Midnight on the Track

Chapter Three

The next day, news of what Lizzie did during the race had spread like wildfire. Crowley had taken to taunting Lizzie every chance he got. "At least I won't have to deal with this David and Goliath nonsense anymore," he thought to himself one day.

Dean tried helping the situation by making an announcement to the press. "Lizzie Blaszczak will remain Midnight's jockey – now and forever. And if they're too scared to come and race us then we're gonna find them! We're gonna enter every race where War Admiral is on the card, and if he scratches – which he most likely will – we'll enter the next race he's on the

card. And we won't come home until we face them. Win, lose or draw. "You know, I'd rather have this horse than a hundred War Admirals."

"Thanks for what you did," said Lizzie. Dean nodded as he got Lizzie a cup of tea. "No problem," he said.

After much begging and pleading from the public Crowley finally agreed to race War Admiral against Midnight. But only on his terms. They would race in the local race track. No fancy equipment. The race was scheduled for the first of November.

Lizzie, Sam, Castiel, and Dean staked out War Admiral's private stables one afternoon. "They've got us in the servants quarters," said Lizzie, peering through her binoculars. "Is that him?'' asked Dean, peering at a horse that was being walked out of the stables. "No," said Sam. "He's too small." There was a pause. Then – "That's him," said Sam. Dean and Lizzie peered through their binoculars and saw a huge black horse being walked out. "Damn!" said Dean. "Maybe he's the type of horse that just looks good in the paddock," said Lizzie shrugging.

They watched War Admiral be run around the track. "Wow!" said Lizzie. "We've gotta get her to the lead," said Sam. "Midnight never goes to the lead," said Dean. "I know, but we've gotta teach her to break first," said Sam. "If that monster shakes loose, we'll never catch him."

"What?" asked Lizzie. "Retrain her?" Sam looked at Lizzie. "We've still got two weeks," said Sam.

The next day, Lizzie purchased a 1930s fire bell off of eBay, and it was delivered later that same day. That night they went out to the track to practice. "It's a predatory response," said Sam. "If I just brush it past her flank, she'll bolt. We just want to teach her to do it with the bell."

"How far do you want me to take her?" asked Lizzie. "Just a hundred feet," said Sam. "Just so she learns to break first."

Lizzie nodded. "Got it," said Lizzie as she rose up in a two-point. Dean had the bell in his hand as he pressed the button, and Sam brushed the whip past Midnight's flank as she ran.

They did this over and over until Sam finally threw the whip aside. "Alright, here we go," said Sam as he pressed the button on the bell and Midnight galloped off.

The next evening, Sam asked Lizzie to go the whole length of the track. "The whole track?" asked Lizzie. Sam nodded. "We just want her to do it once with nothing in front of her," he said. "Yeah, but I can't see out there," said Lizzie. "Don't worry. She can," said Sam. "Aw come on, Sam!" said Lizzie. "Sam, why do you always have to do this? Damn it!" said Lizzie as she got in the two-point position. The bell rang, and Midnight galloped off.

As Lizzie galloped on Midnight her eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness. "Cheese and rice!" she breathed. "Wow!"

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

The next day, Lizzie walked into the barn, and walked over to where Castiel's horse Patch was kept. "Hey Patch," said Lizzie as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a peppermint. She held out her hand and fed it to him. "Hey, Liz?" asked a female voice as Lizzie turned to see Meg, a demon and former adversary of her, Sam and Dean.

"Hi!" said Lizzie looking overjoyed to see her again. "Good to see you!" "You too!" said Meg. "Listen, I need to ask you a favor," said Meg. "Sure!" said Lizzie. "Anything!"

"I have this horse, and I'm trying to sell a share of him. I was wondering if you'd breeze him for me?"

Lizzie smiled. "Sure!" she said "I'd love to!"

Lizzie rode Meg's horse out onto the track. "Okay," said Meg. "Just take him for five furlongs at around a minute-one." "Can he do that?" asked Lizzie. Meg shrugged. "Should," she said. Lizzie nodded as she galloped along the track. Two men were trying to get a tractor started nearby. First attempt didn't work as Lizzie galloped past them. They tried again, and this time, the tractor backfired, spooking the horse who whinnied wildly and fell over knocking Lizzie to the ground too. Her right foot got caught in the stirrup as the horse stood up and began dragging her before knocking into the barn door where there was a sickening CRACK! and Lizzie lay motionless on the ground.

Lizzie was taken to a hospital where doctors looked at her leg. It was shattered. Eleven breaks. "We're gonna have to operate," said the doctor as Dean nodded. "Just sit tight, okay?"

Twelve hours later, the doctor came out into the waiting room. "We're all done," he said. "She'll always limp, but it looks like she's gonna walk again."

"Will she ride?" asked Dean. "No, she's not gonna ride," the doctor said. "You're sure?" asked Sam, standing up. "She won't ride. She's gonna walk. Take care okay?" said the doctor. "Thank you," said Dean.

They later visited Lizzie in her room. "You'll be fine, Liz," said Dean. "Couple of months, you'll be up and around like new," "I'm the one who makes up stories remember?" said Lizzie. Sam smiled. "Look, I uh, I think we're gonna have to scratch," said Dean. "No!" said Lizzie. "No, don't scratch!" "Liz," said Dean. "You've got yourself a great horse and a friend for life, but she can't run by herself,"

"Don't scratch," said Lizzie. A moment later, she had an idea. "Call Cas," said Lizzie. Sam raised his eyebrows. "Cas?" he asked Lizzie nodded. "Liz, nobody's riding…." "It's okay," said Lizzie. "Call him."

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

The next day, Dean told the media, that they weren't going to scratch. "Lizzie Blaszczak wants Midnight to win this race more than anything in the entire world. She wouldn't let us scratch."

Crowley wasn't amused by Castiel's riding abilities. As far as he was concerned, Castiel was "Irrelivent," said Gadreel. "They can get the four horsemen of the Apocalypse as far as I'm concerned. Won't make any difference. War Admiral is a superior horse with superior breeding. It doesn't matter who the passenger is."

Cas visited Lizzie in the hospital to talk strategy with her. "She's got a strong left lead, Cas," said Lizzie. "Banks like a friggin' airplane. She might need some help switching to it. So ease her off the rail just before the turn."

"Like you did in the gold cup?" asked Cas. "Precisely," said Lizzie. "She needs a good warm up, so take her out slow. When you do ask her, don't use the whip. Just flick it twice – show her that it's there. She'll know it's time." "Right," said Cas. "And um – never on the left side. Her previous owner used to hit her on the left side."

"I wish it was you, Liz," said Cas. "Aww, come on," said Lizzie. "I'll be right there with you,"

Cas practiced with Midnight every night. And each time, he would come back to the hospital and tell Lizzie. "Good," said Lizzie. "Now, show her the stick at the quarter pole, and she'll give you a whole new gear."

Cas did as Lizzie asked the following night and came back to her the next morning. "Now, force her to the left lead. A little earlier, and she'll give you even more."

Cas continued to practice with Midnight and continued to talk strategy with Lizzie over the next few days. "Excellent," said Lizzie. "Now, shut the door." Cas walked over and shut the door to Lizzie's room. "You know how Sam want you to fight for the lead by the first start?" she asked. "Yeah," said Cas. "You were working with that bell. I was a little nervous about that."

"It's fine," said Lizzie. "But you've gotta give it up on the backstretch." "Give it up?" asked Cas. "Give back the lead," said Lizzie. "She fights for it, Cas. And if you bring her head-to-head with that other horse, and she looks him in the eye, there's no way she loses that race." Cas nodded. "You just hold her through that final turn, and let her get a good look at the Admiral. Then let her go!"

Cas nodded again. "It's not in her feet, Cas," said Lizzie putting a hand on her heart. "It's right here." Cas nodded. "Oh, and one more thing," said Lizzie. "Yeah?" asked Cas. "Don't use your angel mojo to win this race – that's cheating!" Cas smiled and nodded. "Okay," he said. "But what if Gadreel does?" "Don't think about him," said Lizzie.

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSNPSPN

On November first the local racetrack was packed. By ten that morning, the closest place to park was two blocks away. Business establishments scheduled half a day of work so their employees could watch the race on TV.

In the locker rooms, Sam was giving Cas one of his pep talks. "It's still kind of soggy at the rail so try and keep her out of there," he said. Cas nodded. "There's a dry tractor tread about five feet off the fence," said Cas. "I walked the track this morning."

Sam nodded "Good," he said. "Now, she ought to break, just like we practiced. But, uh, there's one more thing,"

"What?" asked Cas. "Let him catch me on the backstretch?" Sam said nothing. "You aren't the only one who knows this horse, Sam," said Cas. "We'll be fine. Don't worry."

Dean gave Cas a leg up, onto Midnight's back. "Safe trip, Cas," he said. "And a short one," said Cas. "Thanks Dean."

Cas made his way up to the starting gate and saw Gadreel on War Admiral. "Gadreel," said Cas nodding. "Cas," said Gadreel nodding back.

Lizzie was watching the race on tv in her hospital room. "The two jockeys have acknowledged each other. It's a quick hello like boxers touching gloves," the announcer said. "Come on, Cas," said Lizzie. "This is no time for small talk."

"The two horses are now on the main track," the announcer said. "And you can hear the roar from the crowd.

Midnight and War Admiral walked up to the starting point and a bell rang, signaling the start.

Midnight ran next to War Admiral, first by a nose, then by a head, continuing to run, turning a corner before War Admiral. Sam, and Dean were watching from the bleachers. "Now, back her off, Cas," said Sam. "Back her off, back her off,"

They were now on the backstretch with Midnight at the lead.

Lizzie was still watching. "Come on, now, Cas, now don't kid around," she said.

"I sure hope you're right, Liz," said Cas. "Here we go! Easy, Midnight,"

Midnight and War Admiral were now neck-and-neck with each other. "Close, Midnight," said Cas. "Easy, girl. It's almost time,"

Midnight wanted to spring ahead but Cas held her back a couple more furlongs. "Not yet, girl," he said. Sam and Dean continued to watch from the bleachers. "Do it," said Dean. "Do it now, Come on, Cas!" "Turn her loose! Turn her loose!" said Sam. "Do it now, Cas!"

Cas looked at Gadreel, grinning. "See, ya, Gadreel Hyah!"

Midnight sped up. "Turn her loose!" Sam shouted. Midnight continued to run her heart out until she crossed the wire first. She had beaten War Admiral.

Lizzie was crying as she watched Cas cross the finish line. "Yes! Yes! Whoo! Yes!" she shouted.

Later Cas was in the winner's circle and was asked by a reporter how it felt to win the race. "Well," said Cas. "I just wish that my very good friend, Lizzie Blaszczak was up here today instead of me," he replied. "She will be," the reporter replied.

Castiel was approached by several other journalists that day. "You've got yourself an amazing horse there," one of them said. "Oh," said Cas. "She isn't mine. She belongs to a really good friend, but she's in the hospital, so she couldn't race, and she asked me to stand in for her,"

SPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPNSPN

Lizzie was released from the hospital the following week. Her leg was still in a cast, and she was on crutches. Cas entered another race with Midnight. They were halfway down the backstretch, when Midnight whinnied, and slowed down. She appeared to have injured her leg in some way.

Cas led her off the race track and dismounted so he could inspect her leg.

Sam and Dean who had been watching from the bleachers immediately called the vet. Dean then called Lizzie to tell her what happened. "When will we know?" asked Lizzie. "I don't know," said Dean. "Maybe an hour, I'm not sure. Sammy's with the vet right now."

Lizzie sighed. "Does it hurt when she bends it?" she asked. "Because if it doesn't hurt when she bends it, then…" "We don't know anything right now, but I'll call you as soon as we find out, I promise," said Dean. "Okay," said Lizzie as she hung up.

The vet came out of Midnight's stall two hours later, and addressed Dean. "Mr. Winchester?" he asked. "She ruptured an entire ligament. I put a splint on her just to keep her immobile, but right now she's totally lame. She's not gonna race again."

"Are you sure?" asked Sam. The vet nodded. "Look, I know this is difficult, but I'll put her down if you want me to,"

Sam gasped, thinking about how heartbroken Lizzie would be if she found out her horse wouldn't be able to race again due to her injury, and therefore was put to sleep because of it.

He also thought of what Dean had once said to him: "You don't throw another life away just 'cause it's banged up a little bit."

They decided not to put Midnight down and let her leg recover. Now she and Lizzie were in the same boat.

When they brought her back to the Bunker, Lizzie was waiting for them, As Midnight was brought out of the trailer, she saw Lizzie and got excited. Lizzie limped toward her on her crutches. "Oh, it's okay Midnight," said Lizzie. "I'll come to you!"

She dropped her crutches and hopped toward Midnight, and petted her. Midnight had injured her right leg – the same leg Lizzie injured.