Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

Hunted

John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons.

Chapter Thirty Nine

All three Winchesters entered the barn where the vampires are sleeping. John left his boys to free the prisoners as he began to search the stalls and tack rooms to find the gun. He quietly opened door after door until he spotted the gun hanging from a holster in the same room a pair of vampires were sleeping. They lay on a mattress thrown on the floor of the room.

He slipped quietly into the room. He was careful not to let the steps that lead down to the main floor squeak under his feet. He stopped at a sudden wrenching sound from the main room. No doubt his son's were trying to free the prisoners.

John watched the sleeping vampires as they rolled over at the noise. They didn't wake so he continued down and reached for the Colt. His fingers had just slipped around the grip of the gun when the silence was suddenly broken by an ear piercing scream.

"Sam!" he heard Dean yell.

John looked towards the main room of the barn. He never saw the blow that sent him reeling flying across the small room to slam his back against the wall. He slid down the wall landing practically on top of an old empty liquor bottle. He picked up the bottle and threw it at window breaking it. Bright sunlight blazed into the room as he yelled, "Boys, run!"

John got up and ran out of the back of the barn. He heard Dean yelling for him as he came around to where the vehicles were parked. He saw the relief on the faces of both his children as he came up the trail. Sam and Dean turned and would have continued to run to the car if John had not said, "They won't follow." At the questioning look on his son's faces John explained, "Once a vampire has your scent it's for life."

"What do we do now?" Dean asked his father.

"You've got to find the nearest funeral home that's what," he told Dean.

His boys look at each other in surprise. "What for?" Sam asked.

"Blood," John replied. "We need the blood of a dead man. It acts like a poison to vampires it will weakening them long enough for us to kill them."

John looked at his sons. He needed time alone with Sam to talk to him and find a way to make right what he had so badly screwed up.

"Dean," he said to his oldest son. "You go get the blood. Sam and I'll meet you back at the motel."

The ride back to the motel with Sam in the car was quiet, both father and son lost in their own thoughts. John was considering how to break through to his son, how was he going to repair what he had so easily damaged.

When they arrived John sat at the table that was filled with all the research they had been working on. He opened Daniel's great grandfather's journal and skimmed thought it. Actually paying very little attention to the journal, but watching his son pacing back and forth.

"I should have gone with him," Sam said quietly as though speaking to himself.

John was sure the reason for Sam wanting to be with Dean had little to do with him not believing his brother could handle the task. He knew it was just that Sam did not want to be alone with him. The awkward silence that hung in the air between them was getting to him.

"Dean's got it," John told him in part to ease his son's mind about his brother and in part to fill the silence with something.

Sam stopped and looked at his father. "It shouldn't be taking this long, I should go help."

Now was the time. If he was going to fix his relationship with Sam he had to start now. "Sammy," he said.

"Yeah," replied Sam.

It had taken him the whole trip back to the motel to figure out what to say to his son and he didn't know this was it, but it was a starting point. "I don't think I ever told you this but…," he said. "The day you were born you know what I did?"

Sam was taken back by the sudden nostalgia. His father rarely spoke of the time before his mom died. "No."

"I put a hundred bucks into a savings account for you," he told his son with a smile while he remembered. "I did the same thing for your brother. It was a college fund and every month I'd put in another hundred dollars until..." He stopped for a second before continuing. "…anyway, my point is Sam. This is never the life I wanted for you."

Sam stopped and listened to his father and as he listened he understood what his father was doing, what he was trying to do. It was his way of apologizing. Something he had never expected to hear. When his dad finished he asked, "Then why'd you get so made when I left?" Sam sat down at the opposite end of the table and listened. This was the most he had heard his father say at one time in so long.

"You gotta understand something," John said. "After your mother passed all I saw was evil, everywhere and all I cared about was keeping you boys alive. I wanted you prepared… ready. So somewhere along the line I ah… I stopped being your father and I… ah, I became your drill sergeant. So when you said you wanted to go away to school. All I could think about… my only thought was that you were going to be alone. Vulnerable. Sammy. It just… it never occurred to me what you wanted. I just couldn't accept the fact that you and me… we're just different.

Sam hung his head and laughed sadly thinking how wrong his father was with that statement.

"What?" John asked confused by his son's cheerless laughter.

Sam looked at his father and shook his head miserably, "We're not different… Not anymore," he sighed then continued. "With what happened to Mom and Jess…" he laughed sorrowfully again, "Hell… we probably have a lot more in common than just about anyone."

John had never even thought anything like that. He smiled at his son and said, "I guess your right son." But he wished with all his heart that they had not had that common thread between them.
"Hey dad?" Sam asked tilting his head to the side. "What ever happened to that college fund?"

"Spent it on ammo," John replied hoping his son would understand.

Sam's smile widened into a grin and he laughed in understanding. His son's laughter, even with the gloomy discussion they'd been having, was so good to hear that John laughed too. They were both still laughing when Dean returned from the funeral home.

Dean had expected to walk in and find his father and brother at each other's throats so when he found them laughing he grinned with relief. "Wow," he said walking up to them. "Man, heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys." He puts his keys in his pocket.

"You get it?" John asked.

Dean pulled a paper bag out of his jacket pocket. He reached into the bag and lifted out a bottle of blood. He handed it to his father with a grin.

John sighs and smiles, "You know what to do." He tells his sons.

Later that night they set up an ambush using Dean as bait. Dean was standing at his car on a dark road with the hood open appearing to look at the engine. John and Sam wait in the woods not far away. John tapped his young son on the shoulder as a vampire appeared behind Dean. They watched as Dean turned and spoke with the female that John had decided was the leaders mate.

Sam raised his crossbow to fire but John stopped him, "She won't be alone. That's the leaders mate. He'd never let her go anywhere without protection. Wait until we find the other one." Sam nodded and continued to search the darkness for other vampires.

They were too far away to hear what Dean and the vampire were saying, but as they saw the female say something and knew Dean replied. Whatever he'd said was not what she wanted to hear. She suddenly reached out and smacked Dean across the face hard enough to send him plunging to the ground.

"Damn when is that boy going to learn." John said. "You don't piss off the evil creatures."

Sam laughed quietly, "Especially when they're stronger than you."

John grinned at Sam and replied, "Son, they're all stronger then us. That's why we have to be smarter."

"Well, it's working for you and me, but I'm not sure Dean gets it," Sam replied.

Another Vampire came out of the shadows and walked up behind the female as Dean tried to get back on his feet. The female decided to help him and with one hand placed under his chin she lifted Dean right off his feet.

John decided they couldn't wait any longer and as the female vampire pulled Dean in for a kiss he and Sam cut loose with their crossbows. They flew true and each of them hit their marks as arrows pierced their backs and protruded from their chests.

The female released Dean and turns to face her attackers. "Barely even stings," she told John who is walking up. Sam went to the male vampire and raised his machete over his head standing guard.

"Give it time sweetheart," John replied with a grin. "Arrow's soaked in dead mans blood. That's like poison to you isn't it?"

Kate's smile faded and her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell backwards. Dean caught her and lifted her up into his arms.

"Load her up," John told Dean. "I'll take care of this one." He motioned for Sam to follow Dean then thinking of how these creatures had killed his friend he removed the vampires head with one swift blow to the neck.

When John caught up to the boys they already had the vampire tied to a tree. The fire John told them to make was blazing as John went to his weapons locker at the back of the truck. Dean joined him and John gave him a bag out the back. "Toss this on the fire. Its saffron, skunks cabbage and trillion it will block our scent and hers until were ready."

"Stuff stinks," Dean said.

"Well," John replied. "That's the idea. Dust your close with the ashes and you'll stand a chance of not being detected."

"You sure they'll come after her?" Sam asked his father.

"Yeah, vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader then the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon so you don't have a lot of time."

"A half hour aught to do it," Sam replied sheathing his machete.

John glanced at his boys. This was the part they were not going to like, but he had to make them understand. "And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can."

"But…" Sam said.

"Wait Dad," Dean said. "You can't take care them all yourself."

John sighed, it wasn't going to be an easy fight and he knew it. "I'll have her," John told them. "And the Colt."

"But after," Sam said looking at his father. "We're going to meet up right?"

John hung his head he because he knew his earlier attempt to repair the damage to their relationship was going to be tossed aside now and his son was going to get something else to hate him for.

"…use the gun together," Sam continued. "Right."

John looked away from his son silently not willing to say the words.

"You're leaving again aren't you?" Sam said shaking his head at his father. "You still want to go after the demon alone."

John stayed silent, trying to figure out how to explain this to his young son so he would understand.

"You know, I don't get you," Sam said with quiet intensity. "You can't treat us like this."

"Like what?" John asked taken aback.

"Like children," Sam said.

"You are my children, I'm trying to keep you safe," John replied to Sam.

It wasn't Sam who replied to that statement though, it was Dean. "Dad," he said to his father. "All due respect, but that's a bunch of crap."

John and Sam both look at Dean in shock. "Excuse me?" John replied.

"You know what Sammy and I've been hunting," Dean said then shrugged. "Hell you've sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. Can't be that worried about keeping us safe."

John had only sent them on hunts he knew they could handle. He had never once sent them on a hunt that he felt was beyond their abilities to complete. "It's not the same thing Dean," John replied.

"Well, what is it… why do you want us out of the big fight?" Dean asked.

"This demon… it's a bad son of bitch," John replied. "I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."

"You mean you can't be as reckless!" Dean said.

Good God the boy was quick. He might not have his brothers' book smarts, but Dean had a whole lifetime full of street smart. John knew that there was very little chance that he would make it out of this fight with the demon alive but that didn't matter. He had to keep his son's safe and if it took his death to do that then he was more than willing to make that exchange. As long as he took the demon down with him. "Look, I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece… Your mother's death, it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't."

"What happens if you die?" Dean asked. "Dad what happens if you die and we could have done something about it?"

John is silent. He could not tell his son that he knew they would be fine. The past year was proof enough that they would be able to continue without him.

"You know I been thinking," Dean said. "I think maybe Sammy's right about this one. I think we should do this together. We're stronger as a family dad. We just are… you know it."

John is silent looks at the boys in silent sadness then says, "We're running out of time. You do your job and then you get out of the area. That's an order," he said and walked away ending the conversation. He would not argue with them. He was done with that.

John untied the vampire from the tree and put her in the truck. He looked at his son's who were watching him intently.

"Dad," Dean said.

"Just do it," John said and closed the door and drove away. He drove slowly passed the barn the vampires were using as a nest knowing that the females scent would be strong enough for the leader to recognize. He soon caught sight, in the rear view mirror, of a pair of cars following him. He led them as far away from his boys as he could. Giving them the time they rescue the prisoners from the vampires nest.

Suddenly the cars disappeared from the mirror, but as John rounds a turn he finds them parked in the road facing him. Four vampires stand in front of the cars ready for him. John stopped the truck several yards from them.

"Get out," the leader demanded.

John opened the door and complied. Instead of going to the front of the truck though he stayed next to the door. He held the rope attached to his prisoner with one hand and in the other he had a commando knife.

"Who are you?" the leader asked.

"Names Winchester," John replied

"Where are your friends?"

"Cleaning out your nest," John said stalling to give his boys as much time as possible. Once he had the gun and was away the vampires would swoop down on their nest and try to catch the boys.

"Where's Kate?" the leader asked.

John pulled on the rope dragging Kate out of the truck. "Come here sweetheart," he said pulling her into a bear hug and putting the knife to her throat. Then he forced her to walk to the front of the truck with him.

"Kate?" the leader asked. "You alright?"

Kate replied weakly, "Dead mans blood."

"You son of a bitch," the leader replied hatred glowing in his eyes.

"I want the colt," John told him. "Elkins gun… trade."

"Is that what this is all about?" he replied. "I mean you can't shoot us all, right. We'll kill you."

John grinned at him. He'd been hunting vampires for a very long time and even though it had been a while since he'd found any he was still very good at killing them… without the gun. "Oh, I don't need it for you," he told the leader. "I'm saving it for something else. Put the colt down, or she goes first."

"All right, just don't hurt her," he replied setting the gun down.

"Back up," John told him. "Further."

John reached down never taking his eyes from the leader and picked up the gun. "That's a nice move," the vampire said as John stood up. "You almost made it."

John barely had time for the comment to sink in before Kate spun and smacked John across the face with her tied hands. He was sent careening into the truck and dropped the gun. Before he could recover it the leader was on him and with a backhanded slap he sent John sailing over the hood of the truck. His head smacked into the car with such force that he was unconscious before he smashed into the doors frame breaking the glass and landing in a heap on the pavement beside his truck.

His eyes fluttered once before they opened and he knew he something was wrong. He had blacked out long enough for the leader to have him but something was happening at the front of the truck. He spotted the Colt on the ground and picked it up. When he stood up he was shocked to find Sam in the clutches of the leader. The leader was facing away from John watching as Dean brandished a machete menacingly at him. The other vampires were down arrows pierced their chests.

"Don't," the vampire said, "I'll break his neck. Put the blade down." He was choking Sam who was noisily trying to get air into his lungs as the vampire tightened his grip.

It took John a moment to gain his older son's attention and motion for him to put down the machete. John held the gun pointed at the head of the leader, but he didn't have a clean shot.

"You people," the vampire said to Dean still not aware that John was behind him. "Why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so," John replied drawing the vampires' attention. As the creature turned to face the new threat John pulled the trigger and shot in the center of the forehead. Sam jerked away and Dean caught him and kept him from falling. The Winchesters watched in silence at the Vampire fell to its knees, then to its face and died.

"Luther!" Kate shouted and was going to attack but the other female grabbed her and pulled her back to the car.

John stared at his boys. They had saved his life of that there was no doubt. If they had not disobeyed him and followed anyway he would be dead and the gun would still be in the hands of the vampires who would have left with it. His boys had never before ignored a direct order and it made him realized something. They were no longer boys. They had grown into men. Men he was proud to have as his sons.

After they dispatched the incapacitated vampires that remained and cleaned up the scene Sam looked at his father and said, "Dad, you have to trust us sometime. We can do this… we can. Because together we make a good team."

"Whatever you choose to do dad," Dean said. "Promise us you'll be careful, we still need you."

"I will. I promise," he told his son's. "You boys… you be careful too." Then he hugged each of them before getting into his truck and driving away. John didn't want to leave his son's he wanted to stay but he was very afraid of what might happen to them.

As he drove the things his friends had told him came back to him. The things they'd said as he lay healing from the demons attack.

"We think it would be better, safer for all of you, if you teamed back up with your boys." Daniel had told him. "You have trained them well and we think you give them less credit then they deserve."

Bobby said, "You three are strongest when you work together as a team… Those boys are a lot tougher then you think John. Don't sell them short. They could help you."

John pulled the truck over to the side of the road. Maybe they were right. Maybe Dean was right. They were stronger as a family he knew that. It was his fear that was stopping him from doing what he wanted to do. Then John realized something else. He had been allowing fear to rule his decisions for the past year. When had he become so weak?

He knew the answer to that he didn't even have to think about it, not really. It was when he left his sons. That was when he became so weak he could not function properly. He turned the truck around and parked in front of the boys' room.

When he walked in they were angrily packing their bags, getting ready for another road trip. John walked in, hands in his pockets, "So boys," he said.

They turned to look at him. Neither had expected him to come back. "Yes sir," Sam replied wondering what was going on.

"You ignored a direct order back there," John said sternly.

"Yes sir," Sam replied again somewhat more stiffly this time.

It was Dean that surprised him again. "Yeah," he said "But we saved your ass." John realized his son was still upset with him, but he was also growing a backbone where his dad was concerned.

Sam looked at Dean with a shocked expression on his face but he remained silent.

"Your right," John replied startling them both.

"I am?" Dean asked in surprise. He had been expecting his father to be angry, not agree with him.

"It scares the hell out of me," John told them. "You two are all I got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So we go after this damn thing… together."

"Yes sir," his son's replied in unison.

A/N That took longer then I expected and it's a long chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review and let me know what you think. Enjoy!