Growing Up, Winchester Style

Chapter 1 - Memories that Stay with You

Dean-16

Sam-12

Katie-8

Dean, Sam, and Katie were used to moving around at random intervals of time over the last near decade. John had been leaving them in run-down apartments and motels for longer periods of time now. It had started with a day or two, and those turned into weeks, and eventually those became a month or more at a time. Dean was always left in charge when John didn't take him along. Since Sam and Katie were getting older, the responsibility wasn't as much as before for Dean—at least that's the way John saw it. However, John wasn't there to see what really went on between the siblings. Mainly because Dean kept most of the details from their father, never wanting to get his siblings into actual trouble with their old man.

Much to Dean's despair, Katie continued to be in this phase where the only way she knew to communicate with Sam was by fighting. To make matters worse, even since Sam had turned 13, he had become a poster child for teen angst. So much for things getting easier. Dean's grades were falling dramatically and he knew his dad would kick his ass when he found out, but taking care of Sam and Katie came first in Dean's book. Grades didn't matter anyway - not in his line of work.

School was finally done for the day, and the three Winchesters had returned to their craptastic hotel a few hours ago. The two younger Winchesters started on their homework as was the usual routine. They'd been in this middle of nowhere town Ohio for about three weeks now, and John said it'd be at least another week during his phone call with Dean a few days prior.

Katie was sitting cross legged on her bed, rushing through her homework per usual. "DONE!" she yelled as she slammed her folder closed and shoved it in her backpack. She'd plowed through the Math and Spelling homework like it was nothing. Finally, it was over!

"Is it really necessary to yell that every single day?" Dean asked, glancing over at her from the small kitchen counter where he was starting to get dinner ready.

"Obviously it is, Dean. Otherwise I wouldn't do it every single day," Katie replied, smirking as she walked over to the couch. She plopped down and grabbed the remote without a second thought. Flipping through all the channels (which weren't many), she finally settled on one.

But it didn't take long for her actions to be met with protests. "Turn it down. I can't concentrate," Sam complained without even looking up from where he was sitting on the floor by the couch, his school books sprawled all over.

"No way. Power Rangers are on and they're my favorite," Katie stated as if it was already a known fact.

"Well I'm doing homework which is a million times more important than your stupid baby show," Sam replied, completely forgetting, or rather ignoring, the fact that he also enjoyed watching the show.

"Uh oh," Dean mumbled to himself as the tension grew a few feet from him. He knew he should intervene, but for some naive reason, he thought maybe, just maybe, they would resolve this one on their own.

"It's not a baby show! The yellow power ranger kicks butt! Go somewhere else. I was here first."

Sam looked around their tiny motel room to prove a point. "There's literally nowhere else to go. Now quit being a brat and just turn it down!" Sam threw an evil glare up at his sister.

"Make me!" Katie yelled back as she grabbed the remote and cranked up the volume.

Dean felt his shoulders tense up as it started to escalate. Should have known..., Dean thought to himself as he mentally prepared himself to be the bad guy yet again.

"DEAN! Make her turn it down!" Sam yelled into the kitchen area.

"DEAN! Sam won't leave me alone!" Katie yelled also looking over at Dean who still had his back to them.