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Sam’s Graduation
Five Months Later,
Dean picked up Dee Dee and they both yell out after Sam’s name is called.
“Samuel Francis Winchester.”
“Way to go Sammy,” Dean yells with a whistle and a grin.
“Yeah, Unca Sam,” Dee Dee says with a big grin as Dean lifts her in the air for Sam to see.
Cassie shakes her head, she was sure it wasn’t a high school graduation but the people around her only smiled at the ruckus. Sam seemed a bit red under the collar though he had a big grin on his face also.
----
Afterward Dean and Cassie treated Sam to Red Lobster to celebrate. They were surprised when Sam walked in holding hands with Sara Blake, a friend of Sam’s he and Dean had met while hunting a few years back. Sara was tall with dark hair and mysterious green eyes. Sam seemed happy as he helped her with her chair before sitting down.
“Surprised?” he asked as he saw Dean’s curious expression.
“A bit, but happily so.”
“Hi I’m Cassie, Dean’s wife….and you are?” she said as she put out her hand to shake Sara’s.
“Cassie, I’m sorry this is Sara Blake we met while we were still hunting but also again only recently,” Sam said as an explanation.
“Oh so you know all about the strange Winchester past?” Cassie asked with a laugh.
“Yeah I have experienced a bit of it myself and am a believer,” Sara said with a smile for Sam.
Seeing that surprise look on Dean’s face was worth not telling him she was going to be here.
----
Sam and Dean met Sara when they worked a job involving a haunted picture. Dean pushed him into asking her out on a date supposedly to get information for the hunt. At one point, she helped them on the job because her friend was killed by the power of the picture and she had stubbornly insisted that she should go along with Sam and Dean. Dean was impressed but Sam was concerned that something might happen to her despite her insistence that we can only live each day to the fullest.
----
Dee Dee shook Sara’s leg since she sat beside her.
“Yes,” Sara said.
“Preddy lady,” Dee Dee said as she smiled at her.
“Why thank you so are you and smart.”
Dee Dee gave her a full dimpled grin, Cassie shook her head as she rested Marty on her shoulder.
“Just let me know if she bothers you, “Cassie insisted.
“I’m sure we will be fine.”
After they ordered the meal, Dean was curious as to how Sara ended up in Palo Alto.
“I was planning to move here to go to UCLA with no idea that Sam was still thinking about it; I was pleasantly surprised that he was headed the same way that I was.”
“We actually are moving to Los Angeles together,” Sam said as he cleared his throat as he ran his hand over Sara’s leg under the table.
Dean almost choked on his beer.
“What?”
“It’s okay we are grown ups, Dean,” Sam teased.
Dean rolled his eyes at Cassie as she grinned at the two of them.
“I know that but why didn’t you tell us? Is there something you are trying to hide?”
“No, I just wanted to surprise you really,” Sam, replied as he looked at Sara who nodded.
“Absolutely, he told me how you had encouraged him to stay in contact with me. Its not like we didn’t think you would approve or that we felt that was even necessary,”
she said with a smile.
“Well I am glad for both of you,” Cassie said as she wondered about Dean’s attitude.
“Can we talk a second, Sam?”
----
Dean walked toward the phones with Sam close behind.
“What is it man?”
“Nothing against Sara I just hoped you would keep an eye on Courtney and Jason for me since she just moved to the area near UCLA.”
“So you’re are upset for purely selfish reasons?”
Dean shifted uncomfortably as he played with the phone cord and would not look at Sam. Sam was surprised by Dean’s attitude. He knew Dean had always protected and looked out for him maybe he could do this one thing for his big brother.
“You know forget it,” Dean said as he patted Sam on the back before he began to walk back toward the table. Sam stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.
“I can still keep an eye on her, I mean I can’t date her because I am crazy about Sara but both of us could visit, you know and stuff. Maybe take Jason to the park or something.”
Dean nodded with a grin.
“That’s all I’m saying it would be a way for me to keep an eye on him you know through you. Thanks man,” he finished as they went back to the table.
----
That night at Sam’s rental Cassie and Dean were surprised at how comfortable Sara seemed in Sam’s space, unaware that Sam and Sara had picked out the loft apartment together. Even though they seemed to be in the midst of packing to move there was plenty of room for Cassie, Dean and the kids to stay the night. Sam, quickly, saw the surprised looks on their faces.
“Sit down and I will get us some coffee,” Sara said as she headed to the kitchen.
“Okay I guess I should tell you guys the truth,” Sam said as he sat on a matching recliner across from the sofa. Dean raised his eyebrow as Cassie looked at him and shrugged. She obviously was out of the loop on Sam’s situation this time.
“Uh, Jackie and I broke up right after Christmas because I found out she was still seeing her ex boyfriend without telling me. I actually caught them kissing in the library. Well not long after that I spoke with Sara and we decided she should just go ahead and move here since we had the same plan of going to UCLA in mind.”
Sam looked nervous as though Dean and Cassie had some type of say so over his actions.
Dean frowned just before Cassie shook her head at him before she left the room with Marty to go to the kitchen. Sam got the impression she had left their reaction to Dean. Dee Dee looked up at her father then at Sam as Dean tried to decide what to say.
“Unca Sam,” she said as though maybe her Daddy needed some help with what was going on in his head.
Dean absentmindedly ran his hand over his daughters hair.
“Uh, well, Sammy that’s good. I’m glad you and Sara finally got together,” Dean added as Dee Dee climbed into his lap.
She looked up at him with a smile; at least someone thought he had done a good job. Dean kissed her hair as she relaxed against his chest then grinned at her Uncle Sam.
----
Cassie sat down at the kitchen table with Marty in her lap; he seemed content sucking on his hand as Cassie watched Sara for a few moments before she realized that she wasn’t alone. Sara seemed at ease in the kitchen despite her moneyed background and Cassie thought that was good considering “down home” Sam who had a big heart, was good with his hands but knew nothing of worldly riches. Cassie smiled when Sara finally turned to see her.
“How long have you been there?” she asked with a grin as she took a chair to sit across from Cassie.
“Just a moment; I was just thinking how Sam is lucky to find someone who can accept him despite his weird past.”
“Well, I don’t know you at all but it looks like Dean has found the same thing,” she said before getting up as the coffee maker auto shut off button sounded.
----
“Our road has been a bit rocky though,” she said before explaining to Sara about her own stubborn ways that had caused problems.
Cassie had no one besides her mother to share things about their life with; she was happy to open up a bit with Sara but didn’t want to overwhelm her with all the details. She decided to tread softly only sharing what was least relevant to their present situation. She hesitated to tell Sam’s girlfriend about Dean and Courtney’s situation so soon. Sara poured the coffee into two cups before she sat down again; she put one cup in front of Cassie just far enough away so that the baby wouldn’t spill it.
“I think that things happen for a reason and you really shouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” Sara advised as she looked at a sad faced Cassie.
----
When Cassie came back into the living room with Sara, she noticed that Dean wasn’t there only Sam and Dee Dee who were watching television. After a moment, she could hear Dean talking to someone in the other room. She didn’t want it to appear as though she didn’t trust him so she sat down with Marty on the sofa. Sara sat in an antique straight back chair near Sam who had Dee Dee in his lap.
“He is talking to Courtney,” Sam informed Cassie.
Cassie nodded as she pretended that it didn’t’ matter but Sara could see her new friend’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes as she lifted up her son to kiss his cheek before she placed him on her shoulder.
---
Dean’s voice seemed to be getting louder.
“Courtney, I said we would come by there tomorrow. I said it before and that is still the plan.”
There was silence before Dean totally lost his temper.
“Damn it; why would you do that? You knew our agreement.”
There was more silence before Dean came in the room frowning he went straight to the glassed in patio to sit down
Sara offered to hold Marty so Cassie could go talk to Dean though she wasn’t sure if it was the best time.
“Go ahead I will just hold him here.”
“Thanks.”
----
Cassie wasn’t accustomed to beating around the bush; she asked him what was going on before she closed the patio door outside. Dean shook his head she knew by his facial expression that he was furious.
“Jason’s grandparents want to take him home with them tonight.”
Cassie was back inside and on Dean’s phone before he realized that she had left the patio.
He ran inside once he saw her holding the phone.
“Cassie?”
She put up one finger to make sure he was quiet as she left living room to go to the bedroom to shut the door.
“Oops,” Dean said.
Sam shook his head; he knew Cassie was as pig headed as Dean, which could only lead to more yelling. He hoped the neighbors weren’t home though he knew his brother and Cassie had reason to be upset.
----
Without preamble Cassie got to the point, “Look, Courtney, we are here for only a short time and Dean wants to see Jason. I can’t believe you would deny him that opportunity. Unless you are more concerned with manipulating his emotions then allowing him a chance to see his son.”
Courtney was quiet.
“Do you hear me? How long are you parents in town?”
“For another week,” Courtney admitted.
Cassie let Courtney know clearly that if she didn’t let them see Jason the way they had planned the next time they saw her would be in court. It made no sense for her to send Jason home with her parents so she could go out on the town when Dean was close enough to drive to see his son for the first time in over three months. Courtney could hear the anger in Cassie’s voice and decided they were right to be upset. Besides, she hadn’t gained any brownie points by being obstinate with either of them.
----
The kids slept most of the way to Courtney’s the next day so Cassie and Dean had a quiet ride. Dean’s mind wondered to Courtney as Cassie read a magazine in the passenger seat. How could she be more concerned with going out to party then in letting me see my son? I had hoped that having a kid would have settled her down. Maybe Cassie and I should try to adopt Jason if he is just a burden to his mother. I don’t want to believe she is still whoring around but it’s not like I can ask. Dean shook his head when he realized Cassie was watching him as he thought about Courtney. He gave his wife a smile but he didn’t tell her what he had been thinking.
“Almost there,” was his only reply to her look of concern.
----
When they drove into the driveway they realized in the worse way that Dee Dee was awake. As soon as she saw Courtney who held Jason as she stood on the front steps she began to cry.
“Daddy, no, no, Daddy,” she said with big tears raining down her face.
Cassie tried to shush her before Dean got out of the car to go around to calm her down. He took her from the car seat and held her close to his chest.
“It’s okay, Dee Dee, you can play with his toys this time,” Dean smiled at her though she still pouted as her tears faded away.
Dee Dee still wasn’t happy but as long as she was with Daddy she figured she might be okay with the other kid as Dean carried her inside while Cassie followed him with Marty. Unfortunately once they were inside Dean put down Dee Dee to pick up Jason to give him a hug and Dee Dee began to cry all over again. Not that kid again; he is a teddy bear hog, Dee Dee thought. Cassie who held Marty tried to stop Dee Dee from angrily grabbing Dean’s leg but she was too late. He looked at Dee Dee like he had no idea what the problem was. Why are you hugging him, Daddy? Cassie figured it out right away. Dee Dee was jealous of her Dad’s affection for the little boy that she did not know or care for.
----
“Dean, she doesn’t understand why you are holding Jason, you need to try to explain it to her.”
Courtney agreed. Dean attempted to tell her but she only frowned at him as though she might burst out into tears again. But you are my Daddy. He handed Jason back to Courtney despite the fact that he didn’t want to let go of Dean.
Dean knelt down in front of his daughter to pick her up but she seemed to have decided she wasn’t happy with Daddy so she put her arms over her chest as she glared at him. Cassie tried not to smile at her daughter’s stubbornness. He picked her up despite her stance, but he kissed her cheek as he felt sorry that he had caused this confusion for her.
“Sweet little girl, Jason is your Row Row too,” he said with the hope that she would get the idea.
She shook her head then pointed to Marty.
“Marty and Jason,” he said to her.
No Daddy not him, Row Row. She spoke it with her eyes.
“Jason’s Daddy too,” he added as he pointed to himself.
“I love you so much little Dee Dee,” he whispered in her ear as he held her then kissed her cheeks.
“Dada, dada,” Jason said from across the room but Dean just held his daughter as he tried to ignore Jason for a moment because Dee Dee needed to know she was important too.
She looked at him after a few minutes on his shoulder as though she was thinking about what he had said but no one was sure that day if she really understood. She decided it was okay to play with Jason, nicely and he seemed happy to have so much company as he sat in the floor with his siblings.
----
Courtney had agreed to let the family come because Dean had insisted it was all of them or nothing. As she watched the kids play she was almost glad to see them together but she wandered if Dean might try to take Jason from her. She loved her son despite the circumstances and her family would never let Jason go to his father without a fight. Dean had only seen a taste of the kind of money her family had at their disposal. She wasn’t someone he wanted to take to court no matter what his wife threatened.
TBC