July 15th - July 16th, 2006
Dean hung up his phone. "They've got Dad."
"Meg?" Sam asked.
Dean nodded.
"What'd she say?" Sam asked.
"I just told you, Sammy." Dean rubbed his face. "Okay. Okay." He grabbed the colt off of the table and put it into the back of his jeans.
"What are you doing, Dean?" Sam asked.
Dean quickly walked over and grabbed his duffel bag. "We got to go."
"Why?" Sam asked.
Dean put his jacket on and grabbed mine. "Because the demon knows we're in Salvation, all right. It knows we got the colt. It's got Dad… it's probably coming for us next."
"Good. We've still got three bullets left. Let it come," Sam said.
Dean helped me put my jacket on. "Listen, tough guy, we're not ready, okay? We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving… now!"
Dean put his hand on my back and pushed me out of the motel with both of our bags in his hand. I got into the Impala as he loaded it. Sam came out of the motel with his bag shortly after. He tossed his bag into the back and then got in. We took off and drove in silence for a while.
Sam broke the silence. "I'm telling you, Dean, we could have taken him."
Dean sighed. "What we need is a plan. Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun."
Sam shook his head and looked over at Dean.
"What?" Dean asked.
"Dean, if that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" Sam started to get upset. "Dad, he might be—"
Dean quickly glanced in the mirror at me and turned his attention back to Sam. "Don't."
"Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the colt. We can still finish the job," Sam said.
"Screw the job, Sam!" Dean yelled.
"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going," Sam said.
Dean raised his voice, "Quit talking about him like he's dead already. Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything."
Sam took a deep breath. "So, how do we find him?"
"Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken," Dean suggested.
"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?" Sam asked.
Dean paused for a moment. "You're right. We need help."
After a while, the silence and darkness got to me, and I fell asleep.
I woke up once the Impala turned onto a bumpy road, the sun was now up, and we were driving toward a dark blue house with hubcaps attached to the side of it. It was entirely surrounded by junk cars.
"Uncle Bobby? Are you sure he's gonna want to see us?" I asked.
Dean looked in the rear-view mirror. "I guess we'll have to see."
He parked the Impala, and we got out. As we walked up to the house, a Rottweiler that was chained to a pickup stood up on the hood of the truck and started barking.
"Rumsfeld!" I excitedly ran up to the dog.
"Maddison, be—" Dean yelled, but Rumsfeld had jumped down and flipped over onto his back, exposing his stomach to me.
I scratched his stomach as he wiggled around happily with his tongue hanging out. Moments later, Bobby rushed out of the front door with a shotgun at the ready. Once he saw Sam and Dean, he slowly lowered his gun.
He looked down at the giant dog and me. "Some attack dog." He scoffed
I looked up at him. "Hi, Bobby."
A big smile spread across Bobby's face. "Hi, Sweet-Pea." He quickly walked over and embraced me. Then he looked over at Sam and Dean. "Hi, boys."
"Hi, Bobby," Sam and Dean said in unison.
"Come on in." Bobby waved for us to follow him into the house, so we did.
His house was completely plastered with notes and book pages. There were stacks of books and jars of random things on every surface. Sam and Dean explained the situation with Dad, and Bobby decided that it was inevitable that someone was coming for us, so we needed a plan, and we needed to be prepared.
Bobby walked up to Dean and handed him a silver flask and kept another one for himself. "Here you go."
Dean looked at the flask. "What is this… holy water?"
"That one is." Bobby pointed to the flask in Dean's hand and then shook the one in his. "This is whiskey." He took a sip out of the flask and then handed it to Dean.
Dean took a sip as well. "Bobby, thanks. Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come."
"Nonsense. Your daddy needs help," Bobby said.
"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything." Dean laughed.
Bobby smirked. "Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people."
Dean nodded and smirked. "Yeah, I guess he does."
Bobby shook his head. "None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back."
"Bobby, this book…" Sam said as he flipped through a large book at a desk. "I've never seen anything like it."
Bobby walked over to Sam and leaned against the desk. "Key of Solomon? It's the real deal, all right."
"And these, uh, these protective circles… they really work?" Sam asked.
Bobby nodded. "Hell, yeah. You get a demon in… they're trapped. Powerless. It's like a Satanic roach motel."
Sam laughed.
Dean walked over to the desk. "Man knows his stuff."
"I'll tell you something else, too. This is some serious crap you kids stepped in," Bobby said.
"Oh, yeah? How's that?" Sam asked.
"Normal year, I hear of… say, three demonic possessions. Maybe four tops," Bobby said.
Dean furrowed his brow. "Yeah?"
Bobby nodded. "This year, I hear of twenty-seven so far. You get what I'm saying? More and more demons are walking among us… a lot more."
"Do you know why?" Sam asked curiously.
Bobby shook his head. "No, but I know it's something big. The storm's coming, and you kids, your daddy… you are smack in the middle of it."
The dog started barking outside.
Bobby became alert instantly. "Rumsfeld." He walked over and peered out of the window.
Rumsfeld stopped barking with a high-pitched whine. My heart dropped instantly.
Bobby looked back at us. "Something's wrong."
A moment later, Meg kicked the front door open. "No more crap, okay?"
Bobby pulled me behind him. Sam stood up from the desk and walked forward. Dean ran up to her, unscrewing the flask of holy water. As he did, Meg waved her arm and sent him flying across the room into a large stack of books. Sam stepped in front of Bobby, putting himself in between Meg and us.
"I want the colt, Sam… the real colt… right now." Meg approached us.
The three of us backed away slowly through the room. "We don't have it on us. We buried it," Sam said.
"Didn't I say, 'no more crap'? I swear… after everything I heard about you, Winchester's, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First, Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you three chuckleheads. Lackluster. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" Meg asked as she followed us.
"Actually, we were counting on it," Dean said from behind her.
Meg turned to look at him. Dean stared at her and then looked up at the ceiling. Which caused Meg to look up and see a large protective symbol that Bobby had prepared for her eventual arrival.
"Gotcha." Dean smirked.
Sam, Bobby, and Dean quickly got to work, tying her to a chair under the symbol.
"Ya know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask," Meg said to Dean.
Bobby walked in with a giant canister of salt. "I salted the door and windows. If there are any demons out there… they ain't getting in."
Dean walked up to Meg. "Where's our father, Meg?"
"You didn't ask very nice," Meg said.
"Where's our father, bitch?" Dean asked.
"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth?" She smirked. "Oh wait, I forgot, you don't."
Dean lunged at her, putting his hands on the arms of the chair. "You think this is a friggin' game? Where is he?! What did you do to him?!" he yelled.
"He died screaming. I killed him myself." Meg smiled evilly.
I gasped quietly, and Sam reached over and pulled me into his side.
Dean hit Meg across the face.
She smirked. "That's kind of a turn on… you hitting a girl."
"You're no girl," Dean snapped.
Bobby walked toward the other room. "Dean."
The three of us walked over to Bobby.
"You okay?" Sam asked Dean.
Dean nodded and looked down at me. "She's lying. He's not dead."
"Dean, you got to be careful with her. Don't hurt her," Bobby said.
"Why?" Dean asked, confused.
"Because she really is a girl, that's why," Bobby explained.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.
"She's possessed. That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?" Bobby asked.
"Are you trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?" Dean asked.
Bobby nodded.
Dean looked back at Meg, who was staring at him and then turned back. "That's actually good news."
The three of them got ready to perform an exorcism. Sam pulled out Dad's journal and flipped through until he found what he was looking for, and then we walked back into the room with Meg.
"Are you gonna read me a story?" Meg asked.
"Something like that. Hit it, Sam," Dean said.
Sam began reading the exorcism in Latin.
"An exorcism? Are you serious?" Meg asked Dean.
Sam continued.
"Oh, we're going for it, baby… head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards," Dean said.
Sam continued.
Meg flinched in pain. Sam looked up from the journal at Dean.
She looked over her shoulder at Sam, "I'm gonna kill you." She looked at Dean. "I'm gonna tear your sister's heart out while you watch. I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."
"No, you're gonna burn in hell. Unless you tell us where our dad is," Dean said.
Meg just smiled.
"Well, at least you'll get a nice tan." Dean taunted and then nodded at Sam, who went back to reading.
Meg began shaking and was obviously in pain. She gasped, and then Sam stopped reading.
"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his kids one last time. That's when I slit his throat." Meg smirked.
Sam started reading again, and Dean leaned down in front of her. "For your sake, I hope you're lying. 'Cause if it's true, I swear to god, I will march into hell myself, and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me god!"
Meg began flinching again.
"Where is he?" Dean asked.
"You just won't take 'dead' for an answer, will you?" Meg asked.
"Where is he?!" Dean yelled.
"Dead!" Meg yelled back.
"No, he's not! He's not dead! He can't be!" Dean began pacing.
Sam looked up, concerned, and stopped reading.
Dean looked over at Sam. "What are you looking at? Keep reading."
Sam continued.
"He will be!" Meg yelled out in pain.
"Wait!" Dean yelled, causing Sam to stop again. "What?!"
"He's not dead. But he will be after what we do to him," Meg said.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Dean asked.
"You don't," Meg said, breathing heavily.
"Sam!" Dean pointed at him to begin reading again.
"A building! Okay? A building in Jefferson City," Meg said.
"Missouri? Where, where? An address!" Dean yelled.
"I don't know," Meg said.
"And the demon… the one we're looking for… where is it?" Sam asked.
"I don't know! I swear! That's everything. That's all I know," Meg said, desperately.
"Finish it," Dean demanded.
"What? I told you the truth!" Meg yelled.
Dean shrugged. "I don't care."
"You son of a bitch, you promised," Meg said.
"I lied! Sam?" Dean asked.
Sam didn't say anything and just kept staring at Dean.
"Sam! Read!" Dean demanded, but Sam just kept staring. Dean walked up to him, and They discussed something quietly.
Bobby walked up to them, and I followed.
"You're gonna kill her," Bobby whispered.
"What?" Dean asked.
"You said she fell from a building. That girl's body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it… that girl is going to die," Bobby said.
"Listen to me, both of you," Dean said, looking from Bobby to Sam. "We are not gonna leave her like that."
"She is a human being," Bobby protested.
"And we're gonna put her out of her misery. Sam, finish it," Dean said.
Sam looked at Dean, then Bobby, and then stared over at Meg.
"Finish it," Dean demanded.
Sam took a deep breath and continued the exorcism.
Meg threw her head back and screamed. The demon left through her mouth in a black cloud and spread out in the protective circle in the ceiling before disappearing. Meg leaned forward, and blood started dripping from her mouth. We all stared at her, unsure of what to do. Then she lifted her head slightly, wheezing in pain.
Dean ran over to her. "She's still alive." He turned to Bobby. "Call 9-1-1. Get some water and blankets."
Bobby rushed off, and Sam and Dean quickly untied her.
"Thank you," Meg whispered in pain.
"Shh, shh. Just take it easy, all right?" Sam tried to comfort her.
"Come on. Let's get her down," Dean said.
The boys lifted Meg from the chair. There was the sound of bones crunching, and Meg screamed out in pain. They lowered her to the floor. I sat behind her and brushed the hair out of her face.
"Sorry, sorry. I got you. I got you. It's okay. It's okay," Sam said.
"A year," Meg strained.
"What?" Sam asked.
"It's been a year," Meg said.
"Shh, just take it easy," Sam said.
"I've been awake for some of it. I couldn't move my own body. The things I did… it's a nightmare," Meg said.
"Was it telling us the truth about our dad?" Dean asked.
Sam looked up. "Dean."
"We need to know," Dean said.
"Yes. But it wants… you to know… that… they want you to come for him," Meg strained.
"If Dad's still alive, none of that matters," Dean said.
Bobby came in with a blanket and a glass of water. He handed me the water, and I held her head up so she could drink while Sam and Dean covered her.
"Where is the demon we're looking for?" Sam asked.
"Not there. Other ones. Awful ones," Meg said.
"Where are they keeping our dad?" Dean asked.
"By the river. Sunrise," Meg said.
"'Sunrise.' What does that mean?" Dean asked, but there was no answer. "What does that mean?"
Meg was gone, she laid there in front of us, lifeless.
"You better hurry up and beat it. Before the paramedics get here," Bobby said.
"What are you gonna tell them?" Dean asked.
'You think you guys invented lying to the cops? I'll figure something out." Bobby picked up the Key of Solomon and handed it to Sam. "Here take this. You might need it."
"Thanks." Sam nodded.
"Thanks… for everything. Be careful, all right?" Dean asked.
Bobby nodded. "You just go find your dad. And when you do, you bring him around, would you? I won't even try to shoot him this time."
We set off for Missouri, we had parked by some old train tracks. Sam looked through the Key of Solomon, and Dean was silent for basically the whole drive.
"You've been quiet," Sam said, looking up from the book.
"Just getting ready," Dean said as he went through the weapons in the trunk.
"He's gonna be fine, Dean," Sam said.
Dean didn't answer, and Sam flipped to another page of the book. He saw something, picked up the book, and walked to the open trunk. He rubbed the dirt off of the lid and started to draw on it.
"Dude, what are you drawing on my car!" Dean yelled.
"It's called a Devil's trap. Demons can't get through it or inside it," Sam said.
"So?" Dean asked.
"It basically turns the trunk into a lockbox," Sam explained.
"So?" Dean asked.
"So, we have a place to hide the colt while we go get Dad," Sam said.
"What are you talking about? We're bringing the colt with us," Dean said.
Sam shook his head. "We can't, Dean. We've only got three bullets left. We can't just use them on any demon, we've got to use them on the demon."
"No, we have to save Dad, Sam, okay? We're gonna need all the help we can get," Dean said.
Sam sighed. "Dean, you know how pissed Dad would be if we used all the bullets? Dean, he wouldn't want us to bring the gun."
"I don't care, Sam. I don't care what Dad wants, okay? And since when do you care what Dad wants?" Dean asked, irritated.
"We want to kill this demon. You used to want that, too. Hell, I mean, you're the one who came and got me at school!" Sam yelled.
Dean scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"You're the one who dragged me back into this, Dean. I'm just trying to finish it!" Sam yelled.
Dean shook his head. "Well, you and Dad are a lot more alike than I thought, ya know that? You both can't wait to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But ya know what?" He pointed to himself and me. "We're gonna be the ones to bury you. You're selfish, ya know that? You don't care about anything, but revenge."
"That's not true, Dean," Sam said.
Dean scoffed again.
"I want Dad back. But they are expecting us to bring this gun. They get the gun. They will kill us all. That colt is our only leverage, and you know it, Dean. We cannot bring that gun. We can't," Sam said.
"Fine," Dean agreed.
Sam raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious, Dean."
"I said fine, Sam." Dean took the colt out of his jacket pocket and held it up to show Sam before putting it in the trunk.
Sam nodded and then started walking off. Dean then slipped the colt back into his jacket, he looked at me and put his finger to his lips for me to keep it a secret.
Dean put his arm around my shoulders. "Come on."
We followed after Sam as we walked alongside a river. We had to leave the Impala behind, for now, to avoid getting detected by demons before we were ready.
"Hey, hey," Dean said, "Think I know what Meg meant by sunrise."
We stopped and looked up to see an apartment building with a sign out front that read, 'Sunrise Apartments.'
"Son of a bitch. That's pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people, they can possess almost anybody inside," Dean said as we looked out and saw all different ages and genders walking around in front of the apartment.
"Yeah, and make anybody attack us," Sam said.
"And so, we can't kill them… a building full of human shields." Dean sighed.
Sam nodded. "They probably know exactly what we look like, too. And they could look like anybody."
"Yeah, this sucks out loud," Dean said.
"Tell me about it. All right, so, how the hell are we going to get in?" Sam asked.
Dean looked at the building for a moment. "Pull the fire alarm, get out all the civilians."
Sam nodded. "Okay, but then the city responds in, what, seven minutes?"
"Seven minutes exactly." Dean nodded.
We continued walking up to the building, and Sam slipped in to get the plan rolling.
"I'm surprised you don't have me locked in a motel room somewhere by now," I said to Dean.
"It's different this time. Honestly, you're safer with us. They could find you no matter where we put you," Dean said.
We were silent for a moment. "Dean…?" I asked.
He looked down at me. "Yeah?"
"This is the only time I've been afraid to go with you guys," I said.
Dean pulled me into a hug. "We're gonna be fine, we're going to get Dad back and I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
I nodded, still unsure, and then the fire alarm went off.
People started piling out of the building and stood in crowds watching until the fire department showed up.
Dean walked up to one of the firefighters while Sam and I snuck behind and unlocked a compartment on a firetruck and pulled out two uniforms. Sam and I snuck the uniforms behind the building and waited for Dean to meet us. Sam and Dean quickly got dressed.
We walked around to the front of the building as they blocked me in as best as they could without looking suspicious until we walked into the building and then we bolted up the stairs.
"I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up," Dean said as he scanned the EMF meter over each door.
"You never told me that," Sam said.
Dean stopped in front of one of the doors, and the meter started going off the charts, we all looked at each other.
He knocked on the door. "This is the fire department. We need you to evacuate."
I stood out of view of the peephole. The door unlocked, and Sam and Dean charged in, spraying a man and woman with their water tanks that they had filled with holy water. It burned them. Dean punched the man and shoved him into a closet.
"Come on!" Dean yelled at Sam.
Sam grabbed the woman and shoved her in as well. Dean leaned against the door as the demons pounded on it, trying to get out.
"Hurry up!" Dean yelled.
Sam grabbed a canister of salt from his duffel bag and ran a line in front of the closet door. As soon as he finished, the pounding stopped. Then they took off the uniforms. Dean grabbed my hand and led Sam and me to a closed door. He opened it slowly, and we could see Dad restrained to a bed, unconscious.
Dean walked in. "Dad?" He leaned over and listened. "He's still breathing." He looked at us and then back at Dad. "Dad, wake up. Dad!" He took out a knife to cut the restraints.
"Wait. Wait," Sam said.
"What?" Dean looked confused.
"He could be possessed for all we know," Sam said.
"What, are you nuts?" Dean asked.
"Dean, we got to be sure," Sam said.
Sam took a flask of holy water out of the duffel bag and sprinkled it on Dad, but it had no effect. Dad moaned and started to wake up.
"Sam? Why are you splashing water on me?" Dad asked as he came to.
"Dad, are you okay?" Dean asked.
"They've been drugging me. Where's the colt?" Dad asked.
"Don't worry, Dad, it's safe," Sam said.
Dean cut Dad free.
"Good boys. Good boys." Dad nodded and then spotted me. "What's your sister doing here?"
"She's safer with us," Dean said.
Sam nodded.
Dad sighed and slowly nodded in agreement. "You're right."
Sam and Dean helped Dad up and carried him out of the bedroom, but then the front door burst open, and a man and a firefighter walked straight toward us.
"Go! Go!" Sam yelled.
"Back! Back!" Dean yelled.
We all ran back into the room, and Sam closed and locked the door behind us. An axe suddenly came through the door. Sam quickly ran a line of salt in front of the door while Dad, Dean, and I went for the fire escape. Dean went down first and helped me when I reached the bottom of the ladder, then Dad came down. Dean put Dad's arm over his shoulder, and we started moving as fast as we could. Sam ran out in front of us to make sure no one was coming. He was suddenly tackled by a man who pinned him down and started beating him in the middle of the street.
"Sam!" Dean yelled as he put Dad down against the wall.
I sat down next to Dad, trying to comfort him as Dean ran over to Sam. Dean kicked the man in the face, but was suddenly thrown against a parked car, shattering the window. Then the man went back to beating Sam. Suddenly there was a gunshot, the man's skeleton lit up, and then he fell off of Sam, dead.
"Sam!" Dean ran over to him and picked him up. "Sam, come on! Come on!"
Sam slowly steadied himself, he now had a swollen black eye and a split lip.
"Come on. We got to get out of here," Dean said, running over to Dad and me.
Dean pulled Dad up and helped him walk, Sam was still unsteady, so he leaned against me, and we moved as fast as we could down the sidewalk.
Once we reached the Impala, we found a cabin in the middle of the woods and hid out there until we knew what to do next. Sam and I were lining all the windows and doors with salt.
Dean walked into the room from the bedroom.
"How is he?" Sam asked.
"He just needed a little rest, that's all. How are you?" Dean asked.
"I'll survive… hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?" Sam asked.
Dean shook his head. "I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, we couldn't have found a more out-of-the-way place to hole up."
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Hey, uh… Dean, you, um… you saved my life back there."
"So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?" Dean smirked.
Sam shook his head. "Man, I'm trying to thank you here."
Dean nodded. "You're welcome."
Sam walked across the room, and a concerned look crossed Dean's face.
"Hey, Sam," Dean said.
"Yeah?" Sam asked.
"You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there," Dean said.
"You didn't have a choice, Dean," Sam said.
"Yeah, I know, that's not what bothers me," Dean said.
"Then what does?" Sam asked.
"Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn't hesitate, I didn't even flinch. For you, Maddi or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh… it scares me sometimes," Dean said.
Sam and I both stared at Dean.
Dad walked into the room. "It shouldn't. You did good."
I ran over and hugged him, he hugged me back, pulling me into his side.
"You're not mad?" Dean asked.
"For what?" Dad asked.
"Using a bullet," Dean said.
"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you— you watch out for this family. You always have." Dad smiled.
Dean nodded. "Thanks."
The wind suddenly picked up, and the lights started to flicker.
"It found us. It's here," Dad said ominously.
"The demon?" Sam asked.
"Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door," Dad directed.
"I already did it," Sam said.
"Well, check it, okay?" Dad asked.
"Okay." Sam nodded and left the room.
"Dean, you got the gun?" Dad asked.
Dean nodded. "Yeah."
Dad put his hand out. "Give it to me."
Dean pulled the colt out of his belt. "Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared."
"This is me. I won't miss. Now, the gun. Hurry." Dad motioned for Dean to hand him the gun.
Dean hesitated and looked down at the colt.
"Son, please," Dad urged.
Dean took a few steps back. "Maddi, get over here now."
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?" Dad asked.
"He'd be furious," Dean said.
"What?" Dad asked.
"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me. He'd tear me a new one." Dean raised the gun, pointing it at Dad and cocking it. "Maddison, get over here, now! He's not our dad."
"Dean, what are you doing?" I asked, shocked.
"Maddi, Now!" Dean yelled, still pointing the gun at Dad.
I quickly left Dad and ran behind Dean.
"Peanut, don't listen to him," Dad said as I left his side, and then he turned his attention to Dean. "Dean, it's me."
"I know my dad better than anyone. And you ain't him," Dean said.
"You're scaring your sister. What the hell's gotten into you?" Dad asked angrily.
"I could ask you the same thing. Stay back," Dean said.
"Dean? What the hell's going on?" Sam asked as he walked back into the room.
"Your brother's lost his mind," Dad said.
"He's not Dad," Dean said.
"What?" Sam asked as he walked up to us.
"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." Dean's voice cracked.
"Don't listen to him, Sammy," Dad pleaded.
"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asked.
"He's— He's different," Dean answered, upset.
Dad shook his head. "You know, we don't have time for this. Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me."
Sam glanced back and forth between Dad and Dean.
"Sam?" Dad asked.
Sam stepped closer to Dean and me and stood firm by us. "No."
"Fine. You're all so sure, go ahead. Kill me." Dad looked down and waited.
Dean held the gun, shaking, but didn't pull the trigger.
"I thought so." Dad lifted his head, and his eyes were now yellow.
Sam lunged forward, and then we were all sent flying and pinned against separate walls.
The demon picked up the colt. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been."
"It's you, isn't it? We've been looking for you for a long time," Sam said.
"Well, you found me." The demon smirked.
"But the holy water?" Sam asked.
"You think something like that works on something like me?" the demon asked.
Sam tried to move but failed. "I'm gonna kill you!"
"Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact…" The demon put the colt down on the table in the center of the room. "Here. Make the gun float to you there, psychic boy."
Sam concentrated on the gun, but nothing happened.
"Well, this is fun." The demon walked over to Dean. "I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this—" He sighed. "This is worth the wait."
Dean struggled.
"Your dad… he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says, 'hi,' by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood." The demon smiled at Dean.
Dean's jaw tightened. "Let him go, or I swear to god—"
"What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." The demon was now face to face with Dean. "You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."
"Who, Meg?" Dean asked.
"The one in the alley? That was my boy. You understand," the demon said.
"You've got to be kidding me," Dean said.
"What? You're the only one that can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?" The demon laughed. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."
"You son of a bitch," Dean said, angrily.
"I wanna know why. Why'd you do it?" Sam asked.
The demon turned to Sam. "You mean, why did I kill mommy and pretty, little Jess?"
"Yeah," Sam said.
The demon turned back to Dean. "You know, he never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him." He backed up toward Sam. "Been shopping for rings and everything." He turned to face Sam. "You want to know why? Because they got in the way."
"In the way of what?" Sam asked.
"My plans for you, Sammy. You… and all the children like you," the demon said.
"Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh? 'Cause I really can't stand the monologuing," Dean said, sarcastically.
The demon walked over to him. "Funny, but that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Masks all that nasty pain, masks the truth."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Dean asked.
"You know, you fight, and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don't need you. Not like you need them. Sam… he's clearly John's favorite son. Even when they fight, it's more concern than he's ever shown you," the demon taunted.
"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." Dean smirked.
The demon stepped back and put his head down, then looked up at Dean. Dean started yelling out in pain as blood trickled down his chest.
"Dean!" I cried.
Sam started to struggle as more blood rushed out of Dean's chest.
"Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!" Dean pleaded.
The demon stared at Dean as he yelled out in pain again.
"Dean! No!" Sam yelled
Blood started trickling out of Dean's mouth. "Dad, please." His head slumped down, and he was motionless.
I started crying.
"Dean!" Sam yelled.
"Stop," the demon whispered. Dad was breaking through. "Stop it."
Sam and I were released, and I instantly dove for the gun, turning and pointing it directly at Dad's head. Dad turned, and the demon came through again.
The demon laughed. "Aw, Maddi. I can help you, you know."
I furrowed my brow.
"You really think your dad and your brothers want you around? You've been a burden to them since the day your mommy dropped you off," the demon said.
"Maddi, don't listen to him. Give me the gun," Sam said.
The demon looked at Sam and flung him against the wall again. "Can't you see we're talking." He turned his attention back to me. "I can help you find your mom. don't you want that?"
"Maddi, he's lying. Don't listen," Sam said.
Tears streamed down my face, but I stood firm.
"Give me the gun, and I can take you to her right now." The demon held his hand out. "Isn't that all you've ever wanted? To have a mommy? I know she misses you too."
I had a thousand thoughts racing through my head, but I tightened my jaw and cocked the gun.
The demon smirked. "Oh, it's gonna be like that, huh? Well, if you kill me, you kill daddy."
"I know," I said, and shot at the demon's leg.
He dropped to the ground, and as soon as he did, Sam and Dean were released from the walls. I handed Sam the colt and immediately ran over to Dean. I sat behind him putting his head on my lap, and checking the wounds on his chest, they were deep, and he was losing a lot of blood.
Sam ran over. "Dean? Dean, hey? Oh god, you've lost a lot of blood."
"Where's Dad?" Dean struggled out.
"He's right here. He's right here, Dean." Sam pointed to Dad.
"Go check on him," Dean said.
"Dean." Sam furrowed his brow.
"Go check on him. Maddi's got me," Dean said.
Sam got up and walked over to Dad. "Dad? Dad?"
He suddenly looked up. "Sammy! It's still alive. It's inside me, I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!"
Sam aimed the gun at Dad but hesitated.
"Do it now!" Dad yelled.
"Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it," Dean said.
"You've gotta hurry! I can't hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me! Son, I'm begging you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!" Dad yelled.
"Sam, no." Dean struggled to move, but I pulled him back.
"You do this! Sammy!" Dad yelled.
Sam lowered the gun.
"Sam…" Dad said, and then the demon suddenly left Dad in a black cloud from his mouth, disappearing into the floorboards.
Dad looked at Sam, frustrated, and then laid his head back.
I helped Dad get into the passenger seat, and then I sat behind him, while Sam helped Dean into the driver's side. Then we got in and took off.
Dean leaned over on me and groaned. He was scaring me because he wasn't moving, and he was wheezing heavily.
We hit the main road quickly, Sam was driving us as fast as he could, to get us to the nearest hospital.
"Look, just hold on, all right. The hospital's only ten minutes away," Sam said.
"I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this. Killing this demon comes first… before me, before everything," Dad said.
Sam looked in the rear-view mirror at Dean and me. "No, sir. Not before everything. Look, we've still got the colt. We still have one bullet left. We just have to start over, all right? I mean, we already found the demon—"
Suddenly, there was a bright light, pain rushed through my body, and then everything went black.
