Chapter 27

"Really Sis I'm okay. It's no big deal," Cole fussed as he let her help with his shirt.

"You heard the doctor, one cracked rib, three bruised ones, concussion, multiple contusions and abrasions; I think that's a little more than nothing. You're gonna have to take it easy and let yourself heal," Sky told him pulling his shirt over his chest and began to button it up.

"How's the arm?"

"Fine, nothing a couple of butterflies couldn't fix."

"Where's the others?"

"Getting something to eat. We're meeting them at the diner and then head out. There's enough of us to drive straight through. I'm ready to go home and do nothing for a few days."

"I'm with ya on that," Cole said getting up slowly ready to join the others. "You know when Cas gets back if we need it he can heal us."

"I know, but I don't wanna take advantage of his power and all, you know what I mean?"

"Sure, I'm still getting use to him too."

spn

Dean was teasing Sam by tell Sasha an embarrassing story when he saw Sky and Cole walk into the diner looking around for them. He stood up and motioned them over making Sam slide over so Sky could sit beside him.

"Hey Babe, you okay?" Dean asked awarding her with a brief kiss as she slid in beside Sam.

"Yes, we're both good," she told him letting him fawn over her.

"Hey," Krissy whispered to Cole squeezing his hand in hers.

"Hey yourself," he replied giving her an assuring look.

"Oh guys, let's eat up so we can head out. I for one am ready to head home," Dean told everyone as he shared his food with Sky who ate a few bites. This didn't get by him and he watched her closely seeing how drained she seemed.

"I'm with ya there," Brody said snuggling close to Alex as she tried to sip some soup and not aggravate her facial injuries.

"I think we're all ready for some down time," Sam said looking around the table at their extended family, happy that things turned out okay. The end results could have been so different and he was thankful the whole ordeal was over with. He could sense Sky's troubled vibes and looked at Dean to see if he was feeling it too. Sasha looped her arm in his and leaned against his shoulder sighing softly. He kissed her forehead and mumbled quietly into her ear making her smile at him.

spn

"Man is it good to be hom,." Cole sighed walking into their house exhausted, sore and in pain.

"You need to take some drugs," Krissy told him taking his bag to carry to his room. "I'll bring them back in a sec."

"I don't know 'bout you, but I could sleep for a week," Dean said to anyone who was listening.

"You know what; I think we should have a family dinner tomorrow. Uncle Jethro is supposed to stop by before he heads back to DC, I'd like him to meet everyone," Sky told him as she dropped her bags by their bedroom door. "I'll go talk to the girls and get the ball rolling."

"Alright, I'm taking a shower and maybe a nap, not sure which one first," he told her sitting his bag beside hers wanting to talk to her but not wanting to push her either. He knew if their relationship was going to survive they needed to clear the air about everything.

"Girls!" Sky called heading toward the living room leaving Dean standing in the bedroom doorway watching her walk away. "We got some planning to do."

spn

"Everyone settled or gone?" Dean asked Sky as she walked back into the bedroom.

Sky pulled the band from her hair letting it fall around her shoulders as she crawled into the bed with Dean who was stretched out on top of the covers still clothed.

"Yes, the plans are in place for tomorrow, Cole's resting and the guys are watching a game on the tube."

"Sam go with Sasha?" Dean asked hooking an arm around Sky as she cuddled into his side.

"Of course. You know the more I get to know her, the more I like her. I think she's just what Sam needs."

"Yeah, it's about time he found someone to make him happy," Dean agreed. "You wanna talk?"

"About what?" she asked her body stiffening slightly.

"I think you know Sky, I can see its bothering you though you are doing a good job at hiding it."

"Dean, I never wanted you to see that side of me. It's not pretty and..." she started to be stopped by Dean's finger on her lips.

"Don't start apologizing to me for anything you did, you hear me?" he told her sternly. "You were rescuing our brother and sister and you did what you had to. What I saw was a strong, well trained, professional who knew what had to be done and did it. You saved both of them."

"But how can you..."

"How I feel about you has not changed, in fact it has made them stronger. I love you Sky, every single side of you no matter what it is. Can't you see that? You don't have to hide anything from me, ever. I accept you because you accept me for who I am," he whispered kissing her head and holding her tighter. "We both have our demons that we don't want others to see, but understand me when I say, yours can never be as bad as mine."

"That might be so, but nothing will change my feelings for you either Dean. I will love you with every beat of my heart, to the very depths of my soul, until I take my last dying breath," she told him cupping his face with one of her hands. "You're my soul mate Dean and we have a bond that will only be broken by death."

"Yes, soul mates forever," Dean whispered to her settling down and closing his eyes as she began to relax in his strong, warm arms. He listened to her breathing even out and pulled a blanket over their bodies knowing they both needed the rest. Tomorrow he would talk to her uncle and then ask her before everyone left. With that thought floating in his mind he drifted to sleep taking comfort in the warm body beside him.

spn

"Wow, what a spread," Dean said eyeing all the food sitting around the kitchen. "You do know how to throw together a family get together."

"I had help, our sisters can be really helpful when they want to be," she said mashing up egg yokes for deviled eggs.

"So when is everyone getting here?" he asked snagging a chip and salsa before Sky slapped his hand.

"Sam and Sasha are on their way over now. I sent the girls and guys to get ice, drinks and heavy duty paper plates. And Jody will be here around four after her shift."

'When's your uncle coming?" he asked innocently wanting to prepare himself before he got here.

"Should be mid afternoon or so from his last text. Why are you nervous?" she asked seeing Dean's body language change to one of guarded and aloof.

"What?" Dean sputtered. "No, no, not at all," he insisted. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Go check the grill and be sure it's ready. I assume you'll do the honors of cooking?" she said not pushing the issue.

"On it. We have another gas bottle in the garage right?"

"Yep, my motto, always have a backup," she told him going back to her eggs.

spn

"Hey guys," Sam said sitting an ice chest with food in it on the table.

"Hi, your brother is out there cussing the grill, wanna go check on him?" Sky told him with a laugh.

"Sure," he smiled chuckling under his breath.

"So what can I do?" Sasha asked as she transferred bowls to the fridge.

"Wanna slice the tomatoes?"

"Got it," she replied picking up the bowl of tomatoes to wash them before slicing. "Where's everyone else?"

"Oh, out there bugging Dean. I heard him say something about bodily harm a while ago," Sky giggled. "They know how to push his buttons."

"I bet he'd never lay a finger on them either," Sasha smiled.

"Oh, I've seen him put a couple over his knee and whack a few bottoms once or twice, nothing major mind you, but you gotta keep them in line, you know him being the big brother and all."

"I think I've got a lot to learn about this family."

"Don't worry, you're fitting right in," Sky said bumping hips with her. "You're good for Sammy, I'm glad he found you."

"Thanks," she said dipping her head and blushing slightly. "I like having a big sister to talk to and to have siblings. I've never had that before and I like it."

"I'm glad."

"So what you two talking 'bout?" Dean asked seeing the look that passed between the girls.

"Oh, just comparing notes," Sky teased watching Sam blush as he looked between the girls.

"And?" Dean asked with interest.

"You know we don't kiss and tell big boy."

"You know he's gotta be good," Dean said grabbing Sam in a head lock. "I taught him everything he knows. Ain't that right Sammy?"

"Dean! Dude stop it," Sam complained pushing Dean away once he got free and brushed his hair back down giving him a bitch face.

"Come on Sammy, you know I'm right," he continued giving Sasha a knowing wink and was awarded with a deep blush. "Have you tried the thing with..." Dean started.

"Bite me bitch," Sam growled at his brother as heat crept up into his cheeks.

"Jerk," Dean grinned loving to embarrass his brother.

"Why don't you go get the door?" Sky laughed hearing the doorbell over the music playing outside.

"As you command your royal highness," Dean replied bowing deeply to her and elbowing Sam in the side as he passed.

Sam hissed rubbing his side and slapping at Dean before he could get away. He listened to Dean laugh as he strolled to the door. Dean opened it to find Jethro standing there waiting to be let in.

"Hello, come on in...Sir," Dean said the laughter dying in his throat as he stood taller feeling he should show his respect. He could feel the authority vibes that Sky's uncle gave off and was sure he had earned every bit of it.

"Hello, Dean isn't it?" Jethro asked stepping into the house.

"Uncle Jethro!" Sky cried running to throw her arms around him and pull him on into the room. "So glad you stopped by, we're having a family dinner so you can meet everyone."

"Nice place," he commented glancing around the house. "You did okay for yourself kid."

"Thanks Uncle I think so too. Would you like something to drink? Beer, coffee, tea?"

"Coffee'd be good."

"I just made a fresh pot. Come on I'll introduce you to the others," Sky told her uncle guiding him toward the kitchen. "You've met Sam already, Dean's brother, that's Sasha, his girlfriend," she introduced him.

"How would you like your coffee?" Dean asked grabbing a cup and pouring coffee.

"Black is good," he told him. "Nice to meet you Sasha."

"Same here sir," she smiled wiping her hands to shake his.

"So you're the one who did the hacking?" he asked her already knowing the answer.

"Um-m yeah, am I in trouble?" she asked cautiously.

"No, I smoothed it over, you're good."

"Thanks," she sighed with relief.

"Come on, the others are outside playing horseshoes or something," Sky continued pulling him to the door after he got his coffee. "Okay, so that's Krissy, Cole's girlfriend beside him," she pointed out. "The other two are Claire and Alex our sisters and the guys are Brody and Trace, Cole's Marine buddies and their boyfriends."

"So, you've found your own little family," he commented checking each of the kids out.

"Guys, this is my, I should say, our Uncle Jethro," Sky called to the group. "Relax out here Uncle, I need to go finish up the food and yeah we're a family in every sense of the word. So it looks like your family has grown too," she smiled sweetly.

A chorus of hi's and hello's were called from the group playing horseshoes and badminton as they laughed and teased each other. Jethro found a seat on the deck and watched the kids play their games. He glanced toward the sliding door to see Sky push Dean out onto the deck and loud whispers exchanged before Dean straightened his shoulders and walked over to sit down beside him. Jethro could feel and see his uneasiness and smirked to himself at his discomfort. He knew how he came across to most people as being intimidating and he liked to think he still had that effect over people.

"That your Impala out there?" Jethro asked finally feeling sorry for Dean and his awkwardness.

"It is. It was my Dad's before he gave it to me on my 16th birthday," Dean said proudly.

"You've taken good care of it."

"Thanks, it's been a home for me and my brother for a long time."

"Got a '71 Dodge Challenger R/T my Dad restored."

"Nice, what color?"

"Yellow, black racing stripes."

"Original?"

"Yep," he said sipping his coffee. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all he thought seeing Dean relax slightly.

"Since you're here, I wanted to talk to you about Sky," Dean said sipping his beer to build up his courage. "I love her very much...She means everything to me...So you see...What I mean..." he kept stammering.

"Spit it out, so you love her..."

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me," he finally got out. "Sir," he added.

"You can drop the sir, it's just Jethro or Gibbs," he replied. "So when you gonna do this?"

"Maybe today," Dean said letting the breathe out he was holding now that he had that off his chest.

They looked toward the door as Sam and Jody stepped out on the deck. Dean got up quickly motioning Jody to have a seat.

"Jethro, this is Jody Mills, she's the town sheriff, and I guess you could say our adopted Mom," Dean introduced her.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Mills," Jethro nodded standing to shake her hand.

"Please call me Jody and it's nice to finally meet you. Sky has mentioned you a few times, said you worked for the government?"

"Yes, NCIS in DC," he replied as they both sat back down.

"Cool city, been there a couple of times."

Dean quickly pushed Sam toward the door and slipped inside before he could protest, happy to have someone else to make small talk with Sky's uncle.

spn

They watched Claire chasing Brody with a racket and saw the others had given up horseshoes for knife throwing. The girls were ribbing the guys because they had thrown better than them. Pushing turned into sparing as the girls took on the guys, except Cole who was trying to referee.

"Hey Jody, wanna referee?" Cole called to her.

"No that's fine you're doing good," she answered deciding they could work it out among themselves.

"So you're the one who corrals all these hoodlums?" he asked watching the young ones face off.

"Yes, I guess you could say that," she laughed looking out in the yard toward the girls and guys. "But Dean really is the one who keeps them in line. He can be one hard ass when he wants to be. We all sort of just fit together into a mismatched family."

"You must be one special person to have the respect of so many."

"We were kind of thrown together because of similar situations happening to us all," Jody said thinking back on when the girls landed on her doorstep one by one. "That is all but Cole's friends, they are here because of their relationships with the girls, but are fitting in nicely."

"I can see that," he laughed seeing the girls were besting the guys in sparing.

"Oh yeah, you don't mess with my girls, Dean and Sam trained them well," she admitted with pride. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I think you have a very interesting family and thank you for taking in Sky and Cole. It's nice to know they have family they can depend on."

"Do you have any kids, other than Sky and Cole?"

Jethro thought about the question for a moment before answering.

"I guess you could say my team's my family now. My first marriage, my wife and daughter were murdered. Guess I really never got over them. None of my other marriages produced others. The timing wasn't right."

"I take it you're not married now?"

"Nope, I learned my lesson, you?"

"Widow, lost my son and husband," she said sadly looking up when screaming was heard from the yard.

"I'm sorry," he told her knowing her pain. "Should we intervene?" he asked as the yelling increased.

"Nope, I learned to stay out of their antics early on. They'll work it out, hopefully without bloodshed," she told him. "Let them work off some of that energy before we eat, it's the best thing for them."