The moment the words stumbled from his lips Kat held her breath and stopped moving. With Dean this close she could see the anger and hurt in his eyes. She didn't really know what to say. Kat sat there immobile for a moment, staring back at Dean while Sam stood behind him wide eyed, waiting to see what happened next. Kat rolled her eyes and let out a nervous laugh.
"You think Sophie is your daughter?" Kat said between forced laughs. "Come on Dean back up."
Dean frowned. "I'm not an idiot Kat. I know she's mine. Why else would a 6 year old call my father in the middle of the night?"
Kat looked at the ground while she fidgeted with her hands. "When did she call you?"
"Last night. I wasn't going to rat her out but you're impossible Kat. How couldn't you tell me?"
Kat shot up and glared at him. "What was I supposed to do Dean? Call you up and say I was pregnant? What would you have done? Dropped everything and lived a normal life? I knew better than that."
"You don't know anything Kat!" Dean shouted as he pulled a hand through his hair. "You have no idea what I would have done! If you had asked me to drop it all, I would have. Is that why you didn't show up that night? You thought I couldn't handle a baby?"
Kat laughed and rolled her eyes. "No Dean, I found out I was pregnant a few days after you left but I'm glad I didn't show up, you would have dropped me off at the next rest stop once you figured out I was pregnant. I've seen 16 and pregnant, I know how it works."
Dean laughed bitterly and clenched his hands into fists. "This isn't a tv show Kat! I'm not those guys. GOD! You are impossible! I would have stuck around. I would have done anything you asked me to. Just because you think I'm some dick who will leave my kid doesn't make me that guy."
"Well what are you going to do now Dean!" Kat shouted, throwing her hands up. "Are you going to drop everything now? You want to play house now? Well here it is, and believe me, it's not easy."
"Fine!" Dean shouted back at her. "Like I said Kat, she called me yesterday, and I'm here. I dropped everything and came here, no questions asked. So you want to see if I can be a family man, watch me."
Kat sat there blinking back at him, confused. Dean just stood there waiting for Kat to say something.
"Fine?" Kat repeated, confused.
"That's what I said." Dean said matter-o-factly.
Kat just rolled her eyes and laughed. "Whatever Dean, let me get down. I know better than to believe that."
Dean pulled on his hair as he stared down at Kat's giggling face. "Why is it so hard to believe?"
"I know what you do for a living Dean, you're too busy saving the world to sit around and play house. So don't sell me this 'I can be a dad' crap, I'm not buying it."
Sam walked closer to the two of them and stared at his brother. "You told her what we do?"
Dean rolled his eyes and turned to his brother. "7 years ago in November, Tucson Arizona, the weird carnival…"
Sam's eyes widened. "She was the reason we stayed in Arizona that long? God Dean, you knew I hated it there."
"It was barely 60 degrees, suck it up man, it was better than snow." Dean turned his attention back to an annoyed Kat. "Just let me get to know her Kat, if you want me gone in a week, I'll be gone, but just let me try and show you I'm serious."
Kat was already getting tired of this conversation and though she'd never admit it, she wanted Dean to stick around. She had thought about him for years, wishing he'd be the guy she dreamed about and could be the father she imagined. Why not give him the test drive?
Kat sighed and nodded. "Fine, one week and then I'll reassess things. You can start with dinner. If you can survive a dinner with Taylor, there may be hope for you. Now move, I'm ordering take out, the pasta is dead."
Dean kissed Kat on the head quickly before backing up and letting her off the counter. As Kat hopped of the counter she smiled to herself. He still knew how to get his way with her and though it annoyed her, it also gave her an ounce of hope. Maybe he was serious and she was wrong. Maybe he could be the man she always wished him to be… but she didn't believe it just yet.
Dean sat next to Sophie and his brother at the round table in Kat's dining room, a plate of Chinese food in front of him. Kat was right, they were too busy arguing to pay attention to the noodles that were turning into putty on the stove. Kat tossed the food then went out to go find food, which knowing Kat, was just an excuse to get away from an awkward conversation. Though all his questions hadn't been answered, Dean decided he'd take what he could get and spend his time getting to know his daughter.
Kat sat down across from him, crossing her legs in her chair, a habit that shocked Dean. He remembered Kat sitting everywhere with her legs crossed, but seeing her now, the image of professional, he would have never guessed she kept up with such an un-professional habit. He smiled down at his food appreciating the Kat he had known years ago was still in there somewhere. Kat liked to say she had become a whole new person, but from what Dean could see, she was the same old Kat just with a more professional wardrobe.
"So," Taylor started, ready to pry, "how did you and Katie meet?"
"Kat, my name is Kat." Kat mumbled as she picked at her food.
Dean smiled at Kat as she focused her attention on the glass table in front of her, avoiding eye contact.
"We actually met at a carnival." Dean said matter-o-factly.
"Oh that sounds romantic!" Taylor exclaimed looking from one to the other.
Kat rolled her eyes as she took a bite of an egg roll. Dean stifled a laugh. The way they met was anything but romantic, but if that's what Taylor wanted to believe, then who was he to burst her bubble?
Dean walked around the fairgrounds looking for anything that could give him an idea of what he and his brother were looking for. They had been pushing passed families and kissing teenagers for hours and they still hadn't found anything. Dean was about to turn around and go retrieve his brother when he heard a scream a few feet ahead of him. Dean followed the general direction he assumed he had heard the sounds coming from until found himself in a clearing. In the clearing stood a girl all in black holding a long silver knife, slightly crouched, ready to pounce. Past the girl in all black stood another girl, tiny, with dark brown hair down to her waist wearing a blue flower print sundress and black sandals. The smaller girl stood there shaking looking around the clearing, hoping to find something that would help protect her.
Dean's job was to save people, so he didn't even think about it when he pulled his gun out and pointed at the girl with the knife.
"Drop it!" Dean said, completely calm.
The girl in black turned around to find a gun in her face. The girl just glared at him, looking more annoyed than afraid.
"Look, I don't want to hurt you. Just go back, this has nothing to do with you." The girl in front of him said calmly, as if this were a normal situation.
Dean looked at the girl confused, still holding his gun in her face. "I'm not just going to let you cut some girl up. Sorry honey, it's just not a thing I can just walk away from."
The girl in black rolled her eyes and turned to the other girl. "She isn't just some girl, she's an abomination and it's my job to take care of her."
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The other girl shouted.
Dean had dealt with his fair share of "abominations" in his lifetime, but this scared tiny girl didn't look like she fit the description. Dean rolled his eyes then shot his gun over his head. The girl in black turned around and stared at him with wide eyes.
"Look lady, I'll take care of this, so either scram or the next bullet goes in your head."
The girl looked at Dean for a moment, trying to decide if he was serious or not. It only took a moment staring at his eyes to see he was completely serious and if she didn't leave soon she wouldn't see another day. The girl huffed but walked back towards the direction of the carnival.
"Just know if you don't shoot her, I'll be back, and I will take care of this." The girl said as she walked away.
"Yeah, yeah. Why don't you go eat some cotton candy, people like you need somethin' sweet in their lives." Dean called after her as the girl walked away.
Once she was gone Dean turned his attention to the shaking girl in front of him. Though she was a peculiar girl with blue eye shadow around her hazel eyes and a blue bow in her hair, she didn't look like the monster the girl had described. Just to be sure, Dean pulled a handful of salt out of his pocket and as he approached the girl he threw the handful of salt at her. The salt hit her in the face and though she flinched it didn't burn her. She spit the salt out of her face, shot Dean a quizzical look, then burst into a fit of laughter. Dean just watched the girl confused, missing what was funny about this whole situation.
"Oh my god! You a-salted me!" The girl shouted between giggles.
Dean looked at the girl as if she were insane. She was almost stabbed to death and she was focusing on a terrible joke? This girl had to be insane. Even if she were insane, she was no monster, so now it was his job to get her somewhere safe.
"I'm gonna assume you're having one of those PTSD hysteric fits at the moment, and I understand you're in shock, but I need to get you somewhere safe." Dean explained as he tried to think of where he could take her.
The girl just stood there in front of him continuing to laugh. Dean was starting to get frustrated with this girl. Seriously, one would have thought she didn't care if she lived or died the way she was behaving. Finally the girl straightened herself and stopped laughing. She then stood there smiling up at Dean as she swayed to the distant sounds of music from the fairgrounds.
"Look prince charming, I appreciate you saving me and all but I have to get home." The girl stated as she shrugged and started towards the fairgrounds.
Dean grabbed the girl by the arm. "Oh no you don't. You were almost killed. I'm at least going to make sure you're safe tonight. You got a name?"
"I do but I don't give my name out to every pretty boy who asks." The girl said, as if this were a typical way to meet people.
"I just saved your life, and you're about to spend the night with me, so I think I've earned the right to learn your name."
"My name's Kat, and if you think I'm spending the night with you, you're sadly mistaken. I'll give you a chance to woo me enough to earn a night with me, but if you fail I'm going home and leaving my fate in the hands of the universe."
Kat stood on her toes, kissed Darien on the cheek, then turned and ran back towards the fair.
"Let's just say the way we met was eventful." Dean said while he watched Kat.
Kat looked up and smiled at him, enjoying their private joke. As if it were contagious, which Kat's smile usually was, Dean's lip turned up into a smile as he winked at her from across the table. Kat did her usual eye roll before taking another bite of her egg roll. Dean was pulled away from watching Kat when he felt a sharp pain in his side. He turned to his brother who was pointing at a waiting Taylor. He was so busy being amused by their little joke he had missed Taylor's next question. Dean turned his attention back to Taylor, eagerly waiting to ask her next question.
"So what do you do for a living Darien?" Taylor asked, ignoring her food and watching Darien's every move.
Though Taylor had a sweet as honey smile across her lips, Dean had a feeling there were some hostile feelings behind that smile.
Dean returned the smile. "I'm a mechanic. Glamorous, I know."
Kat scoffed at the lie. That was something he did for a living, lie, but fixing cars? Unless it was his car, he probably had never fixed a car in his life. Taylor whipped her head around and glared at her sister. Kat smiled innocently and shrugged.
"I'm sorry my sister is so rude," Taylor interjected. "I think it's great you fix cars. Neither of us can fix a damn thing. Probably why we're always poor, maybe we should find a man to fix all the crap wrong in our lives."
Kat shot a glare at her sister. "Men don't just come in and magically fix everything Taylor. I can fix my life just fine without one, and if I need to dish out cash to fix my sink, I'd rather pay the bill."
Kat glared back down at the plate in front of her, avoiding the sets of eyes now staring at her. The tension level was getting too high for Sam's comfort, so he decided this was the time to diffuse the situation. Sam had a talent for making awkward situations disappear.
"So," Sam turned his attention to Kat, "how did you meet John?"
Kat tensed and looked up with wide eyes. Well I guess that wasn't a great way to fix the situation, Sam thought to himself. Dean watched as Kat collected herself and focused all her attention on Sam, making sure not to make eye contact with Dean. Kat took a deep breath and forced her lips into a smile.
"Well," Kat said as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I went back to the hotel Dean was staying in when I found out about Sophie and John was there."
"You came looking for me?" Dean asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
Kat turned to stare at the wall next to her and nodded. Dean sat there blinking at her, completely shocked. She went to see him. Even after she didn't show up she went looking for him. But why?
"But-" Dean racked his fingers through his hair. "I came back for you a month later and you weren't there. I asked everyone I ran into and no one knew where you were."
Kat just sat there and cringed. Dean felt the desperation grow inside him as he watched Kat actively ignore him. Sophie could feel the tension building next to her and took it her upon herself to diffuse the situation. She nudged Dean who turned to her faster than she had expected.
"Mom was living in Virginia when I was born." Sophie whispered.
Kat turned wide eyes to her daughter. She couldn't yell at Sophie, she hadn't done anything wrong, but Kat had wanted to keep that piece of information to herself. Dean turned back to Kat, his mouth gaping open.
"You were living in our old house? Where I grew up? You were in Virginia this whole time?" Darien exclaimed, hurt and anger swelling inside him.
Kat finally turned her attention to Dean and nodded. "I told John I was pregnant and he drove me to Virginia. He said it was the safest place he could think of. I stayed there until Sophie was born then I found out my sister lived here and I moved to Ohio."
As she spoke the stabbing pain in his heart grew. She was living in his childhood home for a whole year and he had no clue. He hadn't been home in years, it would always be his home, but he had no reason to go back. His father had always been on the road and his brother was with him, so what was the point of returning to four walls and a roof? But she had been there, for a whole year, and he never knew.
"Why didn't you call me?" Dean snapped, letting his anger be the dominant emotion. "Why didn't you talk to me and tell me what was going on?"
Kat shot him a dirty look and shook her head. "I called Dean, it took me three months to build up the courage but I finally called and do you want to guess where you were when I called? At a bar, I'm guessing, while some drunk girl was screaming your name in the background. Knowing you she probably spent the night with you. I wasn't going to be the bearer of bad news while you were trying to get laid. I wasn't going to be that girl who ruined your life."
Before Kat could say anything else she got up from the table and walked out the back door, slamming it behind her.