Think you all would have figured it out by now, but Supernatural does not belong to me in any way shape or form.
.~o()o~.
Sam and Leah stared at each other, frozen in a seemingly eternal moment of panic, no idea what the should do. Logically, they should run, making a strategic withdrawal to avoid capture so there would still be someone on the outside to rescue their friends., but logic was kicking and screaming to get out of a cage built of pure emotion. Emotion that told them to rush in and rescue everyone that they loved, heedless of their own safety or the final goal. Their indecision was broken by two gruff voices.
"Oy, I fink I saw somefing over 'ere," the first voice was loud and uncouth.
"Well, lets check it out," the other replied, a little more genteelly.
Leah made a split second decision and flung herself on top of Sam, driving him to the ground. She held him down with surprising strength, covering his mouth with both hands and closing her eyes. She imagined them both in a cocoon of invisibility, hoping they would not be discovered.
"There's nothing here, idiot," the second voice said, almost from above their heads.
"I could 'ave sworn. . ."the first one said, stepping closer before tripping right over Sam and Leah.
Leah stifled her cry of pain and kept her eyes closed.
"Shtupid rocks," shouted the first man, kicking Sam viciously in the side with his big booted foot. "You're right, there's nofing 'ere. Let's check the other side."
Sam and Leah lay still until they could not hear them any more and finally, cautiously, sat up, Sam wincing at the pain in his side
"You alright?" Leah asked.
"Just a little winded. What about you? What was that? Your forehead was glowing again," Sam searched her face with his eyes.
"I don't know, Sam. I wish I did. I heard them and I just knew what I needed to do. We really need to get Castiel back so he can explain what he did to us."
"You're scared," Sam stated.
"Well, yeah, and with reason. I have always been a pretty normal person and now suddenly I can do these weird things and its all tied to you somehow. Or at least it happened after you were cleansed from the demon blood. What if? . . ."
"What if you took my darkness into yourself?" Sam guessed.
Sam cupped her face in his left hand, thumb brushing gently across her lower lip. "That fear I can put to rest," he whispered. "There is no darkness in you. It can't live in the face of such a beautiful light. Yes, you have changed and no, I don't know how or why, but I do know you haven't been tainted by the poison that was pulled from me."
"Thanks," Leah buried her head in his shoulder. "That was sweet, tacky but sweet."
"Those were some of my best lines," Sam protested. "Come on, we have some walking to do. We will get a room in Lawrence and I will call Bobby. Maybe he will have some clues as to what we're up against and how best to get everyone back, because we will, I promise you we will."
.~o()o~.
Dean felt like he'd been drowning. The air was thick and wet and hot enough that he could barely draw it into his lungs
"Shelby!" he tried to yell but the sound of his voice was weak and pathetic and the effort sent him into a violent coughing fit.
"Lose something, Deano?" a mocking voice came from behind him. Dean spun quickly and saw Shelby standing behind him in a beam of light, a man in the shadows behind her, one hand wrapped around her throat. "It's a good thing I'm around to clean up your messes. The poor thing could have wandered around for days."
"Let her go, you bastard," Dean snarled.
"You're so rude," the man laughed. "What's the magic word?"
"I know who you are. I know your weaknesses and I swear I will hunt you down like a dog if you touch her again."
"You know nothing about me other than what I want you to believe. You are out of your league here buddy-boy."
"Did no one tell you that pride comes before a fall?" Dean scoffed.
"Its not my pride you should be worrying about here, Dean. And for me, falling would be a choice."
"You're an angel, aren't you?" Dean whispered, aghast.
"Ding ding ding, give the man a prize! I am that and so much more," the man grinned. "But we are getting off topic. Although the banter is delightful, there are other reasons fro your presence here. The first is to offer my most sincere congratulations."
Dean's face showed his confusion clearly.
"Of course, you don't know yet. After all, it will be weeks before you feel the effects, months before your body shows it and several months more before you hold it in your arms. I am speaking, of course, of the newest member of the Winchester clan, conceived barely days ago."
Shelby and Dean looked at each other in shock.
"Is this true?" Dean asked.
"I. . .I don't know. He's right, its too soon to tell. Its. . .not impossible. Its about the right time and we didn't actually try to prevent it," Shelby said tearfully.
"Ugh, spare me the details," the man grimaced. "It is true. I wouldn't lie about something like this."
"Please, don't hurt them. Do what you want with me, just don't hurt them, please." Dean was afraid and trying not to show it, but his mask was slipping.
"Now the manners come out, but you are still trying to order me about like you own the place. You are my prisoner. I am the one with all the options here."
"What do you want with me? Surely it has nothing to do with them."
"Well, you're right. We don't need either of them. We just need you. We have lots of plans for you."
"Then let them go," Dean shouted desperately.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, before you can be useful to us, we need to make sure that you have nothing to lose," the man's voice grew menacing, his hand tightened around Shelby's neck and she gasped for air.
"NO!" Dean shouted again. "You can send her away, hide her, make it so we will never meet again. You don't have to kill her or. . .our child."
The man laughed. "The moment you get out of here, you will begin your search, tearing the world apart with your overgrown brother and the emotionally deficient angel. Even if you never find her again, your unrelenting search and the hope you have of her survival is enough to cause you to fight your own destiny," he grinned and winked. "I like my way better."
Shelby looked at Dean, still gasping a little, and smiled at him, injecting all her love and hope and care for him into one glance. It was enough to break the dam that held Dean's tears at bay.
"Shelby," Dean whispered, voice full of the sound of his heart breaking. "I love you."
"Well, I hate to break up this tender moment. . .Oh who am I kidding? I'm thrilled to break up this mushfest. Shelby, time to say goodbye." The man snapped his fingers again and Dean and Shelby were alone in the room.
Shelby took in a huge gasp of air and nearly collapsed. Dean rushed over to her and caught her before she could. He reverently placed his hand on her abdomen, eyes once again filling with tears as he realized he would never meet their child.
"I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly.
"For what?" Shelby asked, confused. Dean slid down, still clutching her body, til he was on his knees and his face was buried in her belly.
"If you hadn't ever met me, none of this would have ever happened. You could have had a full and happy life, a husband who will settle down and children who aren't doomed to death days after. . ." he couldn't continue.
"Hey," Shelby soothed, cupping his chin and making him look her in the eyes. "I would never wish away what we have. I never expected it to end this way, but I do not regret anything." Then she knelt before him and kissed him, tasting the salt of their tears.
A baying, yipping, barking sound grew from the silence. It filled Dean with terror. "Hellhounds."
Dean sprang into action, pushing Shelby against the wall and sheltering her with his body, determined that she would not be the first to go.
The hounds reached him and Dean felt the fierce sting of teeth in his side. The hellhound picked him up and threw him against the opposite wall before tearing into Shelby.
Dean screamed and threw himself back toward her, but every way he tried to reach her, he was met by sleek muscled backs and paws, claws always sheathed when they touched him. Sometimes he was picked up and thrown away again, but always in gentle jaws with teeth that bruised rather than broke the skin.
He threw himself toward Shelby again and again but in the end, he could do nothing as she screamed in pain, the vicious claws of the creatures slashing her chest and stomach, her blood painting the dusty concrete floor.
After an eternity of hellish sounds and smells, the room was silent but for Dean's sobs. He crept over to where Shelby lay and had to fight not to lose the contents of his stomach.
They had not touched her face. It had relaxed in death and she looked serene and beautiful, she could have been sleeping if it wasn't for the lines of red that trailed over her skin. There were but few on her arms and legs, nothing compared to the ruin that was her stomach. Dean gagged as he saw the carnage where their days old child had rested.
Dean gathered her into his arms, pressing his lips to her pristine forehead and then the wails of grief filled the room.
"Take me too!" he wept. "Please, just take me too."
.~o()o~.
There might be a wee bit of a hiatus as I wait for Shelby to catch up. I am not sure when the next one will come. Enjoy and don't forget to tell me what you think!