Was he trying to get attention? He was sure that was what a psychologist would say. But he wasn't honest. He was pissed. Pissed at his mom. Pissed at his dad. Pissed at life. He knew that answer wouldn't fly. Especially since one of the people he was pissed at was sitting on the couch waiting to give him what he knew would be the mother of all spankings.

Adam guessed it was his fault to start with. He was the one who got suspended for pulling the prank. All they did was put a snapping turtle in the pool. No one was hurt including the turtle. Adam still laughed when he remembered the look on the swim teams' faces as they ran out of the gym. Stupid camera's caught them and the next thing Adam knew he was getting a call from his dad after being suspended from school for a week.

"Hi Dad."

"Got an interesting call today."

"Really? We're you called up to the majors?" Adam asked trying to keep it light.

"No smartass, your principal told me you're suspended for a week. Something about a prank."

"Yeah, it was great. We caught this big snapping turtle and put it in the pool."

"Meaning you broke into the school in the middle of the night, which I'm sure your mom knew nothing about."

"Um…" Adam said getting that sinking feeling he sometimes got when he talked with his father since the man spanked him.

"Adam, I don't think um covers it."

"Are you telling mom?"

"Yes and I'm grounding you for a month."

"But Dad, I have a camping trip planed with my friends in two weeks for spring break," Adam whined. His dad's groundings were so much worse than his mom's. His mom usually just took away electronics, but John took away electronics, friends, added corner time which made him feel like two year old, and made him go to bed an hour early. There was no way he could take it for a month.

"Guess you'll have to miss it."

"Dad, I've been waiting for months to go. Please."

"Should have thought of that before you pulled the prank."

"Fine, I'll ask mom," Adam pouted.

"You can ask, but I think she'll agree with me on this one, kiddo."

"Dad, give me a break."

"I am Adam."

"How?"

"I could give you a spanking too."

"That would mean you'd actually have to come and see me. I have what, three more months until you grace me with your presence again?" Adam spat.

"Adam, I know you're angry…"

"And I know you're busy. You passed your sentence, so I'll let you go. Plus I'm not supposed to be on the phone."

John heard the hurt and anger in Adam's voice. He hated parenting from a far, but he couldn't leave the job right now.

"You know the phone thing doesn't include family members."

"Yeah family members, you and mom are all I got. To be honest, I'd rather not talk to you right now. So can I hang up or do you want to punish me some more?"

"Alright Adam, I talk to you later. Love ya kiddo."

"Yeah. Bye."

John sighed before calling Kate. For the next two weeks John tried to talk to Adam every night, the kid would ask about the camping trip, John would say no then Adam would say two or three words before asking if he was allowed to get off the phone. Kate said the only thing he would talk to her about going with his friend on their camping trip and every time she said no he would go into his room for hours. Times like these, John wished Dean knew about Adam. Dean always knew the right thing to say to make Sam get over one of his tantrums.

The night before the camping trip, Adam had had enough. He couldn't believe his mom was going along with his dad on this one. His dad dictated and his mom listened, it was utterly ridiculous. The prank didn't hurt anyone, he was back in school, and he followed his grounding to a tee, but his parents still wouldn't let him go on the trip. Well, fine he would go on his own trip. Adam packed his cloths in a duffle and snuck out the window the minute he was sure his mom was asleep.

Kate woke up the next morning dreading the day with Adam. It was the first day of spring break and he was supposed to leave with his friends in a few hours. She took the day off special to help him get ready, but his little prank ended the trip. If it wasn't for John she knew she wouldn't have been strong enough to pull this off. Adam had become more and more rebellious in the last few months. Her friends said it was just him being a teenager. Kate felt he was trying to get his dad's attention. It was almost noon when Kate decided to chance talking to her son. She was sure she was going to get the silent treatment, but the kid needed to eat. Kate knocked gently in the door before opening it into an empty room with a note taped to his bed.

I decided to take my own trip, since you and dad didn't want me going with Brian and his family. I'm staying within the rules of my grounding by not going with any of my friends. Look I even left my phone behind so you know I'm not using electronics. I'll be home in a couple of days, so don't worry. Adam

Kate read the letter over and over before picking up the phone. The first call she made was to Brian's father, who confirmed her fears that Adam wasn't with them. Brian assured his father he knew nothing about this and neither did any of their friends. So she had to make the call.

"Winchester."

"John, Adam took off."

"What?"

"Adam took off sometime last night," Kate said sobbing. "I called all of his friends to see if the note was a joke, but it isn't."

"Calm down Kate. Read me the note," John said and when Kate was finished John vowed his little boy was going to think real long and hard before he ever did something like this to his mother again. "I'm on my way."

"Ok. Where are you?"

"Too far, but I'll be there before tomorrow afternoon. Adam's going to be fine, I promise."

"John, I know what's out there."

"So do I and I will get our son back regardless, I promise."

John hung up the phone and made a quick call hoping Caleb was available, luckily he was.

"Dean, I have to take off for a couple of days."

"Dad we haven't ganked the…"

"I don't have time to argue. Caleb is on his way and you better wait for him before going after the werewolf."

"Dad the full moon is only two days…"

"Keep researching and wait for Caleb, I mean it Dean. If you go after this thing on your own I'll beat your ass the minute I get back and then again for the next week. I'm not kidding around here, Dean."

Dean hadn't seen his dad this upset since Sam decided to skip town. At least he wasn't in trouble. That was one ass whipping he never wanted to repeat.

"Dad, what's going on? Is someone hurt?"

"He'll be hurt when I find him," John growled, a growl that he used when he was about to kick some ass, be it his, Sam's, or even Caleb's.

"Is it, Sammy?" Dean asked and if it was he was going no matter what his father had to say about it.

"No. I have to go help a friend. I promise to tell you more when I get back," John said.

"Ok."

John arrived at Kate's house a little after noon the next day. John hugged the woman who looked like she hadn't slept a wink and had been crying most of the time. John went into Adam's room and searched for clues. He finally decided there were probably two places the kid would go. John got in his truck and drove towards the first on.

Adam was bored and feeling a little guilty at this point, but he was still pissed. He couldn't believe his parents were treating him this way and he needed to put his foot down now or his dad was going to run his life from afar until he was eighteen. That's when he heard it and groaned. How in the hell had his dad found him? That was replaced quickly by what was the man going to do? Adam wasn't sticking around to find out, so he bolted.

"Adam Milligan, you better stop right now or I swear you're going to cut a switch," John said with enough force that Adam froze in his tracks. "Get your ass back here now."

Adam stood there and debated for a few seconds.

"ONE," John said. Adam hated when his dad counted it made him feel like he was a baby.

"Fine," Adam said walking back toward his father, the minute he reached his father his dad landed a hard swat making Adam yelp.

"Nice place, maybe we'll come back here for our little chat," John said.

"Dad…"

"Adam, I don't want to hear it. You wanted me here and I'm here, now you get to deal with the consequences of your actions."

"I didn't want you here. I wanted to go on a camping trip with my friends," Adam snapped eliciting another swat from his father, "OW."

"Adam, get your ass in the truck and don't say another word."

Adam was getting pissed again,

"And if I don't?"

John grabbed Adam's arm, walked over to the nearest stump, pulled his youngest over his knee, and started swatting.

"Dad!" Adam complained.

After ten hearty swats, John stopped and asked,

"Are you ready to get your ass in the truck?"

Adam nodded his head, John let him up and Adam ran to truck. John got into the truck and turned on the ignition.

"Your mother is really worried about you."

Adam shrugged his shoulders. He was still angry and now his ass hurt too.

"You better change your attitude pretty quick, little boy," John growled.

The two sat in silence until they reached the house. Adam jumped out of the truck and into the house running straight into his mother.

"Adam!" Kate said pulling her son into a hard hug.

Adam looked up at his mom and knew she had been crying. Guilt washed over him in waves, he hated when his mom cried and it was even worse when he was the one who made her cry.

"I'm really sorry, Mom. I was mad," Adam said hugging his mom tighter.

"Don't you ever take off on me again," Kate said.

"I won't, promise," Adam said.

"Good," Kate said before landing a hard swat.

"MOM!"

"That's for making me worry."

"I'm really sorry for worrying you, Mom."

"I'm betting when your father's done with you, you'll be even sorrier."

"Mom, I've learned my lesson. Dad shouldn't even be here."

"You're right, Adam. Your father had to leave his job because you took off and I didn't know what to do."

"I said I was sorry," Adam whined.

"Sorry doesn't always cut it, Adam," John said.

"Why do you get a say? You're never here for me," Adam snapped.

"Come on kiddo, we have a lot to talk about. I'll call you later, Kate."

"Thanks, John."

"Say goodbye to your mom."

"Bye Mom."

John and Adam drove in silence to John's usual motel. Adam's stomach was doing flip flops the entire way. He didn't want another spanking from his dad. The last one sucked and he was sure this was going to be really bad. Adam followed his father into the motel to check them in and then into their room. John pointed to the bed and Adam followed the silent order. John sat across from him and said,

"You have my full attention, what's going on, Adam?"

"I wasn't trying to get your attention."

"So getting suspended from school wasn't trying to get my attention?"

"No, I wanted to prank the swim team."

"Alright, I'll give you that one. How about running off? Were you testing me?"

Adam was quiet for a minute. He really didn't know his dad would come. Was his testing him? He really didn't know.

"I don't know."

"Adam, so what did you want to get out of this? Camping alone really isn't fun. I could understand this if you went off with your friends, but just taking off isn't like you."

"How do you know what is and isn't like me?"

"Because I talk to you almost every day and your mother tells me what's going on in your life. So, it isn't like you. My thinking is you wanted to get my attention and you have it. What do you want to tell me?"

Adam looked down. How was he supposed to tell the man sitting across from him that he had no right to run his life if he wasn't going to be in his life?

"It's not fair," Adam said hating that he sounded five years old.

"What isn't fair?"

"You get to tell me what to do, but you're never here when I need you."

"I'm always here when you really need me, like right now."

"But if I hadn't taken off, would you have come?"

"No, I had to get someone to cover a very important job for me."

"So your job is more important than me."

John hated those words. Sammy used them against him all the time and now Adam was going to use them.

"If my job was more important than you I would be there and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Adam nodded that was true, but he was still pissed that his dad was trying to run his life from afar.

"I don't think you should be able to ground me unless you're here to enforce it," Adam said.

"It doesn't work like that, Adam. I'm your father no matter how far away I am."

"Dad, I can count on two hands how many times you've visited me since you found out about me. That really isn't a father," Adam said looking down.

John sighed because it was true, but he didn't know how to fix it unless he brought Adam out on hunts and told Dean that he had a little brother. He and Kate had decided that Adam would never know about the supernatural, so that option wasn't available.

"Adam, I know I'm not around enough, but you know I love you. I may not see you enough, but I call almost every day."

"A phone call isn't enough. Why can't I spend time with you in the summer like other kids?"

"Because my job doesn't allow it."

"Dad, you're a mechanic."

"I'm not only a mechanic."

"What are you a spy or something? Adam asked rolling his eyes.

"No. Do I look like a spy?" John asked laughing. Adam smiled at that too before asking,

"Are you ever going to tell me why?"

"No."

"I don't think you should get to punish me then."

"And I said it doesn't work that way."

"Fine."

"So what do you think we should do about this?"

"Ground me longer?" Adam asked hopefully.

"I'm thinking we need to take it up a step."

"What if I promise never to do it again?"

"Well you better not do this again or our conversation will be a lot worse. Plus, I don't think you ever want to put your mom through that again."

"No, I feel really bad about worrying mom, but honestly I don't care that I called you off a job."

"So you were trying to get to get my attention."

Adam shrugged his shoulders still not wanting to no admit it.

"Come here kiddo," John said.

Adam didn't want to because he was sure his dad was going to start spanking him and he didn't want him to. He was shocked when John pulled him into a hard hug and put him on his knee. Adam knew at fourteen he really shouldn't want to sit on his dad's lap, but he really didn't care. Right now he felt his dad truly loved him and that was what he needed. John just held his son for a few minutes before saying,

"I'm sorry I'm not here enough and I can't take you with me, but I love you more than anything. Unfortunately, that means I can't let you get away with things you do wrong."

Adam stiffened at the words, knowing what was coming next.

"I want you to go stand in the corner and think about how your choices the last few days have hurt other people."

"Yes, sir," Adam said walking towards the corner. He heard his father doing something behind him, but didn't turn around. The more he thought about it the guiltier he felt about everything he did.

John thought about everything Adam had said and decided to lessen the punishment. He was going to use the paddle on his son, but decided to downgrade to the brush. He didn't think Adam wouldn't appreciate it, because the brush stung like a bitch.

"Ok, Adam let's get this over with."

Adam drug himself over to his father. He didn't want the man to spank him again especially when he saw a brush sitting next to his dad. He knew it was going to hurt a lot more than his dad's hand and his dad's hand hurt more than enough.

"Jeans, kiddo."

Adam pulled down his jeans, happy the man wasn't going to spank his bare ass this time. John pulled his son across his lap and started swatting hard. Adam was wiggling by the fourth swat and was surprise how much more this spanking hurt. All of a sudden his dad changed position, Adam knew from his last spanking this part hurt a lot more, but that meant the spanking was almost over, thank god. He started crying softly when his dad focused on that area, but breathed a sigh of relief when his dad stopped until he felt his dad's hand tugging down his boxers, revealing a dark pink butt.

"Dad, please."

"Adam, this is big. You're getting three rounds," John said starting spanking again. Adam couldn't believe that the boxers were that much protection, but they were.

"Dad…I'm…sorry."

"I know that, Adam," John said as he tipped his son forward again. This time he gave the kid twice as many swats and even landed two swats on Adam's thighs. Adam howled and started sobbing at the new development. He couldn't believe how bad that hurt. John gave his son a few seconds to catch his breath before bringing the brush down on the bright red butt in front of him. Adam couldn't believe how bad that little piece of wood hurt. John decided that ten would be more than enough. Four on the crown of Adam's butt and six on the sit spots. He decided against swatting Adam's thighs. By the time he was finished Adam was sobbing so hard that he could barely breathe. John rubbed his son's back for about a minute until his sobs died down. Finally, he picked his youngest up, pulled up the kid's boxers, and sat him on his knee for the second time of the night this time making sure his butt didn't touch anything. He rubbed his son's back as he rocked him, and whispering reassurances. John wasn't surprise when Adam fell asleep. He carefully laid his son on his stomach and watched his son sleep for a half an hour. Finally, he made a decision and walked outside taking out his phone.

"Hey, dad we ganked the werewolf last night."

"Good job, why don't you head up to Bobby's for a couple of days. I'll be here until the end of the week."

"Sure you don't need any help?"

"Nope, I got this. See ya at Bobby's on Monday. You might want to tune up the Impala while you're there."

"Yes, sir. You realize she's mine now," Dean teased.

"But, I'm not letting you turn her into a piece of shit," John teased back.

"I'd die first. See ya Monday."

"Alright, kiddo."

John made a call to Kate next.

"Is he ok?"

"His butt hurts like hell, but yeah he's ok. Do you mind if I keep him the rest of spring break?"

"I think he'd really like that."

Adam woke up a few hours later and turned over, regretting it immediately. John heard his son groan and said,

"Look who's back from the dead."

"How long is it going to take this time?"

"A day or so," John said and tried not to smile at the look of horror on his youngest's face.

"So are you leaving?" Adam asked. John heard the sadness in his son's voice.

"Nope, I took the rest of the week off."

"Really?"

"Yep. You're still grounded so we're more or less stuck in the dark ages, but I felt maybe we could go camping together. The dark ages aren't as bad when we're in nature," John said smiling.

All Adam could do was run into his dad's arms, too happy to speak.