Here we are, the final chapter. I wrote and rewrote this so many times, so hopefully you love it as much as I do. Thanks for following reading, I appreciate it so much.
Chapter Nine: The Road Ahead
"Harper, go get your brother and sister," Dean told his little girl as he was fitting luggage in the back of the Impala. "Mom's got us on a schedule, you know."
"I know, I know," the eight-year-old said with a dramatic roll of her eyes, turning on her heel and running towards the house, her ashy blonde hair whipping behind her as she shouted, "Robbie, Cas, c'mon!"
Dean watched her disappear into the house, a small smile on his face. It was summer vacation for the kids and he and Everly had decided they were gonna take a road trip. So he'd spent the past few weeks tuning up the Impala so they could take her for the trip, rather than Ev's newer, more spacious crossover SUV. The kids had whined after finding out they'd be in his car.
A few minutes later his eldest daughter flew out of the front door, now wearing a jean jacket over her little plaid shirt, followed by the twins, who were rubbing their eyes tiredly, their dark hair rumpled with sleep. They were five years old and they went to bed at 8 p.m., how could they be tired?
"Alright alright, in the car. Where's your mom?" Dean asked the kids, looking at Harper as she shrugged and climbed into the back.
"She's on the phone," Cassidy mumbled before letting out a yawn, and Robbie finished for her, "Something about stupid people at work."
"You know you're not supposed to say that, bud," Dean admonished halfheartedly, "Alright. You three stay in the car. I'll go get mom. Harp, you're in charge."
Dean closed the back door once all three little gremlins were in the Impala, he went inside and found his wife in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with her phone in one hand, her laptop open in the other.
"Look, I have to table this. We'll regroup when I'm back. My calendar is blocked off for the next two weeks, so send out an invite for after that," she rolled her eyes, setting her laptop on the counter and running a hand through her hair. "No, no. Don't push any updates until you get approval. It all holds until I can look through it thoroughly."
He loved watching her work. Everly was not someone to be taken lightly.
"Come on," he mouthed, tapping on his watch she'd gotten him all those years ago and motioning over his shoulder with his thumb.
She held up a hand and mouthed, "Five minutes. Do a sweep. Where's Miracle?"
Dean rolled his eyes but nodded and did a quick sweep of the downstairs, peeking into the living room, the guest bedroom and bathroom, and Everly's office before he popped upstairs.
Where had that dog gotten to?
He walked into Harper's room and smiled at the sight of her space, her bed was made, and everything was put away. Little model cars and action figures sat nestled amongst her Barbies and stuffed animals. She was so much like him it hurt sometimes.
Everyone called her his mini me, and she really was all the best parts of him.
Dean looked under the hood of the Impala, a portable work light making it so he could see every nook and cranny, a tiny wrench coming into his peripheral as now six-year-old Harper leaned into view, standing on a milk crate so she could see inside too. Her ashy blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a smudge of grease on her cheek.
The sounds of Van Halen filled the garage, and he wiped at his forehead, wondering what he should have her help with next.
The door from the house opened up and Everly came through, a playful smile on her face. "Time for a hydration break, you two."
"Hey Mom!" Harper chirped, beaming. "We're fixing Baby!"
Dean winked at Harper. "That's right, bug. She needs a little love, and who better to give it than us, right?"
He reached out and adjusted her safety glasses as he showed her what to do with the wrench, his voice soft and patient. "Alright, little girl, we're gonna tighten this bolt a little, just like I showed you, okay? Not too much force, just enough to make it snug."
Everly leaned against the Impala, arms crossed over her chest as she peered inside, brows furrowed.
"What exactly are you doing, Dean?" she asked, her voice laced with a carefully controlled calm.
He looked up, eyes crinkling in a smile. "Just teaching our little mechanic the finer points of engine maintenance. She's a natural, aren't you, Harp?"
Harper puffed out her chest proudly. "I helped Daddy!"
"I can see that," Everly replied, trying to keep her tone light. "But, bug, aren't you a little… young to be working on a combustion engine? There's all sorts of dangerous things under that hood, y'know?"
"Relax, Ev. She's just tightening a bolt, and she's wearing safety glasses. I'm right here, I'd never let her get hurt," Dean chuckled, but Everly wasn't smiling.
He knew Everly was protective. He'd seen it time and time again in everything she did. Harper was her first child, the one she'd handled with care since day one. Every scrape, every bruise, every cut, they were all treated with the utmost care and urgency.
"I appreciate you wanting to teach her something new, Dean," she said, glancing down into the abyss that was the engine. "But maybe we can start with something a little less… involved? Like polishing the hubcaps?"
Dean's smile faltered. "But, Ev, she really likes this. And it's important she learns to take care of things for herself, isn't it? Teaching independence?"
"Yeah, but she won't be driving a car anytime soon. C'mon, bug. I've been working on my chocolate chip cookie recipe and I could use an expert taste-tester."
Harper's face lit up, green eyes wide with excitement.
"Cookies?!" She hopped off the crate, abandoning the wrench without a second glance.
Everly took her hand, giving Dean a pointed look as she led Harper inside.
"Can we have ice cream too?" Harper asked, skipping along beside her.
As they walked into the house, Everly glanced back at him, and he realized that she'd caught the hurt look on his face.
He quickly plastered on a smile and gave a little wave, calling out that he had a few more things to do before he came in too.
Later, when all the kids were asleep, Dean was sitting on a bench in the garage, cleaning his tools. Everly slipped through the door, and he continued his task.
"Hey," she said softly, sitting beside him.
He shrugged, avoiding her gaze. His jaw clenched, and he wiped his hands on the rag he had been using to clean.
"I just wanted to teach her something I know," he grumbled. "It's important she knows how to take care of herself if she's ever on her own."
"I know that, Dean, but I need her to be learning to read chapter books. Teach her to tie her shoes without knotting them up. She doesn't need to be under the hood like that." Everly reached out, taking his hand and squeezing gently. "I know how important this is to you, Dean. But maybe save the mechanics til she's a teenager?"
Dean looked at her, understanding where she was coming from. He knew she was right, but he was just so eager to share everything he could with Harper, he sometimes forgot that she was just a kid.
"You're right," he admitted, exhaling and looking back at the Impala. "I just… I wanted to share something with her. Guess I got a little ahead of myself. But my dad taught me stuff at that age, and how I thought I should teach her?"
Everly turned towards him, and he mirrored her position, their knees touching as she reached out and cupped his face with both of her hands, her thumbs tracing the stubble on his cheeks as she looked at him.
"You're not your dad, Dean. You never wanted to be him, so don't feel like you have to do things the way he did," she told him. "Just be you. Teach her how to be resilient, how to be resourceful, how to be a good older sibling."
Dean could get behind that. All his father wanted was a soldier, an attack dog he could point in whatever direction he wanted and let loose. He didn't want that for Harper. He wanted to play games with her, read to her, and watch her grow.
Dean sighed, meeting Ev's gaze in with a soft smile. "So, no more engine maintenance for the tiny terror?"
Everly grinned back. "Not for another few years. And I can't wait to see you teach her to drive when the time comes. You gonna let her learn on Baby?"
His smile grew, and he thought about sitting in the passenger seat with a 16-year-old Harper behind the wheel, the hurt he'd been feeling earlier dissipating in an instant.
"Yeah, it's the only way to teach her."
Everly leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips once, then twice, then a third time before she patted his cheek and let go of him.
"Maybe we can start with taking her go karting," he suggested, and Everly laughed, shaking her head.
"You're too much, Dean Winchester. I'll just get her a bike, just like I had."
"Where's the fun in that?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "A bike's good, for now. Maybe a coding camp or something when she's a little older. She's good with technology, like you."
Everly's laugh echoed softly, eyes glinting in the garage light. "Coding camp? Really Dean? Never thought you'd be on board with computers, but I appreciate the sentiment."
"She can't be a mini me all the time, gotta let the parts that are her mom shine through too, I guess."
"Mm, you guess alright. C'mon, let's go inside." Everly rose from the step and pulled him up, lacing their fingers together and pulling him into the house.
He moved into Cas and Robbie's room and peeked out the window to look down at the Impala and make sure the kids were all still in the car. He was surprised to see they were all still in there. Half the time, one of them would've already gotten out and started rolling around in the grass of the front yard.
His kids were hard to wrangle sometimes, and he wondered if it was payback for all the hell he gave his old man growing up.
Dean let out a quiet chuckle as he watched his kids in the Impala. The windows were rolled down, and he could see their little heads bobbing up and down, probably arguing over which songs they wanted to listen to or who got to sit where. Robbie, with his wild mop of brown hair, was in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel like he was ready to take off. Cassidy, his more risk-averse daughter, was in the back, probably trying to negotiate peace between her siblings, who were likely bickering over something ridiculous.
Dean turned back to the chaos that was Cas and Robbie's room, taking in the scene of utter devastation. The Barbies and toy dinosaurs were scattered across the floor, remnants of their never-ending battle. A toy firetruck was tipped over, surrounded by plastic dinosaurs that had clearly launched a successful ambush. Dean could almost hear the sound effects his kids had made while playing, the way their laughter would fill the room as they created elaborate stories for their toys.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he debated whether to try and clean up a bit or just leave it for later. The kids would be back at it as soon as they returned anyway, and part of him loved seeing the evidence of their wild imaginations. It reminded him of when he and Sam were kids, back when they'd create their own adventures with whatever they could find.
Dean's eyes landed on a crumpled drawing on the floor, half-covered by a fallen pillow. He bent down to pick it up, smoothing out the wrinkles. It was a picture of the whole family and the dog, drawn in that charmingly imperfect way only a kid could do. Stick figures with wild hair and big smiles. He couldn't help but grin at how Cas had drawn the Impala in the background, its wheels far too big and slightly misshapen. But the idea was there, the love and care that went into drawing it. Dean felt a warmth in his chest as he folded the drawing and slipped it into his jacket pocket, a small keepsake he'd tuck into his journal later, after he'd shown Everly.
He glanced back out the window, and this time, his heart swelled with pride. Robbie had climbed into the backseat with his siblings, and now all three of them were huddled together, their heads close as they looked down at something in Cas's hands. Dean squinted, trying to make it out, and realized it was a map. Probably planning their next adventure, just like he used to do with Sam.
It hit him then, how much things had changed. He used to be the one in the backseat, planning hunts and road trips with his brother. Now he was the one watching over his kids, hoping they'd grow up with the same sense of adventure but with a whole lot less danger.
He gave the room one last look, deciding to leave the battlefield as it was. Dean headed out of the room, more than ready to join his family and hit the road. The mess could wait. Summer was for making memories, and he wasn't about to let anything get in the way of that.
Except he had to find the dog first.
"She's got the twins drawing them now too," Dean groaned as he slid a few sheets of paper across the kitchen counter to Everly. She took a look through the papers, each one depicting a more and more abstract version of a dog.
First it started with Harper pointing out dogs whenever she saw them in books, on TV, or when they were out, asking if she could have one. They'd quickly shut her down, redirecting her attention elsewhere.
Now, she had gotten the twins involved, telling them how cute and nice dogs were, and how they would all have so much fun with one.
It was all the three of them could talk about, some days, and it was driving Dean insane. He'd thought the six and two four-year-olds would let it go, but they only seemed to be more committed to the cause.
He and Ev talked about it, more than once. When Harper first made her interest known, the twins were only a few months old, and they were still settling in. They decided to table it until they were a little older, and apparently now they were interested in a dog too.
It was all Harper could talk about. She wanted a best friend, someone to share secrets with. The twins just liked anything with four legs and a tail. Everly saw the potential for teaching responsibility and having an outlet to exhaust the kids' seemingly unlimited energy. Dean? He mostly saw a lot of slobber and the potential for chewed up furniture.
"Things are hectic enough as it is… But Harp's in school and the twins are in pre-school," Everly mused, her fingers tracing over the brown blob with stick legs Harper had drawn. "You're putting in a lot of time at the fire station, do we have time for a pet?"
"It's not time I'm worried about, I'd make time," he shrugged, a shriek from the playroom catching their attention, but when no other noises followed, he focused on Ev again. "I'm more worried about safety. How do we know the kids aren't gonna try and ride him? Or pull his tail? And if they wind him up enough, is he gonna snap back?"
Everly smiled knowingly, "If you're worried about being a good dog dad, don't be. And I think if we set ground rules with our gremlins, they'll listen and be good with a dog. They're always gentle with the neighbor's dog."
He had no idea how she always saw through him, but she did. Of course he was worried about having a dog. His life had never really been ideal for having a pet, and he remembered when Sam went through a phase where a dog was all he wanted for months. Their old man hadn't liked that very much.
"You're right," he nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe we should go take a look."
Dean wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow, between Everly's reassurances and his kids' begging, they found themselves pulling into the parking lot of a rescue the following weekend.
Happy Tails Rescue smelled exactly like what it was, and their group was met by Mrs. Henderson, the short woman they had made an appointment with. Before she could even speak, Robbie took the initiative and ran past her, Cassidy hot on his heels as Dean groaned to himself, grabbing them before they could get too far.
The chaos started almost immediately. The twins were mesmerized by the barking and wagging tails, and Everly had to keep a grip on their hands to keep them at a good distance. Robbie was talking about how he wanted the biggest dog they had, and Cassidy was busy assigning a new name to every dog they passed. Harper wanted a better view from high up, so she'd insisted that Dean carry her.
"Maybe this wasn't a good idea," Dean mumbled over the din, but Harper swatted him on the head and told him to shush.
While Everly wrangled the twins, Dean walked past each of the kennels, pausing so Harper could inspect each one. After a bit, she'd shake her head, dismissing the dog with a hum and a quiet, "Not this one, daddy."
He wondered how his daughter had become so discerning, and what she was looking for in her forever friend. When he opened his mouth to ask what her criteria were, she gasped and patted his shoulder, telling him to put her down.
Harper wriggled out of his grasp and moved down to the next kennel, her eyes wide as she peered in.
"Daddy, who is this one?" she asked, her little fingers gripping the wire of the door, a wide smile on her face as she looked at the sandy colored terrier mix with fur falling into his eyes that had carefully approached her and was now sniffing her fingers.
Dean looked at the card that had all of the dog's information, about to read it as Mrs. Henderson approached.
"We call him Lucky," she told them, "But considering that he's had such bad luck lately, it almost feels cruel. He's been so scared after his owner abandoned him, and he's been having a hard time adjusting to being here. Want to meet him outside of the kennel, Miss Winchester?"
Harper looked up at Mrs. Henderson and nodded, "Please, please, please!"
"Okay, let's get you set up outside."
Dean watched carefully as Everly sat with the three kids, making sure they knew the rules while Mrs. Henderson brought Lucky out to meet them.
They all watched in quiet awe as the dog finally came into view, staying close to the woman until they approached the small group. Mrs. Henderson handed the leash off to Everly, who immediately held out her hand for Lucky to sniff, and she softly told the kids to do the same.
He hadn't seen his kids this quiet in forever, it was honestly a miracle.
"This is the first time anyone's wanted to meet him out of the kennel," Mrs. Henderson said, sidling up beside Dean. "He's young, over a year and a half, probably, but being left… has affected him. I think with the right family he'll come into his own."
Dean couldn't help but relate.
Harper giggled as the dog rolled over and showed his belly, letting her pet him there. Everly looked up, eyes wide, but a smile on her lips. She gave him a nod, and Dean knew.
Out of nowhere, a big, stocky dog came from Dean's peripheral, bounding towards Everly and the kids, and before he could even react Lucky had jumped up and placed himself between his family and the other dog, baring his teeth and barking at the bigger dog. Everly pushed the kids behind her, and locked eyes with Dean, who had reached into the back of his jeans for a gun he knew wasn't there. Old habits die hard, he guessed.
A woman came running after and quickly grabbed the leash that was dangling from the dog's collar, and she led him back towards her side.
"I'm so sorry!" she apologized, "I didn't realize anyone was outside so I let Frank go out ahead of me!"
Dean wanted nothing more than to rip the lady a new one, but it seemed like it was an accident, and nothing happened other than everyone getting spooked. He knelt down as he approached Lucky, holding out his hand and letting him sniff. Lucky gave a few tentative sniffs, then gave him a small lick and turned his attention back to the kids.
"Now that's a miracle if I've ever seen one," Mrs. Henderson said with a hand to her chest, her brows furrowed.
"What's it gonna take to get him out of here?" Dean asked, more than sure that this was the dog for his family.
A few signatures and a donation later, he and Everly were herding the four of them into the Impala– Harper, Robbie, Cassidy, and the newest addition to their little family.
The drive home was complete chaos. Robbie and Cassidy fought over who got to hold the leash, Harper was telling Lucky, who she had renamed Miracle after hearing Mrs. Henderson say it was a miracle that they'd come in that day, about all the toys and treats he was going to get, and Everly kept glancing back to make sure everyone was still buckled in. Dean, meanwhile, was trying to keep the peace while also navigating the city streets.
He was starting to wish they'd driven Everly's crossover.
Back at the house, the chaos only escalated. Miracle, overwhelmed by the new surroundings, hid under the kitchen table. The twins were determined to crawl under there too, while Harper was trying to coax him out with a squeaky toy.
"Alright, everyone settle down!" Everly finally called out, clapping her hands to get their attention. "Let's give Miracle some space to adjust. Harper, why don't you go and show your brother and sister how to be gentle on one of your stuffed animals?"
"I know how!" Cassidy protested, reaching for Miracle, who flinched away.
"Cassidy Seraphina, no ma'am," Dean reached down and pulled her out from under the table. "Let's all take a deep breath and give the little guy some space."
He carried her out of the kitchen and called for Harper and Robbie to follow, the pitter patter of little feet following making him sigh with relief.
They set up a bed for Miracle in the corner of the living room, and while the kids were getting ready for bed, Dean noticed that he'd moved to the bed and curled up, seemingly exhausted from the day's events.
Dean found Everly seated on the floor beside him, stroking his fur gently.
"He's really something, Dean," she whispered, and Dean kneeled down to join her. "I can tell he's gonna love it here."
Dean scratched Miracle behind his ears, earning a lick to his wrist. "He's a good dog, Ev."
Late that night after the kids were finally asleep, Dean did a sweep of the house, more out of habit than anything.
He could hear Everly moving around upstairs, winding down for the night, and he couldn't wait to join her in bed.
All the doors and windows were locked, cars were in the garage, and the place was relatively neat. Dean looked down at the food and water bowls that were now on a mat on the kitchen floor, and he couldn't help but smile.
He had a dog now. Something his father would never let him have because it was just one more thing to worry about.
Dean refilled the water bowl and glanced around, looking for Miracle but unable to find the scruffy mutt.
He continued his sweep upstairs, peeking into the twins' room, making sure they were asleep. Surprisingly, each of them were in their own beds tonight. Normally they put up a huge fight to sleep in one bed, or one moved in the middle of the night. He wondered how long that would last.
Next he looked into Harper's room, taking in her sprawled out little body, her favorite stuffed animal covering her face, and he shook his head with a smile. She slept like Sam did when they were kids.
He spotted a little lump curled up at the foot of her bed, and he bit back a laugh. Of course the dog had decided her bed would be his bed too.
Satisfied with his sweep, he went into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He let out a deep sigh, tired from the craziness of everything that had happened today.
Everly popped out from the bathroom, her blonde hair piled up in a bun on top of her head and face covered in a layer of pale green goop.
"Y'know, I think I ganked a monster that looked like that once," he grinned, and Everly rolled her eyes, playful swatting at his arm as she went and washed it off.
"Ha ha, very funny," she muttered, climbing onto the bed and settling against the pillows. "This is self care, Winchester. Something you should consider trying sometime."
Dean smirked, tugging off his shirt before flopping onto the bed beside her. "I dunno, sweetheart. I think my version of self care is a little more fun." He wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh before she shoved at his chest.
"You're impossible," she sighed, but her tone was full of warmth.
Dean propped himself up on his elbow, feeling playful despite the long day they'd had. "C'mere, let me help you with your moisturizing."
Everly grabbed a bottle of lotion off her bedside table and tossed it in his direction, and Dean quickly settled himself so he could apply it to her legs. He started with her thighs, then moved down to her shins, pressing a kiss to her calf as he worked.
"You really think we did the right thing today?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
Everly reached up, brushing a hand over his cheek. "I think we did something good today. And I think Miracle is already part of the family, whether you're ready to admit it or not."
Dean huffed out a chuckle, taking her hand and starting to lotion up her arm.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Feels kinda nice, y'know? Having a dog. Always wanted one when I was a kid, but…" he trailed off, his expression darkening just a little.
Everly knew where his thoughts had gone, so she threaded their fingers together.
"Well, you have one now. And our kids are gonna grow up with him. That's something, huh?"
Dean squeezed her hand. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."
Everly smiled, giving his hand one last squeeze before letting go and stretching out with a yawn.
"Now, get some sleep, dog dad. You've got a big day of chasing kids and a puppy around tomorrow."
Dean groaned, throwing an arm over his face. "What the hell did I get myself into?"
Everly just laughed, turning off the lamp and settling in beside him. But even in the darkness, Dean couldn't help but grin.
It was gonna be a lot, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it.
"It'll have to wait. I'll try and look it over but no promises," she moved to hold her phone with her shoulder as she typed something out on the computer. "Yeah, mmhmm. Road trip with the family. Reception will be spotty. Yes, he's still my husband. Yes, he's still obscenely handsome. I know. It's a crime against humanity. I'll let you know when the next firefighter calendar drops, I promise. I'm hearing he's gonna be Mr. October. Gotta go! Bye."
Everly hung up and heaved a sigh, "Have I told you I need a vacation?"
"Well it's a good thing we're going on one," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest and kissing the top of her head. "Pack it up. Kids are in the car. Still can't find the dog tho–"
Miracle came trotting in from the living room, fluffy tail wagging, eyes lit up with excitement as his leash dragged behind him, and Dean quickly picked it up and looped it over his wrist.
"Looks like one of the kids got him ready, but forgot to bring him outside," he grumbled.
"Hm, I wonder where they learned that from," Everly teased as she put her laptop and its charger in a backpack, as well as a familiar notebook and her wireless headphones, and Dean shook his head.
"I thought we decided no work."
"I won't touch them unless I get a text saying that everything, and I mean everything has gone nuclear, I promise," she held out her pinky, beaming up at him when he wrapped his around hers and they pinky promised. He smiled, thinking of the tattoo she had gotten a few years ago on their anniversary, a thin outline of their pinkies intertwined on the back of her right arm, just above her elbow. He had a matching one on the inside of his right bicep.
"I'm gonna hold you to it," Dean told her, still not convinced that she was going to stay away from work stuff.
"I'd really rather you hold me to something else instead," she winked before zipping up her backpack and tossing it over her shoulder, "Sam's gonna meet us at the house, right?"
Dean nodded and held out his hand, lacing their fingers tougher as they headed out the front door, Miracle in tow. "Yep. He and his goons for kids are gonna be there at the end of the week, so we'll have a few days without them."
Their road trip was taking them down to Lake Tahoe, where he and Everly had bought a cabin a few years ago. He still couldn't believe they had a lake house, but he loved it.
"Good," she smiled, "Now c'mon let's go before Harper tries to hotwire the car, again."
They locked the house up and left hand in hand, a huge grin on Dean's face as he pressed a kiss to the top of his wife's head.
"This is gonna be a good trip, Ev, I can feel it."
Everly flashed him a smile and nodded, getting into the car after he opened the passenger door for her. Next, he opened the rear passenger door and let the dog hop in back.
When he got in too, he noticed that the kids were all eerily well behaved, buckled up and not making a peep, all of them petting Miracle like he was the most interesting thing in the world.
"What'd you all get up to while mom and I were inside?" Dean asked, ignoring the sound of Everly's phone ringing.
"Nothing!" Harper and Robbie chimed, and Dean zeroed in on Cassidy, his sweet little canary.
"Cas…" he started, Everly's voice answering her phone interrupting him as he tried to get her to spill what they had been doing.
"Hi Castiel, what's up?"
"Uncle Cas!" The kids all started to chatter excitedly, trying to say hello, and Dean told them to quiet down.
"Yeah, we're going down to the cabin. You gonna stop by? The kids would love to see you…" Everly nodded, and Dean could see her mind working as Cas was talking on the other end of the line. "Okay, perfect. Great. See ya there. The kids have been asking about you nonstop. I'll tell them you say hi."
Everly said her goodbyes to Castiel and hung up, turning back to face the kids as she played with the lucky penny that hung from around her neck.
"You guys gonna be good for the ride down? If you aren't, I'll call Uncle Cas back and tell him not to come," she warned, and Dean fought back a smile as he started up the car.
"We'll be good, we promise!" Cassidy swore, holding out her little finger for Everly to take, making a pinky promise on behalf of her siblings.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Dean grinned, pressing a tape he'd made into the cassette player and waited as the sounds of Led Zeppelin filled the Impala while he pulled out of the driveway.
A chorus of "Daaaaaaad" and annoyed groans started up almost immediately and Dean shook his head and shot Everly a look, "You're the reason why their taste in music is bad."
"You think I want to listen to the stuff they ask me to put on?" Everly shot back, "I am not the reason we failed as parents."
"Doesn't matter, you know the rules Ev. Driver picks the music," Dean chimed as he pointed toward the backseat, where the kids chorused, "shotgun shuts their cakehole."