Friends in Low Places (PG)
Jogging back in the timeline quickly...
Summary: A summer hunt in Nebraska has unexpected consequences, not least of which is introducing the boys to a few new friends.
Friends in Low Places
By San Antonio Rose and Enola Jones
July 12, 1997
Sam and Dean had just spent ten glorious days on a dude ranch outside Bandera and were packing to head back to Cazadore when the phone in their room rang. It was Bobby.
“Hey, Uncle Bobby!” Dean grinned. “What’s up?”
“Things are quiet here. How’s cowboy life been treatin’ you boys?”
“Good! Sammy has a healthy tan!”
Bobby chuckled. “Listen, Dean, this isn’t urgent, but... it’s startin’ to look like there’s a hunt up around Omaha. Not a lot to go on yet, but there’s been some cattle mutilations in the area.”
“Okay. Want us to check it out?”
“If you don’t mind. Rufus is in Japan for the summer, and I gotta mind the phones for a while.”
“What do you think we're facing?”
“Hard to tell yet. But what I think you should do is go first to a place called Harvelle’s Roadhouse.” Bobby rattled off the address, and Dean wrote it down. “The owner’s Ellen Harvelle; she’s a hunter’s widow, done some huntin’ herself. And her adopted son Ash is a computer whiz, should be able to scare up more omens than I know how to look for right now.”
“Will do. Thanks, Uncle Bobby.”
“You boys take care of yourselves. And if you need backup, Ellen knows who to call.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” He hung up. “We’re heading to the Roadhouse.”
Roadhouse? Sam signed, frowning slightly. What’s that?
A hunter’s place. Run by widow of a hunter.
Sam’s face cleared, and he nodded. Better call girls. Daphne and Tricia were house-sitting for them again.
Dean nodded and dialed their home number, waiting for one of the girls to pick up.
“Bloodhound Detective Agency,” Tricia’s cheerful voice answered. “Whenever there’s trouble, we’re there on the double. Mr. Winchester isn’t here.”
Dean let his laugh answer for him.
Tricia laughed as well. “¡Hola! What’s up?”
“Hola. We have a case.” Just in case the motel owner was nosy. “We’ll call later on with details.”
“Cool. How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
“No idea. Three or four days to a week?”
“Okay. That should be fine. Well, Mama might have kittens, but you know how she is.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Dare I ask where you’re headed?”
“Nebraska.”
“Huh! Okay, well, one of us should be here pretty much all day.”
“We should know something soon. Take care, Tricia. Sammy says hi.”
He could almost hear her smile brighten. “Tell him hi back. Have a good trip!”
“Thanks.” He hung up and turned, watching Sammy play with his knives.
“We ready?” Sam asked, flipping one knife in the air, catching it, and making it vanish into a hidden sheath.
Ready. Dean beamed at him. How many you wear today?
Sam just chuckled. Wouldn’t you like to know.
Bitch.
Jerk.
Laughter was their only sound as they loaded the car.
After they stopped for the night, Dean worked with Sammy a little bit in the darkened parking lot - teaching him how to back up and park the Impala. He couldn’t officially start Driver’s Ed for another year, but Dean figured it couldn’t hurt for him to know a few basics in case of emergency. And he ended the session with a proud, brotherly hug.
Sam hugged him back, beaming.
They moved inside and Sammy broke out the maps.
How far to this Roadhouse? Dean signed to him, bringing over soda and coffee.
Sam chewed his lip as he figured the distance from their motel in Oklahoma City. Looks like 500 miles, give or take.
8 hours or so. Less if we eat in the car.
Sam nodded. Should get there for supper, if the traffic’s not too bad.
Rest, then. We’ll eat here and head out right after breakfast.
Right.
They quickly set wards, went through their nightly routine, and crawled into bed. And once the lights were out, Sam counted off thirty seconds before saying, “Dean?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Son of a bitch...”
Sam laughed.
“Go to SLEEP.”
“Jerk.”
“Bitch.” He waited ten seconds. “G’night, little brother.”
“Night, Dean. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Dean wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting the Roadhouse to be, but a bar wasn’t very high on his list. He wasn’t sure he should take Sammy in there.
But there weren’t many cars there when they arrived. And just as Dean turned off the engine, the door opened and a guy about his age with a blond mullet rolled out in a wheelchair and headed toward the Impala.
Dean stood, watching him come. “Hey.”
“Howdy,” the guy drawled. “You Dean Winchester?”
“Depends on who wants to know.”
“Ashton Buchholz Harvelle.” The wheelchair came to a stop in front of Dean, and the guy stuck out his hand. “But to a fellow hunter, it’s just Ash.”
Dean nodded once and shook his hand. “Dean.”
“You’re a hunter?” Sam asked with typical teenage lack of tact. “In a wheelchair?”
“’Swhy I’m in the damn thing,” Ash replied. “Broke m’back on a gravestone couple years back.”
“Sorry, man,” the brothers chorused.
Ash waved it off. “You must be Sam.”
“I am.”
Dean bit his tongue to keep from making the obvious joke.
Ash made it for him. “I’ll get Mama Ellen to make some green eggs and ham.”
Both brothers laughed. Then Dean turned to Sam. Wait here.
“Ah, he don’t have to. Mama Ellen’ll want to feed you both anyway.”
Dean blinked. You understand?
“Yeah. M’parents were deaf.” Ash sighed. “Guess that’s how the werewolf got to ’em-couldn’t hear it. Daddy Bill killed it, adopted me so I wouldn’t have to go into foster care.”
Dean smiled. Good people.
Ash smiled back. “Yeah. Really are.”
Safe for Sammy? Only 14.
“He’ll probably wanna go upstairs here in a few, but Mama Ellen’ll look after both of you.” Ash chuckled. “Hell, she’ll probably want him to watch Jo for tonight.”
Joe? they both fingerspelled.
Jo, he fingerspelled back. “M’sister. Well, Bill and Ellen’s daughter-ain’t my blood, but she’s kin.”
They followed Ash inside and gathered around a table.
“Ain’t much to go on yet,” Ash informed them. “Cattle mutilations, like I told Singer. But then last night there was an electrical storm. If I had to guess....”
“What is it?” they chorused.
“I’d say demon. ’Swhy I called Singer to start with... just had a feelin’.”
Dean looked at Sam. Demon.
Sam grimaced. They’d had only one previous run-in with demons, the summer before in Cazadore. How we find? Not like we can say “Christo” to everyone in town.
Ash nodded. “’Sa good question.”
“Got a good answer?”
“Nope. But I bet I know who does.”
And as if on cue, an older woman came out from behind the bar and walked up to the table. “You John’s boys?” she asked.
“Depends on who’s askin’,” Dean shot back, stepping in front of Sammy automatically.
She smiled and held out a hand. “Ellen Harvelle. You probably don’t remember the last time you were here-you were knee-high to a grasshopper, and Sam here wasn’t even out of diapers.”
“You know our father?” Dean asked.
She nodded. “Haven’t seen him in about ten years, but yeah, I know him.”
“Don’t tell him you’ve seen us,” Dean said.
“I won’t. Bobby explained when he told us you were coming.”
Both boys visibly relaxed, smiling.
“Need some help here, Mama Ellen,” said Ash. “If this thing in Omaha is a demon, what’s the best way for the boys to find it?”
Ellen hummed thoughtfully and sat down. “Have you tried looking for other patterns-where the cattle mutilations occurred, other animal deaths, murders?”
Ash pursed his lips and rolled over to a homemade computer. “Not sure what there’ll be, but... gimme an hour.”
Dean’s eyes widened at the sight of it.
Ellen smiled proudly. “Ash built that himself.”
He’s good.
“That he is.” Ellen paused. “Bobby didn’t mention-is one of you boys deaf?”
They looked at each other, then back at her, shaking their heads.
“I just wondered... since you sign....”
Not deaf. I mute when little.
She nodded, understanding. “I remember now. I thought you were just shy.”
Dean shook his head. We left Dad, gave Sammy normal.
Ellen nodded again. “I can understand that. What I hear lately, it’s for the best.”
Both boys beamed.
It struck Ellen that they never asked how John was.
She sighed and stood. “Well. Let me get some supper going for you. You mind stayin’ here tonight, if you don’t have to rush right on to Omaha?”
Don’t know.
“Stay for supper, at least. That’ll give Ash time to find some more information for you.”
Dean looked at Sammy, then nodded.
“Thank you, Mrs. Harvelle,” Sam said aloud.
“Ellen, please. Just Ellen.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.
Castiel did a quick sweep of the Roadhouse, checking the patrons (all human) and the wards (adequate). Then, assured that his charges would be safe for the moment, he took off for Omaha.
He arrived to find a sleeping woman being stalked. He didn’t recognize this particular demon, and he didn’t see any reason why it should be attracted to this particular woman. It seemed powerful, though, and she seemed innocent, so he drew his sword and stood in the demon’s path.
It hissed, recoiling slightly.
“You do not belong here,” said Castiel. “Leave this woman alone.”
She has been chosen.
Castiel’s wings flared out, blocking the demon’s view. “Then choose another.”
There is no other. This is she who is to bear the chosen one.
He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder-why would this ordinary woman be chosen as the mother of what he could only assume would be the Antichrist? “In the name of my Father, you shall not touch her!”
The demon wailed in pain.
Castiel attacked. It howled. Wailed. Tried to fight back. But it was quickly overpowered.
Yet before Castiel could get out more than one word to banish it back to Hell, it fled, crying, We will have her, angel! You will see!
The woman stirred.
Castiel did a quick scan of her mind to ascertain her name and whispered, Julia. Julia, wake up! You are in danger!
Her eyes snapped open.
You must leave this house now!
She jerked on her clothing and fled. Castiel followed her into her car and whispered directions all the way to the Roadhouse. She stumbled in, dazed and confused. Satisfied, Castiel stayed outside to keep watch.
Sam, Dean, and Ash were still puzzling over the inconsistent information they’d found about Omaha when a young woman stumbled in, looking lost and upset.
Dean was instantly on his feet. “Hey... Ellen!”
Ellen ran out from the back room and immediately went over to the woman. “Ma’am? Are you all right?”
“I... I don’t ....”
“It’s okay. Whatever it is, however crazy it sounds, you’re safe here.”
She sniffled. “I was told to leave... that I wasn’t safe...”
Dean frowned. “Leave? Leave where?”
“My h-home. In Omaha.”
Sam and Dean looked at each other, wide-eyed, and Ash cursed in ASL.
She shook, looking at Ellen. “What’s going on?”
“We’re not sure, ma’am,” Ellen replied, “but there’s a good chance something followed you. Boys?”
“On it,” they chorused.
Ash sped around the bar, leading the boys to the storeroom where Ellen kept the bags of salt. The Roadhouse was warded, but they quickly packed shells. Ash loaded the shells into shotguns as fast as the Winchesters got them packed.
Dean took first watch. Sam, Ellen, and Ash made the woman, who introduced herself as Julia Wright, comfortable in one of the back rooms. She was crying now. She didn’t understand!
Sam took her hand. “Julia, we... we think there might be a demon after you.”
“A what?”
“A demon. We were just investigating some omens that popped up around Omaha in the last few days.”
She shook. “But... why me?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. Hell’s up to something, but we don’t know what it is yet. But we’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
Ash slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Hey. ’S gonna be okay.”
She leaned into him and cried till she fell asleep.
At the door, Dean was fighting boredom when the lights suddenly started to flicker. He couldn’t see anything or anyone in the parking lot, but he called to Ellen anyway.
“I see it going on. Back inside.”
Dean backed through the door carefully, doing his best not to scuff the salt line. Ellen repaired it behind him. The flickering went on for several moments. Then a man appeared under one of the parking lot lights... which promptly exploded.
“There it is,” Dean snarled.
Ellen shouldered her own shotgun. “Get ready.”
Sam shouldered his. “Ready.”
The door blew open, and a gust of wind scattered the salt line, allowing the demon to stroll in. Dean, Ellen, and Sam all fired at the same time. It hissed and fell back a step as the salt made contact... and then it caught sight of Sam.
It chuckled evilly. “Well, well. The mother of the chosen one hides behind the Boy King. How delightfully ironic.”
“Boy King?” Ellen asked.
The demon waved a hand, and Ellen-and only Ellen-went flying. It blinked. “Well. Seems you’re both stronger than I thought. But I’m still going to take the girl, you hear?”
“No,” Dean said. “You’re not.”
“Exorcisamus te,” snarled Sam.
Dean snarled the next line.
The demon howled and tried to throw them telekinetically as he’d done to Ellen, who was now staggering to her feet. But the boys kept standing firm, trading lines of the exorcism, until the last words were said and the demon came out of its host.
Dean lunged forward, catching the host. Sam dashed to the door, sweeping the salt back into place.
Dean raised his head. “He’s alive.”
“Ash!” Ellen called. “Need the first aid kit.”
He rolled over with it.
And moments later a sleepy girl who looked to be a couple of years younger than Sam wandered out of the back. “Mama? Wha’ happened?”
“Go back to bed, JoannaBeth.”
“Why?”
Ellen glared at her. “Because I said to.”
“Who’re they?”
“People who will be here in the morning. Bed, JoannaBeth.”
“Never let me do anything.” But she stomped away.
Ash met Dean’s questioning glance with a sigh and a nod. “Yep. That’s Jo.”
Poor you.
Ash snorted.
Once Ellen was sure Jo was out of earshot, she said quietly, “Boys... we need to talk.”
“All right.”
Sam bent over to apply a bandage to one of the victim’s gunshot wounds, and his necklace fell out of his shirt.
Ash whistled, and Ellen’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, that answers one of my questions,” she said.
“What?” Sam asked, frowning.
“This Boy King business-no demon’s gettin’ into you when you’re wearing that. What’s it made of, silver and iron?”
He smiled. “Yup.”
“His best friend’s dad made ’em for us,” Dean added, flipping out his own. “After what happened last summer, we all figured we were better safe than sorry.”
“Tell me about that,” Ellen said.
Sam sighed. “We’re still not sure of the whys and wherefores, but a demon possessed my best friend Josh. Our friends Daphne and Tricia figured it out, and Bobby and Rufus came down to help us exorcise him.”
Whole town knows, Dean signed.
Sam nodded and grinned. “It’s turned out to be pretty awesome. Now we don’t have to hide who we are anymore, what we do. Josh even wants to hunt with us sometimes!”
Dean nodded, his expression eloquently telegraphing that he still couldn’t quite believe it.
Ellen nodded back. “That is pretty amazing.” She paused. “When Josh was possessed, did the demon... say anything like this one did?”
The Winchester boys looked at each other - and nodded.
“Josh swears it isn’t true, though,” Sam added.
“Thing that’s got me bugged, though,” Ellen said carefully, “is that that’s the second demon to say that to you. About you.”
Dean bit his lip. Josh demon said sent by Azazel to watch Boy King. Not clear what they think Sam is or why, but looks like they all think it. Josh says they wrong. He turned, and his next signs were for his brother. I say they wrong.
Sam looked about ready to cry. I pray they wrong. I not want that. I want to be good.
ARE good. His hand curled around the back of Sam’s neck.
Sam sniffled a little. Thanks, Dean.
He nodded and turned back to Ellen.
Ellen nodded thoughtfully. “Now, granted, I’ve only known you two for a few hours, but... I’d say your brother’s right, Sam.”
They looked at her.
“‘If Satan cast out Satan,’” Ash quoted, “‘he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?’ But you sure sent that one packin’, compadre.”
“So....” Sam sniffled. “This isn’t what I’m supposed to be? They really think I am this Boy King but I don’t have to be it.”
“Demons lie, Sam,” Ellen said gently. “Especially to themselves and to each other. No, you don’t have to be anything other than Sam Winchester.”
My brother.
Sam’s lip quivered for a moment as he looked at Dean. Then he practically tackled his big brother with a hug. Dean rocked him, holding him close.
Ellen nodded again and smiled a little. “That’s what I thought.” Then she ran a gentle hand over Sam’s hair, patted Dean’s shoulder approvingly, and started hauling the demon’s former host to another back bedroom. It would be all too easy to convince him he’d been on a bender.
The boys were somewhat subdued at breakfast the next morning. Dean and Sam sat close on the barstools, signing close to their chests.
Ash rolled over and cleared his throat, causing the brothers to jump. “Som’n’ wrong?” he asked, looking genuinely concerned.
Dean shrugged. “Just a... conversation we started last night.”
“About?”
They looked at each other.
Ash waited.
“You were there when we talked last night,” said Sam suddenly. “You know what they say about me... that I’m the Boy King of Hell. What....What do you think?”
Ash looked at him steadily and said, “You ain’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Listen, little bro. I ain’t got the Sight or nothin’, but... workin’ in this business, you get to know people. You get to see things about ’em just from their faces, the way they talk. Now, somethin’s shadowed you-but knowin’ your daddy and your story, that ain’t no surprise. But that’s all it is, is a shadow. Cain’t hide the brightness underneath.”
“Dean’s told me the same thing.”
“An’ bein’ as he knows you better’n I do, I reckon you oughta listen to ’im.”
Sam smiled. “Thanks, man. Just got so afraid, you know?”
Ash nodded. “I get it. You hear som’n’ like that from two diff’rent demons... you wonder.”
Dean suddenly started to smile.
“What?” Sam and Ash asked at the same time.
“Dude. This is what they told Dad. This has to be. Don’t you see?” He switched to sign. Two demons. Say same. Told us you Boy King. Told us their PLANS.
Sam blinked. How that help us?
We know they plan make you Boy King. You just don’t do it! We know now. We can FIGHT now.
How? What we do?
Dean leaned close. Boy King a demon. You be Sammy. Sweet, sunny little brother. They mean to turn you into demon. We won’t let them. You just be you. Heart too big. Too kind. Too loving for demon.
Ash nodded. “He’s right, compadre. You keep shinin’, they cain’t touch you.”
You, Dean told Sam. SHINE.
Sam grinned suddenly. “Is that an order, DAD?”
Damn straight. SON. Dean grinned from ear to ear.
Sam laughed, and so did Dean and Ash.
Just then Julia, still looking shaken from the previous night’s experience, came out of the back.
“Hey,” Dean said, suddenly on his feet. “Come sit.”
She hesitated. “I don’t want to interrupt....”
“You’re not,” Sam and Dean said together, and Dean repeated, “Sit.”
She ducked her head shyly and joined them. Ash wheeled around the bar and brought her a plate and a mug of coffee.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked her, genuine concern lighting his body.
She nodded. “I... will be. I guess I’m just still kind of freaked out about yesterday.”
“Hell of an introduction to the life.”
“The life?”
“This. What we do.”
She looked at him skeptically. “You’re not even 16 yet, are you?”
“Don’t let our youth fool you, ma’am,” Dean said. “You’re more than safe now.”
She blushed a little. “Thank you. I don’t know why I came here, but... I’m glad I did.”
Unseen, Castiel glanced at Gabriel, whom he’d called for backup. “Is it truly that simple? Can the Antichrist never be born from this woman now? Can Sam’s destiny be abolished just by being... himself?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Can it be? Sure. Will it? We’ll see. But as for Julia....”
Castiel tilted his head, waiting.
“I’ve got an idea,” Sam said suddenly. “Be right back.” He dashed out to the Impala and came back with a jewelry box.
Dean began to grin.
Sam opened the box and handed it to Julia. “Wear this. No matter what that demon wanted, it won’t be able to touch you if you do-especially not if it wanted to possess you.”
“It’s... a pentagram?” Julia asked, huge-eyed.
“With the sunburst, it’s an anti-possession sigil,” Sam explained. “Made of silver and iron, so a demon can’t break it or pull it off. And there’s an inscription on the back that says no harm will come to you if you wear it.”
Julia chewed on her lip for a moment as she considered the necklace... and then took it out of the box and slipped it on.
Gabriel smirked at Castiel. “NOW it’s over.”
Castiel smiled at him. “This feels good. This feels... right.”
Gabriel’s smirk became a genuine smile as he squeezed the back of his brother’s neck. “You did the right thing in bringing her here, Castiel. Good job.”
“Thank you, brother. For allowing me to be part of this.”
“Like I said, it’s how Dad wants it. But it’s good to have you, bub. Seriously.”
Together, they watched the brothers interact with Ash and Julia. And they knew things on that end were going to be just fine.
“How soon do you boys need to head back?” Ellen finally asked after she and Jo had seen the demon’s victim safely on his way and had eaten their own breakfasts.
“I was hoping to be back in Cazadore tomorrow,” Dean said.
“Aw, man,” Ash complained. “You just got here!”
“Yeah, but you know Sammy. Puts down roots fast.”
“But you told Tricia-” Sam began.
I know. Wanna go home.
Sam tried not to pout. He didn’t quite succeed.
One more day.
Sam grinned.
“We’ll stay one more day,” Dean announced to Ellen.
Ellen smiled. “Wonderful. I think Ash was looking forward to having someone to talk computers with.”
Sam visibly brightened at that.
So did Dean. “Yeah, that rig of yours is pretty sweet.”
“Not as sweet as that ride of yours,” Ash grinned.
“Take good care of her,” Dean replied.
Jo huffed and rolled her eyes. “Boys.”
Julia laughed.
The day passed in pleasure and laughter and fun. And all too soon, it was time to pack up and head south.
Ellen filled a cooler with quick meals for them so that they wouldn’t have to spend money on food. And as they left, she made them promise to call her. “I’ll track you down if you don’t!”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.
She stood there, flanked by Jo and Ash, watching long after the Impala’s taillights had vanished and the dust had settled.
“I like them,” Ash finally proclaimed.
“Me too,” Jo smiled.
Ellen put her arms around her children and smiled herself. “Now I can say for sure there’s one thing John Winchester did right.”
“What’s that, Mama?” Jo asked, looking up at her.
“He might have driven those two away... but he gave ’em a damn good foundation to build on.”
“Nah,” Ash said. “They just love each other.”
Ellen looked at him for a moment, then said, “Well, then, I’ll revise that. The one thing John did right was fathering those two to begin with.”
“More like it.” Ash grinned cheekily at her.
She chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. “C’mon. Bar won’t run itself.”
And with one final glance down the highway after their new friends, the Harvelles turned and went back inside the Roadhouse.
Summary: A summer hunt in Nebraska has unexpected consequences, not least of which is introducing the boys to a few new friends.
Friends in Low Places
By San Antonio Rose and Enola Jones
July 12, 1997
Sam and Dean had just spent ten glorious days on a dude ranch outside Bandera and were packing to head back to Cazadore when the phone in their room rang. It was Bobby.
“Hey, Uncle Bobby!” Dean grinned. “What’s up?”
“Things are quiet here. How’s cowboy life been treatin’ you boys?”
“Good! Sammy has a healthy tan!”
Bobby chuckled. “Listen, Dean, this isn’t urgent, but... it’s startin’ to look like there’s a hunt up around Omaha. Not a lot to go on yet, but there’s been some cattle mutilations in the area.”
“Okay. Want us to check it out?”
“If you don’t mind. Rufus is in Japan for the summer, and I gotta mind the phones for a while.”
“What do you think we're facing?”
“Hard to tell yet. But what I think you should do is go first to a place called Harvelle’s Roadhouse.” Bobby rattled off the address, and Dean wrote it down. “The owner’s Ellen Harvelle; she’s a hunter’s widow, done some huntin’ herself. And her adopted son Ash is a computer whiz, should be able to scare up more omens than I know how to look for right now.”
“Will do. Thanks, Uncle Bobby.”
“You boys take care of yourselves. And if you need backup, Ellen knows who to call.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” He hung up. “We’re heading to the Roadhouse.”
Roadhouse? Sam signed, frowning slightly. What’s that?
A hunter’s place. Run by widow of a hunter.
Sam’s face cleared, and he nodded. Better call girls. Daphne and Tricia were house-sitting for them again.
Dean nodded and dialed their home number, waiting for one of the girls to pick up.
“Bloodhound Detective Agency,” Tricia’s cheerful voice answered. “Whenever there’s trouble, we’re there on the double. Mr. Winchester isn’t here.”
Dean let his laugh answer for him.
Tricia laughed as well. “¡Hola! What’s up?”
“Hola. We have a case.” Just in case the motel owner was nosy. “We’ll call later on with details.”
“Cool. How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
“No idea. Three or four days to a week?”
“Okay. That should be fine. Well, Mama might have kittens, but you know how she is.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Dare I ask where you’re headed?”
“Nebraska.”
“Huh! Okay, well, one of us should be here pretty much all day.”
“We should know something soon. Take care, Tricia. Sammy says hi.”
He could almost hear her smile brighten. “Tell him hi back. Have a good trip!”
“Thanks.” He hung up and turned, watching Sammy play with his knives.
“We ready?” Sam asked, flipping one knife in the air, catching it, and making it vanish into a hidden sheath.
Ready. Dean beamed at him. How many you wear today?
Sam just chuckled. Wouldn’t you like to know.
Bitch.
Jerk.
Laughter was their only sound as they loaded the car.
After they stopped for the night, Dean worked with Sammy a little bit in the darkened parking lot - teaching him how to back up and park the Impala. He couldn’t officially start Driver’s Ed for another year, but Dean figured it couldn’t hurt for him to know a few basics in case of emergency. And he ended the session with a proud, brotherly hug.
Sam hugged him back, beaming.
They moved inside and Sammy broke out the maps.
How far to this Roadhouse? Dean signed to him, bringing over soda and coffee.
Sam chewed his lip as he figured the distance from their motel in Oklahoma City. Looks like 500 miles, give or take.
8 hours or so. Less if we eat in the car.
Sam nodded. Should get there for supper, if the traffic’s not too bad.
Rest, then. We’ll eat here and head out right after breakfast.
Right.
They quickly set wards, went through their nightly routine, and crawled into bed. And once the lights were out, Sam counted off thirty seconds before saying, “Dean?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Son of a bitch...”
Sam laughed.
“Go to SLEEP.”
“Jerk.”
“Bitch.” He waited ten seconds. “G’night, little brother.”
“Night, Dean. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Dean wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting the Roadhouse to be, but a bar wasn’t very high on his list. He wasn’t sure he should take Sammy in there.
But there weren’t many cars there when they arrived. And just as Dean turned off the engine, the door opened and a guy about his age with a blond mullet rolled out in a wheelchair and headed toward the Impala.
Dean stood, watching him come. “Hey.”
“Howdy,” the guy drawled. “You Dean Winchester?”
“Depends on who wants to know.”
“Ashton Buchholz Harvelle.” The wheelchair came to a stop in front of Dean, and the guy stuck out his hand. “But to a fellow hunter, it’s just Ash.”
Dean nodded once and shook his hand. “Dean.”
“You’re a hunter?” Sam asked with typical teenage lack of tact. “In a wheelchair?”
“’Swhy I’m in the damn thing,” Ash replied. “Broke m’back on a gravestone couple years back.”
“Sorry, man,” the brothers chorused.
Ash waved it off. “You must be Sam.”
“I am.”
Dean bit his tongue to keep from making the obvious joke.
Ash made it for him. “I’ll get Mama Ellen to make some green eggs and ham.”
Both brothers laughed. Then Dean turned to Sam. Wait here.
“Ah, he don’t have to. Mama Ellen’ll want to feed you both anyway.”
Dean blinked. You understand?
“Yeah. M’parents were deaf.” Ash sighed. “Guess that’s how the werewolf got to ’em-couldn’t hear it. Daddy Bill killed it, adopted me so I wouldn’t have to go into foster care.”
Dean smiled. Good people.
Ash smiled back. “Yeah. Really are.”
Safe for Sammy? Only 14.
“He’ll probably wanna go upstairs here in a few, but Mama Ellen’ll look after both of you.” Ash chuckled. “Hell, she’ll probably want him to watch Jo for tonight.”
Joe? they both fingerspelled.
Jo, he fingerspelled back. “M’sister. Well, Bill and Ellen’s daughter-ain’t my blood, but she’s kin.”
They followed Ash inside and gathered around a table.
“Ain’t much to go on yet,” Ash informed them. “Cattle mutilations, like I told Singer. But then last night there was an electrical storm. If I had to guess....”
“What is it?” they chorused.
“I’d say demon. ’Swhy I called Singer to start with... just had a feelin’.”
Dean looked at Sam. Demon.
Sam grimaced. They’d had only one previous run-in with demons, the summer before in Cazadore. How we find? Not like we can say “Christo” to everyone in town.
Ash nodded. “’Sa good question.”
“Got a good answer?”
“Nope. But I bet I know who does.”
And as if on cue, an older woman came out from behind the bar and walked up to the table. “You John’s boys?” she asked.
“Depends on who’s askin’,” Dean shot back, stepping in front of Sammy automatically.
She smiled and held out a hand. “Ellen Harvelle. You probably don’t remember the last time you were here-you were knee-high to a grasshopper, and Sam here wasn’t even out of diapers.”
“You know our father?” Dean asked.
She nodded. “Haven’t seen him in about ten years, but yeah, I know him.”
“Don’t tell him you’ve seen us,” Dean said.
“I won’t. Bobby explained when he told us you were coming.”
Both boys visibly relaxed, smiling.
“Need some help here, Mama Ellen,” said Ash. “If this thing in Omaha is a demon, what’s the best way for the boys to find it?”
Ellen hummed thoughtfully and sat down. “Have you tried looking for other patterns-where the cattle mutilations occurred, other animal deaths, murders?”
Ash pursed his lips and rolled over to a homemade computer. “Not sure what there’ll be, but... gimme an hour.”
Dean’s eyes widened at the sight of it.
Ellen smiled proudly. “Ash built that himself.”
He’s good.
“That he is.” Ellen paused. “Bobby didn’t mention-is one of you boys deaf?”
They looked at each other, then back at her, shaking their heads.
“I just wondered... since you sign....”
Not deaf. I mute when little.
She nodded, understanding. “I remember now. I thought you were just shy.”
Dean shook his head. We left Dad, gave Sammy normal.
Ellen nodded again. “I can understand that. What I hear lately, it’s for the best.”
Both boys beamed.
It struck Ellen that they never asked how John was.
She sighed and stood. “Well. Let me get some supper going for you. You mind stayin’ here tonight, if you don’t have to rush right on to Omaha?”
Don’t know.
“Stay for supper, at least. That’ll give Ash time to find some more information for you.”
Dean looked at Sammy, then nodded.
“Thank you, Mrs. Harvelle,” Sam said aloud.
“Ellen, please. Just Ellen.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.
Castiel did a quick sweep of the Roadhouse, checking the patrons (all human) and the wards (adequate). Then, assured that his charges would be safe for the moment, he took off for Omaha.
He arrived to find a sleeping woman being stalked. He didn’t recognize this particular demon, and he didn’t see any reason why it should be attracted to this particular woman. It seemed powerful, though, and she seemed innocent, so he drew his sword and stood in the demon’s path.
It hissed, recoiling slightly.
“You do not belong here,” said Castiel. “Leave this woman alone.”
She has been chosen.
Castiel’s wings flared out, blocking the demon’s view. “Then choose another.”
There is no other. This is she who is to bear the chosen one.
He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder-why would this ordinary woman be chosen as the mother of what he could only assume would be the Antichrist? “In the name of my Father, you shall not touch her!”
The demon wailed in pain.
Castiel attacked. It howled. Wailed. Tried to fight back. But it was quickly overpowered.
Yet before Castiel could get out more than one word to banish it back to Hell, it fled, crying, We will have her, angel! You will see!
The woman stirred.
Castiel did a quick scan of her mind to ascertain her name and whispered, Julia. Julia, wake up! You are in danger!
Her eyes snapped open.
You must leave this house now!
She jerked on her clothing and fled. Castiel followed her into her car and whispered directions all the way to the Roadhouse. She stumbled in, dazed and confused. Satisfied, Castiel stayed outside to keep watch.
Sam, Dean, and Ash were still puzzling over the inconsistent information they’d found about Omaha when a young woman stumbled in, looking lost and upset.
Dean was instantly on his feet. “Hey... Ellen!”
Ellen ran out from the back room and immediately went over to the woman. “Ma’am? Are you all right?”
“I... I don’t ....”
“It’s okay. Whatever it is, however crazy it sounds, you’re safe here.”
She sniffled. “I was told to leave... that I wasn’t safe...”
Dean frowned. “Leave? Leave where?”
“My h-home. In Omaha.”
Sam and Dean looked at each other, wide-eyed, and Ash cursed in ASL.
She shook, looking at Ellen. “What’s going on?”
“We’re not sure, ma’am,” Ellen replied, “but there’s a good chance something followed you. Boys?”
“On it,” they chorused.
Ash sped around the bar, leading the boys to the storeroom where Ellen kept the bags of salt. The Roadhouse was warded, but they quickly packed shells. Ash loaded the shells into shotguns as fast as the Winchesters got them packed.
Dean took first watch. Sam, Ellen, and Ash made the woman, who introduced herself as Julia Wright, comfortable in one of the back rooms. She was crying now. She didn’t understand!
Sam took her hand. “Julia, we... we think there might be a demon after you.”
“A what?”
“A demon. We were just investigating some omens that popped up around Omaha in the last few days.”
She shook. “But... why me?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. Hell’s up to something, but we don’t know what it is yet. But we’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
Ash slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Hey. ’S gonna be okay.”
She leaned into him and cried till she fell asleep.
At the door, Dean was fighting boredom when the lights suddenly started to flicker. He couldn’t see anything or anyone in the parking lot, but he called to Ellen anyway.
“I see it going on. Back inside.”
Dean backed through the door carefully, doing his best not to scuff the salt line. Ellen repaired it behind him. The flickering went on for several moments. Then a man appeared under one of the parking lot lights... which promptly exploded.
“There it is,” Dean snarled.
Ellen shouldered her own shotgun. “Get ready.”
Sam shouldered his. “Ready.”
The door blew open, and a gust of wind scattered the salt line, allowing the demon to stroll in. Dean, Ellen, and Sam all fired at the same time. It hissed and fell back a step as the salt made contact... and then it caught sight of Sam.
It chuckled evilly. “Well, well. The mother of the chosen one hides behind the Boy King. How delightfully ironic.”
“Boy King?” Ellen asked.
The demon waved a hand, and Ellen-and only Ellen-went flying. It blinked. “Well. Seems you’re both stronger than I thought. But I’m still going to take the girl, you hear?”
“No,” Dean said. “You’re not.”
“Exorcisamus te,” snarled Sam.
Dean snarled the next line.
The demon howled and tried to throw them telekinetically as he’d done to Ellen, who was now staggering to her feet. But the boys kept standing firm, trading lines of the exorcism, until the last words were said and the demon came out of its host.
Dean lunged forward, catching the host. Sam dashed to the door, sweeping the salt back into place.
Dean raised his head. “He’s alive.”
“Ash!” Ellen called. “Need the first aid kit.”
He rolled over with it.
And moments later a sleepy girl who looked to be a couple of years younger than Sam wandered out of the back. “Mama? Wha’ happened?”
“Go back to bed, JoannaBeth.”
“Why?”
Ellen glared at her. “Because I said to.”
“Who’re they?”
“People who will be here in the morning. Bed, JoannaBeth.”
“Never let me do anything.” But she stomped away.
Ash met Dean’s questioning glance with a sigh and a nod. “Yep. That’s Jo.”
Poor you.
Ash snorted.
Once Ellen was sure Jo was out of earshot, she said quietly, “Boys... we need to talk.”
“All right.”
Sam bent over to apply a bandage to one of the victim’s gunshot wounds, and his necklace fell out of his shirt.
Ash whistled, and Ellen’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, that answers one of my questions,” she said.
“What?” Sam asked, frowning.
“This Boy King business-no demon’s gettin’ into you when you’re wearing that. What’s it made of, silver and iron?”
He smiled. “Yup.”
“His best friend’s dad made ’em for us,” Dean added, flipping out his own. “After what happened last summer, we all figured we were better safe than sorry.”
“Tell me about that,” Ellen said.
Sam sighed. “We’re still not sure of the whys and wherefores, but a demon possessed my best friend Josh. Our friends Daphne and Tricia figured it out, and Bobby and Rufus came down to help us exorcise him.”
Whole town knows, Dean signed.
Sam nodded and grinned. “It’s turned out to be pretty awesome. Now we don’t have to hide who we are anymore, what we do. Josh even wants to hunt with us sometimes!”
Dean nodded, his expression eloquently telegraphing that he still couldn’t quite believe it.
Ellen nodded back. “That is pretty amazing.” She paused. “When Josh was possessed, did the demon... say anything like this one did?”
The Winchester boys looked at each other - and nodded.
“Josh swears it isn’t true, though,” Sam added.
“Thing that’s got me bugged, though,” Ellen said carefully, “is that that’s the second demon to say that to you. About you.”
Dean bit his lip. Josh demon said sent by Azazel to watch Boy King. Not clear what they think Sam is or why, but looks like they all think it. Josh says they wrong. He turned, and his next signs were for his brother. I say they wrong.
Sam looked about ready to cry. I pray they wrong. I not want that. I want to be good.
ARE good. His hand curled around the back of Sam’s neck.
Sam sniffled a little. Thanks, Dean.
He nodded and turned back to Ellen.
Ellen nodded thoughtfully. “Now, granted, I’ve only known you two for a few hours, but... I’d say your brother’s right, Sam.”
They looked at her.
“‘If Satan cast out Satan,’” Ash quoted, “‘he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?’ But you sure sent that one packin’, compadre.”
“So....” Sam sniffled. “This isn’t what I’m supposed to be? They really think I am this Boy King but I don’t have to be it.”
“Demons lie, Sam,” Ellen said gently. “Especially to themselves and to each other. No, you don’t have to be anything other than Sam Winchester.”
My brother.
Sam’s lip quivered for a moment as he looked at Dean. Then he practically tackled his big brother with a hug. Dean rocked him, holding him close.
Ellen nodded again and smiled a little. “That’s what I thought.” Then she ran a gentle hand over Sam’s hair, patted Dean’s shoulder approvingly, and started hauling the demon’s former host to another back bedroom. It would be all too easy to convince him he’d been on a bender.
The boys were somewhat subdued at breakfast the next morning. Dean and Sam sat close on the barstools, signing close to their chests.
Ash rolled over and cleared his throat, causing the brothers to jump. “Som’n’ wrong?” he asked, looking genuinely concerned.
Dean shrugged. “Just a... conversation we started last night.”
“About?”
They looked at each other.
Ash waited.
“You were there when we talked last night,” said Sam suddenly. “You know what they say about me... that I’m the Boy King of Hell. What....What do you think?”
Ash looked at him steadily and said, “You ain’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Listen, little bro. I ain’t got the Sight or nothin’, but... workin’ in this business, you get to know people. You get to see things about ’em just from their faces, the way they talk. Now, somethin’s shadowed you-but knowin’ your daddy and your story, that ain’t no surprise. But that’s all it is, is a shadow. Cain’t hide the brightness underneath.”
“Dean’s told me the same thing.”
“An’ bein’ as he knows you better’n I do, I reckon you oughta listen to ’im.”
Sam smiled. “Thanks, man. Just got so afraid, you know?”
Ash nodded. “I get it. You hear som’n’ like that from two diff’rent demons... you wonder.”
Dean suddenly started to smile.
“What?” Sam and Ash asked at the same time.
“Dude. This is what they told Dad. This has to be. Don’t you see?” He switched to sign. Two demons. Say same. Told us you Boy King. Told us their PLANS.
Sam blinked. How that help us?
We know they plan make you Boy King. You just don’t do it! We know now. We can FIGHT now.
How? What we do?
Dean leaned close. Boy King a demon. You be Sammy. Sweet, sunny little brother. They mean to turn you into demon. We won’t let them. You just be you. Heart too big. Too kind. Too loving for demon.
Ash nodded. “He’s right, compadre. You keep shinin’, they cain’t touch you.”
You, Dean told Sam. SHINE.
Sam grinned suddenly. “Is that an order, DAD?”
Damn straight. SON. Dean grinned from ear to ear.
Sam laughed, and so did Dean and Ash.
Just then Julia, still looking shaken from the previous night’s experience, came out of the back.
“Hey,” Dean said, suddenly on his feet. “Come sit.”
She hesitated. “I don’t want to interrupt....”
“You’re not,” Sam and Dean said together, and Dean repeated, “Sit.”
She ducked her head shyly and joined them. Ash wheeled around the bar and brought her a plate and a mug of coffee.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked her, genuine concern lighting his body.
She nodded. “I... will be. I guess I’m just still kind of freaked out about yesterday.”
“Hell of an introduction to the life.”
“The life?”
“This. What we do.”
She looked at him skeptically. “You’re not even 16 yet, are you?”
“Don’t let our youth fool you, ma’am,” Dean said. “You’re more than safe now.”
She blushed a little. “Thank you. I don’t know why I came here, but... I’m glad I did.”
Unseen, Castiel glanced at Gabriel, whom he’d called for backup. “Is it truly that simple? Can the Antichrist never be born from this woman now? Can Sam’s destiny be abolished just by being... himself?”
Gabriel shrugged. “Can it be? Sure. Will it? We’ll see. But as for Julia....”
Castiel tilted his head, waiting.
“I’ve got an idea,” Sam said suddenly. “Be right back.” He dashed out to the Impala and came back with a jewelry box.
Dean began to grin.
Sam opened the box and handed it to Julia. “Wear this. No matter what that demon wanted, it won’t be able to touch you if you do-especially not if it wanted to possess you.”
“It’s... a pentagram?” Julia asked, huge-eyed.
“With the sunburst, it’s an anti-possession sigil,” Sam explained. “Made of silver and iron, so a demon can’t break it or pull it off. And there’s an inscription on the back that says no harm will come to you if you wear it.”
Julia chewed on her lip for a moment as she considered the necklace... and then took it out of the box and slipped it on.
Gabriel smirked at Castiel. “NOW it’s over.”
Castiel smiled at him. “This feels good. This feels... right.”
Gabriel’s smirk became a genuine smile as he squeezed the back of his brother’s neck. “You did the right thing in bringing her here, Castiel. Good job.”
“Thank you, brother. For allowing me to be part of this.”
“Like I said, it’s how Dad wants it. But it’s good to have you, bub. Seriously.”
Together, they watched the brothers interact with Ash and Julia. And they knew things on that end were going to be just fine.
“How soon do you boys need to head back?” Ellen finally asked after she and Jo had seen the demon’s victim safely on his way and had eaten their own breakfasts.
“I was hoping to be back in Cazadore tomorrow,” Dean said.
“Aw, man,” Ash complained. “You just got here!”
“Yeah, but you know Sammy. Puts down roots fast.”
“But you told Tricia-” Sam began.
I know. Wanna go home.
Sam tried not to pout. He didn’t quite succeed.
One more day.
Sam grinned.
“We’ll stay one more day,” Dean announced to Ellen.
Ellen smiled. “Wonderful. I think Ash was looking forward to having someone to talk computers with.”
Sam visibly brightened at that.
So did Dean. “Yeah, that rig of yours is pretty sweet.”
“Not as sweet as that ride of yours,” Ash grinned.
“Take good care of her,” Dean replied.
Jo huffed and rolled her eyes. “Boys.”
Julia laughed.
The day passed in pleasure and laughter and fun. And all too soon, it was time to pack up and head south.
Ellen filled a cooler with quick meals for them so that they wouldn’t have to spend money on food. And as they left, she made them promise to call her. “I’ll track you down if you don’t!”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.
She stood there, flanked by Jo and Ash, watching long after the Impala’s taillights had vanished and the dust had settled.
“I like them,” Ash finally proclaimed.
“Me too,” Jo smiled.
Ellen put her arms around her children and smiled herself. “Now I can say for sure there’s one thing John Winchester did right.”
“What’s that, Mama?” Jo asked, looking up at her.
“He might have driven those two away... but he gave ’em a damn good foundation to build on.”
“Nah,” Ash said. “They just love each other.”
Ellen looked at him for a moment, then said, “Well, then, I’ll revise that. The one thing John did right was fathering those two to begin with.”
“More like it.” Ash grinned cheekily at her.
She chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. “C’mon. Bar won’t run itself.”
And with one final glance down the highway after their new friends, the Harvelles turned and went back inside the Roadhouse.