I'm once again sorry for the massive wait for this chapter. I'm beginning to realize this may just be the way it is for me from here on out. It's a shame. I got you all used to weekly updates and now monthly would be considered a success. Please hang tight. I've decided to move the overall story line forward a lot sooner than I had wanted to just in case life doesn't allow me to finish this series the way I had always planned to now that life is super crazy. This is an intensely revealing chapter, something I've had in my mind for a VERY long time now. Finally!
Last chapter had some pretty low traffic and minimal reviews. That's what I get for posting chapters on Friday, right? :) Please go back and read that first if you missed it. Thanks, everyone!
"So… I'm just gonna… go to work?"
Derek stands in front of Sam and Lou the next morning. They came up with a plan before they all caught some sleep. Now, dressed in his suit like any other work day, Derek is second thinking everything.
"Yes," Lou nods, taking out a sawed-off shot gun from her stash of weapons she and Sam raided before arriving. She smiles at her brother while single-handedly cocking the impressive vintage firearm. "And we have you're back."
"Louie, Jesus," Derek shakes his head as he looks at her. She's nothing like he remembers. Yes, she's always been a bit biting and she was always tough. But this? This is a whole new level of tough. And a gun in her hand? Their hippy mother would be so disappointed in her. "You can't just run around the streets of Boston with a fucking sawed-off in your hand!"
"I know that," Lou fights back, her voice reverting to something petulant while in her brother's presence. "I'm a fucking professional. Don't worry about me."
"I'm not. I'm worried about me." Derek walks for the door of his apartment, grabbing his keys from the expensive bowl by the front door and picks up his briefcase. "You get arrested for being a dumbass in the days of terror alerts, then my ass isn't covered. I'm screwed."
"Derek, we've handled much worse than this," Sam assures, tucking his own handgun behind him and into the waist of his jeans. "I promise you, by tonight, if this thing is tailing you… we'll get answers."
"And then send its ass right back to Hell," Lou smiles slightly, looking forward to giving some justice to the thing that is after her little brother.
Derek sighs. "This is insane."
Lou's face falls, sorry for him. "I know."
"What just happened to my life?" he closes his eyes and hangs his head.
Walking to him cautiously, their relationship better but nowhere near healed, Lou places a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I told you, I'm never letting you down again. Ever. Sam and I… we got this. Please try and trust me."
Derek looks into Lou's eyes and sighs heavily once more. "Yeah. For whatever reason… I still do."
Lou smiles at that. "Alright then. Shall we head to work?"
Derek rolls his eyes and opens the door to his apartment, leading the way into Boston for the average workday… despite it feeling like anything but.
Sitting in the Impala, Metallica tape quietly playing in the tape deck, Dean drums his hands on the wheel. Eyes glued to the front door of the hospital as he waits for Lizzy, his insides are clawing at him. He needs to move, get to work, kill something. He's been angry for a day of traveling straight and he needs to see some action.
Damn, would he love to chop off a vamp head.
But, he has to wait. He has to wait for Lizzy to get done pretending she's Agent Nicks of the FBI here in Carencro to check out the mysterious death of a young woman by the bayou. He has to wait until he can meet with Martin at his motel room to see what he's seen. He has to wait for Lizzy to meet with Benny tonight so the vampire can plead his case.
Dean's never been good at waiting. He hates waiting.
After a good hour, Lizzy finally appears coming out of the hospital's automatic doors. On any other day, he'd already be salivating just watching her walk her way across the asphalt in her shiny black, probably too-high heels, her form fitting pencil skirt, matching blazer over crisp white shirt, hair piled in a neat bun on her head, and oh, the black rimmed glasses… but not today. He needs to sort this whole thing out. He can't focus on her looks right now, not within the situation.
The passenger door squeals open and Lizzy slides into the seat, pulling the door shut behind her. "Well, that was exactly what I expected it to be."
"Meaning?" Dean asks, holding out his hand for her to give over the manila folder she's gripping.
"It's a straight up vamp kill," she shrugs. "Nothing new. Ripped open throat, blood drained… it's classic. And it's what we assumed we'd find."
Dean nods, checking out the profile of the dead woman and looking over the pictures from the morgue. It is classic. "Guess we go meet Martin in a couple hours."
"Yes. Let's," Lizzy bitingly answers, pulling her seatbelt on.
"And try to leave the attitude in the car, huh?" Dean requests as he turns the engine over. "He did us a favor."
"He did you a favor," Lizzy harshly corrects, voice too emotionless.
"He kept an eye on a dangerous monster for all of us… as hunters," Dean calmly explains. "And… he's been inside for a long time. He's not really an outdoor cat anymore so, you know, go easy on him."
Reflecting on his words a moment, she gets confused. "What does that mean? He's been an indoor cat?" Lizzy asks, getting a bad feeling.
"It means… Martin's been out of the life for a bit."
"What's a bit?"
"A couple… decades…."
"You sent a retiree to watch Benny?" Lizzy sighs. "Why did he quit?"
"Got sick of the life. Got to be too much." Dean keeps it vague and hopes she'll beg off.
"It's gets to be too much for all of us," Lizzy laughs a little at the absurd thought. "He's a quitter then?"
"No," Dean denies. "He… needed time off. To process. Work through somethings he went through. He had been a hunter for so long, before dad even. It all kind of… piled up over time."
Lizzy sharply turns her head to look at Dean's profile while he drives. "Did you send a hunter who lost his shit to spy on my friend!?"
Fucking Lizzy, always figuring him out all too easily. "He didn't lose his shit…."
"You're lying!" she immediately accuses with wide eyes, her finger pointed right at him. "He went fucking AWOL!"
"He didn't disappear. He just kinda… needed help. From some professionals."
"Was he committed?"
Dean doesn't speak, just clenches his jaw. Here it comes….
"You fucking asshole!" Lizzy shouts and punches Dean in the arm, making him swerve a bit.
"Easy! Jesus!" Dean bitches right back. "I'm driving!"
"You sent a legit insane hunter to watch Benny!" Lizzy spells out his irresponsibility. "Benny is my friend!"
"You're not friends with a vampire…."
"Yes, I fucking am! Get fucking past it!" Lizzy loses all form of composure and reserve. "I have been trying so hard to get you to see things my way, to have you understand what I went through and how Benny saved my fucking life! My life! I'm here because of him! And you won't listen to me! You never fucking listen to me!"
"I listen to you," Dean whines right back. He does. He always hears her talking. And talking. And talking. Lizzy's always been a talker.
"You don't hear me," Lizzy fires right back. "In one ear and right out the goddamn other. Well, Dean… you better hear me now." She leans over the front bench seat and puts her mouth right to his ear. "Benny's my fucking friend!"
"Ow! Fuck!" Dean complains, holding a hand over his ear.
"I'm not backing down. I'm not killing my friend. He didn't do this," Lizzy tells him with certainty. She then leans back into her seat, arms folded over her chest, face filled with fury. "Drop me off at the motel room."
Dean glances at her before saying, "We were gonna get food."
"Not hungry. Drop me off," Lizzy grits her teeth.
Dean knows now isn't the time. Instead, the rest of the silent drive to the motel is tense but he doesn't speak. He knows better.
When he pulls up in front of the room door, Lizzy shoves her passenger car door open and, once out, slams it shut with such force that the old tank of a car shakes. When he watches the fury with which she opens and also slams the motel door, Dean knows this is really, really bad.
"Fucking vampires," Dean mutters to himself and pulls out of the lot. She's not the only one that needs a moment to cool off.
"You push me higher, Cassie!" Sammy delights as he swings through the air. He was too excited when Castiel finally relinquished and took him to the park just a couple miles from their house. And when they arrived, his favorite swing was available. This day is awesome so far!
"You're going high enough, Samuel," Castiel assures as he stands behind the boy, pushing now and then and being careful not to use too much strength. From the moment they arrived, he's been on high alert. He's paranoid at best. This isn't his child. This is Dean and Elizabeth's child. He's the future of the world… well, possibly. Castiel has a lot on his shoulders right now. And being in the public eye instead of inside a warded and protected house, without any proficient hunters to back him up at that, has him on edge.
"Daddy always push me higher!" Sammy complains but with a smile still on his face.
"I am not your father," Castiel reminds. "When he returns, then he can push as high as he likes. This is good for now."
"You party pooper, Cassie!" Sammy name calls but settles for the less thrilling ride that his best friend provides.
"Party pooper?" Castiel questions the clearly rude label.
"Yeah."
"What's a party pooper?" Castiel wonders, eyes always scanning the park for any sign of danger.
"You poop on da' party," Sammy answers as if it were already obvious.
The angel sighs. "I feel this is a saying your father taught you that is also meant as an insult… aimed at me in this case."
"Huh?" Sammy questions, once again confused.
"Nothing. I'm just being a party pooper," Castiel shuts the conversation down where it is.
"I see Megan!" Sammy yells aloud, pointing to a little girl and her mother walking towards the playground from the small parking lot.
"Who's Megan?" Castiel inquires, already suspicious.
"She my friend! I want down!" Sammy gets all too excited, twisting in his toddler swing as he becomes instantly desperate to get off of it.
"I don't know," Castiel airs his concerns. "How well do you know this Megan?"
"She go to my school! I play with her!" Sammy keeps his voice boisterous. "I wanna play with her!"
"She's from your preschool?" Castiel wants to clarify, knowing Sammy's been put into a preschool twice a week to get him used to interacting with other humans his age. Since his birth, Sammy's been around adults only. He needed young companionship and Castiel thought, though the idea was a bit reckless as no one could be around to protect Sammy while at school, it was still a good idea.
"Yeah! I get down!" Sammy keeps trying.
"Well… alright," Castiel agrees tentatively as he grabs the swing and stops its momentum. Once he lifts Sammy out of the swing, he pauses while he still has the boy in his hold. With hands under Sammy's armpits, he holds him out in front of him until they are staring each other down. "Samuel, if you play with Megan, you are to not be out of my line of sight."
"You what?" Sammy asks, face screwed up in confusion.
"I must always be able to see where you are. You agree?"
"Yes!" Sammy answers. Whatever it takes to get down and play with his friend.
"Then you can play with Megan," Castiel relents and places him on his feet. Sammy takes off like a shot, yelling Megan's name and immediately running around with her once they see each other.
With butterflies in his stomach, Castiel sits down on a park bench, his eyes keen on his charge. As Sammy climbs the playground, Megan following him, they head for the slide. Sammy's face is lit up with excitement. He's yelling, laughing, sharing his time with another child his own age… and Castiel can't help but smile genuinely at what he sees. Born of the most feared and involved hunters, given a possible fate that is more frightening than anything anyone has seen before, Samuel the Second Coming is a happy, normal, average child.
To say Castiel is proud of Dean and Elizabeth would be a grave understatement.
"You must be Dean."
When Castiel looks up to the newcomer standing at his left, he sees a young woman smiling at him. Squinting in the sunlight, he can make out her long dark hair and her bright blue eyes as she waits for an answer.
"Uh… no, sorry. My name is not Dean," Castiel tells her, slightly nervous to be speaking to someone he doesn't know. He's rusty at best when it comes to non-angels and non-Winchesters.
"Oh…. Alright. I might be confused then," she stutters slightly as she looks at the angel with curiosity. "Weren't you the one with Sammy Winchester just now?"
"Yes."
The woman just stares at him for a beat, waiting for an explanation. Quickly she realizes she isn't getting one.
"But you're not Dean? His dad?"
"No, I am not his dad," Castiel sees now he must explain himself, his eyes sliding to Sammy every couple of second. "I am… his uncle." Close enough, right?
"Oh!" the dark-haired woman smiles honestly now as she sits down next to him, leaving a solid couple feet between them on the bench. She drops a large tote bag on the ground beside her and turns back to Castiel. "I got so confused for a second there. The preschool teacher, Miss Jessica, told me that my daughter Megan has been glued to a little boy named Sammy. Seems they've become besties."
"Yes, well, Samuel… Sammy just made it very clear that he enjoys Megan's company as well."
"I think you're right," the woman laughs, glancing at the two children laughing and running around. She grins at the display before looking at Castiel, her hand held out in greeting. "Kim."
Castiel quickly grasps her hand and shakes it. "Cass."
"Are you Dean's brother?" Kim wonders as they finish shaking hands.
"Oh… yes," Castiel lies, unsure what else to say.
"Hm, must run in the family," she says, her smile soft and warm as she looks him over just a bit.
Castiel wrinkles his brow. "What must?"
Kim laughs once to herself, her cheeks heating up. "Well, I haven't met him yet, but the other moms from the preschool have been talking about Sammy's dad a lot."
"Why would that be?" Castiel gets further concerned. Why would there be women talking about Dean?
"Uh… I have been told… that he's quite handsome." Kim's cheeks come to a full rosy glow with the admission.
Castiel nods, understanding. "Yes, Dean seems to have a way with women. His wife is quite taken with him still, though if I were her I think Dean would have driven me insane by now."
Kim laughs at what she thinks is Castiel's jesting answer. "That's because you're his brother. Brothers always annoy each other."
"Yes, I believe you're right about that," he nods, knowing the interactions between Dean and Sam aren't always easy and annoyance free.
There's a silence that grows between them as they both watch the children play for a moment. Kim speaks up first. "Are you babysitting today?"
"Yes," Castiel answers quickly. "I am in charge of Samuel for a few days. Sammy."
"You call him by his full name?"
"I… have much respect for his first name." He doesn't know how else to explain it. He's just always called the boy Samuel. Just like he's always called Lizzy Elizabeth.
"Okay," she nods in a friendly manner before leaning her elbow into the bench back. She angles towards Castiel and grins. "But I do think it must run in the family. Being very handsome."
Castiel sits up a little taller, eyes darting over to her with the clear compliment.
"Your dad must have been quite the looker," she jokes in a somehow comfortable way.
Still, Castiel isn't exactly comfortable. "Oh, um… well…."
"I'm sorry," Kim presses a hand over her eyes. "I'm… I've embarrassed you. That's not what I was going for."
"Oh… no…." Right away, Castiel feels bad for her feeling so embarrassed. "My father…." He doesn't know how to proceed so he tries a new tactic, recalling who his father is if Dean is his brother for this conversation. "John was a handsome man, yes. Maybe not the most loving but… handsome." Castiel nods. Inside he knows he's not making this conversation easy. He's so damn rusty.
"Well, I may never have gotten to meet Dean but… maybe those moms at preschool would be talking about a different guy if you ever decided to pick Sammy up from school."
Castiel's eyes grow wide for a moment, the lightbulb finally lighting up. He's being hit on. She's interested in him. Okay, now he's just plain out of his element. "That's… very kind of you to say. Thank you." He nods awkwardly before looking back to Sammy as he tries to push Megan on the swings and struggling to do so with his height.
"You're shy. I'm sorry," Kim laughs slightly. "I've been told I can be too bold for some people's comfort level. I mean, I call it just being honest but, oh well."
When Castiel looks at her again, he can see her appeal. She's a very good-looking woman, probably used to having men respond positively to her. And he's probably not responding in the way he should be given normal human conventions. He needs to try harder.
Trying to smile in an appealing way, much like he's seen Dean do before (or at least he hopes it's coming off like that), Castiel turns his body to face Kim and leans slickly on the back of the bench. "Oh, I wouldn't call you too bold." Even in his own ears, it sounds unnatural.
"No?" Kim grins at his turn of attitude.
"No. I like bold."
"That's good," she says while placing her hand lightly on his arm as it's draped across the seat back.
"You know, your facial configuration is very appealing," Castiel keeps trying, knowing complimenting a woman is the way to go if Dean has taught him anything.
"My facial configuration?" Kim laughs a little at his wording.
"Yes. It's symmetrical and very pleasing to the eye. Science has proven that a symmetrical face is not only considered highly beautiful but it's one that causes others to instantly trust another. You seem trust worthy. Some might say I also had a very symmetrical face," Castiel keeps trying, the slick grin starting to feel as odd as it probably looks after the very strange rant he let out with his nerves. By the reaction he gets from Kim, her face falling and her body language retreating, he knows he's right. "Not to say I wouldn't be trustworthy. I am a very honorable ang… person."
"Right…." Kim starts to back off, removing her hand from his arm and sliding back an inch or two.
Castiel starts to fumble. "I… I never meant… to make you uncomfortable or…."
"It's fine," Kim coldly responds.
"Mommy!" they hear a little girl yell and both look to see Megan and Sammy running towards them.
"Hey, honey," Kim's voice returns to something light and happy. "What's going on?"
"Sammy told me his best friend stinged him in the butt!" Meghan tells her mom with a big laugh.
Sammy laughs right along. "He did!"
"I thought you were his best friend, Meggie?" Kim smiles, confused.
"No! I'm his girl best friend," Meghan stipulates. "Sammy's boy best friend stinged him in the butt!"
"Who's his boy best friend?" Kim asks.
"Cassie!" Meghan shouts, pointing at Castiel.
"You stinged me in the butt, remember?" Sammy smiles as he climbs up into Castiel's lap. "Last night! In my room when I get nakie for bath time!"
Kim's eyes widen, unsure of what to make of all this.
"Yes, I remember." Castiel just nods, recalling their talk about bees and how they read a book about bees that afternoon. Later that night, Sammy prepared for his bath and Castiel pinched Sammy on the butt cheek after talking about the bee that stung his mother in the same place.
"My butt still hurts!" Sammy yells out with a giggly voice, gabbing both of his own cheeks in his hands.
"Well, I think I wasn't exactly easy on you," Castiel huffs a small laugh, remembering pinching Sammy maybe a little too hard. "My apologies. Next time I sting you, I will go easier."
"Okay!" Sammy laughs and Meghan laughs with him.
It's the that Castiel notices the horror on Kim's face.
"Kim?" Castiel asks, looking for a reason for her dislike.
"I… I'm not sure…." She looks between the little boy and his uncle. The impression she's getting is not a good one. At all. "Meghan, let's go."
"What!?" Meghan asks, confused for the sudden change.
"We're leaving right now." Kim picks up her bag and grabs for Meghan's hand.
"No! I wanna play more!" Meghan tries to pull away but Kim books it to the car.
As Kim drags Meghan away, Castiel is very confused. He knew he wasn't exactly smooth in their interaction, and he knows he probably didn't pick up on cues correctly now and then, but overall, he didn't think their conversation warranted such horror.
"You aren't hanging around with Sammy anymore," he catches Kim saying to her daughter. When asked why, Kim simply explains, "Because I don't think his uncle is a very appropriate man."
Not a good man? Why would Kim think that? They were simply talking. And Sammy shared a cute moment they had last night together…. Stinging in the butt. Could that be taken as a euphemism?
"Kim! No!" Castiel instantly yells when he starts to get it. He stands up. "It's not what you think! It was innocent and highly appropriate! It wasn't… Kim!"
Too late. She's gone.
"Why they leave us?" Sammy asks as Kim pulls her SUV out of the parking lot of the playground.
"Because I am a massive creep, Samuel," Castiel simply answers, standing up and placing Sammy on his feet. He then reaches for the boy's hand. "I fear them leaving is my fault." His shoulder drops in defeat, knowing he will never understand human interaction fully. But at least he understands Sammy. "Ice dream on the way to apologize?"
"Okay!" Sammy cheerfully answers and lets Cassie lead the way. "You creep, Cassie?"
He sighs. "Apparently so…."
After three hours, and three whiskey shots chased with three beers, Dean pulls into the motel parking lot and parks in front of their room door. He sighs as he turns off the engine.
The bartender from the dive he holed up in was good. At one point, he told her she should seriously go back to school and get her phycology degree. She smiled and informed him that she was. He then told her she made the right choice and then complained about being thraped by her. At least he can make someone smile today.
All the towns he's been through, all the bartenders he's vented to… she was among the best. Somehow, after minimal alcohol consumption considering how pissed he was when he marched into that hole in the wall, Jackie the Bartender cracked his wall and got him to spill. He gave an edited, vamp-free version, of course, but still, he gave an honest recounting.
The bartender called him jealous. He told her he wasn't jealous because Lizzy is not the kind to sneak around and cheat. The bartender then called him paranoid and he denied that too. The bartender told him that he must have trust issues. He had a very hard time denying that, especially after what it was that set Lizzy off the most during this specific case.
And now, after shockingly talking out his issues, Dean sees that he might actually be wrong. In the past, he would let his stubborn ass ride out the tension until it just disappeared or blew up between them later. These days, he knows he can't do that. He almost lost her once because things got bad and they didn't handle it right. He's never doing that again.
Sucking up his pride, Dean grabs the drugstore bag from the passenger seat and gets out. He walks to the door, unlocks it, and steps in with a deep breath.
He finds Lizzy sitting at the table, her back to him as she types away on her laptop. She barely moves when he enters, just keeps the tension in her shoulders and ignores his presence.
Here goes nothing.
Dean closes the door and walks for her. Silently, he drops the bag onto the table next to her computer and waits.
With a glance at the bag, Lizzy doesn't look up at him. "What's that?"
Dean points at it. "That is me eating a whole freakin' heap of crows."
Turning her face up to him, Lizzy just gives a confused face.
"I was wrong," Dean tells her quickly before the words refuse to come out, his arms out to his sides. "I know I was wrong and I didn't handle any of this right and I suck. Okay?"
Blankly, Lizzy just continues to stare at him. She's not sure how to answer that. His words were great, things he never says, but his tone was angry and less forgiving than his words. What the fuck is happening here?
"Great," Dean complains when she doesn't react at all and he plops down on the end of the bed. He presses his hands over his face and rubs, stressed out by his opening up. When he looks back at her, his expression is lost. "I was wrong."
"I know," Lizzy nods.
"And I admitted it."
"I appreciate that," Lizzy tells him.
When nothing comes from his honesty, Dean just shrugs and looks at her, waiting for answers.
Lizzy stands up and grabs her chair. She places it in front of Dean and sits across from him. She reaches over and grabs his hands, staring right into his eyes. "I know it took a lot for you to admit you're wrong. And, like I said, I appreciate that. It was kinda refreshing, actually."
"But?" Dean wonders, really wanting to understand where this is going.
"We have a real problem here. Dean, I know you love me. But I don't think you listen to me. And I don't think you can fully trust me."
"Of course, I listen to you!" Dean instantly refutes. "And I trust you more than anyone. Maybe even Sam."
"With our son, yes. You totally trust me. And with covering your ass on a hunt, sure. Hell, you even trust me to never tell anyone about the Zorro mask and the anime porn and all the other super weirdo sexual quirks you've picked up over the years."
Dean smirks at that. He really can throw almost anything at her when it comes to sex.
"But when it comes to something like this… you can't find it in you to trust me."
"Yes, I can," Dean sincerely tells her.
"No, you can't."
"I'll prove it," Dean promises her. "I want to prove it to you. L, you got this whole thing backwards. I meant it when I said that I trust you. I just don't trust vampires. I've been trained to not trust vampires. That shit is in my blood and it's damn near impossible to go against that."
"I know," Lizzy nods. John is still, and always will be, a massive influence in Dean's life. That can't be changed.
"So, you gotta be patient with me. I'm trying here, even if it doesn't look like it. I trust you. You know I do. Deep down, you know I do. I just… I can't lose you. Sammy can't lose you. Since he was born, I…." Dean looks away from her. He gathers himself after pushing aside the fear and crushing sorrow that gets dragged up when he remembers how bad it was thinking she had died. He can never experience that again. Staring at their clasped hands, Dean admits, "We can't lose you. And this… it freaks the fuck out."
He misses the small, loving smile that passes over her face at that. He loves her so much. "You're not gonna lose me because I made a new friend with fangs."
Dean's brow wrinkles as he grips her hands even tighter.
"Leaving you and Sammy was the scariest thing I ever did. And you need to believe that I would never, never do anything to risk my time you my two men." She reaches out and pushes up his chin to make him look at her. "Benny is good. He has fangs but he's good. We are going to clear all this up, then we are going to return home. We're going to be fine. Do you hear me?"
Dean nods yes.
"No, I mean… do you really hear me. That I wouldn't risk my life again. That I wouldn't leave you two again."
"Yeah," Dean nods again, actually believing it for the first time.
"So… make a deal with me. You re-fucking-lax, throw a little faith in me into the mix, and work with me on this, and I'll be more understanding about your inability to fully trust a vamp and I'll promise not to die."
"No one can promise that," Dean denies.
"Watch me," Lizzy smirks at him. "Deal or what?"
He gives it a moment to just look at her and see her again. He's been blinded by fear and anger. Damn it, she's beautiful. "Deal."
Lizzy smiles and leans forward, pressing a kiss to his lips. She then drops his hands, stands up, and smiles. "So, what'd ya buy me?" she playfully asks and skips to the table.
"Oh, uh… you know, the crap you like…."
"Nice!" Lizzy cheers when she looks into the plastic bag. Pulling items out one at a time, she continues to grin. "Snickers. Ooh, good beer for once. Smartfood… Tampons?"
"Proving my love through embarrassing purchases." Dean smiles with a grimace behind it.
"Dude… I don't get periods anymore. Hysterectomy when Sammy was violently born? Remember?" she reminds him.
Dean smiles, it dawning on him. "Oh, yeah. Guess we haven't really been pausing for the monthly cause in a long time, huh?"
"Being that dense, you're lucky you're cute," she smiles at him. She keeps rifling through the bag of little peace offerings. "My favorite lip gloss…. The good pens that have gel ink and glide… you know me so well." She melts a little and gives him a lovey look.
Dean simply cocks an eyebrow and shrugs, playing it off while inside he's thanking his lucky stars that she's no longer mad at him. He couldn't take the stress and friction between them.
"Okay… chocolate sauce?" Lizzy asks, holding up the bottle of syrup questioningly. "Why?"
Dean just smirks at her slickly.
"Ugh! So boring!" Lou complains loudly, sitting back in her passenger seat. She kicks at the dash once, frustrated.
"Hey! Easy," Sam calls her out on her childish behavior.
"It's a shitty rental," Lou reminds him, the hybrid a total let down when they picked it up at the rental place.
"Yeah, a shitty rental that isn't the cause of your boredom."
"Whatever," Lou rolls her eyes before once more checking the door of the office building in downtown Boston. They've fed the meter three times. Nothing has been happening. No suspicious people or movements. "Stakeouts are the worst."
"No, you're just the most impatient person I've ever met," Sam huffs a laugh at her expense, eyes always on the doors.
"I just want this over with," Lou spills, knowing whenever she gets this petty and childish it's because she's frustrated and scared.
"And we'll end it all, you just have to be patient."
Sam, always the level headed one of the two, is once again right. "I'm pissed."
"I can tell," Sam once more smiles.
"Sorry I'm being so pissy."
"I accept," Sam smirks, glancing at her before once more training his eyes on the door they know Derek will exit from. It gets silent for a few moments before he adds, "Have I told you recently how much I love the new Lou?"
"Yeah… like every freakin' day," she grins a little, feeling pride in herself for getting better and better. She's able to see her anger and shitty attitude coming a mile away and she can stop it. She can even apologize for it if she isn't able to stop it.
"Hey. There he is," Sam points out the windshield.
"Oh, this fucker better be tailing him," Lou gets excited, pulling out an angel blade and gripping tightly as she sits up tall.
They watch closely to Derek as he leaves his work building and walks his usual route down the street to grab lunch from his favorite spot. Derek looks around nervously now and then but he sticks to the plan. Business as usual.
"Look," Sam nods to a person that had been sitting on a bench until Derek passed him. Immediately, the man glances around quickly before falling into step behind Derek. His eyes are trained on Derek and it gives him away.
"Shady shit. Let's go," Lou says while her heart skips a beat with adrenaline. This fucker that messed with her little brother is going down.
Walking with a hustle in their step, Sam and Lou catch up quickly enough. They stay a good 10 to 15 feet behind the man that appears to be following Derek, the man also in a tailored suit and crisp white shirt. They both look like any other business men in the Financial District of Boston on a weekday.
Lou and Sam stick out like sore thumbs with their worn, second hand looking clothing and canvas army duffle bags over their shoulders.
"The alley is coming up here," Lou nods ahead and soon after, Derek turns down the narrow way. Her brother and she know the city well. They didn't live far south of Boston growing up and they used to come into the city all the time. Derek's been working there for years.
The business man they suspected turns down the alley also, confirming their worried.
"Game on, bitch," Lou smirks something slightly dark, ready for some action. Being the researcher and home base for other hunters, as she's become more-or-less the new Bobby, has kept her off cases for a long time now. She was getting itchy. Now to give that itch a good scratch.
Derek reaches the end of the alley, there being no exit out the other side. Surrounded by old brick buildings, he swallows hard when he can hear wingtips walking up to him from behind, the sound echoing all the walls. His hands are sweaty and shaky with fear, regretting this idea of his sister's completely in the moment.
"Derek!" A cheerful male voice calls out, sounding like an old friend instead of the evil thing Derek suspects.
He turns around to find an unfamiliar face looking at him.
Play along. He can do this. "Do I know you?"
"No. But you knew someone important to me."
"Oh?" Derek asks, hoping the shaking in his voice isn't obvious.
"Oh. Yes. You knew my mother." He blinks and his eyes turn black.
Derek's forehead wrinkles with confusion as the fear ramps up. Black eyes. Just like Lou told him about after the night their parents were killed. Just like he saw the other day and convinced himself that he hadn't. He should have listened.
Derek looks down to the ground and realizes he needs the demon to step a little closer. Just one step. "I… don't think…."
"My mother was smart," the demon lets him know. "My mother was brilliant. And she knew all about your family and the problems they were destined to cause. She was the only one that was willing to do the dirty work necessary to stop you people."
Derek's heart plummets to the ground. "My family? What are you talking about?"
The demon smiles and steps forward that one more step. "Your sisters."
"Sisters!?" Derek shakes his head. "I don't have sisters. I have a sister."
The horrible sneer that appears on the demon's face makes his blood cold in his veins. "You don't know."
"Don't know what!?"
"About so much of your very own life." The demon laughs at his own taunting words. "You know nothing about Elizabeth… the Great Elizabeth!" the demon sings out her name in mockery. "Your half-sister Elizabeth. The mother of the Second Coming… Elizabeth."
Derek just stands there, completely lost. He has no freaking clue what the demon is talking about. "Elizabeth… you mean Lizzy?"
"Bingo, kiddo," the demon smiles. "Sharp as a tack, this one."
"Lizzy's not my sister," Derek rebuts. "She's my sister's weirdo best friend."
"That was fathered by your cheating father."
Derek pauses, heart beating too fast. Shit. His father was a whore. But Lizzy's mom wasn't. Could they have…?
"And then there's Louise," the demon moves right on.
Face falling into something completely angry, Derek fires out, "What about Louie?"
"I'm here to stop her."
"Stop her!? Stop her from what!?" Derek panics.
"Long story. I'm just here to make sure that you contacted her and she showed up to rescue you. It was the easiest way to find the unfindable," the demon tells Derek as he advances on him. "If I have you, if your life is threatened, then she'll come running…." The demon stops talking when he hits an invisible wall. "What the hell?" He tries to move towards Derek again and once more he's stopped by an invisible force. "Fuck!"
"Exorcizamus te."
The demon and Derek both turn to see Sam and Lou walking down the alley towards them. Sam keeps speaking as Lou has a sawed-off shotgun pointed at the demon's chest for insurance. "Omnis immundus spiritus. Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii."
"How the fuck…?" the demon starts to get angry but before he can finish the question, Lou clicks on the small flashlight in the fist of her arm that's steadying her shot gun. With the beam aimed at the ground, the black-light bulb illuminates the previously invisible paint on the ground to reveal a devil's trap. She smirks as the demon whips his head back to Derek. "Your sister, Lizzy, got my mother killed. My mother was trying to stop it all!"
"Stop what?" Derek asks, his need to know strong.
"Omnis congregatio et secta diabolica," Sam keeps going in the background. "Ergo, draco maledicte."
"Stop it all from happening all over again!" he shouts at Derek. "It's going to happen again!"
"What's going to happen again!?" Derek rushes through, trying to get answers.
"Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire…."
"The Apocalypse!" the demon scream, looking at all the humans around him, eyes landing on Lou. "My mother came for you and Elizabeth years back, to end it then and there! It'll be your fault if I don't end it now!"
"Te rogamus," Sam almost finishes up but pauses there, like always, his curiosity getting to him. He stops. "Your mother tried to kill Lou and Lizzy years ago… did she kill their parents?"
"Yes!" the demon sighs out with a little relief, seeing that they will give him the time of day to listen now that he's gotten their attention.
Lou narrows her eyes at the demon. "Your mother was Laraje?"
"Yes. She made me," the demon nods, shoulders dropping. "Clearly, my plan to kill you and finish her work isn't gonna happen. I can see now that you got me. But… if I tell you everything, you gotta promise not to kill me."
"The guy you're wearing, he still alive?" Sam needs to know before making a deal.
"Yes. Just jumped into him an hour ago."
Sam, nods, and looks at Lou, silently communicating that he's down for the deal. Lou then nods slightly and turns back to the demon. "Deal. Get talkin'."
Derek just stays quiet now, letting the professionals handle this. He's so confused. He's so scared. He can't move and he knows his voice is paralyzed.
"Good," he exhales hard and begins. "Okay. So, years back my mother figured everything out. She tried to kill you and Lizzy but failed and got herself exorcized. She then got back out of Hell, found Dean and Lizzy, and tried to break them up and once more prevent everything that's destined to happen. But, of course, Lizzy's like to that fucking angel ruined it. Castiel killed my mother before she could do her work. She tried so hard to warn Dean and Elizabeth but, like the fucking dense hunters they are, they didn't listen. They weren't ever gonna listen… but now I'm hoping you two will." His eyes sweep back and forth between Sam and Lou.
"Wait… so… demons have moms?" Lou questions his use of the word.
"All that and the take away for you was demons having moms?" Sam has to ask her, shocked by what she's focused on.
Lou just shrugs.
"No. Kinda," the demon answers. "My mother is the demon that turned me in Hell. She made me the demon I am and even after I turned she kept tabs on me, looks after me. So… called her mother. And she was a smart demon. Even when things were good in Hell, she knew events and changes were coming. Bad ones. She knew so much, she paid attention, she put it all together and wanted to stop the cycle."
"Cycle?" Sam questions.
"We are in a cycle," the demon explains. "The first Apocalypse failed. And good fucking job on that, asshole." He gives a furious look to Sam at that. "You all seem to think that since it failed, everyone is in the clear. Well, you're not. And the whole good and evil battle is just going to keep going at it until the big war actually happens for real and someone finally wins. It's going to happen again unless you two stop it."
It's silent for a moment in the alley, the cars and city noise feeling far away as they are practically isolated. Derek is completely lost, not knowing a damn thing the demon is speaking of, but Lou and Sam stay silent for other reasons. For reasons of fear and confusion.
"Okay, so let's say for the sake of argument that you're not full of shit," Lou indulges for a moment. "Tell me how the new Apocalypse is going to happen."
"It's still all about bloodlines," he answers. "It'll basically be the same shit, different decade. But better. Or worse. Depends on perspective. And player one is already on the board."
"Player one?" Sam pries.
"Samuel Robert Winchester. I believe you know him quite well."
Lou rolls her eyes with the story they know all too well. "Seriously!? You're not telling us anything new!" She turns to Sam. "Send his ass off. He's just stalling."
"I'm not stalling!" the demon pleads.
"I don't know. She's right. This sounds like stalling," Sam agrees.
"It's you two!" he shouts and points at them both. "No one believes me! But I know the truth! My mother was right all along! You think Dean and Elizabeth were the only destined ones!? Ha! Your whole family is cursed! It's all about you two now!"
Lou narrows her eyes at the demon. "What about us two?"
"I wanted to kill you to make sure it'd never happen but now that I know that won't be happening… I need to warn you," the demon explains. "The Second Coming is already here. Samuel is born and half the prophecy is fulfilled. All the world needs is an Antichrist to rival him. But it won't be just any Antichrist. It'll be the Antichrist. It'll be the product of angelic bloodlines, Biblical bloodlines, and… demon blood from a Knight of Hell. You two have checked every box!"
Sam and Lou's face pale with what the demon says.
"Sam, that demon blood isn't going anywhere. You will live with that until you die. And Lou… you're chock full of half the angelic DNA that your sister is. You're the perfect storm of evil incarnate."
"But we're not evil," Lou turns it around.
"Does that matter?" the demon laughs. "You think Hitler's parents were all that bad? They were actually pretty wonderful. And Genghis Khan? His mother was lovely."
"But this makes no sense…" Lou denies it all.
"You two cannot procreate!" the demon begs of them. "You cannot let this happen!"
Lou's panicked eyes peek up at Sam to see his jaw set, trying to hide his complete terror.
"How do we know you're telling the truth instead of lying to save your ass?" Sam asks, hoping that this is all fabricated.
"I have nothing to lose!" the demon yells at them. "I know I'm done here. Why would I bother unless it was true?"
"Your homecoming isn't gonna be comfy if what you're telling us is true," Sam points out.
"That's fine. I'd do that for my mother," the demon admits.
"Why would you want to stop the Apocalypse though?" Lou needs to know.
The demon's eyes darken. "Because you don't know what Samuel is yet. You have no idea what he's capable of. We would not win that fight. Samuel will end all of us if he figures out what he can do."
And that's where they all go deadly silent. This is too much information. This is too heavy. If even a little of it is true, then their family is possibly beyond screwed and the world's destruction could easily be on them.
"We need to check up on all of this," Sam speaks first, looking down at his wife as they both deal internally with a whole new form of fear.
"It can't be right," Lou whispers out, never this filled with terror.
"It is!" the demon interrupts.
"Shut up!" Lou yells at him before closing her eyes, processing through everything they've just learned as much as she can in the moment. "We need to talk to… talk to…." Talk to who? "Someone. Someone has to be able to confirm this."
"Crowley?" Sam asks, thinking the head of Hell would know it all.
"Yes!" the demon shouts with excitement, seeing that they're hearing him. "Talk to Crowley! Tell him Belial failed and told you everything. He knows about it all and he told me he didn't want another Apocalypse! He's with me on this!"
"And Crowley does really like you," Sam adds in seriously, nodding at Lou.
"Shut up," Lou scrunches her face, hating that.
"But he does," Sam repeats. "Whatever it is, a crush or whatever, it could work in our favor if we need to talk to him." He sighs with the new heavy burden on them. "Lou, we need to look into this."
"I know," Lou says, rubbing her forehead with the back of her flashlight holding hand. "Fuck!"
"You have anything else you want to tell us?" Sam asks, ready to get out of there and handle everything.
The demon relaxes for a moment, realizing he wasn't a total failure. "No."
"Good. Audi nos."
Instantly, the businessman screams out as black smoke billows out of his throat and into the air above them in the alley. Wide eyed, Derek watches the smoke gather and swirl before plunging into the pavement below their feet. It burns right through, into the ground, and when it's gone it leaves no trace.
The body of the businessman is slumped on the ground when it's over. Lou runs to him and picks up his head, checking him over.
"He's alive," she tells them.
Right after, the man opens his eyes and looks around with absolute fear. "Wha… what happened!?" he panics.
"You're good now, dude," Lou tells him, helping him off the ground. "Relax. We got that demon out of you. You're golden."
"Demon!?" he freaks out.
"Okay, let's get you back to work or something," Lou tells him, ready to get the fuck back home and look into everything. "Sam, you and Derek get back to his apartment. I'll meet you there soon."
"Lou…" Sam tries to stop her.
"I'll meet you soon!" she fires right back out, making sure they don't question her this time. "I need to… focus on this guy. And I need a second."
"Don't disappear," Sam sternly says to her.
"I won't."
"Lou…."
"Sam! I won't!" she promises. "Please. I need, like, a few minutes. Get Derek outta here and I'll meet you guys."
Sam nods and ushers Derek back home as he calls work and claims to be sick for the rest of the day. He watches Lou talking to the formerly possessed man, being quite calm. Sam know she's just trying to keep it together right now. But then again, so is he.
Like I said... HUGE REVEALS! Is it all true? I don't know... well, I do, but I'm not saying right now. I am dying to hear what you guys think about all this? Let me know!