Hero's

By: Maygin

Summary: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Today's Note: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! As my gift to you, I give you chapter 2… you however may not consider it a gift. Either way I love ya : (pardon me – Halloween is my favorite holiday… that and Simon Says put me in a good mood for the next month and a half!!) Hope you enjoy!

Again- Thanks to Carikube who helped me keep this within the English language parameters. Don't blame her for anything you don't like though cuz she could only do so much

Chapter 2

"Hey Winchester... Jimmy's Barbeque or Del Rio's?"

Dean frowned at the scruffy-looking man who ran up beside him. "Denny," Dean held up a hand to emphasize his point "you can not take this girl to Jimmie's."

"Why not?"

"Because she's Catholic and it's Lent"

The other man looked at him blankly. "So?"

Dean rolled his eyes and spoke slowly, "So she can't - eat - meat."

The other man shrugged as he slipped his jacket on, "She can get a salad."

Dean shook his head and walked away. "Whatever man, it's your date."

"Hey, you workin a double-shift tonight?" the man called after him.

"Nope, I'm outta here."

"Kay, I'll see ya in a few days then."

"Yeah alright." Dean threw a wave back as the other man left through the garage doors. He hung up his pair of yellow rubber pants, grabbed a rag from a cubby hole above his locker and kneeled down. He picked up a heavy boot, and proceeded to wipe it clean of any remaining black soot with the rag.

"Big plans?" Marris came up beside him, hanging up a similar pair of yellow rubber pants and jacket.

Dean glanced at her and then did a double-take. "Wow, you look unusually nice."

Marris frowned and shoved him with her heel, knocking him off balance and sending him sprawling to the ground on his butt. "Funny, you look exactly the same."

Dean snickered and repositioned himself in a more sturdy kneel checking out her unusual choice of clothing. "So where are we headed all decked out?"

Marris snorted while smoothing out the wrinkles in her flowery skirt. "We are headed nowhere... at least not unless you shower first."

Dean paused mid-swipe on his boot and looked up her, "Seriously?"

Marris shrugged. "You're free to come."

Dean stood to his full height, a sly smile on his lips. "I'm wearin ya down aren't I?"

The young woman didn't even flinch. "You have ten minutes to shower and be presentable."

Dean smiled and turned, disappearing into the stairwell. His head suddenly popped back out. "This isn't like a baby shower or anything is it?"

"Nine minutes."

Dean smiled and disappeared again.

--S--

"You are an evil, conniving little woman do you know that?" Dean whispered in annoyance.

"It was your choice to come." Marris whispered back in defense.

"That was before I knew you were taking me to a four hour chanting session." Dean growled and nervously looked at the rows of people surrounding him.

"Well what'd you expect? It's Sunday morning... who dresses up on Sunday morning unless they're going to church?"

"This isn't church; this is the torture chamber from 'Saw'. People are gonna start chewin their ears off any minute now."

"Oh will you give it a rest?" Marris whispered now equally annoyed. "It's not that bad." She smiled and gave a small nod to a few church members peering at them curiously. "Besides, this is just the pre-service."

"Are you freakin kidding me?!" he whispered harshly. A few more heads turned toward them. Dean glared and they promptly went back to fake-ignoring them.

Marris threw him her own glare. "Everyone meets together for the pre-service and then we'll break off and head towards the nursery."

Dean squared his shoulders, calming his nerves. "The nursery?" he asked in an appropriate whispering voice once more.

Marris nodded complacently, "I work in the nursery during the Main Service."

"Great, so instead of a bunch of stodgy, self-righteous chanters we'll be surrounded by a bunch of bratty, snot-nosed kids." Dean smarted.

"Sounds like you'll fit right in." The two slowly turned to glare at each other.

"Amen." they both growled with the rest of the congregation.

--S--

"Oh my gah-" Dean slapped a hand over his mouth as he tried to stop his gagging reflex. "What the he-…" he paused, remembering where exactly he was, "What is that?"

"What is what?" Marris asked, openly laughing at his expense.

"That!" Dean pointed at the open diaper. "All that green stuff?" Dean looked at his friend who was currently bouncing one baby on her arm while wiping at her laughter induced tears. Dean frowned at her. "Marris, that can not be normal."

Marris swallowed down as much as she could, "Dean," she comforted, "it's completely normal. Trust me. I'm sure you probably mortified your father with the same thing when you were a baby." She laid the sleeping baby in her arms down in an empty crib.

"Yeah well if I did he never mentioned it," He grumbled as he held the object of disgust as far away from him as he could before dropping it in the waste can.

"Well knowing you, you probably traumatized the poor guy… can't even speak about it anymore." Marris moved over towards him and slapped his hand away as he grabbed a clean diaper. "Go get the crying one," she gestured behind her as she snatched up a clean diaper and began cleaning the currently naked baby.

Dean moved to the other side of the room and searched for the wailing baby. He succeeded and gently picked the little tyke up just like Marris had shown him. He started bouncing the baby boy up and down trying to calm him. The little boy's cries slowed to a quiet hiccupping, and it grasped tightly onto Dean's finger. He looked up to see Marris watching him with a grin on her face.

"Handled that like a pro Winchester." She commented, moving to his side and looking down at the little baby.

"Yeah well despite popular belief this is not the first baby I've held."

"Oh yeah? You frequent many nurseries around here?"

Dean threw her a baleful glance. "No… I had a little brother at one time."

Marris looked taken aback. She definitely hadn't been expecting that. "I didn't know you had brother."

"Yeah well…" he gave a small shrug, watching the little boy in his arms try and pull his finger into its mouth. "You know how mom died…" he left it open. They were both familiar with the case, especially now that there had been another victim only two days ago.

Marris gave a small nod. "You never mentioned him. I guess I just thought it was always your mom. I never…" Dean looked at her as she faltered. "I should have known… sorry," she mumbled pathetically.

Dean gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about it… I never really knew him anyways. He was what, six months old?"

"Doesn't mean you didn't love him."

"Look," Dean shifted the baby in his arm, "I uh, I would appreciate it if you didn't bring it up with the guys. I mean they probably know, but…"

"No need to create awkward guy moments?"

"Exactly."

Marris shrugged, "My lips are sealed."

Dean smirked, "I can help you with that."

"Hm," Marris tisked. "And you were so cute there for like, two seconds."

"I'm always cute." Dean's head suddenly swiveled down. "Wha- ah man!" He pulled his now drool soaked finger out of the baby's mouth and looked at it in disgust.

"Good baby." Marris cooed.

Dean grimaced and wiped his wet finger on Marris' blouse. Ignoring him, she turned to look at the baby's crib. "Huh," she said while reading the little identification card attached to the device.

"What?" Dean asked disinterestedly as he wiped the remaining drool off on his jeans.

"This one's new."

"What?" Dean asked again moving to her side and gazing down at the card as well.

"Actually it looks like this one belongs to the church now."

"What do you mean 'belongs to the church'?"

This church acts as a foster home as well for children who can't be placed."

"An orphanage," Dean clarified.

Marris tilted her head in defeat. "Pretty much. Looks like he just came in yesterday."

"He's kinda young isn't he?"

Marris shrugged. "Young girls get pregnant, can't afford to take care of them so they just drop em off. Happens all the time."

"That's gotta suck."

"Actually compared to the life they would have had, I like to think we're offering them something better." A new voice filled the room.

Marris smiled and moved to give the older man a hug. "Father Jim."

"Marris," he hugged her back, "it's good to see you."

"Likewise; this is a fellow co-worker of mine, Dean." She introduced.

"Hi," Dean said as he held his hand out. Father Jim returned the shake with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Dean. It seems you've found our newest recruit," he said, leaning down to google at the now-smiling baby.

"Yeah well, leave it to me to pick the winners." He said, shifting towards the priest, hoping he would take the kid off his hands. Father Jim chose that moment to stand up straight, out of reach; a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"So Dean, you work at the fire station with Marris?"

"Uh yeah." Dean awkwardly wiped at the baby's mouth with the corner of the blanket it was currently wrapped in.

Father Jim nodded solemnly. "So you must have been there the other night? …on Walnut Street?"

Dean paused in his ministrations, his mood quickly sobering. "Yeah," Dean answered quietly, "It's a shame."

"Indeed it is." Father Jim nodded slowly in agreement. "I pray every day for Marris here." Said woman blushed slightly, shoving a blond lock behind her ear. "It's not an easy job what you folks do. I admire your dedication."

Dean felt his own cheeks getting a little hot and he started bouncing the baby once more. "Thanks."

"I'll remember to include you in my morning prayers."

Dean gave an embarrassed nod. "Thank you." His eyes darted around nervously in front of the holy man, who just watched him. "You uh… you have a lovely church."

Marris shot him a screwy look. Father Jim gave a small laugh and patted him on the back. "Well thank you Dean, although I can't take credit for it. It was here long before I."

"At least they had the foresight to build a big nursery." Dean rolled his eyes as another baby chose that moment to start wailing. Marris went to appease the child.

"Actually the nursery and children's rooms were originally in the east wing; had been for years. However we've had quite a few 'drop offs' so to speak in the past few years. We had to relocate them here."

Dean nodded, "A lot of pregnant teens huh?"

Father Jim seemed to get a far off look in his eye suddenly as he took in a deep breath. "I suppose." He then gave a slight nod, "It was nice meeting you Dean but I really must get back before the choir finishes."

"Sure thing." Dean shook his hand and watched the man leave.

"What was that all about?" Marris asked curiously, overhearing the conversation.

Dean shrugged, "Who knows?" He looked back down at the little boy in his arms who was smiling contentedly at him. "Can I…?" Dean gestured towards the baby's crib. Marris rolled her eyes in response but nodded.

Dean quickly deposited the little boy back into his bed. He paused to watch him a moment more and read the kid's name on the card. "Paul Brayman." Dean grimaced, feeling sorry for the kid.

"Really?" Marris joined him, taking a closer look at the card as well. "Huh."

"What?"

"There was another 'drop off' a couple months ago with the name Brayman." Marris turned to look across the room. Dean watched her move to a crib along the opposite wall, leaning down to read the card attached to it. "Here she is… Rachel Brayman. I remember coming in one morning and here she was." Marris reached down and teased the little girl who giggled at her. "Oh, you are almost getting to big for this bed," she exclaimed as she lifted the growing baby from its resting place.

Dean's brow quirked as he noticed something hanging off the side of the crib. He tilted his head to get a better look. "What's that?" he gestured lazily.

Marris tilted her head to look at the object. "Oh I don't know. I've seen a few of the toddlers wearing them too. It's some kind of necklace. I never thought to ask."

Dean gave a small nod and then glanced around at the other cribs, not seeing any dangling charms. He turned his head and checked the side of Paul's crib. He blinked as an identical necklace hung off the side, near the baby's head. Reaching out, he fingered the charm, curiously inspecting it.

"Hey Dean."

"Yeah?" he released the necklace, letting it fall back in place and walked across the room towards the other woman.

Marris stood up from her position leaning over a different crib, grinning. "I think this one's calling your name."

Dean got within five feet of the crib and recoiled, throwing a hand up over his nose and mouth again as the smell hit him. Marris laughed loudly and Dean threw her a withering glare as he backed further away. "S'not funny Marris," he mumbled behind his hand, trying to breathe in clean air.

The woman shook her head and leaned against the crib. "Dean Winchester… our hero." Dean hunched over as another gag tried to force its way out.

TBC…