A/N Hope someone is still reading this as the reviews seem thin on the ground. Yeah anti-climax stuff ensues but want to get this out of my system forever.
As before Supernatural and its characters don't belong to me. No money made, all my debts are my own.
Rebecca: Two Years On
Chapter 4: All Together Now
It was a week before John was fit enough to join the rest of the household. It was a week of Julia trying to be contrite and helpful and John trying not to get aggravated about his confinement. Dean and Sam spent the time helping with the kids, helping around the house and training, as well as taking turns in making sure that John was fed, watered and kept amused. Julia kept out of the way but didn't go home (much as I tried to make her want to).
"So you're letting dad come down today?" Dean asked as we tidied up after breakfast. Sam was walking Deanne and Matthew to the bus stop and Julia was in her room putting on the war-paint.
"I think he's fit enough to come down, if he gets tired there's a bed in the back room he can use," I replied. "Besides I can't put up with his grouching much longer."
"So what's the agenda for today?" he asked.
"If we bring him down when we're finished here he'll be down for coffee and then we can see how much that takes out of him," I replied.
"I was hoping to practise those moves we were doing yesterday," he responded.
"I thought we could do that after lunch, John will probably need a rest then and Julia likes to go shopping."
"Sounds like a plan," he grinned. "So let's get started but I think we should have a horizontal workout first," he winked as he put his arm around me leading me to our room.
"Better make it quick before Sam gets back," I replied.
"I can do quick."
"I know," I retorted with a grin.
"But long and slow is so much more fun," he countered with a smirk.
Half an hour later we were entering John's room as he complained, "I thought you were going to be quick?"
I looked at Dean, "I thought you were turning the monitor off when Sam left?"
"I thought you were," he responded grinning.
We both looked at John. "Ah well at least you know it was something important that delayed us," I laughed as Dean got the wheelchair ready.
John raised his eyebrows at the comment and looked in disgust at the chair, "I'm not going in that," he snapped.
Dean smirked, "no choice dad, it's that or stay here for another week."
John looked murderously at us, "how you gonna get it down the stairs?"
"We're not," I replied. "There's a lift."
John sighed in defeat as Dean helped him out of bed into the chair. "So how long you thinking of treating me like an invalid?"
"As long as it takes for you to heal properly and not be an invalid," I snapped.
"I'm alright," he responded trying to get off the bed without wincing.
"I'd believe that better if you weren't grimacing with each move," I replied.
"Hey you two no bickering," Dean broke in. "Jeez it's bad enough with Sam and dad without you two starting up," Dean complained.
"Now you know why I wanted the space between us," I smiled as Dean looked heavenwards.
"Dad you're using the chair, even I know better than argue with Becky about injuries. She never steered us wrong when we were kids and she hasn't since Sam and I have been coming here, so just follow her orders please dad."
John looked at Dean, "you never used to question, I don't know what's happened."
"Maybe finding out about Becky and other things that have happened made me realise you're not always right sir," Dean retorted. "Now let's get you in the chair and we can all have some coffee," he continued trying to get John settled in the chair.
As soon as John was settled Dean took him down in the lift, while I walked down the stairs to the kitchen.
As I got into the kitchen I saw Sam pouring coffee.
"I hope you're going to pour us all I cup," I challenged.
Sam looked up, "wondered where you got to, I thought you'd be down before I got back."
"Change of plans delayed things," Dean replied with a grin wheeling John into the room.
Sam rolled his eyes, "let me guess, downstairs brain over-ruled any other activity." Seeing Dean's smirk Sam continued, "you two act like a couple of sex starved teenagers whenever we're here."
"Gotta get my quota in before we hit the road again," Dean responded. "Keeps me in check when we're not here."
Sam looked serious as he thought, "suppose so, hasn't curbed the flirting."
"Hey nothing will do that, its part of who I am," Dean rebuffed.
"Boys enough of the bickering," John complained.
Sam and Dean turned to look at John. "Sir," they replied in unison.
"So can anyone tell me what's been going on here when I haven't been around?" John asked as we gathered round the table.
"Your sons have been getting Rebecca to spend trust funds to finance their enterprises," Julia snapped as she came in from the garden.
My eyes rolled, 'trust her to niggle already,' I thought.
"I was actually thinking more along the lines of since we arrived," John responded.
Julia looked disgusted at his reply as she made herself a cup of tea.
As I handed him his coffee he continued, "so boys what have you been up to?"
Sam looked at Dean, "I'm sure you know what Dean and Rebecca have been up to."
Dean glared at Sam, "I don't think dad was asking about those sorts of activities." Turning to John he continued, "aside from helping Becky, Sam's been doing a little research about that thing in Arkansas and I've checking supplies and we've both been training, sir."
"That training against each other or with Becky and the kids?" John queried.
"Both sir," Dean replied.
"How are the kids doing?"
"Matt's impatient, over-confident and lacks discipline; Deanne has confidence, ability and dedication."
"So Deanne follows you; who does Matt follow?" John replied looking at me.
"Not guilty," I replied. "We were always taught thorough preparation and to be totally focused on the task. Andrew was rasher and so are his children but we don't see them too often."
"Dean's all shoot first ask questions after," Sam butted in and received another glare from Dean.
"Maybe but only because he knows he can handle things, Matt hasn't got the experience for that yet," I countered, hoping to calm the brewing fight.
"Ok," John sounded exasperated. "Enough of the mud slinging. So Dean how soon you planning on letting them join hunts?"
"When they do it'll be with Becky not Sam and me."
"So you'll be hunting separately," John queried.
"Most definitely," I replied looking to Dean for reassurance.
"Sam and I work well together and we don't want to upset that," Dean continued. "Besides we'd be fighting about who's the boss too much to get anything done."
I grinned, "yeah, I'm used to getting my own way here and I'm not ready to give that up. Besides we'd get in each other's way to much."
"For Matt and Deanne it'll be in the field training to start with, so we might research together but don't want them facing anything too scary to start with," Dean smirked.
"Can't imagine going on a hunt with these two together," Sam interrupted. "We'd never get out of the motel."
Dean and I grinned, "that's true, especially if there's a good delivery service on the take-away," Dean responded.
I could see that the banter was wearing John out. "Why don't you take John to the back room while I get lunch?" I suggested to Dean.
He looked at John before replying, "good idea, then Sam and I can try out those moves."
"Don't I get a say?" John complained.
"Not today, you still need your rest," I responded.
"And what about our talk?" Julia groused.
"After lunch," I replied heading for the fridge as Dean wheeled John to the backroom with Sam.
As we sat down for lunch I could see Julia getting ready to talk. "We're all family here and this is a family lunch, so no business talk until after," I stated.
Dean grinned at me. "So how are the kids Julia, have you been in touch with them?" Dean asked with his most innocent expression.
Julia looked at him as though he'd gone mad, "and what do you know about my children?"
"Only what Becky, Matt and Deanne have told me," he replied calmly. "I just wondered if everything was alright at home with you taking time out over here."
"Not that it's any of your business," she sneered, "but yes everything is fine at home."
John looked concerned about Julia's outburst and stepped in. "So boys what are these moves you want to practice."
"When I was collecting Matt and Deanne from their marshal arts class I got talking to their instructor while they got changed. We were discussing the value of different moves and he noticed that scar on my arm. After talking about the fight that had caused it he suggested some moves which might have avoided the cut. We ended up trying some things out and I said I wanted to practice them with my brother," Dean explained.
"How did you explain the harpy?" John asked gruffly.
"Said the guy that attacked me had a vicious dog that bit me."
"Did he buy it?"
"Of course who wouldn't believe me?" Dean smirked.
"He wouldn't have called you on it if he didn't," I responded. Dean looked surprised. "We met when his family were attacked by a Chinese demon that had been sent by an enemy. I helped him sort it out and in return he agreed to train Matt and Deanne for free."
"I was wondering why I didn't know about these lessons," Julia interjected.
"As I've said before, I try to keep some of my life private from the Trust," I responded.
"So this guy probably knew I was flannelling?" Dean asked.
"Yeah but it wouldn't stop him offering advice, just next time tell him the truth. He'll help in more ways not just with moves but also improvisation," I replied.
"So you let people know what you do?" John queried.
"Not normally but if I help them out they often keep the card for future reference and when I bump into them again I often get unexpected help. Wen Chou offered the free lessons when I took Matt and Deanne to his class, I didn't even realise that he ran the place until then. He said he started it after the demon attacked his family to help others protect themselves, he had previously let his training lapse as he felt safer in America than he had in Taiwan."
"So our family motto of 'we do what we do and then shut up' doesn't apply to you?" Sam asked.
"I don't go out bragging about the family business but I don't hide things from the people involved in a case. There's a difference between telling the world and acknowledging the truth to a client."
Sam looked sceptical, "maybe but don't you worry about their reaction."
"I thought this was supposed to be a family lunch not discussing business," huffed Julia.
"Well it's better than discussing who's taking out the garbage," John commented. "Besides this is normal family talk in our house."
"You mean motel room of the week," Julia replied cynically.
"So what would you talk about over lunch?" Dean asked innocuously.
Julia flushed. "Oh I don't know," she replied.
"If I remember rightly the last time in England it started about the boyfriends and then about stocks and ended up on shopping trips to London," I responded gathering the plates.
"So we should be talking about whether Sam is going back to see Sarah and about how we spend your money," Dean smirked.
Sam flushed. "You'd like that wouldn't you? Discussing who I should be with," he accused.
"Actually that's more fun when we're on the road and I can really embarrass you," Dean teased.
"Yeah well now lunch is over we can take coffee through and Julia can take the floor," I interrupted. Catching Dean's eye I indicated that he should wait before going through as Sam wheeled John out of the door.
"What!"
"Back off on Sam a bit."
"Why, he bites so easily?"
"Because we might need his legal help with Julia."
"Ok but only if I get a kiss first," he retorted leaning over.
As our lips brushed I heard someone clear their throat. "I wish you would just take it upstairs," Sam complained.
"Hey little brother you know you're only jealous," Dean smirked.
"You wish," Sam retorted. "I came back for the coffee not to see your tongues down each others throat again."
"We were just about to bring it," I replied hastily.
"And for the record I was going to take a break to see Sarah when you'd sorted things with Julia," Sam snapped at Dean.
A/N: Family crisis next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one and will post me some reviews.
8