Double Trouble

Lisa was shaking and her eyes were beginning to glaze over. Dean took one look at Joey and let his head fall forward. "You two my office right now," Dean barked at Braden and Joey sounding like a principal with his students.

Mia steered Lisa over to the couch and had her sit down. "I'm sorry Dean," Lisa told him.

"Lisa I am not at all upset with you, you did exactly what I wanted you to. I am glad you called me, now you just sit and relax while I figure out why those girls ran screaming from my house."

Lisa opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it and closed it again.

The door shut behind him and Dean began, "somebody better have a very good reason as to why I was met with a trio of terrified teenage girls running from my house."

His audience began to talk at once and their words tripped over each other, "obnoxious-wouldn't leave…called…what could I do…didn't want Lisa to feel bad…jerks…grandpa…tried…then you came home," Braden finished.

"What?" Dean asked thoroughly confused.

So Braden started at the beginning, "I was the one who asked Joey to help, I just wanted to help. Lisa didn't want to bother you; she felt like she failed, I didn't know she had already talked with you so I called Joey."

"And what exactly did you do Joey?" Dean asked sternly making Joey feel as if she was sixteen and heading for a detention.

She explained her actions in detail and cringed at the look that overtook Dean's face. "You what! My God you might as well put a neon sign on yourself."

"Don't worry Dad, the Barbie Brigade is too stupid to make any sense of what happened; nobody will believe them," Braden said making his case.

"That's why Lisa is out there this far from a coma?" Dean asked holding his thumb and finger close together. "Did you even think about her?"

"I told her it was all pretend," Braden tried.

"Well I'm not sure is she is believing that right now," Dean said as he stood up. "I want you to make yourself scarce for a few weeks, away from Braden away from this city," he said pointing at Joey. "And you," he began as he looked at Braden, "you are to go upstairs and get ready for bed. I am going to take Lisa home and try to do some damage control and when I get back we are going to discuss this further."

Dean tried to relax so he didn't scare Lisa to death when he approached her. He kneeled down next to the terrified baby-sitter and used the gentlest voice he could. "If you're ready I can take you home."

The teen nodded and handed Mia the glass of water she had been sipping.

"Look they left their coats," Braden laughed full of glee.

Dean shot him a fierce look causing Braden to clam up quickly. "I can take them to Wendi's, she lives two blocks from me," Lisa said unfocused.

Mia placed them in a garbage bag while Dean glared at his son and pointed to the stairs. Joey took the hint as Dean directed her towards the door. They mouthed goodbye to each other as they went their separate ways.

"I am so sorry Mr. Winchester," Lisa said trying to hold in her tears.

"First of all don't you call me Mr. Winchester, it is Dean and don't forget it. And I will tell you only one more time, there is nothing for you to be sorry about, you did the right thing. I am not upset with you in the least, now my son on the other hand has a reason to quake in fear."

"But I was in charge."

"Yes you were and when things got out of control you did what I asked, you called me. You didn't invite those girls over did you?"

"No."

"Then you were in a tough spot and it was three against one and a half. I know all about bullies and that's exactly what those girls are and whenever you are outnumbered things are difficult so you have nothing to be ashamed of. Please don't beat yourself up over this."

"Don't be too hard on Braden; he was trying to help me. He didn't want you to miss out on your fun night."

"I'm sure his heart was in the right place, but sometimes that boy just doesn't think."

Mia was busy cleaning up the living room while Braden was slowly getting ready for bed. He finished in the bathroom and was changing into his pajamas when he heard a throat clear.

"Joey, man you scared me. Hey how about a bit of privacy?" he asked as he was clad in his undies.

"Sorry," she responded turning around while she absent mindedly held his guitar.

"Okay you can look now."

"You're dad was pretty mad and I think I should do as he asked. What I did tonight wasn't very smart."

"No, its okay, they really won't be believed. My dad is mad but he'll get past it, I mean if I get spanked it was still worth watching you scare the pants off those girls," Braden said smiling.

"I'm glad you think so because he may very well do that."

Braden only shrugged, "please don't leave."

"It's time to for me to stretch my legs for a bit. I won't be gone too long, but I really ought to respect your dad's wishes," she said as she picked up Braden's acoustic guitar.

"Why?"

"Because he does demand respect and he ought to get it. The sooner you realize that Braden the sooner you won't be in positions like this. He has been through a lot and he knows how to deal with it, so you need to start listening and obeying him."

Braden let out a big sigh. "How come you're so cold?" he asked.

"No circulation."

"No heartbeat," Braden said as it dawned on him.

"Right, they couldn't feel it cause its not there. I don't have to breathe, but I can force air in and out if I want to, but I can't make my heart beat."

"That's why a stake through the heart won't affect you," Braden said figuring it out.

"Exactly, now if I were you I would hop into bed and act like you're sleeping. Your dad probably won't wake you up and by morning he won't be as angry."

"Okay, that's a good plan," Braden conceded. "Joey," he said nearly startling the vampire, "don't be gone too long."

"I'll be back before you know it," she said smiling as she seemed to disappear into thin air.

Braden remained still as he heard his door open and a slit of light come through. He knew his dad was standing there but feigned sleep as figured he had a better shot at lessoning his punishment if he waited to face his father in the morning.

"Is she going to be okay?" Mia asked as Dean began to unbutton his shirt.

"I think so, I told her of Joey's great dramatic expertise and that it was all fake. I think maybe she believed me. I also told her if she was up to it she could watch Braden in a couple of weeks."

"Back on the horse?"

"Always worked for me," Dean smiled as he pulled off his shoe.

"I can only imagine. What about Braden?"

"I'll deal with him in the morning; he is pretending to be asleep at the moment."

The Morning After

Braden was watching cartoons when his father came down the stairs. "Hi Dad," he greeted quietly.

"You should be well rested since you fell asleep so fast last night."

"Yeah I feel great," Braden said emphasizing it by stretching his arms over his head.

"Good cause we got a few things to discuss," Dean said pouring himself a glass of orange juice. He came over by his son and sat down next to him on the couch. Braden looked so small to him this morning, so vulnerable and it scared Dean immensely. He feared that his son inherited the trait that scared John so much; feeling invincible, immortal and not respecting what the greater world can do. Dean had suffered from it as a youngster and well into adulthood and it very nearly killed him many times.

"So what should we do about your little lapse in judgment?"

Braden just shrugged his shoulders as he looked across the room.

"No ideas? Hmmm, okay how about you're grounded for two weeks with the first week spent at the garage after school."

"Two weeks!" Braden exclaimed.

"Yep, what you did was wrong on so many levels. You could've exposed us and Joey; she had to leave for her safety for our safety. One thing that was drilled into me was you don't bring attention to yourself and that is exactly what you did. You might as well put Joey on a billboard. Whether or not these girls are believed is beside the point, you introduced the idea to the world and now you can't take it back."

"I guess I didn't think about that," Braden whispered.

"I suppose not, what if this gets back to other hunters; you know they only need a hint of an allegation to come investigate."

"No I really don't cause you won't share that stuff with me, cause you clam up about everything and that's why I had to go into your past."

"No matter what you had no right to go into my past and I was hoping that you understood that, but now I wonder if I wasn't clear."

Braden swallowed as he realized he was overstepping his boundaries. "Sorry."

"Look I'm going to make this as easy to understand as possible, you don't bring attention to our family's differences; ever. Your life wasn't in danger, you only wanted to do that for kicks and that can never be allowed. Plus Lisa is still freaked out, did you think about what this would do to her or are you just that selfish?"

"Selfish I guess, it's too much to think about," Braden complained.

"And that's why you still need a baby-sitter, one who did the right thing by calling me. You are too young to make these decisions and you proved that to me last night."

"Then two weeks sounds good to me," Braden agreed.

"Well that takes care of some of your actions, but what do we do about poor Lisa? I think you owe her something."

"I know, I'll call and apologize, I feel really bad."

"I think you owe her more than that," Dean said, "what would you do if you were me?"

"What would grandpa do if he were you?" Braden asked.

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Then that's what you should do," Braden encouraged.

"Okay then come on over here," Dean instructed to his son who had managed to meander to the other side of the room.

Braden drew in a big breath and tried to regain that courage he had last night. He tried to remember the hysterical picture of the three girls running out of the house.

Mia who was sitting on the top step listening to the action downstairs drew in a quiet breath.

Braden slowly shuffled over and allowed Dean to grasp his arm and hold him in position; he closed his eyes and waited for the first blow. After a few seconds he opened them as Dean pulled him around so they were facing each other. "You know I think if I did this it would be letting you off easy."

"What do you mean let me off easy, it hurts and is anything but easy," Braden complained.

"But if I do this then you allow yourself off the hook. I think you need to think about her suffering for now."

"Huh?" Braden asked.

"If I spank you it will allow you to feel vindicated," Braden still looked confused as Dean held his finger up, "okay if you are punished then you feel you have paid your debt and will forget about what Lisa is going through. You need to spend some time thinking about what you put her through, and then I'll get back with you." Dean said as he stood up leaving a very flustered ten year old in his wake.

Dean headed up the stairs and tried to contain his look of surprise as he saw Mia at the top of the stairs. "You were amazing, what a great parental trick, awesome job," she whispered.

"Only because my dad used it on me; I would practically beg him to spank me rather than force me to analyze my feelings."

"That was worse?"

"Oh yeah."

Braden kept to himself the remainder of the morning and Mia found him working diligently with some crayons and construction paper at lunchtime.

"What you working on?" she asked.

"I'll show you when it's done," Braden promised as his face showed great concentration.

With that said Mia finished making some sandwiches delivering one to Dean who was underneath the Impala.

"Is there a day that goes by you aren't knee deep in an engine?" she asked.

"I don't think so," he sighed, "what's Braden up to?"

"Working on some project that seems to be top secret."

"I'll finish this and eat then see what he has to say for himself."

Braden slid his project into the drawer and went out to the kitchen to eat his grilled cheese sandwich. He hoped he had put in enough thought to what his dad had explained earlier and could avoid further punishment. But honestly the more his brain thought about Lisa the more he had just wished Dean had gone through with spanking him; because now he felt guilty and very responsible for her leaving so upset. His dad was mighty sneaky and mean to inflict this method of discipline on him.

"So what do you have to say for yourself?" Dean asked as he sat next to his son at the table.

Braden set his now empty milk glass down and tried to look contrite. "I put Lisa in a bad spot, all of us in a bad spot and I owe her a big apology."

Dean seemed to consider his son's words and if they were what he wanted to hear or not.

"Wait, I'll show you Dad," Braden said jumping up and running to the desk in the family room. He came back with a red piece of construction paper in his hand that was folded in two. "I made her a card," he said proudly.

Dean's face registered a bit of surprise at the ingenuity his son had shown. The front of the card had a yellow balloon on it with a string attached to the words, 'I'm sorry' and inside there were pictures of different animals that had been cut out of a magazine. Dean had some concerns as to where they came from since no magazine he had contained such pictures. He could visualize Mia's magazines cut to shreds; one disaster at a time he told himself.

"She likes animals," Braden said as Dean looked over the card.

Amongst the zoo Braden had written; 'sometimes I get a little wild and belong in a zoo, but I would hope that you would always come visit me.' Dean was beyond impressed with his son's words.

"Think she'll like it?" Braden asked eagerly.

"I think she'll love it, let's take a drive and see if she is home," Dean said.

Dean told Mia the plan and kissed her goodbye as Braden shriveled up his face at the scene before him. "We should be back shortly," he said as he pulled his keys out of his pocket.

Dean revved the Impala's engine and seemed to be satisfied with response.

"What was wrong?" Braden asked of the car.

"Just needed a bit of adjusting."

"Why do you like cars so much?"

"Because they don't talk back," Dean said giving a playful tap to the back of his sons head.

"Ha ha," the boy responded, "I hope she's home."

"We shall see do you have the card?"

"Yes sir, right here. How long do you think Joey will be gone?"

"Not too long I imagine but she does need to take some time and spread her wings bit. She can only behave so long and I think she was at her limit."

"I hope she comes back soon," Braden lamented.

Dean wasn't sure what he hoped where it concerned the vampire. She seemed to have slid into the role of big sister with supernatural abilities, how does one deal with that?

"There's Lisa," Braden pointed out the window when they were several blocks from her house.

Dean pulled over and Braden rolled the window down using two hands to make the handle go around. "Lisa, hey Lisa get in we'll give you a ride," Braden yelled.

"Go open the door for her and then get in back," Dean encouraged.

Braden did as suggested and Lisa appeared to be flattered. "Thank you Braden," she said smiling.

"I made you something," he said handing her the card as she situated herself in the backseat.

"Really?" she asked taking the card from him. She carefully looked at the front and opened it her eyes darting to each picture. "It's amazing Braden I love it. And yes I would visit you at the zoo; you would be the most entertaining thing there. I accept your apology."

"Good, I would hate for you to be mad at me," Braden said using his uncles best puppy dog eyes.

Dean just shook his head at this son's antics and pulled away from the curb. "How about watching him and Katie the weekend before Valentines Day?"

"No problem, I'd be happy to, but promise me no surprises," she said looking at the 10 year old.

"I promise," he said.

Dean pulled up to Lisa's house and Braden opened the door for her to exit. She got out and holding the card close to her made it up to the door before she turned around to wave goodbye.

"Did you learn a lesson from all this?" Dean asked.

"I did, I didn't want to but I did."

Dean once again shook his head remembering the days when he felt the same way.