Author's note: Y'all I am so sorry. I had my surgery June 26th and had a bunch to get done before that. I'm here. I am working on the story. Jumbled with other health issues my stomach doesn't work very well. So, if I eat, I get sick. I've dropped weight and have zero energy because I'm essentially starving. This has been an issue for two years but some weeks are really tough. In real life I typically do a decent job of hiding health issues and pretending that things aren't all that bad. This month has hit me hard and I'm just tired and over it. The leg surgery went well so far. No nerve damage and things look to be progressing as expected. My left lower leg is broken and has a big metal external fixator on it with screws and a few wires that go all the way through the leg. It looks pretty wild but will come off in a few weeks. I keep saying I'll try to write more and I will continue to try to do that.
(March 13, 2004)
Dean had visited Kim the night before because he wasn't needed at home. He preferred meeting at her place because his family didn't know when to stop running their mouths. He still felt weird about Kim knowing about what they did. He was hesitant to tell her the bigger secrets and was relieved when she didn't push him and agreed with him that some things were too dangerous for her to know. He had never met anyone like her, and he couldn't figure her out.
April was quiet and meek. She went with whatever Caleb did and only pushed against people where the kids were concerned. Jess was fiery and had very set ideas that she had no problem making known. Jess had gained confidence in waves after the incident with her parents. She was a great mom to Jacob and Dean thought it was a little funny that Sam sat back and watched her go toe to toe with people as though he was watching kindling catch flame.
Kim wasn't as quiet as April, but she also wasn't as blunt as Jess. She had a mind of her own that Dean found attractive. Where Jess dug her heels in and demanded to know certain things, Kim let it go. Where Kim's family was concerned, she had a tendency to fold easily and retreat into herself. The wedding and the run in with her sister gave her fuel to break out of the chains she grew up with. The previous day she had gotten into an argument with her brother and Dean, while he wanted to step in, stayed quiet and watched her the way that Sam watched Jess. The argument ended with her slamming the door in her brother's face.
Kim felt bad at first but pacing around her apartment for five minutes erased any shame she felt about the argument. If her brother went back to her parents and told them everything that she said, they would be angry. So what? She had no desire to mend the relationship with any of them. Not caring gave her a sense of freedom that she craved. Being around Dean's family reminded her that her family was toxic.
Dean stretched and rolled out of Kim's bed. He was still sleepy, but his body wouldn't let him sleep any later. He also couldn't stop feeling a sense of dread, even though the previous few days were good. That almost made it worse. He went through scenarios in his head and thought about how he would react in each scenario. He had to be ready for the other boot to drop.
(Caleb's house)
Andy bounded into Caleb and April's room and jumped on their bed. "It's my birthday."
Caleb sat up quickly and grabbed Andy. He tickled him and told him it was okay to sleep in on birthdays.
Andy giggled and eventually wiggled away from Caleb.
April hugged him. "Happy birthday!"
Andy jumped off of their bed and froze, hoping that he didn't wake up the baby. When Lauren didn't cry he returned to his celebration. He wanted to go to get his party started as soon as possible.
It had been decided that there would be a small party in Sioux Falls that TJ and Owen could attend. Then, the next day, the crew would go to Marie's house for a larger party.
Caleb knew Andy was bursting with excitement so he told him that he could go downstairs and watch TV for a little bit so that he and April had time to wake up.
Andy turned on the TV and found the Saturday morning cartoons. He made his way to the kitchen and saw a large box in the laundry room. He knew what it was without investigating. The big thing that he asked his parents for was a trampoline. He had maintained excellent behavior but was surprised that they actually got it. Trampolines were expensive. He quickly left the kitchen and returned to his cartoons. He wasn't sure he was supposed to see the box before his party. He sat back down on the couch and watched Tom and Jerry until one of his parents came downstairs.
Caleb got up and let April take a little longer to wake up. He slipped out of the room and joined Andy on the couch.
Andy smiled and scooted closer to him. "I wish my party could start now."
"I know but you need to wait on friends. Surely TJ and Owen don't want to be awake this early." He stretched and put a hand on Andy's head. "I could whip up some pancakes."
Andy stayed on the couch to watch his show while Caleb made breakfast. It was his birthday so he didn't feel like he had to get up and help.
(Later in the morning)
Wittman had nowhere to go after recovering from the cure. He didn't think he could look many hunters in the eye after being turned, even if he was no longer a vampire. He went to the Roadhouse to thank Ellen in person and wound up telling her about not knowing what to do.
Ellen completely understood why Wittman wouldn't want to talk to other hunters. Many wouldn't believe that he was cured or would judge him for not ending it right away. She contacted Bobby to see if he had any suggestions for Wittman.
Bobby didn't at first but told Ellen that he would look around.
Karen asked if Matt's family would be interested in helping Wittman.
Bobby hadn't even considered the option. He quickly called Matt to see if it was even possible.
Matt emphatically said yes. He was still a vamp but Mary and the kids were not. Mary would understand Wittman in ways that others could not. He just had to trust Wittman not to take out any of their vampire friends. They had a very small community of benevolent vampires that had gathered in the town where Dean had met them. They acted as security for the residents in exchange for blood. There were still freaks around but they kept watch as the humans slept. No one else had been turned or taken since a few weeks after Mary was cured. They had a system of fences and lights that kept the freaks away from the houses.
Wittman was unsure about staying with the family. He didn't want to impose or feel like a burden. His father had always made him feel that way. He finally agreed to visit and not take action against the vamps.
A nymph dropped Wittman and his small bag of belongings off at Matt's house. She provided Brandon and Alana with a bag of treats and told Wittman to call if he needed anything.
Matt shook Wittman's hand. "Let me show you where you'll be sleeping and then I'll introduce you to a few people." He opened the inside door to the garage and showed Wittman a set of metal stairs that connected to the ceiling of the garage. He climbed the stairs and stood on a small landing outside of a door. Behind the door was a room with a bed, tv, small sofa and other items that a visitor may find useful.
Wittman was a little surprised.
"This is where guests stay. We haven't had many guests yet." Matt said.
"Thank you." Wittman said.
"No problem. You can be in the main house as much as you would like. We are strangers so I understand that you may want your space as well." Matt said.
Wittman sat his stuff down and followed Matt back down the stairs. He briefly saw two kids in the kitchen when he first arrived but they ran out soon after.
Matt asked the kids to come back inside and say hi to their guest.
Brandon introduced himself and held his hand out for Wittman to shake. He introduced Alana as well and stepped back so she could do the same.
Alana felt the warmth in Wittman's hand and grinned. "You are human!"
Wittman blinked a few times. "Uh, yeah."
"The children know that not everyone is human." Matt said. He introduced Mary to Wittman as soon as she got home from the store.
Mary made burgers for dinner and gave Matt a cup for his own meal.
Wittman still felt awkward but thought the family was nice. His hunter side was hesitant to trust that Matt wouldn't attack him but he had not harmed anyone while he was a vamp. He viewed vampires as a lot more human than he previously did. Before, he viewed them as a wild animal with very little cognitive capacity. Feral vamps probably were a lot like animals but many were able to control their thirst and act as a normal member of society. He, like John, had noticed the ever thinning line between human and monster.
(Noon)
John needed to get back on the road but Andy had begged him to attend his party. He'd typically just say no but it meant a lot to Andy. He would just wait until the cake was cut and head out after that.
Bobby, Karen, Dean, Kate and Taylor stopped by to wish Andy a happy birthday and take part in the festivities.
Andy ran around with Owen and TJ and imagined epic battles between Autobots and Decepticons, the good and the evil characters from the Transformers franchise. That was the theme of the party as well. Andy had grown to be a big fan ever since he had been given Owen's transformer when he first arrived in Sioux Falls.
After pizza, Caleb pulled the big box from the laundry room and got Andy's attention. They would do small gifts later. He knew TJ would like to play on the trampoline but he would need to leave before too late.
Taylor, Caleb and Dean were tasked with putting the trampoline together. Dean scratched his head. He wasn't one to read instructions but the pile of metal poles and springs had puzzled him.
The guys got the frame built without killing each other although they had come close a few times. The springs were going to be the tricky part.
Taylor got the first few springs on and ran around to connect the springs straight across from the first set. He teased Caleb and Dean, saying that they would struggle to put the rest on.
It wasn't much of a struggle but Caleb did strain to pull the last spring into place. He shook his hand out and rubbed it against his leg, giving Taylor a look.
Andy ran and climbed onto the trampoline. He bounced and fell down onto his butt.
"We have to get the net up." Caleb said.
"I'll be careful." Andy said.
Caleb looked through the contents of the trampoline box and could not find specific screws that he needed to secure the net. He thought he had some that would work. He just needed to dig through his tools to be sure.
Dean followed him inside but continued out the front door. He wanted to talk to John before he got ready to leave.
Andy and Owen bounced on the netless trampoline. They laughed and tried to wrestle without falling off. Andy heard a voice and peeked over the fence.
Jimmy was standing a few feet away from the fence and stuck his tongue out at Andy.
"Go away." Andy said.
Jimmy refused to leave. "You just now got a trampoline? Wow, your family is poor."
Andy tried to return to jumping but Jimmy wouldn't shut up so he threw a few insults back at him.
Jimmy heard a familiar sound of TJ stimming and scoffed. "Why is that retard at your house?"
Andy glared at him. "Don't call him that."
Jimmy grinned. He found a sore spot. He made a few more comments about TJ loud enough that he knew TJ heard him.
Andy looked over at TJ and gritted his teeth.
Dean was leaning against the side of John's truck and could see the side of the house. He couldn't see Jimmy but did see Andy fly over the fence and land on the grass.
Andy punched Jimmy in the face and got in a few more hits before he pinned Jimmy and wrapped his arm around his neck.
Dean ran over and pulled Andy's arm. "Let go of his neck."
Andy locked his arm. He angrily told Jimmy that he needed to shut up.
Dean pried at Andy's arms and was impressed with how well his chokehold was holding up.
Caleb heard commotion and sprinted outside. He saw Andy and was at his side in seconds. "Andrew!"
Andy let go of Jimmy's neck and shoved him away from him.
Jimmy was screaming like he was being murdered.
Caleb grabbed Andy's arm and pulled him back. "What are you doing?"
Andy growled. "He won't shut up."
Jimmy wailed. "I came to say hi and he choked me."
Caleb gave Jimmy a hard look. He needed to get Andy away from Jimmy just in case his powers came back and he vaporized the other kid.
As Andy was being pulled away Jimmy snickered. "Ohhhh, you're in trouble." He had a smile on his face and looked smug.
Andy whirled around. "Only because I'm not allowed to be a giant asshole like you!"
If the neighbors hadn't heard the fight, they definitely heard that. Caleb scolded Andy in a sharp tone and walked swiftly to the front of the house.
Dean turned to Jimmy. "Why are you even over here?" He stepped toward the road and looked both ways. "Get out of here."
Caleb took Andy up to his room to talk to him away from TJ and Owen. He didn't see what happened before Andy tried to tear Jimmy's head off.
Andy was livid. He sat down angrily and crossed his arms.
Caleb took a deep breath. "What happened?"
Andy launched into a rant about how stupid Jimmy was and everything that he said leading up to Andy sailing over the fence.
Caleb was angry at Jimmy. He shook his head. He was in a tough spot because Jimmy probably deserved everything he got but Andy used his training and would have choked Jimmy out had Dean not stopped him. He sat down in a chair across from Andy's bed and leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees.
Andy calmed down and just stared at Caleb.
"Were you going to strangle him?" Caleb asked.
Andy fidgeted. "No."
"Are you sure?" Caleb asked. "His face was turning colors."
Andy frowned. "Maybe."
Caleb slowly nodded. "I am trying to decide how to approach this with you."
Andy looked worried.
"Jimmy does need to stop and what he called TJ was unacceptable. I understand why you attacked him but you left the perimeter of the warding and used your training on another kid." Caleb said.
Andy hung his head. "I forgot about that."
"I figured as much." Caleb said. He rubbed his face and wracked his brain for an appropriate solution. He was young enough to remember having done similar things although he didn't let the other kid dig their nails in as deeply as Jimmy had. Had he carried on that way, he wouldn't have learned to reign in the anger before he exploded. There were expectations and rules for a reason. He had given Andy wiggle room with previous run ins and he thought he may have given him too much wiggle room. "Forget about Jimmy for a minute. We will address that with his parents. You jumped over the fence and away from the warding."
Andy sucked in a big breath of air. "John?"
Caleb caught what his worry was. John's speech to the kids had quite the effect on Andy. "No."
Andy relaxed.
"I'm not going to punish you for hitting him. He crossed the line weeks ago." Caleb started.
Andy pleaded with his eyes.
((TW))
"You are going to get a spanking for leaving the warding. We will roll choking him into that as well." Caleb said.
"Daaaaaaaaaaad." Andy whined.
Caleb put his hand up. "Do not argue with me. I know it is your birthday and I know why you jumped over the fence. I cannot excuse your lack of thought and readiness to leave the warding."
Andy chewed on his fingernails.
Caleb told him to stand up and pulled him over his lap. He gave him a couple dozen hard smacks and let him up. It was enough to sting and make a point without being too hard on him.
Andy's face was red. He wiped a tear from his eye and melted into the hug Caleb offered him.
"Please learn from this. I let you off really easy. If this happens again or if you leave warding again it is going to be a whole lot worse." Caleb said.
Andy nodded. "Yes, sir."
Caleb wrapped his arms around him. "I haven't figured out the best way to discipline the me out of you."
Andy looked up at him. "Huh?"
"Little me would have probably done the same thing." Caleb said. He noted the confusion on Andy's face. "I made mistakes as a kid. I think most of us have. It was pretty rough when I was your age. By the time I was a teenager, I was still making those mistakes. Trust me. You do not want to be 15 and acting out. I want you to learn these lessons now."
((ETW))
John was as irritated as Dean and Caleb were. He tried to mind his own business. He wanted to let Caleb handle it. He saw Jimmy peeking out his living room window and abandoned his plan to stay out of it. He walked across the street and knocked on their door.
Jimmy's mom opened the door. She was slightly startled.
"I'm here to discuss what happened between Jimmy and Andy." John said.
The mom scoffed. "Andy attacked Jimmy. He even tried to break his neck."
"I wouldn't say break it." John said. "Do you know what happened before that?"
Jimmy's mom wasn't a fan of John. "Kids pick at each other. That is no reason for Andy to get violent."
John caught Jimmy looking around the wall at the door. "Picking? Is that what he said?"
"Yes." Jimmy's mom said. "I know there is a rivalry between the two of them."
John scratched his chin. "It started as him picking at Andy. Then he called TJ a slew of bad names and made fun of him."
Jimmy's mom glanced back at Jimmy.
"Andy didn't like the names Jimmy called him and took action after telling him to stop. Maybe there is a rivalry between him and Andy but TJ didn't do anything. He is just happily existing and he," He tilted slightly to make eye contact with Jimmy. "Made his way all the way across the street to their fence and started it."
Jimmy ran up to the door and shoved his mom to the side. "He called me an asshole."
"Probably because you are one." John said.
Jimmy's mom gasped. "Excuse me?"
"Caleb and April are nice people. I know they have tried to work things out and have asked that Jimmy not be over at their house." John said. "I view Caleb as one of my own so I thought I'd come over and put a stop to this so they don't have to talk to you again."
"How dare you." Jimmy's mom butted in.
"I'm not nice. I don't care if you get red faced and indigent. Caleb has rules for Andy that are going to prevent him from growing up to be an asshole, as Andy put it. Any kid who is over there knows to follow those rules as well. See, calling people names and being mean to them don't fly over there. Once one of them is asked to stop a behavior, they fix the behavior or get their butts busted. If Jimmy is over on their property, we are going to assume that you want a free babysitter. That means he will be expected to follow those rules." John said.
"You can't threaten him." Jimmy's mom sputtered.
"I just did but think of it as a promise more than a threat. I'm not here to negotiate or smooth things over. Caleb has tried that. So, I'm going to make it really easy for you. I wouldn't want there to be a misunderstanding. If Jimmy goes back over to their house uninvited, he will be dealt with as we see fit since whatever you are doing just doesn't seem to be getting through to him." He turned and walked down their steps, not paying attention to the sputtering coming from Jimmy's mom. He wasn't interested in anything she had to say. He glanced back and gave her a head nod before crossing back over to where his truck was parked.
Dean heard the whole exchange and found it a little hilarious. "Did you call him an asshole?"
"No." John said. "I just said I agreed with Andy."
Caleb stepped outside to talk to Dean.
Dean's eyes twinkled.
Caleb raised an eyebrow and waited for Dean to walk up to the porch.
"Dad talked to Jimmy's mom." Dean said.
Caleb's eyes widened. "Uh, he did?"
"Yep." Dean said. "Told her he agreed with Andy about Jimmy being an asshole and that someone would deal with him if he wound up back over here without an invite."
Caleb rubbed his face. "Andy does not need to hear that."
John approached. "You let me know if he is still an issue."
"I was about to go talk to them." Caleb said. "I don't quite know the best way to deal with Andy when I kind of want to punch the kid too."
John smirked. "I got through it with you all. I'm sure you'll get through it with him."
Dean narrowed his eyes.
John locked the tool box on his truck that held ammo and weapons. "That boy you went to school with for a few weeks." He scratched his chin. "Out in Willow Springs."
Dean snorted. "You just about killed me over that fight."
"You just about killed him." John reminded him.
"He was fine." Dean said. "Probably just took a while for his face to look normal again."
"Hard to fly under the radar when your kid beats someone up like that." John said.
"Well, I am glad we left that place." Dean said. "Sammy had a teacher that was giving him grief."
"You tried to use that as an excuse." John said.
Dean sucked air through his teeth. "I'm guessing it didn't do much for me."
"No but you convinced Sam it was partially to get him away from that teacher." John said.
Dean chuckled. "Oh yeah. I talked him into doing my homework for a week."
John met eyes with Caleb. "I'm sure Andy and Ian won't be half the trouble that Sam and Dean were."
"If they are, we have plenty of people willing to babysit and help us out." Caleb said.
John shook his head. "You aren't throwing them on me when they mess up."
Dean cracked his neck and stretched. "Somewhere between Wittman and Jacob he turned into a teddy bear."
Caleb sighed. "Babies do that."
Dean poked him in the stomach. "Like a damn gummy bear. You know Lauren will grow up and be causing trouble just like the boys."
Caleb grimaced. "She's mild mannered."
"So was Taylor when we first got him." Dean said.
"Then he started hanging out around you. You complain about those kids but they are really just acting like you." Caleb said.
John cracked a smile but didn't say anything. He opened his truck door and sat down in the seat. "I'll be back this way in a few days. If Jimmy is still an issue Kate can compel him."
"Just compel?" Dean asked.
John raised an eyebrow. "Surely between the two of you boys, you can come to a responsible decision one way or the other."
Caleb and Dean traded looks.
"That sounds an awful lot like you don't care one way or the other." Dean said.
"I don't." John said. He shut the door and rolled down the window. "I'm headed out so it is no longer my problem."
Dean stepped back so John could pull away. "You should have seen Andy fly over that fence."
Caleb groaned. "I've got to teach him to be better than me."
"Good luck with that." Dean said. "We should probably put that net up before Ian decides he wants to fly too."
TJ had the best time playing with Owen and Andy. Andy's party was the first one he had been invited to.
TJ's mom watched him closely. She had so many worries about his ability to make friends and enjoy being around other children. "Thank you for inviting him."
April smiled. "Andy is happy to have him here."
"Most people are more like Jimmy. Grown adults make comments." She said.
"Not here." April said. "He is welcome to many more playdates."
TJ was not thrilled to leave but agreed with the promise that he could play after school during the week.
Owen and Andy put the net to the test after TJ left. They were told not to be quite as rough with him as they were with each other. Their parents had given up on telling them not to beat each other up, though.
Owen bounced against the net. "Show me how to do the neck thing!"
Caleb had just stepped inside and turned around in the doorway. "No."
Owen sighed. "What if something happens and I have to defend myself?"
"Call a nymph." Caleb reminded him.
"That isn't as fun." Owen said.
Dean poked his head through the door. "Just imagine how freaked out the other person will be if a tree lady pops up out of nowhere."
The boys traded looks and decided that the freak out would be just as fun to see.
(Stanford)
Jess and Sam had Jacob at their apartment for a little while. Marie was busy planning the party for the next day and they were wanting to spend more time with him since he was technically their baby. It was a pleasant day and Jacob was getting a bit bigger. They decided to take him to a local park that had a baby swing.
Little kids darted around the park chasing each other and going down slides. The park was on the crowded side since it was a Saturday.
Sam felt out of place like he stuck out like a sore thumb. It took a few minutes for him to settle. A few of the couples with small children didn't look that much older than he and Jess did. As far as they knew, Sam and Jess were just like them. No one knew about Tony or any of the details as to why Jacob was with them.
Jess sat Jacob in a swing and tucked his blanket around him since he was still wobbly. She gently pushed the swing and smiled when Jacob did. "He likes it."
Jacob kicked his feet and chewed on his hand, thoroughly enjoying the experience.
Sam took over pushing the swing and pushed harder than Jess had, sending the swing higher than before. He grimaced and made a note to not do that.
Jacob thought it was great though. He giggled wildly and bounced as though he was trying to get the swing to go higher.
Sam took a chance and let him swing high while still being safe. "We may have a thrill seeker."
"He needs a swing at home." Jess said.
Sam got a call from Brody and answered it. "Uh, I'm at the park with Jess and Jacob." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then meet us here."
Brody parked and walked through a grassy area to reach Sam and Jess. "That mom over there probably thinks I'm a creeper."
Sam took a clipboard from Brody and read over the document attached to it. "Have you even read this?"
"No." Brody said.
Sam shook his head. It was a petition that Brody needed signatures for.
Brody had been guilted into it by his mother but didn't care about what the cause was.
Sam read the fine print and shrugged. "I guess pesticide free water is something everyone could agree with." He signed the paper and handed it to Jess.
Brody took the clipboard back. "Thank you." He had gotten almost enough signatures and the addition of Sam and Jess made his job easier. "I don't think the dump site is close enough to mess with our water but my mother does."
"It is sweet you are helping her." Jess said.
Brody snorted. "She is relentless if I don't."
Jacob yawned and closed his eyes for a moment.
Jess smiled. "Little man looks sleepy."
Jacob opened his eyes and looked at Jess like he was a little offended by the comment.
"Did you walk here? I can drive you back." Brody said.
"We don't have his carseat." Jess said.
Brody was going to say it didn't matter but Jess didn't look like she wanted to argue.
Jess slowed the swing and lifted Jacob out, getting quite the protest in response. "I'm going to change him. Then we can grab something to eat before going home."
Sam stayed back with Brody to chat and catch up.
"You have him a lot." Brody said.
"We are adopting him." Sam said, tentatively.
Brody raised an eyebrow. "Really? I told you she was going to steal that baby."
Sam was grateful that Brody wasn't asking for a ton of details.
A bit later Brody saw Jess exit the park's bathroom and watched Sam's body language. "I am nowhere ready to settle down but this looks good on you."
"It feels good." Sam said. He saw Jess and opened the car door for her. It almost felt too good. It was too right. He wasn't supposed to have a happy ending and it scared him. What if something happened to Jess or Jacob? He was more fearful than he had been when he moved to Stanford. When he moved, he was ready to start his own life and leave hunting behind. He really only had to worry about himself. Things took a different direction the night the demons attacked. He knew a being was pulling strings and putting people into their lives for reasons he didn't yet know. Why did Brody introduce them? Brody didn't know they were supposed to meet. He just saw her and waved her over. Was it a thought planted in Brody's head or was the intervention more physical?
"You two enjoy your evening. I've got a chick to pick up." Brody said, winking at Jess.
Jess rolled her eyes but smiled. "You could have been a player like that."
Sam put an arm around her shoulders. "You gave me the time of day and I was hooked." He held out his hands to take Jacob to give Jess's arms a break. He shifted Jacob into one arm and held Jess's hand with the other.
As the desired restaurant came into view, an older couple crossed the street on their way home. The woman smiled and cooed at Jacob. "Oh what a strapping young man you have." She looked to her husband. "Reminds me of when ours were that size. He's beautiful." She looked at Jess. "Looks just like his mama."
Jess blushed. "Thank you."
The older couple told them to have a good night and continued on their way.
Jess grimaced as they walked away.
"I mean… he has blonde hair." Sam said.
Jess was processing having a stranger call her Jacob's mama.
Sam kissed Jess's head. "I'm still getting used to him being mine too."
Jess smiled and relaxed. "People will be less likely to think I kidnapped him."
Sam shrugged. "I'll fight anyone who claims you did." He thought about Brody. "Except Brody."
Jess looked confused.
"He has made so many jokes about you stealing Jacob and made a comment about it when I told him that we were adopting him." Sam said.
"Oh, Brody." Jess said. "He likes to run his mouth."
(Sunday, March 14, 2004)
Andy slept in that morning. Apparently jumping for hours had worn him out. Caleb had time to get up and get coffee for himself as well as April. It was rare that they got to wake up and chat. He was usually headed to work or one of the kids needed them. He savored the silence knowing that Andy and Ian would wake up at full power. They were excited about going to Marie's house and he couldn't blame them.
Kate was groggy but woke up early. The sound of the veil was getting louder. She did tell Dean about it but didn't know what was causing it. She wanted to get control of her visions so they didn't plague her day and night. The ringing had become a form of tinnitus that never fully went away. She could drown it out at times but it always came back. She had more visions about John and Dean and couldn't make sense of them. She gave up trying to interpret them and figured that they would become clear when they needed to. Each day that went by reminded her that her own birthday was drawing near. She wanted to believe that her big changes had already happened but a pit in her stomach told her that the worst was yet to come.
Marie busied herself with refreshments. She planned to make a large breakfast for those who chose to join that morning. She had the party food ready to go and was almost as excited as the boys were. She could host gatherings each day and still look forward to seeing everyone's faces. She, like Sam, had thought about the path that had taken her to where she was. If Taylor hadn't met Kate, it was possible that she wouldn't have seen Taylor again. Taylor loved visiting but Craig made it nearly impossible. Her heart was broken over the loss of her daughter but she was at peace. Craig was gone. Now Marie had a large family and plenty of kids to keep her busy and help her heart heal. She owed Rod's life to Kate and Taylor. She loved having him up and looking healthy. A fire of horror tore through their lives, leaving charred ruins behind. However, she tried to stay focused on the new growth that appeared after the fire.
As the sun made its way into the sky, spirits lifted. Kids woke up with far more energy than they needed. Kate relaxed as she turned her attention to going to Marie's house. The veil couldn't bother her there.
Marie welcomed each person with open arms and gave Andy an especially big hug. She wished him the happiest of birthdays and put sprinkles on his pancakes.
Ian inhaled his breakfast and jumped down from the table.
Caleb lightly scolded him. "What do you say?"
Ian blinked and pointed toward the door.
"You need to thank Marie for the food." Caleb said.
Ian smiled at Marie. "Thank you."
Marie smiled back. "You are very welcome."
"Where are you wanting to go?" Caleb asked.
Ian pulled a face and pointed toward the door as though the answer was obvious. "Outside."
"Give us a chance to eat." Caleb said.
Ian slowly melted to the floor and settled face down on the hardwood. He didn't scream or cry but the theatrics were top tier. He stayed that way until Caleb finished eating and agreed to go outside with him.
Caleb placed his dishes in the sink. "Well that is a new one."
"The most peaceful tantrum I've witnessed." Marie said.
Ian ran to the door and pulled down on the handle. He paused and looked down at his feet. He quickly put his shoes on and returned to exiting the house.
Caleb followed him. "Where do you want to go?"
Ian pointed to the goat barn.
"Ah." Caleb said. "To see your best friends." He walked with Ian across the yard to the small barn that housed the goats. He opened the latch and allowed Ian to step inside.
Ian clapped his hands. "Binky!" Marie had told him that the goats were doing binkies when they ran and jumped around. Therefore he enjoyed yelling binky when he saw the babies.
Caleb leaned against the fence. He didn't think goats would do well in the city. He wasn't sure if they would have to eventually get a couple or just let Ian live in the barn at Marie's house.
Dean invited Kim to the party without it being suggested. He thought she would enjoy it and needed to get away from her own family.
Kim immediately agreed. She was thrilled to be included and really enjoyed hanging out with the family. She felt like an outsider in a way but far less than she did with her own parents and siblings. She had just met them and needed time to assimilate. She found the supernatural to be intriguing. She wanted to know more but was mindful not to push for information. She knew there were big things that Dean hadn't told her but she also knew that she was not in a position to know about those things.
Dean pulled Kate and Jess to the side after he and Kim got to Marie's house. "There will be no attempts to corrupt her."
Kate crossed her arms. "No one is corrupting anyone."
"Do not talk her into pranking me." Dean said. He gave Jess the same look he gave Kate.
Jess laughed. "I don't know who you think you are but you can lose the scowl."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "You are the adult here. You should be encouraging Kate to do good things, not things that make my life more difficult."
Jess playfully patted his cheek as she walked by. "Don't get yourself worked up."
Kate acted like she was going to do the same thing.
Dean grabbed her hand. "I will fight you."
Kate hugged him instead. "I'll just try to convince her you are a bad guy."
Dean patted her head. "Good luck."
Kim stepped into the room they were in.
Kate sighed heavily. "I'm not allowed to corrupt you."
Kim smiled softly. "Well that doesn't sound like a very fun day to me."
"Am I allowed to talk to her?" Kate asked.
Dean blew air through his nose. "It is too early in the day for you to break out the sass."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "I was containing it until you pulled me in here to tell me, specifically, that I couldn't corrupt her. You know how I react to orders."
Dean flicked her ear. "Kim and I are going to go for a walk."
Kim winked at Kate. "We can chat later."
Kate gave her a thumbs up.
Dean stepped out onto the porch. "Are you up to walking? Are you tired?"
"I'm okay." Kim said.
Dean studied her. "We could just sit out here."
"Dean." Kim said. "I can walk. I feel pretty good today."
Dean shrugged. "Alright then."
Kim wrapped her jacket around her. She was always cold. It was nice outside but there was a slight breeze.
"Do you want my jacket?" Dean asked.
"No." Kim said.
They walked out past the barn and stopped to see what Caleb and Ian were doing.
Caleb was leaning against a fence panel watching Ian run and jump over stuff with the baby goats.
"That's one way to wear him out." Dean said.
Kim reached through the fence to pet one of them. She was never around goats growing up so seeing how rambunctious they were made her smile.
Caleb held out a piece of straw for one to nibble on. He watched Ian climb a small structure that was built for the goats and jump off the other side. "After a while I forget which one he is. He blends in so well."
Kim said goodbye to the baby she was petting and followed Dean away from the barn.
Dean had something on his mind that had been bothering him for a while. He just didn't understand it well enough to put it into words.
Kim asked what he was thinking. "You have been off the last week or so."
Dean blushed slightly. "Oh."
"I'm aware that you force people to talk." Kim said. "So you can't be a hypocrite."
"Who have you heard that from?" Dean asked.
Kim shrugged. "I'm perceptive, remember?"
Dean slowed his pace as he searched for words. "It probably sounds stupid."
"It probably doesn't." Kim said.
"My family has terrible luck with relationships." Dean said. "We don't get happy endings. Good things don't happen. If they do, something terrible is just waiting for our guards to be let down. My mom died in a horrible way just because she was a pawn in someone else's game. Jess was supposed to die the same way but we stopped it. She has almost died a few times and we have barely stopped it. Anyone who gets close to us has a target on their back."
Kim nodded. "I'm listening."
"I dated someone named Lacy a while back. I kept her far away from what we do. She had a run in with demons but doesn't remember it." Dean said. "Anyone I have dated or been with has been oblivious to what is out there." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't date seriously, get married, have kids or any of that stuff because it will all end in tragedy."
Kim soaked in his words. She gently touched his arm to stop him. "Are you afraid that I'm going to die because I hang out with you?"
Dean chewed his cheek. "Something like that."
"I'm going to anyway." Kim said.
Dean furrowed his brows.
"Everyone dies eventually." Kim said.
"Not like this though." Dean said. "Hunters and those that they hang out with do not get to live and die peacefully at 90."
"I don't plan to make it to 30, let alone 90." Kim said. "It could go either way but when I have a bad flare and get really sick, I have to take a step back and be honest with myself. If hanging out with you gets me killed, I'm not going to be mad about it. People die in car wrecks. They slip on ice and break their necks. I'm not worried about when or how I go."
"I feel responsible." Dean said.
"Well you aren't." Kim said. "I'm relieving you of your responsibility right now." She gave him a soft smile. "My life is in my hands. I promise I won't haunt you when I'm gone." She looked deep into his eyes. "We can be friends with benefits or whatever you want to call it. If labeling the relationship is such a risk, why do it?"
"You are just more than I intended for you to be." Dean said.
"I met your family. I think they like me. Can't really back out of that one so easily." Kim teased.
Dean kissed her. "I was serious about not listening to Kate."
"So I should trust Taylor?" Kim asked.
Dean grimaced. "No." He stepped back and shook his head. "They never pulled shit like this around Lacy."
"I know just enough to make them comfortable." Kim said. "I've been told by several of your family members not to get ruffled because it was all payback."
"What they do not understand is that my payback was for something they initially did and it is a vicious cycle." Dean said.
Kim smirked and tilted his chin slightly toward her. "Oh give up the martyr act. I've seen your face when they are teasing you. You love it." She shivered as his hand touched her neck. "My family has this cabin we should check out."
Dean raised an eyebrow.
"Not your kind of cabin." Kim teased playfully. "It is big. It has an indoor pool and hot tub."
"What kind of cabin has a hot tub?" Dean asked.
"It is one that we rent out. No one is there right now." Kim said.
Dean turned his head back toward the house. He had heard Caleb's voice and wasn't sure what he said.
Caleb rubbed his face. "Goats are out!"
Dean laughed. "What do you want me to do about that?"
Caleb walked up to the fence and yelled so Dean could hear him. "Pull your head out of your ass and help me."
Kim grinned and hopped down from the top of the fence. "I can make my way back to the house."
Dean walked her a bit closer before heading toward the barn. "Why the hell did you yell at me and not one of the kids?"
Caleb looked unamused. "You were closer."
Dean stepped forward to keep one of the goats from running down the side of the house. "I don't think chasing them is going to help."
"Ian." Caleb said. "Go get Taylor."
Ian ran off toward the house and through the front door.
"Do you think he is actually going to get Taylor?" Dean asked.
Caleb let out a slow breath of air and waited a minute before he called Taylor's phone. "I need help putting the goats back in the barn.
A few seconds later Taylor stepped out of the house.
"Where is Ian?" Caleb asked.
"Marie had snacks." Taylor said.
Caleb shook his head. "He didn't even tell you we needed help, did he?"
"Nope." Taylor said.
Kim found a place to sit and sat to watch the boys struggle to wrangle the goats.
5 minutes into goat wrangling was largely unsuccessful.
Taylor suddenly stood up straight and ran into the feed room to fill a bucket. He shook the bucket and went into the middle of the goat yard to gather them away from the gate.
Dean shooed a baby goat toward its mother and checked the side of the house he was on. "You couldn't have just done that to begin with?"
Taylor shrugged. "Didn't think about it."
"Not much of a farm kid." Dean said.
Taylor poured the food out in several small buckets. "I was probably stuck at home getting beat up when my grandpa went over the goat wrangling lesson."
Dean froze mid stride. He met eyes with Taylor and saw a twinkle in Taylor's eyes. "Bitch."
Taylor saw Kim and gave her a small smile. "Didn't see you there."
"Bull shit." Dean said. "You are trying to gain sympathy."
"I'm a formerly abused child and Dean continues to torment me." Taylor said.
"You're about to be a currently abused child if you don't keep your mouth shut." Dean said, lightly.
Kim stood up. "You can have all the sympathy you want, Taylor." When she was alone with Dean she asked about Taylor's previous family. She knew a little bit but there was a lot that Dean hadn't shared.
Dean sighed. "He knows I was not serious."
"Oh, I know." Kim said.
"His step dad was a drunk. Tried to kill the kid a few times and wound up rigging their house to explode in hopes Taylor would be the one to trip the wire." Dean said.
Kim's face fell.
"We have had Taylor since shortly before that happened." Dean said.
"I feel guilty for bitching about my family." Kim admitted.
"Nah." Dean said. "Jess has a similar story. No one with a solid childhood winds up here with us."
"I'd say the boys have a good chance." Caleb said.
Dean turned to look at him. "With you as their dad?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Caleb asked. "They are still little. I have plenty of time to be a good parent."
"You whacked the kid on his own birthday." Dean said.
Caleb groaned. "You let him choke Jimmy."
Dean lightly nudged Kim. "Flew over the fence like Captain America and put him in a chokehold."
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you want to know who taught him how to do that?"
Dean looked proud. "Exactly as I showed him."
Kim rubbed her cold hands together. "Perhaps it won't be Caleb's parenting that you will need to worry about."
"I've done the older brother thing. I've done the parental figure thing. When it comes to Andy and Ian, I'm more of an uncle. That means I don't have to abide by everything their parents come up with." Dean said.
"So Andy just gets into trouble when he's too much like Dean." Caleb said.
Dean put a hand on Kim's waist and gently steered her back to the house. "By the way there are two more goats running around out here."
Caleb threw up his hands. "Pain in the ass." He called out for Taylor. "You're going to have to run them down. I'm out of shape."
Dean stopped on the porch with Kim and pulled her close to him. He kissed her and ran his fingers through her hair. He heard the door knob moving so he opened it and told Ian to step back. "I don't think your dad is too happy with you right now."
Ian had cookie crumbs around his mouth and looked up at Dean. He decided to stay inside because warm cookies were better than upset dads.
Kim went upstairs to wash her hands and take her medication, leaving Dean with some of the younger ones.
Andy looked bashful.
"What?" Dean asked as if he was in pain.
Andy got closer to him. "I don't want you to be mad at me."
Dean took a deep breath. "What is it?"
"I saw you kiss her." Andy said.
"And?" Dean asked.
Andy shifted from foot to foot. "My dad kissed my mom like that and now we have Lauren."
Dean blew air through his nose and covered his face. "Andy. You need to keep your nose in your own business. Why were you looking outside? Are you eavesdropping?"
Andy looked offended. "I asked Kate about it to be polite and she told me to talk to you."
Dean pulled his boots off. "Where is she?"
Andy shrugged.
Dean found Kate chatting with Marie. "Avoiding me?"
Kate looked confused. "Huh?"
"Don't act like you didn't hear Andy." Dean said.
Kate smirked. "Instead of filling his head with stuff I just told him to talk to you."
Dean repeated what Andy said.
Marie chuckled. "I could see why a young boy would think that."
"It is a kiss." Dean said.
Marie offered him a cookie. "Until Miss Kate here does the same thing."
Dean cleared his throat. "Which she will not be doing."
Kate hugged him. "You don't have to worry about me. I haven't found a boy my age that is worth my time."
"That's my girl." Dean said. "No boy will ever be good enough so you might as well just not think about them at all."
Kim lightly tapped on the door frame to the kitchen.
Kate grinned. "I was waiting on you to get back so we could chat."
Dean groaned.
Kate ran around Dean and grabbed Kim's hand, directing her to the living room. "Sam, Taylor and I have stories to share with you."
Dean shot Sam a look from across the room.
Sam shrugged. "Kate asked if I had stories. All I said was yes."
"Kim is initiated now." Kate said. "Now is the perfect time for us to tell her who Dean really is."
Kim looked excited. "Oh, please do!"
"Anything you tell her can come back to bite you in the ass. None of you is free from embarrassing stories."
Kate sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. "She doesn't care about those stories. She cares about yours."
Dean suffered through his siblings lightly teasing him with stories. He didn't actually mind the majority of the stories because they were from a long time ago. He didn't feel judged and Kim looked genuinely happy.
Kim laughed. "Did you really do that?"
Dean blushed. "I wasn't the brightest kid."
"You were a teenager." Taylor quipped.
Dean narrowed his eyes.
Taylor leaned back in his chair and made a zipping motion across his mouth.
Kim was enjoying the stories that the family shared. Some were funny and some were sad. Each story helped her know the family a little better. After one of Dean's hunt stories she took a moment to really look at Dean.
"Too much?" Dean asked.
Kim smiled. "At this point, there is nothing you could tell me that would shock me."
Taylor met eyes with Dean and mouthed "Tessa."
Dean's nose flared.
Taylor cleared his throat.
Dean made a move toward Taylor and laughed when Taylor's chair tipped backwards and he fell to the floor.
Taylor rolled and groaned.
Kim gasped.
Dean put a hand out to help Taylor up. He pulled him to stand close to him and whispered. "You're on a roll. I can and will kick your ass."
Taylor smirked. "I didn't do anything."
Dean put a hand on the back of his neck and squeezed. "Sounds like Rod may need your help outside."
Taylor grinned sheepishly and sidestepped away from Dean. "I'll just go see what he needs."
Dean sat back down and blew air through his nose.
Kim raised an eyebrow.
"You'll have to excuse him. He has forgotten how to behave civilly." Dean said.
Kim smiled. "He was just teasing you."
Dean scoffed. "As the oldest sibling I have to nip it in the bud before it escalates."
Kate put a hand on Kim's arm. "He limits our social interaction and then complains when our people skills are rusty."
Dean flicked Kate's ear. "I do not."
"Can't go to Hannah's house. Can't go on school trips. I'm surprised I am allowed to have a cell phone and he hasn't completely isolated me from the outside world." Kate said.
Dean rubbed his face. "Kate."
Kate dramatically shrunk in her seat. "I'm not supposed to talk about it."
Dean reached around Kim to grab Kate's arm and yanked her toward him. He dug his fingers into her sides and tickled her until she pleaded for mercy. "You'll have her thinking I'm actually mean to you."
Kate pushed his hands away. "He hits children." She giggled and fought against him to escape the tickles. "Throws 'em around too."
Dean wrapped his arms around Kate and held her still.
Kim was delighted with the banter. "Is that so?"
"Want to tell her what you mean?" Dean asked.
Kate scoffed. "I meant what I said."
"I spar with them so that they can protect themselves." Dean said. He smacked Kate's leg and let her go. "That one still acts like a grade schooler and needs sense smacked back into her."
Kate blushed slightly. "Well I was talking about the head whacks."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "You opened your mouth."
Kate stepped away from him. "I believe Rod has requested my help as well."
Dean cracked a smile. "Get out of here."
Kate crossed her arms. "Well now I'm not going." She screeched and ran before he grabbed her again.
Kim heard the door shut quickly and smiled at Dean.
Dean eyed her. "Don't do that. You aren't supposed to think they are funny."
"I've learned so much about you today." Kim said.
Dean groaned. "Half of it is false."
"Hmm." Kim said. "I don't know. I am pretty convinced otherwise."
Dean studied her face. "You know I'm not actually mean to them, right?"
Kim patted the seat beside her. "I know. They give you a hard time."
"Good because I am going to have to actually go kick their butts." Dean said.
Kim grinned. "Oh, no. Surely you can give them a pass for tonight."
Dean leaned his head back. "As the baby of your family, you just don't understand what I go through."
Sam snorted loudly. "He has an award for the most mistreated Winchester kid."
"I earned it." Dean said, throwing a pillow at Sam.
"To calm your nerves, maybe we should check out that place I was telling you about."
Dean lifted his head. "Forget those three." He hopped up and found Marie. "We will be back later. Maybe."
Marie hid a chuckle. "Go ahead. The rest of us can hold down the fort."
Dean tossed Kim's shoes to her and put on his own. He grabbed her hand and asked one of the nymphs to take them away. He had never spent much time in the mountains. If he did, he was camping and on a hunt.
Kim stumbled with the landing but quickly righted herself. She walked up to the door of the large cabin and punched a number into the keypad. She smiled and told Dean to go inside.
Dean held the door for her and thanked the nymph. The place looked like a resort. It had a cozy feel to it but it was obvious that rich people owned the place.
Kim walked down a small set of stairs and into a large open room. There was a window that spanned one wall, giving them an incredible view of the forest around them.
Dean had initially been uncomfortable with the idea of a cabin in the woods. The freak situation and their general luck had him on edge.
Kim explained the set up and was happy that Dean wanted to see the place. She spent many summers there as a child. She walked down a hallway and opened a door. There was a pool and hot tub inside. There was another large window and an equally spectacular view. "They chose to do an indoor pool so bears didn't get it dirty."
Dean took in the surroundings. "That is understandable. Wouldn't want Yogi in the hot tub."
Kim peeled off her shirt and stepped toward the hot tub to turn it on. "Let's see about calming those nerves."
(Back at Marie's house)
Kate wanted to be alone because socialization was difficult but when she was alone, she was consumed by her own mind. She needed to talk it out but how? She asked Sam if she could talk to him about a few things.
Sam immediately got up to join Kate in another room. "What is it, bug?"
Kate hugged him and sighed when he hugged her back. "I miss you."
"I miss you too." Sam said. "The nymphs help though."
"I miss how things were when we were younger. Things were more simple." Kate said.
"I understand." Sam said. "What is on your mind?"
Kate let go of him. "My vision stuff is pretty bad. I tried explaining it to Dean so I'm not hiding anything but I can barely function."
Sam had her sit down with him. "What type of stuff?"
"Demons. The future. I get tidbits of Dean and dad but something is off about them. They aren't possessed or anything. The veil produces a high pitched ringing sound. After it closed, I stopped hearing it for a while. Then, I'd hear it every now and then. Now, it is almost constant. It happens when I sleep and also when I'm awake." Kate explained.
"Do you hear it right now?" Sam asked.
Kate nodded.
"I am sorry." Sam said, gently. "Can you walk me through a vision?"
"Dream walk?" Kate asked.
"Let's stick with a verbal explanation right now." Sam said.
Kate sighed. "I saw myself sitting in the front seat of Baby. Dean was driving down one of the roads we take to get to the bunker. I feel nervous during the vision and I don't know why. Even if I was in trouble, I wouldn't feel that kind of nervousness around Dean. He looks like Dean. He smells like him and talks like him. I cannot pinpoint what is different. Then the ones with dad are worse. There is something in his eyes that scares me. The set of his jaw is different." She looked down at the floor. "There's no love there."
Sam brushed hair out of Kate's face and dried a tear that fell. "That is definitely not dad then."
"What if it is? We know something is going to happen. I'm probably going to do something terrible. I'm not really his kid. It would make sense if he stopped loving me." Kate said, quietly.
Sam pulled her close to him. "Bug. Nothing would make him not love you."
"Why?" Kate asked. "He didn't before my dad died. That wasn't that long ago. He didn't hate me. He just didn't feel anything."
"Maybe this is a vision of how things could have been. LIke the ones about Jess on the ceiling or dad selling his soul." Sam said.
"Maybe." Kate said.
Sam put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm. "I don't know what is going to happen. No one is going to stop loving you though."
"The obligation is heavy and unfair." Kate said. "Family is supposed to love you. Dean feels guilty for the smallest thing. What if he gets really mad at me and it is suffocating? If you don't know someone, you can be angry and forget about them. If it is someone you love, you have to force yourself to stay. Well, you don't have to. They don't have to."
"If Dean or I made you really mad, would you struggle and feel like continuing to love us is an obligation?" Sam asked.
"No." Kate said.
"Why do you think other people are going to feel differently than you do? Why can you grasp how it feels to love others and think that Dean, dad or I would feel any differently than you do about us?" Sam asked.
Kate chewed on her thumbnail.
Sam frowned. "You don't think you deserve it, do you?"
Kate didn't meet his eyes.
"You deserve to be loved." Sam said. He stopped her from protesting. "You are kind and helpful. You are a wonderful person. So what if you make mistakes? You are human. You do not need to be held to a standard that others cannot reach."
"I do." Kate said.
"In the sense that you can't get away with certain things like sneaking out at night. You are held to the same standard as Dean is. He just doesn't have abilities."
"That's just it. I have abilities. I can kill creatures. Heck, I can kill people." Kate said.
"So can Dean." Sam countered.
"Sam." Kate whined.
"I'm not going to let you argue and get yourself worked up. Get rid of that thinking right now. Cas and Tessa have abilities. We have met quite a few people who do." Sam said.
"But not like me. They are older and know how to use their abilities." Kate said.
"Kate, you are going to get older. You are going to learn to control them better than you do right now." Sam said.
"What about now? There is a darkness that grows closer each day and I'm waiting for it to engulf me." Kate said. "We know something bad will happen."
"Something bad already happened." Sam interjected. "My mom. Your mom. Your dad. Taylor's previous family. I can list things for hours."
"Not like this." Kate said.
Sam rubbed his face. "So what? You reach adulthood. We will get through it. Do you think Taylor should feel guilty since he has abilities too?"
"No." Kate said. She mumbled something under her breath and slowly met eyes with Sam.
Sam pulled her to sit in his lap. "Taylor was not made to be a killswitch. He was not made to kill you."
"He can if things go south." Kate said.
"They aren't going to go south like that." Sam said.
"You don't know that." Kate argued.
"I do. We are going to hit some rough patches but you are not evil. You are not going to hurt people." Sam said. He tapped her leg. "You get to decide what you do. You can choose not to take over the world."
Kate leaned her head on him. "I'm scared."
"I guess I am too." Sam said.
"Things won't get better until Abaddon is gone. Crowley is going to get impatient." Kate said. "Why aren't dad and Dean taking it seriously?"
"They are." Sam said. "They can't find anything and they are scared too."
"We can't keep chipping away at their defenses. There are too many demons. If this is going to end we have to go straight to the top." Kate said.
"How do we do that?" Sam asked. "She doesn't show up like Crowley does. We don't know anything about her."
"Deep down I do." Kate said. "She is strong. She is ancient. She likes to use others to fight and doesn't like to get her hands dirty."
"I guess those in power typically don't like being in the battle." Sam said.
"I think we need to take out Alistair." Kate said. "The only way we are going to get info is from other demons."
Sam tensed. "Yeah that isn't happening."
"Meg." Kate said.
"You can't trust demons." Sam reminded her.
"You can't trust anyone." Kate said. "It is a game of chess. Instead of trying to take out her pawns. I need to use her pawns against her."
"Let me talk to dad before you try to bring that up." Sam said.
Kate gave him a small smile. "Mediating?"
Sam grimaced. "I'll do the best I can. I want you to promise me that you will not run with that. Messing with the wrong demon could get people hurt. This is so much bigger than us. It's Caleb's family, Hannah, Marie and Rod."
"I promise." Kate said. "I had a train of thought."
"Yeah?" Sam asked.
"What would a demon want that a stronger demon couldn't give them?" Kate asked.
Sam scratched his head. "I don't know."
Kate took a deep breath. "A way out of hell."