The song here is "Dark Horse" by Kidneythieves
Dark Horse – Bonus chapter 1
It was quiet as usual, but it was perfect. For five years, everything was perfect. Those five years had passed and although so much had happened, it seemed to have gone by so quickly. Of course, for Keara, little Princess of Hell, quick was a word she knew too well. She had quickly grown and although she was now seven years old, she resembled more a fourteen year old girl.
She stood in front of her mirror in her pink and white room, twirling in a pink dress her mother got for her. It was cute and perfect for her older body; showing that she was a growing girl, but still Daddy's girl.
She turned to her large rocking unicorn and glanced around at her room. It wasn't a room for a fourteen year old girl, but inside she still felt like a little girl. It was confusing and awkward; she wanted to play like a child, but looking older made it feel weird, especially when she was upstairs. The humans stared at her like there was something wrong with her. Other girls laughed at her and that made her feel worse about aging so fast like only a Cambion could. The only satisfaction was making those girls fall flat on their faces in the mud.
When her mother shared her experiences with her, it helped a little, but it only made her want to become an adult.
The only real comfort was playing with her cousin, Ezekiel. He was now five years old and he was such a kind little boy; he never judged her. If anything, he thought she was the coolest person in the world.
And she was finally going to see him again. Aunty Anne, Uncle Gadreel and Grandma Viviane were going on a hunt and leaving the Winchester Uncles to babysit Ezekiel. They always babysat him when they didn't have a hunt of their own and they were getting accustomed to Keara dropping in and staying with them until Ezekiel got picked up by his parents.
However, this pink dress wasn't well suited. She was getting to the point that dresses were for special occasions, not play dates with her little cousin. She pulled out some jeans ripped at the knees and a cool black AC/DC T-shirt, finished off with a pair of sneakers.
Keara nodded and was about to leave her room, but found someone leaning in her doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, a charming grin on his face.
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked him and he walked into the room, placing his hands into his pockets.
"Just got here." Nikolai said and smiled at her.
"I'm sure you did." She said with a smirk and turned away, gathering a few things into a small black leather backpack for her sleep over at the Men of Letters' bunker. "I'm going to the sleepover with Ezekiel. Mom and Dad already know and I'll be leaving soon." She said and when Nikolai remained silent, she glanced over her shoulder at him. "No complaining?" she asked him and he grunted in response.
"You never listen anyway." He said and she smiled, returning to her backpack, filling it with girl essentials and clothes. "You spend a lot of time there." He added and she laughed.
"Jealous?" she asked him.
"I'm just surprised that the Winchesters haven't blocked out their place with sigils or traps." He said and she turned to face him with an arched eyebrow and a hand on her hip. "Just saying." He added and she turned her back to him again. "Well, at least I know you'll miss me." he concluded and she laughed again.
"Dream on." She said and he waited for the perfect timing. When she left like this, she always brought her diary with her. He always knew she liked him; the small plastic ring stuck on his finger was a constant reminder of her crush for him and her plans for marriage in the far future. However, as she was growing up quickly, she acted more like a little sister around him. She seemed distant and Clara assured him it was just a phase; Keara was confused, being a little girl in a teenager's body. Crowley wasn't much help, he was just glad that his daughter had moved on from boys.
One normal day in Hell, Nikolai couldn't take much more of it and decided to break the ultimate girl rule: never read one's diary. He never wanted to, but he had to know what was going on with her. Once he began reading, he couldn't stop. It had been nearly four months and he was still reading her diary.
However, she was smart. She knew he had been reading her diary because she started writing weird things just to get under his skin. One week, she had a crush on his old pal Gabriel the Archangel, the next she had a crush on Hector the Crossroad Supervisor. After that, she began writing how she didn't like herself, didn't feel special. He showered her with gifts and affection to show her how much she was precious to him and then, he finally figured it out.
She had known all along and then she began hiding her diary. But, the worse of all was that Keara told her mother! Clara was not thrilled and lectured him for two hours on how delicate was the privacy of a growing girl.
He stopped searching for Keara's diary, until she began spending more time with the Winchesters. Although her little project of making everyone part of her family worked five years ago, she seemed to fit the criteria of a girl crushing on an older man. Nikolai began suspecting she had a crush on one of her Winchester Uncles and just had to find her diary.
Once he did, he was relieved to see that it was just her way to drive him crazy, again.
Keara was still loading her backpack with girl stuff, talking about how self-centered Nikolai could be and he realized that it was a great time to turn the tables.
"Yeah, but you like it." he said and she laughed harder. "What was it you said?" he asked and she tensed, not knowing where he was going with this. Nikolai held up his hand, opening a small diary with a unicorn on the cover, a rainbow background making it shiny under the light. He went to the latest entry, reciting her words to her. "The big tough old stud is out of his mind with worry that I don't like him anymore. He's so jealous that it's almost titillating if I wasn't still seven years old." He said and she spun on her heels, glaring at him.
"Nikolai!" she snapped. "How did you find my diary?" she asked him, balling her hands into fists. "Bastard, give it back." she said, but he ignored her and continued reading.
"He's so handsome and charming; I'd kill any demon that stood between us." He recited and Keara lunched at him, trying to grab her diary out of her hands, but he stretched it out of her reach, still reciting her words out to her. "All these years, he acted like my crush for him was such a pain in his ass, but he enjoyed the attention. I know he's waiting until I get older because he hasn't been with anyone since before my birth." he said and, since he wasn't playing fair, neither would she.
Keara narrowed her eyes and had him double over as if someone punched him into the stomach. She ripped her diary out of his hands and stuffed it into the backpack.
"That was dirty." He said, standing up and straightening his shirt. She glanced over her shoulder at him and glared.
"Mom told you not to read my diary." She said and it was clear she was angry with him.
"But it's so entertaining." He said and she remained silent. "Oh c'mon, give me a break; I never know what's going on in your head." he added and she slowly turned to face him with an expression like her mother.
"I'm a girl: you're never supposed to know what goes on in my head." she snapped and returned to her backpack, finally closing it.
"It was a lot easier when you were two; you'd just blurt out your thoughts." He said and she grunted in response. "But it's nice to see you still like me." he concluded and she grunted.
"Whatever." She murmured and quickly turned, walking past him so coldly.
"Hey, where's my hug?" he asked her and she kept walking without glancing over her shoulder.
"Hug yourself." She said, leaving him standing in her room.
When Keara walked to the front door, her parents were waiting for her. She couldn't help but smile and forget the grief Nikolai had just given her. Clara opened her arms and hugged her daughter, kissing her head.
"Call us every night." She said and Keara laughed.
"Mom, I'm only going for a few days." She said, but it was clear that her mother didn't like having her gone for so long. "We're badass demons. Don't be so worried. I'm a Cambion and I have, like, several huge Hellhounds that come when I whistle 'Twinkle Little Star'." She said and Clara kissed her head again.
"I know." She said and pulled away, looking at Keara with pride in her eyes.
When Keara glanced at her Dad, she gave a half-grin.
"Are you gonna get all cheesy with me too?" she asked and he grinned, pulling her into a hug.
"Always be my little girl." He said and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Always." She promised. Keara pulled back from Crowley and walked out of the mansion. The large Hellhounds that never seemed to leave the cavern got up and growled as if they were sad to see her leave.
Keara walked up to them and raised her hands to pet them. They bowed their heads so she could reach and they even whined.
"I'll be back and you know what to do if I need you." She said and the one named Lizzie, after Lizzie Borden, rubbed her nose against Keara, nearly knocking her off her feet. "Oh girl, I'll be okay." She said and she walked out of the cavern with the Hellhounds watching her, whining still.
Once she was out of sight, Keara snapped her fingers and left Hell. She would have done so from inside the mansion, but such a sudden departure would have upset her large Hellhounds and, according to her father, they never stop crying.
Keara appeared in the room at the bottom of the Men of Letters' front door stairs. For three brothers and an angel expecting a little Nephilim to babysit, the place sure seemed empty and quite. Keara placed her backpack on the nearby table and decided to go find her Uncles.
She remembered like it was yesterday, everyone at Aunty Anne's bookstore, all having a family moment and the Winchesters cringing at the thought of being family with her father, Crowley, King of Hell. They eventually caved in to her sad little face and they've been pretty good throughout the years.
The first time she saw the bunker was when Ezekiel was six months old. Grandma Viviane had to stay and show the Winchester brothers and Castiel how to take care of an infant. Aunty Anne had called Keara's mother to let her know and Keara asked if she could stay with Ezekiel. Everyone was alright with the idea, but no one had called Dean.
Keara showed up and her Winchester Uncles were surprised. Uncle Adam seemed happy, but his brothers and Castiel weren't sure. However, no one told her to go back home and after a few times of having to babysit both her and Ezekiel, they stopped being surprised when she'd just pop in.
Keara turned down a corridor and heard some faint noise. She followed it and it was coming from the kitchen. Nothing new there. She walked in and let out a laugh as she saw Uncle Adam making something that looked like a huge sub full of lettuce, tomatoes, ham, cheddar cheese and mayo. As he heard her laugh, he turned and smiled.
"Keara." He said and she rushed over, throwing her arms around him. "Wow, you've grown so much. Literally." He said and when he pulled back, he seemed slightly stunned, but happier than ever. "You're seven now, right?" he asked her and she nodded her head.
"It sucks growing up so fast." She said, but he smiled reassuringly at her.
"You'll miss it once you start to slow down." He said and she grinned, having heard that from her mother.
At that moment, some footsteps echoed and when she turned, Uncle Sam stopped in the doorframe and smiled at her.
"When did you get here?" he asked her and she rushed over, hugging him, still being too short to throw her arms around his neck.
"A few minutes or so." She said and then Uncle Dean stepped in with his usual smile. It wasn't super friendly, but it wasn't cold either. "Hi Dean." she said, coming to know that he preferred to just be called by his name.
"Hey, Kid." He said. "What are you now, like twelve?" he asked and she laughed.
"Seven." She corrected. He nodded and walked in, like her presence wasn't a big deal. She'd like to feel insulted, but she was used to it. It was just how he was, but underneath it all, he was a softy.
"No hug?" she asked and he stopped. She giggled and rushed over to him, hugging him tighter than she had Sam or Adam.
"What's new in Hell?" he asked, feeling uncomfortable. When she let him go, she smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"Same old, you know? Roasting and toasting." She added and he just nodded his head again.
It was then that there was a knock at the door.
"Ezekiel!" she shrieking and rushed out of the kitchen so fast that she was sure her Winchester Uncles were eating dust. Keara rushed up the stairs and narrowed her eyes, having the door open for Aunty Anne and Uncle Gadreel.
When they saw her on the other side, they didn't find it odd.
"Hey Keara." Aunty Anne said, quickly hugging her with warmth and affection. "How's your parents?" she asked and when Keara pulled back, little Ezekiel ran into her before she could answer.
"Keara!" he shouted. She bent down and gave him a big hug.
"Long time no see, Buddy." She replied. Uncle Gadreel showed up behind Aunty Anne with Grandma Viviane and a couple of overnight bags. "You're getting big!" she said and he pulled away, his blue eyes sparkling.
Ezekiel looked so much like his father, but he was just as warm and affectionate as his mother. He was a wonderful child, so sweet and innocent; a real little angel.
"Not like you. You're big." He said and she grinned at him.
"Sorry Kido, Cambions age faster." She said and roughed up his hair as he laughed.
The Winchesters finally got into the room, glancing up at the door. Anne and Gadreel smiled appreciatively at them.
"Take care." Sam said and they nodded.
"We'll be back in a few days. We'll check in and if we don't…" Anne said, letting her sentence drop. It was clear now that Aunty Anne was worried about hunting with a five year old son. Keara could tell she imagined dying, leaving him behind, not being able to see him grow up. Despite her pretty awesome spells, she worried something could happen, that not even Clara could help them in time.
For some time, she talked about going back to what they were doing: helping hunters at the bookstore and the junkyard, being safe while still contributing to the destruction of monsters. However, some hunts were just too close to home and there weren't any other hunters to help.
"We know." Dean said, but he seemed confident that they'd be okay.
"Thanks for doing this." She said and they smiled at her. Anne and Gadreel turned their attention to their son, hugging him before leaving. Grandma Viviane did the same, but then after hugging Keara as well, gave her a duffel bag that made random noises.
"I packed lots of fun for you two." She said and Keara giggled, glancing at Ezekiel with a grin.
"Thanks." Both her and Ezekiel said simultaneously. They watched as his parents and their grandmother left, then Keara closed the door the same way she opened it. Ezekiel looked up at her with admiration, but then he seemed excited to play with her.
They both walked down the stairs, holding hands, and Keara placed the duffel bag on the table next to her black leather backpack.
"Let's see, what's in here?" she asked, unzipping the duffel back.
"I got my Legos and my cars, and I have coloring books and coloring pencils. Grandma even got us some mini games like if we were to go camping." He said, pulling out stuff and showing her. "Grandma got me a Sesame Street coloring book and she got you a Monster High coloring book." He added in his cute five year old voice and Keara glanced at him, arching an eyebrow.
"What?" she asked him.
"All the favorite characters, like Frankie Stein and Draculaura." He said, looking through the bag, as if trying to find it.
"I don't want to know how you know that." Keara mumbled to herself, but Ezekiel looked at her with a big smile as he laughed.
"Just kidding!" he said, pulling out a book with an awesome design of a blood thirsty monster. "Mommy found this for you; it's a coloring book of monsters." He said and gave it to her. Keara held it in her hands and tried not to shriek.
"A coloring book of classical monsters and murderers such as Dracular, Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden!" she said nearly jumping with joy.
"Mommy knew you'd like it." Ezekiel said and continued showing her everything they had.
"I see you listened to my advice from last time." Keara said and Ezekiel nodded his head with a smile.
"Bring your own toys because our Uncles don't know kids." He said and she smiled, however Dean took offense to that as he watched them converse.
"Hey, we know kids." He said and Keara turned to him with an arched eyebrow and a grin.
"Just that kids need to eat three times a day and a bathroom to empty all that food." She said and Dean gave her that unappreciative look and then pointed a finger at her.
"That's sarcasm." He said and she mocked gasped.
"Good for you!" she said and this time he glared at her. "How perceptive." She added with a dark smile.
"I'm going to fix lunch. Sam, come help." He said and walked out of the room, stalking down the hall like he usually did.
"I'd like some Fettuccini Alfredo." Keara shouted and snickered as she could hear Dean refusing her order. She turned to Ezekiel with a grin. "What would you like?" she asked him and he looked up, deep in thought.
"I'd like a cheeseburger." He replied.
"Ezekiel wants a cheeseburger!" Keara shouted and snickered again. She glanced back at her little cousin and pulled out some chairs. "Shall we play?" she asked and he took out all his Legos. Uncle Adam sat with them, looking at the little Lego cars, people and animals.
"Wow, you're lucky. The Legos I had weren't this cool." He said and watched as they played. Ezekiel even offered him a character to play.
Keara glanced around, knowing something was missing. Uncle Castiel wasn't around and she suspected he wasn't in the bunker. She glanced at Uncle Adam and it seemed he knew what she was thinking.
"Castiel hasn't been around much." He said and Ezekiel looked up with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Uncle Adam didn't say why, but Keara knew it had to do with the angel Micah that was imprisoned in Heaven, disguised as Metatron. Micah had been waiting all these years and was probably going out of his mind realizing that no one would help him. Not only that, but as much as he loved seeing Ezekiel, it also pained him, like it was a reminder of what it is to be a good angel full of innocence.
They had played and eaten at that table for hours. They both called their parents for a check-in and then they went to watch a bit of television before going to bed. Keara tucked Ezekiel into bed and conjured the book "The Monster at the End of the This Book" with Grover. She didn't like that kid stuff, but she did like this story. Better yet, she enjoyed reading it to someone who loved it.
Once Ezekiel was asleep, she walked over to her side of the room and crawled into bed. Dean silently opened the door to check on them. Keara smiled tiredly at him and waved goodnight.
"If you need someone…" he said, letting his sentence fall. She gave him a tired grin, ready to tell him that she knew to call her parents and her large Hellhounds, but decided to give him a chance to feel adequate.
"You're not far." She said and that seemed to put a small smile on his face. "Night Dean." she said and he closed the door as she settled into her bed. On the night stand next to her bed, she had placed her diary and a pen. She wanted to write all about the fun she had with Ezekiel.
Keara grabbed her diary and when she opened it, something fell out and landed in her lap. It was a small white paper with writing on it. When she picked it up, it was thicker than paper and it read Your Handsome Devil. She turned it around and grinned at the new-age Polaroid selfie picture of Nikolai with his dashing smile. She stared at his picture for a while, and then placed it back in her diary as she wrote on the page after her last entry.
As she wrote, she thought about earlier that day, what was going through her mind as she stared at herself in the mirror, back in her room. In the world, she felt judged, she felt like a freak; yeah, she was a strange creature, but the world made her feel like an even bigger freak. It was no wonder her mother locked herself in an apartment until she met the King of Hell. It wasn't until then that she felt accepted.
That's why it was so important to Keara to have everyone as her family, all these misfits that belonged together; all these people that lived in the world, but were forgotten. They were all connected to her parents and she saw fit to unite them together. She didn't know it would have made peace between Heaven, Earth and Hell, as far as it concerned the Winchesters. No one might have accepted each other at first, but now, they were her family; a family that accepts and loves her just the way she is.
And as Keara looked at her little cousin, so tiny sleeping in his bed across from hers, he was now in a pretty big safety net of a family. He had angels, hunters and demons to love him as they loved her.