Author's note: Hi all, I finished my first semester of grad school, so my brain is still all over the place. This is a long chapter but I'm trying to tie things together. Over the next few chapters, random things will start to make sense to how they relate to the main story line. Also, there is foreshadowing in this chapter. That isn't a new thing. I'd just like to see if you can pick up on it. Thanks for reviews. Keep them coming!
(Sioux Falls)
Dean woke up before the sun did. He had been uncomfortable the whole night and wanted to sit up. He grimaced as he put weight on his arm.
Kate jumped up to help him.
"I'm okay." Dean said. "I'm just sitting up."
Kate touched him and healed a little bit more of his pain. The bones were stubborn.
Dean closed his eyes and took a few breaths. "I haven't had my ass kicked like that in a while."
Kate turned the light on. "You looked rough. You still look rough."
Dean's heart quickened as he remembered the attack. He swallowed hard. It happened so fast. They had no chance. "If you keep saving me, I'll lose my reputation."
Kate sat on the coffee table. "You saved yourself. I may have distracted it for a split second but you were the one dying and still able to fire off one more wall of flames."
"I wasn't dying." Dean said. He didn't even believe himself. He was expecting to die and had accepted his fate. It was just a stroke of luck that he held on long enough to burn it.
Kate paled slightly. "Seeing you like that…." She sniffled. "You didn't look like you. That is going to be burned into my mind forever."
"I'm sorry you saw that." Dean said.
Kate bounced her legs. "Dad cried."
Dean pulled a face. "What?"
"When he got to you, he had tears running down his face." Kate said.
Dean was shocked. John didn't cry. He especially didn't cry over Dean. At least, that is what Dean thought. "Everyone is okay now."
"Physically." Kate said with a sigh.
Dean winced again. "That other guy is going to struggle."
"I'm sure dad will have an explanation." Kate said. "I think he got knocked out early on and was unconscious through most of it."
"Lucky bastard." Dean grumbled.
"It sucks being the one dying but I think it sucks more being the one witnessing it." Kate said.
Dean gave her a second to think about what she said. "It is almost like I have a reason for begging you not to put yourself at risk."
Kate huffed. "We were having such a nice conversation."
Dean settled in a somewhat comfortable position. "Tell me about this art teacher."
"She didn't want me to work on sketches during class. I finished my assignment early. Karen is totally awesome and shut the teacher up." Kate said. "She wanted to take my sketch book."
"Karen told me. It is a good thing she didn't because some of those sketches look bad out of context." Dean said.
"I am committed to it now. My parents died. I have been through trauma. Turning to satanism is a given." Kate said.
Dean snorted. "You haven't turned to satanism."
"She doesn't know that." Kate said. "I could draw Enochian symbols and she would flip out."
"You could also ignore her." Dean said. "If we were going to move next week, I'd be down for messing with her. We are here for good though. You can't burn bridges if you plan on going to the same school for years."
"One more year." Kate corrected him. "Then, I'll be in high school."
Dean covered his chest with his hand. "Don't remind me."
"I don't even have to go to that school. I am capable of more." Kate said. "This should be a sign to let me skip middle school."
"Then what would you do?" Dean asked.
"I could team up with you and solve crimes." Kate said.
"The police are not going to let a little girl solve crimes for them." Dean said.
Kate acted offended. "I'm not a little girl. Only Jodi has to know I am involved. You'll just look like the world's best detective."
Dean had actually been thinking about taking a few cases off of Jodi's hands. Often times, with hunting, there was no good outcome. They put an end to a monster but didn't always get to save people. If he took some human cases, he could distract Kate from her own monster.
(John)
John successfully convinced the nurses and doctors that he was well enough to leave the hospital. He was never a good patient. He was lucky to be the first person on the doctor's list as he was making rounds. That got John up and out of the hospital before morning had passed.
The older ranger picked John up and drove him to Dean's car. They talked on the way.
"I'll go back down and see if I can find anything belonging to his brother." John announced.
The older ranger was clearly uncomfortable.
"The wendigo is gone. I'll take extra light." John said.
"I'll go with you." The man said. "I can't let you go alone." He still had questions about what happened but figured that there were some things in life he just wouldn't understand.
John accepted the help. He knew there wasn't anything he could say to change the man's mind. They gathered gear and found an entrance to the cave. They had several lights that bathed sections of the tunnels in a bright light.
The older ranger followed along side John. He saw cuts in the rocks and walls that he assumed were from the creature.
John tracked the creature's route through the tunnels until he found shredded clothes. He used a stick to gather them and place them in a plastic bag. They did the same with each item they found as they made it deeper into the cave. Flies and the stench told John they were getting close to the lair. He turned a corner and held his hand up to stop the ranger. The scene was grotesque. He warned the man before allowing him to see what was ahead of them.
The man crossed his chest and said a quick prayer for the fallen. He was white faced and woozy.
John took over the evidence collection. The plan was to return items to families or at least answer where missing people had ended up. He saw a hat sitting on a ledge. He approached and grabbed it. He recognized it from Harrison's photo. "This belongs to his brother, doesn't it?"
The ranger sighed deeply. He took it from John and studied it. "It does." His heart was broken for his partner. He placed it in his backpack instead of with the rest of the items.
On the way out of the tunnel, John answered questions. He gave the ranger the full truth. "We travel all over the states trying to make a dent in the supernatural world. There are hundreds of hunters out there but we are outmatched. I take the cases I can but I can't save everybody."
"No." The older ranger said. "You can't. You are a good man. Others would turn a blind eye."
"A demon killed my wife." John said. "I got started in this looking for revenge."
"Did you get your revenge?" The man asked.
John slowly nodded. "We got rid of that demon." He left out details about Sam, Kate and Taylor. He gave the ranger Bobby's contact information just incase anything happened. Like lightening, it was incredibly rare for certain supernatural events to reoccur in one place. Sure, demons showed up again and again but he had never heard of two wendigos sharing a hunting ground.
(Dean and Kate)
Bobby had gotten up and made coffee before digging out research to work on. He knew Kate and Dean were chatting as he could hear bits and pieces of the conversation from his office. He was pretty sure the conversation involved fighting crimes but it had devolved into mug shots. "What are you two talking about?"
Kate picked Millie up and scratched her ears. "If Dean gets a job as a private investigator and works with the police, he will undergo a background check. That could be disastrous. He claims all of his crimes were when he was a teenager and none of them were that bad."
"I also said that they were bad enough to raise a whole lot of red flags." Dean said.
Bobby scratched his chin. "You got arrested for stealing food and got sent to that boy's home. I don't think you ever got arrested for anything serious that couldn't be explained away."
"I don't remember." Dean said. "I didn't always use my real name."
Kate grinned. "Charlie can run a background check first. There might be mug shots."
Dean groaned. "That isn't any of your business."
"Of course, it is." Kate said. "If I see the stuff you did and got arrested for, I will know what not to do."
"I tell you what not to do." Dean countered.
"Seeing a mug shot will cement the lesson." Kate said.
"They may want to know who you have ties to. I don't know how high of a security clearance you would need. Your dad may get brought up. I will too." Bobby said.
Kate gasped. "Dad may have mugshots!"
Dean was suddenly all for the idea of looking into past arrests. John was pretty good about evading the law but he had to have messed up a few times at least.
Bobby shook his head. "See what Charlie can find."
Kate grabbed her phone to message Charlie. She was forever nosey and wanted to see what young criminal Dean looked like. He was conveniently forgetful when the conversation got turned to events that he didn't want to talk about. If he wasn't going to admit to petty crimes, she would just find information for herself.
(John)
John spoke to Harrison over the phone. He wanted to get the Impala back to Dean. He also wanted to be in the same place as Dean. Now that shock was wearing off, he was feeling the grief of nearly losing him. He felt it when Sam was crushed by the poltergeist. He felt it when Kate was attacked by the hellhounds. He felt it when he found Taylor in that basement without a pulse. It never got easier. The terror didn't ease as they got older.
When Sam and Dean were younger, they had a few close calls. Sam was nearly taken by a shtriga. Aside from that, most of the close calls were things like falls and accidents. The fear was short lived. Somehow, lately, he felt like he was constantly waiting for the next near-death experience. It helped that he kept the boys away from the scarier things when he could. He made them stay in the motel room instead of facing down vampires. He tried to do the same with Kate and Taylor but they were a beacon for bad things.
He thought about older Kate's behavior. She was dodgy and always looked guilty. She gave them cryptic clues. She acted like she wanted to tell him something but either couldn't or wouldn't. Seeing her older self let him know that she would survive her teen years. The timing of everything set off alarm bells in his mind. She might have survived but what happened? What was going to happen?
(Sioux Falls)
Taylor noticed that Hailey was frazzled again. He had been seeing signs for a few days. "What can I do to help you?"
"I am going to the children's hospital this afternoon. I have boxes of stuffed animals for them. I was supposed to have more help but two of the people are sick. You can't go if you are running a fever or showing any signs of illness." Hailey said.
Taylor put his hand to his forehead. "Cool as a cucumber."
Hailey smiled. "You are the best."
At the end of the day, Taylor brought up the idea to Karen.
Karen was instantly on board with the detour after school. She loved that young people would care so much about their community.
Kate had to go too. Dean was in good spirits so she could leave him for an hour or two longer.
They got some food and ate it in the car while they waited for Hailey and her mom to arrive to the hospital.
Kate looked toward the big sliding doors that opened into the main entrance of the hospital. She could see a wall from where she was sitting. It had flowers painted on it.
Taylor got out of the car. He saw Hailey's mom's car and helped unload boxes into a wagon. He carried another that wouldn't fit. "Where did all of the stuffed animals come from?"
Hailey pulled the wagon. "We had a toy drive for the hospital. Most of the actual toys were passed out over the holidays but all of these came from the same drive."
Kate picked up a rabbit. "This one looks handmade."
"Some are." Hailey said.
As soon as Kate stepped through the doors, she started to feel anxious. She felt the emotions of the people around her. She could hear a kid coughing and looked down the hallway to see a father patting a little girl's back. She had a runny nose too. It seemed like she just had a virus but the dad was concerned and Kate could feel it. Could she pull that from him like she did with Dean? What brand of emotion did it have to be to give her that extra edge.
The nurses were happy to see Hailey and her crew. They were dressed in bright scrubs and had big smiles on their faces.
Hailey introduced Kate, Taylor and Karen to the nurses.
Her mom gave everyone instructions on what to do with the stuffed animals. They could take a variety to each room and let the kid pick which one they wanted. They could stay and chat if the kid wanted to but they could also move on quickly.
Taylor tagged along with Hailey.
Kate and Karen walked the opposite way toward a hallway with a rainbow on it.
Karen knocked softly on the side of the door frame and was welcomed in by a woman.
Kate met eyes with a little boy sitting on the edge of his bed. He was probably Ian's age. He was bubbly and didn't seem sick. She saw a cast on his arm and almost smiled. If he was anything like Ian, she didn't have to wonder about how he got the cast. She held out a box and helped him pick out a puppy.
The little boy yipped like a puppy and dove back onto his bed to play with the new toy.
The next room was similar. Most of the kids were just there for minor issues. Maybe they had tubes put into their ears or got injured while playing. That made Kate happy. She reached the last room on that hallway and turned to another set of doors. The hallway seemed darker.
Karen got permission from the nurses to continue on to the next ward. She kept an eye on Kate who looked worried.
Kate knew the next girl was very sick.
She had wires and tubes connected to her. She was awake and talkative but something was terribly wrong.
Kate wanted to know what was wrong. She didn't dare ask. She talked to the girl and learned that the girl was a few years younger than herself. She sat down beside her and chatted while Karen chatted with the mom. Then, she heard it. She heard the inconsistent heartbeat. Her heart was sick. Kate wanted to heal her but she couldn't. Life wasn't fair. She saw paintings hanging on the walls and asked if she had painted them.
The girl said yes. She used to love sports but had fallen in love with art.
"I am an artist. Your paintings are beautiful." Kate said. "Maybe I can come back and we can paint together."
"I would love that." The girl said with a smile. She groaned and slumped slightly.
Her mom was instantly at her side. "Lay down, sweetie. There you go. You were just up too long. The pain will subside."
Kate dug her nails into the palms of her hands. She was livid at what ever being made sickness a thing.
Karen's heart was torn too. She prayed that the girl recovered. She was also torn watching Kate who was visibly struggling. She had Kate give the girl space and said goodbye to her and her mom.
Kate wiped a tear from her face. "This isn't fair."
Karen hugged her. "No, it isn't. Sweet girl doesn't deserve any of that." She lightly shook the box in her arms. "Let's take these little guys to their new friends."
Kate knocked on a closed door and waited for permission to enter.
A voice from within said to come in.
Kate saw a nurse sitting at the bedside of a young boy. The boy was pale. The nurse was gentle and spoke to him softly. Kate met eyes with the nurse and they exchanged an odd look. She waited for the nurse to finish with her patient before talking to her.
The nurse got the boy to drift off to sleep and stepped out into the hallway.
Karen touched Kate's arm. "We have two bears left."
Kate looked to Karen for a moment but turned her eyes back to the nurse.
Karen followed Kate's eyes. She didn't see anything. "Is everything okay?"
Kate started to understand why the nurse had given her an odd look. No one else could see her. "Yeah, there is someone here that I would like to speak to."
Karen looked at the empty space but nodded her head. "Go ahead."
The nurse allowed Kate to step back into the room so she didn't appear to be talking to herself in the hallway. "You can see me."
"Yeah." Kate said. "What are you?"
The nurse tensed.
"Are you a reaper?" Kate asked.
"Why can you see me?" The reaper asked.
"I have some bells and whistles that most people don't." Kate admitted. "Do you know Tessa?"
The nurse had heard of the name. "She is a reaper."
"She is my friend." Kate said. "Why are you here? Are you going to reap the kid?"
The nurse sighed and looked at the little boy. She gave Kate a sad smile. "Not today. Children are special souls. Especially children that suffer so much in life. I ease their pain and keep them company until they pass on."
"You take their pain away?" Kate asked. She didn't think the fates would be okay with an angel healing a bunch of kids.
"I take some of it away. Pain is a human experience. Without pain, the doctors wouldn't know if a child's stomach was sick or if something is wrong in their brain." The nurse said.
Kate thought about her visions with the reapers that took the kids away when she was with Cameron. "Do you know anything about a doctor who turned evil and experimented on kids?"
The nurse didn't react at first. "You are the girl."
Kate got uncomfortable.
"The girl that freed all of those young souls. This is how I heard of Tessa. Word gets around." The nurse said.
Kate asked if she could make herself visible for Karen. She didn't want to leave Karen standing in the hallway.
Karen entered the room and was surprised to see an older nurse standing with Kate. She awkwardly introduced herself.
"Estelle." The woman said. "You are Kate's parent?"
"I'm like an aunt." Karen said.
"You are not fearful of me?" The woman asked.
"No." Karen said. "Kate isn't. I trust her judgement."
Estelle welcomed them to sit down in the chairs on the side of the room. The boy would sleep for a while and his parents wouldn't be there for another two hours. They had time to chat. She told them the story that made its way down the grapevine.
"All of that is mostly true. My biological father made a deal to save my life when I was a baby. The doctor that took credit for healing me probably made a deal after he realized he no longer had the power to heal. I think he went rogue and started crossing lines as his deal came to an end. He supposedly created these creatures that can fight off hellhounds. They are nasty. Anyway, my cousin, that I didn't know was a cousin, was being held at that fake hospital. We broke him out and helped release the souls." Kate said.
Estelle studied the girl in front of her. She was young. She was fresh faced. Yet, beneath the skin she was weathered.
"There is still work to do." Kate added.
Estelle said that she had a baby to attend to. She wanted to stay and talk with Kate but her job was important. She gave Kate a business card that appeared to be blank. However, she showed Kate how to activate it.
Kate saw Enochian symbols appear on the card. She gasped. "Is this how I call you?"
"Yes." Estelle said.
Kate started to ask how it worked but Estelle left. She looked at Karen. "Why haven't I gotten a calling card from anyone else?"
"You pray to Castiel and Tessa." Karen said.
"Oh, right." Kate said. She placed the card in her pocket. As they were walking back to the main hallway, she stopped at the room of the girl with the sick heart. She couldn't heal her but she could ease her pain like Estelle did. She said hi again and asked for a hug since they had chatted for a while. She wrapped her arms around the girl's shoulders and pulled some of the pain away from her body. Instead of dissipating, she pulled the pain into herself like she had with Dean's anger. She unexpectedly got a hug from her mother as well. She took away the grief the woman felt. It was a strong feeling that made her feel raw.
Karen ushered Kate out of the room. She gently brushed hair from her face. "What did you do?"
"I just eased her pain." Kate said.
"That is sweet of you." Karen said. "You look tired."
"I am sad. It isn't fair that some kids are so sick. They should be out playing. I have the ability to heal someone from near death but I can't even patch up an incision here." Kate said. "What is the point in having abilities?"
"I want to help them too. Sometimes life is cruel." Karen said.
Kate's mood at fallen. She felt restrained again. She felt like she was trapped in a glass box, forced to watch the world crumble as she sat on her hands. That was essentially what was happening. Bad things happened to good people and she was bound by rules. She could heal every kid in that hospital but the fates would show up. How stupid was that?
Taylor and Hailey met Kate and Karen at the main entrance. They swapped light hearted stories. Hailey was thrilled that so many of the kids were excited to get their stuffed animal. They had walked down the less depressing hallway. All of the kids they saw were sure to be released within the week.
"Sometimes, they will let you go up to the NICU and hold babies." Hailey said.
Kate thought about the baby that Estelle was going to see. Was that something Kate could do? Could she ease pain for the baby and the parents? Would some higher being show up and demand that the pain return? The baby would still be sick but they wouldn't suffer constantly. She made a mental note to look into that particular volunteer opportunity.
Hailey jumped on Taylor's back on the way out the door. She commented on how tall she felt. "There is a whole new world up here."
Taylor carried Hailey back to her mom's car before letting her off his back. He hugged her and told her that he would help with other projects she needed him for.
"Send me ideas for the props you need and I'll get to working on them." Kate said.
Hailey clapped her hands. "I'm so excited. This is going to be so cute!"
Hailey's mom thanked everyone for helping them and announced that they had somewhere to be.
"She is very busy." Karen commented as they returned to their own car.
"Always." Taylor said. "She never stops. I can't tell you how many groups and organizations she is a part of."
"At least she is making a difference." Kate mumbled.
Taylor turned around in his seat. "I thought I felt storm clouds setting in."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Forgive me for being frustrated that I am useless."
"You aren't useless." Karen said. "Even if you didn't have abilities, you have free time. You can volunteer."
Kate shrugged. She had given it some thought. Maybe it would be good for her.
(Sam and Jess)
Sam answered the door and smiled. "Hey, how was the drive?"
Tony carried Jacob and his car seat inside. "Not too bad. We did hit traffic though."
Jess took the carrier from Tony and unbuckled Jacob. She felt like he had grown to at least double his previous size.
Tony gave Sam a lot of information all at once and gave Jacob a kiss on the head before quickly leaving.
Jess sat down on the couch with Jacob. "He didn't stay long."
Sam didn't like that Tony just dumped Jacob. It reminded him too much of John in the earlier days. "I guess he's set on finding his wife." He fell back onto the couch blowing air out of his nose as he did so.
Jacob let out a small laugh.
Jess grinned. "Do that again."
Sam repeated the action and smiled when Jacob giggled. He gently tickled his ribs. "Look who found his laugh."
Jess thought that his giggle was the best sound she had ever heard. Baby laughs in general were amongst the best sounds the world had to offer.
Sam ordered a pizza so that they didn't have to think about dinner. He made a bottle for Jacob and sat it on the side table next to the couch so that Jess would have it when he got hungry. He sat Jacob's diaper bag on the table and looked through it to see what Tony had packed. Not much. A few outfits. He looked at one of the sleepers and frowned. Tony was likely in a hurry and just grabbed a handful of clothes not realizing some of them were dirty. He set aside a pair of footed pajamas and tossed the rest into the washer. "He didn't pack much."
"That's okay. Jacob doesn't need much." Jess said. She had placed Jacob on the rug on his stomach. She was watching him hold his head up and look around. "Look how strong he is."
"He will be crawling in no time." Sam said. "I'm going to call Tony because he didn't tell me how long he would be gone."
Jess tapped the floor so that Milo would walk over to her. She scratched behind his ears and watched him closely to make sure he didn't step on Jacob's hand with his claws out.
Milo sniffed Jacob before sitting down to the side of him. He was facing Sam and quite content with the evening. His tail started to move back and forth slowly.
Jacob was hit in the face by the end of Milo's tail but found it hysterical.
Jess broke into laughter with Jacob each time a new fit of giggles erupted.
Sam stepped outside after watching them for a minute. He had a snapshot of what he hoped his life was like in a few years. The street was dark except for the pools of light created by the street lamps. He shivered. How many nights had the serial killer been out there, watching them? There were so many shadows that seemed impossibly deep. He dialed Tony's number and let it ring several times. He was about to hang up when Tony answered.
Tony was frazzled. "Is Jacob okay?"
"Yeah. I just wondered when you plan to head back. We didn't really discuss it." Sam said.
"I don't know." Tony said. "Three days maybe?"
Sam chewed his cheek. He had a feeling it would be more than three days and they both had classes. Jacob was more awake and aware than he had been. Jess couldn't take him into classes with her. One or two of her professors would probably welcome him but others wouldn't. He let Tony go since he didn't seem to have much to add.
Jess looked to Sam when he came back inside. "What did he say?"
"Three days." Sam said. He rubbed the back of his head. "He sounded stressed."
Jess lifted Jacob to sit in her lap. "That's okay. We have Jacob covered."
"What if it takes longer than three days? We can switch off on Tuesdays but we both have classes at the same time the other days." Sam said.
Jess sighed. "We will figure it out."
"I'm trying to figure it out now." Sam said.
"He may not be gone that long." Jess said.
"No but I really can't just say we will figure it out. I need a plan." Sam said.
Jess grabbed the bottle before Jacob could cry. "Marie or Karen could watch him."
"They are a little far away." Sam said. "By the time they drove here, he could be on his way back."
"Your sister can snap her fingers." Jess said.
Sam was uncomfortable using Kate. It was true that she could teleport people but her abilities seemed so faulty lately. She fatigued quickly.
Jess gave him a small smile. "Go ahead and call John. You aren't going to settle until you do."
Sam furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't need to. We can handle this."
Jess held her hand out so Sam would approach her and sit down. "We can handle it. That doesn't mean that you don't get to call him and voice your concerns. Sometimes saying things out loud helps you process them."
Sam kissed her cheek. He called John and placed the phone on speaker. "Hey, dad."
John's voice was staticky. "Hey, Sam."
"Tony dropped Jacob off." Sam said.
"To go after the wolves?" John asked.
"He wants to check an area out." Sam said.
John saw a truck stop ahead and pulled onto the exit to refuel Dean's car. "How long do you have him?"
"Tony said three days but to be honest, he doesn't seem totally with it. He packed dirty clothes and only enough diapers for tonight." Sam said.
"Can you get more? Do you have the funds? I can talk to Ryan and see if he is monitoring Tony." John said.
"We have a few left over from when we had him last time. I don't know if they fit though." Sam said. "He just left here too so he may need a bit to think clearly."
"What is your plan?" John asked.
Sam sighed. "We will be okay if he is really only gone for three days. We have classes that overlap."
John opened the gas cap on the car and started to refuel. "I don't like that he threw this on you again."
"I said yes." Sam said. "He didn't really throw it on me."
John's eyes were burning from fatigue. He thought about getting another cup of coffee but the coffee stopped working after he had been awake for long enough. Hospital rest wasn't the same as resting in a normal bed. "You can say no."
"No, we can't." Jess interjected.
John snorted. "You may not want to but should if you cannot take care of him without neglecting school."
"He lost his mom. His dad is gone. Who else is going to watch him over night and not charge him hundreds of dollars?" Jess asked.
"Marie, for one." John said.
"She lives too far away." Jess countered.
"You have help. You just have to accept it." John said.
Jess pulled a face.
"She didn't like that." Sam said, lightly.
John cracked a smile. "We have a few days to nail down a plan."
"Can Kate zap Marie or Karen to our house if need be?" Jess asked.
"I'd prefer we ask Castiel or Tessa first. Kate is going through a lot." John said.
"That is an option though. So, we can keep him here and just have help while we are at school." Jess said.
"Do what you need to do." John said.
Sam ended the call with John and got up to grab the pizza that had been delivered. He locked the door behind him and sat the box on the couch. "Sounds like I wasn't the only one who needed to hash things out."
"I don't exactly have a dad to talk to." Jess reminded him.
"All of that help he mentioned, you can talk to as well." Sam said.
Jess shifted Jacob so that she could take a piece of pizza. "I forget sometimes."
"We have the family that I always dreamed of when I was a kid. It just looks different." Sam said.
"Rod and Marie are actually old enough to be your grandparents. Bobby and Karen just act like it." Jess said.
Sam chuckled. "They act more like an aunt and uncle. We just give Bobby a hard time."
"We got lucky." Jess said.
"I saw we earned it. Everything before this adds up." Sam said.
"For you." Jess said. "I had it good when I was a kid."
"You can have it good and still be emotionally neglected." Sam said.
Jacob fussed lightly and arched his back against Jess's arm.
Sam held his hands out. He placed Jacob on his shoulder and patted his back like John did. He got the desired results but kept Jacob upright so that his tummy had time to settle.
Jess studied the sides of their faces. Sam looked so natural. He looked comfortable. She ate her pizza and watched Jacob's eyes grow heavy. "I think he is about to fall asleep."
Sam slowly stood up. "I'll change him and put him in the crib."
"Do you need help?" Jess asked.
"I think I can handle it. I'll let you know if he spits up or something gross." Sam said.
Jess settled on the couch when Sam and Jacob left the room. She fanned her face. She had a strange primal reaction to seeing Sam take on a carer role. She didn't know the science behind it, but it was definitely a thing.
Sam cleaned Jacob up and got him changed and into the second outfit. He patted his back and walked around until Jacob's body went limp. He placed him in the crib and put his hand on his stomach for a few seconds so that he didn't startle and wake up. He pulled his shirt off on the way back to the living room.
Jess smirked. "What are you doing?"
Sam shrugged. "Getting comfortable." He fell back onto the couch and pulled Jess close to him.
"That is really attractive, you know." Jess said.
"I am fully aware." Sam said, giving her a kiss. "Why do you think I volunteered to put him to bed."
Jess batted her eyelashes. "We should make one of those."
Sam scoffed. "Not a chance. Our luck, it would be twins."
(Sioux Falls, two days later)
Kate felt more at ease as Dean healed but also less at ease as things swirled around in her head. She ducked out to the time stream a few times during the day. There, she didn't need to pay attention to anyone but herself.
Dean checked in on Kate as she had come home from school and went to her room without speaking to anyone. She didn't seem upset. She looked out of it. He knocked on the door facing. "Hey, kiddo. You look like you need to talk."
Kate blinked and tilted her head sideways.
"Riot does the same thing when you make a weird noise." Dean said, lightly. He sat down on her bed. "Are you with me?"
Kate furrowed her eyebrows.
Dean snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Earth to Kate."
Kate shook her head. "Sorry, a lot on my mind."
"So, spill." Dean said.
Kate rubbed her eyes. "I think going to the time stream has a side effect."
"When did you go?" Dean asked.
Kate grinned sheepishly.
Dean narrowed his eyes. "I'll add that to your list."
"I was never banned from going there." Kate countered.
Dean groaned and shifted so that he was propped up on her pillows. "You talk. I'll listen."
"Time is a hard concept to grasp. You can't be in two places at once. I think I can. There is only one version of me. There are other versions of you. If you go to the time stream and an older version of you goes there too, you will see both of you. I think. It is a theory. I think we should test it out." Kate said.
Dean studied her. "I'm lost but continue."
"When I go, I'm not just now me. I am not bound by time. So, it is possible for memories that I will create in the future to be accessible to me now. Think of it like stepping through the door and dispersing into atoms. You aren't one solid being. You are more far reaching than that." Kate said. "I think I pick up memories from different times and they follow me back here. Then, I realize that something is off because I'm back in normal time and those memories do not fit."
Dean rubbed his temples. "So, the side effect is that future memories hitch a ride back here?"
"Yeah." Kate said.
"What kind of memories are we talking about?" Dean asked.
"I don't know." Kate said. "Sometimes it is a smell." She got up and told Dean to close his eyes. She moved something in the room and told him to open his eyes. "What changed?"
Dean looked around. He settled on her desk. Something was different. He just couldn't put a finger on what it was.
Kate had moved a book from the left side to the ride side of the desk. That is what it feels like. Except, worse.
"So, it isn't anything big?" Dean asked.
"I don't know." Kate said with a heavy sigh.
Dean stood up. "Would getting out of the house help?"
Kate shrugged.
Dean looked pained. "We can go for a drive."
"Without baby?" Kate asked.
Dean slowly nodded. "Just this once."
Kate agreed to go for a drive. She did need to clear her head and Dean looked like he was feeling better.
Dean borrowed a set of keys and cranked an old truck that stayed at the edge of the yard. He had to turn the key several times before it started to sputter. The noises made him cringe. He would be glad when John and baby were back in Sioux Falls.
Kate ran out to the truck and got in. "Feel weird?"
Dean pulled out of the parking spot slowly. "I like baby better."
Kate settled down in the seat and watched trees zip by as they drove down the road. "Maybe we could go to the lake. It will be peaceful.
Dean turned the truck toward town and followed the small roads that brought them out to the lake. He felt like they were going to fall off the road a few times due to the size of the truck. He backed up next to the water and turned the truck off.
Kate brought the tailgate down. It was rusty and whined as it opened. She jumped up and took a seat at the edge of the tailgate to watch the water. It was no longer frozen. There were small ripples but otherwise it was calm and undisturbed.
Dean sat beside her.
They chatted for a while before Kate saw something floating in the water. It was a flower. She wanted to pick it up to figure out why a flower was floating in ice cold water. Was it fake?
Dean stopped her. "Let's get a stick."
"I can just pull it to me." Kate said.
"Or I can get a stick instead of using your abilities for no reason." Dean said.
Kate crouched beside the water's edge and waited for Dean to bring back his stick. She couldn't use her abilities for good reason either, apparently.
Dean found a good stick and turned to bring it back to Kate.
Kate gasped and held her hand out.
Dean slowly turned back the other way to see trails of steam swirling next to his face.
Kate kept her hand out, pinning a hell hound in place. She growled and clenched her other fist. "Crowley!"
The ground shook, causing Dean to stumble. He whirled around and saw Crowley standing in the trees. "Kate."
Kate didn't look at Dean. "Call it off."
Crowley raised an eyebrow.
Kate flexed her fingers, causing a whimper to come from the hound. "Now."
Crowley snapped his fingers. "Peaches, sit."
Dean slowly stepped away from the invisible demon dog. He approached Kate but kept himself between her and Crowley. "Let's go."
Kate gritted her teeth. "We had a deal."
"I am motivating you." Crowley said.
Kate's eyes flashed. "I am working on it."
Crowley tapped his wrist as though he had on a watch. "Time is ticking."
Kate stepped around Dean until she felt his hand on her arm. She fought the urge to jerk it away from him. "If you want her gone so bad, do it yourself. Things take time. What are you? 300? 500? Surely that is enough time for you to get your shit together. Or do you just have so little faith in yourself that you have to rely on a 12-year-old to do your dirty work?"
Dean lightly squeezed Kate's arm. "Katie, reel it in."
"You've gotten crass." Crowley said. "You do my bidding because you have to."
"No, I don't." Kate said. She glared at him. "You hold my family over my head."
Crowley stepped closer. "And it works so well."
"It won't always. Sure, now it does. The thing is, I don't really care if I live or die. If you try to hurt one of them, I'll put my life on the line every time." Kate said.
"I count on it." Crowley said with a slight chuckle.
"When I die, I come back. I just come back with a little less of my soul. So, one day, I'll stop caring. Your threats won't work, and I will be a much bigger problem. Take your hound and go back to hell." Kate said.
"I was just going to have a little chat and you are incredibly rude." Crowley said. He let his hound leave and studied his nails. "You should listen to your brother."
"Then talk." Kate demanded.
"I have news." Crowley said.
Dean stepped around Kate and got in her line of sight. "He's baiting you. Take a deep breath for me."
Kate took a deep breath and cracked her neck. She nodded and looked around Dean again. "What news?"
Crowley held up a piece of paper.
Kate rolled her eyes. "If you want me to help you, you need to stop being coy."
Crowley folded the paper up and slid it into his pocket. "Soon." He got closer to them. "You really shouldn't be so angry."
Kate narrowed her eyes.
Crowley just smirked. He knew she had somehow gained anger from outside of her own head. He could see the tendrils. "I have ways of getting what I want. If you play nicely, I don't need to threaten you. I might just have something that you want."
"What is it?" Kate asked.
Dean cleared his throat. "Kate, he's a demon." He saw her vanish in front of him and swore loudly. He was going to skin her. He was just about to put out an SOS when she returned. "Katelyn!"
Kate jumped. "Dean, I…"
Dean rounded the truck since she had landed on the other side. "Did you go with him?"
Kate licked her lips. "Yeah, but.."
Dean counted to ten in his head. "You went with a damn demon? You know better!"
Kate stepped back, "But Dean.."
"No buts, except yours which I am about to kick." Dean said in a low tone. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the spot in front of him.
Kate bounced on her toes. "Dean, let me explain."
Dean growled and snapped his fingers again.
Kate pointed to something behind him since she couldn't get a word in.
Dean whirled around and took a step back. "Who the hell are you?"
The man blinked. "I could ask you the same thing."
Dean stepped away from the stranger. "Katelyn, explain."
Kate took a step to the side, just a few inches more away from Dean because he had a really good reach and she wanted to stay out of it. "Um, Bill Harvelle, meet Dean Winchester."
Bill blinked. "I thought you sounded an awful lot like John."
Dean looked shocked. "Bill Harvelle? As in Taylor…." Dean trailed off.
"Crowley's bargaining chip." Kate said.
"The demon?" Bill asked in a scolding tone.
Kate held up her hands. "Can we just talk about this?"
Dean narrowed his eyes. "This isn't over. You and I are going to have a long talk about this."
Kate rocked back and forth from her heels to her toes. "So, I couldn't bring him back like we did with Karen." She chewed her cheek. "I took his soul from hell and he is basically a ghost."
Bill rubbed the back of his neck. "That explains it."
Kate shot him a look. "I see why you and my dad were friends."
Bill's eyes widened. "Your dad? You are John's kid?"
"By adoption." Kate said. She waved him off. "Long story."
"Why was he in hell?" Dean asked.
Kate shifted uncomfortably. "Hunters fall into a gray area. They may not go straight to heaven but they may not exactly belong in hell. If they make a deal, that changes things. So, sometimes, a demon can snag one."
Dean swallowed hard. He couldn't imagine being in hell for a day let alone a decade.
"Bill was in hell but not the roughest part. He was held in an area that Crowley keeps his bargaining chips in. Like with Kyle." Kate said.
"You went to hell?" Dean asked, his voice becoming strained.
Bill gave Kate a look that matched Dean's.
"For just a little bit and look, I'm back." Kate said with a sheepish grin.
"Does your dad know you are doing this stuff?" Bill asked. He furrowed his brows. "How did you do this?"
Kate blushed. "I'm sure he will know once we are done here. I have abilities."
Bill would have needed to sit down if he had a body to fatigue. He crossed his arms. "Abilities? You are a child. Why am I here? Why did you go with a demon to hell?"
Kate's mouth felt dry. "Maybe we can just have a pow wow and discuss a few things without me being the target."
"You made yourself the target by leaving." Dean said in a dry tone.
"Okay. I'll admit, that was in poor judgement, but we only have a set amount of time, and we really shouldn't waste it with you lecturing me." Kate said.
"You sure John is your dad?" Bill asked with a snort.
"He has loosened the reigns." Dean answered sarcastically.
"You are here because we know Jo and Ellen." Kate said.
Bill instantly softened. "How are they? Are they okay?"
"They are okay. Ellen runs the roadhouse. Jo is about to turn 18." Kate said.
Bill put a hand to his chest. "She can't be 17. I missed so much."
"They miss you. Ellen is strong though. Jo is too. I thought that I could pass on a message from you." Kate said. She traded looks with Dean. "So, Dean and Sam are John's biological sons and then he adopted me and another kid."
"Yeah?" Bill asked.
"His name is Taylor." Kate said.
Bill glitched. "My son?"
"Yes." Kate said. "So, this is why Crowley let you go. I want to help them heal. We want answers. Yes, that is problematic but please save your displeasure for later." She got close to Bill and stopped him from glitching. She took a deep breath. "I'll share information and stuff with you."
Bill saw memories of Ellen and the kids. He saw happy memories and not so happy memories. He saw how they looked like as teenagers and had a deep understanding of what had transpired over the last few years. "How did you do that?"
"Abilities. Taylor has them too." Kate said.
"I saw that." Bill said. "You tell your dad thank you. I intended for him to help Ellen, but I didn't know he would wind up with Taylor." He felt anger building. "Craig…"
"Is in the bad part of hell." Kate said. "Ellen didn't really want dad around much, but I guess he helped from afar. They are civil now."
That made Bill smile. "That sounds about right for the two of them." He got a good look at Dean. "You look a good bit like your old man too."
"He tries his best to copy him." Kate said.
"The tone of voice." Bill said.
"He doesn't always sound like that. He is just mad at me." Kate said.
"Was he pissed off the entire time you were hunting?" Dean asked.
Bill snorted. "No. I was with him on a few hunts when one of you boys got into the thick of it." He thought back through the hunting trips. "I was with him, and I do believe you got arrested."
Dean cringed. "I remember that conversation and don't think I sound half as bad."
"You do." Kate said. "We are on a time crunch. I can transfer emotions into pendants." She asked Dean to show Bill the one that he wore. "I visited Mary in heaven. If Dean holds the pendant in his hand, it feels like she is giving him a hug. It is the love she felt for him and her favorite memory."
Bill was amazed.
"I could do that for you. I think it would help Ellen, Jo and Taylor a lot. I can help you write a letter or just capture it and transfer it to them like I did with the memories." Kate said.
Bill had dreamed of being able to talk to them the entire time he was in hell. He wanted to tell them he was okay and that he loved them. Now, he was being granted the opportunity. He had so much to say.
Kate vanished for five seconds and returned to see Dean giving her a hard look. "Fuss at me later."
Dean set his jaw. "Thin ice."
Kate handed a pendant to Bill. "Just think about Ellen and the pendant will do the rest."
He did the same with all three pendants. He had so many questions about Kate but didn't ask them right away.
"Do you have a message for our dad?" Kate asked.
Bill smiled. He gave them a short message and laughed lightly.
Kate whirled around to Dean. "I'm telling him."
"No way in hell are you telling him that." Dean said. He had one opportunity to talk to John like that and knew the only way he would survive the interaction is if it came from Bill."
Kate held out her hand and placed her closed fist ontop of it. "Rock, paper, scissors."
Dean matched her movement. They played the first round and of course he lost. The second round stunned him as he covered her fist with his hand because paper beat rocks. The third round caused them both to grow silent. A big smile spread across his face, and he pumped his arm.
Kate rolled her eyes. "I let you win."
Dean lightly shoved her away from him.
Bill started to feel strange.
Kate turned her attention to him. "You'll have to go soon. I am sorry that I can't take you to them."
"It is okay." Bill said. He did want to see them but couldn't be picky. He also thought that he wouldn't be able to leave if he saw them in person. He didn't want to become a vengeful spirit. He couldn't call them up on the phone because both John and Ellen would question the validity of his voice. They knew too much about the supernatural.
Kate got an idea. "I could take a photo or short video so they can replay it."
As soon as Kate vanished, Bill approached Dean. "She took something from you."
Dean looked confused.
When you covered her hand. "She pulled something from you."
Dean started to ask for clarification, but Kate was back.
Kate turned the camera on and had Bill record short messages for Ellen, Jo and Taylor. They were a few seconds long and the rest would be said when she showed them their pendants. Still, a video was nice. They could replay it to hear his voice.
Tessa appeared to the side of the small group.
Bill startled.
"It's okay. She is a reaper, but she is a friend." Kate said. "Very friendly with Dean." She hissed and covered her backside. "I see your arm is feeling better."
Dean glared at her.
Bill said his goodbyes and went with Tessa. He felt a sense of peace.
(Bill's heaven)
Bill walked up to a small house and felt around in his pocket for his keys. He had just gotten off of work at the roadhouse and was excited to spend the afternoon with his family.
Young Jo ran up to him as soon as the door was open. "Daddy! You'll never guess what happened." She grinned and pointed to a missing tooth.
Bill spun her around in a circle while holding her. "Hopefully the tooth fairy has changed this time." He remembered the last tooth had cost him 20 dollars because he made a mistake in the dark of the night. He was hit by a second body and looked down. "Hey, little man."
Taylor had just turned five. He had his first day of kindergarten and wanted to tell Bill all about it.
Ellen greeted him too and kissed him. "Dinner is ready. How was work?"
"Oh, you know… same old crew." Bill said. Conversation continued as they set down to eat. There was no talk of monsters or death. Of course, after Tessa left him, he had no memory of monsters or death. He had no memory of the hell that Taylor lived through. He had no memory of John shooting him at his request. He had his daughter and his son under the same roof and he couldn't have been happier
(Sioux Falls)
Kate slowly turned her head to look at Dean. "We should get these to Jo and Ellen."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "We should call dad."
Kate whined. "He will ruin the mood. You want him in a good mood when you repeat what Bill said."
Dean considered it. She had an excellent point. "We will go to the roadhouse and then come back here. We are going to talk to dad about how you got those."
(Roadhouse)
Ellen didn't expect to see Kate and Dean walk through the doors. She had not heard the impala and as far as she knew, Dean was still pretty banged up. "What brings you two here?"
"I have something for you." Kate said with a bounce to her step. She slowed down. "I have to give it to you when you aren't busy."
Ellen was curious so she turned the bar over to Stacy.
Dean waved to Stacy. "How are the boys doing?"
"They are great. They are at school." Stacy said. "They'll be here soon if you want to say hi."
Dean didn't know if they would be there that long, but they did want to talk to Jo. He nodded and followed Ellen and Kate into the back room, so they had privacy.
Kate had Ellen sit down. "I'm going to give you something and you have to hold it to your chest."
Ellen took a small pendant and did as Kate said. She shook from the feeling. She let tears fall from her eyes and bit into the side of her cheek to control herself.
Kate gave her a minute. "Um, Bill had messages for you."
Ellen stood up and hugged Kate. "How?"
Kate ignored the question. She let Bill's message flow into Ellen, giving her a sense of understanding. She also produced the camera and showed Ellen the clip of Bill talking.
Ellen broke down. She was always stoic, but this broke her.
Kate frowned. "I'm sorry."
"No." Ellen said. "Sweetie don't be. This is…"
"A lot." Kate said. "I'll have Charlie extract these files so that they are clear and easy for you to replay." If she threw information at her quickly enough, she wouldn't ask where Kate had met Bill.
Ellen was left to herself until she could compose herself. She had not felt Bill's arms around her in years. She had forgotten how it felt. It instantly sent her back to the woman she was before he died. Far less hardened. She told them to come back into the room once she could breathe. "Thank you so much." She was confused. "How did you get this?"
Kate's eyes drifted.
Ellen looked to Dean and then back to Kate. "Katelyn Winchester, how did you get this?"
"Does it make you happy? Does it help?" Kate asked.
Ellen just looked at Kate with a stern expression.
"I don't want to hurt you." Kate said.
Ellen raised an eyebrow.
"So…. Um… he wasn't in heaven." She bit her lip. "He was in hell but now he is in heaven and he wasn't in the bad part of hell because Crowley wanted to use him as a bargaining chip so he didn't hurt him and I got him and now he is in heaven." Kate blurted out.
Ellen blinked rapidly.
"I got pendants for Jo and Taylor." Kate said.
Ellen looked at Dean again, trying to read the look on his face.
"She followed Crowley to hell and brought Bill back." Dean said.
Kate threw her hands behind her. "There is more to the story!"
Ellen put her hands on her hips. "There had better be."
"Dean and I were at the lake. A hell hound showed up. I called Crowley out. We argued. He said he had a bargaining chip. I was gone for like two seconds in real time." Kate said.
"In real time? How long were you gone in hell time?" Dean asked.
Kate heard Jo's voice and backed away from the two adults. "Jo is here and think about how happy she will be with the pendant."
Ellen let her get Jo. She shook her head. "I'll assume you'll be talking to her about that."
"She's going to talk to dad when he gets home." Dean said.
Ellen held the pendant to her chest. "She makes it difficult."
"To stay mad?" Dean asked. "Yeah. I've noticed."
Jo followed Kate. She dropped her backpack and sat down. "Okay, full attention."
Kate handed her the pendant and stepped back.
Jo was confused until she felt warmth flow through her body. She turned and nearly dove into Ellen's arms.
Ellen smoothed Jo's hair. She rocked her slightly. "He loved you so much."
Jo wiped her eyes and left Ellen to crush Kate into a hug. "Thank you!"
"I got one for Taylor too. He just doesn't know it yet." Kate said. "I got a video and a message for you as well."
Jo giddily absorbed the message and watched the video. She crushed Kate again. "You are the best!"
Kate looked around Jo and gave Dean and Ellen a sheepish grin.
"She may not care how you got it, but I do." Ellen said.
Jo let go of Kate. "How did you get it?"
Kate sighed heavily. "I went to hell. Don't worry, your dad wasn't hurt. He was just chilling in the not so bad part of hell. He's in heaven now though."
Jo zoned in on the fact that he was in heaven. She didn't think about why Kate had been in hell.
Kate chewed the side of her thumb. "We should get home."
"I need to talk to Stacy." Dean said.
Kate grabbed his arm before he left the room. "Don't leave me in here."
Dean pried her hand away from his arm. "I'm not here to protect you."
Kate bounced on her toes. "I need to talk to Dillon about the angel."
Ellen walked toward the door as well. "As much as I have to say about you being around a demon, I believe your dad will have more to say."
Kate frowned. "No good deed goes unpunished." She jumped. "You didn't have to smack me."
Ellen gently nudged her. "Thank you. I do appreciate the pendant. This does help me heal."
Dillon and his brother were sitting at a booth with glasses of sprite. He waved Kate over. "Hey."
Kate sat down. "Hey. Did the angel mark go away?"
"Yeah." Dillon said.
Kate asked if he had seen anything else concerning but couldn't get a clear answer. It was likely due to Dillon not being super aware and not seeing everything that was out there. She touched his hand to look for things that needed to be noted.
Dillon blushed thinking she had touched his hand because she liked him.
Dean whistled to get Kate's attention after he had spoken to Stacy. He tilted his head back toward the room and told her that John was just about home. "We should head back."
Kate got another hug from Jo and zapped them back to Sioux Falls.
(Sioux Falls)
Kate was relieved that the impala wasn't parked in the driveway when they got there. She wanted to talk to Taylor before attempting to talk to John. She found Taylor in the shop and prepared him for the gift. She didn't want him to be caught off guard and overreact.
Taylor took the pendant already knowing what it was. He just didn't know who it was. He felt a strange feeling and looked to Kate for an answer.
"I talked to Bill. He's in heaven now. He just wanted you to have that." Kate said.
Taylor's face was blank as he tried to process things. A blue glow started in his chest and followed his veins throughout his body.
Kate gave him the message from Bill and stood back while Taylor tried to control whatever emotion he was feeling.
Taylor had never felt anything like it. He swallowed hard and wiped his face. He thanked Kate in a soft voice.
Kate knew he was just as touched as Ellen and Jo had been, but it was more confusing for him, and he didn't show emotion as much as they did. "He loved you."
The glow got brighter and filled the shop, slipping through the cracks around the door. A loud knock pulled some of the glow back into Taylor's body.
John opened the door with Dean behind him. "Is everyone okay?"
Taylor nodded. He was obviously in tears but doing his best to hide it.
"He got a pendant." Dean said.
John took in the scene.
"From Bill." Dean added.
John's eyes widened.
Kate reluctantly left Taylor. "I'll explain." She didn't want to ruin it for Taylor. "Dean has something he wants to tell you."
"I think you do." Dean said.
Kate sighed. "You might as well get it out of the way because he won't think it is as funny if you tell him after I share my part of it."
John leaned against the impala. "Report."
Dean cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath.
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "Spit it out."
"Bill said to tell you that if he had known you were going to be a whiny bitch about his death, he would have shot both of you instead." Dean said all in one breath.
John's mouth dropped open. He was speechless.
Dean nearly winced.
John started laughing and used his shirt to hide his face. He turned his back on Dean and gathered himself.
Kate tilted her head. "Not the reaction we were expecting."
John held his breath for a moment. "That is Bill for you."
Dean contemplated the possibility that John had been body swapped. "I think it is like when Caleb says stuff like that to me. We are best friends."
John nodded. Dean had repeated the message the same way that Bill had said it and it was spot on. He scratched his chin. "How did you talk to Bill?"
Kate licked her lips. "He had more to say but it is easier if I give you the memory."
John let her touch him. He felt a gut punch at the site of his old friend. He hadn't aged a day. His heart ached.
"I got pendants for Taylor, Jo and Ellen." Kate said. "Messages too."
John finally got the closure he needed to fully forgive himself for shooting Bill. He looked up at the sky as though he could see Bill in the clouds.
"So, everyone is happy." Kate said.
"Where is he?" John asked.
"Heaven." Kate said.
"Did you make a trip to heaven?" John asked. He saw Kate look away from him and let his eyes move to Dean to try to understand what wasn't being said. "How did you talk to him?"
Kate didn't look up at John but mumbled her answer.
"You what?!" John boomed.
Taylor stepped out of the shop. He had been startled and wanted to check on things.
"For two seconds." Kate said.
"Did you make another deal?" John asked.
"No." Kate said, slowly. She squeaked when he closed the distance between them. She put out her hand to stop him. "I'll explain everything. Everyone is happy. No one is hurt. We can talk calmly."
John stopped and just looked at her. "I want a full report."
Kate let out a breath of air. "Yes, sir. I'll tell you everything."
Dean went inside with John, leaving Kate and Taylor outside.
Taylor tapped Kate. "Did you just compel him?"
"No." Kate said.
"Kate, please be honest with me." Taylor said.
Kate let him look into her head. "I didn't."
Taylor nodded. "You just took the anger out of him."
"He isn't supposed to deal with us in anger anyway." Kate said.
"What are you doing?" Taylor asked. He was worried.
Kate heard her name and sighed. She looked into Taylor's eyes and pressed a thought into his head.
"I have new information. We need to talk. It is all a distraction. Not now. Someone could be listening."
She heard her name again and groaned.
Taylor gave her a small smile. "I've got your back, let's go."
