A Hard Road Ch. 21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.
Author's Note: Dean is 7 and Sammy is 3 in this chapter.
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Previously: "I'm so sorry I left you boys alone and that you were scared" John stated with sadness as he sat down on the bench seat in the back of the car holding Sammy to his chest and Dean to his side. He felt like the worst dad on Earth for letting his boys down. He had no doubts this event was going to cause some major nightmares over the next few days.
After Sammy finally stopped sobbing hysterically, John stripped his wet clothing off of him and placed him in his car seat. His baby was starting to nod off in slumber and he needed to get him back to the motel and clean him up so he could sleep in a nice warm bed. As Dean shucked out of his wet jeans, John went to the trunk to retrieve a blanket for the both of them to cover up with so they could stay warm. He placed the frazzled light blue baby blanket over Sammy and tucked it around him securely as his youngest shifted to get comfortable. It was the only thing of Sammy's that was saved from the fire. He used his old army wrap to place around Dean to keep his oldest warm. As he glanced at the wary look in Dean's eye, he knew he would have to talk to his oldest about what happened tonight, but that could wait until they got back to the motel where he could comfort his son if needed.
As he pulled onto the road, he glanced in the rearview mirror to see his oldest looking out of the window with a solemn look upon his face. "Damn, just how much did he see?" John wondered as he focused his attention on the road once more. Dean wasn't talking too much and it concerned him. He had been wrong to bring the boys along with him tonight, but it was too late to do anything about that now since the damage was already done. "You doing okay back there sport?" John questioned as he glanced at his oldest once again but all Dean did was shrug his shoulders.
"Come on kiddo talk to me" John pleaded hoping to get his oldest to speak. I need to know that you're alright son. John's heart nearly broke in two as Dean finally looked at him with a broken, desolate look in his eyes and spoke. "Sammy was so scared and I didn't know what to do daddy. Sammy was crying and I couldn't make him feel better because I was scared too."
"Dean it's okay to be scared sometimes. I was scared tonight myself sport."
"You were?" Dean questioned with disbelief in his voice. "But nothing ever scares you Daddy cause you're big and strong."
"I was scared for you boys Dean, especially when I heard Sammy screaming. I didn't know if you boys were okay or not."
"Kay" Dean replied as he turned his head back towards the window not voicing the questions that he wanted to ask the most. "What was that thing and why did you leave us alone in the car Daddy?"
John could tell that Dean was holding something back but he chose not to press it while they were in the car. "Okay, you get some rest son, but we're going to talk once we get back to the motel room kiddo." He saw Dean nod his head that he head heard what was said and sighed while thinking "I really need to find out just what he saw back there at the graveyard."
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After they arrived back at the motel. John laid a sleeping Sammy on the bed furthest from the door and then grabbed a bowl and carried it to the bathroom. He filled the bowl with lukewarm water and then picked up a wash cloth and cottony towel and returned to Sammy's bedside. He completely stripped down his baby and then washed him while he slept to remove the urine odor from having wet himself. As he washed Sammy, he noticed Dean sitting on the other bed and staring out the window lost in thought.
Finishing up, he dressed Sammy in his pajamas and then lifted him once more and pulled back the blanket and placed him near the wall before covering him up to make sure he didn't fall of the bed while he talked to Dean. He carried the bowl into the bathroom and emptied it's contents before placing the wet wash cloth and towel on a rack to dry. He took a deep breath to calm himself and whispered "Here we go" as he re-entered the bedroom to talk with Dean. He walked around the bed and sat down right beside his oldest. "Looks like the storm has passed" he said as he nudged Dean with his shoulder.
"Uh huh" Dean said as he continued to stare at the night time sky.
Needing to feel closer to his oldest, John reached out and pulled Dean into his lap as he stroked his hair with trembling fingers. "Dean, I know that your upset with daddy right now and I don't blame you. Daddy never should have left you and Sammy in the car alone tonight and I am so, so sorry for doing that, but Dean, I need to know what you saw tonight. Please talk to me kiddo." John could feel Dean tense up and then begin to tremble a little against his chest.
"No Daddy, please don't make me tell you" Dean pleaded as he snuggled further into his father's embrace. He didn't even want to think about tonight. He just wanted to go climb in bed with Sammy and forget about everything. He tried to push himself from his father's arms so that he could do so, but he just felt John's grip tighten around him even more.
"I'm sorry son, but I need to know. I promise that I won't be mad at you, I'm just worried that whatever you saw will give you nightmares if we don't get it out into the open. I love you kiddo and I just want to help you. Please Champ, tell daddy about what you saw."
Dean listened to what his daddy had to say. He certainly didn't want to wake up screaming with nightmares about it every night. Maybe it would be better to tell his daddy and then he could make everything alright.
"I, I heard a loud noise that w-woke me up, but it wasn't the thunder that I heard, it was like somebody yelling. When I looked around, I sawed that you wasn't in the car no more. I was scared a little when I saw that we were at a graveyard cause they give me the creeps Daddy--dead people live there." Dean saw his daddy smile at those words before he went on. "When I finally sawed you, you were down in a hole Daddy and was climbing out of it and then, th-then…" at this point Dean began to visibly tremble much harder.
"Then what Dean, what did you see?" John prodded as he held Dean and began to rock him in a soothing motion hoping to ease some of his fears.
"I sawed her daddy, she just popped up like magic, how'd she do'ed that Daddy?"
"She's a spirit son" John answered as a lone tear rolled down his cheek. "What else did you see kiddo?"
"She wasn't very nice daddy, I sawed her make you get h-hurt…please Daddy, I don't wanna say no more!"
"It's alright kiddo, I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you, then what happened" John asked as he started rubbing a palm in circles on Dean's back.
"Then I sawed you throw something at her Daddy and her went away like magic again and then you maked that big fire. Why you did that Daddy?" Dean inquired as he turned around to face his father.
"Well Dean, I had to make that fire so she would go away and not come back. She was what we call and angry spirit. She didn't know how to move on so daddy helped her to do it. I had to do what is called a salt and burn so the lady could go to wherever she was supposed to go" John explained in simple terms so that Dean would be able to understand.
"You mean so she wouldn't be stucked no more?" Dean questioned.
"That's right kiddo, so she wouldn't be stuck anymore." John placed a calloused palm on Dean's cheek and then went on to say, "This is Daddy's job now Dean. I help spirits to move on and do other things."
"Like what Daddy?" Dean asked with a big yawn.
"Well kiddo, we'll talk about that later. Uh Dean, did Sammy see the lady too? John asked as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth.
"Nope, he stayed asleep until the thunder woked him up and made him scared" Dean replied honestly.
"S'good, I don't think we should tell Sammy about what you saw okay kiddo, Sammy is too little to know about spirits and things just yet."
"I won't tell him Daddy, I promise. I don't want him to be scared" Dean said as he wrapped his arms around his daddy's neck.
"That's my boy" John said as he hugged Dean back. "Right now I think you need to get some sleep so why don't you go take a quick shower and get changed into your pajamas. I'm sure Sammy is missing his snuggle buddy over there." John replied as he mussed Dean's hair.
"Okay Daddy" Dean replied as he pushed himself off the bed and went in the bathroom to take a shower while his dad got his pajama's for him. His dad was right, it did help him to feel better after talking.
After Dean had finished his shower and climbed into bed beside Sammy, John took a quick shower himself to wash the grime and sweat away from his body. He then salted the doors and windows before climbing into bed himself. Damn he was tired. Soon. the sounds of oft snoring could be heard as the Winchesters relaxed into sleep.
A few hours later, the peace and tranquility of the night was shattered however by the sounds of a child's terrified screams. John immediately pushed himself from the bed to turn on the lights knowing that Dean was having one of his nightmares again. Damn, he had hoped their talk would have soothed him enough to keep them away. He was surprised however as he flipped on the light switch to see Dean pulling a screaming Sammy close to him.
"Shh Sammy, I got you, shhh, don't cry baby brother, De's got you." John was amazed to see Sammy starting to calm down as his sobbing lessened in frequency and loudness while Dean cooed soothing words into his ears. Knowing that Dean had things well in hand with his youngest, John rummaged through his duffle bag until he found the nightlight and plugged it in, hopefully it would help to ease Sammy's fears some. That and the fact that he was now going to climb into bed with his boys and pull them close to provide what little comfort he could to hopefully help them to sleep through the night.
TBC