AN: I had an urge to write a caring!John fic (I know, shocker!!) so here goes... I know it's not one of my best, but I hope you like it anyway.
Disclaimers: I own nothing of Kripke's creations, but oh how I wish he'd share! ;)
He stood watching the young man who walked absentmindedly across the street while reading from a book that looked way to thick to ever be considered light reading. This hadn't been the first time he'd watched the boy doing some sort of everyday activity, but it was the first time that he got the sense that that same boy had no clue that he was there.
"Damn it Sammy, you're getting rusty kiddo." John said softly under his breath as he continued to watch his youngest make his way down a sidewalk towards a corner drugstore before disappearing inside.
Knowing that his son wasn't ill, he had to wonder what the kid was up to especially as distracted as he was. Entering the store he saw the aisle his Sammy walked down and didn't know whether to be proud or embarrassed to have caught his boy about to buy such items; proud that his boy was smart enough to use protection, but embarrassed to see the evidence that he wasn't a baby anymore. Pausing at the end of the aisle he pretended to look at the razors on display, but was actually watching his son pull himself out of whatever tome he was reading to look up and seem puzzled for a moment before he sighed and turned around to face the other side seemingly in search of a specific item. John stood and stared for a moment pondering whether he was relieved that his youngest had bypassed the condoms, but was suddenly thrust into the knowledge that his baby boy definitely had a steady girlfriend if the tampons now being seriously perused were any indication. Backing away from the aisle, John watched as Sammy walked towards the checkout counter with a pink box in one hand and the monstrosity of a book in the other.
"Yo Sam!" a voice rang out from the other side of the store.
Sam turned around and smiled. "Hey Pete, what's going on?" he asked, completely oblivious of the sight he made.
Pete laughed a moment before he shook his head. "Well I know for a fact what's not going on for you. You ok man? Need back up for anything? Seriously, just say the word and I'll make sure your phone rings and we'll get you out of there."
John watched as Sammy's face held obvious puzzlement and he had a hard time not laughing at his son's bewilderment. He became even more amused when he saw the proverbial light bulb come on.
"She's not like that Pete, but thanks anyway." Sam said as he once again made it his way to the cash register.
"Dude, that's cool, but just let me know if it gets out of hand, alright? We guys have to stick together."
Once again, Sam laughed and shook his head while paying for the item. As he and Pete walked out the door however neither expected to be pushed back inside.
"Alright, everyone over there and don't try anything. This'll be quick and painless if everyone does what I say!" a man in his late twenties shouted while waving a revolver around.
Groaning, John wondered how he could have let this happen. 'Looks like Sammy's not the only one getting rusty.' He thought sourly to himself. Keeping himself in the blind spots of the store mirrors, he tried to find the best vantage point to take care of this idiot without anyone getting hurt and not revealing himself to his son. He was completely caught off guard by Sammy's voice that seemed to stop everything in its place.
"Look, do mind hurrying up a bit? My girlfriend is cramping like there's no tomorrow and my head will be on a pike if I don't get these to her in the next…" he paused as he glanced down at his watch. "Well damn, my head's on a pike. Ok, take your time, I'm dead meat anyway."
The man looked at Sam as if he'd lost his mind, a consensus that was joined by many others in the store. Puzzled, the man with the gun stood and stared at the tall slender man before him and was just about to nudge him with the gun when he was taken completely off guard.
Sam waited until he saw the man's attention falter, then he struck out with his long arms and grasped the hand holding the revolver while positioning his own to make sure the hammer never released. Pinning the man down on the floor with his foot while still holding the man's arm up and behind his back, Sam looked at the cashier and smiled. "Hi Nancy, could you call the police, and when they get here, would you let them know I'll be back… Jess really needs me to stop in for a minute."
Nancy looked at Sam in shock before she nodded with the phone to her ear as she spoke to the emergency operator. Satisfied, Sam bent down low to the man's ear and growled something quietly until the man nodded frantically.
"Pete, think you can stay here for a minute and make sure this guy keeps his promise, I'll be right back." Sam said as he rushed towards the door not even bothering to hear his friend's response.
As John watched his son practically run out the door he couldn't help the pride he felt at what he'd just witnessed. Walking up towards Pete he looked down at the man on the floor before looking at the cashier. "You ok?" he asked, noticing how the girl seemed to be frozen in place. Seeing her acknowledgement, he nodded before looking down at the prone figure. "How about we get him up and see who this guy really is?"
"NO!! No way, I'm fine right here on the floor, just like the man said… seriously, I'll stay here and wait for the cops… yeah, the cops, they'll keep me safe!" the man exclaimed, clearly terrified.
Curious, John bent down low and asked, "What did Sammy tell you would happen if you moved?"
Startled, the man moved his head to look up at John in fear before admitting. "Dude, I like bungee jumping as much as the next guy, but not with my intestines as the rope!"
Laughing, John got up and rubbed his face with his hand. Hearing the sirens approaching, he knew he needed to leave but he had one more thing to do. Turning towards Pete he held out a small wad of cash. "Hey man, your friend dropped this, think you can make sure he gets it?" he asked, waiting only long enough to make sure the kid would actually make sure his son took it.
Less than five minutes later, he watched from across the street as his son walked back into the store to speak to the officers. Feeling that sense of pride grow, he continued to watch until his cell phone rang.
"Yeah"
"Hey Dad, how's geekboy doing?"
"Fine son, you finished already?"
"Yes sir, the laundry no longer stands at attention on command."
Smirking, John shook his head. He should never have doubted that his boy had things under control in the store; he'd learned from the best after all. Still smiling, he let Dean know that he was on his way before turning towards the store once more. He watched as his youngest son looked puzzled at his friend and tried not to accept the money offered before the other boy finally had enough and shoved it into Sammy's pants pockets.
"Still stubborn aren't you boy?" he wondered, and then smiled fondly before turning away and walked towards his truck. "Wouldn't want you any other way."