Chapter 3

The house was quiet as Dean made his way down the stairs. The days flew by quickly and it was only a couple days before Deanna would begin school. He thought he was more nervous than either Sam or Deanna about this next step in her life. He heard the steady tapping of keys and knew it was Sam working. He liked to get up early and get what he could done before taking care of Deanna. The enticing smell of coffee lured him to the kitchen for a cup. Dean glanced toward the screen door when he heard a familiar small voice and giggling coming from the deck. He strolled to the door and looked out to see his niece sitting in the swing with a sketch pad in her lap. Ever since she could hold a crayon Deanna would draw. Everyone was surprised at how talented she was. Dean cocked his head and watched her closely as she talked to the empty chair beside the swing. She showed the chair a couple of sketches from her pad and said something he couldn't quiet hear before giggling again, only the way a child could. He had not seen her doing this before and wondered if she had an imaginary friend. He remembered Sam had one when he was young, but it didn't last long. Now that he thought about it, Dean remembered passing her room and heard her carrying on a conversation with he thought her Dad, but when Dean went on downstairs he found Sam in the kitchen. He didn't think much of it just figured she was playing make believe. Maybe he was wrong and there was more to it. He pushed the door open and stepped out onto the deck.

"What ya doing out here Ladybug?" Dean asked curiously.

"Nothing, just drawing." she said closing her pad and looking away so he couldn't see a guilty look on her face.

"Who were ya talking to a second ago?" Dean questioned when Deanna froze for a moment and looked his way with wide eyes.

"No one." she said casting her eyes back to the chair like she was looking at someone sitting there.

"Kind of sounded like it. Something you wanna tell me?"

"No, Uncle Dee."

"You know you can tell me anything." Dean told her sitting down beside her on the swing. He knew Deanna was holding something back and wondered what she could be hiding. She was too young to be having secrets in her short life. "It'll just be between you and me, your Dad doesn't need to know."

"I know Uncle Dee."

Dean could tell she wasn't going to talk to him and didn't want to push her possibly causing her to completely shut him out. He sighed softly and decided to ask Sam about it later.

"You had breakfast yet?"

"I fixed some cereal."

"How 'bout I throw together some pancakes for us?"

"Sure." she said smiling up at him a look of relief on her face.

"C'mon kiddo, you can help me make the batter." he said giving her a brief hug.

"Can we put blueberries in some of them? Daddy might want some too, he hasn't ate yet." she told him taking his hand as they got up from the swing.

Dean couldn't help but smile lovingly at her as she gave him that award winning smile that melted your heart. He ran a hand over his head, tucking loose strands behind her ear giving the empty chair one more curious look. It was almost as if there was a shimmer in the air like something was there and then it was gone leaving minute remnants of its present. Something was going on, but what he didn't know.

spn

Hey bro, you got a minute?" Dean asked his brother who looked up from the laptop he was working on.

"Sure what's going on?" Sam asked pausing in his typing to look at his brother. Sam could tell there was something on his mind by the look on his face and wondered what was bothering him.

"Have you noticed anything...Off with Deanna?" Dean asked cautiously not wanting to upset him.

"What do you mean 'off' Dean?"

"Well...I'm sure it's not anything, but I've seen and heard her talking to someone, but there's no one there." Dean tried to explain. "Maybe I'm just overacting and its nothing, but could she have an imaginary friend like you did when you were young?"

"She seems fine to me. I haven't noticed her acting strange or anything." Sam said sitting back in the chair and running through the past couple of weeks to try and remember if Deanna did anything out of the ordinary.

"It's probably nothing, but I can read her just like you and I swear she's hiding something."

"I'll talk to her about it." he said starting to get up.

"No, don't do that bro, I don't wanna upset her. I'm sure I'm just over reacting. You know I can be a little over protective with her."

"A little!" Sam scoffed in disbelief chuffing a sarcastic laugh while shaking his head. "Dude! You threatened a three year old boy at the park when he pushed Deanna down in the sandbox."

"Well he was being a brat and a bully." Dean growled in a huff, trying to defend himself.

"Yeah and Deanna got up and punched him in the face and bloodied his nose."

"That was good; she got that punch perfect. Told you she was a natural." Dean smirked with a smile but quickly hid it when Sam frowned and rolled his eyes at him in disgust.

"I though the mother was going to call the cops." Sam complained.

"Hey! He started it and she was defending herself." Dean challenged.

"Luckily other moms saw and told her what happened."

"Yeah, I'd hate to have to take down a soccer mom." Dean mumbled more to himself than Sam.

"Look I'll keep an eye on her and see if I notice anything. How's that?" Sam sighed knowing it was no use arguing with Dean when he was like this. There was no doubt in his mind Dean would have taken the mother down to protect his daughter.

"Yeah, me too. Maybe I can get her to talk..." Dean nodded heading back out of the office. "Gonna go change the oil in my Baby. I'll be in the garage if you need me."

"Alright."

"Where you going Uncle Dee?" Deanna asked coming down the stairs and seeing him heading for the door.

"Gonna work on my Baby Ladybug."

"Can I help? Please!" she begged.

"Sure kiddo, I'll teach ya the parts of an engine. Maybe you'll be more mechanically inclined than your father."

"I heard that." Sam called from the office making Deanna and Dean laugh as they headed out the door.

spn

"Finish eating so you can get your bath." Sam told Deanna as they sat around the table eating dinner.

"I'm almost done." she replied spooning macaroni into her mouth. "Daddy is Grandpa going to be here to see me off to school tomorrow?"

"Dad called earlier and he's on his way back now. He'll be here after you're in bed and asleep."

"Can't I stay up to see him?" she begged giving her best pitiful, puppy dog face.

Dean had to bite his jaw to keep from laughing because he had seen that face so many times before from Sam when they were growing up. It looked like Sam was getting a taste of his own medicine and he was enjoying every minute of it. Even Bobby had to hide a smile behind his coffee cup when he saw her face. He couldn't complain, the lass had used it on him too and it always worked. The men of the house were all under her spell of looking so cute and innocent, but he had to admit she was a well rounded five year old, but could still be very mischief when she wanted to be. She was smart, level headed, easy going, considerate, well behaved and had a great sense of humor for a five year old. Deanna never took advantage of her ability to bend them to her will, except maybe to get an occasional extra cookie or to stay up another thirty minutes or having another story read at bedtime, but nothing major. Bobby could see the wisdom in her eyes and was amazed by her thirst for knowledge, but she was her father's daughter. Sam was the same way growing up. He was a sponge absorbing everything he could and wanting more. Deanna was much wiser than her tender years and she was loved by all of them so much.

"Nope, it'll be way past your bedtime. You need to get a good nights sleep since you're starting school tomorrow." Sam said eyeing Dean as he coughed and cleared his throat choking back the laugh.

"Rats!" she muttered under her breath. Dean was the only one who heard her and quickly got up to get a cup of coffee letting a chuckle escape from between his lips. He knew where she got that from and hoped she didn't come out with some of the more flowery language Dean used around her without thinking. He was sure Sam wouldn't approve of it.

"Uncle Dee would you read to me after I take my bath?" Deanna asked him.

"Sure Ladybug, just call me when you're ready." Dean answered. "You still have the book in your bedroom?"

"Yes, it's on my nightstand."

"I've got some work to do in the office, you boys got the dishes?" Bobby asked getting up to take his dishes to the sink.

"No problem, we got them." Dean told him turning to the sink and starting some wash water. "You two finish up and bring me your dishes. Sammy wanna clear the table?" Dean asked.

"On it." Sam said gathering his dishes to take to the sink. He found containers for the extra food and began clearing the table while Deanna finished the last of her food. She stacked her dirty dishes and carefully made her way over to Dean who relieved her of them.

"Thanks Ladybug."

"You're welcome Uncle Dee." she said sweetly.

spn

"Alright, your water's ready, be careful and no jumping around ok?" Sam asked after turning off the water in the tub and checking the temperature.

"I know Daddy." Deanna said laying her pajamas on the counter.

"Do you need help shampooing your hair?"

"No I can do it. You showed me how remember?"

"Just checking." he said thinking how fast she had grown up and feeling a little sad. He knew he couldn't keep her little forever but seeing how independent and grown up she was becoming scared him. Could he keep her safe in this ever changing world? Could he keep the supernatural away from her or would it seek her out because she was a Winchester? What would she want to do with her life? Would she want to go to college? So many questions swam around in his mind as he closed the door and stood outside it listening to her begin to sing softly as she took her bath. He knew she got that from Dean since he never sung in the shower. He cocked an ear to hear what she was singing and smiled when he recognized one of Dean's favorite songs. He figured he must of taught it to her when he was watching her. Deanna loved her uncle very much and enjoyed every minute she spent with him. Sam felt lucky that his family was in their lives and helping him raise his daughter. Sam was jarred out of his daydreaming when Deanna opened the bathroom door to look up at him.

"Can you dry my hair Daddy?" she asked in the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

Sam smiled and cupped his daughter's cheek in his big hand before answering.

"Sure sweetheart." Sam replied stepping into bathroom. He pulled the hair dryer from under the sink and sat down on the commode letting Deanna stand between his legs. He used a big toothed comb and combed out her hair before taking the dryer to dry it. It didn't take long to dry her blonde hair as he combed it out. "There we go, all done."

"Thanks Daddy, can you tell Uncle Dee I'm ready."

"Alright, what are you reading now?" Sam asked her as he turned down the bed for her.

"Black Beauty, we finished Moby Dick a few days ago."

"That's pretty deep for one so young."

"I liked it and Uncle Dee seemed to enjoy it too, but I like Black Beauty better." she told him crawling into bed and waiting for him to tuck her in.

"Wanna say your prayers?"

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. God bless Momma in Heaven and Daddy, Uncle Dee, Papa Bobby and Grandpa. Amen." she recited, her hands clasp under her chin and her head bowed.

"Good girl. I'll go tell Dean you're ready." Sam said pulling the covers up around her and tucking her in. He bent down and kissed her head before leaving to find his brother. He found Dean in the kitchen working on his laptop. "Deanna's ready to be read to."

"I'm on it." he said shutting his laptop and getting up to head up stairs. He paused in the doorway of her bedroom and looked inside seeing Deanna in bed with a book opened ready for him. She mumbled something to the empty space beside her and tilted the book that way. "Hey Ladybug, you ready for me to read to you?" Dean asked looking to the other side of the bed with a frown.

"Yes Uncle Dee. I found our place." she told him holding the book where he could see. "Uncle Dee will you have Grandpa kiss me good night even if I'm asleep?"

"Sure thing, but I don't think I'll have to ask he usually does that anyway." Dean told her with a soft smile. It was still amazing how this sweet child changed all their lives when she came alone. John was still a hard nosed hunter and family leader but when he was around his granddaughter he turned into a soft teddy bear, but if you didn't want knocked on your ass you didn't mention it. She seemed to bring out the goodness in all of them.

Dean propped himself against the headboard and took the book while Deanna snuggled into his side. She made a motion to sit with her hand which didn't get by Dean since he had taught her hand signals and how to use them. What he didn't know was who she was signaling. He draped an arm around her small body and wondered how he could love her any more than he did. He cleared his throat and started reading from the book as Deanna listened intently to his voice. After the second chapter he glanced down and saw she had gone to sleep. He put the marker back in the book and suddenly got a funny feeling someone was in the room with them. He eased Deanna's sleeping body onto the bed and stood up to walk around the bed to check out the other side. Dean stood there a moment as his spidery senses still warned him something was off. He decided he needed to have a serious talk with his niece and find out what was going on. He turned on the nightlight, kissed her goodnight and turned off the lamp on the nightstand before leaving.

The angel watched Deanna's uncle carefully as he stared at him knowing he couldn't see him, but still didn't move. Deanna had wanted him to stay to hear the story and he had agreed. It was interesting to watch the interactions between her and her family. He would have to watch this uncle closely since he seemed able to feel his presence. This Winchester seemed to have somewhat of a sixth sense when it came to the supernatural. The angel vanished quietly from the bedroom after Dean left the room.

A/N: Thank you to everyone for your followings, favors and reviews. I am so glad you are liking young Deanna and how I am developing her character. Your support means so much to me. I do like to know your thoughts, please review. NC