Chapter 25

"Hey." Sam gasped out of breath as he carried Grey over and sat down beside Dean. "Looks like you have a lap full." he laughed, seeing all the young kids squirming around on Dean's lap each trying to get his attention. Even if Dean wouldn't admit it, he was a sucker for kids, even werewolf kids it seemed. He grabbed the glass of lemonade and gulped down two huge swallows before allowing Grey to pull it to his lips and gulp his fair share too.

"Do you really hunt us?" Maya asked Dean, fear and uncertainty in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

Dean was taken back by the question and wasn't sure how to answer it. He wasn't sure how to explain it on a level they would understand. He started to reply, but Sam beat him to it.

"We don't hunt you exactly." Sam told her. "There are others similar to you that are bad and hurt people. We stop them to keep people safe because they can't defend themselves."

"They're talking about half-breeds and they kill them." Zane filled in making the kids gasp softly as they stared up into Dean's face with huge, golden eyes, except for Grey who had settled in Sam's lap and was almost asleep not listening to the conversation.

"Well that's our job, protecting people from monsters who can't do it themselves." Dean added. "Most humans don't know about all the bad things that are out there."

"What monsters? Do you think we are monsters?" Jade asked a look of sadness on her face.

"No, I don't think you're anywhere near a monster kid. There are a lot of supernatural creatures out there that want to harm and kill humans. They're very bad and have to be stopped."

"Like what? Tell us about them." Seth asked staring intently at Dean and waiting for an answer.

"Yes, tell us more." Jade urged, jumping slightly with excitement as she clapped her hands and started to bare her fangs.

"Jade! Remember what Papa taught us. We don't do that in public." Zane warned her clicking his tongue at her.

"Sorry." she said hanging her head for a moment and sneaking a sideways glance at Dean who smiled at her to let her know it was okay.

"Well...There's vampires, spirits, ghouls, shape shifters, wendigos..." Dean started naming off.

"Dean, umm...Maybe we should talk about something else?" Sam said seeing the look of fear mixed with curiosity on the kids faces. "They are young...You know..." Sam continued trying to get Dean to understand without coming right out and saying they might have nightmares. Even with them being werewolves, they were still just kids.

"Oh, yeah, right...So what do you kids do for fun?" Dean asked trying to change the subject, after he saw Maya hide her face behind her hands and peak between her fingers at him. He looked up when two young wolves trotted into the yard and studied the brothers who were holding their charges. One growled deep in his chest as he looked at Dean, warning that the kids had better not be hurt.

"It's ok Zeus, we're fine." Zane told him. "Go on and patrol; I'm guarding."

"So you can talk to them too?" Dean asked looking at the oldest of the siblings with interest. He could see a lot of his father's features, with just a trace of his mother in his face.

"Yes, I am the next in line to be Alpha after my Papa. The older I get, the stronger my connection becomes. I can sometimes link with the young wolves, but I'm getting stronger. I know when my siblings are in distress too. Papa says this winter I will be old enough to hunt with him. We go up into the far mountains and search for deer, bison, wild mountain goats and caribou." Zane said proudly. "Papa is teaching me the old ways and what it means to be an Alpha and leader and the responsibilities that it carries. I want to be as good a leader as Papa one day."

"You'll make a good leader one day Zane. Learn all you can from your father; he seems like a good man." Sam commented. He could see his father's values in the young werewolf and hoped he continued in his father's footsteps.

"Children!..." Olivia called to them from the backdoor. "Don't bother our guests, now run alone and finish up your studies. I'll have a snack for you in thirty minutes."

"Yes, Mama." they answered as they got down out of Dean's lap.

"You're nice, I like you and I'm glad you don't want to hurt us." Maya told Dean giving him a hug before hopping down and running after the others.

"I'll take him." Zane said reaching to pick Grey up and carry him into the house leaving the brothers alone in the backyard.

"I have to say that was unexpected." Dean said sipping on his lemonade and staring off into space.

"Kids are honest and curious, I guess no matter what they are." Sam shrugged as he finished his lemonade.

spn

"Mama says dinner is ready." Maya rushed out as she ran toward them with Grey on her heels.

"I wanted to tell them!" Grey whined coming to a stop in front of them.

"Tell them then." Maya told him lovingly.

"Dinner is ready. Mama said to come in and wash your hands." Grey said proudly, sticking his chest out feeling important.

"Well I guess we better do as your Mama says." Dean chuckled seeing the excitement in his eyes.

"You wanna show us where to wash up?" Sam asked smiling warmly at him. He let Grey take his hand and got up as he pulled him toward the door.

Dean was surprised when Maya took his hand and waited for him to get up to follow the others. She skipped happily along beside him swinging his hand between them. No matter how hard he tried to not like these non-humans, he couldn't really call them monsters because they didn't act like monsters, he did like them. These children were honest, open and curious and acted more human than some humans he knew.

spn

"I set places for you here at the bar." Olivia told Dean and Sam when they joined the others in the dining room.

"We thought you might be more comfortable here rather than watching us eat." Mason said as he joined them. "I'm sure our...menu may not be to your liking."

"Here you go gentlemen, I hope medium is ok with you." Olivia said sitting a plate in front of each brother.

"That's fine." Sam said looking down at the steak on his plate. There was a baked potato and roll sitting beside it and she placed a bowl of salad next to their plates.

"Looks good." Dean agreed looking over his plate before picking up his knife and fork to cut into the steak. He studied it for a moment before cautiously putting it in his mouth and chewing. He arched his eyebrows and nodded it wasn't bad and cut another bite. He could hear the children chattering behind them since their backs were to the dining room table.

"Please can I sit with Sam!" Grey begged his parents. "Pleaseeeee..."

"It's ok." Sam said turning to see a pitiful faced Grey looking up at his mom. "He can sit by me."

"Are you sure Sam?" Mason asked. "He can be a little messy when he eats."

"I'll watch him, it'll be ok." Sam assured him pulling out the stool beside him so Grey could crawl into it. Olivia brought over his plate and sat it down in front of him. Sam glanced at it and saw raw meat cut up on his plate along with French fries. He smiled thinking he hadn't met a kid who didn't like French fries. "You ok?" Sam asked Grey as he squirmed around in the seat and let Sam pull his stool closer.

"Yes, thank you." Grey said politely. "May I have some ketchup?"

"You got it kid." Dean said passing it down to Sam while trying not to laugh at his politeness. Grey had better manners than most human kids his age. He watched Sam squirt some onto Grey's plate and watched Grey drench a fry in the red blob before popping it in his mouth.

Dean looked at the cut up raw meat on Grey's plate and realized it didn't gross him out as much as he expected. He looked over at Sam and saw it didn't seem to bother him either. Sam helped Grey stab a piece of raw meat so he could eat it and then went back to his steak without a second thought.

spn

"I made pies for dessert when you are ready for it." Olivia said as she brought a couple of plates to the kitchen sink.

"Did you say pie?" Dean asked perking up with the mention of his favorite dessert.

"Yes, the children have a sweet tooth and seem to enjoy them." she said. "I have pecan, apple and peach."

"Sounds good." Dean said rubbing his hands together.

"When you are ready, I'll serve dessert."

"Don't wait on us, go ahead and start serving it's fine." Sam told her not wanting the family to wait on them.

"The children know they have to wait until everyone has finished eating. I've tried to teach them proper manners."

"I think you've done a great job of it. They are well behaved." Sam said smiling warmly at Grey who smiled back as a small trail of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. He reached over with his napkin and wiped Grey's mouth before he took another bite.

"Why thank you." she said inclining her head toward him acknowledging his praise.

"After dessert I thought we could convene in my office for a drink." Mason said in his calm, smooth voice.

"Alright." Dean said looking over his shoulder toward the head of the table at Mason. His spidery senses tingled and wondered if Mason was going to tell them they couldn't leave or worse. He looked down at the few bites of steak remaining, trying to decide whether he could eat anymore or not. He had to admit their hospitality had been nothing but polite toward them. No one seemed to have any ill intend toward them, but something deep, deep down nagged at him.

"Eat." Sam whispered quietly to Dean kicking him in the foot to get his attention. He didn't want to offend Olivia or Mason since they went to all this trouble of fixing it special for them. Mason had been cordial so far and didn't show any ill intent and he didn't want to change that. He gave Dean a frowning bitch face and spoke with his eyes as he took another bite of baked potato.

"Stop it!" Dean hissed at him through clenched teeth and elbowed him in the side.

"Mama! Dean's hitting Sam!" Grey popped up tattle tailing on Dean and thinking he was protecting his friend.

"It's ok Grey." Sam told him.

"Grey, son, you shouldn't tattle like that." Mason chastised him.

"But he might hurt him!" Grey said loudly glaring at Dean as he pushed himself toward Dean by leaned over Sam's lap and growled at him showing small fangs under his sneering lips. Small sprigs of hair began to form on his face as he continued to change.

Dean looked at the little werewolf in surprise as he boldly defended his brother. Before he could say anything, Sam spoke up first.

"Dean would never intentionally hurt me Grey. We're brothers and we disagree on things, but that's what brothers do. Don't you fight with your siblings sometimes, but you wouldn't hurt them would you?"

"Grey, no fazing." Olivia warned gently.

"Mama says not to, but we fight sometimes." Grey said stealing a glance toward his parents as he settled back down and the fangs disappeared.

"He's my little brother kid, it's my job to protect him. I wouldn't really hurt him. Sure sometimes it might get a little physical, but nothing either of us can't handle. Big brothers have to knock some sense into their little brothers from time to time." Dean assured Grey giving him a half smile.

Grey looked up at Sam who smiled and nodded to him it was ok. "Finish up and we can have pie."

"Okay." Grey decided turning back to his plate and quickly stuffing several bites into his mouth making his cheeks bulge out as he tried to chew it all up.

"Don't choke yourself." Sam cautioned him watching Grey to be sure he didn't do just that.

"D...onnnnn..." Grey mumbled around his mouth full of food holding his plate to see it was empty.

"So is everyone ready for some pie?" Olivia asked cheerily bringing the other plates to the kitchen. She turned to the side counter and moved the pies to the bar along with small plates. "So young men, what type would you like?"

"Pecan." Dean said quickly pushing his plate aside that had a couple bites of steak and potato left on it.

"He didn't clean his plate." Grey brought to everyone's attention making Dean blush slightly before spearing the two small bites of meat and eating them.

"Grey, manners." Olivia said.

"Sam, what can I cut for you?"

"Peach is good." Sam replied wiping his mouth on a napkin and stacking his plate on Dean's and taking Grey's and doing the same.

"Children, line up." she called to the kids who noisily made their way to the bar and formed a line.

Sam smiled when Zane let Grey go first and held him up to see. He looked at Dean who was humming in delight as he ate his pie. He took a bite and nodded his approval that it was really good.

"This is the best!" Dean complimented Olivia.

"He's right, the pie is delicious." Sam added.

"Why thank you; I'm glad you are enjoying them." she said a slight blush rising to her cheeks with their praise. "I've tried different recipes to find the one that seems the best tasting."

spn

"I hope this is to your liking." Mason said as he went to the desk behind him and poured three drinks. He paused for a moment when he felt Sam reach out and shielded from him before doing what he needed and turned with the drinks.

Sam shifted in the chair he was sitting in and had the decency to blush when Mason stared him down so he knew what he was trying to do. Sam felt his essence being pushed back and out by a stronger force and thought maybe he shouldn't of tried it with him.

Dean accepted the tumbler and frowned when he saw the exchange between Sam and Mason and tensed ready to spring into action. He fell into protection mode in a heartbeat, closing his hands into fist.

"Relax Dean, Sam and I are good." Mason said taking a seat behind his desk. "We understand each other."

"Sammy?" Dean asked never taking his eyes off Mason.

"It's fine Dean." Sam replied looking at Mason for a moment and then glancing over at his brother seeing the tension on his face. "Really, it's ok."

"Gentlemen, thank you for being considerate of my family under the circumstances." Mason said holding his tumbler up to them and then sipping on the amber liquid. He watched Dean look at the glass for a moment and sniff it before taking a tiny sip and then downing the rest in one big gulp. Sam was more cautious as he sipped on the smooth whiskey, thinking it was better than most he had drunk. Mason turned to get the bottle and poured Dean another shot as he studied the two brothers, watching them communicate without speaking. This was rare among humans and he found it intriguing and wondered what else they might share. "My youngest seems to have taken a liken to you Sam; strong enough to defend you."

"He's a smart, sweet child." Sam answered as he shook his head no to another shot.

"So Mason...Thank you for the help and all, but think we can talk about us leaving?" Dean asked as he took his time sipping on the second glass.

"Well...I thought we could discuss that tomorrow morning. I have some work to finish up tonight." he said leaning back in his desk chair.

"That should be fine." Sam said hoping to stem any argument Dean might start.

"Papa..." Grey called from the doorway where he stuck his head in.

"Yes son?"

"Can Sam read me a bedtime story?" he asked giving them his best pitiful, soulful look.

"That's up to Sam." Mason said looking to Sam for a response.

"I can do that." Sam said getting up. "Do you know what story you want read?"

"Yes." Grey said happily taking Sam's hand and leading him away.

"I think I'll step outside for a bit of fresh air before turning in. We'll talk in the mornin' then." Dean said getting up and sitting the empty tumbler on the desk before strolling out.

"Of course Dean." Mason nodded watching with interest as Dean left.

A/N: Thank you for deciding to read my story and I hope you are being entertained. I do like reviews if you have the time to leave me one. NC