"I'm going to have to go," I announce, standing up from my chair. "They'll be wondering what we're up to."
"You know the plan?" dad asks me, and raise my eyebrows as if to say 'really?'.
"How about you, John," I say, looking over to his figure on the bed.
"If we aren't dead by the end of this boat trip, I'll kill you."
"I'll take that as a yes, then," I reply as dad and I both walk towards the door. Dad opens it to let me through, and I'm taken aback as I see Dean standing against the wall outside.
"Hello, Mr Thorn," he says, turning. "I hope our young gentleman hasn't been disturbing you." Dean smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
"Oh, no!" dad exclaims, clapping his hands together with a flourish. "No no no. Scott's been ever so helpful, haven't you?" I nod back at him.
"Thank you sir, it's my pleasure to meet you."
"Bless him," dad smiles at Dean. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"Dean, Dean Winchester, sir."
"Thank you Dean. Is my partner correct in thinking that we need to be down in the restaurant at six for dinner?"
"That's correct, sir. Will I need to reserve you a place?"
"If you could, thank you." Dad begins to walk back into his room, but stops as he reaches the door and turns back to look at me. "Could I possibly have Scott back here again tomorrow at no later than half seven?"
"Of course sir," I reply, and with a small nod, dad darts back inside the room. As the door shuts, Dean's false smile drops.
"What the hell, Scott?" he demands. I draw my eyes away from the door to look over at him.
"I was helping him with the unpacking," I say. "They had loads of it."
"Enough to last several hours?" I frown and look down at my watch.
"Sir, it's only been an hour and a half," I reply slowly, studying his face carefully. I see his muscles tense up and his hands clench shut into fists; his knuckles turn white. "Sir? Is everything alright?"
"Go on ahead and tell Sam to meet me in the cabin."
"Of course, sir. But why?"
"Just do as you're told!" he shouts, and I quickly turn and jog down the corridor. Several heads poke out into the corridor to see what the shouting was about, but I ignore them thanks to the buzzing information flying around in my mind, waiting to be sorted.
Why was Dean under the impression I'd been in there for several hours, and then got agitated when I'd corrected him. What had gone on whilst I was inside dad's compartment, and how long was Dean standing outside? What had he heard?