trans_9 | Let Me Take You Home [Closed]

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Let Me Take You Home [Closed]

It was an almost childish desire. At least, Iniss seemed to think so. He hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to Karen yet, and he really wanted to. He wanted to show her the ship. He wanted her to meet his friends and goof around and just be a little kid for once.

< It's a waste of time. >

< It's not a waste of time, she's a little girl. She needs time to be a little girl, Rhiow said. >

< She's just a human child. A useless human child. >

"Aftran? Could I...uh, could I ask a favor, please? Just...I'd like to take Karen to meet some people. I...we won't tell them, promise...I just think-" He swallowed, trying to smile a failing somewhat. "Would you mind? Just for a couple hours?"

He still wasn't sure what to think of this Yeerk, this Yeerk who was supposedly the start of the Peace Movement, or what that even meant. Karen hadn't been willing, so was it willing now that she was too beaten down to fight? Was that what they meant, just taking the leftovers of host-breakers and mental breakdowns?

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"H-he does?" Karen knew it was probably okay to meet someone Tom said was okay, but someone else with a Yeerk in him...? Well, Aftran was nice, and Iniss didn't seem too bad if he was letting Tom act on his own too, so if Tom said this Sam person was friendly...

"Well, okay!" She nodded. "Um, I'd like to meet them. I mean, I don't mind. If they're your friends."

"Yeah, he does. But Schmuz is sort of a coward, so he doesn't come out very much, he just hangs out and watches everything. Sam's a really great guy, he helped save the ship." Sam had had a lot more to do with the bombs and everyhting that had followed than he had. Than Iniss had.

It was ok to shove off credit and ignore the fact that he had been involved at all. He smiled at the agreement, grinning happily at Karen. "Good, I think you'll like them too. They're really good people. They live in the city. Comeon, it won't take long to get there."

"He saved the ship? Really? What'd he do?" Karen followed Tom as he led the way.

"Well, there was this other alien and he thought he could make Schmuz help him by forcing him to take a host, and then Schmuz made it so his plan wouldn't work. He was going to blow up the ship."

< I helped. >

< Yeah but you helped to save your own skin and because you knew Dani wanted you to, not because it was the right thing to do. >

< I still did it, motivations aside. >

The trip through the lifts to the Winchester house wasn't a long one, he could probably have managed it in his sleep. It was still like coming home, after a long time away.

Sam was in the house, sewing up a tear in one of his shirts. Bobby was sleeping at his feet and everything was really pretty quiet. Well, except for the work Dean was doing out back.

He wasn't expecting Bobby to come up, tail thumping before the dog scrambled to his feet and took off for the front door. Which meant somebody was coming up. He set the shirt and thread aside, groaning as Bobby barked at the door to get his attention. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you," he said, heading for the door. "Everybody in the immediate area hears you. Quiet down."

Which didn't work, of course. Bobby barked again, giving him a big doggy grin as Sam reached down to grab his collar so that he wouldn't go tearing straight out to knock over whoever was walking up. Then he opened the door and grinned. "Hey, Tom." He noticed the little girl with him and raised an eyebrow and nodded to her. "Are you okay with dogs? If not, I can go put him in the bedroom."

Dean was shirtless again out back as he worked, but upon hearing Bobby's bark, he set his tools aside. He then grabbed his t-shirt to throw it back on, and headed in through the back door.

"You got the door, Sammy? Who is it?" He yelled as he made his way toward the living room

Karen jumped back when she saw the dog, hiding behind Tom and peeking out. "Um-- does he bite?" she asked.

"Not unless you're a tennis ball, don't worry Karen. He's just excited to see people. He's still a puppy, mostly." He dropped a hand to her shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze and trying not to think about how long it had been since Karen had been allowed to play with a dog. "Sam, this is Karen-" He hesitated for a moment as Dean came down the hall, smiling. "She's a friend from home, her family isn't here."

So I thought I'd bring her to mine.

He turned to look at the child, smiling wider as some of his hesitance faded. "Karen, this is Sam, and that's Dean. This excitable guy is Bobby."

< Gag me. >

< If that's a request, I think Dean can probably figure something out. >

"You're a new person to him, Karen," Sam said, keeping his voice steady. He didn't want to startle her more than she already had been, after all. "He mostly wants to get to know you. And maybe see if you'll pet him." He kept his hand curled around the collar, though. "If you wanna come over here, I can make sure he doesn't knock you over."

He glanced over his shoulder at Dean and nodded before turning his attention back to Tom and the girl. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Karen."

Even though Bobby's an alien dog, the frantic tail wagging was a clear indication he was just happy with 'new person! New person to pet me and play with me!' doggy glee.

Dean had finished smoothing his shirt front before he entered the room. Need some decorum for guests, especially when it's kids.

He crouched down for a moment so as to not be that overwhelming to Karen, and smiled warmly back, "Welcome to our place, Karen. It's all right, sweetheart. Bobby's real friendly kind of dog."

Karen looked from Sam, to the dog, to Dean. She stepped back out from her hiding place.

"It's nice to meet you. Tom was just telling me you're friends of his."

Tom hung back, watching the Winchester brothers and letting them meet Karen. He couldn't force it to happen, couldn't force either side to come together and be what he wanted.

And he wouldn't try. But he knew Sam and Dean, and he knew Karen as well as anyone aside from the Yeerk riding in the back of her head could. So he could provide them with a chance, provide the chance for what he wanted and leave it up to them to figure it out. "Real good friends, they let me stay here and eat their food sometimes."

"He certainly doesn't complain about the food." Sam stood enough to let Bobby forward, though he didn't let the dog too close to Karen yet. It was close enough that his nose was obviously going, sniffing the new person. The tail never stopped wagging in the least.

Dean got up so he could ruffle Tom's hair, and replied with a smirk, "Yeah, sometimes. You wanna lend a hand with dinner later?"

Tom laughed, accepting the hair ruffles with a grin. "Yeah sure. It's a nice thing to do, after everything."

Made him feel normal. It was strange how normal and not broken Dean and Sam could make him feel.

"I think I've lost any right to be a picky eater, Sam. After months of the slop."

"You mean-- you have real food?" Karen blinked in surprise. "Not just the stuff Stacy gives us? Where'd you get it?" Zokez II had been ages ago. She figured any food anyone had bought there would be gone by now.

Inwardly, Aftran decided to try explaining the concept of "rationing" to Karen later.

"Actually, we were on a planet not too long ago." He ruffled Bobby's ears, murmured a quick 'Sit' and then 'Heel' before he stood. The dog stayed at his side, sitting but still leaning forward to sniff at Karen. "I think we spent most of our allocated funds on food that would keep and clothing."

And some of it had gone to replace various hunting supplies. Never knew what you might need out here.

"Yeah, we know how long it is between shore leaves, so try to get what can last and got some stuff in the freezer too." Anything more perishable was long gone of course, but there were still some staples.

"Karen, if you want anything, just let us know. There's plenty to spare."

"Yeah, real food. Next shore leave, we'll get more stuff. It's kinda nice." It was more than kinda nice, it was very nice. Broke up the monotony a little.

He didn't even mind spending most of his allowance on things for the house, it felt like he was helping. Like he was a part of it and not just a freeloader.

"It was a weird planet, they wanted us all to get married." He wrinkled his nose, thinking of Loren and how awkward it had been. "And wear really weird clothes and face paint. It smelled like fruit smoothies and it was kinda glowing."

"Married? To who? Good thing it's over now..." She wrinkled her nose, too. Only people who were in love were supposed to get married, she'd learned that from her mom and dad.

...wherever they were now. Her face fell a little.

"Basically to somebody you were comfortable with. Some people married people they loved. It was mostly a diplomatic thing." Sam shrugged, watching the girl's face. When it fell, he had a vague idea what she might be thinking about.

"So, Karen. Why don't you and Tom come in and we'll get started on supper. Do you have any favorite foods?" It was apparently Bobby's signal to get up and go up to Karen, nudging his nose up under her hand for petting. He didn't jump on her or anything, just was...insistent about having his ears scratched.

"Just don't let him con you into throwing a ball for him," Sam warned, stepping to the side so that the kids could head into the house ahead of him. "You'll wear out your shoulder doing so."

"So for some, it's just for the planet. For others? Well, some of us are planning weddings on the ship for the real deal." Perhaps somebody in the room, signs point to yes for the older brother with shorter and lighter colored hair.

Dean also pointed out some spots on the couch for them to sit.

"Yeah, go ahead and make yourselves comfortable."

"Well. I don't about them, but one of my friends asked me to. It was really just to get in the gate. So it doesn't really mean anything, it was just weird and awkward at the time. It was really nice to get back to the ship."

He smiled at the dog's antics, Bobby was really a great dog. Sam and Dean had gotten pick of the litter. "I thought I was helping? Are the movies still here? Kaylee and I watch old Disney movies sometimes, it's fun." He smiled, becoming more animated as he crossed the threshold into the house, chattering over his shoulder.

This was home, and it was obvious he felt safe here.

Karen moved toward the couch to sit down when Dean gestured for her to, but paused when the dog intercepted her. Gingerly, she reached out to pet him, relaxing a bit when he didn't gnaw her arm off. She missed Sam's question in her busy worrying about the dog.

"Oh, uh, should I help too? I can help," she spoke up finally. "I helped my mommy make dinner sometimes back home..."

"For me, it was just for the planet." Though Xander had been around more often. But...that was probably because of the work going on in the back. Xander was one of the more experienced carpenters on the ship, after all.

"Well, you can come into the kitchen if you want?" he offered. "I'm sure we can find something for you to do. Even if it's just you and Tom keeping Bobby out from under foot."

Bobby, for his part, was perfectly happy with being pet. No arm gnawing here.

"Yeah we got them on the shelf if you want to watch something later."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, didn't know if you need a minute before we get started. Or you hungry now?" As for him, it was rare when he wasn't hungry.

"Who did you end up marrying, Sam? I lost track of you after well..." He made a gesture towards his face as though he had paint on his fingers.

"Great. I hope we don't get in trouble for taking them from the library I don't think anyone else was watching them." He grinned, stooping to pet Bobby as well. "I could eat, Iniss was busy earlier, I didn't get a chance. Karen?"

"What movies are there?" she asked curiously. "Do you have Bambi?

"Um... I haven't eaten since breakfast," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"If breakfast around here could actually be considered food," Sam piped up, exchanging a look with Dean. "And no, sorry, Karen. No Bambi in the house."

One of the few Disney movies that the Winchesters just couldn't abide by at all. Not that she could possibly know about that.

"We better get started on that," Dean remarked as he headed toward the kitchen.

"We got other movies." Ones with moms dying in fire and distant fathers were too close to home.

Tom didn't know the story behind Sam and Dean's aversion to the movie, but he still winced a little at the reaction, ducking his head. "I try to avoid the ones with parents. It's just..."

His dad. His mom. Every time they'd almost been too nosy or too pushy. He smiled faintly, tiny hints of hesitation. "We've got a lot of other movies, though. A couple I hadn't even seen yet. It's really cool. Lots of them have great endings, too. Maybe after lunch, we could start something?"

Karen didn't get why they had started acting so odd when she'd mentioned the movie, but Aftran nudged her gently and said, <Now might not be the best time.> So she left it alone, and nodded slowly and confusedly. "Um, okay. Sorry."

Which made Sam feel bad, so he walked over and knelt down in front of her. "It's not a problem, Karen," he replied. "It's just that...well, some of our experiences back home make some movies a little more difficult than others." He could offer a little something, at least. "We lost our mom when we were really young."

Dean let Sam talk about it because it hurt too much still sometimes, and he sucked at that girly feelings talk anyway.

Instead, they needed a distraction so he could bury things again.

"Hey Tom, why don't you get started with helping grab ingredients for me? There's some cans of tomato sauce in the bottom cabinet." Spaghetti night. With some meatballs that will be defrosted from the freezer.

He almost spoke up, moving to comfort the child. But Sam beat him too it. Sam was really better at that sort of thing than he was.

"Uh yeah, sure. No problem. We're going to need to restock soon, huh?" He ducked the fish out the requested ingredients, wondering vaguely if they could get some chickens or something next time.

Though he didn't know the first thing about turning a living chicken into Sunday lunch, they could at least eat the eggs.

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Let Me Take You Home [Closed]

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