someone to stay, supernatural [ 1 ]

007. kids are strong

Dean, Natalie, and the girls are sitting at a table in the diner. Dean is reading a newspaper, looking for a new case, chewing on his pen as he reads.

Libby is sitting on Natalie's lap as the two color on the sheet that the waitress gave the two girls. Ophelia is sitting next to them and working on her own sheet.

"Can I get you anything else?" The waitress walks up, only looking at Dean. The pen stays in Dean's mouth as he smiles.

"Just the check, please." Sam sits down between his siblings.

"Okay." Wendy walks away. Dean drops his head.

"You know, Sam, we are allowed to have fun once in a while." Dean says. He points at Wendy. "That's fun."

"I'm fun." Ophelia says. 

"You're a different kind of fun." Dean tells her.

"Well, what kind of fun is she?" Ophelia's face scrunches in confusion.

"Uh..." Dean glances at his siblings.

"You set yourself up for that one." Natalie says.

"Yeah." Sam nods.

"She's, um... she's a drink grown up juice with fun." Dean says.

"Oh. I can't do that." Ophelia mutters.

"Yeah." Dean mumbles as she returns to her drawing. The twins smirk as Dean visibly feels relief wash over him.

"Here, take a look at this." Dean slides the newspaper over to the twins. "I think I got one. Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Last week Sophie Carlton, 18, walks into the lake, doesn't walk out. Authorities dragged the water -- nothing. Sophie Carlton is the third Lake Manitoc drowning this year. None of the other bodies were found either. They had a funeral two days ago."

"A funeral?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, it's weird, they buried an empty coffin. For, uh, closure or whatever." Dean says.

"Closure? What closure? People don't just disappear, Dean. Other people just stop looking for them." Sam says.

"Okay. Hey, sweet girls, uh... how does the park across the street sound?" Natalie asks.

"Yay!" Libby cheers, bouncing in excitement.

"Okay." Natalie stands up, holding Libby. "C'mon, Opie." She holds her hand out to the girl and Ophelia grabs her hand, Natalie leading them to the park.

Ophelia immediately goes to the slides.

"Swing. Swing!" Libby points to them.

"Okay, okay, okay." Natalie chuckles. She walks over and puts Libby in the baby swing. Natalie goes behind her and pulls her back a little before letting go, giggles instantly leaving Libby's lips as she goes back and forth.

Natalie gently pushes her niece, smiling softly at the joy of the toddler, knowing it's been a hard few weeks for her since seeing Jess die.

"Higher! High, high!" Libby cheers.

"Okay." Natalie softly laughs, pushing her a little higher. Ophelia runs over and gets on the swing next to Libby.

"Can you push me too?" Ophelia asks.

"Uh-huh." Natalie nods. She moves over behind Ophelia. She pulls her back, pushing her forward. Natalie stands behind the two swings, pushing them when they come back.

+++

Natalie had stayed in the car with the girls while Sam and Dean talked to the brother of Sophie Carlton. They're at the police station now and talking to the sheriff.