Author's note. Loving or hating the drama? This chapter is meant to be confusing to illustrate how confused the characters are. I love the reviews people.

### ###

Castiel waded into a lake with Kate in his arms. He submerged her and waited for her body to cool. Her skin was blistered and her body was radiating enough heat to light things on fire. He put a hand on her head and tried to heal some of her pain. The water around them was beginning to get hot so he moved away from it.

Kate could feel herself burning but couldn't cry out. She was shaking and knew she was in someone's arms. She felt the coolness of the water but it only helped for a moment. "Help."

Dean stared at Millie. "What are you?"

John put a hand on his back. "Where did he take Kate?"

Dean flinched. "I don't know."

Taylor got out of his bed and stumbled into the hallway.

Sam caught him. "You need to stay in bed."

"What happened?" Taylor asked.

Sam tried to turn him. "Somehow a fire started. Castiel took Kate."

Taylor pushed his way by Sam. He saw the charred bedding and felt faint.

"You aren't stable enough to be up." Sam said. "You have to go back to your bed."

Taylor shoved his hand away.

John saw Taylor's jaw twitch. "Son, you were told to go back to your bed."

Taylor blinked.

John gently took Taylor's arm and helped him to his bed.

"I'm sorry."

John gave him a small smile. "We do not know anything right now. You are burning up and shakey."

"I'm okay." Taylor said.

John shook his head. "Sit down. Pushing yourself could be catastrophic. We are all confused and worried. As soon as she gets back, you can see her. We can't have you fainting or having an ability take over." He sat on the edge of Taylor's bed. "I'll stay here with you."

Taylor leaned back on his bed. "It isn't fair that she is so much sicker."

"I would take the sickness from both of you if I could. I am still wrapping my head around it." John said.

Taylor relaxed and spoke openly with John. He explained how he was feeling and even talked about David.

John got him some more water and a few chilled cloths. "Here, I don't want you overheating too." he picked Liam up and sat him on the bed.

Taylor rested his head on his pillow and let John put the cloths on him. "John?"

John looked at him. "Yeah?"

Taylor sighed. "Thanks."

John gave him a sad smile and wiped his face with cool water. He didn't respond but stayed in the room after Taylor fell asleep. He reached over and scratched around Liam's ears. He looked into his eyes and searched for a flicker of light. He sighed and left Taylor and Liam to rest. He left the door cracked and joined the others.

Dean was sitting on the edge of Kate's bed with his head in his hands. He felt sick to his stomach and his headached from how tightly his jaw was clenched. Castiel wasn't answering prayers and he had no idea where he went or if Kate was okay.

Missouri tried to comfort Dean but his body was drawn tight and he flinched at her touch. She gave him space and put a hand on Sam. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sam shrugged. His head was swimming with fear and confusion. He saw John standing in the doorway and sighed.

Missouri gathered the bedding and placed it in the hallway. "She will need a clean mattress."

John helped her carry another mattress in. He nudged Dean to get him to move.

Dean didn't realize John was nudging him at first. He snapped to when he heard a gruff order to move.

With the bed made and the old bedding placed in a trash bag, Missouri returned with a broom and swept away the rest of the soot. She took Millie to the bathroom to clean her up and left John to tend to his boys. She had seen the kitten's eyes flash, clear as day. She just didn't know how or why. She didn't know how the bed had burned but Millie slept through the flames and only had dusty fur to show for it. Millie started wiggling and demanding to be put down.

Once Millie was on the floor she darted back to Kate's room.

Dean looked at Millie and then heard the woosh. "Kate!" He took Kate from Castiel's arms and cradled her.

Missouri grabbed towels once she saw the state of their clothes. She helped Dean dry Kate and put new clothes on her.

"What the hell happened?" Dean asked.

Castiel slowly looked at Dean. "She boiled a lake."

"The whole lake?" Sam asked.

Dean shot him a glare. "Is she okay? How did she catch on fire?"

Castiel watched the water drip from his coat. He snapped his fingers and straightened his new dry tie.

"Answer me!" Dean yelled.

"Dean!" John yelled.

Dean flinched. "Please, man. What is going on?"

"She overheated." Castiel said.

"So you went to a lake?" John said.

"Yes. She is no longer burning but will remain in asleep for the time being. It is too dangerous for her to be awake." Castiel stated.

Dean put Kate in her clean bed. "Uh, so is the cat some kind of angel too?"

Castiel furrowed his brows. "No."

"Her eyes glowed and she survived the fire." Sam said.

Castiel picked Millie up and ran his hand over her. "No."

"Then why did she survive?" John asked.

Castiel had forgotten how exhausting human ignorance could be. "This...cat has been sleeping beside the girl. She has absorbed some of the energy."

"So why aren't my eyes glowing?" Dean asked. "I have held her."

Castiel closed his eyes. "You are not an animal, Dean."

John could see Dean's patience wearing thin. "Will the cat be harmed?"

Castiel put the kitten next to Kate. "No. Animals are more perceptive to beings such as angels or demons. Their senses are much more refined. If her eyes glow, that is a good indicator that Kate is producing too much power for her body to handle. Kate likely shielded her."

Dean let his shoulders drop. He was barely handling human Nephilian. He didn't need enhanced cats running around. "Is Liam the same?"

Castiel looked away. "Yes."

Kate winced and whimpered.

Dean put his hand on her. "Is she in pain?"

"Immense." Castiel said.

"Can you help her? Is she dreaming?" John asked.

Castiel put a hand on her head. He shook his head. "No. She is dreaming but I cannot prevent that."

"Is she scared?" Dean asked.

"Yes." Castiel looked at Sam. "You can help her but she cannot wake up."

Sam gently moved Kate so that he could sit beside her. "I'll try."

John knew he wasn't going to be able to tear Dean away from the bed. "I'll just go make sure Taylor is okay."

Missouri nodded. "I'll go as well."

Dean bounced his legs. Sam was the only one who could really help but that put him in danger too. "Sam."

Sam looked up at Dean.

"You know how she pulls pain away? You can do it too."

Sam nodded. "I'll try to take some from her."

Dean hung his head. "I want it. If you can ease what she is going through. Put it on me."

"Dean, I don't know if I can do that." Sam said.

"Figure it out. She's a little kid. I can't pull her out of a dream. I can't stop her body from being ripped apart." Dean said.

Sam saw the anguish on Dean's face. "Set a timer for five minutes."

Dean nodded and set an alarm on his watch.

Sam took Kate's hand and closed his eyes. He felt himself being pulled into the darkness. There was a current that swept him away and made it difficult to catch his breath. "Kate!"

Kate heard her name but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. She was surrounded by smoke that swirled like a tornado. "Help!"

Sam felt like he was pushing against strong winds. He stumbled around until he saw a pale blue light in the fog of darkness.

Kate screamed when she felt hands on her.

Sam gripped her arm and pulled her to him. "Kate."

She vaguely recognized Sam's voice and broke down.

"Think of somewhere quiet." Sam said.

Kate couldn't focus from the pain.

Sam tried to pull her from the darkness but was no match for her strength. "Remember when we carved our initials into that tree? We crossed a stream and climbed up the mountain."

Kate started to think about that day and how much it meant to her. "The car too."

"Yep. What about the day that you got your knife? You were so excited." Sam said. He saw the darkness fading and continued. "Dean thought a lot about that. He carved your initial with his own knife. He was a little worried that I would be bothered if he gave you one. It was a special thing he did for me and I thought you deserved the same honor."

Kate calmed enough to pull them to a different place. She saw the rocks below her and the sun on her face. The birds were chirping and a squirrel ran up a tree."

"Much better." Sam said.

Kate looked up at him. "I'm scared."

"I'm here. So is Dean, Missouri, and dad." Sam said.

"Am I going to die?" Kate asked.

Sam let her lay her head on his leg. "Let's not talk about that. Dean is hanging out on the other end of your bed and will make fun of me if I get emotional."

Kate curled up beside Sam and closed her eyes as he ran his fingers through her hair. "What is going on?"

"Well, I don't know. You are still reeling from the grace. You set your room on fire."

Kate frowned. "Millie?"

"She is okay. She scared the shit out of Dean. She has been exposed to some of the energy you are giving off and you shielded her. Her eyes glowed blue for a second too. Could you imagine how peeved Dean would be if the cats got superpowers?" Sam said.

Kate whimpered when she tried to laugh. "Hell has hounds, heaven has kittens."

Sam smiled. "That would be kind of funny."

Kate held her head as a wave of pain hit her.

"I can take some of the pain." Sam said.

Kate let tears fall. "No."

"Dean wants to take some. Either I take some and try to pawn it off on him or he beats me up for not trying. Either way I wind up with a headache." Sam said.

Kate's breathing was shallow. "Tell him no."

Sam sighed. "Come on. We can't do much."

Kate moved her head and knelt beside Sam. "If you tried to take this on.. out there... you'd die instantly."

Sam tilted his head. "Not if it is just pain."

"You'll go for a gun and shoot yourself." Kate said.

Sam put a hand on her face. "No, we wont."

Kate felt her hand burning. "I can show you for a fraction of a second."

Sam nodded.

Dean saw Sam's eyes roll back in his head and his body go rigid. He shook him and slapped his face. Just as soon as the episode started, it ended.

Sam gasped and fell sideways to empty his stomach.

Kate started sobbing.

Sam pushed himself back into a sitting position and tasted blood in his mouth. He put his arms around Kate and rocked her. "How are you not dead right now?"

Kate was shaking. "Who says I'm not?"

"Kate, I'm so sorry." Sam said. Sam let his own tears fall. "Do you handle it better in here?"

Kate sniffled. "A little."

"What if you try to lock some of it away? You could do a mind box and ease some of it." Sam suggested.

Kate sniffled again. "I'm not that strong."

"You moved me from California to Kansas on a whim. I think you're strong enough to create a box." Sam said.

Kate swallowed hard and imagined a steel-plated box with symbols. It appeared before her and she poured some of her energy into the box before Sam slammed it closed.

"Did that help?" Sam asked.

Kate nodded. "It may not stay closed."

"One thing at a time." Sam said. "I want to stay here with you. Dean has a timer set but I want to come back."

Kate put her head back on his leg. "You don't need to."

Sam patted her. "I do. This is a way I can help." He felt himself being pulled. "I will be right back."

Dean shook Sam again.

Sam opened his eyes.

"Dude!" Dean growled.

Sam blinked. He shivered at the memory of what Kate was feeling. "I helped her create a box to lock some of it away."

"And?"

Sam dropped his head. "It is too much Dean."

Dean got up and paced. "She is an 11 year old girl. I can handle it."

Sam shook his head. "No, Dean. You don't understand. She showed me for a moment. It felt like my body was being torn apart by the nerve endings. Nothing I can say to you will explain how that felt. If either of us tried to take that on, we would die."

Dean sat back down and touched Kate's leg.

"She is up on the mountain. She has a locked box. I told her I would be right back." Sam said.

Dean nodded. "Go!"

Sam landed on shaky ground. He wasn't on the mountain anymore. "Kate!" He felt the ground crumbling and fell through a crack that split the earth. He felt heat rising around him and couldn't breathe. He hit solid ground and flailed for anything to steady himself. The air around him was thick and humid. "Kate!"

Kate heard Sam's voice and felt relief and anger. She pulled him to her.

Sam saw Kate's face and scrambled to her.

"You said you'd come back." Kate said.

Sam blinked. "I did."

"You said you'd be right back."

"Katie, I was gone for less than a minute." Sam said.

Kate stared at him. "It has been days."

Sam looked around him. "Time must feel different here. I promise. I woke up, told Dean what was going on and came right back."

Kate let her anger fade and crumbled.

"Where are we?" Sam asked.

Kate didn't answer him.

Sam heard howling and stiffened. "Hell?"

Kate nodded. "Home."

Sam picked her up. "What?" He smelled sulfur and the hairs on his arms stood up. "Kate. We have to leave."

"I can't." Kate said, weakly.

"Go back to the mountain." Sam said.

Kate swallowed. "I can't. He's holding me here."

Sam looked around. "Who?" He saw movement and met eyes with Azazel.

"This is your vision, Kate. You can control it." Sam said.

Kate was so tired.

Sam shifted Kate. "Leave her alone."

Azazel's eyes turned yellow. He was seething. The girl could destroy the entire plan. "Give her to me."

Sam spoke softly to Kate. He reminded her about all the good times they had and encouraged her to run. "Come on. Focus. Staying here will weaken you." Sam spoke calmly but he was terrified. Was Azazel in Kate's imagination or did he have his claws in her? Could he control her? Was he in danger too? How could he get her out of 'hell' in one piece. "Kate, can you bring Dean here?"

Kate stiffened. "Dean?"

Dean opened his eyes to darkness and heat. He was sitting on Kate's bed one moment and then in a strange place the next. He choked from the smell and thickness of the air. He needed to find his bearings.

Sam lightly shook Kate. "Kate? Kate!"

Dean heard Sam's voice and ran. "Sammy?"

Sam saw Dean approaching. His eyes widened as Dean was thrown back into a wall.

Dean groaned and felt moisture on the back of his head where he knocked the wall.

"Dean!" Sam yelled.

Kate opened her eyes. She managed to escape Sam and approached the demon. "Let. Him. Go."

Azazel grinned. "There's my girl."

Kate clenched her fists. "Leave them alone."

Dean found his feet. "Kate, step back."

Kate ignored him.

"Kate!" Dean yelled.

Kate stared at Azazel. "Let them go."

"Kate snap out of it. You are in a dream." Dean said.

Azazel flicked his hand and sent both guys flying. "Silence."

Taylor heard Kate's voice in his head and his mouth went dry. His hands tingled and his face felt hot. The tingling spread and he soon realized that it was not a new sensation. He saw John sitting in a chair in his room with his feet on the bed. He needed to get by him. "I'm going to go to the bathroom."

John eyed him. "I can help you get there."

Taylor bit his cheek. "I can walk. I feel okay right now."

John stood and held his hand out. "Just accept the help."

Taylor groaned inwardly. "Okay." He was thankful that John stopped at the bathroom door. He needed a way to get by him and out the door. He didn't want to use an ability and risk hurting John.

John got a phone call and stepped away from the bathroom to take it. "Hey, Bobby."

Bobby asked John if he was heading to the bunker.

"I'm already here." John said.

Bobby scoffed. "How fast were you going? I'm just now getting here."

"Uh, the angel brought me." John said. He had been so overwhelmed that he wasn't sure how much time had went by. "You must be driving fast too."

Bobby let out a breath. "Trying to get to the kids."

John spun around when he heard a noise. He stepped toward the bathroom just as he heard a door open and close. "Damnit."

"What is it?" Bobby asked.

John ran toward the garage. "Taylor. He got out."

"Balls." Bobby said. He pressed the gas pedal harder and forced himself to remain calm. "I am almost there. I'll grab him if you don't get him first."

John hung up the phone and stalked out of the bunker. "Taylor!"

Taylor shivered at the tone of John's voice. He was acting on Kate's distress call and didn't have time to explain.

John tried to track Taylor but the kid was light footed. "Get your ass back inside!"

Taylor swallowed hard. "I can't."

John made eye contact with him.

Taylor felt like his bones were on the verge of turning to dust. He was queasy and the headache he had was disorienting.

John stepped toward him. "Taylor, not only are you sick, you being out here could lead things to you."

Taylor nodded. "I know." He managed to move quickly enough that John lost track of him. He scrambled up the hill and hid.

John heard a vehicle approaching and walked around to the front of the bunker.

"Where is he?" Bobby asked.

John scanned the trees. "Hiding."

Bobby furrowed his brows. Taylor had learned his lesson with running so this stunt seemed odd. "Why did he run?"

"I don't know." John said.

"Son, we need to go inside. You aren't thinking clearly." Bobby tried.

Taylor felt the sensation grow stronger. He was battling the effects of the grace poisoning while also trying to navigate an ability he had never used.

Bobby and John hit the ground as something blew by them.

John jumped up and drew his weapon. "What the hell was that?"

Bobby pulled himself up onto one knee. "Nothing good."

Taylor couldn't see straight. He heard Kate's voice in his head again and put both palms on the ground to steady himself. He could feel the last threads of control unraveling.

Azazel growled and pinned Dean. "Tread lightly, girl."

Kate forced Sam to stand back. "Take me. Leave them."

Dean glared at her. He couldn't talk and he couldn't push thoughts into her head but the brief flicker of apprehension on her face told him that she got his message loud and clear.

Kate knew Dean would have her hide for what she was doing but she had to do it. She couldn't let Sam and Dean get trapped in hell, even if it was vision hell and not real hell.

Sam couldn't grab Kate due to her compulsion. He was frozen and helpless.

Kate held Azazel's gaze. She felt the pain flood back into her body and fought not to collapse. Her eyes flashed blew and the light caused Azazel to avert his eyes. Kate took the opportunity to lunge at him.

Sam and Dean watched both of them disappear and then woke up.

Dean woke with a gasp. "Kate!"

Sam was hyperventilating and looked at Dean with wide eyes.

Dean shook Kate. "Wake up!"

Taylor groaned as the tingling turned to pure burning.

John heard him and ran to him. "Taylor!"

Taylor held his hand up to stop John.

John hit an invisible wall. "What are you doing?" The force blew back by John's head and hit Taylor, knocking him down an embankment. John quickly made his way down the embankment and grabbed Taylor.

Taylor was holding his chest and shaking.

John carried him back into the bunker and Bobby closed the door.

Taylor couldn't hold on any longer and a moment of weakness caused the force to escape his grasp.

Missouri ducked as a black pillar of smoke blew through her.

Taylor pulled it back to him and had to fight it as if he was playing tug o war with the smoke.

"Is that a demon?" John asked.

Taylor nodded weakly.

Bobby ran to the weapons room. He found the devil's trap box he was looking for and brought it back.

Taylor shoved the smoke into the box and fell onto the floor beside it. His ears and nose were bleeding and his vision was blurry.

John sat him up and used a towel to soak up the blood. "Why the hell did you do that?"

Castiel appeared and picked up the box.

"Heal him or something." Bobby said.

Castiel regarded Taylor. "I can't."

John turned Taylor's face to him. "Taylor, stay with me."

Castiel crouched down. "Sleep."

Taylor's eyes closed and his head rolled back.

"Why did you do that?" John asked.

"So he can heal." Castiel said and stood up.

John carried Taylor to his bed and propped him up on pillows.

Bobby wrapped an arm around Missouri. "What did I miss?"

Sam stumbled out of Kate's room. "Dad, he has her."

John looked at him. "Who?"

"The yellow eyed demon. He was there in hell and she tackled him and she's gone."

Bobby took over with Taylor. "Go see her."

John sat beside Dean and put a hand on Kate. "She is breathing."

Dean was white and in shock. "Cas!"

Castiel appeared in the doorway.

"Save her!" Dean yelled.

Castiel held up the box. "She saved herself." Three sets of eyes stared back at him. "Azazel is here." he said as he shook the box.

John slowly reached for the box. He had spent Sam's entire life hunting the demon and now, he held it in his hands. His hands were shaky and sweaty. "The demon that Taylor captured was Azazel?"

"Yes."

Sam's eyes grew wide again. "How?"

"What.. what if.. what if Kate knocked him out of her vision and gave Taylor a chance to grab him? Wait, how did he grab him?" Dean said.

"I don't even know. I think he snatched him out of the air." John said.

Castiel touched Kate's head. "She is okay."

"What? Where is she? Why isn't she awake?" Dean spat out.

"She has locked herself away but is not afraid." Castiel said.

"Can she get out?" Sam asked.

Castiel looked at him. "We will see. They should both rest for now. I will return if either of them has a spike in energy. Would you like me to dispose of that?"

John pulled the box up to his chest. "No."

Kate lunged and hit Azazel with her shoulder. She felt daggers in her side as he fought her. She drifted along a current, too tired to fight it. She woke up, laying on a blanket in the middle of a meadow. She was too weak to sit up but could see that she was in a field of grass and flowers. She was tired of fighting and just wanted the pain to go away. She coughed and started crying again. "Dean? Sam?" She closed her eyes and tried to swallow.

She felt a shadow pass over her face and opened her eyes. A woman in flowing skirts sat down beside her and hummed a melody. "Help."

The woman touched Kate's face and continued humming the song.

Kate felt the pain fading and slowly sat up. "Who are you?" her eyes adjusted to the light around her. "Am I dead?"

The woman stopped humming. "No, my love."

Kate recognized the voice and reached for the woman. "Mom?"

### THE END###

... just kidding. There are more chapters to come.