Once upon a time, Sam and Dean Winchester passed through the town of Fitchburg while on the hunt for a Shtriga, a nightmarish monster that fed on children. On this adventure, they encountered Michael Colby, a young man whose brother Asher was one of the Shtriga's victims. With Michael's help, the monster was defeated and the children of Fitchburg, including Asher, were saved.

But now that Michael knew that there were things in the dark, his life would never be the same. He now knew there were monsters out in the world that would happily murder him and his family if given the chance. He just didn't know how close to home these monsters were, as a few short years later, a demon named Meg came to town looking for revenge on the Winchester brothers by killing everyone they had ever saved.

With the help of the Horseman Pestilence, Meg intended to cause all the children of the town to get sick and die of a new illness Pestilence had created. Michael fought back, and with the help of a hunter named Christian Campbell, stopped Meg and Pestilence, but not without a heavy cost.

Michael and Asher's mother had been murdered by Meg, and the motel they had spent their entire lives in had burned to the ground. The brothers, having nothing left in Fitchburg, set off to find a new home, eventually becoming hunters themselves, soon becoming allies of Adam and his team...

Wayward Sons #29

"The Brothers Colby, Part One"

An out-of-the-way Roadhouse for hunters sat secluded just off the highway on an old dirt road. What used to be a two-story family home had been converted into a place for people to be protected against the likes of all sorts of monsters. Invisible warding, salt lined windows, wrought iron placed virtually everywhere, and demon traps hidden throughout the property.

The Roadhouse was ran by twenty-something Mike Colby, a high-school dropout who majored in demon-killing. He had shoulder length brown hair and was considerably bulky from years of working out to become a formidable foe against monsters even if he had no weapon in his hand.

Mike walked into his brother Asher's bedroom, where the younger brother was still confined to bed after having had his leg caught in a bear trap the day before*. Asher's leg was resting on a pillow, still bandaged. Asher would probably need something to lean on for a few days but otherwise he'd make a full recovery.

(*See the previous two issues)

"Made you some soup, and picked up some comics ," Mike said as he set the tray in front of his brother.

"I haven't read a comic book since I was twelve," Asher told him. "Superheroes just aren't exciting anymore after you kill a Wendigo."

"I know, but remember when we were younger and I had to take care of you while you were sick when Mom had to work?" Mike asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'd skip school, make you some soup and get you some comics. Then we'd watch cartoons all day until you felt better."

"Mike, we're not kids anymore, I got hurt on a hunt," Asher told him. He was no longer that scrawny boy that Mike had kept on eye on since the day their father walked out on them shortly after Asher was born. Now Asher was a good six feet tall with neatly trimmed black hair and a muscular frame that he often kept hidden under long sleeved shirts, as he still had body image issues from his early teens that immediately resurfaced after his husband's death. "I'm in college and you keep treating me like I'm nine. I'm an adult, I was married for five minutes. I've probably been laid more than you ever have... Sorry, didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Mike told him, having learned about his true sexuality living on the streets years ago during an encounter with a grateful prostitute he'd saved. "I'm not ashamed that I'm asexual. I've been used to it for a long time. But you're my kid brother, I've been watching out for you since we left Fitchburg.*"

(*The Something Wicked This Way Returns mini-series)

"Since Mom died," Asher said sadly. "We never did find the demon that did it."

"Some day, little brother, someday," Mike promised him, unaware that Meg had died years ago. "That's a hunt we'll do as a team, just the Colby brothers vs. that demon bitch."

"You know, I could go for some cartoons right now," Asher said as he tried to scoot over. Mike got on the bed beside him as he turned the t.v. on. "I don't think we've bonded like this since the last time I was layed up in bed after a hunt."

"Yeah, I remember that," Mike told him. "The night I almost lost you for good."

Years Ago

Mike was out at the range, practicing his target shooting alongside his surrogate father, Gary. Mike and Asher were taken in a few years earlier when Gary had chanced up upon the boys living on the streets during a hunt, when he found Mike digging through a dumpster for food for his starving brother. When the boys proved they could hold their own against demons, Gary took them in to train them as hunters.

"You're getting better," Gary said as he watched Mike hit every target. "But you're still hesitating between shots. You need to be quicker on the trigger, son. If those cans were actual threats, your neck would already be broken."

"Sorry, sir," Mike said as he put the gun down. "It's just... I keep seeing that demon Meg every time I aim."

"I know you want the demon that killed your mom," Gary said as he put both hands on the boy's shoulder. "I have contacts that are on the lookout for her. We'll find her, I promise. What do you say we round up your brothers and get washed up for dinner."

"I think Asher and Mason were in the barn, sparring," Mike told him.

"Those boys really do like spending all of their time together," Gary said. "It's good that Asher's learned to bond with someone. Mason's really brought him out of his shell."

Asher landed hard on his back, feeling the cold cement under his back as Mason held him down.

"We probably should have kept our shirts on," Asher said as Mason smirked. Every urge Mason had was to lean down to kiss the other boy, but he knew he had to resist. No one in his family knew he was gay, and to tell anyone that was feeling something for his adopted brother... Mason decided long ago that he needed to be tough to survive as a hunter, and in his mind, being gay didn't factor into that equation.

"What's this 'we' stuff? You haven't pinned me once," Mason said as he helped Asher to his feet.

"Well, you are stronger than me," Asher said as he looked down at his scrawny frame. "You have a good twenty-five pounds of muscle on me."

"It's not about muscle, it's out-maneuvering your opponent," Mason told him. He knew that Asher was right, he was small for his age, which is why Mason was working extra hard to help him bulk up. "You could absolutely take me if you focused harder. Or if you stopped staring at my chest."

"I- I wasn't-"

"Dude, we need to acknowledge the elephant in the room," Mason said, wondering if Asher really did feel the same way. Not that he could act on it, but to know that boy he had a crush on could possibly return his feelings, it would help ease the pain of keeping himself in the closet. "Are you into me?"

"I- but- you see- it's just that... I think there's something wrong with me," Asher stammered nervously. Mason just chuckled as he tossed Asher a towel. Before he could tell Asher there was nothing wrong with him, Gary walked into the barn.

"Dinner's almost ready boys, get cleaned up," Gary told them as he saw Asher's reddened back. "Mason, lighten up on the body slams. We can repair the practice dummies, we can't fix Asher if you break him in two."

"Yes, sir," Mason said as he took a long drink of water from his bottle, noticing Asher was walking away in embarrassment. "Asher, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Asher told him as he headed to the door. "I get it. Not like someone like you would ever go for a wimp like me anyway. Just don't tell Mike that I like guys, okay? I don't need him being ashamed of me, too."

The family ate dinner in awkward silence before Gary decided to speak up. "Mason, your mother and I are leaving on a hunt in an hour. We'll leave you in charge while we're gone. We just got a call asking for help before dinner, so we're leaving right after."

"A hunt? Why aren't we going?" Mason asked.

"Because this one might be too much for you boys, there's a pack of werewolves terrorizing a little town in Jacksonville. We want to contain this before it spreads."

"That's only a couple of towns from Patrick Wheat's farm," Mason said. "Come on, Dad, take us with you. I've been wanting to hang out with Ben again."

"I said no," Gary told them. "We don't know how many of these things there are. Tomorrow's the last full moon for a while, we want to take these things out before they multiply even further."

"Which is why you need us," Mason told him. "Strength in numbers, right? You keep saying that someday I'll be ready for a big hunt, well maybe it's time. You have to trust me sometime, right, Mike?"

"Hey, I'm up for it, but I don't think Asher should-"

"I'll go, I'm a big boy now, Mike," Asher said bitterly. "I can handle myself."

"Honey, you know they' ll just hotwire the truck and follow us anyway. Remember when Mason was eight and managed to get the truck two states over before he realized he was gone?" Gary's wife Linda asked. "It's best they be where we can keep on them. Plus, like Mason said, Patrick and his hunters aren't that far away, we can always call for them if we need to once we know what we're up against."

"Fine," Gary relented. His boys were strong willed, which was both a blessing and a curse. "We leave after dinner."

Mike and Asher were sharing a bedroom together, with their beds not too far away from each other, just like their old home in the motel before Meg had burned it to the ground.

"What's wrong with you tonight?" Mike asked as he packed an overnight bag before he looked over at Asher. "You're usually not this moody."

"I'm fine," Asher told him. "Nothing's wrong."

"But if there was something bothering you... you'd tell me, right?" Mike asked. "I'm your big brother, you can tell me anything. I'll always help you if you've got a problem, that's what I'm here for, to help."

"You can't help me with this," Asher said as he turned around and closed his eyes. "Nobody can."

Fifteen minutes later, the family got into the SUV, with Mike sitting between Mason and Asher, noticing neither was looking at the other.

"Did something happen between you two?" Mike asked as he looked between them. "It feels ice cold sitting here."

"It's fine," Mason said as he looked out the window. "I guess."

"Okay," Mike said as he leaned back, looking at his little brother. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Asher. You can go hang out with Ben at the farm if-"

"I said I'm going," Asher said angrily. "Stop treating me like a fucking child!"

"Okay, okay, chill, bro," Mike said, a little scared of Asher right now. "I'm just saying, you can talk to me... or not, I guess."

Jacksonville

The SUV pulled into a parking lot that was practically empty as Gary and Linda exited the vehicle, where they began loading up on weapons from the back.

"I want you boys to stay here," Gary told them. "We'll do a little recon and find out what we're dealing with. If anything happens, Mason's in charge. Protect your brothers, Mason."

"Yes, sir," Mason told him. "Dad... come back safe."

As soon as the adults were gone, Asher got out of the SUV.

"Whoa, whoa, where are you going?" Mike asked.

"Gotta pee, is that okay with you?" Asher replied bitterly.

"Go in the alley," Mason told him. "I'll keep a lookout."

"Mason," Mike said as he grabbed Mason's arm as he got out. "What's going on with Asher? Did something happen between the two of you? Did you hurt him?"

"What? No!" Mason told him. "At least, I don't think I did. It's... kind of confusing. Asher... has a crush on me."

"I always did kind of think that Asher wasn't 100% straight," Mike said with a soft laugh. "He always did have that obsession with Justin Bieber that I couldn't figure out. I just wish he'd tell me how he felt. I mean, he's my brother, I don't care if he's gay. I still love the hell out of that kid. I'd die for him if it came down to it."

"And I think I might have a crush on him-"

Before the words finished coming out of his mouth, Mike's fist collided with Mason's jaw, sending him to the ground.

"What was that for!?" Mason asked as he felt his jaw.

"You bastard, Asher's only 15!" Mike shouted.

"And I'm 18, so?" Mason asked. "Is this about Asher being gay, or about the possibility that we could get together? Mike, have I ever let anything or anyone hurt him? Remember when we fought those vampires last year?"

"You tore them apart limb from limb," Mike remembered. "You didn't stop, even after their heads were cut off. One of them bit Asher."

"Why do you think I went ballistic?" Mason asked. "The second I saw Asher was hurt... something inside me snapped. I really care for him, Mike, it's been building since that night we killed that Wendigo. I just don't know how to tell him, or anyone else for that matter. It's like whenever I look at him, I just want to... protect him from all this evil."

"I feel the same way," Mike said. "He's the only family I have left. If I lost him, I don't know what I'd do. So, what do we do about this?"

"Would it be weird to ask permission to date your brother?"

"On the basis that I get to kick your ass if he gets hurt under your watch, plus one free punch right now,"

Mason stood up and rubbed his jaw. He knew how hard Mike could throw a punch, he'd be feeling that first hit for days to come. But this was for Asher, he was willing to take far worse just to be able to freely hold his hand. "It'll be worth it. Swing away, bro. I'll just get right back up and still want to tell Asher that I have feelings for him."

Mike got ready to punch him again with every ounce of force behind him when a scream was heard in the distance.

"Damn," Mason said. "Grab a weapon, that sounded like Mom. Looks like we're about to go into a fight."

"I'm still taking that punch after this is over. Asher, get your ass out here!" Mike shouted into the alley. "Asher?"

Mike got closer to the alley, wondering what was taking so long when Asher stumbled out, his chest bleeding from a nasty set of horizontal claw marks. "No, God please. Asher!"

Mike went to put his arm around Asher when he heard a growling. Several sets of yellow eyes were hidden in the darkness of the alley. Dragging Asher back, he bumped into Mason.

"Mike, I think we're in trouble," Mason told him as Mike looked back, seeing over a dozen werewolves. "The whole neighborhood, hell, the whole town is probably infected!"

"Then... the call your dad got..."

"It was a trap," Mason said. "They wanted hunters to show up. And we fell for it. Probably not even the first ones to get lured in."

"Mike?" Asher asked weakly.

"It'll be okay, buddy," Mike promised him. "We'll make these things pay."

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Mason asked the werewolves tossed the mutilated bodies of Gary and Linda in front of them. "NOOO!"

TO BE CONTINUED...