Moving In...Part One
Dean jerked up. “Truck? We don’t have the food put up. Aw, damn it!”
Matt sprang to his feet. "Let's get going then. We can put the truck drivers to work too if need be," he told him.
Dean looked out the window. “It’s the appliance truck. There’s washers, dryers, refrigerators, microwaves, and heavens knows what else is in that thing. This is how we work it, L, Mello, Matt, Sam and I help the movers. The girls, Bobby, Watari, Near, and Ben take care of the food. Divvy it up and there’s butcher markers in the large storage room. Put your name on the meats and stick them in the freezer. We all have pantries for can goods and stuff. The rest, stick your names on and put on the shelves in the storage, or just stick in there and whoever needs it takes it. Take what you want for your pantries. There’s a big walk in fridge in there, put your perishables in it with your names. That will take care of things for now. Extras can stay in it til needed. Let’s go. You pick colored appliances to match the kitchens, Sarah?”
"Yup and each should have a marker on it to indicate where it goes but I can guide if need be," she told him.
“Naah, Sis. You go take care of you and Sam.. Unless? You like veggie shakes?” Dean ducked and headed out the door towards the stairs.
Near looked confused. "Vegetable shakes?"
Dean yelled back, “Don’t look at me. I still like food. Ask Sam. That’s his domain.”
Sam laughed, following his brother. "You've really confused him now," he said, hearing the chatter behind him as the group went to their assigned tasks.
Dean’s laugh could be heard in the main room as he headed towards the front door. “You’re the one who drinks those damn health shakes, Sammy. Not me.”
"Yeah yeah," he snarked back playfully. The group assigned to the food began working on it, Watari taking a lot of the junk food due to his wards' diets.
Dean had worked hard on the grocery list one evening. His selection of meats included different roasts in beef, pork, lamb, and goat. He had a friend who knew where to purchase meat from wild game and there was bison, elk, and venison. He had all kinds of poultry, wild and domestic. The seafood and fish had a wide variety. He picked fresh and frozen vegetables. The cakes, candies, sweets of all kinds were in vast amounts. Every kind of beverage imaginable was there. Dean had set up a computerized list. What was not liked or needed to be limited could be corrected. If more of something was needed, more could be ordered and the amount for the next ordered changed. He had set lists for the those doing the sorting. If something was needed, it was placed on their list. If anyone else wanted something, they could add to it.
Everyone worked together, getting the food and appliances squared away. As soon as that was done, several more trucks rolled in. These contained the furniture and decorations for each wing and the center area. Sarah sighed, looking at that. "Oh man, we're gonna be at this all day."
Dean looked up and saw the company truck from the sewing store. He bit his bottom lip. “Sam the sewing machine is here, but there’s a big Christmas present for Sarah in that truck. It’s got to be set up in her work attic today. They will cover it with a large wooden crate and Lisa and I will decorate it for Christmas. You got to keep her out of their until they're done. Keep her decorating down here.”
Sam tilted his head, realizing each truck was a specific wing. "Let's get Bobby's done first," he said, taking over to give Dean and Lisa time to get the machine hidden.
The massive quilting machine was taken upstairs and some men began the work of putting it together. It filled the end wall in its entirety. Dean knew that a king-sized quilt could be quilted in the machine in one piece. The quilting patterns were slipped into the machine and the lines were followed. He was bouncing from heels to toes and Lisa could tell he was excited. The sewing machine he had selected was set up within the vicinity of the quilting machine and would be usable immediately. He turned to stare at Lisa and grinned. “She deserves this, you know?”
"After all the work she's done on this house? I agree with you. She deserves this and a lot more. Especially for the work she's put into Ben's and Near's rooms. I swear, I was a bit envious on the Lothlorien scene. That was amazing. She really incorporated everyone's tastes in their private spaces," she answered.
“Yeah, I want to do something special for her this weekend. I’m going to do something insane, Lisa. Don’t have me committed. Okay? Just promise me you won’t. I’m also taking Near to the steak house I found. Ben and I are flying to Houston for a football game. I’m trying to fix things around here. I think Ben and I are okay as far as Near goes now. I hope so anyway. It’s a promise I made, Lis. Ben’s got to learn about promises, hon I hope he has. I don’t need any more problems. It’s stressed me enough.” Soon the men were done. Dean left Lisa upstairs as he saw them off, giving them a tip. He went to the storage room and brought a box of special gold foil, bells, ribbons, and other decorations for the crate that was slipped over the large machine, and headed back upstairs.
"He'd love the football game and would adore you even further if you took him to a baseball one," she said. "I was never into football but grew up playing softball so I could teach him about that one."
“I can when the season starts in Houston. Right now, it’s football and basketball. I think Houston and maybe Dallas have hockey teams. Baseball starts in spring.”
"We can look up the teams and seasons," she said. "Maybe even drag Sam and Bobby with you. Matt and Mello too if they're here. Ben could use the guys time out to bond.”
“I thought about doing it for this game, but going out to eat with Near...I just thought Ben might want it alone with me.”
I think he'd love it," she said softly.
“I don’t want to hurt him, Lis, but I won’t hurt Near either. Near saved my life more than once. He’s one of mine. Ben is flesh and blood and will always come first to me, but Near is mine too. Can you understand that? I hope you can.”
"I do, love. We talked about this before. I'm all right with it," she told him as they headed to help set up furniture. It looked as if Bobby's wing was done, including hanging pictures.
“I’m glad you still are, hon. Gee, Bobby’s place looks fantastic. Where’d everybody go?”
Sam came in, holding a small bedside table. "Working on Ryuuzaki's wing since you two were busy."
“I didn’t know their stuff made it. What else needs to be hauled in?”
"Furniture is done..all of the furniture is done. Watari said the odds and ends needed for them will arrive in a bit. It's a secondary location for the most part. We have to finish the furniture and art for them, then either my wing or yours next."
“I don’t care, man. I’m kinda tired and I’d love to get all of this done. Have an evening to relax in our new home. Yours, I guess. Don’t matter.”
"Except for clothes, books, and the like. Though we could send Sarah, Lisa, Ben and Near to help get that started for the set up wings already while we get the rest done with Ryuuzaki, Watari, Bobby, Matt, and Mello."
“That works for me. Get Bobby’s over and Ryu’s boys. Let’s get it finished, Sam. There’s enough of us. What’s taking the movers so long. The ladies can tell them where to put things in our rooms. Just leave the hanging stuff and knick knacks til we get in there.”
"They're doing a lot of it but the placement has been interesting," he grinned. "Sarah tends to be very picky."
“That’s it.” Dean headed to Ryu’s rooms.
Sarah laughed. "This should be interesting."
Dean entered and found everyone moving things around. “Is all the furniture in, Watari?”
"Almost..just my room left to bring in," he said quietly.
“Thank you, Watari.” Dean turned to the movers. “What’s going on here? Professionals were paid for and several sets of them are sitting in trucks waiting on you three. Since you don’t know your jobs, I’ll help you. First off, guys, is the furniture where you want it?”
Yes," Watari said softly. He was looking tired as moving could be a nightmare.
Dean looked at the older man with worry in his eyes. “You okay? No...you’re not okay. Ryu? He needs to sit and raise his feet for a bit. Lis, will you make him a cup of hot tea? “ Dean turned to the movers. “Follow me.”
L nodded. "Understood. Jet lag and the exertion has been too much for Watari."
Dean gave L a thumbs up as he pushed the last mover through the door. When they reached the truck, he looked inside. “I’m gonna help you. There’s four of us this way. These will be in the gentleman’s bedroom and set up in fifteen minutes, or I’ll get on the damn phone and get you fired. Understood?”
Fifteen minutes later, the truck pulled out and Sam’s furniture truck pulled in. Dean had asked Lisa to check the set up in Watari’s room to make sure it was right. he walked and looked down at the older man. “You ready for a nap? The boys raided your trailer. The bed’s made.”
He finished his tea, setting it aside. "I definitely am. Days like this, I feel my age," he said, rising with a low groan as bones protested the movement.
The older Winchester placed a hand under Watari’s elbow and helped him rise to his feet. He did not let go. Walking slowly, he went with his friend to the man’s room. When they got to the door, Dean stopped. “You okay from here? You can tell me. I can’t imagine there’s much we can’t tell each other at this point, is there? You’d tell me if you needed help?”
"I will give a shout, I promise," he reassured him. "Thank you for getting this set up for us," the elderly man told Dean.
Dean looked the man in the eyes, and softly spoke, “That’s what family is for, Watari. You don’t have to be blood. You just got to be willing to shed it. I think that’s where we all are.”
Watari smiled and nodded. "Too true, too true. I will see you all in a short bit then."
“If you try to set that clock, I’ll unplug it and hide it.”
He burst into laughter. "All right, all right. No setting the clock."
“I have spies. I’ll know.” Dean winked and closed the door behind him as he left. “Get your stuff hung upstairs if there’s anything. Also if you would, get what you want from the trailers. They will be kept up and used for company. You know, family. Sam and I may not have blood relatives, but there’s Ellen, Jo, and Rufus. They’re the closest thing to family we got. “ Dean waved and went to see how Sam’s stuff was going. If was moving fast.
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