Dean sighed, as he paced, Roman, Seth and Paige sat on the couch together waiting for him to explain what happened.
"What you guys saw wasn't anything that will hurt me in any way...actually it could be extremely useful!" Dean began, as he stopped pacing and sat across from them in a chair. "It's called mindlinking; by touching someone I can see things from either the person's past or present. I see, hear and feel everything they do or have, it's like I become them, seeing everything through their eyes without them even knowing it." He explained.
"So, you mindlinked with me at the church?" Paige asked, not sure how to feel about him doing it with her, or even what he saw.
"Yes, I relived your past." Dean answered, not going into any details about what he saw.
"Besides with Paige, have you ever done it before?" Roman asked.
"Yeah once, at the Exchange before I killed Dante." Dean replied sighing.
"You've never done it before that?" Seth questioned, Dean shook his head no. "Then how do
you know that's what happened?"
"A few years ago I overheard Keeper talking to Cass about it. I was curious about it, so I listened to their conversation. No one in the family is strong enough to do it; that included me, except for the Elders and Vassago. Even they had never done it before though, which of course made everyone in the family believe that it couldn't be done. I wanted to learn more about it and thankfully Cass did too, so I was able to find out everything. It had never happened to me before, until the episode with Dante; that's how I knew the security code to get into the Exchange. Honestly it freaked the Hell out of me when it happened!"
"Then it happened again when we shook hands at the church." Paige added, Dean nodded his head.
"If it only happens when you touch someone, then how the hell did you just mindlink with whoever it..."
"Vassago! I mindlinked with Vassago." Dean admitted sighing, cutting Roman off.
"What?" All three said together shocked.
"I'm as shocked and confused as you three are!" Dean said, as he got up and began pacing again. "When it happened I knew what it was, but it felt...different this time, more intense; it felt like nothing that's happened before. I saw, felt and heard everything Vassago did; including his anger over your escape. Then...then it was over as quickly as it happened."
"How is that even possible?" Paige asked.
"I don't know!" Dean answered frustrated.
"I thought you had to touch someone first?" Seth questioned.
"I do!"
"Can you control it?" Roman asked.
"No." Dean replied sighing, as he sat down again. "At least not yet."
"Wait, you can learn to control it?" Seth asked.
"Yeah, but first we need to figure out what the damn prophecy says!"
"Well, now that Seth and I are here we can help too!" Roman said smiling, before he got up, went to Dean, sat on his lap and kissed him.
"Wait, none of you are mad that I'm still going after Vassago? You...you aren't going to try and talk me out of it?" Dean asked shocked.
"Would we stop you if we tried?" Paige asked smiling, Dean shook his head no.
"Then nope!" Seth answered smiling.
"Me mindlinking with Vassago is a good thing! We can use it to know what he plans on doing next." Dean said smiling.
"Yeah, but first you need to learn to control it!" Roman stated. "By the way what other powers do you have that you aren't telling us about babe?"
"None that I know about, that's why the prophecy is so damn important!"
"Alright, first thing in the morning we get to work and figure it out. For now though, I'd like to spend some time alone with my Immortal!" Roman said smiling, before he kissed Dean again and stood.
"Night guys, see you in the morning!" Dean said quickly, as he stood, took Roman's hand and rushed out of the room, causing Roman, Seth and Paige to laugh.
**Two Days Later**:
Dean was alone outside in the afternoon sun, training while Roman, Seth, Paige and Grant were working on the prophecy; but even with the extra help they still hadn't made much progress. Rose and Violet were in their bedroom staying out of the way. Dean hated doing nothing, hated the not knowing, it was driving him crazy! He also hasn't mindlinked with Vassago since the first time it happened and that worried him.
He sighed frustrated and swung his machete towards the target he had built, hitting it in the chest. He needed to do something, he wasn't used to waiting around. He knew Vassago had to figure out a new plan since he lost his leverage over Dean because of Roman and Seth escaping. Now instead of Dean coming to him, Vassago had to find him; something that wasn't easy to do!
"Need a training partner?" Seth asked smiling, as he came outside alone.
"I thought you were helping the others?" Dean asked smiling too.
"Yeah, I was, but that thing is damn near impossible to translate!"
"I know!" Dean agreed, as they both laughed.
"So, you need a partner Ambrose?"
"You think you remember enough of what I taught you to take me down Two-Tones?" Dean asked smirking.
"Maybe, I guess we're just going to have wait and see!" Seth answered, as Dean grabbed another machete and tossed it to him, Seth caught it. "Don't go easy on me!"
"Not a chance!" Dean replied smiling, as he winked.
They circled each other for a few seconds, Seth waited for the right moment, before he charged Dean, who moved out of the way seconds before they connected. The mock fight went back and forth with both men giving and receiving hits. Dean was impressed with Seth, not only had he gotten better, but he was a smarter fighter now too! Of course he still had some learning to do, but Dean was happy that at least he could defend himself if they were attacked.
"Not bad Rollins!" Dean said, after ending the fight in a draw. "You still need to practice, but you've gotten better!"
"Thanks, I had a good teacher!" Seth replied smiling.
"Seth, I've been meaning to talk to you about something, since you and Ro came back." Dean said gently.
"About what?"
"I know Vassago got into your heads and made you question my love and loyalty towards you."
"Roman told you didn't he?" Seth asked sighing.
"Nope! I can read minds remember, I'm a Vampire!" Dean answered. "I don't normally do it, but I sensed something was bothering both of you that you weren't telling me about, so I listened to your thoughts. I heard what you two were thinking and I already talked to Roman about it and now it's your turn."
"I'm fine Dean, I already talked to Roman about it!" Seth said, faking his smile.
"Then why are you still feeling guilty about it?" Dean questioned.
"What? No, I'm..."
"Dude, I can read your mind!" Dean said frustrated, cutting him off.
"Alright, fine! I...I doubted you okay? Dammit Dean, I let that bastard get into my head and he made me believe I wasn't as important to you as Roman is!" Seth admitted.
"You're just as important to me Seth, you're my brother! I would die for you without hesitation, like I would for Roman! I'd do it for Paige too, she's like my sister! There is nothing more important to me than family and you three are my family!" Dean explained, needing Seth to know just how much they all meant to him! "I don't hate you or love you any less because of what Vassago made you believe!"
"I'm sorry Dean." Seth said sadly, tears in his eyes.
"Don't be, there's nothing to be sorry for!" Dean said gently, before he hugged him.
Before the hug ended Dean suddenly began to get dizzy and he knew what was happening...he was mindlinking with Vassago again! Seth felt him tense up and pulled away, as Dean grabbed his head, Seth helped him sit down, before he knelt beside Dean and waited.
Meanwhile, Dean closed his eyes tight, as he was pulled to where Vassago was. Again he felt the intense anger Vassago did, his hands clenched into fists, as he listened through his ears, as he ordered members of their family to go terrorize the city to draw Dean out! He knew Dean wouldn't do nothing, while his precious, innocent mortals were slaughtered, when they found Dean they were to bring him to Vassago alive! Once the five Vamps left, Vassago kicked Keeper out of his chambers and began to pace angrily. There was another intense emotion Dean could feel coming from Vassago; an emotion that he kept buried...fear! He was afraid of Dean, he had never been afraid of anyone or anything before, but he had never faced anyone like Dean before either! Suddenly the link ended and once again he was thrown back into his own body, taking in a deep breath, before he began coughing. He opened his eyes and saw Seth looking at him concerned, he ran his hands over his face.
"It happened again, didn't it?" Seth asked, as they stood.
"Yeah."
"Come on, let's go inside and tell Ro and Paige what happened." Seth said, as Dean nodded.
They walked back to the house, Dean knew he had to stop the Vamps, he also knew that the others wouldn't like it; especially him going alone! They went inside and found Roman and Paige in the living room playing with Rose and Violet, Grant was still upstairs working.
"Hey, guys!" Paige greeted them smiling. "How was train..." She began, but trailed off seeing their faces, she looked at Roman, before they looked back at them.
"Uh Rose sweetie, can you take Violet upstairs please, we need to talk to Dean and Seth alone about adult stuff." Roman asked smiling, as Dean sat down in a chair drained from the mindlink and ran his hands over his face.
"Dean, are...are you okay?" Rose asked scared, as she went to him.
"Yeah kid, I'm fine! Just a little tired from training." Dean lied, faking his smile, before he hugged her and then kissed her forehead.
"Okay." She said, as she looked at all of them one more time, before she took Violet from Roman and left the room.
"Dean mindlinked with Vassago again!" Seth said, once she was gone, as he sat beside Paige on the couch.
"Again?" Paige asked. "What did you see this time?"
"He sent five Vamps to cause trouble around town to draw me out!"
"What kind of trouble?" Seth asked nervously.
"The kind where innocent people are going to get hurt!" Dean answered angrily. "Which is why I'm going to stop them!"
"Stop them how?" Roman asked nervously.
"I'm going to hunt them down and then I'm going to kill them!"
"Dean, that's suicide! That's what they want you to do, you're...you're walking right into their trap!" Paige said upset.
"I know that dammit, but I can't let more innocent people die because of them...because of me!" Dean said upset, as he stood.
"Dean, if you go we could lose you!" Roman said upset, as he stood, tears in his eyes. "Please don't do this, there has to be another way!"
"Dammit Roman, I have to, there is no other way! I'm sorry, but those little girls upstairs lost their family because of mine! I can't let them hurt anymore innocent people!"
"Then I'm coming with you!" Seth said, as he stood.
"Me too!" Roman and Paige said together.
"Nope!" Dean refused. "I'm doing this alone!"
"Dammit Dean, this is our fight too!" Roman said frustrated.
"I said no!" Dean replied angrily. "You three are staying here where it's safe dammit!"
"Why? You've trained us Dean and we've proven ourselves in other..."
"I'm not losing any of you again!" Dean said upset, cutting Paige off. "All three of you have been hurt because of them and I almost lost Roman and Seth once, I can't risk it!"
"And we can't lose you." Roman replied gently.
"Dean, please let us help you? We're done being that bastard's play toys, it's time that son-of-a-bitch knows what it's like to be hunted!" Seth added gently. "We're stronger and smarter this time! Besides, we have a secret weapon!"
"We do?" Paige asked confused, as they all looked at him.
"Uh, yeah! Deano's mindlinking!" Seth answered smiling, as he patted Dean on the back.
"Only one tiny problem with that Two-Tones!" Dean said smiling.
"What?"
"I can't control it!" Dean answered sighing frustrated.
"Well...maybe since you're mindlinking with Vassago without touching him, maybe that means your powers have changed?" Seth suggested.
"He has a point D!" Roman agreed. "After all you are mindlinking without actually touching the bastard, hell you're not even anywhere near him!"
"I'm not leaving without you three am I?" Dean asked sighing, as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Nope!" All three said together smiling.
"Okay, I'll go gather what weapons we need, Seth and Roman, you come with me. Paige, you get to break it to Professor Shithead that we're using his car and that he's on babysitting duty!"
"On it!" She said, as she quickly left the room.
Once she was gone, Dean, Seth and Roman went outside and gathered all the weapons they'd need and waited by Grant's car for Paige. Seconds later she joined them, she unlocked the trunk and they loaded the weapons into it, before they got into the car; Roman drove, Dean in the passenger's seat, while Paige and Seth were in the back. Not knowing where the Vamps were Dean told Roman to just drive, until he sensed them. Dean was nervous, he knew the three of them could handle themselves, he had trained them well, but the fear of losing them wouldn't go away! He sighed trying to get his nerves under control and focus, he needed to be alert and ready for anything knowing one mistake or distraction could cost them their lives!
TBC...