A/N:right now we are putting in about five pages a chapter. So hopefully we'll keep it in that neighborhood. PLZ Review. You'd want us to review if it were your story... Pleeeeeeease, I'll cry if you don't. (Who wants to bet this only works with toddlers?)
Chapter Three
"Your little friend hit my son." Athena shrugged off Mrs. Morton's words. "Don't you care? He hit your brother." Athena turned away from her pot of unidentifiable gook, her mother was cooking.
"No, honestly. I don't."
"Well you should. He gave your brother a bloody lip and for some reason he has bruises on his back."
"Why should I care? He deserves it more than anyone I know or have ever met."
"You just keep an eye on that boy. If he touches my son again I'll have to bring out the big guns." the older woman warned.
"Yes, and Dean's a hunter too, he'll manage just fine with your 'big guns'." Mrs. Morton threw her hands up in the air.
"Where's your sister? I have to give her that talk about good friends and bad friends again." Athena shrugged.
"I don't now I've not seen her." she lied. Athena returned to her watch of the food on the stove as aunts, uncles, and cousins she only ever saw on holidays wove their way through the house. She could hear Dean in the next room telling one of her foster cousins that he was a rep. for a big modeling agency.
"Hey Teenie!" An older man said wrapping his arms around Athena from behind.
"Hey Uncle Tom! I thought you were busy on Thanksgiving."
"Not this year. I got time off. How's my girl been?"
"I've been pretty good. Got in a fight, lost a lot of blood and Autty got shot."
"You're okay though?"
"I'm just fine. You can't squeeze Autumn though, she got shot right between her arm and stomach so… it hurts her pretty bad." the old man laughed.
"Sounds like her. Falls off the horse and breaks her tail bone but landed on her stomach. That girl never did get injured in a sensible way. So, anyway who'd you bring?" Athena unwrapped herself from his embrace and led him into the family room. Sam and Dean automatically drifted toward her when they spotted her.
"Uncle Tom, this is Sam and Dean. Autty met them back in college." Tom shook their hands.
"Strong hand shake." he commented. "Sign of a good man… or was it a working man?" he shrugged. "Either way, its nice to meet you."
"You too, sir." Sam said. Dean gave an up nod and looked toward the steps.
"Waiting on something there kiddo?" Uncle Tom asked Dean.
"Not exactly, I sent Autumn upstairs for something that should have taken ten minutes and she's been up there almost an hour. If you'll excuse me." he didn't wait on a response he just clapped the man on the back and headed off to check on Autumn.
"He had a run in with Billy-Jack already." Athena informed her uncle.
"Oh, dear. That boy still needs taken out behind the shed?" Uncle Tom asked.
"More than ever."
"Well it sounds like the man has a brain." Uncle Tom grinned.
"Yeah, kind of. Dean's not always the smartest guy in the world." The man laughed.
"So did your sister just randomly call them, how long have you two known each other?"
"About a month." Sam said.
"A month, huh?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay. Well hey, I've got a lot more people to go say Hi to. So I'll be seeing you kids later." The man shook Sam's hand again, hugged Athena and walked off.
"Well he seemed nice, is the rest the family like that?" Sam asked hopefully. Athena laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I wish. He's sort of the family's Gandalf."
"Meaning what exactly?" Sam asked.
"He's the strange old guy that shows up randomly and always has cool fire works. He even has a staff." she straighten back up. "Well used to. Billy-Jack broke it during this Jedi phase."
"Dinner about ready?" Athena nodded.
"Yea, its getting close. Mom will wake Dad up soon. He'll like you." she assured him.
"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked looking around the room. He was aware that everyone was watching them and trying very hard to look like they weren't.
"Because he even liked the hitchhikers. Besides," she started to walk off back to the kitchen. "you saved our asses." Sam shook his head. This was promising to be a long two days.
"You okay?" Dean asked knocking on the bedroom door. Autumn was leaned over an ironing board.
"Yea, I'm fine." she said cheerily. "Just ironing your and Sammy's suits."
"Why?"
"Haven't you noticed the dress code? Yours is on the bed there. You can get dressed wherever. There's a bathroom across the hall." she sprayed more starch on Sam collar.
"I just met your uncle Tom." Dean said pulling off his t-shirt. Autumn kept her back to him.
"Really? He's usually busy this time of year. Did he like you?" Dean shrugged on the stiff white shirt and started buttoning it up.
"You need to lay off the starch or we won't be able to sit down." Autumn gave an airy laugh.
"I wouldn't be too worried about that. Everyone down there is stiff. There are only three beds up here. But my bed is the big bed so if you want Teenie, and I will share and you boys can have your own rooms again."
"You realize we did share a bed most the time growing up?"
"If you want to share my bed whatever. It really don't matter to me."
"So, this is your room? I pictured something… different." he said sitting down on her bed to kick off his shoes.
"Yea, well her highness can't leave well enough alone. She redecorated while I was gone. Just hope she didn't find my floor board." Autumn slid Sam's shirt on a hanger carefully lacing the sleeves through the jacket's sleeves before starting on his pants.
"Your floorboard?" Dean walked behind Autumn with his pants. He slid off his jeans and put on the black dress pants. "I didn't know people actually had floorboards where they hid crap."
"Yea, I have a floor board, and a hidden little room out in the barn behind a bookshelf. Back at one time I tried to dig a basement garage for our club house."
"What happened?" Dean asked amused with the idea.
"Our club house was by the creek and it was spring. The basement garage was flooded and it gutted the club house." she stopped her ironing to put Dean's tie on him. "We never did find our treasure map. But the bottle it had been in showed up a few years later floating in the pond."
"You must have had one strange childhood."
"It would've been fine had Morton not of tried to control it. Every kid has or had a clubhouse. Even if it was a few skids propped up against trees. Or sticks against trees and for roofs. It's a kid thing, they just like to have somewhere to go besides their friends house and their room." She finished with Dean's tie and handed him a black jacket. Neither one of them seen any sense in getting all dressed up like this, but Mrs. Morton was a pain and it was something they had to do. Even as kids they would dress up in little red dresses and the boys had their own suits. "Come on, let's go get Sammy so he can get dressed."
"Aren't you going to get the girls' gifts?" she shook her head.
"No, don't want all the little kids getting jealous." The pair trotted back downstairs and snaked through the crowd looking for Sam. They finally found him on a stool in the corner of the kitchen.
"Don't you look spiffy." he said when he saw Dean.
"Your suit is hanging on the back of my bedroom door. Go get dressed." Autumn instructed. Sam stood up and walked off to Autumn's old bedroom.
"Ms. Bitch knows Dean beat the shit out of Billy. It's pretty funny." Athena said standing at the stove.
"What'd she say?" Autumn asked laughing.
"She said that our little friend hit our 'brother' and that if he touches him again she'll bring out her big guns." The two girls started laughing harder than necessary.
"Big guns…?" Dean asked.
"Yeah. Her big guns are having Mr. Morton yell at you. But it's okay, he just acts like he's pissed. He takes you behind one of the barns, talks to you about hitting him. He's amused by it so he don't care. In fact, he laughs about it. But when you come back you have to act like you just got yelled at a lot and try to keep a straight face." Athena explained.
"Uh huh… well I'm not sure I like this family. It's starting to confuse me." Dean complained.
"Welcome to my world." Autumn said.
Sam came down a little later with his tie crooked but otherwise looking like every other drone in the family. Martha pushed Athena to fix Sam's tie as if this was the greatest gesture known to man kind. Mr. Morton finally woke up and came out of his own will but refused to wear a suit at least not the normal kind of suit. He was wearing a jogging suit with a heavy looking gold chain around his neck sporting the word Grandpa. He hugged both girls tightly before shaking the boys' hands as they were introduced.
"So what do you think? Like my bling?" he asked a twinkle in his eyes. Autumn nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, it's wonderful. What does Mom think?" she asked.
"Betty Sue did some squawking the only word I understood was divorce. But I know better than to get my hopes up." he gave them a toothless smile. "Now, I need to find my little Kendra I think she stole my teeth again." As the man walked off Dean made a disgusted face as if someone had just thrown up on his lap and then began eating it.
"How can you lose your teeth to a little girl?" he asked.
"Who knows. Anyway, I'm pretty sure dinner is ready now. So as soon as Mrs. Morton announces it to everyone and they all sit down we should be okay to eat." Autumn replied.
"No, after that I don't ever want to eat again." Autumn rolled her eyes.
"You are such a baby, dork."
Even after dinner was announced it took a half hour to get everyone seated and the kids served before the adults could even look at their food. Every chance she got Mrs. Morton shot Dean a dirty look. Dean just kept close to Autumn and Athena, who weren't letting Sam far from sight either. Billy-Jack sat directly across from Autumn and made a point of making eye contact with her, even though she practically slid under the table when he did. Dean wanted to knock the man's lights out. He was married he shouldn't be bothering with any of this. Mrs. Morton stood up from her chair at the head of the table.
"Family, it's time for grace." she said her blue fawn hair seemed to glow under the light of the dinning room. "Why don't we have Autumn's guest say it this year, Dean, please?" Dean shook his head.
"No thank you." he tried to be as polite as possible.
"Please, say grace." Mrs. Morton pressed. Dean looked towards the only familiar faces.
"I'm not really a praying person." he tried, laying the charm on thick.
"Nonsense, boy. When the time comes we're all praying people." Mrs. Morton made another move to prove Dean unworthy of air. But Autumn to the rescue. She took his rough, calloused hand in her soft warm one; interlacing their fingers, in a not just praying manner, then laid the pair between their dinner plates.
"Join hands." she said making it obvious this was her stand. "Dear God, we are gathered here today as family. Our lives' paths forever crossed, intertwining, as we make our way to you. We give you thanks today for all you have and will continue to do for us. We may not always act as we should, but you are always in our hearts. Please forgive us for our sins, present and future. Finally we give thanks for our wonderful meal. Amen."
"Amen." Everyone said raising their bowed heads. Hands were released though Autumn kept his moving it into her lap. Food was served and only once eating commenced did Mrs. Morton comment on her prayer.
"That was certainly an interesting prayer, dear." Autumn smiled.
"I don't see how so. All I did was say what you and my parents worked so hard to instill in me."
"Yes, but we never said prayer was a weapon did we?" the pleasant tones of their voices did very little to hide the hostile emotions brewing just below the surface.
"You know what we do, God can be our best weapon. He, at least doesn't judge negatively to our job."
"Not now, Autumn."
"Why not?" Autumn demanded. "I think now is a right fine time. So what's the hang up this time? You said to bring someone, we brought two, amazing, polite, handsome, gentlemen who have been nothing but respectful to us, and your family. But that's not good enough. Billy-Jack is married. Martha gave him four beautiful children, and puts up with his shit better than I ever did! So it damn well, better not be that again." Autumn was lost, steam rolling her foster mother. "You took us in, fed and clothed us. Then released us to the world.! Trust your damn handy work! I mean, what the hell? We were good kids! The most trouble we ever gave you was a few detentions for tardiness. Now we do something we love, and get to protect innocent people. Save their lives! So can't you trust our choice of friends? Want to know their big bad secrets! Dean and Sam are after the thing that killed their mother, and damn near killed them and their dad.
"We're not just shacking up, not the way you think of it. There's no sex involved here. If Athena and I wanted to find a couple of guys for meaningless sex we wouldn't chose the sons of a man we respect like John Winchester! My God! I love the Winchesters! I genuinely care about them. If my death meant the complete and total destruction of that demon that killed Mary, hurting her men this way; I'd be dead a zillion times over!" Autumn let go of his hand finally slamming herself back and standing up. She never looked away from Mrs. Morton. "What's the worst that can happen, I might be happy?" this final question came out barely above a whisper before Autumn left the room. Athena shot him a glance that told him to chase after her sister. But that wasn't his style. He wasn't some puppy looking to please.
"Dean, Autumn and Athena have always been like daughters to my husband and I. We'd give anything to keep them" he didn't let her finish. He stood up to leave.
"Shove it lady. If you wanted to keep them safe you wouldn't have let your son treat her the way he does. Wanna know the really sick part? I mean Autumn is more than capable of dealing with your son, but his son will be raised to treat women the same way. You're going to stand by and let that bastard infect the next generation. Really, nice work." he left taking the same route Autumn had taken.
The room was silent for a long time the only sound was the chinking of silverware on china. Athena and Sam kept their heads down and Mrs. Morton just stood there looking over her family. The guests all ate awkwardly, and Billy-Jack glared at his food. When Mrs. Morton finally sat down some of the more exuberant eaters were starting on their second plates, and the kids table had erupted in laughter as Jimmy, a five year old belonging to a third cousin, balanced a spoon on his nose.
"That was some speech in there." Dean said wrapped his jacket around Autumn's shoulders.
"Meant every damn word too." they were standing on the back porch just outside the kitchen. It had gotten pretty chilly today and she was cover in goose bumps.
"So is this every family or just yours?" Autumn turned around to look at him and laughed.
"You are such an ass." he grinned.
"Thanks, I do what I can." Autumn shook her head and started pacing the length of the porch.
"Are you aware being with you is like skinny dipping?"
"You've been skinny dipping?"
"Yea, several times." Dean closed his eyes and chased the image out of his mind.
"So how am I like skinny dipping." he asked.
"Not you personally, but being with you. At first it sounds so cool, getting to hang with a hunter, then you doing it its just so exhilarating you don't know what's what."
"And afterward?" Autumn shrugged.
"I'm in the water here I don't know what it's like to just get out and walk off." Dean excepted this answer.
"You still cold?"
"Yea, but I've been colder, I'll live." he started to say something about all she needed was to get sick now too but stopped himself settling to just sit down on the steps.
"Must have been hell."
"What?"
"Growing up with that woman and her spawn." Autumn dropped down next to him and tugged at her skirt trying to keep it modest, not that he hadn't seen everything else already.
"It wasn't so bad. I mean, it was awful when I had to be with her."
"You liked being with him?" Autumn nodded.
"Yea, we went out for like six years so there must have been some good stuff."
"Six years shot to hell by hunting." he remarked.
Autumn didn't like to think of it like that, for her hunting was her big escape from the life she'd been living. A life that wasn't meant for anyone. Dean didn't say anything else and she was satisfied to sit in silence. They could hear conversation starting up in the dinning room. The shock of their display finally wearing off. Shortly after eating the family started leaving. At first just small numbers who had another family function somewhere else, then the numbers started growing, until only five or six extra bodies were around. Still Dean and Autumn sat on the porch lost in their own thoughts.
"He beat on you didn't he?" she'd hinted at it but hadn't actually come out right and said it. Now Autumn looked at him, slowly she nodded.
"At first I thought it was just rough housing, then it got worse. We didn't have to be goofing off for him to get rough. He'd do bad on a test or have a bad day then come home and hit me, yell at me. Like it was all my fault. I really never thought much of it. His parents acted like it wasn't going on so I figured it was normal. I was just thankful he only left bruises where you couldn't see them." Dean shook his head and looked down at the ground.
"That's shit." Autumn laughed placing her hand briefly on his arm.
"Yea, I know it is! But, it's the truth. Right up until I found your family again."
"Hey! I found them, Sammy." Athena poked her head out the door. "What are we doing?"
"What's it look like?" Autumn asked scooting back against the post that held up the hand railing.
"Looks, like you're hiding from clean up." Athena grinned. She came out and the door no sooner banged shut then Sam came out.
"Then what are you doing?" Autumn shot back.
"Same thing. We going to see the guys tomorrow?" Athena sat down by her sister holding her legs under herself.
"Yea, go pay last respects to Hefferina. Then we can run out and see Father Bill. Unless, of course, you had a better idea." Autumn leaned her head over on her sister's shoulder.
"Nope. Sounds good to me." Athena smoothed Autumn's hair out before pressing her cheek against the top of her head. "Mom wants to know how long we're in for." Autumn shrugged.
"That's up to the boys. When they say go we pull up our skirts and run."