Stepping into the line of fire

Chapter 40

Dean went straight towards his brother, as his father and he, got back to the main camp.

"Sammy, I want to talk to you dude." He said gently, with a kind of sadness in his eyes. Sam just looked at his older brother worriedly.

"Yeah Dean, what about'?"

"Are you OK little' bruv?... I'm sorry I haven't been there for ya' as much as I'd like…it's just, I need to talk to ya' that's all… Can we go to your tent?"

Sam said "yes" … probably too quickly for coolness but his need for reassurance was such, that all he wanted at that moment was some time with his dumbass' brother.

They both disappeared into Sam's tent. Bobby and Angela had clocked the move and did not dispute it at all. They had seen how Sam had got quieter and more introspective over the last coupe of days. The kid looked miserable and they both knew that a talk was needed.

Dean zipped them in and started the conversation. "Sam… I'm sorry. I've been a crap big brother lately. I hope ya' can forgive me twerp" he wisecracked. "Sam…Ya' know I love ya' don't you? I'm so proud of ya' and I hope ya' can forgive me?" He added truthfully.

"Has dad put you up to this Dean?" Sam enquired suspiciously.

Dean did not want to lie but chose his words carefully. "Dad's given' me a wake-up call, that's all!... I'd lost sight of ya' and that's not good, that's not fair, I look after ya' and I've let you down." His older brother looked ashamed.

"Are you really going to marry Ange?" Sam enquired earnestly.

"Yeah…Sam… we love each other. She's the gal' for me. You like her too? I'm right, aren't… ... Ya' like her Sammy?... It means the world to me that you do…She loves ya' dude. We'll only be a bigger family. Bigger and stronger." He affirmed protectively.

Sam just took a deep breath in and looked down pitifully. He liked Angela but he loved his big dumbass bruv' more. He thought for a short while.

"Dean is your head in the game?" Sam could enunciate beautifully at important moments!

"Have you been talking to dad?" Dean said in an offended manner.

"No. I don't talk to dad. Ya' know that!"

Dean laughed…" Yeah I know that douchebag! you just scream at each other!"

"…No, I've haven't been talking to dad but he's as worried as I am. I can see it in his eyes. He's drinking too much Dean…This hunt is all over the place. We're never on it. It gets delayed because of shit family stuff that comes up and meanwhile, you know that don't ya'… Ugoliant is laughing his fiery ass off at us! Dean…" Sam said wisely… "Are you able to go into this one with your emotions in check? It worries me dude that you'll worry so much about your sweetie that you'll lose focus!". Sam pronounced maturely.

"We'll be just fine and dandy. Stronger dude. Trust me. Much stronger…Our life will be so much more pleasant… with a little bit of oestrogen thrown into the mix!" Dean said with a glint in his eye! "the ol' man understands. He doesn't approve but he gets it. Sammy, I need a chance at happiness dude? please be on our side. For me… littl' dude…and Ange…if ya' can?"

Sam smiled at his brother and felt a lot better. "As long as all's good Dean, as long as dad doesn't kill ya' and her, even before he gets to that balrog…I'm OK with it." The brothers gave themselves a manful hug and got out of the tent.

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John in the meanwhile had made his way towards Angela. While his oldest son was busy talking to Sam, he would have a window to talk with the object of his son's disobedience! Angela had seen him approaching and was desperate to keep out of his way, let alone have a one to one. It was not to be… before she could make her escape he was in front of her. His hard-hazel eyes bore into her cornflower ones and he asked her to follow him somewhere more private. She nodded yes, feeling like a schoolgirl in trouble with her teacher. They made their way to the supply area. John spoke first.

"I don't know what magic spell you've weaved gal' but you've got Dean well and truly' in ya' hooks..."

"I'm not a monster John" she replied coldly.

"Well… I think ya' are!" John spat out at her. "You've bewitched him in some way and now he can't see the fuckin' wood from the trees!". John sat down on the hard forest floor and invited her to do the same. Angela sat away from him as far as she could. She needed to hear what he had to say. She needed to understand where she stood. She spoke next.

"So, John…sir. Did you beat Dean? did you knock some good ol'fashioned kind of sense into your sharp blunt instrument?"

John swallowed what he thought might be bile and kept looking at her intently. "I don't beat Dean gal'…I've never beaten Dean!" We understand each other. He screws up… his ass pays the price. It's always been that way. Quick, efficient. It gets the job done and it gets him back on the right path."

"Well I disagree with you… Your right path shouldn't be his right path. You beat him into submission until there is nothing but a shell left. I know that's what ya' want. You want a shell? That's true ain't it? … Ya' don't want a soul. You want to wipe out any vulnerability left in your boy. That's so sad…" she almost cried…but something strong within herself stopped her from doing so. Something very powerful was driving her forward to confront the patriarch. Angela was attacking John deeply…like an emotional titan. She continued to rage…

"You've never allowed him to be a little boy. He has always been your soldier...your' second in fucking command!" Angela was extremely pissed. So awfully angry, that the F word had popped out. She had been raised never to use it …ever… She knew better but John had infuriated her and she wanted to knock him back in some way. She wanted to slap that smug, self-assured look on his face. John felt he had it all sussed?... Well he was a shit shower of a dad and she felt in control enough to tell him so.

They were both glaring at each other and so lost in the moment that they had not spotted Dean making his way quietly towards them. Dean was listening. He knew better than to eavesdrop but this moment was catastrophically important. He could not have John and his honey at each other's throats! He took a long deep breath and barged headlong into their cruel argument.

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