Chapter 13

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This sudden surge of power wasn't without any consequences. Her body was hurting, pain coursed through each and every cell. It was as if she had been hit by a truck or by a train. She could barely move without hurting. It made it all the more difficult to change into fresh clothes. The hot water had soothed her pain slightly but it didn't last long. On the other hand, the scars that she earned from Alastair's torture session were all gone. Except for one. The very one she earned from her brothers' "love." Although, the scars had disappeared, they had been replaced by bruises.

"You don't remember anything?" Dean asked Emma through the door.

"No. Last thing I remember, is the pain and then nothing." She said as she walked out of the bathroom. "You said my eyes were glowing?" She groaned as she walked up to the bed. That was as far as she could go.

"Yeah, that and the wings. You went full on angel." Dean continued. "You're okay?"

"Never better." She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. "There's something you need to know."

"What?"

"You don't like it when people hide things from you. And you don't really need that piece of info but…"

"What is it?"

"About the vessels," Emma continued. "I remembered a conversation I had with Camael in which I briefly mentioned them. Of course, I was wrong but I think you need to hear it for yourself."

"Wrong about what, Red?"

"The vessels, they are…supposed to be…brothers." Emma replied. "So, when Zachariah said that you were Michael's, I immediately thought that Sam was…"

"Lucifer's." Dean finished for her. "Son of the bitch." He said rubbing his face tiredly.

"But like I said I was wrong. Clearly, Lucifer's vessel is someone else. He must have invested his vessel by now. And Sam is still Sam."

"Is he?"

Emma stood opposite to Sam, in Bobby's hospital room. The man had been sitting in his wheelchair, staring out of the window, without a word. Dean stopped between the two of them.

"What's it been—like three days, now?" He looked at Bobby. "We got to cheer him up. Maybe, I'll give him a back rub."

"Dean." Sam said disapprovingly.

"Well, what, then?"

"Look…we might have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time." Sam said to his brother. Dean looked at his brother, knowing well that he might be right. "What's the envelope?"

"Went to radiology." Dean started taking out the pictures that were in it. "Got some glamour shots. Let's just say the doctors were baffled." Dean added as Sam were looking at a picture of his ribcage.

"Holy crap." His brother exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, Cas carved you one too."

"This is impressive." Emma said in awe. Sam's phone started to ring.

"Hello?" Sam answered. "Castiel?"

"Speak of the devil."

"Uh…St. Martin's hospital." Sam replied confused. "Why? What are you…? Cas?" Sam pulled his phone away from his ear and realized that Cas had hung up on him.

A few minutes later, Castiel had joined their little party of three. Emma turned to him.

"You use cellphones, now?" She asked him.

"Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?" Dean asked him.

"You're hidden from angels now—all angels." Cas answered. "I won't be able to simply…"

"Enough foreplay." Bobby cut him off. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on." None of them said a word. "Get healing—now." Bobby shouted.

"I can't." Castiel answered sadly.

"Say again." Bobby asked tightly.

"I'm cut off from heaven and much of heaven's power. Certain things, I can do. Certain things, I can't."

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life?"

"I'm sorry."

"Shove it up your ass."

"Well, at least he's talking now." Dean whispered to Sam and Emma. The latter slapped his arm.

"I heard that." Bobby said.

"I don't have much time. We need to talk." Castiel came closer to them, leaving Bobby to brood.

"Okay."

"Your plan to kill Lucifer?"

"Yeah, you want to help?" Dean asked him.

"No, it's foolish. It can't be done." Castiel retorted.

"At least, we have one." Emma countered.

"But I believe I have the solution." Castiel continued. "There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer…strong enough to stop the apocalypse." Emma frowned.

"Who's that?" Sam asked him. Skeptic.

"The one who resurrected me and put you on that airplane. The one who began everything." Castiel answered. "God." Emma scoffed. "I'm gonna find God."

Dean quickly closed the door behind them. "God?"

"Yes."

"God."

"Yes." Emma and Sam quickly glanced at each other. "He isn't in heaven. He has to be somewhere."

"Try New Mexico. I hear he's on a tortilla." Dean joked.

"No, he's not on any flatbread." Castiel answered flatly.

"Listen, Chuckles, even if there is a god. He is either dead—and that's the generous theory—"

"He's out there, Dean,"

"—or he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us." Castiel remained quiet. "I mean look around you man. The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, and he's off somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut. All right?"

"Enough. This is not a theological issue. It's strategic. With God's help, we can win."

"It's a pipe dream, Cas."

"I killed two angels this week. My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it—all of it—for you. And you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world. I lost everything—for nothing. So, keep your opinions to yourself."

"Then, you might want to hear mine." Emma stepped closer to Castiel. "Dean and Sam did not fail. You tricked them. Made them believe that they were stopping the apocalypse. When really, you were working towards it. As for God, he didn't lift a finger to stop it before. I have begged him. On my knees. I cried and begged him to stop this nonsense. His answer was 'Lucifer has made his choice and must be punished.' Do you really believe he's going to do something now?"

"He brought me back. Saved you. He has helped us."

"And that's all the help we're gonna get." She paused. "You want to look for him? Then go. I'm not gonna stop you. Just don't get your hopes up."

"You didn't just drop in to get your hopes and dreams crushed?" Bobby asked him. "What is it you want?"

"I did come for something." Cas replied. "An amulet?"

"An amulet?" Bobby repeated. "What kind?"

"Very rare, very powerful. It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him."

"A—god EMF?" Sam put in.

Castiel nodded. "Well, I don't know what you're talking about." Bobby shook his head in the negative. "I got nothing like that."

"I know, you don't." Castiel turned his eyes onto Dean. Then looked down at his chest.

"What? This?" Referring to the amulet around his neck.

"May I borrow it?"

"No."

"Dean. Give it to me."

Something in Castiel's tone must have convinced him. Hesitantly, Dean handed his amulet to Castiel. As if he was handing out a part of himself. "Don't lose it." Dean warned the angel. "Oh, great. Now, I feel naked."

"I'll be in touch." Castiel disappeared.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby called after him.

River Pass, Colorado was their next stop. Sometime after Castiel left, Bobby received a call from another hunter, Rufus. The call was broken up, making it hard for Bobby to understand him. Nonetheless, the hunter did. Rufus was in a town infested by demons and apparently, he had been under attack during the call. Without wasting time, Dean, Sam and Emma jumped in the Impala and drove to River Pass, Colorado.

First obstacle when they reached their destination was a collapsed bridge. "This is the only road in or out." Dean stated as they looked over the debris.

"No signal." Sam said after checking his phone.

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down."

"Looks like we're hiking in." Sam sighed.

"And the hits just keep on coming."

And they would keep on coming. Lucifer's rising was definitely the reason for this. And it was just the beginning.

Empty and deserted streets. Wrecked and abandoned cars. This was the sight that welcomed them. It was eerie and unsettling. As they kept walking through the streets, they come across a red 1965 Mustang.

"Sweet." Emma commented briefly as Dean whistled in appreciation. They glanced at each other with a quick smile before following Sam.

They followed him to a car by which there was a pool of blood. The windshield was broken. This was not good. This was a desolated land. They moved further but stopped at the recognizable sound of a gun being cocked. They turned around quickly. Their guns up.

"Ellen?" Sam said.

"You know her?" Emma asked him, seeing that his brother was putting down his weapon.

"Hello, boys." Ellen greeted them.

"Ellen, what the heck's going on here?" Dean asked her as she walked up to them and splashed Dean with holy water.

"We're us."

Ellen walked past them, Dean shook his head and they followed her to a church.

"Real glad to see you boys." She said, relieved, as soon as they walked through the door. She jumped in Dean's arms. When she pulled away, she slapped him. "The can of whup ass I ought to open on you."

"Ow!"

"You can't pick up the phone?! What are you—allergic to giving me peace of mind?" Ellen glared at Sam. "I got to find out that you're alive from Rufus?!"

"What!" Emma exclaimed.

"Sorry, Ellen." Dean apologized.

"Yeah, you better be. You better put me on speed dial, kid."

"Yes, ma'am."

They stood in awkward silence before Emma extended her hand to shake Ellen's. "Emma…Williams."

"Ellen Harvelle." Ellen shook her hand. And then tightly turned to walk down the stairs.

Dean glanced briefly at his brother with wide eyes. Sam just shrugged briefly with raised eyebrows.

"What's going on, Ellen?" Dean asked her as they followed her.

"More than I can handle alone." She answered honestly.

"How many demons are there?" Sam then asked.

"Pretty much—whole town." She retorted. "Minus the dead people and these guys. So…this is it, right? End times?" Emma exhaled. "It's gotta be."

"Seems like it." Sam nodded.

Ellen knocked on a heavy door. "It's me."

The door opened to frightened people. Secluded and isolated from the rest of the world. Most of them sat around a table. Others sat on makeshift beds, a man stood guard by the door with a rifle. They were scared and confused and lost.

"This is Sam, Dean and Emma." Ellen introduced the small group. "They're hunters—here to help."

"You guys hip to this whole demon thing?" The man by the door asked.

"Yeah. Are you?" Dean returned his question.

"My wife's eyes turned black. She came at me with a brick." A man with glasses started. "Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal."

"All right, catch us up." Dean turned to Ellen.

The small group was composed of a pregnant woman, a veteran, a pastor, the man with his glasses and a few others. These people had no experience with what was happening out there. Demons attacking them. The sky just suddenly fell on their heads and they weren't prepared for it.

"…We got here, and the place—Well, the place was like you see it." Ellen was saying as Emma listened to the conversation. "Couldn't find Rufus. Then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you."

"Don't worry, we'll find her." Dean promised.

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here. We got to get them out now." Sam suggested.

"No, it's not that easy. I've been trying. We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?"

"There used to be twenty of us." Emma looked at the small group of people in the room. There were nine of them left.

"Well, there's four of us now." Dean told her.

"You don't know what it's like out there. Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."

"What if we give all of them guns?" Emma suggested.

"What—are you gonna arm up baby bump over here?" Dean countered.

"What other choice do we have?" Emma said back.

"It's more salt we can fire at once, more demons we can keep away." Sam agreed to the idea.

"There's a sporting-goods store we passed on main on the way in." Dean said. "I bet they got guns."

"All right, you stay. We'll go." Sam put down his bag.

"What about—"

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back." Sam promised.

Emma went to follow them but Dean stopped her. "It's just me and Sammy on this one."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Dean nodded. "While we're gone, you and Ellen give them shotguns 101. Get everyone ready."

"Alright. You two are gonna be okay?" Emma was concerned about them.

"Why wouldn't we?" He shrugged it off as he followed his brother.

Emma was concerned about them. Dean had made it clear, he no longer trusted his brother. How could they still work as they used to, if trust was an issue.

"So, how did you meet the boys?" Ellen asked Emmanuelle after the brothers left.

"I could say it's a long story but it's pretty simple." Emma started. "I helped them on a case, they saved my life. Stayed at Bobby's for a while and then I got into the life."

"It's never that simple. There's something more to the story. What's the real reason?""

"I'll tell you when I find out."

The boys, as Ellen affectionately called them, were back. With weapons, salt and ammos. From then on, they gave a rushed course about weapons and on how to use them. Most of them were clueless. Never had used a gun in their entire life.

"I'll be back." She heard Ellen say. She looked up and the woman was standing in front of the brothers.

"Where you going?" Dean asked her as Emma moved closer to them.

"I can't sit here on my ass." Ellen answered. "My daughter's out there somewhere. I'm not back in half an hour, go. Get these people out of here."

"No, wait." Sam said before Emma could open her mouth. "I'll go with you."

"Whoa. Hold on. Can I talk to you for a second?" Dean stopped his brother immediately. He still didn't trust Sam.

Emma left them to talk on their own. Ellen moved to one of the refugees and gave them instructions. But Emma was anxiously observing the brothers. Their issues were still very present. Boiling and about to explode. She had hoped, in vain, that this hunt would somehow ease the tension between them. That working and trusting each other would help them mend their relationship but she had been wrong.

Sam had violently pushed his brother against the wall. Both were now glaring at each other. They were both hurt and struggling with their own anger. Emma could see it. But there was nothing to be said or done to fix it. Not on her part.

"Hey, you're okay?" Emma asked Dean after Ellen and Sam had left.

"Yeah, why?" Dean asked back.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you and Sam almost came to blows, earlier."

"Don't worry about it. It was nothing." Dean replied.

"It didn't look like nothing." Emma insisted, Dean's jaw was set. "Look, you two need to find a way to work together. I know you feel like you can't trust him anymore." Dean looked at her. "But you're hunting together. Now, I might be new to this but I figured you need a certain amount of trust doing this job. And if you can't trust him who're you gonna trust?"

Someone was banging on the door. Dean and Emma rushed to open. It was Ellen. And she was alone.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asked her immediately.

She shook her head as she sat down at the table. "They took him?" The pregnant lady asked, anxiously. "Demons took him?" She started to panic. "Oh my god. What if they're in here—the demons?"

"Could they get in?" The pastor asked them.

"No." Dean shook his head. He then grabbed his shotgun. "Everybody sit tight. I got to…"

"You're not going out there alone, Dean." Emma stopped in font of him, by the door.

He kept his eyes on her for a few seconds. Everything in him was screaming at him to get out and to find Sammy.

"Okay, we need to get a plan together. Tell me everything." Dean walked back to the table and to the group. Reluctantly.

"Dean, one of them's in Jo." Ellen said. "We got to get it out without hurting her." She scoffed. "It called me a bitch."

"Bruise a little easy, don't you think?" Dean countered.

"No, it's not what I meant." She retorted. "It called me a black-eyed bitch." Now, Emma was confused. Did her daughter think that she was the demon? "What kind of demons are these? Holy water and salt roll right off. My daughter may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears an anti-possession charm." Ellen shook her head. "It's all kind of weird, right?"

"The whole thing's off." Dean replied.

"What's your instinct?"

"My instinct?" Dean repeated. "My instinct is to call Bobby and ask for help. Or Sam."

"Well, tough. All you got's us, all we got's you." Ellen said. "So, let's figure it out."

"All right."

"You said Rufus was investigating omens." Emma reminded her. "Do you know what kind of omens?"

"He said something about the water." Ellen replied. "That's all I know."

"Padre, you know what she's talking about—the water?" Dean called the pastor.

"Uh, the…The river—ran polluted all of t a sudden." The pastor answered.

"When?"

"Last Wednesday." Austin, the veteran, answered. "And the demon thing started up the next day."

"Anything else? Anything."

Austin and the pastor looked at each other. "Maybe. But it's pretty random." Austin said.

"Good. Random's good." Dean nodded.

"Shooting star—does that count?" He continued. "Real big. Same night—Wednesday." The same night Lucifer was released from his cage.

"That definitely counts." Dean got up and went to the bookshelf to grab a bible.

"A shooting star?" Emma repeated quietly. "Why does that sound familiar?"

Dean sat down next to her. "So, uh, you think that all this comes from outer space?" Austin asked him.

"This isn't 'X-Files', pal." Dean flipped the pages of the bible. He settled on a page and read out loud. "And there fell a great star from heaven, burning like a torch and it fell upon the river, and the name of the star was wormwood. And many men died."

"Revelation: 8,10." The pastor said. "Are you saying that this is about the…apocalypse?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Emma answered honestly.

"And these specific omens…they're a prelude to what?" Dean asked.

"The Four Horsemen." Emma answered before the pastor could.

"And which one rides the red horse?" Dean asked her.

"War."

"That cherry mustang parked on main?" Dean turned to Ellen. The latter nodded.

"You can't think that a car—" The pastor started.

"It's the way I'd roll." Dean cut him off. "I mean, think about it. It all makes sense. If War is a dude and he's here, maybe he's messing with our heads."

"Turning us on each other." Ellen nodded.

"So, they think we're demons and we think they're demons but really…" Emma started.

"There's no demons at all and we're all just killing each other." Dean continued.

"Wait, back up—it's the apocalypse?" The pastor asked, not ready to believe it.

"Sorry, padre."

"So, now you're saying that there are no demons and that War is a guy." Austin said.

"You believed crazy before." Dean retorted.

Frantic knocks on the door cut the conversation short. "Open up! It's Roger!" Emma frowned upon hearing this. "I saw them—the demons." He said as soon as he stepped in. Breathless. "They know we're trying to leave. They said they're gonna pick us off one by one."

"Wait, wait, wait, what?" Dean said confused.

"I thought you said there were no demons." Austin said.

"There's not. Where did you go?" Dean asked Roger.

"I thought someone should go out and see what's going on!" Roger snapped.

"Where did you see the Demons and what did they say exactly?" Dean asked him.

The veil was being lifted, at least for Emma. While they were all arguing, screaming, he revealed himself. She didn't know why she didn't see him before. But it was him, he was standing right in front of them. He had been there with them, the entire time. Pitting humans against each other.

"—This is not a demon thing."

"Dean, He is War!" Emma told him.

"What?"

"Look at their eyes! They're demons!"

Everybody looked at them. They looked terrified, the women gasped in horror. The men grabbed their weapons ready to shoot.

"Go! Go!" Dean grabbed Emma's elbow and pulled her to the door as they ran away from the refugees. Refugees that were about to attack them.

"Now, what?" Emma asked as they ran out of the church.

"We got to stop him." Dean replied as they slowed their pace.

"And how do we do this?" Ellen asked him.

Emma had seen the ravages of War over the years. Memories that had fled her mind were now flashing before her eyes. War was helping and pushing people to fight to death. Although, she had to admit that Men didn't need any help when it came to destroying and killing their own kind. It came easy for most of them. She had seen it in many of her lifetimes.

"We're all on the same page?" Ellen asked after Rufus and Dean walked into the house.

"Good." Dean nodded. "Hi, Jo." Dean greeted the young woman.

"Hey."

"Since, everyone's up to speed, let's focus on War before this…" Emma started but was cut off by a gunshot. She ducked as did the others.

"Damn it!" Dean cussed. "Where's Sam?"

"Upstairs." Rufus answered quickly.

Emma followed Dean up the stairs leaving Jo, Rufus and Ellen downstairs. Sam was tied to a chair, in the middle of a demon's trap.

"Dean, it's not demons—it's War." Dean finished with him.

"We know." Emma said as Dean was freeing his brother.

"I just can't figure out how he's doing it."

"It doesn't matter how he's doing it. All we got to do is to cut off his damn fingers." Emma retorted.

"What?"

"Every horseman has a ring and without it they're powerless."

"Cut off his fingers and everything stops." Emma nodded. "Got it. We gotta move, come on."

The three of them went on Main where the Red Mustang was parked. War was ready to leave the party. But not without a last word from the Winchesters and Emma.

When they stopped him, War chuckled. Sam pulled out Ruby's knife. "Okay, that's a sweet little knife." He said to Sam. "You can't kill War, kiddos."

"Oh, we know." Dean said before Sam grabbed his hand, slammed it on the hood of the Mustang and cut off his ring fingers. And just like that War vanished. Nowhere to be seen.

It was over.