A/N: John has to leave town for a few days, but things don't go too smoothly for Sam and Evy.

"Daddy, do you have to go?"
"I'm afraid so, little one." John said. "Miss Ellen needs my help reopening her roadhouse."
"Can I go too?"

"We've already talked about this." John said. "Don't you want to stay with Sammy?"

"I wike staying with Sammy but I gonna miss you."

"Oh, I'll miss you too, little one. But I'll only be gone a few days. You won't even have time to miss me." John promised.
"I alweady do, and you not even gone yet."

John kissed Evy's forehead. "Everything'll be okay. I'll call you every single day. And uncle Bobby and Dean may even come back too."

"'Kay, Daddy. You'll tell me bye before you leave, wight?" Evy asked.

"I'll come in and give you a kiss, but I'm not waking you up. I'm leaving before the son comes up." John said. "Sam'll wake you up when it's time to leave."

"Otay." Evy said, slumping over in defeat.

"You want me to stay until you go to sleep?"

Evy nodded and smiled. She loved when Daddy stayed with her. She felt safe, like nothing could get to her, no matter how big or scary it might be. When she fell asleep, Daddy was rubbing her back and singing to her. When she woke up the next morning, she was surprised that no one had come to check on her. That usually woke her up, and she would stay awake until her naptime. Evy climbed down from her bed, grabbed Barney, and walked out to the kitchen. Sammy was there, making breakfast.

"Hi, Sammy." Evy said as she walked over and hugged his leg.

"Hey, Cricket. I didn't hear you get up."

"Did Daddy leave?" Evy asked.

"Yeah, he left a couple hours ago." Sam said.
"Oh." Evy said, disappointed.

"He said he'd call around lunchtime." Sam said, trying to cheer her up.
"'Kay."

"Hey. We'll have fun today. I promise." Sam said, putting some eggs on a plate as Evy climbed to the table.

"I know." Evy then remembered something. "Don't you have to work?"

"I don't today, but I do have to go in tomorrow." Sam said. "I wanted to talk to you about that, actually."

"What 'bout?" Evy asked, taking her first mouthful of eggs.

"Well, uncle Bobby and Dean called. They're gonna be gone a few more days too. So you're gonna go to daycare."
"What's dat?" Evy asked.

"Well, you're gonna hang out with some other kids and play while I go to work."

"Oh." Evy said. "Otay."
"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"I never weally hanged out with other kids before." Evy said. "What if dey don't wike me?"

"Of course they'll like you." Sam said. "I do."

"But you my brother. You has to."

"I don't just like you because you're my sister." Sam explained.
"What you mean?"

"I like you because you're smart, you're funny, you're brave, you're kind. Not just because you're my sister. And if I see that, other people will too." Sam explained. "Does that make sense?"

"I guess." Evy said.

"You'll have fun tomorrow, too." Sam promised. "What do you want to do today?"

"Will you push me on the swing outside?" Evy asked as she swallowed a mouthful of egg.

"I would love to. You want me to teach you how to push yourself on the swing?"

"I can do it myself?" Evy asked, amazed.
"Sure. It's easy. I'll show you. Finish your breakfast and go get dressed and we'll go."

"Sammy? Why do you have to get dressed if you not weaving the house?" Evy asked.

"Because if you don't get dressed you have to go back to bed."

"I get dwessed." Evy said, and Sam hid a smile as he finished his own breakfast.

Their first day together was fun for both of them. Evy struggled a little with learning how to push herself, but practiced hard. Sam sat at a table Bobby kept outside and did some paperwork, taking occasional glances up at Evy. Every time he did, he saw her tongue sticking out as she tried to learn her new skill. Finally, around lunchtime, she had it. They played catch after eating, and Evy reluctantly took a nap. John called right after she took a bath. By the time she went to bed, she was a happy, healthy, well-fed little girl.

"I had fun today, Sammy. Fank you."

"You're welcome, baby. I had fun too." Sam said. "You should get to sleep. You're gonna have to get up earlier than normal tomorrow."

"Otay. Night night, Sammy." Evy said with a yawn.
"Good night, baby. Love you."

When Sam woke the next morning, he knew almost immediately their second day wasn't going to be as smooth as the first. He had to be at the office no later than seven, and had elected to wake Evy up as late as possible. She typically woke herself up between seven and seven fifteen every morning, so Sam hoped that waking her up only a half hour early wouldn't be too much of an adjustment. He was dead wrong. It was six fifteen when he heard it. A nasty cough coming from Evy's room. Concerned, Sam ran to her room to check on her.

"Cricket, you okay?" Sam asked, hoping she had just swallowed wrong.

"I don't feel so good." Evy said.

Wonderful. I have to go to work with a sick kid. "Come here." Sam felt her forehead and was relieved to find there was no fever. "I think you'll be okay." Sam walked down the hall to the bathroom and prepared a dose of the children's cough medicine he'd picked up the last time she'd been sick. "Here, drink this."

Evy scrunched her nose. "That stuff's yucky."
"You sure about that? Because I could have sworn it tasted like grape juice…"

"Nuh uh." Evy argued. "It tastes wike…"

Sam, who would normally have patiently coaxed Evy into taking her medicine, was running low on patience. He took advantage of Evy arguing with him and quickly squirted the syringe in her mouth. Evy gagged, but only spit out a miniscule amount of the medicine.

"Sammy!" Evy sputtered. "Dat was mean!"

"I'm sorry, Cricket, I really am, but we don't have a lot of time. Come on, I need you to get up and get dressed."

Evy just stared at him and pouted.

"Now, Cricket. Come on!" Sam said, picking her up and setting her on the floor.

"Can I has a juice box?" Evy asked.

"You can while you eat breakfast. Come on, what do you want to wear?"

"But that stuff still tastes yucky…" Evy whined.

"So the quicker you get dressed the quicker it will be gone!" Sam snapped, immediately regretting it when Evy's eyes filled with tears. He gathered his composure and tried to smooth the situation over. "Why don't you pick out your own clothes?"

"'Kay." Evy said, though she still wary of Sam.

She was used to him being the most patient of everyone in the house, and was not used to him yelling at her. Sam did feel guilty for snapping, and tried to be patient with her the rest of the morning, but they really were in a hurry. Somehow, miraculously, thirty minutes later Evy was dressed, fed, had used the bathroom, and they were ready to leave the house.

"Alright, Cricket. Let's go."
"Wait! I needs Barney!" Evy said, trying to pull away from Sam's hand.

"Maybe you should leave him here…"

"No! I can't! He'll be wonely." Evy said, the very prospect of leaving Barney behind even scarier than Sam being mad with her. "Pease, Sammy."

Sam sighed. "Okay, go get him. Very, very quickly."

Evy ran to her room and looked around. She spotted Barney's horn sticking out from underneath the blanket. She grabbed him and hugged him, apologized for almost forgetting him, then ran back out when Sam yelled at her to hurry up. Evy, mad that Sam was still being mean to her, took her time and walked back out to Sam with the speed of a snail. Sam said nothing, just stood there with his arm outstretched. Evy took it, and it was a tense ride to the day care center. Sam faced another stumbling block at the day care center. Evy was coughing again, and the day care director refused to take her, even without a fever. Evy heard Sam arguing the decision, feeling bad that she'd now be in the way at Sam's office. She made up her mind to be extra good at the office, and took Sam's hand again without being told, smiled when he told her she'd have to go to work with him, and walked into his office very quietly. Sam found a chair in his office that wasn't too big for her, and sat her at the end of his desk.

"I'm sorry you couldn't go to daycare today."
"Is okay." Evy said. "I wikes being wif you."

Sam smiled. "I like it too. I've got a little work to do right now though, okay?"

Evy sniffed. "What am I gonna do?"

The best idea Sam could come up with was to get a piece of computer paper out of his printer. He quickly copied the alphabet in big print letters, and found a box of crayons he kept in the office for the past few times Evy had come to visit him.

"Copy that for me, okay?"

"Otay!" Evy said, and immediately got to work. That kept her occupied for a surprisingly long time, but unfortunately, just as Sam was knee deep in work, Evy called, "I finissed!"

"That's good, Cricket, one second."

Evy waited as Sam answered phone calls, eventually getting down from the stool to play on the floor with Barney. She and Barney played together, and Evy happily chatted with him for a few minutes before Sam said from his desk,

"Hey, Cricket. I need you to play quietly."

That's no fun! Evy thought to herself, but remembered her promise to be good. "Otay. Sowwy, Sammy."

Had Sam not been so busy, he might have noticed that Evy was sounding more congested. "It's okay."

Sam went back to work. Evy was getting bored. Really bored. She asked Sam for some more paper, and sat down on the floor and drew a few pictures. She jumped when she felt Sam suddenly pull her up off the floor and set her on her feet.

"Come on, Cricket. We have to go. Get your jacket on."

"Where we going?" Evy asked as she pulled on her coat. "We goin' home?"

"Not now, baby. I've got to go to court."

"Weally? Cool! Can I watch?" Evy asked.

Sam sighed. "Yes. But while we're there, you have to stay quiet. Very, very quiet."

"Pwomise." Evy said, but started coughing again.

This time Sam did notice that she seemed sicker than that morning. "You okay, Cricket?"

"I's otay." Evy said. "Can I gets some water 'fore we go?"

"Sure." Sam said. He took her into the hallway and helped her drink from the water fountain. "That better?" Sam asked. Evy nodded and Sam smiled at her. "Okay. Come on, let's go."

Evy left and was surprised that they were walking down to the courthouse. Sam picked her up and carried her so they could go faster. Normally, Evy didn't like that; she wasn't a baby and didn't need to be carried. But Sam was in a hurry, so she didn't argue. He sat her down right behind him in the courtroom, and a few minutes later, the judge walked in. Evy tried to be quiet like Sam had told her to, but she couldn't help it. She started coughing and couldn't stop. The judge, an old, cranky man in his eighties, finally lost his patience.

"Why is there a small child in here today? A small, clearly sick child?"

"I'm sorry, your honor. That's my sister. My father's out of town and I wasn't able to make other arrangements today…"
"Then I suggest you ask for a continuance, Mr. Winchester. Is that what you'd like to do?" the judge asked.

Reluctantly, Sam answered, "Yes, your honor."

"Very well. We'll continue until tomorrow. I suggest you make sure you make sure you do have other arrangements tomorrow, Mr. Winchester. I don't like my time being wasted."
"Yes, your honor. My apologies." Sam said again. The judge dismissed, and Sam quickly turned to his client. "Becky, I'm sorry…"
"It's okay, Sam. I've been a single mom for a long time. I get trying to work and deal with a sick kid. Relax, you're doing great." Becky turned to Evy, who had finally been able to stop coughing, and now sat looking at her feet. "I hope you feel better, sweetie."

"Tank you." Evy said quietly, not willing to look up. She didn't want to see how disappointed Sam was bound to be in her.

Becky left, and as the judge had dismissed for lunch, the room was now almost completely empty. Sam, annoyed, gathered up his briefcase and walked over and grabbed Evy's hand.

"Come on, let's go."

Evy took his hand and walked slowly, and Sam eventually picked her up again. He said nothing as they got back to the office. Evy picked up Barney and sat back down on the floor, leaning against Sam's desk. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but there was nowhere to sleep. If she'd been at home, uncle Bobby would have put her to bed or held her while she slept. Evy's stomach rumbled, and she wondered if it was close to lunchtime yet. She decided to stand up and ask cautiously,

"Sammy? I's hungwy. Is it almost time for wunch?"

Sam's annoyance at his case being continued took over, and he took the pen that was in his hand and slammed it down on the desk, making Evy jump. "No, it isn't!"

Evy couldn't help it. Sam was never mad at her. She was trying hard to be good, to make him proud of her, but she was tired, hungry, and sick. She started crying, which made her cough even more. Sam felt lower than a snake. He realized that Evy thought he was annoyed with her, and he wasn't. He was losing the case he was working on, and it was annoying him to no end. Sam put down the pen and walked over, picked Evy up and sat her in his lap.

"I sowwy, Sammy. I not twying to be bad…"
"Shhh. Look up at me, baby." Evy looked up and Sam wiped her face of the tears that were still falling. "You're not being bad. I'm sorry. I know you don't feel good right now. I know I've been impatient with you, and dragged you from place to place. I'm so sorry, baby." Sam looked at his desk and asked, "How about I pack this stuff up and we go back home?"

"You not have to work?" Evy asked.

"I can work at home while you're sleeping. When you wake up, we'll do something together. Just you and me. How's that sound?"

"You sure? I not want to be in da way." Evy said.

"You could never be in the way." Sam said, reaching over to kiss Evy's cheek. "Come on, go get Barney. Let's go home."

"'Kay. Tan I tome back when I not sick no more?"

"Of course you can." Sam said. "Let's go."
Sam took her home, gave her some more of the cough medicine from that morning, and held her in her bed until she finally went to sleep. He worked the two hours she slept, and had a breakthrough in his case. When Evy woke up, she felt much better, and Sam held her, tickled her, kissed her, and hugged her, trying to soothe his own guilt for how he'd acted earlier in the day. When she was asleep again that night, Sam whispered goodnight to her again.

"I love you, Cricket. Good night."

The next day, just as he was leaving, a man showed up at Sam's office. He looked to be a little older than Dean, and seemed friendly enough. He asked Sam for some directions, and after Sam gave them, the man thanked him, took his hand and introduced himself. Sam left, ready to go pick up Evy from the daycare across the street and head back home. He decided that the feeling of dread in his stomach was just him being paranoid. He watched the man from his office get into his car and drive away. He'd already forgotten the stranger's name.

His name was Gordon Walker.

Next chapter: Gordon has his eye on the Winchester family, specifically four-year-old Evy.