The Way Home
Chapter 21
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
"God Damn it, Junior! I'm so gonna kick your ass when I get this damn thing off!" John Winchester was pissed and the fact the person he was so pissed at was currently standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his face, wasn't helping.
Dean was doing his best to keep a straight face as he walked into the room, passing his friend, "I told you about poking the dragon." the teen whispered before taking the chair across from the couch where his father was resting. Caleb had managed to do some very elaborate drawings on John's cast while the older man slept, the pain meds dulling the normally, light sleepers reaction. The scantily clad woman the younger man had drawn on the cast along with completely inappropriate dialogue would have made a sailor turn red from embarrassment, but it only made John see red.
Mac chuckled slightly until the injured hunter shot a heated glance his way, clearing his throat Mac spoke up, "John, I told you I would get the material and cover Caleb's 'artwork'." The Scholar had walked in one his son as the younger man had cautiously been creating the crude masterpiece. Mac knew he should have stopped the project then and there, but with all they had all been through, a small part of the older Psychic's mind was just as eager to see John's reaction as his son was.
Caleb tried to draw in a breath between the barely controlled laughs, stepping closer to his father, but keeping a safe distance from the Knight, the younger man added, "You've got to admit, I didn't do half bad, considering all I could find around here was a box of markers that Sammy use to color with. I was lucky the damn things still worked." John sent his protégé another glare that only caused the younger man to start laughing again.
"Luck isn't what you're gonna be calling it when I have you ass out in the woods for a week straight on maneuvers." The heat in John's words faded as he watched his family, Caleb holding nothing back, Mac and Dean barely able to control their own laughing. Finally John's face broke into a smile, followed by a quiet laugh.
Jim walked into the room, followed by Sammy. "I'm glad to see there hasn't been any bloodshed brought on by our resident artist's latest creations." The Pastor placed his hand on Caleb's shoulder as the young man wiped the tears still falling.
"You knew about this?" John looked pointedly toward the Guardian, noticing the mischievous glint in the older man's eyes.
"There isn't much that goes on in this house that I don't know about Jonathon, you should know that by now." Jim answered as he took a seat at the other end of the couch, Sammy went to sit on the arm of the chair his brother was in. "Now, if I'm not mistaking, before all the excitement of the last week…" Jim wanted the past week to be put behind his family, they had all survived the terrible ordeal and it was time to face what was ahead of them, "I believe Caleb was the one that suggested we all gather here for a visit." Looking at the twenty-two year old the Preacher continued, "Was there a specific reason behind your request?"
Caleb straightened himself, taking a few deep-breaths to regain some semblance of calm, he had almost forgotten why he suggested the impromptu gathering, but having talked with business associate, Oliver Havers, aka Moose, his college roommate, the night before, Caleb knew he was going to have to be back in New York soon, if he hoped to maintain a positive image for his budding business. "Yeah…"
The young man looked nervously around the room of people gathered, his family. Looking toward Mac first Caleb started, "Dad, I know you've been asking me what I was going to be doing now that I've graduated; well about a year ago I started making some inquiries, talking with some lawyers about what it would take to start my own architectural business. I got the basics started back then and since graduation I have been meeting with potential investors and perspective clients." Caleb glanced toward Dean, a couple times when the younger boy had called him, he had been in high-level meetings with people who had the abilities to make or break the young Psychic's dreams. "Deuce, I'm sorry about some of the calls I had to cut short, I was in more meetings the past two months than I ever thought possible, but understand if you had needed me I would have walked out, that's why I always asked if you guys were okay. And I don't want you thinking any of this changes anything, if you ever need me I'll be there, you understand?"
Dean nodded solemnly as he stared at his hands folded in his lap. The teen's body language wasn't lost on the psychic as Mac spoke, still a little unsure what his son was trying to say, "The meetings, are you saying you've started your own business?" Mac had no idea his son was interesting in starting a company; he was both a little hurt and greatly impressed by his son's actions. Hurt that the young man hadn't come to him about his interest, but impressed that his son wanted to start the endeavor completely on his own.
Caleb picked up on some of Mac's concerns, "This was something I needed to do on my own, I know you and even Cullen would have jumped at the chance to help me, but I needed to see if I could do this without the Ames name coming into play. I needed to see if I could make this work, I hope you understand."
Mac nodded, he was proud of his son, as Caleb said, the Ames name in business could have made things easier for Caleb, but the young man wanted this to be his and his alone. "So I take it things are going as you hoped?"
Caleb looked at his feet as he nodded his head, before looking back up toward his family, "Tri-Corp officially got their first client about two weeks ago, I have a meeting next week to start the design process and hopefully in a few months our first project will be under construction."
Mac stood, pulling his son into a tight hug, "Wow, I'm proud of you son, your own business."
Jim advanced also, pulling the young man into a hug, "Congratulations Son, this is indeed a pleasant surprise. It seems we have several things to be thankful for today, I suppose I should start on a celebratory dinner then, Sammy would you care to help?" Jim looked at the youngest Winchester as he glanced toward John and Dean; both had been quiet throughout Caleb's revelation.
Looking between his brother and father, Sammy felt an uncertainty in the air, "Yeah, sure Pastor Jim."
As they left the room, Mac glanced toward his friend as well, noting that neither Dean, nor John were looking their way, "I'll see if Jim needs any more help," Giving his son's shoulder a gentle squeeze he whispered, "It's okay," before heading toward the kitchen.
Caleb had hoped his business would be good news for his family, but he also knew that John was one of those hunters that didn't see the sense in playing pretend in the real world when there was so much work to be done in the supernatural realm. Moving toward the coffee table the twenty-two year old sat on the edge, placing him between his best friend and his mentor. "I'm still going to be hunting, this is just something on the side, plus think of how this might help when we need a cover somewhere, who's gonna look suspiciously at an architect scouting an area?"
"Yeah, you've been ignoring me for months just because you were trying to set up an elaborate cover." The fear in Dean's face told Caleb all he needed to know.
"Deuce, I told you, I'm not going anywhere. It won't be any different then when I was at school, I'll still hunt and anytime and I mean anytime you ever need me you know I'll be there, but this is something I need to do. I can't explain it; I just know I have to do this." Caleb had wanted his whole family to be happy for him, but he could understand the feelings from his friend, his brother. Again it was the fear and worry of losing a part of his family.
"Wow, Junior I don't know what to say." John finally broke his silence, drawing the young man's attention to him.
"Look Johnny, I'm still in this, I'm not turning my back on you guys and I know you don't always see the need for anything away from the hunt, but I do. Maybe it's because my dad built stuff, like with me painting because it ties me to my mom, I don't know. But I've got to see where this leads me too. And like I told Deuce, I'm just a phone call away; it's one of the perks of being the boss…" Caleb tried one of his trademark smirks, "I can take off whenever I want." Caleb reached out and touched his mentor's arm, while at the same time reaching and taking a hold of Dean's hand. "I need this, it would mean the world to me if you two…especially you two understood that and accepted it."
John looked into the worried gaze of his protégé, he could understand needing that connection to loved ones stolen by evil, John's connection to Mary was the boys and he would do anything to protect that. "I know you do Junior." John moved his legs to the floor; he needed to move around, "I just have one question…"
The Knight's expression was unreadable as Caleb waited to see what his mentor's question would be. "Okay?"
"Do you need anymore investors? I've got a little put away and was just waiting for the right venture to throw my money away at, I just heard about this new architect starting his own business and figured I could take a risk on it, I hear he comes from a good background, a stubborn, smart-ass who needs better things to do than draw all over injured peoples casts." John laughed as he stood, squeezing the young man's shoulder.
Caleb smiled up at his mentor, "I think I know a guy, I'm good friends with the owner of the company, I'll have his people call you." The younger man laughed when John clipped him on the back of the head.
"You do that. But I still expect your ass back here for a week once I get this damn thing off, you got it? I'd hate to have to come into some fancy office building and haul your ass out." John walked toward the kitchen, glancing back at the young psychic.
"I'll be here, but I'll have you know my business associate played defense for the Auburn football team." Caleb responded.
"I'm sure Dean could probably take him." John laughed again as he left the room.
Caleb looked toward his best friend, "Deuce, you okay?"
"You sure nothing will change?" Dean watched his friend, the younger boy had worried when Caleb first went off to college, he thought he was losing his friend then, but the man had remained a close part of his life.
"Deuce, I swear, nothing will change. When you guys need me I'll be there. We'll meet here for all the holidays and breaks just like we did before. If something comes up, I'll call you; try to get you guys to come visit me. Besides, I'm gonna need some help setting up the place Cullen bought me for graduation, it's not to far from Mac's place." Caleb patted Dean's knee, "Hey, maybe I'll even have a 'bring you smart-ass kid brother to work' day. You can come by and check out all the hot secretaries I plan on hiring." Caleb watched the teen smirk.
"Dude, you won't get any work out of them if I'm around, with my charm and boyish good looks, they'll think you're just the old man who runs the company." Dean jumped up as Caleb lunged at him, grabbing him in a head-lock as they made their way toward the kitchen.
"I'll show you old man." Caleb held tight until Dean wrapped his arms around the older man's chest, a sharp breath, caused both of them to let go as Caleb grabbed his side, they both had forgotten about the cracked ribs he's sustained wrecking his jeep.
"Shit…God Damien, I'm sorry…you okay?" Dean grabbing his friends arm as Caleb doubled over, taking shallow breaths.
"I'm okay Deuce, just give me a minute, forgot about my ribs." Using the mantle Caleb slowly straightened himself up as he was finally able to draw in a couple deep-breaths. "Seriously, I'm fine, just turned the wrong way."
Caleb could feel the fear coming from his friend again, "I promise I good, I told you I wasn't going anywhere and I'm not, you can't get rid of me that easy."
"The thought of losing you is never easy. Just promise me you'll watch out for yourself." Dean spoke softly, his hand still resting on Caleb's back.
"Ditto goes for you too Deuce." Caleb responded as he let go of the mantle, his hand coming up to squeeze the back of Dean's neck.
"Besides I kind of need my big brother around." Dean smiled at his 'big brother' as Caleb released him.
"Just like I need my little brother." Caleb watched Dean nod slightly as they heard Jim call them to come eat.
Staying behind Caleb as they walked toward the kitchen, Dean stopped as he stepped through the doorway. Looking toward the worn kitchen table that was so much a part of the fifteen-year olds life the teen saw all the people that meant the most to him; at the head of the table, Pastor Jim Murphy, the man who was like an Uncle and Grandfather all rolled together, he was one of the people that accepted Dean completely for who he was, seeing the boy that still needed to be reassured, but who was also looking for the recognition that came with becoming a man. Next to him was Dr. Mackland Ames, a favorite Uncle, a man who would do anything for those he cared about, he was always finding ways to try and teach Dean new things, especially when it came to medicine and first aide. Dean had a desire to help those that were hurt, had a natural ability when it came to taking care of those around him and Mac reinforced that.
Across from Mac was his father, John Winchester, Dean knew a part of his father died that night in the nursery with his mother, but from that tragedy came a man with a passion to keep other families from suffering the fate that had befallen the Winchester, a man with a driven need to find the thing that had stolen his wife and his children's mother, while at the same time protecting and training his children to defend themselves in the new, terrifying world they had found themselves in.
Next to his father sat Sammy, his little brother. Dean had tried so hard over the years to shield his brother from what they did, from the pain of knowing that those monsters that little kids always feared lurked in the dark were real. Sammy was his responsibility; he would protect his brother from anything and everything, even to the point of coming between Sammy and their father. The teen knew that the years ahead would be hard, Sammy was starting to see things differently, had started questioning the 'why's' of what they do and their father wasn't one to cater to constant questions, especially if he had given an order, and that was the very thing his brother was starting to rebel against, Dean only hoped he was strong enough to keep his family from tearing itself apart.
Finally, as he made his way across the room Dean took his seat across from the one person he could be completely and totally honest with, the one person he cared about as much as he did his own blood brother, Caleb Reaves. Caleb had been there for him when he was a scared, hiding five-year old, who felt safer inside his own world than in the outside world. The Psychic had reached out and threw the hurting child a life-line; it was a life-line that in his darkest hours Dean still so desperately clung to. The fear of losing Caleb ranked up there with the fear of losing his little brother or his father. It was a fear that told Dean if that connection was ever lost he would be set adrift in a world that would consume him. But looking at his big brother, Dean took to heart the promise Caleb made about always being there and if he never believed another thing in his life, he believed Caleb would always be there for him, and he would be there for Caleb, no matter what.
So as the dishes were being passed around the table, and the conversation turned toward the new business Caleb had started, Dean couldn't help but smile as he glanced toward the head of the table, his gaze caught the calming blue eyes of Pastor Jim, who smiled warmly. This is what Dean had wanted, had pleaded for in the darkest days of the past week, when it was unknown if his father would survive, if Caleb would ever wake up, all Dean had wanted was for his family to be home, safe, gathered around the table for supper and as the teen smiled back at the Preacher, his prayer had been answered, his family had found their way home.
A/N: I forgot something, there's one more chapter to go, sorry-Montez