Chapter 7:
Caleb was going to be going back to New York in 1 week. He really hated school, and he was going to be going to some snobby prep school next year, which he was not looking forward to at all. He couldn't wait to turn eighteen so he would be done with high school and he could hunt full time. Mackland said he would change his mind eventually, Caleb knew his Dad wanted him to go to college, but as far as he was concerned it just wasn't in the cards. The other reason he was dreading returning to New York was that meant he had to leave Dean here. Dean was beginning to talk more, he was still a quiet kid, but he would at least talk to his Dad and Caleb, and occasionally Pastor Jim and Mac. He was spending a lot less time in his quiet place lately, and he finally seemed happy. Currently he was chasing Sam around the kitchen. The kid didn't want to take a bath, and he was running as quickly as his chubby legs could carry him. Caleb decided to interfere before someone got hurt, and he scooped Sam up in his arms. Sam pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Laleb! Down!" Sam screamed.
"No can to kiddo, Deuce says it is bath time."
"No Baf!" Dean was standing in front of Caleb glaring at his brother.
"Thanks Caleb. I miss when he couldn't walk," Caleb laughed.
"The Runt has to grow up some time."
"Bad Laleb!" Sam yelled, and one of his flailing legs hit Caleb in the stomach. Caleb groaned.
"Although I am pretty sure his terrible two's are starting early… this kid is gonna be a handful." Dean laughed, and the two boys headed upstairs with the whining baby. Sam continued to fight until he was put in the tub.
"Sammy, stop it." Dean said, and Sam stared at his brother, but did as he was told.
"He is getting good at that."
"Getting good at what Caleb?"
"You know, that John Winchester stare." Dean laughed loudly, and Caleb smirked, he liked when he could get the kid to laugh. "Are you looking forward to school next week?" The smile disappeared from the kids face, and he looked up at Caleb.
"Not really…"
"Why not, school is supposed to fun."
"You hate school…"
"Yeah well, I am in high school, you aren't, school is supposed to be fun for elementary school kids." Dean sighed.
"I don't want to leave Sammy." Caleb nodded, Dean had been at Sam's almost constant vigil this past year, they were rarely apart, now he had to be away from him for six hours a day.
"Pastor Jim will be here when your Dad can't be, you trust them right?"
"Of course I do."
"Well then you know it will be okay."
"I know it will be, I mean it isn't just that. I am scared."
"Okay, what are you scared of?" Dean's eyes went to the floor.
"What if I get lost?"
"You won't get lost Deuce, the teachers won't let that happen."
"No Caleb, I mean, my quiet place." Caleb hadn't thought about it before, Dean had never gotten lost in his quiet place away from his family before, they had been able to protect him, but he had never spent any significant time away from them before, what would happen if that happened at school?
"I… I don't really know Deuce. I hope that won't happen… it hasn't really been happening that often lately anyway." Dean nodded and pulled Sam out of the tub and put on a fresh diaper.
"Are you going back to school soon?"
"Yeah Deuce, we are leaving next week."
"Will I see you again?" Caleb was shocked by the question.
"Of course you will Deuce, I will be back for Christmas break." Dean stared hard at the teenager.
"Do you promise?" Dean said suddenly.
"I promise Deuce." Dean just nodded, but didn't seem like he believed him, Caleb reached into the kids mind just enough to catch the "Don't leave me like Mom" thoughts that were passing through the kid's head. "I can't be here all the time, but your Dad had my number, you can always call me, and talk to me, and I will see you for 3 weeks at Christmas time. I promise Dean, I will not disappear on you." Caleb caught the boy's eyes. "I swear on my mother, I will not leave you." Tears formed in the Dean's eyes, and he hugged Caleb.
"Thank you." Dean whispered. Then let go and grabbed his brother and the three boys went back down the stairs. Jim, John and Mackland were sitting in the living room. Dean put Sam down on the carpet and walked over to his father.
"Hi Daddy."
"Hiya Dean, how are you today?"
"I'm fine." Dean crawled up on the couch and sat beside his dad, while Sam sat on the floor staring up at them. Sam had stopped going to see his father. When John would pick him up, he would laugh, but after a while he would begin to squirm so John would put him down and he would crawl over to Dean or Caleb. Caleb originally thought it was just because Sam had wanted to be with kids, but now it was beginning to seem like something else. Sam was smart, and had a wide vocabulary for 15 month old, but he had still yet to call his father Dad, or Daddy or anything. Caleb thought that was strange but it wasn't his place to bring it up. After a couple hours of talking, Dean's eyes began to droop and John picked him up and brought him upstairs, Caleb followed with Sam, and put Sam in his crib. He fell asleep all most instantly. Later that night when Caleb was in his bedroom reading a book, the screaming began. Caleb opened the door between his room and the boys and saw Dean thrashing violently under the covers, tears streaming down his face under closed eyelids. You would think Caleb would be used to the nightmares by now, but he never got used to seeing Dean so scared.
"Dean! Wake up, you are having a nightmare." Dean's eyes popped open and his breathing was fast and shallow. He gripped both his arms and began scratching at them furiously. "Deuce, please stop. It was just a dream it's over." Caleb attempted to restrain the child, but Dean was kicking out at him. Caleb brought the boy down to the floor so he wouldn't go tumbling off the bed. He turned and saw John Winchester standing at the door.
"Nightmare?" John asked.
"Yeah, a bad one, he won't stop." Dean was fighting hard against Caleb, something he rarely did, he was usually quite comfortable in Caleb's arms. John Winchester grabbed Dean's hands and got him to release the hold on his scratched up skin.
"You talk to him Caleb, we need to get him out of this nightmare, and if it is the flashback I think it is, I was there, hearing my voice isn't gonna help." Caleb nodded.
"Dean, it's okay, come back to us." Caleb said, he was running his hand through the boys hair, in a soothing motion. He whispered calm words into Dean's ear until he stopped fighting. "Can you hear me Dean?" Dean nodded his head. "Okay, I need you to calm down okay, you can breathe, just deep breaths." After awhile the kid went limp in Caleb's arms. John let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Can you hold him when I bandage these up?" John asked.
"Of course." Caleb held Dean tight while his Dad bandaged the fresh wounds, and then they put the five year old back into bed.
"Everything gonna be okay, if I go back downstairs?" John asked.
"Yeah should be fine, doesn't usually happen more then once." Caleb had been through enough of these to know that. He was the best person to watch over Dean after these attacks. After John left Caleb returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed next to Dean. "Dean? Are you okay?" He heard no response. "I know you are awake Deuce… you don't have to talk to me, just let me know you are alright."
"I'm fine." Caleb heard in his head.
"Okay, go back to sleep." Caleb went to stand up and felt a grip on his shirt, and then saw the bright green eyes peering out from under the covers.
"I don't want to go back to sleep, please stay with me."
"Okay, kid I will stay with you tonight.
"Thank you."
"Are you gonna play your quiet game tonight?" Dean nodded. "Okay, just remember, if I fall asleep, you gotta shake me awake, I can't hear you when I am sleeping." Dean nodded again. Caleb leaned against the headboard and sighed, Dean had to get some sleep.
"Once upon a time… " Caleb began. Dean gave him a weird look. "Just listen to the story Deuce. Once open a time, there were two brothers named Sam and Dean and they came from a land far away called Kansas. At one time, Kansas had been home to the two brothers, their father, and their mother." Dean stiffened, but seemed to be paying attention. "One day a monster attacked the brothers home, and stole away their loving mother. The monster attempted to take the youngest brother, but thanks to the courage of Dean, Sam was rescued from the flames, but at a great cost, the older brother lost his voice and had no idea how to get it back. Their father brought his sons to safety at a farm in Kentucky, a farm protected from the evils of the world. At this farm was another boy by the name of Caleb, and the silent boy and his baby brother originally bothered Caleb, but as the days went by, he discovered that these children were meant to be part of his life. You see Caleb had his own story, his life had been touched by evil as well, and he often feared that he himself was as evil as the monsters around him. He spent his days with the two younger kids and discovered something. Dean still had a voice, he just needed help in finding it again, and Caleb was prepared to help. Dean had saved Caleb, he had taught Caleb that he wasn't evil, and that he deserved to be loved and cared for, and Caleb was determined to help Dean see that the world would not always seem so dark. He would fight whatever got in the way to help Dean get his voice back no matter how long it took, and he promised he would protect Sam and Dean from whatever dangers lay ahead." Caleb stopped talking. "Sorry Dean, guess I am not very good at stories. Dean smiled.
"You are supposed to finish the story by saying The End."
"Not this story." Dean looked at Caleb curiously.
"Why not?"
"Cause the end of this story hasn't happened yet, we will have to see where it goes."
"How do you think it ends?"
"Well Deuce, that's the fun in this story, even though the beginning is sad, we get to create our ending."
"I hope so Caleb." Aftera few minutes, Dean was asleep on Caleb's chest, and the teenager didn't have the heart to move him, and after awhile, he fell asleep too.