Title: Lightning
Fandom: Supernatural
Characters: John, Dean (16), Sammy (12), thunder and lightning
Warning: Extreme cuteness alert! And swearing, since they're older now. Not for John haters.
Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my plot bunny
Summary: It's just been one of those days. Companion to Thunder
Author: chocolate rules
A/N: Again, there's thunder outside. This time, however, came the rain. fake smile So there's thunder and lightning and a whole bunch of rain. And I can't sleep. So, I freaked the F!!!! out. And then my muse came out to comfort me. This is what he came up with.
Dean was watching a movie. Technically, it was a scary movie, but it really didn't scare him.
Sammy, on the other hand, was buried under a blanket. His eyes were barely visual, peeking between the clutches of blanket Sam had around his face.
Too damn cute, if you asked Dean.
It was late night Saturday, early August and the teen was bored.
The little apartment that they had been living in since mid July was fully thankfully fully equipped. This, of course, included a quality TV connected to cable.
Now, since their father had actually flipped through the channels during one of his late late nights, he had discovered the 'naughty' channels. These were, to Dean's dismay, blocked. And in the event that they were unblocked or another popped up, both boys (mainly Dean) were strictly prohibited to seeing such things.
And so, 11PM had found Dean, and a terrified Sam, flipping through the channels until they found a movie worth watching.
It was a new movie. About Aliens. And Aliens just terrified them, um Sam. Yeah Aliens terrified Sammy. Since, he's such a baby. That's why. Dean wasn't scared of Aliens.
Until, maybe this movie.
It was a TV premiere and the movie was probably one that their father would never allow them to watch. Not that Dean had cared, because they were Winchesters. And Winchesters weren't scared of anything.
Well, Sammy has this thing with clowns and Dean's never been really fond of planes in general. Not that they were scared or anything. No. Hell no.
Anyway, this movie. Started out just like any other movie. You know: A complete waste of crap. And just when Dean had been about to render of the remote to his brother, because he was a good brother (especially if there was nothing good on TV), the thing started getting good.
For a movie to be good, or at least half way entertaining, to Dean the first thing it had to do was scare Sammy. And Sam was now flinching.
Dean settled back into his place on the couch. Besides him, Sam made a grab for the blanket that they kept their, because someone was always falling asleep as soon as they dropped.
By the time that it was 1230AM, the movie was coming to its conclusion. Sam was buried in the blanket and Dean had a reassuring arm around him. Had Sammy been looking at his brother, however, he would notice the panicy look on Dean's face.
And then the door opened...
Both boys leaped into the air, soo not screaming at the top of their lungs.
Sam leaped behind his brother, as Dean cursed himself for not remembering to set a weapon besides him.
Not that the super-strength freak wouldn't be able to break in. Wood would be nothing compared to jumping through bullet proof windows.
Which would probably make bullets useless come to think of it.
Dean focused on the figure standing in the doorway. It had started to rain and so the night was darker than usual. The figure was dripping wet and looked hunchbacked.
"Boys?"
"Dad?" Sammy whimpered from behind him.
Indeed, now Dean could 'see' him.
John Winchester was dripping wet, monster or not. The 'hunch' however had simply been the duffel that the man carried.
Suddenly, light flooded the living room. Dean blinked the discomfort from his eyes, Sam moaning his own complaint behind him.
John stood shaking his head.
"What are you two still doing up?" he asked as he dropped the duffel by the door and set about pulling off his wet coat.
Sam took of the blanket, dropping it on the couch.
"You're home early," observed the boy.
Dean watched as his father smirked.
"Yeah, I am. Is there a problem with that, kiddo?"
Sam shook his head.
"No sir, I'm glad to see you back."
"And in fact," John continued as he sat down on the arm rest of the armchair to tug off his boots. "I'm not early; I told you boys that I'd be home early Saturday. It's early Saturday. You two, however, should be in bed asleep."
Dean looked down and away from the stern gaze that eyed them. Besides him, he could feel Sammy shifting uncomfortably. Busted.
A moment of silence passed before John spoke up again.
"What is that?"
Dean glanced up and saw his father motioning to the TV. Double Busted.
"Species," Sam muttered, not eyeing the screen.
Come to think of it, in the light, it wasn't really that scary. Not that Dean had been scared. Because he wasn't. He just hoped that Sam would also notice how not scary it was, now that there was light.
John groaned.
"Dean? Isn't that the movie I told you months ago that you couldn't take your brother to see?"
Dean eyed his father. He couldn't remember what his dad was talking about for a moment. But then, of course, he did.
"But, Sammy was still just eleven then. He's twelve now."
Apparently, not a well enough answer.
"Nice try, dude. But, no go. It's still way past both of your bedtimes."
John walked over to the TV, shutting it off just as Sil was appeared around the corner unbeknownst to her 'hunters'.
Dean groaned. Sil had been pretty hot, and so flexible. But, freaky nonetheless.
Turning back around, John eyed both of his children. They eyed him back. Niether party moved.
"Well?"
"Well what, Dad?" asked Sam, even tilting his head to the side, giving that puppy look Dean teased him about.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go. To. Bed."
"Oh," the brothers echoed.
Right, he'd said that before. They hadn't really been listening.
That and they kind of didn't want to go to bed yet. Seeing as how they didn't get to see how to kill an Alien yet. It's no longer scary if you know how to dust your enemy.
And they had missed the big finale.
"Right, bed."
"Yeah, bed," echoed Sam.
"We're going there now."
Dean turned, steering his brother along with him.
Dropping the boy off in the bathroom, Dean set about checking the safety in their bedroom. All clear.
By the time that Sam and Dean were both dressed for bed and settling in to sleep, John had already showered and changed out of his drenched apparel.
He stood watching them from their bedroom doorway.
"Sammy, you going to be alright tonight?"
Sam pulled his head off from the pillow. He had become real sleepy once he stopped fighting staying awake.
"Yes sir. I'll be fine."
John eyed him, but nodded.
"Dean? You?"
Dean scoffed.
"Dad, are you serious? That little flick isn't going to scare me. It was so stupid."
"Was not. You liked it," Sam muttered onto his pillow, facing his brother.
"Well, okay, yeah. It was pretty cool. But, nothing scary. We'll be fine."
"Alright boys. Now, you're lucky I feel like sleeping in tomorrow, otherwise you know I'd have you up and training early; sleep deprived or not."
"Yes sir." They echoed.
"Okay, then. Goodnight boys."
"Night Dad." Dean said, flipping over onto his stomach and pulling a pillow over his ears.
"Goodnight, Dad," he heard Sam yawn.
John turned off the light, closing the door behind him.
The damn night couldn't have gone worse.
First of, Sammy couldn't sleep. And when Sammy can't sleep, he starts off 20 questions. Has since he was five. Why this? What's that? Who was who? How did such hunt go? There was really no stopping him.
Unless Dean got up and started to pounce on him. Which, well he was tired too.
But, that's the second thing. Dean couldn't sleep either.
And, he'd hate to admit it, but not only because of Sammy.
Dean had heard their father head into his own room to sleep. Obviously, the hunt had been tiring, but thankfully Dean hadn't sensed any injury on the man.
"Dean?"
"hm?"
"Do you believe that there really are empaths?"
Dean groaned. Damn movie had made Sam both edgy and curious.
"Sure. Now go to sleep."
"Dean?"
"hm?"
"If there are empaths, do you think Dad would know?"
"Sure, now sleep."
"Dean?"
"Hmmmmmmmph?"
"If Dad knows about empaths, why do you think he hasn't said anything bout 'em?"
"Cuz, now sleep."
"Cuz why, though?"
Dean groaned. Hating himself for making the kid watch the movie. He should have just sent the boy off to bed, whining be damned.
"Sammy. Go to sleep already. Please."
Dean could hear the boy shifting in his bed. A whole minute passed, maybe a few seconds more, before the boy spoke again.
"Dean?"
"God! Wha?"
"Well, if there are empaths and all, and remember how Dan could tell what Sil was feeling and all?"
"Sure."
"Well, ya think that maybe Dan'd be able to feel what the shit we hunt feels and thinks about?"
Dean sighed.
"It was just a movie, Sammy. That's all. And don't say shit. Dad doesn't like you to cuss."
"You cuss-" yawned Sam.
"Well, I'm older."
Sam scoffed.
"Right, so Dad's rules all of a sudden changed for you? And where...was...I when ..he said..." Sam asked, speaking around another yawn.
Dean groaned. Again.
"Sleep. Before Dad comes in here and I rate you out for keeping me awake."
Dan heard his bother groan his annoyance. Though he was tired, he knew that he would still be awake either way.
But, Sam had posed a rather disturbing question. What if some of the things that they went after could actually feel?
It was around 2AM when something awoke Dean.
Opening his eyes, he shoved the pillow away from his head. Scanning the room, he tried to find the cause of the disturbance. Just when he had finally fallen asleep too...
And then there it was. Bright blue lights filled the room. Seconds later, the crashing sound of thunder followed.
Dean stilled. He'd never been that fond of thunder.
When he had been younger, he would stagger over to wherever his father was sleeping and climb in with him. Once Sammy was walking, he too would follow into the room, cowering besides the familiar strength and safety of one John Winchester.
But, surely, they were too old for that now.
Another blinding blue and deafening crash cluttered his surroundings.
Dean's hands started to tremble. He took a deep breath and willed them to still. He was sixteen for Pete's sake. Not a baby. He could handle a little thunder.
Granted, that line of thought had never worked before.
The third resounding rumble had come just as he was about to calm.
He heard a moan coming from his brother's bed. Glancing over to the still form, he now noted that the once motionless lump was now slightly quivering and its head had disappeared.
Sammy was scared.
Dean decided to put on a brave front.
"Sammy?"
"Hm?"
"You okay?"
He thought he saw the would be form of a head nod.
"Ya sure?"
"Ye-ah," said Sam in a small voice.
"Okay, just making sure."
Dean turned back to glaring at the window. The curtains were open, but the window itself was closed.
Dean observed the outside. It was pouring rain down hard. He could barely make out the building besides theirs. Damn, heavy rain.
As Dean glared out the window, he witnessed a lightning bolt strike a tree in their neighbors backyard.
Dean leaped out of bed, hands fisted. Holy shit that had been loud. And close. So fucking close.
It had been loud enough that Sammy had leaped out of his hiding place. Intent on having foregone all modesty and dignity, he had been planning to leap into bed besides his brother. Instead, he found said brother standing and latched onto Dean's arm.
Now, Dean could neither tease nor comfort. He was slightly trembling himself and it was now evident to Sammy as he held on for dear life to the elder.
Dean decided at that moment to try and forego his own dignity and pride. He turned to his kid brother.
"I bet he's sleeping so hard that he won't even notice us slip in."
Sam gave him an odd look for a second before understanding.
"We could wake up before he even notices we were ever there," he added.
Without another word, the brothers turned towards the door and 'calmly' walked out into the hall.
The door was slowly opened. Sure enough, John Winchester was already deep in sleep in the middle of the big full bed.
Dean opened the door the rest of the way. Stepping slightly aside, he motioned his brother in.
Both boys walked slowly and stiffly in hunter mode towards the bed.
That is, until the thunder stroke again.
Dean stilled. In front of him, Sam tensed and then began to shiver.
In the bed, John twisted around. He opened his eyes and saw the forms of his sons standing there. He recalled their hatred towards most things weather and their childhood wanderings into his bed.
A part of John told him to call attention to the boys. To remind them that they were no longer children and should man up.
But they were children. His children. And he really didn't want them to man up. Wasn't yet ready for them to be.
"Dean? Sammy?"
Even at the light whisper, both boys jump. John softly smiled, knowing that they couldn't really see him.
"Hey-
"Hi-
"Hey, boys," John replied lightly. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and eyed the two.
"Thunder get to you? Or was it the movie?" he asked, knowing he couldn't just coddle them from disobeying him. He had seen the trailer and had figured enough that neither boy would respond well to it. Aliens, seriously.
But that was just it. No matter what the boys knew or what they had ran into, it was all something that they could handle. His sons knew that things existed out there. They weren't oblivious to creatures' ways of spirits mindset. Aliens, however, that was something that no one could really go on. Now, even though he had never seen one, John knew enough not to rule anything out.
"Um-"
"See, about that-"
John shook his head.
"Save it. Come on. Get in bed, so that we can all get to sleep."
Shifting over in the bed to make room for them, John figured that not forcing the boys to actually admit to their fears would just be that much faster. He was sleepy after all.
Sam looked over to him, as Dean eyed his father. Surely it couldn't be this simple.
"Well, come on now. Before day break."
Biting his lip slighty, Dean nodded to Sam and shoved him slightly towards the bed.
Now animated, Sam dashed over to the other side of the bed furthest from the door and leaped into bed. John pulled the covers he'd tugged down over the boy as Dean crept closer.
"Today Dean," John said in the same easy whisper. "I promise not to bite."
Dean chuckled. Truth was, both boys slept better together. But, when they slept with John, not even Sam's kicking was a factor. Everyone was just…relaxed.
Dean settled into the bed besides his father. Already Sam's tension was gone and Dean could already see sleep conquer over the boy.
The sheets were placed over him as well. Thunder clashed again, but nobody fliched.
"Goodnight," John said to Sammy, kissing the sleepy head.
Sam mumbled something back, too sleepy to make out.
John turned to him now. He watched his father smile before reaching out and ruffling his hair.
"Get some rest, Sport."
Dean nodded as John settled back into bed besides the boys.
John curled an arm under Sammy, bringing the boy closer to him. Sam reached out and clutched onto his father's shirt, burying his head into John's chest.
Dean yawned.
"Lightning hit Mrs. Fender's tree," he said in a slur.
John looked over to him.
"You see it?" he was asked in a concern tone.
He nodded.
Dean felt his father's arm snake under him much like it had to Sammy. He wanted to protest, it was baby enough to be sleeping in the same bed, let alone curl up around his family together.
Nevertheless, he settled onto his father's shoulder, taking a deep breath of the man's familiar scent.
"I'm sorry it scared you," he felt his father murmur into his hair.
"Noo," Dean murmured.
He felt his fathers chuckle rake through him.
"Sure thing, little dude."
Dean groaned, wanting to validate himself. But, instead he was met with a kiss to the forehead and he just didn't have the heart, or wakefulness.
"Goodnight, sweet dreams. Now got to sleep."
Dean nodded, thinking that come morning, they were so never talking about this.
Fin.
Now, if it could only stop raining and thundering so loud, maybe I can get some sleep. (Funny, how I make them all sleep, because I can't :( Wish I had me a John W.)
PS: Turns out, it even started to hail...damn I am Shocked. Still sleepy though, lol
Please read and review : D
Love yas!
CR