Last Time

It was too late now and Harry had been hurt, physically and emotionally, hell, probably mentally too given how scared he must have been and he'd have to clean up the pieces. God, he wasn't nearly qualified for this. He'd have to get onto those websites, pronto, but for now he'd be happy if Harry just took his pills and ate something for lunch.

Chapter Nine – Best Friends

Harry was anxious. He couldn't really help it. It was growing worse and worse, his fear's getting worse, and he had been caught twice trying to leave Bobby's house in the middle of the night, bag in hand, planning to get on a plane back to Britain.

Unfortunately Bobby was well versed in 'idjits' as he said, and always caught him and sent him straight back to bed with a warning to never try to sneak off.

Everything had fallen apart, however. It had been four days since he'd been released from the hospital, and four days since he'd last seen his brothers, or John. Bobby had thrown them out, and Harry was…not quite torn over it, but he was certainly something. On the one hand he was rather touched that Bobby had sided with him and had thrown them all out of his house, but on the other hand he was worried that this was it now, and him being a part of the Winchester family was over and they would just wash their hands of him. He missed them, his brothers in particular, and though they had sent him a dozen text messages, he hadn't replied to them yet. He wanted to, but he was scared as well. He didn't know what to think, what to do, or how to make any of this better.

It wasn't helping that he'd been having nightmares, and while nothing new, he had started having the scream himself awake ones, and both he and Bobby hadn't had an undisturbed night since Harry had been released from the hospital.

Harry was worried about that as well, his experiences of these types of nightmares had him fearing that Bobby would snap and beat him like Vernon used to. That had been why he'd tried to leave. He was trying something new now, and just not sleeping at all. He couldn't scream the house down and wake Bobby up if he wasn't sleeping, so he was pacing his room instead.

He hadn't forgotten his thoughts from when that Shtriga had been feeding on him either, he was still missing Ron and Hermione and despite that they hadn't spoken to him since they'd been on the train back from Hogwarts he was toying with contacting Hermione with his phone. He knew her number, he was just…worried. He hadn't called her before because he had been worried about Dumbledore finding out where he was, and dragging him back to Britain when he was trying to get to know his actual blood family.

Now though…now he thought that he needed Hermione's advice more than anything, even if he ran the risk of Dumbledore finding out where he was.

It was almost four in the morning here, which meant it was almost ten in the morning in Britain. Hermione should be awake. He toyed with the idea a little more, before sighing. He really needed Hermione's advice, she was one of his best friends, and she was certainly the smartest of them. He wouldn't pin all of his hopes on her, she was still a fifteen year old girl, but he hoped that they could talk this issue of his through together.

He typed in Hermione's number, and he hoped that she was at home, and not at the Weasleys, otherwise he wouldn't be able to talk to her. He didn't think Arthur Weasley kept the same number for more than a month at a time, he seemed to take a lot of joy in changing the phone and the number regularly.

'Doctor Granger.' A man answered.

"Hi, Mister Granger, is Hermione there?" He asked politely.

'Are you one of her friends from school?' The man asked.

"That's right, my name is Harry."

'I'll just go and get her.'

Harry didn't have long to fret or work himself up, as he heard pounding footsteps and then Hermione was calling his name over the phone breathlessly.

'Harry? Harry is that really you?'

"Well it wouldn't be Ron or your father would already be deaf." He joked.

'Oh, Harry.' She cried out. 'I've been so worried! Where are you? Are you safe? Ron's told me that Dumbledore even went and searched his house for you, that you've been missing for months.'

"A lot has happened, Hermione."

'Tell me.' She encouraged.

Harry went and sat on his bed and laid back a little. He told her almost everything from the moment he'd left the Dursleys back in June. About finding out that he was a surrogate baby from the goblins, and that his biological family had said they'd take him in and raise him if anything happened to his birth parents. He was always supposed to go to the Winchesters, and not the Dursleys. He told her about finding out that John and his big brother Dean were alive, that he had a second big brother Sam.

"They're hunters, Hermione. Remember we learned about the differences of American versus British specific creatures?"

'Of course.' Hermione said easily.

"My family are all hunters. John, and my two brothers, even the place I'm staying is a house of a hunter named Bobby. He's like an uncle of sorts, just not by blood."

'That sounds really dangerous, Harry.' Hermione said worriedly.

"Can we truly say it's any more dangerous than what we're going through in Britain? Voldemort is back now. After that graveyard, after Cedric, I can't stay there, Hermione. I'm scared, I'm in danger, and truthfully I'm not really any better here, but my family are here. I miss you and Ron of course, but…"

'You've always wanted a family, you don't have to explain that to me, Harry.'

Harry chewed his lip a little. "I…I've met two of these American creatures, Hermione. They seem to be drawn to me, I don't know why."

'It's because you have magic.' Hermione explained immediately. 'There's a reason that not many witches and wizards stay in the Americas for long, Harry. These creatures can sense that you have magic, and they're drawn to you because of it.'

Harry sighed heavily. "Great."

'Surely you're better protected if your family are hunters though?' Hermione asked.

Harry swallowed. "I…had a bit of trouble with the last creature that attacked me. I…they seem to like feeding off of me."

'Because of your magic.' Hermione added in, and Harry could almost see her nodding, sending her bushy hair everywhere. It made him smile.

"Anyway, they…they wanted to kill it, of course. Truthfully I wanted it dead too, but I was already in the hospital, I was scared." He said softly. "They wanted to use me as bait and I panicked. I didn't want it to come near me again, but they said it had already targeted me, so it would come for me no matter what, but I panicked. I told them I didn't want to be bait, but they used me anyway."

'Why were you already in the hospital?' Hermione asked first.

Harry sighed. "John dragged me to make sure I was healthy, they don't like how thin and small I am. But…they used me as bait, Hermione."

'Harry, it sounds like this creature would have targeted you regardless, and if it had already locked onto your magic, it could have easily have followed you anywhere. Your magic makes you stronger, special, and of course these creatures want to feed on you, you make them stronger as they take your magic for themselves.'

"Is that what they're doing?" Harry asked worriedly.

'Yes, but don't sound so worried, they can't take it from you permanently, they can just feed from it. Our bodies regenerate our magic over time, like rechargeable batteries.'

Harry laughed at the comparison.

'These creatures do get stronger from feeding on you though, much stronger than if they'd fed on a muggle. They can sense it, they can feel it, and they'll want it, Harry.'

"It just always seems to be me. And now Bobby has kicked them out of the house for using me as bait, and I haven't spoken to them in four days, and I'm worried they won't want me anymore."

'That's just your fear and insecurities talking.' Hermione assured him. 'Anyone would be scared being bait, and they likely know that being hunters. They probably regret it, Harry.'

"They thought it was the only way, but Bobby said they panicked, that it wasn't the only way, just the quickest."

'It depends on what you want now, Harry.' Hermione told him. 'Do you want to keep getting to know them?'

"Yeah, I really do. But that doesn't mean I'm not scared too."

'Of course not.' Hermione agreed. 'But these creatures are always going to be drawn to you, Harry, because of your magic. If you choose to stay there, with your family, then you'll have to learn to deal with these creatures. I'll see if I can find some books, some spells or charms that will keep you safer.'

"Really? That would be great, Hermione."

'What about school, Harry?' She asked after a small pause.

He smiled. Leave it to Hermione to always be worried about his education.

"I've been approved to do all my work at home, I just have to go to a testing facility for exams. They're sending all my work to a muggle deposit box here in South Dakota for me. I just have to walk to it and pick it up."

'Oh, I can use the same post address, what is it?'

Harry laughed at her enthusiasm and rattled off the number he'd been given so that Bobby's house wasn't bombarded with owls that weren't Hedwig.

'I hated not being able to give you a birthday present!' She said. 'Now I can.'

Harry chuckled. "You know I never really cared for presents."

'That's why I like giving them to you. I will really miss you though, Harry.'

"I already miss you and Ron." He said sadly. "But they're my family. I just wanted the chance to know them and now that they actually want me, or at least they did before…"

'Of course they do. Don't let your insecurities push you away from them, Harry. Have you told them about magic?'

"Not yet. How can I? They even said they kill witches."

'You need to tell them, you know you do. They will find out one day, and they will be upset to find out you're keeping such secrets from them. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. Maybe the witches they come across aren't witches at all, but another creature they just call a witch?'

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that."

'It's doubtful that it'll be an actual witch given that not many magical people travel there for anything other than a short holiday.' Hermione mused.

"I'll ask and now that I've started talking to you, I'll keep doing it, well, for the rest of summer at least, then I'll just send you Hedwig."

'Harry, what about Sirius and Remus? They've missed you and they're terrified for you.'

Harry grit his teeth against the anger their names brought up. "They never told me I was a surrogate baby, Hermione. They never told me that I had living family members! They had no right to keep that from me. To keep my living family from me."

'I understand your anger.' She told him gently. 'But they are very worried about you. They're not sleeping and they're looking everywhere for you.'

Harry heaved out a heavy sigh. "Tell them I'm fine without them. Tell them I'm with my family and I'm not coming back, but do not tell them where I am, Hermione, or how to get in contact with me. I don't want to hear excuses at the moment."

'Okay.' Hermione said softly, sadly.

"I don't want to leave my family. I don't want to go back to Britain, not…I don't want Dumbledore, or anyone, to come and drag me back. I want things to work out here."

Harry was surprised that he felt such a way, especially as he'd tried to leave back to Britain twice already, but…talking to Hermione he had realised how much, how desperately, he wanted this, his family.

'They won't hear it from me.' Hermione said firmly. 'Take care of yourself, Harry, and keep in contact, even if it is with just me and Ron.'

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I will. Take care, Hermione, and thank you for everything."

Hermione snorted. 'You boys would already be dead without me.' She boasted. Harry didn't contradict her, all three of them knew it as the truth.

They said goodbye to one another and Harry eased back in his bed, looking over to the empty one where John used to sleep, and he frowned.

He did miss them, all of them, even if John was gruff and unrelenting, and dragged him to the hospital under the guise of taking him out. Surely it just proved that the man cared about him and wanted him to be healthy. Harry didn't like it, but then he didn't really have any parents to compare it too. The Dursleys let Dudley get away with anything and everything, and he had been spoilt beyond ruin, and had turned into an awful man. Harry didn't want that for himself, so surely John forcing him to do things he didn't want to just meant that Harry wouldn't become Dudley.

He threw an arm over his eyes and stifled a large yawn. He was tired, but he knew if he went to sleep the nightmares would come back. It was gone five in the morning now and Bobby was usually up at the crack of dawn. Maybe if he tried to sleep now it wouldn't matter if he had a nightmare and woke up screaming, because Bobby would already be up.

He was too tired to do anything else. He felt better after his talk with Hermione, but he knew it would take a lot more, a lot longer, before he could forget the feeling of being fed on by that Shtriga.

Bobby cursed as yet again Dean called him. They called several times a day to check in on Harry, and he never had anything different to tell them.

"Dean." He greeted.

'How is he?' Dean asked with no preamble.

"Quiet." Bobby answered. "There's been no screaming so far."

'So he's better?' Dean asked hopefully.

"No, idjit. I think he forced himself to stay awake last night. I went past his room a few times and he was up, pacing by the sounds of it. He's worried that I'm gonna get sick of him too."

Dean cursed, and Bobby heard him relaying what he'd said to Sam.

'We need to come back, Bobby.'

"Not until Harry says it's okay, you ain't." Bobby said sternly.

'It won't get better until we can explain everything to him.'

"What, explain that you used him as bait, put him in danger, because you felt the need to kill something?" Bobby demanded.

'It wasn't like that!' Dean shouted.

"That's what it was like to Harry, that's what he's thinking." Bobby snapped right back. "You damaged that kid more than he already was, and now you're pissy because he won't speak to you."

'Bobby, we're going crazy here!' Dean told him.

"You need to wait until Harry says it's okay. If you just walk in here when he doesn't want to see you, you're gonna make everything worse!"

The first scream tore through the house and Bobby's heart leapt into his throat, even as he rushed to the stairs.

'Is that…?'

"That's Harry screaming himself awake because of the nightmares you caused him." Bobby snapped, before disconnecting the call and shoving his cell back into his jeans.

He opened the bedroom door to see Harry writhing and fighting in his sleep, and Bobby went and woke him up before it got too bad. He could already see the tears on Harry's face, and yet again he cursed those trigger happy Winchesters.

"Bobby!" Harry cried out, blinking the sleep and fear from his eyes, breathing hard and heavy.

"It's alright, you're here with me. Nothing got you in the night."

Harry swallowed and nodded, but he still looked around him fearfully.

"I'm sorry, Bobby." He said quietly, ducking his head and hunching his shoulders.

"Think nothing of it, Harry. You're traumatised. It's understandable that you have nightmares."

"I don't want them. I don't want to keep waking you up." He admitted.

"Maybe we should look into getting you some therapy."

Harry flinched. "Maybe." He agreed, which was better than the outright refusal he'd been giving thus far to the very mention of having therapy.

"You want breakfast?"

Harry nodded. He didn't much feel like eating, but he had been frightened into it by the doctors. Hearing that he probably would have died at eighteen was enough to do that. So though he didn't feel like eating, or taking his medication since he'd left the hospital, he hadn't missed any meal, or pill.

Bobby made a stack of toast and bacon for the both of them, and Harry sat, eating on automatic. He was given a glass of milk…a large glass. It had been the same ever since they'd found out he'd had such a major, almost fatal, deficiency in calcium. Every meal contained something that had calcium in it and the bread that Bobby bought now was even fortified with calcium and other vitamins. He had to eat a small piece of cheese as a snack, or a yoghurt. Everything was fortified with calcium, iron, and vitamins now. He even had to drink a nutrient shake after dinner every day.

"Here you go, you need to take these." Bobby said, handing over a capful of pills.

Harry sighed at the supplements and vitamins, but he picked them up one by one and swallowed them down with the milk, which was just as bad.

Bobby's phone started ringing, and he cursed, looking at it.

"It's your daddy, I'm gonna go out back to answer this."

"Why's he calling?" Harry asked.

"To check on you, why do ya think?" Bobby told him.

"Is this the first time he's called?" Harry asked curiously.

Bobby actually scoffed. "He calls a dozen times a day. Sam and Dean too. They called me just before you woke up. Believe me, you're the first thing on their minds."

Harry considered that, even as Bobby left the house to answer the call from John. Hearing that they were calling Bobby at all hours of the day, just to check on him, made him feel better. Especially after the call with Hermione. He felt better, more settled now that he'd spoken to his friend and hearing that his family were hounding Bobby was just the right amount of reassurance that he needed.

He went to the living room, slash study, slash library, and went to his laptop. He looked at his phone and chewed his lip, warring with indecision. Should he message one of his brothers? Which one would he choose though?

Dean had been there when he'd first woken up, had reassured him and in his own way he'd looked after him…but he'd broken his promise too. He said he'd be there when he woke up again, and he hadn't. They'd left him lying in that bed alone, using him as bait.

Sam then. Sam had always been the one who seemed to care the most. Sam hadn't wanted to use him as bait.

Harry sent a quick text to Sam, and then put his phone down and ignored it. He was anxious again now, but he'd wanted to break the four day silence, but he so wasn't used to any social norms. His friends would have known his attitude and sometimes his sarcastic sass, but he'd only known these people for a month and a half. He didn't know them well enough, and they didn't know him. He would have to forge ahead if he wanted a relationship with them, and they would have to willingly do the same.

He went back to his work, and when a message beeped on his phone, he ignored it. He'd look and answer it in a while. Until then, he'd sit here and pretend to ignore it while he fretted about what it said until he actually looked at it.

Sam was worried and upset, mostly with himself. It had been four days since they had last seen Harry because of the bust up over the Shtriga incident, this was the fifth day now. Harry hadn't spoken a word to any of them in the two days after the second attack, when he'd still been in the hospital. They knew he had spoken to the doctors and the nurses, as they had been confused when they had mentioned his sudden muteness. They had known then that Harry was purposefully not speaking to them, likely because of the Shtriga incident.

He had only really spoken to them after he'd gotten back to Bobby's to shout at them for using him as bait. He should have been firmer. He and John had been butting heads for years, arguing and shouting, and the one time it mattered, he hadn't done enough to protect Harry and he felt so guilty for that.

He and Dean had been doing some jobs close to South Dakota. They didn't want to go too far out from Harry, just in case.

Their dad had gone further out, and from what they could tell he was once again on the hunt for the yellow-eyed demon. Their contact had been sporadic with him, but Bobby had said he called twice a day to check on Harry. They could at least be grateful that he hadn't forgotten that Harry existed now that he was once again hunting that demon, but they didn't know when they might see him again.

A beep had Sam digging his cell from his pocket and checking his messages.

"It's from Harry." He said excitedly, as he read it.

"What has he said? Is he okay?" Dean demanded, sitting up on the motel bed. "Sam!" He demanded as Sam still didn't answer him.

Sam's body relaxed and he chuckled. "It's an olive branch."

"An olive branch, what do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Harry wants to go to Florida."

"That trash heap, why?"

"Because he's found out that they have a species of spider that catches its prey by spinning nets and then throwing them."

Dean blinked. "Sounds like we should be hunting it."

Sam snorted a laugh. "Either way he's sharing animal facts again, which is his way of offering an olive branch, a way back into speaking to him."

"Does he want us to go back?"

"One step at a time, Dean. He's talking to us again, that's enough. We carry on with this hunt, finish it, then see if he wants us to go back to Bobby's."

Sam typed out a reply and sent it, then sat back and took a breath.

"Bobby said he's been eating normally and taking all of his pills, the only problem is those nightmares." Dean said.

"I'm at least glad he didn't stop eating again." Sam said, sighing, putting his phone down as Harry didn't reply.

"I think maybe those doctors put the fear of god into him." Dean pointed out. "He looked terrified hearing he could have died, and that he had to take his supplements or he could still die."

"That's one good thing that came out of this." Sam nodded.

"Bobby said he's gaining some weight, finally."

Sam looked up at Dean, and he smiled.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Nothing. I miss him too."

"We're not having a chick-flick moment." Dean said firmly.

Sam snorted. "Just saying I miss him, and clearly you do too."

"Oh god." Dean groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Pretend all you want, but I see straight through it." Sam said stubbornly.

"I'm going for a burger." Dean declared, standing and heading to the door. "Call me if Harry messages back."

Sam gave him a pointed look, and Dean huffed and left the motel room. Sam smirked and then turned back to doing research at the table. Harry hadn't messaged him back, but considering how anxious Harry was likely to be feeling, it could be some hours before a reply came through.

They'd finish this hunt and then head back to Sioux Falls, just in case. At least Harry had opened the door a little to them, they'd been going crazy in the last few days thinking that maybe he didn't want to see them, or speak to them ever again.

Neither of them had liked thinking that perhaps they'd ruined their chances to get to know their little brother. They were both unduly protective of Harry because he had been so hurt in the past. He'd been beaten black and blue the day they had met him, even. They had never wanted to hurt him, or let him down themselves, but that is exactly what had happened.

They had to do better, and Sam swore to himself that he would. He should have fought harder to keep their dad from using Harry as bait for the Shtriga, and the next time, if there was one, he would take Harry himself and run if he had to. He was not going to put Harry through anything like that ever again.

He had known they'd made a massive mistake the moment the window in the hospital had opened, and Harry had sat bolt upright, staring at it in fear and horror, a tear falling down his cheek. He'd wanted to go to him then, to save him from the horror of being fed upon a second time, but Dean had held him back, reminding him that the thing had to be feeding for it to be vulnerable. He hadn't cared, and had said so, but he'd been held in place until it had started feeding, and it had been their dad who had shot and killed the Shtriga, before quickly stashing the shotgun into the carry bag he'd used to smuggle it into the hospital.

He had gone straight to Harry, holding him, trying to comfort him, but he'd been unresponsive, pretty much catatonic. He regretted not arguing more about using Harry as bait, but it was already too late in Harry's eyes. He just hoped that this small olive branch truly was Harry reaching out to them, leaving the door open a crack so that they could come back into his life. He was never going to risk Harry ever again. He was going to protect that kid from anything and everything until he died.

Harry had been messaging Sam for a few days while he and Dean finished up a hunt. It had started small, a few animal facts that Harry had found interesting as he read them, and Sam had been replying to him. Now they were up to having proper conversations, and Harry was no longer worried about reading a message when it came through.

John and Dean were still calling Bobby every day, several times a day if the man's grumbles were to be believed, but he and Sam were in contact and he was missing his brothers more and more. He wanted to see them again, but he'd wait until they were done with their latest hunt to tell them.

More settled and feeling happier with his decision to open the door a little wider to let his brothers back in, Harry was back outside, tending to the insects and wildlife found in Bobby's garden…if it could be called a garden that was, but Harry liked it, as he filled up the feeding station, changed the water in the birdbath, put out little pots of sugar water, and then went looking through the weeds and wildflowers for butterflies and anything else he could find.

Bobby was working on some of the cars out back, fixing them, or taking them apart for scrap metal or working parts.

The message came through from Sam that he and Dean had finished their hunt and that they really wanted to see him again, if he wanted to. He smiled as he read the message. That took the pressure off of him to bring it up, and much happier with that, he replied that he wanted to see them.

The reply was immediate, as Sam said they'd be there in an hour. He was a little nervous, but he had spoken truthfully. He was missing them, he did want to see them. It would take more time for his nightmares to abate. He was still screaming himself awake on most nights, but it wasn't every single night anymore. He just needed a little more time to come to terms with what had happened.

"Bobby! Sam and Dean will be here in an hour!" He shouted out.

"Damn idjits better make it up to you." Bobby called back.

Harry snorted a laugh and went back to crawling on his belly through the scrubby grass and weeds, lying still to observe nature.

It was still grossly hot in South Dakota, and it was a dry heat so Harry made sure there was plenty of water available for his bugs and birds. He'd even dug a small hole to make an impromptu pond. He liked watching it as bees, wasps, and birds all used it.

It was impossible to miss the sound of the impala as it came down the road, and it frightened all of his birds away, and he sighed. That damn car was too loud. He smiled as well though. It had only been forty minutes, which meant that Dean was likely to have a few more speeding tickets linked to his car.

Bobby came around the side of the house, wiping his hands on a dirty rag, and he greeted his brothers.

"So, where is he?" Dean asked.

"Last I knew he was out here playing with his bugs." Bobby said, looking around.

"Bobby, where is he?" Dean demanded.

"I'm here, stop shouting. You're scaring the birds!" Harry said, standing up and emerging from the grass.

All three men relaxed a little, and eased down, and Harry brushed himself off as much as he could and he hurried over to them, wrapping his arms around Sam, who was bruised and a little bloody. Dean was worse, and seemed to have a dozen cuts over his face and neck.

"I missed you." He said shyly.

"I missed you too, Harry." Sam assured him as he hugged him tight.

"Hey, how about me?" Dean joked.

"You broke your promise." Harry said from against Sam's chest. "You promised me you'd be there when I woke up, and you weren't. You left me to that thing. You left me alone for it to feed on me when you knew I didn't want to go through that again."

Dean closed his eyes and grit his teeth. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "It'll never happen again. Never. I won't let it."

Harry turned and peered up at him. "You'll never break a promise to me again?" He asked.

"Never." Dean swore.

Harry let go of Sam and he went to throw his arms around Dean's waist instead, feeling those strong arms holding him back, one hand cupping the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, Harry. You're not a hunter, we don't want you to be a hunter. We're supposed to protect people from those things, protect you, not throw you to them. It'll never happen again and I'm sorry it happened this time."

Harry nodded, accepting the words as truth because he wanted to believe that Dean meant them.

"You won't get another chance." He said seriously.

Dean's arms clenched tighter and Harry tightened his own hold for a moment before stepping back and then grinning.

"So how was the hunting?" He asked. "You look like you got massacred by a wood chipper."

The ice was broken, and all three men laughed, or snorted in amusement.

"Vengeful spirits don't like being put to rest." Dean said wryly.

"Those are the murdered ghosts?" Harry asked.

"Well, those that had violent deaths, it's sometimes suicides." Dean said.

"Those are the salt and burns?" Harry continued, following them into the house, staying by Dean's side like a little puppy.

"Salt and burn the bones, yeah."

"Or other remains." Sam put in. "It could be hair, or blood, or something else that was left behind."

Harry nodded his understanding, even as Bobby handed a flask to Dean, who took a sip, then handed it to Sam, who did the same.

Once cleared of demon possession, they went into the kitchen and got beers. Harry was given a bottle of fortified orange juice.

"Have you been taking all of your medicine and being good for Bobby?" Dean asked.

"Yes, Dad." Harry replied with an eye roll.

"You're getting cheeky." Dean told him, but he was smiling.

Harry giggled. "I've been taking everything Bobby gives me. All my pills, all the fortified food, everything. Even my juice is fortified, see."

Harry pointed out the label on the front that claimed the bottle of juice was fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

"It'll help you get healthier quicker." Sam assured him.

Harry nodded. "I know. I'm not complaining or anything, it's just a lot of stuff to eat and drink and after…after those people I'm not really used to it."

"We'll get you used to it." Dean said. "You'll be eating like us in no time."

"Maybe not like you, you're a complete pig." Harry complained.

"Oh damn, you really have gotten more comfortable since we've been away." Dean chuckled.

Harry gave him a grin. "You came back for me. That means a lot."

"We only stayed away because Bobby threatened to shoot us if we came near you."

Bobby shrugged and took a gulp of beer. "You needed time to cool off and Harry needed space. He said it was okay for you to come back, and here you are."

"We're glad you want to see us." Sam said softly.

"Wasn't really you I was upset with." Harry admitted.

Sam grinned then, looking like a happy puppy, and Harry giggled again and ducked his head in embarrassment. He was still getting used to the feelings that having family caused him.

"You two are just sickening, I hope you know that." Dean told them.

"Yeah, we know. But you missed him too." Sam teased.

"I wasn't that sickening about it!" Dean said firmly.

"He was." Sam told Harry, who giggled again. "He didn't stop wondering out loud how you were, what you were doing, if you were looking after yourself. He says he's not sickening, but he totally was."

"Shut up, Sammy." Dean grumbled.

"You boys are all hopeless." Bobby added.

"Enough of this. Wanna watch a movie, Harry?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically.

"Go and pick something then." Dean encouraged and Harry hurried off to the front room.

"Has he really been okay?" Dean asked Bobby more seriously then.

"Yeah, apart from those nightmares he's been fine. Just…when you hear him screaming do not take weapons into his room, because it makes him worse and it's impossible to settle him back down. So leave the weapons or don't go to him."

The two brothers shared a look, Dean gave a decisive nod.

"Fine. We can do that." Dean said. "He need anything else?"

Bobby shrugged. "You know as much as I do. He doesn't really speak to me, doesn't really speak to you either. He's still hiding a lot, but all of this is new for him. Those monsters he came from certainly wouldn't care about his thoughts so he's gotten used to holding all that in, keeping it to himself."

"We'll break him down." Sam said. "He'll get used to us, and we're not really the sharing and caring type."

"You are." Dean cut in.

"A good thing too or Harry would be left with just you and dad." Sam said pointedly.

"Don't argue." Bobby told them. "Go and watch that movie with him before he comes looking for you both. Soda and snacks are in their usual places, take some fruit for Harry."

The two of them did as told, and they found Harry sat in the middle of the sofa waiting for them anxiously.

They both smiled at the same time, and then sandwiched Harry between them, laying down the snacks and drinks, using that as the excuse as to why they'd taken so long. Harry visibly settled, and he made himself comfortable, and neither of them thought it a coincidence that he'd chosen one of the movies that Dean had said was his favourite. Godzilla versus Mothra.

They would need to get him more comfortable with picking things for himself, and not for others, but not today. Today was for settling back into the small headway they'd already made, and had almost ruined with their bad decisions regarding the Shtriga. Today was for regaining their brotherhood and making amends for essentially using Harry as bait.

Harry had opened the door to them again, and as he sat between them, eyes glued to the screen, even as he ate an apple, they shared a glance over his head, a look that promised that nothing would ever go near their brother ever again. They would not drop the ball, and they would never even think to use him as bait again, he would not become a hunter, he would have as normal a life as they could give him now. The poor kid deserved it.

A/N: Well, I can say one thing, Harry and a normal life is never going to go hand in hand. Wait until our hunters find out about Voldemort. Dumbledore is going to be on their shit list forever.

Now, I know some readers are taking exception to this version of Harry, but this fic is tagged as cinnamon roll Harry, so that fault is on you really, this is what the cinnamon Harry tag means. If you honestly don't like it, just go and find something else, please, this will not be the fic for you. Harry will get more comfortable with the Winchesters, but he's always going to be a sweet cinnamon bun.

StarLight Massacre. X