Meeting the Winchesters Ch. 7
Previously: Bobby was leaving to go into town while John and the boys took a nap.
Driving down the road as he headed into North Sioux City, Bobby raised a calloused hand and tugged his ballcap off to run his fingers through his hair. He couldn't believe he was headed into town with the sole thought of buying a few toys. How in the hell had those two little rugrats started to work their way into his heart without him even being aware of it? He had never wanted children, too damn afraid that he would be just like his abusive and alcoholic father to even consider allowing children into his life. Yet here he was, about to buy some toys for children that he had only met just recently. Those two were going to ruin his gruff reputation.
Pulling up in front of the Salvation Army store a few minutes later, he quickly parked his rusted old Chevelle and made his way into the store. Surely he could fins a few cheap toys in here that the boys would like. Glancing around, he grimaced at the size of the store and everything strewn haphazardly about the place. Didn't these people know that time was money? He didn't have the time to search through the place to find toys. And what toys would be appropriate anyway. Sure, he could make a guess about toys for Dean, but Sammy was a whole other ballgame.
"Damn it, I must have been crazy to come in here," Bobby thought to himself as he once again removed his ballcap and tugged a hand through his now disheveled hair.
"Can I help you Sir? You seem to be a little overwhelmed a young store employee asked the grizzled hunter as she approached the hunter with a smile.
"Uh yeah, I am looking for a few toys for a couple of boys," Bobby answered as he glanced at the worker hopefully. "I was thinking maybe a ball and glove for the older boy, but the younger is just a pup, not yet even two."
"I think I can help you with that request," Sarah, the young employee, stated as she started walking towards the far right corner of the store. "If you will just follow me."
Allowing the girl to take the lead, Bobby followed her as she quickly and efficiently made her way to the toy section.
"You will find different sizes of gloves in this bin and some baseballs in the one next to it," Sarah voiced with a smile as she indicated the bins to her left. As for the toddler, just look to your right and you will find a shelving unit with toddler toys located on the top two shelves. Is there anything specific you have in mind?"
"No, I'll just look through the toys if that's okay?" Bobby queried as his eyes begin to assess the large area of toys for things he thought might catch the eyes of little boys.
"Sure, just holler if you need any help," Sarah answered before she started strolling back to the front of the store to offer her services to others in need of help.
"I will, thanks," Bobby said as he began to thumb through the different gloves in the bin. Finding a well worn leather one that looked like it would be about the right size, Bobby picked it up and then quickly found a baseball before making his way to the toddler section.
'Now what would that little scamp like?' Bobby thought to himself. Perusing through the shelves, his eyes lit upon a See-N-Say with the alphabet letters on it. Picking the toy up, he spun the middle part to make sure it worked and then tucked it into his arm with the ball and glove. Maybe the toy would keep the little tyke occupied this evening when it was time to teach John about the demonic signs.
Heading towards the front to make his purchases, Bobby couldn't help but notice the large plastic set of Duplo building blocks of many varied colors. He was sure that those could keep both boys occupied as Dean built forts and such that were sturdy enough to outlast the eagerness of his toddling brother. Adding the set to what was already in his hands, he once again started to head toward the tills for checkout when his eyes saw a plastic bag filled with little green army men and he couldn't help but think of how Dean handed over the one toy he owned to keep Sammy a happy little boy.
"Balls," he grumbled as he used his pinky finger to pick up the bag of toys. No way was he leaving it behind in the store when he was sure it would provide many hours of play for the two rapscallions.
Making his mind up that that would be the past of his purchases, he quickly made his way to the front to pay for what he was sure was treasured items. Now, all he had to do was think up a plausible lie as to why he went to town for auto parts and came home with an armload of toys.
~~Supernatural~~
Arriving back home approximately an hour later, Bobby pulled into his driveway to see John sitting on the porch and watching his children as Dean followed after a wobbling Sammy who seemed to be chasing Rumsfeld around the front yard. He couldn't help but worry when he saw the youngster grab onto the dog's tail, sure that Rumsfeld would nip at the overeager boy. His fears were unfounded however as he watched his supposedly vicious guard dog turn around and lick the little boy's face.
"Well hell," Bobby groused as he watched Sammy wrap his arms around the dog's neck. Looked like those two scoundrels of John's had done tamed his dog. He would have to make sure that Rumsfeld did his duty properly tonight or he would be in search of another guard dog.
Grabbing the bags of toys he had bought, he stumbled out of the car and carried them up onto the porch and placed them down on the wooden flooring.
"Thought you were going to town for some parts," John snickered as he looked into the bags to see the toys sticking out.
"Yeah, well, they didn't have what I was looking for ya Idjit," Bobby intoned gruffly as he watched Dean help Sammy up the stairs now that the little one's attention had been diverted from the dog to see what was in the bags.
"Anyway, I got these toys for just pennies from a yard sale down the road. Thought the little ones might like something to play with while we discuss those signs I was talking about earlier.
"Can we Daddy?" Dean asked as he held onto Sammy who was doing his best to squirm away so that he could get at the bags.
"Sure Ace," John answered as he graced Bobby with a grateful smile.
"Yay," Sammy enthused, toddling over to Bobby and wrapping his hands around the gruff hunter's legs. "T'ank oo Bo'y"
You're welcome Squirt," Bobby spoke around the lump in his throat as he reached down to muss the little one's mop of brown hair.
"Well, what are you two munchkins waiting for, git to playing," Bobby playfully groused, winking at Dean as he watched the elder boy struggle with trying to deal with something so trivial as someone buying toys for the two of them. He knew Dean was still wary of him and hoped that maybe one day the boy would grow to trust him.
Following Sammy over to the bags, Dean graced Bobby with a rare smile before helping his baby brother did out all the toys. Maybe this Bobby wasn't so bad after all.
"Ya know, you didn't have to do that," John informed Bobby as he watched the boys delve into the treasure trove of toys with merriment evident in their eyes.
"Well, I figured if you were going to be here long enough to train to be a hunter, then the boys would need something to keep them occupied or drive me insane. So toys it was. And speaking of training, how about we get to it?"
"Sounds Good," John replied as he thrust he stood up and thrust his hands into his pocket. "Dean, watch out for Sammy. Mr. Singer and I are going out into the yard to talk some."
"Okay Daddy," Dean replied, glancing up from the See-N-Say that Sammy was currently enthralled with as he tried to figure out how to make it work.
"That's my boy," John replied, reaching out a hand to ruffle Dean's hair before following Bobby off the porch to learn about what to watch for with demonic signs.
~~Supernatural~~
"I guess the first thing you need to know about demons is that they can possess any form, human or animal...though animal possession is pretty rare," Bobby explained as he began to teach the newbie about how to recognize demonic signs. "The demon's native form is black smoke and it will enter a human through the mouth, leaving the taste of sulfur behind for days. "That's the first thing you should look for when hunting demons."
"Damn, that sounds nasty," John stated with a shiver as he thought about a demon actually possessing him or anyone else by entering through the mouth!
"It is damn nasty," Bobby agreed as he wrinkled his nose at even the thought of the smell of sulfur.
"What else?" John inquired as he filed the new knowledge away in his brain for later.
"Lightning storms are another sign," Bobby stated in answer to the question. "Of course you can't question your regular everyday lightning storm, so you need to look for other signs such as cattle mutilations."
"What does cattle mutilations have to do with demons?" John questioned.
"Nobody's been able to figure that out yet," Bobby answered with a shrug. "The bastards are probably just trying to throw us off or something. Maybe they need the blood, we just haven't figured that part out yet."
"Is there more?"
"Damn right there is," Bobby answered. "I haven't told you about their biggest identifying mark yet,"
'Which is?" John asked, eager to learn everything he could.
"Black eyes. And I am not talking about just the iris," Bobby answered, "I'm talking about the whole damn eye. Not a speck of white is left when a demon is present in the human body. Damn creepy looking if you ask me."
"There is also other things such as splashing a person with holy water or speaking the name of the Lord to see if they are possessed by a demon. Holy water burns like hell when possessed and demons can't stand to have the Lords' name spoken in their presence. Of course, I guess I should tell you that identifying a demon is the least of your worries," Bobby admitted as he glanced up at the porch to see Dean keeping little Sammy occupied now with the Duplo building blocks.
"What the hell are you talking about?" John asked worriedly as he too glanced up at his children to check on them.
"I mean those bastards are unstoppable. You can shoot them, knife them, or just about anything else but it still won't kill the frigging things. You gotta exorcise them back to Hell," Bobby explained as he scrubbed a hand across the beard encompassing his lower jaw. "Of course, that is something else you will have to learn."
"You mean there is nothing else that can kill them?" John inquired worriedly, wondering if he was taking on more than he could chew.
"Well, there is this rumored Colt made by Samuel Colt himself, but no one knows for sure if it even exists at this point. I have heard rumors, but nothing has been substantiated," Bobby replied. "Of course, luckily for us, demons do have their weaknesses that we hunters can use to our advantage and we will get into that after dinner."
"Sounds good," John agreed, feeling the pangs of hunger begin in his stomach. He was sure his children were more than ready to eat also.
"Well then. lets get to it," Bobby stated, walking towards the porch once again. "Why don't you enjoy a little fun time with the boys while I go get dinner started."
TBC. Still interested?