"Dad!" Dean yelled while watching his brother cautiously. He was sure it would be now, he was sure. "Come on Sammy!" Annie cheered as she clapped her hands together. John just rolled his eyes. The kids always thought that Sammy was gonna speak, but it never happened. "Dad I'm telling you! He's gonna do it!" Dean said firmly, still watching Sam's tiny mouth. The baby was laying on one of the beds with Dean and Anne on either side of him. "He's gonna say something!" Anne yelled excitedly, but John turned back to the paper to highlight the part about the missing frat boys.
"Come on Sammy, say something!" Dean encouraged as he took hold of one of his little brother's hands. Sammy had been trying to talk for a while now, and Dean never gave up on him. Anne didn't either and was always ready with her own name on her lips when it looked like Sam might say something. She hoped it would be her name that he spoke, but now she didn't care if it was a simple 'hi'. She was getting worried that Sam wouldn't be able to talk at all, but Dean assured her that he would talk when he was ready, so Anne held hope.
"Say Annie," she said again and John grinned at his daughter's determination. He knew that they would be disappointed when the baby didn't talk at all that night, but it kept them occupied, so he let them have their fun. It suddenly went very quiet in the room and John had a strange need to check the alt lines. His heart seemed to have topped beating, caught in the idea that something was wrong. His children were too quiet, something wasn't right. It was only when he heard a very soft "Dean" that he knew why there were no sounds coming from the other two. Sammy said his first word, and the word was Dean.
Dean's entire face lit up and he picked Sammy up and hugged him close. "You did it! Sammy you spoke!" he exclaimed and he felt Anne's arms encircle Sam and him. "He talked! He talked!" Annie yelled happily. The three celebrated in that moment with their little group hug and John knew that he had been excluded from their coven. It was the three of them now, unbreakable.
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He was doing it, he was actually walking to her. Annie was squatted down on the floor with her arms outstretched to Sammy who was steadily making his way towards her. She was so proud of him. Dean moved with him every step of the way and when it looked like Sam might fall, Anne knew that big bro wouldn't let him hit the floor.
Sammy wore a big grin on his face like he knew he'd be successful even before he got to her. He was confident and kept taking bigger steps knowing Dean was right there behind him. Anne was only a little ways away now, and he just had to get to her. His legs were taking him there, and it seemed as though he was really gonna make it.
Dean was proud, his Sammy was walking. Actually walking without any help. He walked right beside him with both arms out and ready to catch his little brother should he fall. The little tyke giggled as Annie made faces at him. He was bound and determined and Dean wondered what was gonna happen now that Sam could take off at any time he wanted.
Finally, finally he was there and Annie swooped him up in her arms as soon as he reached her. "Oh Sammy, you're such a big boy now!" she squealed as she held him close. Dean hugged the both of them to him and the three enjoyed another landmark together, their hearts racing. They would tell John when he got back.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXDean was getting worried. Sammy was an expert hider, but this was taking it a little too far. "Sammy!" he called looking over to see his sister's progress. She was on her knees looking under the bed for the umpteenth time, and she sighed when she was satisfied that Sam wasn't under there. "This is stupid! He's got to be somewhere!" she huffed while slumping down into a chair. Dean breathed deep and tried to quell his growing frustration. Annie was right, Sam had to be somewhere. The question was, where? Dean's eyes swept over the door once again, but it was still locked, and he knew Sam was too little to reach the dead bolt. No, he was in this room, and Dean was going to find him.
"Sammy," he called as he moved to the kitchen area of the latest motel they were staying at. It was a somewhat clean, but obviously run down place, that was cheap enough that they were staying there for two weeks. The wallpaper was dull and the beds were well slept in, but the salt lines made them feel safe nonetheless. John was off again on a hunt, and so the trio was left alone. The way they liked it. Dean was eight years old now, and that meant that he could look after the other two by himself. They spent their time playing games with Sam, watching television or reading. It was nice, the time they had together. Not that Dean would ever admit it, but he enjoyed being with his sister. She certainly helped him with Sam, and made motel life a bit more fun. Except when she complained, like right now.
"Ugh! Sam if you don't come out soon I'll poor salt down your pants!" she exclaimed as she pushed off from the chair to check the bathroom again. "You'll have to find him first," said Dean, looking through every cupboard without success. He squatted there on the floor for a moment and looked around the room. Not in the bathroom, not in the kitchen, and not under the beds. What did that leave? Dean's gaze slid over his dad's duffle, and he thought of course. He went over to it and ever so quietly drew the zipper back. There in the bag was a sleeping four year old. Dean sighed with relief as he lifted his sleeping brother out of the duffle and onto the nearest bed. "I found him!" he yelled to Annie, and she came darting into the room. "Where was he?" she asked, checking the room for any point of disturbance. "In Dad's bag," Dean said almost proudly. He sat down next to their brother and ruffled the child's hair. "Only Sam," said Annie joining her older brother on the bed. "Do you think we should wake him?" she asked, looking down at the baby of the family. "Nah, let him sleep," Dean replied while he drew the covers up to Sammy's chin. "Come on, let's go watch T.V. We can tell him we won in the morning."
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"Dean! Annie! Help!" Sammy yelled from the bedroom of their newest motel room. Dean panicked thinking his brother was in trouble and rushed into the room at full speed. Annie was hot on his heels, but when she saw the toddler on the bed playing with his shoe laces, she groaned. "Not again Sam," she said as she sat down on the bed next to him, spent from the adrenaline rush. Dean smiled down at his little brother as he watched him pull the laces again. "Here, watch me now ok?" he said as he kneeled down and took the laces in his hands. He went very slow for Sam but the kid still looked confused afterward.
"Ok, come here," said Annie, taking charge and undoing Sammy's laces. "Look, the bunny goes around the tree, into the hole and then pull tight," she said and grinned at Dean when stars appeared in Sammy's eyes. "Round the tree, in the hole, pull tight!" he repeated and lunged forward to hug his sister. Her victory was not lost on Dean, and the oldest Winchester had a sour look on his face.
"What? He needed something he could understand and remember!" Annie said with Sam in her lap. "Yeah but did you have to use bunnies?" Dean replied looking down at his grinning brother. "Kids like bunnies!" Annie exclaimed, but that sent Sam off her lap and over to Dean who was standing at the end of the bed. "I am not a kid!" and with that he turned, took Dean's hand and left the room. "Unbelievable!" they heard their sister say, but their smiles grew wider as they at down to read.
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"I'm bored," Sammy whined while watching the scenery slip by. They had been driving for nearly three hours and the six year old had reached breaking point about twenty miles back. "I spy?" Annie suggested, though she knew it was hopeless. They'd already played twice. "Not again," Dean complained from the other side of Sam. The three of them always rode in the back together. Sammy in the middle, with Anne and Dean on either side of him. "No more I spy," said Sam in complete agreement with his big brother. "Well then you come up with something!" Annie said and then let out a huff as she sat back in her seat. She herself was getting antsy and she didn't need her little brother adding to that. She needed to walk, to stretch her legs. She also needed to get away from her brothers, who were always taking each other's sides nowadays. "Dean?" Sam asked, but Dean had nothing. He shrugged his shoulders then said very casually "why don't you have a nap?" Sam was outraged by the idea and it showed very clearly in his wide eyes. "I don't need a nap!" he exclaimed indignantly while crossing his arms. Dean backed off with his hands up in surrender upon seeing what had been dubbed the 'angry puppy' look.
An hour later, Sam's word was not holding up very well. His head lay in Dean's lap while his feet rested on Annie's. He was sound asleep. Dean absently ran a hand through Sammy's curly hair while watching the world go by outside the window. "Why do I always get his feet?" Anne complained as she rested her hands on her brother's shoes. "Cause he like me more?" Dean replied with a sly smile. He knew how to push his little sister's buttons. "That is so not even funny," she said sending a glare his was for good measure. "Maybe my lap is more comfy than yours?" he tried, but that earned him a second and more powerful glare.
John watched his children in the rearview mirror with a smile on his face. Mary would be proud of them. They were strong and loyal and he was proud that they took care of each other the way they did. He also felt a little guilty too. 'Dean' had been Sam's first word, and Annie had been the one that Sam had first walked to. He was missing the big moments, but he knew that there were two other people to be there for them. He knew that the three in the back were each other's whole world, and that maybe he was left out of that world. He was ok with that, because in the end, he was still their father.
So there you have it, should I do more? Any suggestions/comments? Thank you to those who reviewed as well, it means everything!