October 16th, 2002

Windom, Minnesota

It was a reasonably normal day in the Milligan household. Kate Milligan's son and daughter—Adam and Bethany—were in the living room, arguing with one another—yet again. Though this time, Adam thought it would be funny to hide Beth's book and then sit on her when she attempted to distract him.

"Mom!" Beth whined, struggling against her twin brother. "Adam's sitting on me again!"

"She was trying to distract me," Adam argued. He kept his eyes locked on the video game.

"Because you hid my book again!"

"Will you two stop arguing for five minutes?" Kate Milligan begged as she appeared in the living room, a basket of clean laundry perched against her hip.

"Sorry mom," they mumbled in unison. They both knew how hard their mom worked to support the three of them and she did it without any help from their dad... not that they knew who he was or if he even knew they existed.

"Now, Beth, stop distracting Adam." Kate set the basket down and began folding the laundry. "Adam, get off your sister and give her book back."

"It's in the fridge," Adam told Beth as he shifted off of her legs. "Hidden behind the milk."

"Why did you put it in the fridge?" she demanded.

"I knew you wouldn't look there," he shrugged and turned back to his game.

Beth let out a loud sigh, dragging her feet as she headed for the kitchen and opened the fridge, pushing the milk aside to grab her copy of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. The pages felt slightly chilled against her fingers as she walked back through the house and onto the front porch, settling down on the porch swing and opening it to her marked page.

Sometimes Beth wondered what it would be like if her dad was actually around. Would they do what every other family seemed to do? Would they go out for dinner every Wednesday night? Would they have picnics at the weekend? Would they argue about whose turn it was to do chores?

She was jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of an engine approaching the house. Her hazel green eyes watched the black '67 Chevy Impala curiously as it stopped abruptly and a tall man with dark hair stepped out after a few minutes. The stranger's leather jacket covered a plain, dark green t-shirt and a black flannel shirt, the bottom of his jeans were tucked into his thick army boots.

"Hey kid, this your house?" he asked, voice gruff.

"Uh yeah, it is." She nodded slowly.

"Does Kate Milligan still live here?"

"Yeah. She's inside doing laundry." Beth closed her book standing up and stepping towards him. "What do you want with my mom?"

"She's an old friend," he shrugged, making his way onto the porch.

"What's your name?" Beth positioned herself in front of the door, refusing to let him inside.

"Bert Aframian," he said, assessing her through narrowed eyes.

"Liar," she countered and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Am I now?"

"Yes, you are. Your hand twitched when you said your 'name'," she explained, grinning smugly and offered him a shrug. "I'm very good at reading people."

"You're also very cocky," he retorted, though he struggled to restrain a smirk. The kid kind of reminded him of his eldest son.

"Eh, thanks for the compliment." Beth readjusted her grip on her book. "So, you gonna tell me your real name? Or do I have to get my mom to call the cops?"

Adam pressed pause on his game, looking towards the window curiously at the sound of his sister's voice. He frowned, wondering who his twin could be talking to. He stood up and walked over to the window, peeking out to find a tall, dark haired male towering over his sister as they spoke quietly to each other.

"Mom, who's Beth talking to?" he asked, glancing back towards his mom.

"What?" Kate's eyes widened in worry.

"There's a man outside talking to Beth," he repeated and his mom rushed over to the window.

"Adam, stay inside," Kate grabbed Adam's baseball bat from beside the door and opened it slowly.

"Mom." Beth tilted her head back to look at Kate.

"Beth, are you okay?" Kate questioned, stepping cautiously onto the porch and glancing between her daughter and the suddenly all-too-familiar man. "J-John? John Winchester?"

"Hello Kate," John greeted, smiling at the blonde woman.

"Mom? Who is he?" Beth asked curiously, glancing between the two adults.

"Bethany, take Adam and go to your rooms," Kate ordered.

"But I-"

"Now, Bethany," Kate barked, shoving the bat into Beth's hands and pushing her back into the house.

"Fine," she grumbled. Her eyes flickered back to John once before she grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him up the stairs after her, but not before he caught a glimpse of the dark haired man.

"Who is he?" Adam whispered. He pried his bat from Beth.

"Beats me," she shrugged as the front door slammed shut and their mom led John into the kitchen.

(Three hours later)

"Adam, how much longer?" Beth demanded, laying on her stomach on his bed.

"I don't know," he shrugged with a frown.

"It's been three hours. Three long hours." She nudged him with her foot. "I'm bored."

"Go see what they're doing then." Adam slapped her hand roughly as she tried to poke him again.

"What will I get in return?"

"My new batman comic," he offered.

"...It's a deal then." She shook his hand before rolling off of the bed and sneaking down the stairs. She avoided the last step, knowing it would squeak if too much pressure was applied to it.

Beth stopped beside the kitchen door, crouching down and using the shadows to cover her. Straining her hearing, she managed to catch a few words of their conversation. Her mom was telling John about the stuff that Beth and Adam had done over the years, such as Beth's talent at dancing and singing and Adam being interested in becoming a doctor. She was so wrapped up in listening to the sound of John's voice as he said something in response to her mom that she hadn't realised the kitchen had gone silent.

"Bethany Lyla Milligan," Kate scolded, hands resting on her hips as she stared down at her daughter, disapproval on her face. "What have I told you about eavesdropping?"

"To do it?" she offered cheekily, sending a grin at her mom.

"Just get your brother down here, there's something I have to tell you both," Kate sighed, deciding to let it slid for the time being.

"Adam!" Beth yelled and moments later her brother appeared, his shoes thudding heavily against the wooden floorboard.

"It was her idea," he said immediately, an innocent smile on his face.

"Was not," Beth argued.

"Yes it was."

"D'they always argue like this?" John questioned. He was leaning against the door frame, watching them in amusement.

"More or less," Adam and Beth said in unison.

"Come on," Kate interrupted and wrapped her arms around their shoulders.

"What did you want to tell us?"

"Well... I explained everything to John, so I think it's only fair that you two should know as well."

Beth glanced at her brother, sharing a worried look before two sets of eyes snapped back to their mom. John was silent, watching the trio with interest.

"Adam, Beth... John's your father," Kate admitted nervously.

Beth's jaw dropped, staring between her mom and her supposed 'father' in pure shock. She could tell without looking that Adam had reacted the same. Anger erupted inside of her, filling her and causing her to clench her fists tightly on the table.

"So you lied?" she asked finally, swallowing deeply. "When you said you had no idea who our dad was, you were lying this whole time?"

"Beth, I know you're upset but let me exp—" Kate was cut off as Beth stood up angrily, knocking her chair to the floor.

"No! I can't believe you! I thought you would've at least told us his name or that he was actually alive," she yelled before turning to John. "I haven't had a dad for 12 years and I certainly don't need one now."

"Don't talk to your mom like that," John ordered, a hint of warning in his tone.

Beth glared at John before turning on her heel, fleeing for the staircase and darting upstairs to her room. The door slammed loudly as John glanced at Adam, setting a comforting hand on Kate's shoulder.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us," was all Adam said before, he too, rushed upstairs, heading straight to his sister's room to comfort her.

Beth had thought it would've been different than this, that when she finally got to meet her dad, she would've been happy and eager to spend time with him. She didn't expect to feel nothing but anger towards both of her parents. For 12 long years, Kate had sworn to them that she didn't know who their dad was, that he had just been passing through town, and had never given her a name, but seeing the way the two adults had acted towards the other, they knew each other very well. Beth knew that she wouldn't forgive them for a long time, she was stubborn that way.

After all, stubbornness was a Winchester family trait.