Author's Note: Hello my favorite people! I am super excited to get another chapter out to you all! A lot happening here, a lot of things to come. Some twists up my sleeve that I can't wait to get to you all! I love you and appreciate all your support and love! I thank you all so much for allowing me to tell this story! Please read and review! I love to hear from yall!
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: I published this chapter, then realized a large chunk of it was missing- THIS IS THE CORRECT CHAPTER WITH ALL MISSING PARTS INCLUDED. Sorry to throw yall off! Love you all!
By the time Dean pulled into a motel parking lot it was almost 2 in the morning. We had been driving all day long, stopping only for bathroom breaks and dinner at some highway diner.
If you've ever spent an entire day sitting next to someone who refuses to even look at you then you know the pain I'm feeling at the moment. As soon as we got to the motel I couldn't wait to get out of the impala, I felt suffocated sitting so close to Judson while literally being able to feel the waves of anger pulse over him. I had tried a few times to intertwine our hands, or lean against him. He however just pulled away.
Judson got his own room… and quickly unpacked his bags from the trunk and shut the door as he went in. I sighed as I leaned against the impala.
"What's going on with you two?" Sam asked coming to stand next to me. "I mean I could have cut the tension in that backseat all day today."
"Nothing." I sighed.
"Doesn't look like nothing kiddo."
"I just don't wanna talk about it right now." I said smiling at him sadly. He nodded and pulled me in for a hug, landing a kiss on the top of my head as he walked in with our bags.
I walked back to the trunk to see what was left to grab, when I did I accidentally bumped right into Dean, who I also had been speaking to all day, even though I could feel his stare on me through the rear view mirror.
"Sorry." He mumbled quickly, we met eyes for a minute before I moved to walk away. "Em wait!"
I stopped and left my back facing him, crossing my arms.
"Can we please talk, kiddo you're killing me."
"Fine." I mumbled turning around.
"Wanna go for a ride? Just us."
"Dean we've been in this car all damn day, the last thing I wanna do is get back in."
"Right… Um. There's a park across the street?" He asked.
"Fine." I said moving to walk towards it. I could hear Dean following behind me.
"Emily I'm sorry." He said weakly.
"I know. Me too." I said as I approached the swing set. I sat down on the middle swing and Dean stood in front of me.
"Can I see?"
"See what?"
"Your head… please."
I sighed but stood, Dean took two steps forward and gently pushed back my hair, his finger sliding against the cut. His face twitched.
"I'm fine Dean. It doesn't even hurt."
"And the bruises?"
"Not the first time I've had a bruise. We both know that."
"Emily… I'm so sorry. I don't want you to feel like you're not safe with me."
"Do you seriously think that's what this is about?" I said pulling back in anger. "You think I don't feel safe with you?"
"I- I don-"
"No! I'm pissed off because you LIED to me Dean! Right to my face after we just finished saying that this was a fresh start, for ALL of us! Including you… so why won't you tell me about hell? I know you remember!"
Dean huffed loudly and turned away from me.
"Dean!" I yelled demanding he look back at me. "You beat the hell out of me because you thought I was taking you back… you kept screaming about being a slave, and hurting people! What the hell happened to you down there?"
He shook his head back and forth and I had to look twice to make sure that was really tears falling off his face. Suddenly my anger began to fade, and my protective side won out. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, when I did he let out a couple of very small, tight sobs.
"Dean." I whispered. "Talk to me."
He pulled away and moved to sit on the swings, so I sat beside him.
"I can't." He finally said, barely able to form the words. "I just can't… not yet."
I watched him argue with himself internally, horrific pain and terror in his eyes as he looked at me.
"Okay." I nodded. "Not today… not yet."
He sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly as he rocked back and forth on his heels.
"Hey jackass, get up and give me a push will you?" I said to him with a smile, he smiled back and moved behind me, dragging me backwards and throwing the swing forward. The night air against my face felt nice, and the higher Dean pushed me the more I couldn't hold back the giggle fighting its way out of me.
Dean had me so high in the air that the chains were pumping on the way back down.
"Stop!" I giggled, worried I might fly over the rail if he kept going. He laughed and caught me as I came back down, taking me and himself backwards onto the small pea gravel rocks under us. We laid there and laughed until we couldn't breathe.
"Hey Em…"
"Yeah?"
"You should go work things out with him too… I'm sorry if I caused any trouble, but you better tell him to suck it the fuck up and be nice to you or I'll kick his ass."
I laughed as I punched Dean's arm
"He's only mad cause he cares. I know that… he's just an ass about it sometimes."
"Like I said, free asskicking anytime." Dean said as he stood and pulled me up as well. I sighed as pulled me back across the park to the motel.
"Hey. Piggy back ride." I demanded. He laughed but crouched as I jumped onto his back, almost knocking us to the ground a second time. I laughed as he straightened us out and walked us back to the room, once inside he turned backwards and let us fall onto the bed. Sam smiled and shook his head at us.
"You two having fun while I do all the work in here?"
"Aw, poor Sammy." I teased.
"Yeah yeah, poor Sammy." He mocked. Dean and I laughed.
"Alright, I guess I am gonna go next door and try to smooth shit over… don't wait up for me."
"Hey!" Dean yelled as I walked out the door. "I'm serious about the ass kicking!"
I stood in front of the motel door next to ours and lifted my hand to knock once every few seconds… for the last few minutes. But I never could go through with it, just as I was about to give up and walk back to our room… the door opened.
"Uhh…."
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked.
"Waiting to grow big enough balls to knock." I admitted.
"Are you coming in or not?" He asked stepping aside.
I didn't answer but walked into the room. He shut the door roughly and I looked at the floor, twisting my hands together. He crossed his arms and huffed.
"I don't have time to just stand around Emily. If you wanna talk let's talk."
"… I'm sorry I hid it from you."
"Are you really? Or are you just sorry that you got caught?"
"No, Jud… It's Dean. You know how I am when it comes to him and Sam. I don't think rationally. I just do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
"And I'm trying to keep you safe!"
"I know that!"
"Then why the hell do you fight me on it!"
"I don't know!"
"Well I fucking hate it!"
"Well I fucking hate when you're mad at me!"
"Well then stop keeping shit from me!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
We had taken one step forward with each time we yelled, and now he was so close that his breath was on my mouth. Every nerve I had was on fire, I wanted him, right here in the fucking floor if I had to. I reached up to kiss him, but he pulled back.
"Judddd." I whined. "Stop being mad at me! I said I was sorry."
"I know."
"Then fucking kiss me you idiot." I said as I leaned forward again. This time he let his lips meet mine and, and dammit it was like being struck by lightning. I hate the fight, but I love the making up…
….
Judson and I laid on the bed, catching our breath. Trying to have mind blowing sex but also stay quiet enough so that my brothers next door can't hear is a tricky situation, but so worth it.
He rolled over and hovered over me, his fingers tracing the bruise on my sternum, it was tender, but he was careful not to apply any pressure. Then he bent down and kissed it, as if It would make everything better.
"I love you." I whispered.
"I love you too… that's the only reason I get mad you know?"
"I know."
"Emily, don't hide this from me… If you're hurt then I want to know. I want to help."
"There was nothing for you to do, and I didn't want you to get mad at Dean. It wasn't his fault."
"I know that, but I still could have protected you. I could have stayed with him."
"I didn't want to be away from him… you and I both know nothing was going to change my mind of that."
"I know." He sighed, kissing down my stomach. I moaned at the way his hair rubbed the spot between my breasts. "Man I'm gonna miss you."
"Miss me?"
"Yeah. I was actually on my way out… I gotta call from a buddy. He needs help on a case and I owe him a favor."
"Well… should I go with you?" I asked.
"Nah, it won't take long. You guys pick up a case and I'll meet back up with you."
"I don't want you to go." I pouted.
"Well I don't necessarily want to go, but I owe him."
"When are you leaving?"
"As soon as you go next door."
"Well then I guess I'll have to stay here all night." I smiled.
"As long as you do it naked." He said nipping at my bottom lip.
"I'm down." I smiled.
He laughed but lifted off of me, standing and pulling on sweatpants.
"I guess that's a no." I frowned.
"I told him I'd be there by morning."
"You're gonna drive all night, are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I'll stock up on caffeine. Promise." He said as I stood from the bed and hugged him tightly. My bare chest against his, his heat against mine. I honestly do love this man, I don't know where I'd be without him.
"Sure you don't want me to go?" I asked one more time before letting go.
"No babe, I'll be back as soon as I can be. I promise."
I dressed and kissed him goodbye in the parking lot before heading back into our room. The boys were both in bed and there was a salt line at the door already. I jumped into the shower and got ready for bed. Once I walked back out I double checked the door locks and then climbed into bed, kicking Dean's legs off my side as I did. He grumbled as he stirred awake.
"Hey." He groaned.
"Hey. Move your giant legs."
"You two work it out?"
"Yeah." I whispered. "He had to go repay a favor for someone on a case. Said he'd meet up with us when he was done."
"He left?" Dean asked checking my reaction for any signs of upset.
"Yeah, but we worked it out before he went, so it's all good."
"Okay, night kiddo." He said as he lazily tossed an arm over me.
"Night De."
…
"Now how many razor blades did they find?" Sam asked the grieving widow.
"Two on the floor, one in his stomach and one was stuck in his throat. He swallowed four of them. How is that even possible?" She responded, speaking through the tears. She turned as she noticed Dean pulling open the oven. "The candy was never in the oven."
"We just have to be thorough, Mrs. Wallace." Dean answered kindly.
"Did the police find any razors in the rest of the candy?" I asked her to get her back on point.
"No, I mean, I don't think so. I just – I can't believe it. You hear urban legends about this stuff, but it actually happens?"
"More than you might imagine." Sam answered.
Just then Dean reentered the room from searching the rest of the house and had a hex bag in his hand, he lifted it slightly as he walked up behind Mrs. Wallace… my stomach dropped. Witches.
Sam sighed and looked back at Mrs. Wallace.
"Mrs. Wallace, did Luke have any enemies?"
"Enemies?"
"Anyone who might have held a grudge against him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Co-workers? Neighbors? Maybe a woman." Sam asked hesitantly. You could watch the moment it clicked in her head what Sam was hinting to.
"Are you suggesting an affair?" She asked as her eyes narrowed.
"Is it possible?" I asked.
"No! No, Luke would nev–"
"I'm very sorry. We just have to consider all possibilities."
"If someone wanted to kill my husband, don't you think they'd find a better way than a razor in a piece of candy he might eat?"
With that we wrapped up our questions and quickly made our way out of the house and back to the impala.
"Witches." I sighed shaking my head.
"You good to take this case Em?" Sam asked me from the front seat.
"Yeah. I'll be fine… kinda wish Judson hadn't left."
"Well see how close he is to wrapping up his thing."
"Okay."
I pulled out my phone and started typing.
Emily: How's the case?
I had to wait a few minutes before the phone buzzed again and I looked down to find his reply.
Judson: There have been a few complications. Shouldn't be more than a couple of days though. Yours?
Emily: Witches…
Judson: Are you okay?
Emily: Yeah, I'll be fine. Just hurry back.
Judson: I'll be there as soon as I can be babe.
We made it back to the room where Sam started dissecting the hex bag to find out what's in it and who could have possibly made it. Dean walked in through the door with a bag full of candy that he promptly sat down on the couch and began eating.
"Really? After that guy choked down all those razor blades?" Sam asked him.
"It's Halloween, man." Dean shrugged.
"Every day is Halloween for us De." I reminded him. He shrugged again and offered me some candy, I waived him off and walked over to Sam. "Anything interesting in there?"
"Well, we're on a witch hunt, that's for sure, but this isn't your typical hex bag… Goldthread, an herb that's been extinct for two hundred years. And this small silver piece is Celtic, and I don't mean some new age knock-off. It looks like the real deal, like 600 years old real."
"What is this?" I said picking up a something small and black.
"Um… that is the charred metacarpal bone of a newborn baby."
I instantly dropped it as my face sank.
"Ughh." Dean shuddered.
"Relax Em, it's like, at least a hundred years old."
"Oh, right, like that makes it better?" I scoffed.
"Witches, man, they're so friggin' skeevy." Dean said walking up to us.
"Yeah, well it takes a pretty powerful one to put a bag like this together. More juice than we've ever dealt with, that's for sure. What about you? Find anything on the victim?"
"This Luke Wallace? He was so vanilla that he made vanilla seem spicy." Dean sighed. "I can't find any reason why somebody would want this guy dead."
"Well there's gotta be something… we're just not looking in the right place." I said leaning over the hex bag contents. "This one kinda scares me."
"It'll be fine Em, we'll get em like we always do." Sam said as he swung his arm behind me.
"Yeah." I sighed.
….
We walked into what was the aftermath of a party gone wrong. Girls in slutty costumes everywhere, crying. Drunken jocks whose parents were being called to come and pick them up, and last but not least the cheerleader that had been boiled to death.
"Have you been drinking?" A cop asked the primary witness, she held herself as she shivered. Her mini skirt and bikini top costume didn't cover much.
"Yes." She confessed.
Sam moved towards them but Dean stops him.
"I got this one." Dean winked.
"She's as old as I am." I said patting his back as he walked away, he turned and shot me a disgusted look. I smiled knowing I ruined his fun, Sam sighed and shook his head at us.
"All these kids go to the local highschool?" I asked.
"Looks like… if we find a connection we may need to send you in." Sam suggested.
"Ew… please don't."
"We'll see where it goes."
"Let's just look for this damn bag." I sighed as we started rummaging around. It didn't take us long to make it to the couch and pull up a couch cushion, revealing a hex bag just like the one at the Wallace's home. Sam lifted it towards Dean and he nodded.
"Well. Looks like we don't have to hang around jailbait any longer." I said as Sam and I began making our way back outside, letting Dean finish clearing the scene.
….
"I'm telling you, both these vics are squeaky clean. There is no reason for a wicked bitch payback." I sighed as Sam asked what we had come up with.
"Maybe cause it's not about that." Sam suggested.
"Wow, insightful." I said with an eye roll. Dean popped me in the back of the head for my attitude.
"Maybe this witch isn't working the grudge, maybe they're working a spell. Check this out." Sam lifted a book. "Three blood sacrifices over three days, the last before midnight on the final day of the final harvest. Celtic Calendar, the final day of the final harvest is October 31st."
"Halloween."
"Exactly."
"What exactly are the, uh, blood sacrifices for?" I asked.
"Uh, if I'm right, this witch is summoning a demon, and not just any demon – Samhain."
"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Dean asked.
"De, Samhain is the damn origin of Halloween." I said popping him in the back of the head.
"The Celts believe that October 31st was the one night of the year when the veil was the thinnest between the living and the dead, and it was Samhain's night. I mean, masks were put on to hide from him, sweets left on doorsteps to appease him, faces carved into pumpkins to worship him. He was exorcised centuries ago." Sam explained.
"So even though Samhain took a trip downstairs, the tradition stuck."
"Fear controls people." I shrugged.
"Exactly, only now instead of demons and blood orgies Halloween is all about kids, candy and costumes. It just evolved over time."
"Okay, so some witch wants to raise Samhain and take back the night?" Dean said with an unamused tone.
"Dean, this is serious." I scoffed. "Witches this powerful raising a demon THAT powerful… this could get really bad really fast."
"Yeah. We're talking heavyweight witchcraft. This ritual can only be performed every six hundred years." Sam added.
"I am being serious, when does this six hundred year marker roll around?" Dean asked.
"Tomorrow night."
"Naturally." I said throwing my hands up in the air.
"Well it sure is a lot of death and destruction for one demon."
"That's because he likes company. Once he's raised, Samhain can do some raising of his own." Sam explained.
"Raising what, exactly?"
"Dark, evil crap and lots of it, I mean, they follow him around like the friggin' Pied Piper."
"So we're talking ghosts?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Zombies?" Dean asked with bright wide eyes.
"Mm-hmm."
"Leprechauns?"
"Dean." Sam scalded.
"Those little dudes are scary. Small hands."
"Look, it just starts with ghosts and ghouls, this sucker keeps on going, by night's end we are talking every awful thing we have ever seen. Everything we fight, all in one place."
"It's gonna be a slaughterhouse." I sighed as the sinking feeling in my gut rolled around. I really wished Judson was here for this one. Dean must have noticed my change in posture because he pulled me to lean against him on the couch.
"I'm fine De… I'm gonna go call Judson. Fill him in. See if he's making any progress."
"Okay. It might be nice to have his eyes and a nother set of hands." Sam nodded.
"Yeah. You're telling me."
I walked outside and perched against the trunk of the impala, dialing the familiar number. It rang three times before it picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey. It's me."
"How's it going on yalls end?"
"Um… you first."
"Uh, I can't really talk about it right now Em… Its just. Taking some time."
"Oh." I said, an odd feeling rolling around in my stomach.
"What about yours?"
"Um. It's not good. These are some old school witches… doing a ritual to raise Samhain, this chance only comes once every 600 years and they're trying to take it."
"Damn. Samhain?"
"Yeah. It's kinda freaking me out."
"Well do you guys have any leads yet?
"No. Not really. We can't find the link between the vics yet either."
"You guys will pick something up, you always do."
"I wish you were here Jud."
"I wish I was too Em, you have no idea how bad."
"What are you guys hunting?"
"Um, a shapeshifter I think."
"Okay. Well make sure you stock up on silver bullets."
"I did Em, I'm good."
"Well I guess I'll let you get back to it then."
"Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow babe. Love you."
"Love you, bye."
I hung up the phone and slid it back in my pocket. The air outside had an on edge feel to it, as if nature knows something evil is coming. The longer I thought about it the more uneasy I felt, so I shook my head and went back inside.
"So how's Judson?"
"Tied up… shapeshifter."
"Well. I guess its just us then." Dean smiled.
"Yeah, I'm gonna jump in the shower."
"Stop worrying so much kiddo, we'll figure it out."
"I know." I nodded with a fake smile.
….
Sam and I were on the couch doing some research while Dean was out looking for a lead, but I feel like I've read the same paragraph six times now. My mind is unfocused, my stomach is in knots, and every time I sigh Sam looks at me with pity on his face.
I huffed and closed the book in front of me, then I laid back and rested against Sam's leg.
"What's up kiddo?"
"Why is this job so hard?"
"It's just one of the tough ones Em. You know we'll figure it though."
"What if we don't?"
"We have to."
"Sammy… can I ask you a question."
"Sure, Em."
"When you used your, abilities or whatever, how did it make you feel?"
"Uh, why are you asking that?" Sam said pushing my hair back to get a good look at my face.
"Sometimes it's really hard to hold them back, sometimes it… it feels nice to let it go. To be fully who I am, and just… stop holding back. But. I don't want to be a bad person… and sometimes it makes me feel like a bad person. But then… we have cases like this, and its something really really bad. And it makes me wonder if times like these are WHY I have abilities. I don't know. I'm just in my head right now."
And I don't have Judson here to pull me out of it.
Sam stared at me for a moment, then opened his mouth but closed it again.
"Emily, you are not a bad person, no matter how you feel or what you do with your abilities. There is something dark in you, in us. Very dark. And it just speaks to how tough you are, that you don't let it overtake you. Em. I fell short of that, I ran off, and left you… and gave into something I shouldn't have. And yeah. I still struggle every day with it, but when an angel tells you that you gotta stop doing something, it puts it into perspective. So it doesn't matter how it makes me feel… it just matters that I put it behind me. For you it may different, very different. We just don't know yet."
"Sammy… It scares me."
"It scared me too at first, but. You just learn how to control it, and about the good it can be used for."
"Why do you think the angels want you to stop if you're just using it to send Demons back to hell?"
"I don't know Em… I wish I knew."
"I don't understand why they know enough about your situation to want to stop it and no one knows anything about mine."
"I don't know sweetheart… we'll just. Ride it out."
Suddenly the phone rang and I sat up to grab it.
"Hey De, how's it going?"
"Awesome, yeah, I talked with Mrs. Razor Blade again. I've been sitting out in front of her house for hours and I've got a big steamy pile of nothing."
"Look Dean, someone planted those hex bags, someone with access to both houses. There's gotta be some connection." Sam said leaning over to talk in the phone.
"Yeah, well I hope we find 'em soon cause I'm starting to cramp like a …. Son of a bitch."
"Stop bitching." I groaned.
"No, Em, I mean, son of a bitch!"
"What?"
"I'll tell you when I get there, heading back now." Dean said before shutting the phone.
"That was weird?" I said to Sam.
"Maybe he's got a lead…"
We waited a total of 5 minutes before Dean came bursting through the door.
"Tracy! Tracy is the babysitter for the Wallace family!"
"What? The cheerleader?" I asked.
"Mm-hmm. She told me she never even heard of Luke Wallace."
"Huh, interesting look for a centuries-old witch." Sam shrugged.
"Yeah, well, if you were a six-hundred-year-old hag and you could pick any costume to come back in, wouldn't you go for a hot cheerleader? I would, hmm…" Dean Smiled.
"Your gross." I smiled back.
"Well, Tracy's not as wholesome as she looks. Did some digging – apparently she got into a violent altercation with one of her teachers, got suspended from school." Sam said turning his laptop towards us.
"Well lets go pay this teacher a visit." I smiled.
"Whoa… not so fast kiddo. I don't want you rolling with us incase we need you to go undercover. We can't tell him we're the cops and then have him get you as a new student, It would throw the case. We might still need you."
"Ughhh… please don't make me go back to highschool."
"We'll play it by ear, let us go meet this guy first."
"So what am I supposed to do in the mean time?"
"Take a nap, chill out?" Dean shrugged.
"You're not funny."
"And you're not amusing either De." I said as I crossed my arms.
"Emily please." Sam sighed. "Just stay here incase we need you to go undercover. I promise you we won't make you unless we absolutely have to. Okay?"
"Fine." I said sitting back down on the couch pouting.
"Why don't you call the boy toy?" Dean suggested as they walked out the door.
"Yeah… good question. Seeing as how he was supposed to call me today." I sighed to myself as I picked up my phone. I dialed his number, it rang, and rang some more… but then it went to voicemail.
I dropped the phone back down on the couch and laid back, staring at the ceiling. The ceiling fan swung around slowly, I stared at it… focused on it, and suddenly it went slower and slower. Until it froze all together, the motor still ticking as it tried to force the blades to move, but they stood still.
Then they began to pull in the opposite direction, slowly at first, then faster, and faster, and faster.
Knocking at the door spooked me and as my concentration broke so did the fan, the lights in the center bursting.
"Mother fucker!" I said climbing off the couch with my gun. I wandered over to the door and peeked outside, it was a kid in an astronaut costume.
I opened the door confused.
"Trick or treat." He said.
"Dude, its still daylight outside. And this is a motel?"
"So? I want candy."
"Well I don't have any candy." I told him.
He stood there and stared at me expressionless, as if candy would magically appear if he stood there long enough.
"Beat it kid… no candy." I finally said annoyed. He gave me a disgruntled look and moved on. I shut the door and moved to lay on the bed. Closing my eyes and praying sleep would overtake me.
…..
The bed was empty, warm, and I didn't want to wake up. But something inside me had stirred. I stretched and yawned, cuddling into the pillow, my eyes opened slowly.
But then I jumped back against the headboard as they opened a man stood in front of me.
"I'm sorry. I did not mean to scare you." Castiel nodded.
"Who the hell is that?!" I asked pointing to the man standing by the window, he turned and looked at me in disgust. Making me feel small.
Just then the front door began to unlock and in came Sam, gun raised as he took in the situation before him.
"Who are you?!" Sam yelled.
"Sam! Sam, wait! It's Castiel." Dean said grabbing his arm. I instantly climbed out of the bed and moved to stand with my brothers as Dean closed the door behind him. He met Sam's confused look. "The angel… him I don't know." He said as he also looked to the man by the window.
"Hello, Sam." Castiel said looking to him, Sam's face fell in awe.
"Oh my God – er – uh – I didn't mean to – sorry. It's an honor, really, I – I've heard a lot about you." Sam said stepping forward to shake his hand, but Castiel only looked down at it confused. Sam shook his hand slightly, and then Castiel understood the intended gesture, shaking Sam's hand.
"And I, you. Sam Winchester – The boy with the demon blood. Glad to see you've ceased your extracurricular activities."
Sam's face fell, but he tried hard not to show it. Only someone he knew him his entire life could have caught the slight change.
"Let's keep it that way." The man at the window said, still not facing us. When he spoke his voice was deep and condescending. It was very clear that he was not impressed or amused to be in our presence.
"Yeah, okay, chuckles." Dean responded in the same tone. Making it clear that we had a mutual understanding. Then he turned to Castiel. "Who's your friend?"
"This the raising of Samhain, have you stopped it?" Castiel asked.
"Why?"
"Dean, have you located the witch?"
"Yes, we've located the witch."
"And is the witch dead?"
"No, but –" Sam started.
"We know who it is." Dean finished for him.
"Apparently the witch knows who you are too." Castiel said as he raised a hex bag up from the bed I was just laying in.
"Wait… why didn't that work on me? I was just sleeping there?"
"We don't know." The man in the window answered.
"If we hadn't found it, surely one or all of you with the possible exception of Emily would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?" Castiel asked.
"We're working on it." Dean answered.
"That's unfortunate."
"What do you care?"
"The raising of Samhain is one of the 66 seals."
"So this is about your buddy Lucifer?" Dean asked. Instantly my stomach churned. The same Lucifer that someone is trying to set free… the same Lucifer who's blood runs through my veins.
"Lucifer is no friend of ours." The man at the window turned and said to us with a stern face.
"It's just an expression." I told him.
"Lucifer cannot rise. The breaking of the seal must be prevented at all costs." Castiel continued.
"Okay, great, well now that you're here, why don't you tell us where the witch is, we'll gank her and everybody goes home." I said stepping forward.
"We are not omniscient. This witch is very powerful, she's cloaked even our methods."
"Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together –"
"Enough of this." The darker angel interrupted me.
"I'm sorry, who the fuck are you?"
Dean pulled me back by my shoulder as I stepped towards him.
"This is Uriel, he's what you might call a… specialist." Castiel explained.
"What kind of specialist? What are you gonna do?" Dean asked.
"You – uh, all of you – you need to leave this town immediately." Castiel warned us.
"Why?"
"Because we're about to destroy it."
"So this is your plan, you're gonna smite the whole friggin' town?"
"We're out of time. This witch has to die, the seal must be saved."
"There are a thousand people here." Sam said.
"One thousand two hundred fourteen." Uriel corrected.
"And you're just willing to kill them all?" I asked.
"This isn't the first time I've… purified a city."
"A specialist huh?" I scoffed. "More like a dic-
"Emily, stop." Sam said cutting me off.
"Look, I understand this is regrettable." Castiel said stepping towards us.
"Regrettable?" Dean asked.
"We have to hold the line. Too many seals have broken already."
"So you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay the price?"
"It's the lives of one thousand against the lives of six billion. There's a bigger picture here."
"Right, cause you're bigger picture kind of guys."
"Lucifer cannot rise. He does and hell rises with him. Is that something that you're willing to risk?"
"We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone. Your seal won't be broken and no one has to die." I said pulling away from Sam.
"We're wasting time with these mud monkeys." Uriel groaned.
"What the fuck did you just call me?" I asked turning to him.
"I didn't not stutter child."
"I'm not fucking child, and I don't appreciate the attitude."
"Watch who you speak to like that girl." Uriel warned as lighting struck outside the window and thunder boomed above us.
"You don't scare me." I replied, letting the ground beneath us tremble.
"Enough." Castiel interrupted sternly. "I'm sorry, but we have our orders."
"No, you can't do this, you're angels, I mean aren't you supposed to – You're supposed to show mercy." Sam asked.
"Says who?" Uriel mocked.
"We have no choice." Castiel answered with a hint of sadness behind it.
"Of course you have a choice. I mean, come on, what? You've never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both, just a couple of hammers?" Dean asked.
"Look, even if you can't understand it, have faith. The plan is just."
"How can you even say that?" Sam asked.
"Because it comes from heaven, that makes it just."
"Oh, it must be nice, to be so sure of yourselves." Dean replied shaking his head.
"Tell me something, Dean, when your father gave you an order, didn't you obey?"
Dean stared at him for a moment before replying.
"Well sorry boys, looks like the plans have changed."
"You think you can stop us?" Uriel asked. I moved to say something, but Dean pulled me behind him and stepped forward to stand toe to toe with Uriel.
"No, but if you're gonna smite this whole town, then you're gonna have to smite us with it, because we are not leaving. See, you went to the trouble of busting me out of hell. I figure I'm worth something to the man upstairs. So you wanna waste me, go ahead, see how he digs that."
"I will drag you out of here myself." Uriel replied.
"Over my dead body." I corrected him. He looked at me and chuckled. "I mean, come on, you're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch. Sounds to me like you're compensating for something."
Uriel stared at me as Dean turned back to Castiel.
"We can do this. We will find that witch and we will stop the summoning."
"Castiel! I will not let these peop–" Uriel began to raise his voice.
"Enough!" Castiel said raising his hand to Uriel but facing us. "I suggest you move quickly."
And just like that they were both gone in the blink of an eye.
"What the hell was that?" Dean said turning to face me.
"What?!"
"Why are you picking fights with angels! Emily we don't know the limits of their powers! And those assholes will kill you with no hesitation just like they're doing the rest of this damn town if we don't move our asses!"
"I'm not going to be bullied by some asshole just because he has wings!"
"Let's go! Now." Dean said pushing me towards the door. Once we opened it we found the impala with eggs smashed onto the windshield.
"Dammit! Little fucking astronaut!" I groaned as I went back inside to get something to clean it with. Dean shook his head at me and didn't even ask.
Once the impala was cleaned up we climbed in and hit the road.
"What is it Sam?" Dean asked. Up until now I hadn't noticed the look on his face.
"Nothing… I thought they'd be different.
"Who, the angels?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I tried to tell ya."
"I just… I mean, I thought they'd be righteous."
"Well, they are righteous, I mean, that's kinda the problem. Of course there's nothing more dangerous than some a-hole who thinks he's on a holy mission."
"But, I mean, this is God? And Heaven? This is what I've been praying to?"
"Look man, I know you're into the whole God thing, you know, Jesus on a tortilla and stuff like that. But just because there's a couple of bad apples doesn't mean the whole barrel's rotten. I mean, for all we know, God hates these jerks. Don't give up on this stuff, is all I'm saying. Babe Ruth was a dick but baseball's still a beautiful game."
"Castiel isn't so bad when he's alone." I added.
Sam didn't reply, instead he continued to fiddle with the things inside the hex bag.
"Well, are you gonna figure out a way to find this witch, or are you just gonna sit there fingering your bone?" I asked him. Dean chuckled.
"You know how much heat it would take to char a bone like this?"
"No." I shrugged.
"A lot, I mean, more than a fire or some kitchen oven."
"Okay, Betty Crocker, what does that mean?" Dean asked.
"It means we make a stop at the school."
Once inside the highschool Sam led us into the art room, where I assume they visited earlier that day. He walked over to a large kiln, then to a desk in the front of the room.
"So Tracy used the kiln to char the bone, what's the big deal?" I asked confused.
"Dean, that hex bag turned up in our room, not after we talked to Tracy –" Sam said looking past me.
"After we talked to the teacher." Dean finished.
"My God, those are all from children." Sam said reaching into the desk drawer and pulling out charred bones.
"And I'm guessing he's not saving them for the dog."
…..
Once we made it to Don's address we noticed all of the lights were turned off, and kids passing by trick or treating were oblivious to us picking the lock at the front door. Once inside we scoped out the first floor, and then found the door to the basement open. We took the steps one a time, quietly. Once we were halfway down we could clearly see Tracy tied up and hanging from the ceiling, a man, who I assume to be Don reading off some kind of incantation.
Dean motioned for Sam and I to go left while he swung right. Don raised a knife to stab tracy and Dean fired three times, dropping Don to the ground. Sam and I moved to Tracy, untying her ropes and dropping her to the ground gently.
"Thank you, he was gonna kill me! Ugh, that sick son of a bitch. I mean, did you see what he was doing? Did you hear him? How sloppy his incantation was?" Tracy began to speak. Sam, Dean and I all swapped glances… something is very wrong. "My brother." Tracy sighed. We all moved back and drew our weapons. He was always was a little dim."
Then she threw her hand up in the air and all three of us flew backwards, dropping to the ground, writhing in pain. I screamed as the piercing sound hit my ears.
"He was gonna make me the final sacrifice, his idea, but now, that honor goes to him. Our master's return? The spellwork's a two man job you understand, so for six hundred years I had to deal with that pompous son of a bitch. Planning, preparing, unbearable." Tracy kneeled by Don's body and picked up the knife and the chalice. The piercing sound began to dim, and I could focus on Tracy. I tried to trigger my abilities, but every time I did my head felt like it was going to explode.
"The whole time I wanted to rip his face off." She dug the knife into Don's bullet wound and filled the chalice with blood. I looked up to Sam and Dean who were both writhing in pain still, clutching their stomachs. "And you get him with a gun, uh, love that."
"Leave them alone!" I yelled to her, but she rolled her eyes at me and moved back to the altar table. I tried to stand, but when I did the pain struck me again. I tried to focus on her like I did the ceiling fan, but no matter what I did the sensation that my head would explode just kept coming back.
"It's called a reversal spell darling. Anything you try to do to me will only be felt by you. So please, give yourself a break." She said as she smiled. "You know, back in the day, this was the one day you kept your children inside. Well tonight you'll all see what Halloween really is."
Tracy begins to read off another incantation, Sam reached out to me and pulled me towards Dean and himself, then he dipped his hand in blood and smeared it all over his face.
"What are you doing?" Dean asked through gritted teeth.
"Just follow my lead." He said wiping blood along my face and Dean's as well. I moved closer to him, hiding my face, only watching with one eye as the ground cracked and black smoke poured out of it and into Don's body.
Great… another seal broken. I can picture that smug ass angel rubbing it in my face. But more importantly, it's Sam-fucking-hain. And that means trouble. My stomach was in knots as he opened his eyes. I quickly shut mine, listening.
"My love." Tracy cooed.
"You've aged." He replied… what a dick.
"This face… I can't fool you."
"Your beauty is beyond time."
There was a moment of silence, then there was the snapping of bones and the sound of a body hitting the floor.
"Whore." Samhain mumbled. He sniffed the air, and then slowly walked up the steps and out of the basement, shutting the door behind him.
Once he was gone I sat up and began gasping for air, unaware that I had been holding it.
"Shhh… we're okay." Sam said pulling me against him.
"What the hell was that?" Dean whisper yelled.
"Halloween lore. People used to wear masks to hide from him, so I gave it a shot."
"You gave it a shot?!" Dean asked shocked.
"Can we please just get the blood off of my face!" I asked panicked. Being around witches and being covered in blood was bringing back too many memories to want to deal with for right now… we had bigger problems. Dean used the bottom of his shirt to wipe the majority of it off my face, then his own. Then we busted ass out of the house and back to the impala.
"Where the hell are we gonna find this mook?" Dean asked.
"Where would you go to raise other dark forces of the night?"
"The cemetery." I gulped.
"Yeah."
I sat in the backseat, trying to take deep breaths. My phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out and answered it.
"Jud?"
"Em baby what's wrong?"
"Nothing… I'm. I'm fine." I said trying to put together a sentence.
"Don't lie to me Em… what's happening?"
"Um.. the witch. She. She raised Samhain, and there was a spell, and my head… its just throbbing." I looked up and met Dean's worried eyes in the rearview mirror.
"I'm on my way to you right now babe. Okay? Just take a deep breath. What are you doing now?"
"We're going after him."
"Okay. Well call if I can do something to help form my end, okay?"
"Okay." I sighed.
"Hey. Deep breath Em. You'll be okay. I'm coming baby."
"Hurry." I mumbled before hanging up the phone.
"Here kiddo." Sam said turning around and handing me a few aspirin for my head.
"So what kind of spell was that?"
"She said it was a reversal spell… I kept trying to focus on her but every time I did it made me feel like my head was going to explode."
"So that's what you do to other people?" Dean asked.
"I don't know… I just know it hurts. A lot."
"Take those kiddo, they'll help." Sam said as he turned back around. "So this demon's pretty powerful."
"Yeah."
"Might take more than the usual weapons."
"Sam, no, you're not using your psychic whatever."
"Well… Emily is kinda unable to at the moment. I don't want her trying again, I don't know how long the spells gonna affect her."
"Don't even think about it. Ruby's knife is enough." Dean told him sternly.
"Why?"
"Well because the angels said so for one –"
"I thought you said they were a bunch of fanatics."
"Well they happen to be right about this one."
"I don't know, Dean, it doesn't seem like they're right about much."
"Please stop arguing…" I asked. "I think I'll be fine now that Tracy is dead. I'll take him out of the knife isn't enough."
"No! Dammit. Forget the angels! Both of you- these, these powers are like playing with fire! I'm not putting either of you in that position tonight or any night. Got it?!"
"But Dea-"
"Please. Just don't." He asked. I sighed and sat back, watching as Sam hesitantly took the knife from Dean.
We hauled ass to the cemetery and once there scouted it out on foot. We kept coming up empty handed until we heard the screaming.
"Dean." I called out.
"Yeah, I hear it… this way!"
We ran over to the noise and found a bunch of kids locked into part of the mausoleum. There were zombies trying to drag them out of the corner they were stuffed into.
"Help them." Sam commanded as he moved to go further into the building.
"Dude, you're not going off alone." Dean argued.
"Do it! Emily help him!"
Sam took off running and I turned to Dean frustrated as I began to pick the lock, he was shooting at the zombies breaking free of their resting places in the walls, once I got the lock free I ripped the door open and told them all to run.
"Go on, come on, get out, move!" Dean yelled. After they all rushed past us we went in and Dean began fighting zombie after zombie.
"Bring it on, stinky." He called as he wrestled one to the ground.
"Dean! Come on… we gotta help Sam!"
"We gotta stop these ones from getting out! Get me a fire going somewhere!"
"How the hell am I supposed to do that!
"The lanters! The candles! Something!" He said as he moved to kill two more of them. I ran where several of the candles were set up in the hallway, then I grabbed some curtain hanging from one of the rooms in the mausoleum and dug out some gasoline that we use to burn corpses with. I made a makeshift torch and ran it back to Dean. He used it to set the remaining zombies on fire.
"Done now zombie hunter?"
"Party pooper." He said as he moved to run past me. We ran until we found Sam. When we did… We stood frozen. Samhain stood in front of us with his back turned, black smoke pouring out of his face. Sam stood in front of him, arm raised… blood dripping out of his nose. He looked to us. But kept going until Samhain had been exorcized.
His body dropped to the floor, which is where Sam's eyes followed… but then he looked up to us. Conflict in his eyes. I looked up to Dean, who's face was broken, but his eyes held the slightest bit of fear. I reached down and linked his hand in mine.
"Dean… let's just go. We don't need to do this right now."
He pulled his hand from mine and walked out back towards the impala. I stood there, looking at Sam.
"Em. I had to do it. I didn't have another choice."
"Sammy, I don't wanna talk about it…"
"Emily! Please. You are the only other person who could possibly understand! This had to be done, please tell me you understand that!"
"Sam.. I. I don't know what to say right now… I just. Want to get out of here. Please."
He looked down, his eyes glossing over.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. Walking towards him. He nodded and swung his arm over me, walking us out to meet Dean in the car.
…..
I had stayed up and sat in this chair for three hours. None of us had said much of anything to each other since we got back. We all showered, dressed for bed, but when Judson texted saying he was only a few hours away I couldn't fall asleep. I wanted him to be here so badly.
I wanted him to hold me.
Kiss me.
Make me forget all of these stupid things.
"Another seal broken." A voice called from behind me. Causing me to jump. I turned to find Uriel standing in the room, the only light illuminating him was the light from the window I had been staring out. I looked over to Sam and Dean who were still sleeping peacefully. "I assure you they will not wake. I thought maybe you and I should have a little chat."
"What the hell do you want?" I asked him as I stood.
"I want you to know your place."
"My place?"
"Yes, you pathetic small girl… your place is on borrowed time. You only remain to exist in the small chance you can be useful to us. The heavens do not want you. The hell dwellwers do not want you. The world does not want you."
"You don't know what you're talking about! Where is Castiel?!"
"Castiel is busying cleaning up YOUR mess right now. You three failed miserably, as I knew you all would. Ask yourself this question. Are you truly doing the world any favors? Or are you plaguing it with your foul attempts at controlling the evil that walks among it."
"You don't know anything about us!"
"Oh but I do… I know about the people you've killed. The people who you tortured. The demons that you obliterated. I know all about you Emily Anne Winchester. And I must say I'm unimpressed."
"Ditto." I growled.
"Don't tempt me to smite you where you stand you weak ape. You are dangerous and stand to ruin our plans for the one useful member of your family."
"You leave Dean alone!"
"He can be used, but you and that abomination you call Sammy will only be in our way."
"Fuck you!" I yelled, staring past the tears that blurred my vision.
"I'm just making sure you know that you are expendable, at best. A risk I'm not willing to take. So don't tempt me to spare myself and this planet the trouble of you… it would be my pleasure. Stay. Out. Of. Our. Way."
Lightning struck and suddenly he was gone. I stood in the room and wrapped my arms around myself. Just then headlights pulled up outside and lit up the room. I took in a deep breath and ripped open the front door. Running out to where Judson climbed out of the truck.
"Jud." I whined as I jumped into his arms.
"Oh baby… I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here." He said as he squeezed me. I cried into his shoulder. Overwhelmed by this entire night and the words Uriel spoke. I just wanted him to make it all go away.
"I… I can't be here anymore." I cried.
"Shhh… baby it's okay. It's okay I'm here now."
I continued to cry on him, he just held me patiently. Waiting for me to calm down. When I did he went and got the room right next to ours, then he walked us inside and laid us down in the bed.
"What's wrong Em?" He whispered as he reached up and wiped my cheek.
"The angels." I mumbled.
"What angels?" He asked confused.
"Castiel, and this other one… Uriel." I sniffled.
"What did they do Em?"
"They said I didn't matter."
"What? Why would they say that?!"
"Uriel… He. He said that I just stand in the way of them being able to use Dean." I cried. "That I'm not wanted by Heaven, or hell, or anyone."
"Emily you can't listen to that… he doesn't know what he's talking about." Judson said as he pulled me against his chest.
"He's a fucking angel Judson! He, he takes orders from God himself!... What if they're right… what If I just stand in the way. What If I just fuck things up for everyone else."
"Emily stop."
"We, we let Samhain loose… he got out and the seal is broken, and Lucifer is that much closer from being busted out of his cage."
"Emily you three are just human. You can't be expected to do miracles or stop things like that every single time. But all three of you go above and beyond to protect others, and that can't be ignored. Don't let them get to you like that. They don't matter, okay? YOU matter. YOU are wanted. Don't forget that."
"I just want to forget about all of this." I sighed. "How was your case?"
"It was fine… no big deal."
"I'm glad you're back."
"I'm glad I'm back too." He said as he pinned my hair behind my ear. "I missed you so much."
"Not as much as I missed you… it was a rough case. I wish you were here for it."
"I wish I was too babe, but I had to go."
"I know… just don't do it again."
"I'll try my best not to."
"Judson… do you think I'm dangerous?"
"No baby. I don't. I think you're letting someone get into your head. You can't do that. You're better than that."
"I'm scared Judson. This is the devil we're talking about… we can't let him get out."
"I know Em." He sighed. "Trust me. I know."