TW for language... maybe... and also other tw

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"Don't you dare talk like that." Dean said.

Kate scoffed. "You swear all the time."

"Telling you to get your ass in the house is not the same as telling someone to fuck off. You are also an 11 year old child." Dean said.

Kate tried to jerk her arm away from him again.

Dean sighed and pulled her to him. He swatted her twice. "What is your problem?"

Kate gritted her teeth.

"Go to your room." Dean said and pushed her toward the stairs.

Kate turned and crossed her arms. "No."

Dean thought his head was going to explode. "Have it your way then." He walked her to the couch and sat down.

"Dean, stop. Bobby could walk in." Kate whined.

"You made the choice." He said and flipped her face down. He swatted her a couple times before talking. "I gave you the chance to straighten up. i gave you a chance to talk." He started swatting again. "You know better than to throw a tantrum and act like a brat."

Kate dug her elbow into the side of his thigh.

Dean ignored the elbow digging into his leg. "You are 11, not 5." He said and focused on her sit spots and thighs.

Kate bit her lip. As mad as she was, she couldn't ignore the growing fire Dean was building.

Dean expected her to break and she was showing no signs of tears. "Why are you acting like this?" He asked, rubbing her back.

Kate tried to stand up but was pushed back down. "Let me go."

"No. Start talking." Dean said.

Kate kicked her foot. "I don't have anything to say, let me go!"

Dean started spanking again. God, she reminded him of Sam at times. He thought about grabbing the hairbrush or something but he didn't know the root of the issue. "Kate, I want you to talk to me. The behavior is unacceptable no matter what but this isn't' you."

Kate growled in frustration. "I have nothing to say. You are just beating me for being tired."

Dean stopped and stood her up so he could look her in the eye. "I have not, nor will I ever beat you. How dare you say something like that."

Kate frowned. "You are trying to be John."

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. "Explain."

"You complain that when you were younger you could sneeze wrong and get your butt kicked." Kate said.

Dean stared at her. "This is a far cry from that. I have asked you, numerous times, what was wrong. I didn't get that benefit. If I rolled my eyes or talked back, I did get my butt kicked."

"You are going to leave." Kate said.

"To hunt? We have talked about this. You knew I was going to be gone sometimes but I am not leaving you in a motel. I am leaving you with Bobby so you can go to school and-" Dean tried to say.

Kate kicked the leg of the couch. "I don't want to go to school! I want to be on the road. You wont even let me hunt when I'm not in school!"

"Stop yelling at me. Do not kick the couch again. I-"

"You want me to talk and when I do all you care about is what I do wrong! I told you!" Kate lamented.

Dean stood up and took her upstairs to her room. He sat down on her bed and yanked her jeans to her knees before putting her back over his lap.

Kate tried to reach back but he grabbed her arms. "Let me up! You can't do that. I'm 11. I'm a girl."

Dean swatted her hard. "Maybe now you will listen." He knew being spanked on underwear was embarrassing but he was hoping it did the trick so he didn't have to use an implement. He had no desire to humiliate her and would never spank her bare but something had to give. He landed a barrage of firm swats and didn't stop until he heard a sniffle. "Are you done?"

Kate shifted and tried to lessen the pain building on her thighs.

"Start talking." Dean said and kept swatting.

"I'm mad at you." Kate said through sobs.

Dean paused. "Why?"

"You never wanted to go to school. You wanted to hunt. You should understand me. You have said that Taylor is a good kid and he is. He never does anything wrong and then there's me and why should I even try?" Kate sniffled

"I do understand you and that is why I didn't bust your butt this morning. Taylor is a good kid but so are you. He does do stuff he shouldn't. Part of it is personality. You have enough Winchester in you to make you bull headed. Another thing is your biggest fear with messing up is this right here." He said and swatted her. "Taylor spent most of his life fearing for his life if he messed up."

"You feared for your life." Kate said.

Dean chuckled. "Not my actual life. My hide, yes. And you know what? I still did stupid stuff. I still did things after the first and second ass kickings for it. Sometimes there may have been a third or fourth."

"Can I get up?" Kate asked.

Dean sighed. "No. You were incredibly disrespectful today. It is not okay. I don't deserve that."

Kate sniffled. "I'm really sorry."

"You have a choice. I can finish this up with my hand. Everything else was a warm up. The second choice is two solid whacks with the paddle." Dean said.

Kate squeaked. "I learned the lesson already."

"You have to make a choice. Also, since I am apparently like dad, I'm not going to ground you for a week but I'll be playing by his rules for a week." Dean said.

Kate panicked. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I want to show you just how much leeway I give you on a normal day. So, every time you are disrespectful you are going to get spanked. Every time you are defiant or do not follow orders, you will get spanked." Dean explained.

Kate felt her heart break. "Dean, I'm sorry."

"I know you are. You are getting a lick with the paddle before school tomorrow too." Dean said.

Kate started crying again. She wanted to get under his skin but felt like she went too far.

"If it makes you feel any better, I am choosing this because I had it happen to me. I can say from experience that it makes you see things differently." Dean said.

Kate groaned. "If you were a better kid, John wouldn't have been so strict and this wouldn't have trickled down to me."

Dean smirked. Normal Kate was back. "This does prove an interesting point."

"What is that?" Kate asked.

"We can actually blame it on dad's genes. Taylor is related to my mom so by process of elimination, this really is dad's fault." Dean said.

Kate giggled. "Can we tell him that?"

"You can." Dean said. He patted her thigh. "Make a choice, my leg is falling asleep."

Kate smacked his leg. "Jerk."

Dean knew the comment wasn't honest disrespect.

Kate groaned. "I'll take the two."

Dean stood her up. "I'm surprised."

Kate sniffled. "When I complain to Sam about you later it gives me extra sympathy points if I tell him you paddled me for having a bad day at school."

Dean blew air through his nose. "Do I need to make it three?"

Kate gave him sad eyes. "I get it for joking now?"

Dean smirked. "There is a fine line between brave and dumb."

"And I walk it. I know." Kate said with a sigh.

He ruffled her hair. "Stay."

Kate pulled her jeans back up and wiped her face.

Dean walked back in with the paddle in hand. "You know the drill."

Kate bent over the end of her bed and put her head on her crossed arms. "I'm sorry."

"Me too, kid." Dean said and swatted the middle of her butt. He felt his heart twist at the whine and renewed tears. It was a harder swat than last time she had gotten it but with only two licks, he needed to make a point. He lined it up with her sit spots and swatted her again.

Kate hated that stupid paddle more than anything. She did feel guilty though. She had been really mean and forgot how lucky she was.

Dean sat the paddle down and scooped her up.

Kate sniffled. "What if I don't want a hug?"

"Then you are out of luck." He said and squeezed her.

Kate buried her face in his shirt and shifted. "Can you make me a promise?"

"Depends on what it is." Dean said and smoothed her hair down.

"You have to be careful and always come back home. You can't just disappear for days at a time." Kate said.

"I will be careful. I wont abandon you. I'll do everything in my power to come back in one piece. If I come home a bit broken you can fix me up." Dean said.

Kate hugged him. "And you wont disappear?"

"I wont. If something happens and I can't get in contact with you, we will have a back up plan." Dean said.

Kate wiped her face again.

Dean suddenly remembered Taylor. "I should send Taylor a text or something."

Kate let Dean stand up. "Where is Bobby?"

"I don't know. I don't keep tabs on him." Dean said.

Kate stretched and followed him down the stairs.

Dean went outside and whistled for Taylor. He heard a whistle back and walked down the driveway. They found Taylor sitting at the end of the driveway. "What are you doing?"

Taylor blushed. "I heard something and came to check it out. Look." He turned to show the two kittens in his lap.

Kate squealed and hit her knees beside him. "Kittens!"

Dean stepped back. "Where did they come from?"

"Someone must have dropped them off in the woods. I didn't cross the road to see if there are anymore or a mom." Taylor said.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course he would stay on this side of the road."

Dean popped the back of her head. "We can walk over there and put them back."

Taylor and Kate both looked at him with puppy eyes that put Sam's to shame.

"No. We are not keeping the cats. Cats are evil and I'm allergic to them." Dean said.

Kate frowned. "How could you say that? Look at this face." She held the kitten up.

One was fluffy and orange with white socks. The other was gray with one white paw and a white chin.

"Bobby is not going to let you keep those things." Dean said.

Taylor shrugged. "He has been saying mice keep getting into the boxes in the shed and shop. Cats are not needy and can help with the mice."

Dean threw his hands up. If someone was going to put their foot down and make them give up the cats, it wasn't going to be him. "Let's see if the mom is hanging around over there."

Taylor opened the neck of his shirt and tucked the kitten into it with only the head sticking out. He scratched the kitten behind the ears and stood up.

Dean shook his head. He didn't see what people liked about cats.

Kate cradled the other kitten and kissed the top of its head.

Dean thought about warning Bobby but figured he'd wait and see how he reacted. He walked across the road and up a small embankment. "How did you find those?"

Taylor nuzzled the kitten in his shirt. "I heard meowing and they were over here. I sat down by the mailbox and talked to them and they ran to me."

Dean scoffed. "If someone had a van with 'free kittens' written on it, would you go with them?"

Taylor furrowed his brows. "I stayed within the warding."

"So, cat whisperer, do you have a certain call or do you just talk to them?" Dean asked.

Taylor blushed. "I just talked to them. They are skinny. I don't think they have a mom. I was out here the whole time and no more showed up."

They walked around for a few minutes before going back to the house. Dean called Bobby to give him a heads up. "Hey, Bobby. Some kittens showed up and I think we have a problem."

"Oh no. Have the kids seen them?" Bobby asked.

"Yep. There are two of them. Taylor thinks somebody dumped them."

"Balls. Okay, I'll get some kitten food so they can eat until we find them a home." Bobby said.

Kate was already preparing her speech about why they should keep them.

Taylor held the kitten out for Dean. "Hold it."

Dean shook his head. "No, I don't like cats."

"Just for a minute." Taylor said.

Dean begrudgingly took the tiny cat and held it in the palms of his hands. He squinted his eyes. "You aren't a familiar are you?" His hands started to vibrate and he raised an eyebrow. "It is purring."

"That means he likes you." Kate said.

Dean scoffed. "Taylor get this thing before it bites me."

Taylor had grabbed a wet cloth and brought it back outside. He took the kitten and wiped around its face. "Poor thing is filthy."

Dean looked at his hands. "And you made me hold it."

Taylor smiled at Dean. "It wasn't that bad." He wiped the kittens paws and ran the cloth down its body before handing the cloth to Kate.

Dean sighed. They were already bonding. He just hoped Bobby would handle it.

Bobby drove back and parked in the driveway. "Where are these cats?"

Taylor walked over to him with both of them cradled in his arms. "They are tiny."

Bobby grumbled. He didn't want cats.

"If you let us keep them, they can get rid of your mice problem. I think an animal would be good for both of us to help us cope too." Taylor said.

Bobby looked over Taylor's head at Dean. "Did you try to talk them out of it?"

Dean shrugged. "I did. I figured since this is your house..."

Bobby sighed. "They can stay for now. I make no promises for later on. If they make a mess you two clean it up."

Taylor grinned. "Thanks Bobby!"

Kate hugged Bobby around the neck and ran off to find boxes for the kittens to sleep in.

"How'd the first day of school go?" Bobby asked.

Dean groaned and sat on the steps. "I had to wear her out as soon as we got home."

Bobby nodded. "I'm guessing attitude?"

"She told me to fuck off." Dean said.

Bobby's eyes got wide. "Oh hell."

"Yep, I can explain if you need but for the next week I'm going to be responding how dad would. If she is disrespectful, defiant or disobedient she gets her ass kicked. She accused me of trying to be him so she will have a week to see the difference. I could use the backup on that." Dean said.

Bobby readjusted his ballcap. "Alright. Is she good now?"

"She will get a reminder before school in the morning but after that she will be good. I don't know. Maybe these kittens will help." Dean said.

"I am used to her puppy eyes and pleading but the look Taylor gave me... they're keeping the damn cats." Bobby said.

Dean snorted. "You've gone soft."

Kate skipped into the kitchen. "Bobby, do you have medicine for allergies?"

Bobby nodded. "Do you need some?"

Kate shook her head. "Dean does."

Dean rolled his eyes. "The cats could sleep outside."

Kate gasped. "They are babies and lost their mom. Would you have made me sleep outside?"

Dean grabbed her and ran his knuckles over her head. "Oh stop that."

Bobby tossed Dean a bottle of pills.

Dean looked down as he felt something touch his socked foot. The gray kitten was playing with a thread on his sock. He moved his foot back and was met with a shrill cry. The kitten went back to attacking the thread and whined when he pulled his foot away again. "You are going to be a pain in the ass aren't you?"

Kate scooped up the kitten and let it play with her hair. "She just wants to play."

Dean grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat down. "Is it a girl?"

Kate shrugged. "I think so. We think the orange one is a boy."

Taylor brought the second kitten into the kitchen and sat down. The fluff ball had fallen asleep on his chest.

Kate knelt in the floor and let the kitten play with a bottle cap. "They're so cute."

Dean didn't see the appeal but just took a sip of his beer. He was amazed how she could go from a defiant monster to a kitten cuddling little girl so quickly.

The kittens slept in Kate's room over night and loved their box bed. Kate woke up a few times to meows but humming calmed them down. She eventually put them in the bed with her and they fell asleep on her back.

Dean woke up with his eyes itching the next morning. He took more allergy pills and grabbed a cup of coffee. The things he put up with to keep them happy. He woke Taylor up and then went to wake Kate up as well. He chuckled at the balls of fluff that had taken up residence on her upper back. They were a little cute. He tapped Kate's shoulder and got hissed at by the gray one. It was a tiny hiss that made him smile. "Come on, Kate. You have to get up."

Kate stretched. "Uh I can't roll over."

Dean picked the kittens up and put them in their box. They promptly climbed out and up his pants leg. "Taylor?"

Taylor popped his head in the room.

"Can you take these guys downstairs or outside?" Dean asked.

Taylor shrugged and scooped them up. He spoke gently to them as he walked down the steps.

Dean rubbed his face. "Hop up."

Kate suddenly remembered his threat. "You are really going to do that this morning?"

"Yep." Dean said and yawned.

"I learned my lesson." Kate whined.

"Two." Dean said.

Kate scrambled. "Can you wait until Taylor goes outside?"

Dean shook his head. "It is two swats."

Kate sighed and scooted her legs off the edge of her bed.

Dean grabbed the paddle and lined it up with his target. "Why are you getting these?"

"To remind me to be good." Kate said. She sucked in a breath of air and drummed her toes with swat number one.

Taylor jumped and nearly dropped a kitten. He wasn't expecting the loud crack.

Bobby put a hand on his shoulder. "Reminder."

Taylor bit his lip and flinched with the second snap.

Kate let tears fall. It was short and not horrible but she really hated that paddle. She rubbed feverishly. "I am so going to burn that."

Dean sighed. "Disposing of such things never ends well. Just behave yourself."

Kate wiped her face and wandered to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair.

Dean found himself wiggling his toes for the kittens to pounce at. He promptly stopped when he realized what he was doing. When Kate and Taylor were both at the table he cleared his throat. "I am going to be gone over night. I will take you to school and then you will ride the bus home."

Kate nodded. "Does the school know?"

Taylor gave her a thumbs up. "Yeah, they figured that out before school started. If we are out there in the morning the bus will pick us up too."

Kate eyed Dean. "What are you hunting?"

Dean sipped his coffee. "Ghouls."

Kate considered the information. "You take them out like vampires right?"

Dean smirked. "Yep. I just hope I can fight right. My machete swinging arm is a bit sore."

Kate turned beet red and gave him a glare.

Dean winked at her. "Caleb is meeting up with me."

After breakfast, Kate took the kittens to their box and made sure that they had plenty of food and water.

Dean walked out to the car with Taylor and spoke to him. "Look, I am trying to keep in mind that you grew up differently. I didn't think about it until earlier. So, Kate's attitude yesterday was bad."

Taylor nodded. "I know. I know you didn't hit her like Craig did with me. I don't think of it like that."

"Well there is that. Hmm. I am trying to ask how it makes you feel." Dean said.

Taylor swallowed. "I feel bad for her."

"Well that is a given. I don't generally discuss this with the other 'person' but I am going to crack down pretty hard on her. If she mouths off and I wind up swatting her, does it make you anxious or bring up those memories?" Dean asked.

Taylor smiled at him. "Are you asking if this morning bothered me?"

"Yes. I'd prefer to send you outside or something, as I would do to her if it was you." Dean said, slowly.

Taylor rubbed his neck. "I feel awkward and sympathetic. It startled me but I didn't get upset. I respect her privacy but I understand if it is a quick thing. I don't think any less of her or of you."

Dean let out a breath of air. "This was so much easier when it was Sam and I just got to torment him about his feelings."

Taylor grinned. "Times are a changing."

"Thanks for having her back. With some time and training you two could be me and Sam 2.0." Dean said with a chuckle.

"I sure hope not. Bobby has told me enough about you two." Taylor said.

Dean scoffed and cuffed the back of his head. "Bobby likes us more than he lets on."

Kate skipped down the steps with her back pack. "Ready!"

"That is more like it." Dean said and opened her door.

Taylor and Kate walked together from the car to the school. A few people were watching them but they were more focused on Dean's car than anything. "Does your dad drive that?" A boy asked.

"Nope. My brother does." Kate said.

Taylor launched into the specifics of the car. He had helped Dean work on it for weeks. Dean kept the car in factory shape and Taylor enjoyed helping him.

Ellie saw Kate and ran to hug her. "I am so happy we are in the same class."

Kate hugged her back.

Nate sauntered over to Taylor. He pushed the back of Ellie's head as he walked by.

Ellie screeched and told him to knock it off.

Taylor gave her a wink and cleared his throat. "It is 2001. Cool guys are nice to their sisters now."

Nate blinked a few times and started laughing.

Taylor laughed too.

Kate and Ellie both rolled their eyes. At least Kate could sort of sympathize with Ellie.

When they went inside, some of the baseball players approached Taylor and Nate. They talked about fall sports and Kate felt herself being shut out of the group. Kate had never played a sport but Bobby asked if she wanted to. If she played a sport, would she still be able to research? Did sports cost money? Would she even be able to get on a team? If she played, what type of sport would she play?

The first bell chimed and sent Taylor to his home room. He felt better about the day since Kate wasn't going to go nuclear.

Kate had a dull ache when she sat down but it wasn't unbearable. She had to admit the reminder did make her remember. It was lunch time before she knew it. She skipped eating because she didn't like what was being served. She found a quiet spot and doodled in her notebook. She had been itching to draw again and took the time to satisfy the need.

Taylor looked around and didn't see Kate right away. He finally found her and crouched in front of her. "Are you okay?"

Kate smiled. "Yep. I am just drawing."

Taylor shrugged. "Meet me by the basketball court at recess."

Kate looked up at him. "Drug deal?"

"What? God, Kate. Don't say that so loud. I want to see if you can throw a ball straight enough that it goes in the basket." Taylor said.

Kate smirked. "Why?"

"Bobby wants you to do a sport. Track and volleyball, cheer and sometimes soccer have shorter shorts. I didn't think you would want to deal with that. Basketball shorts will cover your leg." Taylor answered.

Kate gave him a small smile. "Thank you. I didn't even think about that."

"Yep. So, meet me and we will see how you do."

Kate went back to her drawing as he went back to his friend group. She had hit the adoptive brother jackpot.

At recess Taylor found a ball and refreshed himself on the mechanics. It had been a couple years since he played on a team and he preferred baseball. He saw Kate and waved her over. "Catch." He bounced the ball to her.

"I've played in gym." Kate said.

Taylor nodded toward the basket. "Shoot."

Kate threw the ball and missed by a long shot.

Taylor grabbed the ball and tossed it back. "Shoot like this." He held his arms up to show her how to hold the ball and flick her wrist. "It is like throwing knives. You have to practice."

Kate threw it again and got a lot closer.

Taylor caught it mid air and went in for a lay up. He sunk the ball through the net and tossed it back to Kate.

Kate visualized the ball going through the hoop and tossed it up again. The net made a satisfying swish sound and she grinned.

They took turns shooting the ball and Taylor showed Kate a few steps. She learned quickly and had fun.

At the end of the day Kate felt herself get anxious. She had never taken the bus and she already missed Dean.

Taylor showed her the right bus and took a seat.

Kate chose the seat across from him and went back to her drawing.

Taylor stole a few glances to see what she was working on but spent most of the time working on worksheets. They had gotten a packet to be completed by Christmas but he figured it was best to work on it early.

Bobby heard the squeal of bus breaks at the end of the drive and walked outside. He grabbed the kittens on the way and sat them down on the gravel.

Kate and Taylor raced to the house but stopped sprinting when they saw tiny fuzz balls bopping toward them.

"Hi babies." Kate cooed and sat down in the driveway.

Bobby shook his head. It had been less than a day and they were already smitten. The kittens had spent most of the day in Kate's room but had tumbled down the stairs in search of scratches. He had let them lounge in his office until they got curious.

"We should name them." Taylor said.

Kate picked the gray one up. "This one is Millie."

Taylor eyed the orange one. "I should name him Dean just to mess with him."

Bobby chuckled. "That may get confusing."

"Hmm, I'lll think about it." Taylor said and lifted the kitten into his lap.

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Aphrim took up his usual position and studied the children. It was known that animals had an effect on humans but it was interesting to see how much the mood had changed. He could see rays of light around people that spoke to what type of person they were or what they were feeling. Kate's aura had been sporadic and flickering. As he watched her with Millie, he noticed that the hue stopped changing. He had been ignoring her prayers and knew that part of her situation the day before was due to that. He couldn't help when she was shot or when Taylor was held at gun point. He was given strict orders not to intervene. It was fortunate that Kate had a voice of reason to keep her safe from herself. He wanted to warn them. He wanted to save them from what was coming but he had to follow orders. He felt eyes on him and looked up to see Kate gazing in his direction. One day she would be able to see him. With a flutter of wings he departed Bobby's house and reported back to Heaven.

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Author's note. What is your favorite type of chapter? Do you prefer fluff, angst, creature focused or Kate tormenting Dean until he snaps? I try to mix it a in since this site caters to all types.