Chapter Twenty

Squish

A/N: I know I said that in this chapter "Evy and Jordan grow closer". I decided to hold off on that a little, for when they're a little older. Last chapter was very emotional, so this one's a little lighter.

I got a request to do some Evy/Cass scenes. Because the review was submitted by a guest user, I couldn't do a PM to answer, so I'll do it here. I have done a little Evy/Cass, mostly as scenes in other stories. They interact a little in Sensitive Souls are the Strongest, That's My Girl, Evy in Season 12, and Life After Death. I am planning at some point to do more, but life is getting in the way a little at the moment. But thanks for the request! I'll definitely consider doing a whole story with just them. I really like the idea.

I'm in Ireland for a few more days. Jet lag had me sleepy all day today and wide awake right now (it's 7:43pm at home and 12:43am in Ireland). That's what drove me to wrote this chapter. I want to say thanks to everyone who wished me well on this trip. It is going amazingly well and I'm so happy. Talk to you guys soon!

It was seven in the morning, and Sam had to leave quickly. He had to be at work in an hour, and Evy had to be at school in forty-five minutes. He was ready, but Evy had not come out of her room yet, which was unusual. Worried, Sam knocked at the door. He heard Evy say something, but couldn't make it out. She sounded quiet, so Sam opened the door and looked inside.

"Hey, baby. You okay?" Sam asked.

Evy, who was still in bed with her blankets above her head, pulled the blankets down and looked at Sam. "I don't feel so good, daddy."

Sam sat next to her on the bed and felt her forehead. "Are you sick?"

Evy nodded.

"Yeah, you've got a fever." Sam said. "What hurts?"

"My throat and my head." Evy answered, barely above a whisper.

"Okay. I'll be back in a minute." Sam said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. He left the room and came back less than five minutes later. "Alright, baby, looks like it's you and me today."

"You don't have to work?" Evy asked.

"Nope. Took a sick day." Sam said. "You need me more than work does."

Evy smiled. "Thanks, daddy."

"You don't have to thank me for that, baby." Sam said. "But you're welcome. Why don't you come in the living room? I'll make you some soup and we'll watch a movie."

"Okay." Evy said.

Sam moved her into the living room, where she propped herself up on the couch and was lying down in the middle of Finding Nemo when Sam finished her soup. He hated doing it, but Sam left her alone for thirty minutes while he went out to pick up supplies-a thermometer, Nyquil, and some more canned soup. When he came back, Evy was sleeping on the couch, the menu from Finding Nemo playing on a loop. Sam had meant to give her the Nyquil before she went to sleep, but decided it was better to let her sleep now and give her the medicine later. He took the bag to the kitchen, laid it on the table, turned off the television, and placed a hand on her forehead. The fever was still there, but it seemed to be no higher than that morning.

"Sleep, baby. Daddy's right here." he said as he pulled her blanket a little tighter around her.

Sam sat at the end of the couch, gently lifting Evy's feet and placing them on his lap. He turned the TV back on very low, passively watching it as Evy slept for the next forty-five minutes. Sam got an idea and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Dean, who had found a part time job as a mechanic on the other side of town, had left for work before either Sam or Evy had even gotten up that morning. Sam turned off the sound on his phone and quickly typed a message to Dean.

Evy's sick. High fever, sore throat, headache, coughing. We're both at home. She may not eat it, but could you bring home some pie from that place you two go on Friday nights? She could use a little TLC from you too.

Less than a minute later, Dean responded. You got it. Tell baby girl feel better and I'll be home soon.

Sam smiled. Evy and Dean's relationship had been tested the first few months they'd lived in the house. Dean, frustrated at his inability to find a job, had become mean, distant, and cranky towards Evy. Tensions had finally exploded one day when Dean had believed Evy to be disobeying him. He'd found her in the park with friends instead of home like he believed she was supposed to be. Fueled by his frustration and the belief she was defying him, Dean had spanked Evy in front of her friends and embarrassed her so much that she'd refused to have anything to do with him until late that night. After setting Dean straight for Evy, Sam had made it clear that another slip up like that would mean Dean leaving the house. Dean had apologized, and worked hard towards regaining their trust in him. That had been three months earlier, and Sam couldn't even tell that the relationship between the two of them had ever been less than perfect.

Evy had worried that word of what had happened at the park would spread around school. But the next day, she'd received a text from her new friend Jordan checking on her. He'd assured her that he "didn't see anything and no one else did either". Evy had never heard about it at school, so it appeared that Jordan, Barbara, and Katie had kept it all to themselves. The four of them were now inseparable, spending as much time as possible together outside of school.

Evy woke up coughing, hard enough that she was starting to gag. Sam jumped from the end of the couch, pulling her close to him so he could rub her back as she coughed. Once she'd calmed down, Sam asked,

"Do you want to eat or go back to sleep?"

Evy only groaned in response.

"I know you feel bad, baby. But you have to take this medicine. It'll make you really sleepy, so do you want to eat first or take it and go right back to sleep?" Sam asked.

Evy thought for a minute. "I'm not hungry."

"How about I heat you up a little more soup?" Sam asked. "You don't have to eat all of it."

"Okay, daddy."

After eating, Sam took the bowl from her. "What do you want to take this with?"

"Milk."

"You got it." Sam poured her a glass of milk and brought it out.

Evy forced the cup of medicine down her throat, followed quickly by the milk. The milk did not completely kill the taste of the medicine, but she was so sick she didn't care. Sam took the medicine and the cup of milk to the kitchen. When he came back, Evy was sitting up on the couch.

"You should be resting." Sam said gently.

"I've been resting all day." Evy whined slightly.

"And you need to rest some more." Sam said, getting on the couch beside her. "Do you want to go back to bed?"

Evy shook her head. "No."

Sam smiled. He knew what she wanted and felt too old to ask for. "Lay down." he said.

Evy smiled and did what he said. She laid down and placed her head in his lap, immediately relaxing as Sam started scratching her back with one hand and stroking her hair with the other. Almost thirty seconds passed between them in complete silence, before Evy opened her eyes and stared at Sam as if expecting something else.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"You know what I want." Evy said, and a small cough came out as she finished what she was saying.

Sam laughed. "Really?"

"Please?" Evy asked.

"Okay." Sam said. "Close your eyes, baby."

Evy settled back down, and Sam resumed scratching her back and stroking her hair. "Don't you feel it growing, day by day..."

Evy smiled and before Sam even finished the song, she was sleeping in long, deep, drawn out breaths. Sam grabbed a pillow and placed it carefully under her head. Evy stirred a little on the couch but didn't wake up. Sam felt her forehead and was relieved to see that her fever was going down, though he knew it could easily come back up when the medicine wore off. Sam kissed her forehead and went off into the kitchen. Just as he started to wonder what he would do while Evy slept, a text from Dean answered the question for him.

Don't be mad. Dean said.

Dean what the hell did you do? Sam asked.

I swear I went to go get the pie.

But...? Sam asked.

I got this instead.

The picture Dean sent him made Sam's mouth drop open. It was a kitten, no bigger than the size of Dean's hand. It was solid black, with big black eyes.

Dean what the hell? Sam texted again.

I know I should have asked you first. Please let me give it to her.

Dean I have no problem with Evy having a pet. She's more than responsible. I just can't believe YOU got it for her. What happened to the no animal rule?

I'll explain when I get there.

Sam shook his head, amused. He couldn't shake how bizarre the whole thing felt to him. The kitten was adorable, and Sam thought it would be good for Evy to have a pet. But Dean getting it for her? What was that about? Sam picked up the house a little, before Dean walked in, carrying the kitten in one hand and a grocery bag in the other.

"Dean, what...?"

"Uncle Deanie?" Evy asked, stirring at the sound of Dean walking in the door.

Dean set the bag down and handed the kitten to Sam. "Hey, kiddo. Your dad told me you didn't feel good."

"Yeah."

"I have a surprise for you." Dean said, reaching over to take the cat from Sam.

When Evy took the kitten, her eyes lit up. "Who is this?"

"He's yours." Dean said.

"Really?" Evy asked. "What about the no animal rule?"

"You can name him whatever you want. But I got him because he reminded me of..." Dean started.

"Squish." Evy finished for him. "That's his name."

As Evy hugged and cuddled the kitten, Sam clapped Dean on the shoulder. "You did good." he said simply.

Squish bonded with Evy right away, and spent the rest of the night cuddled up with her. When Evy coughed, Squish nuzzled her cheek, and wouldn't leave her alone until he got his belly scratched. Squish also bonded with Sam, who let Squish play with and bat his hair when Evy was asleep. When he thought the rest of the family wasn't looking, Dean was even guilty of sneaking Squish a cat treat. Evy spent three days at home sick, and heard Dean on the last day as he said,

"Maybe you're not so bad, you little fur ball."

Evy walked into the kitchen and wrapped an arm around Dean's neck. "You're the best, uncle Deanie. Love you."

"Love you too, baby girl."

Next Chapter: Not sure yet. This one was a surprise :)