I'd say: LETS GO SHOPPING ^^
WARNINGS: UNRELATED!WINCEST, mentions of abuse physically & mentally (nothing too graphic), torture, there'll be hot stuff in future chapters, rated!M!just!to!beLOVE!STORY, what means you won't find a lot of slash in here
special warning for: implied rape
DISCLAIMER: not mine & no beta
you guys know these vehicles that operate with cow dung? Well, I operate with BACON!
(: THANK YOU for all the GREAT REVIEWS & FOLLOWERS & FAVORITES :)
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Miuda22 3DBABE1999 Nightmare's Pen HinatasTwin1128 BaskervilleHound1864 watergoddesskasey elektra56765 & guests!
previously on bruisedbloodybroken aka The Road So Far:
Sam shook his head, closing his eyes for a second.
„No.", Dean said more firmly. „You stay awake and eat something. - Whatever this just was … it has drained you out, hasn't it?"
Sam nodded, and mouthed „half bad".
„Shut up and eat your breakfast." He said with a smile and forked a bunch of scrambled eggs on the fork. „Open up.", he ordered grinning and guided it to Sam's mouth.
NOW:
Chapter 9 ~ Something You Love
Later Sam fell asleep and Dean went back into the kitchen to finish his own breakfast, emptying two cups of coffee and a whiskey to cool his nerves down. Caleb had insisted to stay in the living room, taking Dean's place – and watch over the young man.
The hunter sipped on the beer casually and glanced at Bobby. "So you're telling me that when a reaper bangs a human a little Sammy is the result?"
The older hunter glared into the book before him and nodded.
"Wow." Dean sighed. "Why haven't we heard of something like that before?"
"Because it seems like after about thousand years after they last were mentioned in a script, no one seemed to have the need to mention them anymore. Once they were feared – were some kind of pets, held by demons. - Their stories may got lost during the time ..."
The younger hunter frowned and a lump grew in his throat at the word pets.
"Besides ... under special circumstances the soultakers were able to bind the souls - they were taking - to hell.", he continued after a small pause. "But it requires a spell and a giant amount of blood."
"I know that hunters aren't demons best friends. - But why in hell should they use soultakers – these kids – to collect hunters souls and bind them to hell?", Dean asked pensively.
Bobby shrugged. "I don't know. - Sometimes they do what they do ... without a special reason."
"Sometimes. - But something on that whole thing doesn't fit. Sure as hell not in this case. - For me it sounds like a plan and we've no clue what they are up to ..." Dean put the bottle aside and shifted in the chair.
"Anyways: About soultakers: Much longer before demons got their hands on some of them, they were some kind of "holy creatures". They were psychics, healers ... whatever they were capable of. - When you know what you've to look for, they appear everywhere. - Just aren't called soultakers. - They've much older names and appear everywhere in pagan legends and stories ..."
Dean raised both eyebrows and looked up, glaring at Bobby in disbelieve.
"Wow. - So you gotta tell me that our Sam's some kind of goddess?"
Bobby grimaced at him. "Of course not, Idjit. - Most of them are born human. - No abilities at all. Some do have them ... mostly able to see ghosts and communicate with them."
"Psychics." Dean muttered to himself, realizing that there had to be much more of them out there than he had ever thought.
"Obviously they're not that interesting for demons. - But those like Sam ... the ones with special abilities ... they definitely are. What leads us to the ritual in the church. I found something about it .. and it ain't good." Bobby looked up from the book and took a gulp from his black coffee. "This ritual is used to summon a knight of hell. - Besides i think that this Abaddon might could be one too – Fact is ... they have to choose the knights vessel carefully and they need a soultaker for it. In Sam's case it'd have given the knight his abilities. Means he would be able to drag the ripped out souls into hell. No matter if they'd belong there or not."
"Knights can't switch between vessels ... but Sam said this .. Abaddon ... was able to ...", Dean mentioned.
The older hunter let out a deep sigh. "It might ain't a knight. - But I'll keep diggin'."
Dean paled visible and swallowed hard at the thought. "Means it didn't work with Jo and Andy?"
Bobby nodded and pointed of a drawing in the book. "I think so. But i don't know it for sure. - knights of hell are beasts. Hopefully – if Abaddon is one of them – it's the only one that walks the earth."
"Fantastic." Dean huffed and shook his head. "Any way to kill a knight of hell?"
"Nothing found yet.", Bobby answered and rubbed his temple. "Anyways, even if Abaddon ain't a knight, it seems like it's one of the oldest demons ever. - What means powerful."
"That means we've to run?" Dean groaned and shook his head. Running was nothing for Winchesters ... they were fighters ... warriors ...
Bobby nodded violently but slow. "Hide and keep ya heads down for a while. - I talked to Ellen this morning. She's got a small house in the woods. Pretty far away from the Roadhouse. All you gotta do is stock up on food and supplies. - otherwise it's all yours for your time being there." he cleared his throat. "She's gonna come by every couple of days and bring you new informations about what we find, since you won't have WIFI or any signal out there. - I'd suggest you both stay there, tell Ellen what you need and she'll get it for ya'."
Dean gave him a weak smile. "Can't get better, can it?"
Bobby laughed. "A couple of weeks without your asian beauty busties won't kill ya, boy."
The younger man's features turned serious. "First: it's busty asian beauties and second: I'm not addicted to porn or WIFI."
Bobby gave another lough and shook his head, tipping his ball-cap up. "Sure."
"What about the tattoo? Found anything?", Dean tried to get on another topic.
"No leads yet.", Bobby answered seriously. "Probably have to dig around in some older books. - Get into the library and borrow something."
"You mean steal?" Dean grinned.
"Shut up!"
Dean laughed. "Sounds like one big mess." He pinched and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"And you're right in the middle of it." Bobby added with a worried smile. "Listen ... it's not like I wanna get rid of you both, Son. - But I don't think that they'll be gone for good." His eyes darkened with worry and sorrow. "Now that they know where you are ..."
Dean nodded. "I know. - We have to leave ... I just wished ... we'd have a couple of days more here."
Bobby frowned. "And you don't wanna run – you're a Winchester."
Dean smiled. "That too ... yeah."
Two hours later Sam woke with a start. Caleb rested in the recliner beside him, keeping guard, his eyes closed. Sam looked around, his gaze darting thru the room. Dean was nowhere to be seen. Just him and Caleb. Had Dean left? Was he gone? ...
Panic rose in his chest, climbing up his throat and settled all over his face.
"Dean?", he asked drowsy.
"He's upstairs, Sam." Caleb sat up right and brushed over his face with a hand. "He's packing up."
Sam sat up with a groan, squeezing his eyes shut and let his legs slide down from the couch. His back still hurt a little, though it wouldn't stay that way. Still feeling groggy and heavy, he braced himself with a hand against the backrest, trying to get his fuzzy memories together.
He looked at Caleb, his breathes speeding up.
The hunter frowned at him. "Everything's okay. - Okay?"
Sam nodded and wrang his hands. Trying to make himself as small as possible, he pulled his legs towards his chest and, hugging his legs and rested his chin on his knees.
Caleb bowed forward and put on a friendly smile. "It's okay. I'm watching out until Dean's back down."
Sam eyed him warily, trying to push his fear back down. Dean wasn't there. Not even close to him. Not in close vicinity. Dean meant to feel save – somehow. The hunter had always been there, at least closer than now.
Not that he didn't kind of liked Caleb. It was just he wasn't Dean. He was meant to be with the hunter. Sam didn't know how long he sat there, tensed, until he heard slow heavy footsteps on the stairs. Sam raised his head and looked towards the hall.
"Dean?", he whispered, waiting with a longing expression on his face.
Finally the hunter appeared, sunken in thoughts, his head bowed, in the doorway.
That was when Sam jumped up and RAN towards him. Ignoring the dizziness, his buckling knees. On the second step his knees started to turn into pudding. On the third one his right knee gave out under him, directly in front of Dean. His long arms wrapped around the hunters neck, who instinctively grabbed him and held him tightly.
"Sam?", he asked, looking stuttered at Caleb.
"Looks like someone missed ya', lad.", Caleb grinned widely.
Dean held the trembling form close, which pressed against him. "I just packed up our stuff, Sam. - I'm here."
Sam panted and shifted, so he'd have a better stand. The younger male clung to him like for dear life. "I'm sorry – please – don't leave me, please, don't leave me."
"Sam. - I won't. I promised.", he tugged him gently closer. "Look at me, kiddo.", he waited until Sam made contact with him." - I won't leave. I just gathered our things." Then he cupped the back of the younger man gently in his hand, brushing over his soft hair.
Sam trembled, shivered, his fingers tangled in the hunter's shirt.
Dean let out a long drawn breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sammy – listen ..." He sighed, knew they had to leave as soon as possible. "We've to hit the road." He wished everything wouldn't be that difficult. He wished they'd had time. Sam had time to adjust better to new situations. But he couldn't give him the time. Not right now. So he promised himself that he would. He would try to give him all the time he needed as soon as they were halfway save. "You feel up to it?"
The hunter knew – no matter what the answer would be, it had to be now. They had to leave, no matter what. And he knew, that Sam knew it.
Sam nodded into his neck. "Now?", he asked quietly, his voice slightly shivering.
Dean nodded. "Now'd be good.", he whispered and gave Caleb a glance.
"Shall i get ya' bags?", he asked and nodded upwards.
Dean gave him a blink. Yes. Then he returned his attention back at Sam. "We'll get you dressed in something warmer, OK? - It's gonna be a long drive."
Sam nodded again.
"Let's get back to the couch?" The hunter frowned.
Sam nodded again, easing his grip and let himself be led to the couch. He looked up at Dean, giving him an asking look. "I'll go and get our Jackets." He eyed Sam's sock-covered feet. "And ya' shoes.", he added with a soft smile.
Caleb cleared his throat. "I'm gonna grab ya stuff and get it into the Impala.", He nodded towards the front door and left hesitating.
"Thanks," Dean looked over towards his old friend as he left. Then he went outside for less than a minute to return with his leather jacket, another thicker black one and a pair of brown sneakers, A hoody clenched in his fist.
He laid the winter-garb on the couch beside Sam, keeping the sneakers in his hands. Dean didn't let Sam out of his watch, while he kneeled down before him, placing a hand on his left knee and looked deep into a pair of troubled hazel-eyes. "Gonna help you put them on?"
The younger male nodded and let Dean pull the sneakers over his gigantic feet. The hunter held his gaze while he rose and lifted the thick black jacket from the couch to let Sam slip into it and tilted a beany over his hair. He pulled it over his ears and over his forehead, smiling satisfied. ... Damn it, the man looked cute – though the dark circles – wich seemed not that dark anymore – around his eyes. Under different circumstances he'd hit on the man. On the other side ... under different circumstances it'd have just been for a night. So no, this wasn't an appropriate way to think about Sam.
Then he pulled on his own jacket – his father's leather-jacket – and wrapped a dark-brown scarf around his neck. "Ready?", he asked the young man, who glared up at him with big motionless eyes under the dark beany.
He nodded again and rose – swaying for a moment, but caught himself after a few seconds, focusing on the hunter.
Bobby, Caleb and Jim were waiting at the front door for them. Caleb sighed deeply and clapped Dean's shoulder. "Just ... just take care ...", he muttered and blinked at him. "Try to stay out of trouble you both." His gaze went to Sam, who just hesitantly caught his look for a split moment.
Dean clapped back and grinned. "Try and not end up as a demon next time, mind me?"
Caleb chuckled and shook his head. "I'll get my tattoo fixed tomorrow."
The young hunter looked at Bobby, his lips formed into a thin line.
"Take care.", Bobby muttered. He wasn't a man of big speeches and farewells. Though he knew it wasn't really a farewell. And though ... Dean had grown to him like just a son could have. He knew about the danger out there, and by all means, demons were the biggest ones. To have them on your feet didn't end well regularly. So he hoped that John Winchester's son wouldn't lose this fight sooner or later and that it was a good idea to play catch with a bunch of demons.
Dean nodded and Bobby pulled him into a damn manly bear-hug. "I'll do."
"Hope so. - Ya know I'm gonna kill you if you're gonna die before me.", he whispered and eased his embrace, pulling back a step and eyed Sam.
The young man went rigid, as he felt strong hands on his shoulders. "You too, Boy." He smiled softly and made a step towards the young man. Then he pulled him into a hug too – a longer one as he usually would've given. "And watch out for Dean.", he whispered and let go of him again.
Sam hugged him back hesitantly, watching Dean's face, wich told him that it was okay. That Bobby was okay. That it was okay to be hugged and to hug back.
Minutes later they were already on the road, heading north. Snow covered the landscapes. It was a bright white. - So bright it nearly hurt in Sam's eyes, but he liked how calm the land showed himself. It looked so clean and pure. It looked so soft and ... just everything he wasn't. Soft rock tunes littered the way to their destiny, while Dean focused on the road. Sam was curled up against the passenger's window, staring out into nothing until it got comfortably warm in the car and his eyes fluttered shut.
Sam woke with a start, as something brushed over his knee. He sucked in a deep breath and looked around, just to find Dean grinning at him from the driver's seat. "We've to stock up on food and other stuff." He pointed towards a building wich was named: "Moosey's Mart" and was placed right beside a gas station.
Sam cocked an eyebrow and looked back at Dean.
"And i want you to come with." His smile was inviting and soft. "You can pick what you want and how much you want."
The younger man's eyebrows furrowed and something like that's-a-trick-right-expression built on his face.
"But ..." Sam's eyes flickered black before he could even put the words in his mouth.
The hunter smiled sadly. "You think you can control it for a little while? - Just until we get sunglasses for you?"
The young man's hands began to shiver and he swallowed hard at the thought of going shopping in bright daylight. - The last time he remembered he was in a mart was when he was eight or nine. - But right here and right now? He was afraid. Afraid to reveal himself to someone else than Dean.
"Don't you worry – i'm right there, okay?", Dean said reassuring as he noticed the younger man's thoughts travel. He gently squeezed his knee. "You'll see it's half bad."
Sam blew out a low breath and nodded submissively.
And they did. Dean got one of the carts and Sam followed him inside. Hunched over and close behind the hunter, glancing to his left and right as the strolled past the first couple of counters with soap and shampoo.
"First, you need a shampoo. - You can't use mine all the damn time." Dean nodded towards his left. "I don't care wich one you pick. - Just don't let it be too expensive." He glanced over his shoulder.
Sam nodded and took a furtive glance at his left, where he saw a whole lot of colorful bottles – some were even as colorful as the prices on them. So Sam chose the cheapest.
"Toothbrush.", Dean said and picked one for himself and a second one for Sam. Also Toothpaste, a hair brush and some other things Sam didn't know what they were for.
They rounded the corner into the alley with instant food. Dean chose some chinese instant-noodles (duck-flavored) and nodded towards Sam, giving him a sign to choose something.
Dean was relaxed. Actually he was more relaxed as he would've thought he'd be. There were barely people in the mart except the cashier and a second member of the staff that was busy with cleaning aisle four up.
The hunter gave him time to read what was on the packages.
But Sam didn't choose anything, so they went on. Dean picked this and that and things he knew they would use if they'd hole up in a house far away from civilisation. (more or less). They finally got into the aisle with candies and snacks. Sam's eyes went wide as he saw how many flavors of chocolate there were.
Dean stopped and turned around, glaring up at Sam, wo nearly bumped into him. - Yes the man was taller. - The hunter eyed him concerned. Thinking if that was truly a good idea. He might should've left him the car ... Making the choices for him. It might was too early to put him thru a shopping tour, even when it was a small one.
Sam caught his gaze ... not sure about what to do, what Dean was awaiting from him to do ... Well, he knew Dean had said he should pick something he liked, but he didn't know what he liked ...
Dean turned towards the shelves to his left and eyed the chocolate bars a few moments, before he picked two bars of "butter finger" and held it in front of Sam's face.
"They're awesome." Dean grinned and tossed them into their cart. "Whatever you'd like to try ... Just take it, okay?"
Sam looked up, troubled hazel-orbs glaring desperately at the hunter. "No matter what?", he asked after a couple of seconds. "And it'll be mine?"
Dean nodded and petted his bicep. "No matter what." .. all yours.
So Sam turned towards where Dean had picked the candy bar and eyed the shelves directly in front of him. There were these ... damn it, he couldn't remember its name ... it had a man's name in it. He focused and went slowly down the aisle, scanning the shelves for what he was looking for.
The hunter watched him curiously with a smooth grin, while Sam was looking for whatever he was obviously searching.
Finally there they were. His eyes lit up and a wide smile formed on his lips. Deep dimples of happiness formed on his face. He grabbed one of the "Oh Henry" bars and held them up, so Dean could see it.
The hunter chuckled and nodded towards him. "That's my boy.", he praised, but remained with his cart where he was.
Sam lowered his hand with the bar. He held it tight in his fingers, nearly squeezing it to death, but then his smile started to fade ... so did the hunter's. Sam shuffled back to their cart and laid the bar gently – like he didn't want to break it, as it was a holy thing – into the cart.
"Just one?", Dean cocked both eyebrows. The hope he had felt seconds before, that Sam might unbent a little bit, slowly faded.
Sam didn't respond, just shifting his weight from one food to another.
"OK. - Look. I'm giving you a job here, kiddo." A wicked smile on the hunter's face lit up. "You gotta choose AT LEAST ten things from this aisle. - I'll go and get us some sausages and stuff for the refrigerator." The hunter took a wary look over the shelves, glad that they were still alone in the mart except the staff and an old man, who just entered.
"I'm lettin' you the cart.", were the hunter's last words before he turned around and aimed towards the deli department. He knew he wouldn't do the man any good if they'd feed themselves up on instant food and frozen stuff. Sam needed profound feeding. Not just greasy foodstuff. The kid was way too thin and weak. Slept too much and looked like he'd crumble to the floor any moment. So he hoped, the more Sam would trust him, the more he'd eat and the more he'd be able to go out.
Sam stood there ... all on his own in the aisle, in front of their cart, eying the shelves and the displayed candies and the snacks on the opposite side. He sighed, not knowing what Dean would want him to pick. Though he had to pick something. The hunter had ordered him to choose AT LEAST ten things from there. So he started off with Jelly Beans after he had eyed the packaging and read the ingredients (not that he knew exactly what some things were). Then he moved on to something called "Muddy Bears" and "M&M's". He chose to pick some more "Oh Henrys", since Dean's behaviour showed that he'd like them. He went on and soon ended up with a pack of "Twinkies" in his hands, wich were the tenth item. Sam looked warily at the cart, not recognizing that the hunter never let him out under his watch, even when he was about ten feet away choosing what bangers he should pick.
Dean had said AT LEAST ... what meant he would be allowed to pick more than just the things he already had chosen. So he eyed the contents of their cart a little bit troubled and looked at the other side of shelves with chips and snips and something that was called Pringles and salted peanuts and cashews. Sam hesitated for a moment, but then he made a step towards them. Eyeing the offerings warily. He decided to pick up another few things ...
As he thought he was done, he just stood behind their cart and waited, lurking over the shelves (what was actually not a problem either for Sam or Dean.), trying to find the hunter. Sam tipped his beany up a little bit since it made attempts to slide too deep into his face and over his eyes.
Finally Dean came back, with his hands full of things he couldn't remember he had seen in his life. Some of them looked weird and ... well ... just weird. - At least their packaging.
"Fine.", Dean's eyes lit up as his gaze flew over the box of Twinkies. "You've done good." He looked up and smiled at Sam while he put his gatherings into the cart. "Lets get on. - We need some cereals and eggs."
Sam nodded and followed obediently towards the coolers, where they picked up eggs and bacon and yoghurt. The young man chose to add anchovies ... Dean said nothing, just grinned, while Sam mustered the offered food in the coolers and freezers attentively.
After an hour (what was definitely longer than Dean had stayed in a mart yet), they were done and went to the cash desk. The cashier eyed the both men and the contents of the cart curiously. Dean held his poker face, while Sam just stared to the ground.
"Damn hunters.", the young man behind the desk muttered and stared daggers at Dean while he pulled one item after another over the scanner.
The hunter's eyebrows rose and he looked at the man with an icy green orbs, sliding his hand into the inner side of his jacket, to show the handle of his blade. "Watch your mouth boy.", he threatened.
The man wasn't older than twenty-four, surely not younger as Sam was at least, but obviously had backbone. Dean read the name on the young man's shirt as his eyes narrowed.
Dean bowed forward, so his face was close in front of the man's. The man froze with the Twinkies in his hand. "Charlie – you're lucky that it's just me ... another hunter would've beaten you half dead for cursing at our kind.", he whispered.
Charlie nodded eagerly. "I'm sorry, Sir.", he stuttered, his face pale now.
"Fine.", Dean straightened again and gave Sam a soft look, who was still staring to the ground or occasionally glancing at the "Oh Henrys".
Somehow this event got embarrassing. Dean knew that not all people were cool with the things hunters did. He also knew that there were plenty of people out there who thought it's cruel to hold monsters like pets. Though ... this young boy played with fire. He knew his own kind. They weren't all as human as he would've wished. Some were bastards and already had killed for less than cursing at their kind.
"Go on.", Dean ordered in a firmly intonation and cocked an eyebrow. "I wanna be out of here before dusk."
Charlie nodded and hurried up with shaky hands. Sam glanced at the counter from time to time, not letting his "Oh Henry" out of his look. Finally the cashier picked it up and pulled it over the sensor. The hunter couldn't ignore Sam's attention for the candy-bar. Dean grabbed it right away – not daring to toss it into the cart – and offered it to Sam, who looked first at the bar and then at Dean, and back at the bar.
"Thought you might wanna have it in the car?", Dean asked with a wicked grin. Sam grinned back nodding and took it, holding it so tight in his warm hands, it'd be a mess when he'd unpack it. But he felt so happy – The Oh Henry's was his. His alone. He beamed at Dean and then at the chocolate bar in his fist.
The both of them loaded their supplies and groceries into big paper bags and placed them on the backseat of the Impala, nearly filling it up to the top.
Dean eyed the bags (surprised that it had gotten to be that much) and then Sam, who was already shivering from the cold. The younger man's sneakers covered with snow, since he had to shuffle right thru the area where the snow reached up to his ankles.
Dean sighed.
The hunter let Sam back in the car while he took the cart back. Meanwhile Sam had already unpacked his Oh Henry and was turning and chewing half of it around in his mouth, as Dean slid back into the driver's seat. Not able to say a single word or even parting his lips without daring to loose any of the Oh Henry's he gave the hunter a blissful look.
Dean eyed him curiously for a moment and grinned widely. He had wanted to say that Sam should take it slow, not stuffing all the damn chocolate in his mouth at once. But damn it ... the kid looked so happy, just because of a simple chocolate bar. So he just couldn't say anything about it ...
Two hours later ... snow was falling again ... night had broken over the land ... as Baby's heater gave up on them. And the weather report warned about a snow chaos and the coldness that'd come during the night.
Dean glanced at his watch. They had still two hours in front of them ... without any civilisation on their way to their destination ... and it definitely wouldn't get warmer.
... to be continued
Next chapter: Chapter 10 ~ Frozen
you guys know what you shouldn't forget? yeah, right! BACON, because that's what i'm living for :P (and i'm needy)