Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters

Sorry this has taken so long to get up life kind of got in the way.

Logan and Sam stood by the courthouse entrance as the car pulled up with Alec and Dean inside.

"Why the hell do I have to wear a suit?" Dean asked as Alec got out of the car. He had no other clean clothes, and Alec had refused to lend him a pair of jeans and a clean tee shirt.

"You have to look like a normal member of society – hard for you, I know, but this is important. White wants the Feds to think we tried to escape – wants the authorities to come down hard on us; then he'll probably try to dose as many of us with that stuff as he can, destabilize us enough that he can finish us off and it'd look like the Feds were mopping us up. That way the familiars get to win the war without all the normal folk ever knowing that they did anything."

"No, technically he wants to do that to you, not me. I'm the one bailing your genetically engineered butt out of it. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have the antidote or even be here."

"And we're ever so grateful." Alec closed the car door. "You're still wearing it."

"This better go according to plan; I ain't going down for something I didn't do."

"You think I want to?" Alec asked. "If this goes wrong we'll think of something, but right now there is more than us at stake."

"Right, you keep telling me. If we have to bust out, we do it when they can't say anyone else helped," Dean replied. "This may be your game, but I don't have to like it, and I ain't carrying your butt anywhere again."

As they joined the other two men on the steps, Dean felt apprehensive.

"You okay, man?" Sam asked. Dean didn't answer right away, instead taking a breath as the others made a move to go inside.

Dean turned to his brother, "Look, man, I was…"

"I know," Sam replied, cutting off his brother's apology.

"Still think you should have told me, but I get it," Dean said as he turned to face his possible fate.

Their father was waiting, and gave them a weak smile, uncomfortable about the setting of this meeting; he hadn't seen his eldest in a suit for anything other than a con, since Dean's prom.

Clemente came out of the courtroom as they sat outside, nodding to Logan and Alec.

"Is this going to take long?" Alec asked.

Clemente smiled. "Depends."

"Why, what's happening?" Logan.

Henricksen flung the courtroom door open and stormed out. He stood there for a few seconds, staring at both Alec and Dean, not saying a word, before focusing on Sam for a moment. "Sam Winchester?" he said incredulously.

John stood up and took a step forward. "Can we help you?"

Henricksen was dumbfounded; he'd looked for the brothers for almost two decades, and now they were here in front of him and not aged one single day. Dean got up as well, though he didn't say a word as Henricksen turned and left them.

Clemente watched the special agent leave and then turned back to Logan. "Judge didn't buy his argument. Told him that she wasn't going to, but did he listen?"

Alec was intrigued. "What happened?"

"He told the judge that Florida wanted you two – suspects in a number of homicides – then flat out told her that you guys were a danger and that we couldn't handle it."

Logan smiled. "I take it she didn't like that."

"Hell, no – especially when he told her the genetic memory thing," Clemente said. "Thought she was going to pitch a fit at that one."

"So, what did she say?" Alec asked.

"Told him that his warrant's says he can take one suspect, and with the DNA evidence he's got, he's got at least two – possibly four – but he can't go eeny, meeny, miny, mo."

"Four?" Alec asked.

"Well, I know we didn't get a swab from him, but I'm assuming the two of you are related?"

"You could say that," Alec replied as the three of them looked over at Dean.

"Well, there's the two of you, the one you are always talking about, and this Dean Winchester guy who to be honest fits the bill better than you transgenics."

"What?" Logan asked.

"According to the records Henricksen brought, all of them pre-pulse and I mean all, this Dean Winchester was wanted for a load of shit when he up and disappears. Is it possible that those Manticore people picked him up the minute he started causing real trouble? If you guys look so much like him, wouldn't do with 'Daddy' being wanted in half of the continental US while they're trying to send you guys out," Clemente reasoned. "Guy could have broke out and started killing again."

Alec shook his head, as convenient as it would be to pin Ben's killings on Dean – especially with the police admitting that Dean actually existed and they wouldn't be looking for the version of the man sitting in that corridor – he didn't like the idea of pinning killings on an innocent man, the soldier inside him wouldn't let him. "No, it's 493's barcode on the back of those guys' necks."

"Right," Clemente said, "Is it possible that this Dean got locked up and saw 493 as he was growing up, focused on that code?"

Alec shook his head.

Clemente took a quiet glance in the direction of John, before turning back to face Logan and Alec "Never could understand why you guys got so close to that family, thought it was to do with that bar they own. But I'm guessing that you know all about Dean Winchester don't you?"

"That's one way to put it," Logan replied.

"But, you don't know where he or his brother could be?"

"Ramon, we aren't stupid enough to hide a killer from the cops," Alec said quickly, "Family or not."

"Sure," Clemente replied, knowing fine well that the transgenics wouldn't keep a known killer among them for long, "Well the gist of things is that the judge said that the Feds' couldn't take you two."

"What did Agent Henricksen say to that?" Logan asked.

"He wasn't happy."

"Did he pull the National Security card?" Alec enquired.

Clemente nodded. "She told him that he could stick any federal warrant he brought up his ass, seeing how he had broken almost every rule in the book, giving you some drug he'd gotten somewhere. He won't say where, though."

"We've got some idea where he got it," Logan replied.

"So, what now?" Alec asked.

"Back to the way it was before," Logan replied.

Alec rolled his eyes. "So, I get picked up every time the cops feel like it?"

Clemente shook his head. "No, not until we get some better evidence. Think the judge is as sick of this as you are."

"What about Florida?" Logan was confused.

"Unless you want to take a vacation in Miami then the judge says you don't have to go," Clemente said to Alec.

"Take it that they're welcome to pay us a visit?" Logan asked.

"If they can take the weather," Clemente replied. He glanced over at Dean. "You guys better be sure he's not 493?"

"He isn't," Alec said.

"Well, you better get some better ID for him than that crap than he was trying to pass off when we picked him up," Clemente said before he walked off.

Logan turned to Alec. "What did he have?"

"The three of them copied a couple of old sector passes; pretty good actually, considering they didn't have the equipment to do it properly. Wouldn't have been spotted if we hadn't been dragged in. Look, can you do me a favor?"

"Already on it; Molly asked if I'd call a guy I know."

Alec nodded. "Thanks, Logan. I owe you one. But don't cash it in too soon."

"Last time you got shot at wasn't for 'Eyes Only'."

"Yeah, I know that, you know that, but I don't feel like going another round with Ellen and Molly about it right now, and as for Max…"

"If you stop jumping in her path, you wouldn't get shot."

"Oh, and you'd be happy if I let her get hurt?"

Logan smiled. "She wouldn't get hurt if she wasn't covering your distracted butt."

"Who says I get distracted?" Alec asked jokingly. "I'll have you know, I'm the consummate professional."

"Of course you are," Logan replied.

"I'm prepared to do whatever I have to to get the job done and get everyone home in one piece."

Logan looked at the transgenic. "Alec, that scares the crap out of me sometimes."

Alec smiled at his friend. "You should learn to relax, you know that?"

"Why is it, when you say that, I feel like I should watch my back?"

"Logan, pal, I'm hurt," Alec replied. "I'd never drag anyone into anything."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Right, not deliberately you wouldn't."

"Okay, I admit I don't always think things through, but who does?"

Dean pulled at his collar as he sat there. He didn't like not being in control of his own fate, didn't like the fact that Alec and Logan were handling the cop. Yeah, sure, this was their playground, and his butting in probably wouldn't go down too well, but if the whole playing the good little boy didn't work, he'd be the one paying the price for it. God, he wanted out of Seattle right now.

Henricksen hadn't looked happy when he'd left, though, so at least that was a good sign. Alec turned around and came over to join them.

"So?" John asked, in a tone that Dean knew that his father was feeling the exact same thing as him.

"She kicked out the warrant, too many suspects, and by the sounds of things Henricksen pissed her off. And it looks like she's finally decided that until they have more on it, we're not going to get picked up again."

Dean smiled. "God, do I love a woman in a position of power."

"What now?" Sam asked.

"Go home," John replied.

"And get you guys some ID that's passable," Logan added, joining them.

John nodded, silently wondering how much this was going to cost.

"So I put on this monkey suit for nothing?" Dean asked, loosening his tie.

As they left the court house to start back to John and Ellen's home, two men watched the group, not saying a word. One blinked; his eyes changed for a second from bright blue to dull black, betraying the identity of who was really in control of the poor man's soul.

Sam was sitting in the basement he and his brother had been sharing since Joshua had finished his work. The rest of the house had been buzzing about; though Alec, Max and Logan had been huddled in a corner – something Ellen hadn't liked one bit. She muttered that if they wanted a private meeting they had a damn council room at TC they could use instead of her kitchen table.

Sam sat, quietly flicking through pages of the books that Logan had lent him describing the events of the past twenty years, using it to cross-reference some of the happenings described in what he was really focused on.

"Hey man, you're missing the party," Dean said, coming downstairs. "No time for you to be antisocial."

"I'm busy," Sam said, looking up for a second.

"Are you still pissed at me, or something?"

Sam shook his head. "I want to read this, okay?"

"What is it?" Dean said, sitting down beside Sam.

"Cindy gave them to me," Sam said guestering to the pile of notebooks lying besiding him, "She thought I might want to read them – you know – get to know him,"

"Get to know who?" Dean asked.

"Billy," Sam said. "He left her his journals."

Dean didn't know what to say for a second. "So, what do they say?"

"Looks like he wrote down everything. Life at the Roadhouse, Dad going out on hunts, school, what Ellen and Molly got up to, when he started to get sick."

"Really." Dean wondered what the kid thought about that.

"There's even stuff about us in them."

"What?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, he wondered what we were like, would we have liked him? Would we have thought him a disappointment or anything?"

Dean knotted his brow. "Why the hell would the kid have thought that?"

"'Cause he had Down Syndrome, because he got sick, because he worked out that he'd probably never go out and hunt. Looks like normal teenage angst really; most of it was after he turned thirteen. He wrote that when his chest was bad Dad wouldn't go out, stayed by his side to take care of him. Billy didn't like it too much, told Dad to go out and hunt, but Dad wouldn't," Sam explained. "Kid thought that it was because he had Down's, thought if it had been one of us then Dad would have listened to us."

"Well, he would have got that wrong," Dean replied.

"Yeah, I've got to the part were Alec turned up."

"And?"

"Looks liked Billy loved having a brother, someone he could show stuff to," Sam replied. "Someone he could explain hunting to, even though he knew he'd never go out himself."

"And Alec?" Dean asked.

"According to this, he seemed to enjoyed it too."

"Probably enjoyed the change of pace from all this," Dean replied.

Sam looked at his brother. "Well, then the shit seems to hit the fan."

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"As I said I've only skimmed bits and pieces here, but it seems that Molly's boyfriend caused a hell of a load of trouble."

"Oh, you're getting to the…" Dean didn't finish his sentence.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "But from the gist of it, Ellen and Molly's fights over this guy made the ones Ellen and Jo got into look like nothing."

"Ellen's never been one to keep her mouth shut about things, has she?"

"Ellen was right, Dean." Sam put down the book. "Guy took off the minute Dad found Molly and Alec; didn't want to know, even though it had been neither of their faults."

"He didn't even stick around to see if she was okay?" Dean asked and Sam raised an eyebrow. "Bastard."

"Yeah, totally."

"So what happened?" Dean asked.

"As I said, I've only had the chance to skim bits and pieces, but they couldn't take Alec to a hospital, so they stuck him in a back room at the Roadhouse and waited to see if he'd wake up."

"And?"

"Billy doesn't go into details, but you know Dad's temper," Sam said. "Looks like when Alec finally woke up, he just stood there and took it."

Dean bit his lip. "Probably got a lot worse back at that place he grew up."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"I haven't read that part yet," Sam stated. He flicked through the pages to a later entry. "But, when I started looking through these I found out why Mole's shit scared of Ellen."

"He is?" Dean asked.

"Oh yeah," Sam said smiling. "Tried to blow the guy's head off."

Dean was shocked. "What?"

"She let off a rock salt shot at him," Sam said, smiling.

"Why the hell would she do that?"

Sam handed his brother the book. "Looks like Mole and Billy were going to fix things between Dad and Alec, no matter if the two of them wanted to or not."

Dean read the pages and smiled. "They didn't?"

"Well, it worked."

"15th October 2023

No.1 on to do list – Fix Dad and Alec! Will make sure that they are talking before the baby is born, or else.

Mole, Joshua and Sketchy said they'd help. There is a cabin with a lake beside it not too far away, so it is perfect, though I hope it doesn't rain too much. Might make them grumpier.

Haven't told Mom or Molly or any of Alec's other friends, they may not like the idea, but we don't have time. Molly is due soon and they are being stupid, wasn't Alec's fault, and Dad is just pissed 'cause they both got hurt and he wasn't there to stop it.

16th October 2023

Sketchy and Alec are going out tonight – Mole says that is the best time to pick him up, but means we'll have to pick Dad up before that. Haven't worked that out yet, though Mole says to leave it up to him, he'll get some of the kids on it – let Bugle and Dalton earn their keep for once. Don't understand what he means, they always seem to have loads to do, and Dix is always giving them lists of more stuff; only down-time they seem to get is when I go round to see them.

Will write later to tell you how it went.

16th October 2023-11.15

Getting hold of Dad was harder than I thought – Dalton is going to have a nice shiner tomorrow, and as for Bugle, don't know what Dad did but he had to go to the infirmary. Dad looked like he was going to kill me when I opened the door of the van to let Joshua put Alec in beside him.

We got them to the lake before Alec woke up, would have been easier if he snapped out of it before we put them in the boat 'cause maybe they'd have sorted something out before we'd got up there, then we wouldn't have use the chain we brought. Though Normal said his friends want them back as soon as we are finished with them, why they need them back so soon I have no idea. .

Mole brought along some fishing stuff, so we are going to have a really cool couple of days – though I hope it won't take that long, told Mom I'd be back tomorrow, but if this works it will be worth it.

17th October 2023

Dad stopped yelling at me – think he's gone hoarse. Like, what am I suppose to do? He's stuck on a boat in the middle of a lake and he knows what he's got to do if we're going to bring them back in. He's still not talking to Alec, though.

Alec isn't saying a word either – he talks his way out everything, but when it comes to Dad he doesn't want to talk? Was Dean like that too? Dad always said Sam was the one that sulked. Does that mean that Sam was really sulky, then?

18th October 2023

This is taking longer than I thought, but I can't call Mom yet, she is going to hit the roof, but I got my meds with me and the cabin is really cosy so it's not like I'm getting damp or cold or anything. Dad – well, he looks like a drowned rat – it rained last night. Alec doesn't look any better.

Mole says an X5 can last up to six days without water – never knew that. We left a few water bottles and some food in the boat, but if Alec can last without then this might take longer than I thought.

Joshua is on watch on the jetty. He's brought his painting stuff. He and Sketchy were up at dawn. Sketchy was taking lots of pictures, says he could probably sell some to make some extra cash, some people like wildlife he says, and not the kind that you see down town.

Alec begged them to let them go 'cause his hands are too heavy to swim. Glad we got heavy chains, I wonder where Normal's friend got them? Thinking on it Normal knows some really strange people.

Joshua told Alec to talk to Dad and then we'd let them go, and not pretend talk, 'cause we'd know.

Joshua also said that he'd paint my wall – how cool is that! I'd be waking up to a real Joshua ever day.

19th October 2023

Max called Mole to see if he had seen us. He told her no – but not to worry, as all three of us were gone, that we were probably together. She said Mom was losing it and that I have an appointment tomorrow that I can't miss.

I don't want anymore tests. I know that they won't be able to do anything – 'not a fit candidate' the people will say, 'other complications' and 'quality of life' and all that shit –shouldn't have wrote that.

I know it takes longer for me to get stuff and work out people, but I do. Mom doesn't have to wrap me up in cotton wool all the time, doesn't have to lie about it. I know what is going to happen because I heard her and Dad arguing. 'No hoodoo,' she said. 'No deals either, that would end up taking both of us.'

I'm not sure who would take us, or where they would take us, but if it is where I think it is I don't want to go, and I don't want Dad to go there again either – he has to be here. Molly and the baby might need him 'cause what if the demon comes back? Mom and Molly might not be able to handle that alone, and Alec doesn't know enough to stop it.

Anyway, Alec's scared enough as it is. He's scared that that White guy will come for the baby or if there is something up with it. 'Progeria' I think Max said. I don't know what that is, Molly says it isn't like me it's something else but it makes the baby sick and I'm special, just like Mom and Dad say.

But sometimes I wonder if I wasn't like this, what would I be like, would I still be me? Cindy says that I'd be me, no matter what – I like her, she's funny and special and Dad actually listens to her sometimes when he doesn't listen to anyone else – Mom says it's because the girl has her head screwed on right, because she don't jump to conclusions like some.

I think Mom means Logan. She's still angry with him for what he said about what happened, know he's jealous of Max and Alec, but Alec didn't run out on Molly, he didn't know when he left and he's helping now, so what does Logan know!

Anyway they aren't like that, never were – they're friends! The baby wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for what happened, so why does everyone think that they were having sex all the time and why does everyone shut up about it when I come into the room? I'm not stupid. I'm not a baby, and I know what sex is!

But Cindy is so cool, she answers my questions about everything, and she waited to hear the whole story before she said anything, then asked what did they want to do and she didn't think that Alec just ran. I think that Cindy reminds Dad of the river lady that we used to go and see when I was a kid, then we stopped. Sometimes, I wonder why we did.

Cindy has noticed it, about Dad. Mom hasn't, but Dad isn't right. He hides it, but he's sick and won't tell her about it. Cindy and Alec have seen it because Dad's lost weight, but they say that it is up to Dad to tell everybody when he is ready. Like that will happen.

Sketchy says maybe we can use my Doctor's appointment to get them to do something. I don't know, but it could work.

20th October 2023

Woke up early – Mole says that they've started to talk, only took four days. Not sure if we should bring them back in or not, but Sketchy says I've got to go back because of my appointment. He brought his bike, so we're going to go back and leave the others to it.

21st October 2023

Mom hit Sketchy! She knocked him out when we got to the clinic yesterday– she walked right up, not saying a word when she saw us, and punched him!

Doc says I'm okay though – told her I can take care of myself. Mom wants to know where Dad is – told her that he was sorting some things out, that he should be back soon. Max wants to know if Alec is with him. Sketchy said he was, but not sure if anyone understood him because Mom broke his nose.

I'm not going to get back up there. Max made Sketchy take her up, so I'm guessing that everyone will be back soon.

22nd October 2023

They ain't back yet. Mom's getting worried, well, more worried. Molly has tried to talk her into helping with her new place, but Mom ain't budging, she wants to go up there but can't because I'm not good at directions, and everyone else who knows where the place is, is already up there.

Moll says I'm full of it – which is true. I know exactly were the place is, but if Max hasn't dragged everyone back then that means they are getting somewhere.

23rd October 2023

Dad and Alec came back today – they smell bad but at least they are being polite to one another – it's a start.

Mole got out of the van and Mom tried to shoot him, would have taken his head clean off if it wasn't a rock salt shot – told him if he ever tried to pull a stunt like that again she'd make him go the way of dinosaurs.

Don't know what she'd say if she knew he'd already helped with other stuff on the list!"

"What list is he talking about?" Dean asked.

Sam picked up a piece of paper that was lying beside him. "I think he means this."

He handed the paper to his brother. Billy had written a list of things he wanted to do before he died.

Dean smiled as he read the list – most were simple things, such as seeing the sea, going places, but there were others such as going out on a hunt with his Dad, having a beer – Billy had scribbled 'tastes yucky' in the margin. Though he did like 'No. 21 – Kiss a girl' – he had ticked it off, a number of times.

"Think I would have really got on with this kid," Dean said.

Max grabbed another beer out of the refrigerator and sat down. "So, we're going for the baseball again?"

"Well, you said it, Sammy Sosa's home-run baseball is worth a hell of a lot, and it ain't like it's going to be hard to fence. Also, there's a few other bits and pieces that we can pick up at the same time – should give us enough, with a little extra," Alec replied.

"Security has been beefed up since the last time you two tried to go for it," Logan replied. "Remind me why you didn't get it last time?"

"Someone had to get greedy, didn't he?" Max stated, looking at Alec.

"Hey, it wasn't me – you were the one who said to look at it," Alec replied.

"Look at the baseball card – not to touch it!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "We weren't window shopping, Max – you say, 'hey come here, look at this,' I'm guessing you want to pick it up."

"Yeah, but you had to stick your hand in."

"I'm so sorry. Stupid me assumed that as we had cut the power that all the security was out. How was I meant to know that the rookie card was on a separate circuit?" Alec said, defending himself.

Max shook her head. "It was sloppy, Alec, real sloppy."

Alec huffed. "Hey, don't have a go at me, you had the same idea."

"What is it about that baseball, this has to be the fourth time you gone after it?" asked Logan.

Max shrugged. "I have no idea. It's just that we try, and we never seem to be able to pick it up."

"Yeah, it's like kryptonite," Alec added. "We get near it and everything goes wrong, but we still have to try."

Max nodded. "I know you don't exactly like it, Logan, but the place is insured and we need to raise the cash really fast."

"I know – always the over-insured and bad guys. Just… stealing, Max? You're better than that," Logan said quietly. "But if you guys are making this a really big score, then you'd better make sure that this works, or…"

"I'll call Sam – see if she can come down for a couple of days," Max said.

Alec smiled. "She'll love that."

"Hey, it's her ass too. If White does dose everyone, she'll be at big a risk as everyone else."

Alec realized something, looking over his shoulder as Sam and Dean came into living room. "Hey, do I get an alibi this time as well? 'Cause the 'running across town after having a screaming match with your sister' is exhausting."

"You'd have to ask him," John said as he wandered into the kitchen. "And be nice about it."

"Do you think he'd be up for it?" Alec replied.

John shrugged. "Might be. He has little else to do right now."

Alec grinned. "Great."

"That don't mean that you get to do what you want!" John said. "He's your brother, not your 'get out of jail free' card."

"Hey, would I use him like that?" Alec asked.

John raised an eyebrow. "If you try it, watch it, because he'll do the same to you."

Alec wasn't sure how to take that. "What?"

"Don't underestimate him, people tend to, and more fool them," John said, leaving the room. "Just because he's not like you guys, don't think he ain't capable of causing as much trouble as you."

"Did he say what I think he just said?" Alec asked the other two.

Max and Logan nodded their response.