Author's note: Four weeks of school down, so many more to go. I have been working on this chapter with the tiny bits of free time I find. I still can't eat so I'm weak and tired. I wound up going to the hospital and needed potassium and magnesium plus three liters of fluid. I swear I am cursing myself at times with what I write because after I post it, it happens in real life. My ketones were high due to starvation. Some of Kim's stuff has happened (not surprising as I'm sick) and my dryer started smelling smokey the other day. The illness stuff is probably because deep down I know something is off but am too tired to pull it to the front of my mind. The dryer was a coincidence. Maybe I should write about them randomly finding a million dollars and then see if I can too. (I'm kidding)
(Sioux Falls)
Caleb and Dean were right about things going too well. In the next week, demon activity grew more noticeable. Ellen had an endless string of reports about the demons. Most hunters did not hunt demons. They were too dangerous. The Winchesters had become specialists against their will. The upside was that they did have ways to get rid of demons beyond just an exorcism. That meant that they were busy and away from home.
Kim got out of the hospital with a few accessories that she wasn't fond of. She tried not to complain since she was able to leave. She couldn't spend another night in a hospital bed for fear that she would go insane.
Dean made a deal with Kim that he would focus more on the demons if she promised to alert a nymph if she felt dizzy or off. He would still check in but the demons were a bigger problem.
Bobby took Kate to the library for textbooks. He supported her interest in how TJ could communicate. He wasn't fooled by the distraction. He knew her mind was still spinning but the brief reprieve would be good for her.
Kate spent all of her free time reading books. If she could figure out why TJ couldn't speak, she would be ahead of scientists. If she could figure out communication in general, she could help a lot of people. How many coma patients could hear their family? How many stroke victims would function at a higher level if they could just speak again? What about people who experienced trauma so severely that they lost their voice? Was she going to be one of those people?
Taylor wanted to help with the demons but was firmly told no. He had arguments ready to go but Dean reminded him that arguments didn't work. He would just wind up in hot water.
TJ's family was given a small house not too far from Andy's house. The crew moved them into the house and helped them get items that had been lost in the fire. It was hard for TJ to adjust but he did his best. There was a slight problem forming as TJ grew more comfortable. He didn't understand why he couldn't walk from his house to Andy's house. It wasn't far. He didn't have to cross many streets. With that logic he had shown up twice and knocked on the door, startling April.
Alyssa apologized profusely both times. TJ had been an eloper but she thought he had grown out of it.
For obvious reasons, April and Caleb did not want TJ to show up randomly. He was always welcome but the short walk between houses left TJ vulnerable to more than just strangers with windowless vans. Unlike Jimmy, TJs parents were legitimately concerned and apologetic.
TJ just simply did not comprehend why it was an issue. He didn't like strangers. He would never get into someone's car like that. He looked both ways before crossing the road.
The issue was temporarily fixed by gentle compulsion to remind TJ to wait for an adult. A nymph was also stationed outside of his house. More and more of the nymphs were moving into the neighborhood. The joy that children felt as they ran around the park or their backyards was almost medicinal. That's all they needed to be happy. Plus, they communicate with their sisters from far away.
(Marie's house)
Marie felt like she was sitting on her hands. She felt the growing tension but was in no position to do anything about it. She worried day and night about something happening to one of them. She considered the entire crew to be her family, not just Taylor. Not just John's kids. It was everyone. Caleb's family, Jody's family, James and Desiree, even Hannah. Her heart was big and she had no limit to the amount of people she could love.
Rod could see Marie unraveling and knew he needed to get her to focus on something besides the things that could happen. Thanks to the nymphs, the crops were growing in ways that he had never seen. The greenhouse had to be expanded and the vegetables inside were carefully tended so that they continued to grow in cold weather. Although they did give a lot of it away to other families, they still had growing piles of tomatoes taking over the pantry. He asked Marie if she wanted to can or cook as much as she could so that they had food if they were put on lockdown.
Marie absolutely wanted to do that. She and a few nymphs sat down to plan out how they were going to tackle the mountain of fresh vegetables.
Rod enlisted the help of three young farmhands to gather an obscene amount of jars. He paid the farm hands well but scraps and leftovers from the various recipes were worth more than the money.
Furniture was moved around and rooms were cleared to make room for folding tables and cooling racks. The stove was on nearly 24/7 and the house smelled of zucchini bread, pasta sauce and soup.
When Rod was asked why his crops were doing so well, he just said that it was about time they had a good year. That was a good enough explanation for the other farmers as sometimes, farmers did have a good year with no known cause.
The kids were used to running all over the house so the introduction to the glass jars were somewhat uncomfortable. Ben almost knocked a whole table to the ground and also burned his hand from the steam of a pressure cooker. It put a temporary damper on having a lot of people over but it was short lived. They would have a big get together when things weren't so crazy.
(Wednesday)
John and Dean were both exhausted from fighting demons. For every ten they got rid of, ten more showed up. It was similar to the ghost incident but these spirits were not passive. Why were they out? Was it to distract them or just to make things harder? They weren't sure so they worked with their makeshift family to be on the look out for anything they could be distracted from.
Speaking of the makeshift family, Jacob was fitting in perfectly. Dean had his phone on speaker so that he and John could talk to Sam and Jess and Jacob had a lot to say. He babbled and squealed excitedly so much that Jess had to take him out of the room so the boys could discuss demons.
Dean caught John smiling without an ounce of annoyance. He would inform Sam later once he was out of head smacking distance. "That kid is going to have a hard time drawing a family tree."
Sam chuckled. "It shouldn't be too bad. He doesn't need to attempt the tree that connects Taylor and Kate to us. Alright, what is the plan?"
"Gank demons." Dean said.
John shook his head. "There are a lot. I think we should cast a larger net and take out more than two or three at a time."
"Are we going to put holy water into the drinking water?" Dean asked.
John didn't think that was an absolutely horrible idea but the only way they could make that effective would be by draining Kate and that was not going to happen. "If we trap them in a large area, civilians could be bigger targets. They will know a hunter is trapping them."
"Too many going up in smoke raises the alarm." Sam said.
Dean chewed his cheek. "Hell knows about hunters. They know about us. Taking out the masses may piss them off but they'll assume it was us anyway."
John pinched the bridge of his nose. Dean wasn't wrong. How had his family gotten so deep into this that demons were targeting them in droves. They were playing a dangerous game of chess with a type of being that didn't play by the rules.
The adults had gathered and discussed continued concerns about safety. They also discussed how far out of the family demons would go to hurt the family. People like Hannah and Nate were obvious targets. What about TJ? What about classmates? Would a demon level an entire town just to force their hand? Was there anything they could do to protect an entire town or was that what the demons wanted them to focus on?
Unfortunately, it was looking like they needed to try Kate's idea of talking to a few demons. Kate would just, ideally, be nowhere near the conversation.
(School)
Taylor went about business as usual until Hailey asked him an uncomfortable question. "Why did he try to kill you?" The question was unexpected and unprompted. He didn't have a chance to come up with a great explanation. He couldn't admit that he had healing abilities and that Craig thought he was a shapeshifter. He couldn't keep avoiding her questions because she knew things were bad. His while walking to Sonic divulged far more than he wanted.
"You were just a kid." Hailey said.
Taylor wanted to shield her from the dark parts of the world but she wasn't buying the sunshine and rainbows version of events. He looked at his watch to figure out how much time they had left outside before the next class started. Too much time for him to wait for the bell to ring. The art teacher had given them disposable cameras to capture things around the school. A mini rainbow, the angle of the roof of the school to a fence that ran beside it. Hailey had him backed into a corner. "Something happened to him when he was deployed. It messed him up. He was really drunk and we got into an argument. He thought I was one of the enemies and that's why he tried to kill me."
Hailey studied Taylor's eyes. How could someone go through that and not turn out messed up themselves. "Is that why the house blew up?"
Taylor bounced his leg. "Uh, something to do with that."
Hailey sighed. "I have tried not to ask you about stuff. I just want to understand you more."
"There are other things, though. You don't have to know all the lame scary stuff." Taylor said.
"I want to know, though." Hailey countered.
Taylor stood up and cracked his back. "I don't like talking about it."
"I talk about my stuff with you." Hailey said.
"It is different." Taylor said.
"Because you don't trust me." Hailey said, sadly.
Taylor hid his irritation. He felt like he was being interrogated. "Stuff happened when I was younger. I don't like talking about it. I like to think that part of me died with the house explosion and I get to have a completely different life where none of that stuff is relevant anymore."
Hailey gave up. She hated that he guarded himself but understood why he did. "I'm going to take photos of the other cheerleaders."
Taylor grimaced. "Okay. I'll probably meet up with Nate." He watched her walk away and felt guilty. Was that going to be a source of contention? Could he go his whole relationship with her, giving vague answers? It wasn't like they were adults and he was hiding things from his wife. Would it feel like that one day, though?
Kate was less concerned with blending in than she had been. If they sent her home, she was fine with that. Maybe if she acted even crazier, they'd let her be out for a week. Was it recommended that crazy people be homeschooled or did they have to go to a special school? How long until John needed to show "proof" that she had seen a psychologist? The only reason she wasn't outright entering a fugue state was that it would put extra work on John's shoulders.
Andy liked school a lot better since Jimmy was leaving him alone. The teachers liked him because he helped TJ. He had both Owen and TJ in his class and as a bonus, he and Owen got to leave for lunch three minutes earlier because they escorted TJ. TJ went early so he could get out before too many students filled the cafeteria. It was a definite perk. Another perk was that TJ was really smart. If he couldn't figure out a math problem, he took a peek at TJ's paper. If the homework was too much, he'd ask TJ how much he had gotten done and 'make sure the answers were right'. Of course they were right. He just took a mental picture of the answers so that they could be right on his paper as well. TJ didn't care and probably didn't even realize that Andy used his paper as a cheat sheet. It was just another way that TJ helped Andy and Owen without having to do anything.
At first, Owen got worried that TJ would replace him. He saw the connection that TJ and Andy had and felt left out. Andy still played with him, though. He thought TJ was fun to play with too. Most of all, TJ made him a VIP as far as school was concerned and he was soaking up every benefit he could.
Ian didn't have to think so hard about school because he just got to play with toys and eat snacks. In a few years, he would be gravely disappointed that preschool was not like elementary school and the older he got, the less snacks he was allowed to have. He ran around the small playground with another kid that he typically played well with. He stopped and waved at a tree, causing the nymph inside to worry that she was poorly hidden. A teacher saw it but most of the kids did similar things so she didn't give it a second thought.
The nymph wondered if he waved, assuming they were there or if he could tell the difference in the trees. In their human form, they emitted a soft light that children could see. However, when in tree form, they became part of the tree and would not be detectable by even the most experienced hunter. Ian was his own unique being, though, and they were frequently surprised about little things that he was able to do.
(John and Dean)
Dean pulled his flannel off and grumbled about it being one of his favorites. Things got messy with one of the demons and he caught most of the liquid that flew across the room. He didn't know what it was and he didn't want to know what it was.
John stretched as he stood beside his truck. Sometimes he could feel the years creeping up on him. "You can head home."
Dean poured water over his hands. "I'm still good with a few more hunts."
"I don't want the kids alone for long." John said.
Dean nodded. He was back to being a babysitter. He wanted to hunt but John trusted him to protect the kids, just like he trusted him with Sam. Bobby and Karen were also trusted but not in the way that Dean was. Dean was supposed to possess a magical ability to shield them from all threats. He couldn't though.
"Bobby will be back later and the kids will be off of school. I'd like to know how Kate handled today." John said.
"Oh, yeah. Bobby is going ghost hunting." Dean said.
"I'll let you know if I need you back out here with me." John said.
Dean called a nymph to take him back to Bobby's house considering it would take him a few days if he drove back. The only thing he didn't like about teleporting was that Baby felt neglected.
(Bobby)
Bobby drove back to the little green house. He had spoken to Sam and Jess and told them he would check out the ghost issue. He didn't want Sam attempting to do something although he was fully capable. He knocked on the door and listened for movement inside. He heard footsteps and stepped back, waiting for the door to open.
The older man opened the door and greeted Bobby, asking what he could do for him.
"My nephew's fiance really likes this house and I wanted to ask a few more questions." Bobby said.
The man welcomed him in, letting his wife know that they had a visitor.
Bobby made small talk and asked questions about the house, gently gauging how forthcoming they were willing to be. He eventually asked why they kept turning down offers for the house.
The couple traded a look and didn't immediately answer him.
The man sighed and searched for an answer. "We have a lot of memories here."
Bobby prodded but kept his questions somewhat vague. He reached a point of no return and rubbed his face. "What happened here?"
"Pardon?" The wife asked.
"How long have the cold spots and flickering been happening?" Bobby asked. He quickly added that he wasn't being judgemental and really just wanted to help them.
"A long time." The wife said.
Bobby expected them to flat out deny that there was a ghost but it seemed as though they were fully aware and had accepted that one was living in the house. He coaxed them to talk about who the ghost could be.
The husband looked pained as he admitted that the ghost was their son. He explained that the child had suffered a severe asthma attack brought on but what they believed to be an allergic reaction. It happened during the night and no one knew about it until they woke up the next morning.
The wife added that the boy was sickly from birth and rarely attended school outside of the home. His older siblings adored him and so did his parents. He was well loved and cherished, even after he was gone. Because he was so sick, he was attached to his family, especially his mom. It was this reason that they thought that he couldn't cross to the other side.
Bobby nodded. If he had died violently, his ghost would likely be violent as well. "Has he spoken to you?"
"I've heard him humming songs or playing with toys." The husband said.
Bobby processed the story and offered to help the boy's ghost move on.
The parents felt guilty but knew that his soul would be happier if it wasn't trapped. They just didn't want him to think that they didn't love him anymore.
Bobby stepped outside to grab his bag from the car and returned to the house. It was not often that he dealt with friendly ghosts. He pulled out what he needed and placed items on the kitchen table. He explained the process and allowed the parents to speak out loud so that the boy would know that they wanted him to be at peace.
The boy appeared in his ghostly form and spoke clearly for the first time since his passing. He agreed to leave as long as the parents promised that they would be okay.
Bobby helped the ghost leave the house and instantly felt a sense of relief. He excused himself to give the couple a chance to grieve. Even if they decided to stay, their son was in a better place.
(Sioux Falls)
Dean had time to eat and talk to Karen before the kids were due home. He figured he'd just pick them up since John wanted eyes on them. He stopped by the middle school first and groaned when a teacher waved him over. Now what? He messaged Taylor to let him know where he was and got out to talk to the teacher.
"I'm so glad I caught you. I was going to send an email but since you are here, I will just hand you the letter." The teacher said.
Kate saw the two talking and trudged over with her head down.
The teacher ran back inside to grab a folded letter. "Kate has done nothing wrong. We are just worried about her wellbeing."
Dean opened the letter. It just detailed some of Kate's episodes and requested that she be seen by someone. Dean put a soft hand on Kate's shoulder and thanked the teacher. At least she didn't make a scene out of it.
Kate was quiet and just fell into the backseat.
"Kiddo, what is going on?" Dean asked, driving toward the highschool.
"I can't pretend to not be crazy anymore." Kate said.
Dean reached back to lightly swat Kate's leg. "You aren't crazy."
Kate sat up. "My track record says differently."
Taylor slid into the front seat and glanced back at Kate. They traded a short conversation in their heads before Taylor turned back around.
Dean got a call from Jody.
Jody had an odd case that she wanted Dean to look at. It didn't hurt that the kids would be there either.
(The odd case)
Jody and the Sioux Falls police department handled almost everything inside their jurisdiction. Sometimes they'd send officers to other areas to help find missing people or control an angry crowd. Sometimes they requested help from larger agencies when something was too big or too complicated for them to handle. The strings that Jody pulled to add Dean to their list of consultants were calculated and purposeful. She knew her boss well enough to know that he would find an interest in Dean. Dean was young but resourceful. Jody didn't have to go into detail about how Dean tracked people or how she knew him. He solved a few cases and that was enough to solidify his position on the list of people to call when things didn't make enough sense for traditional investigation strategies to be helpful.
There was a database of unsolved cases that grew larger each day. Jody knew that a portion of the cases were probably supernatural related. She found a particular case that sparked her interest and she knew it would spark Dean's as well. There were other cases surrounding this particular case and deep down, she knew they were connected.
Karen let Jody into the house and told her that Dean was due back any moment.
Jody chatted with Karen while she waited. She heard the rumble of the impala's engine and accepted the drink that Karen offered her.
Kate was out of it when she walked into the house and didn't register that Jody was there.
Jody looked concerned. "Are you alright?"
Kate blinked. "I'm too crazy to be at school."
Dean groaned. "Again, you aren't crazy."
Jody held her arm out so Kate would walk into a hug. "Oh, sweetie. What is on your mind?"
"A lot." Kate said. "I got spacey at school and am supposed to be having a mental evaluation."
"Why don't you go help Karen." Dean said.
Kate sighed. "That's all I am. The help."
Dean lightly smacked her head and gave her a look to tell her to stop calling herself crazy.
Jody sat down in the chair opposite from Bobby's desk and rested a stack of folders on her lap. She opened the top one and handed Dean a photograph.
Dean studied the photo. The kid in the photo looked normal. Nothing stood out as strange.
"That photo was taken about a year ago." Jody said.
Dean raised an eyebrow. "Is he missing?"
"Well, that is complicated. According to the report, a man and his son were out camping when they heard someone yelling for help. They followed the yelling and found this young man standing in the middle of the forest, looking confused but unharmed. He had no idea where he was but he said his name was Christopher Hicks and he knew his birthdate, where he lived and who his parents were." Jody explained. She handed Dean a separate file.
Dean opened it. He saw the name and a very similar photo. "So, he went missing and showed up in the woods?"
"Look at the dates." Jody said.
"Christopher Adam Hicks, last seen December 8, 1992. Age 14." Dean said. He looked back at the photo. "This kid can't be more than 14."
Jody handed him another file. "Look familiar?"
Dean pulled the tattered photograph from the file. It was older and obviously well loved. The kid in the photo was missing his two front teeth and reminded him of Andy. He rubbed his temples and looked back at the files.
In 1980 a family and their three children left church on a beautiful Sunday evening and drove down to the river to have a picnic and for the children to play in the water. The parents tidied up from their picnic and allowed the children to wade out in the knee high water. All there were excellent swimmers and within a few yards of the blanket where the parents sat. The children gathered sticks and rocks to make a small dam and laughed and played as the sun beat down on them. After an hour or two, the parents called the children back over to grab a drink and cool off. The youngest of the three children, a 5 year old girl, announced that she needed a restroom so the mother took her hand and walked up a well marked trail to a restroom. The middle child, a 7 year old boy, told his dad that he needed to go as well and was instructed to step behind a tree as no one else was there. When the mother and daughter returned, the father and oldest son were watching a large deer in the distance, talking about how they'd like to come back with hunting rifles and take out the deer.
The mother looked around. "Where is Adam?"
The father spun around. "He is here." He looked around as well. "He just stepped behind that tree."
The family yelled Adam's name and looked for him. He loved playing hide and seek. When they were unable to find him, they eventually decided that he might actually be lost and not just playing. The family had to get into their car and leave to call for help as cell phones were not a thing at the time. They quickly returned with several police officers and a dozen people from their church. The father took his wife and other two children home as it grew darker. He returned and continued to search through the night for his son. They covered miles of terrain over the next week and found no sign of the boy. It was as if he vanished into thin air. After months of no leads, the assumption was that an animal took him or he wandered off and fell into a deeper part of the river.
A few years later, in another state, hundreds of miles away, a young boy ran from the trees into a farmer's field. The farmer saw the boy running and turned his tractor off. He called the boy over and tried to ask what was wrong but the boy was frantic and incoherent. He took the boy to the hospital where he was found to be in good health.
The boy said his name was Adam and he was 7 years old. He said that he was by a river with his family and then suddenly he wasn't. He told them every detail he could think of and begged to go home to his parents. Unfortunately, at the time news of missing people didn't make it quite far enough for them to know about his previous disappearance. Eventually the boy was put into foster care and later adopted by a kind family. The family listened to his stories about his other family but as instructed by child psychologists, they didn't take him too seriously. They gave him the first name Christopher after the husband and let him keep Adam as his middle name.
Chris started to forget his previous family over the years and started to think it was all just a bad dream. For the next seven years he lived as Christopher Hicks. For his 14th birthday, the family saved up their money and went on a road trip to see the grand canyon. The night before the family planned to make their return trip home, Christopher and his friend that had tagged along walked out to the hotel pool to swim before having to call it a night. The pool was small and in ear-shot of the hotel room that his parents were in.
His adoptive father heard his friend yelling his name and quickly ran out to the pool. He asked where Chris was and immediately checked every square inch of the pool area, hotel and parking lot. The police were called but within a week, it was clear that Christopher was gone and no one knew what happened to him.
A few years later, the father son duo found Christopher in the middle of the woods, yelling for help. He told the authorities everything he could remember. They even contacted the supposed adoptive family but they denied that the boy in the photo was their son that had disappeared so many years earlier as the boy would have been a young adult by that time. Christopher was adamant and became aggressive when no one would listen to him. He was deemed a risk to himself and others and placed in a pediatric psych facility where he had been for the past year.
What Jody picked up on was the reports that were made about what the boy told the police. They had direct quotes although no one believed him. They just assumed he had been through something terrible and he was experiencing psychosis. Some of the keywords that were used in the reports meant more to Jody than they did to the average officer.
"What do you want to bet that he isn't crazy." Dean said.
"Could you look into it?" Jody asked.
Dean rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know how to go about speaking to some kid in a psych ward without looking like some kind of creeper."
Kate appeared in the doorway to Bobby's office. "You are in luck. I happen to also be suffering from psychosis."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "You are not."
"I can talk my way into the facility and talk to him." Kate said.
Dean couldn't shut the idea down. He groaned and told Kate to go away. He had no idea what would make a child disappear and reappear unharmed. He also thought that letting Kate spend time in the looney bin would get her placed there permanently.
(Stanford)
Sam was in classes for a few more hours but Jess was done for the day. She had a nymph bring Jacob back to the apartment and started the afternoon routine that they had naturally fallen into. She would let him roll around on a blanket on the floor, talking to him and showing him different things that he found interesting.
Jacob's absolute favorite thing was the cat. He would giggle wildly when his face was brushed by Milo's tail. Milo was gentle if Jacob grabbed his tail and only hissed once when his hair was pulled.
Jess gently pulled Jacob's blanket toward the kitchen so that she could start preparing dinner while also keeping him close to her. She shook her head as she smoothed the blanket out because Jacob started fussing. She told him that Sam would pull him around as soon as he got home.
A week or so prior, Sam had gotten the idea to pull him around the apartment on his blanket, earning him a fit of giggles. Of course, Milo also enjoyed the activity and Sam frequently got suckered into pulling them around each afternoon.
Jess pulled a pot out of the cabinet to boil pasta and turned the stove on. As she was waiting for the water to boil, she heard a knock at the front door. She stepped toward the door, intending to see who was at the door but a second, much harder knock nearly shook the door. Her heart jumped into her throat. She wanted to scoop Jacob up to protect him but made herself calm down. She cleared her throat as she got closer to the door and asked who was on the other side.
Her uncle gruffly told her to open the door.
Jess swallowed and cracked the door, asking if everything was okay.
Her uncle pushed through the door, causing her to stumble back. He informed her that the people that would be moving into their apartment wanted to move in sooner and offered more money to do so.
Jess was startled and stammered. "We had 30 days."
The uncle was annoyed and told her they no longer had 30 days and they needed to be out of the apartment by the end of the week.
Jess's head was spinning. She tried to ask why he was being so aggressive as he was her uncle.
Her uncle threw out several reasons for his attitude, making it seem that the couple had been horrible tenants.
Jacob let out a cry, causing both Jess and her uncle to turn around.
Jess rushed over and picked Jacob up.
"Who is that?" The uncle asked.
Jess was afraid to answer.
The uncle didn't actually care. He was focused on money and his niece was not giving him as much as the new tenants would. He had assumptions about Martha and Ross and Jess's inheritance. There was a lot of family drama that dated back to before Jess was born. He gave Jess a written notice and slammed the door on his way out, leaving her standing in the middle of the room.
Jess rubbed Jacob's back and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry he scared you. He scared me too." She remembered the water on the stove and quickly turned it off, unable to think about dinner. She needed Sam but he was in class. She knew her uncle wasn't a demon because he walked through sigils but she was still scared. She checked the time and paced to slow her heart. Within a few minutes she decided that she needed someone there with her since she had Jacob. She thought about who Sam would call and quickly dialed John's number.
John showed up five minutes later with a nymph, looking pissed off and on edge. He softened upon seeing Jess and Jacob and asked if she was okay. He got more details about the conversation and asked the nymph to stay to keep an eye on things. He didn't want to overstep but Jess was somewhat frozen. He asked her if it would be okay if he started to pack their stuff. He wanted to kick the uncle's teeth in but it was probably best if they just left the apartment as soon as possible. He called Marie and asked if they had a spot to put boxes so that they'd be kept clean and dry until Jess and Sam could move somewhere. He organized things with a few nymphs and quickly started placing items into boxes. He talked Jess into going to Marie's house while he and the nymphs cleared the house.
Two hours later the uncle returned, banging on the door. He had a packet of papers that needed to be signed and he wanted them signed immediately. He expected Jess to open the door but was met by a solid wall. He blinked and stepped back.
John looked him up and down. "What do you want?"
"This is my niece's apartment." Her uncle stammered.
"You act like it isn't." John said. "Jess is not available right now."
"She needs to sign this." The uncle said, holding the pack of papers up.
John took the papers and tossed them onto a small table by the door. He didn't move or ask anymore questions.
"She and Sam need to sign those right now." The uncle said.
"They will get signed and I will personally bring them to you." John said. He stepped back and shut the door, not giving the uncle a chance to say anything else.
Sam saw the uncle stomping away from the apartment as he walked down the sidewalk and jogged over to make sure Jess was okay. He got to the front door and was met by John. "What happened?"
"Jess's uncle wants you to be out by the end of the week." John said. He got Sam inside and locked the door behind him.
Sam looked around the living room. He couldn't comprehend why John was there and why there were so many boxes next to the door.
"He was verbally aggressive. She got scared. She called me and the nymphs and I are almost done clearing your stuff. Marie has a safe spot for you to store things." John said.
Sam just blinked.
John put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "Jess, Jacob and Milo are at Marie's house."
Sam rubbed the back of his head. "We had 30 days."
"Jess will have to explain what happened. Everyone is safe." John said.
Sam looked at the walls. "The sigils."
One of the nymphs held up a paint brush. "Covering them."
Sam sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands. "I wasn't here."
"You were in class. Jess is okay." John reminded him. "The nymphs will get your stuff to Marie's house. You and Jess can stay there as well. Nymphs can take you to class."
Sam realized he needed to get to Jess and Jacob to make sure they were really okay.
"Go to Marie's house. I have things covered here." John said.
Sam just nodded and stood up, grabbing a heavy box so that the nymph didn't have to. He was grateful that John had a handle on things because his brain was not working.
Jess rushed to Sam and hugged him when he appeared in Marie's doorway.
Sam rubbed her back. He didn't immediately ask for details. He first asked if she was okay and checked on Jacob.
Jess then told him about the conversation. She apologized that she called John instead of him but explained that she didn't know what else to do.
Sam told her she did the right thing and started to get his thoughts straight. He was mad. He was hurt. They were okay though. They had a place to go and weren't too terribly inconvenienced. It was just the attitude toward Jess that pissed him off.
Luckily, Bobby had fantastic news. The couple in the green house were thankful that their son was able to move on and more than happy to sell the house to Sam and Jess. They just needed time to pack their own stuff.
Sam hugged Jess. "Maybe it was meant to be."
Jess felt her heart warm. She was so angry at her uncle but it didn't matter.
Marie got Sam's attention. You have long arms and I have jars to put on that top shelf.
Sam smiled and kissed Jess. "I'll be back."
Dean and the kids went to Marie's house as well because Dean was pissed about the uncle but also needed to talk to John about the case. Did it have anything to do with the weirdness that surrounded them? In no way did he think that Jody picked a case to distract him, he did think that the case meant something.
Taylor wanted a task so he didn't feel so antsy. A lot of the things being discussed didn't concern him. He got the okay from the adults and volunteered to take boxes to the bunker. He knew how Marie organized things and could fill up a shelf in no time.
Dean, John and Sam sat down to talk about the uncle situation and it was quickly decided that, while annoying, he wasn't much of a threat. He wouldn't be able to bother them if they weren't in the apartment. He may ask how they moved out so fast but John said that he would handle correspondence since he needed to drop off papers anyway.
The case of the time traveling boy was a longer conversation that Dean swore would take a few years off his life.
Kate ignored Dean's looks and explained her point of view to John. Who else was going to be able to enter a pediatric psych ward without raising alarms? Who had multiple notes from the school filled with concerns for her mental health? If she was going to be a basket case, she might as well use it for good.
John didn't say yes but did say that he would look into the facility. He didn't want Kate to be bait but in that situation, she wasn't really bait. She was a plant.
(The bunker)
Taylor pulled jars out of boxes and placed them on metal shelves, taking inventory of each jar. Aside from the nymphs popping in and out, the bunker was silent. When he slowed his breathing he could hear distant vibrations from cars or animals digging in the dirt. It was somewhat unsettling.
He thought about Hailey and how inquisitive she was. Surely, it was normal. Surely she hadn't been tipped off by some evil person that he might not be an average human. He was an average human not too long ago. He didn't worry about fitting in. He looked like every other kid. He hung out with normal kids. Now, he had grown paranoid and had forgotten what normal felt like.
He emptied another box and traded the nymph for another full box. He sat down on the floor to stack things on the bottom shelf. He stopped suddenly and looked behind him. Somewhere deep in the bunker was a sound that called to him. He abandoned his task to search for the sound. He walked down a long hallway and turned right. The hallways seemed endless and like the bunker was a maze. In a way, it was. He didn't know if the Men of Letters planned it that way for security or if they got carried away with their building materials.
The sound brought Taylor to a closed door. It was locked. He placed a palm against the door and closed his eyes, listening to the odd sound. He rested his head against the door for a moment before jumping back, nearly stumbling into the wall. His eyes were wide and his heart was in his throat.
"What were you doing?" John asked.
Taylor's face was red. "I heard something."
"Kate got freaked out and said you were in danger." John said.
Taylor swallowed hard.
"The crystals are in that room." John said.
Taylor licked his lips. "I didn't know. I wasn't going to go in."
John put a hand on Taylor's shoulder and steered him back toward the kitchen. "You are not in trouble so calm down."
Taylor felt like he had been caught doing something bad.
"Those crystals are strong and affect both of you." John said. "We will have the nymphs put the rest of the stuff away or stack it up for later."
"I can finish it." Taylor said.
"Right now you need to get away from those crystals." John said, firmly.
Taylor sighed. "Okay."
(Bobby's house)
Kate apologized to Taylor when he got back to the house.
"It is okay. He just scared the hell out of me." Taylor said.
"I could feel the pull of those crystals and saw you at the door." Kate said.
"No harm, no foul." Taylor said.
Bobby returned in time for dinner and told the family about the ghost. They swapped updates about their day and had a peaceful evening.
Kate and Taylor went to bed but John and Dean stayed up to talk to Bobby and Karen. John was worried about how out of it Taylor had been when he showed up. He was worried about Kate's mental state.
"Kate might need to go to that mental institution." John said.
Dean pulled a face.
"To research. Not to stay." John added.
"I don't like it." Dean said. "Those places can keep kids forever."
"We have more than one person that can compel a psychiatrist to allow someone to leave." John said. "I don't like it either but I don't see how else we are going to interview the boy."
"We could ignore the case." Dean said.
John eyed him. "Are you going to be able to do that?"
Dean sighed. "No. If this kid is time traveling or being taken through portals I think we should know how. It is a little too on the nose to ignore."
(Upstairs)
Kate stared at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep, which wasn't abnormal.
"Looks like you might be going to the nut house." Taylor said.
Kate had heard the conversation as well. "Dad agrees with something I came up with."
"Maybe the world is ending." Taylor said. It got quiet as they casually listened to people talk downstairs. "Hailey keeps asking me questions."
"What kind of questions?" Kate asked.
"About what happened with Craig. Why he wanted to kill me." Taylor said.
"I'm surprised it took her this long." Kate said.
"I don't think I like it." Taylor admitted.
"What are you going to do?" Kate asked, turning her head towards him.
"Hope she stops asking questions." Taylor said.
Kate looked back toward the ceiling. "Just tell her to stop."
Taylor chewed his cheek. "I think that will make her mad."
"Why would she get mad if you set a boundary?" Kate asked.
"You, of all people, should understand." Taylor quipped.
Kate rolled her eyes. "I get mad when it is Dean or dad. This is entirely different. Winchester boundaries are soul crushing."
"I will talk to Hailey." Taylor said.
"Let me know if I need to compel her." Kate offered.
Taylor didn't say no right away.
Kate rolled onto her side. "Only if the questions start getting dangerous."
"Yeah." Taylor said. He wanted to say something but he felt like he shouldn't. He finally decided to just say it. "You know how you came up with an idea to summon demons to bribe them?"
Kate sat up. "Yeah."
"I heard them talking about it." Taylor said.
"And?" Kate asked.
"They think they may not have a choice." Taylor said.
Kate fell back onto her pillow. "This is going to take another two years and I don't have two years."
"Crowley down your neck?" Taylor asked, although he already knew the answer.
"His little mutts show up everywhere." Kate said.
"Why did you stop telling us about them?" Taylor asked.
"What good does it do?" Kate asked. "They can't do anything about it and knowing they are there makes them worry."
"I can't believe that you are so calm about hellhounds watching you." Taylor said.
"Maybe if the hellhounds were the worst thing watching me, I'd be more scared." Kate said.
Taylor sat up and leaned his back against the wall. "I can feel demons."
"They get sneaky and hellhounds are different." Kate said.
"I know but I can feel their strength." Taylor said. "What if the strength has to do with how far gone the soul is? New demons are weaker. Maybe they'd be easier to turn."
"Maybe you'd be able to pinpoint demons we could talk to." Kate said. "You could at least try."
"Dad wouldn't let me. He wants us far away from demons." Taylor reminded her.
"I'm not saying we should go looking for any but if one was to show up, I think we could figure out how demonic it is." Kate said.
Taylor had the same train of thought although he felt like he was plotting something behind John's back. He wasn't trying to, atleast.
"I wonder if you can bribe a hound like you can with a normal dog." Kate said, thinking out loud.
"With what? The body of a small child?" Taylor asked, scoffing heavily.
"If they wanted something, they could just take it." Kate said.
"Don't they follow orders?" Taylor asked. "That's why they don't go rogue and eat a whole town."
Kate was too quiet for too long as she let her mind take her away on a rive of questions.
"Kate. Don't try to tame the hellhounds." Taylor said. "Do not mess with the hellhounds."
"I wont." Kate said.
Taylor groaned. "Katie. Please tell me you understand why even thinking about using the hellhounds is a horrible horrible idea."
"I know they aren't bunnies, Taylor." Kate said. "I'm not going to approach them."
Somehow Taylor wasn't convinced. "No demons, no hellhounds, nothing. You and I cannot get involved."
"I'll take the ass kicking if I'm able to save the world." Kate said.
"No. Don't think like that. Do not compare the ass kicking to anything." Taylor said. "That has never, and will never work in your favor."
"Can't kick my ass if I'm dead." Kate said.
"They can when you come back to life." Taylor said, feeling a little frantic. "We have to work together. If not, a lot of people are going to suffer."
"I promise not to do anything without dad's permission. I cannot promise that I won't think about the possibilities." Kate said.
"I regret moving back upstairs." Taylor said, lightly.
"I'm going to think about it with or without you. I could have had this whole conversation with myself." Kate said. "I don't need your input to lose myself in my head. Taylor, go to sleep."
Taylor felt himself growing too tired to sit up. He fell over onto his bed and pulled his blanket over him. "Don't compel me."
"If I was compelling you, you'd never know." Kate said. She waited for his breathing to even out, telling her he was fast asleep.
(Thursday)
John found Jess's uncle's office and knocked on the door. He didn't step back when the door opened and made the uncle uncomfortable right away.
"I need them here in person." The uncle said.
John shoved the packet of papers into his chest. "Witnessed by a notary. Signed and dated."
"I would like to speak to my tenants." The uncle said.
"They are no longer your tenants." John corrected.
"I do not know you and you do not speak on their behalf." The uncle stammered
John smirked. He held up an envelope. "Says right here that I can speak on their behalf. Any correspondence you wish to have with them will be through me."
That made the uncle mad. How dare this man come into his office and push him around.
John cleared his throat, handing the man a card with his number on it. "That includes non business related correspondence as well."
"You're trying to tell me I can't talk to my own niece." He spat.
John nodded and opened the door. "Exactly. I'm glad you understand." He closed the door behind him and shook his head. He wanted to turn around and say what he really wanted to say but leaving would piss the guy off more than anything.
Sam finished his morning class and met up with John outside the building. "How did it go?"
"We came to an understanding." John said.
Sam shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry you had to take time away from hunting."
John stopped him. "You are more important than a hunt."
Sam eyed him.
"The demons will be there. You just focus on school, Jess and the baby." John said.
Sam showed him a pathway that would allow him to be out of sight when a nymph took him back to his truck. He thanked him and sat down on a bench to clear his head. He should have been able to stand up to the uncle. He probably took John more seriously than he would Sam, though. He had not inherited the foreboding presence that John had. He was lanky and still had a baby face. At least Jess liked his baby face.
(Sioux Falls)
Kate didn't go to school but Taylor did. Taylor wanted to talk to Hailey and get the awkwardness behind them. He told her that talking about what happened makes him have flashbacks and asked her to stop asking.
Hailey was sad but agreed to stop. She still wanted to know but not at the expense of his well being.
Kate focused hard on Dean's case. She thought about creatures that could pull people through time. She could… probably. Cas said angels struggle with time travel. She thought about the fae and decided to talk to an expert.
The expert, Charlie, had stacks of research based on fairies. She and Aislinn spent time together, reading and talking about the mysterious creatures. Of course, Aislinn viewed it as Celtic folklore. A lot of the information was passed down from generation to generation, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. As much as she loved the idea of time traveling fairies, she had to admit that the case didn't have the hallmarks of a fairy abduction. That was, unless the investigating team didn't document fairy circles and shiny objects found nearby. They couldn't fully rule out fairies.
Dean didn't think fairies were involved but since the nymph discovery, he had learned not to say things like that. "The kid doesn't have any memory between jumps. He looks the same and looks unharmed. Why would fairies yank a kid from one time frame to the next more than once?"
"Maybe he spends time with them and then they wipe his memory." Charlie said.
"Why?" Dean asked.
"I would have to ask them." Charlie said.
Dean rubbed his face. "How are you going to ask them? Hmm? Where do you even find them? You can't go searching through the forest."
"We can search the forest." Kate said.
"No. If fairies were responsible, they could do the same thing to you." Dean said.
"No, they'd be nice." Charlie said. "They'd see that I mean them no harm and we could chat."
"They aren't kittens, Charlie." Dean said.
"You don't even believe in them so you have no say on their temperament." Charlie countered.
"I'm going to talk to the nymphs." Dean grumbled.
"I want to be part of the conversation." Charlie whined.
"You are getting carried away and think this is some magical adventure." Dean said.
"Uh, because it is." Charlie said.
"Just hold your horses. Let me look at this from another angle before you throw on a pair of wings and skip off into the forest." Dean said.
Charlie told Kate that Dean was insufferable.
Kate agreed.
"Oh! Cy sent me something." Charlie said, scooting her chair closer to a file cabinet.
"What kind of something?" Dean asked.
"Something that could be useful." Charlie said.
Dean rubbed his temples. "Do I need to come over there?"
"You are always welcome but you could also just listen for a second." Charlie quipped.
Dean threw up his hands.
Charlie told them about the list of properties that Cy found and the amount of money put into each property. "It is just flat land on satellite."
"How do you know what it looks like on satellite?" Dean asked.
"I looked." Charlie said.
Dean narrowed his eyes and grabbed Kate, showing up in Marie's house a moment later.
Kate ran up the steps to talk to Charlie.
Marie waved to Dean. "What brings you here?"
Dean pointed up the stairs. "Those two."
Marie smiled. "Well you just let me know if you want something to eat."
Dean smiled back. "Thank you. I'm going to try to talk to them." He knocked once on Charlie's door before opening it.
"That was really rude." Charlie said.
Dean sat down on her bed. "I'm a visual learner."
Charlie handed him the paper.
"How did you use a satellite?" Dean asked.
"The government has a ton." Charlie said.
Dean leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Did you hack into a government database?"
Charlie snorted. "Well, duh."
Dean palmed his face.
"It isn't that hard. Took me two minutes. Do you want to see?" Charlie asked.
"No." Dean said. He bounced his leg and chewed his cheek. "Actually, yes."
Charlie clicked through several pages and entered numbers and letters into the keyboard. "Here."
Dean blinked. "That is the satellite?"
"Yeah." Charlie said. She typed in a known address and zoomed in to show Dean the detailed photos of the main strip in Las Vegas.
Dean had to admit it looked pretty damn accurate.
Charlie typed in the coordinates of one of the properties that Cy sent her. "See, farm land."
"That could be an old photo." Dean said.
"It is recent." Charlie said.
"So they could be pouring money into a future build." Dean said.
"I think the build is already there." Charlie said. She entered more coordinates and scrolled out to view the larger area.
"Those are equally spaced out." Kate said.
Dean connected the dots with his eyes. He asked Charlie to look at the rest of them from an even higher view. "Can you connect them with lines or something?"
Charlie pushed a button and connected each dot with a line.
"Looks like a spider's web." Kate said.
Dean dialed John's number. "Web or not, that has to be to trap something."
(Friday)
Sam ran into Brody on his way to class. He acknowledged him and fell into step with him, chatting about coursework.
Brody had to boast about the new girl he had been dating for a week. He had a new one almost every week. "How is Jess?"
Sam sighed. "She is good. We are both ready to be done with school for the summer."
"What about Jacob?" Brody asked.
Sam's eyes lit up as he told Brody about every tiny thing that Jacob had learned since the last time he asked.
"My sister's baby doesn't do much." Brody said.
"You mean your nephew?" Sam said, snorting softly. "He probably does. You just aren't around him that much."
"Are you still moving?" Brody asked.
Sam stopped walking. "Why?"
Brody raised both eyebrows. "Because you are one of my best friends and I'm curious if you're going to be here next year."
Sam relaxed. "I'm sorry. Her uncle has been an ass lately. We are moving after finals."
"Do you need anything for the new place?" Brody asked.
"My family is helping us." Sam said.
"Look. My mom asked and I've gotta tell her something or she will hound me." Brody said.
"I can't think of anything." Sam said.
"What about for the baby?" Brody asked.
"Diapers." Sam joked.
Brody grabbed his phone. "That will get her off my back."
Sam shook his head. As much as Brody tried to act like a typical frat boy, he did have a good heart. "Later, man." He said, splitting from Brody to go to his next class.
Jess was nervous about class. She was nervous about leaving Jacob. What if her uncle showed up on campus? She'd tell John. The nymphs had her back. She felt a degree of strain when she was back in Stanford. It felt like the town had been tainted in some way. Her heart longed for cozier places where she felt safe. She kissed Jacob on the cheek and chuckled when he turned to lick her face in his version of a kiss. She wiped her cheek and handed him to Marie. She touched his foot and smiled at him. "Be good."
Marie bounced him. "Don't you worry about him. We have a whole day planned."
Jess slipped her backpack over her shoulders and stepped outside so she and the nymph could make the trip to Stanford. She thanked her companion and stepped onto the sidewalk, looking to make sure no one was near enough to see her appear out of thin air. She hurried to her class, not liking how she felt out in the open. Just a few more weeks and she and Sam would be far away from California.
(Sioux Falls)
Far too quickly, Kate found a way into the facility that held the mysterious boy. The swiftness forced John's hand but she didn't intend for things to happen that day.
John asked Dean to go with Kate. He had something else to look at and trusted Dean to handle the operation.
Dean was nervous although Kate wasn't. Mental facilities creeped him out. Part of him was always worried that he would end up in one when he was younger. He had also dispatched at least a dozen ghosts from abandoned mental hospitals.
Kate noted the artwork that covered the walls, painted or drawn by many different peoples. She thought that it was a good sign.
A woman called Kate's name and waved them toward a door.
Dean took a deep breath and stood up, reaching for Kate's hand.
The woman introduced herself as Lilly and pointed to two chairs on one side of a table. She had gotten a referral from Kate's usual therapist but she needed to ask her own questions to evaluate Kate.
Charlie had written the referral and created a website for a fictitious doctor. As far as the facility knew, Kate's doctor was well known and highly trusted.
Lilly asked Kate if she knew why she was there.
Kate shrugged. "I'm delusional."
Lilly sighed. "There is a concern for your mental and physical health."
Kate told her about the visions and different aspects of her life that made her sound insane. It felt good to tell someone, though.
Dean grimaced. He hated that Kate was being seen in that light.
Kate was allowed to step into the dayroom while Dean spoke to the therapist.
"When did some of this start?" The therapist asked.
Dean was uncomfortable. "Probably when she was 10. Her mom and dad died. I think that started it."
Lilly asked how they died.
Dean gave her a vague answer but mentioned that Brian's death was traumatic.
Kate felt oddly at home in the dayroom although she could feel tension in the air. She floated around the room, checking out art and puzzles, as any normal kid would do. She glanced back at Dean and gave him a subtle nod that she was okay.
Lilly allowed Dean to watch Kate from the window. "You seem scared for her to be here."
Dean winced.
"That is okay. You love her. Even if I find that she would benefit from long term services, she is not going to be held here. She has a supportive family and that makes all the difference."
"So she could just get therapy sometimes?" Dean asked.
"Of course. We also have a day program." Lilly said.
Kate was invited over to a group that was working on planting flowers in pots. She could hear a variety of thoughts that told her what each person was struggling with. One suffered from OCD while another just sounded sad. She thought that they all seemed sad, but not mistreated. In the corner of the room, by himself, sat an older boy with a scowl on his face. He thought about the hatred he had for other people and how much he wanted to kill a certain member of the staff. That was alarming and she wondered if the staff knew about how he felt about that nurse. How could she tell them without them asking how she knew?
A teenage girl introduced herself as Nova and scooted over so that Kate could share her station. She was bright and cheerful.
Kate wondered why she was in a facility. She seemed so normal. Her thoughts were light and loving. She was no expert in psychology but assumed she would be able to figure out each kid's diagnosis just by studying them.
Nova showed Kate around the dayroom and chatted with her. "Are you going to be staying here?"
Kate shrugged. "I don't know yet."
"It is fun here." Nova said, looking away from Kate.
That is when Kate started to feel it. The anxiety and fear.
"Do you really like it here?" Kate asked with a light compulsion.
"Yes." Nova said. "I have my own room now. I get to decorate it. There are plenty of groups and things to do here. The food could use some work."
Kate furrowed her brows. Nova wasn't lying about how she felt about the place. She touched Nova's arm and read her, swallowing her reaction. Her heart was torn and she wanted to hug her new friend.
Nova had been at the facility since she was 11. She was rescued from a horrific situation that left her with severe trauma. The first few years she was scared that they would hurt her or worse. She wouldn't let anyone touch her and she wouldn't talk to anyone. She developed alternate personalities to hide her true one away where she didn't have to feel the things she had before. It was only in the last few years that she was able to trust people and participate in therapy. 90 percent of the time she was Nova. The other 10 percent she slipped into a childish persona that lived in terror.
Kate was angry at Nova's parents and all of the other adults in her life. She tried to ignore the anger so that Nova didn't mistrust her as well.
Dean answered question after question, feeling guilty that Kate was experiencing the things she was. He wanted to get in her head and take away things so she could be a normal 12 year old.
Kate ate lunch with the other children and was introduced to almost everyone. She spotted her target and asked Nova who he was.
"That is Chris." Nova said. "Total sweetheart."
Kate waved at him. She made a point to stick with him so that she could learn more about his vanishing act. From the outside it looked normal or at most like she had a crush on him. "Hi, my name is Kate."
The boy looked tired and depressed. "Chris."
Nova asked if Kate could hang out with Chris so she could work on another project.
Chris said that was okay but wasn't very talkative.
Kate thought that Nova made an excellent partner although she had no idea why Kate was there. Kate didn't have to awkwardly try to befriend Chris because Nova set them up. She could tune in and hear Dean speaking to the psychologist. She wondered how much was an act and how much of what he was saying was how he really felt. She didn't have a ton of time to beat around the bush so she asked Chris if he could show her around outside. They got permission from a staff member as there were plenty around to keep an eye on everyone.
Chris walked with his head down and his hands in his pockets. "Uh, those are the swings." He tilted his head to the left "That is the basketball court."
Once they were far enough away from a staff member to whisper, Kate warned Chris that she had specific questions.
Chris just shrugged.
"What happened when you left your family?" Kate asked.
Chris slowly looked at her with furrowed brows.
"The first time. When you were playing in the water." Kate said. "Look, I know something weird happened. We saw your case file and I don't think you are crazy. I think you really were taken from your family and thrown into the future."
Chris chuckled. "Yeah, right."
"My time is limited. I'll have to go back inside and talk to that lady." Kate said.
"So you belong here too." Chris said.
"Probably but not for this. Things happen that people can't comprehend so they label you as crazy. You aren't crazy." Kate said.
Chris didn't want to open up. Every time he did, the adults just told him he was having delusions again.
"Did you see, hear or smell anything before you woke up somewhere different?" Kate asked.
"It was a long time ago." Chris said.
"It has happened more than once." Kate said. She saw a staff member watching them closely and grimaced. "My family investigates things that can't be explained by science. If you want someone to help you, we are the only chance you are going to get."
"There is a ringing sound that happened both times." Chris said.
"Like a bell?" Kate asked.
"No. I've never heard anything like it." Chris said.
Kate touched him and read him. She wouldn't have enough time for a full interview. She gasped and stared at him. "Have you heard it lately?"
Chris stepped back. "Some. It is faint. The other times it was loud and I thought other people could hear it."
A nurse stepped out and called Chris back inside for medication.
Kate followed Chris back inside and met eyes with Dean through a window.
Lilly called Kate into the office and let Dean stay while she asked questions. She thought Kate was incredibly bright. She noted an array of concerns due to Kate's body language and some of her answers. Still, she thought that outpatient therapy and family support would be enough to help her manage her grief. Some of the children were there for a month while others were there for years. Children like Nova would be there until they turned 18 because it was the only safe place they knew.
Kate was able to briefly tell Chris that she would help him and tell Nova thank you for showing her around. Those two people were going to weigh heavily on her for a very long time.
Dean got Kate back to the car and shut her door after she slid in. It was his way of confirming that she was indeed in the car and not being left inside. "What did you find out?"
Kate's face darkened. "Nova's parents were worse than demons."
Dean sighed. "What about Chris?"
"He can hear the veil." Kate said.
Dean cranked the car. "The one you can hear?"
"Maybe. It makes the same sound but I don't know if it is the same system." Kate said.
"I guess that proves this wasn't a coincidence." Dean said.
"Chris may be able to travel through rifts." Kate said. "Although, the timeframe and the way he returns is weird. Why does he return the same age as when he left?"
Dean blew air through his nose. "I have no idea, kiddo. I am sure Sammy could throw ideas around with you."
"Are they back from school yet?" Kate asked.
"I don't think so. They both have classes." Dean said.
Kate smirked. "We should visit."
Dean tapped the breaks. "Why?"
"Ruffle her uncle a little." Kate said. "Harmless mind tricks."
Dean had an internal fight with how badly he wanted to do a variety of things to the uncle but also knew he needed to be the adult in the conversation. "We can't."
"That took you a really long time to say." Kate said.
Dean shook his head. "You can't mess with people's heads like that."
Kate frowned. "Can we send him a box of glitter that will disperse when he opens it? Oh or put a rotting fish in an air vent!"
Dean reached over and flicked her leg. "How about you talk to dad about that."
"Oh, come on. Live a little." Kate said.
"We have bigger fish to fry." Dean said.
"Speaking of fish, I want to try sushi." Kate said.
Dean shrugged. "Do you have sushi money?"
"No but I have a big brother who should be super proud of me for my investigation skills." Kate said, batting her eyelashes.
"Eh, you did alright." Dean teased.
"If someone would let me practice more often.." Kate trailed off.
"Yes, to sushi. No to whatever is rolling around in your head." Dean said.
Kate tucked her feet under and scoffed. "Fine."