(Christmas night)
Dean took some more time outside. The stars were out and he could see for miles it seemed. He heard the door creek and glanced at the person approaching him. "Hey, kiddo."
"Hey." Kate said.
"Did you and Charlie stop digging?" Dean asked.
Kate scrunched her nose. "She has search results that are pending but I'm off the case for the night." She stood beside Dean and looked up at the sky. "I wonder what it is like up there."
"Probably not as fun as it looks." Dean said. He wasn't the kid that dreamt of being an astronaut. Life was weird and complicated on earth and he wasn't interested in opening the can of worms that resulted in an alien invasion. He didn't truly believe there were aliens but he was continuously proved wrong with what he didn't believe in.
"So," Kate said, "I did do some research into something else."
Dean turned to face her. "What kind of something else?"
"The homeless guy that took the fall for you." Kate said. "He did go to jail for a bit. He was sick so he got medical care while he was there. He now lives down the road from his son and enjoys the company of his three grandkids."
Dean was stunned. "How did you find all of that out?"
"We searched for arrests from that time and place. I narrowed it down." Kate said. She hugged him. "That is one less thing for you to feel guilty about."
Dean kissed the top of her head. "That was really nice of you."
"I picked on you about it but thought you deserved some closure. I can't really find out what happened to the girls you made angry." Kate said, lightly.
"No, that list is too long." Dean said. He squeezed her briefly and thanked her again.
"I think you were a lot more of a gentleman than you remember being." Kate said. "You tend to think the worst of yourself."
Dean smirked and looked at her.
Kate sighed. "Yeah, I know I do too. Bad people don't worry about if they are bad or not. I guess that means we are good people."
"We are good people." Dean said. He saw a star zipping through the sky and nudged Kate.
As it passed Kate asked what he had wished for. Of course, Dean told her he couldn't say. She heard it though. She started thinking of ways to give him what he wished for but it seemed to be out of her hands. She shivered and followed him back into the house. She'd work on him a little bit at a time and one day he would see the version of him that everyone else saw.
(December 26th)
The day after Christmas was for repacking bags and boxing up left overs that Marie insisted that people take.
Sam had been in a lengthy conversation with the kids and had been elected as their proxy. He was considered to be young enough to be an ally but old enough to have sway with the adults. "So, the kids don't want to leave."
Caleb knew that about his boys.
Marie piped up. "Why don't you leave the kids for a few days. Rod and I can handle them."
That seemed like a reasonable option. Caleb said the boys could stay and let April know that they had a change in plans. He'd make sure that April had a nice relaxing few days. She needed to take more time for herself.
"I'm guessing you two want to stay too." Dean said.
Kate smiled sweetly. "Don't hurt yourself running out the door without us."
Dean tugged on her pony tail. "I don't have time to miss you when you are stuck to me constantly."
Kate flicked his hand away. "You choose to stay and hang out with us."
Bobby and Karen left early to get back for the cats. Pamela and John would head out later in the day.
"Jo." Kate said.
Taylor quickly grabbed his phone to send her a message. She had missed Christmas day but she could hang out with them.
Stacy had planned to leave as well but both of her boys really wanted to stay. She decided they'd stay at least a few more hours.
While Taylor was talking to Jo, Ellen told him that she had important papers that seemed to be for them
Taylor listened as Ellen spoke and furrowed his eyebrows. "I enjoy messing with you? When did I get brave?" He smiled as Ellen lightly scolded him. "Jo can bring it with her when she comes."
They'd have to figure out a timeline so that Jo didn't show up too soon and raise too many questions. Zapping around was less stressful when prying eyes weren't around.
Charlie looked through her messages and search results. There were so many that she had to weed through them and trash the ones that didn't help their cause. She found mention of Abaddon from a newspaper clipping. It was old and faded. Someone's grandfather had found it in his grandfather's study…. Or something like that. She printed off a copy to show Kate.
While they were buying time until Kate could get Jo, Bobby got a phone call. He screened it and then told the caller where to go. He then called John to give him a heads up.
John sat his phone on Marie's table and took a deep breath. Oh, the webs in which people weave themselves into.
Apparently, this hunter was looking for his son. They had gotten separated and he had lost contact with him. He had a young daughter with him and needed resources and help with the search.
An hour later, they turned onto the long driveway and made their way up to the house.
John and Rod greeted them. The man looked haggard. The girl just looked scared.
"We can head inside." Rod said. "We will help however we can."
Part of Bobby's reason for sending him there was Charlie's computer skills. If no one else could help, maybe she would be able to.
Marie was warm and welcoming as always. She asked if they were hungry and had the other kids hold back so they didn't overwhelm the newcomers.
Krissy waited until she simply couldn't wait anymore. She introduced herself and asked the girl to play.
The man nodded and his daughter, Kelsey, went to the other side of the room with Krissy to where Krissy had barbies to play with.
Kate was going to look at what Charlie had but she also wanted to know about the lost son.
Coaxing and warm food got the man to share details about his son's disappearance. They were on a hunt and got swarmed by Arachne, spider like humanoid creatures. Both of them made it out of the building and ran but something happened and they got separated. He told his son to keep running and go to the car. He never made it back to the car. He initially thought that a creature got him but he got a brief call hours later. It was garbled but his son said he was okay but couldn't find his way. He was 17 and knew how to hunt and track. It was weird that he would become lost in a situation like that. They could see the road from where they split up.
John had his own opinions about protocol. Picking up on fine details that the man described, he wasn't surprised that they got separated. He pushed those opinions aside and asked follow up questions.
Charlie was asked to look for police reports or hospital bulletins that had an unknown person with his description. She also used his name for the search. Each link she clicked on made her stomach drop. She didn't want to find a report of a body.
The majority of the people went outside to let the kids run but also so John could look at some of the stuff that the man had found while trying to track his son. They gathered on the porch and studied the photos of footprints and strips of cloth.
Kelsey asked her dad if she could play around the house and he waved her off.
Krissy enjoyed playing with her new friend. It was a brief visit but Krissy didn't care. She had learned to make friends quickly.
Kelsey was a year older than Krissy and a little bit taller. She liked all of the same things though. She was thrilled with the kittens and everything else that Krissy showed her.
Krissy showed Kelsey the tree house and they sat down to talk and look out the windows at the snow below.
Kelsey startled when she heard a harsh voice. She quickly made her way down the ladder and stood to face her dad. "I'm right here."
Krissy saw Kelsey's dad grab her arms and shake her. She quickly made her way down as well.
"I told you to stay put." Kelsey's dad growled.
Kelsey knew that he didn't say that. She wouldn't have moved if he did. She winced as his hands got a tighter grip on her arms. "I am sorry."
"She was with me." Krissy said.
Kelsey's dad gave Krissy a hard glare but she glared right back at him. "Stay out of this." He looked back to his own daughter and berated her with a lecture.
Kelsey was in tears. He was really easy to make mad and she was a little scared.
Krissy saw him grab Kelsey's face roughly and balled up her fists. "Let her go." She didn't even listen to his reply before she hit him with a stick.
Kelsey froze in shock.
Krissy saw the dark look on his face get darker and ran as fast as she could to the porch. She slid behind John who was sitting in one of the chairs.
John saw the man stalking around the house and tensed. Once the man was up on the porch as well, he stood to his full height. "Do we have a problem?"
"Is she your kid? She hit me with a stick." The man all but hissed.
John looked behind him. Krissy was scared. "Why?"
Krissy found her courage again and gave the man a sour look. "He was being mean to my friend."
"Just because you think I was being mean don't mean I was." The man was fuming.
John made a few assumptions and his own version of darkness crossed his face. "Krissy, what happened?"
"He shook her and grabbed her face really hard." Krissy said.
John could see the friend in question standing off to the side. He looked to the man for an explanation.
"I told this one to stay put and she ran off." The man claimed.
Krissy stomped her foot. "No, you didn't! I was with her!"
John took a slow breath and gave Krissy a look that silenced her. He was usually one to let people handle their own kids and thought Krissy may have overreacted. He saw Lee and motioned for him to approach.
Lee immediately apologized and met eyes with Krissy. She did not seem the least bit sorry and looked like a snake, coiled to strike.
Krissy was quick to defend herself as the men tried to chat about what happened. "Look at her face. Then you will know I'm not lying."
John tilted the little girl's chin gently. He felt fire growing in the pit of his stomach. "Krissy, you and your friend should go get something to snack on."
Krissy didn't wait for anyone to move before she stomped over to where Kelsey stood, close to her father, and took her hand. She gave the man one last glare and stalked inside.
Lee was biting his tongue and counting in his head. She was getting increasingly difficult.
John told the man to have a seat. "Kids get stressful. I get it. You don't think you grabbed her too hard?"
The man was livid. "I don't need anyone telling me how to handle my kid."
"I wasn't telling you how to handle her. I asked you a question." John said. With careful prodding, he got a little information out of the guy. "She had a few marks that weren't from today. They were older."
"What are you accusing me of?" The man spat.
John would have liked to hit him too but stopped himself. "Maybe you are just spread too thin and need some time to cool off. I know you just came off of a hunt. I, for one, am ill-tempered when that happens. Why don't you leave her here for a few hours and go get yourself a drink."
The man was intimidating due to John's size and the look on his face. He tried to act tough though. "I'm not going to leave her with some stranger."
"You saw the house. She's safe here. I'd say she is safer here than with you if you are wound that tight." John said.
The man heard John's real message.
"I'll walk you to your car." John said. He left Lee standing on the porch and walked the man away from the house. "Hunter to hunter, I'm telling you that I trust these people with my kids' lives and this is a good place to let them visit if you have too much on your shoulders." He opened the guy's door. "Man to man, I'm telling you that if you grab her face or neck like that again I'll break yours." He gave the man a cryptic smile and shut the door with force when the man sat down in his seat. He stepped back and watched the car back away and turn around to head to town. He didn't know all of the details but what he saw was enough to make his blood boil.
Krissy sat down on the sofa while Marie had taken Kelsey to the kitchen. She was fidgety as her dad had just entered the house.
"Krissy, you do not speak to or hit an adult like that." Lee said.
"He hurt her." Krissy said.
"You tell an adult." Lee scolded.
John entered the house as well.
"We don't know what's going on and he could have really hurt you." Lee said.
Krissy shook her head. "I ran really fast."
Lee rubbed his face out of exasperation. He was just about ready to take a trip upstairs with her.
John quietly asked Marie to see if Kelsey had any more bruises. She had a few on her arms from where he had grabbed her more than once. He couldn't make assumptions beyond that. He knew how easy it was to be too harsh. He sent him to get a drink to give everyone a chance to think. If he cooled off and realized what he did, that was good. If not, things were more complicated.
Krissy gave John a desperate look as he walked back toward them.
John made sure Lee wasn't saying anything and sat down across from them. "I agree with your dad. You could have gotten hurt."
Krissy's mouth dropped open. The betrayal. "I ran between the cars that were close together so he couldn't catch me and I hid behind you."
John furrowed his brows. Lee was outside too. "Why didn't you run to your dad?"
Krissy looked between John and Lee. "You look scarier and have a reputation."
John nearly chuckled. "I have a reputation?"
"Yeah. You can beat people up and there is a bunch of stories." Krissy said.
"And where did you hear these stories?" John asked. He followed Krissy's eyes across the room to where Andy was passing by.
Andy froze like a dear in headlights. He gave John a sheepish look and cleared his throat. "I just told her things my dad said because he always tells me the truth."
John's eyes left Andy to land on Caleb who was sitting with Dean, off to the side.
Dean smirked. "Way to throw your dad under the bus there, kid."
Andy shrugged. "He is big and can protect himself. I'm defenseless."
John did chuckle at that. "You boys need to stop scaring the kids."
Krissy chimed in. "He left in a hurry so I was right."
Lee shook his head. "You can't go around doing stuff like that. That is putting yourself in danger."
Krissy thought about a way out of her predicament. "You go fight monsters and put yourself in danger. All I did was hit an adult with a stick. If he had hurt me, you guys are really fast and that is much safer than fighting monsters."
Dean bit back a laugh.
"You don't always have the best judgement and need to leave this to the adults." Lee said, firmly.
Krissy sighed and frowned. "Okay, daddy."
Lee eyed her.
"Yes, sir." Krissy corrected herself.
"You and I are going to talk later. Go see if Kelsey needs anything." Lee said.
Krissy scampered away to the kitchen where she wasn't in the hot seat.
John rubbed his temples and tried to sooth the headache that had been building behind his eyes. Everyone was quiet for a moment.
Dean turned to look at John. "If it turns out he is doing something, we aren't adopting her."
John walked a few steps so that he was standing behind the couch that Caleb and Dean were sitting on. "What stories have you told the kids?"
Dean chewed his cheek. "Oh, you know, the usual."
"If they are embellished at all they probably came from Dean." Caleb said.
John smacked them both in the back of the head, although lightly. "Andy, do you have a guess as to why some of those stories happened?"
Andy grinned. "Is it because Dean and my dad were dumb?"
John cracked a smile. "Yeah. So, keep that in mind." He left the couch so that he and Lee could talk in private.
Andy gasped when Dean quickly reached out and grabbed him. He lost his balance and hit the floor, giving Dean a chance to grab his foot and drag him over to the couch.
"Who are you calling dumb?" Dean asked, digging his fingers into Andy's ribs.
Andy burst into a fit of giggles and fought to escape the attack. "You have a reputation too!"
Dean pulled his hands back and looked a little shocked. He slowly turned his head to look at Caleb. That was an excellent burn although it was aimed at him. "Are you partial to keeping him?"
Andy was still on the floor and scrambled back but got hit with a pillow. He got hit a few more times, making him laugh and roll on the floor.
Dean sat the pillow back on the couch and leaned back. "Nothing but trouble."
Andy wiped his face as tears of laughter fell down his cheeks. He was proud of himself for the comment. Of course, he didn't think Dean was dumb but it had come to his head out of nowhere. He escaped and ran away from the couch to the safety of the play room.
Kate was all the way on the other side of the room but had a sly smirk on her face.
Dean noticed her. He narrowed his eyes. Had Andy spent too much time around her or had she planted the comment in his head. He'd never know because she would never tell him. He leaned his head back on the back of the couch and laced his fingers behind his head. "Damn kids."
(Two hours later)
The man returned to Marie's house. He had mixed feelings but mostly, he felt awkward.
John met him outside. He could tell the man was calmer.
"I screwed up." The man said. He looked at the sky. "My wife is gone. My son is gone…."
John tilted his head to welcome him back onto the porch.
"I shouldn't grab her. I usually don't. She just… she was there and then she wasn't." He said.
John knew how that fear could make someone react. "You've been doing that a lot lately?"
The man grimaced. "A few times. My dad was a drunken asshole and I swore I wouldn't do that." He looked dejected.
"If this is all from stress, we can help you out." John said. "If you need a break or a safe place for her, she is welcome here. Same goes for you."
The man sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I want to speak to her."
John just nodded and stepped inside to switch places with Kelsey. He caught Krissy before she darted out the door. He promptly handed her to Lee and shook his head.
Kelsey looked up at her dad with sad eyes.
He knelt down and apologized for grabbing her. He explained where his head was at and promised not to do it again. He walked the fine line between parenting as a hunter and being too harsh. Hunters couldn't be as soft with their kids as normal parents but he crossed the line. He knew that.
"Are we going to find Simon?" Kelsey asked.
"Yeah. These people are going to help. Would you want to spend the night here?" He asked.
Kelsey's face brightened. She absolutely did.
John had little to go on. He needed to see where the man lost his son. Photos didn't do much for him. It had been a week so the trail was growing cold quickly. As he was packing things into his truck, Pamela approached him. He felt her arms wrap around his middle and turned to face her.
"You are upset." Pamela said.
John sighed. The downside to dating a psychic was not being able to hide emotions.
"You aren't him." Pamela said. She leaned her head against him to feel his heartbeat.
"I could have been." John said. He had walked that fine line that other hunting parents walked. He was too harsh at times. He had grabbed both of the boys a few times but had never grabbed their necks. When Sam had gone missing, he hit rock bottom and barely held it together.
"You have done a lot of work on yourself but you were never a bad father. Sam and Dean look up to you. I'm so proud of you. This situation is why the girls wanted to start a network for hunting families. Even normal people can snap. We will find his son and things will be okay. Besides, I don't think he's laying a hand on that girl after talking to you." Pamela said, winking at John.
John ran his hands up the back of her neck. "I've been told I have a reputation."
Lee pulled Krissy aside to talk to her. They had covered most of the situation but he wanted to make sure that she understood that what she did was dangerous.
Krissy sat on her bed and tucked her feet under her. She had big eyes and watched him as he moved around.
"It was brave of you to stand up for your friend." Lee started. "Hitting him could have made him hit you." Krissy started to argue. Lee didn't want to go down this road but he mentioned Taylor. "Did you know that Taylor's step dad shot Kate?"
Krissy gasped. "No!"
"She tried to stand up for Taylor and got shot. She was hurt pretty bad. She is a lot older than you. Now, Kelsey's dad isn't that mean. He made some bad choices and apologized. I don't want you to do stuff like that because one day you may run into someone that is that mean. If you are worried, you run straight to an adult." Lee said.
Krissy scooted over to him to climb into his lap and wrap her arms around his neck. "It was scary."
He rubbed her back. "I know. I'm sorry that happened."
"Thanks for not being a mean dad." Krissy said.
Lee smirked to himself. She was laying it on thick. "I don't want to have to remind you."
Krissy sat back and held out her pinky to promise that she wouldn't do anything like that again. Kelsey was okay and got to stay for a night, so all was right in her little world.
Andy hugged his mom tight and promised he would be on his best behavior. He hugged Caleb too and ran back in the house.
Marie gave them some food and got another look at Lauren. She couldn't believe that just a month ago, on Thanksgiving, Lauren hadn't yet arrived. She waved to Caleb and April and returned to keep an eye on the kids.
Charlie finally showed Kate the paper that she had printed. It seemed that every time she tried to, something pulled her attention.
Kate sat down to read it. She ran downstairs to talk to Dean and showed him the paper. "Okay, this is a little vague but there is an occult object that has been searched for over centuries. If we can track this down, we may have a chance at stopping Abaddon. If she is so eager to find it, it has to be powerful."
"How would we find it?" Dean asked.
Kate blinked slowly. "Charlie and I will track it down."
Dean looked around, not sure where John was. He tilted his head and followed Kate back to Charlie's room. He sat down on Charlie's bed and picked up an oddly shaped pillow? "Game controller?"
Charlie snatched the pillow from him. "A Nintendo NES controller. Marie made it for me." She turned the pillow face up and ran her hands over the strips of fabric that made the buttons and general shape of the well-loved controller style. "Don't act like you aren't a little jealous."
Dean smiled. Charlie was a unique person that amused him greatly. He shifted so that he was looking at Kate. "Dad wasn't automatically on board with you staying. A lot is going on and this could be tempting for you. Pamela talked him into giving you a chance. That being said, you cannot find something and take off with it."
Kate frowned. "So much for trust."
Dean eyed her. "You have a habit, Kate. You are allowed to research but please run stuff by me. Jo will be here in a little bit. All three of you are really smart. One idea could lead to an all-out manhunt. I need you to police each other because you, and anyone who helps you, make really bad decisions are going to regret it."
Charlie put her hand to her chest and looked shocked.
"Sorry, Charlie, you have to be grouped in with the rest of them. Kate will do stuff without a care for her own hide but would die before she got you into hot water." Dean said.
Kate narrowed her eyes. "Charlie is off limits."
Dean smiled slightly. "I don't make the rules. I am just up here, talking to you, as an ally."
Kate heard Sam and spoke a little louder. "Sam is my only ally."
Sam popped his head into the room. "What about me?"
"Dean is using scare tactics and being manipulative under the guise of claiming he is an ally." Kate said.
Sam stepped through the door. "He does do that."
Dean snorted softly. "Pamela talked dad into letting the kids stay over here. I just wanted Kate to know that bad choices have consequences for her but also for anyone who helps her."
Sam sucked air through his teeth. "I'd take the warning. Besides, if Pamela is the one that talked him into it, and you mess up, he might get mad at her and I don't think any of us want his mood to go back to how it was before she showed up."
Kate grinned. "See, Dean, that is what I call motivation."
Charlie leaned back in her chair and rocked it slightly. "So, I guess this means I should cancel the meeting we had planned with the demons." She squeaked and rolled her chair back to the other side of her bed.
Dean grabbed her foot and pulled her and the chair back to the desk. "Kate is bad enough on her own. I don't need you giving me grief too."
Charlie let out a nervous giggle.
Dean spun her chair around a few times until she got a little dizzy. "I've said my peace. I'm not mediating for anyone if anything goes down."
Charlie swayed in her chair. Her face was flushed and the room hadn't stopped moving yet. "We can take notes and call you if we want to look deeper into something."
Dean lightly held either side of her head to stop it from bobbling. "That sounds like a plan."
"You can tell me too." Sam said. "Dean is going to help dad find that guy. Jess and I are always available."
Kate hugged both of them. "Thanks guys."
Jess found the small group and rubbed her hands together excitedly. "So, there is going to be an event at Stanford. Vendors can sign up to sell things or to raise awareness. Some of the other girls that are doing social work want to do a booth. I was thinking you and I could man it."
Sam shrugged. "Okay."
Jess looked to Kate. "We have to figure out what to hand out to spread awareness but I know someone that would be a great help in designing a sign."
Kate was excited. "I need more details." She followed Jess out of the room and grabbed her notebook to start making plans.
Dean looked relieved. "That should occupy her for a little bit."
Charlie cracked her knuckles. "We don't have to strictly look into hunting stuff. We were actually on another track that would be a great distraction."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "What is that?"
"We were just going to see if you had any kids somewhere out there." Charlie said.
Dean grabbed the back of her chair and spun her a few more times. When he stopped and she bobbled he gently pushed her head back to rest against the back of the chair. "You're on your own this time." He made sure she wouldn't actually hurt herself and left the room to talk to John.
John and Pamela were going to follow Kelsey's father to help find Simon. Pamela was a known psychic so she didn't need to hide her abilities. Her natural abilities didn't quite cover search and rescue but they could use her as a cover for Kate if things got that dire.
Dean was told to head out after they did. He was to stay back and make sure all of the kids were taken care of. Also, someone needed to get Jo to the house without her just showing up.
Jo was about to crawl out of her skin when Kate showed up. She excitedly hugged her and started telling her about going to Noah's house.
Ellen stopped both girls before they left. She had them go upstairs with her. "These are the papers I told you all about."
Kate took the thin stack and leafed through them. "When I think of creatures I just don't think of the wild west."
"I guess they are everywhere." Ellen said. She hugged Jo and Kate tight and told them to be safe. "You two be good. Marie and Rod are too nice for you to be going behind their backs."
"I think the message has been made clear. Any step outside of the line is a death sentence." Kate said.
Ellen gave her a stern look but hugged her again. "You'll be answering to me if you do step outside of the line."
Kate blushed slightly. "Straight and narrow, got it."
Ellen smiled and sent them on their way.
Kate dropped Jo off with Dean and zipped back to the house before anyone knew she was missing.
Taylor greeted Jo when she got to the house. He was always happy to see her. "How was Noah's house?"
Jo flicked him. "Fine. I had a lot of fun."
Taylor had gotten used to her having a boyfriend. It helped that both John and Ellen had good things to say about the guy. "Couldn't have been nearly as fun as it was here."
"I missed you guys but I did have fun. He showed me some of his dad's weapons." Jo said.
Taylor raised an eyebrow. "He did?"
"Yeah. His family is known for making weapons. They have some unique ones." Jo said. "They have this really old gun."
"Imagine that." Taylor said, jokingly.
Jo shoved him. "Jerk. I thought it was cool."
Kate sat down to read through the journal pages. "So, I guess this guy was a hunter. Most of this I'm pretty sure he wrote when he was drunk."
Jo shrugged. "That sounds about right."
Kate wasn't sure what was so special about the guy at first. She knew it had to be something but it also looked like pages were missing. "He made weapons too."
"Cool." Jo said. "What kind?"
"Guns and stuff. He never says anything clearly. It is all cryptic. Give me some time and I'll work it out." Kate said.
Jess went with Krissy to see the kittens. She sat down on the ground and let them climb on her. Milo was giant compared to them although he had been just as tiny not too long ago. "Are you going to name them?"
Krissy brightened. "Oh yeah! I think they will let me."
Jess smiled. Krissy had come a long way from the scared little girl they had transported from Bobby's house to Marie's house all those weeks ago.
Andy tossed a frisbee for the dogs but the wind caught it and it landed on top of the house. He stood back and frowned. He couldn't get it. Even if he let Zachary stand on his shoulders, they couldn't get it. He heard Sam and asked him to help.
Sam lifted him up and put him on his shoulders so he could reach the frisbee on the edge of the roof.
Andy giggled and looked around. "I can see the whole world from here."
Sam lowered him to the ground. "I feel like that sometimes."
Andy tiptoed. "Mom said she doesn't know if I will be taller than my dad because it depends on genetics and we don't have those."
Sam shook his hair out from where Andy had gotten snow on him. "It will be a surprise. I didn't get taller than mine until I was an adult."
Zachary had a brief moment of sadness cross his face. "My dad was kind of tall but not like you."
"I'm sure you will all grow up to be pretty big. Unless you don't eat healthy." Sam said.
The boys traded looks.
"I don't mind vegetables when Marie cooks them." Andy said.
"I think even Dean might agree with you." Sam said.
Taylor left the girls to find Dillon. He was glad he was staying because he looked like he needed a friend but it was a little bit stressful. They had to hide all of their abilities. At first, they were easy to hide because they were new and they were afraid of strangers finding out. As he got used to his abilities, he forgot to hide them. Hiding them from Hailey was hard because he didn't want to lie to her. He had a section of his brain that reminded him to be normal. Don't lift something too easily. Don't run too fast. Don't get injured and heal. He was exhausted.
Dillon told his mom where he and Taylor were going and quickly put on his shoes and jacket. He kept pace with Taylor and grinned when he saw the ATV in front of him.
Taylor got the keys and started the ATV. He thought that it was time to buy a new one but it was fun to drive anyway. He had Dillon ride on the back. He'd let him drive once they got to an open field. The throttle was finicky and would make the ATV jump or jerk. It was a little too easy to bump things in the yard. He drove out to another part of the farm where the land was flat. He was appreciative that Dillon had no issues getting off and opening gates for him. That was usually Taylor's job.
Dillon had a blast creating rows and rows of ruts in the previously untouched snow. He felt powerful and it felt good.
Taylor realized how lucky he was that he had the most amazing grandparents. He was spoiled in a way.
Dean said goodbye to everyone and didn't argue when Marie gave him food for the road.
Kate gave him a big hug. "Let me know if you need helping finding him."
Dean grimaced. "We don't think we will."
Kate frowned. "He could still be alive. If not, you'll want to find his body for a proper funeral."
"Yeah." Dean said. "I'll keep you updated."
Sam and Jess had initially planned to leave when Dean did but they'd just be going back home to Stanford. Milo was with a friend that begged to cat sit for them. She was one of the few friends that Jess had at home. She was the type of friend to leave the cat with or to get coffee with but it wasn't very deep. That was part of what was on Jess's mind the day before. She enjoyed talking to April and the others. She could relax and be herself. To everyone in California, she was a typical woman that happened to have lost her mother. She still felt resentment toward Martha. Stacy with the two boys was nice and fun to talk to. Stacy, Jess's cousin, was a thorn in her side.
Sam had been keeping an eye on Jess. She had moments where she just looked defeated. He pulled her into their room and asked if she was okay.
Jess leaned into Sam's arms. "Yes. I just got lost in my head again."
Sam held her at arm's length and looked into her eyes. "You are beautiful. You are intelligent and caring. You are perfect." He knew she didn't believe him and wished that she could see herself through his eyes. He suddenly got an idea and messaged Kate.
Kate ran up the stairs and opened the door. "Hey, what do you need?"
"You can transfer feelings, right?" Sam asked.
"I guess." Kate said. "I did for Caleb when Lauren was kicking April."
Sam sat down. "I want you to show her how people see her."
Kate chewed her cheek. That was too broad of a scope. She touched Sam's hand and smiled. She was touched that he was so truly happy. She grabbed Jess's hand too and acted as a bridge between the two.
Jess blushed deeply and pulled her hand back. He wasn't just trying to flatter her. He really did mean everything he said. She slid behind Kate and sat by Sam. She hugged him and melted into his side.
Kate inched away. "I'm going to go now."
Sam thanked her and turned his attention back to Jess. He kissed her forehead. "Do you understand now?"
"Yes." Jess said. How did she get so lucky with him? "You are amazing."
Sam started to lean back so that they'd both wind up lying on the bed. "What else is on your mind?"
"I'm just tired of Stanford." Jess said.
"Just a few more months." Sam reminded her.
Jess rolled to face him. "We need to find an apartment."
"We can work on that." Sam said. "Anything that makes you happy."
(Later)
Kate got a better idea of what Samuel Colt was doing back in 1860. He was eccentric and an alcoholic. The internet had that type of information about him while his journal was less about him and more about the creatures that he faced. He made a vague reference to a gun that could kill just about anything. She wasn't sure what he shot with the gun to come up with that conclusion. She asked Charlie to look up 'The Colt.'
Charlie typed the words into the search engine on her computer and sat back as links popped up on the screen. There were links about horses and a few that led to a website for a club that had exotic dancing. That link was quickly closed. "We need to narrow it down."
"Samuel Colt, 1860, THE Colt gun." Kate said.
It took time but Charlie thought she had found information that was relevant to them. She loaded another webpage and turned her chair to talk to Kate and Jo as the text and photos struggled to appear.
Jo gasped. "That is it!"
Charlie turned back around. There was a sketch of a gun.
"That is the gun that Noah's dad has." Jo said.
Kate got a closer look. "That can't be a coincidence." There was no way that things weren't connected. She held her head as a headache built. "I'll be back."
Jo whipped her head to the side but Kate was already gone. Thankfully, she returned a minute later.
Kate had a book in her hand. She had gotten it from the bunker. She flipped through the pages and turned the book so that Jo and Charlie could read what it said. "The men of letters were looking for that gun."
"I guess people kept moving it around and it eventually landed at Noah's house." Jo said.
Kate turned the page and an odd look crossed her face. "The men of letters wouldn't be after this thing if it was just a legend. Samuel Colt claimed it could kill just about anything. This book says everything except god. How would they test that?"
"I don't know." Jo said. "It would be good to have on hand anyway."
Kate darted from the room and found Sam in the den. She brought the book with her.
Sam read the page she was pointing to. "A legendary gun."
"That Noah, Jo's boyfriend, has in his house." Kate said.
Sam raised both eyebrows. "Whoa."
Kate turned the page. "It can kill all creatures."
Sam sat forward. "They claim." He read it again. "If that is true, we could use it on freaks."
Kate froze.
Sam saw her. "What?"
"I… uh… that didn't cross my mind." Kate said.
"Then why did you fly down here?" Sam asked.
Kate let her eyes drift as she chewed the edge of her thumbnail. "I was thinking it could kill me."
Sam was alarmed. "You are right. We have to get it somewhere safe because someone could use it against you."
Kate looked down at her feet and mumbled something.
Sam stood up suddenly. "Kate."
Kate met his eyes. "What?"
Sam wasn't even sure he heard her right but knew deep down that he did. "Sit."
Kate slowly sat in the seat that Sam had vacated.
Sam dialed Dean's number.
Kate tried to grab the phone. "Don't call him."
Sam held it out of her reach and pointed to the seat when Dean answered.
Kate slid down in the chair. Since when did Sam freak out about things?
"Jo's boyfriend has a gun. Through research the girls found out it is supposed to be able to kill anything and everything." He paused while Dean spoke. "No, Kate wants one of us to use it on her if she snaps."
Kate didn't like the look Sam was giving her. "I didn't mean it. A backup plan is good."
Sam stepped away to continue his conversation with Dean. He took a deep breath, "Jess and I will stay until the kids go home." He ended the phone conversation and returned to Kate. "No one, and I mean no one is going to use that on you. You aren't going to snap."
Kate licked her lips. "If there was a situation and a lot of people were in danger, it would be irresponsible not to have that kind of plan."
Sam just stared at her. "Kate, you are not going to be the cause of that. You are learning to control your abilities and you have the biggest heart. You care about people. I never want to hear you talk like that again. We need to get our hands on it so that it won't be used on you. That isn't an option and it shouldn't be an option for anyone else." He softened and sat beside her.
Kate cringed. "Is Dean mad?"
"Not mad." Sam said. "Shocked and worried. He did have a colorful comment but I'm sure you can imagine what that was. If I made that same comment would you even consider shooting me?"
"I can just compel you." Kate said. She shrunk a bit when his eyes narrowed. "You look too much like Dean and dad right now for me to be comfortable."
"I am being serious. That is not an option." Sam said.
Kate sighed. "I mean…. We could use it on the freaks."
"We could." Sam said.
Kate waited for him to settle. "I didn't think you'd freak out like that and call Dean."
"If I catch you sneaking a drink behind his back, I may not rat you out. If you talk like that, I'm going to tell him." Sam said. "That is scary."
Jess joined them. She noted that they were tense.
Sam gave her the shortest version of what happened.
Jess took Kate's hand and squeezed it. "I agree with Sam. That isn't an option."
Kate nodded. "I understand."
A few minutes ticked by and Sam felt like things would be okay. He heard his name and decided to check on Andy sooner rather than later.
Jess moved beside Kate. "You scared him."
Kate blew air through her nose. "He scared me!"
Jess looked concerned. "Sam?"
"Yeah. I was worried for a moment I was going to get my butt kicked." Kate said.
Jess smiled. "I don't think you have to worry about that."
"Not with Sam." Kate said. She relaxed. Sam would never.
Sam tilted his head as he approached Andy. "What happened?"
Andy held up his hands. "My risk assessment skills are rusty."
Sam could see Zachary's feet sticking out of a grain bin. He pulled up and managed to lift Zachary high enough that he could grab the lip of the bin. "What happened?"
"I stood on Andy's back to reach the top and then fell in." Zachary said.
"Why would you want to reach the top?" Sam asked.
"Krissy's doll is in there." Andy said, not meeting Sam's eyes.
Sam smirked. "Did you throw it in there?" He didn't get much of an answer but assumed as much. "Regretting it now?"
Andy nodded.
"Where is she?" Sam asked.
Andy looked around. "I don't know and that scares me."
Sam laughed. "Here, go in and get it and then I'll pull you out."
Andy went in feet first and dropped to the bottom. He located the doll and held it up for Sam to grab.
Sam handed the doll to Zachary and helped Andy back out. "You might want to find her and give that back to her."
Andy traded looks with Zachary. "Maybe you can walk with us?"
"You are scared of Krissy?" Sam asked with a chuckle.
"Uh yeah." Andy said. "She hit an adult with a stick. What do you think she'd do to me?"
"Nothing good." Sam said. "Here, we can find her and you can apologize." If all of his problems could be solved so simply, life would be easier. He mediated the exchange and sent the boys on their way to play. He looked up at the top floor windows of the house and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he had a remnant of his abilities or if he was just assuming that things were building up, headed toward disaster. He had a gut feeling. He saw the curtain move slightly but didn't look away.
Kate peaked through the curtain and sunk down onto the floor. She could feel what he was feeling. It was the same feeling that she had before she was forced into a deal with Crowley. She leaned her head against the wall and bit her lip. At least, this time, if things went really wrong, they did have a backup plan. She didn't plan on snapping but it was always in the back of her mind. If things got that bad, she knew that none of them would turn the gun on her. If she became too powerful that she could no longer control herself, she'd just have to turn it on herself.