Disclaimer: I do not own the Winchesters or Supernatural. I do own Annie Murphy.
This is an AU of my story Sanctuary – the some of the events of that story didn't happen because John Winchester died at the beginning of season 2.
What John Winchester Never Knew
The Impala wound its way up the drive to the farmhouse. It was a familiar route for the vehicle. The car stopped in a whirl of dust in the circle in front of the house, and Sam and Dean Winchester climbed out of the doors, straightening slowly.
"Do you think she's here?" Sam asked, leaning his arms on the roof of the black car.
Dean leaned his whole body against the door. "I see her truck in the barn. My guess is that she's here."
The men pushed away from the Impala and started up the porch steps. They both started when they heard a clicking on the steps to their left, but relaxed when they saw who was coming up the side steps.
"Hey, Chester." Both men took time to let the old mutt smell them, and get petted. "How are you boy?" The dog just licked their hands and whined slightly. "That bad?" Sam got a doggy kiss for his concern.
"What do you two want?" Anna Murphy stood behind the screen door, blocking the way into the house.
Sam looked up from scratching his old buddy Chester to the woman. "Annie."
"Sam. Dean. What do you want?" The woman's voice was brittle and hard.
"We came to see you. Can't two guys come and see their old friend?" Dean looked up at the woman.
Anna closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. "You should have called first."
Dean snorted. "You know us Winchesters and phone calls."
Anna looked up at Dean with devastated eyes. "Yeah, I know you Winchesters."
"Annie, can we come in?" Sam asked gently. "We just wanted to see you and see how you're doing."
Anna pushed the screen door open slightly, and then, turning her back to the brothers, walked into the kitchen. She walked over to the table, and held onto one of the chairs for support. "I had to hear it from Bobby."
Sam winced at the anger in her voice. "I'm sorry that we couldn't make it for Pastor Jim's service."
Anna turned around and face the men she helped raise. "I no sooner get my uncle put in the ground and I get a phone call from Bobby that you three are nearly dead." Her voice was low and angry. "And then Bobby calls a few days later and tells me that John's dead. And still I hear nothing from you boys."
The brothers were still thinking of something they could say to counter Anna's anger when a noise from upstairs caught all their attention. Anna bolted up the stairs with the men following a bit slower. They got to the bedroom door just as Anna was picking a small child up out of a crib.
"Who does she belong to, Annie?" Sam looked around the room and realized that this baby girl was firmly ensconced in the house.
"Me. Grace is my daughter." Annie turned towards the door, but held her daughter tightly.
The baby twisted in her mother's arms to look at the men, and babbled something to them.
Dean and Sam looked at each other a moment, both realizing the same thing at the same time.
"Grace is our sister." Dean moved toward Annie as he stated instead of questioned her.
Anna closed her eyes, kissed her little girl, and then opened tear-filled eyes to focus on Dean. "Yes, Grace is my child with John. But he never knew about her."
"What?" Sam was bewildered.
"When John disappeared from your life last year, he also stopped taking my calls. I was almost four months pregnant, and just starting to show. He would have seen it if he had come by like he usually does, but he just disappeared into thin air." Anna's tears were now leaving tracks on her face.
Sam and Dean both moved closer to their friend. Sam reached out for the baby and Grace reached for him. Dean reached for Annie, and she fell into his arms, crying in huge gulping sobs.
Quite a while later, Sam was sitting on the floor, playing with the nearly one-year-old baby. Dean was sitting a few feet away, also on the floor, with Annie in his arms. They were both watching Sam and Grace play.
"You have a way with her. And she likes you." Anna smiled slightly beneath her tear-swollen eyes.
"I'm her big brother! Of course she should like me. Right, Gracie?" Sam tickled the girl lightly and she rewarded him with a smile and belly laugh.
"How are you doing?" Dean kissed Annie on the top of her head as she relaxed in his arms.
"Nothing that time won't help. It was so hard losing Uncle Jimmy and John so close together. But I have Grace to keep me going. Like John had you boys after Mary died. And you have a home to come to if you ever need."
"Why do you think we're here now?" Dean laughed lightly as he and Annie disentangled themselves and stood up.
"Mama!" Grace called to her mother, and after standing upright in front of Sam, she closed the distance to her mother.
Anna reached down and grabbed her daughter and swung her up above her head. "You walked!" Both mother and daughter giggled. "You took your first steps!"
Dean and Sam looked at each other and grinned. The future was suddenly looking a bit brighter.