Disclaimers and warnings see Chapter 1
Thanks to SeaKat for the wonderful and fast beta job. All mistakes are mine.
Chapter 3 Meeting
Sam Winchester had heard Pastor Jim talking on the phone the night before and knew something was up. So when his dad wondered in with his shoulders hunched and his head hanging that morning Sam knew immediately something had gone wrong. The speed and agility of youth won out as he beat Pastor Jim to the door.
"Dad, where's Dean?"
Sam's eyes slid past his father to the deserted automobile parked in the drive. He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat.
"Not now, Sam."
John strode past Sam, not knowing who he would get chewed out by the most. Even though Jim had a displeased look on his face, he held a coffee cup out. Sam saw John take the offered cup with a mumbled 'thanks' as he sat at the kitchen table. Sam hung around the doorway waiting to find out what was going on.
John and the pastor sipped their coffee slowly without talking for a few moments.
"Sam, come sit," John breathed, pushing a chair out with his foot.
Sam sat and waited looking from one sad face to another. He felt his heart pound in his ears as he tried to imagine what was coming.
"Sam, you notice your brother is not here."
Sam opened his mouth, but his throat was too dry to emit sound.
"We were hunting and Dean ran too far and got caught over the border."
"Mexico?" Sam squeaked out.
"Yeah, Mexico. Well unfortunately, he had a weapon with him and the Mexican police are not to happy with that. He is in jail…"
"But…" Sam started.
"…but we are going to get him out. Bobby is on his way down and he has connections with a lawyer in Mexico and he knows Spanish."
"But he is fourteen dad. He's a minor; they can't hold him in jail."
John started at Sam in surprise.
"How do you know that?"
"Dean told me. But it's true, right?"
John had a quick moment to wonder what else Dean had taught Sam.
"Yeah, it's true here. But I don't think the sheriff is obeying even his own country's laws. So we will all be going down together to get him out. We need as many hunters as we can to put pressure on this bastard to let Dean out."
John wasn't going to tell Sam about the missing persons. Enough damage had been done by telling him what he had.
"I can help right?" Sam asked softly.
"I'm counting on those puppy dog eyes of yours."
Both John and Sam winced after he said it. Dean had been the one to start the whole puppy dog eyes thing a few years back. Dean loved teasing his brother good naturedly about it.
"Okay, Dad I will go pack."
Sam rose with a sniff and started towards his room to gather his things.
"You had better grab Dean's as well."
Sam turned back around with his hand on the door jam.
"He's not it trouble is he? I mean about the hunt?"
"No, Dean did everything he was meant to do. He did good, just got unlucky that's all. Now get your gear together."
John had decided to leave out that Dean was injured as it would only cause his youngest to worry more. If that was possible going by his tear filled eyes.
"Yes sir."
There was no way Sam was leaving Dean's gear behind. One: he was his big brother, two: his hero and three: they probably were not coming back here after they had got Dean back. Their dad would have a new hunt to go to the second they had Dean back. Sam knew that already even at ten. He thought about Dean as he quickly packed their bags and did a sweep of the room the way Dean had shown him, checking under the beds, pillows and mattresses. Dean was more than just his brother and hero; he taught him everything and didn't treat him like a little kid like everyone else, including his dad. Sam liked the way Dean treated him, as an equal and someone whose thoughts and feelings really mattered to him. There was no way Sam would let Dean rot in prison for a minute longer than he needed. Thanks to Dean, Sam understood that if dad had returned without him he needed help to get him out. Dean had explained to Sam it may happen one day. Their dad had returned a couple of times without Dean before. Those times Dean had been in hospital and Sam had gone into a full blown temper tantrum until his dad took him to see his big brother. One time, it had been four in the morning. That was probably why their dad had let him know as soon as he got back.
Just as Sam placed the bags on the floor by the door, Bobby pulled up outside. John swept up the bags on his way past and ruffled Sam's hair before pushing him to the back seat of the Impala. John started the car without comment and they drove ten minutes to a parking lot with a guard booth. Jim drove his car in and came out a few minutes later sliding into the front seat with John. While Jim had been dropping off his car, Bobby had stepped up and spoke to John in hushed tones through the window after waving hello to Sam. Once Jim was settled, Bobby got back in his car and followed them south. Sam dug through his backpack and found a book Dean had been reading to him. The words were a little advanced for him but he sat patiently and tied hard to read the words Dean had so easily read to him. He had tears in his eyes as he read slowly trying let the words soak over him rather than agonize about how his brother was. After an hour, Sam started to get dozy and simply let himself fall to sleep. He hadn't slept very much in the last three days with Dean away and it had caught up with him.
Sam woke up very late that night to find they had driven through and were at a motel in El Paso. John promised they were there to freshen up and book a room for a few days before driving over to try to see Dean. They showered and changed quickly before climbing back into the Impala. This time all the hunters were in the one car. Sam didn't ask any questions when they drove through border security somehow having passports that got them all through without question. Sam was a little worried about the weapons stash in the back but Bobby told him in a soft voice not to worry, they had emptied the trunk into Bobby's car and left it at the motel. Sam was relived and sat back to look at the landscape for his first time in Mexico. They didn't take long to arrive at the police station/jail where Dean was being held. Sam almost laughed out loud when he saw the size of the place. He was pretty sure he had seen bigger gas stations. He could just make out faded paintwork on the front door declaring 'comisaría de policía'. This sheriff must be a major asshole to be holding Dean here. He guessed it explained why Dean was still here, surely if he had been sent to a bigger town he would have been released but this little office could do what they like, it seemed.
They moved to the office as a group looking to show a united front. They entered the small office to find a lone deputy on duty. John explained he was there to see his son and talk about getting him out. The deputy showed them through to the small interview room and told them to wait. They waited some twenty minutes before the sheriff showed himself. He was an older guy with a big paunch belly hanging over his belt and a ridiculous looking handlebar mustache. His skin was withered with too much sun even for his darker Mexican skin.
He wasn't pleased to see them and at first acted like he had no clue who they were talking about.
"We were informed by a reliable source that he is here."
"Que dicen que?" said the sheriff aggressively and John knew he had him.
The sheriff seemed to know as well and he deflated slightly before attempting to stare John down. He picked the wrong person to attempt that. John sat patiently even with a small smile.
"Okay," said the sheriff slowly. "Say we have him, why he stealing cabras from some farmers?"
"He wasn't. He was protecting his grandma's house from a wild dog. I hear you are having the same problem here."
John hoped Dean stuck to the story they had made up for emergencies.
"He has cuchillo with animal blood on it the same night and in the same place."
"Tú major tener más la prueba que." Bobby said.
"That all you got?" John chimed in at the same time.
The sheriff seemed a bit annoyed an American 'Gringo' would know Spanish.
"He say he kill con cuchillo."
"Got a witness or better yet a signed declaration to that effect."
There was no response from the big man as he sat on the edge of the table.
"Well, our lawyer will be here in the morning and we will want him released if you don't have anything. I want to see him now though."
Bobby repeated it in rapid fire Spanish in case he didn't get the message.
"He locked up for night."
"Well, unlock him. We can wait."
"No."
"You know he is fourteen right? You can't be holding him here," said Bobby.
"He say he dieciséis."
"Yeah, right! Does he even look dieciséis?" Bobby had enough of holding his temper in with this clown.
"Ningún miembro del personal para permitir la visita."
"Please sir can I see my brother?" Sam spoke up for the first time turning on the sad puppy dog eyes.
The sheriff tried to ignore Sam as he argued with John who was still insisting on seeing Dean. After some minutes he turned back to Sam.
"Boy solamente."
The men all protested but the sheriff did not give in. Finally, John saw it was the only way one of them could get in and let Dean know they were coming. He pulled Sam to the side.
"When you go in let Dean know we will have him out soon and not to panic."
Sam nodded.
"Also, have a good look at what state he is in. Remember anything he says to you. He could be giving us a clue how to get him out."
"I will try." Sam looked a little overwhelmed that such a big responsibility was being placed on his shoulders.
John squeezed his shoulder."Don't worry sport. Just let Dean know we are here. Tell him to keep calm. That's all we need at the moment."
Sam nodded this time a little happier.
TBC
