Disclaimer: Not mine but maybe one day.

Warnings: Mild language.

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Chapter Eight

Dean shielded his eyes against the intense flames. He could feel the fire licking his arm and he balled himself up against the side of the stage to protect his body from the heat. He began to wonder if breaking the spell while he and Sam were still trapped inside Bernie's world was really a good idea. He wanted to open his eyes and see how well Sam was faring but his eyelids refused to work. Just as the heat was becoming almost too much to bare and Dean was silently wishing to just die and get it over with…it stopped.

Dean froze; almost doubting his own senses as he slowly dropped his arm and looked out onto the empty dance floor. There were no ghosts looking back at him. There was no Bernie, no Maryann, no Tony. The walls were back to their normal charred and graffiti strewn appearance with dust floating carelessly to the abandoned tables below. Dean shifted his gaze from the empty floor to the empty tables before turning to look at Sam, who somehow had managed to find himself on the floor as well. Sam was searching the room too with the same perplexed but relieved face that Dean was sure was present on his face.

"You alright, Sammy?"

Sam checked his arms and hands and patted down his chest. Finding no external burns or bullet holes he nodded. "Yeah, you?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah," he replied as he leaned back against the stage.

"Good." Sam said as he got to his feet and extended his hand to help Dean up. Dean took it and Sam pulled him up. Dean immediately began dusting himself off as Sam turned and walked over to the spot were the unsuccessful séance had taken place. Both their packs and guns were lying exactly were they had been dropped and surprisingly the candles were still burning.

"You think he's gone for good?" Sam asked, still eyeing the candles.

"Yeah," Dean replied, "he's gone."

Something on the floor caught Dean's attention. He moved towards it and crouched down. Lying on the floor, half covered by a pile of ash was a gold locket. Dean picked it up and as he did the locket fell open revealing a picture Maryann and a young James staring lovingly as each other.

"What about them?" Sam asked as he blew out the candles and began to pack them away. "You think they're free? You think they finally found peace?"

Dean stared at the locket for a second longer. "I hope so," He replied finally, "I really hope so." And with that he clamped the locket shut and slid it into his pocket.

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Once everything was packed up Dean and Sam happily said goodbye to The Sapphire Room and headed back out into the alley. Even though the club was now technically safe to go into they made the effort to push the dumpster back in front of the door just in case. It probably wouldn't keep the neighborhood kids from sneaking in but it would make them think twice before attempting to sneak in. They walked out of the alley and onto the sidewalk in front of the club and were surprised to see Chris and Dre still leaning lazily against the Impala.

"DAAAMN!" Chris exclaimed as Dean and Sam moved closer, "What the fuck happened to ya'll?" Sam turned and looked at Dean and noticed for the first time that Dean had a bloody nose and a split lip. It must have happened during his fight with Bernie because prior to that Dean hadn't appeared that banged up.

Dean wiped the blood away and shrugged, "You got some crazy rats in Philly."

The teens looked at him skeptically but Dean didn't offer a more believable answer. He opened the back door and tossed the bags onto the seat before slamming it shut and leaning back against the door. His ribs and his head were beginning to throb and he hissed painfully as his body settled against the side of the car.

"Rats, huh?" Dre smirked, "It wasn't no crazy ass psycho killer ghost?"

"Thought you didn't believe in ghosts?" Chris smiled.

"Yeah, well I didn't until my man here came outta there looking like a human punching bag." Dre retorted still studying Dean's for signs of what really happened behind those walls.

"And what about you?" Dre asked, turning to look at Sam, "Rats did a job on your neck too?"

Sam rubbed his neck gently, just now realizing the soreness of it. "Yeah," he replied, "big, demon-looking rats."

Dre shook his head, "Ya'll some liars you know that?"

Sam cocked his head and smiled while Dean only gave them a small shrug.

"Yeah well whatever happened in there, I'm gettin' the hell away from here before them 'rats' decide to go for round two." Chris stated as he started to walk away from the car.

Dre shook his head again and started to following his friend but Dean grabbed his arm and pulled his closer. Dre looked at him with curiosity, "Just thought you should know, Shanice" Dean paused and shook his head, "didn't move to Florida." He lifted his head towards The Sapphire Room and then looked back at Dre whose eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Oh shit!" Dre turned and began running down the sideway, "Ayo Chris!" He called, "You won't believe what my man just told me!"

Dean smiled at Sam happily. Sam frowned slightly as he reached for the passengers' side door. "You think you should've told him that? Don't you think it would've been better just to let them believe that there was no ghost, that Shanice did move to Florida?"

Dean shrugged as he pushed himself off the car and walked towards the drivers' side door, "Hey, I'm going a public service. Maybe it'll keep kids from going into places that are supposed to be haunted."

"Yeah but that's if anyone even believes him." Sam quipped as he looked at Dean over the top of the car.

"Either way, he'll have a story to tell at school tomorrow." Dean smiled. As Dean opened the door and was about to slid in he heard someone call his name.

"Dean!" He turned and saw elderly black woman come hobbling towards him. "Are you two okay?"

Dean reeled backwards slightly, "Uh, yes. Do I know you?"

The woman ignored his question and took a step closer to him, "You destroyed Bernie." She stated. Dean nodded slowly still unsure as to who the woman was and how she knew about Bernie. Sam watched the encounter half heartedly but a sudden pull sent his mind reeling backwards. His vision suddenly blurred and momentarily he felt as if he's gone deaf. He took a deep breathe as he regained his vision and stared at the woman in disbelief.

Dean who was completely oblivious to Sam's struggle continued to look at the woman. Something in her eyes stood out and Dean immediately knew who he was looking at.

"Annabelle?" he asked. The woman took an uneasy step backwards but stopped when she heard Sam speak up.

"No," Sam chimed as he squinted at the woman, "its Catherine isn't it?" Dean shot Sam a look of confusion but was even more confused when the old woman nodded meekly.

"Wait, Catherine as in Annabelle's grandmother?" Dean was suddenly more confused than he's been all night, "I thought she was dead." He turned and looked at Catherine, "I thought you were dead."

"There is no Annabelle. Catherine is Annabelle." Sam explained. The old woman nodded in response. "Bernie didn't pay you to cast that spell, did he?"

Catherine shook her head, "No. I wanted what Bernie wanted. I wanted eternity." The woman's voice was cracking as she spoke. "Like I told you before Bernie came to me but I didn't make him pay, instead I asked to be in the club that night. So that I could live forever…but I got scared. After I set up the spell, I changed my mind and I ran. I swear I didn't think Bernie would actually die that night. I thought, I though he'd-" Catherine stopped and looked remorsefully at the boys, "I was selfish." She finally said with resolve.

"But," Dean started, "What happened to you? I mean, you were, what, in your 50's this morning and now you look, no offense, old as hell."

Catherine sighed, "As I was leaving the club, the fire started but because I didn't die that night the spell only half worked. I was given eternity but I was still alive and still aware of the horrible thing I'd done." Catherine cast her eyes down.

"Why couldn't you reverse it," Sam squinted his eyes at her again. "You cast the spell so you had the power to end it too."

"Fear." Was all Catherine had to say. "If I reversed the spell, that would mean that I'd," she gestured as herself, "become this. And even though I wanted to, that fear kept me away. But when you two came along asking about The Sapphire Room, I knew you weren't reporters. You weren't like the others who just wanted a cheap thrill. You wanted to help them, which is why I helped you."

"By casting the protection spell?" Dean asked, remembering that Bernie's powers had failed to work on him.

Catherine shook her head, "No, by telling you how to do the séance. I didn't have time to cast the protection spell," her eyes dropped to Dean's neck, "but you didn't need it anyway." She reached out and ran a finger overtop of Dean's necklace. "Who gave you this?"

Dean looked down at the necklace, "My dad, why?"

"He must love you very much." She replied cryptically. Dean reached down and wrapped his hand around the small amulet. He looked up to see Catherine walking away and then without warning her image began to fade and she disappeared.

Dean and Sam both stared at the place where Catherine had just been. Dean whipped his head around and looked at Sam. He allowed what had just happened to dissolve for a minute before responding, "I hate surprise endings." He slid into the drivers seat carefully, making sure to avoid putting any more strain on his sore ribs. Sam stared at the stop where Catherine had been for a few extra seconds before he too got into the Impala and was met with Dean's curious eyes staring back at him.

"What?" Sam asked.

"How did you know it was Catherine?"

"When we went back to the shop for the second time I saw this old photo of Annabelle. I checked the date on the back and it was from 1945 but she looked exactly the same."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dean asked, training his eyes on Sam.

"At first I thought maybe Annabelle and her grandmother just looked alike, a lot alike," he paused, "but then when I saw her coming towards you," Sam wasn't sure how to explain the sensation he had felt when he saw Catherine. It hadn't been a vision, more like a flash between the past and the present and the images of Catherine and the woman who he thought was Annabelle had been overlain, "I just knew."

"Psychic boy does it again?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Sam answered as an uncomfortable feeling wash over him at the thought of his developing powers. Dean sensed it and let the issue go. Neither one had any idea how deep the powers actually went and in reality, neither one wanted to know.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Dean said as he revved the engine. Sam nodded his relief and Dean sped of towards the motel.

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As soon as they got back to the motel room both packed their bags and prepared to head out. It had been a long night but Dean had insisted that they leave Philly before any other ghosts decided to pop up and add cliff notes to the story. Sam agreed.

As they were leaving Dean saw James sitting in his usual spot outside of his motel room door. He gestured for Sam to wait for him at the car and he walked over to James.

"You two leaving?" James asked as he stared straight ahead.

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"Had enough of exploring The Sapphire Room?" James asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Definitely." Dean scoffed. He now realized that James saw the urban legend about The Sapphire Room almost as if it was an invasion of his privacy. He had in fact had a very close relationship with what happened and had lost the love of his life inside of it.

"I just want you to know," Dean started but he wasn't really sure where he was going with this, "she never stopped loving you." James looked up at him with sadness in his eyes. Dean pulled the locket out of his pocket and pressed it into the old man's hand. James' looked down at it and saw the picture of him and Maryann looking back up at him. Dean could see his eyes begin to tear.

"How did you-" James said but was unable to finish as the tears began to flow freely. Dean knew he didn't really want the answer anyway. He nodded at James and turned and walked towards the car. As he approached the car he saw Sam grinning at him.

"So the Tin Man has a heart after all, huh?"

Dean shook his head and pulled the drivers' door open, "Yeah," Dean replied pointing an accusing finger at Sam, "now, if only the scarecrow could get a brain."

Sam laughed as both he and Dean got into the car. "Now let's get the hell outta here," Dean said as he started the car, "No offense little brother, but I've had enough Brotherly Love."

Sam nodded, "I couldn't agree more." And with that being said, the Winchester boys were back on the road.

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The End

Thank you to all the reviewers, it made my job as a writer more fun.