Chapter 2.6: Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey
Elliott and Dean had been asleep for only twenty minutes when his phone went off disturbing their peaceful sleep. Too exhausted to fully wake Elliott grunted loudly before flipping to face away from the other bed where Dean began grumbling on the phone. As much as she could tell he was trying to keep quiet to not disturb her she was able to catch bits but was in such a hazy of sleep that it didn't even register.
"She's fine she, man. She's sleeping."
"… wearing you to prom?"
"Guess I'm just numb…"
"… more worried about what this means for the tow of you together,"
"… I know you don't want to hear this but, maybe,"
"… maybe she should stay away, from you."
"…she could just stay with me, I'll-"
"I can't just- what would you have me tell her then?"
"-all better off apart,"
Dean's voice was nothing but a jumble of words meaning absolutely nothing to her in her exhausted brain more than half asleep. Before she can even question why or who was calling Dean she was out again.
"Ellie!" Max exclaimed dark green eyes wide, frozen in a mixture of horror and disbelief.
"Max, what- what is going on?" Elliott's heart started racing, fearing the look on her big brother's face.
"You did this to me." His hallow voice rung with betrayal, as it turned pale and gaunt. The emotion draining from his eyes until they were cold and lifeless. Blood suddenly began pouring out of his now ripped open chest, splatters of it everywhere as it gushed. Dark red droplets landing on his emotionless face, making his skin appear impossibly paler.
"No," Elliott breathed. Her heart clenching painfully and tears gathered and prickled in her eyes.
"You. You let me die."
Elliott began to tremble, shaking her head softly in denial. She took a step back, but halted in surprise when her foot made a splash. Looking down in surprise at the blood that was now filling the room, and showing no sign of stopping as it continued to gush out of Max's chest. There was a burst of flames from behind Max's talking corpse, that made her flinch at the sudden bright fire. She had to blink a couple times to see it but she knew what it was before she even looked. The Beast. Max's truck. The truck she watched burn.
"How could you let me die, and then let my truck, the only think I had left of mom- the only thing you had left of me, burn to rubble!" The fire blazed, growing in Max's accusations.
"I-I didn't- I-" Elliott's voice cracked as she tried to form the right words, try to explain herself. "Max, please! I'm so sorry!" A sob left her throat as she pleaded.
A dark chuckling met her ears over the roar of the fire. Elliott swallowed the hitch in her breath and jerked left and right trying to see where it was coming from.
"Who, are you!" Elliott shouted the sadness in her voice gone now that she knew she was being watched. "Show yourself!"
Lucifer appeared before her his arm slung around the stiff shoulder of a lifeless Max. She clenched her teeth scowling at the fallen angel before her. "You!"
"Me." He mocked smirking and eyed her, wickedly.
"You did this!" She accused with shocking revelation. "You are really here. You are making me see this in my dreams, you-" It came to her as she gasped. "Are you the one who destroyed Max's truck?!"
"Actually," He squinted his eyes and tilted his head before giving her smug smile. "You destroyed the truck."
"Wha- me? I didn't-"
Lucifer snapped his fingers and all of the dreams she had forgotten rushed back to her, making her gasp for breath and fall to her knees. Blood splashed up from her landing in the pooling red liquid now an inch tall. It soaked through her jeans as she remembered it all, trying to catch her breath.
"See? It's your fault not mine." Lucifer shrugged watching her closely with a predatory stare.
"No," Elliott shook her head and wrinkled her brow. The memories of the nightmares clear and dosing her with a heavy sense of fear, but she couldn't recall how the trucks destruction was her fault.
He huffed annoyed before taking his arm off of Max's shoulder. As he did Max faded away like he was never really there. Like he was just a figment of her imagination, that the devil had conjured for her torment. Lucifer's forked tongue flicked out and wet his lips as he crouched low enough to look her in the eye. "I was very clear little one. What did I say would happen if you lied to me?" His voice calm but deep with threat.
Elliott's brows knit together her racing heart was only adding to her confusion. Desperately searching her brain trying to remember what she had lied about but unable to find it. "But- but I didn't. I didn't lie…"
Wack!
Her head snapped to the side as his fist landed its target with inhuman strength. "Uhn," Elliott groaned her hand reaching up to hold her swollen throbbing jaw. Panting she blinked slowly before looking back up at the devil dully too shocked by the pain to act out or give a witty retort. It was still throbbing and hurt much more than any dream should, it had her worrying at the possibility of actually getting hurt or killed in her sleep.
"Don't lie to me again!" Lucifer snapped. She eyed his hand on his knee that fisted with his irritation. "You've lied twice now my pet. Just now, and when you said you were in that lake house in Little Rock, Arkansas." He scolded in a much calmer tone.
Elliott tried to remember what exactly she had said to him, connecting the dots to her confession of the djinn case. She exhaled slowly at the realization. Lucifer had been there after Dean saved her. He and probably his demons had been at that lake house searching for her. Dean was right to hold her back from running to The Beast, Lucifer and his demons could have still been there. Part of her was beyond relieved that the devil had just assumed she would be at the lake house, but another part of her was worried he could have gone to Sam and hurt him. She didn't lie though she had to make sure Lucifer knew that, otherwise he could decide to punish her by hurting Sam.
"I gave you warning that I would show no mercy if you lied." He nearly growled. Then in a blink of an eye his claw like fingers snagged and tangled into her copper blonde strands, yanking at her roots. Holding her head back at a painful angle and stinging her scalp, keeping her still. "You lied about your location, so I had to teach you a lesson about lying to your master. You should be happy I was only able to destroy the truck."
Elliott snarled at the way he called himself her master. She wanted to curse him and tell him to shove it up his ass, but swallowed her pride. Afraid of what he might do to her Giant. "Please, I didn't lie, I-" The grip on her knotted hair tightened and had her whimper.
"Shhh, shhh, shhhh." He hushed her and patted her swollen jaw with his free hand. "Now, lucky for you tonight's visit will have to be cut short." His icy hand now smoothing up and down her cheek. "As an added bonus I'm going to let you remember our nightly meetings, but I'd keep that little trap of yours shut if you know what's good for you… and Sammy." He winked.
"Oh, and little one? When I do see you again, I expect better manners. You hear me? No more lies."
Large hands were on her shoulders suddenly shaking her awake. Elliott gasped hunter instinct had her arm swinging out in defense. Her fist hitting hard on solid flesh with a loud 'wack'.
"The fuck, Ellie!" Dean groaned from the floor at the side of her bed rubbing his sore jaw.
"Shit! Dean, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry," Elliott panted her heart was racing and she was covered in a cold sweat. She mimicked him and held her own jaw that was a little sore as well. "Dean my nightmare I remem-" she hesitated looking around them. Forgetting for the moment about Lucifer and her nightmares she sat up quickly and got off the bed bewildered. "What the fuck happened?!"
The mattress she had just been laying in was mostly spring coils with a think layer of graying fabric, the one Dean had been sleeping in looked much worse. The walls were smeared with something grey or brown the wallpaper chipping and ripped. There was an unbelievably thick layer of dust covering everything but herself and Dean. It looked like a freaking bomb had gone off while she was sleeping.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Dean grumbled rubbing his now purpling jaw. "Nice hit by the way Balboa."
"Dee… what happened to the room? Wait where is our stuff? My phone?" Elliott's wide eyes zinged around the demolished room searching for their things, or anything that might help explain what happened.
"You think this is bad, take a look outside." Dean sighed the fear in his tone put her on edge as she slowly approached the window. Pulling back what was remaining of the ratty and stained thin curtain, her jaw nearly hit the ground.
It looked like a bomb had gone off outside as well. Cars were flipped on their sides with black scorches and missing pieces. They littered the streets below along with debris from building falling apart around them. Some buildings were caved in others were missing chunks and still standing but nearly all of them had windows blown out completely or smashed in leaving shards in the frame. It was like a scene from an apocalyptic zombie movie, but without the zombies because there wasn't a soul in the trashed streets below.
After a small freak out they leave the safety of the abandon motel and onto the streets, on a mission to find out what the fuck was happening. It didn't end up going too well. After getting away from a wild rabid child attacking them, a crowd of equally rabid people, and a group of gun happy men in camo Dean was able to explain what he figured was happening. Croatoan. A demonic virus causing people to go rabid, transferred through blood or bodily fluids.
Dean had just finished explaining the virus and his and Sam's experience with it when he succeeded in jumping a car. If Dean hadn't explained it well enough Zachariah zapping himself into the back of the moving car to monolog and take credit for putting them here in the year 2014. Five years into the future.
"Send us back you son of a bitch." Dean demanded trying to give the angel a glare while still keeping an eye on the road.
"Oh, you'll get back. You and the devil's incubator. All in good time. We want you to marinate for a bit."
Elliott recoiled and gritted her teeth at the name calling, wishing it didn't affect her so much. Dean grumbled at the angel but was interrupted before he could get a word in.
"Three days Dean. Three days to see where this course of action takes you. If you continue to say no to Michael this will all, come to pass. This is twenty fourteen Dean. This is the future if you don't say yes."
"Now, listen here you feathered-" Dean started then cursed when his visual of the back seat was now angel-less. "Son of a bitch."
Elliott blinked a few times, no matter how often she saw them disappear she didn't think she would ever get used to that. Something caught her eye on the back of the seat where the angel had just been. A photograph. She snatched it from the seat before it could fly out the open car window.
"Dean, pull over." Elliott sighed examining the photo.
"What? Why?" He grumbled back, not yet slowing down.
"Zachariah left us a trail to follow. You ever heard of a Camp Chitaqua?
"Hnn?" He questioned, only slowing and pulling over after a glancing away from the road to the photo in her hands.
The photo was crinkled and warped but still clearly displayed a group of people wheedling guns next to an old warn down sign that read 'Welcome to Camp Chitaqua. Amongst them in his wheelchair sat Bobby.
Dean pulled off into an abandon Sinclair gas station. The green long neck dinosaur graffitied with multiple tags. She handed the photo to him and watched his brow crinkle as he thought.
"It could be a trap." Dean muttered, and fiddled with the photo.
"Well, technically Zachariah already trapped us here in 2014." Elliott shrugged, glancing out the windshield around the apocalyptic landscape. "Even if it is, where else are we going to go?"
That was all the convincing Dean needed. Trying to be fast they broke into the already looted Sinclair, to find a map to find this 'Camp Chitaqua'. Elliott nearly cried with joy when she found a pack of Maralboro Reds and a lighter. As much as she loved Baby and The Beast, she was thankful for the crappy car Dean had jumped. Because for once she was actually able to smoke while they drove, and it felt good. Just one puff had her stiff muscles relaxing, and her stress levels simar.
"Okay." Dean whispered "I'll go in first, just follow and stay close." She rolled her eyes at his need to be the one to give orders but nodded anyway. Not in the mood to continue this argument, when there were more important things to be focusing on. Following Dean through a hole in a gated fence.
"Holy shit." Elliott whispered loud enough for Dean to hear. He turned around ready to snap at her to be quiet but it got stuck in his throat when he followed her line of sight. A shell of what had once been his Baby, sat tireless and broken in the dirt. Green vines and other plants had grown up onto the dusty black and dented frame. It had very clearly been picked for parts and left to be forgotten and rust.
"No," He shook his head in denial and went straight for her. Elliott hesitantly followed Dean across a small clearing and his rusting, forgotten Baby. "Oh no, Baby," Dean breathed horrified touching her ever so softly as if he was afraid, he would hurt her more. "What did they do to you."
Elliott had to look away from the painful expression on his face. After saying goodbye to The Beast, she knew exactly how hard this was for him. She only had a moment to feel bad for Dean grieving the Impala, before something jumped out to her left. In an instant Dean was out. Collapsed on the dirt before she could register what was there or what it did. Hunter instincts had her reacting blindly as she swung out at the shadowy figure that had knocked out Dean, but her fist was caught easily in its rough grasp. She was about to swing her other fist when their attacker stepped closer and out of the shadows. Her hand fell at her side in shock, eyes wide frozen in place.
"What the… Dean?"
Dean. Her wide hazel eyes glanced to the dirt where Dean was passed out snoring, from a blow to the head. She did a double take flicking her gaze back to find another Dean standing in front of her holding her now limp fist and looking just as dumb struck as she felt.
"Ell- Ellie?" He looked like he'd seen a ghost. Then he looked down at the other Dean and regaining his composure, much faster than she could. She didn't even see the gun in his hand or register his movements. Only felt the butt of the gun land a brutally painful strike to her left temple and everything flashed white before going dark.
There were voices echoing around her as she came to. Her head felt like it was splitting in two. The voices grew louder not helping her throbbing head. She groaned loudly and rolled her head back weakly.
"Ellie? Ellie are you okay?" Dean's worried voice was much clearer now. "I swear if you gave her a concussion or-"
"She'll be fine." Elliott crinkled her brow thinking he was right. She must be concussed, because she just heard Dean cut Dean off. "She's had worse."
Elliott did her best to open her heavy eyes. "Nhn… " She groaned at the bright room and shut her eyes against it. The need to see if there were really two different Deans talking to each other pushed her to open her eyes again. Blinking slowly and squinting against both a major headache and the too bright of light, she found what she was hearing. Two different Deans. She tried to lift her hand attempting to rub at her throbbing temple but was unable to move it from behind her back. She groaned again this time softer, at the handcuffs restraining her wrists around some kind of pipe. Ever the seasoned hunter she took in her surroundings. Brain working a little slower but discovering they were in an old musty cabin. It was just her and the two Deans. One of them to her right cuffed in a similar fashion as her, the other near the center of the room messing with a gun.
"Elle. Talk to me." The Dean sitting to her right ordered eyeing her closely.
"Well, I'm seeing two of you." Elliott grunted, the jack hammer like pain in her head undeterred. "If I didn't know where we were I'd say that's a red flag for a concussion.
"See, told ya she was fine." The Dean that sat on a wooden table putting his gun together huffed. "Now you want to explain how you had every hidden lock pick, box cutter, and switchblade that I carry? OH and how you look like me and have…" He trailed off when he glanced at her but got back on track when he turned away. "-her. With you."
"Zachariah." Dean to her right said like it left a bad taste on his tongue.
"Come again?" Future Dean stood up slowly looking from Elliott to his counterpart.
"We're from the tail end of 2009. He threw us five years into the future." Dean supplied bitterly.
"Where is he? I want to talk to him." Future Dean now more interested demanded more than questioned.
"We don't know, he just dumped us off and bailed. Look we just wanna get to out own freaking year, okay?"
Future Dean narrowed his eyes at his counterpart before squatting down in front of him. "Okay if you're me then tell me something only I would know."
Dean scoffed, but licked his lips. A nervous tic that was noticed by the other two. His eyes darted to Elliott and back to his future self anxiously. "Ronda Hurley." He muttered hoping Elliott couldn't hear him.
"Come again?"
"Ronda Hurley. We were uh, … nineteen. She made us try on her panties. They were pink. …and satiny. And you know what? We kinda liked it."
Elliott's head pain forgotten as her brows shot up to her hairline hearing every word. Both Deans glanced her way cautiously one of the closed their eyes and looked away the other coughed and cleared his throat.
"Touché." Future Dean mumbled face getting red like the other Deans as he stood back up and went back to putting together his gun.
Elliott snorted the only thing that kept her from laughing harder was the headache that was finally starting to fade some.
"Shut up." Dean mumbled and quickly changed the subject. "So, Croatoin. That's how their end game?"
"It's efficient, incurable, and scary as Hell." Future Dean answered and started packing up his things on the wooden table. "Started hitting the major cities about two years ago. World really went in the crapper after that."
"Wait." Elliott shook her head and tried to see out the dirty windows behind him. Ignoring how the movement raddled her already painful head. "Where's Sam? If you're here he has to be close to."
He looked down and kept his back to her slowing his packing to almost a halt.
The moment of silence lingered too long for her and she could feel her heat pick up. Racing in her chest. The silence became a deafening roar in her ears.
"Dee." She demanded with a shaky breath. "Where is Sam?"
Future Dean licked his lips and shut his eyes tightly before masking his emotions and turned to her. "I'm sorry, Elle."
"No." She denied and shook her head against the pain.
"You're wrong." She snapped at the same time Dean to the right of her managed "The Hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Heavy weight show down in Detroit. From what I understand Sam didn't make it." He answered only looking at Dean.
Elliott wanted to growl, to scream, to hit something. They should have never separated. She hated this, and refused to let this happen when she gets back to Sam. A thought accrued to her. She would be with Sam, right? Does that mean she was there when it goes down?
"Wait, was I… there?" Elliott trailed off to find the words. "I wouldn't just leave him like that. Am I… Am I dead too?"
Future Dean stared at his boots intensely, like he would rather be anywhere but here. While the other Dean looked just as horridly curious as she did.
He exhaled slowly and she watched as his hand balled into fists before he forcibly relaxed his posture. "I'm so sorry Elle. I promised you…" His eyes grew soft as they really looked at her guilt written all over his face.
"I died with Sam in Detroit?" Elliott spoke soft and factually. She felt numb. There was no other way to describe it. She was a hunter after all. Accidents happen all of the time. A very small part of her was freaked out hearing that she died in the not too distant future, but another part of her felt warm. Happy that she was able to die before Lucifer's plans for her would succeed. She could be more than happy to die if it meant that his plans would never come to pass and the world would be safe.
"I'm going to keep my promise this time. I'm going to make it right, Ellie." Future Dean gruffed but turning away and snatching his duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I'll be back shortly."
"Whoa, whoa, wait," Dean ordered just as stunned as Elliott. "You can't just drop that and leave! What the fuck happened in Detroit? Stop!" He called out struggling with his restraints.
"You're just going to leave us here?" Elliott bawk finally finding her voice again.
"The last thing this camp needs to see is a ghost from Christmas Past and a freaky version of the parent trap. You are both staying here." Future Dean sighed stopping briefly.
"Fine whatever, but you don't have to keep us cuffed." Elliott snarked with an agreed nod from her Dean.
Future Dean huffed. A smirk slowly curled on his face as he paused at the door. "I would never underestimate you sweetheart."
It took much longer than either of them liked to escape the cuffs. By the time Elliott had gotten the pin out of her hair by rubbing it against the wall and unlocking both of their handcuffs the sky was getting brighter.
The moment Dean stepped out the soon a man swarmed him asking him questions at rapid fire. It took Elliott a minute to recognize him as Chuck. The prophet that she had met after the seals were broken. It took a moment but Chuck seemed to recognize her too. When he did, he stopped mid question and stared like she had grown another head. They were able to get out of a confrontation with a pissed off woman named Risa and Chuck was able to point them in the direction of Castiel.
"Let's make this quick, and get Cas to zap us home." Dean grumbled as the made their way to the cabin entrance.
They could both hear Castiel rambling gibberish behind the beaded curtain that hung on the front door. He sounded off. The angel's voice was still deep but was much softer and what really threw her off was the emotion behind it. Elliott grumbled annoyed with Dean as he nudged her behind him protectively.
"Now the key to this total, shared perception, is um, surprisingly physical."
Elliott hesitated behind the beaded shades at the words that were coming out of the angel's voice. She couldn't quite grasp that it was Castiel who said that. Dean on the other hand kept going letting the beads clink and jingle behind him.
"Oh. Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. I think I need to confer with out fearless leader for a minute. Why not get washed up for the orgy?"
Elliott's jaw fell and she stuck her pinkie in her ear to try and clear it out. There was no way she heard that last part right. A line of four or five men and women made their way through the curtain and past her without a glance.
"What are you a hippie?" Dean accused inside the room, while she still stood outside trying to snap herself back together to move or do something.
"I thought you'd gotten over trying to label me." Castiel sighed.
"Cass we gotta talk."
"Whoa. Strange. You… are not you -not now you anyway."
"No! Yeah. Yes exactly." Dean sputtered and snapped Elliott out of it enough to walk in.
"We're not from now." Elliott added letting the beaded shade clink and sway behind her.
"Elliott?" Castiel's eyes were so comically wide she was surprised they didn't fall out of his sockets.
"Uh, yeah…" She responded slowly. The mix of his new hippie outfit, words he said that she still didn't think she heard clearly, and the way he was speaking with actual emotion for once was not something she felt prepared for.
The Castiel stunned expression broke into a wide toothy grin. The expression of happiness was so foreign on his face that she just stared back with furrowed brows completely confused. Then surprising her once more his arms were suddenly around her holding her in a tight hug.
Frozen in place Elliott looked over to Dean for help but he appeared to be just as shocked as she was.
"It's really good to see you again Ellie." He pulled away and although he was still smiling, she could see sadness and maybe grief in his insanely blue eyes.
"Uh," Elliott eyed him suspiciously, "Thanks, you too…"
"What year are you from?" He questioned dazed as he pulled his gaze away from her to meet Dean's.
"2009" Dean supplied quickly.
"Ooh." Castiel drawled quickly eyeing her and Dean with understanding. "Then who did this too you, was it Zachariah?" They nodded with straight annoyed expressions. "Interesting."
"Oh, yeah it's fucking fascinating." Dean snarked. "Now, why don't you strap on your angel wings and fly us back to the right page on the calendar?"
A very strange grin split Castiel's lips and he started laughing. Elliott blinked wide eyed; she didn't know he could laugh. The sound of it odd and unfitting to the mean, powerful angel she knew back in 2009.
"I wish I could just, uh, strap on my wings." He chuckled. "-but no dice."
Dean looked like he was either going to start shouting or hitting something. Elliott placed a hand on his shoulder to silence him, and squinted up at the angel. Her hazel green eyes widened at what she found.
"Dee." Elliott spoke softly to him eyes locked on the angel. "I, uh, I think he's high. He's high as a fucking kite." Castiel chuckled not bothered by their staring.
"You're stoned?" Dean accused in complete disbelief.
"Uh, generally yeah." He smiled almost proudly at him before turning to her. "Thanks to Ellie here, I've come to appreciate the finer points of life."
"Me?" Elliott squeaked at the same time Dean questioned "What the Hell happened to you?"
Castiel huffed a humorless laugh. "Life, drugs, the apocalypse?" When both hunters just stared expectantly, he sighed and continued. "The angels left. When you wouldn't say yes, and hid Ellie from Lucifer they just left. My angel mojo just kinda -dissipated- until," He shrugged. "I'm human."
"Human?" Dean repeated both hunters remembering Anna and how she had fallen so she could be human.
"Yeah, I took it pretty hard at first. Being human is kind of a bummer. Life was bleak after losing who I was… Then this little stoner showed me the best part of being human." Castiel swung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a side hug.
Elliott stumbled into his embrace not expecting the contact. Especially from the angel that had repeatedly called her an abomination. She had been sure the real Castiel or the Castiel from 2009 had thought very poorly of her and her dirty tainted blood.
He chuckled at her lost expression and gave in when neither were able to speak. "You brought me out of a bad place. I blamed myself for everything, but you were able to get me to let loose and enjoy life again." Castiel's dazed smile lingered. "Ellie helped me out of a very dark time. My Ellie, my friend, my support, my dealer." He said fondly.
Her jaw may as well have hit the floor and if she wasn't so stunned, she would have seen that Dean shared her disbelief. "I did this to you?" Elliott's voice pitched.
"Ellie-" Castiel started but was interrupted by the rumble of an approaching engine.
It all happened in a blur Future Dean arrived back with a handful of people. Before Elliott could even make out who was all there, he had shot one of his men down. Only later did they find out the man had been infected by the Croatian Virus. Dean of course got bitched out by his future counterpart and before they knew it they were all back in the cabin they had woke up in. This time with future Dean's closest allies.
Future Dean laid the colt on the table in front of them as he began discussing his plan to kill the devil. Elliott nibbled at her lower lip, and ogled the antique weapon she had thought was just a myth. A fairytale her father and brother would tell her in bedtime stories. Of course, that was until the Winchesters recount of how they killed their yellow eyed demon. Still, she never thought in a million years she would see it in person. All that hype and the power behind such a small object, it was fascinating. So distracted by the colt Elliott only caught the end of the plan.
"Wait why are you even letting us come with?" She questioned Future Dean with narrowing eyes as the others started filing out the door to rally the troops.
"Yeah, why are you?" Dean pushed off the wall both him and Elliott were leaning on to straighten his posture.
"Relax." Future Dean shrugged carelessly. "Zach's looking after you right?"
"That's not what we mean." Elliott straightened her own posture and took a step closer to her Dean.
"What the Hell is going on?" Dean questioned beside her.
Future Dean's hard green eyes flashed to her apprehensively before landing back on his past self. "Yeah, okay. You're coming with because I want you to see something." He hesitated a glance at Elliott but kept his attention on his counterpart. "I want you to see our brother."
"Sam?" Elliott and Dean questioned at the same time. Hope was growing in her chest, making her heart pound painfully.
"I thought you said he was dead?" Dean added looking just as lost and optimistic as she was.
"He's alive?" Elliott questioned hopefully.
A couple beats of heavy silence past as Future Dean's frame and shoulders tensed up. When his cold eyes landed on her they grew soft for a split second, before hardening again.
"Sam didn't die in Detroit. He said yes." He nearly spat at both of them.
"Yes?" Both Dean and Elliott parroted.
Elliott went through a whirlwind of emotions in that millisecond. Relief hit her like giant wave. Hearing he was alive was like an enormously heavy weight had been lifted off of her chest, so great she could breathe deeply for the first time since they had separated. Then confusion started seeping in and rocking her growing happiness. If Sam was alive why did Future Dean tell them otherwise? Also, why did he look so angered, and guilty?
Although Elliott was lost, she saw the blood drain from Dean's face, as something click in his head. "Wait, you don't mean he-"
"Yes. The big yes. Lucifer is wearing him to prom." Future Dean huffed.
"Wait, what?" Elliott slowly questioned still not getting it. The heavy feeling in her stomach started growing again. "I don't- what are you talking about?"
"Why would he do that?" Dean purposefully ignored her questioning his future self.
"I wish I knew, but now we don't have a choice. It's in Sam and it's not getting out." Future Dean answered him, choosing to ignore her as well.
"What the fuck?!" Elliott nearly shouted. "What the Hell are you talking about?" She nearly screeched at them, panic laced in her tone. All that she could put together was something was wrong with Sam and he wanted to kill him. No, that can't be right. Dean would never.
"You haven't told her yet?" Future Dean stated rather than questioned.
Dean sighed next to her exasperated and defensive. "I just found out last night. When was I supposed to tell her? When we were getting chased by Croates? Or kidnapped by my apocalyptic future self?"
"Tell me what?" She demanded, beyond worried now.
Dean looked like he would rather be anywhere but there, and a little pale but he cleared his throat and turned to her. "Sammy, uh-" He coughed, eyes falling down to his boots unable to keep eye contact. "He called when you were asleep back in 2009. Lucifer showed up in his dream. Sam he, uh-"
Elliott felt her heart beat faster remembering some of her dreams Lucifer had visited and his threats of hurting Sam. "He- he visited his dreams? Is he okay? Did he hurt Sam?"
Future Dean sighed like he had had enough and impatiently blurted. "Sam is Lucifer's vessel."
Elliott's breath hitched, and she shook her head. "Sam's- Sam's- but, I'm- I'm-" She muttered with shaky breath. Unable to find the words she swallowed the hard lump in her throat.
"Lucifer's baby-mama?" Future Dean quipped, before giving her a small frown. "Yeah, I'm sorry, Princess."
The room was beginning to feel too small, and it was making her dizzy. She inhaled a shaky deep breath, not able to fill her lungs like she needed. Her heart felt like it had dropped to her stomach. Hundreds of thoughts rushed her mind in that millisecond. Too many thoughts, too much to handle, she needed some air, she needed something, she needed a cigarette. It felt like her brain was short circuiting.
"Listen, Elle. I'm sorry, I-" Dean apologized stepping closer, but he was already too close. The shrinking cabin was making her claustrophobic and the last thing she could handle was anyone touching her.
"No, stop- just," She tried again to fill her lungs completely. "I need some air."
"Ellie, wait," He reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder, but she quickly squirmed out of his reach.
"No!" She accidently shouted too overwhelmed. Then in a much more controlled tone told him she just needed a moment alone.
Ducking out of the cabin, and ignoring his shouts for her as she tried to compose herself. The fresh night air helped slow her rapid breathing and calm her heart. Finding a tree within view of the cabin she leaned back against it and slid down to the dirt. She had to shut her eyes to still the dizziness, and pulled her knees to her chest hugging them tightly.
Her mind wandered and processed what she had discovered. He's not dead, but he is possessed by Lucifer- is that better? Elliott hadn't ever been possessed but she had heard a few victims' recounts, and it sounded beyond terrifying. Incapable of moving on your own accord yet seeing and feeling everything as if you could. Unable to do anything but watch. Horrible, to be possessed but better than dead? But, if Sam was possessed, he was still alive, and if he was still alive that meant there was still hope. Right? Even if it was the devil, there had to be a way to get him out? Even then how could he say yes to being possessed? Sam wouldn't do that.
"No, that's-" Elliott shook her head, mumbling to herself brows knit tight, refusing to believe that he had said yes. She couldn't fathom a world in which Sam -her Sam, her Giant- her sweet, caring, loveable puppy dog eyed man would ever, no could ever say yes to Lucifer. He would die before letting Lucifer possess him. "That's wrong, he wouldn't-"
"Ellie?"
She snapped her head up not expecting that voice.
"Are you okay?" Castiel stood in front of her before plopping to the ground and crossing his legs. Elliott couldn't help but stare watching his uncharacteristic fluid his movements. "What wrong?"
"I, uh-" She blinked slowly gripping tighter to her knees. "I just found out Sam's his vessel."
"Ah." The ex-angel nodded. "Well in that case," He twisted to the side so he could dig through his jean pocket. Smiling brightly as he held out a carton of cigarettes and-
"Is that my...?"
"Yeah," Castiel smiled fondly. "It was your lighter."
She sighed at the happy sight taking both and lighting the cigarette. When she exhaled a puff of smoke the anxiety twisting inside her began to relax. Taking another puff, she eyed the Elvis figure on the lighter with a crooked grin. "Thanks. I needed this. This lighter somehow makes it better too." She hummed the Elvis figure was much more warn down and the colors had faded to show its age.
"Well, it is your favorite. I of course kept it after you- uh -" His doofy smile fell and he sputtered on his words.
"Cas?" Elliott questioned quietly. "I know I, uh don't make it, but no one has told me how I… you know,"
"Die?"
She cleared her throat but made an effort to keep eye contact with him.
"Tell me? Please?" She pleaded getting a sigh from Castiel.
"Short version, no one can survive birthing a Nephilim."
Elliott's blood ran cold and her stomach was a mess of queasiness. "How does… When…?"
Castiel sighed and dug a small joint out of his other pocket, then lit the end. Moments of silence pasted as he took a couple hits. Inhaling deep and holding it in before slowly exhaling. He didn't cough once and if she wasn't in shock she would have probably been impressed.
"Long version?" Elliott dared to ask.
He took an even bigger hit this time before speaking. "Dean wouldn't meet back up with his brother and for the most part you stayed with Sam. Although Sam insisted you help Dean on hunts now and then. You had been on one of those hunts with Dean when it happened. Sam said yes. We kinda assumed he had been planning it, and sent you to Dean to keep you and Lucifer as far from each other as possible."
"No, that has to be wrong. Sam would never agree to be Lucifer's vessel. That just doesn't make sense."
Castiel offered the roach to her and she almost took it but she declined needing to process this all a bit more before she could consider getting high.
"For whatever reason he did. You didn't take it very well." He spoke softly icy eyes distant in a memory. "The only thing keeping you sane was research and hunting. It was on one of those hunts Dean and you were ambushed. A gnarly gang of demons had… well of course you know Dean, blames himself… but that all ends soon. Today we take on the devil." The way he said it had her audibly swallow in the tense silence that followed.
"You ready to ride Princess?" Dean, future Deans gruff voice pulled her out of their conversation. She hadn't even seen him approach too wrapped up in the morbid tales of her death. By the soft sympathetic and concerned green eyes watching her she knew he had heard most of it.
They hid among the desolated urban destruction as future Dean and her Dean went to have a private conversation among the trees behind them.
Castiel eyed her nibbling on her lower lip anxiously. "Here." He nudged her side with his elbow extending another lit joint out to her. "It'll help."
"I'm fine." She declined shaking her head with a faux smile then turned back to look where both Deans had disappeared.
"Just trying to help you out Ellie. Help take the edge off." He inhaled deeply holding it until she turned back to him and exhaled with a soft smile.
"I don't get high while hunting."
"Not yet." Castiel mumbled to himself, as future Dean returned.
"Alright. It's time. Get in positions." Future Dean ordered.
The sound of guns cocking, clicking into place echoed around her.
"Wait." Elliott shook her head and stepped forward to block future Dean's way. "Where I he? Where's Dean- the other Dean…?"
He hesitated when he met her worried hazel eyes, but spoke sternly. "He's sitting this one out. As are you."
"What? No. You said-"
"I changed my mind." He bit out with a steal like finality but then his voice went soft and apologetic. "Sorry about this Princess,"
Before she could even prosses his change of tone Future Dean and the others were gone only boot prints in the mud and an unfinished joint letting off a small stream of smoke.
Instead of following the boot tracks she turned around to find her Dean. "Dean!" She exclaimed finding him slumped on the ground passed out. The loud echo of gun fire in the distance had Elliott jump slightly. Shaking him gently enough but needing him to get up fast. "Dean wake up!"
Dean grunted stirring from unconsciousness. "Fucking bastard." Dean grumbled shooting up at the sound of bullets farther away. "Shit, Elle. He's sacrificing them all. He's going around back-"
"Shit!" She cursed helping Dean to his feet. "Let's go."
Dean led the way as they ran to the back entrance of a rundown building. He stopped so short that she ran into his back. With lighting fast reflexes his arm was out stretched keeping her back behind him.
Elliott gasped at the sight before them. Future Dean was sprawled out on the dead grass and dirt a polished shoe on his throat. Elliott didn't need for the man who was stepping on future Dean's throat to turn around to know who it was. She would know those broad shoulders and strong back anywhere. Sam. It was her Sam. Only it wasn't him at all. It just looked like him. Just his outer shell.
A crack rippled through the air and a high pitched screamed tore from Elliott's lungs. "Dean!" She covered her quivering lips in horror, eyes filling quickly. The Dean in front of her stayed silent but paled at the sight of his own death, right under his little brother's foot.
"Well now, aren't you two a surprise." Sam's voice met her ears stunning her enough to steal her attention from future Dean's lifeless corpse. Her heart clenching painfully at the stiff ridged Castiel like posture that wasn't at all like her Giant. Even the clothing on him was extremely off settling. No longer in his signature old worn down flannel and denim, but a stainless and pristine white suit.
"Sam," Elliott managed to croak out as his galactic eyes landed on her, but they are much too empty and cold to be the ones she knows.
"Not exactly." He quirks with a wink in her direction before turning to Dean. "You've come a long way to see this haven't you?" Sam's voice yet again has her heart squeezing painfully with the cold alien like tone that doesn't belong to him.
"Well, go ahead." Dean speaks up cautiously still keeping Elliott at his back. "Kill us."
"Dee," She hisses and grips his canvas coat tightly.
Lucifer huffed amused at the older Winchester's bravado. "Kill you Dean?" The devil questioned using her giant's soft calming voice. The stiffness in his speech had her insides ache knowing he was using Sam's vocal cords. He eyed the corpse at his feet then raised a brow that didn't belong to him. Thunder boomed and echoed around them as lighting followed.
"Sam!" Elliott shouted from behind Dean. "Sam, I know you're in there! Sam, I'm so sorry! I-I won't let this happen to you! Sam, can you hear me in there? I promise. Sam!"
"Ellie." Dean hissed a warning refusing to let her step around him and get closer to Lucifer. The devil just tilted his head with a wicked smirk, patiently waiting for her to stop her shouting.
"I'm sorry. It must be painful. Speaking to me in this shape." Lucifer stepped over future Dean's corpse like it was nothing to look Dean in the eye. "It had to be your brother Dean. It had to be." When both hunters only scowled and grit their teeth, he changed tactics. "You know why God cast me out?"
"Oh, good god you're not gonna tell us a bedtime story, are you?" Dean mocked bravely.
Elliott didn't think she could keep watching the man she loved being used so openly. It looked like her Sam and it sounded like her Sam but it wasn't. The slow dry way he spoke was almost robotic. It was too calculated and thought out. Then there was his eyes. They were still the same beautiful color but lacked the brilliant warmth she knew belonged there. These cold eyes no longer held emotion or empathy. Instead, they watched her with such close intensity she could only compare it to the way a tiger watches its prey. Even the way he held himself, it was too stiff. Sam almost never used his full height in an intimidating way like Lucifer was doing with him now.
"… and Dad created you. The hairless apes." Lucifer continued his delusional story. "Asked us to bow down to you. To love you more than him. When I couldn't do that, God had Michael cast me into Hell."
"What a load of shit." Elliott snipped without meaning to. Her emotions were all over the place horrified, heartbroken, distraught, and enraged. All because her Giant was just a husk. A puppet being used by the devil. She did her best to push back any other emotion but anger. Anger wasn't weak. Anger was justifiable. Anger was what she needed.
"You're not fooling us with this sympathy for the devil crap." Dean barked not taking his eyes off him.
"I suppose your corruption of Eve, of the human race had nothing to do with why you were cast out then?" She sneered.
Lucifer's jaw ticked and his predatory eyes narrowed in on Elliott.
"Oh, my pet. Ramiel always said you were too clever for your own good." Lucifer smiled wickedly with Sam's lips when he saw her bitter anger flicker away and twist into fear. "Luckily a little sleep deprivation goes a long way. Tell me sweet Elliott have you been sleeping well lately?"
A shiver rippled down her spine as the memories of her last nightmare came flooding back. Lucifer threatening her. She blinked rapidly to clear her thoughts, now wasn't the time to get hung up on a nightmare. "You bastard! You might as well just kill me now. Because I won't do it. I'll kill myself before I give you an heir. Before I become your-"
He bursted out in a thunderous laughter, causing what courage Elliott had gathered to slip from her like air from a balloon. She turned to Dean, wide eyes just as fearfully surprised as hers.
"An heir?" Lucifer choked out between barks of laughter. "Think about it my sweet pet. Use that clever brain of yours."
When neither hunter spoke up, he huffed a little smirk on Sam's lips. "Think, my pet."
He blinked and suddenly was standing behind her making both hunters jump back. Dean grabbed at her wrist to pull her behind him if necessary but she stood her ground. Lucifer didn't want them dead. At least not yet.
"Why would I need an heir? I'm an archangel an immortal celestial being. There is no need for a successor."
"Then why-" Elliott's brows knit together. Her mind tried to understand why he needed her to birth the antichrist. If he wasn't going to die, there would be no reason for a successor.
"I guess it's not your fault for not seeing this. Humans can't comprehend the power a Nephilim can carry."
"Power?" Dean questioned, this time moving to be side by side with the smaller hunter. If he couldn't pull her behind him then he had to be able to jump in front of her at a moments notice.
A crooked grin too wicked to belong to Sam's sweet face spread along his features. He reached up to his neck and pulled a small chain out of his buttoned up shirt. At the end of the chain was a little glass vile that glowed a white-blue color.
"Yes, power. The power to destroy Heaven and rule earth. The Grace of the antichrist. The Nephilim from not only an archangel but myself. One of my own creation… With power like this not even my father could have stopped me."
Elliott felt sick. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Feel her lungs constricting making her breath come in shallow spurts. Her eyes glued to the vial of swirling light before it was quickly tucked away, back into the white button up.
"If that's the kid's grace…" Dean muttered out loud to her left. "What happened to the kid?"
"The child was a small sacrifice to pay for such power." Lucifer shrugged carelessly but his predatory eyes swept up and down Elliott's body in remembrance. "Do what you want because whatever you do, we will always end up here. All of us. I win."
"You're wrong." Dan managed in a tight voice.
"Sweet Dreams, my pet." Lucifer winked at her as a single tear trailed down her cheek.
Thunder clashed around them and suddenly they were back in their year in the motel they had fallen asleep in. Zachariah stood before them, and it took Elliott a moment to realize he was speaking. Too lost in her own thoughts to comprehend his escalating words, but it didn't matter to her anyway. Just like every angel she had met. He ignored her only truly speaking to Dean.
Before the balding angel could finish threatening Dean, Castiel zapped them both away. If it weren't for meeting future Castiel Elliott would have been surprised he had thought to pull her away from Zachariah as well.
Standing on the empty street only lit by a couple streetlights Castiel stiffly smiled at both hunters. A part of Elliott missed the relaxed stoner slut Castiel she had met, but seeing him back to normal had her relieved to know Sam was alive and himself.
The impala hadn't even come to a complete stop when Elliott leaped out of it, Ignoring Dean's cursing she ran as fast as she could and right into her Giant's arms. She held him in such a tight embraces she was sure she was probably hurting him, but she didn't care. He was there, and he was himself. Her Giant. Her Sam. Neither said a word. Just embraced each other as if they hadn't in years. There was everything to discuss yet nothing to say. The heavy feeling in her gut was gone, replaced by light fluttering warmth. Sam's face was buried in her tangled copper blonde hair at her neck.
"Shhh, It's okay, baby I'm right here." Sam hushed and cooed low in her ear. "Shhh, I'm not going anywhere. It's okay."
Elliott blinked not understanding why he was trying to comfort her. She knew she wasn't crying her cheeks felt dry even though she knew that it might not last. But then she released a shaky breath and realized she was actually trembling. Annoyed at her own body for betraying her, she let out an unsteady huff. She felt weak and pathetic, she was supposed to be strong for Sam, not needy mess. It didn't matter what she wanted to do her body wasn't listening. So instead of fighting it she let herself be comforted by the man she loved more than she thought possible. She just stayed there in his arms until she finally calmed, and even then, she still stayed. She didn't even pull away and neither did he as he talked over her to greet his brother. They were all finally together again. The team was back together and for that small moment she let herself believe that everything was going to be okay.