July 1, 1983
Mommy and Daddy haven't come home yet. I don't know why. They said that they would be back before dark, but as I turn on the small night light and shut my closet door, I doubt they will be home anytime soon. I walk over to the small window of my second story room and watch as the car headlights on the street below pass speedily by. I wonder if Mommy knows I am thinking about her. I quickly shut the curtains and run back to my bed.
Mr. Winchester is watching me from the doorway, a small smile on his face. I don't know what to call him anymore. Daddy calls him John, but when I try to call him that, Daddy gives me a look and tells me to be respectful. But I don't think Mr. Winchester minds. He always just smiles at me. I can still feel his smile as I turn away from him. His footsteps sound soft on the carpeted floor. He reaches over and tucks me in. He then gives me a soft kiss on the forehead and tells me good night in that gruff voice of his. His beard feels scratchy on my face.
I turn to look at the doorway as he walks back to the living room to wait for my parents. I can see the beginnings of something I can't name in his eyes. I frown. Is he mad at me? I hope not. Daddy won't be happy if I made Mr. Winchester mad.
"Mr. Win chess sir?" I ask quietly. He glances back at me from the hall. "Why mad? Mad me?" He just chuckles at me before smiling. "No Kiddo, I'm not mad at you. I'm just worried about your folks." With that he walks down the stairs, turning off the light in my room along the way.
My frown grows bigger as I try to understand what he was saying. Did worry mean that something was wrong? I glance around my room before deciding that it certainly couldn't mean that. Mommy had taken me to play at the park with Mr. Winchester's son, Dean, before she and Daddy had to go to a dinner. Mr. Winchester offered to watch me while they were gone. So, nothing could be wrong because we had a good day… right?
I close my eyes and try to go to sleep. I'm nearly there when I hear the phone downstairs ring. I listen as Mr. Winchester's voice answers with a gruff "Hello?" I crawl out of bed and to the foot of the stairs so that I can hear. Mr. Winchester doesn't see me yet. I peek around the railing and find Mr. Winchester ashen faced and staring at something I cannot see. He shakes his head. "This is their next door neighbor, John Winchester." He looks around him, still not seeing me. "Yes, I'm with their daughter, Grace. Are you sure that's what happened?"
I frown. What could he be up to? Was something wrong? Without a sound, I slip back up the stairs and into bed, knowing that whatever Mr. Winchester was doing, he would probably rather see me in bed than on the stairs. I listen closely as I hear him talking. He was saying something about a Will and a John and Mary (which I assume is he and his wife Mary). There is silence for a while after that, and my mind begins to wander.
I curl tighter into my bed. Whatever Mr. Winchester was doing could wait until morning, and since it is night, night is when I sleep. I am almost out when I hear the soft footsteps on the cold wood stairs. I feign sleep as I feel more than see Mr. Winchester enter my room and come sit on the edge of my bed. He reaches over and runs a hand through my hair. Something feels off about the touch. It is hesitant, almost lingering. It feels… sad.
I turn slightly and look up at the man who seems to be a second father to me. His eyes seem to be a bit puffy. He looks like I do when I finish crying and look in the mirror. Why is he sad? He looks at me and tries to smile, tries to trick me into thinking about something other than the fact that he is crying now. I make a small face at the sight.
"Mr. Win chess sir? Why sad?" I try to look and see if maybe someone was in the house and had hurt him, but he doesn't let me move away. Instead he just pulls me close, into a tight hug. He holds me, and I don't know how to help him, don't know what's wrong. I try to tug away, but he pulls me closer, whispering "I'm sorry" in my ear.
I sit stock still when I hear it. Why is he apologizing to me? Did he do something wrong? Was there something else that was wrong? I look warily up at Mr. Winchester, confusion coloring my eyes. He pulls away suddenly and crouches down on the floor in front of me. My eyes crinkle as he does so, a small frown taking the place of the thin line of my lips that was there previously. He places one of his large hands on my shoulder.
"Grace, why don't you grab your night light and come spend the night over at my house?" He sighs gratefully as I nod. "Here," He grabs my hand and drags me from the bed, "You grab your favorite dolly and I'll get the night light, alright?" He smiles at me as he sees the slowly growing smile on my own face. I rush over to grab a doll I had taken to calling Mommy Doll, and Mary for short. She is almost bigger than me, but I can carry her.
Mr. Winchester reaches over and turns on the light in my room before snagging the little light plugged into the outlet by my bed. Grabbing my hand once more, he walks me down the stairs. Without stopping we all but ran over to the Winchester household, barely even pausing to close the front door of our house. He glances at me every few seconds... like he's checking that I'm still there.
He ushers me into the front room where I can see Dean and Mrs. Winchester staring at us. I smile as I see Dean. He's my best friend. He smiles back. I glance up at Mr. Winchester, and he nods. I can feel as my smile grows wider and both Dean and I run up to his room, but when I look at Mr. Winchester he and his wife are talking quietly. I ignore it. grown up stuff is boring… And now I can go and play with Dean.
July 2, 1983
I wake up wrapped in Dean's arms. We fell asleep on his floor, neither of us really wanting to admit we were tireder than the other. I giggle slightly. Dean is warm, and comfy, and I had been scared of the monster in his closet. He said that there couldn't be one there, but neither of us was willing to face it if there was. I smile as I remember. I close my eyes, hoping that Dean's warmth will lull me to sleep again.
I lay still for a few moments before I feel Dean stir next to me. I sigh. It was good while it lasted. Dean was like a brother to me. He opens his eyes and looks at me before smiling and pulling away. "Ew… girl..." We laugh.
"Am not ew!" I shot back.
"You are!" We laugh again even as Mr. Winchester comes into the room. He gives us both a fond smile, before picking me up and carrying me downstairs, Dean following closely behind. Mary is sitting on their couch watching me with teary eyes. I glance down at Dean and we both frown. Mrs. Winchester shouldn't be sad, shouldn't she be happy and smiling?
Mr. Winchester sets me on the couch beside her. She wraps an arm around me the second he sets me aside. My frown grows deeper as he crouches down in front of me.
"Grace, you are going to stay with Mary and I. For a long time." He sighs. I wonder what he means by that. Won't I be going home later, to see Mommy and Daddy? I lean into Mrs. Winchester as John continues talking. "Sweetheart, I don't know how to tell you this, but from now on, Mary and I are going to be your parents. Mommy and Daddy are not coming back." He frowns as he sees the confusion and horror on my face.
"No! Where Mommy and Daddy? Where?" I can feel my eyes tearing up, but I don't care. He is wrong! He is wrong, I know it! Mommy and Daddy always come back! I look up at Mr. and Mrs. Winchester only to notice their forlorn looks. "Where…?" I whisper, now crying.
He looks down at me, eyes sad and longing. "They are gone. Someplace they cannot come back from. Last night their car was found in the middle of an old forest road. Neither one survived the accident." He looks over at Mrs. Winchester and sighs. "Later we are going back to your house to get your stuff. " He glances at Mary again. "Then I'm going out to see if I can get a lawyer to make it all legal."
I begin to sob and deny it. "No! They come back! All time! They come back!" I squirm in the chair, trying to get away from the woman holding me close. They were lying! They were wrong! Mommy and Daddy were coming! They always do! I eventually grow tired and lean closer into Mrs. WInchester. This is going to be a long day.
November 2, 1983
"Mom!" I yell, "Dean tooked Mary! He tooked Mary!" I chase Dean around the room. He's holding my favorite doll and I want her back. Now. Chasing Dean I trip on the bedpost of my bed. We sleep in the same room now. We have since I started to stay here. I glare at Dean as he just stands over me holding Mary out to me now. "I sorry. You ok?" I reach up and snatch Mary from him. "No. I hurt." I point to the newly forming purple bruise on my elbow from where I hit the floor.
Dean frowns. "I kiss it. Make it better." I laugh. "K." I hold my arm out to him and he kisses my elbow. It tickles. That's when Mary comes into the room and smiles at the two of us.
"You two just can't stay out of trouble, can you? I think it's a good thing you get along so well. Now let's go say goodnight to Sammy and get you both into bed." She reaches down and picks up Dean, holding out a hand for me to take. We walk over to the room next door
"Come on, let's say goodnight to your brother." She sets Dean down and he rushes over to kiss Sam's forehead. "Goodnight, Sam." I follow just behind him and do a repeat, kissing little Sam's forehead. "Goodnight, Sam." Mary leans over and whispers "Goodnight, love." to Sam and gives him a small kiss on the forehead. I smile as John comes into the room behind us.
"Hey Dean. Hey Grace." He leans down as Dean runs to him and gives him a hug. "Daddy!" I follow closely behind and wait my turn. "Dad!" I smile as I get my hug and move away as John picks up Dean. "So… You think Sammy's ready to toss around a football yet?" Dean just giggles and shakes his head. "Noooo… Daddy!" I laugh as John just chuckles a "No…" Mary smiles and pats John on the shoulder as she leaves the room. "You got them?"
John smiles and holds Dean closer to his body, letting him wraps his small arms around his neck, and reaching out with his other hand to take one of mine. "I got them." He looks at Sam. "Sweet dreams, Sam." He smiles as we leave the room. We walk back to Dean's, and my, room. John set Dean down and we both raced to be the first one into bed, vying to be the one John tucked in before the other. Dean always won, and it doesn't change this time. I pout and stick out my tongue at him, before laying down and waiting for the cover to encompass me in its warmth, much like Dean's embrace when I have a nightmare.
I smile and snuggle down into my bed. Dean was my big brother… and my best friend. And Sammy was my little brother. Well, not really. But that was certainly what it felt like. I watch as John leaves the room. I used to call him Mr. Winchester, but ever since I came here, I've started calling him Dad. It's easier. That's my last thought before going to sleep.
Someone is screaming. And loudly. I look over at Dean with wide eyes. He looks back at me. We listen, waiting to see what's happening. Neither of us quite understand the level of bad that is going to happen. We hear running from the stairs. I quickly run over to Dean, scared. He moves over and lets me sit next to him. I recognize Johns heavy steps.
"Mary?! MARY?!" I move closer to Dean. Dad sounds worried. More so than usual. From here I can make out the sound of a door slamming open. John calls Mom's name once more before speaking quietly. Probably to Sam, to sooth the child before him. Then everything goes silent, followed by a thump and a bright light. "No! Mary!" Dad is yelling again, something unintelligible. I curl closer to Dean, now really scared. Sam starts crying loudly and the sound of crackling can be heard. I close my eyes. This must be a nightmare. I feel more than see Dean jump up and run into the hallway. I follow closely behind, scared that something would happen to me if I let him get too far away.
Dad comes out of Sammy's room, carrying him and hands him to Dean. "Daddy-"
"Take your brother outside as fast as you can, don't look back! Now, Dean! Go!" John stares after us as I follow Dean outside. Dean runs carefully carrying Sam, making sure he doesn't fall. I watch them both as I keep just behind him. I pull the door ajar for Dean and we both glance back up at Sam's room as we get to the yard. I look at the small boy in Dean's arms. "It's okay Sammy." Suddenly Dean is scooped up by John and we are running towards the street as the fire in the room suddenly comes out of the windows.
Soon enough we are surrounded by bright lights and loud sounds. Men were rushing around on funny clothing and strange yellow hats. The truck they came out of was red. Black and white cars with flashing red and blue lights seem to be everywhere. The strange men are holding long tubes that spray water on the house. The men who got out of the black and white cars are wearing funny looking black hats. I don't like them. They have shiny stuff on their clothes.
Behind me, John is sitting and holding Sam. Dean is sitting beside him, leaning against his shoulder. All of us are teary eyed. I thought that Mary was going to love me forever and ever. She was my Mom after Mommy was gone. And now she is gone, too. And now all I have is Dad, Dean, and Sammy. I feel hot tears fall down my face. I don't want to lose anything else.