Hello! Happy New Year to you all! I hope it's off to a great start. This was intended to be published on the 22nd, but work consumed my life this week unfortunately. However, it's all good because here's the chapter!

I can't believe I started this story FIVE years ago. Writing Katie has helped me get through some rough times and I hold her very dear to my heart. But none of this would have been possible without YOUR support! To all of those who have been with me since the beginning and to those who joined us along the way, you are amazing and help me always keep fighting. I owe you all!

A special shoutout to Emma Winchester 424 for being my biggest cheerleaders in writing and in life. If you haven't already, do check out her stories! Her daughter fic will blow you out of the water. You can find her story Where Do We Go Now linked in my Favorites.

I hope you enjoy another chapter of Kate :) Please let me know what you thought! Your reviews add extra sunshine to these cold days, so please drop a line if you feel inclined or want to share an idea for a future chapter:) Either way, I appreciate you stopping by to read!

Dean – 30

Sam – 26

Kate – 22

As with everything in life, there was a beginning. Every person, event, or even bad habit had a starting point. At times, habits could become second nature and it was easy to forget when they first began. But not for Dean Winchester. The man could remember even the smallest event from over decades ago. His memory was unparalleled, and they were putting everyone's memory to the test tonight.

With the threat of the apocalypse looming over them, it was very rare that the Winchester siblings found a second to enjoy each other's company. Tonight was one of those uncommon occasions. They sat around the kitchen table in their rundown motel room, each with a beer in hand. Their conversation was light and playful as their adrenaline was still coming down from the hunt they'd just finished, none of them able to sleep just yet. One thing led to another, and they had started quizzing each other on the first time they'd done something. Because it was silly games like this that had gotten them through their childhood.

Dean pointed his beer bottle from one sibling to the other. "Okay…First kiss. Go."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Easy. Amy Pond at her house in ninth grade."

Dean half nodded as if he were analyzing the answer for the first time, even though he'd heard the story on multiple occasions. "You were always one to blossom late," he joked, sipping his beer. Sam shook his head with a laugh before following suit and drinking.

Then all eyes turned to Kate. She mulled over her response for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should tell the truth or to continue with the lie she'd made up eight years ago. Dean jumped at her hesitation, sliding the shot glass over to her, because if she couldn't recall the answer, then she had to throw back a shot.

"Must not have been that good if you can't remember," Dean taunted.

She pushed the shot back to the center and responded firmly, "Logan Allen in the tunnel slide," she paused. "Sixth grade."

Dean audibly about choked on his beer. This was news to him. "Sixth grade?" he questioned. "What happened to that blonde shitface in the eighth grade that I caught you sucking face with? You said he was the first."

"I lied. He wasn't my first kiss," she commented nonchalantly with a smirk.

"You lied?" His eyebrows about flew off his face.

"It was only to protect you," she mocked with a teasing grin, having grown much more comfortable with throwing crap back in his face over the years.

Dean's face scrunched up as he mouthed her very words back in distaste. He didn't like thinking about his even younger sister being violated at such an early and innocent age. He made a mental note to rip the kid to shreds. But his little sister was also 22 now, so there was only so much he could do.

Kate tore him from his boy-bashing thoughts. "Sam was going to be going off to college soon, and I needed to get the news out in the open that I kissed boys when he was there as a witness, so you wouldn't kill me, you know. That's why I told you in eighth grade."

Dean glared from Kate over to Sam. "You were in on this lie?"

Sam grinned. "Sorry, but yeah." He was clearly anything but apologetic.

Dean ran his tongue along the front side of his teeth, thinking. "Imma kill you and you." He looked between the both of them, but didn't make any effort to move. "Tomorrow."

Kate and Sam shared a laugh, much to Dean's annoyance. His mouth opened and closed before he finally added, looking at his sister, "And you're grounded. Forever."

She just chuckled, his threats not having any effect on her. If only she could have a dime for every time she'd been grounded forever…She and Sam were fully aware that Dean's "forever" lacked actual value. "Okay, sure, Dean. Forever." She took another swig of beer. "Now you go…first time you…shoplifted." She pointed her bottle at him.

When the words left her mouth, they instantly made Dean hesitate ever so slightly, ripping him from the lighthearted moment. He stared at the table blankly for a second.

"What? You can't remember?" she joked, sliding the shot glass closer to him.

But, of course Dean remembered. He could recall all pivotal moments in his life. And this happened to be one of them.

The Winchester clan was at the local supermarket, picking up supplies, just the basic survival necessities. Milk, cereal, bags of salt. The essentials.

Almost two-year-old Katie was happily buckled into the seat of the cart, playing with a small Barbie doll she'd gotten from a McDonalds happy meal, while six-year-old Sam sat inside the cart, flipping through a picture book. Ten-year-old Dean pushed the cart the best he could as he trailed behind his dad up and down the aisles.

It had only been a year since the unthinkable had happened. Since John had become a single parent, forced to raise his three young children on his own. And it wasn't going well for him. With the one year anniversary of Mary's death having passed only a month ago, John was still in a funk that nobody could bring him out of. He was irritable, grumpy, and restless, often staying up longer after the kids had fallen asleep so he could research the supernatural and cases—trying to find what killed his beloved wife.

They were almost finished with their grocery run, making one last stop at the produce section. However, on the way there, they passed the bakery area and a thought suddenly occurred to Dean. He stopped the cart and jogged a few steps to catch up to John, wanting to be out of earshot from his siblings.

"Hey, Dad!" Dean called out after him, causing the father to stop and turn around.

"Yeah?"

Dean knew he had to tiptoe around his dad right now. He had to tiptoe around him pretty much every day, but his feelings were heightened around certain dates, and Dean had picked up on it over the last year. He hated that it had to be this way, but he knew to choose his words very carefully. He took a deep breath and asked, "Can we get a cake or something for tomorrow?"

Dean had said it so specifically that it peaked John's interest. "Tomorrow?"

The eldest boy's brows furrowed for a moment until he quickly fixed them. He was still learning how to control his facial expressions around his father. Dean glanced back at the cart and saw that both siblings were still entertaining themselves, oblivious to their conversation. "Tomorrow…for Katie's birthday," Dean replied, careful about his tone.

Last year, they hadn't celebrated Katie's birthday in the slightest. Dean had allowed it to happen, overcome with grief himself at losing their mom so recently. But this time was different and he thought maybe his dad just needed a quick reminder.

"Huh." John didn't say anything else. He didn't acknowledge if he'd simply forgotten or had chosen to forget. It was another birthday he would be forced to celebrate without Mary…just one year after her murder. He ran a hand down his exhausted face and replied stoically, "Not this time, Dean." There was a brief pause before he tried to justify his decision. "She won't remember it anyway."

Whether he meant that she wouldn't remember having a celebration or whether she wouldn't remember their lack of one, he didn't make it clear.

"But, Dad, I think we—" Dean had always had the brotherly instincts to try and fight for what was best for his siblings.

"Dean. That's enough," John stated firmly.

And Dean also knew when he had to back down. He pressed his lips together and diverted his gaze to the ground.

After a stern glare at his eldest, John glanced around one last time as he tried to find a distraction from the emotions that were creeping up on him. He cursed under his breath as a decoy for his son. "Stay here. I need to grab eggs." He didn't even wait for a response before he took off to the back of the store to retrieve the forgotten item. He needed to pull himself together and shove down his feelings—John Winchester couldn't appear weak.

Dean dragged his feet back to the head of the cart, feeling completely defeated. However, once he returned, Katie instantly perked up in her seat. "Hey De?" It was her signature phrase to get his attention, forcing him to stop dwelling momentarily.

"Yeah?"

"Play hide seek?" If there was one game that his little sister was obsessed with, it was hide and seek. He inwardly had hoped she'd grow out of this phase, but as he'd find out years later, she never really would.

He sighed. "Sure, we can play when we get home." And by home, he meant back to the hotel room.

Katie's eyes lit up at his response and she clapped her hands together with excitement, announcing proudly, "You the bestest, De!"

There was something about that unsolicited moment…something that Dean just couldn't explain, even to the present day. Maybe it was the frustration he felt toward his dad, or the sadness he felt about the anniversary of his mom's death, or maybe it was his little sister's sheer innocence in thinking that he was still worthy even though he'd failed…whatever it was, it led him to do the unthinkable for the first time. He had to give his sister a gift for her birthday. He wouldn't let John deprive her of another one. Not on his watch.

So, he took action. Because it was what their mother would have wanted, even if their father refused to see it.

He affectionately stroked Katie's cheek in reply before going around the cart and opening up John's black backpack that doubled as a diaper bag. He opened it and started digging around, which quickly caught Sam's attention. "Whatcha doing?" he asked, looking up from his book.

"Go back to reading," Dean instructed without making eye contact.

However, stubborn Sam continued, "What are you doing?"

Dean stopped rummaging when his fingers had found what he wanted. Before pulling it out, he looked at Sam and said with exaggerated facial expressions, "You better keep reading your book because I hear dad is returning them to the library after we leave here."

Sam's eyes grew wide at the new information. Without another word, his full attention returned to the book in front of him that he just had to finish. Dean's shoulders relaxed now that Sam was off his case. He was sorry he'd lied to the poor kid, but he didn't need any unwanted attention for what he was about to do.

He pulled out a napkin—just what he needed. His eyes darted nervously over to the dozens of cookies in plastic containers, baked by the store. Dean's feet resisted at first, knowing this was wrong. Stealing was wrong and he knew better. But he also knew that if he didn't do this, he would be allowing his father's tradition of forgetting to continue. And he couldn't let his sister grow up like that.

With new resolve, he took a deep breath, pulled back his shoulders, and dashed over to the cookie display, knowing he had to work quickly. Looking right and left, the coast was clear. He abruptly opened up a plastic container and grabbed as many cookies as he could fit in a handful. He stashed the three cookies in the napkin and quickly shoved it in his coat pocket, successfully out of sight.

Not two second later, John's voice boomed from behind, "Dean."

The young boy felt his insides turn to ice. His dad had caught him and he was about to feel the wrath. He pivoted ever so slowly and faced his father, who was perched beside the cart.

"What have I told you about keeping an eye on your brother and sister?" he asked sternly, not liking that Dean's back had been to them while he was gone.

At that, Dean felt his insides start to unthaw. He hadn't seen the cookie snatching after all. "I'm sorry, Dad," he replied with true remorse.

"Don't let it happen again, understood?" he commanded.

"Yes, sir," Dean replied obediently.

"Good. Now let's go." John grabbed the cart and headed for the cashier as Dean trailed behind him, his hand wrapped securely around the cookies in his pocket.

Much to Dean's disbelief, he actually made it out of the store and back to the motel with the cookies, nobody the wiser. Stealing was actually easier than he had thought it would be. He didn't plan to make a habit of it, at least not that he knew of. He gently took off his coat and sat it on top of his duffle bag, where John would never grab it. He paused for a moment, smiling at what he'd done. He couldn't wait for John to disappear to a library or bar tomorrow, so he could give Katie her birthday celebration.

She would have an unforgettable birthday after all.

"Come on, Dean!" Kate interrupted his thoughts when he hadn't responded after a few seconds. "You remember the first time you shoplifted or not?" She pushed the shot glass closer with a grin.

Dean looked between his two siblings with an incomparable amount of love behind his eyes as they waited for his response. He reached out and picked up the shot glass, raising it to both of them. "You got me this round. I've shoplifted too much. There's no way in hell I can remember the first time."

He downed the shot in one gulp, using the liquid to wash away the memory.

After all, he had to protect his siblings.

And there were some stories that were better left untold.