Dean meets an old acquaintance whom he thanks for helping him a few years ago. But everything always leads back to him and Sam.
Lebanon, Kansas.
…...
"Winchester, is that you?"
Dean hesitated. There weren't many people around this area who knew his real name.
Even though the store was bustling with customers, Dean's hand went automatically to the hidden gun nestled in the back of his pants, before turning to see who it was.
But his hand slipped limply away when he encountered the weathered face of a fellow hunter, and for once the surprised expression on his face was completely authentic.
"Mackey!" Dean smiled. holding out a hand. "What're you doing up this way?" The older man inclined his head towards the exit, intimating they go outside.
Dean followed him through the door and across the town's main road.
"I guess you're up here for the same reason I am then," Mackey began, keeping his voice low.
"I've been tracing a whole heap of demonic omens these past months and they all lead to this area."
:
"Great minds think alike," Dean said smoothly. "Sam and I are on it. We've been rooting around for a good few days now. Don't reckon it's too much to worry about though."
Mackey frowned. "Huh, seemed from the signs that there might be plenty of demonic activity goin'on."
"It wouldn't be the first time the signs turned out to be misleading," Dean affirmed convincingly.
"Yeah, it happens," the older hunter agreed. "But I was sure there was a demon around, a strong one at that."
Dean clapped a hand on Mackey's shoulder, slickly changing the subject.
"I never thanked you man," he said, sincere now. "For the help you gave me with my brother back then."
"How is Sam? The faith healer Emmanuel cure him."
"He did yeah, more or less. If it hadn't been for you giving me his name, Sam would have died. So thank you for that."
"Glad I could be useful, Dean. I know how close you boys are. Been working as a team since your daddy died. I guess if anything bad happened to one, the other would be pretty torn up."
"Yeah, " Dean stated dryly. Only he and Sam knew how soul-ripping the 'torn up' would be!
"Listen, Mackey," Dean's voice took on a workmanlike tone. "You can leave this to me and Sam. We'll deal with it. No point in you hanging around too."
"You sure, Dean?"
"I'm sure. Come on. I'll buy you a beer before you go," the elder Winchester offered.
"Lead on, boy," Mackey grinned, unaware that not far off lay the Men of Letters bunker, its enormous amount of supernatural lore and its occasional demon guest!
:
:
"Hey," Dean called out, sauntering down the stairs of said bunker.
"Dean, that you?"
Dean rolled his eyes.
"Who were you expecting, dude? Becky Rosen and the Sam Winchester fan club!"
"I don't think I could imagine anything worse!" Sam replied with an upside-down smile.
Dean studied his shaggy-haired brother, amazed for the millionth time by how much he loved him, how necessary Sam was to his continuing presence on this Earth and how he would be crushed if anything happened to him, though he'd never say it out loud, not even under torture!
"Well, you know, when that bitch roofied you, I was mad as hell, though I hadn't realised that's what it was back then. I think I was too taken aback by you marrying her that the obvious idea she might have used a spell on you sorta eluded me.
But lemme tell you, Sam, she was lucky to get off with a simple divorce. It could have been much bloodier!"
Sam huffed. "You're not going to tell me you'd have ganked poor Becky? She might have had an obsession for me but she was harmless."
"Dude, obsessions can lead to weird crap. Like making deals to keep a dear one alive!"
They made eye-contact for a second, the meaning of Dean's words clear as a bell. Could be even the Winchesters had an undeniable trace of obsession tucked away amongst the folds of their plaid shirts, an obsession about keeping their sibling alive and in shouting distance!
:
"By the way, guess who I met at the store," Dean said to dispel the awkwardness of the moment.
"Okay. Who?"
"Mackey."
"Mackey?" the younger Winchester repeated uncertainly.
"Yeah. I don't remember if I mentioned his name back then, Sammy, but it was through Mackey I got hold of Castiel when he was playing the happy hubby as 'Emmanuel'. Seems he'd cured Mackey's eyes. He convinced me it was the real deal."
Sam's eyes clouded over.
His memories of the Cage were 'contained' in a secluded niche of his mind; non-invasive but ready to erupt at a moment's notice if he dwelt too much on them. "That was a bad time. I really thought I was going to die crazy, Dean. Good job Cas came through."
"It was the least he could do, seeing he was the fucker that broke your wall in the first place!"
Dean's face was set in stone at the memory. "I've shrugged off a lot of his crap, but THAT is unforgivable."
Sam stared at him curious. "What do you mean? I thought things were cool between you."
"It's simple, Sammy. I haven't, nor will I ever forgive him for what he did to you. It was cruel and unnecessary and it's not the only shit he's pulled."
Sam went to speak but Dean blocked him. " I know, I know! I still keep him around but it's only 'cos he might come in useful with his angel mojo. The day he decides to go back to heaven, I certainly won't be crying any tears! Angels don't belong on Earth. We had enough problems without them pushing their righteous asses in our faces!"
:
Sam stared at his sibling. He was honestly taken aback by Dean's words. He himself had no particular sympathy for the angel but he'd always thought Dean felt differently.
Dean hadn't finished yet, though.
"Kevin told me before...he...died... that Crowley had said the Winchesters only cared about each other and everyone else was expendable.
I didn't want to believe that. Our job has always been saving people from evil, but maybe it's true, man."
"There's no one as important as you Sam, not for me, and there's no one I'd save over you, not even Kevin, so I guess Crowley got it right. What that says about the kind of person I am doesn't bear thinking."
"Dean," Sam replied, eyes earnest. "I don't have any answers to give. We're...both... a...little outside the box. I'm not going to deny it. But together we can face anything and that's all that matters."
'So much for avoiding a chick-flick moment,' Dean huffed to himself as he turned away from his little brother's puppy eyes and made a manly bee-line for the kitchen!
The end