Summary: Some scars are external while others are carried forever inside. It's 1992 and something is about to happen to the Winchesters that will change their world forever, even if it's not apparent for many years to come. Hurt John with Dean and Sammy angst.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

John didn't like it. Sammy had had his cold now for over a week and it didn't seem to be going away. Dean did his best to try and keep the 9 year old occupied but even he was at his wits end trying to entertain his little brother. Worse yet were the endless days of cold wet weather they were currently having. John had already pushed his hunt back a few days waiting for the weather to clear up and each day it rained made him more anxious to get it done and over with.

Their research was just about done. Their weapons were ready. Damn it if the sky would just cooperate and give them a break from all this stupid rain.

John was in a foul mood once again.

Once again he turned on the local news and watched for the weather forecasts. Sure the one year Colorado wasn't in a drought situation was the one year he needed to dispatch a spirit at a campground in Colorado State Park. Lady Luck was sure being a bitch and one day he was determined to get her back. He checked the skies once more time before returning to clean and load his weapons for the millionth time.

Dean alternated between keeping his brother occupied and keeping his father from chucking it all and heading off into the storm.

"Dad, you won't be able to light the bones if they're all wet now will you?" He asked logically when John said 'screw it lets get going'.

John just muttered some obscenity and went back to his research. Dean rolled his eyes and turned to find his brother wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Jesus, Sammy that's disgusting." Dean said swatting Sammy's sleeve away from his face.

"We're out of Kleenex Dean." Sammy said with a stuffed nose and a scratchy throat.

"I know, here just use this. Dad will go to the store later I promise" Dean said grabbing the last roll of toilet paper for the 9 year old to use to wipe his nose. Sammy looked up at Dean with appreciation before sneezing and wiping his nose again.

"Dad we need to go to the store, Sammy here needs some more medicine." Dean said a little while later, when Sammy went back to lie down. "Plus were out of Kleenex."

"Can't it wait I'm busy." John answered without taking is eyes off the book he was reading.

"He's using toilet paper and that was our last roll." Dean figured if it was going to inconvenience his father he might get him to forgo the research for a moment and take them to the store.

"Damn it." John muttered. He looked up at Dean and shook his head. "This damn cold of his, I wish to hell it would get better."

"Yeah, well so does Sammy, Dad. It's not really fun for him either." Dean said sarcastically, sitting down next to his father and looking over the open book John had just been reading. John looked at Dean, giving him a dirty look for being flippant, but then nodded in agreement.

"I thought he was getting better." John asked looking back to the bedroom the boys were sharing.

"He was, but we ran out of cold medicine yesterday and now we're out of tissues." Dean said knowing he was on John's last nerve about the Kleenex.

"If I give you some money, will you drive down to that little gas station and get something for him?" John asked before realizing what he just asked for.

"Ummmm Dad I'm only 13," Dean sat up eagerly. "But hey if you want me to drive the Impala, I'll give it a try."

"Nice try Tiger." John said giving Dean a smile. True Dean did know who to drive the car but still, he was only 13. "You stay here, I'll go down and get Sammy some medicine. We need anything else while I'm down there?"

"Um well we could use some more bread, and lunch meat." Dean said heading to the fridge and looking inside. "Maybe some juice or Gatorade for Sammy."

"Get some more Lucky Charms, Dad." Sammy called out from his bedroom, clearly listening in to John and Dean's conversation.

"Lucky Charms." John muttered with a smile as he wrote down the brief list. "Anything else?"

"Pizza, and chocolate milk." Sammy called out again before starting to cough again.

"You're pushing it kiddo." John called back to him. He put the list in his pocket and went into the cupboard where they kept the extra cash.

"We're getting kinda low, Dad." Dean said as he watched John take out a $10 dollar bill.

"I know Tiger, but as soon as we finish up here we can move on and I can get a job somewhere." John said acknowledging their dwindling funds.

"Yes sir." Dean answered knowing his father would try his best.

A short time later John returned with a small bag in tow. Setting it on the table, Dean reached in and started unpacking it. Pulling out the cold medicine he noticed it was for grown ups and not for kids.

"Hey Dad, I don't know if Sammy can take this." he said holding up the bottle and reading the instructions.

"I know Dean but it was all they had and I had to get your brother something. I figure we'll just halve the dosage and he'll be fine." John knew it wasn't the perfect solution but it was the best he could do given the limited supplies the little gas station had.

Just then Sammy came running out when he heard his father enter the kitchen.

"What you bring me? What you bring me?" Sammy shouted, dancing around the kitchen table. Dean held up the box of Kleenex and the bottle of cold medicine. Disappointed but undaunted, Sammy grabbed the paper bag and looked inside. "Hey you got Captain Crunch instead."

"Sorry Sammy, they were out of Lucky Charms, but keep looking, there's something else in there for you ." John said giving Dean a wink. Sammy reached inside the bag and gleefully pulled out a pint size carton of chocolate milk.

"All right… chocolate milk!" Sammy said opening it up immediately and drinking it down with one big gulp. Looking back at Dean, he realized his brother hadn't gotten any and was immediately sorry he had been so greedy with it. "Dean, I'm sorry, I should've shared it with you."

"It's alright dude, Dad already gave me mine." Dean lied not wanting his little brother to feel bad. "I did the same thing with mine Sammy, really I did."

Sammy looked at Dean suspiciously and then at his father. John couldn't look Sammy in the eye but Dean looked so sincere Sammy couldn't help but want to believe him.

"Sure Dean." Sammy said pulling the cereal box open. "Here, I'll let you have the prize instead."

"What ever dude, you'll only end up with it anyways." Dean said giving Sammy his big brother smile.

"Here listen, let's get some of this medicine into you." John said undoing the medicine bottle and pouring some into the little cup. Sammy took the offered cup and winced when he tasted the flavor of the medicine. Making a funny face he handed the cup back to John who rinsed it out and put it back on the bottle.

"All right Sammy, back to bed." John said taking Sammy by the shoulders and gently turning him around to face their bedroom.

"But Dad….." Sammy started to argue.

"No buts, back to bed." John said sternly but then gave him a smile. "Sweet dreams kiddo"

"Good night Dad, good night Dean." Sammy said running over to both of them and giving them each a quick hug. John hug Sammy back with the sad knowledge that soon his youngest son would be getting to that age where he wouldn't want to hug his father anymore. Dean still gave his brother hugs but with John, Dean had stopped years ago. John gave a quick glance at his oldest son and wondered when Dean had crossed the line between innocent child and jaded teen. Sadly John already knew that answer. Without a word he patted Dean on the shoulder and went back to continue his research.

The next morning John woke up early and was pleasantly surprised to see the rain had let up, if only temporarily. After waking both boys, the trio loaded up the Impala and soon they were on their way up the mountainside to the coordinates inside the State park. When John figured they were near enough to the campsite he pulled over and parked the car. He looked up at the sky and swore out loud when he saw more storm clouds heading their way. The three of them stood behind the car unloading equipment when Sammy started to cough and sneeze again.

"Sorry Dad." Sammy apologized wiping his nose on his sleeve again.

"Did you take your medicine before we left Sammy?" John asked as he pulled out two shovels and set them next to the bumper.

"We left in such a hurry, Dad, I didn't get a chance to give him any but I did remember to grab the bottle." Dean answered cursing himself for forgetting to give Sammy his medicine in all the commotion of getting ready. He pulled the bottle from his pocket and handed it over to John. John sighed as he took the bottle and unscrewed the cap.

"Sammy, I don't know, you still seem pretty sick. How about you stay here with the car and rest while Dean and I go take care of business?" John said after handing Sammy the little cup half full of medicine. Sammy was about to protest but stopped as soon as he saw the look on his fathers face.

"Okay Dad." he mumble, disappointed. True the weather was about to turn crappy again and true he really wasn't feeling all that great but who didn't love watching some dead guy get his bones torched. Here he was about to miss out on the best part of the hunt again.

"Don't worry kiddo, you can toss the match on the next one." Dean said coming around and patting Sammy on the back.

"Yeah right, that's what you said the last time Dean." Sammy said looking down at the mud at his feet.

"Alright Sammy, back in the car." John said as he opened the door to the back seat. Tossing the medicine bottle in the front, John turned and waited for Sammy to get inside. Dejected Sammy reluctantly climbed in and immediately started to sulk in the back seat.

"Dean's right, you can get the next one Sammy, I promise. Now keep the doors locked and don't open them up for anybody " John said leaning down into the car. Not waiting for a reaction he closed the door and went back to grab their equipment. Sammy turned and watched them head into the forest and yawned as the medicine started taking effect. He sat back and continued to sulk until his eyelids began to droop and he drifted off to sleep.

A couple of hours later he woke up to hear pouring rain hitting the roof of the car. Looking around he couldn't see neither his father nor his brother and knew his father had to be pissed that it had started raining again. His nose started running again so he leaned up over the front seat and grabbed the bottle of medicine he knew John had thrown up there. The little cap fell off immediately and rolled under the dashboard much to Sammy's exasperation.

"Damn it." Sammy cursed then quickly looked around convinced that somehow his father would have heard him. "I guess if I just take a little swig it will be okay."

He undid the bottle and took a short sip. A few minutes later his head started swimming as the new medicine start to take effect. Trees that were blowing in the wind started to look dark and ominous and strange sounds started coming from the forest. Leaning back over the front seat, he popped the glove box open and took out the loaded .22 that John kept inside for extra protection. Hearing more noises he got out on the drivers side and looked around in the pouring rain, the gun pointed outward. Convinced that there was something out there, he climbed back inside, locked the door, and kept the gun in front of him.

Suddenly without warning, something big and black was at the side of the car, trying to get in. Sammy let out a blood curdling scream, pointed the gun at the window, and pulled the trigger.

Tbc