Morning Surprises.
The next morning, when the household awoke, everyone would find L looking a bit stressed and definitely uncomfortable with the three occupants in the room. Watari woke the brothers, needing to pass on information.
Dean turned over rubbing his face and nudging Sam.
Sam groaned, rolling over. "Dun wanna get up."
“Watari's here, Sammy. I'm guessing we're starting things early. Are we ready to go, then, Sir?”
"We will shortly. There's something we need to discuss first."
“Okay. Restroom and I'll be ready. Sam?”
Sam ambled to the bathroom, grabbing his change of clothes.
Dean grabbed what he thought he'd need to wear for the trial that day, shoes, jeans, t-shirt, button down shirt, jacket, and a belt. He looked for weapons he would need and had them laid out, ready to go. He started dressing, waiting for Sam to leave the bathroom and give him a few minutes in there.
The younger brother came out a few moments later, looking as if he was still half asleep. The two brothers passed each other, as Dean headed in to clean up and be ready for whatever lay ahead of him for the day.
Sam was sitting at the table and Dean joined him within a few minutes, standing behind his brother. He looked Watari in the eyes, waiting.
"Something came up last night. For security purposes, you're going to need to address L by his codename, Ryuuzaki."
Dean nodded. Sam yawned a yes.
"Follow me. You'll be having breakfast with our guests." And hopefully L wasn't ready to commit homicide.
The boys followed Watari, wanting to ask, but deeming it better to wait. When L goes undercover, Dean knew it was serious.”
When they got into the large dining room, they would find Near away from the group while Matt and Mello were chatting with a boy and two women.
Dean went to Near, not noticing the others yet. Sam saw Sarah at once and froze. The women and the boy had not noticed their entrance. “Near, are you all right? What's going on? You're all by yourself.”
"Near is not comfortable around strangers," he said.
“Strangers are only people you don't know yet. We were strangers once.”
"Near knows."
“Would L bring in anyone to breakfast that you wouldn't like?”
"L has before," he told him. "It all depends on the circumstances."
“Well, I'm here. Who are they?” Dean looked up and saw Sam, standing frozen. He spoke loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room. “Sammy?” He patted Near on the back and headed towards his brother. Bobby, watching, noted that Dean had still not paid attention to what was going on. “Sam? What's wrong?” He noticed that his brother's eyes were glued on something across the room. He turned and almost choked. A look of shock was on his face, hazel eyes wider then usual.
Watari spoke quietly. "They were being targeted by Lilith so Ryuuzaki was ordered to bring them in."
“Who ordered him to do this? I don't understand, Watari.” Dean was still frozen near his brother, shaking terribly.
"L did," he reminded him. This was setting up the stage for L's security.
Dean nodded and noticed that Sarah was watching his brother. She smiled and started towards him and the younger brother groaned audibly. Dean looked at him for a second and then back at Lisa who was still talking to Mello and Matt with Ben. He whispered, “Lisa.”
Sarah finally stood in front of Sam and looked up at him. “I got your letter, Sam. I'd like to talk to you about things before I say 'yes' to you.” Dean's eyes widened more and a look of surprise was on his face.
Lisa moved to Dean. "Hello,Dean."
He turned his face from his brother and stared down into the dark eyes. His voice cracked as he said her name.
She gave him a gentle smile. "How are you?"
The hunter swallowed hard, “Shaking for some reason.”
Sarah stared at the younger hunter. “It's customary to say something to a woman when she's said 'yes', Sam.”
Sam simply kissed her, smiling. "I know..we do have a lot to talk about."
Lisa gestured at the table. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you before now. After you left, things got strange."
“I'm hard to track down and I'm sorry for that. What kind of strange things? I've been looking for you and your family and friends were worried and think I had something to do with it. I was scared for you.”
Sarah kissed Sam back, taking his hand and leading him to the table.
Quietly, Lisa explained the odd attacks, phone calls, and things that she couldn't explain. She'd finally yanked her son out of school and went into hiding.
Sam pulled a chair out for Sarah, then sat beside her.
“I know you are in the middle of something you can't talk about, but things got strange at home. Then a helicopter showed up and here I am. I packed what I thought I'd need and left the rest without regret, Sam.”
Dean looked at Lisa and over at Ben who was enjoying himself with the two teens. “Are you both all right? Did they hunt you down?” He was shaking so badly just being close to her. He wanted to hold her but had things to say first. “Can we talk?”
He gently pushed the hair out of her eyes. "I'm glad you're here and safe, Sarah. I've missed you a lot."
"Yes, Dean, we can talk and we're fine. L somehow found out we were in trouble and sent Ryuuzaki to get us. It was a bit of a surprise."
“Lisa, I have this final job to do I may have to some every once in a while, but I'm giving up hunting.”
“I've missed you more then you'll ever know, Sam. I've been waiting for you to wake up and remember me.”
She looked into his eyes. "Are you sure?"
He smiled. "I thought of you a lot. Just hard with everything going on."
“Yeah, Lisa, more sure then I've been in a long time. I want normal. I want a wife and a family. I'm going to open a repair shop and rebuild vehicles. Sam's gonna run it. We've gotta place that we are gonna add onto. I'm going back to school online to get a degree in auto design. I got plans. It'll take time to get there.”
“Are you going to make it legal between us, Sam?”
Lisa smiled at that. "It's a good plan, Dean. I always knew you were smart enough to do it."
Sam looked at her. "Sarah, are you trying to propose?" He was teasing her a little bit.
“Lisa, I'm really scared right now. I've never been so scared in my life.”
“Well, maybe I read between the lines, but I read a proposal in your email. That's why I said yes, Sam. Of course, if you aren't doing that, then I am. So, I guess it is a proposal, Sam Winchester.”
"All new things are frightening. You just can't let it beat you," she pointed out. "But you have a solid plan."
He kissed her. "Then consider us engaged. I'll get a ring for you when I can."
“I'm not afraid of new things, Lisa. I'm afraid you don't love me, and I'm afraid that if I asked you to marry me, you'd say no.”
Sarah put her arms around Sam's neck and pulled him more into the kiss.
Her lips curved into a playful smile. "You never know until you take a risk, hmm?"
He cuddled her into him, enjoying the contact with her.
The fear left Dean's eyes as he looked at her, and slightly smiled. He pulled her to him, and softly ran his lips over hers, barely caressing them. “Will you marry me, Lisa? I love you so very much. I don't have a lot to offer yet, and I know most people our age are already settled, but my heart's yours. It always has been.”
Sarah enjoyed the closeness, caressing Sam's cheek with one hand.
"That's all I could ask for right there, Dean. Your heart," she kissed him afterward
His arms tightened around her, then chuckled when he heard Matt trying to explain to Ben that the adults were happy.
Dean returned the kiss slowly at first but it grew more passionate. He finally pulled back, breathing heavily, his breath coming in deep gasps.
Sam turned when he heard the boys laughing about his brother. He smiled at the total lack of control the older man seemed to have at the moment. He grinned, turn to Sarah, “I think I'm getting a sister and you are getting both a sister and a brother. Oh, there's a nephew too.”
Lisa's eyes were smiling at him. "Feeling better?"
Sarah laughed at that. "I think I like that idea, love."
“Yeah, I do. I got one other question to ask you and it's just as hard for me. Ben? When I asked that time, you said it was someone else. Were you sure or were you trying to scare me away? Is he? Is he mine?”
“He looks serious again. Ben, maybe?”
"He's yours," she told him. "But with everything, I couldn't say it. You had so much on your plate back then."
"Probably," she answered him.
Dean couldn't get his breath. He closed his eyes, body trembling, tears started rolling down his face. “He's mine,” he whispered. “Oh, God!, He's mine.” The third time he shouted it at the top of his lungs. “He's mine!!!”
Sam and Sara both smiled. Bobby, who was watching Ben, had a pretty good idea who Dean was talking about. Everyone else turned to stare.
There was some laughter from the girls while Bobby, Ben, and Sam grinned at him. It was obvious Dean was happy about the news, and Ben went to him.
Dean dropped down on his knees and faced the boy who was a year older than the last time they'd met. He looked him in the eyes. “Do you remember me?”
"Yup, you're my dad. After you left, Mom told me all about you and that your work is important 'cause you save other kids like me."
The hazel eyes clouded over with more tears, and he grabbed his son and held him close. “I'll be the best damned dad I can, Ben. I swear it. I want you both to meet someone important to me. Okay? Lisa?”
He took both of their hands and led them to Near. “Guys, this is Near. I kind of adopted him as my son. He's a brother to you, Ben. Lisa, I hope you'll be mom to him. He's kind of like me. He's never really had one. Near, this is my son, Ben. This is Lisa. We're gonna be married.”
Lisa nodded, then tilted her head. "You adopted him?"
Near froze, uncomfortable with all the attention focused on him. This was a bit more than the teen could handle right now. Watari went to him, leaning down to murmur in his ear and the white haired one nodded, then hurried out.
Ben frowned. "Weird," he said. "Why'd he run off?"
Dean looked as if his heart would break. “Watari, I'm sorry. I wanted them all to meet. I hoped....I'm sorry. No, Lisa, he's not mine. I wish he was, but he will be a great leader one day. He's not mine. I have taken him in as a son. Ben, he's autistic, but incredibly intelligent. He's ultra shy....gets nervous around people he doesn't know.This is my fault.”
"It's all right, Dean. He was already on edge with the group before. He's used to working behind the scenes, not in front of others. He's going to be with Ryuuzaki, so he'll steady out. It isn't your fault." Lisa slipped her hand into Dean's, squeezing reassuringly. "Autistic children have a hard time. He's doing well to stay this long."
Ben frowned. "What's autistic?"
“Autism effects the brain, Ben. It can make it hard to communicate sometimes. For some, it hinders emotions, or the way the person interacts with others. Some will play with one particular toy. They have trouble understanding others. They don't like crowds or strangers. Near wasn't ready for all of this. It's my fault. I think of him as part of my family and I wanted all of you know each other. I frightened him.”
Mello looked at Dean. "Like Watari said, it isn't your fault. Near just doesn't react well to groups; it's why Matt and I pretty much buffer him when we can."
Dean nodded. He looked towards the older man, and asked, “Watari, should I leave him alone for right now? When do we head out today?” Dean not thinking of food was new for any who knew him. Breakfast was ready to be served. At the moment, Near and the job ahead took precedence, even though he had Lisa and Ben there and wanted to be with them.
"L will help him calm down. In the meantime, eat and gather your strength. I'm not taking it easy on any of you regardless of this being the first exercise."
“Yes, Sir.” Dean took his soon to be family over to the table where the others were gathered, minus Near and Ryuuzaki. “You've met the others?” he asked the woman by his side.
"Matt and Mello are charming. Ryuuzaki..is a bit of an odd one," Lisa said.
Dean smiled. “Yeah. He can be, but he's helped me more then I can ever repay. He and Watari have been rocks in a really hard time. Have you met Bobby and Sarah? Do you remember Sam?”
"I do," she smiled.
Dean pulled out Lisa's chair for her. Ben sat next his dad. Bobby, Sarah, and Sam were sitting across from them. Mello sat next to Ben and Matt, next to Sam.
Breakfast was noisy as Watari slipped from the room to check on Near and L. Matt and Mello were doing their best to entertain and generally have fun while they could, making the others laugh.
This was the most relaxed any of them had ever seen Dean. Sam looked across Sarah at Bobby, a question in his eyes. Bobby shrugged. They new what was still ahead, but Dean had it in the back of his mind at the moment. It never left him, but he had Lisa and Ben right now, and would enjoy what he had while he could and then he would do his job, knowing they were all right.
Once the meal was over, Watari sent Sam to join Near up at the computer and observation area and sent the others to gear up.
The two women and Ben were left at the table, Dean and Sam grabbing quick kisses, and Dean ruffling Ben's hair.
