AN
Oops, apparently a few weeks turned into next year. But it is part of my resolution to write frequently once more and uni has settled down now. A warning that this chapter might be a bit weak but I was struggling to get back into the story and needed a chapter to launch me forward. The next one is a bit more interesting plot wise. Also I will continue to edit the other chapters now that I'm back and have time!
Hope all had a good x-mas and new year and that all is well
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James had been dying to get out of school before he'd even got there. Not that it was anything particularly new but even so. It felt like the day was dragging on purpose. He got told of three times by Miss Harver for not paying attention and for his "abysmal attitude".
Cow.
He'd woken up that morning desperate to find his Dad, to make sure that all this hadn't been some weird and wonderful dream. He'd shot out of bed, tumbled downstairs, eyes still blurry with sleep, dark blond hair mussed and sticking everywhere. To his delight he'd got a glimpse of Dad in the living room talking to Grandpa…
Just before Grandma had grabbed him and sent him back up stairs to get ready for school. James had half thought about arguing with her and tried to catch his Dad's eye through the doorway. But Dad had a really serious expression on his face and was gesturing passionately about whatever it was he was talking about. He'd ran back upstairs and got washed and dressed in record time, hampered slightly by the fact he couldn't skip through the routine because Grandma had followed him up and was clearly keeping an eye on him.
When he'd dashed back downstairs to eat breakfast and, more to the point, grab Dad, the man had disappeared. James had sulked into his cereal, and glared at the guy…Sammy?…over the bowl. Part of him had been a bit relieved, if Dad's…whatever the hell he was, was still here then Dad was still here. Just not around.
James had gotten in the car with Gran to find himself in the back seat as the guy tagged along with them. Grandma had tried to make conversation but James had been unresponsive. Why was everyone hidding everything? Dad had been ill last night over the phone, Grandpa knew more about Dad then he'd been led to believe and something was happening with Dad's work. Why did everyone treat him like such a baby. If he was old enough to know something was going on then shouldn't they clue him into what it was?
James had gotten out of the car the second that they pulled up and not turned around to his Grandma's calls.
"Hey"
James still hadn't turned. Had no intention of doing so until a hand grabbed his shoulder and gently but firmly spun him around.
The guy was tall so James had to tilt his neck to squint up at Sam who had his back to the sun. Firmly the hand on his shoulder guided him over to a wall, out of the way. James had a faint worry as he was pulled away from everyone, but shrugged it off. His Dad would kill Sam if he did anything.
"Look I guess you're pi…angry at De…your Dad for not being around this morning"
James glared up at him and said nothing. The guy could keep stumbling around his words for all he cared.
"James I know that a lot's happened to you"
James rolled his eyes at the familiar speech "I gotta get to school, I'm gonna be late"
"Dean's going to talk to you. Just give him some time to make sure that everything's sorted"
James remained quiet watching the guy carefully.
"There's a lot he has to tell you…it's just deciding how" Sam paused " and how much." the second was said a lot quieter.
James glared at him "I deserve to know" he snarled
Sam was quiet for a bit "I know you do"
James blinked at that "What?" he asked stunned that someone agreed with him
Sam sighed "Look your Dad's going to talk to you tonight ok? Just…listen to him ok? Hear him out"
James was quiet "Is it bad?" he asked in a small voice, heart racing.
Sam sighed and leant against the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was quiet for a bit.
"How much do you know about your Dad?" he asked after a while
James opened his mouth "I…" he blinked and frowned
"Do you know anything about his family?" Sam asked watching him carefuly
James frowned. He'd never really thought about it if he was honest. He had a Grandma, Grandpa, a mum and a Dad. What more had he really needed?
"I don't…" he trailed off and looked questioningly at Sam.
"Your Dad's family is…" a weird smile appeared on Sam's face "Complicated. Very complicated. There's all kinds of problems and circumstances. Your Dad was trying to protect you from that and now it's all caught up with u…him"
James had nodded slowly "He'll talk to me tonight?"
Sam sighed "He will. I promise"
James had nodded and stood uncomfortably "I guess I'd better…"
Sam blinked and looked over James' head "Your late, sorry uh…do you want a note?"
James smiled faintly "Yeah ok."
"Right" Sam said "You'll have to show me where I can talk to reception"
James started to walk and Sam walked by his side.
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James literally ran out the door when they were dismissed and shot out of the school. He'd been mulling it over as he'd been in school. Nervousness, excitement, worry rolled around his stomach and had butterflies dancing in his belly.
He walked over to the place where his Grandma usually picked him up, following the old tradition where Mum had picked him up. He swallowed back the sadness at that, wondering how much she had known about Dad. How she would cope with this if he were living with her.
He stopped at the unfamiliar car and then grinned at the familiar figure that popped out and leant against the car.
"Hey there kiddo"
James nearly ran over, but restrained himself all to aware that he was still at school. He wasn't that much of a kid.
Dad slung his arm around James shoulders and tossed his school bag in the back seat through the open window.
"Good day at school?"
"yeah it was ok" James said leaning against him, burying his head in his Dad's side and breathing in the familiar scent.
"Hey?" Dad asked pushing James back slightly and placing a hand under his chin and forcing James to meet identical concerned eyes. "You ok?"
James nodded and swallowed and got in the car.
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Hazel eyes flickered wildly between all those watching him. Confusion was evident by the wrinkled forehead and the frowning pursed lips. Very slowly they parted as he turned to his grandmother a look of hope written on his young face.
"This is a joke right?"
Dean glanced at Sam as his son seemed to ignore him. A part of him fluttered with pain that the kid had to turn to another to make sure that all that had just been said was true. Sam's gaze was utterly focussed on James.
"James" Patricia began looking a bit lost
"No…" James trailed off and stared at the floor. Then the mouth tightened in a way that Dean could have sworn the kid got off Sam. The accusing gaze swung up to directly meet Dean's without flinching in the slightest "No this…a demon killed my mother" he said sarcasm entering the young voice.. "It just…it was a car crash and…no"
Dean sat frozen unsure of what to do. He could hear the question in the boys voice at that last word. If James accepted the first then he would have to be told the second and the third and the rest of the never ending list of horrors that he had sworn he would never allow James to be a part of.
"James, a similar thing happened to us" Sam said quietly.
Dean stiffened even further and turned to stare at his brother mind whirring to find a cover story or an unobvious way to make him stop.
James's eyes narrowed in question.
"Your Dad, me and y…another man were driving. Empty road, about two in the morning. And a truck ploughed into us out of no where and kept going until we were off the road."
James' eyes swung back to Dean's "You were in a car accident" he yelped
Dean shot a furious gaze at his brother and lent forward so that his elbows rested on his knees and his arm casually crossed. "When the car hit your mums, did the diver have dark eyes?"
James shook his head "I don't…" he whispered and looked so bewildered that it broke Dean's heart.
"It's ok" Sam whispered gently
James looked down and closed his eyes slowly. He looked back up after a few minutes seemingly a bit more calm. "What does…is it after me. Do I need a priest or something. I don't go to church"
Dean bit back a smile at that.
Sam shook his head "At the moment it seems more likely that it was after your Mum. If it wanted you its had no lack of"
"Sam" Matthew snapped "That's enough"
Dean glanced at Matthew with annoyance then with guilt as he saw the old man's face.
"Why did it want Mum?" James asked after a brief flitter at his grandfather
Dean and Sam exchanged looks "There could be a number of reasons" Sam began
"Like?" James demanded chin jutting out ever so slightly
There was a silence and Dean went through what he had rehearsed to say and then looked at the blond head of hair opposite him.
"I've been lying to you" he said, amazed at how his voice sounded. Steady, audible, determined. Hell only knew where that came from.
He felt rather than saw Sam's sharp movement of surprise and Patricia's utter freezing. All he could see was the frown and the look of disbelief from his boy.
"Dad"
"I hunt demons" Dean said simply "I hunt whatever I can whenever I can and I stop what happened to me and my family happening to others."
James meet his father look for look
"Then you failed" he said
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Dean's footsteps echoed as he walked down the aisle. The statue at the end of the church seemed to grow and loom over him the closer it got. The whole place was dead silent and only a few sat hunched over in silent prayers from their place in the pew's.
Dean sat without looking and stared at the front of the church without really seeing it. Feeling a well of…something come over him he bent his head into his hands. He had no idea why he'd driven here. He ought to have stayed and watched over James, been on hand should he suddenly decide to ask some questions or even forgive him.
Part of him was waiting he supposed for Pastor Jim to walk over and simply sit with him. Like he had when Dean had stared out the window with utter determination at the age of ten whilst waiting for his father to return. Perhaps the idea of the potential symmetry amused him. Maybe at that moment Sam had silently approached James' door and just sat with the boy.
Had he been wrong to keep all this from James? Hell had he been wrong to be so damn selfish and not move here to protect his son's family. He went to lean back when a spasm hit again in his arm. He sucked in breath quickly from the shock and this time with no one around to demand he took of his jacket and rolled up his sleeve.
He had deliberately not looked in fear of what he might find while Sam and James lurked around the house. He swallowed in surprise as another pain hit and the scar like thing grew. It was like a thread was under his skin raising a bump. The thread seemed to be wrapping its way down his arm. Agony flared in the other arm and slowly he watched as the same pattern emerged there.
"Shit" he whispered voice trembling without his permission. He looked over at anything to take his gaze away, praying that when he looked back it would all have been some weird hallucination. He stared at the candles trying to steady himself.
"Mary" his fathers voice screamed from his subconscious. Sam's wails his own ragged breath. He watched the flames shudder and shake…
He blinked and glanced around suddenly realising that his actions weren't exactly normal. He twisted and turned as he realised that he was alone in the church. Confused he faced the front and glanced down at his watch. He had been in the church for nearly two hours. Shaking his head he stood up and begun to walk to the church doors. Then stopped dead.
A hooded figure stood in front of him. For a fraction of a second Dean had the image of a scythe been pulled out from the robes and a bony finger beckoning. Shaking the image away and feeling rising irritation and his own stupidity he simply nodded in a vaguely polite way and walked with determination. Then anger as the figure seemed to be in no hurry to move out of his way.
Bitch he thought, and felt his blood rising slowly. Intending to shove by he marched right up to the figure…
…and walked straight through them.
He froze and turned blood beating in his ears and readying himself. He reached out to scoop up the holy water in the dish.
And once again passed straight through.
Nonononononononononononononononooo
"You have got to be kidding" Dean said staring at the hooded figure
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I don't think that was the best I've ever written but I needed a way to get back into the story. Don't worry I am following the plan!!!
Thank you to spookyclaire and dawn vesper for their reviews, glad you liked it and found it funny!
Please review!!!!