Tony made his phone call to Sam. Part of the reason he was avoiding the call was because he felt weak. He had nightmares about his wife. When he thought about Jacob, he thought about that night. He knew it wasn't fair but part of his mind just wouldn't heal. He wanted revenge. He wanted to stop feeling the intense grief day in and day out. He knew Jacob was safe and cared for. He needed to get his head on straight but he couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Sam convinced Tony to go to Marie's house to spend time with Jacob. He explained the nymph situation so that Tony didn't take a month to drive back. He told him that crying wouldn't be an issue because he would have plenty of people to help him. He wanted to foster a relationship in hopes that Tony would let others do the hunting while he raised Jacob. He wondered if he would have done the same had Jess died the way his mother did. She didn't though. She was saved by visions and teamwork.
Marie welcomed Tony with open arms and a warm meal. She introduced people and showed him the room that he could stay in.
Tony was embarrassed. He appreciated the hospitality but this family knew his son better than he did. It made sense. Jacob had been away from him for most of his life. Three months flew by and Tony had nothing to show for it. Holding Jacob felt strange. He was a different person than he was the last time Tony saw him. He was bigger. He was smiley and giggled. He chewed on teethers and got excited when he saw a bottle. His personality was emerging and Tony missed that development.
James and Desiree talked with Tony since they had kids as well as a newborn. They could swap stories. Tony didn't have many stories. The attack happened a week after Jacob was born. He didn't have happy stories except for his birth and those first few days. Seeing Levi reminded Tony of how small Jacob had been and how much he had grown.
When Jacob got fussy and needed a nap, James invited Tony to go on a tour of the farm. Sam told him what happened so he was careful not to trigger those did talk about what got him into the hunting life and how he handled it with kids. The kids were more important than hunting, for starters. He left the sketchy hunts to hunters that knew more than he did. He was lucky to have his wife, as not many hunters still had their partner.
On the walk back, Tony heard Jacob giggle. He saw Marie and another woman standing on the porch. He wasn't introduced to her but Jacob clearly liked her.
Marie handed Jacob to the woman. She told Tony that she was a nymph and Jacob was safe.
Tony watched her interact with Jacob. She had a grin on her face and her voice was kept at a higher pitch. She was thrilled to be holding and talking to him. Why didn't Tony feel like that? He loved Jacob. He knew he was his son but he also seemed like a stranger. It felt like he was holding someone else's baby.
Holly pulled Jacob's hat that Jess made him down farther on his head to keep his ears warm. She cooed at him and sang a lullaby from her homeland. She looked at Tony. "I suppose you want this little one back."
Tony looked at his hands. "I had better get cleaned up first."
Marie told him where he could get cleaned up and take a shower. She sat out fresh towels and returned to the porch.
James sighed. "Sometimes, women get postpartum depression after having a baby. Men can get it too. I think that is what is going on with him."
"The attack was traumatic." Marie said.
"It was. He didn't talk about Jacob that much. I guess he just doesn't have a lot to say but he is completely disconnected." James said.
"I've noticed." Marie said. "Well, we can offer support and a warm place to stay. Maybe he will come around."
(Sioux Falls)
Dean tossed Kate over his shoulder and carried her outside before placing her on her feet next to the shed.
Kate scoffed. "What are you doing?"
"Pulling you away from research for a minute." Dean said.
Kate looked back at the house. "But, I don't want to be pulled away."
"You are…. Uh, the thing where you are in a coma but you are awake." Dean said, scratching the back of his head.
"Catatonic?" Kate asked.
"Yeah. You are catatonic." Dean said.
"I am talking and interactive. I'm clearly not catatonic." Kate shot back.
"That is because I brought you outside where the sun is." Dean countered.
Kate squinted her eyes and looked up at the sun. "I'm not a plant."
Dean crossed his arms. "I have an errand to run and want you to go with me."
"Why?" Kate asked.
"Geeze, I don't know. Maybe I wanted to hang out with you since you don't talk to me anymore." Dean said.
Kate playfully rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll go but only because of your feelings."
Dean smirked. He wasn't fooled by the banter. He knew she wasn't her normal self. Still, the sass was nice to see again.
Kate returned with fresh clothes and a drawing pad. "It is February 8th."
"And? "Dean asked.
"Next Friday is Valentine's day." Kate said.
Dean snorted. "And?"
"I am reminding you so you can get Kim a gift." Kate said, looking at him like he was dumb.
"I don't need to do that. She and I don't have that kind of relationship." Dean reminded her.
Kate frowned. "You are getting me something, right?"
"My gift to you is taking you on the errand with me." Dean said.
Kate got into the car and scrunched her nose at him. "Lame."
(Caleb and April's house)
Caleb caught Ian as he flew off the back of the couch. The boys both woke up with more energy than usual. Andy wouldn't stop talking but Ian was trying to injure himself. In reality, Ian was just jumping off of stuff for the fun of it but he was bound to get injured. Caleb stepped outside. It was not quite spring yet but it wasn't frigid outside. He put a coat on Ian and told April that he was taking the boys to the park.
She decided to go as well. She bundled Lauren up and placed her in a stroller. She would stay warm and get some fresh air at the same time. There was something magical as winter transitioned to spring. They were probably still due for some nasty weather but that day was bright and sunny. Neighbors that they hadn't seen in weeks were outside, doing little things around their houses.
Ian headed straight to the jungle gym and started to climb. He had no fear but thought it was funny to scare people.
April watched him and started to say something to him but Caleb stopped her. "Let him climb. I think he is more secure than he looks like he is."
April slowly sat back down. "I know boys are tough but I can't help but jump up."
"If he falls, I don't think it will hurt him." Caleb said, lightly.
Ian moved between bars as though he was a well trained athlete. He pulled himself up and swung his leg over to reach a higher level. Climbing helped settle his brain down and it made him happy.
Andy just needed to run. Sure, the monkey bars were fun but his arms got tired. He wanted to play tag and slide.
Ian's legs were shorter due to his age and the older kids ran too fast. He wanted to be upside down but wasn't sure how to get his body into that position. "Daddy, help."
Caleb walked over to Ian. "What is the matter?"
"I wanna head down." Ian said.
Caleb asked a few questions to understand what Ian wanted and finally understood. He moved him off of the higher bars to one close to the ground. He showed him how to put his legs over and put the bend of his knee on the bar so when he was upside down, he had a way to keep himself from falling. Caleb planned to hold his feet, not thinking he could maintain his balance with the weight of his body on the back of his knees. His hands were lightly swatted away as Ian was determined to do everything by himself. He slowly let go and was surprised that Ian didn't budge.
Ian loved his new point of view. He waved to Caleb and reached down to brush the mulch with his hands.
Caleb stayed close enough to catch him if he fell suddenly.
Ian tuned everything out and started fiddling with his hands.
April smiled. He was using the signs that he knew to talk to himself. She was glad that she taught the boys how to use sign language as it was a valuable skill.
Caleb didn't catch everything he signed but did catch the sign for happy and a few letters of the alphabet. He tapped Ian's leg. "Time to get down."
Ian whined when Caleb slowly flipped him back over.
"All the blood will go to your head." Caleb said.
Ian touched his head. He frowned and looked down at the ground.
"You can climb. Wait for a little while to go upside down." Caleb said. He walked back to April. "He is going to be a gymnast."
April smiled. "He is strong."
Caleb blew air through his nose. "I know. I almost threw my back out trying to get him into the truck when he was having a tantrum the other day." He rubbed his lower back. "I've wrestled ghouls that were weaker than him."
"When I was pregnant with him, he would kick so hard and wedge his toes into my ribs. I thought he would break a rib or two before he was born. Lauren was much more gentle." April said. She touched Lauren's cheek to make sure she wasn't too cold.
Caleb shot off the bench and speed walked to the bar that Ian had previously been on. He held his chest and winced. Ian had scared the daylights out of him by sitting on the bar and throwing himself back so that he hung upside down like Caleb showed him. Caleb just didn't expect him to fall back like that. "Hey, not without an adult."
Ian grinned.
Caleb turned to look at April and gave her a sheepish grin.
April narrowed her eyes although she wasn't angry at Caleb for showing Ian how to hang upside down.. Ian was going to learn a lot of things that would scare her. She didn't want the boys to play football because concussions were so common. However, she feared that any sport would turn into football with Ian. He had a tendency to bowl over people without noticing it. Football might have to be his sport of choice.
Andy stopped running and looked across the street. He chewed his lip and flared his nose. He looked toward his mom and dad who weren't that far away but there was a playground in between them.
Caleb startled when he saw a woman walking with Andy toward the bench he and April had been sitting on. He quickly walked over to them since Ian was no longer falling through the air.
Andy whispered. "Nymph."
Caleb relaxed but only for a moment. "What's wrong?"
"I smelled sulfur." Andy said. His cheeks turned slightly pink.
The nymph smiled. "Someone's septic tank is being worked on."
Caleb put a hand on Andy's head and thanked the nymph.
Andy followed him. "I'm sorry."
"Why?" Caleb asked.
"It wasn't an emergency." Andy said.
"You did exactly what you were supposed to do. You smelled sulfur and got help. It is better to call for help and it be a septic tank than second guess yourself and it be a demon." Caleb said. He explained the situation to April and sat back down so he was at Andy's eye level. "That was a good choice and excellent observation skills. You were alert and followed directions."
Andy was bashful although he loved the positive attention.
April pulled a face. The wind had changed directions and they could now smell what Andy had. "Why don't we stop and get something to eat?"
Andy licked his lips. "Where?"
"You choose." April said.
Andy ran to get Ian and told him they were going to eat.
Ian let go of the bar with his legs and landed on his hands and knees on the ground. He got up and ran back to his parents with mulch sticking to his pants.
Caleb cringed. They needed to get Ian into some classes or he was going to break his neck. He was two though. Many classes didn't start until at least three. Until then they'd try their best to keep him from climbing the walls.
(Kate and Dean)
Dean stopped at a store and showed Kate the list he was shopping with.
Kate read each item. "Hunting stuff?"
"Yep." Dean said.
Kate shrugged and handed the list back. She followed Dean through the store. It was a pretty boring trip but she didn't mind.
Dean paid for the stuff and gave Kate a few things to carry. He reluctantly agreed to go into another store because Kate wanted art supplies.
Kate grabbed a basket and skipped toward the paint. She knelt on the floor and looked at a selection of yellow paints. She picked up three. "Which one of these should I get?"
Dean rubbed his head. "Those are all the same color."
Kate rolled her eyes. "They are not and it isn't just my ability to see color. They have different names."
Dean shrugged. "Looks yellow to me."
Kate chose the middle shade and placed it in the basket. She chose a few other colors as well. She moved along the shelves until she got to a row of expensive paints. She frowned. They were on sale but still expensive. They were well made and lasted a long time though. The others wouldn't see the difference but she did.
"Just get them." Dean said.
Kate looked up at him. "They are pricey."
"You'll use them." Dean said.
Kate hugged him. "Thank you!"
Dean heard a familiar voice and stepped out of the aisle.
Kim was with a friend and saw Dean. She smiled brightly and waved.
Kate slid out of the aisle to see who Dean was looking at. "Is that her?"
Dean shoved her back into the aisle. "Hush."
Kim saw Kate for a moment before Dean pushed her back. She decided to walk over with her friend. "I wouldn't expect you to be in a place like this."
Kate spun to get around Dean. "He is letting me buy paint. The expensive kind too."
Kim turned to her friend. "Christine, this is Dean."
Her friend's eyes got big. "That is Dean?"
Kim blushed.
Dean smirked the way he typically did when around women.
"I'm Kate." Kate said, extending her hand.
Kim shook her hand. "It is nice to meet you."
Kate elbowed Dean. "She is just as pretty as you said she was."
Dean shot her a glare. "I'm regretting letting you get those paints."
Kate batted her eyelashes at him.
Kim motioned to Christine. "She was looking for paint for a wooden race car for her nephew."
"Let me show you." Kate said. "Is this for boy scouts?"
Dean was slightly relieved to have Kate away from Kim for a moment. One truly never knew what Kate was going to say.
"So you think I'm pretty?" Kim asked, jokingly.
"Yeah but she likes tormenting me." Dean said.
"She is adorable." Kim said.
"Eh she is alright." Dean said.
"I won't bug you. I just thought I'd say hi." Kim said.
Dean slowly turned to look at Kate and narrowed his eyes, knowing she was being nosey.
Kate quickly looked away.
"You aren't bugging me." Dean said.
Christine held a few bottles of paint in her hand. "She could work here. She was very helpful."
Kim gave Dean a wink. "Let me know when you are free."
Dean winked back. He waited for the two women to walk away before flicking Kate's ear.
Kate rubbed her ear. "Ow."
"You are a pest." Dean said.
"She thinks I am adorable." Kate said.
"So you were eavesdropping." Dean said.
Kate shrugged. "I just have good hearing."
Dean paid for the art supplies. Normally, he would cringe at the price. However, Marie and Rod gave them that card for stuff like that and he'd get a lecture from Marie if he denied Kate the luxury. It had been quite a while since he had to play pool for money or use fake names for credit cards. He forgot how stressful that had been.
Kate grew quiet for a while. "What is wrong with Kim?"
Dean furrowed his eyebrows.
"She is sick." Kate said.
"She has some kind of autoimmune disorder." Dean said. "Did you read her?"
"No, I could just sense it." Kate said. "She is nice."
"Yeah, she is." Dean said. He wanted to steer the conversation away from Kim. "Tell me about the research you've been doing."
(Marie's house)
Jacob was in a great mood and very alert. He was on his back under an arch made for babies with a toy dangling over his head. He was having the best time swatting at it and babbling.
Krissy sat down beside the arch to pull on the toy, making it play a song. She liked playing with Jacob. Jess told her that baby brains grew really fast and they needed a lot of experiences to build connections in their brain. So, she was trying to teach him to pull the toy by himself. He mainly just wanted to hit it though.
Tony watched Krissy. Jacob had a family. He had people of all ages that cared about him. Tony felt guilty and a little jealous. Another part of him was relieved. If he went back to hunting the wolves, Jacob would be safe.
Krissy looked around for Marie. "Nana can he sit up?"
Marie brought a baby pillow over so that Jacob could safely sit up. She was proud of Krissy for remembering not to move him by herself.
Jacob was delighted by the toy being closer. He grabbed it and pulled it to his mouth, making the music go off.
Krissy gasped and clapped her hands. "You did it!"
Jacob startled for a moment but giggled, not knowing why Krissy was excited.
"I taught him to pull it." Krissy said, proudly.
Marie smiled. "You are a wonderful teacher." She made eye contact with Tony who seemed to be deep in thought. She had given him several opportunities to interact with Jacob but he either came up with an excuse or the interaction was robotic. She understood his trauma. He likely couldn't control how he felt. Post traumatic stress disorder was nasty and could ruin people's lives. Luckily, at that point in time, Jacob didn't know he was missing something. He was beyond his fussy nights, sleeping more and more as time went by. He rarely got stuck in crying fits unless he was sick or his tummy hurt. He was turning into a happy baby that smiled at nearly everyone.
Caitlyn knocked on the front door. "Ms. Marie, can Krissy play?"
Marie told her to open the door. "Of course."
Caitlyn helped Krissy put her shoes on. "Mama and daddy let us walk here alone since we have protection."
Caroline poked her head in the door. "We didn't really walk alone. We had a guide."
Marie figured one of the nymphs walked with them. She was thrilled that their parents accepted the nymphs as they were wonderful assets.
Rod asked Tony to follow him to another room. He wanted to get a feel for what Tony was going to do. "What are your plans?"
Tony was blank.
"You don't need to make any right away. Part of our job is to help people. After a hunt went south, James and Desiree came here. They are now in a house a few minutes walk from here. We have a special fund to help hunting families. So, if you want to settle down, we don't mind helping." Rod said.
"I sold everything." Tony said.
"From your old house?" Rod asked.
"I couldn't go back and live there." Tony said.
Rod's voice was soft. "I don't think I could either. You are welcome here. There are other bunk houses on the property that people stay in when they want privacy. Then again, you don't have to stay here. I just want the offer to be on the table."
"I want to kill the wolf that took my wife from me." Tony said.
Rod nodded slowly.
"I can't think of anything else." Tony admitted.
"You could use some rest, I'm sure. You could stay here for a while and spend time with Jacob. You could get your strength back if nothing else." Rod said. "Marie or one of our friends are more than happy to take Jacob during the night or if he gets cranky."
Tony agreed to stay for a little bit. Maybe the rest would help clear his head.
Marie made a bottle for Jacob and helped Krissy into a comfortable and safe position to hold him. "Remember, he has to eat slowly."
Rod wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed gently and winked at her. "Tony and I are going into town to get a few things."
Marie smiled. "Alright. I think I can hold down the fort."
Krissy looked up at Lee as he entered the room. "I'm feeding the baby."
Lee sat beside her. "I see that. You're doing a good job."
"I love him." Krissy said.
"He is cute." Lee said. He had come out of his shell a little bit. He talked more and enjoyed things like he hadn't in a long time. There was less stress. He wasn't watching his back and Krissy wasn't on his nerves most of the time. He even kind of liked the nymphs. Life was good. He still hunted but less frequently.
(The Roadhouse)
Jo smiled at Noah when he walked into the Roadhouse. "What can I do for ya?"
Noah leaned over the counter to kiss her. "I'm dropping off knives."
Jo put the bar towel down on the bar and followed Noah outside. "What kind of knives?"
"Sharp ones." Noah said. "Some hunters dropped them off for us to clean up and sharpen." He picked the box up to carry inside. "What are you doing later?"
"Working but I bet my mom will let me have a few hours off if you have something to do." Jo said.
Noah gave the box to a set of hunters and collected the cash they owed him. He ordered a coffee and sat back while Jo talked to Ellen.
Jo excitedly hugged Ellen and ran up the stairs to freshen up.
Ellen took over the bar. "She is getting ready."
Noah looked around the bar. "Looks like that message board is busy."
"Yeah." Ellen said. "People don't stop going missing."
"It's a shame." Noah said. "My dad's buddy he used to hunt with has gone silent. We think it has something to do with that." He pointed to a drawing of a freak.
"Why do you think that?" Ellen asked.
"He is a smart hunter. He uses long range weapons and sets up traps. He will get down and dirty but usually after he has weakened them with deadman's blood or something. He sounded confused last time he called my dad. He couldn't find much on what he was hunting. He probably waited before trying to end the thing. He doesn't like surprises." Noah said.
"How much do you know about the freaks?" Ellen asked.
"Just what people tell me. Jo said they are more dangerous than what people have been hunting." Noah said.
"They are nasty. The current advice is if you see one, don't go after it." Ellen said. "They are aggressive and can tear through metal with their claws. You don't want to tango with one."
"Where did they come from?" Noah asked.
"We don't know. It is hard to study something so violent." Ellen said.
Jo ran down the stairs with her partially wet hair in a bun. "Ready."
Noah said goodbye to Ellen.
"Be home before it gets too dark." Ellen said.
Jo smiled. "Yes ma'am."
Noah cranked his truck. "Before dark?"
"Those monsters like the dark. She is protective." Jo said.
"Are they up this far?" Noah asked.
"Not that I know of but they do travel. They mutate too. John and Dean Winchester found some that had messed up faces. So messed up they couldn't eat."
Noah cringed. "Well we just stay in the light then."
(Charlie)
The Princess and the Knight of Moons took down another faction of dark orks. It was a close fight with many soldiers wounded. Alas, the army prevailed.
Charlie was buzzing with excitement. Cy was an excellent gaming partner. She had failed that specific quest numerous times until they tried it together. Sometimes, she forgot they were using code to discuss information. Sometimes, they just played.
Through code, Cy mentioned that he had heard of Abbadon. Some older memories of the family wore pendants with her ancient name. He found out that it was her demon name but growing up it was always just ancient scribbles the older members liked to wear.
The Stynes got their power from Abbadon. They respected her and didn't double cross her for fear for their own lives. Still, they were smart and devious. Sacrifices were made of Abbadon's choosing. The sacrifice could be a virus that would wipe out a village or the direct murder of a village. The Styne's had no problem taking lives but did have to move when people got suspicious. Abbadon wanted Kate. The Styne family didn't know that Kate and Charlie were connected. Somehow, that little detail escaped them.
Cy had no intention of making that connection. His heart was pure. When he found out that there was a strong connection, he would do everything in his power to lead them astray. He saw the damage that his family had done and would do. He was devastated that the freaks were partially his family's fault. Their greed was insatiable. He had to quickly leave the game because his uncle wanted him to do something. He promised Charlie updates and more games.
Charlie emailed Bobby the translated version of their code. Every bit of information was helpful.
(Sam and Jess)
Sam and Jess had a double date with Brady and his current girlfriend of the week. She seemed nice and she was pretty.
They sat at an outdoor table at a nice restaurant and chatted about school and life.
Brady rattled the ice in his drink. "You never hang out."
Sam shrugged. "Your scene isn't really my scene."
"Jess, you should get him to go to more parties." Brady said, lightly.
"So I can haul you out of a frat house when you're too drunk to stand?" Sam asked.
"That was one time." Brady said. "Let me see that ring, Jess."
Jess held out her hand that had Mary's ring on it.
"When's the big day?" Brady asked.
Sam traded looks with Jess. "We haven't set a date. I guess probably when we move to South Dakota."
Brady gave him a thumbs down. "Still don't know why you are leaving."
Sam knew Brady was just giving him a hard time. "It is cheaper and closer to family."
"As soon as I can, I'm getting away from my family." Brady said.
"That is what I did out of highschool. Now I want to go back." Sam said.
"How's the baby?" Brady asked.
"Jacob?" Jess asked. They had told Brady that they took care of him sometimes. "He is great. His personality is showing and he is chunky."
"Watch her, Sam. She will have kidnapped that baby." Brady said.
"Just temporary kidnapping." Sam said. He squeezed Jess's hand. "How about you? Done anything productive lately?"
Brady cracked a smile at Sam's dig. "As a matter of fact, I have."
(Bobby's house)
Dean had a migraine forming. He shouldn't have asked about the research. He needed a translator for what Kate said although he thought it was probably english.
Bobby waved him over. "Charlie sent this over." He said, handing him a piece of paper.
Kate read it after he did. She gritted her teeth. They were right. Why were they worried about the science side of the freaks instead of just taking Abbadon down? The freaks would still be around, that's why.
Dean snapped his fingers in her face. "Don't go down that road. Tell Bobby about genetic testing."
Bobby glared at him.
Kate chewed on her thumbnail. "It takes months. DNA is complex."
"Go on." Dean said. He sighed. "How about a painting?"
Kate felt the bag in her hand and pulled herself back to reality. She nodded and took her stuff to the living room so that she could paint.
Dean sat down across from Bobby. "She worries me."
"She worries all of us." Bobby said.
"I asked her about the research to keep her mind busy but it confused the hell out of me." Dean admitted.
"Marty is the only one that can sort of keep up with her." Bobby said. "We didn't all get degrees for that type of stuff."
"I didn't pay attention to those classes in highschool. I just wanted to hunt. Now, here we are, using it to hunt." Dean said.
"I'm too old for any of this." Bobby said.
"Now when I call you old, you get mad." Dean quipped.
Bobby swatted him with his hat. "Don't you have something you could be doing?"
Dean got up and rubbed his hands together. "Where is Taylor?" He whistled loudly. "Taylor."
Taylor opened the basement door. "What?"
"You up for sparring?" Dean asked.
Taylor eyed him suspiciously.
"I want to see how you do when you aren't exhausted from throwing a temper tantrum." Dean said with a smirk.
Taylor snorted and shut the door behind him. "Don't get cocky."
"I was born cocky." Dean said.
Kate doodled on a canvas to get the outline for her painting. She knew what she was drawing, a freak. She just needed to have the face out of her head. It was the face that haunted her since she had the vision of being attacked at Hellen's house. What bothered her was that she didn't know if the vision was literal or symbolic. If it was literal, had her doctor turned? Was he the partner that turned or could he be freak-like but still have a human mind. If he was the partner, who was still pulling the strings? Did the vision mean that he would turn at some point? Was it to tell her that he was responsible? They knew that already, so why did it plague her?
Karen was washing dishes and heard a faint tapping noise. She opened the backdoor to see Robby the raccoon standing outside. "Are you hungry?" She smiled and gave him some extra food that she wasn't going to use for dinner. He waited for her to hand it to him before pulling it to his body. "You are so polite." She scratched his head and stepped back to shut the door. Bobby might not have been a big fan of the new pet but Karen adored him.
(Stacey and the boys)
Another nymph call was initiated. Within moments, a nymph was standing at Dillon's side. "How may I help?"
"That man out there won't leave." Dillon said. He thought it could be a demon.
The nymph checked the man out. He wasn't a demon. She could read his intentions. He was stalking Stacey because she was pretty. He was a creep that wouldn't take no for an answer. That made him nearly as dangerous as a demon.
Stacey got spooked that a nymph had been called. She looked outside and groaned. "Not him again."
The nymph went outside and spoke to the man, warning him to leave.
He was a douche bag and spoke rudely to the nymph, making it clear that he thought Stacey owed him the time of day.
She couldn't do much since they were in broad daylight and others could see them. If she called the police, he would be out within days. She agreed to stay nearby so Stacey wasn't in danger. She would wait to deal with him as night drew near. She appeared as a typical woman. She modeled herself after a woman that she used to know. If threatened, a nymph would change forms and appear much taller and scary. She didn't like that form but it was helpful in protecting herself as well as scaring the daylights out of whoever triggered that form.
Dillon asked a bunch of questions, nearly ready to take care of the situation himself. He didn't want anyone to hurt his mom. He was glad the guy wasn't a demon, though.
"Thank you for calling me." The nymph said. "Sometimes plain old humans can be just as big of a problem. I think our arrangement is working nicely."
"It makes me less anxious knowing that the boys can call for help and get assistance instantly." Stacey said.
There were enough nymphs to go around. They lived in large colonies although some of their sisters may remain dormant for centuries at a time. There would always be someone to answer a call, no matter how minor. They could live peacefully away from humanity where squirrels and birds filled the trees. They liked having a job, though. They felt happiest when needed. So, they typically landed near people. The set up at Marie's house was wonderful. It was something they had wanted for several centuries but were never able to find. One or two would find a family to help but the rest stayed hidden. It was a lonely life at times.
Stacey told Ellen about the man when she called to tell her she would be late to work.
Ellen told her not to worry about making it to work. She offered to shoot him but Stacey told her that wouldn't be necessary. She thought Stacey was sweet but folded easily. She had been teaching her how to stand up to the rowdy hunters but it was a work in progress. Ellen didn't start out as hardened as she now was. That took a few years to kick in. She taught Jo early on that men would walk right over her if she didn't fight back. That is why she was okay with Jo and Noah dating. His parents would skin him if he hurt Jo but Jo could also wipe the floor with him if need be.
Zack couldn't stop looking out the window. He didn't like that the man was just there, looking at their door. He missed his dad.
Dillon nudged him. "Stop. He probably wants us to be scared."
Zack sighed. "I can't."
Dillon raised an eyebrow. "Do you think that counts as hunting?"
Zack shot back from the window and shook his head side to side.
Dillon smirked. He had been using that threat to his advantage when Zack wouldn't do something like stop looking at the creepy stalker. The perk to being older was knowing how to twist things to make life easier. It helped keep Zack out of trouble too.
Jo and Noah went out to eat and to walk around a park. It was nice and simple.
Noah looked at the sun. "Looks like I should get you home."
Jo kissed him. "Thank you for taking me out."
"Anytime." Noah said, holding out his arm for her to take. "If someone finds out how to kill the freaks, we could probably make a weapon."
Jo rested her head on his shoulder. "They don't like light or fire."
"That is workable." Noah said. He walked her back to his truck and drove her to the roadhouse before the sun sank below the trees.
Ellen thanked him and told him to drive safely on his way home. She told Jo that Stacey wasn't coming into work and asked if she could be on standby if it got too busy for Ellen to handle. That is how they worked most nights. Ellen hadn't taken a day off in ages. If she did, who would run the bar? She wondered how good the nymphs were at being bartenders. She tucked that idea away for another day. She filled a couple of glasses with beer and carried them to a table. "You boys had better not get in a fight tonight. I just got the table you broke repaired."
Both men agreed to stay civil. Ellen threatened to shoot them after they got in a fight and both men fully expected her to actually shoot them should they break another table. In general, hunters respected Ellen. They did what she said. Sometimes, they'd get a bit too drunk or one of them would get hot headed. There were hunters who would jump up if someone got too mouthy but Ellen could hold her own. Making her mad was as stupid as kicking a hornet's nest.
Night fell, draping the town in darkness. The nymph left Stacey and the boys to persuade the stalker to leave Stacey alone.
He was no longer standing outside, so Stacey felt a little more comfortable. She had no idea what the nymph did but she was assured that he wouldn't bother her anymore. She had two boys to take care of and didn't have time for things like that.
(Sioux Falls)
Ian jumped up and down on the couch. His nap renewed his energy tenfold. He leaned over the back of the couch and flipped, landing on his butt.
April gasped loudly. "Ian!"
Ian jumped up and planned on flipping again but Caleb stopped him.
Caleb crouched down. "That is dangerous."
Ian whined. "I wanna flip."
"No. Not off the couch." Caleb said. "Flip on the floor."
Ian was tired of rolling over his head. That was boring. He wanted height and excitement. He put up quite the fight over the couch and landed himself in timeout in his and Andy's room.
Caleb rubbed his face. When he was home, he spent his time preventing Ian from diving off of stuff. It kept his skills sharp.
April made a simple dinner and sat down to feed Lauren. That was what she did most nights. Lauren would fall asleep and the boys would get baths. Then they would read stories and tuck the boys in before collapsing into their own bed. She didn't think she would ever find a man that loved her and the boys. She always attracted bad men that walked over her. She was terrified for a long time, managing to survive by luck. She thought Caleb was a little crazy to be so young and take in a woman and two children. She felt like a burden at first but that feeling went away slowly. She scooted over so she could lay her head on Caleb's arm. "I love you."
Caleb ran his fingers through her hair. "I love you too." He studied her face. "I don't know what I did to be lucky enough to have you."
April smiled. "I was just thinking that but the other way around."
Lauren woke up and whined for a few seconds.
Caleb rolled over so he could reach her bed and put the pacifier back in her mouth. He waited until she was comfortable and rolled back over. "We made that."
April closed her eyes. "We did."
Caleb smirked. "Want to make another one?"
April opened her eyes. "Do not make me slap you."
Caleb grinned before kissing her. "Not tonight."
April got comfortable and closed her eyes again. HIs heartbeat was always strong and lulled her to sleep instantly.
(Monday, February 10, 2003)
Back to school. Back to work. Back to barely holding it together. No one liked Mondays.
Taylor tolerated Mondays because that meant he got to see Hailey. He was good with his coach and Nate, neither one holding a grudge. School was back to normal. School was the only thing that was normal. Outside of school he had powers. He had stress and sat helplessly by as their world got closer to destruction. He could warn Nate in ways that he couldn't warn Hailey. He could tell Nate to be on the lookout for demons but not Hailey. It was dangerous not knowing what was out there but knowing brought its own dangers.
Hannah got over the trauma from her conversation with Meg. She was careful not to break rules but she had relaxed into Kate's forgiveness. She had to forgive herself as well because she had other things to focus on. Protecting Kate was one of those things. She nudged Kate when she needed to answer things and stepped between Kate and other people if her eyes did something weird. It was exhausting.
Kate was split. She had several lines of thought that insisted on being the main train of thought. She scoured textbooks for ideas about the freaks. She read lore and newspapers and casefiles. While others were sleeping she would sit up in bed and read in the dark. She couldn't sleep. If she did sleep, her mind stayed busy while her body rested. She looked through memories for details. A familiar face. A familiar smell. Handwriting in a casefile. Names. Numbers. Voices. So many voices. Voices that she heard in a crowd or a phone call or on the news. Voices that spoke to her. Her own voice. Visions and signs.
Hannah touched Kate's arm. "You aren't eating."
Kate blinked.
"When was the last time you ate something?" Hannah asked.
Kate wasn't hungry and she hadn't been for a while. She would eat if she had to in order to act normal but oftentimes, she sent teleported pieces of food that she should have eaten. It wasn't deliberate. She didn't feel sleepy or thirsty. She wasn't cold or hot. Everything that reminded her that she was human was slipping away. She was just a series of thoughts and memories piloting a body that she was no longer connected to. She could fake interactions and put on a mask but even that was getting more difficult. Dean's tactic of letting her go science crazy worked most of the time. She could make her brain focus on the freaks for a little while. She needed to talk to Dean.
Hannah handed Kate a tissue. "Your nose is bleeding."
Kate used the tissue to blot away the drops of blood. Why couldn't she talk to him?
Hannah used another tissue to hold Kate's nose to stop the bleeding. She had been doing a lot of things like that because Kate couldn't. It was hard to do everything without drawing attention. They would notice that Kate, who was typically functioning well, needed someone to tell her to put her coat on. She could tell a teacher that Kate was stressed or out of it once but not all the time. She was running out of excuses. She felt her arm start tingling and her heart flutter. She knew the feeling well. She watched the droplets of blood that had made it onto her hand melt into her skin. They no longer needed a skin break to cause a reaction. She sighed and picked up Kate's hand to make her hold the tissue. She got her to the bathroom and made sure the nosebleed had stopped. If that was Monday, they were about to have a long week.
Kate stumbled through the day. She remembered bits and pieces but couldn't recall basic things. She took the bus home and got off at her stop. She walked down the driveway and up to Bobby's house. She felt dizzy and sick to her stomach. Was she hungry?
"Hey, kiddo." Dean said as Kate opened the door.
Kate rubbed her eyes. "Hey."
"Marty sent over some data he wants you to look at." Dean said.
Kate took the paper that Dean held out. She scanned it and furrowed her brows. "How did he get these back?"
"He ran them and sent them over." Dean said.
Kate stared at the paper. A lot of lab tests would yield results in under a day. Some were instant. Some took days to read as bacteria and viruses grew at different rates. Two of the tests required retests each day to compare results. It was Monday. He got them Monday.
Dean took the paper from Kate and had her sit down in the chair across from Bobby's desk. "Talk to me."
Kate chewed her lip as tears threatened to fall.
Dean picked her up and sat down so he could hold her. "I thought you'd be happy about the tests."
Kate's head was pounding. She didn't want to ask a simple question for fear of how strange it would sound. "How'd he get them back?" She asked for the paper to look at it again. Maybe she was wrong. She bailed out of Dean's lap and stumbled to the side of the office where a calendar hung on the wall.
Dean leaped and barely caught her before she hit the floor. He fanned her face and asked Bobby for a cool cloth. "She isn't responding." He got her to the couch and felt her pulse. It was slow but fine. She wasn't running a fever but she was pale. He rubbed his face and took a deep breath. "I don't know what is wrong."
Karen knelt beside the couch and wiped Kate's face with the cool cloth. "What happened?"
"She acted confused and passed out." Dean said.
Bobby returned to his office and looked at the wall in search of what triggered her to faint. He studied the calendar. He had notes about hunts and when John was due back. Nothing would upset her though.
Dean hated being helpless. She had been fine before school. She had been fine all week. Sure, she was groggy but they all were. He watched her like a hawk. She hadn't hurt herself. She hadn't gone off the deep end with research. Did something happen and he didn't see it? He looked at her face and swore his heart stopped. "Taylor!"
Taylor skidded into the room. "What?"
"What is wrong with her?" Dean asked.
Taylor was startled. "What? When… when did she do that?"
Dean took the cool cloth and wiped Kate's eyes. She had blood trickling from her eyes and nose. He turned her head and swore. "Call dad. Taylor, can you read her?"
Taylor put his hands on her. He tried to boost her. He tried to see inside her head but it was like static. It was a shrill whine of white noise that didn't make any sense.
John and Cas appeared at the same time. John by way of nymphs and Cas by way of prayer.
Cas touched Kate and tried to heal her or pinpoint the issue. He got the bleeding to stop but he was met with the same noise that Taylor was.
John got a run down of what happened but was just as stumped as everyone else. Without knowing what was going on inside of her head, they were forced to sit on their hands and wait.
Kate eventually woke up in her bed. She immediately felt sick and tried to roll out of bed but she was stopped. At least a basin was offered to throw up in. She dry heaved for a while before she was too exhausted and flopped back onto her pillow.
Dean offered her a small sip of water and felt her head. "Are you okay?"
Kate took a sip and grimaced. Her lack of thirst made her avoid water until that point. She tried to drink more but Dean moved the cup. "Water."
"Slow down, you just woke up trying to toss your cookies." Dean said. It didn't escape his attention that the basin was empty or that she felt lighter when he carried her to her bed. He noticed how pale she was and how her eyes seemed to sink into her face. It was completely possible that she could have skipped a few meals without him knowing. However, it was not possible for her to lose that much weight and be that weak without raising alarm. He wondered if she had been compelling them and lost the compulsion when she passed out. Had she grown strong enough to compel Cas and Taylor? What about all of the people at school?
Kate curled into a ball. Her stomach growled and she was cold.
Dean covered her with a blanket and gave her a cracker.
Kate ate the cracker and let it settle in her stomach. "I'm okay."
"What happened?" Dean asked.
Kate coughed. "What day is it?"
"Tuesday." Dean said.
Kate squinted her eyes. "What time?"
"Just after 8 p.m." Dean said. He gave her another sip of water. "Do you remember anything?"
Kate wasn't sure what was real and what was vision. "Kinda."
"You came home from school and I showed you test results. Then you tanked." Dean said.
Kate remembered the test results. "Dean?"
"Yeah?" Dean asked. He sent Bobby a text message to tell him she was awake but needed time.
"What day is it?" Kate asked.
Dean rubbed his face. "Tuesday."
"What number?" Kate asked, her voice barely audible.
"The 25th." Dean said.
Kate tried to sit up but was told to lay down. "No it isn't."
Dean sighed. "It is." He showed Kate his phone with the date and time displayed in black letters.
Kate froze, trying to comprehend what transpired. "Dean?"
Dean rubbed her arm. "What?"
"If I tell you something, can you not freak out?" Kate asked.
"Just tell me." Dean said.
"I think I time traveled." Kate said.
Dean froze that time. He blinked a few times and rubbed his face again. "Time traveled?"
"It is the only thing that makes sense." Kate said.
"You were here. You have been here. How could you time travel and not leave?" Dean asked.
"I had a panic attack because of the date on the test results. Yesterday was the 10th." Kate said. "I don't have memories."
"Maybe you just zoned out." Dean said.
Kate looked sheepish.
"I should have told Caleb not to take you and Taylor out of the bet." Dean said.
Kate frowned. "Well I didn't do anything dangerous."
"Kate dangerous and normal dangerous are arguable." Dean said. "Spit it out because dad is going to come up here any minute now."
Kate slowly sat up. "It has happened before."
Dean closed his eyes. "When?"
"One time I was on the phone with Hannah and all of a sudden dad busted through the door because Hannah called him and said something was wrong. It was like, 20 minutes." Kate said.
"Why didn't you share this nugget of information with the rest of us?" Dean asked with an edge to his voice.
"I didn't know what it was." Kate said.
As if on cue, John opened the door.
Kate blanched.
Dean rocked back in his chair and propped his feet on Kate's bed. "She was just about to tell me about all of the times she has time traveled."
Kate's mouth dropped open.
John crossed his arms over his chest and told her to report.
"When I came home, it was Monday the 10th." Kate said. "Somehow it wasn't the 10th for you." She caught the set of John's jaw and swallowed hard. "I am really confused and I'm sorry."
John dropped his arms. "You need to mend. We will talk about this slowly."
"I want to know one thing though." Dean said.
Kate asked what he wanted to know.
"How long has it been since you have eaten anything?" Dean asked.
Kate went blank. How long had it been? "I didn't starve myself."
Dean handed her a small mirror.
Kate gasped. Why did she look like that? She looked down at her arm and felt of her face.
Her reaction told Dean that it wasn't as simple as her choosing not to eat. "Did you compel us not to see how skinny you were?" Her reaction to that answered his question as well. "Shit, kid. I want to be mad at you. That is easier. Why don't you screw up like you did before all of this?"
Kate tilted her head. "I learned my lesson."
"You just got more complicated. Had this been intentional, I could have busted your ass and gotten on with life. No, you time travel and pass out. You dropped weight and no one saw it until yesterday." Dean said.
Kate shivered. "I'm sorry."
Dean took his flannel off to keep Kate warm. "I haven't decided if you're out of hot water yet. Lucky for me, I'm not the one that has to make that decision."
Kate's eyes drifted to John.
John tilted his head at the door. "Dinner first."
Dean put his arm out to keep Kate from jumping up. "You are in no shape to walk down those steps."
Kate whined. "I am."
Dean let her stand up. He raised an eyebrow and smirked before picking her up.
Kate gave up and let him carry her. She rested her head on his chest and took in a deep breath.
Dean felt her weight shift and snorted. For someone that fussed about being carried, she fell asleep awful fast. He almost didn't want to wake her but she desperately needed to eat something. She was boney and far too weak for his liking. If she did time travel, it was different from the time she accidentally threw him back through time. He didn't have any ill effects. He had dozens of questions but they would have to wait. He sat down at the table instead of just placing her on a chair. He eyed Taylor, "Is this too much? Does dad need to hold you?"
Taylor discretely flipped him off. "No. You can let that go now."
"I don't show favoritism. You two have equal rights." Dean said.
"This doesn't feel like a clean slate." Taylor said lightly.
Dean smirked. "Just don't be a bitch when your feelings get hurt."
"I'll just swing at you." Taylor said. "You said I could."
"I also said that I would floor you." Dean said.
Karen gave a plate to each boy. "Surely you two can stop arguing long enough to eat." She gave them a wink and returned to the counter. She loved it when they bantered. They were a comical crew.
Dean was given a cup with broth in it for Kate. He woke her up and got her to take a few sips. "Easy does it."
Conversation turned to things they typically talked about. A lot had happened that Kate wasn't aware of. None of it was too terribly important but she would feel the gaps when she could think straight.
What Kate didn't know at the time was that time travel would make her ill. Eventually they would figure it out and they'd refer to it as time sickness. Kate spent weeks drifting apart from herself. She reached a point where one version of herself continued her normal routine while the other was catapulted two weeks ahead. That happened with unintentional time traveling. Her two selves met up again on Monday the 10th, leaving her confused and sick. The massive headache would ebb and flow as she tried to make sense of a split reality. Older Kate would gain skills that would allow her to time travel safely within parameters such as only staying for a few minutes at a time. However, a younger Kate wouldn't gain those skills for quite some time. Instead, when she desperately needed to move through time, unseen and untraced, she would find a loophole. The type of loophole that's hum she heard each night. That grew atom by atom, and beckoned her to her window. The veil, like the time stream, was outside of time and space. With two versions of herself, one that moved through time and one that moved through space, how could she resist?