Warnings and disclaimers: See chapter 1

Many thanks to CorieHall for the beta on this story.

Chapter 24 Time to talk

John, Bobby and Sam had showers and dressed before changing Dean's bandages. Dean progressed to thicker soup as the day progressed and was allowed a small slice of toast with his soup while the other hunters ate dinner at the table. Dean was looking sharper than he had all day so John decided it was time to talk. John made them all coffee including a weak one for Dean before he began. Sam and Bobby knew John was building up to it so Sam had gone and sat against Dean's headboard with him for support.
"So boys we need to talk about what happened. I for one am still confused about why these guys wanted us."

Sam spoke up first knowing Dean was uneasy about it.
"Remember that hunt down in Florida with the Quanlier? Well remember Dean said there were other hunters on that hunt and you told him he was wrong?"
Sam was trying to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice but they all heard it.
"Well Dean was right. Jeremy and Randy were there with their dad hunting that Quanlier as well. When you were trying to drive it towards the cage instead of waiting it went for Jeremy's dad and killed him. Injured Randy as well so Jeremy said."
"Still why go after us? It was just an accident." John stated.
"Apparently Randy was just back from fighting overseas and needed his dads help. Him being killed must have made him snap."
"Still why go after us and why wait so long?"
"They tried to track us but couldn't do it," Dean spoke for the first time, " This 'hunt' was Randy teaching Jeremy ways of killing people slow and setting it up for us to come to them."

John looked shocked.
"They killed those people just to draw us in?"
"Yeah."
"Did they do any of that stuff on you Dean? What did they do? I know about the puncture wounds but what else?"
"Electric shock." Sam spoke up.
"Choking with rope, water torture, cold, light and darkness. The usual." Dean's voice was tiny in the quiet room.
"And whipping," said John softly. "How did you boys get out?"

Sam described the situation he had come awake to trying to skate over the parts where Dean had spikes pushed into him to save him from further pain.
"Anyway Dean loosened the spike through his right hand and stabbed him with it. He dropped the gun when he fell and Dean grabbed it and shot the chains so I could get to him. It was a hell of a shot dad." Both Bobby and John nodded as they tried to imagine what the boys had been through. John was glad Dean was the one to teach Sam survival skills. He had overtaken him at being good at it a few years ago and proved time and again why he was the best of the group in this situation. Not that he wasn't a great hunter because John knew Dean was surpassing him and Bobby when it came to instincts and skill.

John guessed Dean being in charge of Sam for so long had built those instincts up to be as good as they were and for that he was grateful.
"What is wrong with people like that?" He finally voiced.
"I may be able to shed some light on the subject." Bobby spoke up. "I spoke to some other hunters that had some contact with the father."
Bobby told them everything that Ellen had told him on the phone the previous day.

When he was finished the room was silent for a few seconds.
"So the surname is Randell? That makes the older brothers name Randy Randell. Ha, that must have sucked. No wonder he went psycho. He should have attacked his father though not us. That's ridiculous." Dean husked.

Everyone started at Dean having cracked his first joke since escaping. Whilst Sam was happy to see Dean reverting back to his normal sense of humor he hoped he wasn't avoiding the subject.
"Dean you know this means that family was close to breaking and it wasn't your fault, right?"
"Yeah Bobby, Sam and I already talked about it."
"Good. Well the lesson we all have to learn is to trust each other and listen to anyone who has a gut feeling about something." Bobby stated looking pointedly at John.
"That's true," Sam stated, "If we had listened to Dean last week, in Florida ten months ago, in Oklahoma four months ago…
"Sam three weeks ago in Detroit, in Alabama a year ago…"
"Okay Dean," John could see this getting into a shooting match between them and didn't want it to go that way. "You're right Sam. You're right Dean and you're right Bobby. I should have listened to Dean in Florida and then last week. We don't know if last week would have mattered because the damage was done in Florida when I should have listened to Dean."

John took a deep breath. "It's just so hard to see my little boys so grown up. My way of protecting you is to give you less information and not involve you as much. I have had plenty of thinking time in the last week and I realize I need to change my thinking. I'm hurting you two more by not telling you all I can and not listening to you. I'm going to try and change that but it's going to be hard. I just hope you can both forgive me for …almost getting you…killed. I'm sorry."

Bobby could see the tears close to the surface in John's eyes and the amazement on both boys faces. It felt like a private family moment but Bobby couldn't leave knowing John's volatile temper could reverse itself any moment and he couldn't leave the boys to fend for themselves even with John.
"Dad they were going to kill you too." Dean said so softy it made Bobby's heart clench in his chest.
"They were going to kill me and Dean in front of you then kill you."
"Oh my god," sighed Bobby running a shaking hand down his face.
"I knew they were going to do something strange. They drugged me to and I will never forget it. We have to move on now boys and grow from this."
"But not forget it dad." Sam pressed.
"No. Not forget it. In the meantime what do you say as soon as Dean feels ready we get out of here."
"And go where?" Sam asked suspecting John had already lined up a hunt.
"Bobby's place if you will have us. Just until Dean heals up."
Bobby and the boys were surprised but all agreed it was a good idea.
"All right since that's settled we should get some sleep, especially you Dean."

The older hunters left Sam and Dean to get ready for bed. When Dean was settled, Sam lay down on the bed by Dean and laid a blanket over himself. Dean took one of his pillows and slipped it under Sam's head. Sam and Dean talked softly about all the information Bobby had told them about the Randell's until they fell to sleep.

John and Bobby took turns at sitting in Bobby's truck parked outside the boys room. The Impala had been parked around back out of sight but if there was one of those boys still alive he may want to come after their boys again. They didn't tell the boys just swapped over every three hours to stay sharp and alert. When they were safely at Bobby's they could relax and sleep properly.

TBC