Trigger warnings ahead for disciplinary reasons and talk of abuse
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Kate hopped down the stairs.
"That took you long enough." Dean said.
Kate shrugged. "I was making sure he was okay."
"Can you call Nate?" Bobby asked.
Kate flopped down in a corner chair. She dialed Ellie's number. "Hey, Ells. Can I talk to Nate?"
Ellie handed the phone to her brother.
"Hey, Nate. I saw that you called a few times."
"Yeah, where is Taylor?" Nate asked.
"Uh, he has had a long day and is really stressed. I can relay a message." Kate tried.
"No. I want to talk to him." Nate replied.
"Well, I'm worried about him. I know his brother is being a jerk and just don't want him to get hurt." Kate said.
"Are you alone?"
"We went on a family trip."
"Kate, I really need to talk to Taylor," Nate said.
Kate chewed her fingernail. "As I said, I can relay the message."
Nate paused. He gave her a cryptic message for Taylor.
Kate listened and pushed the information into Taylor's head. She cleared her throat. "Well, thanks. Hopefully, he can call later and you'll know he's okay. David is a tool. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow after gym." She hung up the phone and got up to go to the kitchen. She needed about two gallons of water.
John and Dean traded looks.
Kate poured a cup of lemonade and jumped when she turned around and Dean was at her side. "You scared me."
Dean took her arm. "Sit."
Kate sat at the table and drank a sip of her lemonade. "He is hiding something but I don't know what it is."
"Really?" Dean asked.
"He really wanted to just talk to Taylor," Kate said.
"That is one," John said.
Kate sat up straight. "Why?"
"What did he say?" John asked.
Kate blinked. "He asked if I was alone and I told him we went on a family trip to say no, I wasn't." She saw their faces. "If they think I'm helping them hide something they will trust me and I can tell you."
"So the message you sent Taylor was purely an act?" Dean asked.
Kate turned white and then red. "Hmm?"
"That is two," John said.
Kate squirmed.
"You two shot each other thoughts the entire drive back here. I know what that looks like." Dean said.
Kate stared at him. She couldn't lie about it. She was afraid of John's third warning. "Okay, I did say something to him but I don't know what it means." Kate sighed. "He said that the bears were black bears."
"And you do not know what that means?" Dean asked.
Kate shook her head. "No."
"Where was Taylor going to go before you stopped him?" John asked.
Kate's eyes danced around the room as she tried to recall the conversation. "Uh, I don't know."
"Three," John said.
Kate scooted her chair back so quickly that she hit the ground. "Wait. Wait." She found her feet. "Wait."
"Spill."
"I didn't hear everything," Kate said.
"If he goes and does something that he will later regret, you will also regret it because you helped him," Dean said.
"He lost control out there. He would never want to hurt you but he would have if you didn't have abilities." John added.
"He may get mad if you sell him out but trust me, he will thank you later." Bobby said.
Kate looked down at her hands. "When he asked David where he was, I heard something about a bear."
Dean swore under his breath. "What are the chances that he is still upstairs?"
Kate's eyes grew wide. "Oh god." She took off running before anyone could grab her. She swung the door open and held her breath. She spun on her heel and ran back down the stairs. "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no."
"Do the mind thing!" Dean shouted.
Kate sat on the steps and focused on Taylor. She quickly found him. 'Taylor, please come back.'
Taylor shook his head. 'Don't worry.'
Kate pushed back. 'Like hell. They know. They are mad. Please don't hurt David. You can't control your abilities if he says something.'
'I said don't worry.'
Kate bounced her legs. She opened her eyes and reached for her phone. "Nate! I need to know where Taylor went."
Nate was quiet.
"David could be armed. Craig kept guns in the house and I'm really worried. Please." Kate begged.
Nate finally caved and told her.
Kate hung up the phone and tried to go to the door.
"Not so fast." John said.
"We have to go!" Kate said.
"You, young lady are going to sit on that couch and wait." John said.
Kate told them where he went. "I have to go with you. What if something happens and he explodes?"
John spoke to Bobby and Dean. "Bobby, do you mind staying here, just in case he comes back?"
Bobby nodded.
John walked back into the room and grabbed Kate's arm. He walked her to the truck and told her to get in.
Dean got in the front seat.
Kate was shaking with nervous energy. "I didn't know he'd do this."
"That is the trouble with hiding things, isn't it?" Dean bit.
Kate stammered. "I told him not to. I told him I would fix things and he had to calm down." She chewed her thumbnail. "When I told him about the bears, I didn't realize it was a place."
Taylor knew he was in over his head. This was the worst thing he had ever done. He made it to the run-down building in an impressive amount of time. He was on autopilot with only one goal in his head. He opened the rusty door and could smell smoke and alcohol. David always hung out with the worst people. He walked into the main room and saw David and three of his goons. Great. "What do you want?"
David was not entirely sober. "Hey, look who showed up."
The conversation centered around how Taylor had ruined David's life.
Taylor kept his composure and let David ramble.
"Little freak isn't even human." David said.
Taylor scoffed. "What are you talking about?" He felt two sets of hands pulling his arms apart.
"You've been fucked up for years. Everyone thinks you are this nice, perfect kid but dad knew you weren't. I got so tired of him yelling at you that I left. Did you kill him too or just mom?"
Taylor pulled against David's buddies. "I didn't kill her. Craig did. We both lost a mom, not just you." He groaned from a blow to the stomach. "What is your problem?"
"You are." David said. He hit him a few more times. "Come on tough guy, fight back."
Taylor hung his head. His ribs hurt and he felt faint.
John stopped the truck. "Katelyn, you will stay in this truck unless you are told otherwise."
Kate squeaked. "Yes, sir."
Dean busted into the room right as David kicked Taylor in the stomach and Taylor hit the floor. He drew his gun. "Step away from the kid!"
John was right behind him. "Hands on your heads."
Kate felt a familiar tingle and covered her mouth.
John felt the ringing in his ear and flicked the safety off his gun. "Taylor, get over here."
Taylor got off the ground and stumbled over. He was pale and his nose was bleeding.
John felt the ringing again and glanced at Taylor.
Taylor nodded.
Kate heard Taylor's voice in her head and got out of the truck. She dug around in the toolbox before going inside.
Dean flinched when the door opened.
Kate ran to Taylor, bumping into Dean on her way to him. She wrapped her arms around him. "Are you okay?"
John pulled Kate up by her arm. "You were told to wait!"
Kate jerked her arm back "Sorry!"
David laughed. "Well ain't this something?"
John crouched down with his back to David. He spoke sternly to Kate.
Dean flicked his gun. "Stay over there."
Taylor was still bleeding heavily and getting dizzy.
Kate stood up quickly. "You asshole! How could you beat up a kid? He is younger than you and your freaking brother!" She closed the gap between her and David and hit him in the chest.
David grabbed her wrist. "Feisty thing aren't you?" He grabbed her and turned her toward the others with his arm around her neck.
Kate made eye contact with John and blinked. She bit David's arm as hard as she could.
He screamed and his arm started to sizzle. "You bitch!"
The other three guys hit the floor soon after.
Kate whispered something over David and watched as black smoke filled the air and zipped out of the building.
Taylor stared at her. "Is he?"
David coughed. "What the hell?"
Kate touched his head. "You went to a bar and got annoying with a girl. She bit you. Forget about anything negative with Taylor."
David got up and walked out of the building.
John and Dean checked on the other three guys.
Kate knelt beside each one. She did the same things she did with David and healed the wounds the bullets left.
Once the building was clear Dean spoke. "How?"
Kate sat on the ground. She was exhausted. She saw Taylor and held his hand. A blue light bridged the gap between them and Kate went limp.
Dean scooped her up. "We need to go."
Taylor grabbed the bullets and ran after the others.
No one spoke until they got to Bobby's house.
Bobby held the door open. He wasn't expecting them back so quickly. He saw the amount of blood on Taylor and his gut wrenched.
Dean sat Kate on the couch. "You okay?"
Kate nodded. "I'm getting my strength back."
Dean took a step back and looked at her.
Taylor ran upstairs and washed his face. He changed clothes and sprinted back down.
John pointed to the couch beside Kate.
Dean looked at each of them. "What happened in there?"
Kate spoke up. "I felt the demons. I sent Morse code message."
John nodded. "She did. Taylor confirmed it and I'm guessing told her."
"Why did you enter the building?" Dean asked.
"John said I could." Kate said.
Taylor grimaced.
"Oh no." Kate said.
John waved off the notion.
"I gave you a bullet when I ran into you and gave John two when he pulled me up. I told you to use them when I touched you." Kate said.
Dean rubbed his face. "Then what?"
"I only had three bullets and let David get his arm around me. I bit my cheek and then bit his arm. His reacting to that gave you a chance to take care of the others. Then I exorcised them and healed them before compelling them to forget." Kate said.
Bobby, John, and Dean traded looks.
"How did you heal them?" John asked.
Taylor sighed. "She had my power."
"What?" Dean asked.
"When we were in the woods. I used a lot of my energy. She absorbed it." Taylor said.
Kate blinked. "That is why I felt awesome."
"Did you know that before we got there?" John asked.
Kate shook her head. "No, sir. I knew I felt good but didn't realize what had happened. I thought something was off with how easily I could communicate and control things."
Everything had happened so fast that John and Dean were still processing. "Did you get out of the truck knowing that I told you to stay put?"
Kate shot Taylor a look. "I was told that you, John, said that I had permission to leave the truck."
Taylor looked at his hands.
John wasn't sure if Kate had necessarily done anything wrong. "You compelled us?"
"Yes." Kate hung her head. "I wasn't trying to control you. I couldn't say anything because of the demons. All I said was to shoot them in the arm when I signal."
That is exactly what they had done.
"Taylor, how did you wind up in a building with four demons?" John asked.
Taylor felt his mouth go dry. "It is a long story."
Kate nudged him. "Take it from me, this is not the point in the conversation to withhold answers."
"David said some things that made me question if he was still David. He said he was going to tell people. I realized that I was weak. I went because I could fight him like a normal person and we could work it out. On the way, I realized he was a demon, and not having power worked because they didn't see me heal." Taylor said.
"So you went in there knowing not only that there was at least one demon but also that you didn't have enough energy to use your abilities?" John asked.
"Yes, sir." Taylor said.
"Why? What did he say?" Kate asked.
Taylor swallowed. "My mom tried to kill me when I was born. They left me in my crib to 'find the next morning' but I woke up several hours later."
"So, they just thought it worked." Kate said.
Taylor shrugged. "He said a few other things like that. If he had told people, I'd have more of a target on my back. If someone is hunting Nephilian and learns that I did that, I'll be a sitting duck."
"That isn't a lot to go on." John said.
"Why was Nate helping you?" Dean asked.
Taylor was quiet.
"He knows." Kate said, quietly.
Taylor simply nodded.
"How long has he known?" Bobby asked.
Taylor put his head in his hands. "Since the fight."
"Well, Taylor, seems like you hid a lot." Dean said.
Taylor groaned. "I wasn't trying to. It is all confusing and he saw me heal. I didn't say anything about David at first because I really did want to work it out. It is humiliating."
"That is your excuse?"
Taylor shook his head. "No. I just... I know I screwed up."
John laughed darkly. "You screwed up? No, skipping school or stealing alcohol is screwing up."
Taylor met John's eyes.
"Forget, for a moment, that you hid the conversation for days, you left the house knowing that you weren't at full power. Even if they weren't demons, you wouldn't have been able to fight off four humans being that weak. Then, you waltz in knowing that they are demons. If we hadn't shown up, do you think they would have knocked you around and just left? Were you assuming that they'd get bored when you didn't heal and give up? They can run and tell all their demon friends that you aren't a Nephilian but did you think they may have been keen on hurting you because you are connected to us? Plenty of demons have plenty of reasons to want to hurt us." John said.
Dean's heart sank. It had been a long time since he had heard that specific tone.
Taylor tried to speak.
"No. Right now you listen." John said. "You let your anger control you although we tried to help you. When I asked you had done anything to David, what did you do?"
Taylor stared at his hands.
"Did you do something before you realized he was a demon?" John asked.
Taylor still didn't speak.
"Taylor, come on man." Dean pleaded.
"Did you know he was or was not a demon when you did whatever you did?" John rephrased.
Taylor looked at Kate for a moment.
Kate heard his voice. "Can he just tell you only?"
John tilted his head. "Step out on the porch."
Taylor got up and walked out of the house. He hung his head and studied his shoes.
"So, what did you do?" John asked. He could tell Taylor was working through something.
Taylor wiped a tear from his eye. He forced himself to explain what had happened.
John listened and cleared his throat. "So what did you do to him?"
"Made him remember." Taylor said.
John sighed and pulled Taylor into a tight hug. "Okay. Alright. I understand. Did things change when you realized he was a demon?"
"Yes, sir. I couldn't push thoughts into his head." Taylor said.
John nodded. "Okay. When you left tonight, were you going after David or the demon?"
Taylor pulled back from John's arms. "I don't know."
John opened the door.
Taylor went back and sat beside Kate.
Bobby noticed the look on John and Taylor's faces and knew whatever it was had to be bad.
"I think enough has been said unless there are other things you want to say." John said.
"He will forget tonight but things will go back to normal."
"I told him to forget negative things about you." Kate said.
Taylor gave her a sad smile. "Thanks. I will need help with him though."
"Do we have to go to school tomorrow?" Kate asked.
"If you miss too many days, that will make you stand out more than you do." Dean said.
Taylor slumped. He had made sure they stood out already.
Dean rubbed the back of his neck and looked at John. "Well, if that isn't a right of passage."
Kate stared at him. "What?"
"You know all those stories about me doing stupid crap and Sam feeling left out so he had to run in and throw himself into the fire for the hell of it?" Dean said.
Kate frowned.
"True badge of siblinghood."
Taylor wasn't following.
John shook his head. "He is saying you stepped in it... together."
Taylor stood up. "None of this was her fault. There is no need for that."
"She made her own choices." John said.
Taylor stepped in front of Kate. "This is all on me."
Bobby snorted. "It is like watching reruns."
Dean put a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, she put a toe in, you dove in headfirst."
Taylor swallowed hard and looked at Kate. "I'm sorry."
Kate gave him a pained grin. "It is usually me that gets the 'what the hell was that?' speech."
"I think I asked you that exact question." Dean said.
Kate blinked slowly. "Oh... yeah."
John tilted his head. "Stay here."
Bobby walked with John and Dean to the kitchen. He poured a round of scotch and sat down. "I haven't heard anything about Luis."
"I guess we will see what the school says tomorrow." John said.
They were silent, soaking in all of the information.
"Can you handle Kate?" John asked.
Dean rubbed his face. "Most days."
"I am going to handle Taylor." John said.
Dean went to protest.
"What he told me changes a few things. It isn't anything anyone ever needs to know but he trusted me with it." John said.
Dean sighed. "Bobby, you wouldn't want to handle Kate would you?"
Bobby put his hands up. "I handle sass and pulling knives on hunters."
Dean groaned. "I can't be mad at her for running in. That was the coolest thing I have ever witnessed."
John nodded. "She thought I had given her the order."
"Yeah, I've got her." Dean said. He walked back into the living room. "Kate." He tilted his head toward the door.
Kate looked at Taylor for a moment before she went to the door.
Dean stepped out behind her. "What did you say to him?"
Kate looked at him. "What else do you say to someone on their way to the gallows?"
Dean chuckled. "Hopefully not that."
"I told him it would be okay." Kate said.
Dean put a hand on her back. "It will be."
As they got closer to the shop Kate started walking slower.
"Nope, keep marching." Dean said.
Kate sighed and kept her feet moving. "On a scale of 1 to 10. How bad is this?"
"On Kate scale? I'd say a two or three." Dean said.
"On normal people scale?" Kate asked.
Dean sat her on the work table. "What do you think?"
"I wasn't trying to help him hide it." Kate said.
Dean tilted his head. "You were though. When you took Liam upstairs, did you talk to him?"
Kate sighed. "I asked what he wanted me to undo. He said nothing."
"You threw a couple lies in there. Dad got to three." Dean said.
Kate frowned. "I didn't know how bad it was."
"That is why you don't hide stuff." Dean said.
"In my defense, you tell me stories about you and Sam taking up for each other and I thought that was what siblings were supposed to do." Kate said.
Dean shook his head. "Those stories are to deter you from doing things."
"Well nobody told me that." Kate said.
Dean ruffled her hair. "Look, I know you didn't intend for things to go badly. You tried to help him. Do you understand where you went wrong?"
Kate nodded her head. "I do."
"Okay, hop up."
Kate slid off the table. "Will you at least admit my rescue was cool?"
Dean put his foot on the bottom rung of the table. "It was really cool." He put her over his raised leg. "I want details."
Kate yelped when he swatted her. "Now?"
Dean chuckled. "No. Now, focus."
Kate groaned. She put a hand on the table and the other on his leg. She hated when he did that. She always felt like she was going to be dropped on her head.
Dean swatted her again. "Why are we here?"
Kate sighed. "I tried to help Taylor hide things and then lied when you asked me about it."
"Yahtzee," Dean said. He tightened the arm around her side and started swatting.
Kate gritted her teeth. She knew he wasn't spanking her hard but it still stung.
Dean added a bit more strength into the swats, wanting to wrap it up. "Do you lie to us?"
Kate hissed at a particularly hard swat. "No!"
Dean hit her thigh.
"Ow. No." She said more meekly.
"What number did you get to?" Dean asked.
Kate tried to wiggle away. "Three."
Dean tapped her. "Stop before you get dropped." He swatted her three times on each sit spot, using more strength than any of the other swats.
Kate yelped and wiggled. "Ow. I'm sorry."
Dean let her up and sat her back on the table.
Kate tried to slide down.
"Nope. Sit."
"Dean!" Kate whined.
"You aren't even crying. Sit." Dean said.
Kate sniffled. "I'm sorry."
Dean pulled her forward and let her lean on him. "I know. I'm proud of you."
Kate wriggled. "I'm not getting a second one... right?"
Dean brushed the hair from her face. "No."
Kate rested her head on him. "I'm sorry I compelled you."
"That was the correct use of that ability," Dean said. "Don't sweat it. Now, tell me about how you figured all of that out."
John put a hand on Taylor's shoulder. "Head up to your room."
Taylor mumbled "Yes, sir." and went up the stairs.
Bobby sighed. "They don't make it easy."
John smirked. "You didn't get the short end of the stick."
Bobby sat back with his drink. "I feed and clothe them, you can handle the other part of it."
"Find out what is going on with the other kid." John said as he turned to go upstairs.
Taylor felt sick to his stomach. His anger was fading and he felt raw and a little unstable. He had regained his strength but the feeling of weakness was stuck in his head. He could have fought back but he didn't.
John pushed the door open and shut it before taking a seat on the other bed.
Taylor's eyes widened slightly.
"Expecting Dean?" John asked.
Taylor nodded.
"I've done the teenage boy stuff twice already. He's got Kate." John said.
Taylor wiped his hands down the sides of his shorts.
"Why'd you break your phone?" John asked.
Taylor looked at his hands. "I didn't want messages to be read."
"Because of what you said or what David said?"
"Both." Taylor said.
"So did you break it outside or once we asked for it?"
"Um, once you asked for it." Taylor said.
"Did you do anything else to David besides make him remember?" John asked.
"I made him see things he was in denial about. I didn't make him have nightmares or anything like that. Well, I guess I did but it was just memories." Taylor said.
"I'm going to let that one thing go with the understanding that you are not to use your abilities on other people unless safety is involved." John said.
"Yes, sir." Taylor said.
"That being said, the rest of it is a lot." John said.
Taylor cringed.
"You lied about the messages to begin with. You should have told someone. We didn't need to know exactly what they said. My main issue is everything that happened after we got back. Taylor, you could have died and we would have had no idea where you were. Nate finally spilled the beans. Even if you didn't die, you were in for a rough time just judging by how beat up you were when we got there. You put yourself in extreme danger and then you told Kate that I gave the all-clear. Luckily that worked out. Is there any part of this that you want to defend yourself over?" John said.
Taylor considered it. "No sir."
John paced for a few steps. "If any of the other three did this, they'd be getting the whipping of their lives. Now, I want this to leave an impression but not scar you. I am not Craig. You can choose between that and being paddled."
Taylor's mouth went dry. "H-how many?"
John studied him. "I'm not setting a number."
That worried Taylor more. "Dean said you went by age."
"Buddy, you exceeded your age limit." John said.
Taylor stared at the floor.
John sighed. He reached for his belt and pulled it off.
Taylor's head snapped up.
"You earned it. Trust me. You can still choose but neither will be a fun time." John said.
Taylor was a little heartbroken that he had messed up that badly.
John tilted his head toward the desk.
Taylor didn't move.
"Dragging it out doesn't make it easier." John said.
Taylor moved slowly. "I'm really sorry."
"Mhm, I've heard that before."
Taylor moved books and leaned over the desk. He felt like he was in a nightmare. He had sworn that he would never mess up again and he was frustrated with himself.
John put his hand on Taylor's back. "Do you fully understand why this is happening?"
Taylor nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Not because I'm angry with you. You lied and acted recklessly. You are important here and that behavior isn't going to fly." John added. He shifted slightly. Dean had said that Taylor was more heartwrenching than Kate or Sam and John could see that. He tried so hard to be good that it kind of made one feel bad to crack down once he messed up.
Taylor heard the bet swoosh before it hit him and gritted his teeth. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it still caught him off guard. He hissed when a second swat landed. It stung like hell but his immediate fear wasn't that the buckle would cut him. He could trust John not to do that.
"Lying is going to get you nowhere but right back here." John said with two more licks.
Taylor rolled his ankle. "Yes, sir."
"Nephilian or not, you are not to put yourself or others in danger."
Taylor lurched forward. The licks were getting harder and he was starting to struggle with being still. "I'm sorry."
John paused. "Boy, you just rolled all the rules into one night. Knowing that they were demons before you went in is worse."
Taylor shot back when the belt snapped down across his thighs.
"Get back in positon." John said, sternly.
Taylor rubbed the fire away. "I'm really sorry."
"Taylor." John said. When he didn't move, he took his arm and turned him back toward the desk. "I'm going to add licks if you get up again."
Taylor shuttered. He bent back over and forced himself not to move.
John figured Taylor was l like Dean and would do anything in his power not to break down. He also knew, like Dean, he needed the breakdown. "I don't care if you are not blood. You are part of the family and if you screw up, you are going to get treated like part of the family." He started laying down stripes again. He watched Taylor's reactions and was thankful when the kid gave in.
Taylor thought for sure he'd have no skin left. He tried to stay stoic but tears fell anyway. He lost his composure and cried into his arms.
John gave him two more hard licks where butt meets thighs and put his belt back on. He put a hand on Taylor's upper back. "From now on, you bring issues to an adult. You are still a kid. Your job is to be a kid."
Taylor felt John's fingers gently pull on his shoulder and stood up. He hissed through his teeth and clenched his fists at his side. He tried to stop the tears but they wouldn't stop flowing.
John pulled him toward him. He wrapped his arms around him and let him cry. "You and Dean both set yourself up."
Taylor wiped his face. "What?"
"If you had given in sooner, I would have stopped sooner." John said.
Taylor's shoulders dropped.
John felt tears soaking through his shirt and sighed. "See, he would hold things in until he snapped. He was so focused on being a mini adult and acting brave that he wouldn't let anyone help. Then, he'd wind up flying off the handle and getting his ass in hot water. That is partially my fault. You, however, are going to accept help."
Taylor nodded.
"You aren't alone. You understand that, right?"
"Yes sir."
John waited for Taylor's tears to stop. "How's the anger?"
"What anger?" Taylor asked, ruefully.
John chuckled. "Well, if you feel angry or frustrated, you tell someone. With the energy wave and your run in with the demons, we can't afford anyone or anything seeing your eyes flash or trees being uprooted."
Taylor stepped back. "Yes, sir."
"You're going to be okay." John said.
Taylor went to rub the sting away but learned that just hurt worse. "That answers the 'how to kill a Nephilian' question."
John smirked. "You aren't dead."
"I really am sorry." Taylor said.
John put a hand on his head. "You are forgiven. You have a clean slate. Use it."
Taylor looked away from John as his face turned red.
"Don't do that. You are on good terms."
"I'm just..."
"Embarrassed? I didn't give you a choice in breaking. Like I've said, I've done the teenager thing twice. You will be okay." John said.
"Well... that.. but I was an idiot." Taylor said.
John shrugged. "Most teenage boys are."
Taylor gave him a small smile. "I'm okay now?"
"No one is holding a grudge. You are good." John said.
Taylor shifted. He felt thoroughly chastised but still wasn't entirely used to things being truly forgotten.
John put a hand on his back. "Go wash your face. We will eat dinner and you will need to talk to Kate and Dean."
Taylor groaned. "Yes, sir."
John stepped out of the room and went to go down the stairs. He nearly stepped on a gray puffball of spite. "Don't look at me like that." He said, gently. He picked Millie up. "If you ever have kids one day, you'll understand." He felt Millie start to purr and chuckled. Millie, like Kate could go from hissing to being cuddly in moments. He went outside to find Kate and Dean. He stepped into the shop and put Millie down.
Kate jumped off the table. "Millie!"
John raised an eyebrow. "She hissed at me."
Kate looked at Millie. "What did you do that for?"
Millie reached for strands of Kate's hair.
John shrugged. "She may think she's a guard dog."
Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go find a trashcan to throw up in."
John looked at Kate. "I trust that you understand what you did wrong."
Kate nodded. "Yes."
They walked back to the house and went inside.
Kate hugged Taylor
He hugged her back. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble."
Kate shrugged. "It wasn't that bad."
Dean eyed Taylor. "I'm guessing you didn't fare as well."
Taylor grimaced. "No. I did not."
They talked amongst themselves for a while before they were back to cracking jokes and teasing each other.
John looked up as Dean pulled Kate into the kitchen.
"I need to borrow your belt." Dean said.
Kate screeched and tried to pull away.
John raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
Dean picked Kate up over his shoulder. "Working theory. Mine didn't have much of an impact but Taylor says yours is kryptonite for their kind."
Kate smacked Dean's back. "We don't have a kind!" She dug her fingers into his ribs. "Put me down."
Dean put her on her feet. "The sass is out of control." He ruffled Kate's hair. "I wouldn't do that to you."
John shook his head. "Dean, make yourself useful and go get food for dinner."
Kate shoved Dean away. "Yeah, Dean. Make yourself useful."
Taylor grinned. His anger and anxiety were gone.
"Do you want to tag along?" Dean asked.
Taylor went to say yes but stopped and shook his head quickly.
"If you are worried about the drive, wait for tomorrow when you're in school all day." Dean said.
Taylor grimaced. "Speaking from experience?"
"Yup. Everyone want their normal orders?" Dean asked.
Bobby passed Dean as he left his office. he had gotten confirmation and needed to talk to the kids and John. "So, I got off the phone with Luis's mother."
Taylor swallowed hard.
"What did she say?" John asked.
"Some kids from school talked to her. She teaches at the high school. She isn't going to press charges if we don't." Bobby said.
Taylor felt his entire body relax. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah. His face is swollen but there shouldn't be anything lasting."
Kate sighed. "I guess that means we have school tomorrow."
Taylor furrowed his brows. "Were you hoping I got suspended so we didn't have to go?"
Kate gave him a small smile. "Well, no. I just don't want to go. People are going to talk." She saw movement outside and walked to the window. She could see swirls of light that were so faint they looked like heat coming off of asphault on a hot day.
Taylor stood beside her. "What is that?"
Kate put her hand to the glass and let out a slow breath. "A sign."