Chapter 24: Don't Break the Circle
At the bunker, Sam and Buffy talk about the events that occurred since their attempts on purifying Crowley, but are stopped by Dean on his way out « I'll be back. »
Sam asks him « Where are you heading? »
Dean answers « Washington. I've got a case. »
Sam proposes « Do you want us to come with? »
Dean surprised asks « Do you want to come. »
Sam sneering « On a hunt? Why Wouldn't… » Seeing Buffy nodding her head, he rephrases « Why wouldn't I? »
Dean confused « Because lately with you: up is down and down is sideways… I don't know. » Then seeing that Sam will not do him the courtesy to respond « You want in? Fine! »
And as he approaches the table, Buffy stands up and heads to the shelves of the library, to put distance between them.
He pulls a picture out of his jacket and slides it toward Sam « Photo leaked from the crime scene. Girl was murdered in her room, doors and windows were locked. »
Sam studies the photo « Who's the wallflower? »
Dean confirms « Best guess: Ghost caught on film. » Then seeing that Sam puts his laptop in his bag, Dean postulates « You're coming? »
Sam looks at his brother « Does it look like I'm staying? »
Dean frustrated shouts « I'll wait in the car! » And leaves.
Sam understanding that Buffy won't come with « Are you sure? » In response, she articulates without a sound « Be careful. » He smiles at her then joins his brother.
After their depart, she remains stashed among the shelves: Resting against them and sitting on the floor « How long can I go on like this? »
After a few unsuccessful attempts to empty her head, Buffy takes the first book she touches « Journal of Delphine Seydoux. »
She reads the opening words « I wrote this journal to sound the alarm in a society in search of itself. I also wrote it in tribute to the 'Men of Letters' who chose me because I dared to show my 'Feminine Fibre' in my work. »
Buffy smiles realizing that Josie wasn't the only woman among the 'Men of Letters', then resumes her reading « My interactions with my male peers and public bearings taught me a lot about human nature in all its essence. The term 'Gender equality' is probably the most misunderstood of the planet. To understand this issue, you must make career as a woman in a man's world. »
Buffy gets up and takes the journal with her. Making the few steps in the corridors, she thinks about how Dean used to look at her in the past. The light in his eyes that no longer exists.
Arrived to her room, she doesn't waste a moment to enter it and jump on her bed « Girls Night! » Then returns to her reading « Interacting with a women touch leads the way to a new balance in relationships and business dealings. It's also essential to step back and learn to tap into the wisdom, outcome of the experiment. From these experiences may arise new dynamics where the balance is positioned more in the complementarity of two worlds, in trouble to understand each other, only in the supposed equality in the sense of similarity, which we falsely believe it is. So through this journal I transmit the fruit of my experience... » Buffy can't help comparing Delphine to Willow.
On their return, Buffy can see that despite the tensions, the brothers seem to have found common ground in the management of missions, and embraces it with great ease.
It is in this context that she joins Sam, every morning, in the library of the Bunker. Together, they continue the research on Cain and Abel, Gadreel and Metatron.
However, one morning their routine is disrupted by Dean pacing, phone glued to his ear « Come on, Crowley... Pick up! Where the hell is he? It's not like he's got a social life. »
Sam marks a brief pause to respond « Are you actually worried? »
Dean annoyed puts Crowley's voice mail message on speaker « Too busy inflicting pain to answer. Leave a message. » After what, Dean complaints « The guy has got only one job: Find the First blade and bring it back. How hard is that? »
Buffy surprised by the hopes that Dean places in Crowley « It's Crowley. He's not exactly a team player. »
Dean tries to defend him « But his ass is on the line, too. He goes missing for weeks and without a peep? None that makes sense, anyway. » He puts his phone on the table and plays a recorded message « Dean. Um... [Indecipherable ramblings] »
Sam and Buffy exchange smiles « Did he drunk-dial you? »
Dean, more on nerves, makes a new attempt « Come on! »
Buffy suggests « Why calling him when you can invoke him? »
Dean looks at his brother « Let's go! »
Sam aback « Where? »
Dean annoyed « As she said: Trapping a demon. » Thereupon, the brothers leave Buffy behind.
She returns to the search, and diving in this mass of information, she is surprised to see the Winchesters coming back so quickly. While Dean walks through the corridors, Sam sets himself near her and explains « The last time he was seen, he was somewhere in the Western Pacific. »
Buffy smiles « Let's find a blade in the Pacific... » Sam begins the search by a topographic survey of the ocean.
Dean joins « According to Cain, the First blade was tossed in the deepest ocean... That's the Mariana Trench. »
Buffy hypothesizes « Maybe Crowley found it and double-crossed us. »
Dean denies « That doesn't make sense. He wants me to power up… And kill the ginger. »
Sam mixed « Assuming he does show up with it... Crowley is only useful to us until we have the Blade. »
Dean confirms « Yeah. So? »
Buffy seeing where Sam is going « So there's nothing stopping us from using it on him, right? »
Briefly, Dean hesitates, before stipulating « Nothing at all. »
Dean's phone rings. Checking the caller identity « Speak of the devil. » He picks up « Did you find the blade? Then what exactly? ... Ok, we're on our way! » And hangs up.
He turns to his brother « He needs us: Let's go! »
Buffy couldn't believe her eyes « That's it? He calls you run? »
Dean defends himself « He is our only hope. »
Buffy no longer holding « You run to the rescue of a demon… and I can rot in a hospital? »But before he could react, she regains herself « Never mind. It's not as if you could actually fix it. »
Dean, annoyed, leaves the room. Worried, Sam walks toward her, but she motions him not to approach « He's so blind, that he might fall into the pit. You should go with him! » He nods and walks away, leaving Buffy, both relieved and embarrassed to not have retained these words.
An hour later, Sam calls to tell her that the dungeon needs to be prepared for a guest. When they arrive Buffy is surprised to see Crowley weakened « What's going on with him? »
While setting a table and pulling out his laptop, Sam says « He's completely addicted to human blood. »
Now that Crowley is locked in the dungeon of the bunker, it's time to question him about the blade. But this one merely complains « Back in this fetid pit. Could at least have added some throw pillows. »
Buffy annoyed throws at him « Focus. »
To what Sam adds « You swept the Mariana Trench. And...? »
Crowley answers at once « And the First blade wasn't there. It had been scooped up by an unmanned-sub; From whom it was stolen by a research assistant; Who reportedly sold it to Portuguese smugglers; Who, in turn, lost it to Moroccan pirates in a poker game. »
Sam and Buffy confused « What? »
Crowley makes fun of them « Poor Moose and Blondie, it's always a little tricky keeping up? »
While Sam taps more nervously on his keyboard, Buffy realizes that Crowley stares at him « What are you doing? »
Crowley eyes fixed on Sam « I'm still a little tainted by humanity. Makes me sentimental. »
Sam uncomfortable « Well ... Stop! »
Crowley continues « We shared a moment, back in that church. On some level, we are bonded. »
At the statements of Crowley, Buffy and Sam exchange troubled looks. Sam tries to put an end to this « Crowley, the only reason you are alive is that we need your help to deal with Abaddon. Because she is an even worse pile of crap than you are. » Then returns to the questioning « What happened after the pirates? »
Once Crowley's explanations finished, they get from him the coordinates of an André Develin, who should be the last holder of the blade. Crowley took the opportunity to negotiate his presence in the transaction.
Sam collects his stuffs then kisses her forehead, before joining his brother.
Crowley witnessing this, without any other choice « Turning tables? »
She rolls her eyes « Shut up! » And in turn leaves the room, only to come face-to-face with Dean « Don't worry, I get out of your way. » And decides to join her room for some quiet time.
After a moment, Sam comes knocking at her door « We're heading for the blade… will you be all right? »
She allows her feeling to speak « I'm sorry to be so unreliable. »
Sam comes closer and runs a hand on Buffy's face « You have nothing to be sorry about. »
As she wonders around, Buffy returns to the dungeon, and walks around the demon trap « Let's see! » She's touching it, then slowly moves to the middle of it « Nothing… Not so efficient after all. » Then being filled by a strange feeling, she freezes and hears her own voice saying « … Sometimes you didn't want to know the end… Because how could the end be happy? When you should be the one to rule evil! » Out of balance, she gets out of the trap and everything returns to normal.
She is sitting on the floor, breathless when Sam comes back with Crowley. She shakes her head and helps him tying the demon with chains.
Sam quickly explains « Crowley possessed this Mister Develin and got us the location of the blade: The National Institute of Antiquities. » He takes her face in his hands « Can you keep an eye on him? » She accepts and he runs.
A few hours later, the two brothers tumble in the dungeon that Buffy has kept, from the outside, during the time of their departure.
Crowley joking « Turndown service? I'd like a mint on my pillow. »
Sam asks « What do you know about the 'Men of Letters' massacre of 1958? »
Dean completes « We know Abaddon missed our grandfather and Larry Ganem. Was there anybody else? »
Crowley continues to complain « Let me get this straight… You keep me locked up in this closet, ignore my suffering, and come barging in here demanding my help? » Crowley marks a pause to see their reaction, then adds « Did I or did I not keep my end of the bargain? We are partners! And you owe me! »
Buffy surprised « Owe you? »
Crowley perseveres « I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you: You shoot me up. You make me a junkie. You keep me stashed away for months, while my kingdom falls apart. »
Dean asks him « What do you want? »
In response, Crowley shakes his chains « And a glass of Scotch, please. »
Sam and Buffy refuse, but Dean access his request and allows him to leave the dungeon.
Buffy finds the demon moments later, comfy in a chair, a glass of Scotch in hand. And while the brothers dig in the archives of the active members, Crowley continues to complain « It's not a very good Scotch, is it!? »
Sam trying to move forward in their quest « Crowley, we have gone through the records for the entire membership in 1958. Every single name matches the men who were killed. »
Crowley absorbs by a porn magazine 'Busty Asian Beauties', barely pays attention « That would be the active membership? »
Sam irritated lift his eyes on him, as the demon makes fun of them « Were you dropped on your heads a great deal? Like I told you, rumour has it that a rogue member was tossed out on his arse. Does that make him 'active'? » Then congratulates himself « Seriously, how did you ever function without me? » Returning to his magazine « Hello, Miss Ichigatsu. »
Buffy randomly takes a box and reads aloud the label « Infamati et Obliterati. »
Crowley translates « Dishonoured and Forgotten. »
Buffy runs through the contents of this box « Cuthbert Sinclair... Looks like he designed most of the warding that keeps the bunker safe. »
Dean takes the folder, from her hands « Says here he was named 'Master of Spell', right after he initiated. »
Sam grabs the folder in turn « I guess his work faced a lot of criticism. The leadership called it eccentric and irresponsible. » Then giving few pages to Buffy « These are the projects that he proposed, the last two years he was there. They were all 'Rejected' »
Crowley comments « Brilliant. Ahead of his time. Despised for it. Believe me, I know how it feels. »
Buffy continues to read, over Sam's shoulder « Formal separation: April 1956. »
Crowley explains « I never knew his name, but I've heard someone was out. Did my damndest to find him: I thought he might be my way inside this joint. »
Sam turns to Crowley « Where did you look? »
Crowley negotiating again « Not… if I cannot come. »
Dean access without hesitation « Deal! »
Crowley turns to Buffy « Are you coming, Angel? »
Buffy annoyed « Don't call me that! » Then follows.
Crowley directs them to a clearing, explaining that the demon he had sent in search of Sinclair never found him « Exact spot. I'm sensing nothing. If he's here: he's warded up to the gills. »
Buffy reminds « He was a genius at it! Sure as hell ain't gonna be found by a bunch of demons. »
Crowley struck by her remark « Like he's gonna open his heart to you lot! Because you are such prizes? »
Dean smiles « Better! We're legacies. »
Buffy and Sam move forward while Dean explains « If he's so bent on hiding, maybe he's watching. »
Sam tries aloud « Cuthbert Sinclair? ... Magnus? ... We're Sam and Dean Winchester: Henry Winchester's grandsons. »
Dean adds « And 'Men of Letters', ourselves. »
Sam continues « We know what happened back in the day. And we don't necessarily agree with it. We figured… Maybe you want to tell your side of the story. » But nothing happens.
The brothers and Buffy turn to Crowley, which is pointing a direction of the finger. And before them, in a smoky cloud, appears a gateway.
While the brothers get through the door, Buffy finds herself blocked outside, ankles held by brambles.
Even if this situation was brief, and that the barriers disappeared as quickly as the door, Buffy doesn't appreciate this bitter reminiscence of Purgatory. And in the absence of the brothers, she paces, avoiding any discussion with Crowley.
Later, Buffy is relieved to see Sam joining them « Magnus has Dean. » And begins to search in the archives of the 'Men of Letters', they took with.
Buffy witnessing Crowley's curiosity, who's bending over the contents of the safe, seizes the killer demon blade and in a move threatens him « Do you mind? »
Crowley walks away « Who would have thunk it… Moose, Blondie and me: Same team, in the trenches. When this is over, we can get matching tattoos. »
While Sam keeps searching the records, he clarifies « Just to be clear. We are not on the same anything. By the way, since the place is warded, your powers are useless, which means you are useless, even more so than usual. »
Crowley is trying to save his skin « You're gonna need another set of hands when you get in there, unless you have other volunteers in mind. »
Buffy answers instead of Sam « Thanks. Pass. »
Crowley pressing his views « If memory serves me: I'm the one who helped your brother find Cain so that he could receive the Mark, so that we could find the Blade. I'm the one who flushed that lout Gadreel out of your noggin. Lately, I've seen more playing time than you. »
Buffy exasperated « Will you please shut the hell up? »
Night has fallen, as Buffy and Sam continue to seek the solution in the files, at the light of a lantern « Here's something. » Says Sam, pointing the passage for Buffy « Apparently, he wanted to make the entire 'Men of Letters' bunker invisible. All physical points of entry were to be eliminated, and entrance would only be gained by spell. » He turns the page and discovering a list « We're gonna need some things. »
Buffy decides to make the presence of the demon in profit « You actually might turn out to be useful, Crowley. »
While Sam and Buffy implement the spell to enter the mansion of Sinclair, Crowley who collected all the ingredients, tries to gain the attention of Sam « I did good, eh, Moose? »
Sam ignores his pleas, rising a bowl, and begins the spell « Ingressum domi dona mihi. »
The door appears again in a smokescreen. Allowing the demon, the Slayer and the Hunter to pass through without any obstacles.
Once inside, they advance and hide, while Sinclair travels the hallways. Taking advantage of his inattention, Sam comes up behind him and puts a knife to his throat, ordering him to lead him to his brother.
Buffy wants to follow, but her instinct prevents her from it. So she decides to stay back. As soon as Sam arrives in the living room, Buffy realizes that the man Sam has is not Sinclair, but a shape shifter. The real Sinclair taking Sam by surprise and threatening him with a weapon.
Sinclair attaches Sam to a column, of his luxurious living, and pulling a blade of a setting, threatens « I discarded you far too quickly, Sam. You're way more valuable than I thought you were. » Then addressing Dean « Why would I knock myself out trying to sap your will? I think Sam, here, will get you to see things my way. »
From the tip of his blade, he makes a cut in Sam's face « I'm not gonna kill you. » Enjoying himself « But I am gonna make you suffer unimaginably. »
In his obsession, he doesn't see that Crowley and Buffy sneaked in and released Dean from his chains. Dean takes the opportunity to grab the First blade, and decapitates him, before Sinclair could inflict more pain to Sam.
Now, Dean seems to have difficulties to get rid of the blade. Cautiously, Buffy approaches him « Dean? » She notices that the mark on his forearm flickers « He's dead! » But there is no evidence he heard her, so she insists « Drop the Blade, Dean. »
The interaction of Buffy having no effect, Sam tries as well « Dean! » Slowly, a semblance of humanity returns to his brother's eyes, dropping the blade.
Leaving the mansion and returning to the Impala Crowley self-congratulatory « Brilliant, I must say. I'm speaking of myself, of course. All you Winchesters managed to do was get trussed up. Combine a little daring-do on my part, a little dumb muscle from squirrel, a little bleeding from Moose, some hiding from Blondie…Happy ending. Roll credits. »
When they get to the vehicle, they note with dismay that the car was vandalized. Buffy smelling « That's sulfur... demons. »
Dean stirred and checking every angle of his baby « Abaddon's. She's just one jump behind us. Guess she couldn't find 'Magnus' joint. What about the trunk? »
Sam opens the trunk and with relief « Safe. Warding kept them out. »
When Dean closes the front door « Oh, come on! Now they're keying cars!? »
Buffy studying the damage « What language is that? »
Crowley replies « It's Enochian. The message isn't for you, it's for me: 'Be afraid, your Queen.' Abaddon's getting more brazen. She thinks I'm losing my grip. »
Sam turns to his brother « You said Crowley was only useful until we've got the Blade… We've got the Blade. »
As the Winchesters are preparing to charge the king, Crowley is ahead of them, and pins them with Buffy against the car. He retrieves the blade « You know, I'm in debt to you. You forced sobriety on me, and now I can see the situation for what it is. Dean, you are quite the killing machine. And it occurs to me that Abaddon is not the only name on your list. My name must be up there, as well. »
Dean reminds him « It's no good to you without me. »
Crowley confirms « Yes, but as long as I have it, it's no good to you. Now, this is the way it's going to go: I'll hang on to that old donkey teeth here until such time as you locate Abaddon. Then you'll destroy her. You can't trust me. Sadly, I can't trust you, either. » At these words, he disappears and they are released.