Before reading: This is my first fanfic and is non cannon. I do not own anything from Supernatural but Kate is my own character. The first few chapters will be a back story and forming the characters' relationship. Kate (Katelyn O'Connor) is almost 9 in the beginning of this fic.

Please, please review. Comments help me direct the story in a way that will appeal to people. I have ideas but knowing what others think helps me greatly. Thank you!*

Bobby sighed and drug his hand down his face, lingering on his scruffy chin. When had his house become a daycare? Who in their right mind thought he had the patience, let alone the time, to keep track of their snot nosed kids? John Winchester, for one. Bobby wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he liked having the boys around. They kept him young and made his days of research less monotonous. Sure, the two hard headed boys got on his nerves but his house felt empty with them gone.

His hands were full with the two Winchesters. They were good boys but every bit as bull headed and ornery as their father. John had dumped the boys off numerous times over the years and Bobby's heart ached a little to see them becoming the men they were fated to be. Sam was beginning to sprout up and look less like the shrimp he had spent the previous 15 years of his life being. He was smart and knew it. Dean looked more like his father every day and the boyish features he once sported were beginning to fade as he emulated John. Much to Sam's dismay, Dean sought every chance he had to be a surrogate in John's absence. He took care of his younger brother and insisted he be trained and ready at all times. Although they fought like a married couple, they were attached at the hip. Dean would lay down his life for his brother and Bobby was sure Sam would attempt to do the same thing, given the chance.

Bobby was deep in thought. Another hunter, Brian O'Connor, called in a panic, asking Bobby to take care of his daughter. Bobby was hesitant. Brian was a good man and a good hunter but seemed to have gotten himself in a sticky situation. He didn't give the old hunter nearly enough details as to why he had to ditch the kid but he told him enough that Bobby realized the man was out of options. Bobby's house would be safer for the girl than being drug along behind her father and whatever he was running from. A screech shook him from his thoughts.

Bobby's hand left his face and reached for the screen door. He walked toward the ruckus he had heard starting up in the salvage yard. He stopped before the boys saw him. They were sparring and Sam was mad. Dean had years and experience on him and didn't give the boy a break. Bobby reached the Winchester boys just in time to prevent Sam's head from connecting with the bumper of his tow truck.

"Alright, alright you two. Stop trying to kill each other, you idjits."

Sam jumped up with a scowl on his face and eyes set to kill. Dean sarcastically apologized to his brother and didn't bother to hide the mischievous grin.

"Sorry Bobby, we are just training." Dean said.

"Well make sure your brother knows you're training before he seeks revenge on your ass."

Dean turned to Sam and ruffled his hair before making sure the kid was indeed okay and only his pride was hurt by the leg sweep that Dean had surprised him with.

"Did you come all the way out here to tell us not to kill each other or is somethin' on your mind?" Sam asked, noticing the disgruntled look on Bobby's face.

Dean dropped his grin and gave full attention to the older hunter.

Bobby cleared his throat and began, "Either of you remember a Brian O'Connor? Wife died years ago from a demon attack. Brian and your daddy worked a few cases together."

"Yeah, we know Brian, Bobby. What happened? Did something get him and Kate?" Dean asked. His thoughts flicked to the little girl and hoped she was alright.

"No, not yet at least. I don't know what fool thing Brian went and did but he asked me to take Katie for a while."

"Why you Bobby? Does he think you're running a house for wayward kids or something?" Sam asked haughtily.

"Well, I keep you two idjits alive while John's out tracking down the thing that killed your momma, so I guess Brian thinks I'd probably keep her alive too. Wouldn't be the first time she's been over here, but that was a day or two."

Dean squinted his eyes, trying to read the expression on Bobby's face. "How long is he wanting her to stay here, Bobby?"

"I don't know Dean, he said it could be a few weeks but the way he was talking, I am worried it will be longer than that, IF he makes it back." Bobby said slowly.

Sam rolled his eyes and said "We don't need a little kid running around here messing with stuff, distracting us. Can't she go somewhere else."

Bobby straightened up and glared at the boy. "Not too long ago, YOU were a little kid running around messing with things. You turned out just fine."

Dean thought for a moment before asking, "Bobby? This is your home. We are just here for the time being. Ignore Sam. Why are you running it by us?"

Bobby grimaced and took time to think about what he was going to say. "I am old, boys. If I am right and she is going to be here for a while, I might need some help. She is going to be scared and might take better to one of you two than she will with me. I ain't asking you to baby sit. She can mostly take care of herself. As long as John has you two parked here, I think it would be a good idea for you to pitch in, show her the ropes."

Dean nodded his head. The big brother part of his brain had already taken over. He was thinking about how to transition the kid and keep her safe. Kate was raised by a hunter. She knew about the things that went bump in the night. Dean had met the kid on more than one occasion, and she seemed cool enough. He wasn't thrilled with the situation but if he as going to help Bobby out, he was going to do a proper job of it.

Sam was irritated at first and then thought of the times that his dad dropped him off at a motel and left for weeks on end. He thought about Dean being his rock and making his childhood bearable. He knew if it had been just him and his dad, things wouldn't have lasted as long as they had. He started to feel bad for the kid and then a thought crossed his mind. He smirked, "Uh, hey, Bobby, with an actual kid around here, that means you and Dean will stop treating me like one, right?"

Bobby snorted and lightly smacked the back of Sam's head. "As soon as you stop being a pain in my ass, I'll stop treating you like one."

Bobby looked at Dean, deep in thought. He knew the boy was thinking it over and had already decided his role in the situation. "So, what is it boys? R'we doing this together?"

Dean sat down on the hood of a car and hung his head. "We will help you do what is best for Kate. She deserves some stability and I agree that it is safer here than out there. When is she coming?"

"They are on their way up here now. Brian said he needed to leave in a hurry."

Dean took a deep breath and dropped his hands down on his thighs in resignation. He elbowed Sam and told him to head inside. Kate would need her own room to sleep in, which meant Sam and Dean would need to share a room. Dean secretly didn't mind. It was easier to keep an eye on his brother. Sam acted annoyed but he didn't quite mind either. Growing up in motel rooms, having his own room, away from Dean just didn't seem right.

Bobby clapped Dean on the back and headed inside with Sam. Once on the porch he turned to look at the young hunter sitting, looking off into the distance as the sun began to fade behind the trees. Sam and Dean weren't his by blood, but Bobby put in nearly as much time raising them as John did. They were fine young men and Bobby didn't always see it so clearly. They adapted quickly and gave with their entire hearts. He wasn't sure what the future held in regard to Kate but he knew she'd be in good hands.

Dean felt eyes on him and looked toward the house, only to see Bobby's back as he walked into the house. Taking care of Sam came naturally to Dean. He never had a choice. From day one his job was to protect Sammy. When Sam was younger, he idolized Dean. He thought his brother hung the moon. As Sam got older, he needed Dean less. They butted heads more often and Sam's relationship with their father was on a steady decline. He still loved the kid. Every decision he made was with Sam in mind. His mind was racing with possibilities. It might be nice having someone to look at him like a god again. He wouldn't mind teaching Katie some things. His stomach sank a little as he thought about managing to keep her safe the way he did with Sam. What would this do to his life as a hunter? Would she slow them down? Could he leave her behind the way that his father had done to him and Sam when needed? Did he have patience left or had Sam driven the last bit out of him? The only thing he knew for sure was that he had a job to do and he was going to do it to the best of his ability. He hopped off the car and went inside to help Sam.

Sam looked up from his duffle to see Dean in the doorway of the room. It wasn't true that Sam needed Dean any less. He just needed him in different ways. He still idolized his brother and looked to him for direction. Sam wasn't sure about having to help take care of a kid but the resolve written in his brother's expression steeled his own. Sam had always been the little brother; the one being taken care of. Bobby trusted them enough to ask for their help and he was determined to do so. He threw a dirty sock at Dean with a grin, "If we plan on sharing a room, you're going to have to keep it clean in here. Might want to wash those too, making the whole room stink."

Dean rolled his eyes and picked up the dirty sock. "Well if you got off your butt and ran laps with me, your socks would smell too. Keep it up and I'm stuffing them in your mouth when you sleep"

Sam hid a smirk and turned back to his bag. Dean lingered a few seconds longer before quietly turning to take his sock and the rest of his laundry down to the wash room. Sam felt Dean retreat and let out a sigh. Dean was his hero. He was anxious about Kate because he knew how much Dean had helped him at that age and how pivotal Dean's involvement had been. He wanted to emulate Dean but realized no one ever could. No, he couldn't be a dean, but he figured he could be a pretty good Sam.