Gifts and Firsts

Ashley decided they should stay at Bobby's a little longer just because Justin was so happy with the older hunter and he had continued to talk, at an alarming speed. She thought it was important for Bobby to see his grandson do these things.

Sam and Dean also agreed with staying, so they went out to a local bar to pull off their famous pool hustling routine so Ashley can go grab some more Pull-ups for Justin, as well as a couple snacks for him.

Bobby had become less of an old grump in the week they spent with him, but Ashley couldn't help but feel sorry for him. When Dean abandoned her at Bobby's after Sam jumped into the cage, Ashley learned a lot about the old man. Bobby's father was an abusive drunk, so when he had started to drink, he vowed he would kill himself before hurting Karen and never have a kid for his own. When Karen got possessed, Bobby tried to save her but instead killed the love of his life. "I'm glad I never had my own kid" Bobby confessed one night "but that don't mean you and your brothers weren't mine."

Ashley now saw Bobby would have been a great father and grandfather. Justin was laughing on Bobby's bouncing knee while he was reading some lore out loud to the kid. "Bobby, you're going to get Justin obsessed" Ashley laughed when he finished up with Crocotta "and I don't even have these books to read to him."

Bobby got an idea and ended up sending Ashley on a wild goose chase all round South Dakota, picking up a copy of each book he owned.

"Since you fools got your own home base, I can give you these" Bobby grumbled. He had planned to give the Winchesters the books for a house warming gift, but he was afraid that if he did that they wouldn't need him anymore.

"Thank you, Bobby" Ashley said as she hugged the seated hunter's neck. "Told you so" she whispered into his ear.

"Told me what?" he barked, confused.

"That you would have made a great Dad" she yawned as she curled up on the velvet couch and took an overdue nap as Bobby continued on with the next monster in his book.


"Assie" Justin said in front of her.

"What's up bud?" she said opening her eyes to see he was standing up on his own and Sam videotaping.

"Oh, did he-"

"Not yet, but soon" Dean said from behind the kid in case he falls backwards.

"Come on Justin" she encouraged, hoping he would take a couple steps toward her. The kid squinted his eyes, screwed up his mouth, and took one tiny step followed by a slightly larger one before losing his balance and falling into Ashley's out stretched arms.

"You did it bud!" Ashley said as she hugged Justin. Dean came up behind him and lifted him up swinging him around while Sam kept taping. Bobby was clapping from the kitchen. Sam finished taping and quickly put the footage on his laptop so he could burn a DVD for Bobby.

"So, how'd you guys do?" Ashley asked as she carefully sat up so as not to hurt her back more.

"Good, we made $300 on the tables" Sam responded around his laptop "and Dean raked in another 4 on some bet."

"So Sammy is going to grab the things for tiger while I take you to a clinic" Dean barked from where he was squatting next to Justin.

"Whoa, why?" Ashley argued.

"Cuz your back is getting worse and it can't be if you're going to hunt and take care of Justin!"

"Dean's right Ash" Bobby piped up from the kitchen "could be a slipped disc or the wrong nerve being pinched."

Ashley reluctantly agreed, but wrote down specifics for Sam to get as she tried to get comfortable in the Impala's hard leather seats. Dean tried to drive as carefully as he could, but any bump would cause Ashley's face to scrunch up and sometimes even cause a whimper to escape her mouth.

"Ash, I'm sorry you screwed up you back trying to protect me" Dean sighed once he pulled up to a stop light.

"It's my job, Dean" Ashley whispered, trying to control her voice. "Just let me shoot the damn think next time."

"Yes ma'am."

AN: Tell me what you think!