A/N
Thank you maddietoes, mckenna4, sammygirl1963, Icy Icee, Wunjo and Christine for the great reviews!
Seriously, Dean. Don't hurt the Jacob teddy. He learns from his mistakes (and Sam claimed him, thank you very much).
Dean took a step, closing the distance Jacob tried to put between them. "You better -"
"Dean, wait! Please!"
The soft call from behind froze Dean in his tracks. Sam was standing on the edge of the table, a pleading expression on his face. Begging his big brother to listen to him. Gone was any fear for the massive man staring down at him. Now all Sam could feel was worry for his new friend, Jacob. Seeing him go down like that, dropped by one hit from Dean made Sam realize how he'd put Jacob in danger by bringing him there. Sam could have found a different way... some other way to approach Dean that didn't involve putting Jacob at risk.
Sam was probably the only person in the world that would ever be able to stop Dean Winchester in his tracks, even with his emotions running so high. Even after thirteen years spent apart.
Especially after thirteen years apart.
Dean glanced over at the table, one hand still curled into a fist and ready to lash out.
Sam took a deep breath, ignoring the way that fist could close around his entire body. It wouldn't. This was Dean. There was no one Sam could trust more, even if he was four inches tall. "Dean, please. Jacob didn't mean what he did." His hands both went to his shirt, clearly holding against his tender chest. His eyes remained determined. "He messed up. He didn't know what I was, and he was curious. Hell, if I found a person standing four inches tall when I was human, I might have done the same thing. I made a mistake, and it got me caught. It's not Jacob's fault that I got hurt, it's mine."
Dean's hard expression softened at that. "Sam, please, this is not your -"
Sam cut him right off with a sharp shake of his head. "No, it is. I made a stupid call because I needed supplies. So Jacob caught me. But he also let me go, once he realized what I was, and then he offered to help. He's more than made up for his mistake. He helped me find you, after all. If it wasn't for Jacob, I'd still be back at that motel, with no idea if you and dad were alive or dead.And you'd never know what happened to me. You wouldn't even be able to suspect that the witch didn't kill me. So yeah, he fucked up big time. But he's my friend, and I didn't..." Sam's voice choked up and he shook his head emphatically. "I didn't want you to hurt him. Please. He really wanted to meet you. He drove eight hours, out of his way, just to bring me here. Can't you just... give him a chance? For me?" His hazel eyes were shining.
For a long moment, there wasn't a sound in the room after Sam's pleading tapered off. Dean's gaze shifted between both of the others, his brow furrowed as he considered Jacob. A long moment of silence crawled by, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.
There was almost a palpable feeling of relief when he straightened, then offered Jacob a hand to get him off the floor.
Jacob stared at the offered hand with some lingering trepidation. Somehow, despite being something like a twentieth his brother's size, Sam had stopped Dean's momentum as assuredly as if he'd physically held him back. Jacob was certain he'd get hit at least once more before getting thrown out of the room with the door slammed behind him. No way of really knowing what would happen after that.
But here he was, offered a hand up from the same guy that knocked him down in the first place. Jacob glanced once between the two brothers before accepting it, getting to his feet again. His murmured thanks was almost inaudible to all but Sam.
Jacob looked over to the table, and though he wanted to move towards it to see Sam better, he remained where he was. He didn't see a need to get Dean jumpy over his little brother all over again. The overprotective part of the big brother in Dean had clearly survived all those years with Sam presumed dead.
Even so, Jacob was both mortified that he'd injured Sam as much as he did, and curious to see for himself whether the little guy was okay. Looking at him from a few steps away would have to do.
Sam had called Jacob his friend. After what he did, Jacob never would have guessed this turn of events. His amazement showed on his face as he beheld the smaller man. Seeing how little he looked compared to the books and papers, even remembering how small his weight was on Jacob's hand, brought the point back loud and clear. Sam was fragile enough to hurt with a careless mistake, and yet he'd still trusted Jacob enough to go on an eight hour car ride with him. Sam had been completely alone with him all that time, with no way to really control Jacob's actions.
"Sam ... I'm sorry again for what I did," Jacob intoned softly, for a moment taking his focus off of Dean and what he might think of the apology. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you just by being careless. I'm really glad you're back with your family now. You deserve this after everything you've had to deal with, man." After struggling just to get by in a world built too large for him. After surviving all those years with the odds stacked against him.
Jacob glanced towards Dean, then at the door beyond him. He considered sidling right past the man and heading out before he overstayed his welcome. If it's not already too late for that.
Finally looking back at Sam, Jacob offered a faint smile, noting with minor awe that the motion agitated the bruise darkening on his face. Holy shit he hit hard. "So, are you, uh. Good here? I can go, if you want. You guys probably have a lot of catching up to do and I wouldn't want to get in the way of that."
"No... Jacob, wait." Sam's voice cut through again. He didn't pay Dean any mind for a second, worried for his friend. After spending the last eight hours getting to know Jacob, the last thing Sam wanted was the last time he saw the guy to be full of fear and pain. "Please. It's not your fault, I'm fine, really." This time his gaze encompassed both humans standing in front of the table, Dean the closer of the two and Jacob standing farther back. The younger human looked ready to bolt and the older just looked concerned and thoughtful, as though he was considering the last few minutes.
"It's just a few bruises," Sam reaffirmed. "They'll go away. I've done worse when I learned to climb." He offered them both an easy smile with big eyes, determined that his big brother at least give Jacob a chance. He didn't have to take Sam eight hours cross country, but he had. The least they could do was properly thank him.
"You might at least want to put some ice on that," Dean stated, catching everyone off guard. Before Sam could ask, the green eyes turned to him. "Both of you, not just Jacob. You're not getting off the hook that easy, pint-size. I know injuries, and those are some nasty bruises, no matter how fine you say you are."
Jacob winced a little, knowing it to be true and knowing he was the one who'd caused those bruises. But there was a new hopeful gleam in his eye. Dean, at the very least, wasn't set on kicking Jacob's ass out the door anymore. He might not forgive Jacob as easily as Sam was doing, but it was an encouraging turn nonetheless. He let some of the tension wind out of his shoulders, looking less like he might bolt and more like he was cautious but optimistic.
"Ice would be pretty awesome," Jacob agreed, managing a casual tone despite the recent almost-altercation. If Dean was willing to look past his mistakes, Jacob was willing to look past getting knocked to the floor by an angry and protective big brother. "But first things first, man. I feel like I started this whole deal pretty badly." He chuckled and glanced over at Sam. "Sam could tell you my first impressions could use a lot of work."
Jacob held out a hand to Dean. "So. Good to meet you, Dean. Glad we caught you while you were still in town."
Dean hesitated. Over on the table, Sam held his breath, praying his brother didn't just leave Jacob hanging after everything he'd done for him. The tension practically bled from the smallest person in the room when at long last, the hunter reached out his own hand, clasping Jacob's in a firm hold.
Dean gave Jacob a partial smile. "Can't say I'm sad you managed to track me down. Not with shorty over there in tow." He released Jacob's hand. "It's impressive though. I don't exactly stay on the map if I can avoid it."
Walking himself over to the mini-fridge, Dean was on edge with Sam out of sight for a moment. He knew all he had to do was turn, and he'd see his brother standing there on the table. But now that Sam was back, he was afraid to look away.
Afraid Sam might vanish into the air all over again.
Dean gathered up enough ice for the other two, and grabbed a hand towel from the bathroom. It wasn't the most graceful ice pack for Jacob, but it would get the job done. Dean passed it off, then sat down near Sam with the last cube. "Hey kid," he said softly, realizing his actions before might have startled his smaller brother. "Let's get you fixed up."
With the two brothers occupied, Jacob sat in the other seat, though he was far from relaxed into it. He touched the hastily-made ice pack to his jaw, grateful at least for that hospitality. Otherwise, he tried to avoid drawing any attention to himself.
Sam nodded, knowing better than to argue with Dean when he was on a mission. Thirteen years and he still couldn't hide an injury from Dean. Why wasn't he surprised?
Dean watched as Sam slipped off his tan jacket, folding it and laying it down on the ground nearby. Sam stopped to take a deep breath to compose himself, then he took off the grey t-shirt he was wearing.
The bruises were dark on his torso. Dean held his breath, leaning down. "You call this fine?" he asked, holding out the ice.
Sam took it with a shrug. "Like I said. I've done worse before when I was learning to climb. I think I bruised some ribs one time when I slipped off a nightstand not too many years after I shrunk."
Dean frowned at that, but had no choice but to accept it. It wasn't like he'd been there for his brother all those years. Sam was so small… he couldn't imagine how dangerous it was for someone who only stood four inches tall. Barely the size of a finger. No wonder he'd gotten so injured…
"So," Dean said. "What happened during your 'first impression?' " Despite offering Jacob the ice, there was still an edge in his voice. Across the table, Jacob avoided looking at Dean, choosing instead to focus on Sam. His brow was pinched in concern at the state Sam was in. The state Jacob had put him in.
Sam looked up, holding the ice against his torso with a wince. "I think you've got the general idea. I saw food on the floor, and I made a stupid decision to run out and grab it. Jacob saw me. When he grabbed me, he was rough. He didn't do it on purpose… he was just curious." Then Sam grinned. "I did get a good slash in with my knife though. Almost got away." His voice was proud.
Dean gave a disbelieving laugh. "Yeah?" Despite the fact that he was listening to the story of Sam getting caught, he couldn't help his own pride at the thought of Sam using the knife he'd made him for defense. "Showing him who's boss, that's my boy." He smirked and glanced up at Jacob. "Anything to add to that first impression?"
Jacob almost missed Dean's question. He was still occupied with the fact that Sam's entire torso needed ice. It was a good thing an ice cube was enough for the job. I did that to a person, he thought. It was so easy. Jacob hadn't even meant to squeeze Sam that hard. But now he'd probably live with the guilt over it forever. He resolved to be more careful. If he was ever allowed near Sam again after this, that is. When he glanced up and finally registered that Dean had spoken to him, Jacob could see the intense and wary distrust there.
Sam may have forgiven him, but Dean would take a little more time to catch up to his little brother. It was impossible to tell if Jacob would make the cut.
A/N
So Sam got bruised in his first encounter with Jacob, and now Jacob got bruised with his first encounter with Dean... so far, Dean's coming out on top.
***The story ends 8/21! A new poll will be up this SUNDAY to decide the next story to post!***
Next: Coming August 14th 2016 at 9pm est.
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