Summary: Ever wondered what became of the people the Winchesters have saved? A flash of hazel, and a nod was all it took for Ben Porter to remember that night. The night when a family he didn't know risked their lives to save what was left of his, and saved them in more ways than one.
Rating: T for violence.
A/N: I'm hoping that these will eventually turn into a series of one shots examining how the Winchesters have changed the lives of various people. This first one actually has nothing to do with the supernatural, instead on how Dean came up with his theory of 'Demons I get – people are just crazy'.
Characters: John, Dean and Sam Winchester: Ben, Anna and Jayden Porter: Wal Sauter: Prudence Hawkins.
A flash of hazel
Ben Porter yawned widely, shaking his head to clear it of the cobwebs of fatigue as he poured himself another coffee, leaving it black and unsweetened. Bringing it to his lips, he couldn't help but smile proudly as he looked around the small diner he and Wal now called their own, after the final repayment had been made just that month. The first rays of dawn were just filtering in and illuminating the booths.
'Who'd have thought it?' he wondered with a wry chuckle. 'Me, a proud small town diner owner and operator.'
There was a time when he wouldn't have thought it was possible – he had lived in an apartment with his wife and children in Seattle, working as an office worker for an insurance company while his wife worked her way up the ranks of a nationally recognised law agency.
Now, his daughter and son lived with him and their step mum, Prudence, in Big Sky, Montana, with both in training for the 2010 winter Olympics, and his ex-wife was living alone in New York. Smiling at a young couple as they came in for a respite from their road trip, the man carefully holding a baby against his chest, he said:
"Hi there. What can I get for you folks tonight?" The man smiled back at him.
"Hey, uh, two coffees and a croissant please," he said quietly, as his wife rifled through the diaper bag.
"Sure, that's $8.15 thanks," Ben said, as the man handed over a $10 note.
"Keep the change. And is there any way…" he started sheepishly as his wife came up with a mostly full bottle.
"Of course. You get yourself settled and I'll bring it all over," Ben assured him. They went over and settled into a booth, the woman snuggling into his side as she reached up to stroke the baby's cheek. Smiling, Ben prepared their order, checking the temperature of the baby's bottle on his wrist before handing it all over.
"Thanks, man," the customer said with a tired grin, and Ben walked back around the counter just as the door chimed, indicating another customer.
"Hey, you guys serve coffee here?" a confident voice asked, and Ben looked up and plastered a smile on his face.
"Sure do, son. What'll it…" catching a good look at the man in front of him, his throat suddenly dried up. Those eyes – he knew those eyes. The young man raised an eyebrow at him, then let a slow smile overtake his face.
"Look, I know I'm handsome and all, but you've got one y-chromosome too many for my tastes," he said with a chuckle. Finally, snapping out his stupor, Ben stammered and reached for a Styrofoam cup, trying to force himself to believe that it wasn't possible – no, it couldn't be that same boy. Suddenly wary, the other man furrowed his brow as he looked at him, before recognition flashed over his face and he ducked his head.
"You know what? Never mind. We'll just head on. Have a good night." Turning on his heel, he strode quickly out of the diner. Getting to his feet, Ben walked numbly over to the window, watching through the gap in the curtains as he spoke in low tones to another man before pointing at the car. With a sigh, the taller, leaner man straightened and moved to the passenger side, opening the door and folding his frame into the classic car – the black, 1969 Chevy Impala.
Swallowing harshly, he let his eyes wander to the first man, startled to see him staring straight at him. Forcing himself to maintain eye contact, he nodded once, and the corner of the man's mouth twitched into a smirk, and then, with a flash of hazel and a nod, he too folded himself into the car and started her up. As they pulled out of the car park, he glimpsed the taller man settling in for a nap, obviously spent, and sank into a chair, remembering.
Flashback
Ben blinked heavily as the headlights from an oncoming car grew brighter then flashed past. Maybe it was a really stupid idea to attempt the road trip from Kansas City to Seattle in one day, but he couldn't afford more time off work, what with two small kids to support, a wife who had suddenly decided that she was in love a New York hotshot of a lawyer and now, he remembered with a pang of grief, his fathers funeral to repay.
"Daddy, are we there yet?" a small voice asked chirpily from the backseat.
Gritting his teeth, Ben closed his eyes for the briefest of moments.
"No Anna," he replied. "Soon, though, we'll be home soon."
"You said that before, daddy," she admonished, pouting in the way only overtired three year olds can pout – the dreaded 'I'm about two-and-a-half-seconds-away-from-bursting-into-hysterical-tears' pout.
"I know I did, sweetpea, but we're closer now than we were before," he promised. "Why don't you try and get some sleep like Jayden, hey?"
"But I want to be home now! I want mummy!" she demanded, and Ben snapped.
"Anna, for Christs sake, we're almost home, would you stop your damn whinging?" he yelled. Anna drew in a sharp breath and her bottom lip quivered dangerously and Ben immediately regretted his words. "Oh, sweetpea, I'm so sorry. I want your mummy to be home too, but she lives with Jake now, remember?" She nodded, sniffling, and Ben sighed heavily as a sign, illuminated by his headlights, loomed out of the darkness. "Hey, what d'ya say we pull over and get some hot chocolate?" he asked gratefully pulling into the exit that led to a small gas station and diner.
"OK daddy," she said quietly. "Can I wake Jayden up?"
"No, honey, let's let him sleep a while. I'll ask the man in the diner to heat up his bottle, and then I'll wake him up, OK?" he explained, pulling his SUV in beside a black, 1969 Chevy Impala, and pausing to admire the sleek lines of the car. "Nice," he breathed.
"What's nice, daddy?" Anna asked, inquisitive as always and Ben smiled.
"Nothing, sweetpea. Just a car," he admitted, slipping from the car and helping Anna to the ground before slipping on his baby carrier and reaching in to unbuckle his sleeping 6 month old son. With the ease of long practise, he fed Jayden's unco-operative body into it and smiled when he didn't wake, before hoisting his diaper-bag onto his shoulder and closing the door. Anna stood patiently as he locked the SUV then held out a hand to her then, taking it, she smiled up at him and they moved towards the diner.
Ben almost sagged with relief when he heard the familiar chime of bells as he opened the door, and the man behind the counter smiled at him and the kids welcomingly.
"Hi there, what can I get you folks tonight?" he asked kindly, taking in their appearance.
"A hot chocolate, a coffee with as much caffeine as you can legally cram into it, and a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich please, Wal," Ben smiled tiredly, glancing at the man's nametag and rummaging around in the diaper-bag for his wallet.
"Sure thing. That'll be $8.35, thanks," Wal said, accepting the $10 bill with a smile. (A/N: I'm Australian – Damned if I know American prices)
"Keep the change. And is there any way you could warm my son's bottle up for me? He's been asleep for about four hours so he's due for a feed," he explained with a faint note of pleading in his voice. Wal smiled and held out his hand for the bottle. "Thank you."
"No problems. I'll bring it all out in a minute, if you'd care to take a seat." Ben smiled and turned, surveying the diner. It was mostly empty, except for a man and two young boys in a booth towards the back of the diner. Subconsciously seeking company, he started towards them, choosing the booth over from them and sending the man a quick, tight smile as Anna stood next to him, watching the younger of the two boys with wide eyes.
"Hi," she said suddenly as the boy smiled at her.
"Anna, leave the nice people alone sweetpea," he said tiredly.
"Ah, leave 'em be," the other man said gruffly. "Can't hurt." Finally getting a good look at him, Ben was startled to see the he looked like he'd been worked over good.
"Lord, are you all right?" he asked before he could stop to think about wise it was.
"I'm fine. Dean," he said sharply, turning to the older of the two boys. The boy straightened, despite his obvious fatigue.
"Yes sir," he replied swiftly.
"Keep an eye on Sammy and Anna, you hear me? You're on duty," he told him quietly, almost too quietly for Ben's straining ears to catch. "Something here isn't right."
"Agreed, sir," the boy said, casting his eyes over the other family and Ben caught his breath as he came face to face with the most startling pair of hazel eyes he'd ever seen in his life. With a solemn nod in his direction, Dean slipped from the booth and smiled brightly at Anna and Sam, a smile that didn't quite reach those remarkable eyes. "Hey, Sammy, I've got your cards. Wanna show Anna?" he asked, reaching into his pocket to bring out what looked to be every baseball card ever produced.
"Baseball cards?" Anna said brightly. "Oh, please! I like baseball cards a whole lot!" Still smiling, the boy called Dean herded them towards the back of the room.
"She'll be fine with Dean. He's great with the young ones. Been helping to look after Sammy since their mum died when he was four," the man assured him, moving over with his coffee to join him in the booth and held out his hand in greeting. "I'm John."
"Ben. And this here is Jayden," he said, smiling down at the boy. John smiled, taking another draft of his coffee. Glancing over his shoulder, he was relieved to see Anna was happily chatting away with Sam as Dean watched over them protectively. "Those are some boys you got there. How old?" he asked with a nod to Wal as he placed his order in front of him. "Thanks."
"Ten and seven. They're good kids," John replied with a smile. "What about you? It just you three?"
"Yeah. Peta decided a small town hick wasn't good enough for her. Left us when Jayden was just a month old to move to New York with her new boyfriend," he said, before clamming up.
"Ben," John said quietly, his tone forcing him to look up. "The brilliant thing about diner conversations at 2 o'clock in the morning is that, when we leave, we never have to see each other again."
"What's said in the diner, stays in the diner," Ben joked, drawing a wry smile from John as he tested Jayden's bottle on his wrist before jiggling the boy gently. "C'mon Jay-boy, time to wake up." The baby blinked several times and frowned as his dad unhooked the carrier and settled him into the crook of his arm, rubbing the teat over his lip. Realising exactly why he'd been woken up, Jayden drew the test into his mouth and sucked hungrily.
"You started him on solids, yet?" John asked, taking a deep draft from his coffee.
"Yeah. Fruit and the such," he said.
"Try some rice-based puddings – not wheat, or Dean will somehow find out, track you down and dress you down for it," John chuckled wryly as Ben shot him a quick, amused glance.
"Your eldest?" he asked.
"Yeah. After my Mary died, he took it upon himself to ask every person he's ever known how to look after a baby. I'm telling you, that boy's the best mother any kid could hope for," he said lightly, though his eyes flashed with pain. "He's the best mother Sam's ever had."
"If you don't mind me asking, how'd you lose your wife?" Ben asked, and John took another drink before placing it on the table and sighing deeply.
"She was murdered." The words were soft and filled with pain, and Ben immediately regretted opening his mouth.
"Oh God. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked," he apologised quickly, but John waved off his concerns with a shrug.
"It's no problem. It's been years," he said with a tight smile. "Listen, would you mind keeping an eye on the boys for me whilst I duck into the head?"
"Course not. I'm not going anywhere," he said with a nod at Jayden.
"Thanks," he said, slipping out and past the kids, ruffling Sammy's hair and speaking softly to Dean, who nodded solemnly and stood up, surreptitiously placing something in the back of his jeans as he placed himself strategically between the younger children and the door. A moment later John was out of sight and Ben settled himself more comfortably in the corner of the booth, picking up a quarter of the sandwich.
"Hey, Anna, your hot chocolate's here, sweetpea," he called out and she got to her feet and went to run to him, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on her arm. Ben stiffened instinctively until Dean smiled pleasantly, his free hand furtively motioning for Sam to collect his things and come with them.
"Walk, Anna. It's impolite to run," he reminded her, as Sam scrambled to his feet, handing his cards back to Dean before all three walked back to the booth.
"Daddy," Anna said with a bright grin. "Sam's got an original Babe Ruth card! Isn't that cool?" she enthused.
"That is cool," he admitted as Dean calmly sorted the cards and placed him back in his pocket before resuming his post by the booth, hazel eyes taking in everything around him. "Why don't you take a seat, Dean?"
"No thank you, sir. I prefer to stand," he said politely, turning to flash a brief smile at him before going back to standing between them and the door.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, thank you," he said, this time not bothering to turn as his brow furrowed as he watched two dark figures cross the car park. Watching as they reached into their jackets and brought something out, he stiffened and said quietly: "Ben, Anna, can you please get under the table for me?"
"Pardon?" Ben asked, surprised.
"Please," he said, turning calm eyes towards them. "Those aren't nice men. Under the table please." Thrown by the calm assuredness of the boy, Ben slid down, holding Jayden close, and watching as Sam pulled Anna with him and whispered:
"Anna, you want to play a game?" he whispered quickly as Ben heard the unmistakable 'click' of a safety lock being taken off a gun and he ducked his head out in time to see Dean place the weapon in the back of his jeans, before ducking into the opposite booth, keeping his eyes trained on the reflection of the men coming into the diner. Anna nodded, drinking her hot chocolate. "It's called possum. We lie here as quiet as we can, and the first person to make a noise or move loses – so, not matter what, just keep playing." Looking slightly puzzled, but still enamoured by her interesting, new friend, she agreed without question and shifted closer to Ben. "Ok, close your eyes and we'll start… now." Immediately her eyes slide closed and she went silent.
Sam glanced over at Dean, who was making a series of hand signals, which he replied to just as quickly. Glancing nervously out, Dean slid a knife, wrapped in a napkin to decrease friction, across to Sam, who placed it next to him. Ben gaped wordlessly and suddenly:
"Now, old man, put all the money in that bag and no-one gets hurt." The voice was cold, calm and calculated and it sent shivers down Ben's spine.
Anna stiffened but remained still, and Ben suddenly understood Sam's game. Keep her quiet and no one need know they're there at all. Looking over, he saw Dean shift silently to watch the robbers and resisted the urge to do the same for fear of disturbing his almost sleeping son. Praying that they'd be gone by the time Jayden finished his half-gone bottle, Ben settled in, placing a protective arm around Anna. Sam crouched silently, the knife now held tightly in his fist.
"Hey, he left some in there!" a second voice said, low and harsh, and the first started speaking again.
"Don't hold out on us old man," he warned and Ben stiffened at the sound of another 'click' identical to the one he'd heard just minutes earlier.
"I wasn't," Wal said, stoic and calm. "Just give me a moment."
"Do not tell us what to do!" the man hissed and Dean's jaw set, glancing over at his brother and starting a new set of hand signals, this time much more concise.
"Ok, sir, would please give me a moment to get you your cash? It shouldn't take long," Wal said, still calmly shoving the money into the bag he'd been provided. Suddenly, the man reached over and pistol whipped the older man, and Wal stumbled. Dean looked for a moment like he was going to spring up, but a glance from his brother calmed him and he settled back in to wait.
"Don't give me cheek, old man. Give me the money," he ordered, and Wal handed it over. The men began to back out, still pointing their weapons around as they watched for potential threats and Dean let out a quiet sigh of relief, and Ben silently agreed. If they could get out of this with the only injury being a pistol whip, then they'd have a lot to be thankful for.
At that moment, though, several things happened. The door to the bathroom creaked as John, unaware of the unfolding drama, stepped out, Jayden finished his bottle with a loud gurgle, Anna burst into a fit of giggles at the sudden noise, and all hell broke loose.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" the second man yelled, stepping back into the diner and Dean and Sam shared a quick glance and solemn nod as John cursed and ducked behind the last booth to avoid the shot that rang out. Ben quickly drew the empty bottle from his sons lips and Sam placed his hand over Anna's mouth to stop her from making any more noise. "WHAT WAS IT!"
Making a quick decision, Dean shoved his gun down the back of his jeans again and, with a warning glance at his brother, stood up, hands in the air.
"It's just me," he said, purposely making his voice tremble, before turning to Wal. "Grand-dad?"
"It's alright, kiddo. Just stay there," Wal said, quickly catching on to the deception.
"What was that noise?" the man demanded. "And you at the back! Get your arse up here! You too, kid!" Dean bit his lip, as though thinking, giving him the chance to send a very quick hand signal to Sam before starting up to the front of the room. Immediately, he went to move towards Wal, but was stopped by the smaller of the two men.
"Don't even think about it, kid. You stay here with us," he said with a humourless chuckle, turning cold eyes on John as he moved forward, sending the same signal to Sam as he walked towards the front of the diner. Glancing at Sam, he noticed that the boys face was set into a mask of grim acceptance, as he pulled Anna closer to him and shushed her almost silently. Fighting to keep Jayden from making more noise, Ben hoisted him against his shoulder and patted his back.
"What was that noise? The giggle?" the stockier man demanded of Dean.
"Uh, that was me. When I get nervous I…" Dean cut himself off with a high pitched, remarkably girly giggle that sounded very similar to Anna's, then there was a small slapping noise that indicated that he'd cut himself off with a hand over his mouth. Ben waited quietly to hear whether they'd believe it, as Sam closed his eyes for a moment, obviously trying not to find humour in the situation.
"And the noise before it?"
"I was finishing off the lemonade grand-dad got me," he lied swiftly, forcing his hands to tremble before shoving them in his back pockets for easy access to his gun.
"And you? Who are you?" Ben heard one of the men demand of John.
"Alex Whittaker," John said, accentuating his native Texan accent to a drawl. "I'm just passing through. Never coming here again though."
"You a cop?" he asked slowly.
"Ha! Nah, not me. I prefer fun to lawfulness, if y'know what I mean," he said and Ben could almost hear the easy grin on his face. Ben let out a shaky breath, hoping that the interrogation was over.
"You two look similar." Sam stiffened instinctively at the observation, his hand closing on his knife reflexively.
"Who? The kid and I? Never seen him before in m'life. He's whatsits grandson," John lied easily.
"You lyin' to me, Alex Whittaker?" the quieter of the two asked gravely, and Ben shook slightly at the coldness that permeated the voice.
"Hell no. I don't make a habit of lyin' to guys with guns," John said.
"And you kid? You ever seen him before?"
"No sir. I'm visiting Grand-dad from Wisconsin, and I've never seen him before in my life," Dean lied just as easily. There was silence for a few minutes then:
"C'mon, G, we got what we came for." Ben closed his eyes. It was almost over. "Shoot 'em and let's get outta here." Immediately, Sam sprang into a defensive position, and Ben handed Jayden to Anna.
"Hold him tight, sweetpea, don't let go," he told her quietly, kissing her forehead. "I love you."
"No. Stay," Sam warned him almost silently.
"Sam," he whispered back.
"No. This is what we do. Stay with your kids," he said, shooting out from under the table just as the first shot rang out, closely followed by the sound of shattering glass, and leaving Ben to contemplate his final words. Covering Anna and Jayden with his own body, he listened with rising horror as shots continued to ring out, punctuated by grunts and dull thuds that indicated hand-to-hand combat. Suddenly, a pained scream rang out over the air. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was really only a few minutes, there was one final gunshot and the noise stopped and silence covered the diner.
"Soldiers, report." The strange order was the most welcomed sound that Ben had ever heard, as Johns voice rang through the diner.
"Not higher than three – two broken ribs, bruising," Sam reported briskly.
"Seven. Assistance not required. Gunshot wound to the upper right arm, fractured ribs, heavy bruising, knife wound," Dean reported. "You?"
"Not higher than three. Dislocated shoulder. Come on, boys, let's get outta here," John said, his footsteps coming closer as he grabbed some things from the table.
"You can come out, Ben." Dean's voice startled the older man and he clambered out from under the table, holding out a hand to Anna, who pulled herself and her brother out, holding Jayden close to her small body as she watched the three men with something akin to awe. "You keep him safe, Anna, you hear me?" Dean said, his face set in a grim line.
"Yes sir," she replied with quiet determination, as John turned to Ben.
"You'll be questioned. I don't care what you say, but you know exactly nothing about us," he said and Ben nodded. Dean stood on the bench and John braced himself against the table as the boy placed his hands on his shoulder. "Go." Suddenly, Dean pushed his useless shoulder back into the socket. Biting down hard, John grunted in pain. "Really didn't need this today, did we buddy?" he asked Dean when he'd caught his breath and Ben found himself breathing a sigh of relief to hear John speaking so candidly with his son.
"No, dad, we didn't. We need to get going. Cops will be here anytime," Dean warned his father as Sam reached into his brothers pocket and pulled out his cards, sorting through efficiently til he came to his Babe Ruth card, then handing it to Anna.
"For winning the game," he explained sombrely and she accepted it with one hand, still clutching her brother to her chest.
"I won't be seeing you," she said quietly and Sam nodded affirmation. "You're still my best friend."
"Yep," he replied, then the three strode to the door, pausing only so John could say to a shaken Wal:
"That security tape needs to be destroyed – preferably burned, and preferably now."
"Of course," Wal replied.
"Hey!" Ben called out suddenly, and the three turned back, John still in the process of stepping over the frighteningly still form of one of the robbers. "Thankyou." John sighed and continued on, but Dean caught his eye and, with a flash of hazel and a nod, was gone into the night. A few seconds later, the purr of an engine filtered through the night and the Impala tore off out of the car park. Crouching down, Ben gathered his kids into his arms and hugged them tightly, as Wal strode out into the back room to take out the tape and place it in a safe hidden behind a picture. Coming back out, he caught Ben's eye.
"When the cops are gone, you need to see that. Just so you know what happened," he said quietly as, as if on cue, sirens wailed in the night.
"What are we saying? I mean, about…" Ben said, gesturing to the two bodies on the floor.
"That three men came in and interrupted the robbery. They fought and managed to get the robbers weapons off them, and in the confusion, shots were fired and they were killed," Wal said as two police cars and an ambulance pulled up in the car park.
"You hear that, Anna?"
"Yep," she replied seriously.
"Who are John and Sam and Dean?" he asked quickly as police came closer. Looking her father in the eye, she shrugged and asked:
"Who?"
"Good girl," he whispered into her hair, preparing himself for hours of questioning.
Hours later, Ben slumped in his chair and looked out into the sunrise, running his hands through his daughters hair as she slept, her small body turned to cradle her brother in between her and the back of the seat.
"Thankyou for your co-operation, sir. Rest assured that the men who did this will be caught," the officer said with a comforting smile, and Ben had to fight the urge to laugh as he nodded solemnly. Not with the descriptions we gave you, lady, he thought.
"I just want justice to be served, officer," he said quietly and she nodded, reaching over to grasp his hand briefly before returning to her partner. Wal walked over with two cups of coffee and Ben smiled at him warmly as he handed one over. "They almost gone?" he mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.
"I give it fifteen minutes, tops. Death in a robbery isn't unusual, so I doubt there'll even be a real investigation, particularly as it looks like these are those blokes who were terrorising the central a few months back," Wal mumbled back, taking a sip of coffee.
"The ones that shot and killed all those people execution style?" Ben asked quietly, in shock.
"That's them," Wal said grimly, realisation of how close they had come to death finally setting in. "We were lucky we had our 'mystery saviours' here, or we'd have ended up just like them."
"Damn, lucky indeed. I mean, first good luck I've had in the last year, but what a time to get lucky, huh?" he said wryly.
"Indeed."
"Wal, Mr. Porter, if there's nothing more you'd like to add, we're going to go back to the office to continue our investigations there," the same officer who had been with Ben just a few minutes before said with a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, OK," Wal said, playing the part of the shell-shocked owner well. "I'll give you a ring if I think of anything else, Constance."
"Of course. And listen, Wal, you make sure that the security video has a damn tape in it next time, hey?" at his nod, she continued, "You want me to send my Jesse around to help you clean up this arvo?" she asked, casting a glance at the blood that stained the floor.
"I'll stay and help him, Officer," Ben offered with a smile.
"OK, sir," she said. "It's there's anything we can do for you…" she let the sentence trail off as Wal smiled at her.
"It's no problem, Constance. Just a little shock is all," he assured her. "Give Jesse and Gemma my regards, would you?"
"Of course, Wal. Try and get some rest at some point, hey? And get that bruise looked at – it could have broken your jaw," she said with a sympathetic smile.
"Sure will. I'm shutting down for the rest of today, anyway," he admitted, and she nodded to both of them before she and her partner walked out, flipping the sign to 'closed' and locking the door behind them, and left Wal, Ben and the kids alone in the diner. Waiting until the cops had pulled out of the car park and were on their way back to the headquarters, Ben bent down and covered Anna with his jacket.
"Daddy?" she whispered, waking immediately.
"I'm just going with Wal for a moment, OK, sweetpea?" he told her and she nodded.
"I'll look after Jayden," she promised, curling her body more fully around the sleeping 6-month-olds. Nodding, Ben slipped out of the booth after Wal and walked into the back room, where the older man immediately moved to the painting, pulling it off and revealing the safe.
"Nice hiding place," Ben said, taking in the presence of a larger safe under the desk. "No one would think to look for a second one."
"Yeah. I keep original papers and things in the big one, valuables in this one," Wal informed him, pulling the tape out and closing the safe before replacing the painting. Going over to the VCR, he pushed the tape in and rewound for about eight minutes to when the men had entered, then pressed play and stepped back to stand next to Ben. "You ready for this?"
"I couldn't see a damn thing from where I was, so yeah, definitely," Ben said watching as the men came in, ski-masks over their faces and wielding guns, to walk calmly over to Wal and demand the money. Feeling as though he were having some kind of out-of-body experience, he watched as they pistol whipped his new friend and then went to leave. "Is it stupid of me to be hoping they'll just walk out this time?" he asked wryly, and Wal chuckled.
"Nah, I was doing the same thing," he admitted, as the stockier of the two men snapped his head around and started yelling. The two flinched as Dean popped up from the booth, and started walking towards the robbers, followed by John. From the angle that the camera captured, they could easily see the signal that John sent Sam as he walked past. Gaping, Wal shook his head. "Well I'll be damned. That's sign. Aslan, to be exact. I think one of them was deaf," he said, shocked.
"Nah, I just think they're used to being in situations where they can't make a sound. What was that sign? Dean did it too," Ben asked quickly, still staring as the robbers and John and Dean faced off.
"Be safe," Wal replied quietly. "Ok, now watch this," he pointed to the screen as one of the robbers raised his gun, only to have his hand kicked out of the way by John. The gun discharged, shattering one of the windows, as Sam came charging over, his small body colliding forcefully with the knees of the taller robber, who was fighting with Dean for his gun, which went off again, the bullet hitting one of the seats.
John was fighting the stockier of the two, blocking and attacking with a swiftness neither Ben nor Wal would have associated with the man, leaving Dean and Sam to take down the taller, leaner man. Bringing his elbow around to quickly clip the man in the head, Dean managed to point the gun up and away, as the man squeezed the trigger, causing plaster to rain down on their heads. Taking one arm away quickly, the robber swiftly punched Dean in the ribs, and Ben flinched, knowing that was how the child had gotten his fractured ribs.
Sam immediately took over for a few moments as Dean gathered his wits, increasing the speed and intensity of his attacks on the man's lower half and forcing him to turn his attention away from the older boy. In the moment of inattention, Dean wrenched the gun from his hands and brought his palm up to break the mans nose, which immediately started gushing with blood.
John, meanwhile, was still fighting the other man, having managed to knock his gun out of the way. Knocking the robber to the ground, the man scrambled for the gun, and John quickly stomped on his wrist, breaking it badly. Immediately, the man brought a small knife up to stab at him with his free hand and John had to awkwardly step out of the way, twisting to avoid a fall. In that moment, the man grasped the gun and pointed it at John, who immediately reacted by kicking his hand out of the way and throwing himself at him.
Ben gaped at the gun discharged and Dean cursed as a red stain bloomed on his upper right arm, but continued fighting as though it were just a scratch. Sam's little face immediately took on an angry inflection and he took his knife and severed the Achilles tendons of the man they were fighting.
"Ah, that was the scream," Ben flinched, as the man doubled over with an agonised scream, leaving Dean with the gun. Glancing at his father, who had just stumbled slightly, clutching a useless arm to his chest as the robber went to raise the gun to shot him, Dean hastily brought up his own, pulling the trigger. The pair of men watched as the robber gaped wordlessly as he fell to the floor, his eyes wide and unseeing. Sam flinched, and the other robber, realising that he was about to meet the same fate, pulled the younger child down with him, forcing the knife out of his hand as he brought his good leg up to knee Sam in the side, breaking his ribs. Sam gasped and rolled out of the way, as the man swiped at Deans legs, leaving a deep wound across his lower leg. Barely acknowledging the wound, Dean pointed the gun at him impassively and pulled the trigger. Immediately, the man slumped as a small circle appeared on his forehead.
Ben and Wal watched, shocked and awed into silence by the scene that had unfolded before them. Watching, they saw John impassively survey his sons before ordering them to report, then gather their belongings. Watching, Ben saw Anna clutch Jayden closer to her as Dean told her to keep him safe, then the way she had watched them leave with something akin to sorrow in her face.
"That poor boy. He has to live with having done that his entire life," Ben whispered, as he saw Dean's eyes flicker to the bodies on the ground, then look up to meet his eyes in the video. Wal sighed as the young boy nodded solemnly and followed his family out into the darkness.
"Father, the forgiver, keep our brothers John, Dean and Sam from harm. Protect them with the loving arms of thou embrace. This is our plea to you," Wal said, bowing his head gravely.
"Amen," Ben said quietly, sighing as Wal removed the tape and placed it in his bag.
"I'll burn it when I get home. Could be suspicious if the cops come back around and smell it here," he explained at Ben's sharp look. "Don't worry, it'll be gone by tonight."
"WALLACE SAUTER! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" A young woman yelled almost hysterically, pounding on the door. Immediately, Wal walked over and opened the door, finding himself in the embrace of the woman in a moment. "My God, Wal! What happened? Are you OK? Whose blood is that?" she asked in quick succession.
"Now, Prue, you calm yourself down, you hear me?" Wal said, pulling back to look her in the eye and waiting until she was semi-calm before informing her. "We were robbed last night and it got a little out of control when some men interrupted them. The robbers were killed."
"My God! Are you OK? Look at your face! Have you had it looked at?" she asked, touching his swollen cheek tenderly.
"No need. They can't do nothing for it," he shrugged, as Ben watched. Turning to him, Wal smiled and gestured for him to come over. "Ben, this is Prudence Hawkins, she works the morning shift here. Prue, Ben Porter. Ben was here with his young ones when the robbery happened," he explained to Prue.
"Are you OK?" she asked, turning clear blue eyes to Ben, who almost gasped as he got a good look at her.
"Yeah. We're fine, thanks," he managed as she embraced him as well.
"And the kids?"
"Fine. Sleeping - Just over in that booth there," he said, nodding to where his jacket was rising and falling with Anna's gentle breaths.
"May I?" she asked, gesturing towards them vaguely. Ben nodded and walked over with her, where she leaned down to brush Anna's hair out of her face. "She's beautiful," she whispered, before reaching down to touch Jayden's cheek with her fingertips, "and look at this little heartbreaker, hey?"
"And here I thought I was just being prejudiced," Ben joked, drawing a bright smile from Prue, as she sat down next to the kids. Anna woke for a few moments, then smiled shyly at Prue and shifted so her head was in the woman's lap, before placing a protective arm around her brother and falling back to sleep. Ben watched in shock – Anna was fine with men, but she normally didn't trust women easily. Prue blushed, but stroked the girls hair tenderly.
Suddenly, Ben's cell phone rang and he flipped it open. "Porter… Yes, sir, I am aware, but I have a… my children and I were involved in a robbery last… Big Sky, Montana… No, I can't make it before lunch. I'm sorry, did you hear me? My children and I were… two men died…. You know what, you can take your threats and your job and you can shove it where it fits. I don't need this. Good bye." Prue smiled sympathetically as he shut his phone with more force than was strictly necessary.
"Nasty," she said simply.
"Can you believe him? I tell him my kids and I could have been killed and he asks if I can be there by lunch!" Ben exploded angrily, before sinking into the bench seat and covering his face with his hands. "Now, of course, there's the whole having to make sure I have enough money to feed the kids, but seriously!"
"Well, you've got a job here if you need it, Ben," Wal said quietly. "Been looking for someone to go in partners with me for a while. It's not always so exciting, I'll admit, but we're making a good profit." Prue and Wal looked at him patiently, and he furrowed his brow.
"I think I can do without that kind of excitement again. I know exactly nothing about running a diner. I'm an insurance salesman," he admitted, drawing grins from both.
"It's not hard, and you look like a quick learner," Wal grinned. "What do you say? Stay here a few months and see if you like it?"
Looking down at his peacefully sleeping children, he bit his lip then sighed. "Why not? I'll have to ask Anna when she wakes up, but it sounds like a plan." Catching Prue's eye, he grinned.
End Flashback
Suddenly, there was a chime as the door opened and he looked up to see two women and a young man looking down at him, concerned.
"Ben - you all right, babe?" Prue asked, reaching over to place a tender hand on his forehead. "You looked a million miles away."
"Yeah, hon, I'm fine. Morning, sweetpea," he said with a slightly evil grin as Anna – Anne, he reminded himself - leant over to kiss his cheek. Rolling her eyes, Anne flicked him on the shoulder and slipped in beside her brother as Jayden sat on the other side of the booth.
"OK, well I'm going to get to work," Prue said, as Ben got up to kiss her tenderly, drawing sarcastic 'aww's from the kids. "Everyone up for omelettes this morning?"
"We have training today, mum, so you'd better throw in some grain toast as well please," Jay reminded her, and Prue grinned.
"I know that, Jayden. I'm your mother, that's my job," she said, ruffling his hair as he ducked away, grinning.
"Yes, mum," he sing songed, as she walked away, grinning. "So, what were you thinking about, dad?" he asked, grabbing a napkin and starting to make an origami crane out of it.
"Anne will probably find this more interesting, but a couple of young men came in last night," he started, and Anne grinned.
"I like this story already," the 16-year old teased, drawing a wry look from her father, who stopped, trying to figure out how to continue. "What, they want some ski lessons, is that it?" she asked finally. "Because I'm sorry, but I really have to focus on training and school, I don't have time."
"They were in a 1969 black Chevy impala," he said casually, but Anne froze, staring at him.
"No way," she whispered.
"Dean and Sam were here?" Jay asked, dumbfounded. Despite being too young to remember the story personally, he'd grown up with his sister telling him the story, particularly when he'd get annoyed at her for being too protective.
"I'd be willing to bet money on it. Came in for coffee, but then Dean recognised me and left in a real hurry," Ben admitted.
"Oh my God! I mean, how can you be sure? It's been, what, 13 years?" Anne asked, still in shock.
"The eyes. He had Dean's eyes, was the age he should be and had the car. It was them," he said with conviction.
"How did they look?" Jay asked, leaning forward.
"Fine. Tired, but fine," Ben assured them, conveniently forgetting to mention the fresh scar that he'd noticed that had ran the length of Dean's forearm.
"Wow. So you think they're still out there, helping people like they helped us?" Anne asked, with a small smile. Ben smiled softly, remembering the small smirk that had played on Dean's lips as he nodded to him.
"I'm sure of it, Anna. I'm absolutely sure of it."
A/N: YES! First completed Supernatural fic. Hope you enjoyed.