Sooooo... I re-wrote this four times before I settled on something I don't hate. I am so, so sorry for the wait. I hadn't had the inspiration or the will to write recently but I managed to finish this chapter. Here's hoping I can keep the momentum going. Cross your fingers the next chapter won't take as long to write.
Ben spat on the ground, not surprised to see blood come out. He wiped his mouth to clear away any residual evidence of his recent ass kicking by creatures that are barely taller than a kindergartner.
Kobolds, man. They are vicious when they want to be.
Krissy got word of a family being terrorized by some unseen forces. Their youngest was found strapped atop the stylish chandelier for god knows how long, their oldest was buried under mountains of trash (Gross!), and the parents themselves were locked inside their room with a skunk trapped inside (Even more gross.).
After a jaunt in the library, which took forever since Krissy didn't have any lore books and Ben's were still with Jody back in Sioux Falls, they came up with the family being haunted by Kobolds: Germanic sprites that are usually house spirits, not unlike the lares of Roman lore or the, and were quite helpful unless the masters of the house mistreated or neglected the kobolds, then all hell breaks loose. The kobolds take their revenge by playing malicious tricks on the owners of the house. It is not a good idea to piss of kobolds.
The kobolds come in four shapes: animals, fire, objects and human - like a small child, but they can also be invisible. The kobolds that kicked their ass were human in shape. Well, child size. They still kicked his and Krissy's ass.
They had no idea whatsoever on how to deal with them. There is so much lore out there, and the name itself is completely obscure. One is saying it's a derivative of a derivative of so many languages such as Latin, Greek and German. There's a few sprinkling of others but they seemed to be derivatives of the Greek word kobaloi. It's all so confusing... and kind of fascinating from a linguistic point of view.
Whatever the case may be, he and Krissy went in blind. Something Ben suspects his dad would have Gibbs-slapped him - them so hard for.
Krissy gambled since they're spirit-like, they'd be vulnerable to iron, and she was right.
They hissed and snarled whenever Ben and Krissy got close to them with their fire pokers, dodging out of the way before they could get a good hit in to kill them. It was kind of funny, looking back on it. These diminutive figures scampering all around them, and Ben and Krissy swinging like they're the worst golfers in the world. Or the worst batters. Either one is apt.
"You owe me the biggest pizza in Portland!" Ben yelled at Krissy as he swung and missed one of the little buggers. "And the biggest milkshake I can stomach." He swung again and managed to get a piece of one kobold, sending it spiraling across the destroyed kitchen.
It popped back up with an angry snarl and tackled Ben like it was a professional football player.
Ben and the kobold ended up in a brawl so intense that had Krissy and the second kobold stopped their own fight and watched them duke it out. Ben's iron poker got sent spiraling away towards the kitchen when he got tackled, but Ben didn't even notice, too busy punching everything he could reach, hoping he was actually hurting the creature and not tiring himself out. He wouldn't put it past the little monster to think of that.
The kobold slammed its meaty, club of a hand into Ben's stomach, making him double over and gasp for breath. The creature cackled in malicious delight.
Krissy used that moment to hit her kobold with her fire poker. Instead of keeling over dying, it exploded like the vampires from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, leaving behind a cloud of dust that had Krissy praying it was from the kobold being dirty instead of her inhaling skin dust. She really hoped so.
"Yuck!" Krissy spat, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "That was disgusting! Please God that the dust be from its dirty jacket. Oh, God please."
She stuck out her tongue and used her sleeve to wipe the remaining grime from her mouth.
Ben used Krissy's dramatics to kick the kobold towards the huntress, who swung the iron poker on instinct, dispatching the second creature in another cloud of dust. It made Krissy let out a shriek of disgust and started spitting like she was an extra in an Old West film, using the floor as the world's biggest spittoon.
It had Ben cackling at the sight.
"Yeah, yeah," Krissy snarled. "Laugh it up, baby Winchester. Don't forget I'm the who took out these creatures," she pointed out with no small amount of petty.
"And whose idea was it to go after said creatures without a real plan to take them out?" Ben shot back. He got up and dusted off debris dust from their battle/ass-kicking with the kobolds.
He scanned the room with a raised eyebrow. "We're not getting paid for this mess."
"I know," Krissy responded, still spitting every now and then. "I think it'd be best if we took off before they got home."
"Agreed. But we're gonna leave a couple of hundred dollars for them as an apology," Ben added. Okay, so he's feeling guilty for trashing the Parks' home. When they had told the family they were here to take care of their supernatural problem, the Parks had been understandably dubious of their experience but Krissy laid on the charm like a pro. Even Ben had been taken in with the lie.
Krissy let out a loud groan. "Do we have to? It's not like we trashed the place on purpose. We need that money to last, Ben. We can't just be giving out the last of our money!"
"Yes, we can," Ben retorted. "We have more than enough money to last us even if we give $300 to the Parks. And even if the money ran out, we could always steal stuff and find a fence for it." He pinned Krissy with a disproving stare. "We will not just leave this people with a repair bill longer than our arms combined. The very least we could do is leave a few hundred dollars for them. I mean, we did trash their rather nice and stylish home, Krissy."
"Oh, fine!" Krissy gave in with a loud, put upon sigh. "But next time, we will bug out even if the place looks like a set from a Michael Bay film."
Ben considered then nodded. "Sounds good. Now let's go eat."
"Now you're talking!"
He pinned the money on the wall with a bright red thumb tack at eye level as a consolation for the destroyed house before they left.
BW
Ben and Krissy lay in bed together, both exhausted from their hunt yesterday. The huntress lay on her side sound asleep while Ben thought about Claire and Sioux Falls. He really missed the blonde. She was his first friend since he lost his mom and she was the last connection he had to his dad before Jo sent him to Krissy.
He still wonders how she did that.
What is she?
His first thought was ghost but there is no way a ghost would be able to transport Ben from South Dakota to freaking Seattle. Maybe she had help. But who would help her help him?
Jo's words circle around and around in his head whenever he's feeling restless.
I'll keep you safe from Her. Who's "Her"? Why would this mysterious Her come after him? He's not dangerous. He doesn't have any beef with anything supernatural related. At least not yet.
He just really wants to go home.
He and Logan were supposed to catch a college football game together. Maria was going to take him to The Death of a Salesman. Jody had promised to teach him some more hand-to-hand techniques that would help him out with more powerful creatures that rely on physicality. He and Claire were supposed to go to the horrorfest drive-in in October. He and Alex were going to take practice SAT tests so when they actually took the test, they'd kick its ass.
So many things he won't be able to do anymore.
Ben sighed and wrapped his arms around Krissy, nuzzling the back of her neck. He has no idea what's going on with him and the other hunter, and it's kind of an unspoken rule not to talk about it. Krissy went so far as to threaten to kick his ass when she snuggled up next to him one night. He believes her.
What is it with him and women who have no problem threatening him with bodily and carrying through with the threat when he called them on their bluff? They then show him they weren't joking. They seem to take joy in showing him just how wrong he was.
Krissy stirred but quieted when Ben pulled her closer against his chest.
He really wants to go home.
BW
Jody wanted to confess.
She wanted to clear her conscience and to get rid of the feelings of guilt and inadequacy. She wanted absolution. She wanted forgiveness.
Seven months. That's how long Ben's been missing. Seven months, and Claire has given up. Her young ward has been throwing herself more and more into hunting, skipping school and getting into fights with Alex - all so she wouldn't have to think about their missing friend. Jody has no idea what Claire had been researching the possibility of vampires in Sioux Fall, or that she had called Sam and Dean to get their opinion on the matter.
It had been hell having Dean right there and hiding the fact that his son is currently missing.
Jody had taken Claire aside and yelled at her for bringing Dean here, and Claire had yelled right back saying dead bodies are more important than a cold case.
That brought Jody up short.
Maybe things are worse than she thought with Claire if she's referring to Ben as a "cold case".
They got through the hunt without admitting anything. Although, Jody had to pop antacids every other hour to deal with guilt induced heartburn. Her actions caused Sam to ask about her health, which made her feel so much worse. Even Alex couldn't look at the brothers in the eye. Only Claire was able to deal with them without any ounce of guilt.
Alex had been severely shaken by the whole thing but it patched the rift that had formed between the two girls. The hunt solidified Claire's desire to become a hunter. So... that's bad.
They're currently saying goodbye to the boys and Jody is doing her best not to reveal her feelings.
"So," Dean asked casually, using the demon killing knife to pick at his nails. "What's going on with you guys?" He peered at her with a joking smile on his face but his eyes told a different story. He's worried about them.
"I know it's not nothing. You've guys been tense around us," Dean observed. "Even now. It's like you guys can't wait for us to leave." He leaned into Jody's personal space. "What's going on, Jody?"
Jody swallowed and pushed back her guilt. "Nothing. It's just been hard with the girls fighting so much lately, and Claire's desire to hunt hasn't been helping matters between them." She allowed her weariness to show to mask her true emotions. "That and there are some townspeople who've been giving me a hard time."
Doh! What'd she say that for?!
Dean frowned.
"Need us to handle it?" he asked jokingly.
Jody shook her head, forcing herself to smile. "No, it's fine. Just normal, every day complaints is all."
Please don't go find them, she begged - prayed silently. Please just leave now before Logan or Maria Marks see you and tell you all about my losing Ben.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure you guys got bigger fish to fry than fight these mundane battles for me," she told him. Jody dove in for a hug before he could ask anymore questions. "It was nice seeing you boys. How about next time you guys just come for a visit? No bloodshed. No hunting."
Sam grinned at her from by the Impala.
"That sounds like a good idea," Sam agreed. "Doesn't it, Dean?"
Dean stared at her with an unreadable expression, but he nodded his head in agreement. He switched his gaze to first Claire then to Alex, who both fidgeted under his gaze, refusing to look at him. He caught Sam's eye and had a silent conversation with his brother about their actions.
Jody prayed outright that they'd leave before they asked any questions they'd have difficulty answering without giving anything away.
The very real possibility of Dean finding out about Ben is terrifying in the extreme. She'd rather face the vampires again than tell Dean anything. And Sam. She'd rather be facing off against the monsters of Purgatory than deal with the disappointed look of Dean Winchester. And Sam.
"We need to go," Sam said suddenly, his now expression unreadable. "We need to go, Dean."
Dean stared at her a little longer but nodded his head and made his way to the Impala. He waved goodbye to them as he pulled out of the driveway. Sam gave them an indecipherable look as they drove away, turning to look behind him to continue watching them. It made a shiver of unease slither its way down her spine.
Sam knows. She feels this in her bones. Sam knows.
BW
Ben threw a stiletto knife towards the homemade target Krissy made for training purposes. It hit home, dead center. He allowed a small smile of satisfaction grace his face.
It was nothing compared to the smile Krissy gave him. So full of pride. For him. For doing something he knows his mom would have frowned upon, but something his dad might have been just as proud as Krissy currently is.
"Nice," she complimented. She clapped him on the back and threw her own knife. Slightly off-center but still damn good. "Aw, stiletto, no!"
Ben laughed and slipped his arm around her waist, pressing a kiss atop her head. It's a new thing they've been doing lately. It started by accident.
One sleepy morning, in a rather domestic setting, Ben dropped a kiss of thanks on top of Krissy's head for making them breakfast in their current domicile. Neither of them reacted to the kiss, too distracted over their case of a ghoul to worry about something as mundane as an unexpected kiss, and if they did, it wouldn't've bothered as much as it should.
Krissy wrapped both her arms around Ben's waist, leaning into him. She blew a stray stand of hair out of her face.
"We should head out soon. We've been here a little too long," Krissy mumbled. She really didn't want to leave. The big town of Pine Grove has been a nice getaway for them.
The ghoul that originally brought them here hadn't been that hard to dispatch. It had Ben thinking that maybe it wanted to die. In fact, all of the monsters they'd been hunting seemed like they had a death wish. Only doing enough damage to earn the attention of a hunter, and then they'd run far enough away to give the illusion of wanting to live and they'd wait for the hunters to catch up. It had Krissy on edge for a while when Ben spoke his suspicions.
She hadn't denied it. And that worried him.
What is going on?
The Her Jo had been talking about has to be the reason behind all of this. Monsters would rather rot in Purgatory than stay on Earth with all their preferred prey. Even the demons have been keeping a low profile.
"Have you ever dealt with angels?" Ben asked out of the blue.
Krissy pulled away to look at him funnily. That's an odd question to ask.
"No," she answered anyway. "Never had the pleasure to even meet them." She pulled him close again, hugging him tightly. "Why you asking?"
Ben sighed, allowing her to hold his weight for a second before pulling away. He ran his hand through his hair. It's getting long, he noted absently. He'll need a haircut soon. Maybe there's a cheap one somewhere in Pine Grove.
"Ben," Krissy said in a warning tone. "What made you ask that question? It is Castiel again?"
Ben shook his head. "No. It's just. I feel like everything's bugging out. Running for the hills. Even if it means dying to get away." He ran his hands through his hair again. "And sometimes," he admitted, "I feel like something's looking for me. And it's not Jody or Claire. I can hear them calling my name at night. On the wind, like they're whispering so they wouldn't be overheard."
Krissy felt ice form in her veins. That is not good. Not good at all.
"And I'm finding myself following the voice," Ben continued. "Sometimes I don't come to until I'm a half a mile away. It's like following a wilo-the-wisp. You're in a trance and you don't realize where you're going or how far you've traveled."
"How - How long has this been going on?" Krissy asked. She tightened her grip on his waist without thinking. How badly has she been failing keeping him safe? Jo told her to keep Ben safe, and she's been letting in him wander off in danger without knowing it. Some protector she is. Jo should have chosen someone else. They wouldn't have let their charge go off into danger without their knowledge.
Ben shrugged. "Since that case with the kobold."
"That's was two weeks ago!" Krissy cried. Two weeks of failing her job. "God, Ben! Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Anything could have happened to you! And it would have been my fault."
That shook Ben out of his reverie.
"Whoa! Wait, what? No, Krissy. No! It wouldn't have been your fault. It would have been mine," he assured her. "I would have been the idiot."
"Were you the one tasked with watching over a damn Winchester? No! I was, and I. Am. Failing!"
She turned and threw her last knife, hitting the bulls-eye dead center. Her chest heaved, battling with her feelings of failure and disappointment... and fear.
Ben knew he should have kept his mouth shut. It honestly hasn't been that bad. As long as he wears his earphones to bed, he can't hear the woman's voice to draw him out. It was only a few times he forgot. Too exhausted from their day to remember to put them in.
"It's okay. It's okay," he told her. Keeping his distance, knowing she wouldn't be open to being comforted right now. "You know now. Everything's going to be fine."
Krissy stormed off, too pissed to be around him. She's afraid that if she remains near him, she'd hit him for keeping this from her.
Ben watched her go. If he said anything right now, she'd come back and give his ass a proper kicking, and she wouldn't stop at that. Oh no. She would not stop at that. She'd make him lug everything, do all the research, clean up, find them places to crash, and she'd make him figure out ways to refill their ever dwindling money. And he sucks at that. All of it. Well, except the research. He's rather good at that and he prides himself with being damn good at research.
His uncle is good at research. The thought popped into his head and reverberated around his mind until it settled deep within.
Yeah, Sammy's real good at research, his dad mumbled sleepily. His dad had woken him up for his early morning jog. It's why I don't bother with that stuff. He'll just find out what we're hunting and he'll have a boat load of information to back it up, just in case I didn't believe him. You're good at it like he is. His dad smiled at him before his dad's image disappeared but everything else remained.
It's a memory.
He had kept up with his dad during that jog, keeping pace with him until the last half mile, then his dad pulled away with an ease that said he'd been holding himself back for Ben. He sprinted after his dad but he couldn't bridge the gap between them. His dad was just too fast.
He can't remember what happened afterward but that's okay.
He has a memory of his dad.
BW
Castiel adjusted the antennae on his tiny TV for better reception. The image cleared and he saw Sam in the bunker pouring over books looking somewhat frantic. He didn't see Dean. That's good. He has a hard time accepting his decision when he sees Dean because he knows once the hunter takes a true hard look at him, he'll know what he did to ensure Dean's and Sam's safety.
Especially Dean.
He won't let Amara hurt Dean. He won't let Amara hurt Sam to hurt Dean.
He won't let Amara find out about Benjamin Winchester. She'll get Dean by her side in a heartbeat if she used Ben's safety for Dean's compliance, Lucifer, too. He locked the memories of Ben deep inside so Lucifer couldn't get access to it. Oh, the Morning Star knows he's hiding something but he's willing to let it lie for now.
Letting him keep his little secrets until his older brother needed them is a power play that Castiel really didn't need reminding of. He knows what he signed up for.
When he's not watching TV, Castiel uses every enchantment he can think of to bury the memory of Ben Winchester deep enough so it wouldn't be worth the effort for Lucifer to dig through. He won't break that particular promise he made to Dean. Not that one.
"I think I'll watch Loony Toons. Dean seemed to like them," Castiel thought aloud. He's seen Dean watch it when he thought no one was looking.
He changed the channel from Sam to Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.