Fathered By A Vampire- Part 1: The Vampire Child Series

Chapter 30- Life Links

TRIGGER WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE; NON-VERBAL TRIGGERS; SLIGHT AGE REGRESSION; TRAUMA RESPONSES

Dean sat in the living room with Damon. They were both silent while sharing a drink together.

"Dad... Do you remember last night at all," Dean asked, his voice gentle.

Damon nodded slowly.

"Do... Do you want to talk about it," Dean asked.

Damon shook his head, declining the offer. Stefan walked into the room, making him look up.

"Hey, how is he," Stefan asked, looking at Dean.

"He hasn't said a word to me," Dean said.

Stefan knitted his eyebrows and stared at Damon. That was highly unusual for him since most times he doesn't stop talking. Well, the last time Damon went non-verbal like this was when he and Stefan were kids. Their dad had beat the shit out of Damon because he missed a spot on the table he was cleaning. It was soon after their mother had passed away. Damon didn't speak for nearly a month.

"Damon," Stefan said, holding out his hands to him, "Do you not want to talk? Tap my right hand if you wish to not speak. And my left for you don't mind talking."

Damon lifted his eyes to meet Stefan's. He set his drink down and touched Stefan's right hand. Stefan fought tears as they attempted to push through the surface. He began wondering what kind of torture did Damon go through for him to resort to a non-verbal coping skill.

Stefan forced out a smile to show his willingness to help him.

"Okay, do you need anything," Stefan asked.

Damon shook his head. Stefan felt more tears push forward as he noticed how distant he looked. He didn't even seem like he was truly functioning. It seemed like a robot had replaced him.

"I'll be back," Stefan said, feeling his smile falter.

He got up and Dean followed him.

"What's going on," Dean asked.

"When we were kids Damon would sometimes go non-verbal," Stefan explained, "He didn't know how to deal with our father's temper and abuse. So he would go quiet. It's like he was stuck in that state. He hasn't gone through this since we were young. I think Damon is going non-verbal again... I think whatever he went through with Lucifer made him resort back to that state of shock."

Dean knitted his eyebrows. He knew what that non-verbal state felt like. He went through the same thing when Mary died. Dean looked over at Damon and sat down in front of him. He smiled warmly at him, making Damon look up.

"You helped me when I was struggling with feeling accepted here," Dean said, "I think it's time I return the favor. Are you okay with that?"

Damon nodded and smiled.

"Awesome," Dean smiled, "For now, would you like more bourbon?"

Damon seemed to think about it for a minute. Then he got up and went to the kitchen. Dean followed him and watched as he pulled out a container of orange juice. Dean grabbed a cup for him and set it on the counter. Damon looked at the one cup and frowned a little.

"Did you want a bigger cup," Dean asked.

Damon looked at Dean and put up two fingers. Dean grabbed another cup and set it down, making him smile again. He poured the juice into both cups and handed one to Dean. Dean took it with a smile, although he was a bit confused why he poured him a cup.

"It's his way of showing his comfort with you," Stefan explained, knowing Dean was probably confused, "He did the same thing with me when we were kids. Although he usually offered me a flower instead while he kept one in his hand."

Dean felt his heart warm up a bit at the sign of comfort from him. He drank the juice with Damon as a smile rested on his face. Damon grabbed another cup and poured the juice into it. He handed it to Stefan, who accepted it.

"Thank you," Stefan said.

Dean finished his juice and turned to Stefan.

"You mind keeping an eye on him for a while," Dean asked, "I need to make a phone call."

"Sure thing," Stefan said, allowing Dean to go outside.

He took out his cell phone and called Sam. He responded after the first ring.

"Hey, Dean," Sam said, "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

"No, everything is fine," Dean said, feeling his tears begin to surface, "Hey, Sammy, do you remember when we were younger and I wouldn't talk to you. I had moments when I would just go quiet."

"Yeah," Sam said, recalling those moments from their childhood, "You did that a few times. Although eventually you just stopped talking about your emotions instead. But I remember you went quiet again after coming back from hell. Why?"

Dean let his tears fall down his face.

"I wanted to let you know it wasn't your fault," Dean croaked, "It had nothing to do with you, Sammy. I was in a bad mental place, but I never meant to ignore you. I was suffering and didn't know how to express it."

Sam knitted his eyebrows as he heard Dean crying.

"I know, Dean," Sam reassured, "I understand. As a kid, I didn't really understand but I know now. Are you okay?"

"I just wanted to tell you," Dean said, wiping his tears, "I wasn't mad or upset with you. Did you find anything on what's going on?"

"Rowena and Kai are working on Bonnie," Sam said, "She took some convincing to let Kai do a spell on her. But she's cooperating with us. They're currently performing a spell to find a way to break the link to her and Damon..."

Sam went quiet as someone spoke to him.

"Uh, Dean, change of plans," Sam said, "We're coming over with Bonnie, Rowena, and Kai. We need Damon as well."

"Damon isn't talking," Dean said.

"We don't need him to talk," Sam said, "But we have an idea of what's happening. The link wasn't connected to Damon. Bonnie is linked to two women... Two pregnant women. Chances are those pregnant women are carrying Nephilim. Dean, I think Damon and Bonnie are linked to these Nephilim for some reason."

"Why would Lucifer do that," Dean asked, shaking his head, "That makes no sense."

"Kai says he assumes that way you won't let the children be killed," Sam said, "If the babies die so do Bonnie and Damon."

"You're joking," Dean said.

"I wish I were," Sam sighed, "Lucifer kidnapped Damon and Bonnie so he could place a life link on them and his kids."

"Son of a bitch."