So it's been a while! LOL I haven't been writing much, to be honest. First I had surgery and then the pandemic kinda brought my spirits down. But I'm happy people are still reading this story! I just realized it's 2 years since I started it (on 4/2). whoa! I hope it can help bring some entertainment during the quarantine. haha


Rachel burst into Robbie's room, waking the boy from his nap. "Whoa," Robbie said as he sat up with wide eyes. "You scared me!"

Hesitating, Rachel looked Robbie over, remembering Sam's revelation. She swallowed, trying to rid herself of the lump in her throat. "Demons," she explained meekly, shutting and locking the door. She was unable to focus on anything but the fact that she was a mother, and her child was part angel and part demon.

Robbie's green eyes rounded. "Where does Dad want us?"

"Here," Rachel replied, seeing the boy's clear disappointment. "Look, your dad is doing his best," she said gently.

Robbie hopped off of his bed, readying to use his powers out of frustration. He froze, looking at Rachel. "Uh …"

"It's okay," she assured gently, seeing his surprise. "Your dad told me everything."

"Everything?" the boy asked, stunned.

She smiled and nodded, a tear slipping out. She sniffed. "Everything." She paused, adding mostly to herself, "Well, almost everything."

Robbie's smile grew ear to ear. He bolted to her and wrapped his arms around her with a fierce grip. Rachel embraced him back, more tears escaping as she pressed the boy to herself. Her connection to him made so much sense. This was her son. Her boy. Her child.

Pulling back, she searched his eyes. "Listen to me," she said, wiping the boy's tears, "we need to use our power to fortify a room in this hall. We can leave our essence there to lure them in. That way, if they break through, we can trap them and smoke them out. Do you have anything we can use to draw sigils with?"

Smirking, Robbie pulled away and opened up his bureau drawer, revealing spray paint. He grinned as he held up a can. "Got it covered, Mom."


Sam held his gun tightly, grimacing as he tried to focus in the moonlit darkness of the wooded property around the bunker. Their formation ensured a complete coverage of the entrance, which in turn assured Sam that Rachel and Robbie would be safe. Still, he knew deep down that Rachel wouldn't perfectly adhere to his request for her to stay hidden. She was far too stubborn for that. Coupled with Robbie wanting to fight on the front lines, he knew both of the people he loved were likely testing the boundaries he set in place as much as they could. Hence why two hunters were guarding the exterior entrance, and two more on the interior leading to the room he prayed Rachel and Robbie were in.

Dean had taken his post, which wasn't too far from himself. Still, Sam divided the strongest members among the weaker to even the playing fields. Thankfully, Dean was far enough away for him to be able to ask for the hundredth time why Rachel wasn't in the formation. Sam couldn't answer that question now. Not when Rachel didn't know, and not when demons were threatening to break into their safehouse.

The answer was all that ran through Sam's mind, though. He failed miserably to shelf it and focus solely on the demons. He tried, but it haunted him, toying with his fears as he stood in the dark. Two other hunters flanked his sides, each seemingly more nervous than he. They had a right to be. He had far more experience than he ever dreamed of having with demons in his life. Far more than was natural, even for a hunter.

Sticks cracking underfoot caught his attention, ripping him from his chaos of thoughts. Sam focused, narrowing his eyes toward the sound. He gave a small signal to the others, raising his weapon as he waited. His aim was sure, his grip firm. He would fight hell itself to his last breath to keep Rachel and Robbie safe.

"It's me," Dean called out. Sam released his breath he had held, lowering his weapon as he saw his brother approach. "Nothing over at nine o'clock. What about you?"

"Nothing," Sam murmured back, still on guard.

"Tracker is dark," came Tom's voice over the walkie the other hunter next to Sam held.

Sam swallowed hard. Something was incredibly off. He took the walkie with his free hand and pressed the talk button. "Rachel and Robbie?"

"Still in the room," Tom reported back.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, let's—" With suddenness, an assault of pain overtook him. The walkie fell from his hands as he crashed to his knees, his body being nearly torn in two. He gasped against the assault, the demon power stealing his voice and nearly his breath. Collapsed on the ground, Sam saw the others around him were in the same situation. The others, except for Dean, were cast aside, knocked into trees and rendered unconscious. Tried as he might, Sam couldn't seem to raise his arm high enough to fire off a warning shot to the others. He could hear Tom's frantic call over the walkie, unable to reach for it to warn him of the silent attack.

The demon power that seized them only seemed to grow with each passing second. Sam's eyes watered as he saw Dean struggle across from him. He felt helpless, unable to verbally communicate their desperate situation. His stomach twisted as he saw a demon walk over to him with a smirk, lowering down a little to look Sam in the eye with its own solid black ones. "Where's the bitch and the little bastard?" he asked, tightening the hold on Sam as Sam snarled and tried to fight to get to him. "I have no problem killing everyone here for them," the demon continued softly. "So I'll ask again, where are they?"

The demon released just enough of Sam's voice to let Sam respond. Instead of giving him the answer, Sam tried to shout, "Six! Six!" Still, it was hardly enough power to carry it further than a couple feet away.

Irritated, the demon kicked Sam in the stomach. "Let's try this again."


Rachel opened the door to Robbie's room, holding her breath as she peered down the dark hall. It was quiet and empty. Deep in her gut, something was off. She didn't feel any demon presences, but she also knew better than to question her instincts. Somehow, the voice in her head was more than clear, and so were it's instructions. Their rebellion would need to wait. Wetting her lips, she glanced back at Robbie. "Wait here," she murmured.

Robbie's features wrinkled. "But—"

"Something's not right," Rachel interrupted. She searched his eyes, sighing gently as she brushed his thick hair from his brow. "Please, sweetheart. Please wait here. If I need you, I will let you know. Okay?"

Nodding, Robbie hung back as Rachel left the room, closing the door behind herself with a quiet click. She drew the gun Sam gave her, heading to the library, where she knew at least one hunter would be camped out. Sam would never leave the halls unmanned. He was far too worried to do that.

"Tom," Rachel said as the hunter came into sight. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Tom admitted, sounding confused. He shook his head. "You need to go back to your room."

"Fuck that," Rachel snipped. "Something's off, and I'm not sitting around with a finger up my ass." She glanced at his walkie. "What is Sam saying?" Tom hesitated. Rachel didn't miss it. "Tom. What is Sam's status?"

"I haven't heard from him," Tom replied meekly.

Rachel growled, her eyes moving over the space as her mind spun. The demons were likely using stealth, and Sam was caught in the middle. "Tell the others to get their exorcism recordings readied," she barked, "and tell Castiel to get to Six now. I'm sending Robbie there too. Make sure Castiel knows to cover him."

As she whirled around and began to leave, Tom stopped her. "Where are you going?"

"On the roof," she replied flatly.

Before he could object, she was gone, headed for the garage exit where she knew she could use her powers to scale the abandoned plant building that rested next to the bunker. Robbie, she thought, hoping the boy could communicate with her, I need you to get to your Dad's post. Number Six from the grid. He's in trouble.

Rachel breathed a sigh of relief when the boy responded. On my way, Mom.

She burst into the garage, eyes fixed on the far exit as she sprinted. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, her heart racing. What she planned to do was slightly insane, but it was the only thing that made sense. She couldn't waste precious energy teleporting, so she had to climb the power plant stairs to get to a ledge to perch herself high enough that she could emit her powers over the entire grid. If she survived, Sam was sure to murder her for it. But it didn't matter. She started the mess, and she would clean it up. Even if it meant risking everything.


Sam spit out the pool of saliva and blood that collected in his mouth from the third kick to the jaw he received from the demon looming over him. "I'll ask you one last time," the demon warned, "or your brother dies."

Flicking his eyes to Dean, Sam grit his teeth, his pulse racing as another demon held a blade to Dean's throat. "Okay," he said quickly, his voice battered. He held Dean's gaze, seeing his brother's anger at him giving in. He wasn't, though—he merely had to stall as long as he could while he fumbled with his phone out of sight in his pocket. "Fine. You win. Just … Just let him go."

Contemplating for a moment, the demon released Dean, shoving him to the ground. "Good. Now, where are they?"

"Do you honestly think I'd keep them here?" Sam asked back with a scoff. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Dean recovered with a few heavy coughs. "They aren't anywhere near here. You're wasting your time."

The demon eyed him for a moment. "You're lying," he concluded.

Sam prayed he was actually sending the silent alert to the other hunters, like he thought he was. He couldn't tell from the taps he made to the phone in his pocket. "And what makes you think that?"

"Because we felt their presence."

"You felt their essences. We knew you'd be coming, so it didn't take a genius to figure out what to do to get you here." Sam groaned as the demon kicked him in the stomach.

"Hands where I can see them," the demon barked. As Sam failed to comply, the hunter nodded to Dean. "Unless you want to see your brother's guts on the ground."

Nostrils flared, Sam held up his hands, holding the demon's gaze. "Happy?"

The demon smirked. "Not as happy as I'll be to get my hands on your girl and the little brat."

"As I said, they're long gone."

"Sure they are. You don't think I know a stall when I see it?" The demon's grin widened, making Sam's heart clench as he watched it cross to Dean. "Now your brother's gonna pay."

Before the demon could strike, his attention shifted upward. Sam followed the path his eyes made to Castiel and Robbie.

Robbie blasted the demon closest to Dean back, clenching his small fist with a growl as he choked it out of the vessel. The demon seeped out as thick black smoke, bursting as it was destroyed. Castiel laid his hand on the second one, pressing its forehead until bright light burned within and destroyed the demon. He then turned his focus to the other hunters, rousing them from their unconsciousness and healing Sam and Dean.

Sam sat up, drawing Robbie close as he watched Dean rise to his feet. "You okay?" he asked his brother, keeping Robbie pressed to himself.

"Yeah," Dean said. He looked to the other hunters, then to Castiel and Robbie.

"You were supposed to stay inside," Sam said to Robbie as he rose to his feet in a squat and looked his son in the eyes.

"Good thing I didn't," Robbie teased.

Sam smirked softly and nodded. "Good thing. Thanks, buddy." He swallowed. "Where's Mom?"

Robbie nipped at his lip. "Uh, you're probably not gonna like the answer."

Heart racing, Sam's hands squeezed around his son tighter. "Robbie?"

Clearing his throat, the boy nodded upward. Sam straightened and looked up, his focus resting on a ledge of the power plant behind the bunker. His lips parted. Rachel. The cold wind whipped her thick brown hair behind her as she raised her hands forward. She had to have been visible to the entire clock face grid Sam constructed. And it would allow her to stretch her power range.

"What the hell is she doing?" Dean asked, a mixture of angry and confused.

Sam grit his molars together. "Something really risky," he replied, his tone identical to Dean's.

A blast of light spread over the woods, exposing the cloaked demons as it hummed around them. As the hunters positioned across the grid prepared to strike, the demons immediately froze, stunned looks on their faces. "She's going to burn herself out," Sam growled, abandoning Robbie and lurching forward a few steps.

"Dad!" Robbie yelled, halting him. "She'll be okay!" Sam looked back at Robbie, searching the boy's eyes. "She will," Robbie repeated softly, giving him a nod. "She'll be fine. She's strong."

More than anxious, Sam watched as Rachel's hands formed tight fists at the end of her taut outstretched arms.

On the ledge, Rachel grimaced, the power she exerted to simultaneously smoke all of the demons out becoming painful. She pressed through, her breath heavy as she focused on the job. If she didn't kill them, they would kill everyone else. She had no choice.

Rachel let out a growl, pushing through the agony to release a surge of energy. Blood leaked from her nose, her hands shaking as she watched the demons die. She gasped, her head both heavy and light. Air seemed to be scant as she finally finished off the last of the demons.

Sam's stomach sank as he watched Rachel's hands lowered. From afar, she seemed okay, but there wasn't enough light to see her true condition. He swallowed back the bile that raced up his throat as he saw her take a shaky step. "Robbie," he said, not shifting his focus, "can you—"

He stopped, words leaving him as he saw Rachel lean forward, falling freely from the ledge. "No!" he screamed, rushing toward her. He pumped his arms furiously as he ran, tears filling his eyes. She would die. Without her power, she was bound to die.

Robbie teleported ahead of him, aiming his powers toward his mother and suspending her in midair. Sam skidded to stop next to him, gasping as he watched Rachel's body slowly lower. After a moment, he took her into his arms, exhaling a sigh of relief as he pressed her to his chest. "She's okay," Robbie said, smiling at his father. "Just sleepy, like how I get."

Sam managed a partial smile back, keeping Rachel close. A bit of movement caught his attention. He looked up, panic flooding over him immediately again as a strange man approached. He saw the look in the man's eyes. He knew that look. "Robbie," he breathed, "run!"

Michael in a different vessel smiled, freezing Sam in place. Robbie avoided being trapped by countering Michael's powers with his own. Michael's brow raised a bit, a smirk growing on his face as he wrestled with the boy. "You're strong," he noted.

"Stronger than you," Robbie growled back.

"We'll see about that."

"I could kill you, you know."

"Don't, Robbie," Sam warned desperately, hating how powerless he was as he watched. "Don't try."

Michael snickered as he looked at Robbie. "See? Even Daddy doesn't think you can."

"He knows I can," Robbie snapped. "He just doesn't want me to get hurt."

Cocking his head to the side a little, Michael examined him. "How badly do you want your mother's soul, little boy? Bad enough to try?"

"Robbie," Sam begged, "please. Don't."

"Or," Michael continued, "maybe I'll just keep it for myself." He shrugged. "It could destroy everything you love. It's quite powerful."

"You won't, though," Robbie challenged with a little smirk. "You want Uncle Dean to say yes."

"I've got bigger fish to fry than Dean Winchester," Michael corrected. He paused for a moment. "I'll make you a deal—you come with me, be my protégé, and I'll restore your mother and keep everyone else alive."

"Robbie!" Sam shouted, tears flooding his eyes. "No!"

"It's a good deal," Michael argued, holding Robbie's gaze as he kept countering the boy's power. "Think about it: A lot of people get to live. Your mom is back to her usual self. You can grow and be as strong as you want. Everyone wins."

Sam's tears fell freely as he watched. "Please, Robbie, don't listen to him. He doesn't care about you." His breath hitched as he felt Rachel stir in his arms. Silently, he begged her to remain still so Michael wouldn't consider her a threat.

It didn't work. Rachel blinked her eyes open, her focus resting on the weave of Sam's shirt. Her head hurt, but she ignored it as she got a silent message from Robbie:

Michael is here. He has your soul. We can overpower him. Are you strong enough?

Rachel blinked, remaining motionless as she responded:

Yes. On three. One. Two …

Rachel burst from Sam's arms and immediately blasted Michael back with her power. The jolt freed Sam, who tried to yank Robbie backward toward himself. Still, the boy resisted, holding his power grip on Michael as Rachel moved to his side, mirroring her son's stance.

Michael laughed as he sat up from the ground, obviously slowed down by their combined grace. "Not bad," he commended. "You've gotten stronger too, niece," the angel noted. He stood, brushing himself off. He paused, seeing Sam's panic. A slow smile spread across his face. "Maybe there's a reason for that," he said, flicking his eyes to Sam for a prolonged moment before refocusing on Rachel.

"It's because I've been training," she growled, steady as Michael forced his way closer.

"Is it?" Michael challenged. He saw how Rachel's brow arched, the question most certainly making her hesitate. "Perhaps it's something more. Something … miraculous, one might say."

"Rachel," Sam shouted, "step back to me."

"Why Sam?" Michael laughed as he saw Dean approach, clearly confused at the interaction. "She's doing great. What are you afraid of?"

Sam grit his teeth together, his blood boiling. "Please," he begged them, "both of you. Come back to me."

The way Michael continued to tauntingly cackle made Rachel's focus divide. Her power gradually weakened as she glanced back at Sam. "Sam?" she asked, waiting for his answer.

"Sam won't tell you," Michael replied, regaining her focus. "Not right now, anyway. Not with an audience."

"Won't tell her what?" Dean asked with a growl. He fumed as Michael delayed a response. "Cut the bullshit, you dick."

"What's it worth, Dean?" Michael challenged with a knowing look.

"Dean, no!" Sam barked.

"Fuck this," Rachel spat, honing her strength as she gripped Michael tightly with her grace. A flash of surprise flickered across Michael's face at the predicament, seeing how Robbie was even stunned at the imbalance of their strength. "Give me the soul," she ordered.

Michael laughed, shaking his head as he remained bound. "You sure you want it back? After all …" He looked to Sam, who had paled with worry. "... It might do more harm than good."

"You son of a bitch," Sam snarled.

"Give it to me," Rachel repeated, her eyes narrowing. She applied pressure, her body screaming at her in pain for the use of power. Still, she had to take care of Michael. "Someone get some cuffs," she ordered. A couple nearby hunters scurried off, leaving the brothers and Sam's young family alone with Michael.

"You know what?" Michael said with a cocky look. "No need for the cuffs, niece. I'll give you the soul and go quietly. Won't harm a hair on anyone's head."

Rachel hated the way he was surrendering so easily. Sam was holding a bombshell secret, one Michael somehow knew or figured out. And whatever it was, it would somehow only benefit Michael. "Why?" she asked, her heart racing. "I said, why?" she repeated when he remained silent.

"Because there's a big choice to be made," Michael replied, his smile still wide. "And I honestly want to see how it plays out."

"A choice about what?"

Michael looked her over, then Dean and Robbie in turn, and finally Sam. "Come get her soul, Sam," he said, glancing at Rachel. "If she'll let me go a little, that is." Rachel loosened her grip a tad, and Michael produced a small pouch. Energy hummed from it, white light leaking through the tiny spaces at the drawstring top. "Should I just open this?" Michael asked as Sam stalked toward him, furious.

"Don't you dare," he snarled, nearly foaming at the mouth as he snatched it from Michael, who laughed heartily.

"Aren't you all the least bit curious?" Michael asked, knowing full well they were. Sam stuffed the pouch into his pocket and went to Rachel's side, drawing Robbie near as the boy realized his powers weren't contributing to the hold. Robbie looked up at Sam, confused. Sam's focus remained on Michael. He caught Dean's tense look out of his peripheral. "Of course you are," Michael continued, smirking. He looked Rachel over. "You've got to be tired," he mused.

"I'm fine," she replied harshly.

"You sure?" Michael's smile broadened. "I mean, you are generating grace for two now, aren't you?"

Dean's eyes widened; he looked to Sam, who was clearly furious. Michael's laughter rang in Sam's ears. Rachel's grip lessened with her shock, allowing Michael mobility. "Congrats. And don't worry," Michael said with a grin, "I'll be back. Hope the soul doesn't kill the baby."