Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
"You okay?" Dean asks Gracilynn. She was sitting in the front seat, leaning up against the passenger door, eyes closed. She had been quitter than usually since their fight with Crowley. Since Sam admitted he didn't want his soul back and walked away from them. Again.
"I'm fine. Just tired," she says, without opening her eyes. Truthfully, she was far from fine. Yeah, she was tired from their previous job but it was more than that. Way more than that. It was the fact her uncle didn't want his soul back. The fact he walked away once again and now it was just her and her dad once again. She promised herself she was going to find a way to help her uncle. How was she going to be able to do that if he wasn't around. Oh, and not to mention her dad was up to something. He had been stocking up on his cash.
"You sure?" Dean asks. He had been stocking up on his cash supply the past couple days, but had been keeping it from Gracilynn. He had a plan to get Sam's soul back but he really didn't want Gracilynn to know what he was going to do. She'd flip out on him. Not that she wasn't suspecting anything; she was a Winchester. He knew she knew he was up to something. He just had to postpone the inevitable lecture until after he did what he was going to do.
"Yeah, dad," Gracilynn says, getting annoyed. Dean sighs. He pulls into a motel and goes inside to book a room. Gracilynn waits for him to come back out and when he does he hands her a room key. Gracilynn takes it and gives him a look as he parks in front of their room.
"I'm gonna go grab some food. Why don't you set up the room?" Dean says.
"Why can't I just go with you?" Gracilynn asks, suspecting something's up.
"I figured we could kill two birds with one stone," Dean says. Gracilynn narrows her eyes. She gets out of the car, taking the keys with her and going to the trunk. She grabs their bags and walks back over to her dad's door. He had rolled the window down and she hands him the keys. Just as he's about to take them back from her, she pulls them back.
"I know you're up to something. I know it's something dangerous otherwise you'd tell me," Gracilynn calls her dad out.
"Gracilynn…" Dean says firmly, but she cuts him off.
"I swear to God if you don't come back in one piece, I'll kill you myself," Gracilynn says angrily. She thrusts the keys in her dad's hand and enters the motel room. Dean sighs. Yup, she's gonna kick my ass.
Gracilynn gets into the motel room and sets their bags at their respective beds. She begins pouring salt lines at the door and windows. When she's all done she looks out the window but doesn't see her dad yet. Gracilynn sighs. She turns around and looks at the computer on the table. She bites her lip.
"Crap," she curses, making up her mind and walking over to the computer. She types something in the computer and hits a few buttons. "What the hell are you doing there?"
Gracilynn gets up from the table and pulls out the gun her dad had given her months ago. She sticks it in the waistband of her pants and throws her coat back on. Yeah, her dad was going to be pissed she had followed him, but she was pissed at him for lying to her. So, she guesses they're even. She shuts the door behind her and walks to the back lot of the motel. She looks around and doesn't see anyone and breaks into a car at the end of the row. She climbs in and hotwires the car, taking off to where she knew her dad was.
Gracilynn pulls up in front of a Chinese place. She shuts the car off and climbs out of the car. Looking around she notices the Impala parked a little ways a way. Guess I'm in the right place. Gracilynn crosses the street and enters the store, walking up to the Chinese man behind the counter. She shoots him a smile.
"Hi, I'm looking for my dad. He's a little over six foot…" Gracilynn starts. The Chinese man points to his left and Gracilynn looks, seeing a hallway.
"All the way to the back," the man says.
"Thanks," Gracilynn says, walking down the hallway. At the end there is a series of stairs and she climbs them up to an apartment. She gets to the door and listens for anything out of the ordinary.
"Four, three, two...now," Gracilynn hears a woman says. Then there is a noise that sounds like a shock and then a thump. Gracilynn pulls out her gun and slowly opens the door. What meets her eyes has her freezing and her breath catch.
"Again," a guy in a white coat says and they shock the body on the table once again. The body that belongs to her dad.
"What the hell?!" Gracilynn yells, shocking herself out of her trance the same time they shock her dad. The doctor and nurse look over at her.
"You must be Gracilynn," the doctor says, noticing the gun pointed at him. "We're not hurting him. We're trying to revive him."
"Well, how the hell did he get to this point?" Gracilynn asks angrily.
"He asks me to do it," the doctor says.
"He what? That's insane!" Gracilynn says, part of her not believing him but the other part can't help but think he's telling the truth. It would explain her dad's odd behavior the past couple of days.
"Listen, your dad can explain everything when we get him back. He's already been dead for five minutes," the doctor says.
"What?" Gracilynn asks, feeling as if she's going to be sick.
"Eva, adrenaline!" the doctor shouts and the nurse sticks a needle in her dad. Gracilynn looks at the still figure of her dad, lying on the table. He's already been dead for five minutes. Gracilynn forces a swallow and she drops her hand with the gun, eyes never leaving her dad's body. She hears the doctor and nurse talking but she can't make out what their saying. Her hearing is muffled and she feels her vision tunnel, as well as tears beginning to form in her eyes. Suddenly, her dad jerks up, gasping for air and Gracilynn jumps slightly.
"Oh, thank Moses," the doctor says.
"You couldn't have given me five more seconds?" Dean asks, dropping back down on the table. The doctor glances at Gracilynn quickly before looking back at Dean.
"Son, you were gone for seven minutes," he tells Dean.
"I was?" Dean asks.
"Mm-hmm. I thought for sure death had you by the twins," the doctor replies. Dean forces a laugh and takes a deep breath. "There's someone here to see you."
Dean opens his eyes and gives the doctor a confused expression. The doctor nods towards Gracilynn and Dean looks over and sees her looking at him and…Yup, she's pissed.
"Dammit," Dean mutters.
"Dammit is right," the doctor says, noticing the same look Dean has. Dean sits up, groaning.
"You're supposed to be at the motel," Dean says.
"And you're supposed to not be dead!" Gracilynn yells. She shakes her head and wipes away an escaped tear angrily before turning around and walking towards the stairs.
"Son of a Bitch!" Dean yells, jumping off the table. He yells a hasty thank you and runs out the door after his angry daughter. He catches up to her as she reaches the Impala. He grabs her arm and turns her around.
"Ya know, I know you were up to something stupid but really? This? You died dad. For seven minutes. And I had to stand by and watch, hoping you'd come back," Gracilynn says angrily.
"You weren't supposed to see any of that," Dean says.
"A wise man once said if you have to hide it then you prolly shouldn't be doing it," Gracilynn says, throwing Dean words he'd said to Sam back when he was with Ruby and exercising demons with his mind. She yanks her arm out of her dad's grasp and walks around to the passenger side door.
"I found a way to get Sam's soul back," Dean says bluntly. Gracilynn's head shoots up and she looks at her dad, not sure if she heard him correctly.
"What?" she asks.
"Let's get to Bobby's and I'll tell everyone at once," Dean says, opening his door. Gracilynn bites her lip but eventually nods her head and opens her own door. "Call Sam. Get him there."
"You what?!" Sam asks loudly. Gracilynn stares at her dad, wide-eyed, not really sure what to think about what her dad had just told them.
"Just hear me out," Dean says.
"I heard Cass and Crowley when they said it would either kill me or turn me to jello, Dean! I heard enough!" Sam argues.
"Death said he can put up a wall," Dean explains.
"A wall?" Sam asks.
"Yes, yes, a wall…that…that, basically, you wouldn't remember hell," Dean further explains.
"Really?" Sam asks.
"Really," Dean replies.
"For good? Like a cure?" Sam prods.
"No, it's not a cure. It...He said it could last a lifetime," Dean responds.
"Great. So, playing pretty fast and loose with my life here, don't you think, Dean?" Sam counters bitterly.
"I'm trying to save your life!" Dean yells.
"Exactly, Dean! It's my life! It's my life, it's my soul. And it sure as hell ain't your head that's gonna explode when this whole scheme of yours goes sideways!" Sam yells back. Gracilynn feels like she's watching a ping pong game.
"Just curious. I presume Death's not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. So what's your half of the deal?" Bobby says from his spot on the couch next to Gracilynn. Dean begins to get evasive.
"Dad?" Gracilynn asks.
"Well…uh…" Dean begins but it's as far as he gets.
"I'm sorry. I didn't get that," Bobby says firmly.
"I have to wear the ring for a day," Dean finally says.
"Why the hell would he want you to do that?" Bobby asks, confused.
"Get his rocks off. I don't know. But I'm doing it," Dean says. Sam makes a move to leave and Gracilynn jumps up and stands in his way.
"Where you going?" Dean asks.
"Look, I hear you, all right? I get it. I just need a minute to wrap my head around it, all right?" Sam says. Gracilynn gives her dad a look and Dean nods subtly. Gracilynn sighs and stands off to the side to let her uncle past. Turning around to face her dad, Gracilynn eyeballs him. Dean shifts from foot to foot, knowing she was going to yell at him. God, I should not be worried about my daughter yelling at me.
"So, what?" Gracilynn asks.
"What what?" Dean replies. Gracilynn scoffs.
"What happened if you didn't come back? Huh? What? Would I have to find out from some stranger after you didn't return that day? Seriously dad?!" Gracilynn yells angrily.
"I wrote you a letter. The doc was going to mail it to you if I didn't come back," Dean says lamely.
"Yeah, cause nothing says goodbye like a damn letter," Gracilynn growls out.
"I had to do it Gracilynn," Dean says.
"I know. But you shouldn't have kept it from me. You should've told me," Gracilynn argues.
"Why? So you could worry?" Dean counters.
"So I could be there. As backup," Gracilynn says then adds, "I will always worry dad. It's in our blood; it's what we do. Worry about the people we care about. Nothing's going to stop that from happening."
"She's got a point son," Bobby puts in. Dean gives him a look.
"I thought you were supposed to be on my side," Dean says.
"I'm on whoever's side is right at the moment. Or at least less wrong," Bobby replies. Dean sighs and looks over at his daughter.
"All right. I should've told you what I was doing," Dean says. Gracilynn nods her head and then bites her lip.
"When you do this…You're coming back right?" Gracilynn asks. Dean looks at her for a second.
"Yeah, Gracie. I'm coming back. I promise," Dean says. "Come on. Let's go get Sam."
Dean, Gracilynn, and Bobby walk into the yard and see Sam staring at a hole in the ground. They walk up behind him and Dean pulls out a ring from his pocket. He holds it up for Sam to see.
"Looking for this?" he asks.
"Just taking a walk," Sam explains lamely.
"Sam. I'm your brother. I'm not gonna let you get hurt. I know what I'm doing here," Dean assures.
"What if you're wrong?" Sam counters.
"I won't let it go wrong," Dean replies.
"Fine," Sam says.
"Fine? So, you're…" Dean says, trailing off.
"So, I'm trusting you here. Barely," Sam finishes for him.
"You sure?" Dean asks.
"You're the one with the compass, right? Just don't mess it up," Sam says.
"I won't," Dean says to him then turns to Bobby and Gracilynn. "Watch him."
"So, is this the part where you pull a gun on me and lock me in the panic room?" Sam asks Bobby and Gracilynn.
"Do we have to?" Bobby asks.
"No. I guess Dean's got to do what he's got to do," Sam replies.
"Guess we all do kid," Bobby says. Sam nods his head and heads upstairs to where his room is. Gracilynn looks over at Bobby.
"If I didn't know before I do now. Dad's doing the right thing Uncle Bobby," Gracilynn says. Bobby looks at her, curious.
"Why do you say that?" Bobby asks.
"'Cause he's scared," Gracilynn says.
"I thought he didn't feel anything," Bobby says.
"He doesn't. But the way he's acting…it's exactly what someone does when they're scared. Which tells me that somewhere deep down, Uncle Sam is in there," Gracilynn says.
"I sure hope so, kid," Bobby replies. "I sure hope so."
Okay, so I'm thinking like one, maybe two, chapters after this and this story will be done. Please review!