SPN fic: Rewrite what's gone already
Fandom: Supernatural
Title: Rewrite what's gone already
Author: alphabet26
Characters: Bobby Singer, Mary Winchester, baby Sam
Rating: PG
Category: Gen, AU
Word Count: 2700ish
Spoilers: AU as of 1983, but using information we've gotten in all seasons.
Notes: AU fic based on the idea of Bobby raising Sam as elaborated here. Title from the song "People Get Ready" by The Frames. Possibly the first in a series? I have other ideas. But this is completely self-contained.
Warnings: Nothing you wouldn't see on the show, if that.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: Mary Campbell, Bobby mused. He'd never met her, or her family, but everyone knew of the Campbells, and they'd never been the sort to ask for favors. But she wasn't Mary Campbell, not anymore. She was married now, some civilian named John Winchester, Harvelle had told him, and she'd left the hunting world for good after her parents were killed.
*****
Kansas from South Dakota wasn't a casual jaunt, but Bobby'd driven further for less. Besides, a personal appeal from a fellow hunter--if at all possible, you dropped what you were doing and helped.
Mary Campbell, Bobby mused. He'd never met her, or her family, but everyone knew of the Campbells, and they'd never been the sort to ask for favors. But she wasn't Mary Campbell, not anymore. She was married now, some civilian named John Winchester, Harvelle had told him, and she'd left the hunting world for good after her parents were killed.
But, no. No, she hadn't. Bobby looked at the house. It looked perfectly normal to the untrained eye, no doubt. The cat's eye shells, the plants hanging and twisted just so, they looked like decorations to the neighbors. There was a small herb garden in every window. He couldn't quite make out the markings scratched in just above the front door, but it certainly wasn't random weathering. And that was just what Bobby could see with a cursory look-over. No, Mary Winchester hadn't left everything she knew about hunting behind.
He got out of the truck and headed for the front door. He didn't know exactly when he'd passed whatever test she'd set out, but the door opened before he reached it, and a blond woman holding a baby stepped onto the porch.
"Mrs. Winchester," he greeted her.
A little boy darted out and stared at Bobby. "Your hat has a pig on it," he announced.
Bobby pulled it off and squinted. "So it does," he agreed.
"That's funny," he decided.
"My pig and I thank you," Bobby answered.
The little boy giggled. "You're funny."
She rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Dean, why don't you go get your backpack? You have to go to preschool soon, remember?"
"My backpack has G.I. Joe on it," Dean informed Bobby. "That's cooler than a pig."
"Indubitably."
Dean giggled again. "I like him, Mommy."
"Good. Backpack." She looked at Bobby. "I have to take him across the street--he walks with a friend to school. It'll just be a minute, and then we can talk?"
Bobby nodded. "That's fine."
She stepped aside. "Just in the living room, then, and I'll be right back."
Bobby looked around as he sat down. He was impressed again. He didn't think he'd ever been in a home so carefully warded up, aside from his own, of course.
The front door opened and she joined him in the living room.
"So, Mrs. Winchester, what can I do for you?"
"Mary, please." She looked him full in the face and there was no hiding her tension. Something was terribly, terribly wrong, and she being who she was, he didn't doubt it was something major. "This is Sammy," she said, referring to the baby.
Bobby glanced at the kid. Just a baby, eyes open and unfocused. Quiet--at least for the moment.
She blew out her breath. "It's hard to know where to start."
Bobby decided to treat it like any other interview. "Well, you said it had something to do with a demon, but not possession."
Mary bit her lip. "The thing is, I'm not entirely sure."
Bobby raised his eyebrows. "But...surely you know the tests. Holy water, salt, devil's trap?"
Mary nodded. "Yes, and nothing. But ten years ago, I..."
Bobby sighed. "You made a deal," he finished for her.
"It's not quite that simple."
Bobby shook his head. "I'm sorry, but a deal...I can't help you."
She touched his arm. "No, please listen. Maybe you can. I didn't deal away my soul. Ten years ago, a demon possessed my father. He killed John--John is my husband--well, he wasn't my husband yet then, but he'd just asked me to marry him." Mary paused as Sammy made some noises, but he settled back down.
"Go on," Bobby said.
"I'm sorry. I've never told anyone about this, and it's all so convoluted. The demon said he'd bring John back if I agreed to let him come and visit in ten years. That was the deal I made."
Bobby frowned. "And that's exactly what he said, 'visit in ten years'?"
Mary closed her eyes for a moment. " 'Ten years, I swing by your house for a little something. As long as I'm not interrupted, nobody gets hurt.' "
"No talk of your soul?"
Mary shook her head.
Bobby narrowed his eyes. "I can't say I've heard of a case like this," he said slowly. "But all the lore that I have seen--it has to be specific, and they have to abide by the terms of the deal. If he didn't say he was after your soul, then that's safe, no matter when he collects."
"I thought so, too," she said. "And the Hellhounds haven't come for me, so I'm not worried about my soul."
"Your deadline has passed?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"May 2nd."
Ten days ago. Bobby looked at her again, looked at the very young, very small baby in her arms. "When was he born?" he asked.
Mary nodded. "You're quick. May 2nd."
Bobby blew out a breath.
"He was premature," Mary said. "I wasn't due until May 24th, but my water broke...I knew what was coming. I had to get out of the house--he couldn't be born in here. And I thought, maybe I'd die, maybe that was the deal after all. But everything is fine. Sammy...is fine. Sammy is perfect. Three weeks early, and he was just over 5 pounds--a little small, but nothing worrisome. No health problems--8 on the APGAR. Everything is perfect. And I made a deal with a demon that he could come to my home, and that deal came due on May 2nd."
Bobby didn't know what to say.
"I've tried everything. I bathe him in holy water. I make his formula with it. I recite exorcisms like nursery rhymes. He doesn't fuss crossing a salt line and I can carry him through a devil's trap. John doesn't know, but I had a priest I know come and baptize him and it went fine. I don't--it can't be a coincidence, but I don't know what else to do. And you're the demon expert. So that's why I called."
Bobby slowly shook his head. "You did everything I would have done. We'll repeat those tests, use my stock of holy water, see if I notice something you missed."
Mary nodded. "All right. It's almost time for a bottle, anyway."
They did everything again. Sammy was a remarkably sedate baby, taking it all in stride as Bobby sprinkled water on him, dribbled holy water into his mouth, and as Mary carried him across salt lines and through devil's traps. Bobby recited every exorcism he could think of and all Sammy did was fall asleep.
Bobby shrugged. "I didn't see anything. He seems to be just fine."
Mary sighed. "There's more."
Of course there was.
"When I made my deal--there was a guy, Charlie Witshire, who also made a deal, the same deal, and it was the same demon. He was trying to deal with another friend of mine, but my father and I interrupted him."
"How can you be so sure it was the same demon?"
"The demon we dealt with, he had yellow eyes."
"Yellow?" Bobby repeated. "I've never seen anything about demons with yellow eyes--I'd have to do some research."
"There's one more thing. I don't know how credible this is, but I was warned, by a hunter who'd been after that demon, that something was going to happen on November 2nd, 1983."
Bobby considered it. Psychics didn't always get that specific, but they could at times. He could ask Pamela about it. "Sammy'll be six months old."
Mary nodded.
"I can't think of anything especially significant about six month old children," Bobby admitted. "But I want to look into it."
Mary smiled and he was astonished at the change in her demeanor. "Thank you."
*****
Bobby started with Charlie Witshire. He'd made his deal only days before Mary, but any additional information would be welcome.
He found a new widow with a six month old child.
"Over the baby monitor--we heard someone in Lily's room," Mrs. Witshire said. "Charlie went in there while I called the police. I heard the most awful shout and I ran in. Then the fire started. I barely got Lily out." She wasn't saying something.
"Mrs. Witshire," Bobby said gently. "What is it?"
"My imagination running away with me."
"All right. I believe you. But won't you tell me what you think you saw? You say it was your imagination, but you were stressed--you saw something, you don't know what, and if you tell me, I'll try to figure out what it really was."
She shook her head. "It wasn't anything--just a shadow, my own shadow, maybe. I saw...I saw Charlie on the ceiling, above the crib, bleeding, just dripping blood from his stomach." She looked at Bobby. "But that's not possible, of course. He must have been on the other side of the crib--the man must have hit him over the head before setting the fire."
Bobby nodded. "I think you're right. Like you said, it must have been a shadow. Thank you for your time. I'm very sorry for your loss."
*****
Mary listened with a stony face. "He's after Sammy," she said.
Bobby nodded. "I can't think of anything else. He was in the nursery. You said the demon said if no one bothered him, no one would be hurt. Charlie ran in--the demon didn't seek them out. It was all about the baby."
Mary took a deep breath. "I see."
"Their baby was born on October 30. Six months was April. So, like your hunter warned you, we have until November."
"We?" she repeated with the barest hint of a smile.
"I'm not in the habit of figuring out the problem and leaving the solution to someone else."
She looked at him for a long moment. "Good. So you'll protect Sammy."
"I thought I just said that."
Mary nodded. "Hold him," she said, and handed Sammy over before he could protest.
Bobby had never actually held a baby in his life. Maybe Sammy could tell, because he'd been wiggling in Mary's arms, but he settled for Bobby.
"Good," she said when she came back in the room. "Just support his head a little more."
Bobby shifted. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Getting his diaper bag together."
"Why?"
"We're going to Kansas City."
"What?"
"Follow me." She led him to the garage. "Put him in the car seat."
He blinked. "Mary, what have I done to give you the impression that I know anything about that?"
She moved to the other side of the car and put the bag in. "Figure it out. You're a smart man."
Bobby sighed and set Sammy down. The latches and buckles...oh. It looked more complicated than it actually was. It wasn't that hard.
"Don't forget to check that it's actually buckled in to the car," Mary said.
Bobby tugged at the seat belt.
"Good. Now, get in your truck and meet me at the Landing Shopping Center in two hours."
Bobby stared at her. "Is really the best time for a shopping trip?"
She gave him a scathing look. "Two hours."
****
The drive to Kansas City took less than an hour. Bobby killed the remaining time reading demon lore, but didn't find anything more about yellow-eyed demons.
Mary tapped on his window. "I have some things for you," she said, opening the trunk of her car.
Baby clothes, diapers, a car seat? "Mary, what are you thinking?"
She was changing Sam, putting him in a decidedly feminine little onesie-- frilly, pink, and with a little bow to match.
"John would be horrified," she said, smiling tightly. "Dean can't even look at dolls. Keep him in this until you get home. I'll have to call the police, and of course I won't give them your description, but if for some reason you get stopped, they won't be looking for a baby girl."
"Mary, what--"
"You're taking Sammy," she said as she began to transfer the bags.
Bobby stopped her. "You said what?"
She took a deep breath. "I can't protect Sammy if he's with me. But if he's with someone else, he'll be safe."
It made a twisted sort of sense, but there were all sorts of objections. "Mary, this isn't necessary. You could just take him to a hotel that night."
Mary gave him a look. "A hotel."
Okay, that probably wouldn't work. But still. "I don't need to take him. Or, even if you do want me to, I don't need to take him now. We have until November."
Mary slammed her hand on the hood of the car. Sammy startled at the sound and she made soothing noises. "We can't count on that! He said he wanted to come in ten years--ten years is now! It could be tonight. There's nothing special about six months, you said so yourself! Maybe that's just to lull us. 'It's been six months, I must have dreamed that or he forgot.' I don't know. But I am not going to risk Sammy on that."
Bobby had to admit she had a point. "But what makes you think he'll be safer with me than with you?"
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Because a demon will never, ever get into your home again, I'm sure of that."
It always hurt to be reminded of Karen, but Bobby never let it show. "That's true," he conceded. "But your place is secure. Tell me what you've done, and I'll fix your place up with anything I have that you don't."
Mary shook her head. "I made a deal with him. I said he could come to my home. I can surround us with goofer dust and devil's traps, but in the end, I made the deal, and I have to deal with the consequences of that. But you--you've made no deal. The demon can't come to your home and if he is on a six-month deadline, then hopefully he won't even know that Sammy's gone. At the very least, he won't know where Sammy is."
"What about your other son?"
"I can protect John and Dean," she said. "They're untouched by this." She looked down at Sammy. "I'm so sorry, baby," she near-whispered.
"So you want me to hold onto Sammy until the demon comes to your house?"
"I said he could come visit. I gave clear, unequivocal permission for that. Once he does that, our deal is satisfied and Sammy will be safe with us again."
Bobby somehow doubted it would be that easy. Demons had a way of twisting things and they were tenacious besides. He started to point that out, but then he saw it in Mary's eyes. She knew it. It wasn't going to be simple, but they could worry about that once the demon had fulfilled the terms of the deal. "I don't know anything about babies, though, Mary. I have some friends--surely a married couple would be better than I would."
She rested her hand on his. "Bobby, you keep him safe. You keep him alive. Everything else is secondary."
Bobby sighed. The last time he'd been around a baby had to be when his cousin Celia'd had her youngest son--and he'd just graduated from college. But somehow...he couldn't say no. It was insane and he knew he'd regret it as soon as Mary drove away, but somehow, he found himself saying, "All right. And...I can't do much harm in only six months, right?"
Her eyes were wet, but no tears were falling. "That's right," she said, voice steady. Bobby could only imagine how much that cost her. She picked Sammy up and pressed kisses to his face. "Okay, baby. Okay. I love you. I'm so sorry. I love you." She handed him to Bobby. "He's been changed and fed. There are some bottles and formula in the bags. But if you start driving now, you could get maybe two hours in while he naps. Don't keep in touch," she said.
"We'll see you in November," he answered.
"Right." Her back ramrod straight, she got into her car and drove away.
Bobby looked at Sammy. The baby was nearly asleep. He should get as far as he could before the kid woke up from his nap.
*****
Comments and criticism always appreciated.
Title: Rewrite what's gone already
Author: alphabet26
Characters: Bobby Singer, Mary Winchester, baby Sam
Rating: PG
Category: Gen, AU
Word Count: 2700ish
Spoilers: AU as of 1983, but using information we've gotten in all seasons.
Notes: AU fic based on the idea of Bobby raising Sam as elaborated here. Title from the song "People Get Ready" by The Frames. Possibly the first in a series? I have other ideas. But this is completely self-contained.
Warnings: Nothing you wouldn't see on the show, if that.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: Mary Campbell, Bobby mused. He'd never met her, or her family, but everyone knew of the Campbells, and they'd never been the sort to ask for favors. But she wasn't Mary Campbell, not anymore. She was married now, some civilian named John Winchester, Harvelle had told him, and she'd left the hunting world for good after her parents were killed.
*****
Kansas from South Dakota wasn't a casual jaunt, but Bobby'd driven further for less. Besides, a personal appeal from a fellow hunter--if at all possible, you dropped what you were doing and helped.
Mary Campbell, Bobby mused. He'd never met her, or her family, but everyone knew of the Campbells, and they'd never been the sort to ask for favors. But she wasn't Mary Campbell, not anymore. She was married now, some civilian named John Winchester, Harvelle had told him, and she'd left the hunting world for good after her parents were killed.
But, no. No, she hadn't. Bobby looked at the house. It looked perfectly normal to the untrained eye, no doubt. The cat's eye shells, the plants hanging and twisted just so, they looked like decorations to the neighbors. There was a small herb garden in every window. He couldn't quite make out the markings scratched in just above the front door, but it certainly wasn't random weathering. And that was just what Bobby could see with a cursory look-over. No, Mary Winchester hadn't left everything she knew about hunting behind.
He got out of the truck and headed for the front door. He didn't know exactly when he'd passed whatever test she'd set out, but the door opened before he reached it, and a blond woman holding a baby stepped onto the porch.
"Mrs. Winchester," he greeted her.
A little boy darted out and stared at Bobby. "Your hat has a pig on it," he announced.
Bobby pulled it off and squinted. "So it does," he agreed.
"That's funny," he decided.
"My pig and I thank you," Bobby answered.
The little boy giggled. "You're funny."
She rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Dean, why don't you go get your backpack? You have to go to preschool soon, remember?"
"My backpack has G.I. Joe on it," Dean informed Bobby. "That's cooler than a pig."
"Indubitably."
Dean giggled again. "I like him, Mommy."
"Good. Backpack." She looked at Bobby. "I have to take him across the street--he walks with a friend to school. It'll just be a minute, and then we can talk?"
Bobby nodded. "That's fine."
She stepped aside. "Just in the living room, then, and I'll be right back."
Bobby looked around as he sat down. He was impressed again. He didn't think he'd ever been in a home so carefully warded up, aside from his own, of course.
The front door opened and she joined him in the living room.
"So, Mrs. Winchester, what can I do for you?"
"Mary, please." She looked him full in the face and there was no hiding her tension. Something was terribly, terribly wrong, and she being who she was, he didn't doubt it was something major. "This is Sammy," she said, referring to the baby.
Bobby glanced at the kid. Just a baby, eyes open and unfocused. Quiet--at least for the moment.
She blew out her breath. "It's hard to know where to start."
Bobby decided to treat it like any other interview. "Well, you said it had something to do with a demon, but not possession."
Mary bit her lip. "The thing is, I'm not entirely sure."
Bobby raised his eyebrows. "But...surely you know the tests. Holy water, salt, devil's trap?"
Mary nodded. "Yes, and nothing. But ten years ago, I..."
Bobby sighed. "You made a deal," he finished for her.
"It's not quite that simple."
Bobby shook his head. "I'm sorry, but a deal...I can't help you."
She touched his arm. "No, please listen. Maybe you can. I didn't deal away my soul. Ten years ago, a demon possessed my father. He killed John--John is my husband--well, he wasn't my husband yet then, but he'd just asked me to marry him." Mary paused as Sammy made some noises, but he settled back down.
"Go on," Bobby said.
"I'm sorry. I've never told anyone about this, and it's all so convoluted. The demon said he'd bring John back if I agreed to let him come and visit in ten years. That was the deal I made."
Bobby frowned. "And that's exactly what he said, 'visit in ten years'?"
Mary closed her eyes for a moment. " 'Ten years, I swing by your house for a little something. As long as I'm not interrupted, nobody gets hurt.' "
"No talk of your soul?"
Mary shook her head.
Bobby narrowed his eyes. "I can't say I've heard of a case like this," he said slowly. "But all the lore that I have seen--it has to be specific, and they have to abide by the terms of the deal. If he didn't say he was after your soul, then that's safe, no matter when he collects."
"I thought so, too," she said. "And the Hellhounds haven't come for me, so I'm not worried about my soul."
"Your deadline has passed?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"May 2nd."
Ten days ago. Bobby looked at her again, looked at the very young, very small baby in her arms. "When was he born?" he asked.
Mary nodded. "You're quick. May 2nd."
Bobby blew out a breath.
"He was premature," Mary said. "I wasn't due until May 24th, but my water broke...I knew what was coming. I had to get out of the house--he couldn't be born in here. And I thought, maybe I'd die, maybe that was the deal after all. But everything is fine. Sammy...is fine. Sammy is perfect. Three weeks early, and he was just over 5 pounds--a little small, but nothing worrisome. No health problems--8 on the APGAR. Everything is perfect. And I made a deal with a demon that he could come to my home, and that deal came due on May 2nd."
Bobby didn't know what to say.
"I've tried everything. I bathe him in holy water. I make his formula with it. I recite exorcisms like nursery rhymes. He doesn't fuss crossing a salt line and I can carry him through a devil's trap. John doesn't know, but I had a priest I know come and baptize him and it went fine. I don't--it can't be a coincidence, but I don't know what else to do. And you're the demon expert. So that's why I called."
Bobby slowly shook his head. "You did everything I would have done. We'll repeat those tests, use my stock of holy water, see if I notice something you missed."
Mary nodded. "All right. It's almost time for a bottle, anyway."
They did everything again. Sammy was a remarkably sedate baby, taking it all in stride as Bobby sprinkled water on him, dribbled holy water into his mouth, and as Mary carried him across salt lines and through devil's traps. Bobby recited every exorcism he could think of and all Sammy did was fall asleep.
Bobby shrugged. "I didn't see anything. He seems to be just fine."
Mary sighed. "There's more."
Of course there was.
"When I made my deal--there was a guy, Charlie Witshire, who also made a deal, the same deal, and it was the same demon. He was trying to deal with another friend of mine, but my father and I interrupted him."
"How can you be so sure it was the same demon?"
"The demon we dealt with, he had yellow eyes."
"Yellow?" Bobby repeated. "I've never seen anything about demons with yellow eyes--I'd have to do some research."
"There's one more thing. I don't know how credible this is, but I was warned, by a hunter who'd been after that demon, that something was going to happen on November 2nd, 1983."
Bobby considered it. Psychics didn't always get that specific, but they could at times. He could ask Pamela about it. "Sammy'll be six months old."
Mary nodded.
"I can't think of anything especially significant about six month old children," Bobby admitted. "But I want to look into it."
Mary smiled and he was astonished at the change in her demeanor. "Thank you."
*****
Bobby started with Charlie Witshire. He'd made his deal only days before Mary, but any additional information would be welcome.
He found a new widow with a six month old child.
"Over the baby monitor--we heard someone in Lily's room," Mrs. Witshire said. "Charlie went in there while I called the police. I heard the most awful shout and I ran in. Then the fire started. I barely got Lily out." She wasn't saying something.
"Mrs. Witshire," Bobby said gently. "What is it?"
"My imagination running away with me."
"All right. I believe you. But won't you tell me what you think you saw? You say it was your imagination, but you were stressed--you saw something, you don't know what, and if you tell me, I'll try to figure out what it really was."
She shook her head. "It wasn't anything--just a shadow, my own shadow, maybe. I saw...I saw Charlie on the ceiling, above the crib, bleeding, just dripping blood from his stomach." She looked at Bobby. "But that's not possible, of course. He must have been on the other side of the crib--the man must have hit him over the head before setting the fire."
Bobby nodded. "I think you're right. Like you said, it must have been a shadow. Thank you for your time. I'm very sorry for your loss."
*****
Mary listened with a stony face. "He's after Sammy," she said.
Bobby nodded. "I can't think of anything else. He was in the nursery. You said the demon said if no one bothered him, no one would be hurt. Charlie ran in--the demon didn't seek them out. It was all about the baby."
Mary took a deep breath. "I see."
"Their baby was born on October 30. Six months was April. So, like your hunter warned you, we have until November."
"We?" she repeated with the barest hint of a smile.
"I'm not in the habit of figuring out the problem and leaving the solution to someone else."
She looked at him for a long moment. "Good. So you'll protect Sammy."
"I thought I just said that."
Mary nodded. "Hold him," she said, and handed Sammy over before he could protest.
Bobby had never actually held a baby in his life. Maybe Sammy could tell, because he'd been wiggling in Mary's arms, but he settled for Bobby.
"Good," she said when she came back in the room. "Just support his head a little more."
Bobby shifted. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Getting his diaper bag together."
"Why?"
"We're going to Kansas City."
"What?"
"Follow me." She led him to the garage. "Put him in the car seat."
He blinked. "Mary, what have I done to give you the impression that I know anything about that?"
She moved to the other side of the car and put the bag in. "Figure it out. You're a smart man."
Bobby sighed and set Sammy down. The latches and buckles...oh. It looked more complicated than it actually was. It wasn't that hard.
"Don't forget to check that it's actually buckled in to the car," Mary said.
Bobby tugged at the seat belt.
"Good. Now, get in your truck and meet me at the Landing Shopping Center in two hours."
Bobby stared at her. "Is really the best time for a shopping trip?"
She gave him a scathing look. "Two hours."
****
The drive to Kansas City took less than an hour. Bobby killed the remaining time reading demon lore, but didn't find anything more about yellow-eyed demons.
Mary tapped on his window. "I have some things for you," she said, opening the trunk of her car.
Baby clothes, diapers, a car seat? "Mary, what are you thinking?"
She was changing Sam, putting him in a decidedly feminine little onesie-- frilly, pink, and with a little bow to match.
"John would be horrified," she said, smiling tightly. "Dean can't even look at dolls. Keep him in this until you get home. I'll have to call the police, and of course I won't give them your description, but if for some reason you get stopped, they won't be looking for a baby girl."
"Mary, what--"
"You're taking Sammy," she said as she began to transfer the bags.
Bobby stopped her. "You said what?"
She took a deep breath. "I can't protect Sammy if he's with me. But if he's with someone else, he'll be safe."
It made a twisted sort of sense, but there were all sorts of objections. "Mary, this isn't necessary. You could just take him to a hotel that night."
Mary gave him a look. "A hotel."
Okay, that probably wouldn't work. But still. "I don't need to take him. Or, even if you do want me to, I don't need to take him now. We have until November."
Mary slammed her hand on the hood of the car. Sammy startled at the sound and she made soothing noises. "We can't count on that! He said he wanted to come in ten years--ten years is now! It could be tonight. There's nothing special about six months, you said so yourself! Maybe that's just to lull us. 'It's been six months, I must have dreamed that or he forgot.' I don't know. But I am not going to risk Sammy on that."
Bobby had to admit she had a point. "But what makes you think he'll be safer with me than with you?"
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Because a demon will never, ever get into your home again, I'm sure of that."
It always hurt to be reminded of Karen, but Bobby never let it show. "That's true," he conceded. "But your place is secure. Tell me what you've done, and I'll fix your place up with anything I have that you don't."
Mary shook her head. "I made a deal with him. I said he could come to my home. I can surround us with goofer dust and devil's traps, but in the end, I made the deal, and I have to deal with the consequences of that. But you--you've made no deal. The demon can't come to your home and if he is on a six-month deadline, then hopefully he won't even know that Sammy's gone. At the very least, he won't know where Sammy is."
"What about your other son?"
"I can protect John and Dean," she said. "They're untouched by this." She looked down at Sammy. "I'm so sorry, baby," she near-whispered.
"So you want me to hold onto Sammy until the demon comes to your house?"
"I said he could come visit. I gave clear, unequivocal permission for that. Once he does that, our deal is satisfied and Sammy will be safe with us again."
Bobby somehow doubted it would be that easy. Demons had a way of twisting things and they were tenacious besides. He started to point that out, but then he saw it in Mary's eyes. She knew it. It wasn't going to be simple, but they could worry about that once the demon had fulfilled the terms of the deal. "I don't know anything about babies, though, Mary. I have some friends--surely a married couple would be better than I would."
She rested her hand on his. "Bobby, you keep him safe. You keep him alive. Everything else is secondary."
Bobby sighed. The last time he'd been around a baby had to be when his cousin Celia'd had her youngest son--and he'd just graduated from college. But somehow...he couldn't say no. It was insane and he knew he'd regret it as soon as Mary drove away, but somehow, he found himself saying, "All right. And...I can't do much harm in only six months, right?"
Her eyes were wet, but no tears were falling. "That's right," she said, voice steady. Bobby could only imagine how much that cost her. She picked Sammy up and pressed kisses to his face. "Okay, baby. Okay. I love you. I'm so sorry. I love you." She handed him to Bobby. "He's been changed and fed. There are some bottles and formula in the bags. But if you start driving now, you could get maybe two hours in while he naps. Don't keep in touch," she said.
"We'll see you in November," he answered.
"Right." Her back ramrod straight, she got into her car and drove away.
Bobby looked at Sammy. The baby was nearly asleep. He should get as far as he could before the kid woke up from his nap.
*****
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