Chapter 9
Dean didn’t really plan on using the numbers, but Sam did.
As soon as Sam had gotten to his room, he pulled out his phone and created a group chat with the whole team and himself, excluding Dean, because Sam knew he wasn’t planning on using the numbers.
*Hi, my names Sam Winchester, my brother Dean gave me your numbers* He texted quickly.
All seven of them responded at once, all with the same text, *Is he ok? *
*Yes* Sam texted back rapidly.
*I was just making sure you knew who I was since I’ll probably be the one talking to you as Dean has said he won’t do it*
*Thanks Sam, will you keep us updated on how you and Dean are doing until we can figure out a way to help* Steve answered.
*Sure thing*
*You’re still going to help after Dean said no?* Sam texted in quick succession.
*Of course* Tony texted, *We’re just figuring out a way to avoid something like New Jersey happening again*
*Ok, I’ll keep you updated on everything* Sam responded, then threw his phone down on his bed.
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Six Weeks Later:
The last few weeks passed as usual. Everything was the same for Dean. But he didn’t know that Sam was keeping in touch with the avengers every day, letting them know that Dean was ok.
John had actually been away for the past two weeks; he had finished up the local hunt and taken one a little further. So, Dean had had an alright two weeks.
It was nearly time to take off the cast, but Dean didn’t want to go to the hospital, so he had texted the avengers for the first time, asking if he could get his cast of at the tower.
They obviously responded with a yes, so that was how Dean found himself driving to the tower, with Sam in the front seat because he had insisted that he get to come too.
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Dean pulled up just outside the tower and walked in with Sammy.
He walled straight past the lobby receptionist and headed to the elevator. When he and Sam had entered the elevator, he didn’t know which floor to say, so he just gave his name.
The elevator responded with a, “Sure thing Mr. Winchester.” Starling both Sam and Dean before it started to move upwards.
When Sam and Dean arrived at the floor they were taken too, they were greeted by the whole team.
The brothers exchanged pleasantries, Dean just wanting to get this over with quickly, and then they all headed to the med bay.
Bruce told Dean to sit on the bed and began to cut of the cast.
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“There you go,” Bruce started, “Good as new.”
“Thanks,” Dean responded shortly. He was already up and making a move to leave.
“No problem,” Bruce replied before the team watched the brothers exit the room.
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John had returned home a few days later, drunk as usual.
As expected, as soon as he was through the door, he was yelling at Dean to come downstairs.
As expected, as soon as Dean got downstairs, he was met with a punch.
As expected, a kick to the stomach soon followed.
Dean was so used to it by now that he could predict all of his father’s next moves.
What he didn’t predict however, because it had been a while since his father went this far, was the demand to take off his shirt, and the loud hit of metal on wood as his father’s belt buckle hit the floor.
‘Oh fuck’ Dean thought to himself, panicking.
“Dad please,” he began, but was interrupted by a sharp pain in his back.
John kicked him again, this time in the small of his back, followed by another swing of the belt.
Dean cried out as the metal of the buckle hit his skin, making the pain even more excruciating.
This continued for five minutes, alternating between kicks and whips, until Dean passed out. But John didn’t stop because Dean passed out, he continued hitting and hitting and didn’t look like he would stop anytime soon.
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Sam heard as his father called Dean downstairs.
Sam heard as Dean hit the ground, a sound he was all too familiar with.
But something surprised Sam…
Sam heard Dean’s choked cry of pain. A sound he hadn’t heard in a long time. Dean always held in the pain.
He was concerned, but didn’t go out right away, not until he stopped hearing the soft cries coming from downstairs.
Sam exited his room, expecting his Dad to have left so he could help Dean, but he froze at the top of stairs, looking down to see his father standing over an unconscious Dean, continuing to hit.
He quickly but very quietly made his way back to his room and pulled out his phone.
He dialled Steve’s number. It rang three times before a deep voice answered, “Sam? Is everything ok?”
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Steve was sat in the living room with the whole team when his phone rang.
He pulled it out of his pocket and announced, “It’s Sam.”
The team turned to him quickly, “Put it on speaker,” Tony said quickly.
Steve answered the call and put it on speaker, “Sam? Is everything ok?”
They heard ragged breathing on the other end and the whole team sat straighter.
“Sam?” Tony questioned urgently.
“Dad won’t stop,” Sam spoke, hushed, “Dean’s passed out and he won’t stop, I think he’s killing him.”
The whole team were on their feet the second Sam started talking. Tony linked the phone to the comms as they were all dressed in their suits.
“Sam, we’ll be there very soon ok?” Steve said, trying to hide the panic and anger in his voice, “You need to stay on the call.”
Sam’s ragged breathing hadn’t stopped, and the team thought they heard a small sniff, as if he was crying.
“Ok,” Sam replied shortly.
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John was still hitting Dean, over and over again, when he heard a loud crash and turned to see the front door off of its hinges, and something round hurtling towards him.
Before he knew it, the shield had smashed into his torso and sent him flying backwards.
Dean didn’t even stir.
John’s vision was swimming and when his eyes focused again, he was seeing Captain America standing over him, his shield held firmly.
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The team arrived at the door, Steve leading them.
Steve kicked down the door to see an older man standing over Dean, belt in hand.
He threw his shield without thinking and it threw the man across the room.
The team charged in quickly, Steve heading straight for the older man. When he reached the man, he swung his shield again, hitting the man in the chest.
Steve couldn’t control his anger as he punched the man over and over again. He didn’t know how long it was until he felt Natasha’s small hands on his shoulder. He moved back and Nat stepped in front of him.
Instead of her stopping him to calm him down, like Steve thought, Nat swung over and over again at the semi-conscious man, pure rage fuelling every hit.
She pulled away when she was certain that John was unconscious.
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When the team broke through the door, the sight made white hot rage bubble underneath the team’s skin.
While Steve and Natasha headed straight for the older man, Tony and Bruce headed straight for the unconscious teen laying on the floor, a fair amount of blood pooling around him.
Tony stepped out of the suit and dropped to his knees, with Bruce, who’s hands were slowly starting to turn green.
“You need to calm down,” Tony began seriously, “You can’t help him if you’re not you.”
“I know,” Bruce replied shortly, “I’m trying.”
Tony looked down to Dean’s shirtless body and the many fierce red welts covering his back and arms.
As Bruce began working over Dean to make sure he was ok to be moved, Tony began “Hey buddy, you have to wake up for us.”
Dean lay completely still and silent.
“We need to get him back to the tower now,” Bruce stated urgently.
Tony stepped back into his suit and picked Dean up, “I’ll fly him to the tower, you meet me there quickly.”
And with that Tony was off, and Bruce quickly followed after.
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As Steve and Natasha ran to the older man, and Tony and Bruce ran to Dean, Clint, Thor and Bucky ran upstairs, looking for Sam.
They opened a door and saw the teenager, huddled into the corner of his room, tears streaming down his face.
When Sam saw who it was, he immediately stood and raced over to them, “Is he ok?”
“Tony and Bruce are looking after him,” Clint began.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine young one,” Thor added on.
“Yeah, Bruce can fix him up in no time,” Bucky said.
Sam stayed silent and made his way downstairs. When he was downstairs, he saw Steve and Natasha standing over his unconscious father, the sight made him happy and he briefly wondered if that was bad, but then he remembered everything his father had done and no longer wondered. He was happy.
He looked and saw briefly when Tony picked up his brother and flew out of the house.
“I need to go with him,” Sam began,
“Say no more young one,” Thor said, picking up Sam and flying out towards the tower.
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Tony arrived at the tower with Dean in his arms quickly.
He placed the teen, stomach down on the hospital bed and waited only two minutes until Bruce showed up, shortly followed by Thor and Sam.
Bruce raced over to Dean and started caring for him.
As soon as Thor set Sam down, he ran over to his brother and cried, “Please Dean, you have to be ok,” he kept saying quietly.
Bruce continued caring for Dean, cleaning and dressing his back. He then loaded him with pain killers, telling Tony, “He’ll be very sore when he wakes up, we should at least take away some of the pain,” at which Tony nodded.
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The rest of the team showed up after Bruce had finished and they were sat around Dean’s bed.
“What did you do with my father?” Sam asked, voice raw with emotion.
“We took him to the police station and explained what happened, they have him in a cell,” Steve explained.
“He’ll be charged quickly given that we all witnessed what happened and you can testify to the past years even if Dean doesn’t. Plus, people only need to look at his body before knowing what’s been happening. So, he’ll go away, we’ll make sure of it,” Natasha added., rage still bubbling slightly.
Sam nodded slowly, “Thank you.”