"I have no idea what to order at these kinds of places." Sam said.

Jess smiled. "Well, what do you normally get?"

"Coffee is coffee." Sam said.

"Hmm." She ordered something for him and something for herself.

Sam paid for the coffees and took a sip of his. "This isn't bad." He found a table in the back corner and sat with his back against the wall. "What did you get?"

Jess sipped the foam from the top of her coffee. "Foam and sugar with a splash of coffee."

Sam chuckled.

"I'll get you addicted to the sweet stuff before you know it." Jess said and went back to her foam.

Sam took another sip. The coffee really was good. It was black but smooth, way better than gas station coffee.

"So, Sam. I never got your last name." Jess said.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Winchester. I never got yours either."

"Moore." Jess said with a smile. "Well, Sam Winchester, tell me your life story."

Sam sighed. "You don't want to know that. Not much happens in South Dakota."

"Tell me about your family." Jess tried.

Sam studied her. Part of him was alarmed that she wanted to know about his family but he reminded himself that was a normal thing to ask about. "I have an older brother. Oh I have a younger sister and brother too." He added.

Jess tilted her head.

Sam blushed. "The younger two are adopted."

Jess smiled. "That is really sweet. I'm an only child."

Sam chuckled. "That must be nice."

They chatted for a few hours, moving from the coffee shop to the courtyard outside the library.

Sam laid back on the grass and looked up at the clouds.

Jess laid down beside him. "What do you see?"

Sam scanned the sky and pointed. "A bear."

Jess looked where he was pointing. "That is obviously a pig."

Sam grinned. "I don't know what California pigs look like but that is a bear." He couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to her. He had spent four hours with her and it felt like no time at all. He had expected to find a girlfriend at some point but he hadn't expected things to move so quickly. He stopped himself, they weren't dating... yet.

"Sadly, I need to get home. I'm obligated to a family dinner once a week." Jess said.

Sam sat up. "That bad, huh?"

Jess sighed. "It is like watching paint dry while my mother and father argue."

Sam grimaced. "How about another night, we do dinner. I promise it will be better than watching paint dry."

"Are you asking me on a date?" Jess asked with a smirk.

Sam blushed. "Uh, if that is okay."

"Of course." She touched his hand and smiled.

Sam walked her to her dorm and then walked back to his. He unlocked the door to his room and fell back onto the bed. He felt weightless. Brady was gone so he forced himself to check warding. He sent Dean a message and sat back on his bed with a book.

Dean was on his way to the diner before he thought to call Sam back. "Hey, Sammy."

"I sent that hours ago." Sam said.

"I know. It has been a day, okay?" Dean said.

Sam sat up. "What is going on?"

Dean filled him in on everything between David and Taylor.

"Holy crap." Sam said.

"Yeah. They are okay now. I'm going to get food." Dean said.

Sam rubbed his face. "I am missing so much."

"You are. So, how's your chick?" Dean asked.

Sam groaned. "Dude, she's not my chick."

"Entertain me." Dean said.

Sam knew Dean would tease him about the hours of talking but he told him anyway.

"Wait, what is her name?" Dean asked.

"Jessica. She goes by Jess though." Sam said.

Dean furrowed his brows. Kate had mentioned the name. "Just tell me when the wedding is."

Sam leaned back on the bed. "Shut up."

"I'm proud of ya', Sammy." Dean said. "I'm going to get food for the forces. I can call when I get back. We've got the whole crew in one house for the night."

Sam chuckled. "Later, jerk."

"Later, bitch." Dean said and hung up the phone. He grabbed the bags of food and headed back to Bobby's. When he went inside he called out for Kate.

Kate slid into the hallway. "Yes?"

"When you had a vision about Sam's girlfriend, what was her name?" Dean asked.

"Uh, Jess." Kate said.

Dean put the bags on the table and rubbed his hands down his face.

"What is wrong?" Kate asked.

Dean sighed. "He went to coffee with a girl he met. Her name is Jess."

Kate gasped.

"Wait. Don't start with the panic. You said it was his bedroom. They just went for coffee." Dean said. "I'll call him in a bit."

Kate caught her breath. "Okay. We got a sign while you were gone."

"What does that mean?"

John opened a bottle of beer. "Haven't gotten there yet."

Dean opened his box of food. "Well that's great."

John checked the time as they finished dinner. "Kids, you need to go get ready for bed."

Kate huffed. "We just got a sign though."

John just looked at her.

Kate's eyes got wide and she darted up the stairs.

"You've got to teach me that." Dean said.

John shrugged. "You already have it down. It just takes longer as she weighs the pros and cons in her head."

Dean snorted. "Damn kids."

Taylor got a quick shower and brushed his teeth. He wasn't about to argue or stall although he wanted to know what the swirling light was.

"I really don't want to go to school." Kate grumbled.

"It won't be so bad." Taylor said. "Just ignore people. I really don't want to get into a fight."

Kate sighed. "How do we go back to school and act normal after everything we have seen? We are Nephilian."

"Think of it as part of our cover." Taylor said.

"When we have a lore book about us, I'm going to make sure to add in a section on why school is boring." Kate said.

"Books won't be written about us." Taylor said.

"I'll write one then." Kate said. "If we are the only two that exist, who else is going to tell the story?"

Dean opened the door. "Who told you two you could stay up talking."

Kate shrugged. "No one told us we couldn't."

Dean sat on the edge of her bed. "You have to stop using that as an excuse." He said as he poked her side. "How are you holding up?"

Kate scoffed. "No, you traded sides. You don't get to sit at the kids' table anymore."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I should have let dad handle you."

Kate flopped back on the bed. "You've forgotten what it is like being young."

Dean grabbed her foot and tickled it. "What was that?"

Kate screeched and yanked her foot back. "Taylor, how are you holding up?"

Taylor pulled a face.

"You survived." Dean said. "Trust me, I feel sympathy for you."

Kate sat up in her bed. "Is this another right of passage?"

Dean chuckled. "You know, it is. Once that happens, you're stuck for life. Ask Caleb."

Kate shook her head. "Nope. I'm never going to let that happen to me. I'll save my stupid ideas for when John is on hunting trips."

Taylor scoffed. "Poor planning on my part."

Dean eyed Kate. "If you can make it to eighteen without ever earning a belting from dad I will buy you anything you want."

Kate grinned. "You have to give me baby."

Dean thought about it. "Deal?"

Taylor's eyes flew open. "Really?"

Dean smirked. "Yeah, I know she isn't going to make it."

Kate crossed her arms. "Well, we will just see, won't we?"

Dean ruffled her hair. "Go to bed. You too." He said to Taylor.

"Did you mean what you said about the sibling thing?" Kate said.

Dean stopped at the door. "Which part?"

"About me and Taylor being kind of like siblings." Kate said.

"Well, you kind of are. You share the angel grace but you refer to Sam and I as brothers. I don't see how Taylor is any different." Dean said.

Taylor smiled. "So it will be nice to have brothers who aren't assholes."

Kate smirked. "Yeah, Sam is great."

Dean put his hands on his hips. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Kate giggled. "Next time we find a stray kid I hope it is a girl. I'd love a little sister."

"No! No more stray kids." Dean said with a laugh. "Go. To. Bed."

Kate sighed. "Goodnight."

Dean shook his head. "Goodnight, both of you." He mumbled his way down the stairs. He looked up and met eyes with John. "He is fine."

"I figured he would be. He just comes from a different background." John said.

"By the way, Kate and I have a bet." Dean said.

"What is that?"

"If she makes it to eighteen without ever earning the belt from you, I have to hand her the keys to baby." Dean said.

Bobby laughed from his office. "That bet isn't fair to her."

John leaned back on the couch. "Well now that I know that, I can avoid it."

Dean scoffed. "Give her time."

### ###

Sam had a dream during the night of Jess in a white nightdress. She crawled onto the bed and laid her head in the crook of his arm. He got up for some reason and left her in the room, alone. Although he didn't see anything bad in the dream, he woke up to his heart racing and his hair drenched in sweat. He was spooked for most of the morning but finally, let the dream go.

### ###

"Rise and shine!" Dean yelled from the door.

Kate put her pillow over her head. "Millie, go bite him."

"Up and at 'em." Dean said. "I've got to talk to the principal today so get a move on."

Taylor rolled over and hissed. "Today is going to suck."

"It is going to suck worse if you don't get out of bed."

Kate got up and looked through her closet. She grabbed clothes and went to the bathroom to change and do her hair.

"You're moving awfully slow." Dean said to Taylor.

Taylor grabbed pants and took the opportunity to change while Kate was out of the room. "I'm not quite at full throttle this morning."

Dean shrugged. "Can't imagine why."

Taylor groaned. "Look, I'm mostly ready already." he said as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.

Dean went back downstairs and dug out some cash for lunches. He'd pay off the tab when he dropped them off.

John put his cup in the sink. "I'll go with you. If the school has anything to say, them seeing me instead of 'the older brother' would probably go over better."

"You just want to John Winchester them into keeping their mouth shut." Dean said with a smirk.

John shifted his stance and stared at Dean.

Dean lost the smirk. "Yup, still works."

John relaxed. "Of course it does."

Taylor ran down the stairs and pulled his shoes on. "All I have to do is throw Kate out of the bathroom and then I'll be ready."

Kate heard him from the top of the stairs. "Not even in there anymore."

Taylor sighed and ran back up.

"Taylor, breakfast." Dean said.

Taylor spun on his heel. "Right." He took a pop tart and threw it in the toaster. He grabbed it out of the toaster when it popped and ran up the stairs.

Kate put her backpack over her shoulder and took an apple from the fruit bowl.

Bobby chuckled.

"What?" Kate said.

Dean looked at her. "Taylor is wearing the same shirt."

Kate dropped her backpack and stomped up the stairs. "Pick another shirt."

Taylor was brushing his teeth. "Ugh, fine. Grab one for me."

Kate grabbed a random shirt and tossed it to Taylor before going back down to the kitchen. "Last thing we need is to go to school matching. People already think we are weird."

Dean chuckled. "You are weird."

Kate shoved him. "You are too."

John walked to the car with them. "Go about your day as you usually would. Dean and I are going to talk to the administrators."

Taylor was nervous. The ride to school was uncomfortable to say the least. He hadn't spoken to Nate and he was starting to worry about what other people were going to say.

Kate extended her fist. "We've got this."

Taylor fist bumped her. "Right."

Nate had gotten a message to say that Taylor was okay and then nothing else. He waited outside for him to show up. He was surprised to see another person with Dean. It dawned on him that the adults may not have liked his involvement.

"I'm guessing that is Nate." John said and nodded toward the kid that looked like he wanted to run.

"Yes." Taylor said.

They got out of the car and walked up to the school.

Taylor quickly walked up to Nate and turned him so they could get away from John and Dean.

"Not so fast." John said.

Taylor froze.

"Nate, I appreciate that you gave up Taylor's location but he got into a world of trouble over yesterday's adventure. The only reason I am not calling your parents to talk to them right now is because of what happened. Taylor says that you know a bit about what our family does." John said.

Nate nodded quickly.

"He could have gotten himself killed. If anything remotely similar happens I will be talking to your parents, got me?"

Nate wrung his hands. "Yes, sir."

"Okay, get to class." John said.

Nate and Taylor turned and sprinted into the building.

"Dude, he is scary." Nate said.

Taylor sighed. "You aren't the one who got hauled home from a nest of demons."

Nate grimaced. "Is he like..."

"No, not like Craig. I'm okay." Taylor said and opened the door to the classroom.

"I think you about made him pee his pants." Dean said.

John shook his head. "Good." He walked into the office and introduced himself. Sam and Dean gave him plenty of practice with talking to principals about fights.

The principal called Dean and John into his office. "Thank you for coming up here. We were going to set up a meeting but you just made my job easier."

John shook his hand. "I just wanted to get ahead of the issue."

Dean sat back. He didn't really need to be there but a united front looked better. He was around more often and would be a bridge.

"As you know, Katelyn and Taylor were involved in a scuffle with another student." Mr. Morris said.

"Yes, Dean filled me in." John said.

Mr. Morris discussed the severity of Luis's injuries and the normal protocol for altercations. "Taylor lost both of his parents. He is typically a wonderful kid. I don't think that he needs to be suspended from school as long as this never happens again."

"Oh trust me, it won't." John said.

Mr. Morris was satisfied with the turn of events. He had asked questions about the family and Taylor's new version of home life. He had spoken to both of Taylor's parents before but he could see a clear difference. Craig always seemed to be partially listening. He was quick to chastise Taylor, even when he hadn't necessarily done anything wrong. Misty was more attentive but it felt fake. John was gruff and seemed to be gone a lot but listened intently. Dean, he had met before as well. He seemed to be a wonderful brother figure and Kate and Taylor both lit up when they saw he was there to pick them up.

"Here is my direct number. I do travel but if there is a big issue, please call me." John said.

Mr. Morris thanked him and walked them out. "I don't foresee any more issues."

Taylor couldn't find a comfortable way to sit on the unforgiving seats the school had. He had broken bones and gotten truly beat up and the pain was nothing like that. It was just annoying.

Nate felt bad for Taylor. He hated Luis for starting the fight. He hated David for being a horrible human. He had seen Dean enough times and heard Taylor talk about him enough to know that Dean was a cool person. He just wasn't so sure about John.

Kate tried to ignore the looks and whispers but it was all wearing on her nerves. She couldn't tell if people were just curious or if more rumors were headed their way. Between classes, she approached a group of girls that she was familiar with. "I can see and hear you."

One of the girls gave her a sad look. "Sorry. We don't mean to talk about you."

"If you have questions you can ask me. If it isn't something you want to ask me then you need to stop talking about it." Kate said.

Another girl stepped forward. "We think it is really cool that Taylor knocked Luis out. You are brave too. That is all. We were kind of trying to figure out if you live together or if you like each other."

Kate relaxed. "He lives with us. He's like a brother to me."

That seemed to satisfy the girls.

"Luis tried to spread rumors that weren't true so if you hear anyone or have questions, please don't talk behind my back." Kate said. It felt good to handle the situation before it became problematic.

Nate finally found a free moment to talk to Taylor. "Hey, I have questions."

"Shoot." Taylor said as filled up his water bottle.

"So, Craig was a real asshole. I saw what he did to you. I just want to make sure that you haven't moved on to something else just because it isn't as bad." Nate said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw the way you acted around Kate's dad this morning. He is intimidating." Nate said "You look like you want to crawl out of your skin."

Taylor cracked a smile. "No, dude. He is more like your dad."

Nate was silent for a moment. He was grateful that John said he wouldn't call his parents because his dad would skin him alive. "I'm guessing that is why you are miserable."

"Yep. All good though." Taylor said with a smile.

Nate let his worry go. He'd know if Taylor was scared. "Was David a demon?"

Taylor hushed him. "Not so loud. Yeah. I got there and there were four of them."

"Whoa!" Nate said. "How'd you get out of there?"

Taylor grimaced. "You sent in reinforcements."

Nate didn't know much about the stuff their family did but it sounded cool. "What did they look like?"

Taylor sighed. "They look like normal humans because they are. It is like black smoke that goes into your mouth and then controls you. Their eyes turn black if you provoke them."

"Way cool."

"It isn't fun though. It is dangerous." Taylor reminded him. "I was stupid for thinking I could handle it."

Nate shrugged. "You're a freaking superhero."

"No, I'm a kid." Taylor said.

By lunch, Kate was amused. She skipped over to Taylor. "You are the hot topic of the day."

Taylor groaned. "Oh no."

"Apparently beating up a bully to protect a girl earns you all the brownie points with the female population of the school." Kate said.

Taylor blushed. He looked around and blushed harder. "Great."

"It also helps that I told them you are a brother to me and you are an eligible bachelor." Kate said with a grin.

"Kate, you've got to be kidding me." Taylor said and shook his head.

Kate shrugged. "I find amusement where I can."

### ###

Sam sat through classes and took notes. He found most of the information interesting and rather enjoyed college. He looked forward to meeting more people and developing an actual friend group. He'd be there for at least four years so he could really settle in. He felt like he was missing out on things back home but he was gaining so much more. He wouldn't have wanted to be around for Taylor's escapade anyway. He was getting used to doing his own thing. He went to bed and woke up when he wanted to. He had no obligations aside from classes. It was awesome. He did cherish the phone calls and messages and always perked up when he saw a familiar name on the screen.

"Hey, Dean." Sam said.

"Hey, Geek. How's higher education?" Dean quipped.

"All good on my end. How are things there?" Sam asked.

"Oh, good, good." Dean said. "Riding around with dad after scaring the shit out of some kids and talking to the principal."

Sam chuckled.

"It was one kid." John corrected.

"Oh no, what happened?"

"I just made sure that Taylor's friend knew that his actions weren't appreciated and that I'd talk to his parents if it happened again." John said.

"Uh huh. I'm bet you used that tone too." Sam said with a smile on his face. John's speaking voice and lecture voice were very different.

Dean tapped the breaks. "Sammy, I had something I need to run by you."

"Yeah?" Sam asked.

"Listen, Kate had some rough nightmares while we were in the bat cave. Some of them were about you. She said your girlfriend went the same way mom did. I didn't think much about it but the girl's name was Jess." Dean said.

Sam felt faint. "We aren't dating."

"She had visions about us selling our souls and all sorts of stuff so don't read too much into it. Maybe just be on the lookout for yellow eyed demons and don't sleep with her." Dean grunted when John smacked the back of his head. "Kate's vision took place in your bedroom."

Sam cringed. "I'll be careful. I just want one good, noncomplicated thing."

"Well I don't know a noncomplicated woman so you're starting on a bad foot." Dean said.

"Lacy seems easy enough." Sam said with a smirk.

"Shut up." Dean said. "Anyway, I can ask Kate more about it but just wanted you to know what was going on."

"Thanks."

### ###

"Dude, miss a few shots." Kate hissed at Taylor after she picked up the ball.

Taylor tilted his head.

"You are supposed to blend in. Miss a few." Kate said and threw the ball into the hoop.

Taylor took her advice and hit some off the backboard.

Ellie was playing with them and getting increasingly frustrated. No matter what she did, she couldn't make a single basket. She had gotten better at handling the ball when it was on the ground but her aim was off. "You guys can play. I'm going to sit down."

Taylor gave Kate a sad look. "Ellie, try one more time."

Ellie reluctantly took the ball.

"Stand here, put your arm like this. Okay, shoot." Taylor said. He tracked the ball with his eyes and discretely bumped it over so that it went in.

Ellie screeched and jumped up and down. She hugged Taylor and went to hug Kate.

Kate rolled her eyes at Taylor. The ball was close enough that no one would have seen Taylor use the ability to move the ball over. It should have hit the outside of the rim and bounced back but the swish was enough to make Ellie's day. She grinned and mouthed 'thanks' after a moment.

Taylor was glad that he could make Ellie happy. He hated seeing her bummed and only needed to do the trick once.

During the last class of the day, Kate and Ellie were on a team with two other students. They were playing a trivia game to prepare for an upcoming test and Ellie really wanted to win the extra credit. They were tied with another team and the teacher was playing up the competition. The tie breaker question was difficult and the other team missed it. If Kate's team got it right, they'd win. If they didn't get it right, no one would win. Kate figured there was no harm and pulled the answer from the teacher. She wrote it down and slid the paper to Ellie.

Ellie read the paper out loud and beamed when the teacher said it was correct. "Best. Day. Ever."

Dean was waiting outside when the school bell rang.

Kate and Ellie skipped out. "Hi!"

"Hi. You are chipper." Dean said.

Ellie bounced on her toes. "Our team won the test trivia and now we get extra credit."

Dean gave each of them a high-five. "Awesome."

Taylor walked out with Nate.

Nate waved and motioned for Ellie to walk with him. They lived up the street and walked to and from school.

"Good to see that Nate is still friends with you." Dean said.

Taylor scoffed. "I only had to tell him twice that John wasn't like Craig."

Dean frowned. "That wasn't his intention."

"No, I know. He was just watching my back. Craig was stern and had chewed Nate out a few times. He was witness to a few smack downs and had seen the aftermath. I told him John is kind of like his dad. That seemed to ease his worry." Taylor said.

Dean squinted his eyes. "Oh, really? Huh, maybe we should have a little talk with his parents."

Taylor's eyes got wide. "Please don't."

Dean opened the car door. "No, not this time. Good information to have though."

Kate slid into the backseat. "You told me different stories about you taking up for Sam. I remember another one about you helping someone hide that they wrecked their dad's truck."

Dean chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Never found out about it either."

Kate leaned forward and rested her elbows on the front seat. "So, Dean.. when did it happen?"

"What?" Dean asked.

"When did you go from cool brother and helper of friends to the grumpy old dude you are now?" Kate asked.

Dean flicked her forehead. "The day you showed up."

Kate flopped back in the seat. "Lame. Oh, I tried talking to Aph and asking about the stuff we saw outside. I haven't gotten an answer yet."

Dean shook his head. "You can't just give an angel a nickname. Oh, that was a weird sentence to hear coming from my mouth."

Kate rolled her eyes. "When you get an angel you can call them what you want. Mine is Aph."

Taylor turned to look at her. "Why does he mainly just talk to you?"

Kate shrugged. "Probably because I'm the one who talks to him or because we both have slightly different abilities." She flashed a recap of Taylor's basketball trick into Taylor's head.

Taylor shot back 'hush'.

"I'm going with dad on a hunt." Dean said, suddenly.

Kate frowned. "When?"

"Well, it would be best if we left tonight. It isn't far." Dean said.

Kate sat forward. "What kind of hunt?"

"Wendigo." Dean said.

Taylor opened his door when they stopped. "Is it just you two going?"

"Yep, two people job." Dean said.

Kate bit back the worry. John and Dean were the best hunters she knew of. "Be careful."

Dean hugged her. "We always are."

Bobby made sure the kids had a snack ready when they walked inside. "You can do homework down here."

They thanked him and sat down.

"Where is John?"

"He went to town to gather some stuff." Bobby said.

Kate started on her math homework and didn't let it stress her out. She got to the science and her mind started to wander. 'We should look at this Nephilian stuff scientifically.'

Taylor looked up. 'How?'

Kate pushed back 'My blood burns Sam but not others. If our families were introduced to angelic grace, wouldn't John, Sam and Dean be as well? Does your blood bother demons? How does our blood react with normal people?'

Taylor looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. 'Does the blood have to be fresh to bother a demon?'

Kate doodled in her notebook. 'We have a lot to look at.'

Dean knocked on the table. "Having a conversation?"

They both looked at him, surprised.

"What are you two having a conversation about?" Dean asked.

"Uh, Nephilian stuff." Kate said.

"So why have that conversation in your heads?" Dean asked.

Taylor sighed. "It is a cool ability."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "I'm watching you two."

Kate slid a worksheet to him. "Can you check that?"

Dean grimaced. "I'm not the one to ask."

Kate smirked. "Sure you are. Consider it part of watching me."

Dean scoffed and took the paper. "This looks right."

Kate looked at Taylor briefly.

Taylor glared back at her.

"Speak out loud." Dean said.

Kate sighed. "We want syringes."

Dean sat forward. "What for?"

Kate eyed Dean. "We want to know what our blood does with different things. So, instead of cutting a hand open, we can draw blood and control how much is used."

Dean rubbed his face. "Was that the secret convo?"

Taylor nodded. "It is just an idea."

Dean leaned back. "Bobby."

Kate kicked his shin.

Dean glared at her. "Hey, can you come in here?"

Bobby walked into the kitchen. "What?"

"These two want syringes so they can experiment with blood." Dean said.

Bobby grumbled. "Just one good day."

Kate stood up. "Hold on. You could help us so we do it the right way. I want to know why my blood burns Sam and how it reacts to normal people. I'd hate to harm someone. On the flip side, what if we can figure out how the healing works?"

Bobby rubbed the back of his head. "I'll think about it."

Kate went back to her homework and then ran to do her chores. If Bobby didn't want to play lab rat she knew someone who would... Nate.