August 20, 2006

"Good morning Mr. Singer, you gave us quite a scare last night!"

Bobby blinked; he was in a bright white hospital room. His right arm was heavily bandaged and he could feel the IV from last night had been joined by another in the opposite arm. "Where am I?"

"You're in North Plains Memorial Hospital. You called 911 last night and we got you here and got you all patched up-well, as good as we could…" Her eyes darted tellingly to his right wrist. "Unfortunately we were unable to reattach your hand, despite it being at the scene. The cauterization of the wound prevented us from re-connection, though it likely saved you from bleeding out from your radial artery-which was heavily damaged by the removal of your hand."

Bobby sighed as he looked down at his hand-or stub-and then looked back up to the nurse, "Is it possible for me to make a phone call? I need to let a few people know what's happened."

"Of course, let me get you the room phone." She handed Bobby a rotary phone on a cord-"Sorry it isn't touch-tone, we're getting the building upgraded slowly…"

Bobby nodded and took the phone, clumsily using his left hand to begin the laborious process of dialing.

**SPN**

It was during church that Sam felt the pocket of his dress slacks buzz. He ignored it until a minute later Dean's jacket pocket also started buzzing. When Dean nudged the call to voicemail Sam's started going off. Paula glanced at her sons standing beside her and whispered, "Just take the call, I'm pretty sure it'll be less disturbing than your pockets buzzing the whole time. Clearly someone's trying to reach you."

"Thanks Mom." Sam blushed as he and Dean took the side aisle and snuck out the narthex to the parking lot.

Dean didn't recognize the number when his cell buzzed a second time, but he picked up. "Hello?"

"Took you long enough. Do you know how hard it is to dial a rotary phone with your left hand?!" Bobby chastised over the line.

"Can't say I do." Dean remarked. "What is it? We're in church and my mom's gonna kill us if we miss communion."

"Our yellow eyed friend has the Colt."

"What?! How is that even possible?" Sam's mind reeled at the sudden news.

"R.J.'s still human, and our friend has him doing whatever he needs."

"So he had him get the gun from the cabinet, but how did he know where it was?" Dean glanced at Sam.

"Hell if I know. He probably had someone scout out and follow it without us knowing. Demons are creative bastards when it comes to finding stuff."

"Now what?" Dean glanced at the receiver.

"Now I sneak out of a hospital single-handed and you two get your asses here."

"You're in a hospital?" Sam looked at Dean, concern evident in his tone. "What happened?"

"When I said I was escaping single-handed-it wasn't a figure of speech."

"Jesus, Bobby…" Dean exhaled.

"I'll live. But get here ASAP or we might not have anything left to live for!"

Dean flipped his phone shut and started back toward the church.

"Come on, we have to go to Bobby's." Sam stated, fishing his keys out of his pocket.

"First communion. Then Bobby's. I don't know about you, but I don't want to face Mom's wrath."

"Fair point." Sam stowed his keys and quickly followed.

**SPN**

It was nearly four when the boys arrived at Bobby's-they had decided to carpool and take Sam's car, despite Dean bitching about how it was a plastic German quasi-fascist hunk of boring. Dean knocked on the door and blanched when Bobby opened it. Bobby was dressed in his normal attire, but he was a shade paler than usual and had a copious amount of bandages around his right wrist.

"Bobby, are you okay to be here? I get that you wanted to help, but you look pretty rough…" Dean glanced at his hand and then at his face.

Bobby exhaled, "I've survived worse…" He paused, "Well, I've survived nearly as bad-just get in here." He led the two into the dining room. It had been transformed into a war room, with all of Elkins' notes arranged on the table and a large map posted on the wall. On it there were a handful of circles, each with dates written around them.

"What's all that?" Sam pointed at the map.

"That's the locations of every entrance to hell in America." The map had nearly a dozen points, stuck seemingly at random.

"Then what's with the dates and everything?" Sam poked at a pin in south-eastern Pennsylvania.

"The dates are the days when they're most active." Bobby picked up a sheet of paper and pinned it overtop the map, "Ley lines are supernatural corridors, they carry energy through our world. Each of these openings is at the intersection of at least two lines. Certain lines are stronger during certain times of year…" He pointed at a pin in Kansas, "This one, for instance, is in Stull Cemetery."

"That's right outside of town-in Lawrence." Dean stated.

"Is he going to come through there?" Sam thought of the ironic twist that would be.

"No, that point isn't active until the fall. We're heading here-" Bobby pointed at a point in Wyoming. "Fossil Butte Cemetery, the last trace of a long gone town in a stretch of absolute nothingness." He paused, "But we're kinda lucky…"

"How is anything that has happened in the last 24 hours lucky?" Dean quipped.

"Fossil Butte is located in the middle of a massive devil's trap. Iron rails in a pentagram join five churches to make a massive barrier against hell escaping. Provided it's still intact."

"So we get to this hell portal, stop them from unlocking it, and avert the apocalypse. Easy enough." Dean exhaled, knowing that it would be anything but.

**SPN**

The three departed from Bobby's, armed with limited training and a seriously freaked out Sam. If I'm possibly a vessel for the ACTUAL DEVIL, then there is no fucking way I can screw this up… The ride to the abandoned cemetery was quiet and it was just nearing evening as Bobby turned off the lights and the three stepped out of the station wagon, what struck them was just how eerily quiet it was, it was entirely devoid of wildlife.

"This has to be a trap." Dean eyed the others as they approached the crypt in the middle of the cemetery.

"At this point we don't have much of a choice, even if it is." Bobby remarked, nervously eyeing the two young men whose lives he held.

A slow clapping began to echo through the cemetery as Yellow eyes and R.J. appeared. The former appliance salesman sneered at them, sporting a set of yellow eyes of his own. "Well, I guess we have a challenge tonight R.J.," He turned to stare directly into Sam's eyes, "I'd figured we'd meet again, Sammy… Shame it isn't going to be for very long." He flicked his wrist, "Light 'er up, fire-boy…"

R.J. obliged, he charged at the three, engulfed in flames as Yellow opened the gate by inserting the colt into the Colt mausoleum. He grinned as the lock clicked open and plumes of smoke poured out of the open door.

"No!" Sam shouted as he watched dozens of demons escape.

"Not the big problem right now!" Dean yanked Sam behind a tombstone as R.J. launched a torrent of fire toward them. Dean grabbed Sam by his shoulders and looked him dead in the eye, "Sammy I need you to focus right now. Yes, there are demons escaping-but they're trapped. And even if they do get out Bobby and other hunters will stop them. We have a pyromaniac with self control issues and the devil's number two trying to kill us. No pressure, but maybe time for some of that great telekinetic stuff you've been practicing."

Sam steadied himself and nodded, Dean's right. Focus on stopping R.J. then we get the gate closed. "Okay. We've got work to do." Sam inhaled deeply as he glanced out of his hiding spot. R.J. was busy trying to torch Bobby and Azazel was admiring his protégé's handiwork. He inhaled deeply as he focused on a stone and slung it at the back of R.J.'s head, causing the man to growl in pain and immediately turn his attention to the younger Beretta. "R.J. I don't want to fight, please just listen to me!"

"Well, I want to fight. So that's what I'm going to do!"

As R.J. stalked toward Sam-who was hurriedly launching more pieces of debris at R.J.-Dean crept along the outer edge of the cemetery toward the crypt that was spewing out demons. Yellow eyes was busy, having had taken over the fight with Bobby, and was busy launching him back into a tree-Sorry Bobby!-as Dean slunk behind the mausoleum and started pushing the door closed. This thing weighs a fucking ton! Dean strained as he braced against the door, praying that the others would keep the two busy for just a few more seconds. He finally got it shut and turned the Colt out of the lock when he felt himself slammed against the spire of a large tombstone.

"Alright you little shit!" Azazel was practically boiling his distraction with Bobby ended, "That's enough!" He held Dean and Bobby in place as he strode up to Dean. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that, Dean?" He bit down as he clenched his fist, "I had a simple plan, I had everything I needed, and you still try and fuck with me?!" His eyes suddenly shifted to a glowing copper, "I'm going to kill you-and that's going to be the nice part. I will rip you to shreds every chance I get in hell. You are going to-"

Dean felt the power release as he slid down the stone obelisk and Bobby hit the ground. Sam was standing on the other side of the graveyard, the Colt in his hands and blood pouring from his face. Dean looked down, there was a bloody smear beginning to appear on Azazel's torso, then he disintegrated leaving nothing behind except for a few scraps of clothing.

Everyone was silent for a minute as they processed what had happened. Bobby was the first to speak.

"Sam, you okay?"

Sam nodded, wiping he blood off his mouth. It was clear he'd been bleeding profusely, "I'm okay."

Dean looked again at the pile of clothes, then at Sam, "What about R.J.?"

Sam looked down, "He's dead too." He turned to indicate the body further in the shadows. "I hurt him… I told him I didn't want to…"

"You didn't have a choice." Bobby provided. "It wasn't ideal, but you tried."

Sam felt tired and woozy all at once, staggering slightly before Dean caught him. "I've got you Sammy. Let's just get you home."

Hey everyone! Note from the author. Sorry if the battle wasn't as intense as you would've liked. I'm not great at writing action scenes and I reworked this one a few times, but this one was the best I managed. In any case, I promise the other ones are better-thanks for sticking with me!