Author's Note: I wanna thank those of you that reviewed. Reviews are all an author has in way of motivation. But that was only three reviews, out of 22 people who are registered with alerts for this story. It would mean a lot if you also reviewed. Three out of hundreds isn't very motivating for me, as I'm sure you can understand.

Chapter Ten

Sam watched wordlessly as the priests prepared for their endeavor. The men retrieved their purple stoles from boxes marked with carved crosses, kissed the crosses on the fabric, and then pulled them around the backs of their necks.

"There is great evil in this room," Father Harris remarked to Father Staite, who nodded in agreement. "I fear we may be dealing with Lucifer himself." Sam's eyebrow arched curiously and he debated what exactly to say to them to tell them they were wrong. Father Staite's eyes shaded with fear as he glanced around the room suspiciously, and Sam could sense the foreboding emanating from the holy man.

"Are you alright?" Sam wondered, standing still with one arm crossed over his chest and the other set atop it, his hand shielding his mouth. He certainly wanted assurance that both priests were completely capable of performing the exorcism, but he also wanted to bring attention to Staite's apprehension.

"Control yourself, Father Staite," Harris commanded, grabbing the younger man by his shoulders. Staite nodded strongly (as strongly as he could, anyway) and continued to ready himself.

"I don't -" Sam began, and then paused, rubbing his fingers down the sides of his mouth. "I don't think we're dealing with Lucifer here." The priests turned to him - Father Harris with an expression of amusement - and Sam immediately felt embarrassed, but also offended. He wasn't any kind of holy man, but he'd been in the supernatural business for a considerable amount of time - he knew what he was talking about, damn it.

"What makes you think that, son?" Father Harris questioned. Sam blinked slowly, glaring at the belittling priest. One thing he truly hated about his father was when he called him son in that condescending tone - the exact tone Father Harris had just used.

"Have you ever heard of a demon called Elathan?" Sam finally disclosed, though he felt quite ignorant doing so, knowing these priests would think he was crazy.

"I think maybe you've seen one too many horror movies, son," Father Harris chuckled. There was that tone again and that one single word that sent shudders of anger throughout Sam's body. And he thought Dad and Dean were bad.

"If you'll just listen to me ..." Sam started, but was inevitably interrupted by Spencer barging into the room clad in a mechanics jumpsuit. He pushed passed Sam to get to Julie's bed, and Sam quietly excused himself as he'd never before wanted to deck a preacher so badly.

Stepping out into the hallway, Sam nearly ran into Dean and Janelle embracing. He'd known Dean's substantial involvement in this case and, apparently, Janelle Markem went far beyond any other case he could remember, but still Sam was utterly perplexed by it. Dean had restricted his relationships to one night stands - that much was more than obvious - because what had happened to Mom and what ultimately happened to Jessica would, according to Dean, eventually happen to him should he ever fall in love. Sam couldn't blame him in that department, but without love, what was life?

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Sam impatiently asked Dean. Dean's eyebrows arched furiously, but he gently excused himself from Janelle, and the brothers walked down the hall regretfully side by side. The stairs were nearby, and Sam could see Dean throw him down them so vividly.

"What, Sam?" Dean demanded, holding his hands out.

"The priests don't know about Elathan and they won't listen to me," Sam explained. "They think it's Lucifer possessing Julie." Dean took a deep breath, shifting his weight, and settling his hands on his hips.

"Alright, well, there's nothing we can do about that," he said. "All exorcisms are basically the same. Just let them do their thing." Dean started away.

"But Dean ..."

"Sam!" Dean exclaimed, spinning around again, putting up a hand to stop his brother from speaking. "Just let it go. They wouldn't believe us anyway. They're preachers." Sam watched his only sibling stare him down, knowing full well Dean was such a live wire because of his interest in Janelle. Sam smirked; Dean wasn't fooling anyone.

"We'll be ready to start soon, Ms. Markem," Father Harris told Janelle, stepping out of Julie's room. Janelle solemnly nodded. "We'll need you to help us hold her down." Janelle's eyes grew wide and she tilted her head inquisitively.

"The hell are you talkin' about?" Dean shouted down the hallway.

"Dean ..." Sam warned, but his brother was already haflway down the hall.

"I don't want to be in there," Janelle said.

"And you shouldn't have to be," Dean growled, directing his statement toward the priest, who sighed.

"Exorcisms are far more effective if family members are directly involved," Father Harris gently clarified. "Your father will be participating, too." He looked at Dean. "And we'll need you and your brother in the room as well in case ... well, in case things get out of hand." Things have been out of hand, Dean thought bitterly.

As Sam approached, the priest found his way back into Julie's room, leaving Janelle alone with the Brothers Winchester. She smiled up at them, hoping to exert positive energy, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd thought positively.

"So," she breathed, "What should I expect?" Sam and Dean shared uneasy looks, and Dean shrugged.

"Well, demons are very unpredictable," he said.

"They never speak the truth," Sam added.

"And when they do speak, it can be in a language you've never heard," Dean went on.

"It'll make Julie a lot stronger than any other human ..." Janelle put her hand up.

"Basically ... just a walk in the park, huh?" she jested, causing the brothers to smirk halfheartedly.

"We're ready for you now," Father Staite announced, poking his head out of Julie's room. Sam immediately headed inside, intentionally leaving his brother in the awkward silence of the hallway with Janelle.

"After you," Dean said timidly, motioning toward the door. Janelle smiled, starting inside, but then twirled around, grabbed Dean's face in her hands and kissed him like she would never again kiss another man. "What was that for?" Dean ignorantly asked. Janelle sighed, her hands still cupping his rough cheeks, and descended to the flats of her feet.

"I just ... don't want to regret not doing that later on," she confessed, and then she disappeared into Julie's room without another word.

Seconds later, after gathering his thoughts and cooling his hormones, Dean entered as well, closing and locking the door behind him. Janelle and Spencer were each prepared to hold Julie's shoulders, the priests were standing on Janelle's side of the bed with their bibles and bottles of holy water, and Sam and Dean remained near the door.

"Remember not to be afraid of it," Father Harris said. "It can feed off of your fear and your weaknesses."

"I got a bad feeling," Sam whispered to Dean. Dean looked up at him incredulously.

"What?" he exclaimed, though whispering. "The kid with the psychic twinkle has a bad feeling?" Sam ignored him, and Dean reluctantly focused his attention on the exorcism as it began.

Father Harris traced a cross over Julie's forehead as she lay motionlessly on the bed with eyes closed. He then crossed himself and sprinkled holy water on everyone in the room, catching Sam in the eye.

"Careful ... you don't want to get all puffy," Dean joked, still whispering.

"I hate you," Sam muttered, rubbing his eye. Janelle glanced back at Dean and he smirked, winking at her. She didn't return the playfullness, though, and he felt that his actions, for the first time ever, had been inappropriate.

After praying to himself, Father Harris finally began to speak, "Do not keep in mind, O Lord, our offenses or those of our parents, nor take vengeance on our sins." More praying in silence. "... and lead us not into temptation."

"But deliver us from evil," Staite interjected.

"Save your servant," Harris said.

"Who trusts in you, My God."

"Let her find in you, Lord, a fortified tower."

"In the face of the enemy."

"Let the enemy have no power over her."

"And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her. Lord, send her air from your holy place, and watch over her from Sion."

"Lord, heed my prayer."

"And let my cry be heard by you."

"The lord be with you."

Julie's eyes suddenly opened, filled with red liquid and hatred. She didn't look at anyone particular, just let her eyes roam the room leisurely. Sam and Dean knew not to look into her eyes, but neither could help themselves.

"I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you are, along with all your minions now attacked this servant of God," Father Harris proceeded, his voice becoming more powerful and thereby gaining a rise out of Julie, "By the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the coming of our Lord for judgment, that you tell me by some sign your name, and the day and hour of your departure."

Julie began to laugh - a girly, sweet chuckle - and frightened those around her, especially Janelle.

"I command you, moveover, to obey me to the letter," Harris continued, "I who am a minister of God despite my unworthiness; nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of God, or the bystanders, or any of their possessions." He crossed himself and then Julie's forehead, lips and chest.

Julie's homicidal crimson eyes focused on the people in the room. She started first with Spencer; eyeing him hard, striking fear into his weakened heart.

"In the name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord," Father Harris yelled, "Strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, mother of God, of blessed Michael the Archangel, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, we confidently undertake to repulse the attacks and deceits of the devil!"

Julie's eyes turned to Sam next, lingering there for a moment. She smiled at him, and Sam shivered.

"Such a pretty girl," she remarked, and both Winchesters knew of whom she spoke. "Pretty even without skin ... charred flesh ... she smells wonderful." Sam gulped, fighting back tears and harsh rebuffs.

Julie's eyes left Sam and moved to Dean, though she didn't remain there for long before turning to the priests. Each one she looked at, each one seemed to bore her, and then she came to Janelle. She smiled again, brandishing blood-crusted teeth. Tears slid down Janelle's cheeks as Julie's head turned back to Spencer.

"Time to die," she growled, ripping her arm free from the restraints and Spencer's grip, punching him hard in the face, sending him flying backward.

"Ah, man," Dean muttered, as Spencer crashed into him and sent him back into the wall he knew all too well. Father Staite came around to replace Spencer, but Julie kicked him squarely in the gut and sent him to the floor. She ripped her other arm free, clawing at Janelle's shirt, as Father Harris came to Janelle's aid. But Julie's darkened eyes turned to him, speaking silent words to him, paralyzing him where he stood.

Sam was jumping into action by now, running over to Janelle as Julie spoke three terrifying words, "The Chosen One." Julie grabbed Janelle's face and opened her mouth.

"No!" Dean screamed from underneath Spencer's heavy, forty-something-year-old body. Sam grabbed Janelle's waist and yanked with all his might, but Janelle's feet refused to budge from the floor.

The brothers watched in horror as, what appeared to be, red bugs flutter out of Julie's mouth and into Janelle's.

"Sam!" Dean yelled, pushing and kicking Spencer off of him.

"I c-" Sam stuttered, watching in amazement as the scene unfolded right in front of him. "I can't move."

"Son of a bitch!" Dean howled, unable to move anymore as well.

The last "bug" flew into Janelle's mouth and a bright light burst from within the center of the room, knocking everyone back. Sam still had a grip on Janelle and the two flew into the wall, Sam's body shielding Janelle's from harm. The priests were throttled as well, and Dean and Spencer met with the wall yet again.

And all was still.