Return of Winchester

Chapter 4 Movies and Mourning

Dani's eyes flicked to Jason who had a smug knowing look plastered across his face. Suddenly it was as if the two were having a silent conversation with just looks. The TV flickered to life. A little girl appeared on the screen she looked to be around seven. She had a head of dark curly hair hidden underneath a beanie. She was dressed head to toe in snow gear. The video was low quality like it was being filmed on a camera that took tapes.

"Say hi to the camera Dani!" A voice came from behind the camera. 

Sam looked at Dani. She was slowly sliding into one of the booths that had a clear view of the TV. One look at her face told him everything. That was Jewels' voice coming from the speakers. 

The little Dani on the screen looked up from the snowman she was making. She waved at the camera. "This is Daniella seven years old on December 25 2007 the one-year anniversary of me becoming her foster mum. Isn't she just the cutest."

Current Dani looked over to Hal who had perched himself on one of the bar stools.

"But these were still on VHS when did you-?" She asked in astonishment.

"Got them converted a few days ago. Jason crawled into the attic for me. I thought it'd be nice to hear your mom's voice again. And for Sam to see what you were like as the little troublemaker you used to be."

Dani had given the box of home videos to Hal to keep safe when she had sold the house Jewels and she used to live in not long after the funeral. If she was being honest she had forgotten they existed.

Back on the TV, the camera was being shuffled on something it came to a stop then a woman entered the frame and scooped up little Dani. She had soft features with a friendly face. She was also dressed warmly. Little Dani giggled in her arms as she blew a raspberry into the little girl's neck.

Present Dani let out a sad laugh as she scrubbed a few tears from her cheek. Sam slid into the booth next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side in silent comfort. Dani leaned her head on his shoulder her eyes still never leaving the TV.

The screen cut to another scene. The camera had been propped up again. The room was filled with decorations. The date appeared on the bottom of the screen this time nov/14/2008. Little Dani was picking up the wrapping paper from the floor of what looked like a living room.

"Dannii." Jewlses voice cooed. Little Dani looked up behind the camera. "You've got one more present to open." Little Dani smiled.

"Really?!" She asked excitement splitting across her face. "But everyone already left." 

"Oh, this one is just for us two." Jewels handed her a rectangular manilla envelope. Little Dani eyed it curiously. Her little fingers peeled open the seal. The minute she did the little girl froze her eyes fixed on the piece of paper she held in her hands. She slowly looked up.

"Really?" The little girl asked in disbelief.

"Really. I'm adopting you, Dani. If you want me to that is."

"Well obviously," Dani said leaping into Jewls's arms.

Dani let out a muffled sob. Sam rubbed her arm gently. 

"So that's how you became a Taylor then huh?" Sam asked. Dani scoffed.

"Yeah. Didn't realise it was a package deal though." She glanced pointedly at Hal and Jason. 

"Eh it was a good deal and you know it." Hal smiled.

 The group spent an hour or so picking through the videos. It was a bittersweet way of remembering Dani's late mom. To Sam, it was a look into the things he had missed out on with his Niece. Often the videos would depict Dani and sometimes Jason along with her covered head to toe in either paint, mud or at one point feathers. Sam watched as the confidence in the little girl grew along with her. In a way he hated it. He hated it because he hadn't been there to see it. When she skinned her knee when she and Jason had stayed over at Hal's on the 4th of July, he hadn't been there to kiss it better. When she had been the lead in her first musical he hadn't been in the crowd to cheer her on. When her mom died he realised, he hadn't been there to comfort her. Nither had Dean. 

The lights of the diner flickered on when the compilation ended.  Almost all of the people in the room's eyes were red or had stray tears wetting their cheeks, but they all whore soft smiles. 

Something occurred to Sam at that moment. The man that he had met on the street earlier that day, who had claimed to be Daniella's stepfather had not appeared in any of the videos in fact there had been no videos where Dani appeared older than ten years old at most. Sam wanted to ask but thought better of it. He'd ask when the struggles of the anniversary had died down.

AN: Hey all sorry it's taken me so long to update. I'm on a trip home to England for a couple of weeks so I haven't had much time to write. Anyway gonna head to bed jet lag is kicking my ass. Hope you like this part.

Write soon

Meg 💙💋❤️

P.S: The image above is of Molly.