Raising Katie

by amycoe37

This is a sequel to Saving Katie. Same warnings, same characters but new adventures. trigger warnings for discipline of minors and talk of abuse. (two separate entities)

254. Chapter 254

Author's note: I did not find as much time to write as I had wished but not for bad reasons. My house has become the hangout place for my son and his friends. Boys are chaos. Pure chaos.

This chapter has a lot of fluff. I had planned to add more to this chapter for angst but I am sick now. So, here is 15,000 words and I'll add the next chapter as soon as possible. I figured this is better than waiting an extra few days for another few thousand. I know it ends in a cliffhanger. I'm doing my best.

Oh, also, my memory is faulty most days. I know I mix up names and have called Nate's mom both Anna and Alice. I am going to go back and fix those types of mistakes as soon as possible. I gave April two different birth names too. I have gone back and read my story from the beginning and am realizing my editing skills are subpar.

(The weekend)

Breaking Adam out of the facility was easier than the crew thought it would be. It turned out that the psychologist only really needed to see how Adam reacted to his parents to be convinced that he was okay to go with them. Of course, Charlie's fake documents were also convincing. The family drove from the facility to Marie's house to debrief with the others.

Adam shared his side of the story in as much detail as he could remember. He admitted that he could hear the whine of the veil but didn't know how or why.

His parents didn't have anything to add as his disappearance was sudden and no clues were left behind.

John and Dean spoke in length about how much they could tell the family without it becoming an issue. They didn't need to throw the word nephilian around and didn't really need to say that Kate had abilities beyond those of a psychic.

Adam's parents were open-minded and understanding. There were things out there that defied the laws of reality, and it was as simple as that. They agreed to have a nymph or two check up on them or even post up outside their house just in case anything weird happened. They left once they had enough of their questions answered.

With that puzzle solved, Kate's attention was pulled back to Nova. She told Jody about her and asked if there was anything that could be done.

Jody wanted to help but those cases were hard to handle. People were sneaky and knew how to evade the law.

Charlie joined the conversation because she was disgusted but she thought she could help track people down with her hacking skills.

Dean rubbed his face. He sighed and looked at John. "Just what we need, those two trying to take down an underground crime organization."

Charlie gasped loudly and smacked Kate's arm.

Kate jumped and rubbed her arm.

Everyone fell quiet, waiting for Charlie to explain why she reacted as she did.

"Okay, picture this. If we know where or how they pick up kids or women, we can set traps. Skeezy dude in a van drives around looking for a target and sees a girl walking alone at night. He picks her up thinking she is easy prey, but she ends him right then and there. Oh, or he winds up hogtied and thrown at the door of a police station." Charlie said.

"No." Dean cut in. "Kate. No. You are not going to be bait."

Charlie shot him a dirty look. "Who said anything about Kate?"

Dean raised a brow. "Oh, so you think you'd be able to fight off a grown man?"

Charlie took a deep breath. "Maybe stop assuming and let me finish."

Dean threw his hands up and sat down on the sofa.

"The nymphs." Charlie said.

Kate caught on. "Oh my god. You are right. They could totally do it!"

"If the guys are going after women." Dean said.

Charlie narrowed her eyes. "I see why Kate complains about you all the time." She got up and opened the door. She called out for one of the nymphs she was good friends with and spoke quietly to her. She opened the door the rest of the way and let the nymph step inside.

Dean furrowed his brows.

The nymph was Kate's size with short brown hair. She was wearing a dress that looked reminiscent of the 1800s, though.

"Well, I didn't know they could appear as a kid." Dean said.

"Assumptions." Kate said, rolling her eyes.

John was ever so slightly amused.

"They copy people they have known. So, maybe get clothes from this century and a backpack. Skeezy dude won't know what hit him." Charlie said.

"That may work once. Any station is going to be curious how a young girl was able to subdue a man like that." Jody said.

"Yes, but if the girl was bait, and the guy took the bait. A group of angry women could easily subdue him." Charlie said.

Dean got up and walked to the kitchen. "I'm going to let them handle this."

John smirked. "Finally decided you were out of your depth?"

"I'm just trying to keep people alive. Me assuming Kate was supposed to be the bait was a given." Dean said.

Reigna and a few more nymphs gathered inside to discuss the situation. They were immediately on board. One of them could wipe out an entire room of men in a blink of an eye but Jody cautioned them to show some restraint. The main goal would be to rescue and protect victims. Capturing traffickers would be the second goal. Then, they could decide what to do with the trafficker. They could turn them into the police. That could raise questions over time, but most departments would refrain from looking too deeply into who was responsible for the captures. True vigilante justice was rare and unlike in the movies, the police typically didn't mind too much unless people turned up dead.

John, Rod and Sam went outside to discuss car options for Sam and Jess. They didn't need anything fancy but did want the car to be reliable. Once they moved, they'd be driving distance from Bobby's house as well as Marie's house.

Dean followed them so he could escape the drama that was likely to unfold with Charlie and Kate. He trusted Jody to keep them in line.

Jess stepped out right after Dean did. "Where is Sam?"

Dean motioned toward the driveway.

"Oh." Jess said. She handed Jacob to Dean. "Take him. I'm going to help Marie tidy up."

Dean walked over to his car and sat down in the driver's seat. He sat Jacob beside him and reached over to look through the glove box.

Jacob chewed on Dean's sleeve since his arm was close to his mouth.

Dean touched the side of his sleeve. "I'm not a chew toy."

Jacob grinned and fell over sideways on the seat.

"Oh, shit." Dean said, righting him and making sure the books in the seat beside him hadn't hurt his head. "You're like Caleb when he's had too many." He put Jacob on one of his left legs and put an arm around his middle to keep him from falling over. He used his right hand to continue his search for a slip of paper he intended to show Sam.

Jacob patted the steering wheel and leaned forward to chew on that as well.

Dean eyed him. "No chewing on baby."

Jacob reached for the steering wheel and babbled as Dean found the slip of paper.

Dean sat up straight and unfolded the paper. He moved his hand and the paper away from Jacob before he grabbed it. He shifted slightly and let Jacob grab the steering wheel. He sat the paper down and stood Jacob up so he could put both hands on the wheel. "One day, when you can see over the steering wheel, I might let you drive. Only for a second though."

Jacob leaned forward and gnawed on the steering wheel.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Are you getting teeth?" He remembered Sam chewing on the steering wheel when he was a baby. He had just forgotten about it until Jacob did.

Sam eventually walked over and checked on the baby. "Don't let him do that."

Dean furrowed his brows. "What?"

"Chew on the wheel. There is no telling what all could be on that steering wheel." Sam said.

"I keep Baby clean, and Jacob is fine. He's building his immune system." Dean said. He handed Sam the paper he had been looking for.

Sam read it. It was a newspaper ad for a toddler sized car that someone had made but their children outgrew. "I don't think this will fit all three of us."

Dean snorted. "It would fit Jacob."

"He is still too little." Sam said.

"Suit yourself." Dean said. He looked at Jacob. "Your dad is lame."

"Let me run it by Jess." Sam said. "I can take Jacob."

Dean handed Jacob to Sam. "Get something to clean off the wheel. I don't want slobber all over it."

Sam shook his head. "You are the one that let him."

Dean shrugged. "Your kid. Your problem."

Sam carried Jacob over to Rod and John. "We have a good bit of money saved up from selling the bunker car."

"There is a dealership in town, and I know the owner. He is an honest man, which is hard to find when it comes to car salesmen." Rod said. "I could take you all into town and look at a few."

"It wouldn't hurt." Sam said. He held up the ad that Dean found. "Dean found this one."

Rod looked at the picture and smiled.

John got a look at it. "Looks well made. I've never seen one like that." He took the ad and looked more closely at the picture. The car looked like an older muscle car but made from wood. "Dean found this?"

"I did. I figured whatever Jess lets Sam get is going to be lame, so Jake needs his own cool car." Dean said, joining the others.

"You wouldn't be enjoying being an uncle, would you?" Rod asked with a small smile.

"I did my best raising Sam to not be as boring as he is. I learned from my mistakes and can prevent it from happening with Jacob." Dean said.

"Jerk." Sam said with a laugh.

Dean poked Jacob's stomach. "Just listen to everything I say, and you'll be alright."

(Inside)

Jess dried dishes as Marie washed them. They talked about things that they would need for the new house.

Karen and Marie had already formed a game plan for quilts, towels and furniture.

"We do not need a ton of stuff." Jess said.

"Oh, sweetie." Karen said. "You may not need a ton of stuff, but you want it to be sturdy. I have a quilt that my grandmother made when I was born. It has survived many years and many trips through the washer."

Marie agreed with Karen's statement. "You and Sam can decide what you want and what you don't want. Don't let me be too pushy. However, you want to decorate the house is how we will do it."

Jess had been thinking a lot about Jacob's room. Growing up, the walls had to be neutral colors. Any decorations had to be Martha approved. She was never allowed to have Barbie sheets or colorful stuffed animals. "Should I wait until Jacob is older to decorate his room?"

"Heavens no." Marie said. "If he doesn't like the room as he gets older, walls are simple to paint."

"Light blue walls and little airplanes on the ceiling." Jess said. "Maybe red, blue and green. He could have cars and trucks on other things. I just think he would enjoy the airplanes."

Sam brought Jacob inside because his nose was getting red. "What are we talking about?"

"Jacob's room. I think blue, green and red. Blue walls. Little airplanes on the ceiling." Jess said.

Sam cracked a smile. "Dean found a handmade baby car that Jacob can sit in. It was red."

"Oh, we have to get that." Jess said.

Kate skipped into the room. "We could carve our initials on it like we did in Dean's car."

Jess put a hand on her chest. "That would be so sweet."

"Speaking of cars." Sam said. "Rod asked if we wanted to go into town to look at a few."

Jess looked down at her clothes that had wet patches from drying the dishes. "Uh, yeah. Let me change."

"Where is the baby car?" Kate asked.

Sam pulled the ad from his pocket. "There is the address."

Kate took the ad and headed for the front door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sam asked.

"With Dean to pick up the car." Kate said.

"I don't know how big it is. We may not have room. What if the paint has led in it?" Sam said.

Kate shrugged. "Guess we will find out."

Sam used a cloth to wipe Jacob's face and mouth. "You may be getting your first car before I do."

"They adore him." Karen said.

"Dean told him I was lame and to listen to what he says." Sam said. He kissed Jacob's head. "Do not listen to Dean."

"Andy told me the other day that April told him that any sentence that started with 'But Dean said,' was likely to get him into trouble." Karen said.

"He only gives bad advice to kids he's not in charge of. I'm pretty sure it is payback directed at Caleb." Taylor said.

Sam cringed. He could think of a lot of things that Dean would want payback for. He turned Jacob so he could look into his eyes. "Do not listen to uncle Dean. He will lead you astray."

"In a fun way, though." Taylor said, touching Jacob's foot.

Sam heard the Impala's engine. "I should probably set limits for what they are allowed to get you."

"Think long and hard about those limits. I think Kate was thinking a harmonica would be fun." Taylor said.

Sam groaned. "You guys are supposed to help, not make things harder."

"I warned you about the harmonica." Taylor said.

Marie offered to take Jacob. "You have the first baby of the family. That comes with a lot of fun from aunts and uncles."

"If Dean has a kid, payback will suck." Sam said.

"Start compiling a list of things that will bite him in the ass." Taylor said.

"Oh, if Dean has a child one day, you had better be nice. That baby doesn't deserve to be caught in the crossfire." Marie said.

"Well, when you say it like that." Sam said. He saw Jess and asked if she was ready. "We will be back."

Marie used Jacob's hand to wave to Sam and Jess. "You two have fun."

(Cyrus)

Cyrus turned his computer off and left his room. He was told there would be a family meeting that afternoon and he needed to attend. That meant sitting through hours of his grandfather speaking to his father and uncles. He typically wished to skip the meetings, preferring the sanctity of his bedroom. That day, he was hopeful that they would discuss relevant things so that he could pass information on to Charlie.

The family was big but exclusive. All meetings were held in secret. They had a special hidden deep within the grandfather's house so that no outsiders could hear what was being said, even if they had equipment.

Cyrus turned down a long hallway and looked at the walls as he walked. There were dozens of photographs and paintings of family members from years past. He wasn't sure how old his grandfather was, but he had outlived a typical human a couple times over. Many other relatives outlived all of their peers but perished for one reason or another. They could replace a heart if the person's heart began to falter. They could also replace arms and legs. Modern advancements in medicine allowed younger generations to live even longer. His great grandfather died by way of a bullet to his head. Rumors suggested that another family member was responsible, but a thorough investigation had not been done. What happened in the family stayed in the family.

Eldon, one of Cyrus's older brothers, walked by and shoved Cyrus. "Pick up the pace. You don't want to be late again."

Cyrus looked away from the walls and focused on the door he needed to go through. His father had a wicked temper and a zero-tolerance policy for tardiness. He stepped through the door but held it open for his other older brother. With everyone inside, he shut the door and locked it. He saw a large screen sitting to the side of a conference table. He would be expected to man the screen and anything to do with technology.

The oldest Styne sat down in his seat at the head of the table. He started talking about investments and other boring things about their wealth and political status.

Cyrus clicked a button and changed what was on the screen. He did his best not to zone out as he was only there to click the button. He clicked again and noted that they were beginning to talk about the plots of land that he told Charlie about. Until that point, he wasn't sure why they had chosen those plots.

Monroe, Cyrus's father, took over as he understood the properties of the land due to prior education. A few plots were very high or very low in specific nutrients or chemicals. He told Cyrus to go to the next slide. The slide had several photos of maps with red and yellow lines. He explained that the red lines were old railroad tracks while the yellow ones were new railroad tracks.

Cyrus listened intently. He filed away keywords and phrases to share with Charlie.

"The creatures do not like crossing the red lines. They will but not as readily." Monroe explained.

"Why?" Eldon asked.

"It could be what is on the tracks." Monroe started.

Cyrus was a train guy. He had dozens from his childhood packed neatly into boxes. "The preservatives."

The older Stynes looked at Cyrus in disbelief. He had never spoken at a meeting without being spoken to.

Cyrus blinked and swallowed hard.

Monroe sat back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. "Go ahead."

Cyrus regretted opening his mouth. "Uh, the creosote. They used it to preserve wooden ties on the railroads. Now the ties are made differently."

"Correct." Monroe said. "These creatures may not like the substance. It is not only the creosote. I have yet to find out what combination of chemicals stops them. Perhaps it is the railroad ties but that is in combination with higher levels of other things."

"How do we figure it out?" Eldon asked.

"There will be continued testing." Monroe said.

Cyrus wanted to know why they were doing testing. Were they trying to trap the freaks? Were they wanting to protect the family or use the freaks against others? He couldn't ask. He had already done too much by speaking up.

Conversation turned away from the railroads and to horses. The family owned many horses, and they were a large portion of the family's income.

Cyrus couldn't wait to tell Charlie about the creosote in hopes that they could find out how to get rid of the freaks.

When the meeting ended, Eldon and Cyrus's other brother cornered Cyrus.

Cyrus shrunk.

"Since when do you speak?" Eldon asked. That was something they earned over the years.

"I knew about the railroads. I collect trains." Cyrus said.

The other brother poked his chest with a bit of force. "Keep it to yourself next time."

Cyrus apologized and scurried back to his room. He was far more mild than his brothers. They teased him about it and called him weak. He didn't want to grow up and join the family or any of their traditions. He wanted to get out and move away, making him the black sheep of the family. He needed to wait before he messaged Charlie. Speaking out of turn turned suspicious eyes on him and his father and grandfather were ruthless if they felt like things were being hidden. He'd lay low and play it cool until he was back at school and away from prying eyes.

(Dean and Kate)

Dean followed Kate's directions to the seller's house. It was a little under an hour away, but he didn't mind. He got out and told Kate to stick with him.

The seller opened the front door and waved. He introduced himself and welcomed them into his home.

Kate looked at all of the intricate wooden trinkets and projects that covered the walls. The man was a skilled carpenter.

The man asked them to wait in the living room so that he could bring the car to them. He carried it carefully back down the hallway and placed it on the floor on the sofa.

"It is so cute." Kate said.

"I stripped it down and put a new coat of paint on it last week." The man said.

Dean ran his hand over the car. It was made to look like a classic muscle car without a roof.

"Kind of looks like Baby." Kate said.

The man walked to the door to get a good look at the car. He had noticed it when they arrived but wanted to take a minute to appreciate the craftsmanship. "It can be difficult to get those lines as sleek on a wooden car and my wife didn't want anyone bumping their head or mouth on sharp edges. Your car is a beauty."

"Thanks." Dean said. "She is a work of art."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should paint her red."

Dean shot her a glare.

Kate smiled. "To match Jacob's car."

"No." Dean said.

The seller explained how he made the car and different features it had like rubber wheels so that someone could push the car across the grass. He showed them a wooden plate at the bottom of the 'floorboard' that could be removed once Jacob's legs were long enough to push the car that way. "I hate to see it go but all of the kids are grown now, and she needs to go to a new family. How old is your nephew?"

"Four, going on five months." Dean said.

The man chuckled. "I hope he gets many years of use out of it."

"It is a shame the horn doesn't work." Kate said.

"I'm not sure his parents would like it as much if the horn worked." The man said.

"That is the point." Kate said.

The man gave Dean a thick moving blanket to place on the seat, so the car didn't touch the upholstery. Nothing on the toy car would hurt the seat but he understood Dean's love for Baby.

"Thank you." Dean said. He paid for the car and headed back towards Marie's house.

"If Ian or Ben sees that, there will be a war." Kate said.

Dean grimaced. "We should probably lock the wheels until Jacob is a bit older."

"You don't plan on pushing him around in it?" Kate asked. "You can't buy him a car and then not push him around."

"You could push him since you are lower to the ground." Dean said.

"I wonder how hard it would be to make it drivable. You know… like the little power wheels cars." Kate said.

Dean's mind started planning out how they would do that. Jacob didn't need a battery-operated car at his current age but Dean would be a lousy uncle if he didn't hook him up with something a bit dangerous when he was a little older. Sam's job was to protect Jacob and raise him to be a good person. Dean's job was to make Sam's job harder.

(Sam and Jess)

Rod introduced Sam and Jess to the owner of the car lot. He explained some of what they were looking for and walked with them to look at the rows of cars.

Jess was focused on safety features like airbags and how the car handled crash testing.

Sam focused on how he was going to ward the car. Some cars were easier than others.

John was quiet but thinking the same thing Sam was. It didn't matter what kind of car they ended up with. He was going to make sure it was safe from any and all supernatural creatures.

Jess saw a car that she liked. It was blue and had a hatchback so it would be easier to transport groceries and stuff.

Sam pulled John to the side. "Is it safer to have a car that doesn't stand out? Dean's car stands out. Your truck does too. Do you think we should get something that blends in?"

"The one she is looking at doesn't stick out too much." John said.

"I know but I want to make the right decision." Sam said.

"Well, as long as it isn't lime green, I think you should be okay." John said. He looked at Jess and then back at Sam. "If you are worried about it, you could try telling her no but she looks determined."

Sam opened up all of the doors to get a good look at the interior. He met eyes with Jess as she was sitting in the back seat. "What do you think?"

"I love it." Jess said.

Sam stepped back and stood up straight so he could see Rod and the other man. "How much is it?"

"Don't worry about it." Rod said.

Sam shut the door and walked around. "We like it. I just need to figure out some stuff before making a decision."

Rod put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Don't worry about the price."

"Take it for a test drive." The owner said. He handed Sam the keys.

Sam thanked him and walked back over to Jess. "He said to test drive it."

Jess hopped out of the backseat and ran around to the passenger side. She got in and buckled the seat belt, eager to see how it drove.

John asked a series of questions about how the car did in certain weather. Had it ever been in a wreck? How many miles did it have on it?

The owner chatted with Rod and John until Sam and Jess got back. He was big on honesty and took care of the cars that ended up in his lot. He had known Rod for years and respected Sam and Jess for taking Jacob in.

Sam parked and gave the keys back to the man. He had never even attempted to rent a car, let alone buy one. He wasn't sure what to do next. They had money in their account, but did they have enough?

John explained that he and Rod would cover the car. He shut down Sam's argument by saying he gave Dean the Impala. It was not too much money, and he had planned to fund a car for Sam anyway.

Sam begrudgingly accepted the gift. He was thankful but always felt a bit like a burden. Remembering that Dean got Baby did help his guilt. Once papers were signed, he and Jess drove to the store while Rod and John drove back to Marie's house.

(Marie's house)

Dean parked and pulled the car from the backseat. He carried it into the house and asked where Jacob was.

Marie gathered a few blankets and a pillow to support Jacob so he could sit behind the wheel without falling over.

Kate got onto her knees and slowly pushed the car across the living room.

Jacob giggled and quickly found the steering wheel.

"Yeah, chew on that one and leave Baby alone." Dean said.

Taylor suggested they tie a rope to the front axle so someone could pull it around outside.

Dean got tasked with that. He shooed the dogs away and slowly pulled Jacob around.

Sam saw Dean walking around and slowly pulled into the driveway.

Jess gasped. "How cute!"

They got out and approached.

Jess crouched down. "Look at you, little man."

Jacob rubbed his eyes but smiled.

"Probably his nap time." Sam said. He reached for Jacob and picked him up, intending to take him inside for a bottle and a nap.

Jacob arched his back and cried loudly.

"Hey, he wasn't done driving." Dean said.

"He is sleepy." Sam said.

Jacob protested.

Kate moved the pillows and blankets around and told Sam to put him back in the car. That way, Dean could pull him around and he could fall asleep on the blankets.

A few minutes of being pulled around knocked Jacob out and he fell asleep behind the wheel.

"If he gets used to that, you are going to be pulling him around during the middle of the night." Sam told Dean.

Dean scoffed. "Not part of my uncle duties." He looked at Sam's car. "It isn't bad, but I wouldn't call it cool."

Sam turned. "I didn't want a hunk of lead that guzzles gas."

Dean jabbed him in the ribs.

Kate sat down on the steps and told Dean she had Jacob so that he could look at the car. She rested her foot on the bumper and gently pushed the little car back and forth like she was rocking a cradle.

"It has good safety ratings, and these panels are easy to pull off." Sam said, showing Dean how the inside roof panel popped off. "Can you help me with warding?"

"Yeah, let me get the kit." He walked to the Impala and pulled a kit from the trunk. "Here."

Jess sat down beside Kate and pulled the blanket higher on Jacob's chest to keep him warm.

Kate studied Jacob's face. "Just think. Two years from now he will have this rope hooked to one of the dogs and use this thing as a sled."

Jess grimaced. "No. No one needs to give him that idea."

"If Sam and Dean had one like this when they were kids, Dean would have pushed Sam down a hill in it." Kate said, lightly.

"Well, he is lucky not to have an older brother to push him down hills." Jess said.

"He could be the older brother one day." Kate countered.

Jess did want more kids, but it was hard for her to imagine Jacob as anything aside from a tiny baby.

"Dean swears he isn't having kids. Taylor and I can't have kids, so you and Sam have the responsibility of continuing the bloodline." Kate said.

"One day." Jess said.

"Jacob needs a baby sister one day." Kate said.

"For now, there is Lauren and the boys." Jess said.

"Too many boys." Kate said. She stopped rocking the car and put her foot down. "I have had visions about Jacob."

Jess looked worried.

"Not bad visions. Just of everyone being older. He was probably Krissy's age and running around." Kate said.

Jess smiled. "He will be big enough to do that eventually, but I want him to stay this little."

"Do you want me to paint his first few months?" Kate asked.

"What do you mean?" Jess asked.

"Hannah's parents have a wall and there are photos of each of the kids from birth to now. We don't have many photos of Jacob yet, but I could paint or draw the first ones." Kate said.

Jess reached to touch his face. "I would like that. I'd love to get a photo of him now. He is just too precious in his little car."

Kate got up and asked Marie for her camera. She returned and took a variety of photos. She told Jess to get closer to him and took photos of them as well. She decided to take a few of Sam and Dean and laughed when they both put bunny ears behind the other's head. "Sam, go sit by Jess."

"Why all the photos?" Dean asked.

"I have the camera, and he will want to know what everyone looked like when he was a baby." Kate said. She exhausted the camera's memory capacity and stepped inside to ask Charlie to upload them to her computer.

Marie joined them to see the new photos. Among the photos were some from Christmas and other events. She requested that Charlie move certain ones to another folder to be printed later on.

Charlie heard a distinct notification sound and loaded the photos onto a thumb drive. She disconnected it and then clicked through her defense system to check the notification. It was from an email she didn't know but the message was from Cy. She wondered why he was using an alternate email but assumed he would explain when it was safe to do so. She logged onto her online game and searched for a message that Cy could have left in the game. "He knows something important but can't tell me yet."

"Why?" Marie asked.

"His family could be too close or something else like that." Charlie said. "It isn't an emergency."

Marie worried about the boy's safety. From what she had heard about his family, they were quite dangerous. She also worried about Charlie's safety as she worked with Cyrus. She left the girls to the game and went downstairs to speak to John.

John shared Marie's worry about Charlie. The more human a monster was, the more dangerous it was. The Styne family was far more dangerous than any wendigo or ghoul and they were trusting two teenagers with correspondence. Charlie was brilliant and Cyrus likely was as well. They were young, though. The only reason Charlie had a part to play in it was that no one else possessed the technological knowledge that she had.

Sam offered to oversee the transfer of information as he had done quite often.

John trusted Sam's instincts but the whole situation felt heavy. He had very little control over it, and it made him uncomfortable. He told Sam to tell Charlie to keep conversation at a surface level for a while just in case the family had extra eyes on Cyrus.

Charlie was confident that their code would withstand prying eyes but agreed to pull back for a few days. She could just play the game with Cyrus without talking about his family.

Taylor checked the time and announced that Nate's dad was going to pick him up for their sleepover. He had a nymph take him to Bobby's house and waited at the door. He said goodbye to Karen and Bobby and got into Nate's dad's truck. He fist bumped Nate and thanked his dad for picking him up.

Nate listed off things that he had planned.

"Laser tag and paintball?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah." Nate said.

Taylor pumped his arm. "Sweet."

As night drew near, John, Dean and Kate made their way back to Bobby's house as well. Kate was quiet again as she had a thousand thoughts going through her head.

Dean checked in with her and reminded her to tell him what was going on.

Kate told him that she was working through hellhounds, demons and the Stynes.

"You can't figure everything out in one day." Dean said.

"If I could stop time, I could." Kate said.

Dean sighed. "You and Charlie had a great idea with the nymphs. Focus on that win and dial back a bit."

Kate yawned. "Easier said than done."

Dean offered to sit with her until she fell asleep. He told her a few stories and stayed long after she had fallen asleep.

Bobby showed John an email from Ash. He didn't say anything as John read it.

John made a sound in the back of his throat. "It could be the freaks."

"Ellen isn't sure." Bobby said.

John rubbed his face. Something was plaguing a small town, much like the freaks in Matt's town. Residents had been given a curfew and told to stay inside so, if it was the freaks, they had a decent chance of surviving the night. He needed a few hours of sleep before he even began to speculate what was going on. He told Bobby they'd look at it in the morning and sought out a bed to rest his eyes for a bit.

Dean quietly left Kate's room and entered his own. He saw orange fur on his pillow and groaned. Liam had been sleeping on his pillow again. He tossed it across the room and opted to sleep without a pillow. He was so tired that it wouldn't matter.

(Sunday)

Taylor woke up and Nate was still asleep. He tossed a pillow at Nate and snorted when Nate glared at him.

"Let me sleep." Nate said.

Taylor got up. "Suit yourself." He made his way down the stairs and greeted Nate's mom. Even before things changed, Taylor typically woke up before Nate did, so his parents were used to it.

Alice placed a bowl of cereal on the bar for Taylor. "I need to make a grocery run."

"Cereal is good." Taylor said. He ate a few spoonsful and chewed. Nate had mentioned his theory about why his parents never said anything about how often Taylor had gotten hurt. It had stayed on Taylor's mind although he harbored no hard feelings.

Alice brewed some coffee and leaned on the counter. "How have you been lately?"

"Good." Taylor said. "I miss spending the night here sometimes."

"You are always welcome." Alice said.

Taylor pushed the cereal around in the bowl with his spoon. "I guess I haven't really needed to lately."

Alice gave him a sad smile. "I suppose not. That is a good thing, though."

Taylor met eyes with her. "I didn't tell you guys what was going on back then."

"We knew something was going on but not the severity of it." Alice said.

Taylor furrowed his eyebrows. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Alice regretted that and didn't know why they hadn't altered the authorities. "I wish we had. I am sorry, Taylor."

"No, it's okay." Taylor said. "No one is around to hurt me anymore."

"Is your brother still in jail?" Nate's mom asked.

Taylor froze mid spoonful. "Uh, I don't know."

"Nate suggested that he is no longer a problem." Alice said with a raised eyebrow.

"No idea." Taylor mumbled.

"As long as you are safe here." Alice said. "It is none of my business where he is."

Nate decided to go downstairs since Taylor had woken him up. He stumbled into the kitchen and said good morning to his mom.

Alice smoothed his hair down. "Happy birthday." She asked what the boys had planned and gave Nate a bowl of cereal as well.

Nate told her a few things.

"Well, that sounds fun." Alice said.

Ellie woke up in an uncharacteristically grumpy mood and Nate couldn't help but pick at her.

Taylor jabbed Nate.

"What?" Nate asked with a laugh.

Taylor shook his head. "Don't pick a fight when we have plans on leaving the house."

Nate shrugged. "Like you don't tease Kate when she is grumpy."

"I have and she fights back." Taylor said.

Alice comforted Ellie. "Did you sleep okay?"

Ellie hugged Alice. She hadn't slept well because her nose was stuffy.

Taylor thought about Kate. Ellie was reasonably grumpy as she was uncomfortable. It was just a stark reminder of how different their lives were from typical humans. As long as he could remember, he had conditioned himself to think about how things could be worse. If he broke his arm, at least it wasn't a broken leg. If he was left home without food, at least he had a home. He caught himself thinking that about other people at times. Why were they stressed when they didn't have demons after them? Hailey had so much on her plate, but it was different. She volunteered and most of her stress was school and committees. She had a right to be stressed, just like Ellie had a right to be grumpy.

The boys finished their breakfast and washed their bowls. They excused themselves and headed back to Nate's room to discuss the plan for the day.

"You need to show me some stuff when we are at the paintball range." Nate said.

"What kind of stuff? You have played before." Taylor said.

"Useful stuff. I know they are just paintballs but one day I might have to protect myself." Nate said.

Taylor groaned. "I'm not weapons training you."

"Hey, I know a lot. I'm just looking for tips." Nate said. "What about knife skills?"

Taylor crouched down to unplug his phone. "Why? You can't hunt."

"Now." Nate said.

"Dude, you do not need to hunt. Hunters die young and your parents don't know." Taylor said.

"What if something comes at me?" Nate asked.

"Call a nymph." Taylor said.

Nate scoffed. "Yeah, I'd rather not."

"You got the same lecture everyone else did." Taylor said. "Call a nymph."

"Okay, what if it is a normal human?" Nate asked.

"Nymph." Taylor said.

"What if I can't call a nymph?" Nate asked.

"I can show you some knife skills, but you had better call a nymph first." Taylor said.

Nate smiled. "Awesome."

Taylor pulled a butterfly knife from his backpack and whirled it around in his hand, unfolding it.

Nate reached for it.

Taylor pulled the knife back. "Try that and you'll lose a finger." He spun it so he could hand Nate the handle.

Nate folded and unfolded the knife. "I so need one of these."

"Don't look at me. You'd have to ask your dad." Taylor said.

"Do you have your hunting knife on you?" Nate asked.

"I'm not letting you use that one." Taylor said.

Ellie walked by the door and gasped. "Why do you have a knife?"

Nate grimaced and told her to be quiet. He heard his dad's footsteps and glared at Ellie.

Mark entered the room. "Why do you have a knife?"

"It is mine." Taylor said.

Mark told Nate to give it back. "Why do you have it out?"

"I wanted to see it." Nate said. "I thought about asking for one."

"You keep that put away and we can talk about a pocketknife later." Mark said.

Taylor was glad that he hadn't pulled out his hunting knife. That would have been a lot harder to explain.

Nate told Ellie to go away and shut his door in her face. "She is so annoying."

Taylor didn't disagree. He could trust Kate to have his back on something like that, but Ellie was just naive and completely clueless.

(Bobby's house)

Kate stayed up all night, thinking her way into a spiral. She was exhausted. Her head hurt. She felt moisture under her nose and used a tissue to blot it away. She groaned and tossed the tissue in the trash can. Great, another nosebleed. Cyrus was on her mind. If they could share information telepathically, they wouldn't need to worry about someone finding what had been written in emails or in the game. She had no connection to him to form a telepathic link and it frustrated her.

Dean spoke quietly to John and Bobby as they discussed the case Ellen had sent Bobby. "If this is freak or hellhound related, Kate is going to freak out."

"She is going to stay out of it." John said.

Dean traded looks with Bobby. He knew that Kate would struggle no matter what.

Kate grabbed another tissue and held it to her nose. She let Millie out of the room but returned to her bed to rest instead of trying to get up.

Dean eventually went to check on Kate. He knocked softly and opened the door. "Hey, kiddo. Are you getting up?"

Kate had black circles under her eyes.

Dean sat on the side of her bed. "Whoa. How long has your nose been bleeding? Here, sit up. Let me see."

Kate sat up and squinted her eyes against the morning light.

"Visions?" Dean asked.

Kate nodded.

Dean got Kate a warm cloth to wipe her face. "Did you sleep at all?"

Kate didn't think so.

"Let me get you some water." He got water from the kitchen and stopped in Bobby's office to talk to John. "She has a pretty bad nosebleed and looks rough."

John rubbed the back of his head. "Was she using abilities?"

"She had visions." Dean said. He returned to Kate's room and made her take a few sips. "Were you dream walking?"

Kate shrugged.

"No shrugging. I need an answer." Dean said.

"I did for a little while." Kate said.

Dean wiped her neck and a spot on her cheek. "That probably isn't a good idea right now."

"I always dream walk." Kate said.

"You also do not sleep." Dean said. "What were you looking for?"

"Answers." Kate said.

Dean got her to go downstairs so she could eat something.

John joined them in the kitchen.

Dean asked questions about the visions and dream walking to get a better idea as to where her head was at.

Kate gave him short answers although she wasn't snippy. She just had brain fog.

John added a few of his own questions but he wasn't as gentle as Dean was.

Kate felt herself growing irritated. "Can I wake up before you interrogate me?"

John warned her about her attitude but left the kitchen to give her space.

Dean walked out with him since Karen was with Kate.

"Her hiding things is not an option." John said.

"I don't think she is hiding it. I think she just had a really rough night." Dean said.

"Well coddling her isn't going to get her to talk." John said.

"Do you want me to waterboard her?" Dean asked.

John just gave him a look. He wasn't a fan of the sarcasm.

Dean opted to go back to the kitchen.

Kate chewed slowly. "Getting brave."

Dean snorted. She had heard his waterboarding remark.

"Let's have a peaceful morning." Karen said.

Kate studied the grain of the wood on the new table.

"The chairs will be here later this week." Karen said.

Dean wiggled slightly. "These squeak."

"They are old." Karen said.

Dean tapped the table to get Kate's attention. "You are looking less zombie-like."

Kate met eyes with him. "Thanks… I think."

"You'll need to fill us in soon. Dad doesn't want you to hide something." Dean said.

Kate traced her finger along the lines of the table. "I wish I had a telepathic connection to Cy so he could give us information safely."

"I'd say that family probably has a psychic on hand." Dean said.

"I want Nova to go somewhere safe." Kate said.

Dean nodded to acknowledge that the topic had changed.

"She is going to turn 18 and won't be able to stay at the facility." Kate said. "She can't get her own apartment because she doesn't have a job. She has been in that facility for years and has no experience. Then, she is going to be scared. She could relapse and have to go to an adult facility."

"The facility probably has a list of resources to help her when she leaves." Dean said.

Kate looked sad.

"I don't know. The nymphs could open up a home for people like her." Dean said.

Kate sat back in her chair. She started imagining what the home would look like. Would it be in the country, like Marie's house? How would they help Nova understand that she was safe and no one could hurt her?

"They have spread out quite a bit, haven't they?" Karen asked.

"A bit." Dean said. "There are several around here and around the schools. There is one where that kid, Keegan lives. Last I heard, he was doing well and his dad and step brother were not an issue."

"How many are there?" Karen asked.

"A lot." Kate said. "The ones at Marie's house aren't the only ones in the country. They are just more active because we have asked them to be. They can make new nymphs and have dozens in stasis."

"If they start hunting, we will be out of a job." Dean said.

"I wonder if other creatures know about them, or know that they are there." Kate said.

Liam meowed loudly, reminding people that they had yet to receive their morning meal.

Karen fed the cats and placed another plate on the porch for Robby.

Kate put her own plate in the sink and said she wanted to take a shower. She ran up the steps and grabbed a change of clothes. She turned the shower on and let the steam surround her.

Dean took that opportunity to talk to John and Bobby again. "Are you going to check the place out?" He asked in reference to the town that they had been talking about.

"Yes." John said.

"I can go with you." Dean said.

"No." John said.

Dean pulled another chair into the office and sat down. "What is your plan?"

"I will not be going alone but I need you to stay here." John said.

Dean let out a slow breath. "To babysit."

"Kate has to stay here. She cannot get involved." John said.

Dean bit his tongue and accepted that he would have to stay home.

Bobby was working on a list of trustworthy hunters. Rufus was getting older but was an excellent hunter. His list was uncomfortably short.

"Drone." Dean said.

John looked at him. "The drone would be useful."

Dean got it from his car and turned it on to fly outside. He would just say he was making sure it was in working order if John asked him about it.

"You are prickly." Bobby said.

John rubbed his face but didn't say anything.

Kate felt a little dizzy so she sat on the floor of the shower and let the water run over her head and body. She reached up and turned the water to the far left, as hot as it would go. She grimaced for a moment as the water hurt her skin. A moment later she relaxed as her brain focused more on the heat and less on everything else. She eventually felt the water starting to cool down and quickly washed her hair. She rinsed off and got dressed before leaving the bathroom. "Karen, can you brush my hair?"

Karen smiled. "Yes. I'll be right up."

Kate used a towel to squeeze water from her hair and sat down on her bed.

Karen told Kate to turn slightly so she could reach the back of her hair. She gently combed through the curls, placing the detangled hair on one side of Kate's shoulder before moving to the next. She noticed red patches along Kate's arms and leaned back. She saw more patches across Kate's upper back where her tank top hadn't covered. She gently touched one of the patches. "Do you have hives?"

Kate reached back. "I don't think so."

Karen opened the curtains to bring more light into the room. She saw more patches along Kate's lower arms and chest. "What are all of these red marks?"

Kate looked down. "Oh, I just got out of a hot shower."

Karen pulled the leg of Kate's pants up to look at her lower leg. "How hot was the shower?"

Kate pulled her leg back. "Not that hot. Can you finish my hair?"

Karen rolled the pants leg down. "That concerns me."

Kate gave Karen a pleading look. "It is nothing."

Karen sighed and continued brushing Kate's hair. "Did you get burned?"

Kate was quiet.

"Did you burn yourself?" Karen asked. She took the silence as confirmation. "Why?"

"I just want my brain to stop." Kate said, sadly.

Karen handed Kate the brush and ran her fingers through her hair. "You aren't healing."

Kate poked at a red patch on her arm. "Still haven't figured that bit of it out."

Karen sat down on the other side of Kate so she was face to face with her. "Talk to me. I'm here to listen."

Kate talked to her about the constant nagging pressure from her thoughts and how the veil had gotten louder. She explained some of her thoughts and how tired she was.

Karen listened and noticed the patches begin to fade. She touched Kate's knee and gave her a soft smile. "You are so strong."

Kate frowned. "I don't feel like it."

"I'm sorry that you are under so much pressure. I am glad that you talked to me. I want to help you but will need to take small steps. You have too much in your head for anyone to fix it." Karen said.

Kate's shoulders dropped. "Dean always wants to fix it."

"I know. That is a man for you." Karen said.

Kate smiled slightly.

"I want you to stick with me today. You can tell me more as you find the words to do so." Karen said. She left so Kate could finish her morning routine. She let John know that Kate was talking and that she would be keeping an eye on her.

John thanked her. He wanted things to be simple. He liked things that were black and white. Kate was anything but black and white.

(Marie's house)

Jacob woke up several times during the night and left Sam and Jess exhausted. He wasn't fussy but barely slept.

Marie offered to take him so that they could get a few hours of sleep and they did not argue with her. She made Jacob a bottle and fed it to him. She sat down in the rocker and rocked gently. She read him a story and talked to him about how much he was loved.

Jacob looked sleepy but was fighting it. He would close his eyes and then startle awake.

Marie kept rocking him and patted his back. She smiled when he finally lost his battle against sleep. She had planned to be productive that morning but chose to sit with him instead. He would only be little a little while longer and she wasn't sure if she would get to rock many more babies to sleep.

Rod was quiet as he moved around the kitchen. He made Marie some tea and brought it to her.

Marie thanked him. "He was up all night."

Rod asked if she needed anything and went outside to feed animals. He heard two of the young farm hands speeding up the road on four wheelers and waved them down before they got too close to the house. "Marie just got the baby to sleep and might skin you if you wake him up."

The boys apologized and took the long way around the barn so that they were not too close to the house.

Rod watched them ride off into the field and shook his head. They were young and a little reckless. They were hard workers, though. If they wrecked the nymphs could get help. When he was their age, his family didn't even have a car. He and Marie had done well for themselves and got to share their earnings with others.

Marie sipped her tea, careful not to spill any on Jacob. She hummed in between sips and placed a kiss on his head.

Jacob smiled in his sleep and sighed deeply.

Charlie logged onto her computer and onto the game. She checked for new messages and frowned. She told him that the adults wanted her to slow down but no message left her feeling empty. She left the game and searched through records and documents for more information about different creatures. She was still working on the website of factual information for hunters. She created a new folder on her computer and titled it 'fairies'. While it was unlikely that a hunter would need to fight one, she wanted to know more about them. She read an article and sighed. It was clearly fake. The writer had just described a blue version of Tinkerbell. She found a website that looked promising and found the owner of the site. She sent them an email in hopes that they would share the books they used when researching the topic.

Sam woke up and let Jess sleep. He was careful to avoid the squeaky floorboards as he assumed Jacob could be asleep. He saw Marie rocking Jacob and gave her a small wave. He got coffee from the kitchen and sat down on the couch to enjoy the moment of peace.

Jacob woke up not long after Sam sat down. He rubbed his face against Marie's chest and stretched.

"Do you want me to take him?" Sam asked.

Marie let Sam take him since she had been sitting in one spot for over an hour.

Sam bounced Jacob on his leg. He saw the toy car and pulled it over to the couch. He sat Jacob in the seat and put a pillow next to him.

Jacob chewed on the steering wheel and mumbled happily.

Sam felt of Jacob's gums to see if he a new tooth. He thought that could explain the constant chewing and lack of sleep. He felt a slight bump and moved his finger before Jacob chomped down on it. "Marie? Is he too little to have a tooth coming in?"

"No. Some kids teeth early. Some do not get teeth until nearly a year." Marie said.

Sam learned something new about babies each day. He sat back to drink his coffee and let Jacob sit in the car. He thought that it was sweet of Dean to find the car and buy it. It meant a lot to him.

Jacob started to get fussy so Sam tried to pick him up. He did not like that and let Sam know.

Sam sighed and pulled the car to the kitchen. He quickly made a bottle and rolled the car back to the living room so he could sit down and feed Jacob.

Marie chuckled. "He shouldn't drink and drive."

Sam smiled. "We won't make it a habit."

(Sioux Falls)

Nate's dad took Taylor and Nate to the paintball range first. He paid for a few rounds and found a comfortable place to sit back and watch.

Nate and Taylor gathered two more players as they were broken into teams of four. They discussed strategy and hand signals as though they were headed into battle. They were, but the bullets were brightly colored balls of paint and everyone got to go home at the end of the day.

Nate's dad got a good chuckle as he watched people run back and forth. He saw Nate jump and roll across the ground to avoid getting shot and smiled to himself. He admired Nate's athleticism and tenacity. He was an active child himself and enjoyed teaching Nate how to play any sport he was interested in. He felt proud of Taylor as well. He had known the kid for years and watched the two of them grow from gangly little boys to slightly less gangly teenagers.

Taylor saw another player hiding out in one of the structures and aimed the paintball gun at a small opening. He waited for the player to move slightly and shot him in the shoulder. He dropped down so no one could see him and gave Nate a signal that meant one of the other players had been tagged.

Mark was impressed with the hit. Had Taylor flinched or breathed wrong, he would have missed the shot and the paint would have splattered against the wall. He knew that Taylor had experience with guns but wondered just how much experience he had. Nate could shoot a target and had managed to shatter a few clay pigeons at the range. He was responsible for two of the hits that took out other players but Taylor was spot on. He made a mental note to ask Taylor about getting them a deer to put in the freezer.

Taylor caught a pink orb out of the corner of his eye and leapt to tackle Nate to the ground.

Nate hit the ground hard and saw the splatter of pink paint on one of the walls. He and Taylor both laughed as the tackle was dramatic but saved him from being tagged. He heard a loud siren that alerted them to the end of the match.

Taylor and Nate's team had made it through with only one fallen man. When Taylor tackled Nate, their teammate had shot the last person on the pink team.

They played a few more rounds and won quite a few. However, the other teams figured out who was the strongest player and sought to take out Taylor's team first. They had formed an alliance amongst other teams so that they didn't shoot each other until Taylor's team was out.

Nate took his helmet off and handed it to the woman at the counter.

Taylor did the same and emptied his unused paintballs into a bucket.

Mark waited nearby while they turned in their gear and got a drink of water.

Nate was hyped from how well they did. "Did you see me take out that big dude?"

Mark smiled. "Yes. Awesome shot, son."

They chatted and relived the highlights until they stopped at a restaurant for lunch.

Taylor checked the message from Kate and asked another student about the supposed haunted house. He looked at Nate and smirked. He pointed to a red bruise where Nate had been hit in the neck. "Riley is going to think you have been around another girl."

"It isn't a hickey. I got shot." Nate said. "You can vouch for me."

"I didn't see you get shot in the neck. I can't say for sure." Taylor said. He laughed when Nate jabbed him. "I'll back you up."

(Bobby's house)

Kate sat down to work on a portrait of Jacob. She could access memories of him as far back as a week old. She made an outline of his face and eyes. He was cute. She was happy for Sam and Jess. She thought about how Jacob could go up with a stable family and all the people he had in his corner. She felt a sense of heaviness when she looked at him, though. He brought so much joy to the family. He was the little ray of sunshine they desperately needed. For Sam, Dean, Taylor and Kate, they had all been placed in a role they had no control over. Sam and Dean were supposed to be vessels. Taylor and Kate were supposed to be weapons. Kate didn't wish that on anyone but she felt as though Jacob had a role to play as well. He was there to pull the family back together after she screwed everything up. She was fighting to prevent herself from doing something but she felt herself growing weaker. Atropos showed her that she couldn't change everything. She couldn't save Smith. She swore she wouldn't make a deal with Crowley and her hand was forced. She could continue fighting against destiny or she could accept her fate and ask for forgiveness later.

John gathered his stuff and left to meet up with other hunters to take care of whatever creature was wiping out so many people.

Dean checked on Kate. "Dad left."

Kate stretched. "Another hunt?"

"Yep." Dean said. "What are you drawing?"

"Jacob." Kate said. She turned her drawing pad toward Dean so he could see. "We don't have as many older photos of him and Jess wants a ton for the walls of the new house."

"How are things in your head?" Dean asked.

"This helps." Kate said. "I can't get the hellhound out of my head though. That one is different but I don't know how."

"If it isn't attacking, ignore it for now." Dean said.

"What if it belongs to a certain demon?" Kate asked.

"A hellhound is a hellhound." Dean said.

"It is like an itch I can't scratch." Kate said.

Dean sat down. "Can you draw some of this stuff?"

Kate thought about it. "I think it is too complex to draw."

"So maybe you can just draw the not so complex things. Draw the hound and other things that you see. Paint me a picture of what is in your head." Dean said.

Kate chewed her cheek. "I can try."

Dean looked back at the drawing of Jacob. "He is going to be a menace when he is older. I've never met a more spoiled kid."

"You are the one that bought him a car." Kate said.

"Starting him out on a good foundation." Dean said. He kissed the top of Kate's head. "Bring your stuff downstairs. You aren't hiding in your room all day."

Kate whined. "But I don't want to."

Dean lightly flicked her. "Too bad."

Kate groaned but gathered her art supplies. She settled on the living room floor and started working on a drawing of the hellhound.

Dean got a call from Kim and talked to her for a little bit before checking on Kate again. "Are you hungry?"

"No." Kate said.

Dean thought he'd get her a snack anyway.

"You are going to worry yourself to death." Karen said.

Dean had a pit in his chest. "I don't know what else to do."

"Go work on your car or sit and watch a show." Karen said.

Dean wasn't sure if he could do that. He was wound so tight that his neck and jaw had begun to hurt.

Kate told Dean it was okay if he took a break. She promised to stay in the house both physically and mentally.

Dean pulled Baby into the shop and checked the oil although he knew she was good for a while. He sat down in the front seat and got his cleaning kit out that the kids had made. He wiped down the steering wheel and got rid of any speck of dirt he could find. He got another call from Kim and answered it.

Kim wanted to go out that night. She had been invited out by a friend and didn't want to go alone. "There will be trivia."

"I'm not a big trivia guy." Dean said.

"I think you'll do great with the topics that are up for tonight." Kim said. "My friend knows the guy running it and cars and classic rock were on the list."

"I might know a thing or two about those." Dean said. "Let me check with everyone. My dad is headed out on a hunt but I don't know if he will be doing anything more than meeting up with other hunters tonight."

"Let me know." Kim said.

Dean hung up. He put the cleaning kit away and called John. He got confirmation that John didn't plan on hunting until the next night but was told to keep his phone on him. He went back in the house and spoke to Bobby and then to Kate.

"She invited you to trivia?" Kate asked.

Dean lightly shoved her head. "Yes. I know a few things. Until I get ready to leave, we are going to work through your stuff."

Kate grumbled. "That is hours from now."

"So we have hours to work on it." Dean said.

Kate showed him the drawing of the hellhound. "I'm already working on it."

"So you can tell me about the details so that I can understand." Dean said.

Kate scrunched her nose. "I can compel you to leave me alone." She said lightly.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "You would regret it."

"I want to talk to a demon." Kate said.

Dean sat down on the couch. "Why?"

"To gain information." Kate said.

"You can't summon one but I want you to share your reasons." Dean said.

"I've heard they make really lucrative deals." Kate said jokingly.

Dean narrowed his eyes.

"We need intel about Abaddon if we are going to make any progress on taking her down. If we capture a demon, they could give us information. If they don't we just get rid of them. The information could be faulty but at least it would be something. I don't think most demons have a sense of loyalty. They'll turn on another demon if it benefits them."

"That is dangerous." Dean said.

"The bunker has a demon proof room. It held Azazel." Kate said.

Dean told her to make a list. "Alright, trap a demon, grill them and compile information. Then what?"

"Offer them a better deal or kill them." Kate said.

"We could kill them either way." Dean said.

"Then that wouldn't make us much better than the demons, would it?" Kate asked.

"What is your idea?" Dean asked.

"Noah met those people in purgatory. So, there is a place between heaven and hell. Purgatory could be better than hell." Kate said.

"Why wouldn't more people be there?" Dean asked.

Kate shrugged. "I don't know. I don't make the rules. Wittman may be able to go to purgatory, though."

"He was cured." Dean said. "Let's say he can go, what would he do?"

"He could figure out how things work. He's a hunter. He knows what to look for." Kate said.

"I think he'd need to be dead." Dean said.

Kate wrote down a few notes. "We need to do more research on purgatory."

"Noah visited but that was during the ghost spree." Dean said.

"Right." Kate said. "I can't mark souls and taunt death every time we want to visit the other realm."

"There are hunters already there." Dean said. "It would make more sense to try to communicate with one of them."

Kate blinked slowly. That was an obvious solution. She had been so focused on bending the rules of reality that the easy path didn't occur to her. "Oh."

"Write that down. If we learn more about purgatory, what are we going to do with the demon?" Dean asked.

"If they can be cleansed of the demonic energy, they could maybe go to purgatory. I don't think they'd be able to go to heaven. Then, they could chill there until we figure out what to do." Kate said. "Unless they were an evil person and try to hurt people that are already there."

Bobby listened to the conversation for a while before going to the kitchen. He kissed Karen on the cheek and offered to help with whatever she was doing.

"She is talking." Karen said.

"I think I heard something about space travel but I'll leave it to Dean." Bobby said, lightly.

"John was a little more gruff than usual." Karen said.

"That is his usual. The more worried he is about their safety, the more prickly he gets." Bobby said. "There is something big and bad ahead and Kate is right in the middle of it. He wants to protect her but this is bigger than all of us. He can't control the situation and he wants to control Kate to keep her out of it. The thing is, Kate is determined to be at the center."

Karen was well versed in the family drama but hadn't met John before he calmed down. She didn't blame him for being tense. Everyone was tense.

(The Roadhouse)

Ellen whistled loudly and yelled at everyone to calm down. Rumors were swirling amongst hunters and had everyone in a tizzy. She flicked the lights to get everyone's attention and smacked a bar towel down on the counter. "Passing rumors is going to get someone killed. That someone is going to be one of you fools rushing into a hunt that you aren't qualified for." She found West in the crowd and pointed to one of the message boards. "Organize this so everyone can say their piece without a fight breaking out."

"I'm not raising my hand like some school boy just to talk." A hunter said.

Ellen met eyes with him. "Then speak at a reasonable volume or get the hell out of my bar."

West, the hunter that Jo had said was sweet on Ellen, quickly moved to organize the board and a space for those that wanted to talk.

Jo thought it was a little bit funny that he was so quick to jump as soon as she told him to. Ellen could make just about anyone jump but West had her back. She watched them talk before Ellen returned to the kitchen. She had never imagined Ellen being in another relationship or really even considered it. Her dad was Ellen's one true love and Ellen had never seemed interested in anyone else.

Ellen was irritated with hunters and trying to catch up on orders. Stacey was an excellent addition to the Roadhouse but her other helper had gotten burned earlier in the day. It wasn't a bad burn but Ellen let her go get it checked out and stay home for the day. She turned to yell for Jo but she was already there.

"What can I do?" Jo asked.

Ellen gave her a list of orders and put her to work. She dropped food off at tables and cleaned up empty plates. She appreciated West's ability to corral a portion of the hunters to one side so that the noise level wasn't as deafening.

Stacey got a call from Dillon and Ellen told her to step out and take it.

Jo worked as fast as she could to take weight off of Ellen's shoulders but the good fryer was beeping and the oven timer was going off. She loaded food onto a plate and sat it on the counter for Ellen to take out.

Ellen had a tray of empty glasses in one hand and a stack of plates in the other. She sat the tray down and turned to throw away something but the trash was overflowing. She growled and sat the plates in the sink as she heard the bell ring, letting her know someone wanted a drink.

Jo ran to the bar and made the drink.

Ellen grabbed a trash bag and slung it over her shoulder so she could take the trash out of the bin. She felt a hand on her upper back and whirled around.

West pulled the trash out of the bin and tied the top of it.

Ellen replaced the bag and picked up a few stray pieces that had fallen off the top.

West returned to the bar after taking the trash out and started shouting orders. He had two hunters clearing tables and another gathering trash from tables. Another was wiping down tables.

Ellen washed her hands and asked West what he was doing.

West rolled up his shirt sleeves and started rinsing dishes before placing them in the washer. "You needed an extra set of hands."

Ellen stepped back as a hunter brought a stack of dishes into the kitchen. "I've got it."

Jo watched them while she caught her breath. She had an eye on the hunters that were helping so they didn't mess something up.

West turned the water off and pushed the button to send the dishes through the washer. "If you want me out of your hair, say so. I saw you and Jo rushing around and figured I'd help. Ash is running the bar. Your tables are cleared and I'm working on the dishes. All you have to do is load plates and they'll get taken out."

Ellen didn't know what to say. She chose to just tend to the food so it didn't burn.

Jo bit her lip to suppress a small chuckle. She met eyes with Ellen and darted out of sight because the look she was being given was a mean one.

West finished up helping Ellen get caught up and returned to the small conference to see how far others had gotten on compiling information.

Stacey got back to the kitchen and was surprised to see a state of calm.

Jo nudged her. "West swooped in and saved the day."

Stacey hid a smile.

"Are your boys okay?" Ellen asked, shooting Jo another look.

"Bored and fighting." Stacey said.

"If you need to head home, you can." Ellen offered.

"Yeah, mama and West have it covered." Jo said with a smirk.

Ellen smacked her with the towel. "Go make yourself useful."

Stacey moved so Jo could escape. "I'm fine to stay. Our usual nymph is over there keeping them in line." She carried more plates out and returned. "So, West seems to like helping out."

Ellen snorted. "I'm going to have to talk to Jo about running her mouth."

"I've seen the way he looks at you. Jo isn't just teasing you for nothing." Stacey said.

Ellen leaned against the counter and ate a few of the extra fries. "He is just being nice."

"Hunters aren't typically just nice." Stacey said.

Ellen chewed slowly.

Stacey saw a light pink spread across Ellen's face.

West stepped into the kitchen, "Jo said you wanted me in here."

Ellen blew air through her nose. "I'm going to skin her."

Stacey winked at Ellen. "And I think I hear the bell ringing."

Ellen growled.

West was confused. "Did you not tell her to get me?"

"No." Ellen said. She watched his face change slightly. "She is giving me a hard time."

West raised an eyebrow. "Is it about me helping you?"

Ellen was so out of her depth. "Yes."

"I didn't mean anything disrespectful about it. I know you can handle it." West said.

Ellen narrowed her eyes and walked to the doorway.

Jo squeaked and darted away before she got popped.

"She thinks you helped me to get my attention." Ellen said.

West leaned back against the wall and crossed one ankle over the other. "Well she isn't wrong."

Ellen snapped her fingers and stepped back toward the door. "Joanna Beth if you don't get your tail out of here…."

West chuckled.

"I don't know why you would want my attention." Ellen said.

"I can give you a list of reasons. How about I buy you dinner and we talk about it?" West said.

Ellen sighed. "I can't leave this place at dinner time."

"Alright, a cup of coffee tomorrow morning." West said. "I'll swing by and pick you up at 6." He knew any later than that and she'd worry about the bar.

Ellen agreed. "Alright then."

West returned to the message board and let Ellen process.

Ellen had Stacey take over the kitchen and stepped into the side room to clear her head. She heard Jo talking to someone on the phone in hushed whispers.

"It is literally the cutest thing. He- Ow, mama." Jo yelped. She rubbed her leg where Ellen popped her.

"You need to mind your business." Ellen said.

Jo told Kate to give her a second. "But mama, he is a good guy."

"I don't need you sticking your nose where it doesn't need to be." Ellen scolded.

"Did he ask her on a date?" Kate asked from the other end of the phone.

Ellen took the phone. "Katelyn, that goes for you too."

"Ah, come on." Kate said.

Ellen handed the phone back. "I'm getting coffee with him tomorrow."

Jo and Kate both squealed.

"Just coffee." Ellen said.

Jo told Kate that she'd call her back. "You have a wall up. I just helped knock it down long enough for you to see that he likes you."

Ellen shook her head. She pulled Jo in for a hug and kissed the side of her head.

Jo leaned into the hug, half expecting to get popped again. "Are you mad?"

Ellen let her go. "No. I haven't had anyone show interest in me since Bill. Well that wasn't drunk."

"They are scared of you." Jo said.

"If you call Kate back to gossip I am going to smack both of you." Ellen said.

"We weren't gossiping." Jo said.

"How is Kate?" Ellen asked.

"She is okay. She sounds tired." Jo said. "She has a list of ways to get information about Abaddon."

Ellen cleared her throat. "And what are those?"

"I don't know. She and Dean made a list. I think he said she could get all of her ideas onto paper so they weren't locked in her head." Jo said.

Ellen nodded. "You had better let one of us know if she says anything that isn't on that list."

"Yes, Ma'am." Jo said.

(Taylor)

Taylor got confirmation that a group of teenagers went to the haunted house. He got several versions of the same story and didn't know what was embellished. He'd have to ask Tessa. However, the general story was that the two that started the rumor were talking up the place. They said it was scary and the ghost was some old lady's ghost. The boys put on quite the show but, probably with the help of their reaper, kept the most theatrical things to when only those two could see them. It made it look like they were just spooked and over-reacting. He got a good laugh out of it and updated Kate.

Nate wished he had been there to see their faces. He knew the ghosts were technically real but they weren't dangerous. He had chosen a second venue for his birthday and the place had bumper cars, laser tag and a few other attractions aimed at people their age. "Come on, the go karts opened up."

Taylor followed Nate. It had been a very long time since he had raced go karts. "You might actually win."

Nate shoved him playfully. "Can't rely on those… skills." He said, careful not to use the word ability with so many people around.

Taylor was having a blast. He felt like a kid again. He was able to shut out the supernatural for a little while and just focused on trying to catch up with Nate. He took a turn, and another kid hit the back of his kart. He spun and smacked into a stack of tires. He laughed and rocked his head back until he stopped spinning.

Nate looped around smacked into Taylor for good measure. He heard a shrill whistle and gave the attendant a thumbs up to acknowledge that ramming into people was against the rules.

Taylor checked in with Kate and she said she was okay. He could just feel how heavy her heart was. He told her to let him know if she needed him and shut that part of his brain off to spend time with Nate. He deserved a break from the darkness.

(Dean)

Dean triple checked that everything was okay before picking up Kim.

Kim told him to come inside the apartment as she was having trouble with the bandage to her line. She couldn't completely see the bandage as it was on her chest and using the mirror was not helping. She had gotten part of her hair stuck and was a complete mess.

Dean told her to take a seat. "I'll help." He gently pried her hair away from the stickiness and put it behind her ear to keep it out of the way. The clear bandage that covered her chest was stuck to itself and not salvageable. "Do you want me to put a new one on?"

"A nurse usually does because it covers the port." Kim said. "Actually, could you?"

"Doesn't that need to be done in a sterile environment?" Dean asked, remembering something a nurse said at the hospital.

"Not sterile." Kim said. "I'll walk you through it."

Dean started to pick at the adhesive to get the bandage off and winced when she did.

"The glue is the worst part." Kim said. She was relieved when he successfully removed it.

Dean had a small voice in his head telling him that she was going to get an infection because he took the bandage off. He wasn't a nurse. He pushed the thought away because he was doing everything a nurse would. He finished putting the new bandage on and threw the trash away.

Kim finished getting ready and walked with Dean to the car.

"If anything changes with that, let me know." Dean said.

"It is fine." Kim said.

Dean eyed her.

Kim sighed. "If the tiniest thing changes, I will tell you."

Dean drove to the bar and parked. It was a little early for the bar, but trivia was probably more successful before people got drunk. He put a hand on Kim's lower back and walked her to the door.

Kim waved to her friend and walked swiftly to the table. "I've brought an expert."

The friend waved at Dean. "We had better win."

"I don't normally do stuff like this." Dean said.

"Kim said you were an expert. Don't let us down." The friend said with a smile.

Dean sat down and rested his hand on Kim's thigh. He was uncomfortable because they had their back to half the bar and people were in and out constantly.

Kim rubbed his hand. "Do we need to move?"

"No." Dean said. He could see a reflection in the window but kept himself on high alert.

A while later, Kim slapped the table and made Dean jump. "Hurry, answer."

Dean flicked his eyes to a screen. He told her the answer and she shouted loud enough for the coordinator to hear. "Why did you slap the table?"

Kim pointed at a button. "You have to hit the button if you know the answer. I knew you would know the answer."

Dean raised an eyebrow.

Kim grinned. "Be prepared to answer more."

Dean got through a few more questions before she smacked the table again. He answered correctly and squeezed her thigh. "Can you stop hitting it like that? You gasp and my first thought is something bad is happening."

Kim moved the button closer to her, so she didn't have to stand up to reach it. "Sorry, I got excited."

Dean loved the excitement, but he was wound tight. There was a string of science-related questions that no one knew the answer to. He answered one of them because he remembered bits and pieces of one of Kate's tangents. Kate would be good at trivia. He felt his phone in his pocket. Should he call her to check on her? He didn't have any calls and Bobby was with her. No, he needed to focus on trivia. One of the other teams was close in points and he couldn't help but let his competitive side slip out.

(Bobby's house)

Kate continued her work on Jacob's portrait. She wanted it to look like the typical newborn photos where the baby was wrapped in a blanket. She had a nagging thought in her head that made it impossible to concentrate. She didn't think she'd be allowed to go to the stream since Dean didn't want her to use her abilities. She pressed the heel of her hand against her eye as it started to hurt.

Karen watched her. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Headache." Kate said. She got through the stabbing pain and moved her hand.

"Is it an ability headache?" Karen asked.

"I'm not using any." Kate said. Was not using an ability an ability in itself? "I think I'm going to nap."

Karen let Bobby know and told Kate to take a nap on the couch so they could keep an eye on her.

Kate didn't want eyes on her but complied. She put a pillow over her head to block out light and lulled herself to sleep.

"How will we know if she is dream walking?" Karen asked.

Bobby sighed. "We can watch for reactions. Usually, if she is having a vision, she will tense up or grimace."

"Poor love." Karen said.

Bobby moved his research to the living room to keep a closer eye on Kate. He was waiting on a call from John about the hunt. If a hellhound was causing that much trouble, Kate was going to be a problem. She would not be able to stop herself from getting involved. The plan was not to tell her about it, but she was a smart girl. He just hoped she didn't argue or get in John's way. He was never someone to mess with but especially so when his kids were in danger.

Kate woke herself up in a dream. She was sitting on a bench near a pond. It wasn't her stream and there were no orbs. She also couldn't leave. She looked around for clues. Why was she there? Was it a vision or just a dream? She was tired, even while asleep. She startled when someone jumped over the back of the bench and plopped down beside her. She smelled the familiar sweet smell and let her eyes adjust to the influx of brilliant, white, light.

Gabriel toned down the angelic form. "You called."

Kate furrowed her brows. "I didn't mean to."

Gabriel looked at his arm as though he had a watch on. "Getting close to your birthday isn't it."

Kate nodded. She felt like time had slowed down and days crawled by.

"The big 13. No longer a little kid. A teenager." Gabriel said.

"Still a little kid as far as family is concerned." Kate said.

Gabriel crunched the candy he had in his mouth. "The little ones always get held back."

"Aren't you supposed to tell me to listen to my elders and stay where I'm told to stay?" Kate said.

"You already know that." Gabriel said.

"How am I supposed to sit back and watch when I am the most powerful weapon they have?" Kate asked.

"Real dilemma you've got there." Gabriel said.

"What do I do?" Kate asked.

Gabriel popped another candy into his mouth. "Do you feel different?"

Kate chewed her bottom lip. "Maybe."

"Do you feel yourself aging and growing wiser?" Gabriel asked.

"No." Kate said, getting irritated. "Wait, when do I change? I am 12. I am almost 13. Where is the change that I was told would be coming?"

"Silly girl. It has already happened." Gabriel said. "It is there, deep down."

Kate wanted to scream. "Please help me."

Gabriel looked at his pretend watch again. "That's all the time I have for today."

Kate grabbed his arm. "No! Tell me what to do!"

Gabriel smiled. "That a girl. Use that anger for good."

Kate's hand closed into a fist as Gabriel left. She was seething and felt nothing but rage. She grabbed a large stone from beside the pond and threw it, sending it halfway across. The stone sank with a loud gulp of the water and a small whirlpool formed, slowly siphoning water from around the edges of the pond. All of the water drained, leaving behind dry clay. She stepped on it and kicked another rock, uprooting it from the dense mud. Kate saw a small spark when her foot hit the. She kicked another and saw more sparks. She grabbed a fallen branch and threw that as well. As her arm cut through the air, a rip appeared in front of her eyes. It was as if she had punctured plastic wrap. She stared at it. Was it like the tear in the veil? Was that the veil? She reached into the tear and felt warmth. She wiggled her fingers and bent slightly to peer into the expanse. She only saw a mirror image of where she was. Except, the pond had water.

She felt something against her fingertips but couldn't see anything. She started to pull her hand back, but the invisible force wrapped itself around her wrist and pulled. She pulled back but the force was strong. She was pulled until her face was flush against the tear.

A soft voice whispered, "Stop fighting it." and let go.

She jerked her arm back and woke herself up. She opened her eyes and saw darkness. She moved the pillow and swallowed what felt like a lump in her throat.

"Are you okay?" Bobby asked.

"Yes. Dry throat." Kate croaked.

Karen poured her a drink and sat by her. "Do you feel any better?"

Kate gulped the water. "I don't feel worse."

Karen sighed. "Did you sleep?"

Kate rubbed her eyes. "Yes."

"You didn't have any visions?" Bobby asked.

Kate shook her head. "Just a dream about a pond."