Hello again darlings! Depending on what happens in tonight's episode, I'll be steering this story back along the general Snow White story line (again, very loosely). I've written chapters 8 and 9 completely, but am just waiting to see what happens in the next episode before I finalize them and continue. Chapter 8 covers "Just My Imagination" briefly, and then at the end of chapter 9 there should be some actual plot development. Chuck smiles down upon those that review! Enjoy! (And thank you as always to RangerHorseTug for the review)

Chapter 7

Although Lily was painfully shy at first, and stumbled over herself to please the brothers, life at the bunker soon settled into a comfortable routine. Every morning Lily got up early and made breakfast and coffee (and tea but she was the only one who drank it) for everyone. They gang rarely ate together; Cas seemed to eschew food completely, Sam got up early and went for a run, and Dean stumbled in as late as he could manage in his robe and slippers, so she left the food and coffee warming and, while they were eating, she showered and dressed and then returned to the kitchen to clean up. Sam and Dean, when they were around, would do research and errands, or sometimes went out to the nearby bar (Dean more than Sam). Cas spent most of his time watching something called Netflix, and Lily was always more than happy to join him in that luxuriously lazy pursuit whenever she was allowed.

When the boys went out on a case, Cas babysat her, which involved a lot of TV and frequent trips for candy and teddy bears because, "I am informed that is what children like."

Having never had any family who attempted to spoil her in any way, Lily did nothing to correct his idea that she was still five, accepting the gifts willingly and filling her room with them.

When Dean and Sam came back, sometimes wearied (cleaning up after soul-sucked killers), sometimes weirded out (Rabbit-Head ghosts…she almost didn't believe them), they'd ask Cas for a behavior report, which was always glowing. Even so, Lily made sure to always have a pie made just in case. Her plan to get on Dean's good side was in full swing.

Sam had obtained testing materials as soon as things got settled, to figure out where Lily should be, and for weeks Lily had eagerly awaited the results. When they finally came, Lily could barely sit still as Sam tore the seal on the envelope. In reading and writing, she excelled. "See! I told you I taught myself lots of stuff. I snuck off to the library whenever Mother would send me off on a long errand and I would write myself stories for fun."

Sam ruffled her hair but Dean just grunted, "Don't call her that."

"Sorry"

Math and science, however, were a different story, not to mention that she knew next to nothing about history. She was woefully behind. After Sam saw the rest of her test scores, his brow furrowed and he and Dean withdrew to the library.

Lily hung outside the door, trying to eavesdrop.

"…even further behind…"

"…don't have the time for this."

"…failing grades…"

"…kill that witch Rowena."

"Why are you leaning against that door like that?" Castiel's voice sounded like a cannon in the quiet.

"Cas, shh! I'm trying to hear what they're saying. They'll hear you!" Lily whispered but it was too late and a moment later the door swung open and a disgruntled Dean poked his head out.

"Cas, take her to your room and turn the TV on." This put a definitive end on her eavesdropping. She waited with the angel for what seemed like forever before the brothers called for her. They sat her in the same chair where she had been lectured about house rules and Sam crouched down in front of her.

"Dean and I have decided that, based on your scores, for right now you would be better off being homeschooled until you're more caught up to a high school level."

Lily was devastated. She shot to her feet; "But..you said I could go to school."

"I know, Lily, but you're just too far behind right now."

"But I'll study really hard!" she begged, to no avail.

"I'm sorry, Lily. Until your other scores match the high school level, putting you into school right now would be setting you up for failure." Sam rested his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"No it wouldn't, I could do it. Just let me try for a month and I'll show you."

"The decision is final, Lily." It was Dean's voice, and his tone left no room for more argument. Lily felt like crying, but she held it inside and it turned to anger. She yanked away from Sam's hand.

"It's not fair." She muttered, resisting the urge to stamp her foot. She turned to leave in a huff.

"Hey, get back here." Lily ignored Dean, stomping down the hall towards her room. She needed to be alone before she exploded. She had wanted this so badly, to be normal and go to school and maybe make friends, maybe even be able to go to college someday, and now it felt like someone had stepped on her dreams. She kicked a door as she passed, anger radiating out of her.

"Lily." Dean's voice calling her from the other room pulled her out of her reverie, and the quiet warning in it made her pause. "Come here now."

She hesitated, but she was close to blowing up and did not want to be around Sam and Dean when it happened. She had cried enough around them. Besides, Dean probably didn't even want her to go. He was always trying to keep her under lock and key just like Rowena. The thought boiled in her and she spoke without thinking. "No!"

She started off towards her room again, and suddenly heard heavy, angry footfalls rapidly approaching. Lily broke into a run, sliding into her room and slamming her door shut right in Dean's face as he rounded the corner with a thunderous expression. The second after, she regretted it immediately, but she clicked the lock anyway and ignored the pounding on the door.

"Lily, open this door right now. I'm warning you. You are wading into deep shit, sweetheart" Lily crunched herself into a corner on the far side of the bed and the dam burst. She sobbed into her arms at the injustice of it all, and was so wrapped up in her own ball of misery that she didn't hear the pounding and expletives on the other side of the door increase and then stop completely.

"I swear when I get in there…"

"Dean. She's understandably upset."

"She's also acting like a brat and she locked her door."

"Ok but pounding down the door like you're the big bad wolf isn't going to get her to open it." Sam turned from his brother towards the door. "Lily, we need you to unlock the door now. You know better."

Sam's tone was calm and controlled, and Dean rolled his eyes. The door sat, unmoved. Now that Dean had stopped banging, the brothers could hear her sobbing on the other side. Dean sighed and disappeared into his room for a moment, returning with a lock-pick. It only took him a few careful minutes and the door swung in, revealing Lily's slight figure curled up in the corner and her heaving shoulders. The sight of her tiny, heartbroken form took some of the fire out of Dean.

"Lily" Dean's voice was surprisingly kind, and she lifted her head to look up at him through teary lashes. "This is not the end of the world."

"T-t-that's easy for y-y-you to say! Y-y-you don't even w-w-want me to go!" Her vehemence surprised even her and she flinched at the darkness that flooded Dean's eyes at her tone as his anger returned.

"I have half a mind to spank you right now, princess." Dean growled.

"Just because you're upset doesn't mean you can storm off and yell at us," Sam stepped in hastily, "We both only want what's best for you, and I think these past few weeks have proved that, don't you?"

Lily didn't respond, but dropped her head in shame at the gentle rebuke.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, quiet tears trailing down her cheeks. "I just…wanted it so bad. School, real friends…and everything"

"Disappointment is not an excuse to go crazy on me."

"I'm sorry" she repeated, looking at Dean this time. She began crying afresh when she saw his angry gaze. After all her hard work to befriend him she had thrown it all away because she didn't get what she wanted. Sam and Dean exchanged a look over her head and suddenly she was hauled to her feet and set on the bed.

"Lily, I'm going to tutor you. You'll be school ready in no time, ok? I won't let you stay behind; you'll be honor roll material by the time we're done. Deal?" Sam tilted her chin up to look at him. She just nodded, squeezing her eyes shut and pulling away.

"Oh for crying out loud." Dean threw his hands in the air at her continued crying and tuned around to face the wall.

"What's wrong, Lily? Everything is fine." Lily just shook her head, unable to speak, but at Sam's goading she finally replied in short, broken bursts.

"I worked so h-h-hard to get D-D-Dean to like me and n-n-now it's r-r-ruined!" she wailed. Dean turned around, slightly surprised and Sam gave him a pointed look before standing and quietly exiting the room. Dean took his place on the bed and coughed uncomfortably.

"Nothing is ruined, sweetheart." Dean's voice was low and gravelly, but not unpleasant.

"You h-h-hate meee!"

Dean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't hate you. I wouldn't let you sleep two doors down from me if I did. I'm angry because you slammed a door in my face, upset that you ignored and disobeyed me multiple times and disappointed in your overall behavior. But it takes more than that to make me hate you." He put an awkward arm around her shoulders in some semblance of a hug and that was all the encouragement she needed. She flung her arms around his neck, effectively throwing herself into his lap, and cried into his shoulder.

"Please forgive me. Please, I'll be better."

Dean stiffened, unsure, before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her fully onto his lap. "Of course you're forgiven Lily. I forgive you."

He hushed her, rubbing her back and waiting for her shoulders to cease shaking. Her sobs subsided into sniffles and he finally pulled her back to look at him, grasping her chin gently so she was forced to meet his eyes. "This doesn't let you off the hook. You're still in trouble. No more slamming and locking doors ok?"

Lily nodded as earnestly as she could with her chin in his hands.

"And no more disrespect." She nodded again.

"And when I tell you to do something, you drop everything and do it." Another nod. Dean cocked his eyebrow at her and she blushed, knowing what he wanted to hear.

"Yes, sir."