Thanks to everyone sticking with this story and everyone who leaves a review. Really appreciate it!! And a big thanks to Brigid Tanner for giving me a swift kick you-know-where when I lag behind with the updates!!
Chapter 22
Sam must have stood staring at Dean in shock for several minutes before Bobby took the keys to retrieve his bag. He slapped the keys back into Sam's palm. "Go on," he urged, giving Sam a shove to the driver's door, "it's about time you had something decent to drive."
"Nice," Sarah said, slipping into the passenger seat. Bobby could definitely see what Sam saw in her. Smokin' indeed!
"Hey!" Dean rushed over with a plastic bag bulging with books from the Impala's front seat. "Don't forget these."
"Yeah, thanks Dean." Sam took the bag through the open window. He whispered something to Dean that Bobby could not hear, then fired up the motor and backed out carefully.
Dean shook his head as Sam drove off. "It's too much car for him, isn't it?"
Bobby chuckled. "Jeez, Dean, you act like he's never driven your car."
Dean rolled his eyes as he brushed by. "C'mon, Sunshine. Time to go home."
"Finally!" Rae hopped into the backseat. "Are we having anything special for dinner since Gramps is visiting?"
Bobby shook his finger at her over the seat. "Don't even think it."
Rae's laugh bounced around the car, bringing a smile to both his and Dean's faces. "You either," Bobby shot at Dean, causing a wider grin.
"Oh, come on, Bobby," Dean glanced at him as the big car backed out of the parking spot, "you make a pretty good Gramps."
Bobby crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm just a stand-in."
Dean sighed. "You know I didn't mean… That you're…" Dean drew in a deep breath, one hand pressing against his ribs.
"Dad?" Rae's arm shot over the seat, grabbing Dean's shoulder.
Bobby reached out to put a hand on Dean's arm. "Dean, you all right? Can you breathe?"
Dean nodded, shaking off his hand. Bobby noticed that Dean did not try to shake off Rae. They drove in silence for a few blocks while Bobby listened to the young man's breathing. It settled into an even rhythm after a couple of lights.
"Coney-dogs," Dean said after regaining control of his breathing. "How's that sound?"
"Fine, Dad," Rae replied in an uneven voice.
"You know I'm easy," Bobby said, a worried eye still pinned to Dean's face. "So tell me about these panic attacks."
Dean's head gave a small shake. "It's nothing, Bobby. Don't worry about it."
"Rae?" Bobby asked while still watching her dad. "What were you saying about him winding up in the ER?"
"I-I guess really bad panic attacks look like a heart attack," she whispered, as though saying it louder might make it worse.
Bobby felt his own heart rate pick up. "Dean," he growled.
"Bobby, really, it's no big deal." Dean shot him a strong look as he tilted his head subtly toward Rae.
"Fine," Bobby snapped, fully intending to bring this up later when Rae was out of earshot. Of course, finding a moment when Rae was not in earshot would be almost as big of a challenge as getting Dean to open up. He should have been suspicious when they did not call, he should have called. Bobby had no idea these boys could have gotten themselves into so much trouble just putting Rae in school. He should have known better. They were Winchesters, after all.
The rest of the drive to the apartment was in tense silence. Rae did not turn Dean loose until they were parked. Even then she jumped out of the car and waited for Dean so she could grab his hand. Bobby grabbed his bag before following. There was a man standing in the sidewalk, thin and dressed in a cheap gray suit with worn, scuffed black shoes.
"Good evening, Mister Cooper," the man greeted them. Bobby noticed Rae dropping back, hiding behind Dean.
"Marty," Dean replied, his voice cold.
"Uh, it's Martin," the man corrected. Bobby doubted Dean would acknowledge it.
Dean walked past to open the door just behind Martin. Rae dashed inside as Dean held the door open. Martin went in next. Bobby gave Dean a questioning look but the younger man just rolled his eyes. As Bobby drew near, Dean whispered, "Family Services."
Bobby nodded. Inside, he asked, "Where do I put this, Dean?"
"First door on the right," Dean pointed to a short hall at the other end of the main room. Bobby followed the instructions. In that room were two single beds. Bobby dropped his bag on the bed closest to the door, wondering what the sleeping arrangements would be.
"I understand there was a disturbance last night, Mister Cooper?" The Martin guy asked Dean. The walls in these apartments must be like paper for Bobby to hear so clearly back here. Bobby headed back to the main room where Dean glared at the thin man.
"Really? What did you hear?"
Martin cleared his throat. "There were several 9-1-1 calls about screaming. Some of the residents believed someone was being murdered here. What do you know about that?"
"About a murder?" Dean shook his head. "Nothing."
"The screaming, Mister Cooper." Martin took out a notebook and pen.
Dean shrugged. "Rae had a nightmare last night. That was the only screaming I heard."
Bobby stood behind the Family Services worker. Those people had lousy jobs: high stress and low pay. Having to investigate Dean would undoubtedly up the stress level.
"She screams loud enough to wake the neighbors?" Martin's tone of voice indicated that this was highly questionable.
"Not usually. But then, she usually hasn't been interrogated by some asshole from Family Services either!" Dean barked, moving to stand right in Martin's face. Dean's cheeks were flush with anger, a look Bobby recognized only too well.
Bobby stepped around the smaller man to grab Dean by the elbow. "Dean," he said gently, pulling back on the elbow, "easy."
When Dean's head snapped to the side to look at him, Bobby noticed the younger man instantly relax some. Since when had he had that kind of effect on Dean? Dean took a step back, shaking out his shoulders. "You should leave," Dean informed Martin. "I won't have you upsetting Rae like that again."
Martin pretended not to hear that comment. "I also understand you escorted your daughter and another girl to the school library for a research project today. Why did you do that, Mister Cooper?"
The look that came over Dean's face Bobby knew too well. Martin could soon become the proud owner of a broken nose, or jaw, or both. Bobby pulled Dean back again, trying to position himself between the two men. He heard the door open again.
"Now what did I miss?" Sam's voice cut through the tension as the door slammed closed. Bobby had been honestly surprised that Dean allowed him to interfere this long, thank god Sam was here now. As he relaxed his hold, he felt Dean pull away, moving toward Martin again. Bobby tightened his grip. The last thing these boys needed was to beat up the investigator from Family Services.
"Dean," Sam loomed just behind Martin, "don't." Sam's shaggy hair bounced as he looked swiftly through the apartment. "Where's Rae?"
"Hiding," Dean said, glaring at Martin, "from him."
"Go check on her. I'll take care of this." Sam moved forward, pushing Dean away from Martin and toward the back of the apartment. Bobby let go, relieved Dean was following his brother's advice. He watched Dean's retreating back until the other bedroom door slammed behind it.
"I take it you're here about Rae screaming loud enough to wake the neighbors last night?" Sam asked, moving to take his brother's earlier position.
"Yes, I am. I would prefer to speak with the father." Martin said calmly. Bobby figured the guy had no idea how close he just came to needing an ER visit.
"Tough," Sam snapped. "Aren't you people supposed to call first, anyway? Make appointments? We've been cooperating."
Martin's face took on a pinched expression. "Well, yes, technically you have."
"Did Dolan send you that information?" Sam asked, arms crossing over his broad chest. Bobby took a step back, unsure what his role here should be.
Martin nodded. "He did. I spoke with him this morning, as a matter of fact. Mister Dolan informed me that Rae was born Clementine McDermott, sole heir to the McDermott estate."
"So?" Sam's pose did not change, but his eyes narrowed. Bobby knew that look too, just not as well as he did Dean's. Sam was angry. While he doubted Sam would send the guy off in an ambulance, Bobby was glad to be on their side in all this.
"So, with all that money at your disposal, why isn't Rae in private school? Why don't you live at the estate, or in your own house?" Martin's eyes searched Sam's unyielding face. "Why are you here?"
"My brother did not adopt her for her money," Sam replied softly, but Bobby could hear the anger lacing his words. "We are trying to take care of her in the best way we can. For a long time all people scared her, so we homeschooled. She's getting better about that, so we decided to give public school a try. And so far, I'd have to say we're getting some very mixed results."
"But if her parents were killed by a bear," Martin argued, "why would she be so scared of people? Something else must have happened to her, too."
"There was the kidnapping," Bobby said. They both turned to stare at him.
"What kidnapping?" Martin asked, scribbling on his notepad.
"It was what? Six months after she started living with you two?" Bobby asked Sam.
Sam shrugged. "I really don't remember much about it."
Martin glared at him. "How could you forget a kidnapping?"
"He was in the hospital getting brain surgery at the time!" Bobby snapped, stepping between the two men, facing down Martin. "Son, you have no idea what you're dealing with here. I've never see two men more devoted to a youngster than these two. And I doubt you're a psychologist, so you are in no position to determine if that child should or should not be scared of people. They didn't question it," Bobby pointed to Sam as he advanced on Martin, forcing the man to back up, "they just dealt with it. Hell, it took me taking care of her for the better part of a week while they were both laid up before she'd say one word to me."
They were at the door now. Bobby opened it, inviting Martin to leave.
"And you are?" Martin asked as he stepped outside, far less authority in his voice than when he arrived.
"Her grandfather," Bobby snapped, slamming the door behind the little man. He stood fuming at the door until Sam's chuckle drew him back.
"Her grandfather, Bobby?" He turned to see Sam smiling at him.
"Don't give me that," Bobby warned. "Besides, Dean started it. And you!" Bobby advanced on the younger brother. "Dean had a panic attack that put him in the ER and I have to hear about it from Rae?"
Sam's mouth flopped open and closed a few times, no sound coming out.
"Relax, Bobby," Dean's voice invaded the room. "He's been just as stressed out as we have."
Bobby turned around. Dean and Rae came into the room. Dean was all smiles while Rae scowled. "Is he really gone?" she asked, causing Dean to reach out and squeeze her shoulder.
"For now," Sam said.
"And your girlfriend?" Rae's face was the equivalent of biting unexpectedly into a particularly potent lemon.
Sam sighed. "Rae, I think you and I need to go for a little drive. Come on." He held out a hand.
Rae stepped back, closer to Dean. Bobby watched as the boys exchanged a look, a conversation carried in subtle facial expressions. Dean shoved Rae toward the door. "Go on. I'm not putting up with you two going at it again. The Coneys should be ready by the time you get back."
Bobby noticed the worry line between Dean's eyes as Sam and Rae left. He waited for Dean to turn around, shrug. "Beer?"
"Sure." Bobby followed the few steps to the kitchen, taking a seat on a stool by the island counter as Dean went to the fridge. Bobby opened and started drinking the beer Dean handed him while watching the younger man lay out the ingredients for dinner. "Those are my favorite."
"Yeah, I figured," Dean replied, not looking at him. He set a small pot of water to boil on the stove to cook the hot dogs. With his back to Bobby, fiddling with the burner, Dean said, "That was nice. The way you handled Marty."
"Moron wouldn't know a good home if it landed on him," Bobby said, taking a long pull on his beer. "Besides, that's what stand-ins are for."
Dean's head dipped down. Now what? He heard the instant change in Dean's breathing, realized he was triggering another of those attack things. Now how did he do that? The stand-in comment?
"Really appreciate that, by the way. Even if you didn't mean it." Bobby said, placing his beer carefully on the counter.
Dean looked back over his shoulder, eyebrows up in question, face flushed. "Appreciate what?" He sounded a bit breathless, like he had just been working out.
Bobby shrugged. "Calling me Rae's Grandfather. And a stand-in for your daddy." Bobby dropped his eyes to watch the condensation on his beer drip slowly down its surface. "Made me feel like part of the family."
When he looked up again, Dean faced him, leaning toward him from the other side of the counter. "You are." Dean took a deep breath before continuing. "I was afraid I offended you with the stand-in comment."
Bobby chuckled. "Damn, Dean. You know it takes a lot to offend me." Bobby shrugged. "Besides, I took it as a compliment."
He was rewarded by that wide, shit-eating grin. "Good to know. Gramps."
"Oh, god," Bobby shoved his ballcap up, "what have I done now?"