Chapter 68

"Jesus, can he yell any damn louder?!"

Brooklynn bolted off the couch and flew to the backyard, looking ready to have a heart attack. "You ASSHOLE!" She smacked him three times on the arm, clutching her chest and narrowed her eyes at the chuckleheads, Glenn and Randy. "That is NOT funny! You just scared me to death! What can I do for you, oh great Master?" She even bowed mockingly before folding her arms tightly in front of her.

"Damn! His arm is actually red!" Mark was wearing a black beater currently.

Randy was trying, really trying, hard not to laugh and failed, groaning when Mark popped HIM upside the head and received a JOLT for his troubles. "Serves you right, asshole."

"What was so damn important you had to summon me out here?"

"Go back to bowing and calling me Master, I like that." He rumbled, knowing this information was important, but it wasn't like it was going to do them any good right this minute. Well, it would, but… it'd be better with everyone present. "Randy touched Claira."

"Could you make that sound anymore sleazy?"

"Don't encourage him." Randy muttered before glancing at Brooklynn. Taking a deep breath, he launched into what he had experienced.

Brooklynn listened intently, her eyes narrowing to slits and her upper lip curled in a snarl, fists clenching at her sides. "That mother fucker." She hissed out, not believing Seth would stoop so low as to attack and murder someone close to Claira, all to use as leverage against her. All so she would agree to open that dimension prison to release Nemesis! "There's no way around it. She's going to have to open that dimension and we have to come up with a way to destroy him. I know why she did the blood oath. She figured if she could get Seth to make that oath, and he can't deliver, he'll die and that'll be one less asshole to worry about." It was brilliant, but it also brought Nemesis back into their world, which would be in danger again.

"That is-"

"The dumbest idea ever." Randy finished, shaking his head. "In all this time, neither of you told her that the dead needs to stay dead? Everyone knows they never come back… right."

"You got to cross this kid over, Brooklynn. Mickie and Mark can do it forcibly if he won't go peacefully. But for the sake of Claira and the WORLD, it has to be done." Glenn said quietly. "We weren't able to get rid of him last time, just push him somewhere else. He's had all this time to get stronger…"

"But he's surrounding the blood oath. What happens if Roman crosses over and the blood oath is broken? She could die, Glenn." They knew it was a possibility, but nobody had ever taken the equation out of a blood oath, the whole reasoning for it. "And forcing Roman into the light isn't right either. He has to be the one to make that decision. None of us knows what's on the other side, what awaits us. Only he can make that choice."

"I don't want Claira to die because of me."

"I know, Roman." Brooklynn looked at Mark, her eyes pleading with him to save their daughter. "Mark, do you think it's safe for him to crossover before the dimension is opened?"

"It's too risky, look at his face, Brooklynn. No, I'm not doing it." Roman disappeared, heading upstairs to talk to Claira, who had remained locked in her room.

"Let's just all calm down and take a beat. We have a week to figure this out, so let's wait for everyone else to get here and then we'll brainstorm and try to figure out a way to destroy that evil bastard for good."

"How is she breaking the blood oath if someone else crosses him over? She promised to HELP Seth open the gate. Nothing in that oath states she's responsible if Roman is crossed over." Mark pointed out, his tone low and even. "And if he doesn't, then he'll never find rest and you know it, Brooklynn. Once he's pulled back, his soul is lost."

Glenn was so glad he never had kids. How did one make those calls? How did one make the right choice when it was their own versus everyone else?

Roman materialized again, feeling as though he had to be by Brooklynn, that strong pull once again overwhelming him. "I'm not…"

"Crossing you over will ensure Seth's death. He won't be able to fulfill his end of the blood oath and therefore, he will die. But YOU have to be able to see the light. Nobody can force you into it, it has to be YOUR choice." Her voice got softer with each word that came out of her mouth. "Do you see a light yet?"

"But Claira…"

"She'll be fine, I promise. Claira will have to open the dimension…and when she does, we'll be ready to bring this to an end. It's what we do. It's what we've done for years, protecting this world from evil. And we won't fail now. But you have to think about YOURSELF, Roman. You have to do what's right for you, nobody else. We know who killed you and now you get to find peace, knowing he'll soon be gone. And he won't join you wherever you go, so not even in death will you have to deal with him."

Tears filled his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because he'll never find the light as you will…and are. You see it, don't you?"

"Oh wow…" Roman let the tears slide down his cheeks, reaching his hand out and began to cry. "It's my grandma…my papa…my uncle…my brother…" He whispered, looking back at Brooklynn and frowned at the tears sliding down her cheeks. "Take care of Dean for me. And tell Claira I don't blame her for this and to watch out for my boy. I'll be watching over them."

"Roman?" Claira ignored the rest of the people here and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly, even though he was a ghost. "I'm so, so sorry this happened to you…"

"It's okay, Claira. It's okay, my family is waiting for me and I can finally see my bro again. I'm good. Tell Dean I'll see him again someday, okay? Tell him I love him, and he'll always be my brother."

Claira covered her mouth with her hand, crying too hard to speak and nodded, feeling her mother's arm wrap around her shoulders. "G-Goodbye…"

Roman nodded, turning back toward the light where his loved ones were waiting on him and a breeze blew over them as he finally crossed over into the light.

"Oh, Mom…" Claira's voice cracked as she turned her face into her chest and sobbed, tightening her arms around her. At least part of her plan had worked and now Seth wouldn't be able to use Roman as leverage, which would force him to break the blood oath.

"It's alright, sweetheart, it's alright now." Brooklynn shut her eyes, holding her baby girl close and kissed the top of Claira's head, letting her cry her heart out. "We're gonna stop Nemesis. He won't get near you or this world, no matter what we have to do." Her mother instincts were kicked into overdrive. "You messed up, but it's okay. Everyone makes mistakes and does what they feel is best for people they love and care about. Believe me, your mother is no saint when it comes to being stupid and making dumb decisions."

"I-I did it to protect Dean…and I really thought Seth could bring Roman back fully…not a zombie or a monster…" Claira sniffled, knowing she'd been manipulated into agreeing to help Seth, but it would cost him his own existence.

All Brooklynn could do was nod, not letting Claira go and prayed to Julia, to anyone watching over them, to give them strength to get through the war that was coming.

This was why he was glad he couldn't see or talk to spirits as a general rule. That was just way too much hassle and heartbreak. His emerald gaze settled on his daughter, really hoping she understood just how close to condemning her friend she had been. Mark was a fairly selfish person and he figured he was like any other father out there, willing to take on the world when it came to his kid. Now… he was going to have too because of his kid.

"Fuck, I need another round."

"Me too." Glenn wiped tears out of his eyes, not sure what just happened but it seemed to be tearing Brooklynn and Claira up.

"Mom?" Claira pulled back, letting her mother wipe her tears away and gripped her wrists in her hands. "Is it always like that? To feel that powerful and…fulfilled when you cross a spirit over? Or was it because it was someone I knew personally?"

"It's always like that," Brooklynn whispered, kissing her forehead and wiped her tears away, sometimes wondering how she withstood the intensity of crossing spirits over. "That fulfilled feeling is knowing the spirit is in a good, safe place with their loved ones that have already perished. If you want, we can cross more spirits over together…after this ordeal with Nemesis and Seth is dealt with."

Nodding, Claira wanted to help the world any way she could and, if that meant crossing spirits over, getting them where they needed to go, that's what she would do. Hopefully, Dean wouldn't have a problem with it. "I'm sorry, Mom. I never realized how…powerful our gift was until now. You really are brave." She said it with admiration and conviction.

"It's okay, no more apologizing. Just promise me you'll never do something like this again. Not crossing a spirit over, but…a blood oath. Do you realize how badly your father wants to Bind you right now? He's really angry, Claira, and you need to find a way to make it up to him. To make it right."

"Mom…. I agreed to help unleash what basically amounts to an apocalypse… after watching him do the same thing. I don't think he's going to um… forgive me, there really isn't a way to make that right."

Claira's heart had been in the right place, she knew that. Her head, however… she was an idiot. She had literally watched what he had done tear apart their family and set these motions into place and, here she was, hastening it along. She watched as her Dad took off inside with Uncle Glenn, sighing.

Trish, Steve, Melina, and Beth arrived a few hours later with Beth and Melina hugging Brooklynn, welcoming her back. Trish was a little colder towards her, but she understood why. They had been through hell with her during her breakup with Mark. Steve had hugged her, but Trish merely nodded and demanded to know what was going on. Now that everyone had arrived, Mark explained to them what happened with Claira.

"Shit…"

"What is it, Trish?"

"For the past week, my visions have been blurred. One minute they're clear and the next they're not. It's hard to explain, but…I think I saw Roman's murder take place. And then I've been having visions of a black hole…and I didn't understand why until now. That has to be the dimension Claira and Rollins are going to open together."

"Okay, but that doesn't help our current situation. How the hell are we supposed to stop a Demon?"

"I do know holy water and salt will stop them, wound them, but I haven't found anything about completely vanquishing them yet."

"No, back the fuck up a second, if you've been having these kinds of visions for the past WEEK, why didn't you tell any of us?" John demanded, folding his arms in front of his chest. "That boy was only killed last night, and you said you've been having these visions for the past week. Does that mean you could've prevented Roman's death if you would've told us?"

Trish lowered her head, nodding. "Maybe. I didn't know what it was though because, as I said, it was clear one minute and then blurred the next."

"Hey Cena, lay the fuck off my wife, jackass!"

His favorite parlor trick was waving his hand and getting everyone to freeze in place. This was just something amusing. Mark pried Trish away from Cena and moved her behind her husband. He turned Cena towards Glenn, who would have a field day with that and then… unfroze everyone.

"What the fuck Cena?"

He had been after Trish…

"Okay, everyone just needs to calm down a little..."

"Oh, there's our fearless leader, as always, jumping in pretending to help." Trish snorted with a roll of her eyes, planting her hands on her hips. "It's YOUR daughter and YOUR fault this happened, so shut your mouth and let the REAL magic users come up with a plan."

"Says the bitch who only has visions and doesn't bother informing any of us, until it's convenient for her." Randy remarked coldly, eyeballing the bitchy blonde.

"You know, Trish, some of us can't be in a perfect marriage like you. Oh wait, you're not because, if you were, Steve wouldn't have gotten snipped behind your back!"

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"Aww hell…"

"Catfight."

They were falling apart, and the world was at stake! Had everyone lost their minds?!

"SILENCE!" Mark roared, his voice echoing throughout the house and let out a pleased sigh when everyone except Brooklynn and him couldn't speak anymore. "Mmm, Glenn…" He waved a hand at him. "You were being good, and Steve…" His hand hit him next. "Mel."

"In Steve's defense, he had that done BEFORE you two got together."

"And how the fuck do you even know that, Beth?" Steve shook his head, looking at Trish. "Way before you honey, after my two girls. That's why when you said you didn't want any kids, I was thrilled."

"Beth, being a snarky, melodramatic cunt doesn't suit you." Mark yawned, draping his arm around Brooklynn's shoulders. "Trish… if you ever attack my Lynn again, verbally or otherwise, I'll rip your tongue out." He held up his free hand, fingernails lengthening. "You said your visions were blurred… fine. You didn't know Roman to begin with. As for Claira… what's done is done and you will either HELP and be constructive about it, or you'll get the fuck out and hope, to whatever Gods you believe in, we can sort this out."

Mickie and Melina both nodded in agreement, Mickie placing a hand on Brooklynn's shoulder in a show of support.

"Randy told me," Beth admitted, once she was able to speak again and nodded at Mark. "Sorry for being a bitch."

"And how did YOU…oh," Steve remembered Randy touching him a few times and groaned, knowing all of his secrets had been exposed when that happened. "Trish, I already told you when we came here, you didn't have to be friendly to Brooklynn, but you had to be respectful." He scrubbed a hand down his face at his wife's narrowed eyes.

"I was broken, Trish. I couldn't be a friend or a mentor or a leader or even a mother for the past year because I felt dead. I sent spirits away because of how much pain I was in without Mark, without my family…"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Brooklynn. We should be your friends and support you, regardless of what happened. I would be the same way if I ever lost John, even if I was the one who left him."

"We're only human and we make mistakes. Lynn has owned up to hers and now she's with Mark again. All is right with the world, so we need to band together, stop fighting and start coming up with a plan to kill that son of a bitch." Melina wanted to get back to her newborn baby and irate husband, who wasn't happy with her for coming here.

Trish couldn't speak due to the spell from Mark, so she just stood there silently and tensely.