I always had a love-hate relationship with thunderstorms, when I was young they were my favorite things in the whole wide world. I loved to listen to the rain tapping on the window and the thunder rolling in the distance. I loved watching the lighting strike and the rain bounce off the street. But yet there was always something about them that I disliked, my baby brother was scared of them.

Sam and I were in a house that has been abandoned for 16 years, we would have never gone in it in the first place if we had the chance…but…unfortunately; we had to go in because there was a thunderstorm raging outside and it didn't look good.

"Sam I don't like how the weather is looking; take the supplies that we have in here and get yourself down to the basement."

"But-"

"No 'buts' I am going to go out to the car and get some blankets and I'll meet you down there in a minute okay?"

"Okay." He said quietly.

I ran out to the impala and opened up the trunk, there were – of course – all of our weapons but then in the small space beside them we had some blankets. I grabbed them and ran back into the house and down the stairs.

Sam was standing in the corner with his eyes closed – trying to control his breathing by the looks of it.

"Sam? You okay?"

"Yeah – yeah I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," I said while handing him a blanket, he spread it out and took a seat on the moist floor, I spread out my own blanket next to his and sat next to him. "is it the thunder?"

Sam nodded his head, and then pretty much out of nowhere a clap of thunder sounded. Sam jumped then put his hands over his ears and shut his eyes tight.

"Hey Sammy, it's okay, it's just thunder." I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and he kind of relaxed a little, not much, but enough so that I wasn't really worried about him.

"I thought I would be over thunderstorms by now." Sam said quietly

"Well, sometimes fears stick with us for a long time; I mean I'm still afraid of flying."

"Yeah but a lot of adults have that problem. How many adults do you know that are afraid of clowns and thunderstorms?"

"Just one."

Sam scoffed.

"But," I emphasized, "I love him all the same, it's okay to be scared of things."

"I still don't like it."

"You don't have to, just try to get some sleep Sam, we have a long drive ahead." He laid his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes; he was starting to fall asleep.

"Good night Sammy."

Everything that's happening tonight is reminding me of my teen years, and of course, the first time I found out that Sam was scared of thunder.

Flashback

I was sitting in my room listening to the rain and thunder until I heard a scream coming from my little brother's room.

I ran in and saw Sam sitting in the corner, knees to his chest arms wrapped around himself. I walked over to him and asked,

"Sammy, what's wrong?" he looked up at me then he shot his arms around my waist and buried his head into my shoulder.

"Sam?" I asked again as I wrapped my arms around the 12 year old.

"I-I hate thunderstorms." He said in an almost inaudible voice.

"Why do you hate them?" I asked as he let me go.

"Dad's out there, what if he doesn't come back?" Sam said a bit louder.

"Sam, Dad will come back he always does."

"But what if he doesn't"

"Then you will still have me, it's my job to take care of my pain in the ass little brother isn't it?"

Sam nodded.

"Then come on, you need to get to bed. It's getting late."

Sam climbed into his bed and pulled the covers up over him. Another clap of thunder then he was completely underneath the covers in an instant with his hands over his ears.

"Sammy?" I chuckled and pulled the covers from over his head.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" I asked him.

Sam nodded again.

I let him get settled then I got myself into the bed next to him. He laid his head on my chest and started to close his eyes.

"Dean?" He asked.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime Sammy, I'll always protect you from the thunder."

End of Flashback