Bobby, naturally, has his own way with the kids, and likely understands how Dean is feeling a lot better. He’s here to support them both!

Tomorrow the story will continue, in Brothers Saved: Hidden Entrances.

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Sam and Bobby were quick with the meal. Throughout the preparation time, Bobby hadn’t pried about what upset the young kid, his cheeks bright and splotchy while he blinked more often than usual. It was obvious Sam was trying to recover from whatever John had told him, but Bobby couldn’t hear what had gone down in the library.

Nudging Sam in the arm, Bobby winked at him. “Got some of Dean’s favorite,” he said. “Why don’t you be the one to bring it to him.”

The creases in Sam’s face vanished as he looked up at Bobby finally. Up until then he’d just been punching the ground meat and forcing it into the shape of a patty. Nothing a kid couldn’t handle.

The expression on Sam’s face was so hopeful, Bobby couldn’t stop a faint smile of his own. “You bet,” he said, answering Sam’s unspoken question. He gestured at the bag of food that he’d brought in. “Plenty of bacon he can put on his burger, and some pie for later.”

Sam’s shoulders fell again. “But Dean’s too small for a burger,” he said petulantly. “How’s he ‘upposed to eat it?” His voice hiccuped as he talked, giving Bobby insight that Sam was more upset than he was letting on.

John Winchester needed to figure out a way to relate to these kids without being so hamfisted. Bobby silently swore. One kid was too small to defend himself and the other was much too young.

“We’ll make one special for Dean,” Bobby said, trying to make light of the situation for Sam’s sake. “Just you watch.”

He chided the kid to the sink to wash up, then gave Sam one of the juice boxes they’d picked up on the way back. Considering that John had planned on just leaving the kid with the hot dogs and water for however long it took to hunt the witch down, Bobby had prevailed on him to pick up more useful provisions. Kids needed more than meat and water, whatever John thought they could survive on.

Sam sat at the table, watching with watery eyes as Bobby took one of the burgers and diced it down into much smaller segments. He tested with several, ended up with Sam eating a few of the pieces that didn’t work out, until he had one that stayed together and fit on a small pinch of bun that Bobby judged would come close to the size Dean would need to eat. 

Selecting one of the pieces of bacon sizzling in the pan next to the burgers, Bobby handed it off to Sam, keeping the kid involved. “See what you can do with that for Dean,” he encouraged Sam. “He’s probably starved for some real food.”

This got Sam’s first real smile since Bobby had come, and while he finished up the last few burgers, Sam sat there, biting his tongue and delicately putting together the smallest burger so it was just right. A sliver of tomato, the tiniest bit of lettuce, several crumbs of bacon, and the bun pinched around everything.

Bobby was glad to see some life in the younger Winchester boy as he worked diligently on the food for Dean. When he finished prepping the other sandwiches, he handed one off to Sam. “Don’t forget to bring Dean some ketchup,” he advised, adding a bottle cap to the pile and a second juice box. “He’ll feel the better with food in him.”

” ‘Kay,” Sam replied blithely, the pad of his feet running to the library echoing behind him as Bobby followed, suppressing a smile as he heard Sam loudly proclaiming the meal they had ahead of them.

Then Bobby was in the room, handing off a burger to John before he could say a word to Sam about only bringing food for the two of them.

“Hey, Dean,” Bobby said, keeping his voice soft. 

Dean glanced up, obviously stiff as he nodded in Bobby’s direction. “Thank you for the food, sir,” he responded.

Bobby had to hide a frown of disapproval at the formal way Dean was talking. It wasn’t like the kid, normally so cocky and full of confidence.

Not a word was said when they shared out the food, but Bobby could see the way that Dean inched his seat closer to Sam’s, sticking close to the person he knew the best.

Bobby would have given anything to be a fly on the wall while Dean and John had been in there alone, just to hear what the man had told his son, considering how fragile Dean’s position currently was and how delicate his state of mind must be.