Sam sat on his bed, trying to focus on the paragraph in front of him. He read it three times and still hadn't comprehended the words. He looked down at Kate and bit into his lip. He thought about when they were in the woods and she mentioned that he had woken her up from a dream. He was certain that he hadn't. He didn't speak to her at all the previous night. She had been angry with him and he could understand why, although it hadn't actually happened. He thought about Flagstaff, when he had skipped town for a few weeks. He had been angry with John and needed space. His reasoning was so much more simple. Kate knew that the infamous secret was something big and Sam sympathized with her desire to dig. He knew the 'big secret' and he dreaded the moment that she did too. He understood why Dean and his dad tried to shelter him as long as they did. He felt like a spectator. He had been as mad as everyone else when she ran. He was scared and worry and frustrated. He had been the runner and hadn't seen that side of it. He hadn't had the visions she had but he had seen enough to know how much impact they had. He thought about the yellow house and what it could mean. Dean had went to look at it in person and nothing jumped out as suspicious at first glance. He considered trying to find the house with Kate, in vision form, and assist her in checking it out. That could get him in hot water and her in deeper trouble, so he decided against it. She looked so small and helpless. He wanted to protect her from everything, including the repercussions from earlier in the day. He understood the turmoil Dean must have felt in previous years when he was stuck between annoying big brother and interim parental figure.

He snuck down stairs, leaving the door open so he could hear if she woke up. He saw Bobby sitting at his desk with a glass of whiskey. "Where's Dean?"

"Went for a run." Bobby said without looking up.

"What is going to happen to her?" Sam asked, inching his way into the study.

Bobby sat back in his chair and downed the rest of his drink. "Still working on that."

Sam sat down in the chair across from Bobby and drummed his fingers on his knees. "You talked to her dad?"

"Yeah, son. I did." Bobby said, rubbing his temple.

"What did he say?" Sam pressed.

"We talked about what happened and why. I don't know why she left in the first place but she did. She ran, put herself in extreme danger and fought you two on the way back. It wasn't a spur of the moment decision. She covered her tracks inside the house and out. She also shut the phone off once I tried to call her." Bobby stated calmly.

Sam grimaced and popped his knuckles. Sam smiled weakly. "So, I'm guessing if I throw myself in front of Brian, he isn't going to change his mind?"

Bobby snorted. "I'd like to see you try, for entertainment purposes."

Sam laughed. "I'm not small or blonde enough." When Kate had stepped between him and John, she had a pretty good reason to. As much as he wanted to defend her, he couldn't. Even with all the things he sympathized with, he knew she had messed up. "Can you just take care of it before Brian and my dad get here?"

Bobby tilted his head. Sam wasn't one to do anything but delay a punishment. "Why?"

Sam cleared the hair from his eyes and sat up a bit straighter. "She is already stressing and having to wait will make it worse. She will see her dad for the first time since our trip and he is going to have to tell her about the deal. His ribs are broken and it would be easier for him to not have to deal with that this time." He took a breath and searched for the words he needed. "You have been here through all of this vision stuff and I think you understand it a little better and... it would be less embarrassing if the house wasn't full of a half dozen people."

Bobby looked at Sam for a minute. Sam had matured lately and accepted that she had dug herself in a hole. Even though he wasn't trying to dig her out, he was trying to make it easier in other ways. Bobby agreed with his observations and a few had been brought up during his call with Brian. Bobby would rather cut off his own hand then have to raise a hand to any of those kids but some times he didn't have much of a choice. Had she hid out in the yard, he might have been able to let her go with a lecture or a few swats. She had left the property, far away from warding and placed herself in a position where she could have easily died. "We are going to. Brian doesn't need that on his plate and it was us she ran from."

"We?" Sam asked, turning his head.

Bobby shook his head. "Me, I will. I just hate this."

Sam understood. He had his own list of run ins with Bobby and the man knew how to make a point. He hadn't realized how hard it was for Bobby though. His dad was more black and white and carried out consequences without questioning himself. Bobby carried them out, but with a lot of personal pain. "I'm going to go check on her."

Bobby sighed as Sam left the room.

Sam laid down on his bed with his head on his arms. The whole house was as tense as a bow string. Sam wanted to get to the end of the day and skip all the bad stuff but he also didn't want her to wake up just yet. It was the calm before the storm and he felt his own anxiety building.

Dean got back from his run and hit the shower. The run had helped chill him out but he was just as wound as Sam was. He had spoken to Bobby on his way up the stairs and very much wished he could start the day over. He left the shower and poked his head in the door of their room. Sam saw him and grabbed clothes out of Deans dresser. Dean dressed and stayed in the bathroom a few minutes longer, letting the steam fill his head.

Kate stirred lightly, beginning to wake up from the increased sounds. She turned her head and saw Sam, still sitting on his bed. She groaned and put her pillow over her head.

A hand shook her foot and she pulled it away. "I already know you're awake." Dean said.

Kate inched up on her bed, closer to Sam. She rubbed her eyes and tried to piece together the earlier hours of the day.

Dean sat down on the end of her bed and motioned for her to sit beside him. "Did you have any visions?"

She shook her head. She hadn't even dreamed. "Dean, I'm scared."

"Scared of getting your butt busted?" He asked, lightheartedly.

She blushed and nodded her head. "I know I messed up really bad. I just want a do over."

"That is what clean slates are for, kiddo." Dean said, feeling a little bad for her. He glanced back at Sam. "Bobby will be up here in a minute."

Sam scooted to the end of his bed, ready to make himself disappear as soon as Bobby got to the door.

Kate squeaked and grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me."

Sam shook his head. "Sorry. I won't yet but I'm not sticking around." He wasn't going to be able to help her and didn't want to be in the house.

Dean patted her leg. "At least it is Bobby and not your dad." He said, giving her a faint smile.

She groaned and scooted further into the corner of her bed. "Dean?"

He turned and looked at her.

"Could... could you do it?" She asked timidly.

"Why?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Because you could just not make it so bad and then tell them you did and I already know what I did was bad." She stammered.

Dean laughed loudly. "Yeah, I tried that one time with Sam. I thought I was smart and could just fake it. Want to know how well that worked?"

"I'm guessing not well?" Kate asked.

Sam shook his head grimly. "Got us both in trouble and me even worse because I convinced Dean to go easy on me."

Kate slumped. "It was worth a try."

Dean ruffled her hair. "If Bobby was not here, I wouldn't go easy on you either. You scared us."

Kate frowned. "I know. I'm really sorry."

"I know, kid." Dean said, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

The stairs creaked as Bobby walked up.

"That's our cue." Dean said, giving Kate one more pat. "You'll be fine."

Kate scrunched her nose. "Thanks a lot."

Dean winked and then pushed Sam out the door. The front door closed seconds later and the impala's engine roared to life.

Kate looked out Dean's window. "They are leaving me?"

Bobby smirked. "Just for a little bit. I sent them to get some food for tonight."

Kate eyed Bobby uneasily.

Bobby sat down on Dean's bed and patted the spot beside him.

Kate sat down beside him and looked at her feet.

"Is there anything you want to say?" Bobby asked.

Kate sighed. "I don't have an excuse. I'm really sorry."

"I don't need an excuse. I need to know what went through your head." Bobby said gently.

Kate thought deeply. "I had a vision about the yellow house last night. I knocked on the door and someone was going to open the door, but Sam woke me up, pulling me out of the vision. I was mad at him because I thought I could search the house safely, since I was not actually there."

"Sam didn't tell me that." Bobby said out loud.

Kate blushed and put her head in her hands. "Because he didn't know. Him waking me up was part of the vision and he never actually talked to me last night."

"So all that was because you were mad about something that didn't even happen?" Bobby said tiredly.

"That was the last straw. The rest of it just built up and it was stupid. Nothing I say will change things." She said pitifully.

Bobby sighed. "I know you have been struggling. I can't let this go though."

Kate just nodded her head. "Do you want me to get my hairbrush?"

Bobby's heart sunk a little. "No. I think you earned a bit more than nine swats and I'm not going to paddle you with the thing." He held up the spoon. "I think I can get my point across this way."

Kate grimaced but didn't argue. She just hoped he didn't use the spoon the whole time. She wiped tears from her eyes and steadied herself. "When will my dad be here?"

Bobby glanced at his watch. "A few hours."

"Is he going to spank me too?" Kate asked sadly.

Bobby shook his head. "No. I can't promise you wont get an earful but once we are done here, you are out of hot water."

Kate relaxed a little. She really didn't want her dad mad at her as soon as he got home. She fidgeted with her hands and chewed the edges of her nails.

Bobby was stalling and he knew it. He would rather be anywhere else but there. Watching Kate fidget and fret, he knew Sam was right. "Alright, come on." Bobby sat and tapped his leg.

Kate gulped and forced herself to move.

He got her in the position he needed and put a hand on her back. "Why are you here?"

Kate sniffled but found her words. "I ran."

"Yeah, you ran. What else?"

"I put myself in danger." She said, hoping that satisfied him.

He sighed and swatted her twice. "You did that but you also had enough sense to turn the shower on and not come downstairs to get your shoes." He swatted her two more times. "That tells me that it wasn't a panicked response, you had enough time to think about how you were going to get out undetected." Two more swats. "You took Sam's phone but you turned it off once we called you."

Kate squeaked, having forgotten about those two details. "I'm sorry."

Bobby didn't respond but kept swatting. He paused. "This was after I gave you grace with the book thing. I shouldn't have gone easy on you." He started swatting again and Katie drummed her toes.

She felt the heat building and struggled not to wiggle away. She was determined to be stoic. Once he moved down to her sit spots she gave in and tried to pull away. "Bobby, please." She whined.

He stopped and put his hand on the back of her leg. He thought about how to word his lecture, knowing that she would eventually be living with him again. "Your dad is going to talk to you when he gets here. You'll be updated on what is going on. However, there will be no more sneaking around. You have to follow directions. Today showed just how easily disobeying an order could be come a life or death situation." He started swatting again and had to readjust her. He wanted to get it over with as soon as he could. He hated that his hand was the thing causing her pain but the day could have ended so much worse. He used that bit of fear and despair to steel his heart.

Kate screeched and tried to roll away. She couldn't help it.

He paused again. "No more lying. No more running." His voice broke slightly. "You are way too loved by way too many people to be out there putting yourself in danger."

Kate sobbed freely. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

Bobby picked up the spoon and tapped her with it. "I know but I need to make sure you truly understand."

Kate grabbed Dean's flannel that he had left on the bed and buried her face in it. She sucked air through her teeth and squeaked as the first swat landed.

Bobby gritted his teeth and swiftly covered every inch of her backside with a swat from the spoon. He didn't want to draw it out any further and knew going back over where he had already hit, wouldn't make her understand any more. "Four more." He stated, giving her two on each sit spot. He tossed the spoon down and pulled her upright.

Kate let her knees buckle and reached back to rub the fire from her sit spots. "I'm sorry." She sobbed.

Bobby rubbed her back and hushed her. "It is over. You are forgiven." Seeing her so distraught ripped his heart in half. He didn't regret his decision, knowing it was necessary but he wished he could take the pain away for a moment.

She melted into his arms and let herself cry her heart out. She brought Dean's flannel to her face and wiped at the tears that fell. She regretted hurting people that truly cared about her. She was glad the spanking was over with but long for the moments before when her butt didn't feel like it had been scalded.

Bobby didn't speak, he just let her cry. He knew some of the tears were from the discomfort, but was sure most were from the stress and fear she had pushed down and out of the way.

Kate eventually dried her tears but didn't move.

Bobby glanced at his watch when he heard footsteps on the porch. The door creaked open and a few moments later the steps entered the house and made their way up the stairs. Sam appeared in the doorway cautiously. Bobby gave him a smile smile and nodded his head that it was safe to enter.

Sam patted Kate's back and gave her a knowing grimace.

Dean appeared in the doorway moments later. "Ew. You better not have gotten snot all over that. That is my favorite shirt."

Kate looked down at the button up in her hand. She rolled her eyes and wiped her face all over it before tossing it at his feet.

Bobby shook his head. Dean could snap her right back to her normal self in seconds.

Dean picked the shirt up and handed it back to her. "That's okay. I can wash it later." He said with a smile. He flopped down on his bed and kicked his shoes off.

Kate rolled off Bobby's lap and knelt on Dean's bed. "Bobby, isn't a rule to take shoes off downstairs?" She said jokingly.

Bobby laughed and popped Dean's leg with the spoon. "You two act like actual siblings. I'm headed down. I figured everyone is going to be hungry by the time your dad gets here."

Dean rubbed the spot on his leg although Bobby had only jokingly popped him. He poked Kate in the side. "You just wait."

Kate was happy that Dean was normal Dean and showed no signs of being mad at her. She looked over to Sam, in hopes that he was normal Sam again. He looked worried at first but smiled when he caught her eyes.

Dean hugged her from the side. "I told you, you'd be fine."

Kate groaned and laid down on her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. "I am not fine."

Sam threw a pillow and hit Dean in the face with it.

Dean tossed it back, knocking Sam backwards.

Kate held up her hand and caught the pillow as it sailed back. She folded it in half and rested her chin on it.

Dean patted her head and ran down stairs to help Bobby.

She turned her head sideways, looking at Sam. "Thanks for saving me today."

Sam smiled. "Any time."

###########

Brian and John will arrive home next chapter.

I hope that the story is being conveyed clearly. Brain fog is a peach.