Chapter 18
Dean made his way down the stairs the next morning to find Bobby and Missouri sitting at the table, Bobby having coffee and Missouri having tea.
"Good, you're up," Bobby greeted him. "Get you something to eat, we've got an errand to run."
"There's biscuits and jams on the counter Dean," Missouri told him.
"Thanks, can I have some coffee?" he asked.
"Milk or juice, you're too young for coffee," Bobby insisted, giving Dean a, 'don't argue, not happening,' look.
"Fine," Dean huffed going to the fridge for some milk. He took a plate and fixed two biscuits with jam wondering what kind of errand Bobby needed to do. After eating his breakfast, Dan ran back upstairs to grab his jacket and brush his teeth so they could leave.
"We'll be back later, is there anything you need while we're out?" Bobby asked Missouri as he slipped on his jacket.
"No, I think we're good," she replied. "I stocked up before you got here."
"Alright, you ready Dean?"
"Yeah, where are we going?" Dean asked stopping at the bottom of the stairs to wait on Bobby.
"You'll see," Bobby answered. "It's an early Christmas and birthday present."
"Did you find me a car?" Dean chattered excitedly. "That would be the only reason to bring the tow truck is to take a car back."
"Sometimes you're too smart for your own good," Bobby growled at him playfully. He knew Dean would figure it out if he thought about it.
"What did you find?"
"You'll see soon enough. Owner said it's not been driven in a while and needs some work, so I figured it'd give you something to do while you wait to get your permit."
"That sounds great."
They climbed into the tow trunk and Bobby pulled the address and directions from his pocket before cranking the truck and pulling from the curb. He headed across town to a housing development that had older homes with large lots. He pulled down a street and took the next right before slowing to look at the house numbers.
"Here we are," Bobby announced as he stopped and cut the engine.
They got out and walked up a stone walkway to the front door of a Cape Cod home with a three-car garage. Bobby ran the bell and they waited for someone to answer.
"Hello, can I help you?" a middle-aged man greeted them.
"Hello, I'm Bobby Singer, I talked to a Mitch Powers about a car."
"Yes, yes, that's me. Let me get my coat and keys, I'll be right back." Mitch stepped back into the house and a few minutes later returned with keys, and garage door opener. "It's luck you called when you did. I was going to put it in the paper to sell since it's just taking up space now that Dad can't drive it anymore."
"Yeah, I'm glad I found it," Bobby nodded. They followed Mitch around the side of the house to the garage and to the last bay. He opened the door and stepped back so they could go inside.
"No way…" Dean whispered as he approached the car and memories of another time invaded his thoughts. He walked up to the black car that was greyer with the dirt and dust covering it. He looked to Bobby and back at the car in disbelief. "Is this…." Dean asked words escaping him as laid a hand on the hood. He walked around the car thinking it couldn't be real and when he got back around to Bobby, he threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly for a moment before going back to the car to bounce around it.
"Yep, I found out what your Daddy drove and tracked it down to see who bought it," Bobby told him.
"Here's the keys, but the battery's dead so it won't start," Mitch explained holding out the keys for Bobby. "It was okay before that, so I'm sure you can probably get it running again."
"Alright!" Dean gushed taking the keys before Bobby could. "Keys to my first car! I'll have to get a new key ring and of course new mats. All my Baby needs is some TLC and she'll be good as new. I'll get her all cleaned up and fixed up and she'll be roaring to life again…" Dean rambled on as he unlocked the driver's door.
"Excuse the boy, sometimes he can be an idjit," Bobby chuckled.
"That's okay, I remember my first car and how excited I was about it."
"Here you go, I figured cash would be okay."
"It is. I've signed the title and the pink slip is in the car glove box. Good thing you brought a tow truck, since it doesn't have insurance or a tag."
"I own a salvage yard so that wasn't a problem. Dean, put it in neutral so we can pull it out of here?"
"Okay," Dean nodded pulling his head from the car. He paused as he looked inside again and to the backseat. He saw his four-year-old self sitting in the back in a booster seat and blinked back the tears. This was his father's car, the one he grew up in and pretended to drive as soon as he could stand in the seat. There was something else that was being block but he pushed it all back into the box for now.
"Dean, are you okay?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah," Dean replied clearing his throat. "I'll put it in neutral." He got in the driver's seat and rubbed a hand over the steering wheel and smiled to himself. "Don't worry Baby, I'll have you purring in no time."
"I'll move the tow truck around here and hook up the cables to pull it out and onto the flatbed." Bobby headed back out to get the tow truck and back it up to the garage bay. He got out and loosened the tow cables before tilting the flatbed down. Bobby attached the cables to the underside of the Impala and stepped back to the truck to slowly pull the car from the garage and ease it onto the flatbed, being sure it was lined up. The car moved up the bed until it was on. He chained it down and double checked to be sure everything was tight.
"I hope you enjoy the car," Mitch told them as he stepped from the garage and closed the door.
"I will, and thanks," Dean told him as he climbed onto the truck to put the car back into gear and put on the parking brake before locking the door back.
"Thank you, Mitch, have a nice Christmas," Bobby told him, shaking his hand before climbing into the truck. He pulled from the driveway and made his way back onto the road to head back to Missouri's place.
"I don't know what to say Bobby, this is the best gift I have ever gotten," Dean beamed happily. "I still can't believe you found it." He looked through the back window at the car still not believing it.
"I thought it only right you have something of your Daddy's son," he told him. "You can use your money to fix it up. Won't know until it's cleaned up whether it'll need a new paint job or not. At least the interior is good and there's no major dents or dings in it. I'm sure you'll need to do some work on the engine, replacing fluids, belts, oil, filters, antifreeze, that kind of thing."
"That's fine, I can do all that. I look forward to getting under the hood and getting my hands dirty. I'll do everything I can myself."
"I know you will," Bobby mumbled.
The trip back to Missouri's home was slow because there were more vehicles out since it was Christmas Eve. People were doing last minute shopping and some traveling out of town. Bobby parked on the street, and they got out to head inside. Dean was anxious to tell Missouri about the car.
"Hey, Missouri," Dean called to her as he ran into the kitchen.
"Land sakes child, what's the hurry?" she asked looking up at Bobby and smiling. She knew what Bobby had done but didn't want to spoil Dean's news.
"You'll never guess what Bobby found, well, you probably can," he started and paused. "He found my Dad's car and I'm going to fix it up and get it running."
"Is that so?"
"Yep, I remember riding in the back and…" Dean trailed off as something stopped him from pulling up other memories. He rubbed his temple and winced in pain, his mind not letting the memory surface.
"Why don't you go wash up for lunch?" Missouri told him sensing his discomfort.
"Okay," Dean nodded slipping from the room to head upstairs.
"That boy, he's fighting his past so hard," she sighed. "You need to be ready Bobby when he does remember."
"I know. I want to tell him, but I don't think I should. He needs to remember on his own."
"Go ahead and wash up at the sink. I've got soup and sandwiches for lunch."
"Alright, anything I can do to help?"
"No, you old coot, I know how you cook, a can opener and whatever can you pull from the cabinet," she teased him.
"That's why I enjoy our visits with you, I don't have to eat my own cooking, old gal," Bobby replied with a chuckle.
spn
Dean woke early the following morning and decided to go for a jog since he knew he would be eating too much food today. He got up and put on sweats, T-shirt, hoodie, and running shoes. He was quiet since he didn't know if anyone else was up yet as he slipped down the stairs to the front door.
"Dean," a soft voice spoke to him, making him jump. "I thought you might like a water to take with you," Missouri continued holding out a small bottle of water.
"Thanks Missouri, I won't be gone long, just need to burn off some excess energy."
"Alright child, just be careful out there."
"I will." Dean opened the door and stepped onto the porch breathing in the frigid air. He looked around and took in the quietness of the neighborhood thinking everyone must be inside getting ready to celebrate Christmas. He stretched for a few minutes before walking to the street and jogging down the sidewalk checking to be sure there was no icy spots. Dean set a slow, steady pace as he puffed out clouds of smoke. It felt good to exercise his body and listened to the steady slapping of his running shoes against the cement. He continued to run until he ran out of sidewalk and was at the beginning of the neighborhood. He walked around for a few minutes, sipping on his water, as he got his breath before starting back toward the house.
Deciding to turn down a side street to take a different route home, Dean started jogging again, checking out the decorations in the yards of homes. He was a couple of blocks from Missouri's house when a strange feeling came over him as he came abreast of a white, two-story house with a large tree in the front yard. He stopped across the street and looked at it with confusion and puzzlement. There was something familiar about the house, but he couldn't figure out what it was. A picture of the house with a black car parked in the driveway and kid's toys scattered on the lawn filled his mind for a moment. The front door opened and a dark-haired man holding a toddler stepped from the house before fading away.
With slow steps, Dean walked out into the street and crossed to the other sidewalk. He stepped up the walkway and stopped as a sharp pain pierced his head, and something tore open in his mind. Suddenly, memories flooded his mind and he watched them like they were on a television.
Young Dean stepped to the doorway of his bedroom when yelling and noises woke him from his sleep. He walked into the hall to look across the room to his brother's nursery. He could feel heat coming from the room and saw flames licking across the ceiling as if it was alive. He pressed himself to the walk when a dark figure stepped from the room and pushed a bundle into his arms.
"Dean, take your brother outside as fast as you can! Go, and don't look back!" John yelled at him as he turned and ran back into the room.
Young Dean froze for a moment as the flames engulfed his father. He could see the shadow of something in the flames, but it was not burning. Dean scurried down the hall, clutching tightly to the bundle in his arms. He sat down on his bottom to scoot down the steps and hurry to the door. After fumbling with the doorknob, he finally got it open and headed outside, down the two steps.
"I got ya Sammy," young Dean whispered to the baby he was holding. He looked back to the open doorway, waiting for his parents to come out. A loud explosion from the second floor knocked Dean back on his bottom and flames shattered the windows, shooting out into the dark of night.
Tears were streaming down Dean's face as the memoires that he had been suppressing all came tumbling out paralyzing him. He dropped down to the grass in the yard as shaky sobs poured from him. He bent over hugging his body trying to hold himself together.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?" a man asked as he stepped from the house and over to Dean.
"I'm fine," Dean gasped as he struggled to get up and stumble away down the street. He could barely see and wiped his eyes as he tried to keep upright. He was gasping for breaths when he finally ran up the walkway and fumbled to get the door open to fall inside. He lay on the floor wracked with uncontrollable sobs that shook his entire body.
"Dean!" Missouri cried out as she hurried into the foyer to see him on the floor with the door standing open.
"Dean, son, what's wrong?" Bobby asked moving his legs so he could close the door to stop the frigid air from coming inside.
"Oh Bobby," Missouri whispered. "He's seen his past and remembers. Help me get him to the couch in the living room."
They carried Dean between them and laid him on the couch. Missouri covered him with a throw as she sat beside him cupping his face with her hands. She closed her eyes and eased her way into his mind trying to help guide him out again.
Dean trembled and gasped for breaths as he clenched his eyes tightly shut and clenched his hands into tight fists. The memories replayed in his mind again and he saw the flames surrounding his father and saw the evil that was in there with him. He caught a glimpse of his mother pinned on the ceiling and cried out in shock. He had not seen this the first time and it scared him.
"It's okay honey," Missouri mumbled to him softly. She passed soothing fingertips across his brow and helped to calm his mind. With a gentle touch, she wiped the tears from his cheeks with the corner of the throw. She watched his body begin to relax and pulled the throw over his body and tucked it in. "He'll sleep now."
"What happened to the boy?" Bobby asked looking down at Dean's pinched face.
"He saw his old house, or at least what is there now. Part of it had to be torn down and rebuild. I've been keeping an eye on the place, checking it for any supernatural activity. That fire had supernatural origins, I'm sure of it, but I don't know what it was."
"But you have felt nothing there though?"
"No, but that doesn't mean it won't happen again. The evil that came that night, left a doorway open for other entities. Let's leave the boy alone to rest. Join me for a cup of tea?"
"Will he be okay?"
"I hope so. He needs to come to terms with what he saw and accept it. Dean now knows he has a little brother out in the world somewhere and that is going to tear him up inside. He kept the knowledge of how his parents died and his little brother locked away so deep in his mind to protect himself. He'll need more support than ever now."
"I know, what should we do about today?" Bobby asked looking toward the small tree that had gifts under it.
"We go on with it and let Dean know he's not alone. If he wants to talk or whatever he needs, we'll support him."
"Yeah, that boy's been through so much in his short life." Bobby sat at the table and let Missouri make tea for them. He kept an ear out for Dean in case he woke or became distressed. Bobby knew Dean was going to remember, but he wished it had not been today of all days. He thanked Missouri for the tea, and they sat in silence drinking the hot liquid, both deep in thought.
A/N: Seeing the house he grew up in opened the floodgates of memories, and now Dean knows what happened to his parents and that he had a little brother. Dean will begin looking for Sammy, but he won't be that easy to find. Reviews/Comments will make my day. NC