Kate rolled out of bed and hurried to put her shoes on. "Come on, dad."
John sipped his coffee. "They haven't even opened the building yet."
Kate bounced on her toes. "So we can get there as soon as they do."
"Sit." John said. "I need to answer a few messages."
Kate swiveled around in one of the chairs.
John knew Sam and Jess wouldn't be awake but he sent a message to check on them. He had a few hunters to reply to and had a voicemail from Hannah's dad.
Kate wasn't listening in on the recording but could still hear it. She spun around and looked at John with wide eyes.
John waved her off.
Kate leveled him with a glare as soon as he ended the message. "You said things were okay. She didn't show me anything."
John rubbed his face. "That is why he didn't take a belt to her."
Kate frowned. "Her parents aren't mean like you are."
John blew air through his nose. "They are now that she's as bad as you are about digging for information."
Kate studied him. "You don't deny that you are mean?"
John got up to find more coffee. He answered her from the counter. "It's not my job to be liked, its my job to raise you right."
Kate rolled her eyes dramatically. "Just so you know, Sam and Dean think that sounds lame too."
John snorted softly. "I thought it was lame when my mom said it."
Kate fell back onto her bed. "I think I would have really liked her."
"You would have." John said. "She would have loved you. She might have been a little bit fiery."
Kate scoffed. "She had to be raising you."
John lightly smacked her knee when he walked back by her. "You might want to dial back that sass."
Kate sat up. "I'm just saying that I understand how hard she had to fight. Okay, it was a slight dig at you because I don't get enough opportunities to use those. April was a single mom in this time. It was hard for her. It had to be miserable for a woman in the 50's. I'm glad we have made a few advancements as a society. I would not handle being told I couldn't work or have my own money."
John slowly nodded. "People like you are the ones that protested and fought to get those advancements."
"Society tried to hold them back but they did it anyway and look where we are." She gave him a sheepish grin. "So, what I am hearing is that I should disregard everything if things are going to change."
"Two." John said.
Kate scrunched her nose. "You can't keep score. I'm hilarious."
He took a long sip of his coffee. "You can protest some things but not that. If you disregard a supernatural related guideline, you're going to need to call down your own angel." John said, referencing Hannah's angel.
Kate stood up and slowly spun around, letting her wings create whisps of light around her. "I have an archangel." She pulled her wings back and went to hug John. "I'm only kidding."
John patted her back. "I know. Dial it back." He let her sit on one of his legs. "Tell me about that red light."
Kate held her palm out. "It just showed up. I was holding it in my hand. I wanted to show you but I zoned out or something."
John reached for her folder of papers. "Is it related to these?"
Kate bit her lip. "None of it is clear."
"I want you to let me know if you find anything. I don't want you to hyperfocus on this by yourself." John said.
Kate had an odd feeling she couldn't place. "I should teach you Enochian."
John nodded. "If that is something you could do." He watched her write a series of letters. "Why does Hannah know how to research?"
Kate's eyes stopped moving as she stared at her pencil. "She helped me with Hellen."
John had talked to Dean in depth about Hannah's phrasing and ability to decipher what she had. "She built a theory out of information that didn't seem connected. She just seems a little too much like you."
Kate thought about it. "She's my best friend."
"Did you contact her mentally?" John asked.
Kate gasped. "No." She groaned and hid her face in the neck of her shirt. "Maybe it is because I talk to her and stuff…. In her head."
John shifted her. "How often do you do that?"
Kate tried to move from his leg. "This is supposed to be a fun trip."
John cleared his throat. "It's not going to be if you don't start talking."
Kate whined. "I don't spend time in your head and you have the same freaky ability."
John blinked slowly.
"Sometimes I just talk to her. I'll tell her a story. Sometimes it is an image. We aren't cheating or anything. She is open to it. Things are clearer than they are with you guys. The other day she said something that I had been thinking but hadn't said out loud or in my head." Kate said.
"You didn't tell anyone? We told you to stop pushing into her head." John said.
Kate hung her head.
"You have a department to tour today. If you use that ability again, you'll get your butt busted." John said.
Kate searched his eyes. She was going to say that Krissy really did soften him but her comedic timing was off. She realized how close she was to being in trouble. "Now that she has a mean dad too, I wouldn't want to do anything to get her into trouble."
John popped her leg and let her stand. "If that is what it takes for you to listen, so be it."
Kate smirked before sitting across from John. He was almost as fun to rile up as the other guys. The act was more dangerous but she lived for the thrills.
(Caleb's family)
It was still early morning in Sioux Falls. Caleb had not yet gotten up to get ready for work. He heard April whimper so he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. She had nightmares sometimes. He hated that she was so uncomfortable but was excited to have a daughter in a few weeks. He didn't know how women managed to carry on when they felt the way that pregnant women felt.
Andy heard Caleb's alarm go off and tiptoed out of his room. He knew better than to just appear beside Caleb in the dark because he was jumpy. He ran his hand down the wall and knocked softly to let Caleb know he was there.
Caleb rubbed his eyes. "Why are you up, buddy?"
Andy followed him to the kitchen. "To spend time with you."
Caleb made coffee. "I know I have been working a lot."
Andy yawned. "That is okay. Mom said you would take time off when baby Ren is born."
Caleb sat down with him. "That is the plan. Did you have fun at Bobby's house yesterday?"
"Yeah, but Dean tried to kill me." Andy said.
Caleb chuckled. "He told me about that." He kept an eye on the time but Andy had woken up just to talk to him. He'd give Andy all the time he needed.
Andy stretched. "I had a bad dream."
"About what?" Caleb asked.
"I dreamed that I woke up and we lived at the old house." Andy said.
Caleb gave him a sympathetic look. "You live here now. You will never have to go back there again." He sent his boss a message while he chatted with Andy. The jobs that day were simple so Caleb decided to bring Andy along. "Go get some clothes on. You are going to work with me."
Andy rushed to get dressed. He was careful not to wake Ian. Ian had been sleeping a little later and he didn't want to mess up the extra sleep for his mom. He pulled his boots on and zipped his jacket up. It was cold outside.
Caleb made his own coffee and a hot chocolate for Andy to help him stay warm. He put Andy's drink in a travel mug and handed it to him.
Andy smiled. He liked being able to copy Caleb. "Will mom be worried?"
Caleb unlocked the door. "I let her know you were going with me."
Andy scrunched his face as the cold air hit him. He held his hot drink under his nose and shuffled to the truck. The early morning was very quiet.
Caleb warmed the truck up and made sure that Andy was ready to go. He didn't think Andy would make it through the workday without falling asleep but they could enjoy a few hours of one on one time until then.
(Kate)
Kate took a deep breath as they walked through the doors to one of the large buildings on campus. The university was like a small town. She wondered how different Stanford was.
John introduced Kate to his client, Stanley. "This is my daughter."
Stanley shook her hand. He had met John quite a few years before. Ghosts were just about the only thing he had to worry about but he knew there were other things hiding away in the dark. "I heard that you have a future in science."
Kate rubbed her hands together. "Yes. I just don't know which way I want to go yet."
"You have plenty of time." Stanley said. He stopped at a map on the wall. "We have a variety of departments. That is the agricultural department. You'll see everything from cows to plants over there. This is where the majority of our human biology majors spend their time. You've got Chemistry in that building and a mix of other things scattered about."
Kate wanted to see each building but didn't think he had the keys to them. "I think, I am mostly interested in human anatomy and stuff."
Stanley walked them through a few labs and let Kate look at specimens that were on display.
Kate studied one of the skulls. "This isn't a model."
Stanley shook his head. "We are lucky to have real bones on hand."
Kate very much wanted to touch the skull. She could almost hear John telling her to step away. "Do people just donate their bodies? Do their families? How does someone wind up on a shelf?"
Stanley confirmed that most of their collection was through donation. "All of the bodies that we use for research are donated."
Kate sighed. "I guess, if you died a few hundred years ago, you wouldn't mind if your skull got borrowed for educational purposes." She wanted to know their stories. The skull was in excellent condition so it wasn't likely that the person died due to head trauma. She had a running list of possibilities floating around in her head about how the person could have died and who they were before they died. Things felt heavier as she moved into the forensics area. John did get rid of the ghosts but the air still felt heavy.
"You are welcome to look at anything in this room. Although, some of this stuff may be too much for you." Stanley said.
Kate almost snorted. If he only knew what she had witnessed in her lifetime. A broken skull wasn't going to freak her out. She found a tray with three skulls on it. "Can I pick this up?"
Stanley told her it was okay as long as she was careful.
Kate felt along the skull. There was a small hole on one side with a larger hole on the opposite side. "Gun shot?"
Stanley was impressed.
Kate wondered how they had access to a skull like that. Wouldn't it be police evidence? As she was studying another skull, she gasped. "I want to take something home."
John cleared his throat. "She means from a gift shop."
Kate looked back at the skull in her hands. "Oh, yeah. Something normal. I don't want to take bones home."
John pinched the bridge of his nose.
Kate gave him a sheepish grin.
Stanley was amused. She was clearly brilliant.
Kate touched the third skull but pulled her hand away and chose not to pick it up. She felt drawn to it and didn't think John would appreciate it if she got pulled into a vision. Most of her exploration was through looking at photos and reading things that the University kept on hand for students. Hunting was very similar to forensics. They often had to view bodies to determine when or how they died. Were the puncture wounds from claws or fangs? Was the heart gone? The difference was that hunters didn't have a ton of lab equipment. They also didn't have red tape. "I could stay here for weeks and not be able to see everything."
"Maybe you could apply to come here in a few years." Stanley said.
Kate raised an eyebrow at John. "I don't think my family wants me this far away from home." She had Marty's lab. Being surrounded by research did make her want to look at the freaks again. She fought the urge. She would focus on the medical side of things. She still wanted to heal people without consequence.
(Taylor)
Taylor called Jo around mid-morning. The group would be going to Marie's house for Thanksgiving. He wanted Jo to go as well.
Jo planned to go. She wouldn't miss out on family time.
Taylor had a lengthy conversation with Jo but showed up at Dean's door looking a little faint.
"What?" Dean asked.
"It is Jo." Taylor said.
Dean approached him. "Is she okay?"
Taylor put a hand over his stomach. "I don't know. She seems okay but there is this guy…"
Dean tilted his head.
"She is going out with him. She has a history of doing dangerous stuff. I'm just worried." Taylor said.
Dean sat down on his bed. "Going where?"
Taylor grimaced. "To the movies."
Dean nodded. "Is this guy a boyfriend?"
Taylor cringed. "She said they aren't labeling it yet."
Dean blew air through his nose. "She is nearly 18. She can date."
Taylor sat in Dean's desk chair and propped his feet on his bed. "I don't know him. I don't know what his intentions are."
Dean smirked. "You may not want to know what his intentions are."
Taylor glared at him. "If this was Kate, you'd be worried too."
Dean couldn't deny that. "What is his name?"
Taylor didn't know a last name. "Noah, I think. I asked her when she is going to be ready to come down here so I can tell my nana when she's coming. She said tomorrow afternoon because she was going on a date tonight. I don't think Ellen knows. She said it was their first real date. Dean, dad had to pull her out of two sticky situations involving guys."
Dean had a feeling Taylor was just uncomfortable with any male being around Jo, but he needed the entertainment and would feel bad if Taylor was right. "It could be a kid she goes to school with."
Taylor pulled his phone out. "No, she said they have known each other for a while. He and his dad go to the Roadhouse frequently." He dialed John's number and let out a breath of air when he answered. "Dad, I am worried about Jo."
John had just gotten back to the motel with Kate and turned the truck off. "What is going on?"
Taylor explained the situation and everything he knew up to that point. "Kate can read people."
John rubbed his head. "No. Kate isn't going to read Jo to figure out who the guy is. Taylor, she is going on a date. You, yourself, have a girlfriend."
"Dad," Taylor said, disgruntled. "Both times you had to rescue her, she was with a man. Besides, she isn't actually 18 yet. If this guy frequents the bar, he is either a hunter or an alcoholic. He'd be way too old for her. She can't date a hunter. What if he gets himself killed?"
"If he is the Noah that I'm thinking about, he is her age or a year older." John said.
"What is his last name?" Taylor asked.
John snorted. "I'm not giving you his last name. I don't know if it is the same kid."
Taylor stressed his concern about Jo's safety.
"Son, if you track him down to question him, not only will Jo murder you, she will make it hurt the whole time you are dying. If this is the Noah that I'm thinking of, he's a good kid. His family have been in the life for several generations." He cut Taylor off before he could argue the hunter situation. "They make weapons and ammo. He and his dad do not hunt often, if at all."
Taylor groaned.
"Taylor, do not hunt him down. Jo is allowed to date." John said. "That is an order."
Taylor shot Dean a look. "I won't track him down but we could at least ask other people if they've heard anything."
"Taylor." John said.
"What if this was Kate?" Taylor asked.
Kate spoke up. "I'd have already murdered you."
John got out of the truck. "If it helps, you can ask her to message someone just so she remains safe." He paused. "Someone that isn't you."
Taylor gave up on finding out who the Noah guy was. He'd grill Jo when she got to Marie's house. He put his phone down and sunk back into the sofa. "Do you think he'd get mad if I asked Bobby?"
Dean shrugged. He asked Bobby if he knew anything about Noah but got the same answer that John had given them. Neither had anything bad to say about him, if it was even the same person. He clapped Taylor on the back and left him in the living room to stew. He did want Jo to be safe. She was a thorn in his side but she was Taylor's sister. Life was easier when it was just Sam to worry over.
(Charlie)
Charlie cracked her fingers and leaned back in her chair. Her legs were numb from sitting on them for so long. The mysterious Stein family had gotten her attention again. They were filthy rich and elusive.
Rod found Charlie where she normally could be found. "You should take a break."
Charlie pointed to the screen. "Look at this dude's picture. Tell me that he doesn't have babies hidden in shoe boxes."
Rod looked at the man's face. He was dressed well and just looked smug. "You've been looking at it for too long."
Charlie saved her research. "I want to contact the author of the article that made criminal claims against them."
"No." Rod said.
Charlie blinked slowly.
"If there is something sinister going on, you don't want to get involved. You don't want your name in the mix." Rod said. "Step away from it. They probably know about the article. The worst-case scenario is that they would be able to track you down just by your contact with the author."
Charlie sighed. "You're right. I don't want to be on the run again."
Rod asked her if she had seen anything that would raise concern. "Those people that were after you when you met Kate and Dean, have you seen anything about them?"
"No." Charlie said. "I'm really careful."
Rod gently guided her out of her room. "Krissy is on her way back."
That helped Charlie relax. "I heard that Lee broke his arm."
Rod had gotten the story from John and it frustrated him to no end. "This place is going to get crowded by Thursday. Marie could use your opinions. You two decide where things go and I'll do the moving."
Charlie felt like she lived in a hotel at times. It was cool though. "You're going to run out of rooms one day."
Marie smiled brightly. "Then we will have to add a few more." She was thrilled with how the family had grown.
Charlie made a list of people and split them by rooms. "Krissy can share my room so that Jo and Kate can share hers."
"Surely Krissy could share a room with Lee." Marie said. She looked up and saw Charlie's face. "Although she'd jump at the chance to hang out with the girls as well."
(Sam and Jess)
Jess nearly ran out the door when Sam told her he had gotten a call from Tony.
Sam told her to wait. "We were going to Marie's house."
"We will take him." Jess said.
Sam wasn't so sure about that.
Tony had a chance to think and to spend time with Jacob. He needed to go back to their house but had no idea what would be there. He was nervous about taking Jacob back with him right away. What if the werewolves were back? Ryan was going to go with him to make sure that they were gone and wouldn't be able to attack them if they weren't gone. He had to swallow his pride and ask Sam if they could watch Jacob for a little while longer.
"Jess, that is a long trip for a baby." Sam said.
Jess was already working out the logistics. "The flight isn't bad."
"How do you plan on taking a baby on a plane? He isn't ours." Sam said.
"Tony will just have to write a letter and give us the documents." Jess said, her mind already made up.
Sam sighed. He talked to Tony again, assuming that he wouldn't want them traveling with his newborn son. He was slightly taken aback when Tony said that he'd be okay with it. He was probably still in shock. Marie's house would be a good place for Tony to go anyway. If he couldn't restart their life, he could take some time away from home to get his head back on straight. "He said he'd be okay with us taking him."
Jess hugged Sam. "The flight isn't that long and then we will have a ton of help. You'll forget we even have him." She called Marie to add Jacob to the guest list. He'd be safe there.
Sam didn't know why he felt the need to call John. He always hated reporting things to him when he was growing up. Now, he had a knee jerk reaction to run everything by him. He was slightly sheepish when he made the call. "Hey, uh, Tony asked us to watch Jacob again."
John motioned for Kate to stop walking, as they had decided to get food before leaving Knoxville. "Are you staying home then?"
Sam sighed. "No, I guess he is coming with us."
John was both surprised and not surprised at all. Of course, Jess would bring the baby. "Okay. What do you need?"
"Oh, uh, nothing, I guess. I just was telling you because….. it is kind of hunt related." Sam said, unsure of himself.
"I'll talk to Ryan about Tony's state of mind. Call me back if you need something." John said.
Sam found Jess arranging things in a suitcase. They had a few things left from where they had to scramble to gather things before Jacob got there. "Does Marie have a bed?"
Jess scoffed. "She said he'd be set."
Sam took Jess's hand and pulled her to the bed. He sat down and let her sit in his lap. "What are you thinking?"
Jess frowned. "I had a nightmare that they went back home and the werewolves came back when they were driving."
Sam rubbed her arm. "I know you want to hold onto him. I hate to tell you, but I doubt you'll be able to for more than a second once we get to Marie's house."
Jess smiled. "You should have heard Marie's reaction."
Sam could easily imagine. "They are all going to be a mess when Lauren is born."
"Jacob will just be a practice run." Jess said. If things went well, they wouldn't see him again after the trip. He'd go back home with his dad and live out his life free of werewolves and monsters. He'd never know what really took his mom. He'd have a normal childhood. He wouldn't remember Sam or Jess's names and that comforted her. He could be normal.
(Kate)
Kate had more to explore and look at but they needed to head home. Everyone was meeting up at Marie's house and she didn't want to miss out. "I could get us there so much faster."
John had already put a few hours between them and Knoxville. "When you pulled vehicles, you were afraid for our lives. We have plenty of time to make it back."
Kate scooted down in her seat to rest her feet on the dashboard. "Can we stop by the bunker?"
John flicked his eyes to look at her for a moment. "Why?"
Kate shrugged. "I just feel like we should."
"I thought you wanted to make the trip shorter." John countered.
"I could zap there and back before you noticed I was gone." Kate said.
John eyed her.
"I said I could. I didn't say I would." Kate said with a huff. The red light, visions and need to read skulls had her slightly off. "I wonder if my brain exists outside of space and time."
John rubbed his jaw. "Don't let Dean hear you saying that. He will run with it."
Kate smirked but rolled her eyes. "I mean, am I getting visions from something or someone else? Am I having visions of things that I know in the future?"
"I couldn't answer that." John admitted.
"I was thinking about how I would give my younger self hints. This seems like something I'd do. Like, I should understand because it is me." Kate said.
John kept his eyes on the road. "You think that your older self is sending you messages?"
"Maybe. I'm just going to nap." Kate said.
"Kate," John said.
"Just a nap, dad."
(Caleb)
Caleb was right. Andy fell asleep at one of the job sites. He spent the morning being helpful. He worked hard carrying screws and bolts around and hammering nails into boards. They sat down to eat lunch and Andy nearly fell over.
Andy curled up in the floor with his head on Caleb's jacket. He slept through the constant sounds of repair on the old house.
Caleb's coworkers liked having Andy around and walked a little softer when they went through the room where he had fallen asleep.
Andy woke up two hours later and helped Caleb with a few more tasks. He was disoriented and had marks from Caleb's jacket across his face. He saw one of the guys and asked where his dad was.
Caleb heard his name. "You're awake."
Andy yawned. "I didn't know I fell asleep."
Caleb ruffled his hair. "This job has that effect."
April was thankful for the extra sleep. Ian even woke up in a good mood. She did have a twinge of pain that caught her off guard throughout the day. She chose to rest and play with Ian instead of cleaning the house again. She started dinner before Caleb and Andy got home. She was interested to hear how Andy's day went.
Andy talked through dinner. He was proud of himself for being so helpful. "I got to use a sledge hammer." He didn't tell her that he just scooted it because it was too heavy to swing.
Caleb let Andy talk and gave April subtle head shakes when Andy's story got a little too wild. He was also proud of how helpful Andy was. He bundled both of the boys up after dinner and took them down to the park. They were both hyper and he could use a solid night of sleep. Just a few more weeks and they'd be a family of five.
Andy ran up the stairs as they made it back to the house. He was chilled from the nip in the air. His nose was cold and numb. He turned the shower on and quickly washed away the dirt and mud from the park. He could not wait to go to Marie's house. He was counting down the seconds but wasn't badgering his parents like he had last time.
April collapsed onto the couch once the boys were in their room and falling asleep. Her feet were sore and she needed to take a breath.
Caleb sat down with her to massage her feet and talk about their day.
Andy heard Ian climbing out of his bed and dropped down from his own bed. "It's bed time."
Ian reached for the door and growled when Andy pulled him back.
"If we sleep right away, we can leave for Marie's earlier." Andy tried to reason with him. The room was dark and he didn't have a good handle on where they were out in the room. He pulled on Ian's shirt and gasped when he heard Ian fall. He scrambled for the light and covered his mouth.
Ian had busted his mouth on the bed frame and was temporarily in shock. His bottom lip had wounds where his teeth had cut the skin.
Andy rushed to him before Ian could start crying. He pulled his bracelet off and watched the wound heal. He quickly put the bracelet back on and pulled Ian to him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Ian whined but wasn't exactly sure what happened.
Andy wiped Ian's mouth. "It's all better." He let out a sigh of relief and got Ian to go back to bed. That was a close call. Seeing Ian hurt about killed Andy.
Caleb checked on the boys after hearing a scuffle.
Andy pulled a blanket over Ian. "We are okay, dad. He just wanted to get out of bed."
Caleb patted Ian's back for a minute to get him settled. "Good night."
Andy smiled. "Good night."
(The next day)
Kate was unable to convince John to let her zap them anywhere but she did talk him into letting her take care of his fatigue.
John was enjoying his trip with Kate but they were on a time crunch.
Kate wasn't sure how long she had slept in the truck but the sun was on its way up. "You could sleep for a few hours and then we could get back on the road."
John checked their location and how much time they had. He found a rest stop and pulled over.
Kate was able to freshen up and walk around for five minutes. She decided to draw while he slept. She was working on ideas for the school. They wanted a mural painted. She wanted to hide symbols to ward off creatures and demons. She could put the symbols on the blank wall and then paint over them but then she'd run the risk of someone seeing it before she hid it away. She also couldn't rely on being alone while she painted. People would want to help. She looked out the truck window and watched a plastic wrapper float across the parking lot. There was frost but no snow. There were two semi-trucks parked across the parking lot from where they were parked. Aside from those two, they were alone. She drew a simple face on the glass as frost built up on the window. As the sun broke through the trees, the parking lot was bathed with hues of reds and oranges. She narrowed her eyes as the red light grew stronger. She felt as though it was calling out to her.
John stirred when his alarm woke him. He stretched and touched Kate's arm.
Kate whipped her head around. "I thought you were going to nap."
John yawned. "I got my three hours."
Kate blinked rapidly. She grabbed his wrist to look at his watch. "What?"
John studied her.
"It happened again. I saw the light and then two seconds later, three hours passed." Kate said.
John turned her chin to look into her eyes. "Your eyes are glowing."
Kate covered her eyes with her hands. "What's the point of a vision if I don't remember it?"
John turned the truck on. "You don't remember anything?"
Kate shook her head. "I'd tell you if I did. Normally, with visions, I can feel that time has passed."
John motioned to the pad of paper in her lap. "You were busy."
Kate looked at her notebook. She didn't know what the scribbles meant. She knew what some of it meant but not in that context. "I'm going insane."
John let the window of the truck defrost before leaving the rest stop. He let Kate run inside and waited for her. "Still nothing?"
Kate flipped through the pages of her notebook. "Some of it is Enochian. I have a gut feeling that this is demon related."
John grimaced. Most of their life was demon related. "What makes you think that?"
"Red seems to be a theme. When the demons showed up at the house and I called Crowley in, the other demon had a red aura about her. She had red hair and red lipstick." She sighed. "I can't quite make sense of it."
John listened to her talk. "Go back through what you wrote. Look for clues."
Kate held the notebook up. "I drew this kitten. I don't think it is related."
John smiled a bit. "Maybe not that one."
Kate hated missing time. Who was blocking her memory and why? What did she do during the time that she was missing? "I think it is all connected."
John kept his eyes on the road but flicked his hand to tell her to continue.
"The freaks, Abaddon, that weird family Charlie has been tracking." Kate said.
John tapped the breaks. "Charlie?"
Kate's mouth fell open. "She found that weird rich family."
John pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I know very little about them. She didn't feed me information. Everything I know, you already know. Well, or Bobby already knows." Kate said.
John didn't think Charlie would do what Hannah had done. She was much too afraid of conflict to stray too far. It also helped that both Rod and Marie were monitoring her. "All of it may be connected but you can't run with it."
Kate held her notebook upside down. "I'm not. Maybe it is my better judgment blocking my memory." She knew where Hellen got her powers. She knew that Abaddon was connected to the freaks. She just didn't know why she was manifesting a red light.
(Sam and Jess)
Sam thanked Brody for dropping them off at the airport. He was still nervous about taking Jacob with them. He settled into his seat although his legs were too long to be comfortable. He took Jacob from Jess so that she could get herself set up for the flight. Having flown before, Sam thought he knew what to expect. However, with Jacob tagging along, people were incredibly nice. They got to board sooner and the flight attendant gleefully brought them warm water for Jacob's bottle.
Jess made a bottle so that they didn't have to scramble if he got hungry. She pulled his blanket out of his bag and grabbed a burp cloth too for good measure. She was going to take him back as soon as she got settled but he and Sam were content.
Sam let Jacob hold onto his finger and lifted it away from him. He smiled softly when Jacob didn't let go. Sure, it was a reflex but his grip was strong. He noticed Jess was looking at him and blushed.
"He's too young for pull ups, Sam." Jess said.
"People say something is easy like taking candy from a baby but they are surprisingly strong." Sam said.
Jess handed Sam Jacob's pacifier and sat back as the plane took off.
Sam frowned when Jacob did. He held him closer and hushed him until the plane got into the air.
Jacob wasn't a fan of the loud noise but didn't completely melt.
Sam handed him over to Jess when he started getting sleepy. He helped where he could but was hopeful that he'd sleep through the flight.
Jacob's first flight was a breeze. He stirred a few times but didn't cry.
Jess's arms were numb by the time they landed. "You'll have to carry him."
Sam gently lifted him from Jess's lap. He tucked his blanket around him and cradled him in one arm. He awkwardly looked at an older woman who praised him for how good of a baby his son was.
Jess jabbed Sam in the back and said thank you. It was too much work to explain that they weren't his parents but they also hadn't kidnapped him. She called Marie to let her know they had landed and got them a small bite to eat while they waited.
Sam was less nervous since the trip had gone well so far. He didn't feel like they were going to get arrested for having a baby that wasn't theirs. They crossed state lines. Legally, there was a lot to think about. His dad did sign papers though. It just felt odd.
Rod stopped in the loading area and let Marie get out to greet Sam and Jess. He smiled when she saw Jacob. He knew she was thrilled.
Marie gasped and pulled Jacob's blanket away from his face. She took the backseat so that Sam could have the front.
Sam tried to argue but that didn't help.
"Nonsense. You need the leg room and I'd like to get to know this little one." Marie said.
Jess sat on the other side of Jacob. She made another bottle and let him drink it from his car seat. "Thanks for letting us bring him."
Marie was in love. "Of course. I'd never turn away a baby."
Lee and Krissy made it to the house before the others got back. Krissy darted out of the car to hug Charlie.
Charlie grinned. "You're back."
Krissy crossed her arms and shot her dad a glare. "Cuz he left me!"
Charlie saw the look on Lee's face and patted Krissy's arm. "Well, I'm just glad you are back."
Lee wasn't sure if he had gotten through to Krissy. Would she leave again out of spite or would she stay put the next time he needed her to. He had time to figure that out.
Krissy was so excited to room with Charlie. She didn't even care that her stuff got moved around. She ran back out the door when she saw Rod's car pull up.
Lee caught her. "Wait, you'll get run over."
Krissy paused for two seconds to give Rod a chance to park. She jumped and hugged him when he got out. "You got a baby?"
Jess smiled at her. "We are just babysitting."
Krissy thought Jacob was cute. "I wanna hold him."
Sam pulled the car seat from the car. "We have to get him inside first."
Krissy kept up with Sam even though his legs were at least as tall as she was. She sat down on the sofa and held her arms out for Jacob.
Jess helped Krissy hold him. "You have to be careful with his head."
Krissy was in awe. Real babies were better than her dolls.
(Dean and Taylor)
Taylor shifted in the front seat to look at Jo as she got into the back seat. "How did your date go?"
Jo's face turned slightly pink. "Good."
Taylor narrowed his eyes.
"Oh my god, it went good." Jo said with an eye roll.
"Who is he?" Taylor asked.
Jo flicked his ear. "Stop being weird."
"He wanted to track him down but we told him not to." Dean said with a smirk.
Jo looked out the window for a moment too long.
Taylor whipped his head around. "Is that him?"
Jo slid down in the seat. "I'm going to hurt you."
Taylor gave up.
Jo sat up once they were out of view of the roadhouse. "He was a total gentleman."
Taylor relaxed. "Good."
Jo leaned back. "If he wasn't, I'd shoot him."
Taylor nodded in agreement. "Is he a hunter?"
Jo pulled her jacket off. "He doesn't hunt much. He is a genius with weapons."
Taylor looked at Dean. "Same guy."
Dean nodded.
Jo smacked the top of the front seat. "What?"
"I asked dad." Taylor said. "I just wanted to make sure that you weren't in danger."
Jo reached so she could wrap her arm around his neck. "That is none of your business."
Taylor swallowed against the pressure on his neck. "He said the person he knew was a good guy."
Jo let him go and sat back again. "I have standards."
Taylor rubbed his neck. "Noted."
(Caleb's crew)
Andy was bouncing off the walls. He was antsy and ready to be at Marie's house. He bailed out of the truck once it stopped. He said hi to everyone but didn't give Jacob much thought. He wasn't as enamored with babies as Krissy was.
April rubbed her lower back as she walked. The pain was persistent but that was normal for the last few weeks of pregnancy. Lauren was running out of room and April felt like she was carrying a watermelon under her shirt.
Caleb got their stuff inside and up to their room. He talked to Lee for a little bit and checked in with April.
April said she was fine. "I'm just going to put my feet up." She got to meet Jacob and he made her that much more excited to meet Lauren. "Oh my goodness, this hair."
Jess ran her fingers over Jacob's head. He had a good bit of hair for a newborn but it was so light that it looked nonexistent. He had big, dark blue eyes. She didn't know if they would stay blue though.
April leaned her head back and rested. She could hear the boys getting into something but there were enough adults around to stop them if it was something bad.
The front door opened and a moment later, Ian hit the ground. He giggled wildly and rolled Ben off of him.
Desiree cringed. "Ben!"
Caleb told her Ian was fine. "He's solid."
Desiree shook her head. He had a habit of tackling people but they were usually a lot bigger than him. She stopped by the living room to visit with April. She wasn't as far along as April was but they could share experiences.
Dean heard the dogs before he saw them. He slowed down and grumbled about them getting ran over if they didn't move. He parked and asked John how far out they were. He found Sam and teased him about the new addition.
Sam shoved Dean lightly. "We are just babysitting."
Dean looked toward Jess and Jacob. "Yeah. You are just babysitting. She isn't attached at all."
Taylor tossed his bag on his bed. He was rooming with Dean so he took a few minutes to mess with Dean's bed. He was careful to be discrete.
Jo had to meet baby Jacob too. She thought he was precious. "Do you think Lauren will be smaller?"
April put a hand on her stomach. "Maybe. He is a week or two ahead already."
Karen joined the other women in fussing over Jacob. She was just as excited as Caleb and April were about meeting Lauren. She just loved babies.
Kate joined everyone else as soon as the truck stopped.
John stayed outside for a little while, though. He wasn't a fan of the chaotic energy.
Sam debated going outside. Did John want to be alone? He absentmindedly borrowed Jacob and carried him outside.
John watched Sam.
Sam sat down in one of the porch chairs. "You got here quick."
John sat down as well. "Kate helped with the tiredness." He could tell Sam wanted to say something but wasn't sure how. "So, this is Jacob?"
Sam tilted Jacob so that John could get a better look at him.
"He doesn't look like he'd keep you up all night." John said, softly.
Sam smiled. "He's got a set of lungs."
John thought Sam looked at ease. That made him feel at ease. He talked with Sam about what was going on in Stanford and what the plan was with Jacob. He was incredibly proud of his son, even if he didn't know how to tell him that.
Jacob started to whimper so Sam got up to take him inside.
John opened the door for him. "I'll head in too."
Jess, somehow, already knew he would be hungry. She tossed Sam a bottle and went back to her conversation with Karen and Kate.
Dean saw Sam catch the bottle one handed and snorted.
Sam glared at him. "Shut up."
Dean gagged when Sam sprayed his arm with some of the milk. "Dude."
Taylor cracked up.
Dean ran his arm across Taylor's face and smirked when Taylor had the same reaction that he did.
Marie chided them. "Leave him alone."
Dean scoffed. "I didn't even say anything."
John was amused by the slight bickering. That was their dynamic. If they weren't taking shots at each other, they weren't being their true selves. He felt something he couldn't quite place and stepped out of the house. He opted to sit on his tailgate for a few minutes to clear his head. He wasn't surprised that he wasn't totally alone. "What?"
Older Kate leaned against another car. "You felt it."
John didn't respond.
"You say you don't have abilities but I know what is going through your head." Older Kate said.
John looked toward the house. He could see Sam's form casting a shadow against the curtains. "It is a gut feeling." He looked sad. He felt a pang of guilt. He looked into Older Kate's eyes. "When?"
Older Kate raised an eyebrow.
John asked her again. "When?"
Older Kate shook her head. "I can't answer that."
John looked back toward the house. "I don't have abilities. I have a gut feeling. I don't know when or why or how but I do know that kid is a Winchester. They just don't know it yet."
Older Kate gave him a sad smile. She gently touched his arm and took a deep breath. "Family doesn't end in blood."
John took that statement as confirmation to his gut feeling. He moved over so that Older Kate could sit bedside him. "Why are you back?"
Older Kate gave him another sad smile. "I guess you could say I just had a gut feeling."