Not much to say here...I usually write some type of introduction thingy before each chapter, and I'm only writing this load of crap now out of habit, I guess. Wow, I'm tired! (If you can't tell!) Okay, well, here's chapter 6. Please, read and review! I really appreciate the ones I've gotten so far from Minako Mikoto, friendly, WinchestersGirl, JazzaAckles, Glaceo, Melissa Brandybuck, and Lilithxfic.
Sam had never seen anything like what stood before him, and he had seen many extraordinary things in his life. As he stepped out of the passenger side of the Impala and onto the faded pavement of the parking lot to the right of the mansion, he finally understood why Dean had been so excited about visiting this place. He was merely looking at its side now, from a distance, and yet the Winchester House of Mystery was instilling into him a sense of awe, a sense he had never experienced in all his years of hunting the paranormal. He turned to his brother, his mouth open, and pointed to the house that stood before them.
"Did you know it was like this, Dean? I mean, this BIG?"
"Well, yeah dude. Duh. You really think I'd do crappy ass research for an entire night without looking at any pictures?"
"I have."
"Well, you're different, Sammy, everyone knows that. Honestly, I'm surprised your brain hasn't exploded and spilled out all over the place, college-boy."
"However hard for you it is to believe, Dean, plenty of normal people actually read and do research for enjoyment," stated Sam matter-of-factly.
"They're all freaks, Sammy."
"So you're telling me that you're the normal one of the family?" questioned Sam, laughing slightly at the prospect.
"Nobody in this family is normal, Sam, in case you haven't noticed. I mean, you can't exactly turn on the Cosby show and watch Cliff take his family out for the traditional demon ass-whipping, now can you? But..." continued Dean, smiling mischievously at his brother, "...I'd definitely say that I come off a little less intense than you in person."
"What do you mean by that?" said Sam indignantly.
Dean stood back, evidently examining his brother. "Well, look at you, dude. You just look sad. And your freaky height doesn't help with anything. The chicks definitely prefer me over you."
Sam gasped, feigning anger to humor his brother. After the previous argument, it couldn't hurt to lighten the mood. It was Dean's defense against his true emotions, his way of keeping his characteristic hard exterior and his perpetual air of confidence. "That is so not true, Dean," he answered seriously.
"Oh come on, Sammy! The girlies just feel sorry for you, with your puppy-dog eyes and messy haircut. Every time we go to a bar, if some babe even comes up to you she ends up pouring out her deep dark secrets and you have to comfort her as she cries into your shoulder. That's not my idea of a good time."
"I don't know why that happens, Dean, but at least it helps to establish a meaningful relationship."
"You sound like Dr. Phil, man. Besides, I form VERY meaningful relationships." Dean smiled and winked at his brother, beginning to walk in the direction of the house. He stopped at a small street that separated the mansion from the parking lot, looking both ways, but was stopped from crossing when Sam grabbed his jacket.
"Uh, Dean, getting laid by a random cocktail waitress isn't exactly what I'd classify as a 'meaningful relationship.'"
"Ah..." sighed Dean, spinning around and looking at his younger brother. "...but it is, Sammy. I remember that bar in Mississippi, that hot blonde in the red stilettos-" Dean was stopped abruptly by a tugging sensation on his pants. He looked down into the green eyes of a little boy who couldn't have been more than 4 years old, apparently having been separated from his parents.
"Mister," said the little boy, putting his little hand to his eyes in order to shield them from the sun as he looked up into Dean's face, "...what are stilettos?"
Dean grinned, glancing at Sam who just shrugged in bewilderment. Children always seemed drawn to Dean.
The eldest Winchester knelt down as to place himself at the same height of the child, feeling his heart immediately soften as he took in his appearance. The boy had bright blonde hair and rosy cheeks, and was dressed in a red-and white striped t-shirt and a tiny pair of blue jeans. He had the sudden image of Sammy when he was young, coming to Dean for comfort when he scraped his knee. The same innocence was projected from the boy, innocence that Dean had lost long ago.
"They're a pair of shoes," answered Dean. If there was one thing he had learned raising Sam, it was to never leave any question unanswered from a child.
"Like these?" giggled the boy, holding out his foot and revealing a dirty white sneaker.
"Just like those. What's your name, little man?"
"Jake," he replied shyly. "I live at 8562 Grove Road in Nevada, by the big white house."
"By the big white house, huh?" said Dean. "Yeah, I think I know where that is." He found it hard not to laugh at how the boy had stated his address so bluntly, and figured he had probably just memorized it.
"Really?" said Jake, brightening. "It's a big house. I told mommy I liked big houses, and she said we could go to Cowlicfornia to see the mansion. She said it was really big too, and had ghosts like Casper in it. I like Casper."
At the mention of Casper, as well as after hearing how Jake had pronounced California, Sam seemed to go into a silent fit of hysterics. Dean, however, besides smiling slightly at the boy, kept his composure. "Yeah, I like Casper too buddy."
The boy grinned at him. "So are there ghosts in there, mister?"
"Dean," the eldest brother supplied. "You can call me Dean, little man. And yeah, I think there are ghosts in there. That's why me and my brother Sammy are here, too." Dean motioned over to Sam, who smiled at the boy.
"Hi, Sammy! My name is Jake. I have a brother, too, his name is Billy..." It seemed as if thinking of his brother finally caused Jake to become worried about where he was. He glanced around him, as if looking for someone.
Dean, having known the entire time that the boy was lost, knew it was now time to get information from Jake about his family's whereabouts without freaking him out. He had already ensured the boy's trust, something he had done intentionally through the conversation, and now he could ask some questions. "Did you come here with your parents, Jake? And Billy?"
He nodded. "And my big sister. She's in college. Her name is Veronica."
Dean raised his eyebrows at Sam, who quickly gave him a look that clearly said 'don't even think about it.'
"Do you know where they are, Jake? Maybe you could let me meet them."
"I don't know..." he fumbled, clearly becoming confused. "I wanted to come over to see the pretty cars. I liked that one," he said, pointing in the direction of the Impala. "And then I saw you with Sammy and came over, and now mommy and daddy and Billy and Veronica aren't here." Dean could see that the young boy's eyes were quickly filling with tears.
"It's alright little buddy," he comforted soothingly. "What if I told you that after we found your parents, I could let you see that car close-up? It's my car, so I can show you."
Jake looked at him with teary eyes and nodded. "Would you like that?" continued Dean.
"Uh-huh."
"Okay," said Dean reassuringly, "But first we have to find your parents." He looked mildly surprised when the boy reached up to him, but didn't hesitate in picking him up and letting him rest his head in his shoulder.
"Come on, Sammy," said Dean, "he probably wandered over from somewhere at the other end of the parking lot, so that's where we're headed. What, Sam?"
Sam just looked at him, laughing and shaking his head in disbelief.
"Raising your ass taught me a thing or two."
Jake raised his head off of Dean's shoulder, giving him a slightly reproachful look. "You said a bad word, Dean!"
"Sorry, Jake. It was bad of me to do that, huh?"
"Yeah. Really bad."
Dean laughed. "You're quite a kid, you know that?"
Jake giggled back. "Veronica just gets mad when I tell her she said a bad word."
"I have to meet this Veronica," said Dean with a smile.
TBC
I'm not really sure how that happened, the whole "I'm adding characters thing". I told you, the story is developing beyond my control! My next update might be longer, because I work this weekend. I'm sorry! Please R&R! Of, and the site isn't letting me upload dividers for some reason, hence their absence in this chapter and the last. Whatever.
