Thank you so much for the great response I've gotten!
Gonna be honest I think I'm going to take it a different way then you expect... but just hold on for the ride because their is a plan and *hopefully* you won't hate me too much at the end of it lol.
But here starts the real plot.
Just a forewarning ch1-5 are Caleb's POV and then I'll switch over to Dean's.
Love you guys!
Please enjoy!
~TH~
Caleb normally felt at home in a bar. Through the years it had become a great way to blow off steam and just relax. At the moment he felt anything but relaxed.
His target entered the bar, taking a seat exactly where his reluctant contact told him he would. The others in the man's party would be coming soon. He needed to act fast in order to catch him alone.
Attempting not to draw attention to himself, he slipped from his corner and slid into the booth across from the man. Green eyes flicked towards, clear surprise quickly covered by indifference.
"Can I buy you a beer, Deuce?" He wasn't sure what the first thing he'd say to his best friend would be, but he guessed taking it casual for now would work.
"Caleb." Dean said in greeting.
"Is that a no or are you just playing hard to get?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Pretty sure I should be asking you that. You're a hard man to find." Caleb glanced down, catching sight of the dark obsidian bands around each wrist. Sam's pendant had also been replaced by an obsidian rosary.
Dean fingered the beads. "I was hoping you'd get the hint."
"Nice necklace. Jim would be so proud."
The younger man let out a snort. "Considering it took you three months and not three weeks I'd say it served its purpose."
"Yeah. So you wanna tell me what's going on? Your phone is disconnected. No one's heard from you in months. And I notice you're not wearing your ring." When Caleb hadn't been able to reach Dean, or even get a psychic connection above confirmation that he was alive, he'd panicked. The phone call to Jim hadn't been comforting.
The pastor had essentially given him some crap about how Dean was taking some time away to discover himself. Caleb knew better. That wasn't Deuce. Dean lived and breathed the Brotherhood. His first assumption was that the kid was going after his dad. It made sense. The Brotherhood told him no and so he left. It's the only reason he could see Dean leaving. That, or going after Sam.
But here was Dean Winchester, sitting in a bar outside of Oliver Springs, Tennessee. No Sam. No lead on John. In fact, Caleb had a lead of a different sort.
"Didn't your dad give you the whole mixed up story?" Dean smirked. "I left. Got out while I was still breathing. Surprised I survived as long as I did inside of that cult."
Caleb felt his face flush red. He wouldn't let anyone bad talk the Brotherhood like that. He was the upcoming Knight and Dean was supposed to be the Guardian.
"The Brotherhood has protected you."
A massive eye roll was the response. "The Brotherhood has done nothing but get me nearly killed on multiple occasions. When was the first time I was kidnapped? I was what? Ten? And I almost died. All in the name of your Brotherhood."
"You were never supposed to get hurt. None of us wanted that."
"Well I've gotten nothing but hurt ever since you and your father showed up in my life."
And if that didn't sting. "What's this really about? You can't expect me to believe you left for no reason. Or that you left because you were scared."
"I left because I wanted to, Reaves. I'm an adult. It's my right."
"Yeah so you decided to pull a Sam and cut off all contact. You really thought I'd go for that?"
"Well I was hoping since we both agreed to respect Sam's wishes you'd respect mine. But hey, we all know I'm not Sam. I've never been the favorite Winchester."
"Deuce, dude, where's this coming from? Did something happen after I left?"
The kid met his eyes, a fire blazing behind them. "What's it matter? You left."
"Is- is that what this is all about? The fact that I left? I had orders-"
"Orders orders. It's always about the orders. That's the Brotherhood for you. They teach you that thinking for yourself is a sign of weakness. Sam had the right idea."
"I don't know what's going on that screwed up head of your but you need to stop."
"Stop what, Caleb?"
"Stop calling me that for one!"
"Whatever you say, Reaves." Dean pulled his beer up to his mouth.
Caleb let out a growl, reaching across the table and grabbing Dean by the wrist before he could take a drink. "Now you listen to me. You may have handed in your ring but you're still part of the Brotherhood. If nothing else you're my blood brother so get your head in the game and come home with me."
"Let go of me." Came the dangerous reply.
"Not until you prove to me that you're not freaking possessed!"
"Hey kid, this guy bothering you?"
Dean's head snapped up. "Jamison!" He practically squeaked. He gave Caleb a hard push and the older boy relinquished his grip.
He was hoping to stall long enough for the rest of the gang to show up.
"Everything good, Dean?" The man was asking.
"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. He was just leaving."
"Was he now?" The man, Jamison, was giving him a onceover. He was flanked by two other men but none held the pure size of their leader.
"Wasn't really planning on it, no." Caleb answered coolly.
The man smirked. "Caleb Reaves. You're the Scholar's kid."
Caleb hoped his face stayed neutral. Jamison's crew were a mix of rejectees and ex-Brotherhood members. It made sense for them to know about him. It didn't make him any more comfortable with the idea.
"Is there something I should know?" The question was directed at Dean. The kid was furiously shaking his head.
"No, he just stopped in for a beer. He's leaving."
"Only if you're coming with me." Caleb smiled sweetly.
The large man clasped his hands together. "Ah, I see. The great Knight has come to rescue one of the pastor's lost sheep and return him to the fold."
"Something like that."
"But you see, Dean here doesn't want to come back." The man offered a hard thwack to Dean's back, causing the kid to flinch slightly. Caleb's vision flashed red.
"Get your hands off of him." He grit out.
"Or what?"
"Or I'll take your freaking head off."
"Caleb!" Dean snapped. "Stand down. It's fine. You should leave."
"No."
Apparently Jamison was an idiot or just didn't care, because he leaned down and "whispered" into Dean's ear. "He's not gonna be a problem is he? We can't let him get in the way of our plan."
That peaked Caleb's interest. Dean might have been wearing psychic repellent, but the others weren't. He only intended it to be a light brush, but a hard kick to the shin kept him from going through with it.
"What the heck, Deuce!" He growled, rubbing at his leg.
The big man still standing over Dean raised his eyebrows.
Dean shrugged, "He was trying to read you."
Caleb grit his teeth. This wasn't working. Time for plan B then. The call was already connected, the phone in his jeep was muted so there shouldn't be any problems. He slipped the phone out of his pocket and slipped it onto the floor, using his aching leg as a cover.
"Are we gonna have to get rid of him?" The hand was back on Dean's shoulder, making the older hunter's skin crawl.
There was a slight pause. "If you kill the Scholars kid you'll draw too much attention too quickly."
"It'd draw out the Knight." One of the thugs added.
Dean laughed, "True. The only time I've ever seen Dad cry was when he thought Caleb died."
Caleb didn't know how to feel about that information.
"But killing him wouldn't-" Dean stopped, glancing up at Caleb before looking away. "Accomplish our goals."
"Care to share with the class, Deuce?" A tight lipped smile was all he was able to muster.
"Care to mind your own business, Reaves?"
"That's enough." Jamison snapped, tightening his hold on Dean. "Knight Junior, get out of here before I remove you permanently."
"Come with me." Caleb made a final plea, looking into his best friend's eyes to try and get a reading. "I don't know what's going on but you can still walk away."
"Well what do you say, Deuce." The man leaned over Dean in an ownership manner.
There was a flash of regret in the green eyes. "You need to leave. I've made my decision and you should respect it." He gave a tight grin. "Because unless you plan to drag Sam away from Stanford it sounds like you're just a hypocrite."
"Is that what this is all about? Sam?"
"This is about me being my own person." His voice had taken a dangerous edge. "Unless you want to take back all that crap you spewed about me not being my dad's puppet."
"Times up, Reaves."
"Fine. But this isn't finished."
Jamison gave him a smile. "Let's hope for your sake it is."
~TH~
Well well well
What has Dean gotten himself into?!"
Interested to hear thoughts now that the real plot has begun.
Please let me know what you guys are thinking!
Until tomorrow!
Much love and God bless,
Jamie