Thank you Blondie 50000 for your feedback. Heh I just could see Jo as a little Robin Hood. Well we have some serious bonding with Gemma and Dean here, so it's a little sappy but can't help it. Just want to give 'young Dean' a hug.

Anyhoo, I hope people enjoy this next part.

Thank you,

Val

Chapter 18

Gemma finish checking all the salt lines around the doors and windows. She had watched as Dean had very seriously laid down the lines, but her Dad always said rechecking your surroundings was hunter's best weapon.

She walked back into the living room and flipped on the television, settling on a channel playing one of her all-time favorite movies 'Charade' with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Sitting back, she pulled out her crocheting project to help keep her mind occupied. She couldn't stop worrying about forging a bond with the children.

When they got home after their ice cream she had the kids get ready for bed and then they had sat together on the couch and she had read the first three chapters of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' the one book all three children agreed on to read together before bed together.

When they finish reading she had tucked Jo and Sammy in before her and Dean went around to secure the house. It was so easy with Jo and even Sammy seemed open to her but Dean, oh he was a different story. She could see it...the weariness in the child's eyes and she hated it.

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't realized the child she was worried over was standing in the doorway. "Dean, buddy what are you doing up?"

Dean swallowed as he looked towards Gemma before looking around the room. Gemma stood up and walked over to the boy and squatted down so that they were eye to eye. "Did you have a bad dream?"

The boy swallowed as he nodded his head and whispered, "yeah."

Gemma gave him a tentative smile as she reached over and ran her hand through his hair. "Why don't you sit down, and I'll go make us some coco and we can have a chat."

"Okay," the boy said as he went over to the couch. "Ma'am," he called out.

Gemma turned and looked at him. "Dean you can call me Gemma, you don't have to call me Ma'am."

Dean blushed slight, "okay…Gemma. You aren't going to put that peppermint stuff in the coco are you?"

She frowned, "peppermint stuff?"

"Mr. Rufus put it in when he made the coco and it made me sick."

"Sick?"

"Un hun. It made me throw up and my bed wouldn't stop spinning until my Dad sat down with me."

Gemma's mouth dropped open as she put two and two together. "No buddy, I'm definitely not going to put that peppermint stuff in the coco. Just plain regular coco." Gemma reassured Dean as she went into the kitchen to make their drinks, mentally reminding herself to give Rufus, John and Bobby a scolding when she got her hands on the three men.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean took a sip of his coco and smiled. It was regular coco; it didn't make him feel all tingling like before.

"Good?"

"Yup," he said as Gemma sat down next to him.

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Gemma cleared her throat. "Dean, did Bobby tell you that my Dad is a hunter too?" Dean nodded his head as he looked up at the woman shyly. "Did he also tell you that my Mom and Dad are my adopted parents?"

"No Ma…Gemma, he didn't." He said as he looked at her closely.

Gemma took a deep breath before she continued. "See when I was four my real Mom, Dad, my grandparents and two of my aunts were killed by werewolves. They found me hiding under my bed and they took me…the werewolves took me with them."

Dean's eyes widen in shock. "The monsters took you?"

Gemma nodded her head as she wiped at her tears. She knew she couldn't tell the child all of her story…that was something she felt that John would need to agree to her telling his children that she was a werewolf but she knew he needed to know he wasn't alone in his fears right now.

"They did and my Dad…my adopted Dad…he saved me Dean."

"And then you went to live with him?"

"I did…him and his wife took me in and loved me."

Dean ducked his head and asked, "Did you have bad dreams about you Dad not coming back when he went on a hunt?"

Gemma sighed, "yeah I use to have really bad dreams that I would lose my Dad while he was out on a hunt. My mom though told me it was alright to have those dreams because I love my Dad and I was worried about him and that's what happens when we love people, we worry about them."

"So bad dreams don't mean we're weak?" The child asked as he looked up at Gemma.

"Oh Honey," Gemma said as she reached out and took Dean's smaller hand in hers. "No, they don't mean we're weak. It's just how our minds work through our fears and there is no shame in having fears Dean."

"Dr. Tom says being afraid is okay too." He admitted.

"And it is," she told him before asking softly. "Do you want to tell me about your dream?"

"My Dad and Uncle Bobby didn't come back…we were separated…they put us in different homes."

"You mean you and Sammy?"

The little boy nodded his head as the tears he was trying so desperately to control slid down his cheeks. "Jo too…and I couldn't find them!" he cried as Gemma gathered him in her arms.

"Shhh….shhh." Gemma murmured as she rubbed the crying child's back. "Dean you listen to me. No matter what happened with your Dad and Uncle Bobby you three will not be separated. I would never let that happen. I swear I would never let that happen."

"It's my job to protect Sammy and Jo." He said as he pushed away from Gemma and wiped away his tears with the back of his hands.

"No, it's your job to be a good big brother to Sammy and a good friend to Jo and from what I've seen you're doing an amazing job at both." She told him.

"Dad says I'm responsible for Sammy. That it's my job to take care of him." he argued.

Gemma swallowed her anger at what Dean was telling her. She knew John regretted how much pressure he put on his oldest and was trying to let Dean be a child but obviously he still had a great deal of work to do in that department since Dean still felt it was his job to take care of the youngest Winchester and now Jo.

She reached out and laid her hand over his. "How about a deal. While I'm here it's my responsible to worry about the grown-up stuff and to take care of you three. You'll all have your chores that I'll expect you to do and we will continue with your training."

"Chores?" Dean asked skeptically.

"Mmhmm." She said as she knew how important it was for the boy to feel useful. "Like one of your chores would be to put down all the salt lines around the doors and windows at night."

Dean nodded his head, "like I did tonight?"

"Exactly," Gemma told him.

"I guess that's okay then." He agreed.

"Good, so why don't you finish your coco and then you need to go back up to bed."

"Yes Ma'am…I mean Gemma." He told her as he ducked his head blushing when the woman chuckled as she leaned over and kissed him on his forehead.

SPNSPNSPN

After that first awkward day and night things went by smoothly between her and the children. Gemma had given all three children chores that they were responsible for and had continued to train with them too. Once she realized how much Jo liked to cook and the two of them would make most of the meals together, dragging the boys in to help with things like peeling potatoes and making salads.

Sammy had pulled her aside the third morning after training and asked if she would help him with his aim. She realized the youngest Winchester was embarrassed that Jo was a natural and admitted he didn't want his Daddy to be disappointed in him.

Gemma had tried to reassure the child that his father would never be disappointed as long as he was trying his best, but he didn't seem to believe that thought and said he thought his Daddy would expect him to get at least five out of ten bullseyes.

So, Gemma and Sammy spent an extra thirty minutes practicing each morning, but she wouldn't agree to more than thirty minutes. She was trying to encourage the children to be just that…children. After the extra target practice Gemma would send Sammy in to get cleaned up and then the four of them would play a game before Gemma and Jo would go and make lunch while the boys did their chores.

It was on the eighth day that Gemma and Jo were in the kitchen making chicken salad sandwiches when the little girl told her that she wanted to bake a cake. "Gemma, It's Mrs. O'Brien's birthday tomorrow. Can we make her a birthday cake?"

Sammy and Dean looked up from the table they were currently setting. "You're gonna bake a cake? Can it be chocolate?" Sammy asked hopefully.

Gemma smiled at the children and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not but first we need to make sure we have everything to make it. I'll check after lunch and whatever we don't have we can go to the store to get. I wanted to make a food run anyway since a certain 12-year-old seems to be eating for three people." She teased as she walked past Dean and ruffled his hair.

"I can't help that I get hungry," the boy argued.

"Of course, you can't help it," Gemma reassured the boy with a grin as she finished putting the sandwiches on the tray as Jo grabbed the macaroni salad out of the refrigerator. Gemma went and took out the pitcher of lemonade and placed it on the table before going back and retrieving the bowl of fruit salad too.

Soon they all had their plates ladle with food. Just as Gemma went to take a bite of her sandwich she looked up when the house phone rang. Quickly she put her food down and encourage the children to start eating as she went into Bobby's den to pick up the phone.

"Hello."

"Gemma," a gravely voice responded.

She reached out and grabbed the corner of desk when she felt her legs begin to buckle as she whispered into the phone, "John?"

TBC