Weaving canon and original it's not as easy as it may seem... ugh.

(Aprox. date is July 2017)


Chapter 12

The older Winchester came downstairs stilly, a couple of KFC buckets in his arms. It smelled really good, and if not because he had already eaten a mean burger a little ago, he would have been tempted to steal a piece or two. But the succulent treats were not for him but for the unfortunate Donatello, that once more had been dragged into one of their messes because... you know, Prophet of the Lord's duty and all that. So the least they could do was to make sure the professor was well fed.

"Hey, Donnie. You doing good?" Dean asked, entering the library and putting the two buckets in front of him. "I got your chicken."

"Yes, yes, thank you... I'm making progress," Donatello answered, slightly recoiling on his end of the table.

"Awesome. Just, uh... tell us if you want anything else, ok?"

The hunter slapped amiably his back before retreating to the other side of the room, back to the map in the war room where Sam was studying whatever it was in that book with the fancy French title, Jour et nuit.

"Hey, what about you? You can't keep going on coffee and carrots forever."

"Well, I had cabbage for dinner today, so..." Sam answered, not looking up from his book.

"Whoa, that's impressive," Dean sneered. "Sometimes I wonder where you get proteins to sustain your muscles. At least now you don't need that many, since your girly mane is no more."

"Ha ha, very funny, Dean."

The somber tone indicated Dean that his little brother wasn't really in the mood for small talk. Bracing himself for what he hoped wasn't going to be a chick-flick moment, he sat down in front of Sam, ready to listen to whatever crap was probably coming his way.

"Ok, something's going on with you, so spit it out. What's up?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's going on."

"Sammy," Dean grumbled. "We've gone through this kind of idle chit-chat all our lives, and sooner or later we both end up spilling the beans. So save us the time and just tell me."

Sighing deeply, Sam finally raised his eyes from the book and looked directly at the older Winchester, doubtful.

"What makes you think anything's the matter, Dean?"

"You really asking me that? As if the shadows on your face weren't enough, there's also your attitude. You're snarky, grumpy, and haven't shaved in a week. Next thing I know, you'll be eating greasy food."

"I'm not..."

"You're gloomy," Dean insisted. "And while I can make a pretty good guess about why, what I want to know is if there's any way I can help you through it. I mean, it's been a while since you're not acting like yourself."

"Oh, really. Please, do enlighten me," Sam was starting to get defensive.

Dean leaned back on his chair and looked away for a brief moment, considering what he was about to say, because he didn't want to sound accusing.

"When we got to Jack after he had run away and found out that Jess was still alive, trapped in the alternate universe, you... looked overwhelmed, Sammy. Which I think is completely understandable, don't get me wrong. But later, when that girl Kaia refused to dreamwalk for us, you..." Dean stopped for a second, lowering his voice, "you aimed a gun to her face and forced her to get in the car. And I know we were all in danger, with the angels close tracing us, but still. It was like something I would do, not you."

Sam rubbed a hand over his face, distressed. He however made no attempt to stop his brother.

"Then Rowena suddenly appears again out of nowhere, gets us tangled in whatever scheme she intended to pull off, and you decide to help her unbind? Like she wasn't enough trouble before. And now look," Dean pointed to Donatello. "Your last idea was to bring out the Demon Tablet and make the poor guy work for us, like he hasn't anything better to do with his life."

"Alright then, Dean. Did you finish throwing at me all the awful things I've done recently?" Sam snapped.

"I'm not thro-... Look, man. I'm just saying that those aren't the usual things you'd do."

"Dean," Sam replied, clenching his jaw. "Not long ago, when you were the one depressed, you told me that you needed a big win; you got it when Cas came back. And it's not like I'm not happy that he returned to us, because of course I am, but... I mean he's your big win. And now that I know Jess is alive, I'd like to have mine too. That's all."

"Ok, I get it. You're not the only one that would like to have Jess back, we all would," Dean nodded thoughtfully. "And I know how much we need that spell to open the rift again and save both her and the kid, before they end up dead like the dreamwalker girl, but rushing along the way has never done us any favour, Sam. Just a reminder."

The younger hunter didn't answer anything to that, and for a little while, the only thing heard in the bunker was Donatello mumbling over the Demon Tablet and his notes.

"By the way, I'm curious to ask," Sam spoke, frowning seriously. "How did Cas react to your spell-induced love confession to a witch?"

"What the hell, Sam? What does that have to do with anything?" Dean grunted loudly, getting up and heading to the kitchen. "I need a beer. And some bacon too. And you mind your own business, bitch!"

"Jerk!"

Sam sounded frustrated, his curiosity unsatisfied, but there was also a bit of laugh in his voice. Dean noticed it, perfectly audible to him through the echoing walls of the bunker, and couldn't help but smile just a little too.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Among the faint clarity of a new day yet to be and the unnerving hollers of the forest, a hooded figure holding a forked spear walked cautiously to inspect the corpse on the ground. It was a young girl, wearing strange clothing that looked old and worn out at some places, and that now was stained with blood already coagulated. But her small built, the tanned skin, the dark hair... were all traits very well known by the hooded figure, for they were also its own. Only the dead girl's fearful eyes were different.

"At long last," it whispered, crouching and taking the corpse on its arms. "I'm sorry it happened this way, but your blood has already run cold. My last piece."

Uncovering its head, dark and unruly tresses of hair fell out the hood. Supporting the dead body over one of its bent knees, it held the girl's face with a hand, in a manner that it could rest its forehead over hers. Then, closing its eyes, it sang some kind of enchantment in a low voice.

During the whole song, the forest seemed to become quieter, listening to the secret magic that was unravelling there. Not a single bird dared to interrupt with their own cawling. And all the while, note after note, the body of the girl turned dustier and less consistent, all her cells being absorbed by the hooded figure until only the bloodied clothes remained, empty.

"Kaia Nieves," the figure spoke after finishing the song. "Not the worst I've been called. It's an acceptable name to take as mine. Be welcome home, back to me. Together again as a whole."

The sun was about to rise in the forest, already scraping the east. The giant needed to be fed, in order to not have it chasing after her. That was a battle she knew from experience not be able to win, or even survive once more. But then again... she didn't need to stay there anymore, right? She had already joined all her pieces back together. Finally, she could leave.

Concentrating on her last piece's memories, the reborn Kaia took back her forked spear and hit the ground with the bottom end. Once, twice, thrice... again and again, setting a rhythm that reverberated across the forest, through the trees, alerting the monsters of her location. It wasn't long until she was surrounded by a group of them, then she stopped and looked around, counting.

"Eighteen, maybe twenty," she spoke to herself. "It wouldn't be an easy battle... if I even had the intention to fight. Thanks for your help, vermin."

And putting her hood back on, she rapidly got down on a knee. Holding the spear with both hands, she slammed the bottom end one last time to the ground, casting another enchantment. Instantly, a circle of green light erupted from the spot, several metres wide. All the monsters and other creatures in the radius were obliterated without a trace, not even screams lasting enough to disturb the usual calm of the forest.

"Koth munto nuntox."

After Kaia uttered the last words of the enchantment, a bright pole of energy broke out of thin air right in front of her. A door to another world. An escape to another reality.

Without a single doubt, she leapt through it.

At the other side, it was night. She had arrived at was seemed to be a clearing, but near enough, Kaia recognized the sounds of civilization that her last piece had provided her knowledge of. The breeze blew gently, and it didn't smell of decay and blood.

Kaia smiled, her eyes shining. She already liked it here.

Right as the rift closed behind her, another presence made its appearance, making her bristle. It was an awful presence, as much as the ones she knew from her own world. Without thinking, reacting purely on instinct, Kaia turned around while making a fast 360º sweeping with her spear, just in case something attacked her. No luck, though. The awful presence had materialized far enough from her to be harmed.

"Good moves," the being said, as if impressed.

Kaia kept on guard. The presence had the form of a mature woman wearing a fringed jacket, and her features sported a light resemblance to herself. If not for the nasty aura that emanated from her, at first sight she could have fooled Kaia as a human.

"What are you?" she asked her, ready to fight.

"What do you mean, What? Wouldn't the polite question be Who?" the woman snarled. "Really, kids these days... they don't know how to respect their elders."

"I hardly would be considered a kid," Kaia replied. "And you are not a who. I see your real face behind the human mask."

"You can," the woman accepted, this time sounding genuinely impressed. "So I was right. The moment you stepped out that portal, I could feel it. The energy that flowed through you, it's not from this world."

"You are not completely wrong, but neither are you right."

The woman let out a thunderous laugh.

"Oh, I do love a good mystery, after spending eons drowning in boredom. Sadly, I have not the patience to solve riddles. And you tease me as a good one, certainly... Look good, smell better, and probably will taste the best."

"I'm not edible," Kaia joked, not scared in the littlest.

"There's something in you that attracted me," the woman confessed, walking closer towards the fightress. "I'll know what it was very soon. And will our name be Legion, because we are many."

Kaia barely acknowledged the threat, getting ready for battle. Whatever this ancient creature was, it wouldn't be worse than the giant she spent many lives surviving and running from. At least now she was finally whole.

She would fight, and she wouldn't fall. Not again, ever.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Outside the angels' prison, things weren't any prettier. There were frequent simoom during the day, the air dry and barely breathable, while the nights were dark and moonless. The constant thick blanket of grey clouds made it difficult for any kind of climate to regulate itself, but at least where they were hidden, in the woods, enough green had resisted as to give them fresh air and a somehow moderate temperature.

Jessica looked at her hands while extending them to the bonfire. She recently had cut her nails blunt. Her hands used to be clean and soft, but now they were knotty, and most of the time also dirty. Her whole body felt grimy, and she couldn't remember the last time she took a bath worthy of that name because water wasn't that easy to come around, and it was mostly reserved for consumption. Wet towels were a poor substitute, but at least Jessica knew she wasn't going to die dehydrated.

"Good morning, Jessica. How was the watch?"

"Hello, Bobby." She smiled at the hunter, who gave her a warm cup of something that pretended to be coffee and some insipid biscuits. "Nothing out of ordinary."

"Hmpf. Never sure if that's a good thing or not," he joked, sitting down next to her. "Where's the kid?"

"Jack is looking around, making sure the sigils are fresh and remain in place."

"I'm still a bit irked that they don't work in a hybrid, but then again... I guess that shows how much human he also is."

"Yes," she agreed, happy. "That's the kind of thing Sam would say."

"Your fiancé, right?" Bobby pointed at her ring. "That tall lad from the other world, Sam Winchester. Looked like a good man."

"He is. The other you was very proud of him, of both of them. That's what I've been told."

"Oh, cheer up, young lady! Don't you dare use this old man's shoulder to dry your tears on. Keep them for when you reunite with him, 'cause I'm sure he'll be delighted to act as your handkerchief."

"Bobby, you meanie!" Jessica laughed despite herself. "You know that might not ever be possible. Even if Jack opened another rift, he can't see if it would lead us to our own world."

"Well, ain't possible to be worse than this," the hunter opined. "I'd take the chance and hope to get lucky."

Jessica pondered his words for a while, sipping her distasteful beverage. When she and Jack escaped, they were already incredibly lucky finding Bobby and his small group of refugees, and even luckier when he accepted them in instead of abandoning them to their fates. She was kinda wary of taking any more chances, knowing that sooner or later their good streak had to end.

"About that... Bobby, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

The man nodded, listening.

"Go ahead, what is it?"

"If you really believe what you have just told me," Jessica breathed deeply before dropping the bomb, "would you consider the possibility of coming with us? Your entire group?"

Bobby looked firmly at her, befuddled. And slowly, a stern frown settled on his face. Before answering, he looked back and around, making sure nobody else was near enough to hear their conversation.

"No," he said in a steady, low voice. "I won't. And I forbid you to ask such a thing to anyone else."

"What? But why?"

"Jessica..." Bobby shook his head. "You and that angel kid may be jumping from one universe to another because of circumstances, but that's not ok. No matter what shitty world you are born in, that's where you should be, that's where you belong. I'm not a genius of physics, but I'm sure that people is not meant to travel through cosmic fabric."

"Well, you don't seem to mind that much that our Lucifer is trapped here, after everything you surely had to suffer because of your own Devil."

"Haa..." Bobby dragged a hand down his tired face. "That's different. Have you seen my group? Counted them? Barely a couple dozens of us here, and still we are actually many together in comparison. There's no more left. Uh, I mean... perhaps there are some other teams around the world, but civilization as we knew it has already disappeared. Humankind is going extinct, because the few that remain are either vessels that willingly found their peace in Heaven, or monsters that prey among themselves."

Jessica felt a painful strain in her heart. She hadn't thought the situation was that terrible.

"This world is already lost," the hunter continued, grievously. "In another generation or two, probably no human will walk this planet. That's why I don't mind housing your Devil. Better here than back in your world, where there's still so much life to destroy. Meanwhile I'll stay here, shooting as many winged dicks as I can."

Jessica opened her mouth, willing to argue and find something that could make him change his mind, but at that moment whistling sounds started to rain upon them. Seconds later, a great rumble landed in the middle of the camp.

"ANGELS!" Bobby reacted immediately. "Everyone to their post! Jessica, run and take cover!"

She was more than ready to obey, but before she could move, more angels landed around them. When the cloud of dust dissipated, they saw one of the angels walking leisurely to them.

"Michael," Jessica whispered in fear, recognizing him.

"You, the human from the other world. Nice rat hole you hid in. It took me a while to find it."

"What do you want?" Bobby asked in her place. "Already had your fun with your brother and need another toy?"

"Right now I have no interest in you, hunter, so be quiet." With a swing of his hand, the archangel send him flying several metres away. "Do not bother me, and you might make it out alive today."

"Bobby!" Jessica yelled, trying to go to his help, but Michael immobilized her in the spot. "You damn bastard, let me go!"

"I don't think so," he grinned haughtily. "You see, for such an insignificant creature like you, I admit to be surprised too when I learned how much useful you could actually be."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's this little plan of mine, about visiting your world and lend it my guiding hand, but in order to do that, I need to collect some very specific ingredients for a spell. One of them, archangel's grace, got it plenty from my brother; the others weren't much of a problem either. But for the last one... tsk, that really got me worried for a moment. Fortunately, I remembered your existence."

"I... I don't know what you mean," she stuttered, trying to break free but to no avail.

"Of course you don't," Michael scoffed. "Truthfully, I don't get it either, what would make you so special to be worthy of the effort. As it happens, the last ingredient is the blood of a most holy man, which you can imagine isn't exactly abundant around here. But I learned from Lucifer that you were touched by God, resurrected by him, so let us hope that's holy enough to work."

"I'm a woman. I'd say the obvious answer is that you're not going anywhere."

"You silly ape. Man refers to the species, not the gender." The archangel walked to her, archangel blade in hand. "Now, don't move."

Not like she had an option anyway. Before she could utter another word, Michael stabbed her right below where her sternum ended.

"Don't worry, it's not a lethal wound," Michael spoke, pulling out the blade and receiving her blood in a basin. "Who knows how many more times may I need you?"

After taking what he considered enough, he healed her wound and let her fall to the ground, weak for the blood loss and in pain. Jessica started coughing, feeling like she wasn't getting enough air in her lungs. Not bothering to look at her again, Michael took out the vial with Lucifer's grace and poured it in the basin with the other ingredients.

"Mah ray, fay doh, em lah. Kah day, em lah! KAH DAY, EM LAH!"

As he finished the chanting, the coveted interdimensional rip appeared in front of him.

"Well done, woman. You have proven your worth, so you may live. Take her back to the prison!" Michael ordered the other angels. "I'll call and gather the troops. We have a funny trip ahead of us."

While Michael dazed off in message mode, the angels started advancing, closing around Jessica, but before any of them could lay a hand on her, another flapping of wings came uninvited.

"Jess!" Jack yelled, raising his hand. "Get away from her, don't touch her!"

Eyes glowing golden, Jack vaporized all the angels that had invaded the camp and ran to Jessica's side.

"Jess, talk to me, please. Are you alright?" he asked frenetically, helping her sit up and seeing the blood that stained her shirt. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm... I'm okay, Jack. Thanks for saving me," she assured him. "Where were you?"

"When I went to check on the sigils, they were all gone. I remade them, but by the time it was done, I sensed the angels were already inside."

"Michael... he has opened a rift, Jack! We have to stop him. We can't let him cross to our world!"

"What? How do you even know it's our world?"

"Because Michael said he had seen it through Lucifer!"

Jack was taken aback for a second, hearing the name of his no-father, but recovered rapidly.

"If that's true... that means we can go home, right?" he guessed.

"I don't think so, boy."

While Jack and Jess were worrying about stopping Michael, the archangel had already finished his call and was ready for battle.

"It's an amazing world, that where you come from. No God present and chaos everywhere. I've taken an interest, and I'll set it back on its right path. But you, a nephilim, could prove to be useful, as the woman has. So if you want to join me, I'll welcome you. You're my nephew after all, families should support each other."

"No, I... I won't let you hurt anyone else," Jack threatened, raising his hand again. "I'll protect them!"

"Oh, please. Just try it."

With barely a flap of his wings, Michael sent a powerful wave of grace towards Jack that made him lose his footing, falling away. Jack crawled on his elbows, getting up again, frustrated because he didn't have full control over his own power yet. But he could do it, he knew he could, just needed to focus a little bit more... His eyes lighted up again, allowing him to rein his grace at will. This time he was the one attacking, trapping the archangel mid-air in a golden bubble where he couldn't move freely or strike back.

"Jack, the rift!" Jessica screamed desperately. "It's closing!"

It was true. For whatever reason, this tear in space and time wasn't as stable as the one he had opened before being born. The bright light was already sizzling and becoming thinner.

Still trapping a very furious Michael, Jack walked back beside Jessica and helped her up on her feet.

"What do we do?"

Jessica held his free hand.

"Let's go home, Jack," she pleaded. "I'm sure they're waiting for us. I'd just wish that Bobby..."

Her voice failed her, looking over where the hunter had been thrown. Bobby was already standing, searching around for more angels to come.

"The hell you're waiting for, a farewell parade?" he shouted at them, feigning anger. "Get out of my sight already, you troublemakers!"

They both nodded, Jessica waving her other hand in goodbye. Jack tensed, not knowing how much he could help the hunter, but he concentrated all the power he could muster on the archangel. Moving his hand, he raised him far in the air, above the trees, and threw the golden bubble the furthest he was able to imagine.

"Thanks for all, guys! Glad to meet you!"

Bobby's kind words were the last thing Jessica and Jack heard before walking into the rift.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"What exactly gives you the right, Cas?" Dean asked, seething.

"I am deeply stricken for what has befell Donatello because of the Demon Tablet," Castiel said, sorrow tinted in his voice. "But I will not apologize for doing what was necessary. This was unavoidable, Dean. He was already beyond help. At least this way he will not further endanger himself, nor anyone else."

The hunters weren't happy at all with such an excuse, but it was already done. The Prophet of the Lord laid brain-dead in a hospital, and they still had work to do. As usual, their angel friend had taken upon himself the hardest part of whatever situation they were in, so they didn't have to.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now, so let's make it that at least it's not in vain," Sam sighed. "What did you squeeze from him, Cas?"

"We need four major ingredients in order to open the rift: archangel's grace, a fruit from the Tree of Life, the Seal of Solomon, and the blood of a most holy man. If we find these things, we can bring everyone home."

Both brothers grimaced. Not even one of those things sounded any easy to come by.

"I don't even know what are some of these ingredients," Sam admitted.

"About the Seal of Solomon..." Castiel started, but was suddenly interrupted when all the lightbulbs in the bunker flickered.

Before they could prepare for anything, a high screech preceded the opening of their very much desired rift right in the middle of the library. A couple of seconds later two people came through it, landing on their butts.

"What the hell?" Dean shouted, perplexed at was he was seeing.

A half-angel kid, leaning on his elbows on the floor, and a very missed (and messed up) young woman, resting on her side. It was them, Jess and Jack, who apparently had made their way home totally on their own.

"Hey," Jack cheerfully greeted, smiling. "We're hungry. What's for dinner?"


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