A Hard Road Ch. 9
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this story.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Previously: John stripped off his jeans and lay down on the cot on his stomach to keep from putting any pressure on his back. His last thought, "Damn I sure hope they boys decide to sleep late."
John's hopes were dashed when just a few hours later, he heard the sounds of cooing coming from his youngest. "If I just lay here and pretend not to hear him, maybe Sammy will go back to sleep" thought John hoping to get a little more sleep. He kept his eyes closed but listened intently just in case. He was pleased to hear the cooing stop just a few minutes later. "Yes, I fooled the little bugger."
John soon found out how wrong he was though as Sammy crawled over towards him and began to pat him on the face with spit slobbered hands. He peeked open one eye causing Sammy to squeal with laughter. "Da, da, da" Sammy said as he reached out his arms to be held. A smile immediately lit up John's face at realizing his youngest had finally called him daddy. "Yep, that's me da da" he said joyously as he sat up gingerly from the pain in his back and reached over to pick up his baby.
"I bet you're hungry taren't you tiger" John said as he cradled Sammy in his arms and blew a raspberry on his tummy causing him to wrinkle up his nose. "Whew, you obviously need a diaper change too."
"I'm hungry too Daddy" Dean informed his father as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He had woken up as he felt Sammy moving on the couch.
"Okay Champ, how about I change Sammy's diaper and then you can feed him his bottle while I go fix something for the two of us?"
"Okay Daddy" Dean said excited at the prospect of feeding his little brother. He loved spending time with his baby brother more than anything else, well that and spending time with daddy too.
John quickly changed Sammy and then propped him up in Dean's arms so that Dean could feed him. He went into Daniel's kitchen and grabbed a skillet and fried up some eggs for him and Dean allowing Daniel to sleep, there was no reason for the older hunter to be up too after such a late night.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Over the next few weeks, Daniel worked with John to learn other aspects of using weapons than just rifle shooting. He knew there would be times when John needed to learn to set snares and use different kinds of weapons. He introduced John to the crossbow as well as how to protect himself with a machete. He informed John that the machete was necessary for decapitating vampires since that was the only way they could really be killed. John had been blown away learning of their actual existence. Up until that time, he hadn't really believe that vampires existed.
As John practiced, the skills became more and more advanced at handling himself and the many various weapons that Daniel had him working with. John also showed himself to be very adept at dismantling and cleaning the weapons as well as hand to hand combat which was a result of having served in the Marines. John took pride in being able to go up against Daniel and hold his own in practice sessions.
Finally, they reached a point where Daniel felt that John had learned all he could. It was time for John to move on and learn other needed skills to survive life as a hunter. "John, I've been thinking. You've made such great strides with everything while you've been here. I think you've finally reached that point where I've taught you all I can and now it's time to learn from somebody else."
"I'm not so sure about that Daniel, I mean there is still so much that I need to get better with. I think…"
"John, getting better will come with time. Believe me, the more you do things, the better you will become at them. I've talked to Jim earlier today and we both agree it's time for you to move on, to meet other hunters" Daniel said as he placed a hand on John's shoulder. "Believe me, I wish I could teach you more. I've actually enjoyed having you here even if you did have two children under foot all the time. I'm going to miss you and those two little rascals.
"We'll miss you too" John admitted as he held out his hand to the older hunter. Daniel reached out to shake John's offered hand and then pulled his protégé into a hug. "Take care of yourself Winchester. I'm here if you ever need me."
John returned the hug and thanked his mentor for everything. Returning to the cabin, he packed his and the boys things as Daniel talked to him about what he would be doing next. Loading up the Impala and buckling the boys in, John glanced back at the cabin and the man standing on the porch. He smiled wistfully and threw up his hand. He was going to miss the old coot. John climbed into the car and looked back smiling at Dean and Sammy. "What do you say boys, you ready to hit the road?"
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
As John headed down the long winding road towards his next destination, he glanced in the rearview mirror and the scene that met his eyes warmed his heart. Dean had taken out one of the books they had gotten for Christmas and was reading it to his baby brother by using the pictures in the book. John recognized it as The Three Little Pigs, but Dean had renamed the characters after the three of them. Treasuring the moment, John listened to the story and was as captivated as Sammy was by it.
"Then that big bad Daniel wolf, he went to da second wittle piggy's house" Dean told Sammy keeping the story on his level as he showed him the picture. "That little piggy wasn't too smart either cause the knucklehead built his house outa sticks. "Then that bid bad Daniel wolf, you know what he did? He huffed and he puffed" Dean made the motions to show Sammy what those words meant. "And then he blew da house down. But that little porker was fast just wike his brother and he ran all da way to the third wittle piggy's house."
John had to hold in the giggles as Dean went on with the story. He didn't want to ruin the moment by having Dean think he was laughing at him. He had never realized that Dean had been listening so closely to the story on the nights that he had read it after putting his boys to bed. Hearing Dean take in a breath and continue, John listened it with fascination to see how Dean would end the story.
"And that third little piggy was named Dean cause he was da smart one. He built his house out of brick. Daniel wolf knocked on that door and he said Wittle pig, wittle pig, wet me come in. But those wittle pigs said NO, not by da hairs on their chinny chin chins." By now, Sammy was giggling so hard that John was worried that he might start choking so he kept a very close eye on his youngest and how he was breathing. "Well that Daniel wolf thought he would just blow the house down again. Then I'll huff and I'll puff" Dean did the motions again relishing the wide eyed look on Sammy's face. "And I'll blow your house in. But that nasty wolf got a surprise because nothing happened. That house didn't fall down wike da others."
Sammy clapped his hands excitedly as Dean neared the ending of the story. If he weren't strapped in his car seat, John would have sworn that he would be jumping up and down on the leather seats by now.
"Well that Daniel wolf wasn't about to let those wittle piggys win so he climbed up on da roof and he climbed down the chimney." Dean started giggling himself at this point and had to tell the rest of the story in between bursts of giggles. "That crazy wolf didn't know they was cooking and he landed in da pot and those wittle piggys had wolf stew for dinner."
Not able to hold it in any longer, John let loose a laugh so long and hard that he had to wipe the tears from his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. Dean looked at his daddy and wondered why he was crying and laughing at the same time.
"Daddy, why you crying?" Dean asked with a voice full of innocence.
"Daddy's not crying son, these are what they call tears of happiness because they come when somebody is laughing so hard it makes their eyes water. You've made me so happy because that's the best story I ever heard" John informed Dean trying to put the explanation in a way that his five year old would understand it.
"But Daddy, you read the story to me and Sammy all the time, how could it be the best you ever heard?" Dean asked in wonderment.
"That's easy kiddo, it's because I got to hear you tell it and you made Sammy and me very happy with it. That makes it the best story in the world to me.
Dean beamed at hearing the praise from his father. He liked being able to make Sammy and his daddy laugh. He couldn't imagine a better feeling in the world.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Later that afternoon, John finally arrived at the destination that Jim had given him. He pulled into the yard and glanced around at the cars in the drive. He could see the hood propped up on an old '68 Ford Mustang that was red in color. As he pulled up, he saw a man dressed in grease stained coveralls and wearing a baseball cap emerge from under the hood. He used an old rag to wipe the grease from his hands and then pulled off his ball cap to scratch his head. He figured the man to be Bobby Singer, owner and operator of Singer Salvage.
Bobby Singer was working on an old classic Mustang when he heard the sound of an engine rumbling up his drive. He wondered if it was the man that Jim had called to tell him about earlier. He knew the man's name was John Winchester and that his wife had been killed by a demon. Jim wanted him to work with the up and coming young hunter to teach him all the ins and outs of researching as well as other aspects of hunting like making his own ammunition. He stood up as the car approached and wiped the grease from his hands. He watched as the man climbed out of the car. Bobby was immediately surprised as the back door to the vehicle was opened and a small blond headed youngster stepped out. And if that wasn't enough, the man bent down to reach into his own classic car and emerged with a baby in his arms.
Bobby's mouth dropped open in shock as he whispered "Holy Shit." Jim hadn't warned him about the man having children and one of them a baby no less. He stood staring as the man walked up to him with the youngest held in one arm while the other hid behind his leg.
"Hi, the name's John Winchester and these are my boys Dean and Sammy he said as he motioned to each boy.
TBC