AN: I rewrote this chapter a zillion times or so. Okay, not quite that many. But I feel that don't underestimate Sam Winchester is one of the background themes to season 12, and I wanted to get it right. I also kept trying for an episodic chapter and they just got too freaking long. Like, they got so long that I'll probably post one or two as independent stories some day. Anyhow, as a Sammy lover I adore how his confidence and badassery grows and how much faith Dean shows in him in this season, so I hope that I captured just a tiny piece of that here.

This tags to season 12, episode 7, Rock Never Dies. I could easily have made it about Toni Bevell or Ramiel or the Alpha Vampire or even the goat-headed guy Moloch. But I find Lucifer kind of fascinating and wanted to write him, just a little.

Blondie 20000: I would give Sam all of the hugs. All of them. *grin*

Kathy: next chapter is finally a funny one, I swear….or at least, I hope you'll find it funny!

CHAPTER 19: Underestimated

Perhaps it was because of Dean's sheer lethality, or the power of his personality. Perhaps it was the fact that Sam was so used to the little brother role and hung a few steps behind Dean most of the time, less likely to take the lead or do the talking. Maybe it was his perpetual slouch or his apparent mild manner. For whatever reason, despite his 6'4" frame and number of kills under his belt, people and monsters had the dangerous tendency to underestimate Sam Winchester.

But whatever the reason, it was almost always a big mistake.

WINCHESTER * WINCHESTER

When Sammy was 5 years old, he started kindergarten, like most children. He had not attended preschool and he was definitely on the small side for his age. He also took a lot of time to arrange his area so that it was just so, meaning that he usually started his tasks a little bit after the rest of the class. And he was shy, ducking his eyes rather than talk to most adults, or even the other children.

Just a few weeks after school started, a retired teacher named Melanie Barry came in to be the aide while the regular one was out for maternity leave. Seeing the child with shabby clothes, all eyes and hair, still arranging his paper and not yet coloring his picture, Melanie decided that this child needed special help. She ignored the list the teacher had given her of students to focus on and headed over to the one she was certain needed her the most.

"Samuel, I'm Mrs. Barry," she simpered, leaning over him. "Are we ready to do some coloring, hmmm?"

He only nodded, wincing a little at the name, which she didn't notice. Without looking up, he continued carefully laying out each crayon he'd need in a neat row next to his paper.

"Now, now, Samuel. When a teacher talks to you, you must answer out loud, with your words." She spoke slowly and loudly. "Do you understand me?" Behind her, the actual teacher rolled her eyes, but let it play out.

Sam still didn't look up, focusing on his crayons. Yes, that was a good order. He'd need the gray first, then the pink, then blue and green last. "Yes, Mrs. Barry," he said quietly.

Mrs. Barry gave him a wide smile. "Good job, Samuel." She tapped the center of the picture just as he began to color. "This is a hippopotamus." She sounded it out slowly. "Can you say hippopotamus?"

Sam finally met her gaze with his own. With perfect diction, he responded, "Mrs. Barry, I can spell hippopotamus."

The actual teacher had to cover her laughter with a fake coughing fit.

WINCHESTER * WINCHESTER

When Sam was 11 and confounding his father and brother by refusing to fight back against bullies, a group of 8th grade boys decided to surround and tease Mindy Wayland, Sam's first ever crush. He walked around the corner of the school building and saw her tears, and fury had washed over him. "Leave her alone!" he'd called, trying to be smart about it despite the fact that he was literally vibrating with anger. The boys had laughed. And turned their backs. Then one grabbed Mindy's arm, making her cry out.

Sam switched to hunter mode. He dropped his backpack, ran, and flat-out tackled the closest boy. Then he jumped to his feet and punched the next so hard he nearly broke his nose. Two of Mindy's tormenters were on the ground, the other two had run away, and Sam was awkwardly comforting the still-sniffling girl by the time a teacher came on the scene. The only reason he didn't get in trouble was because the teacher couldn't believe that sweet little Sam Winchester could possibly have done this.

Sam had gone back to the motel, where his father and brother were cleaning weapons. Both noticed his bruised knuckles and automatically scanned him for other injuries. Seeing none, Dad asked casually, "Trouble, Sammy?"

"Just some jerks at school. I handled it," replied Sam, wanting to avoid the whole conversation.

"Okay, Son." John calmly went back to his task, but the hint of a smile on his face was a beacon to both boys that he approved of the answer.

Dean, however, couldn't help the grin that crossed his face. This was one story he was definitely going to force his brother to tell later.

WINCHESTER * WINCHESTER

When Sam was 20, a would-be mugger had tried to sneak up on him and Jess after a rare evening out. Even with the sounds of the city, Sam heard him coming. Angling his body so he was between Jess and the punk, Sam called out, "We're just college kids. We have nothing for you."

"Yeah? I'll be the judge of that," sneered the loser. "Hands up, Nerd-boy."

Sam knew what was coming next. He felt as much as heard the guy start to draw a gun. He was going to point a gun at Jessica, and that was simply not acceptable. Pinpointing the dude's location from the sounds he made, Sam spun on his heel, pulled the gun free with his left hand and gripped the man's wrist with his right. He ejected the magazine one-handed and dropped it and the gun to the ground as he used his continued momentum to spin the man away from him. He pulled the guy's wrist up behind him and used his free arm to grab his neck. The entire maneuver took about 2 seconds.

The guy scrabbled uselessly against the chokehold as Sam met his girlfriend's startled gaze. "Jess," asked Sam quietly, "would you prefer that we call the police, or I just leave him unconscious on the street and we go home?"

He was sincere. He was always sincere, but the pure shock of seeing her sweet, smart Sam do that left Jessica speechless for a long moment. Just like the would-be robber, she had never seen it coming.

WINCHESTER * WINCHESTER

Lucifer was not worried in the slightest about the four who foolishly faced him. They were not going to interrupt his tantrum. They were not going to save one single person tonight. A seraph with a bleeding heart? Not much more than an irritant. The would-be king of Hell? A featherweight compared to him. A crazy-eyed hunter with a knack for survival truly matched by none? Hardly a threat. And the other brother didn't even register.

He was Lucifer, the Morning Star, the Prince of Darkness, villain numero uno in Dad's great soap opera. He refused to remember that little Sammy, chosen and destined to be his perfect vessel, instead of being a grateful little amoeba, had beaten him back long enough to send him back to the cage. He wouldn't even think of the *gag* love that had filled him, that had shoved him back and taken control. So he didn't bother to figure the annoying gnat into his calculations.

And then Sam Friggin Winchester held open the doors and let all of the tasty meat out. He gave the others time to damage Lucifer's vessel, forcing him to flee. Flee! He had a bigger plan and it wouldn't matter in the end, but he was still angry and licking his wounds today. Because he'd underestimated the quartet of annoyance, and most of all Sam Winchester, one more time.