The alarm clock's neon green numbers flashed a bright 1:55 in the dark room. Sam rolled over in one of the beds and glanced at the clock as it changed to 1:56. Aiden was sitting up in bed braiding and unbraiding her hair.
"Aiden, you need to go to bed." Sam sighed.
"I'm waiting for Dean to come back," Aiden said softly twirling her hair in her fingers.
"Di it's like two in the morning." Sam countered.
"I'm waiting. For Dean." Aiden said softly.
"Aiden..." Sam groaned.
About a half hour later Sam was dozing off when suddenly he felt a blast of cold air as Aiden lifted up his blanket and crawled into his bed.
"You ok?" Sam asked, running a hand through Aiden's hair.
"Yea." Aiden said, "Sammy? What's taking Dean so long tonight?"
"Probably just got distracted by a pretty girl Aiden, go to sleep." Sam yawned, attempting to reassure the eight year old.
Aiden was just nodding off when they heard a very familiar rumble of the impala.
Aiden's eyes flew open and she shook Sam's arm. "Sam! Sam!" She hissed.
"Aiden, get into the other bed, shut up, and pretend to be asleep." Sam whispered, giving her a push out of the bed.
"Sam. Dean still isn't back!" Aiden said as she scurried into the other bed, throwing the blankets over herself.
"I caught that Di. Now shut up." Sam said in a rush.
Then the door opened and Dad walked in dropping the weapons bag on the floor with a soft thump. He quietly counted the lumps under the covers and when he came up one short he grimaced.
"Sam." Dad growled, "Where is your brother?"
Sam feigned a yawn, "what?"
"I know damn well you heard me son, your fake yawns haven't got any better as you aged. Where's Dean?"
"Out." Sam sighed.
"I caught that Sam. Where out?" Dad asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How should I know?" Sam said snidely.
And with that Dad stalked over to Sam and landed a dozen or so swats to his pajama covered rear.
Aiden curled up into a ball in the bed, trying to drown out the sound.
"Where is Dean, Sam?" Dad asked.
And with impeccable timingthe lock on the door clicked as a very drunk Dean entered the room.
Dad looked up as Dean stumbled in.
Dean thumped down onto his and Aiden's bed. "Aide baby you all good?"
Aiden curled up tighter into a ball trying not to smell the alcohol that reeked from Dean.
"Dean..." Sam started, but was cut off by Dad.
"Dean." Dad said stalking over to his eldest, pulling him off his feet and sharply swatting the boy's butt.
"The hell man?" Dean slurred.
"You're piss drunk boy. Sleep it off." Dad sighed, settling in his chair, deciding to not make his children move tonight.
"Goodnight Dad," Sam said softly as he crawled into the bed with Aiden, deciding not to let Dean puke on their baby sister at odd hours.
Dean flopped down into the other bed, shoes and all, and was out within minutes.
The next morning Dad sent Sam and Aiden out to aquire breakfast. He was far from happy about it. Aiden was eight and Sam was fourteen and in his opinion they were both far too young to protect themselves if needed. But he needed them out. So with their knives in their boots and a gun in the small of Sam's back the children were sent to the supermarket a few blocks away.
"Dean." Dad said loudly, in a futile attempt to rouse the teenaged boy. Dad smacked his son's rear, leading him to shoot up, sitting.
"Da-" Dean started, then promptly brought his hand to his mouth.
"Go." Dad said shooing Dean off to the bathroom.
Dean knelt over the toilet, emptying the contents of his stomach. Dad leaned against the doorjam.
Dean eventually stood up, flushed the toilet which currently smelled of stale alcohol, and went to the sink to wash out his mouth.
Once Dean had gotten his footing, Dad walked into the main room, "Com'ere."
Dean trailed slowly after Dad, dreading.
Dad took off his belt, the swish of leather through denim made Dean nauesus, and then he sat on one of the chairs. Dean plopped ungracefully down on the edge of one of the beds.
"What the hell were you thinking, Dean?!" You do not leave your brother and sister alone. I've told you once I've told you a thousand times!" Dad yelled.
"Dunno." Dean mumbled.
"Exuse me?"
"I don't have a good reason sir." Dean sighed.
"Damn straight you don't." Dad growled, his voice low.
"Yes sir." Dean said, hanging his head sheepishly.
Dad patted his knee and Dean rolled his eyes. "Dean. Don't make this difficult. You're eighteen. Act like it."
"I'm eighteen Dad. I'm an adult. Why can't you treat me like one?" Dean scoffed.
"I treat you like an adult when you act like one. When you act like a child I treat you like one." Dad said. Then he patted his knee again.
Dean grimaced and rather ungracefully lowered himself over Dad's lap.
Dad picked up his belt and folded it in half, he held Dean tight around the waist. Then with a snap he brought the belt down onto Dean's jean covered rear.
"Ah! Shit! Dad!" Dean yelped.
"Watch your mouth." Dad said, bringing his belt down again, harder.
Dean bit his lip and squirmed slightly as Dad brought his belt down over and over on Dean's upturned rear.
A few minutes later, Dean lay limp over Dad's lap, silent tears flowing.
Dad shifted his knee, and delievered a dozen or so smacks to the undercurve of Dean's rear. Then he held the boy, rubbing circles on his back.
Dean slid off Dad's lap and rubbed his butt.
"Don't." Dad only had to utter a single word for Dean's hands to snap down.
"Yes sir" Dean mumbled softly as he pushed his face into his father's chest, allowing himself to be held.
"Go get a shower. I'm going to go meet Sam and Aiden at the store." Dad ran a hand through Dean's hair, "I hate doing this, Ace. You know that don't you? Nowgo clean up so we can have breakfast."
"Yeah" Dean got up and headed to the bathroom, "Hey Dad?"
"YesAce" Dad looked up as he grabbed his wallet.
"Can you get me some coffee?"
"Of course, Dean. I might be cruel but I'm sure as shit not heartless." Dad chuckled to himself as he headed out the door "Use soap boy! You stink!"