AUTHOR'S NOTE: Tamilyn313, AshtynnAlba, huhchuh, stacy40, sueturpen, GuestG, spades48891m, EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester, CathaWinchester, wandamarie, elliesamdeangirl, Cherry Fran, LexieLou, Auphepet, fanclaire, late reader, and guests, Thank You for your comments! Charlie does get into a bit of trouble and receives a short spanking in this chapter, but I'm sure there will be more misbehavior coming!

LexieLou, I did see about Jared's arrest, and it worried me. I think that Jared and Jensen are probably under a lot of pressure with the show ending, and I hope that they have people around them that will help them deal with everything. Your email didn't get published because the site doesn't allow things like that, if you want to publish an online address you have to write it out differently so that it doesn't get removed- for example, I'd say "My email address is 'wayward daughter 18 at fakemail dot com'" and then say to remove the spaces and write out the email part as usual. Hope that makes sense! (that's not my email btw)

Late reader, you said in your comment that any review you left would be null and void because of the length of the story, but that's not true! All writers love reviews and comments, not matter if they write a drabble or a multi chapter fic! You could even go through and leave comments on the chapters you really liked, others have done that. Sorry that all the Hello Kitty annoys you, I've loved Hello Kitty since I was a little girl in the 1970s (yes I'm old, lol) and I wanted to give her a nod!

Beta'd by edge-of-clairvoyance, alexofthegarden, and crzedpanda.

~ ~ spn ~ ~

Imani sat down at the table next to me and took a drink from her mug. Uncle Sam stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders. She leaned back and looked up at him. "Thanks, Sam." She said gratefully. He smiled down at her and kept his hands on her shoulders.

Daddy grabbed another slice of pizza and leaned against the counter as he ate it. "Maybe tomorrow you guys can come back here and go through the books."

"I got a stack of books on my desk about rituals and spells, I can start lookin' through them tonight." Uncle Bobby said.

After a few minutes, the door to the library opened and Grandpa John came in carrying a laptop. He set it on the table and everyone grouped around me so that they could see the screen.

Grandpa John typed something and the computer chimed a couple of times as a black window popped up. He pressed a couple of keys, and the window opened, Missouri filling the screen. She seemed to be looking around at everyone, and smiled. "Well, hello, all!" She said warmly. She sat back, and I could see that she was in her kitchen. A mug with flowers painted on it sat next to her.

Everyone said hi back to her. She focused on me with a smile. "There's my girl! How are you, Charlie?"

"M'okay." I said.

She raised her eyebrows. "I heard what you been goin' through, you sure you're okay?"

I nodded, and Daddy put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.

Uncle Sam leaned forward. "Missouri, this is Imani, my girlfriend."

Missouri nodded and smiled. "John told me all about you, nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, Sam has told me a lot about you too." Imani smiled back at her.

Missouri rested her elbows on the table and folded her hands together in front of her. "Well, John told me about what's been happening. Imani, what are your thoughts on what should happen next?"

Daddy spoke up. "We need to find a ritual or spell to send the old lady to the afterlife, one that doesn't involve using Charlie."

Missouri fixed Daddy with a stern look. "Dean Winchester, was I talkin' to you? I believe I asked Imani a question. You'll get your turn in a minute."

Uncle Sam made a choked sound, and Daddy gave a little huff.

"I think the spirit is trapped here, and she sensed that Charlie has the ability to help her." Imani said.

Missouri nodded. "I agree." She looked around at everyone. "I think y'all will recall that I said as much before, that the supernatural will be more attracted to her, because of her powers."

"Well I don't care if the supernatural is more attracted to her, she's not gonna be a part of this." Daddy insisted in a hard voice.

"Dean!" Grandpa John snapped, "Watch your tone!"

Missouri shifted in her chair, and leaned forward slightly. She looked straight into the camera with a stern look on her face, but when she spoke, her voice was gentle. "I told you, Dean, you ain't the one in control here, as far as Charlie is concerned. 'Member that? She's in this life with you, whether you want it or not, and you've got to learn how to deal with it, and support her when she needs it." She took a sip from the mug. "John told me how things have been going, and I'm guessing that y'all living a life that's similar to regular folk has made you forget about Charlie's abilities. You can't ignore them, they're like a garden that needs tending, and especially now that Charlie's had a birthday and she's been growing and changing." She frowned slightly. "And don't tell me you been attuned to Charlie and her gifts, I know you haven't, Dean!"

Daddy huffed again.

Uncle Bobby spoke up quickly. "Missouri, have you dealt with a situation like this? What did you do?"

"Well, usually, you figure out what's keeping the spirit here, and then either destroy it, if it's an object, or perform a ritual to separate the spirit and remove it. I'm sure y'all already know all that."

"Right. The spirit is in a bead in Charlie's bracelet, normally we would burn it and that would set it free." Uncle Sam said.

"No, don't wreck my bracelet!" I exclaimed, looking up at Uncle Sam.

"She attached herself to Charlie. The bead isn't what's keeping her here, she's confused, and she needs guidance." Imani said.

"Then she needs a guide." Missouri said promptly.

"She asked for Charlie specifically, she wouldn't work with me at all. I could feel her bewilderment; she's not quite understanding that she's passed on." Imani continued.

Missouri nodded. "Then I'd say we got to have Charlie be a part of things."

Daddy laughed weakly, but there wasn't any humor in it. "I'm really not liking this idea."

Grandpa John looked at him. "I'm uneasy about it as well, Dean, but I think this is the way it's gotta be. We can't just leave it, you know that spirits that are stuck here tend to get mean or violent, and that's the last thing we want, to have a confused, angry, earthbound spirit hanging on to Charlie."

"You got that right, honey, and it would drive Charlie plumb crazy, she's too young to handle a situation like that, her abilities are too immature yet." Missouri smiled at Grandpa John.

Daddy sighed heavily, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. "Jesus, I did not want this to be the answer."

"Well, it ain't ideal, but it's how it's got to be, so we gotta figure out how to make it happen in the safest way possible." Missouri said. "Let's talk options, and Imani, I want to hear all about what you did."

"Let's move this into the other room." Daddy said. "I don't want Charlie to be privy to all the ritual talk."

"All right." Uncle Sam leaned over and picked up the laptop.

"We can go into the library." Uncle Bobby said. Everyone began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Charlie, you stay here until we're finished." Daddy told me.

I frowned. "I want to keep talking to Missouri!"

He frowned back at me. "What did I just say?"

"I don't want to!" I whined, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"Charlie—" Daddy sighed and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I need you to just listen to me, and do what-"

I stood up. "But she said I'm in this with you!"

Daddy's frown deepened. "I don't care what she said, I'm your father and what I say goes! Now sit your butt down!" He pulled my chair out from the table and pointed at it. "Find something to do, or I will find something for you. You want to write lines?"

I felt defiant now. He wasn't letting me be a part of things even though Missouri had said that I was. "No! I don't want to!"

He eyes widened. "Excuse me? You're on thin ice, little girl." He growled.

"You're not being fair!" I stomped my foot.

He put his hand on the back of the chair and gestured to it. "Last chance, Charlie."

I crossed my arms and kicked at the chair.

"That-is-enough!" He ground out. He took my arm and before I could even register what was happening, he had sat down and pulled me across his lap. His hand started to pepper my butt.

"Ow! Daddyyyy!" I yelped as his hard hand fell. Once my whole bottom was stinging, he stopped.

"I'm done with this." His voice was hard. "Are you going to do what I tell you, or do you need more?"

Tears had sprung to my eyes. "I'll listen! No more!"

He stood me up in front of him. "I'd better not hear any more complaining or sassing from you tonight, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy." I sat, and pressed the button to turn on the touchpad.

He watched me for a moment, and then turned and walked out of the kitchen.

I scrubbed at the tears that were standing in my eyes and shifted in the chair, tucking my leg under me so that I wasn't sitting directly on my stinging butt.

I played the racing game for a while, then got up to use the bathroom. On the way back, I stopped outside of the library, leaning my head close to the closed door. I could hear muffled voices talking, but couldn't make out any words. I'd get into trouble for eavesdropping if anyone found me, and I didn't want another spanking, so I straightened up and hurried back into the kitchen.

I refilled my glass from the tap and took it over to the table, taking a drink. Then I started playing the puzzle game on my touchpad. I got to the highest level I'd ever gotten to, but I got stuck. I was getting tired, so I leaned my elbow on the table and rested my head in my hand, staring into space as the music of the game played over and over.

I don't know how long I sat there, but then I heard the door opening and voices. I sat up, blinking quickly, as everyone came into the kitchen. Uncle Sam walked over to the other side of the table and bent down to unplug the touchpad cord from the wall. He glanced at me as he stood and began to fold the cord up. "Looking kinda glassy eyed, there, Charlie." He smiled at me. "You tired?"

I yawned. "Bored and tired."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned. Daddy stood there looking down at me with a remorseful look on his face. "C'mere, kiddo." He tugged on my shoulder and I stood up. He squatted down in front of me and took my hands in his. "I lost my temper before, and I'm sorry." His voice was sincere and quiet. "I shouldn't have gotten short with you or spanked you. I've been on edge about this whole thing, and I-I should've handled things better with you. I'm just-" he exhaled. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing's gonna happen, Daddy." I said.

He pulled me into a hug. "We'll see. Bobby's gonna keep looking for information, and we'll see what he finds. There may still be a way that you don't have to be part of it." He let me go and stood up. "All right, let's get you home, sweetheart."

I packed up my stuff and we all said our goodbyes. I left with Daddy, and we got home first. Since it was late, I had to get ready for bed right away. He stayed with me, sitting on the edge of my bed rubbing my back until I fell asleep.

It was so hot…the air felt thick…sweat gathered at her hairline and ran down her neck…she had to get the children, had to rescue her babies…she was confused, where was this place? She wasn't at the house on Browning Lane… there was smoke coming from the vent in the room, and she waved her hand in front of her face...her lungs were burning, it felt like she couldn't get a deep breath...she needed to help them, save her children- her babies- she felt rising panic in her chest as she stood at the door. She couldn't remember what you were supposed to do in a fire-open the door, or keep it closed? She knew she'd have to crawl once she got into the hallway, stay beneath the smoke-but she had to get to them, had to save them- her babies-

"C'mon now, come back to me." A woman's voice said.

I felt someone patting my cheek and opened my eyes- I was on the ground, half-laying in the arms of the lady sheriff who had picked me and Addi and Aubrey up.

I looked up at her, and she patted my cheek again. "You with me now? Can you tell me your full name?"

"Yeah. Charlie-uh, Charlotte Anne Winchester." I turned my head- we were outside, and it was dark. The almost full moon was shining down, making weird shadows everywhere.

"Do you remember who I am?" She asked.

My head was feeling fuzzy and I couldn't quite think of her name. "Uh, Miss-I mean, Mrs.-Sher—"

"You can call me Sheriff Jody." She said kindly. She helped me sit up all the way, and I winced as my head throbbed.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"M' head, gotta headache," I mumbled.

I heard a snapping sound and she held something up. "I'm gonna just check you over for a sec with my flashlight." She told me, turning it on. She shined the light over my body and then took my chin and held my head still as she focused the flashlight on my face. She moved it away for a moment, and then back at me, and I squinted and put my hand up to block the light. "S' too bright, hurts my eyes." I muttered. As I glanced away, I recognized where we were- outside of the burned house!

"Wha-how-how'd I get here?" I tried to stand up, and a wave of dizziness swept over me.

"Okay, easy now, just sit." She took my arm and guided me back to sitting. She put the flashlight away and pulled something out of her pocket-her cellphone- and the screen lit up her face as she turned it on. I watched as she thumbed the screen, and then pressed a button. She put the phone up to her ear. "Mr. Winchester, this is Sheriff Mills. I've got Charlie with me, she's at the Stillson house. No, she's fine, just a little confused. I'm going to bring her home to you. All right, see you in a few." She disconnected the call and slipped her phone back into her pocket.

A breeze had started blowing, and I was shivering. I looked around, and realized I was in my pajamas and my feet were bare. "What-how'd I get here?" My head was starting to feel like it was full of clouds. "Uh-am I in trouble? I know it says no trespassing, m'sorry."

"No, you're not in trouble." She took off her jacket and held it out. "Here, put this on, and I'll take you home."

I slid my arms into the sleeves. "Wh-what happened?

"I was hoping you could tell me that, kiddo." She stood up and held her hand out to me. I took it and she helped me stand, and then she grabbed my arm as I started weaving. The dizziness was stronger now.

I thought back- I had had the dream about the fire again, but it had felt different this time. My head started to pound. "I was- I mean I- I had the dream, but I-" I put my hand up to my head as it throbbed.

"All right, let's get you home, and inside where it's warm, and we can talk about this more. You okay to walk?"

"M' dizzy." I mumbled.

"All right, c'mere, I'll carry you." She lifted me and swung me up onto her hip as she walked to her police car.

She opened the back door and set me inside. "You can buckle up ok?"

Once I showed her that I could, she shut the door, and spent a moment talking into the little radio that was clipped to her shoulder. Then she got in and started the engine.

I stared out the window as she drove, feeling pressure in my head, like my brain wanted to get out. There was a heartbeat pounding at the back of my skull.

When we got home, the headlights flashed over a figure standing at the curb- it was Daddy. He reached down and opened the back door as soon as the sheriff had parked the car.

"Charlie, what happened?" He leaned into the car and unbuckled my seatbelt, taking my arm.

As I shifted to get out, another wave of dizziness overtook me. I got out of the car, and as I stood up, my knees buckled.

"Whoa, whoa, okay, c'mere." Daddy picked me up.

Sheriff Jody shut her door and the back door. "Let's get her inside, and we can talk about this."

Her voice sounded like she was saying the kind of 'talk' that Daddy said sometimes, that meant a spanking.

"You-you said I wasn't in any trouble!" I exclaimed, and I burst into tears.

"You're not, Charlie." She assured me.

Daddy turned and began to walk up the sidewalk, and the sheriff followed.

Grandpa John was standing on the edge of the porch. He put his hand up and cupped the back of my head as Daddy came onto the porch, looking at me with concern. "You scared us, little one."

Inside, Daddy set me down on the sofa and then took my chin in his hand and tilted my head back. "Are you hurt?" His eyes flicked back and forth, searching my face. He took the sheriff's jacket off of me and looked me over.

"No, Daddy." I said, "Just got a headache."

Daddy stepped back, handing the sheriff her jacket, and the three of them stood there looking at me.

"What happened, Charlie?" Daddy asked.

Confusion rose up in me. "I-I dunno!" I wailed. "I-I had the dream again, an' then- then I woke up outside the burned house!"

Sheriff Jody spoke. "I happened to be driving by, just doing a routine patrol of the area, and I saw her in the yard. When I approached her, she was saying things like "I need to save my babies" and she wouldn't respond to me when I spoke. She tried to walk into the house and I stopped her, and she- well, it looked like she fainted. It took a couple of minutes, but she woke up and was lucid enough to give me her full name when I asked." She looked at Daddy. "Does she have a history of sleepwalking? It looked like-well, I'm not a doctor, but have you had her tested for seizures?"

"It's not medical," Grandpa John said. "It's-well, Charlie-"

Daddy interrupted him, a concerned look on his face. "Yeah, she does sleepwalk sometimes. How the hell did she get out? The front door was locked."

"When I went into the kitchen to make coffee, I saw that the back door was open." Grandpa John said. "It doesn't have a deadbolt, just a knob lock, which is easier to unlock."

Sheriff Jody looked at Grandpa John and then Daddy. "If she has a history of sleepwalking, then you really should look into getting better locks for the doors."

"We will, thanks." Daddy said dismissively.

Sheriff Jody shifted and put her hand on her hip, looking at all of us. "Mr. Winchester, ah, I'm just wondering-well, I have a concern, here, that Charlie's been found at the Stillson house twice now, and I'm just wondering what the, ah, the- fascination is for her." She focused on me and raised her eyebrows.

My head felt like there was a metal band around it, tightening slowly. My stomach twisted with nerves, I didn't want her to think I was doing anything bad— "I-I can't help it, I saw the old lady an' she's— she keeps botherin' me now!" I blurted out, and then I clapped my hand over my mouth. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone! I burst into tears, covering my face with my hands.

"Charlie—" I felt hands on my shoulders and then Daddy was picking me up again. I wound my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest. Daddy hugged me tightly and smoothed his hand over my hair over and over, trying to calm me.

Sheriff Jody spoke slowly. "The old lady is-bothering her? I'm sorry, I don't follow-"

Grandpa John cleared his throat. "Well, you see-"

Daddy interrupted him. "Dad, should we really be-"

Grandpa John over rode him. "She knows about the hunting life, Dean, I told you she's friends with Bobby, and she's helped him out before."

I felt Daddy relax. "She has?" He shifted me in his arms, and I felt a little calmer. I turned my face towards her, and Daddy dabbed my wet cheeks with the sleeve of his flannel.

Sheriff Jody nodded. "I've gotten Bobby some records on the, uh, down-low, and I've, ah, assisted him during an investigation, an old cemetery that was reputed to be, uh," she cleared her throat, "haunted." She shook her head. "Never thought that any of that stuff was real, but once you see it with your own eyes-" She looked at Daddy and Grandpa John. "Well, I'm sure you know what I mean."

Grandpa John looked at Daddy. "Dean, it's all right if we tell her."

Daddy sighed, and looked down at me. "Well...all right."

Grandpa John looked at Sheriff Jody. "Charlie has- these powers. To— to see what's in people's minds. But-we're discovering that it's more than that. The old lady that died in that house, she's been, uh, she's attached herself to Charlie."

"What, you mean like, haunting her? I thought that a spirit can't leave the location that they passed away in." Sheriff Jody looked confused.

"That's usually the case. This is a little different." Grandpa John said.

Sheriff Jody frowned. "So, are you saying that the spirit wants Charlie to be at the house?"

"Something like that." Grandpa John said. "We tried to-get her to- move on, earlier tonight, but-it seems like it still didn't work." He looked at Daddy, and they did the 'talking without words' thing like Daddy and Uncle Sam did sometimes.

"Well, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know." Sheriff Jody looked at me. "The most important thing is that Charlie's safe." She paused, and raised her eyebrows. "You sure you don't remember what happened?" She asked me.

I thought for a moment-it was a complete blank. I shook my head, wincing as the movement made my head throb. "M' head's all fuzzy now."

Daddy nodded, and looked at Sheriff Jody. "This happens sometimes after she's had an...experience."

She seemed like she was watching me for a long moment, then she said, "All right, well...call me if you need- help- with anything." She gave Daddy a meaningful look. "Make sure you fix the lock on the back door. I'm not gonna report this, but I have to tell you, if Charlie ends up at the house one more time, I'll have to write something up."

Daddy shifted me onto his hip. "We'll be keeping an eye on her." He extended his hand, and shook with the sheriff. "Thanks for bringing her back."

"Yeah, thank you." Grandpa John shook with her also.

"You're welcome. I'll be seeing you." Sheriff Jody turned, and Grandpa John walked her to the door and let her out.

Daddy sat down on the sofa, setting me next to him. He gave me a serious look. "Are you sure you can't remember how you got there?"

"No, I just-had the dream a-about the fire, like always."

Grandpa John had come over and was standing in front of us. He said something in another language, like chanting, and looked at me expectantly. Daddy was watching me too.

"What's that mean?" I asked.

They both let out their breath. "It's to check if- if you have a spirit- inside of you." Daddy said.

"You think she's inside of me?" I squeaked nervously.

"It's something we had to consider, it would explain why you went to the house." Grandpa John said. "But apparently, that's not what's happening. After you left Bobby's, we performed a ritual to release the spirit, and destroyed the bead. I'm wondering-" he grimaced. "I'm wondering if doing that somehow agitated the spirit, and she wanted to go back to where she knows."

"That would explain things. We can't know if Charlie was channelling her, but I'm guessing she was." Daddy said.

"But I thought you said she wasn't inside of me!"

Daddy took my hand. "Channeling and possession are two different things. Channeling is when a spirit enters the body temporarily and uses it to communicate. Possession is- a spirit entering the body without permission and not leaving without being forced to."

"But I didn't give the old lady permission to-to use me to walk to her house!" I protested.

"I've asked Missouri about that." Grandpa John said. "She said that there are-degrees of channeling, for example, a psychic letting a spirit enter them to talk to others versus the type that you've done, where you read an object and channel the person who used it, it's like you're reading an echo of part of the person's life. Does that make sense?"

"I dunno, my head hurts." I leaned my head on Daddy's arm.

He chuckled. "All you need to know is that you're safe. We'll be keeping an extra close watch on you for now. I want you to sleep in my room for the rest of the night."

"Okay." I rubbed my eyes.

"Let's get you some medicine." Grandpa John said.

That made me realize something-Uncle Sam wasn't here! Usually he was the one who brought me medicine. "Where's Uncle Sam?"

"He went to Imani's. After we did the second ritual, she was very tired, and he wanted to be there to take care of her." Grandpa John explained.

"Oh. Will she be okay?"

"I'm sure she will. Dean, with me." Grandpa John jerked his head towards the kitchen, and Daddy got up and followed him out of the room. I heard them talking quietly as the cabinet doors opened and closed.

Daddy brought me a small cup of medicine and a glass of water, and I drank both.

"Back to bed with you." He said as Grandpa John came back in with a mug. He hugged me, and Daddy led me upstairs. He helped me carry my pillow and stuffed animals into his room, and I arranged them next to me when I got under the covers.

"Are you going to sleep?" I asked as he sat down against the headboard.

"No, I'm gonna be up for a little while. You go to sleep now." He smoothed my hair back from my forehead.

"Okay." I closed my eyes as he continued to stroke my head, and fell asleep feeling his fingers in my hair.

It was so hot…the air felt thick…

there was smoke coming from the vent in the room…

...had to save them, had to save my babies…

... lungs were burning...what were you supposed to do in a fire?

The doorknob was hot in my hand when I touched it, and the pain seared my palm as I screamed-my hand was stuck to the metal, and I felt a sensation of tearing on my skin as I pulled my hand away-

Coughing-trying to see through the smoke-feeling breath wheezing in my lungs- head pounding-where was I? This wasn't the house on Browning Lane-I had to save my babies-

"-back, come back, Charlie, dammit!"

My chest hurt, and I felt someone pressing on it, hard. I opened my eyes- I was laying on the floor, and Daddy was kneeling over me, his hands on my chest.I gasped and then started coughing, and his eyes widened.

Grandpa John was kneeling on the other side of me, holding his phone. We were in the living room, right by the front door.

"Charlie?" Daddy said in a hoarse voice. He looked scared.

"Daddy, m' chest hurts."

"Oh God, Charlie-" Daddy grabbed me into a tight hug, and made a noise that sounded like a sob. I winced, because it made my chest hurt like it was bruised. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes. "Are you all right?" His eyes were wet and he had worried lines in his forehead.

"Head-feels all heavy 'n like there's clouds in it," I mumbled.

Daddy hugged me again, and I made a little noise because of the pain. He pulled back and looked at me with concern. "What's wrong?"

"My chest is sore." I mumbled.

"I'm sorry, baby." Daddy pulled me into a gentle hug this time, tucking my head under his chin.

Grandpa John stood up. "I'm gonna get the med kit."

Daddy rocked me back and forth. I felt his chest hitch once, and I tried to pull back. "Daddy, what's wrong?" I asked.

Grandpa John was back with the small green duffle that had medicine and bandages and stuff in it. He took out a stethoscope, and put it in his ears. Daddy let go of me and held me up so that Grandpa John could listen to my chest.

Grandpa John took the stethoscope out and set it down, then picked up a small light. He held it in front of me and clicked it on. "Follow the light with your eyes." He moved it back and forth in front of me, and then up and down. He put the light back in the bag and then held my wrist, looking at his watch for a minute.

He let go of my wrist and looked at Daddy. "She's okay, but if you want to get her checked out by a doctor, we can go to the ER."

"M'not sick, I don't wanna go to the hospital!" I protested. "Whyyyy?"

"You fainted, Charlie, and then- you stopped- you stopped breathing for several seconds, and your face-" Daddy swallowed uneasily. "Your face started to turn gray. And I laid you down and started to perform CPR on you." He looked at Grandpa John. "Have you ever heard of this happening before?"

Grandpa John looked uncomfortable. "Well, uh, similar things have been recorded- in the past-"

Daddy sat back and ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit. All right, let's do what we gotta do then, to get this lady outta here and away from my kid." He got a serious look on his face. "Charlie, you're going to have to do exactly what we tell you to do, no questioning or complaining, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"We'll call Imani in the morning and let her know." Daddy said decisively.

"You mean- I'm gonna get to be part of- whatever it is? Sending the old lady to- to cross the veil?"

Daddy nodded. Excitement was pushing my aches and confusion aside, but I also felt fear and nervousness. I'd never done this before- what was it going to be like? What was going to happen?