Rainbows Overdue

Chapter One

Dean's stomach clenched when John stopped the Impala in front of an isolated farm. It was so hot and humid his shirt clung to his sweaty back. When John opened the car door, the swelling sound of millions of insects assaulted his ears. A swamp, he thought. This is northing more than a backwoods piece of dirt. Smells like it, too. Rotten and damp.

John stepped from the car and gestured toward him. "Come on."

Dean hesitated. Something didn't feel right. If there was anything left in his stomach, he was going to vomit. His heart raced when John yanked him from the car and backhanded him. Dean fell straight onto his butt.

"Robert," he heard John call out.

"John," a gruff voice answered him. "Long time, no see."

Dean remained seated on the ground, hands on his knees and head bent down, feeling shaky and exhausted. His long hair stuck to the side of his throbbing cheek, and he cupped it, to stop it from hurting.

John cleared his throat. "Have you met Dean? I don't remember." John kicked his leg, sending him sprawled to one side. "Get up," John growled.

"Not since he was a young varmint," the gruff voice answered. "A million years ago. Back in South Dakota."

John chuckled nervously. "It's only been ten years."

"You here to see him? You just up and left, never a phone call or letter since. He might be dead for all you know."

"I doubt that."

"Not in my capable hands, huh?"

Dean rose from the ground and looked away quickly when he saw the grizzled, bearded man remove his cap and stare at him. The guy seemed like he was straight out of that Deliverance movie.

"Seems kinda scrawny," the man snorted. "Could be a prom queen with all that pretty hair."

"Piss off," Dean muttered under his breath.

John grabbed his shoulder and squeezed hard. "Hasn't had his growth spurt yet."

John and the man eyed each other as the seconds ticked by.

The man opened his front door and motioned for Dean. "Why dontcha make yourself at home, kid. Your daddy and I have some things to discuss. There's chairs in the living room and cokes in the icebox."

John smiled and nodded. "Go ahead, Dean." He practically shoved Dean toward the man.

Dean glared death at both of them and entered the house with a great sigh. He pretended to bang the door shut but held onto the door handle to pull it open a tiny crack. He pressed his ear close and held his breath as he eavesdropped.

"What's this about, Johnny?" the older man demanded. "You don't stop by unless you want somethin'."

John ran a hand over his hair. "Bobby...I'm going to prison. My trial is next week, and my lawyer says he can't get me off. They caught me red handed. I'm looking at ten years."

Bobby spit on the ground. "Let me guess. You were stealing. What was it this time? Credit card theft or have you graduated to bank robbery."

Dean peeked out the door. John's face was as red as he'd ever seen it. Wonder if he was going to pop the old guy on the jaw.

"I'm on a mission," John said. "You were a hunter. You know that."

"I always found a way to support myself. A man can do that, you know. Provide for his family while hunting on the side. That's what most hunters do."

John waved his hand around. "You're not a hunter anymore. How would you know? Never set foot off this farm I bet."

Dean almost chuckled out loud but placed a hand over his mouth as he grinned. Kick his ass, John.

"You saw to that!" Bobby yelled. "You chose huntin' over your obligation. Saw fit to pass it on to me."

John stepped forward, his hands balled into fists. "And I can take him back. This arrangement isn't legal."

Bobby poked his finger at John. "Don't you threaten me or my family. What you done wasn't legal, and you know it."

Dean's throat tightened. This was heating up. He wasn't sure what they were arguing about, but he reached into his waistband, his hand brushing his pistol. Just in case.

Bobby sighed. "What's the story with the Dean kid. I guess one plus one equals two? You dumpin' him here while you're in prison?"

Dean's knees gave way, and he grabbed onto a nearby hall tree to avoid crashing to the floor. What?! John wouldn't talk to him, wouldn't explain why they were coming here. What was going on?

John seemed to deflate. "Guess so. You've done such a good job with..."

"How would you know?!" Bobby roared. "You just stopped by in the middle of the night, woulda left him on my doorstep to freeze to death if I hadn't heard your rumbling car in my driveway. And, YOU NEVER CAME BACK. John, you don't give a damn about your own kids."

John looked defeated. "He would've held me back. I had to help Mary."

"Who's DEAD! But, your children are alive."

Dean couldn't stop biting his lip raw. Children? More than one? He needed to pace, do something, work off this energy flaming up inside him...the anger and the...fear. No, he was a hunter; he was never afraid. Dean turned abruptly as a weird sound crept up behind him.

"Who are you, and who's Daddy arguin' with?" The voice was halting, having difficulty spitting out the words. And the face, geez. He might've been a cute kid with the floppy brown hair flaring out in all directions, but all Dean could see was the huge, coke bottle eyeglasses dominating the kid's face. And the puzzled, hazel eyes appearing four times their normal size.

"Shhhh," Dean said, turning back to the door, his ear held closely to the open crack.

The kid touched the armrest of his wheelchair and coaxed it closer with a low, whirring sound. "Not polite to listen to other people talk. Daddy said so."

Dean's teeth clenched. "Shut, up, Four-eyes."

The kid tilted his head and gave an exasperated huff, but Dean ignored him, trying to catch more of the conversation.

"So what's this Dean kid like, 'sides looking like a freckled street urchin?" the older man asked.

Dean grumbled low in his throat. That prick! He better quit noticing how he looked all the time, the pervert.

John sighed. "Dean? He's a good kid, mostly. Listens to what I say. Got a mouth on him sometimes, like most teenagers."

"I noticed the puffy cheek. He give you some lip on the way here?"

John shrugged. "I'm training him to be a hunter."

I AM a hunter, Dean answered back in his mind.

"Got him running' scams with you?"

"He can hold his own."

"What are his issues?"

John frowned. "Issues?"

Bobby turned his cap around, the bill facing the back. "Yeah. Kid's no longer got a mother. Only has you."

"Thanks for the compliment, Bobby."

Bobby's face was impassive. "Call 'em like I see 'em."

The kid poked Dean's arm and whispered. "Can I see? Lemme see."

Dean turned the kid's wheelchair around, facing him toward a painting hanging in the foyer. "Look at this. Now be quiet."

The kid peered closely at the landscape scene, reaching out to touch a swan gliding on a lake. Dean resumed his spying mission.

"Dean...he never got over Mary...and the fire. He has trouble at night."

Dean's eyes opened wide. He felt like he'd been shot. John said he'd never tell. He promised.

Bobby nodded like he understood.

The kid ran over Dean's toes, probably on purpose. He grinned up at him. "Swan is white. Clouds are white. They match." He poked Dean's arm. "Hey. I saw you..."

Dean felt beads of perspiration run down his back. "Where's the back door? Where is it?" Maybe he could sneak past the men and hide out in the back seat. No way he was staying here. He was going with John.

The funny kid took his hand. "C'mere."

Dean followed him, trying to shake off his hand, but the kid held it in a death grip. Finally, they stopped at a glass patio door, and Dean swung it open. "Leggo!" he yelled as he yanked his hand from the kid's fingers. He ran as fast as he could around the side of the house, but he was too late!

John slammed the driver's door shut, and the Impala rumbled to life.

Dean tore after the car. He almost made it. His hands slapped the trunk, but John sped up, and he was left standing alone, watching the Impala become smaller and smaller, while he choked on a wave of black car exhaust. He tripped and fell to the ground, his heart pounding and his mind in disbelief. At the sound of footsteps he rose to his knees.

"Hey, kid..."

Dean saw red and pointed his pistol at the man called Bobby. He squinted his eyes and fired.

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. Please let me know if you enjoyed this chapter and want me to continue. Thanks for reading!