*** added note: Charlie in my story is true to Charlie in the show (except I made her a few years younger). I do not change major things about the characters compared to the show. John is way less of an ass than in the show but one could say he is a work in progress.
Author's note: Good grief. Each time I think I have a moment to write, things go crazy. We had two really big fires (one very close to me) that ripped through our area. Homes were lost (including homes that belong to family members). The community is devastated but it is neat seeing so many people come together to offer food, clothes, pastures for large animals that had to evacuate. My house is totally fine and so am I. I started grad school again, so this week has been WILD. Anyway, here is a chapter that I fought hard to get written.
(What to do about Jacob)
Bobby got Tony on the phone and asked him where he was. He could tell by Tony's voice that the man was off in some way. "Do you plan on picking up your son?"
Tony was quiet.
"If you aren't going to make it back soon enough, you need to be man enough to tell them that. We are willing to watch him, but no one likes waiting around for a phone call." Bobby said. He had that conversation with John a couple dozen times.
"I don't know." Tony said. He had horrible brain fog and his eyes burned.
Bobby scratched his chin. "You do plan on picking him up, right?"
"Yes." Tony said. "I can't juggle everything."
"Parenting alone is hard enough. It might be wise to step away from the wolf hunt and just take care of him." Bobby said. He heard a few noises that told him Tony was looking for the words he wanted to say. "I need to know where your head is at."
Tony looked in the mirror. He had aged. "Seeing my wife get taken like that… it messed me up."
"I'd imagine it would." Bobby said.
Tony was so excited when he found out his wife was pregnant with Jacob. Then he was born, and it was the happiest that Tony had ever been. Jacob was perfect. Their life was off to the perfect start. Then, tragedy struck. His dreams were torn to shreds. He had reached a point that he didn't want to admit to.
"I'm not going to cast judgement so say what you need to say." Bobby coaxed.
"When we were attacked, my wife…. her screams went right through me. I couldn't save her, and I have that burned into my mind." He took a deep breath. "Sometimes, noises like that make me feel like I am right back there."
Bobby understood that. "PTSD at its finest."
"I love my son. I do. Most of the time, I'm okay. It is hard though." Tony said. "Lately, when he is crying and I can't get him to stop, I feel like he is being attacked and I can't help him."
"That sets you off." Bobby said. He didn't ask what had transpired. "Sam and Jess like having him over but he is sick. He has RSV. I think, if you are going to take a few days or weeks to get things together, he should go to our friends' house. We told you about them."
Tony agreed. He was not mentally in a good place, but Jacob deserved to be well taken care of. "I'll call Sam."
"I'll call him. You just worry about yourself and don't get yourself killed." Bobby said. He filled John in and called Sam to work things out with them.
(Stanford)
Sam was grateful to have answers. However, they weren't the answers he was wanting.
"He could hurt Jacob if he gets too agitated." Jess said.
"So, he will have time to figure that out." Sam said.
Jess paced around the living room with Jacob on her shoulder. He was still running fevers and whimpering sadly. "We will figure it out."
Marie gave Jess a cool cloth to put on Jacob's head. "He can go home with me." She patted Jess's arm. "You can still see him."
"The nymphs." Jess said.
"Alice said that she wouldn't mind going back and forth. I'll just watch him during the day and you two can see him as much as you would like." Marie said.
Jess knew Marie was right. She and Sam couldn't take care of him when he was sick, and they had classes. Marie would be perfect as a nanny. She had plenty of help and plenty of time. She kissed Jacob's head. "Okay."
Marie got Rod to ask Alice to return. She had not previously considered having the nymphs act as transportation. They loved children though. "You know, someone should look into nymph legends about them helping village children."
Sam looked interested. "What makes you say that?"
"Oh, they have told me stories. I trust them and you do too. If we could find 'proof' that they are kind to children, that would solve our emergency transportation issue. They can get hunters' children out of harms way." Marie said.
Jess brightened. "Brilliant." That was something she could work on and still feel like she was helping.
With Jacob and Marie gone, Sam flopped onto the couch. "Today was a long day."
Jess carried him a drink. "Do you think Tony is really going to come back?"
Sam looked up at the ceiling. "I think so. Not really worth fretting over."
"I mean… Jacob is important." Jess said.
Sam met eyes with her. "I don't want Tony to get himself killed. I have just seen so many hunters die. If something happens, Jacob will be okay. He will be with us or Marie. He isn't going to get left in a motel room wondering where his dad is."
"I guess you are right." Jess said.
"If he gets too sick, we have people that can help heal him. If he has to stay for a month, we have people to help take care of him. He is set." Sam said.
Jess settled in beside him. "I think it is sweet that your dad is so willing to help."
"I'm used to it now." Sam said. "Caught me off guard at first. I think he will be a good grandparent in the very distant future."
"Our kids will be spoiled rotten. You know Dean is going to be a massive pushover." Jess said.
Sam smiled. "You will be like April and get annoyed with the kids for acting like him."
"Surely April will have him straightened out by the time we have kids." Jess said.
"Caleb's kids are great practice for the whole family." Sam said. "I really didn't see him with a wife and kids."
"He seems like the family type." Jess said. "I guess I didn't really know him before all of this."
"He is a lot like Dean. He was cynical and focused on hunting. He didn't think he would ever get the opportunity to settle down. I'm glad he has though. It worked out well for all of them." Sam said.
"Now we just have to get Dean to settle down." April said.
Sam snorted. "That likely won't happen but who knows."
(Later in the day)
(Rufus)
Rufus borrowed a trailer and got the old car ready for the long drive to California. He was very comfortable in the bunker, but some fresh air wouldn't hurt. The truck and trailer were owned by another hunter, so it was well warded. He would still watch his back, but the constant movement of a road trip would help keep him safe.
He made good use of the bunker's supply of liquor. Honestly, he had been happy staying there. He could relax. He was surrounded by things that he found interesting. He wasn't one to keep constant company so the solitude didn't bother him much. He and Bobby had discussed the future and what might happen over time. If they needed someone to man the door at the bunker, he would have no problem doing so. He knew who they trusted. The bunker was a massive resource that most hunters could benefit from, but it was too important to let fall into the wrong hands. He figured out how to shut parts of the bunker down although that conversation with Bobby had them both ready to kill each other. He did well to work a cell phone. A complex, seemingly supernatural, control center was over his head. If they needed to send someone there for safety, he could block them from the armory or artifact room. He couldn't have dreamed up a better place. The only downfall was he couldn't brag about it. He couldn't sit down at the roadhouse with other hunters and tell them about it. It was a small price to pay.
(Sam and Jess)
Jess checked on Jacob for the third time and was assured for the third time that he was okay. He was sick and miserable but sleeping between breathing treatments. She had so many strong emotions hitting her. She was frustrated with Tony, but she was also thankful that he made the decision that he did. She thought about him being strung out during the night and shaking Jacob or giving him a medication that his little body couldn't handle. She had a specific form of anxiety when it came to Jacob. Sam had pointed it out a few times, but she was finally accepting it. She had been so focused on everything else that she nearly forgot about the upcoming event at Stanford. She needed to make flyers and business cards. She needed to talk to Kate about things they could give to people who stopped by their booth. They needed to decorate the booth.
Sam approached Jess. "You look tired."
Jess sighed. "I have a lot on my mind. I have to figure out booth stuff."
"We can do that." Sam said. "Tell me what you need."
"I don't know." Jess said. "No one is being that helpful. The other girls from my group are kind of leaving it up to me because there is also a party the same weekend."
"Not much of a group project if the group doesn't get involved." Sam said. "I can shoot dad a message to ask if Kate is available to talk about it. I don't want to make assumptions if she is grounded or something."
"Should we skip it?" Jess asked. "It isn't important. Things are falling apart and here I am worried about a stupid fund raiser."
"It isn't stupid. It gives you a chance to make connections." Sam said. "Don't skip it. We need some normalcy in our lives."
(Sioux Falls)
Kate teetered between worlds. She fully understood that her trip to hell had been incredibly dangerous. She was lucky to have made it out. She understood why everyone was upset about it. She hated herself for hurting Dean again. He always seemed to be the one to become collateral damage. She apologized several times and only stopped when he threatened to duct tape her mouth shut.
Dean had grown slightly numb to Kate's extremes. That was the only way that he could cope with the crazy. She scared the life out of him, but she did that often. He forgave her after her slate was whipped clean. He was cautious about future adventures, but he didn't hold a grudge against family. That is probably why he got along better with John when he and Sam were younger. Sam held a grudge each time John vanished. Dean didn't. He'd just forgive him when he showed up again. He wasn't sure if it was a character flaw or just how he learned to survive.
(Rod and Marie's house)
Charlie got the assignment to work with one of the nymphs on finding proof that they were safe around children. Their ability to teleport and protect people would be instrumental in keeping hunters' kids safe. She loved the whimsical side of things, so she was quick to trust them. A hardened hunter may not trust them even after they have proof. She watched her time because she had a bit of a date with Aislinn. Okay, it wasn't a date exactly. They were meeting up at the library and hanging out. That was a date as far as Charlie was concerned. Aislinn was cool. Charlie could talk to her about fairies and such and not get judged. It was just talk as both girls were interested in the topic in the same way that people could be interested in Greek mythology. Charlie just happened to know that some of it was real. She had been really shy about Aislinn for a bit, but Rod and Marie were supportive.
Marie was thrilled that Charlie had someone to hang out with. She wasn't sure if Aislinn was officially a girlfriend or just a friend that was a girl. Either way, she was tickled. She sent Charlie off with snacks for the two girls to share.
Jacob had been placed in a rolling basinet so that he was always at Marie's side. He was propped on pillows to help him breathe but Marie was too nervous to leave him like that by himself. He could twist and get trapped.
Marie heard Jacob whimper and sighed. She touched his head. He was running yet another fever. The poor baby was miserable. He cried when he coughed, likely due to chest or throat pain. She carried him outside to see if the cool air helped his lungs.
A nymph walked out of the trees to ask about the new baby. She gently touched his cheek. "Alice announced the new arrival."
Marie swayed gently. "He is a hunter's son. He has a virus that we call RSV."
The nymph introduced herself in an ancient tongue. She smiled softly. "You may call me Nualla."
Marie was grateful for the updated nickname because the previous name had sounds that she couldn't begin to understand how to replicate. "Where are you from?"
"I suppose you would call it ancient Iceland." Nualla said. "Things were different when I was there." She studied Jacob. "May I hold him?"
Marie handed Jacob over to Nualla.
Nualla held Jacob to her. "It has been a long time since I have held a child this young."
"Do you get a chance to interact with many children?" Marie asked.
Nualla sighed. "No. Not unless they have gotten lost in the forest, and we guide them to a road where they will be found." She gently rocked him. "Many, many years ago, I set my roots next to a pond. A few of us had taken up residence in a quiet stand of trees but men with cannons and muskets came through and we had to flee. The pond was small so my sisters could not stay with me. A young boy walked down to the pond each day. He would fish for hours, rarely catching anything. He was from a family of several children. The father was away for the war and the mother was doing her best to raise the children on her own. The boy fell into the pond one day. He couldn't swim well. I left my cover and pulled him from the pond. He ran and told his mother. I assumed I would have to move but the woman was grateful. She was not fearful. I became very close with their family and helped the mother with the children. Her husband never came back. The children grew and left the homestead. The woman eventually passed peacefully. One of the children gave me my name."
Marie could see that Nualla had fond memories of the family. "That is lovely."
"We all have stories. We mostly watch silently. Our kind is misunderstood. We would never hurt a child." Nualla said. She turned to another nymph that appeared to her side. She held her hand out for a small satchel and placed it in Marie's hand. "Run him a warm bath. Sprinkle a pinch of this into the water and then allow him to soak. It will help."
Jacob was mesmerized by the strange woman. He stared at her contently. Young children had the ability to see swirls of color and light that surrounded the nymphs. The ability faded as the child was old enough to form concrete memory or speak. For Jacob, the swirls were comforting to look at.
Marie brought Jacob back inside and ran the bath that Nualla recommended. The herbs smelled good. She couldn't quite place what it was made out of, but she found them soothing. She placed a baby bath sling into the tub and sat Jacob in it. She smiled when he started kicking the water. She thought he may have a future as a swimmer.
Charlie skipped into the bathroom. "I think I have a few books we can use to prove that the nymphs are cool. One may be at our library. What is that? It smells good."
Marie told her about the powder the nymph gave her.
"Baby soup." Charlie said. "You just need some carrots."
Marie chuckled. "Make sure that the others get those book references. They will have a better chance at convincing hunters that the nymphs are good than I would." She noticed Charlie had on lip gloss and a hint of eye shadow. "You look pretty."
Charlie turned red. "Uh, thanks."
"What time are you leaving?" Marie asked.
"I was about to, if that is okay." Charlie said.
"Of course, I'll let Rod know." Marie said. She could always tell what Charlie was feeling based on her footsteps. The sound of skipping meant Charlie was happy. She heard a slight change and shook her head. That sound meant Charlie had gotten overzealous and nearly overshot the stairs. "Silly girl." She cooed at Jacob. "Are you feeling better?"
Jacob chewed on his hand and moved his feet in the water. He was at ease.
She heard her phone chime and looked away from Jacob for a moment. "Jess is checking on you again. You may not realize it, but you are one very loved little boy." She dried her hands and answered her phone, ready to tell Jess to stop worrying again. It wouldn't work but Jess had gotten motherly anxiety upon meeting him. Marie had it when she had a newborn. Usually, it hit birth mothers, but it happened with adoptive mothers too. Jess was a foster mother of sorts, so Marie would answer each phone call no matter how many times a day she got them.
(Event prep)
Kate enlisted Hannah's help in getting stuff together for Jess's event. She was surprised that John entertained the idea. He let Hannah stop by Bobby's house. They spent an hour on the phone with Jess trying to figure out details. They'd make keychains that people could take with them. Keychains were simple enough. Kate just couldn't do simple. She had to do elaborate. She formed an idea in her head and added Taylor to her team.
Taylor was given a design and a strip of metal. "You want me to bend this to look like that?"
Kate nodded. "We are going to use it to stamp leather strips." She drew two designs for Taylor to copy. Under normal circumstances, the designs would take weeks to order. Most people couldn't bend thin strips of metal into intricate designs without special tools. She wasn't sure if the idea would work. It was worth a shot though.
Hannah found a shape that she liked in a box of leather working tools that Kate had been given. It was kind of an oval but also a tear drop shape. It looked fancy enough. She cut out the shapes and then handed the shapes to Kate so that she could finish the edges with thread. Once they got the design stamps, they were able to transfer them onto the leather.
Bobby looked at the stamp. He ran his fingers along the design side. "This looks professional."
Taylor looked at the tips of his fingers. "I think I nearly wore my fingers down."
"Don't worry, they grow back." Kate said. She positioned the other stamp over one of the leather shapes and brought her fist down hard.
Karen jumped. "Young lady, you had better not mess up my table."
Kate grinned sheepishly. "We will take this to the shop."
Karen covered her heart with her hand. "Feel free to use the table except for that particular step."
Dean checked in with the kids before heading out to fix the tire on his car. It had a slow leak and he wanted to find the hole in the tire before the slow leak became a fast leak. He used a jack to lift his car and started feeling around for any punctures in the tire.
Robby sat down beside Dean and watched him feel around the tire.
Dean acknowledged Robby and gave him a piece of plastic that had gotten swept under the car. He found the puncture and found a small screw that had caused the leak. He pried the screw out and handed that to Robby too. "Go throw that away." When Robby left Dean furrowed his eyebrows. That was a raccoon. That was a wild animal that enjoyed throwing bits of trash away. Dean was okay with it. Why was he okay with it? Was it due to how crazy things were? Did the pet racoon just seem normal compared to everything else?
Taylor looked outside. He could hear Dean mumbling and caught site of Robby's tail. "Dean is talking to Robby."
Kate looked outside too. "That is adorable. I think they are friends."
Dean looked toward the window and shot them a look. He finished his job and left Robby to do what ever racoons did. He needed to watch what he talked to. First it was the cats, now it was the racoon. People were going to question his sanity. He was questioning his sanity.
(The evening)
The evening consisted of the kids making keychains and the adults chatting. Bobby had gotten Rufus's route planned out and he just had to wait around until he made it to Stanford. They seemed to be doing a lot of waiting lately.
John dropped Hannah off at her house on his way into town. He picked up a few items at the hardware store for Kate and checked things off his list of things to do. Town was lively as the weather had been warmer that day. It was a cruel taste of spring before winter set back in.
Charlie enjoyed her time with Aislinn and the library. She talked about the nymphs and fairies. They found books about the subjects too.
Aislinn stopped Charlie before she left. "My mom said I could invite you over for dinner tomorrow."
Charlie blushed. "Sure, I'll ask my…. I'll ask Marie."
"They adopted you, right?" Aislinn asked.
Charlie tensed because she didn't want to talk about who she was before all of that. "Yeah."
"Super cool." Aislinn said. "They are kind of old but seem super chill."
Charlie smiled. "They are." She got a passionate kiss without warning. She was frozen in place for a moment while her brain caught up with her.
Aislinn grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Charlie blushed deeper. "See you tomorrow." She mentally kicked herself for just freezing up. Social interaction was not her strong suit. She hurried home with her books and checked in with Marie so that she knew she was back.
Marie gave her a warm smile. "How did it go?"
Charlie's entire face turned red. "Uh, good."
Marie didn't push her. She cleaned up after their dinner and made sure Charlie wasn't hungry.
"Uh, is Jacob better?" Charlie asked.
"He is sleeping. The herbs worked." Marie said. "I'm just tidying up before he wakes up to eat."
Charlie stepped back. "Oh, cool."
Marie chuckled. "You are free to go."
Charlie darted up the stairs and flipped open the book on nymphs. It didn't call them nymphs. It called them something else, but she was certain that all of the information was the same. She sent Bobby an email and stacked the books on her desk. She fell back onto her bed and let out a content sigh. The night could not have gone better. She rolled over and pulled her pillow under her chin. She was so lucky. She pinched her arm and winced. She was human and she was awake. Those were both good things.
At Bobby's house, Kate fell onto her own bed. She let Millie under her blankets and said goodnight to Dean. She waited for Taylor to stop fumbling around before she closed her eyes. "Are you up for more crafting tomorrow?"
Taylor sat down on his bed. "I can create heat from my hands. How cool would it be to do wood burning but with a thin metal rod like a pencil."
Kate sat up quickly. "That would be awesome."
"Experiment for tomorrow." Taylor said.
"I thought we had abilities to save the world. Turns out we are just really good at making keychains." Kate said.
"People will like the keychains." Taylor said. He settled in bed. "By the way, dad is thinking about letting you go to Stanford to help Jess."
Kate gasped. "Really?"
"Sam will be there. Just don't be stupid and piss him off again." Taylor said.
Kate scoffed. "I can't do anything worse than going to hell."
Taylor put his arm over his eyes. "You'll get creative."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Just so you know, people we think should be suffering, are suffering."
Taylor moved his arm. The room was dark, but he could still see her. "Craig?"
"Regretting being a douchebag." Kate said.
Taylor smirked. "I knew that is where he went but the confirmation might have made your trip worth it."
Kate grimaced. "I don't know about that. I yanked dad's best friend from hell, and I still got fried over it."
"I don't think that covered the whole taunting Satan bit. Just imagine if you had come back empty handed." Taylor said.
"Any time I do something that extreme, I will just have to do something positive with it as well. Keep them conflicted." Kate said.
"Good luck." Taylor said. "Leave me out of it."
(The night)
Death watched the universe form from a single molecule. Each universe. They were all remarkably similar. Little things were different, but he could hardly tell them apart. That was likely due to disinterest. He could not count how many years he had existed because he existed before time. He existed long before the first atom rose from the abyss. He didn't know if he or god arrived first. He couldn't remember a time in which he hadn't been around in some form.
Death spent eons watching bacteria and protozoa float around in bodies of water. It was all rather boring until the first humans appeared. Animals died when they were supposed to. They didn't fight the natural order of things. Humans came along and messed with that natural order. They fought death. They strived to stay alive, even past their designated time. Machines and medication were created to extend the human life span. He viewed humans much like he did bees or ants. Bees and ants were orderly and repetitive. Humans were too at first and in general. Groups of humans strayed from the stream of society and found endeavors to focus their energies on. Some were good. Some were bad. Famines, wars, plagues, the rise and fall of Rome and ever other civilization. Each universe had the same ebb and flow of history.
He rarely saw anything new or unique. However, one universe sparked his curiosity. He spotted minuscule differences between that universe and the other trillion that god had created. It took centuries to locate the source of the discrepancies. He had been aware of Kate and Taylor's bloodlines for a while and watched as they were both created. Something was operating outside of god's typical guidelines. He had boots on the ground looking for the culprit and finally found them.
Death stepped into nothingness that matched the nothingness that existed before the first universe was born. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds that weren't there. It was silent, it was nothing. It wasn't dark, it was nothing. He felt the presence of another being and turned to face them. "Forgive me but I do not know your name." It was a simple statement. Except, his position as death gave him access to everyone's names. He knew every creature, celestial being and human. That specific being was something that he knew nothing about.
The being studied death. His voice was a welcomed sound as they had been in the nothingness since before the universes began. It had been able to communicate with Kate's universe after billions of years. Just a thought or inkling at a time. The additions to the bloodlines were done for two reasons. The first reason was to give them a tow rope to make it to earth. The second reason was so that they had their own creation that god couldn't control. They had their own fighters that would help them take down the powerful creator.
"Rumors are going around that you have touched down a time or two." Death said. "There are a lot of rumors."
"I have." The being said. "There is a barrier that I cannot break through in order to stay."
"It is thinning." Death said.
The being waved their hand and the nothingness turned into a path that ended at a koi pond. There were cherry blossoms falling through the air and the sound of a small waterfall in the distance. "I am no stronger than god."
Death sat on a bench that appeared. "You are a worthy opponent."
"I do not wish to fight but he has never given me a choice." The being said.
"You can show yourself. I come here with no intention aside from satisfying my own curiosity." Death said.
A young woman materialized next to the pond. "I am gods sister."
Death looked slightly surprised. "I was unaware that he had one."
The woman looked crest fallen. "He locked me away so that he could have complete control over the expanse. In fact, if he knew I was making contact, he'd cast me farther into nothingness."
"Did you create the nephilian?" Death asked.
The woman sat so that she could dip her fingers into the water. "Yes."
"You created them to be something other than carbon. I can see that." Death said.
The woman smiled softly. "Close enough to not raise alarm."
Death and the woman chatted for a while until it was clear that the nothingness was starting to pull her back in. God's hold on her was too strong. "Shall I tell them?"
"God mustn't find out that I am here. The consequences would be dire. Do what you must but you cannot reap me. However, I can reap you." She said with a dark tone.
Death stepped out of the darkness as the pond faded away. If god was unaware that his sister had broken free from her chains for a moment, then death was the only being that knew what she was. He had never faced a dilemma like this one. He was neutral as to if she stayed or not. It wasn't his job to choose sides.
(Sioux Falls)
Kate flew out of bed and nearly ran into Taylor who had done the same thing. "Holy shit!"
Taylor rapidly rubbed at his arms and legs. They had felt that power before, but it was too strong to comprehend.
Dean ran into their room. He was met with a wall of brilliant blue light. He shielded his eyes. "Hey! What's going on?"
Taylor ran around him to turn the light on. "She and I both got woken up by this….. this power."
Dean whistled loudly so that John would meet him upstairs. "Is it bad? Are you okay? He checked them both over the best he could with his sight temporarily ruined from the blue glow.
John rounded the corner.
"Dad, it's okay." Kate said. "We are okay. We are just super charged."
John took ahold of both of Kate's arms. "Reel it in."
Kate's eyes faded enough that she could close them. "We don't know what happened. It just happened." She twisted away from him to grab her sketch pad. She had a face at the forefront of her mind. It was as if she had seen it in a bright light and the outline was left when she closed her eyes. She fumbled around for a pencil and flipped to the back of her book because she couldn't see the pages. She sketched without looking.
Both kids settled as the power had only been there for a moment. They could feel the effects but it was manageable.
Dean tilted his head. "Who is that?"
Kate rubbed her eyes. "I don't know."
"She's hot." Dean said lightly. He sucked air through his teeth and put a hand to his head. "I can't help them if you knock me out."
John shot him a harsh look although he knew Dean was not serious. "Does anyone know what caused this?"
Kate stared at the drawing. She recognized the face somehow. She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes and rocked back and forth. "She came to me in a vision. She was a kid though."
John squinted his eyes. "Dean, the girl from the video that blew up the hospital."
Dean's eyes widened. "I mean, she looks different."
"Maybe she just appeared as a kid before." Kate said.
"Is this… is this a good or bad sign?" Dean asked.
"Fu- heck if I know." Taylor said. He corrected himself before he misspoke in front of John. He was reeling from the rush of power and primed for bad decisions. "I need to run."
Dean threw up his hands. "Don't leave the property." He grimaced when the front door slammed. Taylor had a speed boost that Dean had yet to see. "That's going to wake them up."
Sure enough, a few moments later, Bobby stood at the bottom of the stairs asking why the house had shaken.
Kate ran down the stairs. "We got hit with a power surge." She sucked in a huge breath of air to prepare for the torrent of words she needed to get out. "It is super strong and we have felt it before and it isn't like a normal power surge. It is super super powerful. It is pure. It feels weird but all surges feel weird." She bounced on her toes. "I have seen her face before. I drew it. I don't know who or what she is. She has to be powerful to create something like this surge. Why was she a little girl at the hospital? Is this like a kid god? Are there kid gods? Are other gods real? Is Zues real?"
Dean pulled her to him and hugged her. "Breathe."
Kate stopped talking and just let Dean hug her. "Too antsy to stay still."
Dean let her go. "Do something artistic. Stay out of hell."
Kate grumbled. "So, I can visit any other realm aside from hell?"
Dean tilted his head toward John. "You can take that up with him."
Kate gathered materials for some type of art to keep her mind somewhat busy. That was going to be a difficult task.
John decided to check on Taylor but had barely made it to the front door when he felt the ground shift. There was a thick fog in the yard that made it hard to see where the cars were. He was on high alert, but it was eerily silent. He blinked and the yard was gone. He was standing on a gravel road in a place that he didn't recognize. He slowly turned on his heel and met eyes with a strange being. He reached for his gun but something blocked him.
"I'm only here to talk." Death said.
John just stared at him, not quite comprehending who he was.
"I have news for you that I must pass along. It is important and you cannot tell anyone else. Are you capable of that?" Death asked.
John furrowed his brows. "Who are you?"
Death looked bored. "I have many names, but you can call me Death."
John tensed.
"If it was your time, I wouldn't give you the curtesy of making small talk first." Death said. He leaned on his cane. "Two of your children and I are well acquainted."
John swallowed. "Kate and Dean."
"Yes." Death said. "My news is about Katelyn."
John got what they meant when they were explaining Death's aura. He felt trustworthy in a way. "What is it?"
"I cannot tell you if you are going to betray my trust." Death said. "If I give you this information, you cannot tell Dean or your friend, Bobby. You cannot tell your angel friends. It is for you and you only."
John nodded.
"If you tell anyone before I give you permission to, you will drop dead on the spot." Death said.
John's heart picked up speed. "What is so important that you are hesitant to say?"
Death detected a slight note of annoyance. "You may find yourself short tempered with Kate or Dean's affinity for sarcasm but perhaps it comes from you." He didn't get a response. That was fine with him. He knew the eldest Winchester was far more tense than any of the younger ones. "I know who created your children."
John couldn't hide his interest.
"I know why they are not fully human." Death added.
"Who?" John asked. He watched a red line spread over his arm. "What is this?"
"Oh, just your agreement with my proposition." Death said.
John swallowed. He hadn't agreed but Death was obviously powerful. If Kate ever found out about the exchange, she would implode. Did he make a deal with Death? "Did they create that burst of energy?"
"They did." Death said. "She is god's sister."
John was dumbfounded. "He has a sister?"
"I was unaware as well. It seems as though he locked her away in nothingness so that he wouldn't share the creation of the universe with her. He wanted full control. She was able to get close enough to earth on certain days to set plans in motion. Those days were sometimes centuries apart from each other. Gabriel has been helpful but doesn't truly know what she is. He has spoken to her, but her true identity is a mystery. If god becomes aware that she has been active, he will lock her away in a deeper pit of nothingness." Death explained.
"Why are you telling me this?" John asked.
"Kate and Taylor are in grave danger if god notices them. Someone must know. Big things are happening, and you will guide them." Death said.
John was suddenly back outside of Bobby's house. The fog had faded, and he could hear Taylor running back up the trail. He had a lump in his throat. He couldn't tell them, but could Kate read him? The weight of knowledge made his body feel weak. He knew the answer to one of their biggest questions. He just couldn't share. He looked down at his arm. The red lines were gone. He had been noticing that older Kate was off around him. She was hiding something but there was something else. She held resentment toward him. He thought it was a typical argument, but could it be this? Did she later find out that he knew who was responsible? That would put a dent in their relationship although he hoped that he would be able to tell her sooner rather than later. He was bound by death. Would she understand?
Taylor skidded to a halt to the left of John. He wasn't out of breath although he had made several laps around the property. He wasn't even flushed. "Any updates?"
"No." John said. "How are you feeling?"
"Great." Taylor said.
John thought about his reaction to being poked by Kate's feather. Was it similar? "You have all night to run."
Taylor looked back down the trail. "You can go back to sleep." He saw the look on John's face. "Or not."
John took a seat on the porch steps and motioned for Taylor to continue. He didn't know how fast Taylor was traveling but it was exponentially faster than a typical human. If they had a bike generator, he could power the whole city.
Dean stayed with Kate. He watched her form a shape out of clay and smash it once it was fully formed. "So, why are you crushing it?"
"Not perfect." Kate said. She rolled the clay out and cut it into several pieces. She looked through a box of craft stuff and produced small vials of dye. She added a drop to one piece of clay and handed it to Dean. "Knead it until it is all one color."
Dean wasn't big on arts and crafts. He was awkward trying to fold the clay over and over again to mix the dye in. As the clay grew warm from the heat of his hands, the dot of color turned to swirls and gradients until the small lump of clay was a solid orange. He found himself relaxed. Apparently working with the clay calmed him down. He pushed his thumb into the ball of clay and looked at his thumb print. He still had a scar from pulling the sword from the stone. Older Kate had visited to get his thumb print before that had happened.
Kate handed him another lump of clay to mix and sat the orange ball to the side.
Dean leaned over to look at what she was working on. "Where are your prints?" He held up the one he had just touched and pointed to the tiny ridges that proved that he had been holding it.
Kate looked down at her fingers. She pushed the pad of her finger into the clay and frowned. "They don't show up." She touched the dye and then touched a piece of paper. No print. She could see the ridges but they didn't translate to other objects.
"You could commit crimes and the police couldn't fingerprint you." Dean said.
Karen tied her robe as she entered the kitchen. "Dean Eric."
Dean turned his head. "It was an observation."
"We could take yours off with acid." Kate offered.
Karen shook her head. "Here I thought you two were just having a nice time playing with playdough."
Dean scoffed. "I'm not playing with play dough."
"He is being ever so helpful with mixing clay." Kate said.
Dean looked at the ball in his hand. "What are you doing anyway?"
Kate shrugged. "I don't know yet." She got all her colors the way she wanted them and rolled the clay into long tubes. She placed them on top of each other and cut them before stacking them again. It looked like random placement, but she could see the final design in her head. She made the final cut and flipped a small slice of the clay on its side so that Dean could see the design.
Dean squinted his eyes. "Well how the hell did you do that?"
"Taylor's art teacher had earrings made of clay that were made like this. I could do this for keychains." Kate said.
Dean rubbed his forehead. He couldn't comprehend how stacking clay and smoothing it out had created a butterfly smaller than his pinky nail. The entire tube that Kate created could be cut into tiny slices for identical butterflies. "Make Baby and I'll be impressed."
Kate got out more clay and dyed it different shades of gray and black. "Give me a minute."
Dean raised an eyebrow. He wasn't serious but was intrigued. There was an old bible story about Adam and Eve being made from clay or something like that. Had Kate been in charge or their creation, humans would look a whole lot different. They'd probably all have fairy wings or glow in the dark. That sounded like a Kate thing to do. "Had you been the one to create the first human, what would they have looked like?"
Kate dropped the Impala project to grab another ball of clay. She started to form a body of a small human, but Dean squished it. "Hey!"
Dean narrowed his eyes. "Don't do that."
Kate looked confused.
"Our luck, the thing would come to life." Dean said.
Kate grinned. "I would make them to be nice."
"You saw how that went for god. I can only imagine what a Kate creation would do. Probably kill me." Dean said.
Kate went back to the previous project. "You know, there are other ways to create small humans and I can't do that so I might as well build them from clay."
Dean thumped her. "Any and all small humans will be from Caleb or Sam."
"Bobby!" Kate loudly said toward the hallway.
Bobby came around the corner grumbling. "I'm not a dog, Kate. You don't yell for me unless there is an emergency." He ruffled her hair. "What do you want?"
"Can't you make golems from clay?" Kate asked.
Bobby scratched his chin. "I've read about a few."
Dean snapped his fingers. "You are not to create anything besides little clay designs. That means no humans, no golems, am I clear?"
Kate raised an eyebrow. "A golem is a clay design."
Dean snorted.
"I could make you a girlfriend who is loyal to you and can't leave." Kate said.
"I'm the one that leaves. No thanks." Dean said.
"Golems would be cool to have while hunting. They are extra bodies but can't be killed." Kate said.
"So, when they turn on you, you have no way of getting rid of them." Dean countered.
"You are just afraid to try new things." Kate quipped.
"I might as well ban you from abilities." Dean said.
Kate scrunched her nose. "I will not make any living things."
"Or animated." Dean said.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Or animated."
Dean heard his name and left Kate to find John. He opened the door and walked to the railing where he looked out at the darkened yard. "Has he run out of his shoes?"
"No." John said. "Not yet."
Dean grabbed them both a beer. He stepped off of the porch and leaned against one of the cars. "I don't know what caused that surge and it worries me."
John was quiet for a bit. He knew. He couldn't tell Dean and that shredded him. "Just one day at a time."
Dean popped the lid off of his beer and noticed Robby lurking under the porch. He tossed the top toward him so that he would pick it up. When he didn't, Dean snorted and went to retrieve it, knowing Bobby would thump him if he left trash in the yard. He reached for the lid but promptly jerked his hand back, taking several steps back as well. He saw a flash of fur and heard intense growling.
John jumped up.
A second flash of fur ran under the porch and met the other flash with hissing and growling.
The first flash ran from under the porch, nearly climbing Dean's pant leg.
Dean jumped to the side and whirled around to figure out where the damn thing went.
John blew air through his nose. He covered his mouth as he tried his hardest not to let out a laugh.
"What the hell?" Dean said. He jumped slightly when Robby ran up to him.
"The first one wasn't him." John said.
Dean glared at him. "Yeah, I realize that now. Damn Taylor. He needs a collar or something."
Taylor stopped running when he heard his name. "What did I miss?"
John bit into the side of his cheek. "Dean here can hit an octave I didn't previously know he could hit."
"A rabid racoon tried to eat my hand because I thought it was Robby." Dean said.
"You have issues with wildlife, don't you?" Taylor said.
Dean looked unamused. "Shut up." He drank his beer and went back inside where there were no racoons or skunks. He checked his phone and pulled a face.
"What is it?" Kate asked.
Dean checked the time. "A friend asked if I wanted to hang out."
Kate shook her head. "Hang out…. Right."
Dean flicked her ear. "Don't know why she is messaging at this time of the night."
"Even I know why." Kate said.
Dean put his phone in his pocket. "You are on thin ice. Stop being a smartass."
"I'm on thin ice with dad." Kate corrected him.
"Who did you leave standing by the lake?" Dean countered.
Kate slowly met eyes with him. "My bad." She snapped her fingers. "The flower! I wonder if it is still there."
Dean held up a hand to stop her before she continued her train of thought. "Dad or I can look in the morning. You are on lock down."
Kate shrugged. "What ever amped us up is gone so you can go 'hang out' with your 'friend' if you want."
Dean crossed his arms. "I didn't need your permission, brat."
"I'm okay. I'm not going to travel anywhere. I'm just going to make keychains." Kate said.
Dean rubbed the back of his head. He didn't know if he should stay or go. The surge had been weird but seemed to hit and run. Neither kid acted like they were scared of something. It wasn't uncommon to get a text from Kim but usually it was earlier in the day. It was just about one in the morning, so the timing felt off. He could use a night away from reality. He spoke to John and grabbed his keys. "Watch her, she is on it tonight."
John chuckled. "I'd be worry if she wasn't." He let Taylor run around outside and stopped by the kitchen to talk to Kate. His chest hurt. He knew that what Death told him was going to hurt Kate. He could hide his thoughts from Dean, who knew him well, but he wondered if Kate would pick up on things. He hoped not. "Are you okay?"
Kate shrugged. "I'm still here."
John sat across from her. "Show me what you've made."
(Caleb's house)
Andy got out of bed and made it down to the living room to look outside. He had been woken up suddenly and felt funny. He felt tingly and he hadn't felt that way in a while. Not since he drank that gross stuff that got rid of his powers.
Andy and Sam both had dormant powers after the cure. When Kate was hit with the surge, she didn't go run like Taylor did. She channeled that energy away from herself and let it dissipate in the wind, not knowing that it had changed once it hit her. She filtered it and released it into the night within the blink of an eye. Some of that made its way to Andy and gave him enough of a boost to feel it for a few minutes.
Andy looked at a vase next to the tv and watched it slowly slide to the left. He put a hand over his eyes and another over his mouth. They were back. He jumped when the light turned on.
Caleb studied Andy. "Why are you up?"
Andy was wide eyed.
Caleb had him step away from the window. "Are you alright?"
Andy nodded.
Caleb was concerned. "You can talk to me, buddy."
Andy licked his lips. "My powers are back."
Caleb became alarmed. "What do you mean?"
Andy moved the vase again.
Caleb looked from the vase to Andy. "What the….."
"Close your eyes." Andy said.
Caleb closed his eyes.
Andy gasped. "Open them."
Caleb did as Andy said.
"Okay, look dad, I think I can compel people." Andy said.
"You had better not." Caleb said.
Andy felt the tingles start to fade and frowned. "I think it is gone now." He gave Caleb a mischievous look. "Go get me ice cream."
Caleb raised an eyebrow.
Andy let his shoulders slump. "I can't compel people anymore."
Caleb was thankful for that. "If you can ask me the right way, I think we could afford a bowl of ice cream."
Andy brightened and asked politely for some ice cream.
Caleb grabbed bowls and dialed John's number. He assumed John would be asleep but a boost in powers that they thought were gone was cause for alarm. He got an answer right away. "Why are you up?"
"My younger two shot out of bed like they had been electrocuted due to a surge." John said. "Taylor is running laps and Kate is channeling her energy into clay art. Why are you awake?"
Caleb rubbed his face. "I think my oldest got hit by that same surge."
"What about Ian?" John asked.
Caleb groaned and checked on him. "He is asleep and hasn't burned the house down."
"Well, that is a bonus. Is Andy doing, okay?" John asked.
Andy sighed heavily. "I got my powers back but only for a little bit. They are gone now."
John chatted with Caleb and decided that Andy was likely okay for the night. He couldn't say what the surge had been to explain it to Caleb. Again, he was shredded. He told the others about Andy and tried to focus on what he could fix. There wasn't much. He knew what ever was happening was bigger than them. It just turned out that it was bigger than anything Death had seen before, aside from God. He had four kids and had witnessed arguments between each of them. Although, a young Sam and Dean were more likely to throw punches. Kate was the sweetest person until the wrong buttons were pushed. Then, she could vaporize hell hounds or laugh in Satan's face. She held her own against the three boys. He didn't know what the relationship was between god and his sister but he knew how Kate would react if she had been locked away and unable to escape. He hoped beyond hope that sibling rivalry was a human concept and they weren't about to be caught in the middle of a fight.
Gabriel showed up after the surge. He took notes on each person in the family. He had met the being a few times but did not know who or what it was. He could see the markings on John's arm that read as a binding agreement with Death. Death didn't make agreements. He just killed those that he needed to kill. He didn't ask for permission or allow even the strongest being to dictate him. However, he had made an agreement with this human. He stuck a piece of candy in his mouth and left Sioux Falls. Things were about to get interesting.
