Author's note: To clear up any confusion, current Kate didn't go to the bunker. That is another version of herself, like older Kate. It will all make more sense soon.
(John and Dean)
Dean was still on a hunter's high. He rubbed his hands together and waited outside of his car for John to return. Ghouls. They were right up there with witches on the list of things that he hated. Ghouls, like ghosts, were some of the easier creatures to get rid of. Sure, they were strong and had human like intelligence but not at the degree a vampire did.
John motioned for Dean to meet him halfway between the car and where he was walking. "Looks like there is more than one."
"Typical." Dean said. He turned his machete over in his hand, letting the moonlight catch the metal, reflecting a glow back onto his face. "I'm ready when you are."
John showed Dean the entrance into a crypt that he found. He pointed to two separate piles of bones. "Either one is messy with his meals or there are more than one."
Dean brought the neck of his shirt up over his mouth and nose. With modern technology, embalming people helped with the smell. Only for a while though. A dead body was a dead body. He got an idea. "Flash grenade."
John slowly turned to look at him. "Where did you get a flash grenade?"
Dean grinned. "More than one." He spun on his heel to retrieve the grenades. He returned with two, handing one to John.
"Where did you get them?" John asked again.
Dean smirked. "Early birthday present from Caleb."
John snorted softly. He was going to ask where Caleb got them but it didn't really matter.
Dean held up his flashlight, searching for a hole in the ground of the crypt. He doubted that the ghouls used the front door to enter the graveyard. He moved a pallet with his foot and found what he was looking for. "Clear the door." He pulled the pin on one of the grenades and tossed it deep into the hole. He ran back through the door and covered his ears.
Two minutes later the ground over to the left of them started to shift.
John moved silently. He got behind a tree and waited for a ghoul to surface. He grabbed it and beheaded it quickly, getting it out of the way so that another ghoul wouldn't be deterred from exiting there as well. He did the same to a second ghoul and looked over at Dean. He saw movement behind him and started to get Dean's attention but it happened too fast.
Dean whirled around and beheaded a third ghoul, falling onto his back as the ghoul's body collapsed. He caught the head in his hands but quickly threw it beside him. He got to his feet and made his way over to John. He ended a fourth before it reached for John. "Looks like we crashed a party."
John was grateful for Dean's quick reactions with both ghouls. They waited for a few minutes to see if any others would surface. When they didn't, he threw the second flash grenade into the hole the first two had came out of. No movement was seen or heard so he was comfortable moving on. He helped Dean move the bodies so that a ground's keeper didn't stumble upon them.
Dean grunted as he rolled the largest ghoul into a hole. "You know, times like this makes me miss Taylor. He could at least bury the things."
"You're doing fine." John said. He clapped Dean on the back on their way back to the car. That was his way of saying that he was proud of Dean for handling two of the ghouls. He didn't need to say anything and make it awkward.
Dean removed his shirt at the car. He pulled a new one from his bag and pulled it over his head after wiping off his arms and chest. He would need a serious shower but Baby would remain gunk free.
The hunting spree was nearing an end with an impressive score of four ghouls, five ghosts, and a low-level demon. They needed to get back to Sioux Falls to check on the kids. They had one more hunt to finish but it was on their way.
(Sam and Jess)
Sam looked up at the ceiling as the sun rose. He heard Jess start to stir and turned his head to acknowledge that he too, was awake. They had later classes that day so he could afford to lay in bed for a while longer. He had been awake for a while, deep in thought. "Am I overbearing?"
Jess rolled so that she could put her arm over his chest. "No, why?"
"Sometimes I feel like I am." Sam said. "I know I am protective and sometimes bossy."
Jess frowned. "Is this about me wanting to be bait?"
"Partially." Sam said. "The foot too."
"You aren't overbearing. I am independent. I don't like accepting help. More than that, you and your family are amazing. You fight actual bad guys. I feel silly asking for help with something small. I guess I feel like I whine when I do." Jess said.
Sam's brows furrowed. "I like when you ask me for help."
"Why?" Jess asked.
"This is all I have ever wanted. I like helping with small things. However, you having a hurt foot isn't small. I like taking care of you." Sam said. "It is a less stressful form of feeling needed."
Jess propped her head on her arm so that she could look into his eyes. "I'm sorry if I was bitchy."
Sam's eyes widened slightly. "Hey, don't say that. You aren't and never will be."
Jess gave him a small grin. "I'll add that to the list of things to get a reaction out of you."
"Dean just left; I don't need you to pick up where he left off." Sam said. He kissed her forehead. "Stop fighting me. I like helping you."
Jess picked the blanket up so that Milo could crawl under it. He had grown accustomed to squeezing between them. "Your dad and I talked."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "You did?"
"Yep." Jess said. "He gave me details about selling that car. He also talked to me about you. Apparently, you are the most grounded that he has ever witnessed you being."
"All because of you." Sam said.
"That and you are no longer running." Jess said. "We swapped places."
"I don't think you are running." Sam said. He stopped to think about what he had just said. "Okay, so you are running a little bit. I'd call it more of a jog."
Jess laughed. "At least it is in a positive direction. I cannot wait to get far away from here."
"Just a few more months." Sam reminded her.
"Your dad said that he could check out apartments or houses for us. If we find one online, he can look at it in person." She said with a slight smile.
"I don't know if he is the best judge of that stuff. I can't say we ever rented anything nicer than a motel." Sam said.
Jess grinned. "He knew you'd say that so he added that he'd have Pamela or Karen go with him."
Sam snorted. "Maybe Kate is right about him being psychic."
(Sioux Falls)
Kate had a good handle on herself until she didn't. She hadn't slipped up but it felt like she was holding back a sneeze. Except, it wasn't a sneeze. It was a potentially catastrophic reaction to a terrible situation. She had gotten irritated with school. When she was in art class, the teacher had a specific task for them to complete. It was easy for Kate. Kate quickly finished the apple tree painting and turned to work on what was going on in her head. Admittedly, it did look a little dark. However, the teacher scolded her publicly for not being on task. Then, she pulled her to the side after class to discuss the subject matter. "I finished the class work." Kate stated with an even tone.
Mrs. Holloway was old, by the standards of a 12-year-old. She was grumpy and should probably have retired a decade ago. "You did not have permission to work on something else."
Kate blinked slowly. She had to sift through numerous responses to avoid sounding petulant. "I was unaware I needed to ask. I typically finish early and as instructed not to strike up a conversation with Hannah. Is there a specific course of action that I should take if I finish early again?"
Mrs. Holloway took a while to respond. "You should not fly through assignments."
Kate knew she was about to snap. She didn't want to give the woman the satisfaction. "Was my apple tree subpar?"
"Art is subjective." Mrs. Holloway said, as if that was a straight answer.
Kate looked up at the clock. "I need to go to my next class."
Mrs. Holloway held her hand out.
Kate just looked at her.
"Give me your sketchbook. I would like to discuss this with your guardian." Mrs. Holloway said.
Kate's rope was fraying. She motioned to the book in her left hand. "This is personal."
"You had it out during class." Mrs. Holloway said.
Kate shrugged. "Well, I am uncomfortable giving it to you. I'm guessing that is going to rile you up so why don't you just call my guardian and we can all meet in the office to chat?"
John got the call a few minutes later. He furrowed his brows deeply. He could see Kate being disrespectful if pushed far enough but he failed to see the issue that the teacher was creating. "I'm out of town. I'll have her aunt head over."
Kate took a seat in the office and leaned back against the back of the chair. She counted ceiling tiles and waited for someone to show up.
Karen hurried over to the school. She found Kate and asked her what was going on.
Kate gave her the short story.
Karen almost laughed. "Don't you worry about a thing."
Mrs. Holloway explained the crimes that Kate committed. She added on that Kate refused to give her the sketchbook and that was a breach of the ethics code.
Kate talked to Hannah in her head so that she didn't snap her fingers and vaporize the teacher.
Karen listened to everything Mrs. Holloway had to say and took a few seconds to study Kate's body language. "She finished her painting and started drawing. I do not understand how that would cause an issue." She got a short lecture from the teacher and bit her tongue until she could respond. "No, you may not look at her sketchbook. That is her personal property. She had broken no rules. She is going to finish art projects quickly because she is brilliant. She is a fantastic artist. Frankly, you should support her instead of what you are doing. Art should be fun." She stood and motioned for Kate to follow her out of the office.
Mrs. Holloway voiced her concerns emphatically.
Karen dismissed her. She had a lot more to say but civility looked better for an adult. She changed her tone of voice to talk to the secretary. She smiled. "Kate will be leaving with me."
The secretary nodded. "What is her reason for leaving?" She wasn't questioning Karen as much as documenting things.
Karen looked back toward the office with the closed door. "I'm fired up and angry just talking to that woman for ten minutes. After a full class with her, Kate deserves some time off."
The secretary hid a chuckle. "Yes, Ma'am. Kate, you are free to go."
Kate skipped out of the main office to grab her backpack and jacket. She turned and flipped off the closed door, showing her displeasure with the teacher.
Karen gasped. "Katelyn Amelia."
Kate's eyes grew wide. She dropped her hand. "Sorry, Karen." She scurried off to grab her things and returned as soon as possible.
Karen walked her out of the school. "They have cameras."
Kate tilted her head. "So that is why you used my full name?"
"That and that gesture is vulgar. That being said, I do not blame you for using it." Karen said.
Kate felt lighter. She slowed her pace. "Are you going to tell my dad?"
"Yes. Surely, he needs a good laugh. This is ridiculous." Karen said.
"We could go to the high school and get Taylor. You could put his problem teacher in his place." Kate said.
"I think I have had enough of the school system for the day. If he gives Taylor anymore trouble I will have no issue putting him in his place." Karen said.
Kate hugged her. "You are awesome."
Karen patted her back. "What did you draw that had her in a tizzy?"
Kate's cheeks turned pink. She opened her sketchbook and turned it to the most recent page.
Karen blew air through her nose. "It might be a little satanic."
"It isn't though." Kate said. "It just looks satanic. I was mindlessly practicing symbols."
"Be careful with doing that at school." Karen said.
Kate shrugged. "Now that she is bothered, I might go around mumbling Latin phrases under my breath."
"As the adult, I am going to tell you that doing that is irresponsible and disrespectful." Karen said. She started the car. "As someone who has your back, I'd love to know what her reaction would be."
Kate's eyes brightened. "I love this new side to you."
"It has always been here. Now, you and I are going to go eat. Where would you like to go?" Karen asked.
Kate picked a restaurant. She was excited and happy to have extra time away from school. "Best day ever."
Karen nodded. She called John to update him on the teacher situation and tell him that she pulled Kate out of school. The phone call was short and John was completely on board with Karen's decision. "While we are out, you should tell me how you are doing inside."
Kate chewed her cheek. "Depends on the hour."
"Is that why I found a faded spot on your shorts?" Karen asked.
Kate's mouth dropped open. "What?"
"Leaving hydrogen peroxide on certain fabrics causes the fabric to fade." Karen said.
Kate licked her lips.
"If you hurt your leg and got blood on your shorts, I'd like for you to tell me." Karen said.
Kate slumped. "How on earth did you put that together?"
"I have picked up a thing or two from the men. You also left the bottle of hydrogen peroxide on the dryer." Karen said.
"Ah, crap." Kate said. She did kind of hurt her leg but it had been a mindless thing. She didn't mean to.
"Don't worry about your dad or your brother. We will have the discussion. I just want you to be okay." Karen said.
Kate chewed the edge of her nail. "Are you mad?"
"No." Karen said. "You are trying your best."
Kate frowned. "Dean will be mad at me."
"He isn't." Karen said.
Kate jerked her head back. "What do you mean he isn't?"
"I spoke to him about it." Karen said. "He is aware but is allowing me to talk to you."
Kate was stunned. "No way."
"He may ask if you are okay and want to chat but the ball is in my court." Karen said.
Kate went through several emotions before landing on a bit of snark. "Did dad sedate him?"
Karen smiled. "No. They are focused on a big hunt and Dean wants to see if having a woman talk to you about this will work better than when he tries to."
"Thanks." Kate said.
Karen patted her knee. "You're welcome, sweetie." She stopped at the restaurant. "Let's get some food and then you can tell me what happened with your leg."
"While I'm not a fan of talking about that stuff, I have to say, I am impressed with the direction today has taken." Kate said.
Karen picked up her purse. "You have enough to deal with. I wouldn't be a responsible caretaker if I left you there."
"You know, the school thinks you are my aunt." Kate said.
Karen nodded.
"You basically are." Kate said. "You can just say aunt instead of caretaker."
Karen smiled. "I'm flattered. That doesn't change my mind about discussing your leg."
Kate shrugged. "I have seen how mushy you get with April's kids. Don't think the name won't wear you down."
"Oh sweetie, I've been worn down since the day you pulled me from heaven." Karen said. "Bobby lets me know every time I spoil one of you."
"What Bobby doesn't know won't hurt him." Kate said. "He only pretends to be grumpy. Deep down he is smitten with us."
Karen laughed. "I don't think he ever hid it well."
(Dean and John)
John and Dean both got a laugh out of the art teacher's stunt. It wasn't really amusement as much as absolute disbelief.
"I needed Karen when I was in school." Dean said.
John smirked. "You had Bobby."
"He wasn't as cheery." Dean said.
"He pulled you out of school more than once." John said.
Dean tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he searched for memories. There was one time that he had taken hunting news pretty hard and Bobby showed up without being asked. Another time, they had been staying in a rundown motel in a county that they had no ties to. John was hunting something local and they were stuck. Bobby had driven a few hundred miles to pick them up early on a Friday morning. "You know what, he did."
"Do you remember having the 'flu' and him dragging you out of school?" John asked.
Dean was blank. He narrowed his eyes. "Was this in middle school?"
John nodded.
Dean swallowed. "I felt like I had the flu."
"Food poisoning is more like it. I don't think you ever tried to drink fermented grape juice again." John said.
Dean cringed. "I can't stand wine."
"That wasn't wine." John said with a chuckle.
"It is the evil cousin of wine and the smell of it turns my stomach." Dean said. "I'll stick with bourbon." He shook his head. He had made a friend at that school and the friend had tried to make wine by leaving a bottle of grape juice outside for a few days. "What did you do after that?"
"I was busy. Bobby and I laughed pretty hard and I let you suffer through the natural consequences. That was a lesson that I didn't think I needed to double down on." John said. "Sam learned a thing or two."
"He wasn't always the brightest kid. I will say that he was more likely to learn from my lesson than Kate or Taylor is." Dean said. "Caleb and I have tried to scare them straight. I don't think it's working."
"Add Andy to that." John said with a soft snort.
"We have time to work on him. That isn't so bad because he isn't my responsibility. He can go do all of the normal stupid stuff and I can laugh about it." Dean said. "Not that I would encourage him."
"He has too many eyes on him to match what you and Caleb got into." John said. "You both turned out alright."
"I'd say I turned out more than alright. I've been told I'm awesome." Dean said, lightly. "Give me a few years and I'll be just as lame as the rest of you."
John cracked a smile. "24 is creeping up on you."
Dean winced. "Once I get closer to 30, I will worry about it."
They stopped at the entrance to a large forest. They got out of the car and walked down a marked path to talk to the park rangers.
The rangers were so relieved to have help that they didn't question what qualifications that the pair had. "Campers go missing. We go look for them and find their camp torn apart."
The older of the two rangers let his eyes drift, obviously remembering a few of the grizzlier sights. "We have been saying bear attacks but I've never seen a bear get around without leaving behind proof that there had been a struggle."
The younger ranger loaded his gun and stepped out of the office. The sun was high in the sky. They had several hours before night fell.
John and Dean kept their eyes moving and remained alert. They reached a small clearing in the trees where several tents were scattered. With three tents, the group had to be a good size. A bear couldn't take out that many people at one time. A wendigo could though. They would need to convince the rangers to let them hunt alone.
The younger ranger pointed to a sleeping bag in a tree. It was easily 50 feet off of the ground. It gave him the chills.
Once they were back at the ranger post, John decided to take on the task of explaining why the rangers should stay inside and let two strangers run around in the woods.
Both rangers looked uncomfortable.
The younger decided to speak up since the older was concerned for what John and Dean would think of their theory. "We know that ain't an animal."
John tensed. "What is it then?"
The younger ranger pointed to a crude drawing on a piece of paper stuck to the wall.
Dean and John traded looks. The drawing was of a tall stickman with long arms and legs. It was tree-like.
"I don't know what you call that thing." The younger ranger said.
John got a good read off of the rangers and took a seat. "It is a wendigo."
The word hung in the air, causing everyone to stay silent for a minute.
"How do you get rid of it?" The older ranger asked. "The man he drew that said he shot it."
"Fire." John said. "Did he say anything else? Did he say where it lived?"
Both rangers looked solum. "He barely made it out here. He was wounded and used what strength he had to draw that."
The guys had seen a small cross outside the building and assumed that was for the man.
"We will take care of it." John said.
"We have seen what it can do to a group of people. You boys can't go out there by yourselves." The older ranger said.
Dean momentarily found amusement in John being referred to as a boy. The ranger was a good bit older but it still got his attention. "We are professionals."
"We have hunted these things before." John said. Dean wasn't old enough to be a professional at anything in the eyes of the rangers. "We will track it down and kill it with fire."
The older ranger was uneasy but allowed himself to step back. He wouldn't be helpful physically. He was still in good shape but a bad knee would put him and everyone else in danger against the creature.
The younger ranger studied the drawing. "I'll go with you."
"No. It's best if you stay here." John said.
The younger ranger set his jaw. "An extra set of hands will help."
"These things move fast and even seasoned hunters get caught." Dean said.
The young ranger stared at his desk. He blinked away tears. "It got my brother. I want to put it down."
That was enough to tell John that he would tag along unless they restrained him. He asked if the man had any hunting experience.
"Animals." The ranger said. "Bears, mountain lions. I don't go looking for them but can hold my own."
That was better than a deer hunter.
John continued questioning him and noted that he responded quickly. He could have been ex-military. He got serious. "These things are skilled hunters. They are quiet and big. They are fast. They are deadly."
"I don't have anyone waiting for me at home. If it gets me, I'll be with my brother." The young ranger said.
John nodded and asked for a map. They needed to narrow down where the den may be before it got dark.
(Kate and Karen)
Kate was enjoying her day with Karen. That was until Karen insisted that they have the mental health talk. "It wasn't bad."
"Tell me about it." Karen said.
Kate frowned. "I couldn't get out of my head. I was stuck in a loop and was afraid that I would snap and the energy would hurt someone. I know I shouldn't have done it. I guess that is why I didn't say anything. I promise that I don't want to kill myself."
Karen listened intently. "I understand the difference. We support you. If you get to that point, you don't need to hide it."
"Dad and Dean aren't here. Everyone knows I'm struggling. It just seemed dumb." Kate said.
The conversation got deep into the nitty gritty of Kate's struggles. There was a deeper level that no one could see but she would give Karen enough depth that she understood why she couldn't keep it together.
Karen took Kate to a book store and let her look at books as they chatted. She checked the time and announced that they needed to get Taylor.
Taylor exited the school with Hailey and kissed her cheek before parting ways. He had a smile on his face that didn't fade when he got to the car. "Hi."
Karen smiled. "You two are sweet. Did you have any issues today?"
"No. Coach told me that the teacher is on leave for a few days." Taylor said. That detail was also part of why he was smiling.
"I caught your teacher issues like the plaque." Kate said.
Taylor turned his head to look at her in the backseat. "What?"
Kate gave Taylor the rundown and rolled her eyes when he laughed. "I wish I could just do art at the high school. Your teacher loves me."
Taylor chewed his cheek. "Want to ask her?"
Kate looked at Karen with hopeful eyes.
Karen didn't think that Kate would be allowed to leave one school for the other for an art class but parked and followed them up to the school.
The secretary knew Taylor well and knew Kate well enough. She asked where they were going and got the words 'art room' in response. She didn't ask any follow up questions since Kate and the art teacher were buddies.
Kate skipped down the hallway and knocked on the art room door. She grinned when the teacher opened the door.
The teacher greeted Kate and the others. "What a nice surprise!"
Kate sat on one of the tables and told the teacher what had happened.
The teacher was appalled. She made a note to talk to the other teacher. Karen was right, art was supposed to be fun.
Kate saw a box on a back table and recognized it as her string art. "Did they send the box back?"
"Finally. It has been bouncing around." The teacher said. She grabbed the box and held it up to the light. "Truly remarkable."
"It would be nice if I could do art here instead of at the middle school." Kate said. She swung her feet and leaned forward on the table.
"You are always welcome here." The teacher said. She thought she could pull some strings but didn't make that promise to Kate. She pulled out a tray of paints. "I have been saving these."
Kate walked over to the tray. She picked up a tube of paint and read it. "The fancy kind!"
"Yes. They will not be for class use due to the price but I couldn't resist." She handed Kate a small paint brush and a canvas.
Kate dipped the brush into orange paint and let the brush glide across the paper. She gasped. She could feel the difference in that paint and a cheap tube of acrylic paint.
"If it is alright with your aunt and your dad, you can come here after school and put those to good use." The teacher said.
Kate bounced on her toes. She already had a dozen ideas.
Karen said it would be okay with her. She saw the look on Kate's face and asked the teacher if she was wanting her to stay that day.
Kate was gleefully excited that the teacher said she could.
Karen and Taylor left Kate so that she could do art stuff for a little while.
Karen asked Taylor if he needed anything from the store.
Taylor wiggled his toes. "I think my shoes are too small."
Karen looked down and could see the outline of his toe against the end of his shoe. "Oh my. Let's go get some shoes. There is a shoe store that Jodi mentioned, they look at your feet and tell you what kind of shoe would work best."
Taylor didn't think he really needed that but he knew they could afford to not get the cheapest pair in the store. He agreed to go as long as he got apple cider on the way.
Kate sketched a drawing onto the canvas to have guidelines. She picked colors and set up her station. She looked across the table and smiled because the art teacher had taken up a seat to use the paints as well. She chatted easily with the teacher. She slowed her brain down and really focused on a brush stroke. She picked apart the paint with her eyes. The pigment was dense and the base was flawless. "I wonder if I could make my own paint."
The teacher stood up to grab a thick book from her desk. "This has everything you need to know about creating your own medium."
Kate flipped through the book. She paused to read several pages and absorbed the information.
"You can borrow it." The teacher said.
Kate thanked her and went back to her painting. The scene was set in the ocean. The view was as if someone in a boat was looking down into the water at an angle. She made a fuzzy silhouette of something in the water but wasn't sure what it was yet. It could have been a boat or a shark.
Taylor was embarrassed about the shoe store. He felt like he was pulling someone away from their job. He sat down and took off his shoes so that the associate could measure his feet. He answered questions about what he did during the day. He ran a lot and went to school. That was about it. He tried on a pair of shoes the associate recommended. He took a few steps and bounced on his toes. "Wow, so this is what shoes should feel like." He shifted from foot to foot. "I like them."
"What color?" Karen asked.
Taylor rubbed his head. "I guess black."
"You can get more than one pair." Karen said. "You might as well since you will run through them."
Taylor settled on a black pair and a red pair. He spotted a bright, nearly neon pair of sneakers off to the side and picked them up.
"Those are nice." Karen said.
"For Kate." Taylor said. They weren't his size or style but they had the same type of insole that his new shoes did. Kate would never pick them out for herself because she'd claim they had to be practical. Taylor thought that it would be cool to have shoes that weren't hunting appropriate. "If we get lost, she can flag down cars."
Karen laughed. The shoes were very bright but would suit Kate nicely. They also found some comfortable socks with different cats on each pair. Kate would love those.
Kate found a place to stop on her painting. She got a message that Karen was on her way back. That was fine. She needed to let her painting dry before adding extra layers. She placed her painting on a drying rack and washed the brushes. "Thank you for letting me paint."
The teacher smiled warmly. "Anytime."
Kate ran outside and opened the back door. She saw a box sitting in her seat and picked it up so that she could sit down. "What is this?"
"Shoes." Karen said.
Kate opened the box and grinned. "Holy crap."
"You can do cartwheels and land planes." Taylor said.
Kate pulled her boots off and slipped her feet into the new pair of shoes. "I love them. Thank you."
Karen was happy to see both kids happy. She talked to them about casual things until they made it to the house. "Do you have homework?"
Taylor groaned. "Yes. Can I do it in an hour?"
"That is fine with me." Karen said. She let Bobby know that they were home as he was in the shop, under a car. She stopped to talk to him and gave him the synopsis of the afternoon.
Bobby rolled from under the car. "She stayed calm through that?" He half expected that Kate would mouth off to the teacher.
"She did wonderfully." Karen said.
Kate scooped Millie into her arms and buried her face in her fur. She smiled when Millie started to purr. She let Millie go onto her bed and flopped back onto her pillow. It had been a long day. She rolled over onto her stomach and brought her phone around so that she could message Hannah. She didn't miss much and that didn't surprise her.
(Sam and Jess)
Sam used a level to make marks on the wall in their living room. He found the studs in the wall and stepped back to look at spacing. Jess had talked him into adding shelves to the wall so that Milo could climb. He got the lowest shelf up and sat Milo on it to see if he liked it. He got nibbled when he made Milo get down. The next two shelves were more difficult due to Milo's insistence on climbing on them while they were still being secured.
"It looks good." Jess said. She laughed at Milo's antics but removed him so that Sam could focus. She fed Milo and returned to give Sam opinions about where the shelves could go.
Sam felt his phone buzzing but couldn't grab it. He was in the middle of securing another shelf and couldn't move his hand without losing the shelf.
Jess pulled it out of his pocket and answered it for him. She placed it on speaker and held it up to his face so that he could talk.
It was Tony. "Do you think you could watch Jacob for a few days?"
Sam wasn't sure if they had time for that with school. He knew Jess was dying though. "Sure. What's going on."
"I want to check out a new place. Someone saw someone that matched my wife's description." Tony said.
Sam told him to drop Jacob off when he wanted to. The distance gave Jess enough time to prepare for Jacob to stay with them.
After the call ended, Jess dropped her arm. She rubbed her bicep and shoulder. "You are too tall."
Sam finished drilling into the wall and stepped back. "My arms were starting to burn too."
Jess hugged him. "Thanks for saying that we could watch him."
"Yeah, of course. I just hope his dad doesn't lose his head." Sam said.
"He has a baby. Ryan should keep him from doing anything dangerous." Jess said.
Sam let Milo jump onto the shelves. He tapped the highest one and jerked his hand back as Milo pounced. "I think he likes them."
Jess was thrilled. She put one of his toys on a shelf and stepped away to see what they needed for Jacob. With him being so little, Tony provided most of his stuff. They didn't need to worry about kid friendly meals. She pulled the portable crib out from under the guest bed and wiped it down.
"Is he sleeping in here" Sam asked.
Jess shot him a look. "No. He is sleeping in our room."
Sam put a hand on either side of the crib and stepped back until he was in the doorway. He showed Jess that his hands were too wide to fit through the door. "How are you going to move it?"
Jess fought with the latches on the sides of the crib but managed to get it to fold down enough to make it through the doorway. She let Sam carry it to their room. "I'll get the nightlight." She didn't want to catch her toes on the legs of the crib during the night.
"You can leave the nightlight in, you know." Sam said.
"They are for kids." Jess said. She had gotten hers removed from her room when she was seven because Martha thought it was an eyesore.
"Adults benefit from them too. It keeps you from slamming into things." Sam said.
Jess plugged it into the wall. She wrapped her arms around Sam's middle and squeezed. "You are the best."
Sam suddenly pieced something together. When he was young, sometimes, John or Dean would bring a nightlight to motels or rental homes. He was told that John had to be on high alert, expecting to be called by another hunter at any moment. The nightlight was put there so that John didn't trip over anything. John was sure on his feet and could move around in the dark. As he got older, the light stopped making an appearance. "I bet Dean or my dad knew I was scared of the dark and brought a nightlight with us on trips."
"Sounds like they were looking out for you, even when you didn't notice." Jess said.
Sam also remembered that he briefly had an imaginary friend. Now that he was older, some of the stuff surrounding the imaginary friend seemed odd. He decided not to divulge that information to Jess.
(Dean and John)
The trio walked a mile into the woods before seeing a mound of dirt surrounding an opening into what looked like a den or cave.
"It wouldn't fit in there, would it?" The ranger asked.
"No." John said. He shined a light into the hole and confirmed that it was much too small for a large creature. Even if it could fold up, it wouldn't be able to fit people in there.
The ranger was nervous. He thought about how his brother had felt. He was probably oblivious until it was too late. He spotted a pocket watch and bent to pick it up. It had an inscription on it so he planned on getting it back to the family of whoever got snatched up by the creature.
"Harrison." John said, just above a whisper.
The ranger froze but looked toward John.
John pointed to a set of claw marks.
Harrison slowly stood up. They were impossibly high on the tree trunk. That put the situation into a new perspective for him. The sleeping bag in the other tree could have been thrown. The claw marks showed that the creature was incredibly tall.
John kept an eye on the sun. They had found little to nothing useful. They needed to head back before the sun went down.
Dean stepped forward and found himself falling through the ground. He fell for a split second before crashing into the rocky ground. He gasped for breath and rolled onto his side before sitting up.
John sprinted over and looked down into the new hole. "Dean."
Dean flicked his flashlight to tell John he was okay. He didn't want to make a ton of noise if the wendigo was in the same area.
John's heart was beating out of his chest. He tried to throw a rope down but the earth around the hole was too soft. He didn't want Dean to be down there by himself. He also didn't want to leave Harrison above ground by himself. He swore silently and used his light, as well as Dean's to find a place where they could drop down. The hunt was not going the way he wanted it to go. At least, with him by Dean's side, they had a better chance at lighting the thing on fire.
The hole opened up into a tunnel. The sides of the walls were made of dirt and roots. The darkness swallowed their lights, making it hard to see how much space they had around them. It was not an ideal situation. They could easily be sitting ducks.
John put his shoulder to Dean's back. They were accustomed to canvasing an area that way. He could feel Dean and know he was right beside him but also cover an area in which Dean couldn't see. He had Harrison do the same. He just hoped the other man's reaction time was quick.
A wail made its way up the tunnel, reaching their ears.
Harrison couldn't tell which way the cry was coming from. It sounded like a woman.
"Bait." Dean whispered. "It mimics people."
That was all Harrison needed to hear. He felt his blood chilling as the cries seemed to grow closer.
Dean was poised to strike. He winced when he took a deep breath but tried to ignore the growing discomfort.
They heard claws scratching the rocks, taunting them. This was definitely where the wendigo had made its home.
The tunnel grew eerily quiet.
Harrison felt something around his leg and screamed. He hit his back and fought as the creature tried to drag him away. He was thrown against a wall and blacked out from hitting his head.
John and Dean launched into action. The tunnel had opened into a cavern, making it nearly impossible to tell where the wendigo was. They weren't sure if Harrison was dead. He had suddenly stopped screaming. That was never a good sign.
John was hit hard and knocked down a drop off that was probably about five feet down. He got back on his feet and scaled the small drop off but it had slowed him down. He lost sight of Dean.
Dean was confused because he was blind. His flashlight had been knocked away from him. He held his breath and listened for any sound that would tell him where the creature was. He felt it graze him. It was playing with him. He used his flare but it moved too fast. He hit his back. He was dizzy and certain he was about to die. He turned his head and saw a pale light somewhere in the distance. He wondered if that was the light people said not to walk into. He heard the creature moving although it wasn't digging into him. He felt around for the makeshift flame thrower that had been knocked from his side. He swung it around and pulled the trigger, sending a wall of flames down the tunnel.
John heard a shrill scream and stumbled down the tunnel in search of Dean. He, at that point, didn't care if he died in the process. He saw the flames coming from the ground and worked his way around roots and rocks to get closer.
Dean's arm dropped when the screams faded. He was in the dark. The flash from the fire destroyed what night vision he had. He saw the pale light again but didn't move. He furrowed his eyebrows as it got closer. He was engulfed by the light. He felt hands on his face.
"Dean." A hoarse whisper seeped out of the light.
Dean reached up to touch the arm that belonged to one of the hands. "Kate?"
Kate saw movement and turned, seeing John at the edges of the light. Her wings were providing the light. She helped Dean sit up. "Are you okay?"
John reached them. "Kate?"
Kate had tears in her eyes. "Are you okay?" She touched Dean and healed some of his wounds. She needed to get him into better lighting to see the extent of the damage. She spoke to John too. "Dad, are you okay?"
John honestly didn't know. He was disoriented. He didn't know which way they had came from or which way Harrison had been taken.
Kate licked her lips. She turned her back on them to look at her surroundings. She ran down the tunnel, ignoring their protests. She got far enough away from them and closed her eyes, letting the stress and fear pour out of her. Golden hues fell across the tunnel floor. She had acted as a stick of dynamite and cleared a way to the surface. There was no way that she could get both of them out if they were in as bad of shape as she thought they were.
Dean startled when a new set of hands touched him. He saw Tessa's face and went white.
Tessa told him that she was there to help and not to reap him. She moved them to the surface.
"We had another man with us." John said. He ignored his own pain in order to check on Dean.
Kate told Tessa to stay with them. She was growing tired. That is why she asked for Tessa's help. She didn't think the man was still alive so she decided to look for him. If he was dead, she would let them know. She slowed her breathing. She could hear a steady thump. She walked down the tunnel until she saw a turn where the tunnel split. She got closer to the thumping. She touched the man's arm and moved him to the surface.
John reached to check on Harrison too. "He's alive."
Harrison barely opened his eyes. His head was swimming. He thought he saw an angel hovering over him but his eyes couldn't focus due to the light. He tried to stay awake but passed out again.
Dean was propped against a tree. His ribs hurt. Everything hurt. He watched Kate flit around. He groaned and got her attention.
"Let me help." Kate said, reaching for his head.
Dean sloppily grabbed her arm. "Turn around." The top ridge of Kate's wings had turned an iridescent blue. It looked like opal. At least, he thought that was what opals looked like.
Kate reached back to feel of her wings. That ridge was solid. Her wings were no longer just light. They had a ridge that she could feel. She touched Dean's head and used the last of her energy to help him. The light from her wings faded as she mended Dean's wounds.
John was sore but in decent condition. He helped Dean stand and threw Dean's arm over his shoulders. They had a good walk ahead and he didn't want to stay in the dark.
Tessa moved Harrison. She got him to the ranger station and knocked on the door, leaving him propped against the railing. She got back to John and Dean and helped Kate get them to safety.
The older ranger jumped when he heard voices. He had already turned the flood lights on after finding Harrison's limp body outside. He called paramedics for Harrison, not thinking the other two had made it out at all.
Kate saw the older man and gave him a sheepish grin. She helped John lower Dean to sit on the steps. She could see the full extent of the damage now that they were under the bright lights. She hissed. Tears fell from her eyes. Dean had a laceration to his forehead that looked too much like the one she had done with makeup. She was shaky and couldn't speak. She did hear sirens in the distance and whipped her head around to face the direction they were in.
"I called the paramedics. They'll be here any minute." The ranger said.
Kate wanted to get Dean out of there. She wanted to fully heal him. She couldn't. She was too weak.
Tessa couldn't do enough to help because she had been taken away from a wreck in which the driver was drunk. All five people in the car had passed. That was five new souls leaving their bodies, four of them likely pissed at the driver.
Kate started to pace. "Dad. I have to get Dean home."
"The paramedics can help." John said. He was truly exhausted and needed to be looked at as well.
Kate stepped away from the station and looked up to the sky. She was sick of having her hands tied. She needed to save Dean. She needed to save the world. Stupid rules. Stupid art teacher. She thought about Abaddon and felt red hot fury fill her chest.
John watched her wings release and saw the color change too. Except, the line had moved down her spine. It was almost like a rigid frame to keep the wings extended.
Kate couldn't pull her wings in. She saw the older ranger's face and started to explain but turned to John instead. "I'm taking Dean home."
John just nodded. He saw red lights in the trees as the paramedics got closer. He slumped when Dean and Kate vanished from the porch.
The older ranger was in shock. "What the?"
"Guardian angel." John said, weakly.
The ranger's face was pale. "She took him home."
John leaned his head back against the wall. "To our house." He realized that the ranger would have been less confused if he had been left to think that Kate had taken Dean home, meaning to heaven. He just didn't stop himself soon enough.
Taylor felt Kate before she broke through the barrier, appearing outside. He instinctively ran out onto the gravel and caught her as she slumped. He managed to grab Dean too. He yelled for Bobby.
Bobby ran outside. He grabbed the first aid kit and ran to Dean. He dropped to the ground and started asking questions.
Taylor touched Kate. He could feel how broken she was. He pushed a little of his energy into her hand. He ignored the protest she made in his head. "You can't help him if you can't function."
Bobby patched up what he could. He had Taylor help him carefully move Dean to the couch in the living room.
Kate knew Dean was out of the woods. She was able to scry on John for two seconds before she grew tired. She saw flashing lights and a paramedic. He was okay too.
Karen crouched beside Kate and wrapped a warm blanket around her shoulders. "Let's go inside."
Kate frowned. She met eyes with Karen and lost it, letting herself crumble into a puddle of tears.
Karen soothed her. She helped her stand and helped her walk to the house. It was then that she noticed that Kate was barefoot.
Taylor ran out to help get Kate into the house. He nearly carried her to the chair that sat beside the couch.
Karen moved a footrest closer to Kate and picked up her feet. She winced.
Kate's feet were torn up. She clearly had cuts and splinters.
Karen asked Bobby for warm water and the stuff that they needed to clean up Kate's feet. Once they were clean, she could see just how many wounds that covered the bottoms and sides of her feet.
Kate stared into the distance. She could barely feel Karen tugging small sticks from the sole of her foot. She welcomed the feeling. It was a little like when she injured her leg. She tried not to think of that.
Dean's head started to clear. He didn't sit up but picked his head up. "Katie?"
Kate let her eyes focus. "Dean."
"You're alright." Dean said.
Kate looked down at her feet. She had gauze wrapped around them forming two white boots. She shuffled over and sat on the coffee table to be close to him. "Are you?"
"I feel like shit." Dean said. He winced as he almost chuckled. "I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and then Tessa. I thought it was my time."
Kate melted. She shook her head and hid her face in her shirt.
"I'm sorry, Katie. You know me. I've always got to be a smartass." Dean said. He tried to sit up but his ribs screamed at him. "How did you know? Why were you there?"
Kate managed to stop sobbing but had the hiccups. "I felt an intense pain in my chest. It was horrifying. It was something I have never felt before. I was feeling what dad was feeling. It was just so strong that I was pulled there." She would later find out that she had experienced what John did the moment that he thought that Dean had died.
Taylor healed a few more of Dean's injuries. The bone and joint damage would have to heal over a few days. The cuts sealed.
Karen gently wiped Dean's face with a warm cloth. With the dirt out of the way, he only had bruises on his face.
Bobby got a call from John and told him that both Kate and Dean were home and mending. He relayed information the best that he could but ended up giving the phone to Kate.
Kate sniffled. "Dad?"
"Kate. I'm so glad that you are okay." John said.
Kate's lip wobbled. "I wasn't scrying."
John was silent for a few seconds. "Kate, I'm not mad. I don't care how you got there. None of that matters right now."
"I felt it." Kate said. "The anguish."
John's chest hurt just thinking about it. "I thought I lost him."
Kate broke down again.
John tried to calm her down. "He is okay. You got there in time. You saved us."
Kate wiped her face with her arm. She couldn't get over the terror that still lingered in her heart.
John had to go due to being taken back to a triage room. He let Kate go but promised that he would call as soon as possible.
The living room was quiet. Everyone was in deep thought. The shock was wearing off.
Dean wanted to heal Kate too. He didn't want her to dwell on that pain. He finally got the strength to sit up and sip on a drink that Bobby gave him. He blew air through his nose. "I see that you chose the good stuff."
"I figured a few things could use some numbing." Bobby said.
Dean finished the drink and handed the glass to Taylor. He could feel the warmth spreading through his chest. It relaxed him. "Why are your wings changing?"
Kate shrugged. She pulled them out for a short period of time but physically could not keep it up any longer.
"Why do you have actual feathers?" Taylor asked.
Kate's back was to Dean. She smirked to herself and cleared her throat. "It took a lot of energy to move everyone." She turned around slowly, looking at Dean before she looked at Taylor.
"How does that change your wings?" Dean asked.
Kate looked worried. "Soul fragments."
Dean jerked himself upright and instantly regretted it.
Kate put her hands out to stop him. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding."
Dean groaned. "If I wasn't so torn up right now, I'd light your ass up."
Kate knew the threat was light hearted although probably still a valid threat. "I think it is a maturity thing. You know, like baby birds are born fluffy."
Bobby poured Dean another drink and handed it to him. "Here, settle your nerves."
Dean settled back against the couch. "You are killing me, kid."
Kate gave him a slight smile. "I was just making sure your head injuries had healed."
(John)
John asked about Harrison but was not given any information until the older ranger found his room. "Is he alive?"
"He has a fractured skull." The older ranger said. "What happened out there?"
John gave him the short version. "It is a wonder that any of us got out, let alone all of us."
"That little girl I saw earlier…" The ranger trailed off.
"Is someone you shouldn't worry about." John said.
The ranger nodded. "I see. Where did she take your son?"
"To get help." John said.
The ranger put his hand into his pocket and felt along the edges of an object. "I don't question miracles." He pulled a feather from his pocket. "Thought you might want this. Lord knows it can't be left at the station."
John thanked him and took the feather from him. He waited until the man left to study the feather. It had fallen from Kate's wings. It felt like a feather but was not delicate. It was blue but pearlescent. He moved the feather so that it was under his jacket. He could still see a faint glow. He tucked it away when a nurse entered the room. He was monitored through the night although he felt better. He had been asked about the attack but feigned shock to give them hazy answers. A bear had knocked them around.
When he was alone, he pulled the feather back out. He accidentally caught the pad of his finger with the tip of the feather. He shot out of bed, nearly ripping his IV out. He heard a nurse running down the hallway and quickly stashed the feather out of sight.
The nurse opened the door. "Mr. Winchester. What are you doing out of bed?"
John was so caught off guard that he just stared at the nurse. "Sudden burst of energy."
The nurse made him sit back down. "We gave you some pain medication. It might make you hyper. It does that for some people. You just tell me if you can't calm down in a minute."
John was out of breath. The pain medication, that he didn't need, had been for some of his injuries. He had pulled the cartilage away from his sternum. That hurt but he could have gotten by. After touching the feather though, he felt along his sternum and found that there was no lump where there had been minutes ago. He felt like he had downed a dozen coffees. When he really thought about it, it made sense that the feather would have healing properties. It came from Kate. He carefully picked the feather up, carefully not to poke himself. There was a thin, gray band along the bottom of the feather where the quill was formed. Was that a dose mark? He had so many questions but forced himself to put it away. If Kate knew that a feather could do that, she would strip all of them away, leaving herself vulnerable.
(Kate)
Kate nearly fell down the stairs as a wave hit her. She caught herself but had to bounce on her toes to get the feeling to dissipate. She was antsy and had a ton of energy.
Karen asked what was happening.
Kate jumped a few times since bouncing wasn't working. "I felt a sudden rush of good feelings." It was similar to how she had felt John's pain when he was worried about Dean. "If I am still connected to dad, I'd be interested to know what they just gave him. He's feeling good."
"The hospital has the good stuff." Dean said, sleepily.
Kate shook her arms out. "Pretty sure that was a party drug." She met Dean's eyes. "It is just a saying."
Dean continued to glare at her.
Kate approached him. "Go ahead and look at me like that. Not only did I save your life, I hauled you here."
Dean snorted. "That doesn't negate you being a brat."
Kate grinned. "Maybe not but you are too damaged to chase after me right now. You'll be down for a few days. That gives me plenty of time to scheme."
"I will be back on my feet eventually." Dean said.
"Good thing I can teleport." Kate said.
Dean put his arm over his eyes. "Let me suffer in peace."
Kate took the banter as proof that Dean truly was okay. She curled up in the floor and covered herself with her blanket. "Dean?"
"Yeah?" Dean asked.
"I love you." Kate said.
Dean sighed as he settled in a somewhat comfortable position. "I love you too, kiddo."
Kate smiled to herself. She tried to calm her mind so that her body could rest. She thought about the day. She thought about the burst of anger that had fueled her. She had been swallowing it for weeks. Maybe she didn't need to. Maybe she needed to channel it. Maybe save it up and direct it at a problem. Instead of being angry that she couldn't fight Abaddon, she would use the anger to fight for her. Taylor carried around a lot of anger. She opened her eyes as a thought crossed her mind. If she took his anger, it would be helping both of them. If she did that, she could easily take Dean's or John's. She didn't need to fatigue from teleporting. She had an endless power source. She reached up and touched Dean's arm. She felt heat building in her palm. It was working. She left him with a happy dream. She felt guilt surface when she rolled back over. He would probably get mad about her doing that. She sighed. It didn't matter. If he got angry, she'd just have to take that anger too.
