Vrskaandrea: Thank you for the blessing. I'm so happy that you think I did it justice! Deep down Dean knows they wont hurt Kayla but she's very stressed and close to the edge and probably wouldn't have even considered that if Sam hadn't said anything, but he was just going off what Caleb had told them. But fear not Bobby knows just what to do to pull Dean back from that edge. Unfortunately there are very few Bobby/Kayla interactions but some one shots might happen.
Franki3Winchester: Glad you loved this chapter! I agree there is wrong doing on both sides. Caleb should have told Dean and Dean should chill a bit, but just remember how protective Dean is over Sam and then multiply it by about 1000! Thanks for the reviews. x
CHAPTER 65
Bobby, Sam and Caleb were just finishing up breakfast when Dean walked in. She'd had a lot of time to think on her run and had managed to think herself into a fury.
"Dean? You okay?" Bobby asked concerned at the look on her face.
"Here!" She said thrusting Kayla at Sam. He took her and she immediately tried to grab at his hair.
"What's going on?" Sam asked.
Dean produced a large silver knife from the holster at her back.
"Woah! Dean what's happening?" Sam asked, drawing Kayla close.
She slammed the knife down on the table and slid it to the middle.
"You want to test her so badly? You think she's some kind of a monster? Go ahead! Test her!" Dean said.
"Dean, calm down." Sam said, trying to extract his hair from Kaylas grip.
"You said it yourself Sammy, I'm cursed! So that must mean there's something wrong with Kayla!" Dean yelled.
"We don't think that." Caleb said.
"Bullshit! I saw your face!" Dean screamed at him before calming. "All your faces, the moment you saw her. I saw the fear! You all thought it. You all wondered what she was. If she was dangerous."
"No Dean, we didn't!" Caleb began.
"Yeah, you did! You wanna know how I know? Because I though the very same thing. You honestly think I didn't do every test I could think of? I even recited six different types of exorcisms, before she was even born! She was baptised and didn't even flinch. But you don't want to trust me?" Deans lip had split open again during her rant and was trickling a thin line of blood down her chin.
Kayla jumped at the sound of Deans raised voice. She stared at her mother then looked to her uncle. She tapped Sam on the chest.
"Ammy, mumma ow." She said pointing at Dean.
Sam smiled reassuringly at the child on his lap.
"You're all so worried about her! Then go ahead. She's right there. That knifes silver, cut her."
"No." Caleb said.
"But you wanted to test her." Dean snarled. "What all of a sudden you're too weak to cut a child?"
She leaned across the table and picked up the knife.
•
Bobby had been observing Dean throughout the exchange. He took in the paleness of Deans face that caused the bruises and dark circles under her eyes stand out. The cut on her lip had opened and a small trickle of blood ran down her chin but she didn't seem to notice. But it wasn't until she moved and he saw the grip of her Taurus beneath her unzipped jacket that he really worried. From her stance and the strained calmness of her voice he could tell she was one wrong word from her flight or fight instinct kicking in. The fact she was armed with at least one knife and her gun, he was sure that 'fight' would be the winner and it would turn ugly.
"Dean! Look at me!" Bobby used the same tone John would use on his children, the one tone he swore he'd never use. Dean immediately snapped to attention, looking at the older hunter. "When was the last time you slept?"
"I...I got a few hours last night."
"A proper, good nights sleep?"
"I...I.." Dean tried to remember.
"This is what's going to happen. You're going to take Kayla, go upstairs and get some sleep." Bobby ordered.
"Why don't you leave her here with us." Sam suggested. Dean immediately tensed.
"No." Bobby said.
"But she'd get a better sleep." Sam argued.
"No. What Dean needs now is to take Kayla and go upstairs to rest. Besides we're going into town. We'll be gone at least two hours. Okay Dean."
"Okay." She nodded.
Dean reached out and took Kayla from Sam, hugging her close, while Bobby stood and walked around the table. He wrapped an arm around Deans shoulder and lead her to the stairs.
"Go up and sleep Dean." He said gently but fo food measure added. "That's an order." .
"Yes sir." Dean replied and began to walk up the stairs.
"Why do we all gotta go into town?" Caleb said.
"Because she'll be able to sleep knowing the house is empty." Bobby said. "Dean is pushed as far to the edge as she's going to get right now, and I'll be damned if any of the three of us is the reason she falls."
"So what are we going into town for anyway?" Sam asked.
"Need to get some baby gates for the stairs. Deans not the only one who's in danger of falling around here."
•
Dean walked into her room. She was exhausted and her brain felt scrambled. She closed the door and put Kayla on the bed. She removed her jacket and holster, sliding both the gun and knife under the pillows before curling up with Kayla in her arms. Kayla pushed away.
"Mumma, ooown." She complained.
"No baby. We'll play later I promise but mommy's tired and it's sleep time."
"Noooo." The baby tried to wriggle out of her moms arms.
"Please baby. Mommy's gotta sleep, please Kayla." Dean pleaded with her daughter.
Kayla stopped struggling. She looked at Deans face, gently touching her lip.
"Mumma ow?"
"Yeah, Baby, mommy's got an ouch."
Kayla sat up and pressed a drooly, open mouth kiss to Deans face.
"Thanks Kayla." Dean smiled, wiping her face.
Kayla settled back down and snuggled into Dean. She yawned and rubbed her eye before putting her hand on Deans cheek and closing her eyes. As Kaylas breathing evened about and she slipped into a deep sleep, Dean listened to the sounds of the others moving around downstairs. She heard the front door close, followed by the car doors and then the engine fired and she heard the vehicle drive away. Pulling Kayla closer, she allowed her body to relax and finally she slipped into sleep.
•
There's someone in the room with them...
Dean gripped the gun under her pillow without even leaving the twilight sleep she had been lingering in ever since Kayla awoke. She'd been aware of her young daughter laying beside her babbling away, but now she sensed another presence in the room with them, moving about. Dean was glad she had forgone pulling the blanket over her, blankets tangle, blankets hamper your escape and slow your attack, and Dean was ready to attack.
"It's me Dean, it's just Sam." A hand gently rested on her shoulder and she relaxed and released the tight grip on the weapon.
•
Sam carefully opened the door and quietly slipped into the room, balancing the cup of juice and bowl of food he'd brought up for Kayla. Closing the door with the slightest of clicks he hoped he'd managed to get in with out disturbing Dean but he could see by the way she lay tensed on the bed he'd failed.
"It's me Dean, it's just Sam."
He carefully placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her relax, never even opening an eye.
"I've brought up some food and a drink for Kayla. I'm just going to stay in here and watch her so you can sleep. We aren't even going to leave the room."
Kayla had stood up and was leaning on Dean, smiling at her uncle.
"Do you want to come with me Princess?" He asked and reached out to take her.
As soon as he tried to lift her off the bed Deans arm tightened around her and her eyes opened.
"We're not going anywhere. I'm just going to play with her here on the floor. Go back to sleep."
Dean released the child but turned over so she was facing into the room.
"Mumma, sssss, ow." Kayla told her uncle seriously.
"Yeah. Mommy's sleeping now."
He didn't quite get what Kayla was trying to tell him, but he had long hair to pull on so that's okay.
Sam put Kayla on the floor and covered Dean with a blanket, then spread another out on the floor so he could sit with Kayla. They spent the next couple of hours playing. Sam found Kayla to be a fairly easy going kid. She only got upset a few times but Sam was able to calm her before Dean awoke. They mostly played Kaylas favourite game, which only had three rules so Sam picked it up quickly.
Rule one: Give Kayla her toy.
Rule two: throw toy.
Rule three: pick toy up and give back to Kayla.
And repeat...for hours!
Occasionally Kayla would crawl over to the bed and pull herself up to check on Dean. Once satisfied her mom was sleeping soundly she'd crawl back to Sam.
"Do you want some fruit?" Sam asked holding out a strawberry.
"Noooo!" Kayla shook her head pushing the offending berry away.
"Okay, what about this?" He held up a small triangle sandwich.
"Uh!" Kayla nodded and reached for the bread and cheese.
She managed to get a good amount into her mouth before dropping it and picking up her cup.
"How about some banana?" He offered Kayla a piece. Dropping the cup she took hold of the chunk of banana and shoved it in her mouth. After a few chews she pulled it out of her mouth and offered it to Sam.
"Ew, no thanks you keep it." He said.
"You have to take it."
Sam turned to see Dean still snuggled down in her pillow and blanket watching them.
"What?"
"She's offering it to you, you have to take it." Dean said with a smile.
"But it's gross."
"I know, but it's teaching her to share. If you don't take it she won't learn."
"Alright." He sighed then held out his hand, smiling at Kayla. "Thank you princess." He grimaced as she dumped the half chewed lump in his hand. "Do I have to eat it?"
"Nah." Dean threw the blanket back and sat up. "Just taking its enough. You can give it back to her if you want."
Sam offered it back but Kayla pushed his hand away and shook her head. She crawled to her mom and used Deans legs to pull herself up to standing.
"Mumma, Uh!" She held her arms up.
Dean picked her up and sat her in her lap.
"Did you have a good time with Uncle Sammy?"
"Ammy!" She said pointing, then launched into a flow of baby gibberish. Dean answered this with occasional 'really', 'uh-Huh' and the odd 'wow! That sounds like fun!'.
"Can you actually understand her?" Sam asked.
"Not a word." Dean said standing.
"How'd you sleep?"
"Great, actually. How long was I out?"
"I don't know, four or five hours?" Sam estimated. "You look better."
"I feel better." Dean looked at Kayla. "Do you need a diaper change?"
She shook her whole body 'no'.
"I just did it about half an hour ago." Sam said.
"Was it bad?" Dean asked with an evil smirk.
"Nah, just wet."
"Damn!" Dean sighed. "Well I guess we should make an appearance downstairs, show them all I haven't gone insane."
"Why don't you take a shower first?" Sam said looking at Deans rumpled running clothes.
Dean looked at Kayla momentarily worried.
"Take her with you. I think she's a bit concerned about your 'ow'." Sam said. "She kept pointing and saying 'mumma, ssssss, ow'. Took me a while to figure out what she was on about."
"Yeah, she's a keeper. Okay, mischief, mommy's got to go make herself presentable. Wanna hang with me or go with uncle Sammy?"
"Can you stop calling me 'Uncle Sammy'?"
"Hmmm, no!"
Dean tried to pass Kayla off to Sam but she hung on tightly.
"Told you." Sam said.
"Okay, quick shower it is, but you've got to promise to stay out of the puddles." Dean said as she pulled out some clothes and headed for the bathroom.
***Only eight chapters to go until the end of this story but if you are looking for a great Dean/Michael story to hold you over until the next chapter...check out ROLES REVERSED by my good friend VRSKAANDREA, available now on Fanfiction and AO3!****
