but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[imnot_likeyou]

All due respect, you know what Ben's told you. You won't actually know what this job is until you're doing it.

[It's one thing to hear about it from other people, another to actually have the gun in your hands doing the job.]

And you're right. You probably won't have to make the decisions that Dean and I have made. In fact, I hope not because we've had pretty much nothing but shitty choices. But you came to me, looking for information about how to do this job - a job that gets people killed more often than not - and now you're trying to tell me what you think you know about my brother so I gotta ask - what exactly are you looking for here?

[camber]

( Point, but, it doesn't feel respectful. He thinks he crossed the line first and he's ready to own it when he braces himself for whatever else Sam has next.

He's just living with his damn foot in his mouth. He's not crashing this relationship, too. )

I didn't - look, bringing up Dean wasn't even my intention. I don't even know how I got here. Real talk, I don't know your brother or about your brother. And, equal respect, reading about him doesn't tell me shit. Everything he's shown since has been pretty damn decent. I didn't come to you to talk about Ben's dad, I... I wanted to hear about it from the horse's mouth. Hear for myself that everything I've read about, what you and Dean and other hunters fight for -- I'm not trying to put it down or boil it down, because obviously, I can't. It's brutal, right? It's a choice and it changes your life. Or, in your case, it is your life. And I can't know what that's like. I'm not going to pretend I do and I'm sorry I even tried to say otherwise. I'm really batting zero at being a person this week, so I hope we can just chalk this up to, me wanting something real. Information. Your take. And, me protecting Ben sort of snuck in there in a real asshole way. So, for that, I'm sorry. I love him and I'm pretty damn mixed up about - ( His mouth gapes a bit, lower lip dropping. He closes his eyes. ) Anyway, just. Sorry, dude.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam relents some as a stream of information comes at him. It's a tricky thing, trying to come in the middle, and he's not unsympathetic to that. And whatever complicated feelings there ... well, Sam's not going to speak on that. Not his business.]

My take is that wanting to protect Ben is admirable, but that's not what you asked me for. That's a whole other conversation.

[And less complicated than it used to be.]

And yeah, it can be brutal. And I wasn't trying to imply that you couldn't hack it. There are plenty of other law enforcement folks that moonlight as hunters - or hunting is part of the ask. My only concern is that if you're going down this rabbit hole that this is a road you really want to take. Because once you're in, you can't really escape it. Trust me, I've tried.

[camber]

Think I need an it.

( Road, rabbit hole, good intentions, Hell. All of it. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[All of it is the most accurate option, honestly.]

And you're sure this is the it you want?

[camber]

More sure about it than anything I've been in a while.

( Basically, yes. But, also, Ben, which has coalesced into a whole thing now. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam takes a deep breath but he's not going to but into the Ben end of things. It's not his business.]

Alright, well. What I said is still true. It all starts with weird deaths. So ... if you see something that seems off to you just ... shoot me a text with the details, alright? And we'll see if it's more on your side of the fence or mine.

[camber]

Yeah, okay.

( He produces his phone and hands it over to him, looking around him while Sam gives him his number. Maybe to see if Ben's in spitting distance. He hopes not. He looks back at Sam. )

Thanks.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Nope, Ben is busy talking with Sam's girlfriend. It's fine. Also he told you you could talk to Sam, dude.

Sam takes the phone and adds his number, before texting himself so he knows who it is when Dickerson calls.]

I can also put you in touch with a couple of other cops that are in the know. We're good friends with the sheriff in Stillwater, Minnesota and Sioux Falls to start.

[camber]

( A lot is going on, okay? )

Yeah, sure. Cool. I'll pass things along, too, if it comes through the wire but it's not mine. ( He holds his phone up as a thank you. ) Sorry for coming in hot. Kinda' off footing.

[imnot_likeyou]

[He shakes his head.]

Don't worry about it. Already forgotten.

[Which is also the benefit of pissing off a Winchester. Once it's resolved, they tend not to hold grudges. Unless, of course, someone is dead. They have bigger things to worry about.]

I'll set up a text thread to introduce you to Donna and Jody.

[camber]

Kay. ( He nods. Shaky on the dismount, but he landed. ) Don't... tell Ben I uh -

( A beat. You know. Love him. )

He knows I was going to talk to you. But, not uh. I haven't.

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam shakes his head.]

Not mine to tell.

[But he's glad that Ben knew he was going to talk to him.]

[camber]

Thanks. ( He winces. This is awkward now. ) I'm gonna get a beer. You want a beer?

[imnot_likeyou]

[Sam shakes his head before holding up his own.]

I'm good. Thanks though.

[And he'll probably go get some air.]

[camber]

( That could have been more awkward. Altogether, he's about to be in a whole group chat. Feels like a new start. Steered things back. Maybe the same can be said for him and Ben.

He finds the bar, though, and picks through the beer choices in the tub of ice. )

[decoys]

[Jo swings around to get a refill herself, eyeing the same tub but willing to give the guy a chance to go first.]

If you want a beer that isn't completely fancy, I'd look in he next tub over.

[camber]

Good call.

( He takes a step down, finding a Corona. He holds one out to her, offering? )

[decoys]

Thanks.

[She'll take it and easily pop the top.]

I'm Jo. You're Ben's friend, right?

[camber]

One of his best. Dickerson.

( He pops the top and clinks his glass against hers. )

You know Ben?

[decoys]

Just met him. I know Sam and Dean.

[So she's heard all kinds of things.]

Our dads hunted together back in the day, and we worked a few jobs together here and there.

[camber]

Shit. You guys are everywhere. Hunters.

( He sips from his beer. )

What's it like?

[decoys]

Hunting?

[She's not sure what he's looking for from that question, so she shrugs.]

It's a job. Granted, it's a job I enjoy, I didn't get into it for the usual reasons.

[camber]

Yeah? What's the usual reasons?

( Maybe his reason falls under the usual column. )

[decoys]

Grief, revenge and alcoholism is the usual hunter package. After that comes family legacies - that would be me and the boys - and then there's people who accidentally stumble into it and can't look away. Though that's a pretty small percentage.

[Mostly Jody and Donna, from what she understands, though she hasn't met them yet.]