Chapter 14: Convoy
Stephen's funeral was short but largely crowded. The soldier piled sticks, logs and anything else that would burn for the funeral pyre. The women scattered wild flowers on the pyre bed a, making it look like a Viking funeral. It was held at sunset to symbolize the ending of life.
Stephen's body was wrapped in an old sheet, bleached white to hide any stains it might of have had and was carried on a stretcher by Alan and Ben with the team walking behind them. Lucy led them. Alli walked next to her for supporter. The porters set Stephen's body on the pyre, carrying back the stretcher and Lucy lit it with the torch she held. It took several minutes before the pyre blazed and the crowd stayed till the fire burned low and it was nothing but embers. Somewhere, someone sung "Amazing Grace" and the whole crowd sung.
After a while people started back to camp. Soon it was just the team, Ben, Lucy, Alli, Chuck, Castiel and Dean. They silently watched the ember fly in the sky.
"I don't usually know how funerals go," said Sam. "But don't we usually say something about him?"
"Stephen kept to himself," said Alan. "The only one who knew him was Lucy."
There was another long silence.
"He taught me chess," said Bed. The group looks at him. "He said he taught his kids. He wanted to teach me Go and shogi but we only covered the basics."
"I'll teach you," said Lucy and Ben smiled.
"He was the one who managed to make my still," said Alan. "When I told him I worked at a brewery he said I should make a still. People would be needing alcohol. He was right."
"He saved my life," said Todd. "I was caught by a load of Croats and he cleared a path for me. I owe him."
"He always had a story to tell," said Carl. "For everything."
"When I was injured he stayed by my side," said Ethan. "We were in hostile territory and he never left my side."
"He treated me like a second daughter," said Alli. "He was glad that Lucy and I were together. He accepted me and that made him into a second father to me."
Lucy smiled at her partner and laced their fingers together.
"He was a good man," said Dean. "He proved himself."
Castiel and Chuck nodded.
"He came to mass every Sunday," said Castiel. "A good sign."
"He was tone deaf," said Chuck with a laugh. The team laughed too. "But passionate."
"He was the greatest friend anyone could have," said Sam. The team agreed.
"His favorite song was Lime in the Coconut," said Lucy. Everyone gave her a look and she laughed. "Silly, I know."
"I haven't heard that one," said Ben.
"Dude, you haven't lived till you've heard Lime in the Coconut," said Carl wrapping his arm around Ben's shoulder. "How about it, my friends?"
The other grinned at each other and Todd started off the song. The others joined in one by one.
"Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime. His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime. She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both upShe put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
"And said, "Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache? I say, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?"
""Now let me get this straight ", Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up Put the lime in the coconut, you called your doctor, woke him up,
"And say, 'Doctor, ain't there nothing I can take, I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache? I say, Doctor, doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say, Doctor, dooooctor, to relieve this belly ache?'
"Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together, Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better, Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up, Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning
"Wouh wouh wouh wouh wouh
"Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime. She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up, She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
"Say "Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache? I say, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say Doctor! Let me get this straight".
"You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up, You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up, You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up, Put the lime in the coconut, you such a silly woman!, Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together, Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better. Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both down Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning
"Woo Woo, ain't there nothin' you can take, I say Woo Woo, to relieve my belly ache, You say woo woo ain't there nothin' I can take, I say Woo woo, to relieve your belly ache, You say yah yah, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say Waah waah, to relieve this belly ache,
"I say doctor! ain't there nothin' I can take, I say doctor!, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say doctor!, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say Doctor!, you such a silly woman!,
"Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together, Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better, Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up, Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the moooooorning, Yes, you call me in the morning, If you call me in the morning, thenCall me in the morning, call me in the morning, call me in the morning, call me I n the morning, call me in the morning…"
By the end of the song they were laughing themselves silly but they didn't leave quite yet. Dean walked up to the pyre and held a hand over it.
"There was another song he liked to sing," he said. "When times were rough and things were hard, he sung it and came away happy. It seems appropriate now." He took a deep breath and sung low. "Carry on, my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more."
The group listened to Dean sing. The song was strangely comforting. Sam wasn't the only one who felt lifted as he listened. All around him he could see the rest of the group has relaxed faces. Not their grief riddled ones that had a minute ago.
When Dean was finished and the embers died they walked back to the camp. Lucy and Alli slept on Stephen's now empty bunk.
XXXXXXX
Stephen's effects were distributed to whoever they were needed the most. His personal effects were given to Lucy who gave some to the team. They were small things, since they had little room and would need to pack quickly in case of an emergency, but greatly appreciated. Lucy kept his more personal things; his wedding ring and his wife's he wore around his neck, and his medallion of St. Christopher. All three rested on a simple chain around his neck.
The next day Ben was assigned to the team and the move was like a jump start to the rest of the team. The group was still mourning but they eagerly helped Ben move in.
Dean had announced the next day that the preparations were ready and that they would be heading for the refugee camp. The look on Dean's face as he looked at team B said it all. No time to grieve. Time to survive. The four volunteer groups loaded into the Humvees and drove out. One in front of the semi and the other behind the ice truck.
Most of the ride was quiet. Team E passed on the time by telling stories but team B kept silent, still in mourning over their friend. The other teams didn't ask anything of the team and jus conversed with themselves. When they had traveled for a whole day the convoy pulled over to camp and team B sat around their fire. They spoke little and each team had their members keep watch every two hours. When they went to bed Sam put a hand on Lucy's arm.
"Lucy, can speak to you, alone?"
Lucy looked over at Alli, who patted her arm and she followed Sam a little ways out of the campsite. The country was safer than the city as the Croats seem to prefer the chaos the city gave but it still had some dangers. Occasionally a Croat would wonder out of the city and wonder the country.
"What is it, Sam?" she asked.
"I know what you did," he said. "When Stephen died. I heard."
Lucy's face paled and she started to shake. "God, Sam, please don't…." Lucy covered her face with her hands.
"I'm not going to blame you." Sam gently took Lucy's wrists and made no move them. "Or to pity you. I won't say I'm one of the few who haven't lost a parent. The only one who holds that is Ben. I lost my parents before this damn thing happened."
"Then what are you saying?" she demanded lowering her hands to look up at him.
"I'm saying if it was me, I would have done the same thing. Compared to what's asked, it was a mercy killing. He was in pain. He was dying. You did the right thing.
"My own father," she said with tears in her eyes and Sam hugged her. "I killed my own father!"
"No, you did. You helped him," said Sam.
Lucy cried again and Sam tried to muffle it in his chest so no one could hear. Alli, standing nearby, walked over defensively but Sam gave her an 'OK" sign. After a quick check that Lucy wasn't hurt she backed off. Lucy cried like the night Stephen died and clung to Sam. Sam held her till Lucy quieted down and they walked back to camp as Lucy talked.
"My dad guessed who I was since I was young," she said. "Said I was too strong and tough to be a girl that would turn cheerleader. I boxed, played football and basketball with my brothers. Mom tried to put me in dresses and make-up and I would put them in the back of the closet." She laughed. "There was only three times I wore a dress, my prom and both of my brothers' weddings. Any other time I wore pants.
"I guess I never thought about being with another girl because of my mom. She was very religious and felt same sex romance was a sin against God. She ingrained it in my head and pushed me into dating men and do other girly things. I think she knew too and was trying to cure me while Dad accepted it.
"I knew I was different when I was thirteen and I became more interested in girls than boys. At sixteen I had a small crush on my best girlfriend, but forced myself to go to prom with the captain of the football team.
"I didn't know it at the time but I was trying to keep my mom happy. A small kind of girlhood phase that stayed to adulthood to make my mother proud of me. It was one of the reasons I was a nurse. To make Mom proud.
"I started dating this doctor after college, Conner, and after a year he proposed. I thought my mom was going to die with joy when she found out. We had the date and everything set but a week before the wedding, shit hit the fan. Fifty Croats were brought in and placed in restraints. A few had bitten attendants and doctors before they could be restrained. No one thought anything of it at the time. People bite all the time to be released and that what we thought it was. A few hours later whoever got bites attack. Conner was one of them. He came at me with a four inch scalpel he kept in his emergency medical bag. At first I thought he was playing till he cut me."
Lucy lifted her left sleeve to show a long wicked scar.
"It was then I knew he wasn't playing. I ran upstairs, grabbed the Peacemaker my Dad gave me for my birthday. Do you know how hard it is to get one of those? " Sam smiled as she went off subject. "He ran after me and entered the bedroom as I finished loading and I fired. Conner hit the ground like a rock and I thanked Dad for the firing lessons.
"My first thought was to my family so I loaded my Ford with my clothes and whatever else I needed. I got to town and found it half in chaos. When got to the gun and ammo store I found it was ransacked. I grabbed what I could and drove off.
"It took me three days to get from Minneapolis to Wichita, a trip that should have been half that. By then the streets were full of Croats and I was forced to abandon my truck and walk on foot. By the time I got to Dad's house it was empty. Clothes were gone, his shot gun and ammo. I thought he went to Mark's and Shawn's but I found them and their wives dead. The kids…" she sobbed. Sam rubbed her shoulder gently. "Johnny and Baby Steve were only two, and they were b-b-butchered in their beds!" she had to force the words out and she sobbed again. Sam waited for her to calm down.
"I left after that. Trying to find other relatives and get to safety. I met Allie along the way, but nothing happened for a year. A group of us went all around trying to find survivors and trying to survive. A few ran off on their own, some died or gone crazy, and some could take it anymore and killed themselves.
"There was always rumors of a man that knew how to fight the Croats and offered refused for the survivors. Alli and I were the last of our group and we followed the clues to camp. Dean welcomed us with open arms."
She smiled softly. "And I found my dad again. We caught up. He told me what happened and we grieved together. He was happy that I was with Alli and we looked after each other."
Sam held her till she felt comfortable enough to go back to camp where should could lie next to Alli. Alli put a protective arm around Lucy and both fell asleep. Sam slept in his bag alone till it was his time for watch.
The five days they drove to the refugee came they took so many twists and turns in the back roads that made Sam dizzy. He guessed it took so long to keep away from Croat populated areas. Whenever they did spot a Croat it was taken care of by a quick sniper shot and they moved on.
Along the trip Lucy stayed near Team B and Alli stayed near Lucy. Lucy stayed near the group or Sam who she felt as a brother after telling her life story. Sam did not mind and Alli and he had talked on their separate relationships with Lucy. Alli needed a lot of convincing before she felt her relationship with Lucy was safe.
When they reached the refugee camp in Lawrence, Kansas at first all Sam saw was a tall cement wall and two tall wired gates. The words WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE was placed on the fence. It reminded Sam more of a fortress then a camp. Nearby was the dead carcass of a Croat.
"You have around twenty men and women holding you at gunpoint. Identify yourselves!"
"You know who it is," yelled Dean. He got out of the car, held his hands up. "Dean Winchester with four teams."
There were a few minutes of silence before the gates opened enough for a pretty brunette to walk through with a rifle tucked under one arm and walked over to Dean. Dean stood his ground, even when she punched him across the face.
"Where the hell have you been, Dean Winchester!" she yelled. Shrieked was more like it. "I've got women and children starving while you're off playing Rambo!"
Dean muttered something Sam couldn't hear.
"What kind of Difficulties?!" she said a bit calmer, but still loudly. Dean muttered again and she shook her head. "You are unbelievable! This had been going on for months and you just figured it out? What kind of leader are you?"
Dean shrugged as Ben ran out of the Humvee.
"Mom!" he yelled. She turned to him with a smile.
"Ben!" she said wrapping her arms around him. She turned to Dean with a slightly softer glare. "You at least did one thing right."
"He did right on his own," said Dean.
She turned and waved through the men at the gate. "Open the gate!"
Dean turned to the convoy. "Bring it in!"
With Dean, Ben and the woman lead the convoy slowly through the gates. Sam took his first look at the refugee camp.
It was a camping ground for camper vehicles. Everywhere there were camper trailers, some big some small. The elderly sat in lawn chairs in front of their campers or around picnic tables playing chess. Young children ran around playing as their mothers and older siblings did chores. Some younger men and women, and some saw many reasons why they were not in Dean's army. A few had to be lead around with blindfolds, one was being wheeled around in a wheelchair, and more than most had lost a limb.
Despite the location it was the most normal thing he had seen.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"A small camping ground outside Lawrence, Kansas," said Lucy. "Two miles and six hundred people. There's a barnful of animals over the hill there."
She pointed to a hill and Sam says a building.
"You fenced around two miles?" he said in surprise.
"Our first thought was of the children and their mothers," said Alli. "Most who survived were part of some sort of law enforcement. They were scared for their families so what we did were pick a small place, grabbed as munch fencing and electrical wires we could and got to work. Two months later, and a few electrical tweaks to a fence charger, we got this." She spread her arms in emphasis.
"This is amazing. I traveled all the east side of the Mississippi and never heard of this."
"Good," said Alli and smiled at him.
The convoy stopped in front of a building that looked like a quickly made mess hall and they unloaded the food into the large freezer, Sam was surprised they had electricity and saw the windmills slowly turning in the wind.
'Small town, big ideas,' he thought.
"Sam?!" Sam turned to see Ben leading his mother toward him. "This is my mom, Lisa. Mom, this is Sam Wesson. We wouldn't have known about the missing convoys if it wasn't for him."
"I got over six hundred people to feed," said Lisa smiling up at him. "You saved a lot of lives."
"I just asked questions any reasonable person would have," he said. "I didn't do anything special."
"Yes, you did," said Lisa smiling. She held out her hand to him. "Thank you, Sam."
"You're welcome," he said shaking it.
"I just wish I knew where all the food was hidden," said Lisa angrily.
"Sorry I couldn't help with that."
"Sam?" Sam turned to see a pretty blonde walk toward him in happy shock. "Sam Wesson, is that you?"
"Becca?" said Sam in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that," said Becca. "Why haven't you called?"
"I was busy," said Sam guiltily.
"For twelve years?" asked Becca in anger.
"Very busy?"
Becca sighed and smiled. "Whatever the reason, I'm just glad to see you."
Sam smiled back. "You too, Becca."
"Looks like you don't need introductions," said Lisa smiling.
"Oh, Sam and I go way back," said Becca. She grabbed Sam's arm. 'If you're done with him, Lisa, I'd like to show him around."
"I can't think of anything better," said Lisa. Becca smiled and lead Sam off. Sam didn't mind and followed his friend.
"Welcome to Haven!" she said with a laugh.
She showed Sam around the camp. It was built like a small town. Places had been cleared for modestly built buildings for a theater or storage and a playground was made were a group of kids played under the watchful eyes of all the adults. She showed him into the conference building where she also showed him a trap door that leads to a tunnel for an escape route in case of invasion.
"Luckily, we haven't needed to use it yet," she said.
"Becca, this is amazing," he said as he watched a group of kids play soccer. There didn't seem to be a distinctive team and the kids just kicked the ball into a goal.
"It is, isn't it? We work hard to not only keep it safe but also as normal as possible. Sometimes we forget what's going on outside the fence."
"I'm sorry," he said feeling the need to apologize to the last person from his past. She patted his arm.
"Wasn't your fault," she said. Sam didn't have the heart to tell her the truth that it was. "I'll take you to the camp hall."
Sam followed her. Since fuel was precious they had to walk and Sam got a lot of exercise. He did notice some were riding bicycles and wished he had on to ease his aching feet. Becca let him rest once halfway there.
"Sorry about the walk," she said. "I would have grabbed bikes but I guess I was too excited to see you."
Sam laughed pleasantly. "No, I like it. It's a great place. You're right, it does feel normal." He paused to feel the breeze on his face, and for a moment he forgot. "Those windmills. They're for electricity right?"
"Yes. It took us a year to set those up. One of the refugees had run a windmill farm. He helped with disassembling the mills and transporting them here. He said it wasn't being used there anymore so we should put a few here. We only have three but it works for use, and we mostly use it to keep the food cold. He's still there now. Watching the wind blow."
Sam took a moment to look back at the playground. The kids played with abandon, forgetting the evil outside the fence.
"So what happened to you after…?"
"The shapeshifter thing?" she asked and laughed. "I kept my sanity. Got into law, of course. I actually got a few Hunters out of jail. Your uncle Bobby was a great help. Got married and had a son. Named him Sammy." She smiled at him and Sam laughed.
"Oh, geez," he said after a moment, and then paused. "And after…"
"My husband became a Croat. I had to kill him. She looked down sadly and Sam wrapped his arm around her. "I hate you sometimes. More than anything I want my normal life back."
"Normal is just a point of view," said Sam. "To me, normal is hunting these things. You're to have a family, become a lawyer and live a happy life."
"If it wasn't for you, Sammy and I wouldn't be alive today," she said leaning against his shoulder. "Thanks for that."
"You're welcome, I think," he said with a chuckle.
Becca chuckled. "Come on, I'll take you to the mess hall. I want you to meet some friends."
Sam laughed and they walked back down the path talking and laughing over college stories. They walked to a large building and fond he convoy crew around the picnic tables set up inside eating a heart supper.
"First barbeque in a long time," said Becca. "We only have them on special days. Meat's precious and none are wasted."
"Let me introduce you to the team," said Sam and lead Becca to his squad. They greeted Sam's old friend warmly and immediately turned into one of the team. Lucy and Alli were glad to have another woman in the group and Lucy asked about Sammy. Becca seemed particularly interested in Alan and Sam was happy for that.
After a while Sam felt eyes on him and turned to see Dean watching Becca. Sam couldn't tell what the look was for and it sent a shiver down his spine.
"Sam, are you okay?" asked Becca.
"Yeah," he said and smiled at her. Becca smiled back at him and turned back to Alan.
That night they went to their assigned tents and Sam as surprised to find himself rooming with Dean again.
'The Fates are laughing at me,' he thought. "How's Lisa?" he asked aloud.
Dean gave him a look and Sam cursed under his breathe. Dean didn't want anyone to know Ben was his son and Sam almost let it known that he knew.
"Fine. She's talking to Ben now and asking how he'd been. If she doesn't get a satisfied result, she'd chew me a new one."
Sam laughed. "Ben's mom sounds like a great lady. What about his dad?" He looked at Dean questioningly.
Dean shrugged. "Don't know. Lisa never said. I never asked." Sam nodded and got his bed ready. "I wasn't the only one who met someone he knew."
"You mean Becca? Yeah, I met her a long time ago."
"How long ago?" for some reason the suspicious look on Dean's face made Sam chuckle.
"Before I met you," said Sam with a smirk. "Why? Want to meet her?"
"I'm perfectly happy where I am," said Dean.
"I can see that," said Sam. "Why are you suspicious of her?"
"I am not!"
"Are too."
What are we? Five?"
Sam shrugged. "Fine, don't answer me." Grabbing his bag he walked out of the tent toward the bathrooms and showers.
"Bitch," came Dean's voice. Angrily Sam turned to yell but saw the tease in Dean's face. He smiled back.
"Jerk," he said and walked away.
TBC
-"Convoy" is a song by CW McCall
-"Haven" is the name of a SyFy TV series