Title - Cold And Broken Hallelujah
Chapter title - Party On
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Disclaimer - I do not own Supernatural in anyway shape or form. I only own the plot points surrounding my oc's, not recognized from the books or films. For this chapter I own, Rachel and Rudi.
To Artistic Punk: Thanks for the review (: x
To Jovie Black: Thanks! You, my friend, are the awesome one! (: x
Also thanks to anyone who has followed/faved this fic. I love you.
A/n - Please read and review, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hope you enjoy, xx (:
After the whole ordeal with Gabriel, Rae headed to Sioux Falls to hang out at Bobby's. It had been years since she'd really took a break. Each time she tried she got a call to go out to help someone or she read something online that she just had to investigate. Sometimes Bobby got grumpy and she just went back to work earlier than planned. But since their talk after Dean's aging, they hadn't had much to argue about. They understood each other more, realised just how much they needed each other, whether they admitted it or not.
When she arrived to the only place she'd every truly consider home it was late. Bobby was still up, as usual, looking into a case for Garth. Garth was one of the only hunters Rae enjoyed working with. He was a little odd at first but eventually you warmed to him. And now she considered him extended family, especially as she was surprised how he was even alive after the amount of scrapes his dim wit had gotten him into.
She greeted her Uncle with the usual hug which lingered a little longer than usual. Then after a quick shower she went to her room. The last room at the end of the hall as insisted upon by a fourteen year old Rae.
"Pick a room and you can have it." Bobby said gesturing to the many doors in the long hallway.
Bobby's house was fairly large but with the guns and lore books littering the place it wasn't always obvious. Rae glanced into a few rooms but she knew straight away where she was going. The door at the end of the hallway always seemed to be ominous to her. The one that seems to have something hidden in the dark corners. The one that people avoid in horror movies. So of course she was drawn to it, as she always has been the darker, mysterious things in life. The room itself was painted a vulgar yellow colour with garish flowers on the far wall, beneath the window. She moved closer, looking through the grimy glass over the auto yard. She smiled.
"I like this one."
"Alright. Well, it'll do for now. I'll get some paint and you can make it your own if you like." Bobby's tone was unsure, testing if that's something a teenager would like.
"I like it as it is." She shrugged.
"Really? The yellow and the flowers?"
"It's homey."
"Alright. I'll get something cooking, you make yourself at home."
The only thing Rachel had in her bags were clothes and the few books she had owned back in England. A book of ghost stories, two books about myths and legends, a battered copy of Alice In Wonderland and one Holy Bible.
Her room was empty besides from a chest of drawers with a mirror on the top, her bed and a night stand. She liked it, she had never had necessity for anything else. The few toys she'd had were still in England, probably donated to charity by now. But she hadn't played with them for years.
She smiled as she flopped back onto her bed, dressed in her pajama shorts and a vest top. She rolled onto her side, noticing the bible still in it's usual place on the night stand. Ironic how she now knew two angels, both of whom were far from what she'd imagined. She had never been completely religious, was never even baptized. There were certain things she believed, like some higher power. Never thought it was a god though, more nature, like Wiccan's believed. But there were stories in the bible she loved, like that of David and Goliath. The story of a small shepherd boy who defeated Goliath and grew up to be king gave her hope that she could do something great. She had been a nobody who grew up to save peoples lives and kill evil. She considered that to be of a similar standard.
By her window, leant against the wall, was a small battered acoustic guitar. She moved over to the instrument, picking it up and sitting back on her bed, plucking a few strings.
A few days into her stay with Bobby he dissapeared after dinner into his attic. He returned a while later, showing her an old battered, wooden, acoustic guitar.
"I used to play when I was your age. Thought you might like it."
"I don't know how to play... Could you teach me?"
"Sure."
Bobby sat beside the young girl, passing the instrument to her. She let her small hands run along the wood, feeling the groves and chips in the paint. She plucked each string in turn, smiling to hear it sounded in tune.
"Well, at least it don't need tuning." He rested his finger on the top, thickest string. "This is the E string." He moved his finger down. "A string," And again. "D string, then g, then b and another e." Then he gestured to the long neck of the guitar split into sections with thin metal strips. "This is the fretboard. Each section is a different fret, first, second and so on. They change the pitch. If you press you finger on the e string, first fret."
Rae looked down, pressing her index finger to the thickest string on the first fret.
"Pluck."
She did as he said, smiling at the deep, low sound.
"Now, same string, twelth fret."
She counted down the frets and did the same at the twelth. The pitch was higher now.
"See?" Rae nodded. "Ok. Put one finger on the d string one on the g and one of the b."
"Which fret?" Rae asked as she tried to remember which string was which.
"You choose."
She picked the fifth and after Bobby replaced her third finger from the e string to the b, she strummed.
"That's an A chord."
It took alot of practice but eventually Rae could write her own songs and learn her favorite by ear. And that acoustic guitar easily became a permanent fixture, leant by the window in her room.
Singing with her guitar was one of the few things that really took her away from everything. Sleep was ok, but there were still nightmares. With music she forgot everything, losing herself in the sounds completely.
"He said part of me has been lost at sea, never to return again." She plucked softly at the strings, her gentle voice blending easily. "With her eyes wide open she was softly spoken, she said, babe, are you missing the breeze again?" The song was one she had written a few years before, one Bobby had noted as his favorite. "You look just fine, sailor, your shoes still shine, after years of a house that don't sway. But she could see in his eyes that ship's flag still flies. And his home was an ocean away." She'd wrote it after reading a book about an ex-sailor who never got used to being home on land. "He sang, freedom was mine for one last time when I was sailing along those waves. But now my plate don't slide, and my rum's now wine and I will never be the same."
"You should take that thing on hunts with you." Bobby spoke from the doorway, having heard her singing from the bathroom. "It'll keep you from losing your head on a tough case."
"True."
"Or at least distract you from Sam and Dean's constant bickering."
"I'm not going back with the Winchesters." She said as though it were obvious.
"Why not? You make a good team."
"You know why I don't work with others."
"Cause of Rudi?"
"Don't."
"You were kids. It won't happen again."
"Uncle B, please..."
"Alright. But I wouldn't be surprised if Sam or Dean called you for help again."
And Bobby was right. It was six days before Sam called. A message from a friend regarding an emergency had them speeding to a hotel. Rae was on her bike almost immediately, leaving the guitar behind.
She arrived at Pineview Hotel before the boys. A quick phone call said they were an hour away and so she waited around, unsure of who Chuck was. When they finally arrived they were running towards the entrance, Sam managing to pull her along. They stopped when they saw a man pacing at the bottom of the steps leading to the hotel.
"Chuck! There you are." Sam said as they approached him.
"Guys?" The man looked confused, as though he weren't expecting them.
"What's going on?"
"Ah, nothing. You know, I'm just kinda hanging. What are you guys doing here?"
"You told us to come." Dean frowned.
"Ah, no I didn't."
"Yeah you did, you texted me. This address, life or death situation. Any of this ringing a bell?"
"I didn't send you a text."
"We drove all night! Rae came from Sioux Falls."
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what could... Oh no."
"What?"
"SAM! You made it!"
Rae turned, spotting an overly enthusiastic blonde bounding down the stairs toward Sam.
"Oh, you remembered. You've been thinking about me."
Rae stared at the girl, confused.
"It's ok, I can't get you out of my head either."
"Ok I'm sorry crazy lady. Can someone please tell me why the hell I've been driving all night for nothing?"
"Rachel Singer. It's great to finally meet you. The bad ass female character with a childhood to make a grown man weep. I loved your transformation from teenager into adult, how strong you got. And what happened with Rudi-" Becky pressed a hand to her heart. "I cried for hours."
"Who the hell are you? And how the hell do you know that? Especially-" She broke off, quietening her voice. "Especially about Rudi."
"Who's Rudi?" Dean asked.
"I'm more concerned with who she is and how she knows my life story."
"I..." Chuck started. "I wrote these books, called Supernatural. They're about Sam and Dean. And now, you too."
"What?"
"He's a prophet. He sees things from our life for some reason. He writes about it. Becky's the number one fan."
"That's messed up. Why would anyone be a fan of you two?"
"Well-" Becky began but Rae cut her off.
"No, seriously. How messed up must your life be for you to enjoy reading about theirs? Even mine? Our lives are crappy and full of death and evil, why do you enjoy that?"
Silence surrounded the group as Becky failed to come up with an answer, settling instead for glaring at her.
"Uh, Becky, did you take my phone?" Chuck interrupted, breaking the tension.
"I just borrowed it from your pants."
"Becky..."
"What? They're going to want to see it!"
"See what?" The boys spoke in unison.
"Oh My God. I love it when they talk at the same time!" Rae glared back at Becky.
"Hey Chuck? Come on pal, it's showtime." A guy with a clipboard arrived at the top of the steps.
Becky ran up the steps excitedly.
"Guys. I'm sorry. For everything."
After seeing monsters they'd fought and people dressed as themselves, the trio were more than worn out. Rae left the boys to themselves, situating herself at the bar. It wasn't long until a man, dressed in jeans, shirt and jacket approached her. He had a lollipop in his mouth and a shit eating grin on his face.
"Hey sugar."
"Who are you supposed to be?" She asked, disinterested.
"The Trickster, obviously."
"Oh my god, go away."
"Come on, Rae, you know I have some candy you could su-"
Rae grabbed the man's wrist twisting it behind his back and slamming him against the bar.
"End that sentence and I'll end you, got it?"
"Got it, got it, got it."
She released him and returned to her stool as he scurried away.
Dean and Sam arrived a little while later.
"Ok, we might have an actual case here." Dean said as he took in her hand wrapped around the glass on the table. "What are you drinking?"
"Rum and coke."
"Heavy."
"If one more hunter or trickster or more disturbingly Bobby tries to hit on me, I'm gonna start shooting."
Dean laughed. "I think you must be a recent character, you're the only Rae here. There's a few Jo's and Ellen's, no other Rae's."
"Thank god, I'd go insane. What's the case?" She downed the rest of her drink and turned to face the boys.
"We spoke to the hotel manager. 1909 this place was Gore Orphanage. Leticia Gore, killed four boys with a butchers knife. Then killed herself. Today really is the anniversary. A few sightings here and there. Attic is where she carved the kids."
"Huh, Becky likes authenticity."
"Seems like."
Eventually they ended up working with an extra 'Dean and Sam'. Rae was less than thrilled to be working with guys that willingly attended the convention. She was more than happy to see Dean get pissed and shout about the boys being fans of Sam and Dean. So when it was the two of them that managed to salt and burn the kids bones, she didn't really know how to thank them.
"All right. In real life, he sells stereo equipment. I fix copiers. Our lives suck. But to be Sam and Dean, to wake up every morning and save the world. To have a brother who would die for you, an Uncle even, Well who wouldn't want that?"
Suddenly Rae realised just what he meant. Sam and Dean weren't real to these people, just characters. Did she not look at David of David and Goliath and think he was great?
"Uh, Becky..." Rae pulled the girl away from Sam and Chuck. "I'm sorry about ranting at you. I can sort of understand, looking up to fictional characters. It's just odd, since y'know, we aren't really fictional."
"It's ok, Rae. And for the record, you are my favorite female in the Supernatural books."
"Weirdly enough, I'm flattered." Rae smiled. "Why though?"
"After the things you've seen and been through, the bullies from school, the self doubt... I can relate."
"Fair enough."
"See you around." Sam waved to Chuck and Becky, nodding Rae towards the car park. They began to walk away when Becky called Sam back. Rae carried on walking, wanting away from convention a.s.a.p.
In the car park Dean was leant against the Impala, lost in thought. Rae stood beside him. He smiles slightly as Sam came over.
"You ok?" He asked.
"Yeah, you know? I think I'm good." Dean glanced at Rae, then to Sam and back again. "I hate to bring it up but it's been bugging me since Becky mentioned it."
"What?"
"A childhood to make a grown man weep and someone called Rudi?" Dean questioned, catching Sam's interest.
Rae chocked on her saliva. "Right... Rudi was my partner when I first started hunting. When I was sixteen. He worked with me on the superheroes in Nashville actually. The one that turned out to be Gabriel."
"Superheroes. In Nashville?" Rae chuckled. "This is weird, even for us.
Rudi was lay across a motel bed, his pale eyes alight with amusement. He was tall and muscular, his dark skin branded with tattoos. He
fiddled absent mindedly with a dread lock hanging in front of his eyes.
"It ridiculous is what it is." His accent screamed New York which amused Rae to no end. But in return he enjoyed the British one she had.
"I don't know, it's kind of fun. Beats vampires anyway."
She thought of the first case she had worked with Rudi. She had wanted to work alone but Bobby was insistent she go with a partner. Especially for vampires. She reluctantly agreed but found that she like Rudi. He was funny and a damn good hunter. They fell into their own routine of working together and heading back to see Bobby, or Rudi's mum whenever they got a chance.
"Then we worked a case together in Arizona. Werewolf. We were hiding so we could catch the fucker, but I moved out too fast and got caught. Rudi ran out to help but he got bit. We killed the thing but... Rudi was changing." She took a breath, trying to block the images coming to her mind.
"No, come on, Rudi!" He was on his back on the floor, blood was pouring from his neck, his eyes staring pleadingly at Rae. "You're not gonna die."
"Rae, please. Don't let me turn." An unsaid plea for death.
"I can't. I can't kill you."
"Please. Please, Rae."
"Rudi..." She moved away unable to do what she had to.
She knew what was going to happen, knew he was going to change and start killing. Would probably kill her. She pulled her gun from her belt and for the first time it felt heavy in her hands, unnatural. She knew this was her fault, if she had waited for Rudi's signal like she was supposed to...
"Rae, I'm healing. You need to do it."
She turned, letting her dark eyes meet his pale. Both were crying as she pointed the gun, hands shaking.
"I'm so sorry. I-"
"I know... I know. Tell my mum I love her."
Rae nodded. "Love you, man."
"You too."
She closed her eyes and squoze the trigger. She heard his body hit the floor but couldn't open her eyes. She knew that now she had to get rid of his body. A hunters funeral, like he wanted. But she couldn't. She couldn't shoot her best friend and then burn him too. Instead, she called Bobby.
"Uncle B?"
"What is it, kid?"
"It's Rudi, he-" She broke off, the sobs shaking her body.
"It's alright, this is why I'm here."
"He got bitten. I had to... He asked me to... I can't burn him."
"Get him hidden. I'll be there in a couple o' hours."
"So, Bobby came and burned his body. I've never had a proper partner since. I occasionally help out other but I prefer not to... Just incase." Rae turned away, quickly swiping her sleeve across her dampened cheeks.
"Rae, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"S'alright." She forced a smile. "What did Becky want?"
"Well, you're not going to believe it, but I got a lead on the Colt."
"What?" Rae and Dean spoke together, her story forgotten for now.
"Long story, I'll tell you on the way?"
"What are we waiting for?"
"I'm heading back home, grab some stuff. Text me an address or whatever, I'll meet you. Then you can catch me up, alright?"
"Alright." Dean pulled Rae in for a tight hug. "We've lost good people too. Don't forget, you got us now, so we can listen if you need it."
"Maybe if we're lucky our periods will sync up." Rae raised an eyebrow at Dean.
"Whatever, Titch."
"Titch? Is that a short joke?"
Sam laughed, looking down at her. She came up to his chest at just five foot two.
"Oh shut it." She hugged Sam who was still laughing. "See you later, arseholes."
Again, it was a couple of days before Dean called. Apparently Cas had found this demon they were looking for. According to Becky, he had the colt. This time when she left she made sure to tell Bobby she loved him. This fight with the Winchesters, trying to ice the devil, it was dangerous. More dangerous than any case she'd ever worked on. And if she was going out, she wasn't going without saying those words to the man who raised her.
Taking his advice, she took her guitar, after forcing Dean to promise to keep it in the Impala. It's hard to ride a Harley with a guitar on your back, as she found on her way to meet the boys. She was nervous for the first time in a long time. She hated working on demon cases. With vampires you cut the head off, werewolves, silver bullet... Demons were harder. Trapping them, exorcising them. They were a royal pain in the ass. Unless of course, you were a Winchester. Then you could just use that special knife.
When she met up with the boys, Jo Harvelle, a close friend, almost sister of Rae's was waiting with them. The girls met with a warm hug.
"Jo, what are you doing here? How's Ellen?" Being a hunter, it was hard to get spare time to visit your family.
"Mom's good, she said to say hey, even though she'll see you tomorrow."
"She will?"
"After we get the colt, back to Bobby's. She'll be there."
"Awesome. And you?"
"You gotta get into this guys house somehow right?"
Jo pretended to have broken down outside this demon's house, asking his two guards on the gate for help. The four of them took both of them down with ease thanks to the demon killing knife. Jo stayed in the car as per Dean's insistence whilst the Winchesters and Rae snuck inside.
Rae lagged behind Sam and Dean, watching warily for any stray black eyed bitches hidden in the woodwork. She heard Sam greet someone as she moved down the hall. When the someone replied she frowned. That voice was so familiar but she couldn't put her finger on why.
"Do you have any idea how much this rug cost?" So familiar. Why, though?
Before she could think more on the subject she was grabbed from behind and two more men passed her. The one holding her moved her forward, seemingly so his boss could see her. That's when her eyes fell on him. Her breath hitched and the only sound she could hear for that moment was the wild thrumming of her heart against her ribcage. His eyes moved to scan her body from head to toe and she gulped. He smirked.
"Boys, you shouldn't have."
Rae's eyes widened as Sam glanced down at her. "Shouldn't have what?"
"Brought me a chew toy. It's very thoughtful, really."
Rae let out the breath she was holding, relieved. He didn't remember. Or at least he was pretending not to.
Continuing on Crowley pulled the colt from his pocket.
"This is it, right? This is what it's all about." Crowley took aim at Dean and Rae panicked, squirming against her captor only for Crowley to shoot the three demons. "We need to talk. Privately."
Rae stayed silent as they followed him through what looked to be his office. If at any moment he remembered her, he'd say it. And then Sam and Dean would have a bitch fit. She took a step back, trying to hide herself behind Sam, choosing to just listen to their conversation about the colt. She jumped when Sam pulled the trigger of the colt, although nothing happened. Crowley didn't even blink.
"Oh, yeah right. You'll probably need some more ammunition." He moved around his desk, rummaging in one of the drawers.
"Oh, uh, excuse me for asking, but aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant? I mean, what happens to you if we go up against the devil and lose?" Dean asked.
"Number one, he's going to wipe us all out anyway. Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to all points nowhere. And three, how about you don't miss, okay! Morons!"
Crowley shouted and again, Rae shielded herself behind Sam who noticed this time and frowned at her. She shrugged helplessly. Crowley turned back, noticing her peeking out past Sam's arm.
"I'll be back for my chew toy when the devil's dead." He smirked, tossed a small bag to Dean and dissapeared.
Dean turned to Rae. "Did you just get hit on by a demon?"
"Shut up." She glared.
"What a time to loose you balls, Rae."
"Sorry. I don't know what happened." She murmured. "Let's get gone. We should get to Sioux Falls in a few hours."
"I think I'm starting to feel something."
Jo and Rae gawked at Castiel after he downed five shots in a row. Rae glanced at Ellen, the only mother she'd ever known and laughed at her expression. She knew Sam, Dean and Bobby were talking about Lucifer but she needed this time with Ellen and Jo. She didn't know if she'd survive this one.
"Can angels get drunk?" Rae asked as she watched the man in question.
"Yes. It takes alot of alcohol, but it's possible."
"No kidding."
She shook her head, smiling warmly. Cas was growing on her. Slowly but surely. Jo got up to get a beer from the fridge as Rae moved into the living room with Bobby.
"What are you up to?" She asked when she noticed him setting his old camera up on a tripod.
"Picture time."
"Such a sentimentalist." She grinned, seating herself at his desk.
The chair was normal sized to her now. When she was fourteen she felt like a little doll when she sat there. Feet only just touching the floor and everything seeming too big for her. Bobby had alot of pictures in his house. Some in frames some tucked into large books. The one on his desk was Rae's favorite. Rae had been sixteen at the time and they'd gone to the Roadhouse to visit Ellen, Jo and Ash. Bobby and Ash taught her and Jo how to hustle pool and Ellen insisted upon a photo. They got some random from the bar to take the picture. Ellen stood in the middle with her arms around each younger female, stood in front of her. Bobby and Ash were either side of Ellen, Ash's hand on Jo's shoulder and Bobby's on Rae.
"We look like a family." Rae murmured.
"Hm?" Bobby turned to see what she was talking about.
"This photo. You and Ellen look like a couple and me, Ash and Jo are your kids." Bobby stayed silent, just nodded, a small smile on his face.
"Everybody get in here! It's time for the lineup. Usual suspects in the corner." He called, wheeling himself across the room.
"Oh come on, Bobby. Nobody wants their picture taken." Ellen moaned but moved into the room regardless.
"Shut up. You're drinking my beer."
"Which I went and picked up from the store." Rae added, standing directly behind Bobby, Jo at her side and Dean behind her.
"Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by."
Everyone chuckled as Rae rested her hand on Bobby's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. She felt Dean do the same to her and used her free hand to place over his, returning the comfort.
"Ha! Always good to have an optimist around."
"Bobby's right. Tomorrow we hunt the devil. This is our last night on earth." Cas was as serious as ever, wiping the smiles from everyone's faces.
Bobby's hand caught Rae's just as the camera flashed, capturing the scared expressions of a family about to go to war.
Rae rode in the Impala with Sam and Dean not wanting to be with Cas and the way he spoke. With Sam and Dean she could pretend everything was going to work out, as least for a little while. When Cas dissapeared Rae was worried, that was the first thing to go wrong. It was only downhill from here.
"There you are." Everyone turned to the speaker.
"Meg."
"Demon?" Rae asked and the boys nodded.
"Shouldn't have come here, boys."
"Hell, I could say the same thing for you." Dean aimed the colt at Meg.
"Didn't come here alone, Deano."
The puddle by Meg's feet splashed, as though someone had stepped in it. A dogs growl echoed in the almost empty street.
"Hellhounds." Dean said. Rae swallowed, she knew about them and the thought alone terrified her.
"Yeah, Dean. Your favorite. Come on, boys. My father wants to see you."
"I think we'll pass, thanks."
"Your call. You can make this easy or you can make it really, really hard."
"When have you known us to ever make anything easy?"
Dean moved his aim, firing and hitting a hell hound. Rae watched blood spurt out from nothing until Sam shouted to run. She took off in the other direction, her blood racing. She heard Jo scream Dean's name and turned back, finding Dean on his back. Jo fired her gun , managing to knock the hell hound further back. Before Rae could reach her to help another hound tackled her from the side. Now she, Sam and Ellen were running towards them.
Jo's side shredded in front of Rae's eyes. As Sam and Ellen started firing, Dean scooped Jo up into his arms, running past them. Rae followed, pushing her gun into her belt and pulling off her jacket. They entered the nearest store and Dean set Jo down against the counter. Rae pressed her jacket against her side, trying to stop some of the blood seeping out. She bit her lip to refrain the tears that were burning the back of her eyes.
Ellen ran to the two girls whilst Sam and Dean chained the doors shut. Rae could see the pain in Ellen's eyes.
"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, breathe now. Boys, need some help here!"
Sam and Dean grabbed bags of rock salt, making lines around the doors and windows. Ellen pushed Rae's jacket away from Jo's wound. Blood spurted out and Rae quickly replaced the material. She looks from Ellen to the boys, all of whom look horrified. They managed to get Joe bandaged up properly with supplies in the store. Rae tossed her jacket to the side, settling beside Jo, holding her hand between both of hers.
"Gonna be all right." Ellen reassured her.
Rae moved over to Sam and Dean. Dean was fiddling with a radio, trying to get a signal.
"How's she holding up?" He asked. Rae stayed silent.
"Salt lines are holding up."
"Safe for now."
"Safer. Trapped like rats."
"Hey, you heard Meg. Her father's here. This is our one shot, Sammy. We gotta take it, no matter what."
"Sam, some help here, please?" Ellen called and Sam moved away as Dean began to speak into the device.
Rae stopped him, nodding to Ellen. Understanding, Dean moved away.
"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in." She spoke, recalling he radio signal that only Bobby would pick up.
"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead." Bobby's voice soothed the pounding in Rae's ears and she took a breath before speaking.
"Uncle B, it me. Something happened.
"It's okay, kid. That's why I'm here." She was took back to the last time Bobby had said that. When she'd called for him to bury Rudi's body. The sobs took over her body as she realised that Jo wasn't getting out of here. "Is everyone all right?"
"N-no... Uncle B, Jo... Hellhounds."
"Okay. Copy that. So now we figure out what we do next."
"No, she, I don't think-" Again, she broke off.
"I said, what do we do next, Rachel?"
She took a deep breath, swiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "Right. Okay, right."
"Now, tell me what you got."
Rae told Bobby everything that had happened since they arrived.
"Before he went missing, did Cas say how many reapers?"
"I don't know, he said a lot of things, I guess. Does the number matter?"
"Devil's in the details, kid."
Ellen tapped her on the shoulder and Rae held up the speaker.
"Bobby, it's Ellen. The way he was looking, the number of places Castiel's eyes went, I'd say we're talking over a dozen reapers, probably more."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"What is that the sound of, Uncle B?"
"It sounds like death. I think Satan's in town to work a ritual. I think he's planning to unleash Death."
"You mean, like, as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?" Dean appeared behind Rae now, joining the conversation.
"As in Death. The horseman. The pale rider in the flesh."
"Unleash? I mean, hasn't Death been tromping all over the place? Hell, I've died several times myself."
"Not this guy. This is the angel of death. Big daddy reaper. They keep this guy chained in a box six hundred feet under. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat. That's why the place is crawling with reapers. They're waiting on the big boss to show."
"You have any other good news?"
Rae and Ellen were sat either side of Jo, each holding one of her hands. Sam and Dean were by the door of the store, trying to come up with someway to get her out of here.
"Stop. Guys, stop." Rae stared at Jo. She knew what she was going to say, they always thought on the same wave length. Jo couldn't move from here. "Can we, uh, be realistic about this, please? Uh! I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta get our priorities straight here." Rae closed her eyes, squeezing her hand tightly. "Number one, I'm not going anywhere."
"Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that."
"Mom. I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something. We got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails, everything we need."
"Everything we need?" Sam asked as Rae looked up, shaking her head.
"To build a bomb, Sam."
"No. Jo, no."
"Jo, you can't." It was bad enough that Jo was dying, but to blow her up?
"You got another plan? You got any other plan? Those are hell hounds out there, guys. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you. We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, rip those mutts a new one. Or at least get you a few minutes' head start, anyway."
"No, I won't let you." Ellen's jaw was set.
"This is why we're here, right? If I can get us a shot on the devil, Dean, we have to take it."
"No! That's not-"
"Mom. This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. Might wanna take it?" Jo smiles at her mum who begins to cry harder.
"You heard her. Get to work."
Rae ground her teeth together. She hated this. Here she was again, loosing more people she care about.
"Jo, I'm sorry." She whispered.
"What for?"
"I should've helped you out there."
"You did what you could. This isn't your fault Rae."
"Thanks... For being a brilliant sister."
"Well, you were pretty great too." Jo smiled again. "Remember when we planned to get matching tattoo's when I turned eighteen?"
"Yeah. Wayne and Garth's blue AMC Pacer with the flames." Rae chuckled, recalling how she and Jo had seen Wayne's World one and two, numerous times.
"Like hell I was gonna let you get that." Ellen chimed in.
"I'm gonna get it." Rae decided. "Promise."
"Party on, Rae."
"Party on, Jo."
Rae let Dean and Sam speak to Jo alone, standing with Ellen for a moment. She held onto her hand, unable to comprehend how she must've been feeling, knowing she'd be leaving her daughter behind. That was until Ellen moved and sat back down beside her.
"Mom, no."
"Somebody's gotta let them in. Like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo. And you're right, this is important. But I will not leave you here alone."
Rae kicked the metal shelving unit in frustration. How many more people was she going to loose.
"Rachel Singer you get your ass over here." Ellen demanded, adopting her motherly tone of voice. Rae moved over, kneeling in front of her. "You suck it up and you stick by these boys. They aren't the smartest so I'm counting on you to look after them, alright?"
"Yeah." Rae nodded, forcing her tears back. "Ellen... You were the only mum I've ever known. You, Jo, Ash and Bobby, you were my family."
"I know. We love you too. You go with your brothers now."
"When you get to the other side, tell Ash to put a beer on ice for me, alright?"
"Can do, honey. Get going now."
Rae was glad that there was no time to stop after the explosion. If she stopped now, she wouldn't start again.
Eventually the trio were sneaking through bushes, watching the crowd of people in the field, staring at something unseen.
For a moment, when Dean shot Lucifer with the colt, Rae thought it had worked. Lucifer was really dead, this was really over. But nothing good ever happened to them. Lucifer was alive and apparently one of five things in the whole of creation unable to die from the colt. When Cas appeared beside them, Rae had never been happier to see the angel.
Sam and Dean headed back to Bobby's, needing a day to settle after everything that had happened. Rae had them drop her off in Sioux Falls town centre. She headed straight for the tattoo parlor, knowing she needed to do this now, for her family.
On her right thigh she got a tattoo. The blue AMC Pacer, from Wayne's world, flames coming up behind it. There was a beer bottle laying on the floor by one of the wheels and hanging from the rear view mirror was a miniature version of the sign from the roadhouse.
The car was for Jo and the film they loved as kids, the beer for Ash as the first person to buy her a beer, despite only being eighteen. (It came after she told him England's drinking age was eighteen not twenty one.) The Roadhouse sign for Ellen's business that she had owned and loved. And the flames behind the whole thing were for Rudi, who had flames tattoos rising from his hips.
It was bright and ugly, and hurt like hell but Rae's loved it. It was her perfect way to remember everyone and keep them close. She didn't need photo's, she had pieces of them permanently etched into her skin.
When she got back to Bobby's he asked to see the new addition to her skin and she obliged, changing into her pajamas and rolling up the loose material. The Winchesters moved to look as she explained the meaning of each object. Dean ran his fingers gently across the sore flesh.
"It's awesome."
"Yeah. They'd love it." Sam agreed.
Bobby was silent and Sam and Dean took Rae's silent hint to leave them for a second.
"You ok Uncle B?"
"Yeah... I like the tattoo." He smiled. "I just wish it weren't necessary. You've lost far too many people in your life for a twenty year old."
"You only have to loose one person to have lost too many." She slipped her hand into his. "Let's just not loose anyone else, ok?"
A/n - The Song Rae sings is called Rockcliffe Bay by Lucy Spraggan.
