Author's Note: So here is the chapter I promised. Were coming to the big showdown folks so strap yourselves in and get ready for the ride. Hopefully I don't end up making this seem rushed, you guys tell me if it comes across that way. This is the set up to the big battle in the next chappie. I tried to keep it light, a little Dean/Leah banter. I also stole a line from Four Brothers so…uh, ya. Next chappie a lot of action, rocksalt, Latin, a lot of what the Fk's and perhaps tears and hugs? Lol maybe.

Anywho, enjoy! And more to come soon. Also keep reviewing cause I'm lovin the feedback and thank you as always for giving me the feedback.

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Supernatural. If I did there wouldn't be a one month hiatus. Lol. I'd make those guys work work work, nonstop. :D

Crash Course

By: Babyhilts

Chapter 15:

It's astounding, time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll
But listen closely, not for very much longer
I've got to keep control

I remember doing the Time Warp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me and the void would be calling
Let's do the time warp again...
Let's do the time warp again!—Time Warp From the Rocky Horror Picture Show

To say there wasn't any tension once Sam and I reached the hill would have been a lie. To say that it was so thick you could cut it with a knife would be an understatement. To get a word in you needed to hack away at it for at least fifteen minutes with a chainsaw. I hadn't thought to bring my trusty chainsaw with me; I mean it wouldn't fit in my back pocket, so I was left to deal with the tension.

Sam went to work on Missouri's book the instant we touched leveled ground. He pushed the heavy duffel bag Dean had been carrying earlier aside and flipped the book open to the first page. He took John's journal and laid it out on the grass next, making sure to take his time flipping through each one, back and fourth, back and fourth. This little feat went on for a short twenty minutes.

I knew Dean wasn't going to take my apology anytime soon and after the first fifteen minutes I couldn't care less. Every word I tried to get in he silenced with a glare. Every step I took towards giving him an apologetic hug or an 'I'm really sorry' was answered with the popping of his gum. God, the gum popping. Now there isn't much in the world that could have unnerved me so much and I was guilty of smacking my gum from time to time too but his gum popping was LOUD. It made an annoying click, click sound off the roof of his mouth before he set up to blow a bubble, which of course he'd make with such ferocity that it would burst with the same sound that only a firecracker was able to produce. I'd seated myself on the grass across from Sam, making it appear like I understood what he was doing but of course I didn't. He mumbled Latin and flipped a page and did this over and over while I sat, listening to Dean. He was pacing back and fourth, twirling a switchblade in his hand, popping his gum. His feet made squish, squish sounds through the damp cemetery grass. His gum went pop. Squish, squish, POP. Squish, squish, POP. Squish, squish, POP! The humming of metallic then…squish, squish, POP!

"Holy hell" I muttered. I fisted my hands into the ground, wrapping my fingers through thick green blades in hopes of releasing the anger bubbling just under the surface. I thought I'd caught Sam smirking at me from his book, but I couldn't be sure. All my attention was on Dean. I could hear him pacing behind me.

Smack, smack, squish, squish, POP!

"Somethin' botherin' you?" he said around a mouthful of gum. I released my hold on the grass and whipped my head around to me him. He had a satisfied grin on his face as he did his impression of a cow.

"Oh, so you acknowledge that I'm here. And all this time I thought you were playing hard to get."

The grin faltered, but he came back with a double POP, POP.

"You sonofa…"

His grin widened.

"Dean, quit it. Leah settle. I think I found something that might be useful."

"Thank god."

I scooted over next to Sam while Dean stepped forward slightly and hovered above us. Sam spotlighted the page with his flashlight for the rest of us to see. Some of it, or well most of it was in Latin. I sighed and tried to keep up with what he was saying but it went in one ear and out the next. Now if it was French or English maybe but this was Supernatural Land where everything was upside down and inside out.

"So, what I'm thinking is we can use this to contain the thing. It will prevent it from getting out of control; we'll be able to subdue it in order to use the exorcism from dad's journal. Those together should send it back to hell."

"Sammy, please tell there aren't any catches to your plan."

Sam smiled. "A few. There's a lot to read in here." He said lifting up Missouri's book. "It'll take a bit of time to read it all and I doubt this thing is going to give us a chance to even open the book before it starts tossing us around like hacky sacks. Once we get it done though it should be easy enough to exorcise it."

"Well, it sounds like a piece of cake. So, rock, paper, scissors for the lucky guy who has to read Latin tonight?"

Sam raised his fist and readied himself for battle against his brother. They had one do over and Sam lost when Dean chose rock and crushed Sammy's scissors. I glared at them both. Didn't they understand how dangerous all this still was?

"So, that's it? Read some Latin, sing a few songs, do a little dance and were done?"

"No one said anything about singing or dancing but if you care to share…"

"Screw you Winchester! Sam, are you sure about all this?"

"Pretty sure. It's all we've got though; that and an arsenal of guns and rock salt. Don't worry Leah, nothing bad is going to happen to you as long as were around. I promise. Besides, we still have about three hours until anything will happen."

"How's that?"

"We figured with all the urban legends there's got to be a bit of truth. They say this thing doesn't come out until midnight, so we've got a bit of waiting before then."

I sighed dramatically. "So, what do we do until then?"

"Practice your thumb twiddling."

Dean smirked, turned on his heel and drifted towards the duffel bag. A moment later all I heard was the humming again followed by the POP! POP! of gum.

A few hours later Sam and I were sitting across from each other, our heads thrown back, our mouths open wide, while we let out heaping laughs that made our stomachs hurt and our shoulders shake. Sam wiped at a stray tear that had escaped his closed eyes. I smiled. Desperately trying to catch my breath, I continued with the story.

"And…oh jeez, the look on his face when he tried to take the bottle from his hand…" I gasped, barely getting any air into my lungs, chocking on the laughter.

Sam nodded his head excitedly. "I know, I know. When we pulled into the diner I went to the hardware store and saw it just sitting there, like it was calling out to me. It was meant for Dean's hands."

We both laughed. "Oh and when you pulled the cord at the end, just to make him more mad…ha! Genius."

"Well, of course."

Dean was hunched over the duffel bag, pulling out odds and ends, looking over his shoulder with that same hateful glare. I smirked when I caught him looking our way. It had been almost three hours that we had been going at it, Sam and me, each of us recounting funny stories that included Dean as the main star. Of course, Sam had more than me, but I was able to bring up a few key moments from the show to add to the conversation.

"Honestly Leah, you should have seen when we were kids. That itching powder prank he pulled on me was nothing compared to what I did to him when he was seventeen. I mean, that's probably where he got the idea. I took out all his underwear, poured into every one, on the same day we were heading out on the road. Man, he suffered." Sam let out a laugh. "Remember that Dean? You're butt was so red and sore you couldn't sit down for weeks."

At this point Sam and I broke out in hysterics. I barely heard Dean shifting through the grass towards us. When I looked out from tear filled eyes sure enough, there he was, glaring at us. I looked him up and down, ignoring the glare and trying to picture him biting back the pain every time he sat down. I couldn't help it, it was too funny.

"I don't mean to spoil your roasting over here, but if you haven't noticed were hunting a demon."

"You think?" I snapped back. Sam lowered his head as he knew what was coming next.

"What?"

"Well, we never did figure out if it was a demon or not. Were just going on the assumption that that's what it is."

"Look, how about you leave the thinking to me from this point on."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Uh, guys?"

"What!" we shouted in unison.

In the next instant a gust of wind tore through the surrounding trees. The grass shifted on its own accord, tickling my pant legs. The sky suddenly seemed much darker than it had a moment earlier and the moon had disappeared behind a wall of bruised clouds and thickening fog. A chill filled the air. Off in the distance the creaking of metal could be heard. I turned in response to the sound and watched as the cemetery gate swung back and fourth in the wind.

"I think it's starting."

From the darkest depths of the cemetery came an agonizing moan. I must have jumped closed to ten feet. When I touched ground, I could barely stand upright and unfortunately stumbled into Dean's chest, using his muscular frame for support. My legs were shaking and my knees were buckling and I was starting to regret ever coming here.

"It's just the wind."

I pushed myself off Dean's chest and nodded my thanks. At least he was being a little more kind to me.

"It's twelve" Sam stated as he scooped up both books from the cemetery floor and placed them into the inside pockets of his coat.

"Time to rock and roll."

Dean wandered over to the duffel bag, pulling out a shotgun which I assumed was filled with rocksalt. Sam followed suit and started digging through the bag himself. While Dean pulled out a bottle of holy water and extra rocksalt, Sam pulled out a large hunting knife and a silver handgun. The handgun he tucked into the back of his jeans, the knife he kept in his hand. I remembered my own knife that still remained protectively against my leg. It wasn't much but it would do. Hopefully this thing didn't like metal blades.

I heard a clinking sound and Dean stepped forward, fondling a strangely shaped symbol made out of metal that fit into the palm of my hand. He handed one to me and then to Sam and pocketed one for himself.

"What is this?"

"A charm."

"What like a "They're after me lucky charms" charm?"

"No," he began through gritted teeth "a charm that will protect you from possession or doing the time warp again with this demon."

I nodded, barely listening while I put the charm into my jeans pocket. "So what, no gun?"

Dean cursed, making it just loud enough for me to hear. I couldn't help but grin. Every little thing seemed to get him riled up. He moved away from me for a moment and started looking through the duffel bag. Seconds later he came back wielding a crowbar.

My face fell.

"Here," he said his arm outstretched. "hit em with this sweetheart."

I stared at him in disbelief. I looked to the crowbar, to the shotgun he had tucked under his arm, to the smug look on his face and to the crowbar again. My mind was screaming at me, telling me to do something, telling me to curse him out. To lay into him. To verbally beat him down. Kick him where it hurts.

A low growl from deep inside my throat floated across the air. I stepped forward hurriedly, taking advantage of my quick reflexes and snatched the crowbar from his hand and raised it in the air. Dean took a step back out of fear or sheer surprise, I'm not sure.

The wind picked up. The trees bent every which way. I could hear the branches snapping under the pressure but no leafy limbs hit the ground. Another howl sounded as a chill wound its way up my back.

"How about I hit you instead" I growled once more. I advanced towards him and Dean stepped back. I raised the crowbar higher into the air and could feel it cutting downwards towards him. I didn't even hear Sam moving behind me.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me."

The metal bar was so close to Dean and then it was gone. Stolen from my hands. I cried out in anger and spun around to find myself trapped inside a tall, looming shadow. I looked up and caught Sam shaking his head and smiling at me. Dean let out a sigh of relief.

"No more hitting, Leah."

"Yeah," came Dean's voice.

Sam turned on Dean next. "What are you seven?"

"What?"

"Just give her a gun Dean."

I grinned back at Sam. I folded my arms across my chest and nodded at Dean. "You are definitely my favourite Sammy."

Fire seemed to set behind Dean's eyes. He pushed roughly past me, stalking forward and picking up the duffel bag, he tossed it at Sam.

"Fine, give her one of your girly, guns then."

The younger Winchester seemed to ignore the comment. Dean was busy doing his own thing once again. The weather was worsening and the clouds had yet to release the moon. Sam pulled out a hand gun identical to the one he'd placed into his jeans for himself. He handed it to me carefully. I caressed the metal weapon, running loving hands over the trigger and handle.

"It's loaded with silver."

"What, no shot gun too?" I said playfully.

"Be lucky you even have that!" Dean called out over the increasing winds. Sam handed me extra ammo, "just in case" and closed the duffel bag. Once he was done I finally noticed Dean. He stood some feet away, staring out into the increasing black. The wind had yet to die down and it only got colder the longer we stayed still.

"So, any ideas boys?"

"Yeah," Dean turned around to face us. "We split up."

My heart stopped. "What?"

"Dean's right, we'll cover more ground that way."

"Do you guys not watch slasher flicks? That's how the crazy hockey mask wearing freak with the axe feddish always gets his victims. When they're alone!"

Sam smiled at me reassuringly. "It'll be fine. Besides you'll be with Dean."

"What?" we cried.

"I'm going to take a look around the cemetery. Check out what's left of that old tree, the one where the "witch hanging" was. You guys check out the remains of the church."

"Dude…"

It was too late. Dean's plea fell on deaf ears as the winds picked up once again and Sam had already turned to leave, walking off to his part of the cemetery. I watched teary eyed as he left, knowing I'd have to deal with Mr. Testosterone and his shotgun full of rocksalt. Yippee.

"Well, lets get this over with as quickly and as painlessly as possible."

I snorted. "Sounds good to me."

Dean took the lead, as usual, his shotgun hanging limply under his arm. He was humming metallica again but at least he'd had enough sense to throw out his gum before we started out.

Unlike the trained hunter, I felt safer with my handgun at the ready. I kept my finger on the trigger, imagining I was some cop in a big Hollywood flick, ready to bust down a well known crack house. I stepped cautiously through the grass, sweeping from left to right with the gun. I'd press my back against an invisible wall, gun in front of me and then tear around the corner, gun at the ready. Sweep the room, it would be empty. I'd move forward. I'd turn around long enough to signal to the men behind me to check out the rooms down the hall, and then I'd keep going; into the next room. I'd come to a stop at a door that was locked and closed. I'd have my gun out and then with a strong kick I'd have that door falling off its hinges. The wood would splinter out in every which way. My hair would fall into my face and I'd be trying to catch my breath when I'd notice two guys just waiting on the other side for me. I'd yell "Freeze!" and they'd stumble back in surprise. They'd make a move to stop me and I'd let out a warning shot into the bigger man's kneecap.

I looked at the back of Dean's head and turned to the surrounding area. I swept right and then left, and then left again, playing this scenario out in my head. I was starting to wish I had a flashlight too, that way I could use both my hands and I'd be able to sweep better. I swept right. I swept left.

"Could you not follow so close to me?"

The thick voice startled me from my daydream. In hindsight, I guess I should have been paying more attention to the real mission, instead of the fake one in my head. But hindsight is 20/20 and well… I'd just finished sweeping left when the voice cut through my thoughts. Instincts told me I was still keeping a look out for drug addicts in an abandoned house. Gun still held tightly in my hands, I hurriedly swept right. It all happened in seconds. Sweep left, the voice, the sweep right, the sound of metal hitting flesh and the cry. When I started to come out of my dream I saw Dean cradling his chin where a bruise was starting to form.

"Dean?"

"What the hell was that?"

I could feel my palms becoming moist and my cheeks reddening. Still, I kept my head high.

"I was sweeping the perimeter," I said, so sure of myself.

"Sweeping the perimeter…Leah this isn't NYPD Blue here."

"Well, sorry for watching your back smartass."

"You really wanna watch my back? How about lowering your gun out of my face for starters and second, how about turning off the safety."

He took the gun from my hands, flicking the safety off before handing it back, the weapon pointed purposefully at the ground. I was never going to live this down. I mean, I wasn't really a cop, or a supernatural hunter, how was I supposed to know how to shoot a handgun?

"Now relax a bit and be ready for anything. Oh and Leah?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to shoot me okay?"