Chapter Text
Jacob didn't realize that he'd inched forward while the search flipped through webpages before his eyes. Not until Dean's thumb landed on the space bar an inch in front of his boots. Shuffling back a few steps, Jacob stopped near where Sam had settled. Even so, his eyes remained glued to the map on the screen.
An aerial view of his hometown stretched across it, decently sized houses surrounded by flourishing green trees and expanses of healthy green grass. Baybrook Lane, Jacob mouthed the words. It wasn't the biggest house on the block, but the neighborhood was a clear improvement from what he remembered.
Having an address gave Dean's offer an even more tangible feel. Jacob was excited despite the nerves that lingered over the way Dean's hands and arms still surrounded them. He couldn't let the feeling bring his hopeful mood down. After three years, he knew where his mother was, and he had a way to get to her. He sat down abruptly next to Sam, a smile slowly overtaking his face.
Sam had gotten his family back, his brother who had taken care of him from the very start. Jacob remembered the heartfelt moment the day before when they'd realized who they found. He was already imagining getting the same kind of reunion with his mother. It'd be startling to be swept up like Sam had been ... but she was family. If that happened, he'd deal with it. It was worth seeing her again.
Sam glanced over at Jacob from his own seat, spotting the smile on Jacob’s face. He couldn’t blame him. After discovering that he’d finally found Dean the night before, he felt the same way. Like there was hope, a possibility that things might change for them.
As much as he loved his adopted family who’d taken him in, sheltered him from the world, Sam didn’t really belong here. There was always an itch inside, the desire to learn, to discover new things and explore. Before Dean had returned, he’d had no way to scratch that itch. It wasn’t safe to venture beyond the walls. The risk to all of them was simply too great. Events had proven that in more ways than one.
Even his brother could be dangerous. Sam knew that now. Dean could trap them both, take them away against their will. One of his boots alone could fill half their home, and a single misstep would leave Sam or Jacob broken if they even survived it.
Despite those facts, Sam wanted to trust Dean. He needed to trust Dean. It was the only thing he could do, deep down in his heart, and he knew that Jacob could trust Dean just as much. The hunter was proving himself worthy with each cautious movement. He had a long way to go, but he was working at it. He was trying.
“You up for it?” Sam asked before his thoughts took him even further off course. He already knew the answer he expected to get, and was already committed in his mind to going with Jacob to give him support in any way he could. After three years of watching out for Jacob, they really were brothers.
Jacob broke out of his hopeful thoughts to look over at Sam. The encouragement on his adopted brother's face lifted his spirits higher. Jacob hadn't been this hopeful about anything in a very long time. After seeing the shift in Sam's demeanor barely more than 24 hours after reuniting with his brother, Jacob couldn't help but want that for himself. He had an ache in his heart that he hadn’t acknowledged in so long.
He glanced over his shoulder at Dean, the human he'd need to trust a little more to make it a reality. Dean could get Jacob home, but in the meantime he'd be responsible for the shrunken teen.
He'd be in control.
"I ... yeah, I think so," Jacob finally said, after one last appraising look at the arms and hands resting nearby. He'd trusted Dean a lot just staying on the laptop. What was a little more? "I mean, I have to try, right? I'd hate myself forever if I didn't."
“Whatever you decide, I’ll be right there with you,” Sam said reassuringly. He clapped Jacob on the shoulder. “We’ll both be here for you,” he amended, knowing that was as true as it could get.
Dean sat back from the computer, moving his arms away from them. “It’ll only take us eight hours to get there, less if I push it. You’ll be back with your family in no time at all, if that’s what you decide to do.”
Sam grinned brightly. “Plus, now you’ll get to check out that house she has! Can you imagine if there’s someone else living there in the walls? We could both scope out the place once you settle in.” He was clearly warmed to the subject, excited at the prospect of Jacob having an entire home of his own to explore, one where they didn’t need to worry about mousetraps, or being caught if they happened to slip outside the walls at one point.
Jacob stared up, where the Google Maps image of his mother's new home still filled the computer screen. Eight hours away. He was less than a day's drive from his family; the distance would have been impossible for him to cover on his own. It wouldn't be safe, with the threat of animals and humans only compounding with the immense distance. Now, home might as well be as easy to reach as the computer keys arrayed in front of him.
"We'll definitely have to check it out," he agreed, equally keen on the thought. Whether or not there were smaller folk like them hidden in the walls, the fact that they'd be exploring his home was enough to make him look forward to it.
Once you settle in. Jacob's heart warmed more and more. He laughed gamely, adding, "If she'll let me out of her sight for more than a minute."
Going home ... It'd be a massive adjustment. Jacob still wouldn't have a normal life, though things might be a little easier. He'd have to stay a secret, most likely, even from his extended family. It would simply be too dangerous for him and for anyone else at this size. He couldn't risk people like Walt or Mallory or Sam being exposed to the wrong person.
It only took one human to be catastrophic, as Jacob could have discovered if Sam hadn't come to his aid.
"Our luck finally turned around, Sam," he commented suddenly, turning to face his adopted brother. He sent one glance up at Dean, trying to include him in his optimistic musings. "You got Dean back and soon ... Soon I'll have mom back. Who would have thought?!"
“You both deserve it,” Dean interjected, giving them a warm smile. With Sam already committed to going with Jacob to watch out for him, Dean knew he’d have his brother around. It was certainly going to be odd… He had no idea where Sam would even sit in the car. A pocket? The seat?
Wherever Sam ended up, Dean knew they’d figure it out. They were finally back together, after impossible odds. Dean wasn’t going to let this second chance - or Sam - slip through his fingers.
“Just let me know when you want to head out,” Dean continued. “All I got’s my duffel, and the rest I can take care of.”
Sam nodded, pulling himself back up on the laptop. He swung his satchel over his shoulders. “We should at least let our family know what’s happening,” he decided. “They’d think we got ourselves captured if we just vanished like that.”
Jacob winced slightly, thinking about trying to break this news to Walt. Walt, who had taken him in and helped Jacob to learn what it took to survive at such a small size. Who'd given him the bag that sat leaning against his side now, containing everything Jacob owned.
The man who had told Jacob not to let Sam do anything stupid. What would he say when he heard what Jacob wanted to do? Whatwouldn't he say might be a better question. Thankfully, Jacob had Sam to back him up, and he had a feeling Mallory wouldn't let it become a full-blown argument, either. Jacob had never been at odds with Walt before, and he didn't want to start now, but he had to do this. His lingering nerves around Dean weren't enough to turn him away.
"You're right," he conceded, standing himself and stepping down from the laptop. "Tough as that's gonna be."
It was almost weird not to have the surface of the tabletop buzzing beneath him as much as the computer did. The cheap furniture was cold by comparison, and Jacob noticed the difference right away. An involuntary shiver rushed up his spine, a mark of the cold he was adjusted to.
His hand found the strap of his bag again, a sort of anchor for himself, as he looked up at Dean. The human was so big, and so close. If he wanted, he could reach out at any second and grab Jacob and Sam in one hand. He'd had the opportunity to do that all this time and yet he hadn't, which went a long way towards helping Jacob set aside his first terrifying meeting with Dean.
"Dean ... thanks again, for offering to help. You didn't have to and it'll take up a bunch of your time, and I got nothing to give you in return, so ... thanks. Really." They were off to a better start than before. Jacob was facing Dean (looking almost straight up at him, but it still counted) without a glass prison trapping him there. Before he could change his own mind or question what he was doing, Jacob let go of his grip on the bag to hold out a hand to shake.
Dean blinked in surprise at the sight of that miniscule hand extended in his direction. After everything that had happened with Jacob, it was the last thing he’d ever expected.
But the hand was out, and Dean wasn't about to leave him hanging. With a slight laugh, Dean said, “It’s the least I can do after everything yesterday, trust me. I drove cross country two days for a Jayhawks game, and this is way more important.” He reached his own hand towards the kid, slowing when he saw just how small Jacob was compared to it. His middle finger alone was longer than the kid was tall.
Two fingers closed around the extended hand, covering it partway up Jacob’s arm. Dean could feel the tiny muscles flex as he gently went up, then down to simulate a handshake with someone that could fit in his hand with room to spare.
Jacob's eyes were a little wide, staring at where his hand (and part of his arm) disappeared in Dean's grip. It was a startling dose of perspective, one that he'd invited this time. When the light pressure around his hand relented, he flexed his fingers and let his hand drop to his side. The feeling lingered.
It was yet another remarkable difference compared to the day before. Dean had gruffly pointed out that Jacob's struggles were getting him nowhere before grabbing his arm a lot like he'd just done, but far less gently and without Jacob offering it. Then, barely a day ago, Jacob was a strange little curiosity, not yet a person that Dean had promised to help. Thanks to Sam, they'd come a long way in just 24 hours.
When Jacob had been swept off the ground, he'd feared for his life. Now, he was one road trip away from reuniting with his mom and getting his life back.
Jacob looked back to Sam and took a few steps to get out of the shadow of Dean and the laptop, back towards where they'd left their hooks. "I'm probably gonna head back here pretty soon... You gonna stay and do some more catching up, or ...?" He paused, wondering if Sam would follow. After all, the two of them were brothers; Jacob would certainly understand if Sam chose to linger after he left.
Sam shook his head. “Like I’d leave you on your own with Walt,” he said dryly. Though it was debatable if Sam being around would help calm anything down, at least Jacob would have support when he went to break the news to their adopted family. Sam and Walt got along fine, but there were some moments when neither of them could hold back. It could be like trying to mix oil and water, having them in the same house. It was a good thing Mallory was around to smooth things over between them with her soft ways that neither could say no to.
He paused before following Jacob. “Dean, do you… think we could meet up with you in the morning?” he asked cautiously. He still wasn’t sure how much they could reasonably ask of him, so he was trying to take it slow.
Sam needn't have worried. Dean nodded. “That’s fine. I’m sure you might want to pack for the trip… It would be a hard trip to go all the way there and come right back here the same day.” For himself, Dean didn’t know if Sam actually wanted to come with himor was just along to make sure that Jacob settled in safely with his family.
Sam gave him a grin back. “I’ll be sure to pack extra. After all, we’ve got some catching up to do. I better be prepared.”
He jogged over to Jacob to catch up. “You’ll at least have some time to pack what you want,” Sam said when he got over.
Jacob chuckled, then shrugged slowly. "I don't really have much except my clothes," he mused. Even those didn't take up much space, since he only had a few sets. Everything else Jacob owned was in his bag already, arranged carefully so he had room for whatever he might find on a supply run.
It was so weird to think that he might not need to go on supply runs anymore. He had barely started learning the best techniques for them. If he went home, he'd have access to everything without having to sneak or hide. It was for the best; Jacob wasn't as good at being inconspicuous as Sam and Walt.
"I'm just wondering how I'm gonna tell Walt and Mallory. I've gotten so used to helping around the house and stuff... It'll be weird." His shoulders slumped. Walt and Mallory really had become his family in the last three years, but he couldn't exactly ask them to come with him. "I just wish there was a way to thank them more." As he and Sam reached their hooks and started the climb to the floor, Jacob trailed off to focus on the task of moving safely.
“I’m sure they’ll understand,” Sam said as he hopped off the table himself. He was a little more brash with his skills than Jacob, showing off with their audience rapt.
Dean, unable to help himself, leaned over to watch them climb once more. He’d held back his curiosity the night before, with Jacob so traumatized by his actions, but he was intently fascinated by their motions, and how expertly they climbed. Another part of him wanted to be ready in case he needed to reach out and catch either of the small guys, especially the way Sam was so overconfident with his climbing.
“After all,” Sam went on, sliding down a few inches with a grin to pass Jacob’s spot, “they know how it feels to lose a kid. They’d never want to keep you from your family. And it’s not like this is the end. I’m sure you can visit again if you want. Walt and Mallory would never turn you away.” If Sam ended up going with Dean, he’d certainly want to come back to visit them. He never wanted to have to say goodbye to the family that had given him so much when they had so little.
Jacob smirked and rolled his eyes at the way Sam showed off his skills. He could see Dean leaning over to watch their progress and knew what motivated the showmanship. After years apart, Sam was clearly excited to show his older brother what he'd learned. Jacob could probably slide down his twine that quickly. He'd had to hurry off the table just the day before when they heard the ominous sound of Dean's arrival. If it had been any other human arriving at that door, things could be very different for them right now.
Without the adrenaline and uncertainty fueling him, Jacob kept his steadier pace. He didn't want to risk falling so far just to show off. "You're probably right," he said down to Sam a little distractedly. His mother would really want to meet the people that had helped him; even if they didn't come out, Jacob doubted she would refuse to bring him to see them.
When he caught up to Sam at last and flicked his climbing rope to retrieve his makeshift hook, he added "You'll have to come and visit me, too y'know. I'll keep practicing my climbing. How else am I gonna know if I finally caught up with you?"
Sam smirked and lead the way back towards the wall. “We both know you’ll be trying to catch up to me for years yet,” he jabbed as they went under the bed. He sent one last glance back at Dean, unable to see more than the boots and the beginning of the towering legs attached to them. We’ll be back before he knows it, Sam reassured himself, knowing it was true.
No matter what Walt said, there was no way for him to keep either of them from their families. Not that Sam ever thought he’d try. After everything he and Mallory had lost the year before finding Sam, they’d never want to separate a family like that. They’d be sad to see their adopted sons leave, but it wouldn’t be forever. If Sam went with Dean on the road, he’d make sure that his brother was willing to return to the motel again. Dean would understand.
Which brought him to wondering what it would be like if Walt ever actually got to meet Dean. Find out what a hunter was really like. One that didn’t just kill anything different, which was what Walt had run into before. Trapped in a cage, waiting to be found by a killer… Every moment had torn him up until he’d escaped. It played largely into the way he was now, along with losing Bree to humans later on in life. Humans simply took. They took his freedom, they took his daughter… Walt had never had a reason to trust a human. He’d adopted Sam and Jacob, but neither of them was human anymore. They were small, fragile, vulnerable, and he’d opened up his home to them both.
Now Walt just needed to see that Sam and Jacob weren’t the only ones he could trust.
Reaching the vent, Sam entered first, holding the slits open for Jacob once he dropped down. A metallic clang filled the air, soft and light, but something Dean would have an easy time hearing now that he knew about them. Normally that type of noise would be anathema to Sam, but here he knew they were both safe.
“Only a few more hours,” Sam mused out loud. “Then we might finally get to see your family.” The thought made him warm inside. Even with some nerves about meeting a new human, Sam thought he should be willing to give it a try.
Jacob grinned again. He couldn't help it. The simple thought that Sam was right, and that he'd be back with his family so soon lifted his spirits more with each passing second. He doubted he'd get much more sleep than he had the night before.
Instead of nightmares about what could have been, this time he'd be preoccupied with hopeful thoughts.
"I don't think I ever thought this would happen. I mean what are the chances of your brother rolling through here again?" he asked, shaking his head. Not only that, but actually meeting Sam after all that time. The fear leading up to that reunion notwithstanding, it was incredibly lucky. Jacob's mother probably wouldn't have come back to this motel ever again on her own. It'd be too painful.
Making their way back to their home, Jacob's steps had a certain spring to them. Even as he made sure to be completely silent in the walls, he was happy. He'd never gotten to say any kind of goodbye to his mother. When Jacob had come to accept that she was really gone, it had torn him up inside as much as it had torn him up when his dad died.
"Mom will probably be pretty glad to meet you, too, Sam, if you wanted to see her," Jacob mused suddenly when they were still a ways off. Of course, they'd probably need to wait until she'd had a little time to let the initial shock wear off, and time for Sam to get used to the idea. The small man was rightfully wary. But then, if Sam was willing, Jacob would gladly introduce them. "Seeing as you basically saved my hide and all."
Sam grinned back, hiding any wariness he had at the thought of meeting any other humans than Dean. With Dean, he trusted he was safe and welcome. Anyone else would be tough to come out into the open with, especially the way he reacted when they saw him. Automatically stiffening, freezing in place… any way that he could use to avoid notice. The instinct was strong after years of conditioning.
It would be hard, but for Jacob he’d do it. They’d both believed their families gone forever, out of their reach. Alive, but with no way to ever find them or tell them what had happened. Dean had shattered that barrier for them. A hunter that could track people down, and a way to get from one city to the next, Dean was the best person that could have appeared, even after the terrifying first encounter. It wouldn’t be his fault if he thought he was on a hunt, because even Sam could remember John drilling Dean with precautions and preparations, and what to do if any monsters ever found them.
After standing on the table under that ominous shadow, Sam knew for certain that it was terrifying to be on the other end.
“First we’ll get you reunited,” Sam said. “Then we’ll worry about me and Dean. I’ll be there for support the entire way.”
Jacob nodded gratefully. He figured it'd take a little time to work up to it. For one thing, just his arrival home would be dropping a huge surprise on his mother's head. She'd be shaken enough meeting one shrinking victim. Jacob was keenly aware of how nerve-wracking it'd be to meet another human.
She was his mother and even he had some nerves lingering in the back of his mind. She was huge to him now. Able to pick Jacob up just as easily as Dean had done. But she was family.
He refrained from saying anything more, since they approached their cozy home with Walt and Mallory ... one they'd be leaving soon. Once they figured out how to break the news and what they would bring. Jacob put extra effort into taking careful steps to avoid them getting caught coming back, though he knew they'd have to explain in the morning anyway. He carefully pulled aside the block of wood that served as the door and led the way in.