Stepping into the line of fire
Chapter 52
At eleven in the morning John emerged from his sleeping bag. Bobby went to bed. John looked paternally at his first born and declared.
"Dean, you take a kip at five o'clock today, you're on watch at midnight."
Dean wanted to object to the order but he was too well trained and nodded positively in his dad's direction. Ange had taken the whole scene in and decided to keep quiet. She half agreed with her soon to be father in law. She did not want Dean to be tired and not function properly.
John went and sat next to Dean. He spoke first.
"Son' I need ya' to keep your head in the game…Can ya' do that? I need to know that I can trust you."
Dean blushed a little at that statement because he knew that his head had not been in the game at all last night. He thought a guy could be given some sort of reprieve for that lack of inattention but he felt guilty.
"Sir. I'll do whatever needs to be done to get the job done."
John adored that answer and grabbed some jerky from his jacket pocket. "I know boy that you've got it covered but I want to make sure that all's good…ya' know" he added for good measure. He then gave his son a little fatherly hug. Very fleeting but noticeable none the less… Dean adored his dad's touch. Any connection that was loving would fill him with immense pleasure.
"Dad I'm on it… sir."
John gave him one of his big dimpled smiles and agreed silently. He loved his boy. He was his second in command. He trusted him.
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John called his troop for a briefing. "Not another SMEAC" they all sighed. John did not go into complete marine mode but he did want to share his tactics with them all. He told them that they would need to get hot nutritious food going as it was going to sap their energy levels otherwise. He ordered Dean and Sam to make a fire but create a wall with stones that would shield its fieriness from enemy eyes. He asked Angela politely to sort out the supplies and go back to base for those. They all did as commanded.
Dean and Sam started to gather up the stones and began to make the structure that John had requested. Their dad helped them with that chore and soon a strong sturdy wall was built. They added side walls and began to collect wood and brambles. The fire was glowing by the time Angela y got back with the food supplies. She had made sure to grab even more bottles of Jack to help with morale! Angela helped Dean with lunch. The smell of the meat stew was just divine. Carrots had been added to the pot and baked potatoes were cooking wrapped in their coat of foil. It was going to be a real treat after all that cold hard grub. When the meal was declared ready the hunters sat down to eat. Dean was in sixth heaven! food would cheer him up like nothing on earth and the compliments he received from the others just fuelled his happiness. The food disappeared very fast and John called another meeting. He addressed them all with a serious look on his face.
"My plan is to wait until it comes towards us. If this does not work and we are still were we are in a week's time we'll move back to the cave. I don't like not knowing what I'm up against but sometimes that is the situation and we deal with it. I want all weapons sorted out not just the ones I mentioned before. Dean and Sam your job this afternoon is to make sure that they are fully functional. Bobby, when he wakes up, and I, will study the lore and Angela I want you to rest and keep your psychic abilities tuned in. I suspect that you will be the one to tell us what that son of a bitch is."
Sam was not overjoyed at his allocated task but he would be doing it with his big brother and that was a huge plus. Angela was very happy to have some time off. She would have the opportunity to wash more thoroughly and chill out. Dean needed a drink! He wanted some buzz in his head as he dealt with the guns. As soon as John and Bobby were gone to study he poured himself a very generous measure of the amber nectar. Sam had watched him do that and was a little worried that his brother would be in trouble with his dad again as a result.
"Do ya' think it's wise Dean? To drink? Didn't dad tell ya' not to?" he asked worryingly.
"The ol' man doesn't need to know Sammy! I know ya' won't snitch dude."
"I won't Dean but he'll smell it on your breath."
"No, he won't I have herbs to chew that Ange gave me to keep my smile white"… he quipped whilst giving his brother a conspiratorial wink.
Sam grinned back but added… "Big bruv, we're dealing with John here not some chilled out, woke, new age dad!... he'll find out and you'll pay the price! …ya' know I'm right….Don't ya' dude?"
Dean did not care. He wanted to feel that warmth flowing in his veins. He needed that buzz in his head. He needed to feel good. He poured the drink into a cup though so it would look like coffee to an observer.
Sam and he got busy. The time flew. Soon it was three and Dean made himself a brew in which he added some jack without Sam noticing. Sam had gone off to revise his incantations and Dean sat down on an improvised seat made of moss to relax and sip his hot drink. Camping rocked at times!
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John and Bobby had returned to the camping area and spotted Dean sitting down looking relaxed. The dishes had been washed and dried and the guns looked shiny and ready for action. John went and sat down next to his son. He noticed that Dean's pupils were dilated and he was concerned. As he continued his fatherly diagnostic he suddenly smelled the jack in his boy's coffee. Dean who was very chilled out had totally forgotten that he was sneaking a drink and looked his dad straight in the eye.
"Is everything OK dad?" he asked John. John glared back. This did not bother Dean.
"I think I should ask ya' the same question boy!" … hearing "boy" spoken in that familiar pissed off tone of voice did wake Dean up a notch.
"All's good sir." He replied.
John glared furiously. "Not in my book it isn't!" he shouted. Dean jumped and spilled some of his spiked coffee.
"Ya've been drinking!" John bellowed. Dean gulped. He decided there and then to come clean.
"Yes, I have… but only a finger sir." He added for good measure.
John was so angry at his son's disobedience of a direct order that he decided to breathe deeply and stay calm before he spoke.
"A finger too many, young man!"
Being called a young man always carried huge circumstances as far as Dean was concerned. He sobered up very quickly and started to mumble an apology to his very pissed off father. John took the cup off his son's hand and threw the liquid into the fire. It made the flames rise up superbly but Dean's heart slump.
"Dean. I'm again disappointed in ya'!.. Ya' know I give orders for a good reason. Why are ya' being so disobedient boy?"
Dean lowered his head like he always did when he was in trouble with his ol' man. The shit was going to hit the fan yet again…
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