Author's note: Thanks for the comments. I am still very sick. I got my second picc line Friday. I stay incredibly tired all the time. So, chapters are slow and my brain is as well. My main goal is to entertain people, although not all of my story choices will be everyone's favorite. Reviews guide the story. Well, that and periodic breaks from reality where my brain just goes with it.
(Marie's house)
The morning of Christmas eve started off early. Marie had to wake up to get ahead of everyone else. She was thrilled with being able to cook for so many people. She and Rod had been asked by Ellen to take on three more people for Christmas. She didn't need to ask questions and immediately said yes.
Rod had Caleb and Lee help him with moving beds in and out of rooms. Of course the kids could share rooms but the other two might not want to share a room with people they didn't know. They were going to need more rooms if every holiday was going to be like that.
Stacy Wells packed up her two kids and drove in a direction she had never been in. It took a lot of convincing from Ellen to get Stacy to even consider making the trip to the farm. She didn't want to impose. She couldn't give her kids the Christmas they deserved due losing her husband a few months before. He was a hunter and a freak accident on a hunt ended his life.
Andy heard about the kids and stared down the driveway. They were boys, which was good. He was outnumbered by the girls. Ben and Ian didn't really count because they didn't listen enough to be useful. He ran back inside to let Rod know that he saw a car and sighed heavily when Caleb told him to stay inside.
Caleb didn't want Andy to overwhelm the kids.
Rod and Marie went out to greet Stacy. They asked how the drive was and introduced themselves.
Stacy introduced herself and her two boys, Dillon and Zachary.
Zachary's eyes were wide as he took in the scene. It looked like one of those snow globes.
Sensing that Zachary would be comfortable making a new friend, Rod waved for Andy to come outside.
The two boys were the same age and buddied up quickly.
Dillon was quiet. His eyes never stopped moving and he looked tense.
"You can come inside where it is warm." Marie said. "The rest of the kids around your age will be here tonight."
Dillon just nodded slightly.
Stacy stepped into the house and froze. It was beautiful. The decorations made her feel like she had stepped into a Christmas village. She saw Dillon furrow his eyebrows but ignored his reaction.
Dillon was newly 12 and had always been more reserved than Zachary. It got worse after his father died. He had to protect his mom and little brother so he couldn't afford to get caught up in the holiday spirit.
Andy and Zachary had a lot in common. They both liked Transformers. Andy showed Zachary all of the cool spots around the house. He showed him the tree house and the small barn that kept the smaller animals warm during the winter.
Zachary looked over the railing at a few of the bunnies. "Can I hold one?"
Andy started to climb over and get one for Zachary but decided to ask for help instead. His impulse control was starting to emerge.
Rod let the boys climb in with the bunnies. He got to know Zachary a little bit better and thought he fit in nicely. "Marie has lunch ready. We should head inside."
Andy abandoned the bunny and grabbed Zachary by the hood of his coat.
Zachary stumbled.
Rod righted him.
Andy apologized quickly and told Zachary to run. One of the best parts of going to Marie's house was the food. He wasn't limited on sweets like he usually was at home.
Dillon saw Andy and Zachary running and tensed for a moment. He saw smiles on their faces and relaxed. He didn't know anything about the strange place they were in. He didn't know if it was warded or how well it was warded. He didn't know anything about the people there. They seemed nice but plenty of bad people seemed nice.
Kids swarmed the kitchen and scuttled off to a side room to enjoy their food. The side room had been cleaned out for that exact purpose.
Dillon bit into something that he wasn't really sure what it was. He was surprised that it was good. His mom cooked but hadn't much since his dad died. He could get comfortable there if the food was always like that.
Caleb sat Ian's food down and stepped away. The adults had decided to let the kids govern themselves as long as they weren't doing anything too bad. No one needed to micromanage Ian or Ben and tell them to eat slower. They would work it out.
Zachary excitedly told Dillon about what he saw outside. "We can go on the four-wheeler!"
Dillon's interest was piqued but he didn't show it. He needed to get a better read on the place before he even thought about having fun.
(Sioux Falls)
Kate scooped Millie into her arms and gave her a kiss on the head. She would have liked to take Millie with them but Marie had too many dogs. Her dogs were nice but Kate didn't want the cats to accidentally get let outside and no one know.
Dean jingled his keys. He was standing at the door to his room trying to remember what he had went upstairs to get.
"Missing time?" Taylor asked.
Dean turned. "No. I came up to get something and now I don't know what it was."
Taylor sighed. "Sadly, that is too normal for me to make fun of you about." He looked around Dean and thought about what Dean would need. "Hopefully it wasn't protection."
Dean lightly elbowed him by throwing his arm back. "Dumbass." He waved Taylor off and suddenly remembered what he was looking for. He had a pocket knife in a drawer. He had stopped using it as he got older but didn't want to bring a hunting knife into Marie's house with all the kids around. He picked up the knife and flicked it open. He forgot how it felt in his hand.
Taylor leaned against the open door. "Oh so it was protection."
Dean walked around him. "Are you even ready?"
Taylor shrugged. "I don't have to pack for a week every time I leave the house." He heard a shrill sound and shook his head. The comment was aimed at Kate and she heard it loud and clear.
The gravel outside crunched as a new car pulled in. Pamela had gotten the invite for Christmas but decided to car pool with John.
"I'm riding with you." Taylor said to Dean.
"I should make you ride with them." Dean said. "Pain in my ass."
Kate hopped down the stairs and tapped the window to get Pamela's attention. She grinned and skipped away to the kitchen to see if Karen needed anything.
John met Pamela outside and noticed that she had an odd look on her face.
Pamela felt a powerful wall of emotion. She saw that John's hand was clasped around something on his chest and knew that the emotion was coming from that.
John saw what she was looking at and dropped his hand.
"What is that?" Pamela asked. She reached up to touch his face. "That scowl you normally have isn't here."
John blushed slightly. He showed her the pendant. "Kate had Castiel get a few of these. This is my mother."
Pamela didn't need to touch it to feel what Millie felt. She saw ribbons of color surrounding John. He didn't talk about his mother often but she knew that he missed her. The gift of feeling someone's love again was truly a blessing. "She is the sweetest little thing."
John smirked. "Sometimes."
Pamela saw similar ribbons around Karen and figured that she had gotten one too. When clients came to her office, they wanted closure. They wanted to talk to loved ones that had passed on. Sometimes, she was able to contact them. Other times the soul had already crossed over. Even her best séance couldn't produce that kind of feeling.
Bobby and Karen finished up a few things and announced that they were ready to head out. Bobby locked the door behind the crew and stepped off of the porch. It wasn't quite night time yet but the sun was low. The sky was dark but clear. He double checked the house and got into the car to follow John and Dean to Marie's house. He liked the drive because it was just Karen and himself on a stretch of road.
Karen had April's pendant in her pocket. She had held her own so many times and couldn't get over how real it felt. She just wished Lauren was with her. It helped sooth her that Lauren was in heaven. She did want to know what heaven looked like for Lauren. One day she'd visit her.
Dean passed by John after being told they were stopping to get gas. He found a good speed and didn't slow down until Taylor sat forward.
"There are deer or something." Taylor said.
Dean slowed down drastically. "Where?"
Taylor tilted his head. "Around the next curve."
Dean continued. "Did you see them?"
"No, I can hear them." Taylor said.
Dean slowed down going into the curve. He saw several horses and flashed an on coming car with his headlights.
The other car was able to come to a stop a few yards from the horses. They would not have had time to react had Dean not warned them.
Dean tapped his horn. "What the hell are horses doing in the road?"
Kate rolled down her window and held out her hands. The horses were friendly and one came up to greet her. She scratched its forehead and looked around to see where they came from.
Dean wasn't sure if they were just horses that escaped or if he was dealing with a white horse situation.
A man emerged from the trees with a bucket of food in his hand. He apologized and shook the bucket so the horses would follow him.
Dean slowly pulled away. "Was that weird to you?"
"Nah. Horses got out." Kate said. "It happens."
"Wait, how did you hear them?" Dean asked.
"Their hooves were crunching the snow." Taylor said. "Oh. I just hear stuff sometimes."
"Yeah, but the music was on." Dean said.
"It is called selective listening." Taylor said.
"I can do it too but my head is usually too full of thoughts to pin point noises." Kate said.
"I was listening for different stuff." Taylor said. "The snow makes a noise as it falls."
Dean shrugged. "Do you think your ability works with radar?"
Taylor smiled. "If you get caught in a speed trap, Kate can just tell the cop to give you a warning."
"I knew I kept you two around for a reason." Dean said.
Kate closed the book she had been scanning. "Can you slow your heart rate?"
Taylor furrowed his brows. "Why?"
"I don't know. We know our hearts are slower than normal. Monks meditate and lower their heart rates. I am assuming we can as well." Kate said.
"That would be helpful if you were hiding from a vamp or something." Dean said.
"Or you know I could throw the sound the opposite direction." Taylor said.
"You can throw voices." Dean reminded him. "That is a little different than a heartbeat."
"So, I can learn how to produce useful noises." Taylor said.
"I'm okay with this kind of discovery." Dean said. "It isn't at my expense and shouldn't land either of you in hot water."
"You are just thinking of ways to use our abilities to benefit you." Kate said, lightly.
"Getting out of tickets does benefit me. Better yet, I won't get one." Dean said.
Kate was quiet for a suspiciously long time. "What if we get trapped underground and there is no oxygen. I think I'd be fine but I could also heal you over and over again."
"Why wouldn't you just zap us out of there?" Dean asked.
Kate scribbled something in her notebook. "We always need a plan B."
"Do you notice the scenarios always involve you and never dad?" Taylor asked. "I don't think dad would ever get caught up in anything like that."
"I hope no one ever does. We have a pretty solid team so hunts aren't quite as dangerous now." Dean said. He didn't believe that. It only took a fraction of a second for things to go wrong. They had advantages but something killed a majority of the archangels. Something out there was bigger than anything else. They just didn't know what it was. He turned the music up. "Less talking. More listening."
Kate looked out the window as trees and signs zipped by. The drive was so familiar but she always took time to enjoy the sights. It was dark. Out on the main road, the only thing they could see was the road through Dean's headlights. She could fine tune her vision and see better than an average human but sometimes she preferred to be an average human.
Dean took the next exit to gas up before the final leg of the drive. It wasn't that long of a drive but he had a habit of keeping Baby filled. It was easier on the car but he didn't want to run out of gas if something unexpected happen.
Taylor got out of the car and stretched. He looked up at the street lights and snickered.
Dean looked up and had the same reaction.
Kate looked up and tilted her head to the side. What was funny about the – "Oh my god. You are both children."
Each pole had lights that flickered on and off. All the way down the street were different Christmas items. One had a candy cane. One had a stocking. The one that they found funny was a candle with two ornaments. The flame had been extinguished, likely by teenagers with good aim. There were tiny shards of glass and a few rocks under the sign.
Dean shook his head. He wasn't going to say anything to the employee inside the gas station. He had no idea how long the "candle" had been there and it was hilarious.
"I can't wait to have human company. You are Neanderthals." Kate said. She needed female company because guys were dumb.
Dean pulled out of the parking lot and toward the interstate. "Hey, pass me some of the jerky."
Kate ducked down to reach the snack bag as it had fallen to the side.
Dean looked in the rear-view mirror to chuckle about the candle again. He saw the lights turn on and off in a sequence that looked like it was chasing the car. That wasn't what caught his eye. Every single light was red. He sped up which caused Kate to complain. He shook his head. That was probably normal. It was Christmas. They were Christmas lights. Kate saw red with Abaddon. If the red lights were due to Abaddon, why didn't Taylor react? Was it a demon sign? If so, was it strong enough to mask itself from the kids? He didn't want to upset Kate. They needed one peaceful holiday. He reached over the seat and snapped his fingers. "Jerky."
Kate slapped two pieces of jerky into his hand and sat back. "Jerk without the y."
(Marie's house)
Bobby and Karen got to Marie's house right before Dean and the kids did.
Taylor baled out of the car. "Where is dad?"
Dean gave him a subtle head shake. John was wherever he and Pamela wanted to be and that was none of their business.
"They'll be here soon." Bobby said. "How was the drive for you kids?"
"We nearly died." Kate quipped.
"You're fine." Dean said.
Andy ran outside to say hi. He hugged Karen around the middle and launched into a play by play of the day. "I have a new friend!"
The new friend was quickly introduced as soon as they got inside.
Dean introduced himself to their mom and got a partial look at the older boy. He caught Ian and held him upside down. "I see that the house is still standing."
Ben hit Dean in the back of the leg with his body.
Dean stumbled. He let Ian go and asked Caleb how he got the black eye.
Taylor and Kate approached Dillon. They didn't need abilities to know he was uncomfortable.
"Uh, I'm Taylor. Marie and Rod are my real grandparents." Taylor said.
"I'm Kate." Kate said. "Do you want to hang out with us?"
Dillon was polite but standoffish. There were too many new people.
Kate thought that Taylor would be the better person to talk to Dillon. She spun around and saw a glint of copper. "Charlie!"
Charlie grinned. "You're here! I have something to show you."
Bobby stopped Kate and whispered something into her ear. "I'm going to go pick up Jess and Sam." He drove down the road a mile or two and parked. One of the car doors opened and Jess got inside.
Kate tapped on Bobby's window to tell him to roll it down. "You might want to take a while. There isn't anything out here to pick them up from."
Sam hugged her. "Thank you." Traveling with Kate was so much better than flying.
Kate popped back into Charlie's room. Charlie had created a new program and wanted to show Kate. It could help with the search.
Charlie typed in a few keywords and grinned as dozens of links popped up on the screen. "You can search weather patterns and any sign you want. There are way too many cattle mutilations that are not demon related at all."
"How do you know they aren't?" Kate asked.
"I know enough of them aren't." Charlie said. "Some people are into some freaky stuff. Like some people try to get high on puffer fish. Puffer fish are deadly. Why would you want to do that?"
"Isn't most of the stuff people get high on kind of deadly?" Kate asked.
"Well…. Yeah but no puffer fish are harmed while making meth." Charlie countered. "All of these are uncharacteristic weather patterns. A tornado in Oklahoma is probably just a tornado. However," She tapped the screen, "Two back-to-back in Alaska this year does raise some questions."
Kate was thrilled. "This is awesome. You are a genius."
Charlie smiled. "I know."
Bobby waited a half hour before he drove back to Marie's house. He wasn't worried about Stacy questioning him but Lee had been there long enough that it would take longer than a few minutes to even make it out to the main road. He helped Jess with her bag and followed them into the house.
Sam got the same welcome speech from Andy that everyone else had. He waved to Zachary and carried bags to the room that they had been assigned. The house was definitely more crowded than it had been.
Taylor was wearing Dillon down slowly. He knew why the other boy was tense. "Uh, I heard your dad…"
"Died." Dillon said sharply.
Taylor sighed. "Yeah." He spoke before Dillon turned away. "Mine too."
Dillon swallowed. "How?"
"He was a hunter." Taylor said.
Dillon slumped. "That is how it goes, right?"
"I guess." Taylor said. "I'm not trying to buddy up to you by talking about parents but most of us have lost one if not both parents. My mom died most recently. I never met my real dad but my step dad was an ass. Kate lost both of hers. Dean's dad isn't here yet but he adopted both of us. He lost his dad when he was 4. Charlie, the redhead, lost hers when she was 12. Dean and Sam lost theirs when Sam was 6 months old."
"So, what is this?" Dillon asked, motioning to the groups of people.
"Family." Taylor said. "They are my biological family but they treat everyone the same. My nana was so excited when I got my "new" family. They adopted Charlie. Krissy has been here for a while. That is her dad. Then there is Caleb and his family and James and his. Most of us are not related. Family just doesn't end in blood."
"Do they all know?" Dillon asked.
"About hunting? Yeah. Not everyone hunts of course. This house is warded. The warding extends beyond those trees. Then there is warding just incase that warding gets messed up. The dogs alert if anyone or anything gets too close to the property. They love little kids and will knock you down on accident but anything or anyone else is in bad shape. There used to be coyotes around here."
Dillon had met a few of the dogs. They didn't seem mean. "What is out there?"
"Building wise or animals?" Taylor asked.
Dillon shrugged.
"I don't know if you saw the fences but those pastures go on for miles. There are several barns. Some have cows and horses. Others have goats. The one closest to the house has chickens and rabbits. Oh, they have pigs too." Taylor said.
Dillon's eyes flicked to the side as he heard a yelp. He saw Zachary and then Andy. He heard a pop and something flew up from the floor as he heard another yelp.
"They have poppers. You turn them inside out and put them on the floor and they pop up." Taylor said. "You know, it is easier to make sure he is safe if you actually go over there."
Dillon didn't think he was being that obvious.
Taylor gave him a small smile. He nodded his head toward Dean. "He is doing the same thing."
"He doesn't think it is safe?" Dillon asked.
"He knows it is but he's been stuck in protective big brother mode for years and never really relaxes." Taylor said.
Dillon didn't want to get stuck like that but he also didn't want anyone to get hurt on his watch.
Taylor got the younger kids to go toward the extra room that had been set up for them. That would let Dillon relax as he could stand by the door and make sure no one entered or exited that he was uncomfortable with. Small steps.
Karen saw her opportunity and pulled April into a quiet room. She showed her the pendant and explained what it was.
April held the pendant and let tears fall. She felt Elizabeth's arms wrapping around her. "This means so much."
Karen let her cry on her shoulder. "Kate is the one who got it."
April was so touched and an emotional mess. She couldn't comprehend how real it felt. If she closed her eyes, it was like Elizabeth was in the room with her.
Caleb figured April was okay since she was with Karen. He had an eye on the boys, loosely, and was making sure Lauren didn't get trampled. That would be difficult since Marie had her but life with two boys taught him to expect the unexpected.
John and Pamela finally arrived and filtered through people as they settled in.
Sam had something he wanted to say but was waiting for all of the important people to be in one room.
John whistled loudly after Sam spoke to him.
The room got quiet.
Sam looked embarrassed. "Oh, I didn't intend for everyone to just stop talking."
"Now you can tell them." John said.
Sam rocked back onto his heals. He let his eyes drift around the room. "Kate?"
"Oh, she will hear you." Dean said.
Sam grabbed Jess's hand and took a deep breath. "Next semester will be our last semester at Stanford."
"Why?" Marie asked the question the majority of the room wanted to ask.
"Well, Stanford is cool but things changed. I'm still going to go to law school. We have been planning this for a long time but haven't said anything until we had a solid plan. There is a school around 2 hours outside of Sioux Falls. I will transfer and have a guarantee that I will be accepted. Also, I will have an apprentice at a law office in Sioux Falls over the summer."
Kate tiptoed into the living room and hip checked Dean.
Dean smiled. He knew she would tune in as soon as things got quiet.
"Jess will continue her social work degree and we will live near campus." Sam said.
There were a few questions but everyone was happy with the news.
Marie already had plans forming for how to help with the new apartment.
Dean clapped Sam on the back. "I can keep an eye on you now."
Sam snorted. "That isn't part of the plan."
Kate hugged Sam and then Jess. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"We wanted to be sure things were going to work out." Jess said.
Kate bounced from foot to foot. "When I get tired of these guys, I can hang out with you."
Jess smiled. "You could do that now."
Kate raised an eyebrow and looked at Dean. "You heard that."
Dean flicked Kate. "You mean when you get shunned for being annoying."
Dillon watched his brother playing with the other young kids. He seemed happy and that made Dillon happy. He slowly let pieces of his wall chip away. He could relax just for a little bit since Zachary was having fun.
Stacy fell into conversation with April and the other women. Ellen had told her about them but they were really nice. She couldn't believe how nice they were. She was shocked when Marie offered to have her pick out a few gifts for the boys. "No. It's okay. That is too much."
"We have left overs. I don't know what they like but they are sitting there. My ladies' group collects toys throughout the year for this exact reason." Marie said.
April took Lauren to feed her. "I protested the first time too."
Stacy relented and followed Marie up the stairs. The house seemed endless.
Marie paused. "I never showed you your room." She admonished herself and opened a door. "I hope this is enough."
Stacy's voice was strained. "It is more than enough."
The room had a bed on a frame but also two thick mats which looked comfortable. There was a basket of what looked like toothbrushes and such on a dresser and a stack of blankets to the side.
"We ran a foster home for a while." Marie said. "Now, let's check out those toys."
Stacy was surprised by the selection. She knew Zachary would like just about anything that a normal child would like but Dillon was more difficult. She saw a remote-control car that she thought Zachary would love.
Marie told her she could get more than one thing.
Stacy didn't want to get Zachary more than she got Dillon.
Marie figured that she was struggling with what to get the older boy. "I think we have a cd player if he likes music. Taylor and Kate are hard to shop for too."
Stacy blinked. "He likes music."
Marie and Stacy chatted as Marie wrapped the gifts. She learned a bit about Stacy's husband and asked if she had a photo.
Stacy kept photos in her bag. She showed Marie and shared a few more stories.
Marie noticed that he wore a specific hat in nearly every photo. There was an adorable photo of the man holding Dillon as a toddler. Her. He had taken the hat off and put it on Dillon's head. It was way too big. "What about a hat?"
Stacy studied the photo. "His dad always wore one." She swallowed. "He was wearing it when he…."
Marie nodded. "Maybe Dillon would like something like that."
Stacy frowned. The hat had gone into the fire with his body.
Marie explained her thought process. "I think Rod has a hat about that color that he hasn't worn."
Stacy wasn't sure.
"If you let me borrow that I can get out my sewing supplies and embroider the same emblem." Marie offered.
Stacy knew the bear on his hat was from high school. It was unique and she couldn't just buy another hat in the store. "That is too much to ask."
"Non sense." Marie said. She let Stacy carry the gifts and showed her which tree to put them under. She would have to get creative but she was certain she could duplicate the mascot.
Krissy left the younger kids to hang out with Kate and Charlie. She kept getting bumped by Ian and Ben and since she wasn't that much bigger, she kept falling. She showed Charlie a bruise forming on her knee and complained about how dumb boys were.
Charlie let Krissy set next to her. "We are cooler anyway."
Kate was thinking a few steps ahead. She wanted to screen 911 calls instead of having to sit by a police scanner and hope that they found something. If they could create something like that, hunters would have an easier time getting to the scene before evidence had been swept away.
Dean knocked on Charlie's door. He entered when Charlie said he could. "What are you two doing?"
Charlie explained the program to him.
Dean rubbed his face. "Okay. That is awesome but tomorrow is Christmas. Can't you take a break from this?"
Kate shrugged. "Krissy has told us it is hectic out there."
"It is but you can't stay in here all night. I don't trust you two." Dean said, lightly. He narrowed his eyes at Krissy. "Especially if you have this one up here with you."
Krissy shot him a dirty look.
"Alright, we will be down in a minute." Kate said.
A few hours later it seemed like the kids' energy level was waning. Play got less active and little eyes got red.
Marie gathered the little ones to read them a story while the older kids got ready for bed.
Lee carried Krissy to her bed since she was fast asleep by the end of the story.
Doors shut, lights turned off and the house began to grow silent.
A few of the adults had gathered around the kitchen table to continue conversations.
Stacy only stayed up a short while. She liked the makeshift family. She was pleased to hear a few stories of her husband that she had not heard before. John had helped on a hunt that he was also a part of. She made a note to thank Ellen for telling her about the house. She didn't know what she expected but she found a little bit of peace.
Marie outstayed everyone as she worked on Dillon's hat. She used a steel sponge to create a frayed edge to the bill, exactly where his father's hat had been worn down and frayed. She added a fish hook to the front left side of the bill and adjusted it to match the photo. She picked thread that matched the colors of the mascot and took special care to place each stitch to create an impressive replica of the ballcap in the photo.
Rod knew Marie was who she was since he met her in their teens. He would never stop being amazed how big her heart was. "It looks good."
Marie yawned. "I hope this doesn't hurt him."
Rod rubbed her shoulders. "I think knowing that someone cared enough to make it will heal any hurt he has."
(Middle of the night)
Kate sat up. She saw that Charlie was still asleep. She woke up thinking about their conversation in the car. Most of her abilities hit her like a freight train but they didn't have to. She could gently coax them out. Sometimes, she felt power growing under her skin. It developed into an itch she couldn't scratch. She tiptoed to the window and looked out at the fallen snow. There were footprints from the younger kids racing back and forth playing in the yard. The print sizes and shapes varied a great deal. That made her heart feel a warmth she wasn't expecting. She knew other hunters' kids and families. She thought about them. How many kids got to meet up with other kids like them and play freely? How many got the kind of Christmas they would wake up to? When she learned that her father had sold his soul, she couldn't see beyond the grief. Everything looked dark. She felt that again after Crowley tied her hands. The prints outside reminded her that things weren't really all that dark. She couldn't go back to sleep so she quietly left Charlie's room and made her way down the steps. She heard a creek and spun around. Her night vision kicked in so she let her guard down. "Dad?"
John finished his descent down the steps. "Why are you awake?"
Kate scoffed. "Why are you awake?"
John walked with her to the kitchen before turning the light on.
"I made no noise." Kate said.
"I think we both got up at the same time." John said. He rubbed his face and sat down at the table.
Kate sat down as well. "I woke up and got lost on a thought trail and couldn't go back to sleep."
John had done just about the same thing.
Kate saw him reach for the pendant around her neck and frowned. "Did I make it worse?"
John furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would you ask that?"
Kate sighed. "You have been holding onto that and look sad. Sometimes remembering a loved one like that can help but I understand how it can hurt too."
"No." John said. He dropped his hand. "I appreciate the pendant. I am wrapping my head around it. I had started to forget what she looked like. I forgot what her voice sounded like. This brought her back. I am losing sleep because things are going too well."
Kate tilted her head. "Our snafu with the demons wasn't bad enough?"
"No that was bad enough. When I feel peaceful, part of me starts feeling paranoid." John admitted.
"I think we all do." Kate said. "Things are quiet. We have gone days without demon activity. I keep waiting to see hellhounds running up the driveway. Crowley has to give us time to figure out a plan but he doesn't play by the rules."
John was quiet.
Kate knew he was wrestling with himself in his head. "We've got this. Someone started pulling strings at least hundreds of years ago, probably thousands. It isn't all going to end now."
John's stomach was in knots. She had a point but they couldn't think about that. Just because a higher being pulled strings didn't mean Crowley wouldn't outsmart them. They were on the cusp of something big and he couldn't protect everyone. When the boys were little, his fear was protecting them from vampires or ghouls. Now, his fear was protecting them from hell's army and whatever being used them as chess pieces. "Do you know anything new?"
"No. Castiel has an ear out. I haven't seen anything. I think Taylor and I should start figuring out abilities. I don't want to be surprised again. Finding our strengths could help us decide how we take out Abaddon." Kate said.
John looked uneasy.
"Our heart rates are slower. We do not need as much oxygen as you do. We can see and hear things that are far away. We heal. We were designed to survive. I can teleport. Taylor is incredibly strong and can absorb electricity and create fire. If you were lost in the wilderness or trying to evade a creature, would those not be the super powers you wished you had?" Kate asked.
"You don't need to be in the wilderness." John said.
"As a hunting parent, you train your children from a young age. You show them how to defend themselves and lay a salt line. All of this is so that your children survive. We need to survive. We need to hone a knew level of survival skills." Kate explained.
John couldn't disagree with that. He thought about it for a moment. She was wanting to figure out survival skills, not blood spells or deals. He could manage that. "Not tonight."
"It's Christmas. I'm not going to try things out now. Besides, did you count how many people were here?" Kate asked.
John gave her the slightest smile. "You should go to bed."
"And we were just starting to have a nice conversation." Kate rested her elbows on the table. "No one is okay, are they?"
John slowly shook his head. Dean was in pain. He knew that Dean knew that what happened couldn't be stopped. It didn't fix the pain though. He turned his head as someone shuffled into the kitchen.
Pamela approached John and put a hand on his shoulder.
Kate scrunched her nose. "Did your psychic abilities tell you we were down here?"
Pamela smiled softly. "I felt a sense of sadness."
"He claims he just so happened to wake up and come down here at the exact time I did." Kate said.
Pamela sat beside John. "Sometimes that happens."
Kate leaned back so that she could pull her knees up to her chest. "I know….. I know… you don't have abilities."
Pamela nudged John and put his arm around her shoulders. "He won't admit it but he found that a little bit funny." She struck up a conversation with both of them and felt John becoming less tense. She could see a strange aura around Kate that she hadn't encountered before. It wasn't dark so she didn't mention it.
Kate crawled back into her bed after talking to John and Pamela for an hour. She was tired and the next day was supposed to be a good day. It was going to be a good day. She thought about the foot prints outside and let her worries slip away to a deep corner of her mind. She let her mind drift to memories of her mother. She didn't have many but she fell asleep to a lullaby her mother used to sing.
The kitchen light turned off and John and Pamela's door shut behind them. The house settled and with it, a blanket of peace. The peace would remain until little feet hit the floor the next morning. Christmas and kids meant a special kind of chaos. It was the kind of chaos that healed broken hearts.
