Author's note: Guest, I think I understood what your suggestion was. IF not, just let me know. It may come up in more than one chapter

Finding Joey was a huge win and morale booster. Jess felt like she had truly helped someone and it helped ease her pain over Martha. "Can we go to the library?"

Sam traded looks with Dean. They had gotten a motel room for the night so that they could answer additional questions if needed. "Uh, I'm really glad we found him. We just can't make a list of missing kids. We got really lucky."

Jess sighed. "Well, we could at least look."

"I know you want to help. I do. Maybe we could wait until we get back to Sioux Falls and focus on that area."

"There are no missing kids from Sioux Falls." Kate said.

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. He may be able to gently steer Jess but Kate was going to derail everything.

Dean spoke up. "We can't travel the country. I guess we could see what is between South Dakota and California but Sam has a point. You may not be able to see paths every time. It is a cool skill but can you duplicate it at will? Also, if we are not careful, we are going to wind up raising suspicions. How many missing kids can we find before someone starts asking how we did it?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'd just compel them."

"You can't just compel people," Dean said.

"Oh, right. Only if you sign off on it." Kate said.

The trip was going too well. She had managed her mood for too long. "We all need to sleep. We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Maybe Jess isn't done talking about it. You can't boss her around." Kate said.

Dean shot her a look that warned her to settle down.

Jess, seeing that Kate was going to talk herself into trouble, decided that she was tired as well. She suggested that they go to bed too and gave Kate an encouraging nudge.

Sam wanted to talk to Dean but knew any hesitation in calling it a night would fuel Kate.

Dean just sent Sam a look and fell back onto the second bed.

Kate tossed a pillow on the floor and covered herself with her blanket.

"Do you want another blanket? The floor is pretty hard." Dean said.

Kate fluffed her pillow. "I'm good." She curled up into a ball and closed her eyes.

Dean thought that she was pretty cat-like. Taylor was more like a dog. Kate liked small spaces and curling up. She liked to cuddle unless she didn't and then she didn't want to be touched. He narrowed his eyes. Did Millie pick up Kate's personality or was that a coincidence. Was it a conscious decision? If it was, could normal cats do that? Was there a test for familiars? He shoved a second pillow behind his head and crossed his arms over his chest. He'd find a test.

(Sioux Falls)

Caleb woke up early to go to work. He planned on getting his work done early enough that he could pick up the puppy and Andy could have a few hours to play with it before bedtime. He was excited because he liked dogs. More than that, he was excited to share the experience with Andy and Ian. Nothing compared to meeting your very own dog for the first time. He just hoped that the puppy wouldn't be too much for April. He and Andy would do most of the work but a puppy was a puppy. He kissed April goodbye and headed out to get his workday started.

Caleb's boss was impressed with his work ethic. The job had a high turnover rate. He knew that Caleb had a young family and had adopted the boys. He had adopted a child as well but she was grown with a family of her own. He decided to reward his hard work with a raise.

Caleb didn't expect the raise. He considered himself a model worker but his father had taught him not to slack off. "Whoa, I appreciate it. This is great. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You put in a lot of hours. I've been impressed." Don said.

Caleb thought the day couldn't get any better. He got a raise, he was getting his boys' a puppy. He couldn't wait to tell April. She was always worried about finances and the raise would help ease her worries. "Thank you. I'm sure April will be happy."

Don had met April and thought she was a sweet person. "I'll take your last job of the day."

"Oh, I came in early so I could get all that done early. There's no need for that."

Don shook his head. "Then you will get done earlier. I've got the last one." The last one was on his way home so it wasn't out of his way.

Caleb furrowed his eyebrows. Was he dreaming? Small things would be easy to dream of. No, this was reality. "Thank you. Again, I really appreciate this."

Don waved him off so he could get back to work. Caleb reminded him of his own son. He'd have to stop by and see him on the way home.

(Dean and Kate)

Dean grabbed food and brought it back to the motel room. He smoothed Kate's hair down when she sat up. He smiled. "You look like you slept well."

Kate yawned. "I did."

As they ate, they discussed the missing children and came up with a few possible plans.

Jess needed the training to make things legal. They may not be able to find many missing children but she could learn to see the signs of distress ahead of time. That also helped her focus on the small picture.

Dean finished breakfast and got ready for the day. He was mid-brushing his teeth when his phone rang. "Kate, get that."

Kate answered the phone. "Hey, dad."

John was expecting Dean but there was no emergency.

Kate was hit by a freight train worth of an emotion that she couldn't quite place. She didn't think it was a normal 'John' emotion. She furrowed her brows deeply and froze.

Dean grabbed the phone. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I didn't say anything." John said. "I said hello but she didn't say anything else."

Dean had Kate sit down. "What happened?"

"I feel.. I don't know what this feeling is." Kate said.

"What caused it?"

"Uh, when dad said hello I could feel it." Kate said, still struggling to process what she was experiencing.

Dean was trying to piece it together because her reaction was odd. "Where are you? She seems to be feeling whatever you are feeling."

John cleared his throat. "How? When did that start?"

"Just now." Dean said.

John palmed his forehead. "I'm with Pamela."

Dean's eyes widened. "Kate did you... see anything?"

Kate's voice rose in pitch. "No!" A look of horror crossed her face.

Dean blew air through his nose and laughed. "What emotion is that, dad? Huh?"

"It isn't one. I'm sitting having my morning coffee. I'm not stressed. I feel pretty good." John said.

Dean couldn't keep a straight face and turned his back on Kate. "That is it?"

"Yes." John said.

Dean turned back around. "Why do you look like that?"

Kate couldn't explain that the strength of the sensation was due to how rarely John felt it. She didn't even know that. The feeling was pure weightlessness but knowing who caused the feeling made her feel a little sick. Even though it wasn't inappropriate, she thought it was a bit like the time that John was in a good mood and they found out he had spent time with Pamela. It was too much information for her young mind.

Dean found it hilarious. "You may have traumatized her."

John wasn't sure why it would traumatize her but it was a bit awkward. He was slightly embarrassed and Pamela's amusement didn't help. "I... I called to ask how the search went."

Dean put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "We found him. He was in a cave."

Jess and Sam walked back into the motel room and Jess immediately went to Kate. "Are you okay?"

Dean's eyes twinkled. "Dad is with Pamela. He called and Kate got hit with what he is feeling."

Sam was caught between understanding the horror and finding amusement in her discomfort.

"Do you normally do that?" Jess asked.

Kate shook her head. "Sometimes I can feel others' emotions but not that strong." She cringed. "Not over the phone."

John got a few more details about the search and claimed he needed to get going.

Dean, ever the comedian, smiled to himself. "Okay, yeah. Have fun out there. Maybe wait until you come off of your high next time. Kate is delicate."

John would have smacked Dean across the head if he was in range. "Dean, shut up."

Dean chuckled and put his phone in his pocket after John hung up. He crouched down to talk to Kate. "You're okay, right?"

"I'm okay." Kate said.

"Add that to the new skills list." Dean said.

Kate relaxed. "We never speak of this again."

Dean snorted. "I make no promises."

Kate grabbed his wrist and transferred the feeling before she knew what she was doing.

Dean felt it right away and stepped back.

"I didn't mean to do that." Kate said and covered her mouth.

Dean processed what he was feeling. He could see why it freaked her out although it was completely innocent. "How did you do that?" He asked as he realized what she did.

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

"No. It is okay." He sighed. How many new abilities was that? "Can you show Sam?"

Kate tried but it didn't work.

Dean noted it. He wasn't sure if it only worked once or if it was because she was frustrated with him. "If it makes you feel any better, he was just happy."

Kate glared at him. "I don't want to talk about it."

Jess hugged her. "She's going to need a therapist by the time she is an adult."

Kate grumbled. "I need one now."

(Caleb)

Caleb finished his work and drove over to his coworker's house to pick out a puppy. There were three left. One caught his eye. It was fluffy and black with white on its chest and paws. It also had a tan patch that made it look like it was wearing a suit. It was a boy. He knelt down to pet the puppy and was rewarded with a lapful of wiggly dog. "Oh my, you are friendly."

"He is. The other three that got picked up weren't as hyper. I think he is just too full of energy." The owner said.

Caleb smiled. "I could say the same about my boys." He decided that was the perfect puppy for his family and tied a red bandana around his neck. He scratched his belly and let April know that he was coming home and loaded the puppy into the truck. The drive was interesting. The puppy made a few dozen laps between Caleb's leg and the passenger side window. He got out and walked around the side of the house, letting himself in through the back gate.

Andy knew that Caleb was planning some kind of surprise but had no idea what it would be. He ran to the door when April called for him. He froze in the middle of the yard when the puppy ran up to him. He dropped and accepted all of the puppy kisses. He didn't know who it belonged to but he really loved dogs.

Caleb crouched down. "He is yours."

Andy gasped. "Mine?"

"Yes and Ian's." Caleb said.

Andy squeezed the puppy and cried into his neck. "I can keep him?"

Caleb laughed. "Yes, buddy."

Andy was overwhelmed. He didn't think he'd ever have a dog of his own. He had been told no when he asked before. "He's so cute!"

April smiled brightly and let Ian down.

Ian pointed to the puppy. "Dog?"

"Yep, it's a dog," Caleb said.

Ian got knocked down when Andy let go of the puppy and giggled wildly as his face was licked.

Andy found a stick and threw it.

The puppy grabbed the stick and ran off with it.

Caleb stepped back and watched them play. He put an arm around April and kissed her cheek.

April leaned her head on him. "You've made two little boys very happy."

Caleb remembered the raise. "I also got a raise today."

April blinked. "Really?"

Caleb showed her the paper.

"That is amazing. I'm so proud of you." April said and tiptoed to kiss him.

Andy ran up to them. "Do we have food and a bowl and toys? What about a leash? He needs food for sure. Can he go on walks? Oh, he needs a bed!"

Caleb snorted. "One thing at a time. I was thinking that would be a good job for you."

Andy grinned. "We can get one of those tags with his name on it."

"Oh really, what is his name?" April asked.

"Riot," Andy said and ran back to play tug o war with a stick.

Caleb chuckled. "That sounds about right," He motioned to the boys. "Chaos and riot."

(Dean and Kate)

Kate slept through part of the drive and woke up slightly off. She couldn't explain why. Maybe it was the dream she had. She wanted to be productive. "When are you going on another hunt?"

Dean sighed. "I may drop you off and leave tomorrow."

"Wow, thanks for letting me know ahead of time," Kate said and looked out the window.

"I don't know yet. Dad has something for me to do." Dean said.

"I could help." Kate said.

"Not with this." Dean responded.

"What is it?" Kate asked.

"I am not certain. Dad just said he wants me on it and wants me to take you home." Dean said.

"So it could be something I could help with."

"No, because dad specifically said to take you home," Dean said.

"That is stupid." Kate said.

Dean licked his lips. "Kate, slow down. You can't go on every hunt. Abilities are not you are still..."

"A kid. Right. That only works as an excuse when it doesn't benefit you. Call me in to find Taylor, I'm not just a kid. Need help healing, not just a kid. Literally, anything I want to do, can't because I'm just a kid." Kate spat.

"Do not bite my head off." Dean warned.

"I'm not. I'm right."

"I know it is annoying. You are getting stronger. You are also unable to control these new abilities. You need to wait until they level off." Dean said.

Kate huffed.

"Option 1 is that you calm down and talk to me. Option 2 is I pull over, tan your hide and then you talk to me." Dean said.

"You can't threaten me every time I disagree with you." Kate whined.

"That is not why I threatened you. You can disagree and still be respectful. I have been very patient and understanding but my patience only goes so far." Dean said.

Kate looked back out the window. Maybe he had a point. She had a point too though. Why was she allowed to do things only when it suited them?

Dean could tell she was arguing with herself in her head. They were an hour outside of Sioux Falls and he had a feeling that she was on top of a spiral. "You can go on other hunts. I don't know why this one is just for me but I can tell you when I know."

Kate turned her head and looked at him. She sighed. "Okay." She was quiet for a while as she bounced between emotions. "Do you have happy memories with me?"

Dean frowned. "Of course I do."

"I just feel like I'm a constant source of stress." Kate said.

"No. You are sassy but you are fun to be around." Dean said. He gave her a few examples like teasing her or pulling pranks with her.

Once they got home Kate had an idea. "Can you share memories with me? I know you had memories of me when I was younger before... before my dad died. I kind of feel like you were obligated sometimes. Of course, you aren't going to turn away a kid whose dad is about to die."

Dean hated that she felt like that. He had taken on a huge responsibility but it was never a choice. He never regretted it. He felt unqualified at times but he promised her, long before Brian died that he would always keep her safe.

Sam and Jess were a few hours behind due to Sam taking Jess on a date. Karen was busy with homemaker things and Bobby was reading. He shrugged. "Sure."

Kate sat down next to Dean on the couch and covered herself with her blanket. She leaned her head on Dean and shifted her thoughts to synch with his. "Close your eyes."

Dean opened his eyes. "Don't go rooting around in here. You think you need therapy now.."

Kate gagged. "Nope, don't think about that right now."

Dean smirked. He let his thoughts guide them.

Kate watched them on the swing at Bobby's house. She was seeing things through Dean's point of view so she could see her younger self looking up at him with a pouty face.

Young Dean sighed. "You said you wanted the green one."

Young Kate frowned. "It tastes yucky."

Young Dean gave her the red popsicle and tossed the green one, not desperate enough for a treat to consider trying to eat the one that she had eaten nearly half of. He smiled and rocked the swing gently.

Young Sam ran out and hopped on the swing too.

Young Kate's arms and mouth were quickly turned red from the popsicle but she was happy.

Bobby insisted that they take a picture and motioned for them to move closer together.

Kate nudged Dean. "You gave me your popsicle."

Dean nudged her back. "You've always been a con artist." Dean's thoughts guided him to another memory of pushing her on a swing. He had been fond of her back then as well. Kate watched each scene and could feel the love that Dean felt. It was comforting.

"Oh, this is the one I found at the stream," Kate said. She felt a stronger connection and stepped closer to the 'edge' of the scene.

Kate blinked and she was back on Bobby's couch... alone.

Dean saw Kate disappear and swore. He felt a rush of air and stumbled into a dark room.

A little version of Kate sat up in her bed. "Dean?"

He froze. That was different. She hadn't seen him before. He pinched his arm. Not a vision. "Crap."

Kate coughed. "Did you find my Millie?"

Dean looked down at his hands. He remembered where the stuffed cat was and got on the ground to fish it out from under the bed. "Here."

Kate sniffled.

Dean remembered her being very sick and Brian leaving her with Bobby. He knelt beside the bed. "Do you still feel rough?"

Kate nodded. She blinked. "Why are you old?"

Dean felt of his face. "What? I'm not old?"

Kate nodded. "Uh-huh and big." She held her hand over her head to mimic his height. She reached out and touched his face. "You have prickles."

Dean couldn't explain why he wasn't his fourteen or fifteen-year-old self that young Kate was expecting. "I think you are running a fever. You are being silly."

Kate shivered.

"Here, let's get you tucked into bed," Dean said. He pulled her blanket up and brushed the hair from her eyes. He rested his chin on his arms on the side of the bed and sang softly to her. He remembered the scene like it was yesterday. She was so tiny and helpless. That was the night that he told her he would protect her and everything would be okay. That was the night that he pledged himself to her. He smiled softly. Three-year-old Kate was adorable. He hadn't realized just how tiny she was until he saw her from his 23-year-old height. He continued to speak softly to her until he heard the front door slam. He shook Kate gently. "Hey, one day, when you are twelve, you are going to do something that you don't understand right now. Anyway, I need you to remember because if you don't get me back immediately I'm going to kick your twelve-year-old butt."

Kate panicked as Dean wasn't beside her. She paced for a few seconds and then remembered. She blinked again and there he was, sitting on the couch.

Dean exhaled forcefully and covered his face. "Did you seriously send me back?"

"Uh, I didn't mean to!" Kate said

Dean took a deep breath and stood up. He hit her with a pillow and pulled her into a hug.

"Are you angry?" Kate asked.

Dean snorted. "I don't know yet. Had you waited any longer I would have been."

Kate stepped back. "Why?"

"That was also the night that dad came home from a hunt because my school called and told him I had skipped an entire week of school," Dean said with a grimace.

Kate gasped.

"You know, I was the age that I am now. Everything else was the same. He would have seen me and that would have been difficult to explain to 1994 dad." Dean said.

Kate raised an eyebrow. "You weren't running from getting your butt kicked?"

Dean smirked. "Not at all."

Bobby walked out of his office. "What happened in here?"

"I think I time traveled," Dean said.

Bobby resituated his cap. "How the hell did you do that?"

Kate grinned sheepishly.

"She sent me back to that time where she was here and she was sick," Dean said.

"You sent him back?" Bobby asked, more alarmed by the situation than either Dean or Kate was.

"She has been having an increase of abilities the last few days. I guess she was so focused on that day that she zapped me." Dean said.

Bobby rubbed the back of his head. "Time travel?"

"He was only gone for a few seconds," Kate said.

"For me, it was longer than that," Dean said with furrowed eyebrows.

"Call John," Bobby said.

Kate stepped far away from the phone and covered her ears.

Bobby raised an eyebrow but didn't ask.

John was as alarmed as Bobby was. They knew that Taylor and Kate would one day be able to use the time stream but they weren't expecting her to be able to send and pull people through time. "Are you okay? Did you change anything?"

"No. Kate was so sick that I was able to tell her that she was running a fever and was loopy," Dean said.

"I want a full report on everything that has changed," John said.

"It is all good stuff though," Kate said.

"Sending someone through time isn't always good," John said.

Dean shook his head at Kate and motioned for her to keep quiet. "We will make a list." He hung up and took a deep breath. "You have gotten so many new abilities that it is a good idea to keep track of them. You were the one wanting nephilian lore."

"I want to write the lore, not be ordered to do it." Kate said.

"Sorry kid, in this family, orders is all you get." Dean said, lightly.

Kate dodged a hair ruffle. "Oh, I still need to cure April."

Dean rubbed his face. "Let's make it through the night first."

(Caleb)

Caleb braved the pet store with both boys and Riot. It was chaos but fun. They got way too many toys and a bed that he had a feeling Ian would wind up taking. "He can't sleep in your room because he may pee in the floor."

Andy didn't want Riot to sleep alone because he was just a baby. "Can I sleep in the laundry room with him?"

Caleb was going to say no but he knew Andy wanted every moment to bond with Riot that he could. "Maybe just for tonight."

April was unsure but decided that it would be harmless.

Andy made a pallet on the floor and placed Riot's bed next to his. "Don't worry about me. I've got this."

Caleb gave him ground rules. "He may want to go outside to go to the bathroom. I don't know how trained he is. If he does, you come get me. Do not open the door for any reason."

Andy nodded. "Doors stay closed."

Caleb and April stayed up for a little while to catch up and watch a show. When he went to check on Andy he got a good chuckle. Andy had fallen asleep sprawled across both beds and Riot was partially laying over his abdomen. He got April and showed her. "Looks like best friends to me."

April smiled. She dreamed that one day he would have a puppy but hadn't expected it to be so soon. All her worries left as she watched them. She was so incredibly lucky and she was reminded every day.

(John)

John had made a pitstop to see Pamela for more reasons than one. She was a good friend... with benefits... but also knew how some of the psychic stuff worked. She had helped on cases but now he needed help with Kate. As she got stronger, she ran a higher risk of being dangerous. He knew that she wouldn't hurt a fly but how long would it be before her moods started to affect more than her respect?

Pamela listened to John and gave him suggestions. "She is so young. I think that she should work on sharpening one or two abilities at a time. That may prevent new ones from showing up. All of these new ones are just that, new. If she can get control of them, her moods shouldn't be as big of an issue. It sounds like anger is a catalyst."

"That is my concern," John said.

Pamela offered to spend time with Kate. "I can get her to talk about what is on her mind and help her sharpen those skills."

John hadn't intended to bring Pamela around the kids very often. He didn't know why. Maybe he was ashamed at first. It had been 18 years since Mary died so it would be okay for him to move on. Neither of them wanted anything serious and that was perfect for him. "Okay. I'd appreciate that."

Pamela had known John for years and he had changed. She loved it. He had always been more open with her but he wasn't as tense. She liked the new John.

(Sioux Falls)

Lawrence Kansas, the location of the bunker was the geographical center of the united states. In comparison, Sioux Falls seemed unimportant. It was the home base to the Winchester family. Bobby's house was 'home' to them. Even Caleb considered Sioux Falls to be home. Bobby ran a call center of sorts for hunters. So, one could say that Sioux Falls was the command center of the hunting world. The men of letters may not have foreseen how important the place would be but generations of hunters to come would.

Dean had traveled back to 1944 and then back to 2002 without incident. It would be the first of many jumps through time but one of very few that involved anyone but Kate and Taylor. What they couldn't predict were the repercussions. Of course, when Taylor or Kate went back to change things, those consequences were clear and Atropos made her opinions known.

Time travel, in general, could be done without altering the past. Kate wasn't the first person or being to do such a thing. No, angels had been doing so for millennia. Time was fickle. It was delicate and complicated. When Dean was sent back, the veil thinned ever so slightly. Once wouldn't be an issue and neither would the second or third time. However, over time, the veil would become thinner and thinner in one spot.

The veil separated one reality from another. Kate could see through the veil at times, remembering a reality where Dean sold his soul or Sam drank demon blood. It was a common inquiry as to what would happen if one choice was made over the other. What would have happened if the contestant chose door A instead of door B? No one really got the answers. However, veils happened. Alternate realities layered infinitely on top of each other.

As one point in space was crossed time and time again, the veil may become weaker and weaker until a small rip occurred. A small rip would widen under stress. The rip would allow entrance into another reality, another world, parallel to their own. Experiencing a new reality could bring invaluable insight into the original reality. However, if someone could walk through the veil in one direction... something might just be able to follow them back.