All characters of Supernatural are owned by CW. Everything is on fanfiction basis. I owe nothing more than this story.

Characters: (W.T.)-Dean, Sam, Adam and Bobby.

(Men.)-Lucifer, Death.

10. FIRST BIRTHDAY

Sam had more seizures in past few days and curiously Adam was always with him alone, when it starts. Dean was starting to notice that. He was feeling a kind of disbelief and detachment from Adam. He forgot who forgave who. He was taking everything for granted. He was making his world again like 'I and Sam' v/s 'the world'. Adam understood this cold approach but he didn't retaliated. He had his own reasons. Sam however was yet to notice this build-up.

Sam was very adamant to know more about the time he was soulless. Dean insisted that it may damage the wall and as Death had said, they don't know what it will do to him.

"Well I'm ready to take my chances." He replied bluntly.

Dean frowned, "Well I'm not ready to do that any sooner. Find someone else."

Sam turned and left the dining room in angry-bitch mode. Dean added, "Bitch"

"JERK" Sam said loud enough for Bobby and Adam to hear from the drawing room.

"They fight more than a married couple." Bobby commented. Adam snorted. Dean was in the room and he saw Adam. He chose to abuse him too, "Be quiet spidey. I'm not in the mood to squat ya."

Adam simply stood and left. It was possibly the only right thing to do at that moment.

Soon Dean and Bobby were left in the room. Bobby said, "Ya know sooner o'later he'll know that he was awful without his soul. He tried to kill me for God's sake. What do you think it will do to him if he remembers that?"

Dean looked at Bobby with tire and pain in his eyes. He was losing Sam. Bit by bit, but yes he was definitely losing Sam.

Sam was digging into some more myths regarding the monsters and purgatory. The parchment that Castiel brought was brief and only mentioned some vague information about the Godlike Maea and her creation. But that was not matching with Earthly lore. He figured that such knowledge was definitely not meant to be in human hands. He re-read the chapter which vaguely described 'nepesh' or 'soul'. It was written that soul was a two part entity, first 'the self' and another one, 'the force'.

He wondered what he lacked when he was soulless, his self or the force?

His ponderings were broken by the knock on the door. It was Adam.

Sam asked him to come in. Adam sheepishly came inside and sat on the couch near Sam's bed. Sam was puzzled at his behaviour.

"Adam, are you alright?" He asked narrowing his eyes. Adam nodded and replied, "I'm fine. It was just that Dean was so angry downstairs. He really could've smashed me."

"Yeah he's a real jerk." Sam said sarcastically.

Adam paused for a second and then said, "But he is right you know. You should not put extra pressure on that wall-thingy or whatever."

"Wall-thingy? Seriously?" Sam asked, rolling his eyes. Adam was so much like mini Dean. He continued, "Adam, I get that you guys are worried about me but I'm willing to take chances. I've to make up for the damages I did. What's the worst thing that could happen to me? I was Lucifer's vessel for crying out loud."

Adam couldn't argue further but he was worried that the time will come when they will have to decide.

Was that a trigger or coincidence? As soon as Adam thought about the cage, Sam was screaming in pain. He looked like a fish out of water. Adam was frightened. He called for Dean.

Dean and Bobby came rushing in. Sam was having seizures again.

Dean looked at Adam in rage. As if he was the reason for Sam's condition!

They held his body till he was silent and fainted again. They put him on the bed.

"What did you do?" Dean asked angrily. Bobby was surprised but he found that Dean was asking Adam.

Adam was white. He wanted to tell him the truth but instead the words came, "I don't know."

"Oh, yeah? Well, why is that he's like this whenever he's with you? He doesn't have seizures when he pokes me around asking about his past?" Dean said in a firm and high voice.

Adam was looking at his feet. Dean had suspected right. He noticed that too. He however really didn't know why that was happening.

Bobby intervened, "Give the kid a lil' break will'ya? It's not his fault. He was just at the bad place at bad time."

Adam's fears were starting to take definite form. He was losing both his brothers. He was trying so hard to mend up but everything was messing up.

Dean had no idea why Adam was quietly hearing Dean's rage even though he had no right in the first place. It was he who should've been asking apologies to Adam, as he had left him back in the cage.

Dean didn't know about Death's little task. Dean didn't know about the pain and guilt he suffered. Dean doesn't know that Adam feared losing the last of which was left, his family. He was tricked when angels promised him his mother and he ended up in the cage. He was glad that he was alive again and out of the cage. He was more than glad that he was readily accepted into closed world of two brothers, Dean and Sam. After all he was their youngest brother.

He quietly turned and left the room.

Sam was awake after few hours and this time he clearly remembered that he wanted to kill Bobby to defile his body. He was very shocked and sad that his soulless identity had taken such heinous decisions. He apologized to Bobby who half heartedly accepted and said that it wasn't his fault, if they are to really see the truth.

He looked for Adam. He knew that he was in his room when he fainted but he was not there even after he was awake. Bobby told him about Dean's outrage on Adam. Sam looked as if he was on fire. He stormed his way to Dean and asked angrily, "What is your problem? Why do you always blame him? He is our brother isn't he? Then why are behaving like a jerk? I can't believe that you did that to him? He trying so hard to fit in this new life and his own big brother doesn't believe him. And even forgave you..."

Dean took a breath as Sam seem like he said all that in a single breathe. Sam was right. He was taking his frustration on his newest brother. Now that Sam pointed out he noticed that he actually thought of Adam like an extra burden with Sam's condition like this.

He needed to make up to Adam. And for that a perfect day was coming tomorrow.

It was Adam's birthday.

Adam was sitting on his bed, quietly watching outside. Faraway lights looked like specks of fairy dust through the glass window. He looked at the watch, 1 minute to 12.

He knew that Dean and Sam knew about his birthday but he wasn't expecting anything. He remembered that how his mother always made sure that she was the first one to wish him. His eyes went blurry. Few moments later it was 12 and suddenly Sam came into his bed room with a gift on his hands. He smiled at Adam. Adam winked at him in disbelief. Sam came and sat beside him facing him directly.

"I don't know if you like any present now that you've grown into a young man, but I thought of it anyhow. Happy birthday, Adam!" Sam said smiling and gave the present.

Adam took the present and slowly opened up the wrapper. It was a wrist-band amulet. He wore it, gazed for few second and then looked at Sam and replied, "Thanks Sammy. I love it" His voice was heavy and his eyes were watery.

Sam remembered when he gave the Christmas present to Dean... he had said the same thing.

Sam smiled and squeezed his shoulder. Adam looked up and smiled again. A true smile!

His eyes looked for someone else too, but he knew that it was highly unlikely. Sam understood that gesture. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "Ah-uh Adam, Bobby was thinking of having a party tomorrow. Just we family members, is it okay with you?"

Adam nodded, quite unsure if Dean had approved of that. He really feared Dean at his bad moods.

The party was awesome by the standard of four single men having a party. There were beers and cakes. Beers and chicken. Beers and cookies... Adam was pretty sure that he saw more beers.

He thought that he must remember this year. His first birthday with his big brothers! He smiled at the notion.

Sam and Bobby were singing to the jukebox when Adam came out and climbed on a wrecked car. He lay on his back and watched at the stars. He was gazing so deep that he didn't notice Dean coming.

"Hey kiddo! Gazing stars?" Dean asked Adam who jumped at the sudden voice.

Adam rose and looked at Dean and replied, "Yeah, sort of. I used to do that when I was a kid. My mom taught me how to identify constellation."

Dean remained silent for few second on the mention of 'mother'. Clearly Adam missed his mother. But he chose to light up the mood.

"Oh spare me nerd king." Dean said in a funny accent and rolled his eyes. He smiled a little to see a responsive smile on his baby brother's face. It was really the first genuine smile all that day. He continued after some pause, "But really, do you know all those conste-thingy up there?" He tried to sound genuinely interested.

Adam smiled and said, "Yeah pretty much all of them. I can also read them for possible future prediction."

"Hey! That's cool. We can start our own psychic show – Know your future, Master stargazer Adam will read your future in the stars and clear you confusion..." Dean said in a dramatic pose and voice.

Adam was laughing now, he said, "Stargazer?"

Dean looked back with childish offended look. He said proudly, "Hey, I went to school too you know? I know some major-big-good words."

Adam rolled his eyes, smirking. He was so dwelled into the fun that he didn't notice that Dean was offering him a present.

"Happy birthday, Adam!" Dean said smiling.

Adam was shocked, surprised and most importantly puzzled. He doubted that after that yesterday's incident Dean would even talk to him. He opened the wrappers and came out another amulet. It was meant to wear around the neck.

"Sam gave it to me on Christmas when we were little. I want you to have it now." Dean replied, smiling warmly.

Adam was choking; he was given the highest of acceptance as a brother. That amulet was the most valuable thing in Dean's life until he threw it before cramming the devil back. Luckily Sam had kept it in the Impala and Dean found out that last month. Adam remembered Sam telling him about that back in the cage.

He couldn't take it anymore.

Okay, that's it.

Adam screamed inside and concluded that he can't hide any longer. He was most happy and most frustrated at himself the same time. He felt like he cheated Dean, who far more than comforting had actually declared Adam his next precious thing than Sam.

He looked at Dean with guilty eyes. Dean had seen such eyes before, when Sam said sorry after releasing Lucifer. He felt uneasy; he didn't want to look at those eyes. Eyes which were nearly same as his, he knew something was troubling Adam and it wasn't something he could hear.

Adam began with teary eyes, "Dean, I'm not worthy of all this. I'm not worthy of your recognition. Hell, I'm not even worthy to live."

"Adam?" Dean was more than surprised.

"I was out because Death told me God wanted me to do a task." Adam continued, now small shivering creeping through his body. Dean was nodding in rejection; he knew bad news will be delivered to him soon. He didn't want to listen but he couldn't stop Adam.

"Death wa-warned me about this, practica-lly gave me the task. He said you won't do it. That being Ma-mattatron is God's own brother. He pulle-d me out and the reason for that is – that God wants m-me to kill Sam, when he snaps and turn into de-demon. I didn't know how to tell you. I was afraid that you would hate me if I did. I'm sorry Dean. I'm really sorry." Adam was now crying like a 3 year old baby.

Dean was no better, but he at least was not flowing like Adam. He heart was sinking deep into bottomless abyss. It was supposed to be a happy day to remember, his baby brother's first birthday with him and it had to turn out like that. He cursed God again.

One part of Dean was thinking to kick Adam out off his face but that part was soon overruled by the inner brother, who understood soon that why Adam was behaving so odd since he was back. Why was he keep on, checking Sam? Why was he so afraid? Why did he forgive Dean so easily? He was afraid of the rejection of his brothers, the only family he had left. Adam was no stranger; he was worried about his brothers.

Dean looked at Adam again. Adam was hiding his face on his knees, hands around, still crying. Dean pulled his arms and tried to grab him for a hug which was involuntarily replied as Adam clanged to Dean's chest. Dean wanted to assure his baby brother that everything would be alright, but this time he was not sure.

"It won't happen! Ade. I promise. Things will not come to that. Sam will be fine. No one will kill him. Neither me nor you, do you hear me? No one... shss" Dean replied almost like whispering into Adam's ears while caressing his hair affectionately. He admitted, it felt nice to give something to his brother that was more than materialistic gifts. It was the assurance of a big brother.

Thanks for reading. Comments appreciated. Next :– 11. "In Coming..." (Start of the Cosmic Battle)