"When are you going to tell dad?" Dean asked as they pulled up to Bobby's house.

Sam put the car in park. "I don't know."

"Maybe you should wait until your birthday so you are 18 and he can't tell you what to do." Kate said from the backseat.

Dean turned and looked at her. "Turning 18 does not stop him from telling people what to do."

Kate shrugged. "What ever you decide, I've got your back."

Sam looked in the mirror. "Just let me deal with dad."

Kate opened the door and walked to the house.

Dean sighed. "I really am proud of you, Sammy."

Sam smiled. "Thanks. I know this isn't what you want but I'm really excited."

Dean held his hand out for the keys. "I want you where I can keep an eye on you but I guess you have to grow up at some point."

Sam opened his door. "You probably should too."

Dean tossed a rock at the back of Sam's legs. "Bitch."

Sam jumped and gave him a crooked grin. "Jerk."

Kate was laying on her bed with a book when Sam came up the stairs. She was thrilled for Sam but would miss him too. "Hey, Sam?"

Sam opened the door. "Yeah?"

"Can you read or tell me a story tonight?"

Sam smirked. "I can do that." He said.

Kate smiled contentedly and grabbed her pjs. She got ready for bed and hopped back on her bed.

Sam sat down beside her and opened the book he had been reading to her. He would miss reading to her but thought that he could call and read if she wanted him to.

When Dean came upstairs Kate was already asleep. "Did you knock her out?"

Sam smiled. "Nope, just read a book."

Dean brushed the stray hairs from her face. He couldn't wrap his head around how someone so small and harmless could wreak such havoc. "Sammy, I have a question."

Sam side eyed him. "What?"

Dean hid a smirk. "Are you running off to college to leave me here trying to manage hurricane Kate?"

Sam laughed. "I'm pretty sure you are replacing me with hurricane Kate."

Dean slapped his head on the way out. "That's what you get for ditching me."

Sam rubbed his head and laid down in his own bed. He thought that he would take hurricane Kate with him if he knew that she wouldn't burn down the entire university.

Kate was buzzing with excitement on the morning of her birthday. She had to go to school but was excited for her small party that Bobby had agreed to host at the house. She had helped him put away some of the more occult objects in the house.

Sam picked up Ellie and Kate after school and drove them home. He rubbed his temples. They hadn't taken a breath the entire drive.

Dean had found great joy in gently tormenting Kate about Taylor. "What do you mean don't embarrass you? That is in my job description."

Kate shoved him. "No. You have to be cool."

Dean scoffed. "What? I am cool!"

Kate tried to keep pushing him but couldn't budge him. "Go inside. Don't say anything. Don't ask him weird questions."

Dean moved suddenly causing Kate to fall forward. "Don't fall on your face."

Kate screeched. "Oh my god, you are so annoying."

Dean ruffled her hair and went inside.

Bobby raised a brow. "Did you get banned from being outside?"

Dean grinned. "I did."

Ellie and Kate waited on the porch for Taylor to show up.

Kate nearly squeaked when she saw his dad's truck.

Dean stepped outside. He gave her a wink. "I'm not going to say anything."

Kate looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "If you do, that counts as a lie."

Dean held his hands up in defense. "I can be cool."

Taylor got out and smiled when he saw Kate.

Dean walked over to the truck to let his dad know when to pick him up. He walked by the kids and back up to the porch. "What do you know about this Taylor kid?" He asked Ellie.

Ellie leaned on the railing. "He is on my brother's team. He is nice to us. He is really cute."

Dean looked at Taylor and furrowed his brows. "What else do you have on him?"

Ellie shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

Dean tapped his fingers. "He is in your class?"

Ellie laughed. "No. He is my brother's."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Your older brother?"

Ellie gave him a look. "Yeah but he is only like one year older which makes him cooler."

Dean scoffed. "He doesn't have a criminal record does he?"

Ellie giggled. "Kate will be mad at you for asking questions."

Dean smirked. "That is why you keep this between us."

Ellie turned back and watched Kate and Taylor.

Dean whistled and motioned for Kate to come to the house.

Kate rolled her eyes but led Taylor inside.

Bobby greeted him and went back to the kitchen.

Kate sat on the sofa and Taylor sat beside her.

Dean pulled Ellie to the side. "You stay in here and keep an eye on those two."

Ellie grinned. "Go away."

Dean backed out of the room pointing two fingers at his eyes and then back at Kate.

Kate gave him a look and rolled her eyes.

Sam chuckled when Dean walked into the kitchen. "Are you about to crawl out of your skin?"

Dean glanced back down the hallway. "Nah, I'm just bugging Kate."

Sam smirked. "Sure."

When it was time to eat Taylor pulled Kate's chair out for her. He was polite and had a tendency to say yes and no sir when they asked him questions. As the meal went on, Dean found that the kid had a lot in common with him.

"Your car is sweet. Kate said that maybe you'd let me check it out before I leave." Taylor said.

Dean couldn't resist showing off baby. "Yeah, I can show you around." He said and motioned for Taylor to follow him outside.

Kate groaned. "What is he doing?"

Sam shrugged. "Either going to get rid of him or just going to show him the car."

Kate blew air out of her nose.

Bobby patted her back. "He is just giving you a hard time. He may haze the kid but he means well."

Ellie grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her toward the living room. "I want to give you your gift."

Kate sat down and waited excitedly while Ellie pulled the gift from her bag.

Ellie held it out with a huge grin.

Kate smiled. "I love it." She held a variety of girly items in her lap. "I never get frilly stuff."

Ellie sat down beside her. "I'm sure Taylor will be impressed too."

Kate blushed and hugged Ellie. "Thank you."

Ellie helped her sort through the things and showed her that the earrings clipped on since she didn't have her ears pierced.

Kate went to put her new things in her room and came back down. "They've been out there a long time."

Sam shrugged. "I think he is still in one piece but I'll go check on them." He walked out to the impala and leaned against it. "What do you think of the car?"

Taylor smiled. "She is a work of art."

Dean patted the top of the car. "That she is."

Taylor cleared his throat. "What kind of gun is that?"

Dean looked at him.

Taylor shrugged. "You carry, right?"

Dean pulled his gun from his back. He eyed Taylor but held the gun where he could see it.

"Colt right? Fire .45s?" Taylor asked.

Dean glanced at Sam but slowly answered Taylor. "I take it you've been around guns."

Taylor offered him a sheepish smile. "I have. Do you mind if I look at it?"

Dean unloaded it and handed it to Taylor.

Taylor looked the gun over and handed it back to Dean.

Sam cleared his throat. "You may want to go back inside because Kate is getting worried." He said under his breath.

Dean chuckled. "I haven't roughed him up or anything."

Taylor played a card game with them until his dad was supposed to come back. He bashfully handed Kate her gift. "I hope you like it."

Kate unwrapped a cd with Taylor's handwriting on it. "This is so cool." She said with a huge grin.

Taylor blushed a little. "We were talking about music and I thought maybe you'd like to listen to some of the songs I was talking about."

Kate gave him a quick hug. "Thank you."

Taylor heard his dad pulling in and thanked Bobby for having him over. He said goodbye to everyone and shook Dean's hand before leaving. "I'll see you at school tomorrow." He said to Kate.

Kate grinned and said goodbye and waited until the truck was gone before going inside.

Dean walked into the kitchen and sat down.

Bobby looked at him. "You look like you need a drink."

Dean nodded. He looked like he was in pain.

Sam snorted. "Is this about Taylor?"

Dean rubbed his face. "I want so bad to hate the kid."

Sam grinned. "You like him don't you."

Dean held his chest like he was having chest pain.

Bobby chuckled. "That bad is it?"

Dean took the drink. "He knows his way around a car. He was polite and had a good handshake."

Sam laughed. "So he is like the younger, more well mannered version of you?"

Dean furrowed his brows and then sat the drink down. "I'm a little concerned with how well he handled the gun."

Sam tilted his head. "That is a good thing though."

Dean shook his head. "He handled it like he uses one every day. Muzzle discipline and everything."

Bobby scratched his chin. "A lot of people hunt game around here."

Dean held his gun up. "With a handgun?"

Bobby tapped the table. "His family might keep them around for protection. Don't think too much about it but I can do some digging on his family if I need to."

Dean smirked. "Hold off on that. I don't think Kate would forgive me."

Bobby nodded and leaned back in his chair.

Sam grabbed the keys to the other car. "I've got to take Ellie home. Leave Kate's boyfriend alone."

Dean cringed. "Don't call him that."

Sam laughed but walked away.

Dean sat forward. "She is 11. Why is she even thinking about boys?"

Bobby chuckled. "Do you not remember how you were at 11?"

Dean downed the drink. "Yes! That is why he is bad news."

Bobby refilled the glass. "Just save the ass kicking for later."

"I make no promises." Dean said with a smirk.

Kate was sitting at the top of the monkey bars enjoying the new influx of sunshine. Things had been going well and she felt calm. John was supposed to be back any day now and that did make her a little anxious. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the bars. She startled and swung when something hit the bars.

Taylor blocked her arm from hitting him. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

Kate blushed. "I'm so sorry."

Taylor smiled. "It is okay. I could have given you a heads up before I jumped."

They sat at the top of the bars and talked for a little while. Kate liked that Taylor was fun to talk to. She absentmindedly rubbed her arm as she spoke. She made eye contact with him, looked at her arm and quickly brushed her sleeve down.

Taylor tilted his head. "You don't have to hide your scar."

Kate turned a deeper shade of red and went to jump from the bars.

Taylor gently touched her arm. "Look." He rolled up his pants leg and showed her a large scar on his calf. "My brother and I got into an accident." He showed her his side which was marred with a patch of scarred skin. "This one is from road rash."

Kate furrowed her brows. "I don't like getting asked questions."

Taylor smiled. "I wasn't asking questions. Scars just mean you are stronger than what ever hurt you."

Kate smiled at that. She rolled up her sleeve and showed him her arm. "I got burned."

Taylor told her about the bones he had broken and the injuries he had gotten.

"Are you clumsy?" Kate asked with a raised brow.

Taylor grinned. "No. I have older brothers who used me as a guinea pig with stunts."

Kate felt better about her own injuries. She couldn't tell him how they actually happened but she didn't feel embarrassed.

"Your brothers seem cool." Taylor said as they walked back to class.

Kate shrugged. "They can be." Kate sighed as he walked away, toward his own class.

Mrs. Smith asked Kate to stay for a few minutes after class.

Kate felt her hands get sweaty. She thought she had been doing well in school.

Mrs. Smith handed her an envelope and asked her to give it to her dad.

Kate started at her blankly. "What did I do wrong?"

Mrs. Smith chuckled. "I guess that did sound like you got in trouble again. You have done so well lately. You seem happier and your grades are great. I'm so glad that you are back in school and I just wanted to let your dad know that you have made vast improvements."

Kate blushed. "Oh. Thank you."

Mrs. Smith gave her a gentle pat on the back. She had been worried about Kate but was more than pleased to see thriving.

Kate ran into Taylor on her way out the door.

Taylor gave her a grin. "You should come to our game this weekend."

Kate grinned back. "I'll ask if I can."

They exchanged waves and Kate skipped to Sam's car.

"What are you in such a good mood for?" Sam asked.

Kate held up the envelope. "My teacher sent a note home."

Sam raised a brow. "And you are excited about that.. why?"

Kate crinkled her nose. "It is a good note because I'm amazing."

Sam chuckled. "Those are the best kind of notes."

Kate stuffed her bag under her feet. "I'm totally going to act like it isn't though."

Sam laughed. "Messing with Dean?"

Kate nodded. "Every chance I get."

Sam handed her his own envelope. "I also got a good note today."

Kate read it and tilted her head. "What is a full ride?"

Sam grinned. "That means I get to go to college and my scholarships are going to pay for it."

Kate gasped. "That is the best news ever."

Sam agreed.

Kate bailed out of the car and ran up the steps onto the porch. She schooled her expression and opened the door. She found Dean in the hallway.

"What is up?" Dean said, noticing her worried expression.

Kate sighed heavily and handed him the envelope.

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you know what this is about?"

Kate shrugged.

He opened the envelope with a sigh. He read it and bopped her on the head with it. "Your teacher has only nice things to say about you."

Kate grinned. "Can I read it?"

Dean gave her a hug. "So you did know what it was about? Hmm smells like a lie to me."

Kate poked his side. "I shrugged. I didn't say yes or no."

Dean ruffled her hair. "Good job kid."

Sam cleared his throat. "I just so happen to have a note as well."

Dean smirked. "What did you get yourself into?"

Sam handed it to him and bit his cheek while Dean read it.

Dean raised his eyebrows. "You got a full ride... to Stanford?"

Sam nodded excitedly. "I'll have left over money too so I can pay for food and stuff."

Dean smacked Sam's back. "That's my boy."

Sam rolled his shoulder. "Maybe now dad will be okay with it."

Dean grimaced. "Speaking of dad, he is on his way back."

Sam shrugged. "He has to know at some point."

Kate held her own note to her chest. "It is a good day, don't ruin it." She said to Dean.

Dean flicked her ear. "Having dad back is a good thing."

Kate grinned. "I know. I want him to see my stitches."

Sam smiled slightly. "He might just be impressed."

Dean smirked. "You can tell him about Taylor too."

Kate smacked at his arm. "You are the only one who is weird about Taylor."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Just keeping an eye on him."

Kate pulled out her phone and held it up. "I have Lacy on speed dial."

Dean crossed his arms. "And?"

Kate grinned. "She said to let her know if you bugged me too much."

Dean ruffled her hair. "I'm just looking out for you."

Kate hugged him. "I know."

Bobby walked out of his office. "Are we hanging out in the hallway now?"

Sam moved to the side so he could get through and then followed him to the kitchen. "Hey, I got some news."

Bobby held out his hand for the paper. He read it. "That is wonderful, Sam."

Sam took a deep breath. "There isn't anything holding me back now."

Bobby gave him a warm smile. "You don't sound so sure of that."

Sam sighed. "I don't think dad is going to be happy."

Bobby put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "He may not be but he will come around in time."

Sam put the paper away and went to study.

Kate sat down on the tire swing and pushed it with her feet. She closed her eyes and imagined she was flying. She missed her dad. It had been over six months since the hellhound incident but her heart still hurt. She got distracted by school and friends and felt guilty when she realized that it stopped hurting for a moment. She felt like time was moving too fast again. She wondered if Dean would let her tag along during the summer if Sam was gone.

Dean walked into the room just as Kate did and pulled his duffle out.

"Are you leaving again?" Kate asked.

Dean sighed. "Yeah but not for long."

Kate slumped. "I don't like when you go."

He put his hand on her head. "I know but people's lives are in danger and I can help."

Kate wrapped her arms around him. "Just come back, okay?"

Dean ruffled her hair. "I always do." He threw what he needed into his duffle and said bye to Sam. "If dad gets here before I do, keep your mouth shut."

Sam gave him a thumbs up and went back to reading.

Kate laid on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. She had no homework. All of her chores were done and she couldn't ask Dean to help her with target practice. Sam was busy and Bobby was somewhere doing something. She stared at the ceiling and let her mind wander. She sat up quickly. She went to the other room. "Have you looked at your book lately?"

Sam leaned back and stretched. "The one you gave me?"

"Yeah."

"Uh, no I haven't in a while." Sam said.

Kate chewed her fingers. "Do you know where the book I took from Hellen's is?"

Sam sighed. "What are you thinking?"

"I just have a hunch." Kate said. "I can ask Bobby before I look at anything."

Sam reached over and grabbed the old book from a shelf. "If he says no, you bring this back up here."

Kate smiled. "Yes, Sam." She carried the book downstairs and found Bobby. "Bobby, can I look at the book I took from the yellow house?"

Bobby looked up from what he was working on. "Why?"

Kate sighed. "I just want to see if it is similar to this one." She said, holding up the book. "I didn't steal Sam's book, he is letting me borrow it."

Bobby scrubbed his chin. He motioned for her to follow him and pulled the book from his desk. "Take a seat."

Kate sat down in the chair in front of Bobby's desk and held both of the books in her lap. She ran her fingers over the cover of each book and compared them. She opened the smaller book and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

Bobby sat forward. "What is it?"

Kate didn't respond. She looked back and forth between the books and made a noise.

Bobby pulled his chair around. "Did you find something?"

Kate pointed to one of the pages and then to something in the other book.

Bobby squinted and focused on what she was pointing out. "Well I'll be. Is that a cipher?"

Kate shrugged. "It could be."

Bobby put the books on the desk and pulled out a pad of paper. They hovered over the books and Bobby wrote down what appeared to be another language.

"Is that a language that you know?" Kate asked, hopefully.

Bobby drummed his fingers. "Go get Sam."

Kate sprinted up the stairs and opened the door. "Sam, come on. We have something to show you."

Sam followed her back down stairs and sat when Bobby pointed to a chair. "What is it?"

Bobby held up the pad of paper. "Does this mean anything to you?"

Sam scanned the paper and got wide eyed. "Where did you get that?"

Bobby tapped Kate on the head with the paper. "Our girl, here figured out that that book of hers has a cipher for your book. I think we just need to translate this to English."

Sam grinned. "I'm going to grab my computer."

Kate gave Bobby a huge hug. "Thank you for letting me look into this."

Bobby blushed. "This is the way it is supposed to be." He stood up. "You and Sam can work on this while I whip up something for dinner."

Kate moved the books and paper to the kitchen and sat down at the table. She worked slowly and methodically on the next page of the book.

Sam fired up the computer and took the pad of paper. He identified the dialect and grabbed a book from Bobby's office.

Bobby made sandwiches and then sat down to help them with translations. His neck started to ache and he looked up at the time. Somehow they had been working for hours. "I think it is your bed time." He said and nudged Kate.

Kate looked at the time. "It can't be that late."

Bobby stood up and moved the empty plates. "Time flies when you are focused on something like this."

Kate frowned. "Please can I stay up?"

Bobby glanced at Sam. "You two have school tomorrow. The book wont go anywhere."

Kate slumped. "I'm not even sleepy."

Sam shut his laptop and stretched. "We can work on it tomorrow. I wouldn't want to miss anything because my eyes are tired."

Kate gave in. "Okay. Goodnight Bobby."

Bobby said goodnight and started to wash the dishes.

Sam put the books on his desk and got ready for bed.

Kate laid down on the bed. "Sam? Why did I find both books?"

Sam laid down in his bed. "That is a good question. All of it seems connected in some way."

Kate pulled her blanket up over her head. She was tired of being connected to things. She was scared and felt like she was missing something.

Sam rolled on to his stomach. "Do you want me to tell you a story?"

Kate closed her eyes. "A funny one."

"How about the time a prank war ended in Dean getting his butt glued to a chair?"

Kate pulled the blanket down and grinned. "What?"

Sam grinned back. "So, maybe four years ago..."

authors note: Hey lovelies. I have so many places I want to go with Kate and am trying to slow down and not jump around too much. There are some "easter eggs" in the story that will come up later. What do you think is up with Taylor?