"John Winchester?"

"Yes?"came the startled voice down the phone. The orphanage director sighed.

"My name is Dr. James Cooper. I'm in charge of St. Ita's Orphanage for Lost Girls. I have a Grace Holmes with us. She hasn't said a word since she arrived except that she wants to talk to her Uncle John. When we asked her, she gave us this number and your name. Would you, by any chance, be near Catsville, California?"

"Yes, myself and my sons are an hour away. We'll be there in the morning, if that's okay?"

"That's perfectly okay. See you then."

Putting down the phone, the director sighed. The girl in question was finally asleep on the couch after spending the last hour silently crying. She wouldn't talk to any of the people they put in front of her, not even the children.

The next morning John bundled a ten year old Sammy and a fourteen year old Dean into the Impala, all while worrying about that little girl. Jane Holmes had been his next door neighbour for years. John was the one who convinced her to join the military. After Mary died, after they left, Jane had always kept in touch with them. John was the one who was with her when Grace was born. However, they lost touch several years ago, Grace must have been six at the time. He didn't know if she was still alive.

The boys, themselves, were nervous. So nervous, in fact, they were completely silent, stuck in their own heads, thinking about the girl and what she would be like.

When they arrived at the orphanage, the director ran out of the door and greeted them.

"Thank god you're here," the director cried as he reached them.

"Why? What happened?"

"Nothing, but she won't talk to anybody. No matter who we put in front of her, she won't talk to anybody"

John chuckled. It sounded like Grace was exactly the same as her mother, not talking unless she wants to. Maybe the military in Jane was born into Grace. Just maybe.

The boys followed their father. A girl, in their lives, was a never heard of thing. Girls didn't exist in their world, unless it was due to Dean's flirting. Sammy was worried about it. Would Dean no longer be his big brother if they got a little sister?

Dean was worried about Sammy. He had really retreated into his head in the last hour. Was he worried or upset? Dean couldn't tell but he would get it out of him later on that evening. Now, however, he was thinking about the girl. Who was she? And how did Dad know her? He knew both him and Sammy were thinking the same thing.

The family spotted the copper red haired, small seven year old sitting on the manky puke green couch, staring out into the garden, watching all the other children play.

She turned her head, as she heard the noise. Her surprised face was the best thing the family had seen in a long time. Her sea-green eyes held the look of somebody who had seen too much. The pain that was held among them was disbanded as she jumped from the couch and ran full force into John, screaming "Uncle John! Uncle John!"

He bent down to hug her but as he did, she burst out crying.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. It's okay. Tell me what's wrong, sweetheart," John crooned. Dean loved seeing John this way because it reminded him of the Dad he knew before his mother died. But he, then, remembered that Sammy never knew John like this. He tapped John on the shoulder.

John stood up. Grace wiped her eyes.

"Grace," John said, "these are my sons, Dean and Sammy. Your new brothers. Is that okay?"

She nodded her consent. The director had to interrupt that beautiful moment in his nasally and raspy voice.

"Sir, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure. Grace, I'll be back in one minute, okay? Boys, you know what to do"

John walked into the office, after which the door closed behind him. Dean and Sammy looked at each other, then looked at the small girl sitting in front of them, eyes wide with wonder. Sam sat on one side of her, Dean sat on the other, letting her know that she wasn't alone now. That she, now, had family to depend on. She smiled at them and they knew she understood.

Suddenly, the door slammed. John stormed out of the office, clutching a manila envelope under his arm. The director ran after.

"Wait, sir! Are you sure you want to do this?"

John turned around. His face showed an expression of pure anger, a face so fierce it could have stopped a freight train.

"I filled out the paperwork, of course I'm sure. Who do you know that would fill out unnecessary paperwork?"shouted John.

Grace flinched on the couch. Tears filled her eyes, but she didn't cry. Sammy looked at her and hugged her.

"Don't worry, Gracie. Dad isn't usually like this. That man has just pissed him off, that's all. Shh, it's alright."

Dean looked at the scene unfolding beside him and smiled. Sammy would be the perfect big brother for Grace, just as he was himself with Sammy.

"Come on, let's go."

Sam, Dean and Grace jumped from the couch and ran after John, Grace wondering all the time was she going to the place. The director ran after them but by the time he reached them, the shiny black 1969 Chevy Impala speeding down the Interstate.