Authors Note: Thanks for sticking with me so far. Chapter Three!
It was a short trip to just the outskirts of the town to Singer's Salvage, but Jody reassured Dean that the auto shop was in town. If he was huffing it around to find a job then she figured he probably didn't have a car of his own. He wondered briefly if he was that easy to read all the time. Self Service Salvage was just a fancy word for dump, it would seem. The property they drove onto was full of old run down cars, some piled on top of each other, and going on for as far as Dean could see. Jody drove through the maze, clearly having been out before, and eventually they pulled up to a house in the middle of the lot.
It was an old cabin, nothing impressive about it from the outside. Jody parked the car and glanced Dean's way. "Just wait here. Bobby isn't the friendliest fellow, but he's got a good heart."
"You're sure he'll give me a job?" Dean asked with a frown.
"Oh, I'm sure. Just give me a few minutes to talk to him and then I'll introduce you." Jody got out of the car and headed up to the porch, the stairs groaning under her weight. She knocked two times and looked back over her shoulder at Dean. He looked petrified. She could tell by the look on his face that this was his last hope-all his eggs were in this basket right now. God.. she hoped Bobby really did say yes.
"What do you want, we're closed!" Bobby said gruffly as he yanked open the door. He frowned instantly and the shotgun he had rested on his shoulder he quickly placed in the umbrella stand by the door. "Oh, Jody. Sorry, I thought you were that pain in the ass Garth. He's come over here three times this week asking about some Oscar car and if I've got any spare parts for one!"
Bobby's eyes moved to the cop car and then back to Jody and he frowned. "Everything alright, Sheriff?"
"Everything's fine, Bobby." She said and gestured him inside. "I was hoping we could talk a minute.. I've got a favor to ask of you."
"A favor, huh?" He huffed as he pushed the door open and gestured for her to come on in. "I guess I do owe you a few of those for keeping my ass outta jail. I'm guessing this has something to do with that kid in your cruiser."
She waved once more at Dean just before walking into the entry way and turned her attention to Bobby. "Dean. His name is Dean, and his family just moved here to town. He needs a job-"
"A job? I can't just be handed jobs out to any body Jody!" Bobby protested. He glanced out of the window again and frowned. "The kids looks scrawnier than a toothpick and scared half to death. Where'd you find him?"
"He's been walking downtown all day trying to find a job. He's a good kid, he's just not got a great home life. One of my Sheriff buddies told me all about his dad, John. He blows into town with some kind of construction job. Spends nearly every night at the bar. Gets arrested a million times for drunk and disorderly, or worse. And then just breezes out of town a few weeks later." Bobby's frown grew with each sentence and he couldn't help but feel pity for Dean. He knew what it was like to have a drunk for a father.. a mean drunk at that. He couldn't make those assumptions though. Just because his dad was a mean drunk, didn't mean that John was. Jody took Bobby's lack of response as encouragement to keep talking. "Dean has a little brother named Sam that's going to school. He just wants a job to save up money for his brother to go to college. You should hear him talk about it, he's really driven and I know that he will work hard. He's not gonna skip out on you, he's not-"
"Okay fine. He can start tomorrow at the shop." Bobby said with a shrug. "But, tomorrow is just a trial run. He's gotta be on time, he's gotta show ME this dedication. Like I said, I can't just hand jobs out to anybody."
Jody smiled brightly and brought Bobby into a tight embrace. "Oh, thank you! You won't regret it Bobby. Here, I'll bring him in so you can meet him."
"No, you don't need to bring him in. I'll go out." Bobby said shaking his head. Jody elbowed him lightly.
"Right, I know how you are about strangers on your property." She headed back out onto the porch and felt Dean's eyes instantly snap to them. She gave him a thumbs up and a wide smile came over his face. Bobby followed her down the stairs of the porch just as Dean was scrambling to get himself out of the passenger seat. He brushed off his clothes, and it was then that Bobby got a good look at him.
He could tell right away that this kid had probably been malnourished almost his whole life. He had a darkness in his eyes that told him life hadn't been all cupcakes and rainbows, but they shone brightly when he smiled at them and offered Bobby his hand.
"Dean. Dean Winchester." He said excitedly, his mouth running a mile a minute. "Thank you so much. You won't regret hiring me."
"Bobby Singer." He accepted Dean's hand and shook it firmly. The kids clothes could use an update, and the leather jacket he was wearing was clearly a bit too big. "I expect you to be at the auto shop at 9 sharp, got it. We will go over all the details there, bring something you can get dirty in until I can get you fitted for some coveralls."
"Yes, sir. Thank you." He dropped Bobby's hand and Jody clapped a hand on Dean's shoulder and then moved around to get into her car.
"Well, let's get going." She said casually, not noticing the way her small gesture had made Dean flinch away. Not noticing that the brightness in his eyes seemed to dim and his jaw clenched as if he'd been expecting something else.
Jody hadn't noticed it.. But, Bobby had.
"And uh.. Dean. You got a phone?" Bobby asked him trying to make it seem like the most common question ever asked.
"Yes, sir." Dean said pulling an old phone from his pocket. "It's only good for phone calls though. No text, no email."
"That's okay. I want you to have my number in case you ever need to get a hold of me-you know if you're sick or something. And I need yours. Sometimes there might not be work at the auto shop and I'll need you to come here instead." Bobby felt the excuse roll off his tongue. Truthfully, it was a good reason to need the kids contact and him to have his. But, he just wanted to know that Dean was reachable.. and for Dean to know that Bobby was too.
They exchange information, and Dean put his phone away again.
"9 am, remember that. It's Singer's Auto Shop in town. Just tell the guys you're there for Bobby and they'll bring ya in."
"Thank you, again. Thank you, Mr. Singer."
"Just call me Bobby, alright?"
"Okay. Thank you Bobby." Dean smiled again and he moved to get back into the car.
"See you tomorrow kid." He waved and then turned to make his way back into his house. This kid pulled on his heart strings like no one had done before. He headed up the porch and let out a sigh. "Balls.."
Jody pulled the car out of the drive with a smile on her face and glanced to Dean in her passenger seat. "Alright, got you a job. We can drive by Singer's Auto Shop so you know where it is, and then where do you want me to drop you off at?"
Dean glanced at the clock on the car dash and frowned. It was almost time for school to get out, how had he not been paying attention?!
"Oh, the high school. Sammy gets out soon and I.. well it's sort of tradition.. I always walk him home and we get ice cream after the first day." He absentmindedly checked his pocket to make sure his cash was still there. Feeling the money sent a wave of relief and he looked out the window at the passing trees.
"Well, if good ice cream is what you're looking for then you should try Moore's Sweet Shop. They've got home made cones and a lot of flavors to choose from." Jody pointed just as they made their way into town. Moore's Sweet Shop looked like a little mom and pop place, blue exterior with white trim. Behind the window was all sort of sweets and Dean nodded in approval. Jody pointed again just another block down. "There's Singers."
The auto body shop was closed today so no one was buzzing around. It was pretty large, seemed to extend back behind the main building that he could see. Better yet, there was a bus stop just on the corner out front. He'd been worried that he'd have to walk from the high school here everyday, the bus was like a god send.
They continued down the street with just the soft sound of wind coming through the open windows. Dean was a bit confused by the warm feeling in his chest. Here he was being shown around town, he'd been treated to lunch, and he'd managed to get a job. This morning he felt like nothing more than an outcast in this town, but he was feeling.. accepted. He was being given a chance and he knew he couldn't screw this up like he did so many other things. This was for Sammy.. he had to get this right.
They pulled up to the school gate and Jody parked her car.
"Thanks again Sheriff Mills." Dean smiled as he unbuckled his seat belt. He put his hand on the door handle just as Jody put her own hand on his arm.
"Call me Jody, really." She offered him as smile and in her other hand she held out a card. "This here is my card, on the back is my personal number. I want you to call me if you need me, alright Dean? I know that it's hard being a fresh adult and trying to get your feet under you. I wanna help, however I can. So, please, call me if you need."
Dean was frozen. Help. She wanted to help. He blinked slowly staring from the card she offered and up to her face. It was genuine. There were no strings attached here, no favors that Dean would have to do in exchange for the help.. She was just a sweet, caring woman.
"Thank you." It was all he could mutter through the lump in his throat. He took the card and slid it into his pocket. He hadn't even noticed that the school bell had rung during that time. Not until he looked out the front windshield and saw a very scared and angry Sammy looking back at him. Sammy made everything better, Dean chuckled as he opened the car door and stepped out onto the curb. "Heya Sammy."
"Dean.. why are you in a police car?" Sam asked flatly, but Dean knew him well enough. He was trying not to panic.
"Don't worry, Jody here was just giving me a tour. She helped me get a job and then brought me here so I wouldn't be late." Sam's shoulders relaxed and Dean waved him over. "Come here." He poked his head back into the car and smiled. "Jody, this is my brother Sammy."
"It's just Sam." He said as he squatted down slightly and held a hand up to wave. "Hello."
"Well, hi just Sam. It's nice to meet you. You're a lucky kid to have a brother like Dean." She said with a smile. "You boys let me know if you need anything, alright. I've gotta get back to work."
"Thanks again, Jody." Dean waved again and closed the door watching her drive off. "So, Sammy. How was school?"
"Dean, I need you to do something really important for me." Sam told him. Dean frowned at the sudden seriousness from his brother and nodded. He didn't even have to agree. He'd do anything for Sammy really. "I had to meet with Mr. Novak one of the counselors today and he said that they have advanced placement and that I am able to be moved up.. But, he wanted to talk to dad. He won't move my classes unless he gets assurance from Dad that I can handle it. I told him that Dad can't because of work but that you were and adult and he said that he'd make an exception and you can come talk to him but we have to go do it now and-"
"Okay, okay. Sammy, breathe." Dean chuckled and put his hands on Sam's shoulder. "I will happily go talk to Mr.. Nova?"
"Novak."
"Novak. Right." He nodded and smiled again. Sam seemed to relax just a bit, but he was still on edge. Of course he was, Dean knew how much those smart kid classes meant to him. He just hoped that he didn't blow it. "Lead the way, Sammy."
Castiel shuffled through his paperwork ensuring that he'd finished filling out each piece. If there was one thing he hated it was getting a notification from Angel Enterprises that he had done his paperwork incorrectly. He reached the last page, signed his name, and then stapled all the papers together and moved on to the next stack.
"See you tomorrow, Castiel." He waved at the voice leaving the office and continued with his work. He didn't have time for friends, for a social life. He was actually quite content with his life the way it was. He worked, he went home, a vicious cycle. He was always the last to leave the office and the first to arrive back the next morning, his work was impeccable and he took pride in that. He stapled the next set of papers together and added them to the finished pile.
There was a small knock on his door and he heard Samuel Winchester speak. "Uh.. Mr. Novak. I'm here with my brother.. Dean."
"Yes, come in. Close the door would you." He spoke absentmindedly as he finished scanning the last set of papers in front of him. He signed those, stapled them, added them to the pile, and then looked up at the two in his office.
Dean. Dean Winchester. Castiel felt a strange burning in his chest looking at him. The older Winchester stood about a foot or two taller than Sam, he was on the scrawny side but his jaw line and shoulder width was evident that with proper nutrition and a bit more aging he'd fill into quite a man. Castiel frowned shaking that thought away, what an inappropriate thought to have for the older brother of a student, and one that was just barely 18 at that!
"Hey, nice to meet you Mr. Novak." Dean smiled and offered his hand politely. "Sammy here said you needed to talk to me about moving his classes."
"No." Castiel said plainly as he stood up and shook Dean's hand. It was surprisingly cold and Castiel just chalked it up to the fact that he'd come in from outside. "No, I needed to speak with your father regarding this, but Samuel here said that he's not available."
"Sam." The younger corrected them both and frowned.
"Oh, yeah he's not. He's got work and his shift is a weird time." Dean said, basically mirroring Sam's reasoning from earlier.
"Okay, well then please have a seat." He gestured to the chairs just behind them and the two sat. Castiel sat as well and tried to focus on anything other than Dean's gaze. Had he ever seen such a.. captivating green before? Castiel suddenly couldn't remember anything green.. nothing could seem to compare. He cleared his throat and pulled Sam's file from his desk drawer reminding himself to focus on the task at hand. "I wanted to talk regarding moving Samuel into AP classes here. He is an exceptional student according to his records and from talking with him this morning I gather he has lofty aspirations when it comes to seeking a college degree."
"You've hit the nail on the head there, Mr. Novak." Dean said with a wide grin. "Sammy here is gonna go to Stanford or some other fancy pants school. He's really dedicated to school and I know he would really love to be in those AP classes."
Castiel hesitated a moment looking between the two of them. It was clear that Dean was proud of his brother.. but everything else here felt a bit forced. Like perhaps Sam had coached him before bringing him in. He frowned and looked between the two of them once more. "I apologize, I got ahead of myself. Dean, I need to see some identification from you. Just a protocol to ensure you are indeed Samuel's brother and an adult."
"Oh, right." Dean dug in his back pocket a moment and pulled out a very old and weathered cloth wallet. He flipped it open and took out a card holding it for Castiel to take. "I of course don't have one yet for this state. And the picture is from when I was 16-when I first got my license and all."
Castiel nodded as Dean spoke and looked down at the ID in his hand. If it were at all possible, the picture looking back at him showed an even scrawnier version of the Winchester across from him. Dean, compared to his brother, appeared to be malnourished and Castiel wondered briefly the cause. Perhaps he was over thinking it, perhaps Dean just had some condition that made him unable to absorb the nutrients he eats.. But, he had a sinking feeling in his gut that this wasn't true.
"Thank you." He stated as he handed back the ID. "Going by his school records alone, Samuel will be placed in AP classes. But, we want some assurance. These last few years of high school are very important for him when it comes to college applications. While his academic record is flawless, he has this other record that worries me. He's been to three schools this year alone. And he tells me that this is normal for you, I imagine that you understand how difficult it is to graduate high school with all this moving around."
Dean's ears reddened slightly at the remark and he nodded. "Yes. I.. uh.. I do understand."
"Dean didn't graduate." Sam interjected and frowned shifting in his seat. "He didn't want to go to college and as many times as I told him to just finish school anyways he didn't listen and decided to start working instead. But, I have no intention of doing the same."
"No, no way." Dean said shaking his head in agreement. "I wasn't cut out for all that college bull sh-.. I mean, stuff.. But, Sammy here, he's gonna be really successful."
"But, only if we allow him to be." Castiel spoke and let out a sigh. "Look, Mr. Winchester-"
"Just Dean.. Please." Castiel couldn't mistake the flinch that came over Dean's face at being called Mr. But, he told himself to ignore it and move on. After all, Dean was not his student..Sam was..
"Okay. Dean.." The name felt like..honey on his tongue and he once again had to remind himself to focus. "Samuel will be moved to AP classes, but only upon the agreement that he will not be moving again this school year. He needs a solid year. His academics are amazing, but he has no extra curricular activities. He needs to join clubs, to participate in competitions..maybe even a sports team. These things help to pad the college resume and ensure admission. He has the grades and truthfully he shows that he can over come obstacles by keeping this GPA with the chaos that has been his life..but the college admissions department still need more. So, I need an agreement here and now that Samuel Winchester will not leave this school district this year."
Dean hesitated and Castiel watched as he shifted in his seat. Sam looked between the two of them and also looked as painfully nervous. But, finally Dean spoke. He spoke with such determination in his voice and his eyes. "You have my word Mr. Novak. I will do everything to keep Sammy here this year. We won't be moving again."
Sam seemed to light up at the promise, perhaps because he knew what it would entail. Castiel nodded and slid a paper across his desk.
"I just need you to sign here." He pointed to a line on the page. "And if you could please give me your contact information. With your father's weird hours I would imagine that you'd be the one to call if Samuel needed something."
"Yes." Dean agreed as he stood and signed his name. He scribbled his phone number on the paper as well and then cleared his throat. "Thank you, Mr. Novak. For giving Sammy this chance."
"It is my job, Mr.- Uh, Dean." He said with a nod. "Now, I will bring this all to Principal Shurley for approval. He should process it all by tomorrow, but should he have any questions he or I will reach out to you."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Novak." Sam said with a bright smile. Castiel simply nodded in response.
"You both have a good night, and Samuel.. I will see you in the morning for your new class schedule." Castiel gestured to the door, letting them know they could see themselves out. Sam darted out the door right away, but Dean.. he lingered.
"Uh, Mr. Novak." Dean cleared his throat and stepped a bit closer to the desk. The way he spoke was easier..more fluid and so Castiel determined that everything he'd said in front of Sam had been coaching from the younger brother. "Thank you again. This means the world to Sammy, all this school and college shit I mean. I wasn't cut out for it, but that doesn't mean he's going to be like me. He's not a screw up kinda kid and I.. I just didn't want you to think that because I didn't graduate that he might.."
"Follow in your foot steps?" Castiel frowned and shook his head. "College is not for everyone, Dean. And there are plenty of people who don't graduate high school either. Do not think that it defines you. Do not think it makes you any less of a person."
Castiel watched as his words seemed to wash over the older brother. He watched as his adam's apple bobbed slowly up and then down as he swallowed, and he couldn't mistake the fresh gleam of moisture in his green eyes. He was..very affected by those words and he wondered if perhaps he had.. as Dean put it earlier "hit the nail on the head" with him as well.
"Thank you..Mr. Novak. Have a good night." Dean stepped away from the desk, but Castiel stood and cleared his throat.
"Wait." He said and then opened another drawer of his desk. He sifted through the files there and pulled out a packet of papers and a pamphlet. "This school offers.. It offers a GED program. It's three nights a week and the next session begins soon. I work with a few of the teachers here to help stream line the process. It's very self driven.. you could have your GED in as little as two months if you put in the work. Just.. think about it."
Dean took the papers slowly from Mr. Novak and stared at them a moment before looking up at him. "Thank you.. I will."
Castiel nodded and Dean stood there still. Blue and green staring at each other, the tension in the room seemed to be growing and Castiel felt.. suffocated. He didn't understand this..
"See you next time, M-uh.. Dean." He broke the silence and moved back to his desk hoping to get some more work done. Without a word, Dean left the office and Castiel felt like he could breathe again. Dean Winchester.. He suddenly hoped that he would be having to see more of him.
Please review, it helps keep me going. Any suggestions I will take into consideration!
Next chapter soon hopefully!