Title: Silent Healing
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: FRM
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. They are owned by various executives, producers, writers, and studios that have more lawyers than I want to mess with. I’m not making any money, and promise to return them once I’ve had my wicked way with them.
Summary: After the demon destroys Dean’s hearing – he’s sent to rehab to relearn how to live in a world of silence.
Beta: Lynn (Janet)
Genre: Slash - for a moment between Tim/Dean
Series: Mind for Seeing; Heart for Hearing - Silent Witness, Silent Hunter.
Author’s Note: This technically takes place in the first part of Silent Hunter. If you were to read the series in order it would be Silent Healing, Silent Witness, Silent Hunter. There will be more stories in this universe.
2nd Author’s Note: I was inspired by this idea. I’m not deaf, and I don’t claim to fully understand the world they live in. I hope this is taken as an inspiration it’s supposed to be. To clarify before the story starts – when you see dialogue with single quotes ‘’ it’s conversation in ASL (American Sign Language) – the conversations are in ‘proper English’. Yes I do know ASL isn’t ‘proper English’. Italicized ‘’ are conversations over tty/phone/Blackberries or written on paper.

~ Silent Hunter ~

He laid his head back against the pillow, a tear running down his cheek. The cruel words echoed in his head; he knew the demon had spoken the truth. Dean had always given everything for his family, and in return he had been left by the side of the road. He angrily wiped away the tear and focused on what had to be done. He needed to contact Bobby and let him know the demon had dad. But first he needed to get out of the hospital.

He sat up carefully to survey his injuries. His chest and abdomen were sore and bandaged heavily. Cracked ribs but no broken bones, that’s good, he thought. He pulled out the I.V., un-hooked the monitors and got out of the bed. Stumbling slightly, he steadied himself on the wall and moved into the bathroom to get a look at his injuries.

Well, Dean, you look like shit. He shook his head then moaned at the pain shooting down his neck.

Looked like he was walking out of here with the clothes he had on, the ones he had been wearing must have been destroyed. He stepped into the hallway and looked around. He headed for the elevators, avoiding the nurses’ station. As he approached them, he realized something was terribly off. He stopped and looked around; the hospital was too quiet. The elevator door opened, revealing a nurse and a doctor. Both looked at him and moved towards him.

Dean frowned, his eyes narrowing. He could see them talking but couldn’t... He backed up his head shaking. The doctor grabbed him; he began to struggle as more nurses began to run down the hallway. Dean screamed with all his might, but the world had gone silent.


~ Silent Healing ~

Dean lay down on the bed, holding back the tears. The nurse knelt down next to him, making sure he could see her. She grabbed a notepad and wrote a few things, then turned it around.

'I'm going to put your IV back in. It shouldn't take too long.'

He didn't respond. His world had been completely destroyed. Dean shifted just enough so she could do her job, but didn't respond to her looks or comforting touches. She grabbed the pad again and wrote something down.

'Do you want me to call anyone?'

Dean looked at the note. He sure as hell wasn't calling his father. He had no idea if he was free of the demon. Didn't want to give the bastard a chance to finish the job. Bobby was out of the question though he knew the older man would be there in moments, but he would call John.

He took the pen and wrote down, 'Sammy.'

The nurse looked at it, then wrote under it. 'He's in your phone?'

He nodded then curled back onto his side. Dean could feel the drugs going through his system and soon faded off to sleep.

~*~

He waited.

Asked if they had called the right number. Nurse Emma nodded and patted his arm sympathetically.

He waited for a week watching the door every time he felt a brush of air, disappointment filling him when a nurse or doctor walked into the room.

He waited, but in the end Sammy never came. It was the first time since he had discovered the loss of his hearing that he openly cried.

Dean let the tears run their course, grieved for a life he had once lived. The demon might as well have killed him. Dean Winchester, the man he was, was gone and buried. He wiped the tears from his face and buried the pain deep down. Screw them. If they didn't care enough to help him now, then they weren't worth caring about. He was done being daddy's little soldier and protecting little Sammy. He took a deep breath, and got out of the bed. He looked in the mirror. The man who stared back at him was a stranger. It wasn't fair. All he had ever wanted was his family. All he got was grief, pain, and rejection. His own parents didn't want him. Sam decided Dean wasn't worth his time away from his precious normal. The demon destroyed his life. He slammed his fist into the mirror and screamed with all his might, though all he heard was silence.

He felt hands pulling at him, dragging him away from the mirror. He struggled, trying to get away, he knocked the orderly over and pulled away slumping against the wall. Blood dripped down his arms onto the floor. He jerked as he felt a hand on his face, he looked up into the soft brown eyes of Nurse Emma. She smiled at him and sat down in front of him. She took his hands and began to clean the wounds. Dean could see her lips moving; she was chatting away like this was any normal situation. He focused on her lips, trying to distinguish the words.

Dean snorted and grinned shaking his head.

Emma looked at him, head tilt. "Did you understand me?"

He frowned, concentrating on her lips.

She slowed her movements down slightly. "Do you understand me?"

Dean nodded slightly, then looked at the pad of paper. She grabbed it and handed it to him, ignoring the blood still dripping on the floor. Dean quickly wrote a few words down and showed her.

'I've been called worse than a stubborn asshole.'

Emma smiled brightly. "Not surprised."

Dean gave her a tiny shrug. He leaned his head back and let her deal with his wounds. He knew she kept on rambling away, but for some reason it comforted him.

~*~

Emma sat down at his bed and pulled out her pad. Dean frowned, he knew this wasn't good. She had that look on her face, the one that all mother hens had. The one that said I'm going to tell you something you're not going to like.

She handed him the pad.

'They are going to transfer you to upstate New York, to a rehab center for the Deaf.'

Dean shook his head.

"It will be good for you."

He frowned though he had been watching her as she rambled on about her day while she took care of him, Dean could only get a few words out of a dozen at least. Sometimes he could figure what she was saying, other times he was completely lost.

'It will be good for you.'

Dean snarled and grabbed the pad. 'I don't want to go. I can take care of myself.'

"Oh really." She eyed him then got up from the bed and turned her back. Dean frowned when she turned back around. "And what did I just say?"

He was seriously tempted to flip her off. 'No.'

She glared at him, and grabbed the pad. 'You have no choice.'

'I can't afford rehab.'

'It's paid for.'

Dean blinked and looked up at her confused.

Emma sat back down and wrote out on the pad. 'Dean you need to learn to function in this world.'

He grabbed the pen and wrote furiously. 'Why?'

She leaned over and cupped his cheeks and made him look at her. "Because you are stronger than this."

He tried to pull away but she held on. "Dean Winchester. You have survived a hell of an ordeal and you will survive this, and one day you will come back to tell me how wonderful I am."

Dean watched her lips studying them, trying to understand the words. He looked up into her eyes and saw how much she truly cared. He nodded.

She kissed him on the forehead. Grabbed the pad. 'By the way. Because I love you...your car is safe in my garage.'

He stared at the pad then back up at her, grabbing the pen from her. 'You found her?'

'Right where you left it. I had them tow it to my house, its safely sitting in my garage. Though I think Demon loves it.'

Dean froze, hands shaking just looking at the word. Emma frowned. "Dean?" She touched him her face full of concern.

He picked up the pen. 'Demon?'

She laughed, and mimicked a hissing cat, then wrote out. 'My cat. Big old softie who rules the neighborhood. He likes lying on the hood of your car.'

Dean wasn't sure if he should laugh or plot the cat’s demise.


~ New York - Rehab Center ~

He already hated it. Dean looked up at the old building and frowned. Ten to one odds there was some ghost floating around. When would people learn not to take old asylums and make them into modern hospital/rehab centers? He was dropped off at the front desk and left alone. Dean stared at the front door. He could just walk out and never look back. He could see the grassy front lawn and street below. A hand landed on his shoulder, he startled, grabbed the hand and had the guy down on the floor, foot at his throat.

Two orderlies rushed him, Dean let the guy go and backed up, his stance ready to fight. The two men stopped, turned and looked at the newcomer. Dean focused his eyes on the man. He was smaller than Dean, but he could read the hunter in him. This was a man who had fought in combat or seen it.

The man stepped up and began to sign as he spoke to Dean. He shook his head not understanding what he was asking. He pulled a pad and paper out.

'What's your name?'

Dean just stared at him, not making a move for the paper.

'Stubborn one aren't you.'

He had to smirk slightly. He took the pen out of his hand. 'Dean Winchester.'

The man smiled and reached over the counter and grabbed a folder, handing it to him. Dean looked down to see the worlds 'Welcome to Sunnydale Rehab'. Dean looked up and his eyebrow rose as he turned the folder around and pointed at the name. The man laughed, and motioned him to follow. Dean picked up his bag and followed him. He didn't want to be here, but whoever this guy was...he had a good feeling about him.

~*~

Timothy Speedle settled Dean into his room and then headed back to his own rooms. Dean Winchester wasn't going to be an easy person to retrain. Tim was supposed to be leaving in a few weeks, and had no intention of taking on a new patient. He had been walking to the library when he saw them drop Dean off at the front desk, alone. That was always a great idea, leave someone who had just lost their hearing in a new place with no one around. Tim had stood back and watched him for a while. He could see him debating on leaving. There was no doubt in his mind that Dean was haunted, by what he wasn't sure. When he saw Chad walk up and place a hand on Dean's shoulder he knew it was going to go down bad. He would have thought Chad would have learned when he did the same thing to Tim when he first arrived, ending up flat on his back.

Obviously not.

Tim rushed into the scene to make sure the orderlies didn't get any broken bones. Dean wasn’t a soldier, that Tim could tell, but he knew how to fight. He could see the anger, resentment, and even fear buried deep in those green eyes. Dean Winchester had his walls up extremely high, but Tim was persistent. Fine, he was as stubborn as they come. He hadn’t gotten to be a Captain in Delta Force waiting for things to come to him.

Mind made up, the ex-soldier made his way to the director of the center; he was going to extend his time but it wasn't like he had a job waiting for him. In the past year and a half he had brushed up on his academics and re-tested in a few areas. Once he finished the last test, he would be a certified Trace Technician and could start looking into applying at Crime Labs throughout the country. He knocked on the door before opening it slightly and sticking his head in.

"Hey Jeremy got a minute?"

The director looked up and smiled. "For you Tim I got a whole five minutes." He leaned back in his chair tossing the pen onto his desk.

"You're using me as an excuse not to do your paperwork," Tim sat down across from him.

"Busted." He smirked. "What can I do for you?"

"New patient just came in, Dean Winchester."

"I just looked over his transfer papers," He pulled out the file and handed it to Tim. "He was found in a sleazy hotel room, beaten almost to death. The bones in his ear were snapped in half."

"How does that happen in a fight?" Tim asked curiously. It just didn't add up. He had seen knock down, drag-out fights in Afghanistan and no one had ever lost their hearing. A few blows to the head had done more damage to eyesight than hearing.

"They aren't sure. The end result though, is he's deaf." Jeremy sighed. "And from what the doctors there stated, he's not taking it well."

"Ah no." Tim shook his head handing back the report. "He doesn't want to be here, he's got walls up and is pissed as hell."

"You've met him?" Jeremy asked curiously. "I thought you were leaving in a few days."

"Chad walked up to him unexpectedly...."

"You would think he would have learned by now, that's like the fifth guy that's floored him," he paused. "Or is it sixth?"

Timothy laughed. "I want his case."

"You're leaving." Jeremy pointed out.

"I'll stay on for it."

Jeremy sat back and looked at the younger man, he frowned and then signed. 'Why?'

'Because he reminds me of me.' Speedle signed back. 'He's not going to listen to the ‘enlightenment and accepting of ones disability’ spiel. This man is a soldier...'

Jeremy looked down at the folder. "There’s no indication he was in the military," he spoke.

"He's not a trained soldier, but he's got the mentality and defense mechanisms. Hell, the only reason I didn't kill Chad is because I'm a sweet loving person."

The director snorted. "You think you can help him?"

'I'll have some bruises by the end, but I think I can.' He slipped back into sign.

Jeremy nodded. "I'll assign you the case."

"Thanks." Timothy stood and gave him a quick wave.

Jeremy looked at the case file once again; there was differently something different about the case, but he couldn't but his finger on it. He leaned back and looked over at the picture of his parents.

When his mother had started to lose her hearing, his father decided to do everything in his power to save it. His father had never given up hope, and was determined if his wife was going to have to learn to operate in a silent world, she would learn from the best. Only to find out that there were few centers out there to help the deaf. His father was livid and had ranted and raved. He remembered his mom smacking him and flat out told him well if he didn't like it to fix it. So he quit his job and took their savings and started a center for the deaf. His father and mother fought hard to make the center a place for all, not just those who were deaf but their families as well. A place to learn to communicate, how to handle a hearing world, and a place to learn how to deal with someone in your life that was deaf.

Jeremy had taken over when his father died five years ago. He had never regretted it. He had met his wife at the center. She was born deaf to hearing parents, for years they had hidden her disability and amazingly she had learned how to get through life without anyone knowing she couldn't hear. When she graduated, she had come to the center wanting to learn more about the deaf world. Soon she was working for them, teaching the younger kids. Jeremy glanced at the clock, put his pen down and decided to find his wife and go have lunch. Maybe later he would stop by and see this Dean Winchester. If it got Tim to stay ... he was someone worth meeting.

~*~

Dean tossed his bag onto the table and looked over the small room. It was actually pretty nice, considering some of the crap places he had stayed in over the years. There was a full bed, with an actual handmade quilt laying over it, which took up half the room. The other half had a couch, stand with TV, and a desk. There was a small closet and a bathroom. He poked his head into the bathroom, shower, sink and toilet. Yep, definitely better than some of the dives he had stayed in.

He opened his bag and stared, neatly folded laundry stared back at him. He hadn't seen his laundry folded neatly since...he staggered back and sat down on the bed. Since he was four. He took a deep breath stood up and focused back on unpacking; he frowned when he pulled out a small wrapped package.

He set it down on the table and opened the envelope.

Dean,

Be nice. Don't beat up any of the other patients. I will drive up there and smack you.

All kidding aside. Take this opportunity and run with it.

I hope this will keep you inspired.

Love,

Emma

PS I don't know why you have them, but I have a feeling you will feel better having them with you.

At the bottom of his bag was his 9mm Glock and knife. He really did owe Emma a lot. Grinning, he ripped into the package with gusto, and for the first time in weeks he actually laughed. She knew he needed his baby. She had taken a picture of the Impala with the biggest cat he had ever seen laying across its hood. He set the photo on the nightstand. Dean sat on the bed and looked around the room. Is this what had become of his life? A sterile room. No family. Alone with only a picture of a car and a cat to keep him company. Emotions overwhelming him, he curled up on the bed holding his pillow tight. He was truly alone.


~ Next Morning ~

Dean was just finishing with his morning routine when he saw the lights flicker. Startled slightly he backed out of the bathroom, heading for his bed. The door opened as his hands settled on the Glock. The man he had seen yesterday was standing in front of him a bit shocked to have a gun in his face. Dean cursed. How could he tell if a demon was around not like he could yell ... wait.

"Christo."

Tim just looked at him weirdly, then smiled. "You spoke."

Dean frowned and lowered the gun. Well, he wasn't a demon but what was up with the flickering lights?

"Why do you have a gun?"

He looked down at the weapon, then backed up shrugging slightly. He set it back under his pillow, giving a glare to the man making his point. That gun had better be there later. Dean grabbed his jeans and slipped them on, before pulling on a t-shirt.

"I didn't introduce myself yesterday," Tim signed and spoke at the same time. "I'm Timothy Speedle..."

Dean grabbed the pad of paper and wrote furiously, pushing it into Tim's hands.

'How can I figure what your saying when your hands are distracting me.'

"You read lips?" Tim asked looking right at him.

He had been starting to figure things out; he still didn't get it all the time, but he was now more away of what was going on around him. Dean shrugged but didn't add anything.

Speedle wrote down his name and handed the pad to Dean, took it back added on that he was ex Delta Force. Dean's eyebrow rose slightly at the addition. His respect for the guy went up slightly. John had talked about men he knew that were Delta Force, they were some hard ass soldiers. He couldn't help but wonder if he would be good at hunting.

"Come on, let’s show you around this place," Tim signed as he spoke. "Get used to it; signing will be your main source of communication."

Dean rolled his eyes and grabbed his jacket then grabbed a pen and notebook.

Tim looked over towards the bed then back at him, "I'm not going to ask about the Glock."

Dean smirked as he wrote, then turned the page towards him. 'I'm not going to tell you.'

Speedle had his work cut out for him.

~*~

Well if there was one thing Timothy Speedle could say about Dean Winchester was that he was a stubborn asshole. He kinda admired it, when it wasn't annoying him. Dean was able to follow a conversation easily with reading lips, this was a plus. He still hadn't cracked a book on ASL, that wasn't a plus.

Tim threw his pen down and glared at the young man across from his desk.

"You're going to have to learn this."

Dean just stared at him.

"How do you expect to find work?"

Dean just shrugged. Not like there were people in his profession that communicated by sign. All he needed to know was how to find the evil bitches, dig them up, salt and burn them. At least he won't have to hear the spirits screaming as they got dragged into hell.

"What do you do for work?"

Dean just stared at him.

"I never thought I would see the day that someone would out stubborn Captain Timothy Speedle." Jeremy shook his head. "This is like a moment for the history books."

Timothy just glared at him. "Can I help you?"

"Just checking on the process, and to let you now Lydia has an idea to help you with the stubborn person..."

Dean frowned as he felt a shiver suddenly come over him. He looked around the room, but nothing seemed off. He startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked over to Timothy.

"Are you okay?"

Dean nodded then looked around for the Director; he turned back to Speedle a question on his face.

"Had to go to a meeting, but he wants you to take classes with Lydia, his wife."

He grabbed the pen and paper. 'What for?'

Tim shrugged. "No idea..." he choked suddenly, coughing. He grabbed for his throat trying to get whatever got lodged out.

Dean reacted instantly; he jumped up and reached towards Tim, his hand going over his throat. The cold shiver ran through him again. He pushed him back from the desk and began rummaging through it.

Speedle reached out to him, trying to figure out what he was doing. The soldier in him was fighting desperately for air, trying to gulp in any amount. His eyes never left the young man, wondering if just maybe he had read him wrong, and he was trying to kill him.

Dean pulled the hex bag from the desk and grabbed the lighter out of his jacket and quickly lit it on fire.

Tim coughed, then gulped down lung full of air. He looked over at Dean. "What the hell just happened?"

Dean turned towards him. "Witches." He frowned then grabbed a pen.

"I heard you fine," he took the pen out of his hand. "You speak fine."

He shook his head, and reached for the pen.

Tim held it away from him. "Tell me in words. You know what they sound like..."

"It was a hex bag," Dean ran a hand over his face. "Some witch cursed you."

"Witch as in like witch?"

Dean nodded. He had felt something just before it happened. Did the demon do something more to him? "I burned the hex bag so you should be safe."

"I don't understand." Timothy stared at him. "You're talking magic."

He nodded.

"But that doesn't exist..." He looked over at the burnt remains on his desk. He reached over and dug through the ashes. Studying what was left. Timothy had felt the choking, saw the bag burn, felt it stop. The evidence was there. He looked back at Dean. "What does this mean?"

"We need to find the witch," Dean said.

"Then what?" Speedle asked.

Dean just shrugged and picked up the pen and paper. 'Stop her.'

Timothy sat down in his chair, and couldn't help but wonder how did you stop a witch?

~ A Week Later ~

Jeremy and Timothy watched in awe as Lydia and Dean faced off. Both were as stubborn as hell and neither was budging. Lydia wouldn't read what he wrote, and would only sign when she spoke to him. Amazingly the two were communicating quite well with glares and hand gestures.

"Stubborn asshole!" Lydia screamed at him.

"Bitch!" Dean growled back.

Lydia didn't take much offense just grinned at him, "So I have to piss you off enough to get you to speak to me."

He flipped her off.

"So you got one sign memorized," she snarked at him.

Dean turned and wrote on the chalkboard. Lydia's heart broke at the words. She knew this one was going to be tough. 'I have no one, so I can't talk to no one. So what's the point!'

Lydia took his hands in hers and looked right at him. "What is the one thing you miss the most?"

Dean tried to pull away, but she held onto him. "Driving my girl, music blaring."

She smiled at him. "What type of car?"

"'67 Impala," he pulled his hands out of hers.

"You know you can drive," she nodded towards Speedle. "He rides a Ducati way over the speed limit. And as for music..." Lydia grabbed his hand and pulled him into one of the backrooms.

She pushed him down and took off his shoes. "I'm not crazy, just go with it." His eyebrow rose. "Okay fine, I’m only slightly crazy."

Dean chuckled, his feet settling onto the cold wood floor. Suddenly he felt the thumping through his feet, he shifted his stance and stretched out his toes, feeling the beat go up his body. He grinned over at her.

Lydia nodded, as she took his hand and set it on the speaker. Dean couldn't keep the grin off his face as he felt the music. She made sure he could see her before she spoke, "Music is part of all of us, just because you can't hear doesn't mean you can't feel it. It's not here," she tapped his ear, "that we hear music, it’s here." She laid her hand on his heart.

Ideas of how to retrofit the Impala to allow him to listen to his tunes, worked through his mind. For the first time in weeks, he began to feel like himself.

~*~

On his free days, Dean pulled the history of the Asylum/Rehab center. There was something roaming the halls. He knew it. He could feel it. And on top of it all he still had to find the damn witch that had tried to kill Speedle.

He looked through his notes frowning at the inconstancies he was finding. There had been no dramatic deaths at the Asylum which well, was just odd. Either the administration was damn good at covering up, or they really were there to help people who need help.

So far nothing he had turned up would stand out as a psychotic ghost. Yet there was one floating around the place. Dean had yet to see it, and it wasn't like he could ask anyone. A small part of him was starting to maybe see the point of Sign Language. Just a little. It was hell communicating with others, especially when trying to get information. The whole smile and sultry voice didn't quite bleed onto paper.

The light flickered, startling him. He wasn't going to get used to that, ever. Dean stood up and opened the door to his room, to see Nurse Emma smiling at him. She signed a few words at him, and then frowned when he looked at her confused.

"Tell me you're learning sign language in this place?" She crossed her arms in front of her. "This is supposed to be one of the top Rehab Centers in the country!"

"We do teach it ma'am," Speedle said walking up smirking at Dean. "He's refusing to learn it."

Bastard. Dean glared at him.

"Dean Winchester!" Emma pushed him into his room and closed the door. "Someone is paying good money for you to be here, and you will do everything in your power to succeed!"

Dean opened his mouth to protest.

"Don't make me let Demon into the car!" She eyed him. "He's got lots of fur."

He gaped at her, then grabbed a pen and paper. 'You're threaten' my baby?'

"Damn right." Emma sat down at the table with a smirk. "You're stubborn bastard."

'EVIL!'

"So why aren't you learning ASL?" she demanded.

Dean huffed and threw the pad of paper onto the table and sat down on his bed, arms crossed, sulking.

Speedle had liked the woman the moment she strolled up to the reception desk asking to see Dean, and trying desperately to say it in ASL. It was obvious she had put in time and effort to learn it, hoping to communicate with Dean.

Emma rolled her eyes and grabbed Dean's hand and pulled him out of the room, screaming and ranting all the way down the hall.

Timothy truly loved the woman.

Dean pulled his arm out of her hand and stopped to glare at her. Emma just turned and looked at him. "Trust me?"

Such a loaded question. Dean closed his eyes and sighed. He had been raised to trust no one. They will only hurt you. And boy did that prove to be right. He trusted his brother to be by his side, and Sam took off and left him behind. He trusted his Dad to protect him...

And even after all this time, though he knew it was the demon that did this to him, it was his dad's face that haunted his nightmares.

Losing his hearing had made him dependent on others.

Trusting them.

He looked down at Nurse Emma. "Yes."

She smiled brightly at him, then grabbed his hand and resumed their walk down the hall to the front doors. Dean turned the corner and stopped short.

"Figured you would want to go for a drive."

Dean pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "Thank you."

Timothy Speedle had followed them down the hallway, curious as to what Emma was up to. He couldn't help but grin when he saw the '67 Chevy Impala sitting in the driveway. Dean looked over at him, his smiling fading.

"Despite the fact you rarely talk, sign, and only communicate by glaring at us, we all know about your baby." Speedle smirked at him as he slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go for a ride, I can brag that I not only saw 'Her' but got to ride in 'Her'."

Timothy knew it was the right thing to say, the smile on Dean's face was bright and open. Something he had a feeling very few people had ever seen. He wanted to know more about the young man, what haunted him. He knew a soldier when he saw one. The guilt, the pain hidden deep behind the eyes. What he wanted to know was, what war was Dean Winchester fighting?

~*~

Speedle had to turn down his hearing aids before the music damaged his ears.

Dean was in his element, music blaring, he could feel it through his body, in time he would have to make adjustments to get the speakers right but overall they worked. He drove for miles, finally pulling over to a rest stop and parking his girl. He turned off the engine and just sat there. Looking around the rest stop, he expected to hear the sounds around them, but it was silent. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel then got out of the car and screamed.

Timothy jumped out of the car and moved towards the younger man. He understood what Dean was going through. The full realization that the world was silent. He placed a hand on Dean's arm and then pulled him into his arms.

Timothy could still hear. With his aids on he could hear decently. He would never see combat again, or serve in the Military, the place he had called home for ten years. He had to learn to reinvent himself, and now Dean would have to do the same.

Dean pulled away slightly, looking down at Timothy. He couldn't tell you why he did it, but he dipped his head and took the soft lips into a heated kiss. Tim opened up under him, letting Dean's tongue slip inside his mouth and duel with his own. He gripped Dean's arms and pulled him close, deepening the kiss even more.

Timothy moaned as he pulled back, he took Dean's hands in his. "This isn't ..."

Dean shook his head...

Speedle placed a finger over his lips. "I lost someone I cared for deeply in Afghanistan. We were together for ten years."

Dean closed his eyes, his heart contracting. He opened them and looked into Tim's soft brown eyes. He opened his mouth to apologize when Tim held his finger over his lips once again. "And I know I'm not the one you want."

He tried to pull away but it didn't work, Tim pushed him against the car. "Listen to me." Timothy grinned, he could practically hear the 'dude' coming out of Dean's mouth. "You're special. I don't know what it is about you, but I know I'm here to help you. I can be anything you need, just not your lover."

Dean looked pulled his hands out of Timothy's grip, then took them into his own hands. He looked down at him. "Teach me to communicate."

He smiled and pulled his hands close to him and signed. 'It will be my pleasure.'

~*~

Once Dean decided to learn ASL he learned it quickly, though Timothy secretly suspected that he had been learning all along, and just wasn't telling anyone. In the past few weeks, Dean had really taken to the center, learning to live deaf in a hearing world.

Lydia, after having a long chat with Nurse Emma, had found something for Dean to do while at the Center. Emma had pointed out that Dean was a man of action, not words, so all the talk about learning to live in this new world was, no pun intended, 'falling on deaf ears'. So Lydia dragged the young man down to the children's section and sat him down with the kids. After looking like he was first going to flee, he schooled his features and got right into the middle of them.

Timothy wondered a few times why he hadn't thought of taking Dean down to the kids’ section, considering his biggest problem when he had first come to the center was finding his place in this world. It wasn't until Tim had found the science section of the library, and started reading that he found his connection. He remembered his love for science, and started researching what he could do in the field. He had his degree, and after watching a program on forensics, decided to find out how to get into the field. The months of studying had paid off, and he had just passed his qualifications.

Captain Timothy Speedle had found a new purpose. It was one he had always had, helping others, but this time using his brain instead of his gun.

Dean was very much like him. A man who needed a purpose. He was a soldier, a protector. He would need something/someone to protect. Put him in a room full of kids... and you get yourself a laughing, animated Dean Winchester. Tim thought Lydia was going to cry.

Dean looked up from the floor and smiled over at the two of them, before turning back and signing admittedly slowly with a young girl. There was still so much lurking behind the mask Dean presented, and one day Tim was determined to find out what it was.
Dean looked up suddenly, a chill entered the room. He signed to the young girl to go back to her teacher then stood up, his eyes sweeping the room. Timothy followed his actions, recognizing the alertness; an enemy was near.

Lydia started choking. Timothy moved to her side and caught her as she fell to her knees gasping for air. He looked up to see Dean searching the room desperately. The hunter turned towards Tim. "Hex bag."

Tim grabbed Lydia's purse and dumped it onto the floor. A small animal skin bag fell onto the ground. He slammed his hand against the floor to alert Dean. He turned and looked in Tim's direction. Seeing the hex bag, he pulled the same lighter out of his pocket and quickly lit it on fire.

Lydia gasped for air then looked up at Dean, clarity in her eyes. "Hunter."

Dean just stared back at her.

She coughed then waved to the kids that she was alright. 'I'm fine,' she signed. 'Just a small cough.' A few of the kids ran up to her and hugged her. 'I'm going to steal Mr. Winchester for a few moments, is that okay?'

The young girl Dean was talking with earlier, grinned. 'Can he come back and play?'

'It's up to him,’ Lydia signed towards Dean.

He turned and knelt down in front of the girl. 'We can finish the story of the frog and the princess later.'

'It's a date.' She kissed him on the cheek then ran back towards the teacher.

Dean stood up and followed Lydia and Tim out of the room. This wasn't a conversation to have in the middle of the hallway. The three found a deserted classroom. Dean turned towards Lydia. 'What the hell?'

"I didn't know you were a hunter, but it makes sense." She gave him a sad smile.

'You hunted?' he asked signing.

"No, when I was in college, I met this guy... this was before Jeremy. We ended up being friends, but his ex well, come to find out she was a witch. She didn’t like anyone moving in on her man, there nothing I could do would get her to leave me alone. Then one day this guy just showed up and said it was taken care of, told me he was a hunter." She looked over at Dean. "I saw that bag..."

"The witch was after her not me." Timothy shook his head trying to take all this in.

"What?" She looked over at Timothy falling into sign. 'What do you mean, after you?'

'A while back, before Dean started working with you I started choking for no reason, he burned a hex bag and it stopped.' Timothy explained.

'This explains why I didn't find anything against you,' Dean frowned. 'Tell me this hunter’s name and about the witch.'

"I really should have put two and two together," she took Dean's hand. "His name was John Winchester."

~*~

Talk about a bitch who held a grudge. Even after fifteen years, and the fact Lydia had moved on, and married someone else, she still wanted her to pay for stealing her boyfriend. Dean snorted; obviously they were still in high school.

It didn't take long for Dean to find the witch. He located the ex-boyfriend, and with some sign, a pen and pad he got the message across to him. Daniel looked pissed when Dean explained the situation; he said he would take care of it.

Dean just stepped back and let the pissed off man deal with the situation.

And deal with it he did.

Who knew Daniel's wife was a high-ranking powerful witch in a local Coven.

That was one supernatural element taken care of, now he just needed to find the ghost he knew was roaming the halls. He had convinced one of the students to help him research the hospital, pulling all the records they could find about patients, doctors, and staff.

He had a list of possible suspects; if he could find the damn ghost he would be happy. But even though it roamed the hospital, flickered the lights, moved furniture it never injured anyone.

Dean startled when he saw the flickering lights. He would never get used to that. Ever. He looked up to see Tim walking into the room. Captain Timothy Speedle had become a close friend in the past months. Dean wouldn't be where he was now if it wasn't for the older man.

Tim sat down across from and smirked signing. 'Still looking for the ghost?'

'Yes,' Dean signed back. 'He's not acting like a normal spirit. All hiding and not bothering people. It's un-natural.'

Speedle decided not to point out how wrong that statement was. He knew Dean carried the Glock with him, and had damn good aim. It was amazing the boy had never gotten recruited by the Marines. 'So this is your job?'

'All I've known.' Dean leaned back in his chair and looked at the soldier. 'You would make a good hunter, especially considering how you attract the supernatural.'

'I do not.' Tim growled slightly.

'Witch,' he pointed out. 'Oh and remember that vampire nest?'

"Vampire nest?" Speedle asked shocked.

'The Rave, the one I dragged your ass out of, did you not notice the cute guy snacking on your neck?'

"Shut up."

'Vampire nest.' Dean pointedly looked at him then took a look at his notes again.

The bang on the table got his attention as Timothy looked at him seriously. 'I got the job in Miami.'

"Congratulations." Dean gave him a true smile.

"Wow you spoke."

Dean flipped him off. 'Forensics?'

"Trace, I start on Monday. They’re pretty desperate, so I'll be leaving in the morning." He watched the younger man's reaction. They two of them had grown close over the past few months, Tim considered Dean a close friend.

'Then tonight we got to celebrate!'

~*~

Timothy looked over at the grinning hunter; he slammed the shovel into the ground to get his attention. Dean just looked at him, eyes dancing with mirth. He glared at the younger man, signing, 'How is this celebrating?'

'Dude. A salt and burn is always a good time.' Dean grinned and went back to digging.

He had found his spirit.

Jacob Renn was a Peeping Tom.

In life and in death.

He doubted the poor guy would even realize he was being dug up, too busy peeking under the nurses' skirts. Dean had his shotgun just in case; just because the spirit seemed harmless didn't mean he would take it lightly being dragged away from the girls’ locker room.

Dean paused when he broke through the coffin, even after five months he expected to hear the breaking of the wood. Tim laid a hand on his shoulder, he looked over at him and gave him a small shrug. The hunter climbed out of the grave, poured the salt over the bones, doused it with lighter fluid, and then lit him up.

Both men looked up to see Jacob coming at them, but he was quickly thrown back as fire consumed him and he was dragged into the ever after.

"Now what?" Tim asked.

'Dude.' He looked at the hole.

"We have to rebury the bastard? Well that sucks. You so owe me a few beers." The soldier grumbled as he began to fill up the grave. "Your career counselor sucked."

Dean chuckled slightly, a small smile on his face. Tim couldn't help but realize that he was in his element. He had been right when he first saw him, Dean Winchester was a soldier, and he was fighting a war. It was just a war that few knew existed.

Between the two of them, they quickly reburied him. Tim stood at the foot of the grave and said a small prayer, hoping that Jacob had finally found peace.

~*~

Dean stood by the moving van, hands in his pocket, not really watching Tim say goodbye to the staff at the Rehab center. He had found a friend in the ex-Delta, a real friend. He was going to miss the scruffy guy.

'You look like you're losing your best friend,' Lydia signed to him.

'I think I am.' Dean admitted. 'I don't have friends.'

'You do now,' She put her arm around his and pulled him towards the crowd.

Dean just watched and smiled as everyone finished up their goodbyes. Tim turned towards him, with a smirk on his face. Dean looked to see Lydia handing him a package.

'I'm not the one leaving.' He frowned taking the package.

'You will be soon, and this way you have no excuse not to keep in contact with us.' She smirked at him.

Dean opened up the package and laughed. It was a new Blackberry. He looked back up at Lydia, 'Thank you.'

'It's set up for TTY, and great for texting, sending emails, calling... you know all that stuff you do with friends.' She pointedly looked at him and then at Tim. 'You have one too. So that means I don't want to hear any excuses.'

Dean played with it, chuckling when he saw all the names, numbers and email addresses added. They had even included Emma, and the Demon cat. He flicked through the bookmarks, noticing pages for the deaf community, some Metallica sites, and research libraries.

Lydia wiped the tear from his cheek. 'You have friends here, remember that.'

"I'm not leaving yet," Dean looked at everyone.

"We know you well enough to know that one day you'll just be gone." Jeremy clapped his shoulder. "So this way we all get to say goodbye, to you and Timothy here. Reminding both of you, that you’ve got friends and if we don't hear from you we'll hunt you down."

'Don't think we won't.' Lydia poked Dean then Tim in the chest.

Dean just rolled his eyes, but placed the Blackberry into his pocket. He turned to Timothy, 'Dude run now or it's just going to get worse.'

Timothy pulled something out of his bag and handed it to Dean. "I know no chick flick moments, so I'm going to say this fast. Andrew was the one I lost in Afghanistan, he was a dedicated soldier, and he would want these to be with a soldier. The war you fight, we'll never fully understand it, but we are safer because of soldiers like you."

Dean opened the box and stared at the dogtags. "I can't..."

Timothy just took them out of the box and placed them over Dean's head resting them next to the amulet. "Let no one tell you that you aren't a soldier."

Captain Timothy Speedle stepped back and saluted him.

Dean flipped him off.

Tim smirked and clapped him on the shoulder. "Take care, Dean."

"You too," He pulled Timothy into a tight hug.

Dean Winchester stood in the fading light watching as the moving van pulled out of the parking lot and drove off towards Miami. His hand gripped the dogtags, knowing they, like his amulet, would never come off.

~*~

Dean pulled out the Blackberry and read the message. 'I hate Mondays.'

'Dude, what the fuck happened you've been in Miami for four days?' He typed out and sent it back. He looked up to see the bus pulling up into the station. He grabbed his bag and stepped off the bus, and smiled when he saw Emma standing there waiting for him.

She pulled him into a tight hug, and stepped back looking him over. 'You look very good. Healthy and strong.'

'It's all because of you.' He signed back.

Emma blushed then took his arm. "You'll have to tell me everything."

Dean pulled out his Blackberry and looked at the message, and couldn't help but laugh. 'My first day on the job I get caught in bank robbery. Don't even comment.'

He typed in a simple response. 'Dude.'

It didn't take long to get a response. 'Fuck you.'

'Hoo-yah' Dean grinned as he slipped the phone into his pocket then put all his focus on to Emma. 'How's my girl?'

"I'm fine, but I know you're talking about the car," she shook her head. "I had her detailed and watched them like a hawk. I also..." She paused and looked up at him. "I talked with a stereo guy, his son's deaf so he fixed up your sound system. I hope you don't mind."

He leaned over and cupped her cheeks and gave her a soft kiss. "You're wonderful Nurse Emma."

She beamed and fanned herself. "The girls at the hospital are going to be so jealous."

~*~

Dean stayed with her for a week, getting everything cleaned and organized. Jeremy hooked him up with a laptop with the programs he would need while hunting. The Blackberry would sync up with the laptop, to give him coordinates of where to go, along with links and research he would need for the hunt. He was all set to get back out onto the road. There was only thing truly stopping him. Well two.

One was a huge ass cat named Demon who didn't want to give up his car.

The second was once he entered the hunting world again, he would be back on the radar. Exposed to other hunters, specifically to John Winchester. He had no idea how his dad was going to respond to Dean's disability.

Dean Winchester tossed the last of his stuff into the back of the car. Shooed Demon off the car, and the cat gave him a glare that would scare most men. Hell, it kinda scared Dean.

Emma stood by the car frowning. "I don't want you to go."

"I have to, this is what I do." Dean took her hands into his and held them.

"You call me!" she demanded. "I don't want to read the newspaper or see the news and worry about you."

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll come by and see you, I promise."

"You’d better," Emma stepped back and picked up the cat. "We'll be here waiting. Demon wants visiting rights to the car."

Dean rolled his eyes at the cat, who just gave him a bored look. He got into the car and started her up. He closed his eyes enjoying the feel of the engine’s purr through his body. He put on his glasses, and slipped a tape into the new system. He backed out the driveway and gave Emma a wave before heading down the street.

~*~

He was a Hunter.

He was a Soldier.

And he would keeping killing evil sons of a bitches until the end.

Right now there was a spirit in Andersonville, Georgia that needed to be salted and burned.

Dean turned up the music and let his girl fly down the highway.