Authors Note: I am so excited about the ideas that keep bombarding me with this story and I truly hope they don't disappoint. Here we go, onto chapter two.
Dean was exhausted as he let himself collapsed onto a bench on the sidewalk outside of a small diner. He dropped Sammy at school nearly four hours ago, had gone into nearly thirty shops, and had no leads for a job. The grocery store took one look at his old leather jacket and refused his short resume. All of the gas stations told him they already had plenty of night shifters. Even the animal shelter wouldn't hire him to clean the dog shit out of he cages. He was feeling defeated.
He leaned his head back against the window and took a slow breath crossing his arms over his chest. He just needed a minute before he got back to pounding the pavement. He would find a job today even if it killed him. A small jingle of a bell told him that the diner door opened and the smell of food wafted over to him like a punch in the face. His stomach growled but he reminded himself that the couple of bucks in his pocket were for Sammy after school-they always went to have an ice cream after the first day and the older Sam got the more scoops he wanted. His stomach growled again and he absentmindedly rubbed his hand over it.
"You can't sleep here kid." A voice made him jolt up, and the sun burned his eyes as he opened them again. In front of him stood a woman about his own height with her dark brown hair pull back at the nape of her neck. A shiny gold badge reading "Sheriff" gleamed on her vest next to another badge that read "J. MILLS", and in her hands she held a brown campaign hat. Dean scowled at her words as he adjusted his jacket.
"Wasn't sleeping. Just taking a break." He muttered as he looked up the street. Which of these hole in the wall places would hire him? He didn't have any idea.
"You mean a break from harassing everyone from here to Timbuktu for a job?" Dean looked up at her surprised, and his gaping mouth made her chuckle. Her voice was kind as she nudged Dean over and sat next to him on the bench. "Shirley back at the shelter called about some kid scoping out every business in town. Said he looked like trouble. I've been tailing you for the last three blocks."
He should have known. A small town like this, some dodgy new kid.. someone was bound to think he was trouble. Dean was always trouble.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm, just looking for work." He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees and he took a slow breath. He didn't want to confess anything more than that. He learned a long time ago that you only tell people in authority the bare minimum-you never know what they might use against you in the long run.
"Looking for work?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "You could find much better work in a bigger city so what brought you here looking?"
Dean didn't answer. He couldn't tell this cop about his dad, about moving every couple of weeks, about all the crappy motel rooms and even crappier food he'd been raised on his whole life. He couldn't tell her that he desperately needed this job to get his little brother out of that house-away from their father. He knew what might happen if anyone ever found out. John had always been sure to tell him, in between drunken fights and hungover beatings, what would happen if anyone ever found out. They'd take them both away, they'd take Sammy away. His gut clenched at the idea, and to keep from spilling the beans he didn't answer. All he gave was a half-hearted shrug.
The diner door opened again. The delicious smell of bacon and fries, melted cheese, and was that.. pie? Dean was sure his stomach was eating itself, maybe he should have eaten breakfast with Sammy this morning. But, all they'd had were four eggs and John wouldn't have money until Wednesday. He needed to save those eggs for Sammy's breakfast. The smell was too much, and his stomach growled again even louder than the first.
Sheriff Mills stood and looked Dean over again. "Tell you what kid. I could take you in for disturbing the peace, get some answers outta you." Dean stiffened at her words and was nearly ready to bolt at the idea of being arrested. But, the sheriff reached out suddenly and put a firm hand on his shoulder. "OR.. You could let me treat you to some lunch, have a nice conversation..and at least tell me enough so I can let the locals know you're no threat to our quaint little town. It's your choice."
Dean hesitated, but only for a moment. A nice hot lunch definitely sounded better than a ride in the back of a cop car. Sure, he felt a little guilty eating without Sammy..but he'd make it up to him. He always did. He nodded and stood to join her.
"My names Jody by the way. Jody Mills." She offered him a grand smile and kept her hand on his shoulder as she lead him to the door. When he didn't respond, she leaned just slightly towards him. In a warm voice she said, "This is where most people return the gesture and give up their name."
"Oh, uh.." Dean cleared his throat and nodded in agreement. "Dean. Winchester. My name's Dean Winchester."
An older man was leaving the diner as the pair managed to make their way inside. Jody thanked him as he held the door and waved a hello to the waitress before leading Dean to a corner booth away from the crowd. He could feel the eyes following them and wondered if this town was always this nosy.
"Winchester.. Winchester. Why does that name sound so familiar?" Jody mused to herself as they both got seated on opposite sides of the table. It took her only a moment before she said. "Oh, John Winchester. He's your daddy?"
Dean looked at her surprised to know that she already knew him. A sense of dread filled his chest. They'd been in town barely two nights. Could John really have already gotten in trouble with the cops?
"Yeah, that's my dad." Dean agreed as the waitress began making her way to them. He looked over the menu that was sitting at the table and was sure that he was drooling. Burgers, pies, breakfast...when was the last time he actually sat in a diner and ate a meal? Most of the time he was cooking crappy mac and cheese or eating cereal.
"Order whatever you like Dean. My treat." Jody said with another warm smile. Her brown eyes were like honey as she was looking him over. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen someone so.. malnourished. Dean was a good looking kid and will a little love he'd probably fill in to be a handsome man. But, she could tell he was just on the cusp of adulthood and not ready for what the world had in store.
She knew a little about John Winchester. She networked with other Sheriffs in the area and Donna over in Stillwater had told her plenty. John had spilled the beans about some job lined up in Sioux Falls and so Donna called her up to let her know about the trouble maker. An aggressive drunk who couldn't seem to hold his liquor. She took him in about 4 times in one weekend for drunk and disorderly, disturbing the peace, and assault. Donna told her all about his young son, just 14 but excelled in school. Donna hadn't mentioned anything about any other son though..
"Hey there, Sheriff Mills. What can I get for you and.." The waitress' voice trailed off as she turned to look at Dean. Her smile wavered only slightly and she looked back to the other woman.
"Dean. He's new to town." Jody said simply and shared a smile between the two of them. "I'll have a double bacon, hold the onions. With a side of tots and a water.. well we will see if I'm up for dessert after that. And then whatever Dean wants. Thanks, Doris."
Dean hesitated a moment looking the menu over again. He felt overwhelmed, he wanted to order everything. But instead he just muttered, "I'll have the same."
"Alright, two double bacons hold the onions, side of tots and both want a water.. It'll be right up." Doris smiled at them and hurried away behind the counter. Dean looked anywhere but the Sheriff sitting across from him. She already knew John..how much did she know? And what on earth did she want to know from him?
"How old are ya, Dean?" She said casually just as Doris made her way back with their water. She took the paper off from around her straw and stuck it in the glass.
"18." He picked up his glass of water and took a drink. He hadn't even realized how thirsty he was. But, the second the cold liquid touched his lips he couldn't stop. He drank nearly the whole glass in three seconds before he realized Jody was looking at him. Was that..concern in her eyes? "Sorry. I've been out walking all day.. I.."
"No need to apologize." She shook her head and placed her hands on the table with her fingers interlaced. "I'm gonna be straight with you here Dean. I have connections. And my connections have told me that your father is a trouble maker. Now, you seem like a good kid so I don't want you to get the wrong idea here. But, the last town you came from they didn't even know John had another son."
Dean stiffened at the words. Of course not, that's exactly how John would be. Always raving about Sammy, rightfully so. If it were up to John the world wouldn't even know that Dean existed. If it were up to John.. Dean would've died in that fire instead.
"So, you're 18. Must've graduated high school last spring then?" Jody continued the questions and Dean was actually thankful for them. He didn't want to think about the fire.
"No." He took a breath and let his eyes travel out the window. "I dropped out, it was a waste of time anyways."
Jody looked surprised and took a small sip of her water to fill the silence. "A waste of time.. But, your brother is still in school? How old is he?"
"He's 14, but he's a sophomore. He's the smart one. He skipped a grade and he takes all advanced classes. He does really well with them. Sammy is gonna go places!" He couldn't help the rush of words that left him talking about Sam. When did he ever get to rave to people about his brother.
"Sounds like you're proud of him." Jody commented.
"I am." Dean nodded, determination in his eyes. "That's one reason I quit school. I gotta find work..for Sammy."
There was a long, pregnant pause between the two of them. Dean trapped in his anxious thoughts about finding work, and Jody watching him-trying to get some kind of read on him. He seemed like a good kid, but what did he mean by quitting school and finding work for Sammy? Wasn't that all part of John's job as father? Was there something going on under the surface. But her thoughts were broken by Dean's sudden shift and a smile.
"Sammy is gonna go to an Ivy League college, I just know it. And ya know..those places they cost a lot of money. I've gotta get a job now and start a savings account for him. I'd hate for him to not be able to go just because dad can't afford it." Dean explained himself, hoping that it was convincing enough. He knew that he might've already said to much, given this cop some reason to think John was unfit as a father.. She couldn't get any more reason to look into their family.
"Well, that's really admirable of you. To give up your future for your brother."
"Oh, I don't think of it as that. I was never going to go anywhere, I'm not cut out for it. Like I said, Sammy is the smart one." His eyes moved up and over the counter and Jody saw why. Coming their was Doris carrying their food. Dean's face paled, a hungry look in his eyes, and she was pretty sure there was a little drool on the side of his mouth.
"Here you folks go. Is there anything else I can get you?" Doris said with a smile as she set the plates in front of Dean and Jody. Dean didn't even manage a word before he picked the burger up and stuffed a large a bite he could manage into his mouth.
"No, I don't think so Doris. Thanks." The waitress nodded at Jody, shooting Dean a questioning and pitiful look before she moved onto the next table. Jody ate in silence, watching as Dean devoured the plate before him. She'd never seen anyone eat so fast and also take so much pleasure in what they were eating. Every bite seemed like heaven to him as he closed his eyes, made a small noise of delight. Jody had barely finished half of her plate by the time Dean was nearly licking his clean.
"Good burgers, huh?" Jody said with a smile. "They've got the best pies too. The blueberry is my favorite."
Dean felt his ears grow hot as he seemed to come down from his eating high. He hadn't had a full meal like that in weeks, let alone a good burger. "Thank you."
"No worry, Dean." Jody replied again. "So, what kind of work are you looking for?"
"Anything really. I don't have a lot of expierence, but I am really good at following along and learning." He said with a nod. "But, I can't find anyone who is hiring. Or at least anyone willing to hire me."
"Oh, I heard. You've terrorized the town here." Jody said with a chuckle. "Well, I know that the force is always looking for rookies."
A cop. Dean had never thought about being a cop before. Saving people, hunting down criminals.. It sounded exciting.
Jody continued, "It's about six months of training, but then you've got a great job that you can do pretty much anywhere."
Six months..Dean felt his shoulders slump at the thought and he shook his head. "No, I need work that starts today. I've gotta start saving or I'm going to run out of time."
"Run out of time?" Jody asked raising her eyebrow slightly. "Didn't you say your brother was only a sophomore?"
"Yeah.. yes." Dean said scrambling as he remembered his excuse for a job before hand. "He's only got two years of school left. Plus, what if he gets early admission? I need to be as prepared as possible!"
Jody chuckled and nodded. "Okay, okay. Let's see.. You know, Bobby Singer still owes me a favor or two. He owns the Singer Auto Self Service Salvage Yard. He just recently added on a garage and I know he could use some help there. I could probably convince him to give you a job. Do you know anything about cars?"
Dean's eyes lit up at the idea of working with cars again. He'd really enjoyed working at the auto shop before, and he did know a lot about cars already.
"Yes. Thank you, that means.. a lot. Thank you." Dean said gratefully. Jody chuckled and waved Doris over for the bill.
"How about I drive you over there. I'll introduce you, and he may even let you start today." Jody paid for their food and left a nice tip on the table before gesturing for Dean to follow her. He couldn't believe what luck he had and just hoped that this Bobby Singer would be willing to take a chance on him.
Sam didn't have many options here. Mr. Novak had said that he needed to talk with John in order to move him to advanced placement, but typical of his father he wasn't answering the phone.
"Hey, dad.." Sam said again to the voicemail. "It's me again. I just really need you to call the school for me. Can you call me back so I can explain? Please." He hung up the phone and sighed looking at his lunch in front of him. Dean had packed him a peanut butter and banana sandwich with some slices of apples. He could never rely on John, but he could always rely on Dean. His hair stood on end and he jumped up from the table shoving the food back into his paper sack.
Dean. That was his answer. His brother was 18 now, an adult. Surely Mr. Novak would accept a conversation with him if John wasn't avalible!
Sam rushed down the hall only slowing when a teacher yelled out at him to slow down. He rounded a corner, jogged up the flight of stairs leading to the administration office, and headed straight for the desk.
"I need to speak to Mr. Novak!" He huffed out, his chest and shoulders heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
"Samuel." He turned to see Mr. Novak standing in the doorway, a concerned look in eyes which looked odd on his otherwise stoic face.
"Mr. Novak." Sam took another breath before his words came out in a rush. "I know that you said you needed to speak to my dad, but he's working and he can't exactly take time off to come in and his phone doesn't work when he's on the job. My brother, his name is Dean and he's 18. He is going to be here to pick me up and I was just hoping that maybe you could talk to him instead."
The man paused for a moment while Sam took slow deep breaths, clearly overly nervous or excited-maybe both. Castiel thought for a moment. It definitely wasn't protocol. Angel Enterprises really insisted on parental involvement for any child that was considered for moving up a grade or moving into more advanced classes. If one parent was not available, most of the time there was another to consent. But, in the case of the Winchesters, there was no other parent. He would hate the lack of a mother to impeded his schooling, and it certainly wasn't his fault that his father had to work such long hours. Perhaps, just this once, he could bend the rules for the Winchesters.
"Okay. I will talk to your brother." He said firmly but then added. "But, he must come speak to me in person. He can come after school and he needs to bring me some proof that he is your brother and he is a legal adult. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear, sir." Sam said, his face lighting up. Mr. Novak would talk to Dean, Dean would surely get him into those classes. He could ALWAYS rely on Dean.
"Okay, now go back to enjoy your lunch, you have a few minutes before classes resume. I will see you both this afternoon." Mr. Novak moved away from the door and sat back at his desk.
"Thank you, Mr. Novak!" Sam called before he also left the room. He was so elated that he bounced as he walked.
Castiel watched him leave and sat back at his desk chair, a frown playing on his lips. He never bent the rules, but he felt that he needed to just this once. Who would ever know?
Besides, he had been curious about meeting Dean ever since noting him in Samuel's file.
Sorry this chapter was so Dean heavy but honestly that is how most of the fic will be. I hope you all enjoyed it!
Please review, it helps keep me going. Any suggestions I will take into consideration!
Next chapter soon hopefully!