Title: Knee High to a Sasquatch
Author: Starrylizard
Fandom: Supernatural
Rating: Gen, G, pre-series
Characters: Sam, John and Dean
Summary: Though Sam didn't realise it, his training started before he could even walk or talk. Mostly happy moments through Sam's childhood (age 1-5)
Notes: Thanks to Rinne for the beta, encouragement while writing and title input. You rock! Also, the Latin I used is taken directly from Dairwendan's transcript, with thanks.

John had discovered it accidentally.

He'd had Jim write down the main blessings he might need and teach him the correct Latin pronunciations. He never seemed to be able to get his brain wrapped around the words though, had trouble making them roll off his tongue the way that Jim could without even thinking.

So he practiced.

Sam was fussing on his shoulder yet again, crying from being so tired, but not ready to sleep yet, and John did the tired Daddy sleep-shuffle. He jiggled Sammy gently while shuffling from foot-to-foot, one hand rubbing soothing circles against his son's back.

But Sammy kept fussing, not giving into sleep without a fight, even though his Dad's eyes kept creeping closed.

As he jiggled the baby, John started to mumble the blessing he knew best - the blessing for the creation of holy water - keeping it fresh in his memory.

And Sammy grew quiet on his shoulder, snuffling baby breaths against John's neck, lulled to sleep by the sound of John's deep voice and a blessed Latin lullaby.

Bath time (2yrs old)

Sam splish-splashed soapy water, grinning and sputtering as John poured another cup of water over his head.

"Hey Sammy. All done there. All clean. Playtime, Sammy?" John smiled at his son, jangling his rosary beads to catch his attention.

Sammy's eyes lit up and he reached out awkwardly for the beads. He liked this game. Soon he sat up straight in the bath, rosary beads clutched in one little fist, water gun in the other, his brow furrowed in concentration as he waited.

Dean and John were crouched down out of sight and they took it in turns to poke their heads up above the bath rim, making "Grr" noises and then dropping back down when Sammy held up the beads and squirted them with the gun.

"That's right, Sammy!" John praised, as he popped back into Sammy's sight and copped another face-full of bathwater. "And what do you say?"

"Kris-tow," Sam shouted.

"Good boy, Sammy!" John laughed as Sam squirted him again for good measure.

Bed time (3yrs old)

"Time for bed, Sasquatch." John tousled Sam's hair, as he marshalled his youngest son into bed.

"But Dad…" Sam's eyes were wide and sincere as he climbed under the covers and his Dad tucked him in with Blue Bear.

"Yeah, son?"

"I think there's something in the closet." Sam spoke quietly.

John straightened, tone turning serious. "What did you see?"

"Nothing, just I woke up and it was open…" Sam's voice dropped to a whisper, "and I was scared."

John moved to the closet, picking up the gun that sat next to Dean's bed on the way. Sam knew never to touch the gun, but to wake Dean or Dad if he was scared. Sam knew how to handle a gun, how to check the safety was on and carry it properly, but he wasn't allowed to touch them without Dad there.

Now, his Dad propped open the closet door and walked in. Sam sucked in a breath and clutched Blue Bear tightly.

"Daddy?"

"Nothing here, son." John was sweeping the closet with the EMF meter now and Sammy watched quietly. He knew that it detected the bad things. "Nothing here for now."

"Okay, Dad."

"You armed?"

Sam nodded solemnly and picked up the Super Soaker that lived beside his bed and John checked that it was still full of holy water.

"And what do you do if you see something tonight? Even if you just think you see something?"

"Wake Dean and yell for you, Dad."

"That's right. Your brother and I, we'll protect you. Night Sammy." John kissed Sam's head and tucked the blankets in tighter.

"What about Blue Bear, Dad?"

John smiled and patted the stuffed bear that had been a gift from Missouri. John knew the bear's stuffing contained purification herbs and the shape stitched onto its soft belly was a protective pentagram. Sam just loved his blue bear.

"Goodnight, Blue Bear. Sleep well, Sammy."

John poured a line of salt in front of the closet before turning off the lights. Just to be safe.

Road Trip (4yrs old)

Being on the road for hours on end with two young boys, John mused, could have been worse than it was. After almost three years of moving around the country, Dean and Sam had become fairly adept at amusing themselves, even if it did often mean driving their dad insane in the process. At least he was never in danger of falling asleep at the wheel.

Sam was currently singing Old MacDonald at top volume, Dean throwing in the next animal for him to sing about when it came around in the song. Dean, slouched down in the front passenger seat, looked about as bored with the song as his father did at this point. About three verses ago he'd begun to substitute actual farm animals for supernatural creatures. Currently Sammy was singing about how the farm had a sasquatch, which, after some debate, he'd decided made a squelching noise.

"…Squelch squelch here and a squelch squelch there.

"Here a squelch, there a squelch, everywhere a squelch squelch…"

"Time to change the channel, Sammy," Dean all but yelled, pretending to hit the button on the old radio.

Sammy immediately stopped singing. This was their latest game. When Dean changed the imaginary channel, it was up to Dad to pick a new one. There was a pause as Sammy waited expectantly and John revelled in the relative silence that came over the car for a moment.

"Can't you find a channel, Dad?" Sam finally asked.

"Here's one, Sammy." John cleared his voice, and when he spoke it was with a radio announcer's lilt. "And coming up next, The Winchester Brothers will be reciting the blessing to make holy water."

"But that's easy, Dad."

"And boring," chimed in Dean.

Dean had almost as much trouble wrapping his head around the Latin phrases as John did and it annoyed him how easily Sammy seemed to remember them, the same as he remembered all the words to Humpty Dumpty, or Mary had a Little Lamb.

"Well that's what's on. Must be one of those country religious stations. If it's too hard for you…?"

"Nooo, I can do it," piped Sam. He never could resist a challenge and he actually liked the sound of the Latin words.

"Exorcizo te, creatura aquæ, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu Christi, Filii ejus Domini nostri, et in virtute Spiritus Sancti..."

Sam happily began reciting the blessing and, not to be outdone by his younger brother, Dean joined in. John couldn't help but feel a little guilty and a little proud that his son treated Latin blessings the same as nursery rhymes. John only wished he didn't have to.

My First Hunt (5yrs old)

Papa Bear to Baby Bear. Come in, Baby Bear.

Sam jumped as the radio crackled to life. He'd been dozing in the back of the car, but Dean was awake and keeping a look out as per usual.

"Papa Bear, this is Baby Bear. Dad, what is it?" Dean spoke into the radio, enunciating clearly just like Dad had told them to.

Dad usually only checked in on the hour and Sam knew that was always when the big hand was pointing to the twelve. It hadn't been that long yet though. Sam knew because he checked his Superman watch and found the big hand was pointing down toward the six.

Sam scrambled across to lean over the front seats, rubbing at his sleep-crumpled face as he did so. "What is it, Dean? Is Dad okay?"

Dean just made a shushing gesture and Sam crossed his arms in annoyance, but did as he was told.

A short while later, Dean popped the trunk and started rustling around in their toy box, collecting supplies.

"Come on, Sammy. Dad wants our help."

"But Dean, we're not allowed to leave the car."

"Stupid, Dad gave us an order. Now move."

Sam followed without further argument. He was too busy trying to keep up with his brother anyway, as Dean's longer legs allowed for a much faster pace than was comfortable and he pulled Sam along behind him.

Then Dad was in sight, waving at his boys to hurry as they both ran to meet him.

"Up there, Dean. Find a balcony facing the court yard and be ready when you hear the signal."

Dean nodded and answered with a serious, "Yes, Sir," and Sammy followed suit.

"And look after your brother," he added.

"Yes, Sir," Dean answered again and Sammy rolled his eyes.

Dean picked the lock on a third story apartment and they clambered out to the balcony after starting the bathtub filling. Sammy blessed the water once it was about half full and they loaded the Super Soakers they'd brought and mixed the bubble blowing detergent.

When their Dad's loud wolf whistle sounded from below, they were ready.

"Now, Sammy!" Dean said and they both blew bubbles like their life depended on it. Bubbles, bejewelled in the sunshine, rained down on the people below and Sam grinned happily, peering through the balcony bars as he continued to blow.

Dean spotted the smoke first when some of Sammy's bubbles landed on some boring-looking guy in a suit, and Dean picked up the Super Soaker and took aim. The man flailed as the water hit his clothing and it began to smoke, and then the man ducked out of sight, taking cover somewhere inside.

Sam spotted his Dad chasing the man, following him into the building and Dean let out a triumphant, "Yeah!"

"Did we get him Dean? Can I stop now?"

"Yeah, Sammy. We got him!"

Dean turned toward Sam with a grin, tousling his hair before Sam proceeded to do a triumphant dance. "We're demon-hunters, Dean," he crowed.

Dean laughed turning to aim the Super Soaker at his little brother. "The way you're dancing, you look more like a demented sasquatch to me," he taunted and promptly soaked his brother.

By the time they reached the car again, both boys were soaked through and Dean had claimed that with that much holy water covering them both, no demon was going to come anywhere near them. He still had Sam help him set up an extra salt line around the car though, and then they sat around in the warm summer sun and waited for their Dad.

Later, tired and satisfied, stretched out beside his brother on the warm hood of the Impala, Sam suddenly thought that at least he was right on one thing.

Sasquatchs really did go 'squelch.'