Hello everyone. Thank you all so much for sticking with this story over its long hiatus. it's taken a while, but summer rain is finally finished. thank you so, so much again for all the great reviews, they really make my day :)

SWEET SUMMER RAIN

Chapter 11

"Can we make smoo's?" Sam asked innocently, his wide brown eyes on Dean.

Dean just smiled at his brother, pulling a pajama shirt over the boy's head. "Not tonight, Sam."

"How comes?"

" 'cause it's summer."

"Oh. That's how comes we don't goes sledding?"

"Yup."

"Oh. How comes it's summer?"

"Because, Sam."

"Because why?"

"Because I said so."

"Ok."

Dean just shook his head, amazed at the trust his little brother places in him. Dean could tell the boy anything, and Sammy would believe it. He used to think it was just because Sam was little, but he'd since learned that was not the case. Sam would turn his back on most people in his life, turned to ask Dean if what was said was true or not— heck, he'd even done it to their father. Sam believed Dean, and no one else.

Even Kerri was still held at arm's length, though she was closer to Sam than most of the people they'd met. No, the only person that seemed to get inside Sam's inner defenses besides Dean was Evelyn. The little girl and Sam were just instantly attached to each other. Whether it was the fact that they were both three or something more, Dean didn't know, whatever it was, he was grateful for it. He loved having Sam by his side, needed the little boy to be there, but he also wanted Sam to be a normal kid, and for the first time, he was taking steps toward that.

Dean could remember what it was like to be Sam's age. He'd gone with his mom to the park, had played with other kids, laughed, lived. Sam, on the other hand, had done none of that. Sam's life was motel rooms and his big brother, an existence shrouded in secrecy. But now, here with Evelyn, Sam was finally 'normal' and Dean was happier than he'd been in a long time. It was like a breath of fresh air, and just another reason why Dean loved Valley.

"Alright, Sam, in bed."

"Can we do a camp out?"

"A what?"

"Ev said we could camp out."

"I don't think so, Sam."

Dean felt his resolve melt away when Sam's big brown eyes began to fill with tears. Heck, he had the lower lip tremble and everything. Sam wiped a sleeve across his face, drying off the tears, but more just slid down his face to take their place.

"She said we could."

"Evelyn doesn't run the house, Sam."

"But she said. She said you and K would say yes."

"Did she ask, Kerri?"

"I don't knows. But she said."

As if on cue, Evelyn came running into the room, already in her nightgown, yelling as she jumped on Sam's bed. "No, I says so."

"Evelyn," Kerri began, turning into the room. "I said maybe another night."

"No. I says so."

"I don't care what you says, I said no."

"I'll tell dad."

"Go ahead, he'll say no, too."

"Noes he won't." Evelyn stamped her foot on the bed, her little arms crossed, a scowl on her face. "He'll says yes."

"Then go ask him. I'm sure dad wants nothing more than to put up tents tonight."

"He'll says yes," Evelyn stated confidently, sliding off the bed. "Come on, Sam."

Sam, now wearing a scowl to match Evelyn's, slid off the bed, holding hands with the little girl as they searched for her father. Dean just shook his head; he was happy his brother had found a friend, but the whole ganging up on him part of it wasn't all that great.

"I didn't give her the idea," Kerri began as she and Dean followed the toddlers.

"I didn't think you did, this seems to be a totally Ev thing."

"Yup."

"So, what's a camp out?"

"My dad sets up tents out in the yard. Basically, it's sleeping outside instead of inside. Not all that exciting."

"Sounds like fun." Dean shrugged. He'd never camped out before.

"It's ok. I just don't like sleeping outside."

Dean couldn't blame her. It wasn't the bugs or the wet ground, there was something different about Kerri's yard. Crossing the threshold into her house was like walking through pure energy. He felt safer inside, warm and watched over, and it was a feeling he didn't get outside. Outside was the real world, outside was danger, but inside the Harrisons' home was shelter.

"I don't think your dad'll say yes."

"Yeah. Plus, after the whole Timmy Collins thing, I don't think he's too happy."

"Yeah, I can imagine. That was cool though. Did it hurt your hand?"

"Yeah, a little. But it was worth it."

"I heard his mom called your dad."

"Yeah, 'cause Tim's too much of a wimp to actually fight back. He's just gonna run and tell his mommy."

"Your dad didn't really do anything," Dean began, still amazed that Kerri had completely escaped reprimand.

It was something Dean had never really experienced before. When Dean stepped out of line, even if it wasn't on purpose, his father was furious. Escaping punishment, even if it was only being sent to his room, was something Dean couldn't begin to understand. And here was Kerri, out by herself, miles from home, knocking another kid out cold— and her father didn't seem to care one way or the other. And Dean was instantly glad John was his father. Yes, Kerri's dad was very nice, and pretty cool, but he didn't seem to have the time for Kerri, didn't really seem to care, and Dean knew that, no matter what, his father cared.

"Dad." Evelyn yelled, obviously tired of looking for him herself. They'd made it down to the ground floor without seeing the hunter, and Dean knew finding someone in this house could be next to impossible.

"You're supposed to be in bed," Tom answered, coming in from the basement.

"We wanna do a camp out," Evelyn answered, smiling and hugging her dad. "Please."

"It' kind of late to ask, kid."

"I know, but I p'omised Sam."

"Alright, Sweetie, I'll grab the tents."

"Dad," Kerri broke in, obviously having no desire to camp. "I don't wanna. Can't we do it another night?"

"Ker, I don't wanna get into this now. Could you run upstairs and get some blankets."

"Fine," Kerri mumbled, stomping up the stairs.

It only took about ten minutes for Tom to get the tents ready; Sam and Dean sharing one, while Kerri and Evelyn had the other. Dean could see why Kerri didn't want to camp, being outside the house at night had an eerie feeling to it, and it was something Dean didn't really like. But Sam and Ev were having the time of their lives, so Dean pushed away his feelings.

He looked over at the forest while Tom built a fire, Sam jumping up and down when Kerri came outside with the smores ingredients. The forest swayed and moved in a light breeze, making the trees seem almost alive to the seven year old. It was just a forest, nothing else, Dean told himself, even though that didn't do anything to alleviate the stress. Kerri had already said once that she didn't like the trees, and Dean was beginning to see why.

Tom wasn't completely out of the loop, though, and that made Dean relax a little— after all, the older man was a hunter. After building the fire and making sure the kids had everything they would need he laid a large ring of salt around the campsite. He then made his way around the salt perimeter, drawing symbols and shapes Dean had never before seen. When all was said and done, Dean felt a little safer, but still nothing like being inside the house.

"Will that be enough?" he asked Tom quietly while Kerri was watching over the smores making kids.

"Yeah, Dean, it'll be fine. Life isn't all danger, there are places where you'll be safe."

While Dean smiled and nodded to the hunter, he knew the words weren't true. There were plenty of dangers everywhere, nothing in life was safe. The darkness was always there, waiting and watching, planning out strategies, preparing to strike. It was the way of the world, and Dean had learned that at a very young age.

Much to Dean's relief, though, the night proceeded without incident. Sam and Ev stayed up way, way past their bedtimes thanks to the sugar and soda they'd had, but Dean wasn't upset. It was as normal as they had ever been, the world of hunters, the world of darkness and death, wasn't breathing down on them, waiting to take one of them away. They all laughed, they all played in the large salt circle, told stories by the fire.

To Dean, it was like finding perfection, like finding life again after losing his mom. He knew nothing in the world would ever be able to replace her, to change the life he'd been thrown into at the age of four, but nights like this reminded him that there were reasons to wake up, reasons to keep going. And Valley, Wyoming was his reason. Sam was happy here, safe and whole like all children should be. And Dean had someone, too. Kerri had saved him, let him into her life when everyone else Dean knew had turned him away.

To the seven year old, Valley was his second chance— and while he knew he'd be leaving again in a few weeks, he also knew he'd probably come back. And, as long as the promise of returning was there, Dean knew the absences wouldn't be too hard to bare. He just prayed the day would never come when they turned their backs on the Harrisons for good.