Author's Note: I'm sorry it has been so long since posting! College life can be insane! Anyway, before you start reading this one, I just wanted to say that I have taken some liberties in this chapter, especially with the introduction... or reintroduction, of one, specific character. There is a reason for bringing this one back, and I hope it doesn't upset any of you too much! Happy reading!
5- Dude, Who Trashed My Car?
Paige sat on the edge of her own bed, doing her best to keep Leila calm, but coherent. The girl was mostly composed, but there were still all of the underlying memories of being possessed by a demon for her to get past, and Paige knew that that wouldn't be an easy thing. It had been almost a day since the incident in the attic, and Leila was just beginning to grasp the concept of the supernatural world.
"So… your friend, Sam, he said I was possessed?"
"Yes."
"By demons?"
"You asked me this already, Leila. Are you starting to remember something?" Paige asked.
"No, I just… this is all so insane, demons, witches, magic. Are you sure I'm not being Punk'd?"
"Unfortunately I'm very sure."
Leila nodded, and was silent for a few moments.
"There is something, I don't think it's the information you're looking for, but I remember this… feeling. It was like I was looking through my own eyes, but I wasn't. Honestly it was more like catching a glimpse of someone else looking through my eyes. Does that sound insane?"
"No," Paige said, doing her best to be supportive.
Leila sighed, "I'm not sure if I'm happy about that, or not. God I wish I was being Punk'd. Ashton Kutcher is really cute."
"You just have to focus on those glimpses, Leila. Think about the demon, about Chris, why would these things want him? What is his purpose?"
The door to Paige's room opened and Piper walked in, most of her weight being supported by Leo. She was still weak after being healed the day before. Castiel had done a good job, at the expense of his own health, and she seemed to be much more alert than yesterday. Paige took that as a good sign.
Sam came in after them, his long hair still wet from the shower he had taken that morning. The Winchesters had finally given in and decided to stay in the manor for the night. Sam had slept on the floor in Chris and Wyatt's room at Piper and Leo's request, and Dean had crashed in Phoebe's room in order to keep an eye on Castiel. Paige herself was feeling a little sore from sleeping on the day bed in her room, but it had been necessary to keep a watchful eye on Leila in case she was frightened in the night and tried to bolt. But, the amount of people staying in the house, and all of the drama they had been bringing with them, was enough to exhaust anyone. Paige just hoped that it wouldn't show too much.
"Piper, how are you?" she asked her eldest sister.
"I'm okay, honey," she said. "I'm still just a little bit dizzy."
Paige nodded, "Piper, this is Leila. Leila, this is my oldest sister, Piper. She's Chris's mother."
"I am so sorry—" Leila began.
"Don't be, sweetheart," Piper interrupted, giving her a smile. "You weren't in control of your own actions, it isn't your fault. I actually came up here to see if you need anything, food, water, clothes, do you need to call someone? I'm sure it was a long restless night for you."
"I would love to call my roommate, just to let her know I'm okay. I'm not even completely sure how long I've been gone… and besides that, it might be nice to hear a friendly voice."
"Of course you can call her. Leo, would you go get the phone?" she asked, and then turned her attention back to the girl. "But, you do realize that you'll have to explain where you've been, and you can't tell her the truth."
"What, you mean 'sorry you haven't heard from me, I've been busy getting possessed by demons, and trying to kidnap a small child whose family happens to be made up of witches' won't cut it?"
Sam laughed, and Paige felt a stab of jealousy course through her. She shook it off.
"Just tell her," she advised, "That you needed some time for yourself, that you haven't been keeping track of time, and that you're sorry for worrying her. That should do the trick."
Leila nodded, and Leo reentered the room.
"While you're on the phone, I'm going to go and make you some dinner. What do you like?" Piper asked.
"At this point, I'll take anything. I don't think demons eat."
"They don't," Sam informed her. "Technically they aren't living. They're just inhabiting your body, so they don't need food."
"Piper," Leo cautioned, "Maybe you should rest. Paige can cook."
"Yeah, if you want rubbery chicken and the house burned down!"
"I started a fire one time," Paige protested.
Piper laughed, "I'll be fine, Leo. Make your phone call, honey. I'll bring you up a plate when the food's done."
"Thank you so much," Leila replied, dialing the phone. Piper and Leo turned to leave but were halted momentarily by Dean coming through the door. Leila had begun talking to her roommate, but the minute she laid eyes on the older Winchester, it was as if a switch had been flipped in her head. Immediately she stopped talking, her breathing sped up, and her gaze, though it was trained on Dean, seemed to be in another place.
"Leila?" Paige asked, and she could hear the girl's roommate speaking in concerned tones on the other end of the line.
"I gotta go, Kara," Leila said in a voice that was bordering on monotone, and then hung up.
"Am I interrupting something?" Dean asked.
"We were just leaving," Piper replied. "Do you need something?"
"Uh, yeah. Chris won't stop asking for Sam. I was going to see if he wasn't too busy…" Dean trailed off when he caught Leila staring at him. Paige was grateful he had only just noticed then, because the girl hadn't blinked once since he walked into the room.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"You're Dean, right?"
"So what if I am?"
"I remember…"
"What do you remember, Leila?" Sam asked, sitting down next to the entranced girl.
"It's just pieces, but I've seen you before. Through her eyes. You're dangerous… Someone… They hate you, but they also need you."
"Dean isn't going to hurt you," Paige told her. "Right?"
Dean shook his head.
"Was it Crowley?" he asked her, his voice rising in anger. "Did he send those black-eyed freaks?"
Leila winced.
"Dean, could you maybe be a little less… Dean, please," Paige said. "She's had a rough few days."
"Sorry. Maybe you should take this one, Sammy."
Sam nodded, "Does the name Crowley mean anything to you?"
"It does sound familiar. I don't know him, but I think she hates him too."
"Can you think of anyone who might hate this Crowley guy?" Leo asked.
Sam and Dean both laughed.
"He's the King of Hell," Dean replied, "The list is endless."
"This person, the one who hates you," she pointed to Dean, "She needs something, something besides you, something from this house."
"You mean Chris?" Piper asked.
"Yes, and then no. She needs… light."
"Light," Paige repeated, "Like she needs to borrow a lamp?"
Leila sighed, and blinked a few times, her demeanor returning to its former state, "That's all that's coming to me, just the word light. But it feels… well, it feels bigger than a lamp. Like she needs something powerful."
Paige looked around the room at all of them, and saw confused, pensive looks on every face. No one seemed to know exactly what connected these demons wanting Chris, to this unknown woman needing something to do with light.
"I have to admit that isn't much to go on," Sam said finally. "Why don't you rest up a little more? You must be pretty exhausted. Maybe something else will come to you in a little while."
"I'll go start on that dinner. I'm sure getting some food in your belly will help," Piper said, and left the room with Leo.
"I was actually thinking that if we're going to be here for a while because of Cas, that I should probably go get the Impala," Dean told his brother. "I don't want to get a ticket, and I don't like her being so far away."
"I'll go with you if you want," Paige said. "Orbing is faster than walking, or we could drive too, if you prefer that."
Dean thought about it for a moment, "I guess I could try that orbing thing again, if you don't mind."
"Not at all. Leila, are you going to be okay here alone for a little while? I'm sure my other sister, Phoebe, would be happy to come up and sit with you."
Leila shook her head, "I'll be fine. I'm hungry, but I'm also tired, so I guess I'll just work on one of those things while I wait for the other. Not to mention, my roommate probably thinks I'm the flakiest human ever now, so I might call her back and try to explain myself."
"I'm sure she'll understand," Sam said, putting a comforting hand on Leila's arm. "You're coping really well with this. It's actually really great, so don't overdo it, okay? Take care of yourself first."
Leila smiled, "Thank you all for being so nice to me. This family is really wonderful. You're all really lucky to have found one another."
"Oh, we aren't—I mean—" Paige stammered.
"A very wise man once told me that family doesn't begin or end with blood," Sam said quietly, looking at his brother who nodded solemnly in agreement.
"That being said, we all just met each other yesterday, believe it or not," Paige told the girl.
"Really? So you two aren't..." Leila trailed off, her eyes flicking back and forth between Paige and Sam.
Sam blushed, and Paige was sure it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. "No we don't know each other quite that well Leila," he replied, and then stammered some excuse about going downstairs to find Chris.
Paige watched Sam go and then looked at Dean. In that moment, she was unable to imagine that they had ever been close to anyone besides each other. But then, there had been this overwhelming urge to trust them at the back of her mind since meeting them. It did seem like she and her sisters had been destined to meet the brothers, why else would Chris have orbed to Kansas of all places? It was almost like they were connected, meant to help one another.
But, Paige didn't say any of this.
Instead she just shrugged, "I guess almost dying together solidifies a relationship more than we thought."
After a slightly awkward silence, Dean cleared his throat and asked Paige if she was ready to go. Paige though about Sam, a small part of her not wanting to leave him alone to take care of the pretty, vulnerable blonde. Pushing the thought from her mind, she stood and took Dean's hand.
"Take a deep breath."
He did, and a few seconds later they were standing in the same park they had met each other in the day before. The sun was setting now, and Paige began to realize just how long the last two days had truly been. She was definitely ready to collapse in her bed, though that would probably be a little hard, considering there was still a recovering possession victim in it. It seemed, since Leila was still having trouble with her memory and her stamina, that Paige was destined for another night on the back-breaking daybed.
"So you and your brother are going to stay then?" Paige asked as they made their way across the deserted park.
"Seems like it," Dean replied gruffly. "Whatever is going on, Sam isn't going to let it go until he knows Chris is safe, not to mention that this all seems tied to us anyway."
"You've dealt with a lot of demon possession?"
"There were times when I saw black eyes more than I saw human ones."
"That's awful."
"That's the job," he snapped.
Paige was silent for the remainder of their walk, not wanting to irritate Dean any more than she already had with all of her questions. As they neared the other side of the park they heard a loud crash and some banging, and as Dean's car came into view they found out where the noise had come from. There were five people, eyes all black as night, surrounding the Impala. One of them, the leader, Paige supposed, was standing on the hood of the car, cackling, with a can of spray paint in one hand, and a sledge hammer in the other. The Impala's windshield had been shattered, and glass was strewn everywhere. The air had been slashed out of all four tires and the hub caps were missing. From where Paige was standing she could see slashes in the upholstery, and the radio, ripped out of the console, laying on the sidewalk next to the car's driver's side door, old cassette tapes broken and scattered around it. There were huge dents in the roof and the doors that remained on their hinges. In short, it was totaled without even having moved.
The most troubling part of it all, for Paige at least, were the markings that the leader had sprayed onto the car in a shade of red so rich, it looked like blood. She was sure they were Wiccan, even more sure that she had seen them somewhere before, but where?
"Hey bitch!" Dean yelled suddenly. Paige looked over at him, and there was a fiery rage burning in his eyes. His fists were balled up and at his side, his jaw clenched. She had seen him like this before, only a day ago, when he had brandished a knife in the manor, intent on killing her and her sisters. This time Cas and Sam were not here to control him. What could Paige do to stop him? The even better question being, should she stop him at all?
The she-demon standing on the hood of the car jerked her head around to face Dean. She was young, maybe twenty, but beautiful, almost exotic looking, with long dark hair, and smooth skin the color of wet sand. When she blinked, her black eyes disappeared, turning a dark shade of brown, making it very hard for Paige to see much more than a girl. But then, the menacing look in her eyes, the one that made it clear that she was reveling in the destruction around her, made it completely obvious that what Paige and Dean were dealing with, was pure evil.
The girl smiled at Dean, almost like she knew him, and jumped down from the hood of the car, her black combat boots making a heavy thud on the concrete. She walked over to the two of them, her denim clad hips swaying, and Paige took a few steps back. Dean, however, didn't move an inch.
"Hiya Dean," she said once she was in clear speaking distance of the two of them.
"What the hell did you do to my car, you black-eyed skank?" Dean growled.
The demon clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "Is that any way to address such an old friend? We were just giving your Baby a little, well-deserved makeover. No need to get so hostile."
"I have no idea who the hell you are, or who you work for, but one thing I do know is that I'm about to split you from hair to navel for what you've done to her."
All of the alarms went off in Paige's mind. How did Dean know this demon? Why did he know any demons at all? Could he have possibly been friends with this one in the past? Most importantly was he about to go all psycho-murderer in the middle of a public park? She was getting ready to orb herself out of the place, but what the demon said next stopped all of her other thoughts.
"Oh Dean, what would Sammy say? He wouldn't want you getting all out of sorts like this, especially not toward someone he used to care about, deeply."
"Who the hell are you?" Dean yelled.
"I don't look that different do I? I tried to find a vessel that looked relatively similar to my last one. Wouldn't want to disappoint Sam in that department. I mean, once you drink blood from one body, it's so hard to betray that kind of a bond."
Paige watched as realization dawned on Dean's face, and as his jaw set back into its former position she could only associate with rage.
"Ruby," he spat out her name like it was poison.
"So lovely to be remembered! Though I will admit, I'm a little down that Sam isn't here to enjoy the big reunion. How is he anyway? Is he still acting like a complete child and forgoing all of his duties to the greater good?"
Dean lunged, but Paige was there to hold him back.
"Dean, you don't want to do this. You can't possibly take them all on by yourself, you'll be slaughtered, and I have no clue what I'm up against."
"How are you here?" Dean asked the she-demon, pretty much ignoring Paige. "We stabbed you with the demon dagger, you should be dead."
"Did you forget, Dean, that I am the one who gave you that dagger? Don't you think I would have taken precautions against it being used on me? I know I used to be blonde, but come on, I'm not that stupid."
"All this time you've been gone… I think it's time I make it permanent. Paige, get out of my way."
"No, Dean, let's go home and get your brother, my sisters, we can fight this together."
Dean huffed, "Maybe that's how you Halliwells do it, but we Winchesters, we don't wait, we act."
"And look where that's gotten you. You're a mess, Dean! Let us help you."
"She's pretty, I'll give her that much. But, not much of a fighter, huh? Your companions usually have so much more… spunk. Like… Oh, what was that little minx's name that you and Sam used to hunt with back in the day? Jo? What happened to her?" Ruby said, making it obvious that she was just trying to get under Dean's skin.
Once again, Paige got in his way as Dean went into attack mode. Then she turned, "Hey bitch, I'm actually trying to save your ass from being annihilated by the carrier of the rage mark, or whatever that thing on his arm is. So you might just want to keep your opinions to yourself."
Ruby laughed, "I take it back! What a scrapper! I love it. You know she'd make one hell of a vessel."
"Over my dead body," Dean replied, in a protective tone that left Paige genuinely surprised.
"What a great idea! But, we can't have that. The boss definitely specified that she wants you alive. As for the mark, that's why I need you Dean. I knew you'd come running to this car sooner or later, and that that would be my chance to nab you."
"Any particular reason you had to kick the crap out of it?"
Ruby looked like she was thinking about it and then shrugged, "That was just for fun."
Dean nodded, his eyes full of rage, "Alright then, come and get me kids. I'll be happy to put you all out of your misery."
None of the demons moved.
"Oh no Dean, my minions won't be the ones apprehending you today. I've got some much more vicious, much more invisible friends that have missed you so very much. My boss said she wanted you alive, she didn't specify how alive."
All of a sudden Paige could hear growling noises that sounded like they were coming from dogs, but there were no such animals in sight. Dean's face had gone white as a sheet, and he had finally started backing away.
"Dean, what's going on?" Paige asked. "What's making that noise?"
Dean swallowed, his voice came out as a barely audible whisper, "Hellhounds."
Ruby howled with laughter and then shouted, "Sic 'em boys!"
"Paige, orb us out! Orb us out, now!" Dean shouted, grabbing onto her hand and pulling her back in the direction they had come from. She could hear the barks and the growls growing closer to her, and before she could orb away, she felt a pair of teeth grab onto her ankle and chomp down, hard. She cried out and stumbled to the ground, scraping her arm against a tree. Luckily Dean didn't let go of Paige's hand, instead he fell to the ground with her. Through the pain she gathered all the strength she could and orbed them both back to the attic at Halliwell manor.
"Paige!" Dean shouted, turning to inspect the damage that the invisible canine had incurred.
Paige laid on the ground writhing in pain. Her leg wasn't just hurt, the bite was inflamed, and the entire limb felt like it was burning off. The pain was so overwhelming, that she was sure that this was the end. She was about to burn up into nothing but ashes, and the only one around to see her go would be Dean Winchester.
Tears streamed from her eyes, and she let out a shriek when the fiery pain began to spread. The red-hot feeling not only traveled up her leg and to her torso, but also sank deep within her, making her feel like she was burning up from the inside out. She felt a hand on her head, but she could no longer see anything but white, her vision blurred from the intensity of it all. She knew she was screaming, but she could no longer hear herself, and the smell of smoke filled her nostrils and then her lungs. She was dying, in her own personal hellfire, completely alone.
Sam heard the screams coming from the attic, and immediately he knew something had gone terribly wrong on Paige and Dean's expedition to get the Impala. Leaving Leila's side he sprinted up the stairs, Piper on his tail, Phoebe not far behind with her nephews in tow. Leo had gone back up to wherever whitelighters report to, but Sam had a feeling they might be needing him again soon.
When he entered the attic he was not prepared for what he saw. Paige was laying in the middle of the floor, seizing, clearly in too much pain to make any more sound, there was a pool of blood near her foot, and her skin was bright red and blistering, as if she had been sitting out for days in the sun. But, the most alarming thing of all was Dean, who was simply sitting next to her, his head bowed and his hands folded, almost like he was waiting for her to die.
Sam stood in the doorway, stunned by his brother's actions. So stunned, he nearly forgot about the redheaded witch that was losing her life right before his eyes. But, once Piper and Phoebe entered the room, his attention snapped back to reality.
Piper was furious, "Dean, what in the hell are you doing? What is going on?"
Phoebe immediately dropped to her little sister's side, her expression pained, "She's in agony, Piper."
"Thank you, I can see that!" Piper shouted. "Leo!"
"Dean, what happened?" Sam asked, snapping his brother out of the defeated trance he had worked himself into.
"Hellhounds," Dean said quietly.
Sam swallowed, knowing exactly what that meant for Paige. Piper and Phoebe however, looked at Dean confusedly.
"What do you mean, hellhounds?" Piper asked, before yelling for Leo again.
"Once upon a time they were Lucifer's lap dogs. Now they're Crowley's own personal canine police force. Anyone who makes a deal with a demon is given ten years to enjoy that deal, then they're dragged to hell. Hellhounds are sent out to make sure they get there," Sam explained.
"It bit her, Sam," Dean said. "You know what that means."
"What?" Phoebe said, practically begging Dean or Sam to just explain.
"Tell them," his brother urged, sounding completely defeated.
Sam sighed, deciding not to sugar coat his answer, "She's burning to death from the inside out. One bite from a hellhound is fatal. Usually if they want to keep a victim alive, or drag them to hell, they use their claws. But, if they're in a hurry and they just want to get someone out of the way, they use a bite to infect that person with hellfire. I am so sorry Piper, Phoebe, but Paige will be gone in a matter of minutes."
"They were there for me, she was just collateral damage," Dean said. "This is all my fault."
"Over my dead, freaking body is she dying today!" Piper screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Leo!"
"Screw Leo!" Phoebe said. She had stayed eerily calm through this entire ordeal. "Are we the Charmed Ones, or aren't we? We don't have the power of three so we're going to have to ask for help from the family. Here, take my hand."
Piper did as her sister asked, but Dean protested, "There is no saving her from this. Your witchy voodoo is not going to fix this."
"Remind me when this is all over, that we need to have a serious meeting about what we actually do for this world," Piper snapped. "You need to get it through your thick skull, Dean Winchester, that this is not voodoo, or tricks. It's magic, and it's just as badass, and saves just as many innocent people as your daggers and your exorcisms."
The two witches turned their attention back to their baby sister, and Sam watched as both sets of their eyes closed in concentration.
Then Piper began to chant, "Wiccan sisters from the great beyond, we call on thee to mend our bond. Banish now this fire of hell, save from death this Halliwell."
The sisters' hands clenched tighter as Phoebe joined in on reciting the spell, and after realizing what was happening, Wyatt and Chris placed their small hands on those of the grown witches, concentrating their powers on their aunt. The two sisters repeated the incantation over and over. As a breeze swept through the room, Sam felt a shiver go up his spine, and he knew that their call for aid had been answered. They were not alone in this room. The power of their spell was awe-inspiring. Sam watched in disbelief as Paige stopped shaking, her breathing normalized and her porcelain-like skin returned to its normal, pale shade. They had saved her. He realized this was the first time he had ever really witnessed the power of the Charmed Ones at work. If this is what two of them could do, he couldn't even imagine what the Power of Three was capable of.
Piper lifted Paige's head into her lap, the instinct she had to mother everyone immediately kicking in. Phoebe brushed her sister's orange hair back from her eyes, revealing Paige's serene face, that seconds ago, had been twisted in an incredible amount of pain.
"Sam, can you help me carry her down to my room?" Piper asked him quietly.
Before he could answer, Leo orbed into the attic. By the look on his face, Sam could tell that the whitelighter already knew something had gone terribly wrong.
"Piper, Phoebe, I'm so sorry. The other elders had me tied up in something, they wouldn't let me go—" Leo tried to explain.
"We handled it Leo," Piper snapped. "Could you just check to make sure she's all in one piece, please?"
Leo nodded, kneeling down next to Paige. His brow furrowed, "She's fine physically, but her mind is all over the place. What happened?"
The sister's both turned to Dean, who looked just as forlorn and defeated as he had when Sam had entered the room. Clearly, something else had happened while Dean and Paige were gone. The trick was going to be getting that information out of his brother. Dean hadn't ever been the sharing type, but he had become especially distant since he had been infected by the Mark of Cain.
"Uh, there were some demons waiting for us," Dean began. "Apparently, Chris is not the only one of us they're after. For some reason they need me too. They knew I'd come back to the car eventually, so they decimated it and waited. Paige was just collateral damage in their attempts to drag me to whoever the hell is running this freak show. I think they brought the hounds just to trigger some kind of PTSD in me."
"Wait, they wrecked the car?" Sam asked.
"She's pretty torn up," Dean confirmed.
"Why are they making it so personal? Hellhounds, and the car… It's like they knew exactly what would scare you, or piss you off, more than anything. Even Crowley doesn't know about that stuff."
"Pardon me, Sam," Leo interjected, "But, who cares?"
"Excuse me?" Dean asked.
"Who cares about your car? Who cares what they need you for? I'm sorry, but since you two showed up here, we have had nothing but problems."
"Before we showed up, your precious Charmed Ones had no idea what they were up against!" Dean shouted, immediately getting defensive.
"Half of this family is either wounded or unconscious because of you! Not excluding the angel that you claim is your friend!"
"He's family! And, he saved your wife's life, so I actually think a little gratitude is in order."
"I didn't forget about that. Nor did I forget the kindness your brother has shown my sons. But, I don't trust you, Dean Winchester. I asked the elders about you, and you seem to have a habit of getting the people around you killed. We are not about to be 'collateral damage', as you so eloquently put it, in your quest for self-destruction."
Dean's jaw was clenched tight, and Sam knew that Leo had hit a nerve. The two of them had lost more friends and family than they now had, and Dean blamed himself for a lot of those deaths. Their own father had sacrificed his life for Dean's, as had Ellen and Jo Harvelle, their two closest hunting companions. Most recently Bobby Singer, the closest thing the two of them had ever had to a true father, had been murdered while helping them hunt a particularly gory case. But, most of all, Dean constantly felt responsible for keeping Sam alive, and he had failed at that once or twice too.
Sam walked over and put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder, always ready to support the one who had always supported him. "With all due respect, Leo, you don't know what it's like to live our life. You and the elders might think you do, but that isn't the same as going through it. We all have flaws, some greater than others, but our profession has always catered to the greater good. We aren't monsters. We don't kill for fun. And we certainly don't put innocent people, people we love, in danger on purpose."
Leo narrowed his eyes, "You're an honorable man, Sam, but do you honestly believe that your brother hasn't killed for sport? You would be wrong."
Feeling his cheeks heating up, Sam did his best to keep calm, "That wasn't him."
"No?" Leo asked, his tone dripping with accusations.
"Alright," Piper interjected, placing her fingers on the bridge of her nose like she was trying very hard not to explode at the two of them. "I have heard plenty, from all of you. Honestly, you're worse than Chris and Wyatt. Leo, go to the elders, tell them what happened, and see what you can find out about who could be sending out these demons. It's about time we buckled down, and got to the bottom of these freak possessions. Phoebe, you're on potion duty, we're going to need something to exorcize these demons with, and while you're at it, a memory potion for Leila wouldn't be a bad idea. Sam, you get to take care of my kids while I work on coaxing my baby sister out of this hellhound-induced coma. And Dean, call this so-called King of Hell. I have a feeling he'll have some useful information for us.
"Oh, and before you all go," Piper said, her tone oozing fake sweetness, "Once Paige wakes up, we are going to be having one hell of a serious family meeting. Somehow the lives of the Halliwells and the Winchesters have become intertwined, and if we are going to work together to get to the bottom of this mess, we are going to have to start at least trying to comprehend what it is that the others do. Without that trust, without that understanding… we can't win."
The room was silent for a few moments as Piper's words sank in.
"Go!" she yelled, and everyone sprang into action. Sam picked Paige up off of the floor and carried her down to Piper's room, hoping that her words would inspire Dean and Leo to put their differences aside for the time being. Because she was right. There had been a few close calls already, all of them occurring when the disconnect between hunter and witch had been very evident. If, in the end, their two sides couldn't come together, Sam feared there would be very little hope of survival for either one.
End Notes:
Well now you know. It's Ruby! She's back with a vengeance, and I hope it isn't too jarring for anyone. I understand that canonically she will never come back, but she is one of my all-time favorite characters, and I think she could pose some really interesting character development for Sam and a few others. I also know that the hellhounds are a bit exaggerated for this one. I'm pretty sure I made up the thing about their bites infecting people with hellfire, but it's a fun little bit of added lore that really lent itself to my story in more than one way.
All of that said, please REVIEW! I would love to hear what you think of Ruby's return, or anything else from this chapter. Baby got destroyed, Paige is down for the count, and Leo and Dean are butting heads like no other. Your suggestions and comments are so welcome, and super appreciated.
Thanks for reading! xoxo AryaUnderfoot