Pairing: Dean/Caleb

Warning: Mary's alive

12 - Maybe He was Always Supposed to Do It

Mary paced the waiting room. Dean was fidgeting. Sam was completely still, which meant he was pissed. John was in custody and poor Caleb. Poor Caleb was being worked on. Mary rubbed the back of her neck. "How long, Dean?"

"I don't know. How long have he and I been together or how long have I been gay?" Dean asked boldly. It made her narrow her eyes at him. It wasn't like him to mouth off.

"Well, obviously he's always been gay." Sam interjected. 16 years of pissed off teen. Mary didn't have time for it right now. "That's how people are born. Dad is just—"

"Shut it, Sam." Mary barked at him. She paced and paced. "How long has it been going on with Caleb?"

"I don't know. Few years." Dean shrugged. His knuckles were turning purple. His mouth hurt. His dad hadn't meant to hit him. That had been clear when John Winchester had just stopped moving when he realized where the punch had landed.

"Why didn't you say anything? I thought you were seeing that waitress at Delaney's." She shook her head.

"Well… Dad took it real well." Dean touched his mouth.

"Well… I… He…" She sat across from her boys. "You should have told us. I don't know what he would have said. Would have done. You didn't give him any options."

"He didn't have to start beating the hell out of Caleb." Dean's voice started to rise. He brought it down and lowered his head.

"Next of kin for Caleb Bailey." A doctor stepped into the waiting room.

"I'm his…" Mary trailed off. "I don't know."

"I'm his boyfriend." Dean stood up. He followed the doctor down the short hallway, arms crossed, looking angry.

Sam looked at his mother. "Are you okay with Dean?"

"Sam…" Mary shook her head and stared off at the wall. "I don't know. I just… need to make sure everyone's okay."

"You've known Caleb the longest. You didn't even guess?"

"We're distantly related, Sam. We're not close. We're just all each other has left." She sighed and met her son's eye. "I suspected."

Sam took a breath. "But not about Dean."

Eyes shut she thought about it. "No."

"You mad?"

"No." She sighed and looked to her youngest son. "You've known?"

"He doesn't watch UFC for the sport." Sam pointed out. He picked at the knee of his jeans for a minute. "You think Dad will be pissed? I mean… about who Dean is?"

"I don't know." She took a breath. "You shouldn't have called the cops."

"They would have picked him up anyway. Caleb needed the ambulance." He took a breath and looked at his mom. "Is it wrong that I hope he's mad at Dean? Just so… maybe I could be his favorite for once?"

"Your dad doesn't have favorites."

"But he doesn't get me."

"No, he doesn't." She gave him a smile. "But he loves you. He loves Dean, too. He was just… surprised."

It was Mary who got to go in and see Caleb. It wasn't fair. It's just the way it worked out. He looked awful. Broken nose, broken ribs, bruises all over. He was breathing heavy under the influence of the painkillers. "Hey you."

"Hey. You." He coughed and winced. "I didn't press charges."

"Thanks." She whispered. "Dean's worried about you."

"I know."

"I didn't know, Caleb. I didn't. I'm not sure I like you and my son together. It's not the gay thing. It's the other thing. The thing we don't talk about." She wiped at her eyes. "I don't want my son hunting, Caleb. Ever."

"I know." He nodded. "I don't hold him to any obligations. When I'm here, we're here together. When I'm on a hunt… he knows that I'm away and I'm liable to not come back."

"You've got a few years on him but Dean adores you. Always has. I don't want him getting hurt. I don't want him hunting. If things don't go well with John tonight… he'll expect to leave with you. I can't have that." Mary told him firmly. "I love you. I do. Dean is more important to me."

"I know."

"Dean's tried so hard to keep John's faith in him. He's made a lot of mistakes that John and he have nearly come to blows over. I can't have this breaking up my family. He's finally got a good job. It's for the competition but he got it on his own. I thought he was getting ready to settle down."

"He is." Caleb looked up finally. "I've been thinking about putting my machete down. Just don't know where to set it."

"I think John will be okay with the gay thing but not the hunting."

"Dean's 20. He's made up his mind about who he is. I'm getting to the point where either I tell him or I give it up."

"I have to go check on John. Dean's here. I imagine he's not leaving. If he doesn't go, neither will Sam. Those two…"

"Is Sam okay?"

"Yeah… he's belligerent on Dean's behalf. Same as always." Mary crossed her arms. "I'll talk to John but you've got to talk to Dean. Make up your mind. Leave the hunting out there."

"What if he's good at it?"

"What?"

"What if he's already found it on his own and he's good at it?" Caleb shut his eyes. "I think it would be good if you could talk to him about it. I'm not admitting I believe him."

"What did he see?"

"Poltergeist on Renfro. Then he found a red cap. I didn't even know those things were real." Caleb took a breath. "He's good at it. If I tell him the truth, he's gonna know about you. John's gonna have a hard enough time with this without that."

"Let me talk to John. We'll… we'll tell Dean." Mary paced the limited space. "He's been doing so much better."

"Maybe it's the hunting. Maybe he was always supposed to do it."