Chapter 4:
Caleb woke up with Dean attached to his side like a barnacle, and Sam attached to Dean. How they had all ended up in one bed, Caleb had no idea. Sam's eyes were open and the little boy was staring directly at him as if asking for permission to get up. What kind of baby waits to get up? Shouldn't he be crying or something? Caleb quietly moved from the bed so that he wouldn't wake up Dean, and walked around to the other side of the bed, he shushed Sammy, and picked him up and brought him into the bathroom that way he could give him a bath and change him. He left the door open a little bit that way Dean would know where they were if he woke up. Sam splashed happily in the tub and threw water at Caleb wetting his hair and t-shirt. Caleb groaned.
"You know kiddo, someday you are going to be old enough to discipline, and I will take full advantage of that opportunity." Sam just smiled up at the teen, and Caleb sighed. Sam had no idea how sad his life already was. Sam didn't know he was supposed to have a mom, or that his brother was supposed to talk. He didn't know his Dad hunted monsters. Caleb hoped Dean would still get to be a kid, but he knew Sam was the only one with a real chance. Caleb lifted Sam out of the water and wrapped a towel around him to dry him off; Sam put his hands on either side of Caleb's face and touched his forehead to Caleb's. They stayed like that for a minute, until the bathroom door squeaked and Caleb turned to see Dean smirking at them.
"DE!" Sam screamed, and began to squirm, Caleb sat down on the ground with the baby and when Dean sat down next to him, he handed Dean his little brother.
"He likes you, he trusts you."
"What makes you say that? I feed him and change him, I think he likes anyone who does that." Caleb said.
"That thing he does, putting his forehead against yours, I have never seen him to that with anyone else but me. He likes you, a lot." Caleb smirked.
"I am sure he won't like me once he really gets to know me."
"I like you."
"You barely know me Deuce."
"I know enough. I know you lost your family, and that Mackland adopted you. I know you secretly love me and Sammy." Caleb groaned at that revelation but didn't deny it. "I know you think you are evil that you have evil inside of you." Caleb frowned at the young boy but Dean continued. "But I know one thing you don't Caleb. I have seen evil. Evil took my Mommy away from us. You aren't evil. You are the only friend I have." Caleb's eyes shone with tears that he didn't let fall and he rubbed his eyes. They didn't say anything as Dean changed Sam and brought him back into the main room. Caleb stood up and followed them out.
"Hey Deuce?" Dean turned back towards Caleb. "You are probably my only friend too." Dean smiled at his friend and then looked like he was concentrating hard. He took a deep breath.
"Thanks Caleb." Dean said quietly and then smiled up at his friend. Caleb smirked.
"That's good Deuce, it's a start. I am a good person to practice on." Dean nodded and put his brother down on the floor and walked back over to Caleb.
"Breakfast?" Dean said.
"What do you guys have around here?"
"Lucky Charms. Sammy's favourite." Caleb nodded and pulled out some bowls and poured some cereal into them, he put milk in his and Dean's and put the dry cereal on the table, then after Sam was strapped in his high chair, he put the bowl in front of him. They ate breakfast in silence, and Dean seemed to be growing increasingly agitated.
"Deuce, are you okay?" Dean nodded but didn't make eye contact. "Just because you are talking now, doesn't mean you can't still talk to me in my head. I know you don't want to talk all the time, especially around the adults."
"Really? You don't mind?"
"Nope, this is just a start Dean, I don't expect you to be saying speeches and stuff. Take your time."
"Okay, I just like my quiet place sometimes. Voices are loud, my voice is very loud." Caleb didn't really know what he meant but he nodded anyway, sometimes what Dean said only made sense to Dean. Caleb looked over at Sam who was standing holding onto the bed, he let go with one hand and stared at the carpet with concentration.
"Dean? Look." Dean turned toward Sam, and his eyes went wide he slid off the chair and stood a few feet in front of his little brother.
"Sammy?" Dean whispered. Caleb stood and walked over to stand beside Dean. "C'mon Sammy, you can do it, I won't let you fall." Caleb smiled, there was Sam again bringing Dean out of his shell, making him speak the longest sentence he had spoken in very long time. Sam looked at his brother and let go of the bed, he stood there for a second on uneasy legs, before he smiled at his big brother, and stepped towards Dean with his arms open and Dean enveloped his brother into a hug. Dean's eyes filled with tears, and Caleb could help but wonder how John would feel about missing this key moment in his son's life. "Good job Sammy, I am so proud of you." Sammy put his forehead against Dean's, which made Caleb smile. The baby looked over at Caleb and began to squirm in Dean's arms; Dean put Sam on the ground and helped him walk over to the teen. Caleb crouched down in front of the baby and the child grabbed Caleb's face and put his forehead against his.
"Laleb." Sammy whispered, and poked Caleb in the nose with his pudgy finger. Dean laughed behind his brother, which made Caleb laugh too.
"Caleb." The teen said, sounding out his name for Sam. Sammy pouted and sat down in front of him.
"Laleb." He repeated. Caleb sighed.
"Close enough I guess, as long as you don't call me that when you are Dean's age." Sam crawled away off to do whatever it is babies do. Dean sighed looked at Caleb.
"Hey you get Laleb, I get De, at least he knows who you are." Caleb looked at
Dean curiously.
"He is a smart kid, he knows who all of us are."
"Does he? Sometimes I think he forgets who Dad is, He hasn't said Daddy or Dada or anything yet, he just stares at him." Dean looked genuinely sad.
"You know Deuce, someday Sammy won't remember any of this."
"I know, that is what is so scary. He won't remember Dad not being around now, but he will later, I just hope someday Dad will be around."
"I am sure someday this will all be over Deuce." Dean nodded but said nothing else; he just crawled up on the bed and turned on the television. Caleb thought about what Dean was saying. John Winchester was doing all he could to avenge his wife's murder, while trying to raise two children. One already knew about the monsters that were hiding in the dark, that child was living in a world of silence he was only beginning to come out of. Then there was Sam, a happy baby who knew who his family was. He had his brother and Caleb, then Jim, Bobby and Mackland. Yet, it was becoming more and more often he looked at his father like a stranger. What would happen, as he got older? How long could they hide the truth from him and let him be a kid? He looked down at the baby who was smiling happily up at his brother on the bed. Sammy was going to ask questions someday, and what would they tell him? Caleb fell asleep to his thoughts about their futures. He was awoken when something hit him in the face. He heard Sam laughing.
"What are you two doing?" Caleb rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked down and realized he had Lucky Charms on his shirt.
"Daddy always says you shouldn't sleep during the day, you will be awake all night. So Sammy decided to wake you up."
"I am older then you, I can sleep when I want. And by throwing Lucky Charms at me?" Dean shrugged.
"He's a baby, he doesn't know any better."
"You're not a baby, why didn't you tell him not to?"
"I was bored and it was funny." Caleb snorted.
"Brat, what do you want to do?"
"Nothing, but you can't sleep when we are bored."
"Alright, alright, you guys hungry?" Dean nodded, Sam threw a handful of Lucky Charms at the ceiling, and so Caleb took the box and pushed it to the back of the counter. The next few days went by with relative ease. Dean had some nightmares, but he was talking with Caleb a little bit every day. Things seemed to be going well. All the boys were asleep when Caleb woke up when he saw a shadow walk by the window of the motel room, Caleb grabbed the hunting knife out of the drawer next to the bed and pulled it into his chest, when the door open he jumped up in front of Dean and Sam.
"Whoa! Calm down Caleb. It's me." Caleb saw that it was John Winchester, and calmed down.
"Sorry, sir. You are a day early."
"It's okay Caleb, you are protecting my boys, that's what I asked you to do." Caleb put the knife back in the drawer and John walked towards the bathroom. He looked over at the boys and noticed Dean was awake, he walked over and knelt beside the boy.
"It's just your Dad, Deuce. Go back to sleep. You and Sammy are safe." Dean nodded and closed his eyes again. Caleb went and sat at the table, watching the two children sleep.
"Go to sleep Caleb, I will call your dad in the morning, I am pretty sure he was going to head to the farm for the rest of the summer." John Winchester said.
"Aren't you tired Sir?"
"I can sleep on the floor Caleb, take the bed."
"You can take that bed, we have all been sleeping in the same bed anyway."
"Why would you choose to sleep in the same bed as a 5 year old and a 1 year old?"
"It makes Dean feel safe, he has less nightmares that way." John looked saddened but just nodded and looked away.
"Alright Caleb, I appreciate you watching them for the week."
"Anytime Sir." Caleb stood and made his way back to the bed but then paused and turned around. "Are you guys coming back to the farm for the rest of the summer?" John smirked at the teenager.
"Why? You afraid you are gonna miss them?"
"No of course not, I just figure they haven't been there in awhile and… you know…" John laughed as Caleb tripped over his sentences.
"You are a terrible liar, but yes they are, I was actually planning on staying close to the farm this year anyway, Dean has to start school and I need to have someone close to watch Sammy if I am ever away. Who better then Pastor Jim."
"I guess that's true, with any luck Jim will turn Sam into a choir boy."
"God, I hope not." Caleb laughed.
"Oh, sir?"
"Yes Caleb?"
"Sam took his first steps the other day." John looked up at the teen.
"Really?"
"Yeah, walked right into Dean's arms. Pretty soon he is going to be running around all over the place." John smirked.
"I will have to get you to babysit more often Caleb, have you chase Sammy around."
"I think I will leave that job to Deuce."
"Good call, Caleb."
"Oh yeah that's another thing, the Runt calls me Laleb now apparently, you need to work on his C's, I don't know how long I can put up with that."
"Better be careful what you wish for Caleb, I have a feeling that one day we are never going to be able to get that kid to be quiet."
"Oh, yeah he is gonna be a rebel."
"No, I think Dean is gonna be the rebel, Sammy is just gonna want to be exactly like his brother. So don't corrupt my children."
"I would never do that." John smirked knowingly.
"Sure you wouldn't, now go to sleep Caleb."
"Okay, see you in the morning."
"Good night Caleb." Caleb lay back down but didn't fall back asleep. He hadn't really though about Dean and school. Would that mean John would have to keep them in one place? The farm was a good place for Dean, it was safe, secure, and there were people he knows there. He hoped that over the next year, Dean would be able to find his voice.