"Come on, let's say goodnight to your brother," said Mary Winchester as she, Dean and Anne entered the baby's room. Dean rushed to the crib and as soon as Mary lowered the rail, he placed a soft quick kiss on his brother's forehead. "Night Sam," he said smiling down at the baby he almost considered his. Sure Annie doted on him and kissed him and helped Mommy with him, but Sam was his. He smiled as he remembered how frazzled his little sister was when she found out that the baby was a boy. Didn't seem to matter much now though. Anne found every excuse to be with the baby, and really, Dean didn't mind all that much. He considered Annie his as well. He was the oldest, and that meant that he would be the one to take care of them. No, there was no question about it in Dean's mind, Anne and Sam were his siblings, and that made them his period.
"Mommy up!" demanded Annie who always loved to see the baby. He was soft and cute and she thought of him as hers. She could always get a smile from him, although Dean was the one who could make him laugh. She could also get him to hold one of her fingers at any time. She loved the way his little hand curled around her finger with a grip surprisingly strong for a baby. His green eyes always seemed to be looking through her, at something she didn't even know was there. She loved Sam, every little finger and every little hair on his head was precious. She didn't mind anymore that he was a boy and not a girl.
"Hey guys," said a new voice, and upon turning around Dean saw that it was his dad. "Daddy!" he breathed as he ran into John's embrace. Mary smiled as she held her daughter down towards baby Sam. "Night night Sammy," the two year old cooed as she let her fingers roam the baby's hair. Sammy smiled and batted at her hand.
Mary put the little girl down and leaned in to say her goodnight to her baby. "Goodnight love" she said through a smile as she ran her hand along Sammy's soft cheek. Annie was bouncing on her feet, waiting to see the baby again when Mary turned around. "Come on Annie, we have to let him sleep now," she said as she picked her up. "You got him?" she said to John as she neared the two standing in the doorway. "I got him," he replied as he hugged the boy closer to him. A smile came over his face as he looked at Sammy lying in his crib looking back at him. "Goodnight Sam," he said as he turned off the light and left with Dean in tow.
Annie and Dean were taken to their room down the hall, beside John and Mary's. They didn't mind sharing rooms right now, but Mary knew it would become a problem eventually. Normally she would have put Dean in with Sam, but Sam's crying kept Dean awake at night and the same went for Anne. And so they shared. "Alright into bed you two," Mary aid gently as she let Anne down. Dean got into his bed willingly for a change, but it seemed that the terrible twos were going to claim Annie tonight, for she went over to her toy box instead of her bed. "No no Anne, time to go to bed," Mary said easily as she went over to collect her daughter off the floor and put her on her bed. "No bed!" Annie said defiantly as she crossed her little arms. John sighed as he pulled the covers up to Dean's chin. "Annie, listen to your mother," he said firmly as he joined Mary at the little girl's bed. "No, I sleep with Dean!" she yelled, and her green eyes flared. "Shh, you're gonna wake Sammy," Mary said as she leaned down to pick her up. "Mary-" John began but Mary cut him off saying "John if she'll go to sleep, it doesn't matter what bed she's in." She was right, she knew because she would always find Annie there in the morning wrapped around Dean. Once Anne was settled beside her brother she began to doze immediately. Both Winchesters lay there sleeping, completely unaware that destiny would call on them tonight.
Dean awoke to the smell of fire and the sound of voices. He sat up in bed when he heard his daddy yelling and shook Annie awake seconds later. "Annie! Wake up!" he yelled as he climbed over her. "Dean?" she asked in a sleepy voice as she sat up in her brother's bed. "Come on!" he said as he took her hand and pulled her from the bed. When he reached the hall, the yellow flames had engulfed Sam's nursery entirely. "Daddy!" he yelled when he saw John emerge from the flames. "Take your brother and sister outside as fast as you can! Now Dean! Go!" he yelled, and the fear in his voice made Dean run even faster. He held onto Sam tightly as he raced down the stairs with Annie right behind him. "Come on Annie!" he yelled back to make sure she was still behind him. He led them through the house and out onto the front lawn in no time. Annie was crying for Mary when she stopped beside Dean. She couldn't stop her tears even as Dean said "its ok now." Dean watched as the flames continued to lick at his baby brother's walls. Annie's scream startled him until he felt John pick him and his sister up and run away from the burning house.
Hours later found what was left of the Winchesters sitting on the hood of the Impala, huddled together. Annie shivered even as Dean put an arm around her. "Mommy," she whimpered, and something new panged in John's heart at hearing that. He knew what lie ahead. Somehow he knew. He felt guilty for not feeling lost and confused, but all he felt was anger and passion, and an undying need for vengeance. Mary was gone, the house was gone, the kids were motherless, and it all fell to him now didn't it?
He brushed at a stray tear as he turned and took Sammy from Dean. He lifted the little boy down off the hood, followed by the little girl. Walking around to the driver's side he opened the door and said "get in you two." Dean lifted Annie into the car and then crawled in after her. His little sister snuggled close to him, hugging his arm in her need to be consoled. John got in then and handed the baby back to Dean, who took him willingly. He couldn't cry at the moment, though he knew that Mommy was gone forever, but what he could do was take care of Annie and Sam. As the Impala rumbled to life, Dean held the baby close and shivered. He thought about how cold he was and how cold the others might be and tentatively asked his dad "heat daddy?" It nearly fell on deaf ears but just as Dean was ready to try again, John replied "what?" Dean felt something change in that moment. "Turn on the heat? We're cold," he said in a small voice, as John nodded and turned the heat up full blast. Dean looked over at his father again and knew. He would be the one responsible for the other two. He had been right before, Annie and Sam were his, but now he was theirs as well. Now John didn't notice if they were cold or tired or missing mommy. Dean decided right then and there that Anne and Sammy would have someone who noticed, and who else if not him?