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Dean was starting down the main drag of town, his brow wrinkled, his lips pursed in a scowl. A parade. They just had to come into the area when there was a parade going on. Dean had bitched the entire mile that they had to walk because all main entranced into town were blocked.
They weaved in and out of the crowd of Mom's, Dad's and children. "This is friggin' ridiculous, lets just go back to the car and come back next week. What do ya say Sam?"
Sam placed his hand on Dean's shoulder and turned him, "Look Dean, I know that this kind of "normal" just drives you crazy...but we can't leave and let more kids disappear.
Dean had a grin on his face. Odd for the fact that Sam was pretty much telling him what they were going to do. "What in the hell are you grinning at?" Sam asked sarcastically.
Dean, Sam noticed, wasn't lookin at him, but over his shoulder. Sam slightly turned around. When he caught sight of the presence behind him, he squaked and jumped behind Dean. A clown. A clown had been following him, imitating him every step of the way down Main Street.
When Sam ran behind Dean, so did the clown. When Sam stopped on a dime and twisted back the other direction - so did the clown.
As amusing as this entertainment was, Dean held out his hand and pressed it against the clowns chest - Dean's other hand around Sam, who was behind him once again. "Dude, he don't like clowns. I suggest you make yourself scarce before he clocks you one."
Dean turned around and ran his hand up Sam's face. "He's gone baby..." Dean half soothed, half laughed.
"It's not funny Dean..."
1988
Dean ws frantically looking for his little brother. John had left them in a motel while he went on a hunt. He had told Dean to stay in the room, and to look after Sammy. It was the same speech he always gave Dean before he left them.
Dean was ten, Sam six. Sam had been whining for over three hours about the carnival that was in town. He wanted to go ride some rides and see the clowns.
Dean had told him no several times, then Sam pulled out the big guns...the puppy dog eyes.
Dean caved.
~
They walked the four blocks to the carnival, and had been there for over four hours. Dean had told Sam not to wonder off when Sam had flat out refused to hold Dean's hand, stating that he was a big boy.
Dean had been playing the ring toss game, and after he won Sam a big teddy bear, he turned to give it to him and was horrified that Sam was gone.
~
Sam, wide eyed, alone and afraid, wandered through the massive crowd looking for his brother. "Dean!" he called out in a quiet whimper, tears falling down his red cheeks.
A lady squatted down in front of him, "Are you lost sweetie?" she asked concerned, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Sam took two steps back, the turned and ran. John had told him - never ever talk to strangers.
Sam weaved in and out of the people, running hard. He slipped around the corner fo a tent and leaned against it. The tent gave and he tumbled inside.
"What the fuck Tony? Are you just begging to get your ass kicked?" Sam heard an angry voice from behind him. Sam scrambled to his feet and stood - shielded behind a large wooden crate. A mean looking clown in a one piece yellow and black clown suit was holding a man's arms behind his back as another clown talked meanly, pacing back and forth in front of the pinned man.
"You made the bet Tony, you borrowed the money - now it's time to pay up."
"I don't have it, Clyde," the man stammered through his bloody nose.
The clown called Clyde punched him in the stomach, his knees buckling as he expelled a loud breath and made an "oof" sound.
Sam was horrified. Clown's were supposed to be nice, they were supposed to be friendly. Fun. Not mean looking bad guys who beat up people.
Sam squeeled when Clyde mixes a left, right punch on the man's face. He fell backwards onto his butt, knocking over some boxes.
"What the..." Clyde said as he started making his way over to the offending noise. Sam's eyes were the size of saucers and full of tears. Clyde the clown grabbed Sam by the front of the shirt and hauled him up off of his feet, bringing him up to his face. "What are you doing in here kid?"
"N-n-nothin, I'm just..."
"Clyde, man, let the kid go," the other clown said.
"So the little brat can run and tell Mommy, hell no!"
"I d-d-don't have a Mommy," Sam cried.
The clown snarled in Sam's face, "You tell a soul about this kid, and I'll sneak into your bedroom at night and cut out your tongue, you hear me?"
"LET HIM GO!" a young voice bellowed from behind the clown. Clyde turned to see another boy standing behind him.
"DEEEEAN!!" Sam whimpered.
"I said let him go, or..."
"Or what kid? What're you gonna do?"
Dean raised his foot and stomped down hard on Clyde's foot. He shouted out an "oh fuck" and dropped Sam. Dean reared his leg back and kicked the clown square in the balls, thus bringing the man to his knees. Dean leaned forward - his head above the moaning, rocking figure on the ground. "Or I'll kick your ass."
The other clown took a few steps toward the boys, Sam quickly getting up and got behind his brother. Dean reached into his waistband and pulled out a pistol, pointing it at the clown.
"I'm tellin ya mister. I don't miss."
Dean started walking backwards. Once they were out of the tent, he stuffed the gun back in his pants, grabbed Sam's hands and they ran the entire four blocks back to the motel.
~
Dean stopped...the Impala was parked in front of the door. "CRAP!" he moaned.
The motel room door flung open, and a panicked John Winchester bounded outside. He froze at the sight of his two sons. Sammy ran into John's arms, crying.
John picked Sam up and pointed to the room. Dean knew he was in trouble, big time.
"What's wrong with your brother?" John demanded.
Dean sat down and told his father the truth.
"I'm ready to take my punishment sir," Dean told him.
John was half pissed, half proud. His ten year old son took down a grown man. He'd be one hell of a hunter. But he'd also told Dean not to leave the room.
"I think that your brother is scared to death is punishment enough. Don't disobey me again, you hear me?"
"Yes sir."
John sat Sam down, and grabbed his bags. Sam crawled into Dean's lap and wrapped his arms around his big brother, crying.
"Shhh, Sammy. It's ok. I'll never let anything happen to you, ever again. I'll always be here to protect you."
And so he was...
~end