Chrissie was mad. Really mad. Not bouncing off the walls mad, but frustrated and furious. The little girl was being a complete nightmare towards her family.

Everyday seemed to be a battle to get her to do the simplest things, from eating, to having her unruly hair brushed. She would shriek, scream, and roar each time she threw a tantrum. Not only that, she would cry. Not the adorable sniffles she would produce when upset over a squashed bug, but more 'tomato face mini banshee' as Dean put it.

The seventeen year old knew the root cause of his baby sister's behaviour. All the constant moving around, along with John and Sam arguing, had clearly rattled something inside the child's fragile mind.

It was when they rolled into New Jersey one night, that Dean approached his sister. John and Sam had gone to collect some groceries. Chrissie was originally going to the store with her father, but she threw a tantrum at the motel reception, so Sam took her place.

"I just don't know how to deal with you right now!" John had barked at his daughter.

The little girl sat on the couch cuddling her teddy bear tightly, the buzz of a cheesy TV infomercial cutting through the silence. Dean remained in the background, cleaning some of the guns from the Impala's arsenal, watching his sister's every move. He was trying to figure out what she was mumbling under her breath, as it was clear she was speaking to herself again, or rather her teddy, Goober.

"I don't understand, Goober," began the five year old with a heavy sigh. "Nothing makes sense. I try to ask Daddy, but he just gets mad when I get super mad."

Dean bowed his head, still listening but waiting for the right moment. It was true. Whenever something was going on, no matter how big or small, Chrissie was pushed into the dark for safety. Yet the brothers knew that Chrissie wasn't a kid to let things go. She had inherited the trademark Winchester stubbornness gene. The child didn't appreciate being ignored or treated like an idiot, especially by her father.

John treated her like a China doll, forever trying to preserve the purity and innocence, and no doubt that fatherly over protectiveness would remain long into Chrissie's life. God knows what she will be like as a teenager Dean thinks.

"I'm not a baby," mumbled the five year old. "I'm a big girl. I can write my name and everything. Sammy showed me how. I can write the alphiebet too. Dean said that Sammy was gonna tell me to write out the Teddy's Bug Address next. I don't know what that means, or why Sammy told him to shut up."

Dean smirked. The little girl was adorable for muddling up words. Either she didn't know any better or she did it on purpose to be funny. Teddy's Bug Address.

"Don't get over excited, Sammy," he had said. "Next thing, you'll have her writing the Gettysburg Address."

Chrissie sighed again, and planted a kiss on her teddy's nose, if he had one.

The bear had recently suffered a traumatic injury, when it's nose popped off whilst Chrissie was having him poking his head out of the car window. The nose, which was barely hanging on to begin with, snagged on the edge of the window, and the nose disappeared forever. Chrissie was devastated.

Dean's heart ached. The child was more willing to open up to a stuffed bear rather than her family. He understood why. Goober couldn't answer back, that way she couldn't get hurt. He was slightly startled when she turned and looked at him.

"I know you were listening, Dean," said Chrissie. "Everybody says I'm a silly little girl. But I'm not."

Dean put down the weapon in his hand and ventured over towards his baby sister. He scooped her up and place her in his lap.

"Well, you are silly sometimes," he replied. "Just like Sammy is."

Chrissie went quiet.

"Look, if something is bothering you, tell me. I won't bite" said Dean, sincerely.

Chrissie sniffed into her bear.

"Daddy does" she uttered.

The little girl started to cry. She hugged her bear even tighter.

"Aw, don't cry," consoled Dean. "You know I don't like it when you cry. It hurts me."

Chrissie hiccuped, her big green eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry" she whimpered.

Dean made Goober wipe at the tears falling down her face.

"Don't be sorry, honey," he said, gently. "It's just a very confusing time for you. What with all the moving around, and Daddy and Sam fighting all the time."

Chrissie gazed up at him.

"Why do they fight? I don't get it" she pouted.

Dean chuckled.

"Neither do I," he answered. "Sammy is just at that age. Daddy wants him to go into the family business when he gets bigger."

Chrissie hiccuped again.

"Sammy told me he doesn't want to go into the family business," said the five year old,unaware of the drama behind the statement. "He wants to go to big school…oh no, that was a secret."

Dean was shocked. Big school? Like college? He knew Sam had higher ambitions and wanted more in life, but he knew John would never allow Sam to fly that far from the nest.

"What else has Sammy been saying to you?" asked Dean.

Chrissie thought for a moment.

"That he doesn't want to be a Hunter" she replied.

At that moment, John and Sam returned. Chrissie leapt from the couch and bolted towards her father.

"I'm sorry Daddy," she said, hugging at his legs. "I don't mean to be bad."

For once, John softened and scooped his little girl into his arms.

"I know, sweetie," he said. "And I'm sorry if I've been getting mad at you. But you need to stop with the shrieking. You're gonna made your old man deaf."

The child hugged her father's neck. John looked at his boys, and sensed something. Sam was trapped in Dean's dagger like glare.

"Everything alright, Ace?" John asked his eldest.

Dean just nodded. John took it as a sign of something kicking off.

"C'mon sweetie, let's get you a candy bar from outside" said John, carrying his daughter out of the motel room.

The instant the door closed, Dean unleashed his outrage.

"So you don't wanna be a Hunter, huh?!" he said, furiously.

Sam was taken aback, but the strong willed teenager stood his ground.

"Yeah, so what?!" he answered back.

Dean scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. He then threw the same hand in the direction of outside.

"So what?! Really?! Look we'll talk about this later, but Jesus Christ be careful of what you say in front of Chrissie. Sammy, she's five years old! You ranting on about how Hunting sucks is gonna make her ask questions. Dad would go ape shit if he found out about this."

Sam remained stubbornly silent, his hands clenched into fists.

"We gotta think about Chrissie," added Dean. "We gotta protect her from what's out there."

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Dude, I know that, I've known that ever since Mom told us she was pregnant with her" he replied.

Both brothers went silent for a moment. Dean sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Sam, just be careful. I gotta look out for you too" he said.

Sam was offended.

"I'm not a kid anymore," he said. "I wanna make something of myself, and not be looking at a miserable life of hunting the supernatural."

Dean folded his arms.

"And college is the light at the end of the tunnel?" he remarked.

Sam was confused. Chrissie must have said.

"How did you? Look, so what if I wanna go to college at some point. It's a huge opportunity to get out, and if it happens, then it happens. So don't be shocked, if I end up going."

Dean bit his bottom lip and shook his head again.

"Well, I hope you'll change your mind" he muttered.

Sam sighed in defeat.

"I knew you would say that" he replied.

Sorry guys for the long ass period between updates. Life has been complex for me over the past year, even more so since I don't have computer access at the moment. This chapter was typed up via my phone. Sorry again guys.

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