Family Found

Temporary

The evening turned to night and before Dean knew it he was drifting off in a guest bedroom that Erron had given him. The next morning, as the sun came up – apparently Erron had decided to be up. Of course, Dean could tell by the slamming of cupboards and quiet(ish) cursing coming from the kitchen.

Groggily, Dean made his way to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. The older man was pouring a mug...no two of coffee and set one in front of the youth

"Mornin boy, thought you could use some coffee, so I poured you some" Dean looked into his cup, the liquid looked like mud, and probably was deadly, but, like a champ, Dean lifted the mug to his lips and took a sip. The beverage was bitter but somehow good.

"Thanks," he mumbled, still insanely exhausted from the last week. The older man shrugged the thank you off and took a long drink.

"I had a spare room and didn't want to see some story about a kid dying from exposure. Even if you tried theivin off me." he responded with a twinge of indifference. As if really, he didn't care if the boy died in the cold. A moment of silence awkwardly passed before he spoke up again

"I did some thinkin and figure this cold aint lettin up yet and you aint got a place. So ill cut you a deal. You come and stay on this farm, workin your way with me and I'll let you stay in that guest room 'till you get yourself healthier and can go without the cold killin you"

Well, the snow is still falling and there is no place for me to go right now. Maybe I could stay a week or so and get out before long. Dean thought to himself, looking at the older man and the house they were sitting in. Honestly it wasn't the brightest thing Deans done but absolutely wasn't the worst. God his head hurt. He shouldn't have drunk himself to sleep all week. Then again, he always did that. Finally, he nodded in agreement, slowly.

"Sure, old man." he responded and finished the last of the coffee in his mug.

"Good, put that there coat on and follow me outside boy" Erron said as he put his coat and boots on.

Dean stared at him, "My name is D-"

"Dean, yeah I know. And you're a boy aint ya? I mean I aint gonna tell you what you is or isnt but you look like a damn boy" he wheezed, thinking he was the funniest shit around. Dean just rolls his eyes and puts the coat on.

Erron lead Dean to the barn outside where multiple stalls were. Inside each stall was a horse, all of them elated to see the cowboy come in. Some eyeing Dean with hesitation.

"Alright Dean, you can start by cleaning the stalls out. Ill take the horses out to run, and you can clean these while they're empty." he handed him some tools and a wheelbarrow to clean up horse shit with, making Dean groan inwardly.

"Ive never done it." he responded with the least amount of interest in his voice

"And it aint hard. You scoop shit up. And you dump it in the 'barrow. And you repeat till its full, then you dump that in the pile in the back and repeat. When you're done. You can feed and water. Each horse gets one of those chunks that's separated and the water refilled. I'm going to check on the other animals. When you're finished, you can come find me and were going to bring in firewood"

With that, Erron left the barn, leaving Dean to work – and he does. Not used to manual labor however, it takes the boy into the afternoon to finish, sometimes with Erron coming to check on it and pointing out where he had missed

The day ends as they do. Dean eventually came slinking in, covered in horse manure and hay, he slumped down in the seat next to the entry and slouched onto the table, a billow of dust spoofing around him.

"Nah Dean. Get your grimy ass in the shower. And gimme them clothes. I'll get em washed," Erron laughs and took the jacket from the boy.

Reluctantly, Dean scraped himself off the kitchen table and took his shirt off. Erron winced, looking at the boy. Putting a hand on his shoulder, Erron paused him. "Did your old man...did he do this?" Dean looked himself over. His back, sides, chest...everywhere littered with bruises, cuts, and welts. Some looked weeks, even years old while others were fresh.

"Yeah" he choked out, looking away from Erron. "He said I wasn't right. I was born wrong and couldn't even grow right. Up here or actually" he motioned to his head, then body. He shifted his weight onto his left leg. His legs hurt. Bad from the day of work he just had. "He..said it was my fault mom died. And that I deserved being born broken" tears stung his eyes. He was broken; therefore he wasn't desirable to anyone's standards as far as Dean understood.

"Because your legs are a bit bowed? That why you walk funny?" Erron asked innocently.

Dean just nodded.

"I aint your daddy boy, but I'll tell you right now. I don't even know you hardly. But you're just a boy. He sounded like a shit bag, and nothin you told me yet was your own damn fault" He lets his shoulder go and thinks. "Go on now dirty shit. You look like you aint showered in a month"

Dean hardened his gaze, fighting the tears that threatened to make him look weak. He wasn't weak. He was never weak. He couldn't be for him or Sammys sake. Dean nodded and went to shower. Coming out, he found a clean pair of clothes, obviously too big for him, as they were meant to fill out a in shape older man, and put them on before returning to the living room where Erron sat with a whiskey and coke.

Without a word, Dean laid on the couch and stared at the western playing on the screen. Nothing was said. Just like Dean had hoped. Shame ate him up as he watched the movie play in front of him. What Erron said affected him. Although, he didn't believe it – he wanted to. His whole life he was told by the only adult he knew that he was a waste of air – so he believed him. Every damn word of it.

Erron watched him, curiously. Not saying anything to him. As the boy fell asleep, he thought to himself. Hes not that bad. Hes got some issues, but he really has got potential more than anything. I aint a saint but I think I can help him while he's here. Even if just a little.

Dean woke up in the bed again. Something telling him he wasn't alone. He felt a dark...something in his chest. Like a rush of negative emotion and energy. Out of the corner in his eye he saw a shadow. Suddenly overpowering the negative feeling thrumming through him, he felt an almost comforting energy rush through him. His heart rate leapt as he took a deep shuddery breath. In the other corner of the dark room an orb of what he could only describe as light flittered by, absorbing the darkness and returning the room to its normal state. Figuring it was just him, exhausted, Dean settled back into sleep.

A man appeared over the bed, average height and a trench coat, looking curiously – almost confused at the boy, and then disappeared into the night as quickly as he came 

AUTHORS NOTES: Thank you guys for reading (if you are please leave me some comments. I will warn you there's going to be a time jump soon here with some flashbacks back to the younger years. so you're not dealing with child Dean forever I promise XD. 

This is totally based off - well a lot of things and although I have a whole story planned out for y'all PLEASE LEAVE IDEAS and predictions!!! things are just starting!!!