Dean & Charlie

Chapter One

Dean awoke to a loud rustling coming from the kitchen. He tried to ignore it at first, turning over onto his side and burrowing deeper into his pillow, but it persisted.

He sat up, now completely awake, and glanced at his phone; the screen read 12:32. The rustling noise occurred again, and it was then that this startling realization hit Dean; someone was in his house at 12:32 in the morning.

Dean got out of bed and grabbed the metal bat he kept under his bed in case of this specific event. He tiptoed down the short hallway, bat poised to strike. He rounded the corner and turned the kitchen light on, revealing...his five year old daughter eating ice cream at the kitchen table.

He let out a large sigh and set the bat down. "Charlie, what are you doing?"

She looked up nonchalantly. "Eating ice cream," she said around a mouthful of half-melted chocolate ice cream.

"Let me rephrase that." Dean crossed the room and sat down beside his daughter. "What are you doing eating ice cream at 12:30 in the morning?"

Charlie shrugged. "I couldn't sleep."

"Well, penny for your thoughts, Charlie Bean?" Dean brushed her blonde curls from her face.

"I'm scared about school," Charlie admitted glumly, dropping the spoon into her bowl with a loud clink. "What if the other kids don't like me?" Her shoulders slumped.

Dean rubbed her shoulders. "They're gonna love you, Char. You wanna know why?"

Her hazel eyes met his. "Why?"

"Because I love you." He tickled her sides.

Charlie's eyes scrunched up and she giggled, smiling widely. "Stop, daddy!"

Dean pulled her into his lap and continued. "Not until you say it back, princess."

"I love you too, daddy!" Charlie shouted between giggles.

"Now, how about we get you all cleaned up and then go to sleep." He poked her chocolate smeared cheek.

Charlie shook her head. "Nuh-uh, I'm not tired."

"That's probably because you ate an entire bowl of ice cream." Dean pointed to the empty bowl. "How'd you get up there anyways?"

"I climbded it," she said proudly.

Dean shook his head, a smile on his face. "Did you?"

"I did!" Charlie's smile mimicked that of her father.

Dean stood, throwing Charlie over his shoulder. "Well come on, you little spider monkey." He set her on the counter and wet a paper towel. "Wipe your face." He handed it to her.

Charlie cleaned her face while Dean put the dishes in the sink and washed them quickly.

"Daddy, can we watch a movie together?" Charlie asked as Dean dried his hands and threw the used paper towel in the trash bin.

"Charlie, it's way past your bedtime, and you have a big day tomorrow." Dean crossed his arms over his chest, steeling himself against what he knew was coming next.

His daughter looked up at him with big eyes. "Please?"

"Charles come on-"

She clasped her hands together. "Please daddy?"

Dean sighed in defeat. "Fine, but only one movie, and tomorrow morning you're not allowed to complain about how tired you are. Got it?"

Charlie nodded, smiling widely. "I wanna watch Moana!" She hopped off the counter and ran towards Dean's room.