Chapter Text Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

"Big day today then," said Xander, as he shut the door of the motel room behind him.

"Yep," answered Dawn.

"You know even though we know what it's going to say I'm still nervous," said Buffy, as they walked over to the car.

"Well Willow could be wrong," replied Xander.

"Unlikely," came Buffy's reply, "It just makes it all feel more real."

"Any idea when what time it's being delivered?" asked Dawn.

"Missouri said she usually gets the mail around ten," said Buffy.

"Well one way to look at it is there are no real surprises on either side," said Xander.

"What?" asked Buffy.

"Well it's not like John's expecting another boy," answered Xander.

"No, but if he is my father it'll be it's a girl Mr Winchester, and she's destined to be a warrior charged with fighting all that goes 'Grrr' in the night!" said Buffy.

"Don't forget the former inter dimensional key, now little sister, on the side," added Dawn "and the secret international organisation that is interested in his son's possible talents, and the fact you've been dead twice; and don't forget the strange taste you have in men!"

Buffy shook her head as she stood in the car lot, "If he doesn't have a drinking problem now, he will soon."

"You know, I love being the most non-screwed up one in our little whacked out family," said Xander as he put his arms around both Buffy and Dawn.

As Dean wandered down the stairs after taking his meds, he found that the rest of the house was buzzing. The others were already sitting round the breakfast table.

"Did I miss something?" questioned the late arrival as he ran his hand through his messed up hair.

"Just breakfast, bro."

"Isn't it a bit early?" asked Dean.

"It's after nine son, we thought it best to let you sleep."

"Why?"

"Well you weren't getting up, and I got fed up shaking you, so you must have needed it," said Sam.

"And with everything that has been happening over the past few days we thought it was for the best to let you rest," said Missouri.

"Will you all stop with the fussing, if I'm gonna drop dead I'll let you know."

"Don't joke about that Dean," said John.

"Look guys I'm fine."

"Dean it's as Missouri said with everything that's been going on and with today," said Sam

Dean replied, "The last thing that we all need is me keeling over?"

"Yes, to put it bluntly," said Missouri.

"When are they due?" asked Dean as he sat down, "Can you pass me that toast, Sam?"

"Mail's due around ten, so anytime soon," said Sam as he passed the plate to his brother.

"So you have any thoughts about how you are going to explain things to her?" Missouri asked.

Dean stopped chewing, Sam swallowed his mouthful of coffee and John put down his cup. All three of them looked at the little woman who sitting at the end of the table waiting for a response with a smile on her face.

"I thought we'd get the results first before we broached the subject," said John.

"You haven't got any idea, have you?" responded Missouri.

"Not really, I…"

"Still hoping that this will all go away?" she continued.

"Well I suppose that hit me as a possibility," answered John.

Both boys watched this exchange silently.

"Really and you think the mail is gonna come, results be negative and they just go away and then you little vacation will be over?" replied Missouri.

Both Sam and Dean turned to their father who had begun to look slightly irritated.

"If that happens it happens, if not then they'll be told and then it is up to them," said John as he picked up his coffee cup.

Dean and Sam looked over at Missouri awaiting her response.

"So that is your plan?"

"This is family, not battle, who said there had to be a plan?" replied John.

Missouri looked at him, "Really?"

Both Sam and Dean turned to the opposite end of the table to observe the other player in this conversation.

"Taking it one step at a time," answered John.

Both boys quickly faced Missouri.

"So you're playing this by ear then?" she asked.

"Yes, they ask questions, I'll answer and if they want to talk I'll listen," he answered.

She did not say a word she as she looked at her old friend. Sam thought his head would explode if someone didn't say something. Fortunately, Dean decided that this was the best time to announce that he was going for a shower, which left him the honour of answering the phone that had begun to ring.

Dawn was the first to the door as Xander locked the door the rental SUV.

"You know you'd think you were little kid instead of almost twenty one," said her sister who had been following behind the energetic Dawn.

"Technically as you are so fond of reminding me I am, or I'm thousands of years old if you talk to Willow."

"She only says that when you take her side in an argument."

"Ladies please, today is not the day to get into the whole 'you're older than you look' debate," said Xander as he joined them on the front step.

Buffy smiled at her sister, "He is totally doing the mother hen thing isn't he."

"Totally! Next thing he'll be doing the nesting thing and that ain't good," said Dawn.

"Nope he's already passed that stage. He was worrying about the state of the house will be in when he gets back."

"Doesn't trust Clem or the girls with a dust pan and brush?"

Xander huffed, "Alright knock it off, or I will march both of you back to the motel and you'll sit and have a time out; and Miss Buffy Ann Summers when was the last time you used a dust pan and brush?"

Buffy raised her finger to speak.

Xander butted in first, "And decapitation of a homicidal wraith does not count as the proper instruction manual usage of a dust pan."

"It was all I had at hand!" said Buffy.

"It may get you slayage points, but not anything else."

Buffy peered at her friend, "You are taking the watcher gig way too seriously."

Xander decided he wasn't going to rise to the bait, as he continued his train of thought, "Anyway you know what a soft touch Andrew can be and as for Clem. I just do not want to get home and deal with, Sorry we blew up the back of the house or we have no idea how the high school football team got locked in there, or Poker school? What is poker? And never forget the ever popular, But the sale was only on for one day."

"You should view it as practice for when you have kids," said Dawn.

He looked at her, "Just push the bell."

"Hey guys," said Sam, as he opened the door with a coffee cup still in his hand.

"Morning. Coffee still on the go?" said Dawn as she bounced into the house.

"Dawn," said Buffy in a disapproving tone.

"Oh Buff chill, it's a little late to worry about a cup of coffee stunting my growth."

"Still having breakfast then," asked Buffy.

"No, just killing time really, it's been getting a little tense round here."

Buffy stopped for a second before entering the house, "I can't do this. I want to go home!"

Xander caught her as she turned to go to the car, he twisted her round and started to walk her inside and towards the kitchen," No you don't young lady. You've come this far, so there will be no doing the impression of a certain type of poultry now, you hear me."

"No but," she started.

"No buts, alsos, wherefores or howevers; there will be no I have to go for some air, or I'll be back in a minute. You will march in there, sit down and wait. You understand?" continued Xander.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

"And if you're really good we can go to the mall after," said Xander smiling.

Buffy relaxed slightly, "Shoppage would be good."

"Could do with a few items myself," said Xander who seemed to relax himself.

"The earth is definitely doomed," added Dawn in a quiet tone, causing Xander and Buffy to burst into giggles.

Sam just looked on confused at this exchange.

"I'll sit, but I'm saying no to the caffeine," said Buffy, "Got anything else to drink Sam?"

As the four of them entered the kitchen, Sam saw the mood between his Dad and Missouri had lightened. She was just trying to help, but Dad was actually trying to loosen up and letting things actually happen, rather than control everything in sight.

"Hello people," Dawn said, as she plonked herself down in a chair. Both Missouri and John looked at the girl, "Everyone bright and cheerful this morning?"

"We apologise for her. Too much sugar," said Xander.

"So where's Dean?" asked Buffy as she took a glass of OJ from Sam.

"He's not long up honey, but he should be down soon," answered Missouri.

Buffy nodded, "So everyone wound up as tight as me then?"

John looked at her

"I think that's a unanimous on the ayes there," said Xander.

"Chill, breathe, relax - repeat sis," said Dawn.

"Will you quit with the cheerful optimism please, it's not helping." said Buffy.

"Who was on the phone?" asked John hoping that he could change the subject before the sisters started a full on bickering match.

"That was Bobby," said Sam.

John looked intently at his son, "And?"

"Everything is going OK," Sam said, in a reassuring tone, "He says that the car can be saved."

John nodded, "You're brother will be happy to hear that."

Dawn looked up at Sam, who responded, "Dean's baby."

"Oh," said Dawn, "But you said you were driving?"

"He was. But it wasn't his fault, and you're brother knows that," said John, looking at Sam

"I know but there's gonna be a little bit of him that will never forgive me for almost killing that car," said Sam.

John understood what Sam meant, the Impala was part of the family, he remembered teaching the boys to drive in it, he remembered Mary's face when she first turned up at his garage driving it, even though then it was more of a shell on wheels that she thought he could rescue from the scrap yard. That car had saved his life more times than he could count, and if he was honest, it was the closest thing to a stable home his boys had. In that car they knew they were safe, and he hated for Dean to have to loose it.

Missouri and Dawn hovered around the front window peering ever few minutes.

"Where is he?" asked Dawn.

"She," corrected Missouri.

Dawn looked at her, "She?"

"I have a mail carrier not a mail man."

"Oh, well where is she?"

"She'll be here; you are not a patient one are you?"

"No, not really," said Dawn as she continued to look out the window.

"You're sister doing okay?"

"I think so; Xander's doing his whole goofball chill thing"

"He's good at it," said Missouri

"He's put the hours in"

"Even working on John."

Dawn turned to look at Missouri, "What Mr Stonewall in there is nervous?"

"Still waters, they say,"

"Had a friend like that, but… Well kind of got another one like that but he's a lot more vocal and less on the broody, though I'm never 100 sure what's going on in his head," said Dawn as she turned to continue her vigil.

"Maybe you could introduce them?"

Dawn shot her a look; she could just imagine that meeting.

"Hello Mr Winchester, nice to meet you. Yes, I am a formally homicidal vampire, but I 'm better now. No not the vampire, just the homicidal part, though I am still known to have my moments. Oh yes I have slept with your daughter, but that was way after the whole trying to kill her thing."

Dawn took a second, "Yeah maybe."

Missouri looked at the girl and the image of a man in a leather coat came to mind, dangerous and yet for Dawn safe all at the same time.

"Is that her now?" asked Missouri, thinking better not to question the girl further about it.

"Mail call," yelled Dawn as Missouri went outside to the box.

"Does that girl ever calm down?" asked John.

"Most time she's Miss Sensible," said Buffy trying not to laugh, "She's just… well"

"I'd best get Dean, he should be here," said Sam, getting up from his seat.

"Sammy we don't know if it's here," said John hoping to stall.

"I'll just be a minute," replied Sam.

"Dean you ever coming out of there?" said Sam, as he banged on the bathroom door.

"What?" came the reply from the other side.

"Dean, mails here!"

"What you say?" Dean stuck his head round the door.

"Mails here, everyone's waiting."

"OK, I'll be right down," said Dean as he started to put on a robe, while closing the door.

That was when it hit, and Sam crumpled to the floor.

"Sammy, you OK?"

Sam blinked and grabbed onto his brother's arm.

"Dean?"

"Slow tiger, stay with me here okay."

"What happened?" asked the muddled figure.

"You tell me dude, you're the one on the floor."

Sam collected himself, "I saw something."

"Yeah, big one huh."

"Think so."

"Jesus Sam, these things are really starting to worry me."

"Worry you? It's my brain that is melting here."

"True but let me show a little concern."

"Give me a second, I'm alright. Will you stop with the mother hen act."

"Fine, but tell me what you saw."

Sam looked at his brother; he was worried.

"Dawn I saw Dawn and something; demon, had its hands round her throat."

"What, you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure!"