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The next morning, Sam woke up, thankfully before Dean-he could have a few minutes of peace for a change.
He climbed out of bed, stretching as he opened the curtains. The sun was just beginning to peep out through the clouds, a thin mist creeping its way through the fields around the back of Bobby's house.
He yawned, scratching his chest and he crossed to Dean's cot, smiling at his brother's sleeping form. Now he was growing up, Sam was beginning to notice changes in his brother's appearance; he was now much bigger than he was when he first changed, and he had more control over his own body.
Sam sat down on the floor, and started to gently rock his cot, relishing this early morning chance to spend some quality time with his brother.
He moved the blanket slightly, revealing Dean's feet, and Sam had to chuckle; Dean's feet were pressing into the wood of the end of the bed, his toes curling onto the board. He was going to need another bed.
Sam sat back and just watched his brother sleep, committing all the images to memory, smiling as Dean's nose wrinkled, seconds before he sneezed. The force of his sneeze actually caused his brother to wake with a small squeak, his eyes widening, then adjusting to the face of his brother, who was grinning down at him.
'Your something Dean...your really something!' he chuckled, tickling Dean under the chin.
Dean didn't giggle this time- he merely let out the biggest and longest yawn Sam had ever seen.
Sam giggled as he watched Dean's mouth open wide, his now many teeth reflecting slightly in the light.
As Dean finished his mammoth yawn, Sam stood and picked him up, cradling him to his chest.
Now he had grown older, Dean could now support his own head; he now looked and acted like a three or four year old. Dean couldn't walk yet, but Sam suspected that he was going to learn pretty soon.
He carried Dean down the stairs, settling him down on the sofa, before walking into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. As it was only early morning, Bobby was still sound asleep upstairs. Sam smiled; he had so much to thank that man for. He had taken both him and Dean in, both for this problem, and before this witch's curse took hold.
Bobby had helped them when they had no one else to turn to, had helped them sort out problems which other people would have scoffed at.
He and Dean had always taken him for granted; had taken his resources at their will, expecting him to drop everything and help them. They were wrong to do it-Bobby was worth much more than that.
He had been their father when their own wasn't there. And he always would be.
Sam finished making the coffee, pouring one for himself and also for Bobby, because chances were he wouldn't be asleep much longer.
He walked back into the living room, and sat on the sofa next to Dean, who was sitting unsupported in the corner, sucking his thumb, looking around the room.
Sam drank his coffee in silence, until he only had the dregs left in the bottom of his cup. After putting his cup on the floor he once again turned to his brother, who was looking at him intently.
Sam waggled his fingers, 'hey Dean! Can you say Dean?' Sam had been teaching him some new words, the basics like "chair", "dog", "cat" and a few other simple words that he felt that all babies needed to know. However he was still trying to teach Dean his own name.
'go on...say Dean!' he encouraged, using Bobby's technique and mouthing the word over and over again, until Dean started copying him, then...
'Dean' his brother exclaimed, chuckling with delight as Sam picked him up and laughed at him.
'Well done Dean! You said your name!' Sam grinned, holding Dean above his head, playing 'aeroplanes' with him, making the engine noises, laughing as Dean shrieked and giggled, the sounds resonating through the silent house.
'What's he 'gigglin about now? Actually- that kid don't need no reason to giggle!' came the sound of Bobby from up the stairs.
Sam grinned as he watched Bobby descend, rubbing his stomach and yawning.
'Boys! Do either of you have any idea what time it is?' he asked gruffly, then his face broke out into a massive grin 'wow-did I really just say that...to you guys?' he smiled, moving to the kitchen.
'Yup-oh and I've made you coffee!' Sam called back to him, sitting Dean on the sofa and walking behind Bobby, who was busy gulping coffee down.
'Mm...Not as good as mine- but your getting there!' he appraised, before chuckling.
'so, what are we doing today?' he asked, nodding his head at Dean, who was peering at them from the sofa, muttering the word 'Sam' over and over again.
'He recognises you boy!' Bobby smiled, poking Sam's shoulder as Sam waved at his brother, a huge smile plastered over his face.
'I don't know what we're doing today...let's just wait and see!' smiled Sam.
As the morning wore on, Sam came to the conclusion that, if Dean was going to be changing into an adult, he was going to have to learn how to walk.
'Bobby, can you go sit on the sofa, and I'll sit on the floor?' he asked. Bobby nodded and went to sit in the middle of the sofa.
Sam then picked Dean up and cuddled him to his chest, before giving settling him down next to Bobby's feet.
Dean pouted and reached out for Sam, face scrunching up as his fingers clawed the air, looking at Sam, who had gone and sat crossed legged on the floor on the other side of the carpet.
Bobby propped Dean up on his legs, and started to encourage him to walk.
'Go on Dean...go to Sam! Just put one leg in front of the other- it's easy!' he said, holding Dean safely round the waist.
Sam held his arms out, smiling encouragingly. 'C'mon Dean...come to me! That's it!' he said, watching as Dean looked nervously down at his own feet.
Most children learnt to walk once they had learnt to crawl, but Sam and Bobby just didn't have that kind of patience. Plus, Dean wasn't ageing at the same rate as a normal child; just last night he had been four months old, now he had aged practically three years!
'Come on Dean! I know you can do it!' he grinned, fingers curling air, ready to catch Dean.
Dean, however, seemed to have different ideas. He gingerly put one foot in front of the other, but as soon as he put any sort of weight on it, he fell sideways. Luckily, Bobby was there to catch him in his strong arms and stand him up straight again.
After a few tries of this, Sam sighed. Dean wasn't making any progress, so he decided to help him along.
'I've got an idea Bobby' he said, picking Dean up and then standing him down on the carpet, making sure his feet had a strong grip on the carpet. He held Dean's wrists firmly above his head, then just waited.
'C'mon Dean, it's just one foot...' he moved Dean forward slightly to the left.
'...in front of the other!' he finished, moving Dean's wrist so his body met up with his left foot.
'You did it Dean! You walked!' he said, smiling down at his brother, who smiled up at him, eyes full of trust.
Sam grinned at Bobby, who put his thumbs up. 'ok, now we're going to do it again- ready?' he said, once again moving Dean's left wrist, making him step forwards, then his right, making his body meet up with his foot.
After each step, Sam stopped and praised Dean, watching as he started to giggle and move his legs all by himself.
'He's trying to walk by himself boy!' smiled Bobby, sitting forward.
Sam nodded then once again put Dean between Bobby's legs, before kneeling on the floor, arms outstretched.
Dean was still giggling, and he put his left foot in front of his right.
As he put weight on, he started to get a little unsteady and shaking.
Bobby reached out to catch him, but he steadied himself just in time, and he put the other foot in front of the other.
'Bobby...he's walking!' breathed Sam, watching, mouth slightly open in awe as Dean took another tentative step forwards.
After a while, and much encouragement from both Sam and Bobby, Dean finally reached Sam, whose outstretched arms clasped around his small frame, cuddling him close to his chest, laughing and tickling him.
Dean shrieked and laughed too, his own arms reaching around Sam's neck and pulling him close.
Sam smiled into Dean's shoulder, and then looked across at Bobby, who was smiling, tears in his eyes as he watched the tender moment between the two brothers, proud that he had just witnessed Dean's first steps.
Sam grinned down at Dean and picked him up, gently moving him to the sofa again.
'Is it just me...or do you suddenly feel like a proud parent?' he asked Bobby, who chuckled and shrugged. 'Couldn't tell ya- I've never been one!'
'Well, neither have I... but I wonder if this is what it feels like' he mused, before walking into the kitchen to fix up Dean's breakfast.
Sam was over the moon that Dean could walk, as he was now a step closer to being the old Dean again.
But now that Dean could walk...it opened up a new host of problems.
Now he was walking, he was going to be walking-everywhere.
He and Bobby were now going to be running after a four year old, who was now going to be exploring everywhere.
But that was only if he was going to stay a four year old, he might change fast, now he was achieving things that other children did.
Sam didn't know, but it sure was going to be fun finding out!
I hoped you enjoyed Dean's first steps!
Thanks for reading, and please review!