The Newest Winchester(s)
Braden called out hello as he knocked on the open front door of Lacy's house, "anybody here?"
"Hey man, just came in to get some beverages, your heathens are in the backyard," Lacy told him holding two juice boxes in her hands.
"Sorry I'm late I had a call twenty minutes before my shift ended," Braden said trying to shake the weariness from his face. "Tell me they were good."
"For the most part, though I see an awful lot of you in Allie," Lacy answered with a smile.
Allison Nichole was Braden and Morgan's first child and had just turned eight. She was named after Allison, Braden's mother and Nichole after Morgan's mother. Allie was soon followed by her brother six year old Sean Braden who was named by combining Dean and Sam's names together and Braden was quite proud of himself for coming up with that. Morgan insisted on Braden for the middle name after the man she was deeply in love with. They had married when Allison was six months old and hadn't regretted the path their lives had taken.
"Yeah, I think she definitely takes after me," Braden said of his adventurous daughter.
The two made their way to the backyard to find it completely devoid of any children. Braden's shoulders slumped as he sighed.
"I hope my dad's happy," he said in disgust.
"Why because now you have a child who is just like you were?" Lacy asked.
"Yes, he wished it upon me from the time I was twelve."
"They were back here when I went in for the drinks I swear."
"I'm sure they were any ideas?"
"We went for a walk in the cemetery and Allison was way too fascinated, said it was really cool."
"It's getting dark and she would have had a hard time dragging Sean with her, but more than likely that's where they are," Braden said speaking of the cemetery that was behind Lacy's house.
"Remember the time when you were eleven and a bunch of us met over here and snuck over to the groundskeeper's old house? We all wanted to see the ghost of Mrs. Lipton."
"Yeah I remember Max daring me to go onto the porch, I made him come with me and his knees were shaking. I had already seen a full body apparition and had no need to do it again but there was just no backing down when it came to Max. He was responsible for getting me in more trouble."
"Yeah well if I recall that night you both got nailed," Lacy said smiling.
"Yeah my dad just didn't have the heart to smack you," Braden said shaking his head.
"It was chaos that's for sure."
"All I remember now is seeing some movement and then hearing the Impala pull up and Max swearing as my dad's hand made contact with his behind and then Dad beating my ass all the way to the car," Braden said lost in memory.
"Yeah he grabbed my hand and I saw the angry look on his face put he just slid me in the car and took me home. I was grounded for two weeks. How did he find out where we were?"
"A little birdie named Katie chirped and busted me out," Braden said as they made their way over the iron fence.
"Ahh, well you and Max found plenty of trouble that's for sure. You were so good for him," Lacy commented.
"Yeah it was that urban legend project that brought us together. He finally let his guard down and me into his world. His mom was nice but had trouble keeping everything together."
"Your dad helped him so much, he kept him in a line."
"Yeah the first time my dad laid into him I think he was grateful, his mom gave up long ago and he seemed relieved that someone wasn't going to take his crap," Braden recalled fondly of their times together. "I haven't heard from his since Sean's 3rd birthday party. I just hope he's okay wherever he is."
"Anyway where are those kids," Lacy said snapping back to the present.
"I'll go this way and you go that way, we need to get them before the sun goes down."
Braden made his way around the headstones large and small and began to call out for his wayward children. The sinking sun caused long shadows and he was sure his son was getting very nervous about now.
"Daddy is going to be mad that we aren't at Aunt Lacy's," Sean told his sister. "It was almost time for him to come get us."
"And it is almost time for you to be quiet, now I just want to get a look at the house," Allie said reaching out for her little brother's hand.
"No I'm going back and I'm telling Daddy on you," Sean said breaking free and heading towards the nearest path out of the graveyard.
"Chicken," Allie whispered long after Sean was gone.
She made her way to the porch of the house and was jiggling the door handle when the door popped open. She inhaled deeply and peeked her head inside taking a good look around at the dust and cobwebs that had formed throughout the old parlor. She was preparing herself to take the first step inside when someone grabbed her and held their hand over her mouth.
Allie's eyes were huge and she was terrified until she heard the whisper in her ear. "Shhh, it's Daddy, I've got you."
Braden had seen his son run off and meet up with Lacy and then just as darkness settled in spied his daughter making her way to the porch. He watched her open the door and he witnessed the specter disappear from the upstairs window and most likely make it's way to greet the visitor at the front door.
"I'm going to take my hand off your mouth so stay quiet," Braden said but as he removed his hand from Allie's mouth she saw a transparent being only feet away and could not contain her scream.
Braden took off as fast as he could carrying his daughter who was now brave enough in the arms of her father to look at what had scared her. It looked like a woman from an earlier time who seemed nothing but confused. Finally they made their way through the gate and safely to the sidewalk.
Now little Allie adored her father and had him wrapped right around her little finger so it came as somewhat of a surprise when his hand came crashing into her jean clad behind and by the time the second blow found its mark the tears had begun to flow.
Braden squatted down and spun her around to look at him, "what do you think you were doing young lady? You went out when it was nearly dark to a cemetery and were trespassing in a house that wasn't your own. And you dragged your little brother with you," Braden finished.
Allie felt the tears wind their way down her face and found herself unable to look her father in the eyes. She finally was able to whisper sorry before Braden stood up.
"I am very upset with you right now and we will talk about this some more later," Braden said as he clutched his daughters hand and began to make his way down the street. Allison's legs tried to keep up with Braden's six foot frame as they walked back to Lacy's house.
"Daddy," Sean yelled running towards his father.
"Thank God you found her," Lacy said noticing Allison's distraught state. "Everything okay?"
"We'll be fine, thanks and I'll get back with you about when we'll need you again," Braden said turning to leave.
"Bye guys," Lacy said waving, she loved being a part of her dear friends life and helping out with the kids.
Allie sat in the backseat her arms crossed and her head down; Sean looked over at her concerned but kept quiet. Allie took after Braden and Sean was much more controlled and introspective like his mother. Braden knew his daughter was not happy but knew that if she was going to be anything like he was then he needed to set some ground rules and fast.
"I want you in your room, I will come in and speak with you soon," Braden told his eldest after arriving home.
"What happened?" Morgan asked giving her son a kiss.
"I'll explain in a minute. I'm exhausted; a head on collision and then a mentally unstable patient off his meds who decided that taking swings at me was his new hobby." Braden said as he petted their big yellow slobbery mixed Labrador named Buck. He had belonged to a neighbor and when he passed away the man's adult son declared he was going to dump the dog in the country so Braden decked him and brought the dog home.
"Your shifts are too long," Morgan said.
"Nature of the business, long hours and stressful days," Braden said opening a beer.
"Daddy play me a song," Sean asked.
"Okay buddy," Braden agreed picking up his acoustical guitar. Both his children loved to hear him play
and he often rewarded good behavior with a song as well as calming frayed nerves after a hectic day. He wasn't far into his melody when he saw Allie's head peek around the corner, Braden kept his concentration as he glared at his daughter causing her to retreat back to her room. Song over and Sean in the tub Braden explained what happened to his wife.
"So there was a ghost?" Morgan asked.
"Yeah this story goes back a long way," Braden began and then launched into his experience.
"Tell me the origins?"
"The Lipton's lived there Theodore, Myrtle and little Abner. Ted took care of the grounds and Myrtle took care of Abner. Then one day Abner got sick and died leaving the bereaved couple to deal with the loss. The boy is buried in the cemetery and then many years later Ted dies and Myrtle is forced to leave the grounds since she can't care for them on her own. It is said that later she was killed in a fire but comes back to the cemetery where her family was buried and where she knew love and happiness. I really don't think she wants vengeance I think she just wants to be around."
"Since she died in a fire her remains aren't buried but there could be pieces out there somewhere?"
"Yeah, scattered among remnants of the building she was in. It really is a sad story and I kinda feel bad for Mrs. Lipton but I can't risk Allison nor could my dad risk me or my friends," Braden said getting up. "I better talk to her."
Braden gently knocked on the door as he entered. Allison looked up but quickly turned her back on her father.
"You're angry, I get that but we need to talk about what happened tonight," Braden said sitting down on the bed.
Allison continued to ignore her father.
"Okay keep pouting, but if I get up and leave you will be stuck in your room until you start talking," Braden warned.
"That's not fair," Allie said finally releasing her silence.
"Life's not fair, get used to it. Now do you know why I was so upset?"
"Cause I went off by myself," the youngster said her arms folded head down.
"You were to stay in the backyard and be nowhere else. What you did was called trespassing and it's illegal," Braden explained.
"Like the police get you?" Allie asked wide eyed.
"Yes ma'am like the police get you. That house isn't public property and not for people to go inside."
"Then why don't they knock it down?"
"Because the historical society says it's a piece of the town's history and they want it to stay."
"What did I see?"
Braden sighed and was afraid of this question. "Something that you shouldn't have something I hoped you never would. Sometimes when a person dies a part of them stays behind and that is what you saw."
"A ghost? They're real?"
"Most people don't want to believe it so they don't and they think people that do are crazy. So you saw something most never will and it is for the best if you don't talk about it at least not outside this house and not to your brother," Braden advised.
"He is such a scaredy cat," Allie said of her brother.
"No he is just cautious which is not a bad thing."
"Did you ever go to that house?"
Braden debated his answer looking at this daughter who was eagerly awaiting the answer. "Yeah I was much older than you were and guess what?"
"What?"
"I got caught too."
"What happened did the police take you away?"
"Nope, Grandpa caught me and he was not very happy about it."
"What happened did you get spanked to?" Allie asked leaning close to her dad.
"Yes I did and much more harshly than you got and I never went back there."
"You did tonight," she reminded him.
"That's cause I had to get you," Braden said tilting his head.
"Did you get spanked a lot?"
"Every day," Braden replied.
"No you didn't," Allie said not believing her father.
"You're right but sometimes it felt like it, and I hated it so you better not be heading down that path because you will not be a happy little girl."
"Am I still in trouble?" she asked giving her best sad eyes.
"You stay in here until Sean is done in the tub then you get a bath and I'll play you a song before you go to bed," Braden promised.
"Okay," Allie agreed.
Sean had no less than three nightmares that night and both Morgan and Braden were exhausted the next morning. Braden stumbled out of bed tripping over Sean who had dragged his sleeping bag into the master bedroom setting up shop on the floor at the foot of the bed. Braden made it the shower and got dressed and eventually got to the kitchen and started the coffee pot. He was getting breakfast ready for the kids and sorting out their outfits from the clean pile of clothes in the basket when there was an urgent knock on the door. "What now?" he said quietly.
Braden opened the door and saw his brother Jack standing there his face wearing quite the unhappy look. "What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk," Jack said.
"JD it is 6:15 in the morning what are you doing here and what is so important?" Braden asked.
"This," Jack answered tossing John's journal on the table.
"Well shit," Braden said sighing.
