Archive of Our Own ^beta

Eliot stood up on stage, singing along with the house band of Swayze’s. Out of all the places Hardison had picked for them to set up as a home base, this one, hands down, had to be his favorite. It reminded him of growing up, of being on the road and stopping at random dives just to grab some rest. He looked out over the crowd, easily finding Hardison with the sound equipment and Parker back at the bar. This was the life. Singing, slinging beers, and serving justice for those who couldn’t get it for themselves.

As the song hit the second verse, the doors to Swayze’s swung open. Lorna, a sweet woman they had helped when a shady developer tried to take her parent’s farm, walked up and intercepted the man. There was something familiar about him, but Eliot couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He mentally shrugged and continued the song, sending a wink to Parker, who fondly rolled her eyes.

“Welcome to my house, buckle up tight/Everybody sings and drinks, laughs and gets high./It's a country music,/A little soul, it's a rock n roll rodeo./We don't tolerate no sitting around/Everybody's dancin', groovin' and getting on down./So before you come in here with some kind of attitude/Boy, before you come a walkin' in here with any kind of attitude/You better read the house rules.” Eliot strummed the last note on his guitar to a rush of applause. He set his instrument down and walked back up to the mic. “Taking a little break. Don’t forget to tip the house band. We pay ‘em well, but they deserve the love.” Eliot looked over the crowd, smiling, when his eyes fell back on the newcomer.

The newcomer that was staring at him in awe and recognition.

The newcomer that was no other than Dean Fuckin’ Winchester.

Shit.

If he was in town, that meant there was trouble. Trouble that he had thought he had left behind. Quickly running his hand down his face and sending subtle signals to Parker and Hardison, Eliot jumped down off the stage and crossed over to Dean. “Dean Winchester.”

“Lee Webb.”

The pair had a minor stare-off before breaking, smiling, and pulling each other into a tight embrace. Eliot broke the hug first, slapping Dean on the shoulder. “What the hell are you doin’ here?”

“I could ask the same about you. Swayze’s?” Dean gestured around the bar. “You’re running a bar?”

Eliot shrugged. “Settled down.” It wasn’t entirely a lie.

“You disappeared, man.” Dean looked slightly hurt, but as briefly as it appeared, Dean schooled his face. “That’s neither here nor there. How’ve you been?”

“It’s been good,” Eliot replied. He spared a glance at his partners. Hardison was watching intently while Parker was spinning a knife in her hand. Eliot shook his head and chuckled. Hopefully, they’d get the hint. “Come on. I got some of the best brews in the world. Ain’t that El Sol shit we used to steal.” He led Dean to a table and flagged down Lorna. “Hey Lorna, can you go ask Park for a pair of Fat Tires?” He leaned in and whispered to her. “Make sure they’re closed, and bring a popper?”

Lorna winked. “You got it, El.”

“Lee isn’t a short enough name for you?” Dean smirked, and if it had been twenty years ago, Eliot would have tried to kiss it off his face. But that was then. “Still surprised to see you set up like this. I honestly thought something might have gotten you.”

“Almost did.” Eliot sighed. “Sounds like you’re still in that life.”

“Too many things go bump in the night. Someone needs to keep watch.” Dean smiled at Lorna as she popped the cap off a beer and handed it to him. “Thank you.”

“This one has manners, El. Can we keep him?”

Eliot rolled his eyes. “We have manners. You’re just considered family at this point.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Lorna swatted his shoulder. “Parker wanted to know if you wanted chips or pretzels.”

“Pretzels, please,” Eliot replied quickly before Dean could say anything. “Tell her pretzels are great.”

Dean tilted his head, his eyebrow raised. “Yeah, pretzels are fine.”

“You got it, El.” Lorna winked at Dean before heading back to the bar.

“Parker, huh?” Dean looked over to the bar. “The blonde shooting daggers at us while spinning a knife? Jealous girlfriend?”

“Hmmm?” Eliot tried to play it off. “Parker and I are close. She’s pulled my ass out the fire more times than I like to count.” Taking a sip of his own beer, Eliot pulled Dean’s attention back to him. “So, you’re in my neck of the woods. You’re still in the life. I take it that means this just ain’t a pleasure cruise.”

“Can’t pull the wool over your eyes.”

Eliot chuckled. “So, tell me what’s going on.”

“Missing woman, Angela Sullivan. Per her friend, she was raptured.”

“Angela… That sounds familiar.” Eliot startled slightly as the chair next to them pulled out. Hardison was taking the seat, a wicked grin on his face.

“That’s Angie, Lee. Sally’s best friend.” Hardison pointed over to where a blonde was drinking by herself. “Sally’s a sort of regular here. But she knows Lorna and Parker will cut her off. So she goes over to Double Douce.” Hardison offered a hand to Dean. “Name’s Alec.”

“Dean.” Dean took Hardison’s hand and shook it. “So, what do you know about this Angie and her friend Sally?”

Hardison shook his head. “Don’t know much about Angie. She’s only been in a handful of times. Usually to pick up Sally when she’s been cut off and can’t drive. Sally, however? Giver her two shots of Mezcal, and you know her whole life story.” Hardison took a look at Eliot. “However, she’s only been drinking soda tonight.”

“Huh.” That was definitely new for Sally. “You’re free to go talk to her, Dean. I need to talk to Alec here a moment.” Dean nodded and stepped away to go talk to the blonde. Once he was out of earshot, Eliot turned to Hardison. “Just say it.”

“He’s a good-lookin’ guy. Psychopath. Serial Killer. Also supposed to be dead.” Hardison handed over his tablet. “Someone went through some serious effort to scrub him from the internet, but when you’re me?”

“Yeah, well, the serial killer part ain’t completely wrong. But it ain’t right either.” Eliot swiped through the info on the tablet.

“So, who came first? Eliot or Lee?” Hardison smirked.

Eliot rolled his eyes. “You’ve met my old man. Eliot came first.”

“So why’s he callin’ you Lee?”

“Because that’s what he knows me as.” Eliot looked up to see Hardison giving him that look. The look that threatened to go scouring for information. “I met Dean about twenty years back. He saved my ass. I spent some time with him.”

“Time? Or Time?” Hardison waggled his eyebrows. “Come on, El. It’s not often we get to find out things from your past.”

“Because you wouldn’t believe half the shit I’d tell you.” Eliot slid Hardison back his tablet. “And yes. Time. And Time. Happy?”

Hardison laughed. “Is he the one who taught you how to do that thing with your tongue? Cause I’ll send him a gift basket.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me. And Parker. Who I think is about to go murder your ex. I’m surprised her knife is still in her hand.”

Eliot looked over at Parker, catching her attention. He shook his head, causing her to pout. “You’re hiding her ropes later, Hardison.”

“Hell no. You ain’t gettin’ us both kicked to the couch. You hog the pillows.”

“And you use me as a pillow.” Eliot rolled his eyes again for what had to be the millionth time since Hardison sat next to him. He let out a heavy sigh and turned to face his partner. “Listen, Dean’s a good man. But if he’s here? There’s something bad happening. Something you and Parker ain’t trained to handle.” Hardison started to contest, but Eliot stopped him by holding up a finger. “It ain’t something I ever wanted to be a part of again. I left Dean, and I ran to the military.”

“I’m sorry, you’re sayin’ what he does is worse than the bullshit you used to deal with in special ops?”

“Unfathomable nightmares, Alec.” Eliot made a point of using Hardison’s first name, hoping to drive the point home. “I don’t want you or Parker anywhere near this.”

Hardison gave him another stare. The one that made it clear that he would go to Parker, tell Parker what was going on, and then there’d be no way they wouldn’t get involved.

“Don’t. Please. If this is something he handles, I can’t let you near it.” Eliot looked down at his hands, memories of Arizona — and the last time he had seen Dean — haunting him. “Please.”

“El…” Hardison’s voice was laced with concern but cut off by Dean’s return. “Sally have anything for you?”

“She gave me a little more information. She said she was ‘drunk as a skunk’ and that what she remembered was a bright light and then Angie’s car disappearing.” Dean gave Eliot a look he recognized, even almost two decades later. “Sounds crazy, right?”

Eliot nodded. “Sounds like something right up your alley.”

“Yep.” Dean looked at Hardison, and Eliot could tell that Dean was trying to figure him out. If Hardison knew of the life.

“You know, Dean,” Eliot continued. “Remember that song your old man used to play before we took on jobs?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“The band’s had a long enough break. Come on.” Eliot shot a look at Hardison, who frowned before getting up and heading back to the sound system.

“Seriously? I don’t sing, Lee.”

“Yeah, you do. If you weren’t in the life, you wanted to be a rockstar.” Eliot grabbed Dean by the arm, dragged him up to the stage, and went to his band leader to request a song. “Help me get the crowd goin’. A happy crowd means more beer. More beer means more tips. More tips mean I have a happy staff.”

The band started playing Good Ole Boys, and after a mental count in, Eliot began to sing along. He remembered back in the day when he surprised Parker and Hardison for the first time, singing Thinking of You on one of their jobs. They never let him hear the end of it. And little did they know that when he sang that song, he was thinking of Dean.

After belting the chorus, he pulled Dean to the mic and got him to sing the second verse. The crowd was going crazy, and Eliot took the opportunity to look out at Hardison. Parker had joined him, and they were watching him while talking to one another. He knew he would hear it later. And that Parker would make him sleep on the couch once she found out he’d already made up his mind to help out Dean. Whatever this was, it scared him. It was on his doorstep, taking people. It could take his partners. The loves of his life.

He couldn’t stand for that.

As Dean finished the second verse, Eliot snapped back to attention and joined in on the final chorus, singing along and trying to swallow down the dread that had been building since Dean walked in the door. Sure, it was great to see an old friend, but not when it was like this.

The crowd jumped to a standing ovation, and Dean blushed brightly, clearly not used to the praise. That certainly hadn’t changed. Eliot reached in and grabbed the mic. “Switching over to open mic! Anyone who wants to sing a song, go ahead and hit up Alec at the booth; he’ll get you and the band set up.” Hardison scowled at him and pulled Parker closer, whispering furiously to her.

“Looks like your friends aren’t too happy with you right now.” Dean had leaned in close as they started off the stage. “I’m stepping on toes by showing up.”

Eliot bit the inside of his cheek as he mulled over his next words. Unable to put his thoughts into words, he nodded toward the back of the bar. “Let’s go to the office. I’m sure it’s bugged, but we can at least pretend we have privacy.”

“It’s bugged?”

“Yep. A lot has changed in two decades, Dean.”

Once settled in the office, Eliot held up a finger. He kept his voice low to prove a point. “Parker. I know you’re dyin’ to come in here. I even locked it to give you a challenge.”

The door opened, and Parker walked in, kicking the door shut behind her. “That was picked the second you locked it, and you know it.” She glared at Dean before moving behind Eliot and placing her hand on his shoulder. It was both for comfort and a warning. “Going to introduce me to your friend, Eliot?”

“Eliot?” Dean questioned. “Is Lee short for Eliot?”

“Did Hardison tell you anything?” Eliot looked back over his shoulder, squinting at Parker.

“Of course he did. That this is Dean. Dean is a friend. He even made me give him my knife. But he knows, as well as you know, that I’m also not going to sit idle when trouble is on our doorstep.” Parker continued to glare at Dean. “Hardison also said that whatever it is that Dean here does scares you.”

Dean nodded in realization. “They don’t know about what you used to do, do they?”

“No.” Eliot shook his head. “I wanted to keep them as far away from it as I could.”

“So, who’s Lee Webb?” Dean leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He glanced at Parker before kicking his feet up on the desk.

“I’m Lee Webb. I didn’t know you all that well when we first met, and I wasn’t sure what the hell I was lookin’ at. So I gave you Lee. Which is a nickname for Eliot.”

Parker gave a scoff. “And your middle name is Webster.” She seemed to relax a little. At least as relaxed as Eliot or Alec would recognize. To anyone else, she looked like she was still ready to attack. She squeezed Eliot’s shoulder. “So, how did you meet?”

“You wanna give the speech, Lee? I mean, Eliot.” Dean smirked.

“I don’t want either Parker or Alec anywhere near this. I’ll help—”

“Excuse me?” Parker interrupted.

“—but I don’t want them involved.” Eliot winced as Parker dug her fingers into his shoulder. “Not gonna make me change my mind, Park.”

“About which part?”

Eliot pinched the bridge of his nose, but Dean spoke up before he could say another word. “What do you know about witches?”

“Like the Wicked Witch of the West?”

“Yeah, like her. But she’s dead. A good friend of mine killed her.” Dean smirked. “How about werewolves?”

“You mean like the Worgen in World of Warcraft?” She shrugged when Eliot looked up at her. “I watch Hardison play.”

“Yeah, like those. My kid played.” Dean replied, and the answer caught Eliot off guard. Dean had a kid? “Except these are very real. So are vampires, kitsune, ghouls, wendigo…” Dean trailed off. “You name a supernatural creature; I can tell you that nine out of ten times, it’s real.”

Parker rolled her eyes. “Hardison said he’s a psychopath.”

“He ain’t lyin’, Park.” Eliot swallowed before glaring at Dean. He sat up in his chair and rotated it to look at Parker straight on. “I met Dean when he saved me from a creature known as a rougarou. It’s like a werewolf, but once it turns, it’s practically mindless. Won’t stop huntin’ until it’s had human flesh.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

Eliot sighed and pulled up his shirt, revealing a scar both people in the room had seen. “It’s hard to remember which scars came from where, but I’ll never forget this one.”

“You said Moreau did that to you,” Parker commented.

“Moreau?” Dean raised an eyebrow. “I mean, you could say that a Lamia would be at home on the Island of Doctor Moreau.”

After a few moments of silence, Parker spoke up. “What’s a Lamia?”

Hardison opened the door and walked in. “Well, baby girl, it depends on how you look at it. There’s a Greek myth about a woman who had an affair with Zeus, and Hera messed her up in vengeance. Killed her kids, so she started eating kids.”

“That’s their origin story.” Dean clucked his tongue and shot a finger gun at Hardison. “Whether or not that’s true is debatable. Because there’s more than just one, I’ve hunted at least a dozen in the past twenty-some years.” He nodded at Eliot. “Your boyfriend there got his scar when it turned out we were dealing with a nest of them, not just one. It got the jump on him, dug her claws into his chest.” He got quiet. “It was one of the few times I was terrified on a hunt.”

“I played dead. She dropped me and went after Dean. I got up, pulled my blade from the other Lamia, and stabbed her before she got him.”

“And then you passed out from blood loss.” Dean glared.

Eliot shrugged. “I’ve been through worse.” He watched as Parker and Hardison communicated silently. He didn’t need to hear what they were saying to know what the pair were discussing. “I know it sounds like a bunch of bullshit. But it’s real. There are things in the night that are scarier than any of the marks we’ve gone after. And I don’t want either of you near this.”

“You’ve been sayin’ that for over a decade now, El. And you know how well that works.” Hardison looked to Dean. “What do you think took Angie?”

“Honestly? With the description of the glowing light that Sally’s been consistent with? I’d say an angel.” Dean looked at a ring on his finger and spun it. “But I know it’s not angels.”

“Angels?” Parker, Hardison, and Eliot all responded in different tones of disbelief.

“Yeah. They’re real. God, Heaven, Hell, Demons. All of it.” Dean shrugged again. “Needless to say, it doesn’t match an angel M.O., and I doubt with how few there are that they’ll go rapture people.”

Both Hardison and Parker stared at each other, but Eliot stared at the ring on Dean’s finger. He always wore a silver ring — and despite being out of the life, it was one thing that Eliot continued to do — but this one was different. It wasn’t Dean’s mother’s ring. And it was on his left hand.

Eliot took note of the ring before clearing his throat. “So, not an angel. What is it?”

“Don’t know. I think the bright light was some sort of red herring.” Dean sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Have there been any other strange happenings that may not have made the paper?”

“Define strange.” Eliot looked over to see Parker raising an eyebrow. She was going into mastermind mode, and he didn’t like it.

“Something out of the ordinary? Something that would stand out, even if it isn’t paranormal.”

Hardison spoke up. “Double Deuce.”

“What about Double Deuce?” Eliot asked.

“They were on the verge of bankruptcy. Literally started filing papers.” Hardison leaned over the desk and pulled some things up for Eliot to go over. “It didn’t seem like much; figured they got some money or something. I didn’t go digging too much into the paper trail.”

“Didn’t you say that’s where Sally goes when she’s cut off here?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, and it’s where Angie went missing,” Eliot replied as he went through Hardison’s notes. The filing for bankruptcy wasn’t more than a month old but only canceled a couple of days ago. Right around when Angie disappeared.

“What a crazy random happenstance.” Dean started to stand and smirked at Hardison. “What? I’m a Whedonite. Just because he turned out to be an asshole doesn’t mean his works are any less valid. Gotta separate them.”

Eliot tried to stifle a laugh and failed. “You assuming things about people again, Hardison?”

“About lumberjack Ken doll? Yeah.” Alec sighed and shook his head. “So, are we thinking the staff at DD’s has something to do with this? Are we even sure it’s—” Hardison gestured at Dean “—his kind of thing?”

“It could be ours,” Parker agreed.

That caught Dean’s attention. “I heard you mentioned a mark earlier. I take it this place is a cover? What do you all do?”

“We run Leverage International,” Parker replied without missing a beat. “I doubt you’ve heard of us.”

Dean laughed. “Oh, I know of Leverage. Queen of Moons ring a bell?” Hardison’s jaw dropped, causing Eliot to chuckle before Dean continued. “I’d say the thing I said before, but I think your partners want your mouth intact.”

“I don’t know if I like or hate him, El,” Hardison commented.

“Most people are like that when it comes to Dean.”

“I’m right here.”

The trio replied at the same time. “We know.”

“I know you said that you don’t want us in on this, El, but this is on our doorstep, and it reeks of corruption.” Parker ran her fingers through Eliot’s hair, her not-so-secret weapon to get him to listen to her, and smiled softly at him. The smile that meant she was up to no good, and she wouldn’t be stopped. “We’re a team. You, me, and Alec. We don’t let each other do it alone.”

“And what do you propose, Park? You were just introduced to this world. I can’t have you going in blind.”

“She won’t,” Dean spoke up. “None of you are going to Double Deuce. I’m going solo.” He held up a finger when Eliot started to interrupt. “Hear me out. This bar is your competition, right? So they know you over there. If it’s something up your alley, no matter how good you guys are, they’ll be suspicious. Me? I’m a nobody. Just a drifter coming in through town, stopping for a drink at a watering hole while I stretch my legs. I can determine if it’s a thing you guys handle or a thing I handle. If it’s mine, I’ll determine the risk and see if I even need Eliot here. If it’s yours, I’ll step back and let you plant the evidence that’ll take them down.”

Hardison laughed. “The queen tell you that’s what we do?”

“She was simplifying, and I was distracted. I know that you go after corrupt institutions. That’s her thing too. With how many Super PACs that woman has taken down? I’m surprised they have any funding.”

“Still surprised you know her. Or of us.” Hardison looked to Eliot. “It sounds like a fair compromise. And we can set him up with gear, pull out one of the food trucks and back him up.”

Dean grinned widely. “I get to be a spy.”

…

Eliot frowned as he moved around in the food truck. Enough people had come up to it that he couldn’t stay with Hardison as he kept an eye on Dean. Sure, Eliot had his earbud in, so he could hear what was happening, but that didn’t help lower his anxiety. With an order in hand, he crossed over to the window and leaned out. “Crab Empanadas for Anna?” He smiled as the person walked up and took their order. “Enjoy, Darlin’.”

With the last order out, Eliot took a breath, looked around, and put up the closed sign. Dean had been quiet, and Hardison wasn’t pressing him to say anything, so he had no idea what was going on. Slipping into the back where Hardison was watching the feeds, Eliot let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when he saw Dean on the screens.

“He’s doin’ fine, El. It’s almost like he’s been doin’ it his whole life.”

“He has.” Eliot crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Dean took a sip of his beer and then played with the ring on his finger. “He was in the life before he was in school.”

“What did you call yourselves? Hunters? So I guess hunters take this shit seriously, huh?”

Eliot shook his head. “Dean was dragged in by his old man, after his momma was killed by a demon. He was four, and his younger brother was not even a year. That’s not normal.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. Shit.”

“Is that why you’re so protective of him? ‘Cause you know what his life has been like?” Hardison leaned back in his chair and looked up at Eliot.

“No. I told you Dean saved my ass.” He watched as Dean reacted to the bartender, a petite blonde who had approached him. “And it wasn’t just from the rougarou.”

Hardison chewed on his bottom lip before turning back to the screen. The bartender was certainly laying the charm on thick. “Someone’s either angling for a good tip or a roll in the hay. Can’t tell with that one.”

“Could be both.” He kept Hardison from talking as Dean’s voice came across the earbud.

“Sorry, ma’am. Just makin’ a pitstop on the way home.” Dean held up his hand and showed the ring. “I’m actually with Weekly World News.” He reached into his pocket jacket and pulled out a card. “I was down in Amarillo, following up on a lead about chupacabras, and then I heard about a woman getting raptured.”

“Oh yeah, we heard about it. We were the last place she was seen.” The bartender leaned forward across the bartop, pressing her chest together in the most blatant attempt to distract Dean. “Honestly, she probably just went out to LA to try her hand at acting. Her bestie was just distraught that she was left behind.”

“I figured as much, but have you read the tabloid I work for?” The bartender shook her head. “We like the crazy outrageous stories. The impossible ones. And imagine if we wrote about her disappearance, twisted it, and made it sound like, I don’t know, an alien abduction. Imagine the business that could drive here from all the UFO chasers.”

The bartender smiled and stood up. “I don’t own the place. Luckily the owner is in. I’ll go get him for you.”

“I appreciate it.”

Hardison whipped back to face Eliot before tapping his earbud to reactivate the microphone. “Are you shitting me?”

“I’m good at what I do,” Dean replied quietly. “Anything I should know about the owner?”

“The guy’s name is Eric Rogers.” Hardison pulled up a dossier on a free screen. “Can’t say anyone hates him, but I can’t say that people would be bending over to protect him either. He’s never really done anything to hit our radar except make horrible promotions to try and undercut our business.” Hardison flipped through a few more screens before speaking up again. “Park, you’re still in there, right?” A message tapped in Morse code came through, confirming she had eyes on Dean from the vents. “Keep your eyes on him, Baby Girl, but don’t get caught.”

Eliot could feel Parker’s eye roll. Sighing, he tapped his own earbud. “You still use Poughkeepsie, Dean?”

“You remember that?” Dean sounded both surprised and flattered. “Yeah, I do. I’ll use it if I think I’m in trouble.”

“You do that. Rogers’s on the way over. We’re going silent again.” Eliot cut the mic as Dean nodded his acknowledgment. He rested his hand on Hardison’s shoulder. “You find anything else out on Rogers? Like how he was able to cancel his bankruptcy?”

“Nope.” Hardison shook his head. “He filled their business account with cash. No wire transfers or anything. Trying to account for his whereabouts, but he hasn’t left the country or the state, let alone the county.”

“What about Angie? Was she in any kind of trouble?” Eliot asked as he watched Dean charm Rogers.

“Again, no. Huh, wait.” Hardison leaned in and started reading off one of his screens. “This is too strange to be a coincidence.”

Reluctantly looking away from the screen with Dean, Eliot looked at the other monitor. It didn’t take long to see what Hardison saw. “She was abducted, and Rogers made the deposit the next day.” Eliot stroked his chin as he thought. “Double check Angie’s finances. Was her bank account cleared?”

“Hasn’t been touched. Last use was the day she disappeared, but earlier in the day. She filled up her tank and bought a few things from the gas station.” Hardison scrolled through a few more documents. “Yeah. No pings on her debit card or any of her credit cards. I don’t see any major withdrawals if she was going to go off the grid.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Unless…” Eliot looked back to the monitor with Dean. “What if it’s our world and his world colliding?”

“You think there’s something supernatural that’s causing a swing in finances for Double Deuce?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking. Look up lore on objects or creatures that can affect luck, money, et cetera.” Eliot tapped his earbud. “Park, need you to go exploring. Check it out and see if you can find any hidden nooks or crannies in there.”

Parker broke her silence and replied. “Am I looking for something in particular?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Hardison’s looking up items that could change a person’s status in life, be it wealth, fame, or luck.” He paused before adding. “If you find a hidden item, don’t touch it. It could be cursed.”

“Really?” Hardison looked up from his monitor. “You’re gonna tell us that curses are real?”

“Some, yeah.”

“A lot are, actually.” Dean was talking again. Rogers had stepped away. “Your guy here is suspicious. He’s definitely hiding something. There’s also a door with a padlock on it. A sturdy one.” Dean scratched behind his ear, using the gesture to discretely point in a direction behind the bar.

Hardison changed the camera feed and found the door Dean was referring to. “Beer cellar, probably. But there’s no reason for there to be that many locks.”

“Park, it looks like they have a basement. See if you can find another way in.”

“On it, El.”

“Thanks, darlin’.” Eliot watched as Hardison switched the feed to Dean. Rogers hadn’t returned yet, so Dean was sitting there nursing a beer. “Dean, can you think of anything that could manipulate luck or funds?”

Dean nodded and leaned into his hand, probably to hide that he was talking to nobody. “Off the top of my head? I’d lean toward a cursed or magic object. Creatures though? It could be a subset of a djinn. Maybe an Oni of some sort. Sam and Charlie are my go-to's when I don’t know what a creature is.”

“Djinn? Ain’t that the inspiration for genies?” Hardison started running a search. “That sounds like something that would grant wishes and help you out.”

“Depends on the type.” Dean sat up as Rogers returned. “So, do you want me to run the story?”

“Nah. I appreciate the offer, but honestly? We had the cops snooping around when the girl went missing. I don’t need more people hunting for something, even if they aren’t real.” Rogers leaned forward on the bar, his voice low with a warning. “If I were you, I’d probably just forget the musings of a drunk.”

“I can take a hint. Like I told you, I’m only driving through. I can completely forget this place.” Dean’s voice had its own sharp edge, one that Eliot recognized. One that meant that Dean had caught Rogers red-handed. How that had happened? Eliot wasn’t sure.

Rogers attempted pathetically to stare Dean down. “That’s for the best.”

“Well, I hope all your wishes come true.” Dean tapped the top of the bar before standing up. Looking at Rogers, it was obvious that Dean’s words landed. Even through the black-and-white feed, the change in Roger’s pallor was noticeable.

“Hey, Baby Girl, Dean’s leaving the building. You find anything?” Hardison pointed toward the truck's rear door, letting Eliot know to open it.

“Not yet. I just left the office. Would you believe the safe was empty?”

“Yeah, I would,” Dean replied as he joined the guys in the truck.

Parker scoffed in disbelief. “Then what’s the point of having one?”

“He’s not keeping whatever he has there. It’s something that shouldn’t be touched or fucked with. He’s going to keep that somewhere safer. Like a heavy door that’s got some serious locks on it.”

“So what do we do?” Hardison looked up at Dean. “We can’t just sit here.”

“I think we have to. When’s last call for around here? Two?”

Eliot nodded. “You want to go in after the bar closes.”

“Yeah. So, that gives us two hours?” Dean moved forward to watch a monitor. Rogers was on the screen, pacing behind the bar. “I’m worried about Angie too, but if we go in there guns blazing… Well, I don’t have to remind you we’re in Texas.”

“Do you want me to work my way down there, or do you want me to get out of here?” Parker asked. “I could at least scope it out.”

“Honestly, it would be nice to not go in blind.” Dean paused for a moment and looked between Eliot and Hardison. “Just don’t touch anything. Don’t need you getting cursed or anything.”

“I still don’t believe in curses,” Parker replied.

Dean laughed. “They believe in you.”

“Listen to the man, Park.” Eliot huffed. “Don’t want to lose you.”

“Fine. Going quiet.”

The truck went silent as well.

Hardison focused on his monitors.

Dean leaned back against the wall beside Eliot, picking at his nails.

And Eliot? Well, for once, he wasn’t thinking as just a Hitter. He was thinking as a Hunter. It scared him a little, seeing how easy it was to slip into the role he had abandoned a lifetime ago. He ran through the list of creatures he could remember, what their weaknesses were, and what could kill them. He thought of the medical training Dean and John had shown him and his current training. He thought about what to do with the bodies of those who died. Images of Parker and Hardison on top of a pyre flashed through his mind. It was too much building up in his head.

Eliot took a few steps forward and rested a hand on Hardison’s shoulder to ground himself.

“El?”

“I’m okay.” Eliot frowned at the look Hardison shot him. The look that said he wouldn’t get away with lying. “I will be. Need to get this done.”

Hardison was getting ready to reply when Parker’s panicked voice came across their earbuds. “What the fuck!? Guys? El? Alec?”

“We’re here, Park.” Eliot squeezed Hardison’s shoulder as he replied.

“Is Dean there too?”

“I am, Parker.” Dean joined the guys. “What do you see?”

“I found Angie. She’s alive but unconscious. She’s got all these… tubes hooked up to her. What do I do?”

“Where do the tubes lead, Park?” Eliot asked, hoping he could try to calm her down by staying calm.

A couple moments passed before Parker replied. “There’s another door. It’s heavy, almost like a dungeon door. It has at least a dozen locks on it, and there’s a barred opening that the tubes lead into.”

“Be careful, Parker.” Dean reminded gently.

“I am— What the fuck! What the hell is that?!” Parker shouted.

Eliot squeezed Hardison’s shoulder and pushed down, keeping him in his seat as he tried to get up.

“What do you see, Parker?” Dean joined Eliot and Hardison, resting his hand on Hardison’s other shoulder.”

“Uh, remember that movie, the one where the girl fell in love with the sea thing? They called it the asset or something?”

“The Shape of Water?” Hardison asked.

“Yeah. That one. It looks like the sea creature from the movie. Its face is a little different, but that’s what I’m looking at. And it’s looking back at me.”

Eliot stole a glance at Dean. “Aquatic-looking creature that can grant wishes?”

“None that I can think of off the top of my head. Merfolk don’t, Selkies don’t. Those are the only humanoid sea creatures I can think of.” Dean let go of Hardison’s shoulder and dragged his hand down his face. “Is it actually aquatic, though? It’s outside of water, and there aren’t any water sources nearby.”

“Park, is there a tank down there?”

“A tank? No. Not that I can see unless it’s behind the door. Wait a moment.”

“What are you doing? Parker?”

It was silent for several moments before Parker said anything. “Guys, I don’t know anything about the things that go bump in the night, but this thing looks like a prisoner, not a monster. Well, I mean, it is a monster, but…”

“Not all creatures are monsters,” Dean replied, causing Eliot to whip his head toward him. Dean was typing on his phone but looked up briefly to look at him. “It’s been a long time, Eliot. Sometimes, it’s humans that are the monsters. I think you remember that, though. Arizona?”

“I don’t want to remember that,” Eliot stated plainly. “Park, you said Angie’s alive?”

“She is. She has a pulse, but it’s faint. Oh shit. The tubes. I think the monster is drinking her blood.”

“That help either of you?” Eliot looked between Hardison, who was inputting all the information into his computer, to Dean, who was still typing away on his phone.

Hardison responded first. “Well, considering most of these things are believed to be myths, I don’t have anything definitive. Could be a merman. Could be a djinn. It could be something y’all haven’t even heard of before.”

“It is a type of djinn.” Dean interrupted. “It’s a marid.”

“The hell is a marid? Besides a type of djinn.” Eliot crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, per what I’m being told, it’s the opposite of an ifrit. Which is also a type of djinn. It’s not exactly evil, but it’s not good either.” Dean typed something out on his phone before pocketing it. “It’s actually kinda stupid and can be manipulated easily.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Parker questioned, her voice hesitant.

Dean let out a sigh, “Well, like most djinn, it feeds on either blood or fear. In this case, blood. And it has Angie in a coma for prolonged feeding. I have a feeling that Rogers stumbled across this one and used its stupidity to trick him into providing him an unlimited money supply. Angie was probably an easy grab, so Rogers is using her for the marid’s food. A marid can live off of animal blood. It doesn’t need human blood.”

“You want to let it go.” Eliot realized.

“Unless it attacks one of us? Yeah. The creature needs to eat. It’s not its fault that the person who caught it is feeding it human blood.”

“How do you know the marid didn’t ask for human blood?” Hardison spun his chair around and stared up at Dean.

“You notice any other humans being sucked dry around here? But I bet you get a lot of cattle reported missing or found mutilated.”

Eliot nodded. “We do. Most people chalk it up to coyotes or cougars.”

“You’re agreeing with him?”

“Look, I told you already. I’ve been around, and people are more monstrous than monsters are. This is all new to you, and you’re afraid. What’s the first thing people do when they’re afraid?” Dean looked to Eliot. “I’ve killed too many innocent creatures to assume they’re all evil. There are shades of grey, man.”

“Anyone can be a monster, El. We know that first hand.” Parker’s voice was soft through the earbuds.

“We do.”

“So, we know what to do. Parker, how did you get in? We’ll help you get the Marid out and then call the cops to come get Angie.” Dean started taking charge, and relief actually came over Eliot. This was Dean’s world. It hadn’t been Eliot’s in a long fucking time.

“I can help add to the motive for Rogers kidnapping Angie,” Hardison offered. “He kidnapped her for money. Let’s make it look like he took her money.”

Dean clapped Hardison on the shoulder. “You’ll make sure she’ll get it back?”

“And then some. Girl’s gonna have medical bills and is going to need therapy.” Hardison scoffed. “Fuck, I think I’m going to need it.”

“Guys, I hate to break up the camaraderie, but I think someone is coming down. I’m going silent and hiding.”

“Be careful, Park.” Eliot acknowledged. “Dean, you and I should get ready to get down there. Hardison—”

“Already on it, El. Getting ready to loop the feeds, disable their alarms, all while funneling Angie’s money into Roger’s bank account and backdating it.”

Eliot smiled and planted a quick kiss against Hardison’s temple. “We’ll get in and out. And then you can yell at me to sleep on the couch for being an ass.”

“Nope. I got a better idea.” Eliot started to question him but was stopped. “When this is done. Go.”

Dean chuckled and climbed out of the back of the food truck. He remained in the shadows, lurking as he stayed out of sight. It was a sight Eliot recognized, both from when they were hunting and when they were hiding their extracurriculars from John. “Still pretty stealthy, I see.”

“Only when my knees don’t give me away.” Dean quipped, looking over at Eliot and flashing a smile. “Honestly, don’t need to be too stealthy yet. The people leaving the bar are drunk, tired, or both. We just give them a few minutes, and then we should be clear.”

“And you’re sure you just want to let this creature walk?”

“I’m not sure about anything. But if it’s not hostile and just trying to live? There’s no reason to kill it. I owe it to all the innocents I’ve killed.” Dean’s smile turned into a frown, and his entire demeanor changed almost instantly.

“Dean?”

“Yeah?”

Eliot cleared his throat, trying to buy himself a few moments. “About Arizona…”

“Not now.”

“Will you give me a chance to explain before you head out on the road again?”

Dean stopped and looked at Eliot, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth. He slowly started shaking his head before changing it to a nod. “Yeah, I can do that.” He huffed a laugh. “You’re not getting me into bed, though. I don’t think Parker and Hardison would approve of that.” Dean spun the ring on his finger and looked down at it, his expression betraying how hard he was thinking. “Yeah. I haven’t given people the chance to explain recently. I owe it to them and to you.”

“Honestly, you don’t owe me shit. But I appreciate it all the same.”

“Yeah, well, this is getting into chick flick territory, and we need to be freeing a Marid.” Dean held up a finger. “Parker, you clear?”

“Yes, and I want to know about Arizona.”

“Me too!” Hardison piped in.

Eliot rolled his eyes. “That’s enough from the peanut gallery.”

“You said it on an open com, El. That’s on you.” Hardison quipped. “Park. They’re going to start heading to the back. I don’t have a feed back there, so can you meet them?”

She replied with an ‘on it,’ and Eliot gently pushed Dean to get him moving. “That’s our cue too. Come on.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Dean stayed to the shadows, leading the way to the back of the bar. They met with Parker, who brought them back to the window she had used to enter. Dean shook his head as he got to his knees. “I hate getting old.” He climbed in through the window and disappeared from view.

Parker waited before taking her earbud out and covering Eliot’s ear. “You don’t have to tell us about Arizona if you don’t want to, and you don’t owe Dean anything.”

“No, I do owe him that much.” He pulled her in and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “And I know you’ll make me sleep on the couch if I tell him and not you.”

“Probably.” She hugged him tightly before sliding her hand down his cheek and cupping it. She pulled away and slid her earbud back in. “Stay up here and keep point?” Parker waited until he nodded, then followed Dean into the basement.

There were a few moments of radio silence. Eliot usually welcomed the quiet, fully trusting his partners. But with Dean, anything could happen, and all the scenarios involved Parker threatening to stab Dean. “You guys doing alright in there?”

“Yep. Angie is still stable.” Dean’s voice crackled over the earbud. “Parker is working on the locks… Sorry, she already finished the locks, and we’re about to let it out. He just wants to be free.”

“Let me know as soon as you guys spring the creature and are on the way back to the truck. I’ll put out the call for the cops to come and get Angie out of there.”

“We will. El, he’s about to climb through the window. He knows you’re out there, and he knows not to attack.”

Eliot looked down at the window and saw yellow reflecting back at him. It was unnerving, triggering flashbacks, but Eliot kept calm and stepped away from the window. He watched as the marid climbed through and thought how apt Parker’s Shape of Water description truly was. Once it was through the window, it got to its feet and looked at Eliot. It watched him for a moment, sending chills down Eliot’s back before it commented. “He wants the truth. You left him. Everyone leaves him. Tell him the truth so he can fix what he broke.” Without another word, the Marid dashed off, never looking back.

Standing there silently, Eliot watched as it escaped, its parting message echoing through his brain. He looked back to the window and watched as his past, and his present crawled out of it. Parker walked up to him and rested her hands on her hips. “Did it run?”

“Yeah. Was it all cryptic for you guys when you let it loose?”

“No, not really. It stared at us for a bit, probably to make sure we wouldn’t hurt it, before bolting.” Dean shrugged. “We made sure Angie was still stable. She’s in the cage now, as much as we didn’t want to put her there.”

“It makes sense, though, when the cops come to rescue her. Speaking of which, Hardison?” Parker asked.

“Already on it, Baby Girl. You guys need to get up here, and I’m blowing the alarm. I’ve also already drained Angie’s account into one that’s tied to Rogers.”

Dean clapped Eliot on the shoulder and gestured to Parker to lead the way. “You heard him. Let’s go.”

…

Eliot sat at the bar, Dean sitting beside him while Parker stood behind it. He had promised to tell Dean why he had left him behind in Arizona, why he had disappeared, and now with the Marid’s words hanging over him, he was more adamant than before about explaining what happened.

That didn’t mean that it didn’t scare the shit out of him.

“Alright, Angie’s been rescued, and she’s at the hospital. She’s definitely going to need a couple of transfusions, but the doctors say she’ll make a full recovery.” Hardison joined them and stood next to Parker, wrapping his arm around her waist in a side hug. “Rogers is in custody. He hasn’t said anything.”

“I mean, what excuse is he going to come up with? His best option is to admit to the kidnapping, which he did. He can’t say the Marid made him do it.” Dean smiled before taking a swig of his beer. “So, I hate to ask, is there a place I could crash? If not, I can just camp out in my Baby.”

“We got a spare room upstairs,” Eliot confirmed. “But I do owe you something.”

Dean turned in his seat and faced him. “You don’t need to.”

“It would help, though, wouldn’t it? And at the least, you deserve to know the truth.” Eliot looked to Hardison and Parker. He gave them both a slight nod before returning his focus to Dean. “What do you remember about Arizona?”

“The cultists. They were trying to summon an Eldritch god. We stopped them.”

“Wait, you’re telling me Lovecraft’s stories are real?” Hardison asked, his head snapping back and forth between Eliot and Dean. “No, come on. Life is terrifying as is. I don’t need to know Cthuhlu could rise from the ocean.”

“Lovecraft was a Man of Letters. He was expelled from the order for being an asshole. So he took his research and published it as fiction. L. Frank Baum did the same with his tales from Oz. There are other authors, books, and series that are like that,” Dean replied. He smirked at Hardison’s noticeable shudder and set his beer down. “There are safeguards in place to keep any of the elder gods from being summoned, and while there are lesser beings among us, they just want to live in peace.”

That caught Eliot’s attention. “You’ve met one?”

“Several, actually. Why?”

“That’s why I ran. The cultists were successful.” Eliot hung his head and looked at his hands. “After we had defeated them, we went back to the hotel room…”

“Yeah. I fell asleep with you, and the next morning you were gone.” Dean didn’t bother hiding the hurt in his voice.

“I know. I had woken up and was going to go grab us some grub and coffee. On the way there, I was confronted by one of the cultists. One of the dead cultists. She had been possessed by whatever they pulled through.”

Dean cleared his throat, causing Eliot to look up. “That doesn’t explain why you left.”

“She threatened you. Well, the creature did. And I made a deal to keep you safe.” He paused and risked a glance at Hardison and Parker. They were watching him, their faces soft with love and concern. He was grateful for them and glad that life led him to them. But it reminded him of what the Marid said. “I did it the wrong way. It was for the right reasons. But I left you without a word, without a goodbye. And as much as it hurt me, I can’t even begin to imagine what it did to you.”

“You weren’t the first to leave me, man.” Dean looked down at his ring. “And you’re not the last.”

“Are you sure they left you?”

“What?”

Eliot pointed at Dean’s ring. “Are you sure they left you?”

“I pushed him away. Probably for the last time.”

“Dean. I don’t know him, but I can probably speak for him. He doesn’t want to leave you. You don’t even try, but you weasel your way into people’s hearts. I mean, you broke my stubborn ass down.” Both Hardison and Parker snickered at that, reminding him they were there. He looked over and rolled his eyes at them before looking at Dean again. “If he left, it’s because he knew you needed space.”

“It’s more than that, man.”

“Then make it right,” Eliot replied.

Dean scoffed. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Ah, so you’re still emotionally constipated. Hiding your feelings because John taught you that’s how you’re supposed to do it?”

“That’s not fair—”

“No, Dean Winchester. You’re going to listen. I don’t regret much. The things I do, I can count on one hand. You’re one of them.” Eliot pointed to his partners. “I have them now because they did the same damn thing you did; weaseled their way in and refused to let go. And there is nothing in the world I would trade for them. I’m theirs, and they’re mine.”

“Aww, I told you he cares, Park.” Hardison let out an oof as Parker hit him in the chest, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was trying to help Dean get his shit together— and honor the Marid’s request —he would have kissed her there.

“So you think I just need to what? Call him?”

Eliot nodded. “Is he worth fighting for?”

“Yeah,” Dean’s reply was soft, the words sounding almost like a shield.

“Then fight. Go home, get your guy.” Eliot paused and pointed upstairs. “After you get at least your four hours.”

“Yes, sir.” Dean extended a hand, and Eliot took it, standing and pulling Dean to his feet and into a hug. “Eliot, if I’m gone before you wake up…”

“You not saying goodbye is the least I deserve, but Hardison’s already dropped our info in your phone. Don’t be a stranger.”

Dean smiled. “I won’t. I know where you live.”

“Good. Get upstairs. It’s the first on the left. Make sure you rest, and when you come back, bring your guy.”

“You got it, Eliot.” Dean nodded and waved to Parker and Hardison before making his way upstairs.

The trio watched as Dean made his way upstairs, a peaceful silence settling over them until they heard the door to the spare apartment click shut. Parker pulled away from Hardison and grabbed another round of beers, setting them down on the bar before hopping over it and taking Dean’s vacated seat. “So. Monsters.”

“Monsters.” Eliot sat back down in his seat. “I bet you have a million questions.”

“Honestly? Nah.” Hardison leaned forward on the bar. “And I get why you kept that shit quiet.’

“We get it,” Parker added. She opened a beer and passed it to Eliot before opening her own. She took a long pull and sighed before setting it down. “You’re exhausted.”

“I mean, yeah, what time did we get up?”

Hardison huffed out. “You know what we mean. Sure, it’s been thirty-six hours, but there’s more to it than that.”

“I do. I thought I had left all that behind. And the fact that it was here on our doorstep? If it had been something evil or malicious? I would have never forgiven myself if something happened to either of you.” Eliot picked up his bottle of beer and fiddled with it before taking a sip. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I wouldn’t give the two of you up for anything in the world.”

“Same goes for us. So if you had gone with Dean, and something happened to you when we could have helped?” Parker took Eliot’s hand in hers and nodded to Hardison, who placed his hand on top. “It’s all of us, Eliot. Where one goes, the others follow.”

“Yeah. So don’t try that again. I will Lo-jack you.”

“I hear you. Both of you. I won’t do it again.” Eliot smiled and rested his other hand on top of Hardison’s. “Promise.”

Parker laughed and put her other hand on top of his. “Good.”

“Seriously?” Hardison brought his other hand in as well and chuckled. “You are stuck with us, El.”

“Until my dying day.”