Brian sat at Bobby's table, tapping his fingers and John spoke. The hunt was bizarre. Brian had never heard of the type of spirt John was describing. To be honest, there was a lot of bizarre things going on. Nothing new had happened at the cabin but he was waiting for the other boot to drop.
Dean slowly scooted out from under Kate's head and replaced his leg with a pillow. He needed to take a leak and figured a run would do him some good as well. He checked on Sam and was pleased with how peacefully he was sleeping. He let John know where he was going and headed out the door. He decided to run the perimeter and check warding on the way. He ran two solid laps before slowing down. He could run for miles, thanks to John's enforced daily runs but the stress from Sam's injury was constricting his lungs. He grabbed a stick and struck a tree as hard as he could. The stick shattered. He was angry that Sam had gotten hurt. He blamed himself for not protecting him. He walked along the line of trees, running his fingers over the carvings. It gave him something to do, to take his mind off of Sam for a brief moment. He took a drink of water and started to take of running again. He stopped, though and flicked his eyes back toward a stand of trees. He walked over to the largest tree and looked at the bark. There were tally marks along one face of the tree. That sent alarm bells off in his head. He ran his hand around the tree and his stomach twisted. He held his fingers up. He didn't need to smell the powder to know that it was sulfur. He looked from the tree to Bobby's house. It was perfectly positioned so that he could see the front side of Bobby's house. He had a clear view of the windows. He growled and took off toward the house. He wasn't paranoid and they were being watched.
Kate woke up to hushed voices in the kitchen. She stumbled down the hallway. She stood in the door way, not speaking. What ever they were talking about was serious.
John turned and looked at her. "Stop eavesdropping and get in here." There was no malice in his voice.
Kate sat down and the table. Dean let her take a few sips of his coffee. She's scrunched her nose. She still didn't know why they liked the stuff.
Dean told her about what he found in the woods.
Kate tilted her head. "Why would a demon watch us?"
Bobby shrugged. "He can't get on the property so I suspect he's been at the boundary."
Dean gave her a pointed look and she shook her head.
"Is there something we need to know?" Brian asked.
Kate slumped in her chair and thought about how to word things. "I saw something when I was checking on Sam. I want to wait for him to wake up so I can talk to him about it. It wasn't clear like it usually is because he is so hurt. I don't want to misunderstand things. If it is okay, I would like to talk to him first."
Brian and John looked at each other and nodded. "We can respect that. Just do not hide anything once you figure it out." John said.
Kate relaxed and laid her head on the table.
Dean pointed out where the tree was and Brian, John and Bobby went to investigate. Dean walked back to the table and rubbed circles on Kate's back. "Ready to tell me?"
Kate groaned but figured she owed him some transparency. "Please don't take information and run with it. Sam's head is fuzzy."
"I wont. Just talk."
Kate bit her lip and laid her head back down. "When Sammy was in the hospital, a doctor touched him and it made his whole body hurt like electricity had hit him. He did it again and maybe healed Sam."
Dean furrowed his brows. "So, someone healed Sam and that is how he got out of the hospital?"
Kate nodded her head.
"I mean, I'm thrilled but who would do that?" Dean asked.
Kate swallowed. "When he left the room his eyes flashed yellow."
Dean sat back and rubbed his head. "Yellow?"
"Yeah, that is why I want to talk to Sam before I say anything. Maybe I saw it wrong."
Dean understood her reasoning. "Alright, what else."
Kate's face turned red. "Uh, if I show you, you can't tell anyone."
Dean frowned. "That doesn't sound good."
"Please, Dean." Kate pleaded.
"Just spill and I'll decide after. You don't have the best track record, kiddo."
Kate looked around the room, tapping her chin. She eyed his hand that he had punched the wall with and told him to lay it on the table.
He looked at her skeptically. "Why?"
"Just do it." She used the side of her fist and brought it down on top of his knuckles.
Dean sucked air through his teeth. "Kate, what the hell?"
Kate grabbed his hand and closed her eyes.
Dean's mouth dropped open. "Did you just...?"
Kate grinned. "It is a secret."
"Why keep that a secret? That is awesome." He asked.
Kate blushed and glanced toward a sleeping Sam. "I have tested it out on Sam a few times."
Dean raised a brow. "Is that why he is sleeping so well right now?"
Kate nodded her head.
"A few times? You just got here. Wait, is that why he recovered so fast from Dad?" He said with a laugh.
Kate held her fist above his hand. "If you tell your dad I'll bust your hand again."
Dean pulled his hand back. "You two can keep that particular secret. I just wish you had been around when I went through my rebellious phase." He teased.
Kate smacked him and sat back in her chair, bouncing her leg.
Dean pulled her hand away from her mouth. "What else aren't you telling me."
Kate eyed him. "Nothing."
He put a hand on her back. "I'm all ears."
Kate rolled her eyes. "If I tell you, you wont keep it a secret."
Dean thought for a moment. "Well, you're going to tell me either way, so it might as well be before they get back to the house."
Kate frowned deeply. "Promise me you wont tell them at least until you talk to me first. It is my body and my secret."
"That I can do." He replied.
"When I pulled the pain from your hand, it went to me."
Dean motioned for her to continue.
"It doesn't stay around as long as it normally does, I think. If my dad knew that it hurt when I did it, he would make me stop." Kate answered softly.
Dean wrapped her in a hug. "Is that why you were crying after Sam fell asleep?"
She nodded her head into his chest.
His heart broke. Sam was in immense pain and she had given him the ability to rest. "Kate. You don't have to do that."
Kate looked up at him. "Yeah, I do. Tell me you wouldn't do the exact same thing if you could."
Dean couldn't do that. He had wished many times that he could take Sam's pain away. "Katie, this is something your dad needs to know about."
Kate pushed back and glared at him. "No. It is my body. I only pull as much as I can handle and it doesn't get rid of all the pain."
"I can keep quiet for now, but if I see you pushing yourself, I will put a stop to it." Dean decided.
Kate paused. "Don't tell Sam either."
Dean furrowed his brows at that. "He would not want you doing that if he knew it hurt you."
Kate glared at him. "Which is why you keep your mouth shut. He is in bad shape right now and if I can take the edge off the pain, I will. I have to go back home tomorrow but I can help him get some rest while I am here. He needs me."
Dean didn't deny that. Sam did need to rest. "Do you think it heals him too?"
Kate shrugged. "I don't know. I don't exactly have a user's manual for these things."
Dean thought quietly. If she could pull pain from Sam, could she delegate it to someone else besides herself. He knew the information was something they shouldn't hide but also knew why they needed to. "Alright. I will let you keep the secret for now. If I feel as though they need to know, I will tell them, though."
Kate hugged him again. "Thanks, Dean."
The three men returned to the house.
"He is out." Bobby remarked.
Sam hadn't even stirred when they walked in the house.
They walked into the kitchen and Kate skirted around them to go to Sam.
"What are your thoughts?" Dean asked.
John popped his neck. "Demons alright. Just don't know why."
"May be one of Alrek's crew." Brian added.
John shook his head. "Those markings were deliberate. Son of a bitch wanted us to know he was there."
"You and Kate need to be extra careful heading back home." Bobby commented.
Brian sighed. "I just want one normal year."
John smirked. "Good luck."
Kate found Sam sitting on the large boulder at the pond. He was laying down, letting the sun warm his face. "Hey, Sammy."
Sam sat up and squinted his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Kate sat down beside him. "Is this your happy place?"
Sam shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."
Kate wanted to ask how he felt but didn't want to run the risk of waking him up and reminding him of the broken bones. "Sam, I should ask some questions."
Sam tilted his head. "Go for it."
Kate steadied her breath. "Who healed you?"
Sam tilted his head the other way and suddenly they were standing in the hospital room, watching as Sam's body was wheeled from the room. "This is a vision isn't it?"
Kate nodded. "Sorry, I had to figure some of this out before our dads flip out."
Sam smiled. "Let's figure it out then."
When Sam was returned to the room, they watched as a man in a lab coat put his hand on Sam.
Sam grimaced as he remembered the blinding pain from the touch.
Kate jumped up and grabbed the doctors hand. She was shocked when he turned and looked at her. He didn't speak but he put a hand on her face and easily pulled his hand from her grasp. He put his hands on Sam again and bent down to whisper in Sam's ear.
Kate saw his eyes flash yellow as he left the room. "What did he say to you?"
Sam looked confused. "I-I don't know."
"Can I tell them? I really don't want them to get mad at me."
Sam reached out and grabbed Kate's hand. "I don't have all the answers yet. Make sure they know that." He wasn't thrilled with his dad finding out something healed him but knew that he wasn't a patient man.
Kate kissed his cheek and then opened her eyes.
Dean stood at the edge of the living room and watched Kate tend to his brother.
Sam stirred and grimaced. Kate grabbed his hand again and he soon settled again.
Kate held her breath for a few seconds and let it go again. She stood up, stiffly and turned to go back to the kitchen. She saw Dean standing in the door way and averted her eyes.
Dean gently grabbed her arm as she walked by. "Kid, stop pushing yourself."
Kate pushed his hand away. "What? I'm fine."
Dean could see the tears in her eyes and knew she had taken on more of Sam's pain.
Kate sat back down and the table and chewed on her fingers.
"Are you okay?" Brian asked, noticing the tears in her eyes and how red her face was.
"Yes. Sometimes this brain stuff just makes me tired." She offered.
Dean sat down beside her and put his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing the base of her skull with his fingers. He didn't know how much she had taken on but wasn't going to let her just suffer.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into Dean's hand. He did the same thing when she got migraines and it had become a soothing thing.
"Did you find anything?" John asked.
Dean glanced at him and furrowed his brows.
John shot a look back at him.
"Things still aren't clear and I may not explain things the right way. So, if I tell you, you have to stay calm and not blow up." Kate stated.
"Katelyn Amelia." Brian hissed.
"Ah, it is a fair request." Bobby butted in.
John motioned for her to speak.
She looked at John and tried to read his face. "When Sam was in the hospital, a doctor touched him. Something happened when he did and he apparently healed the brain and spine injuries."
John sat forward in his seat. "Go on."
Kate looked worriedly at Dean but he nodded his head. "I don't know how he did it. He touched him and it was like energy burned the injuries away. He whispered something to Sam but I don't know what he said."
Dean put his hand on her shoulder. "Go ahead."
Kate swallowed hard and looked at John's face again. "Well, when the doctor left the room his eyes turned yellow."
John sat still, trying to make sense of the situation. "Someone healed him?"
Kate nodded her head. She looked at Dean again with an apologetic look.
"What is it?" Dean asked.
Kate shifted in her seat. "It is great that he healed Sam, right? I think Sam is freaked out because he could feel the bad coming from the guy."
"The bad?" John asked.
Kate shivered. "I don't know why he healed Sam but he is a really bad guy. Sam had a gut feeling that something is up. I don't know how to explain it." She said, hanging her head.
Brian moved his chair over and pulled her into his lap. He hugged her and rested his chin on her head. "When Sam wakes up, he can help fill in the gaps."
John sat in silence. The more they found out, the less sense things made. Yellow eyes rung a distant bell. He had heard a few things about someone known as yellow eyes but he didn't think the name was literal. He had left Sam in the hospital and something got to him. Sure, the thing healed him and possibly saved his life but what ever it was scared his son. He kicked himself mentally.
Kate tucked her hands into her lap so they couldn't see how much they were shaking.
Dean saw and gave her a sideways glance. He didn't blame her for wanting to help Sam but he wasn't comfortable with her hurting either. "That took a lot out of you. Is your head hurting?"
Kate flinched. What was he doing? "Yeah, I guess."
Dean stood up. "I'm going to run her a bath. It seemed to help last time she got a migraine." He said, excusing himself.
Kate followed after him. "Dean."
Dean waited until they got to the top of the stairs and whispered. "You are shaking like a leaf. How much did you take from him?"
Kate bit her lip. "Not that much."
Dean huffed. "You suck at lying."
Kat sat down on the edge of the tub as he turned the water on. "It doesn't hurt for that long."
Dean grabbed some Motrin and gave her some. "But it hurts."
Kate shrugged. "I'm okay."
Dean would be a hypocrite if he fussed at her too much. "No more. Okay? We don't know what this is doing to you. Sam has the good pain meds and is resting. He has had broken bones before and will be back to normal soon." He turned the water off and grabbed some Epson salt from the cabinet. He poured it in and swirled the water with his hand. "You are going to soak for a bit. I don't like seeing you in pain any more than I like seeing Sam in pain. You are a good kid. Just take care of yourself."
Kate hugged him and shut the door behind him. Her whole body did hurt. She was sure it wasn't as bad as Sam felt but she let the tears flow once she was alone. She sat down in the water and let the warmth sooth her aching bones. She leaned her head back against the back of the tub and let her thoughts carry her away. Something about the man at the hospital was familiar. She thought, intently, of where she may have met him before. He looked human. He didn't look evil. He kind of reminded her of a grandfatherly type person. However, evil radiated from him the way that heat radiated from a fire. Her breath hitched. She couldn't be sure but something in her gut told her that it was the back of his head that she was familiar with. She would have to ask Sam but she was nearly certain that they had seen that same man, sitting on the sofa in the yellow house. The thought made her blood run cold. She turned the hot water back on, trying to warm her chilled body. The woman at the yellow house had to know something. Kate knew that she would never convince her dad to let her go to the house and had learned a hard lesson with sneaking around. No, she wouldn't be able to knock on the door but surely a phone call wouldn't hurt. Right?