A/N: I'm taking an ASL class, this is what inspired it. Let's just say for story's sake Adam was born in 1987, his younger brother(yes I made him up) was born in 1993 yes I know John usually didn't go back to places but let's just say he did. It's 2001, just after Sam left…so that would make Adam fourteen& Matthew eight.

"Mr. Winchester if you are unwilling to take the two boys in we will find a suitable foster home for them," Mrs. Danielson a woman in her late fifties a social worker said bluntly without emotion.

His eyes fall on the elder boy, who wasn't making eye contact with anyone. His eyes carried dark circles, he was slumping in his seat clearly exhausted. The younger reminded him a lot of Sam. God Sammy, all alone up in college. Matt had the same curly mop of brown hair and the same rounded little face. But instead of hazel eyes starring back underneath the curls it was a honey color. The same color his mother's had been.

The man sitting next to him was signing away, his back towards John, he had been bluntly told on the phone that Matt was deaf, that he couldn't hear anything at all.

"Mr. Winchester?" Mrs. Danielson pressed on.

"Can you just give me one minute?" he snapped at her.

She raised her hands in defeat, before raising from the table and walking away. Social services had always been his worst fear, when Sam and Dean were young, that someone was going to sweep them away from him. Their mother Kate was killed about a month ago, he wasn't sure exactly how he felt about her. Before today she was just a woman he slept with, and now he realized she was the mother of his two youngest sons. His attention was drawn from his thoughts, when the little one began tapping on his arm. He used his hands, and John stared at them. He didn't understand what the little boy was saying to him, correction what his little boy was saying.

"He's asking if you're really our dad," and John turns to stare at the older boy who had muttered it.

Adam had gotten use to translating for people, gotten use to the stares that seem to follow him and Matt when they were signing. John nods his head. And it was really aggravating him right now that their own father was staring at Matt as if he was an alien or a freak or something. He wished desperately he hadn't lost his voice, and could yell out to stop….that for god sake he's your son.

Foster care wouldn't be good, especially for a child who couldn't hear. And there was no guarantee that the pair would end up together. He may not be as good as a "normal" parent, but at least the pair wouldn't lose each other.

"I'll take them in," he states, standing and Mrs. Danielson nods handing him the papers.

They were silent on the ride home, Matt falling asleep his head resting on Adam's shoulder. He could remember the days it was Dean and Sam like this. It was clear in his face that Adam was fighting his exhaustion. John's thoughts were swirling.

"Where are we going?" Adam asks, and John could hear the soreness in his throat.

"To a friend of mine's," and he hesitates before asking, "how long has your brother been deaf?"

"Matt. His name is Matt," Adam snapped, "and does it matter?"

There was silence between the pair, before John could see the boy scowl before answering.

"He was five. Mom worked graveyard shifts, he got a fever…..a really high one," and Adam's eyes travel to Matt taking a deep breath, "I was ten years old….I didn't…. ,"

Adam wipes the tears forming at his eyes, it was his fault, all his fault he knew that for a long time. And despite mom always saying it wasn't. If only he had called her when things got worse, maybe just maybe he would have saved his brother's hearing.

"And he lost his hearing." Adam finished.

Instead of pressing on with the matter, John urged him to get some sleep.

"Hello?" Dean answered on the first ring, "Dad?"

Taking a deep breath, "Can you meet me at Bobby's?"

And he could practically see Dean's shocked expression, questioning as to why he was telling Dean to up and leave a hunt.

"I'm in the middle of a hunt,"

"I know. I need you here,"

Pause. "Are you okay Dad?"

"I'm fine. Please Dean if you can just meet us there." And he presses end before Dean could get another word out.

A/N: please review