p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"In half an hour we're standing outside what looks like the door to a maintenance tunnel beneath an abandoned power plant. Bobby and Mrs. S are on their way, but they told us not to wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Here's the key Mr. Ganem." Sam says. "Do you want help to the door?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Margie will get me to the door, thank you. One of you boys should be the one to open the door since we're not going to wait for Helena."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Ever-generous Dean smiles, "Do it Sammy, we'll follow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam looks at the sky. I can see he's trying not to tear up. Then he takes my hand and heads for the door. Dean and Margie each take one of Larry's arms and guide him behind us. When Sam turns the key the door opens with a heavy metallic clank. He holds me back for a moment in case of dead air escaping, then we turn on our flashlights and step inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh my fucking God." Sam whispers. We're at the top of a black iron spiral staircase that climbs along one wall of a two-story round room. As I shine the light down, the others come in behind us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Larry raises a hand towards the wall behind Sam. "There should be a master switch box on the wall there." Sure enough, there's a metal electrical box. Dean throws it open and flips up the first old-fashioned arm switches. Lights go on all over the big room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Look at this Dean." Sam's just manages to keep a lid on his excitement. "They've got ham radio, telegraph…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""We worked with a team of hunters when the occasion arose." Larry puts in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean flips the other switch and more lights come on. Sam and I hurry down the stairs, past a big table covered with a map and lit from underneath, up three more steps to a huge library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I grab Sam's arm and bounce up and down. This must be what gold rush miners felt like when they came upon a rich vein. "Holy shit! There must be hundreds of books I've never even seen!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean, now standing between the table and stairs, is grinning like the shelves are filled with whiskey and porn. "Sammy, I think we found the Bat cave."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"At first, it's like we're in Aladdin's cave of wonders. We dash from room to room exclaiming over the treasures we find, but afraid to touch anything. Besides the enormous library there are storerooms full of more information, magical objects, and ingredients. There are bedrooms, a big fancy bathroom, a big kitchen, and so much more. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Every time I get back to the library and reach for a book, Sam calls out, "B, you gotta come see this!" and I rush off to see what he's found. Or I'll be looking at a weird statue, wondering if touching it will turn me into a frog, when Dean shouts, "Sam, what the fuck is this thing?" and we're off to find out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I'm looking through a book with pictures that move ala Harry Potter newspapers, when I realize I'm alone and I haven't heard from either brother for a while. Setting the book back on the shelf and noting the room number – I've gotta start carrying a notepad – I step out into the hall and look around. The door to the right is open and so is one five doors down. Since it's next door, I turn right and find myself in an enormous linen closet. Floor to ceiling shelves contain sheets, towels, and pillowcases. I stroll to the end of a shelf and walk around it to find Sam looking through racks of clothing. Everything a well-dressed man of the fifties would wear is hanging in front of us. Shirts, pants, jackets, sweaters, shoes, ties, and dozens upon dozens of hats./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"When he sees me he grins, combs his hair back from his face, and slides on a grey fedora. He tilts his head and tries to dial down his smile into a grown-up expression instead of the little-boy grin that's been plastered across his face ever since the lights came on down here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Good evening Miss Crawford, are you enjoying your stay with the Men of Letters? Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" My heart honest-to-fuck flutters in my chest, and I'm beside him before I can take another breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Why no Mr. Winchester, but thank you for asking." I answer in a high-pitched breathy voice that I hope sounds sexy rather than ridiculous./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He chuckles as he pushes me against the racks and wraps one arm around my waist. "What's a beatnik dame like you doin' in a square joint like this?" I can't stifle a giggle, it's embarrassing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Looking for a flatfoot like you. I'm cursed and I need you to find out how to break it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I might be able to help with that. What's the nature of this curse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I seem to be obsessed with tall men who have pointy noses and look hot in old-fashioned hats."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You think my nose is pointy?" He scrunches it up and pinches the tip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sam, focus! Stay in character!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right, sorry." He shakes his head, trying to look serious. "I'm afraid that curse is unbreakable. You'll just have to live with it. Fortunately, there is a treatment that can make it more bearable."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I knew you could help me! What's the treatment?" Instead of answering he pushes his hat back and bends down to kiss me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean is pissed. Would it kill the universe to give him one night off? Just one night where he's in a safe place and he doesn't have to worry about any of the people he loves? He's been calling for Sam and B for the last twenty minutes without a reply and it's making him nuts. The whole game of exploration/tag had him trying to think of when he's had a better time, and honestly, he can't think of one. Even the fourth of July he and Sam blew a week's worth of pool hustle winnings on fireworks is only a close second. This time there's no worry about getting in trouble to mar the fun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He enters a hallway he's sure he's already been down twice and opens his mouth to call out to his brother, but stops when he sees one door open and extra light spilling out into the hall. When he finds an over-sized linen closet, he's getting ready to tear Sam a new one when he hears a giggle and a growl./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I don't…t-t-think this treat-um-treatment…Oh God Sam!...is helping my, Oh fuck, yes, right there! Ob-obsession."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"There's a deep, throaty chuckle that cures Dean's anger in an instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""We'll just have to keep trying then."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean rolls his eyes and steps back out of the room. In a voice he makes sound far away he calls out, "Sam! Sammy! B! Where the fuck are you guys?" He slips back into the room to the sound of panic and the rustling of clothes. When he rounds the end of the shelf there's Sam, his eyes wide, wearing only his boxers and a fedora. Behind his considerable bulk Dean can see flashes of limbs as B tries to get dressed in a hurry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean laughs harder than he's ever laughed in his whole life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"When Bobby and Mrs. S arrive a couple of days later I'm surprised at how well she takes Ganem's explanation of events. At the end of his story she reaches out and pats Margie's hand. I'd been watching the other woman waver between fear, jealousy, and anger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't imagine having to suddenly be head of household in the fifties." Mrs. S smiles and squeezes Margie's hand one more time before letting go./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Margie makes a noise best described as an angry sob, "I felt like I was drowning in a sea of pity where no one was willing to throw me a life preserver. I worked as a waitress and a maid until Larry's old friend at the college library gave me a job." She shakes her head. "Luckily, publishing stories about the war became popular. Larry's books made us solvent again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I would have walked in front of a bus without you, darling. We get by because of you." When he kisses her hand even Dean sheds a tear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"That night, Sam comes to bed reeking of whiskey, and amorous with it. He pushes my hair aside to kiss the back of my neck. I can't help giggling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Did you have fun drinking with the grown-ups tonight dear?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "Yep. Be glad you left. Two hours of some of the most terrifying stories anyone ever told is not most people's idea of a good time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I roll onto my back and slide one arm around his shoulder, and the other around his waist. "Wow. I bet there was a ton of 'Oh if you think strongthat/strong was gross…' wasn't there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Uh, yeah, for a librarian who claims not to be a hunter, Larry's seen some emawful/em shit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Really? Who would have guessed? Did someone win the contest?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Bobby did. Bobby always wins. Dean and I got close though."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'll bet. Two brothers left on their own by their dad? I'm amazed you survived to adulthood just from regular kid stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right. And I suppose you and your sister were little angels?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Ha! As if! One time we waited out a thunderstorm in an orchard together under a big umbrella."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam freezes, trying to use his genius-level intelligence while heavily impaired by hard liquor and desire. "Wait. An umbrella? With, like a metal shaft?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah. Hell of a storm too. Thunder, lightning, hail even."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You do realize…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Totally. We figured it out right as the hail began to fall. Shrugged and figured it was too late to do anything about it." Before he can comment I switch to another story. "Then there was that time we blew up worms from mom's garden."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You…What? Why!?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Well, because we had firecrackers and we'd already pretty much destroyed the sandbox and put a big dent in the woodpile. Instead of using pesticide she made us pick the bugs off the plants. These big black and green striped worms live on tomato plants. They look like aliens from the movie. We figured they were evil. It was pretty anticlimactic. All it did was char them a bit. It only got really entertaining when Tricia dropped a brick on the thing, and it pulled the skin off it instantly. Unsurprisingly, the inside of a big green worm is…green." He looks grossed out until he sees me grin. Then he roars laughter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"We spend the week before Christmas working from the crack of dawn until late at night trying to get a handle on the breadth of knowledge contained within the bunker./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""What the fuck!?" Dean says for the fifth time in an hour. "Why are eyewitness accounts of the second crusade catalogued with firsthand accounts of the Mongol invasions? They're separated by thousands of miles and 200 plus years! And it sure as hell wasn't the same person who wrote the stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Mrs. S, curled up in a wing chair working her way through a stack of green leather-bound books answers, "Everything in here is filed by type of magic. Unfortunately, it seems that every man of letters categorized types of magic differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""So we're looking for a needle in a stack of needles?" Sam asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Much more complicated. We're looking for copper needles coated with silver, disguised to look like stainless steel, stacked with iron needles disguised to look like stainless steel, but only on Wednesday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam, Dean, and I exchange a look of horror. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Bobby chuckles, "We're still better off than we were a week ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Really Bobby? How is that? It's starting to feel like we're in that warehouse at the end of Raiders." Dean looks a little wild around the eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Last week we didn't know we were looking for a needle, and we didn't know there was a stack of needles to look through."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You mean a week ago you were just going through the motions for my benefit?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Pretty much. I'd been through every resource I had, and I had every contact I knew out looking for more. Honestly, I'd started preparing myself to keep Sam from throwing himself off a bridge because I was certain you were gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I would never!" Sam declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""No, you'd just go solo on hunts that would normally need a squad to take them down until something tore your head off." Dean answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Everyone goes silent. The brothers stare at each other. Sam's jaw works back and forth while his eyes snap in fury. Dean's face shows nothing but mild interest. I look away and try to concentrate on the files in front of me. When I look up a couple of minutes later the guys have gone back to their work. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I lay my hand on the table near Sam, and he grabs it and hangs on as though it's a lifeline. I wish Dean would walk over so I could hold his hand too./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I stand up a few hours later and stretch up on my toes. "Ok, my butt's going numb and I'm hungry. Anyone else? I'll make soup and sandwiches."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That sounds just the thing," Mrs. S stands and presses her hands against the small of her back, "I'll assist you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean closes the file he's looking at and follows us, pausing to clap Sam on the shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's a mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam lurches to his feet, seizes Dean by the upper arms, and shoves him back against the bookcases. "Where do you get off judging me for what I'd do with you gone?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sammy what-?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Shut up! You knew strongEXACTLY/strong how it felt when Dad made that deal to save you! You were a fuckin' wreck! It took six months before I could leave you alone and not spend every minute you were gone terrified that the next time I saw you it would be on a slab! I'm 24 years old Dean, and I have actual, real gray hair!" Sam swallows, blinks, and the first tears run down his cheeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""So yeah, you're right. I'm guessing two, maybe three months before something got me. And then you know what would have happened? I'd have gone to heaven, because that's where I went when Jake knifed me back in Cold Oak. And that would be it. You'd be in hell, and I'd be in Heaven, and we'd never see each other strongEVER/strong again!" Sam's face crumples and he buries his forehead against Dean's shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I want to go to them, but I know I can't. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Tears are running down Dean's cheeks too. Sam sobs quietly, but Dean doesn't make a sound. I start to move towards them, but Mrs. S catches my arm, and Bobby joins us, gesturing with his chin to the kitchen. We leave the brothers; they've got to work through this by themselves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Just as the soup is ready, the guys walk into the kitchen. Dean goes to the fridge while Sam comes to me and draws me in against his chest. Both of them have red eyes and Dean's face is a little splotchy, but they both look calmer and more settled than I can remember. I squeeze Sam back, and then go to Dean and hug him too. To my surprise, what I thought was going to be a quick tightening of his arms lasts for several minutes. Before he lets me go he whispers thank you in my ear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I love you too Dean." I whisper back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam wakes alone in bed early Christmas morning. He rolls to look at the clock, and stares at the numbers that say it's four am. B has never gotten up at this hour, so Sam slides on his sneakers, and pulls a hoodie on over his tee (because magical or not, it's emfucking cold /emliving underground). He shuffles down the hall, but doesn't hear anyone else until he reaches the library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore Dean Winchester, the damn stuffing is going strongIN/strong the bird!" He hears B hiss in an angry whisper./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Fine, then I guess I'll go get Chinese food for those of us who don't want to strongdie/strong of ptomaine poisoning!" Dean growls back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I have made or helped make, more than 20 turkeys over my life, and every single one of them was cooked with stuffing in the fucking turkey!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Then why do all the cooking shows say not to?" Dean demands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Because those idiots don't want to get sued! Stupid people watch those shows and they don't follow the directions well enough to get the turkey properly cooked, much less the stuffing hot enough." B hisses back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""And if you do, the meat is dry as the Sahara."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Every turkey I've cooked has been tender and full of juice with properly heated stuffing. I get rave reviews from my picky family who have no problem blasting you when you screw up! My mashed potatoes have no lumps, people write poetry about my gravy, and my carrots are perfection."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam peaks around the corner. Dean and B are almost nose to nose, both wearing pajamas, aprons, and twin expressions of disgruntlement. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I strongcan/strong cook you know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah you can, we've been eating your ambrosia for more than ten days! You just watch videos and cook stuff I've never even considered, and it comes out amazing! Why do you want to cook something as plain as turkey?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam bites his lip to hold in the laughter as Dean's face shifts from irritation to surprise to smug to sheepish. "It's like, kinda, sorta, a, ya'know, bucket list thing." He mutters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"B's face goes soft with sympathy. "Oh. Well, ok, we'll get another one and you can cook it for New Year's. You can cook it with any spice and any kind of stuffing, or not, that you want."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Different spices?" Dean asks, and suddenly looks intrigued./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Is that why you two are up at this insane hour?" Sam decides he's heard enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"To his surprise, B's eyes light up at the sight of him. "Yes, exactly, and I need more help." She points him to the table where a big foil pan and a heavy roaster sit next to a spray can of Pam. "Take these outside and spray the insides so you get a nice, even coating, including the rack inside the roaster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right now? Why not in here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That spray lingers, and it's not pleasant. Hurry, we'll need both of them in a couple of minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam grumbles and goes off to fulfill his task while B directs Dean in stuffing the bird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"The five of us ring in the New Year with champagne, Dean's spicy turkey surprise, and what seems like a metric ton of party favors. I doubt the bunker will ever be confetti free. At midnight I get a kiss from Bobby, and then one from Dean. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He smiles down at me, "I shoulda gone with him to the library. Biggest mistake of my life B."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I'm surprised to feel a tiny twinge of regret, but it fades in an instant. "Well, you shouldn't have done such a good job raising him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "So it's my fault?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yep. You spent all that time teaching him to be such a gentleman, I don't know why you're surprised someone appreciates it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam walks up then. "Alright, that's enough trying to steal my girl."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean gives me a last squeeze, then turns, but instead of walking away, hugs Sam. "Happy New Year Sammy!" When Sam presses his cheek to Dean's shoulder my heart tries to duplicate the Grinches'. Then Dean releases him and smiles at the two of us, his eyes bright./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""At last!" Sam says. He seizes me, lifts me, and rests my butt on the top edge of a chair in the War room. This puts us level with each other. He grins and keeping one arm around me, cups my face with his other hand and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He kisses like he's conducting an orchestra; while lips, tongue, and teeth do their thing his hands caress and stroke in just the right way. He presses his chest against mine and pushes one leg between mine to stroke against my core. When he lets me up for air I cling to him to keep from falling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Damn. I don't need alcohol; you get me drunk quite nicely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He chuckles deep in his throat. "Happy New Year Baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"After a kiss like that I feel the need for some space. It's cold enough when I get outside that I'm glad I pulled on a hat, and I thrust my mitten-clad hands into my pockets. When I look up, I forget the cold. We're several miles outside a small town, and the light over the door is small and dim. The sky gleams with the light of a thousand diamonds set in black velvet. I can even see the faint web of light that makes up the Milky Way. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's overwhelming. Not just the beauty on display, but the happiness bubbling through me. He's going to say it tonight. He's going to tell me he loves me, and I'm going to say it back. The whole thing terrifies me, but he's worth it. For a moment I even let myself imagine our life going forward; how we'll work together, maybe there will be a little girl or boy with Sam's pointy nose and beautiful eyes. How Dean will be the world's greatest uncle, and we'll keep our wonderful little family safe in this place…I hug myself enjoying that shining moment of Joy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wow, that really does sound awesome." Says a voice behind me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I spin around and gasp, nearly tripping over my feat with the shock. "Who the fuck are you?" I ask the man standing there. He's an inch or so shorter than me, with curly brown hair and a short brown beard, and deep, gentle eyes. "You scared the hell out of me! Are you another God-damned demon?" I growl the last out, trying to hide the next burst of fear, because I'm unarmed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Nope, about as far away from a demon as you can possibly get. I'm God. You can call me Chuck, the guys do, or they will, we haven't met yet, and they won't know I'm God for a while."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait…God? You can't be, that's not possible."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Why not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Well, scientifically, God can't exist. Even an infinitely complex being couldn't produce everything in the world…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You accept that monsters and ghosts and demons exist, but not a creator? That's a little weird isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Yes, I'm living a logical fallacy, sue me. "Ok, you're right, you exist. I've argued with Lilith twice and she exists, so God must exist, what I meant was that you can't be here with me. I'm nobody. I'm a smart mouth librarian."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "Oh B! See this is why I let the story get so far off the rails. You are so much more than 'just a librarian'! As you say, you stood up to Lilith – twice! You somehow love both Sam and Dean almost equally but in completely different ways. I've always thought adding a girlfriend would detract from the brotherly dynamic, but you enhance it, so bravo!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I founder, having no idea what he's saying. "Ok, um, cool. Thanks, I, uh, try to do my best."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh no thanks necessary, although it's nice to be appreciated. I get thanks in prayers, but they usually proceed a request. That's another thing I like about you. Your prayers are always straightforward and only come after you've tried to handle the issue on your own."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah, that's the whole being a grown-up thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You'd be surprised how few people ever get that. Which is why it pains me to have to put a stop to all of this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Frost creeps over my heart. "All of what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He sighs, leans back against the railing, and folds his arms. I notice that he's wearing no more than a white button up oxford, jeans, and sneakers. Although he appears to be breathing, I can't see his breath in the air. This is really odd, I thought schizophrenia was inherited. My sanity starts to tap dance off into the Milky Way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He opens his mouth to speak, but then tilts his head, frowns, and reaches out and touches my cheek with the tips of his fingers. The feeling like I'm coming apart fades./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""What, what did you just do there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""The human mind is similar to a Swiss watch in that it is a complex mechanism. If one of its systems stops working it can break down really fast. You were trying to think about too many complicated ideas at the same time, and you're afraid of me. That combination can derail the human brain. I wiped your fear and slowed your thought processes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Thanks, I like my sanity right where it is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You're welcome. I've been pretty hands off for a couple of millennia, so I'm a little out of practice. I'm afraid I can't let the thing with you and the Winchesters keep going. It's going to fuck up the entire apocalypse and I can't have that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""The apocalypse? Like the actual end of days? How could someone like me have any effect on that?" Then two thoughts occur. "Wait, why would it be a bad thing to stop the end of the world, and did you just swear?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Re-read your ten commandments, B. I only said not to take strongmy/strong name in vain. I never said anything about other swearing." He shrugs. "As for the apocalypse, yeah, it has to happen. Or at least, we've got to work up to it. I'll give Sam and Dean a chance to stop it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""They'll need me for that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You'd be very helpful as far as research goes, but it's going to totally screw Sam up if you die. If you manage to stay alive, he won't be willing to do what he has to to stop the cycle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"My heart whimpers. This is why Juliet stabbed herself. "You mean the bullshit about Sam being Satan's vessel? Damn right I'm going to stop that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck shakes his head. "B. Let me ask you something. Do you believe that Sam is a good person?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Of course! He's a hero! They both are!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""And is he strong? Mentally? Morally?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Without question."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck smiles. "I agree. So do you think, that if there's anyone who could fight Lucifer and win, it would be Sam?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""But-" I shake my head in confusion, "How would Sam fight Lucifer? I thought Dean was supposed to do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Dean is supposed to be Michael's vessel, true, but the real fight isn't out here in the world, it's up here." He taps his temple and gives me a faint smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's tough to think with the panic washing through my body, but I concentrate and try to understand what he's telling me. How would Sam fight…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sam accepts Lucifer and then gains control? Cages Lucifer inside himself?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yes, exactly!" He grins and leaps forward, clasping my hands. I'm shocked as a wave of love washes over me. "You are magnificent! This is why I love humans. You're my greatest creation." I can tell he wants to pat me on the head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""It wasn't that great of a leap, you all but told me what's going to happen." And then the next realization hits me and all the strength in my limbs vanishes. I find myself on my knees, trying not to pass out. Chuck kneels beside me, but I hold up a hand to stop him touching me. "The seals are going to break. Lucifer's going to get out of his cage, but I know that only an archangel blade or you or Michael can kill him. That leaves putting him back in his cage. He'll never go willingly, so the only way to put him back would be for Sam to-to." I look up at him, begging with my eyes to be wrong. When he doesn't comment I'm forced to continue. I whisper the end of my sentence. "For Sam to...carry him back in there." I don't realize I'm crying until I taste the saltwater running into the corner of my mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck kneels beside me. "I'm sorry B. It's the only way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""No it's not! You're God! You could stop it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""If I did, it would only be for a while. I'd have to kill Michael and Raphael because they would never accept it. Every demon would rise up and work together to rip the cage open." He grimaces, "I love the three of you and I would spare you this pain if I could." He takes my hands and helps me stand. "I promise, you won't remember any of this. You'll go on and have a happy and successful life." He reaches out to put two fingers on my forehead, but I jump back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait! If I never meet the guys, does that mean Dean goes to hell? They never find this place? Dean breaks the first seal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That's how it goes in the original story."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Please don't do that! Please? I'm begging you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""B, I can't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You just said you loved me. Please…Father, find another way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"The fond, pitying look he turns on me pisses me off. And then I remember what Lilith said about him…"How about you, uh, ret-con me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""How about I – what like in Avengers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah, or just make me forget." I'm screaming and raging on the inside, but I know I've got to keep something like calm in my face. "Make us all forget. I won't fight it. Just don't send Dean to hell, please?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck is pacing back and forth. "Ok, that's a great idea. You forget, everyone forgets you. Helena will talk Lilith down, yadda, yadda, yadda…" He turns his gaze back to me. "Actually, this is going to work out way better because I can bring you into the story again when I need to!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"My heart skips a beat. "W-w-will you really do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Probably. I can see a couple of moments where it will be a perfect to bring you in to save the day." He stops pacing and gives me a sad, sympathetic smile. "I am so, so sorry about this. I promise, I will bring you back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait, I, wait, I'm sorry, can I make one more request?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sure, if I can manage it, I'll do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Bring Sam back from the cage? I know it's a lot to ask, and I know he'll be…damaged…but don't condemn him to eternity in the cage, please?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh! Not a problem. I was always going to bring him back." He rubs his hand over his beard, "I'll even do you one better. He'll only be in hell for a couple of weeks, and I'll protect him while he's there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Thank you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Hey, it's the least I could do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I look over at the door. Sam is behind that door. The handle starts to turn as Chuck's fingers touch my forehead. I turn my eyes to the stars./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Here's the key Mr. Ganem." Sam says. "Do you want help to the door?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Margie will get me to the door, thank you. One of you boys should be the one to open the door since we're not going to wait for Helena."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Ever-generous Dean smiles, "Do it Sammy, we'll follow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam looks at the sky. I can see he's trying not to tear up. Then he takes my hand and heads for the door. Dean and Margie each take one of Larry's arms and guide him behind us. When Sam turns the key the door opens with a heavy metallic clank. He holds me back for a moment in case of dead air escaping, then we turn on our flashlights and step inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh my fucking God." Sam whispers. We're at the top of a black iron spiral staircase that climbs along one wall of a two-story round room. As I shine the light down, the others come in behind us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Larry raises a hand towards the wall behind Sam. "There should be a master switch box on the wall there." Sure enough, there's a metal electrical box. Dean throws it open and flips up the first old-fashioned arm switches. Lights go on all over the big room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Look at this Dean." Sam's just manages to keep a lid on his excitement. "They've got ham radio, telegraph…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""We worked with a team of hunters when the occasion arose." Larry puts in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean flips the other switch and more lights come on. Sam and I hurry down the stairs, past a big table covered with a map and lit from underneath, up three more steps to a huge library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I grab Sam's arm and bounce up and down. This must be what gold rush miners felt like when they came upon a rich vein. "Holy shit! There must be hundreds of books I've never even seen!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean, now standing between the table and stairs, is grinning like the shelves are filled with whiskey and porn. "Sammy, I think we found the Bat cave."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"At first, it's like we're in Aladdin's cave of wonders. We dash from room to room exclaiming over the treasures we find, but afraid to touch anything. Besides the enormous library there are storerooms full of more information, magical objects, and ingredients. There are bedrooms, a big fancy bathroom, a big kitchen, and so much more. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Every time I get back to the library and reach for a book, Sam calls out, "B, you gotta come see this!" and I rush off to see what he's found. Or I'll be looking at a weird statue, wondering if touching it will turn me into a frog, when Dean shouts, "Sam, what the fuck is this thing?" and we're off to find out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I'm looking through a book with pictures that move ala Harry Potter newspapers, when I realize I'm alone and I haven't heard from either brother for a while. Setting the book back on the shelf and noting the room number – I've gotta start carrying a notepad – I step out into the hall and look around. The door to the right is open and so is one five doors down. Since it's next door, I turn right and find myself in an enormous linen closet. Floor to ceiling shelves contain sheets, towels, and pillowcases. I stroll to the end of a shelf and walk around it to find Sam looking through racks of clothing. Everything a well-dressed man of the fifties would wear is hanging in front of us. Shirts, pants, jackets, sweaters, shoes, ties, and dozens upon dozens of hats./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"When he sees me he grins, combs his hair back from his face, and slides on a grey fedora. He tilts his head and tries to dial down his smile into a grown-up expression instead of the little-boy grin that's been plastered across his face ever since the lights came on down here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Good evening Miss Crawford, are you enjoying your stay with the Men of Letters? Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" My heart honest-to-fuck flutters in my chest, and I'm beside him before I can take another breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Why no Mr. Winchester, but thank you for asking." I answer in a high-pitched breathy voice that I hope sounds sexy rather than ridiculous./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He chuckles as he pushes me against the racks and wraps one arm around my waist. "What's a beatnik dame like you doin' in a square joint like this?" I can't stifle a giggle, it's embarrassing. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Looking for a flatfoot like you. I'm cursed and I need you to find out how to break it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I might be able to help with that. What's the nature of this curse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I seem to be obsessed with tall men who have pointy noses and look hot in old-fashioned hats."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You think my nose is pointy?" He scrunches it up and pinches the tip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sam, focus! Stay in character!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right, sorry." He shakes his head, trying to look serious. "I'm afraid that curse is unbreakable. You'll just have to live with it. Fortunately, there is a treatment that can make it more bearable."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I knew you could help me! What's the treatment?" Instead of answering he pushes his hat back and bends down to kiss me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean is pissed. Would it kill the universe to give him one night off? Just one night where he's in a safe place and he doesn't have to worry about any of the people he loves? He's been calling for Sam and B for the last twenty minutes without a reply and it's making him nuts. The whole game of exploration/tag had him trying to think of when he's had a better time, and honestly, he can't think of one. Even the fourth of July he and Sam blew a week's worth of pool hustle winnings on fireworks is only a close second. This time there's no worry about getting in trouble to mar the fun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He enters a hallway he's sure he's already been down twice and opens his mouth to call out to his brother, but stops when he sees one door open and extra light spilling out into the hall. When he finds an over-sized linen closet, he's getting ready to tear Sam a new one when he hears a giggle and a growl./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I don't…t-t-think this treat-um-treatment…Oh God Sam!...is helping my, Oh fuck, yes, right there! Ob-obsession."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"There's a deep, throaty chuckle that cures Dean's anger in an instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""We'll just have to keep trying then."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean rolls his eyes and steps back out of the room. In a voice he makes sound far away he calls out, "Sam! Sammy! B! Where the fuck are you guys?" He slips back into the room to the sound of panic and the rustling of clothes. When he rounds the end of the shelf there's Sam, his eyes wide, wearing only his boxers and a fedora. Behind his considerable bulk Dean can see flashes of limbs as B tries to get dressed in a hurry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean laughs harder than he's ever laughed in his whole life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"When Bobby and Mrs. S arrive a couple of days later I'm surprised at how well she takes Ganem's explanation of events. At the end of his story she reaches out and pats Margie's hand. I'd been watching the other woman waver between fear, jealousy, and anger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't imagine having to suddenly be head of household in the fifties." Mrs. S smiles and squeezes Margie's hand one more time before letting go./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Margie makes a noise best described as an angry sob, "I felt like I was drowning in a sea of pity where no one was willing to throw me a life preserver. I worked as a waitress and a maid until Larry's old friend at the college library gave me a job." She shakes her head. "Luckily, publishing stories about the war became popular. Larry's books made us solvent again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I would have walked in front of a bus without you, darling. We get by because of you." When he kisses her hand even Dean sheds a tear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"That night, Sam comes to bed reeking of whiskey, and amorous with it. He pushes my hair aside to kiss the back of my neck. I can't help giggling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Did you have fun drinking with the grown-ups tonight dear?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "Yep. Be glad you left. Two hours of some of the most terrifying stories anyone ever told is not most people's idea of a good time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I roll onto my back and slide one arm around his shoulder, and the other around his waist. "Wow. I bet there was a ton of 'Oh if you think strongthat/strong was gross…' wasn't there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Uh, yeah, for a librarian who claims not to be a hunter, Larry's seen some emawful/em shit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Really? Who would have guessed? Did someone win the contest?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Bobby did. Bobby always wins. Dean and I got close though."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'll bet. Two brothers left on their own by their dad? I'm amazed you survived to adulthood just from regular kid stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right. And I suppose you and your sister were little angels?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Ha! As if! One time we waited out a thunderstorm in an orchard together under a big umbrella."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam freezes, trying to use his genius-level intelligence while heavily impaired by hard liquor and desire. "Wait. An umbrella? With, like a metal shaft?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah. Hell of a storm too. Thunder, lightning, hail even."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You do realize…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Totally. We figured it out right as the hail began to fall. Shrugged and figured it was too late to do anything about it." Before he can comment I switch to another story. "Then there was that time we blew up worms from mom's garden."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You…What? Why!?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Well, because we had firecrackers and we'd already pretty much destroyed the sandbox and put a big dent in the woodpile. Instead of using pesticide she made us pick the bugs off the plants. These big black and green striped worms live on tomato plants. They look like aliens from the movie. We figured they were evil. It was pretty anticlimactic. All it did was char them a bit. It only got really entertaining when Tricia dropped a brick on the thing, and it pulled the skin off it instantly. Unsurprisingly, the inside of a big green worm is…green." He looks grossed out until he sees me grin. Then he roars laughter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"We spend the week before Christmas working from the crack of dawn until late at night trying to get a handle on the breadth of knowledge contained within the bunker./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""What the fuck!?" Dean says for the fifth time in an hour. "Why are eyewitness accounts of the second crusade catalogued with firsthand accounts of the Mongol invasions? They're separated by thousands of miles and 200 plus years! And it sure as hell wasn't the same person who wrote the stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Mrs. S, curled up in a wing chair working her way through a stack of green leather-bound books answers, "Everything in here is filed by type of magic. Unfortunately, it seems that every man of letters categorized types of magic differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""So we're looking for a needle in a stack of needles?" Sam asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Much more complicated. We're looking for copper needles coated with silver, disguised to look like stainless steel, stacked with iron needles disguised to look like stainless steel, but only on Wednesday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam, Dean, and I exchange a look of horror. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Bobby chuckles, "We're still better off than we were a week ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Really Bobby? How is that? It's starting to feel like we're in that warehouse at the end of Raiders." Dean looks a little wild around the eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Last week we didn't know we were looking for a needle, and we didn't know there was a stack of needles to look through."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You mean a week ago you were just going through the motions for my benefit?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Pretty much. I'd been through every resource I had, and I had every contact I knew out looking for more. Honestly, I'd started preparing myself to keep Sam from throwing himself off a bridge because I was certain you were gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I would never!" Sam declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""No, you'd just go solo on hunts that would normally need a squad to take them down until something tore your head off." Dean answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Everyone goes silent. The brothers stare at each other. Sam's jaw works back and forth while his eyes snap in fury. Dean's face shows nothing but mild interest. I look away and try to concentrate on the files in front of me. When I look up a couple of minutes later the guys have gone back to their work. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I lay my hand on the table near Sam, and he grabs it and hangs on as though it's a lifeline. I wish Dean would walk over so I could hold his hand too./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I stand up a few hours later and stretch up on my toes. "Ok, my butt's going numb and I'm hungry. Anyone else? I'll make soup and sandwiches."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That sounds just the thing," Mrs. S stands and presses her hands against the small of her back, "I'll assist you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean closes the file he's looking at and follows us, pausing to clap Sam on the shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's a mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam lurches to his feet, seizes Dean by the upper arms, and shoves him back against the bookcases. "Where do you get off judging me for what I'd do with you gone?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sammy what-?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Shut up! You knew strongEXACTLY/strong how it felt when Dad made that deal to save you! You were a fuckin' wreck! It took six months before I could leave you alone and not spend every minute you were gone terrified that the next time I saw you it would be on a slab! I'm 24 years old Dean, and I have actual, real gray hair!" Sam swallows, blinks, and the first tears run down his cheeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""So yeah, you're right. I'm guessing two, maybe three months before something got me. And then you know what would have happened? I'd have gone to heaven, because that's where I went when Jake knifed me back in Cold Oak. And that would be it. You'd be in hell, and I'd be in Heaven, and we'd never see each other strongEVER/strong again!" Sam's face crumples and he buries his forehead against Dean's shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I want to go to them, but I know I can't. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Tears are running down Dean's cheeks too. Sam sobs quietly, but Dean doesn't make a sound. I start to move towards them, but Mrs. S catches my arm, and Bobby joins us, gesturing with his chin to the kitchen. We leave the brothers; they've got to work through this by themselves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Just as the soup is ready, the guys walk into the kitchen. Dean goes to the fridge while Sam comes to me and draws me in against his chest. Both of them have red eyes and Dean's face is a little splotchy, but they both look calmer and more settled than I can remember. I squeeze Sam back, and then go to Dean and hug him too. To my surprise, what I thought was going to be a quick tightening of his arms lasts for several minutes. Before he lets me go he whispers thank you in my ear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I love you too Dean." I whisper back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam wakes alone in bed early Christmas morning. He rolls to look at the clock, and stares at the numbers that say it's four am. B has never gotten up at this hour, so Sam slides on his sneakers, and pulls a hoodie on over his tee (because magical or not, it's emfucking cold /emliving underground). He shuffles down the hall, but doesn't hear anyone else until he reaches the library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore Dean Winchester, the damn stuffing is going strongIN/strong the bird!" He hears B hiss in an angry whisper./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Fine, then I guess I'll go get Chinese food for those of us who don't want to strongdie/strong of ptomaine poisoning!" Dean growls back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I have made or helped make, more than 20 turkeys over my life, and every single one of them was cooked with stuffing in the fucking turkey!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Then why do all the cooking shows say not to?" Dean demands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Because those idiots don't want to get sued! Stupid people watch those shows and they don't follow the directions well enough to get the turkey properly cooked, much less the stuffing hot enough." B hisses back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""And if you do, the meat is dry as the Sahara."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Every turkey I've cooked has been tender and full of juice with properly heated stuffing. I get rave reviews from my picky family who have no problem blasting you when you screw up! My mashed potatoes have no lumps, people write poetry about my gravy, and my carrots are perfection."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam peaks around the corner. Dean and B are almost nose to nose, both wearing pajamas, aprons, and twin expressions of disgruntlement. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""I strongcan/strong cook you know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah you can, we've been eating your ambrosia for more than ten days! You just watch videos and cook stuff I've never even considered, and it comes out amazing! Why do you want to cook something as plain as turkey?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam bites his lip to hold in the laughter as Dean's face shifts from irritation to surprise to smug to sheepish. "It's like, kinda, sorta, a, ya'know, bucket list thing." He mutters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"B's face goes soft with sympathy. "Oh. Well, ok, we'll get another one and you can cook it for New Year's. You can cook it with any spice and any kind of stuffing, or not, that you want."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Different spices?" Dean asks, and suddenly looks intrigued./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Is that why you two are up at this insane hour?" Sam decides he's heard enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"To his surprise, B's eyes light up at the sight of him. "Yes, exactly, and I need more help." She points him to the table where a big foil pan and a heavy roaster sit next to a spray can of Pam. "Take these outside and spray the insides so you get a nice, even coating, including the rack inside the roaster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Right now? Why not in here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That spray lingers, and it's not pleasant. Hurry, we'll need both of them in a couple of minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam grumbles and goes off to fulfill his task while B directs Dean in stuffing the bird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"The five of us ring in the New Year with champagne, Dean's spicy turkey surprise, and what seems like a metric ton of party favors. I doubt the bunker will ever be confetti free. At midnight I get a kiss from Bobby, and then one from Dean. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He smiles down at me, "I shoulda gone with him to the library. Biggest mistake of my life B."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I'm surprised to feel a tiny twinge of regret, but it fades in an instant. "Well, you shouldn't have done such a good job raising him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "So it's my fault?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yep. You spent all that time teaching him to be such a gentleman, I don't know why you're surprised someone appreciates it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Sam walks up then. "Alright, that's enough trying to steal my girl."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Dean gives me a last squeeze, then turns, but instead of walking away, hugs Sam. "Happy New Year Sammy!" When Sam presses his cheek to Dean's shoulder my heart tries to duplicate the Grinches'. Then Dean releases him and smiles at the two of us, his eyes bright./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""At last!" Sam says. He seizes me, lifts me, and rests my butt on the top edge of a chair in the War room. This puts us level with each other. He grins and keeping one arm around me, cups my face with his other hand and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He kisses like he's conducting an orchestra; while lips, tongue, and teeth do their thing his hands caress and stroke in just the right way. He presses his chest against mine and pushes one leg between mine to stroke against my core. When he lets me up for air I cling to him to keep from falling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Damn. I don't need alcohol; you get me drunk quite nicely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He chuckles deep in his throat. "Happy New Year Baby."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="width: 269.45pt;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="359" /div
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"After a kiss like that I feel the need for some space. It's cold enough when I get outside that I'm glad I pulled on a hat, and I thrust my mitten-clad hands into my pockets. When I look up, I forget the cold. We're several miles outside a small town, and the light over the door is small and dim. The sky gleams with the light of a thousand diamonds set in black velvet. I can even see the faint web of light that makes up the Milky Way. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's overwhelming. Not just the beauty on display, but the happiness bubbling through me. He's going to say it tonight. He's going to tell me he loves me, and I'm going to say it back. The whole thing terrifies me, but he's worth it. For a moment I even let myself imagine our life going forward; how we'll work together, maybe there will be a little girl or boy with Sam's pointy nose and beautiful eyes. How Dean will be the world's greatest uncle, and we'll keep our wonderful little family safe in this place…I hug myself enjoying that shining moment of Joy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wow, that really does sound awesome." Says a voice behind me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I spin around and gasp, nearly tripping over my feat with the shock. "Who the fuck are you?" I ask the man standing there. He's an inch or so shorter than me, with curly brown hair and a short brown beard, and deep, gentle eyes. "You scared the hell out of me! Are you another God-damned demon?" I growl the last out, trying to hide the next burst of fear, because I'm unarmed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Nope, about as far away from a demon as you can possibly get. I'm God. You can call me Chuck, the guys do, or they will, we haven't met yet, and they won't know I'm God for a while."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait…God? You can't be, that's not possible."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Why not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Well, scientifically, God can't exist. Even an infinitely complex being couldn't produce everything in the world…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You accept that monsters and ghosts and demons exist, but not a creator? That's a little weird isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Yes, I'm living a logical fallacy, sue me. "Ok, you're right, you exist. I've argued with Lilith twice and she exists, so God must exist, what I meant was that you can't be here with me. I'm nobody. I'm a smart mouth librarian."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He laughs, "Oh B! See this is why I let the story get so far off the rails. You are so much more than 'just a librarian'! As you say, you stood up to Lilith – twice! You somehow love both Sam and Dean almost equally but in completely different ways. I've always thought adding a girlfriend would detract from the brotherly dynamic, but you enhance it, so bravo!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I founder, having no idea what he's saying. "Ok, um, cool. Thanks, I, uh, try to do my best."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh no thanks necessary, although it's nice to be appreciated. I get thanks in prayers, but they usually proceed a request. That's another thing I like about you. Your prayers are always straightforward and only come after you've tried to handle the issue on your own."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah, that's the whole being a grown-up thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You'd be surprised how few people ever get that. Which is why it pains me to have to put a stop to all of this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Frost creeps over my heart. "All of what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He sighs, leans back against the railing, and folds his arms. I notice that he's wearing no more than a white button up oxford, jeans, and sneakers. Although he appears to be breathing, I can't see his breath in the air. This is really odd, I thought schizophrenia was inherited. My sanity starts to tap dance off into the Milky Way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"He opens his mouth to speak, but then tilts his head, frowns, and reaches out and touches my cheek with the tips of his fingers. The feeling like I'm coming apart fades./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""What, what did you just do there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""The human mind is similar to a Swiss watch in that it is a complex mechanism. If one of its systems stops working it can break down really fast. You were trying to think about too many complicated ideas at the same time, and you're afraid of me. That combination can derail the human brain. I wiped your fear and slowed your thought processes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Thanks, I like my sanity right where it is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You're welcome. I've been pretty hands off for a couple of millennia, so I'm a little out of practice. I'm afraid I can't let the thing with you and the Winchesters keep going. It's going to fuck up the entire apocalypse and I can't have that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""The apocalypse? Like the actual end of days? How could someone like me have any effect on that?" Then two thoughts occur. "Wait, why would it be a bad thing to stop the end of the world, and did you just swear?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Re-read your ten commandments, B. I only said not to take strongmy/strong name in vain. I never said anything about other swearing." He shrugs. "As for the apocalypse, yeah, it has to happen. Or at least, we've got to work up to it. I'll give Sam and Dean a chance to stop it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""They'll need me for that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You'd be very helpful as far as research goes, but it's going to totally screw Sam up if you die. If you manage to stay alive, he won't be willing to do what he has to to stop the cycle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"My heart whimpers. This is why Juliet stabbed herself. "You mean the bullshit about Sam being Satan's vessel? Damn right I'm going to stop that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck shakes his head. "B. Let me ask you something. Do you believe that Sam is a good person?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Of course! He's a hero! They both are!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""And is he strong? Mentally? Morally?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Without question."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck smiles. "I agree. So do you think, that if there's anyone who could fight Lucifer and win, it would be Sam?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""But-" I shake my head in confusion, "How would Sam fight Lucifer? I thought Dean was supposed to do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Dean is supposed to be Michael's vessel, true, but the real fight isn't out here in the world, it's up here." He taps his temple and gives me a faint smile./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"It's tough to think with the panic washing through my body, but I concentrate and try to understand what he's telling me. How would Sam fight…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sam accepts Lucifer and then gains control? Cages Lucifer inside himself?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yes, exactly!" He grins and leaps forward, clasping my hands. I'm shocked as a wave of love washes over me. "You are magnificent! This is why I love humans. You're my greatest creation." I can tell he wants to pat me on the head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""It wasn't that great of a leap, you all but told me what's going to happen." And then the next realization hits me and all the strength in my limbs vanishes. I find myself on my knees, trying not to pass out. Chuck kneels beside me, but I hold up a hand to stop him touching me. "The seals are going to break. Lucifer's going to get out of his cage, but I know that only an archangel blade or you or Michael can kill him. That leaves putting him back in his cage. He'll never go willingly, so the only way to put him back would be for Sam to-to." I look up at him, begging with my eyes to be wrong. When he doesn't comment I'm forced to continue. I whisper the end of my sentence. "For Sam to...carry him back in there." I don't realize I'm crying until I taste the saltwater running into the corner of my mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck kneels beside me. "I'm sorry B. It's the only way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""No it's not! You're God! You could stop it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""If I did, it would only be for a while. I'd have to kill Michael and Raphael because they would never accept it. Every demon would rise up and work together to rip the cage open." He grimaces, "I love the three of you and I would spare you this pain if I could." He takes my hands and helps me stand. "I promise, you won't remember any of this. You'll go on and have a happy and successful life." He reaches out to put two fingers on my forehead, but I jump back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait! If I never meet the guys, does that mean Dean goes to hell? They never find this place? Dean breaks the first seal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""That's how it goes in the original story."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Please don't do that! Please? I'm begging you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""B, I can't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""You just said you loved me. Please…Father, find another way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"The fond, pitying look he turns on me pisses me off. And then I remember what Lilith said about him…"How about you, uh, ret-con me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""How about I – what like in Avengers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Yeah, or just make me forget." I'm screaming and raging on the inside, but I know I've got to keep something like calm in my face. "Make us all forget. I won't fight it. Just don't send Dean to hell, please?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"Chuck is pacing back and forth. "Ok, that's a great idea. You forget, everyone forgets you. Helena will talk Lilith down, yadda, yadda, yadda…" He turns his gaze back to me. "Actually, this is going to work out way better because I can bring you into the story again when I need to!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"My heart skips a beat. "W-w-will you really do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Probably. I can see a couple of moments where it will be a perfect to bring you in to save the day." He stops pacing and gives me a sad, sympathetic smile. "I am so, so sorry about this. I promise, I will bring you back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Wait, I, wait, I'm sorry, can I make one more request?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Sure, if I can manage it, I'll do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Bring Sam back from the cage? I know it's a lot to ask, and I know he'll be…damaged…but don't condemn him to eternity in the cage, please?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Oh! Not a problem. I was always going to bring him back." He rubs his hand over his beard, "I'll even do you one better. He'll only be in hell for a couple of weeks, and I'll protect him while he's there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Thank you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;""Hey, it's the least I could do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Abadi',sans-serif;"I look over at the door. Sam is behind that door. The handle starts to turn as Chuck's fingers touch my forehead. I turn my eyes to the stars./span/p