Coming Home Ch. 14
Disclaimer: See chapter one
Previously: "Does that mean we can get an ice cream from over there?" Joey asked shyly as he pointed to the TCBY store at the entrance of the food court? He knew he was chancing getting in trouble with asking for more, but he really wanted the savory treat.
"Sure does," John intoned as he picked Sammy up and started walking towards the place, intent on getting his boys the biggest ice cream they had.
"Awesome, sure hope they got some pie too," David injected as he walked beside the Winchesters. This was turning out to be a good day after all.
Sitting at the table as he watched his brother enjoying the delicious chocolaty treat, David couldn't help but smile as he watched Mary reach over with a napkin and wipe away the chocolate that encompassed most of Joey's chin before ruffling his chestnut colored hair. Relishing in the happy moment, he couldn't help but wonder if this was what it always felt like to be part of a real family? And if so, how many moments like this had he and his sibling missed out on because of that bastard Norman. So caught up in his thinking was he, that he didn't hear the concerned voice of his father.
"Dea…David, are you okay?" John inquired once again as he lay a worried hand upon his oldest son's shoulder.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just….Hey Kiddo, what do you say we go explore the rest of this mall and see what they have to offer," David voiced as he gulped down his last piece of pie and then pushed away from the table. He didn't feel like getting into a serious conversation right now with the Winchesters about what he was feeling and whether or not his memories from earlier were real.
"Okay, Joey voiced with a smile as he swiped his tongue around the edge of his mouth to lick off any ice cream left there.
"Not so fast boys, I need to get Samm..I mean Joey cleaned up better first. He's got ice cream everywhere," Mary voiced as she reached into her purse for some wet wipes to finish cleaning the child's face since the napkin wasn't doing a very good job of it.
"It's okay ya know," Joey voiced with a shrug of his shoulders. "I mean if you wanna call me Sammy."
"Sammy, it is then," John voiced around the lump in his throat as Mary's eyes misted with tears at the proclamation. It looked as if maybe their youngest was finally starting to accept them. "So, uhm, where do you boys want to go first?"
"Can we just walk around and look?" David inquired as he grasped Joey by the hand, determined not to lose his brother in the throng of people walking too close by for his comfort.
"Sure we can. You just let us know when you want to stop and look at something," Mary answered as she grasped Sammy by the other hand and then reached out and took hold of John's out stretched hand.
Walking down the long hallway, towards the area with the carousel, her mind began to wander back to the last happy time she could remember with her boys before they had been kidnapped. Sammy had wanted to ride on the carousel and she had Dean had gladly obliged the toddler at the time. She remembered picking her baby boy up and placing him on one of the horses while Dean had climbed up beside them on another.
"Yay, we ride horsy, De'" Sammy clamored as he held onto the pole with excitement. Of course his Mommy was right there beside him to make sure he didn't fall.
Rounding the corner, to the atrium area where the carousel was located, Mary's steps suddenly faltered as her eyes took in the exact spot where her boys has been taken from her so many years ago.
"John, I…" Mary squeaked, he breathing becoming erratic as fear assailed her once again
"S'Okay baby, I'm here. Everything's alright," John voiced calmly as he pulled his wife into a comforting embrace. "Just try to breathe slowly, in and out, in and out," John encouraged as he rubbed his wife's back.
"De' what's wrong with Mary," Sammy questioned fearfully as he leaned back into his brother's embrace, unsure of the situation and whether or not he had inadvertently did something wrong.
"It's okay Sammy. Mary's just remembering something that made her really scared," Dean voiced, figuring this to be the area that he and his baby brother had most likely been stolen from if they were indeed Dean and Sam Winchester.
Hearing the tremor and fear in her baby boy's voice, Mary took a few deep breaths and pulled herself together as quickly as she possibly could.
"I'm sorry Baby, I didn't mean to scare you," Mary stated a few moments later, thankful for the supporting palm of her husband which resided on her shoulder. "What do you say we go for a ride on the carousel over there?" She would do anything to push away the fear and put a smile on her children's faces once again.
"Can we De'?" Sammy questioned as he looked up to his big brother for guidance.
"Sure we can" Dean voiced happily as he graced his parents with the first full blown smile they had actually seen from the boy, acknowledging the fact that he knew what Mary was going through and appreciated her pushing through the hurt for his Sammy.
"Well, let's get to riding then," John proclaimed as he led his small family over to the carousel and pulled a few dollars from his pocket to pay for the ride. Waiting for his boys to each climb onto a horse, he couldn't help but smile as Mary took up position beside their youngest while he and Dean climbed aboard the two closest horses.
Waiting for a few other patrons to pay and get situated upon their chosen steeds, the carousel operator called out for everyone to "hold on tight" and then started the ride to moving.
~~Supernatural~~
Sitting in the food court of the Mall behind a huge potted plant which kept him nearly hidden from view, a man with beady, red-rimmed eyes, and a scraggly looking unkempt beard sat watching the shoppers at the Mall as if they didn't have a care in the world. It pissed him off to see the shoppers parading about with their unruly brats that were hollering for stuff they didn't deserve. If he had his way, he would happily swat each and every child who dared ask for something within his hearing range. Children were only good for following the orders of their parents and nothing else as far as he was concerned
Groaning as he heard the music of the carousel start up, he glared at the young man who operated the ride and cussed the kid for all he was worth. The last thing he needed was that loud blaring music ratcheting up the pounding in his already throbbing skull. Damn, but he needed another drink. Pushing himself to unsteady feet, he was about to stagger away when the sight of two smiling young boys caught his eye as the carousel rotated in a merry circle.
"Sonuvabitch," he swore as he watched the two young boys disappear from sight once again. He knew without a doubt it was the two good for nothing little bastards who had taken off after he had given them a home, the ungrateful little shits, and he was going to make them pay…starting first with the whiny little brat so that his big brother would be forced to watch. They wouldn't be smiling anymore once he got finished with them. He just had to bide his time. When the time was right, he would snatch the brats away from their parents again…and just how in the hell had they managed to find their real parents so quickly after running away was beyond him…and he would make their lives a living hell. If they thought things were bad the first time around, then they were in for a major shock.
~~Supernatural~~
"Okay boys, now that we've had some fun, what do you say we go get you some new clothes," Mary voiced as they climbed down from their horses and exited the carousel area through the small gate on the right.
"You don't have to buy as any new clothes. We can make do with what we already have," David stated as he grasped his brother's hand and led him over to a small table in the dining area of the food court. The Winchesters had done more than enough just buying them the stuff they already had. Hell, it was more than Norman had ever done for them. Sure, the man had gotten them clothing and food, but he never once gave them something that they didn't absolutely have to have. And then the clothing always came from a second hand store or was scrounged out of a garbage bin.
"I'm sure you can, but it would make John and I very happy if you would let us do this for you," Mary voiced as she reached out and caressed her eldest son's cheek lightly before he flinched away, a little uncomfortable with the contact.
'Why? I mean, you don't even know if we really are yours or not. So why are you doing all of this for us?" David asked, needing a solid answer.
"Because we care about you," John stated as a matter of fact.
"But what happens if you find out we aren't Dean and Sammy? Do you forget all about us then?" David inquired as he looked the adults in the eye. "I don't want Joey to get used to getting things and feeling loved if it is all just going to be snatched away from him again. I won't allow it."
"I swear to you that won't happen," John enunciated strongly as he reached out and placed a hand on both boys shoulder.
"Yeah, well, we've heard that before. So forgive me if I don't believe you" David announced, before turning his attention to his little brother who was squirming about in his seat.
"What's the matter, Squirt?"
"De', I gotta go pee."
"Then we better go over there to the bathrooms before you pee your pants."," David joked lightly as he grabbed his brother by the hand and started to lead him over to the area where the bathrooms were located.
"Wait a minute, I'll go with you," John offered as he pushed himself from his seat.
"S'okay, I've got him," David said as he waved John's offer off. "We'll be right back."
"Okay Sport. We'll wait right here for you," John told his oldest, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. They had made some inroads with the boys trust today and he didn't want to backslide any.
Entering the men's bathroom, David led Joey over to one of the stalls and ushered him inside, making sure to stand there until the kid had locked the door. Needing to use the bathroom himself, he walked into the stall next door, not noticing the man who had walked in not too far behind them.
"Hey Kiddo, if you finish before I do, wait by the sinks for me," David admonished his little brother as he went about taking care of his own personal business.
"Okay De, I will."
Finishing his business quickly, Joey pulled up his pants and then opened the door of the stall so that he could go wash his hands. He had no sooner walked out of the small latrine area, when he suddenly found himself grabbed harshly by the arm.
"Got you, you little bastard," Norman sneered menacingly, rearing his hand back to apply the hardest smack he could to the kid's denim covered behind.
"DE', DADDY, HELP!
TBC. So, any thoughts on this chapter or as to what happens next?
