Bless the Broken Road

01. Pilot

22 Years Later

Zach flicked the back of his older brother's head. "Hey. Any word from Dad?"

"No," Dean replied. "Stop flicking me."

"So now what? We've looked everywhere."

Dean let out a sigh. "I think we need help."

"You don't mean him, right?"

"I do mean him."

"He's out. He's going to school. But, we don't know where the hell Dad is. So I guess we're going to pick up little brother."

The brothers packed their stuff and began driving to Palo Alto.

As they drove, Zach asked, "How exactly do you plan on recruiting him?"

Dean shrugged. "I'm making it up as I go."

"The best way to do things. B&E?"

"You sound too excited about that."

"Sue me."

Dean chuckled and turned up the music. The brothers jammed along as AC/DC blasted through the speakers.

Eventually, they reached their destination and the brothers opened a window and snuck into an apartment.

Dean opened the window and clinked the beer cabinet. He and Zach walked past the string at the far end of the hall. Dean hit his hip and let out a quiet hiss.

Sam, who had been woken up, moved to another part of the apartment and waited as Dean and Zach entered the room.

Sam lunged forward and grabbed Dean and Zach's shoulders. Dean and Zach knocked Sam's arm away and aimed a strike at Sam, who ducked. Dean grabbed Sam's arm, swung him around, and shoved him back. Sam kicked and was blocked before being pushed into another room. Sam got a glimpse of Dean and Zach, though he didn't immediately recognize the fact. Dean and Zach elbowed Sam in the face and Sam kicked at their heads. Dean and Zach ducked and swung, but Sam blocked them. Dean knocked Sam down and pinned him to the floor, one hand at Sam's neck and the other holding Sam's wrist.

"Whoa, easy tiger," Dean said.

Sam breathed hard. "Dean?" His eldest brother laughed. "You scared the crap out of me!"

"That's 'cause you're out of practice."

Sam grabbed Dean's hand and yanked, slamming his heel into Dean's back and Dean to the floor.

"Or not," Dean said.

Sam tapped Dean twice where he had him.

"Get off of me," Dean demanded.

Sam rolled to his feet and pulled Dean up. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Zach smirked. "We were looking for a beer."

Sam looked at him as Dean put his hands on Sam's shoulders, shook once, and let go.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Sam repeated.

Dean and Zach exchanged a look before Dean said, "Okay. All right. We gotta talk."

"Uh, the phone?"

"If Zach or I'd'a called, would you have picked up?"

Jessica turned the light on. She was in pink short shorts and a gray cropped Smurfs shirt.

"Sam?" Jess called.

The three Winchesters turned their heads in unison.

"Jess," Sam noted. "Hey. Dean, Zach, this is my girlfriend, Jessica."