Um, are you forgetting the fact that it was all pre-ordained? That YED had demons stashed at Stanford? Brady ring a bell? That happy life that Sam built for himself was going up in flames (literally) whether Dean was there or not. And remember, Sam DID refuse to go with Dean, before Jess got killed, so it's not like Dean forced him to go.
Re: Ben Edlund interview--confirms our fears
Um, are you forgetting the fact that it was all pre-ordained? That YED had demons stashed at Stanford? Brady ring a bell? That happy life that Sam built for himself was going up in flames (literally) whether Dean was there or not. And remember, Sam DID refuse to go with Dean, before Jess got killed, so it's not like Dean forced him to go.