First part of this story

“Bright boy,” the demon smirked, still using Agent Hendrickson’s voice and facial expressions. “The Winchester book ends were too stupid to figure it out and you did. Well done, Lieutenant. Bravo and all that.”
 
“What do you want?” Horatio asked.
 
“The same thing any demon wants,” he replied. “Chaos, confusion, hatred; but in this particular case, I want the Winchesters to suffer before the die and go to hell. Is that so wrong of me. I mean really, think about it. They hunt down and murder my kin and no one does anything about it. They don’t think about what happens to the demons they kill. Now would you stand for something like that?”
 
“If it means ridding the world of a little evil, in a second,” Horatio replied. “And believe me; I have no qualms about just shooting you right now.”
 
“In cold blood and all that?” the demon asked. “I guess Sam didn’t tell you the cold facts. Shooting me would only kill the body carrying me. I’d still be alive and able to go out and cause more, shall we say, mischief.”
 
Horatio smiled and the demon actually took a step back in fear. “I just wanted you to know where we stood,” he said. “Because Sam has another plan for you.”
 
Sam appeared behind his lover, holding a journal in one hand and grinned at the demon. “Guess we are smarter than you, bitch,” he said. He opened the book and began reading in Latin.
 
“And you should know,” Horatio whispered as the demon started struggling to hold onto the body it was possessing, “your plan failed. There’s no evidence to support your claims against these boys. Have a nice life in hell.”
 
Hendrickson’s head snapped back as his mouth opened and a plume of what appeared to be black smoke – the demon’s true form – spiraled up towards the ceiling and vanished. The FBI agent slumped to the ground. Horatio glanced back at Sam for an okay before he moved forward and checked for a pulse. “He’s still alive,” Horatio said.
 
“He’s going to remember ever single thing the demon made him do,” Sam sighed. “And it might drive him insane. I don’t know, there are times I think it might be better if the demon kills its host before it leaves because then they don’t have to live with the guilt of what they’ve done.”
 
“Even though they haven’t actually done it,” Horatio said. He wrapped his arm around Sam’s waist and pulled his taller lover in close. “They can’t rationalize it, can they? They can’t accept that it was a demon in their body that forced them to the actions. You might be right, Sammy. Maybe it is better if they just die.”
 
“In this instance though, it’s probably better to have him alive,” Sam grinned. “I’m going to go sit on Dean to keep him out of the agent’s sight. Do you think you can get rid of him?”
 
“I think so,” Horatio smiled. “If nothing else, I think I can convince him that he needs to go back to Quantico and reevaluate his evidence because it really does suck.”
 
Sam laughed. “You’ve been hanging around me too much, Horatio,” he said. “You’re starting to pick up on my speech patterns.”
 
“I’ll have to watch that,” Horatio said. He tilted his head up and was rewarded with a gentle kiss. “I’ll call you when it’s safe.”
 
He pulled one of the kitchen bar stools out into the hallway and settled down to wait. Horatio didn’t know how long the agent was going to be unconscious, but he did know that he was far too old to sit on the floor while he was waiting.
 
A groan was the first clue that Hendrickson was starting to wake up. Horatio leaned forward. “Can you hear me, Special Agent Hendrickson?” he asked.
 
“Where, where am I?”
 
“You’re in my home in Miami,” Horatio replied. “Do you remember what happened to you?”
 
Hendrickson sat up and rubbed his eyes. “These last few months have been a blur,” he said. “Its like I’ve been watching myself in a movie, doing and saying things I’d never do. And the case I’ve been working, have I really done all of that?”
 
“I’m not sure what you’ve done or had done through you,” Horatio said. “But speaking as a CSI, the evidence collected in the case is equivocal and that’s being generous. In most cases there is no physical evidence to link Dean or Sam Winchester to the crimes they’ve been accused of.”
 
“But I can’t just tell my bosses that I was possessed, if that’s even what happened.”
 
“It is and Sam’s the one who saved you. My advice to you is to return to Quantico. Undergo all their tests and evaluations and let them review the evidence. I think you’ll find that the boys’ names are cleared quite quickly.”
 
“And if they’re not?”
 
“Then my attorney will have something to say about it,” Horatio said. “You’ve had a life-changing experience. Make sure it changed you in the right way.”
 
“Are the Winchesters here?”
 
“No,” Horatio replied. “They left town two days ago, leaving me with enough information that I was able to exorcise the demon inside of you. I’m not sure where they were heading next.”
 
“You know I’ll be able to find them again if I need to.”
 
“And, as I said, my attorney will be awaiting my call. Have a good day, Agent Hendrickson.”
********************
 
Dean looked over at his brother. “Why the hell is he lying to that bastard?” he hissed.
 
“What, you think Horatio is going to turn us over to the feds?” Sam whispered. “God, grow up Dean. He’s already spoken with his attorney to make sure that we can’t be prosecuted for these things. Horatio has basically cleared you of all the charges against you and all you care about is this stupid little vendetta you have against him.” He stood up when he heard the front door close. “Move.”
 
“No,” Dean said.
 
“Fine,” Sam huffed. He grabbed Dean’s legs and pulled, moving his brother from in front of the door and then hopping over and out into the hall before Dean reacted. He found Horatio in the kitchen. “He’s gone?”
 
“For now,” Horatio replied with a smile. “I don’t know what will happen when the higher-ups at the FBI see the case, but I suspect that between my objections to the evidence, Speed’s analysis and my attorney’s willingness to jump into the case things will be ending here very soon.”
 
Sam grabbed Horatio and pulled him in for a kiss. Horatio’s arms went around Sam’s shoulders and held him tightly as they mapped and explored each other’s mouths. Horatio moaned softly as he was lifted up and put on the kitchen island, his legs wrapping around Sam’s hips to pull his younger lover in closer to him.
 
“Enough,” Dean said from the doorway. “God, since I got here this is all I’ve seen and it’s making me sick. Can’t you keep your hands to yourself for two minutes?”
 
“It’s our house,” Horatio said. “If you don’t like it then you’re more than welcome to leave now that the danger is gone. Go back to the hunt that you find so much more important than your family, Dean. But try and remember that what you’ve lost will come back to haunt you when you least expect it.”
 
“What he said,” Sam said. “With this added on; if you can’t respect me and my choices in life then I don’t want to see you again until you can. I’m old enough to not need a constant body guard so you can forget whatever crap dad drilled into your thick skull about taking care of me because you stopped doing that the moment you left me on the road. You showed me how you truly feel about me, Dean, and it really makes me sad that you can’t accept me for who I really am.”
 
Dean’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times. “Fine, I’m leaving,” he finally snapped. “But I’m coming back with Dad and we’re going to drag your ass outta here, Sammy. You belong with us and nothing is ever going to change that.”
 
“In your dreams, maybe,” Sam said. “We’ve never been a family, Dean. Dad didn’t know how to raise us, or show us love and affection. How many days of our lives did he really spend with us. None; he was always trying to find the bastard demon that killed mom. Even when he was at one of my sports events he was thinking about her and the demon. And you’re not going to deny me a chance at having a real life, with a real career; something that I care about, not the hunt and the stupid vendetta. If the yellow-eyed demon shows up here then yeah, I’ll take care of it, but I’m not going back out on the road. And no one, not you and sure as hell not dad, is ever going to make me.”
 
“You’re wrong, Sam,” Dean said. “You’re wrong.”
 
“Then maybe I am, but that’s how I feel and the impression I got, so live with it,” Sam said. “And get your stuff and leave. I love Horatio and I’m staying here in Miami with him. Maybe I’ll call you when I graduate, if you’re lucky and think you can stand to talk to me.”
 
Horatio pulled Sam in close again and just held him. “Dean, phobias and prejudice destroy more than just families,” he said softly. “They destroy people and lives. You need to do some serious soul-searching to figure out of you can accept that your brother has another man for a life-partner or not. Either way though, you have to honor his choice, because forcing him to return to a life he hates will only get him killed that much sooner. Now I will agree, please pack up your belongings – all of them – and leave my home. You will be welcome back only when you can show that you’re willing to be happy for Sammy.”
 
Sam hid his eyes against Horatio’s neck at the sound of boots walking away down the hall and then again then the boots returned and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. “God, that was hard,” he whispered.
 
“I know it was,” Horatio said, running his fingers through Sam’s hair. “But I’m proud of you. It’s hard to stand up to our families, especially the family members we’re closest to. Dean needs to realize that our relationship makes you happy. Or, at least I hope it does.”
 
“Are you fishing for compliments, Horatio?” Sam asked with a small smile.
 
“A little,” Horatio replied. “Mostly I just wanted to see you smile. Come on, let’s have some lunch and then we can cuddle on the back porch for a while.”
********************
 
John was still at Bobby’s when his cell phone rang. He checked the ID and flipped it open. “Sam, what’s going on?”
 
“I think Dean’s on his way back to you,” Sam replied. “We got all the charges against both of us dropped and I’m going back to school. I’m going to finish and either go to law school or work with Horatio in the lab. But Dean’s convinced that the two of you can force me to leave.”
 
“Sam, I know I didn’t say it enough when you were growing up, but all I ever wanted was for you to be happy,” John said. “I know what a bad job I did with both of you. Hell, you’re old enough to not need my blessings or permission any more, but you have them. And I’m really proud of you. I’ll talk with Dean and see if I can make him see sense, but I don’t make any promises.”
 
“Thanks, Dad,” Sam said.
 
“And Sam, I know you probably don’t want me showing up and embarrassing you, but I would like to meet Horatio if you think it’d be okay,” John added.
 
“Horatio and I agree on one thing, Dad. If you can support our relationship then you’re welcome in our home,” Sam said.
 
“Then I’ll swing by the next time I’m down south,” John said. “Take care of yourself and Horatio, Sam. I don’t want anything bad to happen to either of you.”
 
“We will,” Sam said. “And thanks, Dad.”
 
Bobby glanced at John as the other man put the phone down with a sigh. “Dean’s in the wind,” John said. “And he’s pissed as hell at his brother and Horatio.”
 
“So we need to find him,” Bobby said. “And stop him from doing whatever the hell it is he’s thinking ‘bout doing.”
 
“Sam thinks he’s on his way back here,” John said. “Let’s wait a couple of days and see what happens. I’m too old to be hunting down my own kid.”
 
“You’re one to be talking,” Bobby said. He kissed John on the top of the head. “What do you want for supper?”

“Sam, I’d like to introduce you to my team,” Horatio said the next morning.
 
“Is it safe?” Sam asked. “I mean for me to just walk into a police station like that? Are you sure that my name has been cleared?”
 
Horatio smiled. “As much as I’d love to take you to work, and make love with you on my desk, I was actually thinking about inviting everyone over for supper,” he said. “I do have to get back to work too.”
 
“We have kinda been on a mini-vacation,” Sam said. “I need to check with the university and see if I can get in this next term to finish my degree. Will you still love me if I go to law school?”
 
“My dislike of lawyers is strictly held to those who care more for the money than the truth,” Horatio said. “Not only will I still love you, I’ll be very proud of you if you go to and complete law school.”
 
“Seeing as I’ve been a victim with no one, well almost no one willing to listen to me, there’s no way I could ever care more about the money,” Sam said. “I’ll talk with the school while you’re at work. What were you thinking about feeding your team? I could go shopping too.”
 
“Why don’t you decide,” Horatio said. “They’ll all eat almost anything as long as it’s the right temperature.”
 
Sam laughed. “That wasn’t my fault,” he said. “You distracted me. I guess I can give Tim a call and see what he suggests.”
 
“No conspiring,” Horatio said as seriously as he could.
 
“H, would we do that?” Sam asked.
 
Horatio kissed him. “Yes.”
********************
 
The problem was, Dean thought, that Sam was infatuated with the idea of being normal. So the best way to get him to leave Miami was to point out exactly how abnormal it was to be a sex toy for an older man. Because there was no way that Dean was going to leave Miami without his brother.
 
So he sat and watched the house. He saw the lieutenant leave the house in a fancy suit, what looked like designer sunglasses over his blue eyes, climb into a Hummer and drive away. Dean could see the attraction of what was obviously a lot of money, but the thought of letting another man touch him made Dean shudder and he felt sick at the very idea.
 
He had been hoping that Sam was going to go out as well, run errands or something, but the front door stayed firmly shut. Dean was so fixated on planning a story to get Sam to go with him that he jumped when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and groaned.
********************
 
Both Sam and Horatio had seen the black Impala parked down the street. Sam had promised Horatio that he would still be there when his lover got home that evening, that the last thing he wanted to do was leave with his brother. Sam loved the stability, the life and the unconditional love that Horatio was offering him. He wanted to leave the hunt, leave the life he hated, and rejoin normal society. He was still concerned about the yellow-eyed demon and what could happen to Horatio, but found he couldn’t help but trust his lover when he said not to worry.
 
But he didn’t want or need Dean hanging around Miami. Sam shook his head at how completely blind his older brother could be and grabbed his phone. He made one quick phone call before he called Speed. Not only did Sam have to figure out what to feed Horatio’s team, they just flat out needed food in the house.
********************
 
“Hey Dad,” Dean said, answering his phone.
 
“Are you trying to get yourself arrested or are you just being stupid?” John demanded. “Because I just got a phone call from Sam and he told me you’re sitting down the street spying on him. Hell boy, if you’re that curious, go get some gay porn, but leave your brother alone.”
 
“I’m not curious and that’s sick,” Dean snapped. “And I’m not leaving until I get Sammy out of this relationship, or whatever the hell he thinks it is.”
 
“Dean, how tall is Horatio?”
 
“I dunno, six feet, why?”
 
John sighed. “How tall is Sam?” he asked.
 
“Too damn tall,” Dean replied.
 
“So do you really believe that Horatio could force your brother into anything he didn’t want to do?”
 
“That’s not the point,” Dean said.
 
“Yeah, you’re right, that’s not the point,” John said, losing his patience. “The point is that you’re so blinded by your own guilt and biases that you can’t see how happy your brother is. I’m going to give you an order, Dean, and you had better not disobey me. You start that car and you get to Bobby’s house. If you are not here in three days then not only will we come hunt you down, I will take the Impala back.”
 
“Yes sir,” Dean said. The one thing he could not and would not do was disobey a direct order from his father.
 
“We’ll talk more when you get here,” John said. “Three days, Dean.”
********************
 
John put his phone down and rubbed his eyes. “There are days I really wish at least one of the boys took after Mary,” he sighed. “But they’re both too damn stubborn for their own good.”
 
“I’ll make Sammy hell in court, John,” Bobby said. “But I don’t know what we can do about Dean. I think you hit the nail on the head ‘bout his guilt; in Dean’s mind he drove Sam to Miami and right into Horatio’s arms and now he ain’t gonna rest until he’s able to rescue Sam.”
 
“And we both know how happy Sam is,” John said. “Ever since he was old enough to question what we were doing, he’s wanted out. This has never been his life and, truthfully, I probably shouldn’t’ve forced him to hunt.”
 
“You did the best you could, even when you drove him away to school,” Bobby said. He handed John a beer. “I say we get Dean squared away and then go to Miami for a visit. When’s the last time you had a vacation?”
 
“Oh, you know how it goes, you just keep moving from one hunt to the next and lose track of time,” John replied. “Somehow you don’t strike me as a beach-type.”
 
“I’m not, but we can take care of any hunts between here and there and I’ll suffer the sun so you can see Sam,” Bobby said.
 
“Do you think we should tell Dean about us?”
 
Bobby sighed. “As much as I’d like to, I think it’d cause more problems than anything,” he said. “Right now Dean still respects you enough to listen to you and that means you can probably keep him away from Sam.”
 
“But if he finds out then he could vanish completely,” John said. “I see your point. The last thing I want is for Horatio to have to arrest Dean for some reason.”
 
“We’ll get through to him,” Bobby said. “And I made sure the ropes are ready so he can’t sneak outta here again.”

Sam had just finished setting the table when he heard the front door close. He straightened up as arms wrapped around him and a warm body pressed up against him. “What smells so good?” Horatio asked.
 
“Chicken alfredo with garlic bread and salad,” Sam replied. He turned and wrapped Horatio in a hug, leaning down to kiss him.
 
“Sounds wonderful,” Horatio murmured. “And I brought dessert.”
 
“Ice cream?”
 
“Mmm hmm, with whipped cream,” Horatio smiled.
 
The lovers assembled their dinners, put the ice cream in the freezer and made their way out onto the deck. “How was your day?” Horatio asked.
 
“I’m officially a student again,” Sam replied. “I’ve got a year of classes and the law school is very interested in me. I have a feeling that the interview might only be a formality.”
 
“They recognize talent when they see it,” Horatio smiled. “Are you going to want to work while you’re finishing school or would you rather focus on your studies?”
 
“I can’t ask you to support me, H,” Sam said. “I’ll find something on campus to help pay the bills.”
 
Horatio reached over and took Sam’s hand. “I make more than enough for daily expenses,” he said. “So if you work, I want you to save it for your law school tuition and books, okay?”
 
“I’ll probably get a full ride,” Sam said. “My LSAT scores were really high and I’ve got really good grades; my time away from school was explained as bereavement leave, it won’t impact anything. Please, H, let me help with the bills.”
 
“If you’ll let me help you get a job,” Horatio said. “A friend of mine is a trial lawyer and would like to meet you. He’s been looking for a research assistant.”
 
Sam laughed. “Is there anyone in Miami you don’t know?”
 
“I could’ve seen if Artie needed help, but I was afraid the customers might be more interested in you than the merchandise,” Horatio said. “Seriously, Sam, will you go and talk with Phil? I think it’d be a good experience for you.”
 
“Of course I will. He doesn’t mind that I’m your lover?”
 
“Nope, he’s very open-minded. He’s expecting you on Monday. I would have set it up for tomorrow, but I figured you’d be going crazy cooking.”
 
“Tim said I should buy some salads at the store and glue you to the grill for burgers,” Sam said with a grin.
 
“That brat, he promised not to tell,” Horatio said, trying for mad and failing. “If that’s what you two want to do then I’m not even going to try and argue. I do need to warn you that my sister-in-law overheard me talking with another detective and invited herself and my nephew to the party.”
 
“Raymond’s wife and son?”
 
“And she wants to be my wife,” Horatio sighed. “She doesn’t know I’m bi with strong leanings towards gay. I love her as a sister, but the thought of more makes my skin crawl. I do think you’ll like Ray Jr.”
 
“I hope he, they, like me,” Sam said. “H, if the news gets out that you’re gay, what’ll happen?”
 
“Nothing, the department doesn’t care and the uniforms know not to cross me,” Horatio said. “Plus I really don’t care what anyone says about my personal life.”
 
“Just curious,” Sam smiled. “I’d hate to have to spend the entire evening trying to hide how I feel about you.”
 
“Or not being able to do this.” Horatio pulled Sam over and kissed him, letting his tongue slide into his lover’s mouth.
 
Sam slid along the bench until he was next to Horatio and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Horatio ran his hands through Sam’s longer hair and finally cradled Sam’s head in his hands.
 
“We probably shouldn’t do that with children around,” Sam whispered. He ran his hand up Horatio’s leg and pressed against the growing bulge he found. “Especially if it causes this reaction.”
 
“How do you feel about public sex?” Horatio asked, pushing off Sam’s black t-shirt.
 
“It’s not my favorite.”
 
“Then we should move inside,” Horatio said. “Now.”
 
Sam chuckled and stood, pulling Horatio in against him. “Who would think that such an upstanding, proper and respected lieutenant would hide so many kinks?”
 
“I haven’t heard you complain yet,” Horatio smirked. “And I still have to introduce you to Artie.”
 
“Or go to the doctor,” Sam said.
 
“Sammy, I don’t think any pill would give me the stamina to keep up with you,” Horatio said. “Believe me, if there was, I’d buy it in a second.”
 
The lovers finished undressing and crawled onto their bed, Sam on his back with Horatio over him. “Can I, Sam?”
 
“Oh yeah,” Sam moaned.
 
Horatio leaned in and pressed his lips to the soft hollow just behind Sam’s left ear, his tongue darting out to taste his lover as he slowly trailed kisses, licks and nips down and then back up Sam’s neck to his jaw and along to his lips. Both men moaned softly as their lips and tongues finally came into contact. Sam’s hands ran over Horatio’s back trying to pull him down for more contact between their bodies.
 
When Horatio’s hips thrust down, his erection sliding against Sam’s, the younger man’s control broke. He pulled away from the kiss, panting. “Need to feel you, H.”
 
Horatio made a mental note to buy a cock ring for himself so he could drive Sam through two orgasms before coming himself. He moaned at the thought of being in Sam’s body as it tightened and massaged along his length and he grabbed for the lube and condoms.
 
Sam’s eyes closed as Horatio’s mouth surrounded the head of his cock and two fingers slid into his body. Horatio worked him expertly, knowing exactly what he needed to do to bring Sam over the edge. The red head swallowed, his eyes closing for a moment to savor the taste of his lover and then leaned in to start licking Sam clean as he added another finger and some more lube.
 
“Horatio,” Sam moaned as he spread his legs a little wider. “I’m ready for you.”
 
“Are you going to come for me again?” Horatio asked as he rolled the condom on and added lube. “Are you going to get hard for me, Sam?”
 
Sam moaned against as Horatio slid slowly into his body and paused for a moment to smile down at him. That was when Sam knew that his lover was going to move slowly enough to drive him crazy.
 
Horatio was careful as he started to move to not only keep his thrusts slow and even, but to avoid Sam’s prostate at first. As he moved he could feel Sam starting to harden again and changed the angle, nudging Sam’s prostate as he leaned in for a kiss. Sam’s legs wrapped around Horatio’s hips and he started pushing back against his lover. It was almost a contest to see who would break first, Sam to start begging or Horatio’s control and rhythm.
 
That night it was almost a tie. Horatio broke the kiss and his head dropped down as he started thrusting harder and sharper just as Sam gasped out a please. Horatio’s lips pressed against Sam’s collar bone as he came. The feel of Horatio’s climax pushed Sam over the edge again. He caught Horatio and held his lover close as they both calmed down.
 
“The dishes,” Horatio finally muttered.
 
Sam chuckled. “We need to develop enough control that we can get the kitchen cleaned up before we end up in bed,” he said, moaning as Horatio’s cock slid out of him.
 
“Where’s the fun in that?” Horatio asked. “Come on, I’ll rinse if you load.”
 
“Sounds fair,” Sam said. “But after a shower.”
 
Horatio wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, good idea.”

The next evening Sam was in the kitchen making hamburger patties when he heard voices in the hallway. The hunter in him tensed for a moment until he was able to pick out Speed’s voice.
 
“Hey Sam,” Speed said. “Where’s H?”
 
“In the shower,” Sam replied. “He got home ten minutes ago muttering about boats, idiots and docks.”
 
“I wonder what happened,” the young man who had followed Speed in said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen H mutter about anything, no matter how bad his day is.”
 
“Sam, this is Eric and Calleigh,” Speed said.
 
“Nice to meet you,” Sam replied. “I’d offer to shake hands, but…”
 
“Not a problem,” Eric laughed. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
 
“The salads need to be put in bowls and the cooler needs to be loaded,” Sam said. “And Horatio’s nephew is coming so there has to be some orange Crush in there.”
 
“Horatio actually invited Yelina?” Calleigh asked obviously surprised. She put her bag down and walked to the cabinet to get some bowls down. “That’s a little unusual.”
 
“He told me about what she wants,” Sam said. “I’ve got a tray of ice to keep those cool once you have them moved over, Calleigh. I saw the idea in a magazine. I’m not sure how I feel about meeting her.”
 
“That’s what’s so surprising,” Eric commented. “After she got drunk at the last team party she was invited to and started hitting on Horatio, we managed to keep her away from all of our get-togethers.”
 
“She invited herself,” Horatio said as he joined the group in the kitchen. “I didn’t realize she was there while I was talking with Frank.”
 
Calleigh sighed. “You still could’ve said no.”
 
“Believe me, I tried.” Horatio looked over his shoulder. “We’re in the kitchen, Alexx.”
 
“Sorry I’m late, Horatio,” Alexx said. “I got caught up in somebody.”
 
“Not to worry,” Horatio smiled. “Alexx, this is Sam, the young man I was telling you about.”
 
“Welcome to the family, Sugar,” Alexx said. “Cal, how’re you doing with those salads?”
 
“You can help me carry them outside,” Calleigh said with a smile.
 
“So H, a dock and idiots?” Speed asked.
 
“My last interview today was on a boat,” Horatio replied. “And Frank was with me, which is why he’s running late, by the way. We were just stepping back onto the dock when our host decided it was time to leave. Frank and I both ended up in the water and I lost my sunglasses.”
 
Sam kissed Horatio on the cheek. “We’ll get you a new pair,” he said. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”
 
“Don’t let him fool you, Sam,” Speed said. “He keeps a box of sunglasses in his desk drawer. What, I was looking for a case folder.”
 
“Just because you know them doesn’t mean you have to give away all my secrets, Tim,” Horatio said. He picked up the plate of raw patties. “Let’s go and join the ladies outside. The others can find us when they arrive.”
********************
 
Later that evening, once everyone had arrived and the food was cooked, Alexx joined Sam in a quiet corner of the deck. “You’re not really used to being around this many people, are you?”
 
“Not really,” Sam admitted with a smile. “I guess I’m just more at home with books.”
 
“You’re the one who saved Horatio from that werewolf, aren’t you?” Alexx asked.
 
Sam almost did a double-take. “How’d you know about that?” he whispered.
 
“Honey, my great-grandma was from the Caribbean and brought some stories with her,” Alexx replied with one of her soft smiles. “And there are some things you just don’t forget, no matter how much you might want to. Can you tell me how you knew about it and knew what to do?” 
 
“My mom was murdered by a demon when I was a baby,” Sam said. “Dad dedicated his life to hunting the bastard down and raised both my brother and me to hunt as well.”
 
“Did you ever find it?”
 
“No, and the same demon killed my girlfriend back in California. I’ve got every protection up in the house that I can think of. I’m not losing Horatio too. I just can’t.”
 
“You won’t, Sam,” Alexx said. “Haven’t you noticed how Horatio doesn’t seem to be human at times? If this demon shows up here, then I think he’s in for a few surprises. Maybe even more than a few.”
 
“Do you really believe that?” Sam asked.
 
“Honey, I’ve known Horatio Caine for a long time and I’ve seen him do some things that I can’t explain,” Alexx smiled. “I’m not always out at crime scenes, but I’ll keep my eyes open when I am.”
 
“Thank you,” Sam said. “I guess I’m still trying to get used to staying in one place for more than a couple of days. And to being loved.”
 
“And speaking of love, I think Horatio could use your help,” Alexx said. “Family means the world to that man, but there are days I wish he’d just tell her to grow up and get lost.”
 
Sam looked across the deck. Yelina had managed to corner Horatio and didn’t look ready to back off any time soon. “Excuse me, Alexx,” Sam said.
 
“Of course, Sugar.”
 
Sam walked over to his lover and wrapped his arms around Horatio from behind. “H, you haven’t introduced me to your sister-in-law yes,” he said as he let his chin rest on Horatio’s shoulder.
 
Horatio tilted his head and let it rest against Sam’s. “Yelina, this is Sam Winchester,” he said as he put his hands over his lover’s. “Sammy, this is Detective Yelina Salas.”
 
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Sam said with a grin. “You have a very polite son. I met him when he came back for a second burger.”
 
“Ray’s going to be as tall as his father,” Horatio commented with a fond smile. “Especially if he keeps eating like he does.”
 
“Sam, smile,” Calleigh called as she came out of nowhere with a camera. She snapped a picture of the lovers. “Oh, that was perfect.”
 
“I want a copy,” Horatio said. “We can frame it and put it in the living room, Sammy.”
 
“I like the sound of that,” Sam said. He kissed Horatio’s cheek. “I promised Tim I’d come join them for a game of something on the beach.”
 
Horatio chuckled. “Have fun and stay away from the water if you don’t want to get wet,” he said. “Both Eric and Tim play dirty.”
 
“Thanks for the warning.”
 
“Who is that, Horatio?” Yelina asked.
 
“My lover,” Horatio replied, eyes still focused on Sam.
 
“He’s young enough to be your son.”
 
“That’s been pointed out. Sam is also old enough to know what he wants from life,” Horatio said. “I’m lucky enough that he wants me.”
 
“For how long?” Yelina asked. “I guarantee that as soon as he finishes school he’s going to dump you for someone younger.”
 
“You should know better than to judge someone before you get to know them,” Horatio said coolly. “Right now you sound like his family so I’ll tell you the same thing we told them; you’re not welcome in our home until you can accept and approve of our relationship. And before you say anything else, the department already knows.”
 
“I think you’re making a mistake, Horatio.”
 
He glanced at her. “Love is never a mistake, Yelina. You know what family means to me. Please keep that in mind.”
 
“Why was she here in the first place?” Frank asked as Yelina walked off.
 
“Honestly, I’m not sure.” Horatio sighed and rubbed his face. “Do you think I’m a fool, Frank?”
 
“Hell no,” Frank said. “If you’d turned your back on love then I’d tell you that you’re a damn fool. But you’re not stupid for grabbing it when you have the chance.”
 
“Thanks, Frank. And I’m glad that he’s fitting in too. I don’t know what I’d do if the team didn’t like Sammy or he didn’t like them.”
 
“They’re your family, Horatio,” Frank said. “You know that they wouldn’t be willing to work with you if they didn’t have as big a heart as you do. Hell, I know you and me don’t always see eye to eye on cases, but it don’t change my opinion of you.”
 
Horatio smiled. “I know, Frank,” he said. “And there are days that opposition is good on a case. Oh, and speaking of cases, what happened to our shifty boater?”
 
“Harbor patrol picked him up for us, charged him with assaulting two officers and put him in lock up,” Frank grinned. “We can deal with him tomorrow.”
 
“Part of me wants to pour a bucket of salt water over his head,” Horatio said. “Do you have any idea what happened to my suit? Not to mention my gun and sunglasses.”
 
“Yep, I’m right there with you on the gun,” Frank sighed. “Horatio, look at Sam.”
 
Horatio caught sight of his lover just as Sam managed to tackle both Speed and Eric, taking them into the water. Everyone started laughing as Speed shrieked and scrambled back towards the beach.
 
“You warned him,” Speed accused as he got closer to the deck.
 
Horatio managed to calm down a little. “Who, me?” he asked. “Speed, would I do something like that to you?”
 
“Yes,” Speed replied. “I’m going to shower.”
 
“What was that all about?” Sam asked as he and Eric rejoined the group on the deck.
 
“Speed can’t stand the ocean,” Eric replied. He grabbed a towel and wiped his face. “Something about chemicals and other things in it. So we try to dunk him every chance we get.”
 
“You didn’t offend him, Sammy,” Horatio said.
 
“I have an older brother, H,” Sam laughed. “I’m not worried about it. I can tell when anger is real and when it’s a show. Is the grill still going? I could eat again.”
 
“Go get cleaned up and I’ll make you something,” Horatio said.
********************
 
When the house was cleaned up and everyone had left for the evening, Horatio and Sam settled back out on the deck. “I like your team, H,” Sam said. “They all just accepted me for who I am and it didn’t seem to bother anyone but Yelina.”
 
“She’ll come around,” Horatio said. “And I want you to know that you can call anyone on the team if you need something.”
 
“That’s what Speed said, but after meeting everyone, I really believe it. Hey H, Alexx said something weird tonight.”
 
“What was it?”
 
“She told me that you don’t always seem to be human and I just can’t work out what she meant by that.”
 
Horatio leaned over and kissed Sam. “I promise I’m as human as the next man,” he said. “But there are times when I can read a situation and either avoid or diffuse it and I’m guessing that’s what Alexx meant.”
 
“We were talking about old yellow eye,” Sam said. “I told her how worried I am.”
 
“I promise I’m not leaving you, Sam,” Horatio said. “Never; I will always be here for you. Okay?”
 
Sam took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to stop worrying about you when you’re at work.”
 
“Don’t worry too much, it’ll hurt your studies,” Horatio said with a smile.
 
“Then they’ll suffer,” Sam said. “I love you, H, and nothing will change that.”
 
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you too.”

John and Bobby were in the workshop cleaning weapons when they heard the rumble of the Impala. “Not bad, two and a half,” Bobby commented. “Are you sure you can do this, John?”
 
“I have to,” John sighed. “Especially with the mind frame Dean is in right now because he could get himself killed if he were to go hunting right now.”
 
“All right, I’m right behind you,” Bobby said.
 
“I thought we were doing this together.”
 
“Well hell, John, someone’s gotta catch you if Dean tries to knock you on your ass.”
 
John snickered and made his way out into the scrap yard. Dean had parked in front of the house and was leaning on the Impala, arms crossed, scowling at them. “I would’ve gone in but I wasn’t sure of my welcome.”
 
“Don’t be an ass, boy,” John snapped.
 
“What the hell am I supposed to think?” Dean demanded. “First Sam tells me he never wants to see me again and then you call and order me back here.”
 
“Let’s start at the beginning, Dean,” John said. “You abandoned Sam on the side of the road. You left him with barely enough supplies to hunt with. You are the one who can’t see what’s in front of him.”
 
“And let’s add in the well-known fact that Sam hates hunting and has always wanted out,” Bobby said. “And the fact that he’s old enough to make his own choices and decisions about his life.”
 
“And you can think whatever you want about his relationship with Horatio,” John said. “But what it boils down to is if Sam is happy then that’s all that should matter to us.”
 
Dean snorted. “Sammy is my responsibility and I refuse to let him become some sex toy for a sick old man.”
 
“Is that really what you think, idiot?” Bobby demanded. “Do you really think so little of your brother that you believe he’s selling his body for money? Well let me clear up one misconception for you; Sam made the first move, not Horatio. All Horatio offered was a couple of meals, a warm – or cool I guess – safe place to regroup, get some sleep and think before hitting the road again.”
 
“Sam got accepted to law school,” John said softly. “He called to tell me right after the interview. And Horatio helped Sam get a job with a public defender in Miami. He’s finally going to get to live his dream, the one he held onto through the nightmare life we forced him to live. And I’m as proud of him as I am of you for being willing to stay on the hunt. You’re both my boys, Dean, and somehow you grew up when I wasn’t paying attention. Which, according to Sam, was most of your lives.”
 
“It’s not going to last,” Dean said. “His whole fairy-tale world is going to crumble again because he’s turned his back on his family and the life he is supposed to be living. There’s no way in hell the yellow-eyed demon is going to leave Horatio alive.”
 
John and Bobby exchanged a glance. “Then we just have to find him first because I’ll be damned if I let anything hurt either of you again,” John said.
 
“Oh yeah, great idea, Dad,” Dean said. “Because we’re obviously so ready to face him.”
 
“You mind your tone, boy,” John said. “You’re not too big for me to take over my knee. Bobby has been doing research and found out there’s a gun that can kill demons, not just send them back to hell, but kill them dead. We find that and we can kill the son of a bitch.”
 
“We can really kill him?” Dean asked.
 
“The gun is out west,” Bobby said. “We want you to head southwest and talk to every hunter you run into. John’s gonna head up into Canada and I’m going straight west. We’ll find the damn thing and then we can plan out how to hunt down ol’ yellow-eye.”
 
“What about Sam?” Dean asked.
 
“We all leave him alone,” John replied. “He talked with Bobby and has as many protections up as possible at the house. And he’s talked with Horatio. They’re both as alert as possible.”
 
“So, what, we’re not even going to tell him?” Dean demanded. “He has a right to know what’s going on and to be a part of this.”
 
“He knows and he chose to stay in Miami with Horatio,” John said. “And tell me the truth, Dean. Would you really be able to ride with Sam now? Could you share a hotel room with him?”
 
“I could do what I had to,” Dean said. “And it would give me a chance to talk with him.”
 
John and Bobby exchanged another glance. “Talk with him about what?” Bobby finally asked. “The only thing he wants to hear from you is that you’re happy for him and willing to accept Horatio as a member of your family.”
 
“And the last thing he wants or needs to hear is how wrong his relationship is,” John added. “This is how Sammy was born, Dean, and nothing you say or do will change that. The only think you’d do is drive him further away.”
 
“John, why don’t you go dig out the maps?” Bobby asked. “I just got one more thing to say to this pup and I’ll join you. We need to hit the road in the morning.”
 
Dean sighed and shifted his weight to his other leg, looking over Bobby’s shoulder the whole time. “I don’t know what else you want to say.”
 
“I just wanted to repeat something in case you missed it the first time ‘round,” Bobby said. “Sam and me talked about this a couple months back. He was scared that if you found out, you’d hate him. I told him he was being stupid, that you’d never hate him or kick him outta your life. Well, you sure made a liar outta me, boy, and I’ve never been so disappointed in anyone in my life. Love is love and as long as they’re human, physical form don’t matter one bit. You just chew on that.”
********************
 
John looked up as Bobby stalked into the library. “Do you think anything we said went into that thick skull?” he asked.
 
“Yeah, everything we said ‘bout the gun, the hunt and ol’ yellow-eye,” Bobby said with a rueful grin. “Think we can trust him to stay outta Miami?”
 
“With something this important to do, yeah,” John replied. “Dean has a few memories of his mother and wants revenge as much as I do. Maybe that’s why Sam isn’t as involved in hunting as we are, he doesn’t remember Mary at all and just doesn’t feel as driven.”
 
“What about Jessica?”
 
“I dunno, Bobby,” I know he wants revenge for her, but it’s not as an all-consuming desire as it was before,” John said. “But I know he’ll be happy when this is all over and he don’t have to worry about his life and Horatio’s safety constantly.”
 
Bobby sighed. “It’s still gonna take time to find the gun and then find the bastard,” he said.
 
“I know and I’m hoping we’ll draw the things attention away from Miami,” John said. “Yellow-eye has always wanted Sam for some reason and I just hope we can save him.”
********************
 
Dean waited until he was sure neither his dad nor Bobby was going to come back out of the house before he took out his cell phone and dialed his brother’s number.
 
“Hello, Dean,” Horatio’s calm voice answered on the third ring.
 
“Where’s Sam?”
 
“At the moment, he’s swimming in the ocean,” Horatio replied. “Is there something I can do for you?”
 
“Yeah, you can let him know I need to talk with him.”
 
Horatio sighed. “Sammy, your brother is on the phone,” he called.
 
Dean could hear his brother’s answering call but couldn’t make out what was said. But as Horatio didn’t come back on and tell him otherwise Dean waited for Sam to pick up the phone. Suddenly he heard a strange noise and realized it was the sound of kissing and jerked the phone away from his ear with a muted yuck.
 
“What do you want, Dean?” Sam asked a moment later.
 
“Did you really tell Bobby you’re gay?” Dean asked in reply.
 
“Yes,” Sam said. “I needed some advice and he was willing to listen to me objectively and give it to me. I think it’s pretty obvious why I didn’t want to talk with you.”
 
“Why did you tell him you were afraid I’d kick you out?” Dean asked.
 
“Face it, Dean, I know you better than anyone,” Sam replied. “Maybe I even know you better than you know yourself in some things. Besides, I was right so it really doesn’t matter, now does it? And don’t try to tell me you came back to get me. I talked with Bobby.”
 
Dean rubbed his face. “Can’t we just agree I was a jerk and move on?” he asked. “Bobby and Dad have a line on a gun that’ll kill the yellow-eyed demon. We actually have a chance to finish this.”
 
“I know they do, I spoke with Dad yesterday,” Sam said. “I hope you guys find it.”
 
“Come on, Sam, you have to help us with this.”
 
“No I don’t. School starts in a week and I have a new job starting tomorrow. But Dad and Bobby promised to keep me updated on how things are going.”
 
“So you’re just going to abandon your family?”
 
“You abandoned me first,” Sam said. “I’m not having this argument again, Dean. You made a choice and you have to live with it. And maybe its time to realize that I’m my own person and not just another clone of Dad.”
 
“Don’t you talk about Dad like that.”
 
“He raised us to be soldiers first and his sons second,” Sam said. “He’s always cared about the hung more than us. Maybe he’s realized his mistake now and is willing to be more of a father, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to totally forgive him.”
 
“He has always loved you, Sam,” Dean snapped.
 
“And maybe he blames me, just a little, for Mom’s death,” Sam said. “I look enough like her that I’m a constant reminder of what he lost. Dad and I have been talking, but we still have a long way to go. He knows it and I know it. Now I have to go, Dean. I need to go in and shower. H and I are meeting his team for supper.”
 
Dean snorted. “Sure, go live your normal life as a sex toy, Sam,” he said. “Hide away while Dad, Bobby and I risk our lives to save yours.”
 
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that,” Sam said. “Good-bye, Dean.”
 
“Dean, get your ass in here,” Bobby yelled from the house as Dean tucked his phone away. “We got planning to do.”
********************
 
In Miami, Sam put his phone down and wiped his eyes. “H, can I get a new cell phone contract and number?” he asked. “I’ll pay you back, but I really don’t want to have to talk with Dean again any time soon. I’ll call and give the new number to Dad and Bobby.”
 
“Of course you can. Why don’t we add you onto my plan,” Horatio said. “I think it’ll cost less in the long run.”
 
“Thanks. He’s still convinced I’m your toy or pet or something,” Sam said. “I didn’t think his reaction would be this bad.”
 
“Phobias strike everyone in different ways,” Horatio said. “And no one will be able to change his mind. Come on, let’s go get cleaned up and we can see about the phone before we meet up with Speed and the others, okay?”
 
Sam blinked. “At this time of night?”
 
“This is Miami, Sammy,” Horatio grinned. “We never close.”

Over the following weeks Horatio and Sam bought new clothes for Sam, both work and school, along with school supplies and text books. Sam kept all the receipts and started slowly paying Horatio back from his paychecks. The rest he put, on Horatio’s insistence, into a savings account to get ready for law school. The nights were spent in bed loving and holding each other, but there was always a constant fear hanging over them because they didn’t know if they were safe. Sam also stayed in touch with his father and Bobby. They were no closer to finding the gun or a clue to where it was hidden. John told Sam that Dean had tried several times to get his brother’s new phone number but both Bobby and John had him in under a fake name so Dean wouldn’t be able to work it out.
 
One morning in the middle of October Sam awoke to gentle loving kisses raining over his face. He opened his eyes and smiled. “My favorite alarm clock,” he said.
 
“Do you work today?” Horatio asked.
 
“No, Phil is in court all day and I finished the research for our next trial case yesterday,” Sam replied. “I’ve only got classes and I’m done with them at noon. Why, do you have something planned?”
 
“Just dinner,” Horatio said. “And I know how caught up you can get in your work, so I wanted to be sure.”
 
Sam pulled Horatio’s head down for a deep kiss. “I’ll probably beat you home,” he murmured. “What time are you done at the lab?”
 
“Four as long as nothing big breaks,” Horatio smiled. “But it does mean I have to go in a little early so I have to skip our morning shower.”
 
“You can make it up to me tonight,” Sam said. “Be safe out there, Horatio. I don’t want to lose you.”
 
“You won’t,” Horatio said.
********************
 
Horatio did go to the lab but only to pick up a few things from his office. With Alexx’s help he had managed to work out his own solution to the yellow-eyed demon problem; one that he believed would work. So he had carefully and subtly been buying the tools he needed to capture the demon. And the senses that had kept him alive in both New York and Miami were screaming at him, telling Horatio that the yellow-eyed demon was in Miami and out for blood – specifically Horatio’s blood. He ran a few errands after he left the lab and then headed home to get ready.
 
He was in the kitchen working with a small electric drill when Horatio heard the front door open and shut. He knew it wasn’t Sam, the footsteps down the hall were different, and yet familiar. Horatio put down the drill and took off the safety glasses. “Hello, Dean,” he said softly, turning around.
 
“Where’s Sam?” Dean asked.
 
“Still at school,” Horatio replied with a soft smile. “But we both know it’s me you’re here for so let’s not pretend any more.”
 
Dean smiled and his eyes turned a demonic yellow. “In the past two hundred and some odd years, Horatio Caine, you are the most entertaining and yet troublesome human I’ve dealt with,” the demon said. “You completely ruined my plan to alienate Sam from his family and support network, a plan that would have finally made him mine.”
 
“I’m surprised you were able to possess Dean,” Horatio commented mildly. “Tell my why you want Sam so badly. Why are you willing to go through all the time and trouble for one mortal child?”
 
“But he’s not completely mortal, none of my children are,” the demon said. “You probably don’t know it because you’re not in the darkness enough, but there’s a war between good and evil coming. I need a general to lead my army of demons and Sam is the one I think will win the position.”
 
“Good and evil, light and dark, whatever you want to call them have been fighting for years,” Horatio said. “And will continue to do so as long as humans remain on the Earth and nothing you do will change that.”
 
“I almost hate to kill you, Horatio,” the demon said with a laugh. “I find you very entertaining and a delight to talk to. Still, you’ve committed murder so maybe you’ll go to hell and I’ll be able to see you there.”
 
Horatio chuckled. “Well, seeing as you’re planning to kill me anyway, would you be willing to answer a couple of questions before you do?” he asked. “Like how you were able to avoid the demon trap we have over the front door?”
 
“You think something that pitiful could stop me?” the demon said. “Stalling for time won’t do you any good.” He waved a hand and Sam – who had been attempting to creep up with holy water – was slammed up against the wall. “Well Sammy, you’re home early and yet just in time to see me kill your latest lover. Will he scream as pretty as Jessica did?”
 
“I’m never going to join you,” Sam spat. “So you might as well just kill me too.”
 
“Sammy, my boy, you’re my favorite of all my children,” the demon said. “I could never kill you. I have such high hopes for you once your family is gone.”
 
“You killed Mom and Jess,” Sam said, “and you’re using the one person who has always taken care of me no matter what to try and drive me away from my family. Go back to hell you bastard. I’ll die before I help you.”
 
The demon smirked, raised his hand and pointed two fingers at Horatio. “After you watch your precious lover die you might change your mind,” he said.
 
“I’m hard to kill,” Horatio commented. He was holding a five-sided piece of clear quartz crystal on a silver chain. The crystal was polished and there was a rune engraved on each plane or face of the stone. They started to glow softly as Horatio said five words that Sam had never heard before.
 
Dean’s face contorted into a scream as the yellow glow faded from his eyes. Horatio said one more word and the black smoke of the demon’s true form erupted from Dean’s mouth and was sucked into the crystal.
 
As Sam and Dean both crumpled to the floor, Horatio turned and put the crystal in a glass bottle that also had runes engraved on it. Horatio poured holy water over the crystal, up to the bottle’s rim, closed it and sealed it with red and yellow wax. Then he put that bottle into a larger one that had a lining of rock salt in the bottom. The remaining space was filled with rock salt and then that bottle was sealed with green and blue wax.
 
“Horatio?” Sam asked.
 
“Once second, Sammy,” Horatio replied. He put the bottle into a jar and filled that one with lavender water before sealing the whole thing with white wax. “Can you get me the curse box that Bobby sent you, love?”
 
“You are so telling me what happened,” Sam said.
 
The curse box had been stored in the pantry so Sam was back in a second, box open and ready. Horatio lined the bottom with rock salt, put the jar in and covered it with salt before shutting the lid.
 
“Call Bobby and let him know we need the most powerful and well-warded box he can make,” Horatio said. He picked up a small butane torch and carefully welded the box shut. “This should hold the demon though.”
 
Sam waited only until the torch was off and back on the counter before he grabbed Horatio in a tight hug. “I was so scared, H,” he whispered. “When he pointed at you, I was so sure you were going to die and I’d never get to hold you again.”
 
“I had a feeling he was coming, Sammy, and I almost wasn’t ready,” Horatio said. “I didn’t know that he was in your brother until Dean walked into the house today. Go call Bobby and I’ll get Dean settled into the guest room.”
 
“H, how much of what happened was the demon and how much of it was really Dean?” Sam asked.
 
“I don’t know, Sam,” Horatio sighed. He kissed his young lover gently. “I just don’t know.”
********************
 
Sam went out onto the deck trying to work out what he’d seen. He’d never run across any kind of crystal magic or crystal workings that actually worked. “Bobby, its Sam. The yellow-eyed demon showed up in Miami,” he said when his friend answered his phone.
 
“What happened, Sam?” Bobby demanded. “I’ve got you on speaker so your dad can hear too.”
 
“Are you okay, Sam?” John asked. “What about Horatio? Is he okay?”
 
“We’re both fine,” Sam replied. “Dad, the demon had Dean.”
 
“Shit.” There was a creak of a chair as John sat down heavily. “Is he still alive?”
 
“Horatio is taking care of him,” Sam said. “He’s unconscious so I don’t know what’s going to happen with him. Bobby, H managed to trap the demon in a crystal and asked if you could send down the best curse box you can make.”
 
“He did what?” Bobby and John chorused.
 
Sam laughed, a slight edge of hysteria slipping into his tone. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The crystal had the five elemental runes on it, I could make out that much, but I didn’t understand what he said or did.”
 
“That’s really powerful hoo-doo,” Bobby said. “The inside of a crystal is faceted and will hold the demon for a minimum of a hundred years with no drain on the person performing the spell, as long as they do it for good and not for some darker purpose.”
 
“The crystal is sealed in a bottle of holy water,” Sam said. “That bottle is sealed in a second with rock salt and they’re both in a jar of lavender water. That jar is in the curse box covered in rock salt and Horatio carefully welded it shut.”
 
Bobby started laughing. “You’ve got a natural born hunter there, Sammy,” he said. “Give me two days to make the new curse box and then John and me are coming south. He needs to see both of you boys.”
 
“I thought you were out west,” Sam said.
 
“We were and came up empty,” John said. “I think Dean, or rather old yellow-eye, got a hold of the gun and didn’t tell us. Do you have any idea how long Dean’s been possessed?”
 
“Not a clue and I don’t know how he feels about Horatio,” Sam sighed. “I was resigned to the fact that Dean was homophobic and couldn’t stand me any more. Now I have to wait for him to wake up to find out if I have my brother back or not.”
 
“I still stand by what I said,” Bobby commented.
 
“We’ll see,” Sam said. “I’ll call and let you know.”
 
“Bobby and I’ll be there soon,” John said. “I’m looking forward to meeting Horatio.”
 
Sam smiled as his lover’s arms wrapped around him. “I think he wants to meet you too,” he said. “See you soon.”
 
“Bobby’s coming to town?”
 
“My dad too. Bobby says you’re a natural, H,” Sam said. “So where’d you learn hoo-doo and why didn’t you tell me?”
 
“Alexx has a remarkable library,” Horatio replied. “Bobby might enjoy reading some of the books. I wanted to tell you, but part of the spell – the part that kept me safe from the demon’s power – needed to remain a secret. Sam, I swear to you, if I had doubted any part of the spell, I would’ve told you what I was doing. I would never let you come home and find me like you did Jessica. Never. You are the most important person in my life and the last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
 
Sam turned his head and kissed Horatio gently. “I guess I’m just still in shock,” he said. “Just promise me no more secrets? Horatio, I’ll talk with Speed.”
 
Horatio snickered. “I promise, I promise,” he said. “I love you, Sam.”
 
“I love you too, Horatio,” Sam replied. “Do we have time to play?”
 
“As much as I’d love to, Dean’s awake,” Horatio said. “He’s asking for you.”
 
“Will you stay in the hall?”
 
“I’ll be right there,” Horatio said. “And ready to take you to bed just as soon as you walk out of the guest room.”

When Sam paused in the hallway just outside the guestroom, Horatio stepped around in front of him and pulled Sam’s head down for a kiss. “What’s wrong?”
 
“I don’t know if I can do this, Horatio,” Sam replied softly.
 
“You’ve already faced the worst that Dean can throw at you, Sammy,” Horatio said. “You’re strong enough to do this and I’ll be right here the whole time.”
 
“I just really want my brother back.”
 
“The only way to get that, to find out how much of the past few months really was Dean is to go on in and talk with him.” Horatio kissed Sam again.
 
Sam wrapped his lover in a hug and grinned. “You’re already hard for me, aren’t you?” he whispered. “I’ll bet you can’t want to get me into our room.”
 
“Family first, intense pleasure second,” Horatio said with a fond smile. “Go on, Sammy.”
 
The guest room was dim; Horatio had drawn the curtains partway to block out the sun. Dean was in the bed, covers up almost to his chin. “Sam?”
 
“Hey Dean.”
 
“Sammy, I want you to know I would never just leave you on the side of the road,” Dean said. “You’re my brother, my responsibility and I’d never just abandon you like that.”
 
“How long did he have a hold of you?” Sam asked.
 
“That hunt up at Penn State,” Dean replied. “You were at the hotel doing research and I went out to the bar. There was this guy that had some info on our spook so I was in the corner talking with him when his eyes turned yellow and I was possessed. And there was no way to tell you.”
 
“He wanted us apart,” Sam said. “We were always strongest when we hunted together. The bastard just didn’t count on Horatio.”
 
“What the hell did he do?” Dean asked.
 
Sam snorted. “According to Bobby its pretty old hoo-doo and the yellow-eyed demon is trapped more or less for good,” he said. “Horatio’s ME, Alexx, helped him come up with it.”
 
“We should take notes before we leave,” Dean said.
 
“There is no we, Dean,” Sam sighed. “I’m still staying here in Miami with Horatio. I told you I was leaving once the demon was gone and that hasn’t changed any.”
 
“Sammy, the son of a bitch didn’t make up the fact that I think two guys together is sick and wrong,” Dean said. “And the thought of some guy old enough to be our father touching you is just gross.”
 
“So, if I was with some guy my own age you wouldn’t object?” Sam demanded. “How much of it was the demon when you pulled away from my touch after you saw me leave the bar with that guy? He was your age, Dean, so don’t try telling me that its Horatio’s age you object to.”
 
“Damn it, Sam, you were happy with Jess,” Dean snapped. “For a while there all you wanted was revenge for her and to hunt down the son of a bitch that killed her. So tell me how you can just up and betray her like this.”
 
“You just don’t get it, do you?” Sam asked. “I realized that my drive for revenge was holding Jessica’s spirit here and I needed to let her go before we ended up hunting her. I saw her one last time in a dream, Dean, and she told me the best way I could honor her life was to move on and be happy. I’ve always liked sleeping with guys as much as gals and I just found it easier to hook up with guys because they didn’t want all the romantic shit.”
 
“So chalk this up to another hook up and let’s move on.”
 
“Horatio is different, he not only understood me from the moment we started talking, he wanted to know about me, my life growing up and the world I was forced to live in,” Sam said. “And he treats me like a normal person. I love him, Dean, and nothing short of killing me will get me to leave Miami.”
 
“Sam.”
 
“Dean, you’re not changing my mind and Dad supports my decision,” Sam said. “I’ll bring you dinner if you think you can stand to be around me.”
 
“Damn it, Sam, I didn’t mean…”
 
“Yes you did. You’re my brother, Dean, and I know you better than anyone,” Sam sighed. “I had hoped all the homophobic crap was a demon ruse, but I guess I was wrong. Again.”
 
Sam left the room, grabbed Horatio’s hand and pulled him down the hall to their bedroom. “At least he’s not calling me your sex toy anymore,” he sniffed.
 
Horatio pulled Sam down onto the bed and just held his lover as Sam cried. He knew that Dean was out in the hall and hoped that hearing how much pain he was causing Sam would make the elder brother rethink his position on Sam’s choices.
 
“When I first heard that Raymond had been killed, I wanted to crawl into my bed and cry,” Horatio said softly. “He was a grown man with a family of his own, but all I could see was the boy who had followed me everywhere. Even into the police department.”
 
“What happened?” Sam asked.
 
“I had to be strong for Yelina and Ray,” Horatio replied. “Both our parents were dead – my mother at my father’s hand and him accidently by mine. I had to take care of the funeral arrangements, everything at work, and Yelina. But when everything was done, when it was all over, I came home, hugged my pillow and cried myself to sleep.”
 
“I don’t know why I’m so upset,” Sam sniffled.
 
“Because there was a chance that Dean might be happy for you,” Horatio said. He leaned up and started gently kissing Sam’s tears away. “But you have to agree that two out of three isn’t bad; your Dad and Bobby are so happy for you.”
 
“I’m glad I’m getting a chance to really get to know my dad,” Sam said. He moaned softly. “Do you have to do that when I’m talking about my father?”
 
“Sorry,” Horatio said. “So do you want a nap, supper or would you like to forget everything for a while?”
 
“Forget,” Sam whispered.
 
Horatio smiled down at his young lover. “Strip for me, Sammy,” he said. “I need to get something I bought for you a couple of days ago.”
 
“What is it?” Sam pulled off his t-shirt and lay back to take off his shorts.
 
“I went to see Artie,” Horatio said. “I didn’t get any toys because I want you to have a say in what we get, but I did buy you this.”
 
Sam’s eyes went wide at the sight of the cock ring Horatio was holding. “I’ve never used one of those,” he said.
 
“I think you’ll like it,” Horatio said. He set it down next to Sam’s hip and quickly stripped. “So first we need you hard and begging, Sammy.”
 
Horatio ignored the sound of disgust from the hallway, carefully took Sam’s cock in his mouth and started sucking, his blue eyes closing at the taste of his lover. Sam’s head fell back on the pillow as Horatio worked him and moaned when he felt the ring close around his erection.
 
“H, please,” Sam moaned.
 
“Have you ever passed out during or right after sex, Sammy?” Horatio asked. He moved up the bed and settled in next to Sam so that only their bare chests were touching. “Has anyone ever taken you that high on pleasure before?”
 
“No,” Sam said.
 
“Do you trust me to do this, Sam?” Horatio asked.
 
“Please,” Sam said. “Love you, Horatio.”
 
The red head smiled and kissed Sam’s forehead gently. He slowly trailed his lips down along Sam’s nose, along his cheek bone and over to his ear. Sam moaned softly as Horatio’s tongue and teeth teased his ear for several long moments before moving down his neck, over his throat to his right ear and spent some time there as well. When Horatio’s lips finally ghosted over Sam’s own, the younger man captured Horatio’s head, held him in place and took control of the kiss.
 
While the lover’s tongues dueled, Horatio’s hand ran down across Sam’s chest and vanished up under the pillow for the lube. He started down Sam’s neck when Sam broke the kiss and latched onto the base of Sam’s neck. Horatio sucked hard enough to bruise and topped it off with a bite. When Sam’s hips jerked, Horatio grinned up at him before he went back to his loving torment.
 
Sam cried out loudly as two of Horatio’s slick fingers slid into his body at the same time the head of his cock vanished into Horatio’s mouth. He felt his eyes roll back as Horatio worked him higher and higher, the twists of his fingers and lave of his tongue driving Sam crazy.
 
“H, need to feel you,” Sam gasped as a third finger entered him. “Need to feel you so bad.”
 
“Soon Sam,” Horatio whispered. He used the flat of his tongue up the length of Sam’s erection and lapped at the head just as his fingers pressed on Sam’s prostate. Sam cried out again and twisted, trying to get his lover’s fingers deeper into his body.
 
Horatio finally moved into position, slicked his own erection and sheathed himself in his lover’s body in one smooth thrust. Sam moaned at the feeling of completion as Horatio’s chest met his, their lips coming together easily. As Horatio started to move, Sam’s legs wrapped around his torso and Sam moved back against Horatio, almost frantic to climax. Horatio moved steadily, keeping his thrusts as even as possible and he was trying to hit Sam’s prostate on every move.
 
Sam broke the kiss and moaned deeply when he felt the heat of Horatio’s climax fill him. “H, I need it, please,” he said. “Please let me come.”
 
“Shhh, one second, Sam,” Horatio murmured. He pulled out gently, rolled to the side and let his mouth descend one last time on Sam’s erection. He sucked steadily, watching Sam’s face the whole time and finally released the cock ring. Horatio’s name echoed through the bedroom as Sam climaxed and passed out.
 
When he woke up, Sam was cleaned up and under the covers with his lover. “Wow,” Sam croaked.
 
“How do you feel?” Horatio asked.
 
“Ready for that nap,” Sam replied with a smile. “And I can’t wait to use that on you.”
 
Horatio smiled softly and kissed Sam’s nose. “Sleep, Sammy, I got you. I got you.”

“Damn,” John whistled as Bobby pulled into the driveway next to a tan Hummer with official police lettering on the door. “I hate to sound shallow, but I think Sammy landed on his feet, Bobby. This is one hell of a house.”
 
“You know as well as I do that the money don’t mean anything to Sam,” Bobby said with a small snort. “He’s happy here because Horatio lets him be himself and supports him and his decisions.”
 
“Do you think that in some ways Sam sees Horatio as the father he wishes he had?” John asked.
 
“God I hope not,” Bobby replied. “Because that’s really disgusting. John, you did the best you could with the boys and they both know that. You and Sam are just too much alike for your own good. That’s the reason you guys was always fighting. Nothing else. I think now that you’ve got some space and the whole revenge hunt is over, you and Sam can sit and talk on the phone and get to know each other as adults.”
 
“I’m a lucky bastard, aren’t I?”
 
“Oh hell yeah, but so am I so I guess we’re a well-matched pair,” Bobby said. “Come on, sitting out here isn’t gonna make this any easier.”
 
“I wasn’t sitting out here to hide from my boys, I was admiring the house and thinking about how happy Sam could be here,” John said as he got out of the truck. “He’s always wanted a home, a place he could consider his and I’m really happy he’s been able to find that for himself.”
 
The door was opened by a red haired man not much shorter than Bobby. “Gentlemen,” Horatio said. “Please come in; Sam’s in the kitchen working on something I’m not allowed to know about.”
 
“You must be Horatio,” John said. He stepped inside and held out his hand. “John Winchester. This is Bobby Singer.”
 
“It’s a pleasure to meet both of you,” Horatio said. “Bobby, did you bring the curse box with you? I’ll feel better once this thing is sealed away for good.”
 
Bobby held up the bag he was carrying. “I hope I got the size right,” he said. “I’m impressed with what you were able to do, Horatio. You got a hunter’s instinct and that’s not saying anything light.”
 
“I believe you, as I’ve seen Sam’s instincts on display a couple of times,” Horatio said. “Let’s just say that I don’t worry about him when he’s at school anymore.”
 
“Do I want to know?” John asked.
 
“No,” Sam’s voice replied from the kitchen. “You can come in here, you know. I’m not going to kill you; I’m just trying something new.”
 
“Which means he’s been on the phone with one of my team at the lab,” Horatio laughed. “Sam has discovered that he has a talent for cooking, a talent that Speed shares, so they’ve been trading recipes back and forth.”
 
John sat down at the table and looked at his younger son. “I know I’ve said it before, Sammy, but I’m happy for you,” he said. “Although the apron is a little much.”
 
“H got it for me,” Sam said. “Dad, Dean’s hiding in the guest room and won’t come out. It seems that the demon only enhanced Dean’s feeling on gay relationships. He won’t even look at me anymore.”
 
“I’ll take him with me when I leave,” John sighed. “Maybe some time away from you is what he needs and I can watch to make sure that there’s no residual effects from the possession. I still can’t believe we all missed that.”
 
“He knew our family, Dad; the son of a bitch knew exactly what to do and see to seem normal enough to pass for Dean,” Sam said. “He messed up when he left me on the road because the demon thought that separating Dean and me would make us weaker. Instead he brought me here to Horatio, a strong love and a smart man.”
 
Horatio wrapped an arm around Sam’s waist. “No wonder my ears are burning,” he said. “Sammy, why don’t you go help Bobby with the curse box?”
 
“What are you going to talk about with my dad?”
 
“Nothing you need to worry about, love,” Horatio replied. “Just a couple of things he needs to know to help Dean out.”
 
“Okay, come on Bobby, we buried the box out under the deck because we really didn’t want it in the house,” Sam said. He kissed Horatio’s cheek and led the way out onto the deck.
 
John looked closely at Horatio. “What’s going on?”
 
“From what I’ve heard, Dean is actually going fairly easy on Sam,” Horatio said. “He’s not happy about our relationship, but he’s keeping his mouth shut now. The first night he was here after we got rid of the demon they had a fight and then Sam and I went to bed. I know that Dean was in the hallway for most, if not all of it, and watched us. I don’t know if that made a difference in his opinion or not, but he hasn’t said another word since. However, there is a change in his wording as well. The things he said to Sammy weren’t nearly as harsh as they were before.”
 
“I want to think that they’re gonna be able to mend this rift between them, but I don’t know how it could happen,” John said. “But I’ll say this, I know my boys and Dean’s probably half blaming himself for all the things ol’ yellow-eye did and said to Sam while he was possessed. And I said some things to Dean I’m not exactly proud of and I’m gonna apologize just as soon as I can.”
 
“The guest room is down the hall, second door on the left,” Horatio said. “Sam doesn’t blame his brother for anything that happened until the other night. When we knew it was actually Dean and not the demon and he was still being nasty about our relationship, that might have done more damage to their relationship than anything in the past six months or so.”
 
John rubbed his eyes. “I really raised a pair of stubborn pups.”
 
“They take after you, John,” Bobby said as he walked back into the kitchen. “I’m gonna go lock this in the truck and grab our bags. Then I’ll join you to talk with Dean. I got some apologizing of my own to do.”
*******************
 
Dean could hear his father’s voice down the hall in the kitchen and cringed. He didn’t know what John was doing there, other than checking out the guy Sammy was sleeping with, and was a little scared of exactly what his father was going to say to him. Dean knew that he had messed up in so many ways – not the least of them allowing the stupid demon to possess him in the first place – and he didn’t know how he would make amends for anything that had happened.
 
He was lying on his side when the door opened and light flooded the room. Dean made a sound of protest and buried his head under the pillow. He didn’t move then the edge of the bed dipped.
 
“I know you can hear me,” John said. “Hiding under the pillow isn’t going to help you any, Dean, or make this easier. I just want you to listen to me for a few minutes and then we can talk.”
 
Dean snorted softly and braced himself for the lecture he was sure was coming.
 
“Dean, we’ve all said and done things these past few months that we should be ashamed of,” John said. “And Bobby and me are just as at fault for all of this as you are. We should’ve been able to realize that you were in trouble and needed our help. We failed you just as much as you believe you failed Sammy, if not more. He was safe here in Miami with Horatio while we sent you out on the road alone. Now you’re smart enough to realize that things ain’t ever gonna be the same again for any of us so I’m not going to rehash the whole argument with you. I’m sorry I failed you, son.”
 
“I shouldn’t be here,” Dean said. “The demon should have killed me when he was forced outta my body, so why the hell am I still alive?”
 
“Bobby can probably answer that better than I can,” John said. “But I have a feeling Horatio went looking for the most gentle thing he could find because he knows how important you are to Sam.”
 
“Yeah, so important that I did everything in my power to hurt him,” Dean said. “Only some of it was the demon, Dad. The rest of it was me. I tried to hurt him bad enough that he’d leave Miami and come back on the hunt with me.”
 
John rubbed Dean’s back. “I want you to think about our Sammy,” he said. “When he was younger and questioning everything in the world from why we hunted down to why he had to miss so much school and eat his peas before his dessert. Do you remember the question he asked the most?”
 
“Why don’t we have a house like all the other kids,” Dean said.
 
“Dean, Sammy just isn’t a hunter. He’s tried to be for my sake and yours because he’s wanted to help keep us safe in a dark world,” John said. “Because he loves us both. But it isn’t the life he was meant to lead. Would I have liked to see him marry Jessica and have kids, yeah; but you only have to look in his eyes to see how happy he is here with Horatio. Do you really, deep down, want to take all this away from him?”
 
“No,” Dean sighed. “But I don’t like Horatio. He’s as old as you are and it’s just wrong for two guys to sleep together in the first place. And now Horatio has taken over guarding Sam against nightmares, and you guys are all happy to welcome him to the family and no one seems to care what I think.”
 
“It’s not that we don’t care, Dean, it’s that we already know,” John said. “You want everything to be just the way it was before you were possessed. It’s always been you and Sam against the world, against me and Bobby too and you don’t want to lose that.”
 
“So why won’t he leave and come with me?”
 
“You’re sounding like a five year old,” John cautioned. “It’s not just about you here, Dean. It’s about Sam and Horatio and what they want too. And they both want you in their lives. Life is about change, Dean. You can either move with it or it’ll break you, but the change is going to happen regardless. We’re not asking you to embrace Horatio with open arms, or their relationship. All we’re asking is that you be happy for your brother because he’s finally able to get what he wants. A home, to go to school and to be able to help others in a way he firmly believes in. You know he never liked breaking the law in order to hunt.”
 
“But he did.”
 
“Because he had to,” John said. “Just think about what I’ve said. Bobby and me are planning to leave in a couple of days and you’re coming with us back up to his place. You can rest there as well as here.”
 
“And Sammy won’t be stressed out.”
 
“Not until exams at any rate,” John sighed.
********************
 
“You know they’re sleeping together, right,” Horatio asked softly once he and Sam were alone in the kitchen.
 
“Who, my dad and Bobby?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
“No way,” Sam said. “I wonder how long that’s been going on.”
 
“More importantly, do you think Dean knows?”
 
Sam almost choked. “I would doubt it,” he said. “And it’s not going to be pretty when he does find out about it. I have a feeling that Dad and Bobby are going to keep things as quiet as possible because they won’t want Dean getting away from them as well. It’s bad enough he sees me as sick.”
 
“I still think he’ll come around,” Horatio said. He pulled Sam’s head down and kissed him softly. “Just give him time.”
 
“I used the last of it yesterday,” Sam joked, opening the spice drawer. “Do you think rosemary would work?”
 
Horatio snorted. “Where did you get your sense of humor?”
 
“At a joke store in Iowa, but they won’t let me exchange it for a better one,” Sam said trying to keep a straight face. “I tried.”
 
“You know, it’s a good thing I love you,” Horatio said.
 
“You’re right, it is a good thing,” Sam replied as he wrapped Horatio in a hug. “And I love you too.”

 

Dean, who hadn’t been sleeping well since before he was possessed, jolted awake to the sound of Sam’s voice. He recognized it in an instant – Sammy was having a nightmare. Dean pulled on a pair of jeans and walked down the hall towards the master bedroom. If Horatio wasn’t going to live up to his self-appointed role as Sammy’s keeper, then Dean was going to step in and do what he did best. Help his brother.
 
He froze in the door when he saw that Horatio was indeed awake and had just managed to wake Sam up. Sam was lying on his side, back to the door, face against Horatio’s neck and it was obvious that he was crying. Dean stayed in the shadows and listened.
 
“Do you want to talk about it?” Horatio asked softly.
 
“My first hunt,” Sam replied. “I really didn’t want to go because there was a test in history the next day and I needed to stay home and study for it. But Dad told me that because I was old enough to start hunting, I needed to come along. It wasn’t a hard hunt, a couple of spooks in an older house that had been going after kids. It should’ve been a simple salt and burn exorcism.”
 
“But it wasn’t,” Horatio said.
 
“Not really,” Sam said. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes. “Dad told Dean to watch my back and we were going to split up. Dad would find one of the ghosts while Dean and I found the other and that way we’d be done faster. I had the book because my Latin was so good even then that Dean wanted me to do the exorcism part of the hunt and leave the rest to him. We found where the body was and he started digging it up when the ghost appeared. I froze and Dean’s arm was broken when he tried to protect me. He said it wasn’t my fault, that he should’ve moved faster, but I know he just said that to try and make me feel better. That’s what he’s always done, Horatio. Always, up until recently.”
 
“Oh Sammy,” Horatio said. “I wish I had an answer for you, but I think it’s something that Dean doesn’t even realize is going on and he’s the only one who can give you the answer you need. All I can say is don’t give up on him because I’m positive he’ll come around in the end.”
 
“I wish I could believe it,” Sam said. “I really do, but I know Dean. I’m surprised he’s still here, honestly. I keep expecting to hear the Impala take off in the middle of the night and I’ll never see him again.”
 
“Do you really think that’s what’s going to happen?” Horatio asked. He pushed Sam’s hair back and kissed his lover softly. “Would he really just take off and never come back again?”
 
“If he was hurt badly enough, yeah,” Sam sighed. “And I don’t know what could push him over the edge, but I have a feeling that finding out about Dad….”
 
Horatio, whose keener senses had picked up on Dean’s presence in the hallway leaned in quickly and kissed Sam, cutting off the end of the sentence. Sam moaned softly and opened to the kiss, letting his lover’s tongue into his mouth. As Horatio rolled them so Sam was on top, weight pushing him down into the mattress, he reached out blindly and only caught the edge of the tube, knocking it to the floor.
 
“I’ll get it,” Sam snickered. “Never let it be said that everything goes smoothly in the bedroom.”
 
“Have you been reading porn online again?” Horatio asked.
 
“No,” Sam replied, trying to look innocent. “Okay, yes I have. And it’s always amazing how their clothes come off perfectly, they never bump noses as they go to kiss and the lube is always handy.”
 
Horatio intentionally bumped Sam’s cheek with his nose and smiled. “Sometimes it’s not a bad thing,” he said.
 
“No, especially when it means I can do this.” Sam pushed back and dove down, licking up the underside of Horatio’s erection. He’d been practicing and took the head in his mouth, sucking gently. Horatio’s flavor flooded his senses and he moaned softly. The instruction manual he’d found online was right, it wasn’t so much the technique as the person that made people want to perform a blow job. Horatio moaned deeply as he was worked by a still inexpert mouth until he couldn’t hold back any longer and came, Sam’s name whispered in an attempt to not wake the rest of the house.
 
“You have been working on that,” Horatio panted as two slick fingers pressed into him. “You didn’t have to.”
 
“Yes I did because you always seem to enjoy it so much,” Sam smiled. “I wanted to know what the big deal was from the other end of things. So to speak.”
 
Horatio snickered. “What a dirty mind you have, Sammy,” he said. “Come on, I want you in me.”

“What if I want to tease you back to hardness?” Sam asked.
 
“Then we’ll be here all night and look like zombies in the morning,” Horatio replied. “I’m old, Sammy, and my recovery time sucks.”
 
“I thought that was my job,” Sam said. He pulled his fingers out of Horatio’s ass and ran a thick coating of lube over his erection.
 
“If you like,” Horatio smirked. He rolled onto his side and rested his left leg forward. Both men moaned as Sam slid into Horatio’s body slowly, both relishing the feel of coming together so completely.
 
Sam pushed up on an elbow as he started to move so he could kiss his lover as well. He knew that Horatio wouldn’t get hard again, likely not until morning, but he still ran a hand over his lover’s chest and toyed with his nipples as he thrust. Horatio moaned into the kiss and pushed back against Sam, enjoying the feel of his lover inside him.
 
Out in the hallway Dean realized that he just couldn’t watch any more. It didn’t matter how much he saw Sam and Horatio together, or how he saw them together. All he saw was that an older man was taking advantage of his brother and no one else seemed to realize the fact. Dean just wanted Sammy to go back out on the hunt with him and have everything go back to normal again.
 
And Dean wondered exactly what Sam was going to say about their father. Horatio had seemed awfully anxious to keep Sam from completing the sentence, almost as if he’d known that Dean was out in the hall. That wasn’t possible, of course, Dean was a top-rate hunter and knew how to keep his presence secret unless he wanted someone to know where he was. But the thought that Sam knew something about their father that he, Dean, didn’t really bugged him. All their lives Dean had been the one that John was closest to, the one he related best with and got along with. They were two peas in a pod and Sammy had been the odd one out; never wanting to go hunt, wanting to go away to school, do something good with his life. He’d never seemed to realize that hunting was, ultimately, good because they were saving people. By hunting down all the evil sons of bitches that they could the Winchesters saved people’s lives, even if they didn’t realize it half of the time.
 
Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep that night, Dean went back into the guest room and changed into a pair of cut-offs that he could swim in. He knew it was risky to go out at night, alone, but didn’t really care. Half of what he could actually feel anymore was the thrill of danger and Dean really needed to feel something after watching Horatio take care of Sam after a nightmare. That was Dean’s job.
 
The water was cool around his legs but not uncomfortable and Dean sat down so the water was just over his waist and let the waves wash over him. He knew that his dad wanted to drag him back up to Bobby’s place so they could make sure he was okay after old yellow eye got done with him. But he wasn’t that sure he really wanted to go along with his dad and Bobby. Dean was starting to think that it might not be a bad idea to do what Sam said, just vanish in the night and not look back. It was pretty obvious that everyone was enchanted with Horatio and no one could see how fundamentally wrong the situation was. And, as Dean’s protests, comments and even insults had fallen on deaf ears, maybe it was just time to give in and leave. He didn’t think that his vanishing would prove anything, other than that Sam was right but that was nothing new. Sammy was always right. Dean just didn’t like to admit it.
 
He could head north and spend some time with Cassie before searching out another hunt. It wouldn’t be totally bad, she cared for him in her own way and he liked her well enough. Sure it would be hard to leave Sammy behind but Dean would be able to swing back by every few months and check up on him and, if Sam ever looked unhappy, teach Horatio a lesson he wouldn’t forget. The more he thought about it, the better the idea looked. Why even wait until morning, really? He could go ahead and do what Sam had suggested, just leave in the night. Hell, if he planned it out right, no one would even realize he was gone until they heard the Impala’s engine and then it’d be too late to try and follow him.
 
Decision made, Dean stood up and went back into the house. He took a shower to get the salt water off of him and got dressed as quietly as he could. Then he waited an hour to make sure that no one was awake before he packed up his bag and made his way out into the living room.
 
Where he froze in shock.
 
Lying curled up together on an air mattress were his dad and Bobby.
 
Dean’s fingers clenched around the handle of his bag. That was what Sam was going to say when Horatio cut him off. Sam knew that his dad was sleeping with Bobby and no one had told him about it. Feeling hurt and betrayed by his family, Dean crept out of the house, tossed his bag in the backseat of his baby, gunned the engine and sped off into the night.

 

The roar of the Impala jerked Sam out of his post-orgasmic doze. “Dean’s gone,” he said softly.
 
“I’m sorry, Sammy,” Horatio said. He ran his fingers through Sam’s sweaty hair. “He was in the hall watching us again. And if he was moving around the house then he probably saw John and Bobby too.”
 
“And it was just too much for him,” Sam said. “You’d think Dean had red hair with how stubborn and temperamental he can be.”
 
Horatio rolled Sam onto his back. “Do you want to rephrase that?” he asked as he picked up the lube.
 
“You wouldn’t,” Sam said. 
 
“I wouldn’t what?” Horatio smirked as he slicked two fingers and slid them into Sam’s body. “I can’t until we get some toys, Sam, and then I can drive you crazy whenever I want.”
 
“You do that already,” Sam panted as his cock started coming back to life. “Can’t you tell?”
 
Horatio licked Sam’s left nipple and nipped it carefully. “I can tell I’m going to have to wear you out every night so you sleep better,” he said. He started thrusting his fingers. “Are you willing to give it a try?”
 
“You honestly think I’m going to say no?”
 
Horatio chuckled, his teeth pressing against Sam’s skin, the vibrations causing Sam to arch up a little. As Horatio sped up his pace, Sam wrapped his right hand around his erection and started stroking in time to the push into his body.
 
“Do you want another finger, Sam?” Horatio asked.
 
“Please,” Sam moaned. He cried out at the loss as Horatio added more lube to his fingers. When Horatio pushed them back in, Sam’s body clamped down trying to draw Horatio’s fingers further into him.
 
“Slow, Sammy, or you’re going to finish too soon,” Horatio whispered. He leaned up and captured Sam’s lips with his own. Horatio marveled at the taste of his lover as his tongue explored Sam’s mouth almost leisurely.
 
As Sam’s hips started thrusting, pushing his erection into his own hand and his ass back onto Horatio’s fingers, the lovers broke apart for air and just stared at each other until Sam came, crying Horatio’s name.
 
“Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?” Horatio asked as he cleaned them up.
 
“I think so,” Sam smiled, his eyes already starting to droop.
 
“Sleep, Sammy,” Horatio said. “I’ve got you.”
********************
 
John and Bobby were up early the next morning and noticed almost immediately that the Impala and Dean were both gone. “Stubborn pup,” John sighed.
 
“No good calling him neither,” Bobby said. “I suspect he saw us last night, John.”
 
“I’m going to leave him a message anyway,” John said, phone to his ear. “Hey Dean, look, I know you’re shook up and upset right now. Take as long as you need to work things through. Sam, me and Bobby will be here whenever you need to talk. You’re still my son, Dean, and I’ll always love you.”
 
Bobby rubbed his lover’s shoulder. “We mighta been one shock too many,” he said. “Hearing that your dad is bi is one thing. Seeing him in bed with one of his oldest friends is another.”
 
“I’m honestly surprised Dean didn’t work it out before now,” John said.
 
“We must hide it better than Sam and Horatio,” Bobby said. “But, then again, we’ve had more time to practice too.”
 
“I just wish he hadn’t run,” John said.
 
“He’ll come back, when he’s ready,” Bobby said. “John, I think its time we head home too. Sammy and Horatio need some time and space to set up their house and get their lives back in order. And they don’t need us hanging around while they do it.”
 
John smiled. “At least I know Sam is going to be safe.” He glanced up when a dark-haired stranger walked in. “Yes?”
 
“You must be Sam’s dad,” the man said. “I’m Tim Speedle, Speed to almost everyone. Have H or Sam shown their faces yet this morning?”
 
“Nope, and based on the noises we heard from the room, they won’t be up for a while,” John said. “You’re the member of Horatio’s team that cooks.”
 
“Secretly, yes,” Speed said. “Actually, that’s why I’m here this morning. I was going through my books and found a couple of things that I had duplicates of and thought I’d leave ‘em for Sam.”
 
“He was telling us how you and your team accepted him,” Bobby said. “Means a lot to both John and me to know that Sam’s got friends here who know the truth about his life and still accept him.”
 
Speed snorted. “I’m still not sure what to think about the whole vampire thing, but I’m willing to believe the rest of it,” he said. “Especially after our ME found out about Sam and took him under her wing. She’s a mother hen of the first rate and takes in strays.”
 
“Like you, Speed,” Horatio said as he joined the group. “John, I’m sorry about Dean. I suspect he saw you last night. Sammy had a nightmare and I know Dean was at least outside our room.”
 
“That’s what we thought,” John sighed. “He’s too much like me at times, Horatio. I think we’re just going to have to wait for him to come back to us.”
 
“I’m with you on that one,” Horatio said. “Tim, what can I do for you?”
 
“I found some cookbooks for Sam,” Speed said. “And I thought I’d bring them over on my way to the lab.”
 
Horatio took the books with a smile. “He’s going to be asleep for a while yet, but I’ll make sure he gets these,” he said. “Tell Calleigh I’ll be in around noon today, please.”
 
“You got it, H,” Speed said. “Nice to meet you.”
 
“Does he always just walk in like that?” Bobby asked.
 
“Most of the time, yes,” Horatio replied. “He’s had a key since I moved in here and treats it like a second home. But as he and Sam get along so well, I’m not going to take it back.”
 
“Wise of you,” John said. “Horatio, Bobby and I were talking and I think we’re going to head out after lunch today. Let you and Sam start your life together without us hanging over your shoulders.”
 
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay a couple more days?” Horatio asked.
 
“We would, but then that could easily turn into a week, then a month and then where would we be?” John said. “Nah, we’ll take off today, much as it’ll hurt, but we’ll keep in touch with you guys.”
 
“If you’re sure,” Horatio said.
 
“We are,” Bobby said.

 

Three years later….
 
Dean stood in the back of the auditorium and watched. He’d received four phone calls over the past couple of months asking him to be there, but until the last one, he hadn’t been sure he was going to attend or not. Sam, John and Bobby had all called and left messages about what was going on. Dean hadn’t answered a call from any of them since he’d left Miami, the sense of hurt and betrayal still too deep for him to try and express it in words. But he listened to every message they left, no matter how long or short, if only to hear their voices.
 
While Dean had wanted to stay mad, time and distance had cooled his emotions a little and he realized that he really did miss his family. The problem was that he didn’t know how to let them know that, so he just stayed away. He’d hit Miami a couple times a year just to check on Sam and make sure that his brother was okay. Dean had been amazed at the changes in Sam every time he saw him. Sam had never looked so happy, healthy and relaxed when he’d been at Stanford and Dean started to wonder if maybe Horatio did have something to do with that. He still found the idea of two men together sick and wrong, but he was also starting to think that maybe he’d be able to overlook it if it wasn’t constantly thrown in his face and if it made Sam happy.
 
“Samuel Winchester,” the dean said, the microphone allowing his voice to echo through the room.
 
Dean watched as Sam made his way up and received what he assumed was a diploma. Dean had been on a hunt the day Sam graduated from high school and Sam never had the chance to graduate from college before he moved to Miami. He caught sight of a glint of gold on Sam’s left hand and frowned – it was a ring. That hadn’t been mentioned in any of the messages. Hell, Dean didn’t think it was even possible for two men to get married.
 
He shifted his position a little and saw that his dad, Bobby and Horatio were all waiting for Sam at the end of the ramp. Sam hugged all of them and then, to Dean’s shock, kissed Horatio. Dean didn’t think that would go over too well with the audience and was surprised when no one said or did anything.
 
With a small sigh, Dean continued his internal debate, the same one that had been running the whole way to Miami. The final phone call, from Horatio, had convinced him to come down. Horatio hadn’t said anything the others hadn’t, but there was something in his tone that had caught Dean’s attention and made him start thinking. He’d remembered what Sam said about Horatio losing his own kid brother. Dean didn’t know what he’d do if Sam was dead and didn’t know how Horatio dealt with the pain that loss had to have caused. That, really, was what had brought Dean to Miami. The tone told him that maybe he had a chance to make things right.
 
Once everyone had crossed the stage the crowd thinned a little as they moved into the reception area. Dean followed at a distance, Sam’s height and Horatio’s red hair making it easy for him to keep track of his family. He didn’t know what he was going to say when he finally caught up with them. He didn’t even know if he wanted to catch up with them, but finally he did.
 
“Dean,” Sam said warily.
 
“I’m proud of you, Sammy,” Dean said as he pulled his brother into a hug.
 
And, as Sam hugged him back, Dean realized that everything would finally be all right in his world.

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