Bonds Tested

Time Is On My Side-- Rufus

~*****~

I gave an impish chuckle at the sign posted on the door once we reach Rufus' house. "No solicitors. That means you, no asking for donations, no selling anything." I hum. "Always the charmer."

"You know him?" Dean asks curiously.

I nod. "Long time ago-- John and I hit a case in Canaan while you were off hunting something out in Sutton. Rufus was still in the game then, but he's a sweet heart when you get to know him." I lie before I press on the doorbell a few seconds too long just to rile him up. I add a few knocks to the door and gaze up as the camera moves in our direction.

"What?" Rufus' voice barked.

"I know you're not talking to me like that, Rufus." I retort playfully. "Open up, Bobby said you had some info for us!"

It's silent for a moment before the door swings open. Rufus is more weathered than I remember, but I still smile nonetheless as I gaze at him. "Who the hell is this?" He asks irritably, munching on his cereal.

I chuckle. "This is Dean Winchester, John's oldest." I explain.

"Can't help ya." Rufus says after a moment or so.

"Rufus, honey, I need to know where Bela is at. You know that's why I'm here." I explain with a flutter of my eyelashes.

Rufus shook his head. "Out of all the men in this world, I am one of the few you ain't gonna bullshit, you hear me?"

"Well, how about I sweeten the deal with your favorite." I hold up the bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue.

Rufus smiles brightly. "Now I remember why I liked you." Rufus hummed. I grin and raise my eyebrows. "Come on in."

~*****~

Rufus is in much better spirits when I have a glass poured for him and Dean. "You know, I don't even bother drinking unless it's this stuff." Rufus mentions. "Nectar of the gods, I'm telling you."

"Hey, it's a nice change, you know. Most of my whiskey comes from a plastic jug." Dean mentions.

I clear my throat. "So, Bela was here, because..." I trail off softly.

"She wanted to buy a couple of things, which is gonna take me some time to round up." Rufus explains.

"Where is she now?" Dean asks.

"C-Can I ask you something?" Rufus hums. Dean hums in his glass. "You got three weeks left. Why are you wasting your time chasing after that skinny, stuck up English girl?"

"How did you know about that?" Dean asks after a moment of silence.

Rufus grunts as he leans forward. "Because I know things. I know a lot of things about a lot of people."

"Is that so?"

"I know ain't no peashooter gonna save you."

"What makes you so sure?" Dean challenges irritably.

Rufus snorts. "'Cause that's the job, kid. Even if you manage to scrape out of this one, there's just gonna be something else down the road. Folks like us... There ain't no happy ending. We all got it coming."

"Well, ain't you a bucket of sunshine." Dean retorts.

Rufus leans back in his seat. "I'm what you've got to look forward to if you survive. But you won't."

I clear my throat, getting their attention. "Now that you've got that out of the way, I need that information." I say directly to Rufus. "You can act like the crusty old bastard you've always been, or you can put it aside for a few seconds, and give me the information we came all the way to Canaan for."