Good God Y'All

They had visited Bobby in the hospital again, only to see him sitting in a wheelchair, staring out the window in his baseball cap and wearing a robe. Michelle was sitting next to him on a chair, not saying anything but offering her company nonetheless.

Sam was standing against the doorway, staring more at Michelle than worrying about Bobby. God, now that the demon blood was out of his system and he could think clearly again, he couldn't help but remember every detail that he loved about her. Just looking at her now, silent but calm, he couldn't help but see how beautiful and strong she was. She was caring and confident and compassionate and he'd completely screwed up. How in the world he'd been able to think so badly of her, treat her so horribly, and hold a knife to her neck was beyond him. It seemed like such a horrible nightmare, but one that he knew was real. The guilt that was consuming him was nearly crushing as was the self loathing. He felt so messed up, like he'd been broken to pieces and was scrambling to pick them up and stick them back together in something that resembled what he'd been before it had all gone to hell.

As if sensing his thoughts, Michelle looked over her shoulder at him. He smiled timidly at her, almost shyly, but a smile that grew just a bit more confident when she, after a moment, smiled back at him. He could feel himself breathe a sigh of relief, it was a step in the right direction, small though it was. He wanted nothing more than to return to the relationship he'd had with her and Dean.

He saw her gaze shift to something just over his shoulder and turned to see Dean walking towards them with a manila envelope in his hand. Michelle slowly and silently rose and walked over to the door to join them.

"It's been like three days now," Dean remarked as Sam sighed, "We gotta cheer him up. Maybe I'll give him a backrub."

"Dean," Michelle shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Well, what then?"

"Look...we might have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time," Sam said grimly, stating the truth none of them wanted to admit to.

"What's in the envelope?" Michelle changed the subject.

"Went to radiology," Dean opened the envelope and pulled out the contents, "Got some glamour shot," he handed a copy of a chest x-ray to Sam, Michelle leaning slightly over his arm to see the ribs with strange writing on them, "Let's just say the doctors are baffled."

"Holy crap," Sam breathed as he stared at the ancient writing engraved in Dean's ribs.

"Yeah, well, Cas carved you two one, too."

Michelle's phone rang suddenly and she answered, "Hello?" she said, her eyes widening, "...Castiel?" she had to admit she was a bit shocked and a little worried. Castiel never called on her phone, despite having her number, he usually just popped up or appeared in her dreams…

"Speak of the devil," Dean mumbled.

"Uh, St. Martin's Hospital," she answered, just hearing the end of him asking where they were, "Why? What are you…Cas?" the angel hung up. She put her phone away and looked up just in time to see Castiel walking over to them.

"Cell phone, Cas?" Dean scoffed, "Really? Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?"

"You're hidden from angels now, all angels," Castiel replied, "I won't be able to simply…"

"Enough foreplay," Bobby called as they all turned to look at him, "Get over here and lay your damn hands on," they all just remained standing there until Bobby looked over his shoulder, "Get healing. Now."

"I can't," Castiel looked down, almost ashamed.

"Say again?" Bobby glared, turning around.

Castiel walked over to him, "I'm cut off from Heaven and much of Heaven's power. Certain things I can do. Certain things I can't."

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life?" Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry."

"Shove it up your ass," he spat at the angel, turning back around to look out the window.

"At least he's talking now," Dean shrugged.

"I heard that!"

Castiel sighed and walked back over to the trio, "I don't have much time. We need to talk."

"Ok," Michelle nodded, ready to hear what he had to say.

"Your plan to kill Lucifer…"

"Yeah," Dean nodded, "You want to help?"

"No. It's foolish. It can't be done."

"That's what I said," Michelle muttered to herself.

And indeed she had.

The night after they'd first visited Bobby in the hospital the boys had wanted to look into ways to kill Lucifer, but she'd insisted mortals couldn't kill him. She knew that only an angel can kill an angel, and it would be twice as hard to get any angel to kill Lucifer as he was an archangel and much more powerful than an average angel. As it was, it seemed like only an archangel could kill an archangel, which just led them back to their Michael vs. Lucifer argument, which Dean refused to consider and ordered that they all get back to looking for ways for humans to kill Lucifer.

"Thanks for the support," Dean said sarcastically.

"But I believe I have the solution," Castiel continued, "There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer. Strong enough to stop the Apocalypse."

"Who's that?" Sam asked.

"The one who resurrected me and sent you to Michelle's. The one who began everything."

"God," Michelle nodded.

He would definitely be able to kill Lucifer…one problem though…Lucifer was, for all intents and purposes, his son. God was the ultimate forgiver, he'd no more kill a baby than his sons. Lucifer had been the favored child, not that God couldn't kill Lucifer, he wouldn't. Why else would he have the angel banished and locked away rather than ended for good? But there was no point in arguing that with either Castiel or the boys, they were more thickheaded than Goliath.

"I'm gonna find God," Castiel nodded.

"God?" Dean repeated, skeptically.

"Yes."

"God?"

"Yes!" Castiel and Michelle shouted, getting frustrated with Dean's repetition.

"He isn't in Heaven," Castiel replied, "He has to be somewhere."

"He's not in Heaven?" Sam asked, frowning.

"Try New Mexico," Dean smirked, "I hear he's on a tortilla."

"No," Castiel answered both of them, "He's not on any flatbread."

"Listen, Chuckles, even if there is a God, he is either dead, and that's the generous theory…" Dean began.

"He's not dead Dean," Michelle cut in.

"He is out there," Castiel confirmed.

"…or he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us," Dean finished, ignoring Castiel's glare.

Michelle shook her head, "Have you never seen 'Bruce Almighty?'" she asked, "Dean, it's like you said before. We made a mess, WE have to clean it up. We need to take responsibility for what happened, we can't just dump it on God and have him clean up something we did. It's our fault, it's our job to fix it, not him."

Dean rolled his eyes, he clearly didn't believe a word of that, "I mean, look around. The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, you think he'd let us make a mess that bad? We can't clean that up! He's probably off somewhere, drinking booze out of a coconut. Alright?"

"Enough," Castiel shouted, "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic. With God's help, we can win."

"If he helps," Michelle corrected, they all turned to face her, "You know as well as I do Cas, God had the chance to have Lucifer destroyed ages ago, but he just couldn't do it. What makes you think he'd be able to, or willing to, now?"

"It's a pipe dream, Cas," Dean nodded, taking Michelle's argument to mean she agreed with him, which she most certainly didn't.

"I killed two angels this week," Castiel advanced on Dean, hearing the truth and logic in Michelle's statement but the cynicism in Dean's, "My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it, all of it, for you, and you failed. Despite Michelle's best efforts to stop it, you and your brother basically destroyed the world…" Sam looked down, still ashamed and blaming himself for not being able to stop Ruby or Jake, "…and I lost everything, for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself."

"It wasn't for nothing," Michelle replied, "Have faith Cas."

"You didn't drop in just to tear us a new hole," Bobby cut in, "What is it you want?"

"I did come for something," Castiel admitted, "An amulet."

"An amulet? What kind?"

"Very rare. Very powerful. It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him."

"A God EMF?" Sam suggested.

Castiel nodded.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," Bobby shook his head, "I got nothing like that."

"You don't," Michelle said, turning to Dean, having recognized it for what it was the moment she'd met the boys, "But Dean does."

Dean looked down to the amulet he always wore, the one Sam had given him for Christmas, "What, this?"

"May I borrow it?" Castiel asked.

"No," Dean took a step back, gripping the amulet.

"Give it to me," Castiel stepped forward.

Dean was silent a moment, seeing how serious Castiel was. He looked down before glancing at Michelle, who smiled and nodded as if telling him he would get it back. He sighed, taking it off, "Alright, I guess," he held it out to Castiel but pulled back when the angel went to take it, "Don't lose it," he warned as Castiel took it, "Great. Now I feel naked."

"Thanks for that image Dean," Michelle grimaced, making Dean smirk.

"I'll be in touch," Castiel remarked, disappearing.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby called after him. The trio laughed at that before the man's cell began to ring, "Hello?" he asked, frowning at the garbled noises coming from the other end, "I can't hear you…" his frown increased as he recognized Rufus speaking, shouting for help, "Where are you?" his eyes widened, "Colora…Colorado? River Pass, Colorado? Rufus? You there? Ruf…Rufus?"

The call suddenly cut off, the sound of gunshots being the last noise Bobby heard. He looked up at Sam, Dean, and Michelle, their expressions already hard and ready for their next hunt.

~8~

As soon as Bobby had told them about Rufus being cornered in a town full of demons in River Pass, Colorado, they were speeding off in the Impala, Michelle following behind them in her car getting a bit twitchy at not being able to go full speed.

Dean suddenly stopped as they came to a bridge with part of it missing. They all got out of the cars and stepped up to get a closer look. A person might be able to make it across with a lot of luck and some very strong rope, but a car would definitely not make it.

Great.

"This is the only road in or out," Dean commented.

"No signal," Sam added, holding up his cell phone.

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down."

"Looks like we're hiking in," Michelle replied, heading back to the cars to grab some supplies as the boys followed.

"And the hits just keep on coming."

They managed to make it across the bridge somehow and got to town. It looked like a warzone. It was half-deserted, half-seemingly vandalized. They looked over at the sporting goods store, thankful that they had all the weapons they needed in their bags. There were a few cars turned over, the closest being a blue sedan. They slowly approached it, guns ready to inspect it, but found no one there.

"Whatever happened, happened way too suddenly," Michelle remarked as they passed a house with a sprinkler running, no one had time to turn it off.

They came to another car, tan, and on its wheels. The driver's door was open and the engine was running, the radio playing. They aimed their guns as they approached this car, even more wary, but it was empty as well. Sam quickly turned the engine off, allowing silence to descend.

Michelle stopped before a red, classic mustang, frowning. It was far too neat, clean, and untouched to fit in with the desolation surrounding the town. Something about it just stuck out at her, she felt like there was something important she was supposed to know about it, but it was escaping her.

"Hey!" Dean hissed, calling her over to another car in a gas station. There was a young man lying in a pool of blood next to a silver minivan, the driver's side door open with a baby stroller next to it and a huge amount of blood around it. They quickly approached, checking the man and the carriage only to find the man dead and the carriage empty like the van. Suddenly a gun cocked behind them and they all whipped around, guns ready, before lowering them.

"Ellen?" Sam's eyes widened.

"Hello boys," the owner of the former-Roadhouse stop, Ellen Harvelle, smiled, turning her gaze to Michelle, her eyes widened, "Kelly?"

"Michelle," Michelle corrected, "It's great to see you again Ellen."

"Come here girl and give me a hug," Ellen lowered her gun and walked over to the young woman, pulling her into a bear hug, "I haven't seen you in years! I'm so sorry about your folks."

"It's ok," Michelle assured her, stepping back.

"Touching as this is," Dean cut in, "What the heck's going on here?"

Ellen glanced at Michelle, lifting an eyebrow, "They're clean," Michelle told her quickly, "Not demons."

"Good," Ellen nodded, not wanting to waste any more of her holy water. She knew all about Michelle's inability to get possessed as well as her gift of IDing demons, if she said the boys were human, she'd believe it. She glanced around that the town, "Come on, follow me."

She led them a street or two away, to a church where a Devil's Trap had been drawn inside the doorway and a line of salt was across the threshold. All four of them stepped across it with no problems.

"Real glad to see you," she turned to face them, walking over to Dean and hugging him before slapping him, "The can of whoop-ass I ought to open on you..."

"Ow!" Dean howled, "Why didn't you hit Michelle?"

"Unlike you, Michelle actually picks up the phone and calls me once in a while, you?" she glared at him, "What are you, allergic to giving me peace of mind? I got to find out that you're alive from Rufus and Michelle?"

"Sorry, Ellen," Dean looked down as Ellen hugged Sam as well.

"Yeah, you better be," she turned to poke Dean in the chest, "You better put me on speed dial, kid."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ellen sighed, leading them further inside, the trio following close behind her as she led them down some stairs.

"What's going on Ellen?" Michelle asked, knowing the boys were getting antsy and wee bit afraid of getting even more on her bad side.

"More than I can handle alone," she admitted.

"How many demons are there?" Sam frowned, if Ellen needed help, it had to be big.

"Pretty much the whole town, minus the dead people and these guys," Ellen replied, stopping by a closed door, "So, this is it, right? End times?" Sam and Dean glanced at each other while Michelle nodded solemnly.

"Seems like it," Sam agreed.

Ellen knocked on the door, "It's me!" she called.

Someone on the other side opened a peephole and then the door. It was a young man, behind him they could see a pastor, an older woman, another young man with his arm around a pregnant woman, and a group of various other men and women. Total, there were ten men and women in the room and four Hunters standing in the doorway.

"This is Sam, Dean, and Michelle," Ellen introduced, "They're Hunters. Here to help."

"You guys hip to this whole demon thing?" the boy who opened the door asked.

"Yeah," Dean nodded, raising an eyebrow, "Are you?"

"My wife's eyes turned black," one of the men said, looking down at the ring on his finger, "She came at me with a brick. Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal."

Michelle stared at the man a moment, frowning. He looked human enough…but…this whole thing was frustrating. She wasn't getting a clear picture on anything! Maybe it was the fact that the town was supposedly full of demons, too much demonic presence on one area throwing her off? She didn't know, and that was irritating.

"Alright, catch us up," Dean turned to Ellen.

"I doubt I know much more than you," she sighed, "Rufus called. Said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden, the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby…"

"You're hunting with Jo?" Michelle asked, surprised, Ellen had been dead set against Jo hunting the last time they had spoken.

"Yeah, for a while now," Ellen nodded, "We got here, and the place…well, the place was like you see it. Couldn't find Rufus, then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you."

"Don't worry, we'll find her," Dean assured her.

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here," Sam glanced at the group, "We got to get them out, now."

"No, it's not that easy," Ellen shook her head, "I've been trying. We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?"

"There used to be twenty of us."

"Well, there's four of us now…" Dean began.

"You don't know what it's like out there. Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."

"What if we get everyone guns?" Sam suggested.

"What, are you gonna arm up baby bump over here?" Dean rolled his eyes at his brother.

"More salt we can fire at once, more demons we can keep away," Sam reasoned.

"There's a sporting goods store we passed on Main on the way in," Dean sighed, unable to deny the more people with guns the better chance they had, "I bet they got guns."

"Alright," Michelle turned to Ellen, dropping her bag, "You stay. We'll go."

"What about…" Ellen began.

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back," Sam promised.

The same man opened the door, allowing them to leave, though just before they reached the stairs, Dean stopped them, turning to Sam, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. Why don't I just go?"

"What?" Sam frowned, "Alone?"

"I'll take Michelle with me. She can get the salt and stuff, I'll handle the guns. Besides, somebody's got to stay here and start giving them Shotgun 101."

"Yeah," Sam argued, "Ellen."

Sam started to walk up the stairs but Dean stopped him again, "No, no, no. It's gonna go a lot faster if you stay and help, ok?"

"While you and Michelle go get guns and salt and look for Jo and Rufus?" Sam raised an eyebrow, "That's stupid."

"We can handle it."

"You don't want me going out there," Sam stated after a moment, he glanced at Michelle who had yet to say anything, this really was between the brothers, "Neither of you do."

"I didn't say anything," Michelle defended. She knew why Dean didn't want Sam to go, town full of demons, all pumping demon blood in their veins, with a Hunter who had just been magically kicked of the habit...it didn't bode well in Dean's mind. She knew though, her powers were solid, despite how worn she'd been, she had made damn sure to clean Sam out entirely, save for Azazel's blood that had already been in his system since he'd been a baby. He wouldn't go for the blood, ever again, she knew it. But that wasn't why SHE didn't argue for him going. She knew that, in order for Ruby to get Sam to even think of the blood, she had to have been trying to gain his trust and influence him first. She wasn't sure she could trust Sam not to be duped by a demon again. What was to stop him from trusting one again? She was fairly certain demons had been trying to manipulate him his whole life, and she'd seen first hand that he was more vulnerable to falling into their clutches.

She couldn't trust how he'd act around demons, not any more. She'd convinced herself he would never have been with Ruby, a demon, and he had been. That he'd never trust, listen to, or kill for a demon, and he'd disappointed her on all counts. That was what Sam had to prove to her, not that he was over the blood, that he'd never become that person again, she knew he wouldn't, she knew the man he'd been the last few months was the darkness in him fueled and twisted by the blood and that wasn't who he was now. She could forgive what he'd done when on the blood, he'd been addicted, it hadn't been the real Sam, but a poisoned one. She couldn't forgive the fact that he'd listened to a demon and trusted her word enough to even think about trying the blood in the first place.

"Around demons," Sam continued, ignoring her comment.

"I didn't say that," Dean defended this time.

"Fine, then let's go," Sam pulled out of Dean's grip and stormed up the stairs, only stopping once they reached the street, "I'll get the salt. You two get the guns."

"We'll go together," Dean disagreed.

"Dean, it's right there," Sam pointed to the store that was only a few feet away, "Can we at least do this like professionals? It'll take more people to stock and carry guns than to carry salt. And the way you're going, you don't want me near the guns, so salt it is."

He stormed off to the Quick Mart before Dean or Michelle could argue, leaving them to go to the sporting goods store.

He made quick work of filling a bag full of salt cans. He'd almost cleared out their stock, when a door chimed. He paused, glimpsing two black eyed demons entering, one with a baseball bat and another with a backpack. He ducked down and watched them in the mirror, cursing himself for leaving his shotgun on the top of the row. He tried to reach up and grab it without alerting the demons to his presence but failed. One of the demons ran at him, slamming him into the shelf and punching him as he retaliated, slamming the demon into shelves as well. The demon grabbed him by the neck just as Sam began an exorcism, clubbing the demon with a can of salt. The demon knocked it out of his hand so Sam reached for Ruby's demon-killing knife and stabbed him and then the other demon. He stumbled back, breathing heavily from exertion and glancing down at the blood on the knife. He stared at it a moment before a soft smile appeared on his face and he felt a swell of warmth fill him when he realized he had absolutely no temptation to taste the blood. Michelle must have really done a number on him, even the thought of tasting the blood almost made him sick, he couldn't fathom how he'd been able and willing to do it before.

He looked up when the door chimed to see Dean and Michelle walk into the store. They walked over to him, eyeing the demons on the floor. Dean stopped short, seeing the blood coating the knife, but Sam just crouched down, wiping it off on one of the demons before putting it away once again. He looked up to see surprise in Dean's eyes and a proud look in Michelle's.

His heart swelled even more.

~8~

Back in the church, one of the men and an older woman were assembling salt shells while Ellen and Sam focused on showing Roger, the widowed man, and the pregnant woman how to load the shotgun. Dean and Michelle were preparing the other guns, cleaning them out and getting them ready for use.

"Ok…" Roger mumbled to himself as he picked up one of the shells, "Alright…"

"Roger, hang on a second," Ellen called, but it was too late, Roger fumbled and dropped the shell.

"Sorry," he dropped his head.

Sam held up his own shotgun, demonstrating how to load it for them, "…then snap it in."

Dean smirked as he watched his brother before turning back to one of the men, Austin, who was sitting with him and Michelle, "You know your way around a gun at all?"

Austin merely disassembled the gun quickly.

"Where'd you serve?" Michelle asked, recognizing the precision and method of the military for disassembling their weapons from her dad and her training.

"Fallujah," Austin answered, "Two tours. Got back a little over a year ago," he eyed Michelle as she reassembled the rifle he'd just taken apart, he laughed, "Takes one to know one. Where'd you serve?"

"Hell," she answered.

He snorted, "No, seriously."

She shrugged, "Army brat," she replied, knowing he probably wouldn't believe she really had been to Hell despite the fact they were dealing with demons.

Dean looked around, seeing Sam had gone quiet over in the corner. He shot Michelle a look before getting up to join him, "Hey."

"Hey," Sam replied as Dean sat down.

"What's wrong?"

Sam looked down, "It's just...at the store. Those demons were possessing teenagers. I mean, I had to slit some kid's throat."

"Come on, Sam, you had to," Dean reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't like killing kids with demons in them anymore than Sam did, but it had to be done.

"I know. I just...it used to be like..." he trailed off, "I just wish I could save people like I used to."

"What, you mean when you were all hopped up on demon blood?" Dean clenched his jaw just at the thought.

"I didn't say that," Sam jumped in. He really hadn't. He'd actually meant how he'd been before the demon blood. Sure the visions were killer, but they gave warning. He just wanted to be the Hunter he was before he'd gone mental on the blood. It was still so confusing for him to think he'd actually gone that far and not cared.

"I'll be back," Ellen called over, unknowingly cutting off the oncoming argument.

Sam, Dean, and Michelle, who had been listening quietly, looked up at her, "Where are you going?" Michelle called over, getting up to join them.

"I can't sit here on my ass. My daughter's out there somewhere. I'm not back in half an hour, go. Get these people out of here."

Sam and Dean stood up as well, "No, wait," Sam said, "I'll go with you."

"Whoa, hold on," Dean said, pulling Sam over and nodding at Michelle to join them, "Can I talk to you for a second?" he pulled his brother out of the room and into another one, stepping over a Devil's Trap and salt line at the door, "You're gonna go out there again?"

"Well, crap doesn't hit the fan with coffee breaks."

"I can go," Michelle offered, sensing Dean wasn't too comfy with the idea of Sam and demons yet. She was sure he'd be able to resist the blood, but then again, she did understand her powers more than the brothers did. She doubted Sam would ever willingly drink demon blood again.

"It's fine," Sam stressed, "Just stay here, get 'em ready. I'll cover Ellen."

"Why's it got to be you?" Dean asked.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot," Sam rolled his eyes, "You think I'll take one look at a demon and suddenly fall off the wagon, as if, after everything, I haven't learned my lesson."

"Well, have you?"

Without any warning Sam reached out and slammed Dean against the wall.

"Sam!" Michelle shouted, reaching out to pull him back.

He let go of Dean but glared at him nonetheless, "If you actually think I…" Michelle reached out again and put a hand on his shoulder, calming him just a little more. He looked over at her, regret over everything that had happened, that he'd put her through, evident in his eyes. He looked over at Dean before walking back out of the room.

"You need to give him a break Dean," Michelle muttered, watching as Sam picked up a gun and walked out of the church with Ellen.

"You think he deserves one?" Dean asked incredulously.

She sighed, rubbing her head, "Not in the slightest. But...I do think he's sorry, and he knows he screwed up royally, and he's regretful," she turned to face him, "I know my powers Dean, he's clean. Cleaner than he's ever been saving the fact that Azazel bled in his mouth as a baby. He's back to the old Sam now."

Dean stared at her long and hard, "Are you sure?"

She smiled lightly before nodding, "And do you really think I'd ever let him down that road again?"

Dean actually laughed at that, imagining it, "You'd kick his ass to Hell and back first."

"Yup," she laughed as well before turning and heading back to the room and helping prepare the group once more.

~8~

Sam was practically stalking down the streets as he and Ellen looked for Jo.

"So where'd you see her last?" he ground out, glaring at a tan car as they passed it.

"Uh…up ahead," she eyed him, concerned, "So what's up with you and Dean?" Sam just gave her a look, "It was hard not to notice, how different things are between you guys these days…" Sam still didn't say anything, "Lot of bad road there, huh?" she guessed, before smirking as she thought of something that would get to him, "What happened? Michelle come between you or something?"

"What?" Sam exclaimed, "No!"

Ellen laughed, "I'm just joking Sam, I know you and Michelle were an item."

"How?" Sam finally stopped stalking and turned to face her properly.

Ellen rolled her eyes, "I've known Michelle's family a long time, longer than I've known your daddy. Jo and I keep in touch with her. She told me."

"Oh…"

"And even if she didn't. I can read that girl like a book, she's hung up on you Sam. And I can tell she's worried about you, what happened?"

"Just…stresses of the job," he sighed, "You know how it is. Kind of surprised, you and Jo hunting. Weren't you always saying she couldn't hack the life?"

"She can't. But if she's gonna do it anyway…"

"You want to keep an eye on her."

Ellen nodded, "Never should have told her Michelle hunted on her own…hadn't met any solo female Hunters to get the idea from till her."

Sam was about to say something, when he saw smoke rising down the street behind some trees, "Hey…"

"Is that a chimney going?" Ellen squinted, trying to make it out.

"Looks like it," Sam nodded, "Come on," he walked down the road, creeping silently over to the house with the smoke coming from the chimney. They ducked behind another building as they saw someone walk into view through the window of the house, black eyed, a demon.

"Guess we found base camp," Ellen muttered.

Sam just frowned, his brow furrowing in thought, "Demons don't get cold. Makes you wonder what they're burning."

"Let's check it out," Ellen remarked.

~8~

In the church Dean was pacing back and forth, waiting for Ellen and Sam to get back, while Michelle stood by the door with a gun. The rest of the group was gathered around the pastor, who was leading them in prayer.

"'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," the pastor spoke, "He layeth me down in green pastures, and he raiseth me up again. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil...'"

Suddenly a pounding on the door interrupted them. Michelle quickly looked through the peephole and opened the door, seeing it was Ellen standing there.

"Where's Sam?" Dean demanded when she'd run in. Ellen could only shake her head, gasping for breath after her run, before sitting down next to a woman who handed her a water bottle.

"They took him?" the young woman asked, "Demons took him? Oh my God. What if they're in here? The demons?"

"They're not in here," Michelle stated, looking around quickly, before walking over to Dean, trying to keep him from doing anything foolish.

"Could they get in?" the pastor asked.

"No," Dean answered before grabbing a shotgun and walking towards the door, "Everybody sit tight. I got to…"

He stopped suddenly when a shot rang out. He looked down at the wall just next to the door knob where a bullet was currently embedded two inches from his hand. He spun around to face Michelle, who was aiming her handgun at him.

"Jesus Christ Mickey!" he exclaimed, just realizing how close she'd come to shooting him.

"Oh suck it up," she rolled her eyes at him before glancing at the group of people staring at her, "We need a plan," she looked back at Dean, who took a moment before nodding his head and walking over, "Tell us everything that happened."

Ellen sighed before telling her tale about what had just happened not five minutes ago. When she finished she looked over at her fellow Hunters, sorrow in her eyes, "One of them was Jo. We got to get it out without hurting her…" she trailed off a moment before snorting, "It called me a bitch."

"Bruise a little easy, don't you think?" Dean smirked.

"No, that's not what I meant. It called me a black-eyed bitch."

Michelle frowned at that.

"What kind of demons are these?" Ellen shook her head, getting up to pace, "Holy water and salt roll right off. My daughter may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears that anti-possession charm you got her Michelle. It's all kind of weird, right?"

"The whole thing's off," Michelle muttered in thought.

"What's your instinct?" Ellen turned to Dean, not having heard Michelle.

"My instinct?" Dean sat back, "My instinct is to call Bobby and ask for help. Or Sam."

"Well, tough. All you got's me, and all I got's you. So let's figure it out."

"Lucky for the both of you," Michelle cut in, grinning widely, "You've got me too…and I just figured out what's going on."

"What?" Dean and Ellen asked, getting excited.

She nodded, "Just need to check a few things first…do you know why Rufus came here?"

"He said something about water," Ellen shook her head, "That's all I know."

Michelle nodded, looking over at the pastor.

"The river," the pastor said, seeing she wanted more information, "Ran polluted all of a sudden."

"When?" Dean asked.

"Last Wednesday," Austin answered, "And the demon thing started up the next day."

"Anything else?" Michelle asked, she just needed one more thing to confirm her suspicions.

"Shooting star," Austin said after a moment.

"That bastard," Michelle muttered, earning odd glances from the group, she looked over at Dean, "'And there fell a great star from Heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell upon the river, and the name of the star was Wormwood. And many men died.'"

"Revelation 8:10," the Pastor commented, quiet impressed with the girl's recitation before realization caught up with him, "Are you saying that this is about the Apocalypse?"

"You could say that," Dean answered diplomatically, not wanting to scare the people more than need be.

"These specific omens, they appear before the Four Horsemen," Michelle told the Hunters, "War rides a red horse."

She looked meaningfully at Dean, whose eyes widened in disbelief, "That cherry Mustang parked on Main!"

"You can't think that a car…" the pastor began, shaking his head furiously.

"It's the way I'd roll."

"It all makes sense," Michelle insisted, "If War is here, he's the one messing with our heads."

"Turning us on each other," Ellen nodded, following along.

"You said Jo called you a black-eyed bitch," Dean said suddenly, "They think we're demons, we think they're demons. What if there are no demons at all and we're all just killing each other?"

"Exactly!" Michelle shouted, that was her thought.

"Wait, just back up," the pastor held up a hand, "It's the Apocalypse?"

"Sorry, Padré," Dean replied.

"So now you're saying that there are no demons and war is a guy," Austin said slowly after a moment.

"You believed crazy before."

Suddenly there was someone hammering on the door.

"Open up!" they shouted, "It's Roger!" Austin ran over and quickly let Roger in after checking through the peephole. Roger rushed in, breathing hard, "I saw them, the demons. They know we're trying to leave. They said they're gonna pick us off one by one."

"Wait, wait, wait," Dean stood up, "What?"

"I thought you said there were no demons," Austin turned to the Hunters accusingly.

"There's not," Michelle said, glaring at Roger, "Where did you go?"

"I thought someone should go out and see what's going on!" Roger shouted.

"Where did you see the demons and what did they say exactly?" Dean stepped towards him, but Michelle pulled him back. He turned to see her focus on Roger and immediately knew something wasn't right. She hadn't tensed like she did when demons were around, but she was too focused on the man to ignore, something was up.

"We just sit here, we're going to be dead," Austin cut in.

"No, we're not!" Dean insisted.

"They're gonna kill us unless we kill them first," Roger added.

"Hold on," Dean shook his head, "Hold on."

"No, man, we got people to protect," Austin shook his head, "Alright, the able-bodied go hunt some demons," he reached out to pick up a shotgun, when he suddenly found himself slammed against a wall, Michelle holding him against it with her knife at his throat.

"Anyone move and I'll slit his throat," she bit out, turning to glare at the group, "No one is going out there. There are no demons!"

"Look at their eyes!" Roger shouted, pointing at Dean and Ellen, "They're demons!"

Michelle looked over to see Dean and Ellen standing there, looking like they always did, but the way the others were reacting she could guess they now saw them as demons. Her gaze flickered to Roger, seeing him twisting his ring around his finger

Michelle quickly shoved Austin away and went to advance on Roger, "Try that shit with me and I'll kill you myself, War."

Roger twisted his ring once more, focused on her, but his eyes widened when he realized he had no affect on her.

"She's been helping them!" he shouted instead. The pastor, who had been aiming a gun at Dean, quickly turned it on Michelle.

"Go!" Dean shouted, grabbing Michelle by the arm and pulling her out.

~8~

Dean, Ellen, and Michelle stood outside the house they could just see Jo and Rufus in. It looked like they were assembling some sort of bomb around the window.

"So…how are we going to do this?" Dean looked between the two women.

"Simple," Michelle said, putting her gun away, "I walk in and tell them they're hallucinating."

"Are you insane?" Ellen asked, staring at her, "What if they think you're a demon?"

"They won't."

"How do you know?" Dean frowned, she seemed far too sure to be guessing.

"Roger's ring doesn't work on me," she shrugged.

"Roger?"

"Ring?" Ellen added.

Michelle sighed, "The Four Horsemen's power is directed through their rings, take it off and they're pretty much powerless."

"And Roger's War?" Dean guessed.

"Yup," Michelle nodded, "He was twisting his ring around when he pointed at the two of you but I could see through it. He tried it on me but apparently it doesn't work. I guess my blood's good for not just preventing demonic possession, huh?"

Dean sighed, his shoulders sagging. He didn't want to let her do this. If anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself. Sam would never forgive him.

"I'll be fine Dean," she reassured him, "I'm the only one who can see who's a demon and who isn't. And besides, Jo and Rufus both know it's impossible for me to get possessed. That's bound to tip them off if they do see my eyes black."

He couldn't argue with that.

She nodded and walked off to the house, creeping through the back, walking through till she was behind Jo and Rufus in the front room.

"Your mom's gonna be ok," Rufus was saying as Jo handed him another bomb.

"Unless she comes through that window," Michelle remarked.

The two Hunters spun around to face her, guns aimed at her.

"Michelle?" Jo asked, staring at the girl before her. The first non-possessed person they'd seen since they got there. Jo dropped her gun and ran towards the girl, pulling her into a hug.

"Can't breathe Jo," she struggled to get out as the other girl stepped back.

"How'd you make it?" Rufus asked, walking over.

"Long story. But more importantly, where's Sam?"

Jo and Rufus exchanged a look before frowning, "Michelle…I'm so sorry…he's…"

"He's been possessed by a demon," Rufus finished.

"No, he's not," Michelle stated.

"He is," Jo confirmed, "We've tried everything to…"

"No," Michelle held up a hand, "You guys, War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he's here, he's making everyone see demons. But they're really just people."

"I know you want to believe that's true…"

"Polluted river, shooting star, men being killed…" Michelle cut in, looking at Rufus, "That's what you were investigating right?" he nodded, "It's in the Bible guys, it's War," they both looked at each other again. Michelle sighed, "I can prove it."

"How?" Rufus asked.

"Take me to Sam."

They sighed, before walking out of the room and over to a locked door. The opened it and allowed her in to see Sam tied to a chair in a Devil's Trap.

"Hey," she said, smiling a bit as she walked over to him.

"Um…hi," he responded, utterly embarrassed by his current state, "Little help?"

"Do they have black eyes?" she asked, nodding over at Jo and Rufus. Sam nodded, "Thought so. Close your eyes," she commanded, walking over to him. He did what she said, curious though it was, and she laid her hand over them. A moment later she pulled away, eyeing him hopefully, "And now?"

He looked up and saw the two Hunters standing there, looking human again. He shook his head.

"Your turn," she walked over to the two Hunters, "Close your eyes."

"Why?" Jo asked, her eyes still on Sam's black ones.

"I need to purify your vision. Once I do, War can't affect you and you'll be able to see who are demons and who are humans," they didn't seem too accepting of her explanation. She sighed, "Look guys, I can't get possessed, so you know I'm not tricking you. And you both know what my powers are, right? You know I can purify you of demonic influence. The Horsemen are just like uber-demons apparently," she nodded back at Sam, who had proved a theory she'd had when she'd managed to purify him of what War was making him see, "You trust me don't you?"

Jo was the first to close her eyes, then Rufus. A moment later she pulled her hands away and they looked up to see human-Sam strapped to the chair.

"Oh my God!" Jo looked mortified as Rufus ran to help Sam, "I called my mom a bitch!"

Michelle just laughed at her before walking to the front door and motioning for Dean and Ellen, who were across the street, that it was safe to enter.

~8~

"Ok, we gotta find Roger before everybody in this town kills each…" Dean was saying as they got Jo, Rufus, and Sam up to speed.

Suddenly gun shots rang out and they all ducked.

"Damn it!" Dean shouted, getting up just enough to see Austin and the others hiding behind a car across the street. They'd found them.

Rufus was up and out of the house before anyone could move.

"People, cease fire!" they could hear him yelling before getting up and running outside after him, "Stop shooting! Stop!"

They saw him take the gun from one man and slam him in the head with it, knocking him out. Michelle turned to Jo, "Stay here!" she ordered before she and the brothers ran off towards the main area of town in search of the red car.

They got there just as Roger, War, looked around for them. He just missed seeing them behind him before he was grabbed and pulled away from the car, laughing. He spun around and threw out an arm and suddenly Dean and Sam found themselves on the ground.

"You can't stop me," War sneered down at them.

"But I think I can," Michelle said from behind him. She reached out, her hand now glowing, and reached into War. He gasped, clawing at his chest, "A little help guys!" Michelle called, strained, as she tried to keep War from attacking with her powers.

Sam was on his feet, pulling out Ruby's knife, while Dean ran forward to grab the struggling man.

"Ok," War laughed again, "That's a sweet little knife. But come on. You can't kill War, kiddos."

"Oh, we know," Dean said, before slamming War's hand against the Mustang, holding it down for Sam to cut all four fingers off, the ring clinking as it fell to the pavement.

Michelle fell back, heaving from the strain of using her powers. She looked over to see a finger with the ring still on as she picked it up. When she looked up, War and the red Mustang were gone.

She let out a breath, what the hell had she just done?

~8~

"So, pit stop at Mount Doom?" Dean asked, holding up the ring as they all sat in a rest area.

"Dean…" Sam began after a moment of silence.

"Sam, let's not."

"This is important. I know you don't trust me…I know you both don't…" he looked up at Michelle, "Just…now I realize something. I don't trust me either."

"Sam…" Michelle began, but Sam held up a hand to stop her.

"I mean, I…what I did, what I almost did, what I did to the two of you, I can't blame the blood or Ruby or...anything. I hurt you both and…I wanted to hurt you. And I realize, the problem's me. How far I was willing to go. It scares the hell out of me," he swallowed hard, "Everything is so confusing and I'm still trying to figure everything out."

"So what are you saying?" Dean frowned.

"I'm in no shape to be hunting. I need to step back, 'cause I'm dangerous to the two of you. If you're always looking out for me and worrying, you'll get hurt. And I couldn't bear that. Maybe it's best if we just...go our separate ways."

"Sam…" Michelle began again.

"I think you're right," Dean agreed.

"Dean!" Michelle exclaimed. This was not how she was hoping it would go. The brothers worked best together, and they would need that teamwork to stop Lucifer.

"I was expecting a fight," Sam remarked.

"So was I," Michelle muttered, before sighing, she supposed...they were right. Sam was dealing with a lot, he was all over the place, his emotions everywhere. He wouldn't be able to sort through them, start healing himself, getting himself to that place where he could even begin to patch up what had been broken while still hunting with them, knowing and seeing in their actions how they didn't trust him.

"The truth is I do spend more time worrying about you than about doing the job right," Dean admitted as well, "And I know that Mickey here believes you're fine, but I just can't help it. And I just…I can't afford that, you know? Not now."

"I'm sorry guys," Sam dropped his head.

"I know you are, Sam," Michelle said, standing up with him and holding out something for him to take.

"What's this?" he asked looking down at the key ring in his hand.

"The keys to my car. And my house."

"Michelle…" Sam began, shaking his head.

"Look, you need to be demon-free for a while, right? That's the safest, most demon-free area I can think of. And besides, Dean's going to need someone to keep him company in the car, so I won't need mine right now. Take it back for me and spend however long you need there. Ok?"

Sam considered what she said and saw the logic in it, "Alright."

"Good," she replied, pulling him into a hug, "At least I'll know you're safe."

Sam smiled a bit into the hug, savoring it, knowing this was just a 'goodbye for now' hug and not a 'I forgive you' hug. He pulled back reluctantly and looked over at Dean, "Take care of yourself Dean."

"Don't worry," he waved his brother's concern off, "I've got Michelle to look out for me."

Michelle just rolled her eyes and smiled at Sam as he nodded and walked back to her car, glancing at them once more before taking off.

"So how did you do it?" Dean asked after a moment.

"Do what?" Michelle asked, watching as Sam disappeared in the distance.

"Stop War. You, like, reached into him and held him back."

"I'm honestly not sure," she admitted, "I just…wanted to stop him and the next thing I knew, my hand was glowing. I didn't really stop to think what it was, I just reached out to grab his shoulder and, suddenly my hand's in his back and he's not moving."

"Huh," Dean remarked, "Could come in handy."

She nodded.

She just wished she knew what it was.

A/N: Hmm...interesting...Michelle's powers seem to have gotten a power boost, and just after Lucifer was freed...I wonder what that could mean? I mean, for those of you who are fans of the show, didn't the same thing happen to that little boy Jesse?

In other news...I got my first flame yesterday. I have to say, I really am honestly surprised that it took so long, I was fully expecting someone to want me to kill my OC off in my DW fics lol. Is it weird that I consider getting one an achievement? I sort of feel like, I'm not a good writer until at least 1 person absolutely hates what I've written. Everyone needs a critic to keep them grounded don't they? :) Oh well, c'est la vie, to each his own opinion.