Author's note: I graduated last week and started grad school this week. I have been overwhelmed. I'll always post new chapters but they may be slow. You guys got me through my last two (give or take) years of undergrad. Thanks for making my days brighter.
(Marie's house)
Dean could feel himself sinking. He felt like his feet were growing heavier. He looked to Sam for a moment and took a deep, slow breath. He didn't like the look on Sam's face. It worried him.
Rod stepped around everyone and tilted his head toward the stairs. "Why don't you two go put your stuff away. Marie, do you mind entertaining the kids? Sam, if you could stay down here for a minute, that would be helpful."
Dean nearly doubled over from the relief he felt. He put his stuff away in his room and returned to the living room.
Sam sat down on one of the couches with Jess. He felt responsible for the pit that they had all fallen into.
Lee sent Krissy with Marie. He needed a minute to clear his head before talking to her anyway.
Krissy started to argue but got yanked back by her jacket.
Andy could have been gentler with pulling her but no one said anything to him about it.
Charlie decided to help Marie because she felt awkward and didn't like tension.
Dean grabbed Kate's hand and pulled it so that it was at her side. "No chewing."
Kate gave him a small smile. She was anxious.
Lee, Jo, Taylor, Sam, Jess, Kate, Dean, and Rod formed a rough circle around the living room to discuss what happened.
Sam covered his face with his hands. "We were at that festival. I gave Kelsey a spicy pretzel and she acted like it was on fire. It was barely spicy. I got a good look at her and thought something was wrong. She was a changeling."
Dean sat forward suddenly. "A changeling?"
Sam nodded. "I wanted Krissy to go with Jess so that I could get 'Kelsey' out of there before anyone got hurt. That kind of blew up in my face. Krissy freaked out and a bunch of people probably thought I had kidnapped them both. That got out of hand." He took a deep breath.
"He had me and Jo go find the real Kelsey. He sent everyone back here and Jo and I went with him to get rid of the changeling." Taylor said.
Sam grimaced.
"So, everything is okay now?" Dean asked.
Sam slowly met eyes with Lee.
Lee gritted his teeth. "She knows better." He was frustrated with Krissy for fighting as much as she had.
"Krissy kind of threw out some information right as you guys got here." Jo said.
Rod cleared his throat. "The important thing is that everyone is back here and safe."
Lee was torn between being alarmed that they seemed to have secrets and feeling ashamed that his daughter had caused so many issues. "What Krissy said…."
"Is true." Sam said.
Lee slowly nodded. "Why have I not been told any of this?"
"It is complicated." Sam said. He decided to put all of the weight on the angels since Krissy was adamant about them. She wasn't sure if something was wrong with Kate and that was easier to explain away. "Angels are real. We have worked with them. You can understand how something like that would blow up in a hurry. Most hunters see things in black and white."
Lee could agree with that. "Why do you work with them?"
"The demon issue and the freaks." Dean said. "Word gets around."
Lee needed time to process. He slowly stood up. "Does any of this immediately effect me or Krissy?"
Rod shook his head. "We can explain a few things but angels have been around from the beginning."
Lee looked at Sam. "I am sorry. Krissy will be back with an apology."
Sam cringed. "She didn't know."
"She does know though. She knows how to follow an order." Lee said. "She has gotten spoiled."
"She doesn't see how nasty things are here." Rod said. "None of the kids do. We are working to make life easier for this generation. We can remind them of what is out there without scaring them."
Andy felt a little tiny bit sad for Krissy. She was, after all, just a little girl. He heard Lee get up and knew he would be getting Krissy soon. He touched both of Krissy's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You're gonna be okay."
Krissy frowned deeply. "No, I'm not."
Andy stepped back. "You can be brave and stuff." He chewed his lip. "Dean gave me good advice for this stuff. He said if you're gonna be dumb you gotta be tough. So, you gotta be tough."
Marie turned her back because she couldn't stop the chuckle. She turned back around. "Andrew."
Andy looked at her. "I'm trying to help her."
Krissy scrunched her eyebrows. She wasn't sure if he had just called her dumb. She heard her name and gave Marie the most pitiful look. She tiptoed over to the doorway and met eyes with Lee. He looked mad that time she left the car during that vampire hunt. However, comparatively he looked not so mad back then. Now, he looked really mad and that worried her a lot.
Sam felt bad. He stepped out onto the porch and sunk down into one of the rocking chairs.
Dean followed him. "I just can't leave anyone alone can I?" He saw the grief stricken look on Sam's face. "I'm giving you a hard time. I was wondering when our luck was going to run out."
"Why did a changeling show up? It has to be hunter related." Sam bounced his leg. "She could have died and we wouldn't have known."
"Of course, you would have known. You caught it before leaving the place." Dean said.
Sam sighed. "I got lucky."
Dean turned so that he was squared up with Sam. He waited for Sam to look at him and set his jaw. "I have spent the last few days digging one of you out of a guilt pit. While I am willing to take a few more days, for you, I can also have dad deal with you."
Sam cracked a smile. "Oh really?"
"You tried to tap out on me. It is only fair that I just hand it over to him." Dean said.
Sam leaned his head back. "He's going to be pissed."
"He isn't going to be pissed. I mean, if you want to take digs at yourself he'd probably eventually get pissed." Dean said. "You used your training. Did they just run up to you or had you been keeping an eye on them?"
Sam licked his lips. "I was scanning a good bit."
"Then there you go. The discovery was purposeful and you did good." Dean said. He snorted and reached into his jeans pocket. "Speaking of dad."
Sam felt a knot in his stomach. He had been on hunts with other people. He was never the one in charge. He felt like he failed horribly.
Dean cleared his throat. "Sammy wanted to talk to you."
John could almost see both of their faces through the phone. Sam with what Dean called a bitch face and Dean with a smirk.
Sam groaned and took the phone. He gave John a report and braced himself for disappointment.
"She is going to get someone killed." John said, clearly irritated.
"Krissy? I went about it wrong. I scared her." Sam said.
"No you didn't go about it wrong. You're a better man than me. I would have lit her ass up on the spot." John admitted.
Sam stammered.
"Is Jo okay?" John asked.
Sam's face fell again. "She's okay. She was way too close to that thing. I choked."
"If you didn't choke being face to face with something dressed up as a kid, I'd worry about you." John said. "Especially with it being your first time."
Sam was confused. "You kind of drilled it into us that hesitation gets people killed."
"It didn't this time and you will know what to do next time." John said. He sighed. "You've seen the scar I've got across my back that runs under my arm, right?"
Sam confirmed that he did know about that scar.
"Ghost kid. He threw me through a window." John said. "He showed up when I was trying to burn a stuffed animal."
Sam's eyes widened. "A ghost?"
"We learn over time." John said. "I'm proud of you."
Sam stopped breathing. "What?"
"You handled it." John said. He announced he needed to get back on the road and told Sam he wouldn't see him before he went back to Stanford.
Sam gave Dean his phone back with an added slap to the back.
Dean hissed.
"Jerk." Sam said.
Dean rolled his shoulder. "Bitch."
Sam sat back down. He had a lot on his mind.
Dean sat as well. "Go ahead and talk. I'm all ears."
Sam considered telling Dean that he was proud of him for becoming more comfortable with chick flick moments. That would earn him a punch and Dean would leave though. "I don't know how you do it."
"Do what?" Dean asked.
"Manage everything. You practically raised me. You taught me how to hunt. You manage with Kate and Taylor. You always know what you are doing and I thought it would click. I feel like a kid impersonating an adult."
Dean blinked slowly. "You think I know what I am doing?"
"Well, yeah. I mean… you have experience but even when we were younger…." Sam trailed off.
Dean was dumbfounded. "Sam… I make this shit up as I go. I feel like I'm impersonating an adult too. Look at you. You are off at college and have a fiancé. I'm at home most of the time, arguing with a 12 and 14-year-old."
"That helps." Sam said. "I just feel so bad that Jo was in the line of fire."
Dean sat back. "Jo is going to do what Jo is going to do. You couldn't have stopped her."
Sam just nodded. Maybe he hadn't failed everyone. "When does Kelsey's dad get here?"
Dean looked at his watch. "Soon. You saved his kid."
"Hopefully he sees it that way." Sam said. He jerked back and swiped at his face where a snow ball had hit him. "What the hell?"
"You might be too big for me to kick your ass but getting hit in the face with snow might deter you from being mopey." Dean said.
Sam smirked. "You are finally admitting it."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I can win in a fight. Don't get cocky."
Sam cracked his knuckles. "Take your own advice."
Jess peaked her head out of the door and asked Sam to come back inside.
Sam did as she asked and saw Krissy standing on the stairs. She was a bleary-eyed mess and had the hiccups.
"I'm sorry." Krissy said, with a frown.
Sam's heart shattered. "Just trust me next time."
Krissy nodded her head. "I will listen." She tiptoed down the stairs and stood in front of him. "I'm sorry I was disrespectful."
Sam crouched and held out an arm. He was a little surprised she walked into the half hug. "It's okay now."
Krissy looked to Lee to see if her apology was satisfactory. She meant what she said but she didn't want anymore swats either.
Lee told her to apologize to everyone else and then go to the bedroom. He needed to talk to the other adults and she needed time to sit and think about her choices.
With John and Deans reassurance, Sam felt better. He didn't realize he was that dependent on them.
Kate was quiet. She was having trouble nailing down her thoughts. Obviously, the spell was wearing off. That is why monsters were coming out of the woodwork. Why though? Were they working together to take down the family? Were they trying to gain intel? None of it was good and other people were being put at risk.
Dean sat down beside Kate. "Do I need to drag you back?"
Kate blinked. "What?"
"You are lost in your thoughts and I'm dishing out reality." Dean said. He ruffled her hair. "Sam thinks he screwed up. He didn't."
Kate let out a slow breath of air. "I was nowhere near the situation when it happened and still feel like I'm in the middle of it."
Dean rubbed his temples. "Me too."
"What are we going to do?" Kate asked.
"We aren't going to lose our heads. We aren't going to blow up. That's about all I've got at this point." Dean answered, honestly.
(The bunker)
Rufus grumbled and nearly fell into a brick wall. He'd be feeling the landing for days.
Bobby walked down a dark hall way and opened a door. "You can sleep here."
Rufus looked around the room. "Not a five-star hotel."
Bobby swore under his breath and told Rufus to follow him.
As lights got turned on, Rufus could see more and more of the bunker. He reached the library and started fussing at Bobby. "You were just going to keep this little secret to yourselves? I have been in sleezy motels and you've got Atlantis."
Bobby turned on his heel and took Rufus to the armory. He swung the door open and turned the light on. "We can't go around telling everyone this place is here."
Rufus whistled and got closer to a few of the weapons. "I'm not even going to complain."
Bobby didn't believe that for a second. "I'll show you the kitchen."
Rufus was in gleeful amazement. He had never been somewhere like the bunker. He could spend days just looking through each doorway.
Bobby showed him everything he would need. "I have to get back to Karen."
Rufus waved him off. "You know where to find me."
(Marie's house, sundown)
Taylor perked up. "Car."
Dean looked outside. "There is more than one out there."
Taylor scoffed. "Coming down the driveway."
Dean squinted. There were tiny yellow dots growing in the dim lighting. "I think you heard it before the dogs did. If I toss you a Scooby snack will you do tricks?"
Taylor let sparks of electricity jump between his fingers.
Dean cleared his throat. "Do not threaten me."
Taylor put his hands down. "I was just minding my own business. You decided to call me a dog."
Dean ruffled his hair like he did while petting the dogs' heads. "Sparky works for a dog too." He slid to the side. "I swear if you shock me I will flay you."
Taylor frowned. "Sam, Dean isn't being fair."
Sam was sitting on the couch with Jess curled up next to him. "That sucks. I'm off duty."
"Wimp." Taylor said with a smirk.
Jo found Kate. "Are you holding it together?"
Kate sighed. "I'm still here, aren't I?"
Jo nodded. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm up in the air too."
"You got up close and personal with those demons. A changeling can't be any worse." Kate said.
"It was a different situation. I think I value my life more now than I did then." Jo admitted.
"Or you are just less angry." Kate said.
"That could be it." Jo said. She was reeling from everything just like everyone else. She just felt awkwardly out of place. She wasn't part of the family. She was an offshoot of the family thanks to Taylor. They didn't treat her differently but she didn't think they'd let her help with things before everything fell to pieces. Who was she kidding? Ellen would never let her assist in saving the world. She needed a skill that would be useful. Serving beers to hunters wouldn't take her far in life. She didn't think she'd ever understand computers enough to do what Charlie was doing. She couldn't heal and she didn't have abilities. She could learn how to dress wounds. She knew a little bit but couldn't save anyone if they had anything besides a scratch. She couldn't hunt so would she ever need that skill? "Do you think you could teach me some trauma care?"
Kate brightened. "Absolutely."
"I don't like feeling left out. I thought if I learned a thing or two I might be useful one day." Jo said.
"Oh Jo, you are our voice of reason. Maybe Dean will let you cut open his arm so that you can sew it up." She squeaked and fell to the side to avoid the pillow that flew across the living room. "I knew you wouldn't let me offer my own."
Dean walked over and put his hands on the back of the couch. "Thin ice, kid."
"Sammmm." Kate fake whined.
Sam shook his head. "Nope. I am so not getting involved."
Kelsey's little family made their amends and accepted the food that was made for them. While they could have stayed, they decided to get back home before another snow storm hit.
Krissy got to say goodbye to Kelsey. She had Lee share his phone number so that Kelsey could call her if she wanted.
After a hell of a day, the night brought a slight feeling of peace.
(Next day)
Caleb squinted his eyes to read the time on the clock by his bed. He needed to get up and ready so that they could go back to Marie's house for new year's festivities. He rolled over and saw that April was still fast asleep. He glanced over her shoulder and confirmed that Lauren was breathing peacefully. He had never been so fearful in his life. He rolled out of bed and stretched. He'd get breakfast started so that April could just wake up and eat. He would never dream of being disrespectful to a woman, let alone one that he loved, but he found himself going out of his way to do little things for her. He enjoyed it. He didn't know when that mindset changed. It was likely the first time he saw her. She was beautiful and a voice in the back of his mind told him that they'd end up together.
April eventually woke up when Lauren did. She could smell bacon and smiled. She scooped Lauren into her arms and carried her down to the kitchen. "That smells amazing."
Caleb turned to give April a kiss and kissed Lauren's forehead. "How are my girls?"
"We are wonderful." April said. "She slept a little longer last night."
Caleb gave her a sheepish smile. "I noticed. I kept waking up to watch her breathe."
April smiled. She held out her finger so that Lauren would wrap her hand around it. "I do that too."
Caleb finished breakfast and made a plate for himself and for April. While a quiet house was peaceful, he missed the boys. He'd trade calm for chaos any day.
(Marie's house)
Krissy watched Sam as they ate breakfast. He still confused her. He was nice but she didn't quite understand him. "How do I know if you are being mean or not being mean?"
Sam stopped chewing. "I'm not mean."
Krissy frowned. "I know but how do I know if someone is a good guy or bad guy? What if a teacher at my school is bad?"
"It is best to be cautious but you can talk to an adult before acting." Sam said.
Krissy let her eyes drift to Jess. She chewed her lip and tilted her head to the side.
"Sam wasn't actually being mean." Jess said.
"How do I know though?" Krissy asked.
Dean spoke up. "If he was mean to Jess, she'd beat him up."
Krissy thought that was funny.
"She hit me in the head with a book." Dean said.
Krissy gasped. "Were you mean to her?"
"He scared me." Jess said. She flexed her arm muscles. "Dean is right, I'd beat Sam up if he was really mean."
Krissy was appeased by that answer and went back to her food.
Taylor leaned over to whisper to Dean.
Sam narrowed his eyes.
Dean grinned and his eyes lit up.
"You're dead." Sam said.
Dean tapped the table. "To be clear, he isn't actually going to kill him." He gave Sam a smirk. "I have questions but I'll ask after breakfast."
(The bunker)
Rufus slept for as long as his body would let him. Time seemed to stop inside the bunker. He didn't know if it was night or day. Frankly, he didn't care. He slept deeply, without fear. It was a welcome reprieve from the anxious nights that he had been having.
He found his way to the kitchen and selected a meal to warm up. He made himself a pot of coffee and sat down with a book instead of a newspaper. He had known Bobby for a few decades. He was one of the few people Rufus could trust. Coming to terms with Karen and the kids took a while. He didn't have the black and white view that most hunters developed. Still, it was a lot to take in.
Then, a reaper brought him to a massive underground bunker. When he first woke up, the room was dark. He had to fumble around to find the lamp. The day before seemed like a dream. It wasn't until he stepped out into the hallway that he accepted that he hadn't been dreaming. Bobby had given him the quick tour so he needed to take his time exploring the extensive hallways and corners of the bunker. For the first time in years, he felt like he could slow down and just exist.
(Marie's house)
The drive to Marie's house didn't take Caleb very long to complete. They had gotten used to the two-hour trip. He drove up to the house as slow as he could so that he didn't run over any kids, kittens or dogs. He helped April out and unbuckled Lauren from her car seat. He wrapped her in a blanket and carefully climbed the stairs.
Marie greeted Caleb and April with a smile. She pulled the blanket back a little and cooed at Lauren. Her heart had been so full with the adoptive family and Lauren just made her heart burst. She saw pieces of her sister, Lauren in baby Lauren's face. The set of her eyes, her hairline, her dimples.
Caleb handed Lauren to Marie before Marie got impatient. He and April had accepted the fact that they wouldn't be holding Lauren much with Marie and Jess around.
Andy hugged both of his parents and started telling them about every moment of every hour they had missed.
Kate had to admit she was struggling. Her brain wanted to split. She had a short mental break as Taylor and Sam got her attention. She was used to Dean and Taylor trying to murder each other. She loved pushing their buttons but sitting back and letting Taylor annoy Dean was fun too. Taylor had given Dean the full details on why Sam had been embarrassed by Krissy. He may have added more details to make the story more colorful. "Go Taylor!"
Sam stopped in the middle of the room. "Don't side with him."
Kate shrugged. "I'm entertained."
Sam took a few steps to reach Kate and roughly ruffled her hair. "You are all killing me." He felt a sharp pain on his neck and whirled around. "Dean! Grab him."
Taylor squeaked and tried to dodge Dean but he got caught anyway. He could have easily escaped but he couldn't stop laughing.
Sam bent to grab Taylor's feet and told Dean to open the door. He dragged him out onto the porch and ordered Dean to grab a bucket. He dumped cold water over Taylor and jumped back before he got soaked as well.
Taylor yelped. "Cold!" He dashed into the house in search of a warm shower.
Marie tsked. "You had better clean that water up."
Sam gave her a grin. "Yes, Ma'am."
Dean sat down by the fireplace to warm his hands. He also liked to sit back and watch someone else be annoyed. He enjoyed the banter but he was happy for Sam to experience some of it too. "Hey, Andy. Are you going to set off fireworks?"
Andy shook his head dramatically. "I am gonna watch."
"You don't want to hold any sparklers?" Dean teased.
Andy frowned. The last 'sparkler' that he held was not just a sparkler. "No thanks."
Kate wound up in Charlie's room, laying on her bed. That happened often. She, Charlie and Jo would hide away upstairs.
Charlie wanted to research. She was on the same page that Kate was on but they were facing down a possible catastrophe.
Jo, for once, was wanting to steer clear of anything supernatural. She was nearing her 18th birthday. She had calmed down on the hunting front. She was more rational. Part of that was because of Kate. However, Sam was the last person to cross over to the adult side and Jo was curious to know if there was a major change on midnight of that specific birthday.
2003 was to mark a new year. With hours left in 2002, everyone was just hoping to make it through without another tragedy.
(New years' eve)
Andy stuck by his decision not to touch any fireworks. He jumped up and down and cheered Dean and his dad on though. He stayed by Ian and held his hand when he got spooked. The fireworks were loud and he knew that Ian didn't like loud noises.
Lauren was too delicate for fireworks so April stayed inside with her. April thought about Lauren's due date. She was supposed to arrive during the first week of January. Yet, there she was, happy and healthy. She was slowly catching up to a normal newborn size. It would be a few weeks before newborn clothes didn't swallow her. April would never wish to have a premature baby but because Lauren was healthy, she let herself enjoy her tiny size. She was like a baby doll. She got to stay little a little while longer.
Jess had been to plenty of parties in Stanford. The community took new years seriously. No amount of money thrown at an event would hold a candle to the small gathering that she was attending. She loved each person and loved seeing Sam in his element.
The younger kids were tricked again by the early countdown. They were all worn out and seemed to be glad that it was bedtime. Ian had already fallen asleep after a sugar crash. Krissy wasn't far behind him.
The adults didn't stay up much later than the kids. Kate did stay outside for a while, looking up at the stars.
"Are you waiting on a shooting star?" Dean asked.
Kate sighed. "No. I'm thinking."
Dean sat down on the steps with her. "You do that a lot."
Kate leaned her head on him. "There are trillions of stars. I just think they are neat. The term lightyear was coined because some stars are so far away that we only see their light after hundreds and thousands of years."
"Six trillion miles per year." Dean said.
Kate popped her head up. "Yeah! How did you know that?"
Dean winked. "Geek boy read it off a cereal box or something."
Kate smiled. "You do pay attention to everything we say."
Dean nodded. "So, what are the stars telling you?"
Kate scrunched her nose. "A star can explode and we may not see evidence of the explosion for decades. I feel like a star on the brink of explosion some times."
"Hey, if you explode, none of us will be around by the time that anyone sees it." Dean said.
Kate scoffed. "Sam's great-great grandchild is going to raise you from the dead to kick your butt."
Dean laughed. "My hope is that we get all of this shit figured out so that the great-great grandkids get to be normal and lame."
"You don't think the Winchester bloodline will produce a century of hunters?" Kate asked.
Dean crunched a fallen icicle under his boot. "I don't know, kiddo."
"I think we are too cursed to ever leave the life." Kate said. "You and Sam will have to raise your kids away from it, just to prove me wrong."
"Sam's kids." Dean corrected.
Kate pointed to the sky. "Shooting star!" As it passed, she turned to Dean. "Did you make a wish?"
Dean snorted. "I don't believe in that junk."
"You didn't believe in half the stuff you now do, not too long ago." Kate reminded him.
Dean let out a slow breath of air. "I'm still not used to your wings."
Kate shrugged. "I'm not either."
(January 2, 2003)
Sam opened the apartment door and frowned. It didn't smell like cookies. It was cold and quiet.
Jess placed her purse on the table and held the refrigerator open so that Sam could add the dishes of food that Marie insisted that they take. She messaged her friend so that they could get Milo back and turned the heat on.
Sam started to put their other stuff away. "It is more peaceful here."
Jess nodded. "Boring though."
Sam pulled her with him to the couch. He sat down and wrapped his arms around her. "Boring means I'm not going to be under investigation for abuse."
Jess grinned. "You are still mad about that."
"I'm not mad." Sam said. "I'm traumatized."
Jess kissed him. "You survived."
(Jo)
Jo visited Noah when she returned from Marie's house. She missed him but also wanted to form a plan about the gun. She trusted him but something like that could trigger a response from him. Hunters had to be suspicious so she wouldn't blame him. She was in an awkward spot that she didn't quite know how to handle. She decided to just bring the gun up while she was at his house.
Noah was happy to show off the gun again. "I can ask my dad about it."
Jo blushed. "Please."
Noah's dad joined them to talk about the gun. "There are rumors behind this gun. It is old. I have no way of knowing which rumor might be more than a rumor."
Jo chewed her cheek. "What kind of rumors?"
"Some, say that it is cursed. Some say that it was created with the blood of a leviathan." He said.
"What is a leviathan?" Jo asked.
Noah's dad shrugged. "Now that is a good question. They are mentioned throughout history. Things get lost in translation. They could be a dinosaur or a sea creature. Your guess is as good as mine."
Jo asked to hold the gun again. She wished she had abilities like Kate. She would be able to read the gun and know what it was truly meant for. She tilted it in her hand and got an idea. "Can I take photos? Bobby Singer is a fanatic."
Noah's dad chuckled. "I know Bobby well. Go ahead."
Jo documented every inch of the gun. Knowing what she knew, the weapon scared her. There was something about it that made her bones feel weird.
(A week down the road)
Kate had been on autopilot with school. She had a photographic memory but somehow, couldn't remember much from the last few days.
Hannah tried to help Kate's mood and attention span. Her winter break had been very boring. She asked Kate about what all went down at Marie's house. She really wanted to go over there eventually. They all sounded fun.
Kate drew a lot. She had worked through a new notebook worth of paper. She doodled during class but her teacher knew her well enough to excuse it. She appreciated Hannah although she struggled to interact with her.
Hannah flipped through Kate's notebook. "You could be a rich artist one day."
"That sounds like too much work." Kate said.
Hannah rolled her eyes. "It is less work than saving the world."
Kate chewed on her pencil. "I wouldn't know. I'm not allowed to do that."
"They are on your side this time." Hannah said.
"Yeah. I just know that things are going to get dicey and they are not going to let me be Rambo." Kate said.
Hannah found a drawing she liked. She asked Kate if she could have it. "Rambo is sweaty. You don't want to be sweaty."
"I could snap my fingers." Kate said.
"And do what?" Hannah asked.
Kate frowned. "Hell, if I know." She had ideas. She had hundreds of ideas but she couldn't just act. Abaddon had underestimated her the night that she called Crowley in to sic his hounds on Abaddon. That wouldn't happen again. Abaddon had been studying her. She would have to think of something that Abaddon wouldn't think she'd think of. How would a 12-year-old out think a demon with centuries more experience? While Kate's thoughts did get dark, due to her unfortunate past, her thoughts would never reach the level of evil that Abaddon operated with on a daily basis.
Hannah nudged Kate.
Kate snapped her head up. She answered a question that the teacher asked and went back to her train of thought. She had thought a lot about the stars. Would she do something now that would only be felt down the road? Anything she did do, resulted in immediate consequences. Some were good. Some were bad. Since Death had warned Dean about turning over the wrong stone, Kate had to slow herself down. She was terrified that she would be what ended the universe. Most of the time, she felt small and insignificant. A small portion of the time, she felt like she was at the center of everything. She felt like one small action on her part would cause everything to fall apart. That was a lot of weight to carry on her shoulders.
Taylor enjoyed spending time with Hailey again. That one creepy teacher shot them dirty looks at times but had not approached Hailey since Taylor got in his face. He had a personal issue when it came to authority figures. He didn't realize it until he got back to school after the long break. He wasn't defiant. He just wasn't as mindless as he had been. John earned respect. He demanded it as well but protected his family. He was honest and Taylor found it easy to follow most orders. He didn't know what sparked his memory of Craig. It could have been a familiar smell or someone passing him in a crowd. He felt bitter still. He thought of how he had blindly followed Craig until the end. The creepy teacher struck a nerve. He had been around Charlie and Jo for a bit too long and some of their conversations stuck with him. How could an adult man just assume that everyone and everything had to bow to him? Where did he get the audacity? How could someone be that arrogant? Taylor had found his confidence but didn't expect everyone to immediately view him as someone to look up to. The dynamic with the football team had been a little weird. He was younger than most of them but in a leadership position. Jo had complained about a few rowdy hunters that stopped by the bar. They were entitled to say the least.
Hailey tiptoed to reach Taylor's head. She gently pulled on the back of his head so that he would look down at her. "If looks could kill, he'd be dead."
Taylor blinked. Had he been staring down that teacher? He was lucky that his eyes didn't flash. "Lost in thought."
Hailey took his hand. "You did look pensive. We have to get to class."
Taylor found himself meeting eyes with the teacher again. Neither broke eye contact until Taylor had disappeared behind a wall, on his way to class. At least he wasn't a demon.
(Andy)
Andy was red-faced when April picked him up. He stopped outside the school and put his hands on his knees. He tried to catch his breath as he waited for April to signal to his teacher that she was there. He pulled his backpack off of his back and found his water bottle before chugging it.
April opened the door to the van. "You look like you just ran a mile."
Andy flopped into the back seat. "Owen and I had a race."
"Who won?" April asked.
Andy raised his hand.
April smiled. "Good job."
"I didn't win by much. Ms. Bennette said we should join a running team." Andy said between gulps of air.
"The track team?" April asked.
Andy nodded. "The school doesn't have one."
"They usually do that in middle school. Your dad might want a running buddy though." April said.
Andy had tried running with his dad a few times. He always wound up tired and being carried back on Caleb's back. "Maybe if he goes slow."
April gave him a small smile. Caleb would be more than happy to let Andy run with him. He took every opportunity he could to spend time with her and the kids. She was the luckiest woman in the world.
Caleb was tired after work. Winter time meant a lot of home repairs. He parked outside the house and took a few minutes to clear his head. He never wanted to walk into the house in a bad mood. He cracked his neck and yawned. He got out and stopped by the front door. He could hear loud giggling and that instantly cured his fatigue. He opened the door and got tackled by both boys. He pulled his boots off and carried Ian upside down to the couch. "How was your day?"
Andy excitedly told him about the race.
Caleb high-fived him and said that he would run with him. Ian showed him a painting he had done at preschool. He complimented the artwork and pinned it to the front of the refrigerator. He stepped over Riot and checked on April. He asked about her day and was relieved to find out that her day was good. He saw Lauren in a baby basket to the side of the kitchen. April often put her in the basket to protect her from the boys while April made dinner.
Lauren was content looking at the small toys that hung above her head. She had developed her voice and chattered to herself quite often.
Caleb bent over the basket and said hi to her. He sucked in a breath of air and grinned.
April asked what was going on?
Caleb waved her over. "She's smiling."
April scooped her up. It was an early smile that could be a reflex but it was fitting that Caleb was there for her first big smile.
Lauren smiled again when she was given to Caleb.
Caleb was beside himself. He would do handstands if it meant that she would be happy. He talked softly to her and grinned every time that she did. He knew he would be a jellyfish the moment she was born but the smile about killed him. If she wanted a pony, she'd get that pony.
Ian was fully accustomed to having Lauren around. He wanted her to play though. He tried to hand her toy cars but she didn't do anything with them. That would take time but he had no concept of time. He just wanted another playmate right then and there.
(Dean)
Dean got a call from Kim. They had exchanged numbers incase either of them wanted a night of fun. They were both on the same page with wanting to keep things casual so he was surprised when she asked him to go to a wedding with her.
"You can totally say no. The bride is a massive, snooty, bitch and is going to rub her perfect life in my face. The rest of the family isn't much better. I just thought they might be a little jealous if they see you. You'll get free food." Kim said.
"I don't think they are going to be jealous of someone who wears flannels every day." Dean said.
"You will dress up." Kim said.
Dean thought the slight whine in her voice was cute. "I don't think meeting your family is on the list of things I signed up for." He smirked. "However, if the food is good enough, I might do it."
Kim bounced happily. "Oh my god. Really?"
"Yeah." Dean said. "Why not?"
Kim was excited. "I will get a suit for you."
Dean groaned.
"You are hot as hell in your flannels. I think seeing you in a suit will turn some heads." Kim said.
Dean was flattered that she considered him hot as hell. He knew he was popular with woman but it was still nice to hear. "Not a tux."
"No." Kim said. "I need to measure you. If you come see me, I'll make the trip entirely worth your while."
Dean had chill bumps pop up on his arms. "On my way." He didn't really do well with parents. He didn't like meeting families. He wasn't sure why he said yes to going with her. They were just friends with benefits but those benefits were so… soo good." He stopped outside of her apartment and saw her through the window. He hopped up the steps and greeted her when she opened the door.
Kim pulled him inside. She had only recently told him where she lived. They were both still very clear that they didn't want a relationship. "Shirt off."
Dean smirked. "Bossy."
Kim rolled her eyes. "I told you I need to measure you." She squeaked when he wrapped his arm around her. "Although I could be persuaded to do other things." She very much enjoyed her time with Dean. He met all of her needs without being a douche bag about it.
Dean peeled off his flannel and his t shirt. He held his arms out to his side and nodded to the tape measure in her hand. "Get it over with."
Kim giggled. She took her time, caressing the outlines of his muscular arms and back.
Dean shivered. He let her measure him for a jacket before her hands got the best of him. "Break time."
(January 11)
Kate gave Dean a hard time about the wedding but wanted him to have fun.
Dean did not think he was going to have the least bit of fun. He would get to mess with snooty people, so that would be somewhat entertaining.
Kate straightened Dean's tie. "You look civilized."
Dean looked into the mirror. "I look good."
Kate shoved him. "Get out of here before your ego suffocates us all."
Dean ruffled her hair. "Be good."
Kate raised her eyebrows. "You too."
Karen complimented Dean as well. She told him that he looked like a gentleman.
"I'm never wearing this again." Dean said, pulling at the edge of his sleeve. Truth be told, he liked the suit. He felt like James Bond. He made the drive to Kim's house and swallowed hard when she walked out. He ran around the car to assist her in getting into the passenger seat. He spun her around by holding her hand. He whistled and let his eyes wander.
Kim smiled. "You like?"
"Damn." Dean said. "The attention is supposed to be on the bride, right?"
Kim sat down in the seat. "Is it?"
"Oh right. We are crashing the wedding." Dean said. "You are the one that is going to be turning heads."
Kim was nervous and nauseas. It had been ages since she had seen her family. They wouldn't approve of her sleeping around but she couldn't have a long-term relationship. Things didn't work like that for her. She was thankful that Dean didn't question her as to why she didn't want to be in a relationship.
Dean bent his elbow so that Kim could hold onto his arm as they walked. That seemed like the thing to do.
"How comfortable are you with acting?" Kim asked.
Dean paused. "I'm not much of an actor." He was though. He posed as detectives and policemen all the time. He remembered his James Bond thought and asked her what their cover was.
"I am trusting your creativity. It doesn't have to be anything too crazy. They won't believe many guys would be interested in me. So you have to be flawed." Kim said, lightly.
Dean tilted his head.
"I was a weird kid. They hold onto that. You know, ugly duckling." Kim said.
Dean frowned. She was a bombshell. Her ears stuck out a tiny bit but he thought it was adorable and attractive. He couldn't look at her and see why she would be the ugly duckling. He heard a man's voice and felt Kim's hand tighten around his arm.
Kim waved to the man and introduced him as her uncle. "This is Dean."
Dean shook the man's hand. He had a weak handshake. Dean felt like he had shaken a noodle. He let Kim use him as a human shield, hiding slightly behind him as she introduced him to different people. She was tense. The wedding was boring. He appreciated Caleb and April for their short ceremony. He saw what she meant about the bride being snooty. He may have mocked her during the service, earning him a grin from Kim.
Kim really got anxious during the reception. That is when people tried to make small talk and her cousins tried to compare their immaculate lives to her own. She was prepared for it but embarrassed. Having Dean next to her had the desired effect that she was hoping for. It helped that Dean was quick on his feet and could assimilate to the tone of the conversation more readily than she could.
Dean was using hunting skills to navigate the group. He picked up on subtle things like weird looks or changes in posture. He steered people away from hurtful comments about Kim. They were just petty and catty. They tried to poke holes in their disguise. He was reminded that, although his family was a pain in his ass, they were loving. They were approached by Kim's sister's husband and he could tell right away the guy was an idiot. He heard a comment and stepped forward slightly.
Kim bit her lip. Dean had countered the guy's comment in a way that she wasn't expecting. There was a slight growl to his lowered voice.
Dean saw Kim out of the corner of his eye. He thought she was about to cry. He managed to get her far enough away from other people to ask her what was wrong.
Kim fanned her face. She blushed although her face was already red. How could she explain that the growl and the protective posture had nearly made her faint.
Dean caught onto what was happening and grinned mischievously. He whispered something into her ear and watched for her reaction. He smirked and stashed that tidbit of information away for later that night.
Kim grew tired after a few hours. She had done the damage she wished to do. Rumors were swirling about her and Dean. It struck the right nerves. She had annoyed the right people.
Dean started the car once they got in. "So, you like the voice?"
Kim unstrapped her heels. "Hmm?"
Dean repeated what he had whispered and laughed when she turned red again. That was going to be a great source of fun for him.
Kim changed the subject. "Thank you for coming with me."
"I had fun." Dean said. "I like messing with people."
Kim looked at him with a slight, jokingly, disapproving look. "Obviously." She got quiet for a bit. "They are kind of jerks."
Dean nodded. "More than kind of."
Kim wanted to explain without giving too much away. "I was a sick kid."
"Why would that cause them to say that stuff?" Dean asked.
"Some of them thought I was faking it to get attention." Kim admitted.
"Were you?" Dean asked.
"No." Kim said. "I was always pale and allergic to everything. I was frail. So, I got some nicknames and stuff."
Dean sighed. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. They are going to be talking about this for a while." Kim said, slightly nudging him.
Dean heard a few things. They had said he was only with her out of pity. He wasn't sure why that would make any sense. She was hot. She had her own place. She had a job. She wanted nothing but a partner for a good time.
As they walked through the door of Kim's apartment, her guilt got to her. "They have their reasons for thinking that you shouldn't be with me."
Dean took his suit jacket off. "Yeah?"
Kim couldn't bring herself to talk about it.
Dean cupped the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you married?"
Kim shook her head.
"Are you a black widow?" Dean asked. If she was going to kill him, she had plenty of chances previously.
Kim laughed. "No." She fell back onto her bed. "Nothing like that."
Dean took his tie and button up off. "Then nothing else matters." He pulled her to be closer to him. "One more thing?"
Kim gasped. "What?"
"Are you human?" Dean asked.
That got a good giggle from Kim. "Yes!"
Dean grinned. "Then we are good to go."
Kim kissed him. "So, you do have standards."
Dean rolled over. "Yes, and you meet all of them." He was kidding when he asked her if she was human. It was probably funnier to him than it was to her. She was clean, unmarried, probably not a serial killer and 100 percent not a reaper. That checklist seemed silly but with Dean's luck, it was all relevant and necessary.
