A/N: A story written for the SN.TV fic challenge: An experience in Sam's life that made him frightened of clowns.
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Clown? - hobbleit.
"Stay in the car and don't move," John Winchester instructed to his two sons as he stepped out of the car. "I'll be back soon," he told them and headed to the motel office to book a room.
It was a hot day; it had been like that for the last week or so. It was the time of year when the dust was swept up by the wind and the hot weather made it unbearable. It was only ten in the morning but it was already hot. It wasn't very pleasant.
The town they'd be staying in was small, one of those towns where everybody knew everybody else and nobody's business was private for long. John had arrived to investigate a potential haunting so now they were stuck here for however long it took.
"Dean?" A six year old Sam asked to get his brother's attention. He didn't want to stay in the car; it was boring. It was a sunny day and he wanted to be outside, playing in the street with the other kids. There seemed to be some sort of fair going on. But he was stuck in a hot car and there was no way his dad would let him go.
"What?" Dean replied.
"I need to pee," Sam said in a whiny voice.
"Can't you wait? Dad'll be back soon with the motel room keys and then you can go to the bathroom."
"I can't wait, I need to go now."
"Just hold it in; look dad's coming back now, see," Dean pointed at the window to prove their father was returning.
"Come on," John said, opening the door. "We're in room seven."
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Sam stared at the fair in the hot afternoon sun from the motel room window. He really wanted to go but his dad had told him that he couldn't. Dean was the same; he'd been even more overprotective of Sam since Wisconsin and Sam didn't know why. It's not like he was a baby or anything.
"Why can't we go?"
"'Cos dad said we had to stay here while he does research," Dean replied, not even bothering to look up from the magazine he was flicking through.
"But dad doesn't have to know. Please Dean can we go? Pleeeeeaaaaassssseeee?" He added extra letters into the please for emphasis.
"No Sam," Dean repeated. He still felt guilty enough after the Shtriga incident and having ignored his father's orders; he wasn't going to disobey him again in a hurry. "Now be quiet and stop asking."
Sam huffed and went back to staring out of the window. It wasn't fair, he thought. Other kid's families let them go and it's not like it was a million miles away; it was just down the street. Then a thought occurred to him. What if Dean didn't know he'd gone? He could just sneak out and be back before he noticed. Now the problem became how could he get away from his brother's watchful gaze?
"Dean?"
"I said no, Sammy."
"I wasn't gonna ask again," Sam pouted.
"Then what?"
"I'm bored."
"Then watch TV."
"I don't wanna watch TV, I wanna go outside."
"Dad said to stay inside 'til he got back so you can't go outside," Dean looked at his brother; who was still pouting.
"But it's so hot in here."
"Fine," Dean eventually gave in. He had to admit that Sam was right; it was uncomfortably hot in the room. "But the door stays open and you don't go any further than the parking lot."
"Thanks Dean," Sam grinned and headed towards the door. Dean followed him and took up a place by the window. He wasn't going to let Sam out of his sight.
Sam stood at the edge of the motel grounds and watched the fair. He kept glancing over to the window where Dean was keeping watch and sighed. There was no way he could get away.
Damnit, Dean thought as he sat. He really needed to use the bathroom but if he left then there would be no-one to watch Sam. But he had to go really bad. After weighing up his options, he decided he really had to go otherwise he'd pee himself. Taking one more quick glance at Sam, he hurried to the bathroom. When he returned Sam had disappeared.
"SAM!" He called out, worried for his little brother. "SAMMY!" He ran out of the door but there was no Sam in sight. He'd just gone.
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Sam felt guilty for leaving his brother; he knew that dad would yell at him for letting Sam out of his sight but the fair looked like too much fun. He wandered down the street, mesmerised by all the lights and people having fun. He made his way through the crowds trying to take it all in.
By the time he realised he was lost, it was too late.
Dean was going to kill Sam when he found him. Why the hell couldn't he have just done what Dean had told him at stayed inside. His dad was going to go mad when he found out. He'd just have to find his brother before dad got home. He quickly headed towards the fair to find Sam.
Sam wanted Dean. He was alone and scared. He wished he'd stayed inside like Dean had told him. At least then he wouldn't be all alone. He could feel his lip tremble and his eyes fill up with tears.
"Hey, are you okay son?" Sam heard a voice come from behind him. He turned and saw the most frightening thing in the world. It was a clown. He had a ghostly white face and a bright red smile; which made the man look grotesque and very terrifying for a six year old boy. Sam screamed very loudly. "Is everything all right?" The clown asked and made a move towards the boy. Sam screamed even louder and tried to run. "Are you lost?" He asked and grabbed hold of Sam's arm. "Do you need help to find your parents?"
"Leave me alone," Sam cried and tried to pull away from the clown but his grip was too tight. "Let me go," he sobbed. He really wanted to get away from the scary man but he wouldn't let go.
"I only want to help," the man looked sincere but Sam couldn't see past the face paint. All he could see was a scary man with a mask trying to hurt him and he just wanted Dean to come and save him.
"Hey, get your hands off my brother," Dean called out and pulled Sam away from the clown.
"I was just trying to look after him," the man protested. "He looked afraid."
"We don't need anyone looking out for us," Dean said to him. "Come on Sammy let's get you back," he took hold of his little brother's hand and led him back to the motel before sitting a snivelling Sam onto the bed. "Come on, stop crying," Dean told him and sat down on the bed next to Sam.
"No, you'll yell at me," Sam sobbed.
"I'm not gonna yell at you," Dean replied. "I was just worried about you."
"I got lost and I got scared and there was the scary man."
"He was just a clown."
"I don't like clowns," Sam told Dean, his eyes still glistening with tears. "They're scary."
"Clowns aren't scary; they're just people."
"They're evil."
"There are a lot scarier things out there than clowns."
"No there aren't."
"Remind me never to let you watch 'It,'" Dean muttered under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing Sammy," Dean replied. Let's make a deal; I won't let the evil clowns get you if you don't tell dad what happened today. Do we have a deal?" Dean asked and Sam nodded. "Promise?"
"Promise," Sam agreed. "You're really brave, Dean."
"Why?"
"You're not scared of anything," Sam declared. "You make all the monsters go away."
"That's not true, there's plenty I'm scared of."
"Like what?"
"Like when you run off."
"Then I won't run off ever again. I'll be with you forever and ever."
"Good, now let's get you cleaned up before dad gets home," Dean smiled as he stood up and helped Sam jump down off the bed.
"Dean?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't wanna go to McDonalds ever again," Sam told his brother in a small voice and Dean had to laugh.
"Okay Sammy, whatever you want."
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John returned a few hours later to find Sam fast asleep and Dean sat in a chair watching TV.
"Things okay?" He asked his oldest son.
"Yeah things have been great."
"Sam hasn't been too bored has he?"
"Sam's had enough excitement for one day," Dean cryptically told him. "Oh and he might wake up after having nightmares about a scary clown. Just so you know."
"You let him watch 'It' didn't you?"
"Yeah sure," Dean lied. "He didn't like the clown."
"What did I tell you about letting him watch horror films?"
"That I shouldn't because he scares easily. But he really wanted to watch it and he wouldn't take no for an answer."
"You really need to learn to say no to him, Dean," John told him as he headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. "Go to bed."
"Yes sir," Dean said as he turned the television off and headed to the bed. He'd got wrong off his dad but at least it wasn't as bad as it would've been if he knew the truth. Just to be on the safe side he was going to stay awake a little longer to watch Sam.
Just to be on the safe side.