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Third chapter.
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Bobby had expected that the three-year-old would throw a major tantrum that included kicking, screaming and throwing things around. That was why it came as a big surprise to him when Sam simply nodded and accepted the fact that he couldn't get what he wanted the most for dinner, after Bobby had told him that he didn't have any Lucky Charms. The pout was still visible on the youngest Winchester's face but Sammy kept quiet, and Bobby actually wondered for a moment if it was somekinda trick. But when that wasn't the case, and Bobby had this strange urge to want to make the sad look disappear from the three-year-old's face, he made a little mental note to remember to look for those so-called Lucky Charms the following day.
"What do you have?" Dean asked before he lifted his little brother up on a chair and pushed the chair as close to the table as possible.
"Ehm.. I can make you some spaghetti.. You guys like spaghetti?" Bobby asked.
"Sure.." Dean said.
Bobby soon began the task of making dinner and while doing so, he noticed with amazement how fast Dean managed to get rid of the pout on Sam's face. Dean was making funny faces and was telling all kinds of stories that made Sam laugh heartily.
"Here you go.." Bobby said when he had finished making dinner and he put the plates of food in front of the brothers.
He didn't really think of himself as the world's greatest cook. In fact, on a normal day Bobby would've probably pulled out a can of something and heated it up before eating it, so he didn't really expect the boys to be thrilled about the food in front of them. But neither of the boys complained about it and Bobby was rather thankful for that.
"Jesus kid, did any of that spaghetti even go into your mouth?" Bobby asked when they were done eating.
Sam had got food on his face, clothes and even some in his curly brown locks. But the boy just looked at Bobby with those big innocent eyes, probably wondering what he was talking about, and Bobby let out a sigh.
"I hope your dad packed some clean clothes cause I ain't got any clothes in your size.." Bobby said as he began to remove the dirty dishes from the table.
"We've got clothes." Dean said before getting off his chair and walking to his brother's side. "Come on Sammy, we need to get you cleaned up."
Dean lifted the smaller boy down from his chair and then screwed up his face a bit as his fingers came back sticky.
"Eww Sam, you're a mess." Dean said and rubbed his hands off on his jeans.
"Sowwy Dean." Sam said.
"It's okay.." Dean said with a smile as he removed a piece of spaghetti from Sam's hair.
Bobby looked at the way Dean interacted with his kid brother and was, not for the first time that day, pretty fascinated with the way Dean handled Sammy. Bobby didn't have any siblings himself but he knew from elsewhere that this kinda affection between the brothers – the way Sam worshipped Dean and had complete trust in his big brother, and the way Dean took care of Sam all the time while seeming to want to protect him against anything – was quite a rare thing. Bobby had no idea if this would change when the brothers got older but if it didn't, Bobby almost felt sorry for the sons of bitches who dared to mess with either one of them.
"Have you got a bath somewhere?" Dean asked Bobby while grabbing Sam's hand in his.
"Of course." Bobby said with a snort. "You don't think I ever shower, boy?"
Dean didn't answer that question but he smirked a little, and Bobby only just prevented himself from smacking the back of Dean's head. Instead, he smiled wryly and then led the way to the upstairs bathroom while bringing along the bag with the boys' things. When they reached the bathroom, Bobby turned on the water in the bathtub and let it run for a bit before putting in the plug. Satisfied with the temperature of the water, Bobby added some soap to make bubbles and he then turned around to see that Dean had already begun to help Sam out of his clothes.
"You don't have to stay. I've got it." Dean said and Bobby raised his eyebrows at the authority in the young boy's voice.
"Well good for you Batman, but I'm not leaving you alone in here." Bobby said. "Your dad wouldn't be very pleased with me if he came back here and you'd drowned in the bathtub.."
"But we take baths alone all the time." Dean said.
"Really?" Bobby asked incredulously. "Your daddy allows you to do that?"
"He's away a lot." Dean said with a shrug of his shoulders before he started to get undressed too.
Bobby shook his head disapprovingly. He'd known that John Winchester spent a lot of time on hunts and trying to find the creature that killed his wife, but to leave two little boys alone at home all the time with no one to look after them but themselves was something Bobby didn't like to think about. He might not have thought so when John had dropped his boys off in his care this morning, but now Bobby was kinda glad that he'd been left in charge of Dean and Sam. This way Bobby at least knew that someone was looking out for those kids.
Bobby turned off the water and – before Dean could protest – lifted the oldest brother into the bathtub before turning around to pick up the youngest one too. He then closed the lit of the toilet and sat down on it while he watched over the brothers.
"Look De, bubbles!" Sam exclaimed and happily blew on some of the soap so that the bubbles flew up in the air.
"Pretty cool Sammy, but look at this.." Dean said, picked up some foam and put it on his chin. "Now I have a beard! Like daddy!"
"And Bobba!" Sam giggled which made Dean giggle a bit as well.
"Bobby do you have a washcloth?" Dean then asked.
"Sure.. Hang on.." Bobby said and found one in the cabinets beneath the sink before handing it over to Dean.
"Thanks." Dean said and then moved closer to his brother.
Dean wet the washcloth in the water before he began to wipe away the last evidences of dinner from Sam's face and arms. The three-year-old didn't seem to mind or care about his brother's ministrations – he just continued to play with the bubbles unaffected. Dean then grabbed the bottle of shampoo and poured out a little amount in his hand before massaging it into Sam's hair. Bobby watched the scene with a hint of sadness inside. This – taking care of his baby brother - was obviously a thing Dean had done lots of times (or maybe all the time) and that was quite a responsibility to put on such a young boy's shoulders. Dean didn't seem to mind though, but Bobby wondered if John ever allowed Dean to just be a kid and not a substitute parent for Sammy.
"Dean, look! I have a bweard too!" Sam chuckled with foam all over his face and Dean smiled fondly to his brother before wiping the foam away with the washcloth.
When the boys had finished bathing and had been dressed in their pajamas, Bobby followed them to the guestroom where he happened to have two beds that were already made. Sammy wouldn't sleep in a bed of his own though so Bobby tugged both boys in, in the same bed. It was a weird feeling for Bobby when he tugged the blankets closely around the kids and handed Sam his teddy. Never in his lifetime would he have guessed he would be doing this, and more importantly, never in his lifetime would he have guessed he would be doing this and actually enjoying it!
"G'night boys.." Bobby said to the two young kids.
"Night Bobby." Dean said.
"Nigh' Bobba.." Sam said with closed eyes and a voice that revealed that the boy was already drifting off.
Bobby turned off the lights and let the door be ajar, before he walked off.
Bobby woke up in the middle of the night and it took him a couple of moments to figure out what had woken him up. Someone was wailing but that was impossible cause who could possibly… Oh right..
"Balls.." Bobby groaned and then got out of bed before heading towards the guestroom where the Winchester brothers were staying.
Before he got there though, the wailing had ceased and Bobby could see why as he peeked through the half-open door to see the lamp on the bedside table was on and Dean was comforting his crying little brother.
"Shh Sammy.. It was just a nightmare.." Dean told the younger kid. "I'm right here and I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you."
That seemed to sooth Sam, and moments later he was fast asleep in his brother's arms. Dean's eyes soon closed as well and Bobby sneaked inside the room to turn off the bedside lamp, before he went back to his own bed. Bobby let out a deep sigh as he got into his bed and pulled the covers up. He'd only been looking after the kids for one day and it had already drained him for all his energy. But there was just something about the Winchester brothers and Bobby couldn't help the affectionate smile that spread on his face before he fell asleep again.
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TBC….
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-Elisa.