Sam is 10 / Dean is fourteen
Sam was ten years old, and John was drunk. Dean was cleaning weapons in the other room in the small apartment they were renting at the time. Sam was upset because he had a few great friends here and John had told them that they were going to be taking off as soon as the boys finished school for the year; which would be in two weeks.
John had stumbled through the door about twenty minutes ago, drunk off his ass and drowning of the guilt of a recently failed hunt, leaving a small family motherless. It hit close to home for all of them, especially Dean and John. Sam wasn't as upset about it; as he had never had a mother so it didn't affect him as much, though he wished it did.
"Sam!" John called from where he sat on the couch. Dean briefly glanced up from the gun he was polishing to see Sam sigh and get up from the desk he had been sitting at to do his homework.
"Yeah dad?" Sam asked with a bit of a frown. He really didn't want to deal with a drunken dad right now; he still had some homework he needed to get done before doing his chores.
His father shifted on the couch, dropping a beer bottle onto the floor as he spoke with a gruff voice, "You do your chores yet?"
Dean could sense a fight coming on already. John knew Sam didn't do his chores until after his homework; the man only asked questions like that when he wanted to get into a fight. Sam knew what was happing and wanted to try to stay out of a fight, but he was already irritated with the fact that John was drunk again. Sam pursed his lips, "I'm going to do them when I'm done with my homework."
"Why haven't you done them yet?"
"Because I didn't get home until almost five o'clock today, and I've been doing homework since then," Sam explained calmly. "I'd like to finish my homework before doing my chores."
John's nostrils flared, "So you're making Dean clean the weapons himself."
"No," Sam said. Dean always cleaned the weapons by himself, John should know that by now. "But you could help him," Sam immediately knew it was the wrong move, and took a step back when John abruptly stood, towering over the child.
"Go do your chores, now," John growled.
Sam glared up at the man, his attitude changing completely, "No, I need to finish my homework."
"Did you just say no to me?" His father slurred, his breath smelling like alcohol.
Sam saw Dean stand up in the kitchen, ready to intervene if needed, but knowing to stay back for now. Trying to stand taller, because even though he was tall for his age, John was still taller, Sam looked his father in the eyes with defiance. "Yes, I did."
John made a sound of angry in the back of his throat and clenched and unclenched his fists, then in a swift motion grabbed Sam's shoulder's and pushed him to the floor, the boy's head hitting the coffee table while John shouted, "Don't talk back to me!"
"Hey!" Dean was next to Sam in seconds, curling over him protectively while glaring at their father. Sam lay still beneath him, his head spinning and his mouth open in shock. John had never laid a hand on him before, drunk nor sober; the man knew better than to do so.
Sam could hear Dean yelling at John, but he wasn't focused enough to understand what they were saying. Next thing he knew, John was kneeling down next to Sam, the man's eyes brimming with tears, apologies spilling from his mouth.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Sammy, I'm sorrysorrysorry," John sobbed, gently pulling Sam into his arms after Dean hesitantly let go of him. "I won't do it again, okay?"
Sam nodded, hoping it was true. The back of his pounded from where it hit against the table. For now, he believed John. But somewhere in the back of his brain, he knew all too well that this would happen again, it was only a matter of time.
I do not own Supernatural... unfortunately... XP
I do NOT support child abuse in any way, from verbal, to emotional, to physical; it is wrong.