Chapter Four

A few hours later and Dean was well and truly beginning to come to the realisation that his wife had just left him. Sipping on a mug of coffee in the living room, he was soon joined by Sam,

"Dude…what the hell is going on with Joshua?" Sam asked, "He knew a hell of a lot of stuff…I mean…he knew about you and he knew about me…it was like he was reading our minds!"

"Maybe that's his power." Dean suggested, "He can read our minds…"

"Well that's dangerous, Dean! It's dangerous for him as well as everyone around him!"

"What can we do? He's six! It's not like he's going to be able to control it, is it? He's too young to understand the moral problems and y'know…he's a kid! How are we supposed to explain to him this…?"

"This is bad, Dean…" Sam breathed, "He must've known that was going to upset Lola and you…"

"How could he? He's a kid! He's just naturally curious and talking about what he knows!"

"But what else does he know?" Sam asked sceptically,

"More to the point…why's it happening now? Your powers and all the other psychics…they didn't start manifesting until you were twenty-three!"

"I know." Sam agreed, "Perhaps whatever demon it is that's done this to Josh, is a little more impatient than the one we killed…" He suggested, "Maybe he learnt from the mistake of waiting so long…the younger, the easier they are to control and are more impulsive…and let's face it, with Matt dead, there's only Maggie to hold him back."
"You're wrong." Dean said, "There's us. I'm not going to let anything happen to him. No one is going to take Joshua away and use him as some kind of pawn!"

"What…like I was, you mean?"
"Sammy…" Dean sighed, "that's over now for you…can we focus on Josh?"
"Well what do you propose we do, Dean?" Sam fumed, "There's no way we can stop this…and I don't know how we're going to be able to control…" He trailed off, his eyes sliding sideways as he became aware of another presence in the room. He turned his head to see Joshua standing beside the sofa, watching them with a small smile spread across his lips, "Hey Josh…" He smiled nervously, "What're you up to?"

"Uncle Sam…" Josh began carefully. Sam was about to stop him revealing anyone else's secrets, but it was too late. Joshua jumped back onto the coffee table out of reach and grinned, "uncle Dean was happy when Jess died because then things went back to being like the old days when he was in control."

Sam sat, in shock as the six-year-old hopped off of the table and out of the room, leaving his two uncles to ponder on his words,

"Dean…" Sam began slowly, the anger rising within him as he took a deep and calming breath,

"Sammy…I…"

"Don't Dean." Sam snapped, pushing himself to his feet, "If that's the way you feel then I'm surprised you can bother putting up with Charlotte! I mean…surely you want her to die too!"

"It's not like that!" Dean defended,

"And why should I believe you? You're a liar Dean…you lied to your wife and you got me to help you! So why the hell should I believe you…especially when Joshua's proved to be a highly reliable source of information,

"I meant that I didn't want Jess to die." Dean growled, "What I meant was that I was happy to have you back on the road with me. Jess' death enabled that to happen…I WASN'T happy that she died."

Sam stood, shaking his head,

"Whatever Dean…I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth anymore…" He muttered, sulking back into the chair, turning the volume up on the TV.

"Lola you guys can get through this, you always do…" Maggie paced up and down the marble floor of the kitchen, holding a silver cordless phone to her ear. "I know but…look I really need you here, he's said some more things to Dean and Sam…"

Just at that moment Maggie felt Josh tug at the hem of her black tank top, "Mommy I need to talk to you." He said sweetly.

"I'm going to have to call you back, just think about it okay." She added before hanging up the phone and setting it down on the counter.

"What's the matter sweetie?" Maggie asked slightly apprehensive of what her son was going to say.

"Are you still mad at Uncle Sam?

"Why would I be mad at him?" She asked, bending down to Josh's eye level.

"Because he didn't think you could look after me when Daddy died."

Maggie's face fell, taken aback by the revelation, "I'm sure he didn't mean it like that honey."

"He did, he thought that you would fall into a break down and end up in hospital." Joshua continued adamantly.

Maggie licked her lips in disbelief as she rose to her feet, stroking Joshua's hair before moving out of the kitchen to the living room where Dean and Sam were still sat in tense silence.

Maggie stormed into the room, picking up the collection of Joshua's toys and books that littered the floor. Sam noticed his sisters red face, angry and flustered, "Hey are you okay?" He asked, sitting up in his chair.

"Yep I'm fine." She quickly answered, not able to look her brother in the eye.

"You want a hand?" Sam offered.

"No thank you, I've managed six months on my own I think I can cope with clearing away a few toys." Maggie snapped.

"Have I said something to upset you ?" He asked with a frown looking at Dean who was just as puzzled by his sister's behaviour as Sam was. Maggie kept her eyes to the floor darting around the room in a rush of anger, "Maggie!" Sam grabbed his sister's arm, tired of being ignored.

"What!" She yelled, yanking her arm out of his grasp, Sam stood in shock, his eyebrows raised.

"Okay…" Sam breathed, "Maybe I should just pop out for awhile?"

"Yes. I think that would be a good idea." Maggie replied icily, crossing her arms over her chest. Sam looked down at Dean who shifted awkwardly beneath his brothers gaze. With a pout and a huff, Sam stormed off out of the living room and down the hallway to the front door.

Maggie slouched down beside Dean with a heavy sigh. Joshua was humming away to himself on the other side of the room beneath the open window, building a few small buildings out of multi-coloured bricks. Dean tapped his fingers together awkwardly before glancing at his watch,

"I'm going to call Lola…"

"Dean…" Maggie began as Dean rose from his seat. The eldest sibling turned and was taken aback to see her head ducked, but tears clearly visible as they slid down her cheeks, dripping onto her jean-clad knees, "Do you…" She paused, "Do you think I'm a bad mom?"

Dean frowned, dropping back down into his seat,

"No, of course not." Dean said seriously, "If I'm half as good as you are, my kids might actually survive having me as a father."

"When Matt died…did you guys really think I was going to have a breakdown?"

"To be honest, Maggie," Dean began carefully, "I was a little tied up with my own problems. All I knew is that you wouldn't talk to me and Lola turned her back on you because she had to look after me. I really screwed up back then and I guess I should've been there for you…but instead I was wallowing in self-pity."

Maggie wiped at her eyes,

"You've come a long way in the last couple of years, Dean."

Dean shrugged,

"My honest opinion, Maggie? I think you're a great mom. Really. And we're going to get through this."

Unbeknown to the two adults, Joshua had grown weary of his building blocks and as the pair chatted away, the six-year-old padded his way across the living room and through the house towards the front door. Standing on his tip toes, he pulled open the front door and staggered uneasily down the wooden steps into the front yard, thunder rippling across the sky.

Maggie smiled weakly, flopping backwards onto the couch,

"I suppose I'd better get on and give Josh his bath and put him to bed. It's getting late." Maggie breathed, closing her eyes soothingly, "Lola's at a hotel. Don't worry…she'll come around."

"I wouldn't blame her if she didn't." Dean admitted, "Do you need any help with Josh? It's not like I've got a hell of a lot else to do."

Maggie pushed herself up with a sudden burst of energy,

"You could read him his story tonight?" She suggested, looking around the room, confused, "Josh?" She called out, "Joshua!" She called, "I'm going to give you to the count of three Joshua! One…Two…" She called out sternly, though her expression softened, "Three?" She spoke quieter, unsure of herself now as she darted into the kitchen, in search of her son. Dean wandered out into the hallway, and seeing the front door open, he moved towards it quickly to shut it, slipping slightly on the puddle caused by the rain on the wooden flooring. As he was shutting the door, he noticed Joshua's tiny form making it's way across the front lawn through the rain. He stepped out onto the porch, shielding his face slightly as the rain was blown in his direction,

"Josh!" He called out. His nephew seemingly didn't hear him as he continued to wander towards the street. Dean looked up to see a large, dark car turn into the road, moving quickly in the low visibility. Jumping down the steps, Dean ran through the yard as Joshua stepped out into the road in front of the car,

"JOSH!" Maggie cried as she appeared in the doorway in time to see the car speeding towards her son. Dean darted out into the road, scooping up his nephew before throwing himself onto the other side of the road, landing on his side with a breathless grunt. Maggie ran towards them, pulling Joshua off of his uncle and into her arms, "What were you doing…?" She sobbed, cradling him close to her, "You stupid little boy! You could've been killed!" She scolded, "Thank God…" She breathed, looking down at Dean, water plastering his t-shirt to his skin, droplets snaking their way down his face as he looked up at his sister and her son breathlessly, "Thank you Dean…" She whispered, "What were you thinking?!" She scolded Joshua,

"The yellow-eyed man told me to do it…" He whimpered,

"There is no yellow-eyed man." Dean said, "He's dead."

"No he's not. He's right there." Joshua said, pointing off over Maggie's shoulder. Dean and Maggie looked, but there was no one standing there,

"Get inside." Dean said seriously, "Now."

Early the next morning, Dean sat slumped on the wooden steps of Maggie's front porch, a large, beige, porcelain mug of black coffee at his side. He failed to register the low rumble of a familiar engine as he stared glumly at his hand, the white-gold ring still firmly on his finger. It wasn't until a scraping footstep on the garden path that he looked up to see Lola standing over him, a hand firmly on one of her hips,

"Hey…" She mumbled, "Can I sit with you?"

Dean shuffled sideways slightly, lifting his coffee cup up and placing it on his knee so that she could sit in it's place. She sat down beside him and yawned loudly, intertwining her fingers together,

"What's up?" He asked casually, his eyes fixed on the ground in front of them,

"I'm bringing your car back." She said, holding out his keys, "I figured you'd miss her."

"I missed you more." He said honestly, "I couldn't sleep last night."

"Me either." She admitted quietly, "Lumpy hotel bed." She joked, "So how're things going in there?"

"Well…Sam's not talking to me…Maggie's not talking to Sam. Seems like Josh is the only one everyone's talking to."

"What is going on…?" Lola asked, scowling,

"Josh keeps letting everyone's skeletons out of the closet…as you full well know."

"Dean…" Lola began, turning to look at him, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about throwing my ring at you and walking out like I did. I had no right to be so furious…I mean…I'm upset, sure…but worse things have happened." She sighed, "And I'm sorry about the baby."

"Well I'm sorry I lied." Dean said seriously,

"I don't know what came over me! It was like…an uncontrollable rage! And then…last night in the hotel…I suddenly realised, I didn't know why I was so angry. And then I realised, it was only in this house that made me so angry…or maybe it's just being around Joshua."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" She paused, licking her lips, "Maybe part of Josh's power is his ability to get under your skin and hype up your anger."

"Hm." Dean mused, "That would make a lot of sense."

"So promise me that no matter what he says, you don't let him see you angry or upset, no matter what its about. Wait until he's out of sight and sound before you show emotion. Whoever's controlling him is obviously trying to get to us through our emotions."

"Sounds like a plan."
"Right…well I'm going back to bed…that is…if it's okay with you…that I stay here?"

"Of course it is." Dean said with a frown, "I mean…unless you're going to throw any thing else at me." He joked. Lola smirked,

"Can I have my ring back…please?" She asked sweetly, holding out her palm. He reached into his pocket and placed it down in her hand, "Thanks Dean."
He leant forwards and placed a kiss on her forehead,

"I'm glad you came back."

"I always do." She grinned, throwing her arms around his neck so that she hugged him tightly.

"Hey Josh!"

Joshua looked up quickly from his colouring on the coffee table to see Lola enter the living room, Dean close behind,

"Aunty Lola…" He said carefully, "You're back." He observed. Lola smiled and nodded as she leant over the back of the sofa, leaning her face down beside Sam who was sitting, watching the boy while Maggie was upstairs,

"Sure am." She smiled, "Did you miss me?"
He looked at her cautiously before feigning a smile,

"Yeah!"

"Awesome."

"Why did you come back?" He asked coyly,

"I missed my favourite nephew that's why." She smiled, Joshua looked back at his aunt dead in the eyes, and the two held this stand off for a good minute, it was as if Lola was trying to see into Josh, trying to find out what was going on inside that innocent mind. Sam looked on with a frown, slightly un nerved by the tense silence.

"Where did you go anyway?" He asked, finally breaking the silence,

"I went and stayed in a hotel…" She smiled,

"Don't you like uncle Dean anymore?" Joshua asked innocently,

"Of course I do." She beamed, "I love your uncle Dean." She said sincerely, "I just need to do something so I went away for a night, but I'm back now…so you and I can have a nice long chat."

"Did you know uncle Dean takes off his wedding ring when he goes away on hunts?"

Lola shrugged, walking around the couch so that she stood over him,

"So do I." She said seriously,

"Well…" Joshua began, slightly taken aback, "Well he thinks uncle Sam's girlfriend is hot."

"Well she's a very pretty girl…" Lola admitted. Sam turned to glare accusingly at Dean who held his hands up defensively. The younger of the two rolled his eyes at his brother before turning back to Josh and Lola,

"Well my mommy thought you getting married was a mistake!"

"Now Josh…" Lola warned, "Now you're just making things up. Lying is naughty!" She scolded, "I know for a fact that your mother didn't think that because she was the one pushing me to say yes."

"Well uncle Sam thought it to!"
"What?!" Sam exclaimed, "Josh! I did not!"
"I think it's time you had a nap, Josh." Lola said, leaning down and taking Joshua's arm, leading him out of the room, "Your mom will be having words with you later." She scolded. Josh pulled his arm free,

"Uncle Dean should never of brought you back!" He spat angrily before running off out of the room, leaving the three adults behind in shock,

"How…how did he come up with those lies about me and Maggie? He's only six. I never thought that and neither did Maggie, so he didn't read our minds."
"No. He read mine." Lola said quietly, "I always worried that you and Maggie thought I wasn't worth the time." She admitted, "But it seems to me like he's almost clutching at straws to push us apart…which is good because he's losing his foot hold." She said sternly, though seeing Sam's furrowed brow, Lola swallowed hard and continued, "I love Josh, but he's obviously not himself. He's being controlled and we've got to give as good as we get if we're going to stand a chance against him. Right?"

Sam sighed and nodded half-heartedly,

"Yeah…I guess…"

"When I find out who's behind this…" Dean began quietly, balling his fists, "I'll kill that son of a bitch!"