Everybody was Kung Fu fighting
Those kicks were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they did it with expert timing

Kung Fu Fighting

Merlotte's was an old regular haunt of Dad's, it had good cheap beer, great nachos, enough space for people to spread out and play a bit of pool or darts, or just sit back and enjoy the live music sessions that were often taking place.

Beth had decided she was up for some dancing, and since it was her twenty-first birthday, and she was now legally allowed to drink, if she had a legal ID that was, she intended to make the most of it. Technically she'd been twenty-one for about three years according to her latest fake ID, but no one else knew that.

Officially Beth O'Malley wasn't even among the land of the living anymore, John having faked her death at the same time he made her father's death out to be a home invasion attack which killed him. For a dead girl, Beth sure was living it up tonight, she and Dean were currently at a table, reminiscent of Marion Ravenwood in Indiana Jones downing shots in a bizarre drinking game that Sam was refereeing.

Dad was watching the terrible trio with a disdainful look, his back to me as I leaned comfortably against John's side, my arms crossed, trying to look casual. The feel of his ripped arm pressed against me had the opposite effect; I found myself thinking too long and hard on the early morning's activities, and not enough on breathing.

John leaned in to speak into my ear, pretending like we were having a hard time hearing over the live DJ in the building. If his husky voice hadn't given away just how similarly he was feeling, his words certainly did. "I can't help but notice that there doesn't seem to be much under that top you're wearing..." he commented, turning an innocent grin to me. I raised my eyebrow and tossed him a quirky grin.

"Why John Winchester... I never knew you to be a fashion guru," I said with a laugh, and I took a sip of my drink, watching him swallow hard, hungry eyes meeting mine. "Less layers mean easier access for dark corners and dark deeds," I whispered suggestively in his ear. He grunted in reply and I shivered as I felt the lightest of touches brush along my lower back under the soft fabric of my sleeveless top, completely out of sight of the rest of our party who were absorbed in their games.

My attention was drawn to the bar where Terry, the bartender, had finished mixing up a couple of margaritas. Regular for me, blended strawberry for Beth. I grinned and stole away from John, winking at Terry who flashed me a grin from behind the bar.

"Save a spot on your dance card for me?" He said to me with a friendly smile. "Although doesn't look like you're short of suitors tonight," he grinned, wiping down the counter.

"Thanks Terry," I smiled, taking the drinks. "I'll keep you in mind!"

I turned with the large margarita glasses to face Beth. "Hey O'Malley!" She looked up from the drinking game, gnawing on her lip. I suddenly realised that the drinking game was basically a version of checkers using a scrounged up board from who knows where, but instead of checkers, they were using shot glasses – and there were the usual house rules in play when it came to the Winchesters. Each glass you jumped, you drank and put aside. Beth's side of the board was looking a lot more full than Dean's and I had to wonder whether he really was losing.

"Get this into you honey, I'm gonna sort out some dance music," I said, handing her the margarita in my hand. She nodded enthusiastically.

"Dean has to dance with me when I win," she said with a raised eyebrow. Sam snorted and shook his head, taking a sip from his own beer.

"Sugarpie, how many times do we have to play this for you to realise that I do not lose at this game?" Dean asked with a smirk.

"At least one more it seems," Sam said with a raised eyebrow and John chuckled, a rare smile on his face as he watched his kids having a little down time. Dad was looking incredulous at the amount of alcohol Beth had put away, and sighed.

"You idjits ought to be ashamed of yourselves, introducing this idiotic game to your sister." He said. Dean looked surprised.

"Bobby, who do you think made it up?" He asked with a laugh, looking pointedly at Beth who started to giggle.

Beth took a huge gulp of the margarita and let it slide down her throat with a satisfied moan. "Oh my god that is better than sex," she said, then looked up sharply, realising it wasn't just her and me in the room. All the men looked at her curiously, our sex lives kind of weren't something discussed in this tight knit group.

Dean jumped two of her shot glasses on the board, leaning forward with a gleam in his eye, downing one and then the other.

"Know something about that do you?" He asked so low that only Beth and I heard. His eyes were narrowed and he assessed Beth in front of him. We all knew he wasn't a virgin, sex god that he was, but Beth - that remained to be seen.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Beth asked coyly, taking another sip and cocking an eyebrow. I decided it was definitely time to change things up.

I laughed, taking my own margarita and weaving my way toward the back of the dance floor, eyes fixed on the DJ, a cheeky plan in my head. Beth and I had discussed how on earth we were going to manage to get a little birthday dance out of Dean for her, and this was stage one. Preferably stage one should happen before the inevitable final phase where Dean, or Sam if Dean was too plastered, would have to get her home to bed.

As the strains of Dilemma started playing over the speakers, I finished off my drink, and wove through the dancers on the floor. Dad and Sam were gone as soon Dad realised there was music happening. He had pulled Sam with him to play a game of pool in the back room across the far end of the bar.

John was at the bar, refreshing his beer and Beth was clinging to his arm, doing the pleading daughter thing.

"Pleeeeease! Come on, Dean won't, and it's your duty as a dad to dance with me for my birthday!" Beth said in a whiney voice, and John simply gave her a patient, but non-compliant smile.

"Bethie, you have plenty of guys here who would kill to dance with you tonight," John said with a grin.

"You mean, who you'd kill if they tried," I said, rounding them from the dance floor. "Give the girl a dance John Winchester. God knows she doesn't get to have this kind of fun all the time."

John sized me up, this little five foot five enigma before him, staring up and challenging him defiantly. He grunted, giving in and Beth clapped happily, slipping her arm through his.

Dean was taking a long chug of his beer, looking at little conflicted as Beth pulled John out on to the dance floor while at least three girls sidled up to him at the bar, hungry eyes on him. I smirked. Maybe this was gonna be easier than I thought.

"Yo precious." I said to Dean as I stepped over to him, I was grateful for my heels, they put me on a more level playing field with him. Dean threw me a curious look as I got in his space, our breaths mingled a little and I thought about kissing him, just to mess with his mind, but then I remembered John and Beth, and thought better of it. I was twenty-three years old, not twelve. I could behave like an adult. If I wanted.

I took Dean by the hand and chuckled, dragging him up on to the dance floor. He growled and tried to hold back, but when he saw I wasn't taking no for an answer he sighed and gave in. Fortunately for me, he'd had a few drinks, having won the game with Beth while I was organising the DJ, and so was a little more pliable.

I slunk in next to Dean, sliding along his back and circling around as he looked uncomfortable. John, I noticed, had started to sway in rhythm to the beat and seemed to actually be enjoying himself, even if it wasn't his kind of music.

"Dean, stop being a stick in the mud! I know you can dance!" I said to him and he rolled his eyes. He smirked, and cocked an eyebrow. The song was beginning to finish, and it seemed he suddenly decided to make the most of it, sliding in behind me, his hands going to my hips as he leaned against my back, swaying to the beat. Determined not to be phased by his obvious attempt to make me uncomfortable, I ground my hips back into him, and he let out a short surprised gasp.

"Don't try and con a conwoman, Winchester," I said, sliding around and wrapping my arms around his neck. I leaned in close and breathed into his ear. "I know what you really want..." I teased and pulled back in time to see his eyes flick toward Beth. I grinned as the music finished and the new, much slower paced melody of Drops of Jupiter started playing over the speakers. "Tonight is your lucky night," I grinned at him, pulling away.

"That's your quota princess," John said to Beth who groaned in annoyance. John was a one-dance kind of man, but one couldn't say he didn't know how to move when he did hit the dance floor.

"What about me?" I asked, stepping up to slip my arm around Beth's waist, turning her toward Dean.

"What about you?" John asked, a smirk on his face.

"My quota hasn't been met," I quipped with a smile. "Here Dean, give your sister a dance would ya?" I said, giving her a playful shove into Dean's arms. He raised his eyebrow at me and I blew him a playful kiss before turning to look coyly at John.

"Dean!" Beth called out drunkenly, and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing his cheek. John shook his head and nodded as Dean pulled her back from him, disentangling her limbs from his neck.

"Come on Tinkerbell," Dean said with a shake of his head.

"Just ooonnnnneee dance?!" Beth begged and he looked over at his father first, seeking guidance. John rolled his eyes at Beth and then nodded at Dean. Pulling her into the crowd, Dean this time attempted to keep Beth from doing a repeat of the octopus move from a few nights ago. I looked at John expectantly, not having gotten distracted from the original request.

"Well?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, since you asked so nicely..." John said with an amused expression. He held out his hand to me, beckoning me into his arms. I resisted the urge to run to him and wrap my arms around his waist, instead playing the game of friends, that's it – nothing more. Nothing going on here with this man twice my age, nothing whatsoever. Just a man giving his daughter's best friend a dance.

John swung his back to Dean and Beth, blocking his actions as I felt his left hand tighten around my waist; his fingers played softly along the bare skin exposed from the halter top, sending shivers along my spine. His left hand grasped my right as we moved into a modern-day waltz, slowly swaying together, close, but not too close. Once again I was grateful for the heels that helped even out the playing field just a little, otherwise I'd be making eyes at his nipples right about now.

Dean and Beth seemed grateful for John's scrutiny to be elsewhere. They were dancing as we were, chaste and discreetly. I shot Dean an eye roll over John's shoulder and he frowned, shaking his head at me. I nodded almost imperceptibly back at him, this silent little exchange going on while the song rang around us... So tell me, did you fall for a shooting star, one without a permanent scar, and did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

Dean gave in to his own desires finally and slipped Beth further into the slow dancing mix of people on the dance floor. They were a little out of sight, but I smiled when I saw him lean in to Beth and whisper something in her ear. She smiled in response to whatever he said and then wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into his chest and burying her face in his neck. I'd never seen them so bold, but things were definitely changing in the pair, finally.

It was hard to concentrate on anything other than the feeling of John's fingers, tracing wide arching circles in the small of my back. I looked across to the back of the bar, Dad and Sam were still at the pool table, oblivious to those of us on the dance floor. Dean and Beth had disappeared around the corner into a little alcove that led to the bathroom.

I grinned and decided to have a little fun of my own, sliding my hand down John's chest to tweak his nipple through the shirt he was wearing. The slight hitch in his throat was so worth the warning look he tossed me and I continued to flick my finger along the hard little knob, delighting in the noises it was eliciting from my secret lover.

"Oh you're going to pay for that young lady," John promised with a husky voice.

"I'm counting on it," I quipped back with a grin, and stared into those swirling brown eyes. They drew me in like the calm before a storm. All my fears fell aside when I was lost in those windows to his soul.

The song ended way too soon, and I hesitated to pull back. The bar door opened and I felt my heart stop at who I saw there. I stiffened and John immediately picked up on it, turning to look over at the football team who had just entered, fresh from the game.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"They're here." I said cautiously not wanting to start a massive scene.

"Who's here baby?" He said quietly, although I had the feeling he already knew exactly who I meant.

"Ian, Jase, and Payden. The sons of bitches who ….." My voice trailed off, so low I was surprised he even caught it.

John stiffened as we swung into another round on the dance floor. "Call them out honey, I want numbers, I need to know who exactly to watch out for with you girls." He said his voice was a deadly calm, complete and utter stillness in the eye of the impending storm.

"Ian is number eighteen. Payden is twenty three. Jase is twenty one." I was proud my voice wasn't wavering I was suddenly trembling.

"Where's Beth and Dean?" John asked, looking around. I looked in the direction I'd seen the pair leave.

"Toilet," I answered quickly. "I saw Dean practically carrying her there. Maybe I should go check on them, she might need some help and well... he can't escort her in." John nodded, his thoughts clearly on the ten or so footballers crowding into the bar looking for a good time.

"Don't leave their sight when you get to them. We won't start anything as long as they don't, however stay your ass on this dance floor, or at the bar with me, your father, or Dean. I mean it Nicole. No pool, no darts, you're going to have an escort to go to the bathroom from now on." John instructed and I nodded, hurrying off to find Beth.

They were just around the corner, tucked up on a couch that was pushed out of the way behind a pinball machine. I'd never noticed it before, but it was the perfect little hidey-hole.

They'd been kissing, and Dean looked up a little panicked when I rounded the corner, visibly relaxing when he saw it was just me. Beth was curled up in his lap, snuggled in and kissing his neck, completely oblivious to anything other than Dean – I raised my eyebrow and shook my head, she wasn't usually this careless, clearly she'd had way too much to drink.

"John's looking for you," I said quickly and Beth froze, looking up, now she looked as panicked as Dean.

"I told him you're in the bathroom. Come on." I said, helping her to stand. Beth's legs gave way a little and Dean supported her until the head spin stopped. She nodded and put her best game face on. Dean was already back to the poker face, suddenly emotionally unavailable as we all prepared to round the corner. It was definitely time to get going.

I made my way back out to the dance floor, pushing through dancers, trying to make my way to the bar. I was ignoring the team as best I could, while keeping an eye out for the three I was worried about. I realised too late that I'd just directly ignored what John told me about staying with Dean for an escort.

I was surrounded. There was no other way to explain it. No way to fight it. I glanced over at Beth and Dean a little further behind me who were having the same problem, a couple of players had moved to intercept them as I walked.

"Come on Cole, I just wanna talk." Ian said softly, sweetly. His voice made me sick. I fought back the urge to vomit everything I'd consumed that night.

"No I'm not ever going to waste another minute on you, you arrogant piece of shit." I snarled rage filling me, edging out the sick feeling.

I shoved at him and he stumbled. I turned to walk away leaving him behind. I caught sight of John pushing his way through the dancers to our small tight knit group. Ian lunged for me grabbing my arm in a tight vice like grip I couldn't break. "Get the fuck off of me!" I shouted hysteria almost clouding my voice.

Thankfully the music was loud enough it didn't cause much of a scene.

"Is there a problem here?" John asked inserting himself almost between Ian and I.

"Mind your own business old man!" Ian snarled. John smirked.

"Kid, this is my business." John said. "Now why don't you let the girl go before you get hurt."

I wrenched my arm from Ian's grasp and quickly moved behind John.

Ian's eyes narrowed, first at me then traveled to John. "Figures the only piece of ass an old man could get would be an easy lay like her." He snapped. "Damn Cole, you'll give it up for anyone. You're disgusting!"

My jaw dropped. That son of a bitch just called me a whore!

Payden had moved up behind me, reaching out to brush his hand along my bare arm. "Hey sweetie, you ready for round two?" He asked, a sadistic gleam in his eye.

"You rat bastard you touch me again, I will rip your goddamn arm off." I snarled, my voice didn't even sound like my own.

Ian snickered in front of us. "Damn now you're playing hard to get, after you've already done half the team. I suppose you have to protect the tiny bit of honor you have left. Hey bro, you may have more luck with that other piece of ass over there." He cocked his head to the left to indicate Beth.

Dean was quietly assessing the ring of spectators that had gathered, greedily watching for a fight. He looked at his father, waiting for instruction, one hand on Beth at all times.

"Dean, get your sister out of here." John said not breaking eye contact with Ian. I could feel the tension in the air, it was about to go off like a bomb.

I side stepped to get out of John's range, and give us both some fighting room, no way was he going to just rescue me again; either I was going to fight too, or we wouldn't be having this fight at all.

Sam and Dad had gravitated toward the ring of spectators also though they were more to the outside of things.

"What about you?" Dean asked a little hesitantly, after all at least six football players surrounded us.

John just smirked, his smile dark and predatory. "Oh, I got this." He said confidently.

"You know what man, you enjoy her, we boys taught her everything she knows." Ian said giving me a once over and smirking.

I saw John's right hand curl into a fist. Ian never saw the hit that sent him staggering.

I leapt forward as John grabbed Ian up by his collar practically hoisting him into the air through sheer will alone.

"You sick little prick. You call three on one easy?" I inserted myself between them, grabbing at John's arm and trying to push him away from Ian. He didn't even spare me a glance.

"I can't tell you how many times I've prayed to meet you. This is the one chance you'll get to walk away unharmed." John said, deadly quiet.

"John he isn't worth it, stop, let him go!" I said desperately trying to push them both apart.

"Dammit John, let the kid go!" My dad's gruff voice said as he grabbed hold of Ian's collar trying to pry off John's grip. I hadn't even seen him work his way to us.

John was breathing heavily, furious at not being able to beat the kid before him into a bloody mess, but he set Ian back on his feet and shoved him roughly away from him. "You're not worth it. You're so not fucking worth it!"

I heaved a sigh of relief that the immediate crisis had been averted.

Dad was looking at me: anger, shock, and confusion written plainly on his face. "We are going to have a talk when we get home. I wanna know what the hell is going on with you!"

I simply nodded my head in resignation of my fate. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I almost didn't hear what was said next, almost.

"That little bitch begged for it! She came every time one of us was with her, every time! She enjoyed it!"

I raised my head almost like a hound dog scenting a fresh hunt, at the same time John whipped around. I beat him to it.

My knuckles hurt immediately after the impact, but it was worth every jarring bit of pain to see Ian's nose crumple. He staggered back with a roar, grasping at his now broken nose, blood pouring down over his football jersey and on to the floor.

I had a moment to wonder if I'd broken a finger, I'd hit him so hard, before I followed up with a swift kick to the groin, feeling the gratifying sensation of connecting with soft tissue, watching his eyes dilate as he wailed and fell to his knees.

Ian's friends looked shocked, unsure of how to react to a woman of such small stature beating the shit out of their buddy, but then Beth, who was a little judgement impaired, grabbed a nearby bottle. She spotted Payden who had slunk around near her with other intentions and she whirled around, smashing it against his head. "For my sister asshole!"

John's face looked completely shocked, but he didn't have time to think on it because the entire group of footballers suddenly sprang into action, and it was on for young and old.

Dean rolled his eyes, pulling Beth out of the way of a punch, and pressing her up against the wall behind him as he fended off three guys who were after retribution.

"Hey Sammy!" Dean roared over the crowd. "Little help here!" Sam's head popped up over the crowd where he was making short work of a couple of stragglers on the outer circle, and he panicked when he saw Dean and Beth surrounded. Without missing a beat he jumped on to a table, then launched himself at the group, tackling at least two of them to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing Dean?" Beth asked loudly pushing at him and attempting to kick the shins of the nearest brawling man. "Nobody put's Beth in a corner!" She said with a grin.

Sam and Dean looked at each other with apprehensive 'oh shit' expressions on their faces.

Dad had a wide circle of players and even other patrons around him. He picked up a pool cue and was spinning it in a complicated dance with the skill level of an experienced hunter.

Jase decided to take up dad on his challenge. Dipshit.

John was to the side of me, and I leaned on him as I bent down, to take off my heels, I was gonna need to be flat footed for this one. He looked down at me smirking, also shaking his head a little incredulously.

I straightened up once I had both heels off, and tossed one for a moment, before catching it and throwing it with deadly accuracy, pegging Jase right between the eyes, he groaned rubbing his head.

"Shit." I said as Jase turned his attention from dad to me. A slight frown line creased my forehead. "Somehow that worked out a lot better in my mind." I said, shrugging at John as he turned to me cocking an eyebrow.

Number 16 took a swing at John, and he dropped him to the floor with a simple jab to the jaw, followed up with a right hook. "It didn't work, because you threw it wrong." He said in his best sexy educated hunter voice.

"Are you for real we're in the middle of a bar brawl, that you started, and you're gonna teach me how to throw?" I asked barely containing a laugh. I mean damn I just couldn't make this shit up.

"Actually, I believe Beth is the one who started this brawl, although you certainly didn't help things." He said grinning at me, and snatching my other heel from my grasp.

"Now for a throw like that to work, and actually come out the way you wanted, you've got to…. Blah. Blah. Blah blahdiblah. Nicole!" He snapped.

I choked back a laugh, not really hearing what he had to say as I dodged a punch thrown in my direction, he darted around behind me kneeing number twenty nine in the family jewels. I winced, poor guys the rest of the team were mostly just collateral damage, thanks to Ian, Jase, and Payden.

I stepped forward to meet the next brazen football player, but John wrapped a hand around my waist keeping me out of the way as he lined up the shot, tossing my remaining heel through the air, and BAM! Jase crumpled to the floor like a deflated balloon.

John turned facing number thirty five, grabbing the kid's fist and turning it backwards putting enough strain that the guy wouldn't be throwing any footballs for a few weeks.

An arm grabbed me from behind and wrapped around my throat. I dislodged his wrist, elbowing him in the lower abdomen, and flipped him over my shoulder. Jase!

As soon as I had him on his back, I fell on him, punching every inch of him I could find. The pain in my hands wasn't even registering with me anymore. I felt a pair of hands trying to grab me up, but I wasn't done yet. These bastards were going to pay for everything they took from me.

Whirling flashing blue lights were going as the door to the bar opened up. Dad was still attempting to pull me from Jase, where I was beating the man unconscious.

He wasn't having a whole lot of success.

I glanced up as Dean and Sam rushed past with Beth over Dean's shoulder heading out the fire escape door.

Dad got his hands around my waist, hauling me up and to my feet. I glanced over his shoulder at John.

"We gotta get moving, now, last thing we needed was cops." I didn't need to be told twice.

We all made it through the fire escape to the alley together, Sam and Dean were running for the Impala. They hadn't even stopped to put Beth back on her own two feet, and she was now struggling with Dean and yelling indignantly to be put down.

"Hey Dad!" Sam yelled back at us with a short laugh. "Just like San Antonio all over again huh?" He finished as we reached our cars. John threw Sam a furious look, opening the truck's door and almost tossing me in the passenger side.

"We gotta stop taking your sister drinking..." he muttered under his breath, but there was a smile on his face. Dad rolled his eyes and retorted with a comment about flaming galahs, and got into the back of the Impala with Beth.

We made it home without further incident. Dean grunted as he carried the now close to unconscious Beth up the stairs. He kicked the door to the spare room open and put her down on the double bed.

"I ain't carrying her up another flight of stairs, she can sleep it off here," he said in a complaining tone. I smirked and thought it was terribly convenient that she'd been fighting perfectly sober one minute, and was too drunk to walk the next. Yes she'd had a bit to drink, but how intoxicated she now was, especially with that adrenaline pumping through each of our bodies, remained to be seen.

"Best birthday ever..." Beth muttered, rolling into a pillow and sighing contentedly while Dean pulled off her boots and jeans, shaking his head at her.

He looked over at Sam and grinned. "You want to bunk in with her?" He asked, but it was clear as day what the answer was going to be.

"Hell no Dean! You got her drunk, you deal with the aftermath... I'm taking the single!" Sam said, already sitting on the aforementioned bed, pulling his shoes off. Dean feigned annoyance, and Beth started giggling like mad. OK maybe she was a little drunk.

"God!" Sam said, thumping his head with his palm. "It's gonna be like bunking in with a hyena. San Antonio all over again!" He plopped back into bed and rolled over, pulling the covers up over his shoulders and then a pillow over his head with a grunt.

John didn't even bat an eyelid he was that far off in his own world.

"I'll make up the couch for John," I said to Dad who was standing around looking confused and angry.

I made my way back downstairs with Dad and John trailing me.

"Would one of you to morons care to tell me why the hell we just took out a whole friggin' football team in my favourite bar in town? Damn I'll be lucky if they ever let me back in there." My dad said moodily. My dad was for all intents and purposes a peaceful person, unless of course you messed with his family, or you were some kind of demonic hell spawn.

I turned heaving a sigh, I so didn't want to have this conversation right now. "Look Dad, they were just a bunch of idiots from school. They are always acting like that, and I had to defend myself, didn't I?"

My dad took the bait like a bass.

"Of course you did baby girl and I'm proud of you!" He said beaming at me.

"Great." I muttered irritably. "Now that that has been established I'm going to get John some sheets and go grab some sleep." I said putting on my best I'm totally exhausted voice.

I turned and headed to the linen closet. When I returned John and my dad were quietly discussing something. I moved closer to where I could listen in without being seen.

"I tell you John, sometimes it's like I'm dealing with ten different versions of her. She's happy, she's pissed, she's my daughter, then again in the next minute she's using some guy for a punching bag in a bar." Dad heaved a huge sigh.

"And that flirting with Dean the other night when she was stitching up his face, that isn't my daughter. She's never acted like that. Her and Dean usually fight like cats and dogs, hell they act more like brother and sister than Dean and Beth do. Lately she's been acting like a…." He let out a frustrated growl.

"Nevermind. It's just sometimes I think something's happened to her with all of her crazy mood swings and the way she acts around men now, and then the next instant she's my daughter again, sweet and fun loving and happy go-lucky." Dad finished.

"What do you mean with the way she acts around men now?" John asked softly, trying to play off the cool second father figure, but I swore I could hear a tiny bit of jealousy in his voice. "Are we gonna have to teach some man a lesson?"

Dad removed his baseball cap and ran a hand through his hair, sighing. He sounded tired, older. Maybe I was taking years off of his life. This was all my fault. Tears sprang up in my eyes and I wiped them away quietly listening for what was said next.

"I don't think so." Dad said gruffly, "but I'll let you know if we do."

"Bobby, the only thing you can do is try to get her to open up about whatever you think is bothering her. I think you'll find she'll be willing to talk if there is anything to talk about." John said cautiously.

I cleared my throat and rounded the corner, figuring now was a good time to step back into the conversation.

Dad stood from the end of the couch he'd been sitting on and quietly moved into the kitchen, giving me a brief moment alone with John.

I glanced towards the archway, and stepped a little closer to him. "There's an escape hatch you can access from the south side of the basement, goes all the way up to the attic, entrances are covered by secret panels. Dean and Beth are bunking in together, so..." I kept my voice low and one eye on my dad who was pottering around in the kitchen.

John nodded almost imperceptibly at me, picking up on the hint with a glint in his eye.

I deposited the blankets and sheets onto the end of the couch, then turned to head into the kitchen. I filled a glass with ice water and rounded on the cabinet the Aspirin was kept in. I popped two tablets and rinsed them down with a mouthful of water.

I sighed and turned to face my dad. "Dad, could we talk for a minute?" I asked softly hesitantly.

His expression looked guarded, almost like he couldn't believe I would seek him out. Hell five months ago I'd practically shared everything with my dad. Now I felt like I was hiding my very soul from my father. It was time to change that at least a tiny part of it.

"You may want to sit down for this." I said apprehensively.

"That's never a good sign." He said trying to ease the obvious tension in the room with a quip.

I smiled slightly at his words. He was looking at me questioningly.

"I owe you an apology dad." I said softly. "I acted like a self-destructive hormonal teenager and I'm sorry." I said.

"It's okay baby. We just need to figure out why and what we can do to fix it." He said trying to understand where I was coming from. Trying to understand what was going on.

"Something happened, about a week before I graduated. Actually it was the last night of finals." I gave a wry smile and wiped away a tear that fell. "I, uh, I made a mistake. Probably the worst mistake of my life." I sighed. Dad waited patiently for me to continue.

"So...those guys..." I began tentatively. Dad just nodded. "I was dating one of them, just casual, and he invited me to a celebration party at the frat house after final exams." I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly becoming very dry. "And well, things kind of got out of hand and ..." My voice trailed off but he got it. His eyes narrowed. "How many?" He asked. I took a deep breath and looked at him. "Three...the ones John and I beat up."

"John knew about this?!" He said angrily, standing up and pacing the kitchen floor.

"I had the school call him, I couldn't tell you Dad, I didn't want you to think I was weak." I said frantically trying to calm him down. I couldn't help the tears that were flowing freely now. I was weak, stupid, useless.

"Bobby, you need to calm down. You freaking out isn't helping Cole in any way." John's voice said filling the small space of the kitchen with his calming presence.

Dad rounded on him looking like he was ready to explode with rage. "Why the hell didn't you tell me? God dammit John you're supposed to be one of my oldest friends, a second father to my daughter and you let it slip your mind that she was raped? It's been months John!" My dad snarled.

He was across the kitchen so fast he was practically a blur, shoving John into the newly repaired wall. Thankfully there was no crack this time. I was at Dad's side in an instant trying to separate them but knowing better than to get between them.

Dad had his fist raised ready to hit John. "Go ahead, I deserve it!" John said quietly.

"No Dad, let him go, he did it for me! He did it because I begged him not to tell you! I swore to him I would tell you myself, and hell if this hadn't happened tonight I still don't know that I would've told you." My dad hesitated, his fist wavering. He dropped his hold on John's shirt front.

"Just get the hell out of my sight. Give me some time to think about all of this." He snapped.

John stepped to the kitchen entrance, about to leave and I turned to follow him.

"Not you Cole, we are nowhere near finished with this conversation." Dad said, and for once in my life his tone of voice scared me.

I turned back around trembling and collapsed into a kitchen chair.

"Why in the hell would you think you couldn't tell me something as important as this?" He questioned me, I glanced up almost afraid to see the disgust in his eyes.

He looked hurt, confused. My shoulders shook as a wave of sobs overtook me. "I didn't want you to be disappointed in me." I said once my sobs had stopped enough that I could speak. "I didn't want you to think I was weak because I couldn't fight off a couple of humans." I said my voice breaking.

"Baby girl I could never think you were weak." He said softly. When I couldn't bring myself to look at him he placed his hand under my chin raising my eyes to his. "I love you more than anything in this world. You are the strongest person I know. I love you and I want you to know that this is not your fault."

I dissolved into another round of tears and sobs. "I'm sorry Daddy. I'm sorry. God I am so fucking sorry." I cried and sobbed echoing my sorrow for almost an hour. Dad just moved towards me and held me to him, until I had enough control over myself to stop.

I was exhausted. I hated big emotional chick flick moments. They took all the energy one had until they left you with absolutely nothing.

I stirred hesitantly moving to sit back in my own chair. I felt weak and drained.

"Daddy, I'm really tired, so I'm gonna go get some sleep." I said quietly my voice dry and cracking. A mere thread of sound.

Dad looked cautiously at me, and reached out to hug me. It took everything in me not to flinch or recoil from his touch. I was a horrible person. He kissed the top of my head. "Go on and get some sleep baby girl. We'll deal with this some more in the morning." He said quietly.

I trudged upstairs to my bed and once there, pulled off my clothes, replacing the top I had been wearing with a simple t-shirt and not bothering to put on any shorts. The evening's exhaustion and confusion washed over me unbidden, and soon I couldn't hold back the tears.

It had taken more than I thought was inside of me to keep it together when I saw those guys walk in that door, every part of me had just wanted to cut and run, desperate to get away from their looks and comments. The last few times I'd seen them, I'd done just that, not stopping until I'd put almost a mile between us. John had been the only thing giving me the courage to face them tonight. I felt like I could do anything with him at my back. If only I could have him around all the time.

The knowledge that this was only a temporary visit, and that soon the Winchesters would be on their way again in their never ending trek back and forth across the countryside, caused a new flood of emotion to rise within. Hot tears turned to sobs and I buried my face in my pillow to try and muffle the sounds caused by my aching heart.

I startled when I felt the bed springs creak, my tears had masked the entry of the one man I needed right in that moment. I rolled over seeking the comfort I so desperately needed in John's strong and gentle arms.

Author's Notes

I did it I got another one up! Thank you BellaDonna78 you are awesome!

Sam I am finally responding to your review. I think there is 3 years before the pilot episode. And it should match to the show pretty dang close and also it fit with Belladonna's timeline perfectly! Shouldn't have to wait much longer on the John/Cole issue, cause I was never gonna have them at Bobby's for long anyways.

I am currently studying for my licensing exam to become a Registered Nurse. And I officially have 9 days left before I take my exam. So I'm gonna study. No updates during that time sorry guys! At the earliest you may have an update in 10 days. At the latest maybe 14 days. I won't abandon this story I promise. Just keep your heads up!