Author's Note: Here's a new chapter up. I hope you enjoy and please review.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Supernatural. All rights belong to the creator and writers of the show.
It always amazed Fallon how even their best plans turned into a total disaster. The plan had been simple. Get in, save the kids, electrocute the rawhead, and get out. Job over. Of course that's not how it was panning out now. They had gotten to the kids of course, but the rawhead had attacked them before they could get out. Sam and Fallon had been forced to leave Dean behind as they hurried to rescue the children. Well, Sam was forced to leave Dean behind.
Realizing she was no real help to Sam she called out, "I'm going back to help Dean!" She turned and ran back to the basement door without waiting for any response or sign he'd heard her. She paused at the door when she heard a strange grunting sound. Immediately she phased through the door and charged halfway down the stairs before she froze at the sight of Dean thrashing on the ground. Her eyes scanned from the rawhead to the water covered floor to Dean before she forced herself back into action.
"Dean!" She ran down the rest of the stairs and raced towards him. She collapsed at his side but he was already unconscious. Panicking she shook his shoulders. "Dean! Wake up!" He didn't respond. Her breathing sped up as fear sunk in, spreading like ice through her veins. "Sam!" she cried. The basement door flung open with a loud bang and Sam ran towards them, kneeling on the other side of Dean.
"Dean, hey. Hey!" he shouted in concern, but once again there was no reply.
"Sam, we have to get him to a hospital," Fallon said. Sam nodded and picked Dean up. Fallon teleported to the Impala and got the engine running. She fought back a few tears as she pictured Dean yelling at her for messing with his baby. Sam arrived then and slid Dean into the passenger seat. Fallon didn't even think to ask about the kids as they sped to the nearest hospital.
Fallon stayed with Dean while Sam sorted out the paper work and details with a receptionist at the nurse's station. He was conscious now and watching T.V. They were both pointedly trying to forget what the doctor had just told them. Fallon shot a glance at Dean and then turned her face away so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. She hadn't needed the doctor to tell her what she already knew. What she had already sensed from the moment she found him electrocuted in the basement. It was easy for a ghost, like her, to see when somebody was dying. It wasn't the pale and clammy skin or the dark circles under the eyes. That was what a human would notice. No, it was the fading essence of life that surrounds a person. Fallon had known from the second she told Sam they needed to get Dean to a hospital that he wouldn't be coming out.
She was resolved to spending every minute she could with him until he passed away. Resolved, because she hated hospitals. She had never liked them. The antiseptic smell, the way everyone looked run down had always gotten to her. But her distaste for hospitals has only increased since she became a ghost. It was no longer smell or the depressing atmosphere that bothered her though. Hospitals were a place where many people died. They were a breeding ground for spirits. And if there were spirits than that means….they were present too.
Fallon shuddered at the thought and was glad when she saw Sam walk up to the hospital bed. "Have you actually ever watched daytime T.V.?" Dean asked weakly. "It's terrible."
"I talked to your doctor," Sam said ignoring Dean's attempts to avoid the subject.
"That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down," Dean joked refusing to acknowledge the serious discussion that needed to take place.
"Dean," Sam said.
Dean sighed and finally glanced up at his brother. "Yeah. Alright," he exhaled. "Well, looks like you two are gonna leave town without me."
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. "We're not gonna leave you here."
"We're staying right here with you, Dean," Fallon added grabbing onto his hand. To her surprise he didn't protest.
"Hey, you better take care of that car," Dean warned. "Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass."
"I don't think that's funny," Sam replied.
"Oh, come on, it's a little funny," Dean teased.
"No Dean, it's just morbid," Fallon said choking back a few tears. Sam was holding his own tears back, but she didn't know how to comfort him.
Dean looked back and forth between the two of them. "Look, Sammy…Fallon, what can I say," Dean sighed. "It's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it. End of story."
"Dean stop!" Fallon cried finally losing her grip on her emotions.
"Don't talk like that, alright?" Sam pleaded looking just as pained as she was. "We still have options."
"What options?" Dean asked. "Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy, but I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."
"Watch me," Sam said after a moment before walking out of the room.
Dean sighed and turned towards her. "Aren't you going to go after him? Talk him out of whatever crazy scheme he's gonna try and come up with?" he asked.
She smiled and chuckled slightly, lifting his hand she was holding up and resting her cheek on it. "I think you and I both know there's no talking Sam out of anything," she said and then sighed. "I'll go after him in a minute. I don't want him to spend too much time alone, but I need to talk to you about something first."
"What about?" Dean asked curious.
She smiled sadly at him. "I'm not like Sam," she stated. "I know I can't fix this, can't stop what's coming. So when you move on, when you're no longer one of the living, they'll come for you, and you need to go with them. Let them take you to where you're supposed to go when you die. Don't stay here like I did. Move on."
Dean stared at her confused. "When who comes? Who's they?" he questioned.
She just shook her head. "Just promise me you'll move on, okay?" she said. "Just promise me you'll cross over."
"I promise," he replied after a moment.
"Thank you," she whispered and then stood up. She leaned over him and kissed his forehead before brushing a hand through his hair. Once again she was surprised when he didn't protest. She smiled down at him. "I'm gonna go after Sam. I don't think he should be alone right now. And don't worry about him being alone without you. I promise I'll watch out for him." She squeezed Dean's hand one last time before leaving the hospital and beginning her search for Sam.
Over the next three days Fallon split her time between the boys, not wanting either of them to feel alone. Mostly when she was with Dean they just watched T.V. Neither of them were particularly into the daytime soaps but they didn't have much to say to each other. There was no awkwardness though. In some ways she felt Dean preferred her presence to Sam's. Partially because he wasn't worried about leaving her behind, but mostly because she understood death in a way Sam never could.
When she wasn't with Dean she was with Sam. For the first day and a half after Dean's poor diagnosis she had spent trying to convince Sam into giving up his search for a way to save his brother. Not because she didn't want to find a cure for Dean, but because she didn't believe there was one, in the same way now she didn't believe they would ever find a way to make her human again. She stayed with the boys now because she had nowhere better to be, and she viewed Sam as one of the best friends she's ever had. Which is why she'd hoped he'd listen to her and give up on the search, but she should've known her attempts would be futile. Now when she spent time with him she mostly just prattled on about nothing. Occasionally she'd offer help, but she never really tried too hard to find a solution.
Currently, she was sitting on a bed in the hotel room they were staying in trying to ignore Sam's desperate attempt to contact his father. It didn't surprise her at all when she heard John's voicemail on the other end. She picked up a book and pretended to read through it while Sam left a tearful message for his father. She looked up and opened her mouth to say something comforting when he'd hung up the phone but was distracted by a knock on the door. She and Sam shared a confused glance before Sam got up and opened the door. She was surprised to see Dean standing on the doorstep heavily leaning on crutches.
"Dean?!" she exclaimed standing up and walking over behind Sam.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sam asked, a mixture of emotions caught in his voice.
"I checked myself out," Dean answered shuffling awkwardly into the room. Even with the crutches he barely had the strength to walk.
"What, are you crazy?" Sam exclaimed.
"Well, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot," Dean replied leaning against the wall for support.
"You know if you weren't dying I'd slap you for that one," Fallon grumbled, but there was no heat in her voice. She quickly wrapped an arm around Dean's waist and helped him move to a chair nearby. He smiled up at her as he sunk down into the chair.
"You know, you could always play nurse," he teased. "You're pretty enough."
"I think your meds are talking Dean," she laughed.
"You know, this whole I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death thing?" Sam commented. "It's crap. I can see right through it."
Dean scowled. "Yeah, whatever, dude," he snapped. "Have you even slept? You look worse than me."
"There is some truth in that," Fallon remarked.
"I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days," Sam replied tiredly. "Calling every contact in Dad's journal."
"For what?" Dean asked.
"For a way to help you," Sam answered. "One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called me back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist." Fallon bit her lip. She knew Sam was lying about the specialist part, but she knew there would be no talking Sam out of the plan he had in mind. She didn't think the "specialist" could help Dean at all, but maybe he could give Sam peace of mind. She was willing to go along with it anyway. At least enough to keep from giving her opinion on the matter.
"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?" Dean finally asked.
"I'm not gonna let you die, period," Sam replied firmly. "We're going."
"In the morning," Fallon added and cut Sam off before he could argue. "Both of you look horrible. You're both going to get some sleep. I will pack everything up. Dean, if you need something just call me or knock on something, I'll come immediately."
"You're just using the excuse that I'm dying as a reason for you to watch me sleep," Dean grumbled as she helped him to a bed.
She rolled her eyes. "I do not watch you sleep," she said for the ten millionth time. "But if you keep accusing me of watching you sleep I'll dip your fingers into a glass of warm water while you're asleep. It won't be a pleasant wake up."
"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled before slipping into unconsciousness. She glanced over at Sam to see he, too, was asleep. Quietly, she went around the room and packed up the boys' gear. When she had everything in the Impala she sat on the chair Dean had occupied earlier and kept watch over the boys.
The ride into Nebraska wasn't exactly pleasant. Dean groaned at every bump Sam hit, and Fallon had to remind Sam more than once that driving a hundred miles per hour was dangerous, especially on a day as rainy as this. She should've been relieved when they finally reached their destination, but one look at the milling crowds all meandering towards a big white tent nearby made her sprits plummet. She knew she should have talked Sam out of this one. There was no way some guy putting on a spectacle in some party tent was the real deal. She sighed in exasperation and got out of the car and joined Sam and Dean.
"Man, you are a lying bastard," Dean remarked. "Thought you said we were going to see a doctor."
"I believe I said specialist," Sam hedged. "Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal."
"I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent," Dean snapped and then his eyes landed on her. "I can't believe you let him."
Fallon shrugged. "You gotta choose your battles, Dean," she sighed. "This one wasn't worth it." They started to make their way slowly to the tent, passing a man being escorted off the premises by a police officer.
"I take it he's not part of the flock," Dean commented.
"But when people see something they can't explain, there's controversy," Sam said.
"No Sam, Family Guy is controversial," Fallon replied, finally revealing her true opinion of this whole ordeal. "This is just crazy."
"She's right," Dean agreed. "I mean, come on, Sam, a faith healer?"
Maybe it's time to have a little faith," Sam replied to the both of them.
"You know what I've got faith in?" Dean snapped. "Reality. Knowing what's really going on."
"How can you be a skeptic?" Sam asked. "With the things we see every day?"
"Exactly," Dean replied. "We see them, we know they're real."
"But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe the good's out there, too?" Sam pushed.
"Because I've seen what evil does to good people," Dean said.
"Maybe God works in mysterious ways," a female voice said from behind them. They turned around to see a pretty young girl.
Dean gave her a once over. "Maybe he does," he replied flirtatiously. "I think you just turned me around on the subject."
"Oh my God," Fallon snapped. "You could be in a coma and all someone would have to do was bring a pretty girl in the room and you'd wake up and start hitting on her."
"I'm Dean. This is Sam," Dean said.
"Layla," the girl replied. "So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?"
"Well, apparently my brother here believes enough for the both of us." Suddenly an older woman came and grabbed Layla, dragging her into the tent. "Well, I bet you she can work in some mysterious ways."
"Please, Dean," Fallon sighed. "She wouldn't let you in her pants until you married her. Let's just get this over with, okay?"
"I have no problem with that sentiment," Dean replied and followed her into the packed tent. The two of them made to sit somewhere in the back, but Sam grabbed Deans arm and tugged him up the aisle. Fallon reluctantly followed.
"Don't!" Dean snapped. "What are you doing? Let's sit here."
"We're sitting up front," Sam stated firmly.
"Oh, come on, Sam," Dean grumbled.
"You alright?" Sam fussed over Dean concerned.
"This is ridiculous," Dean sighed. "I'm good, dude, get off me." Sam quickly found them seats.
"You take the aisle," Sam ordered. Fallon took the seat next to Sam and hoped no one would come along and sit on her.
Suddenly an elderly man made his way to the front of the stage. "Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, read me the news," the man said, his voice calling out over the crowd. "Never seems good, does it? Seems like there's always someone committing some immoral, unspeakable act. But I say to you, God is watching. God rewards the good, and He punishes the corrupt. It is the Lord who does the healing here friends. The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts."
"Yeah, and into their wallets," Dean mumbled. Fallon choked back a laugh.
"You think so, young man?" the man on stage asked and Fallon froze in her seat.
"Sorry," Dean mumbled embarrassed.
"No, no," the man protested. "Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears. What's your name, son?"
"Dean," Dean replied.
"Dean," the man repeated. "I want you to come up here with me."
"No, it's ok," Dean replied shaking his head.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked.
"You've come here to be healed, haven't cha?" the man asked.
"Well, yeah, but ahh…maybe you should pick someone else," Dean replied.
"Oh no. I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did," the man told him.
"Dean, just go. What can it hurt?" Fallon sighed. She didn't buy into the man's ability to heal people, but it wasn't like he was going to hurt Dean. And just because she didn't believe didn't mean she couldn't hope she was wrong. Dean finally stood from his seat and made his way to the stage.
"You ready?" the man asked.
"Look, no disrespect, but I'm not exactly a believer," Dean replied.
"You will be, son," the man told him. "You will be." The man brought them all to prayer then and then laid a hand on Dean's shoulder. Fallon watched nervously as Dean dropped slowly to his knees. She stood up, her breathing uneven as her eyes land on the figure that has suddenly joined the preacher and Dean on the stage. She stumbled back as realized what it was, knocking the chair over. She was about to flee from the tent when it suddenly disappeared. She stood frozen to the spot, not even realizing Sam wasn't beside her anymore. She didn't notice anything for the rest of the service until Sam dragged her and a now healthy Dean out. Sam was too happy to notice there was something wrong with both her and Dean. Fallon didn't even listen to him as he talked about seeing a doctor tomorrow just to be sure everything was okay.
And sure enough the next day Sam dragged them to the hospital to make sure Dean was okay. By this point she had calmed down enough that she didn't constantly feel like it was going to come after her. However, she was still jumpy, and she wanted out of the hospital they were in. She continually glanced around the room making sure the three of them were alone.
"So, you really feel okay?" Sam asked for the thousandth time.
"I feel fine, Sam," Dean replied. Fallon only marginally noticed that Dean was upset. She was about to ask him about it when the doctor strolled back into the room.
"Well, according to all your tests there's nothing wrong with your heart," the doctor told them. "No sign there ever was. Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but, still it's strange it does happen."
"What do you mean strange?" Dean questioned.
"Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack," the doctor replied. Fallon gave the doctor an incredulous look. A twenty-seven year old with no prior heart problems wasn't going to have a heart attack. She had the sinking suspicion that something supernatural was going on here.
"That's odd," Dean said to Sam after thanking the doctor.
"Maybe, it's a coincidence," Sam said quickly. "People's hearts give out all the time, man."
\ "No they don't Sam!" Fallon snapped suddenly angry. "No one's heart just randomly gives out at twenty-seven years old." She was increasingly pissed. It was Sam's fault she now had to deal with them.
"She's right Sam," Dean agreed.
"Look, guys, do we really have to look this one in the mouth?" Sam pleaded. "Why can't we just be thankful that guy saved your life and move on?"
"I'm gonna back you up on this one," Fallon said. "Dean, please. Why can't we just go?"
"Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why," Dean replied.
"What feeling?" Sam asked confused. Fallon looked down at the ground. She'd been wondering if Dean had been able to see it. It seemed like he had.
"When I was healed, I just…"Dean said. "I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second…I saw someone. This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you Sam, it was a spirit."
"But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it too," Sam replied and then turned desperately to Fallon. "Did you see something?"
"I- I don't know. Maybe," she answered shaking her head.
"Maybe? What do you mean maybe?" Dean snapped. "You either saw something or you didn't."
"Maybe meaning I was more focused on you," Fallon shot back. "I can't definitively say I saw something." That was a lie. It was the only thing she'd paid attention to, but she kept hoping if she avoided the subject the subject wouldn't come looking for her.
Dean stared at her for a second, clearly not believing her, before turning to Sam. "I want you to go check out the heart attack guy," he ordered. "I'm gonna visit the reverend. Fallon-"
"I'm going with Sam," she said immediately and dragged Sam out of the room before Dean had a chance to respond. She dragged him out of the hospital before letting go and setting a quick pace down the street, only stopping when she reached a newsstand and tossed a paper at Sam.
Sam stared at her. "Are you alright?" he asked concerned.
"I'm fine," she said. "Just find the guy in the obits and see if it says where he had the heart attack." Sam gave her an odd look but began to flip through the paper. After a few moments she'd calmed down a little. "Well?"
"He died at the gym down the road here," Sam replied. "I remember passing it in the Impala."
"Then let's get going," Fallon said and began to take off in the direction Sam had pointed in, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
"Fallon, did you see something?" he asked her seriously.
She yanked her wrist out of his grasp. "I told you, I don't know!" she cried. "I just…I just really want to get out of here, okay?"
"Yeah, you're not the only one," Sam sighed and began walking. "Let's just get out of here. The faster we can prove Dean wrong the faster we can hit the road." Fallon crossed her arms and stared down at the sidewalk. She already knew they wouldn't be proving Dean wrong.
When they reached the gym it didn't take Sam long to find an employee who'd witnessed heart attack guy's death, and start questioning him. "I'm telling you," the employee said, "he seemed healthy. Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, bizarre."
"And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?" Sam questioned.
"Yeah, yeah, he was freaking out," the employee answered. "He said that something was, uh, was after him." Fallon stared at the man in confusion and fear. She knew what had been after the man, but was puzzled as to why. They didn't target the living.
"Did he say what?" Sam asked.
"Well, thin air is what," the employee responded. "I mean, it wasn't anything."
"Alright, thanks," Sam said realizing he'd gained all the information he could. They turned to leave when they both noticed the clock on the wall. It wasn't working. Sam turned back to the employee. "Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted."
"Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'," the employee replied sounding slightly perturbed. "Just froze at 4:17."
"Is that the same time Marshall died?" Sam asked sounding like he already knew the answer.
"How'd you know?" the employee replied surprised.
"I guess we've gotta tell Dean he was right," Fallon sighed. "C'mon, let's get outta here."
They had made their way back to the hotel they were staying at in silence. Neither of them had much to say and they waited for Dean in silence. An hour later he finally walked in. "What'd you find out?" Dean asked shrugging off his coat.
"I'm sorry," Sam whispered and Fallon refused to meet Dean's eyes.
"Sorry about what?" Dean asked confused.
"Marshall Hall, the heart attack guy, died at 4:17," Sam answered.
"The exact time I was healed," Dean said shocked.
"Yeah," Sam replied. "So, I put together a list of everyone Roy's healed, six people over the past year, and I cross-checked them with the local obits. Every time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time, the victim died of the same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time."
"Someone's healed of cancer, someone else dies of cancer?" Dean asked, although it wasn't really a question.
"Somehow," Sam replied. "LeGrange…he's trading a life for another."
"Wait, wait, wait," Dean said quickly. "So, Marshall Hall died to save me?"
"No," Fallon replied firmly. "Marshall Hall died because Roy LeGrange has decided to play God."
Dean looked horrified before he glared at Sam. "You never should've brought me here," he snapped.
"Dean, I was just trying to save your life," Sam responded, upset.
"But, Sam, some guy is dead now because of me," Dean exclaimed.
"Dean, no," Fallon said standing up and wrapping her arms around him. "It's not your fault. You are not to blame here." She let go and stepped back so she could look up at him. "Roy LeGrange is."
"The thing I don't understand is how is Ray doing it?" Sam questioned. "How's he trading a life for a life?"
"Oh, he's not doing it," Dean replied instantly. "Something else is doing it for him."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"The old man I saw on stage," Dean answered. "I didn't want to believe it, but deep down I knew."
"You knew what?" Sam questioned. "What are you talking about?"
"There's only one thing that can give and take life like that," Dean told them. "We're dealing with a…"
"Reaper," Fallon interrupted. "It's a reaper."
"So you did see it," Dean said.
"Yes, I saw it," Fallon replied sinking onto a bed.
"Then why did you lie?" Sam asked confused.
Fallon blinked back tears. "Because it's going to come after me," she cried. "It's gonna try and make me cross over."
"So that's what you meant when you told me they would come for me," Dean said as realization dawned on him.
Fallon nodded her head. "When you die, they come to take you to where you're supposed to go when you're dead," Fallon replied. "They came for me when I died."
Fallon had felt pain seize her whole body, and then she collapsed. When she came to she was lying on the hard pavement. She slowly pushed herself up, trying to feel for any broken bones or other injuries, but she felt fine. She rose to her feet and winced against the brightness of the sun. "Mase, what happened?" she asked groggily.
But she didn't get the answer she expected. "Fallon! Oh God, Fallon!" she heard him crying from behind her.
"Mason, I'm fine," she said turning around and then froze as she saw Mason clutching her lifeless body. Blood was seeping through the back of her blouse and blazer where there was an obvious gunshot wound. Her hand immediately went to her own back, where she felt the gaping wound. She screamed and collapsed back to the ground.
"No," she whispered horrified. How had this happened? Why would anyone have wanted to shoot her? And then her eyes landed on the other body sprawled on the ground a few feet away. She stood back up and walked to it, stepping around the chunks of brain matter scattered on the sidewalk. There wasn't much of the person's face left to be able to tell who the person was but she recognized the Philly's t-shirt he was wearing. She'd bought for him for his birthday when they'd been dating. "Evan." She stumbled back a few steps, her head whipping from her own body to Evan's. It didn't take long for her to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Evan had killed her, and then he'd killed himself. And it was all her fault. If only she hadn't yelled at him yesterday. If only she hadn't ignored him for the past year. If only she'd gotten him help then none of this would have happened.
She choked back a sob. She'd destroyed all their lives. Hers, Evan's, and Mason's. At the thought of Mason she turned back towards him. He was still clinging onto her, refusing to let anyone near her. She had to make this better. She had to fix this. She walked back over to him and knelt down in front of him. "Mason," she said. "I'm right here, okay? Mason?"
"He won't answer," a voice told her and she whipped her head around to see a woman with blonde hair wearing a black pantsuit standing behind her. "He can't see or hear you."
"But I have to tell him I'm okay," she protested. "I have to tell him that everything's going to be alright."
"Someone else will tell him," the woman assured her. "You can't. You need to come with me. It's time for you to cross over."
"Cross over?" she questioned before shaking her head. "No. No, I won't. I have a life to live. I have things I need to do."
"You can't do them now," the woman said. "Say goodbye and come with me."
Fallon turned back towards Mason. She stared at him, drinking in the sight of his wheat colored hair. She felt the tears streak down her face as she turned back to the woman. "We were going to live the rest of our lives together," she cried.
"I'm sorry," the woman said. "You need to let go now."
For a second she almost followed her, but then she thought of her family and everything she'd wanted to do with her life. No, there had to be a way to fix this. If she went with the woman it was final, but if she stayed she could find a way to become human again. She could find a way to be with Mason again. "No, I'm not coming," she said firmly.
"You don't know what will happen if you stay. You don't understand what you will become," the woman began to warn her, but she turned her back on her.
"I'm not coming," she said again and went back to watching Mason, ignoring the woman until finally she vanished.
"And now every time I run into one they try to get me to cross over," Fallon said continuing to explain why she hated reapers to the boys. "I don't want to cross over." She shook her head and started heading for the door. "I don't want to be here anymore. Please. Let's just go."
Dean grabbed ahold of her then and wrapped his arms around her. "They can't make you go with them if you don't want to, Fallon," he tried to assure her.
"But what if one day they try to?" she asked. "I mean this one's killing people who aren't dying."
"Fallon, I'm sure there's a reason behind what's going on here," Sam added. "It seems like it's being controlled."
"Yeah, and I bet it has to do with Roy," Dean stated letting go of her. "The question is how is Roy controlling the damn thing?"
Sam looked thoughtful for a few moments before replying, "The cross."
"What?" Fallon and Dean asked confused.
"There was this cross," Sam replied. "I noticed at the church and I knew I had seen it before." Sam quickly began to dig through some papers he had scattered around on the table. "Here." He was holding up a Tarot card.
"A Tarot?" Dean questioned.
"It makes sense," Sam said. "A Tarot dates back to the early Christian era right, when some priests were still using magic? And a few of them veered into the dark stuff? Necromancy and how to push death away, how to cause it?"
"I will never understand what is wrong with people," Fallon muttered.
"So Roy's using black magic to bind the reaper?" Dean theorized.
"If he is he's riding the whirlwind," Sam replied. "It's like putting a dog leash on a great white."
"That's an interesting picture," Fallon commented but nodded her head. "Sam's right though. Reapers are ridiculously powerful beings. Roy won't be able to keep control of this reaper forever."
"Okay then we stop Roy," Dean said.
"How?" Sam asked.
"You know how," Dean replied.
"We can't kill him, Dean," Fallon said.
"The guy's playing God, he's deciding who lives and who dies," Dean argued. "That's a monster in my book."
"No," Sam stated. "We're not going to kill a human being, Dean. We do that, we're no better than he is."
Dean sighed in frustration. "Okay, we can't kill Roy, we can't kill death," he cried. "You geniuses got any bright ideas?"
"If Roy's using some kind of black spell on the reaper, we gotta…figure out what it is. And how to break it," Sam replied.
"Let's hurry up and get this done," Fallon urged. "I want out of here before the reaper turns to me. Especially, since it's not in control of its own faculties."
Shortly after they hopped in the Impala and headed back to Roy's place. "If Roy's using a spell, there might be a spell book," Sam said as he stepped out of the car.
"See if you can find it," Dean replied glancing at his watch. "Hurry up too, the service starts in fifteen minutes. I'll try to stall Roy. Fallon, stick with me okay?"
"Dean, I don't want to go anywhere near Roy," she argued. "I don't wanna be there when he calls on the reaper."
"I know, but I won't let anything happen to you," Dean told her. She sighed but gave in and followed him to the tent where the service would commence. They had just walked into the tent when Dean's phone rang. Fallon focused her energy so she could tap into the conversation.
"What have you got?" Dean asked.
"Roy's choosing victims he sees as immoral," she heard Sam say. "And I think I know who's next on his list. Remember the protestor?"
"What, the guy in the parking lot?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Sam answered. "Yeah, I'll find him. But you can't let Roy heal anyone, alright?"
"So you have any ideas on how to stop this?" Fallon asked Dean when he hung up.
"I'm sure I'll come up with something," he replied and they stood against the wall of the tent. Suddenly, Roy called Layla to the stage.
"Oh no," Fallon groaned as she saw Dean's torn expression. She felt horrible for the girl too, but they could not let this continue.
Layla was just about to pass them when Dean grabbed onto her arm. "Layla, listen to me," Dean urged. "You can't go up there."
"Why not?" Layla asked. "We've waited for months!"
"You can't let Roy heal you," Dean insisted.
"I don't understand," Layla replied. "Roy healed you didn't he? Why can't you let him try?"
"Cause if you do something bad is going to happen," Dean told her. "I can't explain. I just need you to believe me. Please." Layla looked torn, but shook her head.
"I'm sorry," she said and went up to the stage.
"Follow me, Dean," Fallon ordered grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the tent. "I have an idea."
"What?" Dean asked when the exited the crowded tent.
She smiled sadly up at him. "I know it's not fair, but we can't let an innocent man die in the stead of someone else," she told him. "I know Layla doesn't deserve to die, but bad things happen to good people. Nothing you do can change that."
Dean looked away for a moment before turning back to her. "Will you just tell me your damn plan already?" he asked waspishly.
She gave him a mischievous smile. "I think I smell smoke. Do you?" she prompted.
Dean smiled as he caught on to her plan before bursting back into the tent and shouting, "Fire!" Quickly, people began to evacuate. Dean pulled his phone back out and dialed Sam's number. "I did it. I stopped Roy." Fallon saw Dean frown and she quickly cut in to the other end of the call.
"I'm telling you, it didn't work," Sam cried. "Roy must not be the one controlling this thing."
"Then who the hell is?" Dean asked annoyed.
Fallon glanced around the tent and saw Roy's wife lurking in a corner. She looked like she was reciting something. "Dean," she said tugging on his arm. "It's Roy's wife." Dean quickly tore across the tent and spun Sue Ann around to face him. The cross Sam had shown them on the Tarot card was hung around the woman's neck.
"Help!" Sue Ann yelled suddenly. "Help me!"
"Why you little bitch!" Fallon cried as Dean took a step back from her. Two cops immediately rushed over and escorted Dean from the tent. Fallon was seething and resisting the urge to strangle Sue Ann.
"I just don't understand," the woman was saying as she followed after them. "After everything we've done for you. After Roy healed you. I'm just very, very disappointed Dean."
"You make me nauseous," Fallon stated glaring daggers at the woman. Dean didn't even reply.
"You can let him go," Sue Ann told the cops. "I'm not gonna press charges. The Lord will deal with him as he sees fit." Sue Ann walked off then leaving them alone with the cops.
"We catch you around here again son, we'll put the fear of God in you, understand?" one of the cops asked.
"Yes sir, fear of God. Got it," Dean replied sarcastically.
"I'm gonna go check on Sam," Fallon said and teleported away.
Once Fallon had made sure Sam was okay the two headed back to the motel and waited for Dean. He showed up not long after, looking emotionally drained. Fallon felt sympathy wash over her. She knew he liked that Layla girl and had wanted to let Roy heal her. "So Roy believes," Sam said not cutting any corners.
"I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing," Dean replied.
"Well, I found this," Sam declared handing Dean a small book. He had already shown it to Fallon. "It was hidden in their library. It's ancient. Written by a priest who went dark side. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper."
"Must be a hell of a spell," Dean sighed putting the book down.
"Yeah," Sam replied. "You gotta build a black alter with seriously dark stuff. Bones, human blood. To cross a line like that, a preacher's wife. Black magic. Murder. Evil."
"Desperate," Dean stated. "Her husband was dying, she didn't have anything to save him. She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy."
"Well that's terribly sad, but now she's become a serial killer," Fallon said. "We need to figure out why she's still using this spell."
"To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral," Sam replied.
"May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work," Dean moaned.
"Amen," Fallon muttered.
"We gotta break the binding spell," Sam said.
Dean picked up the book and began to flip through its pages again, stopping when he reached the picture of a cross. "You know Sue Ann had a Coptic cross like this," Dean stated. "When she dropped it the reaper backed off."
"So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the alter?" Sam questioned.
"We probably have to do both," Fallon replied.
"Whatever we do we better do it soon, or he's healing Layla tonight," Dean told them.
"Guess that part came up after I left. Alright," she sighed standing up, "let's get going. We'll come up with a plan on the way."
When they got there they saw Layla's car parked in front of the preacher's house. "She's already here," Sam said getting out of the car.
"Yeah…" Dean trailed off sadly. "You know if Roy woulda picked Layla instead of me she'd be here right now. And if she's not healed tonight she's gonna die in a coupla months."
"What's happening to her is horrible," Sam replied. "But what are you gonna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself Dean, you can't play God."
"It's not fair Dean, but sometimes life just has to run its course," Fallon agreed. "Even if we don't like it." Dean didn't reply and they silently snuck up to the tent. Roy, Layla, and her mother were huddled together but there was no sign of the preacher's wife.
"Where's Sue Ann?" Dean asked.
"House," Sam replied.
"You two go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up," Dean ordered.
"What are you gonna…" Sam started to ask but cut off when Dean started shouting.
"Hey!" Dean yelled and Fallon noticed the two cops from earlier standing nearby. "You gonna put the fear of God in me?" He tore off, the cops chasing after him.
"I really hope we don't have to bail him out of jail this time," Fallon sighed as she and Sam made a beeline for the house.
"Why do you care?" Sam huffed. "It's not like it's your money we lose when we pay bail money."
"True," Fallon replied as they reached the house. Sam started to make for the front door, but Fallon tugged on his arm and led him to the basement. "She's not gonna keep some creepy alter where anyone could see it. I'd bet you anything it's in the basement." She used her telekinesis to open the basement door, and the two descended the stairs. Except for the dim light some candles provided it was pretty dark in the basement. "How come people can't make their alters in a nice cheery space?"
The two crept closer to the alter and saw a mass of body parts and blood. Fallon felt her heart speed up when she saw a photo of Dean in the middle of the alter. She picked it up and examined the blood streaked across Dean's face. "Sam," she whispered and showed him the picture.
Suddenly a voice spoke from behind them. "I gave your brother life and I can take it away." They turned to see Sue Ann standing at the foot of the stairs. Sam angrily spun around and knocked the alter over, scattering everything across the floor. They both began to run towards Sue Ann, but she'd already breached the top of the stairs. The doors slammed in their faces and they could hear the doors being blocked off.
"Sam, can't you see?" they heard Sue Ann ask from outside. "The Lord chose me to reward the just and punish the wicked. And your brother is wicked and he deserves to die just as Layla deserves to live. It is God's will."
"God has nothing to do with this!" Fallon cried angrily as Sam gave up pushing against the doors and began to search through the room for something to help him escape. He started ripping boards off a wall, and revealed a small window. "You won't need to escape through there." Fallon teleported out of the basement and effortlessly blew the basement doors open. Sam rushed out. "You go stop her. I'm gonna go to Dean." She turned and ran, using extra speed as she searched the grounds for Dean. She prayed she'd find him before the reaper showed up.
When she did find Dean he was mercifully alone. "Dean!" she shouted, and he turned towards her.
"Hey" he greeted her, oblivious to the danger he was in. "I think I lost the cops."
"Dean, we need to…" but she broke off as she saw the reaper appear a few feet behind Dean. She took a few stumbling steps back.
"Fallon are you alright?" Dean asked. She shook her head and pointed her finger in the direction behind him. Dean turned around and froze as the reaper began to walk towards him. Fallon was so scared she couldn't even move. She watched in terror as the reaper stopped right in front of Dean. It was only when the reaper placed its hands on Dean that she snapped out of it.
"No!" she screamed and the reaper glanced over at her. "He's not dying! It's not his time to go. You're being controlled!" She cried in dismay when the reaper looked away from her and back to Dean. She took a few steps forward. "It's not his time. Please, just, take me instead."
"Fallon!" Dean cried, but she ignored him.
"I'm dead," Fallon said. "If you should be after anyone it's me." The reaper suddenly stopped and looked up. If Fallon didn't know better she'd say he looked confused. He glanced at her and then disappeared. Fallon doubled over gasping for air, before stumbling over and collapsing to the ground next to Dean. "Are you okay?"
"Define okay," Dean mumbled looking a little worse for the wear. He glanced up at her then. "Would you really have gone with him?"
Fallon looked away before turning her gaze back and meeting his gaze. "If it meant saving you, then yes," she told him. "I would have gone with him." They didn't say anything more, just sat there quietly for a moment before getting up and heading for the Impala. They arrived at the same time as Sam.
"You okay?" Sam asked looking relieved to see them.
Dean shook his head. "Hell of a week," he replied sliding into the car.
"Fallon?" Sam inquired.
"Let's just get out of here before the reaper decides to come back and try to collect me," she replied.
The next morning Fallon couldn't help but notice that Dean wasn't his usual self. Sam must have noticed as well. "What is it?" Sam asked.
"We did the right thing here, didn't we?" Dean replied, sounding a little desperate.
"Of course we did," Sam said.
"It doesn't feel like it," Dean stated.
"Doing the right thing doesn't always mean feeling good about it," Fallon told him, and then glanced up when she heard a knock at the door.
"I got it," Sam stated and stopped packing to open the door. "Hey Layla. Come on in."
"Hey," Layla greeted them softly.
Dean stood up. "How did you know we were here?" he asked surprised.
"Sam called," she answered him. "He said you wanted to say goodbye."
Dean sent a confused look towards Sam. Sam just smiled. "I'm gonna grab a soda," he said and walked out of the room.
"I'm going to join him," Fallon stated and rushed after him. She caught up with him in the hallway. "Playing matchmaker?"\
"No," Sam replied. "I just thought she could bring him some peace."
"I hope so," Fallon sighed. She hadn't told Sam. Hadn't wanted to worry him. But it hadn't escaped her notice last night when Dean hadn't even tried to run from the reaper. Or the disappointed look that glazed his face when the reaper backed off of him. She had known Dean didn't regard himself as worth much, but she realized now he didn't even believe he deserved to be alive. She didn't know how, but she was going to find a way to change that. Even if it took her forever.