Thank you guys SO much for all the reviews, follows, and adding this story to your favorites. Virtual high fives all around! You guys are great :)

Also a special thanks to ispiltthemilk for helping me throw some ideas around. Y'all need to check out her fantabulous story! Look under my favorite authors and give her some love.

A special shout out to Mayrem for motivating me to write this chapter. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Until ispiltthemilk and I earn enough money to buy the whole SPN cast, I will continue to own absolutely nothing in this story except Kate.

Dean- 15

Sam-11

Katie-6

Since Katie was finally in Kindergarten, John didn't feel so guilty about leaving them to fend for themselves for a week or two. He didn't have to waste time—or precious money—on finding a babysitter during the day, if there weren't any hunters around to help him out. Little Katie still had no idea what her dad really did and if Dean had any say in the matter, she would never find out. They had been alone for a little over a week now and as Dean promised, he would take Sam and Katie to the park on Friday after school if they were good all week.

Finally, Friday arrived. Katie loved going to the park. In her opinion, Dean didn't take her there or play with her enough like she'd hoped. But she was beyond excited that today they'd finally get to go. She'd been on her best behavior all week. Sam was standing outside on the courtyard holding Katie's hand as they waited for Dean to pass by and pick them up to go home from school.

"Let's go, small people!" Dean yelled motioning with his hand for them to come over and they started back 'home' to drop off their school things.

As Dean opened the door, Katie took off sprinting inside when she saw the outline of someone. "Daddy!" she screamed, running over to John who was sitting in one of the chairs at the table.

"Hey there, munchkin," he said as he picked her up and sat her on his lap, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "Hey boys. How was everything?" he asked, specifically directing the last part at Dean. Katie didn't seem to notice; she was happy that her father was back.

"Daddy, I was reeeeal good. Sammy too! Dean said we're going to the park. Right, Dean?" Katie couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she wiggled with excitement in his lap. She looked over at Dean for confirmation of their pending plans.

"Yeah, that's right. Dad, you can rest while I take them." Dean obviously didn't want to impose anything on his dad for fear of getting on his bad side.

"You know what?" John asked rhetorically as he glanced out the window. "I think today looks like a perfect day for all of us to go to the park." Dean looked at his father in shock. After catching the smiles on both Sam and Katie's faces, he couldn't help but get a little excited too. It wasn't too often that the four of them did anything 'normal' together.

"Really? Can we bring my soccer ball?" Sam asked John, giving him his best puppy dog eyes. He was dying to use the soccer ball that Dean and Dad (well, it was all Dean's idea) got him for his 11th birthday a few weeks ago.

"Sure, buddy, bring the ball," John answered as he put Katie down. Sam ran off to get the ball as the other three Winchesters headed for the door. "Ok, let's head out, gang," he announced while opening the door.

"WAIT!" Katie exclaimed loudly causing everyone to stop and look at her thinking something was terribly wrong. "I forgotted my green dolls!" she said as she practically bounced on over to the side of her bed and opened up the shoebox where she kept what few toys she did have. John gave Dean a confused glance and Dean held up his hand signaling him to just wait and see for himself. She pulled out three green army men that both Sam and Dean had played with as kids. Money had always been very tight for them, so Dean convinced her that these were dolls for small people to play with, like her. He hoped John would have enough money to give her a proper toy this year, but he wasn't about to hold his breath.

"Ready!" she let everyone know as she walked on out the door. John gave Dean a quick smile, as if telling him 'thank you'. That was the closest he'd gotten to receiving John's approval in a long time.

They walked the five blocks to the park with John listening to Katie ramble on about how cool Kindergarten was lately. Once they arrived, Sam looked over and said, "Dad, come pass the ball with me please!" John smiled as he grabbed the ball out of Sam's hands and took off towards the grassy area a few feet away with Sam trailing behind laughing.

Katie skipped off to her favorite spot—the sandbox—while Dean just took a seat on a nearby bench to keep an eye on her. She was having a blast burying her 'dolls' and then brushing her hands all over trying to uncover them, managing to get sand everywhere in the process. Finally, like any other 6 year old, she got bored and wanted to move on to something else.

She ran up to her brother. "Deanie," she began. He inwardly cringed and made a mental note to work on phasing out that nickname, especially in public where a hot girl could overhear it. "Watch my dolls. I wanna play there!" she said as she pointed over to the playground beside the sandbox. Dean just nodded, giving her permission to go, but she had already taken off.

A few minutes later John came up and sat beside Dean, breathing a little harder than normal. "What? Sammy wore you out already?" he joked.

"Haha…you're hilarious. No, Sam's friend from school came so they're playing. You know, the kid ain't half bad at soccer," John replied. Dean wasn't about to bring up the discussion he had with Sam a few days earlier about trying out for a soccer team. Sam had practically begged and pleaded, even offering to train more—which he hated—just for Dean to sign the permission form, but he knew that their Dad would find out eventually and that would never end well for either of them.

Dean just nodded his head and didn't comment any more on the subject. "How'd the job go?" he asked trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

John began to tell him all the details about the shapeshifter he hunted a few states over. They continued talking about it with Dean asking detailed questions and making mental notes, all while reflexively keeping a watchful eye on his brother and sister.

Katie squealed in delight with her arms held up high as she went down the slide for the hundredth time. She jumped off at the bottom and, like always, took off running to get to the ladder again. As she began to turn right to get to the ladder, she tripped over her own feet and fell down—hard.

John and Dean both saw it happen and jogged over to Katie who had pushed herself up into a sitting position, but the waterworks had already started.

"Are you okay?" John asked concerned as both he and Dean squatted down beside her.

"Deeeeeaan….it hurts!" Katie completely ignored John's question and held up her hands to show Dean. "Owey. Owey! You gots to fix it," she begged Dean with her tear-stained face.

Just what I need. Not one but two drama queens in this family, Dean thought as he grabbed both of her small hands to see what the problem was. "Remember? It's hard for Dr. Dean to concentrate when you're crying." Like a switch had been flipped, Katie immediately stopped crying and sniffled a few times as she waited for Dean to do something. Oh yeah, real hurt, Dean smirked. It was a trick he'd learned-if she stopped crying right away, she wasn't really hurt that bad. He used his own hand to brush the rocks off of her hands, only to find that some rocks actually had broken the skin in a few places. Luckily it wasn't really bleeding. He took the bottom hem of his shirt and wiped off all the extra dirt and blood.

John was taken back by the scene that was unfolding in front of him. His one and only baby girl was hurt and she wanted nothing to do with him. She only wanted Dean. He felt like someone had just punched him in the gut and it hit him like a freight train just how much he had been gone during her formative years. He wished to death he could change it all, but he sighed when he realized he just couldn't give up on his quest.

"There ya go. All gone," Dean stated triumphantly, noticing a small grin from his dad.

"But Dean, you gots to kiss it. That's the only way it gets betterer," Katie said.

Damnit. For a kindergartener, she had a freaking good memory. Dean had said that one time like over a year ago when she accidentally burnt her hand with hot water just to get her to stop crying. Dean felt all the blood rush to his cheeks, which he was sure were bright red by now. He was too embarrassed to make eye contact with his dad, who he heard let out a small chuckle. He quickly pulled her hands up higher and gave each one a quick kiss.

"Yay!" Kate exclaimed seemingly forgetting she was ever hurt to begin with. Dean picked her up and put her on her feet. He glanced over and saw Sam waving good-bye as his friend left with his mom. Dean grabbed Katie's hand and the three of them walked over to Sam.

"Sammy, look! It's all betterer now!" she said letting go of Dean's grip so she could hold up both hands for Sam to see.

He was slightly confused as to what had happened, but he just looked at her and said matter-of-factly, "It's better, Katie."

"I know. That's what I said. It's betterer now." She looked up at John and holding her hand in front of her mouth, she 'whispered' up to him, "I think you gots to check Sammy's ears cuz he's deaf." Sam gave Dean this look asking him to help clarify to Katie that he was indeed right. Dean just held up his hands in defense showing he was staying out of this.

Sam huffed and said, "Whatever. Let's just go." He turned around and started walking back home. John couldn't wipe the grin from his own face the entire walk home. Gosh, he loved these kids so much. He'd forgotten how a six year old could just warm your heart. He wished he could be around more to enjoy this phase before she grew up hated every authoritative figure in her life. Or maybe, just maybe, she'd turn out as respectful and obedient as Dean. He inwardly sighed. Nope, the Winchesters just never got that lucky.

Papa Winchester finally made an appearance. Yay! I know it was a little fluffy this time, but I have future plans to explore a different side of the John/Kate relationship when she's older.

Drop me a quick line and let me know what you thought. It helps put some extra pep in my step :)