Author's note: Hey lovelies! I am so excited because today I sat down and wrote pretty much this entire chapter… it has been weeks since I've had the ability to do that. Life has distracted me so much, getting through heartbreak, and stressful times… even when I had time to write, I would sit down at the computer and just feel exhausted. Unmotivated. And today I finally felt excited to dig back into Emily's story again! So I hope you all love this chapter as much as I do, and I hope it won't be a month before my next update! I love you all, and I miss you all so dearly, please read and REVIEW! I miss you guys so much. Love you all! AKF.
"No, no, no, you're right, it's definitely weird. ...Okay, Bobby, thanks." Sam nodded as he hung up the phone. Dean walked back towards us and slides into the booth.
"What's up with Bobby?" He asked as I sipped at my drink.
"He found something in Wyoming."
"A job?" I asked.
"Maybe. Small town, no one's died in the past week and a half."
"That so unusual?" I said with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, it's how they're not dying. One guy with terminal cancer strolls right out of hospice. Another guy gets capped by a mugger and walks away without a scratch."
"Capped in the ass?" Dean asked.
"Police say Mr. Jenkins was shot in the heart at point-blank range by a nine-millimeter."
"Okay… I'll give you that one. Definitely our kinda thing." I then nodded.
"And he's not a doughnut?" Dean asked with a mouth full of smashed burger.
"Locals are saying it's a miracle."
"It's got to be something nasty, right? I mean, people making deals or something." I suggested.
"You think?" Dean turned to me.
"What else would it be?"
"I don't know."
"All right. Get that to go." Sam said as he shut his laptop and packed away his things.
"Yeah yeah…" Dean groaned. "Hey, did you talk to the kid?"
"Briefly." I sighed. "He said the last report was kind of iffy. They angles agree that my abilities are probably advancing, which didn't look good for me. He said something about Lucifer's blood protecting me even when I can't protect myself? I don't know… I don't buy that for a second. Way too many close calls."
"Yeah. Tell me about it." Dean said staring at me.
"Think we need him on this one?"
"NO." Sam quickly answered.
"… Okay." I surrendered without hesitation.
"Sam." Dean sighed. "Take it easy will ya?"
Sam looked down at me with a guilty expression.
"Sorry Em. I didn't mean to snap."
"It's okay… Probably wasn't a good idea anyways." I smiled at him as I slid out of the booth and walked towards the door.
…..
"Now, you three said you were bloggers?" Jim asked. The same Jim who was shot in the chest three days ago. Here we sat across from he and his wife at their dining room table, and damn… for someone who just got shot, he looks great.
"Yes, sir. Floored by the Lord dot com." I said with an over exaggerated southern accent to sell the innocence.
"All of God's glory fit to blog." Dean smiled. Sam cleared his throat to get Jim's attention.
"Um. Some of the people around town are saying what happened to you was a miracle." He then asked.
"It was. Plain as day." Jim smiled.
"How can you be so sure?"
"How else do you explain it? The doctors can't. There's a bullet in my heart, and it's pumping like a piston."
"Well, how do you explain it?" I asked him. Honestly intrigued by this case. Him hesitated, and he looked over at his daughter thoughtfully.
"Look, honestly. I was nobody's saint—not exactly father of the year, either. But when that guy shot me and I didn't bleed a drop? I just knew the Lord was giving me a second chance."
"Why are you so sure it was God?" Dean asked.
"I had this feeling—like angels were watching over me."
I looked down to my feet uncomfortably… never in my life did I think angels of all things would be what turned my stomach with just a name. Would be the thing I dreaded most. I would take demons, monsters, pissed off spirits… hell. I'd take anything over an angel these days.
Dean instantly noticed my discomfort and bumped my knee with his under the table, I looked up to him and nodded, sending him a message I was okay and to keep going.
"I wouldn't expect you guys to understand." Jim mumbled after our silence.
"Well, we'll just have to try." I smiled to him.
"You wouldn't have happened to have swung by a crossroads in the past week or so?" Sam asked.
"No." Jim shrugged.
"Maybe you met someone? With black eyes? Or red?"
"Who'd you guys say you were again?" Jim asked as he leaned forward.
"Never mind. Thank you for your time." Dean cut in and stood, Sam and I following him out the door, leaving a card with Jim incase he forgot to mention anything.
"Well." Sam sighed as we walked towards Baby. "I'm not buying it."
"Yeah. Angels aren't nice enough to give people second chances." I added.
"Em, if angels are anywhere near this then we'll bail. Point blank." Dean turned and told me sternly.
"Its okay De… I really don't think they're involved at all. No way they're that nice to people just because."
"Yeah, you're probably right. So what do we think it is then?"
"I have no idea. Doesn't sound like demon deals either." I shook my head.
"Yeah. I'm stuck on this one… we need more information." Sam agreed.
"Wanna check out the other vic's?"
"Yeah."
…...
"Hey." Sam said coming through the door of our motel room, closing it behind him with is foot.
"Anything?" I asked as I pulled my ear buds out and looked up at him from the bed, Dean put down the articles he was reading and turned towards Sam.
"That cancer survivor? He was clinically dead, his wife pulled the plug, and now he's taking her out for their twentieth anniversary."
"Any sign of a deal?"
"No. What about you? Found anyone dying around here?" He asked Dean.
"Not since Cole Griffith. He dropped ten days ago. It was the last death I could find."
"So, what are you thinking?"
"Eh, maybe it is what the people say it is. Somebody around here performing miracles?"
"Miracles? Dean, our experience, when do miracles just happen?"
"Well, there's no deals. There's, uh, no skeevy faith healers. I mean, these souls just ain't getting dragged into the light."
"Maybe 'cause there's no one around to carry them." I suggested. Sam and Dean both turned to look at me intensely.
"What do you mean?"
"When you said faith healer it made me think… Well, grim reapers—that's what they do, right? Schlep souls? So, if death ain't in town—"
"Then nobody's dying. So what? The local reaper's on strike? Playing the back nine? Sam?"
"I don't know. But let's talk to somebody who might. The kid."
"The kid? The kid's a doornail."
"Exactly. Look, if he was the last person to die around here, then maybe he's seen something. We should talk to him."
"I love how matter-of-fact you are about that. Strange lives." I sighed and surrendered back to my music.
….
"You sure this is gonna work?" I asked sitting on the headstone as the boys set things up.
"No. But if his spirit's around, this should smoke him out."
"This job is a weird one…" I shook my head.
"How so?" Sam asked as he poured something into the bowl.
"You want me to gank a monster or torch a corpse, hey, let's light it up, right? But this? If we fix whatever this is, people are gonna start dropping dead. Good people." I answered hesitantly.
"Look, I don't want them to die, either, Em, but there's a natural order."
"You're kidding, right?" Dean chuckled.
"What?"
"You don't see the irony in that? I mean, you and me and Em, we're like the poster children of the unnatural order. All we do is ditch death."
"Yeah, but the normal rules don't really apply to us, do they?"
"We're no different than anybody else."
"Dean. I'm infected with demon blood. Emily is infected with the devil's blood. You've been to hell." Sam spoke with his classic bitch face. "Look, I know you want to think of yourself as Joe the Plumber, Dean, but you're not. None of us are. The sooner you accept that, the better off you're gonna be."
"Ah, Joe the Plumber was a douche." He shrugged.
"You gonna help me finish this now? Obviously she's too good to get her hands dirty."
"Ehh, I'm keeping watch." I said picking at my nails.
"HEY!" A man yelled, causing us all to turn and face the groundskeeper.
"Nice job watching." Sam shot at me.
"What are you doing here?" The man asked.
"Uh. Just take it easy." Sam said as he raised his hands up.
"What the hell is this?"
"Okay, this—this—this is not what it looks like." Dean laughed.
"Really? 'Cause it looks like devil worship."
"What? No! No, this is not devil worship. This—This is—this—this is, uh— my senior project for my philosophy class!" I quickly lied.
"But… We're all done so. We're leaving." Sam nodded.
"You're not going anywhere." The man then said, something about his words sent chills down my spine. "Ever again. Sam."
Oh my god…
His eyes turned white as he looked over to Dean.
"Alastair." Dean whispered. His eyes turned back to the human form he was possessing. I felt it, burn within me… preparing to protect myself and my brothers. I wasn't fixing to let him touch them again.
"I thought you got deep fried, extra-crispy." Dean asked.
"Nah. Just the pediatrician I was riding. His wife's still looking for him. It's hilarious. Anyway. No time to chat. Got a hot date with death."
"WAIT!" I screamed but it was too late, he flung the boys into the air, letting them crash into headstones. I turned to face him, unsure as to why I still stood in my place.
"You're stronger, Emily. You've been practicing. Oh what I would do with you and a little time alone."
I went to raise my hand as the red haze began to appear, but Alastair fled the man's body and disappeared.
"FUCK!" I yelled, rushing over to Sam.
"Sam… Sam. Are you okay?" I asked as I held my sleeve against his bleeding head.
"I'm Fine. Dean?"
"He's okay. He's behind us." I said looking over to Dean, who seemed shaken, but unharmed.
Something about Alastair always shakes him up. I would give anything to rip that bastard to pieces for whatever the hell it was he did to my brother. To the rock that has always held my life together.
I'm going to kill him, if it's the last thing I do.
…..
"Here, put this on your head." I said as I handed Sam and ice pack, his wound had been cleaned and closed, and he was laying on one bed, Dean on the other behind me. I turned to look at him.
"How you doing?"
"I'm in pain, that's how I'm doing. I think I have a concussion."
"You want some aspirin?"
"No thanks, House. So, demons, huh?"
"Yeah. So much for miracles." I sighed.
"And what the hell happened with Alastair again?"
"I told you, he tried to fling me or whatever. And it didn't work, then he bailed before I had the chance to take him down…"
"Well, how come he couldn't fling you? He chucked you pretty good last time."
"He said I was stronger... I don't know why though. I guess the thing with the bullet?"
"That's not all he said." Sam said shooting me a look.
"Well I'm never going to be alone with him so I don't think we have to worry."
"So what now?" Dean asked. "Go back and Q and A the kid?"
"Don't have to. Bobby called. He did some digging." Sam answered.
"And?" I asked.
"He thinks you're right. Local reaper's gone. Not just gone—kidnapped."
"By demons? Why?"
"Listen to this." Sam stood and walked over to the table to grab his notebook. "…And he bloodied death under the newborn sky—sweet to taste, but bitter when once devoured."
"Swanky. What the hell's that mean?" Dean replied sarcastically.
"Well, it's from a very obscure, very arcane version of Revelations."
"Which means what I think it means?"
"Basically, you kill a reaper under the solstice moon—tomorrow night, by the way—you got yourself a broken seal."
"Fuck me…" I said burying my head in my hands.
"How do you ice a reaper? You can't kill death." Dean emphasized.
"I don't know. Maybe demons can. Where the hell are the angels is what I want to know. We could use their help for once."
"No way." Dean instantly said. "We'll do this shit ourselves. Angles roll in and we roll out."
"What about Judson?"
"I don't like it." Sam instantly looked up to me. "But… maybe he knows something we don't."
"What are we doing in the meantime? Try and find the bastard?"
"Dean, reapers are invisible. The only people that can see them are the dead and the dying."
"Well, if ghosts are the only ones that can see them..."
"Then we become ghosts." I finished for him. He smirked at me.
"You do have a concussion." Sam shot at him.
"Sounds crazy, I know."
"Doesn't just sound crazy. It is crazy."
"How?"
"You two call Pamela… I'm gonna call Judson. See what I can find out." I said walking towards the door.
"Em. Don't go outside. Please." Dean asked quietly. "I can't have you out of sight with Alastair around."
"Okay. I'll go to the bathroom." I caved as I refilled the salt line.
"Thank you." He said as I walked by and ruffled his hair gently. Then I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
Pulling up his name in the phonebook and hitting the little green button.
"Em?" He answered almost immediately.
"Hi." I whispered. Don't know why I'm whispering.
"You okay."
"Yeah, yeah. Uh… I need to ask you about the case we're working."
"Okay, what's up?"
"Alastair is here… and I think he's trying to break a seal."
"Where are you? I can be there in no time."
"No. Just… stop. I'm okay. Don't come here."
"Emily, Alastair is no joke. You know what he's capable of."
"Apparently killing death."
"What?!"
"Reapers. We think he's trying to kill a reaper to break a seal… Look. I just called to see if you or the dicks with wings were up to date? Working on a plan to stop this?"
"No. I don't think they're aware, but they will be now."
"Great." I groaned.
"I'll do my best to give you a heads up if I hear they're headed into town. But I wouldn't anticipate bumping into them. I've made it clear you three would prefer your distance."
"Thanks I guess."
"Yeah, of course. You know I'd do anything for you."
"… Jud."
"Em, baby please. Let me come… I can't stand the thought of you being around that monster."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"I miss you."
I miss you too… but I can't say that or he'll be here before I can blink.
"I know." I whispered.
"Em. Please. Call me if you change your mind… I'll be close."
"Okay."
"I love you."
Every part of me wanted to say it back… wanted him to rush to me. But I can't. I just can't. So instead I hung up the phone.
…
"I can't even begin to tell you how crazy you three are." Pamela said as the door opened and she walked in.
"Well, Pamela, you're a sight for sore eyes." Sam smiles as he closes the door behind her.
"Aw, that's sweet, grumpy." She said pulling back her sunglasses to reveal her white eyes. "What do you say to deaf people?"
I tried to hold back my laughter but snorted. Fucking Pamela. Love her!
"Which one of you brainiacs came up with astral projection?"
"Yo." Dean said raising his hand.
"She can't see your hand dumbass." I told him while I smacked him in the back of the head. He shot me bitch face as Pamela made her way towards us.
"Of course. Chachi.
"Chachi?" Dean turned and mouthed to me. I shrugged.
"Emily dear, I hope things are well… I don't hear the boy toy? Trouble in paradise."
"Paradise was more of a snow globe. All fake." I answered.
"Men." She shook her head. "You don't need em anyways doll. So…, let's be clear. You want to rip your souls out of your bodies and take a little stroll through the spirit world?"
"Mm-hm." Dean answered.
"Do you have any idea how heavy-duty insane that is?" She asked as she folded her arms.
"Maybe, but that's where the reaper is, so..."
"So, it's nuts."
"Not if you know what you're doing."
"You don't know what you're doing."
"No, but you do."
"Yeah, I do. And guess what? I'm sick of being hauled back into your angel-demon, Soc-Greaser crap."
"Look, I'd love to be kicking back with a cold one, watching Judge Judy, too."
"Nice. More blind jokes?"
"Damn you two are cold." I mumbled. They both shot me bitch face.
"You know what I mean. We're talking the end of the world here, okay? No more tasseled leather pants, no more Ramones CDs, no more nothing."
Dean paused and let the silence give weight to the seriousness of the situation… and it truly was life or death for so many. It was important… but if I was Pamela I would probably run too.
"We need your help." Dean finally said.
"Fine… get me a few things."
Pamela made us a list and it didn't take us long to gather and set everything up. Dean was lighting several candles around the room and brought one over to the bedside table, where Pamela sat between both beds.
"Tell me something, geniuses. Even if you do break into the veil and you find the reaper, how you gonna save it?"
"With style and class." Dean smiled.
"You're gonna be walking pieces of fog who can't touch or move anything. You'll be defenseless, hotshot."
"I seem to recall a bunch of ghosts beating the crap out of us." I rebuttled.
"Yeah, well, they had plenty of time to practice."
"Well, then, I guess we got to start cramming."
"Wow, couple of heroes. All right."
"Three heroes." I corrected her. "I'm not sitting out this time.
"No way." Dean said folding his arms.
"NO WAY." I argued back. "Dean. You kept me out of the fight the last two times you two went walking around in peoples heads and shit. I am going, with or without your blessing. Get over it."
"Who's going to keep an eye on things out here?" He asked.
"Asshole." Pamela shot to him.
Just as I went to answer him, a knock came to the door. I walked over, gun out, and when I opened it I almost smiled.
"He is." I said as I stepped aside and Judson stepped in.
"What the hell is he doing here?"
"Keeping an eye on things assholes." I crossed my arms.
"What the hell is going on?" Judson asked as he closed the door behind him.
"We're going after the reaper. You're watching over us."
"Pamela, nice to see you again." Judson called out.
"Can't say the same." She smiled sarcastically and crossed her arms.
"Yeah. I get that a lot around here."
"Look. We are wasting time. I don't like it, but if you're going to be a bitch about all this and he's our only option then let's get this show on the road." Dean yelled frustrated. Sam shook his head in anger.
"Save the anger Sam, you'll need it when your vapor." Pam told him. "Now lay down on the bed and close your eyes."
I laid down beside Dean and Sam laid on the other bed.
"Animum vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. Vis, vis, vis. Okay, guys. That's it. Showtime."
"That's it?" I asked looking over to Dean.
"Well, nothing like shooting blanks. What's plan B?" He asked sitting up.
"Uhhh… Dean." I said as I noticed he was sitting up but his body was still laying down.
"Oh, I'm so feeling up Demi Moore." He smiled as I looked over to Sam who was now standing, staring down at himself. I copied his movements… fuck this is weird.
"All right, so, I'm assuming you're somewhere over the rainbow. Remember I have to bring you back." Pamela called out. Then she walked over to Sam. "I'll whisper the incantation in your ear."
Sam began to grin.
"What'd she say?" Dean asked curiously.
Sam shrugged innocently. I shook my head and walked over to Judson. I reached up and touched him with my hand. Just as I made contact, he closed his eyes and let out a breath.
He can feel me.
"Be careful baby. Come back to me." He whispered softly before opening his eyes again.
"Okay… let's go." Dean said as he led us out of the building and outside into the street. As we walk out everything is moving like it normally would, except for the jogger that runs straight through Sam… yes. Through him. Sam froze, grabbing his body. Dean and I laughed in awe.
"That was wild." Dean commented. Then he reached over and stuck his arm through Sam's chest. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"Get out of me." Sam said flatly. Dean pulled his arm back and stepped to the side.
"You're such a prude. Come on."
I giggled watching their banter, but then stepped forward, and realized I stepped right into an electrical box on the side walk.
"Whoa… that tingles a little."
"It's the electrical current." Sam answered.
"Maybe it'll super charge me." I smiled.
"Dork." He rolled his eyes at me and walked forward.
We walked for what felt like forever, and nothing… zip. Zilch. Nada.
"Man, we've been spooking this town for hours. No demons, no black smoke. I say we hit Victoria's Secret and get our peep on, huh?" Dean winked.
"DE!" I scalded.
"Hey. Three o'clock. Kid in the window." Sam called out, we looked up and sure enough the face we met was that of Cole Griffith.
"Am I crazy or is he looking at us?" Dean asked.
"It's 'cause we've seen him before." I told him.
"We have?"
"Newspaper. Cole Griffith, the last person to die in this town."
He then flickered and disappeared. We approached the house and even though I lifted my hand to knock, I quickly put it back down and simply held my breath as I walked through the door and into the home that I'm guessing was his. We walked up the stairs, where we crossed paths with a woman… a very sad woman. Had to be Cole's mother.
"Cole?" She said softly as she walked into the room where we last saw him, we followed her inside. "It's Mom. Your dad thinks I'm crazy. Are you here? A picture frame fell over. I could have sworn it was you, baby. Are you still here with me?"
"Dean…" I looked up to him with tears pulling at my eyes.
"I know Em." He moved to wrap an arm around me, but it just went right through. Suddenly a soccer ball flies past her and bounces off the door.
"Oh, my god!" She shrieked running out as it continued to fly around the room, accompanied by a basketball, a football, and a few others. We turned to see Cole in the corner by the dresser.
"Stop! How are you doing that?" Dean yelled to him. Suddenly they all fell to the floor.
"Who are you?" Cole asked defensively.
"Relax, Cole. It's okay." I said as I moved towards him.
"How do you know my name?"
"Look, this isn't gonna be easy to hear, but...you're—dead. You're a spirit. Us too."
"Yeah, thanks, Haley Joel. I know I'm dead. What do you want?"
I shrunk back a bit, surprised by his tone.
"We just want to talk." Sam told him.
"About what?"
"About what happened."
"I wanna go down stairs with mom."
"Okay, lets go."
Suddenly Cole disappeared. We rushed down the stairs and found his mom in the kitchen, then him. Watching her. I calmly approached Cole again.
"What happened cole?"
"I was outside all morning. They tell you to be careful when it's cold."
"Cold air can cause an asthma attack?" Dean asked. Cole nodded sadly.
"But then I was in my room. It happened so fast. I called out for my mom, but nothing came out. Everything started spinning, and then I was just standing there, looking down at my body."
"And that's when you saw the man?" Sam guessed.
"Creepy old guy in a black suit. He wanted me to go with him, but... I didn't want to go."
"Reaper." Sam whispered. I nodded in agreeance. "How'd you get rid of him?"
"I didn't. The black smoke did."
"Black smoke?" Dean asked.
"It was everywhere. I hid in the closet, and when I came out, it was gone, and so was he."
"Do you know where the smoke went?"
"No. But I know where it is."
Just as I was about to ask him if he could show us, the lights began to flicker, and Cole became very skiddish, jumping.
"They're back."
"Who?" Dean said preparing for a fight. Suddenly Cole vanished again, and a blast of wind filled the room, but it didn't affect Cole's mother. Only us.
"Dean. We should go." I said frantically.
"Wait…" He said as a white figure moved forwards towards us.
"Another reaper." Sam stated. It moved up the stairs, we moved to follow it.
"Hey! Hey! Wait! We need to talk to you!" Dean shouted, the light faded into a woman, who stopped, and turned to face us.
"Dean." She said shocked.
"Do I know you?"
"We go way back. You don't remember me?"
"Honestly, if I had a nickel for every time I heard a girl say that... You're gonna have to freshen my memory."
"Seriously Dean?" I rolled my eyes. The reaper stepped forward and placed her lips against his.
"Whoa. Awwwwkward." I mumbled to Sam as we watched against our will.
"Tessa." Dean said after he abruptly pulled away.
"That's one of my names, yeah."
"So, you do know her?" I asked.
"From the hospital after the accident."
"The accident with Dad?" Sam asked. My stomach flopped.
"So, this is the reaper that came after you." I asked angrily.
"Yeah."
"Well, this was fun. " Tessa said before turning away. "Now, if you'll excuse me—"
"HEY!" I called out to her. She stopped suddenly and looked down at me as I pushed past my brothers.
"… You tried to reap my brother. I'm not done with you yet." I lifted my hand, but nothing happened.
FUCK ME! No body. No blood. No powers.
"Cute." She giggled.
"Did you reap my father?" I asked her then. Her expression fell.
"No… we don't reap demon deals. Hell hounds take those souls under."
I pulled my eyes down to my feet at the thought of hell hounds dragging my father into hell. The sound of their growls in my head. I stepped back and Dean pushed past me.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, you can't—you can't take the kid." Dean told her.
"Why?"
"Demons are in town, that's why. They've already snatched your reaper pal. The kid knows where."
"So?"
"So, you should shag ass. For all we know, they could try and snatch you, too." Sam told her.
"Except that this town is off the rails. And someone has to set it straight."
"Yeah, we understand that, but these are special circumstances."
"What? Your whole angel-demon dance-off? I could care less. I just want to do my job."
"Right, yeah, and, look, we want to help you do your job. So, if you would just bail town—" I then told her sternly.
"No."
"Well, then, could you hold off until we fix this? Please." Dean asked nicely.
"All right, but just so we're clear, when I start reaping again, I'm starting with the kid." She sighed.
"Understood. I'll find him." Sam said passing us and going up the stairs.
"Wait Sam!" I called out. "What are you gonna say to him?"
"Whatever I have to."
He left and I was then alone with Tessa and Dean, who walked back down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Sit." She said as she sat at the table.
"Uh. Not sure I can."
"Focus on the chair, and sit."
Dean went first. And miraculously it worked, instead of falling to the ground, he was able to sit in the chair, and even lean forward onto the table. I followed suit slowly, taking in the new sensation.
"I'll tell you, life is funny." Tessa chuckled.
"What do you mean?"
"You and me, together again."
"Are you—are you making a move on me?"
"Please don't." I groaned. Tessa shook her head.
"You're the one that got away, Dean. You'd be surprised how little that happens to me."
"Can I tell you something?"
"Sure. I got time to kill."
"After our little, uh, experience...for that whole year, I felt like I had this...hole in my gut...like I was missing something. I didn't know what. Do you know what it was? It was you. The pain of losing my father and Sammy. I just...I wish I had gone with you for good. But I guess things are different now."
He looked over to me for a second. I felt like an intruder on their conversation.
"That hole isn't there anymore though." He then reassured me.
"Why? The angels on your shoulder?" Tessa asked.
"So, you know about that, huh? Well, hey, don't get me wrong. I mean, most the ones I've met are dicks with wings. But still... You know, I've done things. Horrible things. And someone upstairs still decided to give me a second chance. It just makes me feel...I don't know."
"Hey, guys." Sam interrupted as he and Cole entered the room.
"Hey, Cole. I'm Tessa. I'm not going to hurt you." Tessa approached him.
"It's okay, Cole. Just tell them what you told me."
"I saw the black smoke at my funeral."
"At the cemetery?"
"At the funeral home. It was everywhere."
The lights then began to flicker again.
"You doing that?" I asked Tessa.
"No." She said confused, the suddenly the door flew open and black smoke filled the house, we all his the floor and hunkered down until it was gone, when it disappeared the only person missing was Tessa.
"Tessa!" Dean yelled, searching for her.
"Cole, you okay?" I reached out and ask him. He nodded.
"Well, how the hell are we supposed to fight that?" Sam asked as Dean walked back in.
"I don't know. Learn some ghost moves?" I shrugged.
"By tonight? Yeah, sure. I'll meet you back at Mr. Miyagi's." Dean answered with thick sarcasm.
"Who's Mr. Miyagi?" Cole asked.
"Don't worry about it sweetheart… let's go outside. I think we might need your help, can you show us how to move things? Like you?" I asked him. He nodded and we stood, the boys followed us. We stood on the front porch, Cole challenging us to spin a small windmill in the yard.
Dean stepped up first. Glaring at the object.
"It's not gonna move if you don't concentrate." Cole told him.
"I am concentrating." He growled. I shot my eyes at him as a warning to take it easy, the kid is helping us out after all. He took a deep breath and tried again, this time, it began to turn, but quickly stopped.
"Ah, here we go, baby." He smiled.
"You pull a muscle?" Cole taunted him. I smiled.
"All right, Yoda, let's see what you got."
Cole took one look at the windmill and it began to spin, not stopping as he looked back at Dean, then the porch swing began to move, then the wind chimes. Sam and I began to laugh as the kid put Dean to shame.
"Dude! You are so Amityville."
"This isn't even the good stuff." He moved to the living room and we followed.
"Stand here." He told Sam as he pointed to the center of the room. Then he punched him straight in the stomach, I laughed as Sam quickly folded over in pain.
"See? If you want to hit something, you just got to get mad."
"Yeah. Got it." Sam groaned moving away.
The words Pamela said to him then stuck in my mind… she said to save his anger, cause he'd need it.
"Now you try. Hit me." Cole turned to Dean.
"Uh, I think I'll stick to just picking on somebody my own size." Dean said looking up to Sam, Cole quickly reached up and smacked him in the face. Sam and I burst out in laughter, Dean stepped back rubbing his face. Cole moved to me.
"Hit me as hard as you can."
"Dude, I'm not gonna do Fight Club with a twelve-year-old." I told him. "Besides, you won't hit a la-"
I was cut off by his hand meeting my face.
"Hey you little fucker!"
"See! Get angry… now you try!"
"FINE!" I yelled, I turned to Dean and slapped him across the face. Laughing and cheering at how well it worked.
"What the hell Em?"
"What?! I couldn't hit him!"
Cole then moved to Sam and slapped him again.
"Cut it out kid." He warned.
"Make me." Cole taunted hitting him again, this time though Sam blocked and moved to swing back, but when he did Cole vanished, and then reappeared beside Sam.
"WHOA! Teach me that!" Dean said with big eyes.
….
(THIRD PERSON POV)
Judson sat on Emily's side of the bed. Gently running his fingers through her hair. Getting concerned with just how still her body was. It breathed slowly, but other than that she was soft, and lax. He held her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. Taking in the new healing scratches.
"Always picking a fight somewhere." He chuckled.
"What's that?" Pamela asked?
"Em. She never backs down." He replied.
"She's tough."
"She's had no other choice."
"… So. You work for the angels?"
"Sort of." Judson sighed as he looked up to Pamela.
"Forgive me but I'm not exactly a fan."
"Neither am I most days."
"Yet you still work for them?"
"It's a long story…"
"You care for her."
"And you know this because?"
"Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm not still psychic. I see with other senses."
"Well. I wish they all knew that."
"They do in a way, except Sam maybe… he's really got it out for you. But I don't think it's your fault."
"What do you mean?"
"Before I answer that let me ask you a question… Are you really and truly here to protect her?"
"Yes. With every ounce of my being."
"There's a darkness in him. Its consuming… I don't think it's your fault he hates you. It's what's inside him that's controlling him. Even if he can't see it."
"You can sense all that just being around him?"
"Like I said. I don't need my eyes to see some things."
"What about her?"
"She… is a whole nother story kid. She's special. I've never felt energy like that before."
"You know about the blood?"
"Of course I do."
"Is it going to overtake her?"
"I don't know… that's up to her."
"She can beat it. I know she can."
"I'm not sure it's about beating it… what's inside of her, there is an evil to it I've never felt before. But there is also a light. Stronger than what I felt when Castiel burned out my eyes. It's not the same as Sam… his darkness is consuming him. Hers' is fueling her."
….
(Emily's POV)
As we approached the funeral home there were blue glowing shapes all over the building. Difference shapes, different sizes, all with lines and squiggles. We stopped in the street and stared.
"This looks like New Jack City. Can nobody can see this?" Dean asked.
"Doesn't look like it." I answered as people walked past it without notice.
"Maybe it's demon invisible ink. Only see it in the veil." Sam suggested.
"Any idea what it's for?"
"We'll find out."
We entered the building, on the inside were more shapes on the walls, in the center of a large room was Tessa, lying inside a large eight pointed star, and beside her lay an old man in a suit, who I assume was the original reaper that was taken.
On the outside was a man standing guard. He hasn't noticed us yet, I tap Dean and point to him. Dean nods and we make a plan to take him out.
"Dude. Check me out." He whispers as he appears right in front of the man, he threw one punch, and then moved, Sam and I followed, jumping in and out, each taking a shot on him until he collapsted to the ground quickly.
"You know, this ghost thing, it's, it's kind of rad." Dean smiled to us, but then another man approached from behind a curtain carrying a chain, moaning in pain. Behind him was a second man.
"It's iron." Sam spoke, as we watched the chain sizzle in the man's hand. Meaning he is a demon. As is the second man, and now the third that enters the room behind us. They circle us with the chain.
"Find the place okay?" The third man asked, we turned to face him and his eyes rolled white.
"Iron… we can't get out of the circle." I mumbled out loud. Realizing suddenly this was a trap.
One of the demon's handed Alastair a shotgun, then he left. Alastair then lifted the gun and fired it, rock salt flying into Dean and forcing him to disintegrate.
"DEAN!" I screamed.
"Rock salt's not so much fun anymore, is it?" Alastair teased me.
Dean suddenly reappeared inside of the circle made by the chain.
"Alastair. You bastard." Dean growled at him.
"Well, go on. Why don't you try some of your mojo on me now, hotshot?"
Dean looks to Sam and I… I was fuming with anger, but the harder I tried, the angrier I got… nothing happened. Nothing. I looked over to Sam, who looked as frustrated as I was.
"It's hard to get it up when you're not wearing your meat, huh Sammy?"
"Go to hell."
"Ah, if only I could. But they just keep sending me back up to this arctic craphole."
"To kill death?" I asked.
"No, to kill death twice. It takes two to break a seal. I figured another one would show up, though. They're like lemmings." Alastair pumped the shotgun and fired, again, this time hitting Sam.
"STOP IT!" I screamed as Sam reappeared in pain.
"By the way, it's, uh, good to see you again, Dean." He smiled.
"You can shoot us all you want, but you can't kill us." Dean smiled back.
"Ah, that so?" Alastair taunted. Then he lifted the reaper's scythe into the air. "Anyhoo... Moon's in the right spot. The board is set. Let's get started, shall we?"
"You're gonna kill a reaper with that? It's little on the nose, don't you think?"
"Is it? An old friend lent it to me. You know, he doesn't really ride a pale horse? But he does have three amigos. And they're just jonesing for the apocalypse. It pays to have friends in low places. Don't you think?" He asked as he lifted the older reaper into the air and put the scythe around his neck. "Hic cruor messorius, illud sigillum, quod luciferem reverendum obstringit, aperiat ut resurgat!"
He pulled the scythe violently and a white light filled the room, then vanished… Alastair lowered the reaper's body to the floor, then stood. I looked up, noticing the chandelier hanging over the trap. I closed my eyes and focused as hard as I could.
"Stop!" I heard Tessa beg… as much as I'd like to see this bitch die, I squeezed as hard as I could, squeezing Dean's hand beside me, he must have caught on to what I was doing, because then he squeezed back.
"Hic cruor messorius illud sigillum, quod luciferem reverendum obstringit aperiat ut—"
The sound of the chandelier crashing to the floor cut him off, the reaper trap was officially broken and Tessa vanished from his grip. She then reappears where the iron chain is hung on the post and unhooks it, breaking the circle and releasing us.
"Bye-bye." Dean smiled as we all disappeared.
We stood in the street, catching our breath.
"Wait, where is your brother?" Tessa asked us.
"We'll find him. You get out of here." Dean told her.
…
(Third person POV)
Sam shot up out of the bed, finding Pamela fighting with a demon, Judson unconscious on the floor. He moved, but he wasn't fast enough to stop the demon from stabbing Pamela in the gut as she tried to finish the exorcism.
"Pamela!" He screamed. Sam raised his hand and the demon flew against the wall, he then is exorcised with just Sam's concentration, and his host slumps to the floor. Sam rushes over to Pamela, who has collapsed onto the ground. He finds her laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"I can't die—not in this town." She giggled moving her hand and revealing no blood. "The kid okay?"
"He's knocked out, but he'll live. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Quit your worrying, grumpy. How about you make me a drink, huh?"
"You need a doctor."
"Make me a drink, Sam."
….
(Emily's POV)
"Where the hell did he go?" I asked Dean as we walked down the alley.
"I don't know, maybe we should check the house?"
"You can't run." A voice called out from the darkness, Alastair moved closer to us. "Dean."
We froze in our tracks.
"Not from me. I'm inside that angsty little noggin of yours."
"Fuck off." I yelled stepping in front of Dean, knowing he was now playing mind games.
Suddenly a bright light strikes the ground where he stands, and he vanishes into thin air.
"What the hell?" Dean asked.
"Guess again." A voice calls from behind us. We turned abruptly and met Castiel face to face.
"What the hell just happened?" Dean asked positioning himself between Castiel and I.
"What just happened? You just saved a seal. We captured Alastair. Dean, this was a victory."
"Well, no thanks to you."
"What makes you say that?"
"You were here the whole time?" I asked.
"Enough of it."
"Well, thanks for your help with the rock salt." Dean then called out.
"That script on the funeral home—we couldn't penetrate it."
"That was angel-proofing." Dean nodded. We shared a look that reminded each other to take note of those silly blue shapes again before we leave. Could come in handy later.
"Why do you think I recruited you three in the first place?"
"You recruited us?"
"That wasn't your friend Bobby who called, Dean. It wasn't Bobby who told Sam about the seal."
"That was you?"
"We were afraid if we had asked, you might say no."
"Oh well I wonder why!" Dean then yelled at him.
"Dean stop." I whispered.
"No, no I'm not."
Castiel looked down.
"You bastards put us through enough! You sent someone to watch us, report on us, you lied to us, forced him to lie to her!" Dean said getting angrier by the second.
"We never have condoned the actions that took place between Judson and Emily. We simply allowed him to make his own mistakes as long as it did not threaten our work."
"Well that worked out great didn't it!"
"Dean stop please." I said still hiding at his side.
"Emily." Castiel spoke. I slowly looked up to him. "I apologize for the matter in which our investigation has taken place, but please know that there are those in heaven, who fight for you."
"And who do you fight for?" Dean asked him.
"I am not liberty to say. I cannot be involved in this"
"Sure sure… whatever. So, what now, huh? The people in this town, they just gonna start dying again?"
"Yes."
"These are good people. What, you think you can make a few exceptions?"
"To everything there is a season."
"You made an exception for me."
"You're different."
Suddenly Tessa is beside us, and Castiel is gone.
"Dean." Tessa said softly. "I could use your help before you go."
"Can you uh, can you send me back to the motel?" I asked. They both looked at me oddly. "I'm sorry… I can't watch you reap that little boy. I just. Can't."
"Of course." Tessa smiled gently, then she reached up and touched my shoulder.
Suddenly I was sitting up on the bed.
"Emily!" Judson said as he rushed over to my side.
"Jud… What happened to your eye?" I asked taking in the bruises.
"We were attacked." He confessed. I instantly jumped up and looked over to Pamela, and Sam.
"Sam.. we thought we lost you."
"No, I just got sent back here."
"Good thing too. He saved my ass… sorta." Pamela said lifting her drink.
"Oh my god… is that stab wound?! We've got to get you to a hospital!"
"Already tried." Judson told me.
"Pamela! Come on!"
"Chill kid, no blood no foul." She smiled as she drank again.
"Where's Dean?" Sam asked.
"… Helping Tessa with Cole." I admitted sadly.
Sam's shoulders fell. I leaned into him and he held me.
"Yeah… I'm pretty sure he's not the only one." Pamela said lifting her hand that was now blood stained.
"Shit!" Sam said rushing to her, lifting her and laying her on the empty bed.
"Sam! Get the med kit."
"Oh sweet girl… no med kit is gonna fix this." She said as she reached up and rubbed my cheek.
"No no no…" I began to cry. Judson's hands on by back as I sat on the edge of the bed beside her.
Suddenly Dean sat up gasping for air across from us.
"What happened?" He asked jumping up and rushing over to us.
"Dean, where's Tessa?" Sam asked him.
"She's... I don't know."
"Pamela, I'm so sorry." Sam said holding her hand.
"Stop." She smiled.
"You don't deserve this."
"Yeah, I don't. I told you I didn't want anything to do with this. Do me a favor? Tell that bastard Bobby Singer—to go to hell for ever introducing me to you two in the first place." She smiled as she spoke. I bit my lip to hold back the sobs… joking or not. She's right. We got her killed… just like we do with everyone else. I turned and buried my face in Judson's shoulder as she began to cough.
"Take it easy, Pamela. If it's any consolation, you're going to a better place." Dean told her.
"You're lying. But what the hell, right? Everybody's got to go sometime. Hey Em… you give em hell. No matter who, or what you end up against… give em hell. You're a fighter."
I grabbed her hand and squeezed, she lifted it to her mouth and kissed the back of my hand before releasing it. I fell back into Judson and cried as quietly as I could.
"Come here." She then said to Sam, who leaned down, she began to whisper in his ear. His face anxious.. but then her hand fell to the bed and she became still. Sam sat up and pulled away.
"Pamela?" He asked.
"Pamela!" Dean said reaching for her hand, but it was still.
"What did she say to you?" Dean turned to Sam. But instead of answering he got up and walked out of the room.
"Dean." I cried. "We did this."
"… I know." He nodded. "I know."
….
We loaded up and headed out, finding a peaceful break in the trees to build a pyre outside of town. We notified Bobby… and he took care of the rest for us. We stood until the flames turned into only ashes, being carried away from us by the wind. The stars were bright, and the moon lit the trees and cast shadows.
Sam and Dean were the first ones to walk away, I turned and caught them at the trunk, discussing something… undoubtedly Pamela's last words.
But I couldn't be in that fight right now… I couldn't be in any fight. My body was fine, but my mind was exhausted. My spirit felt heavy and burdended.
"You okay babe?" Judson asked as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.
"Yeah." I nodded. "As much as I can be."
"I'm sorry about Pamela. She was a great woman."
"Yeah. She was…"
"Em, I know you're feeling pretty responsible right now. But Pamela was a big girl. She made decisions because she knew how important this was. How valuable the seals are."
"I'm too tired to get into this right now."
"You wanna go lay down in the backseat."
"Not yet." I admitted as I turned and buried myself in him again. He wrapped his arms around me, rocking us back and forth as he kissed my forehead.
"I missed this." He whispered.
"… This doesn't change anything." I told him solemnly. He slowly stilled. "I'm just too tired to fight myself right now. So if the part of me that still loves you wants to step up… then I can't fight that. Not tonight."
"The part of you that still loves me?" He asked.
"I've tried." I sighed. "I've tried not to love you until I damn near hate you… but I can't stop."
"I'm sorry I did this. I'm sorry you have to fight yourself, in the middle of fighting against the world."
"That's what my life has always been… a fight. Why change that now?"
"I'll make it better Em. I promise."
"I don't know if you can."
"Well then I'll die trying."
"… That's what I'm afraid of."
He didn't reply, but only sighed. He moved us back towards the car, and slid into the backseat. I slid in behind him. Reaching up to kiss both Sam and Dean on the cheek before laying down with my head in his lap.
I know this won't last…
I know they won't let him stay…
Hell. I don't want him to stay.
But tonight, I don't want to fight it. Tonight I want to feel safe. I want to feel loved. I want to feel his hands on by body… his skin rub against my skin.
Tonight… I just want to stop the fight.