Sorry for the delay! Will try to post the next chapter soon. Thanks to everyone following this and to hotshow and Brigid Tanner for their continual support and suggestions.

Chapter 20

Karen, Amy's mother, seemed a little odd when they dropped Amy off, but did not say anything. She must have asked a dozen times if everything was all right, though. It was not until they pulled up at the apartments that Rae mentioned what Karen must have thought.

"I'll bet she thought something like Columbine happened at school today," Rae said out of the blue as Dean parked.

"What?" Dean shot her a look. "What makes you say that?"

Rae's lips twitched in that way she had when she was trying to figure something out. "Well, the last time you picked up Amy and brought her home was from the movies. I just thought she would equate the two."

Dean stared at the kid in disbelief. It would explain Karen's odd behavior. "Damn," he breathed. "Guess I'll have Sam call her later." He looked over the parking lot. "See Bobby's truck yet?"

Rae squealed. "Bobby's coming?" She bounced excitedly in her seat, reminding Dean more of a six year old than a teen.

Dean checked his watch. "He ought to be here by now." As if on cue, his cell phone went off. Caller id said 'Bobby.'

"Bobby? Where are you?"

"In your damn parking lot."

Dean peered into the parking lot, finally looking past Rae. He barely made out Bobby's truck over the next couple of cars. "Great. Get over here. We're about twenty feet to your left. You can ride with us to Rae's doctor appointment." Dean snapped his phone shut, tossing it on the seat.

Bobby rounded the cars, a large bag in hand. He stared at the Chevelle for a moment, walked all the way around it before hefting his bag at Dean through the window. While Dean jumped out to put the bag in the trunk, Rae shot out of the car to wrap an energetic hug around the grizzled old man.

"Sixty-eight?" Bobby asked, lifting Rae up momentarily before she darted back inside the car. They watched the teen climb into the back seat before taking their places in the front.

"Yep," Dean cranked the motor, letting it idle so Bobby could appreciate it.

"You didn't trade in the Impala, did you?" Bobby's face was open, surprised.

"Don't be ridiculous," Dean snapped, backing out of his parking space, "this is Sam's car."

"Oh." Bobby rode along in silence for a few blocks. "So how does Sam like it?"

"He'll love it," Dean replied.

"We hope," Rae chimed in.

Bobby turned in his seat to look at them. "You mean Sam doesn't know this is his car?"

"Come on, Bobby. You know what Sam is like. He'd probably pick something beige." Dean rolled his eyes for effect. "This I won't mind working on."

"That's a good point," Bobby said with a nod. "So, Dean, you said things have been hectic. What's going on? Why are you too busy to call an old hunter and let him know everything's all right?"

"Phones work both ways," Rae said from the back seat. They both turned their heads to look at her. She became very interested in the scenery outside her window.

"Also a point," Bobby conceded, much to Dean's relief. "I guess I could have called, too. But what's so hectic?"

Dean sighed. "Just…lots of stuff going on. Rae's in school, Sam and I both have regular jobs, her English teacher hates me, there might be a ghost in the school library and, uh, oh yeah – we're under investigation by Family Services."

"That's hectic," Bobby agreed. "Sorry, Dean, guess I should have called…"

"You missed one, Dad," Rae interrupted.

Dean glared into the rearview mirror, trying to silently tell her to shut up. He could feel Bobby's frown on him as he quickly said, "No I didn't."

"What did Dean forget, Rae?" Bobby turned in his seat again, looking into the backseat. Dean scowled, trying to prepare himself for this new round of humiliation.

"It's no big deal," Dean protested, trying to cut Rae off.

"No big deal?" Rae scoffed from behind him. "Yeah, Bobby, no big deal. Just put Dad in the ER is all."

Dean felt Bobby's eyes bore into him as he pretended to concentrate on the midafternoon traffic.

"How's that, Rae?" Bobby's voice was no longer laid back and friendly. He was bordering on angry with a touch of 'somebody's getting an ass-kicking.' "What's wrong with your daddy?"

Dean glared into the mirror again, trying to catch her eye. Rae stared back, clearly deliberating on whether or not to tell Bobby. When her eyes skittered away to look out the window again, Dean breathed with relief.

"Nothing's wrong, Bobby," he insisted, putting as much strength behind that statement as he could muster. After all, it was true.

"Really? Then what was all that about you being in the ER?" Bobby demanded. Damn, the man really could sound like Dad sometimes. It made Dean feel a touch homesick. Fortunately he was saved from any further avoidance or, even worse, reflection, by virtue of the fact they had arrived.

Dean leapt from the car like he had springs installed in his ass. "Let's go!"

"Dad," Rae whined as she climbed out, squeezing between the folded down seat and the door, "I don't like this guy. He's a jerk."

"You're not seeing him," Dean replied, eyes scanning the area for his beloved Impala, "you're seeing Susan this time."

Rae seemed to perk up a little at that. "Kevin's mom?"

Dean scowled. Right. He forgot that stupid little detail. "Yeah, Kevin's mom."

"Who is Kevin?" Bobby asked, walking up behind Rae to put a meaty hand on her shoulder. "And what does she need to see a doctor for?"

Rae glared at him as he lowered his eyes, wondering how to explain without telling everything. "Apparently I'm not allowed to say," she griped softly, causing Bobby's eyebrows to dart up behind the brim of his stained ballcap.

He growled to himself. "Let's go. We're running late." With a swift motion, he had both of his charges marching ahead. One last scan of the parking lot proved that Sam still had not arrived, and it was not like Sam to be late. Dean paused just inside the door to the professional building where the therapist offices were, watching the street. He felt those bands tighten around his chest, but he chose to ignore it until Sam gave him a damn good reason to panic. Like being an hour late. He fingered the outline of his cell in his pocket a moment before allowing the door to close.

Rae and Bobby waited just inside the door for him to lead the way. She knew the way, but the fact the kid would not go except in his wake showed how dependent she was on him. Dean had always liked the fact that Rae hated to do anything outside his presence. He had drawn comfort from that. She, at least, would never disappear on him again. With Sam he always felt like he was living on borrowed time, that his brother might choose tomorrow to move away, live a separate life. That thought about Rae had never occurred to him, until recently. To see her still showing signs of dependency made his breathing easier. Was that terrible? Selfish? Unhealthy?

Dean signed them in, letting the friendly but professional receptionist know his brother was running a few minutes late. She typed something into her computer terminal. It must have been a message to the doctors, because Susan Smith appeared in the doorway less than a minute later.

"Rae, Dean," she said, her face lighting up as though they were all old friends, one hand outstretched for him to shake, "how are you? And who is this?"

Bobby's eyes hardened on Dean as he shook her hand. "Bobby Singer, ma'am."

Dean watched her eyes travel to him as well, the question clear in them. "Bobby is, uh…" Oh great, how the hell should he describe their relationship with Bobby? "Rae's Grandfather."

Rae laughed at that, the sound in the presence of people outside their family surprising and making him start.

"Your father?" she asked, looking from Rae's laughing face to Dean's attempt at stern seriousness.

"No," Dean shook his head. "He's kind of…a stand in. I guess." He looked at Bobby, hoping his friend, possibly the best friend they had left, did not find any of his fumbling explanations offensive.

Bobby was hard to read, with his cap pulled low over his eyes and his too loose stance that belied the man's constant vigilance. After what felt like an endless moment, Bobby met his gaze with a slight nod, eyes misty. "Yes, ma'am, guess I am a stand in. Rather poor one at that, but I do try."

"Then you should come in, too," Susan said, standing out of the doorway, motioning them inside her office.

Her office was more girly than the other doctor's office, but it was pleasant enough. The couch in here was upholstered in neutral fabrics rather than leather and there were decorative rugs on the floor. A vase filled with fresh flowers was positioned on her desk, exactly one quarter of the distance from the right side. Dean noticed there were several open tissue boxes in strategic positions throughout the room. What a lousy job, listening to people literally cry all day long. Dean shook his head at that as he took a seat on the couch.

Rae sat between them, her small frame squeezed tightly between the two men. Dean patted her knee with reassurance and she gripped his hand. He held it, waiting for Susan to begin.

----------------------

Sam stood just outside the bookstore, holding Sarah's purchases. He spotted a couple of books he might like, but he needed to check their budget first. Dean had mentioned Dolan setting up an account, but he also knew how much his brother hated using that money, Rae's money. For the past seven years they had not touched it. Sam had been thinking lately that since they were in one spot for a while, it might be in Rae's best interests to spend a little of the money to make things a little more comfortable for all of them. He would like a modest house with a big screen television since they were not allowed to go to the movies any more, but that was undoubtedly a pipedream.

With a glance at his watch, Sam mentioned casually they should head back. They had been gone nearly an hour.

Sarah frowned and check her own watch. "Uh, Sam? It was an hour over half an hour ago."

Sam lifted his watch up again, now noticing the position of the hour hand. "Damn it! I'm late!" He grabbed her by the elbow, propelling her to the Impala. "We have to go!"

"We?" Sarah jumped in the passenger seat as Sam started the motor. "You can just drop me off at my car."

"No, no, no," Sam murmured, "this is so not good." He shook his head at her suggestion, pressing down on the accelerator as though by speeding he could turn back the hands on his watch. "No time! Oh, she is never going to forgive me," he moaned, not bothering to come to a full stop at the stop sign and plowing ahead into traffic.

"Your girlfriend?" Sarah asked. "The one you were at the restaurant with?"

Sam groaned, using the size of the car to force his way through traffic. "I told you, Karen and I are friends. Rae is never going to forgive me. I've already missed half her appointment." The light turned red just as they approached. Sam slammed on the brakes, pounding the steering wheel in his frustration.

"Sam?" Sarah's shaking hand found his arm, patting gently. "Surely she'll forgive you. It was an honest mistake."

He leaned back, shutting his eyes for a moment, willing the sweet voice to wash over him absolving him of his sin. No, it was not to be, he realized as his eyes opened, frantically searching for the light to be green. "You don't know Rae," he muttered. "She's a lot like Dean."

He saw Sarah shrug from the corner of his eye. "As I recall, your brother always seemed pretty forgiving and supportive."

Sam's eyes darted to her swiftly. She looked sincere. "Yeah, I guess he is," he finally admitted. "But Rae has been pretty touchy lately, mostly with me. I don't want to do anything that will set her off. And boy, will this set her off!"

"Mostly with you?" Sarah asked as the light finally, finally turned green. Sam resisted gunning the motor, knowing from experience it rarely made the cars in front of them in a hurry to get out of the way. "Why would she be touchy mostly with you?"

Sam swung the big black car into the parking lot, finding a space next to a big blue car. He paused before getting out, reminding himself to make sure Dean came out to see this car before they left. It looked like something his brother would like to check out.

"She's thirteen now," Sam explained, locking the door before slamming it shut, "and I guess teens are just touchy." He shrugged.

Sarah had to jog to keep up with him as he raced into the building. "But then she would be touchy with everyone, not just you. Why would she single you out?"

Sam paused, hand on the doorknob to the reception area. He turned her question over in his mind. "Dean has a theory about that." She waited, obviously expecting him to continue. "Maybe you can convince me to tell you after a couple more dates."

Sarah grinned, her eyes lighting with the challenge. "Oh, must be good then. You're on."