Author's note: Let me take a second to laugh at my last note saying I'd get a break. We got sick the 17th and developed sinus infections, landing us in the ER on Christmas night (only thing open). I am still sick. So, I didn't write as much as I wanted to over break. It appears that it isn't only the Winchesters that are cursed.
(Marie's house)
Desiree was uncomfortable. The twins were at school and James was running errands. She decided to go for a walk with Ben to let his energy out but also to hopefully encourage labor to begin. Somehow, with a third pregnancy she felt bigger than she had with Caitlyn and Caroline.
Ben picked up a stick as soon as they got outside. He used it as a sword and batted away imaginary enemies. He got bored easily and most of the other kids were in school.
Desiree had cherished each pregnancy but this one was slightly different. She and the baby could have easily lost their lives due to the freaks. She still had nightmares about them. She was able to watch them interact in ways that the others hadn't. They weren't focused on killing her at the time. They had their own language of growls and screeches that they all seemed to know. She assumed one was the leader as they made the other freaks cower when they growled. At the time, she had been terrified and only cared about trying to escape. It was a few months after the attack that she started thinking about how strange the creatures were.
Ben ran ahead a few yards because he saw an even better stick than he had in his hand. The world was full of great sticks but that one had to be the best one ever. He was sure of it.
(Marie's house)
Sam and Jess had a day without classes. They chose to spend the day with Marie and Jacob. Jacob was more lively than he had been. He was no longer sick and he gained new skills each day.
Jess placed him on a blanket on the floor and showed him different shapes and blocks.
Sam spent time with Rod. That was their usual. They'd pop over to the house to visit. Sam would hold Jacob too but he found that Rod had a wealth of information he wasn't previously aware of. Rod was quiet but friendly. Sam guessed that Marie took over most conversations because she was an extrovert. Rod was an introvert, like Sam.
Rod was born into a poor family, like many that were born at that time. He had brothers and sisters and they all shared one big room. His father worked himself into to the bone and his mother minded the children while also tailoring clothes for other people. They saved every nickel and dime they had and it was rarely enough. Rod started working when he was still a kid and juggling work with school was difficult. That is what caused the disease that would have killed him had Kate and Taylor not saved him. Marie's story wasn't much different from Rod's. So, when they got married, they promised each other to be wise with their money so that their children wouldn't go hungry. Their family was small due to that promise as well as how sick Marie got during pregnancy. They filled their home with foster children instead of their own. They grew their farm and had enough money to fall back on when they were no longer able to run it. Things had gotten stale for a few years with their advanced age and fewer foster children. Neither of them foresaw what happened between Craig and Misty. They felt terrible that Taylor went through what he did.
While hunting creatures was nowhere on Rod's radar, Marie had knowledge tucked away. Marie's grandfather was a hunter but he kept it hidden from the family. He knew it was dangerous. He had been a hunter when he met his wife and swore he would settle down. He did for a long time. He did research and helped other hunters but he was at home or work most of the time. Marie heard stories of how crazy he was. Her mother was embarrassed that he would talk about werewolves and vampires when he had a bit too much to drink. Marie met him a few times but the family moved and she wasn't allowed to listen to his stories.
Hunting was supposed to die out with every relative that lost their lives or stepped away from the life. Henry died before he could tell John about the men of letters. Mary left the world of demons far behind, in hopes of a better life for her future family. It always came back. It could take generations but the supernatural kept a tight grip on certain people.
The crunch of gravel brought Rod away from his stories. "Oh, hello."
One of the nymphs looked alarmed. "The little boy, Ben, seems to be lost. I can find him quickly."
Rod told her to go ahead. They'd handle telling Desiree about the nymphs if they were exposed.
Desiree had to stop every few steps to brace herself. The walk helped get labor started but it was working too well. Ben had taken off and didn't listen when Desiree told him to come back. Now, she had lost sight of him and was starting to panic.
Ben chased a rabbit into the trees and laughed as it bounced. He loved rabbits. He ran straight into the nymph and looked up at her.
"You are so far from your mom. Let's go find her." The nymph said.
Desiree was about to turn back to the house to grab a phone and call for help. She heard Ben giggling and heard a woman's voice.
Ben ran to Desiree once he saw her.
Desiree scolded him and kept a tight grip on his hand. She had never seen the woman before.
"I saw him running through the trees." The nymph said. She reached out her hand. "My name is Holly."
Desiree thanked her.
Holly touched Desiree's arm. "You need help."
"Do you have a phone?" Desiree asked.
"I do not. I can request help though." Holly said.
Marie ran out to meet Rod. "Desiree is in labor. She is a ways away from her house. Holly will get her here. I need you get clean towels and boil water. Sam, I need you to watch Ben and keep him entertained."
Rod dropped what he was doing and headed to the house to get everything that Marie needed.
Desiree stumbled slightly as she found herself at Marie's steps. She stammered and tried to ask what happened.
Marie helped her up the steps. "Don't worry about that. I'll explain later."
Jess handed Jacob off to Sam and ran around doing the things that Marie ordered her to do. She had never seen a baby be born.
Desiree apologized over and over about the fuss she was causing. She was slightly delirious and in a lot of pain.
Within fifteen minutes, the newest addition to the family made his way into the world.
Sam walked back into the room as he was being born and quickly stopped Ben from doing the same. He had no idea that birth could be that brutal. It was nothing like the movies made it seem.
Between Holly, Jess and Marie, Desiree was well taken care of. She held the wriggly baby in her arms, not knowing if it was a boy or girl. She and James had decided to find out at the birth. It all happened so fast.
"James is on his way." Rod said.
Desiree's head was spinning. She was in the woods trying to find Ben and then she was in Marie's house holding her new baby.
Once the scene was cleared and both mother and baby were in taken care of, Sam stepped back into the room.
Jess saw his face and hugged him. "That was awesome."
Sam just nodded.
Rod caught Ben before he ran over to Desiree.
Sam shook his head. He still had Jacob in his arms.
Jess took Jacob and carried him over to Desiree. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay." Desiree said.
Marie returned with a small meal and a drink for the new mother.
James busted through the door and made a beeline for Desiree. "I'm so sorry."
Desiree smiled. "It happened fast. I waited for you."
James moved the blanket and kissed the top of Desiree's head. "Benny, you have a baby brother."
Ben cautiously looked at the baby's head. "Brother?"
"Yeah." James said.
Desiree tried to catch James up but she was still confused.
Marie motioned for Holly to follow her. "Holly found Ben and brought him to Desiree. She also helped them get here safely."
Desiree looked confused.
"She is a nymph." Marie said.
James tensed.
"She is not violent. She is helpful and a wonderful friend." Marie said.
Holly answered questions the best she could.
"So there are more of them?" James asked.
"Yes. Our land is clean and feeds them. They protect the area and return lost little boys to their mothers." Marie said, poking Ben in the side.
The couple took the news well since Holly had helped Desiree at a dire time.
Holly went outside to give the humans some space.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Desiree asked.
"They haven't been here long and it is a little difficult to explain." Rod said.
"So if something is on the property, can they stop it?" Desiree asked.
"Yes. They are very powerful but will not hurt a human unless they are attacked. They take nothing from us. They are caretakers. Children's joy feeds them in a sense." Marie added.
The baby whined to let Desiree know he was hungry.
Desiree kissed his head. "You made quite the entrance."
James touched his cheek. "How about Levi Thomas?"
Desiree nodded. "I love it. He looks like a Levi."
The twins were over the moon when they got home from school. They had to take turns holding Levi. James told them about the nymphs and they were happy about that too. How cool was it to have magical creatures living in the woods? Nymphs fit in their world of fairies and castles.
Sam and Jess took Jacob for a ride in the car and to get some things at the store. They wanted to give the family some space.
Sam grabbed a cart and put Jacob's carseat in it since he was fast asleep. He fixed his blanket and pulled the cover up to the handle to keep the sun out of his eyes.
"What did you do with Ben?" Jess asked.
Sam shrugged. "Spun him around in an office chair. I figured if he was too dizzy to walk straight, he couldn't run off."
"I can't believe all of that happened." Jess said.
"Uh, yeah it was a lot." Sam said. "I didn't realize it was that involved."
Jess squeezed his arm. "It was a lot more involved from my point of view."
"I don't know why women want to do that. Kids are worth it, I guess but wow." Sam said.
"Most of the time, babies aren't born that way. Although, women had home births for centuries before hospitals became a thing." Jess said.
Sam had too much excitement for one day. He checked the time. "I wonder how Dean and dad are doing."
(John and Dean)
The freaks left them battered and bruised but they were lucky. The nymphs cleared the area and left to clear even further areas. With caution, John studied the bodies. How many of them were townspeople? How far did they travel? Why did they mutate in a way that the other freaks didn't?
"I'm going to call Matt and see if he has heard of anything else in his neck of the woods." Dean said. He made the phone call and stepped away from John. The phone call lasted ten minutes but was useful. "Matt said they killed two out their way. Mary and the kids are good and happy. Vamps have mentioned a few things to him. If one of them gets sick, they end it right away. They don't wait to see if they turn. Doesn't matter what they are sick with."
John nodded. "They can't get sick with a whole lot."
"A few less vamps doesn't hurt either." Dean said.
The faintest sound caused them both to turn around, John with his gun pointed at the thing that made the noise.
A little boy gasped and stared at the two men. He was in the doorway to the building and froze before stepping inside.
John slowly lowered the gun. "What are you doing here?"
"Following a treasure map." The boy said.
Dean took a few steps towards him. "Show us the map."
The boy sat his compass down and opened a folded piece of paper. He held it up so Dean could see it.
"Uh, who gave you that? Where does it go?" Dean asked.
"My brother gave it to me. He isn't my real brother though." He sighed. "He is my stepbrother."
John holstered his gun. He asked to see the map. It had a dotted line through the building and out the other side, off into the woods. "Why not just go around this building?"
"There is a box inside that I have to get." The boy said.
"What is in the box?" Dean asked.
The boy shrugged. "He didn't tell me."
"Do you know what was in this place?" John asked.
"Monsters." The boy said. "I know he is lying but he said I would be a baby if I didn't get the box first."
John rubbed his face. "Alright, what is your name?"
The boy squinted his eyes. "Why do you wanna know?"
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "Something doesn't add up and I want to get to the bottom of it."
"You can call me KC." The boy said.
"Is that your real name?" John asked.
"No but you can call me that. My mom said not to tell people you don't know your name." KC said.
Dean smirked. "KC it is. You don't want to come in here."
"I have to or he will call me a baby." KC said.
"How about I look for that box and you stay out here." Dean said.
"Are there really monsters?" KC asked.
"There could be." Dean said. "Stay here."
John pointed to a boulder. "Sit on that, do not come in here."
"What if I hear something?" The boy asked.
"You stay out here. I have a gun on me. If I am expecting a monster, I could accidentally shoot you." John said.
KC gasped again. "I'll stay."
Dean shook his head. Out of earshot from KC he whispered. "Threatening to shoot kids."
John snorted. "Let's hope he listens."
They followed the map through the lower floor of the building. They opened a room and saw items strewn about. There had been a scuffle at some point.
Dean looked for boxes and found a small one thrown to the side, likely knocked away during the commotion. It had a lock on it.
John was pleased to see KC sitting where he left him.
Dean held up the box. "I think we found it."
KC jumped up and reached for the box. "Thank you!"
Dean didn't hand it to him. "Why was it so important?" He pulled on the lock to see how strong it was.
"Don't open it." KC said. "He said not to."
"What are you supposed to do with the box?" John asked.
KC reached for it again. "I have to follow my map and put it in a special tree."
Dean looked at the map again. The dotted line continued a considerable distance. KC would be walking for hours trying to get there. Then the forest was dense. Who would send a six year old on a wild goose chase?
"I have to hurry." KC said.
Dean tilted the box back and forth. The rattling inside gave him a hint as to why the box was so important.
KC had a watch on his arm. "I really have to go. It will get dark and I'm afraid of the dark."
"Where are your parents?" Dean asked.
"My mom is working." KC said.
"Do you just live with her?" Dean asked.
"I have a stepdad." KC said with a slight frown.
"You have a brother too, right?" Dean asked.
"Yes. My step dad left last night." KC said.
"And your brother sent you on a treasure hunt." Dean added.
"Yes. He will be real mad if I don't get back in time." KC said.
Dean and John traded looks.
"Have you eaten anything?" John asked.
KC was skinny. "I had a snack."
"Do you want more food?" John asked.
KC touched his stomach. "Just a little."
"Dean, why don't you go get him something to eat. We are going to follow that map." John said.
KC shook his head. "I can't have help. I have to do it myself."
"We made you wait while we looked for the box. You are probably behind and driving to the tree would be quicker." John said.
Dean left John with the kid and drove to the nearest fast food place to get him a burger and fries. He made a nymph call while he was at it. He assumed John would want them around with the kid involved.
KC was unsure of going with a stranger but the stranger was nice to him. He liked the truck and did need to make up for the time he lost.
"Do you get along with your brother?" John asked.
"Kinda." KC said. "He doesn't like me a whole lot. He is older and thinks I am annoying. He is nice sometimes. Like this time he gave me the map. I get to keep the treasure."
John stopped beside the road, as close as he could get from the forest. He opened his map of the area and used binoculars to scope the place out. There was a field before the trees started. It was flat and only an old shed sat to the side with the ruins of what could have been a cabin. He heard the Impala's engine after a while and got out of the truck.
"Backup is already here." Dean said. He knocked on KC's window and told him to hop out. He sat the food and drink on the tailgate and lifted KC to sit beside the food.
KC swung his legs happily. When his mom was home, life was great. She had to go away sometimes because of her job. She was in the National Guard. He told John and Dean about his mom and her cool job.
"I am going to follow your map and make sure it is safe." John said.
KC looked very worried.
"Of course, if I find something, I'll give it to you." John said.
"I have to go." KC said.
John didn't want to take a kid into the forest. Their luck, they'd get arrested for kidnapping him. Still, things were fishy and he couldn't let it go.
KC finished his food and jumped off the tailgate. He asked to hold the box and started walking swiftly toward the trees.
"Hold up." Dean said. "Don't take off running."
"I don't want to be late." KC said.
It was easy to keep pace with him because of his size. John saw one of the nymphs and gave her a head tilt of acknowledgement. If something was in the woods, KC would be safe.
KC stopped at the edge of the trees and took a deep breath. There were monster stories about the woods too. He found the special tree and pushed the box into a hole in the trunk. He covered it with pine needles and asked for his map.
Dean mouthed "Drugs." to John to tell him the box was likely filled with pills that the brother was selling or buying.
KC's legs were tired from walking. He didn't want to stop though.
Dean crouched down so KC could ride on his back. He was lighter than Ian was but Ian was a tank.
KC finally heard water and wanted to be put down. He took off down a path and stopped at the edge of a river. It was not deep but it was plenty of water for a little kid to drown in. The water was moving fast too.
John stopped him. He saw a few rocks that were much to spread apart for KC to walk on but Dean and John could make it.
The map continued beside the river until it ended at a waterfall. The line veered left and continued down a steep embankment. There was a small clearing ahead with a large sinkhole. The line stopped at the edge of the hole.
John stepped toward the hole to see what was in it. The ground was soft. It would be easy to fall in and not be able to get back out. On the opposite side of the hole, there was a slope leading to a large rock formation.
A howl broke the silence.
KC wrapped his arms around Dean's leg.
John and Dean, along with KC, found themselves back at the vehicles in the blink of an eye.
John put KC in the truck and shut the door.
A moment later, one of the nymphs appeared next to them.
"What was the howl?" Dean asked.
"A pack of dogs." The nymph said.
"Just a pack of dogs?" John asked.
"Possibly mixed with a wolf. Some looked domesticated. They are likely a pack of stray dogs. There are eight of them." The nymph said.
Another nymph returned the box to John's hands.
John opened the truck door.
KC was wide eyed.
"That sound we heard was a pack of dogs." John said.
KC sniffled. He was terrified of dogs. He got bit by one and didn't like them at all.
John and Dean had a quick conversation with the nymphs and left the woods behind. THey returned to the building where they met KC.
John was wondering if the monsters he was hunting were of the human nature. The map went through the building of freaks, miles away from town, through a dense forest, across a river and straight to a sinkhole. The map looked like obstacles for KC to try to survive. If the brother didn't want him dead, John didn't know what other purpose the 'treasure hunt' could have.
KC didn't want to tell them where he lived. He remembered they were strangers. He also didn't want his brother to know he had help.
"How old is your brother?" Dean asked.
"Um, 19 maybe." KC said.
That made the situation so much worse.
KC's eyes drifted to a pizza place down the street. He was still hungry.
John followed his eyes and asked the nymph to go to the pizza place with him. He handed her a card and told KC that she was their friend.
Dean took a long, slow breath. "They would have shredded him."
John winced. "Or he could have gotten lost, fallen off a cliff, drowned in a river or been shredded by dogs."
"Son of a bitch tried to kill him." Dean said.
"Not to mention we kidnapped him." John said.
Dean rubbed his face. "That too. Anyone could have."
They needed to call the police but the kidnapping bit kept John from making the call right away. They could say they didn't want him to go alone but following a small child into the woods didn't look good.
"Why do we keep getting cases with kids that are in shitty situations?" Dean asked. "Taylor, Krissy, Jacob, Charlie, Kelsey, Andy, a dozen other cases including this one."
"I think there are a lot of kids in shitty situations." John said.
"We are always saving the kid from humans." Dean said.
"Might have something to do with us having a soft spot." John said.
"Do you think someone is handpicking cases?" Dean asked.
"I've had another dozen cases with either no children involved or the parents cared about them." John said. "I had the thought that the monster we were hunting wasn't supernatural after all."
"What do we do about him?" Dean asked.
(Sioux Falls)
The fallout of Hannah's talk with Meg was heavy. It sent everyone into a tailspin. She was right about her dad killing her. He was pissed, understandably. She apologized to Kate for not telling her. She felt like she just made Kate's burden that much more to bear.
News of freak attacks and mutated freaks didn't help the sense of panic. Kate was at the center of the panic. She absorbed information as she sat quietly. She pictured a map in her head and followed cases, trying to string them together but they seemed random. If she blinked rapidly, she could see a faint set of lines that she couldn't quite make out. It kept her inside of her head, locked away from the outside world.
Karen checked on Kate frequently. She offered her food she knew Kate wouldn't eat. She was worried and shared her worry with the others.
Evening fell and Bobby's house calmed ever so slightly. They didn't have extra people helping sift through piles of cases but the phone never seemed to stop ringing. More attacks. More missing people. More ideas and suggestions.
Kate sat on the couch, staring at the wall for hours. She didn't respond to anything the family tried to do.
Taylor's read on her was fuzzy. He didn't understand anything that he was seeing.
(John and Dean)
KC finally gave up his name. He showed them the way to his house and used a key to unlock the front door. He stepped into the house and didn't see anything. He swallowed hard and called out for his brother.
The brother was nowhere to be seen. His car was gone. It was likely that he didn't expect Keegan to come back.
The nymph took the liberty of exploring the house for any sign of danger. She opened the brother's bedroom door and cleared her throat.
John and Dean joined her.
Satanic symbols littered the walls and desk. He had books on witchcraft and dark magic.
"Keegan, what is this?" Dean asked.
Keegan ran to the door and pulled it closed. "You can't go in there. Oh no. He is gonna be mad. He keeps a domino by the door so he knows if anyone goes in. Did you knock it over?"
"Do you know anything about the writing on those posters?" Dean asked.
"He and his friends have a club." Keegan said. He chewed on his fingers. "You have to go."
The group went outside. No one felt comfortable leaving Keegan alone. They didn't know when the brother or step dad would be back. The brother was clearly trying to contact demons if he hadn't already. Had the treasure map been a ritual or just a way to get rid of him?
John spoke to Keegan about how bad it sounded that they went into the woods. Keegan agreed to tell that part of the story differently. While driving by, John saw Keegan going into the trees and followed him, knowing it was unsafe.
Dean stepped inside to take photos before the police arrived. He made his departure after that. He'd let John handle the authorities.
Bobby got an email from Dean with photos of the room. He got a call a moment later with an explanation. "Kate, can you look at these symbols?"
Kate finally registered Bobby's voice and walked to his office. She clicked through photos and jerked her head back, covering her ears. She gritted her teeth and opened her eyes. They were glowing blue but she was temporarily blinded, only seeing an ever thickening red line growing in her vision. "Abaddon." She closed her eyes. "Her demonic name is written in red. It is the symbol with the inverted cross."
Bobby eyed the symbol.
"Other cases, were there demonic ties?" Kate asked.
Dean had thought that he saw a symbol or two when he and Caleb were attacked.
Bobby flipped through piles of paper.
Kate got a pencil and started drawing on a sheet of paper. A few incidents had a demon connection within a few miles of the freak attack. One hunter was hunting demons when they came across the freaks. He didn't make it. Another found signs that a freak had been around when he was investigating a coven of witches. "They strike where demons have been."
Dean was quiet. He was piecing together bits of information he gathered from John. "There are a lot more demons than freaks. Sioux Falls has a bunch of demon issues but no freaks."
"Not just any demon." Kate said. "She vanished for a moment and returned with a stack of newspapers. She didn't explain where they were from. She placed a newspaper on Bobby's desk and motioned to a small photo. She did the same with several more. The symbols were hard for Bobby to see but for Kate, they were glowing red. "They go where Abaddon has been."
Dean was shaky. "Let's slow down." He knew Kate was going to go off the deep end if she was right.
"She helped create them." Kate said. She froze in place, looking across the room.
"Bobby, watch her. I am going to call dad. If this dude summoned her, our problems just got worse." Dean said.
Abaddon was playing a game of chess with Kate. Kate thought she could outthink the demon but could she? What was real and what was a ruse constructed by Abaddon to lure Kate into a trap?
(That night)
Keegan fell asleep on a couch at the police station. It was soft and the nice police lady gave him candy and hot chocolate. He missed his mom and didn't want her to be angry at him for leaving the house.
John and the nymph answered questions and kept him comfortable. John transitioned out of the police station to investigate a few matters of his own.
When Keegan's mother got the call, she was distraught. She had no idea that the step brother was mean to Keegan. She had left him in the care of her husband but he had apparently chosen the bars over watching him. She spoke to her command and was allowed to leave early to take care of things at home.
Since his mother had knowledge of the amount of people missing, John just told her the truth. There were already rumors. He told her that the creatures had taken over the building and her step son had some knowledge of it. He told her that he was practicing satanic things and the true danger that he put Keegan in. He told the police a similar story. He didn't need to dive into the supernatural because one mention of satan sent a couple of police cars speeding down the street in search of his car.
Keegan bonded to the nymph who told him the best stories and liked listening to him. He told his mother about her and how he never wanted her to leave. He just thought she was a grandmotherly type. His mother was informed that she could protect him in times that his mother couldn't.
John left the next morning, leaving the nymph to assist the mother in kicking the step dad out of the house and managing the fallout.
The nymph introduced herself as Elidgh and gladly stayed behind. She would return to her sisters when things were settled down. She had a child to protect and a mother to support so she was right where she wanted to be.
Dean made it to Bobby's house before John did because he left earlier. He was exhausted but he was needed. He cleared things with Taylor to make sure he was okay and set out to find Kate. He found her sitting in the kitchen. "Hey, kiddo. I'm back." He frowned. He sat down across from her. "Where are you at in that head of yours?"
"Do the freaks follow her? Do they sense her and try to go to her? Does she control them?" Kate asked.
"I don't know." Dean answered, honestly. "Do you want to look at photos of the messed up freaks?"
Kate made eye contact with him.
Dean smirked. He pulled a camera from his bag and handed it to her. "Nearly felt sorry for them."
Kate flipped through photos. Bobby had gotten a few but there were many more on the camera. She touched her jaw line and moved her fingers forward like she was comparing the bones of the face to the thing in the photo.
"They were still vicious. I got cut on the window and they got a little less viscous with me. Still wanted to eat dad, though." Dean said.
"Fascinating." Kate said.
"Why did they mutate that way?" Dean asked.
Kate pulled a notepad over to herself. She started jotting down notes. "Why does the flu kill one person but give the other the sniffles?"
Dean furrowed his eyebrows.
"Genetics, environmental influences." Kate said. "Vampires could accept the mutation better than humans do. If these are all humans. We do not have enough data for me to speculate."
"Our nymph buddies collected bodies. I don't think you'll go to the facility but dad may allow samples to go to the lab." Dean said.
Kate was more lucid than she had been in days. "It is late."
"Yeah." Dean said.
"Do you think Marty is available?" Kate asked.
Dean shrugged. "You can try calling him. I think he might be offended if you waited until tomorrow."
Kate darted out of the kitchen with her notepad and ran by Bobby, nearly running into him.
"She has been a statue for days. You get home and she is moving again." Bobby said.
"I gave her photos of the mutated mutants and mentioned samples." Dean said.
"That would do it. You don't think she will go overboard?" Bobby asked.
"In which direction?" Dean asked with a sigh.
"Better science than Abaddon." Bobby said.
"You have never gotten excited when I said we had a body for you." Dean said.
Bobby shook his head. "Idgit. I don't want them buried on my property."
"When I found the nymphs, they were taking people to feed themselves. I wonder what they'd do with a body." Dean said.
"As long as the bones aren't on my land, I don't rightfully care." Bobby said.
Karen stepped into the kitchen to make coffee and some food. "That hunt got dicey. I'm glad you boys made it out."
"Nearly broke my neck." Dean said.
"You're too stubborn to get hurt falling out a window." Bobby said.
Taylor cleared his throat. "You aren't bringing the kid back, are you?"
"No." Dean said, shooting him a glare. "He has a mom. I learned my lesson with you."
(Sam and Jess)
Sam called Tony for the eighth time and groaned when his call went to voicemail. They had help at Marie's house so having Jacob around didn't hinder their school schedule but it did make him mad. Atleast, when he and Dean were really young, John would eventually come back. Seeing James with Levi reminded Sam that Jacob was supposed to have a dad too.
Jess learned how to crochet from Desiree and made Jacob a blue hat that had ears to look like a bear. She was beside herself and couldn't wait to put it on him. Classes were finished for the day so they went back to Marie's house for dinner. That was their routine most days. Mylo tagged along since they rarely spent the evening at home. He adored Desiree's kids and the expanse that the house was. He wasn't a fan of the dogs though. He knew Jacob's scent and gravitated toward him when the other kids got rowdy. He slept on top of his worn clothes and would have loved to join him for naps but Jess was afraid he'd smother Jacob.
Marie and Jess went through Jacob's clothes to find some for Levi. While they were only a few months apart, Jacob was much larger. The first year of a baby's life brought tremendous growth spurts. Jess could hardly wrap her head around it. She had forgotten just how tiny Jacob was the night that they got him.
Sam chose to report Tony's lack of communication to John. He hated doing it but John had special ways of getting people to answer the phone. He was beginning to wonder why he called. If Tony didn't come back, Jacob would hang out at Marie's house. That still wasn't fair. He was spoiled rotten but his biological dad needed to be in his life. He thought that, in some way, Jacob would know if Tony didn't come back. He would go through the same wave of emotions that a younger Sam did, wondering why fighting monsters was more important than himself. He would feel the guilt of causing his mother to die, even though it wasn't his fault. Sam was an infant when Mary died. Before they knew why she died, he still felt guilty. Guilt was a common feeling for John and Dean as well. John couldn't protect her. Dean was so young and helpless. No one was at fault besides that yellow eyed demon. Still, guilt remained. Really, the only thing that helped ease the pain was the pendants from heaven. John got his closure. It just took nearly two decades.
Jess carried Jacob in a way that he could look around at his surroundings. His eyesight was improving and he truly loved Marie's light fixtures. She stopped by Sam and used Jacob's hand to wave at him.
Jacob got excited and kicked his feet with a big grin.
Jess handed him to Sam and beamed at the look Jacob gave him. "Someone is excited to see you."
Sam was flattered. No one was ever that excited to see him. He didn't know why Jacob was since he spent most of his time with Marie. Sam was just the guy that babysat him sometimes.
Krissy was excited by the new baby. She wanted to hold him and treat him like a babydoll. She wsa more than a little mad that Lee wouldn't let her be in his face. She didn't have germs that would get him sick. That was just an excuse adults used to be mean.
Charlie thought the baby was cute but everyone was loud. She chose to stay upstairs and do research instead. She had gotten comfortable talking to the mystery person. She looked forward to their emails. They had decided to move things to an online roleplaying game so that they could speak more freely. If someone found their communication, they would think it was just part of the game. That also gave Charlie someone to play with when her favorite game seemed to be too nerdy for the others.
The Styne family was evil. They had no moral connection to anyone outside of their family and chose people at random to take spare parts from. If someone messed with the family, they were killed. If someone asked too many questions, they were killed. It didn't matter if the person was a full grown man or a redheaded teenager with social anxiety. The Styne's knew of one remedy to cure all of their problems, murder.
Cy, as the mystery person chose to be called, was careful with the words he used. He couldn't afford to let his family know that he was talking to Charlie. They would most certainly kill her but probably make him watch or take part. He didn't want anyone to die. That was a practice he wanted to discontinue for his family. Back in the day, he could understand taking from someone shortly after they died. That rarely happened anymore because the elders swore a live limb was easier to transplant. Cy just thought they had a blood lust they were covering.
Sam knocked on Charlie's door to ask how the information hunt was going before he and Jess left for the night. "How is it going?"
Charlie smiled. "We have nearly overthrown the kingdom."
Sam looked at the game. "Looks fun."
"I have a crown now. I am the Princess of Moons." Charlie said.
Sam playfully bowed. "Okay, Princess of Moons. Did you learn anything? You really have to be careful."
"We are talking about stuff." Charlie said, pointing to the chat box.
Sam furrowed his brows as he read it. "Is this in code?"
"Yes. His family are the Orks. The dragon is the doctor and the shadow dwellers are demons." Charlie said.
The conversation made more sense when Sam read it with those substitutions. He looked at a wall of notes she also had. "Abaddon was probably the demon that the mother used to fuel her witchcraft. Then she was indebted to her. How did they get from witchcraft to funding research?"
"Deals." Charlie said. "At least, I think so."
"You should talk to Kate. She tied the freaks back to Abaddon by looking at where she has been and where they go." Sam suggested.
"Cy said that he knows about the freaks and the family has security to keep them out." Charlie said. "So they aren't loyal."
"I wonder if they go after demons." Sam said.
"I don't know. They go after angels." Charlie said.
"Yeah, Cas is just faster than they are." Sam said. "At what point did his experiment go wrong and create all of this?"
"His partner turned." Charlie said. "I'd say he broke out and he was patient zero."
"Oh, the Styne family may have gotten involved because they tinker with their biology." Sam said.
"Yeah, his dad has two hearts." Charlie said. "Maybe the freaks are a mash up of different things."
"That is something to talk to Kate and Marty about." Sam said. "Keep being careful."
Charlie turned back to her game. "I will."
(A few days later)
Kate had spoken to Hannah at school. She had no hard feelings. She was just worried about her friend. She was shocked by what Hannah did but also shocked by everything else going on. Marty was as giddy as Kate was about the new freaks. Kate's phone call lasted a few hours and she called him immediately after school the next day.
John returned home and spoke to the other adults. They decided on a day and time that worked for other people and planned out how to talk to the kids.
Marie's house got full in a hurry. Even Owen and Nate got brought into the conversation. Nate was thrilled with nymph teleporting. He didn't know if he could handle a road trip in a car after that. It was way too cool.
Kate and Taylor felt awkward because they knew John was doing most of the talking and he wasn't happy to begin with. They also felt at fault.
While other people continued to pop into Marie's house, Dean handed out leather bracelets that Kate made. They were braided with slivers from the nymphs inside. He tied it around the little kids' ankles and told the other ones they could wear it how they wanted to.
Marie spoke to Stacy and explained the situation well enough that she agreed to bring the boys to the house as well.
Dean told Lee that there would be new information and he was expected to remain calm when it was explained. Everyone needed to be on the same page and know what measures they could take in order to protect each other.
John whistled loudly to get everyone's attention. "A while back, Rod and Marie made a deal with a set of wood nymphs that they could move onto the property in exchange for protection and assistance." He flicked his eyes to Lee to see if he was going to say anything. "The location they were originally it was killing them because there was a toxic spill and they are trees. This land is toxin free and plentiful. They have a history of being caretakers. They will not attack unless threatened. They will not hurt a woman or child. They are incredibly strong and powerful. They have a perimeter set around the land and have the ability to teleport."
Marie motioned to Reigna.
Reigna stepped forward. "I am the leader. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. We thrive when children are joyful. This place has helped us heal. My sisters have taken down creatures and aggressors with ease. We are willing to keep providing that service as well as safe transport during emergencies."
"It may seem odd that we are working with a supernatural being but just like psychics, not all supernatural beings are harmful." John said. "Each kid has a bracelet that should be worn at all times. It has a sliver from the nymphs embedded in it so that they can be contacted in an instance."
Reigna spoke again. "We read intention very well. You could simply be frightened and think of the word help and we will know you need assistance. We will not pop up uninvited unless their is a threat you are unaware of."
"Now." John said. "With that being said," He looked at Hannah "the demons are getting bold. They are beginning to approach you kids and leave signs and messages for you to find. The days ahead may be difficult. Under no circumstances are you allowed to hunt. If you see a demon or something else, call a nymph. If a human makes you feel unsafe, you call a nymph. If your parent is gone and someone knocks on the door, you can call a nymph. Each of you will speak to your own parent to decide what rules you will follow. However, if you call and everything is actually fine, no one will be angry with you."
"We can talk about that more in depth later." Reigna said.
"You have a safe, reliable, quick option to get out of harm's way or call for backup. It is fool proof. Do not approach a demon. Do not investigate or hunt. Do not put yourself into an unsafe situation. You are not big enough, experienced enough or crafty enough to approach a situation by yourself. Demons can and will use you against your parents. They can hold you for ransom or possess your body. We cannot afford to give them that advantage. Does everyone understand?" John waited for at least a head nod from each kid. "If you approach a situation and do put yourselves in harm's way you had better pray one of your parents gets ahold of you before I do. The demons are going after my kids and my family the most. I'm not concerned with being a likable person. Trust me. You can talk to the nymphs and get to know them while the adults have a different discussion in the dining room."
Andy rocked back and forth gently. He let out a slow breath, feeling the tension. "You guys really don't want him to get a hold of you. It is real bad."
Nate looked slightly shellshocked.
Hannah wanted to hide away since a lot of that lecture had been aimed at her.
Zack and Dillon traded looks before looking at their mom who just gave them a head nod.
Zack licked his lips. "Nymphs are fast."
Reigna asked a few of her sisters to come inside and welcomed the kids to ask questions. She assigned different nymphs to different children to streamline things in case of emergency.
Caitlyn and Caroline prattled on about things they could do with the nymphs. They planned to run through the woods and pretend to be fairies when it got a little warmer.
Nate nudged Taylor. "Damn."
Taylor blew air through his nose. "He was nicer than I thought he would be."
Sam butted in since he was floating between the kids and adults. "Watch his eyes. They say what he is really thinking." He patted Jacob's back and left the kids with that thought in their heads.
Jacob had the hiccups and jerked but was held securely in Sam's arms. He kept giving Sam big smiles and it made it hard for Sam to remain serious during the adult conversation. He didn't have kids to worry about so he would just wait until they had something to tell him.
Lee had a lot of questions but eventually settled with the idea. He had wished, at times, that he could magically get Krissy to safety. Now he could. If she ran off, she would be returned. If they were on the road and he couldn't trust her to stay somewhere, a nymph could babysit. It was weird but worked.
John stepped out of the kitchen. "Hannah, come in here."
Hannah slowly stood up. She nearly cried but walked toward the kitchen. Why did he want her in there?
John pointed to a chair for Hannah to sit in. "Tell them about your conversation." He softened slightly. "The information from the conversation."
Hannah felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She explained, in detail, everything that Meg said. She told them about the hellhounds and other strange things. She was embarrassed but grateful that John wasn't mad at her. She had no doubt he meant what he said about getting ahold of them before their parents did.
Owen told Andy that he didn't need to be there since he would never do something so dangerous.
Kate snorted. "Didn't you two get into trouble for hunting ghosts at school?"
Owen's mouth dropped open. "I forgot about that."
Kate cracked her neck. She looked around the room. "Dillon and Zack are the only ones who haven't done something like that."
Charlie scoffed.
"You literally ran for your life and got into a strange man's car to be carried across the US." Kate said.
"Well when you put it that way." Charlie said.
Taylor chimed in. "How many times have you run away, Jo?
Jo smacked him. "You ran away and basically died."
They swapped stories like Caleb and Dean would do. Most were fresh so they weren't as funny but it became clear why John rounded them all up in one place. Maybe they did have the tendency to do dangerous things.
The theory was that Abaddon changed her tactics. It was subtle. For ages, family could be used as pawns. A parent would agree to just about anything if their kid was in danger. The demons seemed to be manipulating the kids instead of the adults. They approached children and made them feel strong. They made them think they were ready to hunt. A hunter would move heaven and earth for their child. They'd dive into hell, sell their soul or take out a nest of vampires. The one thing a hunter wouldn't do is harm their children. If the child was manipulated and became unsafe for the family, the parents weren't going to shoot them. They'd try to talk them down. All of the kids had good hearts but things were not black and white. It was so easy to feed them misinformation. They were protective of their parents and would be easy targets. They weren't sure if the hellhounds were watching Hannah or making her feel more in control than she was. Was she going to rely on threats one day and get torn to pieces? Probably. The adults had an unspoken understanding that they should not hunt freaks. If one was spotted, they'd call a nymph. They'd encourage their friends not to hunt them either. Very few of the kids had both biological parents or even just one biological parent left. No one else needed to die.
As people were leaving, John approached Sam. "Tony answered. He is going to call you tomorrow."
"How do you get him to answer?" Sam asked.
John smirked but didn't answer him. "I strongly recommended that he drive back and get his son."
"Jacob has been here so long that he is going to get confused." Sam said, lightly.
"I told him that he was going to wind up getting killed without ever seeing him again." John said.
"I'll explain the bracelet to him." Sam said. "He is going to ask."
Jacob had a tiny braclet on his ankle. They weren't sure how he would alert the nymphs since he was so young but it was worth a shot.
"The kids got your message pretty well." Sam said.
"Your brother tried to place bets about which one of them is going to break that rule first." John said.
Sam smiled. He stepped away and decided which way Dean had gone.
John shook his head.
Sam found Dean and discussed the betting pool with him. Caleb was in on it too. It was dark humor but they each chose a kid to put their money on. If they didn't have fun during the chaos, they'd go insane. Later, he found Jo and whispered in her ear. "Don't do anything dangerous."
Jo gave him an odd look.
"We have money on who is going to crack first and you have money on your head that I don't want to lose." Sam said.
Jo gasped. "Who said I was going to be the one?"
Sam shrugged. "I don't tell. I'm just giving you the heads up."
"Who did you bet on?" Jo asked.
"I don't tell." Sam said. Due to disagreements, they decided that Kate and Taylor wouldn't count toward betting. That was too obvious. Trouble found them even if they tried to run from it.
Caleb rounded up his crew and said goodbye to everyone else. He was in agreement with John and would talk to the boys about when to call a nymph. If not, they'd have a nymph showing up at all hours because Andy had a wild question or Ian dropped his cars down the heat vent again. He reminded himself to screw the vents to the floor. Why they were that easy to lift out of place, he didn't know.
Jess found Mylo and held him so that he didn't flail during the trip home. She had a nice scar from the first time they used nymph airlines with Mylo.
Sam stretched and yawned. "I am ready for bed."
Jess playfully shoved him. "Shower first. You were out with Rod and the animals."
Sam smelled his shirt and grimaced. "Jacob didn't mind."
"I do." Jess said. "I could always shower with you."
Sam grinned. He was totally okay with that.
Jo told Ellen about the talk and the bet. Of course Ellen thought the bet was funny. She hoped that Jo's dangerous days were behind her but she did see the humor in it.
Stacey and her boys had a quick chat before bedtime. She was startled by John's tone but understood everything he was saying. She would police the boys though. They had not gone out of their way to harm themselves like the other kids had. She was glad they seemed less interested in the supernatural than the others.
Charlie retreated to her room as soon as possible. She didn't like the talk very much. She never put herself in danger anymore though. She paused to think about it. Cy could be dangerous but she didn't try to talk to demons or anything. She didn't have the bravado that Kate did.
Kate and Taylor were used to the way things were. It might have been slightly unfair that John was their default. Everyone else got the chance to live after screwing up. They, on the other hand, fell straight into the fire.
Kate fell into bed that night with her entire body feeling exhausted. Her brain hurt and she was hopeful that she would get real sleep that night. She closed her eyes and let herself settle into the blankets. She was almost asleep when she heard a familiar hum. She put the pillow over her face to block it out. That didn't work. The sound was in her head. Nothing was going to drown it out. She sighed and got up to look out her window. There it was, the void. The golden hue suspended midair, just out of reach. It had grown. She blinked, knowing that the intensity was also in her head. Everything grew dark and she could no longer see the rip in the veil. It taunted her. She got back in bed and put the pillow on her head. If it wasn't for her abilities, she would think she was pschitzophrenic. She saw things that weren't there and heard things that weren't there all the time. Sometimes she wasn't sure if the things were there or not. Was she seeing a strange person in a crowd or was it just in here head? The deeper she fell into her head, the worse it got. What happened if a psychic had a psychotic break? Were signs really signs or was she assuming a red light meant something when it didn't? Did she connect Abaddon to the freaks in a logical way or was her brain playing tricks on her? Uncertainty wrapped around her line vines, pulling her deeper into a pit she couldn't get out of. The one thing that she knew for certain was that Abaddon had to be stopped. She had a job to do and needed to do it soon. John's comment about not being experienced enough was true about the other kids. What happened when Kate was more experinced than he was? What if she was the only one with the tools to take her down? What then?
They were half way through February and she was turning 13 in April. She wanted to be happy about being a teenager but she couldn't. Had she experinced those big changes she was supposed to have at 12 or was more due to come? Change was painful and confusing. She knew she was going to do something big and possibly bad. Her older self wouldn't have tried to change things if she didn't. She wanted to play by the rules and take Abaddon down together but she didn't know if they oculd.