A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! They keep me going. :)
I really hope that this chapter makes sense, it does to me but I wrote it so that kinda...that kinda cancels it all out. Let me know if it doesn't and I'll try and get it fixed up.
Chapter Two
The tension in the air was stifling by the time Dean spun the Impala into the parking lot, and it was a relief to step out into the cool morning air. The mountain stretched above them, tall and intimidating, and the sound of thundering water greeted them. The sun, which was just beginning to rise over the towering trees, illuminated the long bridge that stretched out across a roaring river.
"We go in gun's blazin," Dean said coldly, already standing over the trunk and shoving extra shells into the duffle. Sam nodded once, adding water and the first aid kit into the bag before pulling a flask of holy water out and shoving it into his pocket. Dean reached past him, nabbing a canister of salt. "To burn her body with—" he muttered at Sam's look, before adding his favorite hunting knife.
Sam grabbed the box of matches.
They wouldn't actually kill the witch, but they could burn the contents of the alter. And if it did come down to a choice between Maddie and the witch, well…
"Ready."
"Good." Dean turned towards the bridge, swinging his duffle over his shoulder. Sam followed him, the map spread out in his hands as he squinted through the faint, grey, light of dawn.
"Take the first left when we come to it," Sam said softly as they stepped foot onto the bridge, mentally marking the rest of the path before handing the map over to Dean. Dean glanced at it once, before folding it up and passing it back to Sam, who put it in his pocket.
While Sam may have been able to remember obscure details and every book he had ever read, Dean was a genius when it came to maps and navigating, amongst other things.
They crossed the bridge at a fast jog and, when the path split moments later, they took the branch that veered off to the left.
By the time that the sun was fully in the sky, both Sam and Dean had shucked off their jackets and were starting to sweat as they practically ran up the increasingly steep mountain trail.
"We're getting close now, right?" Sam panted as they began a laborious climb up yet another steep, zig-zagging hill. One hand was pressed lightly against his side, attempting to ease the stitch there. Next to him, Dean was panting just as hard, but both kept up the rapid pace they had set, unwilling to let any more time pass than was needed.
"Should be. We can't go that much higher. You did say that his cabin was visible from the path, right?"
"Yeah. The article said that most people use it as a landmark. Apparently, it's in a somewhat good condition still, enough so that they have to kick teenagers out regularly, though why they would hike all the way up here, I don't know. It isn't exactly a piece of cake."
"Well, most people don't typically jog through hikes." Dean hitched the duffle a little higher up against his shoulder, glancing back at his brother with a dark look. "Besides, aren't you running on like, zero sleep?"
Sam snorted as they crested the hill and began to cross more even ground. Up ahead, they could see the brief respite ending as the trail once again began to climb. "Something like that but at least I'm not hungover."
"I wasn't drunk," Dean insisted and, at Sam's disbelieving look, amended, "Tipsy, maybe, but I wasn't fully drunk."
"Whatever."
They began to labor up the hill and all conversation came to a stop as they concentrated on breathing. They were almost too the top when Sam came to an abrupt halt, reaching out and smacking Dean across the chest. "Look…" He pointed off to the right and just through the foliage they could see the old, crumbling remains of a cabin. The wood was splintering in places and patches of the roof were missing, but at least all four walls were standing.
"Good condition, my ass," Dean muttered as he pulled out his gun, checking it once before jerking his head towards the door. Sam followed suit and they broke off from the path, edging up through the foliage and brush as quietly as possible. The cabin appeared to be lifeless and Sam's heart sank. Dean paused beside him, bending down.
"I've got blood," he said softly, using his gun to point at the few droplets of discolored dirt and Sam crouched down next to him.
"That's not a fatal amount," Sam said hopefully, and Dean nodded in agreement as he wiped his hand on his jeans. Together they covered the last few steps towards the shack, their guns outstretched and their fingers on the triggers.
Still, nothing moved.
Sandwiching the crooked door, Dean held up three fingers and Sam nodded. Moving as one, Dean kicked in the door and Sam moved in, covering their backs as he swung this gun towards the corners of the room. The door rebounded against the opposite wall with a sharp crack, half falling off its hinges with the violence of the blow, and a muffled scream filled the room.
Sam really hoped that it was Maddie. Better screaming and scared than silent and still.
Swinging around, Sam's eyes tracked over the cabin, taking in its bare walls and dust-coated planks, the old beer bottles, and scraps of trash. His heart plummeted with relief when he caught sight of Maddie scrunched up against an old and sagging bed, still shrieking through the gag that had been shoved into her mouth. Her arms were tied behind her back, but besides the shallow gash on her forehead, she appeared to be in no immediate danger.
Dean lowered his gun, moving towards Maddie.
"It's us, stop screaming," he huffed gently as he touched her shoulder lightly before tilting her head up so that he could pull the gag out. Sam dropped down next to them, momentarily assured that no witch was going to pop up out of the corner to try and turn them into frogs, and reached for his knife.
Maddie gasped, coughing a little as Dean tossed the wadded-up cloth into the middle of the room.
"Agents…" she breathed out softly, a low sob replacing the screaming.
"You alright?" Sam asked anxiously, as he reached to undo her bonds, but she flinched back in sudden fear and Sam held his hands up, holding the knife loosely. Dean flashed her his 100-watt smile, clearly trying to put her at ease the only way he knew how.
She gulped in a breath, her eyes suddenly widening. "Emma! Do you have Emma with you?" Maddie's eyes traveled desperately from one to the other. "Where's Emma!?"
"Whoa, whoa, hold up." Dean raised a hand, glancing at Sam who could only shrug to show that he was just as confused as he was. "Who's Emma?"
Maddie took a shuddering breath, her whole frame shaking. "She's my friend, she was with me when…when that man took us and I don't know where she is, they took her and left me here, and—"She ducked her head again, hiding her face behind her hair and Dean and Sam shared ominous looks over her head.
"Maddie…I'm so sorry," Sam began but Maddie cut him off.
"She's not dead yet! At least she wasn't when they took her away from here. They said that they were going to take her, take her out to the Bench and prepare her for…" She trailed off, a strange look passing over her face and Sam twisted on his heels, out of instinct looking for a bucket or something as she gagged hard.
"Listen," Dean soothed, his hand still squeezing her shoulder tightly. "We're going to get you out of here and then go and find Emma, I promise you."
"No!" Maddie cowed back against the bed. "They left an hour ago, she might still be alive if you go now." A tear splashed down her face, making a clear path through the dirt and grime. "Don't let her die, please… She's like my sister."
Dean straightened, his eyes going hard. "Where's this 'Bench' at? Is it a landmark, or…" Dean beckoned for the map and Sam passed it over, standing to peer over his shoulder.
"It's the flat top of the mountain," Maddie explained softly, the tears continuing to drip down her face.
Dean shared a glance with Sam. It wasn't far from them, maybe only a half a mile, they could make it. In silent agreement, Dean began to fold the map up as Sam crouched back down.
"I'm gonna cut you free and give you my knife. Then start walking back until you either get to our car or find someone else to help you, but you've got to get out of here while we find Emma."
Maddie's eyes only filled with more tears as she continued to twist away from Sam. "Don't leave me here. Don't leave me alone."
"But Emma—"
Maddie kept talking, overriding Dean. "And I think my ankle's broken. I can't walk and I don't want to stay here by myself. What happens if they come back for me? Or if they kill both of you? I'll die here!" Her voice continued to rise in a shrill pitch until she was rocking back and forth, her breathing coming in ragged gasps.
Dean rubbed at the back of his neck, pulling a long face before standing. "Sam, stay with Maddie. I'm gonna find Emma." He was halfway out the door before Sam caught up to him, grabbing his arm and twisting Dean around to face him.
"You're not going out there without me!" he hissed angrily, thrusting his face into Dean's. "We'll find someplace safe for Maddie to hide and then go back in, together."
Dean shook his head, wrenching his arm free. "There's no time, Sammy. If there's a chance that we can save Emma, then we've got to take it. I'm not letting someone else die, not when I have the chance to stop it."
"But—"
"Dude! What do you want me to say, that I'll be careful? I know what I'm doing."
"I know that Dean, I do, but this is a witch. They're not exactly easy to take care of and you've been gung-ho to jump between danger and anything that breathes recently." Sam seized Dean's lapel as Dean once again attempted to leave and forced him back around so that he could meet his eyes.
"Alright, alright. I solemnly swear I won't do anything too stupid."
"Dean. This isn't a joke!"
Dean sighed tiredly. "Sam, we don't really have a choice, just get Maddie away from here as quickly as you can and then get your ass up there to meet me." He tugged his jacket free and paused for just long enough to slap Sam firmly on the shoulder before turning and jogging back towards the path.
Sam swore loudly, slamming his fist into the doorpost. It shifted dangerously and Sam flinched back in surprise. Damn ruins.
"Sam…"
Sam turned on his heel, hurrying back to Maddie's side and pulling his knife out again. There were still tear tracks on her face and he forced himself to offer what he hoped was a comforting smile. Kneeling beside her, he hunched over her much smaller frame and leaned over her shoulder, reaching for the rope that was wrapped around her wrists.
"Listen, we've got to move quickly. I'll get you some help, but then I've…" He stopped in bewilderment, his fingers slipping easily into the loose ropes that were simply wrapped around her wrist.
She could have escaped at any moment.
"What the—" The moment of confusion cost him as Maddie suddenly lurched upwards against him, smiling through her tears. A hand came up, wrapping in his shirt and yanking him down towards her.
Sam rolled back, scrambling to get away from Maddie but it was too late. Sudden and intense pressure erupted across his right side as with superhuman strength, Maddie slammed him down onto his back. The motion jarred a shot of fierce pain through Sam's side and but Maddie clamped one hand over his mouth and his shout was stillborn.
She leered at him as she straddled his legs, keeping him pinned in the dirt.
Fighting to raise his head, Sam glowered silently at her before risking a glance down to his side, to where all the pain was coming from.
Maddie's hand was wrapped around the hilt of the knife that was sticking out of his side, the blade embedded deeply in his flesh.
"Well, well, well. Look who the cat dragged in…" Maddie bent down, whispering into his ear and her long hair waterfalled into his face, obscuring his vision.
Sam gagged out a sound, the pain coming faster and harder now that he'd seen Maddie's handiwork. His anger was just as hot. Grunting, he thrust his hips up, trying to buck her off but Maddie's hand flew down to the knife, twisting it cruelly. Agony flashed across Sam's whole body and he arched his back, trying to ride it out as Maddie giggled.
"Hurts, doesn't it, lovely?" She tightened her grip on the knife, catching Sam's eye as she smirked down at him.
"No, don't—"
Maddie wrenched the knife free, sending a warm gush of blood across Sam's skin and instantly soaking into his shirt.
"Smart, wasn't it, Sammy?" she asked, shifting so that her legs were pinning Sam's arms to the side. She held the knife lightly above him, allowing thick droplets of blood to drip lightly down and onto Sam's chest. "You big ol' hunks are always there to rescue the poor damsel in distress. You didn't even think twice."
Her grin turned lethal as she leaned in closer and closed her eyes. When she blinked them open, they were pure black.
Sam's heart rate spiked as a sudden rage surged through him. "I'm gonna send you straight back to hell, demon."
"Call me Maddie, sweetheart, no need to be so formal," she said silkily, blinking again to clear her eyes as she sat up straight and twirled her finger idly through the blood that was beginning to pool across Sam's saturated shirt. Sam threw his weight to the right, attempting to dislodge her, but she only tightened her thighs and slammed his shoulders back into the ground.
"Exocizamus te, omnis immundus spirits, omnis satanica—"
Maddie smile faltered and then broke as anger flashed across her pretty features. Letting go of his shoulder, she dug her fingernails into Sam's wounded side and raked them back.
Sam jerked, his voice cutting off in an involuntary cry of pain as everything greyed out around him. He might even have blacked for a moment, all he knew was when everything stopped spinning, his legs had been bound and Maddie has tugged his wrists forward, wrapping the second length of rope around them.
Sam snorted weakly as she tugged the ropes tight enough to cut off his circulation. "What, you aren't going to kill me?"
Maddie stepped off his body, crouching near his head and looking around the cabin. Spotting the wad of material that had acted as a gag she darted for it. "Oh, no, I have something much more fun in store! I mean, it's the least I can do for you and your brother. The only reason I'm topside is because you opened that devil's gate."
"We didn't open it," Sam began, his annoyance rearing. Why did everyone think that they had opened it? They just hadn't been able to stop it, which wasn't much better. "We were just there." His voice cracked from pain on the last word and Maddie smiled lazily.
"That's not the story I'm hearing, your majesty." The sarcasm was clear and Sam grimaced up at her. She planted a fake smile on her face and held up the gag. "Now, open up."
Sam flinched back, tugging uselessly against his bonds as he shook his head. "Go to hell," he said through gritted teeth but her hand was already locking around his jaw, prying it open just enough that she could force the long strip of fabric through, effectively silencing him. Glaring up at her, Sam tried his hardest to throw every ounce of anger and rage into it.
Maddie just laughed, pushing a strand of her hair back and not looking phased at all when she left a long streak of blood in her wake. Picking her knife up from off the floor, she began to wipe it clean. "I did wonder how long it would take for all those killings to bring in attention from the hunters but imagine my surprise when I saw the Winchesters, the bloody Winchesters of all people, drive into town. I was hoping for just run of the mill hunters, but I got the King instead. Not that you've lived up to your reputation thus far. What did you say you thought was killing people again? Oh, right, a witch? How adorable."
Finishing with the knife, she rose to her feet, towering over Sam. "And I'd love to tell you all about how this little game works, about how predictable all you stupid hunters are, but I've got to scram. See, there really is a girl named Emma and her meatsuit is calling my name." She paused, glancing back over at him and grinning so wide that he could see all her teeth. "I can't wait to see Dean's expression when we get back here and, just after he finds you bleeding to death, I stab him in the back. Your face was pretty priceless, after all."
Sam reared up against his bonds, bucking against the rope with a fury that surprised even himself. If she so much as touched his brother, he was going to hunt down Ruby and do whatever it took to get her knife, just so that he could finish Maddie off for good.
Maddie seemed to guess well enough what he was thinking, and she crossed back over, bending down next to him and weaving a hand through his hair to hold him still.
"And do you know what the best thing is? You won't be able to save him. You're just going to have to wait here, torturing yourself with the knowledge that his life is in my hands. And when he comes in, you're going to try your damn hardest to warn him but it's going to be too late. My knife will already be in his back. You are going to die with the knowledge that you got your brother killed. Oh, this is fun!" Her eyes flickered black again with nothing short of happiness and Sam's stomach churned. Most demons were evil, but this…this was pure insanity.
"Now try not to bleed out before the show starts. I'll be right back with dear old big brother, darlin'." She patted his cheek and stood.
Taking a step back, the demon threw her head back and Maddie let out a long, shrill scream. Black smoke began to billow out of her mouth, jerking her slight frame, and Sam could do nothing more than look on in desperation as the smoke fled through one of the holes in the ceiling.
Maddie's body wavered, before dropping to the ground with a sickening thud.
Sam let his head fall back into the dirt, trying to blink away tears of pain as his wound continued to throb and his blood dripped steadily onto the ground.
They were so screwed.