16th May, 2024

"This had better be important," Dean muttered as they sat side by side in the waiting room. "If that thing gets to this place, it could wreak havoc."

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for them calling us down here," Sam whispered back. "And it must be pretty serious for them to bother in the first place, right?"

"Seriously, if this is something petty like stealing another kid's lunch money…"

"Mr Winchester?"

Dean and Sam both stood up as the secretary leaned over her desk, glasses dangling on a chain around her neck. She frowned at them.

"I'm sorry, which of you is here to see Principal Ellis?" she asked, voice slightly confused and mildly inquisitive. Dean looked at Sam and shrugged.

"Both of us, I guess," he said back to the secretary with a grin, and she blushed. Sam rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but Principal Ellis specifically wanted to speak to Sam Winchester," she insisted, and Dean's face hardened.

"We've both raised him," he said sharply, and Sam looked down at the floor. "I reckon I got as much right as anyone else to hear what's going on."

"Well… I don't suppose it would matter too much… they're in there." she replied nervously, and indicated to a door off to their left.

"Hey Dad," Adam said in a bored tone as they walked through the door, his head lolling on the back of the chair whilst the Principal cast him a disapproving look. "What took you so long?"

"Hey!" Dean shot back, reaching out and whacking him on the head. "Manners, boy."

"Afternoon gentlemen," Ellis stood up and leaned over the desk and shook their hands. "I'm glad you came, Mr Winchester."

"How come you're here anyway?" Adam asked sullenly, straightening up, and Dean and Sam sat on the couch next to him. "I reckoned you would have sent Mom alone."

"Yeah, well…"

"I'm sorry," the Principal interrupted. "I thought Adam's mother died in childbirth?"

"She did," Sam replied quickly, giving both Adam and Dean warning looks. Ellis turned to him imposingly.

"And you are?"

Sam blinked.

"I'm his father."

"I'm still somewhat confused here."

"He's my dad," Adam explained shortly, indicating to Sam. "And he's my uncle. Only as far as I'm concerned, they're Mom and Dad. OK?"

"Hey."

"Right," Ellis said, his tone dubious, and looked down at the piece of paper on his desk. "But anyway… I've asked you to come down to discuss something that I found Adam doing in the lunch hall. I think he scared quite a few of the younger students."

Dean looked at his son sharply.

"You been doing things we've said not to again?" he snapped, and Adam glared at him.

"Dean, listen," Sam admonished gently, and the Principal cleared his throat, reaching into his drawer and pulling out a piece of string. He handed it to Sam.

"He was giving these out to some of the students. Told them that they had to wear them, or else a monster would come and possess them, and make them kill their parents. When I asked, they refused to take them off. Now, I might expect this from someone in elementary school, but really – Adam's sixteen now, he shouldn't be making up stories that could quite honestly terrify the younger children…"

He broke off as he saw Dean smile at Sam as the younger man passed him the amulets.

"I'm proud of you, kiddo," he said gruffly, and Sam ruffled Adam's hair. The Principal was dumbfounded.

"Am I to assume that you are condoning this type of behaviour?" he asked incredulously, and Sam fixed him with an intense look.

"I'd advise that you don't try and take those amulets off the children, not until next week at the very least. Our son has probably just saved the lives of at least three people."

"Excuse me?" Ellis spluttered, and Adam grinned.

"We'll be leaving now, Principal, if that's all," Dean smirked, and the three of them stood up.

"Well…"

"Thought so."

Ellis watched in shock as the small family walked over to the door, and his breath caught as Sam's jacket shifted and the glint of a gun barrel stuck in the waistband of his jeans shone across the room. He stood quickly and followed them out of the door, straining to hear their voices as they strode down the corridor.

"I guess you're not your Father's son at heart," he heard Dean murmur good-naturedly, punching Adam lightly on the arm.

"No. I'm my Mom's," Adam shot back, and Sam pulled him into a one-armed hug, hand linking with Dean's as they left the building.

There was a roar and a crunching of gravel as the Impala pulled away from the school gate.

Back in the school, Ellis's eyes flashed black.

"He's here."

finis