Heroes

By: Maygin

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

- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Stupid Thoughts Here: Well I hope some of you are getting hooked. If not, I apologize. I'm not an expert writer, I just like to have fun. So enjoy (hopefully) and let me know what you think!

Chapter 3

Two months later

"No, I know that already…look, I'm not asking you to leak anything confidential here, I just want to know if you've gotten any leads." Dean leaned into the phone, trying his best to draw from his shallow pool of patience. Jameson," he said firmly, "just yes or no… come on man, you owe me." Dean listened intently to the silence on the other end before he received a quietly spoken answer. He sighed deeply, rubbing at his eyes. "Yeah alright… thanks."

"Still nothing huh?"

Dean looked across the desk towards the only other occupant in the garage who was currently buttoning up his shirt. He shook his head in confirmation. A respectful silence filled the space between them. A side door in the garage suddenly clanged open and a middle-aged man along with the Rookie walked in.

"Hey, you guys coming?"

Dean took in a deep breath, "Actually I think I'm gonna stick around here."

"Oh no you ain't." The muscular man walked over towards the desk Dean was currently occupying and slapped the tattered brown folder he was looking through closed. "You need to give this a rest. Get up, you're coming."

Dean looked ready to protest, but his stomach seemed to feel the need to make itself known at that moment. The other man quirked an eyebrow at him. Dean rolled his eyes and rose from his chair, grabbing his jacket as he passed.

"Tell me we're not going to Del Rio's."

"Joe's Diner."

"I'm driving."

"Thank God. I thought we were going to have to ride in Schmitty's car."

"Hey!" The older man protested.

--S--

Dean pushed open the diner's door, an obnoxious bell on the side announcing their presence. He followed the guys to their table while he scoped out the other patrons in the small greasy spoon; the regular old-timers that always sat in the same seats at the counter, a few couples seated in the booths and then a few stragglers seated randomly throughout. He waved to a few of the 'regulars' along the counter who greeted him back. He nodded to a young kid seated at the counter watching him as he passed by.

"Boys!" A large black woman shuffled out from the kitchen and greeted them all with hugs. She suddenly stepped back and frowned. "What's the matter Winchester, you gettin tired of my food?"

Dean started, frozen half-way between sitting in his chair and standing. "Ma'am?"

"You been workin too hard boy. I hardly see you anymore."

"Tell me about it," one of Dean's companions spoke up. Dean shot them a glare before turning on the charm.

"Mable, how could I possibly avoid a lovely woman who wants to cook for me?"

Mable laughed loudly, "You are trouble, son. Now sit your butt down and quit lookin at me like that." She grabbed some silverware from a basket on the counter and dropped them onto the table. "Denise! Come over here girl and serve these fine young men."

A young girl, in her late teens who was currently serving coffee to the young man at the counter looked up and smiled respectfully. She gave a small nod to the young man before putting the pot back in the holder and walking over to the group of men still situating themselves.

"Hey guys," She set down some glasses and grabbed a pitcher of water. "What are we havin? Usual?"

They all nodded and she walked off, disappearing into the kitchen. Dean picked up his fork and started toying with it in his hands as he half-listened to the friendly banter passing back and forth at his table and half watching the rest of the diner's occupants. He turned his head as the bell on the door rang and a young couple walked in with three rambunctious kids toeing behind. The children immediately began running around, in and out of the booths and tables. Dean rolled his eyes as one of them accidentally bumped his chair as she ran past screaming at her older brother who apparently had her 'dolly'.

"I hate parents like that." Schmitty remarked quietly as the couple sat down ignoring their children's wild behavior and the glares from the other patrons.

Dean noticed that pretty much everyone in the diner was either watching the little devils or grumbling quietly amongst themselves about the little devils. One of the little boys threw his green ball; it bounced off the floor and rebounded off the counter, right next to the young guy sitting with his fingers pressed firmly into his eyes.

Dean snorted; he couldn't blame the kid… the little brats were starting to give him a headache. His brow quirked as he realized the young guy looked pretty exhausted and run down; long dark bangs drooping in his equally dark eyes. Denise came out of the kitchen with their plates, skillfully avoided being run over by the six year old and set them on their table.

"I'll grab ya'll some coffee okay?" The men murmured thanks as the girl walked back behind the counter. She picked up the coffee pot and said something to the young guy as she passed. Dean watched curiously as she paused, as if waiting for a response from the kid. He could barely hear her over the demon children but he thought she had called him 'Matt'. When she still didn't get a response, she put the pot down and stood in front of him, calling his name again. She rested a hand on his arm and gave it a little shake.

Suddenly one of the kids bumped the wrong table and a glass fell to the floor, shattering the room into brief silence and then the kids started crying, parents started yelling and Mable… Mable in all her glory came storming out of the kitchen telling the young parents exactly what she thought of their parenting skills and ordering the kids to sit their butts down in the chairs.

Dean chuckled as the children sat obediently in the chairs with wide eyes and the parents with even wider eyes, sitting perfectly still. He outright laughed as Mable didn't even give them a chance to order, instead telling them what she would be bringing them and that they would eat every last bite of it.

Schmitty sighed with a grin on his face, "If that woman wasn't a widow I'd marry her."

"What's wrong with widows?" The Rookie asked as he sliced into a pancake.

"Nothin wrong with widows," P.B. spoke up, "it's who they're a widow of."

Denise showed up and started pouring coffee into their mugs. Dean glanced towards the counter and was surprised to see the young guy had disappeared; probably got scared when Mable had come storming out and started laying down the law.

"Who is she a widow of?"

"Joe." Denise answered as she wiped up some coffee that had dripped onto the table.

The rookie looked up, "As in Joe's Diner? I thought it was just the name of the diner."

"Nope, he was my step-daddy. Died of cancer a few years back."

"I'm sorry."

Denise shrugged, "He was good man. " She looked at Dean, "You gonna eat that or just continue to ignore it? Cuz mamma will freak if she finds out you ain't eatin her food."

Dean quickly shushed her and frowned nervously, glancing behind him to see if Mable had heard. "Geeze woman… you trying to get me killed?" He picked up his fork and stabbed at a piece of sausage and stuffed the entire thing in his mouth. "Happy?" he muttered around the food as he chewed.

Denise grimaced at him. "And you're supposed to be the charming one." She stated flatly before turning to head back into the kitchen. Dean noticed something dangling from her hand.

"Hey Denise," Dean called and he casually gestured at the charm hanging loosely on a thin leather string in her hand, "Where'd you get that?"

She looked down at the necklace, "Oh it's Matt's. He accidentally left it on the counter before running out of here."

Dean shifted towards her trying not to look too suspicious. "Matt?"

"Yeah, he's one of Mamma's stragglers. Comes in with pocket change a few times a month, but you know Mamma."

"Maternal instincts on over-drive?"

"He really is a sweet guy." She held up the necklace taking a good look at it for the first time. "Weird taste in jewelry though."

Dean recognized the charm, "Huh…"

"Anymore strange men in the diner you'd like me to tell you about?"

"What?" Dean tore his eyes from the necklace and looked up at the young woman's coy expression. He looked at the men around the table and noticed they were all staring at him as well. "No!" he quickly defended. "I didn't- …I was just curious, geeze," he stumbled over his words, feeling his cheeks turn red.

"Mm-hmm." Denise turned and left.

Dean made a face and turned back to his companions who were still staring at him with raised eyebrows. "Shut up and eat your food."

--S--

Matthew ran around the corner of the diner and promptly threw up behind a dumpster. He leaned heavily against the brick wall and wiped a hand across his sweaty forehead. Squeezing his eyes shut he kneaded his neck and suddenly realized something was missing. He pulled his shirt out and looked down; the necklace was gone. He cursed his stupidity and winced, grabbing his head again. He shoved off from the wall and stumbled his way down the alley… he had a house to find.

TBC…

SuperHUGE thanks to those of you reviewing! I really needed the encouragement this week :