hello everyone. This story is for Nana56, who had asked about the back story of the watcher mentioned in 'Something Lost.'

and here it is. this story involves my character Kerri along with her father and sister, but you dont have to read 'Something Lost' to understand it. by the way, this is a weechester fic!

Hope you all enjoy, and let me know what you think of the teaser, i love reviews.

D: the harrison family are my own creation, but all other characters belong to the cw.

TWILIGHT

Chapter 1

The pale moonlight glistened off the still waters, the forest silent save for the gentle rustle of the late summer breeze. The shadows danced and flitted across the lake's surface, as the light filtered down through parting clouds, the last bits of rain falling down upon the serene scene. A soft melody drifted through the trees, the voice like fading whispers, soft and soothing against the muggy air. The lullaby reached out from the forest, flowed from the shadows out across the plains, echoing softly along the Wyoming wind.

The warm lights of the old house shone out brightly against the dark night, wrapping its occupants in a gentle safety, cloaking them from what lay just beyond the door. The faint song tapped along the windows, caressed the walls, reaching out for what lay inside, what was there for the taking. And slowly, a young girl answered its call, pulling open the high window, pale eyes searching the still, silent night. Young ears listening, straining to find the source of the enchanting song. And the figure in the forest smiled when it saw her, singing softly as the water below glistened. They were there for the taking.

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"Evelyn?" The young girl turned at the sound of her name, pale eyes falling on the boy at the door. "What're you looking at?" The little girl's black hair cascaded down her back as she turned her attention back to the window, staring out over the empty fields.

"Nothing. I was listening." She stated, the young boy wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he stared out into the night, sharp green eyes taking in everything around them.

"Listening to what?"

"The singing. Don't you hear it?"

"No. Maybe it's the tv you're hearing. Sammy and Kerri are watching a movie downstairs."

"No, it was singing."

"What did it sound like?" Dean asked, his grip tightening around the little girl, eleven year old senses kicking into gear. His dad had always told him to be on guard, that the bad guys were everywhere. And they were. He had let his guard down once before, and his little brother had been the one to pay the price, the small child nearly becoming lunch for a Striga.

He had seen the disappointment in his father's eyes that night, saw the trust fade away from the solemn brown orbs, and it had crushed him. He was supposed to watch out for Sammy, supposed to keep him safe. He was the big brother, it was his job, and he had failed. And he swore that day that he would never let it happen again.

"It was pretty." She stated, almost in awe, as she leaned her small body further out the window, searching for the source of the song.

"Wow, there." Dean grabbed Evelyn around the waist, pulling the seven year old back into the room. "Don't want you to fall." He smiled at her, fixing her lopsided tiara. "What do you say we go downstairs?"

"No, I don't wanna." She pouted, mystery song immediately forgotten as she walked over to her small table, Dean taking one more look at the ground below them before pulling the window closed.

"Why not?" He asked, taking a seat beside her.

"Because Sam's mean."

"What'd he do?"

"I invited him to my tea party and he said no."

"Why'd he say that?"

"Because he's mean. He said that they were only for little kids."

"Well, I don't know about, Sammy, he can be a little weird sometimes. But, you know, I've been looking for a good cup of tea."

"Really!" She smiled up at Dean, her eyes shinning in awe at the older boy.

"Of course. Now, where's the party?"

"Half hour, downstairs." Jumped up, wrapping her small arms around Dean in a sort of chock- hold hug before darting out the door, and down the stairs. Dean just smiled before turning back to the window, his mind beginning to race, hoping against hope that it had only been Evelyn's very active imagination and nothing else. Because he couldn't afford to be wrong again.

His brother's angry voice rose up to meet him as he descended the second set of stairs, the large house's occupants all on the bottom floor. That was something Dean had always loved about that big, old house. He could be alone, truly alone, when everything around him became too much. There were places to hide, ways to get around it without being seen or heard, and he relished his short bouts of solitude.

In reality, he usually hated to be alone, hated to be left with nothing to do but stare at the wall, left with nothing to think about but what he had lost. But there were times, moments which were growing much more frequent, when he just wanted to be alone, just wanted to lose himself to a world that had nothing to do with hunting, nothing to do with responsibility.

The young boy descended the last few steps slowly, squaring his shoulders, preparing himself to face the people just beyond the bend. His shoulders bore far too much weight for an eleven year old, his eyes dulled by the hunt, the innocents of youth driven from him before he ever really had the chance to enjoy it. He grew up at the age of four, watched his father crumble, and decided then that he had to care for little Sammy, had to bring his brother up right.

Because, that is what his mom had told him. Ever since he was a little child, ever since his baby brother was born, his mom had told him what it meant to be a big brother, and how proud he should be. It was his job to teach Sammy things, his job to make sure that Sammy was happy, that he was safe. And he made a promise to his mom the night of the fire, made a promise as he laid on the old motel room bed, Sam held tightly in his small arms. He would always keep his little brother safe, always shield him from the darkness, because that is what big brothers did.

"I told you I don't wanna!" Sam's shrill voice echoed up to him, Dean smiling as he heard Evelyn retaliate.

"It's not for you, it's for Dean!"

"He doesn't wanna either."

"Ya huh, he told me he did."

"Dean's too old to have tea parties. We hunters don't do stuff like that."

"My daddy had one with me yesterday."

"Sam, stop fighting with her and let her set it up." Kerri chimed in, her voice annoyed. Sam and Evelyn had been at each other's throats nonstop ever since Sam told her that she wasn't allow to play in the attic anymore. That it had somehow become a club for just him and Dean.

"But she's gonna be in the way of the tv!"

"Ev, can you just move over a bit?"

"Why can't Sam just move is big butt up to the library?"

"Ev. Be nice." Tom Harrison's voice echoed from the kitchen as Dean made his way through the door, taking a seat opposite his father at the large kitchen table. Every inch of the worn table was covered in papers and news clippings, everything the elder two hunters would need to know about the coming hunt.

"Hey slugger." John looked up at the boy before him, his young son looking so much older then he should. Watching his eldest son grow up had always been hard on the weathered man. The hunter knowing that it was he who had forced the child to grow up too fast, his fear that had been somehow transferred into the small boy. He knew, deep down, that he should have given his boys a better life, that he should have done more to protect his wife, done more to keep his precious family safe. But he hadn't, plain and simple, and this was the way things had to be now, the only way they could be. He needed to keep them safe, needed to keep them away from the ever encroaching darkness, and this was the only way he knew how. But he always wished that Dean didn't have to pay the price.

"Hey, Dad." Dean answered, looking over his father's papers. 'Fifteen Deaths in Northern Maine Forest.' 'Searches Grow for Missing Hikers.' All the news clipping read the same, the total number of missing or dead now reaching a staggering twenty six. "How long's the drive?" Dean asked, looking up at his father's haggard face.

He knew that his father and Mr. Harrison were going to be gone for a long time, two weeks, and he knew that he was going to be left in charge. And, truth be told, he was afraid, but he would never tell that to his dad. No, John wanted him to be a hunter, to be his right hand man, and he wasn't about to let the older man down. His dad needed a soldier, needed someone he could rely on, someone to watch his back. And Dean knew that he needed to be more then a son, he needed to be a hunter.

"About five days, we're going straight threw."

"Did you check over the impala?"

"Yup, tires, breaks, cooling system. Car's good to go."

"And food?"

"We got it covered."

"Just checking."

"I'm glad. Gotta keep your mind sharp. Now, about you guys."

"I know, I know. No outside after dark."

"No outside period."

"Dad!"

"John." Tom look over at his old friend, barely hidden anger written all over his face. He had suggested they called someone to watch the kids, suggested they take them with them, but John had been insistent. Tom Harrison was a firm believer that kids should be kids, and, even though he knew their lives were dangerous, he still didn't think it should have to spill over to their children. But then, John Winchester was a stubborn man, and he would not budge on the topic. So Tom was forced to go with it, knowing full well that eleven year olds should not be left in charge, but also having complete faith in Dean and Kerri.

"Daddy!" Tom's retort was cut off by Evelyn's shrill cry, the young girl grabbing her dad around the legs. "I need help."

"Sure honey." Tom gave John one more long look before turning from the room.

"How 'bout no past the sheds?" Dean asked hopefully, trying to bribe his father.

"All right. No past the sheds, and no outside after dark."

"Ok."

"What else?"

"Don't answer the phone unless it rings once first." Dean began, ticking off his orders from memory. "Don't answer to door for anybody. Anyone that needs to come in has a key."

"Good. Keep going."

"Check all protection symbols around the house at morning and at night. Check every room, including the basement and attic before going to bed. Put salt around all the beds. And don't eat all the food the first day."

"That last one for Sammy?" John asked, noting his young son's new rule.

"Yeah. When it's just me I don't care, but we have Evelyn and Kerri to worry about."

John froze a little, his son's voice so strong, so old, so not like that of a child. This was the first time he had left all four of them alone together, the first time he had told Dean that he was responsible for more then just Sammy. And he was amazed at how strongly his son had taken to that responsibility.

"Ok, anything else?"

"Yup, if anything gets in, shoot first. And." Dean began, suddenly looking down at the table, unable to meet his father's gaze, the newest rule cutting into his young soul like knives. "No going out. Stay at the house with Sammy and the girls no matter what."

"Good." John smiled once more at his son before turning back to his papers, his mind once again lost to the hunt.

Dean sat there in silence, watching his father work, taking in everything the older man did. His father was the best hunter he knew, and he wanted to be like him in every way. After all, it was his dad that had saved Sam from the Striga when he could not, his dad that had saved so many lives while he waited in their room. And if he, Dean, wanted to save lives, wanted to keep his little brother safe, then he would have to be just like his dad.

Both Winchesters looked up when Evelyn came into the room, humming and smiling brightly at Dean as she walked over to the counter, dragging over a stool before pulling out the ingredients to make coffee.

"I thought we were having a tea part?" Dean asked as the young girl turned on the machine.

"We are." She stated matter-of-factly, the strong liquid beginning to brew while the little girl went about filling up the sugar and cream caddies, taking them, and a plate of cookies to the other room.

"Are those chocolate chip?" They heard Sam ask from the living room.

"Yes, and you can't have any." She stalked back into the kitchen, small face set in a deep scowl as she made her way to the coffee machine, filling up a small porcelain pot. "Did you want a cup, John?" She asked, looking hopefully.

"Sure honey." John smiled, taking the large cut from her hands, smelling in before venturing a taste. He was taken aback at just how good it was. "Hey, Ev?"

"Yeah?"

"You think you can make some more of this for me and you're daddy?"

"For the road?" She asked, big eyes growing brighter.

"Yeah, it's good." John rustled her hair as Sam stalked into the room, obviously having his fill of the little girl.

"Are you really gonna leave me here with her?" Sam asked, throwing himself dramatically into a chair.

"Yes, and you're gonna be nice to her too, kiddo."

"Why?"

"Because she's a lady. And you always be nice to a lady."

"Why?"

"Because that's what big boys do."

"Why?"

"You're not gonna trust me on this one, are you?"

"I'll try, but it's gonna be really hard."

"I'm sure you can do it."

"I don't know." Sam began, obviously trying to change his father's mind.

"Maybe you could just avoid her?"

"But she's everywhere."

"Come on, Dean." Evelyn shouted, running back into the room and grabbing Dean by the arm. "Kerri's gonna play too. You can come too, if you promise to be nice." The little girl added seriously, staring daggers at Sam.

"Fine. I'll go." Sam rolled his eyes dramatically, following his brother and Evelyn to the other room. John smiled as they left, knowing that the tea party had become very appealing to the little boy as soon as he heard that his big brother would be participating.

They were good kids, all of them, and he wished with everything he had in him, that things had been different. That they had been allowed to be as innocent as other children, that the darkness had never touched them. But that, sadly, was not the case. They were the reason he fought, the reason he lived, and he just hoped that they knew that.