canon au } { post-6a, of ribs and planning vacations

[patrols]

Jody: [Alex is out of the house and Claire is "looking at colleges" and Stiles is finding himself and the Sheriff is working a late shift. All of these reasons is why Ben is getting a text that reads:] When are you coming for dinner, I'm making ribs?

Ben: [and today is his day off and he was just lounging on the couch, knowing he wasn't going to see Lindsey until the morning. When his phone buzzed he looked at it before texting back] Sure you meant to text me and not Dean?

Jody: You are the resident Winchester in Beacon Hills, are you not?

Ben: Yes.

Jody: Then I texted the right one. I'm putting them on the grill now.

Ben: [waits a minute] You have no one at the house with you, do you?

Jody: That is besides the point.

Ben: If I don't go over there, you're going to show up here with the ribs, aren't you?

Jody: I made ribs. Someone is going to have to eat them.

Ben: [sighs as he turns off the tv and gets up] I'll be there in ten minutes.

Jody: That's what I want to hear. See you in a bit.

Ben: [and he will eventually get his over there after cleaning up a bit and putting real pants on. He will stand on the porch and ring the doorbell, and only those who could really tell the difference would know it was the son, not the father standing on the porch.]

Jody: [and she'll pull open the door with a smile, as the scent of her ribs and sauce waft through the door] Come on in.

Ben: [and he will get that whiff and okay, maybe it was worth the trip over] So the girls abandoned you already?

Jody: Alex is on a road trip with some friends and Claire is looking at colleges. Want a beer?

Ben: Always. And wasn't Claire due back by now with Stiles?

Jody: [shakes her head] Alex was the one road tripping with Stiles. But Stiles broke off to do his own thing and she was riding with Liv for a while, but she came back and left again with one of her friends from school. [hands over the beer]

Ben: [sighs] Kids. [and he will take a sip]

Jody: Yeah, I'm sure that's a sentiment you know very well. [it's hard to tell if she's being sarcastic or not]

Ben: Try raising Olivia. Trust me, I know it.

Jody: [she laughs] She seems like she took a lot after Dean.

Ben: Well, she never knew Sam, so her biggest influences in life was Dean and then me. [bright grin]

Jody: I don't know you well enough to tell if that's good or bad

Ben: Bela - the one in my world, used to call me mini Dean.

Jody: Back when I didn't know Dean so well, my response to that probably would have been "God help us."

Ben: Some people would probably still be that way. However, I've gone soft since I'm not worried about living through each day while trying not to let two kids starve or turn into croats.

Jody: That's always a bonus. How does it feel, being back in the real world? From what I've heard you're the only one who remembers.

Ben: Yeah, I was born into this, but the Croat virus broke out when I was ten. So everything I remember is from a kid's point of view and I'm over thirty now so, perspective is skewed.

Jody: Fair enough. You seem to be settling well here anyway.

Ben: Well come on, running hot water, electricity, and being able to just get food through a window? It's kinda awesome.

Jody: That is true. [serves up the ribs on two plates and hands one off to him]

Ben: [gives his thanks and goes to take a seat] Dean told me when I was younger that most people died not because of the virus, but because they didn't have the stuff to survive in that kind of world. People killed each other just for things. It was rough. Almost got shot myself for the batteries in my gameboy.

Jody: [shakes her head] People in desperate situations do desperate things.

Ben: Yup. That was the day Dean taught me to use a gun. I was twelve.

Jody: You survived. That's the part that matters.

Ben: I did, and but then again, I was also an angel sword for a good portion of my adulthood so that helped.

Jody: [she nods] I'm a casual hunter at best. I don't know if I would have survived in a world like that.

Ben: Trust me, things Dean and Sam have told me about you? Pretty sure you'd have adapted

Jody: Adapted maybe. Been a dumb hero at some point and wound up dead? [holds up a finger as she sits] That's way more likely.

Ben: You've survived Beacon Hills for how long now? That's a big check on your side.

Jody: I had help. And I've seen a zombie invasion before - I almost didn't survive it.

Ben: I had help too. You can't survive alone.

Jody: No, I guess you can't.

Ben: [nods, going to eat for a bit] Dean tell you I exist in this world too?

Jody: Oh, I know you did. We never actually met, but Dean and I knew each other before he moved in with you and your mom.

Ben: Other!Me just graduated high school.

Jody: [she winces] Yeah, that sounds about right.

Ben: [drinking from his beer] I promised I wouldn't go to Indiana. However I've gotten very good at using google.

Jody: Google does make life easier.

Ben: It does. I saw some pics up on Facebook at the school graduation. She looks just like how I remember.

Jody: I'm sorry you can't go see her. That must be rough.

Ben: Yeah. I mean, she died when I was ten. I've gone twenty years without her, and this one isn't my mother. Not really. She wouldn't understand how I exist. So it's better I don't.

Jody: [she nods] Alternate universes are weird.

Ben: Ain't that true.

Jody: [she nods as she digs in to her ribs] So. You and Lindsay seem to be doing well.

Ben: Yeah. Who'd have thought, right?

Jody: Eh, stuff like this sneaks up on you sometimes.

Ben: Pretty sure she wanted to slap me the first time we met.

Jody: That just means you're a Winchester.

Ben: As if the amazing facial structure doesn't give it away.

Jody: I wanted to smack both of them when I met them. They have that affect.

Ben: So is that why you wanted me over? See if you need to smack me around a bit?

Jody: Nah. You're just the one I've spent the least amount of time with, yet should see the most. Didn't sit right.

Ben: I've never been big in being in large groups. Plus... no offense...I don't take well to being mom'd over.

Jody: You and my soon to be stepson. But that doesn't change the fact that you're family.

Ben: [nods] Family I can do.

Jody: Good. Besides - you can't say being in the family doesn't have it's benefits. [she means the ribs]

Ben: [laughs] These are good ribs. Thank you

Jody: You are welcome. They're a Sam and Dean favorite.

Ben: I can see why.

Jody: I always have to make extra sauce because Sam insists on having his own.

Ben: Yeah, he's a messy eater.

Jody: And Dean is bad at sharing.

Ben: Oh yeah, totally bad.

Jody: Lucky for them, I don't mind.

Ben: Yeah, well lucky for them I live up here.

Jody: [she laughs] I think that's more lucky for you.

Ben: Oh, I'm pretty sure Dean and I would end up driving everyone else to drink. We can stand each other for maybe a few hours before one of us snap.

Jody: That seems like progress from when you first got here.

Ben: [rubs the back of his neck] Yeah, when I first got here I was pretty messed up. We all were, but I mean come on, look at where we were coming from.

Jody: Oh, no. I'm just not used to Winchesters having that much growth in such a short period of time.

Ben: [snorts] When you start at the bottom, you grow and adapt, or you die. Pretty simple.

Jody: [she nods] Fair enough. [she finishes off her plate and leans back] Want another beer?

Ben: Always.

Jody: [and she'll nod and get up to go get that] Be right back.

Ben: [nods, and he will lean back a bit, tipping his chair back on two legs as he looks around the Stilinski dining room. He doesn't spend a lot of time here so it's still new for him]

Jody: [And she'll return again with two beers] There you go.

Ben: Thanks. [and he will salute her and take a drink] So when you and the Sheriff getting hitched?

Jody: We're still figuring that out. We don't have a date yet, but hopefully the town won't completely fall apart while we figure it out.

Ben: Well, it is Beacon Hills. I've learned not to put too much hope in that. [smirks, the Dean one]

Jody: [she laughs] Yeah, well, we also have to get our timing right so that it doesn't happen in the middle of the wedding. [because no one is dying on her wedding day. that is her right as a bride]

Ben: Fair enough. I'm assuming you also have to coordinate around all the little birdies schedules too. [because of the missing children, the adult children in Kansas and wherever the hell Scotland is]

Jody: [she nods a bit] Yep. We'll figure it out, sooner or later.

Ben: Sure you will. And you're obviously happy, so that's all that matters in the end anyway, right?

Jody: Exactly. [she nods] It's not like either of us are going anywhere.

Ben: Stilinski seems pretty rooted to the town at this point.

Jody: I think you'd need a backhoe to pry him out of it. Or Stiles permanently moving elsewhere.

Ben: And as long as Dawnie and Derek are here, pretty sure Stiles and Cora won't permanently move further than an hour away.

Jody: [she nods] They just need some time. This year was ... very rough on them both.

Ben: Yeah, can't blame them.

Jody: And good for them for recognizing that they needed it rather than just sticking it out and suffering through it.

Ben: Yup.

Jody: Smarter than I was at eighteen.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah, we're not even going to talk about me.

Jody: [smirks a bit] You seem to be figuring it out, though.

Ben: See, it was easier back home. [the other reality] Mikey was the brains, Liv was the brawn, and I was the crazy power source. We worked as a team to keep moving forward. Here, those kids are finding their footing as adults. They learned to adapt from the moment they could walk. Me, I gotta figure this shit out all over again, and sometimes I get things right. But when I don't. [shakes his head, whistling] Yeah I fail spectacularly.

Jody: [she laughs a bit at that before shrugging] That's life, dude. You're no different than any other thirty year-old guy around. You just have weirder circumstances.

Ben: Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only thirty something who needs to ask his girlfriend how to use a cellphone.

Jody: [she laughs] Angel looks thirty something, if it makes you feel any better.

Ben: Cas? [laughs] Yeah, I can't look at that boy seriously at all.

Jody: No, I mean Angel the vampire. Terrible with technology.

Ben: [thinks] That was the emo one with the blonde vampire that pulled us out of our world, right?

Jody: That's the one.

Ben: Yeah, didn't get to spend a lot of time with them.

Jody: He helps us out sometimes, when stuff from LA happens to wander this way.

Ben: [nods] I'm kinda not a big fan of vampires personally.

Jody: Neither am I. But him I can learn to deal with.

Ben: [licks his lips as he takes a long sip of his beer] Yeah, I spent a week being a vampire chewtoy. Probably never gonna happen.

Jody: [she shrugs] Alex was raised by a vamp nest. But her family and Angel's aren't the same kind of vampire.

Ben: [shrugs] Yeah, still really can't find myself willing to care. But hey, Linds has the slayer connection to him so I don't need to deal with it, and it works out better for everyone that way.

Jody: Fair enough.

Ben: [and he takes another sip of the beer, shivering a bit as his mind remembers that horrible week from years ago like it was yesterday.] So you got dessert to go with these ribs?

Jody: Ice cream in the freezer?

Ben: No pie?

Jody: It was kind of spur of the moment - I usually save the pie for Dean.

Ben: I'll also take cookies. Bela figured out how to make these cookies one summer that didn't need eggs and she would leave them on a pan in the sun to bake for an hour. Best damn things ever.

Jody: I will keep that in mind for next time. But for right now, the ice cream is cookie and cream?

Ben: Work for me. [and he'll move to get up and collect dishes because it's habit for him]

Jody: [and she will grab the bowls and dish out some ice cream]

Ben: [and look at how fast he washes those dishes. Not like he's been doing it for 20 years of life at all]

Jody: [color her impressed] Ahh, now I can see why Lindsay keeps you around. [teasing]

Ben: [drying his hands] One of the reasons at least. [smirks]

Jody: [laughs before handing the bowl over to him] Enjoy.

Ben: Thanks. [and he will]

Jody: [as will she. and with the sufficient amount of bonding complete, we can fade on them unless he wants to go home and talk to Lindsay?]

Ben: [he always wants her, so after he leave he will head back home] Linds, you home yet?

Lindsay: [there's no response off the bat, but there is the sound of the shower running somewhere in the apartment, and her work bag is dropped near the door indicating that yes, she is in fact home]

Ben: [and he is resisting the temptation to go and surprise her in the shower, but he'll just instead go and park his butt back on the couch with a beer waiting for her]

Lindsay: [well, that would have been welcome so long as he made himself known before he hopped in there, but that's cool, she's not in the show much longer anyway. She'll dry off and get dressed before wandering out and seeing him with a smile] Hey.

Ben: Hey. How was work?

Lindsay: Kinda boring. Beacon Hills has been pretty chill as of late.

Ben: Which isn't as relaxing as one would think.

Lindsay: No, not really. Kind of makes you a little stir crazy.

Ben: Tell me about it. I've been resisting the urge to just jump in the car and drive across the country.

Lindsay: [she smirks a bit before giving a small shrug] We could take advantage of things being quiet and take a vacation.

Ben: We could do that. Any place you got in mind?

Lindsay: [she shrugs] I haven't been back to Texas in a while.

Ben: I think I could do Texas. Food there's pretty damn good I hear.

Lindsay: It is. And there are a lot of fun different day trip type things. I've seen a lot of them because I grew up there, but I wouldn't mind taking you to them.

Ben: Then let's go.

Lindsay: Okay. Let me see how soon I can get some time off.

Ben: [nods] Well, Jody will probably be accommodating. She's in a good mood today at least.

Lindsay: Is she?

Ben: Yeah. She invite me to dinner. She was in a Winchester mothering mood.

Lindsay: Did she make ribs?

Ben: She made ribs.

Lindsay: Did you bring any home?

Ben: You think I didn't manage to find room to eat them all?

Lindsay: I don't know. I just know that she makes damn good ribs.

Ben: She does. She was lucky to save some of them for the Sheriff from me.

Lindsay: Well, next time you get invited over for ribs, you should save some for me too.

Ben: Yes ma'am. [smirks]

Lindsay: [smirks back] So do you think you'll be able to get off work easy enough?

Ben: Probably. If not, I'll just quit.

Lindsay: [her eyebrows go up at that]

Ben: What? [yup, doesn't know why this is a problem]

Lindsay: That's not exactly going to make it easy for you to get a new job, you know.

Ben: But it won't make it impossible.

Lindsay: Maybe not impossible, but it doesn't exactly paint you as a reliable employee.

Ben: Why would I care about that? If I say I'm going to be there, I'm there. If I say I can't be there, then I'm not there.

Lindsay: Yeah, but if you up and leave with no notice, that kind of leaves them in a lurch. If you have a history of doing that before, they'll be more likely to hire the person who will let them know in advance that they're not going to work there anymore. It affects how well they can run their business.

Ben: I'll let them know in advance. You tell me the days you can go and I'll tell them the next day I will not be available those days and will be back on this day.

Lindsay: And I'm saying that you shouldn't quit your job if they say that doesn't work for them. You should ask what days [are] good and I'll work it out with the Sheriff.

Ben: And what happens if we can't get them to work?

Lindsay: Then we take a weekend trip to the beach instead. I know I would at least be able to manage getting that much out of the Sheriff.

Ben: No, you want to go to Texas. Why should we not go because of this?

Lindsay: [sighs] Because that's the way the world works, babe. Work comes first. [she knows it sucks, but they need the stability of the two jobs more than they need a vacation]

Ben: It shouldn't. Life should come first. Work will be there, but life can disappear in an instant. You want to go to Texas, we're going to Texas. I can find work when we get back, or I'll find money.

Lindsay: Look, I don't think it'll be that big a deal if you're willing to work with them.

Ben: I don't either.

Lindsay: So let's not jump to any hasty conclusions.

Ben: Alright.

Lindsay: Okay.

Ben: Need me to go out and get you dinner?

Lindsay: [she shakes her head] There's still pizza from last night in the fridge. I'll make due.

Ben: Alright. But if you want a burger, I'll go get it for you. [smiles. Because he believes he is the best boyfriend ever]

Lindsay: [she smiles before leaning in to kiss him, because in some ways he is] I appreciate the offer, but I'm good.

Ben: [mm, kisses. He likes kisses] Well, then can I interest you in some netflix and chill when you get that pizza reheated?

Lindsay: You can absolutely do that. You pick something and I'll grab my food.

Ben: [and he will do that, looking for this new show he's been interesting in - Dr. Sexy MD]

Lindsay: [like father like son. and soon the smell of microwaved pizza will float in as she comes to join him]

Ben: [and he will let her snuggle up against him, laughing at the jokes Dr. Sexy makes]

Lindsay: [and she will eat her dinner and eventually they'll get to the "chill" part of Netflix and chill]

Ben: [he's waiting for the sexy kissing part of "chill" himself]

Lindsay: [that's the part of chill she's referring to]

Ben: [oh good. he's happy now]

Lindsay: [that's what she thought]

Ben: [and he will totally shift to let her lay on top of him, his hands running along her hips]

Lindsay: [and she will comfortably settle those hips over him, sliding her hands under his shirt]

Ben: [and he will let her take his shirt off, good with being shirtless for her to run her hands along his nice and firm body. He works hard to keep it that way now]

Lindsay: [which she definitely appreciates all of his vey hard work]

Ben: [he's glad to know. He appreciates her body too, which his hands are going to explore, sliding under her shirt and then up to cup her breasts]

Lindsay: [moans softly, grinding her hips down against him as she keeps up the kiss]

Ben: Mmmmm [he will grind back up into her as he deepens the kiss]

Lindsay: [slides her fingers through his hair, one hand fumbling into the couch to find one of the spare condoms]

Ben: [he restocked then the other day so there are a few for her to find]

Lindsay: [good, so she'll grab one of those and time for less clothes now]

Ben: [and he will help her get rid of those but he will enjoy watching her sit up above him all sexy like]

Lindsay: [yep, and then the condom will be on and she'll be sliding down on top of him]

Ben: [and he will moan happily, moving his legs to plant his feet on the couch to help thrust up into her as he holds her hips]

Lindsay: [and she groans with each roll of his hips, meeting his thrusts with one of her own]

Ben: [and they will take their time enjoying this, but soon his hands will slide up to her breasts, teasing them again and pulling playfully at her nipples]

Lindsay: [which made her hips buck and pick up, wanting to drive herself closer to the edge]

Ben: [and his hips will go to help get her there]

Lindsay: [and it's not much longer before she falls over it, hoping to bring him with her]

Ben: [it's the first time for the night, so yeah, he will. If they go for round 2-5, no promises.]

Lindsay: [well, she's good with just the one for now and will probably drop down against his chest, snuggling in with a soft sigh]

Ben: [and he will lazily wrap his arms around her, kissing the top of her head] I love you.

Lindsay: [smiles softly at that] I love you too.

Ben: [and he will just take a deep breath and relax into the couch, happy to just lay there and hold her]

Lindsay: [and a long day of work + good sex + comfy snuggling is definitely a recipe for his girlfriend drifting off to sleep, sorry Ben]

Ben: [that's fine. He will let her sleep there, ad probably drift off himself after a while, nice and sated]