Autours note; I don't mean to cause any offense with any terminology I use in my story regarding the Native American culture. If my wording offends anyone I send my sincere apologies and if you mail me with the correct wording I will amend the story as to the best of my ability. Thank you x
Out Of The Frying Pan .
The next few days followed without incident. Bobby had spoken to his friend who was sending his son in his stead as he'd told Bobby that his tribe had suffered a few attacks and he was needed at home , but his son was more than capable of helping the hunters out. It was going to take Ben a few days to get to the farm as he was bringing his own sons with him and had to drive as Grey owl didn't want him to fly.
So it was on a bright and fairly warm morning for November that Ben Verney pulled his truck into the yard at the farm, he glanced in his rear view mirror at his sleeping children and sighed heavily, he wished his father would stop volunteering him for these ' spiritual rescues ' as he called them, he had work to do at his own ranch and being a single father didn't help. His wife had been murdered only a few months ago the only witness to the crime his oldest boy who was only 5 and who had been silent since. His youngest son was 2 and Ben was having trouble juggling the ranch's responsibilities with the care of his children. " Ok boys where here " he climbed out of his truck picking up Brad from his child seat, the two year old looked at the farm with interest " Where we at daddy ? " he asked twisting his head in all directions to get a good view of his surroundings. " We're at Pastor Jims farm Brad we're here to help Bobby's friend find his way "
" Did he get lost ? "
" Yes son. Your grandfather sent us to help. You be good now ok " the toddler nodded and shot his father a wide grin " I will I'm always good , aren't I James ? " his older brother rolled his eyes and gave his father a long suffering look that made his father smile, but James nodded at the boy and returning a solemn smile.
They reached the door and Ben knocked loudly. Bobby put his coffee down and walked to the door opening it to find what could only be described as a man mountain taking up the entire of the door frame. Ben was 6" 10 and as wide as he was tall. He had a perfect angulated face and green eyes his long black hair hung loose around his shoulders " A re you Bobby ? "
" Huh ? " Bobby grunted, the child in Bens arms gave him a confused look
" Daddy did he loose his ears too ? "
" What ? " both men asked
" DID HE LOOSE HIS EARS TOO ? " Brad shouted hoping that the new man could be hear him. Ben grimaced at his sons loudness and shot Bobby an apologetic look " No son I think he was expecting someone smaller than myself. "
" Why would he expect someone smaller ? " Bobby decided to give Ben a break and opened the door wider allowing the new arrivals entrance. " Sorry about that Lone wolf tends to ask endless questions that not even my father can answer half the time ". Brad leapt from his fathers arms and over to Dean and Sammy excited that there was going to be someone to play with. James stuck close to his father and eyed the room with suspicion. " Go on Grey owl I'll be ok " he ushered the boy forward who joined his brother that was giving a very excited account of their journey to a stunned but entranced Dean.
" So……what is it exactly that you need me to help with ? I need a basic idea of what I'm dealing with here "
" What did your daddy tell ya ? "
" That a family needed some guidance, answers to questions that this realm can't give "
" That's pretty much it, Johns just found his boys again after they where taken from him "
" Taken from him " Ben gave Bobby a puzzled frown " How do you mean taken ? "
Bobby let out a sigh and scratched his beard " A couple of years ago John lost his family to a house fire or so he thought. It was a demon , he's been tracking the thing ever since but last week he thought he'd finally tracked it down to a family in Blackhawk Minnesota. He managed to get the kids out but couldn't save the parents, but he said he felt a connection to these boys it was as if they where his own flesh an blood. Long story short "
" Bit late there " Bobby shot Ben a glare " Sorry continue " Ben apologised
" They are, Caleb ran some blood test and it proved that they where. The strange thing is the boys ain't aged. Deans still only 4 and Sammy's still 6 months same age as they where the night they where supposedly killed. A friend of ours who's a psychic tried accessing his mind to try and find out what he could remember of the night his family was killed but she says that something powerful is blocking it. I was hoping your daddy could use some of his…..talents and help us. Do you think this peyote will work ? ".
Ben stood shocked at Bobby's explanation, his father was in so much trouble when he got home, simple task my ass he thought. " Its hard to say, its worth a shot. Its never failed before but I'm not my father and I don't possess all his shamanic talents "
" Well your daddy spoke very highly of you, said next to him you where the best "
" He did ? ! "
" He did. How soon can we do this and how long will it take ? "
" It usually takes about 10 to 12 hours for the effects to fully leave the individuals system, as for the dream state that's hard to say depends on how strong their spirit is "
" This should be over pretty damm quick never met someone as stubborn and determined as Winchester ",
" We can do this as soon as he wants to, its up to him. " A tall man entered the room he was about 6" 2 and quite broad, he had messy dark hair and intense dark eyes, he studied Ben thoroughly before he spoke " This your man Singer ? "
" This is Ben John he's going to help you get those answers ya need ". The man named John walked forward and extended his hand Ben took it in a firm handshake " Thanks for coming Ben its good to meet you. That little boy of yours sure is talkative "
" Ah yes Lone wolf does like the sound of his own voice " he smiled, John returned the smile and nodded to where the boys where playing. Ben was shocked to see James reading Dean a story with Brad chattering away to baby Sammy who was watching the child in fascination. " He hasn't spoken since his mother was killed. How did you do it ? " he asked John.
" Dean asked him to read him a story, said it was ok to be scared and that he got scared to, but with you an your father around nothing could hurt him or his brother "
" He's very gifted, he sees with his heart. That's a special gift to have " John looked at Ben puzzled and shrugged his shoulders " So……how do we do this ? ".
An hour later saw Ben and John sequestered in Jims barn. John was concerned as to what he may say in his dream state so the two men where now getting things set up. Ben had started a small fire and had laid blankets on the floor at Johns raised eyebrow he said " It'll be more comfortable for you this way. There's no saying how long this will take and believe me you don't want to be sat crossed legged for 12 hours, Its not good on the joints "
" Ah I see your meaning, you….done this before ? "
" Lots of times, my father swears by it been using this stuff for all kinds of ailments since I can remember"
John lay on the floor and waited for Ben, he came over to him and handed him what looked liked a dried gherkin , " Looks tasty " he quipped
" I'll be here if you need me. I'm your anchor to this world I won't let you go anywhere. Don't be afraid of what you see, It may not make sense but once you awaken properly it'll all come together ". John nodded and looked at the peyote " What do I do with it ? "
" Eat it " he smiled. John popped it in his mouth and began to chew
" That's disgusting " he said pulling his face, Ben laughed
" Never said it tasted good just said the results where " he smiled and chuckled at the look John was giving him " Just relax, let it come "
" The last time someone said that I ended up on the floor unconscious !! "
" Well you're already on the floor, so you got nothing to worry about ". Ben once again laughed at the glare John shot him, but closed his eyes and waited for his answers.
After what seemed to John like an hour he spoke again " This isn't working Ben I feel no different, maybe we should try something else ", he got no reply " Ben ?…….. Ben ? I'm talking to you " he opened his eyes to yell at the man who was meant to be helping him, to find that he was no longer in the barn. It took him a few seconds to realise where he was, he was back in his home in Lawrence he could hear a child's laughter in the kitchen and went in to investigate. A blonde woman was standing by the oven taking out a tray of burnt cookies " I just don't understand it, I followed the instructions to the tee and they're still burnt " she was scratching her head but her eyes danced with a light that made Johns heart ache. It was Mary, he rushed forward to hold her, smell her hair but he swept through her as if she was made of smoke. " What the hell ?? "
" She isn't real John, this is just an echo, a memory your being shown it for a reason "
" Ben ? Is that you ? Where are you ? "
" I'm here " a large black wolf came into the room making John tense and try to grab a knife that was lay on the bench top. He stared in disbelief as the wolf rolled its green eyes then spoke to him " This is my spirit form John, its ok " the wolf spoke with Bens voice and if John didn't think that wolves smirked then he'd believe it right now as he looked into the smirking face of his anchor. " Ok…that is weird you could have at least warned me "
" Sorry never thought to " the wolf apologised " We can't interfere we're here to learn the answers that you need. I know its hard……….I've been there but you need answers and this is the only way ". The wolf…no Ben John thought was giving John a very understanding look and he nodded his head sadly.
" Ok so look but no touch, right ? "
" More or less ". The pair where brought from their conversation by Dean jumping down from his chair and racing for the door " Mommy, that bad mans here again, don't let him in I don't like him he looks at me funny "
" I have to Dean, or he'll get really mad. Go upstairs to your brother and don't come down until I say to ok ? "
" No !! I won't leave you alone with him "
" Dean Matthew Winchester you do as your told !! " her eyes flashed and John felt ice tumble into his stomach as his beautiful Mary's eyes flashed a deep yellow before returning back to normal. Dean merely nodded and ran up the stairs to his brother. The knock came again but with more force as Mary opened it to the visitor.
" About time, its not nice to leave family on the doorstoop Tiamat " he chided " Or is it Mary now ? I swear Father finds your attempt at this " he waved his hands around gesturing to the house " this life you've made amusing. Me ? It knocks me sick !! You are a demon and the wife of Apsu. Its time you learned to accept just what you are !! "
" Keep your voice down Azazel. That was eons ago and I was promised a chance at atonement after he used my corpse to create the world, father said I could choose a life of my own "
" Fathers a fool !! And you will take your place back in the dark realms " , Mary narrowed her gaze at Azazel " Don't threaten me Azazel, and don't presume to think that because my body is mortal that I can't access the power within "
" You have a choice " he smirked " Your children are very powerful, sacrifice them and you will be permitted to stay. Refuse and………..well lets leave that to your imagination shall we ? "
" Get out now before I forget you're my brother and I rip you apart " she spat. Azazel smirked at her and bowed politely " As you wish Tiamat, but don't say I didn't warn you………". Before Mary could react he'd disappeared from her sight leaving a very shocked and white faced John Winchester staring at the woman who had been his wife.
The scene melted away leaving an inky sky with bright twinkling stars dotted throughout, it looked like someone had made them burn brighter their glow making the world around eerily beautiful. Azazel approached a man and woman knelt before a stone alter a lifeless body laid across it, the blood from the slit throat pooling into two ornately decorated goblets. " It is tonight. Tonight we will take the children and when the time is right we will sacrifice them. Then nothing can get in our way, and this pitiful world " He laughed mirthlessly " Will bleed " .
" But father the prophecy states that the child has to be 4 and the alignment will not be for another 2 years"
" It is of no consequence, we will merely take them into the dark realms. Time moves differently there, when the time is right we will bring them back to this world and the threat will be gone "
" What if he escapes ? What if the father finds him, or them both ? " the man asked
" Leave the thinking to me son you'll hurt yourself. Now go prepare the room. I can smell the defeat already. As for the father ? " he laughed loudly " He is a fool and is of no importance, I may even let the idiot live. Nothing will get in my way !! " . Azazel turned his back on his children and began to walk away " Now go, my patience is growing short ", the kneeling figures rose and disappeared from sight leaving Azazel alone. " Oh Tiamat , you are going to wish that you'd made that deal " he disappeared his laughter echoing in the clearing.
John was hollow, who where they talking about ? Which of his boys did they mean ? And why was it so important that they had to die ?
" I think your journey is coming to an end John " the wolf spoke quietly, but John was so deep in thought that the unexpected sound made him jump. " Why do you say that ? " he asked
"Because you are back home ". John paled as he realised where he was, but more when he was. He saw himself sleeping in the chair where he'd been watching a movie. " No…no Mary " he ran for the stairs to find the lights blinking in the hallway. His wife had just run into Sammy's nursery and he ran through her to find Azazel smirking at her " Bye , bye Tiamat " he waved his hand mockingly at Mary as she was flung against the wall, the air leaving her lungs " No Azazel please ,don't do this, please " she pleaded.
" Too late sis you should have made the deal when you had the chance "
" But why ? " she asked as he lifted her sliding body and pinned it to the ceiling
" Because he will be my demise and I cannot allow a mortal to spoil my plans " with that he flicked his fingers across Mary's abdomen and she let forth an ear splitting scream. John closed his eyes not wanting to see his wife die again, he heard himself enter and the yells he made to his beloved wife. The room was suddenly deathly quiet, John opened his eyes to find the woman and the man from the clearing holding his children Dean was unconscious and Sammy was watching the couple his bottom lip trembling as the pair vanished. Azazel knelt besides the fallen form Of John his yellow eyes gleaming menacingly in the firelight. " I've decided to let you live Johnny boy, maybe you'll drink yourself into an early grave much more amusing to watch you suffer than go out the easy way ". With that the demon was gone and the fire raged around the two onlookers before it melted like a painting left out in the rain revealing the barn once more. John sat up from his position on the floor and looked around the barn, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger, then his walls crumbled as the horror of what he'd just witnessed crashed upon him, and John Winchester was once more brought to his knees.