CHAPTER TWENTY

"Any luck?" asked Dean.

John released a frustrated sigh and ended the call on his phone. He had been trying for hours in calling the stubborn archangel. Gabriel gave him a specific phone to use in reaching him, something he said that keeps the calls off 'Angel Radar'. It was quite useful when he called to keep tabs on Sam and Dean. However, the calls were not going through, consistently ending in a static-filled noise.

John shook his head, "Nothing. I don't know why he's not getting any of my calls."

"Do you think he's in trouble?"

"He shouldn't be. He went to talk to his brother Michael. If Michael is still on our side, there shouldn't be an issue." At his son's troubled expression, he said, "I'll keep trying."

"What should we do in the meantime? It's getting dark."

"I'll make a few calls and see if there's another option. Go check on your brother."

Dean didn't need to be given the directive. He had been checking on Sam every twenty minutes since the explosive spell from the morning. Sam was still hurting and terribly weakened. After the spell, Dean pulled Sam from the floor and led him to the couch to rest. The kid was out like a light. Peering over the couch, Sam still hadn't moved from his first position. He was slightly pale with heavy dark circles under his eyes. Dean would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly worried.

He walked away from the couch when the phone in his pocket buzzed. It had finally dried out in the bucket of rice having been nearly fried when he swam in the river. The caller I.D. said it was Ash from the Roadhouse. It felt like ages since he last spoke to guy – granted it was only a few days ago. He answered, "Ash, got something for me?"

"Yeahhh mannnn," sounded the long drawl from the computer nerd. "It's Christmas time and I've got a lead for you on your demon friend. Think I've finally found the bastard. He's at some random hub in the countryside. Lots of magic mumbo jumbo happenin' there."

"Where? What are the coordinates?" He quickly jotted down the coordinates. It didn't seem that far from their current location. "Thanks Ash." He hung up.

John came into the living room. "Who was that?"

"It was Ash. He thinks he may have found the demon. He gave us these coordinates," he passed his father the paper. "It's about a half hour from here, I think."

John was slightly less convinced. "I know that area. Lots of cornfields out there. A little random even for him."

"Maybe it's not the demon?"

"How do you mean?"

"Just a thought, maybe it's the compass's spell showing us the way? We just couldn't see it. Maybe Ash could using his sci-fi radar?"

"I'll admit, it's promising," John replied. He turned to his wife, "What do you think dear?"

She shrugged, standing up from the dining room chair and stretching out her arms. "I think it's something to check out."

"Okay, I think Sam and Maddie should stay here," Dean said, "Sam's still not feeling good."

"It'll be safer if we stick together."

"John's right Dean," his mother answered. "Something can happen here and we won't be here to help. He'll be fine, because he'll have you there."

Huffing in reluctance, Dean agreed, rolling his eyes, and went to go wake his brother. Sam woke with a start and he helped him up. "You good?"

"I'm fine," Sam slurred, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Are you hurting anywhere still?"

Sam shook his head, sleepily. "Here," Dean handed him a granola bar. "Get your pants on. We got a lead and heading out in a few." Sam quietly consumed the bar and followed him away from the couch.

As predicted, the drive only took about a half hour. Dean was glad for this because he felt like they were packed in like sardines in the back of the Buick's seat. He wiggled in his seat for more room and he peered out the window. The countryside was nice: quiet, serene, no demons or monsters… They drove for what seemed like miles down a long stretch of road with many windy curves. Coming around the bend of each new curve was tantalizing, the anticipation growing the closer they neared the mysterious location.

Soon, John pulled the Buick onto the side of the road. There was a small gravel-filled plot inside the grove of trees. Dean surmised this would be a good entry spot for game hunters to park their trucks before heading into the woods. John parked the Buick there.

"Where are we?" Sam asked.

"We're about a half mile south from Ash's coordinates," John answered. "Dean, grab the bag from the trunk. We're walking from here. Stick together and stay as quiet as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, we know the drill," Dean complained.

They all exited the vehicle and began their quiet trek through the dark woods. They moved slowly, packed together, alert for anything out of the ordinary. John surveyed the scene with his flashlight, looking for signs of danger: traps, sigils on trees, trip wires. So far as they meandered between the scraggly trees, they encountered no forms of surprise elements. Admittedly, it placed Dean on edge. If the demon were up ahead, he'd make sure there were some form of protection or body guards.

He turned to his brother, "Sam?"

"Yeah," Sam replied in a whisper.

"Tell me if the demon is around, does any of your spidey senses tingle?"

"You bet. It feels like he's trying to rip your insides out."

Dean grimaced. "That's nice. Well you tell me if you get that...that feeling."

"I gotta tell ya man, I'm not feeling anything right now."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. I don't think he's here."

"Then maybe we have good news for a change."

They continued onward with a new hope, the anticipation climbing. Eventually the woods began to clear and they stumbled upon a small, gray farm house. A perfect hideout for a demon or other who didn't want to be disturbed. It reminded Sam a lot of the house he and the other psychic kids holed up in when fighting off Hell's monsters. Behind the farmhouse were large fields of corn, perhaps 40 acres or more - they couldn't tell in the dark. The farmhouse appeared to be abandoned, run-down. The black and paint-chipped shutters were unhinged and hanging from the windows. Some of the windows on the lower floor were broken. The roof had a large, open hole on the rear side.

John quickly scanned for an easy, undetectable entrance and saw there was a cellar entrance located on the backside of the house. That was their way in. He motioned for his family to group. In a whisper, he said, "You guys stay here in the cover of the woods. Mary and I will go in first and scout out the place."

"What if the demon's in there?" Dean asked.

"We won't engage. We'll take a reconnaissance and will meet back here to follow up on the plan. Stay out of sight. If anything shows up, click once on the radio."

"Got it. And if you're in trouble?"

"We'll click our radios twice."

"Sounds like a plan."

Mary and John scrunched down and quietly galloped off towards the house. They disappeared into the basement cellar a minute later. Dean was ripe with apprehension. If the demon was here, this may be the final moment they have been waiting for all these years…their dark and twisted journey may end this very night. He wanted nothing more than for it to be true. He yearned for a normal life since he was five years old…and maybe…just maybe, it could happen.

The next several minutes proved to be anxiety inducing as they all waited eagerly for their parents to emerge with details. A drafty breeze picked up stirring up detritus in the woods behind them, making all sorts of noise. It placed the three on edge; Dean held his 12-gauge at the ready, his finger lightly resting on the trigger.

A minute later, they heard the crunching of the dried, fallen leaves. The crunching was too patterned to be a random spurt of wind. Someone was approaching. Sam pulled out his 9mm and waited for the perpetrator to reveal themselves. Soon a figure walked out of the woods towards the house. Maddie clicked once on the radio signaling to the duo inside they had company.

Dean waited to see if others would emerge before stepping forward. When no one else showed, he rushed out and pointed his gun. "Take another step and I'll shoot."

The figure stopped and placed their hands in the air. "I wouldn't do that if I were you sugar," it said in a sultry voice.

Dean immediately recognized that voice. It was Stella, the demon bitch he met outside Cold Oak. She flashed her deep red cat-eyes at him before changing back to the vessel's chocolate irises. "What are you doing here?

Sam and Maddie moved in. "What's going on?"

"Hi Sam," Stella said, "I'm glad to see you made it out of the celebrity death match."

"Dean, who is this?"

Dean intended to answer, but Stella cut him off. "Just an old friend. Dean and I go way back...right up until he tried selling his soul to save yours Sammy."

"And you threw me out on my ass. Now shut your mouth, you evil bitch," Dean spat.

"Ooh, harsh," she replied coolly, "Save it for the pillow talk love. You know how I love your dirty mouth."

Dean grit his teeth. "I don't need you anymore. How about I blow that pretty mouth off? Maybe that'll shut you up?"

Her smile grew, rather maliciously. "Now, now, have we forgotten already? Our deal is still binding."

Sam jerked. "Dean, what is she talking about?"

"Your brother didn't say? Oh this is too good. He and I are bound at the hip. He made a deal with me to find you. That's how he was able to find you in Cold Oak."

"Seriously Dean? What was the deal?"

Dean huffed indignantly. He'll admit he had forgotten about the deal he made, the feeling gnawing his gut like a starved rat. He really didn't want his brother to know. Sam didn't need that type of guilt. "Sam, you don't need –"

"WHAT was the deal?" Sam nearly yelled.

Stella was all too happy to oblige in answering his question. "I needed a little insurance as I was about to risk my neck in leading him straight to you. So I bound your brother's soul to mine. If I get so much of a papercut, he gets one. If I die, he dies and straight into the pit he goes…forever. I gotta say it's the best sales deal I've made in my career."

Maddie stomped forward and slapped the demon.

Stella barely jerked at the slap. She turned to the girl and smiled, palming her cheek. "I like her."

Sam was fuming. He turned to his brother. "Are…you…fucking kidding me? What, did you need another challenge or something?"

Dean didn't know what to say. "I did what I needed to do Sam. My options were limited and we were running out of time."

"I can't believe you right now."

"Yeah! And look how close it was? I barely got you out."

"Sometimes I don't know what to do with you. You make the shittiest decisions."

"Whatever."

"No, it's not whatever. Now we have to break this," Sam turned to the Crossroads Demon, "How do we break it?"

"You can't," Stella answered. "The deal was made and it's almost impossible to break a contract."

"You said almost, which means there's a way. How?"

"Like I'm going to tell you."

"How do you break it?" Sam was feeling the power build up again. He wanted nothing more than to destroy the demon in front of him, but he had to fight the urge back. Destroying the demon would most certainly kill his brother. He could tell she was getting nervous as she shifted from one foot to the other and crossed her arms.

"I don't have time for this. Where's Marco?"

The feeling instantly stopped and he looked to Dean who was equally confused. Marco? "What are you talking about?"

"That's why I'm here. Marco called me and said to meet him here. He said he had something important to show me."

"We've been trying him all day," Dean replied, "When did you get this call?"

"About an hour ago. He said it was urgent and that I needed to get here pronto."

"Dean? Who called you?" Sam asked.

"Ash did."

Suddenly the warning bells were going off in Sam's head. The demon wasn't in there…the Grace wasn't in there...this was a trap. He looked to his brother, in horror, and began to run towards the house. "It's a trap! Mom! Dad! IT'S A TRAP!"

The farm house exploded.

A fireball of volcanic proportions enveloped the house producing a rippling shockwave. The blast blew the group off their feet, their bodies rolling roughly amongst the turf. Dean covered his head as hot ash and wood showered the sky. Sam and Dean scrambled to their feet and ran towards the house. The blaze was so hot, it seared against their skin before they could get close. They ran towards the back entrance towards the cellar door. The flames trailed upwards from the door blocking any escape.

"MOM! DAD!" Dean cried, "No!" He stared at the fire aghast, mortified. He just got his parents back and now they were gone again!

"Dean…" Sam was on the verge of tears. "Dean, this can't possibly…" he inhaled sharply. The image of the fire played with his mind and he stared, transfixed. Another searing pain ripped through his head heralding another vision…

They were in the square again. He was behind Azazel, proud, anticipating the inevitable. The demon cried out his incantation to the purplish, red sky. Above the demon, an eclipse had besieged the moon; the blackened crescent had partially covered the celestial satellite – this had to be the three plain's merging.

He peered down at the four people trussed up, on their knees. He instantly recognized Stella as one of the four. The man stationed next to her he didn't know. The shapeshifter was still the same. That left the blonde. Until now, he hadn't seen her face. She shifted and he dreaded it fully knowing who it would be. His heart sunk when she turned her face to him…it was Maddie.

The scene was the same as before: the buildings around lay in shambles, monsters chasing and feasting on other people. The ground quaked with the beginnings of the end of the world.

Black birds flew in a line from the moon towards the ground. Upon closer look, he realized they weren't birds…they were angels. Heaven's Army. The angels landed on their feet, littering the streets and the surrounding rooftops of the remaining buildings. The psychics tensed, ready to fight.

He looked around some more and the place was beginning to be recognizable. About three blocks south of where he stood, there was a high school. He recognized this school as he used to attend it when he was in 9th grade – the eleventh school he attended throughout his youth. Instantly, he knew where here was. Carthage! The portal was opening in Carthage, Missouri.

There was a tremendous crack and a streak of red lighting shot up from the abysmal portal unleashing an ear-pounding roar. More screams filled his ears…and the next he saw was a blinding flash above him.

"Sam!"

Dean's call knocked him from his reverie. He came back shivering despite the incredible heat emanating from the house. "Sam, we have to go." Dean's voice echoed in his head and he squinted, trying to regain his equilibrium.

"Dean! I saw it! I've seen where the gate opens," he gasped. Then the vivid imagery slammed back into his memory bank and he was frightened. He jumped to his feet searching for Maddie. "Maddie! Where are you?"

"I'm right here Sam," she exclaimed, stepping up beside Dean.

He grabbed her shoulders with sweaty palms. "You have to get out of here right now!"

"What? Why?" She backed away, alarmed.

"There's no time. You need to run!"

"Sam, you're scaring me."

"Now! It's a trap!"

There was a resounding crack and suddenly the Yellow-eyed Demon appeared in the clearing. A red ball of light flew from his palm striking both Maddie and Stella who plummeted to the ground, unconscious. He released another ball of light and an electrical shock went through both Sam and Dean. They fell onto their backs convulsing with electricity.

Soon the tazered feeling subsided and Sam peered up at the demon, breathless. The demon winked, "I'll see you soon kid." There was another loud crack and he was gone, taking both Maddie and Stella with him.

Still riddled with shakes, Sam rolled onto his front pressing his forehead into the cool dirt, deeply inhaling the earthy scent. He called for his brother who responded with a loud grunt.

Loud howls echoed around them. Afraid, Sam leapt to his feet, stiffly straightening himself out. He recognized those howls. They belonged to a hell hound.

"Dean, get up! We've got hounds!"

Wrapping an arm around Dean's midriff, he pulled his brother to his feet, pulling an arm over his shoulder. Dean was still recovering from the shock, his body awkwardly tensed.

"I gotcha," Sam said reassuringly. "Come on." He froze before taking another step. Before him were at least twenty hell hounds. He could see them now whereas before they were invisible. Maybe his powers helped him to see them, he wasn't sure. They were big: larger than your average Grey Wolf. They had orange, glowing eyes and two rows of razor sharp fangs. Their bodies were made of jet black fur, mangy, and unruly. He held onto his brother, spinning around, seeing they were completely surrounded

"Shit."

"Do you see it?"

"We're surrounded."

"Where? I can't see them!" Dean exclaimed, breathless.

Sam looked around erratically, trying to find a way out. There wasn't one. The hounds growled menacingly, inching closer towards their prey.

"How many are there?"

"At least twenty."

"Sam, we don't have enough rounds."

"I know."

The hounds were feet away, their paws kneading the dirt, ready to pounce. "Get ready to run."

"Wait," Dean remembered the pendant Caroline gave him. He pulled it out of his pocket and wrapped the chain around his finger. He closed his eyes thinking hard of the suburban household. "Come on. Come on." He prayed for the green light to flash. Sam grabbed ahold of his hand and concentrated his power into it.

"Dean!"

The hell hounds leapt.

"GO!" Dean screamed and next they were surrounded by a green flash of light, disappearing from the spot.

The green flash dissipated, and like before, the power of the pendant dumped them out of the translocation portal. Their bodies fell from the ceiling and crashed onto the linoleum flooring, back at the suburban household.

In a fury, Dean stood and threw one of the dining chairs against the wall. The two legs broke off with a loud 'whack'. "Why?" He bellowed. "Why would he take Maddie? Both of them. It doesn't make any sense."

Sam picked himself off the ground. "Because he needs them for the sacrifices."

"What?"

"Remember what Bobby said. They need the three keys and four sacrifices to open the cage."

"How do you know this?"

"I've seen it. I've seen them, the sacrifices. Stella's the demon. Maddie's the human." He recounted his vision. "I've seen it all. I've seen where it goes down. I've even seen where the demon opens the cage."

Dean was nearly on the verge of panic. "Do they kill her?"

Sam looked away.

Dean grabbed his shoulder and made his brother look at him. "Tell me! Do they kill her?"

"I don't know," Sam wrestled from his grip. "These things come in bits and pieces."

His brother was less than pleased. "Then why the hell didn't you say something? If you knew they would choose her to be the sacrifice, we could have had her on lockdown."

"I didn't know it was her, not for sure anyway…until…"

"Until what?"

"The vision I just had. It confirmed it."

"We have to get her back! I told her I would keep her safe!"

"And we will. I saw where she's going to be. I know where it is now –"

He paused, looking up at the ceiling. His warning bells sounding off again in his head. Something was coming, something big. "Dean, we need to go."

"What?"

"Now, something's coming –"

It was too late. A figure burst through the ceiling showering them in broken pieces of wood and insulation. It was a man: tall, dark haired with gray eyes, dressed in a leather jacket and jeans, with white wings at least twenty feet in width flaring out at his side.

Sam stepped forward. "Dean, get out of here. It's Michael."

Dean turned to him, confused. "I thought he was on our side."

"No, he's not," Sam stepped protectively in front of his brother. He didn't fully understand how he knew Michael was not there on good terms. His instincts screamed for him to run and he tensed for what may be a life-altering event. He knew deep down this was not going to end well.

The archangel gave a nefarious grin, lowering his wings behind his back. They vanished from sight. "Sam, enough wasting time," the archangel said in a booming voice. "We need to know where the gate is."

"I won't tell you. You'll have to kill me first."

Michael huffed and rolled his eyes, clearly impatient for this type of confrontation. "Okay lad. I'm out of patience and we need to get the show on the road."

A split second later, he disappeared from view and reappeared behind Dean. Dean sailed across the room, smashing into the already broken TV. Sam spun around in surprise, unable to react in time. Michael touched his forehead and, immediately, he went rigid. A lilac light enveloped his eyes and he was thrown into darkness.

Dean achingly stumbled to his feet, his shotgun nowhere to be seen. Michael stood in front of his brother, almost pleased. Sam seemed to be in a trance: his body taught, his face tilted upward at the ceiling, and his eyes had an opalescent film covering them.

"No! Get off him!" Dean cried, pulling out his Colt Revolver and aiming it at the archangel. "I won't let you kill him."

"Kill him, you silly boy?" Michael answered. "No, I don't want to kill him. I want him to stop this pointless charade of refusing his abilities and to join the demons' ranks. He's the last piece this war needs. And I will see to it that he leads us straight to the gate."

"What did you do to him?"

"I put him in a little trance, quite harmless really. It'll help break the spell he was under."

"What spell?"

"A protection charm. The one your dear friend Caroline placed on him when he nearly died last year. It's the reason your brother hasn't succumbed to his powers and joined the demon."

Dean's hands began to shake. Was this true? Caroline was protecting Sam, nothing new. She had placed a spell on him to keep from turning dark side? Now that is new. He was scared now. Scared that this must be the turning point when his nightmare was finally coming true.

"Why would she do that?"

"Good question. Unfortunately it still remains a mystery to us. I am impressed at how resilient she is. Our team has been interrogating her for more than a day and she still hasn't broke."

Michael continued. "It was quite clever. I must admit I was certainly puzzled when your brother didn't give in to the demon's spell. He was immune, we thought. But alas, he wasn't. That became apparent when Caroline resurrected you and saw to it that your brother lived. But no more. Sam will take his place by the demon's side and we can get on with the battle that we've been waiting for thousands of years."

"Shut your pie-hole, you two-faced twat!"

"In a moment Dean, you'll see."

Dean shuddered some more, mustering whatever strength he had left. He refused to reveal to Michael any sort of weakness. "You're wrong. Sam won't do it. He won't give in."

The archangel let out a loud laugh and glanced back at Sam. "Oh, he already has."

Suddenly, Dean felt an invisible force with the hit and speed of a cosmic sledgehammer slam into him. His body sailed sideways into the wall's bookshelf. The shelf fell forward blanketing him in books and metal statues, knocking him out cold.

Sam joined Michael at his side, his expression blank.

"Do you have them?" Michael asked.

Sam nodded and went over to Dean's green sack. He pulled out the Golden Spike, the Necklace, and the Compass, promptly handing them over to the archangel.

"Good. Now fall in rank," Michael ordered. "This will be over soon."

They both disappeared from the spot, leaving Dean alone.