As It Was - Dean Winchester

Part 1

"Then we start with step one." I pulled up a notebook and a pen from my duffle bag and sat down next to Caleb on the couch. John took the seat in the armchair across from us. I nodded my head to Caleb, and he knew what I wanted and left the room. "You need to tell me everything. Everything from why you want to disappear to your daily routine. I want to know about friends, family, every case you ever worked."

John watched me silently. Still debating on whether he could trust me or not. Eventually, he began to tell me what I asked for.

---

"Your two boys, they're hunters too?" 

"Yeah, they know what's out there. Dean, my oldest, and I have been hunting together for a while now. Sammy though... Sam is studying pre-law at Stanford." He sounded proud. I wrote down what he told me and continued with my last questions.

"You think they're gonna come looking for you?" 

John shook his head. "Dean might, but Sammy? No. We haven't had any contact since he left for college." I noticed the pain flash through his eyes and closed my notes. 

"You are aware that disappearing means no contact with either of them. Right? No phone calls, no texts, no last goodbyes." John rubbed his eyes using one hand. 

"Yeah, I know." He sounded tired. "But I need to find this thing. I need to end this." 

"When was the last time you spoke to Dean?" 

"A few days ago, I left him a voicemail when I took off from my last hunt." He looked up at me. "I didn't tell him where I was going." 

When I had gathered the information I needed, I stood up. "Is your bag packed?" John nodded. "Then we head out in ten." 

I walked into the kitchen, where Caleb waited patiently. The man was leaning against the kitchen counter, holding a cup of steaming coffee. 

"So you taking off?" He asked, and I nodded my response.

"Can you hand this over to Liam if you see him?" I handed Caleb an envelope. He pulled a hand over his short, buzzed hair. 

"Breaking your own rules now, are you?" 

I smirked. "Yeah, it's no information about my whereabouts, just a letter." I could feel the smile drop. "You know anything about John's kids?" 

"Yeah, they're like family." 

"Are they gonna give me any trouble?" Caleb shook his head. 

"Dean has called about a few times. I've just told him I don't know where John is."

"Keep it that way," I warned him, giving him a stern glare. He smiled and punched my shoulder.

"Have I ever let you down, kid?" The smirk returned to my lips. 

"There was that one time in Indiana..." 

"Oh, come on! You can't hold that one over me. I sent Liam in my stead." I didn't hold back my hoarse laughter. 

"Exactly my point." Caleb opened his arms, and I embraced him. "See you around," I told him, not wanting to specify when knowing these things could take time.

"Yeah, see you 'round." He kissed my temple before letting me go. 

---

To be on the road with John Winchester was no easy task. He was grumpy and hardly did what I told him, even though he'd said he would. I managed, though. 

The first couple of days, I rode shotgun in his car, ordering him to drive cross-country and then zigzag the way back. If anyone were tracking us, the random pattern would throw them off. John had given me his phone, and I disconnected it and put it in my duffle bag. I burned all his old fake IDs and credit cards and made him ditch all the old aliases.