Chapter 9

"Alright young man, are you ready to make an apple pie?" Jody asked Dean as she tied an apron under his armpits to protect his clothes and to keep him from falling over it.

"Yea ma'am," said Dean enthusiastically. Jody had moved a kitchen chair to the sink for Dean to kneel on.

"I'm going to let you wash the apples while I start peeling them," Jody instructed Dean putting the apples in the sink in a bowl for him.

"Okay," Dean nodded turning on the water to fill the bowl. He swished the apples around and washed them before putting them on a towel for Jody. When he was done, Dean watched Jody as she peeled the apples, sneaking a slice to eat and giggled when Jody tapped his hand and frowned.

"You can't go eating the filling up," she told him, smiling when she heard his laughter. It warmed her heart to hear the innocent and joy in it. When she had enough apples peeled, Jody added sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. "Now be careful Dean and stir this while I get the crust into the pie pan."

"Okay," Dean replied taking the wooden spoon and carefully mixing the slices with everything else. He was careful not to toss any out of the bowl. He studied everything in the bowl to see if it looked right before stirring a little more. Dean drew in the aroma of the mixtures and licked his lips.

"That's good Dean, now let's fill the crust with this being sure to get all the liquid in there." Jody poured the mixture into the crust and leveled it before cutting a few cubes of butter to go on top. She slid the crust top onto the apple slices and crimped the edges. After cutting some slits on top, Jody took a little milk and brushed it over the top crust and sprinkled sugar over it. "There, all done and ready for the oven."

"I can't wait," Dean told her looking at the pie as Jody put it on a baking sheet and into the oven.

"You're a good helper Dean. Thank you."

"It was fun. Can I help again?"

"Of course, you can sweetie. I like cooking with a handsome young man."

"You're funny," Dean giggled smiling shyly at her and batting his eyes.

"Oh, you're such flirt," Jody teased grabbing him in a hug before sitting him on the floor to stand. "Why don't we go read one of your books while the pie bakes?"

"Yes, I'll get the book," Dean agreed running for the living room.

Jody had forgotten how much energy a young child had, and Dean was no exception. She walked toward the living room when Dean called to her that he was ready. She found him on the couch with a book in his lap waiting impatiently for her to join him.

"Alright," Jody huffed sitting by Dean on the couch. "What are we reading?"

"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," Dean slowly said trying to pronounce the words right.

"Nice, that's a good one," Jody said. She put an arm around Dean as he scooted closer to her side so he could see. His warm body pressed against her bringing back memories of her son and when they would read together. She opened the book to the marker where Sam had stopped reading. "Alright, shall we begin…" Jody began to read the next chapter to Dean, who hung on her every word. When Jody finished the third chapter, she looked down at Dean who had gotten very still and saw his eyes were closed and he was asleep. She put the marker back in the book and laid it aside. She gently brushed his hair back and kissed the top of his head. "I wonder if you'll even remember any of this?" she mumbled quietly. Jody got comfortable and let Dean sleep in her arms, not wanting to let him go. When Jody saw she needed to check the pie, she roused Dean from his nap.

"Hey, sweetie, guess we should get up," Jody cooed to Dean cupping his cheek and sitting him up. "I think our pie may be done and you don't want to sleep the afternoon away."

"Pie, can I have a piece," Dean mumbled rubbing his eyes as he woke.

"It has to cool before it can be cut. How about we check it and take it from the oven if it's done," Jody told him. "And I have something I think you'll enjoy that we can play with outside."

"Okay, smells good," Dean noted sniffing the air as the aroma of the pie filled the kitchen. "Can I have some juice?"

"Why certainty honey, can you get it?"

"Yes." Dean walked to the fridge and opened the door to get a juice box and went to the table to put the straw in so he could drink it. He moved to the counter where Jody sat the pie on a cooling rack.

"Don't touch, it's too hot," Jody cautioned him when she saw him inch his finger toward the crust.

"Sorry," Dean mumbled pulling his hand back and looking pitiful.

"Won't work with me buster. You're not getting a piece until it cools. Just don't tell your brother I'm letting you have dessert before dinner. It'll be our secret."

"Okay, our secret," Dean nodded, a little smirk on his face.

"Alright, let me get something from my bag and we'll go outside," Jody told him. "Why don't you go wait on the deck for me?"

"I'll call Rufus, see if he wants to play."

"Sure, the more the merrier." Jody headed into the living room while Dean went out the backdoor to the deck.

"Rufus!" Dean called stepping into the yard. "Rufus! Come!" he continued to call. "Come play!" He waited and finally saw the dog lumber toward him. "Come boy," Dean urged. He laughed when Rufus butted him and knocked him to the ground so he could lick him and roll on him. Dean scratched the dog and pushed him back so he could get up. Without warning, a stream of water hit him on the chest. "Hey!" Dean cried out looking toward the deck to see Jody standing there with a squirt gun. She shot at him again as he ran toward her. "I want one!"

"Here you go," said Jody holding out another gun for Dean.

"I'm gonna get you!" he yelled running as he squirted Jody who laughed and shot back.

"Rufus! I got you!" Dean shouted shooting at Rufus who shook his head and tried to drink the stream of water.

Jody and Dean ran around the yard with Rufus barking and, on their heels, as they attacked each other until the water ran out. They went to the garden hose and filled them back up to play some more. Jody finally called a truce when she saw Dean was smart and a good shot and her shirt and hair was soaked.

"Enough, you got me good," Jody laughed as water dripped from her hair. "I'd say the pie is cool enough for us to have a small piece with a small scoop of ice cream."

"Yeah! I want pie and ice cream!" Dean announced loudly as he marched around for a moment before hopping toward the deck to follow Jody inside.

"Go wash your hands and dry your hair Dean and I'll get our pie dished out."

"Wash my hands, wash my hands," Dean sang as he half skipped into the other room to use the half bathroom downstairs.

Jody washed her hands and used a paper towel to wipe over her hair. She got out two bowls and pulled the ice cream from the freezer. She cut two small slices and opened the ice cream to top the pie before sitting the bowls and spoons on the table. She looked up as Dean hurried back into the room and clambered onto his pillow so he could pull a bowl to him. He waited until Jody sat down and sampled her pie first before quickly scooping up a big bite and eating it.

"Smaller bites honey and you'll get less on your face," Jody suggested taking a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Okay," Dean mumbled. "This is soooo good!"

"It is. I say we make a good team."

"Yeah, we do. Can I help you cook some more?"

"Most certainly. I love to have help in the kitchen."

They finished their pie and ice cream, and Jody quickly washed the dirty dishes and put them away. She checked the fridge, deciding what to fix them for dinner. It wasn't going to be anything fancy, just something simple that a five-year-old would like.

spn

After dinner, Jody got Dean to take a shower and put on his pajamas, so he'd be ready for bed. She knew he wouldn't even think about it until Sam called him.

"Don't worry, Sam will call honey," Jody assured him when she saw him fidgeting and looking toward the office listening for the phone to ring. He was in the floor building a tower out of the blocks she had brought. "Sam will probably call my number, do you want to hold my cell?"

"Yeah, okay," Dean replied, accepting Jody's cell and holding it in his hands. He looked toward the television that was playing a random show but couldn't keep his mind on it. He wanted to hear from his brother like he promised.

Dean fumbled with the cell when it started to ring, almost dropping it. He flipped it open and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello," Dean said.

"Hey Buddy, are you having a good time with Jody?" Sam greeted him in a warm voice.

"I am. We made an apple pie. I'm a good cook; Jody said so."

"That's good to hear. I'm glad you're having fun."

"Are you coming home tomorrow?"

"I think so. If we get everything done, we should be heading back, but it might be past your bedtime when we get home."

"I wanna stay up. Jody, can I stay up tomorrow? Please? Pretty pleaseeee…. "

"We'll see honey."

"Did you save me a piece of pie?"

"Maybe…"

"You know Bobby and me will want to sample your cooking."

"Okay," Dean giggled. "Jody and me played with squirt guns and Rufus drank the water."

"I bet you had a fun time doing that."

"Your brother is relentless," Jody called to Sam.

"Did you drown Jody?" Sam inquired.

"Yeah," Dean giggled.

"Look Buddy, I need to go. It'll be your bedtime before long. You go on to bed when Jody tells you, no fussing."

"Okay, I will."

"I'll call tomorrow when we get ready to leave. Good night, Dean. Let me talk to Jody now, okay."

"Night Sam. He wants to talk to you," Dean said handing Jody back her phone.

"Hey Sam, is everything okay?" Jody asked getting up from the couch so she could talk in private.

"Yeah, we're over halfway finished and should be able to get the rest tomorrow."

"Did you find anything that might help Dean?"

"Not yet, we're starting on that side of the unit in the morning. Has he been behaving?"

"He's been great and such the little flirt. I almost wish he could stay like this and grow up again."

"I know, but this wasn't done by Dean's choice, he never gave consent, and even if I want him to have this chance I want him to have his own life back. I miss my big brother," Sam sighed.

"I know you do, and I know you'll figure this out."

"Take care Jody and thanks for doing this. We'll see you tomorrow. I'll give you a call when we head out."

"Alright Sam, be careful."

"I will, bye." Sam disconnected the call and Jody hung up her cell.

"Alright, when this program goes off, it's bedtime for you sweetie," Jody told Dean when she came back into the living room and sat down beside him on the couch.

"Okay, Sam said I shouldn't fuss about going to bed." He picked up sections of blocks and returned them to the tub before sitting on the couch with Jody.

"Your brother does know you. What did I miss?"

Dean told Jody what was going on and they finished watching the show. Jody took Dean upstairs and made sure he brushed his teeth and used the bathroom. She took him into his bedroom and turned his bed down so he could climb under the covers. She tucked him in and made sure he had the stuffed dog Sam gave him by his side.

"Good night, Dean," Jody told him. "I'll be just down the hall if you need anything."

"Okay, good night," Dean mumbled as he buried into his blankets and hugged his dog.

"Sweet dreams." Jody turned off the lamp and turned on a night light at the door before leaving the bedroom. She went back downstairs and settled on the couch to rest and watch a little more television before going to bed herself. She was tired but needed to decompress a little more.

An hour later, Jody headed upstairs and used the bathroom so she could get ready for bed. She went to the spare bedroom, changed into her pajamas, turned the covers down, and got in bed. After turning off the lamp by the bed, Jody settled into the mattress and listened to the noises of the house settling around her.

Jody was almost asleep when she got this feeling that someone was watching her. She raised her head and saw a shadow by her bed that moved.

"Dean, what's wrong?" Jody asked after turning on the lamp to find him clutching his dog and fidgeting from foot to foot.

"Nothing," Dean whispered, looking down at the floor before glancing up at her for a moment.

It didn't take Jody but a second to figure out why Dean was in her bedroom and pulled back the covers on her bed.

"Come on honey, why don't you sleep with me tonight?" she asked.

"Okay," Dean replied crawling into the bed and settling beside Jody. He snuggled down with a sigh and Jody patted his back before laying back down. She knew he didn't want to sleep alone in the other bedroom since Sam was gone. They went to sleep cuddled together and let the night pass them by.

A/N: Jody and Dean had a fun filled day and Dean is already in love. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Reviews/Comments would be great. NC