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The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the yard as Jack, Dean, Cas, and Sam took full advantage of the beautiful spring weather. After a long winter of harsh snowstorms and too many months of being cooped up inside, they were all anxious for some fresh air.
Dean had found a frisbee lying around in the bunker. Now, he and Sam were tossing it back and forth while Jack ran and jumped, trying to keep up. Cas had joined in once or twice, but his aim left a lot to be desired. Now, he sat in a spacious Adirondack chair on the deck Dean had built for him, casually reading as he watched the boys play in the open space behind the bunker. He loved watching Jack play with his dad and uncle. It was good for all three of them–Jack got to burn off some energy and Sam and Dean got a chance to enjoy a taste of the childhood they never got to have.
After an hour or so of tireless back-and-forth laps, Jack flopped onto the grass, face flushed with a broad smile on his face. “I’m tired of frisbee,” he said, catching his breath. “What else can we do?”
Dean plopped down next to him. "Well, kid, what do you feel like doing? We’ve got all afternoon."
Jack shrugged, staring up at the sky. “I don’t know. Something fun.”
“Well, if the bunker had a frisbee in storage, I’m sure there's plenty of other fun stuff to find. How ‘bout we have a look?” Sam chimed in.
Jack perked up at that. Exploring the bunker always felt like an adventure. “Okay! Do you think there’s treasure in there?”
“In this place, who knows?” Dean said as they headed inside.
They headed inside and into one of the storage rooms to begin their search for their next afternoon activity. Jack wandered curiously, opening box after box and peering inside. Then, in the corner, Jack spotted something partially hidden by a tarp. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing.
Dean walked over and pulled the tarp aside, revealing an old children’s bike. It was red with white stripes on the frame and looked like it had been well-loved by the last user. “Well, would you look at that,” Dean said, inspecting it. The tires were flat but intact. “Guess there used to be other kiddos like you running around here,” Dean said, ruffling Jack’s hair.
“Should be good to go after a quick clean and a little air in the tires.” Sam came over and blew some dust off the handlebars. “Wanna learn how to ride a bike, Jack?”
“Can I?” Jack asked Dean with wide, excited eyes.
“‘Course you can, kid. We just gotta find you a helmet first.” Dean ruffled Jack’s hair. “You help Uncle Sammy look while I fix this up for you in the garage, okay?” Jack nodded and tore open another storage box.
Twenty minutes later, they were ready to go. The helmet they’d found was a little big, but Dean managed to secure it snugly with the help of a zip tie. “Alright,” Dean said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
With Dean’s help, Jack wheeled the bike outside to their long driveway. Cas heard them come outside and rounded the bunker to meet them at the driveway. “Dean…” Cas said, “What’s going on?”
“A childhood classic, Cas. Bike riding!”
“That looks dangerous,” Cas said warily.
“That’s what the helmet’s for. To protect his noggin.”
“There are other things he can hurt besides his ‘noggin,’ Dean.”
“He’ll be fine, Cas. Sammy and I are gonna hold onto him until he’s good to go on his own.”
Sam nodded. “It’ll be good for him to learn something new and challenging. Builds confidence.”
“You ready, Jack?” Dean helped him get situated on the seat, one foot on a pedal, the other stabilizing him on the ground.
Jack nodded eagerly, gripping the handlebars. “Ready!”
After a quick verbal explanation, Jack was off to the races. Sam and Dean took turns jogging next to him and holding the seat as he pedaled to keep him steady. The first few attempts were wobbly, but in under a half-hour, Jack was pumping his legs steadily, steering himself around the driveway all on his own.
“I’m doing it! Look! All by myself!” Jack shouted as he rode.
“You’re doing great, buddy!” Dean called, “Keep going!”
Jack was beaming ear to ear as he looped around.
Sam cupped his hands around his mouth. “Keep pedaling, Jack! You’re a natural!”
There were smiles all around as Jack practiced, growing more confident with each lap. As Cas watched, his anxieties were replaced by pride as he watched his son’s determination.
But then came the inevitable. Jack’s tire wobbled as it hit a patch of gravel, and before anyone could react, the bike tipped to the side. Jack hit the ground with a yelp, scraping his hands and knees on the pavement.
“Jack!” Castiel was at his side in an instant, pulling him into a hug. Jack clung to Cas tears spilling over. Cas looked over at Sam and Dean, who were heading over. “I told you it was dangerous. Are you okay, little one?”
“Relax, Cas,” Dean said, crouching next to them. “It’s just a couple of scrapes and a pair of skinned knees. It’s like a rite of passage when learning to ride a bike.” He brushed a tear from Jack’s cheek. “You okay, bud?”
“It hurts,” Jack cried.
“I bet it does, kiddo. Probably scared you a bit, too, huh?” Jack nodded.
“Well, you’re better at riding than I was,” Sam told him. “I ran face-first into a parked car.”
Jack cocked his head. “Really?” He asked with a sniffle.
“Oh, yeah. Dented it and everything. Your Daddy had to bribe me with ice cream to get me to stop crying.”
“Can I have ice cream?” Jack asked with the most adorable little pout.
Dean shot his brother a thanks-for-that look but nodded. “Sure thing, kiddo. But we gotta get those battle scars of yours cleaned up first.”
Jack wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Battle scars?”
“Yep, just like me, and Papa, and Uncle Sammy have,” Dean said. “But here’s the important part,” Dean leaned in like he was telling Jack a secret. “You’ve gotta come up with a cool story to tell people, like… You got in a fight with a bear?” Dean suggested tickling Jack’s ribs. “Oh, and you totally won.”
“Daddy!” Jack giggled.
Cas however, was not laughing. His gaze was still fixed on Jack’s injuries. “He’s bleeding,” Cas reminded them. “He needs–”
“Cas,” Dean interrupted gently, “He’s fine. We’ll slap a couple of Band-Aids on him, and he’ll be good as new.” Dean stood and took Jack from Cas’s arms before helping his husband off the ground. Together, they headed inside and into the bathroom, where Dean pulled out his rather comprehensive first-aid kit.
Dean and Cas got Jack settled on the counter while Sam wet a washcloth.
“Alright, Jack,” Sam said, kneeling down in front of him. “I’m gonna wipe off your cuts with some soap and water. It might sting a little, but I’ll be quick, okay?”
Jack bit his lip but bravely sat still as Sam cleaned him up. His hands needed a quick wipe-down, but his knees needed some extra attention. “You’re doing great, Jack. Just gotta pour some of this on and then you can pick out your Band-Aids,” Sam said as he held up a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.
As he poured some over Jack’s knees, he gasped as the peroxide fixed and bubbled. “Whoa! What’s it doing?”
“It’s cleaning the cuts,” Sam explained with a smile. “Making sure there’s no germs left.”
“Is it magic?”
“Nope, just science.” “Science?” Jack asked, his curiosity piqued. “Cool! I want to learn that instead. The bike hurt me but science made it better.”
Dean, leaning against the wall with his arm wrapped around Cas, smirked. “Sam, you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Sam nodded as he pressed Scooby-Doo Band-Aids onto Jack’s knees. “Soda volcano?”
“Soda volcano,” Dean confirmed, already pulling his keys out of his pocket.
“Seriously?” Cas asked, arching an eyebrow.
“What? Science is important, Cas. Gotta encourage the kid’s interests,” Dean said with a wink.
“What’s a soda volcano?” Jack asked.
“It’s a science experiment. A fun one. But I can’t tell you what it does because that’ll spoil the surprise. How about that ice cream in the meantime?”
Jack beamed and padded behind Sam toward the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later, Dean was back with the supplies–several bottles of Diet Coke and a couple of sleeves of Mentos–and everyone was back outside in the grass.
“Alright, Jack, we gotta move fast,” Dean said, uncapping the bottle. Sam opened the pack and handed Jack some Mentos. “When I say ‘go’, drop all three in at the same time, then step back and watch.” Jack nodded determinedly. “Three… two… one, go!”
Jack dropped the Mentos in, and the effect was immediate. Soda shot out of the bottle in a foamy eruption.
“Woah!” He squealed, eyes following the stream. “That was awesome! What other experiments can we do?”
“Loads,” Dean assured him. “We can look up videos tonight, sound good?”
Jack nodded. “Can we do another soda volcano?”
“‘Course,” Sam said, already setting out another bottle.
Cas watched the scene unfold from a few feet away, his smile growing with each passing minute. He was so grateful for moments like these, watching the people he loved bring each other so much joy. It was what made the scarier moments, like skinned knees and tears, worth it.