(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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Return of the Dragon Slayer.

Chapter Nine.

They trotted into camp, re-sheathing their swords as they headed towards the main tent, under the ever-watchful eyes of …well pretty much everyone in the encampment. They knew who was here, they'd heard the roars of the dragons announcing his arrival. The 'Dragon Slayer' had returned, returned to fight the war that would bring their realm back to its previous harmony.

"Is this your army?" asked Dean quietly.

Finn laughed softly and shook her head "No. I'm a soldier like everyone else" she pulled Picasso up next to the marquee and patted his neck "Good boy"

Dean slipped off the horse and went round to the horse and rubbed his nose as Picasso nuzzled his hand "You didn't even flinch when the dragon came at you" the horse snorted "Bad ass huh?" Picasso tossed his head and Dean laughed.

Finn dismounted and went and lifted Caleb out of the saddle "You alright?"

"I'm hungry" he said as she put him down "And my bottom's sore"

Sam got off Bull "I hear ya, Caleb" and he rubbed at his ass.

They turned as the tent flap opened and a tall, blonde-haired man came out. He stood about 6ft 7, green eyes, well built and he grinned widely when he saw Finn "Finn"

"Jude" she walked over and they hugged.

Jude smiled at Caleb "Hey Caleb"

Caleb waved "Hey Jude" he grinned "don't make it bad"

Jude rolled his eyes "Jesus, Finn…you taught the kid?"

Caleb laughed "Mamma said it drive you crazy"

"Your Mamma lives to drive me crazy" said Jude with a smile. He looked at Dean and Sam "So, you gonna make introductions or what, you mad bitch?"

Finn smiled "Jude, Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester. Dean, Sam…Judah Griffiths. This is his army"

Jude shook their hands "Good to have you here" he looked at Dean "You especially. Heard your arrival"

"Thanks and yeah…kinda loud" said Dean.

"We see a dragon, Jude! It fly right next to me" he giggled "I almost peed in my pants"

Jude laughed "Well, they've been waiting awhile, Caleb" he looked at Dean "Guess they just wanted to make sure you arrived alright"

"Yeah, had some…aaah…" started Dean. He shook his head as he heard a distant roar...a roar in his mind.

"Memory loss? Yeah, Finn told me. We'd been debating…how about we take this inside" he called to an Ancient and asked him to bring food for everyone to the tent.

"That's our gear" said Finn and she pointed to the horse.

"We've got tents organised for you" he looked at Finn and grinned "Are you and …"

"Aaah, no. Dean and Sam will share a tent. Caleb's in with me" said Finn and she took the boys hand and went into the tent.

Jude laughed and looked at Dean "You sure?"

"Positive" said Dean and he followed Finn, wincing as he heard another roar sound.

Jude looked at Sam and raised an eyebrow. Sam shook his head and smiled "I don't know what the hell's going on, dude"

Jude laughed and clapped Sam on the shoulder, leading him into the tent.

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Jude sat behind the make-shift desk as the Finn, Dean and Sam sat opposite him, Caleb sitting in his mother's lap and Wolf resting at her feet.

"Amos told me they've got the 'golden' fledgling and what they're gonna do to it and Gideon" said Finn.

Jude nodded "We're not sure how they got it…but you know it had to be powerful magic. That prick Jonas has set himself up as the proxy and he's got Bartholemew as his 'advisor'. Most of the Royal Guard has quit in disgust, but there were plenty of idiots willing to take their place"

"They're not all here though"

"No, we've got camps scattered about the realm, they haven't managed to find any of them so far but there's no way Jonas doesn't know Dean's arrived so they'll be sending out scouts"

"Can they find us here?" asked Sam.

"Don't think so. We've been here almost a year now…ever since the first call went out and they haven't found us yet but we chose this place for a reason…most won't come in here"

"I like it" said Caleb "The trees say we safe"

Finn kissed his head "How many are we?" asked Finn.

"In this camp, 867. In the other camps…in total around three thousand. There are others that have stayed put but are willing to fight…rough estimate…maybe five thousand"

"That's a lot though right?" asked Sam.

Jude smiled "Not really…the so-called Royal Guard and army number over fifteen thousand but then again…" he looked at Dean "We have the 'Dragon Slayer'"

Dean gave him a short smile "Finn, can I talk to you…in private"

She nodded and Caleb got off her lap and went and sat with Sam "Jude, Sam's gonna need leathers and I didn't have time to grab Caleb's gear either" he nodded "And I've sent Amos and Nate to find Seth"

"Good. We need him back here"

She nodded and walked out, Dean following her. "Well privacy's gonna be difficult" he said as they walked out. Everyone was watching them.

"This way" and she led him towards the back of the coral. She leaned against the fence "What's up?"

"A lot" he leaned back next to her "Shit, Finn. I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do and your people…" he shook his head.

"I know you don't want to admit it, Dean…but these are your people too. And you'll know what to do…I mean, shit, you knew that dragon was coming before it showed itself" she looked at him "How did you know?"

He shrugged "I just did"

"It'll come, Dean. I promise" she smiled "Have faith"

He laughed "Yeah, okay" he paused "Jude seems nice"

"He is"

"You seem…close"

"We are. He's Eli's brother" said Finn "So you can understand how pissed he is at Jonas"

Dean nodded and turned and faced the camp, the Ancients were still watching although not as openly now "There are women in the army too?" he smiled at a couple that waved at him.

Finn turned "Your wenches, Dean" she pushed herself off the fence "I need to check Caleb" and she walked off. Dean watched her…not quite understanding what had just happened. He put his hand to his temple and rubbed at it as another roar echoed through it.

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Finn had spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding him and he'd spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding her. He'd tried to coax Caleb into showing him around but the boy had flat out refused and spent his time running between Finn and Sam. He'd watched him though…watched his son. He was starting to get used to the fact that Caleb was his son, apart from the remarkable resemblance, he'd noticed that Caleb rubbed at the back of his neck when something was bothering him, just like he did ...and he'd managed to charm almost every woman in the camp as well. Dean grinned…Caleb was more his father's son than he realised.

He'd watched Finn as well as she walked around talking with people. He knew she was organising a team that was going to go into the Citadel to get Gideon; he wasn't sure about her plan though, the fact that she was going to lead it, didn't sit well with him. When he'd pointed out that Gideon was being kept in underground cells and it would be damn difficult to get him out, she just said she would and refused to discuss it any further.

She was different, too. She looked the same, well she would, but she'd lost that hard edge to her, that part of her that was angry at the world, he guessed Caleb had something to do with that. He'd also noticed that she no longer had the scar along her jaw; her reminder of Eli. He looked up as Sam came over and grinned "There you are 'Conan', wondered where you'd got to"

Sam looked down at himself, faded brown leather pants and leather long-sleeved shirt "I feel like one of the 'Village People'" and he sat himself up on the coral fence next to Dean "Although all the chicks in leather is making me very happy"

"That's my boy" said Dean with a smile.

"You alright?"

Dean nodded "Fine" he didn't want to say anything to Sam about the pain in his head, the pain that had been increasing with every mind-roar he heard and felt.

"Bullshit. There's a table laden with awesome food and you haven't been near it" he followed Dean's gaze "Just go talk to her"

"Talk to who?" he asked and shifted his gaze.

"Yeah, okay" he turned to his brother "Tell me…how long were you and she…I mean…"

"It was just two weeks, dude. There was nothing in it"

Sam laughed "Two weeks? Dean, for you that's a long term relationship" he shook his head "Make peace with her…you two have a son…"

"A son that hates me"

Sam smiled "He doesn't hate you, Dean. He's been asking me about you; he's trying to be subtle but he's five, dude….and he's your son, subtlety really isn't in his makeup" he grinned "And you really went up in brownie points with the dragon thing"

Dean smiled "That was pretty fucking awesome"

"Shit, dude…that's an understatement" he looked around "I love it here…I mean apart from all the having to go to war shit, that is"

They looked over when they heard Caleb squealing with delight, Finn had him by the hands and was swinging him round in circles, his little legs flying out behind him.

"Go talk to them…they're your family, Dean"

Dean slipped off the fence "No, dude…you are" and walked in the opposite direction.

Sam watched as Dean walked towards their tent, his head down, trying to ignore everyone, but he noticed how every time Caleb laughed, Dean looked over at them. His brother was trying to shut them out…not wanting anyone to get close to him; but Sam knew his brother, Caleb had already got to him, he'd seen Dean watching the boy all afternoon and if he wasn't watching Caleb, he was watching Finn. He sighed and slipped off the fence and headed back to the food.

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Dean was in his tent taking out Caleb's toys when the flap opened and a woman came in with a large bag in her hand.

"Jude said you and your brother needed some more ...appropriate clothes" she handed him the bag.

"Thanks" he put it on the ground next to his mattress.

"You're the 'Dragon Slayer'?" she asked. He nodded, he was starting to get used to the term "The little boy was saying you saw a dragon…up close"

Dean nodded "One came to greet us" he smiled "My…son, thought it was pretty cool" There, he'd finally said it aloud…and without screaming it in someone's face… 'his son'

"Umm…you and the Princess…"

Dean bent and picked up Caleb's toys "Thanks for the clothes" she nodded, turned and left the tent. Dean walked out behind her as Finn walked out of the main tent, she looked at him and the woman, turned and walked over to the coral and to Caleb. He sighed and followed her.

Caleb was playing with Wolf near the coral, Finn was sitting on the fence and Sam on the ground, a plate of food in his lap, watching them play.

"Caleb…" the boy turned and looked at Dean "You want your stuff?"

He looked at Dean warily, then at his toys. He walked over and put out his hands "Thank you, Dean"

Dean crouched in front of him and handed him the toys "I was wondering…you think maybe you could help me with something?"

Caleb looked at him seriously "Maybe"

"Your Mom said you hear the dragons too" Caleb nodded "Well…" he leaned in and whispered "I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing, so I thought maybe you could help me with that. You know, let me know what the dragons want me to do"

Caleb stared into Dean's eyes, he knew Caleb was seeing if he was telling the truth. Caleb finally nodded and Dean smiled at him "Thanks. But you can't let on to anyone that I don't know what I'm doing…" he grinned "It'll be our secret"

"The dragons tell you…don't worry. They know you new here, the longer you stay, the more you understand" he paused "And you told Mamma already"

"Yeah, well your Mamma's not happy with me right now"

Caleb nodded "You make her confused…she don't like that"

"Caleb…" said Finn.

Sam burped loudly "Sorry" he grinned.

Caleb grinned "You funny, Uncle Sam"

Sam grinned "Come on, big guy, Lets take your stuff to your tent and get me some more food" he stood and took Caleb's hand, winking at Dean as he left.

Dean stood and looked at Finn "I don't know what you think happened…" started Dean.

Finn shrugged "None of my business" she slipped off the fence and went to walk past him.

He grabbed her arm "Why are you so pissed at me?"

"I'm not pissed at you"

He laughed "You can't lie for shit, you know that?"

She shrugged out of his grip "I've got work to do"

He grabbed her arm again "Bullshit. You stay here and talk to me"

"No" she turned and walked away.

Dean kicked at the fence and then felt a searing in his mind and let out a low yell. He put his hands to his head and fell to his knees; he yelled again as he felt a cacophony of roars rip through his mind. He shook his head as the pressure built and built in his head, it was excrutiating. He felt blood trickle from his ears and nose…he was dying…there was no other explanation. He felt hands on his face, lifting his head up.

"Dean…Dean…"

He looked up and into Finn's concerned eyes "They're killing me"

"Who? Who's killing you?" she asked urgently.

"The dragons…my head…they're killing me…" he looked into her eyes as he felt tears run from his eyes.

Finn held Dean's head in her hands "It's gonna be alright…" she tried to calm him but when she saw the blood run from his eyes, she started to panic "Dean, look at me…look at me…"

He raised his eyes to hers…she was red "You're bleeding…" she shook her head and he put his hands to his eyes, they came back red "Oh god…my eyes…my head…" he put his forehead on her shoulder and he felt her arms go round him.

"Dean!" yelled Sam as he ran over with Jude and a group of Ancients "What the fuck is going on?" he asked Finn.

"I don't know, he said the dragons are trying to kill him"

Dean groaned "Don't let go, Finn" he put his arms around her.

"Shhh, I won't…" she said softly.

It was the last thing they heard her say as she and Dean disappeared.

To be continued…