From my current outline, it looks like Close Your Eyes will be only 20 chapters total (we're half-way there!). Don't worry though, we will immediately pick up with the second installment afterwards.

I've been on a writing kick, so we'll hopefully get a few more quick chapters at least out of it.

Chapter 10: You Won't Be Alone

Haven

Medon, Tennessee, USA

July of 1987

Haven had assumed that July 31st, the day she turned 7 years old, would be like any other day. The Dursleys had certainly never celebrated it. She'd only learned what day it was because she had been dumb enough to ask when she would be getting a day where she got presents and whatever she wanted for dinner, like Dudley did.

They'd seemed happy to make sure she knew that it would never happen. That freaks didn't celebrate birthdays. Probably because there was nothing to celebrate about a freak being born to bad parents.

Things weren't like they were with the Dursleys anymore. Somehow she still didn't expect the new changes when she came.

It started as she woke up. She sat up and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

She hadn't yet remembered what day it even was when Dean grinned at her and said, "Happy birthday!"

Haven stared at him for a long time. Her brain didn't seem to get it for a while. He was saying that to her? It was her birthday… but that was something said to Dudley, and Sammy, and to Dean. She'd never heard someone say it for her.

"Oh."

That was all she could say. It didn't seem like what Dean had wanted her to say. What were you supposed to say? Sammy had just giggled, like he did with all sorts of things. Dean… what did Dean say? That was months and months ago, back when it was still cold and snowing. She didn't know, and Dean was still frowning at her like he was sad.

The day got more weird from there. John took them out to a diner for breakfast and got her a nice, big stack of pancakes covered in all the syrup she wanted. It even had chocolate. She couldn't even finish it, but they packed it up for her to finish later. John said 'happy birthday' too, and told Sammy to say it, too. Sammy insisted they sing the birthday song, even though Dean and John said that was for later, when she blew out the candles.

Candles! Whole candles like on a cake that you blew out and made a wish with! Her chest began to feel tighter and tighter. She was happy, but she was also sad, too. She didn't know why. She wasn't even sure if they were telling the truth, and not just going to trick her into thinking she might get a cake and candles and wishes on her birthday like other kids who weren't freaks did.

And then, John held out a stack of papers towards her. She looked at them, but there were a lot of words.

"I finished all of this just last night. Do you know what they mean?"

Haven slowly shook her head, biting her lip. Would she be in trouble since she didn't know? She didn't want to be in trouble and make the nice things go away.

"This means I've adopted you. Legally, you belong with us now."

Adopted? Like… family? Like she got to stay with them forever and get presents for Christmas and nice birthdays?

She was scared of getting told no if she asked, so she didn't. She just nodded and stared at her lap.

At lunch, John brought out the cake and lit seven bright little candles. Dean tied a little paper hat onto the top of her unruly hair and made her sit down on a chair at the dining table. They sang the song a whole second time.

She stared at the candles and the pretty little cake wishing her a happy birthday. It was so pretty and it was for her. She got her own wish. What would she even wish for?

As the song ended, she closed her eyes.

I want this to be real, pretty please.

Haven blew out the candles to applause and Sammy's giggles. She couldn't think of how it could get any better. She blinked quickly so that she wouldn't cry like a baby. She was 7 so she wasn't a baby so she wouldn't cry over cake and wishes.

As John cut up a piece of cake for each of them and handed them out, he said, "I've got to head out for work. You can get her presents, Dean. Don't forget the one Jim sent." He paused as he handed Haven her plate. Her slice was the biggest and had a little icing flower on it. She was the only one with a whole flower. "Happy birthday, Haven."

Dean raced from the room as John got his things and left. Haven felt a bit sick to eat so much cake, but she did it anyway. It was a cake for her, and she was going to eat it. Dean came back with a stack of wrapped gifts, plopping them in the center of the table before eating his own cake slice.

Sammy, with cake smeared across his face and fingers, said, "Open them! Open the big blue one first!"

She wasn't done with her cake. Haven wanted to finish it before trying not to cry at another nice thing, but Sammy was so excited that she just reached for the gift anyway. She looked over the box and carefully unwrapped it. She didn't want to tear the pretty blue paper.

Inside the box was a smiling stuffed lion with a red ribbon around its neck. It was big, and soft, and had pretty fur.

As she stared at it, Sammy said, "I told dad that we should get it for you! So it's mostly from me cause it was my idea. Do you like it? Isn't it so pretty?"

All at once, great ugly tears came out even though she did her best to stop them. She covered her face with her hands to hide it. She never had so many nice things just for her. She hadn't even looked at the other presents yet. The Dursleys never would have done it for her. She was just so happy. It was a really stupid reason to cry, but thinking that didn't make the tears stop.

"What's wrong?" Sammy asked, sliding from his chair so he could walk to her and wrap his arms and frosting-covered hands around her. "Do you not like it…?"

He sounded so sad. Haven couldn't let that stand.

"No, I like it so much. It's the best. Thank you," she said, trying to make the tears stop again. It wasn't really working. She wished it would. Crying was for babies and now Sammy was going to think she hated his gift when really she loved it and was so, so happy. As he continued to hold her, she slowly used one of her hands to try and return the hug, using the other to keep hiding her face. They could hear her crying though. She wasn't really sure how to return hugs, so she just kind of let her arm touch his back and hoped it was fine.

"... Do you want to open the others later?" Dean asked very carefully.

Haven shook her head. "I'm fine!" She sniffed and scrubbed her face with her shirt. A few more tears leaked out but she decided to pretend they weren't there as she reached for another at random.

She had more clothes that looked like her size. They weren't all bright and new, but some of the clothes Dean and Sammy got were second-hand. They looked like they would fit and they weren't all ugly. One was even a little dress. She'd never had a dress. She'd seen other girls in school wearing pretty dresses and bows. Nice shoes and a little hairpin went with it. Haven also unwrapped a small pocket knife, a coloring book, and a new pack of crayons.

"This one is the one Pastor Jim sent," Dean said, handing her one last box. Haven frowned at it. Maybe John, Dean, and Sammy getting her gifts made sense. She was staying with them and adopted now, according to John. And Sammy was just nice. But Pastor Jim? She hadn't been there for a long time, and she wasn't there long. She had his telephone number, but she didn't think he actually meant that she should use it. Why would he care at all to send something?

Haven opened the box to see a perfect, smiling doll. It had straight, perfect black hair and perfect, painted blue eyes in a pretty dress. There was a little comb to brush the doll's hair, and a card saying 'Happy birthday!'.

Inside the card, there were more words. She carefully read out each word as quietly as she could.

Dear Haven,

Every girl needs a doll of her own, so this one is for you. Take care of her. I hope you have a very happy birthday.

From,

Jim Murphy

Her eyes were trying to cry again. The doll was very pretty. All of the gifts were nice. And the cake. She very carefully returned the card and picked up the doll. Haven straightened the dress.

"Are you going to name her?" Sammy asked, crawling onto the seat next to her. She scooted over so there was room.

Haven paused for a moment before holding the doll out to Sammy. "I guess. I dunno what. What do you think?"

Sammy was careful with her, too. He held the doll in front of his face. Then he looked over at Dean. "Do you think we should name her Mary, like mom?"

"... No." Dean seemed to get sadder.

"Oh. Okay." Sammy looked at Haven. "What about your mom? What was her name?"

Haven wasn't sure if she should answer, but it was Sammy. "It was Lily."

"Wanna name her Lily, then? It's pretty," Sammy said, holding the doll back out for Haven to take. Haven held the doll again. The hair was smooth. She wasn't sure if the doll looked like her mother at all. Or if the poor doll wanted to be named after a girl that ran off and married a drunk and died that Aunt Petunia always talked about with that mean look that was all for Haven's mother.

"Lily's fine," Haven said at last. Someone the Dursleys didn't like was someone she thought she should like. They wouldn't have liked John or Dean or Sammy, or their music or their hunting. Haven liked all of those things just fine, at least more than she'd ever liked the Dursleys. She didn't like John the way she liked Sammy, or even Dean, but he gave her food, taught her hunting, and didn't hurt her. She put the doll, now Lily, carefully back in the box next to the card and stayed quiet as Sammy talked at her.

She was tired.

"Are you still awake?"

Haven poked her head up at Dean's voice. "Yeah."

"Wanna get some more cake and talk a bit?" She heard Dean offer in the darkness. Haven wasn't sleeping anyway. She slid out from under the covers and padded into the kitchen area as Dean flicked on a light. As long as they were quiet, they wouldn't wake up Sammy, who was sleeping in the bedroom. Dean got the rest of the cake out and cut them both a slice. Then he poured them both some milk.

They sat at the table with their cake and milk. Haven took a little bite of cake while she waited for Dean to get to the point. He looked like he had something to say. Plus he asked to talk for a bit.

"... So… you get nightmares, yeah?" Dean began, smoothing out the frosting on top of his slice. "Not so much as you used to, I don't think…?"

Haven frowned. She thought about saying no, but he'd caught her at it before. He didn't seem like he was going to make fun of her, anyway. "So?"

"Um… did you want to talk about it? I-I can talk about mine, too!" He winced as he realized his voice was starting to get a little too loud. "If you want. I just thought… Maybe it would help? Talking about stuff. You've never mentioned a mom before, either, and then you… the presents…" Dean trailed off. He didn't say she cried like a baby at least.

"I don't remember my mom. She died when I was a baby… car accident." Haven rubbed her forehead self-consciously. She hadn't said that her parents had been drunk, so Dean wouldn't know. He wouldn't make fun of her for it.

Dean replied, "Oh… I remember my mom. She was… Yeah. But she died in a fire when Sammy was a baby. I… never told dad, but I saw it. The fire. Mom on the ceiling and bleeding… I still dream about it… So it's okay if you have nightmares, too. You know? And I don't think- I think it's okay that you cried, too."

Haven took another bite of cake. "I'm not a baby."

"No… do you wanna talk about it?" Dean asked.

She thought about it. He wasn't making fun of her so far. He'd actually told her about his own nightmares. And he got her presents and was nice to her today. Most days, too. He was only a little mean sometimes, but she was also mean so it was probably okay.

Haven shrugged. "I never really… got presents. Or cake. For my birthday, I mean… It was just nice, okay?"

"Never any?" Dean asked, looking like she'd broken his toys or something.

"None."

"Why not?"

Haven stared at her cake. He might not be so nice to her if he knew she was a freak, and that's why she shouldn't get gifts.

"I dream about the… fae thing. That was after me. And… being back where I was before." Her throat felt tight. She didn't wanna say. Her voice broke a bit. "I like it here much better. I want to stay."

"Dad said you're staying forever, so you aren't going back. You're staying with us," Dean said. She took a sip of milk while she tried to make sure she wouldn't cry again. "So you don't gotta be scared of that. And the monster's dead, 'cause dad killed it. He'll make sure nothing hurts you, and you'll get presents every year. It'll be like that forever now. Dad said so."

"Yeah…"

Dean wasn't Sammy, but he was pretty nice, too. She even kind of believed him. At least on the staying part. The other two she would have to see for herself.

Dean is trying his best, poor thing. Haven isn't like Sam who will tell him about everything. She's prickly, but he's getting there.

And we've got Haven as an official Winchester now! As if we needed the Potter and Winchester luck combined into one being...