Summary: Delaney Mannings is dropped off with the Winchesters a few months after her father's death. She stays with them for two years and they become close. What happens when she has to go? What happens when she comes back?

Chapter 20: Flashbacks

Okay, so for this chapter I decided to do something different. I decided to do a whole chapter just of little Winchester and Delaney moments. Of those two first years of when Delaney was with them, before her mom came for her. I hope you guys like it. I just thought we might have needed a break from the chapters. These moments will be happy, sad, dramatic, important to the relationship they have, unimportant but fun, and just… their moments. Hope you like! ~Mar98

5 months after Delaney first arrived with them…

Sam was lying in bed, his face staring up at the ugly old motel ceiling. He was scared. There was only one way to say it and deal with it. He was scared for his dad.

He could never help thinking like this when his father was gone. The nights that he started a new hunt. Living like this, night after night, well… it affected him. He was scared for his dad, for Dean, for Delaney. And… he almost always had nightmares.

"Sam."

Sam turned, almost jumping in his sofa/bed.

It was Dean. He had the big bed to himself.

Sam could only hear his voice by how dark the room was. He heard the rustling of the sheets on Dean's bed and the mattress creak as he sat up.

"You scared?" Dean whispered.

Sam almost sighed in relief at those words. His brother had always had a knack for knowing when he was scared out of his wits.

"Y-yes." Sam whispered back.

Dean was quiet and Sam was begging to hear his next words.

"Come on." Dean sighed. They both knew that Sam needed to hear those words. To feel his big brother next to him. And, honestly… they both thought, even if slightly, that Dean did too.

…

Sometime the first year Delaney arrived with them

"Yeah. I know, John!" Delaney rolled her eyes as she put on her jacket. "Yes, yes, I know. Don't take longer than seven minutes and don't buy anything else. Make sure my knife is with me at all times. Jeesh!"

"Just making sure you end up coming back safe and sound. I still don't want you to go by yourself. How about Dean goes-"

"What! No! The last time you sent him with me, he kept on making weird little comments, like if I was some freak, and people kept on staring and making weird faces. And, he used the amount of money, little money that you gave me to buy what I wanted. And he made sure it was something I didn't like. Jerk!" Delaney made a face at Dean, interrupting John.

"Fine, fine! Just… go. And fast." John waved her out and Delaney stepped out gladly.

She closed the motel door behind her and crossed the street quickly. It was almost dark and it was a wonder that John had actually let her go by herself. Usually, he would have sent Sam and Dean after her like some bodyguards. Or spies.

The store was only a down the street, at the corner, and if she hurried, it would've been like she was never gone.

Her feet crunched the cement underneath as she heard the talking of people and the rumbling of cars.

She was humming to herself and just as she reached the store, she heard the playful loud laughter of children. She turned, curious and stopped walking when she saw the sight of a mother with her baby boy and girl.

The little girl had dark hair, in two high ponytails, and was rounding her mother, shouting incoherent things, giving a giggle here and there. The little boy was hanging from his mom's leg, laughing crazily. And the mother was looking at them… laughing and smiling with such a smile. The way she was staring at them… so… loving and caring. So indescribable and deep.

Delaney stood there, staring at them closely. And the way that mother grabbed that little boy, so softly like if he was some delicate priceless treasure, and cradled him.

Delaney was struck by the intimacy of these gestures and she hated herself when she felt her eyes begin to water.

She turned away, jerkily, and brushed at the bottom of her eyes and her cheeks with the sleeve of her jacket. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned quickly.

It was Dean.

He didn't say anything and neither did she.

But what she did notice was that he had the same look that had mostly been on her face as she stared at that family.

… 5 weeks after Delaney first arrived with them

"Sam!" Dean shouted.

Sam crashed to the ground, letting out a shriek.

Delaney turned from collecting rocks, her hair whipping up at the sudden move. She dropped her rocks and started to run.

Dean jumped off of his swing, where he had been swinging boringly, skidding and tripping as his feet impacted the ground. He got up quickly and neared the monkey bars.

Sam had his head down, and you could hear the sniffling.

Dean kneeled down next to him and picked his head up. He wiped his tears away and picked up his pant leg.

There was a scratch, a skid, like any other kid gets when getting too into his playing. Dean picked up his other pants leg to find another scratch but just a scratch.

Dean relaxed then and almost sighed. You could see the relief in his face.

"What happened? Are you okay, Sam?" Delaney panted as she finally made it over to them.

"He's fine." Dean said bluntly and helped his little brother up.

"What happened?" Delaney asked.

"No use telling you since it already happened." Dean began to walk with Sam, in the general direction of their motel.

"Are you okay, Sam?" She asked again, catching up to them and ignoring Dean.

She reached out for Sam's arm but Dean snapped, "He's fine!"

Delaney let her hand drop and breathed in deeply. She wasn't going to argue or cry or fight. Not when Sam was hurt.

As Sam and Dean left, she stood in the middle of the playground, waiting for when it was a good enough time distance away from them. Then, she started for the motel.

…

13 months after Delaney first arrived with them

"Hey, that's mine!" Delaney lunged for the notebook in Dean's hand and he evaded it easily.

"I know. That's why I want it!" Dean smiled as they struggled. Delaney finally pushed him up against the wall and snatched the notebook away.

"And for your information, this isn't a diary." Delaney humphed and walked to her bed.

"Really? Then, what's Roger's name doing in your notebook?" Dean smirked.

Delaney opened her mouth but had nothing to say. Her face started to turn a faint red.

"I don't even know who that boy is." Dean rambled on until there was a pillow thrown at his head and he stumbled, backing up against the wall.

"Owww! You killed me!"

…

4 weeks after Delaney first arrived with them.

"That's really nice, Sammy." Delaney watched as Sam quickly hid the notebook under his pillow and turned to her, and embarrassed look on his face.

"W-what?'' He tried to sound casual.

"I already saw it… and I think your dad will love it." Delaney patted his shoulder.

"You… you think so?" Sam asked, shyly. Delaney smiled at the hopeful gleam in his eye.

"Yeah. I do."

…

A year and 5 months after Delaney first arrived with them.

Dean watched as Delaney slept, her eyes closed and her breathing calm. She shuffled a little in her sleep then quieted down again.

He approached her bed, slowly and when he was close enough he sat there, next to her sleeping face.

He listened carefully, for any sound that John or Sam would wake up but all was quiet.

Then, he slowly, leaned in and planted a kiss on the lips of a sleeping Delaney.

He closed his eyes as he felt her soft lips and pulled back after a moment.

He stared at her face, not sure why he had done this in the first place, but he had.

As he walked back to the sofa that it was his turn to occupy, he thought he would remember this. His first kiss.

But, a few years later, when he thought about that night, the feeling was gone. And… he told himself that he wasn't sure it had been there in the first place. Maybe a flutter, a small speck. But, not anymore.

He wouldn't tell a soul. Because, honestly… he wouldn't even remind himself.