Chapt. 5 Without Sin
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just love'em. Wished ta 'ell I worked for KripkewWwWw
The old Cardinal couldn't believe it, all his life he's prayed for a miracle and the job he's had as 'Vatican Debunker' as he called it had been seen by him as penance for the vanity of wishing such a thing could happen in his lifetime but here it was, undeniable proof and if it was the last thing on earth he would have that proof safely ensconced inside the protective walls of the Vatican. He was carrying a small square of cloth inside a thin plastic business card holder. It had a dark brown stain on one corner of it and seemed to be made of shirt material. The Cardinal's fingers absentmindedly stroked the plastic case as he made his way to baggage at the airport. Father Michaelson was to pick him up and take him to the man, once they found him, and surely the urgent persuasion he'd use to reason with him would make him see that this was so much bigger than family needs or any other personal reasons he might have for resisting the Vatican's offer.
The Cardinal had just found his bag when he felt a small touch on his hand. He turned and looked down to see the most adorable little boy looking soberly up at him. "You made it just in time" the boy said.
Curious thing for a child to say to a total stranger he thought smiling and then the boy opened his mouth again as if to speak but black smoke or what appeared to be black smoke poured out from it and hit the Cardinal right in his face. The last thing he remembered was the smell of sulfur and the screaming that turned out to be his own.
When Father Mick arrived he was so pleased to see his old friend and Mentor that he ran up to him to give him a big hug and was surprised that the man hesitated to hug him back. Well maybe since he was elevated to Cardinal such plebian displays of affection are considered unseemly and he stepped back to drink in the appearance of his old friend.
"Father, uh Cardinal Tomas" he said,
"Father Michaelson" nodded the older man smiling back.
"Here let me take that for you," he said as he grabbed the bags handle and fell in step beside his old friend.
"I've just become privy to some new information, regarding the whereabouts of the man we seek" the Cardinal said as they walked back to the car. "I know where to find him."
"Praise God!" Exhaled Father Mick as he loaded the bag in the trunk.
"Yes, well, I'll give you directions as we drive' responded the Cardinal coolly.
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As Bobby and the Winchesters pulled up to the rusted gates of the old factory complex a flood of memories came back to Sam and Dean. They'd known this place during the frequent times their Dad had them stay at their Aunt's and Uncles place over in Eudora, a place just out side of the town they'd fled... after the fire.
The first few years until Dean was a teen and Sam could ride his bike without trainers they'd peddle over to it and explore the vacant buildings and play in the empty streets on the factory grounds. There, away from the protective eyes of their Uncle and Aunt, they practiced hunting each other. To Sammy it was just a good place for intense games of hide and seek, that was before Dean told him about what their Dad did for a living.
But after he learned, Sam insisted Dean train him too and they would spend the time there practicing the drills their father had left Dean for 'homework' during the long months he was away on hunts himself. Dean knew the layout of this place so well that he could be blindfolded and still find his way around.
At least he thought that until Bobby stopped his truck in front of the old Fluorescent Light plant and they walked inside. This building had undergone a change. On the outside it looked just about the way they'd remembered it, a little worse for wear, but on the inside just past the lobby the signs of Rufus's improvements became evident as they noticed security cameras silently swivel to track their movements.
Bobby put his thumb on the pad beside the door and with a hiss it opened. They stepped inside and were amazed by what they saw. The place looked like an expensive loft apartment full of high-tech gear and packed with enough equipment and supplies to last a siege.
Dean looked around the room and sucked in air to say,"Holy..."
"Crap!" Bobby finished as a fax machine suddenly stuttered out a message.
"What is it Bobby?" asked Sam as he followed Bobby's gaze to the print out. The older man strode over to the fax, and with a stricken look on his face passed the paper to Sam.
Dean came over and held one corner allowing both Winchesters to read the words together.
GROUND ZERO- IF YOU'RE READING THIS IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE-"Is this from Rufus or Lilith?" Dean asked.
"Doesn't matter" Bobby answered. 'Sam, Dean get every thing we brought in here now!"
As the boys hustled to bring in their goods Bobby set about to locate some vital equipment on his own.
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It was amazing to see the supplies for any need in Rufus's storeroom. That's where Bobby found the transfusion kit.
"Why would he think he needed that?" Sam asked"Rufus is a man who plans for any contingency" Bobby's answered as he held up the plastic pint bag and dangling tubes that soon would hold Dean's blood.
They all had agreed back at the restaurant their first step in preparing for Lilith would be to modify as many of their weapons to demon killing ones by putting Dean's blood in or on any that they could. So taking the transfusion kit they adjourned to one of the bedrooms.
Dean took off his flannel shirt leaving on the black Metallica T then lay down on the bed. Bobby gave him a tennis ball to squeeze as he applied a tourniquet to his upper arm. The older Winchester knew the drill and flexed his forearm until the vein on the inside of his elbow plumped. Dean's eyes registered a momentary look of doubt as he looked up to Bobby and said in a voice too soft for Sam to hear, "you know I'm just me, I don't feel any different." The older man looked back down on the face he'd watch grow up and whispered, "I know son, you just have to find a way make room for who you are. …And this too." Dean looked away and blinked slowly.
Bobby glanced over to Sam who leaned on the doorway. Sam raised his eyebrows in a 'better you than me' look back at him 'cause he knew all too well his brother's distaste for needles of any kind.
His big brother could charge into a burning building, face down things from your worst nightmares but getting stuck with needles was not one of the things Dean Winchester did without reservation. Bobby swabbed the site and Sam watched helplessly as Dean turned his head toward him to grimace when Bobby expertly slipped the needle in and the deep red fluid began to flow down the tube and fill the pint bag by his wrist.
"You know what creeps me out the most about this?" Dean asked Bobby who was keeping his eyes on the flow.
"What?""That I can feel the heat commin' off the bag and know it's because its just fresh outta me." He said turning a bit nauseous at the thought.
Bobby huffed in response with a slow smile on his lips, " but you're still on board with it being used all over the weapons... just so long as it's cold right?" then closed the bag off, removed the needle and placed a cotton ball over the puncture site.
Dean put pressure on the cotton and said, "Yeah, and it's only a pint at a time" he made to laugh but felt queasiness over take him and he weaved as he sat up. Sam was there in an instant to brace his shoulders till the room stopped spinning.
Dean smirked and said, "Yeah, give me a minute...Whoa...don't I get a cookie or somthin?"
Sam smiled mischievously and said, "Sure as soon as you can tell me how many finger's I'm holding up" And he held up held up two, then moved his hand back and forth.
Dean gave him a mild glare and said, " Not funny Dude."
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Bobby went out into the kitchen carrying the warm bag of Dean's blood and poured half the contents into a stainless steel bowl. He placed the half empty bag in the fridge and carried the bowl over to the table.
They went immediately to their weapons cache and began to select the ones that could best deliver the most lethal dose of Dean's precious blood to the demon.
It was indeed an odd and somewhat gruesome sight to see a bowl of his own blood sitting in the middle of the table and the collection of gear beside it.
Dean looked again at the bowl and curled his lip slightly.
But he grabbed the ammo pack of shotgun shells and began to open each one and pour the lead beads into a waiting canister. The hard tinny sound of clattering shot pinging into the metal container prompted Sam to take all the knives they owned and dip the tips one by one into the viscous red fluid. Bobby found Rufus's cache of arrows and dunked each one deep so that the blood soaked into the grooves along the joint where tip met shaft. Once all the shot had been dumped into the canister Dean took the bowl that held his cooling blood and poured enough in to coat the shot. He set the bowl back down in the center of the table, picked up the metal container with both hands and began to slowly swirl the shot around making sure to coat every bead. All this was done without conversation, each man lost to his own thoughts about the battle to come; the only sound was the metal swoosh of the buckshot as it whooshed around and around in the red liquid that clung to the sides and pooled on the bottom of the canister. When all of the blood from the bowl was used up the men stood back and took in the macabre sight of red stained weapons lying on the table before them.
"Well, I could use a beer" Bobby sighed as he looked at their armory. It wasn't nearly enough. They'd have to risk going into town to get more shells for the shot guns, more arrows at least and anything else they could think of to deliver the only weapon they knew would work.
Sam said, " Me too" at the beer offer. And then remembering Dean, who stood looking down at the floor quietly, changed his mind, "Actually, I just want water, how 'bout you?" he asked his brother.
Wishing he could join them in a beer Dean slowly drawled, "Yeah..I guess."
Bobby looked over at Dean as he raised the bottle to his lips, "Speaking 'bout that, shouldn't you be swirling your arm in a bath tub filled with water just about now?"
"Shucks, and I forgot the Calgon." Dean snarked back.
Bobby pulled the beer from his lips and barked, "Don't you sass me boy, we gotta get up to speed as of Yesterday and that includes havin' a stock of Holy water on hand. Now git your ass into the bathroom and start drawing a tub of water!"
"Bobby, look maybe he's tired... he just gave blood..." Sam countered.
"Yeah and no cookie" Dean smirked.
Bobby leveled his gaze on Sam and said, "Well then you can draw the bath water for him if he's so delicate" A sparkle glinted behind his eyes as he teased the older Winchester.
Dean smirked, and as they both walked down the hall, he reached up to clap his hand on his little brothers shoulder. Bobby over heard their voices fading as Dean said, "Hey dude, I am feeling a little achy what if I just take a hot soak, the water should be just as blessed with my ass in it as my finger, right?"
"Dude!" Sam yelped, " I'm not drawin' you a hot bath so you can soak your junk in the Holy water"
Beer foam nearly blew out of Bobby's nose with that comment.
From the doorway to the bathroom both Dean and Sam stood quietly listening; waiting for the sputter and muffled consternation that came from the kitchen. "Good ol' Bobby" they both smiled and nodded at each other.
Sam pushed the door open and went over to draw the bath. He stoppered the tub, turned the tap on full and was checking the temp when Dean walked over to the toilet and looked down at it for a second. "Hey, d' ya suppose my piss would be Holy water too?"
"I am NOT storing your piss in flasks Dean and don't even think of telling Bobby you thought of it" Sam said in mock horror back at his brother.
"No not flasks, we could get..squirt guns! YEAH!" Dean's eyes sparkled as he grinned at Sam. They'd had some righteous squirt gun fights here when they were kids. "Serve the Bitch right to be the one be'in pissed on for a change!"
Sam laughed and shook his head. How did Dean do it, here they were facing death-, yet again, facing Hell-yet again and his brother had this ability to find humor in the darkest things.
Dean flipped the lid down and sat, he really did need to sit and that weakness worried him. "I was just messin' with ya, Sammy," he said as he watched the tub fill. "Although that tub does looks inviting," he teased.
Sam rolled his eyes and rechecked the temp. He didn't want his brother to suffer even the smallest of inconveniences like too cold water as he gave and gave again more of himself to this battle.
After the tub was as full as possible Dean kneeled down on the mat and plunged his arm in, silently thanking Sam for making sure the water's temp was just right, and he began to stir it slowly around. "I got it from here Sam" he said. And watched as his brother turned to go but before Sam left he pointed to Dean and said in a loud enough voice for Bobby to hear, "The clothes stay on Dude!" And they both smirked as another sputter was heard from the kitchen.
Having your arm stuck in a tub of body temperature water past the elbow can have an effect on people and after a while Dean was feeling that effect. So he got up grabbed a towel and wiped his arm down and moved over to the toilet. But before he flipped the lid and seat up he opened the medicine cabinet above the tank. And sure enough found what he was looking for. "Rufus you ARE always prepared" he said a loud.
Dean came back into the kitchen to find Bobby wiping up a beer spill on the counter and muttering to himself.
"Look what I found in the bath room cabinet." Dean said as he plunked the small container on the table. It was a plastic specimen jar the kind used for urine tests and it was marked "sulfur" on the label. "Now we can test the strength of the Holy water, I've never made a tub of the stuff before." He shrugged.
"Sam see if you can find me some tin foil for the table, I don't want to put the sulfur directly on it since the wood's got some of my blood on it and that might effect the test."
Sam raised his eyebrows and nodded, it made sense. He quickly brought back a square of the shinny metal wrap and placed it on the table.
Dean sprinkled a line of yellow powder from the container onto the center and then looked at Sam and said, "Dude, I forgot to bring the water could you...?"
Sam rolled his eyes, grabbed a glass from the cabinet and strode off down the hall. When he was out of sight Dean walked over to Bobby and said in a low voice, "We need to talk."
Bobby straightened up noting the seriousness in Dean's tone. "I think that you should save the rest of the blood for camo, smear it on yourself when the demons show up. They won't dare touch you and maybe my scent on you can confuse them for a while."
Bobby couldn't hide his disgust at the idea and pulled a face that told Dean it was the last thing he'd want to do. "That's not gonna hap.. but Dean interrupted. "You have to Man, it's the only way I can know you're protected when the shit goes down!" Bobby could see the pleading in Dean's eyes, it was so hard to see that look, it was just as bad as the time he begged Bobby not to tell his brother about the deal and then some, because now Dean was pleading for Bobby to save himself.
Bobby looked down at the floor, "Promise me Man, promise me you'll do this thing?" Dean asked again he reached out grabbed Bobby's shoulder and squeezed it for emphasis. Bobby looked up from the floor and locked eyes with Dean once more then without saying anything nodded briefly.
"Thanks Man it'll take a load off my mind." And Dean clapped his friend on the shoulder just as Sam entered the room holding the glass of water.
"What?" Sam said as he saw Dean move from Bobby toward him.
"Nothin'" Dean answered continuing toward the table. Sam walked up beside him and began to tilt the glass over the sulfur on the foil when "Crack!" The glass shattered and water and glass fell onto the table. He and Dean leapt back shocked. And the smoke and smell of burnt sulfur filled the air as what little water hit the sample did its work.
Dean's eyes went wide with surprise and fear, "I didn't do that!" He said to Sam and Bobby who stood dumfounded a few feet behind them.
The floor began to tremble and then the walls started to shake, it was like an earthquake was starting to build. The three men were looked franticly everywhere around them then suddenly Sam stood straight uttering one word.
"Lilith"
He looked at Dean and Bobby and said, "She's here."
He grabbed a bowie knife coated with Dean's blood off the table and started to head to the door.
Dean grabbed for his arm but missed and only managed to snag a corner of his flannel shirt, "Wait, you're just goin' out there?" "no PLAN?" Dean's eyes got even wider, almost desperate.
Sam looked back at him and his face pinched for a moment when he spoke softly, "This has always been the plan Dean" For a space of two heart beats the brothers stood looking at one another then Dean let go of the corner of Sam's shirt.
Sam said, "See you..." and turned to go.
Dean quickly added, "but not in Hell."
"Not if I can help it." replied Sam with a sad smile and pulled the security door closed. The solid 'click-chunk' of the lock echoed filling the silence between the two remaining men in the room.
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The priest had just pulled into the gas station on the insistence of his friend Cardinal Tomas. It seemed like an unsavory place to make a rest stop what with all the chopped motorcycles and bikers hanging around but the Cardinal had assured him they'd be protected by the Lord during their most Holy mission. But after the Cardinal had left the car Father Michelson had reflected on those words. It was something about the way his friend had said them. They had had a hollow ring to them.
The Cardinal made his way to the men's room in the seedy gas station. He pushed the door open and his nose was immediately assaulted by three equally strong smells of urine, vomit and pine. He walked up to the two stalls and noted the scuffed biker boots protruding beneath each stall door. He waited by the sink making a pretense of washing his hands as the toilet flushed from stall number one and a wiry tattooed man with a huge mustache came out to join him at the sink. No words were exchanged and with a nod the biker left. Then the Cardinal walked over and kicked in the door of the second stall and a surprised an angry giant of a man sitting inside. But fear replaced anger as soon as the Cardinal blinked his eyes and nothing but a void of utter blackness dwelt within. Before the man could respond the Cardinal reached in and with a quick twist snapped his neck then reached down and pulled the gun out from the dead mans pants and tucked it under his vestments.
"Well, that was quick" Father Mick said as the Cardinal soberly eased himself back into the car.
"Yes, I did not wish to linger. The smell in there alone was bad enough to have warranted an exorcism," The Cardinal said to him with a little smile. And they pulled the car back out onto the highway and headed to Eudora.
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The moment Sam crossed the threshold and stepped outside the world spun. He found himself pinned up against the side of a building that he recognized as being far away from Rufus's stronghold in the complex.
Ok, take stock of the situation, he thought. Can't move-check. Knife still in my hand-check. Still breathing-check. That doesn't make sense. She's got me dead to rights, why let me keep the knife?
Then he heard the bubbling laughter, it was all around him, it felt beside him, below him even above him but no body-no Lilith...yet.
"Why Sammy Winchester, we meet again" This time the voice was in front of him. Then the air began to shimmer and she/it was there in all her disgusting glory. No host body; just the real deal and she was revolting to look at. Since she was the holder of all deals and all the deals were made from misery and death she looked the part.
Liliths true form was that of a rotting corpse. The face of the corpse was missing and in its place was a slide show, of sorts, of all the faces of every soul she owned in Hell. The flickering images changed rapidly and Sam found it hard to concentrate on what the she demon was saying as he watched each new wretched soul flash up upon her face. They all were screaming but no sound came from them just silent contorted pain as they were tortured. The only sound was Lilith's cold emotionally empty child like voice droning on about winning some war.
Then he saw one face that made his heart stop, Dean's. His brother's face was twisted up in agony and Sam didn't need to hear the scream to known what he was saying, he could clearly read his lips, he was calling his name over and over between yells and piteous cries of pain. Dean had been calling out to him.
It was at that moment that something in Sam changed. It was like a switch had been flipped on. Lilith saw it too and stopped walking toward him. He felt himself glare at her and suddenly his arms were free. Lilith took a step back then she was gone. "Sammy can't catch me, Sammy can't catch me," the singsong voice teased. And Sam thought, "The Hunt is on."
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Maybe a minute passed by, maybe it was only thirty seconds when Dean finally said, "Fuck this." opened up the door and went up to the big glass window in the lobby area to look for Sam.
Putting his hand above his eyes against the glare of the sun he looked up and down the empty streets but couldn't see him. Just then out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, it was too low to be the tall frame of his brother. But as he watched his horror grew.
"Awwww shit." His shoulders slumped; the dismay in his voice was almost palpable, as he looked out at the army Lilith had chosen to fight her battle.
Bobby had never heard that sound of fear and revulsion in Dean's voice before and it had him scared.
Expecting the worst things imaginable that the bowls of Hell could throw at them Bobby hissed, "What is it Boy what's the bitch got coming at us?"
There was a pause from Dean and then he turned looked back at Bobby with such sadness in his eyes and said, "It's children... She's using children to fight her war."
"Aw Hell," Bobby groaned and joined Dean at the window. The rag tag group of a dozen or so little bodies walked with unblinking eyes toward the front of their building. The oldest one among them was no more than eight.
Same age as Sammy was the last time we where here thought Dean and he swallowed hard to see the littlest ones trying to keep up.
Bobby glanced from the children to their stockpile of weapons on the table. Dean followed his gaze. "Guess we won't be needing those, " he said.
"Like Hell!" Bobby barked.
"We're not going to kill children," Dean barked back.
"That's just what the bitch would expect you to say Dean, doncha see she's playing to your weakness," Bobby said through clenched teeth, " it's gonna buy her more time and get you...us killed faster."
Dean looked down then back at the possessed kids stumbling and shuffling toward them.
"What are you sayin Bobby? We play it smart and blow 'em away? We'd be playing even more into her hands if we go that route'coz we'd loose our humanity." In a low growl Dean added, "we'd be no better than her."
"Well, I'm not goin' out there and tell 'em they got a time out!" Bobby snapped back. There's still a demon in every one of 'em and even the littlest'll throw you twenty feet in the air just as soon as lookitcha" AND that'll tear up those little arms of the bodies those bastards are ridin in but they'll have'em do it anyway!"
Dean winced at the thought of how much damage had already been done to these innocents and made up his mind that he wasn't gonna add to it.
Of all the obscene things for Lilith to do...to rape the innocent lives of children with the filth of demon spawn. It cut too close to home. Well, not on the home field, not this time... not...ever...again. His jaw set and his face a mask of rage "We won't kill 'em, we can save 'em Bobby." And Bobby looked onto Dean's face and saw heat begin to radiate off the man before him.
Dean moved to the weapons on the table and he and Bobby looked down at all the gear they had prepared, most of it useless now. They scanned the table any way for something they could work with. "We still gotta get the blood inside them but the delivery system can't be fatal." He said.
Bobby shook his head, "That eliminates every thing on the table."
Dean covered his mouth with his hand eyes still roving the table of weapons, mind thinking. Gotta pierce the flesh, but just surface wounds then deliver the blood to those woundsdead demon and alive children.
"What can we do that would graze 'em, scratch 'em up a bit you know deliver a shallow wound only?"
Bobby scratched his head, "good ol'rock salt'll give 'em a mighty sting and scratch 'em up but even at close range it's not lethal."
"Rufus HAS to have a supply of that lying around." Dean stated.
"Wouldn't be Rufus if he didn't" Bobby smiled.
"You go find that and load our shot guns," Dean said as he headed down the hall to the back door.
"Where're you goin? Bobby yelled after him.
"I gotta go find the delivery system," Dean shouted back over his shoulder as he exited. Now I just hope it's still where I left it. he mused as he quietly slipped out and headed to the building that used to be their old clubhouse.
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Dean crept along the buildings edge peering carefully around each corner. There were no signs of any other children or any other manifestations of demons as far as he could see. So he quickly ducked inside and climbed the creaking stairs of the old candy factory and made his way to the office at the back. The summer heat still brought out the sweet smells of sugar; mint and cinnamon emanating from countless past spills of ribbon candy on the old wooden floorboards. And the old familiar smell brought memories back.
Hurry Dean hurry! he could still hear the sound of Sammy's voice as a child, his breathless laughter in his head when they were kids, from the many times they'd run the length of this factory in games of tag or just from the plain fun of running. And now kids are here again, walking the same streets they had but... not for fun; Sammy's here too, God the fuck knows where, and Dean's gut clenched knowing every second he was apart from him could be the last second of his precious brother's life on earth.
He went to the far wall, the bookshelf was still there, that was encouraging, he pushed it aside amazed at how easily it moved for his 'adult strong' arms now. The crude hex sign was still on the newer plaster that covered the hole they'd stored their 'weapons' cache in years ago. Their Aunt and Uncle forbade them from using any kind of gun in the house so this is where they'd kept 'em.
Dean punched through the thin plaster and felt around for what he'd hidden oh so many years ago and nearly wept when his desperate clawing bumped his fingers onto the prize he searched for. He pulled it into the light and in his hand was the plastic water pistol he'd left there half a lifetime ago. He quickly took out his pocketknife and drilled its point into the pinhole nozzle widening it further. 'Cause what he planed to shoot out of it was as the saying goes 'Thicker than Water.'
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He got back to Bobby just as the first rock was thrown at the glass front window. Its impact cracked the glass in a crazy scrawl of lines and angles. Dean ran to the fridge and grabbed the bag of blood; popped open the plastic reservoir in the gun's handle grip, filled it, stoppered it back up and tossed the bag to Bobby.
Bobby caught the bag one handed and looked back at Dean.
"You promised, man." Dean said tilting his head at him.
Bobby looked at the bag in his hand and curled his lip, he looked back at Dean. When the second rock hit Dean ran out to the lobby area. "Hurry up Bobby they all got rocks now." Dean yelled. Bobby opened the bag and poured some of the contents into his hand. He set the bag down on the table and began to apply the cold thickened liquid onto his hair, face, arms, shirt and pants. When he was done he looked the victim of a fatal crash. But it was just in time because the last rock thrown shattered the glass in a shower that sprayed across Dean as he ducked and covered his eyes.
An instant later when Dean rose up from his protective crouch, he was covered in blood too, his own from all the tiny scratches the flying shards inflicted. He shuddered inside as he looked down at his bloody arms; It's just like in m'dream !
The roar of Bobby's shot broke Dean from his stupor as the first child fell down at his feet. High pitched wails that came from the little girls writhing body stunned his ears and heart but he aimed the plastic weapon nonetheless and gently squeezed the plunger back. A thin red line crossed the distance between himself and the child and landed on her chest. As soon as it struck the screams changed from the child's to an unearthly bellow and her tiny form lit up from the inside as she jerked spastically on the glass-strewn floor. Then stillness overcame her. The next three were upon him. One jumped on his back and tried to strangle him from behind two of the smaller ones grabbed a leg each and bit them hard. "Ahhhgghhhh! Sonofabitch!" Dean grabbed the one off his back and the boy hit the floor hard landing in a pile of glass, the child put up his blooded hands and started to charge Dean again but the stream of red hit his little hands instead and he went down in guttural howls and bright piercing lights. As soon as the other kid's teeth clamped onto Deans flesh through the jeans and drew blood the little attackers grabbed at their mouths like they'd been scalded and jumped off of him. They didn't get far when the shaking and pulsing lights took over and they fell amongst the writhing mound of bodies that began to cover the floor of the room. As fast as Bobby could pull the trigger and reload, their attackers found out that what the salt didn't do, the mine field of glass on the floor did and Dean found himself spinning around shooting spurts of demon death with every turn. Until the action stopped and the moaning took over.
Little scrunched up eyes shed real tears as the children that littered the floor cried out for their mommies and daddies to come get them. And their heart wrenching cries took all the adrenaline right out from the two hunters.
Dean moved over to one of the little ones that had bitten him and gently felt for a pulse-it was there thready but there. He stuck the squirt gun in the back of his jeans and scooped the little form up in his arms. That's the second time in twenty-four hours I've held a child in m'arms he thought and this one's just as light as that other one was. He moved quickly to the bathroom and kneeling placed the toddler carefully in the water. Propping her head from behind with one hand he scooped a handful of water and gently splashed it over her wounds. Dirt and glass splinters fell from her skin and she began to stir. MMMMmmmmawww! The cry burst from her little lungs and Dean plucked her from the water and wrapped her in a towel. "Shhh, Shhhh, Shhh it's alright, you're ok now," he soothed as he wiped her tears and smudgy nose with the edge of the towel. Bobby came in with one under each arm and in quick order they 'cleansed' wrapped and moved the children to the panic room located at the center of the stronghold. Once the last child was out of the tub and his damp clothes were being patted dry by Bobby; Dean turned to go.
"I gotta find Sam" he said.
Bobby looked up from his kneeling position as he wrapped the shaking boy's body with a warm blanket. "Didn't Sam say he wanted you no where near him when he turned?"
"Yeah, but he's already done that by now, I gotta go see if he's alright...I gotta...go" Dean said.
"That's not a plan that's suicide!" Bobby stood up and scowled.
"Then it's suicide,' And Dean took one step when Bobby moved fast and stood in his way. Bobby had lost each boy once already and he was not standing by to watch that happen again.
Practically vibrating with his anger he growled loudly at Dean and the older Winchester stood back coz Bobby looked at this moment taller, meaner and stronger than Dean had ever seen the man, and it frightened him a little, until he saw the tears begin to well at the corners of his friends eyes.
"You are the most godammed idgit ever to grace this planet, didja know that? That speech you gave me and your brother the last time our nuts were to the walls about not spreading it for these demons was the ONLY sensible thing I've ever heard a Winchester to utter in all the years I've known ya and that includes your father!"
Dean gulped back his own tears as he stared wide-eyed at the man who was like a father to him now.
"Now if you think I'm gonna let you storm outta here half cocked right into the arms of that bitch you musta suffered some brain damage that has hereto for been undetected until now. You're... NOT... brain damaged are you BOY?"
Dean responded to the drill sergeant sound so reminiscent of his father in Bobby's voice and he felt himself straighten up and get prepared for a real dressing down. "NO Sir!" he barked and focused his stare three inches above Bobby's left shoulder.
"Damned straight, now you get your emotions under control and we figure this out." Bobby's tone softened just a little. "There haven't been any further signs one way or the t'other so I suspect that Sam an her are scopeing each other out, circling each other looking for an opening. A weakness."
Dean swallowed at the word 'weakness' and he looked into Bobby's eyes. Jeeze! He took in a long breath and let it out slowly. He knew then that Lilith was waiting for him to do just what he almost did-run out there and distract Sam at a crucial moment and he woulda gotten them both killed.
Bobby stepped forward and without further provocation hugged him and Dean let him, and even hugged him back. Dean Winchester put a grip around Bobby's barrel chest and clung there... for the moment to ride itself out... and he wasn't the first one to pull away either.
Bobby stepped back and tuned to wipe at the grit that had somehow gotten in his eyes and after he re –adjusted his cap faced the man again he called son.
"I'm corralling the kids in the safe room then we're gonna take stock of what we have for weapons AND we're gonna have a PLAN before we leave this building." He said with finality.
"Yes Si.." Dean started but Bobby lifted one eyebrow at the word he was forming.
Dean relaxed his shoulders and sighed, "Yeah, can't help Sam without one, yer right"
With the kids in protective lock down both men walked back to the kitchen and took stock once again of the weapons on the table.
Dean selected his silver knives and tucked them in his boot sheaths. Bobby packed his knife in a side sheath then grabbed the quiver and loaded up the arrows and took the crossbow. Dean swapped out the rock salt shells in his sawed off for the demon killing shot and packed a flask of Holy water tossing Bobby a flask too. Any more weapons and they'd become disadvantaged in hand to hand and they decided to leave the rest in case it came to a barricaded standoff here.
"So," Bobby asked as he cinched the strap on his leg sheath tighter, "any idea where Sam and Lilith most likely will fight their duel?"
Dean had been asking himself just that question the moment Sam stepped out the door but he was drawing a blank. There were just too many possibilities in a place like this. But wait a minute. His dad had always taught him that if the thing you're huntin' doubles back and starts huntin' you instead, find a place where you are most familiar, get the home field advantage; it's your best shot at surviving if you know the territory better than the quarry does.
"Yeah, I think I do," The Candy Factory thought Dean and said to him, "I was just there and there wasn't any sign of them but I think Sam would want to go back there to face her."
"Well, lets get going" Bobby said.
"Wait," Dean looked on suddenly so weary, "in m'dream you capture Sam in a special demon lock and we have to...administer my blood to him...to change him back. Do you have a super charged lock design or a exorcism that will bind him long enough for me to...get him to take m'blood?"
Bobby sighed and looked at Dean's hopeful, scared and determined face. "I got a few locks and binding sigils that should work if used together."
Dean glanced over to the crumpled plastic bag holding the remaining blood and said, "If you do them with m'blood it would make them stronger wouldn't it?"
Bobby looked back at the bag and then turned to Dean with a smile, "It sure as hell would." The wry comment put a small smile on Dean too. Bobby grabbed the bag and they both headed out the door.
wWwWw
Father Michelson had done most of the talking. Since the rest stop his friend seemed distracted some how. "Maybe he's just tired' thought Father Mick. Just then the Cardinal sat up straighter and pointed take this turn...NOW! And Father Mick cranked the wheel a sharp right squealing the tires a bit as they turned down the side road that lead to the old Factory Complex. His friend was now suddenly very alert and scanning the road ahead. "Soon" he said, "Our mission will be accomplished soon."
wWwWw
Sam felt like he was growing stronger with each step. He could see it all so clearly now. There was no need to have the human ties he once had, puny, puny humans. What did they know of power such as this; it was unbelievable, he felt like if he wanted to he could reach up and pull one of the stars down to light a fine cigar with. A cigar, when this was over he decided he would do just that. It was better, he felt, if he just cut all ties, they could never understand and they'd only hold him back. Dean, he could just see the look of fear, disgust and hate his brother would have for him now that he'd come into his own. Dean would never accept him this way. And he began to suddenly feel something he had never felt about his brother before-shame. He now knew what every other demon knew about his brother, that his big brother was nothing more than a toy, a plaything for lesser demons to learn their craft of torture upon. He didn't even rate the finesse and artful delivery of pain the higher demons could bestow upon the damned. And he felt ashamed to be related to the man. But just for a moment a flutter of conflicting thought occurred deep inside Sam; buried way down in his subconscious a part of him rejected that shame and raged against the thought of ever seeing Dean in pain again. The 'new' Sam shook it off as a temporary lapse of judgment and moved forward toward the taunting voice of his enemy.
wWwWw
Dean and Bobby reached the candy factory and began to set the trap. Using the last of Dean's blood Bobby created the most powerful demon lock he knew. And the two of them covered the design on the floor with the sawdust from the old barrels that were stored there.
"Bobby, I'll wait for him here," said Dean indicating a hiding place behind a jumble of old factory machines, "you go upstairs to the office in the back, its got some old wards still around it that way you could see all the entry ways."
Bobby just shook his head. "There you go thinking with that damaged brain of yours again, I'm staying down here, I'll flank you but I'm gonna be down here at ground zero; I'm not leavin' ya here to stand alone son."
Dean pressed his lips together Good ol'Bobby and nodded once when suddenly a shadow fell upon the bank of windows at the front of the factory and moved toward the front door. In the brief moments Dean saw it he'd knew that shadow anywhere, his brother was about to enter and Dean signaled to Bobby to find cover as he did himself.
Sam swung the door open, stood there turning his head left to right and sniffed the air, "Dean, Dean, Dean remember when we used to play hide and seek here? You'd always win." Sam strode confidently into the vast factory room looking this way and that. "Well, you're not gonna win this time big brother because I can smell your blood."
Dean stood slowly up from his cover to face him. "Sammy?"
His brother turned from the front of the building to look back at him and that's when Dean saw his eyes. They flashed a cold blue fire at first then settled down to the mossy hazel he's always known. "It's Sam." was the empty reply.
Dean's face began to crumple and he felt his heart break. Sammy had turned, turned into the cold heartless thing he'd seen in his dream.
"Of course... Sam..." he answered, "Didja kill Lilith?"
"All in good time big brother, all in good time" Said Sam as he moved closer and Dean took first one then another step back crossing over the sawdust covered design on the floor.
"You're not thinkin' of joining forces with her are ya?
"That bitch, she's an amateur." Said Sam in a slow drawl like he was enjoying saying the words.
Then as if the mention of her name drew her, the room grew cold, and Sam spun around to see Lilith step inside the door.
"Oh, Sammy thank you for leading me right to him." And she held out her hand and sent Dean flying into the far wall pining him there.
Sam lunged at her but the invisible force of the devils lock that Bobby had painted beneath his feet stopped him.
Dean was unprepared to see her in her true form. He had expected that she'd inhabit another poor little girl, but the decaying dried husk she moved in had unnatural grace for a dead thing. Her face, or lack thereof was what kept his eyes fastened to her. The constantly changing images of faces twisted in pain and despair that played across it brought memories of his time in hell slamming back into his mind and numbed his brain as he watched transfixed.
Lilith tilted her head back and uttered horrific peals of laughter. "Oh, and Thank You Dean for being so predictable! Two for one, I'd say that was quite a bargain wouldn't you? And you know how a girl loves a bargain. Now Sammy who should I kill first you or your pitiful brother? I say YOU. With that Lilith raised both her hands and began to speak in an ancient tongue.
'Bring it on Bitch. " Said Sam and he threw the knife. With Dean's blood on it it easily passed through the wards of the lock and sunk deep into her chest. She stopped speaking and looked down at the hilt of the knife protruding from her in surprise. Then looking back up at Sam she gasped out the words, "I give you THIS !" And flung her arms out toward him with a blinding flash of brilliant light and sonic boom of an explosion that rocked the building. Dean was knocked to the ground and scrambled for cover as the old factory vaporized into a mist. He never saw Liliths body quake with the fire of her demise or heard her scream but he knew she was dead.
When he raised his head above the rubble he saw a column of mist where the devils lock had been and he knew his brother was in there. He pushed the fallen debris away as he scrambled up to his feet and walked slowly to the column.
"SAMMY?" "SAM are you ok?"
"Muuhahahah, Oh, Dean do you really think this will stop me? Stop the path I've chosen to take? You can't be that naive?" the voice sounded like Sam's but not the cold mocking tone.
The mist began to clear and Sam's towering form became more solid. But the change in his brother was more than Dean could have imagined. Instead of the blazing blue eyes that Dean had seen Sam have in his dream, Lilith had bestowed a parting 'gift' upon him and had transferred her powers of soul collector to Sammy. When Sam turned to look back at him Dean saw that he no longer had a face but in its place scrolled the contorted images of the damned.
"Sam? Dean whispered, " Part of you still has to be there, that change isn't 100, there's still you in there?" Dean said this more like a wish than a statement.
" I dunno, I feel pretty 100 now. Better than 100, try 3000 or infinitely better than I've ever felt before. You know I'm surprised I didn't do this sooner. What with all the shit crap life we led as kids growing up. The way that dad dragged us from one funky town to another. What kind of life was that?" Sam said bitterly.
But Dean didn't hear anything past the code phrase 'funky town' that Sammy spoke. It was a prearranged message that they used before, for those situations when either one had been held hostage and had been made to call the other under duress; it told Dean that Sammy was still in there and he was warning him to attempt rescue with extreme caution. The very fact that Sam got through meant everything to Dean.
"So..." Dean couldn't bring himself to look directly at Sam, "Looks like your fix' in to make a career change."
"Just a change for the better, truer form of me." Said Sam. And he spread his arms wide as he continued in a booming voice said, "This is who I am Dean, this is what I was always meant to be."
"No Sam,...Sammy...this was never meant for you or any of those other kids that yellow eyed bastard tainted," said Bobby as he came up from behind. "It was HIS plan, he infected you with, had nothing to do with destiny, boy." And Bobby threw a length of rope he'd fashioned into a lasso over Sam in a perfect hoop.
Sam struggled against the rope that bound him but to no avail. Bobby had rubbed its length over himself first coating the coil with Dean's blood and effectively making it impervious to Sam's struggles. He was caught and it enraged him.
"Aarrrggghhghhhhh! You can't do this! You don't know what it will do! You gonna kill me big brother? You gonna kill the only human being that ever loved you, that was always devoted to you? And you think me a monster? Sam curled his lip and sneered at Dean who was slowing advancing toward the circle.
Dean's legs felt like lead, each step was an effort of will to make him move closer to the thing that was once his brother. "You...know I would ...never...hurt you." Dean felt tears sting his eyes.
"You wanna risk that Dean? You wanna destroy every cell in my body to try to retrieve just one speck of the Sammy you remember? Well, he's not here. It's just me... and you kill me... you kill Sam, plain and simple."
Dean could barely see straight. He roughly swiped away the tears welling up in his eyes.
Bobby took the length of rope he was still holding and pulled it down hard, tugging Sam to his knees, and then he passed the end through the anchor bolts that secured the machinery next to the circle effectively tying the struggling Sam down. He looked at Dean with eyes filled with a sorrow of his own and said, "Ya gotta do it, you know it's gotta be done."
And Dean let out a sob, quickly glanced away and swallowed hard several times.
"You can't do it, you said you'd never be able to and you won't do it now !" Sam yelled at him.
Dean looked back up and at that moment saw his own face grimaced in pain play across what used to be his brother's. Dean watched in horror as his own lips silently screamed Sam's name over and over again. And then suddenly for one brief moment Sam's face returned, his true face and it was in anguish too but he could speak and he said, "Do it"
It was all Dean needed to hear, he strode over to the now writhing bellowing form, reached behind his back and drew out the plastic gun and pointed it at the abomination.
Sam's eyes flared ice blue fire he screamed 'NOOOOOOoooooo" Dean aimed and fired into the demon's mouth. The bellowing increased as the lights radiated out of every one of Sam's pores. The pulsing flares were so bright that Bobby and Dean had to shield their eyes. Sam's body was jerking and moving in ways that weren't humanly possible and Dean held his breath.
Then everything stopped and Sam sunk into a lump on the floor.
"SAMMMMM!" Dean rushed to the crumpled form of his brother lying on the sawdust and scooped him up into his arms. Bobby untied the rope from the eyebolts and pulled a book out of his camo vest and began to recite the ancient prayers for lost souls, the dead and the dying. He'd grabbed everything he could think for an incantation that would help guide Sam's freshly loosed soul back to his body.
Bobby's voice hitched a few times over the passages for the dead but Dean wasn't listening it was just a droning noise in the background to him as he lifted the heavy weight of Sam's limp upper body across his, ignoring the damage Sam may have suffered from the demons death contortions, he rocked his baby brother back and forth in his arms. Nobody should hafta deal with this twice ina life time, don't you leave me, don't you leave me! Dean found himself saying again and again. As the shock set in for Dean it suddenly became so important to the pick the pieces of sawdust out of Sam's silken hair and touch his face. Sam's face was back, it was completely slack but it was his. But there was no response from it as Dean held him and murmured, "Sammy...Sammy... ...no..no...no..." Dean brushed a strand of hair away from his brother's closed eyes and looked down into Sam's slightly open mouth and his own body shuddered with sob as the grief hit him, 'Gone... gone again from me!' And three fat tears rolled out from his clenched eyes and traveled the path down his cheeks and onto his chin where they poised there a moment until with one ragged sob they fell.
Time slowed down then... The sound of Bobby's voice grew louder, the sound of Dean sobbing his name grew softer, the three wet tears fell into the open mouth of Sam Winchester and he felt again. The first thing he felt was pain. Then confusion. Then fear. Because the last thing he remembered was stepping out the door of Rufus's safe house with the intent to kill Lilith. And realizing he that was laying on his back and in this much pain made him doubtful that he'd accomplished that.
Sam twitched in Dean's arms and Dean could actually feel him become lighter as his brother's body came back from the darkness that had held him prisoner.
"SAMMY!!" Dean yelled and fought the urge to hug his brother tightly; he needed to gently ease him back down to do an inventory of injuries.
"Dean? I... where..." Sam said groggily as he gained consciousness, suddenly wide eyed he tried to sit bolt upright, "Is she dead?" He felt a number of hands grab him and steady him back down. "Easy there kiddo' came the friendly growl of Bobby's voice at his side, "We don't want you to move that much until we can check you out"
"Kay" Sam said as he let himself relax around the pain of the palpitation of Bobby and Dean hands as they each did triage on him.
Sam looked up into Dean's tear streaked face and said. "Dean did I...?"
Dean took Sam's arm and slowly rotated it at the shoulder and elbow, as he struggled to keep his face blank but Sam caught the quiver in his brother's lower lip. Dean answered, "Dude you gotta stop die'in on me."
Sam gave him a weak smile and nodded, "Ok...ok I will." Dean responded with a twitchy smirk.
Bobby said, "no broken bones that I can tell, probably some bruised or torn muscles but other than that he's fine".
Sam winced as they helped him up and he said, "Not just fine I feel better, like some weight I'd had all my life was gone from my gut"
"Like those giant tumors they take outta people in Ripley's? You know half their body weight suddenly gone?" Dean grinned at him.
"Yeeeah...yeeeeah..just like that" Sam shook his head and moved stiffly along with them.
"Dean! Dean Winchester! Shouted a familiar voice and the three men turned as two priests climbed over the rubble of the factory wall.
"It's me Father Mick! I know we parted on not the best of terms, but I brought my friend and Superior from the Vatican to explain how important...
Suddenly a lot of things happened all at once.
Maybe it was because they had been in the fight of their lives or maybe it was just the years of practice but Dean and Bobby reacted quickly seconds before the other priest shot the gun they saw him pull out; Bobby knocked Sam to the ground while Dean blocked the shot with his body.
The bullet ripped through his shoulder and Dean yelled in pain grabbing at the gushing wound. He fell to one knee and out of instinct pulled one of the silver knives from his boot and threw it with lethal accuracy into the chest of the Cardinal before he could aim the second shot.
Father Mick was frozen in shock, helpless to stop what was unbelievably happening before his eyes. It couldn't be true, the man he'd called his friend and mentor all these years had just attempted assassination of the living Saint they had been sent to retrieve!
The force of blade hitting the Cardinal had flung him backwards on to the rubble, the gun had gone off and the bullet pinged harmlessly off the old machinery. The sound of the shot broke the Father out of his shock and he watched the gun dropped from his friend's hand.
"Oh, Cardinal Tomas!" Father Mick sighed and he began to bend down to aid him when light shot out from the inside of the older man, his body convulsed with the death throws of the demon inside. Father Mick looked on in horror as he realized what he was witnessing. His friend, this devout man of the cloth had himself been possessed by a demon!
Father Mick dropped to his knees when the Cardinal' movements stilled and he put his hand beneath his old friends head. Bobby, Sam and Dean approached cautiously and they heard the Cardinal softly say to his friend in barely a whisper "What an extraordinary experience, Mick."
Father Mick tried to shush him, begged him to be still. Bobby turned to Dean and said quietly, "I'll go back to the house and call 911 and check on the kids," He looked down at the clergyman and noted the dark stain growing beneath him. "I don't think there's much you can do here."
Dean was still on edge but nodded and said to Sam, "Why don't you go back with him, the EMT's are going to need some help with the other wounded..."
Sam just looked soberly down at him and said, "No Dean we're not splitting up, bad things happen when we split up, Bobby can handle it."
Dean nodded to him and they both looked down at the Priest and his dying friend. Father Mick stared up at Dean beseechingly and said, "Can't you do something for him? Please?
Dean looked at Sam and his brother nodded for him to try. So he knelt down beside the older man. He took the hilt of the knife gently and slowly eased it out. Then put his own hand, bloodied from the gunshot wound in his shoulder, palm down against the seeping hole and pressed slightly.
The Cardinal moaned and roused, he grabbed Dean's shirt and pulled him down whispering into his ear. "There is no need my son, what the Lord giveth the Lord taketh away."
"Look I'm going to help you", Dean tried to reassure the Man of the cloth, "I didn't mean to try to kill you... just stop you from kill in' Sam... I just got him back...and..."
The Cardinal smiled the most beatific smile and looked up to Father Mick. "Could you do me the honor of performing my last rites while I talk to our friend, I have a message for him... and I need to tell him before I...(cough) before I move on."
Father Mick looked confused for a moment then he bowed his head and reached in to his vestment and pulled out the tools of his trade and began to recite the rites.
"Dean, son, the Cardinal began, "all my life I'd prayed to our Holy Father to let me witness just one miracle to know for sure that it was real. And in his infinite wisdom he has granted that wish to me today by giving me the honor of participation in one of the holiest missions this earth has seen in over 2000 years. (Cough)... For tonight he has given me the honor of being your release from his bond of servitude."
Dean was thinking that the blood loss was causing the old man to talk crazy and he pressed even harder to will his blood into the man's wound. But the Cardinal weakly grabbed his wrist and said softly, "It isn't going to work this time Dean. You are no longer with out sin, my death assures that."
Dean froze and swallowing looked up to Sam, he'd just got through bringing his brother back from the brink of death. Healing a living man's wound should be a cakewalk.
The older man closed his eyes and then smiled weakly. "Not after you used your blood to kill a man." The Cardinal reached up and clasped Dean on the arm, "were you really happy while you were in the state of grace, my son?" Dean didn't want to say 'no' to the dying man, he just looked back at him sadly. "The Lord knew of your discomfort but you shouldered your responsibility bravely and used the gift wisely according to His plan. Then leaning in to whisper in softer tones the Cardinal said, "even refusing to be distracted by the ill conceived offers of our Holy Mother Church, that took guts son" (cough) the Cardinal sighed and laid back, "so consider this a reward for good behavior, you get to have your old life back with His blessings... and mine." With that the Cardinal shakily raised his arm up and made a sign of the cross on Deans fore head. Then the man's arm went limp and dropped as he sighed out his last breath.
Father Mick had finished the rites moments before and witnessed the last exchange his friend had had with Dean. He stood up and looked back down on the earthly remains of a new Saint that used to be his friend. Dean rose too and the two of them locked eyes. "I didn't know" Father Michaelson started to say. I didn't understand that this had been His plan all along."
"I..."Dean looked over to Sam, "We had been in this a long time, all our lives. But even we didn't...I didn't see the bigger picture...I thought it had been just about family."
Father Michaelson smiled a sad smile, one that he knew he would be wearing for a while from now on and clapped Dean gently on his undamaged shoulder saying, " it is son, it always has been."
The end
Please review-this one came to me in a dream and practically wrote itself but I never would have pursued it if you hadn't encouraged me to do so. Thank you all so much.