March 10th, 2010
Cicero, Indiana
Alex slumped in the front seat of the black Subaru Forester they had taken from the town. "How are we even going to find him?" she asked, snapping closed her phone. "He's turned off the GPS in his phone. Dean could be anywhere!"
Sam glanced over at her from behind the wheel. "We'll find him," he promised. "We have to." He merged over, then turned down a ramp onto another highway.
Alex glanced at the sign curiously. "You know where you're going?" They had been driving for three days, and so far, Nothing. No sign of Dean at all.
"I think I have an idea." Sam turned towards a town, and Alex glanced at the sign. "Cicero?" She looked over at Sam. "Why are we here?"
"Dean's got . . . a friend. Lisa." Sam slowed down, coasting down the road. "Lisa. They had a thing a while back, then we worked a case down here." He glanced out the side window. "If I were Dean, I'd come here. There." He turned the car into a motel parking lot.
Alex scanned the cars, and her heart melted in relief as she saw the ever-familiar Chevy Impala. "Dean's here."
"Yeah. It's about time." Sam turned off the car and threw open the door. "Call Cas."
Alex pulled out her phone. "Hey Cas. We found Dean. Cicero, Indiana. Uh, Blackhawk Motel."
Sam stalked up to the door the Impala was parked in front of and knelt down, picking the lock. Alex waited impatiently. It clicked, and Sam pushed his way into the room.
Dean stood with his back to them, a bottle of scotch on the nightstand, and a cardboard box on the bed.
"Sending someone a candy-gram?" Sam asked dryly.
Dean turned around. He was silent for several seconds, shocked. "How did you find me?"
"You're going to kill yourself, right? It's not too hard to figure out the stops on the Farewell Tour. How's Lisa doing, anyways?"
Dean looked down at his glass. "I'm not going to kill myself."
"No? So Michael's not about to make you his Muppet? What the hell, man? This is how it ends? You just . . . walk out?"
"Yeah, I guess." Dean sounded absolutely defeated, and Alex's heart ached. He refilled his glass.
"How could you do that?"
"How could I? All you've ever done is run away." Dean's voice grew in angry.
"And I was wrong! Ever single time I did." He let out a long breath, quieting down. "Just . . . please. Not now. Bobby is working on something."
"Oh really?" Dean challenged. "What?" Sam didn't answer, and Dean continued. "You got nothing and you know it."
"You know I have to stop you."
"Yeah, well, you can try. Just remember. You're not all hopped up on demon blood this time." Dean put down his glass and balled his first, ready to fight. Alex stepped back. If Cas didn't show up, this could turn bloody.
"Yeah, I know. But I brought help."
At those words, Dean turned around, confused. Castiel stood there. He reached out and touched Dean's forehead. The hunter slumped to the ground.
Sam hurried over to his brother. He searched his pockets. "Alex. Keys."
Alex nodded. She searched the motel while Sam, with the help of Cas, pulled Dean up. They carried him out the door as Alex turned to the cardboard box. In big black letters were written the words 'ROBERT SINGER." She flipped out her knife and cut through the duct tape sealing it.
In it were several of Dean's personal items. Alex grabbed the keys just as Sam reentered the room. "Here." She tossed them to him. "I'll get his stuff." She grabbed his duffle bag as Sam picked up the box, and followed him out of the room.
...
Sioux Falls
They drove all night up to Sioux Falls. Alex sat in the front seat beside Sam. Every once and a while she'd glance behind her to see Dean, still passed out, on the backseat. His hands were handcuffed together, and his gun and knife sat in the trunk.
Finally, as the sun was coming up, they pulled into the Singer Salvage Yard. By this time, Dean was stirring, and Sam helped him into the house. He laid him down on the Bobby's bed, which now sat where the couch once was.
"You found him." Bobby wheeled into the study.
"Yeah. Down in Cicero." Sam looked down at Dean. "He was going to say yes." He turned back to Bobby. "Find anything?"
"Nothing." The hunter wheeled over to the desk and pushed around several pieces of papers. "Nothing we don't already know." He growled in frustration. When Alex and Sam didn't do anything, he looked up. "Well, what are you waiting for? Start reading."
...
"Yeah, no, this is good." It was a few hours later, and Dean was up and functional. Castiel had appeared a while ago, and was now leaning against the wall dividing the kitchen and the study, eyes focused on Dean, face dark. Dean was pacing back and forth, eyes flashing. "You know, six months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens." He leaned up against a small table filled with books, arms crossed.
"You ain't helping," Bobby said, eyes not leaving his book. Alex looked up from where she was reading some book on angel lore with a huff of agreement.
"Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair then?"
Bobby finally looked up. "What the hell happened to you?"
"Reality happened," Dean snapped. He stalked up to Bobby "Nuclear's the only option we have left. Michael can ice the devil, save a boatload of people."
"But not all of them," Bobby shot back. "We gotta think of something else."
"Yeah, well, that's easy for you to say. But if Lucifer burns this motherfucker down, and I coulda done something about it, guess what? That's on me." He returned to the table with a huff.
"You can't give up, son."
"You're not my father!" Dean turned on Bobby, eyes flashing with rage. "And you ain't in my shoes."
The room fell silent, shocked. Alex winced at his words. Sam looked up at his brother, shaking his head. There was a thud as something dropped onto the desk. Bobby placed an old revolver in view, then reached into his shirt pocket, pulling out a silver bullet. Alex narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Bobby . . ."
Dean glanced at it, then did a double take. "What is that?"
"That's the round that I mean to put through my skull."
"Bobby!"
The old hunter put the bullet down on the desk. "Every morning, I look at it. I think, 'Maybe today's the day I flip the lights out.' But I don't do it. I never do it. You know why?" Bobby's voice grew into a roar. "Because I promised you I wouldn't give up!"
Castiel let sudden groan, stumbling back, holding his head. He bent forward in pain, and Alex jumped up. "Cas?"
"Cas, you okay?" Sam was just as concerned.
"No."
"What's wrong?"
"Something's happening."
"Where?" Dean asked.
Then the angel was gone with a gust of wind, leaving stray papers fluttering to the ground.
"Cas?" Alex looked up in worry and confusion. She turned back to Sam. He shook his head, unsure. Alex sighed. "I'm going to take a break," she muttered. She ran upstairs.
...
"Help."
"Boys!"
Alex jumped off of her bed. Something was happening downstairs. She tore down the hall and flew down the stairs before sliding to a stop in the study. Castiel was laying a man down on Bobby's bed. Sam and Dean were staring down at him, eyes wide. Alex hurried over before stopping dead. She had seen him before. She knew that man.
"Who is it?" Bobby asked.
"That's our brother," Sam answered, voice quiet with disbelief.
"Adam." Alex breathed out the name. The young man was covered with dirt and mud, but his chest moved up and down in steady breathing. She looked up at the Winchesters. "That's not possible," she insisted. "We — I thought we burned him. The day after the ghoul case you found his body. We burned him."
Dean looked over at the angel. "Cas, what the hell?"
"Angels."
"Angels?" Sam repeated. "Why?"
"I know one thing for sure. We need to hide him now." Castiel reached down and pressed his hand flat against Adam's chest.
A white light emanated from his palm, and Adam arched off the bed, eyes opening in pain. "Where am I?" he gasped, looking around.
"It's okay," Sam promised. "Just relax, you're safe."
"Who the hell are you?"
Dean looked up at Sam before answering. "You're going to find this a little . . . a lot crazy. but we're actually your brothers."
"It's the truth," Sam added. "John Winchester was our father, too. I"m Sam—"
"Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean," Adam finished. "I know who you are."
"How?"
"They warned me about you."
"Who did?"
"The angels. Now where the hell is Zachariah?"
Sam and Dean exchanged looks. "Just calm down," Sam told him. "You, uh, maybe we should get you clean up a bit, huh? There's a bathroom over there." Sam pointed through the kitchen.
"The one upstairs has a shower," Alex added quietly. "That might be best."
Adam nodded, looking down at his muddy hands. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. Sam led him away.
...
Twenty minutes later, Adam was once again seated on Bobby's bed, now clean and dressed in some of Dean's clean clothes.
Dean pulled up a chair and straddled it, arms resting on the backrest. Castiel leaned against the wall behind him, arms crossed. "So why don't you tell us everything," Dean suggested. "Start from the beginning."
Adam looked around, his glass of scotch on one knee. He hesitated, then began. "Well, I was dead and in Heaven 'Cept it — it uh, kinda looked like my prom and I was making out with this girl, her name was Kristen McGee . . ."
"Yeah, that sounds like heaven." Dean said. "Did you get to third base?"
"Dean," Alex admonished. She cleared a spot on the desk beside Sam and sat down, resting her head on an elbow.
"Just uh, just keep going," Sam told his half-brother.
"Well, these . . . these angels, they popped out of nowhere, and they tell me that I — I'm chosen."
"For what?"
"To save the world." Adam looked up at Sam, eyes wide and serious.
"How you gonna do that?" Dean asked, partly out of curiosity, and partly out of disbelief.
"Oh, me and some archangel are going to kill the devil." Adam sounded proud; smug, even. Alex tipped her head. Must be a Winchester thing, having deep voices like that. It was weird.
"What archangel?" Dean finally asked, confused disbelief on his face. Alex caught Sam's eyes and raised an eyebrow before turning back to the young man. She knew what he was going to say.
"Michael," both she and Adam said at the same time. Adam looked up at her, and she nodded, giving him permission to continue. "I—I'm his, uh, sword or vessel or something, I don't know."
Dean turned to Alex. "You knew."
"Yeah." Alex calmly met his gaze. "Never came up in conversation though."
"You didn't even thing of mentioning it?"
"And what good would that have done?" Alex retorted. "It's not like we could've stopped the angels from bringing Adam back."
"How can Adam be Michael's vessel too?" Sam questioned.
"He's a Winchester. Of the same bloodline of you and Dean," Alex answered. "Not the ideal vessel, but he'll do."
"He's also Sam's brother," Castiel added. "Maybe they're moving on from you, Dean."
"Well, you gotta be kidding me," Dean huffed, turning back to Adam.
"Why would they do this?" Sam asked at the same time.
"Maybe they're desperate," Castiel guessed. "Maybe they wrongly assumed Dean would be brave enough to withstand them."
Dean turned his head to look at the angel. "Alright, you know what? Blow me, Cas."
"Look, no way," Sam interrupted. "After everything that's happened? All that crap about destiny? Suddenly the angels have a plan B?" He looked over at Castiel. "Does that smell right to anybody?"
Adam stood up. "You know, this has been a really moving family reunion, but, uh, I got a thing, so —" He moved towards the door.
Sam jumped to his feet. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, no, no, no." He got in front of his half-brother. "Sit down. Just listen, okay? Please."
Adam turned around, looking out the window with a shake of his head. "It's unbelievable," he muttered, but sat back down.
"Now, Adam . . ." Sam sat back down as well, "the angels are lying to you. They're full of crap."
"Yeah, I don't think so."
"Really. Why not?"
"Um, cause they're angels."
"They tell you they were gonna roast half the planet?"
"They said the fight might get pretty hairy, but it is the devil, right? So we got to stop him."
"Yeah, but there's another way."
At that, Dean looked over at his brother, eyes dark, a scowl on his face. Sam ignored it.
"Great." Adam didn't seem to catch any of it. "What is it?"
"We're working on 'the power of love,' " Dean said sarcastically.
Adam didn't seem amused. "How's that going?"
"Mmm. Not good."
Sam let out a frustrated noise at his brother. "Look, Adam . . . You don't know me from a hole in the wall, I know. But I'm begging you. Please, just trust me. Give me some time."
Adam looked up at the taller Winchester. "Give me one good reason." He sounded like he was listening. Alex leaned forward. That was good.
Sam was silent for a few seconds, thinking up an answer. "Because we're blood," he finally said.
"You've got no right to say that to me."
"You're still John's boy," Bobby chimed in.
"No. John Winchester was some guy who took me to a baseball game once a year. I don't have a dad. So we may be blood, but we are not family. My mom is my family. And if I do my job, I get to see her again. So no offense, but she's the one I give a rat's ass about, not you."
"Fair enough," Sam agreed quietly. "But if you have one good memory of dad, just one, then you'll give us a little more time. Please."
Adam hesitated, then sighed. "I'm hungry," he said, changing the subject. "Is there a chance I can get something to eat?"
Bobby rolled past them into the kitchen. "Sam." He called the hunter's name. Sam followed Bobby, and Alex did the same. Bobby turned the wheelchair around. "Take Dean downstairs," he said quietly. "It's gonna be hard enough to keep just one of them inside the house."
"Bobby—"
"Keep him in the panic room. It won't hurt him." Bobby turned back to the fridge. "Pull out a couple of those sandwiches, would you?" He asked Alex.
"That was going to be my lunch for the next week," Alex insisted.
"Boo-hoo, princess." Bobby turned back to Adam. "How's a sandwich sound?"
"Sounds great." Adam entered the kitchen, and Sam left.
Alex reluctantly pulled out two of her shrink-wrapped meals and put them on a plate. She then placed it on the table. "Eat up." Adam sat down, and Alex sat down across from him. "How are you doing?" she asked, striking up conversation. She heard Sam and Dean leave the room.
Adam didn't answer. He just unwrapped one of the sandwiches and took a bite.
"The Winchesters aren't that bad," Alex promised. "You're kind of like them, you know?"
"I am nothing like them," Adam insisted coldly.
Alex huffed in amusement. "Whatever you say. I'm sorry about your mom. If it makes you feel any better, we ganked the sons of bitches who did it."
Adam didn't respond, and Alex left the room.
...
Ten minutes later, Adam was pretty much done eating. He was staring at his half-finished meal, pulling the bread apart. Alex was seated on Bobby's bed, staring at Castiel. He was staring back.
"Going somewhere?" Sam's voice tugged Alex back into reality. She glanced back into the kitchen. Adam wasn't there anymore.
"Out for a . . . beer," Adam was saying. He sounded like he was by the front door. Alex stood up, ready to help it things turned messy.
However, Sam sounded like he had the situation under control. "Great. We got beer. Have a seat."
"Great," Adam repeated, sitting back down. Alex watched. He kind of looked like Dean from the back. Probably because he was wearing Dean's clothes. "You know, you pitched this while dewy-eyed bromance thing, but the truth is, I'm on lockdown, aren't I?"
"Adam, you may not believe it, but dad was trying to protect you. Keeping you from all of this."
"Yeah, well, I guess the monster that ate me didn't get that memo," Adam shot back bitterly.
"You remember that?" Alex glanced into the kitchen. "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah."
"Still, trust me," Sam continued. "The one thing worse than seeing dad once a year was seeing him all year."
"Do you know how full of crap you are?"
"What?"
"Really. You see, it was me and it was my mom. That's it. She worked the graveyard shift at the hospital. I cooked my own dinners. I put myself to bed. So you can say whatever you want about our dad, but the truth is, I would have taken anything."
Alex watched as Sam nodded slightly, agreeing with his brother. "Look, if we had known we had a brother . . ."
"Well, you didn't so . . ."
"— We would have found you," Sam finished.
Adam scoffed, shaking his head.
Sam continued. "Look, I can't change the past. I wish I could. But from here on out—"
"What?" Adam cut Sam off again. "We gonna hop in the family truckster? Pop on down to Wally World?"
"Tell you one thing, with an attitude like that, you would have fit right in around here."
"Sounds just like Dean," Alex murmured to herself. She turned her gaze back to where Castiel stood, but then frowned. He was gone. "Cas?" She moved towards the basement and hurried downstairs. She heard Sam follow.
Castiel stood down there. When the two of them reached the last step, he turned, but said nothing. Sam crossed the room and unlocked the panic room door. He tugged it open and stepped inside. Alex followed to see Dean waiting for them.
His gaze slid past Sam and Alex and came to rest on the angel. "Well, Cas, not for nothing," he joked dryly, "but the last person who looked at me like that . . . I got laid."
Alex glanced back to see Castiel glaring at Dean. He shifted his weight, glare intensifying even more. He was obviously quite pissed. Alex bit her lip; there was no way she ever wanted that anger directed at her.
Sam noticed Castiel's mood too. "Uh, why don't you, uh, go keep an eye on Adam?"
Castiel motioned with his hand, and the door swung close. Dean turned his gaze back to Sam. "Is that really necessary?" he asked, voice dripping with anger.
Alex took a step back. Maybe she should leave the two Winchesters alone. She hurried out of the room and back upstairs. "Cas." The angel was leaning against the kitchen counter, eyes boring holes in the half-Winchester. "Sam wasn't being literal when he said 'keep an eye on him,' okay?" She walked over to him and pulled a coke out of the fridge. "So, tone it back a bit."
Castiel didn't respond, and Alex leaned on the counter next to him. "You okay? You're in a pretty bad mood lately."
"I rebelled for this," Castiel growled. "And now Dean wants to give up?" He looked down at Alex. "I gave up everything in hope that we could fix it. I, I thought we —" He cut himself off. "Never mind."
Alex nodded. "Dean will do the right thing," she promised. "You have to believe in him."
"I can't."
...
Alex retired to her bedroom a few minutes later. Sam, Bobby, and Castiel could handle Adam and Dean. She just wanted some sleep.
...
There was a knock on her door, and Alex woke with a start. "W-What?"
"Dean's gone!" Sam pushed open her door. "And so is Cas."
Alex threw back her sheets and jumped out of bed. "What? How?"
"Angel banishing sigil." Sam led the way back downstairs. "I'm going looking for him."
Alex stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "He's seriously gone."
"Sh," Bobby snapped. "Adam just fell asleep. The last thing we need is for him to make a break for it."
Alex immediately lowered her voice. "Sorry."
Sam grabbed his jacket. "I'll be back." The he left.
Alex hurried into the basement. The panic room door was open, and Alex stepped inside to see the ever-familiar sigil drawn on the file cabinet. With a quiet sigh, she picked up a rag and wiped it off before tossing the rag out into the basement. "Dean, what did you do?" she asked herself quietly, stepping back into the rest of the basement. She glanced at the cellar door, shaking her head.
When she returned to the main floor, Bobby was flipping through a book at his desk. Every once and a while, he'd glance at the sleeping man before returning to his reading.
Alex sat down in the chair across from him, letting out a yawn. "What time is it?"
"Little past midnight."
"Aren't you tired?"
"Doesn't matter. Besides, my bed's a little occupied." Bobby didn't even bother to look up, and Alex turned the chair so its back was facing Bobby.
She straddled it, resting her head the backrest. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You're not—"
"I said I'm fine."
The conversation died.
...
Alex glanced over at Adam. Almost an hour had passed, and she rubbed her eyes, deciding it was best to return to bed. Sam still hadn't called, which meant he hadn't found Dean. And if he hadn't found him by this point . . . Alex shook of the thought. Dean was still safe. He hadn't said 'yes' yet. He couldn't have. She stood up. "I'm going to — what the hell?" She stared blankly at the empty bed. "Where'd he go?" She looked over at Bobby; he wore the same shocked expression. Adam was gone.
Bobby rolled over to the bed. "He just vanished. Right in front of my eyes." He looked back at Alex.
"S-Should we call Sam?" Alex tried to wrap her mind around what had happened.
"And have him worry about this as well?" Bobby shook his head. "It can wait. Besides, it ain't like he just got up and walked away. Something took him." With that, he rolled into the kitchen.
"You seem pretty chill about this," Alex called after him. "Considering Dean's gone as well."
The hunter didn't even look back. "Right. Cause freaking out's gonna solve anything."
Alex sat down on the bed. Just as she did, the door opened, and Sam walked through. He glanced at Alex on the bed, then did a double take. "What — Where's Adam?"
"He's gone." Bobby looked up at the Winchester, shifting his wheelchair so he was closer to the kitchen table.
"Bobby, what do you mean he's gone?"
"Should I say it in Spanish?"
"He's gone how? What the hell, Bobby?!" Sam ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Watch your tone, boy," Bobby warned. "He was right in front of me, and he disappeared into thin air."
A flutter of wings and the scattering of papers cut him off. Alex jumped to her feet as Castiel appeared. He was supporting a beaten and unconscious Dean. "Because the angels took him."
"What the hell happened to him?!" both Alex and Sam exclaimed.
"Me." Castiel dropped Dean on the bed. Alex immediately turned her attention to him, rolling his unconscious body so he was laying on his back. He was bleeding from his nose and a cut on his lip. There was also a small cut on his cheek. Nothing seemed too deep, and Alex suspected Castiel had knocked him out using his grace.
"What do you mean, the angels took Adam?" Bobby asked as Alex hurried into the kitchen. "You branded his ribs, didn't you?"
"Yes. Adam must have tipped them off." Castiel watched Alex returned to Dean with a wet washcloth. She gently wiped the blood away.
"How?" Bobby tried to draw the angel's attention back to him.
"I don't know." Castiel didn't look away, eyes still focused on where Alex's hand was resting on Dean's cheek to steady his head. "Maybe in a dream."
Sam asked, "Well, where would they have taken him?"
"Better question." Alex looked up at Cas. "What the hell did you do to him?"
"Dean will be fine."
"Yeah, great. Did you still have to split his lip?"
"He was going to say 'yes.' I had to stop him." Castiel took a step closer, eyes flashing.
Alex stood up, not backing down. "So you had to beat him up?" she spat. "He's like our family, Cas —"
"Your family. Not mine."
Alex rolled her shoulders back, glaring up into the angel's blue eyes.
Sam stepped forward, placing a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Where did the angels take Adam?" he asked again quietly.
Alex angrily turned back to Dean, wiping away the new blood that trickled down his chin. There wasn't much, which meant the cuts were already healing. Alex swallowed down her anger at the angel. It wasn't helping the situation. Right now, they just needed to find Adam.
"There's a place," Castiel began, turning away from Alex. "It's where they kept Dean and Alex when the last seal was broken."
"That would make sense." Alex stood up. "We should, uh, — let's get Dean downstairs, okay? Before he wakes up."
Sam nodded. Together, he and Cas carried Dean down the stairs. Alex stepped towards the kitchen and threw the washcloth towards the sink. It landed on the counter next to it, and Alex counted it as good enough. She sat down on the bed.
Bobby wheeled over to her. "You think it's a good idea to be picking fights right now?" he asked quietly.
Alex didn't respond.
"I think we should." Sam's voice reached their ears, and Alex looked up. Castiel stalked into the room with the Winchester following close behind. "Look. I"m just saying, there's going to be a lot of angels."
"Where?"
Castiel turned to Bobby. "Sam has the insane idea of taking Dean to go get Adam," he growled.
"What?" Bobby turned to Sam. "Are you crazy, boy? Do you want the world to end?"
"I don't think Dean will say yes," Sam insisted stubbornly.
"Oh, you don't, do you? Then why did he run off, huh?"
Sam shook his head, not knowing the answer. "He'll make the right call," he said. "I know he will. He has to."
Alex looked over at Bobby. "I don't think Dean will say yes," she said quietly. "He doesn't in the show. Michael takes Adam instead."
"So you want to let him walk right into Michael's hands?" Bobby snapped. "And just because you 'don't think he'll say yes'?"
Alex hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. "It's Sam's call," she finally said. "He's Dean's brother. And if Dean says yes, Sam will have to deal with him."
"I'll talk to Dean." Before any of them could protest, Sam hurried back downstairs.
Bobby wheeled back into the kitchen with a loud huff, and Alex heard the fridge swing open. She looked up at Castiel. "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier," she muttered. "I was just worried about Dean."
"Dean was fine."
Alex shook her head, massaging the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "Still."
Castiel disappeared, and Alex returned to bed.
...
She awoke the next morning. Downstairs she found Sam and Dean sitting at the kitchen table. "You're out." Alex approached the Winchester. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine." Dean pointed over to the stove. "Bacon."
"Ooh." Alex took a piece for herself. "Yum."
"Good. You're up." Castiel appeared behind her. "We should be going."
...
Van Nuys, California
The next second they were standing on a concrete road. Alex looked around, sticking the rest of her bacon into her mouth. A large abandoned warehouse stood to their right. Castiel started walking, and the humans hurried after him. "Where the hell are we?" Dean asked.
"Van Nuys, California."
"Where's the beautiful room?"
"In there."
Dean turned his gaze to the building. "The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. Alex grunted in complete agreement.
"Where'd you think it was?"
"He's got a point," Alex murmured, turning her gaze to the ground.
"I don't know. Jupiter? A blade of grass? Not Van Nuys." Dean just shook his head.
Sam huffed. "Tell me again why you don't just grab Adam and shazam the hell out of there."
"Because there are at least five angels in there." Castiel stopped by a wooden door and turned to face them.
"So? You're fast."
"They're faster." Castiel stripped off his tie and wrapped it around his palm.
Alex opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked over at Sam and Dean to see the same confusion on their faces as to why the angel was undressing.
"I'll clear them out," Castiel continued. "You three grab the boy. This is our only chance."
"Whoa, what. You're going to take on five angels?"
"Yes."
"Isn't that suicide?"
"Maybe it is." Castiel started to unbutton his shirt. "But then I won't have to watch you fail. I'm sorry, Dean. I don't have the same faith in you that Sam does." The angel reached into his pocket and pulled out something with an bright orange handle. He slid the blade out, and Alex realized it was a large box cutter.
"Cas!" Alex stepped forward, reaching for the blade.
Castiel held it out of her grasp. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "If there was anything else I could do, I would do it." He shoved his tie into his pocket and unbuttoned his white shirt.
Alex watched in horror as the angel carved a large circle in his bare chest. "Is this really necessary?" she asked meekly when Castiel started on the large sigil.
Castiel's face was twist in pain, and he stopped cutting before he answered. "This is the only way to get rid of the angels. At least this way I have a shot at surviving." He held Alex's gaze, asking a silent question.
She nodded. "Yeah. I, uh . . . you should live."
Castiel finished carving the smaller sigils around the circle, then began on the triangle. Alex winced as blood trickled down his chest, making the sigil almost illegible. He then turned to Sam and Dean. "As soon as the angels are gone, you two go in and find Adam."
"Wait." Alex stepped forward in confusion. "What about me?"
"You're going to run." Castiel pointed away from the warehouse. "I don't want you to be hurt when I do this."
"How can I be hurt?" Alex scoffed. "That only works on angels."
Castiel held her gaze for a second. Then he spoke. "Alex. Two weeks ago Emmanuel healed you. It took an amazing amount of grace to bring you back. I . . . I'm worried that some of his grace latched on and hasn't yet dissipated. There might still be enough to hurt."
Alex hesitated, but the look in Castiel's eyes made her nod. "Okay. Fine. If you're sure. I, I guess I'll go stand over there."
Castiel took hold of the warehouse door. He stopped, meeting Alex's gaze. "I'm sorry." Then he was gone.
Alex reluctantly retreated away from the warehouse. She stood a hundred feet out, waiting. When nothing seemed to be happening, she stepped forward towards the Winchesters. "Shouldn't he be done by -" She was cut off as an invisible force seemed to sweep her off her feet. She hit the hard ground with a strangled cry, head spinning and a ringing in her ears.
"Alex?" That was Sam, quickly approaching.
"I'm fine." Alex dropped her head back onto the ground. "I, uh, sorry." She pulled herself to her feet and stumbled towards Sam.
She tripped, and he reached out to steady her. "Whoa whoa whoa. Slow down." Sam held her still until she was steady again. "Maybe you should just sit down."
Alex shook her head. "Adam's in there." She let Sam help her towards the warehouse. By the time they got to the front door, she had regained the ability to stand on her own two feet. Dean was already inside, and she followed close behind.
In the center of the large, empty warehouse was a building. Alex guesstimated it to be maybe 15 by 30 feet. Dean opened the door, and she and him stepped inside. "Whoa." Alex looked around. "Talk about Timelord technology."
"What?" Dean let out a confused snort, looking over at her.
"Bigger on the inside." Alex looked around the spacious room. "Cool."
"No, no I got the reference-" Dean suddenly stopped talking and rushed across the room. He dropped to his knees. "Adam, hey. Hey." He gently shook him.
Adam looked up, eyes dull. "You came for me."
"Yeah, well, you're family."
"Dean," Adam rasped, "it's a trap."
"I figured."
"Dean, please." Alex spun around to see Zachariah standing there. She pulled her lip up into a snarl, but, with the flick of his hand, Alex found herself on the other side of the room, back flat against the wall. She slumped to the floor, dazed. The angel shook his head. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"
"Did you?" At Dean's words, Sam rushed past Alex, an angel blade in his hand. The angel spun around, narrowing avoiding Sam's swing. With a quick move, he knocked the blade away and threw Sam back towards Alex. She pulled herself out of the way as the Winchester hit the wall right above where she had been. "Sam!"
"You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean?" Zachariah turned back to the eldest Winchester. "Patience." He waved his hand casually, and Alex heard Adam let out a wet cough.
"Adam?" Dean looked down at his half-brother before glaring at the seraphim. "Turn him back, you son of a bitch."
The angel continued as if Dean had never spoke. "I mean, I thought I was downsized for sure. And for us, a firing . . . pretty damn literal. But I should have trusted the boss man. It's all playing out like he said . . . You, me, your hemorrhaging brothers." He turned to Sam, raising a fist. Sam doubled over, coughing, and Alex watched as thick red blood dripped from his mouth.
"You son of a bitch." Alex pulled herself to her feet, stepping towards the seraphim.
"Alex," Dean warned.
Zachariah turned to Alex, studying her. "Take one more step, and I'll take away those lungs of yours again," he warned. "And this time, I won't put them back."
Alex stopped. She backed down, letting an angry breath of air out from her nose. Sam coughed again, this time more violently, and Alex retreated to his side.
The angel returned his attention to Dean. "You're finally ready, right? You know there's no other choice. There's never been a choice."
Alex looked up to see Dean look between Adam and Sam. Sam coughed again, and his arms gave out. Alex reached out to catch him before his face hit the floor. "Stop it," Dean finally snapped. "Stop it right now!"
"In exchange for what?"
"Damn it, Zachariah. Stop it, please. I'll do it."
The angel didn't stop. "I'm sorry. What was that?"
"Okay, yes." Dean broke. "The answer is yes."
"Dean!" Sam insisted weakly. Alex looked up at her friend, eyes wide. Dean wasn't suppose to say yes. Michael couldn't have Dean.
"Do you hear me?" Dean yelled. "Call Michael down, you bastard!"
Zachariah took a step closer to Dean. "How do you know you're not lying?"
"Do I look like I'm lying?"
The angel clicked his fingers, and Sam dropped his head. Alex looked down, worried. "Sam!"
Sam nodded, arms giving out. His head fell into Alex's lap, and, once she made sure he was still alive, Alex looked back up at the angel. He was faced away from them and Dean, looking up towards the ceiling. "Zo di re do . . . ab era mage . . .na zod pe sad de."
Sam managed to raise his head. Dean turned to look at them, and he held his brother's gaze for several seconds. Then he winked. Alex blinked in confusion. He winked. Was this a trap?
"Of course," Dean said, turning back to the seraphim, "I have a few conditions."
"What?" The angel turned back to him.
"The few people whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes."
"Sure, fine." Zachariah shrugged. "Make a list."
"But most of all . . . Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you."
That stopped the angel in his tracks. "What did you say?"
"I said . . . before Michael gets ones piece of this sweet ass," Dean stepped closer to Zachariah, eyes flashing, ". . . he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal."
"You really think Michael's gonna go for that?"
"Who's more important to him now? You . . . or me?" By now, Dean was standing almost nose to nose with the seraph.
"You listen to me," Zachariah growled. "You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am . . . after I deliver you to Michael?"
"Expendable."
"Michael's not going to kill me."
"Maybe not. But I am." Dean suddenly pulled an angel blade out of his jacket. In one swift motion, he buried the blade up through Zachariah's chin. The angel's face exploded into white light, and Dean fell backwards.
White light started to pour the cracks of the door, and an ear-piercing noise filled the room. "Dean!" Alex yelled, stumbling to her feet.
"Can you walk?" she heard Dean ask Adam over the noise. She thought she heard an affirmative answer to that, and she turned to Sam. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dean help Adam to his feet before hurrying over to help Alex with Sam. "Come on!" Dean yelled. "Move it!" Alex threw open the door and dashed through. Sam and Dean followed. Then the door slammed closed.
Alex stopped. "Adam!" She tried to open the door, but she let go with a cry as the door glowed white and the handle burned her skin.
"No!" she heard Adam yell. "Dean! Help! It won't open!"
Dean was at Alex's side in an instant. He tried the door, but was burned as well.
"Dean, help!" There was a thud as Adam pounded on the door. "Dean!"
"Hold on!" Dean yelled back. "We'll get you out. Just hold on. Adam!" Can you hear me?!"
The building glowed a harsh white, and Alex shied away, the light too bright for her eyes. Then it faded. When Alex looked back, Dean had thrown open the door and had rushed inside. She followed, then stopped dead. It was a completely different room, and now looked like just an abandoned office.
"Adam?"
"Dean." Sam staggered over to them. "Where is he?"
Dean reached out to steady his brother. "He's gone."
...
March 14th, 2010
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Two days later, Alex found herself standing back in the study at Bobby's. Sam and Dean were talking to the hunter in hushed voices. Alex sat on the bed, staring out the window, not interested in their topic at hand.
"Alex." Dean walked over to her. "Me and Sam are going to head out. See if we can find anyway to find Adam and stop this thing."
"We've been looking for six months."
"Yeah, well. We're going to try and talk to people like Pamela. Psychics, hoodoo people, the works." He glanced back towards Bobby. "Bobby wants you to stay with him for a while. Maybe you and him can find something in those books of his."
"We've looked a million times," Alex scoffed.
Dean sighed, and lowered his voice. "Keep an eye on him, okay? I'm worried."
Alex let out a long breath, turning her gaze back to the window. "Don't worry," she promised. "I'll take care of him."
...
Okay, guys. So I won't be able to post a chapter tomorrow because I'm going camping with some friends. I know, I know. I'm leaving right before Gabriel. He'll be back Saturday :)