Chapter 26

It was a few hours later that I heard the unmistakable roar of the Impala's engine. I sensed that Dean was the only one in the car. I wondered where Sam was, but I wasn't worried about him coming to any harm. Sammael nudged me and I masked our presence as Dean entered the house. The house was silent and I shook my head when Sammael poked me with her elbow.

"Why aren't you going to him?" she demanded.

"We can't interfere," I reminded her.
"That is such…" she stopped.
"I know, but it's the way these things have to work," I said. "We're bound by rules."

"These rules need to be revised," she muttered.

"I agree," I smiled wanly.

I heard something in the distance and focused. It was Dean calling my name. I frowned and Sammael leaned forward.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Dean's calling me," I told her. "Stay here."

She grabbed my arm, "Is that wise?"

"Yes," I wriggled out of her grasp.

I landed on the ground and motioned for her to remain where she was. She reluctantly agreed as I walked into the house to answer Dean's call.

"Kelsey!" he screamed. He knelt next to Ritchie's body. There were tears streaming down his face and he held himself rigid. I touched his head and he sprang quickly to his feet ready for a fight.

"Dean?" I said softly.

He struggled to pull himself together. I stepped forward cautiously and touched his face. He didn't pull away and I took that as a good sign.

"He's dead," he whispered.
"Yes," I replied.

"I told him… I told him…" Dean swallowed furiously.

"Everyone makes a choice," I told him.

"That doesn't help," Dean snarled.

"I know," I replied. "But, it's the truth."

Dean's face hardened, "I told him that he wasn't cut out for this."

"Very few people are," I commented. "But it doesn't stop them."

"I know," he said. "So it was that bitch the bartender. Or should I say the demon that's possessing her?"

"Demon," I confirmed.

"Well," Dean knelt back beside the body. "Sorry pal. You were a friend."

"Not many can count themselves that lucky," I said softly.

"Are you going to interfere?" Dean asked.

"No," I answered. "Whatever you do is your choice."

He turned to me. "You've not exactly been judgmental about anything have you?"

"I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be in judgment," I replied.

Dean exhaled. "Come on buddy," he picked up Ritchie's body. "I'm going to bury him."

"Then what?" I asked.

"Then I'm going to send that demon back to Hell," Dean said.

"Fair enough," I agreed.

Dean carried Ritchie's body to the steps and placed him there. Then he returned and drew a devil's trap on the floor. After he was finished he placed a rug over it.

"Well, that's certainly clever," I said.

"She won't be expecting it there," Dean reasoned.

"You really shouldn't let people underestimate how smart you are," I chided.

Dean smirked. "Ah, Kelsey, it works so much better when people think I'm just a dumb brute."

I arched an eyebrow. "Dean Winchester, there are times when I'm not sure I know who you are."

"I feel the same way about Dad," Dean chuckled.

"Him I understood," I remarked.

"Understood?" Dean looked at me. "Really?"
"Yes," I nodded.

"I better let Sammy know what's going on," he said.

"That would probably be best," I mused.

"Where are you going to be?" Dean asked as he again shouldered Ritchie's body.

"Not too far away," I said.

"Good," Dean said.

"You should know," I warned. "That this may not be easy."

"I've got my exorcism book handy," Dean said as he patted his chest. "I can even pronounce the words pretty well."

I smiled in spite of myself. "Honestly," I whispered.

"I keep telling people," Dean's eyes were overly bright. "I'm adorable."

"That you are," I agreed. "Um, Dean?"

He stopped. "Yes?"

"How did you find Ritchie?" I was curious.

"GPS chip in his phone," he said.

I frowned for a moment, "I remember that, you used that to track me too," I said.

"Yep," Dean nodded. "Later."

I watched as he walked up the steps. He hadn't asked me to go with him. But then he wouldn't. I glanced around the basement and sighed. I followed Dean up the steps and watched as he drove off into the night. I sensed the others approach and waited for them. Micah and Azrael walked together. Sammael appeared behind me and placed her chin on my shoulder.

"It's hard," she said.
"It always is," I smiled. "There have been so many."

"Yes," she agreed. "And all their lives are finite. But at least he's not going to Hell."

"Not a chance," I said.

"The priest is certainly a live one," Micah commented.

"That was Dean?" Azrael frowned.

"Yes," I nodded.

"He had a man named Ritchie with him," Azrael confirmed.

"I didn't sense two people," Micah said.

"Ritchie's dead," Azrael told him.

"How?" Micah frowned.

"The demon possessed bartender," I supplied.

"He didn't seem to be too smart for a hunter," Micah observed.

"He was a friend," I said.

Micah stared at me for a moment. "That isn't good. They've lost so many who could help them. Too many," Micah was sad.

Sammael straightened up. "Why don't we rip the demons out and send them packing?" she suggested.
"We can't," Azrael said. "Not without killing the humans that they possess."

"Kill them?" Sammael frowned. "They've not been in possession that long."

"But these came through the gate," Azrael said. "They're not like the others who have been topside. They didn't learn how to preserve the body. Conserve the energy."

"It's the same old problem," I said. "Two consciousness can't inhabit the same body. Eventually the body wears out. The host consciousness fights the demon that has invaded. That uses up strength and energy."

"But I thought that the human consciousness sleeps through it?" Sammael asked.

"No," I shook my head. "The humans are sometimes witnesses to the horrors that their own hands are committing."
"Then of course there're the things that the average human isn't supposed to be able to do," Micah continued.

"Like what?" Sammael rested her head on my shoulder.

"Like throwing a human across a room with the use of telekinetic energy," I said. "The average human's brain and body isn't designed to channel that kind of energy."

" Ah, hence the reason for Azazel choosing psychic children," Sammael mused. "The blood of Azazel would interfere with their abilities but at the same time it wouldn't kill them when…" her eyes widened in horror.

"We don't know that that was the plan," Micah said.

"But he could have done it," she whispered.

"Yes," I agreed. "It would have been a simple matter in the end."

"That explains the use of a human to lead an army of demons," she whispered. "But surely that means that we can do battle with them?"

"Not without killing the innocent," Micah shook his head.

"The others don't care about the collateral damage," Sammael argued.

"But we do," I said. "Things will work out in our favor."
"There's that company line again," she scoffed. "What did you do to her?"

"We didn't do anything to her," Micah snapped.

"Stop it," I said. "We can't afford to argue any more. There's work to be done and we haven't got much time."

"What do you mean?" Micah demanded.

"Ruby's more than likely got the gun to work," I said. "Which means that Bobby's on his way here."
"Not with her," Sammael was aghast.

"Well," I turned to her. "Given who Ruby is, do you really see her letting that Colt out of her sight. Not to mention she can track Sam a lot faster than Bobby can."

"What are you planning?" Micah asked.

"A little distraction," I said. "But we have to time it just right."

"What?" The three of them were stunned.
"Trust me," I said. "We just have to wait. That's going to be the hard part."

I returned to the tree and the others followed me. I perched on the branch the way that the others did. Sammael was puzzled but she remained silent.

It took Dean about an hour to return with the bartender. They entered the house and within ten minutes there was the unmistakable sound of a cave in. I said nothing but continued waiting. Sammael opened and shut her mouth several times and the others remained quiet as well.

We waited another two hours before another car drove up. Our presence was masked and therefore we were not concerned. Sam emerged from the car with the priest. He looked around to check to see if anything else lurked nearby. I shook my head. Sam pounded on the door and then heard Dean's voice calling to him. Dean shouted a warning to Sam and the demon moved towards Sam.

Sammael nudged my back but I had already sensed Bobby's approach. Bobby took aim and I deflected the bullet so that he missed and shattered a statue's head. The demon waved his hand and sent Bobby flying across the ground where he landed in front of a statue. He then turned to Sam and sent him flying into the car windshield. Sam was winded and I moved quickly. I remained masked and placed my hand over the gun, said the incantation that rendered it incapable of harming an angel. Bobby struggled to focus.

Sam came over to him. Bobby remained on the ground splayed on his front.

"Bobby, you all right?" Sam demanded. "How did you know where we were?"

"Go," Bobby handed him the gun.

Sam stared at the gun and stood.

Ruby emerged from Bobby's car, "You heard the man. Go," she said.

Sam stood and ran inside the house and I rejoined the others.

Bobby got to his feet and leaned against the statue. Ruby waited against the car.

The others remained silent. We heard two shots explode in the night. I closed my eyes and said nothing.

Sam and Dean emerged from the house and they nodded to Bobby. They got into the Impala and drove off, with Ruby and Bobby following in Bobby's car. I left my perch and walked into the house. There in the basement in the center of the broken devil's trap, lay the bodies of the bartender and the priest. I knelt next to them and sighed.

"They wouldn't have survived the exorcism," Azrael said.

"Doesn't matter," I said.

"You're concerned about Sam," he said.

"Of course," I nodded. "But there's nothing that I can do until I'm permitted."

Micah shook his head. "Sammael?" he whispered.

She walked over to the bodies and released the still trapped souls. "They'll be sent to the right place," she said.

"At least," I agreed.

"Some plan," Azrael mused.

We remained silent and took care of the bodies.