They met when they were five,Sioux Falls 2002 in Mrs. Manter's Kindergarten class. Mrs. Manter's had left the room only to return with a little boy with bright blond hair. Nick hadn't even looked up until the boy had sat down at his table. The brunet glanced up before going back to doing his assignment, drawing a family picture. Red lights should have gone off when Nick glanced at the new kid's picture. A car and what he assumed were two men with another one standing next to a truck. He watched as the new kid got scolded for his drawing. The next day the new kid showed up late. Again he was scolded and was sent to time out. Nick felt bad but at the same time he was glad it wasn't him.
Two weeks had passed and the new kid, who's name Nick had finally found out was Jeff, was still a loner. He shied away from anyone talking to him, only talking when he was asked something. Nick had found out that Jeff was pretty smart although he didn't say much. Nick found Jeff odd, that's probably the reason why he felt so compelled to befriend the blond.
He walked to where the blond sat on the steps after school, both boys waiting for their ride home. Jeff glanced at him then back at all the other kids playing. Nick sat and stayed quiet.
"I'm Nick." He couldn't deal with the silent anymore. "How come you like to be alone?"
Jeff shrugged. "I miss my daddy."
"Where is he?"
"Working. He left me with my Grandpa for school."
Nick nodded and felt even worse for the boy. He would miss his daddy too. "I'm sorry."
Jeff nodded before his eyes brightened a bit. "I'm Jeff though. It's nice to officially meet you Nick." Jeff smiled as he held his hand out for Nick to shake. Nick shook it like he had seen his dad do to all his friends. He smiled at the thought of Jeff as his friend. "You waiting for your grandpa now?"
Jeff nodded. "He's busy reading sometimes so I wait until he gets me."
"My mom is late sometimes too…you hungry. I have a fruit rollup." Nick quickly searched his backpack for the snack. Once he found it he opened it and tore it in half, handing a piece to Jeff. Jeff took it with a thank you and started to eat it piece by piece. They feel into a comfortable silence, finding comfort in each other's presence. Soon Nick's mother drove up at Nick hugged Jeff goodbye before getting in the car and going home.
Jeff sighed as Nick left. He pulled his knees to his chest and hid his face. He silently cried as the afternoon dragged on. His cries turned into sobs as more kids were picked up and he was left alone. He wiped his eyes and stood from the steps. He wanted his daddy more and more with each passing minute. He started to walk down the sidewalk in the direction he thought Bobby's house was.
Dean stepped on the gas even more. He had been thirty minutes out of Sioux Falls when Bobby had called and said he was called out on an important hunt. Meaning no one would be able to pick Jeff up right after school. Now Dean was speeding down the highway towards the school. Sam kept telling him to slow down but Dean wouldn't have it. His son was alone and Dean had been gone far too long from the boy.
He quickly turned into the school and all but jumped out of the car. He looked around but didn't see Jeff anywhere. "Jeff!" Sam yelled as he looked around. Dean ran up to the school doors, cursing when he found them locked. "Dean he's not here. Maybe Bobby did pick him up after all."
"Get in the car." Dean ordered as he got back in the impala and sped down the street back to the highway that would lead them to Bobby's. Horrible thoughts wracked his brain. The image of monsters getting his baby was tearing at his heart. He cursed himself for leaving Jeff in the first place. He had promised himself he wouldn't be John but clearly he was turning into his father. He was deep in thought when Sam told him to stop the car. Dean hit the brakes as Sam grabbed his arm. "Sam what the hell?!" His only response was his brother getting out of the car and walking to a tree stump Dean had passed. He pulled the car over and got out himself, running over to his brother and picking up Jeff and hugging him close. He put Jeff back down on the ground, crouching down so they were at eye level. "Don't you ever do the again. Do you heat me?!" His voice cracked and he pulled Jeff close again as the boy nodded. "Sorry daddy." Was the only response he got. Dean calmed himself down before motioning for Sam to drive and getting in the backseat of the Impala. He had no plans of letting Jeff go.
Nick and Jeff became inseparable after that one afternoon. They spent ever recess together and when one of their parents was late, they stayed to keep each other company. Their parent's had come to accept the friendship and afternoon arrangement. Dean had been happy Jeff had made a friend so he was happy to comply with the arrangement. Once he was happy that Nick wasn't a monster that is. More than once he had sent Jeff to school with holy water in his lunchbox.
It was the middle of summer when things changed. Jeff was allowed to accompany his dad on one of his many trips. He didn't know what kind of work his father did but he didn't care. He was content with living off fast food and sleeping in motel rooms or in the back of the impala. Watching cartoons as his dad and grandpa John would go out and work, leaving him with his uncle Sammy. He missed Nick ad Bobby but he liked being with his family and seeing all the new towns. Even at five Jeff was smarter than normal five year olds. He knew something was up ever since Grandpa John had met them at the beginning of the summer. His uncle had seemed off and his dad was constantly taking him out for ice cream and burgers.
There was one night where his dad didn't get a warning. It was after a night of him and John being gone. Jeff had been asleep. He woke up when he heard the yelling. He wiped at his tired eyes and looked at his grandpa and uncle yelling, Dean trying to make them stop. "If you walk out that door, don't you ever come back." John yelled at Sam. Jeff watched Sam falter before grabbing his stuff and walking out the door. "Dad…" "Save it Dean or you can join him."
"Daddy?" Jeff said tiredly. Both men turned to look at him, one with Sadness the other with something that looked like regret. "I don't know why you drag him along Dean. You should consider what we talked about." Jeff watched John leave and Dean then pulled him into his arms. "Come on bud. Let's get you to bed." Jeff laid his head on his father's shoulder, falling asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
Things changed. Jeff was left alone often crying himself to sleep from fear. He would be awakened by his grandpa scolding his dad and then his dad climbing into the bed with him.
Summer came to an end and Jeff was taken back to Bobby's. He didn't want to go but the thought of Nick, and his dad promising to pick him up, subsided his fears. First grade was different from Kindergarten. Nick was again in his class and the two returned to their inseparable friendship. The afternoon arrangement started up again and everything was nice.
It was a Tuesday afternoon. Clouds had been hanging around all day, the rain just now starting to pour down. Nick had a doctor's appointment so Jeff was all alone. He waited for the Impala to come into view, but it never did. Instead Bobby's beat up mustang pulled up. Jeff slowly walked to the car and got in. Bobby gave him a sad smile and tried to explain why Dean hadn't shown. Jeff just shrugged and as soon as he was home, went up to his room and did his homework. He cried himself to sleep that night. Only falling asleep when a man in a trench coat assured him his dad would be home soon.
Jeff learned to not talk about the trench coat man. Bobby had gone pale and then had gone around covering the place in salt. Nick said that people went crazy with some words. He told Jeff about his mom washing his mouth with soap because he had called his aunt a bitch. The two boys came to the conclusion that Jeff had been dreaming and that no one had been in his room that night and that Bobby had just had an episode as Nick called it.
The school year passed and there had been no visit from Dean. Bobby did his best to be at every school play and anything Jeff was involved with. He taught him to be a kid. Something he'd tried to teach Dean and Sam. Sometimes he'd take Jeff and Nick down to the park and they'd all play catch. It brought back memories from years past. It seemed more likely every day that John had finally gotten Dean to leave the boy. Bobby remembered when Dean had told John that he had gotten that girl pregnant. He had never seen John so angry. From the start John told Dean to bail but Bobby knew Dean would never. So when Jeff was born, Bobby accepted the youngster into the family. Dean had only been eighteen but he had been a great dad until now.