Disclaimer: Supernatural and all related characters and past story plots belong to it's creator, Eric Kripke, his team, and Warner Brothers. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever. All original characters, however, are mine and anyone who wishes to borrow will need to ask my permission to do so.
Author's Note: I am formatting this based on the show, which means that actors and creators will be mentioned in their starring roles, including casting various other actors and actresses into the roles of my original characters who will appear throughout the story. I have no clue if this violates any legal rights, so if this does get taken down because of it, I will adjust the story and repost as quickly as possible. To that end, each chapter will also flow like an episode of the series. The bad guy of the chapter will be put to rest, but there will be a long theme that covers the entire story.
In the future, I will be posting Thursday nights around the same time as the show goes on. I have set up my own updating schedule, which I will try to follow. Do not expect it to correspond with the CW's schedule of new episode, however.
Also, as of yesterday's shocking (depending on if you saw it coming or not) revelation about Sam being Lucifer's vessel, know that I all ready had my own plan in mind for Sam's future. Being Lucifer's vessel is NOT it. I may incorporate it somehow (such as Lucifer nursing the idea of possessing Sam for a while), but it won't be the case. This will more than likely hold true for Dean and Michael, though I haven't completely made up my mind yet.
Finally, this story is written for those who may need to take a break from the insane working of Kripke's mind. Please enjoy and review by clicking the little button at the bottom of the page. All kinds of feedback are welcome.
THE ROAD SO FAR
(Music begins. It's "Heaven and Hell" performed by Black Sabbath.)
A wooden cross marks a grave. Dean Winchester digs his way out, gasping for breath.
Dean reunites with his brother.
"Hey, Sammy."
Sam Winchester hugs his brother
A large space is covered with ritual markings. Sparks fly out of the hanging lamps.
Shots are fired at a man with dark hair wearing a suit and a long coat.
Dean questions the stranger.
"Who are you?"
"Castiel."
Castiel stands with his wings reflected in shadow.
"I'm an angel of the Lord."
Dean stares in a mirror, pulling back his sleeve to reveal a hand-shaped burn mark.
"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."
Dean and Castiel are talking alone.
"Why would an angel rescue me from Hell?"
"Because we have work for you."
The Impala dries down a highway.
Dean and Sam are in the car.
"Something major must've happened while I was downstairs…"
Sam and Ruby make love.
"…because I come back and you're BFF with a demon?"
Ruby stands solemnly with her knife.
"She saved my life."
A blonde woman smiles, her eyes turning white.
"Lilith is trying to break the sixty-six seals."
Dean and Castiel are alone in Bobby Singer's kitchen.
"You think of the seals as locks on a door."
"Okay. Last one opens and…?"
"Lucifer walks free."
Pamela Barnes screams as her eyes are burned out.
Azazel slits his wrist, his blood dropping into baby Sam's mouth.
"I've got demon blood in me, Dean!"
Sam and Dean argue on the side of the road.
"I'm a whole new level of freak!"
Sam turns to Ruby.
"Ruby, it's been weeks. I need it."
Ruby slits her arm. Sam drinks the blood that seeps from it.
"Your brother is heading down a dangerous road, Dean."
Pamela whispers in Sam's ear. He looks afraid.
"If you think you have good intentions, think again."
Chuck Shirley and Sam talk about the demon blood.
"Sucking blood? You gotta know that's wrong."
"I wish to God I could stop."
A man hangs from a demonic trap.
"Alastair."
Flashes of Dean in Hell.
"He sliced, carved…"
Dean and Sam talk next to the car.
"…until there was nothing left. At the end of every day, he would make me an offer to take me off the rack…"
Dean prepares a knife to use on Alastair.
"…if I started to torture."
Close up of Alastair.
"Oh, the first time you picked up my razor. That was the first seal."
Sam uses his powers to exorcise Samhain. Dean watches, horrified. Sam grips his head in pain.
"Do you even know how far off the reservation you've gone?"
Sam stares at his brother, blood covering his mouth, stunned and guilty. Dean is beyond pissed off.
"How far from normal, from human?"
Dean confronts Sam in their motel room.
"If I didn't know you, I would wanna hunt you."
Sam is locked in Bobby's panic room.
"I'm not drinking the demon blood for kicks!"
Ruby approaches Sam.
"You know what you gotta do."
Sam enters the convent with Ruby. Lilith smiles.
"We have to find Sam now. To stop him, Dean, from killing Lilith."
Dean and Castiel go to see Chuck.
"You're not in this story."
"Yeah, well, we're making it up as we go."
Castiel faces the bright light of the archangel. Chuck watches him.
Ruby grins smugly at Dean before telekinetically slamming the doors. Dean reacts in shock.
Sam and Lilith face off.
"I've been waiting for this."
"Give me your best shot."
Sam's eyes become black. Lilith's body glows as it arches. Sam clenches his hand. The glow vanishes and she falls, wide-eyed and dead.
Sam stares in confusion, watching Lilith's blood create a shape in the floor.
"You did it. You opened the door."
Sam and Ruby are still alone.
"I stopped her, I killed her."
"And it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal."
Sam's eyes widen in horror.
"And now he's free at last."
Dean breaks the door open. Ruby stands before him.
"You're too late."
"I don't care."
Dean advances as Sam grabs Ruby from behind. Dean stabs her with her own knife, and she falls, dead.
Sam faces his brother, heart wrenching guilt and regret on his face.
"I'm sorry."
A bright, white light shines as the portal opens. Sam and Dean watch it in fear, gripping each other's jackets.
"He's coming…"
NOW
The light that filled the small chapel was unnatural, both in it's feel and the fact that it was coming from the circle of demon blood on the floor. It hadn't gotten any brighter, but that meant nothing. Just by being there, the light was damning to humanity. It was pure evil.
Lucifer was free.
The Winchester brothers didn't move, both frozen in place. Sam's hand had released it's grip on his older brother and was now hanging by his side. Dean had tightened his own grip on Sam. They couldn't tear their gazes away from this living nightmare.
"He's coming," Sam repeated, his voice stronger than it was before.
This time, the words pierced through the fog that had surrounded Dean's brain. Lucifer was about to rise. This wasn't the time to just stand around, contemplating whatever had lead to this. They had to get out, now!
Dean pulled on his brother's jacket as he ran for the door. Coming out of his own troubled thoughts, Sam glanced at his brother – message received – and followed him. They just reached them when the double doors telekinetically slammed shut.
"Damn it!" swore Dean. He and Sam instantly began to break down the doors. They threw their full weight into their shoulders and arms, attempting to ram the door open, but all that achieved was giving them both pain. The door didn't budge.
If Lucifer was strong enough to trap them from halfway inside his prison, then…
An unholy, high-pitched screech filled the room, echoing off the walls. Sam and Dean gasped, stopping their desperate attempt to break free and covering their ears. Their hands did nothing to shield their sensitive hearing, however. The sound seemed to just get louder with every second that passed. Sam's wince scrunched up his whole face, and he bent over double. He had already been feeling the beginnings of a headache. The horrible sound was only intensifying it.
Dean fought hard to open his eyes. He didn't like what he was seeing. The light appeared to be fading. He could just make out Lilith's outline – or rather, the outline of the poor woman Lilith had been possessing – beyond it. Time was running out. After all he'd heard about him, Dean did not want to be anywhere near here when Lucifer finally reared his ugly head, let alone in the same room.
Glancing around, he spotted the candleholder he'd used not five minutes ago. He grabbed it, moved back towards the door, and started slamming the base of the holder into the center of the wood. The doors opened inward, but if Dean could get enough force behind it, he could knock the doors down. It was their only chance.
Sam opened his eyes at the sound of something banging on the door. Dean was trying to bust them down, get the brothers out. He knew he should be helping, but something held him back. Trying to take out Ruby with his powers had nearly left him spent. And even if he could use them, he wouldn't… not after all they'd cost him…
Suddenly, the double doors fell to the ground with a loud crash, having come clean off their hinges. It seemed to shake the entire church… only the shaking didn't stop. It just got worse, nearly knocking Sam and Dean off their feet as it quickly reached earthquake status. The convent's foundation groaned in protest.
This was getting dangerous.
Sam couldn't stop himself from looking back. His eyes surveyed the entire room at large. Ruby, sprawled right where he had allowed the lifeless body to drop without remorse. Lilith, collapsed beside the alter, white dress flowing around her legs, blonde hair outlining her beautiful face. The light coming from the circle of blood on the floor, slowly but surely starting to intensify once again. The stone floor suddenly cracked.
He had done this… He was to blame… It was all his fault…
Sam hadn't moved. Dean could see the faraway look in his eyes, knew exactly what he was thinking, but now wasn't the time for self-pity. He wasn't sure what would happen once Lucifer finally broke free of his cage, but he really didn't want to stick around and find out.
"Sam, we gotta move," Dean said, tugging on his little brother's arm.
Dean's voice and the sound of his name brought Sam back to the situation. He nodded stiffly and turned away from the scene. Together, they ran down the corridor and out of St. Mary's.
The ground trembled violently beneath their feet as they ran. Glancing back over his shoulder, Dean could see the glow from the windows as it intensified. He looked away once more, picking up his pace. Sam was right beside him, matching his speed and also casting quick glances at the building. Their only warning was a loud rumble from the direction of the convent.
BOOM!
It wasn't so much a sound as a vibration. One that could probably be felt all the way over in Uruguay! The Winchesters were knocked off their feet, landing about two feet away from where they were, Dean on his stomach, Sam on his back. The blinding white light that had accompanied the blast forced the boys to keep their eyes shut tight. Sam covered his closed eyes with his arm for good measure.
Then, silence fell. Neither brother moved, waiting. The air felt extremely tense around them. Familiar noises began to reach their ears. The sounds of the night had returned. Cautiously, Dean squinted one eye. Seeing nothing but darkness, he opened his eyes a little more. No light. All was clear.
Sam felt Dean's movements and knew it was safe, for now. He opened his eyes, put his hands under him, and painfully pushed himself to his feet. Dean mimicked his brother, rising just as painfully. They turned to look at the convent once more. St. Mary's looked peaceful and untouched from the outside. No one would ever have known that something had happened just by staring at its exterior.
But something had happened there. Something that meant the end of the world.
Lucifer had risen.
Dean and Sam quickly located the nearest car. The Impala had been left back at Bobby Singer's place in South Dakota. It wasn't that Dean had left it there on purpose. The angels hadn't given him much choice. Thinking back on it, Dean realized Bobby was probably worried about him, giving his sudden disappearing act. He'd have to remember to call him later.
They got the doors open quickly enough. Sliding into their usual seats, Dean started to hotwire the engine. It roared to life, the sudden noise making the brothers jump slightly. Dean put the car in drive and pulled out into the street. He didn't have a direction yet; just anywhere that would get them out of this town.
Sam watched the streets fly by for a while. His racing heart was finally slowing down. His guilty conscious was still screaming at him, though. His headache hadn't let up yet, either, but he could deal with it for now. They had more pressing issues.
Sam looked across at Dean, keeping his face unreadable, trying to analyze his brother's mood. Dean had to be so furious and disappointed in him.
Dean met Sam's gaze. He knew his fear and concern showed on his face. He wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but his brother was his top priority. He hoped Sam could wait just a little longer, though, because there was something they had to do first. Dean turned back to the road.
He knew where they had to go.
Blood splatters across the screen, quickly fading to form the words.
SUPERNATURAL
Static makes the word flicker and eventually fade.
Gary, Indiana
Gary was always a quiet town. One of those places where everyone knew everyone else. There wasn't much crime in the area; mostly stupid kids pulling pranks or the occasional bar fight. Life tended to get tedious in a place like this.
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
The local high school held four grades, though the number of students in each class wasn't very large. There weren't that many teachers in the building, either. Just enough to cover the core subjects for every grade, art, physical education, music, and health. Therefore, everyone in the building got to know each other pretty well.
Mr. Allen Parker taught Government, the seniors' level of Social Studies. He loved his job and tried to treat all his students as equals. But that year, he'd had one particular student who he could never get off his mind.
Belinda Grover was the best in her class, easily slated as valedictorian. She did well in every class, played a variety of sports, was captain of the cheer squad, participated in band, orchestra, and choir, was part of a number of clubs and activities, and was the senior class president. She was extremely popular, having been voted Homecoming Queen and would probably be Prom Queen as well. She was also very beautiful, with long dirty blonde hair, pale eyes, and a kind face. She'd had many boyfriends, all of whom were older than her.
So was it any small wonder Allen Parker had taken a romantic interest in his young student?
He wasn't completely stupid. He knew it was wrong. But Belinda had been eighteen for several months now, and she was clearly just as into the idea as he was. They kept it a complete secret, as so not to tarnish both their reputations. They had agreed to wait until Belinda had graduated before they went out on any dates. Everything was kept extremely professional.
So one particular day in May, Allen was handing back his recent tests. Though many students had done well, only Belinda had a perfect score. The girl smiled when she realized that one of her answers was, in fact, incorrect. She had learned not to question it, though. This was the only way Mr. Parker could safely show his affection for her. He always refused to change her grade, so she had let it go. It wasn't like anyone looked that closely, anyway.
When the bell rang, the class immediately began to pack their books. "Remember, your term papers are due tomorrow, no excuses. You've had since February to complete them," Allen reminded them all as they started to leave. His eyes sought out the young woman in the front of the room. "Belinda, I exceptionally look forward to reading yours," he added with a wink.
Belinda nodded, giving him a warm smile. "You won't be disappointed," she replied. She delicately flipped her hair over her shoulder, turned around, and left the room.
Allen returned to his desk to pull out his things for his next class. Suddenly, the fluorescent lights above him began to flicker. He glanced up, confused, but the lights had stopped. He shrugged, noticing it was starting to feel cold in the room. He went to grab his sweater from the closet. That meant that he failed to notice the strange girl who'd appeared next to Belinda Grover's desk. Allen didn't see her gray skin, matted flaxen hair, and intense silver eyes, which she now used to stare at him coldly.
A few doors down was the classroom where Belinda had her Physics lessons. She searched through her bag, but failed to find her assignment pad. She groaned after realizing where she'd last had it.
"Tell Mrs. Soren I'll be right back. I left something in Government," Belinda said to Christie, her best friend and lab partner.
"You've been pretty forgetful lately," smirked Christie. "Sure it's not just because of the new boyfriend?"
"Shut up," said Belinda with a meaningful look. "You swore you wouldn't tell."
"Oh my God! I know, all right? Chill out," laughed Christie.
Belinda shook her head and left the classroom. She walked the short distance to Mr. Parker's room. The door was closed, which caused her to frown. She knew this was Allen's prep period. He never closed the door when he was in his room.
She cautiously knocked on the door. "Mr. Parker?" she called. There was no answer, so she tried again. "Mr. Parker!" Again, no answer. She tried the door. The handle turned, so it wasn't locked. She pushed it open. "Allen?" she whispered… and then froze where she stood.
Allen Parker was sprawled across his desk, eyes wide open and dull, shirt torn open, covered in blood…
Belinda screamed.
The place wasn't as messy as he had assumed it would be.
STARRING
JARED PADALECKI
Sam and Dean moved cautiously through the empty house. On the road, Dean had explained everything the angels had put him through. His being held in the safe room, Zachariah revealing the plan, Castiel getting him out with every intention to stop Sam, Castiel and Dean going to Chuck Shirley for help, the archangel descending, and Castiel sending Dean to the convent. Sam listened in silence, only reacting in shock to the news that the angels wanted Lucifer free. That they'd been playing him, too, just as Ruby had.
JENSEN ACKLES
It was obvious that no one was around. Dean was becoming concerned. What had happened to Castiel? Was he all right or did the archangel do something to him? Dragged him back to Heaven? Killed him? And where was Chuck?
MISHA COLLINS
Sam stopped in front of the computer. It was still on, showing a word document of the latest manuscript of Supernatural. Chuck had called it "Lucifer Rising." Not really wanting to, but curious anyway, Sam skimmed the pages. It detailed exactly what had gone down at the convent, even his entire conversation with Ruby. Reading the words was just as painful as hearing them spoken.
"I was the best of those sons of bitches, the most loyal!... Yeah, I'm sure you're a little angry right now, but I mean, come on, Sam! Even you have to admit I'm – I'm awesome!... It wasn't the blood. It was you and your choices. I just gave you the options, and you chose the right path every time. You didn't need the feather to fly, you had it in you the whole time, Dumbo…"
He swallowed back the bile that had risen to his throat. It was bad enough that he'd been the one to unleash Hell on Earth, but to see proof of what he'd done on paper like this…
GUEST STARRING
JIM BEAVER
There were some differences in the plot, though. Dean had come to the convent, he and Sam had killed Ruby, they'd escaped. Chuck's version, however, claimed that the angels were still holding Dean. Even Castiel had refused to help. Sam and Ruby were alone when Lucifer had started to rise. That was where the story had ended.
ROB BENEDICT
Sam ran his hand through his hair. He still had some trouble dealing with the part where all of this had been pre-planned. Even Azazel, the yellow-eyed demon who'd killed his mom and Jess, had been part of this. Sam remembered how, at Cold Oak, the demon had called him the favorite. Ruby said that he had to be the one to open the door. This was all just too much.
God, his throat was burning!
GENEIEVE CORTESE
Dean watched his brother carefully out of the corner of his eye. He remembered how it felt when Castiel told him he had broken the first seal. The guilt had consumed him for some time until he managed to convince himself that there was still time to fix it. So he knew exactly what Sam was going through there. He had seen his little brother's guilt written all over his face back at the convent. He had been quiet in the car, his expression mostly blank except for his eyes. Now, looking at what the prophet had written, it was all back on his face. Sam had always been the more emotional Winchester, so Dean knew he wouldn't be able to bottle it up for long. However, this could go on for a number of days.
Then there was the other little problem of withdrawal. Dean could see that his brother was beginning to go through the symptoms. He didn't know when Sam's last hit had been, or how much it had taken out of him to kill Lilith, but from the looks of things, he wouldn't last too long. Dean still had trouble wrapping his brain around the fact that his little brother was an addict. And of all the substance abuse issues he could have picked, it just had to be demon blood. Sam always had to be different.
Dean sighed. Thinking about all this now wasn't going to do any good. Sure, he was pissed as Hell at the kid, and he knew he couldn't fully trust him, but it hadn't been completely Sam's fault. He'd been used by angels and demons alike. Dean wasn't going to forget that any time soon. Right now, however, there was nothing he could do. Sam wasn't ready to ask for help. This time, Dean wouldn't force him to do something he didn't want to do. He would just have to be patient.
"The place is deserted," said Dean, speaking for the first time.
Sam looked up at him, worried. "Do you think they got out?"
"I don't know, maybe. I mean, Chuck's a prophet. The archangel wouldn't have hurt him," Dean replied. "But there's no sign of what might have happened to him."
Dean's cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, glancing down at the caller id. He answered it right away.
"Hey, Bobby."
In South Dakota, Bobby's tense form instantly relaxed. It was so good to hear that voice. "Dean, where the hell are you? I've been callin' every half hour since ya up and disappeared on me," he scolded.
"Yeah, sorry. I haven't been exactly in range," Dean said, glancing at Sam, who was listening intently. "Bobby, listen, we're in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Bobby asked, concerned.
"The final seal was broken. Lucifer's free," Dean said, knowing full well what to expect.
"What?" Bobby stood up quickly. "How'd that happen?"
"Lilith. She was the final seal. She's dead," summarized Dean flatly.
Bobby heard the tone Dean used. He realized what must have happened. "Sam," he said with a resigned sigh. "He killed Lilith."
"Yeah, and Ruby was in on it the whole time," confirmed Dean.
Sam felt his stomach drop. So Bobby was able to figure it out.
"Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't the angels stop him?" demanded Bobby.
Dean's voice instantly became angered. "Because they wanted it to happen! The angels screwed us over!"
"They wanted Lucifer free?" Bobby was confused. "I thought you were supposed to stop it?"
"Well, apparently, they didn't mean Lilith. They want me to stop Lucifer," Dean told him.
"Holy shit," said Bobby, shocked. "Where's Sam now? Is he with you?"
"Yeah, he's here." Dean spared his brother another glance. "We're on our way to you so we can pick up the Impala and plan our next move."
"Yeah, okay,' Bobby said, picking up that morning's paper. "But maybe you can stop in Gary, Indiana first."
"Why? What's in Gary, Indiana?" Dean asked in confusion.
"One of the local teachers was found dead in his classroom in the middle of the day. The police are at a loss. There was no murder weapon, no fingerprints, no witnesses. From the sounds of it, it could be an angry spirit."
Dean's eyes widened slightly. "A job?" he asked, now fully turning to his little brother. "I don't know, Bobby."
Sam met Dean's eyes. The news of a hunt in Indiana was a surprise. He wasn't sure he was ready to get back out there, but they couldn't ignore it. Besides, it might get his mind off his guilt and give Dean a chance to take out his frustration on the supernatural.
"Tell him we'll take it," Sam said.
Dean wasn't sure if he'd heard him right. "What?"
"We'll take it," repeated Sam, standing up.
Nope, he'd heard correctly. "Sam, neither one of us have slept in the last twenty-four hours. Who knows where Lucifer is? Castiel and Chuck are gone. You really think we're ready to take on a hunt right now?"
"People are dying, Dean. We can't just pretend it isn't happening," Sam said reasonably. "Besides, we're heading in that direction, anyway."
Dean knew he was right, but that didn't mean he liked it. They weren't in top form, physically or otherwise. Sam was only going to get worse. How would he be able to handle a salt and burn once the hallucinations started? Could Dean really count on him to watch his back?
None of that mattered now, though, not with Sam looking that determined. Dean heaved a sigh and put the phone back to his ear. "All right, Bobby. We'll handle it," he said.
Bobby had expected that response. He wouldn't have asked, considering everything they'd gone through in the last couple of days, but there was no other choice. The Winchesters were the closest to the area.
He heard the initial hesitation, though. Sam must have been the one to insist they go. He knew that Dean would watch out for the boy – he'd agreed to go, didn't he? – but a reminder wouldn't hurt.
"Watch out for your brother, ya idgit," Bobby said before he hung up.
They stopped along the way to get some much-needed sleep at a motel, but by mid-afternoon the next day, the stolen car was parked outside a high school in Gary, Indiana. Sam and Dean had donned their suits and grabbed a couple of their less frequently used FBI badges. They stepped into the empty Government classroom, accompanied by the school principal, Mrs. Silvia Johnson.
"I'm not sure I understand. Why is the FBI interested in this?" she asked uncertainly.
"Mrs. Johnson, I can assure you, it's just a routine check. Teacher murdered on school property, kinda raises some alarms these days. Especially after Columbine and Virginia Tech," lied Sam smoothly.
"You think one of the students could have done this?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"You tell me," Dean answered. "Did Mr. Parker have any enemies, somebody who might've held a grudge?"
"No," the principal said right away, looking a little confused. "All the students loved him. Allen went out of his way to help them succeed."
"And all the students knew him? I though he only taught the seniors?" Dean wanted to know.
"It's a pretty small community. Everyone knows everyone around here," said Mrs. Johnson. "A few of our students even live on my street."
"You said it was a student who found the body?" asked Sam, giving Dean a chance to investigate the bloodstained desk and blackboard.
"Belinda Grover," responded Mrs. Johnson with a nod. "Poor thing's been broken up about it ever since. The other teachers have been taking it easy on her."
"That's very kind of them," said Sam, sympathetic tones in his voice.
The principal nodded. "She spent a lot of time with him this year. I think he was one of her favorite teachers. I mean, Belinda's a straight A student, she's always put a hundred percent into her work, but… I don't know, she did exceptionally well in Allen's class."
Sam nodded. "Well, thank you for your time," he said.
Mrs. Johnson nodded and left the room. The second she was gone, Sam crossed the room and closed the door. Dean pulled out the EMF meter. It started giving him positive readings.
"Bobby was right. It's definitely a spirit," Dean confirmed.
"Why would it go after a high school History teacher?" asked Sam, confused.
"That's what we gotta figure out," said Dean, putting the EMF away.
"Maybe Belinda saw something," Sam suggested.
"Yeah, maybe. All right," Dean said with a sigh, "let's go talk to her."
They decided to wait until after the school day was over. They caught up to Belinda just before cheerleading practice. Dean found his eyes drawn to the girls, all of whom were wearing their uniforms. He grinned broadly, forgetting where he was for the moment.
"Nice," he muttered under his breath.
Sam, knowing his brother, instantly turned to give him an incredulous look. "Dean," he scolded.
Dean looked at him, grin still in place. "What? You're supposed to look at the cheerleaders," he insisted.
Sam shook his head and walked towards the girls. Dean quickly followed behind him. They had all ready figured out which student was Belinda, so they went right over to her.
"Belinda Grover?" asked Dean.
The blonde teenager looked at them. "Yes?" she responded.
Dean and Sam pulled out their badges as Dean introduced them. "I'm Agent Reed, this is Agent Lloyd. We need to ask you a couple of questions about Allen Parker's murder."
The girl's confusion instantly faded to one of sorrow. "Oh, right," was all she said.
"Belinda, did you know Mr. Parker very well?" asked Sam gently as he slowly led her away from the large crowd.
"About as well as a lot of the other students knew him," said Belinda with a shrug.
"What was he like?" wondered Sam.
"Kind, considerate, really smart. He always knew just how to motivate us… he was the best…" Her voice trailed off.
"What made you go into the classroom? You'd just finished class, right?" Sam questioned.
"I left my assignment pad, so I decided to go get it before Physics started."
"And that's when you found the body?" Dean said.
"Yeah," the cheerleader nodded.
"Did you notice anything strange?" pressed Dean.
"What do you mean?" asked Belinda, confused again.
"Well, was there anything that seemed out of place? Maybe something you might not have thought to tell the cops about," he encouraged.
"No. Why would I have recognized something like that?" Belinda asked, her tone changing drastically.
"What about Mr. Parker? Did you notice if he was acting differently?" Dean continued.
"No! He was fine! He was acting like he always did!" Belinda was suddenly raising her tone.
The brothers exchanged brief knowing glances before returning their attention back to the girl. "Okay, thank you for your time," said Sam with a smile. He turned and walked back toward the car with Dean right beside him. Belinda returned to the squad.
"So, what do you think?" asked Sam.
"Oh, she's definitely hiding something," replied Dean immediately. He loosened the tie around his neck.
"Right. The question is what." Sam swallowed, trying to sooth his burning throat. It was taking all his resolve to ignore how painful it was, but he didn't have a choice. Dean was upset with him enough as it was. Sam wasn't about to prove himself the weak link on a hunt he suggested they take.
"Whatever it is, it has something to do with Parker," Dean said, glancing over at Sam. His brother was starting to physically show the signs of withdrawal. The hallucinations and seizures probably wouldn't be too far behind. There was no way Dean could rely on his brother once that happened. "All right, I'll check out the classroom. You see if there've been any other deaths recently."
Sam nodded in agreement as they got in the car.
Dean waited until it was well after nightfall. Breaking into a school was hard. Breaking into a school that was also a crime scene was a bitch. Fortunately, John Winchester had taught his boys well, and Dean was able to get in with no complications.
He pulled out his flashlight and carefully looked around. There had to be something in here that made Belinda Grover nervous, something that explained why Parker had been killed. All along, he kept a look out for the spirit, the gun in his hand filled with rock salt and ready to shoot at a moment's notice. His cell was off, just in case, even though Sam knew not to call.
Dean stopped at the teacher's desk. Opening the top drawer, he saw a bunch of papers. Tests, essays, and scantrons all yet to be graded. At the bottom of the pile was a manila envelope. Curious, Dean pulled it out and opened it. There were more papers in here, but they were photocopies of previous assignments, all graded. They belonged to one particular student.
Dean stared at them, realization making his eyes widen. "Holy crap," he exclaimed loudly.
Sam sat at the table with his laptop open in the motel room. He was ready when Dean returned, manila envelope in hand, swinging the door shut behind him.
"You're not going to believe this," announced Dean as he dropped the envelope onto the table next to the computer. Sam picked it up to look through it. "Found it at the bottom of one of Parker's drawers. They're graded papers, and look whose name is at the top of every one."
"'Belinda Grover,'" Sam read in a soft voice.
"Exactly. I checked the rest of the classroom. There were others exactly like it, pretty well hidden. Everything this girl's ever done since the beginning of the year," Dean said. He sat down across from his brother. "Talk about favoritism."
Sam's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he stared at one of the tests. "This is wrong."
"What?" Dean asked.
"Her answer. It's wrong. The Miranda Rights were mandated in 1966, not 1965," explained Sam, quickly reading through the papers. "And the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Brown didn't just affect Plessy v. Ferguson, but four other cases related to Brown v. Board of Education."
Dean gave his brother a blank stare. Despite everything that had happened, he was glad to see Sam still hung on to the things he learned while at Stanford.
"So she's not perfect. Why does it matter?" he said.
Sam looked up at him. "Because they're marked right."
"Seriously?" Dean asked, grabbing the papers. Sure enough, every one was labeled with a large letter A. "Teacher's pet material right there."
"I think it's more than that," said Sam as he turned his attention back to his laptop.
"Take it that means you found something," Dean said.
"Yeah. Allen Parker wasn't the first victim. There was Alexander Padmore in 2003, Austen Poole in 1997, Andrew Phillips in 1991, Abner Perkins in 1985, and Aiden Purcell in 1979. Six murders, six schools, all within a six year time span."
"666," Dean said with a snort. "Like we didn't all ready know it was the Apocalypse."
Sam didn't acknowledge that. "It took me a minute, but I noticed a connection. Their initials are all the same."
"A.P.," said Dean.
"Right, and in all the articles that reported their deaths, one of the students gave a statement. Blossom Gardner, Brenda Gonzales, Bethany Gallagher, Barbara Graham, Billie Gibbs…"
"B.G. Belinda Grover," Dean observed.
"And Brittany Gables," said Sam, turning the computer so he could see the image of the beautiful flaxen haired girl. "Murdered 1973. Police suspected the drama teacher Arnold Prescott, but he was never caught. Brittany's friends claimed that she and Prescott were romantically involved, but once she went to college, she decided to break it off."
"Guess Prescott wasn't too thrilled about that," said Dean.
"Right, and the first death was six years later," concluded Sam.
"So then I guess we should go have another chat with Belinda," Dean said.
The brothers agreed to corner Belinda before school, so they headed out bright and early the next day. Sam seemed dazed in the car, which worried Dean. It was slower this time, but the withdrawal was becoming more evident. Sam still wasn't mentioning it, though, so his hands were tied. Not that the kid deserved to keep what was left of his pride in tact, but fighting him would only lead to more problems. So Dean would put aside all that for now and focus on the hunt.
Belinda arrived a little later than anticipated, but Dean and Sam were able to catch up to her quickly. "Belinda, my partner and I have a couple more questions for you, if that's all right," Dean started.
Belinda instantly looked skittish. "I – I don't want to be late for homeroom," she stuttered.
"Oh, this won't take long," said Dean. "Belinda, you said you knew Mr. Parker well?"
"Yeah, he was my teacher," the girl said slightly defensively.
"What about outside of school? Did you ever see him at the movie theater or run into him at the mall?" asked Dean.
"S – sometimes," said Belinda with a shake in her voice.
"Did you ever say hello or did he stop to speak with you?" Dean pressed on.
"Ye – yes, when he – he wasn't busy," she replied. They were getting somewhere.
"What about your grades? Were you passing his class?" asked Sam.
"Of course. I have a 4.0," she insisted.
"And you came by that naturally? You never stopped by Mr. Parker's room for extra help? Before school, after school, lunch breaks, study hall?"
Belinda's eyes locked on Dean. They were filled with fear. She couldn't believe it – they knew.
Sam made sure to catch her eyes before he spoke. "Belinda, Allen Parker was killed, and we think we know who did it. We can stop this person, but we need you to tell us what you know."
The blonde was silent for a moment. She took a deep breath. "Allen and I loved each other. It wasn't official, I mean, we weren't together, but we were gonna be," said Belinda.
"After you graduated," Sam guessed correctly.
Belinda nodded.
"Did anyone know?" asked Dean.
"No," Belinda answered, shaking her head. "Just my friend, Christie, but no one else knew."
"No one knew… Not even Alastair knew! Only Lilith!"
Sam winced slightly, tension building in his head and the burning in his throat becoming difficult to ignore. Ruby's voice echoed in his head, sounding so much more real than it should have been. He clenched his fists to still their trembling.
Dean watched as Sam suddenly paled and winced. His little brother was weakening, and it would be too much work trying to explain if he lost it in front of Belinda. They had what they needed. Time to get going.
"Thank you, Belinda. You can go to class," he told the girl. Belinda nodded and left.
"Parker and Belinda were together, just like Brittany and Prescott," said Sam, forcing himself to focus back on the job.
"Yeah, and I'm willing to bet the other victims were sweet on their students," said Dean as he reluctantly followed his brother's example. "Please tell me the article said where Brittany was buried."
"Calvary Cemetery and Crematory," Sam answered immediately.
Dean couldn't help but feel impressed. "All right." With that, he led the way back to the car.
The cover of nightfall was always best when digging up a corpse, but Dean wasn't too thrilled about the wait. Sam had become increasingly jumpy over the course of the day. He also kept spacing out, usually mid-sentence. The symptoms were different than the last time he'd gone through withdrawal, but considering he'd never heard of anyone else having recovered from a demon blood addiction, Dean had to guess that this could be perfectly normal. Not that it would do them any good if Sam had an episode when the spirit showed up, which they tended to do when their remains were about to be torched.
The time for patience was over. Dean had to say something.
"Found it!" called Sam from somewhere off to his left. Dean jogged over to see that his brother had located the grave marker for Brittany Gables. In fact, he was all ready digging.
It was now or never.
"Hey, uh, Sam. How – how are you doing?" Dean asked in his most casual voice, joining his brother with a shovel.
Sam gave him a confused look. "Fine," he said.
"Really? No anxiety, cravings, hallucinations?" He kept his voice nonchalant.
The real question he was asking was suddenly loud and clear: Are you going to be able to do this? Suddenly feeling annoyed, Sam stopped and faced his brother. "I said I'm fine," he said in a slow and deliberate tone.
"All right," Dean replied, just as calm as before.
Sam couldn't believe him. "This is about the demon blood, isn't it?" he demanded to know. "You don't think I'll be able to hack it if something goes wrong."
"I didn't say that, Sam."
"You didn't have to, Dean. You think that I don't know you're pissed at me?"
"Damn right I'm pissed," growled Dean, digging deeper into the Earth.
"And you have every right to be," said Sam, going back to work uncovering the corpse. "God knows, I deserve it. But that's why I suggested we take this hunt. To prove to you, and to myself, that I'm stronger than we both think."
Dean froze. "Please tell me you didn't just say that," he grunted.
"We're both thinking it. I'm just saying it," stated Sam.
"Look, can we just not talk about this now?" Dean asked roughly. This wasn't the way he had pictured this conversation going. It was better just to end it now before it got any worse, and he said something he didn't mean.
"Fine."
"Fine."
They worked in silence from then on. Soon, they'd uncovered the casket. Dean smashed open the box, revealing the bones of a teenage girl. The brothers climbed out of the grave and threw aside the shovels. Sam grabbed the salt, pouring a generous amount onto the remains. He had just finished when the temperature dropped.
Dean saw her first. A young girl who appeared to be in her late teens. Her skin was gray. Her flaxen hair was dirty and matted. Her clothes were ripped and clearly belonged to the 1970s. Her silver eyes were intense, sharp… and glaring directly at Sam.
"Sam, duck!" Dean shouted, raising the gun as his brother obeyed. He fired, but the girl was quicker. She avoided the rock salt and was instantly closer to the hunters, her gaze deadlier than before. Next thing he knew, Dean was sent flying through the air.
Seeing her distracted, Sam grabbed the shotgun and stood. He fired at Brittany's spirit, but again she had vanished before the shot reached her. Frustrated, Sam glanced all around, his senses on high alert, his heart pounding. He could see Dean sitting up, knew he was okay, and so kept his attention focused on finding the spirit.
"Son of a – " Dean cursed as he sat up. "This bitch is going down." He pushed himself to his feet, located his weapon, and was ready for when Brittany reappeared.
Brittany's eyes flickered from one brother to the other, not sure which one was the bigger threat. Sam and Dean stood on either side of her, guns raised, aimed at her. In order to attack one, the other would be left to come at her. Not that it would deter her. The blonde telekinetically disarmed both Winchesters and pinned them to one of the grave markers closest to them.
Dean grunted as he struggled against the supernatural force that held him down. He couldn't even move his head to look for where his gun had been thrown. He could only watch as the spirit appeared in front of his little brother.
Sam stopped trying to free himself when Brittany materialized. She looked at him with cold eyes, but her expression was no longer murderous. In fact, it was blank. Her complexion seemed to be improving, gray becoming more natural coloring. Her flaxen hair was changing, too, to dark brown and cleaner, cared for. Her eyes even went from silver to brown, but lost none of their cruelty.
Ruby smiled silkily. "I told you, Sammy. You used all your powers breaking the final seal," she taunted. "And without them, you're weak. Hell, even with them, you're weak. What was one of the things John drilled into you from the moment he realized you knew the truth. Never trust a demon, no matter what they're offering. Dean knew. He didn't trust me from the first day we met. Guess that's why he's the good little soldier."
Sam tried to tune her out, tried not to listen. But nothing worked.
"And to top it all off, you started drinking it's blood so you could get stronger. To try and make yourself less weak. But all that did was prove how weak and desperate you really are," Ruby continued with a sneer. "You're worthless, Sam. A monster. A freak. A vampire. A junkie."
He could do nothing but stare at her and tremble. The fire in his throat screamed for relief.
Dean saw the spirit reach for Sam, hands outstretched. Sam didn't move (probably because he couldn't), but the look on his face didn't match the situation. Too much pain, not enough fear or even frustration. He couldn't be sure, but Dean figured he was lost in some hallucination. That meant it was up to him.
If he could just get free!
BANG!
Dean jumped as Brittany howled. The spirit dispersed, instantly releasing the brothers from her hold. Dean scrambled upright, looking in the direction of the shot… and stared in surprise.
Chuck Shirley was holding Dean's shotgun with trembling hands, looking terrified and relieved at the same time. Castiel stood beside him, nodding slightly in satisfaction.
"Nice shooting," Dean said with his own nod.
"My first time," said Chuck with a trembling voice.
"Finish her off. We'll check on Sam," said Castiel.
Dean pulled the matches out of his pocket and returned to the grave. He doused the bones with practically the entire half-gallon of lighter fluid they had left before striking one of the matches and tossing it in. Brittany Gables' remains were immediately aflame. Her spirit was finally at rest. The job complete but for the cleanup, Dean dropped everything he was holding and jogged over to Sam…
…who was still on the ground and not allowing Castiel and Chuck to get anywhere near him.
"No… no!" Sam was moaning.
"It's gonna be okay, Sam," Chuck tried to soothe while keeping his distance. He knew what was happening, and it hurt to know there was nothing he could do to help.
Castiel looked at Dean. "The withdrawal's getting worse. We need to get him somewhere safe," he said.
"I know," muttered Dean. He took another step towards his brother, standing between him and their friends. "Sam?"
Sam looked up at him, eyes full of unshed tears. "I can't do it, Dean… I can't be what I'm not." He swallowed. "I'm not strong enough… I couldn't stop myself. I can't blame Ruby or the angels or Lilith or Azazel… because this is all my fault. Lucifer's free… and I let him out… I destroyed the world…" Tears spilled down his cheeks as Sam looked away, wincing, raising a hand to his throat. "And the fire… it won't stop burning… I know what it wants, but I can't do that anymore. I just can't…" He swallowed again and, this time, his voice broke. "But I want to… because I'm weak, worthless… God, Dean, I need help!"
That was it. Dean closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to keep his own emotions under control. Finally, Sam was willing to accept help. Slowly, Dean knelt down beside Sam, who was sobbing now, and wrapped his arms around him. Sam curled further into his older brother, seeking reassurance and safety.
"You're not weak, Sammy, and you're not worthless. You're just very sick," Dean told him gently, "but you're gonna be okay… because I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna take care of you. I gotcha, I gotcha…"
A memory hit as he spoke those words, a memory of supporting his brother's body while kneeling in the mud. They were the same words Dean had told a dying Sam in Cold Oak only two years ago. Unwilling to linger there, Dean pulled himself back to the present, where his little brother still needed him.
Chuck and Castiel watched the brothers in silence, allowing them time before they offered their support.
Dawn had come an hour ago.
Dean waited until Sam had calmed down before bringing him back to the car, securing him in the passenger's seat. Castiel watched over him while Dean and Chuck reburied Brittany's corpse and gathered their things. Finally, Dean had everything packed up. He closed the trunk and addressed the others.
"So, what happened? I mean, last time I saw you two, you had an archangel up your ass," he said, "not to mention we stopped by your house and the place was trashed."
"That was from Michael's ascent," explained Castiel.
Dean's eyebrows rose a little at that. "Michael? The dude with the sword?"
"Yeah. He's actually pretty cool," Chuck grinned.
"So why didn't he kill you?" asked Dean.
"Because it was not God's will," responded Castiel. "He said my work is not yet over, and that I would be needed when the war begins."
"Speaking of which, what happened to Lucifer?" wondered Dean.
"He is out there, seeking his vessel. Michael said he would take his time in order to select the best one," Castiel said. "Unfortunately, until he has settled into his vessel, we cannot hope to find him."
"So that's it?" Dean demanded. "We just twiddle our thumbs while the world goes to Hell?"
Castiel gave him a warning look. "We will have our chance. There is much to be done in the meantime. Your concern right now must be getting Sam back on his feet," he replied.
Dean glanced at his brother through the windows. Sam appeared to be sleeping, but who knew how long that would last. He turned back to Castiel and nodded his agreement.
Chuck clasped a hand on Dean's shoulder, then turned to rejoin Castiel. The angel had all ready agreed to take the prophet home. The next time Dean blinked, they were gone.
Dean crossed back to the driver's side door and got behind the wheel. Sparing another look at Sam and a gentle pat on the kid's arm, he started up the engine and began to drive, toward South Dakota and Bobby's place.
CREATOR
ERIC KRIPKE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
ERIC KRIPKE
ROBERT SINGER
FANFICTION STORY
JAKE THE FEARLESS LEADER
Sam encounters Jess in the panic room...
Bobby introduces Dean to a new hunter...
Dean and this new hunter track a demon to it's ritual site...
A mysterious figure holds a vial of blood to Sam's lips...