Author's Chapter Notes:
Keep in mind the history I created for the past in this fan fiction is not canon but what I made up way before we knew anything of Eric Kripke's Campbell family. Thanks.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Jo hesitated only a moment before she phoned Dean. He picked up on the third ring with irritation in his voice.
“Hello?”
“Hey it’s Jo, I have bad news.”
Dean sat up slowly in the bed to avoid waking Ari. They had only just fallen asleep though so she woke up and looked curiously at him a second later.
“Who is it?” Ari mouthed.
“Jo.”
Jo went on to explain about the bulletin she had seen. Dean closed his eyes. But did not say anything. Oh God, Not now please.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yeah I did, thanks for calling Jo, I appreciate it. Hey are you staying around or not?”
“Um I think I am going back to my mothers.”
Dean hesitated for a few moments as Ari watched him. She leaned up to put her head next to his against the headboard. He reached to touch her hand. He felt he had to do something to end the charade of his life. He loved his family too much to allow them to be hurt.
“Hey we have another house if you want to stay there and think or just hang out I don’t think that will be a problem.”
Jo was quiet, why was Dean offering for her to stay around them? A fleeting moment of hope shot threw her but Dean squashed it immediately.
“Um this isn’t about Sam; whatever he decides is up to him. I think he and Sarah are getting along …….”
“Hey he can do what he wants. I would like to stay around longer just because well you know Mom.”
Dean laughed. He knew Ellen nagged on Jo quite a bit mostly because she was a worrywart. He also thought having her around in case Ari needed someone was a good idea. He had a feeling he and his siblings might have to leave for a while.
After the conversation, Dean explained it all to Ari. She reached to touch his face. He seemed sad and disturbed. She felt in her heart it would all work out in the end.
“What can you do about all of this?”
“I need to get far away from you and the kids for a while. Just to protect them. While we are away we can figure out ways to make this go away for good.”
“But Dean it’s the FBI again?”
“Yeah at least this time it wasn’t a murder only a bank robbery.”
Ari bit her lip. The last thing she ever wanted was for Dean to be away and on the run. The thought frightened her like none she had before. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be alone she just needed him to be all right.
“I would think it would be better if you stayed here where there are plenty of witnesses to the fact that you have not left the area,” she suggested.
“Normal people who aren’t on the grid can do that, unfortunately….”
“Not you.”
He looked in her eyes for long moments as he reached to pull her to him. Then he remembered Andy. Maybe Andy could work his magic and give them some time. He reached for his phone after he told Ari he would be back shortly. She bit her lip as he left the room before she got up to feed John who had begun to cry.
Mean while, Sarah sat near Sam on the sofa as she gathered her thoughts. Sam was only human she thought he should give himself a break. She stood then put her hands out to him.
“Sure?” he asked he let her pull him off the sofa.
“Positive,” she said as she led him to the room.
She pushed him on the bed when they were close to it before she smiled. Sam was impressed by her initiative. She leaned over him with her hands on his knees so she could kiss him. He reached to pull her in closer as their lips touched. He had wanted Sara from the start and to have her so close to him made him blush. He moved his hands up the back of her shirt to touch her skin and she shivered. Just to be around him made her pulse race but when he caressed her skin; she enjoyed it even more.
The kiss deepened immediately as Sam released all of his feelings for Sarah as she pushed her hands through his long hair. He reached to pull her top over her head as they disengaged, momentarily. Then she moved her legs around his waist so she straddled him as he moved back a bit to keep her from falling.
So many emotions assaulted him. His downstairs brain led the way as it moved to attention, as his heart raced with her nearness. He loved her smell; it was a flowery fragrance that threw him off balance a bit. It was perfect for her but in another way it made her seem pure to him. He wanted very much to make love to her on so many levels. Beginning with the time, they had spent apart, the new things he had learned about her that drew him to her, the desire that welled up in him, yet he didn’t want their relationship to turn out like any before it. Jessica had died, no not that. Paris had not been right for him as well as Jo. His track record with women had plummeted since he had been on the road with Dean. Part of his heart knew she was the one for him the other part was afraid of failing horribly at romance and the worse thought of all that she could die because of him.
Sarah rose up to look in his face because his hands had stopped moving.
“Sam?”
He moved to touch her sweet face and trace his fingers across her sweet lips. He felt frightened suddenly though he was quiet.
“Sam, you okay?”
“I….think I want to wait on having sex, Sarah. It’s not that I don’t want you because I do very much, but…”
Sarah bit her lip, maybe she had come on to strong. She knew Sam was a thinker and hesitant because of his past but she had wanted to get beyond the barrier he usually put up.
“Sam don’t start worrying about me again,” she said softly.
“It’s not that I promise. I do want you, but I don’t think this is the time.”
“Well when?” she asked suddenly hurt.
“I don’t know.”
She got up off the bed then grabbed her shirt from the floor. He stopped her with a hand on the arm. His eyes were suddenly sad as he watched her.
“I care about you and I want you to stay so we can get to know each other better. Is that what you want?”
She nodded as she looked at him sadly, “I’m sorry if I rushed you.”
“No it’s no ones fault, I just want us to keep going slow if we can. Sex is a big step and I want to be prepared this time when I make love to you. I want it to be special and part of the next step in our relationship. Do you want that?”
“Of course, I do want that Sam I need that too,” she said as she bit her lip as he pulled her back on to his lap with a smile.
Upstairs, Dean spoke with Andy in the study.
“Sorry man I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“No problem, I was just you know napping,” Andy said with a smile in his voice.
Dean explained the situation to him and Andy was quiet for a while.
“Yeah that sucks man, does this Hendrickson guy have any idea of where you are?”
“No, I doubt it. It’s just I want to keep everyone here safe and this new incident may be a way for that thing to find us again.”
“Yeah, just give me his work location; I can take care of this from that.”
What was left unsaid on the cell phone was that Andy would use the location to get into the computers at Hendrickson’s office to get a visual on the man. After that, he would work his magic because he had been practicing. He had the ability to tell Hendrickson to do whatever he chose.
“Thanks man.”
Andy laughed, “Did I tell you about my night with Carmen Electra?”
“Um no you didn’t, do tell,” Dean said as he leaned back in the chair.
“Let’s just say she was a basic need that I felt I had to have. She is one wild and crazy girl.”
Dean laughed. Andy had finally begun to enjoy his gift more.
“That is pretty cool. So this won’t be a problem?”
“Not at all.”
Andy had no idea how his mind control gifts had expanded to work on long distances but he was glad it had happened.
***
Ari was pleased to hear that Andy was able to take care of Hendrickson. As Dean looked up at her as he traced her face with his fingers, he could tell she was relieved. Her features softened and he saw the glint of tears in her eyes. She had no idea how he felt about the thought of leaving his family to go on the run. Going hunting was one thing but to be away from the with the thought that he could be captured like an animal and punished for all the good he had down, well it had laid heavy on him too. The few moments he had considered the thought, he had been angry with his father all over again. But he wouldn’t tell Ari, she didn’t need to deal with his father issues any time soon.
“While you were gone in the other room Jo called back to accept your offer to stay here but I’m not sure it is a great idea,” Ari said as she bit her lip.
“Well, I guess I do need to discuss it with Sam,” Dean said a he hesitated to leave his warm spot in his bed again.
He leaned up to kiss her waiting lips just before John Michael let out a howl. Dean picked up the unhappy infant from the crib to change him before he handed him over to the mommy.
“Be right back,” he said before he left the room.
Dean found an unhappy Sam as she sat at the kitchen table. He seemed to be totally out of it. He didn’t move when he heard Dean come down the hall, he didn’t flinch when his brother pulled out a chair across the table from him before he asked him what was going on, he didn’t seem to be aware of his surroundings whatsoever.
“I’m an idiot,” Sam replied as he looked dejectedly at Dean.
“I really don’t want to go there, Samantha. But hey I need to talk to you about Jo…” Dean began.
“No, there is no more Jo; I just rejected Sarah because of my roaming hands and sexual excursions with Jo.”
“Whoa hold on Tiger, what the hell are you talking about?” Dean asked as he leaned across the table to try to calm his brother.
Sam sighed as he explained what had happened with he and Sarah.
“Waiting isn’t so bad right? I mean it’s what you usually do.”
Sam furrowed his brow before he took a deep breath and put his head on the table.
“It’s all your fault,” he mumbled into the table.
“What?” Dean asked, before Sam sat up again then to look in his face.
“Nothing.”
“What did you say?”
“If you and Ari hadn’t made this love stuff look so appealing……..”
“Oh no, don’t blame this on us, you just have to be strong, if you want Sarah then you can have her just be yourself,” Dean said with a smirk before he got up from the table.
Sam stopped him, “What is the deal with Jo?”
Erin stopped at the end of the hall as she heard her brothers talking in the kitchen. She figured it was a good time to speak with Ari about the wedding. She tapped on the door then entered when Ari answered.
“Hey,” she said as she saw Ari feeding the baby.
“Come on in, John is just having a snack,” Ari said as she looked adoringly at the baby as he closed his eyes.
“You are so good with them; I hope I will do as well.”
“Well this is the easy part it’s when they began to talk back and walk around everywhere that will be the challenge with two of them,” she said with a grin.
They were quiet a few moments as Erin stood by Braeden’s crib while he slept before she sat down in the chair across the room. Ari asked if she wanted to speak with her about something in particular.
“I wondered if you would consider being my maid of honor at our wedding next month.”
Ari was surprised that Erin wanted to get married so soon but did not bring up the issue she only agreed to the position.
“I have never had many close friends, maybe it’s the innate Winchester in me, but I feel closer to everyone in this house then I ever did, maybe we don’t play well with others,” she said with a dimpled grin.
“I’m glad you feel that way I really am I have lived my life in a similar way for various reasons, “ Ari explained.
For several minutes, they chatted generally about past boyfriends, dysfunctional fathers and marrying men that they felt were meant for them. Erin had liked Ari from the start but to hear her sing Dean’s praises it only cemented her belief that the woman her brother had married was genuine.
When John Michael was done, Erin picked him to burp for Ari as she adjusted her nightgown. The infant seemed fascinated by his aunt and smiled after his manly burp was done. Erin rocked him a few moments in her arms before he fell asleep all over again.
“You’re good with him, you know he is the fussier of the two.”
Erin nodded, “We all know that, Sam figures it’s John Winchester incarnate.”
Ari shook her head, “Oh Lord tell me it isn’t true,” she said with a smile just before Dean came in the room.
“Hey, Sis,” he grinned.
“Hey Bro, I’m leaving I was just keeping your wife company. How is baby brother doing?”
“I think he will live,” Dean said as Erin backed up toward the door.
“Great I will see you in the morning.”
After several false starts they were finally able to get a bit of sleep that night.
***
Dean reached out in his sleep the next morning to find Ari’s spot empty. He turned over then raised up slowly. He could tell something was missing. He took a couple of deep breaths then he realized what it was. The sound of the boys sleeping was not present. He jumped up to check both cribs. His heart raced in his chest, for a full minute he thought they had all been taken again. He threw own his lounge pants and flew out the door. He found the hall empty but could hear loud thumping noises outside the window at the end of the hall. He leaned down to see Erin and Ari shooting arrows down in the field. His heart slowed down a bit but it still left the question of where were his sons.
He turned from the window to see Amber walk out of her room.
“Amber?”
“Hey Daddy,” she said as Sammy Doo almost crashed into her when she stopped walking.
“Munchkin have you seen the boys?”
She twisted up her face then turned to point down the hall toward the den.
“Thanks,” he said as he raced in the direction she had indicated.
Amber followed him for lack of anything else to do since her mother was busy outside with her aunty Erin. Sammy Doo tagged along too.
Dean entered the room to find Sarah watching John Michael a she roamed around in the walker and Sam playing with Braeden on his chest.
“Hey” Sam said.
Dean took a seat to calm down. Both Sarah and Sam looked curiously at him.
“You okay?” Sarah asked.
“Fine, just wondering where everyone was when I woke up they were all gone.”
“Oh Ari didn’t want to wake you with the scare about the shifter and you two going to bed so late and all.”
Sarah grinned, “No she didn’t give details but I figured it was just another hot night for you two.”
Sam looked a bit sheepish though he laughed. It wasn’t as though they could tell Sarah everything especially the “freaking out” that Sam had done.
“Yeah it was a long night,” Dean agreed.
Amber stood at the door a moment but Sam saw her and invited her in to play.
“Hey you can come in,” Sarah said at the little girl’s sad face.
“What’s wrong?” Dean asked her as she seemed to avoid him.
She shook her head but he got up then guided her to the sofa to sit with him.
“Why so sad?”
She was quiet as she reached to hug him before she cried into his chest. Dean didn’t know what to do. He hugged her but looked questioningly at the other too. They both shrugged at him as he mouthed a “ Not much help,” to them.
When she stopped crying he looked her in the face.
“Now tell me what’s wrong maybe I can fix it,” he said as he wiped her tears with his fingers.
“Sad Daddy, just sad,” she replied with a pout.
“I’m sorry you are sad, do you want to tell me why?”
“I miss Meg.”
Dean held her close a few more moments.
“I miss her too and I know she misses you, but I think she will be coming to visit real soon.”
“Yeah?” she asked with hope in her voice.
Sammy Doo barked with excitement at the happiness in the little girl.
“Absolutely,” he said as she gave him a big happy hug.
Sam and Sarah could only laugh at the two of them. Ari watched from the door with a grin, she knew she had made the right choice.
***
Missouri spoke with Jenny that morning. They discussed the latest Winchester update.
“So Erin is marrying her Anthony, she phoned me last night,” Jenny said as she paced the room.
“It’s best it’s also good she is planning to stay close to her brothers.”
Jenny wanted to know if Missouri would attend the wedding and was told that after all the years their families had been connected it was a none issue.
“Yeah our family having yours as slaves in the old days does bind us for life,” Jenny said with a bitter laugh.
Missouri smiled to herself. Jenny had always been a bit self obsessed but she and her deceased husband had done well with Erin. The demons appearance to take Mary had not been the plan, his impatience to have Sam had changed a plan that had been conceived years before.
“So you will tell them the history of their parents when they all come down, right?”
“It is about time they knew, I had hoped to have someone there to back me up but you and I are all that is left,” Jenny said.
“Yeah, I hope the boys don’t hate me when they hear how much more I have always known about their family then them,” Missouri said with a sigh.
She had always loved those boys like they were her own she certainly hoped they understood that she had a role to play and it has always been to guide them toward their destiny. The end justifies the means.
TBC