Summary:  A family tragedy during a hunt redirects the lives of the Winchester's in a way they could have never predicted.
Warning:  AU.  WARNING MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH(S) IN LATE CHAPTER(S).
A/N:  I hope you enjoy this newest story. This story may different than what you’re used to reading from me. It’s not laden with tons and tons of angst, although there is angst for a few chapters here and there, especially the beginning. I just had an idea I wanted to run with and get out of my system, so here it is. Also, I already have several new stories begging to be written and when I can I will write them.
Happy reading, I hope!
Disclaimer:  The characters of Supernatural were created by Eric Kripke and are owned by the CW Network. No profit is being made.

Almost Two Months Later – January 1996

John sat with Sam and Jim in the bleachers as Dean threw the football toward a teammate. John stood up in excitement as a touchdown was made for the Blue Earth Buccaneer’s. It was the section playoffs with the Montevideo Thunder Hawks and the BUCS were ahead. Jim had gently suggested he thought Dean should get involved with extra curricular activities in school since Sammy was either attending Minds in Motion or at the pediatric rehab a lot of the time. John had agreed and had pushed Dean into finding a sport. His eldest son had baulked at the idea claiming he wanted to help with Sam’s rehab, but John had told him ‘no’ and that he could help Sammy at home with his picture cards and other therapies.

To everyone’s surprise Dean tried out and made Varsity on the first round of tryouts. The cold January Minnesota wind whipped through the bleachers. The crowd sat huddled under blankets and wrapped in thick jackets. John sat with his arm wrapped around Sam who watched his brother run up and down the field. Sam would clap and squeal with excitement.

“Daddy! Look!” Sam shouted and pointed at his big brother. “Dee threw that ball far away, see!”

“I see Sammy.” John replied with a smile. Sam had continued to make progress and the school and rehab combined were wonderful assets in his little boy’s life. Sam hadn’t cognitively advanced that much in the last couple months and he was still near the cognition and emotional level of a six or seven year old, but one with clear disabilities. It was still sometimes difficult to reconcile the 12 year old body that sat next to him with the child’s mind embodied in those lanky limbs. “You warm enough kiddo?” John looked over at his young son. Sam looked at him with a red nose and cheeks.

“I warm,” he answered quickly his excited eyes darting back to the field to watch his big brother. This was his first game he’d been allowed to come to since Dean started playing football. This game started two hours before his bedtime and he’d been able to come. The other games always started after his bedtime or right before he was supposed to be in bed. The local TV played the game, but this was so much more fun.

“You sure?” John nestled the thermal blanket around Sam as he pulled his child closer to his side to instill some warmth. He reached up and made sure the hood on Sam’s head was still tied. Sam’s only response was to squeal his brother’s name as Dean ran down the field and had just finished a 19 yard run before he was tackled.

“Dee fall down,” Sam shot worried eyes to his father. John looked out at the field and saw Dean take the hand of another teammate and stand up.

“He’s okay Sammy, see,” he pointed and Sam turned his concerned eyes back to his big brother and smiled. John watched Dean interact with some of his teammates and friends on the field. He had been surprised how quickly his first born had started acquiring friends. Dean had always been aloof in school, but John recounted with sadness … I made him that way because of hunting … John had realized with a heavy heart since Sam’s accident that he had been robbing his boys of their childhood’s. Dean deserved his youth and Sammy, well, he deserved a hell of a lot more, John thought bitterly. Jim seemed to sense the inner struggle happening inside his friend and reached a hand over and clasped John’s forearm for a moment and squeezed. John offered a thin smile and quick nod. Two men saying volumes to each other without saying a word. John turned back to watching Dean and keeping Sammy close.

Half-time

The bundled up Cheerleaders took to the field with the band. Sam stood up and waved at Dean when he noticed his big brother looking into the stands. John had been able to get seats right behind the team benches. “Dee! Dee!” Dean waved back.

“Who’s that Winchester?” Tyler Grey asked his friend and team mate. “That your family?” Tyler had met John Winchester before, but not the other two occupants of the metal bleachers.

“Yeah, it’s the first game they’ve been able to attend all together. My Dad never misses any, but tonight’s the first night they’re all here.” Dean and Tyler had taken to one another quickly. They had first met through the football team tryouts and then discovered they not only shared classes, but their girlfriend’s were best friends so they double dated a lot. Dean had started dating Maggie Reynolds on and off after the school dance he had gone to and they had officially started using terms like ‘my girlfriend’ and ‘my boyfriend’ in reference to one another.

“That your kid brother?” Tyler asked. Tyler had been curious about the illusive kid brother he’d never met. He had a kid brother the same age, too, and had asked his sibling Cody if he knew a Sam Winchester in his class and his little brother had said, ‘no.’ He never asked Dean why his brother didn’t attend Blue Earth Elementary.

“Yeah, that’s Sammy,” Dean answered with pride. “And, that’s my Uncle Jim and you’ve met my Dad already.”

“Wait, is that Pastor Jim from St. Mary’s? He’s your Uncle?”

“Yeah.” Dean answered without skipping a beat.

“He’s cool,” Tyler offered. “But, damn, I bet you don’t get away with anything.”

“Jim’s pretty laid back,” Dean admitted with a warm smile as he remembered the talks he had had with the man concerning girls.

“It figures your uncle would turn out to be the only cool preacher on the planet that I’ve met.” Tyler joked. “You know Cody,” Tyler began out of the blue. Dean looked at his friend and nodded. He had met his friend’s little brother. “He said he’s never met Sam in school …” he trailed off letting the implication of the question settle over Dean without pushing. He noticed this fleeting moment of some emotion pass through Dean’s eyes and it was gone quickly.

“He goes to another school nearby.” Dean offered. Tyler quirked an eyebrow at Dean.

“What? The kid goes to Chandler?” Tyler smiled at the thought of Dean’s kid brother attending the private frou-frou school at the edge of the city. “Man, so how’d you end up in public school? Chandler has high school classes, too.”

“Not Chandler,” Dean ground out. He wasn’t embarrassed of his little brother, but he didn’t want people feeling sorry for his family either, so he had never said anything about Sam’s condition.

“Not Chandler? What the hell is left in this Podunk town?” Tyler looked at his friend in confusion. Dean studied Tyler for a long moment.

“He goes to Minds in Motion Learning Academy,” he answered bluntly. Tyler’s face softened immediately.

“Oh, Dean man, I’m sorry … I didn’t know. Why didn’t you say somethin’?” Dean frowned at his friend.

“Because that’s why,” Dean pointed at his friend. “That look and sayin’ you’re sorry. Sorry for what?” Dean hissed under his breath. “I don’t need some pity party for my family. Sammy’s fine, okay?”

“Yeah, sure, I mean…” Tyler raised a placating hand. “I didn’t mean anything by it,” he assured. “It’s just you could have told me you know? Hell, the other guys, too.” Tyler was indicating their circle of friends that they hung out with from the team as they sat on the team bench in the distance.

“What’s to tell?” Dean spoke evenly. “Sam’s Sam,” he said confidently. “I’m not ashamed of him,” his eyes narrowed. “It’s just I don’t need anybody feeling bad for my family or my little brother.”

“Geez, Dean, dude, chill out,” Tyler smiled. “We’re friends okay? I’m not judging.” Dean dropped his eyes.

“Sorry,” he offered quietly. It seemed almost surreal that he was having this kind of conversation and it was happening on the side lines with the band playing music and the cheerleaders hopping around in the snow flurries that had begun to fall.

“It’s okay,” Tyler assured. “Hey, you know Todd’s older sister was born with cerebral palsy. She’s got her own apartment and goes to a college. Grad school actually.”

“Todd never said anything,” Dean replied. “I mean I knew he had an older sister in college … ah, special education degree right?”

“Yeah, I guess Todd’s folks made sure she had all this help and therapy from when she was a baby and she’s as sharp as a tack,” Tyler commented.

“You meet her?”

“Well, yeah,” he landed a deadpanned look at Dean. “I’ve known Todd since we were in nursery school man. I grew up around Cathy. So,” he began a tentative approach. “Was Sam born disabled?”

“No,” Dean answered more harshly than he had intended. His look softened toward his friend. “No, a little over a year ago he fell through some ice and …” Tyler cut his friend off.

“Wait,” he looked intensely at his friend. “Mile Lacs Lake?” Dean turned wide eyes on Tyler.

“Yeah, how the hell…”

“It was on TV dude. I remember it was all over the news here. They said a kid fell through the ice up at the lake and they flew him to Minneapolis on the Life Link Helicopter, right? He was like under the water almost an hour or something. Shit, that was your little brother?”

“It was 45 minutes,” Dean corrected. “It was on the news?”

“Yeah, man,” Tyler cast his eyes toward the bleachers and looked at Sam who was currently playing some form of thumb wars with the man he knew as Pastor Jim. “The news never really did a follow up other than to say the hospital had been able to revive him after something like 2 hours and that he was in a coma, but I lost track after that.”

“I didn’t realize it had been on the news. I had a lot on my mind back then,” Dean offered.

“Hey,” Tyler said with a smile. “Half-time isn’t over yet, why don’t you introduce me to your little brother.”

“You sure?”

“Did I stutter?”

“Alright come on.” Both boys hustled the short distance toward the bleachers. Sam saw his big brother coming his way.

“Daddy, here comes Dee!”

“I see Sammy,” John chuckled. John also noticed that Tyler Grey was running along with his son.

“Dee!” Sam shouted and clapped his hands. He stood up and took a step near the metal banister. John leaned forward keeping a steadying and protective hand on his son’s jacket.

“Hey Sammy,” Dean replied. “How you doin’ kiddo? You warm enough?” Sam rolled his eyes.

“Daddy already asked … I warm,” he answered with a dimpled smile.

“Great game so far son,” John spoke with pride.

“Thanks Dad,” Dean smiled and could see Sammy was looking at Tyler. “Hey Sammy, I want you to meet Tyler. He’s a good friend.” Sam eyed the new face in front of him.

“Hi Sam,” Tyler stepped forward. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You play with Dee out there?” He could see Tyler and his brother both wore similar gear with red and gold numbers.

“I do,” he smiled. “So, how old are you Sam?” Sam smiled and extended both hands and then looked perplexed. “What’s wrong there sport?”

“I not have enough fingers.”

“Well, that’s okay,” Tyler added before John or Dean could say anything. “You can tell me how old you are without your fingers,” Sam looked at him. “Hey, I don’t have enough fingers for my age either,” he consoled. “So, how old buddy?”

“Twelve, but I be big boy soon.”

“Twelve?” Tyler smiled and mimicked a surprised sound. “You sure you’re not at least thirty maybe forty,” he kidded. Sam laughed.

“Forty old,” Sam scrunched his face up.

“Hey,” John and Jim said in unison. “You callin’ your Dad and Uncle Jim old?” John kidded with his young son.

“Daddy,” Sam’s tone was exasperated at the idea his father was old. “You and Uncle Jim not that old,” his dimples dug deep into his cheeks.

“Really?” Jim asked. “How old are we Sammy?”

“At least twenty,” Sam answered honestly. Everyone laughed.

“Yeah, well kiddo you keep thinkin’ that,” John encouraged.

“Hi Mr. Winchester,” Tyler didn’t want to ignore Dean’s dad.

“Hey, Tyler. You ran a good scrimmage on that last play.”

“Thanks,” Tyler dropped his head sheepishly. His own father was usually too busy to attend games, but his mother helped out in the concession stand in support of her son, but she had trouble watching him be tackled, so she found a way to be there, but not watch and his little brother usually helped her or sat with their neighbors in the stands. “Hi Pastor Jim,” Tyler extended a hand.

“Hi Tyler. I haven’t seen you at the parish for a while.”

“Yeah, sorry … you know …” Tyler dropped his eyes. Jim smiled.

“I was young once too,” Jim assured.

The coach called out to his two players and Dean and Tyler waved back in acknowledgement. “Well, it was nice meetin’ you Sam,” Tyler smiled.

“Bye Ty,” Sam replied with wide excited eyes.

“Ty, huh?” Tyler responded. “I kinda like that kiddo. Ty it is.” Dean had a new appreciation for his friend. Dean met Tyler’s eyes and nodded.

John watched his son run back toward the field and couldn’t believe that in another week his first born would be turning seventeen. He was proud of the man he’d grown into.

Six Month’s Later, Jim’s House, June 1996

The summer had started off quietly. Dean was out of school for the summer and was spending time with his family and friends. Sam still attended rehab and summer camp at Minds in Motion. John had liked the idea that Sam’s school did year round learning, but they did close for two weeks in June and one week in July. John walked through the large house and glanced in his boy’s room. He knew Dean was at summer football camp for the day and wouldn’t be back until tonight. “Sammy?” John had been on the phone with Caleb discussing the idea of helping out on a hunt an hour outside of Blue Earth. It would be a quick in out deal and he was a bit itchy for a hunt, even a small one. He had taken the week off from work at the auto shop to spend it near his boys.

“Jim where’s Sammy?” Jim looked up from his paperwork in his office. He was preparing the sermon for the Sunday service at the end of the week.

“Hmm?” Jim looked up at his friend.

“Sammy, has he been in here?”

“I thought he was with you in the kitchen?” Jim said as he stood up.

“He was, but he wandered off,” John complained. “I figured he came in here to see you. Where the hell could he be? Sammy!” John bellowed as he walked into the family parlor room. “Samuel Michael Winchester answer me,” John demanded. “Dad’s not playing hide and seek.” John secretly hoped his young son was just playing. Sam loved hide and seek. He could play it for hours if he was allowed to. John looked around sharply, “Jim where’s the dog?” Jim frowned. Duncan and Sammy were two peas in a pod. Sam loved to watch Duncan run after sticks and dive into the pond on his property. They had all spent a couple hours out there just yesterday. Both men seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same moment, but John voiced his terror for both of them. “Oh, Jesus, no,” John turned pale as he was already running out the door. “The pond Jim,” he shouted over his shoulder and both men ran.

John and Jim arrived at the pond. “Sammy!” John screamed as he scanned the surface of the water frantically with his eyes. Both men saw Duncan sitting at the water’s edge wagging his tail as he gnawed on a stick. “Sammy, please!” John cast worried eyes toward Jim and saw the color drain from the man’s face, “What?” John hissed as his eyes followed Jim’s.

“That there … what is …” that was all John needed to hear as he saw something out in the water near an overgrowth of pond reed and grass. It looked like a small brown mass of something and it waved eerily like hair, chestnut hair just below the surface. John dove in and frantically swam toward the small brown mass just below the surface. Jim felt his heart frantically beating as John closed in on the small brown mass.

“Please, dear Lord, don’t take the child,” Jim silently prayed in his head. “Not now, not after everything, please.”

John reached the brown mass his hands frantic to find his child and pull him to the air to make him okay. His fingers hit the mass and slid into a squishy mass of brown algae like material. It wasn’t his baby boy. “John!” Jim shouted because he couldn’t see what was happening because his friend’s back was to him. All he could think was that his old friend had just found his youngest child beneath the watery surface.

“It’s not Sammy,” John called back. Jim let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. John tread water as he looked around frantically. He began to dive beneath the murky surface in an attempt to find his little boy, although he knew in his heart if he did find his child in this pond he would be beyond help, beyond saving. John surfaced again after his fifth dive.

“Anything?” Jim was panicked. John shook his head. “I’ll run back and call 911,” Jim felt rage at the fact they hadn’t thought to do that before running out to the pond.

“No! No time,” John shouted. “Sammy! Sammy!” John went back to scanning the water and the perimeter of the pond where a child could fall in and become entangled in weeds. “Sammy!”

“Daddy,” a quiet sleep inflected voice called out from a tall thicket of sunflowers and reed. Jim turned urgently toward the small sounding voice daring to hope. Jim ran over to the thicket a good ten feet away from the water’s edge.

“Sammy?” His voice was frantic and hopeful. Jim looked into the thicket and there surrounded by tall sunflower stalks and thick green grass in a flattened spot was Sam. Jim saw the unruly chestnut hair first and then he saw wide dark eyes peering up through the thicket. He saw Sam rub at his eyes sleepily. “Sam!” Jim reached in and grabbed the boy. “Where have you been?”

“Got sleepy,” Sam rubbed his eyes. “I play with Duncan, but I just lay down. Where Daddy? I heard him.” Jim gathered the lanky, now thirteen year old up into his arms. He put an arm under the back of Sam’s knees and one under his arms and scooped him up. He walked to the water’s edge looking for John and knew John had dived below once again looking for his child. Sam dropped his head onto Jim’s shoulder.

“Where Daddy?” He asked sleepily.

“Daddy’s taking a little swim Sammy.”

“’Kay,” Sam answered more asleep than awake and he drifted off in Jim’s arms. Sam’s arms hung limply at his sides and dangled. John surfaced and Jim took the opportunity to yell at his friend.

“John!” The father’s head snapped toward his friend’s shout. What he saw chilled him to the core. Sam was cradled gently in Jim’s grasp as his young arms hung limply, lifelessly at his sides.

“Oh God,” John began to swim frenetically toward the shore.

“John, it’s okay,” Jim called out. Sam didn’t even stir. Jim couldn’t help, but smile at how deep the kid could nap. John was out of the water and running toward Jim and Sam. Jim made a shushing noise with his mouth and John knew his boy was just sleeping.

“Where was he?” John asked in an urgent hushed tone.

“Over there. He fell asleep.” John reached out a shaking hand and touched his son’s head and caressed his long hair. He smiled as he felt the soft tendrils of hair slide through his calloused hands. Sam stirred and opened his eyes slightly. John met eyes with his child.

“Daddy?” Sam asked half asleep. “You all wet.”

“Yes, I am,” John tried to keep his concern and anger out of his voice. “You had Daddy and Uncle Jim worried. You know better than to leave the house Sammy or go near the pond alone.” John scolded quietly. Sam did know, but John knew he couldn’t expect his son to look out for himself. Sammy needed constant supervision. Today, they had been given a reprieve and hadn’t lost Sam.

“I stay away from water,” Sam woke up a little more. “I remember not allowed. You said danger by self. Not go unless Daddy, Uncle Jim or Dee with me cause I not big boy.” John smiled softly and nodded. He couldn’t speak just then as he fought the lump in his throat and worry flitted across his features. Jim sensed the emotional onslaught. Sam watched his father. “Daddy sad?”

“No, kiddo. I was just worried.” Sam reached out both his arms toward his father. “I’m all wet Sammy.”

“No care,” Sam replied and continued to reach for his father. John took his son from Jim’s arms and carried him back to the house.

Later that Evening, Jim’s House 7:00 PM

Dean pulled up in the Impala and got out. He opened the trunk and grabbed his football gear bag with his sweaty uniform inside and his protective gear. He slung it over his shoulder and walked into the house. Jim looked up from his task of dishes at the sink. They all took turns at dish night throughout the week. “Hey Jim,” Dean replied lightly.

“Hey yourself,” the religious man surveyed Dean and noticed some scratches on his arms and a bruise forming on his left forearm. “Rough day?” he commented as he indicated the minor injuries.

“Nah, just some grass burn and a good tackle, I’m good.” Dean peeked his head into the parlor and noticed the TV was off and the room vacant. “Where are my Dad and Sammy?”

“The study,” Jim answered. “Your dad gave Sammy his bath and was reading to him. He fell asleep and your dad is with him.” Dean quirked an eyebrow at Jim.

“Why didn’t he just put him to bed?”

“I think your dad needs a little more time with your brother that’s all.” Jim wasn’t sure if he should be the one to tell Dean about the pond scare today or not. But, Dean made the decision easy when he noticed an alarmed look cloud Dean’s face.

“Why? What’s wrong? Is he okay?” Dean’s voice filled with fear.

“Your brother got out of the house today and went with Duncan to the pond …” Dean cut Jim off harshly.

“The pond! What the hell?” He barked. “Weren’t either of you watching Sammy?”

“We dropped the ball Dean,” Jim admitted. “We thought … your dad dove in and …” that was all Jim had to say and that set Dean’s feet in motion. His mind filled with horrific images of the lake a year ago. Dean hurried down the hallway toward the study. His father was awake and holding his sleeping brother across his lap and had a light blanket covering his lanky limbs. Sam’s head rested against his father’s chest. He motioned with the slightest movement of his hand toward Dean indicating to his oldest child to keep his voice down before he spoke. Dean surveyed Sam’s sleeping form with intense eyes.

“Is he okay?” he asked quietly. John nodded. “Jim said you dove into the pond.”

“We thought we saw something near the reeds … I thought I saw hair,” John’s voice was gruff and still held the hint of raw emotion. “He fell asleep in the sunflower’s if you can believe that,” John offered a rueful smile as he cast his eyes toward his sleeping child. “I was on the phone he was there one minute and gone the next … I thought he went to visit with Jim,” John offered. “You know how he loves to listen to Jim practice his sermons.” Dean nodded. “I’m sorry Dean,” John replied. “I screwed up again and your brother could have died.” Dean’s eyes softened.

“Dad, don’t okay. Look kid’s get into stuff ya know. Sammy’s okay, so everything is alright.” Dean assured. “Why don’t you go have a cold beer in the kitchen with Jim and I’ll put Sammy to bed.” John recognized his oldest son’s way of letting him off the hook and changing the subject.

“I’ll put your brother to bed,” John answered. “You on the other hand young man … need a shower, you smell like a sweaty old shoe.”

“Wow, I feel the love Dad,” Dean grinned.

“Go get cleaned up and I’ll warm a dinner plate for you.”

“I ate out with the guys after practice, but I could go for some of Jim’s cornbread though,” Dean’s eyes sparkled.

“Okay,” John replied. “Hey, Dean use the main bathroom instead of the one in your and Sam’s room. I think he’ll sleep through the night if he isn’t woken up by the shower.”

“Sure Dad,” Dean smiled. “Sammy could sleep through a nuclear bomb detonation Dad,” he chuckled quietly.

“Humor me,” John’s voice was soft. Dean nodded.

Dean stood under the hot spray of the shower and suddenly he felt his body begin to shake as the ramifications of what could have happened today settled over him. He could have lost his brother, he could have lost Sammy. He didn’t even know he was crying until he tasted the salt mingling with the shower water that ran over his mouth. Everything’s okay. Sammy’s safe he repeated over and over in his head and slowly the shaking in his body subsided and he allowed himself a quick silent prayer to a God he wasn’t even sure listened to him, but he had prayed back in Minneapolis secretly and Sam survived, now he bowed his head in the shower as the water cascaded over him like a waterfall and he thanked God for keeping his little brother safe. As Dean turned off the water he smirked, Uncle Jim would be so proud, he mused at the idea of Jim finding out he had prayed.