𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄

Katherine didn't so much as joke about the penny incident when Charlie left. She seemed even more brooding than ever. Sam hated it. It reminded him of Dean more than anything. And he knows what came with that.

The assumption of guilt. The worrying.

Katherine called home even more now. A couple of times a day, at least. Retreated into herself, her thoughts.

"Can we stop taking cases for a little while?" She asked over the radio one day. It had been three weeks since that ghost incident. Four cases they'd solved since. "I want to go home."

So they went to Haley, arrived just past dawn, and didn't hear a word from her the whole way down.

Katherine shuts the door to her car, staring up at the home. It feels like it's been far longer than three months, but it feels the same. Safe. Large and warm. Welcoming.

The brothers follow after Katherine, watching as her blonde hair bounces as she strides across the street and up the pathway to her old home. She hesitates, feeling their presences just behind her back, and she knocks on the door. After a few moments, the locks click, and a tired Sophia Rowe answers the door.

Instantly, she beams and lets out a delighted shriek, throwing her arms around Katherine's shoulders.

"Have your boobs gotten bigger?!"

"Nice to see you, too, Soph," Katherine mutters, cheeks burning pink as she struggles in Sophia's vice-like grip around her arms. It's an uncomfortable thing, makes her muscles scream, rebel against the unusual contact. Restriction of a hunter's upper arms limits much of their range of motion and makes for an uncomfortable experience.

"Seriously, they're softer—"

"'Kay, great, thanks," Katherine says, pushing at Sophia's shoulders, and laughs, holding her at arm's length. "I want you to meet some people."

Sophia's brows wag as she glances over Katherine's shoulder at the Winchester brothers.

"Sophia Rowe, Sam and Dean Winchester."

"Enchanté," Dean greets with his usual sway of confidence. Sophia nearly melts, and Katherine resists the urge to roll her eyes.

"He didn't know that word fifteen hours ago," Katherine says to her friend, and Sophia moves to the side to allow the tall hunters into the home. "Where's the little rascal?"

"Julien's asleep, amazingly, and if you wake him up, I will kill you," Sophia answers, her gaze sweeping over Sam and Dean. "Want anything to drink? Or maybe you're hungry."

"Breakfast sounds amazing," Dean sighs.

Katherine smiles briefly, takes Sophia into the kitchen by the backs of her elbows, and leads her into the kitchen.

"They're even more beautiful in person?" Sophia whispers, her blonde hair tossing as she whips her head around to catch another glimpse at the brothers.

"It's a facade."

"They're inhumanely perfect."

"Another charade," Katherine hums. "We've got more problems than a rom-com. Far from perfect."

"Oh, yeah?" Sophia challenges. "What's not so perfect about them?" She crosses her arms, and Katherine mocks her.

"Fifteen hours ago, they were bickering about who got more ghoul guts on them."

Sophia gawks. "You kill ghouls?"

Katherine casually shrugs. "I told you as much."

"What are they, like, ghosts?"