Hi all! After too long a wait, and a bout of the ole writers block, I'm finally back with chapter 7. It's not great, but it's at least readable I think:-) As always, R&R!
Thanks to the reviewers, and hope ya like!
Disclaimer: Still don't own em.
Legion Ch.7
Missouri's suggestion of rolling the window down the remainder of the trip worked wonders, and by the time she and Sam entered the front door of her house, he, other than a steadily growing headache, had fully regained all his senses and thought he was prepared for whatever awaited them.
He couldn't have been more wrong, because as soon as they walked in they were greeted by the sound of his brothers anguished screams.
"What the hell?"he exclaimed aloud, shrugging off the hand of restraint that Missouri half-heartedly put on his arm and ran towards the bedroom and flung the door open, yelling his brothers name as he entered.
The first thing that hit him was the instant drop in temperature, and how he could now clearly see his breath before him, which for some reason momentarily struck him as humorous. And then in the next moment two things happened that wiped any humor from the situation whatsoever.
The first was that his dad, who he hadn't noticed was standing directly inside the door, grabbed the arm of his jacket and pulled him to a halt, saying,"Stay back son."as he did so.
The second, and most shocking was what he saw when his eyes found his brother.
Dean was now bound to the bed, screaming and thrashing against the leather straps holding his arms and legs immobile, and the first thought that came to Sam's mind as he gaped at the blood steadily flowing from the long gashes appearing from nowhere on his already ravaged chest was, just how much of the life sustaining liquid his brother could possibly have left in him. The doctor stood beside the bed, a look of helplessness and disbelief on her face, a blood drenched towel gripped tightly between her red stained hands.
The next thought was why in the hell was his dad doing nothing to stop the torture that was being inflicted on Dean.
"Sam, no."his dad said, putting his body between him and his intended destination, forcefully holding him back from reaching it.
"What the hell is wrong with you people?"Sam yelled angrily, trying to push his father out of the way."Untie him. Right. fucking. Now!"
"We can't do that son."John Winchester said, tightening his hold on him.
"What do you mean you can't do that?"Sam yelled.
"That's what it wants Sammy."his father replied solemnly.
"They're killing your brother Sam!"the demon yelled from his brothers lips at that instant, following its words with another ear shattering screech.
"It? First of all,that's no it, thats your son and my brother. Secondly, no one calls me Sammy anymore except Dean, especially you. Now if you don't move right now, my father or not, I swear to god I'll kick your ass."
"Do you want him to die boy? That's what your father wants! He wants you all to himself so he can use you and your special abilities to hunt!"the demon yelled, its back arching up from the bed as it strained to escape.
"Sam, do not listen to it, the demon is purposely trying to lure you into releasing him so Father Mullins can't perform the exorcism." John said, staring his youngest straight in the eyes as he tried to block out the sounds made by the evil inhabiting his first born.
"What good is an exorcism going to do if he bleeds to death?"Sam growled at his father.
"That's what he wants! He doesn't care about your brother, all he cares about is revenge!"
"If we don't get that thing out of him he's as good as dead anyway son."John Winchester said, squeezing each of his youngest boys shoulders tightly, as if to emphasize his words." If we do this now , maybe we can at least give him a fighting chance. And trust me, It won't kill him Sam. As long as it's inside him, if he dies, it dies also, and I'm willing to bet anything that it doesn't want to go back to hell anymore than your brother wants it staying in him."
"Trust you? That's a joke right? Like I'm supposed to trust anything you say to me anymore."Sam said with a scoff."You probably really don't care if he dies or not as long as another demon dies along with him."
In response to this, John did something most unexpected.
Sam knew he was in trouble when his father's eyes darkened with anger, and realized that maybe he'd went a bit too far with that last remark, but it was too late to take it back.
His dad hit him, punched him to be exact, and it hurt like a bitch. For the next moments afterwards all Sam could do was stare at his dad in shock, hand on the side of his face where he'd been struck.
"Don't you ever say anything like that again Sam."his dad said in a low angry growl."I've spent my whole life protecting you boys, and thats what I get in return? That I wouldn't care if your brother died? And it's you that says it to me? I know I was wrong now not to tell you about killing the demon, but did I really deserve that?"
"Ahem.."the priest cleared his throat loudly, bringing both sets of their eyes to rest on him as he said,"Are we ready to begin now?"
Looking at Sam one last time, John nodded.
"And you? Because if you're going to have any problems with this then you do not need to be present for the ritual."Ely said, looking pointedly at the younger Winchester.
"It won't kill him dad?"Sam asked his father quietly, not wanting to trust in his dad, but needing some kind of hope to hold on to.
"I don't think it will son."he replied hesitantly, not really wanting to make any promises, but not daring to think of the alternative.
"Don't let them do this to me Sammy!" the demon pleaded, momentarily taking on the regular voice of his brother in a last ditch effort to gain Sam's backing. And he almost did decide to knock his father aside and unstrap Dean, if not for one thing.
His brothers eyes. Instead of green, they were still totally black when he spoke. This one small thing really hit Sam hard for some reason.
The demon was in control, not his brother. And as much as he hated to admit it, he knew without a doubt that Dean would rather be dead than have his body continued to be controlled by the evil currently residing within it.
"You're not my brother." he growled at the demon, who only hissed at him in reply, before turning to the Priest and answering his earlier question in a calm, controlled voice," They'll be no problems from me, so lets do this."
"And you Katherine? Do you wish to stay also?"Father Mullins asked the doctor, who was staring with wide teary eyes at the older Winchesters bloody form writhing on the bed, wanting nothing more than to be able to stop whatever was causing it. In her defense as a doctor, she had attempted to staunch the blood earlier. As a matter of fact, as Sam had already noticed, she still held the blood covered towel clutched in her hands. Her actions had had been to no avail though. Every time she got it slowed in one place, another jagged gash started appearing.
After staring uncertainly back and forth between the bed and the door to the room, she finally nodded and sighed deeply, not knowing of what use she could possibly be, but feeling she should stay just in case there was something she might be needed for.
"Are you sure?"he asked, their eyes meeting.
"Yes, I need to stay and monitor his heart rate and such as I did with the others."she answered gravely with a nod, referring to the other exorcisms, though their victims symptoms had been nothing at all like this.
"Then lets begin."he said, putting on his white surplice, then after kissing his purple stole, draped it around his neck.
He then traced the sign of a cross over first Dean, who spit at him, then himself, and finally each of the others in the room, sprinkling each with holy water while doing so.
He looked at each father and son. Coming to a decision, he handed a paper to Sam, telling him to read it as they proceeded when he reached the part to be replied to.
"Let us pray." he said. "Almighty Lord, Word of God the Father, Jesus Christ, God and Lord of all creation; who gave to your holy apostles the power to tramp underfoot serpents and scorpions; who along with the other mandates to work miracles was pleased to grant them the authority to say: "Depart, you devils!" and by whose might Satan was made to fall from heaven like lightning; I humbly call on your holy name in fear and trembling, asking that you grant me, your unworthy servant, pardon for all my sins, steadfast faith, and the power — supported by your mighty arm — to confront with confidence and resolution this cruel demon. I ask this through you, Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, who are coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire."
He and Sam both said amen.
He then placed his hand on Deans forehead, tracing the sign of the cross once more, and this time, instead of spitting on him, the demon cackled right before a bright stream of red liquid spewed from its mouth, covering the priests white surplice.
"Ha ha, ha ha, ha!"it cackled at the momentary look of disgust that crossed Father Mullins face.
"The blood of the son compels you! God, the father compels you! Be gone from this, his child, a warrior in his army!" the priest continued on undaunted, the only other movement he made that even acknowledged the demons actions being to wipe away the blood that had splattered on his reading glasses.
"No! He and his soul are mine!"it yelled back, hatred and anger distorting the features on Deans face so much that he was almost unrecognizable, even to his brother and father.
Then unexpectedly, the demon opened its mouth, the screeching emitting from within even louder than previously, and turned its black eyed glare onto Katherine who, other than Father Mullins,was the closest to the bed, muttering an unintelligible string of words in Latin. Then puckered it's lips and blew in her direction, which might have been a funny thing to do, if not for the fact she was lifted, screaming and kicking, into the air, where she hung suspended for a moment before finally being thrown with unimaginable force into the wall behind her.
The three men in the room all stood speechless for a second, staring in disbelief at her crumpled form.
Then Sam, who was the first to break out of his paralysis, ran quickly to where she lay slumped against the wall, his dad and Father Mullins both right at his heels.
"Kat? Are you ok?"Sam asked as he knelt down beside her, but when he received no answer, he reached out to lift her head, which was rested against her chest, long hair covering her face from view.
"Katherine!"Father Mullins exclaimed frantically."Speak to me child."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."Sam said mournfully a few seconds later after he had pushed aside the veil of hair seeing what laid beneath.
"What?" Ely asked, not believing that things could have gotten out of hand so badly within the few minutes that had passed since beginning the exorcism."She can't be..."his sentence trailed off as he saw for himself what Sam had. The once vibrant blue eyes of the doctor now flat and lifeless, a trail of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth.
"My god. She's dead." John Winchester stated flatly.
Sam wiped angry tears from his eyes, holding the woman, who he admittedly hadn't actually known that well''s limp hand in his own.
She was dead. That thing in his brother had actually killed an innocent person who was only there to help.
"Ha, ha ha, haha, hahaha, hahaha. Your god is not here today!" the demon laughed maniacally, bloody spittle flying from its mouth.
"No, you're wrong!"Sam exclaimed, rising from the floor after gently laying the womans cool hand beside her on the floor."He is here, and you are going to let my brother go!"
The demon, obviously having expected the killing of the woman to have a different effect, had an almost comical dumbfounded look on its face for a split second, which quickly disappeared as it started laughing once again.
"Father, please finish this."Sam said, reaching his hand out to Ely, who was fighting his own inner demons at that moment. Wondering if perhaps he was out of his league, and thinking how he was almost directly responsible for the death of someone who was a very close friend to him, even if he regrettably hadn't admitted it aloud to her."Please save my brother. Don't let her death be in vain."the younger brother said pleadingly.
"Yes, please help save my boy."John Winchester chimed in now standing beside Sam.
Ely took a deep breath, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, before finally excepting the boys offered hand.
He then leaned over and closed the dead womans staring eyes while making the sign of the cross as he said,"Welcome this, your faithful servant, into your embrace lord, and bestow upon me the strength needed to rid this world of the evil that has committed this injustice." then with a look of newfound determination he turned back towards the bed where the demon lay, still laughing, and said,"You have not won."sprinkling holy water on it writhing form as he spoke.
"You two must leave."he stated, turning to face Sam and John.
"No way! I know that thing killed Katherine, but that doesn't change the fact that it's still inside my brother, and I'm not leaving him. He wasn't responsible for what it did!"Sam said in reply, and he planned on firmly standing his ground.
"I'm not going anywhere either."John said, an equally determined look on his face.
"It's not safe. It killed her, and could easily do the same to you."the priest argued.
"Yes, it could, but I know my boy and he won't allow it to hurt me or Sam."John said in response, smiling sadly as he added,"You see, he's the only of us Winchester's who has managed to keep his priorities straight, and what I may have forgotten for a short while, is that family is top priority."
"He won't hurt us."Sam backed his fathers words by voicing his own.
"Very well, then let's continue."and with one last glance at the dead woman, the Priest picked up where he left off.
TBC
I'm once again sorry for the big wait between chapters, and promise it will only be a few days until the next update. I had to totally change my plans for who I was going to have the demon kill after watching the season finale of a little show called "Grey's Anatomy" so if Katherine being the one to die was a letdown, I apologize, but I didn't have the heart to kill the originally intended person. Anyway, I'm thinking maybe two more chapters and I'm done with this baby, so I hope ya'll hang with me even though this chappie was a little sucky!
R&R please!