The "L" Word

The Family Business

Chapter One

        Hunting.  The family business.  How many times had Dean heard that over the years?  How many times had he said it himself?  After a while the words felt tired, holding less and less meaning as the years wore on.  He looked across the shabby motel room at his brother Sam sitting at the too small kitchenette table, long legs stretched out underneath it making it impossible for Dean to join him.  It was like trying to sit with a giraffe, his brothers legs were so long.  Almost since the internet had become publicly available Sam had had his face in front of a computer screen, either researching or studying.  Now he was busy researching a possible case that had come their way thanks to their good friend Jody Mills.  Covington Indiana, some hole in the wall small town in the middle of nowhere had suddenly experienced six missing persons cases in the last three months.  For a town that was likely to see that happen once every ten years this was a startlingly high number and it caught Jody's attention.  She passed the info along to her boys (she thought of them now as the sons she never knew she had wanted until they became a part of her life) and told them to be careful.  Dean looked down at the folder sitting next to him on the bed.  He knew he should open it, study the police report, look at the pictures of the missing girls, but he wasn't in the mood tonight.  More and more often his life just felt empty.  His family had dwindled down so much over the years, always back to just him and Sam.  Why did he care so much about others?  Kevin's death still weighed heavily on him, though he didn't dare bring the subject up with Sam.  Sam's own guilt over Kevin's murder was a heavy burden that he could not rid himself off, and Dean did not want his baby brother spiraling down into the same depression that he could feel himself slipping into.  He picked up his phone, hitting the home button, hoping he had missed a call.  Hoping that someone, anyone had called and that he would have someone to call back, but the screen was empty.  Who was going to call him nowadays?  Everyone he cared about was dead, save for Sam, Charlie, and Jody.  And Cas...

        Almost as though his angel radar was still fully functional and he could sense Dean thinking about him, Dean's phone began to ring.  Dean looked at the screen and smiled.  "Who's that?"  Sam asked, watching as Dean put the phone to his ear.  "Hey Cas."  Dean said, grinning.  "Hello Dean, how are you?"  "Better now that you called.  I'm bored shitless."  Dean replied.  Sam was staring at him, one eyebrow raised.  Dean gave him the middle finger and Sam rolled his eyes before returning his attention to the laptop once again.  "Where are you?"  Cas asked.  "Covington Indiana.  Smells like barbecue and horse manure everywhere you go."  Dean joked.  "That would not smell very good."  Cas, always so serious.  All these years and still he rarely realized when Dean was joking.  "Yeah, well, where are you?"  Dean asked.  "Michigan.  I was following a report of a murder that sounded like it was committed by one of my angel brethren.  It wasn't though."  Dean couldn't tell if Cas was relieved or disappointed by that fact.  "Well, the murder is bad, but at least the angels aren't doing anything bad."  Dean tried to see the silver lining.  Cas merely grunted an agreement.  "So where are you headed next?"  Dean asked.  Cas was quiet for a moment, something he had a habit of doing.  "I was hoping I could come see you.  And Sam."  He finally said.  Dean dared to feel a twinge of excitement.  He swung his legs off the bed and stood up.  Sam watched him cross the room and open the door, stepping out into the balmy summer night.  Dean knew when Sam was eavesdropping and he hated it.  Even though he was overly warm in his flannel shirt and jeans it was nice to know his brother couldn't hear his conversation.  "That would be great Cas.  We could definitely use some help on this case."  "What are you working on?"  Cas asked.  "A string of missing persons cases.  Six young women have disappeared in the last three months."  Dean replied.  Another grunt from Cas.  "Do you think it's vampires?"  He asked.  "Not sure yet.  Sam and I just rolled into town about two hours ago and I'm too tired to go looking for monsters tonight."  Dean sighed.  A pause from Cas.  "I miss you."  Well that was unexpected.  "I...miss you too Cas."  Dean felt a little awkward saying it, though he realized it was the truth.  He missed the goofy angel.  "I will drive down tonight.  I can be there by morning.  What motel are you at?"  Cas asked.  Dean gave him the address and room number.  Knowing Cas he would drive straight here and show up at some point in the middle of the night.  "I'll see you soon buddy."  Dean told him before hanging up.  He slipped the phone into his pocket and debated on whether he wanted to go back in the room.  It was only seven, too early to go to sleep and his stomach was starting to grumble.  They had come straight to the motel without stopping to grab food and now it was catching up with him.  Across the street there was a diner that looked almost as shabby as this motel, but food was food.  Looking both ways to make sure he didn't get run over in the parking lot Dean walked to the diner and went inside.  It smelled of grease and floor wax.  It smelled good.  A waitress motioned toward the nearly empty diner indicating that he could sit wherever he liked.  He opted for one of the red stools at the counter.  He had barely sat down before a plump lady with nearly snow white hair piled up high on her head appeared in front of him.  She was dressed in a bubble gum pink uniform that looked like it was straining to hold all of her in.  The smile on her face was bright and he couldn't help but smile back.  "What can I get for ya sugar?"  She asked.  Dean was always amazed at how strong the accent was up here in Indiana.  He thought being this far north of the Mason Dixon line would have meant no southern accent, but it seemed everyone he encountered had a pleasant little twang when they spoke.  "Give me a burger.  Add bacon."  He said.  As an afterthought he asked for fries and a milkshake since they didn't sell beer.  The waitress, whose nametag said Shirley returned with a glass of ice water and set it front of him before going to make his milkshake.  As Dean picked up the glass to take a sip he became aware of a presence next to him.  He didn't bother to turn and look.  The hairs on the back of his neck always rose up when Crowley was near.  "What do you want?"  He growled, setting the glass down just a bit too hard.  "If it isn't Dean Winchester, human turned demon turned human once more."  Crowley said, clearly amused by Dean's displeasure at seeing him.  "You still didn't say what you want."  Dean snapped, keeping his voice low so as not to draw attention.  "Well, I miss you mate!  We had so much fun when you were a demon."  Crowley's tone was mocking and it was grating on Dean's nerves.  "Get lost Crowley, unless tonight is the night you want to die."  Dean shot him a look that knocked the