||PROLOGUE // TERRIFIED TEARS||
Before Daggett could press the spike any further into her neck the cellar door was busted open. Dean came in shouted Sam's name, Daggett stood up and Dean shot him with his rocksalt.
"Get her." Sam said before Dean could move, Dean ran over to Dakota as she sobbed. He untied her and brought her into his arms, smoothing her hair down.
"It's okay, baby, I'm here." He cooed, she sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck, he stood, rubbing her back soothingly. Dean held Dakota tightly as he hurried over to Sam.
"Oh no. Corbett." Spruce said when he saw his friend dead in the chair. Dean untied Sam-who hugged Dakota tightly.
"You alright?" Sam asked, he placed his hand on Dakota's back as she buried her face in the crook of Dean's neck. "You okay?" Dakota mumbled something but nobody could hear her.
Dean bounced a little, something he did when she was younger to calm her down. She whimpered and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, baby, I'm sorry." Dean apologized.
She hugged onto him tighter, Sam rubbed her back before leading them out of the small room. Dean pressed a kiss to Dakota's head. He could feel her whole body trembling in his arms, his heart broke when he heard her whimper and cling onto him.
"What's this Daggett guy's problem anyway?" Spruce asked, turning back to record the three Winchesters.
"Loneliness." Sam rolled his eyes as he responded,
"He's never heard a real doll?" Dean asked, adjusting Dakota so she's more comfortable.
"No, no, no, Daggett was the Norman Bates, stuff your mother kind of lonely. That's why he lifted these bodies from the morgue, threw himself a birthday party, except they were the only ones who would come." Sam said, he raised a hand to his bruised eye. "Anyway, so, at midnight, he sealed them in the bomb shelter and went upstairs to OD on horse tranqs."
"How do you know all this?" Dean asked and placed his hand on the back of Dakota's head.
"He told us." Sam said, gesturing to Dakota.
"So now that he's dead, same verse different song?" Dean questioned Sam.
"He wanted friends, daddy." Dakota mumbled, loud enough so they could hear. "He wanted people to come to his party."
"Yeah, and stay forever." Sam added.
They start to go up the stairs, Dean and Dakota leading with Sam and Spruce coming up the rear. Dean tries the door but it's still stuck.
"Hey, baby, why don't you go to uncle Sammy? I need to get the door open." He said but she wouldn't move.
"C'mere, honey." Sam said, placing his hand on her shoulder but she pulled herself closer to Dean.
"Kota, I need you to go to Sam, please." He said, she pulled her head away, staring at him with wide teary eyes. "Please." He tilted his head to the side.
"Kota, come here." Sam tried softly, she looked at him before she reached her arms out to him and he grabbed her. She placed her head on his shoulder but continued to watch her dad try to knock down the door. Sam turned his head to look at Spruce. "Seriously, you're still shooting?"
"It makes him feel better--don't ask." Dean replied instead.
"Oh no, guys, I'm getting the ghost role thing, something's coming."
Daggett appeared behind Spruce, grabbing him and throwing him before yanking Sam and Dakota back off the steps. Dakota rolled a couple times before hitting the back wall with a grunt. Daggett threw Sam across the room, and he smashed into a bookstep, completely destroying it. Daggett grabbed Dean by his throat and applies pressure, choking him.
"Daddy!" Dakota shrieked, she got to her feet and grabbed Sam discarded shotgun. She cocked it and aimed straight at the spirit holding her father, pressing the trigger, the kick-back knocked her down and Daggett disappeared when the rock salt hit him.
"What the hell." Spruce sighed, standing up as Dean went to his daughter. Sam stumbled over to them and immediately joined Dean in checking over Dakota. She looked at them with wide eyes.
"I shot it." She whispered, her eyes darted from Sam to Dean and back again.
"You did good, kiddo." Sam said, ruffling her hair. Dean picked her up and handed her to Sam when she reached out for him. "You alright?" Sam asked Spruce who was just filming them.
"Uh, guys." He replied, filming Daggett who was standing over Dean.
"Daddy!" Dakota warned right as Dean was thrown across the room. Sam was able to place Dakota on the ground right as he was punched by Daggett. Daggett grinned at the little girl and slowly stalked towards her.
Dakota sniveled, cowering into Spruce who was behind her.
"Alright, alright, hey." Spruce tried to get Daggett away from them, but the spirit just stared blankly at them with a snarl on his face. "Corbett?" Spruce questioned as another spirit appeared behind Daggett.
Daggett slowly turned to face the young man that he killed. Corbett shouted and sprinted towards the ghost tackled him. They both disappeared inside a swirl of grey smoke, Corbett's shouts could be heard as he wrestled his murderer. Spruce's camera went out as they disappeared, he slowly turned towards Dean who was groaning from his spot leaning against the metal bookshelf. Spruce asked if he was alright but Dean responded with a groan. Sam and Dean start to climb to their feet, immediately beginning their search for their youngest Winchester.
"C'mere, baby." Dean said softly when he found Dakota staring at the spot Corbett and Daggett disappeared. Dakota turned her head towards her dad and ran to him, throwing her arms around her father. "You okay? You alright?" He asked as he ran a hand over her back. Dean stood, holding his daughter on his hip as he made his way to help Sam up all the way.
"Oh my God." Spruce sighed as they all stood around. The three Winchesters glared at the camera before they all shoved it away at the same time.
The four of them made their way back to the rest, who were sitting in the circle of salt with blank faces. Spruce immediately ran to them to tell them what had happened to Corbett but they already knew, spotting his death echo and than waking it up. Sam, who now had Dakota asleep on his shoulder, said that they should get out of there. Ed lead the way out of the house, Sam was second cradling Dakota's head to his shoulder as he bent down to leave the house. The rest of the team and Dean exited as quick as they could, Dean made his way to his sleeping daughter and Sam. He placed a hand on her back and closed his eyes in relief that she was okay.
Sam pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket, Dakota stirred against him but stayed fast asleep. Sam patted Ed on the shoulder before he went to the impala, where Dean had the backseat door open. He laid Dakota on the seat and Dean shedded his jacket to cover her and Sam placed his under her head.
"What happened to her? With Daggett?" Dean questioned, watching his daughter sleep peacefully.
"I don't know exactly, but the sound she made, the pure fear, I hope to God neither of us ever have to hear that sound again." Sam said, his words broke Dean's heart but he asked, he wanted to know.
Dean pressed a kiss to her forehead before him and Sam sped away from the house of nightmares and to the motel.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
They were called the next morning to Ed's place to watch the final product of their show. Dakota perched on Dean's lap as they watched the entire episode of what happened on the night before. Dakota realized the boys were constantly holding her and switching between who would. When it was over the two hunters exchanged looks and Sam purposely left a duffel bag underneath his seat. Dean told them that their show was decent before they bid goodbyes and left the house.
On the way to the impala Dean asked how long it would take for the memory to be wiped, he was interrupted by the ghostfacers screaming. Sam felt bad for doing it, but Dean said that the world wasn't ready for the ghostfacers. Dakota was just glad their identity was kept, Dean was constantly ranting to his brother and Dakota about being careful with their identities incase police realized that they were imposing as federal agents.
After that night in Daggett's house it was obvious to Dean that Sam and Dakota had gotten closer. She was hanging around Sam more than she ever had, Sam loved that he was getting attention, but Dean grumbled about how his daughter loved her uncle more than her father. They both loved receiving attention from Dakota.
Edited 3/18/19