NOT A SUPERHERO

The teacher stood at the front of the room clapping her hands to get the class's attention. 'Okay kids now you're going to read out what you wrote for your homework. Remember it was about anything you liked or admired.' Throughout the little class, groans rebounded in waves. 'Toby, how about you go first.' She said sitting down to watch the young boy with bright red hair stand up and begrudgingly walk to the front.

He stood there for a couple of seconds before he began to talk. 'I don't have a paper with me...my dog ate it?' He tried wincing as he said the foreign words. He looked across at his friends who had buried their faces in their hands.

The teacher told Toby to sit down. 'I don't tolerate lying in class, and that excuse has been done to death...tomorrow alright?' Finally reaching his seat the young boy nodded. 'Anyone like to go next?' She peered among the faces. In her peripheral vision a hand shot up. Turning her head she saw Sam Winchester straining himself, sticking out his tongue and waving his hand up and down in the air like a mad man.

'Can I go miss, please?' The little boy added, forcing his voice to go a bit high pitched. When nothing happened he used his eyes. Making them look all big and glassy on his otherwise expressionless face. The teacher caved and called him up. Sam stood in front of his class holding out his piece of paper. The teacher motioned to for him to start and he did. His hands were shaking with excitement and he continued to bounce upon the balls of his feet. 'Good morning class. Today I'm going to tell you about my superhero...' There were sniggers in the class at Sam's phrasing but the five year old took no notice and continued to talk. '...my big brother Dean.'

'Can he fly?' One child asked.

Sam scrunched his face up in thought, 'No.'

'Does he have laser vision?'

'No.'

'Then how can he be a superhero?'

Sam looked down at his piece of paper. His hands had stopped trembling but his smile disappeared from his face. The teacher berated the kids who had asked questions. She asked Sam if he wanted to continue. Weakly he nodded his head and read over what he had written. Mulling it over his smile gradually crept back into his chubby little face. 'He saves my life and my dads!' He said excitedly. 'Dean makes sure that nothing bad ever happens to me. He checks my bed for monster and scary things.' The kids awed over this because all of them were quite terrified of the bogeyman that lived in their closest, and no amount of parental assurance was going to convince them that nothing was hiding there at night. 'He makes me lunches so I don't starve and die...'

'Alright Sam, I know you're really proud of what you did but class is nearly over. So we have to stop.' The teacher said glancing up at the clock. Sam gave no intention of stopping. 'You did well.' She told him before he departed into the corridor.

After class he raced out and saw Dean leaning on the fence of their school. 'Dean! Dean! Dean!' Sam screamed finally coming to a stop before crashing into his big brother. 'Dean, today I read a story and everyone liked it including the teacher, but I didn't finish it because we had to pack up and leave.' His brown hair was sticking at odd angles and his backpack was half unzipped, forgotten in the rush to get to Dean.

'Hiya Sammy. Where's my hug?' Dean asked hurt.

Sam launched himself into Dean's stomach and wrapped his arms around him.

'So...when can I read this story?' Dean asked as they walked through the front gate and back home to the motel room that they were staying at.

'I can give it to you but you can't read it.'

'What?' Dean said unsurely.

'I'll give it to you but you have to promise not to read it, not until I tell you.' Sam's face scrunched up in determination.

'Why?'

'You don't need it yet.' Sam said, he believed that it was a good enough reason.

'I promise.' Dean said crossing his heart with his fingers. Sam looked at him unsurely and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Dean placed one hand out in the middle of the air his palm turned outwards like how in court the witnesses had to swear the truth on the bible. But of course Dean didn't have a bible, so he placed his hand on Sam's head. Not as massly produced...but just as sacred. 'I, Dean Winchester, promise my little brother Sam Winchester, that I will not read his story until he tells me to. It may take days, weeks, months, or years, but I promise to not read it without his permission.' Removing his hands from there current positions he shoved his hands into his pockets. 'Okay?'

Sam grinned and nodded his head turning into the doorway of their motel...

?_?

A different scene played out nineteen years later. Sam lied on the floor, a pool of his own blood surrounding him. Dean rushed from one side of the room to the other grabbing towels and anything else that could stop the bleeding. 'Dean,' Sam rasped.

'Stupid, crazy spirit.' Dean muttered coming to rest on his knees. He put the towels over Sam's wounds, but they were to numerous to count. 'You're going to be all good Sammy. Everything is going to be fine.' He reassured Sam.

'That's bull Dean. You know it and so do I.' Sam laughed slowly. Suddenly his expression turned stotic and his memory flicked back to the promise. 'Dean read it.'

'Read what Sam.' He said stroking his brother's blood stained hair.

'My story, the one...that you...promised on my...head.' Sam said breathing harder now to finish his sentences. 'I...want to hear...it.'

Dean reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Thumbing through loose sheet, cash and pictures he finally found what he was looking for. 'Nineteen years is a long time to make a guy wait.' Sam smiled and closed his eyes gently. 'Hey, hey, hey, you can't do that yet!' Dean said.

'Jerk,' Sam opened his eyes, stunned for a moment but rested when he saw Dean green filled-with-panic eyes hover above him.

'Bitch.' Dean stared at the unwrinkled piece of paper. Just like he promised all those years ago, he never read Sam's story, just kept it in his wallet until Sam decided it was time. The edges were creased and the paper had weathered from age and moisture. Opening it up, he saw Sam's large scrawl covering the paper. 'My Superhero.' Dean said reading the title. 'Dad would've loved this Sam.'

'Not about dad,' Sam said as Dean moved him so he could see what he had written all those years ago, 'It's about you.'

'I'm just your big brother.' Dean looked down at Sam's face in surprise. Sam wasn't going to say anything; he just stared at his feet. Clearing his throat Dean began to read.

'He saves my life and my dad's. Dean makes sure that nothing bad ever happens to me. He checks my bed for monster and scary things and even stay with me until I fall asleep. Sometimes he sings me to sleep but when he can't remember words he goes, 'dadada...teapot and another thing covered in pie...' it's really funny and then I laugh and can't stop. I think I like it when Dean won't sing because he sings his rock music and they yell a lot.'

Dean smiled a bit, 'I never sang 'dadada...teapot and another thing covered in pie.'

'You did and you know it.' His breathing had evened out and he spoke softly. 'You did it every night.'

'He makes me lunches so I don't starve, and he even buys me ice cream when I ask for it. I don't ask for it a lot though. He doesn't like to read and he doesn't like school, but he goes because I go. My mom died was I was a baby and I don't remember her. Dean still remembers her, she said that she smelt like coconut cake and had blond hair. He said that it looked like a halo. When I go to sleep he tells me that mom is watching over us. Sometimes I wonder if daddy tells him that.'

'I didn't need to be told.' Sam glanced up at him in content.

'My dad works a lot and I don't know what he does, but Dean told me that he's a superhero, he fight bad things and saves peoples lives. Dad might be Dean's superhero but Dean is my superhero. We don't have a lot of money but Dean always gets me little things. He got me a little toy car that goes on a cord so I can take it anywhere I want to.'

'What happened to it?' Dean asked remembering the bright red little toy that had been attached to a deep purple string. Sam shuffled under Dean's grasp reaching into one of his many pockets. Groaning in agony, he finally located what he was looking for. On a deep purple string hung a red little car. There were scratch marks and the string was frayed in places but it was there. Wound around Sam's hand was Dean's little present. Dean gulped and stared at the old object.

'Still safe. My good luck charm...hung it around my neck...when I took my SAT'S, my friends gave me so much crap about it.' Sam said wincing as he placed the treasured item over his neck.

'Dean checks over my homework, and sometimes dad does it to. Dean is the smartest, bestest big brother in the world. He's really cool and likes girls, but daddy said that he was too young to do that. He said not to be like Dean in that way.'

Dean reread the second sentence. 'I don't think bestest is a word. Is it?' He question looking down.

'Shut up, I was five.' Sam pouted. A coughing fit grabbed Sam's throat. He sat up trying to clear the blood that was slowly filling his lungs.

'Whoa, take it easy.' Dean said dropping the story and holding Sam up. Finally the coughing subsided and he asked Dean to continue reading.

'Dean is really good when it comes to cars as well. He can name all of daddy's tools. Daddy owns an Impala and says that Dean gets to have it when he finishes school. I asked Dean if I could drive it and he said no. The Impala was his and if I damaged it, I would be sorry. I don't think Dean was joking when he said that.'

Dean turned his gaze out to the window where the Impala was parked. He didn't have time to take Sam to the hospital, the extent of his injuries was too great for repair and both of them knew it. 'Damn straight you would be sorry.' Dean grinned at Sam. Briefly Sam closed his eyes. 'Sam, not yet, I haven't finished.' Dean said patting Sam's cheek.

'M'still 'ere,' Sam said disjointedly, shifting his feet a little.

'He's also brave and strong. He isn't scared of anything, when we watch scary movies he always laughs like it's a joke. I think he's crazy. He's strong. Not like a big man, but with his mind. He doesn't cry because he says crying is for wimps. I think that Dean is really sad when he thinks about mom, but he won't cry because he doesn't want to scare me.'

Reading this made Dean tear up, Sam nodded his head gently, it was okay for him to let his emotions out, Sam wasn't scared. 'Sam...you were wrong, I was scared, and I still am Sammy.' Dean's voice hitched. 'I was scared of everything Sam, you getting hurt, you getting taken, Dad not coming back. Now I'm scared...how am I going to cope...alone in this God forsaken world?' Dean's tears fell onto Sam's forehead. 'Sorry,' he said clearing his throat and wiping away some of the tears. 'I'm crying on you.' Dean moved to wipe Sam's forehead but Sam gave a little shake of the head. 'Okay,' Dean snapped his head to the paper. 'Still reading.'

'I love Dean a lot, and sometimes I wish that he wouldn't act so brave, it would make it easier for me to be like him. Dean is my superhero and when I grow up I want to be just like him. I want to have the same, job, the same clothes and even the same car.'

Dean looked at the page and then turned it around. 'It's finished.' Sam observed when he heard nothing but Dean's sniffling.

'Why did you make me wait?'

Sam pondered the question, 'You didn't...need it...then. I was around...to make sure...you knew and that you...were okay. I'm not going to be...here anymore, and I know...you Dean. You need this.' He said weakly as more of the space in his lungs filled up with blood. 'M'sleepy Dean,' Sam murmured, pushing down a hacking fit.

'It's okay Sam, let it out.' Dean managed to croak out. Sam leaned forward with Dean's support. A trickle of blood made its way down the side of his mouth. 'I promised remember, I put my hand on your head.' Sam moved his hand around until it connected with Dean's wrist. He traced his fingers down Dean's hand until felt Dean's ring. 'That's right Sammy, you gave that to me.' Dean nodded staring at the silver ring that was now stained with Sam's blood. He clasped Sam's clammy hand in his own, interlocking their fingers together.

'Dean.' Sam breathed out slowly. His chest stopped rising and falling. His eyes closed and didn't move from underneath his eyes lids.

Dean dropped the sheet of paper and cradled Sam in his arms. Bowing his head down he let his silent tears mingle with his brother's blood. He wasn't a superhero. He was just a man.

AN: Anyways, please review, I killed Dean in one of my other fics and I thought that it would only be fair to kill Sam in this one. With all the crap Sam's getting from my fics I thought a sweet sorta peaceful send off would be nice. Please review...I think I'm addicted to them. Luv Scare.