Work Text:
Tiny Claws
By Lady FoxFire
September 22, 2007
Pastor Jim opened the screen door as 1967 black Chevy Impala rolled to a stop in front of his home. Allowing the screen door to slam shut behind him, Jim watched as the driver of the car climb out of it.
"John," Jim said cautiously as his eyes roamed over the younger man, looking for injuries, "didn't expect to see you in this neck of the woods any time soon. Thought you were down south in Tennessee."
"Something came up," John said in a way of an explanation. "And I really need you help with it."
An eyebrow raised, Pastor Jim looked at John in surprise since it was rare for this novice hunter to come straight out and ask for help. "How so?"
"Pastor Jim!"
Was the only warning Jim received before an energetic 4 yr. old whirlwind that answered to Sammy barreled into his legs, forcing him to take a step back to keep his balance.
"Sammy," Jim said with a grin as he bent down and picked up the young boy. "And how has life been treating my littlest hunter?"
Sammy held up the stuffed white kitten he always had with him but it was more pink than white now. "Mr. Kitty took a bath in the washing machine," Sam explained, "but he came out pink. Daddy found a pair of lady's undies in the washing machine and he says they made Mr. Kitty pink. How did they make Mr. Kitty pink? That doesn't make sense, the undies were red not pink. Dean says Mr. Kitty is pink because he was embear... embear?"
"Embarrassed," Dean supplied with an amused look.
"What he said. Because Mr. Kitty was taking a bath with a girl's undies," Sam finished.
Pastor Jim looked at Sammy amazed that such a little boy could say so much without stopping to take a breath. "Umm? I'm sure your daddy is right, Sammy. So what else have you been up to?"
"I got a new big brother," Sammy said proudly as he squirmed into Jim's arms so he could point at the dark haired boy half hiding behind John's legs. "His name is Duncan."
"Boys, why don't you run to the Pastor Jim's barn and see if there's any kittens," John said his eyes never straying from Jim's.
"Yeah!" Sammy cheered as he wriggled out of Pastor Jim's arms and dropped to the ground before running off to the barn as fast as he could.
With a shrug of his shoulders as if he was too big to care about seeing kittens, Dean started to follow his little brother, his eyes sparkling with excitement betrayed him.
Noticing that Duncan hadn't joined Dean and Sammy, John gently guided the dark haired boy out from behind him and said, "It's okay." Giving Duncan a little push. "Go on with your brothers."
Duncan looked up at John then towards his brothers. Sammy was running as fast as his little legs could towards the barn but Dean had stopped midway and looked back at Duncan, waiting for him to catch up.
Keeping one eye on Pastor Jim, Duncan walked past the man until he was far enough from the man that he wouldn?t be able to catch him before breaking into a run to catch up with Dean.
"John," Jim growled at the young hunter as he watched the skittish child join Dean.
"Yeah," John said as he looked down at the ground, chuffing it with the toe of his boot. "Umm? it all started two weeks ago while I was working on translating a book on?"
~*~
Sunlight streamed through the spaces between the boards that made up the walls of the barn, creating an interesting mix of light and shadow. As sunbeams and air danced around the barn, Duncan stared in awe at the wonderland he had walked into. The bits of dust and hay dancing in the sunbeams made them look like they were solid enough reach out and touch, if not actual take a piece of.
"Come on Duncan," Sammy called out as he climbed the simple three-rung wooden ladder to where the hay bales were stored. Dean stood at the base of the ladder just in cased Sammy slipped.
Duncan slowly approached the brothers as he looked around the barn, at the farm equipment stored there.
Dean touched Duncan on the shoulder brought the younger boy out of his thoughts
"Your turn," Dean said with a smile as he gentle pushed Duncan toward the ladder.
"Climb up, Duncan," Sammy said from the top of the hay bails next to the ladder.
Glancing back and forth between the two brothers, Duncan sighed before grabbing hold of the simple wooden ladder and quickly climbing up.
Standing on the hay bale, Duncan looked around the barn from this high vantage with wide eyes.
"Neat isn't it," Dean said as he joined Duncan.
"Are we? are we allowed up here?" Duncan said softly as he glanced to the barn door as if he was afraid that Pastor Jim would come in yelling at them and punish them.
"Yep, Pastor Jim lets us play in here as long as we don't play on the equipment," Dean said as he nodded towards the tracker and other farming equipment on the barn floor, "or when they're bringing in the new hay."
"I found them!" Sammy called out excitedly from the far corner where the bails where stacked up to form a set of stairs in the barn's loft.
"Come on," Dean said as he grinned excitedly, grabbing Duncan's hand and dragged him in Sammy's direction.
"Hurry up," Sammy said as he bounced in place on his knees in the straw. "Molly had kittens!"
"Not Snowy?" Dean asked disappointment evident in his voice as he dropped down next to his baby brother.
"No. I only found Molly," Sammy said as he gently picked up a little orange-stripped kitten. "They're cute."
"She's probably hiding someplace else," Dean stated as he picked up a calico. "Here Duncan you can hold this one." Dean held up the kitten to Duncan who was just standing there watching the brothers.
Duncan looked at the kitten that stared at him and meowed helplessly, then at Dean who was smiling reassuringly. Then he returned his gaze to the kitten.
Hesitantly Duncan reached out with both hands and took the kitten from Dean. Holding the calico against his chest Duncan looked up at Dean to see if was he was in trouble for accepting the kitten only to see Dean reaching for another kitten.
Duncan looked back and forth between Sammy and Dean as the petted the kittens they held gingerly. Slowly Duncan sat down next to the boys.
Holding the kitten so that its tummy was against his chest, Duncan gently stroked its soft fur. A smile appeared on his face as the kitten closed its blue-eyes and started to purr.
~*~
"So for the past 2 weeks I've been reading the books Lily wrote, the books that would have been our future," John explained as he finished his beer.
"Damn John," Pastor Jim commented as the passed John another bottle.
Cracking open the bottle, John took a gulp from it. "Yeah, I know. So what do I do?"
"What do you mean what should you do? You're already agreed to take the boy in," Pastor Jim said as he gazed at John with confusion.
John shook his head. "No. Not that. That's one thing I have no doubt in my mind that I did the right thing. No. The thing I need help with is the books Lily wrote."
"I don't understand, John," Jim commented. "By accepting Duncan you're already changed the future that Lily saw. The books are useless."
"They're not useless. Gordon. Gordon was 16 when his sister was taken by a vampire and he became a hunter. So do I stop that from happening? Do I give two children a future that was stolen from them? And if I do, do I condemn those who Gordon would have saved? And it's not just Gordon, there are hundreds of others I could save but at what cost?"
Both men allowed the silence to fall among them.
Peeling the label from his bottle, Pastor Jim looked up at John. "I don't know, John. But can you honestly face yourself in the morning if you don't try?"