Chapter 13 : Meet me in the Dark
With a sense of déjà vu, Buffy looks up at Crowley standing before her, the cell door wide open « Even though I'd love to discuss with you, I don't have time. Neither do your friends! You'll find them in the basement with the pumped up angel. » At these words Crowley disappears.
Arrived in the basement, Buffy can only see the extent of the damage, finding Bobby and Dean shaken and Sam passed out.
Once back at Bobby's place, she meticulously studies, for hours, Sam remaining unconscious. She takes his hand and realizing that he is frozen, unwilling to leave his side, she lies against him, trying to warm him as best as possible.
In the comfort of this closeness with Sam, Buffy hears an intense and vibrant voice « Interfectorem ducere iustus pugnatorum scire de purgatorio. Non pugna est sine iactura parte seipsum. Quod pars sacrificium vobis ? »
Buffy not reacting, Giles comes out of the darkness and sits beside her « You must answer, Buffy. He needs to know! »
Confused she looks at her feet « I don't understand this gibberish! » then lifting her eyes up to find help in Giles' eyes, she is now facing Lucifer « That's right… tell us what part of you are willing to sacrificed? »
She jumps of terror as Lucifer remains motionless and smiles « Sweet little kitten, I see your claws haven't grown backup yet. » then disappears.
Buffy wakes up in a violent gasp. It takes her a few minutes to calm her palpitations. Realizing that Sam is no longer there, she hastens to reach upstairs to find the three men in front of the television, absorbed by announcements of murderous events that took place in a church.
Follows, for weeks, radio reports declaring that more than 200 religious leaders, the Ku Klux Klan and a centre for Vibrational Enlightenment, have been decimated. One evening, while Sam, Dean and Buffy were working on repairing the Impala, Buffy bristled « We have to stop him. We have to talk to him! »
Dean slyly resists « He's not a buddy, he is a pissed off God. And when God gets righteous, you get the hell out of the way! Haven't you read the Bible? ... He has lied to us and used us…» then turning to his brother «He cracked your gourd like it was nothing, so no more talk! » returning to Buffy « Now, hand me the socket wrench. » but Buffy leaves, disappointed.
As the smell of grease and sweat seem imbued into her flesh, she goes to the bathroom to get rid of it. After throwing her clothes without consideration, she slips under the shower. The hot water hemming all around her, Buffy surrenders to this sweet sensation, completely closing herself from the world. She welcomes the feeling of hands coming from behind her, massaging her skin. She undoubtedly recognizes Dean's touch, which whispers in her ear « I'm sorry, I've got carried away. Can we make peace? » Buffy nods.
« Dean? Bobby? » Sam's voice extracts Buffy from her fantasy. She hurries out of the shower and dresses up. She quickly makes the tour of the house to finally find him outside.
Stealth Sam beckons her to not make a sound and to listen, overhearing Dean open up to Bobby « Seriously, look at our lives, how many more hits can we take? If they say they're good, then fine. But I'm not dumb, I'm not gonna get my hopes up, just to get kicked in the daddy pills again. »
Buffy gently takes Sam's hand, injured in his unconsciousness fall, and enters the garage with him.
Not expecting them, Bobby asks « What's the word? »
Sam pretending he heard nothing « A publishing house literally exploded, about an hour ago. The body count is really getting up there… »
Buffy insists « We must do something! »
Bobby comments ironically « Unfortunately, I lost my God gun. »
Sam seconding Buffy « There must be some kind of heavenly weapon out of the angel arsenal that Balthazar stole? »
Dean answers bitterly « He's God, there's nothing! »
Buffy closes her eyes, disgusted at the though of what she is about to say « But there might be someone! » She heads to the cellar followed by the three men who quickly understood her intentions and helped her with the preparations.
The spell completed, Crowley appears in the middle of a demon trap, a bottle and a glass of whiskey in his hands « Come on! My new boss is gonna kill me! »
Sam curious wonders « What new boss? »
Crowley staggering « Castiel, you giraffe! In fact I should say everybody's boss. What do you think he's gonna do when he'll find out we've been conspiring? You do want to conspire, don't you? »
Buffy defiant « No, we just want you to stand there and look pretty. We want you to tell us how to bind Death! »
Crowley surprised « Enslave? Death? »
Buffy clarifies « Death is the only player left on the board that has the kind of juice to take Cass down! »
Crowley contemptuous comments « They'll both mash us like peas! Why should I help on this suicide mission? »
In response, Buffy scratches the trap, offering him freedom « I forgot… you only have guts when you have a speculum in your hands… » he disappears as she returns upstairs frustrated.
A few hours later, Buffy is silent in the living room, paying no attention to the brothers' conversations, when Bobby enters the room and gives the content of an envelope to Dean « From Crowley. »
Dean takes a peak at the document and asks « Well, who feels like hog-tying Death tonight? »
Bobby immediately begins searching for the ingredients, including a very rare crystal, which is nine hours away from his home. Once on location, Dean gets rid of the guard and penetrates into the house, followed by Buffy. As he finds the crystal, the owners caught him but Buffy had no difficulty to secure them. Sam gets in joined by Bobby that starts without delay the preparations for the ritual. The incantation fulfilled, Death appears in a blast that causes the whole house to shake « You're joking! »
Uncomfortable, Dean tries to explain « I'm sorry, Death. This isn't what it seems. »
Death raising his hands to expose the situation « Seems like you've bound me. This is about Sam's hallucinations and the Interfectorem's visions, I assume? » surprised Bobby and Dean turn to both Buffy and Sam, while Death continues « One wall per customer! Now unbind me! »
Buffy opposes herself to Death « We can't… yet! We need you to kill God! »
Death scans Buffy « What makes you think I can do that? More importantly why should I? »
Dean timidly dares « Because we said so and we're the boss of you… I mean… Respectfully. »
Before Death could react, Castiel appears « Amazing, I didn't want to kill you, but now you've erased any nostalgia I have for you. »
Dean interrupts « Death is our bitch. We ain't gonna die, even if God pulls the trigger! »
Death looks at Castiel « Annoying little protozoa aren't they… God? You look awfully like mutated angel to me. Your vessel's melting, you're going to explode. But that's not the worst problem: there are things much older than souls in Purgatory and you can't control them! »
Buffy worried « What older things? »
Death in a heavy and slow voice, says « Long before God created Angels and Mankind, he made the Leviathans. I personally found them entertaining. But he was concerned they'd chomp the entire Petri dish, so he created Purgatory to lock them away. They're clever, poisonous things and Castiel has swallowed them. He is the thin membrane between the old ones and your home. » he stares at Castiel more intensely « You see, Castiel I know God! And you, sir… are no God! » Death raises a hand preparing to seize Castiel's soul, but in a gesture this one frees Death from his chains and disappears.
Death notes « Seems he was in a hurry. » looking at Buffy « Let's be clear, I'm not here to tie your shoes every time you trip. » then challenging Dean « I warned you about the souls, long enough to stop that fool and avoiding your little planet to be on the edge of immolation! »
Buffy hails him « Can't you give us something? »
He studies, once more, the features of the young woman « Your only hope is to have him return it all to Purgatory. You have everything you need at the lab where he did this to himself! Get him to return there and compel him to give up the power. Quickly! »
Buffy, nods and smiles of gratitude, despite the flatness of Death.
Bobby picks up « But that door only opens in the eclipse and that's over. »
Death offers « I'll make another at 3:59, Sunday morning, just before dawn. Be punctual, clean up your mess! » then fleeing the scene, adds « Try to bind me again, you'll die before you start. »
Bobby comments « Back to square one! » then leaves the room accompanied by Dean, Sam frees the shaken couple and grabs Buffy to get out too.
Back at Bobby's place, Buffy wants to quickly find the calm that only Sam seems to bring to her « Look, I was pretty far gone sometimes myself, Dean, and you never gave up on me. » Says Sam's voice indicating to Buffy that he is in the kitchen.
Dean bitterly replies « Yeah, and it turns out that you're about the same open book as you've always been. Hallucinations? Really? And I've got to find out from Death! »
Sam defensive demands « What was I supposed to do? »
Dean aggressively responds « How about not lying? How about tell me that you've got crazy crap climbing those walls, both of you? »
Buffy not ready to deal with the subject « Can't we debate once we've dealt with Cass? »
Dean scoffs at them « You know what? I'm gonna stuff my pie hole, I'm gonna drink, I'm gonna watch some Asian cartoon porn and act like the world's about to explode… because it is! »
Buffy leaves the house and wanders among the carcasses of Bobby's cars cemetery. When with a sigh « Castiel, maybe this is pointless. I don't know if any part of you even cares, but I still think… »
« But we still think… you're one of us! » corrects Sam that joined her.
Buffy pursues with more conviction « Let us help, please! »
Unanswered, the two return to the house and notice that Dean did not move from an inch, watching porn, he pours two glasses of whiskey and invites them to drink with him.
Buffy accepts by placing a condition « Only if you turn that off! »
Dean closes the flap of the laptop, while Sam and Buffy sit at the table. They clink together when Castiel appears breathless and bloodied « I've heard your call! I need help! »
While the two brothers rush to him, Buffy yells « Bobby! »
He rushes and seeing the situation, suggests « Let's not waste time! »
Arrived at the lab, Buffy inexplicably freezes. Castiel falls on his knees detailing « We need the right blood. There's a small jar, at the end of the hall in the supply closet. »
« Got it » says Sam accidently shoving Buffy as he exits.
Castiel addresses to Dean « I feel regret, about what I did. If there were time, if I was strong enough, I'd fix it all now. I just wanted to make amends before I die. »
Around Buffy, everything is prepared in readiness, but Bobby takes time to put a friendly hand on Castiel's shoulder « Hang in there, Cass! Just a minute. » then seeing that Buffy remains motionless, asks her « Where's Sam? It's go time! »
Dean decides to go after his brother, but only returns with a jar of blood.
Preparations completed, Bobby's chanting the mantra, as the sigil drawn with the blood becomes a portal on the Purgatory. Out of her torpor, Buffy helps Castiel to stand-up and stay in front of the portal. He releases the souls then collapses to the ground. Buffy checks his condition and notices that he doesn't breath and has no pulse. She pulls him against her, not holding back her tears « Cass, why didn't you listen to us? »
To the astonishment of all, the angel opens his eyes and gently pulling of Buffy's grip, sits « I'm alive. I can't believe it. Thank you all! » he looks tenderly at her « I'm gonna find some way to redeem myself to you. »
Dean not willing to stay « Let's go find Sam and get out of here. »
But in a gesture, Castiel repels them « Run! » seeming to bend under the weight of an internal battle « I can't hold them back! »
Worried Bobby asks « Who? »
In a last effort, Castiel answers « Leviathans! Run! » but they have no time to do so, Castiel straightens as if everything was fine « Too late! »
Dean concerned « Cass? »
Castiel smiles deviously « Cass is… gone! We run the show now! » he sweeps away Bobby and Dean against the walls. Then approaching Buffy « This is going to be so much fun! »
Buffy noting that ribs appear on the skin of the host « Your vessel's gonna explode. Wouldn't do anything too strenuous and start thinking about heading on home. »
The answer is clear when the exuvia leaves, staggering « We'll be back for you! »
Buffy realizing that a member of the group is missing « Sam? » she enters the hall. But she stops abruptly, seeing Lucifer taking game on Sam. To her surprise, Dean grabs his brother, as if Lucifer had never been there « Sam? You're hearing me? Look at me! Let's get out of here! »
All rush out of the building. Arrived to the municipal water supply, they become the witnesses to the release of the Leviathans: steaming from Castiel's body sinking in water, forming a vortex from which escape, at high speed, countless black showers.
Bobby brought to their attention « If they're in the pipes, they've got themselves a highway to anywhere! » but Buffy is staring at Castiel's raincoat returning to shore. While Dean takes the stuff of the water, Buffy feels empty, concluding that Castiel is dead.
Throughout the journey, she feels a fatigue both physical and moral, which swallows her. But her eyes barely closed, Buffy hears again the deep and vibrant voice « Custodia aperiam ad purgatorio iustus pugnatorum sed Interfectorem posset nisi ab oblivione. Ad hanc scientiam solum animas eorum. » She observes all around her, only to see the ocean out of sight, her body floating above the waves « Sorry, but I'm no expert in charade… »
« Buffy! » whispers a voice she recognizes as Lucifer's.
She wakes up in a jump, Dean leaning over her, gently stroking her face « That's twelve hours straight. I'm calling that rested.» She notices that Sam is not there « He's with Bobby! »
Dean pushing his jealousy aside « I understand that you feel safe with each other. I know what I'm talking about… Do I have to remind you that I know how that rodeo feels like! But I've watched you fall in Lucifer's cage with my brother… »
Buffy replies « So what, Dean? With a magic wand you'll fix everything? Bobby and you already have enough on your plate with the Leviathans. » She places a kiss on his lips and walks out, fighting the urge to turn and run into his arms.
Meeting Bobby and Sam in the living room, she sees Lucifer, sitting astride on a chair, that waves at her, gesture that doesn't escape Sam's attention « Gentleman, I'm leaving. » She's planting a peck on Bobby's cheek and approaches Sam that she hugs as she whispers « Be strong, Sam! » leaving them stunned by her departure.