Snippets Fifty-Three: The Intrusion of John Winchester

The next two weeks were quiet ones.  Dean followed Bobby around the property, looking at the damaged vehicles.  When Sam was asleep, Bobby knew he’d find the older boy in a car somewhere on the property. 

The day before Halloween, John called.  Bobby answered immediately as it was a hunter’s line. 

“Bobby?”

“Yeah?”

“This is John Winchester.”

The quiet was deafening as the older man decided what he should do or say.  Castiel listened in, frustrated that he couldn’t just make the older Winchester disappear for a while.

“Whatcha need, John?”

“How are MY boys?”

“The boys are fine. Sam is taking a nap and Dean is outside, playing.”

“Well, that stops now.”

“What stops?”

“Dean’s a good shot, and he has one kill under his belt.  It will harden him and help turn him into the perfect soldier.  I want you to start training him on other weapons and how to clean and take care of them.”

“I’ll be damned if you are going to tell me how to take care of that boy!"

“If you don’t, I will.”

Bobby was quiet for a moment, thinking hard.

“I’ll do what I can, John.  That’s all I can promise.”

“Not good enough, Bobby.  He’s my boy and he’ll be raised as I say.  Take it or leave it.”

“All right, John,” Bobby said as he slammed the phone in its receiver.

“Damn fool!” 

Castiel stood there for a minute.  He went back outside to where Dean was sitting  in an old 1957 Chevrolet Bellaire.  He watched him with sorrow in his heart. 

‘Father, he’ll be six in January. Please let him be a child.’

‘This is his destiny, my Son.  We cannot change it.  No matter how much we want to.  We cannot change it.’

Castiel turned from his short conversation with Father and felt something on his cheek.  He reached up and felt a drop of moisture, a tear.  He stared at it in disbelief and turned to look at his charge.

‘I shed a tear for you, little one.  What will our future hold if I shed a tear for you?’