Then and Now

Sammy Winchester, the boy who lived

September 11th

Sam

Sam wasn't sure if he liked the idea of starting yet another new school. In fact, he was definitely sure that he didn't like the idea. It had been hard enough getting through the day at his old school, where people knew he was mute. Here however... he glances discreetly at the other small boy next to him. The boy had his nose buried in a book too, his blue eyes glued to the page in front of him.

Not for the first time, Sam yearned to be normal. He wanted to be able to talk, to make friends, but he just couldn't. He hadn't spoken a word since that night, when he'd screamed his throat raw.

"Cassie! I got your lunch by mistake!" A familiar looking boy ran up, lunch box in hand. "This has your yucky tuna sandwich, I want my peanut butter- " the boy stops talking immediately, his golden eyes wide as they land on Sam.

Sam's eyes widen also, was that...

"Sammy?"

Sam nods slowly. What was going on? Did Gabriel go to this school too? Sam couldn't believe the odds, he hadn't expected to ever see Gabriel again. 

Gabriel's mouth broke out into a wide grin, and Sam could see that he had obviously lost a tooth recently. 

"Cas, this is my friend I told you about, Sammy!"

Cas looked from his brother to Sam, tilting his head in curiosity. "I see, are you in a different home now?"

"Cassie! You can't ask stuff like that, b'sides Sammy doesn't talk so he won't respond."

Sam smiles softly, then pointing at Cas's book before indicating to his own copy. 

"You like Harry Potter?" Cas asked.

Sam nods, he loved the thought of running off to a magical world of Hogwarts. Maybe in that world, his Mummy and Daddy wouldn't have died. He related to Harry in more ways than he'd like.

"Hey!" Gabriel grabbed Castiel's copy, causing the younger boy to glare at his brother and push his small glasses back up his face indigently. "You're Sammy Winchester, the boy who lived!"

It was then, on that cool morning that Samuel Winchester pulled his first ever bitch face (the first of many mind you), directing right at his golden haired friend. It was the look that said; 'Bitch, what the heckity heck did you just say?'

"Right, not cool." Gabriel was grinning though, handing Castiel his book back and shoving the paper bag of food into his bag. "But you know what is cool?"

Sam shook his head mutely.

"We can sit together at lunch again!"

This did make Sam smile, he had missed his friend greatly. He had thought they'd never see each other again.

"Great!" Gabe looked over his shoulder to where a teacher had began to shout his name. "Crap, better go before Mr Hamilton kicks my ass!"

"You're lucky mum didn't hear you swear, the swear jar can't take anymore money as it is," Castiel says mildly, sounding twice his age as he goes back to reading his book. 

"Half of that was Lucifer!" Gabriel huffs, before running off. 

"He's such a child." Castiel mutters under his breath.

If Sam could talk, he would have pointed out that they were children. Instead he just shakes his head and returns to his own book, a wide smile now on his face.

***

Sam had never been so excited for the lunch bell to ring. Usually it meant half an hour of loneliness or avoiding bullies. Today however, it meant hanging out with Gabriel. 

The moment the bell rang, he shoved his stuff into his bag and ran straight for the door. Castiel was following close behind. It takes him a moment to open the door due to his sleeves being too long, but once he gets it open he heads straight for the tree the Gabriel had instructed they meet under. 

Gabriel was already there, lounging against the trunk lazily as he flicked through a comic book. 

"Sammy!" He sat up, grinning widely. 

Sam smiles, hurrying to sit by his friend. The time that had passed since their separation seemed to melt away, it felt like nothing had changed. 

Only, it had changed. Now Castiel sat with them, although further away and with his nose buried in his book. Gabriel's hair was longer too, whereas Dean had forced Sammy to chop his off a few weeks back. He hated having short hair. 

Gabriel was also dressed much nicer, in tidy jeans and a neat shirt while Sammy was stuck in Dean's old things.

Still, they got along as well as always. Gabriel would talk his ear off and Sam replied by writing carefully on a spare piece of paper. It was familiar, peaceful and happy. 

"AYYYYY," A blond haired boy leaped out from behind the trunk, flinging acorns as the three boys. 

"Lucifer!" Gabriel stood up, glaring at the strange newcomer. "What the heck!?"

'Lucifer' just grins, throwing one last acorn at Gabe. "Oops, sorry."

Sam thought that he didn't look sorry at all. He also placed him as Gabriel's troublesome older brother. 

"Sam, my pain in the neck brother Lucifer, Luci, my best friend Sammy." Gabriel waves a hand between the two.

Lucifer grins. "The Sammy? What an honor, we've heard so much about you!" 

Gabriel goes a dark shade of red and Sam laughs. 

"Shut up Lucifer!" Gabriel huffs, crossing his arms and sitting back down by Sam.