hi! I would've had this posted earlier except that I completely changed which prompt I was doing and wrote a completely brand new scene today. :)

No. 17 : I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING

prompts: Blackmail, Dirty Secret, Wrongfully Accused

setting: pre-series, Dean 14, Sam 10

"You little brat." The motel manager loomed over them, tobacco stained finger jabbing at Dean's chest. "You broke that window."

"They did," Dean said, pointing at the older boys who were running away across the parking lot. "Not us."

The manager didn't even look. He just took a step closer. "You two been here alone for days. Don't think I don't notice. Couple hooligans, trashing things."

"We didn't trash anything." Dean stood up as straight and tall as he could. He was only fourteen and the guy was huge, but at least he wasn't a little kid anymore. He could protect his brother. "We were just walking by and they threw the rocks before we even got here."

"That ain't what I saw. You threw those rocks."

"He did not!"

"Sammy, be quiet," Dean said under his breath, gripping his brother's backpack strap, keeping him in place.

"But-"

"It doesn't matter who did it," the manager said, staring down at them. "What matters is that you're going to pay for it."

"Fine." Dean shrugged. "When my dad gets back he'll-"

The guy laughed, but it was a mean laugh. He leaned closer and said, "I'm not interested in waiting that long for payment."

Unsettled, Dean pushed Sam backwards, away from the man. Pulling out his wallet, he said, "I've got...fifty three dollars."

It was supposed to last them the rest of the week until Dad got back, but what else could he do?

The manager laughed again, shaking his head. "Fifty three dollars. That won't pay for the window."

"Dad will give you more," Dean said, holding the money out. Sam was behind him, his hand clenched around Dean's wrist.

"There's other ways to pay." The manager reached out, touching Dean's shoulder.

Flinching back, Dean shook his head.

"Dean?" Sam's voice was a tiny whisper behind him.

"It's ok, Sammy."

"Yes," the man said, his grin widening. He licked his lips, gaze going between Dean and his little brother. "It's ok, Sammy."

"Don't call him that," Dean snapped even though everything inside him was shaking. "You can have the money and get more from Dad when he gets back."

The man shook his head. "I already told you that I don't want your money. You don't have any options here, boy. Your daddy ain't here and I think the police would be really interested in a couple kids who live at a motel while there daddy's who knows where. They'd probably come right over if I called. They'll put you two in foster homes so fast it would make your head spin."

"Dean?"

Sam sounded close to tears, but Dean didn't take his eyes off the monster in front of him. His wrist was being squeezed tightly, fingernails digging into his skin as Sam pulled on him.

If the man did call the police, Dean knew he was right about what would happen to them. He also wasn't stupid; he knew what the man wanted. The money wasn't enough and Dean had nothing else he could bargain with. He and the man stared at each other, both weighing the options and possible outcomes of the situation.

And then the man leaned down and whispered into Dean's ear, "If you don't want to pay me for what you did, perhaps your little brother would."

Dean tore his wrist out of Sam's grip, heedless of the scratches he received in the process. He launched himself forward, shoulder catching the man in the solar plexus and driving the breath out of him. The guy was startled, but he was a big guy and recovered quickly. His hands came up to grab or punch, but Dean paid no attention and drove his own fist into the man's already crooked nose.

Blood spurted all over and somewhere in the background, Sammy was yelling and crying and Dean just ignored him and pounded his fist into the man's face over and over again. The world was filmed in a red haze as he poured out his terror and anger against the all-too-human monster who had threatened him and his brother.

Finally, the sounds of his brother's voice broke through everything else.

"...please, stop. Dean...please…"

Dean straightened. He was on his knees over the now unconscious manager, both his fists dripping with blood, his arms and shoulders aching with how hard he'd been punching.

"Dean, please…" Sam's voice broke off with a sob.

"Sammy," Dean whispered, turning away from the monster.

Sam was standing a few feet away, tears streaming down his face, a tree branch held in his hands. Scared to death, but prepared to fight. He looked so little standing there in Dean's old jacket, his backpack full of school books and his dirty sneakers right in the middle of a mud puddle with a tree branch held in his hands like a club.

"Dean?"

"It's ok." Dean pushed himself up, his breath slowing. He found himself with an armful of little brother. "It's ok, Sammy."

Sam was shaking his head against Dean's chest.

Running his hands through his brother's hair, Dean looked once more at the monster, then said, "Come on. We need to go."

He pulled his brother toward their room. It only took them five minutes to grab what few possessions they had that weren't already in their backpacks. Dean listened for sirens as they packed, but none came. They'd been at the side of the motel when the manager had approached them. Maybe no one had seen what had happened.

Gripping Sam's hand with an iron grasp, Dean led him up the street. Toward the bus stop.

"What're we doing?" Sam asked, wiping his face with his sleeve and struggling to keep up with Dean's hasty steps.

"We're going far from here."

"But Dad…"

"We'll call him from Pastor Jim's," Dean said, refusing to look over his shoulder. No good looking back. Had to keep moving forward.

"Are the police going to take us away?"

Dean pulled his brother closer to him, wrapping an arm around Sam's shoulders. Holding him tight, Dean said, "No."

"I don't want to get taken away from you." Sam's arms wrapped around him.

"Not gonna happen, squirt." Dean kissed the top of his brother's head as they reached the bus stop. "Nothin's ever gonna take you away from me."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The bus arrived only moments later and by the time they were sitting down, Sam was finally smiling. Dean forced a smile, grateful when Sam started talking about what he'd learned in school. Little kids were so easily distracted. All Dean could hope was that the memory of what had happened...what had nearly happened would fade away quickly and Sam would forget this day completely.

He knew he wouldn't be so lucky.

The bus was taking them far away, Sam was safe beside him, the monster was left behind. They were safe. He was safe.

Until next time.

A shiver ran up his spine.

There would always be monsters in the world.

All he could do was learn everything he could. Be smarter. Be faster. Tougher. He needed to be the best at everything so that he could protect his brother and himself.

He would never let anything happen to his brother.

Never.

Thank you for reading! This definitely was a very different story than I had ever expected or planned to write, but I think it turned out pretty well. :) I have to admit that overall, every single prompt has gone completely differently than what i had "sketched" out in preparation for this event lol. Considering the title of today's installment was "I did not see that coming" it seems very appropriate lol.

Tomorrow's theme/prompts: No. 18: PANIC! AT THE DISCO, Panic Attacks, Phobias, Paranoia