Tuesday
Dean was up early and gone before anyone was stirring, making the long drive to the city. The others went about chores for the day. The shop was closed for the next two weeks for Thanksgiving, but Ben still had school work that his mother had lined out for him.
Sarah went up to the loft and saw the huge decorated box and wondered what was in it, but took more notice of the wonderful sewing machine that was set up near it.The woman went to work, turning her designs into reality. If all went well, she would have one major fantastic house for Christmas done.
Lisa sat down with Bobby and Watari and planned meals, both lunch and dinner.They wanted something that would tempt Dean, be delicious, but easy to digest. He would have homework when he got home, and he needed to rest, so nothing too heavy needed to be eaten. Lunch for teenagers and one growing boy was different. The group seemed to work seamlessly, though Watari had to explain multiple times that his charges pretty much ate junk...all the time.
“Watari, we know that, but Dean told me once that you tried to make them eat at least one good meal a day.,” Lisa teased.
He looked at Lisa. "They've had that already," he replied in a deadpan voice.
“Oh,” Lisa responded. “I assumed they ate something like donuts or sweet rolls for breakfast.”
"It's easier to cram it into them when they're half asleep," he admitted ruefully.
“All right, adults and Ben. We should do something more substantial and go with something light and easy to digest for tonight. Dean does have those tests early tomorrow. Some of them are fasting. I need to make sure to have something for him to eat after them. The doctor said he wanted to redo them after he eats. I am hoping it is all stress but the hospital back then found something. We need to know what it is. It’s adding to his stress.”
"How about a soup and salad type of thing," Watari asked her.
“That is a a good idea. It’s early. We could make something home made. What would you suggest,Watari? I know he likes your cooking. He’s talked about your soups and I’ve made some of them. Is there a healthy recipe for tomato and rice. He says it is what his mother made him when he was sick. He’s been going through so much lately, I wondered if it would hurt him to have something like that.”
"Let's do a vegetable soup," he said, going into the main kitchen to wash the vegetables that would be needed.
Lisa and Bobby followed the older man into the main kitchen. “I wondered about that. Tomatoes have high acid content and are rather rich. To give that to a sick child really made no sense at all to me. I didn’t tell him that. It’s his mother.” The three worked together putting together a large pot of vegetable soup. Lisa started a some loaves of French bread to rise. Watari seasoned the broth and vegetables and allowed the mixture to begin to steep properly.
Lisa went about doing chores. Bobby was doing some research for Rufus, who was on a hunt. Lisa would go and work the dough on the French bread. Later in the day, they could smell the fresh bread as it baked. Wateri would go in and stir the soup. Ben, finished with his homework was on a computer looking up places to see in Texas. He'd heard his Dad talking about it.
Around 6:00, Lisa rejoined the two men in the kitchen, knowing Dean usually got home sometime around 6:30 or so.
As it grew close to seven in the evening, Ben came running downstairs yelling that it was snowing. The three in the kitchen were the only ones to hear him. Everyone was in their wings resting, working, or getting ready for dinner, depending on who it was.
Watari looked out of the window. "It definitely is. Ben, go and let the others know please?"
Within ten minutes, everyone was on the patio watching the snow come down. Still Dean did not come. Bobby looked at the clock and it was twenty after seven. He wondered how bad the roads were and why the boy didn’t call.
The older male pulled Lisa aside. "You may want to call Dean and make sure that he's all right."
Lisa pulled out her cell as she heard the front door open and a voice call out, “Hey! I need help here!”
Watari and Bobby hurried to the front door. "What's wrong," the old hunter asked.
“I’ve been dragging bags to the door. The snow’s really coming down. No one’s set up for it except maybe you, Bobby, and Sarah. It’s freezing out here. Let’s get this stuff inside. My cell’s not working. The weather is so blasted bad I couldn’t get any reception.”
"At least we know you're safe," Watari murmured, grabbing bags and hauling them in.
“I’m sorry. Some roads were impassable. I had to find other ways.They said the plows won’t get out this way to real late. Hey! Everyone! I’ve brought gifts!”
Some of the others, who had been watching the snow on the back porch, came out to help. Mello poked him. "We're going to need to get you a better cell phone or another type of communication device in case this happens again."
Dean’s face was red and he was blowing on his hands. “Yeah. You guys are the experts. I’ll put that in your hands.” The hunter nodded to the bags. There were dozens and each one had someone’s name on it.
Everyone piled in to help, and Near padded up to Dean, tugging his jacket.
Dean leaned down to towards the young teen. “Yeah?” he whispered.
The young teen offered a cup of hot cider to the man. "Dean must be cold," he said, handing it to him.
Dean took the hot cup into iced cold hands and trembled slightly. “Thank you, Near.” He sat on the large couch and watch everyone open bags. Inside were winter clothes, coats, jackets, sweaters, scarfs, earmuffs, hats, gloves, woolen socks, boots, and warm snow pants. All of Nears were white. He pulled out a pad and handed it to Sam. Inside was marked everyone’s sizes. He’d raided closets during the moving. The weather report said it was going to be bad. No one had what was needed Bobby and Sarah could use new, I’m sure. Mine is in there. It started on the way home. I didn’t know which bags were mine. I'm half froze. This cider's good.”
Near's delicate fingers rubbed over the earmuffs and scarf. His were very fluffy and soft. Dean had remembered his intolerance for stiff and scartchy fabrics. "Near thanks Dean," he murmured with Mello, Matt, Watari, and L chiming in after that.
Dean smiled and said it was nothing. He knew it was needed before they could get to town. He glanced at the others and then sniffed the air. “Do I have time to bathe before supper? You can go ahead and eat. It will take a while. I’m all diesel oil and grease.”
"It's nothing fancy and can keep. GO clean up," Watari said, helping everyone get their belongings back into bags so they could put them away.
Bobby stood, “Son?” Dean turned, “Sir?” "Thank you for my things. You surprised me I didn’t expect this.” The sweet smile showed. “You’re welcome.”
Lisa and Ben grabbed their bags and Dean’s and followed him. Lisa leaning up to kiss his dirty cheek and whispering a thank you.
Sam picked up the pad and his bags, ruffling his brother's hair before he got far. "Thanks, Dean. Go warm up. We were worrying about you."
“I’m sorry, Sammy. I tried.”
It's not your fault. We didn't know cell service would crap out. We should probably get a satellite phone or something for this," he said to his brother.
“Yeah, I think so. They had a system set up here last year when we were hunting the creatures It was for computers. It’s been expanded. Maybe they can tie into it. I’m gonna leave it to them. I’m tired, Sammy. It’s been a long day and I still got homework to do.” Dean smiled and headed towards his wing, noticing Lisa waiting for him holding the door open.
"Get cleaned up, Dean, and we'll have a meal sent up to you," Sam said. "I'm just glad you're safe."
Dean started to argue with his younger brother, realized that it was heading towards eight and he’d been up since four in the morning. He hadn’t planned on it, but couldn’t go back to sleep. This just meant not seeing family all day. Sam was doing what he promised he would do, protecting him when was tired, confused, or stressed, and not thinking clearly. He sighed, nodded at Sam, and passed by Lisa into their wing.
A short time later, a bowl of soup and a nice salad was brought to him by Mello. "Hey, thought you might be hungry."
Dean, slippers lying on the floor, clad in a t-shirt, flannel pajama bottoms, with feet bare, and hair going everywhere, was sitting behind his desk in his office, his laptop in front of him. He smiled at Mello.
“Everyone eating on the patio? Is that French bread? I hope that’s Caesar dressing? I’m starved.” For Mello, that was a change. Dean, starving.
"Pretty much. We can head out there if you want; we didn't know how the homework situation was coming along," he told the other.
“Really? Cause Sam left me with the impression that my night was over.”
"I think he was thinking you had a ton of work and were too tired, so was trying to give you an option," the blond shrugged. "Up to you."
“I didn’t think I was being allowed options, Mello. There’s been some strict rules laid down for me for the time being. Sam’s kind of taken charge, and he’s got everyone’s support on it. I can’t blame them. If you think it’s all right, I’d like to. I only had to answer a discussion question and I was logging out.”
"Like I said, it's up to you. You know what you're able to do right now; we're not in your head to know how tired you are or how much homework you have."
“I didn’t have a lot of homework tonight. It’s done. I am tired. I’m going to bed early, but I would like to eat with my family.”
"Then come on then."
Dean grabbed his tray and followed Mello back out of his wing into the main part of the cabin. The fireplace was burning and heating system was on. The windows were not shielded so everyone could see the snow coming down in the backyard. They were talking and laughing when Dean followed Mello onto the patio. He stood still for a moment and made eye contact with his brother, waiting. One wrong look and Dean would turn and go. Sam knew it. There was no cockiness or assuredness there. Just two brothers and right now Sam was the boss, and they both knew it.
It's not your fault. We didn't know cell service would crap out. We should probably get a satellite phone or something for this," he said to his brother.
“Yeah, I think so. They had a system set up here last year when we were hunting the creatures It was for computers. It’s been expanded. Maybe they can tie into it. I’m gonna leave it to them. I’m tired, Sammy. It’s been a long day and I still got homework to do.” Dean smiled and headed towards his wing, noticing Lisa waiting for him holding the door open.
"Get cleaned up, Dean, and we'll have a meal sent up to you," Sam said. "I'm just glad you're safe."
Dean started to argue with his younger brother, realized that it was heading towards eight and he’d been up since four in the morning. He hadn’t planned on it, but couldn’t go back to sleep. This just meant not seeing family all day. Sam was doing what he promised he would do, protecting him when was tired, confused, or stressed, and not thinking clearly. He sighed, nodded at Sam, and passed by Lisa into their wing.
A short time later, a bowl of soup and a nice salad was brought to him by Mello. "Hey, thought you might be hungry."
Dean, slippers lying on the floor, clad in a t-shirt, flannel pajama bottoms, with feet bare, and hair going everywhere, was sitting behind his desk in his office, his laptop in front of him. He smiled at Mello.
“Everyone eating on the patio? Is that French bread? I hope that’s Caesar dressing? I’m starved.” For Mello, that was a change. Dean, starving.
"Pretty much. We can head out there if you want; we didn't know how the homework situation was coming along," he told the other.
“Really? Cause Sam left me with the impression that my night was over.”
"I think he was thinking you had a ton of work and were too tired, so was trying to give you an option," the blond shrugged. "Up to you."
“I didn’t think I was being allowed options, Mello. There’s been some strict rules laid down for me for the time being. Sam’s kind of taken charge, and he’s got everyone’s support on it. I can’t blame them. If you think it’s all right, I’d like to. I only had to answer a discussion question and I was logging out.”
"Like I said, it's up to you. You know what you're able to do right now; we're not in your head to know how tired you are or how much homework you have."
“I didn’t have a lot of homework tonight. It’s done. I am tired. I’m going to bed early, but I would like to eat with my family.”
"Then come on then."
Dean grabbed his tray and followed Mello back out of his wing into the main part of the cabin. The fireplace was burning and heating system was on. The windows were not shielded so everyone could see the snow coming down in the backyard. They were talking and laughing when Dean followed Mello onto the patio. He stood still for a moment and made eye contact with his brother, waiting. One wrong look and Dean would turn and go. Sam knew it. There was no cockiness or assuredness there. Just two brothers and right now Sam was the boss, and they both knew it.
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