AN – Warnings, disclaimer, etc. found in Chapters 1 & 5

"Hey! Wake up!" Sam called, hitting his older brother on the shoulder with the notepad he had found after waking.

"What? What?!" Dean sat up groggily.

"Henry - he's gone!"

Dean blinked some more and rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the situation. "Where is he?"

"No idea. He just left a note saying he was going to fix everything," the taller answered, flashing the notepad in his hand.

"Yeah, or screw it all up. Alright." Sam let out a sigh as his brother got out of bed and made a minor effort to fix his hair. As Dean pulled on his shoes and usual layers of clothes, the younger grabbed his phone and called Castiel. The angel still didn't answer his prayers as often as Dean's and this was usually the quickest way for the younger Winchester to get a hold of him.

"Sam," came the normal greeting as Dean walked out the front door.

"Hey. Can you come over here? Henry's disappeared."

"Yes. What is your location?"

"The Strip 91 Motel, just south of Normal. Room -"

"I'm here."

Sam spun around to see Castiel standing close to the doorway, phone still held up to his ear. He lowered his own and the angel copied the movement. "Right. Thanks for coming."

Dean reentered the motel room then, not even blinking at the additional presence, but gave a nod in greeting. "Well, now we know what he meant by 'fix everything'." He stood in between the two others, gesturing outside with a frustrated expression. "He broke into the trunk, stole one of Cas's feathers. I'm guessing he's gonna whip up another one of those blood spells and Marty McFly himself back to the 1950s."

"To do what?" Sam scoffed. "Stop Abaddon before she strikes?"

"Or grab Dad and haul ass. Look, point is he's doing it."

"How? He still needs two ingredients for the spell. Unless…" Sam stopped and held up a finger in thought, pacing the room a bit. "Unless there's some place nearby that sells actual hoodoo."

Dean nodded and pulled out his phone. "I'll call Bobby."

Castiel spoke up then. "You must find him quickly. Abaddon has hidden her location from me, but it should be assumed that she is not far behind you."

"Right." Sam turned to the angel. "Can you take me to Lebanon, Kansas? A man is living there under the name Tom Carey who may have some information. It'd be easier than the nine hour drive."

"Of course. You have the address?"

Sam's reply was cut off by Dean's phone snapping closed and the two turned their attention to the elder brother. "Bobby says there's a shop not far from here used by some local hunters. Henry's on foot, so I should be able to catch up to him."

His brother nodded, shrugging on an over shirt and grabbing his jacket. "Okay. You go after him and Cas'll fly me over to Larry. I'll call when I get some answers."

The wind swirled briefly around Sam and Castiel as they landed on the sidewalk in front of the home of "Tom Carey" and his wife. Sam looked around, trying to orientate himself after the sudden change in scenery. He took a step towards the house, expecting the angel to follow, but paused when he noticed Castiel's attention was focused elsewhere.

"Cas? Something up?"

The other answered without facing him. "There is a demon nearby. We should proceed with caution."

"In the house?"

"No. I can't determine an exact location. It's probably searching the surrounding area for us. It does not feel strong enough to be Abaddon, but we need to move fast and be on our guard in any case."

"Alright. Let's go then." Sam moved to the front door, significantly more wary than before. Dean had the demon killing knife with him still, but Castiel would be able to handle any of the lower powered demons. According to Cas, though, Abaddon was another matter – if she showed up, they'd be in trouble. However, they needed this information and couldn't turn back now.

The Winchester rapped his knuckles three quick times on the blue door and waited a moment before an elderly woman opened it slightly.

"Hello. My name is Sam – Sam Winchester and this is Castiel. We were hoping to ask Larry Ganem a few questions. It's quite important."

The woman looked faintly startled. "Winchester, you say?"

"Yes m'am."

She hesitated a moment, but beckoned them in, casting a glance at the silent Castiel. After closing the door, she led them into a living room where who Sam presumed was Larry sat in an armchair, unfocused eyes faced in their general direction.

Given Castiel's warning about the need to move quickly, Sam wasted no time with beating around the bush and began explaining their purpose for being there – giving an altered story about having come across the box accidentally and running into Abaddon.

"So, Henry is dead." The old man looked saddened by the news as his wife moved between them, pouring tea. "I was so sure that – that he had survived."

"Yes, well, um, like I said, I found his journal and was hoping you could fill in the gaps and explain to me… what happened that night in 1958."

The man made a noise of dismissal. "It doesn't matter. They're gone. We're gone."

"But Abaddon is not," Sam pushed.

"Abaddon was a hired gun. She killed us all that one night."

"Everyone, but you."

"She blinded me." Larry said, pointing to his unseeing eyes. "It's a miracle I survived."

His wife leaned over with a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, dear."

The man gave a humorless chuckle and kissed her hand. "But she did not get what she came for."

"The box." The Winchester leaned forward, feeling uneasy at Castiel's continued silence and stiff posture, and spoke more urgently. "Listen, Abaddon is here, and she wants this thing. So I need to know everything there is to know about it."

Larry finally gave in and began talking. "In the box is the key to every object, scroll, spell ever collected for thousands of years under one roof." Sam sat back slowly, looking awed at the idea of such a thing. "It is the supernatural mother load."

"So... Abaddon wants the key so she can get her hands on it."

The old man chuckled again. "Can you imagine what she would do with that?"

Sam shook his head slightly. "So, how do we stop her? How do we stop Abaddon?"

"You don't."

Sam's disappointment was obvious as he turned his face downward, clenching his hands and jaw a bit. His attention was drawn back to Larry as the man took out a pad of paper and a pen, and wrote something down.

"If you know where the key is, then take it to these coordinates." He handed the Winchester the paper and Sam quickly memorized the location. "Throw it in, shut the door forever, and walk away."

His head snapped back up at these words in disbelief. "Wait. Why would I do that?"

"Because it is the safest place on Earth, warded against any evil ever created. It is impervious to any entry, except the key."

"Right, but then all that knowledge would be- would be lost and gone forever."

The old man sat back in his chair, sounding resigned. "And that is the price we have to pay for keeping it away from Abaddon. You do… have the key, don't you?"

"I don't, but, uh, my brother…" He trailed off, watching Larry's wife reenter the room. When had she left? "My brother does."

Suddenly, Castiel seemed to break out of whatever focused trance he had been in and surged to his feet. "Sam! She's a demon!"

Sam jumped up as well, reaching for the demon knife that wasn't there. The angel moved in between the now black eyed demon and the Winchester, but a swift wave of the old woman's hand sent him flying out the front window.

The woman turned back towards the hunter. "How rude. You haven't finished your tea, Sam."

He swung his fist toward her, but she easily pushed it aside and hit him over the head. He collapsed to the ground, out cold.

A look of horror had spread over the old man's face. "Abaddon."

The Knight raised a knife. "The years have not been kind, Larry." A slash of her arm, and blood splattered over the walls from the new slice in the Man of Letter's throat.

Abaddon spun back around just in time for Castiel's palm to connect solidly with her chest. He could tell the poor woman being used as a vessel was already dead and felt no remorse for the further damage to her body. The demon flew back and struck the doorway to the kitchen, leaving a very noticeable crack in the wood, but merely stood back up, looking at the angel with irritation. The frail-looking vessel obviously did not hinder her strength.

"Cute." Another wave of her hand and Castiel was sent into a side wall and through it to the next room. Abaddon was next to him instantly, grabbing the lapels of his tan coat and swinging a fist into his jaw. "Not very bright are you? Attacking when you're obviously out of your league." Another hit. "Hmm. I recognize you. You're the one who was sneaking around earlier and flew off before we could have some real fun." Castiel reached up and gripped her clothes in return, trying to switch their positions, but the Knight pulled the angel up and slammed his head into a nearby desk, breaking the object. "Well, we'll have to amend that mistake, won't we?"

Dean pushed open the door to the small hoodoo shop and looked around. No employee was in sight, so Henry must have taken care of them.

"Poo-goh. Kah-nee-lah…" The chanting was coming from the back of the store, out of sight behind some shelves. When he reached the area, he found Henry standing in front of a glowing symbol painted on a door.

"Henry, wait!"

His grandfather stopped chanting, but didn't turn around. "This is a risk I have to take."

"And what if you die, huh?" Dean stood his ground, trying to talk the other man out of it. "Who says you'll even survive the jump?"

Henry then faced Dean, a pained expression on his face, and the symbol stopped glowing. "You cannot begin to understand how I felt after reading John's journal."

"Oh, I think I can. See, I've read that thing more times than you can imagine, and it hurts every time!"

"Maybe so, but you didn't let him down, I did! Just like you said!" As Henry got more upset, his voice gained volume, hands making sharp gestures in front of himself.

Dean closed his eyes, his own voice rising in response. "Well I was wrong!"

"No!" the Man of Letters shouted, then gathered himself and continued marginally calmer. "No, you were right. And I'm going to go back and give him the life he deserves, not the one he was forced to live."

"And what if it's not meant to be?"

"Then it will be!" he shouted again, composure slipping.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's the right thing to do! I can save him… and stop Abaddon!"

The brother paused, looking as if he was contemplating the other's words now. "How?"

Henry had calmed once more, seeing the chance of convincing his eldest grandson, and explained. "By going back an hour before she attacks and making preparations."

The hunter had sighed and began shaking his head after the first words, remembering his own travels through time and how fruitless his efforts then had been. He didn't bring it up though, and instead said, "If you do that and you change the past, me and Sam might cease to exist!"

The other Winchester wasn't fazed, however. "I'm aware that time is a delicate mistress, but I'm willing to bet on this being for the best."

"Listen, I understand that this is not your idea of a happy ending, okay?" Dean's tone was frustrated at his grandfather's stubbornness. "And that- that you're disappointed that me and Sam are mouth-breathing hunters, but you know what? We stopped the apocalypse!"

Henry didn't even blink at this information. "If this works the way I planned, there will never be an apocalypse to stop."

Anymore of the argument was interrupted by Dean's cell ringing. He walked a couple steps away as he answered, but was sure to keep an eye on the other. "Sammy?"

A woman's laugh was his answer. "No. Much sexier. Try again."

Dean's eyes widened slightly as his body stiffened. "Abaddon."

"Good boy. Now, listen up. I want to make a good, old-fashioned horse trade. Henry and the key for your brother… Or he dies."

The hunter closed his eyes as Henry watched on intently.

"Am I clear?"

The demon hadn't said anything about Castiel, and Dean debated quickly over whether to ask about him. If she didn't have the angel, the Winchester didn't want to bring her attention to his presence. But Castiel was supposed to be with Sam, and he couldn't see the other leaving his brother when danger was so near. Which meant his friend was most likely captured as well.

"And Cas?"

"Your pet angel? Don't worry about him, sugar. I've got some friends taking good care him."

A flash of anger and worry shot through the hunter. "Where is he?"

"Ah ah ah. We're not discussing him, now are we? We're talking about your baby brother. Henry and the key, or goodbye to Sammy. Now, am I clear?"

"Crystal."

"On the road to Larry's is a processing plant. Don't keep me waiting."

There was silence on the other side and Dean ended the call.

"Abaddon has Sam." Henry spoke up, more a statement than a question. "And Castiel."

The brother turned his attention back to him, taking a couple steps forward. "She wants to trade you and the key for Sam's life."

"If I could just go back, stop all of this from happening-"

"And what if you can't?" Dean's face was stony, mind already made up. "I can't take that risk. Not with them both on the hook now."

But Henry was just as set in his decision. "I can't abandon my son, Dean! Not again. I need to do this. Wouldn't you do the same?" Dean stayed silent. "I'm sorry." He turned back to the ritual and began chanting once more, the bloody symbol regaining its golden glow.

"Then I'm sorry too."

The hunter surged forward and grabbed his grandfather, quickly knocking him unconscious.

Hehe... uh, sorry? I really need to quit promising quick updates, because I obviously can't keep to them to save my life. I really didn't like what I had written for the end of this arc last time, so I rewrote it - some parts twice. I'm still not too happy, but I'm tired of messing with it and it ended being enough for two chapters. The second part will be up later tonight. Enough time for me to type it, edit, and nitpick at it a bit more.

As always, thank you for sticking with me and reviewing, following, and adding to your favorites!