Challenge Issued By: Platinum Rose Lady

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Otherwise, this happens.

Set first season. (otherwise Cas would have baby sat)

Jinn and Tonic

Sam glared at Dean. "Why."

Dean glared back. "Because I'm the oldest and I'm always right."

Sam threw his hands in the air. "That's not a reason!"

Dean pointed at the pile of clothes on the bed. "Our clothes need to be washed! Sam! Just take them to the laundry mat already!"

Sam picked up his coat. "No, Dean. I'm not you're whipping boy. I did it the last twenty times- it's your turn to do something helpful!"

"You're being immature Sam. You should really grow up."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Dean, it's not like you're a good example. I'm going out."

He slammed the door as he left.

"I'm grown up," Dean half mumbled in the empty room, "I can drink beer…"

He looked down on the dirty laundry and picked up. He sorted out Sam's clothes, taking only his as he headed to the laundry matt.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sam found an old bar called One Thousand and One Nights and quickly made himself comfortable on the bar stool. He ordered a beer and slumped forward. Next to him, a tall dark man sat down. "Hello," the blue eyed stranger said with a vaguely Middle Eastern accent.

"I don't want to talk." Sam said swallowing his beer.

The man waved at the bar tender. "One gin and tonic," he requested before turning back to Sam. "Just saying hello. We're all here to drink something away right?"

Sam snorted. "Right. But my problems won't go away no matter how much I drink."

"To true, my wise friend." The man noticed Sam's empty bottle. "Here, let me get you another drink."

Before Sam could protest the beer was in front of him. "Even I can't get away." The stranger lamented holding up his glass. "Shall we toast to our grim futures?"

Sam smiled a little. "Yeah. I guess."

They drank together, discussing odds and ends. As the night stretched and the glasses grew emptier, Sam started to talk about Dean.

"I wish he would understand I'm not a kid." He grumbled shaking his bottle. "Hell, I wish he knew what it was to be a kid again."

The stranger leaned forward; hanging on to Sam's every word. "Really?"

He swallowed his drink and shook his head. "I take it all back. I wish we could just be young again."

The stranger smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned back. "As you wish."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Only an hour later, Sam stumbled home drunk. He opened the motel door and scowled to see his laundry was in a pile on his bed. Dean stayed soundly asleep as Sam got ready for bed. Pulling the covers over himself, he grumbled, "I'm not a kid."

Sam woke up the next morning and stretched out his legs. To his dismay his lanky frame only reached halfway down the bed after he had uncurled himself. He took his thumb out of his mouth and dropped the blanket he was clutching. He sat up and looked around nervously.

He calmed down slightly when he saw Dean curled on his bed. The eight year old was snoring gently as soft blonde curls fell onto his face. Sam relaxed and looked down at himself.

Part of his brain realized he was only four years old. He hiccupped in surprise. Despite that small voice at the back of his brain that was in a mild state of shock, he felt completely normal.

And also…happy, very strangely content. A grin spread across his features as he realized he hadn't felt this happy in a long time.

He jumped off the too large bed and scrambled over to Dean's bed. After several attempts, he was able to get onto the mattress. He shook his brother awake. "De! De!" he chirped. "Get up!"

"S'mmy?" Dean blinked open his green eyes. "Wassamatter?"

Dean sat upright and looked at Sam. Sam hiccupped again. Dean smiled at the goofy little toddler. "Is Dad here?"

Sam looked around. "I dunno… I guess we're on our own today De!"

Dean shrugged. "Oh, okay. We can have fun!"

Sam hid his hands in his face and giggled madly, spurring more hiccups. Dean tickled him, "Stop hiccupping, Squeaker!"

Sam rolled away from him. "Noooo! Don't-hic!-tickle!"

The stopped wrestling when they heard a knock on the door. Dean listened intently for the codeword. "Codeword?" Dean prompted.

"Mary," a vaguely Middle Eastern voice said.

Dean sprung up from the bed and walked over to the door. He opened it and squinted at the tall dark skinned, blue eyed stranger. "Who are you?"

The Jinn smiled down at Dean. "Your father sent me over to baby-sit, so you guys could just be kids today."

Sam giggled. "You don't-hic!- sit on babies!"

The Jinn looked up at his drinking partner and smiled. "You're right, Sammy. Do you guys want to go to the park?"

Dean nodded enthusiastically. He bounced over to Sam and helped him down. Sam waddled over to his coat and frowned when he saw how large it was. "Here, let me help," the Jinn smiled and snapped.

Dean and Sam's pajamas had become their regular attire. Dean looked over at Sam and ruffled his hair. "Ready to go the park, sport?"

The Jinn was honor bound to fulfill any wish made, so he dutifully escorted Sam and Dean to the park.

At the park Dean and Sam immediately jumped onto the slide. Sam landed feet first in the sand and threw his hands in the air triumphant. Dean slid down only to fall down into the dirt. Sam giggled and helped him stand up.

The Jinn smiled and walked over to the sand box. Sam pointed at the sand. "Can we build sand castles?"

The Jinn nodded. "But of course."

The Jinn bent down on knee and touched the sand. The grains danced under his touch and out of the box there began to rise a five foot tall sand castle that towered over Sam's small body. He looked up and breathed, "Whoa."

Dean looked at it with a goofy grin and immediately ran to it. He tripped on the edge of the sand box and flew into the castle's turrets, crushing the long tower. Sam looked at his now, three sided castle and frowned.

Dean shook sand out of his hair. "Sorry Sammy…" he mumbled.

Sam picked up his spade and sniffed. "Its okay," Sam hiccupped a few times, "I can fix it…"

The Jinn pulled up a chair by the sandbox and got out a magazine to read while they played. He smiled as he looked at the teamwork the young Winchesters displayed as they tried to rebuild the missing corner of the castle. Sam easily scampered under the archways and around the columns of the wide castle as he brought Dean buckets of sand.

The Jinn flipped open his magazine with a smile, while everything was under control.

After a lopsided, crooked tower was erected Dean found a small toy dinosaur and placed it on top. "There," he announced, "now we've got a gargoyle!"

Sam looked around the sand box. Reaching into the sand he discovered a small boat. "And now we got defense for the moat!"

"BEST FORT EVER!" They yelled as they traded high fives.

Dean looked over at the see-saw. "Hey, Sam!" he pointed. "Let's go try that out!"

Sam hiccupped in agreement and they jogged over to the see-saw. After several attempts, Sam managed to balance himself on one end. The Jinn watched them carefully as Dean's counter weight almost flung Sam off several times.

He got up and walked over to them. "Hey Sammy," the Jinn helped Sam down, "are you happy?"

"Boy am I!" Sammy gave him a gap toothed grin.

The Jinn nodded and looked at Dean. "And Dean how does it feel to be young again?"

"Super dooper!" Dean gave him the thumbs up.

"Well then," the Jinn patted Sam's head, "you've got your wish. Tomorrow things will be normal. But for today-"

The Jinn looked around then back to Sam. He tapped his shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" he yelled and jogged away.

Sam shrieked in surprise and then narrowed his sights on Dean. "Oh no!" Dean smiled and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Sam waddled after Dean, looping in wide circles. The Jinn relaxed as they chased each other. He smiled to himself, as he thought of all the wishes he'd granted this month. From hookers to gold, this wish was his favorite by far.

The wide eyed innocence of Sam and Dean reminded him of time before all the violence had begun to brew in the world. What cute, harmless kids, he sighed.

The Jinn winced slightly when he saw Sam's flying tackle that brought Dean down. Oh well, he sighed, I guess even the most innocent kids are little mischievous.

He sat back down in his chair. They had more time before they had to go home.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dean woke up the next morning as the Rugrat's cartoon special finished. He didn't want to move from the warm, comfortable place he was. Then he realized his arm was slung over Sam's chest and his head was resting on Sam's shoulder. He sat bolt upright and looked at Sam. They were sitting on the couch amid candy wrappers and melting ice cream. Sam was still asleep, his mouth was open and his head tilted back as he drooled slightly. Dean stood up and looked around the motel room.

Crayon was on the wall, and small toy soldiers littered the floor. Sam awoke with snort. "Wass going on?" he murmured scratching his head. He frowned, and with a tug removed the lollipop stuck in his hair.

He looked at Dean and tilted his head. "Did we just- were we-"

Dean swallowed. "Yeah. I think we were kids."

He walked over to the fridge, looking for a strong drink. To his dismay the kitchenette was stocked with apple juice. Dean swore.

Sam stretched and yawned as he noticed on the coffee table a Polaroid picture of their misadventures.

Dean was pushing Sam on the swings, and in tiny scrawl at the bottom it said: Stay young at heart.

Dean walked over to Sam. "What you got?"

Sam showed him. They both laughed at it. Dean pushed Sam gently. "You were a cute kid."

"You were a goofy little one." Sam joked back.

They looked around the room as they laughed. They stopped laughing as they looked more clearly at the mess.

Dean jumped up. "You know what? I forgot to do some of the laundry yesterday… I'll be right back!"

As Dean fled with the dirty laundry, Sam grabbed his coat and ran outside after him. "No wait! You did it yesterday! It's my turn! Take care of the room!"

Dean looked at him seriously. "Sam, really, I should do the laundry. Don't worry about it."

Sam began to protest, but started to hiccup.

From his lamp perched precariously in the motel lobby, the Jinn peered out the glass as he silently watched the Winchesters. The Jinn laughed quietly to himself. "Some things never change. But, after all, the tonic to seriousness is stay young at heart."

With a wink he disappeared.

The End