Gunfire echoed in the city block around her. It was closer now but fewer shots were being fired. That was how it went. They shot at each other until they ran out of bullets. But, they wouldn't leave until everyone was dead.
Bela wouldn't make it on her own. A time would come when she'd run out of bullets and the Croats would get her.
She slumped against the wall and slid to the floor wondering how long she would have to wait this time. What she wouldn't give for a nice bottle of wine while she waited. The wind rattled the boards on the windows and she shivered. She'd sell her soul for a hot bath. She laughed to herself. Been there done that and a hot bath wasn't quite worth it ...yet.
Upon hearing footsteps on the floor below her, she froze. She drew her gun from her pack and stood up slowly. She could hear voices. Faint, soft voices, and then shushing. Shushing?
She peeked out the door and found the hall empty. She crept silently to the end and listened.
The shuffling feet had stopped but a tiny cry cut through the silence.
Without a second thought, Bela raced down the stairs. A woman, a young boy and an infant huddled against the door. "Get away from the door," she whispered and waved them to her.
The mother raised a pink plastic squirt gun and shot Bela in the chest.
"What the hell?" Bela wiped a hand over her soaked shirt.
"Holy water," the mom whispered.
Bela shrugged her admiration for ingenuity and opened the door behind her. "Come on, get in here, it's safe."
Dean rubbed his forehead hoping to ease the headache blooming behind his eyes. If one more person came to him with a problem, if he got one more question about their situation, just one more demand on him and he would tear someone one a new one.
He hadn't signed on for this. Dean Winchester was a hunter not a den mother. He shouldn't be making decisions for a whole community. And yet, here he was double checking rations and ammunition stores.
If no one else joined them, if no other survivors or hunters landed on his doorstep, Dean figured their supplies would last for six to eight weeks. That was if everyone stuck to their rations, if they weren't attacked by Croats and if his brother didn't bring home any more strays. Dean sighed, Sam was always bringing home strays.
What had started as a group of five hunters grew to a small community of over thirty survivors because Sam took in everyone he found.
The radio crackled drawing Dean from his thoughts. "Dean?"
"Garth, what's going on? Where's Sam?" Dean demanded. Anyone on the radio besides his brother meant something was fubar.
"Take a breath Dean, let me assure you that Sam is fine. I just wanted to tell you we found some survivors."
"More survivors, great. How many are we talking here?" Dean scowled at their meager supplies. He didn't know where to house these people let alone how he'd feed them.
"Thirteen. All women and children. The good news is they have supplies. They were sitting on an arsenal and a shit ton of canned goods."
Dean's eyes widened in surprise. If they had all that why did they want to join him and Sam. "Okay. I'll get the others started on getting rooms for them. Where's Sam?"
"He's having a bit of a fuss with the group leader."
"What kind of fuss?" he asked sounding both protective and suspicious.
"Well the group won't leave without her and Sam kind of wants to kill her."
"Her?"
"Yeah, I think ya'll worked with her before. Sam called her Bela."
Sam kept his gun trained on Bela and tried to ignore the kid who had a shotgun aimed at him.
The first word out of his mouth when he saw her was "Christo." Bela Talbot should be dead, ripped apart by hellhounds. If she was standing there, she wasn't human.
Bela raised her perfect brow in an amused smirk. "Really, Sam, I'm quite human." She turned to the boy. "Logan, you can lower the gun. Mr. Winchester and I are old friends."
The boy shook his head. "Not 'til he puts his down."
Bela looked expectantly at Sam who shook his head, too. "Kid's gonna get tired arms."
Bela sighed. "Very well. You two boys be macho."
"How is it you're even alive?" Sam demanded. "Last I heard you were puppy chow."
"Yes and how many times have you died, Sam? Or that brother of yours? And yet, like cockroaches, you come back."
"Not helping yourself." Sam glanced at the boy and saw him struggling to keep the gun level. Sam cocked his gun. "Answer the question."
"I made a deal. Like I always do."
Sam's brows narrowed. "You made a deal to get out of your deal?"
Bela shrugged. "What can I say, I was very good at what I do. Still am, actually if you're taking these people with you."
Sam lowered his gun. He wouldn't kill Bela, at least not in front of the boy. Tucking his gun into the waistband at the small of his back he asked, "Why are you helping these people?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Bela replied and nodded to Logan who gratefully lowered the gun. "Go on, Logan, join your mother and the others." When he left, she continued, "I admit I am out of my league here. I can't save these people. I don't know the first thing about leading a group like this. When I learned you and Dean had a camp of survivors and hunters, I knew these people would be safe if we could get to you."
"Right. Sure. You're the least altruistic person on the planet. What are you hoping to gain from this?"
"Survival. You and Dean are my best shot at that."
Sam grabbed her arm and dragged her along with him. "You're coming with us because your group needs you, but that doesn't mean you'll survive Dean."
As he waited for his brother and the new arrivals, Dean thought about the many times Bela had double crossed them. From stealing the rabbit's foot to stealing the colt, there was never did working with Bela lead to a win for the brothers. Sam would have tested her, Bela wasn't a demon, but Dean wondered how she had gotten out of hell. An angel pulled him out but nothing holy saved Bela.
When they arrived at the camp, Cas and another survivor met Sam, Garth, and Bela to help unload supplies and show the new arrivals their new 'homes'. When Bela headed to the truck to start helping, Sam stopped her. Once again he grabbed her by the arm and led her away. Bela noticed some of her group eyed her suspiciously, but she couldn't let that bother her. They were safe here.
She wasn't so sure about herself.
"Hey, I'm sure Garth told you who we found," Sam said instead of a usual greeting.
Busy studying a map, Dean hadn't bothered to look at his brother. "Yeah. Is it really - Bela." His eyes settled on her and his emotions ran the gamut of anger to relief and back to anger.
"Hello, Dean. Long time."
He nodded. "Yeah, it has been a long time. I thought for sure I would have seen you in hell."
"I'm sure you still will."
He smirked at that, amused that Bela hadn't lost her smart mouth. He turned to his brother. "How many strays did you bring home this time?"
"Bela had twelve people with her. Mostly families, women and children."
Dean's eyes widened at that. It felt like forever since he dealt with a child. "I'm impressed, Bells. What'd they have to give you for your help? Money or their souls?"
Bela's jaw clenched. She deserved that, she guessed. They didn't know she wasn't like that anymore. Saving Logan and his mom had changed her. "Neither."
The brothers scoffed at her answer.
"Of course you wouldn't believe me," Bela snarled.
"The Bela I know and loathe doesn't care about anyone but herself." Dean crossed his arms and waited for her snappy reply.
Bela sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Look, I don't want to be their hero. That's not what I set out to do, I figured we could watch each other's backs. And," she shrugged, "I couldn't send Logan and his mother away, Lilly is just a baby."
Dean understood. It was the same with Sam. Sure, survival would be easier without taking in others, but …
"What about that night, back in Erie?" Sam asked. "The hellhounds were right outside the door. You said so yourself. What happened? How'd you escape? You didn't have the Colt."
Bela took a moment. She remembered the phone call. The one in which Dean had said that he would have helped her if she had asked instead of tricking them. And she confessed to making a deal to kill Sam to save herself.
"Crowley." She took a deep breath. "You're right. The hellhounds were there, outside the room. I thought I was done for, then Crowley called them off. He said he'd give me an extension as long as I kept getting him what he needed." The brothers exchanged doubtful looks so Bela continued. "Not everyone wants to make a deal for their soul. Some want money or companionship or the chance to talk to a loved one long since dead."
"How long did you get?" Sam asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "My soul or my life was always held over my head. You know 'if you don't get this bone or this artifact it's off to hell.' I just kept doing what he asked and then all this happened. I haven't seen Crowley for nearly a year." She looked from one Winchester to the other. "Should I thank you for that, boys?"
Dean dragged a hand over his face. If she was going to stay awhile, she was going to have to know the rules. "Okay look, since you're here, you gotta do your share. No one gets a free ride. You know your people, I expect you to help them find the work best suited for them. Also, this ain't the four seasons. Food and supplies are rationed. So is water."
Bela looked like she won a lottery. "Hot water? You have showers here?"
"Warm on a good day," Sam supplied. "We haven't had families here before. We'll have to work out some sort of schedule or something."
Dean agreed. "Bela that's on you. They're your people. You handle them." She nodded but was still thinking about how good a hot shower would feel. "Go get settled, but I swear if you try anything, if you so much as cheat out of your chores, we will kick your ass out of here. Understood?"
Bela paused, fighting the sudden urge to spew a smart ass comeback. Instead she nodded. "Understood."
A week later Bela watched Dean return from a reconnaissance run less two men than he had left with. She saw the pent up rage and frustration and nearly pitied the next demon to cross Dean Winchester's path.
Ten days after that, Bela saw the Winchesters arguing. Their voices would go loud for a moment, then when they realized they could be heard, and they'd go back to angry whispers. But Bela had had enough. Not used to being sidelined, she decided to interrupt the brothers and offer to help.
They both stared at her in silence for a beat. "No," Dean barked and turned his back on her. Sam huffed and made a gesture telling her to wait. "Why not?"
"'Why not?'" Dean repeated. "Because she's not even a trained hunter like Jesse and Cesar were. Because all we would do is watch her back and not our own and because she's Bela, man. When was it ever a good idea to trust Bela?"
Before Sam could argue, Bela spoke. "You're right, Dean. I'm not a hunter. But I do know my way around a gun, and a crossbow, I've even handled knives when necessary. You took me in when you could have easily turned me away. I would like to repay you by offering my assistance."
The brothers exchanged annoyed looks. Dean walked into his cabin, but Sam and Bela followed.
"You know I can do more than distribute rations. Tell me what is going on and maybe I can help."
"How much do you know?"Sam asked.
"Sam!" Dean growled.
Bela cleared her throat. "Crowley said you killed Lilith which started the apocalypse. Demons are spreading some kind of virus that turns regular people into demons. And angels are real but want us dead as much as the demons do."
"What do you know about Lucifer?" Sam asked.
"Lucifer?" Bela paused, unsure what answer the brothers wanted. "Archangel. According to legend he fell from grace after quarrelling with God. Ruler of hell." As far as she knew, Lucifer was a fairy tale.
"What about Michael?" Dean asked.
"Michael who? The angel?" The brothers nodded and she shrugged. "Nothing other than the stories I learned in Sunday school. Why?"
"They want a battle royale with Earth as the prize" Dean explained dismissively.
Bela was sure the brothers were joking. Lucifer and Michael were real? "Wait, what are you saying? This is all a fairytale, isn't it? A story to keep church goers in line? Surely it's not real."
Sam gave her a disapproving look. "When has it ever not been real?"
Bela staggered back to lean against a countertop. "Dean, what did you mean 'battle royale to win Earth'? If that's what they want, what's stopping them? Why don't they do it?"
"Angels," Dean began, "unlike demons, need permission from the human vessel they want to possess. So far they haven't found vessels strong enough to hold them for very long." He looked at Sam. "Their true vessels have said 'No' and have been marked to stay hidden from them."
Bela raked a hand through her hair as she tried to make sense of Dean's words. "So these two extremely powerful beings are just burning through people until the right vessels says 'yes'?"
"Even if they say 'yes', Michael and Lucifer's battle will be powerful enough to destroy the planet," Sam added.
"But the world is being destroyed. I mean, look around boys. What we're doing now isn't living. It's barely surviving."
Angry at her tone, Dean snapped. "If you have any suggestions, we're all ears."
Bela sucked in a breath at Dean's harsh retort. "Did killing Lilith really raise Lucifer?"
Sam nodded.
"Is there anyway to send him back where he came from? Any spell or weapon?"
"We have a way of opening the cage, we just don't have a way of getting him in it," Sam replied.
"Believe me, sister, we've been over this a thousand times," Dean sighed and poured them each a shot of whiskey.
"Yes, I'm sure you have, but not with me and all that I know."
"Oh, you think you're just that much smarter than us." Dean swallowed his drink and rolled his eyes.
"Not smarter, Dean. Just better connected."
"Yeah, well do your connections know what to do with Michael after we lock up Luci?" Dean snapped.
"They might," Bela replied slowly as she thought about the many deals she worked and which contact had certain items. "Do angels respond to magic and spells the way demons do?"
"Well, certain sigils can send them away and others can ward an object or a place or a even a person," Sam explained.
Bela's eyes lit up. "I know this man who was part of a secret society. He's not far from here and he has a horde of specialized weapons and spellbooks. I'm sure that with certain spellwork these weapons could be used against archangels."
Sam looked hopeful but Dean frowned. "Is he still alive? And if he is, why would he help us? What could you possibly have that he would want?"
Both Bela and Sam deflated at Dean's words, but Bela wasn't willing to give up. "Obviously I don't know if he's alive, but if he is, he'll make a deal just to have me in his debt." She could tell they needed more convincing. "When this all began, I delivered something to him called a hyperbolic pulse generator. He told me it was a specialized weapon against angels. This secret organization in England called the Men of Letters created it."
Sam's jaw dropped at the mention of the secret organization. He read about them on clandestine websites dedicated to the paranormal. They were supposedly extremely powerful.
"Where does this guy live?" Sam grabbed an old road atlas and opened it to Kansas.
"Jefferson City." Bela moved next to Sam to study the map.
"We can make it in less than a day," Sam said a hopeful look in his eye as he turned to his brother.
Dean stared back at him as if Sam had grown two heads. "Okay so now we're wasting resources, risking our lives for a guy who may be dead, for a weapon that may not exist because Bela told us? Since when do we trust Bela? She stole the Colt and sold it to the demons, Sam!"
Sam backed away. He recognized the argument Dean was putting up and didn't feel like fighting. However, Bela stood her ground. "Dean, I told you before, I'm here for survival. I know I won't survive if the two of you don't. I'd go by myself, but I'd much rather have a Winchester as back up."
"We can leave in the morning and be there before dusk," Sam suggested.
"No." Dean stood up, features full of anger and determination. "You're staying here. Jefferson City is in the war zone. Bela and I will go check this out." Before Sam could argue Dean added, "If the demons or the angels get you it's game over. Me and her can fly under the radar."
Sam accepted Dean's decision with a nod. "Let's get you ready to go at sun up."
It was dusk when Dean and Bela arrived in Jefferson City. The government, or what was left of it, had abandoned and quarrantined the area, focusing their limited resources elsewhere. They hid the car in the industrial park at the edge of town and walked to Bela's contact's store.
Dean hated being out in the open. He knew they were an easy target for any Croats. Sam had loaded Bela with enough charms to keep her warded from angels and demons alike, but nothing kept desperate humans away.
A noise behind them had Dean pulling Bela against a wall. At the far end of the alley, two things that used to be human shuffled across the street. Bela trembled. "What are those things?" she whispered.
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like 'em." Dean surveyed the area. "Come on. Let's get moving before more of them show up."
They made it a few more blocks when gunfire erupted around them.
Dean kicked open a door and pushed Bela through it as he handed her a gun. He barricaded the door plunging them into a darkness Dean had only seen in his grave. The air was stale and musty and smelled of dead rodent. Their breathing the only noise other than their deafening heartbeats in their ears.
They waited, but no one or nothing approached the door from outside. Dean ignored how tightly Bela was gripping his arm and took a small flashlight from his pocket. Clicking it on to create a small circle of light. Bela held onto Dean's coat as they crept down a hall of the abandoned office building. She kept her gun trained behind them, ready to attack unwanted followers.
At the end of the hall was an emergency exit and a door to an office. Since they couldn't risk an alarm sounding if the building still had power, Bela picked the lock to the office. They ignored the deserted desks strewn with forgotten papers and computers and scrambled to the nearest window. After scrubbing off enough grime on the window to see through, Dean surveyed their surroundings.
The window overlooked a overgrown patch of grass and the wall of another building. He couldn't see far enough to determine if Croats or anything else was nearby. That didn't stop Bela from sliding the window open. With uncharacteristic lack of self-preservation, she poked her head out to look for herself. Seeing nothing dangerous, she motioned to Dean. "Give me a boost, yeah?"
Dean scowled at her carelessness but willingly hoisted her out the window. Better to let her be the bait than him. When it appeared that she was safe, Dean followed.
Andre Develin's store was boarded up, both inside and out.
They broke in and were assaulted by the stench of death and rot. Dean was demoralized when he saw the ransacked shelves and cases. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he had been hoping Bela's lead would land them a weapon.
Bela surveyed the damage but it didn't dissuade her. She stepped over a broken case and tried to remember the layout before all the damage.
"You really think anything of value is still here?" Dean asked as he watched her move.
"Of course." Bela stepped behind the counter where the register once stood. "All of this was just his cover," she explained with a wave of her hand. "The real place is downstairs. If I can find the door..."
"Was Develin a tall guy?"
"About your height, why?"
"Think I found him." Dean stepped over a corpse.
Bela joined him and recognized the long dead Andre Develin. "At least I don't have to worry about owing him."
Dean pulled a tarp from a nearby shelf and draped it over the man.
"He had a different room where he and I would conduct business," Bela explained. "It was never out here in the open." She walked to the back of the store. "I'd follow him back here, but the door was always open."
"I don't see a door back there," Dean said as he joined her. "He must have hid it behind these shelves."
Bela rolled her eyes 'duh', but didn't say it aloud.
"Is there a switch?" Dean asked, tugging on a set of shelves.
"I don't know. I'm looking."
Dean pushed the shelf and it clicked. He was then able to grip the edge and pull it forward. "And we have a winner. Ladies first."
Bela bowed her head and flicked on her flashlight.
They were greeted with a rush of frigid foul smelling air.
"Oh shit," Dean muttered bracing himself for the imminent attack by grabbing the salt out of his bag.
The were flung backwards out of the room, hitting the floor. Dean shook it off and handed Bela an iron bar. "Here. Hold him off while I go torch his body."
"No! Let me try to talk to him."
Dean looked at her like she was crazy. "What? How are you going to do that?"
Bela ignored him and retrieved something from her bag. She drew a symbol on the floor, pricked her finger and bled on it. Then she yelled, "Andre! It's me, Bela. I obtained that Vidyadhara for you, remember? And those trinkets from Kendricks."
The spirit of Andre Develin took shape before them. "Bela, what are you doing here?"
"You have a -" Dean began but was silenced by Bela's hand on his arm.
"I have an offer for you of course."
The spirit looked at her in contempt. "What could you possibly offer me now?"
"We can put you to rest and ward your treasures from the likes of Crowley," Bela suggested.
"My rooms are already warded against demons. Crowley can't get to them unless it's through you." The spirit turned to Dean. "Winchester. I knew your grandfather. He was a good man."
Dean looked confused. Both of his grandfathers had died before he was born. "He wouldn't want you here with her."
A fierce wind swirled around them raising all the debris in the room. The spirit's voice echoed, "Get out!"
"We need the hyperbolic pulse generator.," Bela explained.
"Get out!" the ghost bellowed again.
"Screw this." Dean pushed himself up. "I'm torching the son of a bitch."
He fought his way through the swirling debris to Develin's corpse. He pulled a canister of salt from his duffel and poured it on the body.
"Tell us where it is or he's going to destroy you," Bela pleaded.
"You'll never find it," it growled, grabbing Bela by the leg and dragging her to the exit.
But across the room Dean poured lighter fluid on the body and lit a match. "Bye Andre."
The ghost howled in pain as it's body turned to ash.
Bela stood, brushed herself off. "What the hell, Dean? How do you expect to find it now?" she coughed and covered her mouth to protect herself from the fumes.
He grabbed an extinguisher and sprayed it on the remaining fire. "Thanks for saving me from the vengeful spirit, Dean. You're welcome, Bela."
"I'm sure I could have reasoned with him."
"Yeah and I'm sure he was about to impale you on that pick ax by the door." Dean returned to the now opened secret door.
Bela glanced back at the door and shuddered at the sight of what would have been the implement of her death. She admitted to herself that Dean was right, but that didn't make her wrong.
"So what does this hyper generator thing look like?" Dean asked as Bela followed him into a nicely appointed office
Bela decided not to correct him. "It looks like an egg. A golden egg just about the size of an ostrich's."
Dean whistled low. "That's gotta be worth a fortune so I'm sure he'd keep it locked up."
"Dean, we are in a secret room in the back of a secret shop. I think it's pretty secure."
"You got in. If this Devlin guy did business with the likes of you, I'm sure he kept it locked up."
Bela was affronted but saw his meaning. "Good point. I guess we look for a safe or another hidden room in the secret room."
"Way ahead of you. Check it out." Dean pointed at an electric conduit that disappeared into a wall. He traced his hand along the wall. "Yahtzee." A door slid open and lights blinked on revealing a luxury apartment.
They exchanged shocked looks. "Obviously I was undercharging him," Bela murmured running a hand over the well appointed walnut bar.
"Let's find our Easter eggs and then we can celebrate at the bar." But something caught Dean's eye and he stepped behind the bar. He perused the selection of bottles and turned to Bela with a bottle of High West Campfire Whiskey in his hand.
Her brow arched in approval. "We can certainly enjoy some of that and look for the egg at the same time. We've multitasked before."
Dean opened the bottle, poured two glasses, and raised his in a toast.
It felt like days had passed when they finish searching the main room. They had found the shelf full of spell books but no magic egg. Exasperated, Dean flopped onto the leather couch. "I don't get it. This is his secret secret room. Why does he even have to hide it?"
Bela studied the room. "You're right. It was practically a trophy. I'm surprised it's not on display."
Dean turned to the impressive bar with the many bottles of pricey liquor. "This Develin guy, was he attractive?"
"I didn't think so, but he was quite the player in the black market. Why?"
"Because that bar is impressive. If I'm bringing someone to my secret room and hoping to impress them, I'm bringing them to this bar." Dean stood behind the bar and continued, "I'm going to want my coolest, flashiest stuff right here."
"Of course. Have a drink and check out my trophy room." Bela joined him, taking a seat at the bar. "Dean, do those shelves behind you move?" She pointed at what appeared to be tracks on the unit behind him.
Dean turned and tried to force the shelf to slide along the track. "It won't budge."
"It would have to be powered. Develin isn't going to manually push a shelf like that."
Together they tried every button and switch they found behind the bar and finally the entire back wall slid open. Lights flickered on to reveal a closet sized room loaded with supernatural artifacts and weapons. Dean whistled and Bela grabbed his arm "Now that's a yahtzee."
On the bottom shelf, directly in front of them was a wooden rack holding two egg shaped objects with room for two more. "Looks like an incomplete set. There should be four," Bela pointed out as she turned over one 'egg' in her hand.
Dean pulled a cloth from his coat pocket and handed it to Bela. "Wrap it up. Let's get going."
"Going?" Bela repeated,stunned by the idea. "It took us the entire day to get here. You want to leave? When was the last time you had a hot shower? Or slept in a real bed with sheets of Egyptian cotton?"
"The camp has hot-"
"Not like this. He has food and plenty to drink." Dean seemed to be waffling so Bela went on. "And you know it's not safe to travel after dark."
Dean opened his mouth to argue, but then said nothing. He took the hyperbolic pulse generator from Bela and wrapped both of them in his coat. "I call shower first and I'm taking these with me."
Pleased to have gotten her way, Bela smirked. "You do that Dean."
The hot water worked miracles on Dean's sore stiff muscles. He felt clean and revitalized and the towel was so soft and fluffy he was taking it back to camp with him. It left him wishing he had brought clean clothes when he left camp.
An unfamiliar noise was coming from the other side of the door which separated the shower area from the rest of the bathroom. Dean cautiously opened the door to find Bela relaxing in the oversized Jacuzzi tub. She had a bottle of something chilling and a platter full of cheese and crackers.
Dean huffed a small laugh. "You look like every bit the pampered princess you are."
"Thank you. This tub is amazing and you should really try this." She held out a champagne flute. "I found several bottles of Gosset and it is as good as I remembered."
Dean took the proffered glass and studied the liquid. There was a time he would never accept something Bela offered him. Yet, she had the opportunity to leave or do something while he was in the shower. She done neither and now was naked under a blanket of bubbles offering expensive champagne.
"Uh, thanks." He toasted to her and let the cool sparkling liquid tickle his throat. "I'll let you, um…" He waved his hand over the tub.
Bela grinned. "Or you could grab another bottle and join me."
Dean stepped back and did a double take.
"What?" Bela asked coyly, knowing smile forming. "We are quite literally two of the last people on earth. We should definitely celebrate with champagne and sex."
Dean's brain took a second to regain function. "More of these bottles behind the bar?"
Bela grinned. "You can't miss them."
"I'll be right back. Keep those bubbles bubbling."
Sex with Dean Winchester had been as fun as Bela had dreamt it would be. Before the apocalypse, she had sex whenever and with whomever she pleased. It was always casual and she always left. Entanglements and emotions were not needed. But now, as she lay there with her head pillowed on Dean's chest and his arm protectively around her, Bela's emotions were getting the best of her. She told herself it was the wine, but she knew that was a lie. She told herself it was the orgasms (yes, more than one and yes, he was quite smug about his skill), but that was a lie, too.
She reminded herself that the world was ending or this wouldn't have happened. Once they saved the world, she could go back to her easy 'no strings sex'.
The next morning Dean was surprised to see Bela loading a satchel with spell books. "Thought you'd be staying here."
"Why would I do that?"
Dean's answer was a look around the opulent apartment.
"After we save the world, I'm planning on celebrating with another bottle or two from Andre's collection. Until then, someone has to make sure those things get back to Sam."
They arrived at the car just as the sun was rising. Bela studied the spell books as they drove back to camp. By the time they arrived, Bela found several pages that contained information about angels, but nothing about the hyperbolic pulse generator.
Her frustration was at the boiling point when Sam joined them in Dean's cabin. He was turning a generator over in his hand. "So this is the magic egg?"
"Worthless if we can't figure out how to use it," Bela snapped and dropped the book she was reading onto the table.
Sam was stunned by her outburst, but he was more shocked to see his his brother put a comforting hand on Bela's shoulder. He'd have to ask about that once Bela returned to the cabin she shared with Reena.
"These markings look Enochian. Cas can tell us how it works," Sam said nonchalantly watching his brother interact with Bela.
"Yeah, good idea. Cas'll be able to read it." Dean gave Bela's shoulder a reassuring squeeze then took a seat at the table across from Sam. "Then we'll just have to come up with a plan to get all the major players in the same place at the same time."
"Depending on what these things do," Sam began, "I've got a plan I think would work."
Cas read the Enochian etchings on the hyperbolic pulse generators and gasped. He set them on the table and edged away from them like they were fragile time bombs."Where did you find these things?"
"Bela knew some people," Dean explained. "But that doesn't matter. How do they work? Can we use them against Lucifer and Micheal?"
"Yes. These weapons extract the angel's grace and trap it inside this device."
Sam's eyes lit up. "No grace means no power."
"No power means we can shove their asses right back into the cage!" Dean said matching his brother's enthusiasm.
"Yes, though essentially they will already be trapped inside those," Cas reiterated pointing at the devices.
Bela was pleased that the Winchesters were smiling, but she had one more concern. "How do we get Michael and Lucifer to show up at the same place and time?"
"Easy. Once we have everything in place, Cas will remove the branding that wards us from them and they'll come to us," Dean stated as if he wasn't dropping a huge bombshell on her.
"Wait a minute. Are you telling me that the two of you are the vessels?!" Bela's wide eyed shock went from one brother to the next.
The brothers shrugged their answer. Cas clarified, "It was destined to be brothers."
"Of course," Bela groaned at her ignorance of the obvious "It would be the two of you. Just when I think I've gotten myself and those people to the safest possible place on earth, it turns out to be the worst."
Dean smirked. "Relax, what could possibly go wrong?"
Day one, as it became known, was anti-climatic. Yes, nerves wore thin in the days leading to what Dean liked to call "the royal rumble". Their plan had so many parts, so many steps that had to work in perfect synchronicity that Bela didn't think it work. Although she had gained a meager amount of Dean's trust, the Winchesters weren't about to let her handle any of the essential elements of their plan.
Instead, Bela was put in charge of the survivors. "Hey, it's better than reciting Latin at what's probably going to be our funeral," Dean pointed out.
Bela rolled her eyes at her dismissal. "Those people are the most important," Sam told her. "They are the reason we are risking our lives."
Garth and Chuck were tasked with learning the Enochian charm on the "golden eggs" and the Latin spellwork for the horsemen's rings. The items themselves would only be given to them on the way to the 'rumble'.
Sam and Dean chose Stull Cemetery as the location and studied it until they knew every inch of the terrain. Then, they decided upon a date. Garth and Chuck would need time to memorize their parts and Cas would have to power up if he was going to remove the etchings on their ribs. When Sam grabbed a calendar, the brothers intuitively agreed on the day: November 2nd. The day that started it all would be the day that ended it.
The first frost of the season coated everything in white that morning.
"Come back." Bela didn't trust herself to say much more as she hugged Sam and Dean good bye. She wasn't sure she could lead the survivors without them.
"Of course." Dean's answer was full of enough bravado that Bela felt herself smile despite her fears.
"You slept with her, didn't you," Sam blurted out, once they were in the Impala and driving to Stull.
"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," Dean replied.
"You're not a gentleman," Garth piped up from the backseat.
"Yeah," Chuck chimed in. "You always kiss and tell. You've told plenty of times"
Dean conceded their points. "Well, there wasn't that much sleeping."
Sam scrunched up his face. "Bela?"
"What? She gave me the whole 'we're the last people on earth' line and since there was wine and she was naked in a jacuzzi, I fell for it. I'm only human, Sam."
Sam shook his head equally amused and appalled.
"Bela is a beautiful woman. Dean'd be a fool not to sleep with her," Cas added from the back seat. "Wait, there was wine?"
"There was a working jacuzzi?!" Garth exclaimed.
"Yes, alright? We can all celebrate with wine, whiskey and woman after we save the world," Dean growled. "Let's stay on target. We have a lot riding on this."
When they arrived at Stull, they set about their tasks. Once set, Cas removed the etching from the brothers' ribs and hid himself behind a large oak tree while Sam and Dean summoned the archangels.
"Sam, Dean, how good of you to call," Lucifer said as he strolled up to them. "To what do I owe the honor?" He flicked his finger and Dean flew back ten feet.
However, instead of crashing into the tombstones, Dean was set upright as Michael arrived. "Tsk,tsk, brother, no hurting the vessels."
Lucifer bristled, puffed up his stance, and turned his attention to Sam. "Why, after all this time, have you summoned us here? You know this doesn't end well for you."
"Who cares? Stop stalling," Michael replied for them.
Sam glared. "We've decided this needs to end. Avoiding you has brought too much destruction. Too many lives have been lost."
"Then let's end this," Michael sneered. "You and your brother say "yes", then me and my brother will finish this once and for all."
"Yeah, about that." Dean dropped his lighter igniting the ring of holy oil surrounding the four of them.
"You think a little holy oil is going to save you, hmm?" Michael taunted and clenched his fist making Dean and Sam crumple to the ground gasping for air.
"They can't say 'yes' if they can't breathe you idiot." Lucifer shoved his brother and waved his hand. The Winchesters could now breath but they were clutching their stomachs in pain.
Completely unnoticed by the archangels, Chuck stood outside the fire chanting Enochian. The sigils on the hyperbolic pulse generators glowed and the rings on them spun. What had seemed like solid gold now opened.
Sam and Dean chanted the ritual with Chuck and the vessels fell to their knees.
Cas yelled, "Cover your eyes!" But neither Sam nor Dean looked away. They needed to see if the ritual worked.
The blinding grace burst from the vessels' mouths and flowed to the hyperbolic pulse generators like they were magnetized.
Garth tossed the horseman's rings into the ring of fire and yelled the Latin spell opening the portal to Lucifer's cage.
When the grace of the archangels was fully contained in the hyperbolic pulse generators, Sam and Dean took them from Chuck and prepared to throw them into the portal, but Cas yelled, stopping them. He pointed to the generator holding Michael. "Lucifer should be returned to the cage, but Michael should be returned to Heaven. We have our own justice and prison. He should face justice in heaven."
Dean grimaced. "Make sure that son of a bitch pays for the destruction he caused down here."
Sam tossed the egg holding Lucifer's grace into the portal and it sealed leaving only the rings behind. Cas extinguished the fire and Dean handed off Michael.
Garth bounced on the balls of his feet, beaming like a child on Christmas. "I can't believe that worked! We just saved the world!"
The brothers smiled, both astonished and relieved, Garth's exuberance was infectious.
"That was pretty amazing," Chuck added. "I think it's time for the wine, women and whiskey."
"Hard to argue with that," Dean said, grinning at Sam.
One Year Later
"So get this," Sam said as Dean joined him at the booth of a tiny diner. "If we can get our hands on an artifact from the Titanic, all of this will end."
"The Titanic?" Dean's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean the ship not the Kate Winslet movie, right?"
Sam rolled his eyes. "Yes the ship. IHow are we going to get our hands on something like that? I'm sure it's all in museums some place."
Dean had a flash of memory and smiled to himself. "Give me two days, Sammy, and I'll put the captain's pocket watch in your hands."
The bell on the door chimed as he entered and the salesgirl called a cheerful 'hello' from her spot behind the counter. "Take a look around, I'll be right with you."
Exotic plants and gorgeous bouquets filled the shop with color and fragrance. It was so different from Dean's previous visit for a moment he thought he was in the wrong store.
"How can I - well, of all the gin joints."
"Or flower shops," he added, smiling. "Hoped I'd find you here. Like what you've done with the place."
Bela blushed at his compliment. "I thought it was time I brought beauty to this world instead of destruction."
"I like it. It suits you," he replied letting his eyes roam over her and making her blush deepen.
"Buying flowers for someone, then?" she asked pretending that she wasn't hoping he was there to see her.
"Actually, I'm hoping you still have some of Andre's things. I remember seeing a pocketwatch that would go a long way to end some trouble Sam and I are having."
"Of course," Bela replied keeping a neutral expression because obviously Dean was there for a case. "Let me close the shop and you can take a look in the vault."
He followed her through the 'secret' door and down the stairs. When she opened the door to the apartment Dean asked, "Do you still have some of that fancy champagne?"
Bela smiled and turned to him and smoothed a hand over his shoulder. "I do. In fact, I upgraded the jacuzzi tub. I would be more than happy to show it to you."
"I think we should celebrate your new life choices." Dean kissed her, walking her backwards until she was pressed against the bar.
With a hand on his chest, she gently pushed him back so that she could take a bottle from the bar refrigerator. Dean took two flutes from the shelf above them.
"Let me get that stopwatch you wanted."
Dean took her hand and led her to the bathroom. "After you show me that new tub."
The End