† THREE [voice] - backdated to about the 16th.

[upstairsbrain]

[ Well, he's taken some time to mull over what Magento told him about his time in the Port: the time he doesn't remember. And thinking it over, trying to reason it out, searching for a shred of memory to explain why he'd done it... nothing like that had worked. So, finally, the younger Winchester comes over the feed, his voice almost jerky, mechanical. To many, it may seem like he's just tired, but to those who know him well... ]

Sorry about being M.I.A. If anyone needs me, I'll be around. I'm taking a sort of--

[ He trails off, and then clears his throat. ]

... Anyway. I'll be back soon.

[Private to Dean Winchester:]
I'm not going to be at home for a few days. Don't tell Mom, alright? I don't want her to worry.

[Private to Castiel:]
Can we talk? In person?

Comments

[video/private]

[failedparenting]

[No. Shit. Not this again.]

Why're you skipping off now?

voice; private;

[upstairsbrain]

I just need some space.

[ No, that's not right. Because somewhere, he remembers what Magneto said; that the other Sam cut himself off from everyone when everything happened... ]

Some time. To think.

video; private; look at him in the eye soldier B|

[failedparenting]

You can't.

[John's got his "serious Dad" face on, you better listen.]

You did it last time. You're not doing that to your mother again.

voice; private; CAN'T, won't D:

[upstairsbrain]

That's why--

[ No, not going to talk about it. Not here, not now. ]

I'm just going out for a few hours. She'll be fine.

[ Lies. He did tell Dean to keep an eye out for her, but... he can't face her right now. ]

Re: voice; private; worst son

[failedparenting]

Bullshit.

This is not time to run away, she's not herself and this is just what she doesn't need.

[Then, in an angrily commanding voice Sam's heard hundreds of times:]

Look at me, Sam.

[Same filter] | Icly late, evening of the 21st

[ofthursday]

[Castiel has had way too much going on this week, and hasn't been checking the network at all until Crowley's return earlier that day. Now he's glancing through his NV again, looking back at what he missed, and oops. He definitely hadn't meant to ignore Sam, even with what happened with Dean.

Which is what he assumes this conversation will be about.]

Of course. Where?

permafilter or something

[upstairsbrain]

[ Sam doesn't know anything, really, about what happened with Dean. He's been more than holed up in his own head for a while. He'd thought that things would end up okay, but... well, he'd fallen back down into some miserable state of affairs again. So. ]

Anywhere. [ Actually: ] ... Somewhere away from... everything.

[ "Everyone." ]

[ofthursday]

[He's hesitant, unsure now if this is about Dean or not, but what else would it be? Castiel is pretty sure his friends know better than to tell Sam about what happened before, so he's not really even considering it.]

By the coast is usually quiet.

[He would suggest the docks but he and Lucifer kind of made a mess of part of them.]

[upstairsbrain]

Alright. [ brb making his way over there now ] I'll see you soon.

private;

[mulletrock]

Have you met Mom? She's gonna see right through me.

What's gotten into you Sam? Where're you bailing to this time?

private;

[upstairsbrain]

I'm not bailing. [ "This time." Everyone knows what happened. Everyone remembers the bloodthirsty monster. ]

I'll tell you later, okay? I just-- not right now.

private;

[mulletrock]

Where are you gonna stay, Sam?

At least tell me that.

private;

[upstairsbrain]

Honestly? I'm not sure. But, I'll be fine.

[ He's got no plan, really. But, it doesn't matter. Not now. ]

video

[therightchoice]

Are you going on a walk?

voice;

[upstairsbrain]

Yeah. [ He tries to manage a smile for the kid, to get some of it into his voice, but... ] It's not a big deal.

voice;

[therightchoice]

[ Alrighty, back to voice then. ]

You sound sad about it.

voice;

[upstairsbrain]

I'm-- [ There's a short sigh. ]

Sorry. It's just been a long day.

video/private;

[momchester]

[Oh no. She knew it. She knew that as soon as the wedding was over, the other shoe would drop. But god, she didn't think it would be him.]

Where are you going?

[This distrust is irrational. She knows it. But everything in her is seizing up at the familiarity of it all.]

voice; private;

[upstairsbrain]

Just for a walk. [ Why should she believe him? John didn't. No one did. ] It'll be okay. I promise.

voice; private;

[momchester]

So you made a post to the Network about it? Sam, what's going on?

[Mary doesn't believe him because- because she doesn't know how to read him. Before Sam was always going through something bad or lying to her, so she can't tell his lying voice from his regular voice, or tell when something is wrong. Something's always wrong.]

voice; private;

[upstairsbrain]

It's nothing. [ Oh, how far from the truth. He winces, and revises. ] I'll talk about it. I will, I just... not now. I need some time.

video/private;

[paterelohim]

Sam?

[It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Chuck only has to hear the roughed tone of his voice for it to click.]

Who told you?

voice; private;

[upstairsbrain]

[ Sam considers it for a moment, scratching at the back of his head. ]

... Does it really matter?

voice; private;

[paterelohim]

Yeah, kinda. Why aren't you doing video?

voice; private;

[upstairsbrain]

I just need time to think. Didn't want anyone to worry.

[ As if. ]