Dean.
Bray stood at the foot of the bed, leaning against the footboard for support. All he could manage to do was stare. Where had he come from? The last time Bray had even seen Dean was a week ago when he had left him behind. Since then all Dean had been to Bray was a painful memory; one he rarely thought about. Yet here he was in the flesh. Slowly, Bray turned to look at Luke, who was lurking in the doorway behind him. He seemed just as baffled as Bray. It was as if they were both silently asking the same question; how had he even gotten here? As far as either of them knew, Dean had never come to the compound before now. Dean hadn't even asked where it was. It made no sense to either man how he had managed to find his way here.
Bray turned back, looking at Dean's still form once again. All the questions slowly began to fade away. He could get the answers he wanted when Dean woke up. For now, there was only one question that really needed to be answered; what was he supposed to do with Dean?
"Do you want me to kill him?" Bray quickly shook his head no as he continued to stare. While Luke's suggestion was helpful, it wasn't the proper course of action. Dean would be missed. Questions would be asked and searches would be launched. It was already bad enough that he had turned up with no invitation or explanation. Bray had no intention of making it worse by killing him.
"I'm sure they've all realized he's missing. People are probably already looking for him." By people he meant Roman. Bray was sure Roman was already looking for him. The last thing Bray wanted was for that over grown brute to turn up here unannounced. Things could get very ugly, very quickly if that happened.
Bray turned away from Dean again. He still felt at a slight loss for words, but the shock of Dean's sudden appearance in his house was finally beginning to wear off. In its place was a mixture of anger and pure joy. There was no denying that there was a part of Bray that was elated to see Dean again. That part was even more elated that he was seeing Dean here and not in some scuzzy hotel. The idea that his greatest desire was with in arms reach practically sent Bray over the moon. But that's where the elation quickly faded. Yes his greatest desire was with in arms reach, but he couldn't have it; mainly because Dean wasn't his. All it would take was for Bray to make one move on Dean, and Roman would come riding in to save him from the monster that had him. It wouldn't matter to Roman that Dean had come here on his own; that up until an hour ago, Bray had no idea Dean was even on his way. Roman would twist this so it would be Bray's fault. He always did. Because of that, Bray had to stand there and stare at the stupid bastard while he drooled all over the sheets. It was infuriating.
"If he's bothering you I can take him away." Bray shook his head, welcoming the intrusion of Luke's voice.
"No. Leave him for now." Bray thoughtfully ran his fingers over his beard. "Was he found with anything?" Luke shook his head no. "Not even a wallet or a phone?"
"Braun and Erick are following his path to see if he may have dropped anything along the way, but as of now nothing's been found." Bray furrowed his brow nodding in confusion. "He was in a bad way when we found him. He had probably been wandering for hours, maybe even days. It's hard to say." Bray didn't like the sound of that. "I suppose it's not a stretch as to what he was looking for."
"No, I suppose it isn't." Bray quickly looked away from Luke, guiltily bringing one of his hands up to rub the back of his neck. After the unexpected phone call from Dean the other day, Bray had hoped this had been over with. He should have known better. This wasn't going to end with a phone call. Dean wasn't going to be satisfied until he had it out with Bray once and for all.
"When you're ready, I can leave him in a place where he'll be found. No one will be the wiser."
"Until he wakes up." Bray looked back at Luke. "He'll ask for me. You know anyone local will just bring him right back here." Bray tapped his fingers against the footboard. "If he's here for me then he won't stop until he sees me. It doesn't matter how many times I send him away. He'll just keep coming until he gets what he wants, especially since he knows where to find me. I won't risk him coming back a second time just to relieve myself of the emotions this has brought."
"I can see to it there isn't a second time." Again shook Bray head, denying Luke the chance to end Dean.
"No. If he wants to finish this then fine, we'll finish it. Then he can go back to Roman and all will be as it was before."
Bray intentionally looked back Dean, ignoring the look on Luke's face at his last comment. He knew Luke disapproved of the entire relationship. Nothing would have made Luke happier, than if they could go back to before Dean; but that wasn't a reality. As much as Bray wanted to go back, he couldn't. Dean had left his mark on him. There was no changing that. "In the mean time we need to insure we have no unwanted visitors." Luke quickly nodded in agreement. Strangers weren't welcome. Strangers with badges were even less welcome. None of them wanted or needed either turning up.
"Do you want me to phone the company?" Bray shook his head no.
"That won't be enough. Even if they do believe us." Which they wouldn't. "We can't risk them sending someone to check up on him." Bray paused, taking a deep breath. "I know who we need to call." Luke raised an eyebrow to that. "She can buy us some more time."
"You're sure she'll help?" Bray nodded, nervously running his fingers over his hair. "I thought she said she couldn't do anymore after the last time."
"She did, but that was for us, not for him. She can get him a few days."
"You're sure." Bray nodded again.
"She won't like it, but she'll do it." Bray paused, taking a deep breath. "It's far from ideal, but we don't have much choice in the matter. He's not fit to travel." Again Bray paused, absently scratching an itch as he thought about it. "I doubt she'll be any happier with us….with me if we leave him half dead on her doorstep. If we expect her help in the future then we need to do this properly." Luke nodded, not really liking that response, but he couldn't deny that Bray was right. While she had been in Bray's debt in the past, she could easily argue that she had more than paid him back in the amount of favors she had done for him over his tenure in WWE. Any further favors had to be considered carefully, as those favors put Bray in her debt. That was something Luke definitely didn't like. Anyone having control of Bray could spell bad news for him and the family. "There's no sense in calling her now. She probably won't answer anyway. She'll be busy with what she calls work." Bray paused, taking in a shallow breath. "I'll call her tonight when things have settled for her."
"And him?" Bray looked at Dean one last time.
"For now, leave him. Have either Erick or Braun stand watch when they come back."
"You don't want to lock him in? It would be easier." And safer. "Suppose he gets out?" Bray looked back at Luke.
"Suppose he doesn't. Locking him in only encourages the idea that we are keeping him here against his will." Bray ran the hand that hold of the footboard over the smooth wood, wiping away the dust that had settled on it. "These fools are visual. All Roman will need is a locked door for a reason and then he'll raise six shades of Cain so he can save Dean." Luke hadn't thought of it like that. "If Dean was as bad as you say, then he won't be strong enough to do much of anything when he first wakes up. Just have the boys stand watch for now. Make sure they come get me when he's close to waking, or he is awake. I'll make my expectations regarding his access to my house clear at that juncture. If he disobeys after that, then we'll see if more severe measures need to be taken." Luke smirked, obviously liking the sound of that. "But only after that point. Not one hair is to be harmed until I've dealt with him. Are we clear?" Luke only nodded yes in response, his eyes firmly fixed on Dean. They were clear. Let the rat sleep for now. Luke could wait.