Sam, Now
May 2nd, 1983.
Lawrence, Kansas.
They'd picked his name out long before they'd even had an inkling that it would be a boy, they'd done that with their eldest child, Dean, as well. Though John Winchester would never admitted it, he often found himself wondering if Mary could sense the baby's gender once she found out she was pregnant...
It was a cool spring afternoon in the early month of May when Mary Winchester found herself confronted by her four-year-old son, Dean. Sometimes she found it hard to see his smiling face over her wide producing belly and so more then once she caught herself stepping back and looking down at him.
Huge green eyes peered up at her curiously, while he was sipping milk through a bendy straw in his big boy cup. Every now and again he'd blow a few bubbles out of the straw and smile happily to himself. They were both standing in the kitchen together of their cozy home in Lawrence, Kansas.
"Dean," Mary prompted gently, her voice sweet like honey, and soft like clouds. "Who's the baby?"
"Sam," Dean told her proudly, his small hand reaching up to touch his mommy's tummy. "Sam, now." He gave her the biggest grin, and with his other hand placed his half empty cup on the floor.
"That's right," she said nodding, resting a hand on top of Dean's. "Sammy's going to be your baby brother, and what's that going to make you...?"
"Big... brother!" he cried happily, pulling his hand back and clapping them with excitement. "Big brother Dean!"
"And don't ever forget it," a rough voice said from behind them. Both turned towards the kitchen door and standing in the doorway was -
"DADDY!" Dean exclaimed, running forward into his dads open arms. The older man scooped the young boy up and held him close, ruffling his hair with a free hand.
"Hey Dean," he greeted with a grin, and then his eyes fell on Mary and like so many times before, a huge smile spread across his lips and his eyes seemed to light up. "Hi Mary."
"John," Mary greeted in return a smile also appearing on her lips. She waddled over to him, her hand pressed against her stomach as she did so. Still grinning from ear to ear she leaned up and kissed his cheek, Dean's arm reaching out and gently wrapping around his mom's shoulder.
"Hey buddy?" John began looking from Mary to Dean and turning the boys attention back to him. "Do you know what I was thinking on the way home from work?" The young boy shook his head, looking expectantly at his dad.
"Well I was thinking that today, would be a nice day to go to the park, just you and me, what'dya say?" he asked him, noticing the huge gleam in his sons eyes get brighter. "We could toss around the football if you want too? Or play a little catch with the baseball?"
"Catch!" Dean squealed with excitement. "Play catch!"
John's eyes went to Mary to see if she was all right with this, but his face changed when he saw her half doubled over near the kitchen counter. A shaky arm was holding her up, a hand pressed tightly to her stomach.
"John!" she cried, falling to her knees, and looking up at her husband. "The baby. Sam's coming."
Dean's eyes were wide as his father placed him on his feet and ran over to help his mom up and out to the car. He stayed still, almost frozen in shock from what was happening. It wasn't until he heard the sound of the front door opening, and the car door being shut that he finally started to walk, little steps towards the kitchen doorway. His dad met him before he even made it there, took him into his arms and held him close as his father started for the door.
"Sam... now?" Dean asked, his voice small and almost sounding frightened.
"Yes Dean, Sam's coming now," his father said once he was placed in the back seat, and buckled in...
The ride to the hospital became a huge blur for Dean, and to add on to that, the waiting process was even worse. The noise that came over the intercom startled him and more then once he found himself having the urge to get up.
His mom and dad had disappeared into another room, where he was told to wait outside, at least until the baby was born. But Dean couldn't do that, he needed to get up and move, wanted to go inside the room to see for himself that Sam was indeed coming now.
Moving towards the door he reached his hand up for the knob and was about to turn it, when it turned from the inside, and four-year-old Dean jumped back startled.
"DEAN!" John cried, sounding excited and shocked to see him there, right outside the door. "Dean, Sam's here! Your baby brother is here." Arms reached down and pulled Dean into a hug, bringing him close and holding him tight.
"Come see him," said a tired voice from inside the room. "Come here Dean and see Sam."
Dean was let down from his dads embrace and moved slowly into the room, glancing up at his moms tired and warn face, to the small bundle in her arms. He moved onto a chair that was beside her bed, and peaked over her arm to look down at the sleeping baby.
"Do you – do you want to hold him Dean?" Mary asked her oldest son, a smile on her face. "Go ahead, its alright." She coaxed him, as he looked nervously up at her and then back down at his baby brother.
The exchange was slow, but once Dean had his baby brother in his arms, he was finally smiling, and feeling sure of himself. John moved over to stand on the other side of the bed, watching Dean and Sam carefully, while his hand rested in Mary's.
"Sam, now," Dean whispered, kissing the baby's forehead.
Little did Dean know that that would one day be the command he'd give his baby brother in order to save his life...