Chapter Text
"Cat." Sam read off from the list in his hand. Keeping it simple to build Jack's confidence. Boy had a tendecy to get in his oen head. Sam always startes with a word he knows Jack knows.
"C, A, T?" Jack said and Sam smiled.
"Good, let's try something harder. Jackle?" Sam asked.
"J, A, C, K... L, E." Jack said finishing off with confidence. Sam beamed with pride.
"Perfect, here you go." Sam said handing Jack a lollipop. The boy perking up at the sight and looking all the young child he really is. Sam felt a spark of fondness. Both their attention being turned to the entrance of the of the library when Dean walked up. He paused as he saw the set up around them. Sam's little home school in full swing.
"...I interrupted the spelling test, didn't I?" He asked and Sam just snorted at his expression. Putting down his paper.
"Nope, all down." Sam said.
"How'd you do?" Dean asked, already having a growing smile as he saw the lollipop he knew the boy wouldn't have unless he did well.
"Perfect score!" He said proudly. Dean smiled to.
"Sounds like someone earned some pie." Dean said making his way to the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure. Pretend that you're not just getting that for yourself." Sam accused. Dean barely bothered to wave a hand through the air in dismisle while walking to the kitchen unbothered. His robe tightly held closed instead of flowing freely. A easy tell that he and Castiel probably just got up to something in their shared room. Otherwise, he wouldn't bother with such uncharacteristic modesty.
"Jack!" Dean's voice yelled out. Calling his excuse for pie into the room. Sam chuckled as Jack leapt up, candy still in mouth.
"Coming Dad." He called back. Sam smiled happily as he went. Only getting distracted when Castiel came walking in as well. Less caring about only having on a robe and boxers.
"Morning." Sam said, accepting a kiss from the man easily. He'd have to tease Dean later about missing his chance to get the first for the morning.
"Where are Jack and Dean?" He asked casually afterwards. Sam pointed toward the kitchen his other hand leaning against the large table taking up most of the room space.
"Pie." He said simply in explanation. Castiel looked down and saw Jack's perfect score. He smiled softly in pride.
"Jack's reward, I presume?" He asked.
"Dean's too, apparently." Sam said and they shared an amused smile.
"Lets go join them?" Sam asked and Castiel nodded.
Their hands easily locking together as they went to join the rest of their family.
Chapter 2
Notes:
For the sake of this plot Mary never came back to life, Crowley died closing the portal when Jack was born so that was never an issue. Castiel never died and Lucifer was thrown into the other world never to return. That’s how they are all currently living their lives together raising Jack currently.
Chapter Text
May 2002
“Go around back, I’ll head through the front. Follow if they run out.” John said to his eldest son. Watching as Dean nodded before taking his gun and heading over to the other side of the run down abandoned shack as quickly and quietly as he could. John waited for the time he figured it take for him to make it before bracing himself to enter the door.
He was being as cautious possible tonight. They still didn’t know what they were in for. Only that whatever it was had been taking children from their beds at nights and disappearing them without a trace. It could be assumed that they were now dead but, John and Dean were never so inclined to think that without evidence of actual bodies. They’d managed to isolate the next target and be there to stop the latest baby from being taken. Even caught a glimpse of the son of a bitch.
Didn’t help at all though in guessing what it was. All they could do now was follow it as they had back to this place and hope that a bullet would at least slow it down if not kill it. Hopefully they could at least capture it and see if something in the trunk would be able to finish the job. This just wasn’t the best situation for a hunter to be in, so unprepared, but when you have a shot like this you take it. John was unwilling to allow another child to be taken in this town on his watch.
John went in first as planned. Looking through and sweeping through the studio like hut. The sound of rhythmic tapping hitting the ground below him. John approached it cautiously at first but then his breath caught when he heard the calls of small voices below. Calling out for whoever was up there.
“Don’t you worry kids! I’m here to get you out!” he called loudly. The need to reassure them greater then his need to keep hidden. His sole focus on breaking off the chain holding the door closed.
Once it was he was met with surprisingly well groomed and seemingly fed but clearly frightened children. Tears down their faces that held just a little bit of hope in them now. John moving fast to take small hands and tug them up. He wished his son was in here to help him but he needed him out the house still. Just in case he needed back up it was best if his boy was an unknown factor.
John was just pulling up the last child when he heard breaths starting to pick up and a couple others shook his shoulder with urgency. John reached for his gun subtly and whipped around to face whatever they were seeing. Eyes locking in on the large... he doesn’t know what it was on the ceiling. Head tilted in an unnatural way and while it’s face seemed to be nothing more than a masks it was like it projected it’s anger to them even though it couldn’t move it’s face.
The kids were all huddled behind him now. John, gun held high and doing his best to cover them as it crept down slowly. It hadn’t attacked yet. Hadn’t even done so when John first walked in and it saw him pulling them out. One could one wonder why? John had no intention of triggering a response.
All the same he removed the safety on his gun when it’s body turned and twisted unnaturally and slowly made it’s way down with thumps that indicated it’s weight. About six arms coming forward and even more legs were visible now. Almost like a centipede. It was the stuff of nightmares. Several little hands were clutching at him. While John wished he could give comfort all he could think was those little hands would be a hindrance more than anything if he needed to fight.
Instead of attacking though it was like it changed it’s aura. No longer emitting anger and negativity John got the sense it was... softer now. Like it was trying to give a welcoming smile. It’s hands moved forward, all with different things in it. Candy in one, a comb, new children’s clothing, something that looked like bread? It moved forward as they all moved back as one unit. It didn’t lounge for them but instead seemed to hold the offerings out over the hole that was still open. Like it was offering them and it’s care if the children just went back down where they belonged. Like it wouldn’t get mad if they just obeyed. That it would go right back to taking care of them. They could have all the toys and candy they wanted. It would take care of everything. John doesn’t know how he knew this, but it was like it was projecting it’s intentions. Like it couldn’t speak like them or even telepathically communicate but rather did so through it’s emotion and through this... intention projection.
In this way it continued it’s promises. That it wouldn’t be too much longer in the stuffy hole. How it promised just a few more days. Just until it got a few more of their friends. That their wasn’t enough beautiful children in the area like them. That they needed a couple more before they could all go. Before they could all go to their new home. It promised not too much longer before they could all leave this little shack for a grand palace to play in instead. Where they could wear fine clothes even better than what they had now and waste away their days however they wanted.
That sounded like death to John.
Acting fast, before any of the children could be swayed, he fired off multiple shots into it. Triggering a rattling screaming and it’s body to flail at the assault. Not looking visibly damaged or even bleeding but certainly hurt.
“Go kids! Run!” John shouted. The kids moving as told trying to go for the open front door. Only for it to be blocked by the damn monster.
Think fast John blocked its path and kept firing looking back at the screaming kids for a moment just to tell them what to do.
“The back door! Its open! Run!” he screamed. The tallest and likely oldest girl took lead and went to open the door.
The thing tried to go for them again and out of bullet John did the only thing he could think of, he tackled it. It was like a child trying to take on a tiger, but it was all he could think of or do in the moment. It was still effective enough to hinder it while, presumably, Dean snuck the kids away and hid them in the tree line. His boy would be smart enough to take such action if he saw a bunch of kids running out.
John was pushed off harshly to the wall after a while as the thing seemed to have a one-track mind on chasing after the children. It basically destroyed the shack back door as it plowed through. Twisting and turning in all it’s unnatural way as it looked for any sign of the children. Children that Dean had tucked away hidden well in the bush and quiteter then even mice. Even as one almost gasped in fear at the creature showing itself he was quick to cover the kids mouth. The other children doing the same to each other or even themselves.
The thing let out an inhuman shrill at the lack of sight of them. Outrage and panic felt from it even as far as the kids were. It made even the experienced hunter Dean feel his legs quake. Like the thing had tapped into his very emotions. Like he was moments from being hunted himself. The kids around him were shaking and some silently crying but they valiantly kept themselves quiet.
Unable to see or find any of it’s precious little treasures the thing turned it’s attention back to John. It’s mask like face cracking and splitting and giving way to a mass of teeth and drool as it raged against the man that had stolen them. John new that’s how it felt. He could feel it’s accusations being through his way. As if the children were mere toys, like they were trophies, or pets even. Like John was the monster that had left a fence open and someone’s prize show dog out into the harsh world that it could never survive in alone. Like those poor children were just stray animals it picked up and not taken from the very beds of their families. John knew right then he’d saved these children from a fate probably worse than death.
Now, the best he could do was make sure they make it out of here tonight and this thing never go on to replace it’s collections. So while gesturing for it to come at him, John bolted out he front. Going to run as far and as fast as he could deep into the woods and away from the kids.
He didn’t get far before he was all but run over by the thing. Picked up and tossed about in the air like t was enjoying toying with him before it killed him. Thinking fast, having dropped his gun, he grabbed his blade a this side and stabbed into it. Hearing a blood curling cry and seeing as not only did it finally break skin but that it cracked and melted like it had touched acid.
Good ole silver.
John went to do it again, and again. Dropped quickly on the ground and now seeing as the thing cowered before him instead of the other way around. John brandishing his knife as it seemed to size him up. Think of how quick it would need to be to kill him before he stabbed it in just the place it wouldn’t survive. Looking between John and it’s damaged hand, it made the executive decision to cut it’s loses and leave. Turning with a swiftness and taking off into the woods with purpose.
“Oh no you don’t!” John screamed running just before making a jump for it’s large back. Stabbing into it’s flesh and holding on as he practically rode the thing through the woods. The monster trying to buck him off all the way. At one point they finally came to a stop as it withered and twisted and turned trying to reach for John still clutching it’s back.
“Dean!” John screamed out into the trees. Seeing the flickering of what must be his flashlight every now and again. Unable to call out again as he got no response from the sheer tussle he was putting up against this fucking beast.
“Dean!” he tried again, voice stronger than before. Not able to pin the thing down completely but certainly having a hold by now. Hopefully one strong enough that he could give his son a clean shot. The thing shrieked out in what could possibly be frustration.
Perhaps John would have noticed the slight twinkle of the ring around them if it wasn’t for the attention he was placing on his son’s voice.
“Dad!” he heard shouted back. The flicker of the flashlight getting closer and closer and inspiring enough hope and determination in the man to keep holding on for dear life. It wasn’t until the lights around him got so bright they forced his eyes shut did he realized he should let go. It would be too late though. The realization coming at snail's pace for when he needed it. John felt a twisting in his stomach just as light around him reached its peak.
Before Dean even heard the sound of his father voicing calling to him, the man was completely engulfed in light and within the next second he and the unknown creature disappeared along with the flash.
.
.
.
It was dark.
John knew that the moment that he open his eyes and he further new that he was in some kind of trouble when he felt around himself and was met with a small panic inducing box. The shaking making dirt fall onto his face and a little in his eyes. It didn’t take much for him to realize he was in a fucking coffin. He stopped struggling and took a moment to calm himself before working to get himself out.
He turned himself to the side and pushed all his weight against each side of the wall. Forcing it to break with his continued and steady pressure. New age coffins weren’t that strong and were made to collapse after time for the betterment of the environment and decomposition. Once he’d done that he got to work. Scooping more and more dirt into his coffin and packing it towards the bottom.
Fashioning a tunnel like hole that was allowing him to dig his way up and out. It was a slow process and nerve wracking. He had to stop multiple times to catch his breath or calm his racing heart. He hoped to God that it wherever he was wouldn’t not start raining and subsequently drown him when it did. That thought alone was motivation to speed up as was the ease of digging the soil around him. The softer the ground got the closer he knew he was to the surface.
The breath relief he released when he finally broke through the top and met with the cool night hair and the bright light of the full moon. He didn’t get to enjoy it long before hearing a scream off to the side. He didn’t have it in him to feel much more then amusement as he watched the poor graveyard digger run for his life screaming something about zombies. He just focused on pulling himself the rest of the way out the hole.
Catching his breath while he was out only for a moment before heading to the only building he could see and interestingly the opposite way the worker had run. Why head into the woods instead of his own office if your running for your life? John didn’t have time to think about the odd choices of civilians before jogging at hurried slow pace to the light. He had full memory of what he was doing before and while he wasn’t sure what the fuck happen, he’d heard of some creatures with the ability to teleport people before. Things like demons. They moved around in their meat suits with ease. Who’s to say that if you grabbed onto one before it disappeared you wouldn’t follow? Whatever that thing was could be the same in this way. This was just another clue as to what it might be and how to kill it.
For now though, he needed to figure out where it took him and if it was in the area as well or back with his son. Maybe it was somewhere else entirely. Probably the worst-case scenario as it would just, likely, start back up on stealing kids again and who’s to say the next hunter that ran into it would be able to find them all in time like Dean and John did? They still don’t even know what it planned to do with the kids.
John’s mind was racing with all these concerns as he broke into the dank and small office of the worker. Going to grab the bottle of water he saw on the table. Drink about half of what was left before looking around himself. Glad to see a bathroom. Where their was a bathroom there was a sink and therefore a place for him to get cleaned up. If he looked, he’s sure he could find some spare clothes or at least a extra work uniform in here too.
John was considering all of this as his eyes locked on a newspaper finally. Sighing in relief as he went over to it, his first thought to look at the location; Norton, Kansas. A fuck of a distance from California where they were before. Having taken a case on the way to pass by and see his youngest son. Well... more like watch from a distance and make sure he was fine then actually see him. John’s mind was already reeling and he was thinking of the quickest place to find a phone when his eyes wandered over then, tucked there, right next to the location of the town was in the corner of the paper was the date. July twenty-first, two-thousand and nineteen.
Fuck.