C9
-o-o-o-
Dean's irritation lifted as soon as he sat behind the wheel of the Impala. He couldn't begin to imagine what the effect on him would be, or how it would feel if ever something happened which resulted in him never being able to drive again. To Dean, driving was as much a part of him as breathing. If he couldn't drive, he wondered whether he would want to carry on doing the other either? Sam folded himself into the passenger seat, glancing at the dopey smile on his older brother's face.
"You have to know how weird this thing is with you and the car, don't you?"
Dean ignored Sam, speaking instead to the Impala.
"He'll get it one day baby, once he meets a car of his own."
"I've had cars of my own Dean."
"Yeah, but they were just flings, non of them were the real thing. You've haven't met the one yet Sammy"
"Weird and creepy."
-o-
Access to both roads adjoined by the cut through where Dean had run foul of the Pooka was closed off to anyone who wasn't resident on either street and both the local police and the press formed a heavy presence. Dean parked as near as he could. Getting out of the car, he paused and visually scanned the area.
"It's incredible how different places look when you see them in daylight. Come on, let's see if either of the Detectives are around."
Dean strolled up to the tape barrier and, as he was so used to doing, he had lifted the tape and ducked underneath before Sam could stop him. A young rookie immediately jogged over to Dean.
"Sir? Sir! I'm sorry, but you have to get back behind the tape. Behind the tape sir."
Dean backed off, holding both hands in the air as if in surrender.
"Oops, sorry Officer. My bad. My name's Dean Osborne and I was ju...!"
At the mention of his name. Dean suddenly found himself surrounded by eager, shoving, pushing press and reporters, all poking their mikes and cameras in his face, trying to be the one who got closest to him. They were all talking excitedly into the microphones attached to their head sets, all pretty much talking on a theme.
"The hero of the day, Dean Osborne, has just arrived. I'm going to see if he'll speak to us. Mr Osborne? Over here! Look this way Mr Osborne...Dean. We've been told that you saw the kidnapper as he was running away, clasping little Daniel, and that you tried to intervene. Can you tell us what information you were able to give the police, Dean? What did you see? Can you give us a description? We heard you were injured. How badly were you hurt? Did the suspect speak to you? What did you have for supper that evening. Who's your favourite designer?"
Dean glanced around, desperately seeking Sam. One section of the people huddled around Dean parted as his giant of a brother pushed his way through them, coming to a standstill at Dean's side. Looking around at the media scrum, Sam raised one hand, bringing the questions to a halt.
"Ladies and gentlemen. My brother won't be answering any questions so you might as well all back off. Do I make myself clear?"
The rookie officer finally managed to break through and give Sam some back up, attempting to physically move the media crowd away from Dean. Looking back over his shoulder at the brothers, he twitched his head towards the police tape.
"Both of you, go on through. Anyone tries to stop you, tell them Officer Woodcliffe let you through and they're to take you to Detective Phillips."
-o-
Dean had already spotted Phillips before he and Sam were intercepted by a female uniformed officer. She called across to the detective.
"Detective Phillips?...These two men say you know them?"
Seeing Sam and Dean, Phillips excused himself from the guy he was talking to and strolled over to the brothers. His surprise at seeing the shorter of the two Dean up and out of the hospital showed clearly but briefly in his expression, then it was gone, replaced by a narrow smile of greeting and he held his hand out to shake theirs.
"Hello gentlemen. I certainly didn't expect to see you here; especially not you Dean. It looks like there's been some sort of miracle, or magic, performed! I assume you're out with the permission of your Doctor?"
Dean gave Phillips an easy smile.
"Thrown out on my ear. Discharged owing to having been deemed totally fit and healthy. Thought I should come back here and have a look around, it might jog something. Something that could be useful to you guys, you know?"
Sam noticed that Phillips seemed to relax a little at Dean's words.
"Good idea. Come on, you can explain to me the route you took before you reached the path where you met our suspect."
-o-
Looking around, there were no signs at all along the narrow pathway of anything untoward having happened there. Phillips watched Dean carefully as he paused in one particular area for a longer period.
"That's where you were when your brother found you?"
Dean nodded, remembering how helpless he had felt.
"So, a couple of streets away you heard glass break, then a baby cry and you followed the sound, spotted this passage and saw a figure holding a baby coming the opposite way, yes?"
"That's about the sum of it. I yelled at the guy to stop, he didn't, so I went to tackle him to the ground. That's when I slipped. I twisted to try grabbing the guy as I fell, and suddenly I couldn't move."
"Right. I see. And this guy? He jumps clean over you and just disappears?"
"Yup. Turned the corner and was gone. Obviously I couldn't go after him."
"Obviously not. Um, any idea what you might have slipped on?"
Dean stopped scanning the floor and looked up at Phillips.
"Detective, it was cold, there was frost. Maybe an icy patch?"
"Ah, of course. You're right, it was cold...You said the guy was wearing some kind of Ghandi type loin cloth? Nothing else?"
"Not that I noticed. Unfortunately by then I'd let myself get distracted by pain. Sorry. As to the loincloth, maybe the guy suffers hot flushes? Was running a fever? Had some kind of heating system stuck down the front of his loin cloth? Who knows."
Phillips and Dean were now in stand off positions, and Sam quickly stepped forward, one hand resting lightly on Dean's shoulder, a calming gesture to anyone looking. For Sam it was a precaution, a readiness to swiftly pull Dean away if necessary. He gave the detective an earnest look.
"I'm so sorry Detective Phillips."
Making full eye contact with his brother, the message in Sam's eyes very much read What the frigg are you tryin' to do? Stop winding him up! Play nice! He could be up to something.
"Dean! There was no need for that tone. The detective was only trying to help jog your memory. Weren't you? I know you've been through a lot today, but I'm sure Detective Phillips has too."
Dean glared at Sam. Then rolled his eyes and turned to Phillips again, an apologetic smile pasted on his face.
"My brother's right. That was way outta line. I'm really sorry. Like he said, it's been quite a day ... Go ahead Detective. Ask me anything."
Phillips relaxed his stance a fraction.
"No need to apologise. You're brother's right. You've been through a lot and I should have remembered that. Do you feel up to going through the description of the suspect that you gave us? Just to ensure you're happy that I got it down properly?"
Dean gave a beautiful I'm tired but I want to help sigh.
"Sure. No problem at all detective."
-o-
Dean scanned through the small, neat handwriting covering the page in Phillips' notebook which the detective had passed to him.
"Ok, let's see. Pale greyish coloured eyes. Long slender limbs. Striped loincloth. Approximately five six to five ten. Either close cropped hair or possibly bald...Actually, I would go with close cropped now I think about it. Clean shaven, yes ... Well, this seems just fine, I really can't think of anything else to add to it."
Taking his notebook back, Phillips flicked over the entry himself, before closing the book and popping it back into the inside pocket of his jacket. He gave Dean a tight smile.
"You've been a big help Mr Osborne. Really. You'll probably be recommended for an award in recognition of your attempt to stop the kidnap of the child without any hesitation or any consideration for your own safety."
Dean looked appalled.
"Crap no. No way. Listen, take my advice, forget it. Save yourself the paperwork. I won't be collecting any award."
"Oh. I see. Well. If you're certain?"
"I am."
Sam butted in again.
"If you really want to reward Dean, how about taking us to Daniel's parents. We'd both like to introduce ourselves to them and ask if there's anything we can do to help.
Phillips frowned.
"I see. Well, I'd have to talk to them first, see what they think. Ok?"
-o-o-o-
