CHAPTER 3
Stephen made his way towards Adam and called out to him softly.
"Hey, kiddo. Look there are some people to meet you."
Adam didn't look up. He didn't want to meet anyone. Can't they all just leave him alone. He was tired of people saying to him that they understood his pain or what he was going through. They were all liars. Nobody could understand what he was going through.
Adam didn't acknowledge Stephen. Stephen wasn't surprised in the least as it was what was happening ever since he had been with the kid after his mother's death.
Stephen looked at Sam and Dean , helplessly.
He made his way to them and motioned them out of the cabin.
"He has been like that ever since Kate's death. Kate was on her way to pick Adam from a friend's house when a drunk truck driver hit her causing her car to flip over which resulted in her death on the spot. Ever since, Adam had been getting worse , he hadn't taken a bath , hadn't changed his clothes. And what worries me the most is that he hadn't talked much about it. He had not been eating much too."
Dean was exactly like that after his mother's death. He had changed because he had baby Sammy to take care of. Who would have taught Sammy to speak ? Who would taught Sammy to walk ? Who would have sung lullabies to Sammy when he couldn't sleep ? Even at the age of four , Dean's priority had been straight , Sammy came first and everything else was second and that included him too. He couldn't depend on his Dad who was lost to alcoholism for sometime after his mother's death to take care of Sam. The priority list hadn't changed much. Just that there had been an addition : DJ and Sam come first and everything else is second and that includes him too.
Sam was sure the kid was in grief. He was shutting out everyone around him and drawing to himself. Thats one way to deal with pain , some people let it out and some people don't. His brother was of the latter type and it looked like so was Adam. He had read about it in his psychology class at Stanford. He was also sure that there would be thousands of thoughts going in that twelve year old mind at this instant.
Adam didn't know these men. He had only met John Winchester a few times. The man like clockwork started showing on his every birthday after he had turned seven. Before that he had no clue who his father was. He showed up a few times during the year too. Adam had fun with him. They would go watch a baseball match , play catch or go fishing. He knew his father was a mechanic and travelled a lot. When he had asked his mother why his father didn't live with them like a normal family. She had said he had two other sons he had to look after. When he tried to ask his mother more , she looked sad and he dropped it after that. John didn't show up for his birthday this year , he had been sad. But there was one person who was there with him always and that was his mother and now she is dead. He didn't know what to do. What will happen to him ? He felt helpless.
He had heard Stephen talking that since his father wasn't reachable. They had called Dean Winchester. His mother had made a will that in case of emergencies when both his mother and father were unreachable , Dean would be his legal guardian. Why ?! He hadn't even met the guy before. But he guessed that these men were both his brothers or his half brothers.
He didn't know these men. What if they were some bad people like criminals , thieves or murderers. But he didn't want to go to foster care either. He would run. Doesn't matter if he would be sent to foster care or with his ... No not brothers. They didn't even know each other. Or with those weird men , he would definitely run. He would do fine on his own , yes.
Adam was making plans in his head. His head was down and he was looking at the ugly cream coloured carpet , god ! he now hated that colour and that stupid carpet in Stephen's office because he had kept his head down to avoid any eye contact ever since he had came here so there's nothing to stare at except the ugly carpet at his feet. He was bored of it but he couldn't handle any contact now not even eye contact with any adult who thought they knew everything. They didn't know anything , they were all liars. He hated everybody.
So he was more than surprised when a little head made its appearance blocking his view of the hateful carpet. Sam didn't want DJ to hear any of the talk they were gonna have about Adam with Stephen. So he had made DJ stay inside Stephen's cabin when the adults moved out to talk.
"Hi , I am DJ." DJ said offering his little hand for a handshake just like he had seen his daddy and uncle do when they meet someone.
Adam was a little confused. But first thing that popped into his mind was that he was maybe an uncle. God ! didn't that made him feel old. He didn't know if the kid was of the taller man or the shorter man but it didn't matter. He had always told his mom that he was old and that he was a big boy and he could handle everything whenever his mom tried to babby him. But it was one of the few times he decided that no he wasn't old enough , he couldn't handle this. He would run sure , as soon as he got a chance but if there was even a single chance of him staying with those weird dudes out there then no way in hell , he would allow himself to be called an 'uncle'. He would be 'Adam'.
He was thrown into reality when he saw a little hand moving wildly in front of his face. He looked down and saw the kid was now crouched in front of him.
"You okay ?" DJ asked innocently.
"Yeah, kid. I am fine." His voice sounded weird since he hadn't spoken much.
"Here. You have to shake my hand 'cause thats what real men do." DJ explained seriously. His Uncle had said a real man always shaked hands when he meets someone for the first time.
"Okay" the kid was definitely cute.
"Whats yours name ?"
"Adam." Adam replied. Why he was talking to a little kid when he was giving everyone around him a silent treatment was beyond him.
"Are you sad ? You can share my gummy bears. They always makes me happy." DJ said digging in his pockets and handing some gummy bears to Adam.
"Yes , I am sad. And thank you." Adam said eating a gummy bear. He also smiled a little when the kid flashed a dimpled toothy grin at him. Now who wouldn't smile at that ?
Dean , Sam and Stephen were watching the exchange between DJ and Adam from the window outside.
"Thats exactly why I feel Adam would be better with his family , right now. I haven't seen him smile or talking to someone ever since the accident." Adam needed these people.
"Whoa, I am gonna have to stop you right there. First , we aren't his family. And second , we aren't adopting him."
Dean said resolutely. A part of him would feel bad about the kid. But no , Adam was not their family , he was a mistake of their father and thats just that.
"Mr. Winchester please , I mean Dean , the kid would end up going to foster care. The will mentioned you as the legal guardian and if you won't take him then there's a possibility his whole future would be ruined. His life will be a mess. As a lawyer I have seen countless lives of children destroyed because they were lost in the system just due to the fact that their living relatives didn't want anything to do with them after their parents death. His mother died and your father is unreachable and I am sorry if thats not the reason but I am thinking something had happened to him too otherwise he would be here."
Stephen didn't know how to convince Dean. The man was not even looking at him. So he did the only thing he could think of at the moment , he looked at Sam pleading him silently to convince his brother.
"Dean.."
"Don't even think about it. Thats not the part of the deal when I agreed to visit."
"But ..."
"I said no , Sam." Dean said in a commanding voice warning Sam.
"Would you atleast let me speak ?"
Sam was at a loss too. But taking the kid was looking like a right thing to do. His brother was angry and with time he was sure Dean would understand that whatever happened, it was not Adam's fault. By that time , Adam would already be lost somewhere in the system and Dean would be crushed with overwhelming guilt over what he had done. He would experience guilt too and if that happens he would be constantly thinking that only if he had pushed Dean a little harder , Adam's life would not have ruined. He didn't want that. He was sure ruining anyone's life especially a kid's was something they couldn't live with , even if it was indirectly.
When it looked like Dean won't interrupt him anymore , he began , "Is it really right to punish Adam for what Dad had done ? Think about it Dean you would be punishing the kid for just being born. How could he possibly have controlled that ? I know you Dean , you are angry now but when you would calm down and if by that time Adam had been lost in the system , you would blame yourself. You would not be able to handle that guilt and so would I. I guarantee you , Dean."
Sam looked at his brother , his puppy dog eyes in full force. Stephen was awed by the way Sam was managing Dean. The brothers were really close , he could see that even if it hasn't been an hour since he met them. Nowadays that thing is rare. And he mentally patted his back because the expression on Sam's face , who would possibly say 'no' to that. There was only one word he could think for that , it was 'puppy dog eyes' , he wasn't even sure if thats an appropriate way to describe someone but it sure looked apt for Sam.
Dean was faltering , while he believed in actions more than words. His little brother , he was a master of words. Sam could even convince someone to transfer his property to him just by using the right words of which to Dean it looked like his little brother had an infinite stock. And when Sam's puppy dog eyes were combined with that , now that became a powerful , nasty and manipulating weapon.
But he still didn't open his mouth. He was still fighting this. He knew Sam was right but at that moment he was so mad , he didn't care.
Sam knew he had to play ugly now. 'Sorry Dean but it is something I had to do for your own good.' He thought.
"How would you feel if DJ was to be sent to foster care ?. Like I said , Jess died , her parents abandoned us. What if I would have died with her. You didn't know about DJ. He would have been sent , surely. His life would have ruined. And when in future you came to know about it ? How would you feel ?"
"Don't you dare , Sam. Don't bring DJ into it."
Sam didn't like using his kid himself. He was the father , darn it. But it is for saving someone's life. And what was the saying , 'Sometimes the means justify the end.'
"Why Dean ? If you can't even think about that happening to DJ. Then why are you letting this happen to some other kid. Dad did wrong , he should have told us about Adam rather than letting us know this way. But he trusted you Dean. He gave your number for emergencies because he trusted you that you would make the right call. You would take care of the kid. Kate never met you once still her will named you as the legal guardian. You know what that means , Dad must have told her about you. She trusted you without even meeting you to hand her only son to you in case anything bad happens to her. Didn't this say something about you here ? You can't just betray her trust. You are not like that. Now its your choice, Dean. Thats all I would say."
Stephen was confused that Dean didn't even know about his nephew if the brothers were this close. And while he was curious it was none of his business. So he kept his mouth shut.
Dean was doomed. Sam was right. His brother had said everything that was true. But this didn't make it easier. He took a deep breath and said in a calm voice.
"Okay. But I don't like it. And that doesn't make him part of my family , Sam." Dean regarded his brother seriously.
Sam would take what he could get. He nodded his head , his dimples making their appearance.
He looked at Stephan and saw the man visibly sagged with relief. Sam figured he was a good man who really cared about Adam.
"And one more thing , you don't ever talk about DJ like that. Or you , um , dying. Because if you do I would kick your ass straight to South Dakota from here. Clear ?"
He hated that his brother used DJ and his death as a way to convince him. The problem was that Sam knew him too well. Only those were the things that really convinced him. Sam knew that and thats why he used them. Sometimes Sam could be a manipulating bitch.
"Crystal , Sir." Sam replied. He hated that too but he knew they would convince Dean.
"Okay , then. If you could follow me." Stephen said smiling.
All the three men made their way inside. The Winchester brothers whole life was about to change. That was equal parts exciting and terrifying.
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