ACT FOUR
After starting a fire to burn the body John hands Dean a bag and they move from the Impala's trunk back toward the fire where Sam and Angel are patrolling with machetes, "Toss this on the fire. Saffron, skunk's cabbage and trillium. It'll block our scent and hers, until we're ready."
Dean sniffed it and coughed, disgusted, "Stuff stinks!"
Angel shook her head, "What do you expect from something called skunks cabbage?"
John smirked, "Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you stand a chance of not being detected."
Sam motioned, "You sure they'll come after her?"
"Yeah." John nods, "Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time."
Sam nods, "A half hour oughta do it."
"And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can."
"What?"
"But…"
"Well, Dad you can't take care of them all yourself."
"I'll have her. And the Colt." He said pointedly, not wavering, "I won't be alone."
Sam shifted, "But after. We're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun together. Right?" After a long pause and John looking away Sam scoffed, "You're leaving again ,aren't you? You still wanna go after the demon alone. You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this."
"Like what?"
"Like children."
"You are my children. I'm trying to keep you safe."
Dean shook his head, not buying it, "Dad, all due respect but, uh, that's a bunch of crap."
Angel, Sam and John all look equally shocked, "Dean…"
John scoffs, "Excuse me?"
"No, Angel, it is a bunch of crap." Sam stopped her, "Let him talk."
"You know what… Angel, Sammy and I have been hunting. Hell you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe." He turned to Angel, "And you cant be okay with sittin this one out. Your whole life has been leading up to this fight, after we get the colt, and you're gonna let him tell you no?"
Angel pursed her lips turning her green eyes to her dad, that familiar determined look in her eye, "He's right, dad."
"It's not the same thing."
"Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight? Huh? Because i seen mom die too. I lived that with you. You don't think i or all of us get to be apart of this fight with you?"
John took a breath, "This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you three alive."
"You mean you can't be as reckless." Dean corrected
"Look... I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death ... it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't."
"What happens if you die?" Dean asked, "Dad, what happens if you die, and we coulda done something about it? You know I been thinking. I ...think maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together." Sam nods and much to Johns surprises so does Angel, "We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it."
John still wasn't having it, and he was unwavered, "We're running out of time. You do your job and you get out of the area. That's an order." Dean looks down, emotional. Angel glares and Sam clenches his jaw.
...
Later on at the vamp nest...
A vampire swigs from a bottle. Looking up, he moves to stand in front of the barn doors, considers them a moment, then shrugs and takes another swig. He turns to find Dean behind him, "Boo." Dean swings his machete, then makes his way back to the locked container of people, "I told you I'd come back."
After freeing all the prisoners the three of them grabbed the crossbows and hightailed it to where their dad was supposed to be. They got there just as the woman vampire swings around, knocking John back against his truck. He drops the gun and the leader, Luther, approaches, backhanding John back against his open car door, shattering the glass before he lands unconscious on the ground. Luther approaches again before an arrow pierces one of the vamps and the three Winchester kids run out of the trees. Dean pauses to line up and shoot another vamp with his crossbow. Sam moves toward Luther who backhands him. Angel engages in a fight with another woman vamp who punches her down and kicks her in the ribs before picking her up and slamming her against the truck.
Dean grabs a machete and turns to help them but Luther has his arm around Sams throat, "Don't! I'll break his neck. Put the blade down." For a moment Dean does nothing, Luther tightens his hold on Sams neck, cutting off his air supply completely causing Dean to drop the machete, the woman's hold on Angel tightens so she squirms in pain, "You people. Why can't you leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."
John gets up and states from behind them, "I don't think so."
Luther turns and John raises the colt and shoots him between the eyes. Luther lets go of Sam who stumbles away, gasping, and Dean pulls Sam behind him before swinging the machete over the vamp holding down Angel. When it was dead he grabbed her as well and pulled her to them. A sigil appears where the bullet hit Luther and he stumbles. A brief flash of light reflects his skeleton, before he falls to his knees.
Kate cries out in horror, "Lutherrrr!" Another flash of light passes through Luther and he slumps to the ground dead. Kate starts toward John but another vamp grabs her, pulling her to their car. They take off, wheels screaming and John smiles in satisfaction.
Back at the motel room...
The three are busy packing when John enters, "So."
They turn to face him and Angel stiffened, "Yes sir."
"You ignored a direct order back there."
"Yes sir." Sam nods
Dean stiffens, "Yeah but we saved your ass."
Sam and Angel both look sideways at Dean, nervously. John looks steadily at him and he swallows, "You're right."
"I am?"
"It scares the hell out of me. You three are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family." He took a steadying breath, "So...we go after this damn thing. Together."
The three of them smiled and unison said, "Yes sir."