AN: Thanks to everyone for reading and those who review.

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Chapter Ten

Remiel sat back in the steaming bath, her skin red. She had taken her sponge to her skin with fury. She felt like she needed to scrub away the events of yesterday, scrub away the memories as if he were in her body and not her mind. She let herself cry, she let her emotion pour from her, let all the fear come out and slide into the tub with her. Once she had purged the emotion, she could sit back, relax, and read a book. Nothing like a hot bath, candles and a good book to take her mind off the nightmare of her so called life. She took a few deep breaths and cleared her mind. Focusing on the scented candles and hot water, she willed her body to loosen, her mind to think of positive things and her soul to stay deep inside.

Nothing in the books she'd read said anything about the little wars that would lead to the big one, but she knew, she could feel it, every month she would fight for her life. Every month demons would come to prevent her from getting pregnant and carrying that baby to term, prophecy or not, how much would she have to do to get pregnant and survive to have the baby? And…how much would she have to do every minute of every day to keep her children alive? There was no doubt in her mind the demons would kill her children.

"Bobby, this is nothing like I expected. I thought Sam was stronger, especially since he has a family now. I never imagined this." Dean said as the two men shared a beer in the backyard down by the pond. "What the fuck is he doing?" It frustrated Dean that his brother came after Remi.

"I know, boy. I didn't see this coming." Bobby took a long pull from his beer. Ellen walked up with another 6 pack and sat at the table with them.

"We have to start from scratch. Sam knows how each of us thinks and fights, he'll use it against us. He'll use our feelings for him and he knows Dean's weaknesses." Ellen said opening her beer.

"Weaknesses?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, idiot. Sam and Remi. You lose focus when it comes to them." Bobby answered what he thought was an obvious question. "You have to hide your emotions, Dean, when it comes to them. Demons will play on that, Sam will play on it, he knows you won't kill him."

"If it came down to Remi or him…" Dean didn't want to think of what he'd do, couldn't say it out loud. If Sam were still the Sam he knew he'd never pick a girl over his brother, but Sam was changing and just as predicted.

Zera joined them with a glass of iced tea and felt like crying. She had waited with dread for the moments that were upon them. "We have big fight ahead of us. Sam knows Remiel and what purpose she serve. My guess is he try to stop us and her." Dean still loved to listen to Remi's mom talk in her thick Israeli accent. He could hear it in Remi sometimes too. "Sam also has weakness. His family. We play on that like he play on you." Bobby, Ellen and Dean looked at her like she was crazy. Whether or not she was right, Bobby and Ellen knew they could never use civilians in their battles, especially a woman and her small children. Dean, however, knew without question if it came down to his kids or Sam's kids he would do what he needed too for his own.

Thunder sounded outside and it was so loud all of them jumped. It was as if it were right above them. It took only a few looks between the hunters and they all ran for the house. Ellen and Zera gathered candles and flashlights while Bobby got the generators ready and Dean headed for the basement. Ellen felt the hairs stand up on her arms and the back of her neck but didn't want to say anything just yet, little did she know Bobby, Dean and Zera had the same reactions.

Without speaking they all secured the house and brought weapons to the dining room. Guns were loaded, knives sharpened, salt lines checked and double checked. They already had devil's traps drawn on the sub flooring underneath the carpet, on the ceilings in a special paint so it wasn't clearly visible and any other symbol they could think of placed around the house in some form. The unspoken words hung like an elephant in the room. Sam was impervious to salt lines and traps. He could get into the house and come after any one of them.

"Dean…I speak with you." Zera said quietly so only Dean could hear her.

"Not now, Zera, I'm a little busy." Dean continued checking the weapons and supplies.

"Dean…I speak now." Zera placed her tiny hand on his arm and Dean knew this was serious or Zera would not have interrupted. They went into the kitchen and Zera motioned for Dean to sit at the table. She stood at the window looking out as the darkness fell on them. "I no tell Remiel, you no tell Remiel." She paused and let Dean think of the importance of what she was about to say.

"I not survive to see first baby. I will die so Remiel can have baby. Everyone you and my daughter know will die so each of your children can live. A lot she does not know, why her father dead now, her brother's real purpose…you." Zera turned to him and knew Dean understood. Zera also knew Dean's fate. And Remi's. She knew how long they had together and it made her happy that her daughter wouldn't be alone. "You must not tell." Dean shook his head.

Ellen had overheard bits and pieces of what Zerachiel had said and went to Bobby. "Zera's going to die and we can't tell Remi. She said something else but I didn't hear it."

"When?" Bobby asked and was a little surprised this hadn't already come up.

"Before Remi has the 1st kid." Ellen wondered when that would be. Was Remi already pregnant? Was she about to get pregnant? Was it in another 5 years?

"When is that?" Bobby asked. Ellen shot him a look as she'd been thinking the same thing.

"I don't know she didn't say. But the more I think about it the more I wonder if it isn't soon. She hid it from us this long so if there's no baby for another few years why tell us now." Ellen said and she and Bobby agreed it was sooner rather than later.

"I need to know everything and you're going to tell me. I want the truth, Zera." Dean said. "From the very beginning however many centuries ago I want the whole story and I want what's not in the books. We'll talk about it later tonight and we need to include Bobby and Ellen."

"I not sure that good idea to tell them. History ok, but no tell them they will die to save you and your family." Zera replied and saw the emotion flash across Dean's face. His dad died to save him, Remi's brother, her mother and now two more people. It was a lot to handle.

"Fine. But I'll be the one who decides what Remi knows and doesn't know. She can be mad at me all she wants but if she only has a short time with you I don't want her spending it hurt and angry." Dean stood and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. He needed a few shots to deal with this new life of his.

"You marry, Dean. You hurry." Zera said and walked out. He let his mind wrap around the hidden words, the words unspoken. Zera wanted Remi married when she had kids, was Remi going to get pregnant soon? What if he learned Remi's patterns and kept her from getting pregnant? What would happen to the world? Was the end coming no matter what and without his kids they'd lose? That meant Zera's time was almost ending. If he wasn't living it, he would never believe it.

As if a faucet had been turned on suddenly, the rains came pouring down. It was so much so fast Bobby wondered about flooding. If water got into the house, the salt lines would wash away. He said as much and they all took a room to monitor. As Dean stood in the family room, his thoughts drifted to Remi. He knew she was fine upstairs, he'd heard her moving around not too long ago. He wondered if it was too much for her to handle. The enormity of their fate. He brooded on the whole thing and knew he had to talk to Remi. Fuck, he hated talking. But this was vital. He barely noticed the lights begin to flicker and the movement of Ellen and Zera. He got out of the chair and went to the front window. Nothing. He went to the other end of the room and looked out toward the backyard. Nothing. He sat back down and let himself fade into his own mind. His eyes felt heavy and he laid his head back against the couch.

Remi watched out the bedroom window. Something was wrong and she knew it. Something was coming and straight for her. She leaned against the wall and glanced at the salt lines on the sill. Everyone downstairs would be ready if this were more than a simple thunderstorm, she would be protected. She knew that. Her heart told her that as did her mind, they would tell her to stay in a secure location. The bedroom was one of the most secure in the house and they had a panic room on the 1st floor, but right now she just wanted to lie down. She was so tired. Dean would come get her if she needed to be in the panic room, so a quick nap was fine. Lay down, Remi, just rest. You've been through a lot lately and you need rest. Okay, I'll just rest. For a few minutes, I am getting hungry. Everything will be fine, sweet girl, just put your head on the pillow and sleep. Remi could feel a hand stroking her hair but she was too tired to look. It wasn't Dean's hands or her mother's, but it felt so relaxing. She burrowed deeper in the covers and slept.

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Remi woke to the darkness still outside and a lot of movement downstairs. She heard shouts and Dean banging on the bedroom door. She was still so groggy it took a moment to register what he was saying. The lightning flashed and lit the room. The thunder that immediately followed drowned out Dean's screams. She sat up and rubbed her eyes and tried to focus. The bedroom grew cold, her hackles on end and a breeze came from nowhere. Windows closed, door closed, somehow the breeze was in the room and it grew to windy and then gusts. She tried to call for Dean but her mouth was dry, she reached for the glass of water by the bed and when she turned back the lightning struck again. Now she heard Dean clearly as if he were in the room with her. He was screaming they were here, who's here? She drained the water and left the glass on the bed. Remi got out of bed and went to the door, lightning flashed.

Dean heard the most frightening sound and his whole body shook. Bobby and Ellen were right behind him trying to break down the door but it was as if the door were solid steel. Dean's emotions got the better of him as he listened to Remi screaming his name and the panic overwhelmed him. He was yelling at Bobby and Ellen to help him, anything to get in the room. When Bobby went to get the axe, Ellen grabbed Dean.

"Get control. This is what they want. You're letting your guard down. Think, Dean. Think." She had a hold of his face and her eyes bore into his wet ones. Dean shook his head and agreed. Bobby came back and handed Dean the axe. Just as the three of them got in position, the screaming from the bedroom stopped and they could see a light on under the door. Dean slowly went to the door and turned the knob; he looked back at Bobby and Ellen who went to stand right behind him, weapons ready. He opened it with ease and all three barreled into the room then frozen in place at what they were witnessing.

Everything in the room was moving, everything. Slow motion as if in space, weightless. The light was blinding and emanating from Remi. She stood in the center of the room facing the open window and it took a few seconds to adjust their eyes, but when they did they saw Sam standing across from her.