WARNING: I don't know if I actually have to put a warning up, but I don't want angry people coming after me so here it is. In this chapter Dakota says the phrase "ear-raped" so be warned.
"You may have to fight a battle more
than once to win it." -Margaret Thatcher
<< Finding Kaia >>
The Winchesters and Jack drive around looking for Kaia. Sam calls the local police to see if they have any leads.
Dean made Dakota keep at least a three foot gap between her and Jack.
So the two were crammed into the opposite sides of the Impala. Anytime Dakota would shift away from the side, Dean would send her a sharp glare.
"All right, thanks." Sam says into the phone, before hanging up. "Cops are looking for Kaia, too."
"We gotta find her fast." Dakota points out, sighing and shifting.
"Dakota, I swear to God, if you move one more inch--"
"All right, all right, jeez, I got it." Dakota rolls her eyes, crossing her arms and returning to her spot. Shivering slightly as the cool side presses against abdomen.
"You were right." Dean admits, glancing toward his brother, his tone tense. "About mom. You were right. This whole time, we should've been looking for her."
"Dean, I was just hoping. I didn't know." Sam corrects. "Anyways, it doesn't matter. Now that we do know--"
"We find her." Dean cuts Sam off. "No matter what it takes."
"Yep."
"Damn straight."
Dakota and Sam's agreeances ring out through the dark car.
"Kid, you okay?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, I'm fi--"
"Wasn't talking to you."
"Oh, well screw you, too, I guess."
Jack stays silent through the small exchange, staring blankly in front of him. Dakota turns to him in concern, exchanging a furrowed look with her uncle.
"Jack, you okay?" Dakota questions, sliding over and placing a hand on his shoulder--ignoring Dean's scowl.
She pushes away her jealousy toward Kaia.
"You thought...you all though that I could do that, that I could kill Derek."
Dakota sighs, lowering her gaze and turning away from him. She scoots back on the bench, quilt swelling up in her.
"Jack, we, um...we didn't know what happened. We figured, m-maybe it was an accident or--or..." Sam tries to explain, but words fail him.
"Like the security guard." Jack sums up sadly.
"Yes. Exactly. Like that." Sam agrees.
"J, we were worried, okay?" Dakota speaks up, her voice quiet and almost sheepish. "You know, when you disappeared, you were in a dark place. And none of us knew where you were going and...we all know what it feels like. Trust me, we've all been there. It's not fun, and it can make you do things you don't want to do, or things you never thought you could do." Dakota rants.
"We thought you were looking for your dad." Dean adds, glancing over his shoulder.
Jack's eyebrows furrow, confusion taking over his face. "You mean Lucifer?" He asks.
"Mm."
"Yeah."
"Mhmm."
All the Winchesters agree at once, Dean and Dakota humming while Sam actually verbalizes.
"I was scared. I was upset. But...why would I look for him?" A disgusted expression floods Jack's face. "He's no one to me. You, Castiel--you're my family."
Dakota realizes, which she should of before, that Jack didn't need Kaia. He was using her powers to help the Winchesters find Mary. She's just never felt like this toward a boy before, she didn't know if she should feel jealous then.
Jack's hand slides across the Impala's bench, grasping on to Dakota's slyly. He glances at Dean and Sam before slowly lacing his fingers through Dakota's. The Winchester's face burns bright red, and she's thankful for the car being so dark.
"Hell yeah we are." Dakota smiles at him.
"Yes, we are." Dean agrees at the same time as his daughter, his expression neutral. "Finding mom, you...you did a good thing, kid. You did a real good thing."
Jack couldn't help but smile at Dean's praises. Sam's expression softens at his brother's words, proud that Dean was able to push past his biases on Lucifer.
The Winchesters share soft smile, before Dakota and Jack start groaning in pain. They rip their hands away from each other, both clasping them over their ears.
A shrill, high pitched ringing reverberates throughout their skulls, sending large waves of pain down their body. It sounded like people were screaming right into their ears.
"Make it stop! Please, make it stop! Dad!" Dakota cries out. The two teens sink into each other, their hands skill clasped over their ears.
Dean slams both feet on the brake pedal. The car lurches to a halt, sending everyone forward in their seats.
"Bug? Dakota?" Sam panics, reaching back and placing a hand on Dakota's shoulder. "Jack?"
They both groan some more as the screaming slowly stops.
"That..." Jack trails in confusion, the two lower their hands from their ears. Jack immediately turns to Dakota, his eyes asking if she was okay. She nods her head, forcing a smile in his direction.
"That was friggin' angel radio."
"They got Kaia." Jack says.
Silence hangs over them as they exchange looks. Dakota rubs at her forehead tiredly, pain still flaring up in her skull.
"All right, I'm going to need something to stop this ringing in my ears. Someone remind me to tell the angels they should never take up singing." Dakota groans, massaging her temples.
Sam sends her a grim smile before tossing a bottle of painkillers to her.
"Whoever came up with the phrase 'sings like an angel' definitely never heard an angel talk." She continues to grumble, popping two pills into her mouth and swallowing. Dakota grimaces at the bitter taste lingering in her mouth, she offers the bottle to Jack but he declines.
"Did you get anything?" Dean questions.
"A headache that puts your hangovers to shame." Dakota snaps, closing her eyes and sinking against the seat. Her temple brushes against Jack's shoulder. "But yes, we know where Kaia is."
"What!?" Dean practically shouts. "Why didn't you lead with that?"
Dakota lifts her foot and kicks the back of Dean's seat, a scowl covering her features.
"First of all, lower the volume, I was just ear-raped by an angel." Dakota hisses. "Second of all, we were getting to that, just calm down."
"Lose the attitude." Dean warns.
Dakota sighs, biting the inside of her cheek. "Sorry, dad."
Dakota sneaks around the building that her and Jack directed the other hunters to. She glances over her shoulder and holds up one finger, signalling that there was only one angel outside. Her eyes move over to meet Dean's before she winks at him, darting off around the corner.
Her feet moving quickly yet quietly across the ground. She moves her hand to her waistband at the base of her spine. Grabbing the handle of her angel blade and silently removing it from her jeans.
She grins to herself, amused at the face the angel hasn't heard her. Dakota launches herself at the angel, landing on his back and holding the blade against his throat.
"You move, the blade moves. And I don't think you want that." She threatens, she drops to the ground but keeps the blade in it's position.
"Dad, Sammy." She calls out quietly, just loud enough for them to hear her. She carefully turns the angel around to see the other Winchesters.
Dean gives his daughter a praising look, nodding his head at her before taking over. He takes the blade from her and shoves the angel forward.
"Your plan? It sucks." They hear Kaia's voice hiss, Dakota shrugs in agreement. It was a terrible plan on the angel's side. "They won't come for me."
"What do you mean?" The female angel questions, Dakota slips past her father.
"I mean, you picked the wrong bait. I'm not the kind of girl folks come for. In this world, I don't even rank a milk carton. No one is gonna come for me. I'm not white, rich, blonde. No one's gonna fight for me. I don't matter." Kaia rants.
Dakota feels a pang through her heart, she understands Kaia's feelings. Well, the feeling of not mattering to anyone.
"Of course you don't matter." The angel sneers. "But they think you do. They'll show. And when they do, we'll kill them and take the boy."
"That so?" Dakota drawls, appearing through the doorway, Dean on her heels with the angel. "The girl's right. Your plan does kind of suck."
Dakota stands between Sam and Jack, her shoulder brushing her uncle's with every breath.
"Give us the girl." Sam orders.
"She's not what we want." The female snaps, she turns toward the Nephilim. Dakota narrows her eyes and shifts closer to him. "Jack, I don't wanna hurt you. I wanna help you."
"Bullshit." Dakota hisses protectively.
"You should be among your own kind." The angel ignores Dakota.
"My kind?" Jack scoffs. "The kind that kills people? That kidnaps people?"
"You don't belong with them." The angel presses, her tone sounding gentle. "Come with us. Come home."
Jack swallows and looks down. He takes a breath before moving his eyes over to Dean and Sam. They both give furrowed looks.
Jack settles his gaze on Dakota's. Her eyes wide and innocent as she stares at him hopefully. Practically begging him with her eyes to stay with them, to not go.
The Nephilim breaks their stare, moving his eyes back to the angel in front of him.
"I am home." He corrects sharply. Dakota's face flushes with relief, she turns her glare to the female angel.
The angel in Dean's grip grabs the blade and throws his head back. Dean yelps and stumbles back, Dakota lurches forward as Jack stops the female angel from moving.
The male picks up the discarded weapon, elbowing Dakota in the face. She cries out as Sam moves past her, but the angel simply kicks him away.
The male moves over toward Dakota quickly, raising the blade before slamming it down. Dakota throws her arms up to protect herself, Jack cries out as he thrusts a hand out.
The angel is frozen before the weapon could hurt Dakota. Jack forces the angel to stand before making him stab himself.
Jack takes a step toward Dakota, but she stops him with a shake of her head--motioning toward Kaia, who's still tied up.
"Dakota." Dean mutters, scrambling to reach her.
Dakota nods at him, bringing a hand up and swiping under her nose. Looking down, she finds the back of her hand covered in blood.
"Ah, damn." Dakota hisses.
Sam rushes over toward them, both him and Dean picking Dakota up to her feet. She tilts her head back, glaring at the ceiling angrily.
She brushes her family off, telling them to go help Jack and Kaia. Dean gives her a look before going to make sure the other angel is dead.
"Are you okay?" Jack questions Kaia, Sam stumbles toward him. "I got her." The Nephilim tells the hunter.
"No! What the hell was that?" Kaia explodes.
"Angels." Dakota grumbles.
Sam points to his niece in agreement. "They were angels."
"Bad angels." Jack corrects, glancing at Dakota.
"Angels?" Kaia practically shrieks, Dakota winces as her voice echoes.
"Yes, and we're hunters." Dakota says, walking over to them with her nose pinched. Her voice sounding funny as she talks. "We kill things like them."
Kaia's eyes widen. "Right. And he's the son of Satan?"
Dakota and Sam exchange a look before shrugging at Jack.
"I am. Yes." Jack answers, sounding like it was a thing.
"You're insane." Kaia hisses as Jack and Sam help her out of the chair.
"Mhmm." Dakota hums, nodding her head.
"Yeah, the whole world's insane. You get used to it." Dean answers.
Dakota raises an eyebrow at her dad, silently asking a question.
"She took off. She might be back, she might not." He shrugs.
"Yeah, we should move." Sam offers, moving over to grab Dakota's bicep.
The group move toward the exit quickly, Sam and Dakota trying to stop her nose from bleeding. So far it was slowing down which was good.
"We'll protect you." Jack promises Kaia, Dakota glances at him. He smiles at her, nodding his head proudly.
"I don't think so." Kaia sneers at him.
The Winchesters stop as they turn to Kaia. Dakota scoffs at her attitude.
"We just saved your ass." Dakota seethes at the girl.
"Your the reason my ass was in that situation." Kaia snaps back.
The two girls glare at each other.
"We could've just left you, you ungrateful little--"
"Hey! Enough!" Sam shouts at Dakota, tugging her back. Dakota huffs angrily, still holding Kaia's glare. "Hey, hey. Kaia, look, I'm sure this is a lot. But...Look, we need you, okay? My brother and I, our--our mother is trapped in--in another world, and if you can tell Jack where it is, then he can open a door--"
"And we can save her." Dean sums up, cutting Sam off.
Kaia glances between the four. Sam and Dean both look hopeful, Dakota looks pissed. Jack just looks confused.
"So what's the play?" Dean asks, raising is eyebrows.
"Derek said there are sacred sites, places where the walls between worlds are thin, where it's easy to cross over." Jack explains, glancing at Dakota briefly. "I was taking Kaia to the Wind Caves."
"The Wind Caves?" Kaia questions.
"Let's go." Dean says.
"No." Kaia answers.
"Like I said before, we saved your life in there." Dakota spits.
"Yeah, thanks." She smiles sarcastically. "Like I said before, they only wanted me because of you." She glares over at Jack instead. Dakota narrows her eyes at her.
"Kaia, we need you to dreamwalk for us, to use your gift." Jack tells her, his tone sad at Kaia's jab toward him.
"It's not a gift. It's a curse." Kaia corrects. "When Derek walked, he was free. He could go see beautiful things, to worlds that we paradises. I wish it was like that for me, but it's not. I only go to one place--the Bad Place. It's just...blood and death and monsters."
"Well, it sounds like a lifetime of bad dreams, but--" Dean drawls insensitive to Kaia's feelings. Even Dakota felt bad for the girl, and she didn't really care for her.
"Bad dreams?" Kaia cuts Dean off, her tone sardonic and terse. She fiddles with her jacket sleeve and storms up to the Winchesters. "When I get hurt over there, I don't wake up sweaty. I wake up bloody." She shows them scars on her arms.
Sam's eyes widen while Dean's brow furrows. Dakota shares a look with her uncle, before moving her eyes over to Jack.
"This scar, it's not the only one. I'm sorry about your mom, but I can't help you."
Dean stares at Kaia while Sam nods his head in acceptance. Dakota and Jack share sad looks/ Dakota was okay with Kaia leaving, but she knew the girl was their only chance at rescuing Mary.
"All right, fine. Um...we can find another way." Sam tells her, he continues to ramble while Dean just cocks his gun.
Dakota scrambles away from her dad in shock, bumping into her uncle before falling into Jack.
"Get in the car." Dean demands.
"Dad." Dakota gasps with wide eyes. "Dad, stop."
"Dean." Sam says.
"Get in the car." Dean repeats, slower and stiffer. "Get in the damn car!" Dean screams, holding the gun up to Kaia's head. Dakota flinches.
The young Winchester turns into Jack's chest, not wanting to see her dad like that. She knew that Dean was capable of a lot, but hearing him sound dark was scary.
She heard way too much of that tone when he had the Mark of Cain. She didn't couldn't get use to it. She didn't like hearing her father sound like that, he was usually so loving and caring toward her.
She liked to pretend that's all he was, loving and caring. Despite seeing him kill monsters in frightening ways, it's still jarring and scary to hear him act like that toward humans.
Kaia slowly made her way into the Impala.
"We're going to South Dakota." Dean snaps toward Sam, sparing Dakota's shaking form a glance.
Sam had a concerned look on his face before he looked over to Dakota and Jack. The Nephilim held the girl in a protective embrace, the girl's face buried in his chest. It would be cute, with any other circumstances for the hug.
"Let's go, bug." Sam coaxes, slowly prying her from Jack's arms.
"He sounded like when he was a demon." She mutters to her uncle.
"I know, sweetheart." Sam presses a kiss to her head before nudging her toward the Impala.
Jack follows behind her closely, a hand on her back.
I'm not caught up on the new season, so please no spoilers in the comments.
Yes, I've seen the news. I don't think we need to make a big deal about it, I love and support Jared—despite his mistake.
Things happen, we have to move on from them and not keep drawing attention to them.
Love, Kaz.