"Sammy what's wrong?" Anne asked in that special voice of hers that always made her brother open up. She sat at the table in the latest crappy motel in Oregon, doing her homework. "It's Sam, and Sam sucks at math," said Sam in a dull voice. He sighed loudly and then got up from his seat to join Dean on the couch. The oldest Winchester was sprawled out watching daytime tv and complaining about it constantly. Anne sighed quietly, she really couldn't push Sam to do homework when the kid got better grades than she did. She turned back to her own work, ignoring the rising volume on the television.
"Annie why don't you take a break and come hang out with your brothers?" Dean suggested with a wan smile. Anne looked up from her algebra and said in a comical voice "oh thank god! I was wondering when you would invite me!" She then went back to her work.
"What's up with her lately?" Sam asked from beside Dean. He then shifted into a more comfortable position, which of course meant laying his head on Dean's lap. His feet hung over the arm of the couch, which earned a dramatic eye rolling from Dean. They were nearly the same height now, and Sam was only fourteen. He yawned and went back to Oprah while laying one arm over Sam's torso. The kid always had to lie on him for some reason, but Dean didn't mind. What were siblings for if not pillows? He was interrupted from his thoughts as Sam poked him and repeated his question. "Dude she's a girl, nothin's wrong with her," he said and leaned his head back on the couch.
Anne sighed again, frustrated with her answer that clearly wasn't the right one. She looked over at her brothers just lying there on the couch, not a care in the world. They were annoying the hell out of her lately, but she managed to keep her temper in check. Her mind soon wandered to her dad, who had gone out for errands fifteen minutes ago. Of course, the thought of dad brought the thought of hunting along with it, and her mind was suddenly ravaged by angry memories. She was still being kept on the sidelines with Sam while her older brother and father fought. She was tired of it, she was sixteen now! Dean had been fighting since he was Sam's age, so why couldn't she?
She looked over at her brothers once more and decided to give in. "Ok you got me, now move over," she said while she got up and made her way to the couch. Neither boy moved until Sam lifted his legs. "Of course I get the feet!" she said dramatically as she sat down and Sam put his legs down across her lap. He smiled and went back to the show. Boredom caught up with her and she leaned her head on Dean's shoulder while watching Oprah talk about some fabulous new book. "God daytime tv sucks," she said with a sour expression. "You're not wrong," said Dean as another yawn claimed him.
When John came home he was met with a sight that made him smile, even as the groceries weighed him down. All three of his kids were asleep on the couch, Sam strewn across both Dean and Anne, Annie asleep on Dean's shoulder, and Dean's head resting on top of Anne's. Once the bags were down John reached inside Annie's backpack and fished out her camera that they had gotten her when he turned sixteen. He snapped the picture without any of the Winchesters waking up.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX"I can fight! Dammit why do you do this every time?" she yelled while slamming her hand down on the table. It was an easy exercism, not a hunt but an excercism and still she had to stay here with Sam. "Watch your mouth young lady, now Dean and I can handle this! You did the research, you know it'll be quick, which means you don't need to come." Their dad's word seemed final, but Anne was far from finished. "What about the next hunt dad? Huh? You gonna let me do ANYTHING for that one? Or how about the one after that?" she yelled, but her words only fueled John's fire. "Listen to me! You don't need to be fighting! You know how to protect yourself and that's enough, you don't need to be doing this!" he said in one breath as he packed the last of the weapons. "What about Sam? Will he be able to fight? Will you trust him?" she demanded, her words coming out in rapid succession. "Please, I trust you, but you aren't ready!" John exclaimed.
At this point Sam had heard about enough. "She's right dad, we can help, what if you get hurt and Dean isn't there huh?" he asked coming to stand next to Anne. "Sam stay out of this," John said easily disregarding his youngest. "Oh is that an order?" Sam replied with a hateful stare. "Sammy, come on man," Dean tried but he knew his brother and sister had been itching to fight and be included in the lifestyle they didn't choose. "No Dean, he's right!" Anne said and then turned back to her dad, "we always do what you say! You know we can fight! We can-" but John cut her argument off with a simple "no." Annie was taken aback, "what? No? that's all you have to say?" she asked with an incredulous expression on her face.
John finally stopped and looked at his two kids. He then looked to Dean to get the message across that it was over. He returned his gaze back to Anne and Sammy and said in a very calm voice, "no, you are not hunting. You don't need to, and I don't need you to. I've got Dean and he's enough for now. We are not talking about this anymore," and with that he exited the small room.
The three were left staring at each other as they heard the sound of the Impala's doors open and shut. Annie breathed in deep trying to collect herself and hide the hurt but it wasn't working. She could feel herself shake with pent up rage and tried to harness it long enough to make it to the bedroom. "Look-" Dean began but his sister had had enough lectures for one night, "don't," she said simply. "Just don't," she said as she moved to their room and closed the door behind her. Dean was left with his jaw working but no words coming out of his mouth. He looked to Sam for resolution, and for once it was provided. "I'll talk with her," he said as he moved toward Dean. He walked over to his big brother and lightly patted his shoulder. He knew what these fights did to Dean and so he tried to provide comfort. Dean sighed and gave Sam a half hearted smile. "Don't get hurt," said Sam, pulling away and walking towards their room. Dean nodded and turned to leave with his dad.
"Anne?" Sam asked tentatively as he poked his head inside the small room. There was one queen sized bed, and an old cot in the room, along with a rickety old dresser, a small bedside table with a lamp on it, and a solitary chair. Anne had chosen refuge on her brother's beds for now. Usually she slept in the cot, while Sam and Dean shared the bed, but sometimes they all had to squeeze into one bed together. "Go away Sam," she said pitifully, turning her back to him. He sighed and entered the room without hesitation. Dean always said to leave her alone when she was like this, but Sam was never one to let it be. Besides, he needed comfort too.
He climbed onto the bed and put an arm around his sister. She had to smile at that, Sammy was always like this, even when he was a kid. He would smother you until you talked it out, giving you no room to breathe, and no opportunity to get away. She sniffled and began her long tirade. "I hate him sometimes," it was said sadly, but sadness soon turned to anger and she sat up in the bed jostling Sam along the way. "You know, I have helped before, I've saved both of their lives! And yet they can't give me the benefit of a doubt because I'm a girl?" At this Sam's red flag shot straight up, "whoa, what? What do you mean they?" he asked while searching her eyes for an answer. "Oh Sam you know Dean thinks the same thing, he just won't say it to my face," she replied while wiping a hand across her cheeks. Tears weren't very becoming, and usually she didn't allow herself the luxury. She was with Sam though, and that meant that she didn't always have to be tough.
Sam seemed dumbfounded that she would ever think that about their brother, but it was written clearly in her face. "Dean has always defended you, you know that," he said firmly. It was a tense moment, but of course things always got tense when they disagreed about Dean. Sam still hero worshipped the guy, and Annie just couldn't compete with that. "Sam, please, he'll defend me until dad shuts him down. He'll never have the stones to step up to the man and maybe that's the one thing I can't stand." It just came out, like a breath and she couldn't take it back. She looked at Sam to gauge his reaction, but he wasn't looking her in the eye. She could never tell what he was thinking when he wasn't looking her in the eye. "What can't you stand about Dean?" he finally asked, still not looking at her. She breathed in deep and decided to be honest with her little brother, "Sam, it's always you me and Dean, but when he sides with dad all the time, it doesn't feel like he's with us anymore." It was a sorry excuse for an explanation, but there it was.
"Sis, that's just the way Dean is, he's always been that way," Sam tried, but Anne didn't look like she took what he said to heart. "I know, it's just….I'm getting tired of it," and Sam could tell that there would be no more talking about this for tonight. He nodded and tried one last attempt, "he's still our brother, and he's still our dad." Anne looked at him for a long time before she replied with "you're right, I know you're right. I love them Sam, I just wish they'd see me differently." Sam smiled at that, he liked when he could help his sister instead of the other way around, "they will, just give it time." Anne lay back on the bed with a hand under her head and the other on her stomache, "you're too smart sometimes you know that?" she said with a genuine smile. He grinned back at her and lied down next to her on the bed, "yeah, but, where ever does it come from?" He received a pillow to his face at that.
It was a quick excersism. Dean rolled his shoulders as he walked towards the door of their motel room. He shifted the bag of weapons to the other arm and then inserted the key in the lock. Once inside he set the bag down and looked back to see his dad close and lock the door behind him. "I'm gonna take a shower, you goin to bed?" he asked while taking off his coat. Dean nodded, "yeah, Sam and Annie are probably already out," he didn't know why that was important, but felt the need to say it. John nodded then headed towards the bathroom as Dean headed towards one of the bedrooms.
He flicked the light on, surprised that the two were asleep, and not up reading. He stopped short at the sight before him. The cot was empty and his brother and sister lay a good width apart on his and Sammy's bed. He didn't really know what to make of this. Was it their way of shutting him out? Had they banded together while he and dad were gone? Well screw that, he thought as he stripped his shirt and shoes off and climbed up on the bed right in between Sammy and Anne. Sam felt him as soon as he touched the bed and smiled when he felt him crawl forward in between him and Anne. He turned towards him and was not surprised at all to see two green eyes staring at him. He smiled and shook his head, silently telling his brother that all was fine. That was reassured when Dean felt a light kick from his very awake little sister. He didn't really feel like moving, and he guessed that the other two didn't either. Sam closed his eyes again and was soon drifting off, and Annie hadn't moved in a while, so Dean figured she was already asleep. He sighed and rolled onto his back, falling asleep next to his brother and sister.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX"What did I tell ya?" Annie asked her little brother as she took his temp yet again. Sammy didn't get sick very often but when he did, it was always the very worst it could be times ten. Her shoulders slumped when the thermometer read 103.2, it was climbing. "I'm sorry, how did you know she was sick anyway?" her patient asked in a scratchy voice. "A girl knows these things, there was way to much make up on that girl's face, and she was wearing a heavy sweater in June." She got up and looked out the window yet again for her brother. Dean still wasn't back from the pharmacy and she was getting worried. Sammy's fever kept rising and now he was shaking with chills.
"Anne, when did dad say he'd be back?" he asked from his position in the bed that he and Dean no longer shared. Dean had taken to the couch ever since Sam had come home sick from school two days ago. Anne looked at her watch and noted that Dean had left fifteen minutes ago. She was going to kill him. "I don't know Sammy, I think he'll be back either tomorrow or the next day, why?" she asked as she kneeled down to get eye level with her sick sibling. If Sam was asking for dad, then it had to be really bad. "J-just wondering," he replied through clenched teeth. Annie took a deep breath and dabbed the wet face cloth across his forehead again. Nothing seemed to be working, but she hoped that the Tylenol would. That I if Dean ever got back.
"Sammy I'll be right back ok? You just tight, Dean's gonna be here real soon," she hoped she wasn't wrong. He left him with the cloth on his head and picked up the phone. Quickly dialing Dean's cell she thought about calling their dad as well. No, she couldn't, not yet. Dammit! Why wasn't Dean answering? She sighed and went back to Sam.
He was looking worse by the minute, his hands were cold and clammy, but hi face and forehead were hot and sweaty. She put her wrist to his forehead again and recoiled in shock. He felt even hotter than before. Reaching for the thermometer, she pushed his hair back from his face. "It's gonna be ok Sammy," she said, needing to reassure him. His temp was now at 104.0, and Anne needed no more convincing. She raced into the living room and dialed Dean again. Just as she punched in the last number her older brother came through the door. She breathed a sigh of relief then unleashed her anger, "where the hell were you?" she yelled. Dean looked frustrated as all hell, but Sammy was lying in bed sick and she didn't have time for this. "I got pulled over, and the stupid cop thought I was drunk, cause I tried to hit on her to get out of it, but I'm here now, so," he said as he walked towards her. "So, Sam's gotten worse, I think we have to take him to the hospital," she said gently, but Dean felt the panic all the same. He shoved the bags at her and rushed into their room.
When he got to Sam's side he knew that Anne was right. His brother was sweaty and shaking and hot to the touch. "Hey Sammy, how you doin huh?" he asked as he took one of his cold hands in his own. He cursed as Sam shook with chills again. "Listen kiddo we need to get you to the hospital ok? Do you think you can walk?" he asked softly, and nodded when Sam shivered out a 'yes'.
He turned to his sister sharply, "ok Annie I need you to go warm up the Impala, then get some blankets ready, I'll take care of Sam." Annie gladly did as she was told, happy to have some direction. She felt a little relief at the fact that Dean was taking control, because truth be told, she didn't know what to do.
Dean turned back to Sammy who looked at him through tired eyes. "Hey, why'd you have to go and get sick on me huh?" Dean teased as he lifted Sam into a sitting position. He grabbed a nearby sweater and started to put Sam's arms through it when Annie came back. "That was fast," Dean commented as he pulled the sweater over Sam's head. It was only then did he realize that it was one of his own. "Yeah well, I'm good in a crisis," she joked and then helped Dean to help Sam up.
It was a good five minutes before the made it out to the car with Sam in between them. "Ok Anne open the door for me," Dean instructed, while he took more of Sam's weight onto him. Once the door was open the slid Sam inside and then Annie got in after him. Dean got in quickly and pulled out of the motel parking lot. "How you doin Sammy? Hmm?" Dean asked as he made a right turn, trying to remember which way the hospital was. "It's Sam," the youngest Winchester said and then his head rolled to the side. "Dean! He's out!" Annie exclaimed in a panicky voice. Dean's heart slammed against his chest but somehow he managed to say "ok push him down, onto my lap." Annie did as she was told with a familiar look on her face, "let me guess, I get the feet?" Dean smiled and then he felt Sam's head in his lap. His right hand came down to smooth back the damp hair and his worried expression returned. Anne was watching Sam's face when they pulled into the hospital parking lot, but was torn away as dean told her to go and get somebody.
Dean tried to catch his breath while his sister was gone, but even when the nurses took Sam away on a gurney, he couldn't seem to breathe deeply. He looked over at Annie, and knew that it would be a long night in the waiting room for them.
Ok now should I continue with this? Go into other teenage memories? Or should I jump to the pilot? I'll be doing that eventually, integrating Anne into every episode of season one and two. But should I start now or go on with the teen years for another chapter? Feedback please?