Author's note: Thank you for the reviews. They keep me going. I'm sure you've noticed that I don't update as quickly as I was able to before. Summer means chasing my son around trying to keep him from burning the house down. I'm also preparing for a major surgery so my brain is busy.
(Bobby's house)
John needed to discuss the files. If he told them that they'd do it that afternoon, they'd spend all day focused on it. He could pull them out of school for the day but Taylor wanted good attendance so he wouldn't be removed from the team.
As though Dean could hear John's thoughts, he cleared his throat. "We could tell Kate this morning and Taylor this afternoon."
That was a decent option. One at a time so that the reaction would be muted. He would have to talk to Taylor though. When Sam and Dean were younger, John would just rip the band-aid off. He didn't sugar coat bad news. He wasn't sure if he had softened or the kids' abilities made him cautious. If either of his older boys needed to hear news that big, would he have tried to soften the blow? Mary's death was sudden and Dean had been there. He didn't have to break that news to them. There was periodically hunt related bad news but he couldn't remember being hesitant about it. Dean knew from the beginning. They tried to protect Sam. He frowned. He didn't even have to tell Sam that Santa wasn't real or that monsters existed. Dean did that. "I'm sorry that I always left you to deal with this kind of stuff."
Dean tilted his head like Riot did when he was confused about something.
"You were there when Sam learned that Santa wasn't real. You have always been there." John said, softly.
"I mean…. He got over that pretty quick." Dean said, hesitantly.
John shook his head. "When I called and said I'd be gone another few days. When I stumbled in drunk. No wonder Sam hated my guts."
Dean furrowed his brows. "He was a moody kid."
John stood up. "I'm going to go talk to Taylor."
Dean tapped his fingertips on his knee. Where had that come from?
John found Taylor in his room, putting socks on. He watched him for a moment. "I need to run something by you."
Taylor paused. "I'm listening."
John didn't know where Kate was. "I am going to show you what was in your file today. I think it would be good if Kate skipped school today. They think she's got issues anyway." He saw Taylor's mouth turn up slightly when he said that she had issues. He shook his head slightly. "She will need a full day to wrap her head around this. You are welcome to stay home too or I can discuss yours after school."
Taylor bit his lip. "I did say I wanted you to tell her first." He had obligations at school and now that he was being offered to look at his file, he almost didn't want to.
"If you feel off at all, one of us can pick you up." John said.
Taylor slowly stood up. "Okay. Think I can get a grape soda out of this?"
John gave him a small smile. "I'm not sure I am comfortable with you turning to drinking when you're stressed."
Taylor pulled a face. He opened his mouth and shut it a few times. He had so many things he could say to that and wondered if he was channeling Kate there for a minute. "I'm sworn off of alcohol so I guess soda is the next best thing."
John put a hand on his back and turned him to the door. "Glad to hear it."
Kate could feel the tension and it made her uncomfortable. Dean had told her she wasn't going to school. She sat down at the kitchen table and started winding the string around a new set of nails. It was the second frame and she let her mind guide her hand. She didn't know what the end result would be. She had been deep in thought that morning but she was thinking about something that John would think was dumb. She knew the answer without asking.
Bobby and Karen were told what was going on and decided to take a few hours to do something as a couple.
Kate briefly wondered if she was in trouble for something. She narrowed her eyes. No, it was probably the file. Was it really that bad? Was it anything they hadn't expected? Did they think she couldn't handle it? Of course they did. She hadn't given them a reason to think differently. She had convinced herself that she could handle it. She handled Brian telling her that he was supposed to go to hell. She handled Hellen. Maybe she hadn't handled all of that well but that was behind her.
John didn't want to interrupt her art work. It was kind of starting to look like something. If her hands were busy, maybe she'd be more calm.
Kate could hear Karen and Bobby getting ready to leave and Dean had left with Taylor. If they were going to talk about the file, she thought John might be waiting for Dean to return. They could be wanting to talk about the neurologist. They couldn't make up a fake one in Sioux Falls because that was easy to check. She thought about how expensive a neurologist would be. How would she fake that appointment if she had to go to a real one? What would a neurologist do? Was there anything that would give her away? She remembered that she and Taylor had an extra set of lenses in their eyes. The pediatrician hadn't commented on it though. She was certain their brains were different but it seemed like none of it would show up because the tests tested for normal human problems. So, vision walking during class was a bad idea. While she had been in denial the day before, a night of rest and worry helped her see things more clearly. She chewed her cheek and furrowed her brows.
John watched her. "What is going through your head?"
Kate slowed her hand and tied off the string. "You will think it is stupid."
John raised an eyebrow at her.
Kate sighed. "So, I know why I got into trouble so when I ask this, I don't mean surface level."
John sat back and motioned for her to talk.
"Why… uh.. wh.." Kate squinted her eyes. "Why do you um…" She slid down in her chair. "Why, when we do things, is the punishment a…"
John mulled over what he thought she was talking about. "Do you mean why do I bust your butt instead of ground you?"
Kate gave him a sheepish grin.
"You have been grounded." John said.
Kate had just gotten lost in thought. "I know. I guess… we are not totally human. Does it ever seem odd to you? The world is a big scary place and I got spanked like a little kid for using my vision ability. I'm not saying I didn't deserve it. Just.."
John nodded slowly. "It worked on me as a kid. It worked on Sam and Dean as kids. Taylor is a lot like Dean. When either of them mess up, they beat themselves up. It is a deterrent for sure but that's the only way they can move on."
Kate listened intently.
"Dean's grown into an impressive adult. I made my mistakes with him but I'm proud of him. Have you seen him when he thinks something is his fault?" John asked.
Kate nodded.
"He has to figure out how to manage that on his own." John said. He considered her question again. "You are more like Sam. You lose sight of things and need to be bumped back into reality."
Kate blew air through her nose. "I'd say we just see too much reality."
John poured himself some coffee. "That may be true. You both are big thinkers with a tendency to cop an attitude. Sam's an impressive adult too. You…" John paused. "It works for you. Maybe not as well as Taylor but have you decided not to do something because you didn't want to get in trouble with me?"
Kate blushed. "Yeah."
"You have to learn things the hard way. You have to see and do things for yourself. So, a sore backside is better than a bite from a freak."
Kate sat back in her chair and pulled her knees up so her shins were touching the table. "You only say that because you haven't been on the receiving end of a John Winchester smackdown."
"Just keep in mind I learned my lessons the hard way too. One day, you're going to be an adult like Sam and Dean. I'm going to correct you now so that you don't have to learn those lessons as an adult." John said.
Kate chewed her thumb nail. "So I won't be getting my butt kicked when I'm an adult?"
John raised both eyebrows.
"Amongst the four of us, we have been debating if it all stops at 18." Kate said.
John smirked. "And?"
"Dean is absolutely certain you'd do it." Kate said, crossing her arms.
John chuckled. "Not unless it was a specific situation." He scratched his chin. "I'm not going to say no because I've met older you and you'd use that against me."
Kate fidgeted. "We aren't human."
"You are human. The world is a big and scary place. I'd say this goes for most hunters but sometimes, grounding doesn't quite get through to a kid. Besides, you need to be reminded that although you have abilities, you are still a kid. You have a false sense of invincibility with most things. You are 12. If we are assuming you're out from under my authority at 18, which you aren't, then I've got 6 years to get through that thick skull of yours."
"More like five and a half." Kate said.
John heard Dean's car and mentally prepared himself. "So I better make those years count."
Kate wasn't sure in which way he meant that but she didn't think it was going to be a peaceful five and a half years. She didn't have that much luck.
(Sam and Jess)
Milo had graduated from being a tiny, very needy, baby to being a slightly larger, very needy, baby. His fur had grown thicker as he got healthier. He was a white puffball with grayish brown on his ears, feet and tail.
Sam pulled a few strands of white hair from his shirt and grumbled.
Jess smiled and lint rolled him. "It isn't that bad."
Sam didn't mind that much, as long as the hair was gone before he walked out the door. He caught sight of Milo running through the living room and furrowed his brow. "What is on his neck?"
Jess picked Milo up and scratched his ears. "A bowtie."
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"He is a gentleman, Sam." Jess said.
Sam smiled. "He needs one of those eyeglasses that just cover one eye."
"He's not a James Bond villain. He is distinguished." Jess said.
Sam kissed Jess and got ready to leave. "If you want me to walk you to class, just call me."
Jess used Milo's paw to wave at Sam. "I'll be fine as long as no demons show up."
Sam smiled weakly. "I'm still not happy that you have to think about that."
Jess put Milo down. "Well too bad, Sam Winchester. I'm going to be around for a long time and I already know."
Sam grabbed her around the waist. "What makes you so sure of that?"
Jess pulled her shirt up to show her tattoo. "I already have the tattoo, and if you got tired of me, I think your family would ditch you to keep me."
Sam chuckled. "You are probably right." Sam had been in deep thought for a few days and he took the time it took to walk to class to think some more. Although he hated all the decisions that Dean and John made for him when he was younger, he felt like it was easier that way. He had been so focused on one outcome and things changed. He couldn't keep going along with tunnel vision. Before Jess, he knew he wanted to settle down one day. He was pretty sure he wanted kids. Each day that he spent with Jess, he was more certain that she was the one he wanted to do that with. His dreams always left out the hunting world. Why did he ever think he'd be able to leave it behind? Caleb got out. Did he really get out though? Was he just sitting on the bench, waiting to get called back in? Sam still had Mary's ring, tucked away somewhere safe and secure. If he gave it to her, would that be damning her to hell with him? Hunters didn't get happy endings. He wasn't a hunter though. It was in his blood but he didn't have the same drive that Dean had. Would anything change if he asked her to marry him? They wouldn't get married right away so she'd have plenty of time to back out. Would she back out? Should he wait a few years or would that make her worry that he wasn't serious about the relationship? What about moving? She said she was all in but had she really stopped to think about that? She grew up in California. South Dakota was very much not California. Even after he graduated and got a good job, the pay scale was lower than in California.
"Hey, Sam." Brady said, jarring Sam from his thoughts.
"Hey." Sam said. "Haven't seen you around lately."
Brady smirked. "I've been around. You just can't take your eyes off Jess and miss me when I walk by."
Sam shrugged. "She is better to look at."
Brady sucked air through his teeth. "That she is."
Sam gave him a warning look. Brady was known for being a player.
"My parents are throwing a big party for my sister before she goes to Europe for a few months. You two should come. It won't be as fun as a kegger, but the food will be good." Brady said.
Sam thought about it. "I will talk to Jess. When?"
Brady started to walk backwards. "This weekend. Gotta run." He turned and jogged off to the class that he always walked into five minutes after it started.
Sam honestly wasn't sure if Jess would want to go. He'd be a fish out of water, but she was used to those things.
Jess was still at the apartment. She curled up on the couch with Milo in her lap. She had been thinking too. She needed to know how to fight creatures instead of just defending herself. Although she was an independent woman, completely capable of making her own decisions, there was no way in hell that Sam would let her hunt. She didn't want to hunt but it made sense that the responsibility wouldn't rest solely on Sam's shoulders if a demon showed up on their doorstep. She frowned as time ticked by. She finally put Milo down and made sure he had food and water. She kissed the top of his head and promised to hurry home. She stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked around. She tried to remember the previous Octobers. They didn't get a traditional fall, as it was warmer in California. It just seemed cool and damp outside. Halloween was creeping closer, and she wondered if spooky was an actual feeling. The clouds moved aside, letting the sun hit her in the face. There, now it was a typical California fall.
(Jo and Ellen)
Jo hadn't left on her own since John brought her back home the last time. Maybe it was maturity. Maybe it was realizing that Taylor, the one with abilities, almost died. Maybe she finally noticed how badly she had scared Ellen. Her mom was rough around the edges but would move heaven and earth for her.
Ellen felt like she could breathe. Jo seemed to be in a better state of mind. They were getting along well, and she prayed it didn't slip away.
Jo was keeping an ear out for freak information. She normally listened to conversations, but she had been paying extra attention. The hunter population was decreasing it seemed. The cork board next to the bar had been filled with photos of missing people. Some were probably just on a bender. Some might have fallen due to other creatures.
Ellen tried to convince hunters not to go after their lost buddies when it sounded like a freak attack. Some listened, some didn't. They needed to see for themselves. She needed to talk to John. Maybe he had something concrete that she could have. If not, hunters were going to continue to feed themselves to those damn creatures.
(Taylor)
Taylor felt a little uneasy going into the school. That afternoon, he would be learning what John so badly didn't want him to know. He worried about Kate. He could just check in with her throughout the day. He stopped and looked up. The upper floor to the highschool held a few offices and other rooms. There was a balcony that ran across the opposite wall of the doors to the school. Sometimes, banners would be posted there so that everyone could see them. That day, in the middle and most prominent position was a painting of an eagle. He couldn't help but smile.
Hailey ran up to him. "The principal loved it so much that he wanted it displayed."
Taylor went blank for a moment, letting Kate know that her painting had been displayed. He smiled again when he heard her squeaky voice in his head. Why did girls do that when they were excited?
Hailey chewed her lip and twirled her hair. "So, I did something but I'm not sure if you'll get mad about it?"
Taylor lowered his head to look into her eyes.
"The principal like… really liked the painting and posters. He thought I did it but I told him it was Kate. You know, there is that big wall outside with the school name. Um, I said she might be up for painting that too." Hailey said, sheepishly.
"That is a big wall." Taylor said.
Hailey grabbed his hand and bounced on her toes. "They were going to hire somebody but Kate is amazing."
Taylor risked a kiss to her forehead. "I'll let her and my dad know."
Hailey let out a sigh of relief. "I got my phone back today too."
That made Taylor happy. She was a good distraction. "Awesome."
Hailey skipped off to her first class.
Josh stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Uh. I wanted to say.. sorry… you know."
Hailey smiled. "It's okay. Water under the bridge, right?"
Josh gave her a strained smile and continued down the hallway. He did need a little bit of extra money. Taylor had called him out on his stupidity and he was grateful that he hadn't been turned in. If he didn't get into college on a football scholarship, he wouldn't be going to college. He gave in and spoke to the coach. It was embarrassing at first but he was surprised with how quickly his problem was solved. Taylor was hard to understand. He just came out of nowhere and made varsity. He deserved it because he was good but why did some wiry little freshman seem to know so much about everything? Maybe getting your house blown up gave him some kind of special insight. They hadn't talked about that but everyone knew. Josh had known David before he disappeared. David was not the brightest and was usually a dick. He probably blew up the house. Damn psychopath.
(Bobby's house)
Dean may have driven a little slower than usual. He finally got back and pressed his head to the steering wheel for a moment before going into the house. He cracked his neck. He'd spend another night in the panic room if she needed him too. They needed to invest in a better mat. He opened his door and got out, instantly seeing Millie sitting on the steps. He went inside and waited for her to follow him. They'd be needing her as well.
Kate was glad that Dean was back but her stomach was doing flips.
John had the three of them move to the living room. He got her file and sat down in one of the chairs. "This may upset you. Do you think you'll be able to keep it together?"
Kate furrowed her brows. "I don't plan on burning the house down but I may have to use the f-word a few times."
John looked at her. "Smartass."
"Dean said that was a term of endearment because you say it to him all the time." Kate said.
Dean jabbed her. "Just focus."
Kate sat next to Dean and tucked herself next to his side. "I'm okay. I don't know how I will feel but I won't use any abilities."
John nodded slowly. "We are still missing some information but the first odd thing is that there are records in here from times that you had to use a different name. I don't know how they tracked you."
Kate wondered if they were still tracking her.
John gave her a few pieces of paper to look at.
"Yeah, I got sick that time. This time my… I … fractured the cheekbone under my left eye." Kate said.
Dean and John traded looks. Why did she hesitate?
"Yeah, it is weird that they had my other names." Kate said.
John gave her a moment. "I think most of what you expected is in here. Not much jumps out as odd unless you compare it to the other files." He showed her the numbers and letters at the bottom of certain pages. "Not all of these have those numbers. It seems like they may be used for people that the doctor was tracking."
Kate looked into his eyes. "What is the bad news?"
John sighed. "If I am looking at these the right way," He pulled out a few more files. "You were the first."
Kate let that sink in.
"We couldn't find any before you and this number makes it look like you were the first one." John said.
"So the others got experimented on because of me?" Kate asked.
John rubbed the back of his neck. "No. You were just the first."
Kate zoned out for a moment. "Can I see the other files?"
John hesitated. "Why?"
"If I was the first, I'd like to know what parts of me he studied." Kate said. "Did he know I was a nephilian? Did he just have success with treating me and decide to branch out? Are these other kids special or hunters' kids?"
"Charlie has some of it organized. She sent this." John handed her a chart.
Kate absorbed the information. "What if he took blood from me and used it on them?"
"We have no way to know if he did that." Dean said. "Your blood heals."
Kate shrugged. "Unless it doesn't." She chewed her thumb nail. She looked at a copy of her birth records. She scrunched her nose. She left the room to grab a medical textbook and returned with it cracked open. It was less about medicine and more about how hospitals worked. There were a few pages in the back with important codes. Code red stood for fire. That was obvious. Sometimes codes were used to discreetly alert hospital personnel to dangerous situations. She knew that she had glanced at another list months ago. Billing codes…. maybe that was it. She remembered rolling her eyes because insurance companies and executives could overlook horrible things by just staring at letters and numbers. She thought that it made patience less human. "P95."
John watched her. "What is that?"
Kate frowned. "You know, I thought it was weird for a billing code to be on this paper but I guess whoever wrote this wanted someone to know."
Dean leaned over and looked at where her finger had stopped. "P95 means stillborn?"
Kate nodded.
"Your dad didn't say anything about that." John said.
Kate shook her head. "He may not have known, since I'm alive now and all. I was taken from the room immediately after the birth but it doesn't mention why."
John flipped through other files. "It is just yours."
Kate pressed her thumbs into her temples. "Taylor."
John pulled Taylor's birth records out and stopped on the second page. "P95."
"Who was the doctor?" Dean asked, looking at Kate's records.
"Dr. Richard Greene." John said.
Kate snapped her head up. "Mine too."
"You were born in different places though. Taylor was born in Tennessee. You were born in Wyoming." Dean said.
"We were both stillborn. We were both delivered by the same doctor. I don't see this being a coincidence." Kate said.
John went to Bobby's computer to look up the doctor's name. He looked familiar. Why did he look familiar?
Kate could feel tension in the room and scoffed. "I've had these for five minutes and already gotten farther than you have in weeks."
John looked at her. He noticed the smirk on her face and blew air through his nose. "I couldn't focus with all of your cutting up."
Kate pressed herself into Dean's side again. She was flipping through pages of files and textbooks.
Dean wondered if she was trying to hide away or just needed to feel connected to someone. He didn't mind except for her bony little elbow that had found its way to his side. "I'm going to make you wear elbow pads."
Kate moved her arm. "All you had to do was ask me to move."
Dean kept her from standing up. "Not you, just your elbow."
John rocked back in Bobby's chair. "I swear I've seen this man before."
Kate ditched Dean to look at the photo. "I could read you to find out."
John narrowed his eyes.
Kate held up her hands. "Or you could retrace your steps and figure it out by yourself."
Dean wasn't sure about the man either. He didn't look like the type that would go around killing babies but who knew?
John grabbed his journal and searched through it, hoping to jog his memory. He decided to call Missouri.
Missouri was already expecting the call, as usual. She answered. "Well, hello, John."
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know, I only call when I need something."
Kate grinned. "Hi Missouri!"
They could hear the smile in Missouri's voice. "Hi, sweetheart. Why aren't you in school?"
"Dad is letting me see my file and assumed I was going to blow a gasket, so he kept me home from school." She moved before he could swat her.
Missouri listened to them as they explained the file. She worried about Kate. She sounded upbeat but Missouri could feel her heart-breaking underneath. "Perhaps this doctor revived you two."
"That is what we want to know." John said. "Does the name Richard Greene ring a bell?"
Missouri was quiet. "Well, yeah."
John scrolled to the top of the webpage and back down.
"What are you worried about Rick for?" Missouri asked.
"Rick?" Kate asked, brows raised.
"If it is the same Richard Greene, he and his wife have been friends of mine for many years." Missouri said.
"You would be able to tell if he had a habit of killing babies, wouldn't you?" Dean asked.
"Rick Greene is not a bad man. I can get feelings from people and never once had one around him. He is charitable. He's a preacher and always looking to help." Missouri said.
"So why was a preacher at both of our births?" Kate asked.
"He has delivered many babies. He might have delivered one or both of your boys, John." Missouri said. "He mainly works around town but will travel in times of need."
John couldn't remember who had delivered his boys. His eyes never left Mary until he had his first look at his sons.
"Why would he go to the exact hospitals we were born at?" Kate asked.
John typed Taylor's birth date and place into the computer. "There was a big storm."
Missouri thought back. "There was. I remember that. The coast guard got brought in. For a few days, nearly every pregnant woman in the area went into labor. They were evacuating people due to flooding. I do remember Rick and his wife going to help out. That is no surprise though. They have been all over."
Kate rested her chin on John's shoulder. "Do mine."
John shrugged his shoulder. "Your chin is as bad as your elbow."
Kate rested her arms on the back of the chair, holding up her head with one hand.
John searched for her birthplace in Wyoming. "Fires."
"That is typical for Wyoming." Dean said.
"No. This newspaper claimed that these wildfires were the worst they had seen in a century." John said.
"Of course, my birth is going to burn people alive." Kate grumbled.
"It doesn't say there were any casualties." John said. Honestly, that was stranger than the once in a century fire.
Missouri offered to talk to Rick right away. She was close friends with him and could easily call him up or invite herself over for a chat.
John ended the call with her. He looked at Lawrence's weather on the nights that Sam and Dean were born. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"What if I am not me?" Kate asked, suddenly.
"Huh?" Dean asked.
"You know, some books talk about changelings. An infant would die, and the fairies would swap the baby for one of their own." Kate said.
"Taylor looks too much like Bill and you look too much like your mom for that to be the case." John said.
"Changelings tend to be bad news. You haven't tried to eat anyone." Dean said.
Kate sat back down on the couch. She sent Taylor a bit of information.
A few minutes later, John got a call from the school. He narrowed his eyes at Kate. "A fever? I'll be there to pick him up in 10 minutes."
Kate turned so that she was kneeling on the couch. "I just told him we found something interesting."
John left to pick up Taylor and left Kate with an order not to look at the files while he was gone.
Kate held it together until John left the driveway.
Dean saw her shoulders slump. "Hey, come here? What's wrong?"
Kate didn't hide her tears. "Am I even human? Why me? Why have so many strings been pulled? What is with the twists? Did someone plan for all of this? Is god just up there laughing as we struggle?"
Dean sat down and pulled her to him. "I don't know the answer to any of that. As for being human, you are Kate. You are part human. I'm fine with that. You like Millie and she isn't human."
Kate groaned at Dean's twisted sense of humor. "Other kids suffered because of me."
"No, that doctor would have done that stuff anyway." Dean said.
Kate sniffled. "No. It was my illness that led my dad to selling his soul. From what we know, the demon got to the doctor and healed me. If the doctor ran tests and saw that I was different, then he went mad trying to replicate my results."
"You had no control over that." Dean said.
Kate rolled her eyes. "I still feel guilty and you can't say anything because you feel guilty anytime anyone mentions your mom."
Dean tensed.
Kate's eyes grew wide. "No, I haven't been reading you. I swear. I feel emotions sometimes. Yours tend to be strong."
Dean eyed her. "Stay out of my emotions."
"Maybe if you didn't pretend that you didn't have any, I wouldn't be feeling them." Kate said.
"Dad was worried about you blowing a gasket but he should have been worried about you being a pain in the butt." Dean said.
Kate leaned back into him. "That's how we deal with trauma, right?"
Dean rested his chin on her head. That was how he dealt with trauma. Make a joke. Change the subject. Say everything was fine. Anything to make the pain go away for one more day. "You are not okay."
Kate moved from his lap. "Of course, I'm not. Every piece of me wants to dig into my leg or arm. I want to stop feeling this… this overwhelming sense of hopelessness."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't dig into your leg or arm."
"You think I want another butt kicking after one I got from dad?" Kate asked.
"No. I didn't threaten you either. I don't want you holding all of this in and snapping. If I have to spend another night in the panic room I really will kick your butt." Dean said, lightly.
Kate hit him with a pillow. "I miss the days you'd let me beat you up when I was sad."
Dean put the pillow beside him. "That was when you were a scrawny little kid who punched with a limp wrist."
Kate grumbled. "or you have turned into a wimp."
Dean chuckled. "Nah, I know you don't hold back when you are angry."
Kate looked out the window. "How bad is Taylor's file?"
Dean sighed. "Worse, in ways. You expected most of what was in yours. I'm not going to say too much because Taylor needs to be the one to tell you but in the little bit that Kyle could gather, it paints a dark picture. It looks like they may have known he was different, and Craig tried just about everything to get rid of him for good."
Kate's face fell. "I hope he is having a rough time in hell."
Dean furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't think of hell often, having no idea what it was actually like.
Kate saw his face and turned from the window. "When I saw hell, I didn't see much. I just had this understanding. It is different for everyone, just like heaven. I guess if someone hurt a dog or something, their hell would be payback. I don't know what Craig is doing. I can only imagine. I miss my parents. I wonder what they are doing too. They made it to heaven, as far as I know. Do they remember anything or is it like with your mom? Did they just forget that they left me down here?"
"They didn't want to leave you here. You saved your dad. None of us knew how to fix it and you came up with that crazy idea. He isn't in hell because of you." Dean said. He saw a slight flare to her nose. "I'm not saying continue with your crazy ideas. I'm saying that one worked out. Don't let that convince you to go rogue."
"If I do, I'll make sure to tell dad you gave me the motivation." Kate said.
John returned with Taylor. He had a chance to talk to Taylor on the drive and felt decently sure that both kids would remain calm.
Taylor ran into the house and hugged Kate. "I'm sorry."
Kate hugged him back. "Don't tell me sorry. You still have to read your file."
Taylor studied her. He nodded slowly and stepped back. "Stay."
Kate made sure it was okay with John and Dean. Taylor had told her that he may need her to block him if he got upset.
John first pointed out the similarities to Kate's birth. Then, he showed Taylor more papers related to when he was born. He gave the file to Taylor and let him sort through it. He winced at the pain on Taylor's face.
Taylor started to remember how bad things were. He covered his eyes to hide the blue light. "Why can't I remember all of it?"
"When people go through bad things, sometimes their mind blocks it out." Kate said.
Taylor calmed himself and continued looking. He remembered the day that the photo was taken but not the day before. Had someone messed with his memory or was it just his brain trying to shield him from the horror. He read John's notes. "You think they found something to keep my abilities at bay?"
John rubbed his chin. "That is what it looks like to me."
Taylor sat back. He remembered taking a pill every day. He was told it was for his mood disorder. He squinted his eyes. Did he have a mood disorder? He tried to remember the name of the medication. He took Kate's hand and showed her, hoping that she could find that piece of the puzzle.
Kate let go of him. "Psilocybin."
Dean piped up. "That's a party drug made from mushrooms." He caught the look John gave him. "Or so I read somewhere."
Kate looked it up in her medication book. "Dean's right. Although it can be used to treat severe depression."
Dean smirked briefly but wiped the smirk from his face, catching John's glare.
Taylor looked at the description. "That can't be it. The pills were capsules like that but the powder inside was not brown." He suddenly remembered he still had a few in a bottle. When he first started staying with Kate, he had started to run low on his medication. He asked for a refill, but it never happened due to all of the chaos. He had rationed them and kept a few just in case he got really bad. Apparently, he'd have outbursts of anger if he didn't take them. He scoffed. He was having outbursts of anger because David and Craig were sociopaths. He ran back down the stairs and handed John the bottle. "I forgot I had three left."
"The label says psilocybin." John said. He unscrewed the cap to get a better look at the pills and instantly knew the smell. He was piecing it together and grew angrier by the second.
Taylor's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I haven't taken them. I rationed them and then forgot."
John pulled him into a firm hug and held him there as though he was trying to keep Taylor from floating away, or maybe himself from floating away. He held his hand out to the side to give Dean the bottle.
Dean sniffed it and snapped his head up to look at John. "That's cyanide."
