Hi beautiful readers! Oh how I miss you… oh how I miss writing. I am 3 college courses down in 2 months. I've been busting my ass. I cannot wait to be done all together and get back to writing more, I miss it, almost as much as I miss reading. I wanted to update Emily first, but my other story is next. I hope you all enjoy the comedic bits here, I love this episode, and I love Patrick. I almost wanted to play around more with the interactions between him and Emily, but for now this felt right. I hope you all love it, please review- it makes my entire day to see even one new review listed! I love you guys. I hope you're not giving up on me yet! We still have a lot more to write about and I already have a vision for the finale, and the beginning of season 6!
"You were right about this one. It's definitely a job." Dean's voice came through the speaker of Bobby's phone from where he sat beside me.
"Thought so. Any other stiffs in town?"
"Just the one body."
"Anything else?"
It took some heavy conversation to convince Dean to let me stay at Bobby's, but I know Bobby needs it, needs us. I can't tell you the last time I sat back on a job, but I will admit it's easier this time around with Judson here. More distraction, more working on focus versus emotion when trying to make the most out of these freaky ass abilities.
"Oh, you mean my legs. Well, I'm just weepin' in my Haagen-Dazs. Idjit." Bobby groaned catching my attention again, I watched as he hung up the phone and tossed it down on the table.
"There's a reason he's not the smart brother, Bobby." I grinned. Bobby gave a half smile in return, which is about as much as I've gotten out of him at all these last few days.
"Hey Em, wanna get some food? You need to eat before we go out to the yard again." Judson said coming and leaning against the doorway.
"Yeah. Okay, Bobby do you want us to bring you back something?"
"No darlin, I'm not hungry." He said before wheeling himself into another room.
I looked up to Judson and sighed… he gave me a sympathetic smile as he held out his hand. I stood and took it. Leaning up on my tip toes to kiss him before letting him lead us out to the truck.
"He'll come around, Em. He's just adjusting. I would be more worried if he didn't struggle with this."
"I've never seen him so… defeated. I hate it. I just wish we could do something to help."
"I think being here helps babe. Letting him know he's not alone." He reassured me as we pulled out onto the road. I put down my window and let my hand move against the breeze. Relaxing and focusing on each tree passed.
"Hey, pull over." I said suddenly sitting up.
"What?"
"Pull over for a minute. I wanna see something."
He slowly pulled off to the side of the road, I got out and looked both ways, making sure no one was coming. Then I took a deep breath and reached my hands up, swaying them back and forth. Slowly the tips of the trees started to move with me. Until they bent and bowed slowly from one direction to another. I smiled and turned back to look at Judson, who looked down to me with a crooked grin.
"What gave you this idea?" He asked moving to stand closer behind me as I dropped my hands.
"The day Dean made his deal. When he drove off and left me there, I was so angry I slammed my hands on the ground, and it was the first time I ever made anything happen… the trees nearby fell over."
"Ahh… I remember that." He nodded softly. I turned to look at him.
"How close were you watching at that time?"
"Pretty close… trying to understand you more. You were pretty fucked at the time to be fair, so I tried not to judge to harshly."
"Gee thanks." I said shoving his arm. He laughed at me.
"I just remember how much pain… the nightmares."
"Did you know Dean made a deal."
"Not really. I knew some of it, but none of the details. When I asked you to tell me what was in your head it was because I was only given limited information. I was asked to observe, learn more about you, and the situation around all of this was need to know information only. Cas wasn't very up front."
"When did you decide to interject?"
"When I could tell you were going to get yourself hurt if I didn't."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I said crossing my arms.
"It means." He said coming toe to toe with me and kissing my forehead. "That you were slipping. Losing grip, and you were bound to do something stupid…. And you did."
"Yeah well, I'm not the only one who makes poor choices in this family. Kinda runs in the family incase you didn't figure that out by now."
"Like I said… I don't judge." He shrugged with a teasing grin. "C'mon. you need to eat."
"Yeah… Okay. It's getting easier though, using my mind to initiate it, and not just emotions."
"Good. We're getting there babe. One step at a time, just don't over do it."
"No nosebleeds. I'm fine." I smiled as he started to drive again.
"Have you talked to Dean or Sam today?"
"Yeah. Texted earlier, just heard Dean call Bobby so I imagine he'll call and update us in a few hours."
"Think we should get Bobby some food?"
"Yes. He may get hungry later." I said sadly. "I really am worried about him Jud."
"I know babe. Me too."
"I just wish there was something we could do to fix them… something. Anything."
"I know… but there just isn't. Not without the angels getting involved, and right now that's not what we want."
"I can't believe you worked for those dicks for so long."
"Well… Cas isn't so bad. I worked with him mainly. I didn't deal with many others before him, just a couple. They were pretty straight forward. Do you job. Don't open your mouth. Report when asked."
"Why… did you become what you are?"
"I wanted to see Olivia. I wanted to know she was safe. Happy… I begged God over and over again to take me and give her back." He said as he looked down and out his window slightly. I reached down and slid my hand into his. "I guess the angels heard me and they had an offer, if I became earth bound then they would let me see her."
"Wait, you got to talk to her?"
"No." He smiled sadly. "No she didn't know I was there, but I got to see her… see here heaven. See what makes her smile and laugh for hours. She never knows pain. She never knows sadness or anger. She's happy. Purely happy, and for that I'd give them my life, so I did."
"And… they're just going to let you out of the deal?"
"I mean. I gave them over a hundred years of service, Em. That's easily a life time or two. I think I served my purpose, and honestly right now they have bigger fish to fry."
I stared down at my lap… suddenly the sickening thought of him becoming a pawn against us in this war began to race in my mind. What happens then? They just… kill him. Take him away? Lock him up? What?
…..
…..
…..
"Hey De."
"Hey kiddo, you near Bobby?"
"Not at the moment, he's in his study again. He's spending a lot of time in there lately. I'm not sure how to get him out."
"C'mon, can't be that bad."
"I think it is… Dean. He's barely alive in that chair. He just… sits there all day. Doesn't speak unless you speak to him first. Doesn't hardly eat. Just drinks."
"Em. He's trying to figure out his life. It's gonna take some time."
"Yeah. Maybe." I sighed… but I know its more than that. I see the look. I remember seeing it on my own face in the mirror when Dean was in hell and Sam was gone. Judson out of the picture... He's past the point of figuring out his life, now he's just interested in how many days he has left to suffer through it.
But Bobby pushed, Bobby kept me going, and I'll keep pushing for him as long as it takes.
"Hey, do me a favor and go find him and put the phone on speaker.
"Okay." I said getting up, Judson looked at me from across the room and I waved for him to follow. I entered the study with a knock on the wall. "Hey Bobby, Dean's on the phone with an update."
"Yeah?" Bobby asked not bothering to turn around.
"Hey Bobby. You're not going to believe this…"
I listened as Dean explained to us about the old man who suddenly became young again, and the young guy who died at the age of 120 by the description of his body. Yuck…
"And we're sure it's not a reaper? Trading lives?"
"No. The reapers didn't age their vics, they just transferred the symptoms that killed em."
"Hmmm… Bobby, you ever heard of this kinda thing? Is this spellwork, or what cause I feel like a poker game is a little far fetched?"
"It sounds crazy, right?" Dean asked.
"No. There's lore on it. Goes back centuries. Traveling card player pops into town. You beat him, you get your best years back. 'Course, most folks lose." Bobby said finally turning towards us. "I've read about it before, I'll dig up the book for a refresher."
"Well, that would explain the crunchy corpse."
"Supposedly, this player's a hell of a card shark. Got a lot of years in the bank. You find the bar he's working in yet?"
"There's a lot of dives in this town. We're gonna have to split up."
"Well, why you still talking to me?"
"Just calling to check on my girl there, figured I'd update you both." Dean said slightly caught off guard. Bobby rolled his eyes and wheeled out of the room towards a book shelf, picking at books he could reach.
"I told you." I growled as I took Dean off speaker. "Dean it's bad."
I watched as he angrily reached for something that he was about 2 inches from reaching, he yelled and threw one of the closer books.
"I got it." Judson said as he walked back out and reached for the book Bobby wanted. Bobby snatched it from him and Judson walked away silently.
"Em… give him some time kiddo."
"Fine. Anything else?" I sighed.
"Don't you do that too. I love you, be safe."
"Love you." I said before hanging up. I slid my phone back in my pocket and walked to find Judson. He sat at the table googling something on his laptop.
"What are you looking at?" I asked.
"trying to find some lore on our card shark."
"Any luck?"
"Yeah. You better tell your brothers not to get any bright ideas. There's virtually no beating this guy. Unless you catch a one in thousands hand, or he just feels bad for you."
"If I tell them no, they're more likely to just do it."
"True."
"C'mon. Let's go practice. Give him some space." I sighed as I looked back and watched as he flipped page after page to find what he wanted. Even though I feel like space may be the last thing he needs right now.
"Okay. Drink some water, you get dehydrated easily."
"I'm fine." I rolled my eyes as I led us out the door into the evening air. Just as the sun was getting ready to set. I walked over to the salvage yard where we had been experimenting with different things.
"Okay babe. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes." He said softly as he stood behind me. His hands on either side of my waist. I did as he said and inhaled softly, slowly.
"I'm ready."
"Okay. Do it."
While keeping my eyes shut I lifted my hands softly. I heard as the groans of old metal cut through the air and pushed for more. I could feel every muscle in body start to strain. Start to twitch.
"Em. Easy… too much."
"No. I'm fine."
"Emily…"
"I'm fine." I said breathing through gritted teeth.
"Emily. Enough"
I opened my eyes and watched the dozen cars or so in front of us fall to the ground, making an awful noise when they finally hit dirt.
"It's getting better." I nodded up and down as I turned toward Judson, who rolled his eyes as he reached up and wiped blood off my face.
"I'm tired of this." He said as he lifted his hand and brushed it against his shirt. I used my sleeve to clean the rest of it off as quickly as I could.
"I'm fine babe."
"One day you're going to do too much… and we don't know what that looks like. You could kill yourself for all we know."
"So what… nothing but me and the devil can currently kill me?" I grinned to distract him as I grabbed his belt loops.
"You're getting cocky. Don't." He warned pulling away.
"Judson come on… I'm fine. This is a good thing."
"Emily…"
"Okay. Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."
"Hey… you two done playing with each other?" Bobby yelled from the back door.
"Just getting started." I teased.
"Get your asses in the car. We're leaving."
"Leaving? Where?" I asked as we walked back.
"Your idiot brothers are over their head, I think we should take care of this one ourselves."
"Okay I'll give Dean a heads-"
"No. Don't." Bobby said irritably. I looked at him in surprise. Judson subtly putting a hand on my shoulder. "You know how your brother is. He'll get all freaked out and do something stupid thinking there's something wrong or he has to wrap up before we get there and then he'll do something dumb."
"… Yeah. Okay."
"Why don't I take the bike, you two take the car. I'll follow right behind you babe." Judson said as he kissed my cheek. Winking as he finally got behind Bobby, I knew then he was giving us the chance to talk. Probably a good idea at this point.
…..
…..
…..
Bobby and I had been on the road for about 2 hours… he'd barely said a word. Mostly judging my driving. I reminded him several times I don't get to drive very often so I'm probably a little out of practice. That only led to a string of insults about how controlling Dean is with Baby.
"Hey Bobby…" I said knowing we would stop for gas in about an hour or less if I needed a good reason to end the conversation.
"Yeah?"
"I know it's been hard. I mean… I don't. But I know you're not doing okay and I-"
"I'm fine." He grumbled.
"No. You're not Uncle Bobby" I said sadly, turning to look at him. He refused to look back. "I've been with you for 3 days now and you've not smiled at me once, not a real one anyways. You have always smiled for me… no one else, but me at least."
"Yeah well world's ending and I'm a cripple. Not much to smile about."
"I'm sorry we dragged you into this Bobby."
"Kid I was in this fight before you were ever born."
"Still… I feel like everyone who helps us pays for it in some way, and I'm sorry this is your punishment."
"Emily." He sighed. "It's not punishment for helping you. It's just punishment for surviving all the other bullshit I've seen."
"Bobby. How do I fix it… how do I make it better."
"You can't!" he yelled. "You can't fucking fix it, just leave me alone and let me die!"
I chewed on my bottom lip as it threatened to quiver, my eyes watering.
"No." I finally mumbled.
"What?!"
"I said no!"
I turned the wheel and pulled us onto the edge of the road, Judson taking sudden turn in the other way to avoid rear-ending us and pulling in front as I turned to face Bobby once we were stopped.
"No I will not leave you alone and let you just die because you were the only one keeping me alive when I thought being dead was a better option! I will NOT let you rot your miserable ass in that chair because life fucking sucks. I still need you, WE still need you, and dammit Bobby we can't save the fucking world without you and you know it… so fucking talk to me!"
He stared at me with a hard scowl, but I could see the red rimmed eyes he was trying so hard to hold back.
"You don't need me anymore, Em." He said through gritted teeth around the lump in his throat. "I'm not good to you or anyone else anymore."
"Uncle Bobby do you honestly believe that for even a second?!"
"What good am I now?"
"Bobby you are my safety. You are my voice of reason. You are the person that we ALL go to when we need someone to kick us in the ass or make us feel like we aren't doing this job for fucking nothing! You are still everything to us, to me."
"Emily I can't… I can't do anything but sit in this hunk of metal and bitch at people! You have no idea what that feels like. To have to sit on the sidelines of the biggest fight we'll ever face, and I can't do a damn thing!"
"That's not true." I sniffled. "You can't jump up and fight maybe, but you can do so much more for us than anyone else on this earth because you Bobby are the smartest man I've ever met. The most honest. The moral compass for us, and so many other hunters. Bobby you have saved more people than any of us, because you simply exist. Because you are a wealth of knowledge and even though it may be hard to hear the truth."
"Just… get us there. We aren't helping anyone by camping out in a ditch." He sighed as he looked away from me and out the window.
"I'm gonna text Dean. Let him know we're almost there."
"No! Dammit. I told you not to say anything."
"Bobby why not…"
"Emily Anne. You owe me that much! After everything. I'm telling you not to, so don't." He said with a growl before facing the window once more.
My throat tightened and my lips quivered as I looked up to Judson who was carefully watching us in his small mirror. I barely met his eyes before I nodded and pulled back out on the road.
…..
…..
…..
"I should have known what he was doing…" I groaned as Judson and I pulled back into the motel on the bike. Bobby ditched us about an hour after we showed up. I'm sure he found the witch and is trying to either kill himself by losing on purpose or trying to win back his legs.
"Emily. You couldn't have known. Bobby never does stuff this stupid."
"You didn't hear him in the car babe. He's not okay. He's not Bobby. I should have known what this is."
"Stop… Call your brothers."
"I don't think we'll have to." I said as I watched Sam step out of his motel room. I knew where they were staying and booked us a room there too.
"Emily?!" Sam said walking towards us. "What the hell kiddo, are you guys okay?"
"No." I mumbled looking down.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"Bobby tricked us into coming down here and not telling you or Dean and now he's gone and I think he found the witch and he's gonna play against him." I said as my eyes watered. "I'm so sorry Sammy! It's my fault. I should have said something, or known what he was doing. I'm-"
"Emily whoa whoa whoa… Calm down. It's not your fault. Bobby's the adult here. He's THE adult. For all of us. You can't exactly tell him what to do. Why didn't you call us sweetheart?"
"He told me not to." I sighed. "Said I owed him and that I'd better not say anything."
"Okay. Not your fault Em. He's obviously not himself, he never would have done that in his right mind. You did the best you could, and you and I both know where he is. I think Dean had a good lead. Let's call him."
"Yeah." I sighed pulling out my phone. It rang and rang, but no answer. "He's not answering."
"Okay, well I was headed to get us some food so he's headed this way anyways. Let's get a bite to eat and we'll regroup with Dean."
"I don't want to eat. I want to find Bobby."
"Em he's gonna be okay." Judson said pulling me against him. "You need to eat, we'll meet back with Dean."
"Then let's just stay here and wait. Or make another round through the city to look for him."
"No way. Dean would kill us all if I let you two take off on your own, you know how he is right now, and honestly I don't want you out of my sight. C'mon. I'll drive." Sam said as he rubbed his thumb on my cheek and led us over to the impala. I sat between them as we ran through the drive thru and made our way back to the room, every time we took a turn looking for a wheelchair and a ball cap to be making it's way down the sidewalk.
Nothing… no sign. No phone call back. Nothing.
I walked in behind Sam as he pushed the door open, seeing Dean's key card on the table.
"Hey, Dean? You find anything?" Sam called out as he walked and set down the food.
"Uh, you might say." Says a voice I didn't recognize I turned to see an old guy in our room walking towards us. Judson immediately grabbed and pulled me behind him as Sam pulled his gun. I was ready… whatever the hell this was. Angel. Demon. I was ready and I didn't need my gun to do it.
"Who the hell are you!" Sam growled.
"Dude, relax. It's me." The guy said looking between us. "Kiddo what the hell are you two doing here?"
"Dean?" I mumbled stepping forward.
"Hi." He nodded like I was an idiot.
"What the hell happened?" Judson asked.
"I, you know...found the game." He said picking up a burger.
"And you played?! What the fuck is wrong with you!" I yelled.
"I didn't have a choice! He did it first!" He yelled back pointing at the open door. I turned and found Bobby had wheeled in behind us.
"I see you met John McCain there." He grumbled.
"YOU!" I then yelled at him. "You don't ever ditch me like a prom date ever again! What the hell did you two do?"
Silence.
"Yeah. Either of you want to tell us what happened?" Sam added when neither of them would answer.
"Bobby's an idiot. That's what happened." Old Dean said with a mouthful of food.
"Hey, nobody asked you to play." Bobby shot back.
"Right. I should have just let you die."
"And for damn sure, nobody asked you to lose!"
"It's like Grumpy Old Men." Sam grinned as he looked over to Judson and I. I snickered slightly and Judson bit his lip to contain his face.
"Shut up, Sam." They both turned and said at the same time.
"What the hell were you thinking? He's a witch. He's been playing poker since guys wore tights." Dean argued with Bobby.
"You just don't get it."
"Yeah, I get it, Bobby. You saw a chance to turn the hands of the clock back and get out of that damn chair. Pretty tempting. I can imagine."
"No, you can't."
"You got me. I never been paralyzed. But I tell you something—I've been to hell, and there's an archangel there wanting me to drop the soap. Look at me! My junk's rustier than yours! You hear me bellyaching? Huh?"
"Uh, actually, yeah." I shrugged slightly, he turned to say something to me, but then groaned out in pain.
"Oh! I'm having a heart attack." He said as he sat down in a nearby chair. I rushed over to him.
"No, you're not." Bobby rolled his eyes.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Acid reflux. Guys his age can't digest certain foods." He said before looking back to Dean. "You're gonna need to put down that cheeseburger." Dean sighed and threw it down on the table. "So, you want to keep emoting, or you want to talk about solving this little issue of yours? It's got to be about the chips."
"I slid 'em across, Patrick did his little witchy number, and you prettied up in a hurry."
"I mean, what are you all thinking? Some kind of magic chips or something?" Judson asked.
"Definitely." Bobby nodded.
"You remember what he chanted?" Dean asked him.
"Yep—every word."
"All right, then let's find out where he stashes his chips. Write it down incase you forget." Sam said sliding Bobby a notepad.
"And steal me fifty. Benjamin Button me back into burger shape. What do you think?" He smiled up to me.
"I think you ought to get some pepto." I said back to him. He waved me off as he stood, walking away when there was a knock at the door. He moved to answer it, opening and finding a maid on the other side. I pulled Judson back against the wall with me to be out of the way, Sam in the bathroom and Bobby across from us.
"Ready for housekeeping, sir?" She asked him kindly.
"Born ready." He winked.
I snorted to hold back my laughter, looking up to Judson as he too was holding back a smile.
"You're just like my grandfather." She giggled at him. "He hits on anything that moves, too. You're adorable."
"And dangerous." Dean said with the grin falling off of his face, replaced with slight panic and fear.
"Aw." She smiled at us.
"C'mon grandpa. Let the pretty lady do her job." I grinned to him. He sent me the best bitch face I'd seen in weeks. I turned into Judson as Sam came out of the bathroom and took in the scene, biting his lip to not laugh as well. She finished making the bed and left with a pat on Dean's shoulder.
Bobby looked up to him and smirked. First real smile I've seen in weeks on him.
"Can we just go?" Dean grumbled to all of us.
"Well we're not all gonna fit in one car. I'll take the bike again, Em you wanna ride?"
"Sure." I said with excitement at the thought.
"I don't think so. Car. Now." Dean demanded.
Ughhhhhhhh…
We tracked him back to wherever the hell Dean and Bobby last saw him and staked it out for only a short period of time before he showed himself.
"That's him." Bobby said from the backseat.
"He's kinda hot." I said with a smirk as I watched him walk with confidence.
"Seriously?! He's like 800 years old." Dean said with disgust.
"And your junk is probably more wrinkled than his." I teased back.
"STOP." Sam said with a slight gag.
"Shut up or I'll tell the boytoy you're eye fucking some old guy." Dean grumbled.
"Eh. He's old too technically."
"Okay! Enough." Bobby pulled us back to job. We watched as he tricked some guy out of his sports car by pretending to be injured after letting the guy mow him over with his car. First I was shocked, then I was impressed…
"I got to say, I kind of like the guy." Dean chuckled.
"Okay, I'm going with Judson to follow him. You guys go in and get us some damn chips."
"No." Dean said turning towards be, but it was too late. I was out of the car jogging away. "Emily come back!"
"Catch me if you can old man!" I laughed as I approached Judson on the other side of the road.
"Hey." He smiled handing me a helmet. "We tailing him?"
"Yep." I smiled as I put it on and climbed on the back.
I love riding with him.
We followed the car back to a bar not far from where he was staying, getting a table not too far from where he sat at the bar, watching him as he interacted with people. I texted Sam when we first made it to let him know we were good for them to go in.
"I wonder what his game is." I said with curiosity. Watching him play the crowd one after another, looking for his next game no doubt.
"I don't know. Surely he's gotten pretty good at it by now."
The waitress approached us with two drinks.
"Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't order these."
"They're from the guy at the bar." She smiled as she set them down.
Shit.
I looked up and surely there he was, chewing on his toothpick and winking at me with a grin. She walked away and I looked up to Judson.
"I'm going to talk to him."
"No fucking way."
"Judson, I'm fine… you're here. You're watching me, and you know I can take him out if I had to."
"Emily. NO."
"Judson. I'm fine." I insisted as I stood, he growled for me to come back and made a move to follow me but I waved my hand and scooted the table to block him. He shot me a glare as I finally made it to the bar. I turned my attention to the witch.
"So." He smiled as I sat down beside him. "You're a special one… you got a name?"
"Yep."
"Annnnd?"
"Don't think it's your business."
"Well you seem to think my business is your business. You followed me in here and you've been watching me the entire time."
"I don't even know your name. Why would I be watching you?" I lied smoothly.
"Patrick." He said as he held out his hand.
"Emily." I said shaking it.
He held onto my hand for a moment longer than necessary, but I didn't pull away.
"You are special… I can feel it."
"That's a crappy pick up line."
"Oh sweetheart you're a child. I have no interest in picking you up."
I blinked, slightly offended.
"Then why the hell am I over here?"
"You tell me, why are you following me."
"I'm not."
"You're also not good at lying… come clean, or I'll make the boyfriend choke on his own blood."
"Touch him and you'll be the one suffocating in the floor." I said as I twisted my hand. I watched as his eye twitched, but to my surprise he still sat up and took in a deep breath through his nose.
"What the hell are you?" He asked.
"Why the hell aren't you on the ground…" I challenged.
"Darling you don't live to be as old as I am without a few protection spells… I shouldn't have even felt that. But I did. Which tells me you are more powerful that I gave you credit for you, now tell me the truth."
"No."
"Fine… Well there's only two things my spells don't work on, that's angels and for some reason Leprechauns." He mumbled.
"Wait- those are real?"
"Yes and you're obviously to tall to fit that bill so tell me why angels are following an old witch around? I heard you had more important things to deal with lately."
"I'm not one of those bastards."
"My spell work tells me otherwise…"
"I'm human. I just… have the blood of the devil in my system." I finally mumbled. Unsure as to why I felt the need to be honest with him.
"Ahhh…" He said curiosly. "You're her."
"Who."
"Her… the one everyone whispers about. The one who survived it. Surely you know witches originally get their powers from demons. Yes?"
"Yes."
"Well demons are a particularly gossiping bunch. I've heard the rumors of the girl who would become Satan's most precious weapon."
"I'm nobody's fucking weapon." I said with a tight throat.
"Well for all of our sakes let's hope that's true." He said looking up to the bartender. "She's on my tab, whiskey please."
"How do you know what I drink?"
"I don't. Just figured this wasn't a cocktail kind of conversation."
"Funny." I rolled my eyes.
"What do you want with me."
"I want you to give my brother back his years."
"Your brother?"
"Dean."
"Ahhh… you're tailing me. Which means that your brother must be trying to find a way to get my chips. They're just chips ya know, doesn't work without the spell."
"So do the damn spell."
"Darling I like you. I really do, but I'm afraid I won those fair and square."
"You have plenty… forgive him for being a damn idiot. The old man too."
"Your father?"
"My father is dead… but Bobby is as close as I'll ever get again. So please. Give them back their years and get the fuck out of town."
"Sorry love." He said as he tossed back the rest of his drink. "Fair and square, play me for them and I have a feeling you might actually win. You're smarter than they are afterall."
"Poker isn't about being smart… its about being manipulative."
"Ah, see. I was right. You are the smart one." He winked as he stood and reached out for my hand, planting a kiss on it before he walked away.
Dammit… I stood and walked back over to Judson while texting Sam for them to get the hell outta there.
"What the hell was that?" Judson asked as he stood and met me halfway back to the table.
"He knows about me…"
"About you?!"
"The devil's blood, the apocalypse blah blah blah."
"Okay, and?"
"And he wouldn't give back the years, I tried to hurt him but he has a protection spell in place. I can tell it hurt him but not like it should have. I'm not good to us here."
"Remind me to get that spell." Judson rolled his eyes as he pushed me back towards the door.
"Oh hush, like I'd ever use it on you."
"You just did, Em."
"Oh I moved the table you big tit."
"You still used them." He said with a pointed galre.
"You're dramatic. Take us back to the room, Sam said to meet them there."
…..
…..
…..
"Here." I said walking in with a bottle of penicillin I lifted from the pharmacy. Setting them down in front of Sam with a smirk.
"Shoulda grabbed him some anti itch cream." Dean chuckled.
"Yeah, right after I get you some medicated foot powder grandpa." I shot back. He was suddenly unamused.
"Well you should have sent in Emily, he obviously liked her." Judson sighed from where he sat at the table tipping back a beer.
"Jealous?" I asked.
"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asked.
"It means she talked to him, for longer than necessary if we're being honest."
"Oh stop it."
"She did say he was hot in the car." Sam mumbled.
"Sam shut up." I said with wide eyes.
"I bet she did." Judson teased. "She has a thing for older men apparently."
"Only the ones named Judson." I said as I walked up to him popping my hips a little harder than necessary before sitting on his lap.
"Get out, Romeo." Dean said standing and walking away from the table beside us.
"Fine. We're going to bed." I said as we stood.
"Uh, you're not staying in his room. I know better." Dean crossed his arms.
"Um. I'm not sharing a bed with you wrinkles, or itchy hands over there. So yes. I'm going to MY room."
"No way. I know better."
"Dean. I'm 18. He's my boyfriend, and quite frankly you're old now and you won't be able to hear us." I said with a wink. I thought he would drop dead of a heart attack right there by the look on his face.
"I'm not old or deaf, please just sleep on the couch." Sam begged with a sigh.
"Not a chance." I said as I pulled Judson and we rushed for the door.
"EMILY!" Dean yelled as I shut the door.
Judson giggled as he pulled me against the wall and kissed me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him as close to me as humanly possible, feeling him grow harder against me.
"Been a while since we've had the privacy." He said as he pulled away.
"Guess we better make the most of it then, huh?" I said as I pulled him towards our room.
"I hope you're not planning on sleeping tonight."
"I'll sleep when I'm dead." I said as I pushed him in the door and backwards on the bed.
…..
…..
…..
"Little help here?" Bobby asked as we walked up an incline on the sidewalk near the motel. We stopped and Sam turned back to help him. I looked up to Dean with concern, knowing that at some point we're going to have to talk about this. About Bobby.
"You know, I still think I should play." Sam said.
"No, Bobby and Dean are both better than you are and they lost." I said quickly.
"Wow. Thanks for the confidence boost Em. I'm just saying, I think its our best plan and I get a say in this."
"Sammy, when you get to be our age—
"You're thirty, Dean! Look, I've watched you hustle plenty of poker and-"
"Knowing the game is not enough, Sam. It's not about playing the cards." Bobby told him.
"It's about playing the other guy. I know that."
"Well, hooray for you. All I'm saying is, I played this guy. I know his style. I can take him."
"No, Bobby. You don't have enough years in the bank." I said pointedly turning to look at him with my arms crossed.
"Em. Chill." Judson warned from behind me.
"I got enough."
"No, you'll die if you lose, Bobby." Sam added.
"So what if I do, huh? What exactly am I living for, huh? The damn apocalypse? Watching men die bloody while I sit in this chair, can't take a step to help 'em?" He spat out bitterly.
I looked up to Dean with the biggest 'I fucking told you so' glare I could muster. This was coming whether I was busting it out or not.
"Bobby—" Dean started.
"No, no. It's the facts. I'm old...and broke down...and I can't..." Bobby said looking up to me and away again to catch his breath in his throat. I ain't a hunter no more. I'm useless. And if I wasn't such a coward, I'd have stuck a gun in my mouth day I got home from the hospital."
Silence.
Nothing… from either of them. I looked between them both, expecting one of them to say something.
Fucking men. I swear.
"Bobby. You are not playing again." I told him softly. "We won't let you, there's another way. We'll find it."
Sam turned and stalked off in the other direction.
"Sam, wait…" I sighed. He didn't slow down. I turned to look at Judson.
"Please go with him. I'll stay with the old geezers." I sighed.
"Be safe." He said as he leaned down and kissed me before jogging to catch up with Sam.
"Let's go." I said before leading them back to our room in silence.
As I opened the door I found someone sitting on the bed, I moved to raise my hand, but saw that she already was reaching out to hand me something.
"Take it. It'll help you."
"What is this?" Bobby asked as he rolled forward.
"The most powerful reversal spell you've ever laid your eyes on."
"And it reverses what?" I asked.
"Patrick's work—all of it."
"You—you saying I could be normal again?" Dean asked.
"You and everyone else he's ever played. Who's still alive."
"Why the hell should we trust you?" I asked.
"Trust me, don't trust me. I don't care. The spell is real." She said as she stood to walk past us.
"If it reverses everyone, doesn't that include you and him?" I asked her, she stopped and looked at me with such heaviness in her eyes.
"I have my reasons." She said as she squeezed her locket. "Do it fast, we're leaving tomorrow."
She walked out the door and we all looked between each other.
"What's first?" I asked looking down to Bobby.
"Jawbone of a murderer, time to go digging."
"Wait till the suns down at least." I rolled my eyes.
…..
…..
…..
"You know, this really sucks. How do we even know her spell's gonna work?" Dean groaned as he and I continued to dig.
"We don't. But we ain't got a Plan B. Now, less flappin' and more diggin'." Bobby called from above the grave while holding the flashlight.
"Judson and Sam are taking care of the DNA." I sighed as I tossed another hunk of dirt.
"Oh, God!" Dean groaned as I heard something crack or pop. "My elbows! I'm all creaky."
"I'm not digging alone down here, keep going." I told him.
"Hurry up ya big crybaby." Bobby added.
"Pound it up your ass, Ironsides." Dean said back as he pushed the shovel down again.
"One little grave." Bobby sighed.
"Bobby shut up." I groaned, officially pulling the weight down here.
"Then you do it." Dean turned to argue instead of dig.
"Fine. I'll hop right in."
"Well, least your legs are numb."
"Shut up and dig, Grandma." I cut him off, he moved to go back.
"Oh! Now it's my back!" He whined.
"Can you straighten up?" I asked bluntly.
"Yeah, but a little sympathy wouldn't hurt."
"Butt cheek tingling?" Bobby asked.
"Well, that's kind of personal."
"That's code for, Yes." I told Bobby on his behalf.
"It's sciatica. You'll live. Keep digging."
"You know, Bobby, killing you is officially on my bucket list."
"I'm gonna kill you both if you don't shut up." I said tossing another large pile of dirt.
Twenty minutes later we finally hit wood and busted it open, grabbing the bone and rolling back towards the hotel where Sam and Judson were. Sam playing, Judson running us the snag of DNA Sam managed to get during the game.
"How's it going in there?" I asked him.
"I've not been able to hear much, seems like Sam is holding his own. Playing it safe to buy the time. But you guys need to hurry, got everything else?"
"Yeah but we still need a little he-witch DNA."
Judson lifted a baggy with a toothpick.
"He was chewing it."
I paused… worried. This was too easy. I have a bad feeling.
"Take it to Dean and Bobby. I'm swapping out with you."
"No."
"Judson, go…"
"Emily, I'm not leaving you here."
"I'm not alone, Sam is here. Besides, you said yourself the guy likes me."
"Fine. But DO NOT. I repeat… do NOT play him."
"Well if you hurry I won't have to. Now go." I said pecking his lips before I jogged up the stairs past him. I made my way up the hall, a plan in mind. I found the room and knocked, the door opened and I see Lia standing on the other side. I look at her knowingly before busting in.
"Sam! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
He caught on quick.
"Emily. Leave… I can do this."
"The hell you can, you can't even beat me. We're leaving. Cash out."
"If big brother here cashes out now, he's down 15 years." Patrick eyed me carefully.
"CASH HIM OUT." I growled.
"NO!" Sam argued. "Patrick. Deal."
"Better pull up a seat love, I don't think big brother is leaving."
"Shut up… Deal the cards." I sighed as I sat between them.
"It's good to see you too love. I was hoping we'd get to chat again."
"About what?"
"Well I thought about your little predicament."
"What about it?" Sam asked as he dealt out two cards to each of them.
"I think that you both are going to have to understand that there's not getting around it. There's no cheating the big man..."
"Again. Shut up." I rolled my eyes.
"Question." Patrick smiled between the two of us. He then held up a toothpick. "Is this what you meant to give your big brother?"
I held my gaze, refusing to let my face flicker, Sam did the same… but I could see Lia's face fall from behind him. Dammit!
"The one you gave him never passed my lips. Won't do a scrap of good."
"You know I've said it once, I've said it twice… I've just said it again in fact. I don't like cheating."
He stretched out his hand towards Sam and squeezed, Sam's eyes going wide as he gasped for air.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE! I demanded as I stood, making everything in the room around us shake.
"You can't kill me." He said as he stared me down.
"No but I can kill her and eventually you WILL wish I had." I growled back at him.
"STOP!" Lia interrupted us. "It was me… I gave them the spell."
He let go of Sam and I sat back down, the room going still around us. Patrick's shock was evident.
"Why...why would you do that?" He asked her as she knelt down beside him.
"You know why." She said holding her locket again.
Patrick looked down at it, then back at her.
He finally turned back to Sam and I.
"Keep. Playing." He said harshly.
"No." I answered.
"YES!"
I could see the anger on his face. I knew that this was one fight I couldn't guarantee I'd win before he hurts Sam. I looked up to Sam, who instead of angry looked afraid. Which only reassured me that we were out of our league here, and we needed to play for now.
Sam began stacking his chips into piles, counting them out in his head. I recognized the method. But then he shoved them forward. My heart dropped.
What the hell is he doing.
"Well, look at you—the percentage player betting the farm. Awful transparent of you, Sam. I mean, if I had a monster hand like you have, I'd trap you. But you get so excited, you bet yourself right out of a big pot."
"I fold." Patrick grinned as he sat back, throwing his cards towards the center. "Set of ladies, I'm guessing."
Sam gathered his chips but didn't reply, just continued stacking them before flipping over a 3 and a 5.
Bluffed.
Nice one.
I grinned as I looked up to him, he maintained his face and looked away from me.
"Nice bluff. If we had time, I could make a real player out of you. That or see how well this little love played, I have a feeling she's a mean one." He winked to me.
"We got time." I sat back crossing my arms.
"No. Deal." Sam said flatly.
"Maybe we do have time. But I can't say the same for Dean. Your brother's gonna be dead soon."
I looked up to him with panic in my eyes, Sam's expression dropped.
"And when I say 'soon'... I mean minutes."
"What have you done." I said as I moved to stand, Sam did the same but Patrick reached out to him and yanked him back down.
"SIT DOWN!" He hissed to me. "The games not over until I say it is."
"Then he lives till it is." I argued.
"Fine… sit down." He said watching me carefully as I sat.
"So. When it's about your brother, you both get so emotional, your brain just flies right out the window. Good to know."
"Go to hell." Sam answered as a tear slid down my cheek. I silently fought back more, knowing Dean was running out of time.
"I'm all in." Sam growled sliding his chips forward.
"Sam…" I said eyeing him carefully.
"Don't do that, Sam." Patrick said calmly.
"I can't leave until it's over? Fine. It's over. Now, where's my brother?"
"Look, there's poker and then there's suicide."
"Sammy stop, what are you doing?" I whispered, afraid to know what happens next. My entire stomach in knots.
"Just play the hand."
"Fine." Patrick nodded as he matched the pot. Fifty years on the table, Dean's fifty years.
The silence in the room felt thick enough that I could choke on it.
"Emily my love, you look worried. Not much faith in brother here, eh?"
"Why are you doing this to us." I whispered as another tear threatened to fall.
"I'm just playing the game." He said as he flipped his cards. "I'm sorry, kid. Aces full."
"I swear if you hurt them… I'll find a way to kill you. And I'll make sure it hurts." I said squeezing the words past the lump in my throat.
"You're crying." Sam said looking up to Lia, I noticed then it wasn't me sniffling but her. Patrick turned towards her. "For a witch, you're so nice, it's actually kind of creepy. It's okay."
Sam nodded, his eyes beginning to water slightly.
No… no no no.
"It was a great hand." Sam sighed. Patrick moved to collect the pot and I felt the lump in my throat grow larger, getting hard to breathe around. "Just, not as great as—as four fours."
Sam let out a deep breath and laid his cards out.
"You won." I breathed in so much relief I might actually pass out.
"Well played. You know, that whole...going-out-of-your-head bit—very method. Not even Emily here knew what you were doing."
"It's fine, I'll get over it." I said holding Sam's hand under the table. He squeezed it tightly before letting go.
"Well, there's more to you than meets the eye." Patrick nodded.
"Cash these in for Dean, please." Sam said instantly.
Patrick nodded as he set down the glass and waved his hand over the chips, chanting.
When he was done he stopped to look at us.
"The protection spell… it's not mine." He said looking up to me.
"What?" I asked confused.
"The spell, the one that stops you from killing me. It's not mine. A demon cast it, many many years ago. I don't know why exactly but today I'm grateful he did. I would give it to you. But I don't have it."
"Why would you do that?"
"I told you, I like you love. A lot. If anyone can get us out of this mess the world is in, it's the two of you. You can win, if you play your cards right."
"Clever." Sam sighed. "What do you know about it."
"I know that you're his vessel."
"Tell me something new."
"I can't, you know more than I do… but I do know that I don't lose very often. And when I do its usually charity. It's been over a century since anyone ACTUALLY beat me. But you did… she might. Your brother, he's too honest. Too good. He could never win."
"Are we talking about, Dean?" I raised an eyebrow. Sam smiled while Patrick shook his head softly.
"There's something dark in the two of you, I can sense it."
My face fell again.
"Use it, Emily. Do not fear it. Do not let it own you… use it, against itself. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good… now get the hell out of my room." He said leaning forward and winking at me once more. "It's been a pleasure."
…..
…..
…..
"No tricks—you actually beat the guy?" Bobby asked honestly.
"Emily as my witness." Sam nodded.
"How the hell?"
"Just lucky." He smiled to me. I leaned into Judson from where I sat sideways on his leg. He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arm over me.
Dean walked in with a cheeseburger in hand. I smiled to him.
"Hey. I'm gonna borrow the car. I'll see ya'll later." Sam said standing as he passed him.
"Where you going?" Dean asked.
"Uh...mm, nowhere."
Bobby, Dean and I all shared a look.
"A booster shot. Don't say it." Sam said as he rolled his eyes and shut the door. I laughed and Judson chuckled beside me.
"Better him than me." Dean sighed.
"Well, I guess we can get the van loaded." Bobby grumbled.
"I shouldn't have called you an idiot." Dean said stopping him from moving.
"Which time?"
"I'm sorry. I mean, I actually—I, I—I get it. Getting old ain't a bachelor party. And dealing with the crap you got to deal with—"
"Don't you go on pity patrol."
"I'm not. I'm not. I'm just...I'm saying, you know, if I was in your shoes..."
"You'd never stop complaining." I added.
Dean stared at me for a moment, I gave him a knowing look. He better fucking say something to that man right the fuck now to make him feel better or I swear I'll fucking punch him. Bobby needs it. Not from me… he needs it from Dean. From another man.
From the closest thing he has to a son.
"Fair enough. You're not useless, Bobby." Dean turned and said sternly.
"Okay. Good talk." Bobby moved to wheel around him but Dean stood in his path.
"No, wait a minute. Listen to me. You don't stop being a soldier 'cause you got wounded in battle. Okay? No matter what shape you're in, bottom line is, you're family. I don't know if you've noticed, but, we don't have much left. I can't do this without you. I can't. So don't you dare think about checking out. I don't want to hear that again."
Finally.
There was a long silence between them, I knew this wasn't my place to interrupt it this time. Judson slid his hand into mine and rubbed his thumb across my knuckles. I leaned into him a little more, thankful that he just exists. That he constantly is present, even if he can't help. He's there, and that's enough most days.
"Okay." Bobby finally nodded.
"Okay. Good."
"Thanks. Now, we done feeling our feelings? 'Cause I'd like to get out of this room before we both start growing lady parts."
"Yeah, we're done."
"Men…" I sighed as I stood. "C'mon babe. Let the geezers grab their bags, I think we have a few more things to pack up."
I grinned up at him playfully.
"Not a chance in hell." Dean spoke up. "Romeo, get the bags. She'll wait."
Judson laughed and walked out. I turned to my brother and Bobby.
"Dean. 18."
"Don't care."
"I'm with your brother, he may have been deaf but the rest of us weren't… Don't ever get a room next door to me again."
My eyes went wide and my face went ten difference shades of red in 10 seconds. Dean shook his head at me and then looked over to Bobby.
"Let's go, Ironsides."
"Oh, that one's sticking, huh?"
"Yep." Dean laughed before leading us out the door.
"Hey Em?" Bobby stopped and turned back to me.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks… for not giving up on me."
"Never, because you would never give up on me. I'll fight for you even when you don't fight for yourself because you never let me roll over and die. You never let me fall down without making sure you're there to pick me up. I love you Uncle Bobby."
"I love you too." He said as he pulled my hand towards him, I sat in his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. Then I threw my legs over the side and kicked up my feet.
"Alright, take me home."
Bobby chuckled as he wheeled us towards the van, Dean shaking his head at me as he watched.