I was just a baby. That left me, Dad and Dean. Dad did the best he could," that part sounded like it had been repeated so often it was a mantra, "but Dean." He shook his head as his face reflected the seriousness of his next statement. "Dean always watched out for me."

"Okay." Jess slid the book back across the table. "So Dean is older?"

"Yeah." Sam spun the textbook around, but he did not look like he wanted to study. That alone was enough to set off a hundred alarms in her head.

"You never call him," Jess said softly, trying to read Sam's face.

Sam shrugged. "I can't." He hid behind his bangs, not allowing her to see his face.

"Why not?" She knew she should just drop this, but fascination about Sam's mysterious family had gripped her. He had an older brother and never mentioned it?

"We had a fight," Sam whispered.

"You and Dean?"

Sam shook his head, still avoiding eye contact. "Me and Dad. Dean was there. He heard everything." Sam sighed, resting his cheeks on his fists.

"About going to school." This part of the story she knew.

Sam nodded, gathered up his books and notebook and left the table. Jess followed him. He stuffed his things into his backpack before heading to the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. Jess walked up behind him and hugged the finest man she ever met around the waist. Eventually he turned around to return the embrace. With a kiss on the top of her head, he mumbled, "I'm late." She released him and he left.

Jess waited exactly two minutes before calling Sam's cellphone. She was shocked to hear Sam's ringer from the bedroom, where it was still plugged into the charger. Jess picked it up, no plan in mind, and idly started looking through her boyfriend's phone list. She paused over the entry Dad, but she stopped on Dean. With a button push, she was able to display the number. It was an out of state number, but she could not tell if it was a home, work or cell number. Sam had it saved to his chip, so he could move it from phone to phone. Funny thing to do with a number he never called.

On impulse, Jess dialed the number from their home phone. It rang twice before a male voice answered. "Sammy? What's wrong?"

She started at the panicked voice. "Um, sorry, this isn't Sam. This is his girlfriend."

"Is he okay?" The man at the other end demanded.

"Yes, he's fine," Jess hesitated before continuing with, "I think."

"You think? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She was starting to understand why Sam did not call his brother.

"Well," she began. Well what? How was she supposed to explain this? It was not like she planned to make this call anyway. "Nevermind," she replied hurriedly, "this was a mistake."

As she moved to shut off the phone, she heard the man's voice shout, "No! Wait a minute!" She paused, waiting. "Please. What's going on?" Now the voice was more patient.

Jess took a deep breath. She knew Sam would not approve of any of this, but it felt right. It felt like something she needed to do, for him. "Sam has been in a terrible mood this week, and he won't tell me why," she blurted out before her confidence failed her. "I was hoping you could tell me."

In her gut, she knew Dean had to be involved with Sam's mood, but for the life of her she could not figure out how or why.

"This week?" Was the response.

"Yes."

"Has it been getting worse or better?" His words sounded carefully chosen.

"Today has been the worst so far. I really don't understand it."

There was silence on the other end. She waited, mainly because she had no reason not to. After a while Jess wondered if they had been cut off. She opened her mouth to ask if he was still there when she heard the sound of a large car motor starting.

"You know that pool hall down the street from the school? The one where the frat boys like to go?" The engine revved.

"Yes. Bernie's." They knew a number of those frat boys, as a matter of fact. But Sam hated playing pool.

"I'm guessing Sam's mood will either be worse tomorrow or he'll be perfectly fine. If he's fine, then he's over whatever was bugging him. If he's worse, take him to that pool hall." She could tell he was driving down the road now.

"Why?"

"Trust me."

"Wait!" She shouted into the phone, instinctively knowing he would hang up on her.

"What?" The man, hopefully Sam's brother Dean, sounded irritated.

"How did you recognize this number? I didn't call from Sam's phone."

She thought she could hear a smile from the other end. "It's my job."

The line went dead. Jess stared at the phone in her hand a long moment before setting it on its cradle.

Sam's mysterious brother was right; he was much worse the next day. He grumbled, growled and stomped all over their place. Each time Jess tried to cheer him up, he would give her a sweet smile and a kiss in thanks, then continue to take his mood out on unsuspecting furniture and textbooks. By evening she had had enough. Jess grabbed her coat and Sam's jacket from the closet. She threw the jacket at him.

"Come on."

Sam peeled the jacket off his head. "Where are we going?"

Jess restrained the snarl she felt coming on. "Out. I'm tired of your mood, so we are going out."

Sam shook his head, tossing the jacket aside. "Don't feel like it."

"Then you're staying home alone," she snapped. Jess stepped out into the cool air of late January, enjoying the brisk feel of it on her skin. The heat from her frustrations was sapped by its chilly breath.

She waited. Soon a sheepish Sam came through the door. He said nothing as he locked it behind them. When he stood beside her, Jess took his hand and led him into the evening. She knew it was a dirty trick, underhanded emotional blackmail, but this mood of his was too much. She could not handle one more day of an angry, recalcitrant, moody Sam. This person was not the one she found herself rapidly falling in love with, more every day. This person was a stranger, and becoming stranger every minute. It had to stop. She fervently hoped Dean would be there when they arrived. Jess was convinced this was all his fault and that he was the only person who could put Sam back to rights.

"A pool hall?" Sam stopped outside Bernie's. "Why are we going here?"

"Because I feel like playing pool," Jess snapped, her patience exhausted. She hung on Sam's hand, pulling him into the Bernie's. "Come on. It'll be fun."

Sam shook his head as he allowed Jess to lead him inside. The bouncer stood inside the door to check IDs. Sam and Jess handed theirs over. He read them twice. "Samuel and Jessica? As in, Sam and Jess?" His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed.

Jess looked up at Sam, who was staring down the bouncer. "That's right."

The bouncer grinned. "Well, it's about time! We've been waiting for you!" He turned away to shout across the room, "Bern! They're here!"

A thick man who stood a little shorter than Jess rushed over to greet them. "Sam and Jess?" he asked, a little breathless. They nodded. He beamed at them. "Your reserved table is right over here." Bernie himself led them to the far corner where a lone lighted pool table sat. Beside it was a table filled with beer, nachos and hot wings. "You kids enjoy. Let me know if there is anything else I can get for you."

"Just a minute," Sam grabbed Bernie by the arm. "What is all this?" He eyed Jessica suspiciously.

Bernie smiled at them. "Well, there is this guy who pops in about once a month or so. He fleeces a few frat boys, plays a couple of serious games with my regulars, you know the type, right?" Sam nodded slowly. "Anyway, he showed up last night. He handed me a wade of cash and told me that Sam and Jess would be coming in today, to celebrate some big event." His eyes sparkled as he looked up at Sam. "Are congratulations in order?"

Sam shook his head, breathing out the name "Dean."

"Yeah! That's him!" Bernie tapped Sam's chest. When Sam did not say any more, Bernie took a step back. "Well, you two let me know if you need anything else. You have a prepaid tab for the evening." He winked as he walked away.

Sam leveled a hard gaze on Jess. "Dean?" It was more an accusation than a question.

She sighed. He caught her. "He said if I brought you here it would cheer you up."

A smile crept onto Sam's face. It broadened until it covered his face and even his eyes were smiling with him. He pulled Jess close, wrapping his arms around her. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

She shook her head. He leaned down to kiss her, even though they were in public. Sam brushed the hair away from her face. "There is something I don't understand, though."

"What's that?" Sam moved away to rack the pool balls.

"How did your brother know my name? I never told him that and you said that you don't talk to him."

Sam grinned as he carefully selected a pool cue. "I suppose you want to know what the big event we're celebrating is?"

She did not miss the fact he avoided her question. From the look on his face, Sam must have thought that answer was obvious. She hated to admit it, but her curiosity had the best of her. Sam had been so out of character the past few days it was frightening. She had started to wonder if he was developing some stress-induced psychosis. But after Bernie's little explanation her beloved Sam was back, in force. Sam was beaming as he waited for her to answer. She nodded her head. She wanted to know, she needed to know, what big event could have such an impact on their life.

"It's Dean's birthday."