Chapter Fourteen
Eric the bartender's house was one of those low-rise bungalow type houses. A package deal with a white picket fence, a wife in the kitchen, a couple of kids, a dog and a cat. Fortunately, it being Monday morning and all the kids were at school so it was just Eric and his wife Bonnie. All in all they were kind folk who really did seem to care what happened to Maggie and Jason. They bought Dean's story of being a distant cousin from somewhere 'state-side' ('cause no way was he ever going to pass of as Canadian, eh)
He found Maggie huddled in on herself between the wall and the bed in their guest room, a sweaty, shaking, crying mess who was apparently in desperate need of a fix.
"How long's she been like this?"
Dean was way out of his league on this one. Hadn't ever dealt with this kind of thing before. His first instinct was to pick the girl up, whisk her and Jason away somewhere where they'd be safe and God help whoever tried to come after them and drag them back into this twisted life of theirs.
"Since she came into the bar last night. Her and this guy… tall, striking kind of dude if ya know what I mean. I think Maggie called him Casey. Strange guy really. He just kind of popped up, like he came out of thin air or something. Didn't like the way Dennis was treating her. Neither did I really."
Casey? Maybe he was the 'what' that had worked Dennis over with the dumpster?
Jason had once again refused to stay in the car. Kid was stubborn as a mule. Somehow he'd just known she'd still be in that house. Wild horses couldn't have dragged him away from the girl once he saw her. He watched as Jason wrapped gentle arms around his sister and pulled her head against his small shoulder and was suddenly glad that Cal hadn't been there to witness it. Thankful that he'd been able to save her those tears at least.
"Jace?" Maggie was coming to herself now, with Jason so close and the drugs working their way out of her system even as her body screamed for more. When she realized her brother really was there she started to cry. That's when Dean made a spontaneous decision he was sure he'd regret later.
"Eric? I'm taking these two away from here. Someplace safe."
Eric ran a thoughtful hand over his bald spot and considered Dean seriously.
"You got some kind of official permission to do that man?"
Dean hesitated, unsure what kind of an answer the guy was looking for. Eric seemed okay enough, and he knew what kind of a life these kids were facing so he figured he'd give the truth a go. Face hardening and lips pressed together suddenly looking very dangerous he shook his head. Apparently it was the answer Eric was expecting.
"I would've done it myself years ago if I could've. Tell you what, if anyone comes lookin' for 'em I've never seen you or the kids."
"Thanks man."
"Don't thank me. I should have done a hell of a lot more for that girl. I'm just glad she's got somebody to look out for her finally."
Bonnie stepped up beside Eric and handed Dean a knapsack. "Just a few things I thought those two might need." She explained before going to Maggie.
Keeling beside her Bonnie carefully pried Jason away from his sister and wrapped the girl in a thick warm blanket to help her ward off the chills that had taken over her body.
"Come on sweetheart. Your cousin is here. He's going to take you somewhere safe."
Wild eyed and disoriented Maggie had no choice but to stand and walk with Bonnie. It was painful just to watch her take those baby steps on wobbly kneed legs to get to the front door. She didn't even make it that far.
Halfway through the house her legs gave out from under her and she crumpled to the ground.
The hell with this. Dean crouched down beside her and wrapped muscled arms around her tiny frame, picking her up like he would a small child and cradling her to his chest. She'd suffered enough. He carried her out to the car.
Jason didn't need to be told what to do, just reached into Dean's pocket for the car keys and ran ahead to open the door to the backseat for him.
"Bonnie's put one of my business cards in the bag. Our house line's on it too. You or the kids need anything just give us a call. Well do whatever we can."
With a roar of powerful engine the Impala took them away, Dean at the wheel driving them straight out of town towards the farmhouse. Looking back only long enough to reach for his ringing phone when Jason handed it to him, determination in the set of his jaw. No way he was going to let anything bad happen to these kids.
Cal was watching Bobby suspiciously as he pulled out his phone.
"Who're you calling?"
He didn't have to answer her.
"Hey Dean. We've run into a bit of a snag…"
Oh he hadn't!
"Yeah, the mother's place was a bust. She didn't have anything for us other than what we already had on the kid…and the father's not home…" Bobby's eyes went wide then, to whatever it was that Dean was saying. "He was where? Well hell… paramedics got to him in time? Good…wait… you found her?" and that right there got Cal's attention because the only 'her' Bobby could mean at this point had to be Margaret. Which meant what exactly? Dean was supposed to be headed towards Blue Earth, Minnesota with the others right now. Well now she had a pretty good idea as to why the man hadn't called the night before…she would have known just from talking with him if something was up.
She didn't ask, wasn't in the mood to be that nice. No, Cal relieved Bobby of his cell phone and put it to her own ear without so much as a 'please' or 'thank you'. He'd expected as much, really…but it was still a surprise.
"…she's a mess Bobby…and her brother… well he's a tough kid, I'll give him that but he's feeling the burn…"
Oh great, so he'd found Maggie and her brother and now…he was what?
"Well hello there Dean. I see you've capitalized on our leads…would that happen to be why Bobby and I came up with nothing?"
"Oh…hey Cal." Not even the thought of his startled face as she'd obviously caught him off guard was enough to distract her from her current mission.
"Don't 'hey Cal' me Dean. What're you up to? Aren't you supposed to be on your way to Blue Earth right now? Where the heck are you anyway? And where are you taking those kids?"
"Wow… well uh… hello to you too there sweetheart. I missed you too."
"DEAN!"
"Okay, okay! Bobby called me last night with some information so Fran and Sam went ahead with Dad and Jim. I turned back to help…"
"And you couldn't've called to let me know you were back in town? Why didn't you come join us. We could've done this as a team…"
"Do you even remember what you said to me yesterday Cal?"
Oh…yeah. Right. Still though, she didn't like him sneaking around like this…it was almost as if… no. No. He wouldn't…would he? Oh… he so would! Suddenly the answer to her question was crystal clear.
"Tell me you're not taking those kids someplace so you can get in touch with this fae thing yourself?"
"What? No!" The defensive tone of his voice told her otherwise though.
"Alright then, where are you taking them Dean?"
There was a pause that made her think he might have hung up…but then he let out a tentative cough. The kind that always came before he brought up something unpleasant…or dodged a question.
"I, um… can't tell you that Cal."
"Damnit, you can't fix this for me Dean! I won't let you do this. Where the hell are you?"
"Just… look, I need you and Bobby to hole up back at the motel for now. Salt the place up good. Stay safe, okay? I'll call you as soon as it's over Cal. Talk to you soon."
"No the hell way!!! You are not doing this Winchester…" Shouting, she learned, was not nearly as satisfying when your audience was the dial tone.
"You!" she said pointing at Bobby accusingly. "You knew he was doing this, didn't you?"
He just shrugged sheepishly – nothing he could do about it now right?
"Where? Where is he…and where's he taking them?"
And just like that he knew that Cal wasn't ever going to let this go.
"Toss me the keys Cal." He sighed. "I'll drive…and take that damned jacket off will ya? Stretch those wings of yours some. Seriously, you tucked 'em in so tight it's making you cranky."
And cranky was difficult to deal with when the girl didn't have a door to kick in.
Dean could see the outline of a man in his backseat as he pulled in the driveway. A barely there presence that couldn't quite be made out but was there nonetheless. Unlike the spirits and other evil things he was used to dealing with though, this thing seemed to hover protectively around Maggie. If he didn't know any better he'd say it was trying to keep her safe. Yeah, 'cause his driving was just that bad right?
It followed them into the farmhouse. When Dean picked Maggie up and lifted her into his arms again there was the whisper of a voice around him.
"Tell the child to run along. You and I need to speak privately…"
That's when he knew that the thingwas what they'd been searching for.
"Hey…Jason? Tell you what… I'll get Maggie settled in if you want to check the place out? There's lots to explore around here…"
The naked hope in the kid's eyes, the excitement that came from just looking around at all the wide open space that was the farm told Dean all he needed to know.
"Dude, seriously?"
"Yeah. Just stay away from the tractors and stuff…oh, and the barn back there, the one with all the locks on the doors? Yeah, that one's off limits for now. I'll show you around a little later, okay?"
The kid just let out a loud, happy whoop of joy and took off running towards the fields where cornstalks had just recently started to sprout out of the ground.
Dean could feel something cool that felt disturbingly like a large hand on his shoulder, guiding him toward the house. "Whoa dude… no need to get all touchy-feely alright? I want to get this little girl comfortable as badly as you do. Seriously…I don't need your help on that one."
Apparently it believed him because the feeling of cool hand quickly dissipated and let him do his thing.
There wasn't much he could do for her past tucking her tight, warm and safe into bed except maybe hope that the shaking, moaning, crying fits would stop soon. For her sake as much as anyone else's.
"What is it that you want, Hunter?"
The voice came as Dean sat down in a chair near the bed, resigned to sitting with Maggie and waiting this thing out with her.
"Honestly? I'm not sure what you're asking me."
"Do you not? Your friend Caitlin…she is looking for Maggie because she knows that the answer to solving her dilemma lies in helping this child. Your intentions however, are less than clear to me. So I ask you once more hunter…what is it that you want?"
and suddenly it wasn't so clear to him either what it was he wanted out of this. When he'd first turned the Impala around and pointed it back towards Cal it had all been about helping her. Fixing this for her. Now though…with these kids in the mix… it wasn't just Cal he wanted to help. It wasn't as simple and clear cut anymore. Then there was the yellow-eyed-demon to worry about…Sam, Franny and their Dad…hell he just didn't know anymore.
"You do know Dean. There is simply more to it than you originally anticipated."
Okay and that right there? This thing getting in his head and reading his thoughts? Not cool, not cool at all.
"Look, could you maybe just stay the hell outta my thoughts…please?"
"You cannot fix for Caitlin what she alone has broken."
It was as if this creature had thrown a switch inside of him by hitting the one nerve inside of Dean that was too tender to be touched, igniting the anger in him.
"The hell I can't." Fists clenched at his sides, itching to lash out at this thing for digging deep where he'd never let anyone in to see. Frustrated because this thing hadn't shown itself yet so all he had to lash out at was this…this voice. He'd have given anything just to have something tangible to put his hands on.
"I can help you in your battle against the one with the yellow eyes."
Okay, so maybe not just the one nerve.
"You leave the demon and my family out of this! Just. Don't. Go. There."
"I can…nay I will give you what you need to fight it, to repel it for a time. In return I will also give you a task to fulfill."
"I've seen the kind of stuff you 'give' dude. Sorry but I'm not interested. I don't 'do' wings alright?"
"I am afraid you do not have the choice of refusing my gift, hunter and I might add that not all my gifts involve feathers. I will give you what you need to banish the demon and protect your brother and his family. Caitlin will arrive soon. She will make it possible for me to use my magic to help the child again and regain her former self if she so wishes it."
"Oh really? You think so? What if I don't want this…whatever the hell it is you want to give me?"
Because seriously? All kinds of warning bells were going off… great big loud ones insisting that this whole thing was just wrong. Things were going sour and he had no idea how to turn the tables again. Somewhere deep behind those warnings was the single solitary comforting thought that at least it was him here, doing this and getting in too deep instead of Cal.
"I was wrong in transplanting the child into a new life as I did. Maggie needs the type of help I cannot provide. I can, and will, remove the unhealthy need she has for those toxic substances once Caitlin has restored my abilities…once that is done however the task must fall to the both of you."
"Task?" Dean asked angrily "What task? I've gotta tell you, whatever the hell you are… I don't like being strong armed into doing stuff... and neither does Cal. God, the woman gets downright scary when she'd forced into stuff. If, and that's one hell of a big 'if' by the way, but if I hypothetically agree to whatever it is you're offering I want to know exactly what it is I'm signing myself up for."
"Maggie needs a guide. She is broken and hurting inside. There is tremendous strength within the child that she is unable to see and cannot reach until she pieces the broken parts of herself back into some semblance of a whole again. The woman, Caitlin…she will show my Maggie how to be strong, how to overcome the pain and how defend herself should the need arise. You will protect her until she can do it for herself… That is your role, is it not? You are protector to those who cannot do it for themselves. Your brother, your father, your woman and countless others, innocents in need…I am simply adding another person to that long impressive list."
He didn't know what to say to that. Didn't know what this thing was or how to tell it that he was already scared out of his mind that he wouldn't be able to protect the ones he loved…how the hell could he be expected to protect this kid… both of them actually because any idiot could see that Maggie and Jason were a package deal.
"I am Fae, hunter. Presented to Maggie as 'Cassimir' as in this case I am Bringer of Peace though she has chosen to call me Casey. I do admit I prefer the shortened version of my name…though that is neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. Do not be afraid of failing…you will succeed."
"Yeah, sure. Easy for you to say." This fae thing was probably going to haul ass back to wherever it came from once it passed the 'protection' buck onto him so of course it would be easy for the thing to just tell him everything was gonna be okay. Dean though? He was pretty sure this Casey dude was wrong about him. How the hell was one guy supposed to keep all those people safe. He was good, he knew it…but even he had doubts about whether or not he was that good.
The sound of a couple of car doors slamming closed drifted up the stairs from the open kitchen doorway. Cal was back. Damn. Bobby must've caved and told her where he was headed. Okay then, not much choice now, was there?
"Okay. I'll do it. Whatever the hell it is you want me to do…I'll do it on one condition: this is between you and me now. You turn Cal back to the way she was. No more wings or feathers. You change her back to her old moody, trouble making self terrible cooking and all. Your beef's with me from now on, you leave her out of it."
"You have made a wise choice, Hunter. I will release Caitlin of her gift the moment she speaks the words that will allow me to help Maggie once more and from that moment on I will leave her be."
Dean closed his eyes as he breathed a sigh of relief. Cal's voice was loud in his ears, coming from the stairwell now. "Dean! Don't you even try to hide from me. We are going to have words dude…you hear me?!? Words!"
"The gift I am bestowing upon you is quite a bit more potent than the one I have given to the woman. I must apologize for the discomfort it will cause."
"Great, so what you're sayin' then is that this is gonna hurt."
"The pain is unfortunate. If you remain calm and relaxed it will be easier to bear."
"Just one question before we do this…a quick one because it has to be over before she finds us in here. Why did you give her wings?"
"I gave Caitlin the chance to become the one person in the world she most wanted to be. In her case the only person she ever wanted to emulate was her mother, who was a wonderful woman in every possible way…although she hadn't thought of it seriously since childhood. The wings, I must admit, were a last minute addition for my personal amusement."
Oh wonderful, he'd just handed himself over willingly to an overprotective fairy with a twisted sense of humor… yeah, this was going to be real fun. Though, he did have to grudgingly admit that the wings (as annoying as they'd been) had been pretty entertaining really.
"What exactly is this 'gift' you're giving me anyway?"
"It will make itself known when you need it most. The woman is near…it is time."
It is time. Those three words being the only warning Dean had before the air all around him crackled like ten thousand watts of electricity searing right through him. 'Relax and remain calm he says'. Yeah right, 'cause that was gonna happen when he felt like a lightning rod in the middle of a thunder storm.
There was no way to keep the scream in. It ripped through him just as Cal came running through the open bedroom door. He sounded like a wounded animal, screaming through the worst of it able to see nothing but the searing white light that crackled through the air. The…whatever it was…burned itself into him…could be felt from the marrow of his bones to the very tips of every last hair on his body. It lasted no more than a few seconds and went on forever until finally there was nothing but the comforting dark depths of oblivion swallowing him whole…
Cal's heart stopped when she saw him there, a crumpled, boneless mess on the carpet before her. The white shirt and black dress pants he hadn't had the chance to change out of were charred. Black and brown they stuck to his sweaty, steaming skin. His eyes were closed…and he looked…oh God he looked like he might be…
Deadly blue eyes scanned the room for the cause of this. The thing responsible for hurting her Dean because goddamn it except for Sam she was the only person allowed to lay hands on the man…and certainly not to do whatever the hell it is that thing did to him.
Margaret was lying in a little ball, covered in blankets on the bed…so it wasn't the girl then. She looked in worse shape than Dean for God's sake and that was saying an awful lot considering for all Cal could tell he was… no…just no…he is not dead!
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the air literally move, a waver in the light by the window. All of a sudden a tall man appeared out of nothing and nowhere. Tall, graceful, chiseled and beautiful with those iridescent blue eyes Cal remembered and hair so blonde it practically shone light all on its own.
She hated him…didn't need to know who or what he was…demon or fae, Dean's prone shape on the floor was all she needed for her to decide that she hated this great big Adonis type thing with every ounce of her being.
Blue eyes shooting daggers as sharp and deadly as the long ugly knives she'd just pulled from her boots Cal lunged. Wings spread wide, blades sharp enough to cut through cement crossed one over the other and nothing but murder on her mind as she moved.
He dissipated. Just freaking evaporated into thin air again and the frustration of feeling her knives biting drywall instead of digging into something supernatural pulled a long ugly growl out of her.
"Stop, Caitlin. He is alive."
"What? You expect me to believe you? Just look at him for God's sake!"
"No, you take a good look at him."
"I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT HIM! He's dead and I…God, I'm going to rip you to shreds d'you HEAR ME?"
Yes, Casey thought to himself as he watched her. Angry and ready to tear him to pieces, using her grief to become stronger rather than buckling in the face of it. He'd chosen well in this one. Maggie would be just fine in this woman's hands.
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