I was soaring ever higher,

but I flew too high.

Carry on Wayward Son -Kansas

The first thing Emma did was disable the tracking device on her Jeep, including the extra one Gary had hid behind the console. Then she ditched her phone so she couldn't be tracked by that either. She already had several missed calls from Sheila, along with a few choicely worded texts. Emma ignored them, she was not going to allow anyone else to get drug into this mess.

Once she was sure she couldn't be followed she headed out to the address that'd been written on the door. Her GPS showed it to be about half an hour away. She memorized the directions, then disconnected the GPS.

She raced along the highway, breaking every speed limit. She knew that the amazons wouldn't kill Cas, Dean or Sam. They'd keep them alive until she got there. That didn't mean they wouldn't torture them. Emma knew of several ways to make an angel suffer, and she felt sickened to think what might be being done to Cas.

This was all her fault, she should never have allowed herself to get close to anyone. Most especially, not to Dean or Cas. She knew Madeleine wouldn't let her go free. She knew that there was always the risk of being found. And

she knew that they would have had to be complete fools to not keep an eye on Dean.

She'd known all this and still she had done it. Now she had to pay the price, whatever it was. She would just have to make sure no one else had to suffer anymore because of her mistakes.

The address led her to an abandoned cattle ranch. She followed the long dirt road up to the main house. There weren't any lights on, but she could see light coming from the large barn. They weren't even trying to hid from her. They wanted her to come. Emma was not stupid enough to think it was a trap. Madeleine would never insult her with such a thing. No, this was probably going to involve a lecture then an ultimatum. With Cas, Dean and Sam as leverage.

Emma pulled her gun out of its holster and locked it in her glove box. She contemplated bringing her angel blade, she might need it if they had bound Cas the way Amazons usually did to an angel, and she'd left her bronze dagger back at Gary and Sheila's place, locked in her trunk. She remembered the package Timmy had left for her, she grabbed it from the back seat and ripped the paper open.

Excalibur gleamed in the moonlight and she thought she felt a faint thrumming as she held it in her hands. She supposed if she was going to face a queen she might as well bring a sword that belonged to a king.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she climbed out of her car and headed towards the barn. Head held high, walking out where everyone could see her coming. If she was going down she was going to do it with attitude.

"Dean."

Dean's head was splitting. He tried to reach consciousness but it felt like he was wading through tar.

"Dean, you gotta wake up."

Sammy. Sammy was trying to get him to wake up, something must be wrong.

Random bits flashed through his mind. Being in an old house. Hearing something that sounded like a body hitting the floor. Sammy in front of him suddenly slapping his hand to his neck, then collapsing. A sharp prick, like a needle, in between his shoulder blades.

"Dean, please wake up."

Something was really wrong. Sammy sounded odd, not just his usual urgency that went along with them being captured. Because that was probably what was going on. Dean opened his eyes and tried to focus. His head still felt like someone had put it in a vice and his mouth was dry. He realized he was lying on a cold, hard floor. Looking up he could see Sammy a few feet away, kneeling, hands behind his back. Dean tried to get himself upright, only to discover his hands were chained to the floor. It took a couple of tries to get his legs under himself so he could kneel. Then he had to fight the wave of nausea.

"Whoa, take it easy Dean."

There was still the odd strain in his voice, and when Dean finally got a good look at him he could see tears on his face. What had happened to make Sam cry? Had Dean died again? Maybe that's why he felt like crap. He tried to ask but only managed a pained croak. He cleared his throat and tried again, "Who?"

Sam understood, "Amazons, they tranqed us, and .." Sam's gaze flicked to something behind Dean, but just for a second, "they're after Emma."

This still didn't explain why Sam was so upset. Wait, there had been three of them in that house. The sound they had heard, they'd thought it was Cas. "Sammy, where's Cas?"

Sam looked behind Dean again, anguish showing clearly on his features. Dean was afraid to look, afraid of what he would see.

Then a pompous sounding woman spoke, "He's right here Dean."

He turned. There were women of various ages standing around what had to be an empty barn. They were all armed with bronze daggers and other assorted nasty looking weapons. An older woman was standing in the middle of the room, she'd been the one to speak. She was looking very pleased with herself.

Dean only barely noticed all these details, because his eyes were immediately drawn to Cas.

The amazons had stripped him off his coats and shirt, leaving only his pants. Carved into his naked chest where several enochian symbols. His hands had been cuffed to two poles so that his arms were stretched up and out. The cuffs were the same silver as an angel blade and had enochian on them as well. His legs must have given out on him because he was just hanging there, knees almost touching the floor. The worst part, the part that made Dean's heart twist in his chest, was the two giant wings stretched out behind him. They were so white they kind of looked like they were glowing. And trembling, probably from pain. Each wing had a silver metal cuff attached to the large bone that made up the highest arch of each wing, blood was staining the feathers from the wounds the cuffs caused. And Cas was staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling, a look of horror on his face.

"Cas!"

At Dean's cry Cas twitched slightly, but otherwise remained still, just staring at nothing.

The older woman smirked at Dean, "I'm afraid he's quite lost to reality right now. The cuffs on his wings are causing him to relive his worst memories. And not as he chooses to remember them, since angels are so good at deluding themselves, but as they actually occurred."

"You BITCH!" Dean forgot he was chained to the floor and tried to lunge at the woman. "I'm going to KILL you!" The cuffs bit into his hands as he struggled against them. "I'm gonna rip you apart! Everyone of you!"

The woman just crossed her arms and gave a sigh of exasperation, "So much anger over an angel. Your brother had a similar reaction." The woman walked over to Dean and Sam, she had a look of disdain as she looked down her nose at them. Her outfit made her look like she was going to go horse back riding. She had black boots over tight pants and a short jacket. Dean half expected her to pull out a riding crop.

She got close enough that if his hands weren't chained down he could reach out and strangle her. "So you're Dean Winchester? I was expecting something more, what with all the fuss you've caused."

"Lady, I don't know who you are, but you're gonna be very sorry, very soon." He strained against the cuffs again, he knew it was futile but he just couldn't sit and do nothing.

"I am Madeleine, Queen of the Amazons."

"Well forgive me for not curtsying your highness."

"On your knees is where you belong, male."

"You say it like being a guy is a bad thing." Dean bared his teeth in a very non-friendly smile.

Madeleine leaned over, smirking down at Dean, "The only thing worse than being a male is being a male angel." She straightened and looked over his shoulder, "You were right, he's very defiant, for a male."

Dean looked over his shoulder to see who she was talking to. He was only half surprised to see Lydia standing there. She had one of those bronze daggers all the Amazons seemed to sport. Standing halfway between him and Sam, she was obviously guarding them. She was scowling down at Dean.

"Here to help set the trap for your daughter, that's real sweet." Dean gave her his most insincere smile. "Everyone should have a mother like you."

Lydia kicked him, knocking his knees out from under him. Unable to catch himself he landed hard on his side. He felt her grip the back of his jacket and haul him up.

"Keep a civil tongue before the Queen, male," she hissed in his ear, "or I will remove it." She threw him back down so he hit the floor again.

In true Dean Winchester style he just chuckled at her threat. "That's actually not the worst thing an old lover has said to me." That earned him a kick in the stomach. He doubled over in pain, struggling for breath.

"Leave him be Lydia," Madeleine said, "I need him for a while longer."

Lydia immediately stepped back out of Dean's field of vision. He caught his breath and struggled back up. Her High and Uppityness had walked away from him, but his heart sank when he saw where she went. She'd stopped in front of Cas. She studied him for a second, then pulled out an angel blade and stabbed him through his right wing.

Cas threw his head back in a scream of pain that had tears springing into Dean's eyes. "NO!" He'd heard Cas in pain before, but this was different, he sounded like he was being torn apart.

Madeleine yanked the blade out of Cas' wing, causing another horrible scream. She turned to Dean, "An angel's wings are the most sensitive part of them, and the only part of their true form that they can manifest in this plain. They never do because to them it feels like having a thousand nerve endings exposed." As if to explain she reached out and grabbed his wing where she had stabbed him. Cas screamed again then his head dropped down to his chest. Dean could see his shoulders moving up and down and he realized he was sobbing.

Cas was sobbing.

Tears were coming freely down Dean's face now as he watched in horror, his friend, the unflappable angel, being tortured until he was sobbing. Cas began to say something over and over again in enochian.

Madeleine grabbed Cas by his hair and yanked his head up so Dean could see the anguish on his face. "He's begging me to stop." Madeleine's tone was like a strict teacher who'd had enough of Dean's crap. "Shall I stop Dean?"

Dean understood, he behaved and Cas got left alone. He gave a quick nod.

Madeleine narrowed her eyes and gave Cas' head a jerk, causing a small cry of pain. "Shall I stop?"

"Yes," Dean croaked out.

"Very good." She let Cas' head drop.

Lesson over, Madeleine turned her back on Dean and walked over to consult with some of her fellow bitches.

Dean glanced at Sam, who was looking at Cas in helpless fury, fresh tears on his face. Dean was sure that he'd see the same look if he had a mirror.

He turned back to Cas, maybe the pain had knocked him out of whatever trance he'd been in. His head was hanging low, shoulders still jerking in silent sobs. Fresh blood was coming from the stab wound, running down his wings, leaving an ugly stain. Dean hadn't been lying when he'd told Madeleine he was going to kill all of them for what they'd done to Cas.

A woman came hurrying in.

"My Queen, she has arrived."

Our maybe Emma would get to them first.

Emma came walking right in the front door like she owned the place. She was still wearing the faded jeans and leather jacket he'd last seen her in. And he could see the signs of fatigue she was trying to hide. Slung over her shoulder was what looked like an old, fancy sword. She scanned the room, pausing when she got to Dean and Sam. It was when she caught sight of Cas that the disinterested look slipped. Her eyes narrowed and Dean saw the corners of her mouth turn down in anger. Then she turned to Madeleine. "You've gone to far my Queen, you've dared to mess with that which is mine. So I'm gonna just take it back." Dean had heard a lot of nasty thing make threats over the years. Emma's cold tone made even him shiver.

Madeleine though, looked unimpressed, "Emma," she sighed, "this foolishness had gone on long enough. It's time to move past this phase and come home."

"Phase?!" Even Dean knew this had been the wrong thing to say. "This isn't a phase! This," Emma gestured at Dean, Sam and Cas, "is my life, whether you like it or not."

Her Nastiness had been keeping her cool, but Dean could see it starting to crack. "This is no life for an Amazon, especially not for the one I have chosen as my heir. Running around with males. Consorting with an angel" She shook her head in disgust, "When I heard the stories of you being with an angel, I refused to believe them. Now I see it with my own eyes. You have fallen so far Emma."

"I've fallen, hah! I'm not the one who led or people to ruin. The Amazons were once the greatest warriors, we were feared by our enemies and revered by those we protected. Now we hide from the very males you despise. And I know, you see it, otherwise you wouldn't have gone looking for a way to save us. Which, by the way, turned out to be me. So who it's too say my way isn't actually the right one."

"She has a point," Dean said before he could think better of it. Sam shot him a 'shut up before your mouth gets us killed' look.

Lydia just opted to kick him in the ribs.

"Silence!" She hissed.

He looked up at her, ready to deliver a witty comeback. But she wasn't even looking at him. She wasn't even watching the cat fight. Instead she was watching the room. Dean took a moment to try to see what she was seeing. Her glances seemed to be focused mostly between the Amazon guarding Sam and the three by Cas. As he thought about it he realized that before Emma had walked in, there had only been two by Cas. And Lydia had been the only one watching him and Sam. So for some reason there had been a little shuffling going on, but it hadn't happened until Emma walked in. Or, until the queen's focus had turned completely on Emma. Dean couldn't think of a single scenario where that might be a good thing.

"Enough!" Madeleine's shout pulled Dean back to the other problem in the room. "I have had enough of your belligerence. You will return to your obligations or I will kill the angel."

Emma stilled, "You do, and I will bring this building down, along with everyone in it."

"Return to my side as my protege and I will let him go."

"Really?" Emma sounded like she believed it as much as Dean did. "You'll just let him go?"

"You have my word as your queen."

"What's the catch?"

"You must finish the task I gave you."

Emma paled.

"You must kill your father."

Dean opened his mouth to let his thoughts be known. He was stopped by Lydia's boot knocking the breath out of him. Emma looked over, and rolled her eyes at her mom. Dean saw her pause and tilt her head slightly, then glance around the room. Her eyes narrowed, then quickly looked down, like she was thinking, but Dean noticed her left hand twitching against her leg. Dean spared a glance at Lydia and saw her hand was also twitching slightly.

Dean looked over at Sam to see if he'd noticed the same thing. Sam was looking at something else and when he caught Dean looking at him, he nudged his head in the direction of whatever he'd found so interesting.

It was one of the Amazons. She was standing in the middle of the room, tall, blonde, arms folded tightly across her chest. And giving Emma a look that could have killed if the woman could make laser beams shoot out of her eyes.

Emma spared the hostile woman a glance then looked back at the evil queen. "You are going to make me do this, aren't you?" Emma sounded resigned.

"I will not make you do anything Emma."

"No, you'll just manipulate the situation till it turns out how you want." Emma let out a small sigh. Then she swung the sword down and out, the scabbard came flying off, it skidded off the side. Emma leveled the polished blade at Madeleine. "Queen Madeleine," Emma's voice rang out with an authority Dean hadn't expected, "I refuse your rule over me and challenge you to a combat to settle my grievance. This shall only end when one of us is dead."

"What?!" Sam echoed Dean, but Lydia only hit Dean. He ignored it, "You are not going to battle to the death! This isn't mortal combat."

This time Lydia hit him across the face so hard he rocked backwards. The only thing keeping him from falling back was her grabbing his jacket. "Do not speak again." She hissed in his face. Dean immediately closed his mouth and swallowed down the angry words he was going to say. "If she wins she becomes queen. And what do you think her first command will be? So, do not interfere." She let Dean go and turned back to the duel.

One of the other woman was bringing a sword to Madeleine, who'd taken off her coat and just had a loose silk shirt on. "I accept your challenge."

And just like that it started.

Madeleine moved so fast that Dean hardly saw it. He felt a surge of fear, sure that Emma could never react that quickly. However, not only did she match Madeleine's speed, she knocked the blade aside and followed up with her own attack, just as quick.

The sound of blades clanging off each other echoed around the barn. This was nothing like the sword fights Dean had seen in the movies. Those were carefully choreographed, every move rehearsed before hand. A real sword fight, between two people hell bent on killing each other, was horrifying and beautiful.

It had only just started but both Emma and Madeleine where sweating. Dean could tell that Emma was getting tired, she didn't pull back as quickly as Madeleine did. And several cuts had opened up on her arms and legs where she hadn't gotten out of the way if Madeleine's swing fast enough.

Dean tugged against his cuffs again, he really wanted to be able to help. Despite the clinking of the chains, Lydia didn't pay any attention to him. He sneaked a glance up at her, her eyes were still locked on the sneering blonde.

Something was definitely going on, other than a battle to the death. He twisted his hands, trying to free them. Unfortunately Amazons knew how to tie someone down. A glance at Sam showed he wasn't faring much better.

A grunt of pain from Emma made Dean look up. Emma was bleeding from a large gash on her leg. She was obviously in a lot of pain and was trying to keep Madeleine from pressing the advantage. Right when it looked like Emma was going down, she feigned left, ducked under Madeleine's swing, and swept the queen's legs out from under her. Emma went in for the kill only to have Madeleine strike out at her wounded leg. Emma went down this time. Madeleine kicked the sword out of Emma's hand, it skidded across the floor, well out of her reach.

Dean desperately pulled on the cuffs.

Madeleine raised her sword high up, tip pointing straight down at Emma's heart. She gave a small sigh, "I am so disappointed," and thrust down.

"NO!" Dean screamed, pulling so hard against the cuffs he felt the skin break.

Emma rose up to meet the blade. Dean watched in horror as it slid into her. She fell back in agony, one hand clenching the wound on her shoulder.

Wait.

Madeleine stumbled back, eyes going wide in surprise, her sword dropped from her hands. "Well done," she said, then crumpled to the ground in a heap, Emma's angel blade buried in her chest.

What a horrible cliff hanger! There is a valid reason for it. I'm having a small case of writer's block concerning what was suppose to be the second half of this chapter. I figured posting something short with a cliffhanger was better than nothing at all.

Did you catch that Lydia used her Amazon powers to get Dean to cooperate? After all how else could anyone get him to shut up. :)

Next part coming soon, I hope... -JJ