Bobby's Panic Room

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby was pacing back and forth. Things were getting bad, not just bad, but worse. Hell he didn’t know if anything could BE worse. They thought he didn’t know. Bobby knew. Bobby was a hunter, of course he knew. What hurt him the most though was the fact that he was kept from it. Like it was some big family secret. How many times did Bobby have to tell Dean that family does NOT end in blood. That goes without question, and every time Bobby seems to have been left out of something.

Bobby looked around his house, for something, anything that might tell him more about what was going on with Sam. Of course it WOULD help if it came straight from the source, but no. Bobby was kept out, again. Did Dean really think he wouldn’t find out from some demon? Bobby knew about Sam’s powers, sure, but Dean of course didn’t tell him just HOW powerful he was getting. Nope, Bobby was left out of the loop as it was.

Then there was the thing in Italy that they went on. Bobby was left out of that too, and it pissed him off royally. Maybe they thought that it was above his league. Nevermind all the help Bobby’s given them before, when the seals were being broken, still being broken…. It was the end of the world and Bobby knew he could help, but if they kept him out of the loop that was pretty much impossible.

Bobby continued to pace back and forth and he worked more on his panic room that he was building. He knew Dean and Sam were coming, and he also knew how sprung up Sam was. He heard that Sam used his powers on Samhein and he also used them again after he told Dean he wouldn’t anymore. Bobby KNEW this was becoming a problem. He also knew Ruby was a MAJOR part of the problem, but yet Sam and Dean kept hanging out with her. Well, Sam more then Dean.

Bobby thought he heard a car pull in and he sighed hoping it was them. They were going to get a serious beat down and Bobby Singer was one pissed off man. He was tired of being a third wheel or a ditchable prom date. Bobby needed a change, and he knew that if they were going to work on this together, then they ALL had to work on it together. Bobby was ready to give one of his ‘importance of family’ speeches all over again to those boys and he hoped to God it would sink in this time.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Dean Winchester had loved many women in his life and though he'd never kept count, he was fairly confident he was into three digits figures when it came to sexual conquests. But though he had loved many women, he hadn't actually loved many women. In fact, those who had worked their way into his heart, he could have counted on the fingers of one hand. And out of those very special few, one name blew all the others away.

Annali MacPherson. Mild mannered kindergarten teacher from Kansas.

He knew that after spending so much time with her, after being cursed to never be more than five feet away from her, it was always going to be hard to say goodbye. For the better part of a couple of weeks, they'd shared every waking moment together. They'd eaten together, showered together and slept together. Dean had told her more about himself and his family, revealed more secrets with her than he had done with any women he'd ever met. She'd made opening up his heart so very easy that when it came to closing it back up again, to saying farewell once the curse was broken, it just wouldn't go back the same way. There was a big crack down the middle, a missing piece and he knew exactly why.

If Dean had been a regular person, someone who's life had stability and a direction other than being pointed towards Hell, if he was able to settle down without the danger of bringing evil to his front door then maybe he would have hung up his hunting knives and gone into retirement. It was his one, ultimate dream to have a home and to start a family of his own, but deep down he knew it could never be. Turning his back on his chance for redemption was not on the cards. Saving people was the only thing he could do now to try and make ammends for ten years in Hell torturing souls to save his own.

So once he and Sam had made sure that Annali would be safe again, he'd said goodbye to her and walked away. It had been the hardest thing he'd had to do since he'd been back from the dead, but he just told himself over and over that he was doing it to protect her. She didn't need a broken hunter in her life. This way, she would be able to move on and get back to normal. She could forget all about Dean Winchester and find someone who deserved to be with her. He knew it was the right thing to do. Did it have to hurt so much though?

He'd dropped Sam off in town, his brother wanting to run a few errands before meeting up at Bobby's place and Dean was still so heartbroken he actually welcomed the lonely drive over to the salvage yard. It had completely slipped his mind that they hadn't spoken to Bobby since Sam had called to ask about the curse and to let him know they had a lead in Italy so he had no idea that Bobby was massively pissed about being left out of the loop.

Parking the Impala out front of Bobby's house, Dean took a moment to gather himself, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat thinking about the fact he was never going to see Annali again, and stepped up to the front porch. Manners made him knock a couple of times, but familiarity and curiousity when Bobby didn't come to meet him won out and he pushed open the door and wandered inside.

"Bobby?" He called out, knowing full well that sneaking up on a hunter was always a bad idea, unless you wanted to get a chest full of rock salt or a knife in the gut. There was no sign of Bobby, so he shouted out again.

"You home? It's Dean." Casting a quick glance out of the window to check that Bobby's truck was actually there, Dean figured the old man was probably down in his panic room and so ambled down the wooden stairs to find him.

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby could have sworn that he heard the sound of the Impala in his drive. He left the panic room to go meet Dean and Sam. He started walking upstairs to follow Dean's voice. Bobby had mixed feelings and he knew he ahd to give them a beat down, but at the same time, he didn’t want a blow up either. He was going to try and stay calm as much as possible, but calm was not what he was feeling at the moment. He was feeling left out, irritated, annoyed and pissed was more like it. He should have been there to help them, sure he didn’t follow the boys on every hunt they went on, but Bobby felt he should at least get a phone call when they were on the important ones. The ones having to do with their lives changing.

Bobby thought of the boys as sons, and it hurt when he was left out. When they left him out going after Lillith for Dean’s soul for example. Bobby had to stop them from going himself, but it was still too late. If Bobby hadn’t been there, Sam would have dealt with Dean’s death alone. Bobby knew he had made the right choice to go with them. He remembered finding Sam, after Dean had died. He practically had to drag the boy away from Dean’s body. If he hadn’t been there….Bobby hated to think what would have happened.

Then there was Italy. Bobby knew Dean was cursed, did he get a phone call? Bobby might have had the cure right in his house, all he would have had to do was look at the books and find it. Bobby felt like a third wheel and was tired of it.

Bobby started walking upstairs and saw Dean about halfway. Bobby sighed, “I’m here boy,” he said calling out to Dean. “So how was Italy?” Bobby asked folding his arms a bit, “Yeah, I know,” he said knowing Dean would be surprised. “I know about Sam too,” Bobby added, “What’s been happening,” he said. “I know how Sam’s been using his powers, I know you remember Hell….” Bobby shook his head and it was clear he was pissed. “I’ll ask one more time, do I LOOK like a ditchable prom date to you?” he asked angrily. “I am SICK and tired of being the third wheel in this family, and yes, I say FAMILY boy because I mean it,” he said looking at Dean. It was then he realized just how aweful Dean looked. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “You loose your pet kitten or something?” he asked him. Dean looked like he lost his only friend in the world, “Sam’s alright….ain’t he?” Bobby asked concerned suddenly.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Halfway down the stairs, the familiar sight of a battered trucker's cap came into view as Dean descended into Bobby's basement. There was always the unmistakeable feeling of coming home whenever Dean set foot in the old man's house and after everything that had happened in the last few weeks, Dean kind of needed that right now. He was expecting a gruff bear hug, or a fond smile from the guy, not a grilling like he was facing this time though.

"Hey-" Dean started, only to be cut off abruptly.

“So how was Italy?”

"What?" He faltered and stopped on the second to last step, totally off guard by Bobby's question.

“Yeah, I know,”

Well yeah, I thought Sam had called you...

"Uh...Sam-"

“I know about Sam too,”

Dean frowned, wondering where Bobby was getting his information from and why he felt the need to confront Dean about everything all at once.

“What’s been happening,”

"You know?" Dean wasn't sure if Bobby meant what had happened in Italy, or things with his brother and Ruby.

“I know how Sam’s been using his powers, I know you remember Hell….”

I guess that answers that question then...

That one had Dean on the back foot. He'd worked really hard to keep what he'd been going through to himself but inevitably, living in Sam's pockets as he had been, it was bound to come up between the two of them. But that was Sam, the guy who'd always been able to see through his defenses. Was he that transparent to Bobby now too? Or had Sam told Bobby what Dean had confessed to him?

“I’ll ask one more time, do I LOOK like a ditchable prom date to you?”

"Bobby..." Clearly he was pissed off and Dean spread his hands out to the side a little as he tried desperately to get a word in edgeways.

“I am SICK and tired of being the third wheel in this family, and yes, I say FAMILY boy because I mean it,”

Kick a guy when he's down won't ya...

If he didn't already feel bad for leaving Annali behind, now he really felt like crap for ditching Bobby too.

“What’s wrong? You loose your pet kitten or something?”

There must have been something in Dean's expression because suddenly Bobby's tone changed from growly to, well... less growly than usual.

“Sam’s alright….ain’t he?”

"Yeah, Sam's fine. I dropped him off in town. He had some stuff to do..." Dean sighed and rubbed a weary hand over his face. He still hadn't had chance to properly recover from everything that had happened, the flights alone had stressed him out enough to wear down his internal walls.

"It's just been a really, really long week."

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby looked at Dean as he was trying to talk and he could tell the boy wasn’t all that clear in the head. Bobby rubbed the back of his neck a minute, “Look maybe that came out a little strong,” he said to Dean. “Let’s go upstairs and grab a beer,” he suggested.

Bobby walked towards his house and he went into his fridge and grabbed two beers. He could tell that Dean was worn out, that something horrible had happened, or worse…. Bobby didn’t know but either way they needed to talk and he knew Dean wasn’t the share and caring kind of guy. Bobby sat down on his couch in the living room and offered Dean a seat too.

“Look boy, there’s just some stuff I found out while you were gone is all,” he said, “And I had to find most of it out from Rufus,” he explained. “Before I get into it all, tell me what happened on this last hunt of yours?” he asked.

He didn’t know the full details of this one, but he wanted to. He could tell that Dean wasn’t himself. Course he knew it would be tough as Hell to get Dean to talk about it though. Bobby wasn’t going to give up. There were going to be no more secrets in this family. None.

“Did Sam use his powers again? Is it worse then we thought?” Bobby asked Dean curiously. He just assumed it had to do with Sam because lately when Dean was upset about something it was because of his brother. “Don’t spare the details boy,” Bobby said hoping that Dean would tell him everything.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Beer sounded like a fantastic idea, but when Dean finally sat down on Bobby's couch with a cold one clasped in his hands, he quickly lost interest, turning his attention to a mark on the floor that looked like it had once been a devil's trap while his fingers subconsciously picked at the corners of the label on the bottle he was holding.

He gave the old man an understanding nod when he mentioned that Rufus had gotten in touch with him about some stuff, willing to put off talking about it too since he guessed it probably wasn't good news. But putting that off meant talking about the Italy hunt and he really didn't know where to start with that one either.

“Did Sam use his powers again? Is it worse then we thought?”

Bobby seemed to pick up on the glum, depressed look behind his eyes though mistakenly he'd attributed it to Sam's slow descent down the path to darkness.

"No. No, it's not Sam. Sam's just...Sam, as far as I know." And he was so very thankful for that these days too.

"Hunt went okay. Took longer than expected but its finished now. Curse is broken. Annali can get back to her life again." With that, he sighed a little and took a swig on the beer, not particularly enjoying the taste for once.

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby nodded and sat back more and handed Dean another beer when he was done. He could tell the boy needed relaxin. He could tell something more was going on and he was STILL hiding it. Bobby was sick and tired of being on the dambed backburner. He knew that wasn’t the case with it all, but still, Bobby felt he had a right to know what was happening with his family.

“Sam’s fine, I get that,” Bobby said, “Good,” he said. He shook his head, “Other then the fact that he’s got these powers and we have no idea how they are getting stronger,” he said irritated. He sighed and stood up and paced back and forth a bit. He didn’t want to drill Dean too much but there were some things he felt he had the right to know.

“Look, I didn’t meant o get all drill sergeant on your ass,” Bobby said, “I’m just tired of being out of the loop is all….” He told Dean honestly. “All I’m sayin is, I know you remember hell,” Bobby said, “I know that things have been going on between you and Sam,’ he told him. “I just would like to be let in on things is all I’m sayin,” he said.

Bobby couldn’t help but want to ask more questions. When Dean mentioned Annali Bobby frowned a bit, “Annali huh?” he asked Dean softly. Bobby looked at him once more in the eyes, “Something abut her, isn’t there?” he asked Dean. “Boy you STILL look like your dog died or something,” he said. “Your holding back. What else happened?” Bobby demanded.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

“Look, I didn’t mean to get all drill sergeant on your ass, I’m just tired of being out of the loop is all….”

Dean sighed and nodded, putting his head down so he could rub at the back of his neck. He didn't mind Bobby demanding to know what was going on, in some ways, it reminded him of his father. The familarity of the situation brought back memories he'd forgotten he had. But there were some things he wasn't going to talk about so easily, no matter how much Bobby asked and Hell was top of that list.

"I know and I'm sorry for blocking you out Bobby, but I can't talk about Hell." He said, sorrowful eyes looking up to meet his, just pleading for the subject to be dropped. "I just can't. Not now."

My hearts already in pieces, let's not drag it through hellfire as well, please...

Bobby seemed to understand and changed the subject, choosing to focus on something less traumatic but equally painful for Dean to think about.

“Annali huh? Something abut her, isn’t there?”

"Yeah." A small sigh and a lop sided smile momentarily flashed on his face when the image of her popped into his mind. She was smiling, looking at him through her eyelashes in that shy way she did when she made his heart flutter.

"Did you ever meet her old man? MacPherson. He's a hunter, I think Dad knew him pretty well. Into antique artifacts from what I can tell."

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby looked at Dean and nodded, “I know you can’t talk about it,” he said. “I get that, but it just woulda been nice to know that you remembered it, but I know you didn’t tell Sam either for a while,” Bobby said understanding. “I know you don’t want it, but we ARE here to help boy,” he said.

Bobby looked at Dean with a sigh, “You don’t have to leave everyone you know,” he said to him. “I mean, I’m sure that’s what your thinking, but that ain’t the case,” he said shaking his head. Bobby sighed wondering what was going on and why everything was changing. “As far as Sam….” Bobby fell silent for a few seconds.

“When you were gone it was different….” Bobby explained, “Sam, he….grew quiet, real quiet,” Bobby said. “Then he just left, I tried to call him, many times, but he didn’t want to be found,” he said, “Its like I said before, I think he was trying to find a way to bring you back, but loosing you boy….” He said, “Loosing you took a lot out of him,” he said, “Go easy on him is all I’m sayin,”

Bobby raised his eyebrows when Dean asked about Annali’s father, “MacPherson, yeah I know the name,” he said, “How’d Anali get dragged into this?” Bobby wanted to know. “How did you two get so close?” he asked. Bobby was itchin for some details.

Bobby could tell that Dean was getting tired. Tired of loosing friends, of loosing Sam, he knew Dean was wearing down, “I didn’t mean to come down so hard on you boy,” he said. “I can see what all of this is doing to ya, and I don’t like it,” he remarked, “I know that you ain’t one for admitting things wearing you down, but I can see it in your eyes,” he observed, “And I can tell ya, I don’t want to be loosin you again,” he frowned at the thought.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Bobby carried on talking but Dean wasn't exactly listening to everything he'd said. His mind was very much on recent events but when the old man mentioned how Sam had changed while he was in Hell, it just compounded how remorseful he was about everything that had transpired because of him. He remembered how dead he'd felt inside when he held Sam's lifeless body in his arms back at Cold Oak and how lost he was in the time after that until finally he couldn't take being alone anymore and had made the deal at the crossroads. But that had been days, not months like Sam had suffered alone while he was rotting in the pit. It was no wonder he'd lost his way by the time Dean came back. He really couldn't blame him when he should have found a way to be there.

When Bobby mentioned Annali's name again, Dean's attention snapped back and he sat back on the couch, lazily resting the beer bottle in his hand on his knee while he explained what had happened. Unsure what Sam might have already told him, Dean figured that he might as well start at the beginning.

"Yeah, funny story how Li and I got so close. Kinda literal too." He smirked a little to himself, remembering that first night they spent together. Lying in bed with her that night, it was easy to forget they were cursed to be so close.

"She had a ghost issue at her folk's house, her father was off halfway around the world somewhere so he told her to call Dad to help, only it seems MacPherson didn't get the memo about..." He trailed off, gave a little tilt of the head and a one shouldered shrug rather than actually saying 'Dad's death' one more time. Even after all this time, it was still hard to think about it.

"Anyway." He continued, taking a breath and pretending as though he hadn't stopped. "Me and Sammy go to check it out and sure enough she's got a couple of spirits in the basement, right where her father's archive vault is. Apparently they turned up not long after her old man brought home this antique locket so I figured that there was the link y'know. Some lock of hair inside it or something that needed salting and burning, so genius here," he pointed at himself with a slightly sheepish expression, "opens it right next to Annali and manages to curse the both of us."

"Wasn't until a little later that we realised if we got more than five feet away from each other, the curse tried to kill us both with the mother of all heart attacks. So from then on, we kinda had to be close to each other which was always fun when she wanted to pee." He'd said the last part with a little sarcasm in his voice, but actually thinking back, it was kinda funny. Or at least Sam had thought so, when he caught Dean pressed against the bathroom door because Annali wanted some privacy.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

(OOC: I'm going with the idea that Sam met Ruby in town and that she at least gave him a ride and dropped him off at Bobby's. If Ruby wants to join in she can. Maybe she decides to follow after Sam for some reason or maybe she pops back up when the demons show up or whatever...)

Sam

Sam had some things to do in town. Things he didn't want Dean to know about. Like meeting up with Ruby. He didn't exactly like going behind Dean's back but it was clear that Dean just couldn't accept Sam's decision to use his powers. So, he wasn't going to tell him... Let alone tell him he was continuing to work with Ruby to get stronger.

For Sam it was the logical choice. And that was the way Sam's mind worked. He had this power inside him... Apparently the only one able to do the job. It didn't make sense to Sam not to use it to their advantage. It was up to him to make sure he stayed on the right path. Saving people while at the same time preparing himself to battle Lilith. What could be wrong with that?

Dean would never understand and Sam was worn down by the arguments. His life, their lives were complicated enough. Sam didn't need to be constantly fighting with the one person that he'd spent almost his entire existence practically joined at the hip with.

Things were even more complex since they had gotten back from Europe. The whole curse thing had really taken it's toll in more ways than one. Dean was in a major funk over Annali, whether he wanted to admit it was another matter. Sam knew it was tearing his brother up, how could he not notice.

Then there was Layla... While he hadn't walked away from Layla like Dean had Annali, it was still weighing on his mind. They had something together. It all had happened so fast though. They had this intense attraction to each other from the moment they met and the time they spent together in Europe only seemed to strengthen it. The problem was, when they had gotten back to the states, Sam had his life and she had hers. Both of them lived on the road a lot and it had sent them in different directions. For now... They kept in contact over the phone and through email but it was still an adjustment to make.

His damn life pulling him away from something he wanted, again. On top of everything add Ruby into the mix and it just made his head hurt. THIS is what Sam was thinking after Ruby dropped him off at Bobby's place and he was heading up to the front door.

Opening the front door Sam walked inside. Giving a little shout of greeting as he moved into the entry way.

"Bobby? Dean? Where are you guys?"

He paused for a moment inside the front room. Waiting for someone to answer his call.

[bobbysinger1]

Bobby continued to listen to Dean and he nodded as Dean told him what happened in Italy. Bobby could understand but even so he felt left out just by the fact that he didn’t receive a phone call. Nothing. Bobby hoped Dean was at least listening to him a bit but he knew that the hunters like to stay private. Bobby wasn’t sure how often he would have to give the ‘family don’t end in blood’ speech to Dean.

Bobby turned when he heard Sam’s voice coming down the hall, “Sam,” Bobby said, “We’re in the kitchen,” Bobby said to Sam shaking his head.

Like he didn’t know what Sam was up to. “Bet you ten to one Sam says he was out getting a burger,” Bobby said to Dean. He knew Dean was already frustrated with Sam’s lying and everything, and Bobby knew that Sam was doing more then going out to eat or gab a beer every time he left.

Bobby knew something was happening, something more. How many times had he heard Gordan Walker say he wanted to kill Sam? Bobby knew Gordan had a reason for it, not that he agreed, but still…. Bobby knew that Gordan’s reason was close to the reason why Sam was constantly hiding things. If it was legit, Sam would be telling them the truth, but he wasn’t and they couldn’t force it out of him.

Bobby grabbed another cold beer out of the fridge and waited for Sam to come upstairs. He knew something was definitely going on, though he wasn’t going to say. That as more Dean’s place.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

They'd been sat talking for a while before Sam finally showed up, Dean opening up just a fraction more to Bobby about his worry for his brother and his feelings for Annali. It seemed that having anyone in his life that he cared about meant major heartache for him because one way or another they'd always end up being put in danger or hurt, either because he stayed close or he left them behind. Catch twenty-two. One of these days he's was going to learn how not to love people and then there would be none of this angst anymore.

And longpigs might fly...

When Sam wandered into the kitchen, Dean was standing by the sink looking out of the window, schooling his features into a mask of indifference as to where Sam might have been. He hoped that by not pushing, not continuously questioning him about every little thing he did on his own, that maybe Sam would just come straight out with it and tell him the truth. He didn't really believe that though and whatever Sam said these days, how could he be one hundred percent sure it was the actual truth? Considering Bobby's current temperament for wanting to know what was going on, he figured he'd leave it to him to give Sam the suspicious glances for a change. He was too depressed to get into all that right now.

"You're back sooner than I thought you'd be." He said casually, doing his very best to not sound accusing as he turned and nodded at Sam in greeting. "Lemme guess, the library was closed after all?" If he wanted Sam to relax, then teasing in his usual older brother fashion was the best ploy.