Dean was sitting in a white adirondack chair in Susie Anderson's backyard only halfheartedly listening to the conversation going on around him. Some guy Steve was talking about the Chicago Bulls and since basketball wasn't his favorite sport, he was having a hard time paying attention. His eyes scanned the yard looking for a certain someone. Lucy Swanson was a cute girl who sat next to him in Latin class. She told him she would be at the party and he hoped to spend some time getting to know her better. It would make up for having to listen to two and a half hours of crappy pop music. What he wouldn't give for some AC/DC or Blue Oyster Cult. He was beginning to feel a little disappointed that he didn't see her there when she suddenly walked out the back door. A smile spread across Dean's face as soon as he saw her.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm so late," said Lucy as she sat down in a chair next to Dean. "You're never going to believe what happened."
"What happened?" asked a curious Dean.
"My cat, Patches, got outside and ran over to my neighbors. I went to go get her, but before I could my jerk of a neighbor turned his garden hose on and sprayed her. She was soaking wet when I got to her. That bastard said it was an accident, but I know he did it on purpose," said Lucy. "God, I wish Coach Becker would move."
"You live next to Coach Becker? Man, I feel for you," said Steve.
"Who's Coach Becker?" asked Dean.
"Only most sadistic man to walk the halls of Franklinville Junior High," replied Steve.
"I guess I should be glad I had Mrs. Harper for Gym," said Lucy.
"You should be. I'm so glad I don't have that jerk anymore. I feel sorry for my brother though. It's Joe's first year with him. He's already sprained his ankle in class. If it weren't for one of his friends sticking up for him, I think Becker would have made him run laps with his sprained ankle," said Steve
"Hey, I think my brother Sam is friends with your brother," said Dean remembering Sam talking about a kid named Joe who was in his gym class.
"You're Sam's brother? Man, your brother is in for a long three years," said Steve
"What are you talking about?" asked Dean.
"Coach Becker is mean to all the kids in his class, but every year he picks one kid in his class as his favorite. He torments them more than anyone else in the class. Joe said this year it looked like it was going to be his friend Sam," said Steve.
"What?" cried Dean.
Steve told Dean about the basketball incident and the other things that his brother told him happened in gym class. By the time he was done, Dean was shaking with anger. This certainly explained Sam's behavior as of late. When I get a hold of that bastard he'll regret messing with my brother. Suddenly, Dean no longer cared about the party or Lucy. He just wanted to get home to his brother.
oooooOOOOooooo
"Sam, who did this to you?" John asked again.
Knowing his dad was not going to let up, Sam realized it was time to tell and face the consequences.
"My gym teacher, Coach Becker," said Sam.
"Your gym teacher did this? He put his hands on you?" John fought to keep the anger out of his voice.
Sam nodded slowly and began telling his dad what had been going on during gym class.
"He did what?" yelled John.
"He put his knee on my back and made me do push ups with it there. I'm sorry Dad," cried Sammy.
"Oh Sammy, you haven't done anything wrong," said John soothingly.
John was shaking slightly by the time Sam finished telling him how his teacher had shoved him into the locker room wall. He had to force himself to calm down, for his son's sake.
"I should have been able to handle what ever the Coach dished out. I tried Dad. I tried real hard Dad."
"Sam, I want you to listen to me. No adult ever has the right to put their hands on a kid."
"I'm not a little kid."
"I know you're not a little kid, but Sammy you are still just a kid and Coach Becker didn't have the right to hurt you like that." John was fighting hard to control the rage he felt, but he refused to lose it in front of Sam. "Sammy why didn't you tell me or Dean this was happening?"
"I'm a Winchester. We're supposed to be tough," answered Sam.
"Sammy, I meant what I said before. No adult has the right to ever put their hands on a child for any reason." John suddenly had a flash of his father and his leather strap. "When someone is hurting you, Sam you need to come and tell me."
Upon hearing John's words, relief coursed through Sam and he threw his arms around his dad. He realized he never should have doubted that his father would be on his side. Not ready to let go of his dad, Sam stayed with his arms around John until he drifted off to sleep.
Once Sam was asleep, John gently laid him on the sofa and covered him with a blue throw blanket. Standing next to the sofa he watched his son sleep. Sam looked so peaceful and watching him, John couldn't help, but think back to when he was that young. His dad would stumble in, after blowing half of his paycheck at the local watering hole, looking for something or someone to hit. Stan Winchester was a mean drunk, angry at the world for his crappy lot in life, who liked to take that anger out on his wife and kids. Unlike his father, John never laid a hand on his boys in anger and the thought that someone had hurt his son made him see red. When I get my hands on the son of a bitch who dared to lay a hand on my baby boy, he'll wish he was never born thought John.
oooooOOOOooooo
Dean burst in the house. Now that he knew what going on his with his brother he needed to talk to his dad right away. He was also going to have a long talk with Sam.
"Dad, I'm home," shouted Dean.
"Hey Dean, please keep it down. I don't want you to wake Sam," said John. "What are you doing home early?"
"I got someone at the party to give me a ride home. I need to talk to you Dad. I think I know what's been bothering Sammy. It's his gym teacher," said Dean.
"I know. Sam told me all about it," replied John.
"He told you?" Dean felt a little upset that Sam didn't come to him first like he usually did.
"Yes, after I discovered the bruise on his back," said John.
"Bruise, Sam still has a bruise on his back?" asked Dean.
"It's a new bruise," said John and he proceeded to tell Dean everything Sam had told him.
"Dad, we need to make him pay!" White-hot anger was coursed through Dean's veins at the thought of somebody touching his brother.
"Don't worry, son. He's gonna pay for hurting Sammy," said John firmly.
John Winchester had that feral look in his eyes. The one that said mess with my family and you'll regret that day you were born.
More to Come
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