The Chaos Tree

Chapter 8

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The barbeque at the farm was full of laughter and games, especially since the puppies were the center of the children's attention. The Winchester dogs lurked around the edges of the yard, ready for a hearty meal yet staying out of all the activity surrounding the puppies.

When Dean and Sam had come to the farm as children, Pastor Jim had named his dogs after characters in his favorite novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Dean had dearly loved Atticus Finch, Scout, Dill and later, Boo. When Ben, JT and James were growing up, they'd turned to Caleb's favorite book for name inspiration: The Three Musketeers. Years later after Dean's boys were grown and on their own, he hadn't known what to do when Juliet brought home a puppy that had been abandoned along the side of the road. After she had placed the puppy in his hands, he'd asked, "What this?"

"A puppy," Juliet replied, setting her medical bag down and shrugging out of her coat.

Dean had rolled his eyes. "I can see it's a puppy. Why is it here?"

"Because some stupid, ignorant bastard dumped that small pup on the side of the road," Juliet snapped, anger lacing her words. "He's only two weeks old. Two weeks! Imagine dumping a baby on the side of the road! People really are pigs."

Biting his lip to keep the smile from his face, Dean looked down into the dark, limpid eyes of the shivering pup and asked, "What are we going to name him?"

"Anything you want," Juliet had replied. Patting his cheek, she'd walked off leaving the mixed breed German Shepherd in his arms.

It had taken Dean four days before he'd come up with a name; Pony Boy. The Outsiders had made an impression on him growing up. While he couldn't say he'd loved the novel, it had made a deep and lasting impact on his young mind. In the novel when Pony Boy's parents were killed, he'd grown up living with his older brothers who were members of the Greaser Gang. They were considered delinquents, the dregs of society, outsiders. And that's how Dean viewed his childhood; growing up he and Sammy were outsiders in a world full of normal. Pastor Jim's was the first place since his mother died that he'd found acceptance and a home. When he'd looked down at that small, furry face, Dean had wanted this puppy - a puppy that someone had tossed away like trash - to know he was loved and wanted. He wasn't an outsider. On the farm, he would have a safe place to live and plenty to eat. So, this first pup he'd ever named himself became Pony Boy. Soon after, Sodapop and Two-Bit joined Pony Boy in the Winchester home.

While the puppies were in the spotlight on this weekend, Dean walked to his dogs. They clustered around his legs, tails wagging enthusiastically as they enjoyed some attention from the human they loved the most.

"Shhh," Dean murmured, squatting down and getting nearly knocked over by the eager three. "Soon everything will be back to normal, and those two pups will have gone home." He scratched Pony Boy behind the ears, running comforting fingers through the Shepherd's thick fur. Sodapop shuffled in, and Dean chuffed the Retriever under his neck. Two-Bit, the small greyhound with a bandaged left paw sat down and leaned against Dean legs. "Hey, Bit," he murmured.

"Dean!" Juliet pointed to the backdoor and smiled.

Dean gave his dogs a last pat before heading over to the party.

Adam and his family had arrived soon after James and Doctor Baine, thus Maisie and Lucas joined Nicholas, Mac and Lisa Anne in playing with the newest canine additions. Dean loved hearing the laughter of children in his yard again. It had been a long time since JT and James were children, screaming and running around the backyard fighting imaginary monsters, defending the earth against aliens from faraway places or playing Cowboys and Indians. Today, that laughter filled his yard, and not merely from the children. James and Ryker had great fun calling for Max, then saying they meant Maxie. Ben even got into the game by asking if Max wanted a burger or a hot dog, then saying, I meant Big Max, not the dog. Soon, however, everyone moved on and gave Max a break, especially since he'd been a good sport about Nicholas naming the pup in his honor.

Joshua and Carolyn's daughter Josie had been unable to fly in for the barbeque, but Mary had managed to break away from her Internship for the weekend. She was sitting at the picnic table beside Sam, alternately talking with her father and watching the children playing on the grass.

"They're having fun, aren't they?"

Sam smiled, looking over to where Mac was chasing after the small beagle puppy. Chuckling, he said, "The puppies have sure livened up the day." Turning back to his daughter, he said, "I'm glad you were able to get here. The magazine didn't mind?"

Mary grinned. "They wanted me to research a piece on Francis Upritchard, but I'm not that in to papier mache sculptures." Shrugging, she admitted, "Guess I'm old fashioned, but I prefer my sculptures made from stone, marble or metal. So I said there was a family gathering I was expected to attend." She gave Sam a cheeky grin. "I didn't actually say it was an emergency, but whatever conclusions they come to is on them."

Sam shook his head. Resorting to subterfuge rather than telling the magazine the outright truth was either a James tactic or Dean; maybe Caleb. Certainly not him, JT or Joshua. Letting the teachable moment go, he took a sip from his coffee before asking, "Is the magazine going to let you do an article of your own?"

Eyeing her father, Mary confided, "I've been researching a piece on this newer artist. His medium is oil on wood, which I thought was unique. His painting style is an interesting mix of renaissance and modern brush techniques. I've been using whatever spare time I have between assignments and school to critique and examine his work. Once I get the article written, maybe NYArts Magazine will print it."

"I have no doubt whatsoever," Sam said with a smile.

Lunch was served at two, and the picnic tables were crowded with hungry family and friends. Dean made sure their three Chicago guests were seated at his table, so they could enjoy the warm hospitality of Juliet and Carolyn. Ben and his wife Maya sat near the children's table with Adam and Margaret to watch over the kids. Delicious burgers made their way around the tables, along with hot, foil-wrapped sweet corn, skillet-blistered green beans, potato salad, fire-browned tomatoes and cheddar biscuits. Of course, there were also hot dogs and mac-and-cheese for the children. Following the meal, Dean helped Juliet clear the outdoor tables, cover the food in cello wrap, placing them inside on the kitchen table for afternoon snacking.

In the backyard the younger men started a touch-football game and the ladies sat near the fans, talking and enjoying the breeze. The children alternately romped with the puppies, threw balls for the older dogs to chase, or played in a small pool about three feet high and six foot around under the watchful eye of Ben. Joshua, Sam and Brian stood watching the football match while Caleb attempted to referee and Mary bunched up some kitchen rags to use as cheer poms.

On the outdoor picnic tables Dean and Juliet placed apple pies, chocolate cupcakes, fresh watermelon slices and berry cobbler for those with a sweet tooth, all covered in cling wrap and waiting to be consumed. When Dean began a game of horseshoes, Caleb, Joshua, Brian, David and their Doctor friend Wilson Baine left the touch football players to their own score-keeping devises and came over to participate.

It was close to six before the football game subsided in laughter when no one could tell who won, the shapeshifter trio was victorious in the battle of horseshoes, and the desserts were demolished. Nicholas and Lucas were asleep under a tree in the yard, the puppies nestled in Nicholas' arms. Maisie and Lisa Anne were still playing with their dolls, while Mac lay on his stomach coloring in a large dinosaur coloring-book, Two-Bit nestled close to his side.

Juliet and Onida along with the rest of the ladies had earlier relocated inside away from the heat and the bugs. Relaxing in the living room, they enjoyed one another's company along with ice cold glasses of Pastor Jim's famous sweet tea, which Juliet had learned to make because Dean, Sam and Caleb loved it so much. It was a taste of their childhood, and something to be treasured.

David Lassiter walked over to where Dean was sitting near the fans. "We're going to get a room at the hotel."

"I already called the Sherwood Inn and booked your rooms," Dean said with a smile. "It's a small place, but clean and comfortable."

David smiled. "Thank you. When are we gathering tonight?"

"Seven-thirty," Dean answered.

David nodded. "We'll leave the spell pouches with the young man who brought us in earlier, and pick them up again tonight." He wanted Dean to understand that there was no ulterior motive for their coming to Dean's home, and the farm would be completely protected and safe once they were gone.

Dean smiled his thanks.

Nodding once, David signaled to Brian and Wilson and they headed inside to thank Juliet for a wonderful afternoon after waving to all whom they'd met that day.

"They're coming back?" Caleb watched as the three shapeshifters and Ryker walked through the house and out the front door.

Dean nodded. "Lassiter and Mayfare will be back. I don't think the doctor will come." Knowing his friend, he continued, "Ryker's escorting them now, and they'll hand over their spell pouches. Tonight, we'll repeat the process."

"Good. I'd still like to re-enforce our wards when they leave," Caleb commented. "Not that they weren't nice, but…"

Dean huffed out a laugh. "My thoughts exactly. I don't view David Lassiter as a threat, but," he shrugged, "why take chances?"

Adam came over and held out his hand. "It was a great afternoon; thanks for the invite." He looked over his shoulder to where Margaret was helping Maisie pick up her dolls and attempting to wake Lucas, who merely turned over and tried to go back to sleep on the soft grass. Chuckling, he shook his head. Over the last year since he'd moved to the suburbs of Louisville, he'd spent a considerable amount of time at Dean's home, especially when Ben came with his kids, or whenever Joshua was over with Nicholas. Adam had never had many friends. Moving here had given him those as well as a renewed sense of purpose and deep satisfaction. Turning back to Dean, he said, "I know those three men were shapeshifters."

Dean blinked. "Really?" Intrigued, he asked, "How?"

"Nothing spectacular," Adam said with a smile. "They just have a different … sense about them. If you need me for anything, just call."

"Thank you," Dean said, shaking the other man's hand again, gripping it a little firmer to convey his appreciation.

Adam nodded and went over to Margaret. Instead of trying to wake his sleeping son, he merely lifted Lucas up off the grass and into his arms.

Mary, Max and James helped carry the dessert dishes into the kitchen while Sam and Caleb put up the chairs, reset the picnic tables under the trees, and banked the barbeque.

Ben walked over to his father. "I heard about Caleb and Sam; are they all right? Do they need help?"

Dean frowned. "I don't know, maybe. Something happened to them when David Lassiter got here this morning. I'd like your input on what it was."

Ben looked over to where Sam and Caleb were stacking the chairs. "They look fine now."

"Onida healed them."

Concerned, Ben said, "They needed her healing touch? Wow. Okay, I'll give them the once over later."

"We're meeting at seven-thirty."

"Everyone, including the shapeshifters?" Ben had never heard of monsters being allowed inside the Tomb.

Knowing what Ben was thinking, Dean smiled. "We'll meet in the living room."

"I'll be there." Ben looked over at Maya, who was collecting Mac and Lisa Anne and their toys. "I'm glad we brought the camper, since it looks like you'll have a full house tonight. Unless you need me, we'll be off in the morning." He clapped his father on the shoulder and went to help with the children.

A moment later Mac came running across the lawn to launch himself full-tilt into Dean's arms. "Grandpa!"

Dean laughed. "That was dramatic," he remarked, grinning.

Mac hugged him hard with his little arms. Leaning back, he said, "Daddy said you needed a hug."

"He did, did he?" Dean said softly. "Well, you know what?" He leaned in close to Mac's ear and whispered, "He was right."

Mac giggled and hugged Dean again.

"You know who else needs a hug?"

"Grandma?" Mac asked.

"You got it, Champ." Dean set Mac down and watched him run into the house calling for his grandmother.

"So, we're having a meeting?" James asked, dropping into the chair near his father.

"Later," Dean said. "Looks like something's come up."

"Max and Ryker told me, some of it, anyway." Eyeing his father, he asked, "JT going to be there?"

"If Caleb has anything to say about it," Dean said with a smile. "I think he sent the Ames jet to Arizona to pick him up. I guess we'll see."

James jumped up and smiled. "Maybe this will be another hunt we can work together. I liked the last one." Grinning, he swung open the backdoor and walked inside.

Dean eyed the backyard a moment. "Yeah, so did I." Sighing, he pushed himself up from the chair, turned off the fans and went into the house.

Jody stared out the side window as she and Mark drove back to South Dakota. The pair of them hadn't found out anything concrete during their three days in Stillwater. They'd spent hours interviewing people in medical centers, churches, community centers and bars. Additional hours were spent with Donna combing through the police footage, and more time going through social media videos and pictures of the chaos; nothing.

Mark glanced over at Jody. Shifting his grip on wheel, he said, "You think what happened in Stillwater was something?"

Lost in the reverie of passing scenery, it took Jody a long moment before she eventually said, "Yeah. We didn't find anything, but something's wrong anyway."

Mark nodded to himself, keeping his eyes on the road.

Jody's brows rose. "You don't agree?"

"I'm…" Mark broke off, frowning. "I'm not sure."

Shifting in her seat so she was facing the younger man, Jody said, "Let me hear it."

Mark glanced over briefly, then sighed. "I agree that the violence was out of the ordinary, that the giving was off the charts. But … cities have been out of control before. Donna said that the fights stopped abruptly. But in small towns, fights often stop abruptly. People know who they're fighting and get ahold of themselves." He shook his head slightly. "I wasn't there in the moment when everything was happening, but nothing we heard or saw in looking around pointed to anything supernatural."

Jody faced front again and stared out the window. Sighing, she said, "Yeah, I know. All we can do is write up what we heard and saw, and send it on to Caleb."

"On the other hand," Mark added thoughtfully, "while we didn't find anything, Donna knows this town better than I do. If she says there's something weird going on, then I believe her."

"Yeah. She's too seasoned to get something like this wrong."

"We should include her observations in our report.

"I'll say something about it, but I think that's something Donna needs to send to Sam or Caleb herself."

"Didn't she already do that?"

"Her initial impressions, yes," Jody said. "But since we were there and we went over everything, she'll have more thoughts and opinions. She's the best person to put it out there."

Mark nodded. They drove in silence for several minutes before he asked, "We going to drop this?"

"Hell, no," Jody snorted. "We're going to pool our information with whatever Jackson and Steve have come up with. Then we'll check in with Sam, see what he's found out and what else is needed."

Mark grinned. "Good. I wasn't prepared to give up either."

Jody laughed. "Then we're on the same page, buddy-boy. While it may seem like nothing, something's going on and we're gonna find out what."

It was almost seven, and Caleb, Ryker and James were sitting around the kitchen table, talking and snacking on the remains of their afternoon barbeque. Dean stood casually at the kitchen window, watching outside as Max tucked the puppies back in their cage and Joshua pushed Nicholas on the tire swing; the one Dean had hung years ago for JT and James. Nicholas loved the tire swing even more than the swings at the park. He could stand, hang onto the rope and swing so high. Every once in a while a giggle would erupt from his throat as the tire tilted. Joshua loved that sound, as did Dean.

"He's doing well," Caleb observed, coming up behind Dean.

"Yep," Dean said with a smile.

Caleb glanced at his friend. "Wondering if you should have taken in a child too?"

Dean huffed out a laugh as he turned and lean back against the sink. "Yes and no. I loved raising Ben, JT and Jimmy, and I can't say I wasn't tempted. Even Juliet was on board if a child needed a home. But once JT, Max and Jimmy become the Triad, they'll need our support, and hopefully our help. I just didn't want to shortchange a child of the attention of both parents."

"You wouldn't have shortchanged anyone," Caleb declared in defense of his best friend. "You started a business and became the Guardian, all the while raising three boys. You could have handled another child."

"Maybe," Dean mused. He glanced back over his shoulder to the happy child in the yard. "Before, I never thought I'd have all this; Juliet, kids, a home." Looking back at Caleb, his expressive eyes showing his best friend more than he probably intended. "I love being a dad."

Caleb nodded. He knew what Dean meant by before: he meant the tumultuous years when he and Sam's relationship had been strained, he meant the overwhelming turbulence of fighting the Apocalypse, he meant the horror of hell. But he had survived; they'd all survived. "It's not too late," he said softly. "Maska's mother is still fostering three kids who need forever homes."

Maska Etsitty was the Yakama doctor who led the team of medical professionals that helped all the children freed from the Owl Witches. The three children being fostered were two boys and a girl. Clarissa Sadler was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl of ten. She'd been in captivity by the Owl Witches for six years. Clarissa's family had initially been overjoyed she'd been found. However, soon it became apparent that the challenges of taking care of a traumatized child were more than they could handle. Since losing her, they'd had two additional children who were both under five. Trying to meet Clarissa's needs while tending to the needs of their other small children had become too much.

The other two children without homes were Tristan Myran, age ten; and Kaven Walsh, eight. It had taken awhile to discover that Kaven's family had migrated back to Ireland after he'd been taken. So far, efforts to track down his very young parents hadn't been successful. Tristan's family had moved to Tennessee after he'd been taken seven years before. His father had a history of assault in a sealed juvenile record, and it had been hell for him, his wife and their new baby to deal with the intense police scrutiny. The parents had since divorced, and Tristan's mother was remarried. Though Tristan's father had come to Washington to see him, he felt he hadn't the resources – either emotionally or monetarily – to deal with a traumatized child. What all three children needed was a lot of counseling, security and love.

Dean and Juliet had long talks about whether they should bring at least one of those children to the farm. Joshua already had tutors and counselors helping Nicholas, Maisie and Lucas, and all the children could study together. The new additions could go back to Washington every month with the other children when they visited. Juliet had said she was more than willing to help, but Dean was concerned about taking care of traumatized children, and whether he would be up for the challenge.

Dean looked at Caleb. "Have you thought about it?"

Caleb leaned back against the sink beside Dean. "Yes," he admitted. "But I don't know that I'm the right choice for these kids. Me and Onida … we're still trying to find our way. We were both alone for so long, her more so than me. Bringing in a couple of kids…" he shook his head.

Dean frowned. "If you want to, man…"

Caleb pushed off the sink. "Let's just say the topic is still on the table. You shouldn't close the door either. These kids … they need a home. Somewhere they know is open to them no matter what. I think you'd love it and those kids would love the farm."

Before Dean could reply, Sam walked over. "Are we going to get this show on the road?"

"Yeah," Dean said, glad to step away from a topic that had been on his mind. "Let's set up in the living room."

"Not the Tomb?" Ryker asked, rising from the table and putting his plate in the sink.

"The Tomb is for hunters," Caleb stated, moving around the table. Giving the younger man a shove in the direction of said hunter's cave. "We'll get started bringing everything out."

"How much do you want to cover?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. We don't have a lot other than violence that starts and ends abruptly. They have the box, so right now they have more than we do." Eyeing Sam, Dean asked, "Could you tell what the top of the box said?"

"No. We didn't study it too much. Brian was mainly explaining the languages he'd identified so far. He's only been working on it since yesterday. He did say the box said don't open."

"And Lassiter opened it."

Sam nodded. "David figured the man in the bar had opened the box there, and that's what started the violence. Since that had no physical consequences other than Brian hitting him, he felt it was worth the risk."

Dean eyed his brother. "Are you feeling all right? What happened this afternoon?"

"I'm fine. As to what happened, I'm not sure," Sam confessed. "I noticed my head aching a little, but just before they knocked on the door it felt like it exploded. I didn't know where I was."

Dean frowned. "Explain."

"Probably felt like he was dimension hopping," Caleb stated as he re-entered the kitchen.

Confused, Dean uttered, "What?"

Dropping into a chair, Caleb absently picked up a chip and tossed it in his mouth. "It felt like…" he swallowed, "like I was here and wasn't here. I couldn't focus on anything because I couldn't get a grasp on where I was."

"Like when we ride the Gravitron at the fair," Sam said. "When you get off, you can barely stand, and you can't tell left from right or where you're at."

"Is that how it felt for you?" Caleb asked, perplexed.

"Sort of."

"What about you?" Dean asked.

Caleb was silent a moment, then said, "As I said, it felt like I was here but not here. Right now," he slapped his palms lightly on the table, "I'm here. Then, it felt like I was being pulled somewhere else."

Sam stared at Caleb. He sort of understood what Caleb was saying, but he didn't know if his experience had been the same. Basically, it had felt chaotic. "Well," he said, "it looked like whatever was in the box was pulling apart David's cells."

"Maybe Onida is the best one to ask about what happened," Dean suggested. "She countered the effect."

Caleb nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

Dean pushed himself off the sink. "Let's get the computers into the living room and finish getting set up. Lassiter and Mayfare should be here soon."

The back door opened and Nicholas raced inside and straight over to Dean, who grinned and lifted the child into his arms. Joshua followed, leaving the door ajar behind him.

Dean smiled at Nicholas. "Did you have fun?"

Nicholas nodded and murmured, "Mac."

"It was good to see Mac again, wasn't it?" Dean asked.

Nicholas grinned. "Yeah."

"Did he enjoy the puppies?"

The boy nodded again. "He liked them."

"I'll bet he did," Dean said, smiling.

"This little guy," Joshua tickled Nicholas' side and smiled at the answering giggle, "is having a sleep over with Mac in Ben's trailer. Are you fine with the puppies staying the night?"

Dean smiled. "Of course. Are you staying too?"

Joshua lowered Nicholas to the ground and said, "Go find Mommy," and smiled as the boy trotted through the kitchen into the living room. "We will if you don't mind. This will be the first time Nicholas will spend the night away from us. I'd like to be close."

"We have room. Sam's heading home to meet up with Mary, so you and Carolyn can have the guest room. That way you'll be down here if you're needed."

"Your boys?"

"You know Ben's got the camper. JT and Jimmy will sleep in their old room."

The back door pushed open as Max came inside, carefully maneuvering the puppy cage. "Where are these guys going?"

"Over there," Dean said, pointing to the corner of the kitchen. "I'll keep an eye on them tonight while Nicholas sleeps in the camper."

Max nodded and placed the cage in the far corner of the kitchen, right where Atticus Finch used to sleep.

Juliet walked around Max and entered the kitchen. "Hey," she gave Dean a kiss on the cheek. "Carolyn and I are heading over to Onida's while you boys to your thing."

"Maya going with you?" Dean asked.

Juliet shook her head. "Since Lisa Anne and Mac are both napping, she's going to take some personal time while Ben is in here with you."

"We should be done in a couple of hours," Dean said, leaning in for a kiss.

"I won't hold my breath," Juliet murmured, grinning through her kiss. Stepping back, she reached around for her purse and gave Dean a jaunty wave before heading out.

An affectionate mom sounded from the front door, and Dean grinned. It looked like Caleb had been successful in getting JT back to Kentucky from Arizona. He followed the laughter and saw Juliet wrapped in the long arms of her son.

JT waved to Dean over Juliet's shoulder before stepping back. "Where are you going?" he asked, eyeing the purse slung over his mom's shoulder.

"Over to Onida's while you boys work," Juliet said. "You're staying the night?"

JT nodded. "I'm taking an early morning flight to New York Monday morning with James and Max, then head back to North Carolina on Wednesday."

"Good," Juliet said. "Then we have time to talk, and for you to give me a sneak peek at your upcoming editorial."

JT laughed. Over his father's shoulder he caught a glimpse of a familiar face. "Mary!"

Mary walked around her uncle and gave JT a hug. "You missed all the fun today," she said, grinning.

"Where are you going? I just got here!"

"Aunt Juliet is dropping me off at home so I can do some work," Mary said. "Maybe I'll come back over with dad tomorrow."

"You better," JT muttered. It had been far too long since he'd last seen his cousin.

Juliet and Mary walked out the front door to meet up with Carolyn and Onida, the latter of whom was giving Caleb an enthusiastic good bye.

"All right, you two," Juliet said in passing. "Put a cork in it and get in the car."

Onida chuckled and moved past the pair to climb into the back seat. Carolyn was already by the vehicle, giving Nicholas a warm hug. Mary got in beside Onida and leaned out the window to exchange a few words with Sam before the he stepped back to where the others were waiting to wave off the car. After Carolyn slid into the front, Juliet started the engine and soon the car was disappearing down the long driveway.

Nicholas watched the car move away, his expression forlorn.

Joshua hurried over and lifted Nicholas into his arms. "Mommy will be back soon, all right? Come on," he said, walking into the house and to the guest bedroom. "We're going to sleep right here while you stay with Mac in the camper. Does that sound like fun?"

Nicholas looked up at Joshua with wide eyes. He bit his lip a second, then nodded slowly.

His son looked apprehensive, and Joshua wondered if it was too soon for Nicholas to sleep away from him and Carolyn. Maybe the plan needed a little revising. Heading back to the living room, he saw Sam reattaching photos to the white board, and James flipping open TV trays. Ryker followed behind the younger man, setting down the laptops on the tray tops. Once the meeting had clear up, maybe Nicholas and Mac could have their sleep over in a different place. Smiling, Joshua said, "What about you and Mac stay in here tonight? You can sleep on the floor with blankets and pillows, and then you can keep an eye on the puppies."

Nicholas looked relieved and nodded. "Yeah," he murmured.

Joshua gave the young boy a hug and agreed, "I think that sounds like a lot of fun." Setting Nicholas down, he said, "Why don't you check on the puppies, make sure they have water. I'll tell Ben our new plans, all right?"

Nicholas nodded and hurried into the kitchen.

"Something?" Dean asked, his eyes on his new godson.

"I don't know if he understood the idea of a sleepover with Mac, understood that Carolyn and I wouldn't be there." Joshua shook his head. "So many concepts you and I take for granted are foreign to him. I thought a sleepover would be an exciting adventure, but I need to remember to think these things through, go slowly, make sure he understands."

"You can't anticipate every single thing he won't understand, and you can't sidetrack every incident that might upset him," Dean said gently. "Otherwise you'll end up cheating him of so many experiences. Kids are resilient, and Nicholas is a prime example. Just make your plans, and be ready to adjust when needed."

Joshua smiled. "Is that what you always did?"

"I learned it quickly," Dean chuckled.

"Well, I'm rearranging this event. The plan was for Mac and Nicholas to sleep in the camper. But I think Nicholas will feel more secure if he sleeps in the living room with Mac and the puppies. Carolyn and I will be nearby, and if Nicholas wants to sleep with us, Mac can come too, or I'll take him back to the camper."

"Sounds like a plan. When we're done in here, we'll even make the best fort so they'll feel safe."

Joshua smiled. Of course Dean would come up with something creative to help Nicholas feel safe. "I like that plan."

"Right now, I'm heading into the kitchen to make sandwiches."

"I'll help," Joshua said, following.

.

Sam finished setting up the white board with the pictures of the car, but left their data on the cities where the out of control violence occurred in the Tomb. There was collaborating, and then there was collaborating with the enemy … sort of. While David Lassiter had never been a problem for the Brotherhood, and he kept the lid on monsters in Chicago, he was still a shapeshifter and they were hunters. There was an invisible line in the sand, and both stayed on their own sides.

Stepping back into the Tomb, he gave it the once-over before heading back to the living room. The board looked fairly pathetic. But the truth was, they really didn't have a whole lot of concrete data to work with on this case. Mainly they had suspicions and the shadowy image of a matte black car.

"Anything else to bring out?" Ryker asked.

"No, we're set." Sam dropped onto the couch and lifted the lid on a wooden box made of cocobolo wood. Inside was the small box David Lassiter and Brian Mayfare had brought over.

"You have any idea what that is?"

Sam shook his head. "No. The symbols are interesting." Looking up, he asked, "Where are JT, James and Max?"

"Outside. Max is bringing JT up to date on what we know so far."

"And you're not out there because…" Sam asked lightly.

Ryker shrugged. "I've already heard how little we have three times." He gave Sam one of his wry smiles. "Didn't really need to go over it again."

"Can't blame you for that." Sam's eyes went back to the box.

"What does it say?"

"Brian has only been able to make partial translations of the lines. But according to him, a one line says hidden, another beware of chaos, and the last says not to open the box."

"Cryptic." Ryker leaned in to look at the markings. "A couple of these are cuneiform."

Sam looked up. "You know ancient languages?"

"No, but in studying ancient weapons I've had some exposure. Not enough to help with this," Ryker pointed to the box, "but enough to recognize the symbols."

Joshua walked in and dropped into a chair across from the couch.

"You want to check this out?" Sam asked.

Joshua shook his head. "No. After the briefing I'll take a rubbing, see if any of the symbols connect to magic in some way."

As the Scholar of the Brotherhood, Sam's mind went to the language origins place first before anything else. But Joshua had more knowledge of magic. "You think some of these symbols might have a magical origin?"

"I'd put money on it."

Caleb entered the living room with a plate of sandwiches covered in cello wrap. Placing them on the coffee table, he looked up at Ryker and stated, "We need more chairs."

Ryker's brows went up. Standing, he said drolly, "Why don't I help with that."

"Good idea." Caleb smirked at Joshua before following Ryker out of the living room to help.

Sam laughed and shook his head. A moment later, the front door opened and Ben came inside with his son Mac. "Nicholas?" Ben asked.

"In the kitchen," Joshua said.

Ben nodded and headed that way. Mac immediately darted off to the corner where Nicholas was sitting, feeding the puppies scraps of chicken.

"Hey dad," Ben said, dropping into a chair at the table. "Need some help with that?"

Dean was cutting chicken meat off the breast bone to make sandwiches. "No, I'm almost done."

Watching Dean prepare food was a relaxing activity; one Ben had loved when he was growing up. He would sit at the table, talking with his father about anything under the sun. It was something he looked forward to doing with his own son someday. Eyes on Dean's hands, he asked, "What happened to Uncle Caleb and Uncle Sam?"

"Truth? I don't know; I don't think they know," Dean said softly.

Ben nodded.

"I'd like you to listen to what Lassiter and Mayfare have to say about their experience with the box, then talk to Onida. She's the energy specialist, and she healed them all." Dean put down his knife and sat down opposite his son. "I hope she can give you some details on what she did for Sam and Caleb, even Lassiter. Then I'd like your medical opinion on what happened to them."

Ben felt overwhelmed. "I … What if I can't say? What if I don't know?"

"Then you don't," Dean said with a reassuring smile. "But I'm not looking for how it happened or what made it happen. I'm looking for a medical hypothesis, like their cells broke down and went on a holiday, something like that."

Ben suppressed a laugh, but grinned just the same. "Their cells went on holiday?"

Dean gave his son a mock scowl and rose, pulling more bread from the cupboard. "You know what I mean."

Ben let the laugh out and stood. "Yeah, I do, and I'll be as medical as possible."

"That's all I ask," Dean said.

"Grandpa!" Mac called, running around the table followed by Nicholas. "Can we have some chicken?"

"Of course," Dean said, pulling out a chair for Mac, then one for Nicholas. "You boys want potato salad too?"

"Yeah!"

Nicholas smiled and nodded.

Dean rubbed a hand lightly over each boy's head and went to fix their plates as the back door opened and JT, James and Max walked in.

Mac slipped out of his chair and ran to JT. "Up, up!"

JT laughed and picked up his nephew. "How are you, Macaroni?" tickling the boy's tummy.

Mac hunched up, giggling. "I'm Mac, not macaroni."

"Really?" JT sniffed at the boy's ear. "You smell like macaroni. Don't I get a hug?"

Mac threw his arms around JT's neck and gave his uncle a fierce hug before JT placed him back on the ground. Then the young man walked over to Nicholas. Crouching down beside the boy's chair, he smiled and asked, "How are you doing, god-brother?"

Nicholas frowned, not knowing what that meant.

JT smiled and pointed to Joshua. "Father," he then pointed to his own dad, "my father and your godfather." He pointed to Nicholas, "my god-brother." Because JT looked so much like his father, he was the first one other than Joshua and Dean with whom Nicholas had bonded, and he still felt that special connection.

Nicholas looked at Mac and Dean, then over to Joshua, who was smiling.

JT didn't know if Nicholas understood the complex relationships, but when the boy turned back to him and threw his slender arms around his neck, JT figured he understood enough. "I love you, Nicholas," he whispered in the boy's ear.

"Back," Nicholas whispered, and hugged tighter.

Mac wanted in on the action and leaned in, throwing his arms around both Nicholas and JT. He didn't understand about godfathers and god-brothers, but he wanted his best friend to feel loved.

"All right, boys," Dean said, breaking up the chick-flick moment by putting plates containing chicken, a small scoop of potato salad and a chocolate cupcake down in front of the boys. "Dig in."

The boys giggled as they both went for the cupcakes.

"You never let us do that," James griped to Dean, pulling up a chair. Grabbing a plate, he began filling it with leftovers, including a cupcake.

"If I remember, there was cake for breakfast a time or two," Dean said mildly.

The front door opened a couple minutes later, and Dean heard Ryker and David Lassiter's voices. He walked out of the kitchen, held out a hand and shook the shapeshifter's. "Thanks for coming. I've got sandwiches in the living room, and the salads, desserts and tea or coffee are on the kitchen table with the plates. Get yourselves some food before we get started."

There was a general scrambling and shuffling as everyone got food and drink and returned to the living room. Joshua stayed in the kitchen with Nicholas and Mac as they ate their dinner. Ben needed to be in the living room, since Dean wanted to go over the box first. When the boys finished eating, he would take them over to Ben's camper until the meeting was over.

Dean looked around the crowded living room. Ben, Sam, Ryker and Max were sitting on the couch. Caleb stood nearby, leaning against the wall. James and JT were slouching in a couple chairs brought in from the kitchen. David Lassiter and Brian Mayfare were seated in the cushioned chairs fronting the fireplace. David was staring up at the pictures on the white board, his eyes narrowed on the images of the black car.

Sam rose and walked over to the whiteboard. Eyeing David Lassiter, he asked, "You've seen this car before?"

David's eyes darted to Sam, then went back to the board. "Yeah, it's the car from Crossings."

"Are you sure?" Caleb asked, standing straight. He pointed to the images. "Those are some pretty blurry and shadowy photos."

"It's the lines of the car," David said, unconsciously echoing Ryker's observations, "the curve of the bumper, the angle of the hood, the headlights…"

"Yeah, yeah," Caleb interrupted, "Ryker said the same thing."

David nodded vaguely and stared back at the photo. "There are a lot of pictures of this car. Where are they from?"

No one answered, leaving it up to Dean to decide how much information was shared and what was kept back.

"There have been pockets of violence in a couple of cities. Those," Dean pointed to the pictures, "are taken from social media records of those cities."

David just nodded before sitting back and giving Dean his full attention.

Dean gave David and Brian, as well as James, Max and JT, an overview of what they knew. "Apparently what's different about this type of violence, is that it seems to start out of nowhere, and end abruptly."

Brian nodded. "That's what happened to me. One minute I'm sipping a beer and talking to David, the next I haul off and punch him." He gave David an embarrassed look. "I don't know where it came from."

David started to speak, to reassure his friend again, but Sam beat him to the punch. "Did you feel anything when you punched David, either right before or after?"

David gave Sam a small nod. He hadn't really thought to ask that, being more preoccupied with the finding of the box. It felt good to have someone ask the clinical questions.

"I … uh, don't know," Brian said slowly, frowning. "One minute I'm talking, then the next I'm punching."

"Okay, but think back," Sam urged, leaning forward slightly. "Think about right before you punched David; did your vision get hazy? Did you feel dizzy? Did your stomach churn, or did you feel hot?"

Brian's eyes widened and he nodded slowly. "Oh, um…" he closed his eyes and tried to remember the event.

"There was music, right?" Ben asked.

Brian nodded.

Ben lifted his cell, and after a moment put on a classic bar compilation. "Okay, keep your eyes closed and describe the rest."

Brian frowned. "I was drinking a beer. The lights were dim and we were leaning against the bar." A second later someone dimmed the lights in the living room. He could hear the music pulsing and if he tried, he could imagine the bar.

Joshua, who had been standing in the doorway since Maya took the boys back to the camper, went into the kitchen and poured a cold brew. He knew Ben was helping Brian recall the events of that night by recreating the circumstances; the music, the lowered lights. Bringing the glass in, he placed it gently in Brian's hand before stepping back.

Max vacated his seat on the couch for his father, and settled himself on the floor near Joshua's legs. A warm hand squeezed his shoulder as everyone watched Ben and Brian.

"What were you talking about?" Ben asked David softly.

"Uh, we were talking about the ancient languages conference we'd just attended."

Ben nodded. Turning to David, he motioned for him to converse with Brian like he had that night.

"I don't remember what we were saying, exactly," David hissed.

"Doesn't matter," Ben stated. "Just begin talking, about the conference, people you saw…"

"George," Brian supplied.

David nodded. "Yeah, that George," he said, his eyes going to his long-time friend. "We see him at every single conference, and he never sits still."

Brian smiled, his eyes still closed. Slowly he lifted the cold glass of beer to his lips and sipped. "As long as he isn't bragging about his latest paper on ancient Chinese glyphs, I'm good with the fidgeting."

"It's distracting," David continued, getting into the rhythm. "How are we supposed to concentrate on the lecture when he's bobbing and swaying in his seat?"

"You don't listen to the lectures anyway," Brian teased.

"I do!" David protested, replaying this obviously well worn subject. "Our people have a long history with many ancient cultures. Knowing how to read old documents is important."

This was interesting news for Dean, Caleb and Sam, who all exchanged looks of interest.

David saw the exchange and rolled his eyes with a smirk. Turning back to Brian, he said, "I want exposure. Maybe someday I'll learn to read them all myself." When Brian didn't give his patented snort of disbelief, he leaned in closer. "But rest assured, your job isn't in jeopardy."

The glass of beer slipped from Brian's hand. Suddenly his face twisted slightly and it was only by Ryker's quick intervention that David didn't get punched in the face again.

Brian opened his eyes and stared up at Ryker, who was holding his arm, then his eyes widened. Jerking his gaze to his friend, he moaned, "David, I'm so…"

"Shut up and tell us what happened," David urged kindly.

Settling himself, Brian swallowed hard. "It's hard to describe. It happened so fast." He closed his eyes again. "It felt like a flush of heat ran through my body."

"Like a shiver?" Ben asked.

Brian shook his head. "More like when you get embarrassed, and heat rushes from your stomach right up through to your head. I think my mind went blank and all I felt was anger. I didn't see David, I didn't see anything, but the anger had to go somewhere. I needed to get it out; I couldn't have been still if I'd wanted to. But I didn't want to."

"What were you thinking?" Ben asked.

"Thinking?" Brian echoed. "I wasn't thinking anything." Shaking his head, he continued, "It's hard to describe, but it was like animal instinct. All I felt was aggression." Opening his eyes, he gave both David and Ben an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

David nodded as Ben said, "You gave us what you could, what you felt. A rush of aggression can cause disorientation, even memory problems."

"What are other symptoms of aggression?" Sam asked.

"Well, there are a lot, some lighter, like confusion, social withdrawal, disorientation; some more severe like hallucinations, delusions, threatening behavior, and delirium."

Caleb stared at David. "Did you see the man in the club open the box?"

David shook his head. "No, but he must have, right?"

"We don't know that," James interjected. "All we know is that you felt power, and Brian hauled off and punched you."

David sighed. "You're right."

Dean looked at Ben and nodded.

"What happened when you opened the box?" Ben asked.

A small crease marred David's brow as he thought back to the moment he'd opened the box. It was such a cacophony of sensory input, it was difficult to focus on much less describe. "At first… It was like color and energy and … and space was fluid and got dumped over my head."

"Space?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah. I didn't feel grounded here."

"He lost consciousness for a moment," Brian interjected.

David stared at his friend. "I did? You never mentioned that before."

"You were out for only a few seconds. When you opened your eyes, they wouldn't focus; you were disoriented. I called Wilson, but you insisted we come here. Then we were on the road. I guess I forgot about it in all the activity."

David nodded. "It's hard to describe, but it was like explosions of color and space, like I wasn't here."

Caleb nodded. "That's what I felt."

Dean looked at his brother. "Sam?"

Sam shook his head. "I didn't feel that, not like I wasn't grounded here." He frowned. "It was more like there was brightness all around, blinding and intense. My head hurt and I couldn't see anything."

Caleb watched the younger man, his expression intense.

"Anything else?" Ben asked David. "You couldn't hold your form. Can you tell me about that?"

"Just that it felt like my body was being ripped apart. I'm not a medical doctor, so I don't know exactly what was happening."

"What happens when you shift?"

"Doctor Baine would be more helpful in that arena," David said, smiling. "Guess I shouldn't have let him have the night off."

"Basically, our cells are more elliptical and porous," Brian said, "so they can shift and reform depending on our will. Most shapeshifters use this ability to appear younger than they are. Our life spans are longer, so we age for awhile, then become younger again.

"Neat trick to have," Max stated.

"Neat, maybe, but not easy," David said quietly. "It's not easy to pick up everything and start over again. We become attached to people we know, just like humans. It's hard to keep letting people go."

No one spoke for a moment before Ben said, "It sounds like your body experienced a massive influx of energy, energy it couldn't handle. It played havoc with your bodily functions. For Sam and Caleb, it shattered their equilibrium. For you, it did more; it upended your very cell structure."

"What could cause that?" Ryker asked.

Ben shook his head. "I don't know. Electrocution, radiation, poison, many things can disrupt bodily functions. I need to hear what Onida says."

"Should this box be in the house?" JT asked. "Right now it's inside a box of cocobolo wood, but if Uncle Sam takes it out to examine it…"

"The box itself is cocobolo wood," Bryan said. "There's no need for it to be inside another cocobolo wood box."

"It's cocobolo wood?" Sam asked, surprised. Pulling the smaller box out of the larger, he studied it closely. "You sure? It doesn't look like cocobolo wood."

"We can sense cocobolo wood, among other things," Bryan said with a smile. "It's old, so it's probably been treated with period oils, and age would have changed the coloring and softened the grain, but its cocobolo wood. You're totally safe as long as you don't open it."

Sam set the box down. "Good to know."

David shifted his focus to Dean and asked a question that had been on his mind. "Do you think Chicago is in danger from this man?"

"Truthfully? I don't know. We just don't know enough about any of this."

David nodded slowly. Rising, he looked over at Brian. "We need to get back. If the man was in Mount Vernon, it's possible he was headed in our direction. We need to secure the city, put more protections in place around the clubs, put people on alert for that car."

"You have protections on the clubs in Chicago?" Max asked.

"Of course he does," Caleb said, a small smile on his face. "It's his city."

"It is," David affirmed, "and I intend to keep it safe."

"How can you monitor a city that large for one black car?" Sam asked.

"We have a pipeline to all the traffic cameras. While it doesn't cover every angle, it covers all the highways, interstates and major rural routes. I'm guessing someone with that car isn't driving on dirt roads. Plus, in a city with such an extensive subway system, many Chicago residents don't even own cars."

Brian rose. "You want to leave tonight?"

David shook his head. "No. We're all tired. I'll get the ball rolling from here, and we'll head out early in the morning." Turning to Dean, he said, "Thank you, for today, for sharing your family with us. I'll let you know if I see or hear anything about this. And," he looked down, "take care of the box."

"What are you going to do with it?" Brian asked.

"We'll finish studying the inscriptions," Sam answered. "If you find out anything else, I would greatly appreciate the input. After that, I'll return it to the larger cocobolo wood box and locked in the Brotherhood safe."

"Good," David said, moving in the direction of the door. "It needs to be out of circulation."

.

After David and Brian were escorted off the property to head for the hotel, Dean stood in the living room studying the white board.

Sam came into the room, bringing with him the data on the cities. Ryker stepped back from rearranging the pictures and Sam started writing the information up on the board.

"Do you think the man in the car was heading for Chicago?" James asked as he surveyed the data Sam was writing.

"There's no way to know," Sam stated. "It's possible, if they went from Houston to Mount Vernon. But there isn't any concrete data on that."

James opened the laptop near him and started typing. "So we have violence in Kennebunkport, then in Baltimore, which is almost eight hours south. After Baltimore, the violence appears in Ashland, Wisconsin; that's an eighteen hour drive west."

JT was nodding and clicking on the keyboard of his laptop. "After Ashland there's violence in Stillwater. Now that's only three hours away." Looking up, he said, "Think our boy got tired?"

"Don't know," James said, "But from Stillwater Minnesota to Rockland Idaho is another hefty driving schedule; nineteen hours and some change."

"It's like this person or persons if going in a circle around the country," Joshua observed.

"Looks like," JT said. "Cause he goes from Rockland down to Anaheim. That's a thirteen hour stretch…"

"And Anaheim to Houston is the longest drive; twenty-three hours." James looked up at the whiteboards again.

"And we think this same person was in Mount Vernon…" Sam said.

"Twelve hours," James supplied.

"So this guys gets around," Max said.

"He's definitely circling the country," Joshua stated again, his eyes on the whiteboard.

Everyone looked at the board, then over at Joshua. Sam hurried into the Tomb and returned a couple minutes later with an old paper map of the United States. Hurriedly he unfolded it and taped it up on the board. Grabbing a black marker, he circled Kennebunkport Maine, then drew a line down to Baltimore Maryland.

"Ashland Wisconsin," James supplied, then, "Stillwater Minnesota."

Sam circled those and continued on through Rockland, Anaheim and Houston, then drew a line up to Mount Vernon, Illinois. "This," he pointed to Mount Vernon, "is out of the way. If he's circling the country, he would need to go through the South, like maybe to Florida or South Carolina. Why did he go there?"

"There was no big violence in Mount Vernon, aside from the brawl at the club," Caleb pointed out.

Max eyed the map. "The violence, the out of character behavior, the sudden stop when he's finished with a place, moving in a circle around the country…"

"He plans on working some sort of spell," Joshua stated.

"Can you tell what?" Caleb asked, knowing it was a long shot.

"No," Joshua stated. "A circle is too vague. It could be one of a hundred spells."

Sam's eyes went to the small box sitting on the coffee table. "We need to know what the box says."

James nodded, studying the small wood lid. "The research team can help with some of these symbols."

Dean looked at the board, then around at Joshua. "You think the guy circling the country could be the beginnings of a spell."

"Considering we don't know much, I'd still hazard a guess and say yes," Joshua said slowly. "You've got outbreaks of unnatural violence within cities of states that border the country. The only question I have is why suddenly turn and go up through the center before finishing your circuit?"

"Us?" Dean asked.

That got everyone's attention.

Dean shrugged. "If I was the big bad planning a gigantic spell, I'd want to see who might be around to stop it."

"How would this guy know about New Haven Kentucky?" Max asked.

"Yeah," James said, frowning. "It's not like New Haven is a bustling metropolis."

"Despite our being the bane of supernatural kind," Caleb stated, "not many people know about the farm, or that we're near Louisville. Even most covens think we're located in New York."

"But not all," Joshua said.

"No," Caleb admitted, "not all."

There was an uncomfortable quiet before Dean asked Joshua, "How do you think he plans on closing the circle?"

Joshua looked startled. "We don't know that it's a spell yet."

"I trust your gut," Dean said.

Joshua sighed. "Not knowing what kind of spell this is, the only thing I can say for sure is that he would have to close it with blood or a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice…" Caleb said.

"For something this big, I would say a sacrifice or multiple sacrifices would be necessary."

"A sacrifice like blood violence in cities across the country?" Ryker suggested.

Somehow the situation, which had been serious before, took on a more deadly cast.

"Could he harness that blood and violence in a spell?" Max asked. "One he could use later as the sacrifice?"

"Now hold on," Joshua stated. "This is all speculative, and without some corroborating facts, we don't want to pigeon hole our research or our impressions onto one path. Let's keep to what we know, and that is that it looks like this man is circling the country with the probable intent of working a spell."

After a moment of silence, Ryker said, "Since it's fairly likely a spell of some kind is being worked, this man would need something to anchor the spell in the different cities."

Joshua nodded in his direction. "Possibly."

"You mean like a talisman of some kind," Sam said.

"Probable."

"Like a box?" Dean asked, pointing to the small box of the table.

Everyone looked from the box to Joshua, who threw up his hands. "I don't know! This is all pure speculation, and…"

"We know it's speculation, Josh," Caleb interrupted. "But we've got close to two hundred years of hunting experience right here in this room. I trust your gut."

"All right," Joshua said with a sigh. "Speculatively speaking, I don't know that a box or boxes would have been left as talismans. The only city in which a box was found was Mount Vernon, and wholesale violence did not happen there. Unless we find boxes in cities where violence did happen, the talisman remains anonymous."

"Could you track a magical talisman?" Dean asked.

"Considering I have no idea what spell is being done and no idea if a talisman even exists, at this time I would say no," Joshua stated firmly. Gut and speculation couldn't be turned into absolutes.

No one spoke as they took in the whiteboards, the pictures, or looked at the box. Finally Dean said, "All right. Let's get all this back in the Tomb. We've got more work to do." Looking to Sam, he asked, "How far are we in mining the social media sites for information?"

"We still have work to do on Anaheim," Sam said. "It's a huge city and there are millions of video clips and pictures to go through. Ethan and Elijah are still working on Houston. We should be hearing from Jody soon. And I'll send an email to Alison, see how far she and her team have gotten with the rest of the cities."

"And we haven't heard from our law enforcement contacts either," Caleb said. "But it's only been a day. I say we keep plugging away at Anaheim, and check in with our police contacts on Monday."

Dean nodded. Looking at the future Triad, he said, "I think we're fine to lay the groundwork on this one."

There was a moment of stunned silence before a clamor of voices erupted as each of the young men started to protest.

Dean held up a hand for silence. "JT, you've got an editorial to finish; James, you've got school and your internship. Max, your restaurant needs your attention, and Ryker, don't you have classes to teach at Bluegrass Challenge Academy?"

"We have time for this," JT stated, his face stern. "If this guy is working a spell that encircles the entire country, that's something we should be involved in."

"Hold on," Joshua protested once again. "I said it could be a spell, not that it is."

"Your could be is as good as is," Max stated, anger at being sidelined on his face. His dad wasn't a man to jump the gun unless he was pretty darn sure of a target.

"We don't know what the box is, we haven't even finished the most basic of legwork," Sam began.

"We haven't got anything except a shadowy car and violence in select cities," Dean declared. "We have a lot of ground to cover. You're help is welcome tomorrow, but you each have places to be on Monday. We have a research arm of the Brotherhood for a reason, and they'll keep on this as will we. When we find something, we'll let you know."

James and Max looked mutinous while Ryker looked skeptical. JT merely stared at his father, his emotions plain on his face.

"I can help find out which spell is being used," Ryker argued.

"That's up to Joshua," Dean stated. He eyed each of the young men before sighing. "I promise we'll bring everyone in if it's called for. But right now, we got virtually nothing." When none of their expressions changed, he conceded, "We'll see where we stand tomorrow night."

JT finally broke the silence by saying, "All right, tomorrow night."

At that, everyone started cleaning up the living room and taking leftover food to the kitchen. Dean texted Juliet and let her know they'd finished up. When Sam, Caleb, Max and Ryker took off, Ben came back into the house with Nicholas and a very sleepy Mac.

Nicholas headed immediately for Joshua and snuggled up against him on the couch, yawning.

"You ready for bed?" Joshua asked, rubbing the child's back.

Nicholas nodded and closed his eyes.

"Then let's get the fort started," Dean stated. With James and JT both upstairs getting their old room ready for the night, he went into the upstairs closet and pulled out sheets, several blankets, and a couple of pillows.

"I'll take those downstairs, Dad," JT said, coming up behind Dean and taking the stack out of his arms.

"Thanks," Dean said with a smile. Reaching down and shuffling aside old boxes and pairs of rain boots and sneakers, he pulled out first one, then two child-sized air mattresses. Standing, he stared at them for a long moment. JT and James had used these for several years on camping trips, campouts by the lake, nights of adventure sleeping in the barn, and on stormy nights when the electricity went out and they'd all slept together as a family in the living room, keeping warm before the fire. They hadn't been used in years, and bringing them out brought back cherished memories of giggles and whispers late into the night.

"Want me to take those downstairs?"

Dean looked up to see James watching him, a mischievous smile on his face. Huffing out a soft laugh, he nodded and handed them to his son. "We're building a fort."

"I love forts," James said. "Do we still have our stuffed animals?"

"You're asking me? They were your animals," Dean retorted.

James laughed. "I think some are in our closet. I'll get them after I take these downstairs."

"I'll get them," Dean said, going down the hall into JT and James' old room. Not much had changed since the boys had lived at the farm. Dean and Juliet hadn't seen any reason to convert the boys' room into something else, so it just remained their room like it had been his and Sam's before. Now, of course, JT's duffel was lying near his old bed while James' coat was tossed across his own. At the closet, Dean opened the door to old school clothes and worn sneakers. Books and notepads were piled on the top shelf along with a couple of old baseball gloves and a well-worn backpack. On the closet floor were a limp soccer ball and two baseball bats. Kneeling down, Dean fished into the back of the closet until he felt fluffiness, and pulled out three soft teddies, worn with love.

"I'd forgotten those were there," JT said, coming into the room.

"Remember this one?" Dean said, holding up a blue teddy bear.

JT laughed. "Jimmy thought it was an alien, because bears didn't come in blue."

Dean chuckled and reached into the closet again, pulling out a fluffy brown dog.

"Sandy," JT exclaimed softly, coming over to take the dog from his father. "I forgot about him."

"You wouldn't sleep without him when you were five," Dean said, smiling.

"We couldn't bring the dogs upstairs, so I had to settle for a stuffed one."

"After the dogs were trained, we let them sleep up here."

"Pastor Jim used to let you and Uncle Sam sleep with Atticus Finch and Scout." JT knew that his and James' room used to be his father and uncle's when they were small, and he knew that Pastor Jim let the dogs sleep with them. But remembering the past included saying things everyone already knew, and relishing that.

Dean nodded. "Atticus Finch would jump up on the bed, turn around three times and lay down right between our legs." He smiled. "Scout would get the end of the bed."

"I loved having d'Artagnan and Porthos sleep on our beds."

"And later Aramis and Athos," Dean added.

JT nodded. "There was something so comforting about having that warm, furry body lying near your legs, you know?"

"I felt the same growing up," Dean agreed. He heard a car engine in the yard and knew Juliet and Carolyn were likely back from Caleb's. Rising, he lifted the teddies. "Ready to pass the torch?"

JT nodded and rose, his old toy dog in his hands. "I think Sandy will like sleeping with Nicholas and Mac."

When they two got downstairs, Juliet was opening the front door. Stepping inside, she gave Dean a kiss and before walking through into the kitchen to finish tidying up. James and Ben had already rearranged the living room so that the chairs from the kitchen and the high-backed cushioned chairs were across from one another, ready to be the tent poles for the fort. Joshua had cautioned them against draping the heavier blankets over the chairs, not wanting the fort to be too dark. He didn't want Nicholas to feel like he was in a cave again. James had replaced the dead batteries in the mattresses, and was now filling them up with air. Nicholas, curious about the mattresses, knelt nearby watching as they expanded.

When one was fully inflated, James drew the sheet over the mattress and said, "Climb on!"

Nicholas checked over his shoulder with Joshua and Carolyn, then climbed on the mattress. Smiling, he murmured, "Soft."

Ben placed a sleepy Mac on the other mattress, put a pillow under his head and pulled the blankets up over his son's shoulders. Leaning over, he said, "Night, Ace," and gave Mac a kiss on the forehead.

"Night, Daddy," Mac murmured before he rolled onto his side and fell asleep.

"I think it's time for another young man to get some sleep, don't you?" Joshua asked.

"Bed time, Baby," Carolyn said softly.

Nicholas nodded and lay down on his mattress. "Puppies," he said.

"You're right. They need to get to bed too," Joshua said.

"I got it," James said, and he went into the kitchen to fetch the cage.

Ben slid Mac's mattress slowly beneath the thin fabric of the fort until the edge of his mattress touched the sheet on the other side.

Joshua smiled at Nicholas and said, "Ready to go in?"

Nicholas nodded and smiled as Joshua slid the mattress underneath the sheet suspended between the chairs.

Nicholas looked up at the sheet. Reaching out, he ran his fingers along with soft fabric.

"We've got some friends here to protect you," Dean said with a smile. Holding up the teddies, he said, "These two," he held up the blue teddy and a black teddy, "will guard the entrance to your fort." He placed one teddy on the right, and one by the left side of the fort opening. "This teddy," he tucked it beneath Mac's covers, "will watch out for Mac."

"And this puppy," JT said, kneeling down and holding up his old stuffed dog, "is Sandy. Sandy used to sleep with me every night when I was your age. Do you think you can watch over him for me?"

Nicholas nodded and held out a hand.

"Thank you," JT murmured. "I love Sandy, and know you'll take good care of him."

JT moved back as Carolyn came forward and knelt down. "Do you remember where mommy and daddy will be sleeping?"

Nicholas nodded and pointed down the hallway.

"So, if you get scared or lonely, where are you going to go?"

"Mommy and daddy," Nicholas said with a sweet smile.

"Good boy," Carolyn said, and leaned in to give him a kiss.

James brought in the puppies and placed the cage nearest to Nicholas' side of the fort. "Here are Ted and Maxie."

Nicholas stuck his fingers through the thin wires of the cage, and Maxie sleepily licked them.

James and JT went upstairs while Dean set up a small lamp on the floor in the hallway.

Joshua knelt down and gave Mac a kiss on the top of his head, then gave Nicholas a kiss on the forehead and murmured, "Have a good night's sleep."

Rising, he went to the hallway and turned out the overhead light. There was still enough light in the living room from the small lamp on the floor, that he could see Nicholas watching him. "I'm going to be right there if you need me, all right?"

Nicholas nodded.

Turning and walking down the hallway away from his son was the hardest thing Joshua had ever done. He wanted to go back, get some blankets and sleep on the couch. He wanted to go back, snatch Nicholas up from that air mattress and bring him to bed with him and Carolyn. But instead, he opened the door to the guest room and went inside.

"He's going to be all right," was the first thing Carolyn said.

Joshua chuckled softly. "I hope so. But if not, he knows where we are."

"We're not going to get a lot of sleep tonight, are we?" Carolyn said wryly.

"No," Joshua said, sitting on the bed. "I don't think we are." Looking up at his wife, he said, "But we can at least be comfortable. Why don't you change? I'll change when you're finished, and we'll leave the small light on and the door ajar in case Nicholas wants to come in."

"Perfect," Carolyn said, leaning down to kiss her husband. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"I can never hear that too often," Joshua stated. "And I love you."

.

Nicholas lay still for a long time, listening to the sounds of the house. He didn't like being out here without Joshua and Carolyn. The creaks this house made weren't the creaks he was used to, and that meant scary. He wanted to go down the hallway and sleep with mommy and daddy, but he didn't want to leave Mac out here on his own. After several more minutes crept by, he reached over and scratched Mac's shoulder. His friend didn't move. Reaching out again, he gave Mac's shoulder another small scratch.

Slowly, very slowly Mac opened his green eyes.

Nicholas watched his friend, hoping he wasn't mad.

A slight crease appeared between Mac's eyes. "You 'kay?"

Nicholas didn't speak for a moment, then he whispered, "Scared."

Mac's eyes went overhead to the sheet, then swept around the living room. "Fort?"

Nicholas nodded.

Slowly Mac's eyes went back to his friend, and he smiled. "Move over."

Nicholas frowned.

Mac pushed himself up on one elbow and repeated softly, "Move over."

Nicholas' eyes widened a bit and he shifted back on his air mattress, leaving enough room for Mac to climb on.

Mac pulled his blankets with him and put them on top of Nicholas' blankets, a heavy cover of warmth for two small boys. Laying his head on the other boy's pillow, he whispered, "Together."

Nicholas smiled. "Maxie and Ted."

"You think they're scared?" Mac asked.

Nicholas nodded.

Mac reached over his head and unlatched the cage. Tickling Ted's furry side, he smiled when the small beagle puppy climbed slowly out of the cage and crawled between Mac and Nicholas, snuggling up against Nicholas' neck. Soon after Maxie climbed out to join them.

Nicholas smiled at his friend. "Together."

Mac nodded, "Together," he murmured, and let his eyelids fall shut.

.

TBC

Author's Note:

Thank you, everyone, again for the encouragement and reviews. I'm so glad ya'll are enjoying the story.

I also hope everyone is protecting themselves, getting enough rest and staying at home when possible. Since I have more time at home this week, I'll try to curb my obsessive nitpicking and get more chapters out this next week. Take care, all!