A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. It's been a rough week around here. Anyway, Ellie ends up getting set to take her first hunt in this chapter. She comes up with her own alias, and does it the same way Dean does it. Bonus cool points to anyone who can figure out where I got Ellie's alias :).

I also stupidly forgot to save this chapter just after I finished typing it, so I used the copy and paste feature of the site. If there's any major formatting errors, I'll fix them in a few hours after I get in from work.

John was stunned.

Ellie had never stood up to him before. She would beg him for things, try and convince him of her arguments, but out and out displays of anger like the one she'd just shown him were unheard of from Ellie. Sam? Not so much. Sam was more than willing to make his feelings known, no matter what happened as a result.

But Ellie was different. Her empathy knew no bounds. She took Dean's message that Daddy does the best he can to heart, and very rarely argued against him. Her number one concern was letting John know that she thought he was a good Daddy, and that while she might hate aspects of their life, she would do her best to make it easier for him.

"You gonna stand there looking stupid all night?"

"Why didn't you warn me she was that mad?"

Bobby shook his head. "She ain't, you idjit."

"What the hell are you talking about? Didn't you just see…?"

"She's hurt, you danged idjit. She worships the ground you walk on."

"I know she did…"

"I said, and I mean, does." Bobby said, exasperated. "Get your ass in the kitchen and help me with dinner. If I'm gonna explain your daughter to you, you might as well be useful."

Ellie was conflicted.

A part of her was glad she'd finally stood up to her father. She knew that he didn't mean to be harsh. She knew it was just part of the way that he was, which made it easier for her to forgive him. It had become a pattern over the course of the last few years. John would be too harsh with Ellie over something minor, or maybe even not so minor, a little time would pass, and John would do something to make it up to her. Of course, he wouldn't tell her that's what he was doing, but Ellie saw it for what it was.

Ellie had been six for a whole week.

Dean had thrown her and Sam a party the morning of their birthdays. Ellie was smart. She knew that, for the first five years of her life, if John wasn't home on their actual birthdays, Dean would just hold their birthday parties on a different day. They'd been too little to know the difference back then.

But this year, Ellie knew. Her and Sammy's birthday was on a Wednesday. She wanted to celebrate on Wednesday. After all, that was the day that she was six years old. On Thursday, she would already be six, so Ellie didn't want to celebrate then. Dean had told her, over and over, not to count on Daddy being home on her birthday. But Ellie was certain he would be.

When Daddy didn't come home, Ellie was brave. She didn't cry, she didn't throw a fit, she didn't even say how mad it made her feel inside. She smiled when Dean gave her and Sam each a Little Debbie cupcake with a candle in the middle, thanked him when he told her Happy Birthday, and hugged him and thanked him again when she went to bed that night.

The trouble came five days later, when John got home. Ellie greeted him like normal, giving him a hug and telling him she was glad he was back. That was true, but Ellie was searching for something. Something very specific. When dinner was over and John didn't give it to her, Ellie finally broke down. She didn't think she was yelling, just raising her voice a bit to make her point, but it was enough that Daddy had spanked her and sent her

"You missed our birthday, Daddy."

She expected an 'I'm sorry', or a hug at the very least, but Daddy had gotten mad. He'd spanked her and sent her to bed early. Ellie did go to bed, but she didn't go to sleep. She didn't understand. Ellie always did something for Daddy's birthday. She'd make him a card or a small present, and give him a hug and tell her she loved him. Why was it so wrong for her to expect the same from him? Sammy tried to make her feel better. He gave her a hug and told her that he was sorry she was sad, and even went to bed early too so she wouldn't be by herself. When Ellie finally fell asleep, she'd resigned herself to the fact that Daddy just didn't care about her as much as she did about him.

"Wake up, baby girl."

Ellie sat straight up in the bed, her head still heavy with sleep. "Daddy?"

"Shh. Come with me. I got something for you."

Intrigued, Ellie climbed out of bed and followed John to the living room. John took a seat on the couch and beckoned Ellie to join him. Ellie, still hurt and scared after the spanking she'd gotten earlier, hesitated. She squeezed Elsie, her stuffed bunny that Ellie dragged with her as often as she could, hard against her chest. When Ellie took a step back, she saw something that surprised her.

Daddy wasn't angry anymore. He was sad.

"Please come sit with me, baby girl."

Ellie walked up slowly, placing Elsie on the couch and lifting her arms up to John. John picked her up and placed her next to him. He put one arm around her and used one arm to dig something out of his pocket. It was a candy bar.

"I thought we could share this. What do you think?"

Ellie smiled. "Okay."

"But you can't tell your brothers. This is just for you and me. Okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

John opened it and handed Ellie the first piece. "Here."

Ellie took a bit and her smile grew even wider. "Thank you, Daddy."

"You're welcome, baby girl." An awkward silence of a few seconds stretched between them, and John cautiously broke it. "So how was your birthday?"

"Good."

"Yeah? What'd you do?"

"Deanie made me and Sammy a cupcake each. He put a candle in it and we blew it out." Ellie said. She wanted to say that she'd missed her daddy too, but trying to make him feel bad earlier had only resulted in her going to bed with a sore bottom.

"Did you miss me?"

Ellie looked up, tears that had nothing to do with the earlier spanking dotting her eyes. "I did, Daddy."

"Baby girl, I'm sorry I didn't do anything for your birthday…"

"Daddy, can I say somefin?" Ellie said. "You promise you won't get mad?"

"I promise."

"I don't want nuffin for my birfday. I just wanted my Daddy too. I don't need a present or nuffin, I swear. I just wanted you to say something."

Ellie, who'd looked down to say what she had to say, looked up and saw something else she didn't think she'd ever see.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Listen to me." John said, wiping away the single tear that was falling. "I'm sorry, baby girl. I'm sorry I can't be here like you need me to be. I'm sorry that I missed your birthday, and that I spanked you instead of trying to talk to you about it. It's still not okay for you to yell at me, but I did deserve it. But you want to know something?"

"What?"

"I was thinking about you and your brother all day."

Ellie smiled again. "Really? You missed us?"

"I miss you whenever I'm away from you. Don't ever doubt that, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. I miss you too."

"Hey, I got something else to tell you."

"What?"

John leaned in closer and whispered dramatically. "You're my favorite baby girl."

Ellie giggled. "Daddy, I'm your only baby girl."

"Well, all the more reason for you to be my favorite, huh?"

"That. Was. AMAZING!" Sam said for the fourth time since they'd left the house.

Despite his earlier appreciation to his father for bringing him to see Ellie, Sam was still angry. Leaving Ellie behind, no matter the rationalization for it, seemed wrong on so many different levels. Now that the two of them were back together, Sam felt better. He felt complete. Ellie standing up to his father a few minutes earlier had taken Sam to a level of happiness he didn't know was possible.

"Sam." Dean said, the warning clear in his tone.

"Come on, Dean. Dad's not here for you to stick up for him."

"Both of you please just shut up!" Ellie said impatiently. She stopped walking and took a seat on a large tree stump at the edge of the auto yard.

Sam rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "Great. Now this is gonna be ruined because you feel bad. Don't, El. You did a good thing here."

"I told Daddy I hated him."

"You should!" Sam said, exasperated. "Come on, El. Dad never should've done this and you know it."

"Sam…" Dean warned.

"And if you stand up to him, too, there's no way he leaves El here again. Come on, Dean. Just this once. Tell Dad he's being a jerk. Please."

"Don't do anything, Dean. And Sam, don't fight with him. Dean or dad. I mean it."

"You're both insane." Sam said. "Nothing will change if we don't do something now."

"Sammy, enough. Just let it rest for now, okay?" Ellie said. "Please? Please just sit with me and talk to me. I've missed you."

No matter how he was feeling at the moment, Sam did have one thing in common with both his dad and older brother. It didn't take much pleading for Ellie to soften him up. Sam smiled and took his seat next to Ellie.

"I missed you too, Sissy."

Ellie grinned. "Missed you more, Bubber."

"Oh, brother." Dean rolled his eyes and forced down a laugh. "You two are so corny sometimes."

"You know you missed me too, Dee."

Dean smiled. "You know I did, kiddo."

Ellie took a breath as her mind continued to turn. "I think I want to take that hunt."

"What?"

"I want to take that hunt." Ellie said. "I know which one Daddy's talking about. Caleb called and asked Bobby about it. Bobby asked me if I wanted to do it, but I said no."

"So don't." Sam said. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to do something different than hunting…"

"Sammy. I'm thirteen. I don't know what I want to do with my life. But I could be good at this…"

"Great." Sam said. "Great. Now you're sucked in too."

"Sam…"

"Dee?" Ellie asked. "Can you give us a minute, please?"

Dean, who'd been prepared to lecture Sam for what felt like the thousandth time to everyone in the family, nodded and walked about halfway back to Bobby's house. When he was out of earshot, Ellie grabbed Sam's hand.

"Sammy, listen to me. Please? I get it. I know you don't want to hunt. That's okay. I think that's great, actually. Whatever happens, I'm there for you. You know that, right?"

"I know."

"I just want you to do the same for me. I'm still figuring out what I want to do. Sure it's not my favorite, but I could be good at hunting. This could get my feet wet in it."

Sam nodded. "I know."

"What's wrong?"

"I just…wish Dad and Dean were as cool with me not wanting to hunt as you are."

"I know. I wish that too. But just…be there for me here, please? I'm gonna mess up and I need you there when I do."

Sam turned and stared at Ellie, mouth opened in shock. "What? What do you mean you're gonna mess up? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"You really think I can do it?"

"Of course I do."

"Then help me. Just…don't fight with Daddy over this. Okay? Please? Do it for me?"

Sam scowled. "Why do I feel like I just got manipulated?"

Ellie bit her cheek as she answered to hide her smile. "I have no idea."

"Yeah, right." Sam rolled his eyes one more time for good measure. "You want to go and tell Dad right now, don't you?" Ellie nodded. "Okay. Come on."

Ellie's resolve was building slowly as she walked up the steps back towards the house. She was excited, not only because she would get a chance to show off her hunting ability for her father, but her father would now see what else she was good at. Her talent show from the year before was running through her mind. The butterflies in her stomach as she walked up the stage and took the microphone. The powerful feeling as the music began and her normally shy, timid voice was replaced with a powerful one that put a smile on the faces out in the audience. The cheering as the song came to an end.

The embarrassment and abject terror when her father found her and dragged her off the stage, suppressing what Ellie felt was a vital part of her for another year.

Now, it was her turn. Her turn to shine, and her father could do nothing about it.

When they returned to the house, Ellie strode with purpose towards the kitchen. She picked up Bobby's house phone, pressed the speaker button, and dialed Caleb's number. Caleb answered easily enough, and was thrilled when Ellie said she would take the hunt. John and Bobby stood by the stove, both looking surprised. Dean was grinning. He had no doubt Ellie could handle this. Sam still seemed unsure, but offered his sister a small smile that she could decipher the meaning of right away.

I don't like it, but I'm here for you.

It was good enough for Ellie.

Caleb was just about done giving Ellie the basics of the hunt. He would set up her transcripts for the school and overnight them, so she'd be able to start on Monday. Ellie thanked Caleb, then added her own conditions.

"Caleb, wait. Can I pick the name you put on the paperwork?"

"Um, sure. Is there a reason?"

"It's my cover. Won't it be easier to remember if I come up with it?"

"Makes sense to me. What name do you want, kiddo?"

"Josephine. Josephine McCoy." Ellie answered.

"Ooookay."

"I have my reason, Caleb. Just trust me." Ellie also made her mind up on something else. "Can you come up with some kind of cover for Daddy too?"

John's eyebrows rose in surprise and he mouthed No!

Ellie could almost hear Caleb grinning. "I sure can. The school's looking to start a PE program."

"Perfect." Ellie said with her own smile. "Thanks, Caleb."

"Thank you, kiddo. There's just not anyone else able to take this. You know you're gonna have to audition there on Monday, right?"

"I kinda figured. I'll work on a song this weekend."

"I wish I could hear it, Buggy." Caleb said sincerely. Ellie smiled; the men in her life each had a nickname that they were only allowed to call her. "You've got a voice like an angel."

Ellie took note of her father's surprise as her brothers and Bobby all nodded their heads in agreement. "Thanks, Caleb. Come back to Bobby's when you're done and maybe I'll sing you a little something. Right now's not a good time."

"You got a deal. I'll get this to Bobby's tomorrow. You rest up this weekend. You got a big day on Monday."

"Thanks again, Caleb. Stay safe."

Ellie hung up the phone, her stomach beginning to flutter. She placed a hand there to quell the nausea and took a breath. You can do this.

"Josephine McCoy?" Sam asked.

Ellie turned around and smiled. "You got all weekend to figure it out."

"Elle Belle, we need to talk…." John said.

"No. Bobby will go over with me whatever I need for the hunt. I still don't trust you, but you're the one I want inside the school with me. Sam, come on. Help me pick a song."