Story Notes:
Previous stories in this series:
Sins & Transgressions
Love & Hunting
Relatives & Demons
Author's Chapter Notes:
I am working on Chapter 10.
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.
On first glance at the two story white house with the manicured lawn that neatly followed the circle drive, most would assume that in dwelt an ordinary family. Of course, on closer examination it was far from ordinary. The owners of this property ran a training facility.
This facility was one for hunters, and not just any hunters, but mostly hunters of the supernatural. If one looked closely they would see what made the place special. The main dwelling was overly large with three smaller homes situated on the back side as well as obvious security towers scattered about behind that which would not have been included in the first viewing from the road. To get to the house you would have to drive a mile down a winding road from the main highway, which led through Iron River, Wisconsin, before it snaked toward Ashland.
The owners of this training facility were the Winchesters, who were legends among the supernatural community. Hunters of the paranormal visited the facility to learn from the best, but because of the location in Northern Wisconsin it was also a place where ordinary hunters of wildlife received training.
The acreage was one hundred fenced acres of forest with two large ponds plus wildlife which seemed to come and go despite the fencing. The fence began at the front yard and wound its way to the back of the parcel of land. There was an indoor shooting range, in the same building as the hand-to-hand combat practice area, for safety sake they were on opposite sides. Outdoors there was a place to practice archery as well as several hiking/jogging trails. The ponds were stocked with fish and the wildlife were generally deer, fox, wild turkeys as well as a few stray wolves.
The house was the entryway into the compound, so named by the children that included five cabins that were roomy enough for up to three people comfortably per cabin. Also on site was a communal building that held a place for teaching as well as a separate area for relaxation/research with computers, billiards, darts and such.
Dean and Sam bought the land five years before when Dean's children outgrew their old residence which was about one hundred twenty miles south. The move was something they had planned for years. Expanding seemed the best idea since they wanted to share their knowledge in person as well as through their website.
The training section included various classes on paranormal research taught by Bobby, Ash, Ellen and Sam. There was also counseling provided by Missouri and Diane, Cassie's mother. Dean, Bobby, Erin, Sam and Chet taught weapons training by rotation. Over the years that had met and recruited various ex police officers, military and martial arts professionals to help them manage the land, all of the volunteers were aware of the supernatural aspects of their positions. It was a busy place yet the Winchesters still managed to maintain families.
The entire house was all about space. With the exception of the last few years their lives had been spent in close quarters. Then the old house had seemed to shrink as the children had grown. The new place exemplified spaciousness without opulence.
***
"MEGAN DENISE WINCHESTER", Amber yelled as she cut up the tomatoes in the large open kitchen. Her long dark brown ponytail hung almost to her waist, and she bit her lip as she sighed. She didn't see the look on her father's face until he stood in front of her.
"Why are you yelling?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.
"Um, she needs to come cook the meat," she said lowering her eyes certain she was going to get in trouble and miss the weekend’s activities at school. More often than not, her loud mouth got her in trouble.
"Well where do you think you might find her?" Dean asked as he reached into the refrigerator for a beer.
"In her room, with her head phones on studying," she replied hesitantly.
"So yelling at her will help how?"
"I'll go get her since she won't hear me otherwise," she replied as she put down the knife and rolled her eyes at Dean's back.
"They will get stuck like that," Dean said with a smile as she left the kitchen.
Amber and Megan were as different as day was to night. Megan loved the outdoors and nature. She was the one child most interested in hunting. She often wore her Blonde waves in braids or let it flow naturally. She was a geek in the way of she loved to learn and explore. Boys loved her tomboy attitude though she had no interest in being romantic at fourteen.
On the other hand, Amber, who was a cheerleader was all about fashion, beauty, make up and hair. Her passions did not seem deep to others though she had high aspirations she kept to herself. She could be quiet and moody often. She no longer loved her wavy hair but kept it straightened so it was easier to care for. She loved the exotic look of her own topaz eyes and how they contrasted against her tan skin. When conceit stepped in however, from time to time, she could count on someone in her family to bring her down a notch. Her brothers were good at that.
Amber found her sister in the corner of her room with her headphones on. She had a book in her lap and her eyes closed. The room was identical to Ambers with a window seat, queen sized bed, computer desk with chair, and a large keepsake chest at the end of the bed with loads of space to spare. Megan was the neater of the two she liked everything to be in its place, she was not a fan of clutter.
Megan’s bedspread was sage colored with various animal paw prints in shades of brown and hidden in the middle of the bed was her kitten, Misty, a grey tabby . The room was very neutral hued but where Amber’s room was pretty in purple with hot boy toy posters, Amber had one wall covered with wildlife extinction posters as well as peace not war signs.
“Hey.” Amber said as her sister looked up at her with her green hazel eyes before she pulled off her headgear.
“Is it time?”
Amber nodded, “Yes and you need to get started, Dad’s home.”
Megan stood up and stretched to her full five foot seven inches. She was as slim as her sister; though Amber had matured a bit more in the bosom area.
Amber constantly bugged her to model as she did for cash during the summer months, though Megan thought the occupation shallow. They were barely six months apart but Megan seemed the more adult despite being the younger of the too.
After Amber left the room, Megan pulled her braids together with one hand while she put the scrunci on with the other. She changed from her school clothes of tee shirt, long sleeve tie die colored blouse and jeans to just the tee shirt with shorts.
When she finally arrived in the kitchen, Amber had finished making the salad and stood as she looked down over a pot of boiling potatoes. Amber stood back from the stove as her sister reached into the sink to wash her hands.
“How long till supper?” Dean asked as he appeared in the kitchen again.
Damn, his girls were growing into the looks they inherited from their mothers. He, Sammy and Bobby would soon have to break out the shotguns to keep the boys away.
Megan looked at Amber who shrugged, “ An hour Daddy,” Megan supplied with a smile.
“Okay, when is your mother coming back from the hospital?” he asked no one in particular.
Despite all the work of being hostess at the Hunters Stop Training Facility, Ari kept her medical skills current by working part time at the hospital. It also helped to have real doctor contacts in case of an emergency.
“Um, by the time the food is ready,” Amber said.
“Good,” he said as he disappeared from the room with a smirk.
***
Once in the den, Dean stretched his legs out and wriggled his toes as he reached for the remote for his big screen television. Just as Dean was comfortable, he heard the front door open. He sat still a moment longer which was was long enough for Sam to round the corner with his brood in tow.
Sam held his two-year old daughter, Madison, in his arms and she held a small puppy. The little girls grin was ear to ear and it matched her mother’s smile perfectly while her hazel eyes so like Sam’s sparkled. Braeden, John Michael and Sam’s son, Jordan peeked in the room only long enough to yell a hello to Dean. His sons wandered off with little more than a dimpled grin at their Pops. He could only smile as he felt old suddenly to see them so independent. Sam who lived only five minutes away with his family, had taken the twins for a few days, which wasn’t unusual, it was actual a normal week for them all.
Sam smiled as he sat Madison down with her pet. The little girl looked all the way up at her father while all the adults looked on with rapt attention. She only smiled as she toddled off toward the smell of the food.
“So how were they?” Dean asked as Sam took a seat and Sarah seemed torn between relaxing with the men and going after her kid.
“Should we get Maddie?” Sarah asked with concern.
“Well the girls are in the kitchen they will watch her, it’s up to you.”
Sarah chose the kitchen option as the two brothers smiled after her.
“To answer you question, the boys were well behaved as usual, way more than you are on a general day,” Sam teased.
“B*tch,” Dean said with a smile.
“Jerk.”
"So who is coming to this meeting?" Dean asked as Sarah came back into the room wearing a smile and carrying a beer for both her and Sam.
"Thanks," Sam said distractedly.
"No problem, the girls have Maddie in the old booster chair and they are watching her as well as cooking. She seems to be enjoying the attention so she is good."
Dean smiled at them both as he waited for Sam's answer.
"Well I talked to everyone earlier and they should all be here by the time we finish dinner. Bobby was out on the grounds checking security earlier, Missouri was in a meeting with that sixteen year old guy that we have been trying to convince to skip the hunting profession, Ellen, Jo and Chet are all scheduled to be here also."
"Erin?"
"She is coming in later with Anthony from their anniversary trip."
"Yeah that's right, I am beat I was in helping with shooting practice for a few hours. We have five guests and I'm not certain how they survived all this time without proper training."
Sam shrugged, "Dumb luck."
Dean frowned, dumb luck wasn't good in their business. He leaned back to put his feet up on the table just as he heard Ari's voice in the hallway.
"I'll be back," he said as he got up to leave the room.
Dean walked into the bedroom just before Ari closed the door. He smiled when he saw her as she sat on the bed to remove her shoes. She smiled at him. Her hair was down and hung straight over her shoulders. Her eyes lit up at his arrival.
"Hey you," he said as he knelt down in front of her to take the shoe from her hands.
She wore a white dress that barely hit her knees that buttoned down the front. Dean rubbed his hands over her feet after he removed the shoes.
"Hey yourself," she said softly as she leaned toward him to take his face in her hands.
He kept massaging as his tongue went in her mouth, she swirled hers around his all the time she caressed the soft silky strands of his hair, then she sighed against his lips a second later.
"I'm so glad to be home," she said almost in a whisper.
"Glad to have you," he said as he pushed her on the bed before he began to unbutton her dress.
He made fast work of the buttons before the dress fell off her shoulders. She reached to get rid of his tee shirt before he stood up to drop his pants and boxers.
It was ten years after they met and he still wanted her as much as the day he first saw her. The kids, the business, the pets, not even the relatives in their lives had dulled the feeling he had for her.
"Today was your last day for a while right?" he asked as he straddled her legs.
"Yes, my surgery is next week," she said sadly as she looked in his eyes.
{Five years before}
Erin's big announcement that she was pregnant had been bitter sweet for Dean and Ari. On the day, that Ari came in to tell him Erin's news she also told him her secret.
"So you heard the news?" Dean asked as Ari pulled him into the bedroom.
She kissed him on the lips but he could see she was upset.
"Erin is pregnant, right?"
Ari nodded but afterward pulled him to the bed then indicated that he should sit down. He agreed but for long moments she only sat awkwardly and stared at him.
"Tell me anything, remember?" he finally volunteered.
Ari sighed before the tears flowed. Dean held her as she relaxed against him.
"I'm sorry, um I need to tell you something that I did. I should have told you when the twins were born," she said as she watched him to see if he had any idea.
Dean moved away from her a bit. His heart skipped a beat. He thought all the secrets with them had been covered or he had hoped.
"Go ahead," he encouraged her with a weak smile.
"I can't have children because they performed a procedure..."
"I know," he said.
"What?"
"Your doctor thought I knew about it so he discussed it with me while you were recovering from the birth."
"Oh."
She looked at her hands but he moved her chin up to face him.
"I waited for you to mention it, then I realized you weren't going to; I admit I hated that you did that without discussing it with me, but it is your body."
"No, I was wrong and I want more children, Dean. I did it to keep from overwhelming you. I mean we had four suddenly I was afraid I might get pregnant again it would be too much."
He understood her logic, he had to admit that to himself. She was afraid he would walk away. If he were honest with himself he thought what she had done was a good idea. Of course, he would have preferred to talk it over.
"Forgive me please," she said softly.
"Nothing to forgive, Baby, I was angry but then I thought if we had that desire again maybe we would adopt."
Ari was quiet. She felt silly at not revealing the truth before. He loved her and she loved him it wasn't as though she had an affair or something totally out of character.
{End of Flashback}
Through the years they had perfected "the quickie." If they had to confess they had made love in most spots of the current house as well as their old house. In the rain, in the barn, in the field, on all surfaces inside the house as well as the old guest area downstairs. Of course, Ari usually glowed and Dean well, he was a happy camper in most cases on a average day. Though it wasn't just sex it was a way for them to reconnect, to be close for just a few moments at random times. Spontaneity was the key and location was not an issue. Some might call them horny but the fact is they enjoyed one another in their marriage so it worked for them.
About five minutes after Dean disappeared Sam moved to sit by his wife.
"What are you up to?" she asked.
"I think Dean is busy how about a kiss?" he said as she didn’t' t hesitate to reach up to pull his head down to hers.
A minute later someone cleared their throat across the room. They both leaned up to see Bobby who wore a grin.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said as he sat down in the chair that Sam had vacated earlier.
Sam moved over a bit with a blush on his face.
"So where is Dean?" Bobby asked before he took a swig off his beer.
"Ari is home," Sarah said as though that explained everything.
"Oh yeah I saw her car," he said with a smile, "Well I can go find the boys till we’re ready to start if you two want to continue," he teased them.
"No, Bobby we’re good," Sarah said, "I'll go check on the girls," she volunteered as she left the room and Sam to be teased by the older man.
After they made love, Dean pulled on his clothes as he smirked at Ari before she went in the bathroom for a quick shower.
“See you in a minute,” she said with a grin.”
He had a huge smile on his face when he left the room.
***
Two hours later, everyone had arrived and dinner was over. The children were busy in their various areas despite Madison's fit because she wanted to stay with the grownups. She had finally consented to hang out with Amber in her room.
Jo and her husband, Matt arrived near the end of the meal but had already eaten so they sat in the den with Bobby. Bobby wasn't a real fan of Matt's since Jo had married him after only dating for three months. She insisted he was everything she wanted besides he was also a hunter. They initially hunted together until they decided to join up with the Winchesters and help out with the cause.
Erin arrived a few minutes after the meeting began with Anthony and her four year old daughter, Melanie. Erin who was five months pregnant again had finally moved to Wisconsin to help out except in her state she was unfortunately going to be on bed rest real soon. She was hyper and easily irritated at the thought of being immobilized. However, the trip had helped her to relax. While the couple was gone Melanie had visited with Aunt Jenny though Erin had not been for the idea, it was a concession since they rarely had seen Jenny since the wedding.
Everyone including Jo, Erin, Sam and Ash all lived withthin five miles of the facility. Missouri lived with Diane and Ellen on the property in a house. Ash stayed alone as well as Bobby. The rest were all married and each one of them were at the weekly meeting. The room became quiet when Sam stood up. He opened the floor for questions, concerns, complaints and Erin raised her hand.
TBC
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