Kate sat on the edge of her bed. "I don't know, Taylor. That is a lot of sneaking around."

Taylor shoved his pillow under his head. "Go or don't. It is a right of passage. Dean has how many stories about sneaking off to parties?"

"I don't think that means he'd be happy that we did the same thing," Kate said.

"So he won't find out. We will just go for a little bit and leave if it gets too crazy." Taylor said.

Kate was torn between not wanting to be left out, not wanting to get Taylor into trouble, and not wanting to let him go alone. It was true that Dean did go to a few parties. He tended to laugh about the memories, even when John showed up to haul him back to whatever motel they were staying at. It really was a right of passage. She laid down on her bed and patted her side for Millie to curl up beside her. "I'll think about it."

"Think quick because I'm going with or without you." Taylor said.

Kate had bad dreams that entire night.

The air was salty and sand crunched under her feet. The strap of her sandal broke as she struggled to walk through the wet sand. She heard voices and climbed on top of a rock to look out onto the water. She saw someone on a raft, calling out for help. She was a decent swimmer. She got a call from Dean.

"Wait for me. Do not go into the ocean alone."

Kate paced while she waited. A large wave came and knocked the person off of the raft. She dropped her phone and waded out until the water touched her hips. The person was so close yet so far away. She stepped a little further out and felt the sand shift. She could hear her phone ringing next to the rock. She turned to look at it and was swept under by the riptide. She tried to fight it but the pull was still too strong. Her chest was burning from lack of oxygen. She blinked and the ocean faded away.

Dean was pacing back and forth by the rock that he had found Kate's cellphone and broken sandal. He was on the phone with someone. "I can't find her. I told her to stay here. What if she went into the water?"

Kate was standing right in front of him. She was waving her arms and begging him to see her. "I'm right here." She sat down on the rock. He was panicking and it was her fault.

Dean lightly knocked on the bedroom door. "Hey, Kate. You need to get up and get ready for school."

Kate sat up. She frowned deeply and got up to hug him.

"Bad dream?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Kate said with a yawn.

Dean rubbed her back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Kate said. She stretched. "I'm just going to get ready."

"I'll take you to school this morning. I'm going to help April finish warding the house." Dean said.

Kate turned around so he wouldn't see her face. He had yet to see the entire painting in the bathroom and she was antsy. He'd either love it or hate it.

Dean hopped down the stairs. He clapped Taylor on the back. "Last day of school. You have officially survived middle school."

Taylor fist-bumped him. "Longest school year ever."

"Yeah, but it is over." Dean said. He tossed Kate a muffin. "Sorry kiddo, you've still got a few years of middle school to go."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Not if you'd just let me skip school."

"Yeah, right." Dean said. He grabbed his keys. "Bobby, if you need anything from town just let me know."

Bobby grunted to let Dean know he heard.

Andy gave April a big hug. "I love you, mama."

April kissed his head. "Love you too buddy, have fun today."

Caleb dropped Andy off at school on his way to work. They were forming a good routine that felt comfortable. "Have a good day."

Andy spun around and opened the door to high-five Caleb. "You too, dad."

Caleb called Dean to make sure he was good with helping April. He knew that she was anxious to make the house as safe as possible. He had been working odd hours and hadn't had a chance to get the warding done. When he got home in the evenings, he spent time with April and the boys.

Dean promised Caleb that the house would be supernatural proof by the end of the day. He knocked on the door and April let him inside. He ruffled Ian's hair.

April was flushed. "Uh, Caleb left everything in the laundry room."

Dean followed her and saw the supplies. "I will just get started outside."

April thanked him.

Dean thought that she acted a little off. She was jittery and just not her usual self. He found a place to start and pulled one of the boards from the side of the house. He drew sigils on the backside of the board and set it down to dry while he removed another one. He got done with a few and started putting them back. The goal was to create a ring around the house that would keep supernatural creatures out of the house while also being hidden from neighbors. The fence around the house also had hidden sigils but Caleb wanted his new family to be safe. Dean understood that.

Around lunchtime, April made Dean a sandwich and left it on the table. "I have to get Ian to sleep."

Dean thanked her. "I am almost done outside."

April fanned herself. "Thanks. If you need anything else to eat just grab it." She changed Ian's diaper and put a new onesie on him. As the weather got warmer, she struggled to keep any form of clothes on the kid. She turned the ceiling fan on and tucked him into bed. She sang a few songs to him and kissed his cheek.

Dean was finishing up lunch when April walked back into the kitchen. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes. I have just been really tired." She got a drink of water. She checked her blood sugar again but it wasn't too low. She sat down at the table and fanned herself with a notebook.

Dean furrowed his eyebrows. "I'll be around until the kids get off of school. I can pick up Andy."

"No, it is okay." April said. "I just need to sit down for a bit."

Dean put his dishes in the sink and finished his drink. "Well, the offer still stands." He got back to work on warding. Working alone gave him time to think. One minute, Taylor seemed okay and the next he didn't. He couldn't expect Taylor to truly be okay. David really messed him up. He sighed. John was due home in a few days and could probably get Taylor to talk.

The last day of school was always a blast. Kate spent most of the day hanging out with Ellie. Instead of having their normal classes, they were able to choose between classrooms. One had a movie playing. Another had card games and so on. They decided to watch the movie and when it was over, they got some lunch and sat outside to eat.

Logan found them and sat down. He oozed confidence and smugness.

Kate blushed.

"What are you doing all the way over here by yourself?" Logan asked with a smirk.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Spending time with my friend."

Logan winked at her. "I thought we were friends."

Ellie moved her drink away from him so he didn't spill it.

Kate wasn't sure how she really felt about Logan. His attention was kind of annoying. He was a little arrogant but weren't most guys? "Ellie is my best friend."

Logan laughed patronizingly. "Well, I'll just leave you two alone then."

Taylor was with Nate at the baseball fields. He did miss playing baseball. It felt good to connect a bat to a ball again. He had to remind himself to mind his strength.

The coach was leaning on the fence. "Taylor, when are you going to get back into the game? I know the coach up at the high school. I know he'd love to have you on the team."

Taylor turned around. "Oh, I don't know. I haven't decided if I want to or not."

The coach nodded. "You've got a lot of talent. It would be a shame to waste it."

Andy's last day of school was fun too. He got ice cream and a long recess. He managed to stay away from Jimmy Morris but did give him a few scowls. He wondered if demons talked to kids and that is why he, Kate, and Taylor all had mean kids after them. He'd write the question down to ask Caleb.

Dean checked the time. "Hey, I am supposed to pick up the kids. I can pick up Andy too."

April wiped her face. Ian had woken up and she was feeding him. "I can go get him."

Dean tilted his head. "You don't need to be out in the heat. I have the car. Just stay and rest."

April blushed. "I am really okay."

Dean scoffed. "You look fine. Just let me pick him up. He loves baby."

April smiled. "He does love the car. Okay. Thank you, Dean."

"No problem." Dean said as he walked out the door. He sent Kate a message to let her know that she was picking up Andy as well.

Andy was waiting outside for his mom to pick him up. He heard baby's engine and told his teacher that Dean was picking him up. He ran to the car and hopped in the backseat. "Where is my mom?"

"Home with your brother." Dean said.

Andy grinned. He looked out the window and gave Jimmy another scowl as they drove away. Not walking home meant Jimmy didn't have the opportunity to be mean.

Kate got into the backseat beside Andy and asked how his day was. She was happy to be done with school for a while.

Taylor was in decent spirits. He was looking forward to the party.

Dean dropped Andy off at the house. "Be good for your mom, okay?"

Andy gave him a thumbs up. "I will!"

Dean thought about having Kate take a look at April but he didn't want to be pushy. He just had an off feeling. When they got to Bobby's he did ask Karen to check on her. "She just seems woozy."

Karen packed some snack items into a bag and told Bobby that she was going to April's house.

Kate flopped down on the sofa. She took a deep breath and exhaled happily.

Taylor ran upstairs and sat down on his bed. He needed a game plan.

Dean leaned over the couch and smacked the side of Kate's leg. "I saw the dinosaur."

Kate sat up and rubbed her leg. "You should be flattered."

Dean poked her ribs. "Brat."

Kate flopped back down and covered her eyes with her arm. That was about the response she was expecting. "Hey, can I go work with Marty today?"

"Let me get back to you on that." Dean said.

April opened the door for Karen. "Hi."

"Hey, I brought the boys some snacks." Karen said.

April liked Karen's company. She sat the bag down on the table and motioned for Karen to have a seat.

Andy slid into the kitchen. "Do you have the jerky?"

Karen chuckled. "Yes."

April cleared her throat.

Andy grinned sheepishly. "Can I please have some of the jerky. Thank you for bringing it."

April opened the bag for him and gave him one piece for him and one piece for Ian. "Thank you, Karen."

Karen sat in the living room and chatted with April while the boys played. April gave her back the joy of having a sister. She was much younger but an excellent bridge to the sister that she lost. "You look pale."

April sighed. "I am just sick to my stomach."

Karen furrowed her brows. "How long has that been going on?"

"It has been on and off I guess. Just the last few days have been worse. I'm so tired. I think Andy brought a stomach bug home with him." April said.

Karen asked her a few more questions. She tapped her fingers on her knee. "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"

April looked like she was going to pass out. "What? No! There is no way." She got up and tried to pace but the floor wouldn't stay flat.

Karen stopped her. "Calm down. If you two have been together, then there is a way."

April sat down and put her face in her hands. "No. We are careful. I'm just sick."

Karen rubbed her back. "Well, you have been sick for a while. You should get checked out. If you aren't pregnant, it could be something more serious. If you are pregnant, you need to get this sickness sorted out."

April's mind was spinning in circles.

"I will just go buy one for you. That way you don't have to see a doctor right away. Then you can call and make an appointment." Karen said.

April couldn't answer. She couldn't breathe.

"The boys will go with me and pick out some candy." Karen said. She left April sitting in the living room. She wanted to comfort her but she couldn't do much until they knew. April was going to fret. She hated that devastation was the first thing that April felt at the idea. She assumed that came from how her ex treated her when she was pregnant with Ian.

Andy chose a chocolate bar and Ian chose a lollipop. "Thank you."

Karen ruffled Andy's hair. "You are welcome." She paid for the items and drove back to the house. "Andy, do you think you can sit in the kitchen and eat those? I think Ian is wearing half of his."

Andy nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Karen rubbed April's arm. "The boys are in the kitchen. Go take this and I'll keep them busy."

Kate was still torn about the party. If she told one of the adults, Taylor may never forgive her. If she didn't tell anyone, something bad could happen. She could teleport though. If something went sideways, she could just zap them back to the house. It was just a party. Parties were part of being a teenager. She wasn't a teenager though. She was 12. She wasn't a normal 12 year old though. She had seen horrible things. While no one else could see the hellhound that attacked Gordon, she had seen everything. She saw the teeth tear into him. No, not a normal 12 year old. Experience-wise, she was at least 20 and that was plenty old enough to go to a party. Taylor would probably find a way to go even if she did tell someone. She would just go with him and make sure he stayed safe. That was reasonable.

Dean still wasn't thrilled that Taylor spent so much time in his room. He could remember being a teenager and, Sam more than Dean was sulky at times and wanted alone time.

Taylor wasn't fooling himself. He knew he was doing the wrong things. It felt good to break a rule or two at times. He was angry at the universe. Nate's dad had picked up a long-distance job and Nate wasn't happy about it. He had been a truck driver for a while but after Nate and Ellie were born, he worked for a local shipping company. However, the new job kept him away for days or weeks at a time. Taylor was trying to help Nate blow off steam but the dominos were falling too fast for Taylor to fully grasp. He was losing sight of reality in a hurry.

Jess was pretty much counting down days until they got to go back to Sioux Falls. Each dinner at her parents' house wore on her a little bit more. If she didn't have Sam, she didn't know what she would do. When her mom started to get catty, Sam steered the conversation away from Jess. He let comments roll off his back and let her complain all that she wanted.

Sam hated that Jess was knocked down every time she spoke to her mom. Her dad wasn't great but her mom had really started to dig at her. He considered what life would be like if they just ditched college. That hurt his heart. He had a full ride. He could become a lawyer and support her. Moving back to Sioux Falls, he could get a job but it wouldn't be his dream job. He could support them but not as easily. The apartment they were staying in belonged to Jess's uncle. If they made her parents too angry, it was possible that they would get evicted. Jess's grades were amazing so she could get a scholarship if the money got ripped away from her. It would be a struggle though. She could take out student loans. No, Jess wouldn't do that. She was only at Stanford because it was the school of choice for her family. She wasn't passionate about what she was studying.

"I'm going to say that I am sick." Jess said.

"Do you think they would buy that?" Sam asked.

Jess groaned. "No. I'm an adult. I hate that they have control over me."

Sam chewed his cheek. "I'd offer to break a leg so you'd have to take me to the ER but I think that they would tell you to ditch me and still go to dinner."

Jess scrunched her nose and pressed her forehead against his. "That says a lot about them, doesn't it."

"Hey, I have broken bones, and my family didn't have much sympathy either." Sam said.

Jess was glad that things had changed since Sam was a kid.

Sam had given the situation a lot of thought. "You could start taking a little extra money out of your account when you buy things. After a while, that would give you a little bit of money that they couldn't take away if they drained your account."

"I could become an exotic dancer." Jess said with a smile.

Sam smirked. "Absolutely not."

Karen was trying to comfort a fussy Ian while April was breaking down. The bathroom door was closed but she could hear that April was having trouble breathing. She bounced Ian on her hip but that didn't help. She called Bobby and asked for him or Dean to pick up the boys.

Bobby was elbow deep in the engine compartment of a work truck so he asked Dean to go.

Dean drove back over to the house. He had Kate with him as she offered to help out.

Ian perked up once they got outside. He insisted on walking so Kate held his hand.

Andy convinced Dean to take them to the park. "It is a perfect day."

Dean put a hand on his head. "Just for a little while."

Andy loved the park. He could play outside all day and never get bored.

Karen was still unsuccessful in getting April to calm down, although she did manage to get her to unlock the bathroom door. "Sweetie, I'm going to call Caleb."

April grabbed her arm. "Please don't."

Karen patted her hand. "Why not?"

April shook her head. "He's going to be so angry at me. I just don't want to ruin it yet."

Karen didn't understand why April thought Caleb would be angry. "Are you eating? Are you taking your medication? Are you afraid that he would be angry if you aren't taking care of your blood sugar issues?"

April wanted to calm down but the panic attack was too strong.

Caleb got a message from Karen that April was really upset and she couldn't get her to calm down. He couldn't leave the job he was working on since it was just him and another guy. Luckily, they were wrapping things up when he got the message. April had panic attacks sometimes. Sometimes she'd have a dream or something would trigger an attack. It was hard to watch her process. He checked in with Dean to make sure the boys hadn't gone too wild. When he got home, April was still really upset.

Karen spoke to him. "I tried. I think that I should walk down to the park and see if the boys need anything."

Caleb thanked her. He crouched down next to April and rubbed her leg. "Hey, what's going on?"

April put her arms around his neck. She realized she was over reacting but she couldn't stop. "I'm sorry."

Caleb got her to sit down on the couch. "Why are you sorry?"

"We just got married. We just got a house and I'm so sorry." April said.

Caleb cleared his throat. "Did you.. cheat or something?"

April rubbed her face. "No, no. I promise I didn't do that."

Caleb had no idea what sparked the panic attack but she was going to pass out if she didn't calm down. "Can you tell me what happened?"

April swallowed hard. "Just look in the bathroom."

Caleb slowly opened the bathroom door expecting to see a dead body or some other horror. He looked around but nothing was out of place. He looked on the counter and his mouth fell open. His heart jumped into his throat and his palms got sweaty. It took a few seconds for his brain to catch up to his eyes. He walked back to April. "You are sorry about this?"

April nodded and put her head in her hands.

"April, why... why are you sorry? This is good news." Caleb said.

April looked up at him. "You aren't angry?"

Caleb sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. "No, silly. Even if this wasn't good news, it takes both of us to make a baby. Why would I be angry at you?"

April blinked a few times. "This is bad timing. The boys are a handful. You are working to support us. Ian is still so little. We have actively tried for me not to get pregnant."

Caleb put his finger over her lips. "Did Steven get angry about Ian?" His heart broke when she crumbled.

"Ian wasn't planned. I was happy at first. Steven wasn't. He beat me pretty badly and said it was my fault. He was violent all through the pregnancy." April said.

"That is why you panicked. You know I wouldn't do that, even if I was unhappy about it. Did the emotions just trigger those memories?" Caleb asked.

April nodded.

"This is why you have been so sick lately." Caleb said.

"Karen suggested that I take a test. I didn't even think it was possible. What if demons come after this baby too? What if strings were pulled and made it possible for this to happen?" April asked.

"We know how to protect them from demons. I'm not sure how anyone or anything could have caused it to happen. I think we would have noticed." Caleb said.

April started to calm down. She forgot how emotional she was during her first trimester with Ian. "I really struggled to take care of Andy when I was pregnant. I was so tired. Then, having a newborn and one kid is hard. Now, there is Ian and Andy. How am I going to manage?"

"Have the boys been easier to raise since we got together?" Caleb asked.

April blushed. "Well, yeah."

"The difference this time around is that you have help. You have me and Karen. Heck, you have Kate, Dean, Bobby, Taylor and Jody. If you are too sick to manage Ian for a few days, I know Karen and Bobby would love to watch him. It won't be easy, I'm sure but you are going to accept help." Caleb said.

April cracked a smile. "I am?"

"Yep, even if I have to get Kate to compel you." Caleb said.

April let out the last of the tension in her body. "Is this really okay? You aren't upset at all?"

"Yes it is more than okay. No, I'm not upset. I'm happy. We will have to figure some stuff out but my first reaction was excitement." Caleb said.

April's face fell. "I ruined it. I should have told you in a happy way but you come home to this."

Caleb scoffed. "We don't do things the traditional way." He picked her up in a hug and spun around. "I understand why you got upset but I think I'm a better husband than Steven was."

April stumbled when he put her down.

"Oh, yeah you are dizzy. Sorry." Caleb said.

April laughed. "It's okay."

Caleb hugged her again. "We should celebrate."

"Do you think the others are going to be upset?" April asked.

Caleb furrowed his brows. "No. Why would they?"

"They did a lot of work helping us get settled and here is another big thing." April said.

"No, god, no." He held her at arms length. "Sometimes I wonder about you."

April could see the twinkle in his eye. "I had a really bad first experience."

"I know. So, this time you can be excited when you tell people. You can look forward to things." His face changed. "Oh, one thing. We may have to put a cap on baby things. Karen and Marie are going to drown us. Jody probably will too." Caleb said.

April's eyes lit up. "I was always envious of the women who got to have baby showers."

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Just expect a baby flood. How do you feel? If we walk down to the park are you going to pass out?"

"I don't think so." April said.

Caleb put an arm around her shoulders and walked with her. "I have twenty dollars that says Dean responds with some smartass comment."

April laughed. "I'm not betting you. I know that he is going to make a comment."

Andy ran and hugged both of his parents. "I made a new friend. Her name is Kayla."

They both waved at the little girl that Andy pointed to.

Andy ran back to play with her and left the couple to talk to Karen.

Dean saw Karen excitedly hug April and then Caleb. He walked over. "What is all of this about?"

Caleb smiled. "April is pregnant."

Dean grabbed Caleb's hand and pulled him into a hug. He clapped him on the back. "Congratulations."

He hugged April too. "I'm sorry if the baby takes after him and inherits his big ass head."

April grinned. "He was trying to bet me money that you'd say something like that."

They told Kate too and she squealed excitedly. She bounced on her toes. "When?"

"I'll have to go to the doctor. I'm not sure how far along I am." April said.

Kate covered her mouth and squeaked. "That is so exciting."

They told Andy once they got back home. He was sad at first. "Are you gonna love that baby more than us?"

Caleb furrowed his brows. "No, of course not."

"It will have your blood. We don't." Andy said.

Caleb hugged him. "Buddy, even if it has my blood, I won't love you any less. You will all three be equal."

Andy felt better and smiled. He patted April's stomach and chewed his cheek. "I hope it is a girl. I already have a little brother."

### ###

The excitement around the new baby kept Kate distracted for a few days. She had never been around a newborn. She read how pregnancy worked and never wanted to experience it herself but it was fascinating. She liked baby clothes. They were tiny and cute. Once they found out what the baby was, she would go pick out a few outfits. She wondered if she could learn to knit or crochet.

The day of the party rolled around and Taylor had his plan in motion. He knew that Dean would be on high alert if he went to Nate's house. Dean did let him go though. John wasn't back from his hunt yet so that helped get the ball rolling.

"You had better stay at Nate's house. No barns." Dean said.

Taylor nodded. "We are going to a movie."

"Which one?" Dean asked. He looked at the ticket that Taylor showed him. He noted the time. "Keep your phone on you. I won't bug you during the movie."

Kate was still on the fence about the party. Taylor left and she got anxious. She went to the lab to work with Marty for a while. That did help. Her theories were looking more plausible after each test was conducted. Adipose tissue dissolved pretty quickly. It would behave differently in a live body since the pathogen would need to spread. The tests were a good starting point. Blood cells didn't dissolve but they did alter. That was just human blood though. When Dean picked her up from the lab, she was quickly losing her cool.

"What is going on with you?" Dean said.

Kate grimaced. "I just really want answers about these creatures. In a perfect world, we could study live tissue but ethics and such."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, those pesky ethics."

It wasn't a total lie. She was antsy to understand the creatures more. They needed a fresh creature. The 'venom' that Cas had gotten from the creature was old. They didn't know if it started losing effectiveness as it aged. The sun started to go down. She needed to make a decision. If she just stayed home and something happened to Taylor, she'd never forgive herself. She could tip Dean off and then he'd make Taylor come back home before going to the party. Well, if she did that, Taylor could just use an ability and go anyway.

Taylor did go to Nate's house for a little bit. They told Nate's mom that they were going to a movie. Taylor showed her the same thing that he has shown Dean. "Dean's picking us up."

Since Nate's mom could see the ticket and confirmation that Dean would drive them, she wasn't worried.

Taylor pressed on his temple. Why was that ability so painful?

They walked down the street and met up with Nate's high school friend for a ride to the party.

Taylor wasn't sure if the driver had had anything to drink because he was an awful driver but they made it to the party in one piece. The party was bigger than he was expecting. It was at an old two-story house. The music was loud. There was a lot of alcohol and the party had just started. He felt out of place but didn't let it show. He was introduced to some of the baseball players that played for the high school.

Brannon, the blonde, shook Taylor's hand. "Oh, you're the kid that coach was talking about."

Taylor tilted his head. "Why?"

"Your stats are good. We had a bad year last year so coach is scouting replacements." Brannon said.

Taylor didn't know why his stats were still good if he hadn't played in a while. Maybe his old coach put in a good word for him. "Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to play yet."

Daniel was the other player. "Hey, might as well join the team. Even if you just ride the bench, the chicks dig it." He winked at a girl behind Taylor and left to hang out with her.

Nate was irritated that Taylor got singled out. They both had good stats and Taylor quit. Taylor had been through some rough stuff. Maybe that was why the coach said something... pity. Taylor was easily the best player they had but his story did help him stick out.

Kate kept watching the time. She could just go and check on him and then be back in bed within a few minutes. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a kid. She needed to look a little older so she didn't stand out. She let her hair down and used a flower clip to sweep some of her hair out of her face. She got the shorts from her drawer and put them on. She felt odd wearing them but they were what high school girls wore. She put on a tank top and sandles. Finally, she put some make up on. She wasn't a fan but she did look at least 14. She checked to see if Dean was asleep and then sat down on her bed. She just needed to land far enough away from the house that no one saw her appear out of thin air. She visualized her spot and took a deep breath. "Okay, older me. Now's your chance. If this is a bad idea, come back and stop me." She waited but nothing happened. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. "This is such a bad idea."