Hero of the Day

One Saturday John declared it Sammy day. He had been spending lots of one on one time with his eldest son and now it was Sammy's turn. He promised the boy lunch a trip to the playground and a movie of his choosing. Dean bowed out saying it was Sam's day he would stay behind. John had left him the homework of cleaning the shotgun; he of course made sure it was empty first. He also had all the ammunition locked up just in case Dean had any brilliant ideas.

Dean cleaned the shotgun and then watched TV for a while, but found himself bored out of his mind. He decided to take a walk to the river and back. He was enjoying the cool air and the sunshine and decided that after he got to the river he would run back to the house. His body had become stronger and faster in the last few weeks and he felt invincible. As he reached the river he saw a girl probably a year or two older than him screaming at an older boy. He held a bag that had something heavy in it. She continued to reach for the bag but the boy held it just out of her reach. The boy then tossed the bag into the river below and laughed as he ran off the pedestrian bridge. The girl looked below where the bag had entered the water; she swung one leg up to the railing in preparation of jumping. Dean yelled over to her that he would go. She put her leg down and Dean jumped into the cold water. He was swimming downwards in the spot where he thought the bag fell. He had no idea how deep the water was and hadn't realized how cold it would be. The idea that he was invincible was starting to fade as his lungs began to hurt. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stay under when he saw the trail of bubbles just ahead. He swam over and saw the bag hit the bottom causing dirt to float up. He grabbed what he now saw was a pillowcase and began to ascend as quickly as he could. Just as he thought he could hold his breath no more he broke the surface. He kicked as hard as he could while trying to hold the contents of the bag above the water. He finally reached the bank where the girl and a police officer were waiting. The officer helped pull Dean from the water and relieved him of the waterlogged bag. The girl took the bag and Dean finally saw the contents a young, but still alive blonde puppy. The pup was sneezing and shaking but was breathing. Dean collapsed in exhaustion at the cop's feet.

John and Sammy had had a wonderful day, so much so that John knew it couldn't last. And as he rounded the corner he saw that it hadn't. The police car sat right in front of the house he and the boys shared. He grabbed Sam and ran through the front door bursting in and scaring even the police officer. Dean was sitting on the couch in dry clothes but a wet head.

"Are you the boy's father?" the officer asked.

"Yes, what happened?" John asked as he set Sam down.

The adventure was told by the cop in great detail. The older brother of the girl was upset after the puppy had made a mess in his room and decided to take matters into his own hands. He had been picked up for animal cruelty.

When they were alone John just sat and stared at his son. He then got up and paced through the house; he didn't know what to feel. He knew he was scared, angry, proud and betrayed. While he was in the kitchen he spied Tina the 5 year old girl from next door in her yard with Pork Chop their Pug. Sammy loved playing with that snorting dog so he alerted Sam to their presence and closed the door behind his youngest son. He stood at the window and watched as Sam frolicked with the stout beast.

He then turned his attention back to his eldest who had that familiar surfboard like posture.

"I'm sorry Dad, but I couldn't let that little girl down. I had to help save her puppy."

"Did you even know what was in the bag?"

"No, I guess I didn't."

"What if it had been her diary; you could have risked your life for a book," John said sternly. "I'm an animal lover; you know that, but what if you hadn't made it back to the surface Dean? You could have died in that water. You didn't know how deep or how cold that water was; you went in blind. Haven't we gone over how important researching the job is? I am proud of what you did, but son, it really wasn't very smart."

"I didn't listen, you told me to stay at home and I just went out for a short walk, but I didn't listen. I'm sorry Dad, but I would do it again if I had to. I would be even sadder if I stood there and did nothing."

John stood there not knowing what to say; his boy was growing up too fast. "I must say it is good thing for that boy he was picked up by the police or I might have had to make a little visit to his house," he said with a tight smile. He then looked down at Dean and handed out his punishment.

"No training this week; after school you will learn the finer points of research," John said as he took three quick strides to his son. He pulled his son close and held him tight. "You have to do a better job of listening and obeying," he finished as his right hand delivered two quick blows to his sons backside. He just didn't have the heart for anything more.

They finished their talk and John went to check on Sam. He looked through the window at an empty backyard. Now what is all he could think? This is how it seemed to go, the boys would behave for a while and then it was constant problems. He had a feeling he knew what part of the cycle they were in. He told Dean he would be right back as he went next door and knocked on the door. Tina answered with Pork Chop at her heels.

"Is Sammy in there with you?" he asked peering into the living room.

"No Mr. Winchesta," she lisped. "We was arguing and I told him he wasn't big enough to jump off the swings at the playground. He said he was so we were going there so he could show me, but my mommy said I had to stay here."

John thanked her and went to get Dean. He drove as fast as he could to the playground. There the littlest Winchester was swinging as high as he could but before John or Dean could intervene Sammy jumped and went flying into the air.

"Samuel John!" screamed John as he made his way to the lump that had crashed to the ground.

Sam was rubbing his knee but otherwise just fine.

"I did it Daddy, did you see me fly?" the youngster asked beaming of his accomplishment.

"Yeah you did it, and now you're going to get it," an exasperated John said as he pulled his son close.

Dean just stood there and smirked knowing he wasn't the only that was going to deal with a punishment that day. Usually Sam just stuck his lip out and John only sent him to his room but Dean could see the terror in his father's eyes as it was the same terror that they held only moments ago in the living room.

And he was right after John checked Sam out to make sure there were no other owies he swung the boy out in front of him and landed two quick smacks to the youngsters behind.

When they got home John sat a very upset Sam down on the couch while Dean was instructed to make some sandwiches for dinner. He found if he was quiet he could hear the conversation in the other room.

"Sammy you need to understand that you cannot just go off on your own. It is important that I know where you are at all times," the frazzled father explained.

Sam was sitting on the couch arms crossed and face scrunched up in distress. His cheeks were stained with tears. "You spanked me, Daddy."

John sighed and could see this wasn't going well at all. "Son, did you just hear me? Do you know why I spanked you?"

"Cause I went flying," was the petulant response.

"No, because you went to the playground by yourself; you went without anybody taking you and you didn't ask to go."

"Oh, sorry; but I had to show her, I had to show Tina I could do it. I was gonna come right back and tell her I did it," Sam pouted.

"Well I don't want you do jump off the swings like that again; you could get hurt," John said. The last thing he needed was Sam with a broken leg.

After dinner the boys planted themselves in front of the TV while John made a few phone calls. He was hoping he could hold out and be able to stay in this area until at least Christmas, Dean's birthday would be even better. The house suited them and both boys liked the school. What he needed to figure out was how to keep these boys home. This new wandering bug that had bitten the both of them needed to be curbed and soon. He absolutely could not have his kids out in the world by themselves.