Chapter Text
Redemption
Bobby Singer was a father figure to Sam and Dean Winchester. He helped look after them when they were young, helped them when they needed him, was there for them any time they called. More than that even, when he died he left them what money he had, and the remains of the Singer Salvage Yard in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The boys had the bunker, sure. But over the years it became clear that it was Sam who felt a greater connection to the men of letters. Sam who felt at home amongst books and vintage computers.
Dean felt drawn to cars, to motors and to Bobby. Soon he began to spend more time at Bobby's house, fixing it up after the fire, running the salvage centre again. It was three hundred miles from Bobby's place to the bunker in Lebanon, Kansas. Roughly a six hour drive. But that was nothing to two boys who grew up on the road. Sam and Dean still worked cases together and both moved back and forth from the bunker to the yard. They just didn't have to spend all their time together.
The August sun lifted shimmering rays of heat off of the beaten metal of the junked cars littering the yard. The air buzzed with the cicadas' strange song. A pair of denim-clad legs stuck out from under a white 1972 Mercury Montego. The cicadas' song stopped and stayed stopped. In the sudden silence footsteps crunched across the yard. Dean Winchester rolled out from under the car, his hand automatically reaching for the demon blade tucked into the sheath he wore down the inseam of his jeans. His hand stopped when he saw who stood in front of him, awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot. Dean hid the movement by grabbing a cloth and wiping the sweat from his face. He got slowly to his feet, thinking dammit, Castiel, you had one job. One favor, man.
Ben Braeden stood there, staring intently at Dean, not sure if he had found the man he was looking for. The weight of 'the life' had added weary lines to his face that Ben didn't remember being there. But there was no doubt he was the same man who'd been haunting Ben's dreams.
"Can I help you?" Dean asked. He hid his shock by wiping his face again, using the motion to look Ben over. After a quick calculation he figured the boy must be about fifteen.
Ben looked down at his feet. "I'm not sure. Are you Dean, Dean Winsor?"
"Winchester," Dean corrected automatically, then mentally gave himself a kick.
Ben had a knapsack slung over his shoulder. Sweat stained his t-shirt and he was dirty as though he'd walked a long way.
"You old enough for a beer, kid?" Dean asked.
"Sure," Ben said eagerly.
"Right," Dean said. "Well, I sure could use one. Come on in where it's cool."
He lead the boy up the stairs and into the kitchen. It's the first part of Bobby's house Dean had fixed up. Other than the living room, where it was obvious Dean slept on the couch, the rest of the house was still in bad shape.
"What happened here?" Ben asked.
"Fire. Have a seat." Dean fetched a coke and a beer from the fridge. He set the Coke in front of Ben with a thump, opened his beer and flicked the cap into the garbage from across the room. He sat across from Ben and set his face into a friendly 'I-don't recognise you" expression. He wanted to ask "how did you find me?" and "why?" and "how is this possible?" But any of those questions would show he knows Ben too well.
"So you looking for a used car?"
"Not exactly." Ben's face lit up. "What do you have?"
"Look around. It's a salvage yard. Fixer-uppers. You know how to put cars like these back together?"
"Yeah." Ben's pride was obvious.
Dean hid his by taking a long drink of beer . He got up and opened the fridge again, pulled out left over pizza and set it in front of Ben.
"You look hungry."
"Thanks." Ben devoured a couple of slices.
Dean went to the fridge again and brought out half a blueberry pie. Set it down with a fork.
"I love me some pie,"Ben said.
"Eat."
When the pizza and pie were gone Ben sat back with a sigh. "Thanks," he said again.
"You want to go look around? Check out the cars?"
Ben played with his fork, drawing doodles in the remains of the blueberry filling.
"Look, I'm not here for a car. It's crazy what I gotta say but that I even found you, and you're the guy, I just don't know what to think. . ."
Dean interrupted. "Just say it." He stood and cleared the pizza box and pie plate, throwing them in the garbage. Ben found it easier to talk to Dean's back and the story came out in a rush.
"I've been having these dreams, for like a year now. And there's a guy, you, who's in them and there was a black-eyed demon, and I shot someone, and in one of the dreams the guy, you, said something about Bobby Singer. So, I mean theses dreams have been bothering me, they're so real, and I googled Bobby Singer and found this place. So here I am. and here you are."
Dean turned and leaned against the counter. "You know when they tell you to follow your dreams they don't mean chase down some strange man. They mean. .. "
Ben interrupted impatiently."Funny. But you are the guy from my dreams. That's gotta mean something."
"Does your mom, I mean, your parents know where you are?"
Ben looked away. "No. Not that my step-dad would care."
"Step-dad.?"
"Yeah. They've been married like a couple of years . I don't like him."
"So that's what this is about? You know it's normal to not like a step parent, to feel like you've got a real dad out there who . . ."
"It's not like that. He's good to us. Real good to my mom. But sometimes I see him just watching when he doesn't see me and it's like, I don't know, like that's what he's there for. To watch us. And he's cold then."
"Kid, you don't like your step-dad and you’re having weird dreams about another Dad. Nothing strange about that."
Ben looked at Dean with sharp eyes. "I didn't say I dreamed about another Dad."
They stared at each other for a moment. "You've never asked me what my name is," Ben said finally.
"I think you'd better go home, kid. How'd you get here anyway?"
"I bussed it, then walked here from town." Ben wasn't going to let Dean change the subject. "What's my name? You know don't you?"
Dean took another beer from the fridge, popped the cap and tossed it into the can. His spidey sense was tingling. The boy's step-dad was "weird". He couldn't send him home without checking it out. But every part of him knew it was a bad idea. If trouble had found Lisa and Ben, his kind of trouble, Winchester trouble, then Dean showing up wasn't going to make it better. Ben said the step-dad was watching. Watching for Dean to come back? And as long as Dean stayed away he was a good husband to Lisa, good to Ben. Dean's hand curled tight around the bottle. He couldn't win here. If the step dad was a demon and Dean killed him no one was going to be happy. But could he leave a demon there, with Lisa and Ben?
"Tell you what. I'll drive you home. We'll tell your parents you ran away from home because-why? They wouldn't let you go out on a Saturday night? "
Ben scowled. "That's lame."
"Right. We'll tell them you ran away because you're step-dad is weirdly 'watching'." Dean made the quotes in the air. "You got a better story?"
"I want to know about my dreams. If they're real."
Dean forced a laugh. "Dreams, kid. Just dreams. I ain't the guy you're dreaming about. Trust me."
Ben shrugged and with the honesty of youth said. "But you are. Do you have a brother named Sam?"
"No."
"Yes, you do. I dreamt about him. He was dead and you were real upset. It took you a long time to get over it. You drank a lot." Ben looked pointedly at Dean's beer. Dean set down his beer and pushed it away from him. "I'm glad you're just drinking beer now." Ben thought a moment. "And then he wasn't dead and you were gone."
Dean choked on his beer. Coughing he turned his back on Ben buying time to get his emotions under control. What was going on? Why was Ben remembering him? He took a deep breath.
"Call your mom. Let her know where you are. You know she's gotta be desperate and you should never treat your mom like that. Got it?" Dean frowned at Ben.
"Yes sir." Ben swallowed.
"Do you have a phone?" At Ben's nod, Dean narrowed his eyes. "Have you got it turned on?" Ben shook his head. He pulled out his phone from his jeans. "Bet you have a lot of messages." Dean said.
Ben tabbed it on, then nodded.
"I'll give you some privacy." Dean left the kitchen and bounded down the stairs to the yard, pulling out his own phone as he moved.
"Sam? Listen, I got a situation here. I need your help. Do you remember Lisa and Ben?"
"You told me to never mention them again. They're filed under 'things we don't talk about'."
"Shut up. So Ben's here. What? At Bobby's. And he says he's been dreaming about me. I must have mentioned Bobby's name once around him. I don't know. I don't remember. But he sure does and he's not supposed to."
"Cas was supposed to wipe their memories, right? Call him."
"Oh, because having an angel flutter in is going to convince the kid he's imagining things."
"All right, all right. You want me to call him?"
"Yeah. Ask him what the hell is going on. And ask him to check if Ben's step-dad is a demon."
"Come on, Dean. Sounds like wishful thinking."
"I know, if anyone knows it's me, goddammit. But I can't take him home if something’s fishy, can I?"
"I guess not. Dean. You have to know you showing up will make it worse, not better."
"And that's why I've got a brother, right? A brother whose got my back?"
Sam sighed. "I got your back, Dean. Call you when I hear anything."
Dean returned the phone to his pocket and looked up at the house. Ben stood at the kitchen window watching him. Shit, Dean thought. What now?
He walked slowly up the stairs into the house.
"Did you make the call?"
Ben nodded. "Mom's pretty mad."
"What did you tell her?"
"I ran away because she wouldn't t teach me how to drive."
"You're kinda young still,aren't you?"
"I can get my license in a month." Ben eyed Dean. "But you know that, right? You know how old I am."
"I'm just a figment of your overactive imagination, kid."
Ben punched Dean in the arm. "Pretty solid figment, dude."
"Hey. Watch out, old man over here."
They both laughed but Dean's didn't reach his eyes. They reflected the years he's lost with Ben.
***
Sam stood outside of the bunker and raised raised his arms in supplication. Then felt stupid and dropped them to his sides. "Cas? Can you hear me? Hello?"
He felt rather than heard the flutter of wings and turned around to see Cas, still in his uniform
of tan trench coat over a suit, looking at him expectantly.
"What trouble are you in now?" Cas asked. He looked around. "Where's Dean?"
"At Bobby's. . ."
"Bobby is dead."
"I know that, Cas. Dean is at Bobby's old place. He's been fixing it up, making it work again."
"Oh." Cas thought. "That's perfect for him."
"Yeah. Do you remember Lisa and Ben Braeden?"
"Dean lived with them when you were supposedly in hell. I wiped their memories of him after Crowley kidnapped them," Cas recited.
"Okay. So why is Ben remembering Dean? He's been having dreams about Dean and now he's found him. Dean must have mentioned Bobby's name and the kid remembered."
"Human emotions are," Cas paused," unpredictable. If they're strong enough they can break through any wall we put up."
"Dean was a father to Ben so. . ."
"Yes. Strong emotions."
"Dean told me Ben said something's odd about his step-dad. Dean thinks he might be a demon."
"And he wants me to check it out."
Sam started to answer but Cas was gone. He was back before Sam had time to roll his eyes.
"Lisa's husband is a demon," Cas said.
***
Dean had sent Ben to take a shower. He was running the kid's dusty, sweaty clothes through Bobby's old washing machine when his phone buzzed. Sam.
"So? Did you talk to Cas?
"Yes. . . "
"He came when you called?"
"Yeah, Dean. Apparently we have a bond now."
"You've got your sass face on, right? I can see it."
"Cas said the step-dad's a demon. He wants to know if you want him to take it out."
Dean ran his hand over his face. "No. I mean, he's Lisa's husband, you know? He's still in there."
"We can try an exorcism." Sam paused. "Do you want me to do it?"
"I have to take the boy home either way. I'd, uh, appreciate your help, though."
"You got it."
"Thanks, Sam."
Dean returned the phone to his pocket. Ben stuck his head around the corner. He was wearing a t-shirt of Dean's which hung down his skinny frame and a pair of Dean's pajama bottoms that he had to hold up with one hand."You were talking to Sam, right? Your not brother?"
"Isn't it your bed time?"
"Dude, I'm fifteen."
"You can have the couch. In the morning I'm taking you home."
Dean fluffed the blanket and pillow and settled the sulking Ben onto the couch. For all Ben's complaints he was asleep in no time. Dean poured himself a stronger drink of whiskey, slung it back in one gulp. he had a bone to pick with that son of a bitch, Crowley.
He waited to make sure Ben was deep asleep then slipped outside. Scrolled through his phone and hit a number, his demon-killing blade gripped firmly in his hand. "Crowley? You son of a bitch. I need to talk to you."
Dean looked around, scouting the deep shadows the moonlight cast among the cars in the yard. He turned and Crowley stood behind him, hands in his overcoat pockets.
"You call so nicely. How could I refuse such a pleasant invitation?"
"Lisa and Ben don't remember me. Why are you messing with them?"
"Ah, but you remember them, Dean. Therefore, leverage."
Dean looked desperate. "I'll get Cas to wipe my memory of them."
Crowley shrugged. "Ah well, humans and their feelings. . . feelings have a way of bubbling up, breaking through those walls. "
"That's what Cas said."
"That doesn't make it less true. I mean, what if I went in to check on that sleeping boy in there?"
"I'd kill you."
"My point. Feelings, see?"
"Look, Crowley. I'm asking for a favour. I'll owe you one, okay?"
"I do like having you in my debt, Dean." Crowley pretended to consider. "Tell you what. I'll give Lisa her husband back and you take care of the demon." Crowley smirked.
'What's that supposed to mean?" Dean was talking to air. Crowley was gone.
Dean ran back into the house. Ben was still asleep, unharmed. Dean breathed a sigh of relief.
The next morning Dean scrounged some eggs from the fridge and bread for toast. He scrambled the eggs and scooped them onto a plate in front of Ben.
"This is like deja vu," Ben said. "You used to make me eggs like this."
"No, I didn't."
"Uh huh, " Ben said around a mouthful of toast.
"Your clothes are all clean and dry. Get dressed. I'm taking you home."
***
The Impala bumped its way down a dusty back road. Ben rode shotgun as Dean drove in silence.
"Can I drive her?"
"No."
"Come on. Just a bit? there's no one around."
Dean hesitated."Have you ever driven before?"
"Sure."
The Impala slowed to a stop. Dean and Ben switched seats. Ben had to lean up to peer over the hood.
"Okay. This is a bad idea." Dean started to get out but Ben set the car in gear. Dean quickly shut the door. The Impala jerked as Ben gave it too much gas. Dean held onto the door handle, pressing his foot on an imaginary brake.
"Back off. Not so much gas."
Ben did and the car glided along slowly. Dean exhaled.
After a bit he relaxed. "You can give her a little more gas. Ease down, slowly."
The car picked up speed. they drove in silence until they reached a town.
'Pull over and stop."
"Why? I'm doing good?"
"Do you have a license?"
The car jerked to a stop.
"Easy. Just slowly now, pull over."
Ben puts the impala in park. He grinned ear to ear.
They switched seats.
"Great car," Ben said. "V-8?"
Dean nodded.
"327 four barrel?"
Dean smiled. "Yup."
Eventually they reached Lebanon, Kansas. Dean pulled to a stop in front of the bunker. Sam waited outside with a bag slung over his shoulder.
"This is, uh, Garth." Dean introduced Ben through the open window.
Sam shot Dean a look but went along with it smoothly. Stuck his hand through the window and shook Ben's. "Hi. You're in the back, kid."
Ben sighed but heaved open the door with a massive squeak. Sam caught it before it swung back on him. Sam opened the back door and held it until Ben slumped into the seat.
Sam tossed his bag in the trunk then slid into the front. "Plan?" he asked quietly.
Dean glanced in the rear view mirror. Ben was looking at his phone and didn't appear to be paying attention. "I'm working on it," he said.
***
After overnighting in a motel, Dean, Sam and Ben drove into Battle Creek, Michigan. It was midnight when they pulled up in front of Ben and Lisa's house. The house sat shrouded in darkness.
"Here's the plan. First, you get your mother out. Got it?"
At Ben's nod Dean continued. "Unlock the back door and take her out that way."
Sam and Dean watched as Ben approached the front door and keyed his way in.
Dean drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He couldn't look at the house. Sam could read his brother like a book.
"Take a minute, Dean. I'll go in the back. Catch him in a devil's trap and we'll take care of this fast." Sam slid out quietly and disappeared around the back of the house.
Ben slipped inside the front door and partially closed it behind him so as to make no noise. In the living room a man's head rested on the back of the couch and the TV was on. Ben waited. The head didn't turn. Ben made his way into the kitchen and unlocked the back door. He carefully climbed up the stairs and into his mother's bedroom.
Lisa slept fitfully. She made a sudden cry as she tossed and Ben froze, listening. Still no movement from below. He approached the bed and gently tapped his mom on the shoulder.
Lisa rolled onto her husband’s side of the bed and reached underneath for a bottle of holy water that no longer existed.
"Mom, it's me - Ben," Ben whispered.
Lisa sat up and looked confused. She frowned at her hand reaching for nothing then shook her head to clear it. "Ben, you're back." Lisa was instantly on her feet, grabbing Ben into a hug.
"Sh, Mom, we have to get out of here."
Lisa stared at him, then nodded, all business. She grabbed her bathrobe from where it hung on the back of the door and pulled it on as she followed Ben down the stairs. The man on the couch stirred. Lisa opened her mouth but Ben turned and shook his head fiercely, his fingers to his lips. Lisa's eyes grew wide but she said nothing and crept after him into the kitchen. Ben was opening the back door when the kitchen lights snapped on.
"Where are you two going?" Gary stood there, yawning sleepily.
"Ben's back." Lisa couldn't think of anything else to say.
"I see that. Good to see you, son."
There was a noise from the hallway. Gary turned, all sleepiness gone. "Is someone there?" he called.
He turned the hallway light on and Sam stood there. Sam dashed holy water into Gary's face. Gary dodged it. He turned around and Lisa and Ben could see his eyes were full-on black. In two steps he'd reached Ben and grabbed him to him, his arm around Ben's throat. Lisa stared, then ran at him trying to pull Ben away. With his free arm Gary back-handed her across the room. He dragged Ben backwards towards the door. Lisa was on her feet, chasing after him, screaming "Let him go!"
Dean heard Lisa scream and was out of the Impala and running to the house in an instant.
Gary suddenly stopped as though he'd hit a wall. He tried to step forward but couldn't.
"Devil's trap." Sam pointed at Gary's feet. He stood on a splash mat. The edges of the trap Sam had drawn peaked out from under the mat.
Gary tightened his arm around Ben's throat. "Any closer, Winchester, and he's a goner."
Sam threw holy water into his face. Gary jerked back as his skin sizzled, releasing Ben. Sam grabbed Ben and pulled him out of the trap.
The front door burst open and Dean charged in. "Ben, Lisa," he yelled. Then stopped as he saw Gary trapped. Gary growled and tried to rush Dean but he couldn't move past the edge of the circle.
"You're okay?" Dean asked Ben. He couldn't bring himself to to look at Lisa.
"We got him, Dean. Now for the exorcism." Sam began the ritual words. The demon shook and snarled but as the words washed over him he threw his head back and a stream of black smoke poured from his mouth. Gary fell to the ground.
Lisa reached out and tentatively touched his shoulder. "Gary? Gary, are you okay?"
Gary looked up confused. "Who are you?"
"I'm your wife."
"No you're not. My wife is blond." He looked around dazed. "Where am I? I have kids. I've got to go." He scrambled to his feet. Reached a hand towards Lisa then shook his head and bolted down the hallway and out the front door. Lisa sank her head into her hands.
Ben grinned at Dean. "I knew it."
"Yeah, there was something wrong with him." Dean looked at his feet and whispered, "I'm so sorry." He still couldn't look at Lisa.
"No," Ben said," I knew you knew my name."
"Let's go." Dean said to Sam.
Sam glanced at him as if to say really? but seeing the look on Dean's face he simply followed him back to the car.
Ben ran after them.
"Hey, you can't just go!"
"Look, I've brought enough trouble on you, both of you. Stay away from me, you hear?"
Dean got in the car and slammed the door, not wanting to see the look on Ben's face. Sam patted Ben on the shoulder and got in. The Impala peeled away.
***
Sam knew Dean didn't need to be alone. That's not what he said, though. Because Dean would have made him go. He said he'd stay a while and help restore Bobby's house.
"Hell, if Bobby can build a safe-room in a weekend, we can get this place put back together in no time," Sam said.
It did take time. A couple of weeks passed. The top floor of Bobby's house had a new frame. Sam and Dean were working on nailing on the plywood walls when a car pulled into the lot.
"Dammit," Dean said, when he saw the passengers.
Ben stepped out of the passenger side and Lisa got out of the driver's side.
"I told you you can't drive near a town. Quit arguing," Lisa said.
Sam grinned at Dean. Dean scowled.
Sam and Dean made their way down and out onto the yard.
"Listen, Ben," Dean started.
Ben interrupted. "No, you listen, Dean. No one with a shred of decency who knows what’s out there can just go on like normal." Dean couldn't help but roll his eyes towards Sam. Sam frowned. "I need to know how to protect myself and my mom. You are going to teach me." He tapped Dean on the chest for emphasis.
Dean struggled for a minute. "Ben," he said quietly, "you should have a normal life. Apple pie, school, a car, girls." He looked at Sam beseechingly. "Tell him, Sam. Tell him a normal life is better."
Dean was sure Sam would back him up. Sam had been trying to be normal all his life. But Sam shrugged. "He's right, Dean. You can't protect them. He should know how to take care of himself and his mom."
"Excuse me." Lisa interrupted the two men-and-a-boy's stare-down. "It's my responsibility to protect myself and my son." She crossed her arms and her dark eyes flashed. "I've stuck my head in the sand long enough." She looked at Dean. "I've been having dreams, too, you know. I know the kind of trouble you bring. I remember you, Dean. And, yeah, what he said. You can't protect us so you'll teach us how to protect ourselves against these things."
Dean reached a hand out to her, then dropped it to his side. "If anything were to happen to you two because of me. . ."
"We're already in it. Don't you see? For better or worse."
Sam nodded.
Lisa looked around at the house and yard with all the beaten old cars. "Looks like this place could use a woman's touch." She smiled shyly at Dean. "If you'll have us... me?"
Dean stepped towards her and took her in his arms. At first the hug was awkward - it had been a long time, then he pulled her in tight. "Okay, " he said.
Lisa pushed back from him. "No protecting. No lock-down. Teaching, right?"
"I said okay."
"Saving people, hunting things, the family business."
"Oh, Jesus," Dean said. "When you put it like that. .. "
Sam laughed. Dean tossed him a look. "What have we gotten into?"
Chapter two: Crowley comes to collect on his debt.